Google faces antitrust investigation in India over its payment service

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Nov 10, 2020

Google is facing an antitrust investigation in a couple of countries, including the United States and China, and now yet another country has joined the list — India, which is also one of the biggest markets for the company.

India’s antitrust watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has opened an investigation into allegations about Google using its dominant position as an app store to promote its payment service in the country.

Now, CCI will be reviewing the claims of whether the tech giant prominently promotes its payment service named Google Pay during the setup of an Android smartphone and if Play Store’s billing system is designed “to the disadvantage of both i.e. apps facilitating payment through UPI, as well as users.”

The complaint against Google alleges that the Play Store’s billing system favors the Google Pay app and the in-app purchases for apps downloaded through Play Store are also mandated to support Google Pay service “if they want to be listed on the Play Store” and are required to pay a “high commission” for the same.

In response to this, the company has told CCI that Android is not dominant in the Indian market as it faces significant competition from feature phone operating systems as feature phones now come with functions and performance that attributes to a smartphone.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei to reportedly sell Honor for $15 billion to Digital China and Shenzhen government

The search engine giant also says that its 15 percent and 30 percent service fee is not arbitrary and is market-based, legitimate, and pro-competitive as it covers third party fees and supports investments in Play Store, including resources for developers.

For those who are unaware, Google Pay was launched in India around three years back but at that time, the service was called Google Tez. Currently, Google Pay is the second-largest online payment service in India, slightly behind Walmart’s PhonePe.

Apart from this investigation, the company is also facing two other antitrust inquiries in the Indian market which includes allegations about abusing its dominance of Android in the Smart TV market and another regarding its dominance of Android in the mobile market.

LG Display to increase its OLED supply to Apple for 2021 iPhones

By

Sean

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Nov 10, 2020

LG Display is set to grow the production rate of its OLED (organic light emitting diode) panel factory lines. The primary reason for the expansion in capacity is to dedicate the expanded lines to Apple.

According to TheElec report, the company is going to expand its E6-1 and E6-2 factory lines in Paju, South Korea. Here, LG Display will set up low temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO) thin-film transistors (TFT) equipment that can add about 25,000 substrates per month within the monthly production rate into the lines by 2021.

This LPTO kit would also be able to add 5,000 substrates per month in the production rate, which is already being installed. So, by May next year, 10,000 substrates will be added and another 10,000 substrates in the following month. Suppliers of the equipment are currently standing by for the South Korean tech giant, waiting for the orders for the May deliveries.

Reportedly, Apple is planning on using LTPO TFT panels for its high end iPhone models in 2021. The company has already used the low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT process and is basically adding an oxide TFT process as well now. LG Display will be supplying these panels to Apple and is likely to have already gotten approval for its expansion plans, which will have it supply two out of the four iPhone models that are planned to launch next year.

Huawei to sell Honor for $15 billion to Digital China and Shenzhen government: Report

By

Sean

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Nov 10, 2020

Huawei is planning on selling its budget smartphone brand unit Honor for a 100 billion Yuan (roughly 15.2 billion US Dollars) deal which will include the Digital China Group, and the local government of the brand’s home town, Shenzhen.

Previously, we had provided a closer look at the Digital China Group, which was just a potential buyer of the Chinese tech giant’s Honor subsidiary. Now, a new report from Reuters has arrived, which states that the company is planning on selling its subbrand for a large sum to the local government and others. For those unaware, Huawei had apparently been looking into selling its Honor unit as it has been facing various supply constraints due to US sanctions. It has lost its chip supply and having a budget oriented line would put further strain on its already dwindling chip inventory as well.

This report also arrives amid the US Presidency, which has had a change in leadership. Although, Huawei is clearly not hoping for any imminent changes in policy that would be favorable to its position. In other words, the security risk allegations might still persist despite Joe Biden taking over. The transaction is said to be “all cash” and will include almost every asset, branding, research and development capabilities, and even supply chain management as well.

While this hasn’t been officially been announced, sources believe that the company might unveil this news by Sunday (15th November 2020). As per sources, the Digital China Group will be among the top two shareholders of Honor with a near 15 percent stake in Honor Terminal Co Ltd, which was previously fully owned by Huawei. The transaction will have Digital China finance the bulk of the deal through bank loans, which will further be supplemented by at least three investment firms that are backed by the government of financial technology hub Shenzhen. These firms would each hold about 10 to 15 percent of the shares.

After the deal goes through, Honor still plans on retaining most of its management and over 7,000 employees and workforce. Furthermore, it plans on going public within the next three years as per a source. At the moment, Honor has declined from commenting on the matter, while Huawei, Digital China, and the Shenzhen government have yet to respond on the matter.

Apple Silicon could lead to low-cost Mac devices

By

Jeet

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Nov 10, 2020

Apple has quite a successful lineup of computing devices under its Mac lineup, which includes laptops as well as desktops. But, the company’s market share in this space is nowhere near to Windows computers because of the premium pricing.

However, that could change soon. Apple is now switching to Apple Silicon — it’s own chipset based on ARM processors. This means that the pricing for the Mac devices could go down, helping the company to increase its market share.

The Cupertino-based giant has confirmed the “One More Thing” event for today, i.e. 10th November where the company is expected to launch its highly anticipated MacBook devices powered by its own Apple Silicon chipset.

The usage of Apple’s own ARM-based processors for the MacBook is expected to offer better performance and more battery life compared to the existing Intel-powered laptops. At the same time, the pricing is also expected to get lower.

EDITOR’S PICK: Sweden halts 5G auctions after Huawei gets relief from court

To know how much the pricing is getting impacted because of this transition in the chipset, we will have to wait for the official launch announcement which will happen in a few hours. However, reports indicate that the pricing could go down by around $200.

According to Analyst Samik Chatterjee (via AppleInsider), Apple has a market opportunity of around $15 billion, which will “assure a multi-year growth in a lackluster PC market.” Further, it is said that Apple’s usage of its own chipset could lead to a reduction in BOM costs of about $75, offering a growth opportunity.

Sweden halts 5G auctions after Huawei gets relief from court

By

Jeet

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Nov 10, 2020

Ever since the United States imposed restrictions on Huawei, the Chinese giant has been struggling to get into the 5G communications market in several countries and the latest country to ban Huawei is Sweden.

After being excluded from the 5G networks, Huawei filed a lawsuit against the Swedish telecoms regulator PTS, and to the relief of the Chinese company, the court has now granted a stay order against the decision.

As per the report coming from Reuters, some parts of PTS’ decision prior to the upcoming 5G auction will not apply until further notice and it would allow Huawei’s involvement in the 5G spectrum auction in Sweden.

EDITOR’S PICK: China launches the world’s first 6G experimental satellite

After the court’s decision, the auctions have been halted by the authorities, which would have benefited Nokia and Ericsson. PTS is now planning to review the possibilities of starting the process as soon as possible while Huawei is trying to have a dialogue with them to become a certified vendor.

For those who are unaware, Chinese telecom equipment manufacturers — Huawei and ZTE were banned by Sweden from taking part in the upcoming 5G auction, citing security concerns. Also, PTS had asked companies that are taking part in the auction to remove Huawei and ZTE from existing in the central functions by 1st January 2025.

After the United States banned Huawei in the country for the telecom networks, it is also pressuring other nations to follow the suit with the ban. Several countries bowed down to the pressure, including the UK which banned the Chinese giant and ordered companies to replace all Huawei equipment from the country’s infrastructure by 2027.

AMD insists it shipped tons of Ryzen 5000 CPUs despite it being sold out everywhere

By

Sean

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Nov 10, 2020

The new AMD Ryzen 5000 series of desktop processors had recently launched to a market that was eagerly awaiting its arrival. However, despite the company stating it shipping out “tons of units,” the new CPUs have already been out of stock across the globe.

The shortage of new chips arrives amid the stocking issues being faced by NVIDIA, which has also left many people frustrated. For those unaware, Team Green’s new RTX 3000 series GPUs have been struggling to keep up to supply the large demand for the new graphics cards. Notably, AMD had stated that it would be facing the same supply constraints as NVIDIA did for its new Radeon 6000 series of GPUs, but it seems that its CPUs are already being sold out everywhere.

According to a TechRadar report, it is being speculated that Team Red’s recent Ryzen CPUs might be a part of a “paper launch” strategy. Meaning that the new release arrived just as a PR stunt with very little inventory to begin with. Although, Frank Azor, AMD’s chief architect of gaming solutions and marketing have assured that this would not be the case and insists that a large demand is the cause of the problem.

Unfortunately, this does not seem very convincing as the infamously low stock from NVIDIA also prompted the company to blame the demand rather than its own supply issues. In other words, the statement from the official might frustrate its patient buyers that are looking forward to a CPU upgrade even further. So stay tuned for more as we will be providing updates when more information is available.

MediaTek MT689X 6nm chipset details appear, expected to score 600K+ at AnTuTu

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 10, 2020

Since November last year, MediaTek has been releasing a wide range of Dimensity chipsets such as Dimensity 1000, Dimensity 1000L, Dimensity 1000+, Dimensity 820, Dimensity 720, and Dimensity 800U to power mid-range to high-end phones in China. Fresh information reveals that the Taiwanese chipmaker is working on a new chipset with the model name MT689X. A tipster has revealed that it is a 6nm chipset that will be arriving with the same architecture as the upcoming Exynos 1080 chip by Samsung.

According to the tipster, the CPU frequency and architecture of the 6nm MT689X are basically the same as the Exynos 1080. He added that the MediaTek SoC could be equipped with Mali G77 GPU.

When it comes to performance on AnTuTu benchmarks, the MT689X is expected to score around 600K+. The tipster is of the view that the SoC will be powering devices that will cost around 2,000 Yuan (~$302) in China.

Editor’s Pick: MediaTek’s monthly sales report shows a staggering 61.2% YoY surge in September revenue

On Nov. 12, Samsung will be taking off covers from the Exynos 1080 chipset. The SoC is expected to power the Vivo X60 series that is expected to break cover in November or December. The 5nm Exynos 1080 was seen at AnTuTu benchmarks with a score of 693K+. It managed to outscore the Snapdragon 865 Plus, which is an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 865 that fuel most Android flagship phones in 2020.

MediaTek Dimensity 800 — MediaTek’s Dimensity series looks promising this year!

Since the MediaTek MT689X is expected to come with the same architecture as Exynos 1080 and score around 600K+ on AnTuTu, it is likely to offer a stellar performance like the Snapdragon 865. At present, there is no word on when MediaTek will be announcing the MT698X SoC.

OPPO to reportedly launch its tablet and notebook next year

By

Jeet

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Nov 10, 2020

OPPO, the China-based smartphone manufacturer, has been trying to diversify its portfolio of products by entering into new categories. After entering the wearables space, the company is now looking to launch tablets and notebooks.

As per the latest report, OPPO is gearing up to launch two of its new products, a tablet and a laptop. Both the devices are expected to go official next year but the specific timeline for the same is not yet known.

EDITOR’S PICK: China launches the world’s first 6G experimental satellite

OPPO entering the tablet market is quite interesting given that there are a handful of brands that are launching Android tablets. While companies like Lenovo are focusing on the budget segment, only brands like Samsung and Huawei have premium devices. Xiaomi used to have tablets but there has been no update for the past few years.

Currently, the tablet market is being dominated by Apple’s iPad lineup and the company has multiple offerings in this space. It will be interesting to see what OPPO has up its sleeves and what price range the company is targeting for its tablet.

As for the laptop, the company will be competing against the likes of Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi which have already expanded their offerings from smartphones to laptops. However, there’s no information available about the upcoming notebook from OPPO but we expect to know more about it in the coming weeks or months.

China has just launched the world’s first 6G experimental satellite

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 10, 2020

At 11:09 am on November 6, a Long March 6 carrier rocket slowly lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi province. Later on, it was announced on the official WeChat platform of China’s University of Electronic Science and Technology that the world’s first 6G experimental satellite named after the university, was successfully lifted off the Long March 6 and entered the scheduled orbit that same day.

The report (via) states that the satellite is equipped with a terahertz satellite communication payload jointly developed by the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and a number of top domestic laboratories. It will establish a transceiver link on the satellite platform and carry out the “world’s first experiment of terahertz communication technology in space”, according to the university’s announcement on its WeChat channel.

“This marks China’s breakthrough in exploring terahertz communication technology in the aerospace,” Professor Xu Yangsheng, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and academic director of the university’s Satellite Technology Research Institute, said in a statement.

The official also disclosed in the statement that the satellite will also be used for intelligent city applications, disaster prevention, land planning, environment protection, and the monitoring of major infrastructure construction in addition to 6G experiments.

This project is yet another monumental effort by China to stay ahead of the pack in the race to 6G connectivity even when 5G is yet to be rolled out on a wider scale. China is a leader in 5G technology and the race for 5G is largely responsible for the heightened US/China trade dispute, including sanctions imposed on Huawei, the leading 5G gear manufacturer. If the US had aimed to slow down the pace of China’s technological advancement, it failed to achieve that aim. China, just like Japan and a few other countries is already working on 6G.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi XiaoAI Speaker Art Battery Edition launched for 399 yuan ($59)

Sony launches Airpeak drone project aimed at professional camera drone users

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 10, 2020

Drone technology has caught on in recent time and has given us access to previously unseen images. There is no doubt the advent of commercial drones is built around aerial photography which it enables. Sony, a renowned brand when it comes to camera technology recognises this and has launched its first drone project dubbed Airpeak project. The project is Sony’s contribution to the field of camera drones and as should be expected, it will be based on the company’s imaging and sensing expertise as well as “3R” technology (Reality, Real-time and Remote).

A press release announcing the launch of the project details the project as aimed at the entertainment and “various” other industries. It equally confirmed that it is aimed at professional uses rather than consumer products. We could see deployment in the entertainment industry as well as to improved efficiency and savings in various industries. Airpeak will also promote this project to enable drone-use with the highest level of safety and reliability in the environments where this has been difficult in the past, Sony says.

1 of 2

Sony didn’t explicitly reveal if it will launch its own drone or offer camera and sensor modules to drone makers. However, the various use cases envisioned by the company points to the company releasing its own customized drones. Also, the video teaser released also points to the brand releasing a drone harmed with its powerful camera technology. In the near future, we’ll be seeing more details on Airpeak’s website but the project is scheduled to launch in Spring of 2021.

Sony had filed a patent for a foldable drone in January this year, lending credence to expectations of the company releasing its own drone. The patented design is somewhat unusual and includes ducted fans that are mounted on pillars so that they can be rotated into the drone’s body for transport and easily deployed before flights.

We expect more details to emerge in the coming days on the dedicated Airpeak website.

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Xiaomi launches the Mi Wireless Mouse Lite with a minimalist design, 2.4GHz WiFi

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 10, 2020

Ahead of the 11.11 shopping festival coming up on November 11, Xiaomi has launched a new wireless mouse. Dubbed Mi Wireless Mouse Lite, the mouse utilises a minimalist and lightweight design. It is an entirely wireless mouse, free from wired constraints. It carries a price tag of 39 yuan (~$5) but will be sold on 11.11 for 29 yuan (~$4) via Jingdong (JD.com).

The Mi Wireless Mouse Lite uses integrated curved buttons and simple ridges to provide a comfortable feel while also taking into account an elegant design. The combination of dark gray and black is deep and stable, and is the style choice for work desks. Teflon material has the characteristics of low friction coefficient and is used in mouse foot pads. It has good wear resistance and self-lubricating properties, allowing the mouse to move and position smoothly and freely.

The mouse supports 2.4GHz wireless transmission technology, which has a continuous and stable transmission signal. The compact wireless receiver replaces the cumbersome wired connection, creating a refreshing and beautiful work desktop.

Further, the wireless mouse adopts a medium-sized mouse size. The palm and fingers naturally fit the mouse, and the button clicks are soothing and natural. The left and right symmetric buttons and the composite middle button scroll wheel are easy to use. The mouse does not contain a battery and weighs just 60g. The lightweight design ensures your hand doesn’t get fatigued easily.

Furthermore, the Mi Wireless Mouse Lite is equipped with the original 1000dpi precision sensor. It is powered by a AAA battery, with an independent power switch combined with automatic sleep technology, saving power and energy, and prolonging the shelf life of the mouse.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi XiaoAI Speaker Art Battery Edition launched for 399 yuan ($59)

Rumor: Samsung to update 90 devices to One UI 3.0 (Android 11)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 10, 2020

When it comes to the number of phones launched in a year, Samsung is one of the manufacturers with the most devices. Now that Android 11 has been released, it has been reported that the manufacturer plans to update a total of 90 devices, with more than half of them launched this year.

The info comes from a Twitter user that goes by @TheGalox_ and he has published a list of Samsung phones that will get the One UI 3.0 update which is based on Android 11.

These are the 90 Samsung devices getting One Ui 3: pic.twitter.com/OCDq9vG6sc

— Anthony (@TheGalox_) November 8, 2020

The list includes familiar names such as the Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Note 10 series, Galaxy S10 series, and Galaxy Tab S7 series.

There are also entry-level phones such as the Galaxy A01, Galaxy A01 Core, as well as several mid-range phones including the Galaxy A40, Galaxy A30, Galaxy A80, Galaxy A51, Galaxy A51 5G, Galaxy A90 5G, and multiple members of the Galaxy M series.

Based on the sheer number of these devices, we are pretty sure the roll-out will continue beyond Q3 2021.

Since Samsung is yet to officially announce a list of devices that will get the update, we will advise you to take the info above with a pinch of salt.

Sony releases PlayStation 5 FAQ; confirms DualSense controller will get more colorways later

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 10, 2020

The PlayStation 5 goes on sale this week and fans are pretty excited. Ahead of the release, Sony has published what it terms “The Ultimate FAQ” which answers practically all of the questions users might have about the console. It is a pretty long read but we have highlighted some of the notable ones below:

Release Date

The PlayStation 5 goes on sale in North America first on November 12. This means those in Canada and the USA will be the first to get their hands on the console. If you live in the UK or Europe, you will have to wait until next Thursday, November 19.

Storage Expansion

The PlayStation 5 has a custom SSD drive but the available storage is less than 1TB. With games reaching up to 100GB in size these days, that storage is set to get filled up quickly which means users will have to add more storage eventually.

Sony says that the console has an expansion port for an M.2 SSD storage but the functionality will be added after launch via a system software upgrade. Details of compatible drives will also be revealed later.

Color Schemes

The DualSense Controller comes in the same color scheme as the PlayStation 5. However, Sony has confirmed that the controller will be available in other colors in the future but doesn’t say when.

For the PS5, Sony says that there will not be additional colors or designs available for the PS5 at launch.

DualSense Controller

It also revealed that the controller is not backward compatible with the PlayStation 4. However, users can use their DualShock 4 controller to play more than 99% of the over 4000 PS4 games available on the PS5.

Game Discs

PS5 Blu-ray game discs are different from those of PS4 as they can store up to 100GB compared to the 50GB capacity of PS4 game discs.

Updates

There will be a software update available on day 1 and users will be able to download updates on to a USB drive and plug into the PS5 and install. The USB drive will need to be formatted to FAT32.

The blog post contains several other questions and answers and we implore you to read it if you plan to purchase the PlayStation 5.

Nightware on Apple Watch that offers temporary relief from nightmares gets FDA approval

By

Balaji S

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Nov 9, 2020

A therapy application on Apple Watch has got the FDA approval for marketing. The App is called Nightware and it uses sensors on the Apple Watch to monitor heart rate, body movement. And will offer temporary relief from sleep disturbance due to nightmares.

FDA’s marketing authorization(via PhoneArena) of the Nightware App means it can now be used as a treatment option for individuals who experience nightmares. Accordingly, it can reduce sleep disturbance in Adults aging from 22 years who may suffer it due to nightmare disorder or PTSD.

For the unware, PTSD is a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As per the FDA, people may experience an improper sleep cycle due to the above issue. This in turn will take a toll on their health. Hence, treatments like Medications and other therapy plans might help them recover from it.

What is Nightware?

Basically, Nightware is like digital therapy on an Apple Watch. It uses both the Watch and iPhone to log data into the Nightware server. And monitors the over-night sleep cycle along with heart rate and body movements using proprietary algorithms. If the App senses a disturbance in heart rate/body movement, it predicts the nightmare and sends vibrations via Apple watch to ease the stress.

Although it is available by prescription and aimed at Home usage, FDA says Nightware isn’t an independent solution. It says patients need additional medications and therapies to treat nightmares due to PTSD. Further, it says that the App should also be used under a healthcare professional’s supervision.

Temporary solution to Nightmares

It also warns that people with sleepwalking, violent behaviors should refrain from using it. The Nightware kit comes with an Apple Watch and it should also not be used while watching television, reading books or if irritation occurs.

Previously, the Nightware was granted the “Breakthrough Devices” designation. It is basically a voluntary program for products that give effective treatment to fatal/weakening diseases.

Carlos Peña, Ph.D., director of the Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices at FDA says, “it offers a low-risk treatment option that uses digital technology in an effort to provide temporary relief from sleep disturbance related to nightmares”.

Samsung Galaxy A21s, Galaxy A31 & Galaxy M11 receive price cut in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 9, 2020

Ahead of the Diwali festive season in India, Samsung has slashed the prices of a number of its smartphones. Earlier today, we reported the company to have dropped the price of Galaxy Note10, the predecessor to this year’s Galaxy Not20. In addition to this premium handset, the company has also brought down the prices of Galaxy A21s, Galaxy A31, and Galaxy M11

Samsung launched the Galaxy A21s in India back in June priced at ₹16,499 and ₹18,499 for the 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB storage configurations respectively. Now, five months later, this device has received a price cut of up to ₹2,000.

The base 4GB + 64GB variant of the Galaxy A21s now costs ₹14,999 (₹1,500 price cut), whereas the higher 6GB + 128GB retails for ₹16,499 (₹2,000 price cut).

On the other hand, the Galaxy A31, which launched a few days ahead of the Galaxy A21s is now selling for ₹20,999. For the unaware, it debuted for ₹21,999 and therefore, this makes it a price drop of ₹1,000.

Weirdly, the device received a similar price cut in July. Seems like its price was hiked after a certain period of time.

Lastly, the price of the Galaxy M11 has been dropped by ₹500. That means the base 3GB + 32GB variant now costs ₹9,999, whereas the higher 4GB + 64GB model can be purchased for ₹11,499.

This smartphone was also launched in June and just recently received its first price cut in late September.

(Via)

OnePlus’ next budget-friendly device Nord SE tipped to launch in Q1 2021

By

Balaji S

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Nov 9, 2020

OnePlus ventured into the budget segment with the OnePlus Nord Smartphone back in July. The company expanded the Nord lineup recently with Nord N10 5G and N100. And now, a report by Android Central reveals that the next Nord will be named the Nord SE and debut in Q1 of next year.

Android Central’s report quotes insider sources for the new leak. It says that Nord SE will be a budget-friendly device just like any other Nord device so far. Codenamed “Ebba”, the device will have features like 65W Warp Charging(fully charger under 40mins), 4,500mAh battery, and AMOLED panel. That said, we still don’t know other specifications like processor, camera yet.

Additionally, the report says Nord SE will be available in India and Europe and most likely not in the US. It will be announced shortly after the OnePlus 9 which is poised to launch sometime around mid-March of 2021. Having said that, we need more details to conclude on whether Nord SE is an upgrade to the OnePlus Nord. But it is welcoming to see that it retains AMOLED and not boast an LCD display like the N10, and N100.

If we recall, the company recently revealed the new Nord N10 5G, and N100 in the EU(European Union), and the US. These devices take a lot of reminiscence to Oppo‘s budget devices like A53. However, the company is mum about its availability in other markets like India. Accordingly, Android Central had also claimed that the devices won’t be available in the country. We will keep you updated as new details about the new Nord device pops up on our radar.

Vivo V20 Pro will reportedly launch in December and be priced below ₹30,000($405) in India

By

Balaji S

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Nov 9, 2020

A couple of weeks back, Vivo India CEO revealed that Vivo V20 Pro 5G will launch in November in the country. However, a new report by 91Mobiles now provides information on the new launch date and pricing for the device.

Vivo V20 Pro 5G new Launch Date, Price

Quoting its Industry sources, 91Mobiles’ exclusive report says that Vivo V20 Pro 5G will skip the November launch date. Instead, it will debut in December in the country. Further, the report says that the smartphone will be priced below ₹30,000($405). This is quite low compared to the THB 14,999($488) price in Thailand.

To compare, its sibling Vivo V20 and V20 SE are already priced at ₹24,990($337), and ₹20,990($283) respectively in India. Accordingly, the report also quotes its sources saying that Vivo V20 Pro 5G will be priced similar to the high-end variant of the OnePlus Nord 5G. This suggests that the device could retail for ₹29,999($404) in India. Still, let’s wait for Vivo to confirm it officially.

Vivo V20 Pro 5G Specifications

Vivo V20 Pro 5G features a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a FHD+ resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G SoC and paired with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage. For camera, it has a dual-selfie setup at the front with 44MP main, and 8MP ultra-wide sensors.

At the back, we get a 64MP f/1.8 Samsung ISOCELL GW1, 8MP multi-functional sensor(macro,depth,ultra-wide), and a 2MP monochrome sensor. Other features include SA/NSA 5G, MicroSD slot, 4,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging via USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, in-display fingerprint sensor, and more. It will run Vivo’s Funtouch OS based on Android 10 out of the box.

Leaked Nokia 8000 4G poster reveals it is not a slider phone

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 9, 2020

The Nokia 8000 4G is a new feature phone HMD Global is expected to launch soon alongside a remake of the Nokia 6300 which will also have support for 4G. The Finnish company is yet to announce the two phones but a leaked poster has given us an early look at the Nokia 8000 4G, and unfortunately, it doesn’t have the slider design of the older Nokia 8000 series.

The source of the leak is Winfuture.de and the image shows that the Nokia 8000 4G has a candy bar design with an alphanumeric keyboard. However, unlike HMD Global’s recent feature phones such as the Nokia 225 4G, the Nokia 8000 4G looks much more premium.

The poster describes it as a “Premium Glass-like Design” which gives it a glossy look. The phone in the image is black but there is a chance that there will be other color variants at launch. Other features mentioned on the poster are a “hardwearing 3D curved keymat“, WhatsApp and Facebook (pre-installed), and support for 4G and Wi-Fi hotspot.

The source reports that the Nokia 8000 4G will have a 2.8-inch LCD QVGA display with a 320 x 240 resolution. The phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor with 512MB RAM and 4GB of storage. There is a MicroSD card that allows users to add up to an additional 128GB of storage.

Users will also get a 2MP camera on the back, support for dual SIM (nano), and a replaceable 1500mAh battery that charges via a micro-USB port. The Nokia 8000 4G will run KaiOS out of the box.

Samsung might be planning to snatch Huawei’s Market Share with an early Galaxy S21 launch : Report

By

Balaji S

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Nov 9, 2020

Huawei is having the worst nightmare of its life. It’s facing a heavy deterrent from the US for selling its 5G equipment elsewhere outside of China. The company, which recently got its semiconductor chips blocked, might just have its market share swallowed by Samsung. The latter is reportedly eyeing an early release of the new S series in 2021 to seize Huawei’s market share.

According to Reuters’ sources, Samsung will launch the next Galaxy S21 series Flagship a month earlier in 2021. With this, it might be planning to bank on the US ban on Huawei and grab its market share. And in turn, thwart Apple from gaining any more grounds. In fact, the report says that Samsung is preparing to launch the new Galaxy S21 early as late-January 2021.

This way it is likely to jump the launch by more than a month compared to 2020 when the Galaxy S20 series debuted in 2019. Plus, this corroborates with the earlier report that has speculated January 14 as the announcement date.

Besides, a source for Reuters says that Huawei’s stockpiles will run out by early next year. This is understandable considering the company has not launched a lot of devices outside of China in 2020. And it’s recent Huawei Mate 40 series is already facing shortage in some regions in its home country.

Can Samsung succeed by jumping the gun?

To take advantage of this, and stiffen the competition to Apple, Samsung is reportedly on course for the launch next year. Samsung has had a roller coaster of a year in 2020. To recall, it temporarily lost the lead to Huawei back in Q2 2020. But quickly grabbed it back in Q3 with a 2.9% YoY growth amongst an intense pandemic situation.

Similarly, the company recorded less than a 59% YoY shipment decline in the US compared to Apple. That is the latter reportedly sold 15% iPhone 11 there which is the world’s best selling smartphone in H1 2020. But it has risen back to fame in the US and Europe.

Thus, the company will be keenly looking to attack early rather than playing the defense this time considering 2021 will be a revival year. That said, industry officials from South Korea hope that the US President-elect Joe Biden will ease some restrictions. This could happen albeit the country looks to show a sturdy attitude against China.

This uncertainty, adds fuel to the fire as it already faces tough competition from Xiaomi and Oppo. All this could have made Samsung to take an early jump with Galaxy S21 series.

OPPO Reno4 Mo Salah Edition launched in Egypt for EGP 6,590 (~$420)

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Nov 9, 2020

In March this year, OPPO signed up Egyptian and Liverpool football star Mohammed Salah as a brand ambassador. The collaboration first featured with the Reno3 Pro and the football star has even featured on several promotional ads. Right now, the company has launched the Reno4 Mo Salah edition in Egypt. The edition is a way of showing appreciation to the football star for his loyal support.

The Oppo Reno4 Mo Salah Edition comes with several customizations but in terms of the core design, it is the same as the Reno4. It features a 6.4-inch OLED screen with FHD+ resolution. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset with 4G capabilities. It also features VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge at 30W.

The main difference between this model and the regular version is in the paint job. The Reno4 Mo Salah Editionis painted in Dark Grey and Red. There are also some awesome design accents as well as the footballer’s photo and autograph on the back panel. Further, the phone’s rim transitions between red and dark grey/black and some might say this is an homage to the Egyptian black-white-red flag.

The software side also sees some customization in form of an exclusive theme for ColorOS 7.2 with a Mo Salah wallpaper, red icons with a slight redesign. OPPO even included Mo Salah’s face on the Contacts app.

As for the pricing and availability, the Reno4 Mo Salah Edition is presently available on the Oppo Egypt website. It comes in 8GB RAM + 128GB storage version priced at EGP 6,590 (~$420).

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