Huawei HarmonyOS is expected to redefine the automotive software industry: CITIC Securities

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Jun 11, 2021

The automobile industry is going through a phase, which can be related to the aftermath of the introduction of the first iPhone. Software plays a key role in this transition period of the industry. Hence, multiple companies are trying to get a slice of the market before it explodes. Huawei is one of those firms with its HarmonyOS.

Huawei advertises its HarmonyOS as a distributed operating system capable of running on devices from various categories. Although the company claims it to be based on a microkernel, that’s not true for the operating system’s current status.

Right now, the company labels multiple operating systems as HarmonyOS. However, there does exist a self-developed microkernel.

According to a report by CITIC Securities (via ITHome), this microkernel, along with the Linux kernel, and LiteOS make up the HarmonyOS used in cars. The OS also has ASIL-D high-level safety certification. Above all, the operating system is said to redefine the automotive software industry by applying the smartphone ecosystem.

Huawei’s work in developing the software for automotive is appreciated. The company has the potential of signing new clients. HarmonyOS is already used in cars like ArcFox Alpha S, SERES SF5, and GAC Trumpchi.

Additionally, yesterday, the company revealed its plans to develop driverless car technology by 2025. All we can say is that Huawei is ambitious towards the development of HarmonyOS. But we don’t know what the future holds for the company as its global smartphone market share plunged to 4% in Q1 2021.

What are your thoughts on Huawei’s HarmonyOS? Do you think it can compete with the likes of Google’s Android Automotive and Blackberry’s QNX? Do let us know in the comment section below.

Xiaomi Youpin crowdfunds the Duka LI1 Laser Rangefinder for ¥99 (~$16)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 11, 2021

Xiaomi has launched the Duka LI1 Laser Rangefinder under crowdfunding on the Youpin platform. The device has an original price of 159 yuan but will be sold during the crowdfunding period for 99 yuan (~$16).

The Duka LI1 Laser Rangefinder is capable of high-precision measurement. It is equipped with a double-sided high-definition LED screen while the body is made from aluminum alloy with a matte finish. It utilizes high-end components which are based on micro-electromechanical systems with advanced software technology to achieve a high-precision measurement with an accuracy better than ±0.5°.

The rangefinder can easily achieve 360° any-angle wire throwing in a complex engineering environment. It can also measure the two axes at the same time. It is suitable for space operations such as stairs, ceilings, and wall edges. The device has a retractable aluminum tripod which is also detachable.

Further, the device uses an LED red laser source which has high brightness, and low energy consumption. The line width is just 1mm thin thus reducing the measurement error. The laser beam is bright but doesn’t dazzle the eyes. It also has a strong penetrating power which ensures that the beam is clear regardless of the distance.

The laser rangefinder comes with an IP54 rating which guarantees safe usage under any conditions including in damp and dusty environments. It also adopts a reinforced anti-drop metal shell, which is not easy to be damaged and is durable. The LED screen is a curved color panel covered by a 9H glass of ultra-high hardness. The material used ensures it won’t gather fingerprints or scratch easily. The entire device weighs just 70g which makes it easy to carry around and operated with one hand.

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Deal: Get BlitzWolf BW-SS9 WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch for $18 (Retail Price $30)

By

Daily Deals

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Jun 11, 2021

Banggood is giving the BlitzWolf BW-SS9 WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch for a discounted price of $17.99 only.

WHERE TO BUY

BlitzWolf BW-SS9 WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch at $17.99 @Banggood

BlitzWolf BW-SS9 WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch

Key Features:

WiFi-enabled wall light switch
Can be easily controlled through BlitzWolf APP, Tuya Smart
Beautiful glass touch panel – Highly sensitive and safe to operate even with wet hands
Time Scheduling – Schedule your lights to automatically turn on /off at a given time using the APP
Voice control – Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Home assistant to switch on and off the lights using simple voice commands.
Beautiful and minimalist design
Indicator lights
Power- 800W
Color – White
Plug Type – EU

Generally retailing for $30, you can now buy BlitzWolf BW-SS9 WiFi Smart Wall Light Switch for a discounted price of $17.99 only at Banggood. Please note that this price is for a single-way switch. You can also buy a 3-way switch to control 3 different lightings simultaneously for $19.99 only. This flash deal ends in the next 8 days. So place your order asap.

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

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

Huawei reveals HarmonyOS apps have hit 134,000: HMS Core 6.0 unveiled

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 11, 2021

Huawei Thursday held the Huawei Developer Conference (HDC) in China and the major highlight of the event was the announcement that HarmonyOS apps have reached 134,000. The company also disclosed that over 4 million developers have enlisted on the platform.

The Chinese tech giant also announced an upgraded HMS Core 6.0 during the event. HMS Core has several tools that will assist app developers to develop apps for the Huawei ecosystem. The tool includes a complete set of open HMS Apps and HMS Core, HMS Capabilities, HMS Connect, as well IDE tools for development and testing. HM Core 4.0 was only launched in January 2020 but by June of last year, the company released an upgraded HMS 5.0. One year after an even higher Core 6.0 is now official, obviously coming with several upgrades.

The speed at which the company is releasing the upgrades is an indication of its desire to grow the Huawei ecosystem which is key to the success of the HarmonyOS. The presence of 134,000 apps makes HMS the third-largest in the world after the Google Play Store and Apple’s app store.

One way Huawei was able to bring onboard over 4,000,000 developers is through offering several incentives. The company is sustaining this with the global launch of the 2021 Huawei HMS Global Application Innovation Competition. Huawei hopes to continue to attract developers and inspire greater innovation, create more beauty, and build a smart ecology of the devices covered by HMS.

In addition, the 2021 Huawei HMS Global Application Innovation Competition has a special award for women in science and technology to encourage outstanding female developers and teams.

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Zeiss is looking to expand its footprints in the smartphone imaging market

By

Jeet

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Jun 11, 2021

Zeiss Group, the Germany-based company that manufactures optical electronics and optical products, is now looking to expand its footprints in the mobile market as the demand for imaging technology is surging.

The German company is known for making eyeglass lenses, binoculars, and camera lenses. In an effort to further expand its presence in the smartphone camera market, Zeiss China, the local subsidiary, has partnered with Chinese smartphone maker Vivo and launched Vivo X60 series phones.

Smartphone makers are now partnering with optical image sensor makers to enhance the camera performance of their devices. This is being done to offer a unique feature and highlight the photography experience, a feature that has now become a make-or-break deal type for many users worldwide.

Maximilian Foerst, President and Managing Director of Zeiss China says that the company is committed to developing mobile imaging technologies as it sees great potential in the extremely dynamic market. He further adds that mobile imaging technology will be a key differentiator and an important driver of the mobile market worldwide.

Vivo and Zeiss are also establishing a joint Research & Development program which would be known as Vivo ZEISS Imaging Lab. It will be focused on developing innovative solutions for mobile imaging technology. Also, the program will oversee the joint development and co-engineering of optical components that would feature on Vivo flagships.

Zeiss previously had a partnership with Nokia for its smartphone cameras which is now defunct. Similarly, Huawei has a partnership with Leica while OnePlus recently established a partnership with Hasselblad. Samsung is reportedly tying up with Olympus for enhancing the camera experience on its upcoming flagship smartphones.

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POCO M3 sells over 750K+ units in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 11, 2021

The POCO M3 launched in India in February. The first-ever sale for the device clocked over 150K+ units in sales. That could be mostly because Indians had been waiting for this handset for over two months since its debut in global markets. Just a month after the launch in India, the phone crossed 500K+ units in sales. Now, almost three months from that, POCO has achieved yet another milestone with the POCO M3.

According to a tweet by the official POCO India Twitter account, the brand has managed to sell over 750K+ units of POCO M3 in the country. So it took the brand around three months to sell the next 250K+ units from the last milestone of 500K+ units.

The decrease in unit sales can be attributed to the launch of other smartphones in the segment, like the Redmi Note 10. Anyway, the handset could hit 1 million units in sales in the coming months like the POCO M2 and the POCO C3 respectively.

The unit sales figure could have been even higher for all these three budget POCO smartphones if they had been selling via offline stores. For those unaware, all POCO phones in India are sold exclusively on Flipkart. The brand is yet to make its offline debut.

The newest POCO device in India is the POCO M3 Pro 5G. The Early Bird sale for it is scheduled for June 14 at 12 PM. Last but not least, the brand is expected to debut products like POCO F3 GT, POCO X3 GT, and POCO Pop Buds as soon as next month.

Alleged iPhone 13 series model numbers revealed by EEC

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 11, 2021

Apple iPhone 13 series is reported to hit the stores this fall. The second-gen 5G smartphones from the Cupertino-based tech giant are expected to go official in September like the previous years in recent times (except 2020). Ahead of the official announcement, their alleged model numbers have been revealed.

Apple iPhone 12 All Colors Featured 02 — Apple iPhone 12

The upcoming Apple iPhone 13 series seems to have been certified by EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission). The lineup is expected to include four models, namely iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Mini.

However, the following seven model numbers have been listed on EEC.

A2628
A2630
A2634
A2635
A2640
A2643
A2645

Unfortunately, the EEC certification does not reveal anything else. But we do know some characteristics of these handsets, thanks to multiple reports.

The iPhone 13 series is reported to feature the same design as the current-gen iPhone 12 models. However, the new lineup may come with a slightly smaller notch and possible better camera performance.

Most importantly, the iPhone 13 Mini could be the last-ever mini iPhone due to poor reception of the iPhone 12 Mini. Also, the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max may finally come equipped with a 120Hz ProMotion display.

In a nutshell, the iPhone 13 series will be a minor upgrade over the current-gen iPhone 12 series.

MediaTek sees record revenue growth in the month of May 2021

By

Sean

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Jun 11, 2021

MediaTek has just reported its revenue for the month of May 2021. During this month, the company saw a growth of 13 percent month on month, while registering a whopping 90 percent growth in comparison to the same month last year.

According to a DigiTimes report, the chip making giant’s revenue reached 41.33 billion New Taiwan Dollars (roughly 1.5 billion US Dollars) in the month of May. On the other hand, the total revenue for the first five months of this year arrived at 185.93 billion New Taiwan Dollars (roughly 6.7 billion US Dollars), marking another significant growth of 80.2 percent year on year.

MediaTek also announced that it is on track to meet its initial sales growth estimate for the second quarter of this year, which is set between 10 to 18 percent over last year. Furthermore, the firm announced that it is working closely with its backend partners to reduce the impacts of the COVID cluster infections at OSAT King Yuan Electronics (KYEC). The company stated that it is also set to meet its expectations for the full year sales growth and gross margin guidance.

Previously, the fabless chip producer had estimated that its revenue will rise by over 40 percent in this year, recording somewhere between a 44 percent to 46 percent gross margin. The news arrives despite the two day fab closure at KYEC that led to 30 to 35 percent loss in its June output.

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Xiaomi launches the MIJIA Air Conditioning Companion Pro priced at ¥129 (~$20)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 11, 2021

Xiaomi has launched the MIJIA Air Conditioning Companion Pro. The smart home product takes over from the Air Conditioning Companion 2 and performs all the functions of its predecessor and even adds some new features.

The Air Conditioning Controller Pro can functions as a remote control for the air conditioner switch and temperature adjustment. It also come with support for XiaoAI voice control, and intelligent temperature adjustment after sleep as well as provide a statistics of the electricity consumption by the AC. These are functions which the Air Conditioning Controller 2 can perform. However, the new Air Conditioning Controller Pro now features an infrared remote control, expanded 10A socket, and built-in Bluetooth gateway as well as other practical functions.

The AC Companion Pro not only makes traditional air conditioners easy to use and smart, it also realizes remote timing switch and temperature adjustment. It can also be used to control several electric appliances such as projectors, TVs, fans, thanks to the infrared remote.

In terms of the design, the MIJIA Air Conditioning Companion Pro looks similar to the MIJIA Smart Socket. While its predecessor packs a three-hole socket, the new smart socket has an additional five-hole socket of 10A rating. This ensures you can connect other gadgets to the socket like 10A low-power air conditioners, cameras, smart curtains, and other electrical equipment.

Furthermore, its built-in infrared transmitter module and massive infrared code library can cover 6000+ mainstream brand home appliances in the market. The MIJIA Air Conditioning Companion Pro also has a built-in Bluetooth gateway. After connecting to a Bluetooth device, you can not only view the data of the Bluetooth device remotely on the MIJIA app, but also realize the linkage with other MIJIA smart devices from the Settings.

The MIJIA Air Conditioning Companion Pro carries a decent price tag of 129 yuan (~$20). There is no information on its availability at the moment.

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EA suffers a Data Breach, with hackers now selling FIFA 21 source code

By

Sean

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Jun 11, 2021

EA has apparently been hit with a data breach. The hackers responsible for the attack stole the company’s source code of FIFA 21’s game engine along with other game development tools as well.

According to a Motherboard report, these hackers are also selling the source code for the company’s Frostbite game engine. This engine is used not only for FIFA 21 but has also been used in the studio’s popular Battlefield series a well. The group responsible is reportedly advertising that this data is for sale on hacking forums, and will only consider offers from big name members of the hacking community.

As the name suggests, Source codes are quite crucial for game development, so it is a big deal when a company like EA suffers from such a data breach. Recently, such attacks had also affected CD Projekt Red, who lost the source code for its Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 game engines. Source codes being leaked also signifies trouble for the games themselves as it enables a clear view of the inner workings of the game, letting people create cheats and hacks that the developers didn’t intend for.

While the data breach doesn’t necessarily damage a company to a great extent, it does offers leaks at future or other projects that are currently in development. Furthermore, the hackers also claimed that they also have Microsoft Xbox and Sony’s SDKs and API keys available for sale as well, with a screenshot showcasing a total of 780GB worth of stolen goods. A spokesperson from the company confirmed this news and stated that the hackers only got away with a “limited amount of game source code and related tools.”

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Midea has launched 12 Huawei HarmonyOS equipped appliances across 7 categories

By

Sean

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Jun 11, 2021

Earlier this week, the Midea Group announced that it is closely working together with Huawei, to integrate the latter’s HarmonyOS in its products. The group also stated that it has already launched 12 products that are equipped with HarmonyOS across 7 different categories.

Notably, the news arrives just days after an executive of the Chinese home appliance maker announced that most of its smart products will feature the smartphone brand’s proprietary operating system. The former had even announced that it would be cooperating with Huawei for its HarmonyOS (also known as HongMengOS in China) back in 2020.

Just recently, Midea had even launched the world’s first smart refrigerator that supports the HarmonyOS. The company added that its products launching with the new OS will also enable it to offer its customers more value and better services as well. Furthermore, the HarmonyOS platform was built with multi device support and cross platform integration as well.

This means that its ecosystem is designed to work in a smart home, where multiple IoT (internet of things) products are connected to one another and can be controlled by the user remotely through a smartphone or a smart hub. The company has already launched various products with HarmonyOS, with new releases including the likes of dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and more. This number is likely to rise further with new launches in the near future.

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TECNO SPARK 7T launched in India with 6,000mAh battery, 48MP dual-camera, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 11, 2021

Earlier this week, TECNO announced that it will be launching the TECNO SPARK 7T in India on June 11. As scheduled, the company has officially debuted the said smartphone in the country earlier today. Let’s take a look at its specs, features, price, and availability in India.

TECNO SPARK 7T Specifications and Features

The newly released TECNO SPARK 7T features a plastic build and comes in three striking colors, namely Jewel Blue, Nebula Orange, and Magnet Black. The device measures 164.82 x 76.05 x 9.52mm in dimensions but unfortunately, there’s no official word on its weight.

On the front, the handset flaunts a 6.42-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels (HD+) and a dewdrop notch. Under the hood, it houses a MediaTek Helio G35 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

The back of the phone includes a 48MP dual-camera setup, however, there’s no official word on the secondary just like the device’s weight. Anyway, it is confirmed to have an 8MP selfie camera inside the notch.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone supports dual-SIM, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, GNSS, MicroUSB port, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It also has a MicroSD card slot and essential sensors like an accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, as well as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

As for software, the phone runs HiOS 7.6 based on Android 11. Last but not least, it is backed by a 6,000mAh battery with support for 10W standard charging.

TECNO SPARK 7T Price and Availability in India

The TECNO SPARK 7T is priced at ₹8,999 ($123) in India. The handset’s first sale is scheduled for June 15 at 12 PM. It will be sold via Amazon India.

On the first day of the sale, the smartphone will be available at a discounted price tag of ₹7,999 (₹1,000 off).

Honor 50 Pro’s HQ renders reveal curved edge display, rear design revealed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 11, 2021

The Honor 50 and Honor 50 Pro will be launching on June 16 in China. A new leak tipster Ishan Agarwal has revealed the design and color variants of the Pro model.

The renders show that the Honor 50 Pro’s display is curved towards the left and right edges. At the upper-left corner of the screen is a pill-shaped cutout, which suggests that it will be fitted with a dual selfie camera system.

The AnTuTu listing of the phone revealed that the device supports a screen resolution of 2676 x 1236 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Hence, it seems that the Honor 50 Pro could be featuring the same 6.72-inch OLED display that was made available on the Honor V40 5G earlier this year.

The Honor 50 Pro’s back panel has two camera rings that house the main camera in the top one. The second camera ring has three auxiliary cameras and an LED flash. It is speculated that the handset is equipped with a 108-megapixel primary camera.

There is no information available on the battery capacity of the Honor 50 Pro, but its 3C certification has revealed that it may ship with a 100W fast charger. The new leak further reveals that the Honor 50 Pro will come in four exciting colors such as Bright Black, Summer Amber, First Snow Crystal, and Jade Blue.

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Xiaomi engineers believe phones without USB ports could hit the market in 2022

By

Sean

-

Jun 11, 2021

While Xiaomi had officially unveiled its HyperCharge technology for its future flagship smartphones that offer 200W wired fast charging and 120W wireless fast charging a couple of weeks ago. The company answered a few questions related to this technology earlier today (11th June 2021).

To answer questions regarding its technology, the Chinese tech giant brought in some of its engineers. Notably, these engineers added that we might soon see a smartphone launching with no USB charging port as early as next year. In other words, some smartphone brands might launch a device that solely relies on wireless charging. An example of such a smartphone is the Vivo Apex 2020, which offered 60W wireless fast charging as its sole charging solution.

The engineers further added that the only reason why wired charging is still the primary method of charging a smartphone is due to wireless charging technology still not being perfected, with its infrastructure in public places also being scarce at the moment. The wired charging solution is also a lot more mature in comparison to the wireless counterpart. People have even questioned the safety of this technology, especially as charging rates have increased in recent times.

But in the near future with advancement in this technology, we can expect to see devices that arrive with improved wireless charging technology. Furthermore, with the Chinese government stepping in to regulate the wireless charging technology, we can expect the third party charging accessory makers to also improve the quality of their product offerings, making it more common in the market as well.

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Realme laptop, tablet launch date confirmed by Realme CEO

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 11, 2021

Leaked information shared by Android Authority yesterday revealed that Realme’s upcoming laptop and tablet will be called Realme Book and Realme Pad, respectively. Fresh information reveals that the brand will launch the Realme Book and Realme Pad at the global launch event of the Realme GT 5G, which is set to take on June 15.

Realme CEO for India and Europe Madhav Sheth’s new tweet states that there will be “another surprise” at the global launch of the Realme GT. The poster shared by him says “Another GT is coming.”

We've been working and hinting about some exciting new product categories.
Get ready for another surprise coming up at the #realmeGT Global Launch!

I know you all have guessed it. Do reply with your answers. pic.twitter.com/6J6WeTNZqE

— Madhav Max 5G (@MadhavSheth1) June 11, 2021

A closer look at the letter “T” reveals that the slanting line is actually a laptop, and the horizontal line could be a tablet. The “Realme Book” and “Realme Pad” monikers are yet to be confirmed officially. It appears that the company’s first laptop and tablet will debut along with the Realme GT 5G in Europe.

Another thing to note in the image is that it also mentions the IST timing of 5:30 PM for the global launch. This indicates that the Realme GT 5g and other devices may also go official in India at the same time. With only a few days remaining, the company is expected to soon reveal some of the key features of the products that are slated to go official on June 15.

Leaked information has revealed that the Realme Book has a 3:2 aspect ratio display, slim bezels, an aluminum chassis, dual speakers for stereos output, Windows OS, and a USB-C port. On the other side, the Realme Pad is speculated to arrive with a squarish design, a metal body, and one or two rear-facing cameras.

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Huawei only held 4% smartphone market share in Q1 2021

By

Sean

-

Jun 11, 2021

While the smartphone market recovers post the coronavirus pandemic, Huawei Technologies still struggles due to the US sanctions. Despite the market seeing a year on year growth of 20 percent, the company only held a 4 percent market share in Q1 2021.

According to a Counterpoint Research report, the global smartphone market saw a 20 percent year on year growth in the first quarter of this year, while recording a 10 percent quarter on quarter decline. The total shipments during this period reached 354.94 million units. During Q1, Samsung lead the market with a 22 percent market share, followed by Apple (17 percent), Xiaomi (14 percent), Oppo (11 percent), Vivo (10 percent), and finally Huawei (4 percent).

The report also added that the Indian smartphone market saw a decline in the second quarter, although, Xiaomi saw an 8 percent year on year growth in the region, reaching 26 percent market share. Similarly, Chinese smartphone makers also saw a significant growth in Europe, while Apple saw a decline. On the other hand, Huawei saw further decline in the region.

For those unaware, the Chinese tech giant’s smartphone operations has been struggling as US sanctions cut off its primary chip supplier TSMC. This had essentially crippled its smartphone business as it had to rely on its existing inventory for its new launches. Furthermore, the company even had to sell of its budget handset unit, Honor as well, while it expanded its business scope into other fields like the automobile industry and cloud computing related services.

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realme X, XT realme UI 2.0 Early Access registrations go live

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 11, 2021

Just like OPPO, realme has also been rolling out Android 11 builds (mostly beta) in the form of realme UI 2.0 to its eligible smartphones since September 2020. However, unlike the former, the latter has delivered stable update for only a few handsets. That said, the latest devices to join the beta program are realme X and realme XT.

The realme X and the realme XT were launched in the second half of 2019. Both smartphones debuted with ColorOS 6.x based on Android 9.0 Pie. They were later updated to the first edition of realme UI (Android 10).

Now, as per the schedule shared by the brand, realme UI 2.0 Early Access registrations are live for these two handsets. Interested users can head over to these links (1, 2) enroll themselves in the program.

According to the official announcement, the registrations will kick off on June 11. However, the brand has not mentioned the last date. Instead, it does say that testers will be recruited in batches.

That said, in order to qualify, the primary pre-requisite is to be on the following firmware versions.

realme X – RMX1901EX_11.C.11
realme XT – RMX1921EX_11_C.13

Last but not least, users who are not satisfied with the realme UI 2.0 (Android 11) beta builds can roll back to realme UI (Android 10). But it is worth noting that this process will not only wipe the phone’s internal storage but also backlists the device from enrolling in the program again.

TSMC considers setting up its first chip plant in Japan: Report

By

Sean

-

Jun 11, 2021

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is apparently considering building its first chipmaking plant in Japan. The news arrives as Tokyo is urging companies to expand their semiconductor production within the country.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, who is also a key supplier for the Japanese tech giant Sony, is currently considering building a plant in the Kumamoto Prefecture. At the moment, the firm is evaluating the plan to build a site in western Japan, as per sources close to the matter. Notably, the location of the site would also make the plants close to one of Sony’s plants.

In other words, the latter might receive help from the former to meet the high demand for image sensors, automotive microcontrollers, and other chips as well. One of the sources stated that “TSMC is considering a proposal by the Japanese government to build an advanced chip factory in Japan, though it has not yet fully committed and finalized.” Notably, the plant would TSMC’s first chipmaking site in Japan, with companies from the region accounting for 4.7 percent of its revenue in 2020.

Furthermore, this would also mark a major shift in the company’s strategy of only maintaining production in its home country of Taiwan. Similarly, TSMC is also building an advanced chip plant in the US due to pressure from Washington, which has also been urging firms to build semiconductor facilities in the region just like Tokyo. Another source added that “One of the key reasons for TSMC to pick this location is because its large Japanese client Sony has a plant there.”

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Samsung Galaxy A20, A30s receive Android 11 (One UI 3.1) update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 11, 2021

Samsung is rolling out Android 11 stable update for the eligible devices since December 2021. Six months later, only certain older low-end products are left to be updated. Two such phones, namely Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A30s have now started receiving the update.

Samsung Galaxy A20 Blue Featured — Samsung Galaxy A20

The Samsung Galaxy A20 launched in the first half of 2019. The device debuted with One UI based on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. It was later updated to Android 10-based One UI 2.x last year.

Now, the smartphone has begun to receive the Android 11 update in the form of One UI 3.1. The latest system update for the handset is currently live in Russia with firmware version A205FNPUUACUF1. Apart from new features, it also brings along June 2021 security patches.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A30s released in the second half of 2019. It also made its debut with Android 9.0 Pie-based One UI. Just like the former phone, it also received an update to One UI 2.x based on Android 10 last year.

Samsung Galaxy A30s Prism Crush Violet Featured — Samsung Galaxy A30s

Right now, it is getting an update to Android 11 with One UI 3.1 on top of it. The update is live in Russia with firmware version A307FNXXU2CUF2 and older May 2021 security patches.

The One UI 3.1 update for both the above-mentioned smartphones should be available in other regions in the coming days. Users can head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether their unit has got the update.

Last but not least, the Android 11 update is the last major software update for the Galaxy A20 and the Galaxy A30s. However, these Samsung handsets will continue to get security patches at least until 2023.

Samsung Galaxy M32 India launch likely in June, expected color variants revealed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 11, 2021

A major leak by tipster Ishan Agarwal yesterday revealed the entire specifications of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M32 handset. The tipster has now claimed that the handset is likely to launch this month. He also said that it may arrive in two color options in the country.

Agarwal recently shared a leaked render which revealed that the Galaxy M32 exists in three colors such as black, white, and blue. However, he now claims that the handset will be available only in black and blue colors.

At present, there is no word on the pricing of the device. The M32 will be replacing the Galaxy M31, which was introduced with a price tag of Rs 14,999 (~$205) last year. Hence, it appears the M32 could be coming with a similar price tag in the country. It is expected to arrive in variants like 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.

Samsung Galaxy M32 specifications (Rumored)

The Samsung Galaxy M32 has a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED Full HD+ panel with a u-shaped notch. It will be the South Korean company’s first handset with a Helio G85 chipset. The SoC will be coupled with up to 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of built-in storage. It will come with OneUI based Android 11 OS and a dedicated microSD card slot.

For photography, it may feature a 20-megapixel front camera and its rear shell has a 48-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (superwide) + 5-megapixel (macro) + 5-megapixel (depth) quad-camera system. It is packed with a 6,00mAh battery, which may carry support for 15W or 25W fast charging. Lastly, it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

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