After waiting for years, India will finally get 5G connectivity soon. Airtel, one of the largest Telecom service providers in the country, has announced that it will start rolling out 5G connectivity in India by the end of August. The telco has signed an agreement with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung for the implementation of 5G network.
“We are delighted to announce that Airtel will commence roll out of 5G services in August. Our network agreements are finalised and Airtel will work with the best technology partners from across the world to deliver the full benefits of 5G connectivity to our consumers,” an Airtel press release noted.
To recall, the Department of Telecom in India recently conducted a spectrum auction where Airtel acquired a 19867.8 MHZ spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz frequency for Rs. 43,084 crores.
“Choice of multiple partners will enable Airtel to roll out 5G services spanning ultra-high-speeds, low latency and large data handling capabilities, which will enable a superior user experience and allow the pursuit of new, innovative use cases with enterprise and industry customers,” the press release added.
As mentioned, Airtel has joined hands with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung as network partners to deliver the 5G services in India. Airtel has been using Ericsson’s mobile communications services for over 25 years, across every generation of mobile devices. Samsung is a new addition and Airtel’s partnership with the South Korean giant will begin this year onwards.
Airtel will likely become the first telco to provide 5G services in the country as there has been no official confirmation from rivals like Reliance Jio and Vodaphone. There are rumors that Jio will commence its 5G services on 15th August.
Chinese tech giant OnePlus has officially announced its latest flagship smartphone. The OnePlus 10T 5G was unveiled at a live event held in New York and streamed live on YouTube. The 10T is coming two years after OnePlus last updated the T-series smartphones, having skipped the 9T last year.
Design & Display
The OnePlus adopts a unique design similar to that of the OnePlus 10 Pro. It packs a large square camera bump on its rear. The device packs a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2412 pixels and support for HDR10+ standard, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and 10-bit color depth. It should be noted that the OLED panel is less sophisticated than the LTPO2 panel used on the 10 Pro. The phone comes in two color options – Moonstone Black and Jade Green.
Specifications
The OnePlus 10T 5G packs an upgraded Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU paired with 8GB RAM or 16GB RAM. The device comes in 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. OnePlus will provide a 12GB+256GB option to buyers in India.
The OnePlus 10T will run on OxygenOS 12.1 out of the box
In terms of the battery, the phone crams a 4,800mAh battery under the hood but you won’t have to worry about running out of battery as it supports 150W SuperVOOC fast charging. The phone comes with a 160W power adapter inside the box. However, the device’s maximum charging power in nations using 110V power outlets is 125W.
The Battery Health Engine feature which OnePlus introduced onboard the device is said to drastically reduce the battery’s long-term wear. Approximately 80% of the battery’s capacity is expected to remain after 1,600 charging cycles.
Camera
The OnePlus 10T comes with a significant downgrade in the camera hardware in comparison to the 10 Pro in order to keep the price low. The widely utilized and largely underwhelming 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cameras are employed in place of the sophisticated ultrawide camera and the 3x telephoto unit. The device retains the 50MP Sony IMX766 main sensor used on the 10 Pro which is impressive. It is combined with an optically stabilized lens and a wide f/1.8 aperture.
For selfies, the device packs a 16MP sensor with large 1.0 mm pixels and an f/.2.4 aperture.
OnePlus 10T Pricing & Availability
The most anticipated part of the launch was obviously the pricing details and it is far from disappointing. The OnePlus 10T 5G starts at $649 in North America for the 8GB+128GB model. The higher model is priced at $749. In the US, preorders open on September 1 at OnePlus’ own store, Amazon and Best Buy, while it will start shipping on September 29.
For buyers in Europe, UK and India, pre-orders open today with shipments to follow on August 25. The base 8GB+128GB model starts at €699/£629, while the 12/256GB version is €799/£729.
The OnePlus 10T 5G starts at Rs 49,999 for the 8GB+128GB model. The 12GB+256Gb variant is priced at Rs 54,999 while the top model with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage will retail for Rs 55,999.
Mivi has launched new Fort S16 and the Fort S24 soundbars in India. The newly launched audio products come at an affordable price and are claimed to be manufactured in India. Both soundbars come with a studio-quality bass and sport multiple connectivity options including AUX, Bluetooth 5.1, TF/USB, and Micro SD card. They are claimed to offer a battery life of up to six hours. Let’s look at all the details.
Mivi Fort S16, Fort S24 specifications
The Mivi Fort S16 and Fort S24 soundbars come with a fabric design, and matte finish, so they can easily match the appearance of your TV or PC set. The two soundbars are equipped with two passive radiators that deliver studio-quality bass. As you might have guessed by the name, the Fort S16 has a total output of 16W. On the other hand, the Fort S24 offers 24W output.
As mentioned, the Mivi Fort S16 and Fort S24 soundbars come with multiple connectivity options such as AUX, USB, and a Micro-SD card slot. For wireless audio streaming, they have Bluetooth v5.1 as well. Both soundbars are also equipped with a 2.0-channel system that produces balanced audio. The Mivi soundbars support both Siri and Google voice assistants.
If we talk about the battery, the Mivi Fort S16 packs a 2000mAh battery and the Mivi Fort S24 comes with a 2500mAh battery. Don’t confuse Mivi S24’s bigger battery with better playback time, the company said that both soundbars can only offer up to 6 hours of battery life.
Mivi Fort S16, Fort S24 price in India, availability
The Mivi Fort S16 comes at an introductory price of Rs. 1,299 (roughly $16). Its original price is Rs. 1,499. The Mivi Fort S24 is available for purchase at Rs. 1,799 as per the introductory offer. It will be retailed at Rs. 1,999. The special will only last till Wednesday, from Thursday onwards the soundbars will sell at the original prices mentioned. Both the soundbars can be purchased through Flipkart and the official Mivi website.
OnePlus started testing the Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 update in June through Open Beta builds. Now, the company has finally launched a stable Android 12 update for the device.
OnePlus took to the OnePlus Community forum to make a formal announcement for the update. The OnePlus Nord CE Android 12 stable update is roughly 4GB in size and has firmware version EB2101 11 C.04. However, the update is currently limited to the Indian variants of the device. Other regions are said to receive the update in the coming days. So, let’s take a look at the official changelog coming with the EB2101_11.C.04 build.
System
Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
Optimized AI System Booster to 2.1 to support the system to run smoothly even when the load is high
Dark mode
Newly added three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
Shelf
Newly added style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
Newly added access to OnePlus Scout in Shelf, allowing you to search multiple contents on your phone, including Apps, Settings, Media Data, etc
Newly added OnePlus Watch Card in Shelf, to easily glance at your health status
Work Life Balance
Newly added Work Life Balance feature, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
Newly supported automatic Work/Life mode switching, based on specific locations, Wi-Fi network, and time, also bringing customized App notification profiles according to the personalization
Gallery
Newly supported switching between different layouts with a two-finger pinch gesture, intelligently recognizing the best-quality pictures, and cropping the thumbnail based on the content, making the gallery layout more pleasing
Canvas AOD
Newly added diverse styles of lines and colors, for a more personalized lock screen experience with inspiring visuals
Newly added multiple brushes and strokes and support for color adjustment
The OxygenOS 12 upgrade for the OnePlus Nord CE looks to be rolling out in batches, so not everyone may have access to it. Within the following two weeks, we can expect the brand to complete the rollout.
A new set of Amazfit watches dubbed the GTR 4 and GTS 5 are due to launch soon. The new watches will succeed last year’s Amazfit GTR 3 and GTS 3. The wearables will have an almost similar internal specification but an entirely different appearance. Speaking of appearance, a new report is here with a full batch of official marketing images for the Amazfit GTR 4 and GTS 4 watches. Let’s have a look.
GSMarena has again leaked some more images of the upcoming Amazfit watches, but this time the images are in high resolution. They are likely a part of the company’s promotional material for GTR 4 and GTS 4.
As can be seen in the images, the GTR 4 has the same circular design as its predecessor and the GTS 4 also has a similar squircle appearance as the GTS 3. The display on the GTS 4 is comparatively bigger than the GTR 4.
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Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Amazfit GTR 4 is expected to carry a 1.43-inch AMOLED touchscreen display that offers a 466 x 466 px resolution. It will likely support Always-on Display (AoD) functionality and may feature an aluminum alloy casing in silver and black colors. The watch is said to be available with leather, silicone, or nylon watch straps.
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Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Source: Amazfit via GSMarena
Amazfit GTS 4 p
The GTS 4 will have a larger 1.75-inch AMOLED panel offering 390 x 450 px resolution. The watch is said to be just 9.9mm thick and weighs 27 grams (without the strap). It is expected to be available in black, rose gold, and brown casings with silicone or nylon watch straps.
The company hasn’t confirmed any details about the watches yet. We expect them to launch in a few weeks. Read detailed specs of the Amazfit GTR 4 and GTS 4 here.
Samsung is working with iFixit, the top online repair community, to launch its self-repair service. The company’s commitment to giving customers sustainable solutions that will enable them to support a more circular economy by extending the lifetimes of their devices is reinforced by this program, which complements Samsung’s continuous consumer-friendly repair expansions.
Genuine Samsung parts for the Galaxy Tab S7+, Galaxy S20, and Galaxy S21 series are now offered on iFixit. iFixit.com now sells replacement screens, rear glass, and charging ports as standalone components or as part of Fix Kits that come with everything you need to fix a compatible Galaxy device. The new display kits will include a return label to ship used parts back to Samsung – at no cost to the consumer. This makes it even easier for customers to send back their used components for ethical recycling.
Samsung also provides Customer-First Care Options in addition to this.
Same-day service in person: More than 80% of the US population is attended to on the same day. Access mobile product repair services at more than 2,000 locations with an average response time of two hours or less.
Samsung also has more than 550 “We Come To You” vans that provide in-person service within a 30- to 60-minute trip.
Mail-In Service: For all mobile customers who choose to use the mail-in service, Samsung provides nationwide coverage throughout all 50 states.
Independent Service Providers (ISP): Samsung’s ISP network provides out-of-warranty services, same-day service, WISE-certified facilities, qualified technicians, and genuine parts.
Availability
Genuine Samsung Galaxy components are presently only available in the US as of August 2. According to iFixit, “We’re attempting to grow our product portfolio and offer more comprehensive components. Furthermore, the original device components and useful, easy-to-use repair tools available through iFixit and Samsung retail and service facilities in the US areas are identical parts, including the prices provided to our affiliated repair providers.”
In recent months, a bunch of new mid-range smartphones have greeted the Indian market. These include the iQOO Neo 6, the OnePlus Nord 2T, the POCO F4, the Redmi K50i, and the OPPO Reno 8.
These devices differ a lot from each other when it comes to specifications and pricing, however, how do they fair against one another when it comes to battery life? To find the answer to this question, MySmartPrice conducted a battery drain test of the above-mentioned smartphones. So, let’s take a look at the findings.
A battery charging test precedes the battery test under consideration. All of the cellphones have been fully discharged, and the posted times reflect a complete 0 to 100 percent charge cycle. With a 4,500mAh battery, the OPPO Reno 8, POCO F4, and OnePlus Nord 2T require 27, 56, and 34 minutes, respectively, to charge. The Redmi K50i, which has the largest 5,080mAh battery pack, requires a significant 1 hour and 4 minutes to fully charge, while the iQOO Neo 6, with its slightly larger 4,700mAh battery, requires about 41 minutes.
The two-hour video playback test, which the devices undertake with a full battery backup, kicks off the battery drain test. The Reno 8 has the least amount of battery left after the speaker test, with only 67%. Through the first two tests, every other device keeps at least 75% of its charge.
Following the media playback tests, we jump to the CPU stress tests using Geekbench 5 and Antutu. After 3 hours of running the benchmarks, the Reno 8 has only 40% charge left, while the iQOO Neo 6 has the highest charge remaining of the bunch at 57%.
Game test results
A one-hour-long gaming session comes next with BGMI being the game of choice. After the game session, the Redmi K50i retained the most charge level at 35%m which was followed by the iQOO Neo 6 and POCO F4 at 33%. The Reno 8 got the closest to the red line at 20%.
The game round is followed by a camera round, and it is noticed that the OPPO Reno 8 has reached its final 2 percent of charge after having been used for around 4.5 hours. Even with only 10% of its battery charged, the Nord 2T isn’t far behind. Everyone else keeps their cool even with more than 20% of the battery left.
The final nail in all the coffins is the following challenge, a social media usage challenge. The Redmi K50i is the winner of the challenge as a result of this. This battery is not only the biggest of the bunch, but it also has the best battery drainage rate (measured in mAh/min) and lasts for a full 6 hours, 45 minutes.
The OnePlus 10T launch event is edging closer, with the event being just over an hour away. It is the second flagship smartphone model from the company in 2022, but, it will be skipping an iconic part of the brand’s phone design.
For those unaware, the new smartphone will not feature the Alert Slider that many of the company’s loyal customers have come to love. This offered users a way to directly put their phones on silent or vibrate when needs be through a physical slider rather than through the UI. However, this will be the Chinese smartphone maker’s first flagship handset that skips this iconic OnePlus phone design feature.
Previously, we had reported on a tweet from a known tipster that claimed that the brand will only launch a few smartphones with the Alert Slider in the future. The tipster further added that the design feature will only be offered on flagship level Pro models. But you might be wondering, the OnePlus 10T is a flagship grade handset. So why does it not feature the Alert Slider? Well, the answer is simple. The brand decided that it had to sacrifice this feature in exchange for more room on the inside of the chassis.
Basically, the Alert Slider was removed to make way for several new upgrades, which includes a high wattage charging, a large battery capacity, and even a better antenna signal. All three of these were the major reasons for the Alert Slider missing from the upcoming premium grade smartphone.
Huawei launched the MateBook 14s laptop which is powered by Intel 12th-gen core processors and a 2.5k resolution display.
Huawei MateBook 14s
Earlier today, the notebook went on sale in China at 12:00AM (GMT+8) Chinese Time.
Huawei MateBook 14s specifications
In terms of display, the device has a 14.2-inch, 2.5k resolution, 3:2 touch-screen display, with a 90Hz refresh rate and 400 nits of brightness. Additionally, the display features a 100% sRGB color gamut and also supports 10-point multi-touch technology. Also, It is 1.43kg lighter than its predecessor and has a metal body construction build.
The notebook runs on Intel’s 12th Generation Core P-Series Standard-Pressure Processors. It is notable that all P-series processors can handle multi-core and low-power scenarios. The most performing i7-1280P has 6 performance cores that support hyper-threading and a maximum clock of 4.8GHz. All i5 and i7 models have 4 performance cores, with the exception of the i7-1280P.
In addition, the new MateBook 14s has a built-in 60Wh battery, a 90W GaN charger, and a four-speaker audio system. Interfaces include HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, USB Type-A, and more. The new MateBook 14s supports HyperTerminal in terms of software and is compatible with a variety of gadgets, including smartphones, tablets, monitors, and smart screens.
Price and availability
Space grey, Haoyue silver, and spruce green are the three colours that the new MateBook 14s is offered in.
The pricing of the different configurations is as follows:
JBL recently introduced a bunch of new TWS earbuds in the Indian market. These include the Live Pro 2, the Tune 230NC, and the Tune 120NC earbuds. Now, the brand has expanded its portfolio in the Indian market with the launch of the JBL Endurance Race earbuds. So, let’s take a look at its specs and features.
As the name suggests, the Endurance Race TWS earbuds have been made to target the needs of athletes, sports enthusiasts, and people who like to break a sweat while jamming to music. The earbuds have an IP67 making them dustproof and highly water resistant (can survive a short period of submersion up to 1 meter).
Other than that, the earbuds have a Twist Lock design which reduces pressure point pain for a better seal and makes the earbuds comfortable enough to wear all day without any issues. It has 6mm dynamic drivers that offer crisp, bass-rich sound. The earphones also offer JBL’s Ambient Awake and TalkThru technology. For those unaware, Ambient Aware lets you hear your surroundings without pausing your music, while TalkThru lets you chat with those around you without removing your headphones.
The earphones’ battery life is up to 10 hours, while the case’s battery life is up to 20 hours. Additionally, an hour more of playtime is possible after just 10 minutes of Speed Charge. The earbuds support voice assistants like Google and Alexa. The JBL headphones app allows users to personalize their listening experience.
Pricing and availability
The JBL Endurance Race TWS costs Rs. 5,999 and comes in black. The device can be purchased from Harman Brand Stores, JBL.com, and Amazon India.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series was recently leaked in high-quality renders. The next-generation smartwatch from the South Korean brand is expected to debut at the Unpacked event on August 10th. Now in the latest development, the Galaxy Watch 5 is tipped to come with fast charging support. The information along with the magnetic charging case has been shared by tipster SnoopyTech on Twitter.
The tipster claims that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will feature a 10W magnetic charger with the wearable device. This means that the peak charging rate will be twice as high as that of the Watch 4. He added that the charging technology will be capable of topping up the upcoming smartwatch from zero to 45 percent in 30 minutes. It’s worth noting that the exact charging time is difficult to predict since the Watch 5 series is expected to come with a big battery compared to its predecessor. The tweet also includes images of the magnetic charger along with a USB-C cable.
The tipster doesn’t reveal whether both the regular and Pro variants will support the fast charging technology. However, today’s development is in line with the past report of the Galaxy Watch 5 series passing the FCC certification database with 10W wireless charging support.
In other news, SnoppyTech has also leaked the prices of all variants of the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro ahead of next week’s launch.
Sony LinkBuds debuted in the global markets earlier this year. They have now arrived in India. The TWS earphones come with premium specifications and features. The company says that the design offers a ‘Never Off’ wearing experience for the user. The Sony LinkBuds compete against other premium TWS earphones from the likes of Apple, Samsung, JBL, Sennheiser, and others in the market. Read on to know what the audio device offers out of the box.
Sony LinkBuds specifications and features
The Sony LinkBuds come with a unique open-ring design that are extremely small and weighs just four grams. The earbuds are circular in shape and are designed to match the human ear for a comfortable fit. They come with five sizes of fitting supporter to suit different ear shapes. The audio device is also IPX4 certified water-resistant. Unlike other TWS earphones, users can perform various functions on the Sony LinkBuds by tapping near the front of their ear.
On the audio front, the Sony LinkBuds are equipped with a 12mm ring driver and the company’s V1 processor for reproducing details in music as well as a rich and balanced sound. The design is also said to offer audio transparency. The audio device also comes with DSEE which restores high-quality sound close to the original recording. There is a precise voice pickup technology for clear on-call quality. The earbuds offer 360 Realty audio and adaptive volume control. They also pack a speak-to-chat feature that automatically pauses music when the user is talking to someone.
The Sony LinkBuds support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. They come with Fast Pair and Quick access to Spotify. The audio device features Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. The TWS earphones come with a small and compact charging and storage case. They are claimed to offer 5.5 hours of playback on a full charge and 12 hours with the case.
Sony LinkBuds pricing
The Sony LinkBuds carry a price tag of Rs 19,990 but customers who pre-book can get the TWS earphones at a discounted price of Rs 12,990 from August 4th till August 12th. The audio device is offered in White and Black colours and can be purchased from Sony retail stores as well as leading offline and online channels across the country from August 13th.
We had recently reported on the global smartphone market seeing a slight decline this year. However, this fall is still meager compared to the European region, which saw a greater decline. But it isn’t all bad news as Samsung and Apple still managed to see growth.
For those unaware, the global smartphone market dropped by around 3 percent. However, according to a Counterpoint Research report, the European smartphone market saw a substantial 11 percent decline in the second quarter and 13 percent fall in the first quarter of this year. During the months between April and June, the region only saw 40 million smartphone shipments.
While the Coronavirus pandemic is still a factor that affected the declining smartphone market, but another major influence was undoubtedly the Russian invasion to the Ukraine. At the same time, a fear of recession also grips the market, with many countries contributing to the falling demand as mobile devices are launching for higher prices. But despite all of this, the South Korean and Cupertino based giant still managed to see a positive trend in the second quarter of 2022.
However, its not all good news for both brands as Samsung and Apple sold fewer smartphones in Europe in Q2 2022 compared to the Q1 2022. Following these two tech giants is the Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi. The company did manage to see growth as well during this period. Although, the same was not reflected on Oppo and Realme, which took the fourth and fifth place respectively. Both of these Chinese companies also saw a decline similar to the overall European region.
In early July, Oppo began the Android 13-based ColorOS 13 Closed Beta program in China. The company recruited testers for two sets of builds, namely ‘log’ and ‘nolog’. Now, almost a month later, the firm has kickstarted the ColorOS 13 Open Beta initiative in its home country as well as in select international markets.
OPPO Find X5 Pro
Ahead of the OxygenOS 13 launch later today, which is basically ColorOS 13, Oppo has started recruiting testers for ColorOS 13 Open Beta program. According to the official announcement posts on Oppo Community, the registrations are live for Oppo Find X5, Oppo Find X5 Pro, and Oppo Find N.
Unsurprisingly, the firm has allocated a limited number of seats for testing. For instance, in global markets, the company is only accepting 1000 users for each model.
Talking about the availability of the beta program, interested users in the following regions can enroll in the initiative.
The registration window closes tomorrow (August 4) itself. Applicants will be selected within 5 working days. They will receive the ColorOS 13 Open Beta update based on Android 13 via OTA.
Going by previous iterations of ColorOS, Oppo may recruit more beta testers for the aforementioned devices before rolling out the stable update. At present, it is not known when ColorOS 13 will be announced officially.
Samsung is rolling out the Android 12 OS update to another one of its Galaxy smartphones. The company is releasing a new software update for the Galaxy F12 smartphone model, which brings the Android 12 based One UI 4.1.
Galaxy F12
The South Korean tech giant has released the new firmware version F127GXXU3BVG1. Apart from bringing the latest version of Android operating system, the South Korean tech giant also brings the June 2022 security patch for the Galaxy F12 model. For Galaxy F12 owners, you can check if you’ve received the update by going into Settings>Software update>Download and Install. Keep in mind that you have to ensure that your smartphone has sufficient free storage for this update.
With the new updates, Samsung brings a revamped UI design with Material You based Color Palette feature. Furthermore, the Galaxy F12 also receives new widgets, new widget picker UI, improved Dark Mode, and thicker sliders for brightness and volume. The software upgrade also offers performance improvements and better animations as well as improved transitions. The brand has also made improvements on all stock apps like Calendar, My Files, Samsung Internet and Keyboard, among others.
The built in Gallery and Image Editor have also received some new editing features as well as enhanced Stories. Lastly, there are also additions to the privacy and security features with the new One UI 4.1 update. Now, Galaxy F12 users are offered dedicated quick settings toggles to enable/disable camera and microphone access across the system.
Samsung is reportedly dumping the letter “Z” from the branding of its latest foldable smartphones. The upcoming foldables by the company will likely not have Z in their names and will just be called Galaxy Fold 4 and Flip 4. It is a welcome change if true because the “Z” feels a little out of place and makes the name unnecessarily long.
Tipster Snoopytech claims that Samsung is dropping the “Z” letter from its foldable series branding and starting with Galaxy Flip and Fold 4, the letter won’t be printed on the boxes anymore. The tipster claims that this is because the Russian Military prominently uses the letter “Z”.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Apparently, the letter “Z” has become a symbol of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The letter was found painted on many Russian military vehicles taking part in the invasion of Ukraine. The meaning of the symbol is unclear, however, some claim that it represents a military zone, while others suggest it refers to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In addition, the Russian defense ministry has signaled that “Z” stands for “za pobedu,” meaning “for victory.”
Samsung had removed the letter “Z” from its foldables in several European countries including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. As you can see in the image below, the Foldables are referred to as Galaxy Fold 3 and Flip 3.
In Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia Samsung has removed the Z branding from their foldables pic.twitter.com/0zbHYeMYyD
The latest Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 and Fold 4 are scheduled to launch on August 10 at Samsung unpacked event. The foldables are expected to carry significant improvements in terms of display, battery, and performance. Both the devices are rumored to be equipped with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC.
Oppo is gearing up to debut the Oppo Watch 3 series in China. The company has started teasing the arrival of its next-gen smartwatches. At the same time, leaks have begun to pour in revealing the features of the upcoming wearables.
Oppo Watch 2 Series
According to Digital Chat Station, the Oppo Watch 3 series will arrive with a square dial, like its predecessors. It will sport a 1.91-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 3D micro curves.
However, unlike the older models, the new one will come with a rotating crown. For the unaware, the original Oppo Watch and the Oppo Watch 2 series feature two buttons.
Further, the Oppo Watch 3 series will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chipset, which the company had already confirmed officially. It will also house an in-house Apollo 4 Plus chip.
The wearable will carry support for ECG, eSIM, and NFC. It will be also water resistant up to 5ATM. Last but not least, it will offer endurance of up to 15 days in RTOS mode and up to 5 days in Wear OS mode.
As per the tipster, the Oppo Watch 3 series will launch in China on August 10. Certifications say that the three variants will arrive with model numbers OWW211, OWW212, and OWW213. They will be available in colors, such as black, silver, dark gray, light gold, and more.
Infinix had recently launched the Hot 12 Pro in India. Now, the company has also announced a new smartphone model in the country, dubbed the Smart 6 Plus. So let’s have a look at its pricing, specs, and offers.
Talking about the smartphone itself first, the new device sports a 6.82 inch LCD panel that has a HD+ resolution and 440 nits of peak brightness. Under the hood, the Infinix Smart 6 Plus is equipped with a MediaTek Helio G25 processor that is paired with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Although, users also have the option to further expand the storage by an additional 512GB through a dedicated microSD card slot.
On the rear, the smartphone feature a dual camera setup on the rear, with the primary sensor being an 8 megapixel sensor while the second depth shooter. Meanwhile, the front houses a 5 megapixel front facing camera. The device runs on the Android 12 OS based XOS 10.6 custom skin and is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports the standard 10W charging. Other features includes, a micro USB port for charging and data transfer, 3.5mm headphone jack, DTS surround sound, and rear mounted fingerprint scanner.
The Infinix Smart 6 Plus is currently available for purchase on Flipkart, a popular e-retailer in India. The smartphone can be bought for an introductory price tag of 7,999 INR (roughly 101 US Dollars) for the lone 3GB + 64GB configuration. The Smart 6 Plus buyers can also avail a 10 percent discount on ICICI and Kotak Bank Credit Card transactions. Meanwhile, Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card users will be eligible for 5 percent cashback on their purchase.
Flip phones have been in fashion ever since they first hit the market. I’m sure a lot of you remember how popular the Moto Razr series was, back in the early 2000s. During that period, most phones were flip phones, and it felt really cool to just flick it open. Indeed, flip phones were a fashion icon right from the beginning. And with this form factor getting back to being cool, we are seeing a lot more options in the market.
Even the rise of full, touch screen devices, couldn’t put them out of business. In fact, with the advent of foldable smartphones, there are very interesting smartphones with flip form factor in the 2022 market.
So, let’s take a look at the best flip phones you can buy in 2022. Most of the phones in the list are targeted at the low-end, budget segment, but if you want something a lot more premium and future-ready, there are a couple of foldable too.
Nokia 2720 V Flip
We decided to start with a Nokia device, a brand that was once the king of the phone market. Last year, the company announced the 4G Nokia 2720 Flip, targeted at flip-phone lovers who don’t want to miss out on the high-speed 4G network. So it comes with popular services like Facebook, Whatsapp, and can even access Google apps like Maps and YouTube.
The phone comes with a 1.3” external screen for time, date, and notifications, while features a slightly larger 2.8” QVGA display for the main content. It also comes with 11 hours of talktime, all thanks to its 1500mAh removable (yes, we said removable) battery. Given its 4G connectivity, note that the phone can also be used as a 4G hotspot for your laptop or tablet.
The Nokia 2720 V Flip brings the right blend of 4G connectivity and flip form factor, making it a good option for those looking for a decent flip phone on a budget.
Here’s another budget flip phone option for you – the Alcatel GO Flip V, that comes with LTE connectivity. The phone looks very similar to budget flip phones in the market and features a small external display and a larger 2.8-inch color display inside. As expected, the display isn’t touchscreen, but the keypad should do a good job for typing in your short mails or messages.
Like the Nokia 2720, the GO Flip V is good for basic tasks like making phone calls, and messages. Note that the phone does have GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, but the use case scenario for these new-age connectivity options would be limited.
That said, if you want a basic phone or a secondary device, the Alcatel GO Flip V can be a good option under $150.
The Razr 5G makes it come back in the form of a foldable. So the phone retains the iconic flip design of the old days but brings in the smarts of a 2022 smartphone. It comes with a relatively large 2.8-inch external screen along with a foldable 6-inch internal display that transforms it into a regular 2022 smartphone.
While the phone is more than a year old, it comes with a pretty decent Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G processor with up to 8GB of RAM. It has all the important features of a new-age smartphone, including a 48MP rear camera, and a fingerprint sensor. Battery life isn’t its best feature, as 2800mAh capacity with 15W is nowhere near the capacities we see on smartphones these days.,
That said, the phone is often available at good discounts and will be a cheaper alternative to the Galaxy Z Flip, which we talk about in the next section.
If you are looking for a flip phone that brings the best of both worlds, i.e. the smartphone and the flip phone market, look no further than the Galaxy Z Flip3. Coming in a number of attractive colors, the phone comes with a large 6.7-inch internal display and a 1.9-inch external screen, offering an unfolded form factor very close to today’s smartphones. But there’s more. It also has one of the best processors of 2021, the Snapdragon 888 with up to 8GB of RAM, dual 12MP rear cameras, side-mounted fingerprint, a decent 3300mAh battery with 15W, and finally IPX8 certification.
You really get the best of both worlds with the Galaxy Z Flip3, and if you have the budget upwards of $1000, look no further than this phone in this form factor.
Kyocera is a popular name among rugged phone enthusiasts, but many of you may not know that the company has a rugged flip phone on the market. Given its durability-focused design, you can basically toss it on the ground, wash it with soap, or do whatever you want with the phone and it will still survive. The company notes that the phone is certified for military spec 810G, so it can operate between -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit and is water, dust, heat, and shock resistant.
On the outside, the phone has a 1-inch display while on the inside, you get a 2.6-inch 320 x 240 pixel display. Note that like other rugged devices, this model also features 4 dedicated programmable hardware buttons on its body. On the software end, it runs on a lite version of Android and only features basic apps like messaging, and mails. It will last you around 8 hours, which isn’t much, but it is not surprising given that flip phones generally have a small battery.
Given its rugged form factor, the phone is more expensive than the Nokia, Alcatel options we mentioned above. But if you want a flip phone that can practically survive anywhere, the Kyocera DuraXV is your best bet.
The Nokia 8110 is not exactly a flip phone, but has a form factor that is nearly as unique as the phones in the list above. What’s more, with KaiOS onboard and 4G connectivity, it is smarter than most flip phones on this list. Did we mention that it runs apps like YouTube, Outlook, Gmail, Google Maps, and even Google Search?
So if you are looking for a phone with a unique form factor, it’s worth considering the Nokia 8110 Banana phone!
So these were the best Flip Phones of 2022. If you think we missed any interesting flip phones from this list, do let us know in the comments down below.
* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Just last month, the highly anticipated Nothing Phone (1) was finally announced for the global markets, including India. Since then, the smartphone has only gone on open sale twice. But now, we have the dates for the next sale.
For those unaware, the Phone (1) sale first began on 21st July 2022, with the second sale beginning on July 30. On both of these dates, the new smartphone went out of stock in a matter of mere hours. So, its clear to say that the device was a success in the markets it launched in, especially India. Now, the brand is gearing up to start the third sale for the handset in India, with the date being set for August 5.
Same as before, the Phone (1) will be an exclusive on the Flipkart platform, a popular Indian e-retailer. Talking about the smartphone itself, it sports a 6.55 inch FHD+ flexible OLED display that has a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC that is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The rear packs a 50 megapixel dual camera setup, while the device is powered by a 4,500mAh battery pack that supports 33W fast charging as well.
The Nothing Phone (1) was launched in India in three storage configurations and two color options, namely White and Black. The base 8GB + 128GB model costs 32,999 INR (roughly 418 US Dollars), while the 8GB + 256GB variant has a price tag of 35,999 INR (roughly 455 US Dollars). Lastly, the top end 12GB + 256GB model costs 38,999 INR (roughly 494 US Dollars).
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