AI
Smartphone Replacement Is Coming: True Ventures Bets on Wearable AI Rings to Replace the Phone
Smartphone replacement is no longer a fringe prediction in Silicon Valley. True Ventures co-founder Jon Callaghan believes we won’t use smartphones the way we do today within five years, and that in 10 years the iPhone-style interface may be largely obsolete. For a firm with a track record that includes Fitbit, Ring, Peloton, HashiCorp, and Duo Security, this isn’t just talk—it’s an investing thesis.
True Ventures has spent 20 years building a portfolio of roughly 300 companies while staying relatively under the radar. Instead of chasing hype, the firm has quietly cultivated a tight network of repeat founders and, according to Callaghan, has produced 63 exits with gains and seven IPOs. He notes that several recent exits involved founders returning to work with True again after earlier successes.
Smartphone Replacement: Why the Phone Is a Poor Interface
Callaghan’s main point is straightforward: our phones are a clumsy interface between humans and intelligence. Pulling out a device to type a quick text, confirm plans, or send an email is inefficient, prone to errors, and disruptive to daily life. As AI becomes more capable, he argues the bottleneck won’t be intelligence—it will be the friction of accessing it through a screen-first workflow.
That’s why True has spent years exploring alternative human-computer interaction models—software, hardware, and hybrid approaches—aimed at making AI feel more natural and less intrusive. This behavior-first approach echoes True’s earlier bets on products that changed habits, not just gadgets.
Smartphone Replacement Moves to Wearables: Meet Sandbar’s Ring
A key example is Sandbar, a voice-activated ring worn on the index finger that Callaghan describes as a “thought companion.” The goal is not to replace every phone feature. Instead, it does one job well: capturing and organizing thoughts via voice notes when ideas strike. It connects to an app and leverages AI, but the emphasis is on enabling a new behavior—quick capture without context switching.
True was drawn to Sandbar’s founders, Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, who previously worked together on neural interfaces at CTRL-Labs (acquired by Meta in 2019). For Callaghan, this is what smartphone replacement looks like in practice: smaller, faster, and built around real human behavior.
What Comes After Smartphones?
With the smartphone market saturated and wearables growing faster, smartphone replacement may arrive as a set of lightweight interfaces—rings, watches, and voice-enabled devices—that reduce friction between intent and action. If that shift sticks, the phone won’t disappear overnight, but it may stop being the center of our digital lives.
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The OnePlus Stock Dialer is finally receiving one of the most requested upgrades through the latest OxygenOS July OTA update. While the official changelog only mentions improvements to the Contacts app, the update introduces a refreshed calling experience with a new Depth Effect for contact photos. It also hints at more features that could arrive in future updates. The information is based on the latest OxygenOS update testing and feature walkthrough.
OnePlus Introduces Depth Effect in Calling Screen
The highlight of the latest update is the new Depth Effect in the Stock Dialer. When users assign a compatible profile picture to a contact, the caller’s image is intelligently separated into foreground and background layers. During incoming and outgoing calls, the contact name appears behind the subject, creating a premium-looking interface.
Users can enable or disable the effect by editing a contact’s profile picture and selecting the Depth Effect option. The feature also allows zooming and repositioning the image while maintaining the layered animation.
Performance and Battery After the Update
The July OTA update is approximately 462MB in size and was tested extensively. Benchmark results show a slight drop in Geekbench and AnTuTu scores compared to the previous build. A CPU throttling test even resulted in an unexpected system crash during testing, although it could not be consistently reproduced.
Gaming performance, however, remains impressive. During BGMI gameplay, the device maintained stable frame rates with low temperatures and minimal frame drops, offering a smooth gaming experience. Battery life also remains strong, with nearly eight hours of screen-on time during heavy testing and up to 9–10 hours under normal usage.
More Features Could Be Coming Soon
Although OxygenOS currently includes only the new calling interface, several features already available on ColorOS have not yet reached OnePlus devices. These include:
- Scam protection inside Phone Manager
- Improved AI Writer functionality
- Remote PC locking through Device Connect
These additions could be introduced in upcoming OxygenOS updates, although OnePlus has not officially confirmed their rollout timeline.
Important Limitation
The new calling interface is available only on OnePlus smartphones that use the OnePlus Stock Dialer. Devices that rely on the Google Phone app will not receive the new Depth Effect feature, making this update exclusive to supported models.
Final Thoughts
The latest OxygenOS update may look minor on paper, but it brings a meaningful visual improvement to the OnePlus calling experience. While performance changes appear minimal and battery life remains solid, the new Depth Effect gives the Stock Dialer a more modern appearance. With additional ColorOS features expected in future updates, OnePlus users have more improvements to look forward to.
Also Read: OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Brings AI Features, Audio Sharing and Useful Upgrades for OnePlus Users
OnePlus
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Brings AI Features, Audio Sharing and Useful Upgrades for OnePlus Users
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update is rolling out to eligible OnePlus smartphones with several practical features that improve the overall user experience. Instead of introducing major visual changes, this update focuses on AI-powered tools, better connectivity, gaming enhancements, improved privacy, and system optimization.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Introduces AI Sports Widget
One of the biggest additions in the June update is the new AI-powered Sports Widget. Users can enable it from the OnePlus AI settings and place it on the home screen. The widget displays live football scores, upcoming fixtures, tournament standings, and match results without opening a separate sports application.
This feature is especially useful for sports fans who want real-time updates directly on their home screen.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Brings Layer 2 Audio Sharing
The update also introduces Layer 2 Audio Sharing, allowing two wireless earbuds to connect to a single OnePlus smartphone simultaneously. Users can stream music or videos together while independently controlling the volume for each connected earbud.
This feature makes sharing entertainment much more convenient without requiring additional accessories.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Improves Outdoor Mode
Outdoor Mode has also received a useful improvement. Users can now customize the dock by adding their preferred applications, including communication, navigation, entertainment, and utility apps. This makes switching between essential apps much faster while using the phone outdoors.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Enhances Gaming Experience
Gamers will notice a welcome addition inside Game Space. The Game Capture feature now supports 2K resolution screenshots, allowing players to capture sharper in-game moments compared to the previous standard resolution.
Although it’s a small feature, it benefits users who frequently share gaming content on social media.
Weather and App Drawer Improvements
The Weather application now displays additional information such as moonrise, moonset, and moon phases. While minor, it adds more detailed weather insights.
Meanwhile, the App Drawer has been improved with properly working Suggested Apps, making frequently used applications easier to access.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Adds Better Privacy Protection
Another important addition is an enhanced privacy feature. If a third-party application attempts a potentially risky action, OxygenOS now displays a warning and allows users to revoke sensitive permissions with a single tap. This provides better protection, especially for users who install apps from outside the Play Store.
OxygenOS 16.1 June Update Delivers Performance and Battery Improvements
Besides the visible features, the June update also includes better system optimization. Many users have reported smoother performance, improved battery backup, and noticeable camera enhancements after installing the latest software update. While improvements may vary by device, the overall experience appears more refined than previous builds.
Should You Install the OxygenOS 16.1 June Update?
The OxygenOS 16.1 June Update may not be a massive redesign, but it delivers several practical improvements that enhance daily usability. From AI-powered sports updates and dual audio sharing to gaming, privacy, and performance optimizations, the update offers meaningful additions that OnePlus users are likely to appreciate. Users with eligible devices are recommended to install the latest update to enjoy these new features and system improvements.
Also Read: OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Review: Big Bass, Strong ANC and Excellent Battery Life at Rs 3,299
ColorOS
ColorOS 16 June Update Introduces AI-Powered Football Cards and Smarter Productivity Features
ColorOS 16 June Update is bringing a fresh wave of artificial intelligence enhancements and productivity-focused tools to OPPO smartphones. The latest software release focuses on improving daily usability with smarter AI capabilities, football-centric features, and expanded cloud integration.
ColorOS 16 June Update Introduces Advanced AI Features
OPPO continues to strengthen its AI ecosystem with the June update by enhancing the AI Memory feature. Users can now import and organize information more efficiently, making it easier to save important content and retrieve it whenever needed. This improvement is designed to help users manage digital information without relying on multiple third-party applications.
The update also refines several AI-powered functions that contribute to a more personalized smartphone experience. By integrating intelligent content management and contextual assistance, ColorOS 16 aims to simplify everyday tasks while boosting productivity.
How the ColorOS 16 June Update Improves Football Viewing
One of the standout additions in the update is the introduction of Football Cards. Designed for sports enthusiasts, this feature provides quick access to match-related information, scores, schedules, and live updates directly from the device interface.
Alongside Football Cards, OPPO has introduced a Football Viewing Assistant that helps users stay connected to ongoing matches without constantly switching between applications. The feature enhances convenience for football fans, especially during major tournaments and league competitions.
ColorOS 16 June Update Enhances Fluid Cloud Functionality
The June update also expands the capabilities of Fluid Cloud, a feature that delivers real-time notifications and contextual information. Users can now access academic schedules, class reminders, and additional productivity-related updates through Fluid Cloud.
These improvements reflect OPPO’s broader strategy of making smartphone interactions more intelligent and less disruptive. By surfacing important information at the right time, the company aims to improve overall user efficiency.
Productivity Benefits in the ColorOS 16 June Update
ColorOS 16 further improves private cloud services and personalization options. Enhanced cloud connectivity allows users to synchronize data more seamlessly across devices while maintaining control over their information.
Additional customization settings give users greater flexibility in tailoring the interface to their preferences, creating a more personalized mobile experience.
Why the ColorOS 16 June Update Matters for OPPO Users
The ColorOS 16 June Update demonstrates OPPO’s growing focus on artificial intelligence, user convenience, and real-time information delivery. From AI Memory improvements and Football Cards to upgraded Fluid Cloud functionality, the update introduces meaningful enhancements that can improve both productivity and entertainment. As OPPO continues to expand its software ecosystem, ColorOS 16 is positioning itself as one of the most feature-rich Android user interfaces available today.
SOURCE: Gizmochina
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