While most people will know Samsung from its vast selection of Galaxy smartphones and electronics, the South Korean manufacturer also invests considerable R&D into other product lines. As such, the company recently announced that it has begun mass production for its one-terabit (Tb) triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND).

With that in mind, Samsung says that it has improved the bit density of the 9th-generation V-NAND by about 50% compared to the 8th-generation V-NAND. This includes new improvements which cuts down on cell interference and improves cell life extension, to name a few.

The company adds that its 9th-generation V-NAND is equipped with next-generation NAND flash interface, dubbed as "Toggle 5.1." This supports increased data input/output speeds by 33% to up to 3.2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps). Samsung also plans to expand support for PCIe 5.0. For power consumption, there's a 10% improvement with advancements in low-power design, compared to the previous models.

Samsung states that it has begun mass production for the 1Tb TLC 9th-generation V-NAND this month, which will be followed by the quad-level cell (QLC) model in the second half of 2024.

Apple has more or less confirmed that they are working on their own AI technology. The rumors are claiming that the next iOS update could focus heavily on AI. We have also heard the rumored A18 chipset could feature additional hardware support for AI on the iPhone.

Now according to a report from French business magazine Challenges, they claim that Apple has acquired a French startup that specializes in on-device computer vision technology. Why is this important? This is important because we have heard reports that Apple is looking to create an on-device AI experience for the iPhone.

On-device AI has its benefits, such as privacy. It also works faster and without the need for an internet connection. Apple has been known to acquire companies to help further its developmental efforts, so this doesn't really come as a surprise. If anything, it seems to corroborate the rumors we've been hearing.

That being said, we're not sure if Apple will be going all-in for on-device AI technology. Earlier rumors claim that Apple could partner with companies like Google to help with cloud-based AI technology. We imagine that Apple will eventually transition to using their own tech, but partnering with Google could help kick things off.

Either way, it's probably best to take this with a grain of salt. Hopefully at WWDC 2024, Apple will share their plans for AI.

Xiaomi launched the first Mi Band several years ago. The device was kind of an instant hit, thanks largely to its super cheap price tag. While the price has gone up a bit over the years, it's still very affordable and if you're looking for the latest version, the Xiaomi Mi Band 9 could be close to launching.

According to a report from GizChina, it appears that the Mi Band 9 was spotted recently at various certification agencies. This means that the device is being readied for a launch. There is no word on when exactly the wearable will be announced, but it looks like it could be close at hand.

In terms of specs, not much is known about the wearable at the moment. It will apparently still maintain the same 1.62-inch AMOLED display found on the Mi Band 8, but it is unclear if Xiaomi will upgrade it with GPS support. Even if it doesn't, the Mi Band 9 could still be a compelling purchase.

Like we said, the allure of the original Mi Band was its insane price of $12. The Mi Band 8 was more expensive at around $34, but considering how much Apple and Samsung are charging for their wearables, it's still a steal. Hopefully Xiaomi will maintain the price.

A lot of us are probably concerned about the batteries on our phones and how long they will last. Thankfully, a lot of smartphone makers have since included software features that can tell us. But batteries aren't the only components that have a lifespan. Your phone's storage chip has one too, and Android 15 could help with that.

According to a report from Android Authority, it seems that Google is working on a new Android 15 feature that will provide users with information about their phone's storage chip's lifespan. While batteries are probably the most noticeable when it comes to detecting degradation in performance, storage can be affected as well.

In Android 15, Google is working on displaying that information to users. It will show them the remaining lifetime of a phone's internal storage before it potentially breaks down. This will be displayed in percentages. This might be useful for users who hold onto their devices for a longer period of time, say 4-5 years, and want to know how much longer they can potentially keep using their phones.

That being said, there is a chance not all devices will support this feature. As Android Authority notes, it is not required by OEMs to adopt this feature. If an OEM chooses not to, then users won't be able to access this information. It should be available for Pixel devices that can run Android 15, but other than that, we'll have to wait and see.

Following China's continued purge of western-owned software and hardware products from its markets, Apple recently took down WhatsApp and Threads - two of Meta's biggest chat and social media platforms - from the App Store in China. The decision follows a mandate from authorities which cite possible security concerns. As per a statement from Apple:

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree... The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns. These apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear."

With that being said, both apps were already blocked in China, and were not supposedly used much by the public. China is known for promoting home-grown social media platforms such as "Weibo" and "WeChat," to name a couple. Commenting on this development, Duncan Clark, chairman of investment advisory BDA China in Beijing states:

"It will cause inconvenience to consumers and businesses (in China) who deal with family, friends or customers overseas. Even if they use VPNs to access their existing WhatsApp apps, these over time will become obsolete and require updating."

Interestingly though, other social media and chat apps including Facebook, Instagram and Messenger (also owned by Meta) are still available for download for iOS users. The Cupertino tech giant has lost a bit of footing in the Chinese market, due to pressure from competing local brands such as Huawei - it's even predicted that Huawei's own HarmonyOS might dethrone iOS in the region, based on recent market figures.