Tech Briefing today: iPhone 15 Ultra may not happen, Roblox rolls out update, YouTube 'glowing' button, more

Tech Briefing today: Even as the weekend rolls over, new developments in tech do not slow down. A new report by Mark Gurman reveals that the iPhone 15 Ultra is unlikely to be unveiled at this year’s Apple event. As such, the iPhone 15 Pro Max branding to stay for at least one more year. In other news, India and the US have joined forces for an exciting partnership to send Indian astronauts into space in 2024. These astronauts will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS). This and more in today’s tech briefing. Let us take a closer look.

No iPhone 15 Ultra release date

A new report has claimed that there will be no iPhone 15 Ultra release date, this year at least. The new report comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who said, “Keeping with its usual pattern from the past few years, Apple is planning to debut four models: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and what will be called the 15 Pro Max (not Ultra as some have speculated)”.

The speculation originally began after Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Ultra that became the top-end smartwatch for the company. Earlier, Apple also introduced its most powerful silicon chip and named it M1 Ultra (followed by M2 Ultra this year). It was believed that it was a new naming convention Apple was adopting and it could also reflect on the iPhones. Dig deeper.

India and the US join hands to send Indian astronauts to the ISS

After collaborating on the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India and the US will again form a partnership to send Indian astronauts into space in 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden made the announcement after their meeting during the G20 summit. As per the initial plans, ISRO and NASA will work together to send Indian astronauts to the ISS.

President Biden praised India, commending Prime Minister Modi along with the dedicated team of scientists and engineers at ISRO for their remarkable achievement in successfully landing Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's southern pole. Additionally, he lauded India's inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1, highlighting the strong collaborative efforts evident in their accomplishments. Dig deeper.

Roblox to get major upgrades

Roblox hosted its Developers Conference earlier today. The two-day conference began with a keynote session where the company announced multiple upcoming developments destined for the platform. Among the array of new features announced, the most noteworthy was the introduction of an AI assistant designed to empower creators in expediting world-building and the generation of fresh virtual experiences. Simultaneously, Roblox initiated one of its most significant ecosystem alterations in a considerable span, opening up its marketplace. Dig deeper.

YouTube tests a glowing Subscribe button

According to a report by 9to5Google, YouTube is testing this feature, where whenever the word subscribe is spoken in a video, the Subscribe button that is located right underneath the video will begin glowing, so as to draw the attention of the viewers. The feature is made to be fully automated and is lined with the voice command, which appears to be ‘subscribe'. This feature has popped up for many users in the last couple of weeks for those who have been included as a part of this test. Dig deeper.

Nokia G42 to launch in India

Nokia is gearing up for the launch of its latest smartphone, the Nokia G42 5G, in India on September 11. It offers features like Android 13, two years of Android updates, a Snapdragon 480+ processor, 5G capability, and a 50-megapixel main camera. The phone will also have a 5,000mAh battery and support 20W fast charging. Dig deeper.