Earlier this week, Oppo had announced that it is bringing 5G connectivity support for Airtel users in India who own the company branded smartphone models that support 5G networking.
Reno 8 5G
For those unaware, India is seeing the initial stages of 5G network roll out from different telecom operators in the country. So now, the Chinese smartphone maker is bringing support for the newer and faster network standard for all Airtel users in the region. This arrives as the company partners with the Indian telecom giant. According to Shashwat Sharma, Director of Consumer Business Airtel, “OPPO has been a long standing partner to Airtel and we are thrilled to collaborate with them yet again in our 5G journey.”
He further stated that “Airtel 5G Plus is already live in 8 cities and we plan to ramp up our services soon across the country. Existing Airtel 4G SIM is 5G enabled therefore customers can enjoy ultrafast 5G services across all OPPO 5G devices just by selecting the 5G network under settings. Our network will deliver the best experience – between 20 to 30 times higher speeds than today coupled with brilliant voice experience and super-fast call connect”
K10 5G
This basically means that users won’t have to shift to a separate Airtel SIM card to enjoy the benefits of 5G networking. So Airtel and Oppo 5G phone owners living in cities that are rolling out 5G services, just need to enable the option in settings to get the benefits of the faster internet connection.
Infinix INBook X2 Plus has launched in India. It is the fourth laptop from the company. Alongside, the brand has also announced the Infinix 43 Y1 smart TV in the country. The INBook X2 Plus is a budget laptop and packs decent specifications. Read on to know what it offers out of the box.
The Infinix INBook X2 Plus features a 15.6-inch display bearing an FHD resolution, a 100 percent sRGB colour gamut, and 300 nits peak brightness. It sports an aluminium alloy metal unibody and weighs 1.58 kg. There is a 1080p webcam paired with an LED flash. The device also features a backlit keyboard. On the audio front, the laptop is equipped with stereo speakers with DTS audio processing.
Under the hood, the Infinix INBook X2 Plus is powered by up to 11th generation Intel Core i7 processor. The i3 processor option comes with Intel UHD graphics, while the Core i5 and i7 variants are coupled with Iris Xe graphics onboard. The machine packs up to 16GB LPDDR4x RAM and 512GB SSD storage. It runs on Windows 11 Home and is backed by a 50Wh battery with support for 65W fast charging.
On the connectivity front, the Infinix INBook X2 Plus offers options like WiFi 6, two USB Type-C ports, two USB 3 ports, an HDMI 1.4, SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Infinix INBook X2 Plus starts at Rs 32,990 for the Core i3, 8GB + 256GB option whereas the 512GB storage model is priced at Rs 35,990. The Core i5 8GB + 512GB and Core i7 16GB + 512GB configurations are priced at Rs 42,990 and Rs 52,990 respectively. The laptop can be available in Grey, Blue, and Red colours. It will be available for purchase starting on October 18th, 2022, in India.
Apple is apparently planning on adding two products to its ‘obsolete’ devices list in November 2022. If the report is true, then the iPhone 5C and the iPad mini 4 will be the latest addition to this obsolete list.
For those unaware, the Cupertino based giant typically refers to a device as ‘vintage’ when it crosses five years old since its official announcement. But when a product cross seven years of age, the company labels these devices as ‘obsolete.’ In a similar move, Apple had recently declared that the iPhone 6 was a vintage device from the brand. Now, it appears that the iPhone 5c, which was launched in September 2013, will be the latest smartphone to enter this list.
This news isn’t really surprising considering that the iPhone 5c is over nine years old now. The device launched as the more affordable version of Apple’s flagship in 2013, which was the iPhone 5s. On the other hand, the iPad mini 4 also had a similar role by offering a relatively smaller display as a tablet, which is 7.9 inches, and also having a lower price tag compared to larger iPad models of that time. This model was also marketed more toward entertainment consumers, rather than creative professionals.
When a device is added to the ‘obsolete’ devices list, it means that the company will no longer offer hardware support for these products. Software support for these devices have already ended a while ago, but now, the brand won’t offer any form of paid repair services either.
Google has just started rolling out a new update, which finally brings an essential feature for its Pixel Buds Pro truly wireless earbuds. The new software update started rolling out earlier today (12th October 2022) and brings support for five band EQ.
Jam out your way.🎶
With 5-band EQ on #PixelBuds Pro, you can now customize your sound🔊 or choose between presets tuned by our audio engineers.
Update your Pixel Buds app and firmware, then head to Bluetooth settings ➡️Device Details ➡️Sound ➡️ Custom Equalizer to get started. pic.twitter.com/cY3CU6sxMJ
For those unaware, having a customizable EQ is a basic feature, so its quite surprising that the Search Engine giant missed something so essential at launch. Although, it is still better late than never and we finally have a software upgrade to bring us the bare minimum on sound profile customization. As per official notes, the update is “slowly rolling out.” In other words, the update is being rolled out in a staggered manner to ensure that there is no major security flaw.
But, users can expect to receive the update sometime within a week. To get the version 3.14 update, make sure that the Pixel Buds app on your partner smartphone is version 1.0.474476083 or newer. Once you’ve got the update, go to device details on Bluetooth settings > Sound > Custom Equalizer. This will let you customize your sound and even select between six presets tuned by Google’s own audio engineers.
Pixel Buds Pro
Users are offered five band custom EQ to customize tunes as per their requirements. Furthermore, the presets help offer a good setting if one doesn’t wish to bother with making changes to the sound profile manually. Notably, these changes will be kept on the Pixel Buds Pro, you can carry forward your customization no matter the device you’re listening from. Lastly, the update even brings some “general bug fixes and improvements”.
A new report has revealed that the festive season sales have been quite successful for smartphone makers in India and Samsung took the lead, beating out its competition with million of units of handsets sold.
The news arrives from a Strategy Analytics report, which claimed that the South Korean tech giant accounted for 26 percent of all sales during the festive season. This period ranged from 23rd to the 30th of September 2022. During this time, Samsung sold more than 3.3 million smartphones. The report stated that its premium smartphone models like the Galaxy S21 FE, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22 Plus, Galaxy, and Z Flip 3 saw robust sales thanks to aggressive pricing and discounts.
Similarly, even its mid range handsets were quite popular, especially the Galaxy F13 and the Galaxy M13 that were heavily discounted during this sales period. On the other hand, Chinese smartphone brands like Xiaomi and Realme rounded up the top 3 rankings with 2.5 million and 2.2 million units shipped during the festive sales, accounting for 20 percent and 17 percent market share respectively. In other words, we can see that Samsung took a commanding lead over its competition.
Despite the iPhone 13 and older iPhone models seeing heavy discounts as well, Apple did not make the top 3 list. While the smartphone makers saw great sales overall, the market during the festive season sale period in 2022 saw a 2 percent fall when compared to the same period last year. However, while the sales figure saw slightly lower, the ASP (Average Selling Price) was higher this time around. This meant that the revenue growth offset the volume decline.
Last month, Realme started rolling out the Realme UI 3.0 early access build based on Android 13 to devices like the Realme GT 2 and GT Neo 3. Now, the company has commenced a similar program for the Realme 9 Pro+ smartphones in India.
The Realme 9 Pro+ was released earlier this year and is, to date, the most expensive device in the numbered series. Now, it has become the first device in the numbered series to get the Android 13 build.
The Android 13 Early Access program is open to Realme 9 Pro+ users who have updated their devices to RMX3392 11.A.12 or RMX3392 11.A.13. These users can navigate to Settings → Software Update → Tap on the settings icon in the top right corner → Trial Version → Apply Now → Fill out the application form and finish the quiz to apply for the program.
Users must make sure that their smartphones have at least 5GB of free storage. Additionally, when updating to the Realme 9 Pro+ Android 13 early access build, the device must have at least 60% battery life. As it is an early-access build, it will likely come with some bugs and kinks. As a result, users may encounter various flaws that may have an impact on the stability of the system and the battery life of their devices. Therefore, we recommend not trying this build on your daily driver smartphone.
As this is still an early access build, it will likely take the company at least a couple of months before it starts pushing out the stable Android 13 update for the Realme 9 Pro+.
Infinix has just launched another new smart home product in India. This time, the company has launched the Infinix 43 Y1 TV, which is a smart TV that arrives with a budget price tag. So let’s have a look.
As the name suggests, this Y1 model sports a 43 inch display. This panel has a Full HD resolution, can output 300 nits of peak brightness, display 16 million colors, supports HLG, and is even surrounded by thin bezels as well. For those unaware, the company had previously launched the Y1 32 inch smart TV back in July of this year. So now, this new variant is the larger model between the two.
Under the hood, the Infinix 43 Y1 smart TV is equipped with a quad core processor along with a Mali G31 GPU. For memory, the smart TV offers 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. It even ships with popular OTT platforms pre loaded, like YouTube, Prime VIdeo, ZEE5, SonyLiv, and more. For audio, the TV features 20W box speakers that support Dolby Atmos as well.
Other features include WiFi, Bluetooth, two HDMI ports, two USB ports, and Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It is also bundled with a remote control. The brand has launched the Infinix 43 Y1 smart TV in the Indian market for a price tag of just 13,999 INR, which makes it one of the more affordable smart TV offering in the region. The TV will be available for purchase from Flipkart, a popular e-retailer in India.
Bose has just announced the new Smart Soundbar 600. It is a new audio based product for your homes and aims to offer a true home cinema experience with its hi-fi sound quality.
Talking about the design of the device first, the Smart Soundbar 600 features a sleek and minimal aesthetic. Furthermore, it arrives with a compact design, which can blend in with your home. The new Soundbar 600 is just 5.61cm tall, 10.39cm deep, and 69.44cm long. It also features the iconic matte body with a wraparound metal grille in black.
The new product from the renowned branded brings in Dolby Atmos support, which is supplemented by the company’s proprietary Bose TrueSpace technology. With this, the brand claims that the new soundbar speaker will deliver “exceptionally immersive audio for its size”. The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 also arrives with support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Chromecast built in for streaming control for platforms like including Spotify Connect and Apple’s AirPlay 2. It even works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for built in voice control as well.
Notably, the company’s new product also works with other Bose ecosystem devices. So when used with Alexa, the Bose Voice4Video technology can let you turn on the TV, switch inputs, and even tune into your preferred channel. Additionally, Bose SimpleSync lets you pair the Soundbar 600 with any other Bose branded speakers as well. The setup requires a single cable, which is either an HDMI eARC or an optical cable. It is expected to go on sale starting from 24th October2022 and will start from 499 US Dolars.
The Redmi K60 series is expected to launch next year. However, the rumor mill has already started revealing the key details of the K60 lineup. In a new leak, well-known Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed vital information on the display, chipset, battery, and charging capabilities of an upcoming K60 series phone.
According to the tipster, the Redmi K60 series phone features a 2K resolution display. In all likelihood, it could be equipped with an AMOLED screen since the entire K50 series of phones available in China features an AMOLED panel. The leak does not mention anything about the screen size and refresh rate.
Redmi K50 Snow White
It will feature the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and pack a 5,500mAh battery. The device will come with support for 67W wired charging and 30W wireless charging. It will be the first Redmi phone to support wireless charging. While it is not mentioned in the leak, it is likely to come preinstalled with the Android 13 OS and the latest version of MIUI.
Rumors are rife that the Redmi K60 Gaming will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which will debut in November this year. Hence, it is likely that the aforementioned specs may belong to the Redmi K50 Pro. At present, it is unclear how many devices belong to the Redmi K60 series.
Rumors are rife that the K60 lineup will be announced in Q1 2023 in China. The K60 is expected to be rebranded as the POCO F5 in the global markets and India. It is being said that the POCO F5 will debut after the K60 hits the home market.
The 34B1U5600CH, 27B1U5601H, and 24B1U5301H are three new monitors from Philips that the company claims were “designed to meet the dynamic needs” of contemporary professionals. These are monitors that measure 34-inch, 27-inch, and 24-inch respectively. All but the 34B1U5600CH have IPS panels.
Philips 34B1U5600CH
The 34-inch model uses a VA panel, which has a 1500R curvature, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a resolution of 3,440 x 1,440 pixels (UWQHD). The 24-inch 24B1U5301H comes with a 1080p resolution, 75 Hz refresh rate, and W-LED backlights. The 27-inch 27B1U5601H has a 2K (2,560 x 1,440-pixel) resolution IPS panel. Both the 24B1U5301H and 27B1U5601H are flat monitors.
1 of 2
The highlight feature of these monitors is the integrated 5 MP webcam that supports Windows Hello and has a noise-canceling microphone and stereo speakers. Each Philips monitor comes with a USB Type-C docking hub that offers RJ45 Ethernet, four USB 3.2 Type-A ports, DisplayPort connectivity, and up to 100 W of power for laptops. The brand has also included a KVM switch on all three monitors.
The monitors feature the SmartErgoBase, which offers capabilities for tilt, swivel, and height adjustment. The company states that all three monitors should be accessible by the end of October, with the 24B1U5301H starting at £369.99 (GBP) and €439 (EUR). The 27B1U5601H is also available from Philips for £459.99 and €549. The 34B1U5600CH, on the other hand, will cost £619.99 and €759 due to its superior specs.
Last week, Motorola launched the Moto G72 in the Indian market. It is a 4G device that comes with a high-megapixel camera, a high refresh rate OLED display, and a massive battery. The first sale of the Moto G72 is scheduled to take place today at 12 noon. So, let’s take a look at its pricing and all the launch offers.
Moto G72 price & offers
The price of the Moto G72 in its 6GB + 128GB variant is Rs 18,999. It is available for purchase exclusively via Flipkart.
Customers can get a 10% discount on SBI Credit Card and Kotak Credit Card purchases during the current Big Diwali Sale on Flipkart.
Moto G72 Specifications
The Moto G72 features a 6.6-inch pOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 10-bit color depth, and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The centered punch-hole screen supports HDR10, DCI-P3 color gamut, and touch sampling rates of up to 576Hz (software-based). It also has a fingerprint sensor on the bottom.
The device is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, LPDDR4x RAM, and uMCP storage. It boots Android 12-based Motorola’s My UX skin out of the box. A single Android update and three years of security updates are promised by the company.
The phone comes with a triple camera system that includes a 108MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro snapper. On the front, it has a 16MP camera for selfies and video calls. The device has an IP52 rating and it features a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast wired charging. It also has Dolby Atmos-supported dual stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Moto G72 has dual-SIM, 4G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS, NFC, and USB Type-C as connectivity options.
Lenovo has launched a new Chromebook in the market aimed at gamers. The device is called the IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook, and it takes advantage of game streaming services like Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Spec-wise, the Chromebook comes with a 16-inch IPS panel with a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel (WQXGA) native resolution. The display is capable of up to 120Hz refresh rate and has full coverage of the sRGB color gamut. The panel has TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification, making it easier on the eyes during long gaming sessions, and the peak brightness is 350 nits.
It comes with two CPU options. Customers can choose between an Intel Core i3-1215U or a Core i5-1235U. The i3 option has two performance cores, four efficiency cores, and eight threads. On the other hand, the i5 model comes with two performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and a total of twelve threads.
The machine will have 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and multiple storage options to choose from, including 128 GB of eMMC flash storage, 256GB of M.2 SSD storage, and 512GB of M.2 SSD storage. For audio, the laptop features a quad 2W speaker setup and also comes with a 1080p webcam. As expected of a gaming device, Lenovo has included a full-size keyboard with RGB backlighting.
Connectivity options on the Gaming Chromebook include Bluetooth 5 and Wi-Fi 6E. As for ports, we get a 3.5mm combo audio jack, a MicroSD card slot, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, and two USB 3.2 Type-C ports that can double as a DisplayPort and Power Delivery port. All variants of the Gaming Chromebook measure 356.5 x 253 x 19.95 mm and weigh 1.82 kg.
Pricing & availability
Lenovo has only stated that the device would be sold later this month starting at US$599. No clear release date or price has been announced for other markets.
MediaTek has recently launched the Dimensity 1080 chipset. The Taiwanese chipmaker confirmed that phones powered by the Dimensity 1080 SoC will be available in Q4 2022. Some of the brands that are expected to launch D1080 phones include Xiaomi, Motorola, and Honor. A new leak by reliable tipster Mukul Sharma reveals that Realme will release a phone featuring the new chip in India.
The tipster did not reveal any information on the name of the Realme phone, which will feature the Dimensity 1080 chip. The D1080 has arrived as a successor to the Dimensity 920 from last year. The Realme 9 Pro+ and Narzo 50 Pro 5G came equipped with the D920.
It is likely that successor models, such as the Realme 10 Pro+ and Narzo 60 Pro 5G may feature the Dimensity 1080. At present, there is no official confirmation on the existence of these phones. The Realme 9 Pro+ went official in February this year. Hence, if the Realme 10 Pro+ exists, it may break cover around the same time in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Realme 10 is gradually inching towards its official announcement in different markets. The handset, which has an RMX3630 model number, has been approved by certification platforms in India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Europe. It has also appeared in the database of FCC certification and Geekbench. So far, reports have revealed that the Realme 10 will feature the Helio G99 chipset, 8 GB of RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery that will support 33W fast charging.
There is a possibility that the first Realme 10 series may debut at some point later this month. Hence, it is advisable to wait for further leaks to know more about the Realme 10 lineup.
At Meta’s Connect Conference aimed at VR and AR developers, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, today officially announced the company’s latest and flagship virtual reality or VR headset, dubbed the Meta Quest Pro.
The newly announced VR headset Meta Quest Pro has been priced at a whopping $1,500, and the company will start shipping the device on 25th October.
This is by far the most expensive VR headset from Meta as it is priced $1,100 more than its previous offering, the Meta Quest 2. The company is justifying the higher pricing through the technologies used in the product. It’s clear that the company is ditching its customer-friendly pricing and looking to make Quest Pro a business-ready product.
The Meta Quest Pro is powered by an advanced mobile Snapdragon chip, which is developed with Qualcomm and aims to offer better production of more advanced graphics. It also comes with improved touch controllers with embedded sensors for better hand tracking, as well as new lenses for a better reading experience.
There are also some mixed reality features, blending the real world with the virtual world, which the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerburg is claiming to be an important feature as it takes a step towards the creation of the metaverse.
Meta is also partnering with other companies for applications optimized for the VR headset, and one of them is Microsoft with its work-collaboration apps for the Quest VR devices. Some of the Microsoft apps that will be available for the VR devices include Teams, Microsoft 365 suite, and the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.
Honor has launched a new smartwatch in China made for kids. The Honor Choice Children’s Watch has been unveiled in China. The new watch supports 4G video calls and features an 8-fold precise positioning for enhanced monitoring. The Honor Children’s Watch is available in two colors: coral pink and dawn blue.
The Honor Children’s Watch has an independent and customized system that prevents malware intrusion and data breaches. The data is encrypted in transmission which protects the privacy of the user. The watch is equipped with 2 million high-definition lenses. It is compatible with 4G networks with three local operators already incorporated. It provides a quick and clear view of the child’s environment and you can communicate with the child at any time.
The 8-level AI positioning of the Honor Children’s Watch allows the device to record the child’s movement all through the day. It also supports one-click SOS for prompt emergency messaging. The watch has an 850mAh battery for extended activity. The life of the battery is further expanded with the activation of the power-saving mode. This guarantees that the child is not cut off from your sight. The Honor Children’s Watch has IP68 waterproof protection and supports an intelligent voice assistant. Parents can set several activities like exercise goals, disable management of phone permissions, and other functions using the mobile app.
The Honor Children’s Watch is now on sale in China for a discounted price of 299 yuan (~$42). The original price of the device is 329 yuan (~$46).
After teasing for months, Google officially unveiled the Pixel 7 series earlier this month. Unlike the last three generations, the latest Pixels are available in India.
The vanilla Pixel 7 is priced at ₹59,999 in the country for the sole 8GB + 128GB memory variant. Just like iPhones, it is more expensive here than in most regions.
At the same, customers have got more options in this price segment in India than in other regions where the Pixel 7 is sold in. Hence, we have compiled a list of the best alternatives to help you out.
Before delving into the list, let us take a look at what the Pixel 7 has to offer. Also, if you are looking for Pixel 7 Pro alternatives, you can check them out here.
Google Pixel 7 (Lemongrass)
The newly released Pixel 7 is almost identical to the Pixel 6. It comes with a tweaked design, a slightly smaller display and battery, a different selfie camera, and a new chipset.
The Pixel 7 is built around a 6.3-inch centered punch-hole flat AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 1,400 nits peak brightness level. The panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and it has a fingerprint sensor underneath it.
The device is powered by a 5nm Google Tensor G2 SoC paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It features an OIS-assisted 50MP primary camera, a 12MP 114˚ ultra-wide camera, and a 10.8MP front-facing camera.
The connectivity options on the handset include dual SIM, 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC, and USB 3.2 (Type-C). It boots Android 13 with plenty of useful software features, however, most of them are not available in India.
Finally, the IP68-rated (dust and water-resistant) phone houses dual stereo speakers and a 4,355mAh battery. It carries support for 20W fast wired charging, 20W fast wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the smartphones that compete with the Pixel 7 in India.
The Vivo X80 could be considered one of the most underrated smartphones released in 2022. It offers almost all the experiences of the Vivo X80 Pro at a slightly lower price.
Despite months after its launch in India, it continues to be the only phone powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip in the region. Also, it is one of few handsets with Zeiss-powered cameras.
Unlike the Pixel 7, the Vivo X80 has a proper three-lens camera system consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 12MP 2x telephoto shooter, and a 12MP ultra-wide unit. However, it lacks wireless charging support as well as IP rating, and sports a USB 2.0 port.
But the X80 offers other features like a large 6.78-inch 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED display with 1,500 nits peak brightness level, a leather-back option, 80W fast wired charging, and feature-packed Funtouch OS 12 based on Android.
In India, the Vivo X80 is priced at ₹54,999 and ₹59,999 for 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB memory configurations, respectively.
2. Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Motorola smartphones are the only prominent ones other than Google handsets to ship with near-stock Android in India. As a flagship device, the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra also offers high-end hardware.
The phone arrives with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, 6.67-inch 144Hz pOLED display with 1,250 nits peak brightness level, 200MP primary camera, 12MP 2x telephoto camera, 50MP ultra-wide camera, 125W fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless charging, USB 3.1 (Type-C), and more.
On paper, the Edge 30 Ultra offers better specs than the Pixel 7 with the almost same software. But it is not dust and water-resistant. Also, if you like pictures from Pixel cameras, you would not be impressed with the clicks by Moto.
If you are fine with the above caveats, the Edge 30 Ultra is a good option. It is priced at ₹59,999 for the single 8GB + 128GB variant.
3. Apple iPhone 13
If you are accustomed to the Apple ecosystem, then there’s no better smartphone than iPhone 13 in this price segment. Even if you are willing to shift to iOS, it is the best option for the price.
The iPhone 13 currently starts around ₹60,000 for the base 128GB variant in India. Its pricing is more dynamic than other handsets as it can be had for less or more depending on deals and channels.
The iPhone 13 is almost as same as the Pixel 7 in terms of features. It’s just that it is part of a different ecosystem and offers better performance.
But at the same time, it has shortcomings like slower charging speed, USB 2.0, and no contactless payment support in India to name a few.
OPPO will be releasing the ColorOS 13 beta update for a slew of Reno and A-series smartphones in India in October. The company has now confirmed the exact dates on which the most recent beta upgrade will be available this month.
ColorOS 13 update timeline October 2022 in India
ColorOS 13
OPPO India has already rolled out the ColorOS 13 beta update based on Android 13 to OPPO Reno 8 Pro 5G and OPPO F21 Pro. Here is the list of OPPO phones that will receive the latest OS update this month.
From October 14
OPPO Reno 8 5G
OPPO K10 5G
From October 18
OPPO F21 Pro 5G
From October 21
OPPO K10
OPPO A96
OPPO A76
From October 28
OPPO Reno 7 Pro 5G
OPPO Reno 7 5G
OPPO Reno 6 5G
Readers should note that since it is a beta version, the update may contain some bugs. Hence, it is recommended to perform a backup before installing the beta update. OPPO hasn’t revealed when it will be releasing the stable version of ColorOS 13 for the above devices. It looks like the stable version might come out a couple of weeks after the beta update.
The ColorOS (review) features an Aquamorphic design language that is inspired by water. It brings new AOD styles and integration with third-party apps like Zomato and Swiggy. In addition, it offers enhanced security features. On the dates listed, users of the above OPPO phones will get an over-the-air (OTA) update notification.
In related news, OPPO is planning to launch the Reno 9 series in China. it may debut in November, followed by the release of the OPPO Find N2 foldable phone and Find N flip phone in December.
The Google Pixel 7 series went official earlier this month. Both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 are available in India, unlike the last three generations.
The Pixel 7 Pro is priced at ₹84,999 for the single 12GB + 128GB memory configuration in India. It costs ₹25,000 more than the Pixel 7, which retails at ₹59,999 for the sole 8GB + 128GB memory variant.
At these prices, the Pixel 7 series compete against some of the best smartphones in the region. Hence, we have compiled a list of alternatives for them,
In this article, let’s take a look at the list for the Pro model. For the vanilla version, visit here. Anyway, before that, let’s check out what the Pixel 7 Pro has to offer.
Google Pixel 7 Pro (Hazel)
The Pixel 7 Pro is powered by a new 5nm Google Tensor G2 chipset paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It boots Android 13 with numerous Pixel-exclusive software features powered by AI and ML.
The device flaunts a 6.7-inch 120Hz LTPO curved AMOLED display with a QHD+ (3120 x 1440 pixels) resolution and a peak brightness level of 1,500 nits. The panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and it houses a fingerprint sensor underneath it.
The handset comes with a triple camera system comprising a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP 5x periscope camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide unit. On the front, it sports a 10.8MP snapper for selfies and video calls.
The IP68-rated phone offers connectivity options, like dual SIM, 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC, and USB 3.1 (Type-C). It houses dual stereo speakers and a 5,000mAh battery. Finally, it supports 23W fast wired charging, 23W fast wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.
As we are done with the specifications of the Pixel 7 Pro, let us take a look at its top competitors in India.
The Vivo X80 Pro is one of the best premium smartphones released in 2022, especially in terms of cameras. It arrives with a Zeiss-tuned quad-camera system consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide unit, a 12MP telephoto shooter, and an 8MP 5x periscope camera.
It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC and carries support for 80W fast wired charging and 50W fast wireless charging. It sports a 10-bit 120Hz LTPO 3.0 curved AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution and 1,500 nits peak brightness level.
The handset is sold in a single 12GB + 256GB variant in India priced at ₹79,999.
2. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
The Galaxy S22 Plus is a bigger variant of the vanilla Galaxy S22. It shares everything with the smaller model, except for display and battery.
The main highlight of the device is the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem experience. It comes with features like Dex, Samsung Pay, Quick Share, Bixby routines, guaranteed 4 Android updates, and more.
The camera setup is not as powerful as the Pixel 7 Pro’s. But it does arrive with a capable triple camera system comprising a 50MP primary snapper, a 12MP ultra-wide unit, and a 10MP 3x telephoto shooter.
In India, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is priced at ₹84,999 and ₹88,999 for 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB memory variants, respectively. However, it can be purchased at a much lower price from almost all retailers across the country.
3. Apple iPhone 14
Though the iPhone 14 does not bring a major upgrade over the iPhone 13, it is still a good buy for those coming from much older iPhones and even older Android smartphones.
The USP of the 2022 iPhone includes a 12MP f/1.5 primary camera, a 12MP selfie camera with autofocus, and a slightly larger 3,279mAh battery. Apart from these major differences, it is almost the same as the 2021 iPhone.
In India, the iPhone 14 costs ₹79,900, ₹89,900, and ₹1,09,900 for 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB memory variants, respectively.
Vivo is expected to unveil the Vivo X90 series of smartphones by the end of this year in China. The rumor mill has been gradually leaking key details about the X90, X90 Pro, and X90 Pro+. The Pro+ edition is likely to be the most powerful flagship phone from the brand. Being an X-series phone, it is expected to offer a stellar photography experience. Tipster Ben Geskin has created and shared a render of the X90 Pro+ based on the leaks surrounding it.
The image shared by Geskin does not reveal the front of the Vivo X90 Pro+. In all likelihood, it will feature an AMOLED panel with curved edges and a centrally positioned punch-hole. The render reveals that the X90 Pro+ may sport a dual-tone design.
Vivo X90 Pro Plus render created by Ben Geskin
The portion housing the round-shaped camera module on the back panel has a dark and glossy appeal, whereas the remaining area has a matte look. The upper portion has a quad-camera setup with an LED flash placed alongside. The ZEISS branding can also be seen in the upper-left corner.
Rumors surrounding the Vivo X90 Pro Plus have revealed that it will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is expected to break cover in November. There is a possibility that the device may also come in a Dimensity 9-series CPU variant.
The SoC is said to be coupled with LPDDR5x RAM, UFS 4.0 storage, and a 5,000mAh dual-cell battery, which may support 100W or 120W charging. One of the major attractions of the X90 Pro+ will be that it will come equipped with a 1-inch camera sensor, which is likely to be accompanied by an ultra-wide snapper and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. For an optimized photography experience, the device will feature the Vivo V2 ISP.
Update: The iQOO Neo 7 is officially confirmed to launch at 7 pm (local time) on Oct. 20 in China.
iQOO Neo 7
Original story continues…
Several reports have claimed that iQOO will be unveiling the iQOO Neo 7 this month (October) in China. At present, the company is yet to release any official confirmation of its arrival. But a Weibo post by the tipster Panda is Bald shows that the Neo 7 will be released next week in China.
A look at the Weibo handle of iQOO reveals that the company is now using the upcoming iQOO Neo 7 to publish posts. At the same time, the above-mentioned Chinese tipster has claimed that the Neo 7 will be unveiled on Oct. 20, which indicates that the company will soon confirm its launch date.
So far, reports have revealed that the iQOO Neo 7 will be featuring a 6.78-inch Samsung E5 AMOLED display, which will deliver a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it will have an under-display fingerprint scanner.
The device is expected to feature the latest 4nm Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset. The SoC is likely to be coupled with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The device is expected to carry support for 120W fast charging. It may come equipped with a 5,000mAh battery.
The back panel of the phone will have a triple camera unit headlined by an OIS-enabled 50-megapixel Sony IMX766V camera. Some reports have claimed that it will be accompanied by a periscope zoom lens. The Geekbench listing of the phone revealed that it could be the first iQOO phone to arrive with Android 13 OS pre-installed. The iQOO Neo 7 will succeed the iQOO Neo 6 (Chinese variant), which featured the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform. At present, there is no information available on the price of the Neo 7.
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