Samsung Display leads the global market with its OLED displays in Q1 2020

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Jun 30, 2020

The relations between Xiaomi and MediaTek have grown over the years. In recent times, the Chinese tech giant has sourced more and more chips from MediaTek and, now, a new report suggests that both firms will collaborate to develop a new custom made smartphone chip for future smartphones.

Xiaomi and MediaTek’s growing partnership that led up to this reported collaboration can be seen in past smartphone launches. Its Redmi Note 8 Pro was the first device to feature the Helio G90T processor. Similarly, the Redmi 10X was the first to feature its Dimensity 820 SoC. A new Redmi smartphone with Dimensity 1000+ chip will also launch later this year, so a custom built processor isn’t far fetched.

Xiaomi’s move would also all in line with the recent trend of OEMs shifting towards custom built or self developed chips for their offerings. The news arrives from Digital Chat Station, a known leakster, that revealed the information on his Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website. According to the post, the cooperation between both companies has grown and a custom chip is planned for Xiaomi’s future generation of smartphones.

Unfortunately, this is still an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt. Although, the custom made MediaTek chip for Xiaomi smartphones is still a possibility in the near future. So stay tuned for more updates which should arrive soon.

ColorOS 7 arriving for the Chinese Oppo R15, R15 Dream Mirror, A9, A9x, A31 & A91 in July

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 30, 2020

Oppo is still rolling out ColorOS 7 update to the eligible devices worldwide. This version of the company’s mobile software was first announced in November of 2019. The Chinese smartphone maker blames the COVID-19 pandemic for the delay in rolling out the update. That said, it has now shared a new ColorOS 7 July update schedule for certain models in China on Weibo.

With over 350 million active users, ColorOS is one of the most-used Android skins in the world. It is only found on Oppo smartphones and previously Realme devices as well. ColorOS 7 is the latest offering from the company apart from ColorOS 7.1 and ColorOS 7.2, both of which are exclusive to particular handsets.

Having said that, below-listed are the Oppo smartphones that will be receiving the ColorOS 7 update in China in July.

Device	Update Rollout Date
Oppo R15	July 10
Oppo A9	July 10
Oppo A9x	July 10
Oppo A3	July 10
Oppo A91	July 24
Oppo R15 Dream Mirror Edition	July 25

The above-mentioned handsets are also yet to receive ColorOS 7 in global markets. In fact, the Oppo R15 series is slated to get it in July in markets like India, Australia, and Europe just like China. However, the Oppo A91 is scheduled to receive the global update in August.

Xiaomi Master TV series has a few of its specs revealed by an official

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Jun 30, 2020

Xiaomi is gearing up for the launch of its new ultra high end TV series that will rival the likes of Samsung, Sony, and LG. The new Xiaomi Master TV series will be launched on 2nd July 2020 and now, it has a few of its specs revealed by a company official.

The Master TV series was recently teased and sports an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate along with gaming features, and Dolby Atmos Audio. However, no further details were divulged. But now, Mr. Pan, a Xiaomi Manager, has revealed certain other specs as well, like HDMI 2.1 support, NFC remote control, Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos, and VRR (variable refresh rate) + ALLM (automatic low latency).

Furthermore, the Xiaomi Master TV series will feature 4K 120Hz OLED panels, 4K 120Hz with MEMC technology, 4K 120Hz VRR, and 4K 120Hz signal input as well. Under the hood, a quad core A73 custom processor powers the device, which supports all HDR formats with an emphasis on true HDR.

Lei Jun, Xiaomi Founder, had also stated that the upcoming flagship TV will offer brighter and richer colors, higher contrast image quality, and overall improved audio and video output. Unfortunately, other finer details like display size or pricing are currently unknown and we will have to wait for the 2nd July launch conference, so stay tuned.

Huawei Mate 40 will not feature an under-display camera: Report

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Jun 30, 2020

While previous reports had hinted at and implied that the Huawei Mate 40 series will feature an under-display camera, a new report suggests otherwise. According to a post on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging website, the upcoming flagship will not have this new camera technology.

For those unaware, an under-display camera is basically like an in-display fingerprint scanner. In other words, the image sensor is housed beneath the display on the front and is not visible or discernable until it is not in use. While examples and prototypes of this technology have been seen before, there is still a large scope for improvement.

The leakster broke the news on Weibo after he had reportedly seen the engineering machine of the Mate 40. This goes directly against reports that we had previously covered that suggested Huawei would be the first smartphone vendor to launch the first device with an under-display selfie camera.

Similarly, another report had talked about Huawei getting exclusive access to Visionox’s under display camera solution later this year. Although, neither of these reports had ever been confirmed officially. So, it is quite likely that the Huawei Mate 40 will likely not feature the new camera technology so soon. While many smartphone vendors have been confirmed to be working on adopting this feature, none have yet to launch a device with this technology commercially.

Vivo is building its new Headquarters in Shenzhen, China, spends $182 million on the site alone

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Jun 30, 2020

Vivo, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is building a new high rise office in Shenzhen, China. This new project will be its future headquarters and has already had the company shell out over 180 million US Dollars.

The 32 storey Vivo headquarters is scheduled to be completed in 2025 and is designed by US architectural firm NBBJ. This is the same firm that had previously designed Samsung Electronic‘s Silicon Valley campus and even the Amazon Spheres in Seattle. After its completion, the building will also house the company’s flagship store, with indoor gardens at every level, a spiraling exterior with self-shading glass, and can house 5,800 employees.

Vivo’s current HQ in Dongguan, an industrial city in southern Guangdong province

The move is in line with the construction boom from China’s technology sector. as Vivo joins brands like Tencent Holdings and ByteDance with major investments in new office spaces. Tencent has already spent 1.2 billion US Dollars on campus, while Vivo has paid 1.3 billion Yuan (roughly 182 million US Dollars) on the site of its headquarters alone.

Similarly, ByteDance has also recently acquired land worth 1.1 billion Yuan for future construction in the city’s Downtown area. According to a few economists, the building boom is a signal of an overheated economy that precedes a crash. Although, NBBJ argues that the Chinese tech giants are just seeking space to settle in before a potential future global expansion wave.

Robert Mankin, NBBJ official, said that “What we’ve seen now is part of a natural life cycle of these companies where they’ve outgrown their current facilities, and they need new ones to operationally support their growing global reach. It’s increasingly rare in the US for companies to build their individual headquarters campus, and you still see it in Asia.”

(Via)

Redmi K30i 5G’s new 8GB RAM variant to release on July 1

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Jun 30, 2020

In May, Redmi announced the Redmi K30i 5G smartphone as an inferior version of the Redmi K30 5G that went official in December last year. The handset was made official in a single variant featuring 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The Chinese firm confirmed today that it will begin with the sales of its 8 GB RAM variant starting from tomorrow.

The newly announced 8 GB RAM edition of the Redmi K30i 5G has 256 GB of storage. It is priced at 1,999 Yuan (~$283). The existing 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage version costs 1,799 Yuan (~$254).

Editor’s Pick: Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C launched with 6.53-inch display, 5,000mAh battery, Helio G35 / G25 for ~$83

Redmi K30i 5G specifications

The Redmi K30i 5G has a 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel with a dual punch-hole design. The Full HD+ resolution supporting screen produces up to 120Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 765G SoC fuels the device with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. It lacks a microSD card slot.

The Redmi K30i 5G has a side-facing fingerprint scanner. The device is equipped with a 20-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual selfie camera setup. The rear side of the phone has a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel (120-degree ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) quad-camera system. It houses a 4,500mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging. The MIUI 11 based Android 10 OS comes preinstalled on the Redmi K30i 5G.

Leaker says the OnePlus Nord is not a rebadged OPPO Reno4 5G

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 30, 2020

A few days ago, we created a poll asking our readers if they will purchase the soon-to-be-announced OnePlus Nord if it turns out to be a rebadged OPPO phone. You should check out the poll and vote if you haven’t.

The idea for the poll came from rumors flying around about the OnePlus Nord being a rebadged OPPO phone; with strong leanings towards the Reno4 5G.

oppo reno4 — Leaker says the OnePlus Nord is not a rebadged Reno4 5G

Max J. (@MaxJmb), the leaker known for his OnePlus-related leaks has revealed in a tweet that the OnePlus Nord isn’t a rebadged Reno4 (5G).

Cancel the "just" in 1.
Seems to be misinterpreted 😀
I didn't think about it twice

It is NOT a rebranded Reno 4 https://t.co/fQcfZpVZ2L

— Max J. (@MaxJmb) June 29, 2020

Max has a good track record when it comes to leaks and we trust him on this. However, while he does say it is not a rebadged Reno4, it doesn’t mean the OnePlus Nord may not be a rebadged (OPPO) phone or at have a familiar look.

Other than the Reno4 5G, another OPPO phone with dual-selfie cameras is the Reno3 Pro (Helio P95 version). Not only does it have dual front-facing cameras, but it also has quad rear cameras which the OnePlus Nord is said to have. Of course, the Reno3 Pro doesn’t have a high refresh rate, which the Nord will have. So it might have a very similar design but definitely is not a rebadged version of the Reno3 Pro.

Anyway, the above is just speculation. The good news is that we may not have to wait for long to find out what the OnePlus Nord looks like. The special documentary OnePlus made that talks about the phone’s design premieres today and it may give us our first look at the upcoming mid-range phone.

The OnePlus Nord has undergone multiple changes since we first heard about it last year. It was originally referred to as the OnePlus 8 Lite and then the OnePlus Z. It was also expected to come with a MediaTek 5G processor and have a hole punch in the center just like the Galaxy S20. Now, the phone goes by a new name, has a Snapdragon processor, and has been confirmed to have dual front-facing cameras that point at a pill-shaped hole in the display.

(Source)

MediaTek Helio G35 and Helio G25 entry-level chipsets announced

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Jun 30, 2020

After launching a couple of chipsets under its new 5G-focused Dimensity lineup, MediaTek has now announced two new entry-level processors under its gaming-focused G series, which also supports HyperEngine Game Technology.

The HyperEngine technology offers intelligent resource management that ensures sustained and smooth performance, even in demanding and resource-heavy situations. For instance, if the Wi-Fi is weak, it intelligently triggers Wi-Fi & LTE concurrency within milliseconds.

Along with managing connectivity and calling features during game-play, the HyperEngine Game technology also ensures intelligent and dynamic management of the CPU, GPU, as well as memory.

MediaTek Helio G35

The Helio G35 is manufactured using TSMC’s 12nm process and comes with eight ARM Cortex-A53 CPUs clocked at 2.3GHz and for graphics, it packs IMG PowerVR GE8320 clocked at 680MHz. It comes with support for LPDDR4x RAM up to 6GB at 1600MHz and eMMC 5.1 for storage.

It supports Full HD+ display with 2400 x 1080 pixels screen resolution at 20:9 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate. For connectivity, it supports VoLTE\ViLTE\WoWi-Fi along with Dual-Band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + Glonass + Beidou + Galileo, and FM radio.

In the camera department, the Helio G35 supports configurations up to 25MP and dual-camera of 13MP + 13MP. The camera can be coupled with features such as AI-driven Bokeh effects, electronic image stabilization (EIS), rolling shutter compensation (RCS), beauty mode, and more.

MediaTek Helio G25

Similar to the Helio G35, the MediaTek Helio G25 is also manufactured using the 12nm FinFET process by TSMC. It also packs eight ARM Cortex-A53 CPUs, but they are clocked at 2.0GHz, along with IMG PowerVR GE8320 at 650MHz.

It supports HD+ display at 1600 x 720 pixels resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio with a 60Hz refresh rate. As for the memory, the chipset supports LPDDR4x RAM up to 6GB at 1600MHz and eMMC 5.1 for storage.

For optics, the Helio G25 has all the supporting features of Helio G35 but the resolution has been limited to 21MP, and thus, the dual-camera setup can have 13MP + 8MP sensors. It can record 1080p videos at 30fps.

Xiaomi’s Redmi as well as Realme have already announced their smartphones powered by these two new chipsets. While Redmi has launched the Redmi 9A powered by the Helio G25 SoC, Realme has unveiled Realme C11 which is powered by Helio G35 chipset.

Huawei retains its title as the World’s largest smartphone maker in May

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Jun 30, 2020

Back in April 2020, Samsung had lost its title as the world’s largest smartphone maker to Huawei. The South Korean firm had finally its top spot and that trend has also reflected in May as well with Huawei still retaining the lead.

At the moment, the Chinese tech giant has a market share of 19.7 percent while Samsung follows very closely behind with a 19.6 percent share in the period of May where 81.97 million smartphones were shipped. However, while Huawei still holds the title for the world’s largest smartphone maker, there is only a 0.1 percent difference. In contrast, Huawei had a 21.4 percent market share back in April, while Samsung had just 19.1 percent.

Thus, it would seem likely that the company might not be able to retain the title for the third month in a row and that the South Korean firm will stand atop again in June. One of the contributing factors that led to Samsung closing the gap in May as its sales in the US, where smartphone sales rose by 56 percent over April. In the US, the company had a market share of 33 percent of the total of 8.4 million smartphones that were sold.

At the same time, it has been said that much if Huawei’s success came with its popularity in its home country, which was at the cost of its overseas business. Furthermore, the Chinese vendor’s fate for September and later this year also remains uncertain. Its upcoming flagship Mate 40 series is expected to launch during this period, but the loss of its primary HiSilcon Kirin chip supplier, TSMC, might make things difficult for it.

A source close to the matter also said that Samsung losing its top spot to Huawei completely was very likely if the US Sanctions hadn’t been imposed against the Chinese OEM. Although, the early reopening of the Chinese economy during the Coronavirus pandemic also helped the company regain grounds faster than its competitors.

(Via)

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max could feature 4K 240fps video recording

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Jun 30, 2020

As the month of September approaches, rumors and reports about the upcoming iPhone 12 series have started making rounds. In the latest report, details about the higher video frame rate recording specs have surfaced online.

A new report coming from EverythingApplePro claims that a few models of the iPhone 12 series will come with support for 4K video recording at 240 frames per second, in an interpolated manner.

This is a major upgrade over what Apple currently offers on iPhone 11 series. The iPhone 11 Pro has support for 4K video recording at 60fps and the reported support for 4K at 240fps on iPhone 12 models will be a huge step forward in terms of motion smoothness. So far, 240fps recording has mostly been limited to 1080p videos in slow-mo.

Earlier, the beta code of iOS 14 as well as reports from leakster Max Weinbach hinted about support for 240fps 4K slow-mo recording. This means that the upcoming Apple A14 chipset, being manufactured using the 5nm process, will be a powerhouse.

Apple will be launching its flagship next-generation iPhone 12 series smartphones this fall and as per the reports, the company is expected to launch four variants this time, which include iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Recently, we reported that the standard iPhone 12 will have a 5.4-inch display with support for screen resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. The Max variant, on the other hand, will have a 6.1-inch panel with 2532 x 1170 pixels resolution. The iPhone 12 Pro will also come with a 6.1-inch display but will have 2532 x 1170 pixels screen resolution. The iPhone 12 Pro Max with having a massive 6.7-inch screen with 2778 x 1284 pixels resolution.

The models with Pro variant will come with 10-bit color depth and will feature a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, all four models will come powered by the Apple A14 chipset which is being manufactured using the 5nm node process. Another major feature that these devices will bring is the support for 5G connectivity.

The company is also expected to launch a couple of 4G-only models as well, with pricing starting at $549. Rumors indicate that Apple could remove the EarPods as well as a power adapter from the in-box contents for the iPhone 12 series.

(Source)

Galaxy A42 could be Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone

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Jun 30, 2020

The Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 are the first A-series phones from Samsung to arrive with 5G capabilities. The A51 5G is currently the most affordable 5G phone from the South Korean brand. More members in the A-series are expected to arrive with 5G support in the future. A fresh report on Sammobile claims that the Galaxy A42 5G arriving in 2021 could be the cheapest 5G phone from Samsung.

The Galaxy A42 5G is said to have a model number of SM-A426B. The handset is likely to arrive in the 4G version as well. To be precise, the SM-A426B model number belongs to the global edition of the Galaxy A42 5G.

The Galaxy A42 5G may arrive with an internal storage of 128 GB. The Galaxy A41 that went official earlier this year came with 64 GB of native storage. The smartphone could be available in color edition like gray, black, and white. The other details of the phone are under wraps.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy Note20, powered by SD865+ SoC, has improved camera focusing ability

In related news, Samsung is gearing up to launch multiple products in the coming months. The company may announce Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch and Galaxy Buds Live in July. Some rumors claim that these devices may go official on July 22. The next month could also see the arrival of the Galaxy Tab S7 series of flagship tablets.

On Aug. 5, Samsung is likely to announce the Galaxy Fold 2 foldable phone, Galaxy Note 20 series and Galaxy Z Flip 5G. As of this writing, Samsung is yet to release an official confirmation on the arrival of these products.

(source)

Smartisan could launch a new 5G smartphone later this year in China

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Jun 30, 2020

Smartisan, the China-based smartphone maker, hasn’t launched any new device in recent times. There has been no new smartphone from the brand this year so far and last year, it only launched one device — Smartisan Nut Pro 3.

But if you have been wondering if the company is dead, then the answer is no. Recently, Zhu Haizhou, Product Manager of the Nut smartphone series, revealed in interaction with users on Weibo that a new smartphone is “on the way”.

He also said that the company has probably set the launch date of the new smartphone announcement but the official communication regarding the same is pending. While he has not confirmed this, it is expected that the upcoming smartphone is 5G compatible.

Since the device is confirmed to be a part of the Nut series, it won’t be surprising if the smartphone turns out to be the Smartisan Nut Pro 4. If that’s the case, then the phone could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset.

Given that nothing is known about the smartphone in question, the official launch of the smartphone could be months away. However, we expect the smartphone to have a similar design to its predecessor, along with premium specs and features like 90Hz refresh rate display, SD865 SoC, and dual-mode 5G connectivity, among others.

Last year, in October, the company launched Smartisan Nut Pro 3 flagship smartphone powered by Snapdragon 855+ SoC, 12GB RAM, and 256GB storage. It was running Smartisan OS 7.0 which packs several new features and improvements.

Although the company launched its last smartphone in October 2019, it continued to launch accessories such as 20,000mAh Fast Charge Power Bank and Smartisan Nuts True Wireless Bluetooth Headphones. A couple of months ago, Smartisan also joined the likes of Xiaomi and OPPO as a United Push Alliance member.

(Via)

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G pricing and variants listed ahead of launch

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Jun 30, 2020

Honor will be announcing the Honor X10 Max and Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G-ready phones in China on July 2. Both phones are now listed in the product library at China Telecom with their expected pricing for their different variants. The listing states that the Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G will arrive in three models and a starting price of 2,099 Yuan (~$296).

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G pricing

The Honor 30 Lite 5G is mentioned in three models on the China Telecom site such as 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. These variants are priced at 2,099 Yuan (~$297), 2,299 Yuan (~$325), and 2,599 Yuan (~$368). The pricing information could be incorrect. Hence, it is advisable to wait for the official announcement to know the pricing of the Honor 30 Youth Edition 5G. The handset is listed in color editions like Magic Night Black, Wizard of Oz, Summer Rainbow, and Magic Mirror Silver.

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G renders

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

Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G specifications

The Honor 30 Lite 5G features a 6.5-inch display waterdrop notch. The IPS LCD panel delivers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The screen will support a refresh rate of up to 90Hz. The Magic UI 3.1.1 flavored Android 10 OS will be available preinstalled on the device.

The Dimensity 800 5G SoC will be at the helm of the Honor 30 Youth Edition 5G. It has a 4,000mAh battery that is equipped with 22.5W fast charging.

The Honor 30 Lite 5G has a front camera of 16-megapixel. Its rear shell has a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system. It has a side-facing fingerprint sensor.

(source)

Over 1350 trademarks held by LeTV is being auctioned off in China

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Jun 30, 2020

LeEco, the Chinese company which dared to take on the likes of Netflix and Tesla and called Apple as “outdated” at the same time, was making quite a progress. But suddenly, the world of LeEco, earlier known as LeTV, crumbled as the company faced a number of setbacks. It was growing too fast without a solid financial foundation.

The company is now facing a number of lawsuits in its home country from various vendors, although the same has been going on for years now. In the latest development, Jingdong Judicial Auction listed 1,354 patents held by LeTV Information Technology (Beijing) Co. for judicial auction.

The listing had a starting price of 136,000 yuan (approximately $19,240) and the current bid for the trademarks has reached 113 million yuan. It began the bidding process on 29th June at 10:00 AM local time and the process was closed today, i.e. on 30th June at 10:00 AM local time.

The process seems to have attracted more than 90,000 people but only 105 signed up for the bidding. This first auction of the company’s assets and IP includes trademarks like “LeTV TV” and “LeTV Super TV” among others.

The auction process for the trademarks was based on the increased-price method where a reserved price is set and then each bid increases the price by at least 500 yuan (~$71). The competition among the bidders is fierce given that most bids were only a minute apart and the bid has been increased by 800 times compared to the reserved price.

Earlier this month, the auction of around 22.1 million shares of LeEco held by Jia Yueting, the company’s founder, took place on 13th June and 14th June. Despite over 14,000 people interested, none of them participated in the bidding process.

The auction price of the share was decided based on the average closing price of 20 trading days before the trading was suspended. With the price of 2.51 yuan (~$0.36) per share, the total comes down to 55.47 million yuan.

It’s noteworthy that the auction price almost doubles the price of the share from the 1.69 yuan per share cost on the last trading day before LeTV’s suspension. The company entered the delisting consolidation period on 5th June and thus, the LETV stock trading was suspended in China. By the end of 12th June, the company’s share price fell below 0.9 yuan (~$0.13) per share, bringing down the market value to 3.59 billion yuan.

(Via)

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

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Jun 30, 2020

The Realme C11 is now official in Malaysia. It is the second Helio G35 phone to go official in the country after the Xiaomi Redmi 9C that was announced earlier today. The Realme C11 comes with a large-sized tall aspect ratio supporting display and it receives to perform from a massive battery. It is the first Realme smartphone to feature a square-shaped rear camera housing.

Realme C11 specifications

The polycarbonate bodied Realme C11 has 164.4 x 75.9 x 9.1mm dimensions and it weighs 196 grams. The mini-drop notch IPS LCD panel of the Realme C11 measures 6.5 inches. The 20:9 aspect ratio display delivers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. According to Realme, the device offers a screen space of 88.7 percent.

The Helio G35 with processing speeds of up to 2.3GHz powers the device with 2 GB of RAM. The phone has an internal storage of 32 GB and a microSD card slot for additional storage. It is preinstalled with Android 10 OS and Realme UI.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C launched with 6.53-inch display, 5,000mAh battery, Helio G35 / G25 for ~$83

The Realme C11 has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 10W charging. It has a front camera of 5-megapixel with f/2.4 aperture. The rear camera module has a 13-megapixel main lens with f/2.2 aperture, a portrait lens of 2-megapixel with f/2.4 aperture, and an LED flash. The device comes with usual connectivity features like dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone slot.

Realme C11 pricing

Malaysia has received the Realme C11 with a price tag of RM 429 (~$100). The first sales of the phone will be held through Shopee retailer site in the country on July 7. The phone can be bought in Mint Green and Pepper Grey colorways.

Samsung Galaxy Note20, powered by SD865+ SoC, has improved camera focusing ability

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Jun 30, 2020

Earlier this year, Samsung launched its next-generation Galaxy S-series flagship smartphones that included Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra. Unlike the S20 and S20 Plus, the Ultra model features a 108MP primary camera sensor on the back.

However, the S20 Ultra suffers from a focusing issue where the focus of the camera is much slower, and sometimes it misses the subject altogether. Reports indicate that this could be because of the lack of dual-pixel PDAF on the 108MP sensor.

Now, Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy Note20 series smartphones in the coming months and as per the report, the focusing issue with the 108MP camera sensor has been resolved on the upcoming devices. But what exactly did the company do to solve the issue has not been revealed yet.

As for the chipset, all the models of the Galaxy Note20 lineup will come powered by the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC, which as the name itself indicates, is an upgraded variant of the SD865 chipset.

Not just the Note20 series, the Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip 5G, and the Galaxy Tab S7 are also said to come powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset. However, in some regions, the devices could be powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 992 SoC.

Samsung typically announces the Galaxy Note series flagship smartphones in the month of August and is expected to follow the trend this year as well. As per the reports, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event could be hosted on 5th August but the company is yet to confirm the launch date. If this turns out to be true, then it will be the first online-only Unpacked event from the South Korean giant, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It remains to be seen if the company decides to start selling the smartphone soon after the official announcement, given that the sales could be impacted if the situation doesn’t improve anytime soon. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series, despite being the leader in 5G smartphone sales in the United States, is underperforming compared to its predecessors.

(Sources – 1, 2)

Honor X10 Max 5G variants and pricing emerge before launch

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Jun 30, 2020

On July 2, Honor will be launching two smartphones namely, the Honor 30 Lite (Youth Edition) 5G and the Honor X10 Max 5G. While the former is a rebranded version of the Huawei Enjoy Z, the latter will be arriving as a sequel for 2018’s Honor 8X Max. Ahead of the launch, the Honor X10 Max 5G has appeared in the database of the China Telecom with pricing for its three variants.

Honor X10 Max 5G pricing

The Honor X10 Max will be launching in three options such as 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. These phones are mentioned with respective price tags of 2,299 Yuan (~$325), 2,599 Yuan (~$368), and 2,799 Yuan (~$396).

The Honor X10 Max’s color variants include Speed Black, Light Silver, and Racing Blue. Readers are advised to digest the pricing information with a grain of salt as pricing details of unannounced phones at this site have often turned out to be incorrect.

Honor X10 Max

Editor’s Pick: Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C launched with 6.53-inch display, 5,000mAh battery, Helio G35 / G25 for ~$83

Honor X10 Max 5G specifications

The Honor X10 Max 5G has a massive IPS LCD display of 7.09 inches. As the company confirmed, it will be equipped with RGBW technology that will make it possible to view the display under bright sunlight without any problem. The screen offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels. The device is loaded with Magic UI 3.1.1 based Android 10 OS.

The Honor X10 Max 5G is fueled by Dimensity 800 5G chipset. There is support for 22.5W fast charging for its 5,000mAh battery. The device is equipped with a front-facing camera of 8-megapixel. The back panel of the smartphone features a 48-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup. Some of the other features that are available on the Honor X10 Max are side-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual speakers, NFC, 3.5mm audio jack, and USB-C.

(source)

Redmi 9A, Redmi 9C launched with 6.53-inch display, 5,000mAh battery, Helio G35 / G25 for ~$83

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