New Pictures Show Apple’s Allegedly Abandoned “Magic Charger”

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Nov 16, 2022

The MagSafe puck, MagSafe Duo, and MagSafe Battery Pack are the only MagSafe accessories that Apple offers for iPhones. A new image making the rounds online indicates that the company may have thought about releasing a new MagSafe charger for iPhones, but it ultimately decided against this decision for a number of reasons. Apple might have felt that this metal stand, which can only hold iPhones in landscape orientation, doesn’t really make much sense. Let’s see how it looks and what could be the possible reasons behind abandoning it.

Known Twitter handle, @TheBlueMister, shared an image of the unreleased product from Apple. TheBlueMister which is a group of collectors on the social media platform that shares details about the prototypes and pre-release Apple devices and accessories. The group has now shared an image of the unreleased Apple product, which is an iPhone charger with a metal stand. The device was reportedly planned to launch in the market with the moniker “Apple Magic Charger”. This is what name we get when we plug the device into a Mac.

Finally, the product itself has a substantial aluminum base that gives it a firm grip. A MagSafe Puck circular cutout is also present in the base. It can either stand vertically or lie flat. It resembles the Apple Watch Charger on MagSafe Duo very much. The stand has a rubberized covering on the bottom to give it a secure grip. There is also a permanently attached USB Type-C port that will undoubtedly be used for charging.

In terms of the brand’s decision to withdraw the product, we believe its holding capacity to be the main factor. The spherical magnetic MagSafe puck is too low to support the vertical position, therefore the Magic Charger can only really hold an iPhone in landscape configuration. As it genuinely makes no sense and greatly diminishes the product’s practicability, this may be the only reason to give up on it. However, there can be additional factors as well.

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Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature for the iPhone 14 series now rolling out in some regions

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 16, 2022

Apple has rolled out an update of its iPhone 14 lineup that now supports Emergency SOS via satellite. The Apple iPhone 14 series consists of the iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. The Emergency SOS feature allows compatible iPhones to send emergency messages in places where there are no cell towers in range. The new feature is only available in the US and Canada for now.

Apple had spent more than $450 million in research to bring its iPhone 14 series to be compatible with emergency service via satellite. The Cupertino-based tech powerhouse had collaborated with Globalstar whose 24 low-orbit satellites cover the range in North America. The cutting-edge satellite connectivity is within the L- and S-bands spectrum for mobile devices. Barriers like trees could block signals for main smartphone connectivity but are strong enough for the SOS function.

Once an Emergency SOS via satellite connection has been made, the user will need to carry out an SMS conversation and provide more details including your medical ID and emergency contacts. The feature also works with the Find My app to locate the device if lost or stolen. It can be used to keep an emergency contact and the information is safeguarded via end-to-end encryption. The update can be tested in a demo mode in iPhone 14 models in the US and Canada.

Apple advises that the Emergency SOS via satellite feature works well in areas where there is a clear view of the sky and horizon. There are also on-screen instructions that guide the connectivity via satellite. There are no indications yet whether this feature will be used in other jurisdictions.

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Apple IOS 16.2 Beta 3 Adds New AOD Options to the iPhone 14 Pro

By

Anurag

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Nov 16, 2022

Apple finally introduced the Always-on-Display functionality with the iPhone 14 Pro models, and the Cupertino company decided to do something different with the AOD by dimming the screen but keeping all other contents on full display. Now, with the latest iOS 16.2 Beta 3 release, Apple is bringing some welcome AOD improvements to iPhone 14 Pro phones. Here are the details.

Apple recently released the iOS 16.2 Beta 3 update, which brings plenty of bug fixes and some improvements (via MacRumors). The beta build also introduces new Always On Display customization options for the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. It adds the ability to hide the wallpaper and disable notifications.

As mentioned, Apple’s approach to AOD is very different from that of the Android pack. The latter chooses to dim everything on the display and only show the clock and some notifications in black and white. While the former shows the time, widgets, a dimmed version of the wallpaper, and even artwork if the user is listening to something.

However, iPhone 14 Pro users will now be able to disable the wallpaper and switch to a black screen while in AOD mode. The display will still show the time, date, and any widgets users have set. Furthermore, notifications can now be turned off, ensuring a cleaner AOD experience.

The update is currently available for those who are in the Developer Program, and new users will have to pay a small fee to be a part of it. A public beta build is also expected to be released very soon, which will allow you to try all-new features without paying anything.

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Fossil announces the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 smartwatch with Wear OS 3 launching on December 1

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 16, 2022

Fossil will release the Diesel Griffed Gen 6 with Wear OS 3 in December. The latest Wear OS 3 smartwatch. It will be the first flagship Diesel smartwatch released since 2019 when the Diesel Axial was unveiled.

A Diesel smartwatch was expected to be released earlier this year in line with its traditional schedule but that did not happen. The Diesel Fadellite was a non-flagship but unique model released after the Axial. It had a transparent band and mixed specifications even for Wear OS. The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 comes with significant improvements over the Diesel Axial and is based on Fossil’s Gen 6 platform. It is powered by the Snapdragon 4100+ processor with a 1GB/ 8GB RAM/ storage configuration. It can be charged from 0-80% in about 30 minutes which is an improvement from its predecessor.

The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 will run on Wear OS 3 out of the box. This is coming barely a month after Fossil launched the Wear OS 3 update together with its Gen 6 Wellness Edition smartwatch. The Griffed Gen 6 supports Amazon Alexa but Google Assistant functionality is lacking. There are several watch faces supported including from third-party applications. The smartwatch also supports making and receiving calls via the gadget. It supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as GPS and NFC for Google Wallet. Health and fitness sensors are also present in the Griffed Gen 6 including heart rate, blood oxygen, and workout tracking.

The Diesel Griffed Gen 6 has a $350 price tag. It will be available from December 1 in silver/black or gunmetal/ black options. The strap options include metal, leather, and Diesel-branded nylon/ silicone. Global availability and pricing details are lacking for the smartwatch at this time.

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Swytch e-bike Conversion Kit with a 250W gear hub motor and 98kWh battery now official

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 16, 2022

The Swytch e-bike conversion kit with a 250W geared hub motor has been released. The new e-bike conversion kit has a simple design and is highly affordable. It also has a robust outlook and is straightforward to install.

The Swytch e-bike conversion kit is basically a front-wheel drive kit and entails a complete replacement of the front wheel. It comes in 13 wheel sizes and is compatible with a wide range of bicycles including folding bikes. Its 250W geared hub motor is mounted on the stock front dropout of the bike. The 98kWh battery pack is tablet-shaped and mounts onto a bracket on the handlebars. The 36V, 98Wh Lithium-ion AIR battery pack delivers a range of 9 miles (~14km). The battery can be fully charged in about 1 hour and a pedal sensor is included in the kit. This allows the user to enjoy pedal-assist functionality for the bike.

The conversion kit is suitable for short rides around the neighborhood because of its limited range. A larger battery option is available that extends the range of the converted bike to 19 miles (~31km). The installation of the conversion kit is easily accomplished within minutes. It is also compatible with both disc and rim brake setups on the bicycles.

The Swytch e-bike conversion kit is quite affordable with a $449 price tag. This could offer lots of e-bike enthusiasts an option to enjoy the feel of the ride at an affordable price. Unfortunately, you still have to pre-order the product from the company’s website as it is not readily available at the moment.

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Meizu 19 Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC Could Be in the Works

By

Anurag

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Nov 16, 2022

Today, Qualcomm unveiled its next-gen flagship chipset, dubbed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The new SoC brings improved performance and up to 40% higher efficiency. Brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi have already revealed that their upcoming flagships will feature the new Qualcomm chipset. Now, Meizu has joined the party, confirming it also has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-equipped smartphone, likely the Meizu 19, in the works. Here are the details.

Meizu’s official Weibo handle recently announced that the brand’s upcoming flagship smartphone will be the first to be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Xiaomi has also made similar claims, so we will have to wait and see who wins. The Chinese OEM did not reveal the name of the handset, but we expect it to be the Meizu 19, since its predecessor— Meizu 18—launched almost a year ago.

It has been reported that Meizu’s new phone has been manufactured by Foxconn. The handset should still be in the trial production and proofing stage. We can expect to launch next year in January. More details will likely emerge soon.

If we talk about the newly launched Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it is fabbed on a 4nm process node and has a new 1+2+2+3 architecture, that includes a 3.2GHz Kryo super core based on Cortex-X3, four 2.8GHz performance cores (2×Cortex A715+ 2×Cortex A710) and three 2.0GHz Cortex-A510 energy efficiency cores.

Qualcomm says the new chipset brings significant improvements as compared to the first-generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform. The performance of the upgraded Qualcomm Adreno GPU of the 8 Gen 2 has increased by 25%, and the energy efficiency of the Qualcomm Kryo CPU has increased by 40%.

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Redesigned UI of Android Auto Is Finally Available; Here’s What’s New

By

Chandan

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Nov 16, 2022

Earlier this year, Google had shown off an entirely new UI for the upcoming Android Auto. Without a doubt, the new, streamlined UI looks pretty interesting. Incorporating a new multi-column design into the new design also significantly improves usability. Google had previously stated that the new UI would be made available to the public in the summer of 2022, but the company was unable to fulfil this promise. The IT giant has finally begun releasing the update, though, so that’s good news.

Speaking of Android Auto’s new updated user interface, it delivers a new simple, minimalist, and streamlined UI. As it features a split-screen UI that displays numerous widgets depending on the screen size and aspect ratio, Google has also incorporated an Auto redesign function that enables the UI to adopt all types of screens; portrait, landscape, and ultrawide. The new UI map has also been improved for the driver’s accessibility. The new app dock, which is quite similar to the app dock in Android 12L, is persistent and makes switching between apps simpler.

The multimedia card can now dynamically change in size. A more elegant design has been added to it. Google has also mentioned Android Auto’s compatibility with the Material You colour theme. By pressing the clock area, you can now access the status symbols and notifications in one convenient location. One swipe will access Google Assistant’s recommendations for music and media. So, here is how Android Auto’s freshly updated user interface appears.

However, the upgrade is currently only available to those who have signed up for the public beta, so if you are not one of them, you will be unable to enjoy the new user interface right now. But given that the system’s stable release comes after the public beta rollout, we can expect the full stable rollout to occur in the coming weeks. Google presently has no official words for it.

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Lenovo Tab Extreme Spotted on Google Play Console Ahead of an Official Launch

By

Chandan

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Nov 16, 2022

Lenovo is reportedly working on a new flagship tablet for the Android market. The gadget will debut as the most powerful tablet ever launched by Lenovo. Ahead of any official announcement, the forthcoming Lenovo flagship tablet has been listed on the Google Play Console certification. As per the certification, it will launch in the market as “Lenovo Tab Extreme.”

An upcoming Lenovo tablet with the model number TB570FU was recently spotted on the Play Console certification website. The device is said to be no other than the upcoming Lenovo Tab Extreme. The certification website reveals some of the key specifications of the tablet, along with an image showcasing how the product might actually look like. The image of the tablet attached to the website confirms that it will have a large screen with symmetrical bezels all around the display. The selfie camera is housed inside the center of the top bezel when placed in landscape mode. On the left edge and top edge, respectively, are the volume controls and the power button.

According to the website, the tablet will flaunt a panel with 3000*1876 pixel resolution. It will be powered by the MT8798Z chipset, which is no other than the MediaTek Dimensity 9000. The chipset will have an ARM Cortex X2 clocked at 3050MHz, 3X ARM Cortex A710 clocked at 2850MHz, and 4X ARM Cortex A510 clocked at 1800MHz. The graphic-intensive tasks will be handled by the Mali G710 GPU. The website confirms that it will have 8GB of RAM and will boot up Android 13 right out of the box.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any more information about the upcoming Lenovo Tab Extreme. The launch may happen before the Google Pixel tablet’s formal introduction. Watch out any official posts or teasers about the tablet appear in the coming days or not.

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Lei Jun Hints Xiaomi’s Upcoming Flagship Will be the First to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Chipset

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 16, 2022

US fabless chip maker Qualcomm today officially announced its latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform which is expected to power the next-gen flagship smartphones. The chipset is confirmed to start rolling out on smartphones before the end of the year but Qualcomm only announced some partners without mentioning which brand will be the first to utilize the new chip. Some of the partners revealed include ASUS ROG, Honor, iQOO, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi, Red Magic, Redmi, Sharp, Sony, Vivo, Meizu, and ZTE. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun has disclosed on Weibo that the brand’s upcoming flagship phone will be the first to utilize the new chipset.

Apart from revealing that the second-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 platform will first feature on a Xiaomi flagship, the CEO also extolled the chipset as providing a high level of coordination between software and hardware in order to create a better performance and battery life balance in its product.

The CEO failed to reveal the name of the flagship device that would utilize the chipset. In line with its usual practice, Xiaomi will release a new generation of flagship models at the end of each year or the beginning of the next year. This year’s Mi 12 series was announced on December 28, 2021. The company followed up with the 12S series launch in July this year. We’ll have to wait a few more weeks, though, to find out the name of the product.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform adopts a new 1+2+2+3 architecture, including a 3.2GHz super-large core (based on Cortex-X3), four 2.8GHz performance cores, and three 2.0GHz efficiency cores. In addition, the new processor uses the Snapdragon X70 5G modem and RF system integrated with Qualcomm’s 5G AI processor. It is also the first Snapdragon mobile platform to support the use of two different 5G networks simultaneously.

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Oppo Reno 9 Series Launch Date in China Seemingly Confirmed

By

Viraj Gawde

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Nov 16, 2022

OPPO Reno 9 series launch date has seemingly been confirmed. The company reportedly sent out launch invites in China revealing the date and time. However, there is no official announcement from the brand yet. As per the invite card, the Reno 9 series could debut in China on November 24th at 2:30 pm local time. The lineup is expected to consist of a regular, Pro, and Pro+ variants. The Reno 9 series will arrive as the successor to the Reno 8 series that debuted earlier this year.

The launch invite card does not mention key details about the Reno 9 series. Tipster Abhishek Yadav and a Weibo user mention that the regular and Pro variants will be powered by Snapdragon 778G and Dimensity 8100 chipsets respectively. The Pro+ model will be equipped with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. All three devices will run on Android 13 out of the box. The Weibo user also adds that the Reno 9 Pro+ will pack premium specifications including a 1080p micro-curved screen, a 4,700mAh battery with 80W fast charging, and an upgraded Sony IMX890 primary camera.

The OPPO Reno 9 series leaked renders had surfaced on the web recently. The smartphones look identical to each other with a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout display and curved edges. The back panel does not have a protruding camera module but there’s a rectangular island housing camera rings and LED flash units. The Reno 9 and 9 Pro will come with dual cameras whereas the Pro+ model is seen with an additional lens. The regular variant will likely lack OPPO’s MariSilcion ISP.

We will know more information about the OPPO Reno 9 series in the coming days.

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Philips Evnia 34-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor With Wqhd Resolution, 165HZ Refresh Rate Launched in India

By

Viraj Gawde

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Nov 16, 2022

Philips has launched a new lineup of monitors in India. It is the Evnia 34-inch gaming monitor. It packs flagship specifications and features. Philips says that Evnia monitors embody the brand’s ‘Reinvent the Rules’ philosophy by adding novelty, premium, and elegance. Commenting on the launch Philips India said “We at Philips believes that the joy of gaming should be accessible to everyone. Our goal for Evnia is to introduce today’s gaming enthusiasts with the entire gaming universe and bringing together the gaming and e-sports community.”

The Philips Evnia gaming monitor sports a 34-inch LCD panel bearing a WQHD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. It has a curved screen with a 178-degree viewing angle and the display uses Mini LED backlight with 1,152 local dimming zones for deeper blacks and brighter whites. The monitor offers 1,400 nits peak brightness, 97 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut, 1.07 billion colours, and DisplayHDR 1400 certification.

The Philips Evnia gaming monitor comes with low-input lag, 2.5ms response time, and Adaptive Sync for a smoother gameplay experience. It also packs a picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture mode. On the audio front, it is equipped with two built-in speakers producing 5W sound output tuned by DTS.

The Philips Evnia gaming monitor with a stand with adjustable height, tilt, and swivel options. It also features Ambiglow technology that enhances content on the screen and produces ambient light on the back offering a unique and immersive viewing experience.

Connectivity options on the Philips Evnia gaming monitor include a USB 3.2 port, USB-B port, 4 USB-A ports, Audio Out, and HDCP 1.4 port.

Philips is yet to announce the pricing and availability details of the Evnia gaming monitor. We will update this post when it is revealed

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Oppo A1 Pro Launched: Curved Display, 108MP Camera, 67W Charging, & More

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 16, 2022

As scheduled, Oppo has officially launched the Oppo A1 Pro in China. It is the first Pro model in the A series.

Unlike other phones in the lineup, this one arrives with certain premium features. Let’s take a look at everything it has to offer along with pricing and availability.

Oppo A1 Pro Specifications

The main highlight of the Oppo A1 Pro is its screen. It flaunts a 6.7-inch centered punch-hole curved OLED display. The FHD+ panel offers 10-bit color depth, 120Hz refresh rate, and 950 nits peak brightness level.

The panel supports 2160Hz PWM dimming and 4096 levels of brightness. It can cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and has a 93% screen-to-body ratio.

The second highlight of the handset is its primary camera. It comes with a 108MP main camera, which is paired with a not-so-useful 2MP depth sensor. On the front, it sports a 16MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

Under the hood, the smartphone houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, LPDDR4x RAM, and UFS 2.2 storage. It draws power from a 4,800mAh battery with support for 67W fast wired charging.

The device boots ColorOS 13 based on Android 13. It features an in-display fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, a MicroSD card slot, and NFC for contactless payments as well as transit passes.

Last but not least, the phone measures 7.7mm in thickness and weighs 171g.

Oppo A1 Pro Price and Availability

The Oppo A1 Pro will retail at the following price tags in China.

8GB + 128GB – ¥1,799 ($254)
8GB + 256GB – ¥1,999 ($282)
12GB + 256GB – ¥2,299 ($325)

It will be available in three color options, namely Moon Sea Black, Dawn Gold, and Morning Rain Blue.

The handset is currently up for pre-order and will be available for purchase starting November 25.

Vivo X90 Pro, X90 Pro+ Real-Life Images with Key Specifications Emerge

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 16, 2022

Vivo is all set to take off the covers from the Vivo X90 series on Nov. 22 in China. While there is no official confirmation yet, it seems that the lineup will consist of the Vivo X90, X90 Pro, and X90 Pro+. Real-life images of the Pro and Pro+ models have been shared by tipster Ice Universe to showcase their front designs and key specifications.

The live shots of the Vivo X90 Pro and X90 Pro+ show that these devices will feature a punch-hole display with curved edges. Both models will come preloaded with the OriginOS 3, which will be overlaid on the Android 13 OS. Both devices will arrive with 8 GB of virtual RAM.

The images reveal that the Vivo X90 Pro has the Dimensity 9200 chipset. It will arrive with 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Leaked information that surfaced earlier this week claimed that it will also come in two more variants, such as 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage.

The image further reveals that the X90 Pro+ is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform. The device will offer 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of native storage. As per a recent leak, it will also come in a higher variant offering 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The images also reveal that the X90 Pro and X90 Pro+ will be equipped with the company’s in-house V2 ISP.

According to reports, the standard Vivo X90 will also have the same Dimensity 9200 chipset. It is expected to come in four configurations: 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage.

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Vivo TWS 3 series earbuds officially teased, with Spatial Audio & True Hi-Fi audio

By

Sudhanshu

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Nov 16, 2022

Last week, it was revealed that Vivo will soon be launching the world’s first Hi-Fi headset at the tenth anniversary of Vivo Hi-Fi. A leak from earlier this week claimed the technology will come included in the upcoming Vivo TWS 3 series which is expected to debut alongside the Vivo X90 series on November 22. For those unaware, Hi-Fi is an acronym for high fidelity, which in this context claims to provide an improved listening experience thanks to the high accuracy of audio reproduction.

Now, the brand has officially teased the TWS 3 series and also confirmed that it will indeed launch on November 22 launch date. The teaser image (via) matches the renders revealed in the earlier reports. In addition to the Hi-Fi technology, the teaser also claims that the Vivo TWS 3 series will also feature 360° spatial audio. The series is expected to comprise two models – the Vivo TWS 3 and the Vivo TFS 3 Pro.

The earbuds are anticipated to have the latest LE Audio Bluetooth audio technology, support Bluetooth 5.3, the first full-link wireless true Hi-Fi in the industry, as well as intelligent ultra-wideband noise reduction, non-sensing body temperature monitoring, LC3 game low Latency, multi-device dual connection, etc.

Other than high-fidelity audio, the earbuds are expected to offer Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with support for next-generation Bluetooth LE audio technology, wireless karaoke, slide-to-adjust volume, smart wear detection, smart voice control, pressure-sensitive control, and dual-device connection. It is anticipated to provide intelligent ultra-wideband noise reduction, Vlog 3D binaural recording, and non-sensing body temperature monitoring.

The TWS 3 is said to feature a Qualcomm S5 QCC5171 chip, 12.2mm dynamic drivers, an independent DAC chip, a DSP module, and an adaptive equalizer. It is said to come with a transmission rate of up to 1.2Mbps. More information on the Vivo TWS 3 series is expected to surface as we get closer to the official launch, so stay tuned.

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iQOO 11 Launch Soon, Official Teaser Released

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 16, 2022

Vivo announced the iQOO sub-brand in 2019. iQOO arrived in India in February 2020. Since then, the brand has focused on these two markets only. Through its official Facebook and Instagram accounts, iQOO has been hinting about the launch of a new smartphone in Malaysia for a few weeks. Today, iQOO Malaysia took to its Facebook and Instagram handles to confirm that it will be soon launching the iQOO 11 5G.

The iQOO 11 5G teaser does not reveal anything about its specifications. However, it does hint that there will be a BMW M Motorsport-inspired model with red, black, and blue stripes, which will probably be called the iQOO 11 Legend. A new report reveals that the Legend model could be equipped with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Unfortunately, it did not reveal anything about the device.

iQOO 11 official teaser by iQOO Malaysia

iQOO is expected to launch the iQOO 11 and iQOO 11 Pro by the end of this month or early December in China. Now that the brand has started teasing the iQOO 11 in Malaysia, it appears that it may debut around the same time in the country. Reports have claimed that the iQOO 11 lineup is also heading to India. The Indian market is likely to receive it in December or January.

According to reports, the iQOO 11 will feature an E6 AMOLED display of 6.78-inches. It will be a flat panel with a centrally positioned punch-hole. The screen is expected to offer an FHD+ resolution, up to 144hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is expected to power the device with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

The iQOO 11 may arrive with a 16-megapixel selfie camera and a 50-megapixel (main) + 13-megapixel (ultra-wide) + 12-megapixel (telephoto) camera coupled with the Vivo V2 ISP. The device may run on the OriginOS 3-based Android 13. It may feature a 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support.

RELATED:

India’s Smartphone Market Is Declining but 5G and Premium Segments Are Growing

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 16, 2022

The Indian smartphone market witnessed yet another quarter of decline in Q3 2022, reports IDC. The number of shipments reduced by 10% YoY. Brands managed to ship 43 million units from July to September.

This was the lowest third-quarter shipment since 2019. Weakening demand and increasing device prices affected sales despite an earlier onset of the Diwali festive season offers and deals.

Smartphone in Dark | Source: Akshar Dave on Unsplash

Talking about brands, Xiaomi managed to cling to the first position. Samsung regained the second slot as Realme dropped to fourth. Vivo and Oppo rounded off the top five with third and fifth places, respectively.

All the aforementioned companies, except Oppo, saw a drop in shipments. Oppo even had a lead in the offline segment.

More than 70% of Xiaomi’s shipments came from the online channel. Vivo saw its highest-ever online shipments of 35%.

Samsung led the 5G category with a 27% share, while Vivo was second with a 15% share. Around 53% of Samsung’s portfolio was 5G-enabled.

Overall, companies shipped 16 million 5G smartphones in Q3. It accounted for 36% of total shipments. The ASP of 5G smartphones stood at $393.

Smartphones powered by MediaTek led the market with a 47% share. Whereas, the market shares of Qualcomm and UNISOC were at 25% and 15%, respectively.

The premium segment ($500+) registered a growth of 64% YoY with an 8% market share. Apple led this category with a 63% share, followed by Samsung and OnePlus at 22% and 9%, respectively.

The sub-$300 segment, which is known for driving sales in India, declined by 15% YoY. Hence, the performance of the entire market dwindled.

Apple Eyes Chip Orders From US & European Fabs To Diversify Out of Taiwan

By

Sean

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Nov 16, 2022

We already know that Apple has been looking to diversify its supply chain and production operations outside of China for some time now. Although it appears that the company is apparently also planning to diversify its chip source as well, moving away from Taiwan.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Cupertino based giant is seeking to diversify its chip chip production out of Taiwan. Reportedly, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple has stated in an internal meeting that the brand has “already made a decision to be buying out of a plant in Arizona.” In other words, its looking to even acquire chips from US based fabs, which are set to begin production sometime in 2024. This means that the iPhone maker will have a new chip source in just around 2 years.

Apart from the Arizona based fab, the company is supposedly eyeing semiconductor manufacturers that are based in Europe as well. For those unaware, Apple has its proprietary M series of PC chips for MacBooks and iPhone’s A series of mobile processors produced by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which is the world’s largest contract chipmaker. As the name suggests, this means that most of its fabs are located in Taiwan, although it even has an advanced facility being built in Arizona.

So it appears that TSMC might be the supplier from Arizona. However, the firm isn’t the only company setting up a fab plant in Arizona. The US government recently passed a legislation to invest over 50 billion US Dollars in domestic semiconductor production. Intel has also stated that it has plans on making chips for other companies from its semiconductor manufacturing sites. Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed report so take this news with a pinch of salt for now.

RELATED:

iQOO 11 Legend RAM & storage options tipped, could launch soon

By

Sudhanshu

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Nov 16, 2022

The iQOO 11 and iQOO 11 Pro are planned to be released in China this year. According to a recent leak, the devices could be released in India in January 2023. Along with the vanilla and Pro models, the iQOO 11 Legend is also said to be in the works.

Now, a new report has emerged revealing the RAM and storage capacity of the iQOO 11 legend. The report comes from 91mobiles citing tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore and claims that iQOO 11 Legend will ship with 16GB RAM and 256GB. It is unclear whether alternative RAM options will be offered or if this would be the only option available. It is also unclear whether the iQOO 11 Legend will debut with the rest of the lineup, or it will be launched later.

Details like specifications and design of the device are still under wraps. However, it is certain that the iQOO 11 Legend will be the top-end offering of the iQOO 11 series. Check out the specs and features of the iQOO 11 series below.

iQOO 11 series specs (rumored)

According to reports, the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC will power the iQOO 11 Pro together with up to 12GB of RAM and a 256GB storage option. The phone will use an in-house V2 image processing chip, which made its debut recently. According to reports, the phone has a 6.78-inch E6 AMOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate.

The iQOO 11 Pro is expected to have a design influenced by BMW M Motorsport and run Android 13 OS out of the box. Regarding the cameras, the iQOO 11 Pro is claimed to include a quad-rear camera configuration with a 50MP primary sensor, coupled with a 50MP secondary lens, a 48MP sensor, and a 64MP camera. For selfies and video chats, the front camera has a 32MP sensor. The phone reportedly has a 4,700mAh battery with 200W charging capabilities.

The vanilla iQOO 11 on the other hand will feature the same Snapdragon 8 Gen2 SoC and a 6.78-inch FHD+ 144Hz display. In terms of optics, the base model will feature a 50MP primary camera with 13MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP telephoto camera, and a 16MP selfie shooter. It will most likely run Android 13 out of the box and include a 5000mAh battery with 125W fast charging capabilities.

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Amazfit Pop 2 With 1.78-Inch AMOLED Display, 100 Sports Modes Launched in India

By

Viraj Gawde

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Nov 16, 2022

Amazfit launched the Band 7 in India earlier this month. Now the brand has announced the POP 2 in the country. The device was listed on Flipkart since the last week. The latest offering is a budget smartwatch. It falls under the Rs 4,000 price bracket and competes against the likes of the Noise ColorFit Pro 4, Realme Watch 3 Pro, OnePlus Nord Watch, and more in the market. Read on to know what the Amazfit POP 2 offers out of the box.

The Amazfit POP 2 features a square dial with a 1.78-inch AMOLED display bearing an HD resolution. It offers an always-on display and 150+ customisable watch faces. The smartwatch sports an aluminium alloy body with a button on the right side and it is water-resistant up to 5 meters.

On the health-centric front, the Amazfit POP 2 is equipped with a heart rate monitor, SpO2 sensor, sleep tracker, and sedentary reminder. The device is capable of tracking more than 100 sports modes.

The Amazfit POP 2 features a built-in speaker and microphone for Bluetooth phone calls. It also comes with an integrated voice assistant. Users can control music playback and camera shutter. The smartwatch also offers social media notifications, weather updates, calendar reminders, and more. The wearable device is powered by a 270mAh battery unit that is claimed to last 10 days on full charge. It supports Bluetooth 5.2 and runs on Zepp OS out of the box.

The Amazfit POP 2 costs Rs 3,999 but can be purchased at an introductory price of Rs 3,299 on November 22nd from Flipkart and the brand’s official website. The smartwatch is offered in Black and Pink colours.

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Oppo Unveils New Ray Tracing Tech for Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Powered Phones

By

Sean

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Nov 16, 2022

Earlier today, Qualcomm announced its latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC during its Snapdragon Summit 2022 conference. In the same event, Oppo also took the stage to announce its new Ray Tracing solution, which will be offered to smartphone powered by the new flagship grade processor. So here are all the details.

The Chinese smartphone maker has already announced ray tracing for smartphones last year, but it was limited to MediaTek Dimensity powered devices. Now, the brand has unveiled its latest ray tracing tech, but this time, it is supported on the latest Snapdragon platform. Previously, we have also seen Samsung debut its Exynos chips with hardware accelerated ray tracing support. Now, Oppo has demoed its latest open ray tracing solution that will allow developers and creators to offer improved ray tracing experiences on smartphones with Qualcomm’s latest chipset.

The company’s new ray tracing technique uses a modified version of its proprietary PhysRay SDK that enables ray tracing “to be applied to complex, large scale game scenes on mobile devices.” Furthermore, Oppo also demoed this technology using a first-person shooter game called “Camp Guard,” that had more than 2000 physical models, 800,000 triangles, and close to 100 textures at Snapdragon Summit 2022. This was an interactive demonstration that showcased the improved shadows, reflections, and lightings thanks to the new technology.

Oppo claimed that the first person game can run at 720p resolution at 60fps for half an hour on a smartphone that is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The new ray tracing tech was developed by the smartphone maker in partnership with Qualcomm for “driver testing, shader optimization, and compiler tool development over the game scene.” Interestingly, this announcement also arrives a few days after the company unveiled its partnership with Unity, the company behind the popular Unity game engine to offer better gaming performance.

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