Asus at MWC 2018: iPhone X Clones ZenFone 5/5Z, ZenFone 5 Lite, ZenFone Max (M1) Announced

Samsung, Sony and Nokia announced new flagship smartphones at the ongoing MWC tech show in Barcelona, and on Tuesday, it was Asus’s turn to join the party. The company had already listed the ZenFone Max Plus (M1) on its website yesterday, but at the event itself, the company unveiled four more smartphones, including three new ZenFone 5 devices – the ZenFone 5Z, ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5 Lite. The other handset unveiled at the event was the ZenFone Max (M1), a smaller variant of the Max Plus (M1).

All the new ZenFone 5-series smartphones offer full-screen displays, dual-cameras, Face Unlock, and AI-enabled features “to provide users with a unique slate of intelligent camera, communication and convenience features”, according to the company’s CEO, Jerry Shen. They also ship with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, but with Asus’ proprietary ZenUI 5.0 on top. All devices will also offer dual-SIM functionality, and have an additional dedicated microSD slot that will support cards of up to 2TB.

What’s really noticeable, however, is just how much ‘inspiration’ Asus took from Apple while designing its smartphones this year. Not only is the company rolling out its own take on Apple’s Animoji with its so-called ‘ZeniMoji’, but even more strikingly, the ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 both sport the distinctive iPhone X ‘notch’ that makes them look remarkably similar to Apple’s flagship, although, they will not be the only ones to remind you of the iPhone X this year.

Asus ZenFone 5Z (ZS620KL)

The Asus ZenFone 5Z (ZS620KL) is the flagship smartphone of the series, and features a 6.2-inch full-HD + (1080×2246 pixels) display with an unusual 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC and sports a dual-camera setup at the back, with the primary sensor being Sony’s 12-megapixel IMX363. The camera comes with an f/1.8 aperture, 83-degree field of view, 24mm equivalent focal length and a Softlight LED flash.

The additional rear camera has an 8-megapixel sensor with an 120-degree wide-angle lens, an f/2.2 aperture and a 12mm equivalent focal length. The front-facing camera has an 8-megapixel sensor, and comes with an f/2.0 aperture, 84-degree field of view, and a 24mm equivalent focal length.

Connectivity options on the ZenFone 5Z include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, GPS/ A-GPS, FM radio, USB Type-C and 3.5mm headphone jack. It carries a fingerprint scanner on the back that Asus claims unlocks the phone in just 0.3 seconds. It has a 3300mAh battery with support for AI Charging.

The ZenFone 5Z has a starting price of €479 (around Rs. 38,400) for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM, but will also be offered in 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB options, although, there was no official announcement about their prices. It will be available in Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver color options.

Asus ZenFone 5Z (ZS620KL) Hardware Specs
Display	6.2-inches Full HD+ (2246 x 1080 pixels), IPS LCD
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
RAM	4GB / 6GB / 8GB
Storage	64GB / 128GB / 256 GB
Primary Camera	Dual: 12 MP (f/1.8, 24 mm, 1.4 µm) + 8 MP (12mm)
Secondary Camera	8 MP (f/2.0, 24mm)
Battery	Li-Ion 3,300mAh
Operating System	Android 8.0 Oreo with ZenUI 5.0
Colors	Midnight Blue, Meteor Silver
Price	479 Euros

Asus ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)

The Asus ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL) and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. It will come with options of either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, but with only 64GB of built-in storage. The rest of the hardware specs of the ZenFone 5 will have the exact same cameras and display as the ones on the ZenFone 5Z. It will also be offered in the exact same color options.

Asus ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL) Hardware Specs
Display	6.2-inches Full HD+ (2246 x 1080 pixels), IPS LCD
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
RAM	4GB / 6GB
Storage	64 GB
Primary Camera	Dual: 12 MP (f/1.8, 24 mm, 1.4 µm) + 8 MP (12mm)
Secondary Camera	8 MP (f/2.0, 24mm)
Battery	Li-Ion 3,300mAh
Operating System	Android 8.0 Oreo with ZenUI 5.0
Colors	Midnight Blue, Meteor Silver
Price	TBA

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite / ZenFone 5Q

The ZenFone 5 Lite, which will be available in North America as the ZenFone 5Q, features a slightly smaller 6-inch full-HD+ (1080×2160 pixels) IPS display and will be available in two different variants powered by two distinct chipsets. While the more premium model will have the Snapdragon 630 under the hood, there will apparently also be a more affordable version that will be powered by the Snapdragon 430 SoC.

The Asus ZenFone 5 Lite will sport dual-cameras on both the front and back. While the rear module will be a 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel affair, the selfie-cam on the front will have an 8-megapixel sensor alongside the 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 sensor. The device will carry a 3,300mAh battery and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It will be available in Midnight Black, Moonlight White, and Rouge Red color options.

Asus ZenFone Max (M1) (ZB555KL)

The ZenFone Max M1 features a 5.5-inch HD+ (720×1440 pixels) IPS display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, and will be offered in two variants – one powered by the Snapdragon 425 and another, by the Snapdragon 430. Both versions will have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage that will be expandable by a microSD card of up to 256GB. The device will have a fingerprint scanner on the back, while a 4,000mAh battery will keep the lights on.

Imaging options will include a dual-camera setup on the rear and a front-cam that will vary by region. The rear camera will have a 13-megapixel primary sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash and PDAF. The secondary 8-megapixel sensor is there to capture wide-angle shots, and comes with a 120-degree wide-angle lens. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (dual-band, 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth v4.0, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Asus ZenFone Max (M1) (ZB555KL) Hardware Specs
Display	5.5-inches HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels), IPS LCD
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 / 430
RAM	2GB / 3GB
Storage	32 GB
Primary Camera	Dual: 13 MP (f/2.0) + 8 MP (17mm, no AF)
Secondary Camera	8 MP (f/2.2, 25mm)
Battery	Li-Ion 4,000mAh
Operating System	Android 7.1 Nougat
Colors	Deepsea Black, Sunlight Gold, Ruby Red
Price	TBA

The company didn’t reveal the prices of the ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL), ZenFone 5 Lite, or the ZenFone Max (M1), but going by their spec-sheets, we expect the company to price them at a significant discount to the 5Z. In terms of availability, the ZenFone 5 Lite will start shipping in March, followed by the ZenFone 5 in April. The flagship ZenFone 5Z, however, will only go on sale in June.

Samsung to Launch Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ in India on March 6

Following the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 Plus unveiling in Barcelona, Samsung has now confirmed to launch the smartphones in India on March 6th. The company has started sending out press invites for the event, and the devices will go on sale on the 16th of March.

If you have been following the news lately, then you might already know that the devices are up for pre-orders on the brand’s official website. As of now, there’s no confirmation on the pricing, but you can pay Rs. 2,000 upfront and pre-book your device. Once the device goes official, they’ll be sold online via Flipkart as well.

Currently speculation says the price of the base variant of the Galaxy S9 will be around Rs. 62,500, while the Galaxy S9+ will start at Rs 70,000. That being said, there’s no official word on this just yet, and we will get a confirmation next week.

The Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ are seen as iterative upgrades of their predecessors. While the overall design hasn’t changed much, there are a few changes like the reduced bezels, fingerprint scanner relocation, etc. The biggest change is in the form of the camera.

One of the most significant changes in the Galaxy S9 duo are the upgraded camera sensors with class-leading f/1.5 apertures for better low-light photography. The larger Galaxy S9+ even has a secondary rear camera with a f/2.4 aperture for an enhanced portrait mode and 2x optical zoom. The new cameras support ‘super slow-mo’ video at 960 frames per second, setting a new benchmark in smartphone photography. The front camera specifications, however, remain unchanged from last year’s flagships.

The Galaxy S9 sports a 5.8-inch QHD+ Super AMOLED display, whereas the the Galaxy S9+ flaunts a 6.2-inch QHD+ display. Both the displays feature an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, and comes with the support for HDR10. The Indian variants of the Galaxy S9 and the S9 Plus are expected to be powered by the company’s in-house Exynos chipsets.

So, let us know if you’d be interested in buying the new Galaxy S9 or the S9 Plus once it goes official in India.

Barack Obama Thinks Social Networks Could Be Corroding Democracy

The effect of social media on our lives is a debatable topic. Various studies have shown that isn’t very good for mental well-being. And now, former President Barack Obama has also voiced his opinions on social media.

During a speech at MIT, Obama expressed his concerns on a few topics. The event was attended by hundreds of sports industry professionals, journalists, students, etc. and his remarks were off-the-record. But the folks over at Reason got their hands on the recording of the speech.

In his speech, Obama described social media platforms as tools with a lot of potential for good. But he also noted how it could be used by people for misinformation and spreading the wrong message. He said, “What’s also true is that our social media platforms are just a tool. ISIS can use that tool. Neo-Nazis can use that tool. I do think the large platforms have to have a conversation about their business model that recognizes they are a public good as well as a commercial enterprise.”

“THEY’RE NOT JUST AN INVISIBLE PLATFORM, THEY’RE SHAPING OUR CULTURE IN POWERFUL WAYS.” – BARACK OBAMA

Obama also noted how media is influencing our opinions on particular topics. He then gave an example of The New York Times and Fox News and compared how both editorial sources provide different information with different facts. He said, “Essentially we now have entirely different realities that are being created with not just different opinions, but now different facts.”

If you look at these different sources of information, they do not describe the same thing. In some cases, they don’t even talk about the same thing. And so it is very difficult to figure out how democracy works over the long term in those circumstances.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc. have been under the scanner for the past year, particularly for the whole Russian bots fiasco, the fake newscampaigns. While Google is already turning its algorithm to target objectionable content and bring a positive influence on vulnerable internet users. But there’s more work to be done.

Obama added that because the US government takes a different approach to internet companies than, say, China, these companies have not been able to find a responsible middle ground to function.

Nokia CEO Expects Commercial 5G Networks Deployment This Year in US, China

With the 3GPP finally standardizing the 5G NR specifications last December, networks are working overtime to bring the new technology to their customers. While the commercial roll-out of 5G networks was initially expected to happen some time in 2019, it is now widely believed to start this year itself, which means demand for 4G equipment is falling drastically.

With the slowdown in the deployment of 4G networks resulting in a severe downturn for the industry at large, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri has expressed optimism that the expected early roll-out of 5G networks is the best thing that stakeholders could have hoped for. The Finnish company is one of the three largest telecom equipment manufacturers in the world alongside China’s Huawei and Sweden’s Ericsson.

In the lead-up to the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Suri told Reuters that, “The confidence about where that 5G uplift comes from is understanding the accelerated timelines operators now have”. According to him, the fact that the timeline has accelerated by almost a year, “is good news for the sector, because then they’ll be the next wave of investment coming”.

He, however, sounded less-than-optimistic about Europe’s 5G timeline, saying that, US and Asia will trump the old continent in terms of 5G deployment. According to Suri, “Far and away, the U.S. and China activity will dwarf Europe … (but) I think some 5G will be launched (in Europe) at some point in 2019”.

Suri also revealed the company’s plans to give home Wi-Fi a boost by releasing a range of mesh Wi-Fi products, including gateways and associated “beacons” in an effort to improve in-home connectivity.

Nokia has been investing heavily of late in an attempt to win more 5G clients, which will increase its operating margins from 6-9 percent this year to around 9-12 percent in 2019. The company also says that it is collaborating with Facebook to deliver wireless internet in densely-populated urban areas that are not yet connected by fiber optic cables.

Android 8.1 Oreo Update is Now Live for Nokia 3 Via Beta Channel

Ever since HMD Global revived the iconic Nokia phone brand, the company has been quite vocal about its dedication to rolling out timely Android updates. True to its promise, the company has now started seeding the Android Oreo update for the low-end Nokia 3 smartphone via the official beta channel.

The announcement was made by the Finnish company’s Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas, via a tweet which asked Nokia 3 users to test the beta build of Android Oreo and help the firm in ironing out the flaws before a stable release.

Juho Sarvikas

✔@sarvikas

You can now get #AndroidOreo for #Nokia3 in #Nokiamobile #Betalabs. Please help us test and perfect for commercial release! Thank you

2:59 PM - Feb 26, 2018

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The freshly released Android Oreo beta build for Nokia 3 is apparently the Android 8.1 version, as promised earlier by the HMD Global executive. The latter had previously revealed that the Nokia 3 will receive the major software upgrade on February 26, beginning with a rollout via the company’s Beta Labs program.

The release of Android Oreo for Nokia 3 has been a tricky affair for the company, as the device is equipped with a MediaTek processor, while other Nokia smartphones pack a Qualcomm SoC. With that in mind, HMD Global reportedlyhad to gain an assurance from MediaTek regarding the support for Android 7.1.1 and later versions if their chipset was to be used in a Nokia device. “We told them they would not be the chipset provider if they do not support the latest software”, said the company.

With the latest beta update, the Nokia 3 is skipping the Android 7.1.2 Nougat upgrade altogether and is jumping straight to Android 8.1 Oreo. Users who are interested in testing Android 8.1 Oreo’s beta build for Nokia 3 can register for HMD Global’s Beta Labs program to get the update. The official changelog of Nokia 3’s Android 8.1 Oreo beta update has not been revealed so far, neither has the release date for a stable update has been announced, but we’ll keep you posted with new information as and when it is announced.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird X coming this Feb (2018)

On February 28 motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield will unveil its newest creation, the Royal Enfield Thunderbird X.  While the date has not yet been confirmed by the company, current customers have been receiving invitations to the unveiling.  Two models will be presented, the Thunderbird 350X and the Thunderbird 500X with the 500X sporting a more powerful engine of 499cc.  The engine on the 350X will be a 346cc.

The original Thunderbird 350 made its debut in 2000 and the Thunderbird 500 in 2012 which solved all of the complaints against the 350.  Royal Enfield has retained the mechanical features for the 350X and the 500X with mostly cosmetic changes for the new bikes.  Reportedly, the new models will have better performance, less chrome in favor of grey and matte black paint, a single piece seat, and uniquely styled handlebars.  The 350X will have a carburetor and 500X will be fuel injected.

Royal Enfield has been in business since 1890 making motorcycles, lawn mowers and bicycles out of Redditch, Worcestershire in Great Britain.  In 1909 they produced a 2 ¼ horsepower motorcycle with a Swiss V-twin engine.  The 1911 model increased horsepower to 2 ¾. The JAP 6 HP 770 CC V twin came out in 1912 and included a side car proving to be the company’s most popular model.  Royal Enfield produced a motorcycle with their own engine in 1914.  With the onset of World War I, an attachment for a machine gun was adopted for the side car that could be aimed straight up to attack low flying planes.  Royal Enfield became a major supplier of military motorcycles for both the United Kingdom and Russia.

The Great Depression negatively affected Royal Enfield but thanks to their bicycle department, it was able to remain afloat.  During the Second World War the company, again, provided motorcycles for Great Britain.  The Royal Enfield WD/RE was a 125cc designed to be dropped by parachute along with troops.

In 1949 Royal Enfield began selling in India and in 1955 the government of India used the Bullet 350 model for its police force and border control agents.  Enfield India was born when the Redditch Company merged with Madras Motors to manufacture the Bullet.

In 1968 Royal Enfield sold the United Kingdom division to Norton-Triumph-Villiers.  By 1971 the division was discontinued, and the Indian manufacturing branch took over.  The company was doing so well that by the 1980s they were exporting motorcycles all over Europe.

In 1990 when Enfield India merged with the Eicher Group the name was changed to Royal Enfield.  They were the first to adopt the new emission standards imposed by the Indian government and proudly continue to focus on emissions.

Since the merger with the Eicher Group, Royal Enfield has continued to raise the bar with modern equipment, the best designers and listening to input from customers.  The main branch located in Chennai, India received the ISO 9001 certification and high praise for its modernization, high quality standards and safe working environment.  The idea that “You can feel the pulse of your customers only if you get close to them” has been a standard motto for Royal Enfield and has been instrumental in setting up over two hundred fifty authorized dealers across India as well as over two hundred service centers.  The company exports to the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and Argentina with more than three hundred dealers worldwide.  They hold annual biking tours such as the Tour of Rann of Kutch, the Tour of NH 17 from Mumbai to Goa, the Tour of Rajasthan, the Himalayan Odyssey and the Southern Odyssey.  The annual festival of biking in Goa, Rider Mania, is also hosted by Royal Enfield.

The company’s web site, https://royalenfield.com has a unique photo collage showing the progression of their motorcycles from the very beginningin 1890 to the present under the history tab.

iPhone 9 may be coming in Autumn of 2018

One thing Apple fans can be sure of is something new and exciting will be announced in September.  The release of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X came in September of 2017 but with no iPhone 9 yet it’s difficult to second guess Apple for 2018.  Will it be an iPhone 9, iPhone X Plus or will they skip a number and go straight to an iPhone 11?

The demand for iPhone X was much less than what Apple has anticipated.  Some objected to the steep price of $999 and up, the removal of the home button on the screen and the phone’s tendency to lock up.  According to Forbes, the iPhone X has a tendency to butt dial 911 emergency services and then the user is unable to hang up.  The face recognition tool, Face ID, has become a problem as well with issues for people who strongly resemble each other and those with Asian features.  KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will discontinue the iPhone X after the introduction of the 2018 phones as it would “hurt product brand value & lineup of 2018 new models if it continues to sell at a lower price…” while Apple CEO Tim Cook claims the iPhone X has a 99% customer satisfaction rate, but no hard supporting data was produced.

It’s probably safe to assume Apple will correct these issues before the new iPhone comes out.  It is believed the all glass back giving the phone the ability to charge wirelessly will be continued.  The OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) screen should still be available perhaps even larger than the iPhone X’s 5.8 inch display. As it stands now, the OLED screens are more expensive which may cause Apple to go back to an LCD display on their budget models.  The lower priced models may also skip the glass back in favor of a stainless steel or other type of metal back.

The A11 Bionic Chip may be improved upon, and hopefully battery life will be extended.  The amazing 12-megapixel dual lens camera on the iPhone X may be included – especially if Apple continues the Face ID technology.

Apple may decide to do a dual launch of a new top of the line model and an economy model as they did with the iPhone 5C and 5S.  According to Tech Advisor, it’s also possible Apple will re-launch the iPhone X but in a smaller size.

There is also the possibility for a new phone rumored to be called the iPhone SE2, which goes back to 2016’s iPhone SE.  Like the iPhone SE, the iPhone SE2 will be probably manufactured by Wistron, a giant tech manufacturer based in Taiwan with locations around the world.  Currently, Wistron is in the process of constructing a new plant in Bengaluru, India that will be devoted exclusively to manufacturing iPhones.  Another rumor going around is that the new iPhone SE2 will have a glass back and may have a flat glass LCD-TFT screen with no borders or home button.

Unless Apple makes a surprise announcement speculation will continue until September of 2018 when the new Apple iPhone or iPhones will be announced

Harley-Davidson’s electric bike coming next fall

While the premium cruiser bike giant has been down a rough road of late; with their sales witnessing a constant crunch the last few years haven’t been much of a success for Harley Davidson. Last year’s statistics show that Harley Davidson’s sale went down considerably. A report published in a popular magazine tells that the sales were lesser in 2017 and it was a 6.7% sales drop worldwide for all premium bikes and overall sales of Harley Davidson brand. Adding to the “bad news” for Harley is another fact: in 2017 alone, their sales dropped 8.5 % in United States, Harley’s business stronghold, the report reveals.  The situation has pushed Harley to such an extent that this drop in sales is being attributed to the closing of their Kansas City, Missouri, plant and shifting the operations to their Pennsylvania plant.

So what comes next amidst these sales drops that has become more of a pattern over the years for Harley? You guessed it right and it is their New Electric bike which they would be releasing in 18 months, which is somewhere mid of 2019. This is a bit unexpected as they had previously announced to release their electric bike somewhere around 2021. The early release announcement has given the critics an opportunity to term Harley’s new announcement as a strategy to sustain themselves in the market amidst chronic sales drop down.

Matt Levatich, Harley-Davidson’s president and CEO in an interview to the Milwaukee Business Journal told that “The EV motorcycle market is in its infancy today, but we believe premium Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles will help drive excitement and participation in the sport globally,”. He added, “As we expand our EV capabilities and commitment, we get even more excited about the role electric motorcycles will play in growing our business.” Though he did not talk about the specifics of the new bike, but it is expected to be similar or a bit more advanced than the 2014 live wire prototype.

With 74-horsepower and 56 pound-feet of torque and claiming to shoot from a zero to 60 in 4 seconds, it was in 2014 when Harley Davidson almost shocked the biking community and enthusiasts with their Livewire concept. They also claimed it would run a minimum range of 50 miles. This was the first time the heavy cruise bike makers showed their interest in the making of electric bikes, and it took many by surprise.

“Chief Financial Officer John Olin’s statement that the company will spend $25 million to $50 million per year over the next several years on electric motorcycle technology adds to the fact that Harley is serious about their electric bike and are keen to dominate the market. Last Tuesday Matt Levatich, the president and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson said that the world has heard them talk about Livewire in 2014 and now they are preparing to bring it in the market in 18 months. This has put an end to the rumors floating around and has given a strong message to the existing electric bike makers that the king of the cruise is all set to speed up with their new project.

The full specializations of Harley’s Electric motorbike are still not out, but it is said to be at par with their livewire prototype, if not better. Though it has created a ripple in the biking avenues of the world, and so are the speculations flooding the market; to know what actually these Harley Electric bikes will be like, we most certainly have to wait at least a year if not 18 months altogether. It’s only then we would know how the Electric Harley’s drive past their cruiser counterparts

Google Officially Launches ARCore For Select Flagship Phones, With New AR Apps

Google has launched ARCore 1.0 on all of its Pixel smartphone and a handful of other high-end flagship devices. Just like Apple ARKit, Google ARCore allows smartphones to run augmented reality apps, which leverage Google’s AR developer tools.

Since ARCore requires calibration and a custom setup per device model, the minimum requirements aren’t based on the version of Android, but instead limited to specific models. Google has now expanded the compatible devices for ARCore. You can now use ARCore on all Google Pixel phones, all recent Samsung flagship phones, the Android O version of LG’s V30 and V30 Plus, the Asus ZenFone AR, and the OnePlus 5.

According to Google, more devices will be added to the list. The company says, “Samsung, Huawei, LGE, Motorola, ASUS, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo will bring ARCore to their upcoming smartphone releases.”

In case you’re wondering, Google launched ARCore as a limited preview in August 2017. Since then, the company has been testing it in beta. Another tidbit of information is that Google is also launching ARCore in China. This comes as a surprise considering the fact that the search engine giant does almost no business in China. However, it will allow the company to partner with Chinese OEMs like Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

We’ve already seen ARCore stickers from Google. However, with this launch, the developers can now upload their own ARCore-based apps to the Play Store. Snapchat is one of the early boosters for ARCore, and the company has already built an experience that transports people to Camp Nou, home stadium of FC Barcelona. Further, it added:

Visualize different room interiors inside your home with Sotheby’s International Realty. See Porsche’s Mission E Concept vehicle right in your driveway, and explore how it works. With OTTO AR, choose pieces from an exclusive set of furniture and place them, true to scale, in a room. Ghostbusters World, based on the film franchise, is coming soon. In China, place furniture and over 100,000 other pieces with Easyhome Homestyler, see items and place them in your home when you shop on JD.com, or play games from NetEase, Wargaming and Game Insight.

Although Snapchat doesn’t go out and calibrate millions of cameras, it does say that every Snapchat experience will perform optimally on every compatible device. And in addition to Snapchat, Google is partnering with a few other developers to bring more AR experiences built around the ARCore framework.

Coming to Google Lens, it’s available through Google Photos on Android and iOS 9 or later.  It is also available through Google Assistant on a few other Android flagships. According to Google, Lens now has improved support for recognizing common animal breeds and plant types. Google said that it would push the Google Photos update to all English-speaking users on Android and iOS “in the coming weeks.”