Today in Tech: xAI takes on ChatGPT, leaks reveal new Samsung Galaxy S24 colour, and more

As we inch closer to the festivities, there's a lot going on in the tech world. There are really good deals on smartphones and tech all over the web, and that's not all. MediaTek has announced their all new flagship chip, which will go head-to-head with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon chip. In other news, there are yet another series of leaks regarding the Samsung Galaxy S24 lineup, Elon Musk's new Grok AI, touted to be a "funnier Chat-GPT", and all new Macs go on sale in India today. Keep up with the latest tech news with this edition of Today in Tech.

Samsung is set to launch its Galaxy S24 lineup early next year, comprising the base Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra. Leaked CAD renders reveal a new yellow color option and a hole-punch selfie camera, maintaining the design continuity with the previous Galaxy S23.

The Galaxy S24+ is expected to be slightly taller and thinner than the S23+, featuring a 6.65-inch display, while the Galaxy S24 may have a 6.1-inch screen. These models are rumored to be unveiled on January 17 and may include titanium frames. The Galaxy S24 and S24+ are expected to run on Exynos chips globally, except in India, where a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC may be used. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is likely to feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC across all markets.

Apple released its 2023 MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip on October 30, now available in India. The 24-inch iMac starts at Rs. 1,34,900 for the 8-core GPU variant, while the 10-core GPU with 256GB storage costs Rs. 1,54,900, and the 512GB model is priced at Rs. 1,74,900. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with 10-core GPU and 512GB storage is listed at Rs. 1,69,900, while the 1TB variant is Rs. 1,89,900. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip starts at Rs. 1,99,900, and the 18-core GPU is Rs. 2,39,900. The top-tier 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max processor and 30-core GPU is Rs. 3,19,900.

MediaTek has introduced its flagship Dimensity 9300 chipset, targeting Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with ray-tracing and Wi-Fi 7 support. Built on TSMC's 4nm process, it differs in architecture, featuring four Cortex-X4 cores at 3.25GHz and four A720 cores at 2.0GHz. MediaTek claims it's 33% more power-efficient and enhances single and multi-core performance by 15% and 40%, respectively. The APU 790 AI processor is 8x faster for generative AI while using 45% less power. It supports large language models and offers quick image generation. The ARM Immortalis G720 GPU provides 46% improved performance and 2nd Gen hardware ray tracing for gaming at 60fps.

Elon Musk's xAI introduced 'Grok,' an AI chatbot, which provides real-time information via the X platform. Accessible through a $16 per month X Premium Plus subscription, Grok is designed to answer questions and suggest queries. Musk mentioned that Grok has current and updated information, as compared to traditional GPT models.

Grok's knowledge and quick improvement distinguish it from other AI systems. Grok retrieves real-time information from X posts. Its unique advantage is its access to real-time info via the X platform. The chatbot also displays a witty and rebellious demeanor. Musk's posts coincided with OpenAI's first developer conference.

Apple is reportedly planning to refresh its iPad lineup in 2024, with updated models of the iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini expected in March. However, the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with M3 chipsets and OLED screens may be delayed until the first half of the year.

This marks a departure from Apple's annual iPad release schedule, as 2023 saw no new iPad models. The iPad mini 7 and entry-level iPad are likely to feature faster chipsets. Additionally, two different-sized variants of the iPad Air are said to be in development, while the iPad Pro is anticipated to feature the M3 chipset and a redesigned Magic keyboard.

Realme announced the upcoming launch of the Realme GT 5 Pro in China, with features including a display offering over 3000 nits peak brightness and enhanced heat dissipation. The smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. While the exact launch date was not specified, the teasers suggest it's imminent.

The Realme GT 5 Pro is anticipated to feature a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, RAM options of 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB, and storage choices from 128GB to 1TB. Its camera setup will likely include two 50-megapixel sensors, an 8-megapixel shooter, and a 32-megapixel front camera. The device is expected to have a 5,400mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging support.

Meta is unveiling updates on Facebook and Instagram which give creators another way to earn money. They're testing an invite-only holiday bonus on Instagram for creators in the US, South Korea, and Japan. Creators earn based on their content's performance, meeting Content Monetisation Policies. Over a million active subscriptions to creators on Instagram have been reached in just a year, spanning 35 countries.

New tools are introduced to help creators expand their subscriber base, including promotional features. On Facebook, creators have more ways for followers to subscribe and can offer free trials. They can also control subscription pricing. Additionally, creators can easily participate in ads with enhanced eligibility information.

YouTube is experimenting with new AI features, including a conversational tool that lets users ask questions about video content and receive answers, as well as academic quizzes for educational videos. Another feature categorizes and summarizes comments based on topics to aid creators in engaging with their audience.

This categorization excludes comments under review or containing blocked terms, and creators can delete comments in these categories. The features are currently in testing with a limited group of users in the US and will roll out to more YouTube Premium members on Android devices soon. Additionally, YouTube is testing a "play something" button for random video selection on its mobile app.

Indian state-owned telecom company BSNL plans to launch 4G services in December and expand coverage nationwide by June 2024, with 5G upgrades following after June next year.

BSNL is offering free upgrades from older 2G or 3G SIMs to 4G SIMs, and users who switch will receive 4GB of free data valid for three months. Customers can access this offer at BSNL's Customer Service Centre, franchisee or retailer stores, or through Direct Selling Agents (DSA). While the promotion mentions terms and conditions, they have not been detailed yet.

OpenAI's ChatGPT has hit 100 million weekly users, with CEO Sam Altman unveiling the GPT-4 Turbo model that boasts a 128K context window. This new model offers increased capability at a 3x lower cost for input tokens and a 2x lower cost for output tokens compared to GPT-4.

OpenAI also introduced the Assistants API for agent-like AI experiences. They're launching a text-to-speech API with six preset voices and two generative AI models, with pricing starting at $0.015 per 1,000 characters. DALL·E 3 integration is now available for ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users.