Best Mid-Range smartphones of 2020 (India)

2Realme Narzo 20 Pro

Realme Narzo 20 Pro

Realme Narzo series competes against the mid-range smartphones from Xiaomi and its subbrands while featuring MediaTek chipsets. It provides a better gaming experience for an affordable price. Realme Narzo 20 Pro features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display supporting a 90Hz refresh rate and 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. MediaTek Helio G95 is present with 6/8GB RAM and 64/128GB storage variants. There’s a quad-rear camera module featuring a 48MP primary camera, 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. A 16MP front sensor is placed on the punch-hole display. It comes with a 4500mAh battery with support for an ultra fast 65W SuperDart Charging.

Price: Rs 15,979

3Nokia 5.3

HMD-owned company – Nokia is diversifying its product catalog every year. The company unveiled Nokia 5.3 with 6.55 inch IPS LCD display featuring 720 x 1600 pixel resolution. It is powered with Snapdragon 655 SoC and Adreno 610 GPU. There’s a quad-rear camera on the rear device with a 13MP primary camera, a 5MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP macro and a 2MP depth sensor. It carries a 4000mAh battery with 10W fast charging.

Nokia5.3 is available in three different storage options of 3GB RAM + 64GB, 4GB RAM + 64GB and 6GB RAM + 64GB.

Price: Rs 11,999

4Samsung Galaxy M31

Galaxy M31 in Ocean Blue and Space Black colors

Samsung Galaxy M31 is a value-for-money device as it offers a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display featuring a 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. It is coupled with Exynos 9611 SoC, 6/8GB RAM, and 64/128GB storage. There’s a quad-rear camera featuring 64MP + 8MP + 5MP + 5MP sensors for better photography. A massive 6000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging support makes it more worth the price.

Price: Rs 15,999

5Realme 7i

It’s been just over a few days since the device launched globally. Realme 7i houses a Snapdragon 662 SoC and Adreno 610 GPU. A large 6.5-inch IPS LCD display is present with a resolution of 720 x 1600pixels. Realme 7i comes in 4/8GB RAM and 64/128GB storage. It sports a 64MP quad-rear camera module with an additional 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP depth, and a 2MP macro lens. It comprises a 5000 mAh battery with 15W fast charging support.

Price: Rs 11,999

6POCO M2 Pro

Poco M2 Pro

It’s a rebranded version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro. Poco M2 Pro features a massive 6.67-inch IPS LCD display with support for 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution and 450 nits brightness. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720 chipset coupled with 4/6GB RAM and 64/128GB storage. There’s a quad-rear camera module featuring a 48-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 5-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies, there’s a 16-megapixel sensor encased inside the punch-hole display. It houses a 5000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

Price: 13,999

7POCO X2

Poco X2 features a Snapdragon 730G SoC with 6/8GB RAM and 64/128/256GB storage. It features a quad-rear camera module – 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP sensors. A dual-rear camera consisting of a 20MP primary and a 2MP depth camera sit in a capsule-shaped punch-hole display. The smartphone carries a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display with 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. There’s a 4500 mAh battery with 27W fast charging support.

Price: Rs 17,499

As with the list of best entry-level smartphones, the Xiaomi and Realme prominence can be seen in the mid-range segment too. Stay connected with us for more!

What other devices do you think deserves to be on this list? Have we missed out on any other value for money model in the mid-range segment?

Related: Gizmochina’s Best Android Smartphones of 2020

Upcoming Vivo Y31s could be first Snapdragon 4-series budget 5G chipset phone

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Dec 29, 2020

Last month, a Vivo phone with model number V2054A had appeared at China’s TENAA certification platform. The listing had revealed that it is a mid-range phone with 5G capabilities. The phone has now appeared in the database of China Telecom. It has revealed that it will be hitting the Chinese markets with Vivo Y31s moniker.

Vivo Y31s specification and price

The China Telecom listing of the Vivo Y31s states that it has a 6.58-inch IPS LCD display that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. The handset has a polycarbonate body that measures 165.15 x 75.35 x 8.4mm and weighs 185.5 grams.

The Vivo Y31s is preinstalled with Android 11 OS and it is powered by a mysterious Qualcomm chipset that is mentioned with its “sm4350” port number. The identity of the chip is not known yet. Could it be the Snapdragon 4-series 5G chipset that is expected to launch in Q1 2021? It is advisable to wait for the phone to go official to know which processor is present under its hood.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo V20 (2021) silently launched with Snapdragon 730G, 44MP selfie camera, 64MP triple camera and Android 11 OS in India

For photography, it has a selfie camera of 8-megapixel. The square-shaped camera module placed on the rear shell of the device has a 13-megapixel main camera, a 2-megpaixel lens, and an LED flash unit. The device is backed by a 4,910mAh battery.

The listing further states that the phone will come in two models such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. The listing mentions that these models could be priced at 1798 Yuan (~$275) and 1,598 Yuan (~$248), respectively. The pricing information could be incorrect. It is expected to arrive in three colors like Titanium Gray, Monet, and Ruby Red.

In terms of specs and design, the Vivo Y31s is identical to the Vivo Y52s phone that went official in China recently. The only major difference is that the Y52s has the Dimensity 720 chipset onboard.

LG QNED TVs to feature up to 30,000 tiny LEDs behind the display

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Dec 29, 2020

LG Electronics, the known OLED TV maker, is among other known panel and T manufacturers that are working on adopting the newer display technology, Mini LED. The company is expected to adopt this new breed of panels for its high-end LCD 8K and 4K TVs that will launch next year.

According to LG, Mini LED enables “a giant leap forward in LCD TV picture quality.” At the moment, the premium LCD TVs offer “full-array local dimming,” with LEDs (ranging up to hundreds in number) serving as the backlighting behind the display panel. These create zones that can be controlled, with each zone being able to be dimmed as per the dark scenes that are displayed on the screen. This helps in improving the black level and contrast, as per the TheVerge report.

However, in the case of Mini LED, the LEDs are much smaller, but the number of LEDs is much greater. This enables better contrast than high end TVs that might offer only up to a couple of hundred dimming zones. LG has made this possible by creating a new backlight, which “comprises up to almost 30,000 tiny LEDs that produce incredible peak brightness and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 when paired with up to 2,500 dimming zones and advanced local dimming zones.”

This results in better contrast, higher dynamic HDR, improved color accuracy over regular LCD TVs. Furthermore, these panels also feature a high refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which is common in the South Korean tech giant’s 2020 flagships. LG has branded these new televisions as QNED TVs, which is similar to TCL’s 8 Series that offers up to 25,000 LEDs as well in over 1,000 control zones. LG is expected to launch QNED in sizes up to 86 inches.

Notably, since it is the leading OLED TV brand, the company is still positioning its OLED lineup as the absolute best picture quality experience despite the advancements in LCD screens. Unfortunately, the pricing for the LG QNED TVs is currently unknown, although, it is expected to be less exorbitant than the MicroLED TVs that are out right now.

Google removes astrophotography mode for ultra-wide camera on Pixel 5 & Pixel 4a 5G

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 29, 2020

The Google Camera aka GCam app is part of the core Pixel smartphone experience. Over the years, the internet search giant has introduced useful features for this app with the release of new Pixel phones. Last year, the app got a feature called ‘astrophotography’ with the launch of the Pixel 4 series. This year, the company extended this feature for the ultra-wide camera present on Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. But now, within months after the release of these handsets, the firm has removed this ability.

Google Camera Astrophotography Mode on Pixels — Source: Google AI Blog

For those unaware, ‘astrophotography’ is a long exposure shot mode in the Google Camera app that allows users to click pictures of the stars. This feature requires a tripod or any stand of sorts to obtain great results.

This feature made its debut on Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. It was even made available for other older Pixels. Google even added support for the ultra-wide camera with the launch of Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. Though everyone was excited, the results turned out to be poor.

It is a known fact that ultra-wide cameras on smartphones are mostly inferior to the primary sensor. Though the one on the latest Pixels performs well enough in the daylight, it struggles in low light just like on other phones.

Hence, pictures shot in astrophotography mode lack quality compared to the primary camera. Hence, Google has disabled this feature for the ultra-wide camera with the release of Google Camera v8.1.

What are your thoughts on Google removing ‘astrophotography’ for the ultra-wide camera on Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G? Let us know in the comment section below.

(Via)

US will soon allow small drones to fly over people at night

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Dec 29, 2020

The US is going to allow small drones to fly over people at night. The news arrives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), through an announcement earlier this week, which is a step towards unmanned drones being used for commercial purposes like deliveries.

According to a Reuters report, the FAA recently stated that it is planning on enforcing its long awaited rules for drones, which are also known as unmanned aerial vehicles. These new regulations will address security concerns by requiring remote identification technology in most cases. This will enable remote identification of the drone from the ground. At the moment, small drone operations over people were limited in the US.

Drone users could only fly a drone over people that are directly participating in the operations or are located under a covered structure, or inside a stationary vehicle. The only exception was based on receiving a waiver from the FAA. The new rules will take effect 60 days after its publication in the federal register in January 2021; after which, drone makers have about 18 months to begin the production of drones wirh Remote ID built in. Operators and users of drones will have another year on top of this to provide Remote ID.

As per FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, “The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns.” He further added that “The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns.” As of right now, drone companies have been racing to create fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles to speed up the delivery process, especially in the US.

Samsung’s upcoming affordable foldable smartphone could be 4G-only

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Dec 29, 2020

Samsung is among the first smartphone makers to launch a foldable phone and in a short period of time, the company has managed to launch a few models in the market, clearly revealing that the South Korean giant has big plans for this new category.

As per the reports, Samsung is planning to launch three foldable smartphones in the market next year, including Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and an affordable model which could be named Galaxy Z Flip Lite.

Galaxy Z Flip 5G Foldable Smartphone — Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Now, the report adds that to keep the phone’s price low, the company has decided to make this an LTE-only smartphone. This means that it won’t have support for the latest 5G communication technology. This makes sense given that the 5G infrastructure is still under development and is limited to select countries only.

The foldable smartphone in question, which carries model number SM-F720F model number, is expected to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset as that is the company’s last non-5G flagship-grade chipset. It is also the same processor that powers the original Galaxy Z Flip.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro to reportedly launch after Spring Festival in China; Mi 11 now on pre-order

However, another report making rounds claim that all the foldable smartphones from Samsung coming in 2021 will have 5G connectivity support. So, it’s advisable to take this information with a pinch of salt. We expect to get more information about these devices in the coming weeks or months.

Meanwhile, Samsung is expected to launch its Galaxy S21 series of flagship smartphones on 14th January. Ahead of that, the company has already started taking reservations for the pre-orders of the phones in the United States.

LG to showcase new InstaView refrigerators at CES 2021

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Dec 29, 2020

LG Electronics is set to showcase new products during the CES 2021 event. One of these new lineups includes the latest refrigerators with the company’s InstaView technology.

For those unaware, InstaView refrigerators from the South Korean tech giant are distinguished by the large glass panel on the door of the right half. This area can be knocked on to show or check on the foods inside and their quantity as well. In other words, the simple inclusion of this technology enables the reduction of the number of times the user has to open and close the door.

This would also prevent the loss of cold air, as per TheElec report. Furthermore, these new refrigerators will also have the Uvnanoa feature, which utilizes ultraviolet LED light to disinfect germs from the dispenser tap. In other words, the new lineup of InstaView fridges sports an additional hygiene feature to keep the users safe. Another interesting aspect includes the inclusion of voice recognition.

This offers the users access to various voice enabled commands like “open the refrigerator door,” which has the fridge automatically open its doors without any input from the user. Unfortunately, that is all we have to go on, for now, so stay tuned for more updates and other launches as we will be covering the CES 2021 event as well.

Xiaomi Mi 11 kernel source code is out, the device is codenamed “venus”

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 29, 2020

Yesterday, Xiaomi announced Mi 11 as the world’s first smartphone powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. The handset already went for pre-order soon after the launch and is set to go on sale for the first time on January 1. Ahead of its sale, the company has even released this device’s kernel source code.

Xiaomi smartphones have been popular in the developer community for years now. That’s because the company is known for releasing kernel source code for its handsets mostly on time. As a result, Mi, Redmi, and POCO-branded phones are well-known than any other devices in the custom ROM community.

All the smartphones from the Xiaomi group run MIUI (except Android One phones). Not all users like it and therefore, power users tend to install custom ROMs. Since the firm allows users to unlock the bootloader, in addition to releasing kernel source code and providing better hardware at affordable price tags, Xiaomi devices continue to be popular for this niche audience.

With the release of Mi 11 (codename: “venus”) kernel source code, we can expect the developers to start working on compiling TWRP recovery, custom ROMs, custom kernels, and more for this handset in the coming days.

That said, Xiaomi has confirmed to launch the Mi 11 globally soon. We believe the phone may debut in international markets within the first quarter of 2021 itself. Additionally, the world’s third-largest smartphone maker is also reported to unveil Mi 11 Pro after Spring Festival (mid-February) in China.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S21 is now up for reservation in the United States

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Dec 29, 2020

Samsung is expected to launch its upcoming Galaxy S-series flagship smartphone under the Galaxy S21 lineup on 14th January. While the company has not yet confirmed the launch date, it seems that this is almost certain given the company’s latest move.

The South Korean giant has now started accepting reservations for the upcoming Galaxy S21 series smartphones in the United States which guarantees a pre-order slot when the device becomes available.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Phantom Silver Render Leak — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Phantom Silver Render

It’s noteworthy that the company has not yet confirmed the launch date or has revealed information about models getting launched and the pricing or availability details. There is no need to pay anything for reserving the device.

The company is noting down basic information such as name, email address, and zip code. There’s also a trade-in offer where Samsung is offering $700 instant credit for trading in the iPhone 12 series device or the Galaxy S20/Note20 smartphone. Apart from this, there are a few other trade-in options available.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Display confirms extending LCD panel production indefinitely as demand increases

Additionally, the company is offering $50 credit to anyone that reserves the smartphone for pre-booking which can be used for accessories like earbuds or smartwatches. If the user reserves the slot through the Shop Samsung app, the company is adding another $10.

For the first time, the upcoming Galaxy S-series flagship smartphones will come with S-Pen stylus support, which was so far limited to the Galaxy Note-lineup. Also, after excluding earphones from the Galaxy Note20 box, the company is now set to remove the charger from the box of Galaxy S21 phones.

We expect Samsung to officially confirm the launch date in the coming days. Ahead of the launch, most of the details about the upcoming smartphones have leaked online but it remains to be seen if the company has anything else planned for the event.

Apple Watch prototype spotted running pre-watchOS software in new images

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Dec 29, 2020

New images have recently surfaced that have showcased a prototype version of the Apple Watch. This iteration of the popular wearables can be seen disguised and running a pre-watchOS software build.

Prototype Apple Watch with Security Case runs an Internal Pre-WatchOS 1.0 build, complete with internal testing apps and development settings. It’s extremely amazing that something like this could still exist; without having been destroyed. #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/WDTWP0NpIp

— Apple Demo (@AppleDemoYT) December 27, 2020

These new images of the wearable prototype from the Cupertino based giant were shared on Twitter by Apple Demo (via 9To5Mac). It is surprising to see such an old prototype, especially considering it hasn’t been destroyed and even features fully functioning internal software and development settings as well. Looking at these images, one can observe that the prototype is covered by what appears to be a security case that disguises the device.

For those unaware, it is done to hide the design and look of a prototype device. Notably, this version of the Apple Watch also arrives without the Digital Crown and features two buttons on the left side along with a supposed home button of sorts, which is built into the case itself. Furthermore, the software is pre-watchOS 1.0, and the tweet also mentions that its internal build is working with a number of images showcasing its UI and other functions.

Apple Demo also found a reference to the Apple Lisa computer from the 1980s, as there is a Lisa Simpson, which is used as an app icon on the Apple Watch prototype for the “Lisa Tester.” Similarly, this is also where the “Springboard zoom” app is housed, which includes an interactive experience of what the watchOS home screen would look like.

Canon might launch a DJI OSMO Pro counterpart of its own: Patent

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Dec 29, 2020

The known camera giant Canon might be working on a new all in one gimbal and camera of its own, which could be similar to and rival the DJI Osmo Pro. A new patent has revealed the design of this gimbal, which slightly resembles the Osmo Pro that launched a few years prior.

Looking at the new patent, the new Canon gimbal appears to feature a large rear facing screen for viewing and two joysticks for controlling the gimbal. The patent also arrives with drawings of this, which also reveals the overall design of the product. A handle can be observed that houses the battery, a gimbal with two axes, a rear display, the controllers, and the camera sensor itself that has a mounting point for the lenses.

Notably, the camera sensor also has a hot show shoe on the top, which is likely to mount accessories on top of it. Furthermore, there also appear to be various pins in the sketches. This means that there will be certain accessories that draw power directly from the main battery of the gimbal or even share data. An example would be an external flash. What appears to be a toggle switch can also be observed, which might be for in camera stabilizations or to remove the lenses, as per a DroneDJ report.

The two axis gimbal design offers both pros and cons, as it can improve in stabilization by removing the need for a tilt axis to stabilize the gimbal. although, it would also eliminate the ability to take rolling shots as well. The Canon gimbal might be controlled through the two joysticks and the large touch screen. A larger button can also be seen, which is likely the shitter button for the camera. Unfortunately, this is just a patent and we have no way of knowing if Canon is actually working on this product. However, the company might be trying to expand its product lineup.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro to reportedly launch after Spring Festival in China; Mi 11 now on pre-order

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Dec 29, 2020

Xiaomi officially launched the company’s latest flagship smartphone — Xiaomi Mi 11, which has become the world’s first smartphone to come powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset.

With a starting price of 3,999 yuan (~$612), the device is already up for pre-sale in China and is slated to be available for purchase from 1st January. Now, a leaker “Digital Chat Station” has taken to Weibo to reveal another model in the lineup, the advanced Mi 11 Pro.

As per the report, the Mi 11 Pro is expected to get launched in China after the Spring Festival, which is mid-February. However, an exact launch date for the smartphone is not yet known but we expect to know more about the phone in the coming weeks.

Coming to the Xiaomi Mi 11, the smartphone features a 6.81-inch 2K display that offers 3200 x 1440 pixels screen resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 480Hz touch sampling rate, and Gorilla Glass Victus protection.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Display confirms extending LCD panel production indefinitely as demand surges

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner and a heart-rate scanner.

In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera sensor on the back that features a 108MP primary sensor with f/1.85 aperture, a 13MP super wide-angle lens with a 120-degree field of view, and a 5MP telephoto-macro lens. On the front side, the device has a 20MP snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The smartphone runs the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box with the MIUI 12 on top, although the company has officially released the MIUI 12.5 custom interface. It is powered by a 4,600mAh battery that supports 55W fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

Apple AirPods Max now arrives in $108K ‘Pure Gold’ custom edition from Caviar

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Dec 29, 2020

The Russian luxury brand Caviar has just announced that it would be launching a custom edition of the AirPods Max. The company, known for making luxury variants of popular tech products, has just unveiled the ‘pure gold’ variant of the newly launched Apple hearables from the whopping price of 108,000 US Dollars.

According to a MacRumors report, the custom AirPods Max will launch sometime in the year 2021 and will arrive in two color options, namely white and black. Each color variant is offered “in a single piece worldwide.” This implies that the headphone will be made to order and could be an exclusive item. Looking at the design of the Caviar custom edition of the Apple AirPods Max, one can easily notice why the headphones are expensive with its gold plating.

As per Caviar’s official notes, the pure gold design “looks elegant, emphasizing the status of the owners and their impeccable taste,” and is made for those who “want to always be on top.” Previously, Caviar had also launched a custom iPhone 12 Pro version, which apparently also housed a small piece of an original Apple I computer’s circuit board. Although, this claim has been disputed.

Apart from its bright gold aesthetic, it is most likely to sound similar to any other pair of AirPods Max headphones. In other words, one is basically paying for the exclusive design and gold plating. This isn’t for the general consumer and is likely being targeted towards Caviar’s elite customer base. Do let us know in the comments section down below what you think of this custom AirPods Max.

OPPO Reno5 Pro New Year Edition goes on sale in China

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Dec 29, 2020

Earlier this month, OPPO announced the OPPO Reno5 5G and Reno5 Pro 5G smartphones in China. The Chinese manufacturer also unveiled the Reno5 Pro New Year Edition along with the Reno5 duo. The special edition of the Reno5 Pro is now available for purchase in China.

As can be seen in the poster, the OPPO Reno5 Pro New Year Edition comes in a Star Wish Red color and it is priced at 3,399 Yuan (~$520). The phone ships with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage. The other specs of the device remain unchanged as compared to its regular version.

Editor’s Pick: Oppo is working on another Reno5 model, which features 30W charging

OPPO Reno5 Pro specifications

The OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G has a 6.55-inch AMOLED punch-hole display. The 90Hz screen offers a Full HD+ resolution and it comes integrated with a fingerprint reader. For snapping selfies, the phone possesses a front camera of 32-megapixel.

The backside of the Reno5 Pro 5G has a quad-camera system. It includes a 64-megapixel main camera with f/1.7 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel portrait shooter.

The Dimensity 1000+ chipset by MediaTek powers the Reno5 Pro 5G along with LPPR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. The device is backed by a 4,350mAh battery that supports 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging.

In related news, OPPO held a dedicated launch event for the Reno5 Pro+ 5G flagship phone in the previous week. As scheduled, it has gone on sale in China today. Reports have revealed that the device will remain exclusive to China, while the other two models will be releasing in global markets.

Samsung Display extends LCD panel production indefinitely as demand increases

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Dec 29, 2020

Samsung Display has announced that the company will indefinitely extend the production of LCD panels for TVs and monitors as the demand for these products has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those who are unaware, the South Korean giant had announced earlier this year in March that it will end the production for all LCD panels by the end of this year and will instead focus on advanced technology.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi Mi 11 arrives with the Snapdragon 888, a top-tier display, Harman Kardon speakers, and more

However, Samsung Display hinted about this move a couple of months back when Samsung revealed that it is considering a short-term extension. While it has officially extended the production for LCD panels, the company said that the length would depend on the market conditions and profitability.

Samsung had been making LCD panels in South Korea as well as China. But earlier this year, in August, the company sold a majority stake in its Suzhou LCD production unit to TCL Technology Group as the company shifted its focus towards the production of LED panels and the next-generation QD panels.

According to the report from TrendForce, due to the work-from-home or stay-at-home trend sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, there has been a 30 percent increase in global panel demand in Q3 2020.

OPPO Reno5 Pro+ officially goes on sale in China; price starts at 3,999 yuan ($612)

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Dec 29, 2020

A few days ago, OPPO officially launched its next-generation Reno-series smartphones in its home market China — OPPO Reno5 lineup. The flagship device in the lineup — OPPO Reno5 Pro+ is now available for purchase in China.

It is priced at 3,999 yuan, which roughly converts to $612 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage model. There’s also a 12GB RAM model which is priced at 4,499 yuan, which is approximately $689. The device comes in two color options — Black and White.

Coming to the specifications, the smartphone features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ curved display that offers a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

The phone’s highlight is the camera department, which features a quad-camera setup on the back. There’s a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 13MP telephoto lens, and a 2MP maco lens.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi announces MIUI 12.5 — All-new Features, Supported devices, and Rollout details

On the front side, the device has a 32MP snapper housed inside the punch-hole cutout. Additionally, the phone comes with a three dimensional VC liquid cooling system and supports Hyper Boost 4.0 new GPA-AI frequency conversion technology.

In the software department, the smartphone runs the latest Android 11 operating system with the company’s own ColorOS 11 custom user interface on top. There’s also a gaming mode that offers a 4D experience.

Connectivity options on the device include 5G, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC, and USB Type-C port. The device is powered by a 4,500mAh battery that supports SuperVOOC 2.0 65W fast charging technology and reverse charging.

Vivo V2037 spotted at Geekbench could be Vivo’s first phone with Helio G80

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Dec 29, 2020

A mysterious Vivo smartphone with model number V2037 has appeared on the Geekbench benchmarking platform. The listing (via) has revealed that it could be an upcoming mid-ranger from the brand.

The Geekbench appearance of V2037 reveals that it is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G80 chipset. The SoC is mentioned with its MT6769V model number in the listing. It is coupled with 4 GB of RAM. The smartphone is preinstalled with Android 11 OS.

In the single-core test, the V2037 phone has scored 1823. It recorded a score of 5466 in the multi-core test. So far, brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, POCO, Realme, and Infinix have launched phones powered by the Helio G80 chipset. The mysterious V2037 could be Vivo’s first phone to feature the SoC. It may break cover as a Y-series mid-range phone. Hopefully, newer reports will reveal more information on the device in the coming days.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo V20 (2021) silently launched with Snapdragon 730G, 44MP selfie camera, 64MP triple camera and Android 11 OS in India

In related news, Vivo will be launching the Vivo X60 series of smartphones later today in China. The lineup is expected to include three phones such as the Vivo X60, Vivo X60 Pro, and Vivo X60 Pro+. While the Pro+ model is expected to arrive as a Snapdragon 888 SoC powered handset, the X60 and X60 Pro will be the world’s first phones to arrive with the Exynos 1080 chipset.

The Vivo X60 Pro was recently spotted at TENAA with specs such as a 6.56-inch AMOLED FHD+ display, an in-screen fingerprint sensor, a 4,130mAh battery, up to 12 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of storage. Its rear has a 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 8-megapixel quad-camera system and it has a 32-megpaixel camera for shooting selfies. It also features an in-screen fingerprint reader and it is expected to carry support for 33W fast charging.

Redmi 9T moniker appears in NBTC certification, global launch nearing

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