Technologies

Galaxy S25 Ultra Makes Surprise Appearance Shooting the Snapdragon Summit 2025

During Qualcomm’s event showing off new processors, at least one camera offstage was just as interesting as the announcements being made in the spotlight.

Companies use big tech events to reveal their new products, but increasingly they’re also making a point of showing off how they’re doing it. At Wednesday’s Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2025, the livestreamed keynote included a prominent Shot on Snapdragon badge during some of the wider camera angles inside the Monarch Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Maui, Hawaii.

Recording an event like this with a smartphone isn’t new, but it’s still novel. The last several Apple keynotes, all pre-recorded and edited before being delivered, were captured entirely using the latest iPhone Pro models at that time; Apple created a short documentary about using the iPhone 16 Pro to shoot last year’s event. It’s a flex not only of a company using its own tools to make its content, but to show other video professionals how it can be done.

Qualcomm’s event looked to be a mix of cameras, since Shot on Snapdragon appeared only from some moving camera angles within the venue. CNET senior reporter David Lumb snapped a photo of a cameraman pushing in during the event using a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (which is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite) mounted in what looked to be a DJI Ronin 2 gimbal on a long boom arm. It’s not clear which other cameras were used for other angles. But it’s worth noting that a consumer phone camera was intermingled with no doubt more capable and professional cameras to capture live footage, share it globally and maintain the same color and image quality.

Not too long ago, shooting video with a smartphone would have been impractical, particularly in such a dark environment. But despite the relatively small sizes of the camera sensors, video quality has improved a lot over the years. If you want to put it up against the big dogs in Hollywood, it’s held its own, such as last year’s movie 28 Years Later, which was shot entirely on iPhones using an assortment of rigs, lens adapters and even a telescope grafted to the devices.

Shooting with the Galaxy S25 Ultra in this context was also important to Qualcomm because it announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which supports the new Advanced Professional Video codec that enables a fully computational video pipeline and near lossless-quality footage. For events like this and for producers who need fast turnaround without extensive (and expensive) toning and color grading, a high-end smartphone that’s priced at a movie-friendly budget of just $1,300 could be just what’s needed.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube