Redmi 10X 5G vs Redmi K30i vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth: Specs Comparison

-

May 28, 2020

One of the biggest regrets regarding the technological (and aesthetic) renewal process of today’s smartphones concerns the abandonment of the much appreciated removable batteries. The convenience of being able to easily replace a battery at the end of its life with a new one is a feature that most of us won’t mind having back on smartphones. But there is a manufacturer that could retrace its steps and bring this feature back to life, at least on low-end models.

That manufacturer is Samsung, which according to a recent leak could be thinking of equipping a future entry-level device with a removable battery. As can be seen from the photo in the gallery, the model in question is identified with the model number SM-A013F. It is believed that the model may launch as Galaxy A01e.

Samsung used to release its phones with a removable battery. Even when other OEMs had switched to non-removable cells, Samsung’s entry-level models were still shipping with removable batteries. We recall the Tizen-powered Samsung Z series were all launched with removable batteries. However, there isn’t a recent release with such feature but with this leak, there’s is the possibility of a return of removable battery soon.

Going to the bottom, in fact, it was discovered that the SM-A013F code is a model in development, with a 3,000mAh battery and 16/32 GB of internal memory. Perhaps, Samsung is listening to the yearnings of its fans with this discovery. We expect the release of this model to trigger a chain reaction among phone manufacturers. It would be fun to have such design on low-end and even mid-range models which usually don’t have IP ratings.

Would you like to see a return of removable battery on phones? Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Oppo releases ColorOS 7 stable update timeline for India

By

-

May 28, 2020

Oppo announced ColorOS 7 back in November 2019 but the company is yet to update its devices. In fact, it only started releasing stable updates in early April for the first batch of handsets in China. Since then, the brand has been seeding out updates to various phones across different regions. Now, it also shares the stable update timeline for India.

Last, when we covered ColorOS 7, Oppo had released stable update timeline for Europe and Australia. Now, we are back with the same for India.

So far, the company has updated the following smartphones to ColorOS 7 in India.

Oppo Find X Series
Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Editon
Oppo Reno
Oppo Reno 2
Oppo Reno 2 F
Oppo Reno 2 Z
Oppo R17
Oppo R17 Pro
Oppo F11
Oppo F11 Pro
Oppo F11 Po Marvel’s Avengers Limited Edition
Oppo A9
Oppo K3

The above-mentioned devices are currently receiving the update in batches. Users can check for the update by navigating to Settings -> Software Update -> Gear Icon -> Trial Version. The company says the trial version is nothing but a stable build.

Further, the brand also announced the ColorOS 7 stable update timeline for smartphones that are yet to receive in India.

From June 10
- Oppo F9
- Oppo F9 Pro
From June 15
- Oppo A5 2020
- Oppo A9 2020
From June 24
- Oppo F7
- Oppo F7 128GB
In July
- Oppo R15
- Oppo R15 Pro

If you happen to own an Oppo smartphone that has received ColorOS 7 stable update in India, then do share your experience in the comment section below.

(Via)

ZTE Axon 11 SE TMall & JD listings confirm previously leaked specs

By

-

May 28, 2020

ZTE is set to launch its next smartphone in a few days. The device will be called Axon 11 SE and will be the first handset to support 5G on all four carriers in China. Unlike other brands, ZTE is not teasing the features of its upcoming phone. But thanks to TENAA and now TMall and JD listings, we know most of the specs of this device.

The TMall and JD listings of ZTE Axon 11 SE do not have the renders of the device except for the above low-quality one but they do reveal some of the primary specs of the handset.

According to them, the upcoming 5G phone from ZTE will sport a 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD screen. It will be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 800 SoC paired with 6GB / 8GB RAM and 128GB / 256GB internal storage.

Further, it will feature a quad-camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, and two 2MP snappers (likely macro and depth). As for selfie, it will come with a single 16MP camera at the front.

As per TENAA listing, the handset will run Android 10 and will be backed by a 4,000 mAh battery. Other features of the ZTE Axon 11 SE includes USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The phone will be officially announced on June 1 and as far as pricing is concerned, it is expected to cost under 2,000 Yuan ($280).

(Via)

Xiaomi Mi 10 5G gets VR hands-on experience too

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

May 28, 2020

Do you remember the Mi 10 Youth Edition virtual unboxing from exactly a month ago? The Mi 10 5G has gotten a similar treatment (there is no unboxing). This means you can get a virtual “hands-on” experience of Xiaomi’s flagship phone.

The VR experience allows you to see what the phone looks like to the tiniest detail. You can even switch between the two color variants available which are Twilight Grey and Coral Green.

The Mi 10 5G was announced back in February in China before making its way to other markets and then India early this month.

The phone has a 6.67-inch FHD+ screen with a punch-hole at the top left corner. It is powered by a Snapdragon 865 processor with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The Mi 10 5G has a 108MP quad-camera setup on the back. The other three sensors are a 13MP ultrawide camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. There is also a 20MP camera in front for selfies.

Xiaomi ships the phone with a 4780mAh battery with support for 30W fast wired and 30W fast wireless charging. It also supports 5W reverse wireless charging. The phone has an in-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, an IR blaster, stereo speakers, and runs Android 10 out of the box.

You can check out the phone in VR here.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 components have reportedly entered mass production

By

-

May 28, 2020

Rumours have been rife about Samsung‘s next-generation Galaxy Fold model. The Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to be launched around August 2020. It is already over a year since the company unveiled the first-gen Fold but the tech giant kept fans busy with an impressive Galaxy Z Flip foldable model which was unveiled in February this year.

Samsung-Galaxy-Fold-2-Render--Benjanim Geskin — Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 render by Benjamin Geskin

The company has now reportedly commenced mass production of the Galaxy Fold 2 smartphone parts through major partners. Based on recent report details about Galaxy Fold 2 is expected as early as June. The company will use UTG (ultra-thin glass) used in the Galaxy Z Flip in the Fold 2. UTG is considered to be superior to CPI (transparent polyimide) present in Galaxy Fold.

The Galaxy Fold 2 is rumoured to house a larger outer Dynamic AMOLED LTPS display of 6.23 inches. The 60Hz panel that will also feature a punch-hole cutout is said to support 819 x 2267 pixels. In comparison, the original Galaxy Fold has a 4.6-inch outer screen and an inner flexible display of 7.3 inches. The outer display of Fold 2 may have the punch-hole at the top-centre position. The phone will be available in 4G and 5G variants, both powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC.

There are rumours that the Fold 2 will be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20+ at its Unpacked event sometime in August.

Amazfit T-Rex is coming to India too next month

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

May 28, 2020

Huami’s Amazfit line of smartwatches is sold in key markets including India. A few days ago it was reported that the Amazfit Bip S will be announced in India on June 3. Today, it has been confirmed that the rugged smartwatch, the Amazfit T-Rex, will also make its way to the country.

Just like the Amazfit Bip S, the Amazfit T-Rex will be sold by Amazon when it launches in the second week of June. There is even a promotional page already live on the site.

The Amazfit was announced earlier this year at CES 2020 with a price tag of ¥799 (~$111). Available in five colors, the Amazfit T-Rex is Huami’s most durable watch. It has a rugged design and boasts 12 military certifications.

The watch packs a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with several watchfaces to choose from. There is a high-precision GPS chip from Sony inside. The Amazfit T-Rex has 14 sports modes including elliptical training, hiking, climbing, and trail running. It is also water-resistant up to 50 meters.

Other features include 24-hour heart rate monitoring, call reminder, app notification support, and more. Its battery life is put at 20 days and it goes up to 66 days in basic watch mode.

We have no idea how much it will cost in India but Huami should price it competitively. You can sign up to be notified about its availability here.

DxOMark announces best smartphones for camera, selfie, & audio, Huawei P40 Pro wins big time

By

-

May 28, 2020

DxOMark has been existing for over a decade but it came into light after the company started reviewing smartphone cameras. The original Google Pixel was one of the first phones to be advertised with the DxOMark score. Last year, the company even began to review audio performance of handsets. Having said that, it has now released the list of best camera, selfie, and audio smartphones.

DxOMark Best Smartphone Camera Selfie Audio — Image Source: DxOMark

DxOMark Camera and DxOMark Audio teams review smartphones on a regular basis when new devices hit the markets. They never publish stories on best smartphones for camera, selfie, and audio since it can be easily known from the website’s homepage.

Surprisingly, they did publish them now and here we are doing a PSA. The company has posted three different posts for each category and listed the best device along with runner-ups. That being said, let us take a look at the winners.

DxOMark Best Smartphone Cameras

DxOMark has divided this category into 6 sub-categories and the Huawei P40 Pro wins 4 of them since it is still the unbeatable king with an overall camera score of 128.

Anyway, here are the winners and runner-ups of DxOMark best smartphone cameras.

Best for Photo

Winner

Runner-ups

Huawei P40 Pro

Honor 30 Pro Plus

Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G

Best for Video

Winner

Runner-ups

Huawei P40 Pro

Honor 30 Pro Plus

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

Best for Wide

Winner

Runner-ups

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

Best for Night

Winner

Runner-ups

Huawei P40 Pro

Honor V30 Pro

Honor 30 Pro Plus

Best for Zoom
Winner	Runner-up
Huawei P40 Pro	Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

Best for Bokeh

Winner

Runner-ups

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G

Honor V30 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

DxOMark Best Smartphone Selfie Cameras

This category includes two sub-categories and they are selfie photo and selfie video respectively. Unsurprisingly, Huawei P40 Pro wins in both with some Samsung Galaxies as runner-ups.

Best for Selfie Photo

Winner

Runner-ups

Huawei P40 Pro

Huawei Nova 6 5G

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Best for Selfie Video

Winner

Runner-ups

Huawei P40 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G

DxOMark Best Smartphones For Audio

This is the only category in which the Huawei P40 Pro neither wins or nor gets a runner-up tag. The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro wins in this category for audio playback, whereas the Honor V30 Pro performs well in audio recording.

Best for Audio Playback

Winner

Runner-ups

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

Huawei Mate 20 X

Oppo Find X2 Pro

Best for Audio Recording

Winner

Runner-ups

Honor V30 Pro

Huawei Mate 30 Pro 4G / 5G

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

The Huawei P40 Pro excels in the camera department unlike any other smartphone released so far as per DxOMark. Unfortunately, this handset is hard to recommend due to the lack of GMS (Google Mobile Services) and other crucial daily used apps.

(Source 1, 2, 3)

OPPO is reportedly poaching MediaTek & UNISOC engineers for its own chip

By

-

May 28, 2020

OPPO was first rumoured to be working on its own chipset called OPPO M1 in November 2019. The company indeed confirmed this in January 2020 but is yet to share further details. Apparently, the Chinese tech giant is still recruiting experts for the project.

A new report claims the BBK subsidiary is poaching MediaTek and UNISOC engineers in its bid to woo them over. Jeffery Ju, MediaTek’s former co-chief operating officer is reported to have been hired. While Ju left MediaTek in 2017, OPPO is also looking to hire another top executive from MediaTek’s 5G smartphone chip development in a couple of months. The report also tips OPPO as spreading its tentacles to pick up executives from Qualcomm and Huawei’s HiSilicon unit, adds the report.

OPPO’s effort to commence chip manufacture isn’t unrelated to Huawei’s predicament even though the company believes owning the chip design capability will give it more control over its supply chain, according to sources. The path to outputting a workable chipset isn’t a rapid one, though. It might take up to a year before a chipset is born. The success of such chipset against those from Qualcomm and Mediatek looks bleak. Recall Xiaomi made a similar effort with the Surge S1 but since then nothing as heard about the self-developed chip. We hope to get more details of the OPPO chipset in the coming months.

Google’s new Scam Spotter program will help you spot and prevent internet fraud

By

-

May 28, 2020

Internet fraud is as old as the internet itself but in recent times, it has gained widespread notoriety as scammers are more active these days than before. The prevailing COVID-19 pandemic is being exploited as a large number of persons are still relying on the internet for almost everything ranging from work or school classes to socializing and shopping.

Google has now unveiled a program which is aimed at helping internet users spot scams and stop scammers from having a filled day going forward. In a blog post, Google’s VP and Chief Internet Evangelist Vint Cerf noted that there have indeed been record-high scam reports in recent months, and according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), $1.9 billion were lost to scams just in 2019. Several scams revolving around COVID-19 are said to have seen victims lose more than $40 million to fraudsters. In addition, highly plausible scams about overdue payments or bogus contest winnings are reportedly causing trusting internet users to lose over $3,600 every minute.

The search giant is thus launching the Scam Spotter program to educate internet users on identifying and preventing scams. All details of the program can be found at ScamSpotter.org. The Google VP advises that we all share the website with friends and family members, especially with seniors who research have shown lose the most from scams.

The program’s teachings revolve around three simple rules to consider when dealing with a suspicious email, phone call or message:

Slow it down: Are they telling you it’s urgent? Take your time and ask questions to avoid being rushed into a bad situation.
Spot check: Are they claiming to be from a specific institution? Do your own research to double-check the details you’re getting.
Stop! Don’t send: Are they asking you to go to the store and get gift cards? If you think a payment feels fishy, it probably is.

Samsung Display reportedly secures 80% of iPhone 12 display orders

By

-

May 28, 2020

Turns out reports that Apple will ditch Samsung for BOE in sourcing OLED display panels for the upcoming iPhone 12 may not be accurate. Market research firm DigiTimes has disclosed that Samsung Display has secured the majority of orders for the iPhone 12’s OLED displays.

Until recently, Apple has stuck to LCD screens on its iPhone models but all that changed with the iPhone X. The model became the first iPhone to have an OLED screen and to ditch the home button. Since then, Apple had retained the use of OLED panels only on the top-end variant but continued to utilise LCD displays for all others. That will change with the iPhone 12 as there are reports that the US company will use OLED displays on all models. The iPhone 12 will also be Apple’s first 5G phone.

DigiTimes reports that Samsung will receive 80% of the orders while LG Displays and BOE Technology will share the remaining 20%. Samsung was Apple’s sole OLED display supplier for the 2017 iPhone X. LG received some orders in 2018 while BOE was added in 2019. Considering the volume of OLED panels that would be needed for all four iPhone 12 models, it makes sense for the Cupertino-based company to share the orders among the three firms. Samsung may not have the capacity to be the sole supplier and having three display manufacturers removes the risks of Samsung not being able to meet up with display panel orders for the 2020 flagship iPhones.

(source [Paywalled])

Flyme 8.1 stable update released for all the 10 eligible / supported devices

By

-

May 28, 2020

At the Meizu 17 series launch, the company also unveiled Flyme 8.1, the latest version of its mobile software. Now, only after three weeks from the announcement, the brand has released a stable build for all the supported / eligible devices.

The Flyme 8.1 is an incremental update to Flyme 8 released last year. The base Android OS ~~has been now upgraded to~~ ~~Android 10~~ ~~from Android Pie~~ remains the same as before on all the devices but they get most of the new features introduced with the launch of Meizu 17 series.

One of the notable new features is OneMind 4.0 AI Engine, which the brand claims to be 30% better than its forerunner OneMind 3.5. The new version of Flyme also brings small window mode 2.1 similar to newly introduced floating windows in MIUI 12.

Other features of Flyme 8.1 by Meizu include 300 deep Android customization improvements and optimizations, improved Aicy voice assistant, new live wallpapers as well as in-display fingerprint sensor animations, and more.

As mentioned in the beginning, Flyme 8.1 stable update is live for all the 10 eligible devices and they are as listed below.

Meizu 16T
Meizu 16S Pro
Meizu 16S
Meizu 16th
Meizu 16th Plus
Meizu 16Xs
Meizu Note 9
Meizu X8
Meizu Note 8
Meizu 16X

Anyway, the update is currently limited to China and Meizu is yet to announce the rollout of Flyme 8.1 global stable builds.

OxygenOS 10.3.4 for OnePlus 6 / 6T brings Work-Life Balance, May security patch & more

By

-

May 28, 2020

Earlier in April, OnePlus dropped OxygenOS Beta support for OnePlus 6 / 6T ahead of OnePlus 8 series launch Now, these two handsets are receiving OxygenOS 10.3.4 stable update with May 2020 security patch, some bug fixes, and new features.

The latest stable update for OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T is similar to the OxgenOS 10.3.3 / 10.0.11 that is being currently rolled out to OnePlus 7 / 7T series.

The new build brings May 2020 security patch and updated OnePlus launcher (v4.1.6). It also improves system stability and fixes some general bugs.

Further, the update also fixes the issues with default country in assisted dialling when SIM2 is in roaming state. Additionally, it also adds Work-Life Balance and Epic Games Store for Indian variants of the handsets.

That being said, here’s the official changelog of OxygenOS 10.3.4 stable update for OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T.

System
- - Updated launcher version to 4.1.6
  - Updated Android Security Patch to 2020.05
  - Improved system stability and fixed general bugs

Phone
- Fixed the issue with default country in assisted dialing when SIM2 is in roaming state
- Newly added Work-Life Balance to help prioritize notifications and allocate time wisely (India only)
- Newly added Epic Games in Game Space (India only)

(Via)

OnePlus Z leaked screen protector showcases the front design

By

-

May 28, 2020

OnePlus is yet to officially confirm the OnePlus Z but the company’s CEO did hint that it would expand to other cheaper products categories in a bid to create an ecosystem. Lau also confirmed that the products will be launched in India first. There are strong indications that OnePlus Z is one of the products.

While we look forward to getting any details of the launch, the OnePlus Z has just featured in a new leak. The leak bothers on the tempered glass screen protector which just appeared on Giztop. The protector is accompanied by the render of the upcoming affordable model showing the front design.

The OnePlus Z has featured in previous leaks which show the front design. This new leak reaffirms the design which includes centrally placed punch-hole and curved edge display. The display also features narrow bezels on all sides but that of the chin is slightly prominent. The earpiece is also nested on the top edge while the volume rockers and power buttons are at the right edge.

That is about all the important details we can pick up from the leaked image. But earlier leaks tipped the model to pack a Snapdragon 765 chipset and a USB-C port.

OxygenOS 10.3.3 / 10.0.11 for OnePlus 7 / 7T series brings Epic Games Store, 960fps video recording & more

By

-

May 28, 2020

Last week, the OnePlus 7 / 7T series received OxygenOS Open Beta 14 / 4. Now, a week later, these handsets are receiving OxygenOS 10.3.3 / 10.0.11 stable update. Apart from May 2020 security patch, the new build also brings a number of new features and fixes to these devices.

The software build number for these handsets vary from each other due to region-specific features. Thus, we have listed the models with their respective builds for better understanding.

OxygenOS 10.3.3
- OnePlus 7 Pro (Global)
- OnePlus 7T (India)
OxygenOS 10.0.11
- OnePlus 7T (Global)

According to OnePlus, the latest update for the OnePlus 7 / 7T series optimizes volume adjustment, improves battery life, improves system stability, and also fixes general bugs.

Further, the update adds Dolby Atmos support for OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z along with lens stain detection. Additionally, the new stable update also brings Epic Games Store in Game Space (India only) and 960fps slow-motion video recording at 720p for OnePlus 7T series.

Anyway, here’s the official changelog for OxygenOS 0.3.3 / 10.0.11 stable update that is being rolled out to OnePlus 7 / 7T series worldwide.

System
- OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z can now be integrated with Dolby Atmos for better sound quality
- Optimized the volume adjustment to improve user experience
- Improved the battery life user experience
- Improved system stability and fixed general issues
- Updated Android Security Patch to 2020.04

Camera
- Supported the slow-motion recording at 720p at 960fps (7T series only)
- Adding lens stain detection

Phone
- Newly added Epic Games in Game Space (India only)

As with any OTA update, it is being rolled out in batches and hence, might take time to reach every unit.

UP NEXT: Android 10 stable update finally arrives for the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T

(Via)

Apple iPhone SE 2020 DxOMark Audio score is one of the best among mid rangers

By

Sean

-

May 28, 2020

The Apple iPhone SE 2020 has just received its Audio scores from DxOMark, a known rating firm. It achieved 70 points in the testings, which is one of the best within the mid range segment the device targets.

With a score of 70, the iPhone SE 2020 is just below Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone 11 and right above the Dolby/AKG-boosted Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. This is indicative of the flagship level audio quality in a device targetted for the mid range segment. DxOMark used various testing methods and the firm’s review is generally seen as accurate within the industry.

Notably, the audio score iPhone SE 2020 received is only 1 point lower than Apple’s current flagship iPhone 11 series. This had the handset come in at the 7th position in the leaderboard for audio. The smartphone received a score of 69 for playback, with aspects like artifacts, volume, and dynamics receiving an impressive rating. Furthermore, it achieved a score of 73 recordings, in which timbre, volume, artifacts, and others that also received a good review.

(Source)

Oppo Band EVA Limited Edition revealed, Regular version might debut with Reno 4 series

By