Samsung Galaxy S21 expected to be a fine-tuned S20 with new chipset

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Aug 20, 2020

DJI, one of the leading drone manufacturers in the world, has announced that it is extending the warranty period for the core components of the drone to 12 months from the usual coverage of six months.

So now, the DJI drone offers 12 months of warranty for most of the parts, excluding removable batteries, retail accessories, and some structural parts. The components that have got extension period include Gimble Camera, Vision Module, Power System, Charging Butler, Battery, Gimble Handle, and PTZ Motor.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei has reportedly stocked telecom chips for the base station that could last years

The company has said that during the warranty period if the product experiences difficulties or issues or if it gets damaged because of non-human error, then it will offer free maintenance or repair service.

The warranty period for this will be calculated from the day of purchase of the product. DJI has also added that this is applicable to all the devices purchased before making this announcement and the company will automatically determine the warranty status when the product is sent for repair.

Along with extending the product warranty period, DJI has also said that users can also purchase value-added services that aim to further extend the warranty period. The list of such services includes Accidental Damage Protection and Liability Insurance, among others.

Huawei Mate X2 display production to reportedly start next month

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Aug 20, 2020

Huawei Mate X foldable smartphone was launched by the company last year and now the phone’s successor is among the most anticipated devices. Huawei is expected to bring Mate X2 smartphone with several new features and improvements.

One of the major design change being reported for the Mate X2 foldable smartphone is that instead of the outward folding design in the original model, the next-generation model will come with an inward folding screen.

Now, in the latest development related to the Huawei Mate X2, the company is all set to start production of the display panel from September this year, i.e. next month. It has also been revealed that the screen size remains the same as its predecessor — 8.03-inch having 2480 x 2220 pixels resolution.

Reports indicate that Samsung Display will be providing the 8.3-inch CPI (Transparent Polymide) panels to Huawei in Q3 2020, with a sales target of 300,000 units.

Huawei Mate X2 foldable panel starts production in September. Still 8.03" 2480 x 2220 but now infolding…

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) August 19, 2020

EDITOR’S PICK: Redmi G Gaming Laptop launches with 144Hz display, Core i7-10750H, GTX 1650 Ti, and more

From the leaked images, it seems that we could also get an additional display panel on the vertical strip that houses the camera sensors. While the company has not revealed anything related to this smartphone, some key details have leaked online.

As per the leak, the Mate X2 foldable smartphone will come with a quad-camera setup that includes a 40 MP primary sensor, a 40 MP ultra-wide sensor, a 12 MP telephoto lens, and a ToF sensor. It will have support for features like 3x optical zoom and OIS.

The device is expected to come in multiple memory variants such as 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, 12 GB RAM with 256GB storage, and 16GB RAM with 512GB storage. It is also said to be powered by a 6,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging support.

Apple is getting sued for “stage light” display issue in MacBook Pro

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Aug 20, 2020

It seems that the legal trouble for Apple keeps on mounting. After Epic Games filed a lawsuit against the company for removing Fortnite game from the App Store and threatening to remove all its developer accounts, the company is now being sued for backlight display issues in MacBook Pro.

A new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Apple claiming that the company was aware of a design flaw in MacBook Pro that led to some of the units exhibit backlight display issues. The lawsuit is targeting the “stage light” or “flexgate” issue of MacBook Pro models manufactured in 2016 and 2017.

It seeks to get damages, court fees, and a judgment requiring Apple to identify and declare all defective MacBook Pro laptops, among some other relief measures, reveals a report from AppleInsider.

For those who are unaware, this is related to a problem with the display where the backlight to illuminate the screen would not work properly and damage the cable which then exhibited a “stage light” effect at the bottom of the display. The issue was related to a thin flex cable connecting motherboard and display wearing down over time.

EDITOR’S PICK: Huawei has reportedly stocked telecom chipsets for base stations that could last years

Later, Apple launched a repair program that covered 2016 models of 13-in MacBook Pro but didn’t include 15-inch models and the models produced after 2016 that faced similar issues. The claim in the suit says that the company delayed issuing the repair program “despite the fact that it both knew and should have known” the root cause of the problem.

It further adds that “Apple was aware of the issues with the backlight screen and the defective flex cable, in light of the comments posted by consumers on Apple’s discussion forum and that those comments were deleted after they were posted.”

The class-action lawsuit is alleging violation of unfair competition laws in various states, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and consumer fraud statutes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Further, the action is also asserting Breach of express warranty, breach of an implied warranty, fraudulent concealment, and unjust enrichment.

Huawei has reportedly stocked telecom chips that could last years

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Aug 20, 2020

Huawei has been facing several difficulties when it comes to a smoothly operating business because of the new sanctions imposed by the United States. In the most recent development, the company is being forced to cease development of its high-end Kirin chipsets because of the restrictions put on manufacturing.

But, it seems that the impact of the new restrictions put on by the U.S. government will not be as bad as the smartphone business if we compare it to the company’s core telecom equipment business.

As per the latest report coming from Korea, Huawei has secured enough chipsets used in the telecom base station that it could last for years. The company had reportedly started stockpiling a large volume of semiconductors for the business-to-business operations since last year, anticipating such restrictions.

Given that the lifecycle of the chipsets used in the base stations is much longer than the chips used in smartphones, there won’t be any issues related to using the latest chipset, unlike the mobile phone business. The chipsets used in base stations are more focused on stability and reliability.

EDITOR’S PICK: Here’s the official list of Samsung Galaxy devices eligible for three generations of Android updates

Last year, the company had announced the Tiangang chipset for 5G base stations which supports 3.5GHz and 2.6GHz spectrum. Manufactured using the 7nm process by TSMC in 2018, the company has been stockpiling it since last year.

Huawei and its 70 affiliates have been put on Entity List by the United States, which now requires special permission from the government to carry out business. Thus, Huawei’s contract chipset manufacturer TSMC has been prevented from taking new orders from the Chinese company and will completely halt HiSilicon chip production from 15th September.

In line with this development, Huawei CEO confirmed that the Kirin 9000 will be the last flagship chipset from the company, which will be powering the upcoming Mate40 series smartphones. However, it’s likely that mid-range chipsets will continue to be produced given that they are now being manufactured in China by SMIC.

Realme X7 Pro TENAA listing finally updated with full specs; Will rival Redmi K30 Ultra

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Aug 20, 2020

In June, the Realme RMX2121 appeared in the database of TENAA with its images and some specs like dimensions, rated battery capacity, and display size. Recent reports confirmed that the Realme RMX2121 is the upcoming Realme X7 Pro smartphone. Finally, the TENAA listing of the handset has been updated with all its specifications.

Realme X7 Pro specifications

The Realme X7 Pro has 160.8 x 75.2 x 8.5mm dimensions and it weighs 184 grams. TENAA listing states that the phone will be arriving in three color options such as black, white, and purple.

The Realme X7 Pro has a 6.55-inch display with a punch-hole positioned at the upper-left corner. The AMOLED screen has curved edges and it supports 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. The Chinese firm has already confirmed that it will arrive with support for the 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is integrated with a fingerprint reader.

It has a front camera of 32-megapixel and it has a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system on its back. The Realme Ui based Android 10 OS will run on the device. The device will be available in China 6 GB and 8 GB RAM edition and storage capacities like 128 GB and 256 GB. The phone lacks support for externals storage.

Editor’s Pick: Realme X7 Pro Ultra design, specs leak reveals 125W fast charging, 120Hz display and more

The listing mentions that the Realme X7 Pro is equipped with a 2.6GHz octa-core processor. The latter seems to be the Dimensity 1000+ 5G chipset. A leakster claimed that the Realme X7 Pro will be Realme’s weapon to take on the Redmi K30 Ultra that recently official in China.

The Realme X7 Pro and Redmi K30 Ultra have similar specs. However, one advantage that the Realme phone will have over the K30 Ultra is that it will come equipped with support for 65W fast charging. The Redmi phone supports only 33W fast charging.

Realme will be launching the Realme X7 Pro on Sept. 1. A Realme X7 with RMX2176 model number will also go official alongside. Rumors have it that the company will also unleash Realme X7 Pro Ultra with topnotch specs like 120Hz display, Snapdragon 865, and 125W fast charging support.

Huawei Enjoy 20 Plus’ Kirin 820 chip is reportedly replaced by MediaTek’s low-end 5G chip

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Aug 20, 2020

Recent reports have revealed that the FRA-AN00a / FRL-TN00 model number belongs to the upcoming Huawei Enjoy 20+ smartphone. The ‘FRA’ is the model number of the device is a short form of its ‘Franklin’ codename. Past reports had claimed that the Huawei Enjoy 20 Plus will be powered by the Kirin 820 chipset. However, a well-known tipster from China has claimed that Kirin SoC has been replaced by a MediaTek’s low-end 5G chipset.

MediaTek now has a couple of low-end 5G chipsets such as Dimensity 800, Dimensity 720, and the recently announced Dimensity 800U. It remains to be seen which of these will be powering the Enjoy 20+. As far as the other specs are concerned, the Enjoy 20+ is expected to arrive with a notch-less LCD panel with Full HD+ resolution support. It will feature an elevating selfie camera.

The leakster further stated that a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera setup will be available on the rear shell of the Huawei Enjoy 20. The phone will draw power from a 4,200mAh battery that will support 40W fast charging. The handset measures 8.95 in thickness and weighs 197 grams.

Editor’s Pick: Rumor: Huawei is working on a tablet with a high refresh rate

Probably, the recently announced revision in the ban on Huawei may have caused it to swap Kirin SoC with the MediaTek chip on the Enjoy 20+. On Aug. 17, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) that belongs to the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a revised ban on Huawei since it was found using evasive measures. In May, the US administration extended the ban on Huawei which prevented it from obtaining semiconductors without a special license. However, it was reportedly found that Huawei had been purchasing American components through third-party companies. The ban that was further revised on Aug. 17 brings a ban on 38 more companies affiliated with Huawei across 21 countries.

This further limits Huawei from accessing U.S chipset and prevents it from circumventing U.S. laws by alternative chip production and providing off-the-shelf (OTS) chips produced with tools obtains from the U.S. Probably, Huawei already knew that it would happen sooner or later as this could be the reason why it recently ordered 120 million chips from MediaTek. It is speculated that seven of the phones released this year by Huawei will be fueled by MediaTek chips.

Realme X7 Pro Ultra design, specs leak reveals 125W fast charging, 120Hz display and more

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Aug 20, 2020

The Realme X7 and Realme X7 Pro smartphones are all set to go official on Sept. 1. It is speculated that the Realme X7 Pro will be rivaling with the Redmi K30 Ultra in China. The K30 Ultra is powered by Dimensity 1000+ chipset. It is speculated that the Realme X7 Pro may feature the same chipset. While the rumor mill is busy leaking information on the X7 and X7 Pro phones, a fresh leak has revealed the existence of a premium flagship model called Realme X7 Pro Ultra.

A reliable tipster with a good track record has shared an image showcases the appearance and key specs of the Realme X7 Pro Ultra. The leak states that the phone will be announced on Sept. 1. However, there is no official word on the existence of the device yet.

The leak reveals that the Realme X7 Pro Ultra has an S-AMOLED display with punch-hole design and curved edges. The display supports a refresh rate of 120Hz. The screen will most likely be integrated by a fingerprint sensor. The smartphone is driven by the Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.

The punch-hole on the screen is the home for its 32-megapixel selfie snapper. The back panel of the smartphone has a quad-camera setup led by a 64-megapixel primary shooter. The image of the phone reveals that the camera setup includes a periscope zoom lens.

Editor’s Pick: Realme C11 vs Realme C12 vs Realme C15: Specs Comparison

The Realme UI based Android 10 OS will come preloaded on the Realme X7 Pro Ultra. It is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 125W super flash charging technology. The 5G-ready device will weigh only 175 grams.

There is no word on the pricing of the Realme X7 Pro Ultra. Since the company is yet to confirm the existence of the device, it is advisable to take the report with a pinch of salt.

ZTE Blade V2020 with a 6.8″ display, UNISOC chipset launched for ¥899 (~$130)

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Aug 20, 2020

ZTE officially launched a budget smartphone under the Blade V series in China. ZTE Blade V2020 comes with a decent specs lineup while retaining the affordable pricing the series is now for.

The Blade V2020 smartphone sports a 6.82-inch screen with a FullHD+ resolution. The device is powered by a UNISOC SC9863A SoC. The chipset is an entry-level octa-core SoC with 8 ARM Cortex-A55 cores in two clusters and built with a 28nm HPC+ process technology. The chipset is a 4G processor that supports TD-LTE, LTE FDD, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, GSM and other network standards. It is also bundled with an IMG8322 graphics processor.

For photography, the ZTE V2020 adopts a Quad-camera setup at the rear consisting of a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth-of-field lens.

Keeping the lights on is a 5000mAh battery which not only guarantees longer usage time but also lets you charge other devices via OTG cable. On the software side, the Blade V2020 runs on stock Android 10 operating system. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor onboard.

As for the price, the ZTE Blade V2020 is available in a single 128GB version and it carries a price tag of 899 yuan (~$130).

Leaked spec sheet of the Realme X7 Pro bares it all

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Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 20, 2020

China will be getting two new Realme phones on September 1. The phones are the Realme X7 and the Realme X7 Pro, and now the spec sheet of the latter has leaked.

The source is the Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station and he took to Weibo to reveal the full spec sheet of the upcoming smartphone.

The Realme X7 Pro is said to have a 6.55-inch display with a 2400 x 1080 resolution. The panel is a flexible AMOLED panel supplied by Samsung that has a punch hole at the corner and a 120Hz refresh rate.

For the chipset inside the device, it is stated to have a 2.6GHz clock speed but its name is unknown. There are speculations that the processor is the Dimensity 1000+, the same one inside the Redmi K30 Ultra.

The hole in the display is home to a 32MP selfie camera while the back of the phone houses a quad-camera setup that includes a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide angle camera, and two 2MP sensors.

The Realme X7 Pro, according to the leaker, will have a dual-cell battery with a combined capacity of 4500mAh and will support Realme’s 65W SuperDart Flash Charge fast charging technology. The device will weight 184 grams and will have a thickness of 8.5 millimeters.

Gionee Max with a big battery launching in India on August 25

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Aug 20, 2020

Gionee has been taking things pretty slowly since the brand returned to the market last year after filing for bankruptcy. The Chinese brand has been focusing on India in addition to its major market which is China. There are indications that a new Gionee smartphone may be launched soon in India.

The product page for a Gionee model which is dubbed Gionee Max has appeared on Flipkart. The teaser poster on the page shows that the Gionee Max will be launched on August 25 at 2 PM IST.

Although the full specs of the phone are yet to be released, the poster promotes the Max as a superior budget smartphone that would be priced less than Rs. 6000 ($80). The Max may likely return as a large display model and will equally pack a big battery. The battery capacity wasn’t revealed but Gionee recently got TENAA certification in China for a model packing a 10000mAh battery. We don’t expect this model to have such a large battery but the capacity may likely be up to 5000mAh.

The renders of the device also contained on the poster shows the model will have a waterdrop notch design at the top but the bottom bezel looks thick. The device also packs a 3.5mm audio jack.

Leaked Zenfone 7 specs reveal 60Hz LCD display, triple cameras, and more

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Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 20, 2020

ASUS is launching the Zenfone 7 next week. A leak already revealed the price of the phone in Europe and it is cheaper than most of the phones from competitors. Another leak has now revealed the specs of the device and it shows that ASUS has made some tradeoffs to keep the price low.

The specs of the Zenfone 7 were found in the kernel source of the ROG Phone 3 by the tech blog ReaMeizu. They have reported that the flagship will feature an LCD display supplied by BOE. The screen size is put at 6.4-inches with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. The low refresh rate is pretty disappointing in a world where even mid-range phones with LCD panels have a high refresh rate.

Since it is an LCD panel, the fingerprint scanner is not buried under the display. The source says the scanner is supplied by Goodix and might be on the back of the phone or on the side where it doubles as the power button.

The code also revealed that the Zenfone 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 865 processor and not the Snapdragon 865 Plus as some sources have reported. It has support for a MicroSD card that is believed will sit in a triple card SIM tray.

Asus Zenfone 7 Specs.
•6.4 inch LCD BOE FHD+ Display With 60Hz Refresh Rate
•Goodix FP Scanner Present On Rear On Side Mounted
•Snapdragon 865 5G
•Triple Rear Flip Camera With Dual Led Flash
64MP Main Sony IMX686 + 12MP Ultra + Wide IMX363 + TOF
Source https://t.co/YzrWBfrCEH pic.twitter.com/A7AGDKLwX8

— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) August 19, 2020

Indian leaker, Abhishek Yadav, posted a tweet listing the aforementioned specifications. However, he adds that the Zenfone 7 will have triple rear cameras that consist of a 64MP Sony IMX686 main camera, a 12MP IMX363 ultrawide angle camera, and a ToF camera.

It has been reported in earlier leaks that the phone will have a 5000mAh battery. It should also run Android 10 out of the box and be eligible for two OS upgrades when it launches.

The global OPPO Reno4 5G goes through Geekbench

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 19, 2020

At the end of last month, OPPO Reno4 and Reno4 Pro made their international debut. However, these two phones are totally different from the ones launched in China. But there have been multiple certifications confirming the brand to bring the original with 5G connectivity to global markets. Now, the vanilla Reno4 5G also appears on Geekbenh suggesting an imminent launch.

The original Oppo Reno 4 (stylized as OPPO Reno4 5G) launched in early June in China. The same phone was expected to debut in other regions. Sadly, that did not happen as the company announced an inferior OPPO Reno4 for global markets.

When the launch of OPPO Reno4 series global variant was nearing, a number of certifications began to pop up for the original 5G version. Now, weeks later, more certifications and even a Geekbench listing has gone live for the regular Reno 4 5G.

The listing spotted by MySmartPrice mentions the device as OPPO CPH2091, which happens to be the model number of OPPO Reno4 5G launched in China in the month of June. This confirms that the company will be indeed launching the original handset in international markets.

Although the original Reno3 Pro and Reno3 Pro Vitality Edition were rebranded to Find X2 Neo and Find X2 Lite for the global markets, the Reno4 5G and Reno4 Pro 5G will retain their original as per FCC.

ZTE Blade A7s 2020 official renders, specs, and pricing leaked

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Aug 19, 2020

In June, the ZTE Blade A7s 2020 received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It was approved by the Bluetooth SIG authority last month. The handset was also spotted at Google Play Console at the tail-end of July. Now, popular leakster Sudhanshu Ambhore has shared the official renders along with the pricing of the phone.

ZTE Blade A7s 2020 specifications (Rumored)

The leak has revealed that the Blade A7s 2020 has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with waterdrop notch. It supports anHD+ resolution of 720 x 1650 pixels and 262ppi pixel density. The UNISOC SC9863A SoC is present under the hood of the device. The SoC is coupled with up to 3 GB of RAM.

The phone comes with 64 GB of storage. There is a hybrid SIM slot for adding a microSD card slot. It houses a 4,000mAh battery with 10W charging support. It has a selfie camera of 8-megapixel. The backside of the phone has a vertical camera setup that includes a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel lens, and a 2-megapixel sensor.

Editor’s Pick: ZTE Axon 20 5G official render reveals front and rear design

The Blade A7s 2020 has a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port. A fingerprint scanner can be seen on the shell of the device. The renders show the Blade A7s 2020 in blue and black color variants. The handset measures 164.7 x 77.4 x 8.2mm and it measures 179 grams.

ZTE Blade A7s 2020 pricing (Rumored)

The leak mentions that the ZTE Blade A7s 2020 in two versions such as 2 GB RAM + 64 Gb storage and 3 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. They are priced at 99 euros and 110 euros, respectively. The tipster has mentioned that the actual pricing may vary by 10 euros. Since almost everything is known about the Blade A7s 2020, it may go official in the next few days.

New US sanctions on Huawei sent MediaTek’s shares crashing

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Aug 19, 2020

The US Department of Commerce recently tightened sanctions against Chinese telecom giant Huawei with the state department going after companies affiliated to the Chinese tech giant.

MTK Dimensity 1000 — MediaTek Dimensity 1000

The news is reported to have sent shares of Taiwan-based integrated circuit designer MediaTek Inc. plunging Tuesday. Financial experts are of the opinion that the tighter sanctions aimed at preventing Huawei from getting chips through alternative chip production have raised concerns over the prospects for MediaTek shipments.

MediaTek’s shares fell 9.49 percent to NT$620.00 (US$21) on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE). Selling in MediaTek spread to so-called MediaTek concept stocks, sending ripples throughout the semiconductor sector.

MediaTek shares came under heavy downward pressure soon after the market opened, as investors rushed to cut their holdings in the stock in the wake of the new sanctions.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Monday that it has added 38 Huawei affiliates to the U.S. government’s economic blacklist amid escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing. The new measures raised the total to 152 affiliates on the list since Huawei was first added in May 2019.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in an interview with Fox Business that the restrictions on Huawei-designed chips imposed in May “led them to do some evasive measures. They were going through third parties.”

The tighter restrictions, Ross said, “make it clear that any use of American software or American fabrication equipment is banned and requires a license.”

Before the stricter measures, analysts said Huawei was able to avoid the U.S. restrictions by going to third parties like fabless MediaTek, which designs chips but contracts IC makers already affected by U.S. sanctions to make them. Analysts say those loopholes have been closed with the new sanctions.

As its stock price plunged Tuesday morning, MediaTek issued a statement to the TWSE, saying the company always abides by global trade rules and that it is closely monitoring any changes in U.S. export rules. MediaTek said it has been working with external legal experts to ensure the company does not violate any international trade regulations.

Analysts said that despite the move’s potential impact on MediaTek’s shipments to Huawei, MediaTek may be able to fill the gap by supplying chips to other Chinese smartphone brands such as OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi as well as South Korea’s Samsung.

Nokia 3.4 visits Geekbench with Snapdragon 460 and 3GB RAM

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 19, 2020

The year 2020 has almost swept away but HMD Global is yet to launch this year’s budget Nokia Android smartphones. Thankfully, they seem to be coming soon according to a report from a few days back. Now, one of those phones called Nokia 3.4 visits Geekbench confirming its imminent launch.

The last Nokia 3 series handset was Nokia 3.2. But the company has decided to name the next device in the series as Nokia 3.4 to match it with its siblings. According to a Geekbenh listing spotted by 91Mobiles, this phone is codenamed “DoctorStrange”.

For those unaware, HMD Global has been using Marvel characters’ names as the codenames of its devices for a while now. Hence, there’s nothing to be shocked to learn the “Master of the Mystic Arts” to be attached with a Nokia Android smartphone.

What’s more interesting is the source code of this listing reveals this handset to feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chipset. This makes it the fourth unreleased smartphone with the said chip after Oppo A53 2020, vivo Y20, and Motorola Moto E7 Plus.

The listing also confirms it to come with 3GB RAM and Android 10. But there could be other variants with more or less RAM (like 2GB and 4GB). As for performance, it scores 252 points and 1259 points in single-core and multi-core tests respectively.

Having said that, the design of this phone is still a mystery and so is its launch date.

Lenovo updates its Yoga lineup with five new ultra-slim AMD/Intel-powered laptops

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