Realme Watch 2 Pro launched in Malaysia, features GPS and 90 sports modes

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May 20, 2021

Realme seems to be on a launching spree. The company had launched several products last month at an event named “AIoT Grand Launch Season 3” and now the company held a similar event in Malaysia today named “AIoT Sports Launch,” introducing a few new products in the market, including Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker, Realme Watch 2 Pro, and Realme Buds Wireless 2.

The Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker, as the name indicates, is designed to ensure that it easily fits into the pocket of the users, making it easy to carry around. This new light and portable speaker is ideal for good sound quality in almost any situation, says the company.

The device is made of durable material, as per the company, but it is just a clear way to avoid saying plastic. It weighs 113 grams and comes with a wrist strap attached.

It packs 3W Dynamic Bass Boost Driver combined with a passive radiator. As per Realme, it offers rich and deep bass, even when the user is in an outdoor location. It is rated IPX5, making it water sprays and splash resistant.

The product supports stereo pairing and three equalizer presets, meaning two speakers can be connected together to offer a stereo music experience. The three preset equalizers include Bass, Dynamic, and Bright.

For connectivity, there’s Bluetooth 5.0 that has a transmission range of up to 10 meters. There’s also a Game Mode for syncing audio and video while playing games or watching movies. It can be connected to the smartphone using the Realme Link application.

As for the battery life, the company claims that it can offer six hours of continuous playback on a single charge. The device can be charged with a USB Type-C cable which is included in the box.

The Realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker comes in two color options — Desert Grey and Classic Black. It is priced at RM 79 which roughly converts to $19 and will soon be available for purchase in Malaysia. The product could soon be launched in other regions also.

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Xiaomi sells 200 million units of Redmi Note series smartphones globally

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May 20, 2021

Xiaomi has seen significant growth in the past years and the Chinese company has now become the third-largest smartphone vendor globally in terms of shipping volume, sitting just behind Samsung and Apple.

The company has several popular lineups and one of them is the Redmi Note series. As per the latest numbers revealed by Xiaomi, so far, the company has shipped more than 200 million units of Redmi Note series smartphones globally. It has only shared an overall number and not individual figures for each generation in the lineup.

A few months ago, in November 2020, the company had announced that the Redmi Note series managed to sell 140 million units. This means that in about half a year, it has managed to sell an additional 60 million devices.

The company believes that the reason behind such popularity of the Redmi Note series smartphones is the brand’s strategy of offering high-end products with better technology, richer experience, and higher quality to everyone at an affordable pricing of around 1,000 yuan, which is approximately $155.

Xiaomi first introduced the Redmi Note series in 2014. A couple of years ago, in 2019, along with announcing the Redmi Note 7 series, it revealed that Redmi has become an independent brand. It is one of the most successful product lines of the Redmi brand.

This announcement from the company just days before Xiaomi is expected to launch the new Redmi Note 10 series smartphones in the Chinese market, likely on 26th May. The phone, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC, is expected to be made available in China in four color options. The Pro version of the same is expected to come packed with the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset.

Lu Weibing, Partner at Xiaomi Group, President of Xiaomi China and International Department as well as General Manager of Redmi brand, is set to host a talk on 26th May regarding the global shortage of chips and shed light on how it affects the company.

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Lenovo Legion 2 Pro gets two new variants: 18 GB + 256 GB and 16 GB + 256 GB

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May 20, 2021

Lenovo Legion 2 Pro, the latest gaming smartphone from the Hong Kong-based company, was made official last month. Soon after that, the company started selling the device, and recently, it started selling the top-end variant with 18GB RAM and 512GB storage.

Today, the company has launched new variants of the smartphone. There’s a model with 18GB RAM and 256GB storage that costs 4,999 yuan (~$776) while the 16GB RAM and 256GB storage model is priced at 4,499 yuan (~$699).

Earlier, the company was already selling 16GB and 18GB RAM variants of the Lenovo Legion 2 Pro smartphone but both the variants packed 512GB of internal storage but these new models come with 256GB of internal storage.

As for the specifications, the Lenovo Legion 2 Pro features a 6.92-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display that offers a 20.5:9 aspect ratio, 2460 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 720Hz touch response rate, and 3.8ms response time.

It also comes with an under-display optical fingerprint sensor for added security. Under the hood, the device comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. The phone also comes with liquid cooling and two fans to dissipate heat more efficiently when working under load or during intense gaming sessions.

As for the camera configuration, there’s an OmniVision 64-megapixel main sensor, coupled with a 16-megapixel f/2.2 123-degree ultrawide angle camera. On the front side, there’s a 44-megapixel f/2.0 sensor that slides out from the middle of the frame. The phone can record 8K videos at 24fps and 4K videos at 60fps. It can also record slow-motion videos in 1080p at 240fps and shoot in RAW format.

The smartphone also has support for Dolby Atmos and a game mode that enhances the in-game sound experience. The device is powered by a 5,500mAh battery that supports a maximum of 90W fast charging via two USB-C ports.

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Vivo TWS 2 with Noise Cancellation support launched in China; now on pre-order for 449 yuan ($70)

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May 20, 2021

As promised, Vivo has today officially launched its first noise-canceling true wireless earphones in its home market China, dubbed Vivo TWS 2. As the name indicates, it comes as a successor to the Vivo TWS launched in 2019.

The highlight of the wearable device remains the support for noise cancellation, which is the first time in Vivo’s TWS earphones. It supports up to 40dB noise reduction and can detect external noise sound waves through the microphone and emits reverse sound waves to cancel the noise.

There’s also a transparent mode that can pick up voice and other information through the mic. This mode comes in handy when users cannot clearly hear external voices when they are using the earphones. The transparent mode basically avoids complete isolation from the surrounding environment.

It comes equipped with a 12.2mm ultra-large driver and supports DEEP-HD ultra-clear audio engine. It also supports aptX adaptive codec technology and the audio transmission bandwidth has been doubled.

The company also talks about a new antenna design that improves the stability of wireless connection by 20 percent and offers a smooth listening experience even during complex environments and surroundings.

As for the battery life, the Vivo TWS 2 comes with support for up to 30 hours of battery life. When the noise cancellation feature is turned on, it can offer up to 4.5 hours of usage on a single charge. It also comes with support for fast charging, offering 4 hours of usage after charging it for just 15 minutes.

The Vivo TWS 2 comes in two color options — Blue and White. It is priced at 499 yuan (~$78) but for the initial sales, it will be available for a price of 449 yuan (~$70). It is up for pre-order on major eCommerce platforms such as Vivo Official Mall, JD.com, Tmall, etc., and will start shipping from 1st June.

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Meizu Smartwatch confirmed to launch on May 31st

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May 20, 2021

Meizu, the China-based smartphone maker is gearing up to launch a smartwatch that was recently leaked. Now, the company has confirmed that the upcoming wearable device from the brand, named Meizu Smartwatch, will be made official in China on 31st May.

The poster of the upcoming Meizu Smartwatch reveals a square-shaped dial for the device, which is in line with the previous leaks. This gives it a look similar to the Apple Watch but details about the screen parameters haven’t been revealed.

From the leaks so far, it has been revealed that the Meizu Smartwatch will come running the Flyme operating system and will also allow users to download and install third-party applications on the device.

It will offer several different types of functions, including playing music, offering activity tracking, mobile payment services, and support for eSIM connectivity, allowing users to make and receive phone calls.

While not yet confirmed, we expect the device to come with support for current-generation features like blood oxygen level monitoring (SpO2), heartbeat tracking, and more. So far, the device’s specifications are not yet known but we expect the company to share more details in the coming days through teasers.

To know more about this upcoming Meizu Smartwatch, including the specifications, features, variants, pricing, and availability details, we will have to wait for the official launch in China in the coming days.

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OPPO Reno6, Reno6 Pro, Reno6 Pro+ official renders and variants emerge

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May 20, 2021

Yesterday, OPPO confirmed that it will be announcing the Reno6 series of smartphones on May 27 in China. Chinese retailer sites such as Suning and JD.com have listed the Reno6 5G, Reno6 Pro 5G, and Reno6 Pro+ 5G for reservations. These listings carry the official renders and key specifications of the Reno6 trio.

The official renders show that the Reno6 and Reno6 Pro will come in three colors such as Summer Harumi, Galaxy Dream, and Night Sea. The Reno6 and Reno6 Pro have an identical rear design as they feature a rectangle-shaped camera module with three large-sized lenses, a smaller camera, and an LED flash. The Reno6 has a flat display, while the Reno6 Pro’s screen has curved edges.

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On the other side, the Reno6 Pro+ 5G also features a curved edge display. Its quad-camera setup has a slightly different arrangement. It is likely to arrive in Summer Harumi and Moon Sea color editions. All three handsets are expected to arrive with 8 GB of RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage editions in China.

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OPPO Reno6 series specifications (expected)

Reports have revealed that the Reno6 has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display, whereas the Reno6 Pro and Reno6 Pro+ have a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen. These phones are likely to support a 90Hz refresh rate and a Full HD+ resolution. The Reno6, Reno6 Pro, and Reno6 Pro+ could be powered by Dimensity 900, Dimensity 1200, and Snapdragon 870 chipsets. These phones may house a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support.

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The Reno6 trio is expected to feature a 32-megapixel front camera. The Reno6 and Reno6 Pro are likely to feature a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system, whereas the Pro Plus edition may come with a Sony IMX766 50-megapixel + 16-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system.

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Redmi Note 10 5G series to launch on May 26, design teased

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May 20, 2021

In March, Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 10 series of smartphones in India and global markets. Today, the Chinese brand released an official poster through its Weibo handle to confirm that it will be announcing the Note 10 5G series at 14:00 PM (local time) on May 26 in China. The official poster gives a glimpse of one of the Note 10 series smartphones.

Recent reports have claimed that the Redmi Note 10 5G lineup for China includes three handsets such as the vanilla Note 10 5G, Note 10 Pro, and Note 10 Pro+ 5G. The handset shown in the poster seems to be showcasing the vanilla edition and it appears to match with the TENAA image of the Xiaomi phone with the M2103K19C model number, which was certified by China’s TENAA authority back in March.

The M2103K19C handset has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD FHD+ display, an 8-megapixel front camera, and 48-megapixel triple rear cameras. It is powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB / 6 GB / 8 GB of RAM, and a 4,900mAh battery, which is expected to arrive with 22.5W fast charging support.

For security, it features a side-facing fingerprint scanner, and it runs on Android 11 OS. These specs exactly match with the global version of the Note 10 5G, which features the Dimensity 700v chip. Hence, it appears that the company could be planning to launch the same device in China.

A recent leak claimed that the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G will be featuring the Dimensity 900 SoC, which was announced last week. On the other side, the Redmi Note 10 Pro+ 5G could be coming with the Dimensity 1100 chipset.

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Google reveals the number of active Android devices has surpassed 3 billion

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May 20, 2021

Google I/O 2021 is presently ongoing, this year on a virtual basis due to the prevailing COVID 19 pandemic. One of the fallouts from the ongoing event is the announcement that active devices running the Android operating system have gone beyond 3 billion.

Google’s Vice President of product management, Sameer Samat, broke the news of the milestone during the virtual event. The estimates were obtained via Google Play Store records which means it could even be higher than the current estimates considering that there are millions of Android devices not preinstalled with Google Play Store. For instance, Huawei smartphones, Amazon Fire devices, etc. These Android devices could account for a considerable quantum of active Android devices.

This new disclosure means 500 million Android users were added since the 2019 Google I/O Developers Conference. However, 1 billion active users have been added since 2017 when the estimates crossed the 2 billion mark.

The hugely conservative estimate of active Android devices shows the prevalence and growth of Android applications globally. The numbers far eclipsed that of active iOS devices, which Apple put at just above a billion. Android will maintain its leading position in years to come as Google continues to reinvent the wheel of the Android ecosystem.

During the event, Google announced the next-generation Android 12 operating system and rolled out a list of eligible models that will get the beta update. In addition, the versatility of the Android OS continues to be seen with its application to an ever-growing array of solutions from TVs, smartphones, and a bevy of smart home appliances.

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Sony’s Xperia Ace 2 is a Budget smartphone with IP68 Waterproofing

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May 20, 2021

Japanese tech giant Sony has officially unveiled the much-touted Xperia Ace 2 smartphone in its home market. The Xperia Ace 2 has been in the news for quite some time, the most recent was an appearance in Google Play Console.

The Sony Xperia Ace 2 can at best be regarded as a budget smartphone and was finally officially listed on the Japanese market. Sony has over the year garnered a reputation for launching compact phones under the Xperia brand but that has not panned out well in recent times. Thus, the company has shifted to a larger, albeit awkward 21:9 aspect ratio which ensures the models stay slim while offering a large display. The Xperia Ace 2 deviates as it packs a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display which is small compared to most phones in the market presently. The display has an HD+ resolution and is covered by a layer of Gorilla Glass 6.

The budget phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset, knocking off earlier rumors that the Xperia Ace 2 will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chip. Thus, the phone supports 4G LTE connectivity. The processor pairs with 4GB of RAM while there is 64GB of internal storage. There is an option of storage expansion via a MicroSD card.

For photography, the smartphone houses an 8MP selfie shooter under the waterdrop notch. It also features a dual-camera setup at the rear which includes a 13MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The phone which weighs 159g packs a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated with the power button.

Despite its budget outlook, the Xperia Ace 2 comes with an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating. It also retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and crams a 4500mAh battery under the hood.

The Xperia Ace 2 is billed to go on sale in Japan on May 28 and will be available in black, white, and blue. The phone is priced at 22,000 yen (about $201).

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Huawei MateBook 16 with 3:2 display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, and 84Wh battery launched

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May 20, 2021

Huawei has announced the MateBook 16 notebook in China. The AMD Ryzen 5000H powered ultrabook sports a sleek design, which features a 3:2 aspect ratio display and a large-sized battery. Here is all the information on the specs and features of the Matebook 16.

Huawei MateBook 16 specifications and features

The Huawei MateBook 16 measures 351 x 254.9 x 17.8mm and weighs 1.99kg. It has a 16-inch IPS panel with super slim bezels around it, which allows it to deliver a screen-to-body ratio of 90 precent. The MateBook 16 supports 1680 x 2520 pixels resolution, 189ppi pixel density, a 3:2 aspect ratio, 1.07 billion colors, a 1500:1 contrast ratio, 300nits brightness, 100 precent RGB color gamut, and 178-degree viewing angle.

The MateBook 16 comes in two CPU versions such as AMD Ryzen 5 5800H and Ryzen 5 5600H. Both offer AMD Radeon graphics, 16 GB of DDR4, and 512 GB of NVMe PCIe SSD storage. It runs on Windows 10 OS and it carries support for multi-screen collaboration for connecting Huawei phones with the MateBook.

It is backed by an 84Wh lithium polymer battery, which can last for up to 3.5 hours once fully charged. The notebook comes with a 135W fast charger. The HD webcam is hidden in one of the function keys available on the keyboard.

The MateBook 16 has a full-sized keyboard, which tags along with a fingerprint scanner and a large-sized touchpad. Its other features include stereo speakers, a pair of microphones, two USB-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo port, Bluetooth 5.1, and Wi-Fi 6.

Huawei MateBook 16 pricing and availability

The two variants of the MateBook 16 are priced at 6,299 Yuan (~$978) and 6,799 Yuan (~$1,055), respectively. It comes in Haoyue Silver and Deep Space Gray colors. It is unclear when Huawei will be releasing the MateBook 16 in international markets.

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Huawei Smart Body Fat Scale 3 Pro with improved accuracy launched for ¥499 (~$77)

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May 20, 2021

Huawei‘s smartphone business may have plunged into abysmal depths presently but like the company hinted recently, the smartphone arm is just a small part of the sprawling conglomerate. Huawei, Wednesday, announced an avalanche of products ranging from laptop, smart TVs, gaming monitors, earbuds to smartwatch. Huawei equally launched a series of smart home products. One of them is the Huawei Smart Body Fat Scale 3 Pro.

Huawei didn’t just name this a “Pro” model as a stylized name but the body weight scale actually lives up to its billing as an improved model equipped with eight electrodes that is capable of measuring body fat to a high degree of accuracy that is comparable to what obtains on professional products such as the DEXA scan.

In the health circle, body scale are considered to be highly inaccurate as they use bioelectrical impedance and the reading can be affected by factors such as hydration, skin temperature, meal time and exercise. But the Huawei scale 3 Pro instead of using 4 electrodes, is equipped with 8 electrodes with the extra 4 electrodes housed in a retractable handle bar.

Huawei claims the data is very accurate as the upper limbs, lower limbs, and torso are measured, unlike the 4-electrode scale that measures the lower limbs only. The scale can be used by people of various body types from 6 to 80 years old. The device further analysizes the liver fat to help detect any abnormality.

In terms of the design, the Huawei Smart Body Fat Scale 3 Pro features a minimalist but fashionable design that fits in seamlessly into the home. It features an hidden LED display embedded on the tempered glass scale surface. The surface also has a transparent ITO conductive film (electrode) while the body is made of ABS engineering plastic.

The scale is equipped with both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity which can be used to connect and to synchronize the data with the companion app and also to store the user’s data in the cloud. It is powered by three AA batteries which can last for about 360 days assuming the scale is used once daily.

The scale won’t take up too much space as it has a dimension of 320 x 320 x 79mm and weighs just around 2.25kg.

The Huawei Smart Scale 3 Pro is presently available for pre-order at Huawei’s Mall – Vmall and is priced at 499 yuan (~$77). Just like the other products announced, the smart scale will also go on sale on June 1.

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iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition has a 144Hz display and 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM

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May 20, 2021

iQOO will be launching the iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition smartphone on May 24 in China. Yesterday morning, the company confirmed that it will arrive with the Snapdragon 870 chipset and UFS 3.1 storage. It also revealed the rear design of the smartphone. Later, it also shared a few more key information on the specs of the Neo5 Vitality Edition.

It is already known through the TENAA listing of the iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition that it will be sporting a 6.57-inch FHD+ OLED panel. IQOO has confirmed that the device will carry support for a 144Hz refresh rate. It also claimed that it will offer an improved viewing experience under sunlight and it will be able to convert low-quality SDR content to HDR level. In addition, it will come with a display enhancement tech called Hawkeye mode.

iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition image — iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition

While the iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition will feature 8 GB of RAM, it can function like an 11 GB RAM smartphone through the memory fusion technology, which uses available storage as virtual memory. The company claimed that the Snapdragon 870 powered handset has managed to record an impressive benchmarking score of 742,444.

The TENAA listing of the phone revealed that it could be available with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of built-in storage. It may come with a front camera of 16-megapixel and a 48-mgeapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system.

The Neo5 Vitality Edition may draw power from a 4,430mAh rated battery. Its 3C appearance revealed that it could be shipping with a 44W charger. The official images of the phone show that it will be arriving in black and white color variants.

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Mysterious Realme phone with Snapdragon 870 chip is in works

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May 20, 2021

A couple of leading smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Vivo, iQOO, OPPO, Motorola, POCO, and OnePlus have already launched their iterations of Snapdragon 870 powered flagship phones. A fresh leak reveals that Realme could also be planning to launch a flagship phone powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset.

Well-known Chinese tipster Ice Universe shared a screenshot of an “About Phone” page of an upcoming Realme phone. As it can be seen, the model number of the mysterious phone has been blurred out in the images. However, the image reveals that it is driven by the Snapdragon 870 mobile platform, and it runs on Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS.

The SoC is coupled with 12 GB of RAM, and there is an additional 5 GB of virtual memory onboard. It offers native storage of 256 GB. The other details of the smartphone are under wraps. Also, it is unclear when Realme will be announcing this smartphone.

Realme has a couple of other phones waiting in queue to go official. For the global markets, it is said to be working on the Realme 8 Pro 5G and a new phone featuring the all-new Snapdragon 778G 5G. Some reports have claimed that the Realme 8 Pro 5G could be a rebadged version of the Snapdragon 750G SoC powered Realme Q3 smartphone that debuted in April in China.

The RMX3350 that has bagged TENAA and 3C certifications appear to be the Realme GT Neo Flash Edition. This phone is likely to go official on May 24. The RMX3142/3 phone spotted at the same certification sites could be a rebranded version of the OPPO K9 5G. Rumors have it that it may break cover as the Realme V25 in China.

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Apple Watch Series 7 renders show a uniform design across Apple products

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Habeeb Onawole

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May 20, 2021

Apple appears to be going for the same design language across its devices. The iPhone 12 series, new iPad Pro, and even the new iMac all have a flat design. Now that flat design is coming to its next-gen wearable, the Apple Watch Series 7.

We got our first look at the upcoming smartwatch earlier thanks to the leaker, Jon Prosser, who shared them on the latest episode of Front Page Tech. The renders are said to be based on images and CAD files shared by an insider source.

The Apple Watch Series 7 has ditched the curved frame for a flat one. The left side of the watch which is bare on the Apple Watch Series 6 is now home to two long slits. The right side is still home to the digital crown and the side button.

The renders also show a new mint green color that looks really nice, but there is no confirmation if this will be eventually released. Other colors are silver, blue, black, and red. It remains to be seen if the Apple Watch will get a wide range of color options like the iMac.

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The specs of the Apple Watch Series 7 are currently unknown, however, there are speculations the screen size will remain the same as the current model. We also expect Apple to offer it in different materials such as stainless steel, titanium, and aluminum.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Olympic Games Edition listed on Docomo

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Habeeb Onawole

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May 19, 2021

The Olympic games were supposed to hold last year but the event was postponed. Prior to the quadrennial games being postponed, Samsung had announced a special edition of the Galaxy S20+ for the event. However, the device was eventually canceled due to the postponement. Now Japanese carrier, Docomo, has listed the Galaxy S21 Olympic Games Edition on its official website.

This special edition comes in a new color variant called Phantom Blue (actually looks like a darker shade of purple) and it will be exclusive to Docomo. The carrier’s name is printed on the back as well as the famous Olympics logo. The phone also comes in a special box. The product listing says there are also custom wallpapers, lock screens, and app icons as well as a custom Olympics-themed boot and shutdown animation.

The device can be reserved on Docomo’s online shop now but it won’t be available until early next month. Going by previous years, we expect this special edition will be given to all athletes that attend the games free of charge.

The Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display with a centered punch hole and Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone has a Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of storage. There is a 12MP main camera on the back of the phone along with a 64MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide angle camera while a 10MP camera is in front for selfies. The S21 also has a 4000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. Samsung ships it with One UI 3.1 based on Android 11.

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OnePlus 9R OxygenOS 11.2.1.2 update brings May 2021 security patches and more

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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May 19, 2021

OnePlus released OxygenOS 11.2.1.1 as the first-ever system update for the OnePlus 9R in mid-April. A month later, the smartphone is now receiving its second system update as OxygenOS 11.2.1.2. The latest update brings updated security patches and some fixes as well as improvements.

Unlike the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9R is limited to India and China. The former variant runs OxygenOS and therefore, the new update is meant for this version of the handset. On the other hand, the latter variant boots ColorOS 11.

According to the official changelog, the OxygenOS 11.2.1.2 update for the OnePlus 9R bumps up the security patch level to May 2021. Further, the update also comes with improvements for overall users experience in OnePlus Games, picture preview smoothness in Gallery, and camera stability as well as shootin performance.

Lastly, the update brings fixes for a number of bugs like abnormal silent notification after muting the media volume, UI issues in Freeform Windows, sync issue with newly saved notes and Shelf, abnormal images issue under Nightscape mode, and other general issues.

OnePlus 9R OxygenOS 11.2.1.2 Official Changelog

System
- Fixed the abnormal silent notification issue after muting the media volume
- Fixed UI issues in Freeform Windows
- Fixed general issues and improved system stability
- Updated Android security patch to 2021.05
Notes
- Fixed the issue that newly saved notes can’t sync to Shelf in time
OnePlus Games
- Improved the overall user experience
Gallery
- Improved picture preview smoothness
Camera
- Improved the camera stability and shooting performance
- Fixed the abnormal image issue under Nightscape mode

Like all OTA system updates, the OnePlus 9R OxygenOS 11.2.1.2 is also being rolled out in batches. Hence, it may take some time to reach every unit.

OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition leaks ahead of launch

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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May 19, 2021

The OnePlus Watch is the brand’s first smartwatch. This wearable was announced alongside the OnePlus 9 series. At the end of the launch event, the company teased a Harry Potter Limited Edition for this watch. Now, an APK teardown of the OnePlus Health app confirms the existence of this special variant.

According to an APK teardown of the OnePlus Health v2.1.3 by OxygenUpdater, the OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition indeed exists. As per the findings, this smartwatch will come with six exclusive watch faces.

These watch faces are based on the following six elements from the Harry Potter universe.

Hogwarts
Hogwarts Seal
Gryffindor
Slytherin
Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about the OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition. It is a mystery how it will differ from the regular color options (Midnight Black, Moonlight Silver) and when it will be officially announced.

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There’s a high chance it could have a different paintjob like the recently launched OnePlus Watch Cobalt Limited Edition. However, we are not sure of it as of now.

Having said that, OnePlus was supposed to launch the OnePlus Watch alongside the OnePlus 8T late last year. Hence, there was also a OnePlus Watch Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition. But right now, it’s not known whether this special variant will ever see the light of the day.

HONOR 50 series confirmed to come with a Snapdragon 778G chip

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Habeeb Onawole

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May 19, 2021

Qualcomm has a 2-day 5G summit that kicks off today. It is expected to announce new developments and also new partnerships, one of which is with the former Huawei subsidiary, HONOR.

HONOR 50 Series Render Featured 01 — Honor 50 render

A tweet posted by the official Qualcomm account has said that its collaboration with HONOR will be announced at the 5G Summit. The tweet was also retweeted by the official HONOR account.

Stay tuned for more #Qualcomm #HONOR #GoBeyond https://t.co/dhqF0XoTGc

— HONOR (@Honorglobal) May 19, 2021

While we wait for that announcement, the phone maker has confirmed that its upcoming HONOR 50 series will be powered by the Snapdragon 778G. XDA-Developers reports that the news was announced by Fang Fei, the president of the product line department, HONOR Device Co., Ltd.

“Through close collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, the Snapdragon 778G Mobile Platform will power our brand-new HONOR 50 series, which will set a new design benchmark for HONOR, and deliver a transformative experience for our users.”

Although the above statement says that the HONOR 50 series will be powered by the chipset, there is a chance not all of the models will have this processor. A leak from last month had said that the HONOR 50 will have a Dimensity 1200 processor while the HONOR 50 Pro will have a Snapdragon processor.

The same source revealed that the HONOR 50 will launch this month while the pro version will be announced in July. Until there is an official announcement, it is best to take these dates with a pinch of salt.

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Aqara E1 USB Stick Hub with MIJIA and HomeKit compatibility launched in China

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