iQOO 9 Pro Review: Excellent first impression but fails to shine as a flagship

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Jan 24, 2022

Thanks to Qualcomm’s update of its Snapdragon chipset, we saw brands queuing up to launch their flagship phones in the new year. Ever since 8 Gen 1 chipset debuted on Motorola Edge X30 in December, we’ve experienced and reviewed 4 models powered by this latest chip. But none of them really surprised us with their performance.

And today we have one more model for you, the iQOO 9 Pro. So let’s check whether the phone is able to stand out from the 8Gen 1 flagship crowd.

Obviously, iQOO has shifted its product strategy from gaming preference to a more common-flagship design. Especially on the latest 9 Pro, the specs seem to be more balanced with the phone coming with more features that we only see on the premium smartphone models. The iQOO 9 Pro adopts a completely new rear design with a triple camera setup housed inside a wide camera island almost covering the upper half of the rear panel.

iQOO 9 Pro Review: Design & Display

This time the 9 Pro comes in just two variants, an Orange leather-like version and the BMW Motosport edition in my hand.

The new design makes it probably the most recognizable model among all the latest flagships.

In addition to the triple camera setup at the left, the wide camera island is made up of a large piece of aluminum plate underneath the slightly-smaller glass cover.

This design is not only for better looks, but also works as a key part of the cooling system. The aluminum plate could effectively transfer heat inside, while the glass cover could block the perceivable heat when holding the phone.

Later I will show you how effective the cooling solution performs in our gaming test.

The Motosport edition still includes the iconic BMW three-color stripes running from the upper part down to the bottom of the rear panel.

The phone weighs about 204g and is 8.8mm thick, which is a bit bulky like the OnePlus 10 Pro. The front face is covering a 6.78-inch 1440p Samsung E5 display, featuring up to 120Hz refresh rate with adaptive support of LTPO. The iQoo 9 Pro features an Ultrasonic ID sensor, which offers fingertips a much larger recognizable area. It’s the best reader that I’ve ever experienced on a phone. Compared to those optical readers, adding a fingerprint becomes so quick that you only need to press the display once for a few seconds, and it allows you to have a larger unlocking area.

The display is definitely one of the best panels for a phone in 2022. The new level-less adaptive refresh rate feels good as I barely feel the change in smoothness when activating this feature. And the 1440P E5 panel doesn’t let you down over color presentation and fineness.

iQoo claims that the new technology would bring a longer battery life. However, by far the phone didn’t really offer good battery performance. And it seems that the updated software drains the power a bit too quickly.

iQOO 9 Pro Review: OceanOS is unique

However, I still wanna talk more about the Origin OS Ocean, which is probably the most special mobile OS based on the Android platform. The Origin OS Ocean looks so different from the others with the brand-new UI design. It has a bold and avant-garde graphic style applying bright colors and fine interactive details. Users can customize their lock and home screen in detail, including adjusting dynamic effects, icon style, and wide options of built-in kits for the home screen. But to be honest, it’s hard to say whether these fancy features improve efficiency in use since it can get complicated for fresh users, and especially, this customized OS is mainly optimized for Chinese users right now. There are still some minor issues with the system language that are not perfectly adapted.

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But the good news is that the OS for China version has wide support for system languages beyond Chinese and English.

Another strange point of the new system is that I cannot find updated options for most built-in apps in the official app store. I have to enter each app’s setting to check whether there’s an updated version available.

Anyway, apart from the features shared by Android 12, the overall design of the new OS is fresh and innovative, which makes me still excited to see how it will perform when coming on a global model.

iQOO 9 Pro Review: Performance & Gaming

Now let’s check its performance with the new 8Gen 1 chip. Well, its results in benchmarks look great. It achieved over 1200 for single-core, 3800 for multi-core in Geekbench 5’s CPU test. In the Antutu Benchmark, the overall result ran up to 1020000, which is also the best score that we got from an Android phone.

In 3DMark, it achieved in the 9700s range in the wildlife graphic test, which is also close to the best result we tested at 20℃. Then to access its performance under heavy load, we ran the stress test in 3DMark, it also achieved the best stability that we’ve tested with 8Gen1. Considering that some 888 and 8Gen1 models couldn’t even finish the test due to heating issue, the 55℃ for front face and 49 for rear cover is still reasonable for a 8Gen1 model. And it’s also likely to be the highest temperature that we can access on the phone. Even in our gaming test, we never recorded such a high temperature on the phone. This likely means that the benchmark should be in the phone’s performance whitelist.

In PUBG Mobile, the iQoo 9 Pro’s framerate could stay extremely stable at 60fps. While for 30-min gaming in Genshin Impact, the average framerate of 54.4 is also the best result that we got on all 8Gen1 models, though the phone got throttled down a bit after the first 5 minutes. Good news is that the phone shows pretty good cooling effect and suppresses the max temperature to below 46 and 42℃ at the front and back ,respectively.

Then we ran another game, Nimian Legends, under its highest graphics at 2K resolution, which probably is the heaviest game that we can play on mobile phone. After the first 5 minutes, the performance got throttled down more and the framerate remained at 40.3 fps, which is not so impressive compared to what we tested in Genshin Impact. But the result is almost the same as what we tested on OnePlus 10 Pro and Xiaomi 12 Pro.

And the thermal performance is still good with a max temperature at below 46℃.

By far iQoo is the only brand that uses an independent display chip to bring a smoother game experience with high framerate and low power consumption. In supported games, it can access up to 120fps or 90fps framerate through frame interpolation, ignoring in-game framerate limits.

It sounds great, right?

Well, unfortunately, I’m sorry to tell you that it doesn’t work outside of China at this point. Because by far it only supports 16 games, and all of them are China versions. Although we saw the Genshin Impact in the supported list, there’s still no trigger to activate the frame rate interpolation in the international version of Genshin Impact that we downloaded from the Google Play store. It’s disappointing though, we still want to show you how it works in supported games. For example, In the Chinese version of Genshin Impact, before entering the game, you have to switch the display resolution to the 1080P option since it doesn’t support 1440P display resolution.

There’re two modes in frame interpolation. Either access the 120fps gaming experience with the Framerate-Boost option on, or play the game at 90fps with the Optimize-power-consumption mode. With support of the display chip, it only requires GPU to render 60fps to have the 120fps gaming, and render 45fps to have the 90fps gaming. At the same time, the interpolation modes would slightly increase operational delay. Anyway, I really enjoy playing Genshin Impact at such high framerate, but all we can do is wait for the brand open the feature to more games and especially the global market.

Hey iQoo, you have to do something, alright?

iQOO 9 Pro Review: Cameras

Like most flagships coming this year, the iQoo 9 Pro also features a triple camera setup including a 50MP primary lens with Vivo’s Gimbal stabilization, a 2.5x 16MP telephoto lens and another 50MP 150° ultra-wide-angle lens supporting fisheye mode. We’ve seen the same wide-angle lens on the Realme GT 2 Pro and the OnePlus 10 Pro. However, it’s not so impressive.

Okay let’s look at some camera samples. Under good lighting conditions, the samples shot on the three cams look good with bright colors and natural aperture. But when meeting high-contrast scenes, the imaging is not so stable and sometimes the fringing issue shared by all the three lenses could be annoying when you check the pictures on a bigger display. The wide-angle lens supports fisheye mode though we couldn’t get good distortion correction at 0.6x shooting. And there’s a bug on the 2.5x telephoto camera. We couldn’t get a true portrait-mode photo with it.

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When it comes to night scene, the samples shot on the three cameras look a bit dull and lack detail. Especially for the wide-angle lens, the night samples even couldn’t capture red colors correctly. And when it comes to extremely low-light condition, the 2.5x telephoto camera wasn’t even activated. Instead, all the zoom pictures were shot on the main lens.

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The most impressive feature of the phone’s cameras is the Gimbal stabilization technology. It still offers the best stability for mobile phones similar to what we saw on the Vivo X60 and X70 series.

Anyway, I think iQoo still need to do a lot more work on fixing their camera software. I believe the phone can do much better than what we have here.

iQOO 9 Pro Review: Battery Life & Charging

The phone could be fully charged within 20mins with the included 120W charger, and it also supports 50W wireless charging with 10W reverse wireless charging. While its battery life is not as impressive as the charging solution, the latest software probably is the reason behind this.

iQOO 9 Pro Review: Verdict

So that’s all we want to share about the iQoo 9 Pro. Actually at the beginning we’re pretty excited to review the phone. The phone’s gaming performance really stood out from the 8Gen1 crowd. However, by far the software doesn’t really offer delightful experience for daily use and photography.

So among the five 8Gen1 flagships, which one has convinced you? Or are you not impressed by anyone?

Reebok ActiveFit 1.0 smartwatch goes official in India for ₹4,499 ($60)

By

Jeet

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Jan 24, 2022

Reebok, the Adidas-owned company which makes sporting products, has launched its first smartwatch in the Indian market, dubbed as Reebok ActiveFit 1.0. The device has launched through Amazon and it’s likely to be available exclusively through the online marketplace.

It is priced at ₹4,499 (~$60) with the introductory offer and is now available for purchase in India. The pricing will increase after 28th January. The device is offered in four different color options — Black, Blue, Navy, and Red.

The Reebok ActiveFit 1.0 smartwatch features a 1.3-inch HD display housed inside a round dial and is rated IP67, making it water splash and dust-resistant. It comes with several features, including call and message notifications, social media apps prompt, controls for camera and music, as well as some built-in games.

It also comes with a blood oxygen monitor, a heart rate sensor with 24/7 heart rate monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, sleep monitoring, and sedentary reminders. There are 15 fitness tracking modes for sports and other fitness-related activities.

The smartwatch also includes menstrual cycle tracking and meditative breathing. Other fitness feature includes calorie and step trackers. It also comes with a weather application, pricing access to weather forecasts.

As for the battery life, the wearable product is promised to offer up to 15 days of battery on a single charge and has a standby time of up to 30 days. Given the price point of the Reebok ActiveFit 1.0 smartwatch, it will compete with offerings from the likes of Xiaomi, Amazfit, Realme, Noise, among others.

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OPPO Reno7 series India launch date officially revealed

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jan 24, 2022

OPPO has been teasing the launch of the OPPO Reno7 series in India for the last few days. With the start of a new week, the company has now officially revealed when the next generation of Reno smartphones will debut in India. It is indeed coming in the first week of February as revealed by a tipster.

The OPPO Reno7 series has been confirmed to launch in India on February 4. Just like the previous gen, this one will also be sold via Flipkart, OPPO online store, and offline stores across the country.

Though the brand is yet to confirm the devices that are coming to the region, it is being said all three models will be introduced. However, we may only see the announcement of the OPPO Reno7 and OPPO Reno7 Pro next week. The OPPO Reno7 SE might arrive later.

The OPPO Reno7 series brings a new design to the lineup. But the specs are somewhat the same, except for the cameras. The Pro model, for instance, sports a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor and a customized 32MP Sony IMX709 selfie camera.

In our review of OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G, we found the performance of the camera system to be not so impressive. But the one on the OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G is actually better. You can learn more about the phone in our review.

Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 foldable smartphone’s display and chipset details leak online

By

Jeet

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Jan 24, 2022

Xiaomi entered the foldable smartphone market with the launch of its MIX Fold last year and now the company is gearing up to launch its successor, which is likely to be named Xiaomi MIX Fold 2.

Now, a new report from leakster Digital Chat Station reveals some key details about the upcoming foldable smartphone, including the chipset powering the device and details about the phone’s display.

Mi MIX Fold featured — XIaomi Mi MIX Fold

It has been leaked that the MIX Fold 2 smartphone will feature an 8-inch LTPO display offering a screen resolution of 2.5K. The screen size of the device almost makes it a tablet as the Apple iPad Mini features an 8.3-inch display.

Apart from the screen details, it has also been revealed that the device will come powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset which will power most of the premium phones getting launched this year.

It’s noteworthy that the report doesn’t explicitly mention the device to be the MIX Fold 2 but given the screen size, no smartphone other than the MIX Fold series from the company fits the description.

There are a few other devices from Xiaomi which are scheduled to go official in the coming weeks or months. In February, the company will be taking the wraps off the Redmi K50 series, which includes the Redmi K50, K50 Pro, K50 Pro Plus, and the K50 Gaming Edition.

The company is also working on two other devices codenamed “thor” and “loki” which are expected to feature high-end camera configuration. There are also reports about some other mid-range products, including the Redmi Note 12 series. Apart from the MIX Fold 2, Xiaomi could also launch another foldable smartphone named MIX Flip to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series.

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ASUS ROG Magic X is now up for pre-order in China for 13,499 yuan ($2,132)

By

Jeet

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Jan 24, 2022

ASUS ROG Magic X, the company’s latest 2-in-1 thin and lightweight notebook, which is probably the most powerful in this segment, is now finally available for pre-order in the Chinese market, for the price of 13,499 yuan which is about $2,132.

The device offers different kinds of usage, thanks to the 2-in-1 form factor. When the keyboard is attached to the device, it can be used as a traditional laptop while removing the keyboard attachment converts the device into a tablet. The product weighs 1.2 kilograms and measures 12mm in thickness.

The ROG Magic X offers two options for the 13-inch display — 4K with a 60Hz refresh rate or Full HD with a 120Hz refresh rate. Both these options come with touchscreen support as well as Corning Gorilla Glass for protection. The screen comes with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and supports Adaptive-Sync technology, Dolby Vision HDR, 500nits brightness, and has passed Pantone Color Certification.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the 12th generation Intel Core i9-12900H processor. It is support for XG Mobile Docking Station that comes equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU for heavy tasks for professionals or gamers. It packs LPDDR5 5200mHz RAM and up to 1TB PCIe SSD storage.

As for the interface, there’s a USB Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Type-C port with support for DP1.4 and PD Charging. There’s also a Thunderbolt 4 port as well as a micro card reader on the back and Windows Hello integration in the power button for fingerprint recognition.

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Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro 2022 could be powered by 3nm M2 chipset

By

Jeet

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Jan 24, 2022

Apple is expected to launch the next-generation iPad Pro this fall and if the latest reports are to be believed, then the premium tablet will come powered by the company’s yet-to-be-announced Apple M2 chipset.

The report coming from @Dylandkt also claims that the upcoming iPad Pro, coming with 11-inch and 12.9-inch display versions, will be among the range of devices that Apple plans to launch later this fall.

iPad Pro 2022-front and back — Leaked Renders of iPad Pro 2022

It is also being claimed that the new iPad Pro may not feature the MagSafe Charging feature which was being rumored earlier. Further, it is said that the 11-inch model may have a Mini-LED backlit display which the company has used in the 12.9-inch model.

It’s entirely possible that the Apple iPad Pro may come powered by the M2 chipset given that the current-generation model is powered by the Apple M1 chipset. While not much is known about this upcoming Apple Silicon chip, it is rumored to be manufactured using a 3nm process by TSMC.

Also, the iPad Pro isn’t the only product that is expected to come powered by an M2 processor later this fall. There are reports claiming that the technology giant will be upgrading the 14-inch MacBook Pro could get an M2 chipset model in the second half of this year, as well as a new MacBook Air in the coming months.

The report also adds that the highly-anticipated Apple AirPods Pro 2 true wireless earphones are on track to get launched in the fall. We expect to get more details about the products in the coming weeks or months.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 series European pricing leak ahead of launch next month

By

Jeet

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Jan 24, 2022

After months of rumors and leaks, South Korean giant Samsung has finally announced that the upcoming flagship smartphones from the brand, the Galaxy S22 lineup, will be officially announced at the Galaxy Unpacked event on 9th February.

Just weeks ahead of the official launch, the pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series in the European market has leaked online.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Render Leak via Evan Blass

The base model of Galaxy S22 with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will be priced at €849 while the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model will cost €899. The Galaxy S22 Plus with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage end up costing €1,049 while the model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage will be priced at €1,099.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S22 Ultra with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will cost €1,249 and the 12GB RAM with 256GB model will be priced at €1,349. The top-end model with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage will cost €1,449.

It’s noteworthy that the leak doesn’t align with the previous leak that suggested that the base model of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will have 12GB RAM and the top-end model will pack 16GB of RAM. There have also been reports about Samsung bringing back a 1TB storage model, which has also not surfaced in this new price leak.

It will be interesting to see how Samsung prices the upcoming Galaxy S22 series smartphones given that it is facing a lot of competition with Apple having iPhone 13 Mini starting at $699 and the Google’s Pixel 6 at $599.

Although the Galaxy S22 lineup is expected to come with some major upgrades, including a revamped design, better specifications, improved camera sensors, and more, the pricing will play a crucial role for it to become one of the top-selling products for the year.

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Nexzu Mobility unveils the Bazinga e-bicycle in India for Rs. 49,445 ($665)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 23, 2022

Indian electric vehicle startup Nexzu Mobility has announced its commuter version of its e-bike called the Bazinga in India and it will be priced at Rs. 49,445 (~$665). The Bazinga is a commuter electric bicycle with a range of 100km and an ergonomically decent design. Nexzu Mobility also announced the cargo version of the e-cycle which is priced slightly higher than the Bazinga at Rs. 51,525 (~$693) and the e-cycles will be released to the Indian market in February 2022, according to the company.

The Bazinga is a unisex bicycle with a single detachable Li-ion battery pack, a solid and sturdy design, as well as a new cargo carriage that can take loads up to 15kg. With the design of the Bazinga, the rider can seamlessly hop in or hop out, while the digitally designed decals provide an exciting feel and look for the e-cycle. Although Nexzu Mobility says the Bazinga has a range of 100km, it is unclear what is the top speed of the electric bicycle and what are the charging options available, although we know that the battery is detachable.

Pre-booking of the Bazinga can be done via Nexzu Mobility’s e-commerce website as well as its social medial platforms. From February 2022 when the e-bicycles are released, deliveries will commence. Although there are still some areas in the specs sheet where information is lacking, it is expected that we will get to know more about the Bazinga as its launch date draws closer. The coming weeks will however reflect the nature of the reception that the Bazinga will get from the market when the pre-order numbers are analyzed.

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Volkswagen showcases the ID. Buzz electric minibus ahead of March 9 unveiling

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 23, 2022

The EV world has been abuzz with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric minibus which is scheduled for launch on March 9, 2022. The latest official teaser from Volkswagen further illuminates the exciting ID. Buzz minibus, and primes it for a rapturous debut on March 9. Volkswagen has released an official video showing the new electric minibus driving out of an assembly plant in Hannover, Germany.

The ID. Buzz was developed and manufactured by Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle arm Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge and two camouflaged units of the electric minibus were shown in the video driving out of the Hannover assembly facility. It has been five years of progress and activity since Volkswagen unveiled its electric minibus plans in 2017. The company has been able to meet its 2022 target set for the ID. Buzz which the new face of its zero-emissions policy for its minibus lineup.

There had been several teasers relating to different aspects of the design and features of the ID. Buzz, and piecing these renders and videos together reflect a very impressive design and feature-laden electric minibus with great potential and implications in the industry. Volkswagen had also confirmed through its CEO the official launch of the ID. Buzz was scheduled for March 9, and the new video teaser further serves to increase the hype leading to the launch of the ID. Buzz. The official video shows the buses covered in rainbow zebra stripes and a tweet from Volkswagen also indicated that the ID. Buzz was on its way to Spain for its scheduled launch in March. It will be preceded by a covered drive for journalists in Barcelona this week.

More details about the ID. Buzz will come out after the covered drive event in Barcelona, but we await more official specs info for the ID. Buzz as we inch towards the March 9 official unveiling.

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Samsung Galaxy Unpacked February 2022 event is Happening on February 9 at 10 am EST

By

Leo Wong De Quan

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Jan 23, 2022

Samsung’s first highlight of the year is always its first Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event which happens during the period between January and March of each year. A few days ago, Samsung confirmed that it would hold the Galaxy Unpacked event in February 2022, though the company is yet to reveal the exact launch date. However, it seemed that some info slipped through the cracks as users found the exact official launch date online.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022 February 9 — Samsung reveals that the event is happening on February 9 10 am EST via an Instagram ad.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked February 2022 is officially happening on February 9, 2022(Wednesday) at 10 am EST(8:30 pm IST). The info comes from users online reporting that they were given a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022 advertisement on Instagram that led them to the pre-order reservation sign up form. After completing the form, in a pop-up completion message, Samsung revealed that it will unveil its new range of innovative products on February 9 at 10 am EST via Samsung.com, which is where Samsung usually hosts the live stream for their annual Spring Unpacked event.

Samsung’s February 2022 Galaxy Unpacked event is set to announce its flagship smartphone lineup, the Samsung Galaxy S22 series and its flagship tablet lineup, the Galaxy Tab S8 series as well.

The Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra as well as the upcoming Galaxy Tab S8 series are now officially open for preorder reservations. The company will be offering early-bird discounts and bonuses for those who chose to place a reservation right away. The company is promoting “exclusive offers” which are not known yet but there is the usual $50 credit.

The Galaxy S22 series is expected to come with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset while some models will ship in a few regions with an Exynos 2200 chipset. The device will come with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.

Furthermore, the flagship models will run on the latest Android 12 operating system with an overlay of Samsung’s custom One UI 4.0. The top variant – the Galaxy S22 Ultra will include a dedicated S Pen Stylus in the device and pack a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W super-fast charging.

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OPPO Reno7 SE tipped to launch in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 23, 2022

A recent report revealed the OPPO Reno7 series of smartphones in India by the first week of February 2022. Probably, the company will hold its unveiling event on Feb. 4 or Feb. 5. So far, reports have claimed that the Reno7 and Reno7 Pro that was made official in China in December 2021, will be made available in India. Now, a fresh leak by tipster Yogesh Brar reveals that the Reno7 SE will be also coming to the country.

To recall, the Reno7 SE was also announced alongside the Reno7 and Reno7 Pro in China. The tipster has claimed that the Reno7 lineup will be priced between Rs 25,000 (~$336) and Rs 45,000 (~$605). Considering that the Reno7 SE is a starting variant in the Reno7 lineup, it is likely to cost around Rs 25,000 (~$336).

The OPPO Reno7 SE that was announced in China offered specs like a 6.43-inch AMOLED FHD+ 90Hz display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 48-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (depth) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. It has a Dimensity 900 chipset, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB / 256 GB of storage, Android 11 OS, and a 4,500mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging.

Coming back to the tipster, he further said that the Chinese manufacturer is conducting closed testing for the Find X5 series in India. This indicates that the Find X series will be coming back to India.

While the Find X2 was announced in June 2020 in India, the company did not launch the Find X3 series in the country. The Find X5 series is expected to launch in China by late February. Probably, it could be coming to global markets by March.

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Google Pixel 6A likely to launch in May

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 23, 2022

In Q4 2021, Google announced the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro as its first smartphones powered by the in-house Tensor chipset. Rumors have it that the search engine giant will be announcing a Tensor powered Pixel phone in the next few months. This device is expected to debut in the market with the Pixel 6A moniker. Now, tipster Max Jambor has tipped the launch timeline of the Pixel 6A.

According to Jambor, the Google Pixel 6A is scheduled for May. To recollect, the Google Pixel 5a 5G was announced in August 2021. Its predecessor Pixel 4a was unveiled in August 2020. The Pixel 3a was made official during the Google I/O event, which was held in May 2019. Hence, it is likely that the upcoming Google I/O event in May could see the arrival of the Pixel 6A.

Google Pixel 6A specifications (rumored)

Recent reports have revealed that the Google Pixel 6A’s rear camera setup will include a 12.2-megapixel Sony IMX363, which was first made available on Pixel phones back in 2018. The main camera will be coupled with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 ultrawide lens. It will come with an 8-megapixel Sony IMX355 snapper for capturing selfies.

It is speculated that the Google Tensor GS101 chip that powered the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will also power the forthcoming Pixel 6A. Unfortunately, the rumor mill is yet to leak detailed information on the specs of the Pixel 6A.

The CAD renders and dummy unit images of the Pixel 6A have revealed that it will be equipped with an OLED panel with a punch-hole design and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Its rear side will be fitted with a horizontal camera module for its dual-camera unit.

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Upcoming Xiaomi Phone details leaked, said to sport Unreleased Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, Dimensity 8000 and more

By

Leo Wong De Quan

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Jan 23, 2022

Xiaomi kickstarted 2022 in traditional Xiaomi fashion by first launching its flagship Xiaomi 12 series in China featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, LTPO 2.0 AMOLED and a flagship triple camera setup. With 11 months left in 2022, it is no doubt that there will be more new releases from the company and a recent leak from China has revealed several key details and the codenames of Xiaomi’s upcoming releases.

The leak comes from the popular leakster, Digital Chat Station on Weibo. He shared a screenshot of the 12 codenames that Xiaomi has given to its 12 upcoming releases that are currently in development.

DCS-weibo-snapdragon-dimensity-redmi-xiaomi — Source: Digital Chat Station on Weibo

The first 4 codenames on the list are the Xiaomi “munch”, “rubens”, “matisse”, and “fog”. These 4 models are actually the internal software codenames for Xiaomi’s upcoming Redmi K50 models which are respectively, the standard Redmi K50, the Redmi K50 Pro, the Redmi K50 Pro Plus, and the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition.

As Xiaomi has officially unveiled that it will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and MediaTek Dimensity 9000 each on one of its Redmi K50 series models respectively, Digital Chat Station, on his Weibo post further reveals that for the other Redmi K50 models, Xiaomi will be using 2 different chipsets for them. Those 2 chipsets are namely the Snapdragon 870, MediaTek Dimensity 8000.

upcoming-xiaomi-devices codenames — Codenames for Upcoming Xiaomi releases. Source: Digital Chat Station

The next 2 models on the list, codenamed the Xiaomi “thor” and “loki”, are said to be Xiaomi’s entries into the premium flagship cameraphone segment. Digital Chat Station mentioned that both models will be equipped with the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and feature high-quality camera sensors for the photography enthusiast.

As for the final 6 models on the list, they are codenamed as the Xiaomi “light”, “thunder”, “zizhan”, “zijin”, “taoyao” and “opal”. The 6 models are supposedly the internal codenames for Xiaomi’s upcoming foldables, the Xiaomi Mi MIX Flip and Fold 2, and Xiaomi’s upcoming mid-range Redmi Note 12 series.

Digital Chat Station reveals that Xiaomi will be equipping its foldables this year with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 whereas the Redmi Note 12 series may feature the unannounced Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset.

Redmi K50 series key specs — Redmi K50 Official Teaser Poster

Xiaomi has already confirmed that it will be holding the Redmi K50 series launch event in February. As per the official teaser poster, one of the Redmi K50 series devices launching next month features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, a 4,700mAh battery with 120W fast charging, and dual VC liquid-cooling.

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Micromax In Note 2 specifications leaked ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 23, 2022

Micromax has recently confirmed that it will be announcing the Micromax In Note 2 on Jan. 25 in India. Its microsite is now live on Micromax India’s website and Flipkart. These listings have revealed the key specs of the smartphone. Now, a fresh leak by Sudhanshu Ambhore has revealed more information on the specs of the In Note 2.

Micromax In Note 2 specifications (rumored)

According to a report by My Smart Price that cites tipster Yogesh Brar as the source has revealed that the device has a 6.43-inch AMOLED FHD+ display that has a centrally aligned punch-hole. It is unclear whether it supports a 60Hz or a higher refresh rate.

For selfies, the In Note 2 will feature a front camera of 16-megapixel. The rear camera setup of the device features a 48-megapixel primary camera, a 5-megapixel secondary lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel snappers. For security, it features a side-facing fingerprint scanner.

The Micromax In Note 2 is powered by the Helio G95. The leak reveals that the device will come in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants and storage choices like 64 GB and 128 GB. The handset will come preinstalled with Android 11. Like the predecessor In series of smartphones, the In Note 2 is also expected to run on a near-stock version of Android.

The In Note 2 will be packed with a 5,000mAh battery, which will be coupled with a 30W charger. According to Micromax, the fast charging tech will allow the smartphone to gain 50 percent battery in just 25 minutes. The leak has no information on the pricing of the device, but it is likely to arrive in black and brown colors.

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Popular Chinese EV Maker BYD is set to Announce 3 New EVs in 2022 – Here are all the Details currently known

By

Leo Wong De Quan

-

Jan 23, 2022

BYD is the popular Chinese battery and electric carmaker that is backed by many high profile investors across the globe, including the US billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Throughout 2021, the company sold 603,782 new energy vehicles. Compared with the sales numbers of 189,689 in 2020, it has seen a sales revenue increase of 218% from a year earlier, the company said in an announcement.

Following the BYD Dolphin EV released in 2021, BYD is looking to continue its ocean-themed design and names into its 2022 EV models as well. Several media outlets in China are already reporting about the rumours of the car manufacturer’s supposedly upcoming models, which are leaked to be named as the BYD Seal, the BYD Seagull, and the BYD Sea Lion.

BYD Seal

For the BYD Seal, it is set to be announced in Q1 of 2022 in China. With a rumoured retail price of around 150 to 200 thousand RMB(24 to 32 thousand USD), the fully electric-powered sedan is aimed towards the mid-range market and is claimed to be the unofficial successor to the BYD Dolphin revealed in August 2021 last year. Chinese reports show that the BYD Seal will be 4,770 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,460 mm tall, and its wheelbase will measure 2,900 mm. BYD will offer it with an 800-volt battery pack that provides it with a range of up to 700 km.

The electric vehicle may also come in 2 variants: an RWD and an AWD variant. The AWD variant allows the vehicle to achieve a quick 0-100 km/h acceleration time in just over 3 seconds (3.3 or 3.4 seconds). The AWD variant will sport two motors, one producing 200 kW and one producing 160 kW while The RWD variant will be available with two motor options: 150 kW and 180 kW, reports said.

BYD Seagull

For the BYD Seagull, it is set to be announced in Q2 of 2022 in China. Aimed towards entry-level consumers who don’t want to spend much on an EV, the BYD Seagull is a miniature EV and the rumoured price tag for the vehicle is between 60 and 80 thousand RMB (9.5 and 12.6 thousand USD). No further details about the EV were mentioned in the reports.

BYD Sea Lion

For the BYD Sea Lion, it is set to be announced in Q3 of 2022 in China. As the company’s premium flagship EV this year, the BYD Sea Lion is expected to be a fully electric SUV that is rumoured to sell for around 200 to 250 thousand RMB(32 thousand to 40 thousand USD). It will reportedly be an electric SUV competing with the Tesla Model Y, which puts it above the Yuan Plus within the BYD lineup.

Recently, leakster Greg Kable shared on Twitter spy photos of the alleged BYD Sea Lion. It is said that the BYD Sea Lion could be the production version of the BYD X Dream concept that debuted at the Auto China 2021 event. BYD said during the presentation that the concept features the brand’s “well-received” Dragon Face design language and uses Chinese knot elements, which will be a key feature on the design front on future BYD vehicles.

With 3 new EVs models to be released in 2022, in addition to the announcement of Japanese carmaker Toyota partnering with the company to help BYD develop its cars in 2022, BYD’s growth is expected to continue in the Chinese market and it may even make its impact on the global industry in 2022 as well.

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(Via 1, Via 2)

OnePlus 10 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jan 22, 2022

The OnePlus 10 Pro is the most powerful flagship launched in 2022 now. With its amazing specs sheet, it offers all the best you can expect from a 2022 phone without compromises. But will this be enough to make this device a good alternative to the best iPhone? It is a very challenging question, especially if we consider that the iPhones have a different operating system. But knowing the differences between the OnePlus 10 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the first step to understand which is the most valid handset: this comparison will highlight the differences between their specifications.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

	OnePlus 10 Pro	Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	163 x 73.9 x 8.6 mm, 200.5 g	160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm, 240 g
DISPLAY	6.7 inches, 1440 x 3216 pixels (Quad HD+), AMOLED	6.7 inches, 1284 x 2778 pixels (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3 GHz	Apple A15 Bionic, octa-core 3.22 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 6 GB RAM, 512 GB – 6 GB RAM 1 TB
SOFTWARE	Android 12, ColorOS	iOS 15
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 48 + 8 + 50 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 32 MP f/2.2 front camera	Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.5 + f/2.8 + f/1.8 + TOF 3D LiDAR scanner Dual 12 MP f/2.2 + SL 3D front camera
BATTERY	5000 mAh, fast charging 80W, fast wireless charging 50W	4352 mAh, Fast Charging 27W, fast wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	5G, dual SIM, reverse wireless charging	5G, optional dual SIM, IP68 waterproof

Design

I love the curved screen of the OnePlus 10 Pro, but the iconic design of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and its amazing build quality make it more interesting when it comes to aesthetics. The iPhone has a thinner body with a thickness of 7.7 mm and a 20 percent smaller notch if compared to the previous generations, as well as those trending flat borders which inspired several other brands. Further, it comes with a glass back protected by Ceramic Shield and an awesome stainless steel frame. Last but not least, it is waterproof with the IP68 certifications (up to 6 meters deep for 30 minutes), while the OnePlus 10 Pro lacks an IP certification.

Display

On the paper, the OnePlus 10 Pro looks to have better display specifications. Its panel is able to show up to one billion colors with a 10-bit color depth, it has a high Quad HD+ resolution of 1440 x 3216 pixels, the HDR10+ certification, the LTPO 2.0 enabling an adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz, and an in-display fingerprint reader. However, the image quality of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and its color reproduction are so impressive that it reaches the OnePlus 10 Pro even though the specifications on the paper seem inferior. The iPhone lacks an in-display fingerprint reader but it relies on an even safer authentication method: 3D facial recognition powered by Face ID.

Specs & Software

Both these devices will give you amazing performances, the max you can get with each operating system. However, the power users might notice that the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a bit faster and more stable: the merit goes to the iOS operating system and its amazing stabilization. The iPhone 13 Pro Max gets just 6 GB of RAM, but its multi-tasking performance is comparable to the OnePlus 10 Pro thanks to iOS. However, you will notice these small differences only in the most demanding usage scenarios: you would better focus on the other specifications because performance is very high on both these devices.

Camera

With normal photos and videos, the iPhone 13 Pro Max should give you better image quality. It sports a 12 MP main camera, a 12 MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, and an ultrawide camera with the same 12 MP resolution. On the other hand, the OnePlus 10 Pro provides better zoom capabilities thanks to an 8 MP telephoto sensor with 3.3x optical zoom and better ultrawide shots thanks to a 50 MP ultrawide camera with 150° FOV.

Read More: OnePlus 10R powered by Dimensity 9000 SoC to reportedly launch in Q2 2022

Battery

Despite having a smaller battery, the iPhone 13 Pro Max provides a longer battery life in a lot of scenarios thanks to the optimization provided by iOS. But the OnePlus 10 Pro supports faster charging technologies: 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

Price

The OnePlus 10 Pro has a starting price tag of about €650/$738 in the Chinese market, while we still do not know how much it will cost in the global market. You need €1250/$1418 to purchase the iPhone 13 Pro Max in China. While the iPhone is definitely the winner of this comparison, the OnePlus flagship has a significantly higher value for money.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: PRO and CONS

OnePlus 10 Pro

PRO

3.3x optical zoom
Quad HD+ resolution
Faster charging
Faster wireless charging
Better price

CONS

Nothing particular

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

PRO

iOS is well optimized
Great camera experience
MagSafe
Waterproof (IP68)
Thinner design
Face ID

CONS

Price

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Google lands in trouble over ‘Deceptive’ Pixel 4 radio ads

By

Sudhanshu

-

Jan 22, 2022

Search giant Google has landed in legal trouble again but not for something they recently did. The company is being sued in Texas for radio advertising that aired from late October to early December of 2019.

According to a report by AndroidCentral, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has brought forth this lawsuit claiming that Google ran inaccurate and deceiving advertisements about its Pixel 4 smartphones in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston markets. The claims allege that Google refused to provide the Pixel 4 smartphones to the advertisers while requiring them to give a positive, personal testimony about using the product.

Specifically, the suit states that “Google demanded the recording and broadcast of the advertisements using Google’s scripted and deceptive wording” even after being informed by iHeartMedia that such practices were against the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection Act.

The script of these ads included phrases like “I’ve been taking studio-like photos of everything…my son’s football game… a meteor shower… a rare spotted owl that landed in my backyard.” Google had allowed the broadcasters to slightly modify the specific events spoken of in the script but did not allow them to remove the personal claims.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda stated that Google “will review the complaint but the AG’s allegations appear to misrepresent what occurred here.”

The Attorney General also added that the ads ran 2405 times on iHeartMedia radio channels between October 28, 2019, and December 2, 2019. During this period, Google did not provide the Pixel 4 device to any of the eight radio personalities that had “personalized” messages about their use of the Pixel 4 device for this advertisement.

In January 2020, Google again approach iHeartMedia to run a similar ad campaign for the Pixel 4 and did not provide the smartphones to the radio personalities until after iHeartMedia attempted to purchase them on their own. The suit added that “this continued pattern of behavior demonstrates the blatant disregard Google possesses for true and accurate advertising in the marketing and sale of its products.”

If Google is found guilty of the alleged charges, the company will be ordered to “pay civil penalties not to exceed $10,000 per violation of the DTPA to the State of Texas,” along with any court fees, according to the suit.

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Microsoft unveils a custom Xbox Series S for the Year of the Tiger

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 22, 2022

Microsoft has revealed yet another customized console of its Xbox Series S to mark the Year of the Tiger on the Chinese zodiac, although it is thought that this new console will not be available for purchase. Microsoft says as part of its celebration of the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger, Xbox has created 15 custom Xbox Series S consoles and accompanying Xbox Wireless Controllers with Chinese cartoon designer Bu2ma, which are inspired by a character from his work that has gained iconic status. Instead of being put on sale, the consoles will be the giveaway for a contest on Wechat and Bilibili which begins from January 25.

The custom Xbox Series S consoles and wireless controllers will certainly be collector’s items and will be iconic as well. Microsoft has produced lots of Xbox consoles sporting customized designs over the years. Some of the consoles and controllers were tie-ins with some of the more popular games and sold mostly on a limited-edition basis. There have been other Xbox customized console designs that were far deeper than just faceplate customization, also on a limited edition basis.

According to the Chinese Lunar calendar, the Year of the Tiger begins from February 1, 2022, to January 21, 2023. The Tiger remains a revered giant of Chinese folklore and also a wildlife delight. It is however not clear how many units of the custom Xbox Series S consoles will be manufactured for giveaways during the contest. Whatever the case, it is clear that the new customized Xbox Series S special edition consoles will have a great appeal even though they will not grace any retail outlet.

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Here’s why Apple won’t be shipping iPhones with earbuds in France anymore

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 22, 2022

The flip-flop between Apple and the French government relating to iPhone shipments to the country has taken another turn. Back in September 2021, Apple agreed to bundle earbuds into the iPhone package for the country due to lack of compliance with a specific French law.

The law specified that all handsets sold in France must have an accessory that can limit the user’s exposure of his head to radioelectric emissions when using the phone. Apple had already left out the earbuds as part of the package for the iPhone 12 in 2020. The company had to navigate through the issue by packing the iPhone 12 models for France in a separate box that included the earphones as required. However, a change in the extant law now specifically states that manufacturers of smartphones are no longer required to give headphones/hands-free kits in France.

Apple will start selling its iPhones in France without the earbuds from January 24, as a response to the changes in the law which was quite controversial. Resellers of smartphones in France have already stopped bundling the earphones into the box since January 17. The iPhone package will only have a Lightning to USB-C cable as an accessory. It is obviously a misreading of the radiation exposure risk in using smartphones by the French government that has led to the flip-flop. Indeed, there is no significant radiation exposure risk while using your smartphone, and using a headset/ earphone does not mitigate the exposure.

Although Apple has faced biting criticism for leaving out key accessories from its iPhone package, on the claims of environmental sustainability, and the French enforcement of the rule could have assuaged some of the bitter customers, albeit, its enforcement was for a short period.

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Just Corseca launches a smartwatch in India that looks way cooler than the name

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 22, 2022

The Just Corseca Ray K’anabis smartwatch has been unveiled in India for Rs. 8,999 ($121). The new smartwatch comes with some decent features that may be masked if we just focus on its name, Ray K’anabis. The Ray K’anabis is a salt-water resistant smartwatch and it will be a great buy for athletes, bikers, and persons engaged in rigorous work regimes.

The Just Corseca Ray K’anabis has a1.28-inch Full HD IPS display with 240×240 pixels resolution. It features a unibody design that can withstand underwater conditions for up to 30 minutes and a depth of 1.5 meters. It also has Hi-Fi calling functionality and a raft of sensors that provides measurements for blood pressure, blood saturation, heart rate, menstrual cycle, as well as a drink water reminder. There are also multiple sports modes available with the Ray K’anabis.

The battery of the Ray K’anabis has a 400mAh capacity and can last up to 15 days of normal use and 20 days if it’s on standby. The smartwatch offers music control, camera control, and several other features including finding your phone.

The Ray K’anabis is available in India across several online and offline retail outlets including Amazon.in and is priced Rs. 8,999 ($121), as mentioned earlier. It will be available in black and green colors and Just Corseca will hope that the smartwatch will have decent reception in the subcontinent.

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