IPod deathwatch
OppO has unveiled two smartphones, the R7 plus and R7 lite, to cater to high- end and casual users.
Both devices have a screen that curves a little at the edges for a fancier look and comfortable grip. The R7 plus has a 6in display with 1080p resolution and the lite’s is a 5in 720p screen.
each device has an 8- megapixel front- facing camera to please selfie lovers, and a 13- megapixel main camera.
The R7 plus has a metal unibody with a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa- core processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage.
It has a massive 4,100mAh battery, one of the biggest for a smartphone, and features rapid charging technology that is claimed to reduce charging time by 50%. It only takes 30 minutes to power up the phone to 75%, for instance.
The R7 lite, on the other hand, has a Snapdragon 615 octacore processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and 2,320mAh battery.
Both devices run on Android lollipop with the company’ company’s ColorOS 2.1 user interface which has received a makeover.
Oppo has not said when ColorOS 2.1 will be made available to other devices but in the past the compan company didn’t take v very long. The R7 plus, which will only be available in gold colour, will retail for RM1,998 while the lite will go for RM1,298 and will be available in gold and silver colours. Both models are expected to be available in mid- August and pr pre- orders start on July 11. Apple may have taken the first step to phasing out the ipod.
A sharp eye at Apple Insider noticed that earlier this week, Apple removed the iconic media player from the top menu on Apple’s homepage. It’s been replaced with Apple Music, the new streaming service unveiled recently.
While ipods are still available on the Apple Store website, it’s no great leap to infer that in Apple’s streaming- music future, there is no place for the download- based ipod.
Sales of the ipod, which jump- started Apple’s meteoric resurgence in the early 2000s, have been steadily declining for several years, as more consumers get their music from their iphones – and soon, their watches. last fall, Apple discontinued the ipod Classic ( which I mourned with a heavy heart).
The ipod lineup has not had a significant upgrade since 2012, though reports surfaced that the ipod Touch may get a freshening- up, possibly adding more memory and improved streaming capability.
But in the past, Apple has shown no mercy to technologies it deems to be passe. It’s easy to envision it doing the same to the no- longer- vital ipod. — Tribune News Service