5 Pro get July 2020 security update with optimizations and fixes

By

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Aug 3, 2020

Realme is rolling out July 2020 security update for Realme 5/5 Pro/5s/5i. The update not only bumps up the security patch level but also brings fixes and optimizations. The build number for the update is different for all the four handsets (except 5 and 5s) but the changelog is only different for the Pro model.

First, talking bout Realme 5 and Realme 5s, the update comes with build number RMX1911EX_11.C.53 and brings optimizations for flight mode (Bluetooth won’t be affected), battery icon while charging, third-party apps power consumption, and shooting quality in night mode.

Further, the update also brings fixes for status bar not displaying WiFi icon, black screen issue when switching to PUBG Mobile from the multitasking view, and greenish photo while using flash.

As we mentioned in the beginning, the above-mentioned changes are also applicable to Realme 5i. However, the update comes with build number RMX2030EX_11.C.53 for this device.

As for Realme 5 Pro, the July security update arrives with build number RMX1971EX_11.C.05. Just like the above-mentioned three devices, the update for this one also brings several optimizations and fixes.

For instance, it optimizes the transparency of swipe back gesture style, flight mode similar to the above models, and screen recording features. It also adds a feature called smooth scrolling and fixes some known issues.

Having said that, the OTA update for all the four handsets is being pushed in batches. Hence, it may take time to reach every unit.

(Source 1, 2, 3, 4/Via)

Microsoft confirms talks are in progress to buy TikTok

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 3, 2020

TikTok has been in the spotlight for some time now but President Trump communicated worries about the video-sharing app gathering information on American residents and the danger that poses to national security.

The app parent company ByteDance has so far been ineffective in working out an arrangement with the US government so an elective arrangement is proposed which is the acquisition by Microsoft. A rumour filtered in recently that Microsoft’s CEO was in talks with Trump and ByteDance over an acquisition deal for the social media app.

The software giant has formally confirmed that the CEO Satya Nadella has been in talks with the US President and ByteDance. According to an official statement by Microsoft, the company “is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury.”

The discussions with ByteDance will be finished by September 15 of this current year. In the event that Microsoft strikes an arrangement, it will procure TikTok tasks in select markets and may welcome different US financial specialists to take on a minority share. Microsoft will only control TikTok’s operations in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. ByteDance will retain the operations in other markets.

TikTok’s US arm alone is estimated to be in the range of $15 and $30 billion. Microsoft will guarantee that the private information of American clients is moved to the US.

Vivo S7 arrives with a focus on cameras but doesn’t ignore the other areas

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 3, 2020

The Vivo S series of smartphones is known for its cameras, and the new Vivo S7 doesn’t deviate from that path. The new phone packs a total of five cameras – with two of them in front, and lots of features to enhance your picture-taking experience. Vivo doesn’t just focus on cameras. The design stands out and the phone also has a capable processor and is great for gaming too.

Vivo S7 Design

The Vivo S7 (V2020A) is a mix between the Vivo V9 and the Vivo X50 Pro albeit with a few adjustments. For example, the notch is not as wide on the Vivo S7 and its rear cameras are housed in a larger rectangle. The phone is also pretty light as 170 grams, is 7.39mm thick, and comes in Moonlight White, Jazz Black, and a gradient colorway that takes its name from the French painter, Claude Monet.

Vivo S7 Specifications

The phone has a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a 2400 × 1080 resolution, a 91.2% screen-to-body ratio, and a 20:9 aspect ratio. There is no high refresh rate but it has HDR and the screen has a fingerprint scanner underneath it.

Powering the Vivo S7 is the Snapdragon 765G along with 8GB of RAM. Buyers will be able to choose between having 128GB or 256GB of US 2.1 storage.

EDITOR’S PICK: The mid-range OnePlus Nord was inevitable and Here’s Why!

Coming to the cameras, Vivo has put dual-selfie sensors in front. There is a 44MP f/2.0 AF sensor paired with an 8MP f/2.28 ultrawide angle camera. The front cameras can record in 4K at 60fps, has a Super Night selfie mode, double-exposure, and also has image stabilization. You can also take slow-motion selfies at 240fps.

The rear camera includes a 64MP f/1.89 sensor, an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide angle camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera (yeah, that last bit is disappointing). The rear camera comes with Super Night Scene 4.0 with the ability to shoot in RAW format. Vivo has added a feature that allows you to shoot using the rear and front cameras at the same time. There is also a vlog feature and a video editing mode that the manufacturer claims is easier than editing photos.

The Vivo S7 has dual SIM support (nano-only), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi, and face unlock. It packs a 4400mAH battery with support for 33W fast charging and ships with Android 10 out of the box.

Vivo S7 Price

Pre-orders are already live on Tmall and JD.com ahead of the first sale on August 8. The 8GB RAM + 128GB version will sell for ¥2799 (~$400) while the 8GB RAM + 256GB version is ¥3098 (~$443).

Huawei Mate 40 Pro screen protector leaks yet again

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 3, 2020

Huawei’s upcoming Mate 40 flagship series is expected to feature improvements in not just the processor which migrates to a 5nm node but also in the aspect of design, camera performance and more. In recent times, the tempered glass for the Mate 40 appeared online revealing the front design. Again, the screen protector for the Mate 40 Pro has leaked online to confirm some of the details of the display.

From the look of things, the Mate 40 Pro will feature a 6.6-inch display with curved edges and ultra-thin bezels. The display doesn’t have any type of display notch whatsoever for a selfie camera. The device may likely use an under-screen camera design instead. This could make the phone the first commercial model to sip with an under-screen camera.

Of course, the design is just one of the aspects where the Mate 40 Pro will see improvements. The device is expected with a lot of highlights, such as enhanced fast charging, bigger battery capacity, improved camera setup in addition to a new Kirin 1020 chipset. On the software side of things, the Mate 40 pro will boot EMUI 11 out of the box bringing along several software features.

Huawei has assured that there won’t be any delays in launching the Mate 40 models. The series is expected to be officially unveiled in September or October.

Rumor: Sony is bringing back the Xperia Compact and Premium models next year

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 3, 2020

Back in February, Sony announced the Xperia 1 II (read as Xperia One Mark Two) as the successor to the Xperia 1 flagship that was announced in 2019. There was no Compac model or Premium model but that may change next year according to a new leak.

The source of the info is a comment that was posted on Android Police by a user that goes by “HGHR181”. According to a screenshot of the comment, there will be no Xperia Compact model this year but a source informed him that Sony will bring back its 3-model flagship pattern next year. So we might get a Compact, a standard, and a Premium model next year rather than just one. He adds that he is not sure if all three phones will be announced at the same time.

Sony switched to a different naming scheme last year and ditched the XZ naming scheme. The new naming scheme is said to have been adopted from its camera division.

While we advise that you take the above info with a grain of salt, bringing back the old Xperia XZ naming scheme with Compact and Premium models may be a good idea. A Compact model should also be well received since there are users who still want a phone that isn’t big.

Here’s the official list of Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark devices eligible for Android 11

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 3, 2020

Xiaomi is known for its MIUI Android skin apart from smartphones. The company seeds out at least 2 to 3 MIUI updates for all of its devices. However, the same cannot be said for Android platform update, which is mostly one for all devices unless they are flagship or popular mid-ranger. Having said that, a Mi Community post is now live revealing the Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark handsets that are eligible for Android 11.

This particular Mi Community post is shared by a user who is part of Mi Fans Team (via PiunikaWeb). The post even details the Android 11 development for certain devices. Hence, we believe it to be true and this could be more or less the final list.

The post also confirms the delivery of stable update to commence from September when Google is expected to officially announce Android 11. Also, the update for all the devices mentioned below will come with MIUI 12.

At first, the post lists the devices which are currently being tested for Android 11. Here’s that complete list of Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones (as of August 3).

Device	Status
Xiaomi Mi 10	Android 11 Beta 2 – MIUI 12
Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro	Android 11 Beta 2 – MIUI 12
Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition	Internal Testing
Redmi K30 Pro/POCO F2 Pro	Android 11 Beta 2 – MIUI 12
Redmi K30/POCO X2	Confirmation by POCO India
Redmi K30 5G	Internal Testing
Redmi K30i 5G	Internal Testing
Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro/Mi Note 10/Mi Note 10 Pro	Internal Testing
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite	Internal Testing
Redmi K20/Xiaomi Mi 9T	Internal Testing

Apart from the above list, the Mi Community post all lists the entire Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark smartphones that will be getting Android 11 update. Unfortunately, the post also confirms no update for Snapdragon 845-powered 2014 high-end handsets like Mi 8, Mi Mix 2S, POCO F1, Black Shark, and Black Shark Helo.

Xiaomi Android 11 Eligible/Supported Devices

Mi 10
Mi 10 Pro
Mi 10 Ultra
Mi 10 Youth Edition
Mi CC9 Pro/Mi Note 10/Mi Note 10 Pro
Mi Note 10 Lite
Mi 10 Lite 5G
Mi 9
Mi 9 Pro
Mi 9 SE
Mi CC9/Mi 9 Lite
Mi CC9 Meitu Edition
Mi 9T
Mi 9T Pro
Mi A3

Redmi Android 11 Eligible/Supported Devices

Redmi K30 Pro
Redmi K30 Ultra
Redmi K30
Redmi K30 5G
Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition
Redmi K30i 5G
Redmi K20
Redmi K20 Pro
Redmi 10X Pro
Redmi 10X
Redmi 10X 4G/Redmi Note 9
Redmi Note 9 Pro Max
Redmi Note 9 Pro
Redmi Note 9 Pro (India)/Redmi Note 9S
Redmi 9/Redmi 9 Prime
Redmi 9C/Redmi 9 (India)
Redmi 9A/Redmi 9AT

POCO Android 11 Eligible/Supported Devices

POCO F2 Pro
POCO X3
POCO X4
POCO M2
POCO M2 Pro
POCO C3

Black Shark Android 11 Eligible/Supported Devices

Black Shark 2
Black Shark 2 Pro
Black Shark 3
Black Shark 3 Pro
Black Shark 3S

Anyway, it is worth noting that this is an initial list. Hene, there could be some changes depending upon various factors. We will make sure to keep this article updated.

Doogee N20 Pro goes official with 16MP quad-rear camera, 6.3-inch display and Helio P60 SoC for $119

By

Simranpal Singh

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Aug 3, 2020

Doogee N20 Pro is finally launched with some interesting features at an affordable price of $119. The primary highlights of the device include a 16-megapixel quad-rear AI camera, Helio P60 SoC, and an impressive 6.3-inch Waterdrop display. The smartphone will compete against the competitors in the mid-range segment. Its unique double-layer coating technology and other splendid features make it worth every cent.

Doogee N20 Pro is a powerful smartphone featuring advancements over its predecessor. It is available at an affordable price of $199 from its global online store and AliExpress.

Performance

The smartphone comes powered with a 12-nm based Helio P60 SoC which houses an octa-core processor and ARM Mali-G72 GPU clocked at 800MHz. The chipset is capable to smoothly run power-intensive tasks such as gaming. Doogee N20 Pro is available in a single storage variant of 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. However, you can even expand the storage up to 256GB via external microSD card eliminating any storage problem while downloading large-sized games and other media.

Display

Doogee N20 Pro houses a large 6.3-inch FHD+ waterdrop display having an aspect ratio of 19:9. The display is efficient enough to provide a vivid viewing experience while playing games and watching movies.

Camera

On the rear side, there’s a quad-rear camera module featuring a 16-megapixel primary camera, a 130° ultra-wide camera lens with 3x optical zoom, a 4cm macro lens and a portrait lens providing depth effect. Apart from the finest camera hardware, the phone also packs ultimate software facilitated by AI algorithms to produce better photos.

There’s a punch-hole encasing a Samsung 16-megapixel front camera for impressive and high-resolution selfies.

Other Features

There’s a 4400 mAh battery with 10W quick-charging technology. The smartphone weighs 175 grams and is just 8.8mm thin which makes it more comfortable and portable. It’s a Dual SIM device that can provide you seamless network coverage while traveling.

Doogee N20 Pro runs on Android carrying all the latest features like improved Dark Mode, enhanced permission controls, and much more. Even the system security and stability have improved with the Android 10 OS. Moreover, the smartphone houses a fingerprint scanner on the rear side for quick and secure authentication.

Doogee N20 Pro Technical Specifications

Chipset – MediaTek Helio P60 (MT6771), 64-bit Processor
GPU – ARM Mali-G72 MP3, 800MHz, 3 Cores
Camera – 16 Megapixels + 8 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP with Dual-LED and AF Rear Camera | 16 Megapixels Front Camera
Memory – RAM- 6GB LPDDR4X, 1600MHz | ROM 128GB External Memory Supports Up to 512GB
Display – Screen size 6.3-inches IPS FHD+ Display (1080 x 2280 Pixels), 20:9 Aspect Ratio
Battery – Non-Removable 4,400 mAh Lithium-Polymer with Fast Charging
SIM – Dual SIM (Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM/microSD)
Sensors – Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass, Fingerprint Rear Mounted
Colour – Black, Purple, Fantasy Forest Gray
Operating System – Android 10 OS
I/O Interface – 1 x Nano SIM Card, 1 x Nano SIM Card or microSD Card Slot, micro USB Port, Audio Out Port, Power Button, Volume Button, Microphone, Speaker
Dimensions – 159 mm x 77.1 mm x 8.8 mm
Weight – 175 Grams (With Battery)

Pricing

Doogee N20 Pro is available for the price of $119 from AliExpress and you can even grab a discount of $10 from August 10-11. The discount is limited to the first 2000 buyers by using a coupon code N20PRO10. You can know more details about the device by heading to the official website.

Poll of The Week: Which will you buy, the OnePlus Nord or Redmi K20 Pro?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 3, 2020

The OnePlus Nord will go on sale tomorrow in India. For a starting price of INR 27,999 (~$370). That amount gets you the 8GB RAM + 128GB version. There is a 6GB RAM + 64GB version that is priced at INR 24,999 (~$330) but it won’t be available until September.

Since the mid-range OnePlus phone launched, there have been debates over whether it is worth buying over flagship killers from last year such as the Redmi K20 Pro. The 2019 Redmi flagship packs some really impressive features including the more powerful Snapdragon 855 processor, a telephoto camera lens, and even has an audio jack.

The Redmi K20 Pro is priced at INR 26,999 (~$359) for the 6GB+128GB version and INR 29,999 (~$399) for the 8GB+256GB version. The OnePlus Nord is INR 29,999 (~$399) for its 256GB version but it packs 4GB RAM more than the Redmi K20 Pro.

For this week’s poll, we want to know which of the two devices you will purchase? Is it the Redmi K20 Pro even though it doesn’t have support for 5G or the OnePlus Nord which has 5G support and a display with a 90Hz refresh rate? Please take the poll and also share your reason(s) for picking one over the other in the comment box.

[yop_poll id=”48″]

MediaTek Dimensity-powered 5G smartphones confirmed to debut in global markets very soon

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 3, 2020

MediaTek made a comeback into the high-end and mid-range smartphone chipset segment last year with the introduction of Dimensity 5G chips. But for some unknown reasons, handsets with these SoCs have remained exclusive to China for a very long time. Thankfully, they are now confirmed by the company to debut in global markets sometime in Q3 2020 (current quarter).

The first-ever Dimensity series chipset by MediaTek is Dimensity 1000. But there is not a single smartphone in the world with this chip. Instead, we have got a device powered by Dimensity 1000L (OPPO Reno3 5G) and Dimensity 1000+ (iQOO Z1 5G) respectively. These two chips are toned-down and beefed-up models of the standard Dimensity 1000, which is yet to see the light of the day.

Further, the Taiwanese chipmaker continued to debut a number of Dimensity mid-range 5G chipsets such as Dimensty 800, Dimensity 820, and Dimensity 720. These chips power some of the cheapest 5G smartphones available in the Chinese market.

But as mentioned in the beginning, none of them is available outside China. However, we might soon see them powering smartphones sold in global markets. MediaTek itself confirmed in its Q2 2020 earning call.

We think the LG Velvet series handset spotted on Google Play Console with Dimensity 800 could be the first-ever MediaTek Dimensity 5G smartphone for international markets. That’s not all, we may also witness the launch of already available Chinese Dimensity handsets in global markets.

(Via)

MediaTek projects revenue growth of up to 30% in Q3 2020

By

Sean

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Aug 3, 2020

MediaTek is expecting sizeable revenue growth for the third quarter of this year. According to a DigiTimes report, the revenue will reach NT$82.5 – NT$87.9 billion (roughly $2.75 – $2.79 billion). This marks a 22 to 30 percent sequential growth, which is well beyond market expectations.

The growth estimation arrives as the company expected high demand and healthy sales for its Dimensity lineup of 5G chips. MediaTek also expects that its gross margin to be around 41.5 to 44.5 percent for the third quarter, which is roughly the same as the second quarter. Furthermore, the Taiwanese chipmakers revenue for the first half grew by 12.4 percent while net profits surged by 33.33 percent year on year.

MediaTek surpassed its original financial guidance for the first half of 2020 and is expected to post a minimum annual revenue increase of 15 percent and double its growth projection during this year, according to industry sources. The company’s CEO stated that the 5G handset market will reach 170 to 200 million units in shipments by the end of 2020, which will be supplemented by upcoming MediaTek 5G chips in the latter half of 2020

Huawei increases 5G APs from third party sources for its smartphones

By

Sean

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Aug 3, 2020

Huawei is increasing the use of mobile APs (applications processors) from third party suppliers for its smartphones. The move will have the Chinese tech giant reduce the use of its Kirin chips made from its subsidiary HiSilicon Technologies, which marks a notable shift as Huawei has typically relied on its own subsdiary.

The primary reason for the multiple sourcing of mobile APs is to maintain the competitiveness of its products. Furthermore, stable supply and profit also comes into play, with the Chinese smartphone maker expected to bring an additional 1-2 vendors to its supplier list for smartphone APs. Despite the company already having Taiwan’s MediaTek as a third-party 5G AP supplier, Huawei might also buy 5G APs from US based Qualcomm.

Moto E7 Plus Geekbench listing spotted, Launch could be near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 3, 2020

Last month, 91mobiles had shared leaked shots of the upcoming Motorola Moto E7 Plus. The leak did not reveal any information on the specs of the device. The live images of the phone only revealed its design from different angles. Today, the Moto E7 Plus appeared on Geekbench to reveal some of its key specs.

Spotted first by Nashville Chatter Class, the Geekbench listing reveals that the Moto E7 Plus is equipped with 4 GB of RAM. The handset is loaded with Android 10 OS. However, the name of the processor is not mentioned on the Geekbench listing.

The listing reveals that the E7 Plus is powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core processor that has a base frequency of 1.8GHz. The listing seems to have “guam” codename of the processor mentioned in the listing. The handset recorded 1152 and 4373 respectively in the single-core and multi-core tests of Geekbench.

Editor’s Pick: Realme V5 5G with 90Hz display, Dimensity 720, 48MP quad cameras, and 5,000mAh battery debuts for 1,399 Yuan (~$200)

The “guam” codename was previously seen in the Geekbench listing of the forthcoming Moto G9 Play phone. It is speculated that the codenamed could be associated with the Snapdragon 662 mid-range SoC. It is advisable to wait and see whether the guam processor that fuels the Moto G9 Play and Moto E7 Plus is the Snapdragon 662 or some other chipset.

The leaked shots of the Moto E7 Plus that appeared last month revealed that it has a waterdrop notch screen. Its rearview revealed a fingerprint scanner and a vertical camera setup that included two cameras, a laser autofocus unit, and an LED flash. It could be backed by a beefy battery and it has a speaker grille, a USB-C port, and a microphone in its bottom edge.

There is no word on the launch date of the Moto E7 Plus. Considering that the predecessor Moto E6 Plus debuted in September last year, it is likely that the Moto E7 Plus may debut next month.

Xiaomi announces August 11 Virtual event, expected to launch the Mi 10 Pro Plus

By

Sean

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Aug 3, 2020

With Xiaomi nearing the 10th anniversary of its founding, the company is planning a special virtual event on August 11. This event will likely have a few notable products and smartphone launches and may even have the announcement for the latest flagship Mi 10 Pro Plus.

The Chinese tech giant recently shared a teaser for the upcoming event. In the virtual event, Lei Jun, the CEO, will be looking at the past, present, and future of Xiaomi while also revealing some new devices as well. According to known WEibo leakster Digital Chat Station, the company will unveil “several new phones” and other “new products.”

Is this almost an official announcement? Several new phones and new products including the Mi 10 Series Super Cup are scheduled to be released on August 11 [吃瓜]
— Digital Chat Station (@StationChat) August 3, 2020

Unfortunately, it is currently unknown what exactly the company has in stores for, at least not officially. However, the tipster mentioned that the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro Plus will be announced during this event. For those unaware, the new rumored entry in the Mi 10 series will be the company’s ultra high end flagship that will also its top offering. Although, this has yet to be confirmed so stay tuned as we will be covering the event.

China: BeiDou Navigation system is now fully operational, will rival US’ GPS

By

Sean

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Aug 3, 2020

China recently announced that its self developed BeiDou Navigation system is now fully operational. The last batch of the satellites within the system was dispatched earlier this year and is now ready to provide services globally.

The new navigation system is now within the same league as US’ GPS, Russia’s GLONASS, and the EU’s Galileo. At the moment, more than 100 countries including Pakistan and countries part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are already using the system. Experts told Chinese media that “the completion of BeiDou-3 was due to the fact that core technologies cannot be bought or begged from other countries.”

The project had brought in over 300,000 scientists, engineers, and technicians from more than 400 domestic institutes, universities, and enterprises. It has been under development since the 1990s and has finally been completed. Chinese President Xi Jinping commissioned the system last week, with a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People.

The system effectively lowers the country’s reliance on foreign navigation system and “By the end of 2019 in the Chinese mainland, more than 6.5 million road vehicles, 40,000 postal and express delivery vehicles, 80,000 buses in 36 major cities, 3,200 inland navigation facilities, and 2,900 marine navigation facilities had adopted the BDS, forming the world’s largest dynamic monitoring system for road vehicles.”

Galaxy Note20 Ultra to feature UWB chip, suggests FCC

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Aug 3, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 series is the most anticipated smartphones of H2 2020 apart from Apple iPhone 12 series and HUAWEI Mate40 series. It will be unveiled on August 5 (coming Wednesday) alongside Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Watch 3, and Galaxy Tab S7 series. Ahead of it, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra visits FCC revealing it to feature UWB (Ultra-wideband) chip.

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Mystic Black — Galaxy Note20 Ultra Mystic Black

The upcoming Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will not be the first smartphone to launch with UWB chips. The iPhone 11 series from last year already has it and its successor is expected to feature it as well.

The confirmation for the presence of UWB chip in Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes directly from FCC (via @SaudiAndroid). The test for the chip was only conducted on the US variants of the handset – SM-N986U and SM-N986U1. Hence, we cannot tell for sure if models for other regions will have this chip.

Having said that, one might ask what is the use of this so-called UWB Chip. To simply put, it is primarily used on the new iPhones for quick file transfer via AirDrop. Additionally, it can be also used to sense and connect with IoT devices. The best example for it is “Apple Car Keys”, which will debut on iOS 14.

In a similar way, we can expect Samsung to use the UWB chip inside Galaxy Note20 Ultra for “Nearby Share”, an AirDrop alternative by Google and for it SmartThings range of IoT products.

Samsung makes a Comeback in India’s Smartphone market with new budget smartphones

By

Sean

-

Aug 3, 2020

Samsung Electronics is making a comeback in the Indian smartphone market with a lineup of new affordable smartphones and improved online presence in the region, according to a Reuters report.

The South Korean tech giant is out to regain market grounds it had lost to Chinese rival, Xiaomi. Notably, Samsung is the only major non-Chinese OEM in the country and has already started gaining momentum. This is further backed by the anti-Chinese sentiments that are growing in the nation due to a prior military clash in the border regions between both nations.

According to a previous Counterpoint report, Samsung came in second in India’s smartphone market, with a 26 percent market share in Q2 2020. The company trailed behind Xiaomi that took the lead with a 29 percent market share in the same period. Despite being the dominating figure in the world’s second largest smartphone market, Samsung has slowly been losing ground to Chinese OEMs in recent years.

But now, the company is seemingly building the momentum again, with seven recent smartphone launches in June, out of which, three were priced under 10,000 INR (roughly 133 US Dollars). A source close to the matter stated that, “The COVID crisis has pushed people to use smartphones for everything from online education to digital payments to even connecting with friends on video calls. That’s why these budget phones are focused on the mass market.”

Samsung Galaxy M01 Core Featured — Samsung Galaxy M01

Furthermore, a company executive also said that “Samsung is India’s No.2 smartphone brand after Apple by image, So a phone priced between 6,000 rupees to 15,000 rupees from Samsung is very well placed today to capture market share from Chinese rivals.” In other words, the vendor is strengthening its budget offerings to better suit the market demand.

OnePlus’ HydrogenOS 11 to debut on August 10

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 3, 2020

While OnePlus phones outside of China are shipped with OxygenOS, its smartphones heading to Chinese markets come with HydrogenOS based Android OS. OnePlus is expected to release OxygenOS 11 based Android 11 update in the coming weeks. It could be made available in September since Android 11 is expected to debut on Sept. 8. Fresh information reveals OnePlus is gearing up to launch the HydrogenOS 11 on Aug. 10 in China.

Through Weibo, OnePlus confirmed that it will be announcing HydrogenOS at 2 PM (local time) on Aug. 10 in the home market. Since it is a China-bound version, it comes without Google Play services. The upcoming HydrogenOS 11 will be based on Android 11 OS.

Editor’s Pick: OnePlus leads the Premium Smartphone market in India in Q2 2020

Nothing much is known on the features that will be arriving on the HydrogenOS 11 except for the fact that it could be coming with native support for Always-On Display (AOD) function. HydrogenOS 11 is expected to bring visual improvements, new functions, and something that is dubbed as a “brand-new interactive concept.”

Recently, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared a tweet that hinted at the arrival of the AOD feature in the upcoming OxygenOS 11 updated. The AOD function is one of the most requested features by OnePlus fans even though it can consume 300 to 500mAh battery power.

The AOD function could be available in the closed beta builds arriving this month, followed by open beta in September. It is speculated that OnePlus 6 and higher will be treated with AOD function. Hopefully, the company will confirm on the other features that will be available on the OxygenOS 11 and HydrogenOS 11 before they are made official.

Apple asked landlords in the UK to lower rent by 50%: Report

By

Sean

-

Aug 3, 2020

Apple has apparently asked various landlords in the UK to lower the rent by 50 percent for its multiple retail stores, according to The Sunday Times report.

In exchange for the rent being lowered or being offered a “rent-free period,” the Cupertino based giant will possibly extend its lease considerably. The period of this rent slash or extension is currently unknown, although, it is understood that several stores in the region still have many years left on their leases. Thus, the landlords do not have to make a prompt decision regarding the matter.

According to the report, the move has already agitated the numerous property owners in the UK, as despite Apple stores being closed during the initial outbreak of the Coronavirus, the company has still managed a record 59.7 billion US Dollars increase in sales in the second quarter of 2020, since the demand for its products online was relatively high.

This tactic of proposing lowered rent is in line with other businesses that had benefitted from this. Landlords had to lower rent to keep the property in shopping centers occupied. Apple currently runs 38 retail stores in the UK, all of which had to close doors for a few months earlier this year. At the moment, these stores have now reopened and are one of the most profitable outlets in the industry.

Report: HUAWEI Mate40 series to include four models, Launch delayed until late October

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Aug 3, 2020

Huawei surpassed Samsung as the world’s largest smartphone brand in April as well as the whole of Q2 2020. But the future of the company is uncertain due to the extension of the US ban and end of its relationship with TSMC. Despite the hurdles, the Chinese telecom giant is expected to release the Mate40 series. A new report from China reveals there will be a delay in the launch and the series will include four models.

The Mate40 series was previously reported to launch in early October on the occasion of Chinese National Day. Huawei is also said to unveil Mate Watch with HarmonyOS alongside these handsets.

Now, a new report by Chinese media says the launch of Mate40 series will be delayed late October. Also, it revealed that there will be four models and they are as listed below.

HUAWEI Mate40
HUAWEI Mate40 Pro
HUAWEI Mate40 Pro+ (Plus)
PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate40 RS

This piece of information is said to come directly from supply chain partners and hence, there’s a high chance of it to be true.

Huawei is not the only company delaying the launch of its new flagship smartphones. Even Apple is reported to do the same for its iPhone 12 series. Another most delayed device of 2020 is Google Pixel 4A, which is finally expected to debut later today.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE render reveals a punch hole display on the front

By

Sean

-

Aug 3, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) has been rumored for a while now. So far, various rumors and leaks have discussed the internals and specifications (1,2,3,4) of the device, but now, a new render has revealed the front half of the upcoming smartphone.

According to a new image that was recently shared online by Evan Blass (@evleaks), the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE can be seen with a punch hole display on the front. The camera is aligned in the top middle of the handset, while the display covers most of the front surface of the device. Minimal bezels can be observed on the sides, with a negligible chin and notch as well.

On the right of the device, the power button and volume rockers can be found while the left seems to be devoid of any buttons. Unfortunately, this is all we have to go on for now and we would have to wait for a new leak or an official Samsung announcement to provide any more details. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is expected to be the successor of the Galaxy S10 Lite, but with new branding. So maybe the company has more in store for us in the newer generation.

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