China’s display makers expect to grab 55% of global LCD panel shipments this year

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Dec 19, 2020

The US Government recently banned China’s partially state-owned Semiconductor company SMIC from using American tech. Now, it has added a dozen of companies including China’s technology and drone maker DJI to the economic blacklist.

As Reuters reports, the US Department of Commerce has added China’s SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd to the entity list. The company has a trade name DJI which is currently the World’s largest drone maker. According to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, DJI has involved in “ubiquitous surveillance to repress its citizens in Xinjiang and elsewhere.”

Some of the companies added to the entity list are as follows:

SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd
AGCU Scientech
China National Scientific Instruments and Materials
Kuang-Chi Group

Specifically, the ban of the above companies is because they led to wide-scale human rights abuses within China. Precisely, the companies reportedly involved in abusive genetic collection and analysis or high-technology surveillance. In case you don’t know, the Entity list is a trade blacklist published by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

Generally, it is the Govt’s prerogative to make its companies seek license to export, re-export, or transfer technology to the parties concerned. However, the entity list means that it bans US companies from exporting their technology to the blacklisted members. If we recall, US Govt confirmed that it has added SMIC, CNOOC to the list two weeks ago.

Coming back, DJI has responded to The Verge saying that it is disappointed with the Dept. of Commerce decision. Although it didn’t comment on the result of this action, it says People can still buy its DJI products as usual. Apart from Drones, DJI’s portfolio of hand-held products includes Gimbals, Action Cameras, Flight patrol and propulsion systems etc.

Hence, it will be interesting to see how this affects the enterprise businesses let alone individual consumers. Besides, these are not the only companies that the US Govt has banned. It is targeting Huawei and its subsidiaries like Honor citing National Security and Privacy concerns.

In fact, it is also preaching to other countries to avoid using Chinese technologies including 5G-equipments saying that they might be used for surveillance by the Chinese govt.

Huawei Mate40 Pro+ future sales in China comes with a twist

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Dec 19, 2020

Huawei unveiled the Mate40 series of smartphones back in October. It’s already been two months but many of the models are in short supply in China. In fact, the Mate40 was opened up for pre-orders just a couple of days back. Now, it looks like the Mate40 Pro+ will also be available for sale but with a twist.

Huawei’s official Vmall has listed the Huawei Mate40 Pro+ for sale from December 21 in China. The top-of-the-line flagship from the Chinese giant will be available for purchase at 07:38 AM Beijing time(GMT+08:00). However, after this, the website says it will go on sale only on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday of a week at 10:08 AM.

This suggests(via ITHome) that the device is still in short supply and the stocks will be limited even during the sales. The situation is similar for the Mate40 RS Porsche Design as well. If we recall, these devices, after a short sale were often out of stock during the last two months. In fact, a previous report said Pro+ and RS Porsche Design’s inventories on offline stories were also in short supply.

It’s a no-brainer that Huawei is facing these issues due to the US Govt’s restrictions on procuring the company’s Kirin SoCs. In fact, the Mate40 series could be the last flagships to feature the in-house chipsets. And this could also be a factor in driving the demand for the upcoming sales of Mate40 flagships. The series has already received great reception with Mate40 getting sold out in under a minute recently.

Mate40 Pro+ Specifications

Anyway, the Mate40 Pro+ features a 6.76-inch flexible OLED 90Hz display with 2772x1344p resolution, 456 PPI. Under the hood, it is powered by HiSilicon Kirin 9000 chipset paired with a single 12GB RAM, 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.

For cameras, we have a 50MP f/1.9, RYYB primary, 20MP f/2.4 ultra-wide, 12MP f/2.4 Telephoto with 3x zoom, 8MP f/4.4 periscope with 10x optical, and a ToF sensor. Upfront, there is a 13MP f/2.4 wide-angle lens and a 3D ToF sensor.

Other specs include 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, 4,400mAh battery with 66W wired, 50W wireless charging. The device also has IP68 certification, 3D face unlock, in-display fingerprint scanner, reverse wireless charging, Dual stereo speakers, and came with EMUI 11 based on Android 10 with HMS at launch.

Download Galaxy S21 series official wallpapers from here

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Dec 19, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is yet to go official. It is expected to be announced in mid-January. Ahead of it, all three devices in the series have leaked extensively revealing almost everything about them, including price. Now, even their wallpapers are available for everyone to download.

Almost all OEMs introduce a new set of wallpapers with the release of their popular smartphones, especially flagships. Samsung is also no different in this regard. The South Korean tech giant is even known for releasing new variants of its ‘Over the Horizon’ ringtone every year.

Normally, these wallpapers are soon extracted by modders after the release of the phone’s firmware after its official announcement. Sometimes, they even make it to the internet before the release of the actual phones. The latter has happened in the case of the Galaxy S21 series.

The official wallpapers of the Galaxy S21 series were shared by a well-known leakster known as ‘Jimmy is Promo’. The collection includes a total of 22 still and live wallpapers.

Out of which, 4 are DeX Mode wallpapers, 12 are normal device wallpapers, and lastly, 5 of them are live wallpapers. You can download all of them from the link provided at the end of the post.

Having said that, the Galaxy S21 series will consist of three smartphones and you can learn everything about them by clicking/tapping on their names listed below.

Download Galaxy S21 Series Official Wallpapers

Entire specs of Galaxy S21 Ultra leak ahead of official launch

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Dec 19, 2020

Samsung is reported to announce the Galaxy S21 series on January 14. Ahead of it, the three devices in the series have leaked extensively in the past few days. Now, a new leak has emerged revealing the entire specs of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The specifications sheet of the upcoming Galaxy S21 Ultra comes from Roland Quandt of WinFuture. The same tipster is also responsible for the press renders of all the three handsets in the series – Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra.

According to him, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will feature a glass and metal sandwich design like any other premium smartphone. The glass used on it will be Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which made its debut on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

The handset will flaunt a 6.8-inch Infinity-O-Edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels (WQHD+), 515 ppi, 1600 nits peak brightness, and 1-120Hz refresh rate (LTPO). In simpler words, it will sport a 3K curved screen with a centered punch-hole. Additionally, the panel will also support S Pen stylus.

Further, the device will be powered by Exynos 2100 chipset paired with 12GB RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB internal storage. It is worth noting that the US variant will come equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 instead.

As for photography and videography, the phone will feature the following camera setup.

Rear (Quad-camera)

108 MP (wide-angle lens, f / 1.8, 79 °, 24mm, 1 / 1.33 “, 0.8 µm, OIS, AF)
12 MP (ultra-wide-angle lens, f / 2.2, 120 °, 13mm, 1 / 2.55″, 1.4 µm, AF)
10 MP (telephoto lens, f / 2.4, 35 °, 72mm, 1 / 3.24 “, 1.22 µm, OIS, AF, 3x optical zoom)
10 MP (telephoto lens, f / 4.9, 10 °, 240mm, 1 / 3.24″, 1.22 µm, OIS, AF, 10x optical zoom)
PDAF, Laser AF, and LED Flash

Front (Single-camera)

40 MP (f / 2.2, 80 °, 1 / 2.8 “, 0.7 µm, 25mm, AF)

The smartphone will be capable of shooting 8K (30 fps), 4K (30/60 fps), 1080p (30/60/240 fps), and 720p ( up to 960 fps) videos respectively.

On the connectivity front, the Galaxy S21 Ulta will include dual-SIM + eSIM (varies by region), 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS, NFC, and USB Type-C port. Talking about sensors, it will be equipped with accelerometer, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, compass, hall sensor, ambient light sensor, and UWB.

Other features include One UI 3.1 operating system based on Android 11, 5,000mAh battery, 45W wired fast charging, fast wireless charging (Qi), Wireless PowerShare (reverse wireless charging), stereo speakers, IP68 dust and water-resistant, Samsung Knox, ANT+, DeX, and two colors – Phantom Black & Phantom Silver.

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Last but not least, the Galaxy S21 Ulta will measure 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm in dimensions, weigh 228g, and it will start from €1,399 in Europe.

HONOR V40 gets certified by 3C with 66W fast charging

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Dec 19, 2020

Last month, HUAWEI sold its HONOR sub-brand to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers. The brand’s first flagship smartphones after the sale are expected to be the HONOR V40 series. Not much information is available about these handsets. But since one of the models has now received 3C certification, we expect them to get listed on TENAA soon.

According to the 3C certification, the upcoming HONOR V40 device with model number YOK-AN10 will support 66W fast charging. Going by the charger’s model number (HW-110600C00) and output rates, the charging protocol should be HUAWEI 66W SuperCharge, which debuted on the HUAWEI Mate40 series.

But since HUAWEI no longer owns HONOR, the latter company may use a different branding for this charging tech just like OPPO (SuperVOOC), OnePlus (Warp), and realme (SuperDart).

That’s not all, we also expect the HONOR V40 series to run Magic UI 4, which is a fork of EMUI 11 based on Android 10. In other words, despite parting ways with HUAWEI, we expect HONOR to use its former parent company’s tech for the time being. That’s because these upcoming devices should have been in development for months.

That said, apart from 3C, this particular HONOR V40 model has also been certified by MIIT. Also, we know its codename – YORK. We expect to learn more about this device along with other models in the series if any in the coming days.

Leak: The standard vivo X60 will come in flat and curved display variants

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Dec 19, 2020

Chinese smartphone maker vivo is expected to officially announce the vivo X60 series by the end of this month. The company is yet to reveal the exact date for the launch event, however, the devices in the series have already been listed on online retailers. Even some of their specs are out as well. Now, new interesting info regarding this series has emerged.

According to the well-known tipster Digital Chat Station, the standard vivo X60 smartphone will come in two different variants. One with a flat-screen and another with a curved display. What’s more interesting is that the type of panel is similar (flexible AMOLED) on the two and so are their price.

That’s not all, even they will feature the exact same specs, except for the battery. As per the tipster, the flat version will be backed by a 4,300mAh battery, whereas the curved variant will come with a slightly lower 4,200mAh battery.

Hence, it seems like vivo will be testing the consumer’s display design preference by directly releasing the same phone with two different display designs. If this tip happens to be true, then vivo will become the first OEM to do a such thing as normally companies depend on surveys.

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Having said that, which type of display design you prefer – flat or curved? Let us know in the comment section below.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra pricing for the European markets leaked

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 19, 2020

The rumor mill is spilling all kinds of information about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 series. A new leak by 91mobiles that cites information shared by popular tipster Ishan Agarwal has revealed the pricing of the Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G for the European markets.

According to the leak, the 128 GB variant of the Galaxy S21 5G will be priced at 849 euros. The 128 GB Galaxy S21+ 5G will be priced at 1,049 euros. This pricing is lower than the 128 GB edition of the Galaxy S20+ that was priced at 1,099 euros at launch.

The 256 GB variant of the Galaxy S21+ 5G will carry a price tag of 1,099 euros. The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G with 128 GB storage will cost 1,399 euros. Shown below is the new render of the Galaxy S21+ shared by Agarwal. It shows the phone in its three color variants.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G render- — Samsung Galaxy S21 5G render

Editor’s Pick: Official: Samsung’s new Exynos chipset will debut on January 12; could be Exynos 2100

Galaxy Club recently reported that the 128GB versions of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra will be priced at 879 euros, 1,079 euros, and 1,399 euros. The differences in the pricing between the two leaks could be because of the taxes.

Shown above is another image shared by Agarwal. The image showcases the violet-colored Kvadrat case designed for the Galaxy S21 Plus. Recent reports have revealed that the Galaxy S21 series is already up for blind orders like India and China.

It is likely that the Galaxy S21 lineup may go official on Jan. 14 and it may release in different markets by the end of January. Samsung is expected to confirm the Galaxy S21 series launch date in the coming week.

Google Camera Go now allows users to click HDR pictures

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Dec 19, 2020

Google Camera Go debuted on Nokia 1.3 that was announced back in March 2020. A month later, the search giant was found to be working on HDR feature for this application. Now, eight months later, this feature is finally available for users.

Android Go Edition is a stripped-down version of the regular Android operating system for entry-level smartphones. It is designed for devices with 2GB or lower RAM. Most of these handsets are sold in developing nations as they are targeted at first time smartphone buyers.

Every now and then, Google introduces new features to this branch of Android OS. Hence, earlier this year, the company released an app called Camera Go. Months after the application’s official announcement, it received its first major feature – Night Mode in October.

Now, two months later, the app has got its second major feature – HDR. The Mountain View-based company confirmed it in a tweet sent by the official Android Twitter account.

In the announcement tweet, the firm even mentions that the final output of HDR pictures will vary by manufacturer. Anyway, these images should be much better than the regular shots.

Having said that, as we mentioned in the beginning, the Camera Go app is only available on smartphones running Android Go Edition. Although the APK can be installed on any device running Android 8.0 Oreo or higher, the Night Mode and HDR functionality won’t work.

Moto G Play (2021) specs leak through Google Play Console appearance

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 19, 2020

Recent reports have revealed that one of the upcoming Motorola phones could the Moto G Play (2021) smartphone. This phone could be the successor to the Moto G9 Play that went official earlier this year. The Moto G Play (2021) has been spotted at the Google Play Console. The listing has revealed a few key specs of the smartphone.

The Google Play Console listing reveals that the Moto G Play (2021) could be codenamed as “Guama” and its screen supports an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and 280ppi pixel density. The smartphone is preinstalled with Android 10 OS.

The smartphone is fueled by the SM4250, which is nothing but the Snapdragon 460 chipset. The SoC is coupled with 4 GB of RAM. A frontal image of the smartphone is also available in the listing. It shows that the screen features a waterdrop notch and it has a thick bottom bezel. The right edge of the phone has a volume rocker and a power key. It is unclear whether it is a real or placeholder image.

Editor’s Pick: Motorola Capri receives FCC certification; Launch could be near

A month back, the Moto G Play (2021) had surfaced at the Geekbench benchmarking platform. It appears that its processor may have been wrongly identified as the Snapdragon 662 at that time. The Geekbench listing had also revealed that the G Play (2021) has 3 GB of RAM and Android 10 OS.

At the beginning of November, reliable tipster @OnLeaks had shared the CAD renders of the Moto G Play (2021). The renders revealed that the phone has a 6.5-inch display with a punch-hole design. The rear shell of the phone was found to be fitted with a square-shaped camera housing for its triple shooters and an LED flash. A fingerprint scanner was also found to be present on the rear shell of the device. The leak also revealed that the Moto G Play (2021) measures 165.3 x 75.4 x 9.5mm. The tipster had also mentioned that the model number of the device is XT-2117. It was found through a TUV Rheinland certification listing that is packed with a 4,850mAh battery.

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Samsung Galaxy M12 bags FCC certification; Could be launching soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 19, 2020

Since last month, the rumor mill has been spilling information about the Galaxy M12 mid-ranger phone by Samsung. Fresh information reveals that the smartphone has bagged certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. The FCC certification has revealed the battery capacity of the Galaxy M12.

A previous report had claimed that the Samsung Galaxy M12 is packed with a huge 7,000mAh battery. However, the FCC listing tells a different story. It has been found that the model number of Galaxy M12’s battery is EB-BM207ABY, which is nothing but a 6,000mAh cell.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro official support page goes live; A leak shows off 360° look

Last week, the Galaxy M12 was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking platform. The listing revealed that it is powered by the Exynos 850 chipset. The listing also revealed that the M12 is equipped with 3 GB of RAM and Android 11 OS.

So far, the Galaxy M12 has bagged approval from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Bluetooth SIG, and Wi-Fi Alliance. The Galaxy M12’s model number is SM-M127F/DS. It is speculated that it could be rebranded as the Galaxy F12 in some markets. The F12’s model number is SM-F127G.

The CAD renders of the Galaxy M12 that had surfaced last month revealed that it measures 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm and it houses a 6.5-inch Infinity-V notch display. The M12’s back panel has a unique dual-textured design. The rear shell of the phone has a square-shaped camera module that houses four lenses. Below the camera housing is an LED flash unit. It has a side-facing fingerprint scanner.

Samsung is yet to confirm the arrival of the Galaxy M12 smartphone. With many of the important certifications in tow, it appears that the M12’s launch may not be far away.

(via)

Sony removes Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store following complaints

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Dec 18, 2020

In yet another setback for games developer CD Projekt, its highly anticipated game, Cyberpunk 2077 has moved from one controversy to the other since its arrival last week, as it is being reported that it is unplayable on Sony‘s PlayStation PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox One S consoles. Disappointed gaming fans have therefore accused the developer CD Projekt Red of doing little to provide widely compatible versions of the game, saying that the Cyberpunk 2077 is riddled with unacceptably poor graphics and several game-crashing bugs.

In a swift move to restore confidence, and in response to the outcry, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has taken the decision to remove Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store and has gone further to offer full refunds to those users who purchased the game via its online store.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi 9 Power launched in India with 6,000mAh battery, Snapdragon 662, and 48MP quad-camera

In a statement, SIE says it strives to maintain excellent customer satisfaction, which standard was breached by the performance of Cyberpunk 2077, hence it is offering a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game through the PlayStation Store. Sony also said it will be removing Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store until further notice.

Sony, with this move, also prevents PS4 Pro and PS5 users from further purchasing the game digitally, even though these versions are far more stable.

CD Projekt has tendered its apologies for the stated problems users of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 and Xbox One faced and has promised to fix all issues and improve the overall experience.

The developer also stated that all efforts are in place to bring Cyberpunk 2077 back to the PlayStation Store as soon as possible, stressing that all earlier purchased physical and digital copies of the game will continue to receive technical support and updates as part of the improvement strategy for a better user experience for the game.

CD Projekt has also stated that there are no plans to pull out Cyberpunk 2077 from the Xbox digital store.

UP NEXT: Official: Samsung’s new Exynos chipset will debut on January 12; could be Exynos 2100

Realme 7i vs OnePlus Nord N100 vs Samsung Galaxy A21s: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Dec 18, 2020

Lower-midrange smartphones are actually a great segment for those who want to save a lot of money while still getting great performance with daily use. You can actually get very interesting devices for less than €200. The latest one launched in Europe is the Realme 7i bringing all the power of a midrange MediaTek chipset to the low-end segment. But is it the most powerful and versatile handset under €200? There is no better way to understand it than comparing it with the most recent lower-midrange phones from other brands. The most suitable devices for this specs comparison are the OnePlus Nord N100: the first low-end phone released by OnePlus, and the Samsung Galaxy A21s.

Realme 7i vs OnePlus Nord N100 vs Samsung Galaxy A21s

	Realme 7i	OnePlus Nord N100	Samsung Galaxy A21s
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	164.1 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm, 188 g	164.9 x 75.1 x 8.5 mm, 188 g	163.7 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm, 192 g
DISPLAY	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), IPS LCD	6.52 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), IPS LCD	6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), PLS IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	MediaTek Helio G85, octa-core 2 GHz (Snapdragon 662 in Asia)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, octa-core 1.8 GHz	Samsung Exynos 850, octa-core 2 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 3 GB RAM, 128 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 10, Realme UI	Android 10, OxygenOS	Android 10, One UI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
CAMERA	Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.1 front camera	Triple 13 + 2 + 2 MP, f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 8 MP f/2.0 front camera	Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/2.0 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 13 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	6000 mAh, fast charging 18W (5000 mAh in Asia)	5000 mAh, fast charging 18W	5000 mAh, fast charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

Realme 7i, OnePlus Nord N100 and Samsung Galaxy A21s sport a very similar design. All come with a punch-hole display, a rectangle-shaped camera module, a plastic unibody design, and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. There are only marginal differences and what really changes are the color variants. Given that it is thinner and lighter, my favorite one is the OnePlus Nord N100. But the Samsung Galaxy A21s is slightly more compact, so it is a great option too. The Realme 7i has more interesting color variants thanks to its reflective back, and its display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

Display

If you expect a great display, you should not go for any of these phones. In each case, you get a below-average LCD panel with an HD+ resolution (720p). We are not saying these panels are bad, but you can find a lot of better displays in the market. Samsung Galaxy A21s is the most disappointing as the OnePlus Nord N100 and Realme 7i come with a 90 Hz refresh rate, while the Galaxy A21s has just 60 Hz. The display of the OnePlus Nord N100 is slightly wider compared to the Realme 7i.

Hardware/Software

The best chipset is the one found on the Samsung Galaxy A21s. It is very powerful for a so affordable phone, and it is very efficient because it is built with an 8 nm production process. The Realme 7i offers great performance as well thanks to its Helio G85 and, in its most expensive configuration, it offers a higher amount of RAM compared to the Samsung Galaxy A21s (8 GB vs 6 GB). Further, the Realme 7i has UFS 2.1 internal storage, while Samsung Galaxy A21s is based on eMMC storage. My choice would actually be the Realme 7i despite the SoC of the Samsung Galaxy A21s is more efficient. All of these devices run Android 10, but we know OnePlus Nord N100 will only get one year of major updates.

Camera

The Realme 7i’s camera department varies depending on the market: in Asia, you get an amazing 64 MP rear camera, while in Europe, it has a 48 MP main camera. In both cases, we are talking about the best rear camera department of this trio. Even the front camera is actually better. The second place goes to the Samsung Galaxy A21s packing a 48 MP quad-camera and a 13 MP selfie camera, while OnePlus Nord N100 is disappointing with its 13 MP rear camera.

Battery

Realme 7i is the battery champion as it packs a bigger 6000 mAh battery. Samsung Galaxy A21s and OnePlus Nord N100 remain amazing battery phones, but they have just 5000 mAh.

Price

OnePlus Nord N100 is priced at €200/$245, Realme 7i costs €170/$208, and Samsung Galaxy A21s is priced less than €200. The winner of the comparison is the Realme 7i due to its great hardware department, very nice cameras, and a bigger battery.

Read More: Realme 7 5G vs OPPO A73 5G vs Moto G 5G: Specs Comparison

Realme 7i vs OnePlus Nord N100 vs Samsung Galaxy A21s: PRO and CONS

Realme 7i

PROS

Best rear cameras
Great hardware
90 Hz display
Huge battery

CONS

Nothing particular

OnePlus Nord N100

PROS

90 Hz display
Stereo speakers
Gorilla Glass 3
18W fast charging with 5000 mAh

CONS

One year of major updates
Inferior cameras

Samsung Galaxy A21s

PROS

Wide variety of memory configurations
Efficient chipset
Good design
NFC

CONS

Nothing particular

Qualcomm releases a video detailing the Snapdragon 888 multiple benchmark results

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Dec 18, 2020

US tech giant and leading chipmaker, Qualcomm has released further details about its latest chipset, the Snapdragon 888 which was announced on December 1 and detailed specifications provided on December 2. Today, the US chipmaker outlined the official benchmarking results for its high-performance chipset.

The initial reviews point in the direction that this latest offering by Qualcomm comes well recommended for high performance. The tests were carried out on a reference device powered by the Snapdragon 888 and conducted up to three times with average scores computed for the various performance metrics.

The benchmarks tested by the chipmaker include AnTuTu, GeekBench, GFXBench Aztec Normal and Manhattan 3.0, Ludashi AiMark, AITuTu, MLPerf and UL Procyon.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite with up to 9 days battery power launched for the global market

Starting off with AnTuTu (version 8.3.4) the Snapdragon 888 obtained an average score of 735,439 points which is a milestone score on the platform. The reference device, Huawei’s Mate 40 Pro+ chalked 698,654 points while the highest performing Snapdragon 865 phone so far was Xiaomi’s Mi 10 Ultra with 671,045 points.

The Geekbench (version 5.0.2) tests revealed 1,135 points in the single-core test and 3,794 for the Snapdragon flagship, marginally higher than that of SD 865 at about 900 on the single-core test and 3,400 points in the multi-core test. This result puts the SD 888 ahead by about 20% and 10% in single-core and multi-core performance, respectively compared to its predecessor, the SD 865.

Further details show that the SD 888’s Adreno 660 GPU averaged 86 frames per second on the Aztec Ruins Vulcan test and 169 fps on the Manhattan 3.0 test, both done at a resolution of 1080p offscreen. This result outclasses that of the Snapdragon 865+ whose maximum score was 133fps on Manhattan 3.0 runs.

UP NEXT: Exclusive: Xiaomi Mi 11 scheduled for December 29 launch

(via)

Konka unveils the world’s first MicroLED smartwatch with up to 35 days battery life

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Dec 18, 2020

The 2020 Chongqing Micro-LED Industry Innovation Forum and Konka Semiconductor Display Technology and Product Launch Conference was held today in China. At the press conference, Li Hongtao, Vice President of Konka Group and Chairman of Chongqing Institute of Optoelectronics Technology, gave a speech and introduced the layout and achievements of Konka Group in the semiconductor industry. At the end of the conference, Konka released the world’s first Micro-LED watch.

According to details released by the company, the world’s first micro-LED watch uses a 2-inch microcrystalline screen with a glass substrate of only 0.12mm. The company says that its chip size is less than 30um, which is a true microLED product. In addition, its display driver uses the most advanced active low-temperature polysilicon semiconductor display technology, which has a very good display effect.

Furthermore, the screen of this watch can reach a maximum brightness of 1500nit, the color gamut can reach 147% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and the working temperature can reach-30 to 70 degrees, and the battery life can reach 35 days.

MicroLED uses self-emission backlight just like OLED panels, unlike the traditional LCD displays which require LED backlight modules to emit light through layers from behind to generate images.

Micro LED can achieve effects such as very high contrast, extremely deep blacks, and fast response time just like OLED. However, Micro LED has higher brightness and is more stable than OLED because of its inorganic nature.

A report from 2018 had revealed that Apple was working on using microLED for its smartwatch, AR device, and another unknown product. Although Konka didn’t reveal the manufacturer of the display used on its smartwatch, we suspect BOE. The Chinese display maker started mass producing its microLED panels last year.

UP NEXT: realme Watch S Pro Specifications and Features revealed ahead of December 23 launch

(source)

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro official support page goes live; A leak shows off 360° look

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Dec 18, 2020

Earlier today, Samsung finally confirmed the launch of a new Exynos SoC on January 12. The South Korean giant is expected to unveil the Exynos 2100 flagship SoC in the run-up to the Galaxy S21 series. Alongside the supposed January 14 event, the company will likely unveil the next generation Truly Wireless Earbuds, Galaxy Buds Pro. Amidst a lot of leaks, now, Samsung itself has opened official support pages for the TWS earbuds.

Samsung has opened two official support pages for a product in the UK, and Germany website. Accordingly, the page shows a model number SM-R190. If you recall, a Bluetooth earbud with the same model number on Indonesia Telecom revealed the “Galaxy Buds Pro” branding. Hence, it’s safe to say that the above page(via MSP) indeed belongs to the upcoming Bluetooth earbuds.

Galaxy Buds Pro – Leaked Design

Moving on, another 360°leak by Evan Blass confirms that Galaxy Buds Pro will come in three color variants- Earlier, he revealed two images of Galaxy Buds Pro in Violet and Phantom Silver colors. Today, he has released a 3D render video in Phantom Black. The video shows the squircle case with a ‘Samsung’ logo and ‘Sound by AKG’ caption.

At the front, there is a dot which could be an LED indicator and at the back is the USB-C charging port. Opening it up reveals the earbuds inside which also have an indicator near them. Talking about the buds, they resemble still images with rounded in-ear design and silicone ear tips.

The design is a slight departure from the earlier launched Galaxy Buds+ and Buds Live. A microphone and a grille are visible outside whereas another grille with charging contacts is on the inside.

Galaxy Buds Pro Features(Expected)

Talking about features, an FCC listing reveals that each earbud on the Galaxy Buds Pro will have a 58mAh battery. This is slightly lesser than the Galaxy Buds Live Bluetooth earbuds. That said the large squircle case will have a 472mAh battery courtesy of China’s 3C certification authority.

The earbuds are also expected to come with improved Active Noise Cancellation(ANC), Ambient mode, wireless charging, and more. However, the info regarding the Audio driver unit, supported sound codecs, and price is something we will have to wait till the official launch.

US finally bans SMIC and other Chinese companies from using American tech

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Dec 18, 2020

China’s top chipmaker SMIC was already having a rough week following the reported resignation of its CEO. Now its problems are getting much worse. The US government has slammed stricter restrictions on China’s top chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) in what looks to be the final moves of Donald Trump”s administration which had been very hard on Chinese interests.

The United States Commerce Department announced on Friday (via) that dozens of Chinese companies, including SMIC, would be added to its Entity List that effectively prevents them from accessing US suppliers and technology.

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The decision, according to Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, is to protect American interests by preventing advanced US technology that could be deployed to help build the military of its adversary. SMIC was branded as a perfect illustration of the risks of China using US technology to advance its military capabilities.

SMIC insists that it has no links with the Chinese military and this restriction is bound to create serious problems for the company, which relies heavily on American software, hardware, and other equipment for the complete design and manufacture of its semiconductors. The economic implications are dire for the chipmaker, as sales and growth forecasts have to be reviewed downwards.

US suppliers to SMIC are now bound to apply for a license to sell unique and critical components needed to produce semiconductors at advanced technology nodes — 10 nanometers or below and is aimed at denying such key enabling technology from promoting the Chinese military in any way.

This announcement comes as additional problems for the company, as it was reported this week that its co-CEO Liang Mong Song is stepping down from his position.
SMIC is yet to put out a statement on these issues.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to the new restrictions, has accused the US government of using state power to suppress Chinese companies and China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of these companies.

UP NEXT: Exclusive: Xiaomi Mi 11 scheduled for December 29 launch

OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G could launch with Dimensity 1000+ SoC in India

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Dec 18, 2020

A day after the China launch, OPPO India executive hinted that the Reno5 Pro could come to India soon. While the official confirmation is still awaited, an Indian tipster further hints that the Chinese variant could land unaltered in the country.

Mukul Sharma has posted a tweet asking users to guess the possible chipset on the Reno5 Pro smartphone. He has indirectly confirmed the device is indeed is launching in India soon. Also, the voting on the chipset emphasizing more on the MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ variant hints that OPPO might launch it unchanged from China in India.

However, that hasn’t been the case in the past. Previously, OPPO Reno4 Pro came with Snapdragon 720G in India but the Chinese variant has Snapdragon 765G SoC. Similarly, the Reno3 Pro has the same SoC in China but the Indian variant has an inferior Helio P95 chipset.

So the OPPO Reno5 series has received an amazing response in China😍
Can't wait for it to launch in India.
Was wondering as to whether the Indian variant of the OPPO Reno5 Pro will use the same Dimensity 1000+ processor or would there be a change 😉
what do you think?

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) December 18, 2020

Anyway, if the device launches with the same SoC, it will be a big jump from the Reno4 Pro. That is, the device will have a huge upgrade in performance and connectivity(5G). In any case, the other regions of the world might get both as 5G and 4G versions.

Precisely, reports say that Reno5 Pro 5G Global variant will have the Snapdragon 765G whereas the Reno5 4G version will retain the SoC of its predecessor, the Reno4 Global variant.

OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G China Specifications

The Reno5 Pro 5G has a 6.55-inch curved OLED 90Hz display with a 2400×1080 pixel resolution. It is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ SoC and comes paired with 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage.

It shares similar camera specs with the non-Pro variant. Accordingly, the device features a 64MP f/1.7 main lens, 8MP ultra-wide, and two 2MP sensors. Upfront, you get a 32MP selfie shooter.

Other specifications include a 4,350mAh battery with the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging, in-display fingerprint sensor, ColorOS 11 based on Android 11 out of the box, dual-SIM 5G, NFC, GPS for connectivity.

Amazfit GTS 2 goes official for ₹12,999($177) in India; pre-orders begin today

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Dec 18, 2020

Amazfit India has already confirmed that it will launch the entire GT 2 series of Smartwatch in the country. Accordingly, it announced the GTR 2 starting at ₹12,999($177) a few days back. Today, the company has made the sibling GTS 2 official for the same price.

Amazfit GTS 2 Price, Availability

Amazfit GTS 2 will be available on the official website, and Amazon India at launch. The device will accordingly launch on December 21 in the country. However, starting today, users can pre-order the smartwatch on Amazfit Website from Today(December 18). You can take a look at the pricing below:

Amazfit GTS 2 (Black)- ₹12,999($177).

As mentioned, the pre-order is open only for the Midnight Black variant. However, we can expect the GTS 2 Chinese variant colors like Desert Gold, Urban Gray to debut on December 21(Monday).

That said, the Amazfit website also says deliveries will begin from December 21 and a strap worth ₹1,799($24.47) will be free for those who pre-order the device. Still, the Amazon India webpage just shows a ‘notify me’ button.

Amazfit GTS 2 Specifications and Features

From, the above, we can see that Huami has priced the GTS 2 exactly as the GTR 2. However, we all know that GT’S’ has a square-shaped display whereas GT’R’ watches have a round dial. Additionally, they have has some differences in display, battery but share a lot of similarities as well.

The Amazfit GTS 2 measures 42.8×35.6×9.7mm and weighs 24.7g without the strap. As mentioned above there is a square-display up front, a single crown on the right, and straps made of silicone. Amazfit says the body is made of Aluminum alloy with a 3D curved bezel-less design but the bottom shell is plastic.

Besides, there is a 1.65-inch AMOLED square-display with a resolution of 348×442 pixels. It also has a peak brightness of 450 nits and a 341 PPI. This is a bit bigger than the GTR 2 and also has a similar ODLC coating for scratch resistance. Similarly, the GTS 2 has a smaller 246mAh battery than GTR 2(471mAh) and it should last for 7-days(Typical use) on a single charge via magnetic stand.

For connectivity, we have Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, GPS, GLONASS. Other features like self-developed BioTracker™, 2 PPG with blood oxygen monitoring, 24-hr heart rate monitoring, 12 sport modes, PAI health assessment, similar to GTR 2. It also has an offline voice assistant support, sleep tracking, voice calling, 3GB storage, Notifications, and 5ATM water resistance.

One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update is live for Galaxy S20 FE

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