Yesterday, Huawei launched the P40 series in China. Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu gave an online interview to the press earlier today. In that, he mentioned the company is barely making a profit from its high-end premium smartphones.
Huawei dethroned Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone brand in terms of shipments in 2019. But yet, it’s profit margin is less than that of the Cupertino-based tech giant. This is because the brand’s premium products feature high-end tech, which costs more but still the company sells the final product at a lesser price than its prime competitors.
Mr. Richard Yu said the camera components in the Huawei P40 series alone cost more than $100. He also revealed that the company has so far lost around $60 – $70 million dollars in selling the Mate Xs foldable smartphone, even though it is priced at 16,999 Yuan (~$2267). He further added that the company cannot make a profit unless the price of folding panels goes down. Till then, the retail price of the foldables will remain high.
Mr. Yu also revealed that Huawei’s investment in R&D will likely be the second-largest this year. He also added that some of the competitors merely spend a billion Yuan in R&D, however, his company is investing $20 billion.
He believes innovation and products should go hand in hand to retain customers and maintain sales. This is why Huawei has been focusing more on research and development. In 2019, the company invested about $18.5 billion in R&D (third-largest), which accounted for 15.3% of its total revenue of 467.3 billion Yuan with 34% YoY growth.
Huawei holds 85,000 patents worldwide, out of which 90% are invention patents. Last year, Huawei was the top patent applier in the European Union with a total count of 3,524.
Just a few days ago, HMD Global rolled out the Android 10 update for the Nokia 3.2. Today, the update arrives on the Nokia 4.2.
The Nokia 4.2 was announced last year in May. It is a mid-range phone with a Snapdragon 439 processor, dual rear cameras, and an HD+ display with a waterdrop notch.
When it launched last year, it ran Android 9 Pie out of the box. With HMD Global’s promise of two years of OS upgrades, the Nokia 4.2 is set to get Android 11 too.
Just like the update for the Nokia 3.2, HMD Global is rolling out the Android 10 update for the Nokia 4.2 in waves. There are more than 40 countries on the list and all are expected to get the update by April 14.
We are yet to see the changelog for the update but expect it to include Dark Mode, Smart Replies, a new gesture-based navigation, and March 2020’s security patch.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, multiple smartphone brands in India are struggling with various issues. As of right now, most production lines in the country have been shut down due to a Government mandated lockdown, while offline stores that are deemed non-essential are also to remain closed. Thus, OEMs are now reducing their offline workers while also looking for rent waivers.
OnePlus’ Experience store in India
Since the physical stores cannot remain open and bring in no value or sales. Smart brands are downsizing their employees that act as in-store promoters or salespersons, and are also looking into getting waivers for the rent from landowners of their stores. Xiaomi is one such company that is seeking for a waiver of at least three months.
On the other hand, companies like HMD Global and Lenovo–Motorola are now reducing the number of offline workers for their stores and are also cutting incentives for retailers. According to official announcements, these stores are sitting on inventory and will likely not be making any sales for at least a whole quarter.
For those unaware, a new strand of Coronavirus had been discovered in China. Since then, the viral infection has spread to upwards of 170 countries and has been recognized as a global pandemic. It is highly infectious with a number of confirmed cases has crossed a million a few days ago. Thus, various governments like India are taking drastic measures and lockdowns to help curb the infection spreading any further.
In the past years, various smartphone brands have been found cheating on benchmark platforms. However, a new report on Anandtech has accused chip maker MediaTek for altering gaming performance in benchmarks.
The publication found MediaTek cheating the gaming scores when it benchmarked the Reno3 Pro (European edition) that features the older Helio P95. It claims that the benchmark scores of the Helio P95’s Cortex-A75 processor was higher than the Reno3 5G (Chinese variant) that is equipped with the Dimensity 1000L 5G chipset. The Dimensity chip has four Cortex-A77 CPU cores while the Helio P95 has only two Cortex-A75 cores.
The publication tried running PCMark’s stealth version on the Helio P95 powered Reno3 Pro. Since the stealth version can’t be identified by manufacturers, there was a 30 percent drop in performance compared the high scores that were required by the phone. The outlet stated that it noticed a drop of 75 percent in some other benchmarks.
The Reno3 Pro 5G (Chinese version) that has Snapdragon 765G was also benchmarked by the publication. It did not notice any cheating on benchmarks. Investigating the firmware of Reno 3 Pro (European version) revealed some references to “sports mode” which enables faster performance. The outlet that more investigations revealed that even other MediaTek powered phones like Realme C3, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro and 2017’s Sony Xperia XA1 also have performance enhancements.
Soon after Anandtech published its findings, MediaTek immediately published a blog post to state that its optimization practices on benchmarks adheres to industry standard and is in line with the practices of other companies. It further stated that such practices only reveal the full capabilities of a chipset. It also mentioned that its key rival has chipsets that function in the same way which Anandtech considered as cheating on benchmarks.
The OnePlus 8 series is almost here. The company is gearing up for its launch conference next week and teasers are already being shared online. Now, OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, has shared an official first look of the green variant of the OnePlus 8.
OnePlus 8 (Green)
The image was shared online on the Chinese microblogging website, Weibo. Pete Lau’s official Weibo account shared the picture alongside a small message as well. According to the senior executive, he has noticed the various leaks, rumors and supposed renders making the rounds on the internet. He said that many were “authentic photos.”
Pete even went on to say that he had compared the OnePlus 8 to various other smartphones and found it to have the best look and feel. Although, this statement was to be expected. Looking at the image shared, the OnePlus 8’s rear panel can be seen. It features the “ONEPLUS” branding on the bottom, etched in white on a Green color.
The Green color looks very elegant, but it is unknown if it will also be available for the other OnePlus 8 series models, like the 8 Pro or 8 Lite. Thus, we will have to wait for the official launch event. So stay tuned, as we will be covering the launch of the Chinese company’s latest flagship lineup.
The Reno3 Pro 5G launched in China last December. It has a Snapdragon 765G processor, an AMOLED display, and support for 5G. Then last month, OPPO announced the Reno3 Pro in India with a different design, different camera specs, and a MediaTek Helio P95 chipset. Now, the Chinese version has appeared on OPPO’s Polish website with the same specifications but………without 5G.
The Reno3 Pro on the Polish site has the model number CPH2009 which is different from the Chinese variant’s PCRM00 and PCRT00 model numbers.
The phone has a 6.5-inch 2400 x 1080 curved AMOLED display with a punch-hole at the top left corner for the selfie camera and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 765G processor inside is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
The Reno3 Pro has a 48MP + 8MP + 13MP + 2MP quad-camera setup on the rear while a 32MP camera is in front for selfies and video calls. The phone has 5x hybrid zoom, 20X Digital Zoom, OIS + EIS, and can record in 4K at 30fps.
Other features include NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, dual SIM support, stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It packs a 4025mAh battery capacity with support for VOOC 4.0. The Reno3 Pro runs ColorOS 7 based on Android 10 out of the box and is available in Moonlight Black and Starry Blue.
OPPO has put a price tag of PLN 2,600 (€572/$622) on the phone and will begin shipping on April 20. If you choose to pre-order, you will get a free pair of OPPO Enco Free TWS earbuds. Interested buyers can grab a unit from T-Mobile, MediaMarkt, X-Kom, Allegro, Media Expert, Neonet, and RTV Euro. The promo runs until April 19, 2020.
Xiaomi always keeps introducing new features to MIUI ROM. In a similar move, the MIUI developer has brought the Android 10 Gestures Control Feature for all the compatible Xiaomi smartphones. Xiaomi Developers have stood by their promise of bringing the Android 10 based gestures to Xiaomi smartphones. However, the public build users still have to wait for the feature as it is currently limited to select MIUI China ROMs. The company informed users about the new modification via a blog post which also has clear instructions to enable it.
Xiaomi has ported only a few gestures from Android 10. The users can open the home screen by swiping up from the bottom of the display. Moreover, the Recents menu is available with swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause. The App switching is eased with Swipe left or right from the bottom of the screen. The developers also added Go back gesture that can be enabled by swiping left or right from either edge of the screen.
Enable Android 10 Gesture Control on MIUI
It is quite easy to enabled Android 10 Gesture control on MIUI, the users need to follow the instructions below.
Prerequisites:
Compatible China Beta ROM
Steps to enable Gesture Control on MIUI
Open phone Settings and then tap the “Display” option.
Select the “Full-Screen Display” option after scrolling down.
Tap “Full-Screen” to enable Android 10 gestures.
We hope the new Android 10 Gestures will soon make an appearance on the public or global build of the MIUI ROM. It will be a useful feature for the MIUI users, as eases the accessibility across the device.
The upcoming OPPO Ace2 that is scheduled to go official on April 13 was recently spotted on AnTuTu with a score of 560K+. MySmartPrice came across the Geekbench listing of the smartphone. It seems that the company could be internally testing its performance before making it official.
Recent reports have revealed that the PHDM00 model number belongs to the OPPO Ace2 smartphone. On Geekbench, the Ace recorded 4024 points in the single-core test. In its multi-core test, it reached a score of 12045.
The Ace2 variant that emerged on Geekbench has 8 GB of RAM and it runs on Android 10 OS. The handset is driven by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform. The smartphone is available for reservations in China through JD.com. The JD listing reveals that there are two 8 GB RAM editions. One of them has 128 GB of internal storage and the other has 256 GB of native storage. The topmost model of the phone has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
A reliable tipster from China has claimed that the OPPO Ace2 won’t be carrying a cheap pricing and it will be competing with phones like Xiaomi Mi 10 and iQOO 3. A snapshot that mentions 4,399 Yuan (~$623) pricing for the OPPO Ace2 has been shared another Chinese tipster.
The Xiaomi Mi 10 is available in China in the same three models such as 8 GB + 128 GB, 8 GB + 256 GB and 12 GB + 256 GB like the upcoming Ace2. These models of MI 10 are available for 3,999 Yuan (~$566), 4,299 Yuan (~$608) and 4,699 Yuan (~$665). Hence, the 4,399 Yuan pricing leak seem suitable for 8GB + 256GB version of the Ace2. The authenticity of the pricing image could not be verified. Hence, it is recommended to digest it with a grain of salt.
The CEO of Huawei‘s Consumer Business BG, Yu Chengdong, has stated in an interesting fact about the company’s current situation in this time of crisis. The senior executive has stated that Huawei’s consumer business is expected to grow by over 20 percent in 2020, especially in China.
The statement was made in an interview with a Chinese news reporting agency. Yu Chengdong is confident about the growth of Huawei’s smartphone sales in the Chinese market, although the same cannot be said for the global market. The senior official believes that the numbers won’t be as high as 20 percent, due to the lack of GMS (Google Mobile Services).
Huawei Mobile Services
For those unaware, after the US Commerce Department blacklisted Huawei back in 2019, the company was banned from trading or partnering with US based companies. This led to Huawei smartphones shipping without Google’s services. The move was a clear strategy by the US to pressure the company and by its extension, China.
However, in response to this, Huawei made its very own mobile services ecosystem, which Yu Chengdong said “is now very good and selling well. The P40 series are all equipped with HMS and are already being shipped. Due to the epidemic, some stores can’t open, but the second half will be better.” However, its viability outside of China is still under scrutiny.
HiSilicon Kirin 820 SoC
In another attempt to hamper Huawei’s operations, the US is trying to limit the company’s chip making process through TSMC. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is the primary supplier of the company’s HiSilicon Kirin chipsets. So this could potentially deal a devastating blow to the Chinese tech giant.
The Realme X3 SuperZoom is an upcoming phone from Realme. The moniker was revealed through its certification by Thailand’s NBTC authority. It revealed that the phone has a model number of RMX2086. The same model number has also appeared at the database of India’s BIS authority and EEC in Russia. Moreover, the RMX2086 popped up on Geekbench benchmarking platform to reveal some of its key specs.
The NBTC, EEC and BIS certification did not reveal any details on the specifications of the Realme X3 SuperZoom handset. However, these listings do suggest that it is not 5G smartphone. The Geekbench 5 listing reveals that the smartphone scored 788 and 2624 in the single-core and multi-core tests.
The Geekbench appearance shows that the phone is driven by “msmnile” Qualcomm chipset. The codename refers to the Snapdragon 855 chipset. Since the predecessor Realme X2 Pro came with Snapdragon 855+ which is an enhanced version of the SD855 chipset, it is likely that the Chinese firm may settle for SD855+ on the X3 Super Zoom. The SoC is coupled with 12 GB of RAM and it is loaded with Android 10 OS. No other information is available on the specs of the device.
The Realme X3 SuperZoom moniker suggests that it will be arriving with impressive zooming capabilities. There is a possibility that the phone could be coming with a 108-megapixel rear camera system. The recent Realme phones across different price segments are all equipped with quad rear cameras. Hence, the Realme X3 SuperZoom could be also coming with four rear-facing cameras.
The X3 SuperZoom appears to be a direct rival from the company for the recently unveiled Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition. The phone’s name also suggests that there could be a vanilla version of the phone called Realme X3.
It was erroneously stated in the first published version of this post that the OnePlus 8 Pro will be the first smartphone with MEMC technology. The post has now been corrected.
When it comes to smartphones, one major feature that is compared across brands is the camera performance. However, lately, another area where manufacturers are trying to outdo each other is in the display department. From a shift from LCDs to AMOLED panels; to special chips that upscale SDR to HDR; and to screens with high refresh rates – the display of a phone is now more important than ever.
The upcoming OnePlus 8 Pro will have a 120Hz refresh rate just like the Galaxy S20 series and the OPPO Find X2. This refresh rate is even higher than that of the OnePlus 7 Pro which has a 90Hz refresh rate.
While a display with a higher refresh rate brings a whole new experience to users, there is not a lot of content out there that takes advantage of this new feature on your phone as most videos you watch play at 24 fps or 30fps. To solve this problem of lack of content, OnePlus has come up with a solution, albeit not a unique one.
MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation)
MEMC is a feature found in a lot of TVs and is infamously called the “Soap opera effect” because of the way it makes what you are watching look like a soap opera. On some TVs, it is called motion smoothing, and how it works is by artificially adding frames to a video with a low frame rate so that it has a higher frame rate and gives it that smooth effect. The video below shows the feature in action.
As you can see, the clips shown in the video above when the feature is turned on play much smoother than when the feature is turned off. However, when playback is set to slow motion, you can see the level of detail is low when MEMC is on.
However, it has its disadvantages and a lot of movie directors are against watching a movie with the feature turned on.
Back in January, Pete Lau, CEO and founder of OnePlus, revealed that they have created a custom MEMC chip that can “push ordinary 30fps video to 120fps, so the video takes advantage of our 120Hz Fluid Display”.
If you’ve seen high-quality TVs, you’re no stranger to MEMC. We’ve created a custom MEMC chip that can push ordinary 30fps video up to 120, so any video gets the full advantage of our 120Hz Fluid Display. pic.twitter.com/YPD3fw5uOn
Since we know the OnePlus 8 Pro is the one with a 120Hz Fluid Display, it will come with the MEMC chip. The OnePlus 8 has a 90Hz display and most likely won’t have the chip.
The OnePlus 8 isn’t the first phone to have a MEMC chip. Black Shark introduced it to phones back in 2018 and its Black Shark 3 flagship has a new version called MEMC 2.0. The OPPO Find X2 Pro also has a similar chip but called the “O1 Ultra Vision Engine” which has a feature called Motion Clear that upscale 30fps content to 60fps or 120fps.
Prior to the release of the aforementioned phones, MediaTek processors released as far back as 2015 (for example, the Helio X10) have come with a feature called Clear Motion that does the same job as a MEMC chip.
Today's MiraVision feature: ClearMotion™ clears things up -converting 24/30 frames-per-second videos to 60 or even 120fps! 🎦 #MediaTekpic.twitter.com/xZrqcY7tQl
OnePlus’s MEMC chip will use what it calls High Frame 2.0 to convert content from a lower frame rate to a higher frame rate. The manufacturer even released a list of apps that are supported and it includes YouTube, Netflix, Hotstar, MXPlayer, VLC, Prime Video, and even the Gallery app on your phone.
List of High Frame 2.0-supported apps and games
OnePlus is not limiting the feature to just video players and streaming apps but also includes games such as Vain Glory. At launch, the feature will work with a total of 12 video players and streaming apps and 12 games. More apps and games are expected to be added in the future.
Disadvantages of MEMC in phones
The major and only disadvantage we believe it will bring is a reduction in battery life. Just as using your phone at the highest refresh rate will affect battery life, High Frame 2.0 is also expected to further drain your battery faster.
OnePlus has not yet said anything about it yet and may have actually found a way to minimize battery drain, but nevertheless, it will still be there. However, we expect there will be a way to turn off the feature to conserve battery or if you do not like it in the first place.
Will more manufacturers follow in OnePlus’ footsteps?
Most likely. If the feature is well received, we may see more phones with high refresh rates come with a similar or improved feature. A lot more people consume content on their phones from movies to TV shows and even sports games which actually benefit most from motion smoothing. So this looks like a feature that may become standard in flagship phones in a year or two.
What do you think about MEMC on phones, Yay or Nay?
Huawei is known to launch multiple flagships in a year. These premium grade handsets are also updated annually. The Huawei P40 series has already been launched, and now the anticipation for the Mate 40 series has begun. Although the announcement is still a while away, a renowned analyst, Ming Chi-Kuo, has revealed that the device will feature the HiSilicon Kirin 1020 alongside a new FreeForm lens technology.
The ring touch control which we had previously reported on
According to the international analyst, the Huawei Mate 40 will see the debut of the company’s proprietary chipset, the Kirin 1020. It has been codenamed as Baltimore and will be manufactured on a 5nm process, with improvements across the board regarding the CPU and GPU. Reportedly, the 5nm process will bring 15 percent high performance while reducing power consumption by 30 percent. It is said to be based on the Cortex A77 or even the A78 architecture.
Another interesting inclusion in the report from Ming Chi-Kuo is the FreeForm lens technology. The new camera technology can potentially reduce distortion in wide angle lenses. Distortion being the fisheye effect or the slight blurring on the edge of a captured image. According to the company behind this technology, “the freeform lenses are optimized only across a cellphone’s rectangular image field rather than the conventional circular image field.”
Furthermore, “the designs enable zero chromatic aberration and zero vignetting.” In other words, a clearer picture with the benefit of optimizations specifically for smartphones and their wide angle lens. Unfortunately, Huawei has yet to confirm any of the reports, but since its from a reliable source, there is a good possibility of the company adding these features.
Honor will be launching the Honor 30 series of smartphones with flagship capabilities on April 15 at 2:30 PM (local time) in China. The entire specifications of the Honor 30 and Honor 30 Pro smartphones have surfaced through their TENAA appearance. The Weibo post rolled out by the company suggests that design and camera will be the main selling points of the Honor 30 and Honor 30 Pro. The Weibo post also suggests that these phones are also expected to arrive in an attractive new silver color scheme.
One of the color editions of the recently announced Huawei P40 series is Silver Frost. Leaked renders of the silver edition are now doing rounds on Weibo. Hence, there is a possibility that the Honor 30 and 30 Pro may come in a Silver Frost like color.
The Honor 30 and 30 Pro are expected to arrive with identical specs in only differ in aspects like chipset, RAM and cameras. The Honor 30 will be a Kirin 985 chipset phone and 8 GB of RAM while the Honor 30 Pro edition’s 8 GB and 12 GB RAM variants will be powered by Kirin 990 5G. The Honor 30 Pro is expected to come with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX500 main lens while the vanilla version will have a 40-megapixel primary shooter.
The Honor 30 series features a 6.57-inch OLED display with support for full HD+ resolution. Both phones are expected to arrive in 128 GB and 256 GB storage options. They will come with 32-megapixel front-facing cameras. Their 4,000mAh batteries will support 40W fast charging. There is no word on its pricing yet.
The OnePlus 8 series launch is just around the corner. As we get close to the 14th April announcement, more of the flagship series features gets leaked. Now, the company’s CEO, Pete Lau, officially shared information regarding the rear panel of the OnePlus 8 series.
The announcement regarding the back cover of the OnePlus 8 series was made on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website. According to the senior executive, the latest flagship series will feature the 5th generation Anti Glare glass process this time around. This brings certain improvements to both its functionality and also the overall feel in the hands of users.
OnePlus 6 was the first device from the company to use an Anti Glare process. It used a chemical etching process to give the glass surface a matte effect. Similarly, the OnePlus 7T also used an Anti Glare coating process to further improve upon this. However, the OnePlus 8 series will be receiving another improvement in this regard, with its back textures being described as “soft” to the touch thanks to the new generation process.
Unfortunately, this was just a short tease posted by the CEO, Pete Lau. An image poster was also shared alongside this minor reveal, and we can expect more to pop up just prior to the OnePlus 8 series launch conference as well. So stay tuned for more news regarding upcoming launch events.
OPPO Ace2 is confirmed to debut on April 13 at 5PM (local time) in China. Ahead of the launch, the Ace2 is now listed on Chinese retailer site JD.com for reservations. The listing has carries official renders of its two colorways. Moreover, the Chinese firm confirmed the fast charging capabilities of the smartphone.
The JD listing of the Ace2 reveals that it will be arriving in two color options like Moon Rock Ash and Fantasy Purple. The listing further states that the Ace2 will be available in three variants in China such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. Their price tags will be confirmed on April 13. The handset is expected to be priced 3,000 Yuan and 4,000 Yuan in China.
Today, the Chinese manufacturer took to Weibo to reveal the support for 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging. It was bound to come with the said feature as the predecessor OPPO Reno Ace had also supported 65W fast charging. The Ace2 will be also coming with support for 40W wireless charging.
The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform will be powering the Ace2 along with LPDDR5 RAM. The handset will be flaunting a 6.5-inch AMOLED punch-hole display that delivers full HD+ resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio support. The phone will be housing a 4,000mAh battery.
The handset will come with 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera system. It will have a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.
LG Electronics has been offering almost the same design for its flagship smartphones since past few years, making it difficult to differentiate between them just by looking at them. However, the company is now finally ready to adopt new design.
The South Korean company has now said that it will use an altogether new design language for its upcoming flagship smartphone. LG describes the design as “a nod to the natural world with a visual form factor that differs from the industry trend.”
The company will be using a new “3D Arc Design” element which involves symmetrical curves on the display and the back of the phone, but LG is yet to reveal how that would be unique. It will come with a “raindrop” camera that will feature smaller lenses and an LED flash below the larger main camera, evoking dripping water. The company says that this is in opposition to current trends for big camera bumps.
While LG has not yet revealed much about this nor details about the upcoming smartphone, but it seems that this new design language will not be limited just to flagship smartphones but the entire range of devices could adopt it.
Cha Yong-duk, VP and Mobile Design Lab Head at LG said in a statement that “this handset will be a first-look at the competitive edge we will be bringing to every LG smartphone going forward.”
As per the reports, the company could launch a new smartphone on 15th May 2020 with this new design language. The said device could come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC with 5G connectivity support.
In line with our recent report, Chinese giant Huawei has officially launched its fast super charing gallium nitride dual-port charger which offers 65W maximum charging power. The device is priced at 249 yuan (~$35) and will officially go on sale from next month.
As per the report, the super fast Huawei 65W GaN charger comes with dual-port fast charging and the USB Type-C port also supports standard PD protocol. The device has a foldable pin design but the company is yet to reveal more details about the charger.
So far, we have been relying on using silicon chargers to fuel up electronic devices, it is expected to change soon as Gallium Nitride (GaN) chargers, simply known as Nitride chargers, could take over the world.
Gallium Nitride (GaN) is said to be a better alternative to silicon in chargers as it can withstand more power and temperature. Also, these chargers are relatively smaller than the regular high capacity silicon chargers.
With the launch of this Huawei 65W GaN Charger, the company has joined the list of companies like Xiaomi, Anker, RAVPower, Aukey, and more, which have already launched nitride chargers in the market.
Report claims that the Huawei 65W Gallium Nitride Charger has both USB Type-A and Type-C ports, allowing users to charge smartphones, tablets, and even laptops. We expect the company to reveal more details in the coming days or weeks.
A couple of weeks ago, along with the launch of Huawei P40 series flagship smartphones, the company also launched the Huawei Sound X speaker, which is jointly developed with Devialet, with an aim to revolutionize high-end acoustic technology with sonorous audio.
Now, the company has announced a new variant of the device, called Huawei Sound X Platinum Edition. Instead of the black color option, this one comes with White and Grey outer casing with a Golden hue inside.
It is said that the golden speakers produce a kaleidoscopic effect according to the rhythm of the notes, with brightness, texture and color saturation, while interpreting the eternal state of music.
The high-end Hi-Res smart speaker comes with two woofers which are equipped with 60W peak power and vibration amplitude of up to 20mm. The innovative, visible bass unit creates a lasting visual impression to pair with the resonance of the audio.
The speaker provides lossless, low-latency audio which can be further bolstered by a proprietary EMUI 10.1 multi-device control panel. This is Huawei’s equivalent of Apple’s AirPlay and is only available on the Huawei P40 as it is the only model running EMUI 10.1.
It also comes with the Huawei Share function, saving users the hassle of waiting for a wireless or Bluetooth connection to establish. Users can simply tap their phone’s NFC area against the Sound X, and the speaker will begin to play without delay.
The device also comes with background noise suppression giving listeners a distortion-free sound even at maximum volume levels as well as low-pitched vibrations that can literally be felt in the listener’s bones. It packs Devialet‘s patented signal-processing SAM® (Speaker Active Matching) technology, and iconic Push-Push symmetrical structure.
Huawei Sound X Platinum Edition is currently up for pre-orders on Huawei Mall, Tmall, JD.com, and Suning Tesco. While it is priced at 1,999 yuan (~$283), the company is offering a 300 yuan (~$42) discount for those who pre-order.
The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro smartphones are scheduled to go official on April 14. Various leaks have already revealed the entire specifications of the upcoming OnePlus 8 series. Winfuture.de’s new report not only reveals the full specs of both phones once again but also, it carries their pricing.
OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro specifications
The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform powered OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro phones will respectively feature 6.55-inch full HD+ and 6.78-inch quad HD+ resolution supporting AMOLED displays that respectively deliver 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates. The OP8 will offer 20:9 aspect ratio while the Pro will offer 19.8:9 aspect ratio and carry support for Adaptive Display and MEMC.
OnePlus 8
Both phones support HDR10+ and are equipped with in-screen fingerprint reader. The punch-hole screens of both phones feature EIS enabled 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 front cameras. Both phones will support 1080 30fps video recording through front camera.
The rear side of the OnePlus 8 has a dual LED flash assisted triple camera system with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 main lens with OIS and EIS, a 116-degree 16-megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 2-megapixel macro lens. The OnePlus 8 Pro has a quad camera system on its back which consists of a Sony IMX689 48-megapixel primary sensor with OIS and EIS, a 120-degreeSony IMX586 ultrawide lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom and OIS and a 5-megapixel color filter with PDAF. The quad cameras are coupled with dual-LED flash and Laser AF. The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro supports 30/60fps 4K video shooting. The Pro model also support 48fps and 240fps slow-motion video recording, 3D Audio Zoom and flicker sensor.
The OnePlus 8 has LPDDR4X RAM while OnePlus 8 Pro features LPDDR5 RAM. Both have UFS 3.0 storage. The OP8 is backed by a 4,300mAh battery with 30W Warp Charge 30T and the OnePlus 8 Pro has a larger 4,510mAh battery with same fast charging support. The latter also comes with 30W wireless charging and 3W reverse wireless charging.
OnePlus 8 Pro
The OxygenOS 10 based Android 10 will be loaded on both devices. Both phones are equipped with Dolby Atmos powered stereo speakers. The connectivity features available on the OnePlus 8 series are 5G, dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS and USB-C. The OnePlus 8 measures 160.2 x 72.9 x 8mm and weighs 180 grams. The IP68 rated OP8 Pro has 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5mm dimensions and weighs 199 grams.
OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro pricing
The OnePlus 8 variants like 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB will arrive in Europe for 729 euros and 835 euros, respectively. Onyx Black, Glacial Green and Interstellar Glow are its three color editions. The 8 GB RAM + 128 GB and 12 GBR AM + 256 GB storage editions of the OnePlus 8 Pro will cost 930 euros and 1,020 euros. It will come in Onyx Black, Glacial Green and Ultramine Blue colors. They are expected to go on sale from April 30.
The end of H1 2020 is still far but there are already several affordable 5G smartphones out there. However, this is only the situation of the Asian market, while currently, you can not find a lot of 5G mid-rangers in the global market. Most of the 5G midrange phones are yet to debut globally. Among the next 5G mid-rangers which will be available globally during the next months, there are Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, TCL 10 5G, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite. The Samsung’s mid-ranger has just been announced in the U.S, TCL 10 5G will launch in a few months, and Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite should be available very soon. But is it worth going for the Mi 10 Lite or waiting for its two rivals? This comparison will clear your ideas.
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite vs TCL 10 5G
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite
TCL 10 5G
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
162.5 x 75.5 x 8.1 mm, 185 g
163.9 x 74.8 x 8 mm, 192 grams
163.7 x 76.6 x 9 mm, 210 grams
DISPLAY
6.7 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 393 ppi, Super AMOLED
6.57 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 392 ppi, AMOLED
Quad 48 + 8 MP + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
16 MP f/2.5 front camera
Quad 64 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/1.9, f/2.2, f/2.2 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging 25W
4160 mAh
Fast charging 20W
4500 mAh, Fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Dual SIM slot, 5G
Hybrid Dual SIM slot, 5G
Design
Well, if you want the most beautiful and premium design, there is just a single answer: TCL 10 5G. The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G has nice and original aesthetics, but it has a policarbonate body. TCL 10 5G comes with a glass back and an aluminum frame just like flagship smartphones, as well as a punch-hole display with very narrow bezels. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite is not the most beautiful device out there with its square camera module and it still comes with a notch. It has a thinner body, but thickness is just a detail here.
Display
The Super AMOLED Plus display found on the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G looks more promising. It should be able to provide a more accurate color reproduction and, unlike the TCL 10 5G, it integrates an in-display fingerprint reader. But you should not underestimate the display of the TCL 10 5G, despite it is an IPS panel. It is an HDR10-compliant screen and it even comes with high brightness and wide viewing angles. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite sits in the middle with a pretty nice AMOLED panel and an in-display biometric sensor.
Hardware/Software
According to benchmarks, the Exynos 980 chipset found on the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and the Snapdragon 765G found on the TCL 10 5G and Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite are very close. Exynos 980 scores slightly better results, but Snapdragon 765G is more optimized for games and more efficient. Software optimization will play a very important role here and it will make the difference. Note that TCL 10 5G comes with just 6 GB of RAM, while the most expensive memory configuration of Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite are 8/128 GB. Android 10 is out of the box in each case. Thanks to Super Bluetooth, TCL 10 5G allows connecting to up to 4 wireless speakers simultaneously.
Camera
On the paper, Samsung Galaxy A71 5G wins the camera comparison. We know how that camera performs, and it is great for a mid-rangers. Not saying it is the best midrange camera phone, but definitely among the most advanced ones. Secondary sensors make the difference with their higher resolutions and better image quality, but there is no OIS, neither a telephoto lens. The silver medal should go to the quad camera setup found on the TCL 10 5G, while Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite does not look like an amazing camera phone.
Battery
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and TCL 10 5G will probably last more than Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite due to their bigger batteries. TCL 10 5G has a more efficient chipset, while Samsung Galaxy A71 5G has a more efficient display. It is impossible to say which one will last more just by looking at the specs.
Price
TCL 10 5G will start from €400/$435 globally, Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite is expected to cost less than €350/$380, we still do not know how much Galaxy A71 5G will cost in all the global markets (the A71 4G actually ranges from €350 to €400), but surely more than its rivals. While Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite is definitely the most inferior device, there is not a clear winner between Samsung Galaxy A71 5G and TCL 10 5G. The former offers better cameras, the latter has a more premium design. For the rest, if we exclude software (better on the A71, in my opinion) they are more or less at the same level, but we believe TCL 10 5G will offer a higher value for money due to its lower price.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
