Apple iPhones and iPads may soon charge accessories through their screens: Reveals patent

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Dec 31, 2021

A new patent by Apple has surfaced on the US Patent & Trademark Office portal suggesting that iPhones and iPads may soon get a functionality enabling them to charge accessories through their screen glass.

The patent drawings suggest that wireless charging may be functional on one section of the screen while keeping the other side usable. However, it stays unknown whether the charging area of the screen will have any display output while the functionality is being used.

The details of the “Through-Display Wireless Charging” patent hints at the possibility that this feature may only support charging for accessories and therefore might charge wireless charging enabled accessories like the AirPods, the Apple Watch, and the Apple Pencil.

The feature is sure to come in handy in unforeseen situations when you unexpectedly run out of battery on your AirPods while outside your home or in situations when you don’t have a charger on hand.

Separately, the upcoming iPhone 14 is rumored to come without a SIM card slot, hence supporting only eSIM cards for connectivity. It is also said that there will be support for two eSIM cards, ensuring dual SIM functionality.

Prior to this, there were rumors about Apple planning to remove the Lightning port from the smartphones and if the company also gets rid of the physical SIM card slot, then it would be a step further for a seamless design as well as improve water resistance.

Currently, it all seems like speculation and there’s no concrete evidence to back any of these claims. However, Apple has a track record of taking some bold decisions so there’s a possibility that this information could turn out to be true. As of now, all we can do is wait for more details to surface online in the coming months.

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Google Maps still directed motorists to a deadly route after a heavy snowstorm

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 31, 2021

Google Maps has evolved to become a great navigational tool providing useful directions to road users on the quickest routes and other ancillary information. But a potentially fatal flaw was noticed recently when it directed users to ply roads that were closed or dangerous due to the massive snowfall in the area. A horrified user Crystal A. Kolden (@pyrogeog) tweeted Google Maps with a screenshot showing the route between Sacramento, California, and Reno, Nevada.

Kolden pointedly labeled Google Maps as an abject failure. He accused Google Maps of sending people up a poorly maintained forest road with the risk of fatal accidents due to the terrain and a severe blizzard. Although there were no verified reports of accidents in the area that could be linked to the dangerous Google Maps directions, it is still deeply concerning.

The directions recommended by Google Maps take travelers through Marysville Road, a narrow two-lane path that passes through the Tahoe National Forest. Another Twitter user warned Android users of Google Maps, saying that the Android version of the app does not seem to report road closures.

.@googlemaps This is an abject failure. You are sending people up a poorly maintained forest road to their death in a severe blizzard. Hire people who can address winter storms in your code (or maybe get some of your engineers who are stuck in Tahoe right now on it). pic.twitter.com/IzagAXzBtA

— Dr. Crystal A. Kolden 🔥 (@pyrogeog) December 28, 2021

Thankfully, there were warnings to motorists in the area to avoid using that route as an alternative to the 1-80 closure, including a tweet by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

The National Weather Service (NWS) also said that five to nine feet of snow have fallen in the Lake Tahoe area over the last week, and the conditions could remain unchanged for a while.

As has been seen severally, tech innovations may not provide foolproof measures in extreme weather situations. It is always advisable to rely on multiple sources, together with hardwired common sense to reach the best decision.

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Nokia smartphone with multiple variants, 50MP camera bags FCC certification

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 31, 2021

Nokia has not been too active in the smartphone scene lately but whenever it releases a new model, it is usually accompanied by pomp and pageantry. Nokia may have got a new premium smartphone in the works as a new model with multiple variants has been certified by the US FCC.

The new model arrives with as many as six different variants with the model numbers listed as TA-1418, TA-1404, TA-1412, TA-1415, TA-1405, and TA-1401. Of the lot listed, the listing for two variants – TA-1404 and TA-1412 afford us a clear look at the specifications as well as the design of the model including the camera design.

The image of the Nokia model shows the device features a triple camera setup stacked vertically at the top left corner and housed in a rectangular module. A similar design was recently spotted on the Nokia N1530DL which looks like a US-exclusive version of this model.

Although the full specs lineup is not known, the Nokia TA-1404 and TA-1412 FCC certification show the model will have a 50MP main camera. The main shooter will team up with two other 2MP sensors while at the front, there will be an 8MP sensor housed inside the punch-hole cut-out.

While the Nokia TA-1404 is listed as a dual-SIM model packing 4GB RAM and 128Gb storage, the TA-1412 will be the Single-SIM version and will come in 3GB RAM + 64GB, 4GB RAM + 128GB internal storage options.

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The listing also shows the device will be powered by a Unisoc chipset which Nokia has used only on the C-series but it is not certain if this is a C-series model. Under the hood, the device will cram a 4900mAh battery with model number WT341.

Tecno POVA 5G Indian price and launch date revealed by Transsion India CEO

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 31, 2021

Yesterday, we reported on the possible Indian launch timeline of Tecno‘s first-ever 5G smartphone, the Tecno POVA 5G. The device was revealed to launch sometime in January 2022. Now, more reports have surfaced with finer details on the expected launch date as well as the device’s price point and more.

According to a report by Giznext, Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of Transsion India has revealed in an interview that the Tecno POVA 5G will release in India in the third or fourth week of January. Additionally, Talapatra revealed that the device will be priced around Rs 18,000 to 20.000 in the subcontinent.

Tecno POVA 5G specifications and features

To recall, the Tecno POVA 5G first launched in Nigeria earlier this week features a massive 6.95-inch IPS LCD panel with a punch-hole design. It offers 1080 x 2460 pixels, Full HD+ resolution, 480ppi pixel density, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Dimensity 900 chipset is present under the hood of the POVA 5G.

The POVA 5G has 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It boots to HiOS flavored Android 11. The device comes with 3 GB of virtual RAM. For security, the device is fitted with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Shown in the images is the Aether Black edition of the POVA 5G.

The rear camera system of the POVA 5G has a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel camera, and an AI lens. For selfies, the device is fitted with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Tecno POVA 5G has a 6,000mAh battery, coupled with 18W fast charging. The company claims that a 15-minute charge will offer 3 hours of gameplay time. The POVA 5G offers 775 hours of standby time, 55 hours of talk time, and 11 hours of gaming.

Apart from the smartphone, Tecno also plans to increase its accessories offering. Talapatra stated that “We are planning to launch new TWS, speakers, and smartwatch next year.”

He said that speakers will be launched in January, while smartwatches will be available in Q2 and both will be priced under Rs. 5,000.

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Huawei reports a decline in its 2021 revenue by 28.9% YoY, expresses resilience

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 31, 2021

Chinese tech giant Huawei is still reeling from the heavy sanction regime imposed by the United States government that has led to a downward spiral of its revenue from its 2020 results. Reports monitored in China indicate that Huawei has projected a 28.9% revenue decline compared to its returns last year.

The 2021 revenue projection stood at 634 billion yuan, while the fourth-quarter results show a 19% slowdown from the previous quarter, and the Q4 revenue is projected at 178.2 billion. Huawei has had a remarkable rebound in some aspects of its businesses but the biting effects of the US sanctions are still visible in its balance sheet. Huawei is still unable to generate new products and sell to the various markets where it had established a foothold before the heavy blow from the United States and some of its allies.

Huawei’s current chairman Guo Ping says its telecom business remains strong, while its other lines of operations are also growing rapidly. The decline comes from the device business of the company which was brought to a screeching halt by the sanctions. Huawei remains positive and insists that it will not change its ideals due to changes in the external environment, but will continue to pursue its ideals despite the bottlenecks.

The company continues to engender staff confidence with its positive outlook for 2022, with numerous opportunities for a much better 2022 performance.

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New Year Deal: $50 OFF on Ulefone Thermal Imaging Rugged Phones

By

Daily Deals

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Dec 31, 2021

This New Year, Ulefone is giving out an amazing deal on their thermal imaging camera rugged phones. From 30 December to 12 January 2022, you can get a $50 discount on all rugged phones from Ulefone with thermal imaging cameras.

What is a Thermal Imaging Camera?

A thermal imaging camera also known as an Infrared camera detects and measures the infrared radiation of an object. It then converts that infrared data into an electronic visible image thereby giving you an apparent surface temperature of the object.

Usage:

Professionals use thermal imaging for power line maintenance, thermal insulation maintenance, surveillance, maintenance of law and order, rescue and search operations, building maintenance, pipe works, firefighting operations, etc. However even non -professionals and people from everyday life find thermal imaging useful. Let’s check out a few examples of using thermal imaging cameras in daily life.

The ongoing pandemic has made us realize the most common and versatile use of thermal imaging cameras. In any and every situation you can easily monitor the temperature of a person by using these cameras. This will help you to find out if anyone near you is sick and requires immediate attention and help.

When lost in a forest or the wild outdoors, this camera can help you spot wildlife and even differentiate which kind of animal it is. Also for animal lovers, bird watchers, and wildlife conservationists, this camera is a lifesaver as it drastically improves the detection and movement of wildlife, especially nocturnal animals.

If you are planning to play some winter sports like indoor- skating then again thermal imaging cameras are very useful as they can measure the temperature for both the ice and the people playing the sport. Other than winter sports even when you are exercising both indoor and outdoor these cameras help you to monitor your temperature changes thereby assisting you with controlling and managing your activities.

Thermal Imaging Camera Rugged Phones.

Ulefone has combined the advanced thermal imaging camera with their military-grade certified smartphones to bring out a series of thermal imaging rugged phones. These phones are strong, reliable, rugged, durable, and perfect for all your outdoor adventures. With the thermal imaging rugged smartphone series, Ulefone has taken the advanced infrared thermal imaging camera and fitted it into a stronger, thicker, water, shock, and dust-proof phone and turned it into the ultimate rugged smartphone. These phones help you with building diagnostics, an inspection of electrical systems and machines, detection of a leaky pipe or termite colony in the wall, and much more.

And from 30 December 2021 to 12 January, 2022 Ulefone is giving $50 OFF on their thermal imaging rugged phones, Ulefone Armor 11T 5G and Ulefone Armor 9.

Ulefone Armor 11T 5G

Retail Price: $649.99 Discounted Price: $599.99

Key Features:

FLIR Thermal camera with MSX technology
Temp range: -10 to 400 degrees celsius
6.1” HD+ display
8GB RAM + 256GB ROM
Dimensity 800 5G (7nm)
Triple rear camera – 48MP main, 4K video
Battery: 5200mAh, wireless charging
Fingerprint ID
NFC

Ulefone Armor 9

Retail Price: $549.99 Discounted Price: $499.99

Key Features:

FLIR Thermal camera
Temp range: -10 to 400 degrees celsius
Connect endoscope camera – for hard to reach places
6.3” FHD+ display
8GB RAM + 256GB ROM
Helio P90 (12nm)
Triple rear camera – 64MP main
Battery: 6600mAh
Fingerprint ID
NFC

For more information on these phones check out this video here.

Please note that this limited-time offer will end on 12 January 2022.

Also, if you are in the market for a rugged smartphone but do not require the thermal imaging camera then check out this budget-friendly Ulefone Armor 11 5G. The phone is now available at a discounted price of $479.99. So hurry up and grab the offer before it expires.

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

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G, Galaxy A13 5G to get an India launch in February 2022: Tipster

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 31, 2021

Since September, the Samsung Galaxy A33 rumors have been making the rounds on the internet. The leaks have previously revealed that the phone will arrive with an IP67 rating. Now, a fresh leak has hinted at its Indian launch timeline alongside the Galaxy A13 5G.

According to a report by 91mobiles, tipster Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) has revealed that Samsung is gearing to launch both the Galaxy A33 5G and the Galaxy A13 5G in India by February 2022. The tipster further added that the Galaxy A33 5G will be priced similarly to its predecessor (Galaxy A32 5G) and therefore can be expected to launch for around Rs 25,000.

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G Specs and Features

As for its specifications, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G is expected to feature a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch. Similar to the Galaxy A53 and the Galaxy A73, the device will ditch a 3.5mm headphone jack. Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G is said to house a MediaTek 5G processor which is powered by a 5000mAh battery. For photography, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G is tipped to sport a quad rear camera setup with a 48MP or 64MP primary sensor.

Samsung Galaxy A13 5G Specs and Features

The Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, which is the Korean tech giants’ entry-level 5G smartphone, was launched earlier this month in the US market featuring a 6.5-inch LCD panel on the front with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate.

The waterdrop notch on the top houses a 5MP camera for selfies and video calls. Whereas, on the back, it houses a triple camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, 2MP macro snapper, and a 2MP depth sensor. The variant for the US is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage with support for MicroSD card expansion.

Connectivity options on the phone include sub-6GHz 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The remaining specs comprise a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, single speaker, Android 11, 5,000mAh battery, and 15W charging.

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Xiaomi 12 series units worth $283 million sold in just 5 minutes in first sale

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

The Xiaomi 12 series comprised of the Xiaomi 12, 12 Pro, and 12X went on sale for the first time today in China, selling 1.8 billion Yuan (~$283 million) worth of units in just five minutes through both offline and online channels.

Xiaomi has adopted a new strategy for its flagship lineup this year and sold a compact flagship phone for the first time in years. This compact Xiaomi 12 phone has been paired with a Pro variant, which is a true flagship, and the more budget-friendly Xiaomi 12X. The Xiaomi 12X has been designed and priced very smartly, aiming at those looking for a flagship-level experience from the company without blowing a hole in their wallet.

An Ultra model is also on the way. It was earlier rumored to be released on the same day as the rest of its siblings but its launch now appears to be scheduled for early 2022.

For comparison, last year’s lineup was comprised of the Xiaomi Mi 11, Mi 11 Pro, and Mi 11 Ultra that were launched separately in China. All of the devices had the same screen sizes of 6.81-inches and had thus gave a complete miss to buyers looking for something more usable with a single hand. This shortcoming has now been addressed with the Xiaomi 12 series.

The price of the new models starts at 3,199 Yuan ($502) for the 8+128GB variant of the Xiaomi 12X and tops at CNY 5,399 ($848) for the 12GB+256GB variant of the Xiaomi 12 Pro. The middle ground is held by the Xiaomi 12 that starts at CNY 3,699 ($580).

For complete specs on the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and the Xiaomi 12 Pro, head here. There is no official word yet about a global sale of the Xiaomi 12 series.

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ZTE plans to further integrate with sub-brands Nubia and Red Magic in 2022

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

Ni Fei, President of ZTE Mobile Devices, today delivered a 2022 New Year speech saying that ZTE will be releasing yet another smartphone with a 400PPI under-display camera. It will be joined by one of the very first 165Hz gaming phones and a ‘multi-camera computing product.’

ZTE has done quite well this year recording revenue of RMB 53.1 Billion (over ~$8 billion) and over 100% gain in net profit in the first half of 2021. Also, the company’s 5G CPE market share is currently the highest in the world.

When talking about what’s to come with 2022, Ni Fei said that he will further integrate the three major brands of ZTE, Nubia, and Red Magic in the brand layout to expand domestic market segments (via IT Home).

Also mentioned was that ZTE will increase the number of offline retail stores in China in both second and third-tier cities. In the rest of the world, the company will be adopting various strategies according to a country’s market environment and 5G development differences in accordance with national policies. This will be paired with an integration of its own and third-party e-commerce platforms overseas.

Additionally, ZTE also aims to become a part of the world’s top 500 companies within 2 to 3 years, maintaining an annual growth rate of more than 200% in the domestic market and more than 50% overseas market.

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Pixel 6 series connectivity issues to be fixed by late January: Google

By

Sudhanshu

-

Dec 31, 2021

Earlier this month, we reported on Google Pixel 6 series network issues worsening post the December 2021 update. Now, Google has officially addressed the issue and given an expected timeline for a future patch that will fix the problem.

According to a new note published by a Pixel Community Manager, Google paused the December software update to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices after users reported calls dropping and disconnecting randomly. The Pixel team has now identified the issue and is working on a fix that will arrive sometime in late January along with all the bug fixes and features that were originally planned in December.

The late December fix timeline may not be satisfactory for all, hence Google has suggested a fix for customers who have already received the December fix and are struggling with the network issues. The search giant has advised these customers to revert back to the previous software version using the Android Flash Tool and perform a factory reset.

However, this solution will result in the loss of any data that has not been backed up and all the usual inconveniences that come with a factory reset of a smartphone. Additionally, you will temporarily lose access to all the bug fixes, features, and security patch that came with the December 2021 Pixel Feature drop.

At this point, it is a choice between the lesser of two evils that the Pixel 6 owners will have to make. As for the update, Google has stated that it is expected to roll out around late January but it can even arrive in the first or second week. So stay tuned as we will be keeping an eye on any notable developments.

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Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds offer better sweat resistance and active noise cancellation (ANC)

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 31, 2021

Jabra’s latest wireless earbuds are the Elite 4 Active which is coming on the heels of the Elite 3 which was recently launched. The Elite 4 Active is an improvement of the Elite 3 as it offers active noise cancellation (ANC) and a much improve sweat resistance than its predecessor. The IP57 water resistance rating is an improvement from the IP55 rating of the Jabra Elite 3.

The Elite 4 Active is already available in the United Kingdom at £120 ($161) although it is yet to be announced in several other places including the United States. With a raft of recent true wireless earbuds priced much lower than the Elite 4 Active, it is seen that the new entrant into the earbuds market is high up in the segment.

The Jabra Elite 4 Active comes with 6mm drivers, offers single bud functionality, and the Hear Through mode that will amplify external sounds for a better listening experience. Only wired charging is available with the Elite 4 Active. The device can give you seven hours of listening on a full charge and normal use. However, the battery life is extended to about 28 hours when the charging case is factored in. The Elite 4 Active will not be different from the Elite 3 in terms of the strong sound quality and comfort offered by the device.

No further details on the global availability of the Jabra Elite 4 Active have been revealed by the manufacturer at this time.

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OPPO Enco M32 India launch date set for January 5

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 31, 2021

OPPO launched the Enco M32 neckband-style wireless earphones at the Reno7 series launch event in China at the end of November. A month later, the company confirms the arrival of this audio accessory in India. Let’s check out when it will be debuting in the country.

The OPPO Enco M32 has been confirmed to launch in India on January 5. It will succeed the OPO Enco M31 from last year with upgrades in certain departments.

For the unaware, the latest model has slightly larger 10mm drivers compared to 9.2mm on the older version. It is IP55-rated for dust and water resistance instead of only IPX5 water resistance.

Most importantly, the Enco M32 has a much better 28-hour battery life, unlike the meager 12-hour endurance on the Enco M31. But unfortunately, in order to last longer, the newer product drops support for Hi-Res Audio and LDAC. But it does bring dual-connection feature.

The OPPO Enco M32 is offered in two colors in China, namely Cool Black and Elegant Green. As of now, it’s not known whether India will be getting both the hue options or only one.

Even if the company debuts only one color variant next week, we can expect it to announce the second version later, as it did with the OPPO Enco Buds.

Having said that, how much do you think the OPPO Enco M32 will cost in India, given it is being sold at ¥199 (₹2,331) in China? Let us know your guesses in the comment section below.

LeEco launches Electric Water Heater S01, with LED display & antibacterial mode

By

Sean

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Dec 31, 2021

LeEco has just released a new product in China. The new device in question is the Electric Water Heater S01, which, as the name suggests, is a fast thermal electric water heater.

The Chinese consumer electronics maker just launched the Electric Water Heater S01 that sports a large LED display. Furthermore, it has a capacity of 25 liters and has a 5000W fast heating function. The LeEco Electric Water Heater S01 has a thickness of 290mm, which is smaller than conventional water heaters that have are usually 100mm larger. In other words, it has a more compact design and form factor.

As per official claims, this water heater can even be opened and washed as well. Its upper and lower regions have double layered heating pipes that enable it to have a continuous supply of water. Notably, the electric water heater also has three modes, including warm water mode, summer bath mode, and winter bath mode. Users can cycle between these different modes with just a single button. One of its high lighting features is the antibacterial mode, which makes the water safer for the users.

At the moment, the product is currently in the Chinese market for a price of 1,169 Yuan (roughly 185 US Dollars) and is currently available on LeTV Mall. With the launch of the new Electric Water Heater S01, the brand is expanding its consumer electronics product portfolio in its home market.

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Lenovo teases 135W USB-C PD 3.1 charger that will likely ship with new Legion laptops

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

Lenovo‘s China marketing director today teased the company’s 135W USB Type-C charger for the upcoming Lenovo Legion laptops. The charger comes with support for PD 3.1 charging protocol, meaning that the Legion laptops will be supporting the standard as well.

The new USB-PD (Power Delivery) 3.1 standard was announced by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) back in May 2021 with an increased extended power range. This significantly boosts its charging power when compared to PD 3.0 from 100W to 240W.

After adopting the new protocol, Lenovo’s more premium laptops, Legion and regular ones both will likely be ditching the traditional square port charging interface. This means that such laptops will be compatible with a whole lot more chargers and that you’ll likely only be needing a single USB-C charger to power all of your devices.

Lenovo is working on a number of products to expand its Legion lineup, some of them being the Y90 gaming phone, Y700 gaming tablet, and the Y7000P gaming laptop, all of which are set to release sometime in 2022.

The Legion Y7000P gaming laptop is set to feature a 2K display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 165Hz refresh rate. More specifications are unknown at the moment, although we can expect more in the coming days.

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realme GT2 series will come with realme UI 3.0 and all of its goodies from factory

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

The upcoming realme GT2 series will be booting into realme UI 3.0 out of the box, Xu Qi, vice president of realme has revealed.

realme UI 3.0 adopts a brand new visual style that spans across the UI, whether it’s the system or apps or even the icons. With it, you get a number of new goodies like Omoji using which you can create 3D avatars of your own face to better express yourself. Privacy has gotten a bump too, thanks to Enhanced App Permissions Control.

The Android skin was released in October this year and is based on Android 12, and as such, comes with most of the Android 12-specific features too, one of them being an enhanced privacy dashboard.

realme has also gone big on fluidity with new animations and the inclusion of an AI Smooth Engine and Smooth Animation Engine. The duo not only helps with stuff like app launch speeds and better RAM management but also makes games run smoother.

And from the GT2 series, at least the realme GT2 Pro is expected to be launched on January 4th and will be coming with the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, paired with the Diamond Ice Core Cooling System Plus for efficient heat dissipation.

In addition, the device will also be equipped with an industry-first 2K+LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and more.

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Moto Edge X30 gets performance patches for Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and more in a major update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 31, 2021

The Moto Edge X30 from the Lenovo-owned Motorola brand launched as the world’s first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone. Being the first device in the market with the latest Qualcomm flagship chipset, it had several optimization issues. The company tried to fix some of them in a software update rolled out a few days back. Now, the firm is rolling out yet another update with a host of optimizations.

Accordion to the official Motorola Weibo account, users of Moto Edge X30 can expect a new system update with firmware version SOSC32.16-49-4 in China. Though the update is termed as major with a long changelog, it only weighs 236MB.

First and foremost, the fresh software update for the Moto Edge X30 bumps up the security patch level to January 2022. Thus, the handset becomes one of the few phones like OPPO Reno 10x Zoom and Galaxy A51 to be on the latest security patch level.

Secondly, the software build brings along Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance optimization patches from Qualcomm. It also adds Bluetooth support for Snapdragon Sound.

Further, the update comes with updated first-party applications and new features like global search, separate control center, separate notification center, 5G switch, and double-click power button gesture for contactless payments. It also arrives with fixes for abnormal power consumption and others,

Lastly, the rest of the changelog mentions optimizations for a myriad of things, such as gaming performance, network performance, CPU/GPU scheduling, charging performance, camera performance, and screen brightness algorithm to name a few.

Apple moves order from Foxconn to Luxshare over $275 billion deal with China: Report

By

Sean

-

Dec 31, 2021

Apple has apparently raised its focus on its Chinese suppliers. The company will be shifting its orders from its primary Taiwanese supplier Foxconn to China based Luxshare.

The Cupertino based giant is rumored to have made a secret deal with the Chinese government. This deal would have the former invest in local companies. Furthermore, new details from The Information have revealed that Apple is moving more of its orders to China based companies due to this deal. The report adds that the brand’s CEO Tim Cook is making taking this step to aid Beijing in expanding its local tech industry.

As of right now, the company’s AirPods earbuds are assembled by Luxshare, which was previously made by Taiwan based firms. In other words, Taiwanese suppliers no longer held a monopoly. This even enabled Luxshare to jump up the ladder of Apple’s supply chain. So, it doesn’t seem far fetched to say that Luxshare might soon dethrone Foxconn’s top seat. As per the report, the deal between the iPhone maker and China is worth 275 billion US Dollars.

Additionally, the investment deal is Apple’s attempt to “curry favor with Beijing.” For those unaware, China is a key region for the company, with the market accounting for 20 percent of its revenue and more than 15 percent of all iPhone sales. Keep in mind that this is still unconfirmed so take it with a pinch of salt for now and stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.

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OPPO Find X5 key specifications tipped well-ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

OPPO announced the Find X3 series of flagship phones in March this year. The Chinese manufacture will be unveiling the Find X5 lineup in Q1 2022. Probably, it will be announced in March 2022. Well ahead of the launch, a tipster from China has shared the key specifications of the vanilla Find X5. Before reading ahead, readers are advised to digest the leak with a grain of salt as some of the details may not be accurate.

OPPO Find X5 specifications (Rumored)

The OPPO Find X5 will feature a 6.78-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED LTPO display that offers a 1Hz to 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, 2K resolution, and 10-bit colors. The Dimensity 9000 chipset will power the device with up 8 GB / 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM.

The Find X5 will house a 5,000mAh battery that supports 80W SuperVOOC fast charging and 50W AirVOOC wireless charging. The X5 may come with 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

OPPO Find X5 Render — OPPO Find X5 / X5 Pro renders by OnLeaks and Prepp.in

The X5 may feature a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 front-facing camera. Its rear camera setup will include a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary camera with OIS support. It will be accompanied by a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 free-form ultrawide lens and a 13-megapixel Samsung S5K3M5 telephoto camera with 2x zoom and OIS support.

The Find X5 series also includes a Find X5 Pro and Find X5 Lite handsets. Recently seen CAD renders of the OPPO Find X5 / X5 Pro revealed that it will be sporting an irregular shaped camera module and a punch-hole display on the front. The Find X5 Pro is expected to come equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. In addition, there could be some camera-related differences in both models.

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AirPods audio quality being held back by Bluetooth bandwidth limitations, reveals Apple acoustics VP

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

The Apple AirPods are undoubtedly one of the most popular audio devices on the planet, but behind their runaway success is obviously a ton of research and innovation involved. And that’s something Gary Geaves, Apple‘s vice president of acoustics, has talked about through an interview with What HiFi (via 9to5Mac), providing insights into some of the challenges faced while designing the latest AirPods.

But perhaps the most interesting takeaway from the interview was the bit about Bluetooth’s low max bandwidth actually holding back AirPods from achieving their true potential.

According to Geaves, AirPods are built using custom-made components entirely with plenty of stuff in the hardware department optimized for outputting the perfect sound, including a “complicated acoustic system,” “carefully tuned bass port,” and a new custom amplifier.

However, while AirPods do sport hardware capable of achieving the best possible sound quality, Bluetooth acts as a hindrance on the software end:

“Obviously the wireless technology is critical for the content delivery that you talk about”, he says, “but also things like the amount of latency you get when you move your head, and if that’s too long, between you moving your head and the sound changing or remaining static, it will make you feel quite ill, so we have to concentrate very hard on squeezing the most that we can out of the Bluetooth technology, and there’s a number of tricks we can play to maximise or get around some of the limits of Bluetooth. But it’s fair to say that we would like more bandwidth and…I’ll stop right there. We would like more bandwidth.”

When conceptualizing the ‌AirPods 3‌, Geaves said that the AirPods team “looked very closely” at the strengths of the second-generation AirPods. The “effortless open fit” that doesn’t create a seal in the ear is a big draw of the AirPods, but designing around the lack of a seal “creates challenges for the audio team.”

Geeves then went on to explain the real reason behind adding Adaptive EQ, which is an AirPods 3 feature, to the AirPods 3. Turns out that it’s actually the seal-less design of the AirPods that’s to blame. According to the acoustics VP, the sound people experience will be “significantly different, especially the bass” because no two ears are the same. The solution for the limitation was a piece of tech that would tailor audio to the shape of one’s ear — and that’s exactly what Adaptive EQ does.

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Lenovo teases Legion Y90 design, features RGB lighting on the rear

By

Sean

-

Dec 31, 2021

Earlier today (31st December 2021), Lenovo released another teaser for its upcoming gaming smartphone, the Legion Y90. We had previously reported on some of its specs and features, but the latest teaser showcases the design of the smartphone.

The company shared the new teaser on its official Weibo account (a Chinese microblogging website), with the image poster showcasing the device’s rear panel. Looking at the image, we can see the silhouette of the handset from the rear, with the iconic “Y” Legion logo being illuminated via RGB lighting. Notably, this design looks quite similar to the Legion Phone 2 Pro, which also featured RGB lighting on the back.

Furthermore, the teaser poster also showcases a slight bump on the middle of the rear panel. This design was also seen in the Legion Phone 2 Pro, so we can expect a thinner upper and lower region with a bump in the middle segment, which will also house its Double Turbo Fan Supercharged Liquid Cooling System. This is an active cooling mechanism that features a physical fan that helps keep the temperature in check during intensive takes like mobile gaming.

Talking about the device, it is set to sport a 6.92 inch Samsung E4 AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR support as well. Under the hood, the Legion Y90 is rumored to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 flagship SoC that will be paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. We have covered a roundup for this device, so you can click HERE to check that out as well.

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