Qualcomm debuted its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset at Snapdragon Summit 2024, and various phone makers have since come forward to confirm that their upcoming flagships will be powered by the all-new (and all-powerful) mobile platform. Qualcomm flew TechRadar to Hawaii and hosted us at the Snapdragon Summit to hear all of the latest news.

Both Xiaomi and Honor joined Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon on stage in Hawaii to announce that the Xiaomi 15 and Honor Magic 7 series, respectively, will launch this month (likely in China) with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

PROBA-3 (Project for On-Board Autonomy-3) is an innovative initiative spearheaded by the European Space Agency (ESA) aimed at revolutionising space observation through advanced formation flying technology. Scheduled for launch in November 2024, this mission exemplifies a significant international collaboration, bringing together expertise and cutting-edge technologies from multiple European countries and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The PROBA-3 mission has passed its final test and is now ready to be sent to India, where it will be launched by the ISRO. PROBA-3 will be transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre later this month and the mission will be launched using ISRO’s trusted PSLV-XL rocket.

What is the PROBA-3 mission?

PROBA-3 is the ESA’s first mission dedicated to precision formation flying. “In this mission, two satellites will operate together in a coordinated manner, maintaining a set distance and alignment in space as if they were part of a single, large structure. The goal is to test, and demonstrate, advanced technologies for formation flying and conduct experiments related to spacecraft rendezvous the meeting, or docking, of two spacecraft,” said space expert Girish Linganna.

ALSO READ: Solar exploration: A sunrace of significant global missions

The mission will showcase formation flying as part of a major scientific experiment. The two satellites will work together as a single unit to carry out the experiment, demonstrating how closely coordinated satellite systems can function in space. Both the satellites will combine to create a 144-metre-long solar coronagraph, a special tool designed to study the Sun’s faint outer atmosphere, or the corona. A solar coronagraph works by blocking out the bright light from the Sun’s surface, creating an artificial eclipse.

ALSO READ: NISAR, Mars and Venus missions in 2024: Top ISRO projects slated for the Year of Gaganyaan

“The faint corona is usually hidden by the Sun’s intense brightness, but this setup will allow scientists to observe, and analyse, the corona much closer to the Sun’s surface than ever before, providing new insights into solar activity. The coronagraph helps in studying solar activity, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections which can affect space weather without waiting for an eclipse,” added Linganna.

The core objective of PROBA-3 is to create an artificial eclipse by precisely coordinating two independent satellites. This capability will enable scientists to observe the Sun’s corona, a region typically obscured by the intense brightness of the Sun. By blocking out sunlight, the satellites will facilitate unprecedented studies of solar phenomena, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Understanding these phenomena is crucial, as they can have significant effects on space weather, which in turn impacts satellite communications, navigation systems, and power grids on Earth.

“In addition to demonstrating high-precision formation flying, PROBA-3 is set to validate new technologies essential for maintaining the satellites in close proximity. The mission aims to reach Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9), showcasing advancements in metrology systems, control logic, and manoeuvring capabilities. This will allow for precise manoeuvres necessary for the mission’s success and for future space exploration endeavours,” explained Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, which is into design, fabrication and launch of small satellites, spacecraft and ground systems.

How is PROBA-3 different from other solar observation projects?

A key aspect that sets PROBA-3 apart from traditional solar observation projects is its innovative approach to utilising smaller, agile satellites equipped with advanced sensors. Many conventional solar missions involve large, complex spacecraft, which can be expensive and challenging to manoeuvre. In contrast, PROBA-3’s use of two smaller satellites operating in a highly coordinated formation demonstrates that complex observational tasks can be accomplished efficiently and cost-effectively without the need for oversized equipment. This flexibility paves the way for more versatile missions, allowing space agencies to maximise their scientific output while operating within constrained budgets.

The collaborative nature of the PROBA-3 mission further enhances its significance. It involves contributions from various ESA member states, including France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, alongside ISRO. This international partnership not only facilitates the sharing of technological expertise but also fosters a collaborative spirit in addressing common challenges in space exploration. Such partnerships are increasingly important as space missions become more ambitious and complex, requiring a diverse range of skills and knowledge.

As the launch date approaches, extensive testing and simulations are being conducted to ensure the mission’s success. The excitement surrounding PROBA-3 reflects the scientific community’s anticipation of potential breakthroughs, particularly in solar physics and its implications for understanding space weather. The data collected during this mission could transform our understanding of solar activity, leading to improved forecasting models for space weather events. This is especially crucial for mitigating risks to both civilian and military satellite operations and for protecting critical infrastructure on Earth from the effects of solar storms.

“By creating an artificial eclipse, this mission promises to enhance our understanding of the Sun’s behaviour and its broader impacts on the solar system. This mission not only advances our knowledge of the cosmos but also sets a precedent for future collaborations in space exploration, paving the way for a new generation of scientists and explorers dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of our universe,” said Kesan.

As part of the mission the occulter spacecraft is a satellite designed to block, or ‘occlude’, the Sun’s bright light so that other instruments, such as the coronagraph, can get a clearer view of the Sun’s outer atmosphere (the corona). By positioning itself in front of the Sun, it creates an artificial eclipse, making it easier to study the faint details of the corona without interference from the Sun’s intense brightness.

Both the coronagraph spacecraft (weighing 340-kg) and the occulter spacecraft (weighing 200kg) will operate in a high Earth orbit, taking 19.7 hours to complete one orbit. At its highest point, the orbit will reach 60,530km and, at its closest point, it will be 600km above Earth. The primary instrument on board is an external coronagraph. The mission’s communication will be supported by an antenna located at Santa Maria in the Azores, with a ground station in Redu, Belgium.

These days, almost every single device out there can connect to the internet, and if you have an older router, then you may be struggling with things like slow speed or the connection dropping regularly. Luckily, a modern router can fix a lot of these issues, especially those that come with the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard and later, since those are made specifically to handle multiple connections. Not only that, but another great option is to grab a mesh router system, which is great if you want coverage for a larger house without having to create access points or use repeaters.

Of course, there are a lot of routers to pick from out there, and if you don’t have a lot of tech-savvy, it can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve gone out and found our favorite router deals that will give you the best bang for your buck, and that includes mesh router deals too. So if you’ve just picked up some smart home devices from Google Nest deals or Amazon Echo deals, or you need to lower your ping so you can enjoy gaming PC deals and gaming console deals to their fullest, check out the options below.

Best Router Deals

Linksys AX3000 Mesh — $80 $180 56% off

Another great option that can run at the combined speed of 3Gbps, the Linksys AX3000 Mesh has a bit more coverage, up to 2,000 square feet, and is a solid option if you need a bit more performance out of your router. It follows the Wi-Fi 6 standard and can connect up to 30 devices, which should be more than enough for the average home, especially if you use a smart bridge or smart hub for your smart home devices. Also, one benefit of the Linksys AX3000 Mesh is that you can also use it as a mesh system if you buy more than one. It’s worth noting that the only way to get this deal is if you have a My Best Buy Plus or Total subscription.

TP-Link Archer AX3000 — $111 $130 15% off

Upgrading to the newer Wi-Fi 6 standard doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, especially if you aren’t planning to use it for anything as intense as gaming, which is where the TP-Link Archer AX3000 comes in. It can hit a combined speed of 3Gbps over its two bands and will work wonderfully if you mostly plan to use it to stream content or connect your tablet and phone. It also comes with OFDMA technology, which essentially lets you connect to a lot of devices without experiencing issues, so if you have a lot of smart home devices, this will work great for that too.

Linksys Hydra Pro AXE6600 — $150 $280 46% off

If you want to get the latest Wi-Fi standard, that’s going to be Wi-Fi 6E, which is optimized for connecting with lots of devices using MU-MIMO technology so that you can connect up to a whopping 55 devices at the same time. Not only that, but this comes with a 5 Gigabit WAN port, so its also another great option if you rely heavily on your network for sharing files or watching content on something like a Plex server. That said, coverage isn’t as expansive as some of the cheaper options, coming out to around 2,700 square feet, which is still pretty good if we’re being honest.

ASUS AX5700 — $205 $250 20% off

If you have a larger home and need a lot more coverage, then you’ll want to go for the ASUS AX5700, which has a massive 5,000 square-foot coverage and is one of the biggest you’ll find on the market. It can go up to 6000 Mbps combined across all its bands, and even better, it has a 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port, so if you heavily rely on something like a network-attached storage, this is a solid solution. It’s also a great router if you want to game, since it can prioritize gaming connections to help keep lag and other forms of latency down.

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro — $327 $400 18% off

If you take your gaming very seriously, then you may want to consider going for the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro, which certainly looks like it’s come out of a sci-fi game set in a few hundred years. It has a very impressive 5,400 square feet of coverage, which even rivals some mesh routes, can handle a whopping combined speed of 11,000 Mbps, and even has a 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port, so it can go incredibly fast. It’s also optimized to provide a clear signal and try its best to decrease latency so that you have a smooth gaming experience. It is worth noting that you need a My Best Buy Plus membership to get this discount.

Best Mesh Router Deals

TP-Link Deco M5 Mesh WiFi System (2-pack) — $99 $115 13% off

A good starter set of mesh routers is this 2-pack of TP-Link Deco M5 which can cover an impressive 3,800 square feet and is great if you have a plan that can reach up to 450Mbps. Even better, each of the Deco M5s comes with a 2.5 Gigbit ethernet port, so you can get faster transfer speeds inside your home, which is very handy. Beyond that, this mesh system can connect up to 100 devices which should be more than enough for the average home, even one that is chock full of smart home devices.

TP-Link Deco X20 WiFi 6 Mesh System (3-pack) — $140 $180 22% off

If you want to ensure fast wifi speeds, these TP-Link Deco X20s support wired ethernet backhaul, and with a 2.5 Gigabit ethernet port, you can keep your Wi-Fi speeds pretty fast. In terms of coverage, this 3-pack can cover 5,800 square feet and can connect to a whopping 150 different devices, so it’s very forward-facing if you plan to add a bunch of extra smart devices.

Linksys Atlas Pro 6 (3-pack) — $228 $350 20% off

Luckily, if you’re trying to cover a huge area, you don’t need to spend several hundred dollars, as this three-pack from Linksys can manage a whopping 8,100 square feet of coverage. It has a combined top-speed of 5.4Gbps for Wi-Fi and 1Gbps for wired, although it’s worth noting you won’t likely be getting anywhere near those Wi-Fi numbers, especially as you get further away from the base stations. Even so, if you have a gigabit internet connection, you should be able to use it to capacity on this mesh network.

NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Tri-band Mesh WiFi 6 System (2-pack) — $399 $450 11% off

If you have a really fast internet connection in the Gigabit range, then you’ll want a high-end mesh router system like the NETGEAR Orbi, which can handle up to 4,200 Gbps across all its bands. It also has an impressive 5,000 square feet of coverage for just two devices, and you could always get the 3-pack which covers up to 7,500 feet if you need a lot more coverage. That said, the 2-pack can only connect up to 40 devices, which is still a lot, but if you plan to add a lot more smart home devices or other things that need internet, that may be a problem.

NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE5700 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System (3-Pack) — $358 $550 35% off

If you have a really large space that you need to cover, this 3-pack of the NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE5700 can handle a space up to 7,500 square feet, as well as a combined speed of 5,700 Gbps, so it’s pretty fast for internal networking needs. They also come with 2.5 Gigabit ethernet ports if you’d like to go for the wired option as well, so there’s a lot of versatility you can take advantage of. The NETGEAR Nighthawk AXE5700 can also handle connecting up to 100 devices, which is a lot, although it would have been nice if it could match the TP-Link Deco X20 for this price point.

How to Choose the Right Router

Another thing to consider is the sort of technology it has under the hood. For example, as mentioned earlier, if you’re buying a new router, you really should opt for Wi-Fi 6 or the newer Wi-Fi 6e, although the latter might be a bit harder to find. You should also check for things like MU-MIMO, a connectivity tech that allows several devices to connect simultaneously without impacting the speeds or quality of the internet.

The HONOR Magic V3 is one of the most talked-about foldable smartphones this year. There is a good reason for that. This handset is the thinnest and lightest book-style foldable in the market. It is also available in a number of markets globally. Well, in this article, we’ll compare it with one of the most popular foldable smartphones on the planet. It’s a comparison between the HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

The HONOR Magic V3 launched back in July, while it arrived to global markets in September. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 also arrived in July, only two days before the Magic V3 did. We will first list the specifications of both smartphones and will then move to compare them across a number of sections. That includes design, display, performance, battery, cameras, and audio. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Specs

HONOR Magic V3 & Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, respectively

– Screen size (main):
7.92-inch Foldable LTPO AMOLED (120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1,800 nits)
7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits)
– Screen Size (cover):
6.43-inch LTPO OLED (120Hz, 5,000 nits)
6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (120Hz, 1,600 nits)
– Display resolution (main):
2156 x 2344
1856 x 2160
– Display resolution (cover):
2376 x 1060
2376 x 968
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
– RAM:
12GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
12GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.6 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, OIS, PDAF), 40MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 112-degree FoV), 50MP (periscope telephoto, 1/2.51-inch sensor size, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom)
50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, 123-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
20MP (main display, f/2.2 aperture), 32MP (cover display, f/2.4 aperture)
4MP (under display, main display, f/1.8 aperture), 10MP (cover display, f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
5,150mAh
4,400mAh
– Charging:
66W wired, 50W wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger included)
25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (no charger)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
156.6 x 145.3 x 4.35 mm or 4.4 mm
158.7 x 139.7 x 5.8mm
– Dimensions (folded):
156.6 x 74.0 x 9.2 mm or 9.3 mm
153.5 x 68.1 x 12.1 mm
– Weight:
226/230 grams
239 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14 with MagicOS 8.0.1
Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1
– Price:
€1,999
$1,699
– Buy:
HONOR Magic V3 (HONOR)
Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Samsung / Best Buy)

HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Design

Both of these smartphones are made out of metal and glass. The thing is, one of the Magic V3 colors does come with a vegan leather backplate, one of three, its orange model. That is also the phone’s lightest and thinnest model, the glass variant is slightly thicker and heavier. The HONOR Magic V3 measures only 4.35/4.4mm when unfolded, and 9.2/9.3mm when folded, while it weighs 226/230 grams. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 measures 5.6mm when unfolded, 12.1mm when folded, and weighs 239 grams.

The difference here is more than apparent on paper, and it’s easily noticeable when you actually hold the devices. The HONOR Magic V3 feels like a regular smartphone in the hand, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 most certainly does not. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has flat sides, and it’s more body too. HONOR opted for more curves, which also helps with making it feel like a regular phone. Both devices have cover displays with a centered display camera hole. Both of them also include a fingerprint scanner in the power/lock button.

On the main display of the HONOR Magic V3, you’ll find a display camera hole. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 hides its camera under the main display. HONOR’s handset has a camera oreo on the back. There are three cameras on the inside. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has three vertically-aligned camera on the back, in the top-left corner. The backplate on the Magic V3 does curve towards the edges, the same cannot be said for the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s.

HONOR’s handset comes with an IPX8 certification for water resistance. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 offers IP48 water resistance. HONOR trumps Samsung in this regard. Both phones do offer stylus support, by the way. Glass variants of both devices are quite slippery. The vegan leather variant of the Magic V3 does add much-needed grip to the equation.

HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Display

The HONOR Magic V3 includes a 7.92-inch 2156 x 2344 Foldable LTPO AMOLED display. That’s its main display, and it can project up to 1 billion colors. HDR10+ content is also supported, as is Dolby Vision. This display’s refresh rate goes up to 120Hz, and the peak brightness is 1,800 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is around 88&. The cover display measures 6.43 inches, and it has a resolution of 2376 x 1080. That’s an LTPO OLED display, and it also can project up to 1 billion colors. Its refresh rate goes up to 120Hz, and Dolby Vision support is included. The peak brightness here is 5,000 nits, in theory.

Samsung’s foldable, on the other hand, has a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X main display. That panel also has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and HDR10+ support. It goes up to 2,600 nits in terms of brightness, and the screen-to-body ratio is around 91%. The resolution here is 1856 x 2160. The cover display, on the other hand, measures 6.3 inches and has a resolution of 2376 x 968. That’s a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this panel.

The displays on the two phones do have slightly different color tuning, but you can alter that in the settings. The point is, all four panels are great. They’re not only vivid and sharp, but they offer great viewing angles too. The touch response is good on all of them as well. The Magic V3 does have an edge in terms of high-frequency PWM dimming, a major advantage. So if you are amongst the people sensitive to it, you should definitely note this difference. If not, both smartphones will serve you just fine in terms of display quality.

HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Performance

The HONOR Magic V3 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, Qualcomm’s 3nm processor. That chip is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Galaxy Z Fold 6, on the other hand, comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. That’s the same chip as the one the Magic V3 uses, but it’s overclocked. Samsung also includes 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM in its phone, along with UFS 4.0 flash storage.

Needless to say, both of these phones are immensely powerful, and that does reflect on performance. Both companies did a good job of adapting their software to work well with the provided hardware. They are different on the software side of things, but both phones fly through everyday tasks. Getting either phone to slow down is a chore, to say the least. Regardless of whether we’re talking about opening apps, multitasking, media consumption, or something else entirely,

Gaming in particular is really good on both phones. They can both run basically any game you can think of, and do a great job while doing it… on high graphical settings. There is not lag to talk about, and even though they both do get warm, they never got too warm for us, let alone to hot to hold or anything like that.

HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Battery

You’ll find a 5,150mAh battery inside the HONOR Magic V3. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, on the other hand, has a 4,400mAh battery on the inside. Needless to say, on paper, HONOR did a much better job here. The company used a silicon-carbon battery too, which is what allowed it to use such a high capacity. So not only does it have a battery with much more capacity, but it’s considerably lighter and thinner.

Does this battery capacity advantage reflect on actual battery life, though? Well, yes, but not as much as you’d think. Both phones can last most people a whole day and even get rather high screen-on-time, depending on your usage. But you can also end up with around 5.5-6 hours of screen-on-time, or lower. It all depends on your usage. The point is, the difference is not nowhere near what the battery capacity indicates. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 did do worse for us, but only barely.

In terms of charging, the Magic V3 easily shames the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It supports 66W wired, 50W wireless, and 5W reverse wired charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Do note that the Magic V3 also includes a charger in the box, while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does not.

HONOR Magic V3 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Cameras

Each of these phones has three cameras on the back. The HONOR Magic V3 includes a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor, f/1.6 aperture), a 40-megapixel ultrawide unit (112-degree FoV), and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (3.5x optical zoom, 1/2.51-inch sensor). The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor, f/1.8 aperture), a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom).

Neither of these two phones is the best smartphone camera on the market. Many would say the same for their ranking amongst foldable smartphones, and so would we. However, both phones do offer good cameras. The HONOR Magic V3 is our preferred shooter between the two, though. Its pictures usually looked a bit more lifelike without getting kind of obvious oversharpening and oversaturation effects. That’s something that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 tends to do in certain conditions.

We also preferred the Magic V3 shots in low light, even though both phones did a good job. Both of them like to provide rather bright shots in low light, for better or worse. The ultrawide camera on the Magic V3 is easily the better of the two, and the same goes for its periscope telephoto camera. The telephoto camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is limited in a number of ways. Not only is the sensor size rather small, but it’s a regular telephoto shooter.

Audio

Both of these phones do include stereo speakers. The ones on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 are noticeably louder, though the ones on the Magic V3 are not exactly dim. We were perfectly happy with their perforamnce. Also, both phones offer good and balanced sound output.

What you will not find on either phone is an audio jack. Each of them does have a Type-C port, though, so you can use that to connect your wired headphones. If you prefer wireless connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3 is included on both phones.

Netflix announced the next addition to its gaming roster, and it’s a collaboration with the TED nonprofit. TED Tumblewords is a daily puzzle game where you slide rows of letters around to make words. There will be three puzzles available each day, and you can play rounds against friends, other online players or the TED bot. In addition to the daily word challenges, which are designed to improve critical thinking and vocabulary, players will see interesting facts from the TED library. The game will be available to play on Netflix and TED.com on November 19.

Since it began offering mobile games, Netflix has amassed a lot of high-quality titles in its lineup. The collection is a mix of licensed indie game projects, such as Hades and Kentucky Route Zero, alongside in-house creations centered on its popular shows, like the retro-styled Stranger Things game. However, the streaming service just today shut down its in-house AAA game studio before the team ever released or even announced a single project. While we wait for TED Tumblewords to arrive, here are some other excellent choices for your daily online gaming fix.

Cohere has added multimodal embeddings to its search model, allowing users to deploy images to RAG-style enterprise search. 

Embed 3, which emerged last year, uses embedding models that transform data into numerical representations. Embeddings have become crucial in retrieval augmented generation (RAG) because enterprises can make embeddings of their documents that the model can then compare to get the information requested by the prompt. 

Your search can see now.

We’re excited to release fully multimodal embeddings for folks to start building with! pic.twitter.com/Zdj70B07zJ

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— Aidan Gomez (@aidangomez) October 22, 2024

The new multimodal version can generate embeddings in both images and texts. Cohere claims Embed 3 is “now the most generally capable multimodal embedding model on the market.” Aidan Gonzales, Cohere co-founder and CEO, posted a graph on X showing performance improvements in image search with Embed 3. 

The image-search performance of the model across a range of categories is quite compelling. Substantial lifts across nearly all categories considered. pic.twitter.com/6oZ3M6u0V0— Aidan Gomez (@aidangomez) October 22, 2024

“This advancement enables enterprises to unlock real value from their vast amount of data stored in images,” Cohere said in a blog post. “Businesses can now build systems that accurately and quickly search important multimodal assets such as complex reports, product catalogs and design files to boost workforce productivity.”

Cohere said a more multimodal focus expands the volume of data enterprises can access through an RAG search. Many organizations often limit RAG searches to structured and unstructured text despite having multiple file formats in their data libraries. Customers can now bring in more charts, graphs, product images, and design templates. 

Performance improvements

Cohere said encoders in Embed 3 “share a unified latent space,” allowing users to include both images and text in a database. Some methods of image embedding often require maintaining a separate database for images and text. The company said this method leads to better-mixed modality searches. 

According to the company, “Other models tend to cluster text and image data into separate areas, which leads to weak search results that are biased toward text-only data. Embed 3, on the other hand, prioritizes the meaning behind the data without biasing towards a specific modality.”

Embed 3 is available in more than 100 languages. 

Cohere said multimodal Embed 3 is now available on its platform and Amazon SageMaker. 

Playing catch up

Many consumers are fast becoming familiar with multimodal search, thanks to the introduction of image-based search in platforms like Google and chat interfaces like ChatGPT. As individual users get used to looking for information from pictures, it makes sense that they would want to get the same experience in their working life. 

Enterprises have begun seeing this benefit, too, as other companies that offer embedding models provide some multimodal options. Some model developers, like Google and OpenAI, offer some type of multimodal embedding. Other open-source models can also facilitate embeddings for images and other modalities. The fight is now on the multimodal embeddings model that can perform at the speed, accuracy and security enterprises demand. 

Cohere, which was founded by some of the researchers responsible for the Transformer model (Gomez is one of the writers of the famous “Attention is all you need” paper), has struggled to be top of mind for many in the enterprise space. It updated its APIs in September to allow customers to switch from competitor models to Cohere models easily. At the time, Cohere had said the move was to align itself with industry standards where customers often toggle between models.