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

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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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Honor Magic V to debut with Magic UI 6.0 in January, launch seems imminent

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

While popular Chinese smartphone brands like Realme, OnePlus, and iQOO are gearing to launch their newest flagship phones in the beginning days of January 2022, Honor is looking forward to launching its first foldable phone called the Honor Magic V. Honor President George Zhao took to Weibo today to reveal what to expect from the brand in 2022. He also added to share some information on the Magic V.

Here is the machine-translated text of what Zhao shared on Weibo. He said, “2021 is the year when Glory starts its independent growth and welcomes the return of smiles. It is also a year of gratitude. Thanks to all the friends who accompanied, encouraged, and supported Glory. We are well aware that the mobile phone market has never been a top game, but a never-ending technological breakthrough.”

“In 2022, competition in the market will become more intense, and the only way to win the respect and recognition of consumers is to continue to make breakthroughs and innovations. Honor always adopts an entrepreneurial mentality and adheres to the concept of extreme productism to create products and experiences that exceed consumer expectations. Despite the hard work, the mad sand is blown out before the gold is reached. I wish you all a happy new year and always smile!” As can be seen in the above screenshot, Zhao used the unannounced Honor Magic V to write the Weibo post.

Honor has self-developed the industry’s thinnest hinge patent technology for the Magic V foldable to provide users with the most practical folding screen solutions. Apart from announcing the Magic V, the company will also unleash the Magic UI 6.0, which has been designed with the goal of creating an experience comparable or better than iOS.

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OnePlus 9, 9 Pro receive fixes for OxygenOS 12 system upgrade issues, 5G connectivity

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 31, 2021

OnePlus rolled out Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 stable update for the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro earlier this month. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned. The brand had to halt the rollout due to bugs. Even after a re-release, customers are facing some issues. To address them, the company is now seeding out yet another software update for the handsets.

OnePlus 9 Pro Morning Mist Featured 03 — OnePlus 9 Pro

According to an official announcement post on OnePlus Community, the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro are receiving a new system update. The latest software builds for the smartphones arrive with firmware version C.40.

OnePlus 9
- India: LE2111_11_C.40
- North America: LE2115_11_C.40
OnePlus 9 Pro
- India: LE2121_11_C.40
- North America: LE2125_11_C.40

Yes, you heard it right. OxygenOS OS’ firmware numbers are now similar to OPPO’s ColorOS. This is obvious as OxygenOS 12 is nothing but a fork of ColorOS 12.

Going by the official changelog, the update fixes system upgrade failure faced by some users. Also, it fixes the inability to access 5G networks. Both these major issues should be not present in a stable release in the first place. Anyway, at least, the brand has fixed them now.

Like any other OTA software update, this one is also being rolled out in batches. It should be available in markets other than the aforementioned regions in the coming days.

OnePlus 9, 9 Pro OxygenOS 12 C.40 Official Changelog

- System
  - Fixed the issue of system upgrade failure in specific scenarios
- Network
  - Fixed the issue of being unable to access the 5G network in some scenarios

Apple iPhone 13 delivery times improve as supply catches up with demand

By

Sean

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Dec 31, 2021

The supply of the Apple iPhone 13 series seems to be improving as the production is finally balancing out with demand. With the expected delivery times also shortening, prospective buyers are also seeking out higher end iPhone 13 models.

The news arrives from known investment bank JP Morgan (Via AppleInsider). Samik Chatterjee, the lead analyst from JP Morgan, stated that the lead times for the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max stabilized in the fifteenth week. As of right now, the delivery times have averaged out to 3, 3, 5, and 3 days respectively for the models mentioned above. Notably, this is nearly the same as the 2, 2, 5, and 5 days delivery time from the previous week.

Talking about the US market, which is also the largest market for iPhones, lead times for the higher end iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max stabilized around one to two days. On the other hand, iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 dropped to 0 days. Meanwhile in China, another key region for the Cupertino based giant, Apple iPhone 13 lead times settled to 0, 0, 5, and 1 day in the fifteenth week. These are clear indications that Apple’s supply chain is catching up with the demand.

Apple iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Mini Featured — iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Mini

While the overall lead times for the entire lineup have improved, the premium variants still have a slightly higher delivery time. Chatterjee further added that the supply balancing with demand is a positive from Apple for the fourth and final quarter of this year. Furthermore, the optimal inventory levels would likely be reached by the brand in the first quarter of next year.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE India launch in January, configurations, chipset details emerge

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

Samsung may announce the Galaxy S21 FE in the first week of January 2022. It is expected to arrive in multiple markets in the same month. Well-known tipster, Ishan Agarwal has collaborated with 91mobiles to share vital information on the Indian edition of the Galaxy S21 FE. The tipster has claimed that the smartphone will launch in January in India.

The new leak reveals that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE heading to India will be equipped with the Exynos 2100 chipset The device will come in two choices such as 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage. The S21 FE will come in four colors such as White, Purple, Olive, and Graphite.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G renders white — Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G renders

The Exynos 2100 edition of the S21 FE is also rumored to release in global markets. It’s Snapdragon 888 SoC powered edition is likely to release markets like the U.S. and China.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE specifications (Rumored)

The Galaxy S21 FE has a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz refresh rate. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera and a 12-megapixel (main, with OIS) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) + 8-megapixel (telephoto, with OIS) triple camera unit. The device is likely tor un on Android 12 OS and the latest edition of One UI.

The Exynos 2100 / Snapdragon 888 chip will be accompanied by 6 GB / 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of native storage. It may house a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging. It will also support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

RELATED:

Alleged Vivo Pad to offer high refresh rate display, Snapdragon 870, massive battery

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

Vivo’s first tablet that is speculated to debut with the Vivo Pad name is expected to launch in the first half of 2022. Its first-ever leak from last month claimed that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 870 mobile platform. Now, well-known tipster, Digital Chat Station has shared some key information about the Vivo tablet.

The tipster revealed that the Vivo’s tablet will feature a high refresh rate display. However, he did not reveal the size of the screen. He added that it will be offering a full-screen experience as it will feature equally sized bezels. It is unclear whether the tablet features an OLED or LCD panel.

The Snapdragon 870 powered tablet may pack a battery of around 8,000mAh capacity. It was reported back in June a battery with BW-B1 model number and 8,040mAh typical capacity, might power the upcoming Vivo tablet. The tipster further claimed that the tablet’s OS will offer an experience similar to the OriginOS for Fold.

The other details of the tablets are expected to emerge in the coming weeks. All major Chinese smartphone OEM brands are working on foldable devices and tablets. While Vivo is exepct4ed to launch its first tablet in the first half of 2022, it is speculated to announce multiple tablets in the coming year. In related news, Vivo is expected to announce foldables and laptops in the coming year.

The first quarter of 2022 has is likely to see the arrival of the Vivo X80 series of smartphones. The company is also said to be working on a NEX branded premium flagship.

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Bajaj Auto’s new 500,000 sq ft. electric vehicle plant to start production from June 2022

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 31, 2021

Bajaj Auto, on Wednesday, announced a Rs 300 crore investment for its new EV manufacturing plant in Akurdi, Pune. The plant covers half a million square feet, employs over 800 people, and will be able to produce 500,000 electric vehicles every year. Further investments will be flowing in from a number of suppliers who will be injecting another Rs 250 crore.

Cutting-edge tech including robotics and automation will be employed across all operations, whether it’s fabrication, painting, logistics, or material handling (via 91mobiles). Assembly and quality assurance will be done there as well. Bajaj says that systems being used are designed with flexibility in mind and will hence leave plenty of scope for product customizability.

bajaj chetak electric featured — Bajaj Chetak Electric

Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, Bajaj Auto, had the following to say to the press:
“In 2001, Bajaj 2.0 took off on the roaring Pulsar. In 2021, Bajaj 3.0 has arrived on the charming Chetak. Going forward, for the Bajaj portfolio, except for implementing one state-of-the-art ICE platform that is currently under development, all our R&D resources are now laser-focused on creating EV solutions for the future. This alignment reflects our belief that light EVs for sustainable urban mobility is an idea whose time may finally have come.”

The Akurdi facility will be benefitting from Bajaj’s cutting-edge R&D center situated adjacent to it, allowing greater collaboration and faster delivery of next-gen EVs from the company.

Bajaj will debut the Chetak-inspired Husqvarna electric scooter next year, following which the Husqvarna electric motorbike is also expected to be released.

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Ola offers S1 electric scooter buyers free upgrade to the S1 Pro, but with a catch

By

Sean

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Dec 31, 2021

Ola Electric is offering upgrades to the buyers of its standard S1 electric scooter for free. So, if you bought an S1 in India, you are eligible for an upgrade to the top end, S1 Pro model, but with “terms and conditions applied.”

For those unaware, Ola is a ride hailing service based Indian company that is quite popular in its home market. Recently, it had announced that it was entering the electric vehicle market, with its S1 electric scooters. While the company saw great response to its new vehicles and a number of orders, many early buyers began complaining after receiving the first deliveries of the S1 scooters. We had reported on customers complaining about multiple quality related issues and more.

So now, it seems that the brand is offering upgrades to its customers for free. However, it isn’t without a ‘catch’. Those that receive an S1 Pro through the upgrade will not only receive the hardware benefits. In other words, the model’s software features will be locked and standard S1 buyers will have to shell out an additional 30,000 INR (roughly 404 US Dollars) to gain access to them. In a statement, the company stated that “Customers get access to the best in class hardware at the same price as the Ola S1. In the future, if you’d like to unlock the amazing software features, range, and the full potential of the Ola S1 Pro, you can do so by paying 30,000 INR.“

From the outside, both S1 models appear identical, but the Pro variant offers a larger 3.97 kWh battery compared to the base variant’s 2.98 kWh battery. Other features include ‘Hyper mode’ that is skipped on the standard model. The S1 costs 100,000 INR (roughly 1,350 US Dollars) while the S1 Pro costs 130,000 INR (roughly 1,750 US Dollars). Notably, Ola had stated before that its bookings for the Pro model were higher than the base one, thanks to these additional features. So the free upgrade might help turn over the opinion of the early buyers who can choose to opt for the software features later on.

RELATED:

Realme GT2 Pro could be priced around 5,000 Yuan (~$785)

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

It was reported in November that Realme is planning to make its presence in the premium smartphone segment. Realme’s Vice President Xu QI revealed that the company’s premium flagship phones will be priced around 5,000 Yuan. Hence, it appears that the Realme GT2 Pro, which is said to be the company’s most premium flagship, could be priced around 5,000 Yuan. Today, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station hinted that the GT2 Pro carry similar pricing.

After facing backlash from the U.S., Huawei has been losing ground in the premium smartphone market. In its absence, other Chinese brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, and OnePlus have been steadily increasing their market share in the premium segment. It appears that starting with the GT2 Pro, Realme will continue to launch expensively priced premium flagships.

The Realme GT2 Pro will be packed with some never-before-seen specs and features seen on a Realme flagship. It will be the world’s first smartphone to feature a 150-degree ultrawide camera and it will also be the company’s first smartphone to come feature an OIS-enabled camera.

The GT2 Pro will also be the company’s first smartphone to feature a Quad HD+ resolution display. Reports have revealed that it has a 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz screen with ultra-slim bezels. It will be driven by the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and will run on Realme UI 3.0 flavored Android 12 OS.

The GT2 Pro will also be the company’s first flagship phone to feature a 32-megapixel selfie camera. It has a 5,000mAh dual-cell battery that supports 65W fast charging. There will be a camera-focused version of the device, which may probably feature an under-display camera. Apart from launching the GT2 Pro on Jan. 4 in China, the company is also expected to announce the Realme GT2 with Snapdragon 888 chip.

RELATED:

Nokia G50 starts receiving Android 12 stable update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 31, 2021

Android OEMs have begun to roll out Android 12 stable update for their eligible devices. Just like last year, Samsung is ahead of everyone. But surprisingly, HMD Global is also doing better than last time. The company has now started seeding out the Android 12 stable update for its third phone – Nokia G50.

According to a Nokia Phones Community member who goes by the name of Krisaal (via Nokia Power User), HMD Global has kickstarted the Android 12 stable update rollout for the Nokia G50, at least in Finland.

Since the company is known for seeding software updates in multiple markets at the same time, the latest system update for Nokia G50 should be also available in other regions. We expect the firm to reveal these first wave markets via an official announcement very soon.

Apart from Nokia G50, the Android 12 stable update is also available for Nokia X20 and Nokia X10. All three smartphones have one thing in common and that is none other than their chipset – Qualcomm Snapdragon 480.

This could be the reason why HMD Global is able to deliver the new Android update faster for these handsets compared to last year. It is easier for the firm to develop software builds for devices with the same silicon.

Hopefully, the company delivers the update to the remaining eligible smartphones on time.

BlackBerry has officially ended support for all of its classic smartphones

By

Sean

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Dec 31, 2021

BlackBerry, one of the most popular phone brands of the era before smartphones took over, has just made a new announcement. The company is finally ending its official support for all of its classic smartphone models.

The Canadian phone brand made the announcement earlier this week (Via 9To5Mac). So now, all of the company’s classic smartphones that run BlackBerry OS or BB10 OS will no longer be supported. Furthermore, the brand has even warned its customers that they will no longer receive any patches to ensure that the carrier or WiFi connection remains functional. In other words, BlackBerry smartphone users might lose calling, cellular data, SMS, and emergency service call functionality.

Although, the same does not apply to the company’s smartphone models that run the Android operating system right now, with official support for these models ending on 4th January 2022. For those unaware, the company was one of the largest brands in the market before the entry of iPhones and before Android smartphones took over the world.

Initially, veteran brands like Nokia and BlackBerry didn’t believe that a full touchscreen phone would ever have a great impact on the market. But as we can see now, devices with physical keyboards have more or less been phased out completely. So with the end of the official support for BB smartphones, we can say that this marks an end of an era. Notably, we advise that users of BB devices back up all of their data as well, and also possibly prepare to shift to another brand soon.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy A51 gets January 2022 security patch in a new update

By

Jeet

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Dec 31, 2021

Samsung has sped up the process of releasing updates for its smartphones and the company has been quite impressive in this department. Continuing the trend, Samsung has released a new update with January 2022 security patch even before the month begins.

According to the latest report coming from SamMobile, the South Korean giant has rolled out a new software update for the Galaxy A51 smartphone that brings the January 2022 security patch to the device.

The update, which carries version A515FXXU5EUL3, is currently being rolled out in Malaysia and Russia. If you are in these regions, then you should be receiving the over-the-air update soon if you still haven’t received it.

You can also manually check for the availability of this new software update on your smartphone by navigating to the Settings > Software update and then tapping on the Download & Install button.

It is interesting to see that the Samsung Galaxy A51 smartphone, which is a mid-range offering the company, receive the latest January 2021 security patch. Usually, the flagship or premium smartphones from the brand are among the first to get new updates.

As the update has now been rolled out for the Galaxy A51 smartphone, we expect the South Korean giant to soon roll out a new software update with January 2022 security patch for the Galaxy S21-series and the S20-series smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 is also set to receive the latest One UI 4.0 update but users will have to wait a few more months as the update is scheduled to be available in April 2022.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra renders showcase the design and color options

By

Jeet

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Dec 31, 2021

Samsung is preparing to launch its next-generation Galaxy S-series flagship lineup which is expected to include the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra. Ahead of the launch, many details related to the phones have surfaced online.

Now, renders of the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22 Ultra have leaked online via 91Mobiles, showcasing the devices from all angles to give us a clear look at the design. It also reveals that the color options for these upcoming models.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Render (Burgundy)

The renders for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra reveal that the device will be made available in four colors — Burgundy, Green, Phantom Black, and Phantom White. It reveals that the phone has a metal frame along with a power button and volume rocker keys on the right side of the device.

In line with the previous reports, the device has curved edges instead of rectangular corners. Further, it is being said that the S22 Ultra will come with a dedicated slot for housing the S Pen stylus.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Render Leak via Evan Blass

Popular tipster Evan Blass has also shared an image of the Galaxy S22 Ultra render in a bronze-like color. The renders reveal that the South Korean giant has ditched the camera island on the backside and the sensors are placed directly on the device.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S22 will have a similar design with a punch-hole cutout in the top-center position on the display panel. This one too will have a metal frame and the right side edge will house a power button and volume rocker keys.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Render Leak (Pink Gold)

The smartphone will feature a triple-camera setup on the back panel with the sensors directly placed on the device instead of having a bumpy camera island. The phone is said to be offered in four colors — Green, Pink Gold, Phantom Black, and Phantom White.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 series smartphones will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or the company’s own Exynos 2200 SoC, depending on the region of availability. This time, the top-end model is also expected to pack 1TB of internal storage to compete with the top-end model of the iPhone 13 Pro.

Meanwhile, the South Korean giant has confirmed that the brand’s next-generation chipset will be announced on 11th January. The devices are expected to go official on 8th February and will be available for purchase from 25th February but Samsung is yet to confirm this.

RELATED:

Redmi Smart TV X 2022 50-inch model goes on sale in China for 2,299 yuan ($361)

By

Jeet

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Dec 31, 2021

A few days ago, Xiaomi had launched the Redmi Smart TV X 2022 50-inch model in its home market in China. Today, the device is officially available for purchase in the country.

The Redmi Smart TV X 2022 50-inch model is priced at 2,299 yuan which roughly converts to $361 and is available for purchase through the e-commerce platform JD.com.

It comes with a 50-inch 4K display that offers a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 120Hz MEMC. There’s also support for a 178-degree viewing angle and DCI-P3 94% color gamut.

Under the hood, the smart TV comes powered by Cortex-A73 quad-core CPU and Mali-G52 MC1 GPU, coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It is also equipped with two 12.5W speakers in the left and right channels.

As for the interface, the Redmi Smart TV X 2022 is fitted with two HDMI 2.0 (eARC), one HDMI 2.1 port (4K 120Hz), one AV, one ATV/DTMB, two USB, one S/PDIF, one RJ-45, and four mic arrays to support far-field voice.

Earlier, the company had launched two models in the lineup, which included a 65-inch display and a 55-inch display, packing almost the same set of specifications. These two models are already available for purchase in the Chinese market.

RELATED:

iQOO 9 series to come with Samsung GN5 main camera, 150-degee ultrawide lens

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 31, 2021

iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro flagship phones are scheduled to debut on Jan. 6 in China. Recent reports have claimed that the iQOO 9 duo will be equipped with the 50-megapixel Samsung GN5 primary camera. Today, the company released an official confirmation that the Samsung GN5 will be making its debut on the iQOO 9 series.

The image of the camera lens in the above-shown poster has ‘50MP | GN5’ and ‘gimbal stabilization’ texts mentioned on it. The poster further states that the iQOO 9 Pro will be equipped with micro-PTZ 2.0. The below-shown teaser video shows that the iQOO 9 Pro will also feature an ultrawide lens that offers a 150-degree FOV, like the Realme GT2 Pro debuting a day before it. In addition, it appears that the iQOO 9 Pro will offer a fisheye mode that will allow users to capture ultrawide shots with a longer depth of field effect, which looks similar to seeing through a door’s peephole.

Reports have revealed that the iQOO 9 Pro’s 50-megapixel Samsung GN5 primary camera with gimbal-OIS support will be accompanied by a 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 ultrawide lens with a 150-degree FOV and an OIS-assisted 16-megapixel telephoto camera with 2.5x optical zoom. It is speculated that the iQOO 9’s 50-megapixel Samsung GN5 main camera will be coupled with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with a 120-degree FOV, and a 12-megapixelS Sony IMX663 telephoto camera.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset will be powering the iQOO 9 and 9 Pro. Both models are expected to ship with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and Android 12 OS. The iQOO 9 Pro will feature a 6.78-inch curved edge AMOLED LTPO display that offers a QHD+ resolution and a 120H refresh rate. Rumors have it that the iQOO 9 has a 6.78-inch flat AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display. The Pro model will also get an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint scanner. The iQOO 9 series is expected to house a 4,700mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging. The Pro model will also support 50W wireless charging.

RELATED:

Xiaomi Buds 3 TWS earphones now available for purchase in China

By

Jeet

-

Dec 31, 2021

A couple of days ago, along with the Xiaomi 12 series of flagship smartphones and a few other products, the company had also launched the Xiaomi Buds 3 true wireless earphones in the Chinese market.

Today, the Xiaomi Buds 3 are officially available for purchase in China, carrying a price tag of 499 yuan (~$78). However, for the first sale, the company is selling the TWS earphones at a discounted price of 449 yuan, which is about $70.

The newly launched Buds 3 are are the base model in the lineup while the Pro variant was launched earlier this year. In terms of design, this new vanilla model is quite similar to the Pro model and packs most of the high-end features.

It offers up to 40 decibels of Active Noise Cancellation and comes with support for HiFi audio. There’s also pressure-sensitive touch control and the earphones can connect with two devices at the same time.

The earphones are compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows-powered devices. There’s also a Quick Pairing mode that works with select devices from Xiaomi and Redmi. The company also has a companion app that can help tweak settings.

As for the battery life, Xiaomi is promising up to seven hours of usage on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation disabled. The charging case brings the total usage time to 32 hours and can be charged through the USB-C port as well as the Qi wireless charger.

RELATED:

Vivo Y21T leaked promotional poster reveals the full specs ahead of Jan. 3 launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 31, 2021

BBK subsidiary Vivo is expected to update its Y-series smartphone offering soon with the impending launch of the Vivo Y21T. The device is expected to go official on January 3 in India. Ahead of the launch, the device has featured in several leaks showing the renders and some of the expected specifications.

The latest leak is that of a promotional poster for the Vivo Y21T which gives us a detailed list of the specifications. Among other things, the Y21T is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor paired with 4GB RAM. The device is also listed to come with 1GB extended RAM. The device also comes with 128GB that is expandable via a microSD slot.

The Y21T is listed to feature a 6.58-inch LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels and a 90.6% screen-to-body ratio. The device has a waterdrop notch that houses an 8MP selfie camera. At the rear, there is a triple camera setup made up of a 50 MP f/1.8 main supported by a 2 MP f/2.4 bokeh camera and a 2 MP f/2.4 macro sensor.

The handset will run on the custom FunTouch OS 12 which is based on Android 11. Keeping the lights on is a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Y21T also packs a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

One key thing about the render of the Vivo Y21T is its close resemblance to the Y33s. The major difference includes the selfie camera as the Y33s packs a 16MP selfie shooter. The processor is yet another difference between the two models and of course, the moniker.

RELATED:

(source)

Apple puts Foxconn Chennai on “Compliance Watch list” after failing to meet the labor standards

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 31, 2021

Foxconn Chennai (India) has been put on Apple’s “Compliance Watch list” following the recent food poisoning fiasco that gathered international headlines. For those unaware, Foxconn is a Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer and the largest assembler of iPhones for Apple.

A recent report by Reuters on December 30 reveals that the 250 female workers who faced food poisoning in this event lived in overcrowded dormitories, there were no flush toilets, and sometimes bugs crawled in the food.

This, however, was a general phenomenon for many years, as stated by the six women workers who were interviewed. Things became serious when 250 workers were impacted by these working conditions, which led to a unique protest, leading to the factory’s closure for rectification.

The workers also revealed that they sleep on the room floor, which can accommodate 6 to 30 people. The law governing the housing of females in Tamil Nadu, India, requires that each person have at least 11 square meters of living space and that the housing complies with the sanitation and fire safety standards set by the local government.

These protests come at a time when Apple is looking towards expanding its iPhone 13 production in India as it seeks to reduce its reliance on China amid increased tension between America and China trade relations, and the shareholders have urged the company to increase the transparency of its suppliers.

As the factory has been shut down, Apple spokesperson said that “before the factory restarts, Apple will ensure that it meets strict standards.” however, the spokesperson did not disclose information regarding the improvements that need to be made or what standards need to be met.

On the other hand, Foxconn is reorganizing the local management team and is taking immediate measures to improve the living facilities of its workers. The company also stated that all its employees would continue to receive their compensation while the factory reopens and the necessary improvements are made.

RELATED:

(Source)

Samsung reports a four-fold increase in its foldable phone sales in 2021

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 30, 2021

Samsung Electronics first introduced the concept foldable display in 2011 while the brand launched its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, in 2019. Since then, the tech giant has gone on to release other foldable models with Galaxy Z flip 3 and Z Fold 3 emerging this year. The company has announced that the sales of its Galaxy Z series foldable smartphones for this year (2021) were four times that of last year (2020). This performance further consolidates the company’s rapid growth in the new smartphone segment.

Samsung did not reveal the exact number of units sold this year but the total sales of the Galaxy Z series mobile phones are estimated to be about 8 million, driven by the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, two popular models among young consumers. Samsung also revealed that the cummulative sales of the two models in just over a month after they went on sale in August exceeded the cumulative sales of the brand’s foldable phone lineup in 2020.

The Korean tech giant also revealed that the two foldable are among the most popular models in its lineup. They also recorded the most switch from users of other brand models. Samsung claims that compared to the Galaxy Note 20, the number of users changing smartphone brands for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has increased by 150%, and compared with the Galaxy S21 by 140%.

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(source)

After delays, Ola’s first deliveries of the S1 & S1 Pro are trailed by multiple quality complaints

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 30, 2021

Indian e-scooter manufacturer Ola earlier this year unveiled the S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters in India to massive applause from the market. Ola enjoyed massive orders from the early days of the unveiling of the two e-scooter models. They were supposed to combine innovation, excellence with affordability and durability. However, as the company begins delivering the models to persons who had already subscribed, there are growing concerns about the quality of the new e-bikes, with some serious flaws noticed.

A few customers who took delivery of their new models were shocked by some of the defects visible on delivery. There are concerns that the flaws and structural defects noticed on the new models will dampen consumer confidence in the Ola brand, although these models were showcased to come with some impressive features and functionalities. The Ola S1 and S1 Pro models could get top speeds of up to 115km/h with a price tag in the region of $1,000.

An OLA S1 Pro was delivered to me at the Visakhapatnam event today.
It has cracks & dents all over the body. The manager says she will get it repaired before delivery. But repair is not the option. I paid for a new product, not a refurbished product@OlaElectric @don4every1 #Ola pic.twitter.com/ifZnDsJaXg

— Karthik Varma (@leovarmak) December 22, 2021

It is unclear what are the causes of the dents and observed defects on the new Ola e-scooter models, but a far deeper accusation has been leveled against the company. A customer has claimed that the range of the model was over-hyped, with the true range much below what was stated at the launch earlier this year. It was observed that there was up to a 20km difference in the range of the e-scooter from what was advertised earlier this year.

An OLA S1 Pro was delivered to me at the Visakhapatnam event today.
It has cracks & dents all over the body. The manager says she will get it repaired before delivery. But repair is not the option. I paid for a new product, not a refurbished product@OlaElectric @don4every1 #Ola pic.twitter.com/ifZnDsJaXg

— Karthik Varma (@leovarmak) December 22, 2021

There are other issues relating to complaints about the brakes, other design flaws, and charging problems. Most of the responses by Ola’s representatives on these specific issues have been to promise a replacement or repair of the delivered e-scooter. Some of the customers however remain positive that their new e-scooter is a great buy despite the setbacks which will be overcome.

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