Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold spotted in promo poster with key specs, expected to launch today

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Mar 30, 2021

Xiaomi held a mega launch event in China yesterday to announce Mi 11 series phones such as Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Lite 5G, and some other products like the Xiaomi Mi Band 6, chargers, routers, and other equipment. At the event, it also announced the Xiaomi Mi 11i and Mi 11 Lite 4G / 5G for global markets. Fresh information reveals that the Chinese manufacturer will be holding another launch event in China today. It is speculated to announce the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold as its first foldable smartphone. A leaked shot of the offline promo material of the Mi MIX Fold has surfaced on Weibo today to reveal its design and key specs.

As the rumor mill claimed, the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold can be seen sporting an in-folding design. The Chinese text that can be seen at the bottom of the image reveals that it is equipped with an 8.01-inch foldable screen that produces 2K resolution and 1.1 billion colors. The Snapdragon 888 mobile platform is present under the hood of the device.

The rear camera module of the MI MIX Fold appears similar to the camera housing of the Xiaomi Mi 10S, which was announced recently in China. It is equipped with a 108-megapixel primary camera with a liquid lens. The device promises 3D output as it is fitted with Harman Kardon powered quad speakers.

In related news, Xiaomi is also expected to announce a self-developed Surge chipset today. At present, there is no information available on its specifications. The company is also expected to unveil some other products like a new Mi Notebook Pro, Mi Washing Machine with a front-loading feature, a new Mi Robot vacuum cleaner, and more.

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MediaTek led smartphone chipset market in 2020 with 27% market share: Report

By

Jeet

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Mar 30, 2021

MediaTek surprisingly dethroned Qualcomm as the world’s leading smartphone chipset vendor for the first time in the third quarter of 2020. Now, a new report claims that the Taiwan-based chipset maker led the market for the whole year.

As per the recent report from London-based Omdia, the shipments of MediaTek grew 48 percent year-on-year in 2020, reaching 352 million units. The company managed to capture about 27 percent of the global markets.

On the other hand, Qualcomm saw an 18 percent year-on-year drop in chip shipments last year and shipped 319 million units of its Snapdragon-series processors in 2020. With that, MediaTek took the pole position while Qualcomm got the second spot with 25 percent of the global market share.

MediaTek seems to have benefited the most from the sanctions imposed by the United States of Huawei, which barred the Chinese giant from using Qualcomm’s chipsets in its devices. Given that Huawei was one of the leading smartphone brands globally, losing the business also hit Qualcomm and other vendors significantly.

However, Xiaomi is the brand that used the most MediaTek chips on its devices last year. The Chinese company shipped 63.7 million phones powered by processors from the Taiwanese company in the year 2020, a growth of 223.3 percent YoY.

Apart from that, the company has been winning the market when it comes to entry-level or low-price and mid-range smartphones. Most of the budget and mid-range phones come powered by the Taiwanese company’s processors and the company is also testing waters for the high-end chips.

MediaTek has added support for 5G connectivity on its offerings with the Dimensity series of processors. The company isn’t stopping at smartphone chips and is also one of the leading vendors globally for Smart TV chips.

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Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra is the first device to get MIUI 12.5 stable update

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 30, 2021

Xiaomi unveiled MIUI 12.5 at the Mi 11 China launch event in late December 2020. It is a minor upgrade over MIUI 12. Since that conference, the company has been seeding weekly beta builds for the eligible devices in its home country. Now, three months after the announcement, the Mi 10 Ultra has become the first smartphone to get MIUI 12.5 stable update.

The Mi 10 Ultra is Xiaomi’s 10th-anniversary special smartphone. This handset is sold exclusively in China. Hence, it has a single branch of MIUI build (MIUI China).

The phone debuted with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. It was later updated to Android 11. And now, the device has even started receiving the MIUI 12.5 update. In fact, as mentioned in the beginning, it is the first smartphone to receive MIUI 12.5 stable update.

That said, the latest system update for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra comes with build number V12.5.1.0.RJJCNXM. Since this software build is currently in the Stable Beta phase, it is only available for a select few users. If there’s no issue with this build, then it should be rolled out to all the users in the coming days.

As far as new features are concerned, MIUI 12.5 brings optimizations for system animations, improved haptic feedback throughout the UI, new customizable system sounds with stereo effects, uninstallable system apps, and more.

Alleged iQOO Neo5’s Indian variant spotted at Google Play Console, Launch seems imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 30, 2021

In February, a Vivo phone with model number I2012 was spotted with Snapdragon 870 was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking platform. At that time, it was speculated that it could be the Indian version of the iQOO Neo5. The same model has now appeared in the Google Supported Devices list and at the Google Play Console. These listings suggest that the iQOO Neo5 may soon launch in India.

The I2012 smartphone can be seen with specs like a Snapdragon 870 chipset, 8 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS at the Google Play Console. The listing also states that it supports a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 480ppi pixel density. The image of the phone that can be found in the listing shows that it has a top-centered selfie camera cutout.

Vivo I2012 (likely the iQOO Neo 5) appears on the Google Supported Devices list and the Google Play Console listing with an SD870 processor, launch imminent.#iQOO #iQOONeo5 pic.twitter.com/Qq276SZqBT

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) March 30, 2021

It is speculated that a Vivo phone with an I2011 model number, which was certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) earlier this month could be a variant of the iQOO Neo5. The other phone that is expected to land in India soon is the Snapdragon 888 powered iQOO 7. It was reportedly spotted with the I2009 model number at BIS and Geekbench in the recent past. The handset is yet to appear at the Google Play Console.

iQOO Neo5 specifications

The iQOO Neo5 has a 6.62-inch AMOLED display that offers an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs on Android 11 OS and OriginOS for iQOO. The Neo5 has a front camera of 16-megapixel and its rear camera system consists of a 48-megapixel Sony IMX589 lens with OIS, a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The Neo5 has a 4,400mAh battery that supports 66W fast charging. The SD870 powered comes with up to 12 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. For security, it is equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

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Huawei announces new generation of camera technologies and camera products

By

Jeet

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Mar 30, 2021

Huawei Technologies, one of the leading electronics device makers from China hosted a new product launch event in Zhuhai. At the event, Duan Aiguo, President of Huawei’s Machine Vision announced three new technologies along with new products.

The company released SuperColor, SuperCoding, and AI Turbo technologies as well as a new generation of cameras. The newly launched “Cube” is a binocular full-color AI tube camera that combines RGBW super-sensitive sensor, DNN ISP real-time video noise reduction, AI HDR full target enhancement, and Deblur to remove motion smear.

The AI Ultra-Light Camera 2.0 comes with an upgraded algorithm and recognition is more accurate through the deep learning network algorithm. The smart supplementary light is also upgraded and the intensity is automatically adjusted round the clock.

There’s also AI Dual-Spectrum Thermal Imaging Camera 2.0 that achieves longer distance and earlier firework detection, and the firework detection distance is doubled after the computing power is upgraded.

The Eco Camera 2.0 supports a combination of multiple power distribution methods with stronger power storage capacity, more flexible remote on-demand wake-up, and a wider sensing range.

Intelligent Video Storage IVS3800 2.0 uses SuperCoding technology to store more valuable data and has large-scale elastic EC technology that relies on AI Turbo’s four-in-one fully structured algorithm. On the other hand, the Intelligent Video Storage IVS1800 2.0 relies on the Huawei Cloud AI market using SuperCoding technology.

The Holographic Interaction Solution 2.0 supports the acquisition of all elements of the machine, non-human, and human, and rationally optimizes signal control. It also adapts to multiple intersection forms such as Cross, T-Shaped, X-Shaped, Y-Shaped, Overpass, and Super-Large Intersection.

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Nokia Lite Earbuds (BH-205) images appear via FCC as launch draws near

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 30, 2021

A new certification note from the U.S regulatory agency, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has provided insights on Nokia‘s upcoming truly wireless (TWS) earbuds, the Nokia Lite earbuds with model number BH-205. The device has gone through several development stages culminating in its FCC certification and should be hitting the market shortly.

Nokia has a scheduled launch event on April 8, 2021, and the Nokia Lite TWS earbuds would most probably be on the lineup for that event. However, the company is yet to provide details of the devices scheduled for unveiling during the April 8 event.

Images of the Nokia Lite earbuds were also revealed on the certification page and they reveal the design choices and specifications of the upcoming earbuds. We can see from the visuals the device’s overall measurement, some other components, internal mechanisms, its charging case, and a user guide were part of the details provided.

The FCC certification shows that there will be three sets of ear tips for the device. It will also come with a USB Type-C charging port, a charging case housing a battery with a rumored capacity of 400mAh. The earbuds themselves will both have a 40mAh battery, although we do not know the battery life of the earbuds and that of the charging case on a full charge.

The design notes and images show that the wireless earbuds have a stem design and will have one-touch buttons for call control and music navigation. We expect that the device will be compatible with Android and iOS devices, like several other TWS earbuds.

No information is available yet on the expected cost of the BH-205 wireless earbuds bit based on its modest specifications as per the battery capacity. We should expect the price to be affordable for a large segment of the target customers.

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(source, via)

OPPO Find X3 Pro gets a new Cosmic Mocha color variant

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 30, 2021

Fast-rising Chinese smartphone manufacturer OPPO has unveiled a fourth color variant of its innovative smartphone, the Find X3 Pro. The current flagship model of Oppo, the Find X3 was unveiled earlier this month in three color variants, and a fourth impressive and captivating color has just been added, at least for the Chinese market. Cosmic Mocha is the fitting name given to the new color variant of the Find X3 Pro.

The model has a frame with a light gold allure that coincides with the camera island design on the back, with a vegan leather exterior. The signature Oppo logo sits at the bottom right of the back, well crusted on the vegan leather exterior.

The unveiling of the Oppo Find X3 earlier this month brought to the spotlight the quantum of unorthodox innovation and quality that Oppo is bringing to the phone-making space. The flagship smartphone comes with several innovative features, further accentuated by its brilliant design and aesthetic appeal.

The cutting-edge specifications include a powerful quad-camera at the back having a 3MP microscopic camera with a capacity for 60x magnification, a waterproof body, and a curved 6.7-inch 10-bit OLED screen with high resolution and an excellent refresh rate. The Find X3 is powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset, which has 5G support for super-fast connectivity. The smartphone also comes with a 4,500mAh battery, fast charging, fast wireless, and reverse wireless charging capabilities.

The sleek design and great features of the Find X3 Pro made it an instant success among fans of the brand and may have won over a few new Oppo converts.

The new Find X3 Pro Cosmic Mocha variant is priced at RMB 5,999 (around $915). The model is already on sale in China via Jingdong.

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Galaxy Buds2 already in development; might even launch this year

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 29, 2021

Samsung’s latest wireless earbuds and its best yet is the Galaxy Buds Pro. Announced earlier this year alongside the Galaxy S21 series, there is a chance we may be getting yet another pair of earbuds from the Korean giant this year and it may launch as the Galaxy Buds2.

According to the folks at Android Police, Samsung is already working on its fifth pair of TWS earbuds called the Galaxy Buds2. The official name was found in a teardown of the latest version of the Galaxy Wearable APK.

Samsung Galaxy Buds — A successor to the Galaxy Buds called the Galaxy Buds2 is in development

They also found out that the earbuds go by the codename “berry” and supports multiple device connection and will also be compatible with non-Samsung devices as well as tablets. So far, that is all that is known about the tablet.

Last year, Samsung launched two pairs of wireless earbuds – the first was the Galaxy Buds+ that was announced alongside the Galaxy S20 series in Q1 2020 and it was followed by the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live later in the year. There is a chance Samsung may launch the Galaxy Buds2 later this year too. However, we believe it will be positioned under the Galaxy Buds Pro but come with upgraded features such as better battery life, improved design, and better audio quality over the first-gen Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Buds Plus.

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Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Realme GT vs Redmi K40 Pro: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 29, 2021

A few hours ago, Xiaomi held a big event where several Mi 11 phones have been unveiled. Now, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is the smartphone series with the highest amount of flagships. Besides the Mi 11, now the lineup also contains the Mi 11i which is actually a rebrand of the Redmi K40 Pro+, but for the global market. What about China and the Asian market? The main flagship killers that can be considered rivals of the vanilla Mi 11 at the moment are the Realme GT and the Redmi K40 Pro. Do they offer a higher value for money than Mi 11? This comparison will clear your ideas in regards.

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Realme GT vs Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro

	Xiaomi Mi 11	Realme GT 5G	Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	164.3 x 74.6 x 8.1 mm, 196 g	158.5 x 73.3 x 8.4 mm, 186 grams	163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8 mm, 196 grams
DISPLAY	6.81 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), AMOLED	6.43 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 11, MIUI	Android 11, Realme UI	Android 11, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 20 MP front camera	Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.5 front camera	Triple 64 + 8 + 5 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 20 MP front camera
BATTERY	4600 mAh, fast charging 50W, wireless charging 50W	4500 mAh, fast charging 65W	4520 mAh, fast charging 33W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging 10W	Dual SIM slot, 5G	Dual SIM slot, 5G

Design

The most stunning design is the one of the Xiaomi Mi 11, in my honest opinion. Those curved edges and the original camera module make the difference. But if you take the leather variant of the Realme GT, you will see a device that is as beautiful as the standard Mi 11. However, the Xiaomi Mi 11 comes in a leather variant as well. The design is not the strongest point of the Redmi K40 Pro, but it has the IP53 certification, so it is protected from splashes and dust.

Display

There is no challenge: the Xiaomi Mi 11 is the display champion here. First of all, it is the only one with a Quad HD+ resolution, so it provides a higher level of detail and image clarity. Further, it is able to show up to one billion colors and it has a higher 1500 nit peak brightness. The phone also comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate, the HDR10+ certification, and a wide 6.81-inch diagonal. Right after, we got the Redmi K40 Pro featuring a 6.67-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+, as well as a high 1300 nit peak brightness.

Hardware/Software

All of these phones are powered by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform which provides flagship-class performance levels. What changes are the memory configurations: with the Redmi K40 Pro, you do not get more than 8 GB of RAM, while Xiaomi Mi 11 and Realme GT 5G provide up to 12 GB of RAM. The software is exactly the same on Mi 11 and Redmi K40 Pro (MIUI), while you get a different user interface with the Realme GT 5G (Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11).

Camera

Despite it is not a flagship camera phone, the Xiaomi Mi 11 also provides a better main camera: it is a 108 MP sensor with OIS. Redmi K40 Pro and Realme GT have an inferior 64 MP main camera and they lack OIS, so they can not be considered high-end camera phones, unlike the Mi 11.

Battery

There should not be huge differences between the battery life of these three devices, given the similar battery capacities and components. Xiaomi Mi 11 should have a higher consumption due to its bigger display with a higher resolution. On the other hand, it is the only one with wireless charging and we are talking about very fast 50W wireless charging. But the Realme GT is the fastest charging phone with its 65W SuperDart charging technology.

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Realme GT vs Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro: Price

Realme GT 5G is priced at less than €360/$424 and Redmi K40 Pro costs more or less €259/$305 in China, while you need about €517/$600 for the Xiaomi Mi 11. While the Mi 11 is the best phone in this comparison, the Realme GT 5G provides the highest value for money: I prefer it to the Redmi K40 Pro due to its faster charging technology, but if you do not care about it, the Redmi K40 Pro can let you save even more money.

Read More: Redmi Note 10 vs Note 10 Pro vs Note 10 Pro Max: Specs Comparison

Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Realme GT vs Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Mi 11

PROS

Best display
Best rear camera
Wireless charging
Curved edges
In-display fingerprint scanner
IR blaster

CONS

Price

Realme GT

PROS

Faster charging
More compact
Good price
In-display fingerprint scanner

CONS

Nothing particular

Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro

PROS

Very good price
IP53 certification
IR blaster

CONS

Slower charging

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Dunu EST112 IEM goes official with Triple-Hybrid setup for $489.99

By

Simranpal Singh

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Mar 29, 2021

Dunu is well-known for its high-end audio-equipment across the globe. It is a China-based company and is among the top leading manufacturers of high-quality in-ear monitors. DN-1000 is the company first IEM which changed the audio market back in 2013. After the exceptional reception of DN-1000, the company scaled much better IEMs in the following years. Now, DUNU is finally here with the new DUNU EST112 IEM which houses a triple-hybrid setup consisting of a DD, BA and two EST drivers. Dunu EST112 IEM with its glaring features is available at $489.99.

Must See: Best Android TV Boxes that you should look this year!

Quad-Driver and Triple-hybrid setup

Dunu EST112 IEM features a quad-driver while featuring a triple-hybrid setup consisting of a powerful dynamic driver, one premium balanced armature and two performance electrostatic drivers.

Third-Generation Dynamic Driver

Dunu houses a third-generation 13.5mm large dynamic woofer. The design aspects consist of beryllium coating which makes the diaphragm sound finer while maintaining a regular grain pattern. It enhances the bass and lowers midrange frequencies which further tweaks the sound a lot.

Knowles Balanced Armature Unit + Sonion EST Drivers

Dunu has used a premium quality balanced armature unit from Knowles. The BA unit improves refined mid-high frequency responses that produce lovely vocals with natural tonality and texture. Apart from the high-end headphones, the IEMs also started carrying quality EST drivers.

Dunu users two high-performance EST rivers from Sonion that allows getting detailed, smooth and elegant high and ultra-high frequency response with EST112.

Premium Design

The IEM shells are crafted with a high-precision machining process and are built using durable aluminium alloy. The IEMs are polished with gunmetal anodizing and feature polished stainless steel faceplates for a simple yet timeless design.

Modular Plug System

Dunu comes with a premium DUW-O2S cable and high-quality Litz braided silver-plated copper cable. Furthermore, you will get Dunu’s patented Quick-Switch modular plug system.

Pricing and Availability

Dunu EST112 triple-hybrid IEMs come for the price of $489.99. It is on pre-orders from March 27th and the sale will commence from March 31st. You can pre-order the device from the HiFiGo store.

See More: Pamu Nano True Wireless Bluetooth Headset with HiFi quality launched

Xiaomi unveils the Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro with Google Assistant, 1300 Lumens

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 29, 2021

Apart from the sleek Mi 11 series smartphones, Xiaomi also unveiled a new Mi Smart Band 6 as well as a new smart home cinema dubbed Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro. The new projector is basically the MIJIA Projector 2 Pro that was launched in China around July last year but this global version comes with Google Assistant built-in and runs on Android TV.

The Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro arrives with an impressive FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a screen size that is adjustable between 60 inches and 120 inches. The projector features a 0.47” DMD chip and is capable of reaching a maximum brightness of 1300 ANSI lumens. The projector also comes with support for HDR10, outputting a superior contrast ratio and crisp colors for vivid picture quality.

The audio aspect is handled by a 10W speaker with DTS-HD and Dolby Audio support. The speaker uses dual tweeters and dual full-range woofers. You also get support for DTS-HD and Dolby Audio support onboard the projector. One cool thing about this projector is that it can be used as a standalone speaker and all you need to do is connect the audio source via Bluetooth.

On the Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro, you won’t encounter the problem of positioning the device correctly in order to beam properly on the screen. The device performs Omni-directional keystone correction when it is turned on and in this way, the screen dimensions are automatically aligned to achieve a perfect rectangle on the wall from any directions within 40 degrees. This prevents any form of distortion.

The Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro is also capable of achieving autofocus like a camera and ToF sensor. This automatically brings the picture into sharp focus in as little as 2 seconds.

For software, the smart projector runs on Android TV OS and comes with an array of viewing content, games, and applications. The user interface is also intuitive and brings ease of navigation. There is also Google Assistant built into the device as well as Chromecast and Netflix onboard. The Google Assistant allows viewers to change channels with voice commands and also allows them to control other connected smart home gadgets using the projector.

Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro Pricing & Availability

In terms of the price, the Mi Smart Projector 2 Pro will retail for EUR 999 but there is an early bird pricing of EUR 899. We await further details on its availability.

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Xiaomi Mi 11i with a flat AMOLED display launched for the global market

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 29, 2021

Xiaomi today went on a launch spree as it completed the Mi 11 series lineup with the addition of three new models for the Chinese market – the Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Pro, and Mi 11 Lite. For its global audience, the company announced the Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11i, and Mi 11 Lite/5G.

The Mi 11i adopts a flat-screen design and is reputed to be Xiaomi’s best flat screen device yet. The body is made from premium glass with a thickness of just 7.8mm. There is also a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The specifications are somewhat similar to the Mi 11 Pro which may well stay as a China-only model. However, there are some marked differences between the two models such as the battery capacity.

The flagship device packs a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a hole-punch design at the top. The display is a Samsung E4 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate and that is capable of reaching a peak brightness of 1300nits with less power consumption. The display also comes with a DCI-P3 color gamut and HDR10+ support making it capable of delivering a stunning array of vivid colors.

The Mi 11i is powered by a Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, the latest flagship processor from Qualcomm. The processor allows higher performance while consuming less energy and providing a super fast and reliable user experience. The phone also arrives with 8GB LPDDR5 storage and 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 flash memory.

On the camera aspect, the Mi 11i packs a 108MP HD triple camera setup design with pro-level photography capabilities. The main camera is a 108MP HD sensor with outstanding low-light photography, assisted by a 119° ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 5MP telemacro camera.

In terms of audio, the flagship smartphone is equipped with Dolby Atmos and dual speakers, thus creating a truly immersive audio experience. Further, Xiaomi says the phone comes with Audio Zoom which is capable of capturing clear audio of distant scenes by just zooming in on the subject with the camera.

Keeping the lights on is a 4,520mAh battery that is capable of taking you through the day without a need to charge it. The phone also brings support for 33W fast charging which can take it from zero to full charge in just 52 minutes. You also get an X-linear motor for highly responsive and powerful haptics, as well as an IR blaster and NFC support for contactless payment.

Xiaomi Mi 11i Pricing and Availability

As for the prices, the Mi 11i starts at EUR 649 for the 8GB+128GB version while the 8GB+256GB version retails for EUR 699. The phone will be available in three colours: Celestial Silver, Frosty White, and Cosmic Black. The phone will be available for pre-order across all official Xiaomi channels soon

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OnePlus will reportedly skip the Nord SE

By

Balaji S

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Mar 29, 2021

OnePlus ventured into the budget smartphone after many years with the OnePlus Nord in July 2020. Later, the company turned the gear up and launched two more devices under the ‘Nord’ branding in quick succession. By November, reports had already started surfacing about a Nord SE and that it may launch in Q1 or 2021. However, Max Jambor(@MaxJMB) thinks otherwise.

Max, who earlier hinted about a possible Special Edition, is now saying that according to his sources, OnePlus isn’t going forward with the announcement of OnePlus Nord SE. Particularly, he says that the Special Edition that was planned with the original Nord won’t be hitting the stores.

Back in December, a Phone report suggested that OnePlus Nord SE could just be a special Edition of the Original OnePlus Nord designed in partnership with graphic artist Joshua Vides. However, an older report by Android Central said that the Nord ‘SE’ would have internal improvements like 4,500mAh battery, 65W Warp Charging.

Anyway, it makes sense of OnePlus to call off the whole special edition idea considering the Nord successor is already in the works. Speaking of which, OnePlus seems to be developing the device with an internal codename ‘Denniz‘ for months now.

And if another Android Central report is anything to go by, OnePlus will finally shift from the Qualcomm paradigm and opt for Taiwanese MediaTek chipsets. It says that the OnePlus Nord 2 will feature MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 1200 5G chipset.

Keeping this aside, there’s also an OnePlus ‘Ebba’ in the works and this is said to be the successor of the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. This device is likely to get a 6.49-inch flat display, triple-cameras, measure 62.9 x 74.7 x 8.4mm with a plastic rear panel.

That being said, let’s just hope OnePlus brings ‘Special Editions’ of succeeding Nord devices in the future.

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Samsung Galaxy A21s receives One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update ahead of schedule

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 29, 2021

Samsung has been rolling out the Android 11-based One UI 3.x stable update for the eligible devices since December. Some of the devices have received the update ahead of schedule. Now, the Galaxy A21s is the latest Samsung smartphone to join this list.

According to a report by SamMobile, Samsung has started seeding One UI 3.0 update for the Galaxy A21s in South Korea. The latest system update for this handset comes with firmware version A217NKSU5CUC7.

For those, the Galaxy A21s is supposed to receive the Android 11 update in May. However, the South Korean tech giant has begun the rollout almost two months earlier.

Anyway, like any other software update, the new update for the Galaxy A21s is currently being rolled out in batches. Therefore, it may take time to reach every device. Eventually, the update should be available for other regional variants in the coming days.

Users can head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether their unit has got the One UI 3.0 update based on Android 11.

That said, it is worth noting that though the Galaxy A21s could probably receive only one more Android update, the phone is eligible for four years of security patches, as per Samsung’s revised update policy.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro launched with better cameras, IP68 rating, faster charging, and more

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Mar 29, 2021

Among the three new Mi 11 phones announced today is the Mi 11 Pro which comes with significant upgrades over the standard version that was announced back in December.

Mi 11 Pro Design

The Mi 11 Pro isn’t the thinnest of devices out there but Xiaomi manages to keep the thickness under 9mm and the weight at 208 grams even with the massive 5000mAh battery.

The phone has a curved display and a curved back made of glass too. It keeps the camera housing design of the Mi 11 and comes in three colors including a purple that has a frosted finish.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro Specifications

The phone has a 6.81-inch curved Samsung E4 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The 10bit display also has Dolby Vision, a first for a Xiaomi phone. Other features are an SGS display protection certification, a maximum brightness of 1700 nits, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for protection, and a Display Mate A+ rating. It also has an HDR10+certification. Xiaomi says it has also applied an antibacterial quad-curved screen protector, so you don’t need to get one. You also get an antibacterial case in the box.

There is a Snapdragon 888 processor powering it and it is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is a phase-changing cooling system that helps to keep the device cool. Xiaomi claims that in their test, after 30 minutes of Genshin Impact gameplay, the temperature was 49.3° celsius.

Just like the standard version, you get Harmon Kardon stereo speakers. There is also NFC, an IR blaster, Wi-Fi 6E, and an IP68 rating which is also a first for a Xiaomi phone. The Mi 11 Pro runs MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 out of the box.

There is a 5000mAh battery inside that comes with a new battery tech for a thinner design. It supports 67W wired and 67W wireless fast charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. Regardless of the one you decide to go with, you will be able to charge the phone from empty to full in just 36 minutes.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro Cameras

The camera department is one of the major upgrades over the standard Mi 11. For the Pro’s main rear camera, Xiaomi has adopted the 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN2 super sensor with a 1/1.12″ sensor size, the largest camera sensor in a mobile phone. It is also the first camera with a Dual Pixel Pro and has Dual Native ISO Fusion, Stagger HDR, an f/1.95 aperture, OIS, and an 8P lens.

Below it is an 8MP f/3.4 periscope zoom lens with OIS and up to 5x optical zoom, 50x digital zoom, and a focal length of 120mm. The third camera is a 123° 13MP f/2.4 ultrawide angle camera with a 5P lens like the periscope camera. A dual-tone LED flash sits beside the camera housing.

The phone can record in 8K and can also record slow-motion videos at 1920 fps.

Price and Availability

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro will be available in three configurations at the following prices:

8GB RAM + 128GB = ¥4999 (~$761)
8GB RAM + 256GB = ¥5299 (~$807)
12GB RAM + 256GB = ¥5699 (~$868)

The phone will be available for pre-order starting tonight and will go on sale on April 2 at 10 AM (Chinese Time).

The phone doesn’t come with a charger by default but there is an option for a free 67W charger at checkout similar to what Xiaomi offered with the Mi 11. Another option is to purchase the phone along with the 80W wireless charger bundle that includes a 120W power adapter for an additional ¥199 (~$30) instead of paying ¥499 (~$76) when you purchase the charger bundle separately.

RELATED:

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 with 1.56-inch AMOLED display, SpO2 sensor launched, starts at 229 yuan($35)

By

Balaji S

-

Mar 29, 2021

Xiaomi has launched the successor of Mi Band 5, the Mi Band 6 in China & Mi Smart Band 6 in global markets. Apart from the naming and certain features like Watch faces, NFC, AI, they share common specs like AMOLED display, Blood Oxygen measurement. Let’s take a look at its specifications, features, and price.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 Price, Availability

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 comes in six colors- Black, Orange, Yellow, Olive, Ivory, Blue options. Also, just like last year, the 2021 fitness tracker also has two versions- one with NFC and without NFC. You can take a look at the pricing below:

Xiaomi Mi Band 6
- China:
  - NFC version- 279 yuan($43)
  - Standard(non-NFC)- 229 yuan($35)
- Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6
  - Global:
    - Standard(non-NFC)- 44.99 euros

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Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 Specifications and Features

The Xiaomi Mi Band 6 features a huge 1.56-inch AMOLED display. This 2.5D curved display has a resolution of 152×486 pixels, 326 PPI, and up to 450 nits brightness. Xiaomi says that the display is about 50% larger than the predecessor.

Further, the Mi Band 6 supports up to 130+ watch faces, 60+ watch faces(global), and also allows users to customize them with their personal photos. Like last year, Mi Band 6 also gets animated watch faces like and you can see an example of the SpongeBob watch faces below.

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Also, as mentioned above, the fitness tracker has a lot of color options for the straps.

Mi Smart Band 6 Features

As for features, the Mi Band 6 can support up to 30 exercise modes and can auto-detect some like Outdoor running, walking, treadmill running, outdoor cycling, rowing, and elliptical training. The Mi Band 6 also supports 24×7 heart rate monitoring(PPG), SpO2(Blood Oxygen measurement).

The Mi Band 6 can also track your sleep to tell you about the Sleep breathing quality, REM, and nap time periods. Other tracking options include Breath exercise, Stress monitoring, Female health tracking, PAI(Personal Activity Intelligence).

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The NFC version(in China) supports multi-function NFC that helps in tap-to-pay on the go. As for the assistant, the Mi Band 6 has a Xiao AI assistant built-in(China). As for connectivity, it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and also has all the other necessary sensors like a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope.

Other features include swim-proof 5ATM water-resistant, magnetic charging, 125mAh LiPo battery, and a battery life of up to 14 days. Finally, the Mi Band 6 measures 47.4 x 18.6 x 12.7mm and has an adjustable strap length of 155 – 219mm.

RELATED:

(Update: Launched Globally) Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite launched, thinnest 5G phone and first to sport the Snapdragon 780G

By

Sean

-

Mar 29, 2021

UPDATE:

While China got only one 5G variant, Xiaomi has announced an additional 4G variant with Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G for the global markets. The Mi 11 Lite 4G comes in three colors namely Boba Black, Bubblegum Blue, Peach Pink, and has a 16MP front camera instead of a 20MP shooter found on the 5G model. The 4G model also comes with Gorilla Glass 5 (instead of Gorilla Glass 6) and brings older Bluetooth 5.1 standard (instead of BL 5.2).

The Mi 11 Lite 5G starts at EUR 369 and comes in two variants 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB globally. The Mi 11 Lite 4G model starts at 299 for 6GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB variants.

Original Story as below..

Xiaomi has just launched the Mi 11 Lite smartphone. The company held an online conference earlier today earlier today (29th March 2021) and announced various other products like the flagship Mi 11 Ultra.

Mi 11 Lite 5G Specifications

The device is an upper mid-range handset, which is the first in the world to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G processor. It is the first 700 series chipset to be built on a 5nm process, paired with the Adreno 642 GPU. For memory, the device houses 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage that can be expanded by up to 512 GB via an external microSD card.

On the front, the handset sports a 6.55 inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz high refresh rate. For photography, the front has a 20 megapixel punch hole selfie camera while the rear features a triple camera module with a 64 megapixel primary sensor, 8 MP ultra wide angle lens, and a 5 MP macro sensor. The Mi 11 Lite 5G is powered by a large 4,250mAh battery pack that supports up to 33W fast charging.

Notably, the company also stated that the Mi 11 Lite will be the lightest and thinnest Mi phone in history, measuring in at just 160.53 mm x 75.72 mm x 6.81 mm and weighing just 159 grams. The Mi 11 Lite 5G also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6E standards. Furthermore, the display on the Mi 11 Lite 5G supports HDR+, and has the Corning Gorilla Glass 6. Out of the box, the handset will run on the Android 10 based MIUI 12 custom skin will feature the usual connectivity options.

Pricing and Color

The Mi 11 Lite 5G is available in multiple color variants namely Black, Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, and White. For the pricing, the Mi 11 Lite arrives in two different memory configurations including:

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (8GB + 128GB) – 2,299 Yuan (roughly 350 US Dollars)
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (8GB + 256GB) – 2,599 Yuan (roughly 395 US Dollars)

RELATED:

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra launched with Two displays, 50MP Triple Cameras and 67W charging

By

Joel Joseph

-

Mar 29, 2021

Xiaomi’s second-generation Ultra flagship is here and just like in 2020, the new model doesn’t disappoint. The phone brings in new technology in a refined form factor and is placed above the Mi 11 Pro, which is already a powerful 2021 flagship.

So how does the Mi 11 Ultra distinguish itself from the Pro?

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Design & Display

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra comes in just two color options – White Ceramic and Black. Both the colors look very elegant and premium. The camera housing is in black and covers almost the entire upper half of the device.

There are three cameras at the back along with a secondary display that shows you the notifications, battery level, weather, health alerts, and other essential information. There’s also a special Ultra-Low Power saving mode that utilizes this tiny screen to give you up to 55 hours of additional standby time.

However, Xiaomi says that the most important function of the secondary display at the back is to allow high-resolution selfies from its rear cameras.

The display is exactly the same as the Mi 11 Pro, so you get a four curved 6.8-inch E4 AMOLED screen on the front with QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate. You also have Gorilla Glass Victus protection as the Pro model as well as Dolby Vision support.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is IP68 certified as well. You also get Harmon Kardon stereo speakers.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Hardware

The rest of the hardware is the same as the Mi 11 Pro. So the Mi 11 Ultra comes with Snapdragon 888 with LPDDR5 RAM 6400Mbps and UFS 3.1. You get Wi-Fi 6 Enhanced support as well.

Coming to the battery, the Mi 11 Ultra features a 5000mAh capacity battery with 67W wired and wireless charging.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Cameras

One of the biggest differentiators between the Mi 11 Pro and the Mi 11 Ultra is in their camera departments. The phone features a powerful triple camera setup featuring the same Samsung GN2 50MP primary shooter but with two additional 48MP Sony IMX586 Ultra Wide and TeleMacro cameras.

The 50MP Samsung GN2 comes with 61 degrees FoV with a very sharp focus thanks to dToF technology that features 64 point laser array focus system.

The 48MP Ultra Wide Camera comes with a very wide 128-degree FoV and the third 48MP TeleMacro camera comes with 5x optical zoom and up to 120x digital zoom.

Xiaomi said at the event that the brand has worked hard on the Ultra Night Photo algorithms which combined with the 1/1.5″ large 50MP sensor ensures that you get clear and colorful photos even when the lighting goes down. In fact, the company directly compared the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera to a Sony RX100 M7 compact camera and showed how the former’s camera setup is capable of capturing better low light images.

The Mi 11 Ultra can capture 8K videos from all the 3 camera sensors including the telemacro shooter.

Thanks to this powerful setup, the Mi 11 Ultra has managed to score 143 on DxOMark, making it the best smartphone camera setup on the platform right now.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Pricing & Availability

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra starts at 5999 yuan ($914) for its 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM version. The 12GB + 256GB version retails for 6499 yuan ($990) while the top end 12GB + 512GB version will retail for 6999 yuan ($1065).

Xiaomi Mi 11 Marbled Ceramic Special Edition will go on sale for 6999 yuan ($1065).

All versions will go on sale from April 2 in China. No word on global availability yet.

RELATED:

Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G gets Android 11 update, Mi 10i could be next in line

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Mar 29, 2021

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G as a China-exclusive smartphone in late November 2020. The phone debuted with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. Now, four months after its release, this handset has started receiving the much-awaited Android 11 update.

The Android 11 update for the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G comes with build number V12.0.2.0.RJSCNXM. It is currently in the Stable Beta phase.

In other words, this update is only available for a select few users. By limiting the rollout, Xiaomi can avoid any catastrophe if there are issues with the build. Anyway, all units should get this update in the coming days.

Although the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G is only available in China, this phone is sold with different names with some tweaks in certain regions. In India, this very same smartphone without NFC is called Mi 10i. Whereas, in Europe, this device with a 64MP primary camera (instead of 108MP) is called Mi 10T Lite.

All three handsets run near-identical MIUI build with some minor changes. The Mi 10T Lite was the first to get the Android 11 update in February. Now, the update is also available for the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G.

Hence, the Mi 10i sold in India should be the next to get the Android 11 update. That said, all these three devices are also eligible for MIUI 12.5 update.

Huawei P50 could be delayed till June; HarmonyOS for smartphones to get released in April

By

Jeet

-

Mar 29, 2021

Huawei, despite facing several sanctions from the United States government, continues to launch new products and expand its business in an attempt to regain the market share in China as well as globally.

An employee of Huawei recently revealed on Weibo that the company is planning to host a couple of launch events at the end of April with the theme “Wisdom Connecting Everything, Wisdom and Hundreds of People” and “Art Deconstruction, No Prophet”.

The event is expected to launch the HarmonyOS 2.0 for smartphones, which is expected to have its Beta 3 released in the coming days. The new version is already under testing and should be released for commercial use in the near future.

Huawei’s own mobile operating system HarmonyOS is expected to be running the company’s upcoming flagship smartphones — the Huawei P50 series. Another event in April could be related to these phones.

It’s noteworthy that the previous reports have mentioned that the Huawei P50 series of flagship smartphones have been delayed and could go official in the month of May. But there’s a possibility that the announcement could take place in April and the devices be made available for purchase a month later.

However, the new report claims that the Huawei P50 series may get further delayed and could be made official in June later this year. This is mainly because of the supply chain and production issues that the company faces which is a result of the sanctions imposed on the Chinese giant by the United States.

The reports about HarmonyOS, which is called HongMeng OS in China, have been making rounds for quite some time and it’s pretty clear that the software will be released for general use next month.

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