The Tech Media Minute: Fitbit Announces New Fitness Bands
Things are heating up as August gets ready to conclude. New products from Fitbit and Philips Hue are making news today, as the rest of tech world await word from Apple on the company’s fall event.
Top news stories
Fitbit announces new products
One week before Apple is expected to announce a second-generation Apple Watch, the No. 1 wearable device provider is out with two new products. Fitbit has announced the Charge 2 ($150) and Flex 2 ($100).
The Charge 2 is an update on the world’s most popular fitness tracker. The new model features a larger touch screen, better sensors, and closer links to a user’s smartwatch. The screen-less Flex 2 now includes a removable module that can go into various accessories, including a waterproof plastic wristband, gold-plated wrist bangle, and designer-made necklace pendant.
Philips Hue unveils a new Motion Sensor
A leader in the growing smart home products market is out with a new device. Philips Hue has announced the new Motion Sensor, which allows users to automate parts of their lighting experience based on movements in the home. The device launches in October for $39.95.
More about the next iPhone
A new leak on Chinese social network Weibo (via AppleInsider) purportedly mentions specifications for the upcoming iPhone 7 and “iPhone 7 Plus.”
According to the leak, both models will feature Apple’s in-house designed “A10” chip that has an embedded next-generation “M10” motion coprocessor. The 4.7-inch iPhone 7 model features 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM like the current iPhone 6 series, while RAM on the bigger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus device is said to be 3GB of LPDDR4.
The iPhone 7 is said to have a 1,960 mAh battery while the larger model may come with a 2,910 mAh battery. These are both increases from the current models.
As AppleInsider concludes:
The camera on the “iPhone 7″ is said to be a 12-megapixel unit, with a 1/2.6″ sensor (versus 1/3” on the iPhone 6s), ƒ/1.9 aperture (versus 2.2), and 1.3 µm pixels.
The dual-lens camera often rumored for the “iPhone 7 Plus” is seemingly confirmed, with a pair of 12-megapixel cameras, each said to have a 1/3″ sensor, and a ƒ/1.9 aperture. The leaker declined to give specifications for pixel size.
The new iPhones (along with the “Apple Watch 2”) are expected to be announce on Wednesday, Sept. 7
Trending today
We’re headed to September later this week. For many, this means the #firstdayofschool.
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Extra reading
We’ve looked around the web and found these other stories worth considering:
- New Surface Pro 4 Ad Compares Tablet PC With MacBook Air, MacRumors
- Watch BioShock Remaster’s First 14 Minutes, GameStop
- The laptop’s godfather dies at age 75, CNNMoney
Want even more? Check out Tech Media Extra.
The Tech Media Minute is published Monday through Friday on AppAdvice to highlight the biggest stories in technology.