A few weeks ago, Xiaomi had launched the Mi Router AX6000 in its home country which comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Enhanced wireless technology. Soon after its announcement, the device went on sale in China for 599 yuan, about $93.
Now, the company has started rolling out its first firmware update which brings improved system stability as well as a fix for the mesh networking. This new update is currently being rolled out to users.
The Wi-Fi 6 Enhanced version has been upgraded to 4096QAM encoding technology. The technology can increase frequency utilization so that each data packet can contain more data, which can greatly increase the transmission rate. When compared to the previous generation, the throughput has increased by 20 percent.
The Xiaomi Mi Router AX6000 has a wireless rate of 6000 megabytes — the highest rate in the current Xiaomi router series. It also supports 4K QAM and 2500M full-speed network port and other technologies and configurations, claiming to bring a speed experience different from previous Wi-Fi 6 routers.
Thanks to Wi-Fi 6 Enhanced technology, it supports 4×4 160MHz bandwidth. Compared with the current mainstream WiFi 6 4×4 80MHz bandwidth, the bandwidth of this current version is doubled and also offers multi-device connectivity.
Powered by a Qualcomm chipset, the device comes with 512MB of RAM and supports simultaneous access of 248 devices. The Mi Router AX6000 has six independent signal amplifiers and Xiaomi Mesh networking, helping the device cope with various complex house types and achieve full house coverage without dead ends.
In February 2020, POCO launched POCO X2 as its first product after becoming an independent brand. Its successors POCO X3 NFC and POCO X3 were later unveiled in September. Now, four months later, a new device called POCO X3 Pro has been certified by FCC.
POCO X3 NFC
Though this is the first time we are hearing about POCO X3 Pro, we think the Indian head of POCO had already teased this phone a few days back.
In a recent AMA session with Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings), Anuj Sharma, the Country Director of POCO India confirmed that the POCO F2 will not have a Snapdragon 732G chipset. At the same time, he also revealed that there will be another model bridging the gap between POCO X and POCO F series.
We think this smartphone could be the upcoming POCO X3 Pro. Interestingly, this handset had already cleared other certifications like IMDA, EEC, and TÜV Rheinland with model number M2102J20SG. But we have learned about its branding only now, thanks to FCC.
According to these certifications, the forthcoming POCO device will come with 4G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, and will run MIUI 12 operating system. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about this phone.
Anyway, we expect to learn more about the POCO X3 Pro before its official announcement in the coming days. As of now, we can only assume it to debut with an aggressive price like any other POCO-branded smartphones that have launched so far.
Smartphone makers like Samsung and Huawei have launched their foldable smartphones and the devices are already in their second-generation. With each iteration, the companies are trying to eliminate the crease visibility from the devices.
It seems that the Chinese giant has come up with something new that allows the company to get rid of the crease from the foldable smartphones, and thus all the issues that arise from the crease.
Huawei Mate X2 Render
Huawei’s new patent for foldable smartphones that removes the crease from the device has now surfaced online. It basically sheds light on three components — the first foldable entity, the second foldable entity, and a mechanism that connects both of them together.
It is indicated that by optimizing the connection method for each component, the company can prevent the screen from being stretched or squeezed during the folding process. It adds that pressure can effectively reduce the crease problem.
We expect to see a device using a similar technology with the company’s upcoming foldable smartphone, which is likely to be the Huawei Mate X2. The smartphone has already passed the network certification process and thus, should get launched soon.
Smartphone companies are now experimenting with new design and form factors for foldable smartphones and it will be interesting to see what Huawei has in store for its second-generation device. A few other companies are also expected to launch their own foldable smartphone later this year, including Xiaomi and OPPO.
Xiaomi recently launched the Mi 11 flagship smartphone as a successor to the company’s Mi 10 lineup of last year which includes several models. Now, the company has shared an interesting detail about the adaptation of Mi 10 smartphones.
As per the company, the users of the Mi 6 smartphone launched in 2017 were among the first to upgrade their devices to the Mi 10. This is an interesting share from the company as it hints at Xiaomi flaunting about the device’s lifecycle.
The company is implying that the users didn’t feel the need to upgrade their Mi 6 smartphone for about three years until the Mi 10 series launched. Within that timeframe, Xiaomi had launched Mi 8 and Mi 9 series in the market.
As for the specifications, the Xiaomi Mi 10 features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ S-AMOLED 3D display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 90Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 on top. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC.
The device shipped with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 storage but lacks support for microSD card slot. It features a 108-megapixel ultra-clear primary sensor, a 13-megapixel superwide lens, a 2-megapixel depth assist lens, and a 2-megapixel macro lens.
On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel snapper for taking selfies. It runs the MIUI custom user interface based on Android 10 operating system and is powered by a 4,780mAh battery with Quick Charge 4+ and USB-PD 3.0 supprot.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition went official in India back in October as the most affordable Galaxy S20 series smartphone. The Exynos 990 chipset powered phone carried support for 4G connectivity. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has approved a new Samsung phone with SM-G781B/DS model number. A product page of the same device has appeared on Samsung India’s website (via. Pricebaba). The model number suggests that it could be the 5G version of the Galaxy S20 FE.
It is known that the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 4G edition has an SM-G780 model number whereas the SM-G781 model number belongs to its 5G sibling. India received the Exynos 990 powered variant of the device, while some other markets like the U.S. received the 5G-ready Snapdragon 865 SoC powered variant.
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Samsung-Galaxy-S20-FE-5G-BIS
Samsung-Galaxy-S20-FE-5G-India-support-page
The BIS listing of the Galaxy S20 FE and the appearance of its support page on the official website suggests it could be coming soon to India. Samsung is known for skipping Snapdragon chipset versions of its high-end phones in India. Hence, it remains to be seen whether the country receives the Galaxy S20 FE 5G with SD865 onboard. The 4G and 5G editions of the Galaxy S20 FE have the same specs and they only differ in the chipset department.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G specifications
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G has a 6.5-inch S-AMOLED FHD+ display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a 32-megapixel front camera and a 12-megapixel (main, with OIS) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide, with OIS) + 12-megapixel (telephoto) triple camera system.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G’s color variants for China
The Galaxy S20 FE 5G has up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, and a microSD card slot. It comes with other features like an in-screen fingerprint reader, a 4,500mAh battery, 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The 4G variant of the phone is selling for Rs 49,999 (~$686)
In December 2020, HiSense, the company known for making TVs, announced the A7 5G smartphone as the world’s first smartphone featuring an e-ink display with 5G connectivity support, and just a few days ago, the company started taking pre-orders for the A7 CC — a variant which features a color screen.
Now, the HiSense A7 5G is officially available for purchase in the Chinese market, for a price of 2,399 yuan which roughly converts to $371. The phone is similar to the A7 5G except that it comes with a color e-ink screen instead of a monochrome panel.
It features a 6.7-inch E-ink display but with an RGB pixel arrangement but with a pixel density of just 100 pixels per inch. Under the hood, the device is powered by a UNISOC Tiger T7510 chipset with support for 5G connectivity. This silicon is paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.
Other features include a 3.5mm headphone jack with AK4377AECB audio DAC for Hi-Res Audio, single front and rear cameras, fingerprint sensor, an additional programmable key on the left side, super-linear speaker, different lock screens, several tweaks related to the E-ink display, and a refined UI based on Android 10.
There’s a single rear-facing camera with an LED flash on the back. It also comes with a front-facing camera with support for AI face unlock. The device is backed by a 4,770mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.
OPPO announced the Reno5 Pro 5G in India last month. It debuted as the country’s first phone featuring a Dimensity 5G chip by MediaTek. The Reno5 Pro 5G with Dimensity 1000+ 5G went on sale in India on Jan. 22. OPPO revealed that the smartphone has met with stupendous response from the audience as it registered 91 percent better sales than the predecessor Reno4 Pro.
In a statement, the company said, “In the launch week of its first sale, Reno5 Pro 5G has witnessed 91 percent growth across platforms. The device has surpassed sales of its earlier predecessor on the e-commerce platform and grew by 148 percent. Delhi, Odisha, Kolkata, and Bihar have been the top-performing states with the highest sales volume of the product.”
OPPO India Chief Marketing Officer Damyant Khanoria said, “With each generation of the Reno Series, we have experienced unprecedented growth. In the third quarter of 2020, it grew 50 percent and the Reno5 Pro 5G has broken all records with 91 percent growth in the launch week.”
In India, the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G is available in two color options as Starry Black and Astral Blue. The latter has been the most preferred color variant as it accounted for 63 percent of the entire sales.
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G specifications and price
The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G has a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Full HD+ resolution, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and a punch-hole design. It comes with 8 GB of LPPDR4x RAM and 128 GB of storage.
The Reno5 Pro has a 64-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (mono) quad-camera system. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera. The Dimensity 1000+ SoC powered phone has a 4,350mAh battery that is coupled with 65W fast charging technology. It is available for Rs 35,999 (~$494) in India.
At the end of the previous month, the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G smartphone with model number CPH2207 was spotted at certification platforms like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Bluetooth SIG. Now, the smartphone has appeared in the database of Global Certification Forums (GCF), which indicates that its global launch could be close at hand.
In December, OPPO announced the Reno5 5G and Reno5 Pro 5G phones in China. Later in the same month, the company held a dedicated unveil event to announce the more advanced Reno5 Pro+ 5G. It was speculated at that time that the smartphone will remain exclusive to the Chinese markets. However, recent certifications suggest that it could be coming soon to the different markets outside China.
While GCF certification has not revealed any details on the specs of the CPH2207. Its FCC appearance had revealed a few pieces of information such as a 4,450mAh rated battery, 65W fast charging, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and 5G support. It is likely that the global edition of the Reno5 5G could be coming with identical specs as its Chinese version.
OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G specifications
The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G has a 6.55-inch curved AMOLED screen with a punch-hole design. The 90Hz refresh rate supporting screen offers an FHD+ resolution. The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform powers the device with 12 GB of LPPDR5 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G
It has a front camera of 32-megapixel and its rear-mounted camera housing has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 lens, a 16-megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 13-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. It has a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast charging support. It also features an in-screen fingerprint reader.
Last month, Vivo announced the Vivo Y31s 5G smartphone in China. The handset debuted as the world’s first 5G phone powered by the all-new Snapdragon 480. Yesterday, a listing of the phone was found in the Google Play Console by TTechnical YouTuber. The listing suggests that the smartphone could be arriving soon in the global markets.
The Vivo Y31s 5G’s Google Play Console listing reveals that it has a waterdrop notch display that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels and 480ppi pixel density. The Snapdragon 480 powered phone is equipped with 6 GB of RAM and Android 11 OS. At present, it is unclear which markets will be treated with the Vivo Y31s 5G phone.
[EXCLUSIVE] Vivo V2054A (Y31s) listed on Google Playconsole. Global launch very soon…
Specifications: -Water drop notch FHD+ display -Snapdragon 480 5G Soc -6GB RAM -Android 11 based Funtouch Os 11 pic.twitter.com/S7TOhRi5ZM
— தமிழன் டெக்கினிக்கல் (Tamilan Techinical) (@TTechinical) January 31, 2021
Vivo Y31s 5G specifications
The Vivo Y31s 5G is available in China with a price tag of 1,698 Yuan for the sole version that has 6 GB of LPDD4Rx RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. It is fitted with a 6.58-inch IPS LCD screen that offers a refresh rate of 90Hz.
For snapping selfies, the Vivo Y31s 5G has a front camera of 8-megapixel. The rear-mounted camera module has a 13-megapixel primary shooter, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and an LED flash. The handset houses a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Vivo Y31s 5G has 164.15 × 75.35 × 8.40mm and it weighs 185.5 grams. It is available in China in colors like Monet, Titanium Gray, and Ruby Red.
In related news, Vivo is gearing up to launch its first Dimensity 820 powered smartphone called Vivo S7t 5G in China. Apart from featuring a new chipset, it is expected to include the same specs as last year’s Vivo S7 5G (aka Vivo V20 Pro in global markets) that came with Snapdragon 765G chip.
Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi is expected to announce the Redmi K40 series of smartphones later this month in China. The lineup is likely to include an upper mid-range phone called the Redmi K40 and a flagship model named Redmi K40 Pro. Today, a reliable tipster from China took to Weibo to reveal key specs of an upcoming mid-range phone from Xiaomi for China. The tipster did not reveal the name of the device. Hence, it is unclear whether it is the Redmi K40 or a Xiaomi Mi 11 series smartphone.
Last month, a clue of a mysterious Xiaomi phone powered by the upcoming sm7350 chipset by Qualcomm was found in Xiaomi Mi 11’s MIUI source code. The final product name of the device is not known. However, it is believed that this chipset could be debuting in the market with Snapdragon 775G moniker in Q1 2021. It appears that the tipster has shed more information on this mysterious Xiaomi phone.
It is speculated that the Snapdragon 775G is a 5nm chipset with Cortex-A78 architecture. It was revealed by the same tipster that a prototype test had revealed that the SoC could score around 530,000 on AnTuTu benchmarks. The chipset is said to carry support for up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and a 120Hz refresh rate display.
The new leak reveals that the upcoming Xiaomi/Redmi phone has an OLED panel with a single punch-hole design. It is said to be equipped with a 64-megapixel primary camera and it is likely to carry support for 5x zoom. The tipster also revealed that it carries fast charging capabilities. Hopefully, newer reports will reveal the identity of this device.
Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy A72 smartphone this month. Reports have revealed that it could be available in 5G and 4G flavors depending on the market. Last month, the Galaxy A72 4G was spotted certification platforms like the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It also appeared on the Geekbench benchmarking platform. The support page of the phone is now live on Samsung Russia and Samsung Caribbean. Now, the handset has appeared with its SM-A725M/DS model number at the ANATEL Brazilian certification site. It has revealed the battery capacity and fast charging capabilities of the Galaxy A72 4G.
The Samsung Galaxy A72 4G’s ANATEL listing reveals that it will be arriving with a battery that has a model number EB-A426ABY. Its charger is mentioned with EP-TA800B model number in the listing. The TUV certification has revealed that both model numbers belong to a 5,000mAh battery and a 25W charger. In comparison, the predecessor Galaxy A71 was equipped with a smaller 4,500mAh battery and a 25W charger.
So far, the rumor mill has revealed that the Galaxy A72 4G will be driven by the Snapdragon 720G chipset and 8 GB of RAM. It is expected to come preinstalled with One UI 3.0 based Android 11 OS. The smartphone is expected to house a 6.7-inch S-AMOLED display with Infinity-O punch-hole design. The FHD+ display is expected to come equipped with an in-screen fingerprint reader.
Samsung Galaxy A72 5G’s leaked render by Evan Blass
There is no word on the front camera of the Galaxy A72 4G. Its rear camera system is expected to include an OIS assisted 64-megapixel primary camera, a 12-megapixel superwide lens, a 5-megapixel macro lens, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. A recent report revealed that the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage editions of the Galaxy A72 4G could be priced 449 euros (~$544) and 509 euros (~$617), respectively.
Information released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reveals that 90 indigenous companies have filed a joint application for the establishment of the National Integrated Circuit Standardization Technical Committee with its proposed secretariat at the China Electronics Standardization Institute.
China’s semiconductor is one of the weak links in electronics manufacture. The recent ban on Huawei and ZTE from accessing US technology exposed the vulnerability of the local chip market. Even semiconductor companies like SMIC that were making effort to fill the void created by the ban were prevented from accessing US technology. Also, most of the foundries are either small-scale or weak in technology so they need to cooperate in groups.
The purpose behind the creation of the committee is to coordinate weak industries and the promotion of integrated circuit standardization work and strengthen the standardization team building.
The 90 Chinese firms that are part of this consortium include Huawei, HiSilicon, Xiaomi, Datang Semiconductor, Unichip Microelectronics, Zhanrui Communication, ZTE Microelectronics, SMIC, Datang Mobile, China Mobile, China Unicom, ZTE, Tencent, and more.
According to the application, the committee will focus on the research and formulation of the following standards:
Improve the relevant standards for the assessment of integrated circuit products, including conducting research on the assessment requirements of integrated circuit bare chips and organizing the formulation of relevant standards.
Track the development of emerging packaging technologies, focusing on the standardization of high-density FC-BGA packaging, wafer-level 3D rewiring packaging, through silicon via (TSV) packaging, SiP radio frequency packaging, packaging and ultra-thin chip 3D stacked packaging technologies , And solidify the results into the assessment procedures and requirements for flip-chip bonding, chip-scale packaging (CSP), wafer-level packaging (WLP), and system-in-package (SiP).
Conduct research and standard formulation in response to the performance, reliability and information security requirements of integrated circuit products in emerging applications. For example, for mobile Internet, cloud computing, Internet of Things, big data, etc., for key integrated circuits with a large amount of supporting and a wide range of applications, such as microprocessors, memories, field programmable circuits, custom circuits, system-level circuits (SoC and Related IP cores), etc., carry out corresponding standard research and formulation work.
Carry out parameter index system and quality assurance element research, formulate blank detailed specifications, so as to provide a basis for the preparation of detailed specifications for integrated circuit products, and ensure that product parameter indicators can fully meet the performance requirements, reliability requirements and information security of integrated circuits in the above application fields Guarantee requirements.
Improve the standard system of testing methods, mechanical and environmental testing methods to ensure that the testing and testing of various parameter indicators have standards to be followed.
U.S electric scooter rental company, Spin, operates in various cities in the United States and provides rental scooters that can be parked after completion. However, the company recognizes the inherent danger posed by improperly parked scooters to pedestrians, especially people with disabilities.
In San Francisco, California, where Spin has the largest fleet of scooters, the San Francisco City Department of Transportation requires operators to respond to improperly parked scooters within two hours and can fine the operator $100 for each misplaced scooter. The purpose of fines and response requirements is to prevent scooters from being parked on the sidewalk. The company said it takes this very seriously and the average response time in the past three months is 54 minutes. Spin hopes to respond faster, and has begun researching how to reposition the scooter without the employees needing to respond. To achieve this goal, Spin announced an alliance with Tortoise to launch a new type of scooter called Spin S-200.
This scooter is a remotely operated electric scooter that will be deployed to cities in North America and Europe in 2021. This scooter will become part of the Spin Valet platform, making it possible to remotely operate the Spin fleet and reposition the scooter from pedestrians and other traffic in a matter of seconds. The new scooter was jointly developed with Xiaomi’s partner Segway-Ninebot, and the first pilot city will be Boise, Idaho.
Starting this spring, Spin plans to deploy 300 scooters for the project and use the knowledge learned there to provide references for future projects with global partners. Spin Valet will use the front and rear cameras and GPS built into the new S-200 scooter for precise positioning. Remote operators from Tortoise will be able to safely reposition the vehicle at a speed of 2 to 3 miles per hour, thereby relocating improperly parked scooters.
The platform will also allow the scooter to be repositioned to a location for use in times of high demand. These scooters will also be equipped with replaceable batteries. The company said that eventually, riders will be able to call an electric scooter and let it come to the pick-up location.
Samsung Display, the unit of Samsung Electronics which designs and produces displays for the parent company, has confirmed that it is presently working on innovative rollable and slidable screens for upcoming Samsung phones.
We saw a similar design when LG provided a sneak peek into its foldable smartphone during its CES 2021 event. The senior vice president of the display division of Samsung, Choi Kwon-young provided several exciting insights on the foldable display screen it is designing for Samsung smartphones primarily. This came as the company, Samsung Display published its year 2020 financial report and earnings outlook.
According to Kwon-young, Samsung Display’s first rollable and slidable displays would be released later this year, and we should expect that Samsung’s mobile telecommunications division will be the first OEM to deploy the rollable display technology, as the primary customer of Samsung Display. However, we note that Samsung Display did not make any definitive statement to confirm whether Samsung’s mobile division will be the first to adopt the rollable designs.
The news by Samsung Display on foldable and slidable display screens may also imply that Samsung’s flip and fold displays may also adopt new technologies, in addition to important features like variable refresh rate and low power to maintain its leadership in the increasingly dense regular OLED market.
Our gazes are still trained on Samsung as they did not unveil the technologies that would be incorporated into Samsung’s upcoming line up this year, like the Galaxy Z Flip3 and the Galaxy Fold3.
We finally got both the latest flagship series from Xiaomi and Samsung in the market. The main Android smartphone manufacturers released their new flagships with very original designs instead of copying each other. Xiaomi came up with the Mi 11, which packs amazing specifications but can still be considered a flagship killer. Samsung released the Galaxy S21 series and, among the three variants released, the one which can compete with the Mi 11 in terms of quality price ratio and specifications is the vanilla Samsung Galaxy S21. Here is a specs comparison that will explain to you the differences between the new flagship killers.
Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Samsung Galaxy S21
Xiaomi Mi 11
Samsung Galaxy S21
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
164.3 x 74.6 x 8.1 mm, 196 g
151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm, 169 g
DISPLAY
6.81 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), AMOLED
6.2 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
20 MP front camera
Triple 12 + 64 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.0 + f/2.2
10 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY
4600 mAh, fast charging 50W, wireless charging 50W
4000 mAh, fast charging 25W and wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging 10W
Dual SIM slot, 5G, water resistant (IP68)
Design
Which among Xiaomi Mi 11 and Samsung Galaxy S21 has the best design? It is mainly a matter of taste, even though I personally prefer the Xiaomi Mi 11 due to its curved display and higher screen-to-body ratio. But on the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S21 has a better build quality. Unlike the Xiaomi Mi 11, it does not have a glass back and it comes with a plastic back and an aluminum frame, but its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and the phone is waterproof with the IP68 certification. Xiaomi Mi 11 has a more attractive design imho, but it does not offer any certification against water and dust. Xiaomi Mi 11 is also available in a leather version which is even more raffinate.
Display
The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a superior display if compared to the Samsung Galaxy S21. This year, Samsung decided to opt for a Full HD+ resolution for the vanilla Galaxy S21 and the Plus variant, while Xiaomi Mi 11 offers a higher level of detail thanks to its Quad HD+ resolution. Further, it has a wider display and it can show up to one billion colors. It even comes with a higher peak brightness: up to 1500 nits. Samsung Galaxy S21 has a better fingerprint reader as it comes with an ultrasonic scanner instead of a classic optical scanner.
Specs & Software
Xiaomi Mi 11 wins the hardware comparison. Both Mi 11 and Samsung Galaxy S21 are fueled by the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform (note that the EU version of the Galaxy S21 has an Exynos 2100), but the Mi 11 offers more RAM (up to 12 GB), and this makes the difference. Both are based on Android 11 with highly customized user interfaces.
Camera
When it comes to the cameras, it is a win for the Samsung Galaxy S21 because it offers a more versatile camera department. Unlike the Xiaomi Mi 11, it has a telephoto sensor with optical zoom, as well as dual OIS and better additional sensors. The Mi 11 has a better 108 MP main camera, but the secondary sensors are disappointing. The Samsung Galaxy S21 also offers a better selfie camera.
The battery capacity of the Samsung Galaxy S21 is a bit below-average for a 2021 flagship, but the phone has good optimization and the battery life is not disappointing. However, the Xiaomi Mi 11 offers more with its 4600 mAh battery and faster charging technologies. With the Mi 11, you get 55W wired fast charging and 50W fast wireless charging. The Samsung Galaxy S21 stops at just 25W for wired charging and just 15W for wireless charging. Despite the bigger capacity, the Mi 11 has way faster charging times. Both support reverse wireless charging and USB Power Delivery 3.0.
Price
The starting price of the Xiaomi Mi 11 for the Chinese market is about €500/$606 at the actual change. Unfortunately, the Mi 11 is still not available in the global market, we can not give you its global price until February 8. The Samsung Galaxy S21 costs €849/$1030 in the global market. The Mi 11 wins this comparison thanks to its better display, battery, and fast charging technology. But the Samsung Galaxy S21 is more compact, waterproof, and it has great cameras, so you should not underestimate it.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G launched as the first Redmi phone with a 108MP camera. That came as a surprise considering all of the phones in the Redmi K30 series have a 64MP main sensor. Now, Lu Weibing, the General Manager of Redmi, has hinted at the arrival of more Redmi phones with a 108MP camera.
In a Weibo post today, the top executive posted that he has realized that the brands that promoted the ToF camera no longer include it in their devices. Actually, Xiaomi and Redmi are one of the few companies that didn’t jump on the ToF train, so it is understandable why he is indirectly calling out those that championed the trend.
In the same tweet, he revealed that more phones released this year will have 100MP cameras. We believe these upcoming phones with 108MP cameras will include models from Redmi too.
The Redmi K40 series has been confirmed to launch next month and while details of the camera specs for any of the models are yet to surface, at least one of them may have a 108MP camera. There are also other Redmi phones planned for this year such as the first Redmi gaming smartphone and the Redmi Note 10 series which may also launch with a 108MP primary camera.
Last year’s Mi 10 5G series had multiple models but at the top sits the China-exclusive Mi 10 Ultra. The flagship phone was released in August with better cameras and a faster charging technology than the Mi 10 Pro. Recent news from China points at Xiaomi planning a similar model that should be more powerful than the yet-to-be-announced Mi 11 Pro.
The source of the info is Digital Chat Station and he revealed in a Weibo post a few days ago that Xiaomi has a model higher than the (Mi 11) Pro, however, he is not sure if it will launch as the Ultra model.
The prototype of the phone is said to have a 2K 120Hz four-curved display with a punch hole for the front-facing camera. It will also have 67W fast wireless charging and a bigger battery capacity.
If the phone is already in development, then it most likely has a Snapdragon 888 processor powering it.
The Mi 10 Ultra launched with a 6.67-inch FHD+ display, a Snapdragon 865 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. It has a 48MP main camera paired with a 48MP periscope camera that brings 120x hybrid zoom. It also has a 20MP ultrawide angle camera and a 12MP telephoto camera. The hole punch in the left corner of the screen is home to a 20MP sensor.
Apart from its outstanding cameras, the Mi 10 Ultra is one of the few phones that has support for 120W fast wired charging. It also has support for 50W fast wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. The battery capacity is 4500mAh.
There were a number of pretty big announcements last week, and if you missed out on them because you were focused on the stock market, here’s a recap.
Motorola Edge S launched as the new flagship killer king
Motorola launched a new smartphone in China that has set a high standard for the flagship killer category. The Motorola Edge S starts at ~$310 and packs a Snapdragon 870 processor, a 90Hz display, dual front-facing cameras, quad-rear cameras, Turbo fast LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, and a 5000mAh battery. It also has a desktop interface, allowing you to use it as a computer when connected to an external display. That is definitely a lot you are getting for that price.
Carl Pei finally unveils what he has been cooking and it’s Nothing
Former OnePlus executive and co-founder, Carl Pei, unveiled his new startup following his exit from the phone company he founded, and to our surprise it is Nothing. Yes, Nothing is the name of his new London-based company.
The company is said to be into consumer technology and plans to announce its first batch of smart devices later this year. No info was provided about what category these smart devices will fall under but the company’s plan is to release an ecosystem of devices.
India permanently bans TikTok, WeChat, and several others
After issuing a temporary ban last year, the Indian government has permanently banned 60 Chinese apps that include popular ones such as TikTok, WeChat, Baidu, and UC Browser. ByteDance has had to cut its workforce following the loss of users of its app, TikTok.
The Indian government has said that the response gotten from the companies that own the affected apps regarding the security concerns it raised has not been satisfactory.
Xiaomi’s Mi Air Charge Technology is the wireless charging you’ve always wanted
Mi Air Charge Technology is the wireless charging technology we’ve always wanted – one that doesn’t have you tethered to a spot. Current wireless charging technology requires you to place your phone on a device to charge but Xiaomi’s new and proprietary technology allows your phone to begin to charge wirelessly once you enter a room. The technology uses millimeter waves to charge and power compatible devices within a certain range.
Xperia Pro in use with a professional camera
Sony’s first 5G phone for the US is for professionals and costs $2500
After nearly a year since it was announced, Sony’s Xperia Pro smartphone is now available for purchase in the US. The Japanese manufacturer is targeting professionals especially those in the creative industry. It packs professional camera features that are not available on the Xperia 1 II which it is based upon and it also costs a whopping $2500.
Gearbest is currently having a flash sale with a wide variety of items that can help make your life easy and more efficient. Out of all the products, what stands apart is the Baseus Heyo Rotation Kitchen Timer. It is already up with a discount, and interested users can get an additional discount by adding the coupon code – GB-JISJQ. Apart from the kitchen, this device offers numerous other applications like camping, fitness, games, and more. Let’s take a look at its features.
Baseus Heyo Rotation Kitchen Timerboasts a high-definition mirror that refracts light and shadow. It has a rotating silver shell that conveys the visual elements and frequency of the rhythm. One-key operation enables convenient use while the large contrasting fonts enhance readability. This electronically designed timer displays precise time and prevents repeated mechanical pressing. It can count down from 99 minutes 55 seconds to zero in both timer and stopwatch mode. Magnets at the back allow the user to easily latch it on any iron surface while the silicone pads at the back help retain a position on other surfaces.
Baseus Heyo Rotation Kitchen Timer enables the user to adjust the brightness according to the day- or night-light. It activates auto power-saving mode in 5 seconds after a pause or stop; to turn it back on the user can simply press the button on the screen. Additionally, it boasts 3 adjustable volumes- loud (80-90dB), soft (65-75dB) to meet your different needs. Made using ABS plastic, this unit is sturdy and can work in the temperature range of 0°C – 50°C.
Baseus Heyo Rotation Kitchen Timer is up for sale and can be purchased at a discounted rate on Gearbest. Interested users can add coupon code – GB-JISJQ to get an additional discount. The offer only lasts for a limited time.
Readers can visit the official Gearbest website to check out other interesting offers and deals by clicking here.
The macro camera is one that has become pretty popular in smartphones in the past year or more. This special camera allows users to capture extremely close-up images of small objects. We have seen several manufacturers include it in a lot of their phones, regardless of whether it belongs to the budget, mid-range, or flagship category.
For this week’s poll, we want to know if your phone has a macro camera and how frequently you use it if your answer is yes. Also, let us know in the comment box what you think about the macro camera and its addition to the camera system in modern phones.
So, please take the poll and be sure to leave a comment.
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