After becoming independent from Huawei, Honor has been steadily reclaiming its market share in China. The brand will also compete with the likes of other Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo that are seeking to fill in the void in the market left by Huawei.
According to a Counterpoint Research report, the former sub brand of Huawei is also trying to expand its position in the premium market segment. As of right now, the price segment between 2000 to 4000 Yuan (roughly 300 to 600 US Dollars) and above are expected to see a reshuffling in the second half of this year amid growing competition in the market.
Furthermore, Honor’s market share in China reached 8.4 percent in June 2021 marking a growth from just 5.1 percent back in January. Although, the brand has yet to recover its sales peak of 4.55 million units, which it had achieved back in August of last year. While the June sales figures only reached around half of this peak, the company recorded strong growth momentum with sales up 39 percent month on month in May and 27 percent month on month in June.
The report also added that the low shipments of Huawei P and Mate series opens opportunities for in the premium segment for other vendors like Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Even Honor would seek to benefit, especially with its upcoming Magic 3 series that is set to launch this month.
Chinese handset maker vivo is expected to debut the vivo Y53s in India in the near future. Earlier this week, the price of this phone appeared in a leak. A few days later, now we know when this smartphone will be launching in the country.
According to a report by Moneycontrol, the vivo Y53s will launch in India on August 9. Though we are only three days from the launch, the company is yet to reveal the date itself. This suggests the phone may get a silent release as it lags behind the competition in terms of specifications.
As per an earlier report, the vivo Y53s will carry an MRP of ₹22,990. However, it’s suggested MOP ( Market Operating Price) will be lower at ₹19,490. The phone will come in a single 8GB + 128GB storage configuration and will be available in two colors (Deep Sea Blue, Fantastic Rainbow).
Since this device is already official in Vietnam, we know its entire specs as well. The handset features a 6.58-inch LCD panel with FHD+ resolution and a dewdrop notch. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G80 SoC and runs Android 11-based Funtouch OS 11 with support for 3GB virtual RAM.
Other features include a 64MP (wide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) triple camera setup, 16MP selfie camera, dual-SIM, 4G, dual-band WiFi, GNSS, USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone, dedicated MicroSD card slot, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 5,000mAh battery, and 18W fast charging.
A new report has just revealed that Xiaomi became the world’s number 1 smartphone brand for the first time ever in the month of June 2021. The company beat the likes of Samsung and Apple in terms of handset sales volume.
According to a Counterpoint Research report, the Chinese tech giant lead the global smartphone market in June. The report added that the company’s sales grew by a sizeable 26 percent month on month, which also made it the fastest growing brand for the month. Meanwhile, the company arrived second in the smartphone market for the overall second quarter of this year, with the South Korean tech giant Samsung in the lead.
Research Director Tarun Pathak added that “Ever since the decline of Huawei commenced, Xiaomi has been making consistent and aggressive efforts to fill the gap created by this decline. The OEM has been expanding in Huawei’s and HONOR’s legacy markets like China, Europe, Middle East and Africa. In June, Xiaomi was further helped by China, Europe and India’s recovery and Samsung’s decline due to supply constraints.”
Similarly, another senior analyst also added that China’s market also grew by 16 percent month on month in June 2021. This growth was primarily driven by the 618 festival, with Xiaomi being the fastest growing brand in this period. Furthermore, Samsung’s production was disrupted in June, which also led to the company’s devices facing shortages across various channels.
On Aug. 18, Realme GT 5G and Realme GT Master Edition will be debuting in India. According to tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore, Europe will be also receiving the Master Edition later this month.
The same tipster had recently claimed that the Realme GT Master Edition will be arriving in variants like 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage in Europe. The models are likely to be priced at 349 euros (~$412) and 399 euros (~$472), respectively. It could be available in colors like black, gray, and white.
The Realme GT Master Edition has a 6.43-inch S-AMOLED Full HD+ display that delivers a 120Hz refresh rate. It comes equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.
The device features a front camera of 32-megapixel, and its rear camera setup has a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel superwide snapper, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. It comes preinstalled with Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS.
The Snapdragon 778G chip is present under the hood of the GT Master Edition. It is backed by a 4,300mAh battery that supports 65W SuperDart charging.
Earlier this year, OnePlus launched its OnePlus 9 Pro flagship smartphone along with the OnePlus 9 and 9R models. At the time, the device was announced in three colors — Morning Mist, Pine Green, and Stellar Black.
The White color option for the OnePlus’ latest flagship smartphone wasn’t revealed but the company has now teased a White-colored OnePlus 9 Pro. Now, the brand has shared a teaser video in which the device is claimed to be “the world’s only customized White 9 Pro.”
It adds that this model adopts a double-layer AG technology or diffuse reflection texture that makes the device feels warm and ensures a fingerprint-free experience when using the smartphone. The company also talks about the camera performance which is compared with the professional cameras.
It has been confirmed by OnePlus that this White colored variant of the OnePlus 9 Pro won’t be mass-produced or sold. But it is not yet clear why the company is showing this new model at this time if there are no plans of selling it in the market.
To remind you, the OnePlus 9 Pro features a 6.7-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED display with a 3216 X 1440 pixel screen resolution and 525PPI pixel density. It offers a 120Hz refresh rate panel, that is covered under Corning Gorilla Glass protection.
Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset built using the 5nm process and has Adreno 660 GPU. As for the camera, there’s a quad-rear camera setup with Hasselblad branding. On the front, there’s a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor for taking selfies and video calling.
The primary sensor on the handset is a 48-megapixel Sony IMX789 sensor, coupled with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor. While the other two lenses include an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor.
It comes with features like a dual stereo speaker setup, a Type-C charging port, and an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. It runs an Android 11-based OxygenOS 11 custom interface and is powered by a 4,500mAh battery that supports 65W Warp Charge 65T as well as 50W wireless charging.
It’s been a couple of years since the foldable smartphone has become a reality. While such devices are quite new, South Korean tech giant Samsung is gearing up to launch its third-generation of foldable phones on 11th August at Galaxy Unpacked event.
The upcoming devices from Samsung are expected to have an improved design and come at a competitive price point. With major improvements and lower pricing, the company is hoping to drive more sales of foldable phones.
A report from Counterpoint Research forecasts that the shipments of foldable smartphones will grow by three times this year compared to last year. However, the number of shipments is still expected to be in single digit, around 9 million.
But in a couple of years, by 2023, there could be 10x growth in shipment of such phones. It adds that Samsung will be dominating the market with more than 88 percent of the market share for foldable devices.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 Render by Evan Blass
Currently, there are only a handful of companies with foldable smartphones and thus, Samsung remains the market leader. However, the South Korean giant will continue to dominate the market with over 75 percent of the market share even after other brands launch their own foldable phones, claims the report.
Samsung seems to be the only major company that is pushing for foldable smartphones to become mainstream. Other smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, and Honor among others are expected to launch their first commercial foldable smartphone late this year but a launch timeline is not available yet. Even Apple is reportedly working on a foldable iPhone which could get launched in 2023.
In July, Infinix announced its Infinix Concept Phone 2021 with 160W fast charging support. Rumors that were doing rounds before its announcement had claimed that it would be launching as a Zero series of smartphones. While the concept phone may never release in the market, the company does seem to have plans to launch new Zero branded smartphones as a new handset called Zero X Neo has emerged at the Google Play Console.
The Infinix Zero X Neo was seen at the Bluetooth SIG authority in June. Now, it has been spotted with its X6810 model number at the Play Console. The listing has revealed that the device will be powered by the MediaTek Helio G90 chipset and 8 GB of RAM.
The listing further states that the Zero M is equipped with a Full HD+ display that offers a 480ppi pixel density. It will come preinstalled with Android 11 OS.
The X6810 Infinix phone was also spotted at the Malaysian SIRIM certification site in June. Interestingly, the listing revealed that it may debut in Malaysia with the Infinix Zero M moniker. Moreover, its Geekbench appearance revealed that it is equipped with specs like the Helio G95 chipset, 8 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS.
Hopefully, newer reports will clear out the confusion regarding the moniker and specs of the X6810 Infinix phone. The Play Console listing is a good indicator that it may break cover as soon as this month. It is speculated that the next generation Zero lineup includes two other phones called the Zero X and Zero X Pro.
Chinese phone maker UMIDIGIlaunched the A11 smartphone in May this year with specs like a large water-drop notch display, triple cameras, and Helio G25 SoC. Now, UMIDIGI has scheduled the global launch of its higher version called UMIDIGI A11 Pro Max. The smartphone will launch on August 23 on AliExpress.
UMIDIGI A11 Pro Max Specifications, Pricing, and Colors
The A11 Pro Max will bring some significant upgrades over the vanilla A11. It will feature a large 6.8-inch punch-hole display over the 6.53-inch water-drop panel seen on A11. The screen will push HD+ resolution and maintain the modern thin-bezel design.
In terms of the optics, the smartphone will feature triple cameras at the rear but the camera island will be slightly different. It will have a 48MP primary lens at the top middle of the module, while the other two sensors placed vertically just below on the left side. Upfront, it will boast a 24MP front camera for taking selfie shots.
Under the hood, the A11 Pro Max brings the new MediaTek Helio G80 SoC over the Helio G25 SoC seen in the vanilla UMIDIGI A11. It will pack a 5,150mAh big battery with 10W charging support. The device will come with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It will also have a microSD card slot for additional storage needs.
As for security, it will feature a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It will come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.
AliExpress has listed the device to be priced between $249.99 to $273.55 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The listing also reveals two color options – Mist Blue and Frost Grey.
Realme has been expanding its portfolio of devices and now the company is eyeing the notebooks and tablets market. The company’s executives have even shared teasers of these upcoming products — Realme Book and Realme Pad.
While the devices have already been teased by the company, their specifications and features still remain under the wrap. However, details about the first laptop from the company, Realme Book, have leaked online.
Realme Book Render
A new report from leaker Digital Chat Station claims that the Realme Book will come powered by the 11th generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor. This Tiger Lake U-series chipset is manufactured using a 10nm SuperFin processor. It packs four cores and eight threads and has a maximum core frequency of 4.2GHz. It comes with an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics processor with a maximum frequency of 1.3GHz.
The laptop is expected to have a 14-inch Full HD display and come with an aluminum build. In terms of design, the laptop looks quite similar to the Apple MacBook Air, if the leaked images and renders are anything to go by. It will have a Thunderbolt 4 port and will be running Windows 10 operating system but will be compatible with the new Windows 11.
Realme is completing the ecology of interconnected devices with smartphones, laptops, and tablets. The recently launched Realme GT Master Edition also comes with an interconnection feature for functions like cross-device file transfer, sharing clipboards, receiving or sending messages, syncing photos, etc.
The company is set to launch the Realme GT series smartphones in the Indian market on 18th August and a teaser from Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India and Europe hints that the brand’s first-ever laptop, Realme Book, could be officially launched on the same day.
Google has already unveiled its upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones that are slated to launch this fall. The phones could finally be what the users have been asking as a premium Android smartphone and to top it, the company has opted to use its own new Tensor chipset instead of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SoC.
However, with these major changes, the pricing of these new smartphones is also expected to be significantly higher than the current Pixel series phones. But the company launches a budget smartphone under the Pixel lineup with an “A” suffix and this year’s model is reportedly just days away from going official.
As per the latest report, the Google Pixel 5a is slated to get launched on 26th August and is claimed to be priced around $450. The pricing seems to be in line with many mid-range smartphones with 5G connectivity support that got launched this season. It is said that the phone will be available only through online stores and Google’s physical stores.
Leaks indicate that the Pixel 5a will feature a 6.4-inch Full HD+ display and pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 chipset, coupled with 6GB of RAM. The device is said to be powered by a 4,650mAh battery.
The phone will have a 3.5mm headphone jack and will also carry an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. In the camera department, it is expected to have the same camera configuration as the Pixel 5 — a 12.2-megapixel main sensor with Optical Image Stabilization and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
Recently, Realme confirmed the launch date of the Realme GT series to be August 18 in India. Alongside the smartphone series, a laptop dubbed RealmeBook was also rumored to launch. Now, Realme’s CEO Madhav Sheth has shared an image on Twitter that suggests that the Realme Book could indeed be seen at the August 18 event.
As per the image, the Realme GT Master Edition phone is placed on a table alongside the Realme Book laptop and a suitcase. The tweet said, “This suitcase looks interesting. Which product from it are you most excited about?”. While it didn’t explicitly said that the laptop is launching on the same day but we can expect its arrival on August 18.
The Realme Book was leaked several times and it is learned that the laptop borrows design from Apple’s MacBook. It will feature a 14-inch screen size with an FHD resolution. It was recently seen in a hands-on image where the laptop was tilted to 150-degree.
It is touted to come powered by 11th generation Intel Core i5 and Core i3 processors with SSD storage. One of the major highlights of the laptop is said to be the 65W fast charging support. The laptop will run on Windows 10 OS but will be upgradable to Windows 11.
In terms of pricing, the Realme Book is expected to start at ₹40,000(~$540) in India. The laptop will come in Real Apricot, Real Grey, Realme Red, and Realme Blue color variants.
The laptop will compete with the recently launched RedmiBook laptops in India. The RedmiBook comes with similar specs as the upcoming Realme Book. The laptops start at ₹42,499(~$573) in the country.
Xiaomi has been working on its next generation of Mi Pad tablets, dubbed Mi Pad 5 and the device has been leaked a few times in the past. After several rumored launch dates, the Chinese company has finally confirmed its launch date.
In its latest teaser poster, Xiaomi has confirmed that the Mi Pad 5 will be officially launched in China on 10th August, along with the Mi MIX 4 smartphone. The poster image also hints that the company will launch a stylus compatible with the tablet.
The stylus in the teaser poster is likely to be the Xiaomi Smart Pen, carrying model number M2107K81PC which was recently certified by the FCC. However, nothing much is known about this stylus, apart from the fact that it supports Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
If the rumors are to be believed, then the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 will come in three models. The base model will feature a display with a 2K screen resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 chipset. The device will feature a 12-megapixel primary camera, have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and support 33W charging. It could be the 21051182C Xiaomi device recently approved by the 3C authority.
The second model features a 10.95-inch 2K LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC. The device is said to have a 48-megapixel primary camera sensor. It will be powered by an 8,720mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. There’s also a third variant with almost the same set of specifications but will have support for 5G connectivity. These could be the M210581AC and M210581C models that were certified by China’s 3C regulatory body earlier this month.
The Chinese company has set an interesting lineup of devices that are set to go official on 10th August. Apart from the Mi Pad 5 series, the Mi MIX 4 with an under-display camera sensor will be launched, as well as the company’s second-generation OLED Smart TV, and a new high-end smart speaker.
If you are on the search for a new phone, you don’t have to shell out so much money for a flagship. There are lots of capable mid-range phones that pack very impressive specifications and features, some of which are found in flagship phones. Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Lite 5G is one of such impressive mid-range phones, but there is a new rival on the block, the Motorola Edge Lite a.k.a. Motorola Edge 20, and it is a worthy challenger.
If you want to know which one of the two phones you should get or you are just curious about which is the better device, then this comparison should help. As usual, we will start with a spec by spec comparison:
Mi 11 Lite 5G
Motorola Edge Lite (Motorola Edge 20)
Display
6.55-inch
2400 x 1080
10-bit AMOLED
HDR10+, DCI-P3 color gamut
6.67-inch
2400 x 1080
10-bit OLED
HDR10+, DCI-P3 color gamut
Display protection
Gorilla Glass 6
Not stated
Refresh rate
90Hz
144Hz
Touch sampling rate
240Hz
576Hz
Processor
Snapdragon 780G
Snapdragon 778G
RAM and Storage
LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage
LPDDR4 RAM and UFS 2.2 storage
Storage expansion
Yes
No
Rear cameras
64MP f/1.79 main camera
8MP f/2.2 119° ultrawide angle camera
5MP f/2.4 telemacro camera
108MP f/1.9 main camera
8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, 10z hybrid zoom, and 30x digital zoom
16MP f/2.2 121° ultrawide angle camera (capable of shooting macro photos)
Front camera
20MP f/2.4 camera
32MP f/2.25 camera
Fingerprint scanner
Side-mounted
Side-mounted
Connectivity
5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, Dual SIM (Hybrid slot)
5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC,
Battery capacity
4250mAh
4020mAh
Fast charging
33W
33W
Operating system
MIUI 12 based on Android 11
MYUI 2.0 based on Android 11
Dimensions and weight
160.53 x 75.73 x 6.81 mm
159 grams
163.31 x 76.05 x 6.99 mm
163 grams
Other features
IR blaster, LiquidCool technology, AI Face Unlock
Ready For, Virtual RAM, AI Face Unlock, Physical shortcut button
Design
The Mi 11 Lite 5G and Motorola Edge Lite are very different in terms of their looks. The former has its punch hole at the left corner of the screen and its camera housing is shaped like a square while the Motorola phone has a centered punch hole and a rectangular camera housing. One thing is sure, you won’t mistake this phone for each other.
The more interesting part of their design is their thickness and weight, which are two of their selling points. Xiaomi wins here with the Mi 11 Lite 5G weighing 159 grams and being incredibly thin at 6.81mm while packing the bigger battery of the two devices. However, Motorola has also done a good job with the Edge Lite’s weight which comes in at 163 grams and its 6.9mm thickness.
Display
The two phones have dropped LCD for AMOLED (Mi 11 Lite 5G) and OLED (Motorola Edge Lite) and they both have the same resolution. However, Motorola’s phone packs a bigger screen size and wins in terms of refresh rate (144Hz) and touch sampling rate (576Hz), blowing past the 90Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate of the Mi 11 Lite 5G.
1 of 2
Xiaomi has been kind enough to protect its screen with a sheet of Gorilla Glass 6. Unfortunately, Motorola has kept mute on the type of protection on the Edge Lite.
Processor, RAM, and Storage
The Mi 11 Lite 5G has the Snapdragon 780G processor, Qualcomm’s first 5nm chipset, under its hood. This is a powerful processor and it bests the Snapdragon 778G inside the Motorola Edge Lite even though the margin isn’t a wide one.
Xiaomi wins this round not only with its more powerful chipset but also the use of the faster LPDDR4X RAM as against the LPDDR4 type found inside the Edge Lite. Both phones use UFS 2.2 storage type.
Cameras
Xiaomi and Motorola both ship their phones with triple rear cameras and a single front-facing camera. There is a 64MP main camera on the Mi 11 Lite 5G while the Motorola Edge Lite has a 108MP sensor. Naturally, the latter should capture more details but a camera comparison will determine which is better.
With respect to the other sensors, the Motorola Edge Lite wins. It packs the more useful 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and up to 30x digital zoom. It also has a better ultrawide angle camera. We also expect its 32MP selfie camera to take better shots than the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s 20MP sensor.
Battery and fast charging
The Mi 11 Lite manages to pack a bigger battery in a smaller body, and because its screen is smaller and has a lower refresh rate and its processor is more efficient, it should boast a better battery life than the Motorola Edge Lite. Both phones have support for 33W fast charging (30W on the Motorola Edge 20) which is expected in this category.
Software
This is subjective as some folks prefer MIUI while others prefer Motorola’s MYUI which is almost near stock Android but with useful additions. Both devices run Android 11 out of the box.
The more important part of the software discussion is support. Xiaomi will most likely roll out MIUI updates to this phone for at least three years but it may not get more than two OS upgrades at best. The Motorola Edge Lite on the other hand should get two years of security updates and OS upgrades based on the information released for its international version, the Edge 20. Unfortunately, Motorola is not very reliable when it comes to updates.
Other features
The Mi 11 Lite 5G has support for storage expansion, an IR blaster for controlling compatible electronics, and even has liquid cooling to keep the phone cool during intensive tasks.
Motorola’s Edge Lite has “Ready For”, a feature that allows it to be connected to an external display and be used as a desktop computer, a gaming console, or a webcam. It also has a virtual RAM feature that adds an additional 3GB from the storage when you need more RAM. There is also a physical button for calling up a taxi service in China while it works as Google Assistant button on the international variant.
Price
This is a major determining factor for a lot of prospective buyers and below are the prices for the two phones:
Mi 11 Lite 5G
6+128GB (Europe only) = €369
8+128GB = ¥2299 (~$356)/€399
8+256GB = ¥2599 (~$402)
Motorola Edge Lite (Motorola Edge 20)
8+128GB = ¥2599 (~$402)
8+256GB = ¥2899 (~$449)
The Mi 11 Lite 5G is the cheaper of the two model.
Conclusion
The Mi 11 Lite 5G is not only the more affordable device but also packs a bigger battery, a more powerful processor, slightly faster RAM type, and has a more promising software support future. It is also the lighter and thinner phone of the two.
Motorola on the other hand charges more but that gets you a better display with a much higher refresh rate and touch sampling rate, better cameras, and practically puts a desktop computer in your pocket with its Ready For feature.
As you can see, both phones are very impressive but have their strengths and weaknesses. We hope this comparison helps you decide which one of them is for you.
Huawei has made significant progress in the development of its home-grown operating system, the HarmonyOS. The development of the HarmonyOS was seemingly boosted by the US’ heavy sanctions on Huawei that saw it unable to access its US suppliers including Google for important software issues for its devices.
Huawei has just officially confirmed that the stable version of the HarmonyOS 2, which is an alternative to the Android OS, is now available for 65 Huawei and Honor devices. This marks another important milestone for Huawei as it continues to pursue plans to roll back the effects of the sanctions. It opens a window of opportunities for the Chinese powerhouse as it continues to inch towards reclaiming its top spot in the local market.
The bulk of devices enjoying the update are Huawei’s, while a few are Honor devices. The stable version of the HarmonyOS is available to a broad list of phones and tablets, but only for their Chinese variants that come with additional pre-installed apps.
The addition of Honor smartphones and tablets into the list of eligible devices for the stable version also points to the strong connections which still exist between Honor and its former owner Huawei. More devices will join the growing lineup, and we could see a more extended list of devices sporting HarmonyOS 2.0 by the turn of the year.
China remains the largest smartphone market in the world, and the development of its alternative OS to Google’s Android OS holds a lot of prospects. Indeed, Huawei may have turned the corner after the dark clouds in the past couple of years.
Tecno is a brand which is releasing amazing budget phones in the last period. Despite it is not among the main smartphone manufacturer, the brand part of the Transsion group comes up with unique devices providing an incredible quality price ratio. The names of these phones are strange as much as their specifications are awesome. This is a comparison between the specifications of two of the latest budget phones released by the company: Tecno Pova 2 and Tecno Phantom X. The first is one of the best battery phones in the market, while the latter is one of the best affordable camera phones. Through this comparison, you will discover the main differences between these handsets.
Tecno Pova 2 vs Tecno Phantom X
Tecno Pova 2
Tecno Phantom X
DIMENSIONS
173.3 x 78.8 x 9.6 mm
163.5 x 73.8 x 8.7 mm, 201 g
DISPLAY
6.9 inches, 1080 x 2460p (Full HD+), IPS LCD
6.7 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR
MediaTek Helio G85, octa-core 2 GHz
Mediatek Helio G95, octa-core 2.05 GHz
MEMORY
4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB
8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE
Android 11, HiOS
Android 11, HiOS
CONNECTIVITY
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
CAMERA
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.9
8 MP f/2.0 front camera
Triple 50 + 13 + 8 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.3
Dual 48 + 8 MP f/2.2 and f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY
7000 mAh, fast charging 18W
4700 mAh, fast charging 33W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Design
While the Tecno Pova 2 has a cheap design, Tecno Phantom X comes with a premium design which reminds me a lot of the most expensive flagships. It has a curved edge to edge display making the phone very elegant, as well as a glass back protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. The centrally-placed and rectangle-shaped camera module you can find on the rear side is not exactly the most elegant thing you can get on a phone in 2021, but overall, we can say that this device has a premium and beautiful design. This is helped by the screen to body ratio which is actually very high. The Tecno Pova 2 is made of polycarbonate and it has pretty high dimensions, so it is definitely not the perfect phone for those who love beautiful designs.
Display
The Tecno Phantom X has a very good display for a midrange phone. It is a Super AMOLED panel showing vibrant colors and deep blacks. The display has a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, a diagonal of 6.7 inches, and a 90 Hz refresh rate. Last but not least, it has an in-display fingerprint reader. It is a way better panel than the one found on the Tecno Pova 2, but this device remains very interesting because it has one of the widest displays in the whole smartphone market. Tecno Pova 2 has a diagonal of 6.9 inches: not the dimensions of a tablet but we are not so far from it. Unfortunately, we are talking about an IPS LCD panel with a standard refresh rate, but it is enough for the price. The fingerprint reader of the Tecno Pova 2 is side-mounted.
Specs & Software
If you choose Tecno Phantom X, you also get a better hardware department. The phone is powered by the Helio G95 chipset paired with 8 GB of RAM and a whopping 256 GB of internal storage which you can furtherly expand with a micro SD dedicated slot. Tecno Phantom X is one of the affordable phones with the highest amount of internal storage. Tecno Pova 2 has the lower-end Helio G85 platform, up to 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, none of these phones supports the 5G connectivity. The handsets run Android 11 out of the box, with the HiOS custom skin on top.
Camera
Despite it is just a midrange 4G phone, the camera department of the Tecno Phantom X is very close to the ones of high-end camera phones. On the rear side, it has a 50 MP main sensor with dual pixel and laser autofocus, a 13 MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, and an 8 MP ultrawide camera. Further, it sports a dual front camera including a 48 MP main sensor and an 8 MP ultrawide camera: this means that Tecno Phantom X is one of the best phones to shoot selfies with. With a 48 MP main camera and three sensors with a 2 MP resolution, Tecno Pova 2 is just a low-end camera phone and it can not compete with its internal rival in any way.
Tecno Pova 2 has one of the biggest batteries in the whole Android panorama. With a capacity of 7000 mAh, it is able to provide outstanding battery life and it supports fast charging with a power of 18W. Tecno Phantom X still comes with a good 4700 mAh which charges faster with a power of 33W.
Price
Tecno Phantom X will hit the Indian market soon with a starting price tag of around Rs. 18,999, while Tecno Pova 2 is priced at Rs. 13,499. Tecno Phantom X wins this comparison if we only judge the phones by their specs sheets, but Tecno Pova 2 has a very high value for money and it offers a way longer battery life.
A new video teardown has revealed a rugged core for the newly launched Nokia XR20 smartphone. The teardown video shows that the XR20 will be a very strong and durable device, which reflects the track record of Nokia as a champion of durable phones.
The video shows the internal materials used to produce the Nokia XR20 are durable and user-friendly, like the rubberized sides, and aluminium mid-frame that is thick enough to shield the internals and resist bending. The teardown video reveals the ease with which you can open the plastic back of the XR20. The screen is also amenable to replacement when needed, without damaging the device. The Nokia XR20 IP68-rated for dust and water resistance, as it is unaffected when in water for up to 60 minutes at depths of 1.5 meters. There are protective rubber gaskets around the USB-C port and the loudspeaker, for added ruggedness.
The potential of effecting some repairs in the device is captured by its repairability score on a scale from 0 to 10. The Nokia XR20 got a repairability score of 6.5, which is just above the midpoint. While nothing is too difficult to remove on its own, replacing the screen requires expert ability and care. The tasks involved include the removal of the backplate, the top cover, and the removable battery. The process also involved expertly removing completely the pull tab adhesive. Finally, the flex cable becomes accessible to be unplugged before removing the screen.
The Nokia XR20 was launched in July 2021 and is designed for the long haul. It can stand up to anything thrown at it. It has an ultra-solid case and is one of the toughest display glass available. It’s scratch-resistant, drop-resistant, temperature-resistant, and water-resistant. It also comes with up to 4 years of updates and OS upgrades, up to 2025.
Mobile World Congress popularly known as MWC holds in multiple locations. The most popular of them is MWC Barcelona which held this year in June, but there is also MWC Shanghai and MWC Los Angeles. Now, the GSMA is bringing the event to Africa this year with the first edition set to hold in the capital of Rwanda.
The first edition of MWC Africa will be a virtual event even though the GSMA says it will be held in Kigali, Rwanda. The reason is because of the on-going pandemic, so in-person events are on hold. An in-person event will hold in 2022.
Until we can meet in person, MWC Africa will be hosting a series of #virtual events, where you can meet the continents most exciting innovators & keep up to date with the latest industry developments.
MWC Africa is a three-day event that begins on September 28 and runs until September 30. You can register to be a part of the event here.
At the moment, there is no mention of which manufacturers will be attending the event but we expect there will be a lot of local players too. The teaser video also mentions that ZTE is one of the sponsors.
Anker Innovations India, through its audio-centric division, Soundcore has unveiled to the Indian market, its latest truly wireless earbuds, the Soundcore R100. The device is available via Flipkart at a price of Rs. 1,999 ($27), although Anker is making a discounted offer of Rs. 1,799 ($24) for the earbuds.
The Soundcore R100 TWS earbuds have several impressive features like instant auto-pairing with a compatible input source, IPX5 water and sweat resistance, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a 500mAh battery that offers six hours on a full charge and up to 25 hours when the charging case is attached. The device also has fast charging capability, with a 2-minute charge offering up to 2 hours of playback time. The TWS earbuds will have two color variants: Black and White. The Soundcore R100 TWS earbuds also feature hall-sensor technology which enables a seamless connection within 3 seconds of opening the device case.
The 10mm Graphene dynamic drivers combine with other features to offer an immersive listening experience while using the device. According to Anker, the Soundcore R100 TWS earbuds were crafted for the purest music experience, combined with the latest technology. The R series from Anker was designed to meet the needs of a dynamic generation, by providing a world-class listening experience always.
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It is not clear yet how long the introductory offer of Rs. 1.799 ($24) will last before reverting to the listed amount. Whatever the case, the Anker Soundcore R100 TWS earbuds are a budget offering and are accessible to a wider array of customers across India.
Xiaomi officially confirmed earlier this week that it would launch the Mi Mix 4 flagship on August 10. Since the announcement, the company has been consistent in the release of several teasers promoting the device. One of the latest teaser posters from the Chinese tech giant suggests the device will utilize the UWB technology. The poster bears the title “new technology, new understanding” and contains a silhouette of what we believe to be the Mix 4 pointed toward a TV.
The Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a radio-based communication technology for short-range use and fast and stable transmission of data. It is a more advanced version of Bluetooth as it can precisely locate smart devices up to centimeter-level. A couple of months back, it was first rumored that the Mix 4 will arrive with a UWB chip.
A second teaer shared today by the company further reaffirms the Mix 4 will come with an under display camera teachnology. The original Mi Mix took the industry by storm with its full-screen, notch-less design. In subsequent models, Xiaomi has experimented with different designs ranging from pop-up camera to slider camera design featured on the Mix 3.
The chip will be used by Mi Share, a peer-to-peer file transfer service found on devices from some popular Chinese smartphone brands. The usage might expand as more products utilizing the UWB tech are released just like the Apple and Samsung smart tags.
Mi Mix 4 tempered glass on the right. Mi 11 on the left
In a related news, a blogger has leaked what he says is the tempered glass of the Mix 4. The tempered glass sits alongside that of the Mi 11, showing the difference in screen design between the two models. It can be seen clearly from the picture that although the Mix 4 uses a curved screen design, the curvature on both the left and right sides is much smaller than that of the Mi 11. This will likely bring a better display effect. Also, the comparion shows the Mix 4 screen is shorter and narrower than the Mi 11 which is visually more beautiful.
The Mi MIX 4 is launching next week, specifically on Tuesday, August 10. However, this is not a global event but a local one in China. If you have been hoping the Mi MIX 4 will get a global release, it appears that may not happen.
According to Agatha Tang, Product PR for Xiaomi Global, Xiaomi has no plans to release the Mi MIX 4 outside China. The info was revealed on Twitter as a response to a tweet asked by another user.
It hurts me to say this, but no global plans at the moment.
The news is a mix of surprise and disappointment for a lot of fans who have been anticipating the arrival of the Mi MIX 4 considering that the Mi MIX Fold, which launched earlier this year, didn’t get a global release.
We don’t think Xiaomi will change its mind regarding a global release for the Mi MIX 4 but we won’t rule out the possibility of a global tour of some sort similar to what it did with the Mi MIX Alpha in India. This will enable it to showcase the phone to fans, giving them a look at its first phone with an under-display camera.
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