Xiaomi announces its first self-developed Image Signal Processing chip, the Surge C1

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Mar 30, 2021

At the Xiaomi Mega launch event today, the company unveiled a new Liquid lens technology on its first foldable, the Mi MIX FOLD. Alongside the product, the company also announced its first self-developed image signal processing (ISP) chip, the Surge C1.

Xiaomi says that the Surge C1 processor is separated from the SoC and independently soldered onto the motherboard. This makes it an independent mobile phone imaging chip from Xiaomi with its own algorithm. Talking about the evolution, the company said that this chip is a result of an investment of about RMB 140 million.

Specifically, the company has worked for two years and invested the money in the R&D department to obtain a chip that uses less processing & memory but yields better imaging results. Speaking of which, the ISP chip uses the combination of the 3A algorithm as shown below:

AF– Auto Focus
AWB– Accurate White Balance
AE– Automatic Exposure

Here, the Auto Focus is for faster focusing of subjects and circumventing the focussing issues on darker scenarios especially when the object in focus is smaller. Next, the Accurate White Balance is useful for correcting the white balance in a frame when you have complex lighting around you.

An illustration of Surge C1 independent from the SoC

Finally, the Automatic Exposure is for hitting the correct exposure levels and improving the dynamic range in the process.

Xiaomi says that the Surge C1 has a dual-filter configuration which helps it process both the low and high-frequency signals parallelly. This, when combined with the effective use of the 3A algorithms, is aimed to get 100% signal efficiency.

Xiaomi’s in-house chip development began way back in 2014 and it debuted the first Surge S1 chip back in 2017. However, not much was heard regarding the Surge and Lei Jun today confirms that despite setbacks, the development of the Surge chips will continue in the future.

Anyway, as mentioned above, the Surge C1 chip will be first deployed on the company’s first foldable phone, Mi MiX FOLD for aiding the lenses to improve the overall image quality.

We can also expect this chip to trickle down to other Xiaomi devices in the future but we will have to wait for the official word.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G with SD865 could be heading to UK, Malaysia, and Philippines

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 30, 2021

Samsung announced the 4G and 5G variants of the Galaxy S20 FE in October 2020. The Snapdragon 865 SoC fueled the 5G edition, whereas the 4G model which made it markets like India and Europe. The company will be launching the Galaxy S20 FE 5G with SD865 in India today. Fresh information reveals that other markets like the U.K., Malaysia, and the Philippines may soon receive the Galaxy S20 FE 4G.

The support pages of the Galaxy S20 FE 4G that has a model number of SM-G780G/DS are now live on Samsung’s website for countries like the U.K, Malaysia, and the Philippines. These countries have already received the S20 FE 5G, and it now appears that these nations will be soon treated with its 4G model.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G specifications

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has an IP68 rated dustproof and water-resistant body. It has a 6.5-inch S-AMOLED display that produces a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone runs on One UI 3.0 based Android 11 OS.

The Galaxy S20 FE 4G is powered by the Exynos 990 chipset. It comes with 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. It has a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It has a front camera of 32-megapixel and its rear camera system has a 12-megapixel main lens with OIS support, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens with a 123-degree FOV.

(via)

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Xiaomi unveils a new visual identity; includes a new logo and font

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Mar 30, 2021

Today is the second part of Xiaomi’s Mega Launch and it has unveiled a new visual identity that includes a redesigned logo and new typography.

The new logo was designed by Kenya Hara, a professor of Musashino Art University and the President of the Nippon Design Center (NDC). For the new logo, Xiaomi has gone with rounded corners much like what you have on some icon packs. So you have a squircle in place of the old logo which is a square.

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of technical procedures and philosophical explanations behind the design of the logo. Xiaomi says the designer used the “superellipse” mathematical formula for the design and had to adjust the variables to get a visually optimal dynamic balance and a perfect balance between a square and a circle.

Compared with a right-angled object, a circle is a shape that is more agile, which is the perfect representation of Xiaomi’s flexibility, relentlessness, and will to move forward.

Xiaomi says that it will continue to use orange as its corporate color which is why the color of the logo is unchanged. However, it will use Black and Silver variants of the logo as supplemental colors for high-end products.

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ZTE unveils the S30, S30 Pro, and S30 SE 5G in China

By

Sean

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Mar 30, 2021

The ZTE S30 series has just been announced in China. The company unveiled its latest lineup today (30th March 2020), which included three models namely, the high end S30 Pro, the base S30, and the S30 SE.

ZTE S30 Pro

The S30 Pro 5G is the higher end variant within the newly launched series and features a 6.67 inch AMOLED display that features FHD+ resolution (1080x2400px). The display also supports HDR 10+ and offers high refresh rate of 144Hz and touch sampling rate of 360Hz. Its display is also able to output peak brightness of 800 nits and offers 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut.

On the front, the screen features a punch hole camera for its 44 megapixel selfie camera that offers AI portrait mode and various filters as well. Moving to the rear, the S30 Pro features a quad camera module (64MP + 8MP + 2MP +2MP), with a primary sensor that is capable of capturing 4K videos at 60fps. This camera system also offers dual channel anti shake for smoother video recordings.

The company also placed an emphasis on the design of the new smartphone, with lightness being the core design concept of the S30 Pro 5G. The OEM used a 3D stacking design on the new device to compress its thickness to just 7.8mm and weighing only 178 grams, making it feel thin and comfortable to be used in the hands of the user.

Under the hood, the S30 Pro houses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G SoC, which is a 7nm processor that has an integrated Snapdragon X52 5G modem. The device is powered by a 4,200mAh battery that supports up to 55W fast charging. The S30 5G is available in for 2,998 Yuan (roughly 456 US Dollars) for its single 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage variant and will be available from 3rd April 2021.

ZTE S30

The base S30 5G was also unveiled today, and similar to the higher end variant, it also sports a 6.67 inch display with a FHD+ resolution. It has an aspect ratio of 20:9 and offers 90Hz high refresh rate, with 240Hz touch sampling rate and a 93.1 percent screen to body ratio. The device is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 720 octa core processor, which is a 5G enabled chip. For photography, it features a similar quad core camera module on the rear (64MP + 8MP + 5MP +2MP) but with a 16 megapixel front facing punch hole camera.

The S30 5G is powered by a 4,000mAh battery pack, which supports up to 30W fast charging. Along with the S30 series, the company also announced the new MyOS operating system for the lineup, which brings a unique user interface along with a wide variety of attractive wallpapers to choose from. The S30 5G is available in two different memory configurations, namely the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, which is available for 2,198 Yuan (roughly 334 US Dollars) and the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage version that can be purchased for 2,398 Yuan (roughly 265 US Dollars) from 3rd April 2021.

ZTE S30 SE

Along with the base and Pro variants, the Chinese tech giant also unveiled the new S30 SE 5G.Similar to the other two models, the SE variant also arrives with a 6.67 inch display that features FHD+ resolution and offers 240Hz touch sampling rate as well. The device has a triple camera setup (48MP + 5MP +2MP) on the rear.

It is powered by a large 6,000mAh battery pack and offers up to 128GB of internal storage. The large battery capacity is one of its highlighting features alongside support for 5G networking. On the inside, the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor runs the new device, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device features a price tag of 1,698 Yuan (roughly 258 US Dollars) and will be available from 3rd April 2021.

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Realme GT Neo with Dimensity 1200 spotted at AnTuTu, promises similar to SD870 phones

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 30, 2021

The Realme GT Neo smartphone will be launching tomorrow in China. It will be the first smartphone ever to feature the Dimensity 1200 chipset. Today, a reliable tipster from China shared a screenshot of the Realme GT Neo’s AnTuTu listing. It reveals that the Dimensity 1200 powered handset will be able to offer performance similar to Snapdragon 870 SoC powered smartphones.

As can be seen in the image below, the Realme GT Neo with D1200 chip onboard scored 184,187 points in AnTuTu’s CPU test, 246,689 in the GPU test, 126,003 in the memory test, and 154,785 in the UX test. Hence, it managed to reach a total score of 711,664 on the benchmarking platform.

On the other side, an undisclosed Snapdragon 870 powered smartphone scored 194,908 in the CPU test, 244,241 in the GPU test, 125,061 in the memory test, and 155,375 in the UX test. By this, it reached a total score of 719,585 on AnTuTu benchmarks.

As it can be seen, the SD870 chip performed slightly better than the Dimensity 1200 in the CPU test. On the other side, the D1200 chip outscored Snapdragon 870 in the GPU test. The AnTuTu listings suggest that the Dimensity 1200 will be able to deliver flagship-grade performance.

The Realme GT Neo is expected to be priced lower than the Realme GT, which carries a starting price of 2,899 Yuan (~$441). In China, the Snapdragon 870 SoC powered smartphones are available for as low as 1,999 Yuan (~$304). It remains to be seen whether the GT Neo arrives with similar pricing in the home market.

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro/8T get March 2021 security update with a plethora of fixes

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 30, 2021

A few days back, OnePlus rolled out a new OxygenOS Open Beta update for OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus 8T respectively. Now, all these three phones have started receiving a new stable update with updated security patches and a plethora of fixes.

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is seeding out a new OxygenOS stable update for OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus 8T with the following build numbers across the world

OnePlus 8
- IN: 11.0.5.5.IN21DA
- EU: 11.0.5.5.IN21BA
- NA: 11.0.5.5.IN21AA
OnePlus 8 Pro
- IN: 11.0.5.5.IN11DA
- EU: 11.0.5.5.IN11BA
- NA: 11.0.5.5.IN11AA
OnePlus 8T
- IN: 11.0.8.12.KB05DA
- EU: 11.0.8.12.KB05BA
- NA: 11.0.8.11.KB05AA

The latest system update for the trio comes with an identical changelog with one difference. The new build is all about fixes and March 2021 security patches.

The update brings fixes for failure in changing the customized font, Splash Screen Information Service stop working issue, expanded screenshot stop working problem, lagging issue while playing videos recorded by 4K CINE 60FPS, double-tapping is abnormally triggered when typing, and more.

OnePlus 8 / 8 Pro / 8T OxygenOS 11.0.5.5 / 11.0.8.11 / 11.0.8.12 Official Changelog

System
- Optimized the position of the EMERGENCY icon in the lock screen
- Improved the navigation gestures sensitivity during charging
- Fixed the failure issue after changing the customized font
- Fixed the issue that the Splash Screen Information Service may stop working
- Fixed the small probability issue that the language in Provision does not follow the system language
- Fixed the small probability issue that the expanded screenshot may stop working
- Fixed the small probability issue with the Recorder that the recording quality may not meet the expected result
- Fixed the issue that reusing the wrong fingerprint long press to unlock will cause a flash screen
- Fixed the small probability issue that double-tapping is abnormally triggered when typing
- Fixed the failure issue when waking the voice assistance in lock screen by swiping the icon
- Fixed the issue in which home screen time is displayed abnormally when the system language is Arabic
- Updated Android security patch to 2021.03
Camera
- Fixed the lagging issue when playing videos recorded by 4K CINE 60FPS
OnePlus Share
- Fixed the issue that files sent by other third-party devices cannot be received (OnePlus 8 & OnePlus 8 Pro only)
Clock
- Fixed the issue that the alarm clock may not ring as scheduled on workdays

The new system update for the OnePlus 8 series and the OnePlus 8T is being rolled out in batches like any other OTA update. Hence, it may take time to reach every unit around the world.

OnePlus 9 series first sale exceeds 300 million yuan in just 10 seconds in China

By

Balaji S

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Mar 30, 2021

OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus 9 series in China on March 24. The company had opened the on pre-order and it already crossed 2 million reservations in the country. The devices finally went on sale for the first time earlier today in China and OnePlus has posted the official details on the sales.

In a Weibo post, the company has officially said that the entire OnePlus 9 series has sold for about 300 million yuan worth in the first sale in China. This record, which took place at 10:00 AM Beijing time sale has happened in just 10 seconds.

Back in April 2020, OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus 8 series in China, and the first sale clocked about 100 million yuan worth of sales in 1 minute. Cut back to present times, the first sale of the successors seems to have tripled in the home country.

OnePlus launched two devices under the OnePlus 9 series in China- OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. However, the biggest change this time around is the transition from HydrogenOS to ColoroS 11 in China. That’s not all as the devices are sold with an official 2-year warranty there which doesn’t void even if you root your device.

Apart from bringing the newer devices to the ColorOS, OnePlus has also revealed a list of older devices that would get the update later in the future in China. Talking about the price, the OnePlus 9 starts at ¥3,799 ($582) while the ‘OnePlus 9 Pro‘ variant is sold from ¥4,999 ($766). Both the devices come in 8/12GB RAM and 128/256GB internal storage.

Along with the OnePlus 9 series, the company also launched its first smartwatch, the OnePlus watch(classic edition) for ¥999 ($153) in China.

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Global Chip shortage affects microwave and other home appliances production

By

Sean

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Mar 30, 2021

The world is currently suffering from a major semiconductor shortage, which has impacted various industries across the globe. Now, the latest one is the home appliances industry, with production of products like refrigerators and microwaves being affected as well.

According to a NDTV report, the shortage of chip supply has been straining the existing stockpiles for consumer electronics manufacturers, with home appliance makers being one of them. As per Jason Ai, President of Whirlpool Corp in China, the company, which is also one of the world’s largest white goods vendors, has fallen behind in terms of exports to regions like Europe and the US from China by as much as 25 percent on certain months.

The senior executive also called this situation as the “perfect storm.” He further added that “On the one hand we have to satisfy domestic demand for appliances, on the other hand we’re facing an explosion of export orders. As far as chips go, for those of us in China, it was inevitable.” At the moment, the company is struggling to secure sufficient microcontrollers, which are simple processors that power more than half of its product ranges includes microwaves, refrigerators, and washing machines.

Notably, chip shortages have affected high end suppliers like Qualcomm, but the issue originated and remains dire for mature technologies like power management chips, which are used in automobiles. Thus, the global shortage have affected car makers worldwide, with certain brands halting production altogether for some of their models. Meanwhile, the smart home market has also been facing issues as these products require chips as well.

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realme to launch MeowBook laptop, Meow AI speaker, and Meow VR glasses in early April

By

Balaji S

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Mar 30, 2021

Before the year 2021 begun, realme vowed to launch more than 100 AIoT products this year. Accordingly, the company has expanded its portfolio and launched several products like smart scale, smart LED bulb. Now, it is expanding further with MeowBook laptop, Meow AI speaker, and Meow VR glasses.

realme’s realmeow was unveiled as a mascot and was said that it would be in the company’s marketing materials and also be an integral part of the design of products. Now, it looks like the company is launching Smart AI products with the ‘Meow’ on it.

To clear you up, realme TechLife and an account with ‘realme Pakistan’ name on it have posted teasers on Twitter about the upcoming products in April. These include realme’s MeowBook laptop, Meow AI speaker, and Meow VR glasses. Speaking of which, this is not the first time we hear about realme laptops.

Earlier in January, Tech influencer Mukul Sharma said that realme laptops would hit the market as soon as June 2021. However, the company seems to have jumped the timeline and bring it in April. In the teaser page, we see that the laptop has Meow logo with a brushed finish and Black color.

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Inside, we see the keyboard which we aren’t sure if it would have the backlit on it. On the side, there are power pin and USB-A ports. Apart from this, we don’t have any other info about the AI speaker or the VR glasses yet.

Smart speaker segment crossed 1 million shipments in 2020 in India and it is understandable that realme wants to grab a bite for itself this year. Let’s wait for more details in the coming days.

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Xiaomi announces commencement of its Smart Electric Vehicle business

By

Jeet

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Mar 30, 2021

Xiaomi, which is currently the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer, has been itching to enter the smart vehicles market for some time. Today, the company has officially announced the commencement of its smart electric vehicle business.

The company has revealed that it is setting up a new wholly-owned subsidiary to work on the electric vehicles and related business. Initially, it plans to invest around 10 billion yuan (~$1.5 billion) but over a period of 10 years, the company would have invested over $10 billion for this new category of business.

Xiaomi Logo

Further, it has also been confirmed that Lei Jun, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Xiaomi Group, will also serve as the Chief Executive Officer for this new smart electric vehicles entity.

Recently, at the fifteenth annual meeting of the China Entrepreneurs Forum, Lei Jun had confirmed that Xiaomi has no plans for the release of an electric vehicle for the next three to five years as it plans to focus on its existing products.

A few days ago, it was reported that the China-based smartphone maker could partner with China’s Great Wall Motor Co Ltd and use its factory for building its own electric car. But both the companies had declined to comment on the matter.

Given the past record of Xiaomi, it’s likely that the upcoming smart car from the company will be a consumer product and will be targeted at mass market. We expect more details related to this new business to be revealed at the Xiaomi Mega Launch Part II event where the company is expected to launch the Mi MIX Fold smartphone.

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Didi seeks to raise $6 billion for its self driving unit: Report

By

Sean

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Mar 30, 2021

Didi Chuxing is apparently raising funds for the growth of its autonomous driving unit. The company is seeking to raise 6 billion US Dollars in an attempt to rival Uber, who is trying to diversify beyond its core businesses ahead of an anticipated initial public offering later this year.

According to a SCMP report, the Chinese ride hailing giant is planning on raising about 500 million US Dollars at a valuation of roughly 6 billion US Dollars. As per sources close to the matter, the funds raised will help Didi speed up its mass production of self driving vehicles and invest in technologies like artificial intelligence chips and more. Although, the plans for this fundraising could still change as considerations are at an early stages as per sources.

Unfortunately, a representative from the company declines to comment on this news. The attempt from Didi is an answer to Uber, as the former tries to grow its presence in strategically important sectors like autonomous vehicles prior to the company going public. This is also possible going to be one of the largest tech IPOs across the globe this year.

Furthermore, the company is targeting a valuation above the 62 billion US Dollars it had secured during its latest funding round by accelerating its pace just prior to its debut as a public company within the next quarter. The company began testing autonomous vehicles back in 2016 before separating the unit as a separate company in 2019 and aims on operating over 1 million self driving taxis by the year 2030.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will feature a 32MP selfie camera: Report

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 30, 2021

We learned about the existence of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE back in November 2020. A few months later, the key specs of this smartphone leaked in February 2021. Now, a month later, more information about this handset emerges.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Cloud Mint Featured — Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

According to a report by GalaxyClub, the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE will sport a 32MP selfie camera. The publication suggests that it could be the same sensor as found on the Galaxy A52 and the Galaxy A72.

Further, the report says that this phone will be available in a light green color variant, in addition to four colors that were revealed by an earlier report by SamMobile. For those unaware, the other four colors will be gray/silver, pink, violet, and white.

Unfortunately, the new report does not reveal anything else apart from the above-mentioned two specifics. But as per the older report, the Galaxy S21 FE will bear the model number SM-G990B. It will come with 5G connectivity, 128GB/256GB internal storage, and Android 11.

That said, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in August. Because there will be no Galaxy Note this year, which is usually introduced at that time of the year. But ahead of this phone’s announcement, the South Korean tech giant will be releasing a new variant of last year’s Galaxy S20 FE.

Huami Amazfit GTR 2 eSIM Edition imminent launch teased

By

Sean

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Mar 30, 2021

The Huami Amazfit GTR 2 eSIM edition is expected to launch soon. The company teased the upcoming wearable on its official Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website, earlier today (30th March 2021).

As per the Weibo post, the Chinese wearables maker shared a new image poster and added that caption, “see you in 3 days!” In other words, the company is planning on officially announcing the product within the first week of April 2021. Last year, the Amazfit GTR 2 had been launched in September, which featured the blood oxygen and heart rate monitoring feature. Now, the company is launching this device in a eSIM edition, which would enable it to make calls as well.

The ability to make calls will be independent from the users’ smartphones. Meaning, one does not require their paired handset to make or receive calls on their smartwatch. Not a lot is known about the Amazfit GTR 2 eSIM edition, but it is likely to feature specifications similar, if not identical to the base GTR 2. This includes a 1.39 inch AMOLED display that is surrounded by a stainless steel body and a leather strap.

It also features the heart rate monitoring feature that can offer information in real time along with the blood oxygen sensor, BioTracker 2. Furthermore, the device also has a sleep monitoring function as well and its blood oxygen test has an accuracy level of 96 percent, with an average margin of error as per tests being around just 1.6 percent. It also supports various sports related activity modes and features GPS+GLONASS with up to 50 meters water resistance as well.

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After Mi 10 Ultra, Xiaomi Mi 11 gets the MIUI 12.5 stable update

By

Balaji S

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Mar 30, 2021

Earlier today, we saw that Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra beat the 2021 flagship Mi 11 to get the stable MIUI 12.5 update in China. Now, the latter is finally getting it in the home country.

An update with firmware version V12.5.1.0.RKBCNXM is rolling out to select users of the Xiaomi Mi 11 in China. It brings the latest MIUI 12.5 and March 2021 security patch to the device. If you recall, the flagship smartphone debuted in December 2020 but had MIUI 12 based on Android 11 and not the newer 12.5.

However, the company unveiled the incremental MIUI 12.5 at the event and said that Xiaomi Mi 11 would be one of the first ones to get it later in the year. The company then went on to release the Mi 11 and MIUI 12.5 globally.

Besides, Xiaomi unveiled the new members of the Mi 11 series- Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 Ultra yesterday. Unlike the Mi 11, these devices come with MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 out of the box.

Either way, the Mi 11 will get all the goodies of MIUI 12.5 like Design improvements, more Super wallpapers, improved privacy, haptics, MIUI+, uninstallable built-in apps, and more. As for the rollout, since it’s still in the Stable Beta stage, it will be rolled out to a few users as mentioned above. After ensuring that it is void to major bugs the wider rollout will begin.

That said, Mi 11 won’t be the loner to get the latest UI in China as a list of 27 other devices are scheduled in the near future.

Similar to China’s schedule, the Mi 11 devices around the globe are likely to receive the MIUI 12.5 stable update around Q2, 2021. After this, expect the update to trickle down to the older flagships as well.

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Black Shark 4 is available for $459 at AliExpress (Coupon)

By

Daily Deals

-

Mar 30, 2021

Black Shark 4 is now available at a heavily discounted price on AliExpress from 29 March 2021 to 2 April 2021. The gaming smartphone which generally retails at $598 is available for just $459 after the AliExpress anniversary sale discount and using an additional $20 coupon code: BLACKSHARK20

WHERE TO BUY

Black Shark 4 at $459 (after discount)@AliExpress

Black shark 4 unlike its competitors comes with a minimalistic and sleek design but does not compromise on features or functions. The device sports a simple gradient rear panel with a triple camera setup at the top featuring a 48MP main camera and 8MP and 5MP secondary cameras while the front features a 20MP punch-hole selfie camera.

The gaming phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor and comes in two memory variants viz: 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB. The highlight feature of Black Shark 4 lies in its uniquely designed magnetic pop-up triggers which rise when playing a game and retract when not in use. The highly durable physical triggers give you a comfortable push back after each press thereby adding to the fun factor of your gameplay.

A massive 4500mAh battery fuels this gaming smartphone which also supports 120W HyperCharge. This means you get to 100% charge in just 17 minutes. The smartphone which comes with a 6.67” Samsung AMOLED screen uses a new generation E4 luminous material which improves the brightness and brings unprecedented super visual effects. With a record-breaking 720Hz touch sampling rate and a high-quality fully symmetrical stereo system you can be assured to have the best gaming experience on Black Shark 4.

As a part of the 11th AliExpress Anniversary sale, Black Shark Official Store is giving a whopping $20 discount on Black Shark 4 via coupon code: BLACKSHARK20 or by simply using this $20 store coupon. This means you can buy Black Shark 4 which generally retails at $598 at a discounted price of $459 only.

Please note that the above-mentioned price is for the 8GB + 128GB Black / Grey color variant. The product comes with a one-year warranty and Black Shark Official Store’s original guarantee.

For more information on discounts and deals on other Black Shark products, you can visit the Black Shark Official Store at AliExpress. So without wasting any more time grab your discounted Black Shark products before the deal expires on 2 April 2021.

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

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

Oppo A54 launched in Indonesia, with Helio P35 chip and 18W fast charging

By

Sean

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Mar 30, 2021

The Oppo A54 has just been launched in Indonesia. It is the company’s latest mid range smartphones from the A series in the region, which features Helio chip and 18W fast charging.

As per a TeknoKompas report, the Chinese tech giant launched the device as a successor to the A31 model that was launched in February 2021, instead of the A53 that was launched in August of 2020. This was stated by PR Manager Oppo Indonesia Aryo Meidianto, who said that “Oppo A53 is positioning more to replace Oppo A31. The specifications are almost the same, however, it has a number of significant improvements from its predecessor.”

One of these improvements is the punch hole 16 megapixel selfie shooter on the front, which is up from 8 megapixel on the A31. This camera also offers AI Beauty 2.0, which enhances selfie shots. Other changes include the fingerprint scanner that is now mounted at the side of the smartphone. Talking about the specifications, the device sports a 6.51 inch HD+ display on the front, while the rear houses a 13 megapixel triple camera module (2 MP macro sensor and a 2 MP bokeh lens).

Under the hood, the device features the MediaTek Helio P35 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports up to 18W fast charging. Additional features include, IPX4 splash resistance and runs on the Android 10 operating system based ColorOS 7.2 custom skin. The device is available in two color variants, namely Starry Blue and Crystal Black and can be purchased on 1st April 2021 for a price of IDR 2.7 million (roughly 186 US Dollars).

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Xiaomi crowdfunds Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh in India for ₹1,999 ($27)

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 30, 2021

Back in June 2020, Xiaomi launched the Mi Power Bank 3 30000mAh in China. This product has been now introduced in India as Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh. However, customers cannot buy it right away because the company is only crowdfunding it for the time being.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh Specifications and Features

As the name suggests, the newly launched Xiaomi Power Bank in India comes with a 30,000mAh capacity. This battery pack supports up to 18W output and 24W input. Most importantly, it relies on USB PD (Power Delivery) 3.0, and therefore, it is compatible with almost all devices.

The power bank has a total of four ports. They are 2 x USB Type-A (output only), 1 x MicroUSB (input only), and 1 x USB Type-C (input & output). The product comes in a single black color option and features 16-layer protection.

Like all Xiaomi power banks, this one also has low power charging mode for accessories like fitness trackers, smartwatches, TWS, and more. Unfortunately, despite sporting a USB Type-C port, it will ship with a MicroUSB cable.

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Last but not least, the Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh measures 154.5 x 72.3 x 38.9mm in dimensions and weighs 640g.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh Price and Availability

The Xiaomi Mi Power Bank Boost Pro 30000mAh is priced at ₹2,299 ($31) in India. However, it is currently up for crowdfunding for a discounted price tag of ₹1,999 ($27).

The crowdfunding will run for 15 days starting today and the company will start shipping to supporters from May 15. We can expect Xiaomi to start selling it for the regular price after that.

Samsung chip production in Texas is almost at normal levels

By

Sean

-

Mar 30, 2021

Earlier today (30th March 2021), Samsung Electronics stated that the production of chips in the company’s Austin chip plant in Texas, US, has returned to nearly normal levels as of last week.

For those unaware, the South Korean tech giant and other chip makers with production facilities in the region had seen shutdowns due to the cold wave that had hit the area last month. Although, the company declined to comment on when the production levels would be fully back to normal, as per a Reuters report. These disruptions also had an impact on the global chip contract chip manufacturing industry, which is currently struggling against a severe capacity crunch.

At the moment, the world is facing a major shortage in chip supply with various contract chip makers having their production sites running at full capacity. The shortage of semiconductors has affected a number of industries as well, like the automobile industry, with some companies having to stop production entirely due to a lack of chip supply.

Notably, Qualcomm and Samsung logic chips also account for about 65 percent of the monthly production at the latter’s chip plant. Furthermore, the disruption that occurred last month is expected to impact the production of smartphones globally over the period of April and June by about 5 percent. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding the matter.

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Xiaomi unveils an 80W wireless charging stand & a multi-device wireless charging pad

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 30, 2021

Xiaomi has over the years set itself apart as a leading innovative brand when it comes to wireless charging solutions. In January, the tech giant unveiled the Mi Air Charge technology which is a true wire-free charging solution. The company has now unveiled a couple of new wireless charging solutions during the Mi 11 series launch that saw the Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 Lite unveiled.

Back in 2019, the company unveiled a vertical wireless charging stand which was well-received. Along the line, there were complaints that the charging stand can’t be used when the phone is placed horizontally. That issue has now been tackled on this latest model. Not only that, the new Xiaomi wireless charging stand comes with a super-fast 80W charging speed. Unfortunately, there is no smartphone right now with up to 80W wireless charge support. The freshly unveiled Mi 11 Ultra and Mi 11 Pro supports 67W wireless fast charging.

In terms of design, the 80W wireless charging stand adopts a futuristic design style. It features a curved air duct which allows heat to be dissipated more efficiently. This time around, phones can be charged lying vertically and horizontally, thanks to a double coil design. The Mi Wireless Charging Stand also has a dedicated button that allows users to turn on fast charging mode.

In terms of price, the Xiaomi 80W Wireless Charging Stand carries a decent retail price of RMB 499 (~$76) and that is because it is bundled with a 120W charging brick. But if purchased with the Mi 11 Pro, it will be sold for RMB 199 (~$35).

In addition, Xiaomi also released a multi-coil wireless fast charging version that supports simultaneous charging of up to 3 devices, with 19 built-in charging coils. Each of the three devices can be charged at 20W speed which brings the total power rating of the Mi Wireless Charging Pad to 60W.

The Mi Wireless Charging Pad is priced at RMB 599 (~$91). Xiaomi is yet to disclose if the new wireless charging products will be launched globally.

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Acer and Asus to raise the prices of laptops by up to 10% in Q2 2021: Report

By

Sean

-

Mar 30, 2021

Asus and Acer, two major tech giants from Taiwan, have largely benefited from the coronavirus pandemic, which led to an increase in their notebook shipments. But now, these firms might be raising prices for these laptops due to high demand and shortage of supply.

According to a UDN report, the price hike rise is due to the demand still being high, while the supply is still catching up. Furthermore, components suppliers are already facing increasing pressure, leading them to raise the prices of these part. Thus, both Acer and Asus are expected to raise the prices of notebooks in the second quarter of this year. The supply gap is still large, but the increase in prices along with the current demand would benefit both tech giants.

This also implies that their is a wave of price hikes in the electronics industry, which extends from components to end systems and products. As per industry sources, the prices of notebooks adjusts as per the currency fluctuations in certain markets. Meanwhile, the world is also seeing a massive shortage of semiconductors at the moment, which has also led to straining of various supply chains.

Back in 2020, the laptop market saw an explosive growth due to the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted various governments to impose lockdowns. These lockdowns then led to a rising trend of online education and work from home, which required consumers to buy laptops and other large screen products like tablets as well. Acer and Asus have seen one of the strongest annual performance in years, and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future, till supply doesn’t catch up with demand.

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