Samsung begins efforts to scale down the Galaxy Note series production – report

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Nov 30, 2020

A week ago, it was reported that Samsung had confirmed the Galaxy Z Fold3’s June 2021 launch. Later, it was said that the info was from a Samsung executive and not the company itself. Amidst this, a rumor now says that Samsung will retain the Z Fold2’s price for the next iteration.

As reported by Sammobile, a Twitter user @MauriQHD hints that the price of Galaxy Z Fold3 could cost the same as the Galaxy Z Fold2. Now, he has just tweeted “Z Fold3, same price atm(at the moment)”. Although he hasn’t mentioned it explicitly, it’s quite obvious that he is referring to the predecessor here(Z Fold2). If this happens, Samsung would school the other foldables that are lined up for 2021.

This is because, if you aren’t aware, Galaxy Z Fold2 launched at a very cheaper price tag($2,039) in India compared to the UK and China. And at that price, it offers quite a bit of features with reliability compared to the competition. It’s a no-brainer that Samsung has been leading the foldable market. Forecasts already say that the Galaxy Z Flip will be the best-selling foldable for 2020.

Fold 3

same price atm pic.twitter.com/7z0tgfDdqr

— Mauri QHD (@MauriQHD) November 26, 2020

And it is already in plans to expand more for the next year. So just like this year, if Samsung manages to price Z Fold3 same as Z Fold2, it would be one of the popular devices in 2021. This is because reports say it is going to bring significant upgrades over the predecessor. Precisely, the device will feature an under-display(UD) camera, improved UTG glass with AES digitizer, S-Pen support, and more.

Anyway, the tipster asks us to take this info with a pinch of salt although the source has a 100% track record. This is understandable considering the launch is almost a year away now, and Samsung might change anything along the way. Nevertheless, the company will probably democratize foldables with cheaper options like Galaxy Z Flip Lite next year.

Galaxy Note20 Mystic Red and Galaxy Z Flip 5G Mystic White are now available in the US

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Nov 30, 2020

Samsung has a habit of releasing new colors of its popular smartphones a few months after their launch. Sometimes, the company also limits select colors to certain markets. The same is the case for Galaxy Z Flip 5G Mystic White and Galaxy Note20 Mystic Red. These two colors were initially only sold in Samsung’s home country South Korea. But now, their availability has been extended to the US as well.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Note20 in August in three colors namely Mystic Bronze, Mystic Green, and Mystic Gray in most markets. But in South Korea, this phone also debuted in Mystic Blue, Mystic Red, and Mystic Pink color options.

Now, months later, the Mystic Red variant of Galaxy Note20 has finally hit the US market. It is priced at $999.99 just like the regular three colors. But as part of ongoing promotions, Samsung is offering a $150 instant rebate and an additional trade-in value of up to $550.

That’s not all, the company is also providing a $100 gift voucher that can be redeemed on Samsung’s online store while buying other products. Having said that, the Galaxy Note20 Mystic Red can be bought either in Unlocked, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, or US Cellular version.

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On the other hand, Galaxy Z Flip 5G Mystic White costs $1,449.99. However, interested customers can get it for as low as $449.99 ($600 off) by trading in an eligible smartphone. The new color variant of the world’s best-selling foldable smartphone can be bought in either unlocked, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile version.

(Via)

OnePlus 9 series will include a OnePlus 9E alongside standard and pro models

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Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 30, 2020

OnePlus is changing its product strategy for its flagship phones again next year. After changing from a one-product strategy (per half) to a two-product strategy in 2019, a leak has revealed that the upcoming OnePlus 9 will have three models. So alongside the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, we will also get a third phone that will arrive as the OnePlus 9E.

This is the first time we are hearing of the OnePlus 9E and the info is from Max Jambor, the leaker who has a good track record when it comes to OnePlus-related leaks.

https://t.co/9Vi2NdVy2r pic.twitter.com/7gDKJgf4O8

— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) November 30, 2020

According to a short post on Voice, he revealed that it is still unknown where the OnePlus 9E will be positioned in the series. There are speculations that it may be the most affordable model in the series just as the Galaxy S10e is the most affordable model of the Galaxy S10 series.

However, price is not the only concern. Fans of OnePlus who want a small flagship phone are hoping the OnePlus 9E will also have a smaller display. If that happens then we expect its display to be under 6.5 inches, probably closer to the 6.0-inch size.

The OnePlus 9E is expected to come with a Snapdragon 875 processor too, though we will mention that this info has not yet been confirmed. Just because it is a OnePlus 9 phone doesn’t mean it will be a flagship (the Mi 9 SE is a perfect example).

We hope more details will surface in the near future.

Apple Watch reportedly saves the life of a 25-year-old man

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Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 30, 2020

Apple Watch has been credited a few times for saving the life of its users after the device reportedly detected a potentially fatal incident. The smartwatch is again in the news for helping its user detect a medical condition.

25-year-old Zachary Zies has his Apple Watch to thank for saving his life on Thanksgiving weekend. The recent Ohio State University graduate Zies is said to have been suffering from a genetic disease called Friedreich’s Ataxia. The condition attacks some vital parts of the body including the spine, the brain, and the heart. These organs are no doubt essential to the normal functioning of the body and would result in problems with walking and talking.

The Apple Watch’s heart rate monitor on his Apple Watch detected a high resting heart rate for Zies said to be in the tune of 210 beats per minute. This is super high considering that the resting heart rate for a well-trained athlete is in the region of 40 per minute.

After the smartwatch alerted him of his unusual heart rate, Zies went to his Doctor and underwent a procedure known as an arterial ablation. The procedure destroys or scars tissue that is causing faulty heart rhythms which in Zies’ case was being caused by arterial flutter.

The young man hinted that he has recovered to a large extent and attributes this to the top-selling timepiece in the world. “The Apple Watch was pretty much telling me something is up, and you need to go in and get help to see what’s actually wrong,” he said.

The Watch saved the life of a 67-year-old man in Norway last year who fainted while home alone and suffered a hard fall in his bathroom. But as he was wearing his Apple Watch Series 4, first responders were automatically alerted. They are a few more examples of this wearable saving lives, from a man in the UK by promptly detecting low heart rate to saving two stranded Kayakers at sea with the Emergency SOS feature. (via)

UP NEXT: Oppo X 2021 unveiled as the world’s first smartphone concept with an extending display

[CyberMonday Deals] Apple Airpods, Galaxy Buds+, Sony Earbuds on sale in the UK, US and Europe

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Simranpal Singh

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Nov 30, 2020

The exceptional discounts from the Black Friday week are now extended to CyberMonday. If you have missed favorite deals on Earbuds, then you have another chance to grab them at great discounts. Amazon is offering up to a 58% discount on earbuds listed below.

Must See: Black Friday Deals: Get Amazon Echo Devices at over 50% discount, starting from $9.99

However, some deals are applicable for UK and Europe while the others are for the US readers. The CyberMonday deals are available only for a limited time, and we hope you would be able to save a lot. Make sure to tap the respective Amazon link depending on your region. Let’s hop onto the sale extravaganza and enjoy the discounts.

CyberMonday Deals on Earbuds

Apple AirPods with Charging Case – 31% discount – $109 ~~$159~~ – Amazon US / ~~£159.00~~ Amazon UK
Apple Airpods with Wireless Charging Case – 30% discount – $139 ~~$199~~ – Amazon US / ~~£199.00~~ Amazon UK
Apple AirPods Pro – 20% discount – out of stock – Amazon US / ~~£249~~ Amazon UK
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Plus – 33% discount – $99 ~~$149~~ Amazon US /
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live – 24% discount – $129 ~~$169~~ Amazon US /
Cheapest JBL Tune 120TWS – 60% discount – $39 ~~$99~~ Amazon US /
Sony WF-XB700 Extra Bass – 48% discount – $68 ~~$129~~ Amazon US /
Bose SoundLink Around Ear Wireless – 31% discount – $159 ~~$229~~ Amazon US / Not Available – Amazon UK
Sony WF-1000XM3 Truely Wireless – 30% discount – $168 ~~$229~~ Amazon US /

These headphones consisting of Earpods are available at massive discounts on the occasion of CyberMonday. You can check our Deals portal to grab discounts on useful products.

Related: Best Black Friday deals on SD Cards and other storage utilities

FAU-G Pre-registrations begin on Google Play Store in India; UI & Gameplay teased

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Nov 30, 2020

A made in India Game, FAU-G, has finally landed on Google’s Play Store. The developer Studio nCore Pvt. Ltd., has listed it for pre-registration under the ‘Action’ category of the Games. The listing also teases the UI, and the Gameplay we can expect.

FAU-G pre-registrations on Google PlayStore is a mere push notification and doesn’t show any launch date. However, reports say that the launch could happen anytime now. The developer nCORE Games, on Twitter, shared the pre-registration link for Android meaning iOS users need to wait for a bit. Accordingly, on clicking the ‘pre-registration’ link, a pop-up appears with two options: Install when available, and Notify when available.

If you click the Install When available option, as usual, the Play Store says it will automatically install the game when it releases. Talking about the game, few teaser images show a slightly different UI to PUBG and suggests that the game will ride high on Indo-Chinese conflict a lot. Consequently, the description says an elite fighting group protects India’s territory at the Northern border.

On the auspicious occasion of Gurupurab, we are starting the pre-registrations of FAU-G: Fearless And United Guards.

Pre-register and be the first to play the game. #FAUG #BeFearless

Pre-registration link: https://t.co/4TXd1F7g7J @VishalGondal @akshaykumar #happygurupurab

— nCORE Games (@nCore_games) November 30, 2020

Further, it adds that a special unit of FAU-G Commandos patrolling in dangerous borders come face-face with enemies on the Indian soil. This suggests that the Game will mostly be a ‘brawler’ type rather than Battle Royale. For the unware, brawler is a type of ‘Action Game’ where the characters fight a large number of enemies in unarmed combat or with melee weapons.

Additionally, the description says it will focus on the patriotic angle of the Indian soldiers that guard borders. As per the listing, FAU-G(Fearless And United Guards) is an Indian project that pays tributes to the country’s armed forces. All this, along with the earlier teaser strongly sends the notion that the game will focus more on conflicts like the Galwan Valley skirmish.

In case you don’t know, India banned 59 Chinese applications including TikTok, UC Browser back in June. While the govt. said the threat to privacy and security as a reason, it is believed that Gulwan valley border conflict with China was the reason. Then, it later went on to ban 118 more apps including PUBG back in September.

Days after this ban, the country’s popular actor like Akshay Kumar started promoting FAU-G as a Made in India game. Anyway, Contrary to beliefs, FAU-G will likely focus more on melee operations with patriotic sentiments and not Battle Royale. However, developers have reportedly hinted that Battle Royale might be added in the future.

ZTE outlines plans for 2021: will unite its ZTE, Nubia and Red Magic brands

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Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 30, 2020

ZTE had an event today in China during which it announced a new smartphone, the Blade 20 Pro 5G. However, that wasn’t the only major announcement. The Chinese giant also revealed its plans for the coming year and they are big.

Xu Ziyang, President of ZTE Corporation — Xu Ziyang, president of ZTE Corporation

Unification of brands

While other Chinese brands are spinning off their sub-brands into standalone businesses, ZTE is bringing its own back under a single umbrella. Xu Ziyang, the president of ZTE Corporation revealed at the event that it will unify its three mobile brands next year. These three brands are ZTE, Nubia, and Red Devil/Red Magic).

The ZTE brand is known for smartphones launched under the Blade and Axon series while Nubia launches phones under its own name such as the Nubia Z series. The Red Magic brand is the manufacturer’s gaming phone brand with phones such as the Red Magic 5G and Red Magic 5S.

With the announcement that it plans to unify all three brands, we may see future Nubia and Red Magic phones launch under the ZTE umbrella with ZTE’s logo/name inscribed on the phones.

Offline retail expansion

ZTE’s president also announced that they plan to expand their offline retail presence by constructing up to 5000 retail stores across China. A strong offline presence is important for any consumer technology company. Brands that started originally as online-only brands eventually had to create an offline presence. ZTE says they will also complete the first batch of their ZTE 5G experience centers next year.

1+2+N Strategy

The top executive also announced that they will fully focus on China next year and create a new brand image that focuses on technology, quality, and the younger generation. Ni Fei who is the head of ZTE Mobile and also the president of Nubia was at the event and he announced the company’s new “1+2+N” product strategy which will integrate phones, personal and family data, and a plethora of connected smart products that will also be linked to ZTE Cloud for a seamless 5G experience.

Xiaomi crowdfunds MIIIW Wireless Silent Mouse for 49 yuan ($7)

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Nov 30, 2020

Xiaomi runs a crowdfunding website called Youpin in China. The company sells all kinds of products on this platform. Most of the products sold on this website are from small Chinese startups that part of Xiaomi’s ecological chain. That said, the world’s third-largest smartphone maker has now put up new a product called ‘MIIIW Wireless Silent Mouse’ on Youpin.

The newly launched MIIIW Wireless Silent Mouse features a compact design with textures on the sides for grip. It comes in two colors namely White and Black with a red accent.

As the name suggests, the mouse sports four silent buttons that produce clicking sounds which fall around 30-40dB. The four buttons are nothing but the standard left, right, scroll wheel, and an additional key to change between different DPI modes.

Talking about DPI, the latest MIIIW mouse supports 800 DPI, 1200 DPI, and 1600 DPI respectively. In other words, it’s good enough for day to day activities and for some light gaming sessions.

There’s also a red LED indicator, which not only indicates the DPI mode selected but also when the 2 x AAA batteries that power the mouse are running low. Last but not least, this wireless mouse operates via 2.4GHz connectivity (USB dongle) and it is compatible with computers running Windows 10 and macOS 10.10 or newer.

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The MIIIW Wireless Silent Mouse is priced at 49 yuan ($7) but it is currently being sold for 39 yuan ($6) for a limited time.

Sony denies claims of January 2021 launch for PlayStation 5 in India

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Nov 30, 2020

Sony’s PlayStation 5(PS5) is the talk of the town lately. The next-gen console went officially on sale in two phases: One on November 12(US, Japan), and on November 19(Europe). However, India is yet to get a pre-order and launch date. And it looks like we might have to wait a bit longer as Sony has denied claims of a January 2021 launch.

According to The Mako Reactor, a Sony representative confirmed through email that Sony Interactive Entertainment hasn’t announced a date yet. The response comes at a time when rumors of a January 2021 launch are floating around everywhere. After rounds of November launch rumors, certain retail stores in India reportedly got verbal word from Sony that PS5 will be available by Jan 2021.

Apparently, some of its employees told retailers about a Jan 2021 launch informally but declined to confirm it via email. This is reportedly due to vent off the pressure that the company is facing ever since the launch. However, the Sony representative’s official response says otherwise. He further adds that Sony will share more information as and when available. And seeks everyone to look out for official channels’ news.

This suggests that Sony is not yet firm on the Indian launch. Sony’s PlayStation 5 is getting a lot of reception globally and the company is trying its best to maintain stocks. And, people in India are so eager that they are ready to buy it unofficially for as high as ₹90,000. Still, Sony has confirmed that these units would be devoid of warranty and recommends waiting for the official launch.

Coming back, according to Supply Chain sources, several complexities lie ahead for the Indian launch. And apparently, only about 12,000 to 15,000 units would be available initially. Before you relax, PS5’s Digital Edition units are likely to be in very short numbers too.

Back in October, when Sony India released the pricing of PS5, it got a great response. That is because the PS5 Digital Edition is priced(₹39,999) close to Xbox Series S(₹34,999) which is inferior to the former. Anyway, it looks like PS5 fans in India will have to be patient for a couple of more months.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro’s FCC certification reveals ‘Squircle’ Charging Case design

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Nov 30, 2020

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones in January 2021. Alongside the flagships, it will likely unveil the new Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless Earbuds succeeding the Buds+. And a recent Indonesian certification confirmed that it will be called Galaxy Buds Pro. Now, it has passed FCC, SGS certifications.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus Earbuds Featured — Samsung Galaxy Buds+

As reported by Tizenhelp, Samsung‘s FCC listing follows the same SM-R190 model number. Along with this, the listing yet again confirms that the next wireless earbuds will indeed darn the “Buds Pro” moniker. Besides, the FCC listing also bottom images of the charging case.

Accordingly, the design reveals a squircle(square shape with rounded corners) shape similar to the Galaxy Buds Live. And it is different from the rectangular design of the Buds+. The cradle(case) has a model number EP-QR190 that also appeared on Korea’s NRRA certification. That said, the design of the earbuds is still a mystery but reports say it will adopt Buds+ “in-ear” design and not the bean-shape of Galaxy Buds Live.

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Coming back, as per the report(MSP), the Buds Pro has also received SGS certification. It shows a similar model number SM-R190 but has it listed with a 58mAh battery. This is probably the capacity of each earbuds as the early 3C certification of China hinted at a 472mAh on the charging case. To compare, the Galaxy Buds Live’s charging case has a similar battery capacity but it’s earbuds have 60mAh each.

The Galaxy ‘Buds Pro’ from all these leaks looks to have a similar charging case like the Buds Live but will reportedly have an in-ear design like the older Buds TWS(Buds, Buds+) models. Anyway, we don’t have a lot of info on the earbuds but reports say that it will have ANC(Active Noise Cancellation), improved ‘Ambient Mode’. However, I’m pretty sure that we will be getting more details in the coming days.

Galaxy Smart Tag may also launch alongside the Galaxy S21 series

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Nov 30, 2020

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 series in mid-January. The three smartphones in the series have been leaking more in the past few days in the form of renders, certifications, benchmarks, and whatnot. These phones are also reported to be accompanied by Galaxy Buds Pro. Now, according to a newly spotted certification, one more product could be unveiled at the same event.

Earlier today, Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings), a popular Indian tech influencer tweeted that a product going by the name of ‘Galaxy Smart Tag’ has been certified by Indonesia’s Telecom bureau with model number EI-T5300. Going by the name, we can certainly assume this product to be some sort of tracker.

Anyway, this will be not the first tracker from Samsung. Because the company had already released a similar product called ‘SmartThings Tracker’ based on LTE two years back in September 2018. A few months back at the Galaxy Note20 series launch event, the tech giant also unveiled an app called ‘SmartThings Find’ to located Samsung products using Bluetooth and UWB.

That said, as per the timing of Galaxy Smart Tag’s certification, we can speculate it to be announced at the Galaxy S21 series event just like the Galaxy Buds Pro. Since Samsung’s future flagship smartphones are now expected to come with UWB just like the iPhones, the upcoming tracker may also have support for UWB.

Currently, Tile is the market leader in the trackers’ category. But that could change soon since apart from Samsung, Apple is also reported to launch its own tracker called ‘AirTags’. These two tech giants have a chance to take over this niche market, all thanks to their ecosystem.

Xiaomi launches new MIJIA refrigerator with a large 540L capacity, starts from 2999 Yuan ($456)

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Nov 30, 2020

Earlier today (30th November 2020), Xiaomi announced a new MIJIA refrigerator, which sports a large storage capacity of 540 liters. It will start pre bookings starting from 1st December 2020 at 12 am in China.

The new MIJIA refrigerator arrives as one of the largest offering within the company’s refriegerator lineup and will be placed on top of the previously launched 160 liters, 170 liters, and 450 liters MIJIA Smart off-door refrigerator models. The newly launched refrigerator is priced at 3,699 Yuan (roughly 562 US Dollars), but will initially be available for a discounted price of 2,999 Yuan (roughly 456 US Dollars).

As per the official notes, the new large capacity MIJIA refrigerator features built in double row straight opening drawers, which can store a wide range of food items like meat, fruits, and vegetables, separately and prevent any leakage or spread of the different foods’ odor. The fridge also sports 8 built in door shelves, with the height of these shelves being adjustable. The total volume of the refrigerator is 540 liters, with the primary compartments being capable of storing up to 351 liters, while the freezer region can store up to 189 liters as well.

Since it is a smart product under the MIJIA brand, it can also be paired with the MIJIA smart home app and can be controlled remotely as well. It sports a relatively minimalistic design and arrives in a Gray color variant. The left door also houses a small interactive display as well. Xiaomi has advertised the product as an energy efficient home appliance that offers top notch yet silent cooling. So for those interested, you can check out the new product by clicking this link here.

New OnePlus 9 Pro renders showcase the design in detail

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Nov 30, 2020

OnePlus is said to announce the OnePlus 9 series earlier than its predecessor in March 2021. Ahead of it, the designs of the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 pro have leaked in the form of 3D CAD renders. Now, LetsGoDigitial, a publication known for patents and trademarks-related coverage has partnered with Concept Creator (Jermaine Smit) for a new set of OnePlus 9 Pro renders based on leaks. OnePlus 9 Pro 3D CAD Render based on Leaks 02

The new renders of the OnePlus 9 Pro are based on the leak by @OnLeaks (Steve Hemmerstoffer). Unlike the original, these renders are more detailed and look as good as promotional renders released by the companies.

Talking about the design, OnePlus’s next flagship smartphone will look identical to the Galaxy S20 FE from the rear but with a quad-camera setup. It will include two large-sized sensors and two small sensors along with an LED flash and a secondary microphone on a rectangular bump at the top left corner.

The latter two could be mostly for macro, depth, color filter, or monochrome. On the other hand, one of the two large sensors should be the primary wide camera and another one could be either an ultra-wide unit or telephoto camera.

Further, the back panel of the handset will also house the OnePlus logo at the center and ‘ONEPLUS’ branding at the bottom. As for buttons, the volume rockers will sit on the left side, whereas the power key and alert side will be located on the right side.

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As for the front, the phone will sport a 6.7-inch curved display with a punch-hole on the top left side and an earpiece above the screen in the top bezel. Lastly, a USB Type-C port will be at the bottom side with a speaker grille on one end and a primary microphone on the other end.

The exact launch date of the OnePlus 9 Pro is still a mystery just like its specs. Anyway, we expect the latter to leak in the coming days.

Huawei HiSilicon’s new self developed 28nm OLED driver chip will begin mass production this year

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Nov 30, 2020

While Chinese companies account for about half of the LCD market, the OLED panels and its driver chips are dominated by South Korean companies like Samsung. But now, Huawei has entered into OLED driver chip development with its new self developed OLED driver chip.

Notably, China’s driver ICs for displays account for less than 1 percent of the total market share. So, the Chinese tech giant entering into the field could significantly boost the presence of China in the market. For those unaware, a driver IC chip acts as the main control panel in a system, which manages the image quality being displayed by the screen and its energy efficiency as well. In other words, these driver chips are a core technology that are used in electronic gadgets like smartphones and TVs with a large screen.

Traditionally, driver chip technology is based around the ARM architecture, which is also subject to the US technology restriction against Huawei. So, the new chip arrives as a custom built chip made by the company. At the moment, the OLED driver chip market is dominated by South Korean companies like Samsung, which accounts for nearly 75 percent of market, and Magnachip accounting for about 20 percent, as per a MyDrivers report.

With the growth in display technology demands, many companies have strengthened research into driver ICs; and it seems that Huawei has also joined seeking to expand its presence in the segment with its chip designing sub brand, HiSilicon. According to Huawei CEO, Yu Chengdong, the new chips are taped out, and will begin mass production within the year. These chips are expected to be equipped in both Huawei smartphones and TVs that will launch next year. Analysts believe that the chips might already be in mass production and could help reduce China’s reliance on foreign driver chips.

UK bans installation of new Huawei 5G gear from September 2021

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Nov 30, 2020

Telecom operators in the UK can no longer install any new 5G equipment made from Huawei after September 2021. The government announced the new rule earlier today (30th November 2020) as a means to remove gear from the Chinese tech giant from its 5G infrastructure.

For those unaware, the UK has already ordered the removal of all Huawei telecommunications equipment from carriers and their systems by 2027. The reason for this rule was to remove the potential security risk from the nation’s networking infrastructure, as per the UK intelligence agencies. Notably, China has been against the decision has even criticized the UK government for following a similar path as the US.

The announcement today arrives just before a debate, which will be over new telecom laws in the parliament that will map the timeline for the removal of Chinese equipment from the infrastructure. According to Digital Minister, Oliver Dowden, “I am setting out a clear path for the complete removal of high risk vendors from our 5G networks. This will be done through new and unprecedented powers to identify and ban telecoms equipment which poses a threat to our national security.”

The British government also unveiled its strategy to diversify the 5G supply chain. This will have the chain consist of an initial 250 million pound investment. The trials will have the government collaborate with NEC, a Japanese firm, to establish new research facilities as well, as per a Reuters report. At the moment, the UK has already banned buying new Huawei 5G gear after the end of this year and is still working out the finer details.

realme patents a smartphone design with unique oval-shaped camera bump

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Nov 30, 2020

Chinese tech company realme currently holds the title of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand. The brand hit 50 million shipments a little over two years from its establishment. The company is successful because of its affordable value for money devices and a robust supply chain, thanks to its former parent and present sister brand OPPO.

However, the design of realme smartphones has always been identical. Most of them feature the same vertically aligned camera placement on the top left side of the back panel. They only differ by color gradients and shades. But that may change soon as the company has now filed a patent design with unique camera placement.

This realme design patent was first shared by an unknown blogger on the internet (via ITHome). We tried to find this patent in the database but unfortunately, we could not get hold of it. Hence, the description of this design mentioned below is purely based on what we think from its appearance.

First and foremost, the design includes a punch-hole display. But weirdly, this camera hole lacks symmetry as it is not properly located at the top left corner. Also, there’s a huge chin at the bottom. All of these indicate this device to be a budget smartphone.

However, the rear side of the handset tells another story. The camera placement on this handset is unlike on any other realme smartphones that have released so far. Since we haven’t got access to the patent documents yet, we are confused so confused regarding it.

The oval-shaped bump includes four circular holes and a rectangular opening. The circular holes on the left-right side are smaller than the top-bottom openings. Hence, the former two or at least one of them could be for LED flash.

Further, the rectangular cut could be either for periscope lens, laser auto-focus, or LED flash. We think it could be mostly for the latter two as the device seems to be a budget smartphone since it not only has a large chin on the front but a MicroUSB port at the bottom as well.

The charging/data transfer port is further flanked by speakers on the one side and microphone as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other end. Last but not least, the design includes a power key on the right side and volume buttons on the left side along with a SIM card slot.

Having said that, we are not sure if realme will ever incorporate this design in a consumer-ready smartphone. But we hope that they do as it is refreshing like the design of the newly launched POCO M3.

Samsung may not discontinue Galaxy Note series in 2021

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 30, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra that is expected to break cover in January could be the first S-series phone from the brand to arrive with support for the S Pen stylus. Recent reports have also claimed that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 arriving in the second half of 2021 could be the first Fold series device to come with an S Pen. These reports have also suggested that Samsung may not launch the Galaxy Note series phones next year since the S Pen support will be available on the aforementioned devices. A contradictory article that appeared on the South Korean publication – ET News yesterday revealed Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note 21 next year.

Since the past few years, Samsung has been launching two versions of its S Pen-based Note series flagship. However, the new report that cites information from the industry source claims that Samsung will only launch one model of the Galaxy Note 21. It is still unclear whether the Galaxy Note 21 that is reportedly arriving next year will be the last Note series smartphone.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung to pioneer its own UD Camera tech on the Galaxy Z Fold 3

The new report corroborates with recent claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have S Pen support. Speculations are rife that there will be a dedicated storage slot for the stylus on the Z Fold 3. It appears that the South Korean tech giant is aiming to migrate its Note users to the Z Fold range.

The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ may not support the S Pen stylus. While the S21 Ultra will reportedly come with stylus support, it is unlikely to feature a storage slot for it. Since Samsung is known for launching Note series handsets in the second half of the year, it is advisable to wait for further reports to know more about the Galaxy Note 21.

Trump to add China’s SMIC and CNOOC to its blacklist: Report

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