Xiaomi Master Series OLED TV to reportedly be 5X costlier than LCD TV

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Jul 1, 2020

ZTE launched a smartphone named Blade A3 Prime a few weeks ago and it seems that the Chinese company is now gearing up to launch yet another budget smartphone, dubbed as ZTE Balde A3v — a variant of the Blade A3.

The smartphone has appeared on the Google Play Console carrying model number Z5157V. The listing reveals that the smartphone features an HD screen with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels, offering around 320PPI pixel density.

Under the hood, the device will come powered by a MediaTek Helio A22 chipset clocked at 2.0GHz. It packs 2GB RAM but the internal storage information is not yet known. The smartphone is powered by the Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box.

While the screen size is not yet known, the leaks specs hints that the display could be of 5-inch — same as the ZTE Blade A3 (2019) but smaller than the Blade A3 Prime which has a 5.45-inch screen.

The ZTE Blade A3v was recently certified by both the FCC and the Bluetooth SIG. So, the smartphone should not be far away from getting launched. Since the Blade A3 Prime costs $99, we expect this one to be priced lower than that.

Just for the sake of comparison, the ZTE Blade A3 Prime comes with a 5.45-inch HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels) IPS LCD panel with 295 PPI and 18:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by MediaTek Helio A22 SoC paired with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage.

The device features an 8MP primary camera with dual-LED flash and a 5MP front camera. It has all the basics such as 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 4.2, and fingerprint sensor. Running on Android 10, the phone is powered by a 2,660mAh battery.

(Source)

Huawei Mate 40 Pro rumoured to use 3D face recognition for payments

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Jul 1, 2020

Huawei, the world’s largest smartphone maker after surpassing Samsung, is gearing up to launch its next-generation Mate-series flagship smartphones. As the name nears, new details about the upcoming devices keep surfacing online.

In the latest report, it is being said that the Huawei Mate 40 Pro will come with support for 3D face recognition technology that will be used to authenticate digital payments. The sensors used for this tech will be placed under the punch-hole cutout on the display.

Do note that this is not a new technology but something that Huawei has been offering on its Mate-series flagship smartphones for the past two years. So, the tech is already available on the Mate 20 and Mate 30 series smartphones and the company will keep the technology on Mate 40 series and may have some improvements.

It has also been leaked that the Huawei Mate 40 Pro will come with a 90Hz refresh rate display and a unique screen resolution of 2640 x 1200 pixels. Under the hood, the device will be powered by the next-generation Kirin chipset which could be manufactured using the 5nm process by TSMC.

The highlight of the Mate series smartphones has been the awesome camera features and we expect the same from Huawei for the upcoming Mate 40 series. But to know what exactly the company has up its sleeves for the flagship smartphone, we’ll have to wait for the official launch announcement.

So far, the exact launch date for the Mate 40 series smartphones is not yet known. But it is likely that the company will launch this flagship lineup somewhere around September or October this year.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G images leaks on TENAA

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Jul 1, 2020

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip along with the Galaxy S20 series earlier this year. One of the major attractions of the clamshell device is that it features a foldable display. Rumors are rife that the 5G version the Galaxy Z Flip will be announced alongside the Galaxy Note 20 series on Aug. 5. The handset emerged with all its specs on TENAA’s database last week. However, the listing lacked the images of the device. Now, the TENAA listing of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G has been updated with its images. Moreover, the foldable phone has also bagged approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G images at TENAA reveals that its appearance is almost identical to its LTE sibling. Opening the device reveals its foldable punch-hole display. The left side of the phone has a SIM slot and it has a volume rocker and a fingerprint reader on its right edge. On the outside, there is a small secondary screen and alongside it is an LED flash assisted dual-camera system.

Editor’s Pick: Report: Samsung will not attend IFA 2020

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G specifications

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G has a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with a 1080 x 2636 resolution. The outer 1.05-inch AMOLED display supports 112 x 300 pixels. The 3.09GHz SoC that fuels the device could be the Snapdragon 865+ SoC. The flip phone has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of built-in storage.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G has 2,500mAH + 704mAH dual-part battery. It has a front camera of 12-megapixel and it has a 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel dual-camera system on the outside. The FCC listing of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G revealed that it has a dual-part battery, support for 15W fast charging, and support for Wi-Fi 802.11ax.

(source 1, 2|via 2)

OnePlus Nord is now up for pre-order in Europe

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Jul 1, 2020

OnePlus is all set to launch a new smartphone series focused on the mid-range market. The first device in this new series will be OnePlus Nord, as confirmed by the company, and will go official in the coming days.

Now, ahead of the official launch of the OnePlus Nord smartphone, the device is up for pre-orders in Europe. The company will be taking limited pre-orders in thee batches, first of which is today, i.e. on 1st July at 10:00 AM CEST.

It has also scheduled two more pre-orders on 8th July and 15th July at the same time — 10:00 AM CEST. While the second pre-order is similar to the first one and is for limited models only, the third pre-order will be open for 24 hours.

Do note that those who pre-order the smartphone will have to make a deposit of £20 (~$25). Once the payment is done, the company says that it will start sending “awesome merch right away” which includes a random lifestyle product and sticker packs.

When the OnePlus Nord gets launched, the company will send an invitation code and a £20 voucher to purchase the smartphone. Not just that, the company has also revealed that all those who pre-order the smartphone and purchase the device at the earliest on the release date will be receiving OnePlus Nord in exclusive packaging.

This pre-order promotion for the OnePlus Nord is currently available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

OnePlus Nord smartphone is set to get lunched in India and Europe. While the pre-order promotion is now live for the European market, the company has not announced anything like this for the Indian market. So far, it’s been confirmed that in India, the phone will be sold exclusively through Amazon, the long-time partner of OnePlus.

Although the company has confirmed that the OnePlus Nord smartphone will be launched in July, reports indicate that the launch will take place on 10th July. This is just days after the company is set to launch a budget OnePlus TV lineup in the Indian market.

To pre-order your OnePlus Nord smartphone, click here.

Xiaomi XiaoAI Portable Speaker launched in China for 49 yuan ($7)

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Jul 1, 2020

Xiaomi, which has already launched a few smart speakers in its home market China, has now launched yet another speaker — Xiaomi XiaoAI Portable Speaker. As the name indicates, it’s a compact portable speaker that can be easily carried around.

The speaker, which comes with the company’s own XiaoAI smart voice assistant, is priced at 49 yuan, which roughly converts to $7. It is now available for purchase through the company’s own Xiaomi Youpin website in China.

In terms of design, the new Xiaomi XiaoAI Portable Speaker comes in a compact square-shaped body that looks similar to the FM radio of earlier days. The white-colored product has rounded edges around the corner. The speaker is made up of ABS + PC material and has a USB Type-C port.

For connectivity, it comes with support for Bluetooth 5.0. There are just two buttons at the top of the speaker, along with a microphone — one for power and one for the mic. The XiaoAI smart assistant can be triggered just through a single voice command.

The voice assistant can be used to schedule shutdown time for the speaker, as well as to get information about the connection status and power status. Additionally, it can also be connected to the smartphone for playing songs and audiobooks and controlling the playback using voice commands.

If you are using an MIUI-powered smartphone, then the speaker can be quickly connected through an automated pop-up window for Bluetooth connections. However, the feature is available only for the users of Mi 9 Pro, Mi 10, and Mi 10 Pro at the moment, and support for more devices is being added.

The device can be charged through a USB Type-C port which is placed at the back of the speaker. As per the company, the Xiaomi XiaoAI Portable Speaker should run for about six hours on a single charge.

Realme X50 5G, Buds Q to launch on July 8 in Europe

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Jul 1, 2020

On May 12, Realme unveiled the Realme X50 Pro 5G and Realme 6 Pro smartphones in Europe. Later in the same month, the company unveiled the Realme X3 SuperZoom smartphone. The Chinese firm has confirmed through the Realme Spain website that it will be announcing the Realme X50 5G and Realme Buds Q earbuds on July 8.

Realme had unveiled the Realme X50 5G phone at the beginning of this year in China. Later in April, the Chinese brand unveiled the Realme X50m 5G phone with downgraded cameras in the home market. It is unclear which device will be launching as the Realme X50 5G in the European markets in the coming week. Hence, it is advisable to wait for further reports to know more about the device. The launch event will be held at 10:30 AM (local time) on the said date.

Editor’s Pick: Realme C11 debuts with 6.5-inch display, Helio G35, 5,000mAh battery, 13MP dual cameras for ~$100

In May, Realme launched the Realme Buds Q earbuds in China with a pricing of 129 Yuan (~$18). It landed in India last month with a price tag of Rs. 1,999 (~$26). The Buds Q is an in-ear truly wireless earbuds that comes with a 10mm driver. It comes with support for Bluetooth 5.0, SC, and AAC audio. It has R10 chip for low latency while gaming. It comes in black, white, and yellow colors.

China’s Realme X50 5G came with a 6.57-inch dual punch-hole IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate support. It is fueled by Snapdragon 765G and up to 12 GB of RAM. It has up to 256 GB of native storage and runs on Realme UI based Android 10 OS. It has a 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual front-facing camera system and a 64-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera setup. It houses a 4,200mAh battery with 30W fast charging support. The Realme X50m 5G has a 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual selfie setup and a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera units. The rest of its specs are almost identical to X50 5G.

Honor X10 Max and its pricing appear in leaked shots

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Jul 1, 2020

Honor will be launching the Honor X10 Max 5G along with the Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G smartphone in China tomorrow. Yesterday, a listing of the Honor X10 Max had surfaced at the database of China Telecom. The listing revealed its key specifications and expected pricing. A new image that mentions the pricing of the Honor X10 Max 5G for offline markets in China has surfaced on Weibo. Also, a live shot of the device has also emerged on the microblogging platform.

Some vital information of the Honor X10 Max 5G’s display can be seen mentioned in the leaked shot. It states that the 7.09-inch waterdrop notch display of the X10 Max supports RGBW technology. It supports P3 movie-level color gamut, 780nits brightness, and HDR10. It has blue light filter certification from TUV Rheinland.

Editor’s Pick: Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G live shots of color variants appear before launch

The Honor X10 Max has a 5,000mAh battery. Apart from the 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant is mentioned in the image, the X10 Max will be also available in other options as mentioned below It will be available in colors like black, silver, and blue. Also, the device is equipped with support for NFC connectivity.

The other image reveals that the 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage variant of the Honor X10 Max 5G is priced at 2,399 Yuan. The higher 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage costs 2,599 Yuan. The pricing for 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage is not mentioned.

Past reports have revealed that the Honor X10 Max has a front camera of 8-megapixel and it has a 48-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system on its back. The phone is fueled by Dimensity 800 5G chipset and it is loaded with Magic UI 3.1.1 based Android 10 OS. The phone supports 22.5W charging for its massive battery. Lastly, it features a side-facing fingerprint reader.

(source 1, 2)

iQOO Z1x specifications and images leaked on TENAA

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Jul 1, 2020

The rumored iQOO Z1x smartphone is expected to launch early this month. The iQOO handset with model number V2012A has now appeared at the database of the TENAA telecom authority of China with its full specifications and images. Hence, it appears that the company may soon confirm the iQOO Z1x launch date.

The iQOO Z1x is believed to be a weaker sibling of the iQOO Z1 phone that went official in May. It debuted as the world’s first phone fueled by the Dimensity 1000+ 5G SoC. The upcoming Z1x will be iQOO’s first mid-range smartphone.

The iQOO Z1x images that have surfaced on TENAA shows that it has a punch-hole display. The backside of the phone has a rectangle-shaped camera housing that includes three cameras and an LED flash. The device is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo iQOO Z1 Review: 144Hz Display & Dimensity 1000+ provides Gaming Performance at a budget

iQOO Z1x specifications

A 6.57-inch IPS LCD screen with support for 1080 x 2408 pixels Full HD+ resolution is available on the iQOO Z1x. Past reports claimed that it will support a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The device has a front camera of 16-megapixel.

The 48-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system is available on the rear of the iQOO Z1x. The Android 10 OS along with iQOO UI will come preloaded on the smartphone. It does not feature a microSD card slot.

The 5,000mAh battery of the iQOO Z1x is mentioned in its 4,880mAH rated capacity in the TENAA listing. The 3C certification of the device had revealed that it could be coming with a 33W rapid charger. It is driven by a 2.4GHz octa-core processor. Previous reports have claimed that the iQOO Z1x has a Snapdragon 765G chipset. The SoC is coupled with 6 GB / 8 GB RAM and it is likely to hit the Chinese markets in storage options like 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB.

Moto G 5G specifications leaked; Moto G 5G Plus also tipped

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Jul 1, 2020

Yesterday, reputed tipster Evan Blass shared a render of the upcoming Motorola Moto G 5G smartphone. Soon after sharing the renders, the tipster revealed that there could be another device called Moto G 5G Plus. Blass also shared the specs sheet of the Moto G 5G. He revealed that it is the same device that was previously being dubbed a Motorola Edge Lite.

Moto G 5G specifications

The leaked specs sheet reveals that the Moto G 5G measures 167.98 x 73.97 x 9.59mm and it weighs 207 grams. The handset features a 21:9 aspect ratio supporting display. The specs sheet has not mentioned the measurement of the screen, but it stated that it will carry support for Full HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate.

As renders revealed, the Moto G 5G has two punch holes at the top-left corner of the display. According to XDA, the Moto G 5G could be equipped with an 8-megapixel main selfie camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

Editor’s Pick: Honor X10 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G live shots of color variants appear before launch

The Snapdragon 765 SoC powers the device along with 4 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of 64 GB. An external storage slot will be available on the phone. It will arrive with Android 10 OS preinstalled. The rear side of the smartphone has a quad-camera setup housed inside a square-shaped module. It comprises of a Samsung GM1 48-megapixel sensor, a 16-megapixel macro lens, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The Moto G 5G has other features like a side-facing fingerprint reader, a dedicated hardware button for Google Assistant, and a 4,800mAh battery.

It is now being said that the XT2075-3 phone that was recently certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. could be the Moto G 5G. XDA stated that by running IMEI numbers that it came across in the FCC listing through an IMEI database revealed the “Moto G 5G Plus” moniker.

Previous reports revealed that a variant with model number XT2075-1 also exists. This variant could be heading to the U.S. through Verizon with Motorola Edge Lite moniker. Other markets like Europe, LATAM, the Middle East, and Japan may receive it as Moto G 5G or Moto G 5G Plus. There is a possibility that the Moto G 5G and Moto G5 Plus could be two different handsets.

The Lenovo-owned company recently confirmed that it will be holding an unveil event on July 7. It remains to be seen whether the company announces the Motorola Edge Lite / Moto G 5G phone at the event.

(source 1, 2|via)

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G live shots of color variants appear before launch

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Jul 1, 2020

Honor will be taking off covers from the Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G phone in China tomorrow. It is likely to be a rebadged version of the Huawei Enjoy Z phone that debuted in the home market in May. Ahead of the launch, the leaked live shots of the color variants of the Honor 30 Lite 5G have appeared on Weibo.

As can be seen in the leaked shots, the Honor 30 Lite 5G will be available in some irresistible color variants. The China Telecom listing of the phone revealed that it will be coming in colors like Magic Night Black, Wizard of Oz, Summer Rainbow, and Magic Mirror Silver. The leaked images only showcase the rear design of the phone. The handset can be seen flaunting its rectangle-shaped camera module that includes three cameras and an LED flash.

The volume rocker and side-facing fingerprint scanner can be seen on the right side of the device. The bottom side of the smartphone has an external speaker, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone slot.

Editor’s Pick: Honor Play4 Pro sells for exorbitant prices for its IR temperature sensor feature in the US

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G specifications

The Honor 30 Lite 5G has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD+ display with waterdrop notch. It supports the 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The Dimensity 800 SoC powers the device with up to 8 GB of RAM. The phone comes with up to 128 GB of internal storage. It has a microSD card slot for more storage.

The Magic UI 3.1.1 based Android 10 OS comes loaded on the Honor 30 Youth Edition 5G. It has a 4,000mAH battery with 22.5W rapid charging support. It has a front camera of 16-megapixel and a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel rear-facing triple camera unit. The handset may arrive with 2,099 Yuan (~$297) starting price.

(source|via)

Realme C11 vs Redmi 9A vs Redmi 9C: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 30, 2020

It is a very hard fight between Realme and Redmi. Every time one of the two brands launches a new value for money device, each other comes up with a perfect rival. Today we talk about entry-level handsets: on the same day, both the companies launched their most affordable phones for 2020. Realme came up with the Realme C11, while Xiaomi launched the Redmi 9A and the Redmi 9C. Which company released the best entry-level device this time? And which released the handset with the highest value for money? Let’s discover it together through a specs comparison.

Realme C11 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Xiaomi Redmi 9C

	Realme C11	Xiaomi Redmi 9A	Xiaomi Redmi 9C
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	164.4 x 75.9 x 9.1 mm, 196 grams	N/D	N/D
DISPLAY	6.5 inches, 720 x 1560p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD	6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Mediatek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz	Mediatek Helio G25, octa-core 2.0 GHz	Mediatek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz
MEMORY	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 10, Realme UI	Android 10, MIUI	Android 10, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 5 MP f/2.4 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	5000 mAh, 10W charging	5000 mAh, 10W charging	5000 mAh, 10W charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

It is all about tastes, but if I had to choose the best design, I would go for the Redmi 9A. The reason is simple: I do not like big and square-shaped camera modules despite the iPhone 11 series came with this solution, and Redmi 9A has the smallest camera module. But if you do not have problems with such camera modules, you might like the Realme C11 a lot more. Just note that in each case, you get a cheap polycarbonate design with no protection against water and dust.

Display

Realme C11, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9C come with below-average IPS panels sporting a wide diagonal, a waterdrop notch, and an HD+ resolution. The differences between these displays are just marginal, so you should definitely focus on something else as you will get more or less the same display performance with this whole trio of devices.

Specs & Software

With the Redmi 9C and the Realme C11, you get exactly the same hardware department composed of the Helio G35 chipset, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage you can furtherly expand with a micro SD up to 256 GB. With the Redmi 9A you get the same memory configuration, but a lower-end Helio G25 SoC. Both the chipsets are meant for gaming, despite they are low-end processors. With Realme C11 you get Android 10 customized by Realme UI, while Redmi 9C and Redmi 9A ship with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. Note that Redmi 9C and Redmi 9A ship with an IR blaster which can be used to control TVs and other home appliances (like most of Xiaomi devices), while Realme C11 does not have one. On the other hand, Realme C11 offers the FM radio which you can use by connecting your headphones.

Camera

The most advanced camera department belongs to the Redmi 9C which offers a 13 MP main sensor with a bright f/1.8 focal aperture, a 5 MP macro camera, and a 2 MP depth sensor. You do not get such a bright aperture with the Realme C11, and it even lacks a macro camera. Redmi 9A is the most disappointing as it comes with just a 13 MP sensor on the back. With all these handsets, you get an entry-level 5 MP front camera. Redmi 9C wins the camera comparison.

Battery

You should get a very similar battery life with all of these smartphones since they feature the same battery capacity and very similar specs sheets. All come with an HD+ display and a 12 nm chipset, as well as the same memory configurations. In each case, you should get an amazing battery life (likely three days on a single charge with moderate usage), so you should not worry about the battery life at all.

Price

Redmi 9C and Realme C11 are sold in Malaysia with price tags equivalent to about €90/$101 at the actual change. Redmi 9A has a €75/$84 listing price. The most advanced device and also the winner of this comparison is the Redmi 9C with the camera department making the difference. Realme C11 is very attractive, but it comes with an inferior camera at the same price. Redmi 9A has a higher value for money, but we recommend spending those €15 more to get a device with a better camera and chipset unless you do not care about cameras at all. Do you agree with us? Let us know by using the comment box below.

Read More: Realme C11 debuts with 6.5-inch display, Helio G35, 5,000mAh battery, 13MP dual cameras for ~$100

Realme C11 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Xiaomi Redmi 9C: PROs and CONS

Realme C11

PROs

Great design
Great hardware
Long battery life

CONS

Nothing particular

Xiaomi Redmi 9C

PROs

IR blaster
Good hardware
Best cameras
MIUI 12 out of the box

CONS

Nothing particular

Xiaomi Redmi 9A

PROs

More affordable
Smaller camera module
IR blaster
MIUI 12 out of the box

CONS

Inferior cameras
Inferior chipset

Google Pixel 4A receives IMDA and BIS certifications

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 30, 2020

Google Pixel 4A is in the leaks for a very long time. The handset was initially expected to be unveiled at Googe I/O 2020 but that did not happen due to the pandemic. Later, it was reported to get unveiled at Android 11 Beta show, however, that didn’t happen either. Anyway, new reports suggest it could go official in July. That said, the handset now receives IMDA and BIS certifications as well.

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Almost everything is known about the upcoming Pixel 4A just like other Pixel smartphones before it. The only thing unknown at the moment is its exact release date and price. As for the latter, it could launch for as low as $349 according to a previous report.

So what do Singapore’s IMDA and India’s BIS certifications for Pixel 4A reveal? Nothing but its model number G025N and presence of NFC, which is obvious to support Google Pay. Anyway, we hope Google launches the device in July and not delay it further.

As per previous leaks, reports, and rumors, the Google Pixel 4A will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC paired with 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB UFS 2.1 storage. It will sport a 5.81-inch punch-hole FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED display.

It will have a total of two cameras. A single 12.2MP Sony IM363 primary shooter with OIS at the back and an 8MP Sony IMX355 selfie snapper at the front.

Other features of the Pixel 4A will include dual SIM, 4G, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3,080 mAh battery, and Android 10.

(Via)

Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Wear 4100 and 4100+ for Wear OS

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 30, 2020

Two years after launching the Snapdragon Wear 3100, Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon Wear 4100 series of chipsets for wearable devices. The new chipset series for Wear OS includes the Snapdragon Wear 4100 and 4100+ look to deliver a meaningful performance boost for smartwatches.

The company announced the present Wear 3100 which powers all current devices in September 2018. But the chip offered no significant upgrade over the Wear 2100 from 2016. It packed the same CPU with the major difference being another component that made possible power-efficient always-on displays.

The new Snapdragon Wear 4100 utilises a more efficient and smaller 12nm processor compared to 28nm used by its predecessor. Qualcomm says this makes for a “significantly faster new processor.” It also brings 25% improvement in the battery life and there is equally a faster LPDDR3 memory. The processor features quad-core A53 processors clocked at 1.7GHz for 85% faster performance and the graphics is powered by the Adreno 504 GPU which is 2.5x faster. There is support for up to 16-megapixel cameras while a lower-power 4G LTE modem is also onboard.

On its part, Snapdragon Wear 4100+ features an updated QCC1110 co-processor that can handle more tasks. This includes offloading sleep tracking and heart-rate tracking to this resource-efficient chip instead of the main CPU.

Other improvements include, “watch mode” which now supports up to 64,000 colours, battery indicators, alarms, reminders, and haptics, while Qualcomm touts “faster tilt-to-wake responsiveness.” The regular 4100 lacks the co-processor for manufacturers that don’t need an ambient display.

Apart from Wear OS, the Snapdragon Wear 4100 series supports Android Open Source Platform (AOSP).

Qualcomm says wearable devices running the Snapdragon Wear 4100 will be shipping soon. Watchmaker Mobvoi has hinted that it has a “next-generation TicWatch Pro” coming with the new chip later this year. Also, kid smartwatch brand imoo is planning to launch a device within the next month.

(via)

Report: Samsung will not attend IFA 2020

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 30, 2020

IFA is one of the popular consumer electronics trade shows. Samsung has been a regular attendee of this show since 1991. But history is about to change this year as the South Korean tech giant is reported to not exhibit at the 2020 edition.

Samsung logo at Samsung Customer Service Center in Krakow, Poland on 11 January, 2019. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung) 2020 is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 9. But due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the show may get cancelled any way just like MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2020.

Before the official announcement for cancellation, Samsung seems to have made its mind to not attend the trade show as per a report by EDaily, a South Korean media (via SamMobile).

It is probably the first time the company is not willing to attend IFA, which attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year. Previously, it used to be the launch platform for the Galaxy Note series.

Last year at IFA 2019, Samsung announced its first non-flagship 5G smartphone – Galaxy A90 along with other household appliances. This year we could have seen the latter and not new smartphones as they are expected to get unveiled in August, a month ahead of the trade show.

As per reports, Galaxy Note 20 series and Galaxy Fold 2 could be announced on August 5. We will also get to witness Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy S20 FE aka Galaxy S20 Lite around the same time or a little bit earlier/later. Whereas, the Galaxy Fold Lite has been postponed to 2021.

Microsoft Surface Pro model with Snapdragon 8cx Plus spotted on GeekBench

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 30, 2020

Apple recently disclosed that it would be shifting to its own ARM-based processors for the upcoming MacBook laptops. Microsoft is also looking to migrate to the use of ARM-based SoC as a Surface Pro model that is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor for Windows 10 on ARM lineup.

The Microsoft model appears on GeekBench version 5 as ‘OEMSR OEMSR Product Name DV’. The model is believed to be a variant of the Surface Pro X that is yet to be announced. It could also be a test unit for the internal testing of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Plus with higher clock speed. According to reports, Qualcomm is working on “SC8180XP”, which could be officially named Snapdragon 8cx Plus since the current Snapdragon 8cx is informally known as SC8180X.

The unknown Surface Pro device hits GeekBench with 16GB of RAM and the base clock speed is set at 3.15GHz. The higher clock speed results in a significant improvement in the benchmark performance over the Snapdragon 8cx, which was clocked to 2.84GHz. As usual, the GeekBench listing doesn’t offer too many details but Snapdragon’s new processor for Always Connected PCs lineup could possibly make Windows 10 on ARM a viable option for consumers.

Amazon Prime Video’s Watch Party lets you watch shows and movies with friends and family

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 30, 2020

Amazon has announced a new feature that allows you to watch shows and movies with your favorite humans.

With the pandemic still in full-swing in a lot of countries, folks are advised to stay indoors. This means you can’t go visiting friends or relatives and hang out together. To bridge the gap, Amazon has announced a new feature called Watch Party for Prime Video that allows users to watch shows and movies together over the web.

The feature works with one user being the host who can add up to 100 participants. The host also controls playback for everyone. There is also a chat feature that allows the participants to discuss the show or movie they are watching.

Below are the steps to take to set up a watch party:

Find a TV show or movie
Enter the name you will like to use while chatting
Invite your friends by sending the watch party link to them
Start watching and chatting

Watch Party requires the host and the participants to have Amazon Prime. It is also currently only available in the US and only works on desktop browsers excluding Apple’s Safari.

(Source, Via)

Redmi 7A Android 10-based MIUI Stable update starts rolling out in India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 30, 2020

Recently, we reported that Xiaomi has started pushing Android 10 updates to the Redmi 7A in China. Later on, users of the 7A in Europe also started receiving new OTA update ushering the latest Android version. It is now the turn of India to join the party as the update has started rolling out in India.

The Redmi 7A made its entry in 2019 with a starting price of around $85 for the 2GB RAM+16GB storage version. The phone was launched in India around July 2019 and it came with Android 9.0 Pie-based MIUI 10. The model had earlier been updated to MIUI 11 in January this year but still based on Android 9.

The latest update comes with the version number V11.0.1.0.QCMINXM and apart from the Android 10 features it brings, it also features May 2020 Android security patch. Although the phone is still based on MIUI 11, Xiaomi confirmed the Redmi 7A will be among the models to get MIUI 12 update. So, we expect that update to start in the near future