Xiaomi Watch S1, S1 Active & Buds 3T Pro with ANC hit the global turf

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Mar 15, 2022

Aside from the Xiaomi 12 series smartphones, Xiaomi also launched the Watch S1 series alongside the Buds 3T Pro. The Xiaomi Watch S1 series is made up of the Watch S1 and Watch S1 Active.

The Xiaomi Watch S1 features an elegant and stylish design that still retains the minimalist design philosophy of the company. The watch has a 1.43-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with 326PPI surrounded by a refined stainless steel frame. The display is covered by a layer of sapphire glass. Users also get the option of choosing from a comfortable leather wristband and a fluoro-rubber strap in several colors.

The AMOLED display provides a crystal-clear viewing of the screen even under sunlight. This will make it easy for users to check messages, incoming calls, notifications, calls, and use apps while on the go. The provides comprehensive health insights while supporting up to 117 fitness modes and 5ATM water resistance.

The timepiece crams a 470mAh battery with a battery life of up to 12 days on a single charge. The watch also offers up to 24 days of standby time. It uses magnetic charging.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active comes with a highly colorful and customized style designed for sportspersons. The watch packs a similar 1.43-inch always-on AMOLED display but is surrounded by an exquisite metal bezel making it a lightweight and durable offering. The S1 Watch Active’s display doesn’t have a sapphire glass covering. The watch frame is available in three color options while there are six different colorful straps to choose from.

In terms of the features, the Watch S1 and Watch S1 Active share similar specs. They come with up to 117 sports modes, supports sleep tracking, heart rate, and blood oxygen monitoring. The smartwatches also pack NFC for contactless payment and supports Bluetooth calls, dual-frequency GNSS positioning, and Amazon Alexa voice assistant which will be pushed via OTA update.

The timepieces cram a 470mAh battery with a battery life of up to 12 days on a single charge. The watch also offers up to 24 days of standby time. It uses magnetic charging.

As for the pricing, the Xiaomi Watch S1 will be available to buy for $269 while the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active comes with a cheaper $199 price tag.

Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro

Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro comes with an array of upgrades both on the software and hardware fronts tailored to deliver rich details and minimize distortion. The earbuds pack a 10mm dual-magnet dynamic driver with sectional DLC coating. It also comes with support for LHDC 4.0 audio codec.

Further, the Buds 3T Pro features up to 40dB hybrid active noise cancellation offered in three modes alongside the Adaptive mode which lets the earbuds adjust automatically based on the ambient noise level. There are also Transparency modes, allowing users to hear ambient sounds while on the move.

The new Xiaomi ANC earbuds come with a comfortable and secure fit design. It also allows dual-device connectivity while promising up to 6 hours of playback on a single charge. The usage can be extended up to 24 hours with the charging case.

The Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro is available in Gloss White and Carbon Black. It is priced at $199.

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Lava Probuds 21 with up to 45h battery life launched for Rs. 1,299 ($17)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 15, 2022

Lava has launched its new Probuds 21 true wireless (TWS) earphones with a 60mAh battery that offers 9 hours of playback. The battery life of the Lava Probuds TWS earphones is further expanded to 45 hours courtesy of its 500mAh charging case. The Lava Probuds 21 will come in two colors – black and white, and it is available at a discounted Rs. 1,299 ($17) until March 24.

The Probuds 21 TWS earphones sport a trendy stem design, are lightweight and guarantee an ergonomically-sound audio experience even when using the device for extended periods. It comes with a 1-year replacement warranty for defective components and a free three-month Gaana Plus subscription. The Lava Probuds 21 provides sound separation, uninterrupted music, quick charging, and seamless pairing with an input device via Bluetooth 5.1 and the Wake and Pair technology.

The touch controls in the Probuds 21 TWS earphones support Google and Siri Voice Assistants, while the 12mm dynamic driver produces high-quality sound plus bass. The touch controls also can be used to answer phone calls.

According to Lava, the Probuds 21 TWS earphones come as a compact, lightweight, affordable, and long-battery life pair of earphones. It does not need frequent charging and the quick charging technology deployed in the accessory means that 20 minutes of charging could yield more than 3 hours of playback. The Lava Probuds 21 TWS earphones can be purchased from Amazon India or the Lava e-store. It reverts to its original price of Rs. 1,499 ($20) after March 24.

RELATED:

DIZO Watch R relaunching in India on March 16 after software fix

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 15, 2022

In January this year, accessories manufacturer Realme Techlife unveiled the DIZO Watch R alongside the DIZO Buds Z Pro. The smartwatch was immediately listed on Flipkart and reportedly raked in a staggering 10,000 units in sales in just five minutes. The joy was soon short as the watch was discontinued after early buyers raised complaints related to the software. The watch was reported to have been plagued with vibration and battery drain issues.

The company has now pushed a new firmware update that fixes the vibration and battery drain issues. Consequently, the DIZO Watch R is now scheduled to go on sale once again from March 16, 2022. The company will be making available both the Black and Silver color variants. The wearables which will be sold exclusively on Flipkart will also receive a slight price cut and will retail for Rs. 3,599 (~$47) instead of the original Rs. 3,999 (~$52) price tag.

To refresh your memory, the DIZO Watch R features a 1.3-inch circular AMOLED screen with 550 nits brightness and a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. It also utilizes a 2.5D curved glass screen and a metal frame coupled with a slim body that is just 9.9mm. DIZO claims the watch has the biggest AMOLED display and also has the thinnest build among smartwatches in the segment.

Furthermore, the watch features support for over 110 sports modes while also bringing features such as a 5ATM waterproof build, music and camera controls,anti-fingerprint coating, and Bluetooth 5.0. The watch packs a 280mAh battery which is said to deliver up to 12 days of battery life.

You also get other health and fitness-centered features such as heart rate sensor, blood oxygen measurement, running distance and route tracking via GPS,
sleep detection, steps counting, idle alert, activity records, mensural cycle tracker, drink reminder, and breath training.

REPORT:

Sony Xperia 10 II, Xperia 10 III will receive Android 12 update soon

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 15, 2022

Sony is pushing the latest Android 12 updates for some of its smartphones. Recently, the company pushed the latest update for the Xperia 5 III, Xperia 5 II, and Xperia 1 III models. Now, it’s the turn for the 10-lineup. The Sony Xperia 10 II and Xperia 10 III, both have been confirmed to get the new Android 12 OS in some regions.

It is worth noting that the Xperia 10 II is a 2-year old entry-level phone that was launched with Android 10 OS out of the box. The Xperia 10 III is its successor that launched last year with Android 11 OS.

Sony Xperia 10 III White Featured 01 — Sony Xperia 10 III

Although both these devices have been confirmed to get the update by Sony, there’s no changelog or any details that we could retrieve. The company is yet to confirm the region for which the update has been pushed.

In case you are an Xperia 10 II or Xperia 10 III user, do head to the Settings page of your phone, followed by the Software update tab, and look for the latest updates. If you have already received the update, do tell in the comments below.

Sony Xperia 10 II and Xperia 10 III Details

The Xperia 10 II and Xperia 10 III feature a 6.0-inch OLED panel with FHD+ resolution and Gorilla Glass 6 protection. The duo, despite having a year’s gap has the same 12MP + 8MP + 8MP triple rear camera setup and an 8MP selfie shooter. Sony upgraded the Xperia 10 III with the Snapdragon 690 5G SoC over the Xperia 10 II’s Snapdragon 665 4G chipset. The battery also got an upgrade, with 4,500mAh cell + 30W FC on the III over the 3,600mAh cell + 18W FC.

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Vivo Y33T receives a Starry Gold color variant in India: Price, spes & features

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 15, 2022

The Vivo Y33T was launched in India back in January 2022 with two color options namely Mirror Black and Midday Dream, and now, Vivo has introduced a new Gold color variant for the handset.

The new color option of the Vivo Y33T is called Starry Gold and is available via Amazon, Flipkart, Vivo e-store, Paytm, Tatacliq, Bajaj Finserv EMI Store, and offline stores across India.

Vivo Y33T specifications

Coming to the specifications of the device, it features a 6.58-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 2408×1080 pixels (FHD+) with a 90Hz refresh rate and a dewdrop notch, which houses a 16MP selfie snapper. The display has a 90.6% screen-to-body ratio and covers 96% of the NTSC color gamut. It weighs 182 grams and has a thickness of 8mm.

The Vivo Y33T is powered by the 4G enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage that is further expandable via a microSD card. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery which comes with 18W fast charging support. The Y33T runs Android 12-based Funtouch OS custom skin out of the box.

For photography, the Y33T features a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro unit. It comes with features like super night mode, Super HDR, and personalized portrait mode. Connectivity features included in the device are 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, BEIDOU, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, and USB Type-C port.

The Vivo Y33T usually retails at a price of Rs 18,999 (~$256) for the 8GB+128GB model in India.

RELATED:

Oppo F21 Pro promo poster leaked ahead of launch

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 15, 2022

We haven’t heard much about the Oppo F21 series in the last few months. However, a major leak that showed the F21 Pro+’s live images arrived recently confirming the design change over the predecessor. Now, the F21 Pro’s promo poster has been doing rounds on the Internet.

The promo poster(via Tech Boiler) of the Oppo F21 Pro gives us a look at the phone’s rear design. The smartphone looks identical to the Oppo Reno7 that launched earlier in Indonesia. The device has a clean Orange-colored back with the camera island at the top left.

Though the promo image is of low-resolution, we get to see the multiple camera sensors. It also seems to have the matte design as the Reno7’s Indonesia model.

Furthermore, the smartphone is marketed with the tagline “Fantastic Selfie”, revealing that its highlight will be the front-facing camera. Lastly, the promo poster is from Pakistan, which confirms that the device will debut soon in the region.

Other details of the Oppo F21 Pro are under wraps, but we do know that the series will also have the F21 Pro+ and the vanilla F21. Interestingly, a report from December 2021 revealed that the series will debut in India as well. It is said to launch between March 17 and March 21 in the country. The vanilla F21 and the F21 Pro will be 4G models, while the F21 Pro+ will be a 5G offering.

In India, the series is expected to arrive between Rs. 20,000(~$262) and Rs. 30,000(~$393).

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy Book Go with Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 SoC listed on Flipkart, Indian launch imminent

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 15, 2022

Last week, we reported that Samsung is gearing up to launch the recently released Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 in India as the device has received an Amazon India landing page. Now, a listing for the Samsung Galaxy Book Go has appeared on Flipkart hinting at an imminent launch.

According to a MySmartPrice report, Samsung has listed the Galaxy Book Go on Flipkart. For those unaware, the Galaxy Book Go first debuted back in July 2021 but never made it to India. The Flipkart listing has also revealed that the device will be available for Pre-Order starting March 18th, so the company will likely be launching the product in the next few days.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go specifications and features

The Samsung Galaxy Book Go packs a lot of features and educational resources needed by students, and also comes certified with the US military standard MIL-STD-810G.

The Galaxy Book Go features a 14-inch TFT display that delivers a Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The 4G variant of the Galaxy Book features the 8nm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 that tags along with Adreno 618 graphics. It comes with 6 GB / 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. For storage, the Galaxy Book Go offers eUFS storage choices such as 64 GB and 128 GB.

The Galaxy Book Go runs on Windows 10 Home/Pro and it is flanked by Dolby Atmos-powered 2 x 1.5W stereo speakers. It promises up to 18 hours of battery life through its 42.3Whr battery, which supports 25W rapid charging. The Galaxy Book Go offers other features such as an HD camera, a microSD card slot, nano-SIM slot, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, 2 x 2 MIMO, Bluetooth 51, USB 2.0, USB-C, and a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack.

In terms of pricing, the Galaxy Book Go starts at $349, which is roughly around Rs 26,700.

RELATED:

Xiaomi 12, 12 Pro & 12X launched for the global market: prices & availability

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 15, 2022

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, today, held a global launch event where it took the wraps off the much-anticipated Xiaomi 12 series alongside the Xiaomi Watch S1, Watch S1 Active, and the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro. The Xiaomi 12 series is made up of the vanilla Xiaomi 12, the Xiaomi 12 Pro, and a cheaper Xiaomi 12X.

The Xiaomi 12 models will be available immediately to buy in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The global reach may get expanded to other markets outside these regions in due course.

While we are familiar with the Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro which first launched in China in December, the Xiaomi 12X is an entirely new entrant. The 12X features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 mid-range chip as opposed to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC on the flagship models. As a result of the mid-range chipset onboard, the model is available at a slightly reduced price tag.

Speaking of the prices, the top-of-the-line model, Xiaomi 12 Pro starts a $1,000/€1,000 for the 8GB of RAM + 256GB storage variant. There is also a 12GB RAM version bundled with 256GB storage. On the other hand, the vanilla 12 is priced at $750 (€800) for the 8GB+128GB model. The price is €50 higher than that of the Xiaomi 11 which isn’t bad. The Xiaomi 12 also comes in 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB options.

On its part, the Xiaomi 12X has a starting price tag of $650 (€700) for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is a higher variant with 256GB storage.

The Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and Xiaomi 12X are all available in three color options; Gray, Purple, and Blue. The3 Chinese version got a fourth green leatherette color option but that is missing on the global version. Another perk that comes with the Xiaomi 12 series is the free YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium access buyers will get for three months, allowing them to stream video ad-free and download some for offline viewing.

The Xiaomi 12 series is available to buy from any part of the world on AliExpress. The Xiaomi 12 comes with an early bird price tag of $699 which is slightly lower than the official retail price. The Xiaomi 12X also has a decent price cut for the early bird offer. It starts at $449 for the 8GB+128GB version. The top-end Xiaomi 12 Pro retains its $1000 global price tag on AliExpress.

Xiaomi 12 Series World Premiere Sale: Get Huge Discounts, Deals and Free Gifts

By

Daily Deals

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Mar 15, 2022

Mi Global Store at AliExpress is giving out huge discounts and deals on the World Premiere of Xiaomi 12 Series. Under this world premiere, you can get Xiaomi 12, 12 Pro, and 12X smartphones at heavily discounted prices. Also, the first 1000 paid orders under this world premiere deal will get random assured gifts. Please note that the world premiere online launch event is happening on 15 March while the actual sale starts on 17 March, 00:00 PST. So be sure to add your product to the cart even before the sale starts, to avail of the discounts and assured free gifts.

World Premiere of Xiaomi 12 Series

Xiaomi 12

Retail Price: $998 Discounted Price: $699

Key Features:

Display: 6.28″ FHD+ Dot Display
120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB / 12GB
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
Triple Rear Camera: 50MP (main) + 13MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (tele-macro)
Front camera: 32MP
Battery: 4500mAh – 67W wired + 50W wireless turbocharging
Colors: Gray, Blue, Purple

Xiaomi 12 Pro

Retail Price: $1427 Discounted Price: $999

Key Features:

Display: 6.73-inch AMOLED Flexible Screen
120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB / 12GB
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
Triple Rear Camera: 50MP (main) + 50MP + 50MP
Front camera: 32MP
Battery: 4600mAh – 120W wired + 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse charging
Colors: Gray, Blue, Purple

Xiaomi 12X

Retail Price: $784 Discounted Price: $549

Key Features:

Display: 6.28″ AMOLED DotDisplay, FHD+
120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
Triple Rear Camera: 50MP (main) + 13MP + 5MP
Front camera: 32MP
Battery: 4500mAh – 67W wired turbo charging
Colors: Gray, Blue, Purple

Please note that the prices mentioned above are applicable to the base variants only. The price may change according to the variant and color.

The online launch event is happening on 15 March while the actual sale will be live from 17 March, 00:00 PST. Be sure to check out the online launch event, to know more about the products and the upcoming deals and discounts.

Please note that the above price is region-specific and the final price may vary according to your shipping region, warehouse, and regional taxes.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out our deals hub.

* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

OPPO A53s 5G, A55 5G get access to ColorOS 12 beta based on Android 12

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 15, 2022

Following the update plans shared by OPPO earlier this month, the company has started recruiting Android 12-based ColorOS 12 beta testers for two of its budget 5G smartphones. These devices are OPPO A53s 5G and OPPO A55 5G.

OPPO A55 5G Rhythm Black Featured — OPPO A55 5G

The OPPO A53s 5G and the OPPO A55 5G are the same phones for different markets. The former is sold in India, while the latter is available in China. Unsurprisingly, the latter model debuted first in January 2021, followed by the former in April 2021.

The handsets launched with ColorOS 11.1 based on Android 11. But now, Interested users can finally try out Android 12-based ColorOS 12 by joining the beta program.

In order to do so, the smartphones should be on the following required firmware versions.

OPPO A53s 5G (India) – A.08 or A.09
OPPO A55 5G (China) – A.15

If you meet the criteria, then head over to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Apply for Beta Version > Update Beta Version and follow the on-screen instructions to enroll in the ColorOS 12 beta initiative. The registrations will only remain open until tomorrow (March 16).

There could be more batches in the future but we cannot tell that for sure. Hence, if you are truly interested, then register yourselves as soon as possible.

Selected applicants will receive the beta software via OTA. They may receive more than one build during the testing process, which will be followed by a stable build in the future.

Galaxy Z Flip3, Z Fold3 become Samsung’s first foldables to run stable One UI 4.1

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 15, 2022

The Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 are starting to receive the One UI 4.1 update with the March security patch, although it’s currently limited to Europe and South Korea.

The Galaxy Z Flip3 is getting it as firmware version F711NKSU2CVC5 in South Korea while in Europe, the firmware version is F711BXXU2CVC5. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold3 is only getting One UI 4.1 in Europe as of now, with firmware version F926NKSU1CVC5 (via SamMobile).

The One UI 4.1 update introduces a number of camera features so users of both devices can expect features like night portrait functions, pet recognition, lighting position editing functions, and an improved Director’s View. There’s also telephoto portrait video, but it’s limited to the Galaxy Z Fold3.

Other additions include Google Duo integration, updates to Samsung Health, Gallery, Keyboard, and Calendar, and more.

Also included is the March 2022 security patch, as already mentioned, which has so far only been released for select Galaxy phones, mostly flagships.

The update may have only rolled out in South Korea and Europe currently, but assuming that it’s bug-free, we should be seeing a wider release quite soon. Still, if you’re impatient then you can check for the update manually by heading over to the Settings app, opening up the About Phone section, and tapping on Software Update.

RELATED:

Vivo V21, V21e, and Y73 get a price cut of up to Rs 2,000 in India

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 15, 2022

After the release of the Vivo V23 series in India and their latest addition to the lineup with the Vivo V23e, the brand has now reportedly slashed the prices of its Y73, V21e, and V21 models.

According to a 91mobiles report, offline retail sources have informed that the brand has issued a newly revised MOP for the smartphones that will be effective from March 15th i.e from today. For now, the price cut seems to be limited to offline stores only as the Y73, V21e, and V21 models are still selling at their original price on Flipkart.

Vivo V21, V21e, and Y73 new prices in India

The Vivo V21 which was previously priced at Rs 29,990 in India for the 8GB + 128 GB model will now cost Rs 27,990. Similarly, the 8GB + 256GB variant has also received a price cut of Rs 2000, bringing its price from Rs 32,990 to Rs 30,990.

The V21e which was priced at Rs 24,990 for the 8GB + 128GB model will now retail for Rs 23,990 in offline stores. Lastly, the Vivo Y73 has also received a Rs 1000 price cut, bringing its cost down from Rs 20,990 to Rs 19,990.

Vivo V21 5G specifications and features

Launched back in April 2021, the vivo V21 5G has a 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 2404 × 1080 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and a dewdrop notch.

It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 800U SoC coupled with 8GB RAM and an optional 3GB virtual RAM that can be enabled or disabled as per requirement. The device comes with 128GB/256GB internal storage with support for expansion via a MicroSD card slot.

The main highlight of this phone is its 44MP selfie camera equipped with OIS. Whereas, the rear camera setup on this handset includes a 64MP primary sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide unit, and a 2MP macro shooter.

On the connectivity front, the device supports dual-SIM, 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, and GNSS (GPS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, GLONASS). Unfortunately, the phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack but features all the essential sensors like an accelerometer, proximity sensor, compass, ambient light sensor, and gyroscope.

As far as software is concerned, the smartphone runs Funtouch OS 11.1 based on Android 11. Further, it draws power from a 4,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging via USB Type-C.

RELATED:

Here’s when HONOR 50, HONOR 50 Lite will get Android 12 update in global markets

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 15, 2022

HONOR annou nced the HONOR 50 series for global markets at the end of October 2021. The company only brought the HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Lite outside mainland China. These handsets debuted with Magic UI 4.2 based on Android 11 with GMS (Google Mobile Services). Months later, the brand now reveals when these smartphones will be updated to the latest software.

According to HONOR, the Android 12 update for the HONOR 50 series in international markets will arrive as Magic UI 6.0. The HONOR 50 will be the first to receive it in Q2 2022, followed by HONOR 50 Lite in Q3 2022.

The timeline shared by the company is lackluster by today’s standards. Considering that these are the only two main phones from the brand for global markets, it is even worse. Hopefully, HONOR improves its software situation sooner than later.

At the same time, it would be great if new HONOR smartphones made their way to international markets a bit earlier. The HONOR 50 series initially debuted in China in June 2021. But it took the company 4 months to announce it for global markets.

Similarly, the HONOR 60 series already went official in the brand’s home country in December. However, there’s still no official word from the company regarding its availability outside mainland China.

vivo X Fold to be one of the first foldables with dual under-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensors

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 15, 2022

vivo’s very first foldable smartphone codenamed ‘butterfly’ and named vivo X Fold is expected to be launched in April. After being spotted in the subway, revealing its near-crease-less front, the device’s under-screen ultrasonic fingerprint solution has now been exposed.

Tech blogger @Feiwei on Weibo today posted an image of what looks to be the disassembled displays of the vivo X Fold — both inner and outer ones. Both displays appear to have ultrasonic fingerprint sensors, which Feiwei describes as being more advanced and easier to use compared to side-mounted fingerprint sensors that most other foldables use.

The vivo X Fold will rival the OPPO Find N and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3, both of which have side-mounted fingerprint scanners, giving the vivo foldable an edge.

In addition, leakster Digital Chat Station had earlier said that the vivo X Fold comes with punch-holes in both the center of the outer screen as well as the center of the right half of the inner screen. The display will be a 2K+120Hz E5 LTPO screen from Samsung with support for DC dimming.

It is worth mentioning here that the vivo X Fold has already been certified by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and has even obtained 3C certification, meaning its launch is imminent.

RELATED:

OnePlus Nord 2 OxygenOS 12 Closed Beta program commences for Indian users

By

Sudhanshu

-

Mar 15, 2022

OnePlus has announced the commencement of the OxygenOS 12 Closed Beta testing program for the OnePlus Nord 2 devices. The announcement came through a post on the OnePlus Community forums.

Currently, the beta program is limited to OnePlus Nord 2 users in India and does not include the Nord 2 PAC-MAN Edition smartphones. The company is recruiting around 200 people for the closed beta program and states that this time around, the Closed Beta testing phase will be shorter than before and therefore the company will only release a few OxygenOS 12 builds through its duration.

The company plans to recruit 200 OnePlus Nord 2 users for the program. Selected users will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the company. In order to be eligible, you need to meet the requirements below:

1. You are using a OnePlus Nord 2 India variant
2. You are an active OnePlus Community member
3. You are willing to regularly communicate and report issues/suggestions to the OnePlus team on Telegram
4. The CBT version is not the stable version, which is still in development. After updating to CBT version, you’ll remain to be patient and tolerate its instability and accept all risks which might be caused by it.

If you meet these requirements and want to participate in the Closed Beta testing program, you can follow this link to the registration page.

As for people wondering about the stable Android 12 update for the OnePlus Nord 2, since the company is just commencing the Closed Beta test now, we can expect to be followed by an Open Beta test and then a stable version release. So we might be looking at a Q2 2022 release date for the stable OxygenOS 12 for the OnePlus Nord 2.

RELATED:

OnePlus 9, 9 Pro to get ColorOS 12.1 update by March-end

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 15, 2022

The OnePlus 10 Pro made its global debut in China in January. It is the first-ever OnePlus Pro series phone to release first in the brand’s home country. Also, it is the first handset to ship with ColorOS 12.1 Two months later, one of the company executives reveals when the last-generation OnePlus flagship smartphones will get an update to the fresh version of ColorOS.

Liu Fengshuo, the president of the OnePlus product lineup, revealed on Weibo that the last year’s OnePlus 9 and Oneplus 9 Pro will be soon updated to ColorOS 12.1. According to him, these devices are expected to receive the latest version of OPPO’s mobile operating system based on Android 12 by the end of March.

Per his post, the update is still in progress. Hence, if there are any issues with the software builds, then the rollout could get delayed. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen though OnePlus is known for software mishaps these days.

With that being said, the ColorOS 12.1 update for the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro will be limited to China. Because it is the only country where these phones run ColorOS instead of OxygenOS. In fact, they are the first OnePlus-branded smartphones to ship with ColorOS out of the box.

As far as new features are concerned, ColorOS 12.1 comes with HyperBoost tech for gaming, AI features for a smooth experience, and other minor tweaks.

HUAWEI Maimang 11 budget phone makes TENAA appearance, launch imminent

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 15, 2022

The HUAWEI Maimang 11 has reportedly passed the network access audit of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology with model number TYH622M.

The device appears to be a successor to the HUAWEI Maimang 10 that was launched in December last year by China Telecom for 2,299 yuan ($360). Maimang was previously known as Huawei Maimang but has changed ownership and is now under China Telecom, likely due to the US ban.

1 of 4

The information released by the Ministry shows that the HUAWEI Maimang 11 is equipped with a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, which looks to be the Dimensity 700 (via IT Home). This is actually a downgrade from the Dimensity 720 that powered by the Maimang 10.

In addition, the Maimang 11 is equipped with a 6.745-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1600×720, a 5900mAh battery, an 8MP front camera, and 48MP+2MP dual cameras. The device measures 168.3×77.6×8.98mm and weighs 199g. It retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Color options are three — black, blue, and white. Memory configs include either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

China Telecom is yet to announce the release date of the upcoming phone but we’ll be keeping an eye out for that. It isn’t clear if the device will be sold outside of China.

RELATED:

Realme GT2 & GT2 Pro Indian launch officially teased

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 15, 2022

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme launched its current flagship dubbed the Realme GT2 series back in early January in China. The brand has been rumored to debut the smartphones in other markets like India and Europe soon.

Realme GT 2 Pro poster — Realme GT 2 Pro

Now, Realme has officially teased the upcoming launch of the GT2 and GT2 Pro in India. The brand took to Twitter to announce that their flagship smartphones will soon arrive in India.

The wait is over!
Arriving soon in India and it’s going to be#GreaterThanYouSee.

Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/6JbDn4KuwW

— realme (@realmeIndia) March 15, 2022

The company has not mentioned a specific launch date, however, a recent report revealed that the smartphone is set to debut in Indonesia on March 22, 2022, so we can expect the Indian launch to happen on the same date.

Realme GT2, GT2 Pro specifications

The Realme GT2 has a 6.62-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display, a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel (main, with OIS) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 888 chip and a 5,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging.

The Realme GT2 Pro comes with an AMOLED panel with a WQHD+ 1440×3216 resolution and support for 120Hz variable refresh rate (1-120Hz). Its touch sampling rate can reach 1000Hz and its peak brightness reaches 1400nits.

For photography, you get a triple-lens setup at the rear comprised of a Sony IMX766 50MP OIS main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 40x microscope lens. Upfront, there’s the 32MP Sony IMX615 for selfies.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip powers the device, complemented by up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage.

The phone’s battery is sized 5,000mAh with 65W charging support, promising a full charge in just 33 minutes.

The GT2 series is preinstalled with the Android 12 OS and Realme UI 3.0. Other key features include LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and 65W fast charging.

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Apple supplier Foxconn mulls building new factory in Saudi Arabia: Report

By

Sean

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Mar 15, 2022

Foxconn, one of the primary supplier of Apple, is apparently in talks with Saudi Arabia regarding the construction of a new factory in the region. The company is mulling building a 9 billion US Dollar facility in the country.

According to a WallStreetJournal report, the supplier plans on setting up this site for the production of microchips, electric vehicle components, and other electronics as well. The report adds that Saudi Arabia is currently reviewing Foxconn’s offer to build a dual line semiconductor contract manufacturing factory, which is also simply known as a “foundry.” This new site will be situated in the region’s Neom. The city is known to be a tech focused city state that is currently being developed in the desert, as per sources close to the matter.

Unfortunately, the company and Saudi Arabian authorities have yet to officially comment on this news. For those unaware, Foxconn is a major supplier of the Cupertino based giant, but in recent times, it has been expanding its operations outside of consumer electronic products. The company is now diversifying its production to include electric vehicles as well, which has recently becoming popular in the automobile industry.

This news also arrives amid ongoing frictions between the US and China. Apart from Saudi Arabia, the firm is also planning on potentially building a production project in the United Arab Emirates as well. In other words, it plans on moving its production sites outside of China for technologies not related to consumer electronic gadgets.

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Apple starts selling refurbished models of iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 Pro

By

Sean

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Mar 15, 2022

Earlier this week, Apple started to sell new refurbished smartphones. These models were the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, that are currently available in the United States. This marks the first time that the company has sold these models under the refurbished category.

For those unaware, the iPhone 12 series was first launched back in late 2020. Now, the Cupertino based giant is relaunching the series in the US, but only the base iPhone 12 and the higher end iPhone 12 Pro models are listed as refurbished. In other words, prospective buyers do not have the option to buy an iPhone 12 mini or even the top end iPhone 12 Pro Max.

As of right now, the 6.1 inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro refurbished models are available for purchase in multiple color variants and even their different storage configurations. Customers can even opt for delivery or schedule a pickup from select Apple Store locations. Similar to previous generations, the new refurbished devices will be sold for a discount of around 15 percent compared to the brand new models. So now, an unlocked iPhone 12 with 64GB of internal storage can be purchased for 619 US Dollars in the US.

Meanwhile, the same model retails for 729 US Dollars for a brand new iPhone 12. These new refurbished phones will be unlocked and SIM free. Furthermore, the iPhone 12 models will come with a new battery and a new outer shell as well as a new white box that includes all the usual accessories like manuals and a USB-C to Lightning cable. Notably, the refurbished models are also covered under Apple’s standard one year warranty and its extended AppleCare+ coverage.

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