3C Certification reveals Mi 10 (SD870 version), Redmi K40, and Redmi K40 Pro will support 33W fast charging

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Feb 4, 2021

Xiaomi and its subsidiary, Redmi, have a handful of phones scheduled to launch after the Chinese Spring Festival. These phones include the Snapdragon 870 version of the Mi 10 5G and the Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro. Now, a certification site has revealed the fast charging technology of all of the aforementioned devices.

The Mi 10 (Snapdragon 870 version) was certified with the model number M2102J2SC and according to the 3C certificate, the phone supports a maximum power input of 33W.

3C certificate - Mi 10 Redmi K40 Redmi K40 Pro — Source: 3C | Via: Digital Chat Station

The Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro were certified with the model numbers M2012K11AC and M2012K11C respectively and they too support a maximum power input of 33W. The marketing names for the devices were revealed by Digital Chat Station. All three phones are 5G devices as shown in the image above.

Fans may be disappointed that Xiaomi is sticking to 33W for these phones considering it has faster wired charging technologies. However, if you remember, the original Mi 10 supported 30W fast charging, so 33W isn’t bad considering the processor is actually the main change in this new version.

The Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro also feature faster charging than their predecessors. The Redmi K30 launched with 27W fast charging while the Redmi K30 Pro launched with 30W fast charging, so 33W fast charging is definitely an upgrade even though it pales to what the competition is offering.

These three phones should come with 33W chargers in the box, so buyers should not have to buy another charger to experience the fastest charging the phone can support.

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Office Lens is now Microsoft Lens, can Re-edit PDFs, Scan handwriting, & do more

By

Balaji S

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Feb 4, 2021

Recent reports said that Microsoft is seeking to fill the void with Bing in Australia if Google leaves the country. Turns out, it could do that in the Mobile Scanning App arena too with the latest update to its Lens App. It now gets a new name(Microsoft Lens), Logo, and Features.

Microsoft in an official post on its community(via XDADevelopers), talked about the new evolution of the Lens. Accordingly, the App will now be called Microsoft Lens instead of Office Lens. That’s not all, as the company has unveiled a new Logo and some features inside the App.

For the unware, the Microsoft Lens(Formerly Office Lens), is an app(Android/iOS) that lets you take pictures of whiteboards or printed documents, and helps enhance your image via quick editing. It mainly aims to improve your productivity whether you are at a School/Office.

That said, the new update brings features like Image to Text, Image to Table, Image to Contact, Immersive Reader, and QR Code Scan. What this means is that you can convert a Text written in an image into an actual formatting Text(scanning Handwriting shown below).

Additionally, the company has also added features like the ability to re-order images, re-edit Scanned PDFs, apply new Filters, switch toggle between cloud/local storage, easy file finder, and more. It’s worth noting that you can now scan documents having up to 100 pages and convert them into PDFs.

With this update, the other Microsoft apps like Office, Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive can now leverage the new features of the Microsoft Lens App. Microsoft says that it will initially roll out this update to Android and iOS later in the coming months.

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Samsung Galaxy M12 Triple-Camera details and Wallpapers leaked

By

Balaji S

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Feb 4, 2021

Samsung is preparing to launch various Galaxy A & M series of devices courtesy of a host of leaks. Among them is the Galaxy M12 budget device that is expected to launch very soon. A new report by NILS AHRENSMEIER of TechnikNews.net gives info regarding the Camera and Wallpapers of the upcoming Galaxy M12.

According to Nils, Samsung Galaxy M12 codenamed “Lottie” will feature triple-cameras with a S5KGM2 48MP primary sensor at the back. Early renders from Onleaks revealed that Galaxy M12 will have a quad-camera setup and an LED flashlight. In fact, Steve had explicitly mentioned that the device would have up to 4 rear lenses.

We aren’t sure who would turn out right here so let’s wait for official confirmation. Anyway, the other rear lenses on the Galaxy M12, as per Nils, will likely be a 13MP ultra-wide(HI1336) and a 2MP Macro(GC02M1)sensors. Upfront, the device will have an 8MP (S5K4HA) sensor for selfies.

It’s worth noting that Nils isn’t completely sure about the ultra-wide just yet so take that with a pinch of salt. Apart from Camera sensors, the report also has leaked what could be the official wallpapers launching with the device. In case you are curious, you can download that here. For your reference, we have attached a few of them here.

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Besides the Samsung Galaxy M12, a device with model number SM-F127 is also under the radar of leaks. This is rumored to be a rebadged version of Galaxy M12 carrying the Galaxy F12 moniker. They are likely to share a lot of similarities in specs and features.

Speaking of which, the Galaxy M12 is expected to feature a 6.5-inch Infinity-V HD+/FHD+ display, Exynos 850 chipset, 3/4/6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 32/64/128GB eMMC 5.1 storage. Other specs include a 6,000mAh battery and Android 11 OS(One UI).

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Nothing has an important announcement next week and it might be its first product launch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 4, 2021

It has been a week since Carl Pei, the OnePlus co-founder, announced his new startup called Nothing. Now, the company is teasing an announcement for next week and we have a feeling it might be its first product.

The teaser was posted on the brand’s official Instagram and Twitter accounts. The caption for the image which shows the company’s milestones says another milestone is scheduled for next week.

A new important milestone in Nothing's journey is coming up next week. pic.twitter.com/GZkYVXc4dp

— Nothing (@nothing) February 4, 2021

We have found nothing with respect to what Nothing plans to unveil next week. There are no products certified under the brand’s name, so it is impossible to tell what it wants to inveil next week. We hope more details surface before the announcement.

Nothing is a London-based consumer technology company. According to the founder, the plan is to launch products across multiple categories that will eventually form an ecosystem. We are excited to see what the company announces as its first product and we hope it is a game-changer in the industry.

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro get OxygenOS Open Beta 6 update with a host of optimizations

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 4, 2021

The OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro were launched in the first half of 2020 with Android 10-based OxygenOS 10. The smartphones were later updated to OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. Before this update, the company started releasing OyxgenOS Open Beta builds for these handsets. Now, the duo is receiving the sixth build in the series.

The OxygenOS Open Beta 6 update for the OnePlus 8 series comes over a month after the Open Beta 5 update, which was released before Christmas. The latest build brings a new feature, lots of optimizations, and January 2021 security patches.

Talking about the new feature first, the update adds a ‘Dock’ in the OnePlus Shelf. This dashboard displays information like daily steps, screen usage time, and more.

Further, the new public beta build optimizes UI display of the status bar, frame rate stability in games, and community homepage’s interface, weather animations, and interface of cloud service in the Oneplus Gallery app.

Last but not least, the new build also fixes the crash issue with the browser’s drop-down menu and notifications not turning off for some games in Game Space along with improvements for Bluetooth transmission rate.

Oneplus 8/8 Pro OxygenOS Open Beta 6 Official Changelog

System

- Optimized the UI display of the status bar
- Optimized the stability of frame rate and improved the experience when playing games
- Optimized the interface of the Community homepage and make notifications more eye-catching
- Fixed the crash issue where the drop-down menu of Browser
- Updated Android Security Patch to 2021.01

Shelf

- Newly added Dock, a dashboard that displays various information, including daily steps, screen usage time, etc.
- Optimized weather animation effects to improve fluency
Weather
- Optimized animations for sunny and cloudy days for a clearer dynamic display

Gaming Space

- Fixed the issue where notifications could not be turned off in the game in some cases

Gallery

- Optimized the layout of the cloud service interface in the Gallery for a better operation experience

Bluetooth

- Improved the transmission rate of Bluetooth when connecting watches

This update is being pushed to users on the previous beta build via OTA. However, interested customers on the stable channel can also install it by downloading the appropriate file from the OnePlus Community.

SMIC releases impressive Q4 2020 financial report & guidance for Q1 2021

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 4, 2021

China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) has announced its unaudited results for the last three months of the last year which ended on December 31, 2020. The fourth-quarter earnings call shows that the firm raked in US$981.1 million which is a slight drop from the US$1,082.5 million accrued in the third quarter of 2020. However, it is slightly higher than the US$839.4 million generated from sales of semiconductors in the fourth quarter of 2019.

SMIC was one of the firms affected by Donald Trump’s obnoxious ban on Chinese companies from using US technology. The ban has no doubt affected the brand’s ability to meet up with orders but SMIC is optimistic that its revenue will grow in Q1 2021 by 7% to 9% QoQ. Also, the chipmaker expects gross margin to range from 17% to 19%.

Gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2020 was US$176.8 million, compared with US$262.0 million in the third quarter of 2020 and US$199.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The gross profit margin in the fourth quarter of 2020 was 18.0%, compared with 24.2% in the third quarter of 2020 and 23.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Dr. Gao Yonggang, Chief Financial Officer of SMIC commented:

“The Company’s revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020 was US$981 million, and gross margin was 18.0%. Multiple full-year financial metrics for the Company (unaudited) hit record highs. Annual revenue was US$3,907 million, a growth of 25.4%; gross profit was US$921 million, a growth of 43.3%; profit attributable to the company was US$716 million, an increase of 204.9%; and EBITDA was US$2,123 million, a growth of 54.6%.

Looking to 2021, as SMIC was placed on the US Entity List, the Company is restricted from procuring related US items or technologies; so, there are risks and uncertainties to our annual forecasts. The forecast we give today assumes that operational continuity is not significantly adversely affected. Export license application processes must be followed, they take time and will face uncertainty. Based on the above, our targets and plan for 2021 are as follows: our annual revenue target is mid-to-high single-digit percentage growth; revenue target for 1st half is around $2.1 billion, and annual gross margin target is in the mid-teens range.”

Dr. Haijun Zhao and Dr. Liang Mong Song, Co-CEOs of SMIC commented:

“At present, the foundry industry capacity is tight, the demand for non-FinFET processes remains strong, and our capacity for non-FinFET will continue to be fully loaded. In order to meet customer needs, the Company expects capital expenditures this year to be US$4.3 billion, in which the majority is for non-FinFET capacity expansion and the remaining for FinFET, the infrastructure of the new Beijing joint-venture project, and etc. In terms of capacity expansion, we increase monthly non-FinFET capacity by 10,000 for 12-inch, and not less than 45,000 for 8-inch this year. Given the impact of being added to the Entity List, we will consider strengthening the development and deployment of our first and second-generation FinFET multi-platforms and expand the reliability and competitiveness of our platforms.”

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CiBest Mini Projector available for just $72.24 at Amazon US (1-day Offer)

By

Greeva Agnihotri

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Feb 4, 2021

Projectors have made it possible for us to watch our favourite content on the big screen, but the hefty price tag sets us back while buying. To make it possible, Amazon US is offering a pretty sweet deal on CiBest Mini Projector. Interested readers can now buy it for just $72.24 (original price: $85). It comes with built-in speakers, high-quality projection and multiple compatibility options that make it worth its value. CiBest Mini Projector Amazon

Compared to the other mini projectors in this price range, CiBest Mini Projector offers much more features. It has a higher brightness level and supports 1080p resolution content. With a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and diffuse reflection technology, it provides good picture quality while protecting your eyes. This unit works with TV stick, PC, laptops, tablets, Blue-ray DVD player, SD card, USB flash drive, and more. One can expect it to project a 30-inch to 200-inch screen from the distance of 2.62-ft to 14.8-ft. Other features include a cooling system, 3.5mm audio output, compatibility with iPad, iPhone, and Android smartphones, and more. CiBest Mini Projector-2-

Packed with a host of features, this device offers more than what is expected from a budgeted projector. It is currently on sale at Amazon and available for just $72.24 (original price:$85). This offer exclusive for today and deal ends in almost 7.5 hours. So hurry and make the most of it. CiBest Mini Projector-1-

Xiaomi’s Lei Jun launches survey to know if you’ll buy a $1,500 Mi phone

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 4, 2021

Xiaomi has often used Weibo surveys to get feedback from its fans regarding an upcoming product. The company’s CEO Lei Jun has recently published a survey which is aimed at finding out if fans will be willing to pay 10,000 yuan (~$1,548) for an upcoming phone. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun did not disclose what the phone will be. Instead, he also asked them what a Xiaomi phone with this price tag should look like. However, there are speculations that the survey may be a prelude to the brand’s first foldable smartphone.

The Chinese company is known for its budget and pocket-friendly products that offer users amazing value for their money. However, Xiaomi released the mi 10 Ultra last year with the price hitting the $1,000 mark. The Mi 10 Ultra was well received and even though the sales figures are not known, we believed the product performed very well in the market.

It is unlikely that Xiaomi will release a flagship phone that isn’t a foldable model and sell it up to $1500. Thus, this could be taken as a teaser for the brand’s upcoming foldable phone. There is no word yet on when the company will release its first foldable device but we expect it to happen this year.

Lei Jun equally hinted that he will discuss the brand’s plans for the premium expensive phones on February 7 during his Chinese New Year address to Mi fans. We’ll bring you more details as they unfold. Meanwhile, you can also share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. Would you buy a $1,500 Xiaomi phone?

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Lu Weibing: Redmi K40 series will have the smallest punch hole in the world

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 4, 2021

The Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro are hotly anticipated smartphones. The two devices are expected to launch this month, and ahead of their arrival, Redmi General Manager, Lu Weibing, has been releasing bits of information about them.

Today, the Redmi top executive revealed that the Redmi K40 will have a centered punch hole for the front-facing camera. That is a change from the pill-shaped hole punch of the Redmi K30 and the pop-up selfie camera of the Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 Ultra.

Mr. Weibing said that the decision to switch to a centered punch hole is so as to achieve the highest possible screen-to-body ratio. However, Redmi is not just adopting a centered punch hole but they say it will be the smallest in the world.

At the moment, the phone with the smallest hole punch is the Vivo S5 whose punch hole measures 2.98 millimeters. This means the Redmi K40 should have a punch hole smaller than 2.98 millimeters in size.

The Redmi K40 series is expected to have at least one model with a Snapdragon 888 processor. It has also been reported that other models will have other processors. The phones are also expected to have OLED displays, high refresh rates, and fast charging.

There are speculations that Redmi may not include a charger in the box but there is a possibility it may follow Xiaomi’s path and provide an option for those who want a charger to get one.

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Noise ColorFit Pro 3 Smartwatch India launch date is February 10

By

Balaji S

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Feb 4, 2021

Noise, a popular wearable brand in India has announced the launch date of the new Noise ColorFit Pro 3 Smartwatch in India. Going by the name, this will be the successor to the ColorFit Pro 2.

Noise, which was found by Amit Khatri & Gaurav Khatri in 2014, started as a company selling smartphone cases and accessories. Later, it has developed itself and entered into audio and other smart IoT segments. The ColorFit Pro 3 is their latest addition to the tally of Smartwatches and it is launching in India on February 10 at 10:00 AM IST.

ColorFit Pro 3 Specs

Ahead of the launch, the company has revealed key specs and features of the smartwatch. Accordingly, the ColorFit Pro 3 will feature a 1.55-inch HD Color Touchscreen with a 320×320 pixel resolution and 500 nits brightness. To compare, the predecessor has a smaller 1.3-inch display.

Moving on, the ColorFit Pro 3, just like any other smartwatches, has Blood Oxygen(SpO2), 24/7 Heart rate(PPG), Stress-level monitoring. Additionally, it can also track your sleep and give reports based on Light, Deep sleep, and REM cycles.

Other features include 5ATM water resistance, Bluetooth v5.0, 210mAh battery, and more. The official website event page also shows a variety of interchangeable straps in Red, Green, Pink, Gray, Purple colors. You can also customize the Watch Faces, track workout activities via the NoiseFit Application.

Flipkart has already opened a teaser page confirming the availability on the e-commerce platform. To remind you, the ColorFit Pro 2 is currently retailing for ₹3,299(~~₹5,999~~) in India. Hence, we can expect a similar if not less pricing for the ColorFit Pro 3.

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OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 3 update brings more fixes

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 4, 2021

Earlier last month, OnePlus rolled out the first-ever OxygenOS Open Beta update for the OnePlus Nord. A few weeks later in the same month, the company released Open Beta 2 for this handset. Now, the brand is seeding out Open Beta 3 update already.

Just like the previous Open Beta release for the OnePlus Nord, the latest build is all about fixes. These fixes are related to the system, camera, and ambient display, and clock.

First and foremost, the new update fixes dial icons overlapping on the lock screen and white space issue in the notification bar in dark mode. Also, it optimizes UI display effects of work life balance.

Further, the build fixes the camera app failing to start through quick gestures and front camera video not playing issue. Lastly, the update also fixes Canvas AOD not activating bug and alarms cannot be set issue.

OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 3 Official Changelog

System

- Optimized UI display effects of work life balance
- Fixed the issue that the dial icons overlap on the lock screen
- Fixed the issue of white space in the notification bar in Dark mode

Camera

- Fixed the issue that the camera fails to start through quick gestures
- Fixed the issue with video recorded by the front camera that can not be played

Ambient Display

- Fixed the small probability issue that Canvas AOD can not be activated

Clock

- Fixed the small probability issue that alarm clocks can not be set

The OxygenOS Open Beta 3 update for OnePlus Nord is currently being rolled out via OTA to the users who are on the previous build. Any interested user on the stable channel can also install it by downloading the appropriate file from the OnePlus Community.

Samsung Level U2 now available in India for ₹1,999 ($27)

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 4, 2021

Back in late November 2020, Samsung launched Level U2 neckband-style wireless earphones in South Korea. It is the successor to the popular Level U from over five years back. In the following days, this product made its way to various markets across the world. Now, two months later since its initial debut, this audio product is finally available in India.

The newly launched Samsung level U2 wireless earphones in India feature 12mm drivers, which the company claims to deliver rich and balanced sound over Bluetooth 5.0 connection.

This pair of in-ear type earphones support multiple audio codecs, namely HFP, HSP, A2DP, AVRCP, and SSC (Samsung Scalable Codec). For those unaware, SSC is only supported on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 7.0 Nougat and above.

Further, this product comes with a single microphone and 4-button inline control. Talking about dimensions, it measures 146 x 39 x 170mm and just weighs 41.5g. Also, it ships with three different-sized ear tips (Small, large, Wing Tip).

Last but not least, these Samsung earphones are backed by a 159mAh battery, which the company claims to offer up to 18-hour music playback, 13-hour talk time, and 500-hour standby time on a full charge via USB Type-C port.

The Samsung Level U2 neckband-style wireless earphones are priced at ₹1,999 ($27) in India. It is currently available in two colors (Black, Blue) on Samsung online store and Flipkart. But it should hit offline markets and other retailers in the coming days.

Samsung Galaxy A51 gets the One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update

By

Balaji S

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Feb 4, 2021

Samsung has been living up to the promise of updating older devices with the latest One UI 3.0. The company has been rolling out the OTA left right and center to Galaxy M, A, S, Note series of devices. Recently, the Galaxy F41 and M21 also got the One UI Core 3.0 update. Today, yet another A-series devices gets the One UI 3.0, this time it’s the Galaxy A51.

According to a Sammobile report, Samsung Galaxy A51 is receiving an update with firmware version A515FXXU4DUB1 in Russia. This update bundles the One UI 3.0 based on Android 11 and the latest security patch. To recall, the Galaxy A51 was originally scheduled to get it only by March 2021.

As mentioned above, Samsung has jumped the gun and brought the update quicker which also has the February 2021 security patch. As for the Android 11 features, you can witness new chat bubbles(conversations), media controls, improved permission management, and organized notifications.

Although Samsung’s latest UI is One UI 3.1, the One UI 3.0 brings quite a bit of upgrade over the predecessor, One UI 2.5. Some of them are improvements to UI and icons, Dark Mode, Digital Wellbeing & parental controls, and more AOD clock styles, etc.

Samsung so far has updated models like the Galaxy S20, Note 20, Note 10, S10 series, and budget devices like the Galaxy M31, M21, F41, and more. The list will only get bigger. Speaking of which, the horizon of Galaxy A51 will widen in the coming days so don’t panic if your unit hasn’t got it yet.

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Upcoming Smartphones in February 2021: Huawei, Xiaomi, Samsung, Nokia, & a lot more!

By

Balaji S

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Feb 4, 2021

After a hectic end to the year 2020, 2021 has already started with a bang. And we are back with the upcoming Smartphones for the month of February 2021. This month usually gets a lot of Flagship launches but some companies like Samsung, Xiaomi have already launched their top smartphones early.

Nevertheless, we have got a lot of devices from Huawei, OPPO, Redmi, Vivo, realme, Nokia, and more. Although we are still early into the month of February, few brands have already launched their devices so be sure to read till the end to know about them.

1HUAWEI Mate X2

This is probably the most important launch of the month, if you ask me. Huawei has stood the test of the toughest times in the last two years. The company is still the hero of the home country China.

Anyway, the third-gen Foldable device(after Mate X, Mate Xs), the HUAWEI Mate X2 will launch on February 22 in China. Expected specs include an inward folding 8.01 inches main display, likely a 6.45-inch Cover display, Kirin 9000 5G chipset, quad-cameras with 50MP sensor, 16MP dual-front punch-hole cameras, 4,400mAh battery with 66W rapid charging, and more.

2Xiaomi Mi 11 and Mi 11 Lite, Mi 11 Pro

Xiaomi unveiled the world’s first Snapdragon 888 chipset phone(Xiaomi Mi 11) in China back in December. This device is confirmed to debut Globally on February 8. Alongside the flagship, Xiaomi is also expected to bring a Mi 11 Lite. As for the Mi 11 Lite specs, it is likely to feature a 120Hz LCD panel, Snapdragon 732G chipset, 64MP quad-cameras, 4,250mAh battery with 33W charging, 6/8GB RAM, 64/128/256GB storage MIUI 12.

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The Mi 11 Lite and Mi 11 are also coming to India but the exact date is unknown. Apart from this, the Chinese giant might also launch a ‘Pro’ variant of the Mi 11 in China this month.

The expected specs of the Mi 11 Pro include QHD+(2K) OLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 888 chipset, 5,000mAh battery with 120W Wired & 67W wireless charging, 12/16GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, quad-cameras with 120x digital zoom, and more. There’s also a Mi 10 Ultra-like device rumored but info regarding it is bleak.

3Redmi K40 and K40 Pro, Note 10 and Note 10 Pro

Redmi has already started teasing the Redmi K40 series in China and it is coming in February. It is expected to have two devices- Redmi K40, K40 Pro. The non-Pro might carry an upcoming Snapdragon 775 chipset whereas the Pro will probably get the Snapdragon 888.

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Other Expected specs include a 120Hz OLED punch-hole display, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, 64MP sensor-equipped quad-cameras also having a 1/1.5-inch sensor. Let’s wait for more leaks in the coming days.

Redmi Note 10 series

The Redmi Note 10 and Note 10 Pro are expected to launch in India in February, courtesy of Ishan Agarwal. They are rumored to come in 4G(Note 10, 10 Pro) and 5G(Note 10 Pro) versions. Certifications like TUV, Indonesia Telecom, and FCC show that the Redmi Note 10 will run MIUI 12, support 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi.

Other expected specs include 4/6GB(Note 10), 6/8GB RAM, and up to 128GB Storage, quad-cameras with 64MP (Note 10)/108MP(Pro) sensors, colors- Bronze, Blue, Gray(Note 10 Pro), and White, Green, Gray(Note 10), and more.

4ASUS ROG Phone 5

Just like the flagships, 2021 is likely to see an early debut of the Gaming Smartphones. This time, out of nowhere, players like Redmi are also joining the list. Other prominent brands like ASUS, Nubia, have already started teasing the devices.

ASUS has already started teasing the next ROG Phone and it could be the ROG Phone 5. A recent TENAA listing shows that it has a dot-Matrix LED rear, 6.78-inch OLED display, a 6,000mAh battery, and runs Android 11.

Other expected specs include 144Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 888 chipset, 65W charging, 64MP main camera, and more. The rumored launch date is Feb. 12.

5Nokia 3.4, 5.4

HMD Global has been focusing on mid-range and budget devices lately. The company’s rumored Nokia 9.3 Purview seems like a never attainable fruit. Anyway, the company will launch Nokia 5.4 in the USA on February 15 and India on Feb. 10(Our Exclusive). It has also started teasing the Nokia 3.4 for India and we can expect it on the same day.

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Talking about Specs, Nokia 5.4 from Europe features a 6.39-inch HD+ LCD screen, Snapdragon 662 processor, quad-cameras with a 48MP sensor, 16MP selfie shooter, 4,000mAh battery with 10W charging, 4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, Android 10(at launch).

The Nokia 3.4, which launched in Sep. 2020, features a 6.39-inch HD+ display, Snapdragon 460 chipset, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage+microSD slot, triple-camera with 13MP sensor, 4,000mAh battery.

6Infinix Smart 5

Infinix Smart 5 aka Hot 10 Play

Infinix has confirmed that the Smart 5 will debut in India on February 11. To be clear, this is not the old Infinix Smart 5 from Africa but a rebadged version of the recently launched Infinix Hot 10 Play.

Specs include a 6.82-inch HD+ LCD screen, MediaTek Helio G25 chipset, 13MP dual camera, 8MP selfie camera, fingerprint sensor, 6,000mAh battery, and Android 10 Go Edition.

7Samsung Galaxy A52, A72, and A32 4G, Galaxy M62/F62

Samsung has already begun the year with a bang by launching Galaxy S21 series. Now, it is moving to midranges. The ever-famous Galaxy Ax series will likely get the successors, Galaxy A32 4G, A52, and A72. As we all know, it has already launched a 5G version of Galaxy A32.

Reports say that a 4G version for some markets is coming and it could launch it in Black, Blue, White, and Lavender colors. Expected specs include a 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V display, MediaTek Helio G85 SoC chipset, 48MP quad-camera setup, 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging, NFC, and run One UI 3.0 based on Android 11.

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Similar to A32, the Galaxy A52 is also expected to come as 4G and 5G handsets. The device will likely have a 6.46-inch sAMOLED FHD+ Infinity-O display, Snapdragon 720G/Snapdragon 750G chipset, 64-megapixel quad-camera system, 15W charging, run Android 11 OS, 6/8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, and a starting price of ~$450.

Apart from 5G, leak says that a 4G version of Galaxy A72 will feature a 6.7-inch sAMOLED Infinity-O display, Snapdragon 720G chipset, up to 8GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging, quad-cameras with 64MP+12MP(ultra-wide)+two 5MP(Macro, Depth) setup, and start around $449.

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Apart from the A-series, Samsung is gearing up to launch an M/F-series very soon and reports say that it could be February. This time the rumored Galaxy F62/M62 will share a lot of specs in common and be a Phablet-like device.

Expected specs include an AMOLED panel, Exynos 9825 flagship chipset, NFC, 7,000mAh battery with 25W charging, quad-cameras, storage up to 256GB, USB-C, and 3.5mm audio jack ports, run Android 11.

8Other Expected launches

OPPO Reno5 Pro+

OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G, F19/F21

OPPO Reno5 Pro+, which was once thought to be exclusive to China, will probably make its way to global markets thanks to its GCC listing. With Xiaomi releasing its Mi 11 Globally this month, OPPO might fancy its chances by bringing the Reno5 Pro+.

Either way, the Specs of the flagship include a 6.55-inch curved AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 865 chipset, quad-cameras with 50MP sensor(IMX766), 32MP selfie shooter, 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging.

Further, the company is also tipped to launch the OPPO F19/F21 series in India this month. Sporting a sleeker design, Glass back the device will be different from the predecessor. However, specs are not known yet.

Vivo S7t 5G

Vivo is gearing up to launch a Vivo S9 in March as per the rumors. Before that, the company is might launch a Vivo S7t in China. Retailer listings are already live and they point towards a price of 2,598 Yuan (~$402).

Expected Specs include 6.44-inch AMOLED display, Dimensity 820 chipset, dual Selfie camera(44MP+8MP), triple-camera(64MP+8MP+2MP), 4,000mAh battery with 33W fast charger.

Update[Feb. 4, 13:37 GMT]: The Vivo S7t 5G has gone official in China a few hours ago and it is priced at ¥2,698($417.39).

Galaxy XCover5

Samsung’s XCover 5 could be the first rugged smartphone from a top brand in 2021 after the Galaxy XCover Pro last year. The device is already certified by the US’s FCC and appeared on the Geekbench listing.

Expected Specs include 5.3-inch HD+ display, Exynos 850 chipset, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, 3,000mAh battery with 15W charging, single 16MP rear and 5MP front cameras, LTE connectivity.

Motorola Edge S

Motorola launched the Motorola Edge S in China last month. This starts as low as 1,999 yuan($310) and sports a flagship Snapdragon 870 chipset. This device is tipped to launch in India later this month.

Motorola Edge S Featured 02

We aren’t sure what branding/name it would carry in India but expected specs include a 6.7-inch LCD 90Hz screen, Snapdragon 865/870 chipset, 64MP quad-camera, dual 16+8MP selfie cameras, 5,000mAh battery with 20W charging.

Other Gaming Phones

Other Gaming Phones from Nubia, Black Shark, and Redmi are expected to launch sometime in Q1 2021. We don’t have an exact date yet but let’s not skip through them. The Red Magic 6 will get a Tencent Games Edition.

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The Black Shark 4, on the other hand, has appeared on TENAA and it shows a 6.67-inch display, Android 11, and 10.3mm thickness. The company has already confirmed specs like Snapdragon 888 chipset, 4,500mAh battery with 120W charging.

Redmi has also confirmed that it will debut its first Gaming phone and it is said to feature MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset.

9Already launched(Feb. 1 – 4)

So these were the list of devices confirmed/expected to launch in February 2021. We hope you got useful info and if you did, please share your feedback in the comments below. That said, we will be back next month for another list, so stay tuned till then!

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Upcoming Motorola Moto G series phones will feature new branding

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Feb 4, 2021

Motorola is known for its Moto G series of smartphones worldwide. The first model in the lineup, simply called Moto G, was unveiled in late 2013 when the company was under Google. Over seven years later, the series has now reached its tenth generation. Hence, according to a report, the Lenovo-owned company has made changes to the branding of the Moto G series.

Last month, Motorola released some Moto G smartphones for the US. But those phones bear ‘2021’ in their names. However, the upcoming models will have a different type of branding, as per TechnikNews.

For those unaware, Motorola is expected to launch three new Moto G handsets very soon. The codenames of these devices are Capri, Capri Plus, and Nio.

Out of these three, the last model (Nio) is already on sale in China as Motorola Edge S in China. According to Evan Blass (@evleaks), this very same phone will be debuting as Moto G100 in some markets. Hence, it should be that Moto G smartphone, which Motorola teased in December to arrive with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series chipset.

Further, NBTC certification has revealed that the Capri Plus will launch as Moto G30 in certain markets. Similarly, as per TechnikNews and Adam Conway, the device codenamed Capri will be marketed as Moto G10 in some regions and Moto G10 Power in India.

Additionally, there will be another handset codenamed Java. It is expected to go official as Moto G20 with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Lastly, either the one called Ibiza or Denver will launch as Moto G40.

In other words, Motorola’s upcoming Moto G devices will have double-digit branding just like Samsung. In case you have forgotten, the South Korean tech giant has been using this branding only since 2018.

Motorola Moto G Series Branding 2021

Motorola Capri – Moto G10, Moto G10 Power
Motorola Capri Plus – Moto G30
Motorola Nio – Moto G100
Motorola Java – Moto G20
Motorola Ibiza/Denver – Moto G40

OPPO F19 and F21 series will separately launch in March and H2 2021 respectively: Report

By

Balaji S

-

Feb 4, 2021

OPPO F-series has its own niche in the Indian market. The company launched the OPPO F17, and F17 Pro launched back in September 2020. While rumors of the successors are circling around, we have new information from 91Mobiles regarding the launch of OPPO F19, F19 Pro, and details of the F21 series.

OPPO F17 Pro Magic Blue Featured — Representative image: OPPO F17 Pro

According to the report, OPPO F19, F19 Pro would be the next F-series device from OPPO. Previously, a tip from XDA’s Tushar Mehta suggested that the series could either be named OPPO F19/F21 considering few companies like Samsung are doing it to match the launch year(2021).

However, the latest report claims the F19 and F21 to be two separate series and that the first one having OPPO F19, F19 Pro will launch next month, i.e, March 2021 and not this month. Usually, brands start teasing a new launch weeks before. And if the early March timeline is true, OPPO should start doing the same by mid/Late-February.

Talking about the devices, we have very few details regarding them. An older report from last year says that the devices will have a sleek design, glass back, and a different pattern on the rear.

To compare, the OPPO F17 Pro has a 7.48mm thickness, a Motorola Edge S-like camera layout, and a brushed rear-finish with light reflections originating from the cameras. Anyway, the report also says that the successor will come with a 10x lossless zoom camera feature.

Regarding the F21 series, the information is very bleak right now since the F19 itself is yet to debut. Plus, it is said to launch sometime in H2 2021, which even though is around Sep. 2021 as F17, is at least a few months away.

Nevertheless, Let’s wait for more leaks of OPPO F19, F19 Pro in the coming days.

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realme Watch 2 Pro branding confirmed by FCC

By

Balaji S

-

Feb 4, 2021

realme recently brought the smartwatches like realme Watch S, S Pro in countries like India. Soon after, the successors of the first realme Watch started appearing online. The realme Watch 2 and Watch 2 Pro moniker first appeared on the source code of realme Link App. Now, the ‘Pro’ branding has been confirmed by FCC.

As posted by Mukul Sharma, a realme device with model number RMA2006 appears on FCC. The certification Straight up shows that the device’s name is realme Watch 2 Pro. Although the documents of the certification aren’t fully uploaded yet, we get to see the watch dial design having a square-shape with rounded corners.

One of the reports, which is for the placement of the FCC label on the watch, shows the schematics. As shown below, there are cut-outs of the outer frame at the top and bottom which should be the placement of straps. On the side, we see another cut-out that could be for the single Watch controls key.

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Further, the FCC listing shows that the power supply model is XE205. Checking this in other certifications like UL Demko, it has been certified with a 390mAh battery. This suggests that the Pro variant will sport a slightly bigger battery than its sibling.

Speaking of which the realme Watch 2(RMA2008) has already been certified on FCC and the majority of its specs have leaked. Accordingly, it will come with a 1.4-inch TFT square-shaped LCD square-shaped panel, 305mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, water and dust resistance, Blood Oxygen(SpO2) and Heart-rate monitoring(PPG), and more.

Let’s wait for a few days to as the FCC listing will likely reveal more specs of the realme Watch 2 Pro. This realme Watch 2 Pro has also been spotted on India’s BIS suggesting a wider launch soon.

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H. Moser & Cie unveils a $30,800 successor to its Apple Watch clone

By

Sean

-

Feb 4, 2021

H. Moser & Cie has just unveiled a 30,800 US Dollars successor to its original Apple Watch clone. The wearable is the company’s latest launch and arrives as the “Final Upgrade” of its Swiss Alp Watch.

According to an AppleInsider report, the new ultra premium Swiss Alp Watch also follows a similar design and mechanical timepiece that has been crafted in a manner to resemble the Apple Watch. The overall design is similar to the Cupertino based giant’s smartwatch, which features a rectangular design with curved edges and a crown on the side. Although, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade arrives with a few additional and pricey tweaks.

Talking about its specifications, the Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is fully mechanical and features the brand’s proprietary and wound Calibre HMC 324 with a 96-hour power reserve. The case is a DLC treated stainless steel. Furthermore, the company even coated the dial in Vantablack to mimic the OLED display of an Apple Watch. For those unaware, Vantablack is the world’s darkest substance color that was artificially created to absorb up to 99.6 percent of all visible light.

Another interesting addition to make the watch resemble the Apple Watch is the addition of a series of apertures with a small seconds disc painted in a white gradient. The original Swiss Alp Watch was launched as a satirical poke towards the iPhone maker and smartwatches in general. As per H. Moser & Cie’s official notes, “No updates required, no lousy autonomy, no unnecessary features, no annoying notifications, just the only reminder you ever really need: To disconnect from all the noise and cherish each and every moment.” The company will only be making 50 pieces, with each one priced at 30,800 US Dollars.

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Sony sees 20 year high with surging consoles and iPhone camera sensors sales

By

Sean

-

Feb 4, 2021

Sony has just reported a new 20 year high after its annual operating profits soared by 34 percent year on year. The primary reasons for the surge are over its robust gaming console sales and supplying the iPhone camera sensors to Apple.

According to a LiveMint report, the Japanese tech giant is expecting an operating profit of about 940 billion Yen (roughly 8.9 billion US Dollars) in the fiscal year ending in March 2021. This is up from 700 billion Yen from last year, with forecasts expecting a pickup in other divisions as well, including pictures, music, games, imaging unit, and more. Notably, the company supplying imaging sensors for the iPhone 12 series camera modules and other devices was also an important part of this growth.

Furthermore, the company’s shares also jumped by 10.4 percent in Tokyo earlier today (4th February 2021), marking its biggest intraday gain since May 2019. Another major aspect behind its soaring profits projection is the newly launched Sony PlayStation 5 gaming console. Despite the company facing inventory issues at the start with limited availability, the firm still on track to surpass its goal of 7.6 million units by the end of March 2021.

The company even further expects this figure to reach 14.8 million units or more in terms of shipments by the end of the next fiscal year, as per Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki. Sony is facing a higher than expected demand for its new generation of gaming consoles but is currently struggling with production due to industry wide shortage of components. However, it still plans on increasing its production beyond its current plans. The CFO further added that “We are doing our best on production so that we can ship as many units as possible at the earliest timing.”

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vivo S7t 5G launched in China with MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC and OriginOS

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Feb 4, 2021

The vivo S7t 5G has been in the news for a while now. Finally, this smartphone is now official in China. It is already up for sale on the brand’s official website and up for pre-order on multiple online retailers in the country. Priced at ¥2,698, the vivo S7t 5G is basically a vivo S7 5G with a different chipset.

The newly launched vivo S7t 5G is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC paired with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 internal storage. For those unaware, the original vivo S7 5G which is sold as vivo V20 Pro 5G in some markets comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset.

Except for the above-mentioned difference, the new vivo S7t is exactly the same as the regular vivo S7. Hence, it sports a 6.44-inch FHD+ ( 2400×1080 pixels) AMOLED display with a wide notch and 20:9 aspect ratio. Other features of this screen include an in-display fingerprint sensor, 91.2% screen-to-body ratio, 408 ppi, 98.5% NTSC color gamut, and 3000000 contrast ratio.

The handset houses a triple camera setup on the back that includes a 64MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide unit with support for macro mode, and a 2MP monochrome sensor for portrait shots. Whereas, on the front, it has a 44MP main selfie camera with AF (auto-focus) and a secondary 8MP ultra-wide shooter.

For connectivity, the phone comes with dual-SIM, 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and GNSS (BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS). As far as ports and sensors are concerned, it has a USB Type-C port, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope, and compass. Unfortunately, it lacks both a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot.

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Lastly, the vivo S7t 5G is backed by a 4,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging, runs OriginOS based on Android 11, comes in a single color option (Monet), measures 158.82 x 74.2 x 7.495 in dimensions, and weighs around 169g.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus sees significant growth in the US smartphone market in 2020

Oneplus 8/8 Pro OxygenOS Open Beta 6 Official Changelog

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ColorFit Pro 3 Specs

OnePlus Nord OxygenOS Open Beta 3 Official Changelog

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1HUAWEI Mate X2

2Xiaomi Mi 11 and Mi 11 Lite, Mi 11 Pro

3Redmi K40 and K40 Pro, Note 10 and Note 10 Pro

Redmi Note 10 series

4ASUS ROG Phone 5

5Nokia 3.4, 5.4

6Infinix Smart 5

7Samsung Galaxy A52, A72, and A32 4G, Galaxy M62/F62

8Other Expected launches

OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G, F19/F21

Vivo S7t 5G

Galaxy XCover5

Motorola Edge S

Other Gaming Phones

9Already launched(Feb. 1 – 4)

EDITOR’S PICK: Lenovo also showcases a true wireless charging tech called ‘Motorola One Hyper’

Motorola Moto G Series Branding 2021

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EDITOR’S PICK: Vivo patents a mouse with a design similar to the Microsoft Arc

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