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Redmi Note 9 5G, Redmi Note 10 5G, Mi 10 Youth Edition receive MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update

A couple of weeks back, Xiaomi revealed that the Redmi Note series will start receiving the MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update in October. The company has now begun to roll out this update ahead of schedule. The first devices in the lineup to get access to the latest version of MIUI are Redmi Note 9 5G and Redmi Note 10 5G. At the same time, the update is also available for Mi 10 Youth Edition.

Redmi Note 10 5G All Colors Featured
Redmi Note 10 5G

Xiaomi unveiled MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition at the Xiaomi MIX 4 launch event. The new version of MIUI brings improvements for devices running MIUI 12.5.

The fresh version of MIUI is live for the following smartphones in China with these build numbers.

The above-listed software builds are currently labeled as ‘Stable Beta’. In other words, they are only available for a select few users as they are being rolled out in batches.

Having said that, these Redmi Note models are also sold in international markets as Redmi Note 9T 5G and Redmi Note 10 5G / Redmi Note 10T 5G. We expect them to receive the new update in the coming days.

 

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Redmi Note 10 Lite with Snapdragon 720G SoC launched in India starting at ₹13,999(~$189)

Today, Redmi officially launched the Redmi Note 10 Lite smartphone in India. The smartphone isn’t anything new, rather it is a rebadge of the old Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone with a few tweaks.

The Redmi Note 10 Lite starts at ₹13,999(~$189) for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, ₹15,999(~$216) for the 4GB RAM + 128GB storage variant, and ₹16,999(~$229) for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. It has three colour variants – Midnight Black, Metallic Grey, and Glacier White. The smartphone will go on sale on October 2 at 12PM in India.

Redmi Note 10 Lite

Redmi Note 10 Lite Specifications 

The Redmi Note 10 Lite has the same exteriors as the old Redmi Note 9 Pro. It sports a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display with a Full-HD+ resolution. It has a protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and holds a 16MP selfie camera in the punch-hole cut-out.

The smartphone has a quad-camera system at the rear placed at the upper centre of the back. It has a 48MP main camera lens, an 8MP wide-angle camera, a 5MP lens, and lastly a 2MP sensor. The device has a side-facing fingerprint scanner for added security.

Redmi Note 10 Lite

At the helm. it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC paired with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It also comes with a microSD card slot for storage expansion. The handset comes within a 5,020mAh battery which is again the same as the Note 9 Pro and has an 18W fast charging support. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio and a USB Type-C port for charging. The device runs on Android 11 out of the box and has the MIUI 12 on top of it.

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Fairphone 4 5G arrives with a Snapdragon 750G SoC, modular design & a 5-year warranty!

Dutch company Fairphone has finally taken the wraps off the Fairphone 4. The phone retains the modular design of its predecessor and indeed, it takes over from the Fairphone 3+ that was launched last year. Fairphone 4

The Fairphone 4 arrives as the brand’s first 5G smartphone and sports a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display coated with Gorilla Glass 5. The display features a slim bezel design with a waterdrop notch at the top. The notch houses a 25-megapixel selfie camera. Fairphone 4 5G

The modular phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor that had earlier been utilized on premium mid-rangers like the Galaxy A52 5G and Moto G 5G. The processor pairs with 6GB RAM with 128GB storage on some models while others pack an 8GB RAM with 256GB internal storage. There is a microSD card slot that can be used to expand the storage up to 2TB.Fairphone 4

At the rear, the device sports a dual camera setup at the rear comprising a Sony ½-inch Exmor IMX582 sensor with OIS, 8x digital zoom, and capable of shooting 4K video at 30fps, or HD slow-motion at 240fps. The second camera is a 48-megapixel f/2.2 120-degree wide-angle lens for landscape photography. There is also a time-of-flight sensor for better autofocus. So you can call it a triple camera setup if you like.

The Fairphone 4 can support both a physical nano-SIM as well as an eSIM, both of which support 5G. It crams a 3,905mAH battery under the hood. The phone runs on ANdroid 11 out-of-the-box but Fairphone has promised to deliver five-years warranty and Android support terminating at 2027. Parts for the phone will also be available till 2027.

As for the pricing and availability, the Fairphone 4 will be available to pre-order on September 30th but will start shipping on October 25th. The phone starts at €579 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB model while the 8GB + 256GB model will retail for €649.

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Motorola Edge 20 Pro’s Indian price accidentally revealed ahead of launch

Last month, Motorola announced the Edge 20 and Edge 20 Fusion mid-range smartphones in India. It later revealed that the more powerful Edge 20 Pro will launch soon and eventually announced an October 1 launch date for the device. Ahead of the phone’s launch, Motorola has accidentally revealed how much it will cost.

Edge 20 Pro

The Motorola Edge 20 Pro was first announced in Europe in late July with a €699 (~$809) price tag for the 12GB RAM + 256GB variant. In a now-deleted tweet, the Motorola India Twitter account revealed that the phone will sell for ₹36,999 (~$498). That is much cheaper than the price tag in Europe but we should note that the version launching in India will have 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The promotional page on Flipkart already lists the full specifications of the device. The Edge 20 Pro will have a 144Hz 10-bit AMOLED display with a centered punch-hole for a 32MP front-facing camera. Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 870 processor that draws juice from a 4500mAh battery that charges at 30W.

The phone has three rear cameras – a 108MP primary camera with Ultra Pixel technology, an 8MP periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 5x optical zoom, and a 16MP ultrawide angle camera that doubles as a macro camera. The Edge 20 Pro also has up to 50x superzoom and a zoom microphone. It can also record in 8K at 24fps and in 4K at 30fps.

The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and a USB-C port with DisplayPort so owners can make use of the Ready For feature that allows the Edge 20 Pro to be connected to an external display and be used as a desktop computer.

The Edge 20 Pro will run Android 11 out of the box and Motorola has confirmed that it will receive Android 12 and Android 13 OS upgrades as well as two years of security updates. The phone will be sold by Flipkart and will be available in Iridescent Cloud and Midnight Sky.

 

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Deal: Get Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds for $32 (Retail Price $40)

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds which generally retails for $40 is now available at a discounted price of $31.89 only at AliExpress. This product is available to new users at a further discounted price of $28.27 only. This deal ends in 15 hours. 

WHERE TO BUY
Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds at $31.89 (after discount)@AliExpress

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

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  • Compact and lightweight
  • AI-enhanced calls
  • 8 hours playtime: 32 hours with the case
  • IPX5 water-resistant
  • One-step pairing
  • Single earbud mode
  • 10 minutes fast charging – 1-hour playtime
  • Color: Black

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

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Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

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

Honor 50 to launch in European markets on October 26

Back in June, Honor 50 was unveiled in the Chinese market with specs like a 120Hz OLED display, 108MP cameras, and a mid-range chipset. Now, Honor is gearing for its global release as today, the company has confirmed its European launch date.

The Honor 50 will be official on October 26 in the European market. The company confirmed that the smartphone will debut in the UK and some European markets. For those who are unaware, the device was seen listed on the Honor German page hinting at its availability in that market.

Now that the smartphone is landing in European markers, we expect the phone to launch in Malaysia and other markets soon.

The Honor 50 starts at CNY 2699(~$419) in China for the base model with an 8GB + 128GB storage variant. We expect the phone to be priced similarly when it arrives in Europe.

Honor 50 Specifications 

The Honor 50 comes with a 6.57-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a 32MP selfie camera placed at the top middle of the screen. It features a quadruple-camera system with a 108MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and two 2MP lenses for macro and depth shots.

Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC with 8GB, 12GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB of onboard storage. It packs a 4,300mAh battery with 66W fast charging support. The handset runs on MagicUI 4.2 and has Android 11 out of the box. The smartphone is expected to launch with Google Mobiles Services in the European market.

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Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6 display specs, ZUI 13 for Pad features officially revealed

Lenovo has been teasing the Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6 for the past few days. This high-end Android tablet is expected to compete against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ and Apple iPad Pro. Ahead of its official announcement, the company has now revealed the display and software features of the upcoming slate.

Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6 Teaser

According to the official Lenovo Xiaoxin Weibo account, the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6 will sport a Samsung E4 AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. This screen will have a 120Hz refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sampling rate.

Further, the panel will feature 600 nits brightness and will be able to cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It will have support for two popular HDR standards, namely HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Lastly, the DC Dimming-supported canvas will be also certified for TÜV Rheinland EyeSafe Display 2.0.

Additionally, Lin Lin (a Lenovo product manager) has also confirmed the software of the forthcoming Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6. As per him, the tablet will run ZUI 13 for Pad.

Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6

The new version of the company’s Android skin will bring features like wireless display for Windows computers (horizontal and vertical). The exec says that the new version of the software will be soon rolled out to older tablets like Xiaoxin Pad, Xiaoxin Pad Pro (2020, 2021), Xiaoxin Pad Plus, and YOGA Pad Pro.

Last week, Lenovo also revealed the key features of ZUI 13 for Pad.

Lenovo ZUI 13 for Pad Features (Translated)

  • System UI
    • New designl language
    • New desktop layout
    • New dock area
    • Nec icon design
    • New Widgets
    • New Lockscreen
    • Compatible with mobile, tablet, PC layout
    • Deep customization options
  • Display
    • Parallel windows
    • Split screen
    • Separate volume control when connected to a device
    • Floating windows
    • PC mode
  • Ready For
    • Fast link
    • Mobile-tablet screen projection
    • Table-PC screen projection
    • PC processed to tablet
    • Application extension to PC
    • Drag & drop files
    • Clipborad sharing
    • Notification sycnhronization
    • Cross-brand file transfer
  • Privacy
    • Hardware-level privacy protection
    • Camera/microphone shield
    • Sensitive behavior reminder
  • Accessories
    • Global writing
    • Screen notes
    • Handwriting display
    • Anti-loss reminder
    • Express open application
    • Handwriting pe remote control
    • Free screenshot
    • Keyboard gestures
    • Keyboard shortcuts

According to previous teasers and leaks, the Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6 will flaunt a metal body with a dual-tone finish. The slate will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 and will arrive with specs like 13MP + 5MP dual rear camera setup, 8MP + ToF dual front camera setup, a MicroSD card slot, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a USB 3.1 (Type-C) port, quad-speakers, 10,200mAh battery, and 45W fast charging.

 

 

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Nokia G300 5G official images surface online, specs in tow

Some key specs information about the unreleased Nokia G300 5G smartphone has surfaced and this could be a pointer to the imminent releases of the probably affordable smartphone from Nokia. The device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480 chipset and will have a 720p+ display, as well as a 16MP rear-facing camera.Nokia G300 5G

The Snapdragon 480 was also deployed in some of Nokia’s latest offerings like the G50, X10, and X20. The chipset will offer some incremental advantages over some earlier models. The Snapdragon 480 is also 5G-enabled, further increasing the credentials of the model.

The leak also shows that the Nokia G300 5G has a 6.57-inch LCD and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The display is also marginally smaller than the G50 which has a 6.82-inch 720p+ display. The camera setup of the Nokia G300 5G looks pretty underwhelming on the surface. The triple rear camera setup includes a 16MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP depth sensor. There is also an 8MP front-facing camera. As per the camera specs, the Nokia G300 5G lies between the G10 and G20 on both ends of the spectrum.Nokia G300 5G

The G300 5G will run on Android 11 with a 64GB internal storage and microSD card capacity of up to 1TB. The new device is likely to have a 4,470 mAh battery with possibly fast charging support, although the rating is unclear at this time. It is expected that more details could be gotten as we inch closer to the scheduled October 6 HMD event.

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Meizu 18 series gets Flyme 9.2 update ahead of schedule

Last week, Meizu announced three new phones – the Meizu 18s, Meizu 18s Pro, and the Meizu 18x. All three phones run a new version of Meizu’s Flyme operating system which Meizu revealed will be made available for its older phones, the Meizu 18 series and the Meizu 17 series, in October. Now, the manufacturer has announced the update is already available for the two Meizu 18 phones.

Meizu 18 series Flyme 9.2 update

The update arrives ahead of the scheduled timeframe which is not a usual occurrence when it comes to rolling out updates for phones. Owners of the Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro can check for the update under the settings menu.

Flyme 9.2 brings a number of new features. There is a new font that also has more accurate symbols, a new font size adjustment tool, and a magnifier. Meizu has also added new high-contrast color modes for older users. Meizu says the new font design follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1.

Meizu 18 Flyme 9.2 WCAG 2.1

There is also an auto-deletion feature that automatically deletes OTP messages, installation packages, and one-time alarms. Another feature that comes with Flyme 9.2 is virtual RAM that allows for up to an extra 7GB of RAM from the phone’s storage. The update also brings an improved floating window mode with visual changes.

The Flyme 9.2 update should arrive for the Meizu 17 series as scheduled.

 

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Deal: Get ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for $117 (Retail Price $150)

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner which generally retails at $150 is now available at a discounted price of $117.59 only at AliExpress. This deal ends in 16 hours.

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EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner at $117.59 @AliExpress

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner comes with a 21kpa powerful suction and a brushless motor that easily picks up fine and large particles like dust, crumbs, pet hair, and debris from different surfaces like cement, tile, carpet, wood, etc. 

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner1

The vacuum cleaner can be used to clean your floors and carpets as well as sofas and upholsteries. It comes with two different cleaning modes viz: Normal mode and Max mode. On normal mode, you get a 10kpa powerful suction and work time of up to 40 mins. You can switch to Max mode for extra deep cleaning, which gives you the powerful 21kpa suction for deep and thorough cleaning. 

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner2

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner comes with a 1.2L dust cup and high-efficiency washable filters. The cleaner also comes with various attachments and accessories that help you clean high walls, hard-to-reach corners, shutters, car interiors, etc. Also with built-in LED lights, you can illuminate dark corners and hard-to-reach areas like below the bed or sofa for thorough cleaning. The highly portable vacuum cleaner can be stored either hanging or folded. 

Generally retailing for $150 you can now buy EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for a discounted price of $117.59 only at AliExpress. Please note that this deal ends in 16 hours. So place your order asap. 

EASINE by ILife H70 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner3

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

Honor patents rollable smartphone with a wrap-around display

Honor, the company which became independent from Huawei last year, has resumed launching smartphones in the market, that too in the flgahip and premium segment. Now, similar to other Chinese manufacturers, Honor has ambitious plans for its smartphones and has already patented new designs.

A new patent from Honor reveals that the company might be working on a rollable smartphone with a wrap-around screen. The images shared along with the patent application shows a narrow phone with a large wrap-around screen which covers the entire front and the back. Interestingly, there’s no front-facing camera visible of the device.

Honor Rollable Smartphone with Wrap-around Display

On the back, there’s a small vertical frame where the display parts come together and from where the screen is rolled out towards the front. Given that it has a wrap-around screen, the power button has been moved to the top. The vertical frame on the backpanel features a quad-camera setup with an LED flash. The system seems to be inspired from the Huawei Mate X foldable smartphone.

When the screen is fully rolled out, it will have a tablet-sized screen and likely to measure around 11-inch. This is similar to the Huawei Mate rollable smartphone that was reported a few weeks ago.

However, before launching a smartphone with rollable camera, the company is planning to launch a foldable smartphone. It has already registered model names Honor Magic Flip and Honor Magic Fold. Honor CEO George Zhao hs said that when the company launches its foldable smartphone, it’ll be the best in the market.

OPPO has already revealed its OPPO X 2021 Rollable Concept Smartphone that uses a rollable OLED panel allowing the display to extend from 6.7 inches to 7.4 inches. However, the device isn’t available commercially. On the other hand, Xiaomi had launched Mi MIX Alpha smartphone last year with a wrap-around screen.

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Xiaomi Mi 11, Mi 11i & Mi 11 Ultra Android 12 Stable testing program now live

Xiaomi Mi 11, Mi 11i, and Mi 11 Ultra smartphones are primed to enjoy the latest Android 12 stable version testing which is already in motion. Xiaomi thus joins a flurry of Android smartphone manufacturers that have kickstarted the latest iteration of the stable version of the new operating system. This program precedes the full release of the Android 12 OS subsequently.Android 12

The Xiaomi Android 12 stable testing program will involve members of the Xiaomi community getting access to the latest OS and also providing useful feedback on its performance. It is meant for users who do not mind compromising system stability and performance to test the new Android 12 OS. The testing program may be subsequently extended outside the Mi 11 series, to cater to all segments of Xiaomi’s clientele. The specific announcement was relayed to the Mi Community (Global), and applications are currently being received from MIUI Global Stable ROM users, which does not include Indian users for now.

Up to 200 testers are expected to be recruited at the first instance and the application form is still open for registration. Users are also requested to install Telegram Messenger on their smartphones so they can join the conversation and report any bugs discovered. The processes indicate that we are indeed very close to the full release of the Android 12 OS together with its impressive features and functionality. The Stable testing is also expected to be a short process and will help to finetune all the challenges and bugs inherent in the Android 12.

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Honor 50 Lite will have the same design as the Honor X20

Honor will be announcing new phones for the global market come October 27. The new devices are the Honor 50 and the Honor 50 Lite, and while the former is the same as the China version, the Honor 50 Lite is a new device in the Honor 50 series. It turns out it actually isn’t a new Honor phone per se.

According to the leaker @RODENT950, the Honor 50 Lite is a rebadged Huawei Nova 8i but the design is actually that of the Honor X20. While that may sound a bit confusing, it isn’t.

The Huawei Nova 8i and the Honor X20 are actually very similar. They have the same display size and type, front cameras, battery capacity, and fast charging technology. However, there are some differences which are actually on the back of the phones. The two phones have a similar rear design but the Nova 8i has four cameras while the Honor X20 has three. Because the latter has fewer sensors, its LED flash is housed along with the three cameras which isn’t the case on the Nova 8i whose LED flash sits outside the camera housing.

Since we know the design of the Honor 50 Lite is the same as the Honor X20, then we know it will have three rear cameras. We also know that the Honor 50 Lite will be a 4G phone which is where its similarity with the Nova 8i comes in. Unlike the Honor X20 which has a Dimensity 900 5G chipset, the Nova 8i has a Snapdragon 662 processor which we can expect will also power the Huawei 50 Lite. In fewer words, the Honor 50 Lite is a Honor X20 with a Snapdragon 662 chipset.

Based on these details, the Honor 50 Lite should launch with a 6.67-inch LCD FHD+ display with a pill-shaped cut-out for a 16MP front-facing camera. On the back will be a 64MP + 2MP + 2MP triple camera configuration and under the hood should be a 4300mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging. It should also have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a USB-C port, and an audio jack. Just like the Honor 50, it should run Magic UI based on Android 11 with Google Mobile Services.

 

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Chinese companies banned by Amazon for soliciting paid reviews jointly sues the US retail giant

It was reported recently that Amazon had clamped down on thousands of online stores on its platform for infractions against the company’s policy on paid customer reviews. The move was seen as the largest shutdown so far, with the bulk of the brands affected coming from China. About 600 brands were affected by the clampdown, totaling up to 3,000 stores.Amazon Logo Dark

It seems some of these companies are not taking the Amazon decision lightly, as it has resulted in serious financial dislocations and a downward review of their overall outlook. Several of these companies have now filed a class action complaint against Amazon for its action in shutting them out of the Amazon marketplace. The complaint is dated September 13 and has several popular Chinese brands listed including Recoo Direct, Angelbliss, Tudi, Sopownic, and Cstech, among others. The companies are jointly seeking a recovery of their funds that are being illegally and improperly withheld by the respondent, Amazon.

They also desire a decision of the court to stop any further misappropriation and misuse of funds that are rightfully and legally due to the thousands of Amazon online sellers and merchants. The companies claim they have been unfavorably targeted by the policy against incentivized reviews and therefore want to be restored back to the platform.

The 28-page document was filed by Edward Chen, on behalf of the plaintiffs against Amazon and some of its subsidiaries. The court papers were filed at the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. It remains however to be seen what the outcome of the suit will be.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 with 6.1-inch screen accounts for half of series production total

The standard, compact Samsung Galaxy S22 with a 6.1-inch display will account for nearly half of the Galaxy S22 series phones to be produced. Samsung apparently sees a lot of potential in the device and has set a shipment goal of up to 60% for it, out of the lineup comprised of it and the S22+ and S22 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S22 render

The 6.7-inch Galaxy S22+ is expected to account for 20% of shipments (via: The Elec), while the 6.8-inch Galaxy S22 Ultra’s share will range between 20-30%. The Ultra model is being touted as a successor to the Note 20 Ultra and will be able to house the S Pen stylus, sources confirmed. This makes the low expectations from the S22 Ultra odd considering the phone is meant to fill the shoes of the Note lineup.

Such figures are definitely a first-timer since Samsung has never before intentionally set a single model to account for over half of the production and shipment target. Take the S20 series, for example, where the standard version accounted for 40% of the production, while the Plus and Ultra models took up to 45% and 15% respectively.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra gets leaked in the form of early renders
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra render

Further, Samsung is aiming to manufacture just around 20 million units for the entire S22 series, at least initially, which is very conservative when compared to the usual figure of 25-30 million units. However, the 20 million target may change when mass production commences or after the phones are unveiled.

The lowering of the sales target may be due to the chip shortage that seems to be worsening as we near the end of 2021. Another factor at play could be the diminishing sales figures Samsung’s flagship series has been seeing for the past couple of years.

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Deal: Buy Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet for $194 (Retail Price $220)

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet which generally retails for $220 is now available at a discounted price of $193.99 only at AliExpress. This deal ends in 18 hours. 

WHERE TO BUY

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet

Chuwi HiPad Air features a 10.3” laminated multi-touch IPS full view display with thin bezels. The screen comes with a 16:10 field of view ratio and a vivid and high color gamut. The edge-to-edge display combined with the brilliant color gamut is perfect to enjoy videos, games, movies, etc. You can also use the multi-angle viewing tablet as a mini laptop by simply combining it with the full-sized Bluetooth wireless keyboard which can be directly attached to the tablet with a magnetic connector. 

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet

Key Features:

  • 10.3” FHD display
  • 7mm thin and flexible body
  • 4GB LDDR4 RAM + 128GB ROM
  • UNISOC Tiger T618 chipset
  • Stereo dual speakers
  • 5MP front and rear cameras
  • Type-C port: Multiple interfaces
  • Android 11 OS
  • 2.4 and 5G dual-band network
  • 7000mAh battery – 8 hours of battery life

Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet

Generally retailing for $220 you can now buy Chuwi HiPad Air Tablet at a discounted price of $193.99 only at AliExpress. Please note that the above price is applicable only for the tablet and the keyboard needs to be purchased separately, This deal ends in 18 hours. So place your order asap. 

 

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

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Smartphone shipments in H2 2021 to fall thanks to semiconductor shortages

Counterpoint Research has dropped its smartphone shipments expectations for the second half of 2021 from its earlier prediction of 1.45bn to about 1.41bn units. This signals an annual growth of only 6%, down from the previously expected figure of 9%. The fresh figures are from the analysis firm’s latest Global Smartphone Quarterly Shipment Forecasts report.

counterpoint-research-smartphone-shipments-2021-h2

This is due to multiple smartphone OEMs having received only 80% of their requested volumes on key components during Q2 2021, with some even claiming a figure of just 70%. The impact of the semiconductor shortage will also not be going away any time soon as the situation seems to be getting worse as we move through Q3 2021. Counterpoint Research believes 90% of the industry is affected and this has impacted the second half smartphone shipments forecast for 2021.

The smartphone industry was set for a strong rebound this year following the recovery from the COVID-19 situation that had hit the market hard in 2020. Smartphone vendors placed large component orders from the end of last year, and consumer demand from delayed replacement purchases had boosted the market in the first quarter. But as already stated, the semiconductor shortage resulted in a lot of unmet expectations.

It is worth mentioning here that semiconductor shortages have been plaguing the market since Q4 2020. But advanced planning and order placing along with the hoarding of certain components had ensured temporary growth, despite shortages in components like DDIs and PMICs.

iphone-12-unsplash

Foundries have been running at max capacity for several quarters and components that were once being fully stored in warehouses are now bottoming, with new components not coming in as requested.

In the case of processors, one of the most crucial elements in smartphones, the shortages occurred due to low yield rates in newly established fab lines. This alone has caused quite a chain reaction with AP vendors like Qualcomm and Mediatek suffering because of their reliance on these foundries. They are now supplying fewer processors which is in turn affecting smartphone companies.

Tom Kang, Research Director at Counterpoint Research commented, “the semiconductor shortage seems to affect all brands in the ecosystems. Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi have all been affected and we are lowering our forecasts. But Apple seems to be the most resilient and least affected by the AP shortage situation”.

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Samsung faces $45 million fine from Dutch regulator for inflating its TV prices

Samsung has just been hit with a sizeable 39 million Euros (roughly 45 million US Dollars) fine from a Dutch regulator. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has found the company guilty of influencing the prices for its TVs.

Samsung

According to NLTimes, the South Korean tech giant influenced the prices that various stores charger for its televisions between the years 2013 and 2018. In other words, this lead to customers paying more for their Samsung branded TVs. The report added that the brand had apparently looked up every online offering of its TVs and put online stores under pressure to inflate the prices, which is illegal as per the ACM.

The ACM investigated the matter and found the unauthorized practices from the known consumer electronics maker across even retailers that sold Samsung branded televisions online. Samsung reportedly sent messages to sellers to raise the prices if the company found that the prices were lower than what it wanted. While employees claimed that it was presented as an advice, the market authority found that it was not a non committal suggestion.

Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV

Furthermore, the company even intervened when retailers complained about competitors selling its TVs for lower prices. The ACM found these practices from WhatsApp and emails that Samsung had addressed to the various retailers. ACM CEO Martijn Snoep stated “Samsung’s behavior distorted competition at the retail level and led to higher prices for consumers.” As of right now, the company is against the decision by the ACM and is prepared to take legal steps against the fine since it complied with all competition rules.

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Huawei to launch new 4G phone with Kirin 9000 SoC while its chip stock runs dry

A new report has just surfaced that suggests that Huawei is working on a new smartphone that will feature its HiSilicon Kirin 9000 series chipset. Although, this device will only support 4G.

According to known tipster @数码闲聊站 on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging website), the company is working on a new 4G enabled smartphone. This device will house a Kirin 9000 4G chipset, which means that its similar to the Huawei P50 series that also features LTE version only. Furthermore, it seems that the Chinese tech giant will also be launching most of its smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon line of processors in the first half of next year.

Huawei

The reason for the shift away from its proprietary platform is due to its drying up inventory. For those unaware, prior to the brand being cut off from sourcing its Kirin chips from TSMC, it had managed to secure orders that would last it for its upcoming generation of smartphones. But this time has now passed and its appears that the company’s chip inventory is running out. Unfortunately, while the tipster did state that Huawei is working on a new device, the exact model has not been reveal at the moment. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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TCL patents smartphone with a detachable dual camera module

Detachable camera modules in smartphones appears to be an emerging trends in recent patent filings from multiple companies. Now, TCL has joined the bandwagon as well, with a smartphone with a detachable dual camera module that can be used as a rear and front facing shooter.

According to a LetsGoDigital report, the Chinese electronics brand filed a design patent with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration). The news as other brands like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Samsung also patenting detachable camera modules. Looking at the patent images from TCL, the device resembles a modern day handset with a dual camera module on the back. Although, this module can be detached from the main housing.

TCL

Notably, after detaching the camera, there is also a way to mount the module on to the side of the smartphone. Users can mount the module on the side thanks to two small connectors, which would allow one to take high resolution selfie shots as the camera module now faces the front. This would be especially useful for great shots as the dual camera system might also include a wide angle lens and the higher resolution might help with online video conferences as well.

 

As of right now, it is unknown if the detachable camera module can be used without being attached to the smartphone. To achieve this, it would have to have its own small power source and a communications module, which the patent does not describe. Furthermore, its still unknown if the company is actually working on such a product or covering all bases.

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