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A leak on Weibo allegedly reveals the entire details of Apple’s October 13 event

Apple has scheduled a “Hi, Speed” event on October 13. From the hints on the invite page, the company will reveal the next iteration of iPhones, the iPhone 12 series. However, ahead of launch, the devices have been under the radar of leaks multiple times. The latest ones even gave a glimpse at the possible price tags. Now, a leak on Weibo reveals what could be the details of the entire keynote speech of the Apple event.

Apple

Apple HomePod Mini

The latest leak comes from a user named Kang on Weibo(via Ice Universe). He begins with the long-rumored HomePod Mini announcement. He says the HomePod Mini will have a 3.3-inch speaker, and be powered by S5 processor. For the unware, S5 is Apple’s own 64-bit Dual-core processor found one Apple Watch Series 5. Also, if Kang is referring to the height of the Mini, then it is at least 48% smaller than the standard HomePod.

However, it will reportedly launch on November 6/7 and be available by 16/17. That said, the availability may vary as per the region says Kang. Also, if Kang is right, HomePod Mini will be priced at $99 which is $200 less than the standard HomePod current price.

iPhone 12 series

Addressing the elephant in the room, Kang says the iPhone 12 series, as rumored multiple times, will have 4 models- iPhone 12 Mini, 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max. All of the will support 5G connectivity, However, only the USA models will have the mmWave standard initially. Additionally, the iPhone 12 models will have a ‘Smart Data Mode’ to efficiently allocate the 4G/5G bandwidth for various tasks to save power.

That said, the iPhone 12 models will not come with charger and lightning earphones in the box. But we can expect Apple to bundle a cable at least considering the new iPhones won’t adopt the Type-C standard.

Editor’s Pick: U.S. House panel rules Facebook, Apple, Amazon & Google are abusing their market power

Display, Colors, Storage, and Price

Talking about display, Kang says all the iPhone 12 models will have Super Retina XDR display. That’s Apple’s fancy word for OLED technology. Also, the displays will reportedly have a new screen Glass technology according to which, Apple will use a ceramic substrate Glass to increase hardness and drop resistance. That said the display sizes, their colors, storage, price, and launch dates are listed below:

Model NameDisplay Size(in inches)Color variantsStorage(in GB)Starting Price(in $)Pre-orders & launch Pre-order & Launch Dates
( Disclaimer: This is a leak and final dates may vary with regions)
iPhone 12 Mini5.4Black, White, Red, Blue, Green64
128
256
699Pre-order: Nov 6/7
Launch: Nov 13/14
iPhone 126.1Black, White, Red, Blue, Green64
128
256
799Pre-order: Oct 16/17
Launch: Oct 23/24
iPhone 12 Pro6.1Gold, Silver, Graphite, Blue128
256
512
999Pre-order: Oct 16/17
Launch: Oct 23/24
iPhone 12 Pro Max6.7Gold, Silver, Graphite, Blue128
256
512
1,099Pre-order: Nov 13/14
Launch: Nov 20/21

Return of MagSafe Charger

The most highlight leak of all is the alleged resurrection of MagSafe Chargers by Apple. As per the report, the magnetic iPhone case will have the magnets built-in and a MagSafe connector will connect it to iPhone to charge it. Additionally, Apple will also unveil two wireless named “MagSafe Charger” and “MagSafe Duo Charger” as accessories. That said either one or all will have an output of 15W.

If we recall, Apple introduced the MagSafe magnetic connector on MacBook Pros in 2006. Later it was discontinued despite the attention. That said, the leak falls in-line with an earlier leak which showed a circular array of 36 magnets fitted on an alleged iPhone 12 case.

iPhone 12 series Cameras

As per Kang, iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 will have a dual-camera on the back with a wide-angle, and ultra-wide f/1.6 lens. Improved camera modes would likely be Night scene, Smart HDR 3.

However, iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will have three sensors on the back. Those will reportedly be a wide-angle, ultra-wide, and Telephoto lens, and a LiDAR scanner. Besides, the wide-angle lens will be a 7P lens with f/1.6 aperture and the camera modes include a 4x,5x optical zoom on former and latter.

That said, the biggest difference between 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max according to Kang will be the wide-angle on Pro Max with a 47% larger sensor with 1.7μm pixels and 65mm focal length while the Pro will have a smaller 52mm. To sum up, Apple’s keynote speech is pretty much ruined by Kang but let’s take this with caution until Apple finally unveils them on Tuesday’s event.

Up Next: BOE reportedly supplies OLED screens to Apple for iPhone 12 models

Samsung announces 5nm Exynos 1080, beats Snapdragon 865 Plus on AnTuTu

Earlier today (9th October 2020), Samsung officially announced the new Exynos 1080 SoC, which is the company’s latest chipset that is built on the 5nm process with AnTuTu scores surpassing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+.

The next generation of smartphones will feature the new 5nm chips, which include Apple A14, Snapdragon 875, Kirin 9000, and even Exynos. Earlier this morning, Samsung Semiconductor China Research Institute director Dr. Pan Xuebao revealed in an interview that it will soon be launching its latest Exynos 1080 SoC. It is built on a 5nm process that is speculated to be the same 5nm LPE process as the Snapdragon 875, which should offer better energy efficiency.

Samsung
Exynos 1080

Furthermore, the new chips also utilize the new ARM Cortex-A78 CPU architecture along with the new Mali-G78 architecture as well. According to ARM’s official data, the A78 offers a 20 percent bump in CPU performance over the last gen A77, while the G78 offers a 25 percent higher performance when compared to the older G77 architecture. Notably, the new chip will first debut on a Vivo smartphone later this year in Q4 2020.

The new chip is being positioned at the mid to high end market, so we can expect it to be found on budget flagships, or upper mid range smartphones from Samsung and maybe other OEMs like Vivo as well. However, the South Korean tech giant is working on another processor as well, the Exynos 2100, which will debut in a Samsung device.

Samsung
Dr. Pan Xuebao, Director of the Samsung Semiconductor China Research Institute

The company’s official also revealed the AnTuTu scores of the new Exynos 1080 chipset during the interview. He stated that the device scored over 650,000 points on the AnTuTu benchmark, which is higher than the scores achieved by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 865+. The Exynos chip is claimed to be specifically for the Chinese market, with the Vivo X60 debuting with the chip by 2020 end.

 

Google releases Gmail Go on the Play Store & it is open for all Android phones

Google‘s Gmail is one of the several apps with a lighter version designed for smartphones with low-end specs. The app is known as Gmail Go and is designed for phones running on Android Go edition of the Android operating system. The company has now expanded the range of phones that can get Gmail Go.Gmail go

Google has now floated the Gmail Go app on the Play Store and it is available for every Android phone to download and use without restrictions.

Gmail Go offers the same email experience as the full-fledged Gmail app but it doesn’t have some of the heavy visual elements that are found on the Gmail app. Also, it is not integrated with Google Meet as the “Meet” button at the bottom of the screen is absent. Also, the overall aspect of the app is slightly “cleaner” in the sense that it doesn’t make use of shadows.

You can download the Gmail Go app on the Google Play Store at the moment but do note that you may not find it appealing if you are used to the full-fledge app. Also, if you are having issues with RAM management, this app can come in useful to free up some RAM space on your phone.

 

 

Google unveils new alert feature that notifies if your account has been hacked

Google has just unveiled a new security feature that arrives in the form of new alerts. These alerts are designed to function as security alerts that notify the user if a hacker has broken into their account.

Google

Earlier this week, the company debuted the new redesign of its “critical alert” notification, which is said to be impossible for hackers to spoof. Previously, users would only receive a mail regarding certain suspicious behavior, but now, a notification will be displayed via the Google app itself to alert one of a possible hacker breaking into your account. After receiving this notification, users can choose to lock down access to the account and even remove the hacker.

Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Google Vice President stated that “when we detect a serious Google Account security issue, we’ll automatically display an alert within the Google app you’re using and help you address it —no need to check email or your phone’s alerts. The new alerts are resistant to spoofing, so you can always be sure they’re coming from us. We’ll begin a limited roll out in the coming weeks and plan to expand more broadly early next year.”

Google

According to a PCMag report, the new alerts feature will first debut for iOS users, with the new redesigns building on top of Google’s current safeguards and security measures. These alert would utilize the Android push notification system as well, to promptly notify the users of the potential breach in their account. The email based alerts will still remain active alongside the new push notifications.

Razer BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard launched, starts at 699 yuan ($104)

Razer has launched a brand new gaming keyboard dubbed BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard. The keyboard comes in two shafts, green and yellow, which are developed by Razer.Razer BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard

The Razer Black Widow Spider V3 uses classic full-height buttons, optimized for game triggers, including total green axis travel of 4mm, trigger travel of 1.9mm, trigger pressure of up to 50g, yellow axis total travel 3.5mm, trigger travel of 1.2mm. The keyboard also has a button life of up to 80 million times.

The yellow axis is a kind of axis body launched by Razer in 2017. The key travel is shorter, which allows players to tap the buttons multiple times at a faster speed. It also provides a straight up and down linear feel and quiet button sound, satisfying professional gamers’ demands.Razer BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard

The new keyboard also has a new transparent shaft shell which can show the Chroma RGB lighting effect. With Thundercloud 3 software, it supports interaction with more than 150 games and can switch the lighting effect according to the character or environment.Razer BlackWidow V3 mechanical keyboard

The keyboard equally features ABS keycaps manufactured using two-color injection moulding process and optimized coating to effectively solve the problem of oiling. The wall thickness is also enhanced.

There is a groove at the back of the keyboard that can accommodate wires while the wired version uses up to 2 meters of braided fibre cables. The keyboard has aluminium frosted top panel, 1000Hz polling rate, and 129 hours of battery life for the wireless version.

Razer Black Widow Spider V3 mechanical keyboard is available in three styles:

  • 104 key standard version: 104 keys plus 4 multimedia buttons, with wrist rest, USB connection, 1280 grams (excluding wrist rest), special offer pink crystal green shaft version, priced at 899 yuan ($133).
  • 104-key wireless version: 104 keys plus 4 multimedia buttons, with wrist rest, 2.4GHz/Bluetooth 5.0/USB connection, 1420 grams (excluding wrist rest), priced at 1499 yuan ($223)
  • 87-key sports version: 87 keys, no wrist rest, USB connection, 840 grams, priced at 699 yuan ($104).

 

Verizon rebrands TCL TABMID as TCL TAB for the US

At IFA 2020, TCL announced a couple of tablets called TABMAX and TABMID for the European markets. Over a month later, Verizon Wireless has now rebranded the latter tablet as TCL TAB for the US market. It is priced at $199.99 and is already available for purchase on the carrier’s official website and from its retail stores across the country.

Verizon Wireless TCL TAB Featured
TCL TAB by Verizon Wireless

The newly launched TCL TAB is a budget Android tablet with an 8-inch FHD+ (1920 x1200 pixels) LCD panel with Asahi Dragontrail glass protection. Under the hood, it features Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage.

Although the company does not mention it, going by the pictures of the tablet, it seems to be made entirely of polycarbonate. That said, its rear panel sports an 8MP camera, whereas, on the front, it comes fitted with a 5MP sensor for selfies and video calls.

As for connectivity, the TCL TAB comes with dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and USB Type-C port. Unfortunately, it does not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack even though it is targeted for consuming media.

Anyway, it does come with Android 10, a 5,500mAh battery, support for microSD card (up to 256GB), and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor just like the new Apple iPad Air 4th Generation.

 

(Via)

AMD in talks to acquire Xilinx for $30 Billion: Report

A new report has revealed that AMD is apparently working on better competing with its rivals, Intel and Nvidia, through the acquisition of Xilinx. Reportedly, the known chipmaker is in advanced talks with the FPGA maker for a deal of around 30 billion US Dollars.

AMD Logo

For those unaware, Xilinx is known for its FPGA products and has shared a close relationship with AMD in the past. The company has worked with team red for the Xilinx deep learning solution on the AMD EPYC processors among other endeavors. FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) are semiconductor devices that can be configured and offer various advantages over other types of devices like CPU or GPU in terms of flexibility with a varied workload.

According to a WallStreetJournal report, the talks of acquisition are apparently in the advance stages, although no finer details regarding the deal are currently known. Although, the move might be AMD’s efforts to strengthen itself to better take on its primary rival Intel (for processors) and Nvidia (for graphics cards). Xilinx has made various breakthroughs within its 7nm processes and bringing its technology over to AMD might broaden the latter’s arsenal.

AMD

Furthermore, we could soon see a closely knit CPU+FPGA solutions in the near future through this buyout within AMD’s current chiplet designs. The EPYC platform would also benefit from this, with an integrated FPGA chiplets to boost AI workload performance in data centers. Notably, bringing Xilin under its roof might open doors for AMD in the automotive, aerospace and defense, data center, HPC, industrial, IoT, and communications markets that the FPGA maker currently operates within.

 

Samsung Galaxy Buds Sound might be the company’s next earbuds: Report

Not too long ago, Samsung had launched the Galaxy Buds Live that is currently its latest earbuds. Now, a new report has revealed that the upcoming earbuds from the company might be called Galaxy Buds Sound.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Official Featured
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

According to a SamMobile report, the earbud is in pre production at the moment, so it is still a while away from its official release. However, the South Korean tech giant has filed a new trademark application with the UK Intellectual Property Office for the name Samsung (Galaxy) Buds Sound. The trademark application is only for the name and doesn’t reveal any finer details regarding the product itself.

Furthermore, the application is filed under the Class 9 of goods, which also covers a wide range of products ranging from VR headsets and TVs to printers and even wireless earphones. So, Samsung can potentially use the name for many different categories of electronic gadget, but the “Buds” in the name is a clear indicator of it being a truly wireless earbuds hearables.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Samsung Galaxy Buds+

Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of information to go on and the company might never actually use this name for its future earbuds. Samsung might just end up using another name altogether as well, with an example being the trademark for Bean and actually launching the Galaxy Buds Live. So take this report with a pinch of salt for now and stay tuned for more updates.

 

Huawei smartphones powered by Kirin chipset sees price increase in second-hand market

It has become difficult to get hold of a Huawei smartphone powered by the company’s own Kirin chipset ever since the United States government has imposed additional sanctions on the Chinese giant.

Because of this, the pricing of Huawei smartphones in the used devices or second-hand market has increased by more than 10 percent. This is interesting given that the pricing of the iPhone in the used devices market has declined.

China Second-Hand Smartphone Market Share

According to the report, the pricing of Huawei devices powered by the Kirin chipset has increased by 12 percent from the month of June to September. Also, Huawei and Honor smartphones now cover around 24 percent of the second-hand market, on par with Apple.

The most popular smartphones from Huawei are 4G and 5G versions of the Mate 30 128GB model and Mate 30 Pro 128GB model, both of which have seen a price rise of 10 percent.

EDITOR’S PICK: Vivo’s IFEA Camera smartphone concept with modular design wins Red Dot Award

The report from China also shows that the value preservation rate of a variety of domestic smartphones exceeded 80 percent. Among them, the flagship model — Huawei P40 Pro 5G was ranked first with a retention rate of 84.96 percent.

For those unaware, Huawei lost access to chips because of the new sanctions from the United States. The company has stockpiled on Kirin chips but has a limited quantity that could last a few months.

Meanwhile, the company is gearing up to launch its upcoming flagship smartphone — Mate 40 in the coming weeks. The device will be powered by the Kirin 9000 chipset, which could be the company’s flagship chipset.

 

Samsung officially unveils the full specs of the Galaxy A42 5G

Back in September, Samsung had teased its most affordable 5G handset, the Galaxy A42 5G, with a 6.6 inch AMOLED display. Now, the company has officially unveiled additional information regarding the smartphone.

Samsung

According to a GSMArena report, the South Korean tech giant released an official image that detailed the complete specs of the upcoming affordable 5G device. The Galaxy A52 5G sports a 6.6 inch HD+ AMOLED Infinity U Display with a 20 megapixel selfie camera on the front. On the rear, a quad camera setup can be found with a 48 megapixel primary sensor (f/1.8), 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens (f/2.2), 5 megapixel depth sensor (f/2.4), and another 5 megapixel macro lens (f/2.4).

Under the hood, the Samsung 5G handset runs the newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC and is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery that supports quick charging up to 15W. For memory, customers are offering 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB of RAM configurations along with 128GB of internal storage, which is expandable via a microSD card slot.

Samsung

The Galaxy A52 5G also houses an in display fingerprint scanner as well and will arrive in multiple color variants including, Prism Dot Black, Prism Dot White, and Prism Dot Gray. Unfortunately, while the specs have been showcased in the image, the company has yet to reveal an official launch date. However, we can expect the device to be more affordable than the previously launched, the Galaxy A51 5G.

 

Samsung Galaxy A21s now available in 6GB + 128GB variant in India

Samsung launched the Galaxy A21s in the month of May in Europe as the world’s first smartphone powered by the company’s in-house Exynos 850 chipset. A month later, this handset made its debut in India in two storage configurations- 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 64GB respectively, Now, nearly four months later, the South Korean tech giant has unveiled a new 6GB + 128GB variant of Galaxy A21s in the country.

Galaxy A21s Featured

The latest version of the Galaxy A21s only differs in terms of its internal storage and RAM. Apart from these two changes, this is exactly the same device that launched a few months back in India and other regions.

That said, the newly announced Galaxy A21s in 6GB + 128GB storage configuration is priced at ₹17,499. As part of the launch offer, Samsung is offering a ₹750 discount while buying it via ICICI Bank credit/debit card EMI option.

The base 4GB + 64GB and the former high-end 6GB + 64GB variants of this phone currently retails for ₹14,999 and ₹16,499 respectively. All three versions of this device can be bought in either White, Black or Bluet color option.

Last but not least, unlike the Galaxy M and Galaxy F series of Samsung smartphones, which are exclusive to Amazon, Flipkart, select offline retailers, and Samsung online store, the Galaxy A21s  can be bought from literally anywhere.

 

(Via)

Vivo’s IFEA Camera smartphone concept with modular design wins Red Dot Award

Smartphone manufacturers have been trying to make several design changes to make their devices stand out from the competition. There are major developments happening for the front-facing camera module, from pop-up to under-display sensor.

At the same time, Vivo has developed a new concept smartphone, dubbed IFEA that has a detachable front camera module. Now, this modular design from the Chinese company has won the Red Dot Design Award.

Vivo IFEA

Based on the description on the award landing page, this new IFEA smartphone design from Vivo is an attempt to offer a new photography system and experience which is totally different from what is usually offered with a smartphone.

IFEA is designed to equip smartphones with a detachable front camera. It integrates enhanced user-friendly shooting features and the users can create and record images and videos anytime and anywhere.

EDITOR’S PICK: Vivo X50, Realme 7, OnePlus Nord, and many more get support for Google Play Services for AR

Vivo IFEA

Further, the device can also be controlled through voice commands, in what is said to be an interactive and intuitive design. IFEA has multiple accessories and support mechanisms with different modes to increase stability and storage.

So far, it seems that the phone is just a concept design and the company has no plans to make it available commercially anytime soon. If Vivo is indeed planning to launch it in the market, we should hear from the company soon.

Meanwhile, the China-based smartphone maker is gearing up to launch the Vivo X60 series phones in its home market in a couple of months, which will be the successor to the Vivo X50 series devices launched in June this year.

 

OnePlus 8T render shows smartphone in Lunar Silver and Aquamarine colors

OnePlus is gearing up to launch its OnePlus 8T flagship smartphone in the coming days and ahead of the launch, the company has already showcased the device in Aquamarine color, which looks like a shade of green.

Now, leakster Ishan Agarwal has shared two renders of the upcoming smartphone, showcasing the device in Lunar Silver and Aquamarine. This is probably the first look at the Lunar Silver OnePlus 8T.

OnePlus 8T Render Color Options

In terms of design, the phone features a quad-camera setup on the back which is placed in the top-left corner. The camera sensors are housed inside a rectangular module that has rounded corners, along with two LED flash.

As per the leaks, the OnePlus 8T will come with a 6.5-inch S-AMOLED Full HD+ display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 20:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is powered by Snapdragon 865 SoC, along with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage.

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme Q2 Pro to come with a leather finish and trendy design

In the camera department, the phone features a 48MP primary sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro shooter, and a 2MP monochrome lens. On the front side, there’s a 16MP camera for taking selfies and video calling.

It is likely to come running the latest Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own OxygenOS on top. The phone is powered by a 4,500mAh battery along with support for Warp Charge 65 fast charging technology.

Interestingly, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has already confirmed that the company won’t be launching a Pro variant of the OnePlus 8T smartphone because there’s no room for major improvements over its predecessor.

 

Google Pixel 4a and Nest Audio are cheaper than their predecessors in India

Google launched the Pixel 4a in the month of August in its home country after a long delay. At the same time, the internet search giant also announced its budget handset for India, however, it neither revealed its availability nor its price. But now, after two months from the device’s initial debut, the company has finally confirmed that Pixel 4a will be available in the world’s second-largest smartphone market from October 16 along with Nest Audio. 

Both of them can be yours for an introductory price tags of ₹29,999 ($410) and ₹6,999 ($96) as part for Flipkart Big Billion Days sale. Thereafter, they will sell for ₹31,999 ($437) and ₹7,999 ($109) respectively. For comparison, the predecessors of these two devices debuted for ₹39,999 ($547) and ₹9,999 ($137).

Google Pixel 4a Just Black Featured

The Google Pixel 4a is one of the best-rated budget smartphones in the US for its $349 asking price. But in India, even at an introductory price of ₹29,999, it will be competing against the likes of OnePlus Nord, realme X3/X3 SuperZoom, Redmi K20 Pro, and realme 7 Pro to name a few. All of these handsets are cheaper than the Pixel 4a and offer better hardware.

However, where Google excels is in the camera as well as the software department. The Pixel 4a, with its single 12.2 Sony IMX363 sensor performs better than most handsets, as per reviews by major publications.

 

But it is powered by an older Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset paired with 128GB UFS 2.1 storage and 6GB RAM. This silicon is not bad but the competition offers many powerful chips like Snapdragon 855/855+ and Snapdragon 765G.

On the plus side, the Pixel 4a comes with a manageable 5.8-inch OLED display and weighs only 143g, thanks to its polycarbonate build. It even comes with a 3.5mm headphone that other devices in this range lack. In other words, it is a niche device and is definitely not meant for everyone.

Google Nest Audio All Colors

Talking about Nest Audio, it is the direct successor to the original Google Home launched back in 2017 with a revamped design. Even the international reviews for it are positive just like the Pixel 4a.

That said, though it comes in five colors, in India, Google will be only selling the Chalk and Charcoal options. Apart from Flipkart, it will be also available at Reliance Digital and Tata Cliq retail stores spread across the country.

 

BOE reportedly supplies OLED screens to Apple for iPhone 12 models

BOE, one of the leading display maker in China, has been trying to enter the list of suppliers for Apple for some time, and now it seems that the company has finally been able to do so with the upcoming iPhone 12 models.

As per the latest report, BOE has supplied flexible OLED panels for the iPhone 12 models to Apple. However, the order is said to be of limited quantity only as LG Display is still the tech giant’s second choice for display suppliers and Samsung Display being the primary supplier for the display panel.

BOE

EDITOR’S PICK: Realme Q2 Pro to come with a leather finish and trendy design

Earlier, it was reported that the BOE, which is already a display supplier for MacBook and iPad, will be supplying OLED screens for the upcoming iPhones as Apple tries to reduce dependence on Samsung. But some reports indicated that the Chinese firm didn’t meet Apple’s standard but could enter the supply chain later.

Now, the company is expected to play a bigger role as an iPhone display supplier for next year’s models. China-based BOE has already set up a new production line called B11 (aka Apple line) which is specifically dedicated to the production of OLED panels for iPhones in the second half of 2021.

Meanwhile, Apple is all set to launch its next-generation iPhone 12 models on 13th October and has already sent out invites. This time, the company will be launching four models — all of which have an OLED screen and 5G connectivity support.

 

Realme Q2 series smartphone to come with leather finish and trendy design

Realme is gearing up to launch a new smartphone series, dubbed as Realme Q2 series. While the launch date has not been confirmed by the company, reports indicate that it could go official on 13th October in China.

Now, Xu Qi, Realme’s Vice President and President of Global Marketing has shared some details about the upcoming device. He has confirmed that the Realme Q2 will come in a trendy design with a leather finish.

Realme Q2 Pro Leather Finish

Realme Q2 Pro Leather Finish

The photo of the phone’s back panel has also been shared by Xu Qi, which showcases the smartphone in a light grey colored leather finish. There’s also a fine print of “DARE TO LEAP”, the company’s tagline or motto as well as Realme branding.

As per the leaks, the Realme Q2 features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ LCD punch-hole display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it is powered by a 2.4GHz octa-core processor but the chipset name is not yet known. It could pack MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ SoC with support for 5G connectivity.

EDITOR’S PICK: Fitbit Sense finally gets the ECG app functionality in the US and European market

The phone is expected to come with a triple-camera setup on the back, including a 48-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary lens, and a 2-megapixel sensor. On the front side, there will be a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with fast charging support.

On the other hand, the Pro variant is expected to come packed with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It will feature a quad-camera setup on the back which includes 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP sensors. It is also said to come with support for 65W fast charging technology.

 

Xiaomi Mi 5 & Mi 5s Plus get updated to Android 11, thanks to LineageOS 18.0

It has been a little over four years since Xiaomi launched the Mi 5 and Mi 5 Plus. We have had four successive flagship series since then in the Mi 6, Mi 8, Mi 9 and Mi 10 series. However, there are persons who still hold on to their Mi 5 models. But getting new OS update from Xiaomi is presently out of the question. The models originally boot Android 6.0 Marshmallow but were upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo-based MIUI 10 as its final major upgrade.

However, if you own the Mi 5 or Mi 5 Plus and would like to experience the latest Android version on your good old Mi 5 or Mi 5 Plus, Lineage OS has come to the rescue. LineageOS 18.0 has ported the Mi 5 to Android 11.

A support page for the Mi 5 at XDA Developers (via 1, 2) claims that even with the third-party arrangement, practically everything works. Also, LineageOS 18.0 supports all configurations of the Mi 5. The custom ROM is in a beta phase anyway and you should expect some bugs and glitches.

On the other hand, the Mi 5s Plus ROM, which is not the same as the one for the Mi 5, is in a testing phase. Also, the Wfd Service does not work with this build.

In case you plan on porting to this custom ROM, do ensure that you save all your data before installing either of these ROMs.

 

Fitbit Sense finally gets the ECG app functionality in the US and Europe

As the most expensive Smartwatch of the company yet, Fitbit Sense finally gets the ECG App functionality in the US, Germany, and UK. The App, which was not available at launch, was approved by both the FDA and EU last month.

Fitbit Sense

As reported by Tizenhelp(via 9to5Google), the Smartwatch has already started getting the update in the US, Uk, and Germany. The report says that countries like India are also on the list but the exact date is unknown. For the unaware, Fitbit launched the Fitbit Sense Smartwatch back in August at $329. The Smartwatch has advanced health tracking features like ECG, EDA, and support for Google Assistant, and Alexa.

However, the ECG feature was not available at the launch as the company had an approval pending at the USA’s FDA(Food and Drug Administration). And the EU’s CE marking(EEA health standard). That said, the company is now rolling out the feature as promised. Besides, the report says the company conducted multi-site clinical trials across the US to submit data for regulatory approval.

ECG feature- How it works?

Coming back, the new update will be available to all users in the above-mentioned countries soon. You can also install it manually by downloading the app from Fitbit official website or trying it via the Fitbit app on your Smartphone. After installing, go to Assessments & Reports->Discover Tab->Heart Rhythm assistant. After accepting terms, open the ECG app on Fitbit Sense and complete setup. You have to put your fingers on either side of the stainless steel ring of the watch. This will take a reading of your heartbeat to help you access heart rhythm and detect any atrial fibrillation in the future.

Fitbit Sense Health and tracking features

Anyway, the Fitbit Sense is the first Smartwatch to have ECG(Electrocardiogram), and EDA(Electrodermal Activity) sensors. According to Fitbit, it has 98.7% and 100% successful rate of AFib, and Heartrate respectively. AFib is commonly an irregular heartbeat that can lead to several heart-related complications. However, EDA measures the sweat level on the skin to monitor stress levels.

Other features on the Smartwatch include Exercise modes, 24/7 100% accurate heartrate, skin temperature sensor, SpO2 for blood Oxygen levels, and more. The Smartwatch is already available in the US but will be available in Europe from October 16.

Up Next: Meizu Smartwatch Weibo account registered; product launching in Q4 2020

Huawei Mate X2 handled in leaked picture showing a similar design to the Mate Xs

Huawei is expected to unveil its flagship Mate 40 series any moment from now. The anticipated models include the Mate X2 and Mate X2 Pro. The company may also introduce another flagship product, this time the Mate X2 foldable phone.

There is no official word on when the Mate X2 will be launched but there are speculations it won’t hit the market until next year. It could also make an appearance alongside the Mate 40 series. A purported hands-on image of the Mate X2 has leaked online. The leak which appeared on Weibo thanks to Chinese blogger @8090 Life Digital, gives us a glimpse of the alleged Mate X2 in its fully unfolded state. We must note that the device looks just like the Mate Xs which in turn was nearly identical to the Mate X.Huawei Mate X2

The phone appears to utilise an outward folding design even though this is at variance with recent patent filings which point to an infolding design. The foldable design adopts the same screen protector as it predecessor.

The Huawei Mate X2 is rumoured to feature the same 8-inch screen as the Mate X alongside a rear-mounted camera setup. The foldable smartphone is also expected to pack the flagship Kirin 9000 chipset which will also be used by the Mate 40 series.

 

 

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition will launch on October 14

It appears the OnePlus Buds Z is not the only pair of earphones OnePlus plans to announce at its product launch next week. A leak has revealed the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z will get a special edition. This new version will launch as the Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition.

The new earphones will have a heavy focus on bass according to Ishan Agarwal, the leaker who revealed the info to 91Mobiles in an exclusive post. He says the core features such as the drivers, magnetic control, and fast charging technology will be similar to that of the original which was announced in April. However, the battery life will be a little less, dropping to 17 hours from the 20-hour battery life of the standard version.

There is no mention of the design but we expect some minor differences will be present. With respect to price, the Bullets Wireless Z Bass Edition should also be pretty affordable. The Bullets Wireless Z launched for $49.95 in the US (INR 1,999 (~$27) in India) but is now being sold for $29.95, so the Bass Edition should be really affordable too.