OPPO Reno5 5G and Reno5 Pro 5G launched in China with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors respectively

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Dec 10, 2020

OPPO’s Reno series has gotten a refresh six months after the Reno4 series was announced in China. The new Reno5 series was announced in China today and it comes along with a pro model.

Reno5 Series Design

The Reno5 series comes with an upgraded design language. OPPO says the new patented process uses a pyramid-like crystal structure for the glass back panel that gives it an extra shine. They have also added an oleophobic coating to reduce smudges. The Galaxy Dream version of the two phones has a color-shifting feature as a result of the different refractive indexes of the thousands of nano-film coating used. OPPO has also added a fluorescent coating to the top of the phone and the camera housing which absorbs light and then glows in the dark.

Both phones are also light and thin. The Reno5 is 172 grams with a thickness of 7.9mm while the pro model is 173 grams but is thinner at 7.6mm. The Reno5 and Reno5 Pro will be available in Galaxy Dream, Aurora Blue, and Moonlit Night color variants.

Reno5 5G Specs

The Reno5 has a flat 6.43-inch OLED screen with a 2400 x 1080 resolution. The display has a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. It has a pixel density of 410 PPI and a peak brightness of 750 nits. There is a hole at the top left corner of the screen for the front-facing camera.

The standard model comes with the same Snapdragon 765G processor as its predecessors – the Reno4 5G and the Reno4 Pro 5G. Buyers will be able to pick up the phone in two configurations – an 8GB RAM version with 128GB of storage and a 12GB RAM version with 256GB of storage. The storage type is UFS 2.1 (dual lane) and there is no support for expansion.

There are four rear cameras on the back of the phone, though we are sure only two of them will get much use. The primary camera is a 64MP f/1.7 sensor with 6P Lens and it comes along with an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle camera, a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera, and another 2MP f/2.4 camera for capturing depth details. The selfie camera is a 32MP f/2.4 sensor. There is no OIS but OPPO claims its electronic image stabilization does a good job.

There are a number of interesting camera features bundled with the phone. You can record from both the front and rear cameras at the same time; live HDR for videos even when recording at night; bokeh videos; and a professional portrait photo tool.

The Reno5 5G has a 4300mAh battery and supports 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging. It is also backward compatible with SuperVOOC and VOOC 3.0 and has support for 18W power delivery and Quick Charge.

Other features are an in-display fingerprint scanner, support for face unlock, dual SIM card (nano only), Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, and an audio jack. OPPO ships it with ColorOS 11 based on Android 11.

EDITOR’S PICK: OPPO patents its own version of the Galaxy Z Flip but it lacks a cover screen

Reno5 Pro 5G

The Reno5 Pro 5G has a slightly bigger display. It is a 6.55-inch curved OLED panel with the same resolution as the standard variant. It also has a punch hole, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 120Hz touch sampling rate. Its peak brightness is also much higher at 1100 nits.

OPPO specifically states on the website that the Reno5 phones use displays sourced from different manufacturers, so there may be a difference in the displays of different units due to the varying manufacturing technology. The display supplier is stated on the retail box of the phone.

Unlike the Reno4 Pro 5G that has a Snapdragon 765G processor, the Reno5 Pro 5G is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000+ processor. It comes in the same configuration as the standard model.

For cameras, OPPO has carried over the exact configuration from the standard model but the 32MP camera has a slightly lower field of view. You also get practically the same camera features.

The Reno5 Pro has multifunctional NFC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and a USB-C port but skips the audio jack. It has dual SIM support and runs Android 11 out of the box. Its battery capacity is 4350mAh with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast wired charging along with support for the other charging protocols as the standard model.

Price and Availability

The standard model is ¥2699 (~$413) for the 8+128GB version but if you want more RAM and storage, you can pick up the 12+256GB version for ¥2999 (~$458). The Reno5 Pro 5G is priced at ¥3399 (~$519) for the 8+128GB version while the 12+256GB version is ¥3799 (~$580). Both phones will be available for purchase starting December 18 but they can be pre-ordered now.

There is a New Year’s Edition of the Reno5 Pro 5G that has 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage but it will go on sale on December 29.

HMD Global launches the Nokia 225 4G feature phone in the U.S

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 10, 2020

Finnish company HMD Global Oy which presently holds the license over Nokia smartphones has launched a budget feature phone in the U.S. The phone is the Nokia 225 4G which has earlier been launched in other markets including China and India.

The feature phone is no doubt targeted at first-time pone owners like young children and other individuals who just want something to make and receive calls. It is not targeted at hardcore smartphone users but can be kept as a backup phone.

Speaking concerning the US launch for the Nokia 225 4G, HMD’s Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas stated; “As networks continue to develop, we make it our responsibility to ensure people remain connected, even on the smallest of budgets. By bringing 4G to the Nokia 225 4G without compromising the accessible price point, we take another step towards our mission of providing low-cost access to global connectivity for those who need it the most – the billions of people who remain unconnected. With that in mind, we are building on a winning formula that offers all the essentials with high levels of durability and reliability at an incredible value.”

Editor’s Pick: More than 20 million Gionee phones secretly implanted with Trojan Horses to make money

Talking of the specs, the Nokia 225 4G features a 2.4-inch screen and is powered by a UNISOC processor. It has memory card support that can help users expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 32GB.

The feature phone equally packs a 3-megapixel camera sensor placed on the phone’s back panel. The phone also has a flashlight and supports features like quick dialing, voice recorder, external radio, etc.

The highlight of the phone is that it comes with support for 4G connectivity. The 4G support isn’t limited to a single SIM but the phone can be connected to a 4G network on both the SIM cards simultaneously.

The phone is underpinned by the Unisoc USM9117 chipset which is mated with 128MB of RAM and 64MB of internal storage. It runs the Series 30+ operating system and packs a 1,150mAh removable battery.

On the connectivity front, you get a Micro USB port and Bluetooth 5.0. The phone supports two SIM cards and also features a 3.5mm headphone jack, wireless FM radio, and the classic Snake game.

The Nokia 225 4G is up for grab from the company’s website. It will also be sold by third-party retailers. It carries a price tag of $49 and will be available in Metallic Sand, Black, and Classic Blue.

UP NEXT: realme India teases the launch of realme Watch S and realme Watch S Pro

Vivo Y12s appears on India’s BIS Certification website; launch imminent

By

Balaji S

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Dec 10, 2020

Vivo launched the Vivo Y12s on November 14. The device is retailing in countries like Hongkong and Vietnam. And now, it has appeared on India’s BIS certification website hinting at an imminent launch.

As tipped by Mukul Sharma, a Vivo smartphone with model number V2026 is listed on the BIS database. Now, if we recall, a device with a similar model number appeared on Google Play Console listing earlier. Later, it turned out to be the Vivo Y12s in Asian markets.

Besides, the device has already been certified by Russia’s EEC, Indonesia’s SDPPI. Among this, the latter even reveals that the model number V2026 belongs to Vivo Y12s. With all this info, we can safely say that the V2026 appearing on BIS is indeed the Vivo Y12s. Although we know that the device retails for around $142 elsewhere, let’s wait for official Indian pricing.

Vivo Y12s receives the Indian BIS certification.#Vivo #VivoY12s pic.twitter.com/ayuJ1PkugZ

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) December 10, 2020

Vivo Y12s Specifications

Vivo has just launched the Y51 in India. And it is yet to unveil any details about the Y12s. However, thanks to the earlier launches we know what to expect on the Indian version. Measuring 164.41 x 76.32 x 7.41mm, the device weighs 191 grams and comes in Phantom Black Glacier Blue colors.

The Vivo Y12s from other markets feature a 6.51-inch HD+ display. Accordingly, the display has a resolution of 1600×720 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. Under the hood, MediaTek’s Helio P35 SoC powers the device.

For cameras, we have a rectangular dual-camera on the back with a 13MP f/1.8 lens, 2MP f/2.4 sensor. Upfront, there is an 8MP sensor for selfies. Other specifications of the Vivo Y12s include 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, MicroSD slot, 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging.

The device also has dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, and runs Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 10.

boAt Enigma budget smartwatch launched in India for ₹2,999 ($41)

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

boAt is a popular wearable company in India. In fact, it was not only India’s largest wearable brand but also the world’s fifth-largest in Q3 2020, as per IDC. The firm sells a wide variety of audio products and fitness trackers disguised as a smartwatch. It has now launched a new product in the latter category, dubbed as boAt Enigma, priced at ₹2,999 ($41).

The new boAt Enigma features a 1.54-inch square-shaped color screen with support for touch inputs and AOD (Always-on Display). The wearable uses an LCD panel but its resolution is unknown. The material of the body is also a mystery but it could be mostly plastic given its asking price.

Further, the watch comes with a heart rate sensor as well as a SpO2 sensor to monitor blood oxygen levels. It also supports various gestures to wake the watch, click pictures on the smartphone, change watch faces, and increase screen brightness.

Being a fitness tracker, it supports 8 sports activities namely running, walking, climbing, riding, badminton, basketball, football, and table tennis. Additionally, it is also water-resistant up to 3ATM despite it does not tack swimming,

Other familiar features on this product include app notifications, call & SMS alerts, weather, alarm, sedentary alerts, and sleep monitoring.

Last but not least, the boAt Enigma is backed by a 230mAh battery and charges via direct USB (USB Type-A). The company claims up to 10-day battery life and it ships with an extra grey-colored strap, in addition to the stock black color strap.

Report: Galaxy S21 series will feature Exynos 2100 SoC in India; Color variants revealed

By

Balaji S

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Dec 10, 2020

Yesterday, a leak from India revealed that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S21 series on January 14. According to Samsung Opera House in Bengaluru, India, the device will go on sale from January 29 in India as tipped in earlier reports. Now, the same store has confirmed that the Indian variant won’t feature the Snapdragon 888 SoC, along with the colors of the devices.

Samsung’s flagship retail store has reportedly confirmed to Android Authority that the entire Galaxy S21 series will be powered by the Exynos 2100 chipset in India. However, Samsung hasn’t announced it yet, and is likely to do it on December 15. Early benchmarks reveal a stronger multi-core performance against the Qualcomm counterpart.

However, it’s still a mystery if Samsung‘s processor will surpass Qualcomm in real-world tests. Either way, it is sure to turn eyeballs with a 5nm process and 1+3+4 core arrangement. The cores are likely 1xPrime core clocked at 2.91GHz, 3xPerformance and 4xEfficiency cores clocked at 2.81, and 2.21GHz respectively.

In case you don’t know, Samsung will launch three models of the S21 Series- Galaxy S21 5G, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra 5G. Anyway, the Galaxy S21 Series will have the following color variants in India:

Galaxy S21– Gray, Pink, Purple, and White.
Galaxy S21 Plus– Silver, Black, Pink, and Purple.
Galaxy S21 Ultra– Black, Silver.

Further, the store has also confirmed the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera specs that have already been leaked. Accordingly, the device will have a 108MP main camera, 2x10MP sensors(one will have 10x Zoom), and most likely a 12MP sensor.

The device is reportedly up for pre-orders in the flagship store. Users will have to pay ₹2,000($27) to pre-book an S21 flagship. And after the official announcement, they can select their preferred model. With all these leaks, I guess the only thing that is left to know is the official pricing.

Galaxy M12 and Galaxy F12 certified by India’s BIS

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy M12 and Galaxy F12 budget smartphones very soon. These devices have already leaked multiple times in the past few days. Now, they have also cleared India’s BIS certification. That means their launch could happen anytime now.

As usual, the BIS listing of these handsets does not reveal anything about them, except for their model numbers. The Galaxy M12 will bear the model number SM-M127G/DS, whereas the Galaxy F12 will come with SM-F127G.

Anyway, we were already aware of this, thanks to previous leaks. Also, we know that these phones are one and the same just like Galaxy M21s and Galaxy F41.

For those unaware, the Samsung Galaxy M series of smartphones are exclusive to Amazon and Samsung online store in India. On the other hand, the newly introduced Galaxy F series is exclusive to Flipkart and Samsung online store. These handsets can also be bought from select offline retailers.

So far, the South Korean tech giant has only released a single Galaxy F series phone and it happens to be a rebadged Galaxy M series phone. Hence, some of the upcoming Galaxy M devices have been also certified as a Galaxy F smartphone like the forthcoming Galaxy M12/Galaxy F12.

Having said that, according to previous leaks, these handsets are expected to feature a 6.7-inch punch-hole display, a massive 7,000mAh battery like Galaxy M51, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Vivo opens its 500th Exclusive Store in India, plans to open 650 by 2021 end

By

Sean

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Dec 10, 2020

Vivo announced that it had opened its 500th exclusive store in India earlier this week, and plans on taking the total to 650 by the end of next year. These stores are spread across India and cover more than 280 cities in the region.

The vast number of offline stores cover major tier 1, 2, and 3 cities as well, as per a BusinessStandard report. According to Nipun Marya, Vivo India Director Brand Strategy, “We are pleased to achieve this milestone of 500 exclusive stores in India. We believe that the offline channel is preferred by customers, as they like to experience the product before making a purchase decision. With customer centricity at the center of all decisions, we, at Vivo India, strive to offer our customers unique retail experiences.”

Furthermore, the Chinese tech giant added more than 150 stores in India during the ongoing calendar year, despite facing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The move from the company arrives as it strengthens its offline presence in the Indian subcontinent. Marya further added that, “The company plans to expand the network to over 650 exclusive stores by 2021, to offer an exclusively delightful retail experience to its customers.”

For those unaware, these Vivo exclusive stores offers customers a live experience of the smartphones and their features. In other words, people can experience gaming on these handsets, use virtual reality, and more in such stores. Vivo is a major player in the Indian market with a 28 percent total market share in the nation. This was backed by its strong offline retail channel, which the company plans on expanding even further.

realme India teases the launch of realme Watch S and realme Watch S Pro

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

Chinese company realme currently holds the title of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand. Apart from handsets, the firm has been also pushing connected devices for a while now. Earlier this year, the company launched its first smartwatch, dubbed as realme Watch. Last month, the brand debuted the second model called realme Watch S. Now, the company teases to launch the realme Watch S Pro alongside the standard variant in India.

According to IDC, realme was India’s largest smartwatch brand in September with a 22.1% market share. The company achieved this with a single product – realme Watch.

In the same month, the existence of realme Watch S and realme Watch S Pro was confirmed by the firm itself at the IFA 2020 trade show. A few days later, both of them received multiple certifications. And finally, the regular model made its global debut in Pakistan in November

This wearable later made its way to Europe in the same month. Now. it is all set to launch in India alongside the realme Watch S Pro. Since the standard model is official, we know everything about it. But the same cannot be said for the ‘Pro’ variant, which will be releasing first in India.

Anyway, as per FCC, the only major difference between the two is the presence of an OLED display on the Pro model. That said, realme India is yet to reveal the launch date.

LG to develop auto doors that use transparent OLED displays

By

Sean

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Dec 10, 2020

Earlier this week, LG Electronics announced that it will collaborate with Assa Abloy to launch new variant of automatic doors that will use transparent OLED display panels. These would likely be used in the commercial sectors.

For those unaware, Ass Abloy is a Sweden based company that makes doors, mechanical door locks, digital door locks and automatic doors as well. The company has supplied its automatic doors across the globe, including airports in London, Spain, and South Korea. So, the partnership with the South Korean tech giant would have it expand on its existing lineup, as per TheElec report.

The 55 inch LG OLED display panels will be used on these automatic doors. This will allow the doors to display various different messages, building information and even advertisements as well. In other words, this could open a whole new stream of revenue for airports and open another area for companies to advertise their products on.

LG Display transparent OLED Panel in China subway

Since the transparent OLED panels do not require a backlight like an LCD (liquid crystal display) display does, it offers higher transmittance or transparency. Thus, keep on the look out as we may soon see such automated doors with transparent OLED displays around us soon. Currently, no finer details regarding its development is known, neither has the company offered any specifics or roadmaps.

Huawei unveils new automated robotic process to improve efficiency in its operations

By

Sean

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Dec 10, 2020

Earlier this month, Huawei unveiled the AntRobot RPA 2.0 (Robotic Process Automation) during its Technical Service Partner Conference. This system arrives as the company pushes towards ‘digital transformation.’

With the new launch, the Chinese tech giant is trying to achieve a more quick and efficient process in multiple areas like customer care and business operations through automation. At the moment, many companies still use manual or labor based repetitive operations to achieve certain tasks. This affects efficiency and the accuracy of the process operation as well. Similar to a human, the RPA logs into the business system and processes data and business flows.

The AntRobot RPA 2.0 can even take away the burden of multiple repetitive operations that are currently being handled manually. It can achieve this and still function 7*24 hours without interruptions and offer great efficiency and accuracy as well. According to a senior official from Huawei, “AntRobot RPA was incubated by Huawei’s Global Technical Services Department (GTS). The original intention was to help front-line technical experts solve the problems of interruption and blockage in the delivery process and IT tools, so that experts can focus on how to better serve operators.”

He further added that “In addition to the telecommunications service field, AntRobot RPA products are also used in Huawei’s manufacturing, supply chain, finance, retail, IT, HR and other departments, effectively supporting Huawei’s digital transformation. RPA is the product of the natural growth of Huawei’s business and the result of its own digital transformation.” In other words, the company aims on bringing automation to handle certain issues in operations better while building a new partner ecosystem as well.

Xiaomi Mi Neckband Pro clears Bluetooth certification

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

Last year in July, Xiaomi launched an audio product called Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones. Now, more than a year later, a higher version of this product with the ‘Pro’ moniker has received Bluetooth certification. Hence, we think that it will be launching in the coming days.

According to the Bluetooth SIG listing (via), the upcoming Xiaomi wireless earphones will be called ‘Mi Neckband Pro’. Going by its name, we expect to be an advanced model of the regular Mi Neckband.

Unfortunately, the listing does not reveal much about these earphones. Because it only mentions the support for Bluetooth 5.0 as well as SBC and AAC audio codecs. Further, as an added bonus, it will be also IPX4 certified for water-resistant.

Therefore, the reason behind the ‘Pro’ branding is a mystery for now. That said, normally, earphones with the Pro moniker come with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). If it happens to have this feature, then these new pair of earphones from Xiaomi will compete with the realme Buds Wireless Pro.

Anyway, this is just speculation from our end and hence, consider it with a pinch of salt. Having said that, since the product has cleared certification, it could be announced soon. Moreover, we may learn everything about this product before its launch from leaks and teasers.

Nokia 5.4 appears at Google AR Core supported devices list, BIS and NBTC, launch seems near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 10, 2020

HMD Global is reportedly working on the launch of the Nokia 5.4 mid-range phone. It appears that the launch date of the Nokia 5.4 may not be far away as it has been spotted in the list of Google AR Core supported devices. The handset has also bagged approval from Thailand’s NBTC authority and India’s BIS regulatory body.

Since the Nokia 5.4 is now mentioned in the list of Google AR Core supported devices, it will be optimized to support different AR apps. The listing confirms the moniker of the device. The Nokia TA-1325 phone that has been approved by the BIS and NBTC authorities could be the Nokia 5.4 smartphone. It appears that the TA-1328 phone that has been also approved by the BIS authority could be a variant of the TA-1325.

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Editor’s Pick: New Nokia phone to debut on December 15 in China

Nokia 5.4 specifications (Rumored)

A recent leak revealed the entire specs of the Nokia 5.4. As per the leak, the smartphone has a 6.39-inch HD+ LCD screen, Snapdragon 662, 4 GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery. It has a front camera of 16-megapixel and a quad camera setup featuring a 48-megapixel main lens, a 5-megapixel superwide lens, a 2-megapixel macro shooter, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The other rumored specs of the Nokia 5.4 include Android 10 OS, dual SIM support, microSD card slot, a rear-facing fingerprint reader, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The phone measures 160.97 x 75.99 x 8.7mm and it weighs 182 grams. It is likely to arrive in color variants such as Blue and Purple. The phone may hit the shelves in 64 GB and 128 GB storage versions.

(via 1, 2)

Narzo 30, Narzo 30 Pro tipped to launch in January 2021

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 10, 2020

The Realme Narzo 20 series was made official in September and fresh information reveals that the company is already prepping up its successor. According to popular leakster Mukul Sharma, the Narzo 30 series will go official in January 2021.

The tipster claimed that unless there is any last moment changes, the Realme Narzo 30 and Narzo 30 Pro will be announced in January 2021. The Narzo 20 series had three phones such as the Narzo 20A, Narzo 20, and Narzo 20 Pro.

The tipster claimed that the Narzo 30 series may include a third handset. Hence, there is a possibility that the Narzo 30A may also arrive with Narzo 30 and Narzo 30 Pro. The tipster did not share any information on the specifications of the Narzo 30 series.

Editor’s Pick: Realme Q2 Pro’s new color variants introduced in China

A mysterious Realme phone with model number RMX3171 has received certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The BIS certification has no information on the specs of the device, but it mentions that it belongs to a new series. It is advisable to wait for further reports to know whether the RMX3171 model number belongs to the Realme Narzo 30 series.

There are a few other Realme phones that have been spotted recently. Last month, the BIS and EEC authorities approved two mysterious Realme phones with RMX3063 and RMX3061 model numbers. The FCC listing of the RMX3063 phone revealed a few of its specs such as a 5,000mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.2, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

Earlier today, the Realme RMX3092 appeared at the 3C certification platform with a 65W rapid charger. The RMX3092 and another RMX3093 phone have appeared in TENAA’s database, but their specs and images have not appeared yet. Probably, they belong to the upcoming Realme X60 5G series for China.

Samsung records highest smartphone shipments in 3 years in Q3 2020

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

In the past few days, Counterpoint Research released its Q3 2020 reports on various smartphone markets, including global. Now, the company has published an infographic highlighting the major happenings in the smartphone world during the third quarter.

According to the research firm, the Global Smartphone Market shipment declined 4% YoY in Q3 2020, however, it grew 32% QoQ. All in all, the entire market shipped 366 million units.

As for regional markets, the India Smartphone Market exceeded pre-COVID levels during this period. The market’s shipments reached 53 million units and therefore, it grew 9% YoY and 188% QoQ respectively.

Talking about brands, Samsung not only led the Global Smartphone Market but also three out of the five major regional markets namely Europe, LATAM (Latin America), and MEA (Middle East & Africa). On the other hand, Huawei ranked first in Asia, whereas Apple topped in North America.

The South Korean electronics giant achieved this feat by shipping 80.4 million units. In fact, this number was the company’s highest-ever shipments in the last 3 years. As a result, the firm witnessed 3% YoY and 48% QoQ growths respectively.

Further, Xiaomi made it to the top 5 charts in three regions. The smartphone maker also surpassed Apple for the first time to obtain the third spot in the Global Smartphone Market with a 13% share and 75% QoQ growth.

Then, realme, which grew 132% QoQ in Q3, reached its milestone of 50 million shipments. Hence, it took over the mantle of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand.

Last but not least, Apple’s shipments declined 7% YoY in the third quarter of 2020. Because the company delayed the launch of the iPhone 12 series to Q4 this year.

Samsung arrives third in the feature phone market in Q3 2020

By

Sean

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Dec 10, 2020

While the smartphone industry has completely eclipsed the once dominant feature phone market, these devices still exist and are still used widely across developing or under developed nations. Now, a new report has revealed that one of the world’s largest smartphone brand, Samsung, is also the third largest feature phone maker as well.

As per a Counterpoint Research report, the South Korean tech giant shipped over 7.4 million feature phones during the third quarter of 2020. The company shared the third spot with Tecno, with both brands having a 10 percent market share. India was one of the key markets for Samsung, as it held an 18 percent share in the region. iTel leads the feature phone market at the moment, with a 24 percent global market share followed by HMD Global, with a 14 percent market share.

Notably, India’s Lava is the world’s fifth largest feature phone brand in the market. The global feature phone market saw 74 million units being shipped with the Middle East and Africa region being the largest market for such devices. Despite being such a large industry, the market is one a steady decline year on year, with shipments falling by 17 percent between July and September 2020, compared to the same period back in 2019. Similarly, feature phone shipments in North America declined by 75 percent year on year and by 50 percent quarter on quarter.

Samsung announces its new 110 inch Micro LED TV for enterprises

By

Sean

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Dec 10, 2020

Samsung Electronics has just unveiled a new product that it is targeting towards businesses and other commercial enterprises. It is the new 110 inch Micro LED TV, which was announced earlier today (10th December 2020).

The massive new TV was announced during an online event that the company hosted using the Webinar system, which is an interactive video conference solution that is used to introduce new products. Arriving at its most notable aspect, its display features Micro LED technology, which is touted to be the next generation for displays. It is a true self luminous TV that eliminates structures such as backlights and color filters by using micro LEDs in micrometer (㎛) units, and the LED itself emits light and color.

So, unlike a regular TV display, Micro LED panels RGB are the only ones that can emit light and color by itself. This allows one to experience natural colors and have a better viewing experience. The 110 inch Micro LED TV is similar to the South Korean tech giant’s previously launched, The Wall, which was also aimed at businesses and was one of the company’s first display that utilized Micro LED. A notable feature of the TV is its ‘Quad View (4Vue)’ function, which lets users divide the 110 inch display into four 50 inch screens.

Furthermore, the new Samsung TV features 4K resolution with more than 8 million micro LED elements in a size of just 3.3 square meters. Its MICRO AI Processor from the company’s semiconductor unit also helps the TV achieve best in class image quality even by micro LED standards. This processor is a dedicated chip that combines the self-luminous characteristics and proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms, which is based on the quantum processor technology applied to QLED 8K TVs that helps offer a near perfect real world color reproduction.

Arriving at the audio, the 110 inch Samsung Micro LED TV sports ‘Arena Sound’ that can offer a clear and immersive audio experience without the use of an external speaker. It supports 5.1 channel sound paired with OTS Pro technology (Object Tracking Sound), which moves the speaker along with the movement of the subject in front of the TV. It follows a minimalist ‘Monolithic design,’ with negligible bezels on every side of the TV, enabling a full display body on the front.

Huawei could soon launch HarmonyOS-powered smartwatch

By

Jeet

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Dec 10, 2020

It’s been a couple of months since Chinese giant Huawei launched its Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro smartwatch, which was launched in its home country in October. The company is also set to launch an upgraded variant with ECG support on 12th December.

Now, a new report coming from China (via Huawei Central) reveals that Huawei is now gearing up to launch a new smartwatch. The wearable device in question was reportedly set to launch by the end of this year but has now been delayed to 2021.

HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro Featured — Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro

EDITOR’S PICK: Major lawsuits in the United States seek to break up Facebook over anti-competitive practices

It has also been confirmed that it is not a variant of the Watch GT 2 Pro but will be a totally different device. However, at this point in time, not much is known about the smartwatch, but we expect to get more details in the coming weeks and months.

Recently, at the Huawei Developer Conference, the company officially announced HarmonyOS 2.0 SDK with a focus on Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It is also confirmed to power smartwatches and developers in China have already started making applications for this Huawei’s own operating system.

Given the development surrounding HarmonyOS and the company’s struggle with getting access to technologies made in the United States, it is likely that the upcoming smartwatch will come running HarmonyOS. In that case, there’s a high possibility that the device will be limited to the Chinese market, at least for the initial period.

Redmi 9 Power India launch date is December 17

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 10, 2020

After numerous leaks. Xiaomi has finally revealed that the Redmi 9 Power will be launching in India on December 17. This smartphone is expected to be a tweaked version of the Redmi Note 9 4G with an additional camera. This very same phone is also set to go official as Redmi 9T in other markets.

The upcoming Redmi 9 Power will be similar to the recently launched Redmi Note 9 4G inside out. It will be even available in those original four colors (Black, Blue, Orange, Green), as per the teaser page on Mi.com.

As we mentioned in the beginning, the only major difference between the two will be the inclusion of an extra 2MP macro camera. Hence, this handset will arrive with a 48MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) quad-camera setup.

Further, it will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB/128GB internal storage. On the front, the device will flaunt a 6.53-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels (FHD+) and a dew-drop notch housing an 8MP selfie camera.

That said, the main highlight of this product will be its huge 6,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging and reverse charging via USB Type-C.

Last but not least. It will come with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack (Hi-Res Audio), microSD card slot, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth, GNSS (GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS), accelerometer, proximity, compass, and MIUI 12 based on Android 10.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE One UI 3.0 update based on Android 11 is still months away

By

Jeet

-

Dec 10, 2020

Samsung recently revealed its roadmap for the One UI 3.0 rollout based on the Android 11 operating system. Based on that, the company seems to have confirmed that the update for the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) isn’t coming anytime soon.

Based on the roadmap shared by the South Korean giant, the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update for the Galaxy S20 FE is a few months away, at least in the European market. However, the company has started the rollout for other devices.

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Samsung has started seeding the new update to its Galaxy S20 flagship smartphones — Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. The devices next in line to get the update includes Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Note 10, and the Galaxy S10 lineup.

The roadmap also hints that the update for the company’s foldable smartphones should be rolled out next month. But, the original Galaxy Fold is set to receive the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update in February and select Galaxy S20 FE models are also set to get the update around the same time.

Although Samsung is trying to improve its update rollout timing, the company definitely needs to work more on this as it’s a bit disappointing to see that a smartphone under the flagship lineup isn’t among the firsts to get the latest update.

Apple, Huawei, and Samsung lead the global Smartwatch market in Q3 2020

By

Sean

-

Dec 10, 2020

The global smartwatch market witnessed a growth of 6 percent in the third quarter of this year, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Major brands like Apple, Huawei, and Samsung led the industry in terms of shipments as per a new report.

According to a recently published Global Smartwatch Model Tracker from Counterpoint Research, Apple retained its top spot in the market with a 28 percent share. The Cupertino based giant saw a nominal rise of 2 percent in its market share over the same period from 2019. Its launch of its first mid tier wearable Apple Watch SE, which was priced under 300 US Dollars, helped the company garner a lot of attention during this quarter in the market.

Similarly, Huawei also managed to remain second in terms of shipments with a 15 percent market share in 2020. This marks a growth of 5 percent over the third quarter from the previous year, which was accredited to the launch of new models that expanded its existing wearable portfolio. The South Korean tech giant, Samsung, took the third spot overtaking BBK in 2020 thanks to the successful launch of its Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch.

According to Analyst Sujeong Lim, “In terms of sales, Apple’s position is even stronger. In the third quarter, it achieved $2.3 billion, nearly half of global smartwatch shipments and an 18% increase over the same period last year. Samsung had stagnated in H1 2020. Since it appeals to fewer premium consumers compared to Apple, demand from its base was weaker during the pandemic. But it rebounded in the third quarter with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 3. In terms of revenues, Samsung grew 59% YoY and is expecting good growth momentum now.”

Notably, China surpassed North America in terms of shipment after being behind for the past seven quarters to become the market leader. While the North American market showed significant growth after the launch of the Apple Watch Series 4, China managed to edge ahead with smartwatches aimed towards children. Despite being the second largest smartphone market, India only accounted for 4 percent of the total smartwatch market.

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