Huawei relaunches the Mate 40 Pro, Mate 40E & Nova 8 Pro with HarmonyOS but 4G only

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Jun 17, 2021

Earlier this month, Huawei listed the Mate 40 Pro 4G, Mate 40E 4G, and Nova 8 Pro 4G for presale in China. The tech giant has now officially launched the trio for sale in China. The major highlight of the models is the presence of HarmonyOS 2 onboard all three models.

The models are not new, they had earlier been launched last year but with 5G capabilities. The company has decided to release a 4G-only version, perhaps due to the chip shortage occasioned by the US trade embargo that has made it impossible for the Chinese firm to buy semiconductors from US companies. The company is likely relying on the stockpile of chips it made before the ban went into effect.

Talking of the specs, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G version is equipped with a Kirin 9000 processor paired with 8GB RAM while there are 128GB and 256GB storage options. The device starts at 6,099 yuan which is 400 yuan cheaper than the 5G version.

On the other hand, the Mate 40E 4G version is equipped with a Kirin 990E processor backed by 8GB RAM as well as 128GB and 256GB storage options. The Mate 40E starts at 4199 yuan, also 400 yuan cheaper than the 5G version.

The Nova 8 Pro 4G is the cheapest model among the lot. It is equipped with a Kirin 985 processor and has the same memory configuration as its predecessors. It starts at 3699 yuan which is 300 yuan cheaper than the 5G version.

Apart from the lack of a 5G modem, the 4G versions are exactly the same as their 5G counterparts in terms of product design and other specs. You also get the HarmonyOS 2 installed from the go.

We don’t know if Huawei will have enough stock to sell these models outside China. By the way, would you still buy a Huawei smartphone in the absence of GMS? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

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Samsung phones now supported by the Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 17, 2021

Early last year, Xiaomi along with some other Chinese brands including OPPO and Vivo formed the Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance, a wireless file transfer system across different brands. The alliance has grown to include several other brands with the latest being Samsung.

It has been reported that support for Samsung phones has now been added to the file transfer interface, allowing users to transfer files to and from their devices. A screenshot (shared below) shows all of the currently supported brands and it includes Xiaomi (PC and phones), Vivo, Realme, OPPO, Black Shark, Meizu, OnePlus, ZTE, Hisense, ASUS, ROG, and Samsung.

On Xiaomi computers, the wireless file transfer feature allows users to simply drag and drop files between devices on the main interface. Users can also right-click and choose to want to share a file via the service. Once the recipient accepts, then a progress bar becomes visible.

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TCL’s Google TV-powered TVs are coming in a month or two

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 17, 2021

Google TV made its debut last year on the Chromecast with Google TV streaming dongle. Following its announcement, it was revealed that the new TV interface will be available on other devices including smart TVs, thus replacing Android TV. TCL is one of the brands that will launch new TVs running Google TV and it has revealed when we should expect the new models.

News of TCL TVs running Google TV was first revealed by the company in January. The Chinese manufacturer whose TVs are widely popular in North America announced that it will launch Google TV-powered models this year in the United States but didn’t say when.

Now, It has been reported that the new TVs will arrive in a month or two according to Shalini Govil-Pai, the VP of Google TV. The executive had revealed the info during a keynote interview for StreamTV Show 2021. This is good news for those who have been waiting for the TVs to arrive.

Back in January, TCL had revealed that it will combine Google TV with its own display technology such as miniLED, QLED, and 8K, so we should expect these TVs to come bundled with the aforementioned features. We do not know if these TVs will come with Stadia, Google’s game streaming service which will be available next week on the Chromecast with Google TV.

Mr. Govil-Pai also reiterated that Google plans to replace Android TV with Google TV. We still do not know how and when this will happen but there is a chance only a few devices will be upgraded.

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Huawei’s AppGallery gets two new Games as it continues to expand the app store

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 17, 2021

Huawei is striving to expand its AppGallery as it hopes to expand its HarmonyOS ecosystem. The company recently unveiled the HarmonyOS 2, expanding the OS to its entire smartphone lineup. The HarmonyOS AppGallery was revealed to have already got up to 134,000 apps with over 4 million developers. The Chinese tech giant has continued to expand the ecosystem and has now announced the addition of two new exciting games, Manor Matters and Left to Survive.

The addition of the two games is not just delightful to fans because it offers them some more gaming options, but most importantly because it means Huawei has successfully gotten new app developers throwing up the possibility of further expanding the ecosystem.

The two games are developed by gaming developer Playrix and top gaming publisher MY.GAMES respectively. This isn’t Playrix’s first game on the AppGallery. The app developer had earlier published two popular games Gardenscapes and Homescapes. Manor Matters and Left to Survive are presently available to download on AppGallery.

Huawei’s AppGallery remains a smart and innovative ecosystem that allows developers to create unique experiences for consumers. The HMS Core integrated with HarmonyOS allows apps to be integrated across different devices, delivering more convenience and a smoother experience. Thus, you are not restricted to just your smartphones with this new games.

With 134,000 apps already, Huawei’s AppGallery is among the top three app marketplaces globally. Once the Google PlayStore and Apple App Store have more apps. Huawei still has a long way to go, though, before it can play catch up with the two market leaders.

The AppGallery is available to users in more than 170 countries and regions and according to Huawei, the store has over 540 million monthly active users globally.

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The Motorola Defy is a rugged mid-range phone with Gorilla Glass Victus

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 17, 2021

If you have always wanted a Motorola rugged smartphone, then the new Motorola Defy is definitely for you. The Motorola Defy is the first rugged phone made by Bullitt Group, the company behind CAT and Land Rover-branded rugged phones. A few months ago, it was announced that Motorola had signed a partnership with the UK-based company to make Motorola-branded rugged smartphones.

Motorola Defy Design

Personally, the Motorola Defy is one of the better-looking rugged phones with its camera layout that fuses seamlessly with the cross-hatching design of the toughened polycarbonate back. True, the bezels are huge but that is not uncommon for rugged phones.

Motorola has also added a lanyard to the bottom corner of the phone and an inscription that reads “Dust. Water. Drop. Proof”. The phone is available in Black and Green.

Motorola Defy Specifications

The new rugged phone has a 6.5-inch HD+ screen with a waterdrop notch and Gorilla Glass Victus. The only other mid-range phone with Corning’s screen protection solution is the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G.

The Motorola Defy has a Snapdragon 662 processor and comes in a single configuration with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. There is also a MicroSD card slot that will allow users to add more storage.

For cameras, you get a 48MP main camera on the back along with a 2MP sensor for macro photos and another 2MP sensor for depth of field. The front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor. Below the cameras on the back is a fingerprint scanner.

The Motorola Defy will survive drops from a height of up to 1.8 meters as long as it lands on its sides or corners. It has an IP68 rating but Motorola advises that users rinse the device when used in saltwater, including the audio jack and USB connector, to prevent salt corrosion. The device will also work in extreme temperatures from +55°C to -25°C and users can clean it with soap or sanitizer.

There is a 5000mAh battery inside the phone and it has support for 20W fast charging. It ships with Android 10 out of the box with Motorola’s My UX on top.

Motorola Defy Price and Availability

The Motorola Defy will go on sale starting next week for €325.

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Honor 50 series models were assembled by BYD Electronics

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 17, 2021

Honor yesterday unveiled the Honor 50 series made up of the Honor 50, Honor 50 Pro, and the more affordable Honor 50 SE. Now, the Honor 50 series is the first flagship developed after Honor became an independent company from Huawei. What this means is that the product design and product weren’t handled by Huawei.

Chinese electronics manufacturer BYD Electronic has released a document that reveals that the Honor 50 series was completely assembled by it. This happens to be the first smartphone model BYD will be assembling. The company was responsible for the entire processing and production of the Honor 50 mobile phones, including SMT, assembly, testing, and packaging.

This isn’t the first phone BYD would be manufacturing, though, and also not the first Honor model. The company was responsible for the manufacture of the Honor 7, Honor 8, Honor 9, Honor X10, Honor V30, V40, and a few others.

Recall that the Honor 50 and Honor 50 Pro are powered by a Snapdragon 778 processor while the Honor 20 SE packs a Dimensity 900 SoC. The models pack a unique circular camera module with a 100MP main sensor on the three models. Their screen sizes and design differs, though. The Honor 50 features a 6.57-inch curved screen with a centralized single punch-hole on top of the display while the Honor 50 Pro sports a 6.72-inch curved screen with a dual punch-hole located at the top left corner of the screen. The Honor 50 SE, on the other hand, sports a 6.78-inch flat screen with a single punch-hole design.

The three models also score another first as they are Honor’s first model to ship with GMS after severing ties with Huawei. We expect the company to announce the global rollout schedule soon.

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(source)

Xiaomi Mi 10T, Mi 10T Pro receive MIUI 12.5 update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 17, 2021

Xiaomi has started rolling out the MIUI 12.5 update for more devices sold in international markets. The latest phones to get it are the Mi 10T and the Mi 10T Pro. This duo debuted as the affordable Xiaomi flagship smartphones in the second half of 2020.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro Camera Featured — Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro

The Xiaomi Mi 10T is also known as Redmi K30S Ultra in China. The latter handset received the MIUI 12.5 update at the end of April. Hence, the version sold in global markets was expected to get the update in the next few days.

One and a half months later, the MIUI 12.5 update is finally here for the Mi 10T as well as the Mi 10T Pro. For those unaware, both smartphones run a common MIUI build. Therefore, they are getting the latest update together.

The MIU 12.5 update for the Mi 10T and the Mi 10T Pro is currently live for the EEA variant with build number V12.5.1.0.RJDEUXM. Other regional variants of these phones like Global, India, Indonesia, Russia, Turkey, and Taiwan should also start receiving the update in the near future.

The Xiaomi Mi 10T series launched with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. The devices were updated to Android 11 earlier this year. They will most likely receive Android 12 as well as MIUI 13.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G gets its second system update within hours from the first

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 17, 2021

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is one of the two new smartphones from the brand other than the OnePlus Nord N200 5G. The device was only announced last week but it has already started receiving its second system update.

According to @nirmaltv, a tech blogger from India, OnePlus has started rolling out the second system update for the OnePlus Nord CE 5G hours apart from the first update. Both the software builds bring fixes and improvements for the handset.

The first-ever system update for the OnePlus Nord CE 5G arrives as OxygenOS 11.0.2.2. This build bumps up the security patch level to May 2021. Further, it comes with improvements for screen color accuracy and portrait photography on the selfie camera. It also fixes some known issues.

On the other hand, the second system update for the device bears the build number OxygenOS 11.0.3.3. This update brings improvements for HDR shooting experience and nightscape shooting effect. Lastly, it also optimizes the fluency of 60fps 1080 video recording and fixes certain known issues.

Customers who have got their hands on the phone can head over to Settings to download and install the latest available update.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G OxygenOS 11.0.2.2 Official Changelog

System
- Improved the accuracy of screen color
- Fixed known issues and improved stability
- Updated Android security patch to 2021.05

Camera
- Improved the portrait photography of the front

OnePlus Nord CE 5G OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 Official Changelog

System
- Fixed known issues and improved stability

Camera
- Improved the shooting experience with HDR on
- Improved the shooting effect of the nightscape
- Optimized the fluency of 1080p 60FPS

Swiggy partners with ANRA to begin Drone Food Delivery trials in India

By

Sean

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Jun 17, 2021

Swiggy might soon begin delivering food using unmanned drones in India. The food delivery service is set to begin trials for both food and medical packages along with its drone delivery partner ANRA Technologies.

According to a Gadgets360 report, ANRA Technologies has finally got clearances from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Directorate General of Aviation (DGCA), and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) to commence drone trials for delivering food. The firm has also got clearances for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. ANRA has launched its first sortie earlier this week. In the next couple of weeks, the ANRA team will also conduct BVLOS food and medical package delivery trials in Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Rupnagar in Punjab.

The principal program manager of Swiggy, Shilpa Gnaneshwar, stated that the new project will enable the company to “put the long range proficiencies of drone technology to best use. To smoothen and fasten the last mile journey, it only becomes natural for us to explore the latest avenues available to maximize the benefit to our consumers.” Furthermore, Amit Ganjoo, the founder and CEO of ANRA stated that “our technology may soon help deliver food and medical packages to underserved populations.”

Similar to Swiggy, the Google backed Indian delivery service, Dunzo, has also announced that it was set to pilot drone delivery of medicines under the ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project launched by the Telangana government. This project also seeks to deliver emergency medical supplies that could even include coronavirus vaccines and other essentials as well.

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Samsung Galaxy A02 is expected to launch in India soon as production begins

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 17, 2021

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A02 in late January. But the device did not launch in India. Instead, a rebranded version of this handset called Galaxy M02 made its way to the region. Now, almost five months after the phone went official, information regarding its Indian launch appears on the internet.

Samsung Galaxy A02 Denim Blue Denim Gray Denim Red Featured — Samsung Galaxy A02

According to a report by 91Mobiles, Samsung has started manufacturing the Galaxy A02 in India. The device’s production is undergoing at the world’s largest smartphone factory in Noida.

The version set to launch in India is said to have the exact same set of specs as the model sold elsewhere. But unfortunately, its launch date, as well as the price, are a mystery for now.

As far as specifications are concerned, the Galaxy A02 features a 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V display (LCD), MediaTek MT6739W7 SoC, and up to 3GB RAM/64GB internal storage (varies by region).

The phone sports a 13MP (wide) + 2 (macro) dual rear cameras, 5MP selfie camera, MicroSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and MicroUSB port. Despite releasing in 2021, it runs One UI Core 2.x based on Android 10. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for standard 10W charging,

Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy A02 comes in four colors (region dependent), namely Denim Black, Denim Gray, Denim Blue, and Denim Red.

Amazon removes listing of major accessory maker RavPower over policy violation

By

Sean

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Jun 17, 2021

Amazon has just confirmed that it has removed all listing of a major accessory maker, RavPower from its online store. The latter has apparently violated the company’s policies and has thus had its listings removed.

According to a recent blogpost from the e-retailer giant, the company revealed that it maintains a strict policy for all the companies that use its platform. AndroidAuthority had initially reported on this news, which surfaced after Wall Street Journal’s Nicole Nguyen ordered a RavPower charger that also offered her a 35 US Dollar gift card if she left a review. While RavPower’s parent company Sunvalley state that the firm didn’t ask for a five star rating, the offer still violated a 2016 Amazon policy.

This policy bars companies from offering monetary rewards for reviews. Initially, it was unclear if Amazon had removed the listings for this very reason, but the company’s latest blogpost has confirmed this report. Notably, the listing removal also arrives after the e-retailer had previously taken down listings from other accessory makers like Mpow and Aukey. Furthermore, the blogpost didn’t specifically call out these brands or even RavPower, but it did detail its strict policy towards paid Amazon reviews. For those unaware, Aukey and Mpow listings were removed back in May 2021, as these two firms were accused of paying for fake reviews.

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Xiaomi India sells over 2 million units of Redmi Note 10 series smartphones within 3 months

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 17, 2021

Xiaomi India unveiled the Redmi Note 10 series in India in early March. The handsets went on sale starting in the middle of that month. Initially, the company only introduced three models. A fourth model launched in the country in mid-May. Three months after the series debut in India, it has achieved a sales record.

According to the official Twitter accounts of Redmi India and Manu Kumar Jain (Managing Director of Xiaomi India), the Redmi Note 10 series sold over 2 million units in India. The company has managed to sell 3,000 crores+ worth of Redmi Note 10 series smartphones within three months from its initial debut.

These figures are indeed outstanding. Mr. Jain also says that if the Redmi Note was a separate independent brand, it would have been the third or fourth-largest smartphone brand in India.

Unlike in China, Xiaomi is known for its Redmi brand in India, especially the Redmi Note series. Therefore, it is not surprising to learn the sales milestone accomplished by the Redmi Note 10 series in a short period of time despite the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The Redmi Note 10 lineup in India includes four devices, namely Redmi Note 10, Redmi Note 10S, Redmi Note 10 Pro, and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. The Redmi Note 10 5G is not sold in the region because of the availability of POCO M3 Pro 5G, which is essentially the same phone.

Honor products will rival or even surpass Apple in the future: CEO

By

Sean

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Jun 17, 2021

Earlier this week, the Honor 50 series was officially unveiled by the company at a product launch conference. During this event, the brand’s CEO stated that the company will also seek to compete with Apple in the future and will make products that could soon rival or even surpass the iPhone maker.

The Chinese smartphone maker’s CEO, Zhao Ming, made the announcement during the Honor 50 series launch and believes that the brand is bound to see a breakthrough in the near future. The senior official added that Apple is currently on the rise, especially after Huawei saw a sharp decline in the industry due to US sanctions. So, the ex-subsidiary of the Chinese tech giant needs to match or even surpass Apple’s products in terms of performance and user experience, as per the executive.

Zhao Ming believes that competition is the most important thing in the high end smartphone market, since it would help it polish its product offerings and technology. He further added that while many flagship graded devices offer the top end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, the experience offered to the customers varies greatly in the high end market. In other words, good specifications alone do not signify a better user experience. It remains to be seen how the brand performs in the global market in the near future, so stay tuned for more updates.

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Motorola Edge series leak reveals Snapdragon 778G, 865/870, and camera details

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 17, 2021

Motorola is reportedly working on the successors for the Edge and Edge+ smartphones that were announced in global markets last year. TechnikNews had leaked some information about upcoming Motorola phones with codenames such as Berlin, Berlin NA, Sierra, and Kyoto. The publication is back with new information on Berlin, Kyoto, and another Motorola that has a Pstar codename.

Motorola Edge Berlin and Berlin NA

New information shared by the publication reveals that the Berlin is a European variant, whereas the Berlin NA model appears to be a North American edition that may sell through Verizon. The Berlin models are expected to launch as Edge branded phones.

The Berlin and Berlin NA will come with a Snapdragon 778G chip, 6 GB / 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB / 256 GB of storage. Both phones have an OmniVision OV32B40 front camera. The rear camera setup of the Berlin model seems to include a 108-megapixel Samsung S5KHM2 primary camera, a 16-megapixel OmniVision (OV16A10) ultrawide/macro lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto (OV08A10) telephoto lens.

On the other side, the Berlin NA has a 108-megapixel megapixel Samsung S5KHM2 main lens, an 8-megapixel Samsung S5K4H7 ultrawide/macro lens, and a 2-megapixel OmniVision OV02B1B depth lens. It is expected to arrive in Emerald (Green), Stout (Brown), and White colors.

Motorola Edge Pstar

The publication that Pstar is the same device that was previously referred to as Sierra. The model number of this device is XT2153 and it is likely to come in black, blue, and white colors. It is powered by Qualcomm’s chip, which is codenamed as “kona,” which suggests that it could be powered by the Snapdragon 865 or 870 chipset.

The SoC is coupled with 6 GB / 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of storage. It may feature a 16-megapixel OV16A1Q front camera in China or 32-megapixel OV32B selfie camera in Europe. Its rear shell may feature a 108-megapixel S5KHM2 main camera, a 16-megapixel OV16A10 ultrawide/macro lens, and an 8-megapixel OV08A10 telephoto lens.

Motorola Edge Kyoto

The Motorola Edge phone with Kyoto codenamed is said to be the cheapest model in the lineup. It has a 32-megapixel OV32B front camera, and its rear camera system has a 108-megapixel S5KHM2 main camera, an 8-megapixel S5K4H7 ultrawide/macro lens, and a 2-megapixel OV02B1B depth sensor.

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Apple seeks to sell its products from LG stores in South Korea: Report

By

Sean

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Jun 17, 2021

Apple is apparently planning on forming a new partnership with LG. This cooperation would have the former sell its products from the latter’s physical retail stores in South Korea.

According to a BusinessKorea report (Via MacRumors), the Cupertino based giant seeks to sell its iPhones, iPads, smartwatches, and more from the South Korean electronics maker’s stores in its home country. This would have it sell products from more than 400 retail “LG Best Shops” in the country. Notably, this news arrives after LG recently announced that it is shutting its smartphone business. In other words, Apple might be aiming to fill up the retail space that was previously used by LG to market its handsets.

This would mean that the iPhone maker could expand its presence in the region, considering its retail business is smaller than LG in comparison. Reportedly, the two companies are discussing the establishment of a separate corner for Apple within its stores. This corner would also be run by the company’s own employees or have LG Best Shop employees sell Apple products after LG Electronics acquires the right to sell its gadgets.

The report further added that both brands are currently at a disagreement over the sale of Mac computers. This disagreement is due to LG’s plans of selling its own “Gram” laptops, so selling Mac computers in its stores would put LG at a clear disadvantage. Thus, it is more likely that both firms agree on only selling iPhones, iPads, and its wearables. An LG spokesperson also told Business Korea that “nothing has been decided yet” and that the company is “exploring all possibilities.”

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Samsung Galaxy F22 support page goes live, India launch seem near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 17, 2021

Recent reports have revealed that Samsung is working on a new series phone called the Galaxy F22. Multiple reports have claimed that it could be a rebranded version of the Galaxy A22, which debuted at the beginning of this month. Fresh information (via. MySmartPrice) reveals that the support page of the Galaxy F22 has gone live on Samsung India’s website. The appearance of the support page suggests that its launch date may be close at hand.

The Galaxy F22 has appeared with its SM-E225F/DS model number on the support page. The listing has no information on the specs of the device. Earlier this week, the F22 handset was spotted at the Bluetooth SIG certification platform.

The Galaxy A22 exists in 4G and 5G versions. It is not clear whether the Galaxy F22 coming to India will be a 4G or 5G device.

Samsung Galaxy A22 4G and Galaxy A22 5G specifications

The Galaxy A22 has a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED HD+ 90Hz display, a 13-megapixel front camera, and a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system. It is equipped with Helio G80 chipset, up to 6 GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

On the other side, the Galaxy A22 5G has a 6.6-inch TFT FHD+ 90Hz panel, an 8-megapixel front camera, and a 48-megapixel + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system. The Dimensity 700 chip fuels the device with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of storage. It also features a 5,000mAh battery with a 15W charger and a side-facing fingerprint reader.

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vivo Y12A key specs leaked ahead of official launch

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 17, 2021

Chinese handset maker vivo is tipped to launch a new budget smartphone in Asia in the form of vivo Y12A. Ahead of the device’s official announcement, its primary specifications have leaked. Let’s take a look at what this phone has to offer.

vivo Y12a Retail Box Leak — vivo Y12A Retail Boxes | Source: MySmartPrice

The information about the unreleased vivo Y12A comes from MySmartPrice. The publication’s source has not only shared the specs of the device but also an image of its retail boxes.

The vivo Y12A is said to sport a 6.51-inch IPS LCD panel with HD+ resolution. The handset will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 SoC souple with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage.

It will come with a 13MP + 2MP dual-camera setup. Unfortunately, there’s no info on whether the secondary sensor is for depth, macro, or monochrome. Whereas, for selfies and video calls, the phone will use an 8MP shooter.

On the software front, it will run Android 11. We can expect it to run Funtouch OS 11 since OriginOS is limited to China. Last but not least, the smartphone will be backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging.

Unfortunately, the launch date of vivo Y12A is a mystery. Anyway, we can expect it to launch soon as the handset seems to have already reached retailers, as per the image of retail boxes.

Tim Cook blames app side-loading for Android having more malware than iOS

By

Jeet

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Jun 17, 2021

Android has several advantages compared to iOS when it comes to users having control over the device. One of the biggest benefits of Android is that it allows users to download apps from several different sources, including support for the side-loading of apps.

However, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has spoken out against the side-loading of applications. Answering the question about side-loading apps on iPhone, he said: “That [side-loading – ed] would destroy the security of the iPhone and a lot of the privacy initiatives that we built into the App Store, where we have privacy nutrition labels and app tracking transparency, where it forces people to get permission to track across apps.”

He added that Android has 47 times more malware than iOS but has not cited a source for this data. A report from Nokia in 2019 had claimed that Android was responsible for about 47% of the detected malware compared to 1% for iPhone. But the very next year, malware for Android fell to 26.6% and iPhones rose to 1.7%.

While Tim Cook is criticizing the practice of app side-loading, Apple itself allows this if the user has a developer account. Also, another report from Washington Post claims that almost 2% of App Store’s top 1,000 grossing apps were scams with over 120 million customers downloading those apps.

It’s noteworthy that Android doesn’t allow users to side-load apps or install apps outside of Play Store by default and user needs to give permission before installing an application from somewhere else. Also, Android has over 70 percent of the global mobile operating system market share and malicious actors tend to target the most popular platforms.

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Realme to launch Narzo 30 series and 32″ Smart TV Full HD in India on June 24

By

Sean

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Jun 17, 2021

Realme has just announced the launch date for its upcoming smartphones and smart TV for the Indian market. The company will be launching the Narzo 30, Narzo 30 5G, and the 32 inch Smart TV Full HD on 24th June 2021.

The #realmeNarzo30 and #realmeNarzo305G are coming to #UnleashPeakPerformance. Fasten your seatbelts as you are about to feel the full force of powerful features and an unparalleled gaming experience.
Join us for the launch at 12:30 PM, 24th June. https://t.co/YJxNMwQ7Ea pic.twitter.com/SVk3tBqjAw

— realme (@realmeIndia) June 17, 2021

The news arrives after the Chinese smartphone maker’s official Twitter handle that shared a share series of tweets. While the company’s CEO had recently confirmed the release of the Narzo 30 4G and Narzo 30 5G in India, it has just confirmed the launch date. Furthermore, the new smartphones will also arrive with the Smart TV 32 inch in the country, and the brand has also promised even “more surprises” at the launch conference.

The firm has yet to share any details regarding what these surprises might be as of right now. Although, it is expected that the company might also be launching its Buds Q2 truly wireless earbuds in the country on the same date. These wireless earphones are a budget offering from the brand and even features active noise cancellation as well. We had recently reported that these hearables could be launching in the region soon, so this speculation is also in line with that report.

Prepare your senses for a richer audio visual experience on the upcoming 80cm (32”) #realmeSmartTVFHD. Are you excited to bring home #RichPictureRichSound?

Launching at 12:30 PM, 24th June on our official channels.

Know more: https://t.co/JzAEFzl62E pic.twitter.com/zuNAWPdMms

— realme TechLife (@realmeTechLife) June 17, 2021

Similarly, the company might also share additional details regarding the Indian launch of the Realme GT 5G, the Realme Book, and Realme Pad as well. The tablet and laptop were recently teased by the firm at its global launch event. So, we might hear more about these devices. So stay tuned for more, as we will be covering the launch even and offer updates if any notable leaks surface in the next few days.

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China’s Pony.ai plans to begin commercial driverless robotaxi service in California in 2022

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 17, 2021

Chinese startup Pony.ai has commenced testing of its driverless vehicles on public roads he the US state of California. This is a prelude to the full rollout of commercial robotaxi services in the US planned for 2022.

Pony.ai is among the startups that have secured approval for driverless vehicle testing in both China and the United States. The testing has progressed past the stage where there will need to be a human safety driver behind the wheel to a fully autonomous operation. The testing is reportedly carried out daily on public roads in the Fremont and Milpitas area of California. A similar test-run is also carried out in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.

According to Techcrunch, Pony.ai has disclosed that it plans to resume a rideshare service that is open to the public in the city Californian of Irvine this summer. The robotaxis won’t be fully autonomous, though, as there will be a human safety driver behind the wheel. The startup aims to fully automate the running of the cars next year. That is if the firm is able to scale the regulatory hurdles that need to be overcome before such services will be allowed on public roads in the US and even China. Pony.ai CEO and co-founder James Peng calls the firm’s plan an “ambitious vision”.

Pony.ai isn’t alone in this goal of achieving fully autonomous robotaxi services. There are several other companies also testing their own models in different US cities, including some Chinese firms – AutoX, Baidu, and WeRide. Other firms also working on driverless rideshare services include Amazon’s Zoox, Cruise, Waymo, and Nuro. There are up to 55 such firms with operational licenses but Nuro is the only firm that has got a deployment permit which makes it possible for the company to roll out driverless car services commercially.

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