Amazon India introduces ‘Prime Gaming’ for free in-game content on selected mobile titles

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May 6, 2020

Amazon India has introduced ‘Prime Gaming’ aka ‘Gaming with Prime’ fo its customers in India. Users can avail free in-game content on selected mobile titles. The games will be refreshed frequently with new rewards. The service is already live for Prime users in the country.

Amazon Prime subscription in India is the cheapest than any other region. However, that comes with certain caveats as there are few titles to watch on Prime Video compared to the US and the UK. Nevertheless, it is value for money as the subscription also includes free fast delivery, Prime Reading on Amazon Kindle and ad-free Amazon Music for only ₹999 ($13) annually or ₹129 ($2) a month.

In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, the firm has now announced ‘Gaming with Prime’ (Prime Gaming). This gives users access to free in-game content on popular mobile games. The list of eligible games will be refreshed frequently along with rewards.

The current list of mobile games in which Prime users can avail benefits is as listed below.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
World Cricket Championship 2
Black Desert Mobile
Words With Friends 2
Mafia City
The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross.

Steps for availing free in-game content on games participating in Amazon Prime Gaming

Download and install the game with Prim Gaming offer.
Open the game and look for ‘Login with Amazon’.
Sign in to your Amazon Prime account.
Click on ‘Allow’ when prompted.
Finally. tap on ‘Claim’ to get free in-game content.

Recently, Amazon, Flipkart and other e-commerce platforms have resumed selling smartphones in India after a month of hiatus due to lockdown issued by the government.

(Via)

Oneplus 8 Pro Is Now Available For Just $829 On Giztop [Coupon]

By

Vinay Patel

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May 6, 2020

Last month, OnePlus unveiled the hotly-anticipated OnePlus 8 series of smartphones during an online event. The recently introduced line comprises the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro smartphones.

As expected, the two handsets became instant hits among OnePlus fans; however, those on a tight budget had been unable to get their hands on the devices due to the steep price tags they carried. Much to the relief of these budget-conscious buyers, the Chinese phone maker is now giving them a chance to save a considerable amount of money.

OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone comes in 8GB RAM+128GB ROM variant and a slightly larger model that ships with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage space. While you’d normally expect them to set you back a pretty penny, OnePlus is offering on these models for lowered prices through one of China’s most reliable e-tailers, Giztop.

In addition to getting the aforesaid discount, we will show how Giztop users can save more money at the time of checking out. Available in black, as well as green color options, the 8GB RAM+128GB ROM model usually retails for $899, but you can purchase it for only $859 via Giztop.

As if that weren’t enough, you can save $30 more simply by applying coupon code GZMOP830 during the checkout process. The already lowered asking price of the phone reduces to just $829 after applying the aforesaid coupon code.

Likewise, the larger model that comes in black, blue, and green color options usually carries a $999 price tag but is currently up for grabs for just $959 on Giztop. If that doesn’t impress you much, all you need to do is to apply the above-mentioned coupon code and get an extra $30 off.

In other words, the OnePlus 8 Pro 12GB RAM+256GB ROM variant can now be yours for an unbeatable price of just $929. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the coupon is likely to expire soon.

The OnePlus 8 Pro is an irresistible smartphone that sports an extra-large 6.78-inch Fluid AMOLED display with 2K 3168×1440 pixels resolution. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G 2.84GHz Octa-core processor and packs a highly competent Adreno 650 GPU under the hood.

Furthermore, the phone houses four rear cameras including two 48MP, an 8MP, and a 5MP camera. Upfront, it features a 16MP selfie camera. The smartphone runs OxygenOS 10 based on Android 10 OS while drawing its juices from a 4510mAh battery that supports 30W Qi Wireless Charging and 30T Warp Charge (5V/6A).

You can head straight to this link to check out more details about the OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone and take advantage of the coupon before it expires.

OnePlus 8 Pro

Huawei Y8s goes official with dual selfie cameras and Kirin 710

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 6, 2020

Huawei has unveiled a new smartphone called Huawei Y8s. The major highlight of the mid-range phone is that it comes with two front-facing cameras. The device is listed on the Huawei Jordan.

Huawei Y8s specifications

The Huawei Y8s has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display that produces full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It supports a tall aspect ratio of 19.5:9. In order to accommodate two front-facing cameras, the Huawei Y8s features a wide notch. The main shooter is of 8-megapixel with an aperture rating of f/2.0 and a depth assist lens of 2-megapixel with f/2.4 aperture.

The rear side of the phone is fitted with a dual camera system. It has a main camera of 48-megapixel with f/1.8 aperture. It is accompanied by a 2-megapixel depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture. The phone supports Super Night Shot mode for better photography in low-light conditions. A fingerprint scanner can be also found on the backside of the smartphone.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei wearables stop working, company asks users to download AppGallery

The Kirin 710 is at the helm of the Huawei Y8s. The base variant of the phone has 4 GB of RAM and it has an internal storage of 64 GB. The higher model has 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage. A 4,000mAh battery is present inside the phone. It lacks support for fast charging.

The Android 9 Pie OS coupled with EMUI 9.1 UI comes preloaded on the Huawei Y8s. The usual connectivity features like dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB and 3.5mm audio jack are available on the Huawei Y8s.

Huawei Y8s price and availability

Even though the Huawei Y8s phone is officially listed, there is no word on its pricing and availability. When available, consumers can purchase it in Emerald Green and Midnight Black color editions.

Nokia 9.3 spotted in a Concept video, sports SD865 and 5G networking

By

Sean

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May 6, 2020

Nokia 9.3 has been spotted, but this time it’s in an unofficial concept video rather than a leak. The concept design of the device is heavily inspired by the Nokia Lumia series and was shared on YouTube by Concept Creator.

The video was shared by Concept Creator and was in collaboration with LetsGoDigital. According to the video, Nokia 9.3 is the upcoming flagship from the smartphone brand and will feature top notch specs. This includes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC and will support 5G network. Additionally, the Nokia 9.3 is showcased in three colors, namely White, Yellow and Black

According to Concept Creator, the video and the design of the Nokia 9.3 is heavily inspired by the Nokia Lumia series. For those unaware, it was Nokia’s Windows phone lineup that featured similar designs and the single solid color aesthetics. The video depicts a flagship handset with a 5 camera setup. The sensors are housed within a circular module and arranged in a diamond cross manner.

On the left of the camera module, a triple LED flash can be observed while the module itself carries the Zeiss branding (a known lens and optics/optoelectronics provider). The rear panel is mostly baren except the Nokia branding in the middle. On the right of the smartphone, a power button is housed while the left features the volume rockers. Arriving at the front, the device is covered entirely by a display with minimal bezels on all sides. So it is unclear if a popup camera or under-display selfie shooter will be employed.

PUBG Mobile India Series is here again, with a Prize pool of 50 lakhs

By

Sean

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May 6, 2020

Tencent Games and the PUBG Corp. has just announced that the second edition of the PUBG Mobile India series is here. The tournament series was a great success back in 2019 and the studio behind the massively popular battle royale game is bringing the flagship tournament back to India.“

PUBG Mobile India Series

The tournament is a big step in the Indian esports scene and brings with it a large prize pool of 50 lakhs INR (roughly 66,000 US Dollars). The official press release stated that the previous tournament brought in impressive online viewership, with 50 million viewers tuning in to watch their favorite esports athletes. As it stands right now, PUBG Mobile India is one of the most successful games in the country’s esports scene and is also one of the most popular games in the nation.

Registration and Format

The registration of the PUBG Mobile India series has opened up today (6th May 2020) and will go on till 17th May 2020. The tournament is open to all and participants need to clear in-game qualifiers to reach the Online Qualifiers. Every registered squad will be required to play 15 matches. In these matches, the 10 best games will be taken into consideration.

256 teams will compete in the online qualifiers out of which the top 248 teams will be decided through in-game qualifiers while the remaining 8 will receive direct invites. These teams will play 2 matches each and try to dominate the leaderboard to grab the top 3 spots in respective groups to reach the Quater Finals. In this stage, only 48 teams will make their way to Quarter Finals out of the 64 teams that clear the previous stage.

The Quarter Finals will also have 8 invited teams, which will be chosen from the Online Qualifier (like on the basis of top kills). This stage will have teams compete for the next 4 days to grab the top 32 spots for the upcoming semifinals. The Semi Finals is the stage where viewers will likely see favorite and established esports teams and new contenders as well, which will battle to reach the top 16 spots.

The Grand Finals is the stage that represents the highest skill tier of players and is also expected to have appearances from fresh young talents. The top 16 teams in the country will battle it out for 50 lakhs prize pool. This stage will go on for 3 days and will have intense battle royale action, with teams seeing a total of 18 matches before a winning team is crowned. So for those that think they got what it takes to win, go register through this link here.

Samsung sold 230,000 units of Galaxy Z Flip in March alone

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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May 6, 2020

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the second clamshell foldable smartphone after Motorola razr. But the former is much popular although the latter has a recognized branding with a cult following. A new report also backs this claim by revealing the South Korean tech giant to have sold 230,000 units in March alone.

The whole smartphone market is stumbling due to COVID-19 global pandemic. Even Samsung itself has cut down its smartphone components orders by 50%. Amidst this, the company has somehow managed to sell 230,000 units of Galaxy Z Flip in March. That is a 56.1% month-on-month (MoM) sales increase from February.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S20 series sales declined by 35% YoY compared to Galaxy S10 series. This clearly implies people are willing to try cutting edge folding screen products than the same old boring rectangular slabs.

This has been possible due to durability ensured by Samsung by using UTG (Ultra Thin Glass). The first foldable from the company, the Galaxy Fold has various issues and also it costs way more than an average smartphone. But both these problems have been somewhat fixed with the Galaxy Z Flip.

Also, the latest foldable from Samsung has no major complaints from users so far unlike the ill-fated Galaxy S20 Ultra. This gives us more hope for the upcoming Galaxy Fold 2, which is expected to launch alongside Galaxy Note 20 series in the second of this year.

(Via)

Buy QCY T6 TWS Sport Bluetooth Earbuds for Just $38.99 From Giztop

By

Vinay Patel

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May 6, 2020

If you are in the market for inexpensive, yet feature-rich TWS Bluetooth earbuds, you might want to check out the QCY T6.

The T6 adopts a non-slip hanging ear design which enhances the wearing experience. Moreover, they are small and can comfortably fit inside your ears and exclusively crafted for sports.

Each earbud weighs in at only 8.2g, which makes them a great choice for sports enthusiasts who fancy listening to their favorite soundtracks while running or working out. It is integrated with a built-in AAC/SBS audio decoding and 12mm large Dynamic Driver, which produces well-balanced sound output.

Aside from that, it supports pop-up pairing on Android phones. It also adopts the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology for a faster, more stable connectivity and considerably reduced game latency. It comes with a 600mAh charging dock that provides an impressive 30 hours of battery life, which single battery life of the earbud is over 6 hours.

Despite been loaded with high-end features, the QCY T6 will not burn a hole in your pocket. You can follow this link to purchase the newfangled TWS Bluetooth earbuds for only $38.99 from Giztop.

QCY T6 TWS Sport Bluetooth Earbuds

Xiaomi Japan issues apology after a Nuclear blast is seen in promotional video

By

Sean

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May 6, 2020

Xiaomi had recently released a new promotional video for the launch of its Redmi Note 9 series in Japan. This video had showcased the lineups 30W fast charging rates, but unfortunately, the company depicted this in the form of a nuclear blast. Now, Xiaomi Japan has issued an official apology through Twitter.

The Xiaomi advertisement commemorating the Redmi Note 9 series depicted various peculiar scenes. This includes a “fat man” flying into the sky after breaking through the rood with “Tokyo Asakusa” in the background. This is followed by a nuclear bomb explosion, which clearly misses the mark regarding what it intended to portray and the sentiments it ended up actually hurting.

For those unaware, the nuclear explosion dropped in Nagasaki, Japan during World War II was codenamed, “fat man.” This bomb was dropped from a white balloon. So, you can see regardless of intention, there are clear hints at the horrendous event that had taken place decades ago. Xiaomi Japan has since issued an official apology on Twitter stating, “We have posted a review of the latest product promotion video. We will work to prevent it from happening again in the future.”

The official apology reads, “This latest product promotion for the overseas market contained ill-considered content and the video has been removed. Xiaomi respects users and cultures around the world, and we will be closer to our users when producing new products that promote them. We will do everything we can to prevent it from happening again in the future and to resolve the problem.”

Apple-backed NFC Forum adopts Wireless Charging Specs amidst rumors of iPhone wirelessly charging smaller devices

By

Sean

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May 6, 2020

NFC Forum, which is an industry group that has been tasked to set global standards for near field communication technology, had recently announced that it was adopting a new Wireless Charging Specification (WLC). In layman’s term, its is a new standard that could enable smartphones to power smaller devices wirelessly through NFC.

From what we know, the WLC being adopted by NFC Forum uses a single antenna to carry both data communications and power transfer. Thus, it is only capable of providing power rated up to 1W with compatible devices. This may not sound like much but it is still enough for a quick power up for low powered IoT gadgets (Internet of Things). In other words, one would be able to charge smartwatches, wireless earbuds, and more through their smartphone.

Arriving at the interesting implication of this news, Apple is a sponsor group of the NFC Forum. This could potentially mean that the ‘bilateral’ wireless charging support could arrive in future iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. The latter two use low wattage due to the small internal battery cells, so, the iPhone may be able to charge such peripheral accessories in the near future.

Unfortunately, this is still just a far out possibility. So far, none of the iPhone 12 leaks had pointed towards this feature while separate rumors had hinted at the technology. The Apple iPhone 12 series may feature bilateral wireless charging capabilities, but it will likely utilize the more commonly used Qi standards. This is currently used for existing iPhone chargers, AirPods, and AirPods Pro cases as well. So if Apple does decide to include this technology, it would have to revamp the internals and bring NFC technology to many of its existing product lineups.

(Via)

Joy UI 11 Android 10 update is now available for Black Shark 2 Pro

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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May 6, 2020

Black Shark, a Xiaomi-backed gaming smartphone maker launched its Black Shark 2 Pro smartphone last year with Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. It’s sibling, the standard Black Shark 2 was recently updated to Android 10 (Joy UI 11). Now, the Pro is also getting a similar treatment, albeit only a few users are receiving the update.

Black Shark has scheduled an event for May 8 to launch Black Shark 3 and Black Shark 3 Pro globally. Ahead of it, the brand has started updating its predecessors to the latest software. The standard Black Shark 2 was updated last month and now the update is being rolled out to Black Shark 2 Pro as well.

However, not all the users are receiving the OTA weighing 1883.3MB. Like any other system update, it is being seeded out in a phased manner. Further, the new update apart from bringing Android 10 also brings new Joy UI 11.

The new Joy UI 11 Android 10 update for Black Shark 2 Pro contains the following features.

Support for Mi Account and Mi Cloud
- Find my Phone
- Back up and Data sync
New file manager
Mi Share
Wireless Print
Cast
Improved system tools with richer functions
Natural Dynamic Sound System
Full screen gestures
New designed Shark Space 3.0
Professional Settings in Gamer Studio
Shark Arsenal for Easy Accessories Management

(Via)

China edges ahead in the 5G race due to Coronavirus Pandemic

By

Sean

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May 6, 2020

With the Coronavirus outbreak raging across the globe, various economies and industries are facing severe issues due to the Pandemic. This includes the telecommunications industry and the rollout of the 5G network. However, it seems that the viral outbreak that had originated in China has helped the nation pull ahead in the 5G race.

Earlier this year, certain experts in the US had predicted that China will outrun the western nation in the so called “5G race.” The adoption rate of the newer and faster bandwidth has seen many hindrances to its rollout, especially considering that the nation has blacklisted Chinese companies like Huawei, which is a major telecom equipment provider and a pioneering figure in 5G networking.

At the moment, the global adoption of 5G has slowed down, but the Chinese government, on the other hand, has been raising the practical applications of technologies that utilize the new standard of networking. Since February 2020, various cities throughout China including the Sichuan Province were locked down to prevent the further spreading of the Coronavirus.

To combat the viral outbreak, China’s Government had employed unmanned drones that circled the skies. These drones broadcasted useful prevention measures and advise against the Coronavirus. They also served the purpose of spraying disinfectants and even conducted thermal imaging checks on the residents. All of this was built around the backbone infrastructure which is 5G, showcasing China’s increased utilization of the networking technology.

Xiaomi confirms Foxconn getting approval to resume manufacturing in India

By

Jeet

-

May 6, 2020

India is currently under extended lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country. Amid this, there are uncertainties about letting smartphone makers open factories to resume manufacturing process.

But there are some good news for Xiaomi. Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India has confirmed that Foxconn, the company’s contract manufacturer, has received approval to resume manufacturing at its Andhra Pradesh factory.

The company says that it is expecting its factories to operate at regular capacity by June in India. Xiaomi has already resumed smartphone sales in India through both offline and online channels and will cater to demand in green and orange zones.

For those who are unaware, Foxconn which is also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, along with another OEM Wistron, had to suspend operations at their manufacturing plants as per the government guidelines during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The development is a major relief for Xiaomi given that almost all of its smartphones sold in India are manufactured locally. Muralikrishnan claims that nearly 99 percent of Xiaomi smartphones sold in India are made in the country.

While Foxconn’s facility at Sri City, Andhra Pradesh has received the approval, there’s no news about the company’s other facility in Sriperumbudur, Chennai. Foxconn’s Chennai unit is also manufacturing the iPhone XR smartphone.

Wistron and other ecosystem companies in Karnataka have also received approval from state authorities to resume production. However, companies such as Dixon, Samsung, OPPO and Lava with factories in the Noida Noida region and Tamil Nadu continue to be in limbo owing to lack of clarity on starting operations.

Microsoft Surface Go 2 images and specs leaked prior to official launch

By

Sean

-

May 6, 2020

Microsoft is gearing up for the launch of the Surface Book 3 alongside which the Surface Go 2 was also expected to arrive. The latter is expected to feature refreshed specs and will replace the existing Microsoft Surface Go. While there had been plenty of rumors circulating online, but now, a new report has revealed certain images and specs regarding the upcoming tablet just prior to its launch.

According to a report from WinFuture, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 will have the same design as the original Surface Go, but will feature a slight bigger 10.5 inch display. Furthermore, the physical dimensions of the tablet have remained unchanged, which makes it compatible with existing Surface Go covers that one may own or are available in the market.

Arriving at the display itself, Microsoft has bumped up the resolution to FHD (1920 x 1080p) and made the bezels narrower. The Surface Go 2 will arrive in two variants that will house different specs under the hood. One variant will feature the Intel Gold 4425Y processor while the other houses the Intel Core m3-8100Y chipset. The company is also reportedly adding 4G LTE support on the affordable Surface Go 2 variant and will also bring WiFi 6 support as well.

In terms of memory, the Surface Go 2 with the Pentium SoC will feature 4GB of RAM and 64B of internal storage. This variant will be priced at 459 EUR (roughly 496 US Dollars). The higher end version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage will be sold for 629 EUR (roughly 680 US Dollars). A 256GB storage version is also claimed to be an option and, unfortunately, the pricing details for the Core m3 model is currently unknown.

(Via,Source)

Redmi has a surprise launch this month, Could be for 5G Redmi Notes

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

May 6, 2020

Redmi Note 9 series has launched globally but it is yet to debut in China. Instead, the brand unveiled Redmi K30 Pro in the region. According to rumours, it will be announced soon in the region but with different specs. Additionally, we might see a surprise product as well according to Lu Weibing, the brand’s general manager.

In April, we did not see any new product launch by Redmi in China. However, its parent company Xiaomi announced Redmi Note 9 and Redmi Note 9 Pro in Europe alongside Mi Note 10 Lite and Mi Smart Standing Fan 1C.

Now, a post on Weibo by Mr Weibing suggests something different will be unveiled by the end of May in the brand’s home country. Speculations say it could be long-rumoured Redmi Note device with 5G connectivity.

Xiaomi’s plans for affordable 5G smartphones

Late last year, Xiaomi’s founder Lei Jun said 999 Yuan ($141) 5G phone will be a real thing by 2021. Further, an internal document leak from last month also suggested such a handset will be launched by the company before the end of this year.

The document also hinted the release of 1,799 Yuan ($254) Redmi K30i and another mystery 5G phone priced at 1,599 Yuan ($225). We believe Lu Weibing is teasing the latter phone to be a surprise since according to the document, it will be launched in June. Hence, announcing it a month prior is a possibility just like the Redmi K30 5G in December 2019.

In fact, if it is true, we might see a couple of 5G-ready Redmi Note devices as two mysterious handsets were recently spotted on 3C certification. The only information we know about these devices is their model numbers and charging speeds – M2004J7AC (22.5W) and M2004J7BC (33W).

Also, there’s another handset called Redmi 10X, which was too found on 3C listing a few days back. Unlike the previously mentioned devices, this one will only support 4G and will be powered by MediaTek Helio G85.

Anyway, the Redmi K30i is also yet to launch officially although its release was supposed to happen in April according to the leaked document. So it is possible the surprise teased by Redmi’s general manager for May could be this device instead.

However, the above-discussed phones, especially the 5G Redmi Notes could be the stars of the launch event as the executive announced Redmi Note 8 series to sell over 30 million units globally earlier today.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 flagship 5nm chipset’s details leaked

By

Jeet

-

May 6, 2020

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset is currently the flagship offering from the company which is powering most of the premium smartphones launched this year so far and will continue to do so until its successor arrives.

The successor to the SD865 SoC is expected to get launched as Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 by the end of this year, most probably in December. As per the reports, the chipset could be the company’s first to be manufactured using 5nm process.

Now, a new report claims that the upcoming Snapdragon 875 chipset, codenamed SM8350, will come packed with the new Snapdragon X60 5G modem RF-integrated system. It remains to be seen if the modem will be integrated or optional. Given that the 5G adaptation is on the rise, it won’t be surprising if Qualcomm decides to go with the integrated modem route.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 also comes with an embedded 5G modem but people are not happy with this given that it has increased the cost of the chipset. This has led to smartphones being more expensive even for the 4G-only models as 5G infrastructure is still at the early stage of development.

The report adds that the upcoming SD875 will have Kryo 685 CPU built on ARM v8 Cortex technology with Adreno 660 GPU, Adreno 65 VPU, and Adreno 1095 DPU. The modem will support mmWave and sub-6GHz bands.

It is also said to have Qualcomm Secure Processing Unit (SPU250), Spectra 580 image-processing engine, and Snapdragon Sensors Core Technology. As for the connectivity options, it’ll have external Wi-Fi 802.11ax, 2×2 MIMO, and Bluetooth Milan.

The chipset will come with Compute Hexagon DSP with Hexagon Vector eXtensions and Hexagon Tensor Accelerator. It will support Quad-channel package-on-package (PoP) high-speed LPDDR5 SDRAM. It is also said to come with low-power audio subsystem combined with Aqstic Audio Technologies WCD9380 and WCD9385 audio codec.

Meanwhile, we are waiting for some kind of confirmation about the Snapdragon 865+ chipset. Some some reports says that the upgraded SoC is coming and the specs have also leaked, Meizu CMO recently said that SD865+ isn’t coming this year.

(Source)

Huawei wearables stop working, company asks users to download AppGallery

By

Sean

-

May 6, 2020

Many Huawei wearables users have recently started facing issues regarding the products they are using. People went on the company’s official forum to report on the Huawei Health app not working, which is needed to use Huawei accessories with other brands of smartphones. The company has given out the solution that now requires users to download and install the Health app again but through their proprietary AppGallery.

For those unaware, AppGallery is a part of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and is the company’s version of Google’s Play Store. The Chinese tech giant launched the service after losing official Google services support back in 2019. Now, the company is asking users to again download the Huawei Health app through its AppGallery, which also needs to be installed and can be found on the official Huawei website.

Many Samsung, OnePlus and Google Pixel users reported on facing trouble with their Huawei smart bands and smartwatches. These handsets previously did not require the Huawei Health app from the AppGallery to work but it seems the company has made it necessary. At the moment, Huawei’s version of an app store is still severely lacking in many popular applications, especially the ones owned by Google. While this hasn’t been an issue for Chinese users, the overseas market has to deal with quite a bit of hassle.

The move from the Chinese vendor could have been an attempt to inflate its AppGallery userbase for healthier numbers from across the globe, but that is just speculation. Regardless, Huawei wearables users that use smartphones from other brands are now required to download their services even if they like it or not.

(Via)

POCO M2 Pro new moniker found on Xiaomi India’s RF exposure page

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

May 6, 2020

POCO fans in India are eagerly waiting for the arrival of the POCO F2 smartphone. Some reports have revealed that it could be accompanied by POCO F2 Pro. According to MySmartPrice, a new device named POCO M2 Pro has surfaced on Xiaomi India’s RF exposure page.

The RF exposure page has not only revealed the POCO M2 Pro moniker, but also it has confirmed that the M2003J6CI model number belongs to it. Apart from the SAR value of the device, no other details on the specs have surfaced on the RF exposure page.

Last month, the M2003J6CI model number was spotted at the database of TUV Rheinland certification. It is speculated that the POCO M2 Pro is a device specially designed for India. The unannounced Redmi Note 9 is also found listed on the RF exposure page on Xiaomi India’s website. Its model number is mentioned as M2003J15SI.

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Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi to launch the MIJIA Handheld Ironing Machine under crowdfunding May 6

The Xiaomi Mi 10 phone that is scheduled to go official on May 8 in India is also listed on the RF exposure page. Its model number is M2001J21. While the Redmi Note 9 and Mi 10 are still listed on the RF exposure, the POCO M2 Pro’s listing could not be found at the time of writing this post. The M2 Pro name suggest there could be a vanilla POCO M2 phone. However, the removal of the POCO M2 Pro listing suggest that there could be an error.

Xiaomi had launched the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9 Prov phones that debuted in March in India. Both models have respective model numbers M2003J6B1I and M2003J6A1I. There is a possibility that there could be some resemblance between M2003J6CI and the Redmi Note 9 series. It is advisable to wait for to know more about the specifications of the M2003J6CI phone.

(via)

Huawei FreeBuds 3i true wireless earbuds announced with active noise cancellation

By

Jeet

-

May 6, 2020

Last year, Huawei had launched its upgraded true wireless earphones — Huawei FreeBuds 3. A couple of weeks ago, a new variant of the same, dubbed as Huawei FreeBuds 3i were leaked online to launch alongside Nova 7 series.

Now, the Huawei FreeBuds 3i have been made official by the company in its home market China. It aims to offer premium features like active noise cancellation at a cheaper price.

The TWS earbuds come with a redesigned look which is more sleek and is made with ergonomics in focus. They pack large 10mm dynamic drivers, and have multiple mics for the active noise cancellation feature.

The company says that the earphones offer a thorough noise-cancelling experience for your immersive enjoyment. It also comes with the usual touch-based controls for things like play/pause and answering or ending calls.

Huawei also says that the new earphones have highly-sensitive diaphragm that is carefully tuned to deliver authentic, balanced audio with powerful bass. It can be paired automatically with the pop-up window when the charging case is open.

As for the battery life, the Bluetooth 5.0-supported Huawei FreeBuds 3i can offer up to 3.5 hours of audio playback on a single charge while the charging case can deliver up to 14.5 hours of battery life.

To make sure the earphones fit perfectly for everyone, the company is including four sizes of silicone tips in the package. The Huawei FreeBuds 3i come in two color options — Ceramic White and Carbon Black and are priced at £90 in the UK, which is roughly $110.

While the White color option will go on sale from 20th May, the Black color model will be up for purchase from 17th June. It remains to be seen when the company launches these earbuds to other regions.

Samsung is witnessing disappointing Galaxy S20 series sales in the United States

By

Jeet

-

May 6, 2020

Samsung unveiled its next-generation Galaxy S-series flagship smartphones — Samsung Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra in February this year. It’s been around two months since the smartphones went on sale.

Now, as per the reports, the new Galaxy S20 series isn’t performing well in terms of sales. They are said to be significantly less popular than its predecessors, at least in the United States as the sales are lagging behind the Galaxy S10 series and Galaxy S9 series at the same number of weeks after launch.

The report coming from M Science reveals that the sales of Galaxy S10 were roughly 400,000 and for Galaxy S9 it was around 500,000 weekly during the second week after the launch. It also adds that the sales consistently maintained 200,000 units weekly throughout the first ten weeks of sales.

On the other hand, the new Galaxy S20 lineup fails to even surpass the 200,000 weekly units sale mark during its best week. The sales have consistently remained below 100,000 mark since the fourth week of sales, although it reported a slight growth in sales last week.

It is believed that this is because of two reasons — 5G and pricing. With buyers being forced to use 5G technology at a premium price even though there’s no proper 5G infrastructure available in the country. Another reason might be the stay-at-home order in most states because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the reports credits Samsung in boosting the sales of 5G smartphones in the United States. Since the launch of Galaxy S20 series, there’s a growth in sale of 5G-compatible devices and it now accounts of 20 percent of units sold.

It remains to be seen what Samsung does to boost up sales of the Galaxy S20 series. The company could see an uptick in this department as it gears up to launch Galaxy Note 20 series and with the launch of Apple iPhone 12 series later this year, depending on the pricing of both these series.

(Via)

Redmi Note 8 series smartphones sale crosses 30 million mark globally

By

Jeet

-

May 6, 2020

Lu Weibing, Vice President of Xiaomi and President of Xiaomi China has today announced that the company’s Redmi Note 8 series smartphones have generated record-breaking sales, surpassing the 30 million mark.

He also revealed that the smartphone series managed to sell one million units in its first month of getting launched. In around two months of getting launched, the company had sold five million units of the Redmi Note 8 series.

The sales growth continued the following month as well, with the company managing to sell 10 million units within three months of getting launched. Xiaomi achieved this feat two months ahead compared to how much time it took Redmi Note 7 series to achieve this.

In around five months of being available for purchase, the Redmi Note 8 series smartphones had registered sales of 20 million units. And now, it has surpassed the 30 million units mark.

The development is quite impressive and thus, the stock of Xiaomi Group increased by around 5 percent to HK$10.540 in the morning after the announcement. However, trading is still on and by the time the day ends, the stock price will get changed.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone recently received a temporary price cut in the Chinese market. With this, the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model is available for 1,299 yuan (approximately $184) while the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model costs 1,499 yuan, which is roughly $212.

As for the specifications, the upper mid-range smartphone features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display and is powered by the MediaTek Helio G90T SoC which is optimised for the gaming performance and comes with Mali-G76 GPU.

It features a quad-camera setup on the back with a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP maco camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, it has a 20MP snapper for taking selfies. The smartphone runs the Android with MIUI 11 on top and is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.

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