Apple plans to argue that it faces competition in video game industry in Epic lawsuit

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Apr 8, 2021

Apple has announced that it plans to argue that it faces competition in the video game market in its lawsuit battle against Epic. The company claims that it has competition in the market for video game transactions.

For those unaware, the Cupertino based giant is facing a legal battle against the video game publisher, who filed an antitrust allegation against the firm. The studio behind Fortnite sued the iPhone maker over the 15 to 30 percent commission that it charges for the use of its in app payment systems. The studio also called out Apple’s longstanding practices of exerting complete control of deciding which apps are allowed to be installed on its devices, implying anti competitive behavior.

Last year when Epic launched an in app payment system that bypassed Apple’s commission, the latter removed Fortnite from its App Store. At the moment, the case is expected to be heard in Oakland, California in the US in May 2021. Epic has built its case around the billion strong userbase of the iPhones, which represents a distinct market for software developers, as per a Reuters report. So, the company is claiming that Apple is abusing its position and forcing developers to pay fees on transactions.

In a filing that Apple plans to make, it rejects the notion and states that the proper market to analyze the case in the video game transaction market. In other words, it is arguing that platforms such as Nintendo and Microsoft Xbox gaming consoles also limit the hardware that can run on their platforms and charge a fee as well. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding the matter.

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[Updated] Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G (Snapdragon 865 version) certified by the Wireless Power Consortium

By

Balaji S

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Apr 8, 2021

Update(April 8):

The wireless charging rating spotted on Wireless Power Consortium is generally a placeholder and has been misquoted before. The changes have been made accordingly.

Original story as follows…

Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S20 FE 5G variant in India. However, a report of this very same device launching with 4G support in countries like the UK, Malaysia, Philippines is floating around. Amidst this, MySmartPrice has spotted the 4G variant in Wireless Power Consortium(WPC).

A Samsung smartphone with model number SM-G780G with ‘Samsung Galaxy S20 FE’ moniker appears on the WPC database. If you recall, this same model number was earlier reported to be the 4G variant despite sporting a Snapdragon 865 series chipset. We also see a render of the Galaxy S20 FE in Blue color.

This suggests that the Galaxy S20 FE 4G with Snapdragon 865 will have the same design and looks which also means that it will have the Glasstic back panel. The rating spotted on WPC isn’t to be considered final and the device will likely have the wireless charging same as other models(15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging).

Samsung is said to stop the manufacturing of the Exynos 990-powered Galaxy S20 FE soon and if true, the above-mentioned variant should be the replacement in the respective markets.

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That said, the rest of the specs of the Galaxy S20 FE 4G variant likely to remain the same as the other models. In that case, the device will feature a 6.5-inch flat AMOLED screen with a 120hz refresh rate and an Infinity-O display design.

The triple-camera on the back will have a 12-megapixel main camera with OIS, an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with OIS and 3x optical zoom support, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens with a 123-degree FOV. Upfront, you will get a 32MP selfie shooter.

Other features include 8 GB of RAM, 128/256GB storage, microSD card, 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast charging support, and One UI 3.1 based on Android 11.

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Semiconductor shipments expected to cross 1 trillion units in 2021

By

Sean

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Apr 8, 2021

The overall shipments of semiconductors are expected to cross the 1 trillion unit mark this year. This includes shipments of ICs along with optoelectronics, sensor/actuator, and discrete (O-S-D) devices.

According to a DigiTimes report, the semiconductor shipments will rise by 13 percent in 2021, reaching a record high of 1.135 trillion units. This would also be the third time that semiconductor units have surpassed the one trillion mark in a calendar year. Furthermore, the 13 percent rise that arrives a year after the coronavirus pandemic had adversely impacted the global economy and affected shipments for the industry as well.

Back in the period between 2004 and 2007, the shipments broke through the 400, 500, and 600 billion unit levels, just before the global financial meltdown led to a sharp fall in shipments in 2008 and 2009. Since then, the industry and the shipments bounced back strong, with 2010 seeing shipments surpass 700 billion units. Since then, another strong increase was back in 2017, with a 12 percent growth that had it reach 900 billion units.

The first time shipments crossed the one trillion unit mark was back in 2018. Notably, the news also arrives despite the world suffering from a major shortage of semiconductors. This has caused various industries like the automobile industry. On the other hand, the growth of the shipments saw industries like autonomous systems, cloud computing systems, contactless systems, and more see the strongest rise.

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ZTE Axon 30 Ultra to have 8MP Periscope Telephoto lens, Steadicam-level stabilization

By

Balaji S

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Apr 8, 2021

ZTE confirmed that it’s bringing the Axon 30 series to China on April 15. Today, the company has revealed that the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra will have an 8MP Super Zoom Periscope Telephoto lens.

Last week, the company confirmed the presence of an Auxiliary lens in addition to the Trinity Triple-camera setup. Today, it has revealed the entire camera specs and its stabilization features. Anyway, below are the camera specs of the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra:

64MP primary sensor, f/1.6 aperture
64MP ultra-wide, 13mm focal length
64MP Portrait lens
8MP Super Zoom Periscope Telephoto, 123mm focal length, 5x Optical zoom

It’s also worth mentioning that the ‘Neovision photography’ would be made possible with the lenses having apertures ranging from f/1.6-3.4 and focal length between 13-123mm. ZTE also has shared a video of Steadicam-level stabilization features on the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra.

Talking about the camera layout, it has a rounded rectangle design with four lenses stacked inside. The camera bump is a lot like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and also has a dual-LED flash beside the lenses.

Also, if you add up the Megapixels count above, you get a total of 200MP cameras that was reported earlier.

The ZTE Axon 30 Pro and Ultra variants are said to have second-generation under-display cameras. The display is likely a 6.92-inch OLED screen with 10-bit colors, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 360Hz touch sampling rate.

Under the hood, we can expect the Snapdragon 888 flagship chipset paired with LPDDR5 RAM and the latest UFS 3.1 storage. Other expected specs include a 44MP selfie camera, 4,500mAh battery with 55W or 65W fast charging support, MyOS based on Android 11.

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Twitter held talks to acquire Clubhouse for a $4 billion deal: Report

By

Sean

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Apr 8, 2021

Twitter Inc apparently held discussions in recent months to buy out Clubhouse. The company is planning on acquiring the audio-based social network platform for a sum of 4 billion US Dollars.

According to a Bloomberg report, the social media giant is apparently looking to acquire Clubhouse for the large sum, as per sources close to the matter. These sources added that the discussions have reportedly found a potential valuation of roughly around 4 billion US Dollars. Although, the discussions are no longer ongoing. Unfortunately, it is unknown why the talks have stalled at the moment.

The report also adds that a spokesperson from Twitter declined to comment on the matter. Similarly, a Clubhouse representative has also yet to respond to any requests for a comment. It was recently also revealed that Clubhouse was in talks to raise funding from investors worth 4 billion US Dollars. So after the talks with Twitter ended the social media network is likely to explore raising finances at a round valuation. For those unaware, Clubhouse is an app that lets users host their own online radio shows, where other listeners can tune it to hear interviews or discussions and even participate in a live chat.

Despite the platform being only a year old, it has drawn appearances from some of the biggest personalities in both business and Hollywood as well. It was quickly established as a new and upcoming platform, with other major social media giants also working on launching their own versions of Clubhouse. This includes Microsoft, LinkedIn, Slack, and even Twitter as well to work on similar features.

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Official: iQOO 7 series will launch in India in April

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 8, 2021

Chinese smartphone brand iQOO has been teasing the Indian launch of the iQOO 7 series for quite a while now. Weeks after the company dropped the first teaser, it has now officially confirmed when the iQOO 7 series will be debuting in India.

In a new teaser video posted by iQOO on Twiter, the brand confirms that its latest flagship smartphones (iQOO 7 series) will launch in India in April. Unfortunately, the video does not reveal the date. Anyway, we can expect the company to announce the launch date very soon.

According to previous reports, iQOO will be releasing the iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend BMW M Motorsport Edition in India. The more affordable iQOO Neo5 could also tag along with these phones.

Since these two handsets are already official in China, we know almost everything about them. But the thing is that vivo, the parent company of iQOO has a habit of releasing a different variant of its existing phones in the global markets. The prime example is the recently launched vivo X60 series, which slightly differs from the original vivo X60 series sold in China.

You asked for the monster, and it’s coming.

Get ready to experience the best of technology. #ComingSoon #MonsterIsComing #iQOO7Series pic.twitter.com/jWAFm8KCMY

— iQOO India (@IqooInd) April 8, 2021

Hence, we are not sure of the specs of the iQOO 7 series, which is set to launch soon in India. Above all, the brand is yet to officially start teasing the specifications and features.

But what we know as of now is that even the high-end ‘Made in India’ iQOO 7 Legend BMW M Motorsport Edition will cost under ₹40,000 in the country.

Tesla addresses security concerns in China, says car cameras not activated outside North America

By

Sean

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Apr 8, 2021

In a recent social media post in China, Tesla addressed the security concerns in China by stating that the cameras on its electric cars are not activated in any region outside of North America.

The Chinese market is the world’s largest car market in the world, and the American car maker has seen great success in the country with its electric vehicles. Although, it faced security concerns in the region, with the local military banning Tesla cars from entering its complexes over security risks. In the social media post, the company said that “Even in the United States, car owners can freely choose whether to turn on its (the camera system’s) use. Tesla is equipped with a network security system with world-leading security levels to ensure user privacy protection.”

The post was shared on its official Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website. It also arrives after a virtual forum in Beijing in March, in which the company’s founder and CEO, Elon Musk, emphasized the company’s efforts on protecting users’ privacy. The senior official stated that “There’s a very strong incentive for us to be very confidential with any information.”

The executive further added that “If Tesla used cars to spy in China or anywhere, we will get shut down.” At the moment, China is a key region for electric vehicles and various car makers as well. Back in 2020, the region accounted for 30 percent of the company’s global sales of cars. In other words, it is a very important nation for the automobile manufacturer, so it would likely ensure that it meets local security standards.

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Intel promotes its latest chip by using an Apple MacBook Pro

By

Sean

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Apr 8, 2021

Intel has been pushing its latest chips through various promotional campaigns. A recent Reddit post had the chip maker showcase its new 11th Gen processors by using an Apple MacBook Pro.

In the promotional image poster, the company showcased its latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, claiming that it is the “world’s best processor on a thin and light laptop.” For those unaware, the 11th gen series is a part of its latest Tiger Lake lineup of chips. In the image, a person can be seen using what appears to be a 15 inch or 16 inch MacBook Pro. This is notable considering that the i7-1185G7 is not available on any current Apple MacBook.

As per an AppleInsider report, the image that appears in the ad is actually a Getty Images stock photo where a “man playing [a] computer game on laptop.” Although, despite the effort of erasing the Apple logo, it is clear that the notebook in question is a MacBook Pro due to clear identifiers like the I/O configuration and Touch Bar. Furthermore, the person using the MacBook is also clearly seen wearing headphones of Beats By Dre.

While the Intel 11th Gen series processors do not ship in current MacBook laptops, Apple, in general, has made a major shift away from the x86 architecture and has moved to its proprietary ARM based chipsets. Interestingly, the Apple Silicon, M1 chip, is also quite capable and has even trumped various chips including the one from Team Blue on many scenarios. In other words, Intel’s claims as the “best” are questionable. It is also likely that the marketing on the MacBook Pro was by mistake.

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Infinix X689D key specs and renders leak, could launch as Infinix HOT 11 or HOT 12

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Apr 8, 2021

Lately, a number of Infinix smartphones have been spotted on FCC. The latest device from the brand to get FCC certification is a phone called Ininfix X689D. It has been also certified by TKDN. Additionally, a blog has revealed most of its specifications.

Infinix X689D FCC Featured — Infinix X689D | Source: FCC

According to Tech Arena 24 (via Abhishek Yadav), the upcoming Infinix X689D smartphone may go official as Infinix HOT 11 or Infinix HOT 12. The publication suggests two names since the company had skipped generations before.

As per the report, this handset will flaunt a 6.82-inch dewdrop display. Although there’s no mention of the panel’s type, we can expect it to be LCD. Further, under the hood, the device will feature a MediaTek MT6769V SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.

As far as the design is concerned, the phone will have a diamond pattern on the rear polycarbonate panel with a matrix camera array and a capacitive fingerprint sensor. Unsurprisingly, the low-quality renders of the handset match the FCC label sketch.

Talking about cameras, the smartphone will sport a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide unit, and a 2MP macro snapper. Whereas, for selfies and video calls, the device will come with an 8MP shooter.

Infinix X689D HOT 11 12 Alleged Renders — Alleged Infinix HOT 11/12 (Infinix X689D)

On the connectivity front, the handset will support 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It will also include all the essential sensors such as an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass, proximity sensor, and gyroscope. As for ports, it will feature a 3.5mm headphone jack and what appears to be a MicroUSB port for charging as well as data transfer.

Last but not least, the Infinix X689D, which could either launch as Infinix HOT 11 or Infinix HOT 12 will run Android 11 and will be backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

As of now, there’s no official word from Infinix regarding the launch of this phone.

Apple iPad and MacBook production delayed due to supply shortage

By

Sean

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Apr 8, 2021

The production of certain MacBook and iPad models has apparently been delayed due to the global shortage of crucial components. The shortage issue for key parts has now also affected Apple.

According to a NikkeiAsia report, the chip shortage has now been affecting an important part of the MacBook production process. This is the step of mounting the components on printed circuit boards just before the final assembly. As per sources close to the matter, the production of iPads has also been postponed due to the shortage of displays and display components. This has prompted the Cupertino based giant to push back a part of its component orders for both products from the first half of this year to the second half.

Sources from within the industry and other experts also believe that these delays are a sign that the chip shortage issue is growing more serious and could impact smaller tech firms even more adversely. Apple is one of the major tech giants in the world and boasts a vast and complex supply chain. Its influence and ability to mobilize suppliers is likely what helped it withstand the global component shortage, which has already affected various car makers and consumer electronics manufacturers as well.

As of right now, the production of its iPhones has not been affected by these shortages. However, certain sources have pointed that the supply of certain components for these devices has been “quite tight” as well. Currently, the shortage of components is only a supply chain issue for the company, and it has yet to affect product availability for consumers. Unfortunately, Apple has declined to comment on the matter.

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Realme C25, C21, C20 debuts in India; specifications, features, and price

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 8, 2021

Realme has announced three new C-series smartphones as the Realme C20, Realme C21, and Realme C25. While the C20 and C21 offer similar specs and design, the C25 is powered phone powered by a mid-range gaming chip. The new C-series phones are priced between Rs 6,999 (~$94) and Rs 10,999 (~$148)

Realme C25 specifications and features

The Realme C25 has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD with a mini-drop notch that produces an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels a 20:9 aspect ratio, and up to 480nits of brightness. The gaming-centric MediaTek Helio G70 SoC fuels the phone with LPDDR4x RAM. It comes with an eMMC 5.1 storage of up to 128 GB and a microSD card slot for additional storage. It also boots Realme UI 2.0 flavored Android 11 OS.

The Realme C25 has a 6,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging through USB-C. It also supports reverse charging. The C25 offers 43.1 hours of calls, 97.8 hours of gaming, 25 hours of video playback on YouTube, and 115 hours of streaming music on Spotify. For selfies, it has an 8-megapixel selfie snapper, and its rear-mounted camera module has a 13-megapixel primary camera with f/1.8 aperture, a 2-megapixel macro shooter, and a 2-megapixel depth helper. For security, it has a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.

Realme C20 and Realme C21 specifications and features

The Realme C20 and Realme C21 smartphones are fitted with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel that offers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and 400nits brightness. The mini-drop notch display on both phones around 89 percent screen-to-body ratio.

The Helio G35, which powered older C-series phones such as Realme C11, C12, and C15. Both handsets offer up to 64 GB of eMMC 5.1 storage and they are also equipped with a microSD card slot for additional storage. The Realme UI-based Android 11 OS comes preinstalled on the device.

The Realme C20 and C21 phones are backed by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 10W charging and reverse wireless charging. Both phones promise 47 days of standby time, 7.3 hours of gaming, 44.2 hours of calling, and 96.4 hours of Spotify. These phones have a microUSB 2.0 port for charging. The C20 lacks a fingerprint scanner, whereas the C21 features it on its back.

The Realme C20 and C21 are both fitted with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The C20 has a single camera of 8-megapixel on its backside. Like the C20, the C21 features a squarish camera housing that features a 13-megapixel primary camera with f/2.2 aperture, a 2-megapiel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. Both phones are capable of shooting 30fps 1080p video recording and offer other photography features like LED flash, panorama, HDR, macro mode, Chroma Boost, timelapse, HDR, and color filters.

Realme C20, C21, and C25 pricing and availability

The Realme C20 with 2 GB RAM + 32 GB storage is priced at Rs 6,999 (~$94) and it comes in colors like Cool Blue and Cool Grey. The C21 variants such as 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage cost Rs 7,999 (~$106) and Rs 8,999 (~$121), respectively, and it can be purchased in Cross Blue and Cross Black. The C20 and C21 will be available for purchase for the first time through Realme India’s website and Flipkart from April 13 (12 PM) and April 14 (12 PM). The first 1 million customers of the C20 will be able to get the device with a reduced price tag of Rs 6,799 (~$91).

The C25 model 4 GB of RAM 64 GB storage is priced at Rs 9,999 (~$135) and the higher 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage option costs Rs 10,999 (~$148), and its color variants are Watery Blue and Watery Gray. The first sale of the C25 will be carried out through the above-mentioned retailer platform at 12 PM on April 16.

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Meizu launches “iPhone for 18” campaign with special discount on iPhone trade-in

By

Jeet

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Apr 8, 2021

Meizu, the China-based smartphone maker officially announced the “iPhone for 18” campaign in which the company is offering users extra benefits on the purchase of the company’s latest flagship Meizu 18 series phones when they trade their iPhones.

As per the official announcement from Meizu on its Weibo account, the users who are trading their Apple iPhone for the purchase of Meizu 18 series smartphones can receive a special discount of up to 4,000 yuan, approximately $611.

The development comes just a day after the company announced that 45 percent of its new customers for the Meizu 18 and 18 Pro smartphones are existing users of the Apple iPhone lineup. It seems that the company is now trying to cahs-in on this and get more users to switch from iPhone to its own devices.

The company is accepting iPhone 7 and later models for trade-in and these are the models applicable for a discounted price. In addition to the discount, the customers also stand a chance to get POP2 TWS earphones.

Meizu officials say that the company’s new Meizu 18 lineup focuses on the security and privacy of the users just like the iPhone and also offers the same pure and comfortable user experience. The devices are being marketed as “Three Zero Mobile Phones” given that they come with zero advertisements, zero pre-installed third-party apps, and zero push notifications from the company.

The Meizu 18 and 18 Pro smartphones come with a 2K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Recently, the company pushed an update that enables users to set the QHD+ (3200 x 1440 pixels) screen resolution and 120Hz refresh rate at the same time.

Under the hood, both the devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The Meizu 18 is powered by a 4,000mAh battery while the Pro model packs a 4,500mAh battery.

The standard model features a 64MP+16MP+8MP triple camera on the back while the front side offers a 32MP snapper. On the Pro model, there’s a 50MP primary camera sensor on the back along with a 32MP ultrawide angle camera, an 8MP telephoto camera, and a TOF camera. On the front side, it has a 44MP selfie camera.

The vanilla model supports 36W Super mCharge fast charging, while the Pro model is equipped with 40W charging, 40W Super Wireless mCharge technology, and 10W reverse wireless charging technology. Both the phones run Flyme 9 based on the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box.

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Xiaomi to launch 3 smartphones powered by Snapdragon 870 SoC this year

By

Jeet

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Apr 8, 2021

Xiaomi has been actively launching some premium smartphones, expanding its portfolio of high-end devices. Recently, the company launched Mi 10S and Redmi K40 smartphones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC.

Now, a new report claims that the company is planning to launch three more devices powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset this year. However, information about those devices is not yet known.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 is a 7nm chipset and appears to be an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC. It features the Kryo 585 CPU which has its prime core clocked at 3.2GHz, 100 megaHertz more than that of the Snapdragon 865 Plus’s prime core. The Adreno 650 is the GPU inside and it packs a Snapdragon X55 5G modem that brings support for mmWave and sub-6GHz networks. It also has support for Bluetooth 5.2, support for Wi-Fi 6, and Quick Charge 4+.

It seems that the existence of the Snapdragon 870 SoC is due to manufacturers’ demand for a new chipset for more affordable flagships that cost significantly less than premium phones. Basically, it is a chipset for flagship killers.

Xiaomi isn’t the only manufacturer with devices powered by the SD870 chipset. Other phone makers, including Motorola, OPPO, and iQOO among others have launched their devices powered by the SD870 or the phones are currently in the pipeline.

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Samsung rumoured to partner with Olympus for future smartphone cameras

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 8, 2021

A recent leak by tipster @heyitsyogesh via Twitter, corroborated on Weibo by Ice Universe, has indicated that South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung is in talks with Japanese camera maker Olympus for a collaboration that could see Olympus producing the camera module for future Samsung smartphones.

Olympus has a chequered history of camera manufacture since it began operations in 1919. Samsung manufactures image sensors, but it seems to be looking in the direction of Olympus to produce high-quality photo and camera modules for its forthcoming smartphones. Olympus is a leading manufacturer of optical and reprography products.

If the partnership is confirmed, Samsung will join a growing list of smartphone brands that have outsourced the production of its camera to camera manufacturers. The list includes Huawei, OnePlus, and Vivo.

Ok this could be huge!

With the Note lineup out this year, Samsung is going big with the Fold 3.

Heard about this very briefly, Samsung might be jumping on the latest trend of partnering with a camera brand. We might see this possibly happen on a special edition Fold.

— Yogesh (@heyitsyogesh) April 6, 2021

Samsung is seeking to substantially improve the picture quality of its smartphones, and the tweet by the tipster says Olympus had approached Samsung for the collaboration, and the talks are progressing according to plans. The partnership may culminate in Olympus producing the camera module for the Galaxy S22, which is likely to enter the market within the first quarter of 2022.

While both Samsung and Olympus are yet to put out an official statement, the partnership holds a lot of promise for both companies. In what could be an additional pointer to the veracity of the partnership, Samsung is presently working on a chip that is codenamed Olympus. It is an Exynos processor that is a successor to the current Exynos processor plagued with lots of criticisms. The new Olympus chipset is expected to reflect a massive improvement in the performance compared with the current Exynos chipset.

So while we await official confirmation from both companies, it is apposite to reiterate that the leak is just a rumor which may be credible or a ruse.

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(via)

OPPO and Realme smartphones with 125W fast charging to launch in H2 2021

By

Jeet

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Apr 8, 2021

Last year, Realme had revealed its 125W fast charging technology which can charge a 4,000mAh battery up to 33 percent in just three minutes. Now, a tipster has revealed when the technology will be available in a smartphone.

According to digital chat station, OPPO, Realme, and OnePlus will be launching their own smartphones 125W Super Fast Charging in the second half of this year. The technology will also support multiple fast charging protocols.

It will also have support for backward compatibility with VOOC, Dart, Warp, SuperVOOC, SuperVOOC 2.0, SuperDart fast charging protocols. It will also support 125W PPS protocol, 65W PD protocol fast charge, and 36W QC protocol. It is also compatible with the universal 100-240V ultra-wide voltage input.

Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India and Europe had previously teased up and demonstrated the 125W Power Adapter in Europe but for some reason, the company has not yet officially launched the product.

Earlier, there were reports that the Realme GT 5G smartphone comes with support for 125W fast charging but when the phone comes with support for 65W fast charging. It will be interesting to see which device from the company ends up with such fast charging technology support.

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Huawei and Arcfox launches luxury sedan as it eyes market for 5G-equipped smart electric cars

By

Jeet

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Apr 8, 2021

China-based Huawei Technologies and carmaker Arcfox have launched their first electric car with a full suite of autonomous driving features. This development comes as Huawei is facing a slew of issues because of the sanctions by the United States.

The car, named Arcfox aS HBT is the first to come with Huawei HI which is a complete intelligent automotive solution that is powered by HarmonyOS. It also comes with a lidar chip and 5G connectivity support.

This is different from the HiCar Smart Screen that is already being used in vehicles from China-based carmaker BYD. Comming on the launch of this new car, the company’s spokesperson said that “it is a next-generation, intelligent and purely electric luxury sedan jointly built by Arcfox and Huawei.”

It has also been revealed that the car will be available for purchase from 17th April. The car is capable of level-3 autonomous driving, which allows drivers to safely take their attention off the road under certain conditions.

The Lidar sensor, which is short for light detection and ranging, is supposed to help in this area. It is similar to radar but uses light instead of radio waves, and thus offers higher precision in certain environments owing to the shorter waves.

Do note that Huawei has no plans of making its own car and is only interested in supplying its technology to existing carmakers. On the other hand, its competitor Xiaomi is working on making its own electric car.

After the imposition of restrictions by the United States for the smartphone and telecom business, Huawei started building its alliance in the auto industry last year. So far, the company has signed up with 18 carmakers for a “5G automotive ecosystem”, utilizing Huawei’s HiCar system.

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Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 camera launched alongside the Instax Mini Contact Sheet Instant film

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 8, 2021

Japanese camera manufacturer Fujifilm has launched its latest offerings, the Instax Mini instant camera, together with the Instax Mini Contact Sheet, as it seeks to rekindle its glory days of old. With these new products, Fujifilm hopes to recreate the classic nature and feel of its first-generation cameras.

The Instax Mini 40 camera is an instant camera with a timeless design bound to reignite the feel of its earlier masterpieces before the advent of digital cameras. According to Fujifilm’s North America executive, Manny Almeida, it is a portable device that can fit on the palm and appeal to instant photo enthusiasts.

The Instax Mini 40 camera design reveals a high-quality texture finishing, with the camera’s body accentuated silver touches to produce an overall exquisite design. The Instax 40 Mini includes an automatic exposure feature that modulates the level of ambient light when the camera shutter is active.

Unlike many other cameras, the Instax Mini 40 can be easily used by a new user without extensive training, as they can produce high-quality photos with minimal assistance. The device also has a Selfie Mode that can be activated to provide fine shots of the user. There are several other exciting features present in the latest instant mini camera from Fujifilm.

Fujifilm has also launched the Instax Mini Contact Sheet Instant film, which combines with the Instax Mini 40 camera, and is a strong reflection of the classic film photography which Fujifilm, Kodak, and several other manufacturers had carved a niche. The goal of Fujifilm was to deliver a product that would be reminiscent of instant photographs that held away in the analog era. The Instax Mini Contact Sheet Instant film is only available in a single pack of 10 exposures.

The Instax Mini 40 camera adopts a recommended retail price of $99.99 while the Instax Mini Contact Sheet instant film will retail for $14.99 per pack. Both products will be available at the end of this month (April 2021).

RELATED;

Google ‘leaks’ the upcoming Pixel Buds A

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Apr 8, 2021

Google might have inadvertently revealed its upcoming next-generation earbuds called the Pixel Buds A after an email push to Google Nest accounts revealed a small image displaying some device features. The Pixel Buds A photo showed a dark green color for the device, although we know of a white color variant. The email, first spotted by 9to5Google, contained some specs of the Google Pixel Buds A and a link to the Google Store where the earbuds are listed under Accessories.

Previously, the device had surfaced on the FCC website as a new Pixel Buds-like device for certification. The FCC listing showed two devices with model numbers GPQY2 and G7YPJ and pointed to the impending launch of the next-generation earbuds, which followed the pattern governing the listing of the current Google earbuds.

The two model numbers likely represent the left and right earbuds of the same device. The FCC listing also came under the Weifang Goertek Electronics company, even though the naming pattern bears strong similarities to Google devices. Weifang Goertek Electronics was also linked to the current Google Pixel Buds’ FCC listing.

The dimensions of the device provided in the FCC documentation interestingly bear strong similarities with the present Pixel Buds. However, we expect Google to deploy current technology to provide solutions to the current Pixel Buds’ practical drawbacks. Disconnection issues were reported frequently by users of the Pixel Buds, and the higher power output connected with the upcoming device should be able to resolve the frequent disconnection issues.

The email to Nest accounts also revealed an upgrade of the Nest Hub to incorporate some new features like photo sharing by voice, smart device controls, and several other additions. Google is yet to make an announcement on the matter at this time.

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ASUS ZenFone 8 Mini bags TÜV SÜD certification, reveals 30W fast charging support

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Apr 8, 2021

Recent reports have revealed that ASUS is working on the ZenFone 8 series of smartphones. The lineup is expected to include three models and its base model could be called the ZenFone 8 Mini. This handset has now seemingly received TÜV SÜD certification through which its fast charging capabilities have been revealed.

Speculations are rife that the model name ASUS_ZS590KS / ASUS_I006D and SAKE codename belongs to the ZenFone 8 Mini. The screenshot of the TUV listing shared by tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore reveals that the ASUS_I006D/DA is equipped with support for 30W rapid charging. Unfortunately, the listing has no other information on its specifications.

Past leaks have revealed that the ASUS ZenFone 8 Mini could be sporting a 5.92-inch OLED screen that will not only offer a Full HD+ resolution, but also a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be a flagship device powered by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform. Hence, it is expected to arrive as the most compact phone with an SD888 chip.

It is unclear whether the ZenFone 8 Mini will sport a flip-up camera setup like the ZenFone 7 series. However, the device is expected to feature a Sony IMX686 64-megapixel camera and a new Sony IMX663 lens on its back. It may come with a feature Cirrus CS35L45 amplifier. There is no word on the battery capacity of the ZenFone 8 Mini.

The ZenFone 8 model (model name: ASUS_ZS672KS/ASUS_I004D, codename: PICASSO) is expected to arrive with a 6.67-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate support, Pixelworks i6 visual processor, Snapdragon 888 chipset, and a 24-megapixel front camera. It is likely to feature the same 64-megpaixel (Sony IMX686) + 12.2-megapixel (Sony IMX363) + 8-megapixel telephoto (OmniVision) triple camera system which was made available on last year’s ZenFone 7.

The ZenFone 8 family is also rumored to include another model with ASUS_ZS675KW/ASUS_I007D model name and VODKA codename. It is expected to arrive with a 6.7-inch screen and Snapdragon 888 SoC.

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Realme GT Neo first sale: 100 million Yuan mark crossed in 10 seconds

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Apr 8, 2021

The Realme GT Neo was made available for purchase for the first time today at 00:00 AM (local time) in China. The company confirmed that the sales of the GT Neo crossed the 100 million mark in just 10 seconds.

The 12 GB RAM + 256 GB model, which is the highest variant of the Realme GT Neo is priced at 2,399 Yuan (~$366). During the first sale, it was made available with a 100 Yuan discount. The other two variants of the phone such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage cost 1,999 Yuan (~$305) and 1,799 Yuan (~$275), respectively. The handset is available in colors like black, silver, and aurora in China.

Reports have suggested that the company is now gearing up for the global launch of the Realme GT and Realme GT Neo smartphones. It is speculated that both handsets may go official early in the coming month.

Realme GT Neo specifications

The Realme GT Neo features a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with support for 120Hz refresh rate, a 360Hz touch sampling rate, DCI-P3 color gamut, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The punch-hole display offers a screen space of 91.7 percent. It has a front camera of 16-megapixel and its rear camera setup has a Sony IMX682 64-megapixel main snapper, a 119-degree 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro lens with a 4cm focal length.

The Realme GT Neo is the first smartphone ever to feature the Dimensity 1200 chipset. The SoC is coupled with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The handset comes with support for 50W fast charging for its 4,500mAh battery. It runs on Realme UI 2.0 based Android 11 OS.

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