SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 25 — Along with numerous smartphones marked for release this fall — the iPhone 7, new Nexus models, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro — several innovative high-tech products are set to go on show in the coming weeks.
Smartwatches
From September 2 to 7, 2016, the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) industrial exhibition in Berlin, Germany, will be the venue for several smartwatch premieres, including the launch of the Samsung Gear S3 and the Asus Zenwatch 3.
Specialist websites have also reported on the imminent unveiling of the first-ever Google watches. Two models are expected: one cheap and basic entry-level design, and another more high-end version with greater battery life and more options. Both will be equipped with an intelligent personal assistant that is even more powerful than Google Now, with a view to optimizing the performance of Android Wear 2.0.
If the rumours prove to be true, the products are likely to be presented at a dedicated event to take place in September or October. Speculation is also rife that we will soon see a long-anticipated new Apple Watch, two years after the official launch of Apple’s first-ever timepiece.
A bracelet for the Pokémon craze
In a slightly different genre, another connected bracelet is also likely to be the subject of a much-talked-about launch this fall. Using the Pokémon Go Plus, players addicted to the smash-hit mobile game will be able to locate virtual Pokémon characters around them without taking out their smartphones. Nintendo is expected to release the gadget by the end of September.
Virtual reality headsets
In the rapidly expanding field of virtual reality (VR), two long-awaited headsets are expected to make waves this autumn: the European version of the Oculus Rift, which is expected on September 20, 2016 at a retail price of €699 (RM3,178), and the new Sony PlayStation VR, which is expected to launch on October 13 at a price tag of US$399 (RM1,609).
3D printing
For its part, Dremel plans to release its latest generation of Wi-Fi-compatible 3D printers which will offer a wide range of pre-recorded models. The 3D40 Idea Builder uses extruded plastic to produce objects, which, thanks to a newly enlarged workspace, can be as big as 10” x 6” x 6.7”. Using its Wi-Fi feature, printing can also be launched remotely. According to research consultancy Gartner, close to 500,000 3D printers will be sold across the world in 2016. — AFP-Relaxnews
