iQOO recently unveiled the iQOO Z1x as the company’s cheapest 5G smartphone. Today, the Chinese silently unveiled another smartphone called iQOO U1. It is a 4G device and with a pricing of 1,198 Yuan (~$171), it is the most affordable phone from the brand. The smartphone offers some exciting features like punch-hole display, a decent processor, a large-sized battery coupled with fast charging capabilities, and a triple camera system.
iQOO U1 specifications
The iQOO U1 (V2023 model number) has 162.05 x 76.61 x 8.46mm dimensions. The device weighs 190 grams and houses a 6.53-inch display. Its an IPS LCD panel that offers 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It delivers a screen space of 90.72 percent.
The punch-hole on iQOO U1’s display is the home for its 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear side of the phone features a vertical triple camera unit. It consists of a 48-megapixel main lens, a 2-megapixel portrait lens, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter.
The 8nm Snapdragon 720G processor is present under the hood of the iQOO U1. The 2.3GHz octa-core chip is accompanied by LPPDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. iQOO is offering 18W fast charging support for the phone’s 4,500mAh battery. The iQOO UI based Android 10 OS runs on the smartphone. The handset is fitted with a side-facing fingerprint reader.
iQOO U1 price and availability
Here is the pricing of the different variants of the iQOO U1:
6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage – 1,198 Yuan (~$171)
6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – 1,398 Yuan (~$200)
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – 1,598 Yuan (~$228)
Color variants: Star Blue, Secret Black and Sunny Frost White
The iQOO U1 is now for pre-orders in China. It will be available for purchase starting from July 23. At present, there is no word on the global availability of the iQOO U1.
Remember the Nokia 8’s “Bothie” feature that allowed you to record from both the front and rear cameras at the same time? Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Honor, has now made a similar feature available for the Honor 30.
The feature will allow owners of the Honor 30 to take pictures using the cameras on both sides at the same time. This means that if you are always behind the camera, you can also show up in the photos of the subjects you take. Owners will also be able to choose between a side-by-side photo or a picture-in-picture photo.
The feature not only works for photos but also works for video recordings too. Honor says the feature allows the user to record in 1080p. The video recording feature comes in handy for vloggers as they can appear in their videos alongside what they are showing their viewers rather than flipping the camera between them and the subject.
The feature is said to be bundled with the latest update rolling out to the device.
The Honor 30 is a Kirin 985-powered phone with support for 5G. It has a 6.53-inch FHD+ OLED display with a punch hole at the top left corner. The device comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage. It packs a 40MP quad-camera setup, a 32MP selfie camera, an in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, and a 4000mAh battery with support for 40W fast charging.
A few days ago, we reported that Motorola may be preparing to launch the Moto G9 Plus soon. Now, another device, specifically the Moto E7, has leaked and its launch may happen before that of the Moto G9 Plus or alongside it.
First reported by 91Mobiles, the Moto E7’s live photos along with a hands-in video surfaced on the web today. The photos and video give us an early look at the device.
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Moto E7
Moto E7
Moto E7
The Motorola Moto E7 will have a waterdrop notch in its display, dual rear cameras, and a glass back. While Motorola has trimmed down the bezels, they are not the slimmest we have seen. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone.
The device is shown in two color variants – cream and dark blue. It will have a 6.2-inch display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a Snapdragon 632 processor, 13MP + 2MP dual rear cameras, and a 3,550mAh battery capacity. The source reports that there will be a 4GB RAM version which will have 64GB of storage. The Moto E7 will run Android 10 out of the box.
The device is expected to launch by the end of the month.
After excelling with the popular Armor smartphone series, China’s popular rugged smartphone maker – Umidigi is preparing for the launch of a new Bison series smartphone. The first render of the Umidigi Bison has leaked revealing the rear design of the smartphone along with its quad-rear camera. A rugged back panel is easily visible in the render leak.
Umidigi Bison will feature some combination of modern smartphone design, including solid camera setup and rugged features. The matrix quad camera is visible along with a large LED flash which can fully illuminate the low-light environment. It resembles the recently launched Umidigi S5 Pro but houses a better 64-megapixel primary sensor.
Moreover, we can spot three dots alongside the camera module forming a triangle which could be some new sensor. The smartphone’s branding is clearly visible exactly at the centre of the device with a unique symbol and stylish design. Whole design on the rear side, from top to bottom and across all the corners gives a sturdy and stealthy look. It is highly speculated to feature IP68/IP69 rating for the shockproof, waterproof and dustproof experience.
On the front, we can see a punch-hole display offering a vivid and immersive viewing experience while maintaining thin bezels. Full details about the device and the hardware are not yet available. The Umidigi Bison will feature affordable price tag while housing the big battery and Stock Android experience. We expect some more information via the upcoming leaks and rumours.
Umidigi Power Brand Sale
Umidigi is hosting a Brand Power Sale on AliExpress with 40% discount on several new and popular smartphones. You can grab Umidigi A7 Pro, S5 Pro and various other smartphones at discounted prices. You can know more about the latest devices and the sale by heading to the official website.
LG‘s Innotek sure sounds like “Innovation” and in the same light, the electronic component manufacturing company is known for innovative technologies are designed for Safe, Convenient and Enjoyable Future. The company is out with yet another innovative product – a new Bluetooth low energy (BLE) module for IoT.
This isn’t the first Bluetooth low energy (BLE) module to hit the market but what makes this spectacular is that it happens to be the smallest ever made. The module measures a minuscule 6mm x 4mm which is just 75-per cent of the size of the previous model.
The reduction in size doesn’t translate to a reduced performance. LG Innotek has been able to optimise the performance as the new chip offers a 30-percent increase in performance over existing products. The improvement in performance is due to LG’s differentiated RF signal design technology. The technology afforded LG the leverage to cram over 20 components inside the confined space. The components includes communication chips, resistors, inductors, and more.
LG says this design will also aid the elimination of signal interference regardless of obstacles between a smartphone and the IoT device.
In addition, the new chip uses low-power technology to enable more room for developers and manufacturers to work with across the board. That’s from smart lighting, home audio, and healthcare, all the way through to automobiles and combination Wi-Fi Bluetooth modules in home appliances.
Today, Xiaomi launched three entry-level phones in the global market: Redmi 9, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9C. They are sold at different prices, but all of them cost less than €200 and they have a very high value for money. Given that they carry different prices and they are all devices released by Xiaomi, you probably understood that they are not at the same level. But a lot of people are wondering which one to buy: is it worth spending more for the Redmi 9 or it is better to save money for a Redmi 9A / 9C? This comparison will clear your ideas in regards.
Xiaomi Redmi 9 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Xiaomi Redmi 9C
Quad 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/2.2, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
8 MP f/2.0 front camera
Single 13 MP
5 MP front camera
Triple 13 + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4
5 MP front camera
BATTERY
5020 mAh, 18W charging
5000 mAh, 10W charging
5000 mAh, 10W charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Design
Redmi 9, 9A, and 9C sport a modern design but made of cheap materials. They come with a plastic body and borderless display including a waterdrop notch. The Redmi 9 looks more beautiful thanks to its gradient colors, but the Redmi 9A has a more minimalistic look thanks to its smaller camera module. The Redmi 9 also offers a sturdier build quality with its Gorilla Glass 3 front panel. Despite sporting the same display diagonal, Redmi 9 is even more compact thanks to narrower bezels around the display.
Display
Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C come with exactly the same display. It is a 6.53-inch panel with the IPS technology offering a below-average 720p resolution. Redmi 9 is a lot better since it offers a higher resolution and a higher level of detail. It is a Full HD+ phone with 1080 x 2340 pixels. And it is actually not easy to find a device with a Full HD+ display under €150, even with an IPS panel. Redmi 9 obviously wins the display comparison thanks to its higher resolution.
Specs & Software
With the Xiaomi Redmi 9, you actually get a much more powerful chipset: the octa-core Helio G80 running at a 2 GHz frequency, paired with at least 3 GB of RAM and at least 32 GB of internal storage which you can furtherly expand with a micro SD. The silver medal goes to the Redmi 9C with the Helio G35, while Redmi 9A has a weaker Helio G25. Note that every SoC is pretty nice in terms of performance, they are even nice at gaming. But there is an important gap between Helio G80 and G35. Redmi 9, 9A, and 9C run Android 10 out of the box, customized by the new MIUI 12.
Camera
With the Redmi 9, you get the most complete camera setup including a rear quad-camera with an ultrawide sensor included and an 8 MP front camera. Unfortunately, the Redmi 9C lacks the ultrawide sensor, but it actually comes with a better main sensor offering a brighter focal aperture for better photo quality in dark scenes. It is still an entry-level camera, though. Redmi 9A has just one single camera at the back, so it is the most disappointing one and you should not go for it if you need a decent camera phone.
Battery
Despite having a similar battery capacity to the Redmi 9, the lower-end Redmi 9A and 9C offer a longer battery life in a lot of scenarios thanks to their lower display resolution. With the Redmi 9, you get fast charging, which is not present on its two siblings. Note that these devices are equipped with 5000 mAh batteries, so it is not quick to fully charge them without a fast charging technology.
Price
Redmi 9 debuted in the European market with a €149/$170 starting price. If you live in Europe, you need €119/$135 for the Redmi 9C, while the Redmi 9A costs €99/$113. Is it worth spending more for the Redmi 9? Yes, if we compare it to the Redmi 9C. It has a better display, a complete camera setup, and a better hardware department. But you can save €50 by choosing the Redmi 9A, which might be the best choice for you if you are a basic user who does not care about clicking great photos and having the fastest performance.
The Meizu 17 Pro launched back in early May in three color variants – Black, Azure, and White. Today, Meizu announced a fourth color variant is now available for the flagship phone.
The new color variant is called Moonlight Blue and it is very similar to the Azure color variant save for the front of the phone which is white rather than black.
If you want the new color variant, you can grab the phone on the Meizu online store for ¥4299 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB version and ¥4699 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB version.
The Meizu 17 Pro has a 6.6-inch 120Hz display with a 2340 x 1080 resolution and a punch hole at the top right corner of the display. There is a Snapdragon 865 processor inside the phone and it draws power from a 4500mAh battery.
Meizu has put a 64MP + 8MP + 32MP + 0.3 ToF 3D quad-camera setup on the back of the phone while the selfie camera is a 20MP. The phone also has stereo speakers, NFC, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and runs Android 10 out of the box. It also has support for 30W fast charging and 27W wireless fast charging.
OnePlus opened pre-orders for the Nord smartphone in India today ahead of the July 21 launch. At the same time, the company equally kicked off a third wave of pre-orders for the premium mid-range smartphone in Europe via the company’s official website for the Old Continent. The pre-bookings are expected to remain open for 24 hours or until the stocks last.
Interested customers in Europe will have to pay €20 to pre-order the OnePlus Nord. The company will send a special gift pack to everyone who pre-order the smartphone. The pack contains a sticker pack and a surprise gift. Apart from that, after the smartphone has been released, OnePlus will mail an invitation code and a €20 voucher to the OnePlus account of those who pre-order so they can buy the smartphone. Thus, you actually get the gift pack free if you end up buying the smartphone.
OnePlus Nord in Gray and Cyan
For customers in the United Kingdom, the OnePlus Nord can be pre-ordered for GBP20 (around $25/€22). Each pre-order also come with the same perks available to buyers in Europe and India.
There seems to be no respite for Huawei in its debacle with the US government which has repeatedly accused the tech giant of spying for the Chinese government. The US may have just added another accusation and it bothers on human rights abuses. In a press briefing Wednesday, U.S Secretary of States Mike Pompeo announced that the United States would impose visa restrictions on Chinese companies like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, which he accused of facilitating human right violations.
According to Pompeo, Huawei provides material support to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a regime which he says engages in human rights violations and abuses globally. He also stated that telecoms companies around the world “should consider themselves on notice” that if they do business with Huawei, “they are doing business with human rights abusers.”
To this end, the US Secretary of States told a news conference the State Department would “impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies like Huawei that provide material support to regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses globally.”
“Certain Huawei employees provide material support to the CCP regime that commits human rights abuses,” the statement said.
In a separate statement referring to alleged abuses against China’s minority Muslim population, Pompeo charged that Huawei was “an arm of the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state that censors political dissidents and enables mass internment camps in Xinjiang and the indentured servitude of its population shipped all over China.”
Pompeo also said that “faster is always better” in terms of getting Huawei out of telecoms infrastructure when asked about British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s order that Huawei equipment should be purged completely from Britain’s 5G network by the end of 2027.
Huawei has repeatedly denied it spies for China. The company accused the United States of trying to frustrate its growth because no U.S. company offers the same technology at a competitive price.
Huawei is yet to react to this latest development. When asked about the company’s response to Pompeo’s remarks, a Huawei spokeswoman hinted that the company was looking into it and would share their response when available.
Samsung launched Galaxy M31 earlier this year in India starting at a price tag of ₹14,999. Currently, the phone starts at ₹15,499 due to recent GST (Goods & Services Tax) increase and pandemic. Just after 5 months from its release, the company is all set to unveil its successor – Galaxy M31s by the end of this month.
Samsung Galaxy M31
The news about the launch of Galaxy M31s comes from IANS. According to the report, the handset will feature a Super AMOLED Infinity-O display (punch-hole), 64MP quad-camera setup, 6000mAh battery, and a price tag of around ₹20,000. Although It will be available to purchase starting August from Amazon and offline retailers, the company will announce the phone in July itself.
As per previous leaks, it will be powered by the same Exynos 9611 chipset, which is present in both Galaxy M31 and Galaxy M30s. It is expected to come with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, however, there could be other variants as well like the recently unveiled Galaxy M31 8GB RAM version. On the software front, we can expect it to run One UI 2 based on Android 10.
In a nutshell, the upcoming Galaxy M31s will be identical to its predecessor Galaxy M31 except for a punch-hole display instead of an Infinity-U (dew-drop notch) panel.
India telecommunication giant Reliance Jio today held its first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM). As usual, the event was an opportunity for the company to showcase its feat and latest development to shareholders. The company made a number of sterling announcements one of which is a new mixed-reality glasses dubbed Jio Glass. Reliance also announced its 5G network built using home-grown technologies, as well as Jio TV Plus, Jio Mart, Jio Meet, and more.
Jio Glass is a mixed reality glasses. Mixed reality (MR) is the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations, where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. Jio Glass comes with a high-resolution display that let users experience holographic content. The glasses also allows users interact using 3D avatars, and more.
The mixed-reality glasses also features a personalised audio system that supports all the standard audio formats and it works without any external attachments. Users can do holographic video calls with interactive 3D avatars, share presentations in the virtual environment and can also share 3D assets and holograms.
Reliance Jio also announced that the Jio Glass can be used for 3D virtual classrooms and holographic classes can be conducted deploying Jio Mixed Reality Cloud. Connecting the glasses to the cloud is done using a cable that is attached to a smartphone.
On the design side, the glasses weigh 75 grams. It supports more than 25 applications already, and the company says more are expected to be rolled out next year.
UNISOC has announced a new chipset for smartwatches. The UNISOC W307 was unveiled yesterday and it comes with a bunch of features including an integrated 4G multi-mode modem.
Built on TSMC’s 28nm HPC+ process, the UNISOC W307 is said to be based on an “ultra-low-power architecture design”. The chipmaker says the package area is 30% smaller than that of the last generation, which brings an improvement in performance, connectivity, intelligence, and power consumption.
UNISOC is excited to introduce our upgraded 4G smartwatch platform — #UNISOCW307. Based on ultra-low-power architecture design, the W307 adopts the high-precision positioning scheme and highly integrated 4G full-network, bringing users a richer intelligent experience. pic.twitter.com/ItO26LeaOe
Other features of the processor include HD video calling, sub-meter high precision positioning, and a highly-integrated 4G full-network.
There is no info on when the processor will appear in a commercial device neither is there any news of which brands have signed up for it.
UNISOC’s chipsets are used in various products from brands including Nokia, Xiaomi, Hisense, and Lava. For example, its UNISOC 8521W chipset is found in the Xiaomi Mi Kids Watch 4C that was announced last month.
Reliance Jio, introduced as a telecom company, has now ventured into various businesses including e-commerce, cloud computing, and others. It is known for pushing 4G adoption in India. Earlier today, at the company’s Annual General Meet (AGM), Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of the group announced a partnership with Google to develop a new type of entry-level Android smartphone.
India’s largest carrier Jio is known for its cheap data rates and its own-branded entry-level JioPhones running KaiOS with support for various popular apps and services.
At the company’s annual meet, it revealed Google’s ₹33,737 crores ($4.5 billion) investment in Jio Platforms Ltd for a 7.73% equity stake. That’s about 45% of ₹75,000 crores ($10 billion) the internet giant announced for “India Digitization Fund” a couple of days back.
With this collaboration, Google will develop an entry-level smartphone for the Indian market, In a blog post, the company notes that this device will feature an optimized Android Operating System and Play Store.
At first look, this program seems to be similar to Android Go. According to the post, the same strategy will be also applied for entry-level 5G smartphone when Jio will deploy the services in the near future.
Since Xiaomi first launched the M365 Electric Scooter in 2017, the company has launched successive models which have all turned out to be highly successful even when buyers have to pay a premium to get it from third-party retailers. Xiaomi is now bringing its electric scooters closer to our doorstep with the launch of the Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 and Mi Electric Scooter 1S during the ecosystem product launch.
Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2
The Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 arrives with several improvements, one of which is an extended range of 45km while the top speed can hit 25km/h. The scooter can climb 20% incline hills effortlessly making it ideal for daily commutes.
The scooter also features a built-in LCD screen which lets riders view and controls a wide range of parameters for convenient, hassle-free riding experience. The display helps users check the real-time speed, choose a riding mode, connect to Bluetooth, and even monitor headlight status with one quick glance.
Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 also features a 300W powerful motor, reliable double braking system, shock-absorbing pneumatic tires, and easy folding design for elevated urban mobility.
Designed with safety at its core, Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 sports front, rear, and side reflectors as well as an upgraded 2W headlight that illuminates up to 10 meters ahead, for improved visibility. First-time riders will also receive safety reminders and tips once connected through their mobile devices for an added layer of safety.
Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 AMG Mercedes Petronas F1 Edition
Xiaomi also announced a special edition of Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 in collaboration with the legendary Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. As stated by Chris Church, Vice President of Brand Partnerships APAC at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team: “We are extremely excited to bring the Mercedes F1 experience closer to our fans. Like us, Xiaomi is committed to continuous innovation and we are delighted to work alongside them to bring to the market this new edition of their flagship Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2”. This edition will be released soon.
As for the pricing, the Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 will become available from EUR 499.
Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter 1S
The Mi Electric Scooter 1S is a renamed MIJIA Electric Scooter 1S which was launched in China a while back. The model has a slightly trimmed down feature compared to the Mi Scooter Pro 2. The range is reduced to 30km but it can still attain a peak speed of up to 25 km per hour. This suggests a powerful motor but slightly lesser battery pack.
Other features include a new interactive visual dashboard which notifies the users of a self-diagnosed problem with the scooter. The display also shows the speed, driving status, battery life and other important information in real-time.
The Mi Electric Scooter 1s retains the sturdy minimalist build of its predecessors, manufactured from aviation-grade aluminium alloy body and a total weight of just 12.5 kilograms. Notably, it is capable of carrying loads up to 100kg. There is a latch at the end of the handlebar which makes it foldable in just seconds.
It packs a DC motor rated for a service life of 3,000 hours with a 250W power rating and a maximum output of 500W. The scooter can reach speeds up to 25km/h and has a mileage of up to 30 kilometres in a single full charge. The mileage can extend depending on how careful you use the scooter. There are three modes; an energy-saving mode which is automatically activated when the battery goes below 40%. there is also a normal mode and an adjustable sports mode.
The scooter uses 8.5-inch pneumatic tires at the front and back. It also adopts a disc brake system on both ends with ABS system.
The Mi Electric Scooter 1S will be available for EUR 399.
After months of waiting, Xiaomi’s first streaming stick, the Mi TV Stick, is now official and it launched along with the Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34”, and the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic.
Mi TV Stick
The Mi TV Stick comes in only one version rather than two. It was originally expected to be available in both a 1080p version and a 4K version just like Amazon’s Fire TV streaming sticks, however, Xiaomi only launched a 1080p version today with no mention of a 4K version.
The Mi TV Stick is a pretty portable streaming stick that can fit into your pocket. This makes it easier to move around compared to the Mi TV Box series. So if you are going to your friend’s house, lodging at a hotel, or going to spend the holidays with your relatives, you can take it along with you and stream your favorite shows and movies.
The Mi TV Streaming Stick runs Android Tv 9.0 and has Chromecast built-in so you can cast content from your phone on to the TV. It comes with a Bluetooth remote with dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, and Google Assistant. The spec sheet says it has just 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and a quad-core CPU. There is also support for Dolby Audio and DTS surround sound.
The Mi TV Stick is priced at €39.99 and will come with a power adapter in the box. It weighs just 28.5 grams and measures 92.4 x 30. 2 x 15.2 millimeters.
Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34”
Xiaomi also announced the Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 34” today. It has a WQHD resolution of 3440 x 1440, a refresh rate of 144Hz, and an aspect ratio of 21:9. Its color spectrum is 121% sRGB and its curve rating is 1500R. For connectivity, there are two HDMI ports and two display ports.
Xiaomi has put a price tag of €399 on the monitor and it will go on sale later this month.
Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic
Xiaomi also announced a new pair of TWS earbuds called the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic. We first spotted the device in April when it was certified by the Bluetooth SIG.
The earbuds have a similar design to the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 but with a different type of case. The earbuds are only available in white and have pretty thick stems. Each one has a 14.2mm driver and supports touch controls.
Xiaomi says it also supports auto-pair and auto-connect and has smart in-ear detection which means playback will automatically pause when you remove the earbuds.
The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic boasts a battery life of 5 hours that goes up to 20 hours with the case which has support for USB-C charging. It has a feature called Dual-mic Environmental Noise Cancellation for crystal clear calls. It connects via Bluetooth 5.0 and supports SBC and AAC audio codecs.
The TWS earbuds are priced at €39.99 but will sell for €34.99 for a limited time. The sale begins on July 20.
Xiaomi‘s ecosystem product launch event was held today and it was indeed a thriller. The company launched up to nine products including three new smartphones, the Mi Smart Band 5, Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2, Mi Electric Scooter 1S, Mi TV Stick, Xiaomi Gaming monitor and Mi TWS earbuds. The smartphones are the Redmi 9 series models made up of the Redmi 9, Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C.
The three smartphones feature powerful chipsets and premium features while retaining the affordable pricing for which the budget series is known for. They indeed represent Xiaomi’s mission to make exceptional smartphone experiences accessible to everyone. We’ll take a quick look at their specifications.
Redmi 9
As the first entry-level Redmi smartphone to feature an all-purpose quad-camera set up, Redmi 9 helps capture life’s special moments. Whether you’re looking to take a quick snap, wide-angle group shot, close-up with stunning details, or beautiful portrait photos, Redmi 9 has you covered. The device also integrates fun and creativity into the photography experience with premium camera features, including Kaleidoscope and Palm Shutter.
The Redmi 9 features a humongous 6.53-inch FHD+ Dot Drop display which offers an optimal visual experience with crystal-clear detail at your fingertips. It also comes with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification and Corning Gorilla Glass covering for on-the-go protection.
On the performance front, Redmi 9 sports an optimized MediaTek Helio G80 SoC, delivering a 107% improved performance over its predecessor. Paired with a 5020mAh large capacity battery, Redmi 9 packs the power you need for everyday work and play. This performance beast even supports 18W fast charging technology to keep your sideline time to a minimum so you can get back in the game.
Redmi 9 features the stunning smartphone design you deserve. On the back cover, it leverages a chic gradient color design and an anti-fingerprint ripple texture. The rear fingerprint sensor is specially designed to sit beside the camera set, and surrounded by a trendy circle design featured on Redmi’s current smartphone lineup. Altogether, this makes Redmi 9 even more comfortable to hold and unlock.
To round it up, Redmi 9 also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and multifunctional NFC, while supporting dual SIM usage and an additional microSD card slot.
Redmi 9 will be available in three color variants: Carbon Grey, Ocean Green, and Sunset Purple. The pricing starts at EUR 149 for the 3GB+32GB variant and EUR 169 for the 4GB+64GB variant.
Redmi 9C
This brand-new entry-level smartphone is equipped with a massive 6.53-inch Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9C features MediaTek Helio G35, an octa-core gaming chipset which can go up to 2.3GHz. It also sports the AI optimized triple camera that can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.
Redmi 9C will be available at a recommended retailing price of EUR 119 for 2GB + 32GB variant, and EUR 139 for 3GB + 64GB variant.
Redmi 9A
This brand-new entry-level smartphone is equipped with a massive 6.53” Dot Drop display for an immersive viewing experience and a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that satisfies users who want to do more and enjoy more on their phone. Redmi 9A features MediaTek Helio G25, an octa-core gaming chipset, which allows for a smooth day-to-day operating experience. It also sports the AI-optimized 13MP rear camera that can quickly and easily capture crisp and clear images in a variety of situations.
The Redmi 9A is the cheapest model among the three. Pricing starts at EUR 99 for the 2GB+32GB variant.
You can read more about the Redmi 9C and 9A from here.
Huawei P40 Pro Plus is the company’s flagship smartphone for the first half of 2020. It is one of the first three devices (P40, P40 Pro) to launch with EMUI 10.1 based on Android 10 out of the box. Now, this handset is receiving EMUI 10.1.0.145 global update with optimizations for calls and multi-window.
The new update for Huawei P40 Pro Plus weighs 546MB in size and brings three new changes, in addition to optimization for compatibility for third-party apps.
According to the changelog, the update optimizes call audio quality and improves multi-window user experience. Further, it also removes MeeTime tab from the Phone and the Contacts apps.
Removing the tab of the company’s video calling service from Phone and Contacts apps is a welcome move as MeeTime is only limited to Huawei/Honor devices. Above all, it is only available on certain devices as part of EMUI 10.1 and thus, the adoption rate is quite low.
Google recently added Duo calling option inside Google Phone app so that users can easily make a video call. But Duo is a cross-platform service used by many people.
However, it is worth noting that this app became quite popular as the search giant pushed it rigorously by bundling with other Google apps on Android smartphones from different OEMs. Huawei might have thought to do something similar, however, that did not work due to various reasons.
That said, if you have a Huawei P40 Pro Plus, then make sure to update it to the latest version for the new improvements.
The first product announced today at Xiaomi’s Ecosystem Product launch event is the Mi Smart Band 5. The fitness tracker is the global version of the Mi Band 5 sold in China.
The new fitness tracker comes with significant upgrades over its predecessor, the Mi Smart Band 4. The new features include a larger display, more sports modes, better heart rate measurement, and more.
The smart band has a 1.1-inch AMOLED display which is 20% bigger than that of its predecessor. There are several watch faces to choose from, and what makes it better is the ability to customize what will be displayed on the screen.
The fitness tracker now supports 11 sports modes including home workouts such as indoor cycling, elliptical, yoga, rowing machine, and jump rope. Xiaomi says the Mi Smart Band 5 will automatically track your jumps and will display the duration, the number of jumps, and the total calories burnt while using a skipping rope.
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Mi Smart Band 5 features
Mi Smart Band 5 period tracking
Xiaomi says the PPG heart rate sensor is now up to 50% more accurate than that of the last generation. Sleep tracking has also been upgraded as the Mi Smart Band 5 supports 24-hour sleep tracking including REM sleep and afternoon naps. The latter just rolled out to a few Amazfit smartwatches a few weeks ago.
Other features of the smart band are stress management, deep breathing, and the much-awaited menstrual cycle tracking which tracks the monthly cycle of the user. Another key feature added to the device is “camera remote” which allows you to use the Mi Smart Band 5 to serve as a remote shutter button for the camera on your phone. The battery life is 14 days and there is a new magnetic charger that doesn’t require you to remove the strap before charging.
The Mi Smart Band 5 will sell for €39.99 and its straps are available in six colors. There is also an early bird price of €34.99. Xiaomi didn’t say when it will be available for purchase, so you will have to check your local Mi.com or Mi Home store.
Google Maps is arguably the best maps service for navigation. Last year, the Mountain View-based tech giant rolled out “Live View”, an AR directions mode to both Android and iOS. Earlier, it was only exclusive to Pixels. Now, the company has added an option to calibrate location using this mode.
GPS on smartphones does not work properly in dense urban areas. Hence, Google is introducing a new feature to lock user’s location properly via Live View.
Normally, to calibrate GPS on handsets, users will have to twist them in a certain pattern. It works most of the times, however, it may not function when the user is in a jam-packed area.
In such a situation, users can open Live View inside Google Maps and then point their phone’s camera to nearby buildings, street signs or other things to lock their location. This feature will use Google’s years worth of Street View data to recognize the current location of users.
The feature is currently live on both stable and beta versions of Google Maps Android app. It is not available for iOS for now. Also, it is worth noting that this feature will work on Android smartphones that are compatible with Google ARCore.
The recent announcement made by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid out the plan to remove Huawei from the country’s networking infrastructure by the end of 2027. Furthermore, even the purchase of telecommunications equipment from the Chinese tech giant will be banned post 31st December 2020. In other words, carriers can only purchase Huawei technology until the end of this year.
This move from the UK Government will reportedly cost telecom operators in the country around 2 billion Pounds (roughly 2.52 billion US Dollars). Furthermore, the removal of Huawei will also delay the adoption of 5G by at least 2 to 3 years, according to reports. The decision to ban Huawei may also have far reaching effects on the geopolitical situation between China and western nations like the US and UK.
Huawei is one of the pioneering figures in the 5G field. The company provides top notch equipment to various carries across the globe. The brand has also been in the UK for the past 20 years and has urged the UK Government to reconsider its decision. Although, we will have to wait and see how this decision plays out in the near future.
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