Alleged specs of the Snapdragon 775 chipset leaked showing a 5nm build

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Mar 6, 2021

Fans of foldable smartphones have something to be excited about, with the release of the Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G. Vertu is well known for its luxury customizations and it has taken that craft to foldable phones.

The Ayxta Fold 5G is merely a customized version of the Royole Flexpai 2. It retains the original design and specs lineup of the Flexpai 2 includng the Snapdragon 865 chip, but sees some changes including a new operating system, leather-covered back cover, and a number of fashionable additions to make the phone a fashion statement. It could well be an important part of the accessories of the fashionista.

But it comes at a high price. The Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G is listed on Jingdong (JD.com) in China for over 45,000 Yuan (about $7,000), which is well on the high end of the spectrum.

This foldable luxury smartphone has the same general specifications at par with a number of quite less expensive models which include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB internal storage, a 7.8 inches display screen, and others. The Vertu Ayxta Fold 5G has a 64 MP main camera and a 32 MP selfie cam.

The justification for the cost of the luxury smartphone may just be because it could serve as a fashion accessory for its users. However, the critical components of the smartphone including an operating system based on Android 10 could be a reason why a few may stay away from having it.

It remains to be seen how the Chinese high-end fashionable segment would react to the entry of the Ayxta Fold 5G into the market.

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India scores massive growth in wearable shipments in 2020, IDC report shows

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Mar 5, 2021

In a clear indication of significant growth, driven by the increasing acceptance of earwear devices and upgrades to watches from wrist bands globally, the Indian smart wearables market has eclipsed its 2019 performance by posting a stronger result for 2020.

These are indeed good times for the wearables market in India, as a recent report from IDC indicated that the segment witnessed an overall estimated growth of about 144% in 2020 from the previous year, 2019. This was due to shipments of over 36 million units abroad.

The IDC report also hinted that earwear device shipments more than tripled from 2019 due mainly to their popular use for virtual meetings and other e-learning processes, and this accounted for a huge chunk (83.6%) of the total. This is equivalent to over 30 million unit shipments in 2020.

The report puts domestic firm BoAt as the top producer of wearables with higher shipments (33.3%), followed by Samsung with 14.5%.

Wristbands experienced a steep decline of 34.3% from 2019, due mainly to the rising popularity of alternative watches. Xiaomi and Realme are the leaders in this segment.

On the other hand, Watches saw a 139.3% growth above the 2019 numbers, with 2.6 million shipments. Noise and Realme are the leaders in the watch segment of the market.

The last quarter recorded the biggest quarterly figures for wearables in India. Overall, an estimated 15.2 million units were shipped in Q4 of 2020, thereby outclassing its 2019 performance by 198.2%. This was the first quarter when shipments of watches exceeded a million units (1.3 million units were shipped).In his outlook review of the Indian wearables market, Jaipal Singh, an executive at IDC India said that the year 2020 saw a fundamental shift in the audio segment from wired to wireless devices, with further development expected along the same line in 2021, as an enhanced audio experience has become the centerpiece for OEMs.

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Realme 8 Pro appears on FCC with a 4500mAh battery and 65W charging support

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Mar 5, 2021

It is also confirmed that Realme has got the Realme 8 and 8 Pro smartphones in the works. The company already shared a couple of teasers which gave us an idea of what to expect on the Realme 7 series successor. The Realme 8 Pro has now appeared on FCC’s website to shed more light on the device.

According to the FCC listing, the Realme 8 Pro 4G, listed as Realme RMX3081, will arrive with a 4500mAh battery as well as 65W fast charging suppport. Earlier on, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth had hinted that the vanilla Realme 8 will pack a bigger 5000mAh battery with 30W Dart Charge. Although the 8 Pro has a smaller battery, it features faster charging which will ensure you don’t stay out of juice for too long.

The 65W charging support shown on the FCC document is consistent with the specs for the company’s SuperDart chargers. Again, the battery configuration is similar to that of last year’s Realme 7 Pro. If we should rely on that, then the device will charge from zero to full charge in just 34 minutes while just 10 minutes charging will deliver up to 43% battery capacity.

Realme recently coonfirmed the camera specification of the Reame 8 Pro 4G and the main highlight is the 108MP Samsung HM2 1/1.52″ primary sensor from last year which will be onboard. The sensor will have support for 9-in-1 pixel binning and ISOCELL Plus. The camera is positioned to output superb images that have well-balanced overall exposure with vivid colors and sharp details in both bright and dark conditions thanks to a new Smart-ISO feature.

The smartphone is also expected to run Realme UI 2.0 out of the box which is based on Android 11 OS. It is also rumoured that the 8 Pro 4G will be powered by a Snapdragon 730G.

We still don’ know when Realme will officially unveil the 8-seires. However, we expect an announcement to that effect soon.

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After Galaxy Buds Live, Samsung Galaxy Buds+ TWS gets the ‘Auto Switching’ via Firmware update

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Mar 5, 2021

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ wireless earbuds is getting a new firmware update. And as Tizenhelp reports, the update adds multiple features of the Galaxy Buds Pro TWS to the yesteryear Buds+.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is getting the update with firmware version R175XXU0AUB3. Weighing about 1.4MB in size, the update brings the following features to the Galaxy Buds+:

Changelog:

Auto Switching
Buds control menu is added to the Bluetooth setting
improved system stability and readability.

As you can see above, the star feature of the changelog is the ‘Auto Switching’. As the name suggests, this feature will enable intelligent switching across devices with respect to the scenarios.

However, do note that it works well only with Galaxy ecosystem products. The Galaxy Buds Pro had this feature at launch and it is appreciable that Samsung is bringing it to the older Galaxy Buds+ wireless earbuds. Also, the feature is said to currently support only the devices running One UI 3.1 version.

This is not the first earbuds that are getting a feature from the latest ones. Recently, Samsung has updated the Galaxy Buds Live and its firmware version is R180XXU0AUB5 and weighs about 2MB.

Coming back, apart from the Auto Switching, the Galaxy Buds+ is also getting a Buds menu control on the Bluetooth settings. As a result of this, users can now control its options right from the settings menu and not wanting to peek at the Galaxy wearable app every time.

It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy Buds+ doesn’t get the hearing aid functionality that the Buds Live got along with the Auto Switching. To delve into these features, you will have to update the Galaxy Buds+ to the latest firmware mentioned above.

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OPPO Find X3 Live image leaked, could start at 5,499 yuan($847) in China

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Mar 5, 2021

There is still a week’s time for the launch of the OPPO Find X3 series but the devices’ specs and features have already been leaked. Now, China starting price and live image of the Find X3 have been leaked.

OPPO Find X3 Pro renders Credit: WinFuture.de/Roland Quandt

As spotted by Abhishek Yadav, two Weibo users have posted the updates(Live image, starting Price) for the OPPO Find X3 series. As you can see below, the Find X3 teaser appears on an e-commerce app, and on the microsite, the Starting price in China is quoted as 5,499 yuan($847).

This when converted, works out to be about €709 euros which is falling in line with the early price leak for Europe. Now, we aren’t sure if this is for the bottom-most Find X3 Neo or the Find X3 / X3 Pro.

This is because the top-of-the-line OPPO Find X3 Pro is expected to start around €1000 in Europe and go all the way up around €1200(€1149 for the 256GB variant). Although, China’s pricing could be competitive, and hence, wait for the official word to know the final prices.

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Moving on, another Weibo user has posted an alleged Live image of the OPPO Find X3 in Blue color. He mentions the device as the Find X3 but the images are similar to the Find X3 Pro whose official renders were revealed by Roland Quandt a few days back.

There are reports that OPPO is said to unveil a Snapdragon 870 powered OPPO Find X3 in China and this could carry the same looks as the Find X3 Pro. In that case, the device is likely to share some specs from the ‘Pro’ variant.

If you aren’t aware of the specs and features of the OPPO Find X3 series, you can read our coverage on the same.

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Razer launches the Anzu smart glasses integrated with truly wireless audio

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Mar 5, 2021

Razer continues to blaze the trail in terms of innovation. The company has just announced its latest smart glasses dubbed Razer Anzu smart glasses. The glasses come integrated with audio speakers just like those of Bose and Amazon.

The Razer Anzu smart glasses are more than just ordinary glasses just like the name suggests even though it performs as an anti-blue light or sunglasses with 99 percent UV protection. The clear glasses offer up to 35 per cent blockage against blue light while the sunglasses protect against Ultraviolet rays as stated.

The Razer Anzu uses a truly wireless design which sees it come with two audio speakers that are independent of each other and don’t need to be connected to each other. The design allows for improved comfort and flexibility. Interestingly, you will have to charge both temples at the same time. Razer included pogo pins on each of the temples.

Razer is also partnering with Lensabl to give a 15 percent discount to Anzu buyers who would want to use the frame for their prescription lenses. Each of the speakers is fitted with a 16mm driver. The temples each come with touch-responsive tap gestures controls on either temple that will let you change tracks, answer calls, or activate a voice assistant. The Anzu glasses carry an IPX4 water resistance rating which means they can handle splashes but not heavy rainfall. Razer says it has cut Bluetooth latency down to 60ms.

The Anzu glasses come with a Bluetooth latency of 60ms and automatically power down when folded shut. This is a power-saving feature and when it is opened again, it pairs with the last device. The battery supports up to five hours of continuous playback and the sound is loud as well. It also comes with a leatherette case that is equipped with a magnetic latch and flap for storing the charging cable or extra lenses.

The Anzu smart glasses carry a price tag of $199.99 and available in rectangular and round frames. It is up for grabs from Razer.com and physical RazerStore locations.

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Super Deal: Buy Alfawise Sonic Electric Toothbrush for $16.99 (Additional $1 Coupon)

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Daily Deals

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Mar 5, 2021

Gearbest is giving out Alfawise SG – 949 Sonic electric toothbrush for $16.99 with an additional $1 discount via coupon code: GBSG9490508 (Original Price $19.88).

WHERE TO BUY

Alfawise SG Sonic Toothbrush at $16.99 @ Gearbest

Alfawise Electric Sonic toothbrush brings you a unique and innovative brushing experience. This advanced sonic toothbrush comes with a vibration frequency of 4000 sonic strokes per minute and a 2-minute smart timer. The mini head made with high-quality DuPont nylon bristles helps to clean the hard-to-reach areas and 5 optional brushing modes like white, clean, polish, massage, etc help to meet your different dental care needs.

The electric toothbrush comes with a simple USB interface charging and can last up to 25 days with one single charge. The light and compact design make it easy to carry in your pouch or travel case.

Alfawise SG – 949 Sonic electric toothbrush which usually retails at $19.88 is now available for $16.99 at Gearbest. Also, an additional $1 discount can be availed by using the coupon code: GBSG9490508. The abovementioned offers are for shipments from the CN warehouse and additional delivery charges may be applicable for the same.

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

Indian Telecom giant Reliance Jio prepping an affordable laptop ‘JioBook’ for the masses: Report

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Mar 5, 2021

Reliance Jio is working on a number of products in addition to strengthening its network in India. Apart from working on a budget smartphone in partnership with Google, it is reportedly prepping an Android laptop for the masses.

In an exclusive report, XDADevelopers say that Reliance Jio is working on a laptop with cellular connectivity. Apparently, it could launch as the JioBook and run Google’s Android OS. Jio’s partnership with Google goes a long way from 2020 and beyond. The Alphabet-owned company has already invested in the Jio Platforms Ltd for a 7.73% equity stake.

Additionally, it is working with the Jio to develop a $50 Android smartphone for the Indian market. Coming back, according to evidences found on an early firmware, the OS on the JioBook may be called JioOS.

Unlike early talks, the laptop’s CPU seems to be based on ARM-platform and the current prototype is said to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset. The development for this seems to have begun in Sep. 2020 and Jio is partnering with China’s Bluebank Communication technology.

And talking about the EVT design shown above, although the test version has a keyboard with a ‘Windows’ function key, it could get replaced in the final version. This is because the Snapdragon 665 isn’t on the list of “Windows 10 on ARM” supported Qualcomm chipsets.

Reliance Jio’s ‘JioBook’ Laptop – Specs(Expected)

Talking about cellular connectivity, the Snapdragon X12 modem on the Snapdragon 665 could help Jio spread the ‘always-connected’ 4G LTE tagline and sell the laptops & expand its network more.

As for specs, the product, which is currently in the EVT stage(Engineering Validation Test), reportedly has a display with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels(HD-display), 2GB/4GB LPDDR4x RAM, and 32GB eMMC and 64GB eMMC 5.1 storage.

The company seems to be opting for the cheaper components like Samsung‘s combined mobile DRAM and NAND chips. This could be a step to price the laptop very low and make it affordable for everyone.

Either way, other possible specs include HDMI port, Qualcomm audio chip(could be for 3.5mm audio/mic & speaker), 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3-axis accelerometer.

JioBook Software

As mentioned above, the firmware reveals that the JioBook test version ran a version of Android 10 OS. Also, to cut down the cost of licensing, the JioBook might skip pre-installing the Google Apps but will likely be loaded with JioStore, JioMeet, JioPages, and more.

The report says that evidences of Microsoft apps like Microsoft Teams, Edge, and Office were also spotted on the test version. This suggests that Jio might be targeting the productivity and business segment too.

Talking about the launch, the EVT is said to transition into the PVT(Production Validation Test) by April and the JioBook laptop will likely be unveiled in India in May. In that case, we are sure to get more details in the coming months.

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Samsung Galaxy A71 is being directly updated to One UI 3.1 (Android 11) from One UI 2.5

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 5, 2021

The Galaxy A71 was one of the best-selling Samsung smartphones in 2021. It debuted with One UI 2.0 based on Android 10. Being a popular device, it got almost all the new features from the company throughout last year with numerous software updates. Now, the handset has even started receiving the Android 11-based One UI 3.1 update.

Samsung has been delivering stable One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update for eligible devices worldwide since December 2020. In fact, the company has been pushing the update well ahead of schedule for multiple devices.

However, the Galaxy A71 did not get this update when its sibling Galaxy A51 began to receive it. Now, as the South Korean tech giant has started seeing One UI 3.1 minor update (debuted on the Galaxy S21 series) to its portfolio, the Galaxy A71 is being updated to this version directly from One UI 2.5, just like the Galaxy Tab S6.

The One UI 3.1 update for the Galaxy A71 is currently live in Poland, as per SamMobile. The software build for this region comes with firmware A715FXXU3BUB5 and February 2021 security patches. The OTA update weighs around 2.7GB.

That said, we expect the firm to extend the availability of this update to more regions in the coming days. If you own this device, then head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install to check whether your device has received the update.

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ASUS ROG Phone 5 sets a new record in Master Lu benchmarks

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Mar 5, 2021

ASUS ROG Phone 5 is set to launch in China and other Global markets on March 10. It has already appeared in several leaks including benchmarking sites like Geekbench. Today the device has appeared on the Master Lu benchmarking platform.

Master Lu, in a Weibo post, has shared the benchmarking results of an ASUS device with model number “ASUS_I005DB”. We already know that the device is the ASUS ROG Phone 5 thanks to the previous leaks. Anyway, the results show that the device scores an overall 947,284 points.

And as the post says, this has got to be the best overall Master Lu score for a smartphone yet. Thanks to a true 18GB RAM, the device scores an exceptional 133,998 points in the memory segment. The other overall scores in categories like CPU, GPU, storage are 321,064, 351,767, and 140,455 respectively.

With this benchmark, we also get a glimpse of the specs coming on the ROG Phone 5. The device in testing has a 2.84GHz Snapdragon 888 running the show, a display resolution of 2448×1080 pixels, and 18GB of RAM that we already saw in a Geekbench.

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Speaking of which, the ROG Phone 5 is said to flaunt a 6.78-inch OLED screen. And looking at the benchmark result, we can expect it to be a FHD+ screen. The predecessor had a 144Hz refresh rate but let’s wait and see if ASUS brings upgrades to this like what Nubia did yesterday(Mar 4.).

An exclusive DXOMARK audio review has already revealed that the ROG Phone 5 will have a 3.5mm audio jack, Dual-Front facing speakers with Dirac tuning technology. Other specs of the will likely include Dot-Matrix LED on the rear panel, a 6,000mAh battery with 65W rapid charging.

There is a chance that ASUS might bring a more affordable version(without Dot-Matrix) to certain markets but we will have to wait for the confirmation.

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OnePlus India is offering discounts on Buds, Buds Z, and Power Bank for a limited time

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 5, 2021

Last month, OnePlus India was selling a special bundle called OnePlus Band Power Music Bundle for a limited time. It was part of the company’s OnePlus Friday offers. A couple of weeks later, the brand is now offering discounts on select products, starting today (March 5) to the coming Monday (March 8).

OnePlus India is calling the new sale ‘The Final Horizon Sale’. The company has discounted some of its products to promote its upcoming event scheduled for March 8. The brand is expected to officially announce its partnership with the iconic Swedish camera maker Hasselblad for the OnePlus 9 series.

Anyway, coming to the deals, the firm has discounted the OnePlus Power Bank, OnePlus Buds, and OnePlus Buds Z respectively. They are on sale for the following price tags on the company’s official website.

Product	Selling Price	Discount	Sale Price
OnePlus Power Bank	₹1,099	₹211	₹888
OnePlus Buds	₹4,990	₹499	₹4,491
OnePlus Buds Z	₹2,999	₹150	₹2,849

As you can notice from the table above, OnePlus seems to be teasing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC with the sale price of OnePlus Power Bank. We could not decipher the other hints. Or maybe, ₹888 could be a coincidence.

That said, as mentioned in the beginning, these products will be sold at discounted prices only until March 8. So make sure to make use of this deal if you were planning to buy any of them.

Porsche unveils its first pair of electric bikes but the prices will rip your pockets

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Mar 5, 2021

German carmaker Porsche unveiled its latest electric vehicle – the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo yesterday. The company also took the wraps off two full-suspension electric bikes. The bikes which will start selling this spring are the brand’s first electric bicycles.

The e-bikes are dubbed Porsche Sport and Porsche Cross electric bikes, designed for different usage scenarios. While the Porsche Sport is a regular road bike for everyday use, while the Cross is an off-road bike.

in terms of the design, the Porsche Sport e-bike comes with a full-suspension carbon fiber frame and weighs less than 48 pounds. It is also has integrated front and rear lights while it is driven by a Shimano mid-drive motor. The Sport comes with a hefty price tag of about $10,700.

On its part, the off-roading adventure-designed Porsche Cross also packs a Shimano mid-drive and a carbon fiber frame. It also comes with full suspension which allows a comfortable drive even on a bumpy road. For braking, the Cross comes with a Magura-MT Trail hydraulic disc brakes that are extra-large and “heat resistant.” The bike is slightly heavier at 48.7 pounds and carries a price tag of $8,549.

The two bikes utilize the Shimano EP8 motor which is smaller than previous versions but provides up to 25 km/h of pedal-assisted support. Both bikes will be up for grabs from spring 2021.

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China to raise annual R&D investment by 7% every year as per new 5 year plan

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Mar 5, 2021

China is planning on increasing its investment into its annual research and development by 7 percent every year, over the course of a five year period. The government made the announcement last week, in its report from the Fourth Session of the 13th Nationa People’s Congress.

According to a Reuters report, the Chinese government will be increasing its spending on basic research by 10.6 percent this year alone. The surge in investment also showcases the nation’s commitment to further advance its tech sector, which arrives due to the various clashes between China and the US, and other nations as well, over technology policies. The local government also highlighted that it will focus on seven ey segments in its five year plan.

These areas include, ‘next-generation artificial intelligence, quantum information, brain science, semiconductors, genetic research and biotechnology, clinical medicine and health, and deep space, deep sea, and polar exploration.’ Furthermore, it further added that it would also seek to establish more national laboratories to research quantum information and artificial intelligence as well. Additionally, the government will be encouraging companies to open up data in areas ranging from search, e-commerce, along with social media as well, to support third party data services.

It would also focus on improving its channels for domestic companies going public. On the other hand, the government would be supporting foreign funded companies to set up their own research and development centers in China as well. A few other areas it seeks to expand on are the electric vehicle sector and 5G networking. The nation is aiming to achieve 56 percent 5G penetration within the next five years.

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Vivo X60 series and Vision+ initiative confirmed to arrive in India in March, Key specs leaked

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Mar 5, 2021

The Vivo X60 series of devices had received India’s BIS certifications indicating an imminent launch. Today, Vivo India Director of Brand Strategy Nipun Marya has confirmed its arrival in India.

vivo X60 and vivo X60 Pro Featured 01 — Credit: Vivo

In a virtual press briefing, Nipun said(via Gadgets360) that the Vivo X60 series will launch in India this month. However, he hasn’t reportedly given clarity regarding the devices in the series. In addition to the Vivo X60 series, the company will also bring the Vivo Vision+ initiative to India.

Vivo Vision+ initiative and RGBW camera phone

This initiative, introduced back in September 2020, is for promoting the culture of mobile photography. Through this, the company will gather photography enthusiasts via Vision+ Mobile Photography Academy, conduct photography awards. It is also said to include the Master Class, and the Vivo Vision+ Photographer Federation.

Anyway, the initiative will start at the Vivo X60 series event so let’s wait for the launch to know more details on it. Moving on, the company has also said that it is bringing the RGBW camera sensor into mass production(in a smartphone) in H2 2021. If you recall, Vivo unveiled it in September 2020.

RGBW stands for Red, Green, Blue, White(filter), and the stack is based on the 4-in-1 Quad-Bayer to provide more pixel area. Here, the added White filter is supposed to increase the sensitivity by 160% as it acts as a transparent filter to allow light through.

In a world of traditional RGB camera sensors, this RGBW will add an extra ‘W’hite filter array to the arrangement, and using advanced algorithms, it is claimed to solve issues like color casting.

Vivo X60 series India: Specs

Also, regarding the Vivo X60 series, Digit India, through exclusive insider info, says that the Vivo X60 series will include Vivo X60, X60 Pro, and X60 Pro+ in India. It further says that the X60, X60 Pro will feature Snapdragon 870 chipset while the X60 Pro+ will retain the Snapdragon 888 from China.

If you recall, except the X60 Pro+, the other two devices featured Exynos 1080 chipset in China. This info is in line with recent evidences of the devices appearing online. Apart from chipsets, the Indian variants should retain the other specs from China.

To know about them, you can read our coverage on the Vivo X60, X60 Pro, and Vivo X60 Pro+ China launch.

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OPPO was China’s largest smartphone brand for the first time in January 2021

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 5, 2021

With HUAWEI’s decline, fellow Chinese OEMs have been trying their best to fill the void left by the once world’s largest smartphone maker. In fact, OPPO succeeded to become China’s largest smartphone brand for the first time since its inception in January 2021.

OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G

According to Counterpoint Research, OPPO’s market share in China stood at 21% in January 2021. The company was closely followed by vivo at 20%. Whereas, other top brands like HUAWEI, Apple, and Xiaomi had a 16% market share each.

As per Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse Service, sales of OPPO smartphones grew 33% MoM (month-on-month) and 26% YoY (year-on-year) in January 2021. The OEM was also the largest 5G smartphone brand in the sub-$600 segment and second-largest as a whole.

OPPO was able to pull this because of HUAWEI’s steady decline. Both HUAWEI and HONOR have been continuously losing their market share due to the shortage of 5G smartphone components on account of the US sanctions.

OPPO’s success comes from the strong sales of the OPPO Reno5 series, which includes OPPO Reno5, OPPO Reno5 Pro, and OPPO Reno5 Pro+. The latest-gen Reno series was introduced at 10% cheaper, compared to its predecessor.

Source: Counterpoint Research

That’s not all, the OPPO A72 5G has been the best-selling 5G smartphone in its price segment since November 2020. Nearly one-third of the 5G handsets sold in China cost less than $300. Both the OPPO Reno and A series helped the company gain market share from HUAWEI’s nova and Enjoy series.

More than 65% of the handset sold in China in Q4 2020 were 5G-enabled. But HUAWEI and HONOR could not meet the demand, As a result, distributors in the country have now turned towards brands like OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi. The former two now rule the offline channels while the latter is seeing growth across online channels.

Ever since HUAWEI sold HONOR, its market share even shrank further. The company is now only focused on selling premium phones with higher margins.

HUAWEI had more than 10,000 retail and experience stores across its home country at its peak. But that number has been now dwindling since Q4 2020. Competitors are expected to benefit more from the company’s further decline in 2021.

Oppo Smart Tag design revealed in patent images before its launch

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Mar 5, 2021

Back in January 2021, we had reported that Oppo was working on its own Bluetooth Smart Tag device. Now, the design of this smart tag has been revealed in patent images prior to its official launch.

The Smart Tag from the Chinese tech giant will be functionally similar to the Galaxy SmartTag from Samsung, which was announced along with the Galaxy S21 series. So, it was also assumed at the time that we might see Oppo’s iteration of this device being launched alongside the Find X3 series. Now, the Smart Tag from the company has been spotted in a recent patent filing with China’s CNIPA, as per a 91Mobiles report. The patent carries a number of images that are a bit different from the ones spotted earlier this year.

The Oppo Smart Tag appears to be flatter than and a bit larger than before. It features a rectangular design with rounded edges. In the middle, a circular design with the smartphone maker’s branding can be observed. Notably, the patent does not reveal any seam or hole that will allow one to attach the device to a personal item. For those unaware, smart tags are essentially small Bluetooth enabled devices that help locate certain items and objects, which they are attached to.

In other words, it helps find items like keys or a bag if they are lost but still connected to your smartphone. Unfortunately, it is unclear if this is the final design the company would opt for. So, we will have to wait for the official announcement, which will arrive when the Find X3 series launches on the 11th of March 2021. So stay tuned.

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Xiaomi patents a foldable smartphone, may be part of the Mi MIX Series

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Mar 5, 2021

Xiaomi has recently applied for a new patent. This patent is for a new foldable smartphone, which will be part of the Mi MIX series. The patent was spotted on the QCC app and could be for the Mi MIX 4 Pro Max or the Mi MIX Fold.

The report arrives from a post on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, which shared the information of the new patent along with a few of its supposed specifications. Notably, the upcoming device would be the Chinese tech giant’s first foldable smartphone. Unfortunately, the actual name of the device is currently unknown. Meaning, we don’t know whether the foldable device will be the Mi MIX 4 Pro Max, as we had reported earlier, or the Mi MIX Fold as stated in the Weibo post.

The social media post also stated that the foldable device will feature dual displays and will feature the flagship grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, paired with a 7 inch folding display with a high refresh rate of 120Hz. On the rear, the primary camera sensor will be a 108 megapixel shooter. Under the hood, a large 5,000mAh battery pack will reportedly power the device, which will also support 67W fast charging as well.

It is unknown if wireless charging will also be included, but it the Weibo blogger also added that the device will be released sometime after April of this year. Keep in mind, this is still an unconfirmed report and the company has yet to make any official announcement regarding the matter. So take this report with a pinch of salt and stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available.

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Redmi K40 & K40 Pro Damascus Black Hands On: 2021’s Flagship Killer Duo

By

Paco Zheng

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Mar 5, 2021

In the past couple of years, Redmi’s K-series has been one of the most exciting flagship lineups in the market. The series practically took over the position of the flagship killer from OnePlus and has been consistently offering extremely value-for-money flagship devices.

This year’s been no different with the new Redmi K40 and the K40 Pro bringing in top-notch specifications at fraction of the price of its competitors.

We’ve finally got both the Redmi K40 models in our office, so let’s take a quick look at the design and specs of the Redmi K40 and K40 Pro in this hands-on.

Redmi K40 & K40 Pro Hands-On: First Impressions

The Redmi K40 and the K40 Pro share almost the same design and I think personally, this is the first time I’m intrigued by the appearance of the K-series. Traditionally, Redmi’s K-series flagships have focused on excellent value for money without a special focus on appearance. But this time, both the Redmi K40 and the K40 Pro come with a premium-looking design. Even the camera module looks very refined and I personally find this camera setup at the back better looking than the Xiaomi Mi 11.

Redmi K40 Pro Damascus Black Featured — Redmi K40 Pro

Another highlight of the design is its weight and thickness. Despite featuring a 4500mAh battery, both the models are relatively thin and lightweight. They both feature the same 7.8mm thickness and 196-gram weight. This is a huge upgrade from the Redmi K30 Pro from 2020 which weighed 218 grams and was 8.9mm thick.

I would also like to add that the Damascus Black edition of the Redmi K40 Pro looks unique and interesting. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of fans for this particular color of the model.

Coming to the front, the punch-hole camera on the top of the display is surprisingly small. It measures just 2.76mm which makes it among the smallest punch-hole cameras on a smartphone. The flat display also feels good, with zero miss touches and it can present full-display content better than a curved screen.

The E4 6.67-inch Super AMOLED panel also has wonderful details and color contrast. However, unsurprisingly, it’s not as good as the 2K display on the Xiaomi Mi 11 (Our Review Here). The display also features an ‘Adapative Color’ option which adapts according to the surrounding light and presents a more comfortable screen experience for your eyes.

A surprising move in the Redmi K40 series is the inclusion of a physical fingerprint sensor on the side, integrated into the home button. The company has carried forward this design on the Redmi Note 10 series as well.

And there’s a reason why this change makes sense. In our experience, this side-mounted fingerprint sensor was super fast. It’s faster than most under-display fingerprint sensors in the market. And since the sensor is on the side, it doesn’t come in between the overall premium design of the device. It looks no different than a regular power button on the side.

The stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos also sounded great in our initial use.

As for the cameras, you get a triple camera setup on both models. However, the Pro version gets a 64MP primary sensor while the standard version gets a 48MP shooter. Both of them share the same 8MP ultrawide and 5MP Macro shooters.

Redmi K40 vs K40 Pro Hands-On: Key Differences

Chipset: Snapdragon 870 vs Snapdragon 888
Main camera: IMX582 48MP vs IMX686 64MP
RAM: LPDDR5 5500mbps vs LPDDR5 6400mbps
5G: dual-sim card with single 5G standby vs dual-sim-card with dual 5G standby

Overall, the Redmi K40 and the K40 Pro bring a premium experience at an affordable price point. Our review videos of both the K-series models will be up in a few days, so stay tuned to that.

WHERE TO BUY

Redmi K40 at $399 (8GB RAM) @ Giztop

Redmi K40 Pro at $699 (12GB RAM) @ Giztop

Meanwhile, if you have any specific questions, feel free to post them down below. We’ll try to answer them in the review.

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