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Renowned Watchmaker Citizen launches the CZ Smart model, its first smartwatch

By
Jed John Ikoba
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The smartwatch industry has continued to grow with Apple at the helm. Interestingly, among the top smartwatch manufacturers, none of the top watchmakers made the cut. but in recent times, we have seen a number of traditional watch manufacturers release smartwatches. In June this year, Hublot released the Big Bang E, its first full-production smartwatch. Timex also launched the Ironman R300 in February this year as its first smartwatch.Citizen CZ Smart

Japanese watch manufacturer Citizen, best known for its Eco-drive watches and cool atomic clock synchronized timepieces, has now joined the fray with its first smartwatch. The product is dubbed Citizen CZ Smart.

The CZ Smart is a full-on smartwatch replete with all the features you’ll find on the popular brands around. The smartwatch packs a 1.28-inch AMOLED display with 416 x 416  resolution. It is powered by the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform and has 8GB of storage. The watch also packs an avalanche of sensors on board which includes a heart rate sensor, barometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope.

On the interface, the CZ Smart runs on Google Wear OS which affords users the opportunity to download several apps from the Play Store. The watch also comes with several features aimed at enhancing your health. It also comes with Call function as there is a built-in speaker for receiving calls directly on the watch. The watch has a 3ATM waterproof rating meaning it can be immersed in water of up to a depth of 30 meters.Citizen CZ Smart smartwatch

As for the price, the Citizen CZ Smart carries a hefty price tag of $395. It is presently available to pre-order but will start shipping from December 14. It comes in three options, a black chain strap, a black rubber strap and a blue rubber strap option. All three options carry the same price tag.

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

 

Samsung gambles with a $116 billion investment to catch up TSMC by 2022

By
Balaji S
-

Samsung is gearing up for a long-term plan with a gambling investment of $116 billion to outperform TSMC. A report by Bloomberg says the company is going all-in to try and mass produce 3nm chips by 2022.

The report says(via Sammobile) according to a senior executive at Samsung’s foundry division, the company is on course to mass-produce 3nm chips in 2022. Park Jae-hong, executive VP of foundry design, says that the company is already developing initial design tools with partners. If we look at the arch-rival TSMC, it is also expected to be ready for 3nm by H2 2022. Hence, one would think that it is going to be a neck-and-neck battle.

However, Samsung is going to jump TSMC by adopting the GAA(Gate-All-Around)tech before TSMC on the 3nm. The latter is continuing the FinFeT process before it can go into the GAA on 2nm process. This technology will reduce power consumption, regulate current flow, and manage the overall chip area well. That said, experts feel that Samsung needs to hit the right mark. It can do it by testing the yields successfully in the initial stages. Else, it is at the risk of tossing up the investment to nothing.

Despite having a successful memory chip, display business, Samsung lacks the market share in the foundry and logic-chip industry. It reportedly had only 18% of contracts last year whereas TSMC dominated with more than half as per TrendForce. To change this, Samsung’s semiconductor division plans to invest $26 billion this year compared to TSMC’s $17 billion.

Additionally, report says Lee Jae-Young, Samsung Chairman, visited ASML Holdings in the Netherlands to discuss the supply of EUV machines. For the unware, ASML is one of the world leaders in manufacturing chip-making equipment. Currently, Samsung and TSMC have established the EUV process as Intel recently announced its open for outsourcing chips. Hence, analysts feel that the difference between the two lies in techniques like cutting-edge fabrication and power efficiency.

Although TSMC has secured enough orders from giants like Apple, companies like NVIDIA, IBM Corp., Qualcomm are turning towards Samsung which is a good sign for the company. Anyway, Samsung has set up a dedicated EUV factory in Hwaseong while another one at Pyeongtaek is likely to be ready by H2 2021. Nevertheless, if Samsung succeeds in jumping TSMC in this mission, it can attract giants like Apple, AMD who are stuck with TSMC so far.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M42 to arrive with a 6,000mAh battery, reveals 3C listing

Adobe Photoshop Beta for Apple Silicon-powered Mac released

By
Jed John Ikoba
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Earlier today, premium solutions provider Adobe announced the release of Photoshop Beta for Apple Silicon devices having Creative Cloud desktop version 5.3.1.470 or later. This is the very first Beta release of Photoshop that will be running on ‌Apple Silicon‌ hardware.

macbook pro 16 inch
Macbook Pro 16″

Apple recently unveiled the silicon M1 chipset recently which will signal the transition of the CPUs in Apple’s Macintosh line of computers from Intel’s x86-64 to one designed by Apple based on the ARM64 architecture. In terms of specs, the new M1 chip has a staggering 16 billion transistors, which is significantly higher than the 11.8 billion used in the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic. The CPU core is also increased from six to an eight-core arrangement in order to boost the performance. Additionally, the M1 has four high-performance cores for heavy-duty work, compared to two on the iPhone 12, and four high-efficiency cores for low-priority tasks.

This Photoshop version for ‌Apple Silicon‌ offers many of the principal Photoshop features that provide invaluable assistance to millions of users every day in meeting their editing needs. Adobe will also be adding other great features in the coming weeks. Although the Beta software is not yet officially supported by Adobe, it would seem that something is in the offing in this regard and we will keep you on the loop as events unfold.

Adobe has stated that there are a number of limitations in the beta release and several features are absent, coupled with the likelihood of slow performance of the application. Also notable is that running Adobe Photoshop under Rosetta emulation does not have the support functionality of Adobe.

So if Photoshop is important to your workflow processes, the choice of running it on an ‌Apple Silicon‌ Mac may not be very viable presently, as it is still work in progress. 

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

 

Microsoft Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 launched in India

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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Microsoft initially debuted the Surface Book 3 and the Surface Go 2 in May. After six months, these two devices have finally landed in India. Strangely, the software giant launched these devices after the Diwali festive season. Anyway, the duo is mostly targeted at enterprise customers, and therefore, it may not affect its sales.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 India Pricing & Availability

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 comes in two sizes – 13-inch and 15-inch. However, all the variants of this product are only available for commercial customers. Hence, interested such customers will have to contact their local commercial resellers to buy them.

Surface Book 3

That said, here’s the list of Surface Book 3 variants and their price in India.

  • 13-inch
    • Intel Core i5-1035G7 8GB + 256GB   – ₹156,299
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 16GB + 256GB – ₹195,899
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 512GB – ₹237,199
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 1TB     – ₹259,299
  • 15-inch
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 16GB + 256GB – ₹220,399
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 512GB – ₹266,499
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 1TB     – ₹286,199
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 512GB + Nvidia Quadra RTX 3000 – ₹321,899
    • Intel Core i7-1065G7 32GB + 1TB + Nvidia Quadra RTX 3000      – ₹340,399

Microsoft Surface Book 3 Specifications

Microsoft Surface Go 2 India Pricing & Availability

Surface-Go-2 featured

 

On the other hand, Surface Go 2 can be purchased by any customer in India. Its variants and their price are as listed below.

  • Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y 4GB + 64GB   – ₹42,999
  • Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y 8GB + 128GB – ₹57,999
  • 8th Gen Intel Core m3 4GB + 64GB    – ₹47,599
  • 8th Gen Intel Core m3 8GB + 128GB  – ₹63,499

Microsoft Surface Go 2 Specifications

UP NEXT: Microsoft releases End of Service dates for Surface lineup

 

Vigorous iPhone 12 sales could pave way for more Cooling solution orders: Report

By
Balaji S
-

While early reports predicted low sales figures for the iPhone 12, it looks like the opposite could happen. Apple’s latest flagship iPhone 12 is already in huge demand. And it is only going to get better as the pandemic may ease into 2021. Ahead of this, a Digitimes report says that iPhone 12 sales will rise the demand for cooling solutions.

iPhone 12 featured

Digitimes report says that according to industry sources, recent sales of iPhone 12 indicate an imminent demand for 5G smartphones in 2021. The sales will also reportedly raise the demand and increase the order for smartphone cooling solutions according to Taiwan’s suppliers.

For the unware, cooling solution generally refers to the heat pipes/vapor chambers(copper) inside a smartphone. They aid in absorbing the excess heat that may result from heavy tasks like gaming, video rendering etc. Additionally, with 5G technology, both the battery and SoC are put to strain as the 5G antenna demands more juice.

This paves way for a mandatory inclusion of cooling solutions inside every 5G smartphone. And Apple’s iPhone 12 is already selling like hot-cakes everywhere including China. Besides facing a shortage of components, it is trying to load up the inventories in the run-up to dominate the market. This healthy trend will obviously increase demand for 5G, and inturn the cooling solutions inside. And that is reflected in the report as well.

Cooling solution makers like Chaun-Choung Technology, Auras Technology, Taisol Electronics, and Asia Vital Components believe demand for vapor chamber/heat pipes will bounce back in 2021. Among the above, Auras Technology reportedly saw a 5% sales drop of total revenue during Q3 2020 compared to 24% in Q1. Comparably, Chaun-Choung Technology also saw a 4% drop in Q3 down from 6%, 10% in Q2, and Q1 respectively.

That said the sales figures of 5G smartphones are expected to improve going forward. In particular, if the report is true, the sales will reach 450-500 million units compared to the prediction of about 220 million this year. In turn, this might trigger the orders for cooling solution which is a good sign for the suppliers.

UP NEXT: Apple suppliers work overtime to meet high demands for iPhone 12

Redmi K40 Pro likely to flaunt high refresh rate display and faster charging technology

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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This year, Redmi announced the Snapdragon 865 powered Redmi K30 Pro smartphone in March. It is likely that Redmi may replace it with the Redmi K40 Pro in Q1 next year. While the Redmi K30 Pro was a well-received smartphone, consumers were unhappy that its screen only supports a 60Hz refresh rate. A known tipster from China has claimed that it could be coming with a better display and faster-charging capabilities.

Redmi K40 Pro high refresh rate fast charging leak

With Redmi offering up to 144Hz refresh rate screen on the Redmi K30S that went official in August, fans can expect the Redmi K40 Pro to at least arrive with 90Hz refresh rate support. The Redmi K30 Pro and K30S both came with 33W fast charging support. The K40 Pro is expected to arrive with a faster charging solution. Being a flagship device, it could be driven by the Snapdragon 875 mobile platform.

Redmi K30 Pro
Redmi K30 Pro

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

Currently, the company is not talking about the Redmi K40 series since it is focused on the Redmi Note 9 5G and Note 9 5G Pro phones in China. Rumors have that the Redmi Note 9 5G phone will break cover as early as next week.

The Redmi Note 9 5G is also heading to global markets. It is speculated that the device could be called Redmi Note 9T in markets outside of China. There is no word on whether the Note 9 5G Pro will be also made available outside the home market in the near future.

The lineup also includes a 4G phone. It is yet to be confirmed whether it will be called Redmi 10 or Redmi Note 10 4G or something else. What is known is that the same device will debut as the POCO M3 in global markets on Nov. 24.

UP NEXT: Several MIUI 12 devices in India are facing boot loop issues; Xiaomi vows to fix soon

 

 

OPPO announces a new “3+N+X” strategy at the INNO DAY 2020 event

By
Balaji S
-

Today, OPPO held the second iteration of its “OPPO INNO DAY” event in Shenzhen, China. At the event, the company announced three new developments including an AR Glass, and a rollable smartphone. Alongside the new concept products, OPPO also announced a new development strategy to integrate its products, technologies under one ecosystem.

OPPO 3+N+X Strategy
Credits: YouTube/OPPO

OPPO calls it the “3+N+X” Technology transition Strategy. Here “3” refers to the prime capacities of its hardware, software, and service technologies. “N” stands for essential AI, Security and Privacy, Multimedia, and interconnectivity. “X” signifies its innovative tech like AR, flash charging, new form factors(concepts), imaging, and more. Going forward, OPPO says the strategy is going to be the key priority of its R&D development.

3- Hardware, Software, Service

Talking about the “3” underlying technologies, OPPO says it’s emphasizing more on short-distance wireless communications. That is, in addition to the already evolving hardware tech. It also aims to connect multiple-devices like Smart Home Products under one roof.

Next, for software, OPPO not only aims to have a software that is backward compatible but also make it work seamlessly across multiple devices through collaboration and one-stop engineering solution across ecosystems. Oppo’s services tech to provide internet services involves Cloud computing, Big Data, Machine Learning, and smart services. They work in tandem to improve the value of data online.

According to OPPO, it has a daily Application and Smart services distribution of 1.7 billion, 330 million respectively. The company also says it has around 280 million monthly active content users.

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme blatantly copies Huawei with its new 1+4+N strategy product strategy

N- Essential Capabilities

Talking about the essential technological capabilities, OPPO said that it’s HeyThings IoT platform offers a one-stop solution for developers to share resources. It says the platform has about more than 50 categories and partnerships with more than 30 brands including Midea so far.

Furthermore, it says car machine interconnection is also on the list of OPPO’s interconnectivity. It believes with resource co-ordination, technology transfers between car devices, we can achieve sensorless car keys, remote car control, and intelligent screencast(Smart screen).

X- Differentiated technologies

As mentioned earlier, OPPO’s differentiated tech aims to be innovative, disruptive whilst improving the overall user experience. For instance, OPPO’s SuperVOOC(125W), AirVOOC(65W), 50W SuperVOOC mini Charger are examples of what the company is capable of.

Lastly, OPPO says that it’s ideal for a company to properly integrate the technologies apart from developing it. And with persistent investment in R&D, it is going to let the users reap the benefits while absorbing all the hard tasks for itself.

UP NEXT: OPPO patents a smartphone design with a circular pop-up camera module and 15x hybrid zoom

POCO M3 launch confirmed for November 24

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
-

In case you are not aware, Xiaomi’s POCO brand has two main divisions – global and India. Both of them operate separately and their product portfolio is different. Hence, when POCO Global teased the arrival of a new smartphone by the end of 2020, POCO India confirmed that there will no new phone from them. Now, weeks later, this upcoming handset’s moniker has been officially confirmed as POCO M3 and it will be unveiled on November 24.

POCO M3 Launch Date

The upcoming POCO M3 has been in the news for a while now. However, its exact branding has been only confirmed now. This handset is expected to be nothing but a tweaked version of Redmi Note 10 4G.

That’s because the Chinese version of this device bears the model number M2010J19SC. Similarly, the Global and Indian versions of this phone have been spotted on IMDA, EEC, and Geekbench with similar model numbers – M2010J19SG and M2010J19SI respectively.

Hence, according to TENAA and other listings, the forthcoming POCO M3 will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with a minimum of 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. On the front, it will sport a 6.53-inch FHD IPS LCD panel with a dew-drop notch housing an 8MP selfie camera.

Redmi-Note-10-4G-TENAA

Whereas, on the back, the smartphone will house a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor. Last but not least, it will run Android 10 and will be backed by a 6,000mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging.

UP NEXT: POCO sold over a million smartphones during Flipkart Big Billion Days sale

 

After OnePlus 9 Pro, the OnePlus 9 vanilla gets spotted at Geekbench

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

Last week, an OnePlus phone with model number LE2117 was spotted at the Geekbench listing. It is speculated that this device could be the OnePlus 9 Pro. Today, another OnePlus phone with LE2113 model number appeared on the same benchmarking platform. This one seems to be the vanilla OnePlus 9.

OnePlus 9 Geekbench listing

The OnePlus 9 Geekbench appearance reveals that it is powered by a Qualcomm processor that has “Lahaina” codename, which is a clear hint that it the Snapdragon 875 flagship chip. The SoC is coupled with 8 GB of RAM.

OnePlus 9 Geekbench

The smartphone is preinstalled with Android 10 OS. In the single-core test, the OnePlus 9 scored 1115 points and it achieved 3483 in the multi-core test In comparison, the OnePlus 9 Pro had scored 1122 and 2733, respectively in the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench.

Editor’s Pick:  OnePlus 9 CAD render emerge to reveal curved back with triple cameras

The Pro model was also seen with the same specs as the SD875 chip, 8 GB of RAM, and Android 10 OS at the benchmarking site. These scores should be taken with a pin of salt because the benchmarked devices could be prototype units.

At present, there is no information available on the other specs of the phone. Since the Warp Charge 65 fast charging technology was introduced with the OnePlus 8T, it is likely that the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro could be equipped with Warp Charge 65.

The OnePlus 9 series is expected to break cover by mid-March next year. In the U.S., the company expected to sell the flagship phones through Verizon and T-Mobile. Speculations are rife that the OnePlus Nord 2 will also arrive in Q1 next year.

UP NEXT: OnePlus 8T gets yet another update with more fixes and optimizations

 

(via)

OPPO showcases the AR Glass 2021 with improved design, audio-visuals & more!

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

OPPO today held the 2020 edition of its Inno Day event where it launched a number of products. The OPPO AR Glass 2021 was one of the products that were unveiled by tech giant at the event which also saw the unveiling of the concept rollable display phone.

This year’s edition is a much-improved version but with a design which looks like ordinary eyeglasses. The design of the previous version of the OPPO AR glasses looks very much like VR glasses. In terms of the build, this model is 75% lighter than last year’s model and it is possible to connect it to a smartphone via the USB-C to USB-C port.

OPPO AR Glasses 2021 utilises the Birdbath optical solution which brings an increased contrast by 53%. It also results in an increase in brightness uniformity by 98%, and pixels per degree by 40% compared to last year’s model.

The AR glasses pack a 0.71-inch OLED display which has its light refracted by a spectroscope to the eye. There is also a customized large-amplitude speaker onboard with a unique semi-open rear cavity acoustic design. This audio design will ensure that the AR glasses deliver a home theatre-like experience which gives the illusion of watching a 90-inch screen from 3m away.

Users can also interact with the glasses from a paired smartphone. The glasses can be used as a touchpad. Users can equally track their hands and fingers through the glasses’ set of binocular fisheye cameras. The cameras can recognize 21 markers on a single hand, four on one finger. Those cameras paired with a ToF camera enable centimetre-level accuracy within 1-degree.

Talking of the potential use cases for the glasses, OPPO says it can be used for AR streaming of online and local HD videos, delivering a “theatre-like” viewing experience. It can also be deployed for AR gaming with the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena and tower defence games, virtual placement of furniture in your home, and AR picture taking with RGB cams that capture virtual and real scenes simultaneously.

OPPO is also planning to open up the system to developers by providing a comprehensive client-side SDK and a development toolchain under the Oppo AR developer program. The program will commence next year and will help the community create AR-specific apps.

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

 

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

By
Sean
-

Smartphone manufacturers are constantly pushing the boundaries with technological innovation. Every year we see a new feature or standard become the norm or a new launch that evolves upon the fundamental designs. Now, Oppo has unveiled the Oppo X 2021 Rollable Concept smartphone that features an extending display, which is the first of its kind.

oppo

The efforts of the Chinese tech giant’s R&D is on full display at the Inno Day 2020 event as the Oppo X 2021 arrives with a unique extending screen. Its display expands from 6.7 inches to 7.4 inches, which is achieved through the company’s rollable concept technology. This makes the display durable with no “hard folding” involved to eliminate the “headache’ of a crease forming in the middle of the display, which is common on foldable handsets. The screen is an OLED panel that extends through its 6.8mm Roll Motor that is a proprietary design. Notably, the company had filed for 122 patents for this project, out of which 12 are used on the scroll mechanism alone.

Oppo

Oppo placed an emphasis on the durability and support structure behind its rollable display. The company built a special 2 in 1 plate, which acts as the support when the display is contracted or extended. It achieves this by having the support panel comprise of two parts with one portion sliding out along with the display to keep a rigid structure and achieve a flat surface. Oppo’s Chief 5G scientist Henry Tang stated that “Compared with foldable technologies, rollable displays are a lot more adaptable as they are adjustable between minimum and maximum sizes for different use case scenarios.”

Editor’s Pick: New POCO smartphone officially teased; Geekbench listing suggests yet another rebrand

Furthermore, the company also added a custom made laminate for the screen for additional protection. The Warp Track is a 0.1mm laminate that firmly protects the screen. Oppo intends to have this device enhance the usual functions that a smartphone offers. In other words, the additional real estate would offer a wider view during gaming, extra real estate for reading e-books, and even offer split interface to make full use of the extended display.

Unfortunately, finer details and specifications of the smartphone is currently unknown nor has the company revealed further details regarding the panel supplier or mention anything specific regarding availability. Levin Liu, Oppo Vice President and Head of Oppo Research Institute, also stressed at the device’s concept stage but he hopes to bring this technology to consumers “at the right time.”

UP NEXT: HP beats Lenovo to become the world’s largest notebook PC brand in Q3 2020

 

HP beats Lenovo to become the world’s largest notebook PC brand in Q3 2020

By
Sudarshan Ravichandran
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Last week, Canalys published a report on Global PC Market Q3 2020. Now, Strategy Analytics has released a report solely dedicated to Global Notebook PC Market Q3 2020. That means unlike the former’s, the latter’s report does not include tablets and desktops. However, the new report reiterates the success of Chromebooks and puts HP as the notebook market leader.

HP Spectre x360 - 13-aw0205tu
HP Spectre x360 – 13-aw0205tu

According to Strategy Analytics, the global notebook PC market shipped a total of 62.2 million units in Q3 2020 with a growth rate of 34% YoY. HP came first with 14.7 million shipments, closely followed by Lenovo with 14.6 million units who was the market leader in the previous quarter. Whereas, the third, fourth, and fifth places were occupied by Dell, Apple, and Acer with 8.5, 6.0, and 4.9 million units respectively.

As for market share, HP and Lenovo both garnered a 23.6% share each, followed by Dell, Apple, and Acer with 13.7%, 9.7%, and 7.9% respectively. HP was the best-performing brand with a 43% YoY growth, whereas Apple came second with a 39% YoY growth.

EDITOR’S PICK: India PC Market recorded its strongest quarter in the last seven years in Q3 2020

 

Talking about operating systems, without any surprise, Windows captured first place with 45.3 million units in shipments and 72.8% market share. However, it grew the least at a rate of 23% YoY. On the other hand, the shipments of Chrome OS increased by a whopping 124% YoY with 10 million units. Also, it stood second in the overall notebook market with a 16.1% share.

Lastly, Apple managed to ship 6 million MacOS notebooks (Macbooks) garnering a 39% YoY growth. As a result, it came third with a 9.7% market share in terms of the operating system.

As per Eric Smith, the Director of Connected Computing at Strategy Analytics, Chromebooks were popular in both consumer and commercial segments as it remained the favorite option for schools and students in developed nations. Further, gaming and ultramobile segments also performed well as consumers spent more money on notebooks for both entertainment and productivity purposes.

Last but not least, Chirag Upadhyay, a Senior Research Analyst at Strategy Analytics says that brands could have even performed better if they had the capacity to meet the demand. The last quarter of 2020 is also expected to have high demand with people continuing their work and education from home. The performance of the companies will depend on their supply chain management.

UP NEXT: Chromebooks performed exceptionally well in Q3 2020 by growing 122% YoY

 

New POCO smartphone officially teased; Geekbench listing suggests yet another rebrand

By
Balaji S
-

POCO is gearing up to launch a smartphone very soon. The company’s Product Manager, and Global Spokesperson, Angus Kai Ho Ng has officially teased the arrival today. Ahead of its launch, the device has also hit the Geekbench. And the listing suggests that it could be a rebranded Redmi smartphone yet again.

Poco X2 Review Camera Featured 32
Representative image: POCO X2

Angus Kai Ho Ng took to Twitter to post a teaser image of the upcoming POCO smartphone. As you can see below, the image looks to be a marketing teaser for the device with a tagline, “More than you expect”. Although he has cleverly hidden the marketing name, it is speculated that the device could be the POCO M3 and mark the debut of “M” series globally.

POCO Global has so far limited the Global portfolio with POCO F, and X series devices. The company’s Indian division has, however, been launching devices under the X, M, and C series. That said the second and third series are mostly the rebranded versions of the Redmi Smartphones. For instance, if you take the POCO M2 Pro, M2, C3, they are rebrand of Redmi Note 9 Pro, Redmi 9, and Redmi 9C respectively.

New POCO- yet another rebrand?

Anyway, the naming isn’t confirmed yet but either way, it looks like the new POCO device will also be a rebrand as the earlier IMDA, EEC certifications hint the same. Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Redmi Note 9 series in China. Out of the three models, a 4G model(M2010J19SC) is likely to break cover. Recently, a suspected Indian variant(M2010J19SI) of the device hit the Geekbench with a probable Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC.

Today, Mysmartprice has spotted the Geekbench listing of the POCO device with a similar model number(M2010J19CG) and scores. Accordingly, the device in question scores 299 and 1252 single and multi-core scores respectively. Although the motherboard(citrus) is different here, the base frequency of CPU(1.80GHz), and GPU(Adreno 610) hints that Snapdragon 662 could power both of them.

That said, the listing also shows that the device runs Android 10, and has 4GB RAM. Anyway, if the rebrand indeed turns out to be true, the device would feature a unique rear design, 6.53-inch FHD+ display, 48MP rear and 8MP selfie shooter, 6,000mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging. Let’s wait for more teasers to confirm the same.

UP NEXT: Several MIUI 12 devices in India are facing boot loop issues; Xiaomi vows to fix soon

Apple suppliers work overtime to meet high demands for iPhone 12

By
Sean
-

Despite being delayed, the Apple iPhone 12 series launched to a pent up market causing it to face a higher than expected demand. Now, suppliers for the Cupertino based giant are trying to meet the growing demand from carriers and consumers by ramping up production and starting overtime shifts.

Apple

According to industry sources, the iPhone suppliers are attempting to address the issue of limited stock for the latest flagship lineup in a number of markets. As per a DigiTimes report, even the delivery leads for the pre orders of the iPhone 12 series in certain regions are lasting for 2 to 3 weeks to even 3 to 4 weeks due to heavy bookings of from teelcom and channel operators.

Editor’s Pick: Google Pixel 5 suffers from an issue with system volume, which is scaring users

Notably, Apple iPhone assemblers Foxconn and Pegatron, along with camera module suppliers Genius Electronic Optical (GEO) are further adding overtime shifts and are also recruiting additional workers to ramp up their output. Furthermore, this crunch is also extending to the component related suppliers who have also been asked to increase their supplies, as noted by a source.

Apple iPhone 12

GEO is reportedly adding overtime shifts for its iPhone lineup for November and December, which is also the holiday seasons where demand usually surges. This overtime push also arrives amid the race between Apple, Samsung, and other Chinese smartphone manufacturers that are rushing to grab hold of greater market share at the expense of Huawei.

UP NEXT: Oukitel WP10 5G with IP69K rating & 8000mAh battery up for Preorder for just $369.99

 

Redmi Note 9T could be the moniker of Redmi Note 9 5G’s global edition

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

Redmi is soon going to launch the Redmi Note 9 5G series in China. Recent reports have revealed that the Redmi Note 9 5G has a model number of M2007J22C in China and its global edition has an M2007J22G model number. The global variant has received certifications from IMDA and EEC authorities. The Redmi Note 9 5G Pro has an M2007J17C mode number. It is a tweaked version of the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite. Today, the global edition of the Note 9 5G received approval from the FCC authority. Through the IMEI number of the device found in the FCC documents, tipster Mukul Sharma could find that the device will be arriving in global markets as the Redmi Note 9T.

The FCC documents have revealed few details of the Redmi Note 9T such as MIUI 12, 5G, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth. No other specs of the device are mention in the FCC listing. It is likely to be packed with the specs that are available on its Chinese variant.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi Note 9 5G series launching next week, claims tipster

The tipster revealed that the Redmi Note 9T IMEI number has already been registered with C-DOT CEIR IMEI verification, which indicates that it may also debut in India.  It is already known that the device is powered by the Dimensity 800U chipset. Since Dimensity powered phones are expected to land in India in 2021, it appears the Redmi Note 9T may debut in the country next year.

Redmi Note 9T specifications (Rumored)

Redmi Note 9 5G Standard Edition M2007J22C TENAA

The Redmi Note 9T is expected to sport a 6.53-inch IPS LCD FHD+ display with punch-hole design and high refresh rate. It may come with a 13-megapixel selfie camera and 48-megapixel triple rear shooters. It could be housing a 5,000mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging support.

UP NEXT: Alleged Redmi Note 10 4G (M2010J19SC) renders on TENAA shows a unique camera layout

 

 

Oukitel WP10 5G with IP69K rating & 8000mAh battery up for Preorder for just $369.99

By
Greeva Agnihotri
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The much-hyped Oukitel’s first 5G rugged smartphone- Oukitel WP10, has finally announced its presale price. The phone will be up for ordering on Black Friday for just $369.99. WP10 features enhanced functions like a powerful battery, high-speed data connection, and an immersive display. This smartphone will supposedly be one of the most budgeted 5G phones available on the market.

Oukitel WP10 runs on Android 10 and features a 6.67-inch FHD+ punch-hole display, one of the largest displays on a smartphone with a 5G network access. It is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 800 chipset that uses 7nm process technology with an integrated 5G modem to support both SA and NSA modes. Featuring 128GB UFS 2.1 flash storage and 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, OUKITEL WP10 offers ample storage space and smooth operation.Oukitel WP10 supports both 5G and 4G global bands and has a dual nano card setup. One can enjoy multiple networks in just one phone, with 5G being primary and the other with 4G/3G/2G band. 5G network is expected to be 10 times faster than the current network and will offer enhanced user-experience while downloading huge files, surfing, online gaming, video calling, and more.
As far as durability goes, Oukitel WP10 has an IP68 and IP69k rating and an STD-MIL-810G certification. This rugged smartphone can withstand a drop from a height of 1.5m and resist water at a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 minutes. It is also dustproof and shockproof. The Oukitel flagship has a glove function that allows the user to use the phone while wearing a glove underwater for added versatility.
Oukitel WP10 features an 8000mAh battery that can easily provide 48 hours of active use. Additionally, it also comes with a 48MP Sony IMX582 quad-rear camera that can record 4k videos at 30fps. A 16MP AI selfie camera is perfect for clicking decent selfies, face-unlocking and more. Other features like NFC wireless payment and GPS provide added user convenience.
The module docking station at the back is pretty decent as it allows more functions to be added to the phone, giving Oukitel WP10 an endless possibility of features. One can expect exciting modules like powerful LED flashlights, UVC sterilizers, and more.

Packed with a host of features, Oukitel WP10 is an ideal smartphone for anyone looking to upgrade their device. The budgeted preorder price of $369.99 serves as an added bonus. One can enjoy this deal for a limited time from November 23rd to 27th. All interested users can subscribe to their newsletters to stay updated.

China pushes for 6G as the US still struggles with 5G networking

By
Sean
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China has been at the forefront of 5G networking, with the country already adopting the newer and faster bandwidth into its infrastructure. Now, the Asian nation is moving forward with 6G networking, while other developed nations like the US are still struggling to roll out 5G networking.

China

According to a NYPost report, the satellite Star Era-12 has a frequency band so high that it had to be tested in space to avoid signal disruption due to the atmosphere, as explained by the National Science Foundation’s Thyagarajan Nandagopal. At the moment, it is unknown just how fast the bands actually are, but it is estimated to be within the range of 100 to 500Ghz, which is about 100 times faster than 5G. This scale is similar to the 100 times faster jump moving from 4G to 5G, which is in line with with another report we had covered earlier this week.

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The implications of 6G are also greatly varied, with its benefits being useful to a number of fields from telemedicine to national security. Furthermore, the new network would also give rise to newer technology and services that utilize the faster speeds, which can potentially bring in billions for the global economy. To put the high speeds into perspective, 6G is capable of downloading a high definition movie in just 8 seconds and 1,500 high resolution images in under a minute. A surgeon from New York can use robotics to operate on a patient in California or even be used to save a life in the battlefield through another robot.

China

Unfortunately, China’s lead in 6G networking might also end up dividing the global standards again. Back when 3G was still new, the US had adopted a different standard causing devices from the US to not function in abroad. Meaning, the US and Europe might just be holding the world back through their own standards, if China retains the 6G lead. in other words, “It would be like taking your laptop to Europe and having to buy an adapter.”

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Lenovo Legion Phone Pro audio performance isn’t up to the mark, claims DxOMark

By
Jeet
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Lenovo Legion Phone Pro is the company’s gaming smartphone and comes with top-of-the-line specifications and some impressive features. It also has dual front-facing speakers and a quad-microphones setup with Qualcomm’s noise reduction technology.

Now, DxOMark has published a new report related to the smartphone’s audio performance and gave it 59 points, with playback being rated at 64 and recording at 44.

Lenovo Legion Phone Pro Audio DxOMark

The phone’s score of 59 points puts it in the lower ranks of devices for audio performance. However, the audio score for gaming use-case is better. Comparing it to other gaming smartphones, the Asus ROG 3 scored 75 points while Nubia Red Magic 3S scored 64 points.

The report from DxOMark says that the phone good dynamics performance. But, it says that tonal balance is off due to the lack of clarity. It notes that treble is muffled while the mid-range is inconsistent and the bass gets distorted even at nominal volume.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei confirms selling its Honor subsidiary to Zhixin New Information Technology Co. Ltd

The Lenovo Legion Phone Pro was launched in August this year, marking the brand’s debut in the gaming smartphone category. The device features a 6.65-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 144Hz.

It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus flagship platform with up to 16GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal storage. The device comes packed with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 90W fast charging technology.

The device is equipped with a game acceleration engine (GAE) and has ultrasonic buttons on both sides to start the game acceleration engine. During gaming, players can quickly switch perspectives through the shaking of the phone. As for the pricing, the 8GB RAM variant starts at 3,499 yuan (~$521) in China.

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Huawei urges United Kingdom to reconsider 5G ban

By
Jeet
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Earlier this year, bowing down to the pressure from the Trump administration, United Kingdom (UK) banned Chinese giant Huawei from participating in the country’s 5G infrastructure and ordered companies to remove Huawei equipment by 2027.

Now, Huawei’s Vice President Victor Zhang has urged UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to revisit the decision to ban Huawei from the 5G network development and claimed that it will worsen England’s north-south divide.

huawei

He also urged the UK to stay true to its roots as the birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution and added that the government could not afford to fall behind others in the 5G communication revolution.

Victor Zhang also added that this is worrying because the UK is more focused on the geopolitical conflict rather than focusing on improving the economy and making sure that the country grabs the opportunity to be a global leader post-Brexit.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei announces selling off its Honor subsidiary to Zhixin New Information Technology Co. Ltd

UK’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden had said in July that the decision to completely remove Huawei from the UK’s 5G network could delay the rollout of 5G by up to three years and cost around £2 billion.

There are concerns related to using Huawei’s equipment in 5G development because of the company’s alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Critics of the company say that China could use Huawei as a backdoor to spy on communications. However, Huawei has denied all such allegations time and again.

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Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and 12 Mini pass Durability Test with flying colors

By
Sean
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The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini are finally available for sale. Early adopters are already getting their hands on Apple’s latest flagship, and rest assured these handsets are as well built as the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, which were launched prior.

JerryRigEverything, a known YouTuber that is known for making newly launched smartphones undergo a durability and stress test had previously reviewed the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. Now, the higher end 12 pro Max and the lowest end 12 mini have been subjected to his tests as well, and unsurprisingly, they performed just as well as the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro.

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In the video, the two iPhones were subjected to the scratch test on the Mohs scale of hardness. While the Ceramic Shield screens have better shatter resistance, scratches does appear by level 6 but it is less noticeable. Another notable finding was that the iPhones survived a 50 second lighter test, which caused no permanent damaged either unlike any other smartphone with an OLED panel.

Apple

This might be another additional protection from the ceramic molecules on the display’s glass, although, that is just a speculation. Overall, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini performed quite well and received praise for their durability. These handsets didn’t bend either, meaning, the Cupertino based giant placed an emphasis on the devices’ structures and build quality.

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