After WhatsApp faced intense backlash across the globe over its recent privacy policy changes, the messaging platform is now facing a legal complaint against it in one of its largest markets, India.
According to a Gadgets360report, the social media giant has a petition filed against it in an Indian court earlier this week. This arrives as the first legal challenge that the company is facing for its recent privacy policy updates. For those unaware, WhatsApp rolled out an update that made changes to the application’s privacy policies. These changes gave the company the right to share some of the users’ data, like phone number and location, with its parent company Facebook, and its other platforms, Instagram, and Messenger.
According to lawyer Chaitanya Rohilla, “It [privacy updates] virtually gives a 360-degree profile into a person’s online activity.” The petition stated that ” WhatsApp has made a mockery out of our fundamental right to privacy.” At the moment, the company has given users till the 8th of February 2021 to accept the new terms. The petition also added that “This type of arbitrary behavior and browbeating cannot be accepted in a democracy and is complete ‘ultra vires’ (beyond its powers) and against the fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”
Back in late December 2020, Xiaomi crowdfunded Mi Portable Mouse 2, the successor to the original Mi Portable Mouse for ¥79 ($12) in its home country China. Since this wireless mouse had successfully completed the company’s crowdfunding goal within a few days, it is now officially available for purchase on multiple retailers.
Xiaomi Mi Portable Mouse 2 Specifications and Features
Before going on crowdfunding, the Mi Portable Mouse 2 was first spotted on Bluetooth SIG back in August 2020. Now, months after, this wireless mouse has finally hit the stores in China.
It features an anodized aluminum alloy body with a sandblasted surface, dual-tone finish, two colors(Silver, Space Gray), measures 109.8 x 60 x 25.7mm in dimensions, weighs about 86g (including battery). It is worth noting that this mouse is not entirely made of aluminum as it includes materials like ABS (acrylonitrile-butadlene-styrene) and polycarbonate).
One of the main USP (unique selling proposition) of this product is that it can either cannot via Bluetooth 4.2 LE or a 2.4GHz USB receiver that can be placed under the magnetic cover of the mouse alongside the battery when not in use. Hence, it can be connected with two devices at a time and can be easily switched between the two using a dedicated button.
The second highlight is that it supports the following 4 DPI levels for different resolutions.
1200 DPI – 1080p (FHD) Display
1800 DPI – Widescreen Display
2400 DPI – 2K (QHD) Display
4000 DPI – 4K (UHD) Display
The DPI key is located at the bottom, whereas the regular left-right mouse button, scroll wheel, switch key, and an LED indicator are at the top. Further, the product is backed by an AA battery, which the company claims to run for up to 12 months.
1 of 4
Last but not least, the Mi Portable Mouse bears model number BXSBMW02 and supports Microsoft Windows 10, Apple macOS 10.10 or above, and Android 6.0 or above. Although there’s no mention of iPadOS, it should work with iPads via Bluetooth.
Xiaomi Mi Portable Mouse 2 Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi Portable Mouse 2 was crowdfunded for ¥79 ($12). But now, it is selling for ¥89 ($14) on Mi.com and ¥99 ($15) on both Xiaomi Youpin and JD in China. Since previous Xiaomi mouse products were made available in global markets, it may also hit other regions in the coming days.
TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is on track with its 3nm process technology. The company is on schedule with its development and plans on beginning the risk production phase within this year.
In a conference call earlier this week, the chipmaking giant’s CEO CC Wei stated that ” Our N3 technology development is on track with good progress. We are seeing a much higher level of customer engagement for both HPC and smartphone application at N3 as compared with N5 and N7 at a similar stage.” Furthermore, the company aims on starting mass production by the second half of 2022, with the risk production starting in the second half of this year.
According to a DigiTimesreport, TSMC has also set its Capex target at 25 to 28 billion US Dollars, which is higher than the previously estimated 20 to 22 billion US Dollars. The reason for the hike is currently unknown as the company’s CEO refrained from commenting on specific orders and customers when asked about receiving outsourcing demand from Intel. However, Wei added that TSMC’s Capex intensity is high due to technical complexity.
As per the senior executive, the expenditure on EUV lithography and its technological advancements is a major reason for the higher Capex this year. Additionally, TSMC believes that a higher levels of expenditure on capacity will be helpful towards future growth as well. Similarly, the world’s largest contract chipmaker has also raised its CAGR target for revenue to 10 to 15 percent in US dollar term through 2025.
TSMC has also disclosed that it is working on its 3D SoIC (system on integrated chips) packaging technology, which will be ready for production in 2022. The company is expecting its revenue from backend services to grow as well within the next few years, especially with its 3DFabric family of technologies that it has been promoting. Wei further added that “We observe chiplets are becoming an industry trend. We are working with several customers on 3DFabric to enable chiplet architecture.”
Yesterday, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones in various markets across the globe. At the event, the company also confirmed the pricing of the Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Here is all information on the pricing and offers available for buyers of the Galaxy S21 series in India.
The Galaxy S21 5G is available in India in two choices like 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. They are priced at Rs 69,999 (~$958) and Rs 73,999 (~$1,013), respectively. Its color options are Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, and Phantom Silver.
The Galaxy S21+ 5G has landed in the country in two options such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. They are priced at Rs 81,999 (~Rs 1,113) and Rs 85,999 (~$1,177), respectively. Its color options are Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, and Phantom Silver.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has arrived in India in two options such as 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 16 GB RAM + 512 GB storage. They are priced at Rs 105,999 (~$1,450) and Rs 116,999 (~$1,600), respectively. It comes in two colors such as Phantom Black and Phantom Silver.
The pre-booking period for Galaxy S21 series will end on Jan. 28 in India. People who order an S21 series phone during this period will get a Galaxy SmartTag as a gift. Pre-ordered units will be shipped earlier starting from Jan. 25. The sales of the Galaxy S21 series will begin on Jan. 29. Customers can take advantage of no-cost EMI and stand EMI plans to purchase the desired handset.
Customers who pre-book the S21 shall be eligible for Rs 4,000 e-voucher benefits, which can be redeemed through the Samsung Shop app. Customers who pre-order S21+ shall be eligible to get Buds Live for Rs 990 (~$13.5) or e-voucher benefits of up to Rs 10,000 (~$136). People who pre-book S21 Ultra shall be eligible to get Galaxy Watch Active2 for Rs 990 or e-voucher benefits of up to Rs 10,000. The prebook offers end on Jan. 28.
Buyers of the Galaxy S21 models will get 4 months of free subscription of YouTube Premium. This offer expires on March 6. Customers who purchase S21 Ultra, S21+, and S21 can avail Rs 10,000 (~$136), Rs 7,000 (~$96), and Rs 5,000 (~$68) cashback, respectively through HDFC Bank cards. Samsung is offering Rs 3,000 (~$41), Rs 4,000 (~$55), and Rs 5,000 (~$68) additional bonus on the exchange of old phone for buyers of S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, respectively. The HDFC Bank and Upgrade offers are available until Jan. 31. The 20K Advantage promotion by Samsung brings benefits worth Rs 20,000 (~$273) through the Samsung Shop app for S21 series buyers.
Apple recently launched the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini powered by the company’s latest ARM-based M1 chipset. With that, the Cupertino-based giant kicked off the process of transitioning from Intel chips to its own Apple Silicon.
The company has been long rumored to launching new MacBook Pro devices in the market and now reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed some interesting information about the upcoming laptop.
Kuo indicates that the upcoming MacBook Pro 2021 will come with a refreshed design, featuring squared-off sides in both the top and bottom halves of the machine. The design will be similar to what we have seen in the iPad Pro and the new iPhone 12 models.
While Kuo suggests major redesign, Mark Gurman claims that the upcoming models will look similar to the current models with minor changes. Ming-Chi Kuo also claims that the company will remove the Touch Bar in favor of the physical row for the function keys.
The company is reportedly bringing back the MagSafe charger which is expected to have a similar design to the previous incarnation on Mac notebooks. But the devices will continue to support USB-C ports on both sides.
Apple is expected to launch two different models of MacBook Pro this year — one with a 14-inch display and another with a 16-inch display. The report goes on to add that the devices could be officially launched in the third quarter of this year.
Both of them will be powered by the company’s ARM-based chipset but this report doesn’t confirm if this will be a new processor. Previously, it was reported that the models in 2021 will be powered by the M1X or M2 chipset from Apple.
The Apple App Store in China has removed a large number of mobile games during the month of December 2020. Around 48,000 gaming based applications had been removed from the app ecosystem, which were found breaking the local rules and regulations.
For those unaware, China’s mobile gaming regulator requires every title to receive a special license from the nation’s National Press and Publication Administration, prior to its launch. This license confirms that the game conforms to the local guidelines and rules, which are known to be strict regarding the content that is allowed to be displayed. Now, Apple is keeping the apps they include in their App Store in check as well, which is something Android stores were already enforcing. This apparently led to a massive number of titles being removed from the App Store, as per a SensorTowerreport.
As per Sensor Tower’s report, 5,500 apps were removed in July 2020, followed by another 27,000 games in August. However, December saw the biggest purge with over 40,000 titles being removed from the App Store. Notably, this also includes a few apps that were also previously one of the store’s top downloaded or highest grossing games in terms of revenue. At the moment, there is still a possibility for the removed games to return to the Apple App Store sometime in the future, after acquiring the license.
Previously, the Apple App Store was seen as a sort of a ‘grey market’ in China, despite strict regulations being placed on content in the region. However, publishers and studios will no longer be able to benefit from this loophole. China is one of the largest gaming markets in the world, especially for mobile gaming. So, the removal of apps from the App Store highlights the government’s message of ” follow the rules or it’s closed to you.”
Nubia, a sub-brand of ZTE Corporation, has today announced its latest product in its home market China — Nubia Cube Charger. As the name itself indicates, the device is a cube-shaped charger that supports 22.5W charging.
It comes with a USB Type-C interface and the company has revealed that the product will be available in four color options — Cream White, Matcha Green, Strawberry Pink, and Mint Blue. The product is priced at 59 yuan, which roughly converts to $9.
While the company has not yet revealed when this new Nubia Cube Charger will be available for purchase, some reports indicate that it could go on sale in the Chinese market from 20th January.
The launch of this new 22.5W charger from Nubia comes months after the company had launched the Nubia 65W GaN Candy Charger, which also comes in colorful options, including Blue, Green, Pink, and Yellow, for a price of 109 yuan (~$17).
The 65W charger from the company also comes with a single USB Type-C interface, similar to the newly launched 22.5W Nubia Cube Charger. Along with 65W output, it supports PD 3.0 protocol and 3.3-11V-5A and 3.3-21V3A PPS.
Samsung was the first company to launch a 108-megapixel smartphone camera sensor and after a couple of years of its debut, the company keeps on introducing updated variants of the same. In line with that, the South Korean giant has now announced the third-generation of the 108MP sensor, Samsung ISOCELL HM3.
The updated HM3 camera sensor comes with a host of notable upgrades and new tricks for an improved output in terms of image clarity, dynamic range, and autofocus performance. It is a 1/1.33-inch sensor that uses 0.8μm pixels and performs 9-in-1 Nonacell pixel-binning to deliver images of 12MP size.
The company has introduced a new technology named Super PD Plus that improves autofocus stability. Talking about it, Samsung says that “Super PD Plus adds AF-optimized micro-lenses over the phase-detection focusing agents, increasing measurement accuracy of the agents by 50-percent.” The technology ensures that moving subjects are always in sharp focus, and low-light performance gets a boost as well.
It also comes with Smart ISO Pro — a high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging technology that uses an intra-scene dual conversion gain (iDCG) solution. It captures a frame in both high and low ISO and merges them into a single image in 12-bit color depth with reduced noise.
The company adds that with a low-noise mode, the technology improves the light sensitivity by 50 percent to capture brighter and clearer photos in low-light environments compared to its predecessor.
Samsung claims to have reduced the energy uptake under preview mode, thanks to the new sensor design for ISOCELL HM3. As for availability, the company has revealed that it is already under mass production but it remains to be seen which device becomes the first to have this new camera sensor.
Earlier this week, MediaTek announced that it would be offering incentive bonuses worth 1.7 billion New Taiwan Dollars (roughly 59 million US Dollars) to its various employees after the company recorded a surge in sales of its smartphones chips last year.
According to a TaiPei Times report, the chipmaker is giving large bonuses to its employees, which also includes those that work in the company’s major subsidiaries as well. Notably, this announcement marks the biggest incentive bonus that MediaTek has ever distributed in its 23 year long history. At the moment, the company employs around 17,000 people working under it and its five subsidiaries, including Richtek Technology Corp and Airoha Technology Corp.
The employees working under these firms will receive a “red envelope,” with each letter giving out 100,000 New Taiwan Dollars (roughly 3,580 US Dollars), as per the company’s official announcement. This move from the company arrives after its revenue hit 10 billion US Dollars back in 2020. The company also stated that “Surpassing 10 billion US Dollars is just the beginning. We will continue to [grow] on this basis.”
Currently, MediaTek has about 10,000 employees, among which it is allocating 20 percent of its annual distributable earnings for local employees in the form of end bonuses. With 5G enabled smartphones becoming more popular, the company has seen a bump in sales, especially within the affordable handset segments with its Dimensity series of 5G chips. Chinese companies like Oppo, Vivo, Realme, and others are a few of its major customers that ship their devices with 5G chips from MediaTek.
Last year, in the months of May, Realme launched its first smartwatch in the market — Realme Watch S. A few months ago, it launched the Realme Watch S and S Pro. Now, it seems that the company is gearing up to launch the successor of its first watch.
Realme has a mobile application named Realme Link which acts as a hub for all the connected devices coming from the company. Now, a report claims that the app’s source code has revealed the Realme Watch 2 and Realme Watch 2 Pro devices.
Presence of the two upcoming smartwatches in the company’s application hints that Realme is quite close to making these devices official. However, the company has not yet officially shared anything related to this.
Also, while the app mentions these two upcoming devices, it doesn’t reveal anything related to their specifications and features. However, given that the devices are the successor to the existing models, we expect some noteworthy improvements.
To remind you of the specs and features of the Realme Watch, it comes with a 1.4-inch Touchscreen display with 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3 protection on top, offering 320 x 320 pixels screen resolution, 323 PPI pixel density, and 380 nits brightness.
It comes with a 24/7 Health Assistant, which includes a real-time heart rate monitor, blood oxygen level monitor (SpO2), and 14 sports modes. There’s also Step Tracker, Idle Alert, Meditation, Water Drinking Reminder, and Sleep Monitor.
The device can be used to control music, unlock smartphones, as well as to control the smartphone’s camera functions. It is IP68 rated, making it water and dust resistant. The product is priced at ₹3,999, which is approximately $55. We expect a bit higher pricing for the successor, if not the same.
Qualcomm recently unveiled the Snapdragon 480 5G mobile platform for budget-friendly 5G phones. It revealed that brands like Vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, and a few more will launch SD480 powered phones in Q1 2021. Last week, the Vivo Y31s 5G debuted in China as the world’s first Snapdragon 480 powered smartphone. Today, OPPO announced the OPPO A93 5G phone with Snapdragon 480 onboard.
OPPO A93 5G specifications and features
The OPPO A93 5G measures 162.9 x 74.7 x 8.4mm and it weighs 188 grams. The handset has a 6.5-inch LTPS LCD panel with a punch-hole design. The screen supports an FHD+ resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, DCI-P3 color gamut, 405ppi pixel density, and a 90Hz refresh rate.
The handset features a front camera of 8-megapixel. Its rear shell has a triple camera system that comprises a 48-megapixel main camera with f/1.7 aperture, a 2-megapixel portrait lens, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.
The Snapdragon 480 SoC is coupled with 8 GB of RAM. The phone ships with 128 GB / 256 GB of internal storage. It has a microSD card slot for additional storage. There is a 5,000mAh battery inside the device that supports 18W fast charging.
For security, it features a side-facing fingerprint scanner and face unlock. Other features that are available ont eh device include ColorOS 11.1 based Android 11 OS, dual SIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, USB-C, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
OPPO A93 5G pricing and availability
The 8GB + 256GB edition of the OPPO A93 5G is priced at 1,999 Yuan (~$309). The pricing of the 8GB + 128GB is not known yet. Its color variants are Elegant Silver, Dazzle Black, and Aurora. There is no word on the other markets that will be receiving the A93 5G.
Just recently, Samsung launched a budget smartphone called Galaxy M02s in Nepal and India. Two more devices in the form of Galaxy M02 and Galaxy A02 with similar specs and price tag are expected to join it in the coming days. These handsets have been in the news lately, thanks to certifications and benchmarks. Now, they have been cleared Bluetooth certification as well.
Galaxy A01
According to the Bluetooth SIG website, the upcoming Galaxy M02 will come with three model numbers, whereas the Galaxy A02 will arrive with five model numbers, intended for multiple markets. All three variants of the former device will have dual-SIM support, however, two variants of the latter handset will come with a single-SIM card slot.
Galaxy M02
SM-M022M_DS
SM-M022F_DS
SM-M022G_DS
Galaxy A02
SM-A022F
SM-A022M
SM-A022F_DS
SM-A022M_DS
SM-A022G_DS
According to a Geekbench listing, the Galaxy M02 will be identical to the Galaxy M02s with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC, 3GB RAM, and Android 10. On the other hand, the Galaxy A02 is expected to sport MediaTek MT6739WW chipset, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, Android 10, and 5,000mAh battery. Some of the above-mentioned models numbers could also feature a Snapdragon 450 chip.
On Dec. 29, Vivo held a launch event in China for unveiling the Vivo X60 series of smartphones. At the event, it announced three devices such as the Vivo X60, Vivo X60 Pro, and Vivo X60 Pro+. However, it did not divulge the specifications and pricing of the Pro+ model. It only claimed that it will be made official in January. Today, the company took to its Weibo channel to reveal that the Vivo X60 Pro+ will be announced at 7:30 PM (local time) on Jan. 21 in China.
The all-new Exynos 1080 chipset is present under the hood of the Vivo X60 and X60 Pro smartphones. The more advanced X60 Pro+ could be fueled by the Snapdragon 888 SoC. A listing of the X60 Pro+ had appeared on JD.com through which its memory variants and color options were revealed.
It was found on the Chinese retailer site that the X60 Pro+ will be arriving in two variants such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. And it will be available in colors like Deep Ocean Blue and Classic Orange.
Rumors surrounding the Vivo X60 Pro+ have claimed that it will be equipped with the same 6.56-inch AMOLED display with centered punch-hole design that is available on the X60 and X60 Pro handsets. The screen offers a Full HD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and it is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.
The X60 Pro+ is expected to arrive with support for 55W fast charging. It goes without saying that it will offer better photography capabilities than the other X60 models. It is likely that it could be fitted with a 50-megapixel main camera coupled with the second-generation micro-gimbal tech.
In what would be considered one of the fastest acquisition deals in the face of antitrust concerns, Google has finally acquired watchmaker Fitbit. The two companies commenced acquisition talks over 14 months ago but the bid was faced with serious scrutiny by regulatory authorities such as EU’s European Commission over privacy concerns.
The final acquisition means the road has been cleared for the deal to happen but obviously, Google had to make a series of “binding commitments with global regulators” that ultimately quelled the privacy concerns. It comes in a record time considering how long it took before the T-Mobile and Sprint merger was allowed to sail through last year.
The acquisition deal will see the search giant dole out a little more than $2 billion for the renowned wearable manufacturer established in 2007. Google says it is planning to work closely with Fitbit to “create new devices and services” helping you “enhance your knowledge, success, health, and happiness.”
In his official blog post announcing the completion of the acquisition, Google’s Senior VP of Devices & Services Rick Osterloh didn’t elaborate on the tech giant’s future hardware plans. However, the post explicitly mentioned the recently released Fitbit Sense and Inspire 2 which seems to suggest their successors could very be in the pipeline.
Also, there was no indication if Google will try to blend its own Wear OS with the Fitbit OS software platforms going forward. But then, it is too early to phantom the duo’s future plans for the partnership.
Taiwanese tech giant ASUS has launched its latest Chrome OS device known as Fanless Chromebox. The device packs 10th generation Intel CPUs and is available in two processor versions. Also, to enable the device to deliver premium performance, there is a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 for ultrafast connections as well as built-in Google Play support for a rich selection of apps for productivity, and communication.
The Fanless Chromebox adopts a tough and versatile aluminum chassis with a fanless design that allows for smooth and reliable operation even in harsh commercial and industrial environments.
ASUS Chromebox is powered by 10th Gen Intel Core or Celeron processors, paired with up to 16GB of DDR4-2666 memory and up to 256GB of M.2 SSD storage for fast, smooth performance with energy efficiency at the peak. The device is also equipped with a versatile USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port for fast data transfers, power delivery, and DisplayPort functionality. In addition, the Chromebox supports the connection of up to three 4K displays simultaneously for brilliant, sharp visuals and powerful productivity. You also get an Intel WiFi 6 connectivity support and USB 3.2 Type-A ports for rapid data transfers.
Further, the Fanless Chromebox features support for an external power-switch cable which enables it to be turned on or off easily especially when it is placed in difficult-to-reach locations. There is also an RS232 via RJ50 interface allowing users to interface the device with legacy monitors and devices.
The use cases for the ASUS Fanless Chromebox are diverse, including digital signage, point-of-sale systems, intelligent vending machines, warehouse workstations, and even factory production lines. It is also a suitable desktop-replacement system for cloud workers.
The bulit-in Google Play support onboard the mini PC brings a rich lineup of apps and other contents that makes the Chromebox a fitting companion for businesses. It also gets automatic software and security updates ensuring that it is safe from viruses, malware, and other security issues. There is a lockable VESA mount which enables the Chromebox to be mounted securely in a diverse range of locations like on ceilings, walls, or under desks or counters. There is also a separate cable lock which provides the ability to secure DC-in and HDMI cable connections in commercial settings.
ASUS is yet to disclose the pricing and availability details of the Fanless Chromebox.
With regards to this incident, Xiaomi has released an official statement. It reiterates that it has no affiliation with the Chinese military and that it was looking into the potential implications of the matter.
“The Company has been in compliance with law and operating in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations of jurisdictions where it conducts its businesses. The Company reiterates that it provides products and services for civilian and commercial use. The Company confirms that it is not owned, controlled or affiliated with the Chinese military, and is not a “Communist Chinese Military Company” defined under the NDAA. The Company will take appropriate course of actions to protect the interests of the Company and its shareholders.
The Company is reviewing the potential consequences of this to develop a fuller understanding of its impact on the Group. The Company will make further announcements as and when appropriate.”
It remains to be seen how this affects the company and its products in the future. But in the short term, it likely doesn’t have any direct implications on existing Xiaomi users.
Original Story below.
Now that Huawei is effectively out of the picture, the Trump administration has set its eyes on the next big Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi. On Thursday, the US administration added nine companies to its blacklist of companies with ties to the Chinese military, which includes the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, Xiaomi.
Following this move, US investors can no longer invest in the companies added to this special blacklist. They are barred from purchasing shares and securities of companies like Xiaomi who are a part of this list and will have to divest their existing holdings in them by Nov. 11, 2021, Reuter reports.
Unfortunately, so far the Trump administration has not given any proof as to how Xiaomi or other companies are tied to the Chinese military. Blacklisting Xiaomi was very sudden and quite unexpected given how Xiaomi is essentially a smartphone and electronics company. Before this move, the Trump administration was focused on blacklisting companies from crucial industries like telecommunications (Huawei) and Semiconductor technology (SMIC). Currently, the US has blacklisted over 60 Chinese companies which include the world’s largest drone maker DJI and China’s top semiconductor firm SMIC.
However, it’s worth noting that this blacklist is different from the US Entity List. So unlike Huawei or even DJI, Xiaomi still can import US technology without a license, at least for now.
It’s also quite possible that the Biden administration that’s all set to take power from January 20 overturns this decision. However, until then, it remains to be seen how Xiaomi and other Chinese companies react to this sudden blacklisting.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first Galaxy S smartphone to have support for the S Pen. Although, it misses out on some of the features of the Galaxy Note 20‘s Bluetooth S Pen. Samsung has now revealed more Galaxy devices will get S Pen support.
The source of the info is an official statement sent to SamMobile by Samsung in which a spokesman revealed that the Korean company plans to expand the Galaxy S Pen experience to more devices in the future. Below is an excerpt of the statement:
“We are committed to innovating new mobile experiences that flow seamlessly and continuously to make our consumers’ lives easier and better. We’ve made the bold decision to expand the S Pen experience to Galaxy S21 Ultra, and plan to expand the S Pen experience across additional device categories in the future. We remain committed to providing the best mobile experience to our consumers and will continue to actively listen and consider consumer feedback in our product innovations.”
As you can see, no specific Galaxy device was mentioned but leaks have revealed that one of Samsung’s upcoming foldable will have support for the input device. One from last October even said that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 may come with an S Pen.
The stylus which first appeared in the first Galaxy Note is now included with some of Samsung’s tablets and computers. Since the very first one, the S Pen has gained more features including Bluetooth connectivity and air gesture support.
Those planning to get the Galaxy S21 Ultra will have to pay an additional $40 for the S Pen. However, Samsung says that the S Pen from other Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab devices will also work. You will be able to use the stylus to draw, take notes, edit photos, and sign documents.
2020 ended with two amazing Chinese flagships: Xiaomi Mi 11 and OPPO Reno5 Pro+. The former is the first device with the Snapdragon 888 inside, while the latter is the first flagship from the Reno lineup after the Reno10x zoom (and its 5G version called Reno 5G). Both come with flagship-class hardware, but they are not among the most expensive smartphones out there. They sit in the middle between flagship killers and top-tier flagships. Given that they were released in the same period and they are sold at similar prices in the Chinese market, a lot of people are wondering which one they should go for. With this specs comparison, we will try to clear your ideas about their specifications and differences.
The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ is the first commercial phone with an electrochromic back cover. The phone is able to change its color after a double tap. Just for this reason, the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ features the most innovative design and we would choose this handset as the winner of the design comparison. But it is not all: the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ is even thinner, lighter, and more compact than the Xiaomi Mi 11. It is definitely one of the sleekest and beautiful phones you can find in the market. The Xiaomi Mi 11 is very attractive, it has a futuristic design and even a leather version, but the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ looks slightly more interesting to me.
Display
When it comes to the display, OPPO Reno5 Pro+ does not stand a chance against the Xiaomi Mi 11. First of all, the Xiaomi Mi 11 has a higher resolution: Quad HD+ vs Full HD+. Further, the refresh rate is higher, with a max of 120 Hz. The Xiaomi Mi 11 also features a wider panel protected by Gorilla Glass Victus. But the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ still comes with a great display: it is a Full HD+ panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate, very high brightness, and the HDR10+ certification. Both are AMOLED panels and both feature an in-display fingerprint reader.
Specs & Software
The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a superior hardware department compared to the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ because of the chipset: it is fueled by a more powerful Snapdragon 888 mobile platform built at 5 nm, while the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ is built around the Snapdragon 865 from 2019. In the highest-end variant, you get the same memory configurations with both the phones: 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. OPPO Reno5 Pro+ and Xiaomi Mi 11 run Android 11 out of the box, with highly-customized user interfaces.
Camera
The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ sports a more complete camera department. It has a 50 MP main sensor (the all-new Sony IMX766) with OIS, a 13 MP telephoto sensor with optical zoom, a 16 MP ultrawide camera, and a 2 MP macro camera. The Xiaomi Mi 11 has an amazing 108 MP main camera, but, unfortunately, it lacks a telephoto sensor and it does not feature optical zoom. Even the front camera is better on the OPPO Reno5 Pro+, with a 32 MP resolution.
The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ and the Xiaomi Mi 11 come with similar battery capacities: 4500 mAh and 4600 mAh, respectively. Given that we had no chance to test them and they have been available for just a few days, it is still hard to understand which one will last more on a single charge. The Mi 11 has a more efficient chipset, while the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ has a more efficient display. OPPO Reno5 Pro+ supports a faster 65W faster technology, but, unlike the Mi 11, it lacks wireless charging and reverse wireless charging (it only supports reverse wired charging).
Price
The Xiaomi Mi 11 and the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ are priced at about €500/$610 in their base variants: the price refers to the Chinese market as they are not available in the international market. The Xiaomi Mi 11 will become global, while the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ will remain a China-exclusive. Which is the best device? The answer varies depending on your needs. The Mi 11 has better hardware, display, and it supports wireless charging. The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ provides faster charging speeds, a sleeker design, and a more complete camera department. What would your choice be?
Samsung has followed in the footsteps of Apple and Xiaomi by choosing not to ship the new Galaxy S21 series smartphones without a charger, though it does include a USB cable, unlike the others. Since Samsung knows a number of buyers will be picking up a new charger along with their new phones, it has announced a price cut for its 25W USB-C Wall Charger.
The Samsung 25W USB-C Fast Charging Wall Charger sells for $34.99 but SamMobile has reported Samsung has cut the price down to $19.99. However, when we checked as at the time of writing, the price is still $34.99. We will advise you to exercise some patience if you already planned to purchase the charger before the price cut.
There is no info on if the price cut will happen in other countries and at offline stores. We also do not know if Samsung will be cutting the price of its wireless chargers.
The charger, which comes in black and white color variants, has a USB-C port at the top. It uses Power Delivery, so if you are not picking up any of the Galaxy S21 phones but you have a phone that supports Power Delivery up to 25W, then you may want to pick up this charger too.
All models of the Galaxy S21 series max out at 25W which is disappointing considering that we now have phones that support 120W fast charging and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 5 technology brings 100+W fast charging to compatible devices. It must also be disappointing to those who own the Galaxy S20 Ultra which supports 45W fast charging and hoped that its successor will have faster charging and not a slower one.
Global payment platform, PayPal Holding Inc incursion into the Chinese market has resulted in the company becoming the first foreign operator to have 100% control of a payment platform in China. This much was revealed by recent data emanating from the Chinese government, as the U.S. firm makes giant steps to have a greater foothold in the fast-evolving and booming market for online payments.
Last year, PayPal completed the takeover of the payment platform, GoPay by buying its remaining 30% stake, according to shareholder data from the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.
The financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed in the data. The purchase came one year after PayPal bought the initial 70% stake in GoPay for an undisclosed amount at that time, which made it the first foreign company to enjoy such ownership privilege and licensed to provide online payment services in China.
At this time, PayPal is yet to give an official statement on the issue, as it declined to comment.
How this affects PayPal
The implication of taking total control of a company, albeit a small player, in the Chinese payment market is that PayPal has to compete with domestic heavyweights like Alipay and WeChat Pay in the world’s largest payment market, as it makes inroads into the ever-expanding Chinese financial system.
The purchase comes in the wake of a deliberate government policy to ensure a level playing field for all players and Beijing’s move to prevent monopoly in any sector of the economy.
PayPal had appointed Hannah Qiu as head of China business in August 2020, and she’s responsible for formulating a long-term strategy that would drive the company to have a firm foothold on the Chinese economy. Qiu is a former executive at insurer Ping An Group’s fintech unit OneConnect.
PayPal will focus on providing cross-border payment solutions to Chinese businesses, merchants, and consumers, leveraging on its global network to provide seamless services for its Chinese customers. PayPal has its job cut out, as this segment of the payment market also has some big names.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
