OPPO Reno7 Pro appears on Google Play Console ahead of global launch

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Dec 22, 2021

Chinese handset maker vivo unveiled the vivo V23e in 4G and 5G variants in November. The rest of the vivo V23 lineup is being rumored to debut soon since then. Ahead of its release, the vanilla vivo V23 5G has now been certified by two major agencies.

vivo V23e 5G Sunshine Coast Featured A — vivo V23e 5G

The upcoming vivo V23 5G with model number V2130 has received certifications from BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) as well as SIRIM (Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia). This means the smartphone could soon release in India and Malaysia.

According to a report from earlier this month, the vivo V23 5G will be similar to the vivo V23e 5G but with better cameras and a chipset. Unsurprisingly, it will succeed the vivo V21 5G from earlier this year.

There will also be a vivo V23 Pro 5G. This phone was recently spotted on Geekbench featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. It will reportedly sport a changeable fluorite glass design. The device is expected to be a tweaked vivo S12 Pro.

On the other hand, we don’t have any further information on the vivo V23 5G. We even don’t know whether it will be available in a 4G version like the vivo v23e.

Having said that, we expect to learn more about the vivo V23 5G and vivo V23 Pro 5G before their official launch in the coming weeks.

Samsung Galaxy S21 One UI 4 update suspended due to issues with Google Play system

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Dec 22, 2021

Samsung has temporarily halted the rollout of the One UI 4 update for the Galaxy S21 owing to compatibility issues with the Google Play system on some devices. To recall, the update has been released across multiple regions for select flagship and high-end Galaxy devices.

The announcement (via Tizenhelp) was made on the official Samsung community forums by a moderator who further revealed that Google is currently “taking action after analyzing the content.”

From this, it is not unsafe to assume that it’s not exactly Samsung that’s to be solely blamed for the problem as Google has also been stated to be involved. It is not clear when the update will be released again but the moderator says it will be done only after “Google’s actions are complete.”

This isn’t the first time Samsung has had to temporarily pull the plug on a One UI 4 rollout as it was earlier the Galaxy Z Flip3 that suffered a similar fate in South Korea.

Regardless, if a bit too excited, you can always manually check if any updates are available through Settings > Software update. If available, then just hit on the Download and install button. And if it’s not, then well, you can always try again after a while.

One UI 4 brings a number of improvements over One UI 3.1 in the form of UI updates and a number of other miscellaneous improvements. Tweaks to the UI include the implementation of a monet-like theming system, new system animations, a few revamped apps, a re-designed quick settings panel, and more.

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International Redmi Note 11 4G bags BIS, NBTC certifications

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Dec 22, 2021

Xiaomi is expected to debut the Redmi Note 11 series in the international markets very soon. We have been hearing a lot about one of the models in the lineup, dubbed as Redmi Note 11 4G. This device has now not only bagged two more certifications but has also appeared in a camera database.

The upcoming international variant of Redmi Note 11 4G has been certified by BIS and NBTC with model numbers 2201117TI and 2201117TG respectively. These certifications suggest that the phone will release in India and Thailand.

Further, the handset’s listing in the Camera FV5 database reveals that it will sport a 50MP primary camera with an F/2.0 aperture lens and EIS. Whereas, on the front, it will house a 13.1MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

Previous reports have exposed that the Redmi Note 11 4G for the international markets will be slightly different than the original Chinese version, which is expected to go official as Redmi 10 2022 elsewhere.

The international Redmi Note 11 4G is said to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset, 6.5-inch FHD+ 90Hz display (LCD), MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, MicroSD card slot, 5,000mAh battery, and 18W fast charging.

As of now, there’s no official word on the release date of this smartphone. Anyway, going by its model number, it should launch in January 2022. For the unaware, the first four characters in the model numbers of Xiaomi phones indicate their planned launch year and month.

Xiaomi 12 downgrades to a 1080p panel and a company executive explains why

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Dec 22, 2021

Xiaomi today revealed a few specifications of the Xiaomi 12 series along with showcasing the front of two of the devices, namely the Xiaomi 12 and its pro variant, for the very first time. However, while the lineup has gained a compact flagship model, the phone features a display with a resolution of ‘only’ 1080p – a downgrade from this year’s Xiaomi Mi 11’s 2K panel.

Lao Wei, the product manager of the Xiaomi 12 series, says that this has been done to ensure better battery life. A compact body paired with a flagship processor has been stated to be “pose a great challenge,” likely due to the fact that smaller devices tend to also pack smaller batteries.

The most effective ways of making up for the downsize are typically reducing the refresh rate, underclocking the processor, or reducing the screen resolution, and Xiaomi has very reasonably gone for the lattermost.

That said, while the Xiaomi 12 display indeed features a reduced resolution, it makes up for it in other departments – it has a 10bit color depth, high contrast ratio of 16,000:1, and features GGV protective glass. A DisplayMate A+ rating has also been obtained combined with the device setting 15 new records in the display department.

The vanilla Xiaomi 12 is paired with a larger pro variant and both will be going live on December 28th. While the front of the devices has been officially revealed, the rear design is still a little unclear, although we have had unofficial renders and even protective case leaks in the recent past.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 series could launch in late February due to supply chain issues

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Jeet

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Dec 22, 2021

Samsung is gearing up to launch the next-generation Galaxy S-series flagship smartphones in the form of the Galaxy S22 lineup. Unlike last year, the devices are expected to get announced in February.

Now, a new report from Jon Prosser indicates that while the Galaxy S22 series will be up for pre-order from 9th February, it won’t be available for purchase in a few days of getting announced. Instead, the report claims that customers will have to wait till 25th February to be able to purchase the phones.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus renders by 91mobiles/OnLeaks

The delay in the availability of the upcoming Galaxy S22 series smartphones is being attributed to supply chain issues but as of now, there’s not much known about what kind of issues the company is facing.

The global chip shortage has impacted several companies across the world and the South Korean giant has also been a victim of the same. Samsung had to delay the launch of its Galaxy S21 FE a few times and it is now set to go official next month.

Coming to the Galaxy S22 lineup, the smartphones will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC or the company’s own Exynos 2200 chipset, depending on the region on availability.

The smartphones are also expected to come pre-installed with the One UI 4.1, which is expected to be a small update. The new update of One UI will also be released for the previous generation Galaxy S-series smartphones.

Based on the recent leaks, the top-end model in the lineup — Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra/Note is claimed to have two variants — 12GB RAM with either 128GB or 256GB storage, and a 16GB RAM model with 512GB storage. As for the pricing, the series is expected to have a starting price of $799.

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Infinix Zero 5G key specifications, front image revealed; launch seems imminent

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 22, 2021

Infinix is reportedly gearing up to launch a new phone named the Infinix Zero 5G. This device s expected to debut as the company’s first 5G-ready handset. Its launch could be drawing near as it has appeared in the database of the Google Play Console with some specs and an image.

The Zero 5G has appeared in the database of Play Console with the X6815 model number. The image of the phone found in the listing shows that it will be flaunting a punch-hole design. The device seems to feature a side-facing fingerprint scanner. A previously seen unofficial render of the smartphone had revealed that the rear camera module of the phone looks somewhat similar to the OPPO Find X3 series. It is expected to arrive with a triple camera unit.

The X6815 offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels and a 480ppi pixel density. The device runs on Android 11 OS, and it is fueled by the MT6877V/ZA, which is nothing but the Dimensity 900. The chipset will be accompanied by 8 GB of RAM.

Infinix Zero 5G back and front — Infinix Zero 5G’s unofficial render by TechArena24 | YouTube

Coming back to the display of the Zero 5G, rumors surrounding it claim that it features an AMOLED panel that offers a 120Hz refresh rate. However, the exact size of the display is not known yet. The other details of the Zero 5G are under the wraps.

There is no information on the launch date of the Zero 5G. Probably, it will go official in January 2022 in African markets. It is also expected to land in India in the same month.

(via)

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iQOO 9 series to launch in India by end of January: Tipster

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Dec 22, 2021

Earlier today (22nd December 2021), we had reported on a leak that revealed various specifications and details regarding the upcoming iQOO 9 series. Now, another tipster has revealed the launch timeline for the new lineup.

[Exclusive] I can confirm that the iQOO 9 series is indeed coming to India
The launch will happen by the end of January
Will share more details soon
Meanwhile, here's an exclusive teaser video for the series
Feel free to retweet
And credits will be highly appreciated#iQOO9Series pic.twitter.com/PRvNj92EQl

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) December 22, 2021

According to Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) on Twitter, the Chinese smartphone maker is apparently planning to launch its flagship iQOO 9 series by the end of next month. In other words, the premium lineup could be announced by January end, with first sales and pre-orders like beginning in February 2022. This is in line with our previous reports where we had the same speculation since an early January launch might cannibalize the sales of the newly Neo branded models, which includes the Neo 5S with Snapdragon 888 and iQOO Neo 5 SE with Snapdragon 870.

Although, the Neo5S series has only been released in China at the moment. In other words, the launch in India might be around the same time as the Chinese launch. Talking about some of iQOO 9 series rumored specifications, the base and Pro variant are expected to feature Samsung E5 AMOLED panel, with the former featuring a 6.78 inch FHD+ display.

Other features include, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, with the Pro model being powered by a large 4,700mAh battery pack that supports 120W fast charging. The rear camera module will reportedly house a Samsung GN5 50 megapixel primary sensor that supports dual axis micro gimbal stabilization as well. Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed report so take this news with a pinch of salt for now.

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OPPO and Xiaomi Chinese distribution partners raided by income tax department

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Dec 22, 2021

The offices of Chinese distribution partners of OPPO and Xiaomi are being raided by the Income Tax (IT) department in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Rajkot.

Some sources (via Economic Times) say that the IT department is likely to raid offices of all state-distribution partners of OPPO, with different directorates carrying them out. Offices of such companies including premises of senior executives are being searched, with raids commencing early morning and lasting till the end of the day.

But the IT department isn’t the only one involved in such operations as it’s joined by ED that has also been conducting similar raids. OPPO’s Chinese distribution partner was recently penalized in hundreds of crores by the ED in Hyderabad, a person familiar with the matter said.

It’s likely that the raids are being conducted as a way to convey the government’s stance on the concerned brands, considering that there is no other legal way. For the uninitiated, the Indian government is in a process of stopping OEMs like OPPO and vivo from operating through their Chinese partners and channeling their products through local companies instead.

Currently, OPPO and vivo together command over 25% of the market share in the country, with Xiaomi also holding a major share. The former two are part of BBK Electronics, which is also a parent company of OnePlus and realme. These companies have of late created a layer of Chinese partners to distribute their products in the market, which has caught the attention of Indian officials.

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Redmi K50 series leak reveals display design, chipsets, expensive pricing

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 22, 2021

Xiaomi will be launching the Xiaomi 12, 12X, and 12 Pro smartphones on Dec. 28. Its sub-brand Redmi is said to be working on the launch of the Redmi K50 lineup, which is expected to break cover in the beginning months of 2022. Today, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station shared key information on the specs of the K50 series.

The tipster has shared some information about smartphones that have L10 and L11 shortened model numbers. Previous reports have revealed that the series also includes another model with an L11A model number.

According to the tipster, the Redmi K50 series’ display has a centrally positioned punch-hole. The K50 models are expected to support a high refresh rate. Coming to the chipsets, the lineup is likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Dimensity 9000, and the upcoming Dimensity 8000 (previously known as Dimensity 7000). The leak ends with words “one more thing” (machine-translated text), which indicates that the lineup may include a mysterious model.

The tipster also revealed that the Redmi K50 series of smartphones will command expensive price tags. He did not share the exact monikers of the K50 models.

Redmi K40 Gaming Edition Inverse Scale and color variants — Redmi K40 Gaming Edition

Past reports have revealed that the Redmi L10 and L11A models are expected to launch in the Chinese market as the Redmi K50 gaming series of smartphones. The L10, which is said to be codenamed as Matisse is expected to arrive with Dimensity 9000, whereas the L11A that is codenamed as Rubens may ship with Dimensity 8000.

Both models are expected to arrive with specs like a 120Hz or 144Hz OLED display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The L10 model may come with a 64-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera unit. There could be another variant of the same model with a 108-megapixel primary camera. On the other hand, the L11A come with a 64-megapixel triple camera unit. Both models are expected to arrive with POCO branding in markets outside China. These models will come preinstalled with MIUI 13 based Android 12.

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Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge to feature 120W fast charging, launches Jan 6

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Dec 22, 2021

Xiaomi has just officially announced the launch date for an upcoming smartphone. In a new image poster, the company has shared a key specification of the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge and its release date.

Looking at this teaser, the Chinese tech giant’s 11i HyperCharge is set to be officially unveiled on the 6th of January 2021. Furthermore, the company confirmed that the smartphone will arrive with support for 120W fast charging, which will allows it to charge from 0 percent to 100 percent in just an impressive 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the smartphone maker did not reveal any other details regarding the upcoming device, although we have some information from previous rumors and reports.

The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is expected to sport a 6.67 inch IPS LCD punch hole panel that offers an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a large 4,500mAh battery pack powers the smartphone and run on MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 OS. The device is also expected to feature MediaTek’s Dimensity 920 chipset, paired with 8GB of LPPDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

On the front, it might feature a 16 megapixel selfie shooter while the rear features a triple camera setup, comprising of a 108 megapixel primary sensor, 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, and a 2 megapixel macro camera as well. It will apparently also feature stereo speakers from JBL. Unfortunately, the pricing details of the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge is currently unknown, so stick around as we will be covering the launch event and any other leak/reports that might surface prior to its release.

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MIUI 13 testing begins for Redmi Note 8

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Dec 22, 2021

The Redmi Note 8 is arguably one of the best Redmi Note models to date. The device had been one of the best-selling models multiple times throughout its shelf life. Unfortunately, despite its popularity, it is known for receiving slower software updates. But thankfully, Xiaomi is not giving up on it yet as the device gets access to MIUI 13 internally.

Redmi Note 8 Moonlight White Featured — Redmi Note 8

According to a report by Xiaomiui, Xiaomi closed the weekly MIUI Beta program for the Redmi Note 8 on November 24. However, the company continued to release internal MIUI builds for testing purposes.

This internal MIUI Beta channel for the Redmi Note 8 has been now upgraded to MIUI 13. But the Android version continues to be Android 11.

This suggests that the Redmi Note 8 will be eligible for MIUI 13 update in the future. The Redmi Note 8 Pro, which is a costlier model, should also receive the next iteration of MIUI. But for now, there are no MIUI 13 builds for the Pro device.

For the unaware, the Redmi Note 8 made its debut with MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie in 2019. It was not only updated to MIUI 11 and MIUI 12 but also Android 10 and Android 11. The handset only recently bagged MIUI 12.5 update in international markets. MIUI 13 will be its last major software update.

Xiaomi 12 series will capture better images of fast-moving objects, thanks to “breakthrough camera” tech

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Dec 22, 2021

After weeks of leaks and rumors, the Xiaomi 12 is now being teased officially, with the front photo of the phone being revealed today for the very first time. A launch date of December 28th has been announced, confirming previous rumors.

Along with that, the company has also revealed a bit about the camera prowess of the device with a post on Weibo. A new camera breakthrough has been claimed to be achieved that will let photos to be taken much more quickly, allowing snaps of fast-moving objects to be more stable and reliable.

The breakthrough has been achieved with a new “Xiaomi Image Brain” architecture. While not exactly clear, it appears to be an AI-based piece of image processing software that’s likely much faster in doing its job than traditional processing methods.

Judging by promotional posters, the feature will be standard across the entire Xiaomi 12 lineup. It was recently revealed that the series will include two models, one with a large screen while the other with a much more compact one. The larger model is expected to have a massive 6.81-inch display while the smaller model’s display is sized at a much more manageable 6.28-inches.

The Xiaomi 12 Ultra has been omitted from the official promos, making it safe to assume that the “superphone” will not be going live on December 28th. In addition to these three models, a Xiaomi 12X will also be released, either with the aforementioned two models or sometime next year.

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Apple supplier Foxconn shuts its India plant over recent protests

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Dec 22, 2021

Apple supplier Foxconn has apparently just shut down its plant in India. The site in question is in Chennai in southern India and will remain shut this week over recent protests.

According to a Reuters report, protests erupted in the facility that began due to a food poisoning incident. The news arrives from three government sources close to the matter who stated that the factory appeared deserted on Tuesday. The place only had a few cars, which includes a police vehicle that was parked outside. Furthermore, there were no works seen at the site, with only two guards on their posts and a few other security officials being seen.

Unfortunately, Apple and Foxconn have yet to offer any statements regarding this incident. On the other hand, the disruption in the Foxconn’s plant arrives as the Cupertino based giant is dealing with a supply chain bottleneck that has already impacted production for its various electronic gadgets. Back in October, the company had even stated that the supply chain issues would worsen during the holiday season as well.

According to a senior official at the directorate of industrial safety and health in Tamil Nadu, “The factory has been shut since Saturday and will be shut till coming Sunday.” Two other officials also confirmed this news. Meanwhile, local police released dozens of detained individuals that were blocking key highway after the food poisoning incident from last week that led to 150 employees being admitted to a hospital. The site in question produces iPhone 12 models in India, with trial production for iPhone 13 series also being underway at the moment.

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GAC Aion LX Plus electric SUV with 1,000km range to launch on Jan 6

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Dec 22, 2021

Earlier this year, the GAC Group had revealed its new electric vehicle under its Aion brand. The new EV is an SUV called the Aion LX Plus, which offers an impressive range of 1,000 kilometers and its launch being imminent.

Back in November, the Aion LX Plus was announced by GAC on the Guangzhou Auto Show. Now, the company has officially announced that the new SUV will be launching on 6th January 2021. The upcoming electric SUV is an improved version of the GAC Aion LX that was announced back in 2019. In the China light duty vehicle test cycle (CLTC), the SUV had an operational range of over 1,000 kilometers.

This range is quite impressive, especially considering that its an SUV. Furthermore, the car’s notable range is thanks to its sizeable battery pack that has a capacity of 144.4 kWh in the top end model. Its battery is made by GAC’s technology with elastic sheets that also makes its 20 percent smaller and 14 percent lighter than conventional ones. This battery even offers an energy density of 205Wh/kg.

Other specifications of the electric SUV include, dual electric motors that produce 225 hp that is transmitted to all four wheels through a two speed gearbox. This also enables the Aion LX Plus to hit 0 to 100 km/hr in just an impressive 2.9 seconds as well.

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Displays on Galaxy S22+, S22 Ultra to offer 1,750 nits peak brightness level: Report

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Dec 22, 2021

Samsung is expected to debut the Galaxy S22 series in early February. Just like the last three generations, the upcoming lineup will reportedly include three models, namely Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra (aka Galaxy S22 Note). A new report on these phones reveals their peak display brightness levels.

Samsung Galaxy S22 dummy models — Alleged Galaxy S22 Series Dummy Models

According to a report by SamMobile, the Plus and the Ultra model of the Samsung Galaxy S22 series will offer improvement in their display brightness when compared to their predecessors. On the other hand, the vanilla model will perform similarly to its forerunner.

The publication says that the displays on the Galaxy S22+ and the Galaxy S22 Ultra (Galaxy S22 Note) will be capable of reaching a peak brightness level of whopping 1,750 nits. Whereas, their standard brightness level will be 1,200 nits.

As far as the Galaxy S22 is concerned, its peak and standard brightness levels will be rated at 1,000 and 1,300 nits respectively. For the unaware, both the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ offer the same numbers.

This means the Galaxy S22+ will get a huge upgrade in terms of display brightness. On the contrary, the Galaxy S22 Ultra (Galaxy S22 Note) will get a comparatively minor upgrade from Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 1,500 nits peak brightness.

At the end of the day, peak brightness level activates only in bright environments like under sunlight when auto-mode is enabled. Also, the aforementioned numbers are limited to certain localized areas of the display and not the full screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EqJjHxjrT8

OSOM OV1 has the potential to be an awesome sequel of sorts to the Essential Phone

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Dec 22, 2021

The Essential Phone, Essential PH-1, or whatever you want to call it, was undoubtedly an extremely memorable phone that quickly amassed quite a fan following. Its in-hand feel and purist approach to software are still something that many swear by. However, the device never really tasted success, selling only 5000 units in total, which eventually led to an untimely demise of the company itself.

Jason Keats, former head of R&D of Essential feels that the major bummer can mostly be owed to the fact that the company lacked direction and was never really sure of the point of the Essential PH-1 itself (via Android Authority).

“One of the things that hurt Essential was, it wasn’t entirely clear what the point of Essential was, what we were building for, and that hurt us,” he says.

However, mistakes can be addressed, and a part of the extremely talented team behind the Essential Phone is now working on another smartphone offering dubbed OSOM OV1, this time with a key focus on security and privacy.

A strategy of bringing control back to the consumers is being followed with three key pillars across software, hardware, and marketing: privacy, simplicity (ease of use), and choice. Everyone has got stuff that they’d rather store locally than on the web to keep it more shielded against prying eyes, and everything being done by OSOM revolves around this – or in other words, “to help the user control what’s shared and what’s not shared.”

Accordingly, the OSOM company name very aptly stands for “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” – a subtle way to promote the firm’s belief in privacy and security. The name of the handset too follows a similar theme with OV-1 being short for OSOM Vault 1.

But even with all of the extra focus on security, the OSOM OV-1 isn’t going loose on simplicity and will feature a simple yet premium design, reminiscent of the original Essential Phone.

There’s a triangular camera island on the upper left corner of the rear which carries a dual-camera system and a flash. A rear capacitive fingerprint scanner will serve as a bouncer and a Qualcomm chipset will be powering the phone.

Apart from this, the phone will be running near-stock Android, of course, which again would feel just as slick as the software the Essential Phone ran. Full specs of the OSOM OV1 will be revealed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February and a release is expected sometime this summer. Currently, the device is at the Engineering Validation and Testing (EVT1) stage and Keats says that the device was the best EVT1 experience of his career.

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Fire-Boltt Ninja 2 to launch in India soon, with 7 day battery & SpO2 tracking

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