Vivo Y33s 5G spotted on Geekbench, with Dimensity 700 & Android 12

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Feb 25, 2022

We already known that Vivo is planning on launching a new 5G smartphone in the Indian market. However, prior to its official release, the Y33s has been spotted on Geekbench, which revealed some interesting information about the upcoming handset.

Looking at the listing on the popular benchmarking website, the smartphone carried the model number V2166A. In other words, this device is the Vivo Y33s, and we had covered its leaked renders and specifications previously. The Geekbench listing also revealed that it will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC, which is a 5G enabled octa core processor that has a base clock speed of 2GHz. This chip will be paired with the Mali-G57 MC2 GPU.

Furthermore, the Chinese smartphone maker’s upcoming smartphone will come with 8GB of RAM, as listed on the database. Although, the device will likely arrive in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants as well. Talking about the scores, we can see that the Vivo Y33s scored 420 points in the single core test and 1550 points in the multi core test. Unfortunately, that is all the information we have to go on at the moment but we do have some additional details from our previous reports.

The smartphone will apparently sport a 6.51 inch display with HD+ resolution and offer 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a large 5,000mAh battery pack will power the device, which also supports 18W fast charging as well. On the rear, it will feature a 13 megapixel primary camera and a 2 megapixel depth sensor. The front will reportedly have an 8 megapixel sensor for selfies. Vivo Y33s will run on Android 12 out of the box with the company’s Origin OS custom skin. So stick around for more updates.

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Samsung Galaxy A03 launched in India for Rs 10,499 with 48MP camera

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Feb 25, 2022

Samsung has quite an A Series-packed couple of months incoming, with a number of devices on the way. While most of them are mid-rangers, the company is also keen on refreshing its entry-level lineup, and today launched the Samsung Galaxy A03 in India for a starting price of Rs 10,499.

The Samsung Galaxy A03 comes with a 6.5-inch TFT display with an HD+ 720 x 1600 resolution. Under the hood, there is the UNISOC T606 octa-core processor with a maximum clock speed of 1.6GHz. The chip is supported by up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be expanded thanks to the presence of a microSD card slot.

For photography, there’s a dual-camera setup at the rear comprised of a 48MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. Selfies will be handled by the 5MP front camera that comes with image enhancing features like Beauty Mode, Smart Selfie Angle, and Live Focus.

The device’s battery is sized 5,000mAh and since there’s no mention of the charging speed, it is most likely 10W only as is the case with most entry-level Samsung devices.

On the software front, you get One UI 3.1 Core out of the box, which is based on Android 11. There’s support for Dolby Atmos too, although it’s limited to headsets alone.

You get the Samsung Galaxy A03 in three color options, namely Black, Blue, and Red. The base variant of the device with a 3GB+32GB config costs Rs 10,499, while the 4GB+64GB config will set you back by Rs 11,999. Purchase can be made through Samsung.com, retail stores, and leading online portals.

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OxygenOS 12 Open Beta comes to OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, 8T Indian & NA variants

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 25, 2022

OnePlus recently released the first OxygenOS 12 Open Beta update for the OnePlus 9R users outside China, and now, the company has rolled out the Android 12 based OS for the OnePlus 8 series devices, specifically the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and the OnePlus 8T.

Oneplus 8 Pro All Colors Featured — OnePlus 8 Pro

Anyone can install the update without the need for registration. All they have to do is download the required file and install it from Settings > System > System Updates > Top Right Icon > Local Upgrade.

Since its beta release, OnePlus warns of bugs. The brand says that some third-party apps may not function properly and the clock might be missing the dial display when the AOD feature is on.

If not satisfied with the beta update, users can roll back to the stable channel. Though the process is similar, it will wipe the phone’s internal storage.

OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, 8T OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 1 Official Changelog

System
- Optimized desktop icons with improved textures, by using a design inspired by brand-new materials and uniting lights and layers
Dark mode
- Dark mode now supports three adjustable levels, bringing a more personalized and comfortable user experience
Shelf
- New additional style options for Cards, making data contents more visual and easier to read
- Newly added Earphone Control Card with Bluetooth earphone one-click adjustment
- 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 stats
Work-Life Balance
- Work-Life Balance feature is now available to all users, allowing you to effortlessly switch between Work and Life mode via quick settings
- WLB 2.0 now supports 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
- Gallery now allows you to switch 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
- Canvas AOD brings you new 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
- Optimized software algorithm and improved face recognition to better identify the features and skin color of different figures

To know more about the update, or download the OxygenOS 12 Open Beta, OnePlus 8 & 8 Pro users can follow this link. If you own a OnePlus 8T, you can click this link to get to the Open Beta download page.

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Get OPPO FIND X5 PRO (Snapdragon Edition) for $1199 at Giztop

By

Daily Deals

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Feb 25, 2022

Oppo Find X5 Pro (Snapdragon Edition) is now available for $1199 only at Giztop. This price is applicable to the base variant.

WHERE TO BUY

Oppo Find X5 Pro (Snapdragon Edition) at $1199 @Giztop

OPPO Find X5 Pro (Snapdragon Edition)

Key Features:

Display: 6.7” LTPO 2.0 AMOLED 2K display, 120Hz refresh rate
Colors: 10 bit / 1.07B colors
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Octa-core
GPU: Adreno 730
Custom 6nm MariSilicon X image processing chip
Rear Camera: Triple – 50MP + 50MP + 13MP
Selfie Camera: 32MP
RAM: 12GB LPDDR5
ROM: 256GB / 512GB UFS 3.1
Battery: 5000mAh
Charging: 80W SuperVOOC charge, and 50W AirVOOC Flash Charge
Operating system: Color OS 12.1 based on Android 12

You can now buy OPPO Find X5 Pro for $1199. The smartphone comes in two color variants viz. Ceramic White and Ceramic Black.

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

OPPO Find X5 uses OLED panels from BOE

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 25, 2022

OPPO announced the OPPO Find X5 series yesterday after teasing it for the past few days. The original lineup includes three models, namely OPPO Find X5, OPPO Find X5 Pro, and OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition. Out of these, the vanilla variant uses display panels supplied by BOE.

After the launch of the OPPO Find X5 series, BOE revealed that it exclusively provides curved OLED panels for the regular OPPO Find X5. This screen is curved on four sides and sports a punch hole at the top left corner.

As far as specs are concerned, the BOE-supplied OLED panel on the OPPO Find X5 is an LTPO flexible AMOLED screen measuring 6.55 inches diagonally. It has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 10-bit color depth (1.07 billion colors), and 402 PPI.

The display supports up to 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. Talking about color gamut coverage, it can cover 97% of NTSC, 100% of DCI-P3, and 100% of sRGB.

The screen’s brightness can reach up to 1,000 nits and it has a screen-to-body ratio of 92.7%. Last but not least, it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

On the other hand, the OPPO Find X5 Pro and the OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition use Samsung Display’s E4 2K AMOLED canvas with LTPO 2.0 technology. This panel is better, and therefore, it is fitted on expensive phones.

Google Pixel 6 series confirmed to skip Android 12L beta 3

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Feb 25, 2022

The Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro have been officially confirmed to skip the Android 12L beta 3 update and will get the next release instead that’s been scheduled for March.

The information comes from a Reddit thread on r/Android_beta (via Android Police) where Pixel 6 owners inquired why their devices were not receiving the latest beta despite signing up for the program.

As a response, Google from its official Reddit account stated that “If you’re enrolling a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro that is on the latest February build SQ1D.220205.004, you will not receive an update to 12L Beta 3, but instead will receive the next upcoming beta build release in March as long as you keep your device enrolled.”

In other words, Pixel 6 series users will have to wait for the release of Android 12L beta 4 in order to get updated to the latest version.

The response can also be taken as a confirmation for a fourth beta since the official roadmap released last year showed beta release plans only until February, with an official “Final release” scheduled for some time after.

But if you simply can’t shake off the urge to jump aboard Android 12L beta 3, then you can try re-checking for the update for about five times after opting in. A Redditor says it worked for them so it’s worth a shot.

RELATED:

realme caught trying to pass off recording as actual gameplay on Narzo 50 launch

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Feb 25, 2022

Going heavy on gaming with a launch for a Rs 12,999 phone isn’t really the wisest move, yet realme chose to do just that with the realme Narzo 50 launch event, even getting an “esports streamer” onboard to run tests. The whole thing was obviously heavily scripted but playing a pre-recorded clip instead of actually gaming on the device took things a bit too far.

Now, there’s frankly not much to hold up against the event itself which was a unique one, showing off the phone’s specs with an amusing 5-round competition. But in one of the rounds that required a quick-scope kill on Free Fire to win, realme messed up big time by trying to pass off recorded footage as actual gameplay (via RMleaks).

If you skip to 10:15 on the video for the launch, you’ll see a pause button pop up on one of the participant’s ‘gameplay’ triggered by an unwarranted touch on the screen. The interface looks to be of Google Photos, which is enough proof of the round not being the real deal.

realme’s reason for doing this remains unclear. Surely it wasn’t impossible to get a streamer to achieve a no-scope? Or did the company not have enough faith in the realme Narzo 50’s gaming abilities?

The latter seems unlikely given the final round of the event where the gameplay looked legit and lag-free. Also, Free Fire is not a demanding game at all and can run fairly well on the cheapest of post-2020 smartphones.

While there are quite some unanswered questions here, it is worth mentioning that an incident like this isn’t a first-time affair. Last year, the company was caught streaming iPhone game footage and promoting it as being from the realme Narzo 30A. The blunder was blamed on “a wrong file being accidentally sent to the producer” back then, so it would be interesting to see realme’s justification this time.

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nubia Z40 Pro launched with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 9x periscope camera, magnetic charging, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 25, 2022

After teasing for days, nubia, the sub-brand of ZTE, has officially launched the nubia Z40 Pro (NX701J) in China. The latest flagship smartphone from the company is the successor of the nubia Z30 Pro from last year. The device not only brings a new set of specs but also a revamped design. Let’s take a detailed look at it.

nubia Z40 Pro Specifications and Features

The nubia Z40 Pro sports a boxy design like the nubia Z30 Pro, however, its camera module is different. The new model only has three lenses placed vertically. Its predecessor has three sensors arranged in an L-shaped and a fourth sensor below them.

As far as the build is concerned, the phone features an AG (anti-glare) glass sandwich design with a metal frame. It measures 161.9 x 72.9 x 8.4mm in dimensions, weighs 199g, and comes in two colors (Interstellar Black, Galaxy). There’s also a special edition of this smartphone, which is themed after ‘The Outcast’ anime.

It flaunts a 6.67-inch curved OLD display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 395 PPI, and up to 144Hz refresh rate. The panel has a 20:9 aspect ratio and a centered punch-hole.

Further, the handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It boots MyOS 12 based on Android 12.

The device houses a triple camera setup on the rear consisting of a 64MP Sony IMX787 primary sensor with OIS, a 50MP 116° ultra-wide unit, and an 8MP 9x periscope shooter with OIS. For selfies and video calls, it uses a 16MP snapper.

Connectivity options on this phone include dual SIM, 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C). It offers an in-display fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers with support for DTS:X Ultra, and an x-axis vibration motor.

nubia Z40 Pro The Outcast Limited Edition

Last but not least, the nubia Z40 Pro is backed by a 5,00mAh battery with support for 80W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The handset also comes in a magnetic charging edition. It is the world’s first commercially available Android smartphone with a magnetic charging solution.

nubia Z40 Pro Price and Availability

The nubia Z40 Pro will be available for pre-order in China starting March 2. It will retail at the following price tags.

nubia Z40 Price

Standard Edition

8GB + 128GB – ¥3,399 ($538)
8GB + 256GB – ¥3,699 ($586)
12GB + 256GB – ¥3,999 ($633)
12GB + 512GB – ¥4,499 ($712)

Magnetic Charging Edition

12GB + 256GB – ¥4,299 ($681)
16GB + 1TB – ¥5,999 ($950)

The Outcast Limited Edition

12GB + 256GB – ¥4,699 ($744)

Qualcomm made significant shipment gains even as MediaTek led SoC market in 2021

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Feb 25, 2022

While MediaTek maintained its lead, Qualcomm recorded 33% YoY growth in the global smartphone AP (Application Processor) / SoC (System on Chip) market in 2021. The market grew 5% YoY in Q4 2021 overall, with almost half of the SoC shipments being 5G smartphone SoC shipments, the latest Counterpoint figures show.

MediaTek led the smartphone SoC market in Q4 2021 with a 33% share. But its shipments declined due to inventory correction. Still, the company is expected to see growth in its revenues in the first quarter of 2022 driven by the Dimensity 9000 chipset. Lower seasonal demand will be offset by higher 5G penetration.

Global smartphone AP/SoC shipment market share (%), Q4 2020 vs Q4 2021 via Counterpoint

Meanwhile, Qualcomm recorded a strong quarter, growing 18% QoQ in the fourth quarter of last year despite component shortages and inadequate foundry capacities. The chipmaker was also able to prioritize high-end Snapdragon processor sales, which come with higher profitability. It was also able to increase supplies from its major foundry partners by dual-sourcing orders.

Global 5G Smartphone Baseband Shipment Market Share (%), Q4 2020 vs Q4 2021 via Counterpoint

Apple stood third in the smartphone SoC market in the fourth quarter of 2021 with a 21% share, with shipments driven by iPhone 13 launch and festive season demand.

UNISOC recorded growth this year and reached an 11% share in Q4 2021, with shipments more than doubling in 2021. It has expanded its customer base and currently supplies to companies like HONOR, realme, Motorola, ZTE, Transsion, and Samsung.

Samsung dropped to fifth place while Hilisilicon saw its market share drop to just 1% as its inventory of Kirin SoCs ran out.

RELATED:

Man frames broken Galaxy Z Flip3 after Samsung refused to fix it under warranty

By

Sean

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Feb 25, 2022

A Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 user has recently shared his experience with the foldable smartphone, and what led him to frame it once it had broken down. Yes, the device is in a frame alongside the company’s letter of refusal to honor the warranty.

According to Juhani Lehtimäki‘s blogpost, he “will never buy another Samsung device.” He had decided to purchase the new foldable smartphone after watching a video from a famous tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee who had reviewed the handset. Initially, Juhani was quite satisfied with the device, due to its unique design and form factor. However, it was quite costly and just after three months, disaster struck.

One day, he took out his phone from his pocket and noticed the middle of the display on top of the hinge turning black. Furthermore, the top half of the display had stopped responding to touch as well. This black part starting growing as well and soon, the display had completely failed. Lehtimäki claims that he never dropped the phone and took great care of it. So, he sent it for repairs since it was still in warranty thinking that foldable panels are still new and this might not be too out of the ordinary.

But unfortunately for him, the South Korean tech giant said that his Galaxy Z Flip3 “could not be repaired under warranty. Based on the information you have provided, we have contacted our service partner to obtain more detailed information regarding the repair. During the technical inspection of your device, the technician was able to determine that in addition to the display, the frame is also broken and that this damage is due to a mechanical impact, such as a fall, bending or excessive pressure.”

To make matters worse, the company said that it would cost around 340 US Dollars to fix the display. So, Juhani decided that he would never pay a single penny to Samsung ever again and framed the broken phone along with the rejection mail to remind him of this forever.

RELATED:

Redmi Note 11 Pro Series India launch date officially announced

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Feb 25, 2022

Following the release of the standard models, Redmi India is now gearing up to launch their beefier, more expensive variants in the form of the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G. Rumors of a March launch for the duo surfaced several days back and the brand has now officially confirmed them.

With a tweet, Redmi announced today the Redmi Note 11 Pro series is all set to go live at 12 noon, 9th March 2022.

The image used in the announcement only drops subtle hints on what to expect with the series, specifically 5G support, 108MP camera, 120Hz display, and 67W charging. But because both devices have already been launched in other markets, it isn’t difficult to forecast their specifications.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro will obviously be the same as its global variant. It lacks 5G since it is powered by the MediaTek Helio G96 chip but makes up for it quite well in other departments. Take its display, for example, which is a 120Hz 6.67″ FHD+ AMOLED panel — fairly high-end for a wallet-friendly offering. For photography, there’s a triple-camera setup that’s topped by a 108MP unit, and the 5,000mAh battery is capable of being filled up 67W.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is expected to come with specs very similar to its non-5G sibling but will be equipped with a 5G chip and perhaps better cameras.

Do keep in mind here that Xiaomi has a knack for tweaking features between regions, so it would be wise to not take the aforementioned specifications at face value.

RELATED:

Get Redmi Note 11, Note 11 Pro and Pro Plus for discounted prices only at Giztop

By

Daily Deals

-

Feb 25, 2022

Redmi Note 11 Series is now available on Giztop at discounted prices. You can now buy Redmi Note 11 for $169, Note 11 Pro for $269, and Note 11 Pro Plus for $339 only at Giztop. Please note that these prices are applicable to the base variants only.

FEATURES	REDMI NOTE 11 4G	REDMI NOTE 11 PRO	REDMI NOTE 11 PRO PLUS
BASE VARIANT PRICE	$169	$269	$339
DISPLAY	6.5" LCD FHD+, 90Hz	6.67" AMOLED, 120Hz	6.67" AMOLED, 120Hz
PROCESSOR	MediaTek Helio G88	MediaTek Dimensity 920	MediaTek Dimensity 920
RAM	4GB / 6GB	6GB / 8GB LPDDR4	6GB / 8GB LPDDR4
STORAGE	128GB	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB
REAR CAMERA	50MP + 8MP + 2MP	108MP + 8MP + 2MP	108MP + 8MP + 2MP
SELFIE CAMERA	8MP	16MP	16MP
BATTERY	5000mAh	5160mAh	4500mAh
CHARGING	18W Fast Flash Charge	67W Fast Flash Charge	120W Fast Flash Charge
COLORS	Black, White, Blue	Green, Purple, Black, Blue	Black, Purple, Green

Please note that these are Chinese edition phones, but come with Google Mobile Service and Google Play store installed, and OTA updates and English language support.

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

Customers can opt for Dimensity 9000-powered OPPO Find X5 Pro in China

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 25, 2022

Yesterday, OPPO unveiled the OPPO Find X5 series globally. The Pro model offers all the bells and whistles for a premium price tag. Interestingly, in China, customers can opt for a cheaper version of this smartphone with some minor changes in its specs. This variant of the device is officially called OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition.

As the name suggests, the OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition arrives with a MediaTek chipset instead of Qualcomm. Precisely, it is powered by the latest Dimensity 9000 SoC rather than Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC.

Further, this version of the phone lacks the company’s in-house MariSilicon X image processing silicon. It also misses out on Hasselblad tuning and 5-axis OIS. Finally, it arrives in a single 12GB + 256GB memory configuration and only two color options (black, white).

Apart from the aforementioned differences, the OPPO Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition is the same as the standard OPPO Find X5 Pro inside out. The handset is priced at ¥5,799 ($918). It will be available for pre-order starting March 14, followed by sale on March 18.

For comparison, the original OPPO Find X5 Pro costs ¥6,299 ($998) for the 12GB + 256GB variant. Its base model (8GB + 256GB) is priced at ¥5,999 ($950), while the top version (12GB + 512GB) goes all the way up to ¥6,799 ($1,077).

Samsung Galaxy S22 series pre-orders cross 1 million in South Korea alone

By

Sean

-

Feb 25, 2022

Samsung Electronics had recently announced its latest flagship series of Galaxy S22 smartphones. Soon after the launch, the pre-orders went live, which broke records in many regions. In South Korea alone, the Galaxy S22 series pre-orders crossed an impressive 1 million.

According to the South Korean tech giant, the number of pre-orders on the first day surpassed 300,000. This marked the highest domestic record among any Samsung Galaxy series smartphone. The previous record was held by the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 that were released back in August 2021. And just a week after, this figure swelled to include a total of 1.02 million units in pre-orders, which is the highest ever. This means that the Galaxy S22 series has dethroned the Galaxy S8 that saw the highest ever pre-orders, which hit 1,004,000 (Via ZDNet).

Out of the entire lineup, the top end Galaxy S22 Ultra accounted for 60 percent of all pre-orders, which arrives as no surprise considering this particular model would even attract Galaxy Note fans as well. The company didn’t see success in its home market alone, its pre-orders broke record in other regions as well. We had previously reported on Samsung breaking records in India as well, with pre-orders reaching more than 70,000 units in just 12 hours.

So, the figure has likely gone up since then as well. Similarly, the brand also saw great success in the US as well. As per the official Samsung Newsroom US, the Galaxy S22 series saw record breaking pre-orders in the region, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra being the most popular model here as well. Bryan Choi, a senior Samsung executive, added that “We’re thrilled that these devices have already become among our most popular ever.”

RELATED:

Deal: Get Motorola Edge X30 for as low as $499 on Giztop

By

Daily Deals

-

Feb 25, 2022

Motorola Edge X30 which generally retails for $699 is now available for as low as $499 only at Giztop. Please note that this is one of the best prices offered for a phone powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

WHERE TO BUY

Motorola Edge X30 at $499 @Giztop

Motorola Edge X30 features a 6.7” OLED screen and 144Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and comes with Adreno 730 GPU. Available in multiple memory variants viz. 8GB/ 12GB Turbo LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB / 256GB storage the smartphone comes in Blue and White color variants.

The smartphone comes with a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP main camera and 50MP + 2MP secondary sensors. For your selfies, you have a 60MP sensor in the front. Fueled with a 5000mAh battery, it supports 68W TurboPower Fast charging.

Generally retailing for $699 you can now buy Motorola Edge X30 for as low as $499 only at Giztop.

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

ColorOS 12 beta program goes live for OPPO Reno4, Reno4 Pro

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Feb 25, 2022

Just recently, OPPO started the Android 12-based ColorOS 12 beta program for a bunch of smartphones in multiple markets. Within a few days, the company has now added two more devices to the program. These phones are OPPO Reno4 and OPPO Reno4 Pro.

According to official announcement po sts on OPPO Community, the ColorOS 12 beta program is now live for the OPPO Reno4 in Indonesia and the OPPO Reno4 Pro in India as well as Indonesia. The company is recruiting 5,000 testers for the handsets in each region. The registrations began on February 23 and will remain open until March 2.

OPPO Reno4

Region: Indonesia
Seats: 5,000
Required Firmware: C.23, C.24
Deadline: March 2

OPPO Reno4 Pro

Region: Indonesia, India
Seats: 5,000 (each region)
Required Firmware: C.42, C.43
Deadline: March 2

Interested users on the required firmware can 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 Android 12 beta initiative.

OPPO says that selected applicants will receive the beta software via OTA within 3 working days from the selection. That said, those who don’t get picked can try their luck in the next round of recruitment if there’s going to be any.

As far as stable release is concerned, OPPO is yet to reveal the timeline for it. Going by the rollout so far, it may happen in a month or two from now.

Apple AR headset to reportedly feature Micro OLED display and M1 processor

By

Jeet

-

Feb 25, 2022

Apple has been rumored to be working on its first AR device and the operating system for powering such product is also reportedly being developed by the technology giant.

Now, a new report has surfaced online which claims that the upcoming Apple VR headset will come powered by the Apple Silicon’s M1 processor. It also goes on to add that the device will have a micro OLED display.

Sources aware of the development in the supply chain have said that Apple is entering the second round of pre-production tests on the AR headset.

Earlier, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had said that the Cupertino-based giant will launch the headset “with the same computing power level as the Mac,” with its chip design being the major difference between the AR headset from other brands.

While the launch date for the Apple AR headset isn’t known at this time, reports indicate that the device could go official sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

South Korean tech giant Samsung is also working on its first AR headset and the company has reportedly formed a task force that is focused on working with Microsoft to develop further AR headsets.

Samsung’s AR headset is said to use hologram technology and has been developed over an extended period by the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology. It is said to be based on the Exynos processor and will use Google’s Android as the operating system.

RELATED:

OnePlus 9R ColorOS 12 stable update based on Android 12 released with a lock screen bug

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Feb 25, 2022

OnePlus kicked off the Android 12-based ColorOS 12 beta program for the OnePlus 9R ahead of Christmas. Almost two months, as scheduled, the brand has now started rolling out the stable update for this handset. On the other hand, the international variant, which is sold exclusively in India, only recently entered the OxygenOS 12 Open Beta program.

According to the official announcement post on OnePlus Community China, users need to be at least on firmware version A.15 to receive the ColorOS 12 stable update on their OnePlus 9R.

If they meet the criteria, then they head over to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Upgrade Early Adopters > Application for Official Version. On this page, agree to the privacy policy, click on ‘Apply Now’, followed by ‘Check’ to download and install the Android 12 stable update.

Users need to go through these steps as the update is currently limited to those who want to try it by choice. If these early adopters don’t face any major issues, the release will be made available for everyone in the coming days.

Though the latest system update for the OnePlus 9R is called ‘stable’, OnePlus does mention a bug. The brand says that the lock screen flashes while unlocking with a large number of notifications. The only solution for this right now is to clear notifications.

That said, as mentioned earlier, the international OnePlus 9R just got access to Android 12 beta. Hence, the stable rollout for it will likely take a month or two.

Realme GT2, GT2 Pro pricing for Europe leaked before MWC 2022 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Feb 25, 2022

Realme will be holding a global launch event on Feb. 28 during the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 event to announce the Realme GT2 and GT2 Pro. A fresh leak by tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore has revealed the pricing, variants, and color options of the GT2 and GT2 Pro for the European markets.

Realme GT2, GT2 Pro pricing (rumored)

The Realme GT2 is expected to arrive in two variants such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage in Europe. Both models are likely to be priced at 539 euros (~$604) and 589 euros (~$660). The handset could be available in colors such as Paper White, Paper Green, and Steel Black.

The Realme GT2 Pro will come in a sole version offering 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage in Europe. It may carry a price tag of 789 euros (~$885). Like the vanilla model, the GT2 Pro may arrive in Paper White, Paper Green, and Steel Black colors.

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.

The Realme GT2 Pro has a 6.7-inch AMOLED LTPO QHD+ 120Hz screen, a 32-megapixel selfie snapper, and a 50-megapixel (main, with OIS) + 50-megapixel (ultrawide) + 3-megapixel (microscope) triple camera system. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip powers the device with a 5,000mAh battery.

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

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Realme GT Neo3 India launch expected as name appears on Realme India website

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Feb 25, 2022

Realme GT Neo3 is in the works. Recently, new Realme phones with RMX3560 and RMX3562 appeared with full specifications in the TENAA certification site of China. Rumors have it that these are two variants of the GT Neo3 for the Chinese market. Fresh information shared by reliable tipster Mukul Sharma and Pricebaba suggests that the GT Neo3 could be also coming to India soon.

The below-shown screenshot shared by the publication shows that the Realme GT Neo 3 name has appeared in the source code of Realme India’s website. Unfortunately, the website does not have any other information about the smartphone. The mere appearance of the phone’s name on the official site is a good hint that its India launch may not be far away.

Realme-RMX3560-RMX3562 — TENAA images Realme RMX3560/2

Realme GT Neo3 specifications (rumored)

The Realme GT Neo3 will feature a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a centrally aligned punch-hole. It will produce a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. For selfies, it will be equipped with a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple rear cameras.

The upcoming Dimensity 8100 chip is likely to power the GT Neo3. It may ship with 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB of internal storage. The handset is expected to arrive with Realme UI 3.0 flavored Android 12 OS preinstalled. It will be equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The RMX3560 variant of the GT Neo3 will feature a 4,500mAh battery, which will carry support for 150W rapid charging. On the other hand, the RMX3562 model may come packed with a 5,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging support. Probably, the GT Neo3 will debut in March in China.

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