Xiaomi 12 to launch soon, company gets new digital product manager

By

-

Dec 20, 2021

Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun today announced that Wei Siqi has been appointed as the new digital products manager. Wei Siqi previously led the company’s Civi line of products, which will now be managed by Hu Xinxin, who the CEO described as a “young and very good product manager.”

The announcement was made through a Weibo post, and continuing on the consumer-first approach, Lei Jun also stated that the new appointees are open to direct suggestions from Mi Fans.

Following the appointment, Wei Siqi said admitted that there is a lot of “responsibility and pressure” associated with his new role, but also revealed that the first product to be introduced by him would be the Xiaomi 12, hinting towards its imminent launch.

Previous reports had pointed towards a December 28 launch for the entire Xiaomi 12 lineup along with the announcement of MIUI 13. And with these latest developments, the launch date does seem quite likely.

Xiaomi 12 CAD render by OnLeaks / ZoutonUS

The series will be comprised of the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and Xiaomi 12 Ultra and design leaks show that while the former two will sport near-identical designs, the Xiaomi 12 Ultra will feature a huge circular camera module at the rear, packed with various hardware. However, unlike the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, it appears that the secondary display at the rear has been ditched this time.

Earlier during the 2021 Snapdragon Technology Summit, Qualcomm Technologies launched a new generation of its flagship Snapdragon processor called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. On the same day, Lei Jun confirmed that the Xiaomi 12 series will be equipped with the same.

RELATED:

TikTok plans to launch new takeaway restaurants in the US

By

Sean

-

Dec 20, 2021

With short videos being the popular focus on TikTok, food and cooking as a category has grown exponentially in recent times. Now, it seems like the social media app is looking to commercialize on this trend as well, by opening delivery only restaurants in the US.

The short video sharing platform made the announcement of entering the restaurant business earlier this month on December 17. The company is seeking to launch its takeaway based Virtual Dining Concepts that will have TikTok Kitchen locations open up in various regions in the US. This is set to start from March and will be based around the popular foods and recipes that garner millions of views on the platform.

Notably, Virtual Dining Concepts has even back celebrity and non celebrity restaurants like the MrBeast Burger. According to founder Robert Earl, around 300 TikTok restaurants are planned to open up all across the US, with more than 1,000 expected to open up sometime by the end of next year. He further adds that the success of the business could be similar to the MrBeast Burger, which saw an explosive success in the US.

Earl said that “Look, you have a platform with a billion viewers monthly who are constantly engaged, as the numbers show. It’s the first time there’s a brand like this out there—an audience of hundreds of millions of people.” These new restaurants will also operate out of national chains that is owned by Earl, which includes Buca di Beppo and Bertucci’s.

RELATED:

Huawei FreeBuds Pro get new panda-inspired black and white color option

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Dec 20, 2021

A new color option for the Huawei FreeBuds Pro Bluetooth TWS earbuds has popped up on the Chinese e-commerce site JD.com and it seems to be inspired by pandas.

The color option after being translated from Chinese reads “Ink Rhyme White” and features a very contrasting black and white color scheme. In it, the earbuds are still mostly white but come with black accents highlighted by the logo text, ear tips, and other bits. The scheme is also present in the charging case with the box being mostly white but having a Huawei logo printed within a large rectangle. The insides of the case all appear to be all black, giving the entire thing a very unique look indeed.

As for the price, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro black and white edition TWS earbuds will cost you 899 Yuan or around $140, which thankfully, isn’t any pricier than the rest of the colors.

The earbuds were first launched back in September last year and come with a number of smart features such as ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), smart dynamic noise reduction, human voice transparency mode, and uses an advanced low-latency algorithm.

1 of 3

Additionally, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro earbuds also make use of smart dual-antenna technology making connection much more stable. A Dual Device Connection feature is also offered to allow the earbuds to be simultaneously connected to two devices.

As for battery life, the earbuds can last for a total of 4.5 hours with ANC enabled on a single full charge and 7 hours with ANC off. With the charging case, this can be extended to a maximum of 30 hours.

It is unclear at the moment if the special panda-inspired color scheme of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro will be making it to the global market as an official announcement is still awaited.

RELATED:

Realme Buds Q2 launched in China, with 20 hour battery life & ENC support

By

Sean

-

Dec 20, 2021

Realme has just launched a new audio product earlier today (20th December 2021). The hearables in question is the Buds Q2 truly wireless earbuds that were officially released in the company’s home market of China.

Interestingly, we have already covered the launched of the Buds Q2 in certain other Asian markets including the likes of India and Pakistan. Although, looking at the specs it seems that the Buds Q2 launching in China is the rebranded version of the Q2 Neo that is currently available in India. In other words, it arrives with support for ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) over ANC (Active Noise Cancellation).

Furthermore, the Buds Q2 offers up to 5 hours of battery life from its earbuds alone and a total of 20 hour audio playback when combined with its charging case. As per official notes, it can even be used for 2 hours with just 10 minutes of charging. The buds house a 10mm dynamic driver with Bass Boost+ enhancement technology. The Buds Q2 even features a dedicated mode for mobile gaming, which lowers latency to just 88ms to prevent any lag between audio and visuals during gaming. It even supports Bluetooth 5.0 as well.

As of right now, the Buds Q2 is available for purchase on popular e-commerce websites like JD.com and is being sold at a price of 169 Yuan (roughly 25 US Dollars). For colors, it is available in multiple color variants including a black, blue, and grey versions.

RELATED:

OPPO Find X4 to be released in February or March, Dimensity 9000 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variants in the cards

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Dec 20, 2021

The OPPO Find X4 series, comprised of the Find X4 and Find X4 Pro, will be released in February and March after the Chinese spring festival, although the exact date has yet to be determined.

The info comes from notable industry insider Digital Chat Station who further revealed that the two models will be powered by the latest MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processors. While the former will likely be powering the vanilla Find X4, the latter will be featured on the Pro variant.

Both models have also been revealed to stick to ordinary telephoto solutions for the cameras, without the use of any periscope technology. However, the tipster also hinted at the existence of an OPPO Find X4 Ultra/Pro+ variant that may make up for the lacking.

Lastly, it was stated under the same Weibo post that the OPPO Find X4 series may both feature 80W fast charging. OnePlus will also likely be adopting the charging tech, although some realme phones will be upgraded to ultrafast 150W charging solutions.

Recently on December 16, MediaTek held a press event for its Dimensity 9000 5G mobile platform wherein it was announced that the next-generation Find X flagship series will be launched with the Dimensity 9000 5G mobile platform for the first time.

ColorOS 12 Review GizmoChina OPPO Find X3 Pro 03 — 2021’s Find X3 Pro

The processor was first announced back in November and uses TSMC’s 4nm process paired with the latest Arm v9 architecture combination, making it a highly energy-efficient yet performant offering.

As for the OPPO Find X4, alleged specifications of the device have already emerged well before launch and you can check them all out from here.

RELATED:

Mi Sans font used in Xiaomi’s MIUI 13 leaks ahead of official launch

By

Jeet

-

Dec 20, 2021

Xiaomi keeps on updating its MIUI operating system for its smartphones at regular intervals and now the Chinese giant is gearing up to launch the MIUI 13 based on the Android 12 operating system later this month.

The new MIUI is expected to go official on 28th December but ahead of the launch, a leak has revealed the new Mi Sans font that the company will be using in MIUI 13.

A new leak showcases the Mi Sans as well as the Mi Prototype 210317 fonts used in the upcoming MIUI 13 operating system. These new fonts will replace the Mi Lan Pro VF (Little Milan Pavilion Pro VF) font that is currently used by Xiaomi.

From the leak, it appears that the new fonts have more rounded texts with smoother lines when compared to the current font, giving it a modern look. Further, it is revealed that the font contains two special characters — the Xiaomi logo and the MIUI logo.

Do note that the new Mi Sans font that Xiaomi will be using in the MIUI 13 is different from the ones that are available in the current version. The Mi Lan Pro VF fonts have been in use since MIUI 11 and with the MIUI 12.5, the company just renamed the same font to Mi Sans to prepare for the upcoming major change.

As of now, there’s not much known about what specifically the company is upgrading in the upcoming version of MIUI but we expect some major changes in terms of revamped design and addition of new features. Xiaomi is also set to get rid of some of the existing features, including Screen On Time and Weather Super Wallpaper.

In related news, a list of smartphones from the company set to be the first ones to receive the new update has leaked online. The list includes premium phones like Mi 11 Ultra, Redmi K40 Pro, and others as well as the mid-range Mi 11 Youth Edition.

RELATED:

DOOGEE V20 vs V10 – New model brings in Better Upgrades

By

Daily Deals

-

Dec 20, 2021

DOOGEE is a well-known name in the rugged phone industry. With more than 8 years of experience, this smartphone maker has always focused on refining and upgrading technology and providing value for money quality rugged smartphones to its customers. And the brand new DOOGEE V20 is the culmination of years of research and hard work. Successor to the Rugged V10 smartphone, V20 comes with better and upgraded features. So let’s take a detailed look at the similarities and differences between the V20 and V10 smartphones.

SIMILARITIES:

Octa core-processors
16MP front camera
33W fast charging
NFC
Support the same no of frequencies
IP68, IP69K & MIL-STD-810 certified
Side-mounted Finger Print Sensor

DIFFERENCES:

Display: There is both size and quality upgrade in the display. V20 comes with a 6.43” AMOLED Samsung display while V10 features a 6.39” LCD Corning Gorilla Glass protected display.
Battery: V20 comes with a 6000mAh battery which is smaller than the 8500mAh V10 battery. However, as V20 comes with an AMOLED screen and has an advanced power management system, you get almost the same amount of usage on both phones. However, V20 definitely has an advantage over V10 as a smaller battery makes the phone lighter and easier to handle. Also, V20 comes with 15W wireless charging as compared to 10W in V10.
Memory: V20 comes with a higher 256GB storage as compared to the 128GB in V10. This means you get more space to store your games, videos, and photos.
Camera: Both V20 and V10 have a 16MP selfie camera and triple rear camera set up. However, their similarities end there. While V10 houses a 48MP main camera, 8MP wide-angle, and 2MP micro camera, V20 comes with a superior 64MP main camera, 20MP Night Vision, and 8MP wide-angle camera. This means better pictures and videos even at night and in low light.
Special Features: While V10 flaunted an infrared forehead thermometer, V20 comes with an innovative rear display. This 1.05” rear display is a great addition to your phone as it gives you important notifications and control over your music and calls even when the smartphone is kept face down on a surface.

Features	DOOGEE V20	DOOGEE V10
Special features:	1.05" innovative rear display	Infrared forehead thermometer
Display Size:	6.43" AMOLED Samsung DotDisplay	6.39" LCD DotDisplay
Display Features:	2K resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio,	1560 x 720p resolution, 19:9 aspect ratio,
Battery:	6000mAh	8500mAh
Charging:	33W wired fast charging	33W wired fast charging
Wireless charging:	15W	10W
Triple Rear Camera:	64MP main + 20MP night vision + 8MP wide angle	48MP main + 8MP wide angle + 2MP macro
Front Camera:	16MP	16MP
Memory:	8GB + 256GB	8GB + 128GB
Fingerprint Senor:	Side-mounted	Side-mounted
NFC:	Yes	Yes
Certifications:	IP68, IP69K & MIL-STD-810	IP68, IP69K & MIL-STD-810

For more information and hands-on comparison, check out this video from DOOGEE.

To conclude, we can easily say that V20 is obviously a better choice than V10. The official launch date for DOOGEE V20 is yet to be announced. However, this new entry into the V-series is up for grabs in a giveaway currently underway on the official Doogee website where lucky fans can pick up the devices for free. So head onto the DOOGEE website before the deal expires.

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

Apple iPhone SE 3 with 5G connectivity support to soon enter trial production

By

Jeet

-

Dec 20, 2021

Apple has a budget iPhone in the form of SE series and so far, the company has launched two models in the market. The Cupertino-based technology giant is now expected to launch the third-generation model sometime next year.

Now, if the new report is to be believed, then the Apple iPhone SE 3 is set to soon enter the trial production phase. It is also being reported that multiple vendors are now preparing for the shipment of components for the upcoming iPhone SE model.

Based on the leaks so far, the upcoming Apple iPhone SE 3 is expected to come with a 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD display and will also feature a Home button with a fingerprint sensor embedded. It is likely to be the last Apple smartphone to come packed with an LCD display panel and a home button.

The device is expected to come powered by the Apple A15 processor along with 3GB of RAM while the Plus variant will pack 4GB of RAM. The chipset also brings support for 5G connectivity to the phone. There will still be a 12-megapixel single camera sensor on the back with improved photography features.

In its recent estimate, J.P. Morgan says that this new iPhone SE could lure nearly 1.4 billion low to mid-range Android phone users and about 300 million older iPhone model users. It has raised estimates for fiscal 2022 iPhone SE sales to 30 million units and annual iPhone shipments expectations to 250 million units, which is 10 million higher than this year.

RELATED:

Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 to feature Samsung’s 8.1-inch UTG display with high refresh rate

By

Jeet

-

Dec 20, 2021

Last year, Xiaomi officially launched its first foldable smartphone in the market under the MIX lineup, dubbed Mi MIX Fold. Now, the company is working on its successor, which is likely to be called Xiaomi MIX Fold 2.

As per the latest report, the upcoming foldable smartphone from Xiaomi has appeared in the IMEI database and the device has also passed through the certification process, revealing its model number to be 22061218C.

Mi MIX Fold featured — XIaomi Mi MIX Fold

It has also been revealed that the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 could be officially launched in the Chinese market sometime in June or July next year. The phone, which is said to have “zizhan” codename, will come with upgraded specifications.

The latest report claims that the company will be using an 8.1-inch UTG AMOLED flexible screen from Samsung Display. The UTG display is thinly processed at the level of 30 microns and is made through a process that improves flexibility and durability.

Further, it is also said that the smartphone will have redesigned and upgraded hinges. As for the other improvements in the upcoming device, we will have to wait for a couple of more months before we start getting leaks.

For those who are unaware, Xiaomi had used the Polyimide Film (PI) for the flexible screen used in the MIX Fold smartphone, which was provided by Huaxing Optoelectronics (TCL CSOT). The same technology was also used by Huawei for its Mate X2.

RELATED:

Moto Edge S30 exceeds 170,000 pre-orders, goes on sale tomorrow in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

On Dec. 9, Motorola unveiled the Moto Edge X30 and Edge S30 smartphones in China. In the first sale of the X30, which was carried out on Dec. 15 in China, Motorola sold 10,000 units of the smartphone in less than 3 minutes. As it is known, the X30 debuted as the world’s first phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. As far as the Edge S30 is concerned, it has been available for pre-orders in the home market since Dec. 15. The handset is scheduled to go on sale tomorrow (Dec. 21). Today, Lenovo General Manger Chen Jin for the mobile division confirmed that JD.com has received over 170,000 pre-orders of the Edge S30.

Motorola Edge S30 pricing

The Edge S30 comes in four models such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage for 1,999 Yuan (~$313), 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage for 2,199 Yuan (~$345), 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage for 2,399 Yuan (~$376), and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage for 2,399 Yuan (~$376). It comes in colors Phantom Black and Glacier Blue.

Moto Edge S30 specifications and features

The Moto Edge S30 has a 6.8-inch FHD+ LCD panel that offers a 144Hz refresh rate and a 576Hz touch sampling rate. For security, it has a side-facing fingerprint scanner. The handset has a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, and its rear camera setup has a 108-megapixel main snapper, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The Snapdragon 888 Plus chipset is present at the helm of the S30. It comes with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The device runs on My UX 3.0 flavored Android 12 OS. To keep the lights on, it has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging.

The Edge S30 is a rebranded version of the Moto G200, which debuted last month in the European markets. A recent report claimed that the Moto G200 will be heading to India in Q1 2022.

RELATED:

Alleged Realme GT 2’s specifications leaked before launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

Realme will be holding a launch event today at 3 PM (local time) in China to announce the Realme GT 2 series. Reports suggest that the company may announce dual flagship phones such as the Realme GT 2 and Realme GT 2 Pro. The latter is expected to feature the all-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 whereas the former may house the Snapdragon 888 SoC. Today, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station shared the key specs of what appears to the vanilla Realme GT 2 handset.

The tipster revealed that the smartphone features a 6.6-inch flat AMOLED panel with a punch-hole design. It offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device features a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

The GT 2’s back panel has a triple camera unit, which is headlined by a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 camera. It is assisted by an 8-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel snapper.

The Snapdragon 888 mobile platform powers the device. It has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging. It is equipped with other features like an x-axis linear motor, dual speakers, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The tipster seems to be talking about the Realme RMX3310 smartphone that was approved by the TENAA authority of China earlier this month. This device is likely to come preinstalled with the Realme UI 3.0, which could be based on Android 11 or 12.

Probably, the company may announce this device with the Realme GT 2 moniker today. Considering that the GT 2 Pro is the most premium flagship phone from the brand, it may only confirm some of its features today and launch it at a later date.

RELATED:

Vivo shows off the vivo Watch 2’s design in real life, announces support for standalone SMS

By

Staff

-

Dec 20, 2021

Vivo held a joint press conference with China’s Big 3 Telcos (China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile) yesterday, to announce vivo’s collaboration with the Big 3 on their newest upcoming smartwatch, the vivo Watch 2.

At the event, vivo showed off the design of its vivo Watch 2 to the public at the in-person event. From the pictures gathered, we found that vivo is using a circular watch face, a round-shaped dial as well as swappable watch bands for the vivo Watch 2. The watch is also shown to come either in a metallic silver finish or in a matte black finish with two buttons on the side.

Another announcement at the event today was the support of standalone eSIM SMS for the vivo Watch 2. This is the first for the company and with standalone eSIM support, the watch can now receive SMSes without needing to be connected via Bluetooth to a phone or even the internet via Wi-Fi. This feature is a joint collaboration between Vivo and the Big 3 Telcos in China.

No other features or specs were announced today at the event today, but a TENAA listing of the vivo Watch 2 from October gave some insight into what the specs of the vivo Watch 2 are.

The vivo Watch 2 is said to feature an OLED display, a heart-rate tracker, a built-in GPS, a step counter, and a 515mAh battery, which is an improvement over last year’s 478mAh battery on the 2020 vivo Watch.

To know more about the highlights of the upcoming vivo Watch 2, stay tuned for vivo’s 22 December launch event in China, where it will not only officially announce the release of the vivo Watch 2, but also release its highly anticipated vivo S12 lineup of smartphones.

RELATED:

iQOO Neo5S battery size, stereo speakers confirmed before launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

Today at 19:30 PM (local time) in China, iQOO will be unleashing two phones namely, the iQOO Neo5S and iQOO Neo5 SE. Before the launch, iQOO has released new posters details like such as battery size, charging speeds, and audio capabilities of the Neo5S.

The first poster reveals that the iQOO Neo5S will be equipped with stereo speakers for surround sound and immersive gaming experience. The official renders of the device have revealed that it will lack a 3.5mm audio jack. The Chinese manufacturer has released another poster to confirm that the Neo 5S will be packed with a 4,500mAh battery.

The Neo5S will carry support for dual-cell 66W fast charging technology. The company claims that it takes only 18 minutes for the smartphone to reach from 1 percent to 70 percent. iQOO has also confirmed that the Neo5S will come preinstalled with the all-new OriginOS Ocean UI, which could be overlaid on the Android 11 OS.

For heat dissipation, the Neo5S will be equipped with rare earth elements. Its screen will carry support for an FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 16,000 levels of dimming. The screen will also come with an independent display chip for an enhanced visual experience. The rear camera setup of the Neo5S will feature an OIS-assisted 48-megapixel primary camera.

The Snapdragon 888 mobile platform will be present under the hood of the iQOO Neo5S. The device is expected to ship with up 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Shown-above are the three color variants of the Neo5S.

RELATED:

Philips PH1 with Unisoc T310, 4,700mAh battery launched in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

The Philips PH2 smartphone was announced last week at a low price of 799 Yuan (~$125). Now, the company has unveiled another model called the Philips PH1 in China. It features a waterdrop notch display, a Unisoc processor, and a large battery. Here is all the information on the specs, features, and pricing of the Philips PH1.

Philips PH1 specifications and features

The Philips PH1 has a 6.517-inch LCD panel that offers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. The waterdrop notch available on the PH1’s screen houses a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

The back panel of the PH1 has a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 3-megapixel secondary snapper. The device runs on Android, but the exact version is not known yet. The device lacks a fingerprint scanner, and it only features face unlock for security.

The Unisoc T310 chip, which fuels the PH2 handset is available inside the PH1. It comes with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB / 64 GB of storage. The device is packed with a 4,700mAh that lacks support for rapid charging. Its other features include dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The handset measures 165.5 x 76.5 x 9.5mm and weighs 194 grams.

Philips PH1 pricing and availability

The Phillips PH1 has landed in China in two options such as 4 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, and 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. They are priced at 499 Yuan (~$78), 569 Yuan (~$89(, and 769 Yuan (~$121). It comes in three colors such as blue, black, and red.

RELATED:

Galaxy S21 FE 5G pricing, variants appear on Samsung’s website

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is expected to get showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 tech expo, which is scheduled to take place in the first week of January 2022. Tipster Snoopy has come across the official listing of the Galaxy S21 FE on Samsung Ireland’s website.

The official listing shows that the Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be in Ireland in two variants such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. They are listed for €769 and €839, respectively. The S21 FE is listed in two colors such as Olive and White. Reports have revealed that the device will be available in two more colors such as Graphite and Lavender.

Readers are advised to digest the pricing details with a grain of salt since the S21 FE is yet to go official. A recent report by Winfuture.de had revealed that the two variants will be priced at €749 and €819, respectively, in Germany.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G specifications (Rumored)

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G has a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD+ display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera, and it has a 12-megapixel (main) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) + 8-megapixel (telephoto) triple camera unit.

The S21 FE is driven by the Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 depending on the market. It is likely to ship with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The device has a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. It is expected to come with an IP68 rated chassis.

RELATED:

Apple reportedly working on a new 15-inch iPad for home devices market

By

Jeet

-

Dec 20, 2021

Apple is usually among the leading companies in whatever category the company launches its products but the Cupertino-based technology giant has a minimal market share when it comes to smart speakers.

In an effort to tilt the market to its advantage, it is reported that Apple could be working on a 15-inch iPad. The large-screened iPad could be positioned in such a way that it will support smart speakers from the brand.

One of the biggest advantages that Apple has when it comes to smart devices is its App Store and with the new 15-inch iPad as a smart display solution in support for speakers, the App Store can be leveraged to gain more users.

The report indicates that the upcoming large-screened iPad could come packed with a powerful chipset and include a top-of-the-line camera in landscape orientation. It is expected to have support for the wall mount and have a power plug at the back.

It is speculated to be a two-in-one device that can be used as a smart display for home or double up as a tablet. The device is expected to go official in a couple of years but whenever it launches, the pricing will be crucial in its success.

Currently, Amazon and Google are dominating the smart speaker market with 69 percent and 25 percent of the market share. One factor that is helping them is their smart voice assistant — Alexa and Google Assistant, which are considered to be much better than Siri when it comes to virtual assistance.

In related news, the report also confirms that Apple will launch its new iPad Pro in 11-inch and 12.9-inch models next year. Both of them will come with a mini-LED display and have support for Mag-Safe wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging.

RELATED:

Realme Narzo 9i configurations, color variants leaked

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 20, 2021

The upcoming Realme 9 series reportedly includes four models such as Realme 9i, Realme 9, Realme 9 Pro, and Realme 9 Pro+ smartphones. It is speculated that the Realme 9i may debut first in Q1 2022. Recent reports have spilt the entire specs of the Realme 9i. Now, tipster and 91mobiles have teamed up to claim that the Realme 9i could be rebranded as Realme Narzo 9i. The new leak has also revealed the RAM, storage and color variants of the Narzo 9i.

Tipster and 91mobiles have collaborated to reveal that the Narzo 9i will come in two models such as 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB /128 GB of storage. The handset is expected to arrive in two colors such as Prism Black and Prism Blue. The report has also claimed that there is a possibility that the Narzo 9i and Realme 9i could be different devices.

Realme Narzo 9i specifications (Rumored)

The Realme 9i (or Narzo 9i) may come with a 6.6-inch LCD panel with a punch-hole design. It may carry support a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. For selfies, it may feature a 16-megapixel camera and its rear camera setup may include a 50-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel camera.

The 9i handset may debut as India’s first phone powered by the Snapdragon 680 chipset. It may come with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W rapid charging. For security, it may feature a side-facing fingerprint scanner. At present, there is no information available on the pricing of the Realme 9i (or Narzo 9i).

RELATED:

Leak reveals first batch of Xiaomi smartphones receiving MIUI 13 update

By

Jeet

-

Dec 20, 2021

Xiaomi is expected to launch its next-generation custom Android-based operating system for its smartphones — MIUI 13. Ahead of the official announcement, some details about the new update have leaked online.

Now, in the latest development, the first batch of smartphones from Xiaomi that will be receiving the new MIUI 13 update has been leaked. The list includes devices from both Xiaomi as well as Redmi.

According to a new leak, the Xiaomi 11 Ultra and the Xiaomi 11 flagship smartphones will be the first phones to get the latest MIUI update along with the Redmi K40 Pro and the Redmi K40 Pro+ smartphones.

Interestingly, the Xiaomi 11 Youth Edition, which isn’t a premium smartphone from the brand but is a mid-range offering, is also on the list of the first batch of devices set to receive the MIUI 13 update.

We expect a few more smartphones to be on the list of phones getting the latest update but to know for sure which devices are included, we will have to wait for the official announcement from the company.

Initially, the update will be released in the Chinese market only, and later on, it will be rolled out to other regions. The MIUI 13 is said to have a revamped design, new features, and will get rid of some of the existing features. It is expected to go official later this month but the China-based smartphone manufacturer has not yet confirmed this.

RELATED:

FedEx receives its first set of electric delivery vans from GM’s BrightDrop

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 19, 2021

Logistics giant FedEx has taken delivery of the first batch of General Motors’ BrightDrop electric delivery vans. This marks a milestone as the company continues to transit its operations into sustainable carbon-neutral ideals. Earlier this year when BrightDrop, the logistics and electric delivery arm of GM, was launched, FedEx placed an order of 500 electric delivery vans.

The collaboration between FedEx and BrightDrop has now culminated in the delivery of the first set of electric Light Commercial Vehicles (eLCVs), named the EV600. FedEx has now confirmed taking delivery of the first five units of the EV600. Some images of the new EV600 electric delivery vans were also shared by FedEx.

The EV600 is powered by GM’s Ultium platform and the van has an estimated range of up to 250 miles (402.3km) on a full charge. The EV600 offers more than 600 cubic feet (17 cubic meters) of cargo space.

FedEx had put 2040 as its target for its global pickup and delivery (PUD) fleet to go all-electric.The EV600 delivery vans are to be deployed at FedEx’s Express facility in Inglewood, California. According to Mitch Jackson, Chief Sustainability Officer of FedEx, the addition of the BrightDrop EV600 EVs into its fleet is a historic moment for both companies. The milestone keys into FedEx’s strategic plans to transform its pickup and delivery fleet to electric vehicles. The move also keys squarely into the ambitious sustainability goals already outlined by FedEx.

Travis Katz, President, and CEO of BrightDrop, also weighed in on the momentous occasion, coming barely a year after the formation of BrightDrop. For Katz, as eCommerce continues to blossom, the company’s mission is to dramatically reduce vehicle emissions from delivery vans. He also stated that FedEx has ambitious sustainability goals and the collaboration with FedEx shows how the private sector can innovate and help bring solutions to climate and emissions-related challenges.

RELATED;

(via)

Tipster provides a glimpse of the Nokia Senna tablet canceled in 2011

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 19, 2021

In the past few weeks, Nokia expert and tipster, Dimitros Vlachos had provided some inside details of a few Nokia phones that did not scale the hurdle of production. This week, Vlachos has added the Nokia Senna to this list, providing some details about the device which was canceled possibly after its development in 2011. Nokia had planned to replace its Symbian OS architecture with the MeeGo OS, and the Nokia Senna was also in development at the time.

The Senna was designed as a compact tablet based on the Nokia N9 design. However, the MeeGo ecosystem was abruptly discontinued as it was lacking in design and functionality behind the Android OS. A similar scenario led to the cancellation of the Senna production. The design concept of Senna was later to be deployed to the design of the WP8 tablet, although the Nokia 2520 that was released was also a great device.

Dimitros Vlachos has now provided some stunning live feeds of the canceled Senna tablet. Earlier in 2013, some images of the Senna surfaced online. Dimitros says the device was based on Sony-Ericsson’s Nova Thor chipset and it runs on vanilla MeetGo. As seen in the details provided by Dimitous, the Nokia Senna has similar UI and apps as found in the N9. The camera of the Nokia Senna is capable of recording 1080p videos, which is a great feat at the time of its development.

Nokia tablet

1 of 7

We could expect that Dimitros Vlachos may still have a few more unreleased/canceled Nokia models from the last decade. This is however not unconnected with the dynamics of the company at the time and its subsequent acquisition by Microsoft.