A rare gold-plated Nintendo Wii gaming originally meant as a gift for Queen Elizabeth II is now being auctioned. The one-of-its-kind Wii was produced by game developer THQ in 2009. It was meant as a promotion of the Big Family Games collection of mini-games. It could not scale Buckingham Palace’s strict royal gift policy and therefore returned back to THQ.
After THQ went into bankruptcy, the 24-karat gold-plated Wii finally found its way to the hands of Dutch collector, Don who is now putting the piece on auction. This will be the second auction of the Wii after it was initially put on auction on eBay last October. At that time, the asking price of $300,000 was flagged and the auctioning account was shut down. This time, the Goldin auction is going on smoothly until May 21.
The item is not mint-fresh and its utility as a gaming device is absent since Nintendo shut out the Wii Shop years ago. It has signs of scattered gold chipping and will likely end as a collector’s item inside a glass case. It is a genuinely unique device, unlike many limited-edition consoles. It is a snapshot of the history of gaming and an audacious publicity stunt leveraging on the British Monarch. The auction is progressing at some pace, but whether it will achieve the $300,000 mark remains to be seen.
ZTE is launching the Axon 40 series of smartphones tomorrow (May 9). The Chinese manufacturer has not confirmed the number of Axon 40 models that will be unveiled tomorrow, but it appears that there could be as many as three devices: the Axon 40, Axon 40 Pro, and Axon 40 Ultra. Readers can visit the dedicated post on the Axon 40 series roundup to know what to expect from these devices.
How to watch the ZTE Axon 40 series launch event
The Axon 40 series launch event will be held at 2 PM (local time) tomorrow. The event will be held in China, and it will be live-streamed through ZTE’s Weibo handle. It is unclear whether ZTE has any plans to sell the Axon 40 lineup outside China. Hence, there is no word on its global launch.
ZTE Axon 40 series – what to expect?
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
It goes without saying that tomorrow’s major attraction could be the Axon 40 Pro flagship phone. ZTE is the only brand that has been launching phones with an under-display camera since 2020. The Axon 20 5G that debuted as the first phone with an in-screen camera could not capture top-notch selfies and one could easily see its front camera. However, the Axon 40 Pro’s under-display camera is almost invisible.
Thanks to rearranged pixel structure, the area where the front camera lies is said to be indistinguishable from the remaining part of the screen. This allows the phone to deliver a full-screen experience. In addition, the screen has extremely curved edges. Other notable features of the smartphone include the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and 64-megapixel triple rear cameras.
The Axon 40 lineup has other models such as the Axon 40 and Axon 40 Pro, but details on their specifications are not clear. For more information on each of these, please read our roundup post.
The Vivo X80 Series has been officially launched in its first global market outside of China today, in none other than the tropical Southeast Asian country of Malaysia.
Source: Vivo Malaysia
As an industry-leading flagship from Vivo, the Vivo X80 series brings in several firsts to the global smartphone market which include the 1st flagship to sport a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor, the 1st flagship to sport its Vivo V1+ imaging processor and the 1st flagship to sport a Sony IMX866 sensor.
Vivo X80
Starting with the design, the Vivo X80 features a curved AMOLED screen at the front and a flat glass back panel with a rectangular ceramic camera island on top. The front display is a 6.78-inch FHD+ 120Hz E5 Samsung curved AMOLED that goes up to 1000 nits of brightness covering 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. The front display is then complimented with a centered hole punch housing the 32MP selfie camera.
Powering the standard Vivo X80 is MediaTek’s top-of-the-line Dimensity 9000 SoC, with 12GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM, 4GB of extendable RAM and 256GB of blazing-fast 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. Keeping the lights on is the device’s generous 4,500mAh battery, paired with Vivo’s class-leading 80W fast charging. Vivo claims that its 80W fast charging will be able to charge from 0% to 50% within 11 mins and 0% to 100% within 34 mins.
Coming to the photography, besides the ISP on the MediaTek Dimensity 9000, the Vivo X80 also comes with Vivos first in-house ISP, the Vivo V1+. Vivo proudly exclaims that the Vivo V1+ ISP paired with the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 allows the company to produce newer and more advanced smartphone camera algorithms to ensure that the best camera shot comes out of your smartphone.
As for the cameras, the Vivo X80 features a triple rear camera setup. The main sensor is Sony’s latest 50MP IMX866 sensor. The 50MP sensor comes with a wide f/1.75 aperture, OIS stabilisation, and an RGBW colour arrangement. The setup is then supported with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 12MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. All lenses are also equipped with Zeiss’ T* coating technology to reduce ghosting and stray light to capture more natural colours and finer details when you are using the device.
Vivo X80
For haptics and audio, the Vivo X80 is included with a linear X-axis haptic motor and features dual top-bottom firing stereo speakers for an immersive mobile gaming experience. The device weighs in at a hefty 206g and is sporting Android 12 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 12 user interface on top.
Vivo X80 Pro
The Vivo X80 Pro features a similar design as the Vivo X80 with the same curved AMOLED panel at the front, a flat matte glass panel at the back, and is rated for IP68 water and dust resistance. The display up front is upgraded to a 6.78-inch 2K 120Hz LTPO E5 Samsung AMOLED over the standard model and also houses a 32MP front camera in the punch hole at the top centre of the display. The display also supports up to 1500 nits of brightness, 10-bit colours and HDR10+ content.
Vivo X80 Pro
The Vivo X80 Pro is coming to global markets with only the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 onboard, and with 12GB of onboard LPDDR5 RAM, 4GB of extendable RAM, and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The Vivo X80 Pro is equipped with a larger 4700mAh battery, with 80W wired fast charging, and 50W Vivo FlashCharge wireless charging. In turn, the device weighs in at a heavier 219g.
As for the cameras, the Vivo X80 Pro is also equipped with the new Vivo V1+ ISP and features a more capable quad-camera setup on the rear. The main sensor is a 50 MP ultra-sensing Samsung GNV sensor with OIS stabilisation. As the first Android flagship to sport the Samsung GNV sensor, Vivo claims that with this new technology, the Vivo X80 Pro will be able to reveal the colours of the night, making the night look brighter and more natural.
The other 3 rear cameras are also flagship highlights as well, with the 48MP ultra wide-angle sensor being the Sony IMX598, the 12MP telephoto sensor being the Sony IMX663 sensor, and an 8MP periscope lens that boasts 5x optical zoom and 60x hybrid zoom. All lenses are equipped with Zeiss’ T* coating technology which aims to provide photos with true to life colours and finer details in the dark.
The Vivo X80 Pro is equipped with the same flagship linear X-axis motor and dual top-bottom firing stereo speakers as its X80 sibling and will run Android 12 with Funtouch OS 12 out of the box.
Pricing and Colour Options
For the Malaysia market, the Vivo X80 will be arriving in two gorgeous colour options: Cosmic Black and Urban Blue, meanwhile the Vivo X80 Pro will be only available in Cosmic Black.
The Vivo X80 series is available for pre-order starting May 8th in Malaysia starting from RM 3,499 (800 USD) for the standard Vivo X80 (12GB+256GB), and RM 4,999 (1,144 USD) for the Vivo X80 Pro (12GB+256GB). Both devices come included with free gifts and a 2-year local manufacturer warranty.
The Vivo X80 series is due to come to more global markets soon this month, with the Indian launch of the Vivo X80 series happening next week on May 18th.
Apple subsidiary Beats, also known as Beats by Dre launched the Powerbeats Pro TWS earphones back in 2019. Since then, the brand has launched many special editions of sports-focused earbuds like the Powerbeats Pro NBA75 ivory limited edition.
Now, the brand has launched another limited edition of the Powerbeats Pro in collaboration with London-based English-Iranian fashion designer Paria Farzaneh.
The Paria Farzaneh limited edition earbuds feature the same ear-hook design as any other Powerbeats Pro, however, they come with a special yellow paint job with purple-colored patterns. The limited-edition earbuds come in a special package and also include a set of special Paria Farzaneh stickers.
Spec-wise, the earbuds are powered by the Apple H1 chip for better connectivity and IPX4 sweat resistant rating making them perfect for workouts.
The earbuds feature a 12mm rigid aluminum linear piston driver providing balanced audio, commendable dynamic range, and enhanced clarity. The earbuds do not offer active noise cancellation functionality but do provide limited noise isolation.
The device offers a physical button for controlling media, answering calls, and accessing the built-in Siri voice assistant. coming to the battery life, the Powerbeats Pro Paria Farzaneh limited edition offers up to 9 hours of playback on a single charge, and the playback could go up to 24 hours when attached to its charging case.
The Powerbeats Pro Paria Farzaneh special edition earphones can be purchased from SSENSE for $250. It is also available on Farzaneh’s website at a lower price of $220 for a limited time.
So far, Vivo is offering three kinds of Vivo T1 5G smartphones. The Snapdragon 778G SoC powered model was first announced in China in October 2021. Next, came the Snapdragon 695 variant, which debuted in India in February this year. A different Vivo T1 5G with Snapdragon 778G landed in Malaysia in April. Now, the company has unveiled yet another Vivo T1 5G in Indonesia. This one is powered by the Dimensity 810. Here is all the information on the specifications, features, and pricing of the new T1 5G for the Indonesian market.
Vivo T1 5G specifications (Indonesian variant)
The Vivo T1 5G has a 6.58-inch IPS LCD screen that offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. The company claims that its waterdrop notch screen offers a 90.6 percent screen-to-body ratio. The device has a fingerprint scanner on the side and runs on the Android 12 OS with the FunTouch OS 12 on top of it.
The Dimensity 810 5G chipset powers the Vivo T1 5G. It comes in two RAM variants. The 4 GB RAM edition offers 1 GB of extended RAM, whereas the 8 GB RAM model provides 4 GB of extended RAM. Both RAM variants come equipped with 128 GB of native storage.
Vivo T1 5G
The rear shell of the device has a 50-megapixel main camera. It is assisted by a 2-megapixel depth assist lens and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, it has a 16-megapixel front camera.
The Vivo T1 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery, which carries support for 18W charging. The handset offers other features such as dual SIM support, 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, NFC, liquid cooling, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Vivo T1 5G pricing (Indonesian variant)
In Indonesia, the 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variants of the Vivo T1 5G are priced at IDR 2,999,000 (~$207) and IDR 3,399,000 (~$234), respectively. The smartphone comes in two colors: Rainbow Fantasy and Starlight Black.
Motorola is expected to announce a new Razr-series clamshell phone this year. A new report by 91moblieshas revealed that the upcoming Razr clamshell has a “Maven” codename. The publication has also shared live shots of the device to give a first look at its appearance.
The upcoming Motorola Razr (Maven) looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 from last year. The device has a slightly boxy and squarish appeal, and it does not have a chin like the previous Razr clamshells. The fingerprint scanner is now available on the side embedded in the power button.
Motorola Razr (Maven) live shot by 91mobiles
The backside of the device has a dual-camera setup. The report claims that it has a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, which may double up as a macro sensor. For selfies, it has a 32-megapixel camera placed in the inner display’s punch-hole.
The Motorola Maven will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. The device is also expected to come with another SoC variant featuring the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset. The device is expected to arrive in memory configurations such as 8 GB / 12 GB RAM and 256 GB / 512 GB.
Motorola Razr (Maven) live shot by 91mobiles
The leak only mentions that it has a Full HD+ foldable screen on the inside. However, it does not mention anything about the size of inner and outer displays. Also, there is no word on the battery size in this leak. A previous report claimed that it will house a 2,800mAh battery.
The device is expected to arrive in Quartz Black and Tranquil Blue color options. It is likely to launch first in China by late July or early August and eventually it may also release in the global markets. At present, there is no word on the pricing of the device.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 were considered a massive success for Samsung, as well as for the foldables market in 2021. The series not only generated a lot of public attention outside of the tech enthusiast circle, but the foldable lineup also broke pre-order records and sales records of all time globally for foldables.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3.
Despite the high praise and love given to the Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, many users did have one glaring complaint with the devices, which was the phones’ endurance. The comment especially rings true for the Z Flip 3 as the device was only equipped with a 3300mAh battery and 15W charging, which was substantially slower than the common 25W fast charging found even on Samsung mid-rangers like the Samsung Galaxy A52.
But it seems that Samsung has finally taken customer feedback to heart, as a recent electronics certification in China confirms that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, will finally include support for faster 25W charging!
For illustration purposes only
The data was extracted from the China 3C Consumer Safety Certification database, where it is revealed that two models of Samsung foldables are scheduled to arrive in the Chinese market later this year. The two models, in particular, bear the model numbers SM-F9360 and SM-F7210, which are respectively the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and Fold4 listed on China 3C Certification Database
The listing reveals that both models will be made in Vietnam, will include 5G connectivity and most important of all, both models are confirmed to have 25W fast charging support. This news comes as a delight for those who held off buying the Z Flip 3 because with higher 25W charging, when you run low on battery, you need not wait too long to get your Z Flip 4 charged to start running errands throughout the day again.
Unfortunately, those are the only info revealed by the Chinese 3C certification listing. But since the device has been officially certified, we expect that more leaks and rumours regarding the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 will arrive soon!
OnePlus is planning to soon launch its first tablet device on the market. The tablet dubbed the OnePlus Pad has already received multiple leaks. One of the reports has claimed that the device has already entered private testing.
Now, a new MySmartPrice report has revealed that the device has indeed begun private testing and is codenamed “Reeves”. The publication has credited reliable tipster Yogesh Brar as the source of this new reveal. This falls in line with the earlier reports stating that the OnePlus Pad will launch in the First Half of 2022.
As we are already in the fifth month of the year, the Android slate will most likely debut soon. So far, the tablet is said to feature a 12.4-inch OLED screen with Full HD+ resolution. This rumored feature alone makes this tablet special, as there are not many slates on the market right now that features an OLED panel.
The operating system of the OnePlus Pad will be based on Android 12 and the tablet is said to feature a 13-megapixel main camera accompanied by a 5-megapixel auxiliary camera on the back. On the front, the slate will carry an 8-megapixel snapper for video calls and selfies.
This device will likely be powered by a Snapdragon 865 5G chipset paired with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage. The device is expected to provide a long battery life with its rumored 10,900mAh battery which will carry support for 45W rapid charging. Its other features include Bluetooth 5.1 support and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The device is expected to cost around 2,999 Yuan ($471) in China for the 6GB+128GB configuration. However, these specs and pricing are not confirmed yet so we advise readers to take it with a pinch of salt and stay tuned for more.
The unreleased Sonos Ray soundbar is Sonos’ upcoming soundbar. Little had been known before now about the size of the soundbar. However, a recent flurry of activities has provided several photos of the device. These photos give a feeling of the size of the Sonos Ray, although there are still important aspects under wraps.
A tipster has shared a number of marketing shots of the Sonos Ray via a tweet. Snoopy Tech’s marketing photos of the device offer a view of its design and size. The Sonos Ray was displayed in black and white color variants. It has multiple perforated holes that were cut into the front grill of the soundbar. The back of the device contains the power, optical, and Ethernet ports. It lacks an HDMI eARC connection, as previously speculated by some quarters. There are also mounting holes at the back of the Sonos Ray for horizontal and vertical projections.
The upcoming soundbar basically supports Dolby Digital audio when used as a standalone. The Sonos Ray soundbars can also be deployed to deliver rear surround sound in combination with other compatible soundbars. Under such configuration, the Ray can output Dolby Atmos surround audio. The Sonos Ray is rumored to be priced at $249 and a June 2022 release date is also predicted. We expect Sonos to provide the finer optics of the Ray soundbar as we inch closer to its launch. Global availability details are lacking at this time.
A Sony UK teaser of an exciting announcement to be made on May 12 has been linked to the WH-1000XM5. The unreleased Sony headphones WH-1000XM5 previous images aligned with that of the teaser. Although there was no specific mention of the model WH-1000XM5 in the teaser, the images are in sync with previous leaks of the device.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 will support Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and deliver up to 40 hours of battery life. The device will support a traditional connection via a headphone jack and quick-charging capability. The Sony WH-1000XM5, as per leaked specs, can be fully charged within 210 minutes (3.5 hours). The upcoming headphones are also expected to deliver spotless audio with cutting-edge technology. Noise cancellation functionality is expected to be present in the WH-1000XM5, as well as a comfortable design.
For now, Sony has not yet released the official specs sheet for the WH-1000XM5. We also are in the dark about the pricing and global availability of the product. It is however expected that the high benchmarks connected with the Sony brand will be sustained with this new offering. There has been some criticism of the pricing of similar Sony headphones. It remains to be seen whether Sony will sell the new headphones at a competitive and affordable price. The Sony WH-1000XM5 will offer significant improvements from its predecessor, the XM3.
Samsung‘s upcoming devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Galaxy Watch 5 have all been subject to multiple leaks. The devices are expected to make their debut in the second half of 2022, however, they have already appeared on the BIS certification website.
According to a 91mobiles report, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4’s battery model numbers are EB-BF936ABY and EB-BF937ABY. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip4 batteries have the model number EB-BF721ABY, EB-BF722ABY, and EB-BF723ABY. Last but not the least, the BIS listing reveals that the Galaxy Watch 5 batteries will have EB-BR910ABY, EB-BR925ABY, and EB-BR900ABY model numbers.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 concept render
The devices receiving BIS certification this early may indicate that Samsung plans to introduce them in India as soon as possible. So far, we know that the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which will be Samsung’s next foldable flagship will come with the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus SoC.
The camera sensors are also due for an upgrade and rumors suggest that the upcoming foldable will feature a 108MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The device will also feature a better hinge and might come with a stylus slot.
Coming to the Galaxy Flip4, the device is also expected to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset and a slightly bigger battery at around 3,400mAh. The next-gen Galaxy Watch is expected to come in three models codenamed Heart-S, Heart-L, and Heart Pro. They will operate on WearOS and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro model is expected to come with a big 572mAh battery.
Earlier in March, the team at Gizmochina spotted a new smartphone, the Maimang 11 5G on the Chinese TENAA database, which meant that the device could be coming to market any time soon. Today, China Telecom, the new parent company of the Maimang brand, confirmed and announced that Maimang will be launching its latest Maimang 11 5G smartphone in China on May 10th at 7:08 pm Beijing Time (UTC +8).
Source: China Telecom
In the launch event announcement poster, China Telecom only revealed that the Maimang 11 5G will feature an enormous 6000 mAh battery with 5G connectivity. However, several of the specs and the design of the Maimang 11 5G have been published in the TENAA database and here’s what we know.
The Maimang 11 5G will be featuring a 2.2Ghz clocked MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset with 5G connectivity, running on Android 11.
The smartphone will be equipped with a 6.745-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1600×720, a 6000mAh battery, a 8MP front camera, and 48MP+2MP dual cameras. The device measures in at 168.3×77.6×8.98mm and weighs 199g. It retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Huawei Maimang 11 5G
The Maimang 11 5G will be available in either 6GB or 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB of storage. The device has 3 colour options are Black, White and Blue.
For those unfamiliar with the Maimang brand, the brand was initially launched as a sub-brand under Huawei in collaboration with China Telecom and Tencent in 2013 in China with its first commercial device being the Huawei Maimang A199 with 3G connectivity. The sub-brand gained popularity among the youth in China with its trendy and youthful designs, and occasionally several of the Maimang devices even got rebranded by Huawei to be sold globally to a wider audience.
For example, you might recognise the Huawei Maimang 6, which was rebranded globally as either the Huawei Mate 10 Lite, Huawei Nova 2i or Honor 9i depending on the market you were living in.
Huawei Maimang 6/Mate 10 Lite/Nova 2i/Honor 9i
However, with the US sanctions against Huawei, the Maimang had to be sold off to continue its operations as it needed overseas electronics suppliers to build its smartphones. Thus, the brand was wholly sold off last year from Huawei to China Telecom, and now the Maimang brand has dropped the Huawei branding on its smartphones and is fully independent from its former parent company, Huawei.
Realme V23i launch could be imminent as the phone has appeared on the China Telecom product database website. The smartphone entered TENAA as early as March this year. The listing suggested a 6.56-inch LCD screen on the upcoming Realme V23i along with a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC.
The Realme V23i has appeared on the China Telecom product database website with model number RMX3576. The listing suggested that the upcoming phone may feature a 13-megapixel main sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary shooter. On the front, it could have 8-megapixel snapper for selfies and video calls. The listing also reveals that the smartphone will come at a price of 1399 Yuan ($210)
via ItHome
The Realme V23i appears to be a decent budget phone with not too flashy features and hardware.
There is a high probability that this model will be put directly on sale online, and it may also be sold simultaneously via offline stores.
Check out the expected specifications below.
Realme V23i Specifications (Expected)
Realme V23i is expected to be equipped with MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor. It will likely feature a 6.56-inch LCD screen offering a 1612×720 resolution. As for the cameras, the handset could be equipped with an 8MP lens on the front, while the back may feature a dual 13MP + 2MP camera setup. The phone will also have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security.
The phone will be fueled by a 5000mAh battery. It could also carry support for 33W fast charging. The handset is expected to be 8.1mm thick and weigh 185.5g.
It will be available in two color options – Jade black and Distant Mountain blue. The phone will be launched in two storage variants – a 4+128 variant and an 8+256 variant.
Last year, we saw the merger between Oppo and OnePlus in the Chinese market, as OnePlus officially announced that its flagship OnePlus 9 series will be sporting Oppo’s ColorOS instead in the China smartphone market. It seems that the merger has started to bear fruit, as with the early release of the OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 9RT, and Oppo Reno7 series in China with ColorOS, Oppo(with OnePlus) has managed to snag the top spot for China smartphone shipment market share in Q1 2022.
This news story comes from a report from Strategy Analytics, as the statistics firm reports that the Chinese smartphone market had shrunk by -17% year-on-year in Q1 2022 amid the lockdowns in China. The firm reports that 71.9 million units of smartphones were shipped in China during Q1 2022 and the market was mostly dominated by these top 5 renowned smartphone brands in the country: Oppo (includes OnePlus), Honor, Vivo, Apple and Xiaomi.
Q1 2022 Smartphone Shipments in China. Source: Strategy Analytics
These top 5 smartphone brands managed to capture 87% of the smartphone market in China in Q1 2022, up from 86% last year, and besides Honor, all the other 4 brands experienced negative growth this quarter.
Oppo(includes OnePlus)
Leading the smartphone market, Oppo, with assistance from its sibling brand, OnePlus has managed to snag the top spot of the smartphone market share in China with 13.6 million shipments in Q1 2022, accounting for 18.9% of the market. This success can be attributed to the tech giant’s release strategy of releasing many devices in late Q4 2021 and early Q1 2022 to ramp up sales during the first-quarter holiday seasons in China.
However, the brand is facing a sharp decline in growth as Oppo(with OnePlus) had experienced negative growth of -40.1% YoY when compared to Q1 2021. If the growth trend continues, the tech giant may lose the top spot next quarter.
Honor
Following the gradual exit of Huawei from the smartphone market, Honor was seen as a great alternative for users who were familiar with the Huawei ecosystem. With the release of its Honor 60, Honor X30 and Honor Magic4 series of smartphones, the brand was able to capture the entry-level, mid-range, and flagship market with its brand catalogue.
Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Honor brand has risen to 2nd place in the Chinese market, with 13.5 million shipments in Q1 2022, and a market share of 18.8%. In addition, the brand is also experiencing positive YoY growth, as it grew 200% when compared to Q1 2021. If the trend continues, Honor is expected to top the Chinese smartphone market share next quarter.
Vivo
Vivo is another smartphone brand under the BBK tech conglomerate in China. The smartphone brand had dropped a few spots in the placing this quarter as the brand had only shipped out 13 million units this quarter, accounting for 18.1% of the Chinese smartphone market. Its lacklustre performance is further shown by its negative growth rate of -42.2%, the company’s lowest growth rate yet. The reason behind the brand’s decline may be due to stiff competition in the Chinese smartphone market in Q1 2022, and the team at Vivo should put out more competitive offerings if it wants to reverse its negative growth trend.
Apple
When compared to the strong sales of Q3 and Q4 2021, Q1 2022 was a rather dull quarter for Apple, as the brand shipped out 11.2 million units of iPhones in Q1 2022, accounting for 15.6% of the Chinese smartphone market, and experienced a negative YoY growth rate of -1.8%. The lower shipments could be contributed to the fact that Apple had many of its retail stores closed in China amid the COVID outbreak in the country, and coupled with economic uncertainties, people could still be holding onto phones for longer.
Xiaomi
Despite the early release of the Xiaomi 12 series in China, the Xiaomi brand had a rather uneventful Q1 2022 in terms of sales. The brand had shipped 11 million units of smartphones this quarter, accounting for 15.3% of the smartphone market in China, and with the current overall China smartphone market decline in Q1 2022, the brand had experienced a negative YoY growth rate of -20.3% in this quarter.
Google I/O event is on the horizon, and we are expecting a lot of cool features to be launched. Google recently rolled out the last beta update of Android 12 QPR3 for Pixel devices. Now Android 13 Beta 1 for Google TV has officially arrived for testing. The update is exclusively for developers.
Testing this update is quite difficult, unlike the Android 13 Beta 1 updates, which can be easily installed on any latest Pixel phone. To test and validate your app for the Google TV experience, you need to install the system image for the ADT-3 Developer Kit. You can alternatively use the Android Emulator for TV.
Google has found the following problems, which do not provide the most stable experience. Review them to know what to expect:
When Bluetooth headphones are connected, AV playback on some apps does not work.
In some cases when trying to pair Bluetooth devices, pressing the side button on the ADT-3 device does not activate a Bluetooth device search. If remote pairing is lost, you can work around this by using ADB commands to simulate remote input. Alternatively, you can reflash the unit.
Remote control buttons can’t be reconfigured using the Remote & Accessories menu.
The option to change HDMI-CEC control is currently missing from the Remote & Accessories menu.
When casting to 4k TVs, only the top left quarter of the image is shown.
In some cases when the ADT-3 device is connected to an LG TV, the remote control does not work.
When using the Google Play Movies app, 4K playback is corrupted by a gray screen and noise.
For iOS devices, the Google Home app fails to connect to the ADT-3 device. To work around this issue, use the Google Home app on an Android device or the ADT-3 remote control.
If you are one of the lucky ones with an ADT-3 dev box, head over here to see what this new update has to offer.
Please note that once you successfully flash the ADT-3 to Android 13, you will not be able to return to the previous Android 12 build without wiping all the user data.
Earlier this week, Vivo T1 Pro 5G smartphone was launched in India. The powerhouse mid-ranger packs the Snapdragon 778G chipset with an AMOLED display and is now available for purchase in the country.
Vivo T1 Pro 5G pricing & availability
The Vivo T1 Pro is available in two configurations – 6GB + 128GB for Rs 23,999 ($314) and 8GB + 128GB for Rs 24,999 ($327).
Vivo is also offering special discounts on the purchase of the device. Customers buying the smartphone from Flipkart and Vivo Store using ICICI, SBI, IDFC, and One Card get a flat Rs 2500 cashback.
Flipkart is also providing other offers like a Rs 2,500 instant discount on the purchase of V1 Pro 5G using HDFC and SBI bank cards. Axis bank card users also get a 5% cashback on the purchase.
Vivo T1 Pro 5G specs and features
The smartphone has a 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and 1300nits peak brightness. The display has a dew-drop notch and an in-screen fingerprint scanner and HDR10+ support.
It is powered by the Snapdragon 778G SoC paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The device boots to the Android 12 OS, which is customized with the FunTouch OS 12. The device draws juice from a 4,700mAh battery that comes with 66W fast charging support.
For optics, it features a 64-megapixel primary sensor coupled with an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 117-degree FOV and a 2-megapixel macro camera.
Other features on the Vivo T1 Pro 5G include a z-axis linear motor, a VC liquid cooling system, and Ultra Game Mode for an enhanced gaming experience. It also offers dual-SIM support, 5G, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Chromebooks have mostly been sidelined in the laptop market as a third choice if you couldn’t get yourself a Windows and macOS laptop. However, with Google adding Android app support to Chromebooks, and with popular PC gaming storefront, Steam coming to Chrome OS, Chromebooks could soon be a fierce competitor in the laptop market.
Source: Google
To add fuel to the rise of Chromebooks, AMD themselves are looking to expand their market share in the Chromebook market share as well, because the company today has just announced its new Ryzen 5000C series of processors, designed specifically for Chromebooks.
The Ryzen 5000C processors are based on AMD’s popular Zen 3 core architecture which run on the x86 platform. The processors are quite power-efficient as they are built on a 7nm process and run at a low 15W. The Ryzen 5000C also feature upgraded connectivity as well, as all Ryzen 5000C are equipped with WiFi 6E support and support for faster charging.
AMD Ryzen 5000C Processors List
Going from top to bottom, the highlight here is the Ryzen 7 5825C, where AMD claims that the Ryzen 7 CPU is the world’s first 8-core high-performance x86 processor for Chromebooks. Compared to its predecessor the Ryzen 7 3700C, the Ryzen 7 5825C offers performance of up to 107% higher in multitasking(Geekbench 5), and up to 85% higher in graphics in Motion Mark 1.2.
However, performance is not the only highlight of the Ryzen 5000C as Ryzen processors are also known for their industry-leading power efficiency. In benchmarks, AMD claims that the 15W Ryzen 5 5625C can offer up to 94%(almost double) the battery life performance of its nearest competitor, the 28W Intel Core i5-1135G7.
In turn, with the improved efficiency engineering, AMD’s Ryzen 5000C processors have also managed to implement the instant “wake from sleep” feature into Chromebooks, like what you would see on Apple’s M1 Macbooks where you can raise and wake the laptop instantaneously.
If you are looking forward to getting yourself a Ryzen 5000C Chromebook, AMD has announced that the company has collaborated with its partners, HP and Acer to bring these notebooks to market by Q2 and Q3 of 2022.
HP Elite C645 G2 Chromebook
The first Chromebook coming to market is the HP Elite C645 G2 Chromebook. The HP Elite C645 G2 can be configured with an up to Ryzen 7 5825C processor, up to 16 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 512GB of PCIe SSD storage. The device features 14-inch 1080p screen with touchscreen support, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and optional LTE support for those business users who are always on the go.
Speaking of business users, the HP Elite C645 will also have a 5 MP integrated webcam, a SmartCard terminal for a CAD-capable keyboard, and an SEC fingerprint sensor for added security, to keep your confidentials safe at all times. The device will be available for sale from June onwards starting from only 559 USD.
Acer Chromebook Spin 514
Meanwhile, Acer will be introducing its latest Chromebook Spin 514, the 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook with a 14-inch touchscreen. The device can be configured with an up to Ryzen 7 5825C processor and supports up to 256 GB of PCIe Gen 3 storage.
Connectivity-wise, the convertible has support for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. Durability-wise, the touchscreen is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass and supports 100% of the sRGB colour gamut. And the device is rated MIL-STD 810 for military-grade durability against drops, dust and shock protection.
The AcerChromebook Spin 514 will be available from Q3 2022 onwards starting from only 579.99 USD for the consumer variant and 899.99 USD for the enterprise variant.
Smartphone shipments have been facing strong headwinds in Q1 2022, but Vivo appears to have taken the hardest blow. According to a report, smartphone shipments of Vivo declined by 31% to 25.4 million units in the first quarter of 2022. This is the sharpest decline the Chinese manufacturer ever faced.
A report by Strategy Analytics reveals that Vivo has witnessed sluggish demand in Q1 2022 and its shipments have in fact fallen by 31%, resulting in the sharpest ever decline for the vendor. It still managed to be in the fifth position globally with an 8% market share.
The smartphone manufacturer saw a huge rise in Shipments in Q1 2021, but the shipments volumes started decreasing by Q2 2021 and the rest is history.
2021 was a banner year for most smartphone brands. They all saw a significant rise in the shipments, but 2022 has been a different story. As per a Canalys report, Worldwide smartphone shipments declined 11% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022 due to weak economic conditions and poor seasonal demand.
Samsung dominated the market with a 24 percent share, up from 19 percent in Q4 2021 as the vendor overhauled its 2022 offering. Apple came in second, with a strong first quarter thanks to increased demand for its iPhone 13 series.
Xiaomi remained in third place because of the outstanding success of its Redmi Note series. OPPO (includes OnePlus) and Vivo rounded out the top five with 10% and 8% market shares, respectively.
In related news, Global Tablet and Chromebook shipments decreased significantly in Q1 of 2022. Tablet shipments totaled 38.4 million units in the first quarter of 2022, a 3.9 percent decrease year-on-year as demand fell, whereas the Chromebooks witnessed a 61.9% decline in shipments in Q1 of 2022.
We recently got to know that Xiaomi will launch its upcoming flagship phone- Xiaomi 12S Pro with a Snapdragon 8 gen 1 plus processor. Now a report reveals that the smartphone will also come with a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Soc. The features of the phone are expected to be the same except for the processor.
According to Xiaomiui, Xiaomi 12S Pro with Dimensity 9000 SoC is in the works and they have spotted its traces on the Mi code. The publication first found the phone’s model number- 2207122MC in the IMEI database.
From the model number, they discovered that the device is codenamed “dauimer”. After further research, they found out that “dauimer” is Xiaomi 12S Pro Dimensity 9000 edition.
With this news, it is now evident that the upcoming Xiaomi 12S Pro will come in 2 SoC variants- Snapdragon 8 gen 1 plus and MediaTek Dimensity 9000. We currently have no news about the launch date of the smartphone, but the appearance of the phone in the Mi code indicates that Xiaomi may launch the handset soon.
We are in the dark about other specifications of the phone. However, you can check out the rumored specs below.
Xiaomi 12S Pro specifications (expected)
The handset is expected to have a 6.55 inches AMOLED display offering 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution and 402 PPI. The smartphone could feature a triple 64 MP (wide) + 8 MP (ultrawide) + 5 MP (macro) camera set up in the back. On the front camera, it could have a 16 MP snapper for video chats and selfies.
The smartphone is likely to be fueled by a 4500 mAh battery and is expected to carry support for 67W fast charging, Power Delivery 3.0, and Quick Charge 4+. The phone will run on Android 12 + MIUI 13 operating system out of the box.
Xiaomi 12S Pro is said to be equipped with sensors such as optical under-display fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, and compass + Virtual proximity sensing.
Related:
Xiaomi 12S, 12S Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen1+ in works
Hohem iSteady V2, which is the world’s first smartphone stabilizer with a facial tracking feature has won the 2022 Red Dot Design Award.
For those unaware, The Red Dot Award is an international design competition for product design, communication design, and design concepts. It is also one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design.
The Hohem iSteady V2 is manufactured by Hohem Tech, which is a global leading gimbal technology company based in China. The stabilizer draws its inspiration from the ‘Bionic Owl design’ and comes with highlight features like high AI recognition, fast-tracking, and automatic following.
AI Tracking
Its AI tracking is capable of tracking the face and body of the subject even when they are facing the other way. It also features gesture recognition to perform functions like stopping the smart tracking feature and rotating the smartphone from landscape to portrait.
The gimble is capable of many more fun and interesting modes like the inception mode, object tracking mode, gesture controls for snapping pictures, dolly zoom, panoramic video mode, and more.
The Design Features
To further enhance the overall quality of the video shoot and satisfy users’ diversified needs for different lighting types, the iSteady V2 is equipped with wrap-around fill light and a unique diamond prism design that creates three levels of adjustable natural soft light.
The iSteady V2 has a three-axis anti-shake algorithm and deeply optimized lens field of view (FOV) design to provide accurate visual recognition, enhancing flexibility. It can be folded to 7-inches which makes it portable and also gives access to many other modes like hand-held videography.
It also features an ergonomic leather texture handle which assures a comfortable feel throughout the shoot. At 263 grams (9.27 ounces), iSteady V2 is an ideal tool for making online videos with a non-slip handle design, and it can easily fit in your pocket. It offers a battery life of up to 9 hours and is also capable of charging a smartphone.
The Hohem iSteady V2 is available to purchase on leading e-commerce sites like Amazon. You can also visit the official Hohem website to know more about the iSteady V2.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
2021 
