Deal: Get OnePlus Buds Pro Global version for $110 (Retail Price $150)

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Dec 17, 2021

OnePlus Buds Pro Global version which generally retails for $150 is now available for as low as $109.99 only at AliExpress. The Chinese version of the earbuds comes at an even lower cost of $89.99 only.

WHERE TO BUY

OnePlus Buds Pro Global version at $109.99 @AliExpress

OnePlus Buds Pro features a smart adaptive noise cancellation technology that helps you enjoy pure silence whenever you need it. With 40dB peak noise-canceling, this earbud adapts to your ambient sound environment giving you an immersive audio experience. Also with the transparency mode, you can easily step out into the traffic or order your favorite coffee without having the need to remove your earbuds.

OnePlus Buds Pro gives you crystal clear calls thanks to its triple ENC microphones and AI-powered noise-reducing algorithms. Also with OnePlus Audio ID, you can now personalize your hearing experience to your liking. The earbuds come with 11mm dynamic drivers which are fine-tuned to give you deep and rich bass and with the latest Bluetooth v5.2 you get a seamless and stable connection with ultra-low latency.

OnePlus Buds Pro is IP55 certified water and sweat-resistant and gives you 7 hours of playback on a single charge and 38 hours with the case. It also supports a warp charge that gives you 10 hours of playback with just 10 mins of charging.

Generally retailing for $150, you can now buy the OnePlus Buds Pro Global version for as low as $109.99 only at AliExpress. This is a limited-time offer.

Please note that the above price is region-specific and the final price may vary according to your shipping region, warehouse, and regional taxes.

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

* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

iQOO Neo5 SE tipped to offer 144Hz display & will not be blowing a hole in your wallet

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 17, 2021

iQOO very recently announced that the iQOO Neo5 SE will be launching on December 20th in China, and ahead of the release, new details about the phone are continually popping up.

The latest piece of information comes from industry insider Digital Chat Station who today broke the news that the iQOO Neo5 SE will be equipped with the Snapdragon 870 processor, a (likely LCD) display with a 144Hz refresh rate, and a triple 50MP rear camera setup.

Further, the tipster revealed that the phone will support 55W fast charging and that its box will include a 66W charging brick. As for the price, it is expected to be in the 2,000 Yuan realm, which is around $310.

iQOO had earlier today released a teaser video for the iQOO Neo5 SE revealing the complete design. Its display will feature a centrally positioned punch-hole. The right edge of the smartphone has a volume controller, underneath which is a power button, which appears to also hold a fingerprint sensor.

For photography, there is a triple camera unit with a 50-megapixel primary sensor. The device will be coming in three colors, namely white, dark blue, and blue gradient.

Along with it, the iQOO Neo5S equipped with the Snapdragon 888 processor will also be launched. Both phones are expected to offer OriginOS Ocean UI out-of-the-box.

RELATED:

Xiaomi 12 Ultra screen size leaked, sports 6.6 inch 2K display

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2021

With the year coming to an end, Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its next generation of flagship smartphone lineup. Now, a new leak has revealed some key details regarding the display of its top end Xiaomi 12 Ultra model.

The news arrives from known tipster @数码闲聊站 on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website). Apparently, the Xiaomi 12 Ultra will feature a display that is around 6.5 to 6.6 inches and has a 2K resolution. We can expect the size of the display to be identical between the regular Ultra and the Ultra Enhanced Edition as well. This is noticeably smaller that the previous generation Mi 11 Ultra‘s 6.81 inch display. Although, it could be a change to make the Ultra models more handy and easier to use with one hand.

As per our previous report, the Xiaomi 12 Pro might feature an under display camera on its 6.6 inch display. In other words, the difference between the Pro and Ultra model will not be in the display department. We had even gotten our hands on the 12 Pro variant’s screen protector, which we had compared to the Mi 11. Apart from sharing details of upcoming smartphones from the Chinese tech giant, the tipster also added that new Redmi models will also be featuring smaller displays next year.

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Deal: Get Realme GT NEO 2 for $390 at AliExpress (Retail Price $450)

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Daily Deals

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Dec 17, 2021

Realme GT Neo 2 which generally retails for $450 is now available at a discounted price of $390.40 only at AliExpress.

WHERE TO BUY

Realme GT Neo 2 at $390.40 @AliExpress

Realme GT Neo 2 features a 6.62” 120Hz Samsung E4 AMOLED FHD+ display and is powered by the Snapdragon 870 Octa-Core processor. The smartphone comes with 8GB / 12GB RAM and 128GB / 256GB storage.

On the back, you have a triple camera setup with a 64MP main camera and 8MP + 2MP secondary cameras. And for your selfies, you can find a 16MP camera in the front. Fueled with a 5000mAh battery, Realme GT Neo 2 supports 65W SuperDart Flash charging. It runs on the Android 11 based Realme UI 2 and comes with an under-display fingerprint scanner.

Fitted with dual stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos game support, Realme GT Neo 2, comes with a dedicated GT mode that offers leapfrog performance while gaming with enhanced image quality, 4D in-game vibrations, faster loading times, dynamic sound effects, and more.

Generally retailing for $450, you can now buy Realme GT Neo 2 for $390.40 only at AliExpress. This price is applicable to the 8GB + 128GB Black and Blue color variant. This is a limited-time offer.

Please note that the above price is region-specific and the final price may vary according to your shipping region, warehouse, and regional taxes.

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

* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Huawei P50 Pocket foldable phone roundup: display, specs, colors & more – what to expect!

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 17, 2021

2022 seems to be the year of the foldables, just as realme’s Xu Qi had earlier predicted. The market that has been completely dominated by Samsung until now is beginning to heat up firstly with the release of the OPPO Find N and now the soon-to-launch Huawei P50 Pocket.

A launch event will be held on December 23rd for the device where the curtains will also be lifted on some other products like the Huawei Watch D smartwatch with support for blood pressure monitoring. The Huawei P50 Pocket is likely the same device that has been doing rounds as the Huawei Mate V for a while now.

Design & Display

Display analyst and CEO of Display Supply China Consultants (DSCC) Ross Young recently revealed that the Huawei P50 Pocket is equipped with a large 6.85-inch foldable screen, which is a tiny bit larger than the one on the Galaxy Z Flip3. The primary display is complemented by a smaller, circular cover display on the outside of the phone, with a size of 1-inch. This one is positioned under the rear camera module, also with a circular design.

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But even with the usage of such a breakthrough piece of tech, Huawei hasn’t gone light on the design of the Huawei P50 Pocket and has undoubtedly made it quite the head-turner, with a golden body and a unique textured finish. Some images were shared yesterday by a fashion magazine, showing Chinese actress Guan Xiaotong endorsing the Huawei P50 Pocket. A use case of the outside display has also been demonstrated therein, showing the actress clicking a selfie using the rear camera.

Cameras on the Huawei P50 Pocket

Moving on to the cameras, a tipster had claimed that the P50 Pocket’s rear camera setup will include a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 13-megapixel snapper, and an 8-megapixel tertiary lens. The handset may carry support for 3x optical zoom.

Other Specifications

Apart from the above, there is barely anything known about the Huawei P50 Pocket in terms of specifications, although reports do suggest that the phone will be coming with support for 66W rapid charging. If true, it will be leaving the Galaxy Flip3’s 15W charging in the dust.

There is no information on the chipset and battery capacity of the P50 Pocket. The device is likely to arrive with support for 66W rapid charging. Apart from the gold variant, the P50 Pocket may also arrive in a blue edition. The leak claims that it will be priced lower than the Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G. To recollect, the Samsung flip phone was introduced with a pricing of $999. As usual, readers are recommended the specs leak of the P50 Pocket with a grain of salt.

Colors & Expected Pricing

Apart from the gold coloring showcased in the images above, the Huawei P50 Pocket may also come in a blue edition and a white variant.

As for pricing, the phone is expected to be cheaper than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip3 that debuted with a price tag of $999. Offerings from Chinese companies are generally cheaper as it was seen with the OPPO Find N’s price of around $1,200, which is much lower than the Z Fold3’s launch price of $1,799.99.

That said, with just a few days left for launch, we should be getting further details about the stunning foldable phone through both official and unofficial channels.

RELATED:

This Samsung phone can both fold and roll: Design Patent

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 17, 2021

Samsung is the leading foldable smartphone brand. The company will continue to enjoy this status for the time being. To keep up with the competition, the firm needs to innovate. Hence, like any other company, it is also known for patenting various phone designs and technology every now and then. One such patent has now emerged showcasing both foldable and rollable form factors in a single device.

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According to 91Mobiles, Samsung filed a unique smartphone design patent with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) in June 2021. This design incorporates a foldable as well as a rollable in one phone.

As mentioned earlier, Samsung is well-known for its foldables, however, the company is yet to release any rollable. In fact, there’s not a single commercial rollable smartphone from any brand.

However, like others, Samsung has also been filing design patents for this new form factor. But this is the first time any company has ever clubbed both foldable and rollable into one.

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Per the patent description, the design is of an ‘electronic device capable of folding and sliding operations’. Users can slide the display of this handset based on requirement and can fold it at an inclined angle. The screen can be folded even when it is not rolled out.

Unfortunately, not much is known about this design patent except that it uses a hinge and a motor to fold and roll respectively.

As of now, we don’t think Samsung will ever launch a commercial product with this design anytime soon. But we cannot rule out the possibility in the future.

Realme GT 2 series will feature unrivaled “ultra-stable signal” tech: Exec

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2021

The Realme GT 2 series has just been teased again. This one arrives from the Vice President of the company and President of its Global Marketing, Xu Qi, who shared a new teaser on his official Weibo account (a Chinese microblogging website).

Looking at the image poster, the Chinese smartphone maker’s upcoming GT 2 series will apparently arrives with unrivaled “ultra-stable signal” technology. Furthermore, the teaser adds that this will be possible through the first of its kind antenna technology for networking. Unfortunately, the senior official did not reveal any finer details regarding this antenna technology in question but we can assume that it is likely to improve cellular or WiFi based connectivity for a smoother experience when online.

Previously, the company had teased the camera of the GT 2 Pro. Reportedly, the smartphone will sport a triple camera setup with a 50 megapixel Sony IMX 766 primary sensor paired with a 50 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, which is confirmed to offer 150 degree field of view. Unfortunately, it is still unknown what purpose the third sensor will serve at the moment.

Other notable features include, a 6.7 inch AMOLED QHD+ 120Hz display, 32 megapixel selfie shooter, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 12GB RAM, and support for 65W fast charging. Keep in mind, a number of these aforementioned specifications have yet to be officially confirmed so take it with a punch of salt for now. Realme had even teased that the GT 2 series will feature more environmentally friendly designs as well. The device is set to be unveiled on December 20, so stay tuned as we will be covering the launch event.

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iQOO U5 specifications revealed, iQOO U5x with Snapdragon 480+ also expected

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 17, 2021

iQOO U5 launch date seems to be drawing near. The reason behind it is that it has appeared with all its specifications in the database of China’s TENAA certification site (via). Unfortunately, the images of the device are not yet available in the listing. At the same time, a Chinese tipster has claimed that the iQOO U5 series will include two variants of the iQOO U5x handset.

iQOO U5 specifications (Rumored)

The TENAA listing of the iQOO U5 has revealed that it has a 6.58-inch AMOLED screen that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. There is no confirmation on whether it supports a higher refresh rate. The handset is driven by a 2.2GHz octa-core processor. Tipster WHY LAB has claimed that it will be fueled by the Dimensity 810 chipset.

The device will come with 4GB / 6GB / 8GB / of RAM. It will be available in 128 GB / 256 GB of storage. The device is packed with a 4,910mAh battery (rated value). The 3C certification of the device has revealed that it may ship with an 18W charger.

The iQOO U5 has an 8-megapixel selfie camera. Its back panel has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel secondary shooter. For security, it is equipped with a fingerprint scanner, but it is unclear whether it is placed on the rear shell or embedded in the power button. Lastly, the iQOO U5 measures 164 x 75.84 x 8.25mm and weighs 185 grams.

Tipster WHY LAB has claimed that the iQOO U5 lineup will also include iQOO U5x. The U5x will come in a 5G model powered by the Snapdragon 480+ chip, whereas its 4G edition will be driven by the Helio G88 SoC. The iQOO U5 series is likely to rival with Redmi Note 11 lineup in China. The U5 series is expected to launch at some point later this month.

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Shenmue III kickstarts an epic 15-day giveaway season by Epic Games

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 17, 2021

The Epic Games Store continues to reel in gamers through attractive offers, and most of all, its regular free games. Carrying on with the trend it has been following for the past couple of years or so, the store has kickstarted its year-end giveaways to commemorate the festive season and the first mystery game has now been revealed.

Shenmue 3 has been selected as the first offering and the game is quite the attention grabber given the solid title it is. In it, you play as Ryo Hazuki, an 18-year-old Japanese martial artist hellbent on avenging his father’s death. The game is a part of a series that was first launched back in 1999 and is of a story-driven, action-adventure genre.

It would not be wrong to say that Shenmue III has achieved cult status by now with many fans in the gaming community. The title manages to capture the essence of the original with all of its open-world environments interspersed with brawler battles and quick time events. But there are also a few improvements in certain aspects, such as its storyline.

A reliable tipster had earlier tipped that over the course of two weeks, Epic Games Store will be giving away 15 games for free. The giveaways have already started since yesterday and will likely be lasting until December 30th.

While it’s not known what the rest of the Epic Games Store mystery games will be, they will likely be titles similar in scope to Shenmue 3. Epic had first grabbed the limelight back in 2020 when it had offered GTA V for free, effectively pulling in around 7 million users to the store – although, it’s unlikely that a similar AAA title will be given away for free this season.

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Caviar launches an iPhone 13 Pro that can save your life, capable of stopping Bullets!

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2021

Caviar has just launched new customized models of the iPhone 13 Pro series. While the company has launched a number of iPhones with unique aspects and designs, the latest one might be able to save your life in dire situations.

The Russia based luxury goods maker has unveiled the new Stealth 2.0 series for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models. For those unaware, the original Stealth custom edition was for privacy conscious users, but with its latest generation, Caviar added an extra feature that could be potentially life saving. The Stealth 2.0 arrives with BR2 Class 2 bulletproof armor that is claimed to be strong enough to withstand gunshots. You read that right, the new custom iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are capable of stopping bullets.

To achieve this impressive feat, the brand partnered up with NPOTCIT, a firm that specializes in attack helicopters and armored vehicles. NPOTCIT is behind the custom iPhone 13 Pro’s bulletproof body. Furthermore, the Stealth 2.0 removes the front and rear cameras from the iPhone, which in turn also disables Face ID as well. In other words, the custom iPhone 13 Pro do not feature any biometric security. Although, whether the camera trade off for potentially saving one’s life is worthwhile is still up for debate.

According to Caviar, the removal of the cameras also ensures that you can take the device in areas where cameras are banned. Additionally, a YouTube video of a person firing at the iPhone 13 Pro Stealth 2.0 was also shared. While the device did become unusable after taking the bullet, it also managed to stop the bullet that ensures that users would escape with just a bruise. The brand only plans on making 99 units of this model as well, with the most affordable variant starting from 6,370 US Dollars and maxing out at 7,980 US Dollars.

RELATED:

Sony makes breakthrough in stacked image sensor technology

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 17, 2021

Sony is the leading camera sensor vendor for smartphones. Companies prefer the Japanese tech giant over other players because of its innovation and its ability to meet demands. To maintain its position, Sony is known for making advancements every now and then. According to a press release (via Android Authority) by the firm, it recently announced its latest breakthrough in stacked image sensor technology at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, which began on December 11, 2021.

Sony says that it has developed the world’s first stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2-layer transistor pixels. In simpler words, the company has improved the existing stacked sensor technology by making some changes to achieve better performance.

The firm explains that photodiodes and pixel transistors of conventional CMOS image sensors occupy the same pixel substrate layer. Sony has made changes to this arrangement by using separate pixel substrate layers for photodiodes and pixel transistors respectively.

The Japanese company claims that its new sensor technology doubles saturation signal, which in turn, widens the dynamic range. Additionally, since the amp transistor size can be increased with this tech, noise during dark scenarios is also reduced.

Last but not least, Sony states that its stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2-layer transistor pixels improves the properties of pixels at their current size as well as smaller. This suggests that the firm may finally release its own 100MP+ sensors like Samsung to make use of this tech.

Get $30 OFF on OPPO Find N Foldable Smartphone at Giztop (Coupon)

By

Daily Deals

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Dec 17, 2021

Giztop is giving a $30 discount coupon for OPPO Find N, the latest foldable flagship from OPPO. The smartphone which retails for $1599 can be bought for a discounted price of $1569 by using the $30 coupon code: FINDN30. Please note that this deal is applicable on the pre-order of the product and the actual shipping will start at end of December.

WHERE TO BUY

OPPO Find N at $1569 (after discount)@Giztop

OPPO Find N is the first foldable flagship from OPPO. It features a 7.1” LTPO AMOLED inner display with 1792 x 1920p resolution and a 5.49” AMOLED outer display with a 1972 x 988p resolution. Powered by Snapdragon 888 5G octa-core processor, the smartphone comes in multiple memory variants viz: 8GB / 12GB RAM and 256GB / 512GB ROM.

OPPO Find N comes with a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP main camera and 13MP and 16MP secondary cameras. For your selfies, you have a 32MP sensor on both the inner and outer display. The smartphone is fueled by a 4500mAh battery and supports 33W wired and 15W wireless charging. It runs the Android 11 based Color OS 12 and comes in three color variants viz: Purple, White, and Black. Oppo Find N foldable supports Dual 5G mode.

Generally retailing for $1599 you can now buy OPPO Find N for $1569 using the $30 discount coupon code: FINDN30. Please note that this price is applicable to the 8GB + 256GB White and Black color variants. However, the discount coupon is applicable to all variants and colors. So place your pre-order before the coupon expires.

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

MediaTek shows off Dimensity 9000 benchmarks, beats Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in some tests

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2021

MediaTek had just launched its latest and greatest flagship processors for smartphones earlier this week. The new chip in question is dubbed the Dimensity 9000 SoC, which will power a number of upcoming high end smartphones next year. Now, the company has officially shown off the benchmarking results of this chip, which show some interesting results.

The benchmarks were shared through a new video that was posted on MediaTek’s Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website). Looking at these tests, the Taiwanese chipmaker puts its newly launched Dimensity 9000 chip through a number of major benchmarking platforms like AnTuTu, GeekBench, PCMark, and others. In AntuTu (V9.0.7), the flagship mobile processor managed to a get a score of 1,017,488, which is quite close to the current top end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from Qualcomm, which also scored a similar results in previous benchmark reports.

However on GeekBench 5, the Dimensity 9000 managed to score 1273 points on single core test and 4324 points on the multi core test. While the single core performance is capable, the real winner is the multi core results, which best even the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which has been seen with scores around the 3,800 and 3,900 range. Moving on to PCMark, MediaTek put its new chipset through the Work 3.0 performance test, with it achieving a score of 17,573. This is also higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s 16,858 score that was spotted in a benchmark result earlier this month.

In other words, the Dimensity 9000 SoC is more than capable of holding its own against Qualcomm in the flagship segment as well. Traditionally, MediaTek chips were known for its affordability in entry level handsets. But now, the company has been pushing the boundaries and have expanded to include even the mid range and flagship segments as well. While Qualcomm’s Snapdragon was previously known as the top pick for various flagships phones, Dimensity chips have slowly been eating away at its market share. The latest benchmarks also showcase the growing capabilities of MediaTek’s mobile chips that will power upcoming flagship Redmi K50, OPPO Find X, and other flagship series devices in 2022.

RELATED:

OPPO Find N sold out in China, Second hand resales cross $1,800

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2021

OPPO had officially announced its first commercial foldable smartphone, the Find N, earlier this week in China. The smartphone arrived with one of the more reasonable price tag for its category, and has already been sold out in the company’s home market. Although, the device has also appeared on second hand reselling platforms and is selling for a much higher price tag than its original retail price.

Talking about the smartphone first, the Find N is the Chinese smartphone maker’s latest flagship product that targets the ultra high end segment in the market. Furthermore, Find N also marked OPPO’s entry to the foldable market that is currently being dominated by Samsung. But while Samsung already has an established presence in the segment, the Chinese brand’s Find N arrives at a price point much cheaper than the former’s Galaxy Z Fold3 series (You can check out our comparison between the two by clicking Here).

At the moment, the Find N is set to go on sale on December 23, however, the company had launched the foldable smartphone in limited quantities through both offline and online channels. Furthermore, the device sold out quite quickly in China, which doesn’t seem surprising considering its pricing rivals other conventional high end phones from Apple and Samsung. Looking at the original pricing, the Find N is available in two storage configurations, namely 8GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB variants.

The former is priced at 7,699 Yuan (roughly $1,210) while the latter costs 8,999 Yuan (roughly 1,410). But for those looking to buy this smartphone, it might be difficult finding it at this price since it has already been sold out and early buyers are reselling this device for a much higher price tag than the original (Via ITHome). On the second hand/used goods platform, people are selling their unopened base model for 9,299 Yuan (roughly $1,460), while the 512GB version is now being resold for 12,000 Yuan (roughly $1,880). While this isn’t as bad as the Mate X2 reselling incident, the pricing still quite hefty for those looking to get their hands on what could possibly be the best foldable phone in the market.

RELATED:

Mi 11 Lite, Mi Note 10 Lite receive MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 17, 2021

Xiaomi has started rolling out MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update for two more Lite smartphones. These devices are called Mi 11 Lite and Mi Note 10 Lite. The former was released in 2021, while the latter launched in 2020.

xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G Featured A — Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite

The latest version of MIUI is now being seeded out to Mi 11 Lite and Mi Note 10 Lite with the following build numbers.

Mi 11 Lite
- Global – V12.5.8.0.RKQMIXM
- EEA – V12.5.6.0.RKQEUXM
- India – V12.5.3.0.RKQINXM
Mi Note 10 Lite
- Global – V12.5.4.0.RFNMIXM
- Turkey – V12.5.4.0.RFNTRXM

Like any other OTA software update, the MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update for the aforementioned Xiaomi phones is also being rolled out in batches.

Therefore, some users may receive the update earlier, while others may have to wait a bit longer. It should be also available for the remaining regional variants of these devices in the coming days.

The Mi Note 10 Lite is the oldest of the two handsets. It debuted in 2020 with MIUI 11 based on Android 10. On the other hand, the Mi 11 Lite went official earlier this year with MIUI 12 based on Android 11.

Both these phones only saw a limited availability. Hence, we don’t think Xiaomi will support them for a longer period of time. Perhaps, the company might surprise us.

Honor Magic Fold tipped to come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 17, 2021

Honor is reportedly working on the Honor Magic Fold foldable smartphone. The moniker is not final and it’s just the name that is being used by the rumor mill. A fresh leak by Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station reveals that the Magic Fold will come with Qualcomm’s flagship chipset.

According to the tipster, Honor is planning to launch phones powered by the Dimensity 9000, but they are not expected to launch soon. He added that the company’s first foldable screen smartphone is expected to release in January. He claimed that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Honor Magic Fold redner — Honor Magic Fold leaked render

The tipster did not share any other information on the specs of the Magic Fold but claimed it may cost around 10,000 Yuan (~$1,570). Last month, a tipster claimed that Honor will launch two foldable screen smartphones before spring in China. One of them will be a clamshell model, while the other model, which is being called the Honor Magic Fold, is likely sport a tablet-like device like the OPPO Find N or the Galaxy Z Fold series.

Shown above is the leaked render of the Magic Fold that surfaced earlier this week. Rumors have it that it will feature an 8-inch inner foldable screen, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of built-in storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with fast charge support. It may feature a 16-megapixel front camera and its rear camera setup may include a 108-megapixel main camera. The other specs of the Magic Fold are under the wraps.

RELATED:

The rumored Redmi K50 with Snapdragon 870+ may not launch after all

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 17, 2021

The upcoming Redmi K50 series is expected to include multiple models featuring different chipsets. One of these devices, codenamed Poussin, houses a Qualcomm SM8250-based chipset rumored as Snapdragon 870+. According to a new report, this smartphone may not launch at all.

Xiaomiui was the first to report on Xiaomi Poussin with model number L10A when it emerged in MIUI code. Earlier findings revealed the presence of SM8350-based silicon, an FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) 120Hz display, and a wide + ultrawide + macro triple camera setup.

The handset has a single model number 21121210AC and going by that, it was supposed to be exclusive to China. So why does this phone is now said to not see a release?

Xiaomiui says that the first internal MIUI build for this device was released in August as 21.8.12. Further, its latest build is 21.11.19, which was released in November. All of its builds are based on Android 11.

Instead of changing the base to Android 12, Xiaomi stopped developing MIUI builds for this smartphone altogether. This is the reason why the handset is thought to be shelved.

Another possible reason for the termination of Xiaomi Poussin is the existence of Xiaomi Munch. For the unaware, Munch with model number L11R is identical to the Poussin. Hence, the former may hit the market instead of the latter.

Maimang 10 launch date confirmed, design revealed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 17, 2021

Maimang line of smartphones are now unveiled by China Telecom, and not by Huawei like before. In July, the Chinese carrier announced the Maimang 10 SE. Now, it has revealed that it will be unveiling the Maimang 10 at 19:08 PM (local time) on Dec. 20 in China. Here is all the information on what to expect from the upcoming Maimang 10 handset.

The official teasers show that the Maimang 10 will be sporting a punch-hole display and a triple camera unit on the back. It will come in three colors such as blue, white, and black.

The TENAA certification of the device had revealed that it will be sporting a 6.58-inch LCD display that delivers a Full HD+ resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels. It is expected to carry support for a 90Hz refresh rate. For selfies, it will be featuring a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

The rear camera setup of the Maimang 10 will have a 40-megapixel primary camera. It is likely to be coupled with a 20-megapixel secondary lens and a 2-megapixel macro or depth camera. For security, it features a side-facing fingerprint scanner.

The Dimensity 720 chipset may power the Maimang 10. It may come with a 4,400mAh battery that carries support for 40W fast charging. It measures 8.3mm in thickness and weighs 193 grams. The device is likely to be priced at 2,299 Yuan (~$361).

To recollect, the Maimang 10 SE came with specs like a 6.51-inch LCD display, Snapdragon 480 chip, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of native storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and 22.5W fast charging. It features an 8-megapixel front camera and a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system. It went official with a pricing of 1,699 Yuan (~$267).

(via)

RELATED:

Apple to soon start making its own chips for 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity

By

Jeet

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Dec 17, 2021

Apple is among the very few companies that design their own chips and the Cupertino-based technology giant has been making A-series chips for devices like iPhones and iPads.

Last year, the company introduced the M1 chip under Apple Silicon, based on the ARM architecture for its Mac devices. This year, Apple introduced two more such chips — M1 Pro and M1 Max, further boosting the performance.

If the latest report coming from Bloomberg is to be believed, then Apple is planning to open a new office in Southern California with dozens of engineers that are yet to be hired by the company. The job post listing reveals that Apple is looking for people with experience in modem chips and other types of wireless semiconductors.

In the next stage, the company seems to be all set to start designing its own 5G modem chips for the iPhones. For this, Apple spent $1 billion in 2019 by acquiring Intel’s smartphone modem chip business.

The 5G modem chip from Apple is expected to be manufactured by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) which is also manufacturing other chips from the technology giant. Based on the previous reports, Apple’s in-house 5G modem could be launched as soon as 2023.

It is speculated that once Apple starts making its own 5G modem chips, it will start designing its own Wi-Fi chips for which the company is currently dependent on Broadcom and Skyworks Solutions.

While Apple will be reducing its reliance on these vendors that offer chips to the company by making its own versions in-house, it will also be increasing its dependence on TSMC for manufacturing all these chips as Apple doesn’t have manufacturing capabilities. This could backfire because of the geopolitical tensions between China and Taiwan as well as China and the United States.

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Xiaomi TV Stick 4K is finally here with Android TV 11, Dolby Vision/Atmos, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Dec 17, 2021

In mid-2020, two models of the Mi TV Stick leaked before the official announcement. Unfortunately, the higher variant with 4K support did not see a release. Fast forward a year later, the 4K version emerged once again on FCC in September 2021. Almost three months from that, the streaming device now finally goes official with the new ‘Xiaomi’ branding.

Xiaomi TV Stick 4K Specifications and Features

The new Xiaomi TV Stick 4K features the same design as the older Mi TV Stick as both are part of the same lineup and were supposed to launch together last year. Hence, it also comes with the usual minimal Bluetooth-enabled Xiaomi remote control with a built-in microphone for voice control and dedicated hotkeys for Netflix as well as Prime Video.

It is powered by an Amlogic S905Y4 SoC comprising an ARM Cortex-A35 CPU and ARM Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. The chipset is paired with 2GB RAM and a meager 8GB storage.

As for software, it runs Android TV 11 with support for leading streaming services, Chromecast Built-in, Google Assistant, Play Store, and more.

Thanks to an upgraded chip, the device is not only capable of playing 4K content but it is compatible with AV1 codec among others. It also has support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS HD.

As far as connectivity is concerned, the stick arrives with dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, 1 x HDMI, and 1 x MicroUSB. It ships with an HDMI extender cable and a power adapter.

Last but not least, the product measures 106.8 x 29.4 x 15.4mm in dimensions, weighs 42.8g, and comes in a single black color option.

Xiaomi TV Stick 4K Price and Availability

Xiaomi is yet to reveal the price of its new streaming device. If the company plans to continue selling the Mi TV Stick, then the Xiaomi TV Stick 4K should cost a bit more than that.

If the Chinese tech giant intends to replace the older model, then the newer one could retail at the same price as its predecessor. In other words, it could be priced around $60 or lower.