Recent reports have revealed that Samsung is gearing up to launch a couple of 5G-ready A-series of smartphones such as Galaxy A32 5G, Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72 5G. There are speculations that some of the markets may receive the 4G variants of these phones. Recently, a leak had shared live shots of the rear panels of the Galaxy A32. One of the shots reveals that the images belong to its 4G variant. Last week, the Galaxy A52 4G variant was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking platform with Snapdragon 720G. Now, the Galaxy A72 5G has also paid a visit to Geekbench 5. The listing reveals that it is also powered by the same chipset.
The model number of the Galaxy A72 5G is SM-A726B, and its 4G variant’s model number is SM-A725F. The Geekbench listing of the 4G model states that it is powered by a Qualcomm chipset that is codenamed as “atoll”. This codenamed is associated with the Snapdragon 720G chipset.
The smartphone can be seen running on Android 11 OS and it has 8 GB of RAM. In the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench, the handset has scored 526 and 1623 points, respectively.
It is likely that the 5G and 4G variants of the Galaxy A72 will have identical specs and they may only differ in the chipset department. It is unclear which chipset is present under the hood of the Galaxy A72 5G.
The Honor V40 is the next major phone from the former Huawei subsidiary. The flagship which is expected to launch in January has been reported to pack some impressive features, one of which is support for 45W wireless charging. This news has now been followed by a listing of a new Honor-branded wireless car charger that we believe should launch alongside the phone.
The Honor SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger as it is called has the model number CK030 and was certified on December 23. The charger comes in black and has a mirror-like finish on the front with the manufacturer’s name plastered across.
If this charger looks familiar, then you are right as the Honor SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger is a rebadged Huawei SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger (Max 50W) that launched with the Mate 40 series a few months ago. Even the Vmall listing for the Huawei car charger states its model number is CK030, further confirming that Honor rebadged it.
Rather than manufacturing a special 45W wireless car charger, Honor is simply rebadging the 50W Huawei charger for the Honor V40. Since this is a rebadge, the features should be the same. So the Honor SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger
should have proximity sensors that control the mounting arms, a cooling fan, and up to 16 layers of protection. It should also have a USB-C port and a barrel mouth power input port.
Huawei’s wireless charger is priced at ¥329 (~50) and we expect the Honor SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger to have a similar price tag when it launches.
Just a few months after the launch of the OPPO Reno4 and Reno4 Pro 5G, the Reno5 series came up including the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G. While the Reno4 Pro is an upper-midrange phone in terms of hardware, with the Reno5 Pro the company decided to go beyond the midrange segment and offer higher performance. But the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G is not a better phone than Reno4 Pro 5G from every point of view and a lot of people might be confused while evaluating the specifications of these two phones. Which one is the best and for which kind of users? This comparison will highlight the differences between the specifications of the latest Pro variants from the Reno series.
Quad 64 + 8 MP + 2 + 2 MP f/1.7 and f/2.2 and f/2.4 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.4 front camera
Triple 48 + 13 + 12 MP f/1.7 + f/.24 + f/2.2
32 MP f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY
4350 mAh
Fast charging 65W
4000 mAh, Fast Charging 65W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse charging
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Design
OPPO improved the design with the Reno5 Pro 5G. At a first glance, the two phones might seem identical, but the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G offers a lot more thanks to its prismatic pattern and fluorescent parts glowing in the dark. The Reno Glow color variants are definitely impressive. However, there are no huge differences if we exclude the colors and the light effects provided by the phones. Despite the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G packs a bigger battery, it has almost the same dimensions as its predecessor: it is as thin as the Reno4 Pro 5G and even the weight is the same. Both the phones are built with a glass back and an aluminum frame, and they both have a curved screen at the edges and a punch-hole design.
Display
The presence of the HDR10+ certification on the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G is very interesting, but the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G provides a higher brightness. However, there are just marginal differences between the displays of these two handsets. Both feature an in-display fingerprint scanner and the same 6.55-inch display size, as well as the same Full HD+ resolution with 1080 x 2400 pixels. We recommend not to give so much importance to the display and go ahead by evaluating the other specifications of these handsets.
Specs & Software
Here is where you can find the most important difference: the chipset. The OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 765G mobile platform which is actually a mid-range SoC. The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G offers a flagship-class processor: the Dimensity 1000+, actually the best chipset released by MediaTek. The memory configurations are exactly the same: there is one with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, and one with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. But the software out of the box changes: OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G is based on Android 10 customized by ColorOS 7.2, while OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G runs Android 11 with ColorOS 11.
Camera
OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G is actually a way better camera phone than OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G. The Reno5 Pro 5G has a midrange-class camera department including a 64 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultrawide lens, and a pair of 2 MP sensors for macros and depth calculation. With the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G, you get a 48 MP main sensor with OIS (the Sony IMX586), a 13 MP telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, and a 12 MP ultrawide camera which also works as a dedicated video camera. The front cameras are exactly the same: two 32 MP sensors with f/2.4 focal aperture. So, despite it is an older phone, the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G is a better camera phone. And it is even one of the best camera phones in the market, especially for those who want to record very nice videos.
The battery capacity is the weakest point of the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G: it has just 4000 mAh. The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G has a bigger 4350 mAh battery providing a way longer battery life. Both the phones support 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging technology allowing them to fully-charge with blazing speeds. You need just 36 minutes to charge the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G from 0 to 100 percent, and just a few minutes more for the Reno5 Pro 5G. Further, the Reno5 Pro 5G features reverse charging.
Price
The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G launched in the Chinese market with a starting price of about €430/$525: it is still not available in the global market. The listing price of the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G for the global market is €799/$975 for the 12/256 GB configuration. If you need the best camera department, you should definitely go for the OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G offering OIS and better secondary sensors for the main camera department. But for the rest of the specifications, the Reno5 Pro 5G is the winner: it has better hardware and even a bigger battery. The designs are similar and so are the displays, but the Reno5 Pro is slightly better even from these points of view. I would personally go for the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G.
OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G vs OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G: PRO and CONS
Ulefone recently launched Armor 10 5G, the company’s first attempt in 5G rugged category. This smartphone is both durable and versatile and comes with a 64MP quad-camera that is ideal for clicking decent pictures. Let’s take a look at its camera and see what is it capable of.
For its hardware, Armor 10 5G packs a quad-rear camera system featuring a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP wide-angle sensor, a 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. With its high resolution, this camera allows the user to capture crisp images of even the spire. It’s HDR mode helps the user take a better quality picture with well-adjusted light and contrast. Featuring an 8MP wide-angle and 5MP macro camera, this unit enables the user to capture maximum space of their surroundings pretty well and capture even small details like a snowflake in crisp quality. This device also supports underwater camera mode, meaning all its cameras are waterproof and ideal for clicking the under- and in-water adventures. Its 16MP front camera is perfect for snapping decent selfies, video calling, and face unlocking.
On the software front, Armor 10 5G comes with many filters to enhance the user’s photography experience. It supports slow-motion and time-lapse modes to help capture the beauty of time through the lens. With its advanced algorithm, this device can also capture decent pictures at night. Its noise levels can be controlled in less illuminated conditions to help the user get a more detailed view in their pictures. Armor 10 5G supports 4K video recording at 30fps to enable recording of the special moments with more detail and sharpness. Other functions include GIF, Intelligent Scanning, and Pro Mode.
Currently, Ulefone Armor 10 5G is up for promotional sale at AliExpress for just $399.99. Along with it, users can opt for a combo offer that includes a protective case for the device for just $408.68. The other combo deal that the website is offering is this device and a Ulefone Watch GPS (original price $39.99) for just $417.38.
Xiaomi has crowdfunded the Noc Loc Smart Children’s Lifting Table and Chair. The product is similar to an earlier model crowdfunded last year. But this model comes with more features and a steep price tag of 3499 yuan (~$535).
The product includes a desktop electric lift that is capable of 0-40° electric tilt, a callback memory, app/voice intelligent control, among other selling points. It is available in pink and blue colors and can be used by both sexes.
The height of the Noc Loc Smart Children’s Lifting Table and Chair can be adjusted between 52.5-78.5cm, and it is suitable for heights of 106-168cm. It can be used by kids from kindergarten to high school graduation.
Also, it comes with MIJIA app supports allowing users to adjust the height of the table as well as the angle of the table through the app. The table can be adjusted between 0-40 °. For a suitable writing position angles between 0-15° is ideal while angles 15-30° are suitable for reading. For painting and other needs, 30 -40° are ideal.
If you don’t want to open the app, the table also integrates a touchscreen panel, which makes the operation more convenient. It adopts dual motors to drive up and down, the left and right sides can be synchronized and stably raised and lowered, and there is almost no sense of vibration during the lifting. In terms of speed, it only takes 11.5 seconds from the lowest point to the highest point and it will stop when obstructed to ensure safety.
It also has a multi-mode memory function, one button to return to the last memory position without repeated adjustments. The tabletop is made of 18mm multi-layer solid wood panels, retaining the original clear maple texture, moisture-absorbing, breathable, environmentally friendly, and durable.
The seat is designed according to ergonomics and also supports height adjustment. It has three 90° upright sitting positions, saddle-shaped cushions, and moon buds with double backs, making it easy to sit for a long time.
GPD Win 2 portable gaming console has been one of the brand’s most successful products. The device is about to get a successor as GPD readies the Win 3 Gaming Laptop for launch under crowdfunding on Indiegogo in no distant time. The preview page is already live on Indiegogo’s website.
The GDP Win 3 is expected to start at $799 and will retain the portable form factor which the Win 2 is known for. The gaming PC will run on Windows 10 OS and will have a gamepad integrated into the hardware.
The device will feature a 5.5-inch display with an HD resolution of 720p. There is a keyboard under the display which can be used by sliding the screen upwards. The device also integrates a gamepad harmed with two joysticks, four triggers, a directional pad, and four action buttons.In order to take care of heating, the gaming PC features an intake air vents on the rear, and an exhaust vent on the top. It also features a USB-A port, power key, headphone jack, and built-in microphone. At the bottom, there is a USB-C Thunderbolt 4.0 port and loudspeakers. The device also packs two customizable buttons on the rear side of the controller grips, which also contain rumble feedback.
The GPD Win3 will be powered by the latest 11th-generation Intel Core i5 (2.4 – 4.2GHz) whilethe higher version will feature a Core i7 (2.8 – 4.7 GHz) SoC. The processor is paired with 16GB of LPDDR4 RAM with 1TB of internal PCIe 3.0 SSD storage. An Intel Xe GPU will fire up the graphics. The portable laptop will also come with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for a microSD card.
Apart from the ability to play games on the 720p screen while using the handheld mode, users can also make use of the dock offering a host of I/O connections. The dock will offer support for an external display via HDMI 2.0b, 1Gbps Ethernet, USB-C X1, USB-A X3.
The Win 3 will gets its power source from a battery of unknown capacity which is expected to last between 2 to 3 hours of intense gaming. For moderate use, it can last between 6 to 8 hours and light use will see it last up to 11 hoiurs. The device will charge via a 65W Power Delivery charger.
The Mi Notebook Pro series got a new model back in June. The computer which launched as the Mi Notebook Pro 15 2020 arrived with an Intel 10th Gen Comet Lake processor under its hood. Now, Geekbench results of a new model have shown up and it comes in Intel’s 11th Gen CPUs and AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600H CPU variants.
Mi Notebook Pro 15 2020
Mi Notebook Pro 2021 Intel
The new notebook was benchmarked yesterday as “TIMI Laptop”. The first variant has an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H processor with 4 cores, 8 threads, and a 12MB L3 cache. Its base frequency is clocked at 3.30GHz and its maximum frequency is 4.78GHz. Running Windows 10, the notebook scores 1572 points in the single-core test and 5065 points in the multi-core test.
The second notebook has Intel’s 11th Gen Core i5-11300H processor. Its single-core score is 1436 points while its multi-core score is 4912 points. The base frequency for the notebook is 3.11GHz while the maximum frequency is 4.38GHz and its L3 cache is smaller at 8MB. Both models have 16GB of RAM.
1 of 3
Mi Notebook Pro 11th Gen Intel Core i5
Mi Notebook Pro 11th Gen Intel Core i7
Mi Notebook Pro AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
Chinese tech blog, ITHome, reports that these processors should have a TDP of 35W. They have also stated that the new Mi Notebook computer is expected to arrive early next year.
Mi Notebook Pro 2021 AMD
Alongside these Intel models, there will also be an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H version with 6 cores and 12 threads. The base frequency is 3.30GHz while the maximum frequency is 4.24GHz. It will also have 16GB of RAM while its L3 cache is 16MB.
We expect the new models to have thinner bezels, a full-size backlit keyboard, SSD storage, and possibly, NVIDIA GPUs. We hope Xiaomi keeps the price tag of the Intel models under $1000 when it launches. The AMD version should cost more and may be announced at a later date.
DXOMARK has released more reports and this time it is the HomePod mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max‘s Audio tests. The former, despite performing well for the size, is nowhere near the competition in score. The iPhone, however, gets a step closer to rankings compared to its sibling.
Apple HomePod mini
To begin with, Apple’s HomePod mini gets a global score of 98. Not that this score is outstanding or anything but it seems to do a good job despite a smaller dimension. To compare, top contenders like Amazon Echo Studio and Google Nest Audio sit at the top with 124 and 112 points respectively.
Do note that this category is for Essential Wireless Speakers(under EUR 200). The report says the speaker produces good timbre, treble, and clear mid-range sounds. Although it has a smaller(8.5cm) height, the 360° sound helps it get a consistent sound throughout with less artifacts.
However, it lacks bass, stereo effect, not-so-high Max volume, and has low-mid tones. Typically, it looks to be suitable for indoors(background music), and casual listening but doesn’t impress as a speaker in a loud party scenario.
Apple’s iPhone 12 recently got a score of 73 points but the higher sibling beats it by a point more. And in doing so, Apple’s 2020 top-of-the-line flagship iPhone 12 Pro Max scores a good 74 overall points. It also gets the better of its spiritual predecessor iPhone 11 Pro Max which is three points behind(71).
The device offers good timbre with good high-end/low-end extension and consistent tones at all volumes. The dynamics of sound seem to be good and the report also says the speaker is suited for gaming with good spatial attributes(playback).
Overall, Audio is also good when recording/playing in noisy environments, and selfie-videos’ output is above-average. But it has Cons like occluded microphone placement(while playing/recording), small distortion in loud content, too bright and aggressive trebles.
A couple of months back, Chinese tech giant ZTE unveiled the world’s first smartphone with an Under Display camera – the Axon 20 5G. The smartphone has now gotten a teardown treatment by Zach from the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything.
The Under Display camera is the major focus of the Axon 20 5G and that is reflected in the special attention given to it. After analyzing the camera, the Youtuber then proceeded to the usually Scratch, Bend and Burn tests to determine if the device is worth the salt.
For the scratch test, like most other devices with a glass display, it scratches at a level 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Zach’s blade was able to chip some chunks clean off the frame because it is made from plastic. Also, the rear panel and camera cutouts are both made from regular glass with the back panel having a cool glossy finish.
The scratch test was also carried out on the under-display optical fingerprint sensor and even after scratches from a level 7 mineral pick it was still able to unlock the phone with ease. However, a quick burn near the selfie cam area of the display messes with its hiding properties and leaves a more visible trail.
During the bend test, the device experienced a slight bend. That isn’t a surprise as the device utilized a plastic frame but despite bending slightly, the device still remains intact.
As a reminder, the Axon 20 5G has a 6.92-inch OLED display with a 2460 x 1080p resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a Snapdragon 765G processor that draws juice from a 4220mAh battery with support for 30W wired fast charging and Quick Charge 4+.
The phone has four rear cameras – a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro camera. The camera under the display is a 32MP sensor. The phone also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, an “under-screen speaker”, and runs Android 10 out of the box.
Smartphones’ importance in 2020 meant chipset giants like Qualcomm, MediaTek witnessed growth towards the second half of the year. Among this, the latter anticipates that it will ship 500 million 5G chipsets next year. Now, a Counterpoint report says that more than 100 million smartphones were sold in Q3 2020 with MediaTek getting the most share.
According to the report, MediaTek grabs 31% of the Global Smartphone chipset market share in Q3 2020. Although it didn’t top the 5G category, it overtakes Qualcomm by 2% and also clocks a 5% YoY growth. With this, it gets the crown of biggest chipset vendor for the first time.
Previously, a report on the Application Processor market revealed that MediaTek was trailing behind Qualcomm at a 26% share in Q2. That said, it has gained a lot of grounds on Smartphone chipsets. And it has reportedly happened due to the sale of $100-$250 phones in India and China.
Anyway, the rest of the share is occupied by giants like Samsung, Huawei’s HiSilicon, Apple, and UNISOC. Among this, Apple, HiSilicon, Samsung’s share sits at 12% each while UNISOC gets 4% of the market share. Also, if you notice closely, Huawei’s HiSilicon remains unchanged from 2019 despite showing a declining trend due to the US ban.
Credit: Counterpoint Research
Coming back, the report says Qualcomm was the biggest 5G vendor for Q3. Although only 17% of the devices sold in Q3 were 5G, the company gets a resounding share of 39%. With Smartphone production reviving in Q3, and other equipment sales jumping by 30%, companies have managed to outsell themselves compared to previous quarters.
Research Director Dale Gai says MediaTek has raised the bars with its mid-range chipsets and has managed to power 3x more Xiaomi phones compared to 2019. This, along with good performance in LATAM(Latin America) and MEA(Middle East, Africa), leveraging the ban on Huawei meant it’s progress steered faster.
Just like Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra says, MediaTek also managed to power the World’s cheapest 5G-smartphone realme V3, and Europe’s cheapest 5G-device realme 7 5G. However, it still has a lot of ground to capture in the area where its rival Qualcomm has been dominating. Despite the pressure from Apple’s 5G iPhone 12 series and MediaTek, Report says Qualcomm has the potential to get back in Q4.
OPPO unveiled the Reno5 Pro+ today in China but hours before then, a less powerful variant that doesn’t have 5G support appeared on the web. This model, which is called the Reno5 4G is meant for global markets and while it is yet to launch, its specs and design have become public knowledge thanks to an early hands-on video.
The Reno5 4G hands-on video was posted on Youtube by the Indonesian publication, Nextren Grid. The video seems to have been taken at a store, but surprisingly there is no news of a launch.
The OPPO Reno5 4G comes in a Cyan-colored box with a big bold 5 written at the top left corner and the phone’s name at the bottom. The phone is shown in two colors – Starry Black and Fantasy White but it is the latter that is better looking with its color-switching design even though it is made of plastic. It also seems to be the one better at hiding fingerprints.
OPPO ships the phone with a 6.4-inch FHD+ display with a hole in the top left corner of the screen and a 90Hz refresh rate. There is Gorilla Glass 5 for protection against scratches and under the screen is a fingerprint scanner. As revealed earlier this month in a leak, the Reno5 4G does come with the same processor as the Reno4 4G which is a Snapdragon 720G processor. Users get a single configuration – 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage.
Leaks regarding OnePlus devices break free every year months before the launch. The trend is continuing with the upcoming OnePlus 9. Although the company hasn’t confirmed the names yet, it is kind of obvious going by the numbers. Accordingly, we have already seen the first hands-on images of the OnePlus 9. Now, an exclusive report by 91Mobiles gives us more details.
Citing its sources, the report says that the OnePlus 9 will come with a 4,500mAh battery with 65W Warp Charging. This is about a 5% increase in capacity over its predecessor, the OnePlus 8(4,300mAh). Further, if the report is true OnePlus 9 will support Wireless, Reverse Wireless charging apart from having a bigger battery.
Precisely, the OnePlus 9 will finally support wireless charging up to 30W. Previously, the OnePlus 8 non-Pro didn’t have it back then but the OnePlus 8 Pro was the company’s first to sport it up to 30W. Anyway, it is appreciative of OnePlus finally bringing the nitty-gritty of a premium device to the vanilla model.
Moving on, the report shows two additional images claimed to be of the OnePlus 9 as seen above. One of them even shows a Reverse Charge icon in the quick-pull down menu. This indicates that the device could also supportReverse Wireless charging. That’s a no-brainer considering the 8 Pro also had it.
However, the OnePlus 8 Pro had a very slow-rated reverse wireless charging speed. In fact, it’s very slow that OnePlus doesn’t even mention it in the spec sheet on the website. Either way, let’s hope the company spices it up this time as it will be helpful for quickly juicing up accessories like Wireless earbuds that are getting popular these days.
The OnePlus 9 is expected to feature a 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz flat display, Snapdragon 888 SoC, 50MP/48MP triple-camera setup(Leica branding), at least have 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and ship with OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, and debut in mi-March of 2021.
Being among the largest smartphone markets across the globe, companies are actively launching new smartphones in India. To attract price-conscious buyers, there are plenty of offerings from the smartphone manufacturers in the entry-level and mid-range segments. We have concluded a list of the best entry-level smartphones of 2020 launched in India.
The M01 is Samsung’s attempt to lure the entry-level segment while still offering value-for-money. The device houses Snapdragon 439 SoC with 2/3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. There’s a 5.7-inch PLS IPS HD display. A dual-rear-camera with 13MP primary and 2MP depth camera is present. Meanwhile, a single 5MP is encased in water-drop display on the front. It is available in India for Rs 5,999 and Rs 7,499, respectively for different storage variants.
Redmi launched the Redmi 9 smartphone in June carrying a 6.53-inch IPS LCD with 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. It comes powered with MediaTek Helio G85 SoC coupled with 3/4/6GB RAM and 32/64/128GB internal storage. It houses a quad-rear camera with 13MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP lenses configuration. An 8MP sensor resides on the front for selfies. The device is available in India for Rs 8,999.
Redmi 8A dual runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 and is available in 2/3GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. The device carries a dual-rear camera including a 13MP primary camera and a 2MP depth lens. Meanwhile, an 8MP camera is present on the front. Redmi 8A Dual features a 6.22-inch IPS LCD display with 720 x 1520 pixel resolution. A 5000 mAh battery with 18W charging can be enough for a couple of days usage.
Realme’s affordable smartphone – Realme C11 is available with MediaTek Helio G35. It features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with 720 x 1520 pixels resolution. There’s a dual-rear sensor (13MP + 2MP) and a single 5MP sensor on the front. It houses a 5000 mAh battery with 10W fast charging. Realme C11 comes in two storage variants of 2GB RAM + 32GB storage and 3GB RAM + 32GB storage.
The Realme Narzo 20A smartphone runs on Android 10 based Realme UI and houses Snapdragon 665 SoC. There’s a 6.5-inch LCD display with 720 x 1600 pixels resolution. It comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC and 3/4GB RAM + 32/64GB Storage. There’s a triple-camera module featuring a 12MP primary camera and 2x 2MP depth sensors. An 8MP camera sits on the front for selfies.
Poco recently unveiled Poco C3 to diversify its budget lineup. The smartphone features a 6.43-inch IPS LCD display carrying a 720 x 1600 pixels resolution. It comes powered with MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, coupled with an octa-core PowerVR GE8320 GPU. Poco C3 is available in two storage options of 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage. A triple rear-camera module with 13MP + 2MP + 2MP is present. There’s a 5000 mAh battery with 10W fast charging.
The Infinix Smart 4 Plus is another useful device that comes with a MediaTek Helio A25 SoC, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. There’s a 6.82-inch LCD display carrying 720 x 1640 pixel resolution. It houses a dual-rear camera coupled with a 13MP primary camera and another depth sensor. An 8MP selfie camera is present on the front.
There are several other devices available in the entry-level segment, but the above ones are popular in India. Xiaomi and Redmi drive the majority of the sales in the affordable smartphone market. However, we can expect better devices in 2021 at more competitive prices.
So do you think any other model deserves a place in this list? Let us know in the comments section below!
Samsung is working on a Galaxy Smart Tag and the trackers have already received Indonesia Telecom Certification. Now, an exclusive report by 91Mobiles shows the first-look of the Smart Tag.
According to the report, tipster Ishan Agarwal has found a GIF(Graphics Interchange Format) of the Galaxy Smart Tag. This lossless image file appears on the latest APK file of the Samsung SmartThings App. If we recall, the South Korean giant unveiled a new SmartThings Find feature on the App to help locate our devices(when offline).
Anyway, the image shows a device with a rounded-square design. As you can see below, when titled it does look like a diamond shape with tapered edges. Although Samsung hasn’t departed too much from the ubiquitous design, the edges do look a bit more curved than others like Tile Trackers.
Credit: 91Mobiles
There is a ring shape at the center and a cut-out at the top which could either be a button or a hole for Lanyard. Also, just like the previous leaks, this reveals the Smart Tag in Black and White(Oatmeal) Colors. A small animation also depicts the Tracking(Bluetooth) functionality of the tracker.
In case you don’t know, Smart Trackers(like Tile) are the devices that use Bluetooth LE(Low-Energy) and Battery to help find essential objects like Keys, wallets, remote, earbuds, Smartphones etc. Samsung has already launched a similar product called SmartThings Tracker in 2018.
That said, the new Tracker should bring improvements like Bluetooth 5.1, UWB(Ultra Wide Band), interfacing with NFC, and RFID. Besides, the naming of ‘Smart Tag’ does sound a bit familiar to Apple’s rumored AirTags.
Earlier this month, a trademark filing at EUIPO revealed Samsung Smart Tag with a model number EI-T5300. The same has been spotted on Bluetooth LE and South Korean certifications. With the new Tracker, Samsung will probably take on the competitors in US, Europe.
Italian mobile network provider Telecom Italia has decided to continue to retain Nokia as its major supplier in its planned purchase of equipment for building a 5G network, thus significantly scaling down its reliance on Huawei, sources say. This move may not be unrelated to pressure to exclude the company completely on security concerns.
The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using Huawei’s equipment alleging it could pose a security risk – a charge Huawei has continued to debunk. Italy has so far declined to slam an outright ban on Huawei for now.
At the start of the year 2020, Italy’s defunct national telecoms provider, Telecom Italia (TIM) had considered the possibility of splitting the supply contract for the radio access network (RAN) part of its 5G architecture between Huawei and Sweden’s Ericsson, sources had said.
The RAN architecture consists of the base stations and antennas that serve as an interface between a user’s smartphone and the mobile network. It accounts for the bulk of the cost of a new network.
The helsinki-based company, Nokia which has previously been among TIM’s mobile RAN equipment suppliers, was earlier projected to likely miss out on the 5G RAN order. However, the agreement has since been reviewed and has captured supplies from the Finnish giant.
Ericsson is expected to provide the bulk of the 5G equipment supplies to TIM, while Huawei and Nokia will get up to 25% each of the supplies, according to a reliable source earlier on Wednesday.
At this time, a definitive statement is still being expected from the companies, as neither of them was willing to either confirm or deny the claims. There is however no public evidence of the initial agreement which would have seen Nokia dropped.
As a direct consequence of the US clamp-down on Huawei, telecom operators in Europe have become more circumspect in continuing their previous supply contracts and other operations with the Chinese company. Several sources who are conversant with the matter said it is obvious that Rome has aligned itself with US concerns and adopted a more reserved approach in consummating 5G deals by encouraging operators to diversify their 5G suppliers – a way of reducing the influence of Huawei.
This present move follows the action of Telecom Italia earlier this year, who did not consider extending an invitation to Huawei to tender for a 5G equipment supply contract for its core network operations.
Telegram seems to emphasize more on engaging Group activities. Back in October, it brought comment sections, anonymous admins to Public Channels. Now, it has made quite the jump in improving the virtual office-like experience with the latest update. The new update brings always-on Voice Chats, SD storage support, and more.
Telegram, in its blog post, explains the benefits of using Voice chats. According to the company, the new Voice Chat is not a mere replacement to Voice call but it “achieves similar goals”. Precisely, Groups can now turn on this feature and become a Voice Chat room similar to Discord App’s features.
Voice Chats
You can create a Voice Chat for your group by navigating to a Group’s Profile-> Tap (⋮)->Start Voice Chat. After joining a chat, users can do other things in the App. If you go into the same group, you can see a special bar at the top which shows who is talking at that moment. Telegram says that individuals also get a dedicated chat and microphone toggles to access anytime.
Android users also get a full-fledged experience with a system-wide floating widget functionality. The float shows three options- Speaker, Mic, Leave button. The Voice Chat, as Telegram says, can include a few thousand participants but a definitive limit is not known.
For Desktop mode, Voice Chats also get a Push-to-talk shortcut. Even when the window isn’t live, you can hold the SPACEBAR key to go live and voice your message. In any case, Future updates will bring improvements like Noise cancellation, video, and screen sharing.
Other Additions
Apart from Voice Chats, stickers get a nifty-little update where an outline will show before the animation sticker is loaded. On Android, Telegram has added improvements to animations for the New Message button, opening profiles, managing chat folders.
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We also get a new set of animated emojis this time just like the earlier update. An update to Android also includes the option to Telegram Data to SD card. As for iOS and Android, users can now tap on Photo sent to quickly edit and resend it. iOS also gets a Siri reading messages on headphones. You can toggle it in iOS settings->Notifications > Announce Messages.
Earlier this month, Xiaomi confirmed the arrival of the next iteration of MIUI, the MIUI 12.5. Now, we have some details on the intermediary version(x.5)’s Beta and stable release timelines.
As per a Telegram post, the stable version of MIUI 12.5 will arrive as soon as Late February of 2021 in China. This information is posted on the Xiaomi MIUI Turkey channel. The post also mentions that there are no plans for Closed Beta at least till 2020 ends.
MIUI 12.5 will be a moderate upgrade from the MIUI 12 that launched back in April 2020. In the past, similarly named MIUI versions like 11.5, 10.5, and 9.5 haven’t really brought any significant changes. That is, Xiaomi keeps things simple for such versions and uses it to get ready for the next big UI change.
Coming back, the post says the delay is probably due to the vacation time in China. At the confirmation of MIUI 12.5, it had said that it will be suspending the weekly Beta Builds. In case you don’t know, Xiaomi generally begins with a Closed Beta where only Few individuals get the hang of the new MIUI.
Later, it gets expanded to weekly Beta before reaching the Stable version. Anyway, the next MIUI version is expected to get a new Desktop mode(like the Samsung DeX), revamped animations, and few changes to privacy as well. If the report is true, a Closed Beta would begin in January of 2021 and if you are a Global user, don’t expect a stable version to arrive anytime before Q1 2021 ends.
That said, we also can’t rule out the possibility of Xiaomi announcing the new UI at the Xiaomi Mi 11 launch. Let’s wait for more details in the coming days.
Tianma is planning on shipping a total of 40 million OLED display panels next year. Out of this figure, 20 million units are flexible OLED panels that are planned for shipments in 2021.
According to TheElecreport, the Chinese display maker’s goal is half of BOE‘s target of shipping 40 million flexible OLED panels, which it announced back in August 2020. market research had also found that Tianma has already shipped around a million OLED panels this year, so the target for next year is a whopping 40 times this figure. The analysis from Stone Partners also estimates that the company will only be able to ship 7.5 million OLED panels in 2021, which is just around 20 percent of the company’s far fetched goals.
At the moment, Tianma is proceeding to place orders for equipment for its 6th gen OLED factory, TM18. This equipment will be placed in the factory by the first half of 2022 and will have a production capacity of 48,000 substrates per month, which is higher than its current gen TM17’s 37,500 substrates production capacity. Furthermore, the company is producing its rigid OLED panels at its TM15 factory in Shanghai and has been used to supply smartphone OEMs like Xiaomi, Lenovo, Asus, HTC, and LG Electronics.
Notably, the company’s flexible panels are also being tested by Xiaomi, Vivo, and Honor. Tianma also has a chance of becoming another supplier of Xiaomi along with BOE. At the moment, both display makers are facing difficulties in securing customers for their flexible OLED panels, especially after the void left behind by Huawei. Currently, many smartphone brands are yet to adopt flexible display technology.
In recent times, brands taking jabs at each other through advertisements on billboards or even social media has a lot more common. Companies use these platforms to sometimes playfully mock each other, and now, Xiaomi has joined in as well, taking a dig at OnePlus and its ‘expensive phone.’
The jab from the Chinese tech giant arrives just shortly after OnePlus mocked Apple saying, “In a world of apples, stand out with a OnePlus.” While the Cupertino based giant didn’t respond to the matter, Xiaomi took the opportunity to fire its own response. In the same Twitter thread as the original, saying “But why settle for less when you can have more. New Year. 108MP resolution,” as a response to OnePlus’ first tweet.
Notably, in the Xiaomi response, the company even shared an image of its recently launched Mi 10T Pro, which sports a 108 megapixel primary camera on the rear. Furthermore, the Chinese smartphone maker also had used the hashtag “SettleFor Better,” which is another jab at OnePlus, whose motto is ‘Never Settle.’ At the moment, OnePlus has yet to respond to this, but we hope to see another round of banter. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates on this matter.
The Chinese tech giant held a conference earlier today (24th December 2020), where it officially unveiled the premium grade handset. One of its highlighting features is its cameras, with its primary lens being an IMX766 sensor, which was jointly developed with Sony. The sensor is able to intake 63.8 percent more light in comparison to IMX586 sensor. This translates to brighter and clearer photos and videos. This sensor has a 1.0μm large pixel and a size of about 1/1.56 inch.
The device sports a quad camera module on the rear, with a 50 megapixel primary camera, 16 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, 13 megapixel telephoto shooter, and a 2 megapixel marco sensor. Its telephoto lens offers a 5x hybrid zoom. Furthermore, the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G supports DOL-HDR (digital overlay dynamic range technology), which improves the dynamic range and image and video quality when recording.
On the front, the Reno5 Pro+ 5G houses a 32 megapixel selfie shooter in a punch hole display. Additionally, the smartphone supports full pixel omnidirectional focusing technology with a unique 2×2 pixel structure, which enables faster and more accurate focusing. This also allows video lock tracking that locks onto a static subject to offer better stabilization during focus tracking.
Specifications and Features
The display on the OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G is a 6.5 inch FHD+ curved display with a 90Hz high refresh rate. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC runs the device, which is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The device is powered by a large 4,500mAh battery pack that supports up to 65W fast charging. In terms of thickness, the device only measures 7.9mm and weighs 184 grams. For cooling, a three dimensional VC liquid cooling system is housed as well.
Price and Availability
The OPPO Reno5 Pro+ 5G is priced at 3,999 Yuan (roughly 612 US Dollars) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant and 4,499 Yuan (roughly 690 US Dollars) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. It will officially launch on 29th December 2020 and arrives in either black or white two color options. Notably, the company is collaborating with known artist Joshua Vides for a limited edition of the device, which is priced at 4,499 Yuan as well; its pre order begin from 18th January 2020, and sales start from 22nd January 2020.
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