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

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

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.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G Kvadrat Case
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G Kvadrat Case

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.

UP NEXT: Galaxy S21 poses in all colors in latest leak; Galaxy S21+ makes an appearance too

 

Google Camera Go now allows users to click HDR pictures

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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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.

Google Camera Go HDR Feature

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.

UP NEXT: Google and Qualcomm promise big with 4 years of Android updates, But here’s what you need to know

 

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

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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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.

Moto-G-Play-2021

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.

UP NEXT: Motorola-branded 4K Android TV dongle may soon launch in India

 

(via 1, 2)

Samsung Galaxy M12 bags FCC certification; Could be launching soon

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

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.

Samsung Galaxy M12
Samsung Galaxy M12 Credit: Steve/Voice

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.

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

 

(via)

Sony removes Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store following complaints

By
Jed John Ikoba
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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.Cyberpunk 2077 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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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.

 

 

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

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

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.

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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

By
Jed John Ikoba
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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.

Konka 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

By
Balaji S
-

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.

Galaxy Buds Pro
Galaxy Buds Pro render shared by Evan Blass

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.

Credit: Evan Blass

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.

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

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

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.SMIC Logo

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

By
Balaji S
-

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.

OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G

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.

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.

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno5 series sale generates 100 million yuan within 10 minutes

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

By
Balaji S
-

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

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.

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

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

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

Samsung has started rolling out One UI 3.0 based on Android 11 to its devices earlier this month. As of now, the update is live for Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy Note20, and Galaxy Note20 Ultra. The latest smartphone to join this list is the Galaxy S20 FE.

Galaxy S20 FE Cloud Mint Cloud Navy Cloud Lavender Cloud Red Cloud White

According to SamMobile, the South Korean tech giant has begun to seed One UI 3.0 (Android 11) build for Galaxy S20 FE in Russia. The new update comes with firmware version G780FXXU1BTL1 and December 2020 security patch.

Currently, this build is only available for select users in the country. In order to check whether if you have received it, then head over to Settings > Software update > Download and install. Anyway, if you haven’t got it yet, then do not worry as the update will be hitting your unit once the company extends the availability of the build in the coming days.

Similarly, users in other regions should also start receiving the update very soon. Also, it is worth noting that the world’s largest smartphone maker has released the update for this device before the tipped date.

The Galaxy S20 FE is eligible for three generations of Android updates. Therefore, it will be getting Android 12 and Android 13 in the future.

UP NEXT: Samsung reveals One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update timeline for India

 

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

By
Balaji S
-

We are inching towards the realme’s December 23 launch event where the company will announce the new wearable products. It will unveil the Watch S, Watch S Pro, and as per the latest hints, a Watch S Master Edition as well. Ahead of this, tipster Mukul Sharma has revealed the entire specifications and features of the Pro version.

Credit: realme

Earlier, an FCC listing of the Watch S Pro revealed few details of the display, battery, SpO2 sensors. However, the realme event page(via Mukul Sharma) reveals the entire features that are coming with the smartwatch. The Watch S Pro is the first ‘Pro’ premium wearable from realme and it looks like the company is leaving no stones unturned.

realme Watch S Pro Specs

Accordingly, the realme Watch S Pro will have a 1.39-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a 454×454 resolution. It will have a peak brightness of 450 nits and a contrast ratio of 100,000:1. That said the presence of AMOLED means you get perks like Always-on Display, vibrant colors, and deeper blacks.

As revealed earlier, the Watch S Pro will have stainless steel over the Aluminum case on the Watch S. The event page also reveals that the watch will come with additional leather straps. Moving on, Mukul Sharma’s leak says that the watch will weigh 63.5g with the strap which will be removable.

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme seeks to become one of the top 5 brands in Taiwan

Watch S Pro Features

The realme Watch S Pro is confirmed to have high-precision Dual-Satellite GPS(GNSS) functionality. It basically means that the receiver end will track more than one radio signal at a time from satellites for accurate, and real-time data. Further, the Watch S Pro will also have other features like 100+ Watch faces, Blood Oxygen(SpO2 sensor) and heart-rate monitor(PPG), 5ATM water resistance(up to 50m), 15 Sport modes.

Some of the modes include Swimming, Cricket, Yoga, Outdoor run and walk, outdoor cycling, Hiking, free workout, and more. Powered by a Dual-Core processor, the Watch will have a 420mAh battery and charge via a Magnetic Charging case. This is higher compared to 390mAh on the non-Pro variant.

Accordingly, realme promises a 14-day battery life in a single charge that should take about 2Hr. Besides, in addition to the Smart Control, Date Display, custom dial features, the Watch S Pro will also have other control modes and features as below:

  • Music Control
  • Camera Control
  • Find my Phone
  • Weather Forecast
  • Power Saving/No Disturb mode
  • 12/24Hr Stopwatch
  • Lift Wrist to Wake

Finally, the realme Watch S Pro will support connectivity with Smartphones running Android 5.0+, and iOS 9.0+ (coming soon in future updates). Let’s wait for the official pricing.

UP NEXT: realme X7 and Watch S India retail boxes teased by realmeow

WhatsApp now requires a minimum of Android 4.0.3 and iOS 9

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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WhatsApp is the most-used cross-platform instant messaging app in the world. With Android and iOS being the only major smartphone operating systems, the app is only available on devices running them, in addition to feature phones powered by KaiOS. That said, every year, the Facebook-owned service announces the end of support for older platforms. As 2020 is about to end, the company has revealed the app will no longer work on certain iPhones and Android smartphones.

WhatsApp Logo

According to a report by Entrepreneur (via 91Mobiles), WhatsApp has officially dropped support for devices running Android 4.0.2  and iOS 8. This means if you want to use the application, your smartphone should at least run either Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich or iOS 9.

Since most of the smartphones out in the market run the newer versions of the world’s most used operating systems, users need not worry. But for some reason, if they happen to own certain older devices, they will have to upgrade to a newer model.

Having said that, here’s the list of popular smartphones on which WhatsApp will no longer work.

That being said, WhatsApp is currently supported on iPhone 4s (iOS 9), iPhone 5 (iOS 10), iPhone 5s (iOS 12), and all the other newer iPhones that are currently running iOS 14. On the other hand, any Android smartphone running Android 4.0.3 or higher should be able to run the application.

UP NEXT: WhatsApp rolling out Audio and Video calls for its PC users

 

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

By
Balaji S
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Samsung has finally revealed the launch date of a new Exynos SoC. If the company’s words are anything to go by, the next processor(Tentative: Exynos 2100) will open a new world of Exynos chipsets going forward.

Exynos-Featured

As you can see below, Samsung Exynos(@SamsungExynos)’s tweet says, “A whole new Exynos is coming”. Accordingly, Samsung will announce the new Exynos chipset on January 12, 2021. Now, if you recall, this is just two days before the Galaxy S21’s supposed launch date. The tweet also accompanies the hashtag #Exynos_is_back suggesting a revamp in performance.

Although Samsung hasn’t officially revealed the name of the SoC yet, several reports say that it is the next flagship SoC and carries the Exynos 2100 moniker. It is expected to be built on the new 5nm process just like Qualcomm’s counterpart. Previously, the Exynos 990 SoC was built on the 7nm process and faced a lot of thermal throttling issues.

Moving on, at the heart of the chipset, it will likely host ARM‘s Cortex-X and Cortex-A cores with a 1+3+4 arrangement, unlike the predecessor which had 2+2+4. It will be an Octa-Core chipset and host the in-house Mali-GPUs. You can take a look at the possible combination below:

  • 1xCortex-X1(Clocked at 2.91GHz)- Ultra-High-Performance Core
  • 3xCortex-A78(Clocked at 2.8GHz)-High-Performance Cores
  • 4xCortex-A55(Clocked at 2.4GHz)- Power Efficiency Cores
EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung announces 5nm Exynos 1080, beats Snapdragon 865 Plus on AnTuTu

At least on paper, this is slightly higher in frequency if we compare it to Snapdragon 888 from Qualcomm. Additionally, reports say that the processor will be accompanied by a Mali-G78 GPU replacing the G77 on the Exynos 990.

Specs aside, reports say that Samsung might finally manage to oust the drawbacks and compete with Qualcomm in 2021. While the early benchmarks give positive vibes, we need to wait for real-world tests. In any case, the new SoC will reportedly consume a lesser battery than the Exynos 990 for similar tasks.

Anyway, the flagship SoC will power the upcoming Galaxy S21 series(S21, S21+, S21 Ultra) in Asia, European regions as usual. In fact, Galaxy S21 series powered by Exynos 2100 SoC is already confirmed in India and spotted on European markets. However, we can expect the company to launch the flagship devices with Snapdragon 888 for the USA, China.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 2 powered by 11th-gen Intel processor goes official

Huawei and ZTE ban may have Indian carriers spend 5-10% more on network gear

By
Sean
-

Chinese telecom equipment providers Huawei and ZTE being left out of India’s trusted suppliers sources could cause telecom operators in the region to spend 5 to 10 percent more on networking gear from other suppliers.

Huawei Logo MWC 2019

The Chinese firms being banned in the region would mainly affect local telecom giants like Airtel and Vodafone Idea. Although, the exact increase in gear costs might be a bit lowered considering non Chinese network vendors like Nokia, Samsung, and Ericsson would have less bargaining power in demanding a premium as there are fewer telecom carriers to choose from in the first place.

Editor’s Pick: Galaxy S21 poses in all colors in latest leak; Galaxy S21+ makes an appearance too

According to Rohan Dhamija, head (India & Middle East) at Analysys Mason stated that, “If vendor options shrink with the new network security rules, incumbents could face around 5-10% rise in gear purchase costs, which they should be able to easily recover with the next round of price hikes likely soon,” when speaking with ET. Unfortunately, both Vi and Bharti Airtel have yet to respond to any queries or comment on the matter at the moment.

Huawei

For those unaware, the Indian government recently declared a list of “trusted sources” for acquiring equipment for mobile networking systems and even amends certain telecom licenses as well. This move was seen as one of the first steps to restrict Huawei and ZTE’s role in India’s future telecom development as well as its 5G technology roll out. This also arrives amid growing political tensions between India and China, caused by military clashes in the Indo Chinese borders.

UP NEXT: IDC: Half a million 5G smartphones were sold in India in October 2020, still no official support

 

Apple asks court to overturn Caltech WiFi patent trial ruling worth over $1.1 billion

By
Sean
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Apple and Broadcom have joined hands and are trying to overturn the results of their legal battles with Caltech over its WiFi patent trials from back in January 2020. The companies are asking courts to overturn the decision, which has fined both companies over 1.1 billion US Dollars in fines.

Apple

A new filing made by the Cupertino based giant and Broadcom earlier this week, has urged the court to overturn the results of the Caltech WiFi patent trials. As per an AppleInsider report, the brief suggests that the original trial was conducted with “”multiple legal errors.” Back in January 2020, the patent trial ruling had found both Apple and Broadcom guilty of infringing on patents owned by the California Institute of Technology for WiFi. Notably, Apple tried to invalidate the patent back in March, but ultimately failed.

Editor’s Pick: Galaxy S21 poses in all colors in latest leak; Galaxy S21+ makes an appearance too

For those unaware, Caltech’s lawyers even argued that a hypothetical licensing deal in 2010 for the chips used in iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and more would have brought in some 1.4 US Dollars per device from Apple and 26 cents each from Broadcom during the trial. When calculated, this figure translates to the jury applying an 838 million US Dollars fine on Apple and 270 million US Dollars on Broadcom.

Apple

In the appeal, both companies stated that “These rulings unfairly prejudiced appellants, and greatly hampered their ability to rebut Caltech’s repeated emphasis at trial on the supposed importance of the patents-in-suit, which led to an enormous — and unwarranted — damages award.” Caltech has called both firms conduct as “truly egregious” and even asked the court to raise the payment up to 2.2 billion US Dollars, after taking the lawyers and damages into account.

UP NEXT: IDC: Half a million 5G smartphones were sold in India in October 2020, still no official support

 

Vivo X60 Pro unboxing video leaked online; shows periscope lens, OriginOS, and more

By
Balaji S
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Vivo is buckling up to launch the Vivo X60 series of Smartphones in China. Although the Chinese giant hasn’t really stood firm on a launch date yet, it could be on December 28. In the run-up to the official reveal, an unboxing video has now joined the train of Vivo X60 Pro leaks.

Vivo X60 and Vivo X60 Pro renders-

A YouTube user has uploaded a short unboxing video of the upcoming Vivo X60 Pro. The video opens up to the retail packaging that looks a lot like the Vivo X60’s retail box we saw a few days back. It appears to have a Dark bluish color with a Vivo X60 Pro written on it.

Opening it up reveals the device itself. The device has a Gray rear panel with a rectangular camera layout up top and Vivo branding at the bottom. Speaking of which, the layout, as seen in some of the official renders, has the quad-camera setup. Three of the lenses are arranged like a triangle while the fourth periscope lens sits at the bottom beside the ZEISS logo.

There is an LED flashlight at the tail end(vertically) of the rear camera stack. Turning it up, we see the power and volume buttons to the right, and the curved screen with centered punch-hole upfront. We must admit that Vivo’s curved screens have come a long way(eg. 120-degree curves on Apex 2020). And it looks like the X60 series’s curves feature subtle curves like Samsung‘s devices.

EDITOR’S PICK: Reliance Jio partners with Vivo to launch Jio exclusive smartphones in India: Report

At the bottom, we see that the device has a microphone, USB-C port, speaker grille, and SIM card tray. It’s worth noting that the unit that’s being unboxed here also has a ‘PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY’ slogan and a secondary mic at the top.

The next exciting part here is the UI of the device. As the user unlocks it, we are greeted with the new OriginOS. If you recall, the company unveiled the new UI based on Android 11 on November 18. It’s now almost certain that the X60 series will debut with the new UI corroborating with the earlier leak.

Anyway, the X60 series will mostly include two devices- X60, X60 Pro. However, there’s also a possibility of an X60 Pro+ with Snapdragon 888 SoC. Other than that, the rest of the devices will have an AMOLED 120Hz display, Exynos 1080 SoC, triple cameras(X60) with X60 Pro having an additional 8MP periscope lens, 33W fast charging, and more.

UP NEXT: Vivo and ZEISS officially announce their global imaging partnership

Huawei allowed to build 5G in Germany, but with strict conditions

By
Sean
-

Earlier this week, the German cabinet sent legislation to the Bundestag that will allow Chinese telecommunications equipment provider, Huawei, to build 5G networks in the region but only after strict security measures are guaranteed.

huawei

According to an AsiaTimes report, the proposed legislation would make Huawei and telecom equipment providers financially liable for compromised security. This would also give security agencies complete network access to determine the integrity of the network. In other words, Germany is going ahead with Huawei for 5G building but with strict conditions, despite Washington having lobbied Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to ban the Chinese tech giant outright.

Editor’s Pick: Galaxy S21 poses in all colors in latest leak; Galaxy S21+ makes an appearance too

Notably, American media described the newly proposed German law as a “a setback for the outgoing U.S. administration,” as written in the Wall Street Journal. Furthermore, the Merkel government’s decision might have been different if Donald Trump had been re-elected. Copies of these proposed law had leaked in Germany back in November but it seems that this has now been solidified.

Huawei

This should arrive as another win for Huawei in Europe, especially as various governments in the region are following in the footsteps of the US. Previously, the UK banned the company outright and is aiming to phase out the company’s technology from its existing networking infrastructure as well. France is also taking a somewhat similar approach, despite Huawei planning on building a network equipment manufacturing factory in the region.

UP NEXT: Huawei Nova 8 Pro specifications leak reveals 6.72-inch display, 32MP dual selfie cameras, Kirin 985, and more

 

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