With the iPhone 12 series launch edging closer, new rumors regarding the upcoming Apple flagship have been surfacing online. The latest report arrives from TrendForce, which states that the 2020 lineup will launch without the usual accessories and with a price higher than the iPhone 11 series.
According to the report, the Apple iPhone 12 series will ship without a charger in the box and without wired EarPods. This had previously been reported by analysts in the recent past as well, which suggests that the company might be offering a 20W charger separately. Notably, the TrendForce report also suggests the pricing of the iPhone 12 series as well. This includes:
iPhone 12: Starts between $699 and $749
iPhone 12 Max: Starts between $799 and $849
iPhone 12 Pro: Starts between $1,049 and $1,099
iPhone 12 Pro Max: Starts between $1,149 and $1,199
If the Cupertino based giant does opt for such a pricing strategy, the 2020 flagship will be more expensive than its previous generation. This was expected to a certain degree since the newer generation features 5G networking and other improvements, but Apple had suggested that it is taking steps to lower the costs. So stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.
For those unaware, the Trump administration further tightened the restrictions on Huawei. The move came to ban the company from using any American made tools or equipment without the supplier acquiring a special license from the US Government. Despite the sanctions being aimed at Huawei, the effects were also felt by the Taiwanese chipmaker, who lost its share value in the market as well.
According to a Reutersreport, analysts have stated that MediaTek might be among the worst affected companies from the recent curbs. The company has stated that it will follow the global trade regulations and has also applied for permission to supply Huawei after 15th September 2020. Since Huawei lost TSMC as its primary chip supplier, MediaTek has seen an increase in orders from the Chinese company, so it is clear why the company wouldn’t want to miss out on a major customer.
While it remains to be seen how the US government responds to this, it seems highly unlikely that MediaTek would be granted a special license. In the past, other chipmakers like Qualcomm had also attempted to obtain permission to trade with Huawei. The US has stood firmly against Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE, with recent trade regulations that have even tested their relationship with their respective suppliers.
Xiaomi officially launches Mi 10 Youth Doraemon Limited Edition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the franchise. This variant of the handset comes in a single 8GB + 256GB storage configuration priced at 2,799 yuan ($407). It is currently up for pre-order and will be available for purchase starting September 1 in China.
The new Mi 10 Youth Doraemon Limited Edition features a blue-colored body similar to the regular “Blueberry Minit” color variant. But additionally, it also sports a giant Doraemon face at the bottom of the rear glass panel.
The phone is shipped in the same color box as the device with an identical giant Doraemon face printed on it. Buyers also get a Doraemon-themed case as well as a figurine (action figure) of the character.
Talking about the handset, it does not differ from the regular variant in terms of specifications. The only dissimilarity is its paint job and it comes with a Doraemon theme out of the box. But anyway, any user can apply that theme on phones running MIUI if Xiaomi makes it available in the MIUI Themes app.
That means we are looking at a mid-range 5G smartphone powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G with OIS-equipped 5x optical zoom lens and Doraemon vibes bringing back childhood memories for some.
Xiaomi is targeting this device for the fans of the franchise and students getting ready for their new school year this September. There’s no official word on international availability and it makes sense as the Mi 10 Youth is still limited to China even after four months from its launch.
Earlier this week, Realme launched the microsite for the upcoming Realme 7 series that includes two phones such as Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro. The page had carried details on how to place blind orders for the Realme 7 series. The page is now updated with the camera details of the Realme 7 Pro smartphone. Also, popular tipster Mukul Sharma has revealed the full specifications of the Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro smartphones in his new YouTube video.
The Realme 6 series came with Samsung GW1 64-megapixel sensor. Realme has now confirmed that the successor models will be sporting a new Sony-branded 64-megapixel primary shooter with a 1/1.73-inch sensor size and f/1.8 aperture. The other thing that is mentioned about the Realme 7 series will be powered by the “world’s first processor.”
Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro specifications (Rumored)
As per leaked information shared by the tipster, the Realme 7 could be the first phone to feature the all-new Helio G95 chipset. It may come with other specs such as a 6.5-inch FHD+ LCD screen with 90Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 5,000mAh battery with 30W Dart Charge technology, 6 GB / 8 GB LPPDR4x RAM, 64 GB / 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage, and side-facing fingerprint reader.
It has a 64-megapixel Sony IMX682 lens, a 119-degree 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel b/w portrait camera, and a 2-megapixel macro lens with 2cm focal length. For selfies, it will have a 16-megapixel front camera.
The Realme 7 Pro will have a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with 60Hz refresh rate support, and in-screen fingerprint reader. It will be fueled by Snapdragon 720 chipset and 6 GB / 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The phone will come with 128 GB / 256 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Its 4,500mAh battery will support 65W SuperDart charging. The Realme 7 Pro may borrow its quad rear cameras from the vanilla model. For selfies, it may sport a 32-megapixel selfie snapper.
While OnePlus has generally offered great value for money flagship handsets, it finally launched a mid range smartphone, the OnePlus Nord. Now, the company is also looking to enter the budget segment as well with the OnePlus Clover.
The recently launched mid range device, OnePlus Nord
According to a report from AndroidCentral, the Chinese company will soon be launching a new entry level device. The ‘Clover’ will reportedly feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 SoC, alongside a 720p display. It will be priced somewhere around 200 US Dollars and will be powered by a large 6,000mAh battery. The source almost mentioned that the company is launching the budget friendly device globally, with a special focus towards key markets like India.
OnePlus Clover’s display has a resolution of 1560 x 720 px and is a 6.52 inch IPS LCD screen. In terms of memory, the device is said to offer 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which will be expandable via a microSD card slot. For security, a fingerprint scanner will be placed on the back and the company will also offer the usual connectivity options.
Despite being a budget device, the company is still offering a triple camera setup on the rear comprising of a 13 megapixel primary lens accompanied with two 2 megapixel lenses as well. Its massive battery capacity that supports 18W fast charging is by far one of its most eye catching feature, and since it is a budget device, a 3.5mm headphone jack will also be present.
Back in 2019, handsets with a foldable display led to a new race of innovation within the market. Since then, various OEMs have launched their offerings, with recent ones trying to make such devices less bulky and more practical. Now, a recent Oppo patent, spotted by LetsGoDigital, showcases a compact smartphone with a slider mechanism that expands its display.
The Chinese tech giant had filed a design patent with the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration). The patent consisted of 28 product images and a short description as well. In the images, a futuristic and an extremely compact handset can be observed, which can have its display expanded. When in its compact form factor, the gadget assumes a square like form factor, which would make it easier to carry around or keep in one’s pockets.
But its most interesting aspect is definitely its expandable display, which extends from the notch at the top. From the rear, one can also see the triple camera module also rising along with it. The sides of the device showcase an elongated button, which might serve the purpose of enabling this extending mechanism. While similar smartphones with the expandable display have been seen before, the Oppo patented device has its display extends quite a bit further.
Unfortunately, the finer details regarding this device are currently unknown. Furthermore, it is also unclear whether Oppo will actually develop and launch such a device, or whether the company is just covering all bases. The mechanism through which Oppo achieved the expandable display is also a mystery at the moment, so stayed tuned as we will cover any updates regarding this futuristic smartphone.
While Huawei has been growing its market share in its home country China, the company has witnessed a drop in smartphone shipments in the overseas market after the United States banned the company citing security concerns.
However, the major obstacle for the Chinese giant is the recently tightened restriction that has banned the company from procuring and manufacturing semiconductors using American technology or company.
Huawei Smart Screen V55i
The new restrictions could have an impact on its core telecom equipment business as well. Now, a new development hints that the ban has not only affected the company’s smartphone business but also the Smart TV business.
As per the report, Huawei has reduced the order of its components for the TV production by 30 percent to 40 percent. This is because the company has been unable to secure a sufficient supply of chipsets for Smart TVs.
Huawei and its sub-brand Honor both forayed into the Smart TV market last year. The company has been procuring LCD panels for the TV from BOE Technology and China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSTO). The report adds that the company has been outsourcing the production of TV sets to a BOE subsidiary.
It is also being reported that the company has slowed down the pace of its orders to handset ODMs in Chian. Now, it remains to be seen how Huawei addresses this issue of semiconductor components which is severely impacting the business.
Apple has settled a class-action lawsuit filed against the company related to Powerbeats 2 headphones. The tech giant has agreed to pay $9.75 million for this settlement, saying that it denies all allegations, reports MacRumors.
There was no ruling by the court as both the parties in the case have agreed to a settlement. Apple says that it is paying the settlement fee to avoid expensive litigation. As a part of the settlement, the $9.75 million will be split between all plaintiffs who submit claim forms (one payment per household) after attorneys’ fees and related costs are paid.
Customers who have purchased new Powerbeats 2 earbuds before August 7, 2020 can make a claim for payment from the settlement. The claims can be submitted online through the settlement website before November 20, 2020.
The settlement amount will be given based on a points system. Authorized claimants who have no proof of purchase receive one point, while those with a valid proof of purchase or warranty repair receive two points. The net settlement amount will then be divided by total points claimed and the individual awards will be calculated from that amount.
Latanya Simmons and Kevin Tobin had filed the initial complaint on behalf of a wide class of device owners in 2017. The lawsuit claimed that the company falsely advertised the product’s robustness, waterproofness, and battery life claims.
The lawsuit claimed breach of express warranty, breach of the Song-Beverly Act, violation of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, violation of the Unfair Competition Law, unjust enrichment, common law fraud, and negligence.
The claimants are eligible for a maximum payout of $189, multiplied by the number of valid proofs of purchase. As per the estimates, claimants without proof of purchase will receive $38, while those with proof of purchase or warranty repair will get around $76.
OnePlus recently introduced the budget-friendly OnePlus Nord 5G smartphone. The handset is aimed towards India and Europe. A tipster has leaked the pricing of the OnePlus Nord for China. It appears that China could be the next market to receive the OnePlus Nord.
The OnePlus Nord is the company’s first mid-range phone in recent times. It has received good receptions in the Indian and European markets, and it appears that it may soon go official in the home market. In India, the OnePlus Nord comes in three variants such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. They are priced at Rs. 24,999 (~$340), Rs. 27,999 (~$381), and Rs. 29,999 (~$408), respectively.
Except for the 6 GB RAM base model, the other two variants have been available for purchase in India since the beginning of this month. The 6 GB RAM variant will be available in September in India. The tipster has speculated that the OnePlus Nord could be priced around 2,300 Yuan (~$335) in China.
The OnePlus Nord has a 6.44-inch AMOLED display that produces FHD+ resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, and 90Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 765G processor powers the device. The OxygenOS 10.5 based Android 10 OS runs on the device.
It has a 32-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual front-facing cameras. It rear is fitted with an OIS ready 48-megapixel (Sony IMX586) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 5-megapixel (depth) + 2-megapixel (macro) quad-camera system. The phone is backed by a 4,115mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging. It comes with support for NFC and in-display fingerprint reader.
The on-going development related to the acquisition of TikTok’s U.S. operations from the platform’s parent company ByteDance has been dramatic. While Microsoft has already confirmed that it’s in talks with the company, other companies also started talks for the same, including Oracle.
Now, Walmart has confirmed that it has partnered with Microsoft in an attempt to purchase TikTok in the United States. The company has revealed that it is participating in the negotiations with Microsoft over a potential deal.
Revealing the reason behind Walmart’s interest in purchasing the short-video social media platform, the company said that it has “integrated e-commerce and advertising capabilities in other markets” and could bolster its access to consumers.
In a statement, Walmart said: “We believe a potential relationship with TikTok US in partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses. We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of US TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of US government regulators.”
The development comes just hours after TikTok CEO Kevin Mayers announced his resignation. It is being speculated that his resignation could be because of the acquisition deal getting finalized. In his resignation letter, he said that he expects “a resolution very soon.” Before joining TikTok this year, Mayer was leading Disney‘s streaming division.
Some reports have started making rounds claiming that TikTok could announce the sale of its U.S. operation within a week. It is said that the deal could be worth around $20 billion to $20 billion and the company is considering between Microsoft and Oracle.
TikTok is being forced to sell off its U.S. operations to an American company by the government amid intense political scrutiny because of the platforms’ country of origin. It has also been under fire because of its data collection practices, which the United States claims put its national security at risk.
Samsung Display, an arm of Samsung Electronics which makes displays for various devices, has filed a trademark application for an unusual name — Iris Ring. The application was filed in South Korea last week.
While the trademark application doesn’t reveal the potential use-case of this new branding, the company has reportedly confirmed that it for its punch-hole cutout on the displays that houses the front-facing camera sensor.
The South Korean giant has also said that it has received the Hole Area Clarity verification from the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for no color difference in the areas around the punch-hole cutout on the screen.
Samsung first used the punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera sensors on the Galaxy S10 series. Currently, the company is calling it Infinity-O branding. It is now yet clear which branding will be used going forward and if the newer Iris Ring is used, it remains to be seen what happens to the Infinity-O branding.
With the new branding for the punch-hole cutout, we can also expect a new display technology from the company for its upcoming premium flagship smartphones. However, it’s just speculation at this time and nothing has been confirmed by the company.
Smartphone manufacturers have been working on under-display camera technology for years, and now it is ready for a commercial launch. ZTE is all set to launch the world’s first in-display camera smartphone in a couple of days.
Now, ahead of the launch, ZTE has confirmed that the upcoming Axon 20 5G smartphone is using third-generation in-display camera sensor technology. As per the report, this was confirmed by ZTE’s executive Lv Qianhao in response to a user’s question on Weibo.
In this technology, only two-thousandth of the entire screen is used for the camera sensor behind the display, which is just about a small square-inch. The company adds that its Research & Development team managed to achieve the desired output after working day and night to fine-tune the technology.
Furthermore, the screen is also divided into seven different layers — cover glass, polarizer, encapsulation glass, cathode, OLED, array, and substrate glass. It has been given an anti-reflective treatment to maximize transparency and suppress optical diffraction.
ZTE’s confirmation about using third-generation in-display camera technology comes at a time when Xiaomi has also showcased its own third-gen tech. It revealed the technology showcasing a working prototype and detailed the improvements. It utilizes a self-developed pixel arrangement and achieves light transmittance through the sub-pixel gap area. The company said that the tech is ready for mass-production and will be in the market in 2021.
As per the reports, the ZTE Axon 20 5G smartphone features a 6.92-inch OLED display with a screen resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels without any kind of notch. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G along with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
On the back, the device has a quad-camera setup that includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP secondary sensor, and two other 2MP sensors. On the front side, it is equipped with a 32MP snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The device is expected to be available in four color options — Black Hole Gravity, Streamer Sea Salt, Phantom Orange Wind, and Purple Moon. To know more about the phone, it’s pricing and availability details, we will have to wait for the official launch on 1st September, just a couple of days from today.
Sony announced the Snapdragon 855 powered Xperia 5 phone in September last year. The handset was announced at the IFA 2019 tech trade show. Earlier this week, a render of the unannounced Xperia 5 II phone was leaked by reliable tipster Evan Blass. Now, Android Headlineshas carried an exclusive report that features new renders of the phone. Moreover, the report also includes the specifications of the device. The publication states that the phone will not be announced at the IFA 2020, but it will go official on Sept. 17.
Sony Xperia 5 II specifications (Unconfirmed)
In terms of appearance, the Sony Xperia 5 II looks identical to its predecessor. The publication has revealed that the Xperia 5 II has a 6.1-inch OLED display with Full HD+ and HDR support. Like the predecessor model, it will also offer an aspect ratio of 21:9. It will be the company’s first smartphone to sport a 120Hz refresh supporting display. The screen will also support the 240Hz touch sampling rate. It will be a compact device as it measures 158 x 68 x 8mm.
The Snapdragon 865 SoC along with 8 GB of RAM will fuel the Xperia 5 II. It will offer users with 128 GB of built-in storage and a microSD card slot. It will house a 4,000mAh battery with USB-C PD rapid charging support.
The rear-facing triple camera system of the Xperia 5 II has an f/1.7 aperture 12-megapixel main camera with a 24mm lens and 82-degrees FOV. It is assisted by an f/2.4 aperture 12-megapixel telephoto snapper with 3x optical zoom support and an f/2.2 aperture 12-megapixel superwide sensor with 124-degree FOV. The Xperia 5 II’s cameras will support OIS, EIS, hybrid OIS/EIS in the video, slow-motion video shooting at 4K HDR, and 120fps 4K HDR video recording.
Sony did not offer a 3.5mm audio jack on the Xperia 5 II. However, it’s coming back on the successor model. It has a side-mounted fingerprint reader. Lastly, the phone will arrive with support for 5G connectivity.
Under screen camera is going to be the next big thing in the smartphone market. Companies are working very hard to perfect in-display cameras because of the tremendous aesthetic upgrade that it brings to smartphones. Without a notch or a punch hole on top, smartphone screens will have no distractions up front, ensuring a true, full screen visual experience.
We already know that ZTE will soon announce the world’s first commercial under screen camera smartphone, the Axon 20 5G. But Xiaomi didn’t want to miss out on the party as it decided to reveal its third generation under screen camera technology today. Not only did the company show off a working prototype with the new in display camera, but it also revealed how the technology was improved to make it as good as a traditional front camera.
The company developed the first generation under screen camera technology last year in June 2019. We also got to see a video of the prototype in action but a closer inspection revealed that the display on top of the camera wasn’t perfect and the pixel density in that area was low.
Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun revealed that the second generation version of the under screen camera technology was developed in October 2019. And today, it has announced the third generation version of the tech, which it believes is almost perfect and comparable to a traditional selfie camera shooter.
How does Xiaomi’s Under Screen Camera Work?
In a detailed post, Xiaomi explained how it achieved ‘near perfect’ camera quality in its third generation in-display camera solution. The company revealed that the first two generations managed to make the display above the front camera transparent by sacrificing the pixel density in that area. In fact, the pixel density of the display above the camera was only half as compared to the rest of the OLED panel.
Xiaomi explained that early implementation of in display cameras could only reserve 1 in 4 pixels for the display as the remaining three pixels had to be made transparent for better light transmission by changing its internal structure and material.
Top – Traditional OLED display with 4 RGB subpixels Middle – Early In display camera tech had only 1 RGB subpixel reserved for the display Last – All four RGB pixels are lit up in the third gen technology ensuring high pixel density
However, the third generation solution solves this problem by utilizing a self developed pixel arrangement. The company has managed to achieve light transmittance through the sub-pixel gap area. Also, the company has doubled the number of pixels in both vertical and horizontal arrangement to achieve an overall pixel density similar to the rest of the display. As a result, the display area on top of the under screen camera manages to achieve a similar level of pixel density, color accuracy, color gamut, and brightness as the rest of the OLED panel.
The company has also improved the OLED pixel driving circuit to improve the light transmittance above the camera. Finally, Xiaomi claims that its self developed camera algorithm is capable of delivering the same image quality as traditional selfie shooters making its latest solution ‘almost perfect’.
Xiaomi is has never been shy to show off its upcoming technologies. The company first revealed its prototype under screen camera phone back in June 2019. More than a year later, we have a video of a working prototype using its third generation under screen camera technology.
In the video shared by Lei Jun on Weibo, Xiaomi’s under screen camera prototype looks like a modified Mi 10 Ultra. The video compares the prototype with the standard Mi 10 Ultra and the increased pixel density above the camera seems to completely hide the camera below the display.
Xiaomi 3 gen under screen camera selfie
Lei Jun says that the third generation under screen camera solution is ready for mass production and should end up on smartphones by 2021.
Realme’s next major phone is the Realme X7 Pro smartphone that is also set to debut with its inferior sibling Realme X7 on Sept. 1. It will be Realme’s first phone to feature the Dimensity 1000+ 5G chipset. Realme 6 series and X series smartphones have featured Samsung GW1 64-megapixel sensor. A new leak reveals that the Realme X7 Pro could be the company’s first smartphone to flaunt the Sony IMX686 lens.
The TENAA listing of the Realme X7 Pro revealed that it has a quad-camera setup on its back. It comprises of a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel second lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel snappers. A Chinese tipster with a good track record has shared two screenshots taken from the Realme X7 Pro. One of them confirms the presence of the Sony IMX686 lens.
1 of 2
The Sony IMX686 has a slightly larger 1/1.7-inch sized sensor compared to Samsung GW1. With larger pixels, it can allow more light to capture impressive shots not only in daylight but also in low-light conditions. Hardware is not the only thing that matters when it comes to smartphone photography. Software-based enhancements and processing also play an integral role in it.
The TENAA listings show that the Realme X7 and Realme X7 Pro are both equipped with 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera setup. Both phones may come with some differences in the camera department. It is unclear whether the Realme X7 will feature the Sony IMX686 lens or Samsung GW1 lens.
As far as other specs are concerned, the Realme X7 Pro is equipped with a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a punch-hole design. It supports FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The phone will come with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage. It will run on Android 10 OS and it will draw power from a 4,500mAh battery. The phone will arrive with support for 65W fast charging. The above-shown image that appeared on Weibo reveals that the Realme X7 Pro’s 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage edition could be priced at 2,299 Yuan (~$334).
The Infinix Zero 8 smartphone has gone official in Indonesia. It is the first smartphone from the Chinese brand to feature a 90Hz refresh rate supporting display. The mid-ranger comes with an intriguing rhombus-shaped camera module that features 64-megapixel quad cameras. The Zero 8 is designed to capture impressive selfie shots through 48-megapixel dual selfie snappers. Also, it houses a decent battery with fast charging capabilities.
Infinix Zero 8 specifications and features
The Infinix Zero 8 houses a massive IPS LCD panel of 6.85 inches. The dual punch-hole display supports Full HD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The display cutout houses a 48-megapixel main selfie camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with EIS. The main selfie camera can capture 4K videos and is optimized to shoot better shots in low-light conditions.
Infinix Zero 8
The gradient back of the Infinix Zero 8 houses a quad camera system that is led by the Sony IMX686 64-megapixel primary lens that supports 4K video recording and EIS. It is accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel low-light camera.
The Helio G90T by MediaTek is the driving force of the Infinix Zero 8. It is assisted by 8 GB of RAM. The phone has a massive internal storage of 128 GB. For additional storage, there is a microSD card slot.
Infinix Zero 8
The Infinix Zero 8 is powered by a 4,500mAh battery. The phone comes with support for 33W rapid charging. The Infinix X OS 7 based Android 10 OS runs on the device. It comes with other features such as FM radio receiver, side-facing fingerprint reader, face unlock, USB-C, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Infinix Zero 8 pricing and availability
The Infinix Zero 8 is scheduled to go on sale from Aug. 31 in Indonesia with pricing of IDR 3,799,00 (~$259). The phone is expected to release in global markets on Sept. 1.
While the COVID 19 pandemic has been hitting hard on companies all over the world, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has shared a couple of infographics showing its progress in the second quarter of the year.
Of particular note is the massive jump in the number of monthly active users (MAU) for MIUI which increased from 279 million in June 2019 to a whopping 343 million persons in June 2020. The infographics also show that the number of Xiaomi devices that are connected to the company’s IoT platform reached 271 million. Mi Home app monthly active users peaked at 40.8 million, a growth of 34.1% YoY.
Xiaomi’s revenue also surged as the company’s gross revenue in the second quarter is estimated to be 53.5 billion yuan (US$7.8 billion) with an impressive net profit of 3.4 billion yuan (US$494 million). The brand’s overseas business contributed 23 billion yuan which is almost half of the entire revenue in the quarter.
The smartphone market still remains Xiaomi top revenue earner. In Q2 2020, an estimated 28.3 million smartphones were shipped with the Mi 10 series acting as a major catalyst in that regard. The company revealed that it sold over one million Mi 10 phones within the first two months. The series still continues to bring success the brand’s way as the Mi 10 Ultra with its DXOMark top-ranking camera having the potential to knock off all other flagship options in China. During its first sale in China, Xiaomi raked in 400 million yuan (US$58 million) in sales in just 10 minutes. If Xiaomi should accede to the demand of its fans to release the phone in the global market, we just might see another record being set in the final quarter.
Apart from the flagship segment, the Redmi series also contributed its own fair share to the company’s growing revenue. The Redmi 9 series and Redmi K30 Ultra have also proven to be strong releases which will help the company cement its position as the fourth-largest smartphone brand globally.
Xiaomi prides itself as not just a smartphone manufacturer but as an internet company. Its tentacles extend into wearable, hearables, smart TV and other smart home and ecosystem products. Xiaomi has repeatedly dominated the smart TV market in India and China. The brand continued its dominance in China buoyed by the launch of the Mi TV Master Series and just this month, the company added the Mi TV LUX transparent TV. Xiaomi is presently ranked among the top 5 smart TV brands in the world and occupies the number one spot in China. The brand reported an estimated 2.8 million smart TVs were shipped in Q2 2020, with the company spreading its tentacles to new markets like Poland, France, and Italy with its Mi TV lineup.
One of the markets where Xiaomi’s progress continues to resonate is in Europe. In Q1 2020, the company’s market share grew 145% YoY to rank as the third-largest phone brand in the old continent ahead of Huawei. In Q2 2020, Xiaomi continued its impressive run as it is ranked first in Spain, second in France, and fourth in Germany and Italy in terms of smartphone shipments.
Google is reported to officially unveil Android 11 on September 8. Ahead of it, the search giant itself and partner OEMs part of Beta program have been releasing builds for their select devices. Xiaomi is one of those companies and three of its devices namely Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, and Redmi K30 Pro/POCO F2 Pro are officially enrolled in this program. Now, surprisingly, Mi CC9 Pro aka Mi Note 10 has also received Android 11 beta.
For those unaware, the official Xiaomi Android 11 Beta devices initially got an AOSP build. But soon later, the Chinese smartphone maker swapped it for MIUI 12. Since then, weekly MIUI beta builds for those devices have been based on Android 11.
When the company released weekly builds for this week, the Mi CC9 Pro also bagged Android 11 like the other three smartphones. Since MIUI beta builds are now only limited to China, users of the global variant of this handset – Mi Note 10/Mi Note 10 Pro will have to use custom recovery like TWRP to install this firmware.
Hene, we would recommend you not to go through this hassle if you do not what you are doing. Even if you manage to install this build, you will not have access to GMS (Google Mobiles Services) on this firmware since Google is banned in China.
Hopefully, Xiaomi releases Android 11 stable for Mi Note10/Mi Note 10 Pro sooner than later so that global users don’t miss out on all the fun.
Not only gaming phones: Asus launched two other flagship phones this year, with the most advanced variant named Asus Zenfone 7 Pro. It brings extremely powerful hardware and innovation to the market without carrying an extremely high price. After comparing the vanilla Zenfone 7 to the Realme X50 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 10, we think it is time to compare the Pro variant with its main rivals in the same price segment. For this comparison, we chose the OnePlus 8 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, hoping it will help you understand all the differences between them.
Asus Zenfone 7 Pro vs OnePlus 8 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
OnePlus 8 Pro
Asus Zenfone 7 Pro
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm, 199 g
165.1 x 77.3 x 9.6 mm, 230 g
162.6 x 74.8 x 9 mm, 208 g
DISPLAY
6.78 inches, 1440 x 3168p (Quad HD+), Fluid AMOLED
6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
6.67 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
Asus Zenfone 7 Pro carries an extremely innovative form factor with its flip-up cameras, but the sleekest device of this trio is the OnePlus 8 Pro, in my honest opinion. It has a higher screen-to-body ratio, a thinner body and it is lighter. Last but not least, it is the only waterproof phone of this comparison: with the IP68 certifications, you can put it underwater up to 1.5 meters deep without damaging it. On the other hand, Asus Zenfone 7 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro are smaller because of their smaller displays.
Display
The most stunning display belongs to the OnePlus 8 Pro: this handset features a 10-bit panel that is able to show up to one billion colors, a higher Quad HD+ resolution and even a 120 Hz refresh rate. The panel is even wider than its rivals. With the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro you get a classic Full HD+ panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate, definitely inferior to the OnePlus 8 Pro. All of the handset feature OLED panels, but the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro does not have an in-display fingerprint scanner. Instead, it features a side-mounted sensor.
Hardware/Software
While OnePlus 8 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro are fueled by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform, the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro features a more powerful Snapdragon 865+: an upgrade which offers a 10% performance boost with both CPU and GPU. Further, it gets faster UFS 3.1 internal storage instead of UFS 3.0. Unlike the OnePlus 8 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro packing up to 12 GB of RAM, the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro comes with just 8 GB of RAM, but its better chipset is definitely a more interesting feature. OnePlus 8 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, and Asus Zenfone 7 Pro run Android 10 out of the box.
Camera
The most advanced cameras are on board of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. The handset is equipped with a 108 MP sensor supporting 8K video recording, two telephoto sensors with 12 and 8 MP resolution (and optical zoom up to 3.7x), and a 20 MP ultrawide sensor. The second place goes to the OnePlus 8 Pro with its quad camera including two 48 MP sensors, an 8 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 5 MP color filter camera. On the paper, Zenfone 7 Pro looks less impressive, but it has an important advantage: the flip-up camera. You can regulate the position of the camera in order to shoot photos from different angles and you can even use the rear cameras to shoot selfies.
Battery
The winner of the battery comparison is the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro thanks to its bigger 5000 mAh battery. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro offer a similar battery life, but the former has a faster charging technology.
Price
The global price of the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro is yet to be announced. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro has a €999/$1181 listing price, while OnePlus 8 Pro starts from €919/$1086. However, they are actually a lot more affordable thanks to street prices. My choice would actually be the OnePlus 8 Pro due to its better display, waterproof design, and more. Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro has better cameras. Zenfone 7 Pro offers a more advanced chipset and a longer battery life. Which one would you pick?
Elephone is well-known for its affordable yet useful smartphones across the globe. The company recently unveiled Elephone U5 mid-range smartphone featuring decent specifications at an exceptional price. Already, the company is offering Elephone U5 at a limited-time introductory price of $159.99. The company will unleash new discount offers and will provide highlights of the Elephone U5 via Facebook and YouTube Livestream.
The interested users can head over to the Elephone Facebook and YouTube channels in order to know more about the latest device. Some goodies will also be a part of the Livestream which will take place tomorrow.
However, Elephone U5 hosts a 6.4-inch HD+ display, Helio P60 SoC, 4GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, and much more. In the camera department, the user gets a quad-rear camera (48MP + 13MP + 5MP + 2MP) and a 24MP on the front side. The smartphone carries a 4000 mAh battery and runs Android 10 OS. NFC support contactless payments via GooglePay is also a reality with the Elephone U5 smartphone.
It is currently available for the price of $159.99 from the online store. You can know more about the device by heading to the official website. Meanwhile, don’t forget to head over to the Elephone Facebook page and YouTube channel to watch the live stream scheduled for tomorrow. The users from Russia can head over to VK, a day after tomorrow for live streaming.
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