WhatsApp has had tough luck with its payment service in markets where it has announced the feature. Back in June, the service got suspended in Brazil just days after it announced rollout. Things are now looking up for the Facebook-owned messaging platform as it has now gotten permission for a wider roll-out in India after nearly two years in beta.
Back in early 2018, WhatsApp announced that users will be able to send money within chats between themselves using India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). However, the feature was only available to 1 million beta testers.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced earlier today that it has granted WhatsApp permission to roll-out the service albeit with some conditions.
WhatsApp will have to roll-out the service in a “graded manner”, starting with just 20 million users. That sure is a small number considering the messaging service has more than 400 million users in India. Nevertheless, 20 million is better than 1 million. NPCI also says that WhatsApp has to work with multiple banking partners.
The gradual roll-out and 20 million user cap are most likely linked to NPCI’s other announcement today which says that no third-party app should process more than 30% of all UPI transactions done in a month. TechCrunch reports that the Indian body took the decision to “protect the UPI ecosystem”.
This new condition is said to affect other players in the payment business such as Google (Google Pay) and Walmart (PhonePe) who processed more than 38% and 40% respectively of UPI payments last month. The rule doesn’t go into effect until January 2021 but there are already questions arising on how these services will handle the situation. Will they put a limit on payments users can carry out in a month?
In the same price range, you can actually get either the iPhone 11 Pro Max or the iPhone 12 Pro. The former reached the price range of the latter thanks to street prices since the phone is one year old, while the iPhone 12 Pro is actually sold at its listing price. Does it make sense to still opt for the 11 Pro Max in 2021 or it is better to grab a unit of the iPhone 12 Pro? We hope to help you with this decision by publishing this specs comparison which will highlight the main differences between the 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm, 226 g
146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 189 g
DISPLAY
6.5 inches, 1242 x 2688p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED
6.1 inches, 1170 x 2532p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED
Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.0 + f/2.4
12 MP f/2.2 front camera
Quad 12 + 12 + 12 MP + LiDAR scanner, f/1.6 + f/2.0 + f/2.4
Dual 12 MP + SL 3D f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY
3969 mAh, fast charging 18W, Qi wireless charging
2815 mAh, fast charging 20W, fast wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Waterproof IP68, Face ID, eSIM, optional dual SIM
IP68 waterproof, optional dual SIM, optional eSIM, Face ID, 5G
Design
Both iPhone 12 Pro and 11 Pro Max come with amazingly premium materials. Their bodies are composed of a glass back and a stainless steel frame and they both come with a borderless design including a notch on the front panel. I prefer the iPhone 12 Pro because it has more compact dimensions, a more attractive flag profile, and better water resistance (it is waterproof up to 6 meters deep instead of 4 meters guaranteed by the 11 Pro Max). Last but not least, the iPhone 12 is thinner and lighter.
Display
The displays of the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro are not so different between them. They both feature Super Retina XDR OLED panels with the HDR10+ certification and a brightness up to 1200 nits, as well as Dolby Vision and True-Tone technologies, and a wide color gamut. The 11 Pro Max has more pixels but the pixel density is more or less the same. The real difference is the display diagonal: you get just 6.1 inches on the iPhone 12 Pro, while the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display. That is what would let me go for the 11 Pro Max. They both have a notch which includes the sensors for 3D facial recognition, and they do not pack a fingerprint scanner.
Specs & Software
The hardware and software department is one of the most important differences between iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro. The iPhone 12 Pro is equipped with a stronger Apple A14 Bionic chipset paired with 6 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage. The 11 Pro Max has the same RAM and native storage, but it comes with a weaker Apple A13 Bionic. The iPhone 12 Pro is actually faster and it also comes with a more recent operating system out of the box. We are naturally talking about iOS 14.
Camera
The cameras of the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro are very similar, but there are a few important differences. The iPhone 12 Pro has a brighter focal aperture for the main camera so it should be able to click better photos in a lot of conditions. Further, the iPhone 12 Pro has an additional LiDAR scanner that retrieves depth info for AR appliances and more. You can actually shoot better photos and record better videos with the iPhone 12 Pro. The front cameras are exactly the same, including a 12 MP sensor and an SL 3D sensor for 3D facial recognition.
The battery of the 11 Pro Max is a lot bigger than the one found on the iPhone 12 Pro. That is the reason why the battery life of the 11 Pro Max is longer in almost every scenario. You get 3969 mAh against just 2815 mAh and there is nothing the 5 nm A14 Bionic chipset can do to fill the gap. On the other hand, you get MagSafe support with the iPhone 12 Pro, which allows for better wireless charging.
Price
Thanks to online street prices, you can actually find the 256 GB variant of the iPhone11 Pro Max for about €1300/$1100, while the iPhone 12 Pro starts from almost €1200/$1000. The only real advantages offered by the 11 Pro Max are its bigger battery and its wider display, but if you exclude that, it does not make sense to get the Pro Max with the iPhone 12 Pro in the same price range. With the iPhone 12 Pro, you can get a better camera department, higher-end chipset, MagSafe, and 5G which are definitely more important features.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro: PRO and CONS
Binatone, which is Motorola’s licensee has launched three new audio products in India. One is a Truly Wireless Earbuds(TWS), and two other Bluetooth earphones. They will be available on Flipkart, and Amazon in the country.
Motorola Verve Audio Products Price, Availability
The new audio products are namely Motorola Vervebuds 100(TWS), Ververap 105, and Verveloop 105. The prices of them are as follows:
*-These are reportedly introductory pricing. Accordingly, the Retail listing for Ververap 105 is ₹3,799($51.39). But the Vervebuds 100 page on Amazon doesn’t show any price.
Both the Motorola Vervebuds 100 and Verveloop105 will be available exclusively on Amazon. However, the Ververap 105 will be up for grabs on Amazon, and Flipkart, and offline channels.
Motorola Verve Audio Products Features
A. Vervebuds 100 TWS
First off, the Vervebuds 100 weighs 32grams. It comes in White and Black Color variants as per the YouTube Video(via Gadgets360). You also get ear tips in three different sizes(L, M, S). The case has a squarish design with slightly rounded corners. There is an LED light at the front. And a Motorola logo on the earbuds and top of the case.
In terms of Audio, Motorola says the earbuds have support for HiFi Audio. And Intelligent Noise reduction technique that enables Natural, Powerful bass. It has Touch Controls for accessing Media options like play/pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, and answer/reject calls. Other features include Bluetooth 5.0, IPX5 rating, and 14hrs battery life(5hrs-buds + 9-hrs-case).
The Ververap 105 flexible neckband-type Bluetooth earphones. They come in a single Black variant and weigh just 18grams. However, the earpiece is a canal type and doesn’t have silicone ear tips for grip. But they are magnetic and hence, we can attach both earpieces together when not in use.
In terms of Audio, they feature a 15mm audio driver unit and produce deep bass as per Motorola. Additionally, other features include Bluetooth 5.0, 8hrs battery life, IPX5 rating, buttons for media controls, integrated mic for hands-free calling. The earphones are also compatible with Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa.
C. Verveloop 105 Bluetooth in-ear Earphones
These are in-ear type Bluetooth earphones and have silicone tips on the earpiece. Also, the earpiece has a stabilizer hook for a firm grip on the ears. It comes in single Black Color and weighs 17grams. You get buttons for media controls, hands-free calling, etc. Motorola says it’s ideal for gym and sportspersons.
Further, the Verveloop 105 earphones have features like Bluetooth 5.0, 8hrs battery life, tangle-free cables, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Support.
Besides, All the products above support Hubble Connected’s “Hubble Connect for Verve Life App”. Through this, users can customize controls, and unlock nearly 70,000+ abilities of Alexa through this app.
Huawei‘s smartphone business is presently experiencing some challenges due to the US ban which prevents the company from accessing ICs from TSMC and other suppliers. The company is also grappling with a ban by Google which gave birth to its proprietary HarmonyOS (HongmengOS). In the absence of components for its smartphones, the tech giant seems to have shifted focus on building its ecosystem. The company has now launched the Huawei Smart DoorBell Pro alongside the Smart Camera Pro.
The Huawei Smart Doorbell Pro is capable of performing one-key calling and owners can communicate with the doorbell remotely through a mobile phone. It also records whenever a visitor calls at the door even when you are away. The doorbell can be paired with the Huawei Smart Screen such that when you are watching TV in the bedroom and a visitor presses the doorbell, the video of the visitor pops up on the screen. No. it won’t interrupt your program as it appears in picture-in-picture mode.
Furthermore, the Smart Doorbell Pro also comes with a voice change intercom function suitable for girls living alone. When a stranger presses the doorbell, you can easily change the voice through this function. The doorbell also supports wandering detection, and the system automatically records if the person stays for 10 seconds without pressing the bell. Thus, at night you can check if there is any recording of someone loitering at the front before going out.
In terms of hardware, the Huawei Smart Doorbell Pro is equipped with 32 ring fill lights which can provide a 24-hour full-color picture. The camera also comes with a 165-degree ultra-wide viewing angle. The doorbell is equipped with a HiSilicon family smart core that supports AI face recognition and infrared human body sensing.
The smart doorbell packs mammoth 6500mAh built-in battery that can last for up to 8-months. The indoor unit also has a built-in Wi-Fi relay to ensure that the network is not dropped or stuck during use. The gadget can also be paired with a smartphone via the Smart Life App. The app can be used to perform actions such as WeChat active push alarm information, abnormal alarm, anti-dismantle alarm, quick voice response, sending video and other functions.
The Huawei Smart Doorbell Pro is expected to be available in December, priced at 599 yuan (~$90). It will be sold in malls and major authorized e-commerce platforms.
Last week, Huawei shared EMUI 11.0 and Magic UI 4.0 update timeline for eligible devices. Based on that, the company has started rolling out the stable update to the first batch of devices consisting of models from the HUAWEI P40 series and the HUAWEI Mate30 series.
As per the roadmap released by Huawei, a total of 10 devices should receive EMUI 11 stable update in early November. But however, the company has begun to seed the builds only for 8 devices leaving out the two tablets – HUAWEI MatePad Pro and HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G.
That means the EMUI 11 stable update is currently live for the following devices.
Having said that, the update is currently limited to China only. Above all, even in the company’s home country, it is only available for certain users. That’s because the builds are being pushed in batches. Also, if the user is already running the latest open beta release, then they have a high chance of getting the update first.
After the Galaxy M21, Samsung is now rolling out the One UI Core 2.5 update to the next M series device. The new update for the Galaxy M31 brings the new UI version and Security patch along with few other improvements.
Samsung Galaxy M31
Our device got the update that has a firmware version M315FXXU2ATJ9 and weighs ~984MB. However, unlike Sammobile says, our unit got the October 1, 2020 Security Patch, and not November. Besides, as the report says, the update is currently rolling out in India but we don’t know the ETA for other regions yet.
That said, just like the M21, the update for Galaxy M31 also brings a few improvements to Messages, Keyboard, and Camera. First off is the Samsung Keyboard. The new update brings several features like input-language Search Function, split keyboard on Landscape Mode. You can check the changelog of the update here or in the images below.
1 of 2
Further, the Messages section now gets an SOS message feature. It allows users to share SOS-location every 30 minutes for a day. Additionally, the update also has Camera improvements and stability. Previously, the Galaxy M31 also got One UI Core 2.1 update last month which brought features like Single Take, Night Hyperlapse, My Filters, and more.
Samsung unveiled the One UI 2.5 based on Android 10 with Galaxy Note 20 series. Initially, we thought the update will roll out only to its Galaxy Note, S, and Z series of devices. However, the company surprised us by rolling it out to mid-range smartphones like Galaxy A51, and A71.
That said this is an OTA update and hence, it should reach you within a few days. You can check for it in the System Update section inside Settings.
A recent leak has aoppeared on Weibo fuelling speculations that Xiaomi will launch a budget phone with a powerful display and other impressive features soon. The model is said to belong to the Redmi Note 9 series and according to a fresh Weibo leak by noted tipster Digital Chat Station, the model will be known as Redmi Note 9 High-end version.
The Redmi Note 9 series are basically mid-range models but it looks like Xiaomi is planning to tweak things a bit. The leak shows that the Redmi Note 9 high version will support adaptive LCD screen refresh rate. The refresh rate will range from 30Hz to 120Hz. What this means is that the smartphone’s display will automatically switch between different refresh rates depending on the task being performed. Hard core gaming with see the display running at 120Hz refresh rate while actions such as watching movies may come down to 60Hz or 30Hz to conserve battery.
Further, the smartphone is expected tp pack a generous 4800mAh battery and with adaptive display tech, we expect some prolonged battery life. The device supports up to 33W wired charging speeds.
Specs-wise, the tipster hints that the device will have a 6.67-inch 2.5D Dot display with an FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The display is covered by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Another interesting revelation is that the device will have a 108 MP main camera, said to be Samsung’s ISOCELL HM2 sensor which was announced in September.
If you live in India, we are sure you tired of streaming YouTube in standard definition a.k.a. 480P on your mobile phone. There is good news now as YouTube has now restored HD streaming after more than 6 months.
It has been reported that 1080p streaming was already being enabled back for those on mobile networks back in September but for a few people. However, a lot more users now have it enabled for them.
The feature should remain for the foreseeable future but we won’t be surprised if a restriction is announced in case there is another round of lockdown.
Google Pixel 5 is definitely a good offering from the company in a long time. However, it didn’t escape the usual theme of Pixel devices having concerns. Few users of Pixel 5 have been reporting a condition where a gap exists between the display and frame of the device. And now, a Community specialist on the Google support page says it’s normal.
The Community specialist going by the name David Pop has replied to a query regarding the Pixel 5 Gap issue. Accordingly, On the Google support page(via PhoneArena), he says that the company investigated customer complaints. Along with this and their QC(Quality Control) data, he confirms that the gap between screen and body is normal. In fact, he goes on to say that it doesn’t have an effect on the IP68 water and dust resistance of the device.
However, his comment has drawn a lot of replies from users who express concerns about the design in long term. Contrary to what the Specialist claims, a user says that his unit has the same gap and dust gets piled up inside. He adds that on trying to press it near the front camera section it sits flush but a gap appears again on releasing the pressure.
That said, a teardown video earlier revealed that Pixel 5 is a well-built phone despite the gap between screen and body. And that the gap doesn’t pose any threat to the internals inside as a strong adhesive. And clips hold the device screen firm with the body. Still, the gap issue might have popped up due to poor Quality Control checks.
Besides, a few users say that the replacement units also have a similar problem. Having that said, users who are disappointed with this design flaw can try using the device. And see if the gap poses an issue in the long-term, or get a refund.
Kinera is a brand that should be higher up on everyone’s radar. It is an electronics company established in 2010 that focuses on developing a new generation of high–tech products for the consumer market. This year the company introduced a few different IEMs, each of which has been nothing short of high quality. Their latest introduction is, however, is a variant of an existing product, Kinera Nanna. The only difference this variant boasts is that of the color; its specifications remain the same.
The Kinera flagship is namedMount Nanna, and since the company is known to derive the product names from mythology, this pair is no exception. Nanna is a wife of the god Baldr and goddess of moon and wisdom. The new color variant of these electrostatic IEM earphones will officially launch on November 6th with an $899 price tag. Its sales and shipping are expected to start soon after the launch.
New Look
Mount Nanna comes in a mountain blue tone that gives it an appealing look and has a color contrast of a bright mountain sky. Even in terms of design, this new shade is different from its predecessors that had strokes of colors like red, brown, and blue on the faceplates.
Sound Quality
The Mount Nanna has a four-driver hybrid setup that produces decent sound output with a neutral sound signature. With defined tuning, this piece delivers warm and natural mids. Furthermore, its tuning has no peakiness, making it an ideal accessory for watching movies and having long music sessions. Its dynamic driver helps the bass deliver thumpy music while the balanced armature and electrostatic drivers ensure there are natural mids and smooth treble response with no peaks.
Extensions at Lower and Higher End
The driver setup provides good extensions at the lower and higher-end, providing good quick bass and smooth instrument details.
Pure Copper Braided Wire
The Mount Nanna comes with a pure copper braided wire, which gives smooth sound reproduction and also ensures a crisp and wide soundstage that terminates at a 3.5mm plug. The wire uses a 0.78mm 2-pin connector type.
Ergonomic Build Quality
The earpieces of Mount Nanna are well built with resin covered faceplates and are ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable fit.
Mount Nanna IEMs are perfect for people looking to mix high-sound quality with style. This pair is launching on November 6th with an $899 price tag. To know more about these earpieces, click here.
Last week, OnePlus rolled out the second system update for OnePlus 8T in the form of OxygenOS 11.0.2.3. Now, within a few days, the smartphone is receiving its third-ever update with version OxygenOS 11.0.3.4. Just like the previous release, this one too brings a number of fixes, optimization, and improvements.
The OxygenOS 11.0.3.4 update for OnePlus 8T comes with the following build numbers based on regions.
India (IN) – 11.0.3.4.KB05DA
Europe (EU) – 11.0.3.4.KB05BA
North America (NA) – 11.0.3.4.KB05AA
The changelog for the update mentions it to bring improvements for power consumption to reduce heat generation, mis-touch prevention, and camera stability. It also brings optimizations for fluidity in some games, imaging effect, mobile network connection, and also adds toast messages to indicate users while switching between sound profiles using the alert slider.
Lastly, the update brings fixes for status bar hovering in landscape mode, Play Store could not install apps, and network interruption while playing games.
OnePlus 8T OxygenOS 11.0.3.4 Official Changelog
System
Improved system power consumption performance to reduce heating
Improved mis-touch prevention to offer a better gaming experience
Optimized fluidity with some mainstream games to reduce lagging risks
Optimized user experience with Alert Slider by adding toast messages when switching among the 3 modes
Fixed the issue that the status bar kept hovering on the screen in landscape mode
Fixed the issue that Play Store could not install the app
Camera
Optimized the imaging effect to bring you with better shooting experience
Improved camera stability
Network
Optimized mobile network connection to improve the network intensity with signal
Fixed the small probability issue with network interruption while playing games
Like all OTA system updates, the latest release for the OnePlus 8T is being rolled out in batches. Hene, it may take time to reach every unit out there.
There was a time most phones had a metal back, and some notable ones such as the HTC One M7 and the Huawei-made Nexus 6P had a standout design. However, things have changed, and these days, several phones in the mid-range segment and most in the flagship category are covered in glass on both sides. But there is a chance that phones with metal back housing may make a return, thanks to the Google Pixel 5.
HTC One
Google’s Pixel 5 – first of the new age metal-clad phones?
Google took a different route with the launch of the Pixel 5. Unlike its predecessors, the phone is not a flagship but falls in the premium mid-range category. However, that is not the only change. The Pixel 5 also drops the Gorilla Glass back of its predecessors for an aluminum one while still retaining support for wireless charging, thus putting an end to the age-long belief that phones with wireless charging support can’t have a metal back cover.
Pixel 5’s rear housing design process | Image source: GSMArena
Google did explain how it was able to achieve wireless charging on the Pixel 5. It turns out that the back panel has a cut-out where the wireless charging coil is placed. They then coated the panel with a layer of bio-resin and smoothened it out, thus hiding the coil before applying the final coat of paint. Smooth, right?
The big question now is will we see more manufacturers adopt a similar technique, thus marking the return of metal phones? First, let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of metal.
Affordable – Metal is more affordable, especially in the long run, unlike glass which is expensive to replace when damaged. Take for example the iPhone 11 and Galaxy S20 series whose rear glass housing costs $129 and $99 respectively to replace. Other phones are less expensive to repair such as that of the OnePlus 8T which costs $38 to replace its rear glass housing.
Durable – Metal is more durable than plastic and glass. It can take a beating and survive drops better than other materials.
Lightweight – Just because a phone is made of metal doesn’t mean it is going to weigh a ton. The Pixel 5 weighs 151 grams even with its 4080mAh battery compared to the iPhone 12 Pro which weighs 189 grams and has a smaller 2815mAh battery.
Disadvantages of Metal
Heating – this is one of the main problems of metal phones even though metal is supposed to better help with heat dissipation. However, in the last few years, manufacturers have come up with better cooling methods such as liquid cooling, air cooling, use of graphite sheets, and cooling accessories which should help lower the temperature better than before.
Interference – Metal is known to block frequency waves which is why metal phones usually have the antenna area covered in a different material or have antenna bands that allow signals to reach the antennas inside the device. However, manufacturers have found ways to solve this, so it is no longer a problem.
Seeing as the issues associated with metal phones already have solutions, there is nothing stopping manufacturers from switching to metal.
Conclusion
While we don’t expect every manufacturer to ditch glass and jump back to metal just because there is now a way to add wireless charging to phones with metal back housings, Google has shown with the Pixel 5’s that there is more than one way to do things. And if manufacturers are trying to make more durable phones that don’t break the bank, they can switch to metal and come up with creative finishes that also accentuate the appearance of the phone.
After a busy Techtober, you might have thought it’s the end of new launches in 2020. But you are in for a bunch of new phones this month. Here we are with another edition of upcoming Smartphones for the month of November 2020. The list includes Huawei, Redmi, Vivo, Realme, Moto, and more. We are just 5 days into the month, and a bunch of devices have already been announced. So, stick around till the end to find out what phones are launching in the next few weeks.
Huawei Nova 8 SE
Huawei will launch the Nova 8 SE in China on November 5. As reported earlier, the device is likely to come in two variants. A recently leaked spec-sheet shows that the device will have two editions- One with Dimensity 720 SoC, and Dimensity 800U SoC. The former has 5G+4G SIM, while the latter has dual-5G support. Other expected features include a 6.5-inch OLED display, quad-camera with 64MP main lens, 16MP selfie shooter, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 3,800mAh battery with 66W fast charging. It will likely run EMUI 10.1 based on Android 10.
Redmi Note 9 series
Previously rumored to be the Redmi Note 10 series, three new Smartphones(M2007J17C, M2007J22C, M2007J19C) are expected to be added to the Redmi Note 9 lineup in China. Before you get confused, as of now, the new devices are likely headed to China. And doesn’t seem to resemble the already available ones. One of them likely has an LCD panel while the other has a high-refresh-rate screen. And likely have brightness up to 450 nits, NTSC 84%, 1500:1 contrast ratio. As of now, we don’t have an exact date but they are expected to go official later this month.
Honor V40 Series
Although rumors point to a December launch, Honor might jump the gun and bring it a month earlier as nothing is official yet. That said, the series will likely have two devices- V40 Pro, V40 Pro+. Expected features include a 6.72-inch FHD+ dual punch-hole curved display, 120Hz refresh rate, Dimensity 1000+SoC(V40 Pro), Kirin 9000 SoC(V40 Pro+), 50MP Sony IMX700 RYYB camera, 66W Wired SuperCharge, and 40W Wireless Charging.
Realme C17, X7 Pro
Realme has been mum for a while in India which is very unlike the company. However, it is likely coming back with new devices- Realme C17 for India, and Realme X7 Pro for India, and the Global market. The devices will likely launch this month(at least the C17). Realme C17 from Bangladesh features a 6.5-inch HD+ display, Snapdragon 460 SoC, quad-cameras, 6GB/128GB storage, and more. Realme X7 Pro is likely heading for a wider Global launch from China. It features a 6.55-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display, Dimensity 1000+ SoC, 64MP rear and 32MP front cameras, 5G, 65W SuperDart charging, and more.
Vivo X60 Series, V20 Pro
Vivo recently announced a transition to Origin OS for its smartphones. This new UI is expected to debut with the Vivo X60 series in November/December. Apart from a leaked naming(X60) on the advertisement hoarding from an Official Store, we don’t have any other info just yet. Vivo V20 Pro, which launched in China back in September, will debut by November End as revealed by its CEO in India. The device features a 6.44-inch AMOLED display, Snapdragon 765G, 64MP camera, 33W fast charging, and more.
Moto E7, G10 Play
Motorola is expected to break covers of the budget E7, and G10 Play very soon. The entry-level Moto E7 has bagged several certifications(FCC, NBTC, TUV) with model number X2095-3. It is likely to feature a 6.2-inch LCD HD+ display, Snapdragon 632 SoC, 2GB RAM/32GB storage, 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras, 4G, 3,550mAh battery, and more. The G10 Play is supposed to come out in a few weeks. Boasting a model number of XT-2117, it likely has a 6.5-inch screen with a single punch-hole at top left, side-fingerprint, USB-C, 3.5mm jack, 4,850mAh battery, and more.
Other Expected Launches – LAVA BE U
LAVA, an Indian Smartphone brand is likely to launch a women-centric BE U Smartphone around the Diwali period in India. Expected to debut around ₹10,000($135), the device might have a glossy finish with Pink Accents at the back. Although the specifications are not known yet, we can expect it to be designed completely in India considering it is an Indian company.
Samsung Galaxy M02
Samsung is expected to launch another entry-level smartphone, the Galaxy M02. This will likely succeed in the Galaxy M01 from July. Recently, it has passed both India’s BIS, and Bluetooth SIG certifications reveal it will likely have a Snapdragon 450 SoC, 2GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.2, and run on Android 10 OS. That said, there isn’t a specific launch date but considering the recent certification, it might go live anytime soon.
Devices Already launched so far (as of November 5)
Few companies squeezed the trigger before we could get our story out. Hence, here is the list of devices that launched very recently(a few days back).
Huawei held a conference today where it released a couple of smart products including the Huawei Smart Choice Camera Pro series. The camera is the first that supports the brand propriety Hongmeng OS.
Huawei Smart Choice Camera Pro is a surveillance camera which can be placed in the child’s room. The camera can achieve a 360-degree portrait automatically tracks the child’s movement. The camera can be connected to a screen in the living room or in the parent’s bedroom.
In addition, the Huawei Smart Camera Pro also supports one-click video calls, and NFC tags which support one-touch fast network distribution. The smart camera is equipped with a 32GB and 64GB eMMC flash memory. The read and write life is 5 times that of ordinary SD cards, and the speed is 10 times that of SD cards.
In terms of security, the HiLink SDK of Huawei Smart Camera Pro has obtained the highest security certification in the IoT field, which can ensure camera security and prevent intrusion.
The Huawei Smart Choice Camera Pro carries a starting price tag of 299 yuan (~$45) for the 32GB storage version and the 64GB storage version is priced at 399 yuan ($60). There is also a smart camera S starting at 159 yuan (~$24).
Sony has reportedly canceled the idea of refreshing the Xperia 10 Plus with a 10 II Plus. A Chinese tipster says the company is going to launch Xperia devices with 5G support in the future.
The report comes from a Chinese Tipster going by the name Caybule(via GSMArena)who says that Sony Xperia 10 II Plus(or a 10 Plus II) is canceled. Apparently, Sony decided that all the new Xperia models in the future should get 5G support. And hence, it has canceled the idea of launching a mid-range device with Snapdragon 720(Probably the 720G) SoC.
The report further says that if such Xperia existed, it would have popped up on the leak radar more by now. That’s understandable considering the Xperia 10 Plus got announced way back in MWC 2019. And a successor, if true, was already long overdue.
Anyway, a device with model number XQ-AQ52/53, believed to be the Xperia 10 II Plus, was spotted on EEC. The certification has a registration date of July 31, 2020, but we haven’t heard anything regarding the device since then.
Leap to 5G on mid-range devices
In case you don’t know, Sony announced Xperia 1 II and 10 II back in Feb this year. The 10 II is sort of the next iteration to the Xperia 10 that launched along with the 10 Plus. Adding a 10 II Plus(10 Plus II) to the tally would have fitted perfectly with upgrades in Processor, Camera, and more. This is because the 10 Plus has a Snapdragon 636 SoC while the 10 II Plus was rumored to get a Snapdragon 7 series SoC.
Besides, the report says two other models with OEM IDs PM-134X-BV and PM-135X-BV have been found on Sony servers. It is likely the Xperia 1 III and 10 III that’s due for 2021 but nothing’s certain yet. That said, if the tipster is true, Sony’s mid-range Smartphones will support 5G connectivity from 2021. But we will have to wait for the official word to confirm it.
Xiaomi has been continuously seeding MIUI 12 updates to its smartphones since the official announcement in April. But the Redmi Note 8 from last year only began to receive the update along with Android 10 in late September in China. Now, a similar build is finally live for the global variant of the handset.
For those unaware, the Redmi Note 8 international version has three types of builds and they are Global, India, and Indonesia respectively. However, the update is currently only available for the Global variant.
That means Redmi Note 8 users outside India and Indonesia can update their phone to MIUI 12 from the Settings app. Whereas, the customers in the two excluded countries will have to wait for more as even a single stable beta build is yet to go live for those regions.
That said, the MIUI 12 stable update for Redmi Note 8 global variant comes with build number V12.0.1.0.QCOMIXM. As mentioned in the beginning, this release also brings the long-awaited Android 10 upgrade as well.
Anyway, although Xiaomi has confirmed that they have rolled out the update to all the units out there, it may take time in certain cases. Hence, do not worry if you haven’t received the update yet.
Motorola has finally launched the Moto G 5G Smartphone today(November 5). The device starts below 300 euros in Europe. And brings features like 5G, 48MP camera, bigger battery to the table.
Motorola Moto G 5G Price, Availability
The new Motorola Moto G 5G will be available in two variants- 4GB RAM, 64GB storage. And 6GB RAM, 128GB storage. The base variant costs €299.99 while the higher 6GB RAM variant is priced at €349.99.
As for availability, the device will reportedly be ready for sale in European countries like Belgium. And the Netherlands by end of December. Several retailers are expected to begin the pre-orders as early as this month.
Motorola Moto G 5G Specifications
As Expected, the “Motorola Kiev” launched as the Moto G 5G today(via TechRadar) in Europe. The device has a similar rear panel to the higher-priced sibling, Moto G 5G Plus. The latter launched almost four months back at 349 euros. The front, however as a single centered punch-hole display compared to the double punch-hole on the Moto G 5G Plus.
There are power, volume buttons to the right, and a Google Assistant button to the left. The camera array on the rear is a squircle design and also has a Motorola logo that sits inside the fingerprint sensor.
As speculated, the display is a 6.7-inch FHD+(2400x1080p) which is similar to the Plus variant. But it has a lesser 60Hz refresh rate screen. Under the hood, we have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC. For cameras, there is a Samsung GM1 48MP main lens, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro lens on the rear, and 16MP front camera. The difference from the Plus variant is that its sibling doesn’t have a second front lens.
All this is backed up by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 20W fast charging. However, the device runs Android 10 and not 11 out of the box.
Xiaomi‘s Mi Developers Conference (MiDC) is presently ongoing and the innovative tech giant has unveiled a number of new technologies. Camera technology seems to be the focus as the company announced a new camera team. Xiaomi also announced a new telescopic camera developed by the brand’s research and development team.
The camera technology features a retractable design with the periscopic lens capable of achieving a 300% increase in light input and a 20% increase in clarity. According to Zeng Xuezhong, vice president of Xiaomi Group and president of the mobile phone department, this is Xiaomi taking inspiration from traditional cameras and independently developing new retractable lens technology. The new lens is said to have two major advantages. One is a large aperture, which increases the amount of light received by 300%, which can bring better night scene photography effects.
Secondly, the camera comes with a new anti-shake technology which offers better image stability. Thus, the sharpness of the image is increased by 20% and you get to capture a clear shot that isn’t affected even if the hand shakes while trying to take a shot.
From the demo videos shared by a Weibo user @Xiao1u, the telescopic lens will retract into the phone when not taking pictures, and will automatically extend when taking pictures, the whole process responds very quickly. Xiaomi has not announced when the technology will be released, and it is not clear which mobile phone will be the first to utilise the mechanism but this mechanical structure will have new problems to be solved, and it should take a long time to complete.
Xiaomi has launched a new IoT Software Platform called “Xiaomi Vela” at MIDC 2020 today(November 5) in China. Through this, Xiaomi aims to bring all the fragmented AIoT(Internet of Things) technologies under one roof.
Xiaomi’s General Manager of IoT Platform, Fan Dian says “Vela” in Latin means “Sail”. Accordingly, the company is willing to work with developers of different platforms. And sail through hurdles for a better future in the AIoT industry. Further, he adds(via ITHome) that the platform will extend to Smartwatches, Fitness Trackers, Smart speakers. And other Smart Home Appliances, camera ISPs, and sensors in the future.
What is Xiaomi Vela?
Xiaomi Vela is an IoT Software platform based on Open Source Embedded Operating System NuttX. It mainly has three parts/layers:
Bottom Layer- NuttX Kernel
Developer Tools
Upper Layer- Vela Application Framework
NuttX Kernel
Here, the underlying NuttX Kernel performs the basic task scheduling, cross-platform communication, file system, and other basic OS functions. Additionally, it contains device drivers, TCP/IP Protocol stacks, Power Management Component, and more.
Xiaomi Vela Framework
Xiaomi’s Vela Application Framework has two layers of its own. Accordingly, its Upper layer differs for different IoT platforms. However, the lower layer has system services including OTA(Over-The-Air), GUI, Local Storage, Scripting languages.
Preview Program Begins
That said, Xiaomi Vela can run on various chip platforms especially IoT devices. Thus it can unite different MCU hardware, software, communication protocols. The company mainly aims to support all application scenarios, and build an infrastructure for the IoT industry.
At the speech, Fan Dian also announced that Xioami’s IoT devices exceed 271 million. Including Mijia, 3800 partners are working on the company’s AIoT platform. The company has officially opened the preview program of Xiaomi Vela starting today. Accordingly, IoT companies including chip/equipment vendors. And developers are welcome to join the program.
In early to mid-October, a Motorola smartphone with model number XT2091 was spotted on multiple certification bureaus. This device was said to launch as Moto G9 Power. Now, this handset goes official in Europe for €200.
As the name suggests, the Motorola Moto G9 Power is all about its battery. This smartphone is backed by a massive 6,000mAh battery, which is common in a number of Galaxy M series phones.
However, those Samsung devices max out at 15W charging, whereas the Motorola handset supports 20W charging. Anyway, it still lags behind the Galaxy M51’s 7,000mAh battery and 25W fast charging.
That said, apart from the battery, the other specs of this device are mediocre. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. If required, the memory space can be further expanded up to 512GB using a microSD card.
On the front, the phone sports a 6.8-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels (HD+) and a punch-hole cutout at the top left corner housing a 16MP selfie camera.
Whereas, the back of the device features a square-shaped camera bump consisting of a 64MP primary snapper paired with a 2MP macro shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The rear panel also includes a capacitive fingerprint sensor hidden underneath the classic Motorola batwing logo.
Other features of the Motorola Moto G9 Power include dual-SIM support, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC, dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, Android 10 operating system, and two colors – Purple & Green.
It will be available in selected countries in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East in the coming weeks. Last but not least. this smartphone is also expected to launch as Lenovo K12 Power just like the Lenovo K12 Note, which is basically a rebadged Moto G9 Play.
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