Black Shark 3’s battery capacity revealed; has two batteries

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Feb 26, 2020

Ahead of the Black Shark 3’s launch next week, the manufacturer has been sharing posters on Weibo that reveal some of the phone’s features. The latest one released today tells us the battery capacity as well as the supported power rating.

The Black Shark 3 will have a 4720mAh battery capacity and from the poster, it shows the battery is split into two just like that of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. It was previously reported that it has a 5000mAh battery but the poster shows that is not the case.

The phone will also have support for 65W fast wired charging just like the upcoming OPPO Find X2 and the Realme X50 Pro 5G that was announced earlier this week. The Weibo post revealed that it will take just 15 minutes to charge one of the batteries (2780mAh) to full.

Other known features of the phone are a 120Hz refresh rate, LPDDR5 RAM, Snapdragon 865 processor, UFS 3.0 storage, and Dual-mode 5G.

The phone will be unveiled in China on March 3.

(Source)

Redmi Note 7 made it to the top 10 best-selling smartphones of 2019: Report

By

Sean

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Feb 26, 2020

A new report has suggested that Apple’s iPhone XR is the world’s highest selling smartphone of 2019. Omdia released a list of the top smartphones by the number of units sold and the Cupertino giant’s offering took the top spot.

According to the report, Apple shipped a total of 46.3 million iPhone XR units which is more than double what it had sold in 2018 when the device originally launched. On the other hand, the more recently launched iPhone 11 sold over 37 million units during 2019. Notably, 5 out of the top 10 most popular smartphones on the list belong to Apple.

With the iPhone XR taking the lead followed by the iPhone 11. The third, fourth and fifth spots went to Samsung with its Galaxy A10 (30.3 million units shipped), Galaxy A50 (24.2 million units shipped), and Galaxy A20 (19.2 million units shipped) smartphones respectively. Notably, the South Korean tech giant also had 4 of the top 10 most popular smartphones list of 2019.

The second half of the list starts with Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro Max at number six with 17.6 million units being shipped, followed by iPhone 8 at the 7th spot with 17.4 million shipments. Only the eighth spot was a non iPhone or Galaxy smartphone and went to the Redmi Note 7 (With 16.3 million units shipped worldwide), a Xiaomi subsidiary company. The last two spots were taken by iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy J2 Core with 15.5 and 15.2 million units shipped respectively.

The list reveals that both Apple and Samsung have 9 out of the total 10 most popular smartphones of 2019. While the report suggests that the former’s global shipments have been falling in recent years, the company is still making handsets that millions of people are still willing to purchase. However, this is an endgame picture since the smartphone industry constantly changes, especially with 5G networking, so we can expect to see some other companies’ offerings on the list for 2020.

OPPO Find X2 & Find X2 Pro renders appear, flaunting the design

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 26, 2020

OPPO has already announced that the extremely popular Find X series will get a new model on March 6. The OPPO Find X2 will be the next model, taking over the reign from the Find X that was first released in 2018. Ahead of the launch event, several renders of the Find X2 have appeared online, giving us an idea of what the design looks like.

The renders suggest the Find X2 will come in two colour options – black and blue but there may be more. The phone utilises a curved edge design as well as what looks like a hole-punch selfie camera design. This effectively means that we won’t be seeing the sliding design that was used on the Find X. OPPO had also disclosed that we won’t be seeing an in-display selfie camera on the Find X2.

On the rear, the Find X2 packs a triple rear camera setup arranged vertically at the top left corner of the panel. The camera module also houses an LED flash at the bottom. OPPO’s logo is also stamped at the bottom, lying in the same plane as the camera.

Apart from the Find X2, the company is expected to take the wraps off the Find X2 Pro. The Find X2 Pro may likely present with the same design but may have a bigger display. There are rumours that the Find X2 Pro will have at least two versions – Satin black ceramic version and Tea orange leather version. The back design is not much different from the standard version. The Tea orange leather version is slightly different at the logo with the OPPO protruding.

In terms of specification, previous official reports have already confirmed that the screen refresh rate is as high as 120Hz. It is also expected to pack a 3K resolution of 3168×1440 pixels and the sampling rate can get up to 240Hz. In addition, as OPPO’s annual flagship, the device is expected to present with the latest Snapdragon 865 chipset as well as a 65W Super VOOC charging support.

UP NEXT: Richard Yu: Huawei P40 series will launch on March 26 in Paris

(via)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite gets Bluetooth Certification

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 26, 2020

The Galaxy Tab S6 is Samsung’s most powerful tablet. It has a Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Last month, Samsung even announced a 5G version with a Snapdragon 855+ processor and a 5G modem. Now, it seems we will be getting a third version as the Bluetooth SIG has just certified a device called the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.

The device appeared on the Bluetooth SIG database today and the listing reveals the device has model number SM-P615. Actually, this is not the first time we have seen this model number. It first surfaced last year in a report by Sammobile as an upcoming tablet with an S Pen. However, back then it was not known as the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.

The device was also spotted on Geekbench last month and the benchmark result showed it will come with 4GB of RAM, an Exynos 9611 processor, and run Android 10.

The screen should remain at 10.5-inches or might turn out to be smaller but should be a Super AMOLED panel. We also won’t be surprised if it has only one rear camera instead of two.

The SM-P615 is believed to be the LTE variant with the WiFi-only version having model number SM-P610. We expect Samsung will announce the tablet soon.

(Source, Via)

Honor FlyPods 3 True Wireless Earbuds to launch in China soon

By

Sean

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Feb 26, 2020

Earlier today (26th February 2020), Honor held a global conference in Barcelona. Here, the Huawei subsidiary launched a series of smartphones and more. One of the new products was in the hearables category and is called the Honor FlyPods 3, a truly wireless earphones which will soon be available in China.

In terms of design, the Honor FlyPods 3 physically resembles the FlyPods Youth Edition that was previously launched in China. It features a single color surface that is streamlined and curved. It was also offered in both white and blue colors. Thus, a similar offering might be offered again.

However, the new generation of the wireless earbuds arrives with a significant inclusion which is the dual active noise cancelation. This helps in reducing the ambient noises, allowing for better listening experiences and taking calls. Furthermore, it has also been revealed that the FlyPods 3 will feature three microphones, what functioned the additional mics serve is unknown but are likely to be a part of the cancelation technology.

Unfortunately, additional information regarding the FlyPods like its specifications is currently unknown. Similarly, its pricing and availability have also yet to be announced. So we will have to wait for an official announcement that should arrive soon.

According to Zhao Ming George, President of Honor, the gadget will go on sale soon. He shared the gadget on his official Weibo account, a Chinese microblogging website. So stay tuned for more information regarding its launch and for other products as well.

UNISOC’s Tiger T7520 5G processor is the world’s first 6nm EUV processor

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 26, 2020

At a press conference held today, UNISOC announced its second-gen 5G chipset. The Tiger T7520 is its latest 5G SoC for mobile devices following the launch of the Tiger T7510 last year. This is also the first 6nm processor in the world.

The T7520 is built on a 6nm EUV process and we are pretty sure it is manufactured by TSMC. The processor has 8 cores ( 4x Cortex-A76 cores + 4x Cortex-A55 cores) but the clockspeed is unknown. There is a Mali G57 GPU onboard too. The switch to a 6nm node means the processor has an 18% improvement in the density of transistors and reduces power consumption by 8%.

The Tiger T7520 has a built-in 5G modem and UNISOC says that gives it the upper hand when it comes to power consumption compared to other processors paired with a separate 5G modem.

The processor uses an in-house modem that UNISOC claims is the world’s first 5G modem to support coverage enhancement. It supports NSA and SA networks as well as 2G, 3G, and 4G. It can reach uplink speeds of up to 3.25Gbps on SA networks. The chip also supports dual-SIM dual-5G and VoNR high-resolution audio and video calls.

There is a new generation NPU inside that brings improvement in performance and energy efficiency. The press release says the NPU in the Tiger T7520 increases power efficiency by more than 50% compared to the previous generation.

The processor supports displays with refresh rates up to 120Hz, 4K resolutions, and HDR10+. It features UNISOC’s 6th generation Vivimagic solution, a second-generation Full Dynamic Range technology, a dedicated AI accelerator, and a 4-core ISP with support for resolutions up to 100MP.

UNISOC is yet to disclose which manufacturers have signed up for the processor and when we should expect it to appear in devices.

(Source)

TENAA releases images of the Nokia TA-1212, looks like the XpressMusic!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 26, 2020

HMD Global’s Nokia was expected to take the wraps off some of its new phones but was among the first brands to announce it won’t be attending MWC 2020, even before the event was cancelled. One of the phones that were expected to be announced is the Nokia TA-1212 feature phone. The device was earlier certified by TENAA but the images of the device weren’t made available at that time.

The images have now been posted by TENAA showing us what the device looks like. The Nokia TA-1212 images highlight a design which looks like the Nokia XpressMusic of yore. The XpressMusic series was a very popular one right from when the first model was released in 2006. The TA-1212 feature phone has a similar red accent side edges where the volume rockers and power button should sit. The device features an alphanumeric keyboard as well as a Candybar form factor just like the XpressMusic.

In terms of the specifications, the device packs a 2.4-inch TFT LCD screen with a resolution of 340 x 320 pixels. The phone weighs just 88g with a dimension of 123.75 x 52.43 x 13.1mm. The device will get its power from a 1200mAh battery. Under the hood, is a single-core processor clocked at 0.36GHz paired with 0.8MB of RAM and 16MB of native storage. The storage is expandable up to 32GB). The Nokia TA-1212 also packs a single 0.3MP rear camera with an LED flash but no selfie camera. The phone will only be available in Dark Gray colour option with a red accent on the side.

(source)

Realme 6 Pro to arrive with Snapdragon 720G chipset, claims report

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 26, 2020

This afternoon, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth confirmed that the company will be launching Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro smartphones on March 5 at 12:30 p.m. in India. The landing page for the Realme 6 series has revealed the front and rear designs of the Realme 6 and 6 Pro smartphones along with some of its key features. Citing information received from industry sources, 91mobiles has revealed that the Realme 6 Pro will be powered by Snapdragon 720G mobile platform.

Qualcomm had announced the Snapdragon 720G chipset alongside Snapdragon 662 and 460 in January. The SD720G has Elite gaming features along with HDR support like the more powerful Snapdragon 765G that powers the Realme X50 smartphone which is currently available in China only. The new SoC features 2.3GHz octa core processor, Adreno 618 graphics and Snapdragon X15 LTE modem. Its other features include dual VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and Quick Charge 4.0. after the launch of the chipset, Realme had claimed that it will be the first company to launch a Snapdragon 720G powered smartphone. Apart from Realme 6 Pro an upcoming Xiaomi phone is also expected to arrive in the same chipset.

The Realme 6 Pro is confirmed to arrive with 90Hz refresh rate supporting display. With the inclusion of Snapdragon 720G, the smartphone is expected to deliver stellar gaming experience. It is speculated that the handset does not feature an OLED screen. It may come with a LCD panel that features an elliptical cutout for the dual selfie cameras upper left corner.

The Realme 6 Pro phone is equipped with side-facing fingerprint sensor. Its rear side has a quad camera setup that includes 64-megapixel main lens, an ultra wide lens, a super macro lens and a telephoto lens with 20x hybrid zoom.

As far as Realme 6 phone is concerned, its Wi-Fi certification from last month had revealed that it is powered by MediaTek Helio P90 chipset. The listing had also revealed that the phone supports dual band Wi-Fi and is loaded with Android 10 OS. Both phones are expected to feature realme UI.

Also, the Realme 6 duo are expected to arrive with support for 30W rapid charging technology. The Realme 6 phone also features a quad camera setup and a single punch-hole display. The other specifications of these phones are currently under the wraps.

(source)

Hisense F50 5G phone launches with UNISOC T7510 chipset

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 26, 2020

Today, Hisense announced its very first 5G smartphone and it is not powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000 or Dimensity 1000L processors and neither is it powered by Qualcomm’s own 5G processors. Instead, its processor is UNISOC’s Tiger T7510 5G chipset.

Before we dive into the specs and features of the phone, let’s take a look at the chipset.

The Tiger T7510 is a combination of UNISOC’s 5G modem called the Ivy V510 and the application processor called the Tiger T710. The processor has 4x Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and 4x Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. It also has a PowerVR GM 9444 GPU with an 800MHz clockspeed.

The Ivy V510 modem was built using TSMC’s 12nm node and supports both SA and NSA networks. It also supports 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. UNISOC says the chipset also has support for Sub-6GHz frequency.

With respect to the specifications of the phone, the Hisense F50, has a waterdrop notch but the screen size and resolution were not revealed. It also has four rear cameras whose specs are unknown. There is a fingerprint scanner on the back.

Hisense says the phone packs a 5010mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging support. They have also revealed the phone has an 8mm wide cooling pipe.

It appears Hisense is not ready to release the device yet which is why most of the phone’s specifications were not released. The manufacturer also failed to announce a price and release date.

(Source)

Vivo Apex 2020 teased again, features a Special PTZ Camera

By

Sean

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Feb 26, 2020

Vivo recently teased its upcoming flagship, the Vivo Apex 2020, again. However, this time the company revealed tidbits of information regarding the unique camera module that the device will arrive with.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer shared multiple image posters on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging website. According to the post, it appears that the Vivo Apex 2020 will arrive with a rather unique camera system. In other words, a one of the first of its kind PTZ camera (Pan Tilt Zoom). Furthermore, other phrases like “Gimbal-stabilizing Camera-Super Stable Micro PTZ Camera” was also stated along with the teaser.

Looking at the image, the Vivo Apex 2020’s circular camera module can be observed alongside a 360 degree indicating lines, which represent the angles of motions. In simpler terms, it implies a smartphone with a moving mechanism on the camera module. However, how it functions exactly and its workings are still a mystery. So we will have to wait for the official launch event on 28th February 2020.

For those unaware, PTZ is commonly used as an add on to any photographic device. Basically, it serves the purpose of stabilizing images and making the output results in a lot more clearer and also deliver a more stable experience. Thus, if Vivo has succeeded in building such a complex mechanical structure like a gimbal into a smartphone, then it can be termed as a remarkable breakthrough in the smartphone industry.

This is not the first time the company has brought on new innovation in the mobile photography field. Back in 2014, Vivo was the world’s first to introduce an F1.8 aperture optical image stabilization. Similarly, in 2018, the company released the ToF 3D Super induction technology as well. So, it can be assumed that the 2020 Vivo Apex will bring about a unique shifting/rotating camera module that could potentially push the innovation in smartphone photography further.

Buy Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Sports Smartwatch for Just $505.99 from GearVita

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 26, 2020

Staying true to its reputation for pushing the limits in terms of packing multiple useful features into its well-received Fenix GPS multisport watches lineup, Garmin introduced the Fenix 5X Plus back in 2018.

A great choice for those who want it all, the Fenix 5X Plus is touted as one of the largest fitness watches available on the market today. It is also one of the most expensive smartwatches, leaving you wondering whether or not the numerous features justify the steep price tag it carries?

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Fenix 5X, the Fenix 5X Plus adopts a rugged look that complements its burly size. Measuring 51mm across and weighing in at 96 grams, it is 55 percent bigger, twice as heavy as the Watch Series 3 from Apple.

In short, you’d eventually get used to people remarking about your extra-large smartwatch, provided you are willing to shell out a lot of money on the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus. If you are on a tight budget and want to grab everyone’s attention with your large watch at the gym, we got good news for you.

The Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Sports Smartwatch has gone up for sale carrying a considerably reduced price tag through GearVita. The feature-laden Fenix 5 Plus smartwatch would normally set you back $699.99, but you can now get your hands on it for a lowered price of just $505.99, which means, you can avail of a 28 percent off on the coveted smartwatch.

Sporting a mammoth 1.2-inch color display screen, the Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is housed in a sturdy case, encompassed with stainless steel bezel, clasp and back shell. The rugged design makes the Fenix 5 Plus is a perfect companion for adventure junkies who engage in venturous outdoor activities.

Much to the delight of music lovers, the watch can store up to a whopping 500 songs that can be enjoyed using a Bluetooth headset. Furthermore, it comes with Garmin PayTM Inductive Payment that enables you to make payments using just your smartwatch, eliminating the need to carrying cash and bank cards.

On top of that, the Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is loaded with highly advantageous sensors such as multi-satellite (GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou) systems, gyroscope, and a three-axis electronic compass that comes in handy while tracking in a complex outdoor environment. Carrying a 10 ATM waterproof rating, the smartwatch is backed by a chargeable Li-ion battery that lasts up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and about 18 hours in GPS mode.

You can follow this link to check out more details about the Fenix 5 Plus smartwatch and place your order without wasting time. Note that the promo is slated to end soon.

The Gizmochina Coupons is a community that finds, reports and evaluates deals and coupons of Chinese products from online shops. Please visit it here to find more coupons to save money on mobiles and smart gadgets.

Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Sports Smartwatch

OnePlus 7T Pro Wins the Best Smartphone award at MWC 2020

By

Sean

-

Feb 26, 2020

Earlier this month, GSMA announced that the Mobile World Congress of MWC 2020 has been canceled in Barcelona. The reason for this was the increasing risk that the recent Coronavirus outbreak carried. However, since the cancelation, various OEMs suddenly lacked a stage for launches and reveals at the major event and even the customary awards left unrewarded.

But now, the people behind the MWC have announced the winner online as the OnePlus 7T Pro wins the best smartphone award.

According to the official website for MWC 2020 Barcelona, the latest OnePlus flagship device is the best smartphone. As stated by the judges, “This is virtually unsurpassable from a technology perspective, with class-leading processor speed, rapid charge times and excellent software. An all-round product at an accessible price point, the company should also be recognized for its impressively successful go to market strategy.”

In other words, the Chinese company’s offering was highly appreciated. In particular, the hardware it provided alongside its software optimizations was greatly praised. The OnePlus 7T Pro features Qualcomm’s flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 865 SoC, and also offers other top notch specs. Furthermore, OnePlus also received praise for its famous fast charge technology and its clean custom Android interface, dubbed the OxygenOS.

Going as far as to even complement the marketing strategy is also big news, considering OnePlus spent little to nothing on online advertising just a couple of years ago. For those unaware, OnePlus 7T Pro is currently the top flagship model from the company and offers a 6.67 inches Fluid AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (with a refresh rate of 90Hz) and 1440 x 3120 pixels resolution. The screen of the device is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6.

In photography, it sports a 48 MP (wide) + 8 MP (telephoto) 3x optical zoom + 16 MP (ultrawide) lenses. On the front, a motorized pop-up 16 MP sensor is present and the device is fueled by a Non-removable Li-Po 4085 mAh battery + Fast battery charging 30W (Warp Charge). Lastly, the device runs the latest Android 10 based OxygenOS 10.

(Source)

Samsung Electronics invested heavily in R&D last year despite slithering profit margins

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 26, 2020

Samsung Electronics spent a massive amount on Research and Development in 2019 according to the latest report from the company. Despite the fact, Samsung recorded one of its worst performances in the last five years due to a slow-moving chip business. The chaebol invested heavily in its R&D wing to focus on developing new growth drivers.

The South Korean tech conglomerate revealed its total expenditure on R&D last Wednesday, which stands at a massive 20.19 trillion won, roughly $16.6 billion. The figures are up by 8.3 percent from 18.65 trillion won, roughly $15.3 billion, back in 2018. Samsung invested heavily in R&D despite operating revenue falling by 52.8% YoY to 27.76 trillion won (~$22.75 billion).

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy M31 debuts with 32MP front camera, 64P quad cameras and 6,000mAh battery

Samsung mostly directed its investments into the growth businesses including system chip development and quantum-dot display. The company announced plans to invest roughly 133 trillion won (~$109 billion) into the network by 2030. Judging by the current scenario, Samsung could soon be the world’s top chip provider. Its investments paid off recently with the breakthrough in the 3nm chip technology this January.

The company announced last October that it plans to invest 13 trillion won (~$) to enhance display production capabilities at its Tangjeong facility. 3.1 trillion won (~$2.5 billion) would be directed towards the development of next-generation display technology. Samsung had also pledged 180 trillion won (~$1.47 billion) towards improving 5G network and automotive enhancement components back in 2018.

Samsung paid 8.69 trillion won (~$7.13 billion) in corporate taxes in 2019, down 48.3% since 2018 due to poor sales. The figure accounts for 3.8% of Samsung’s annual earnings, which was also down by 6.9% in 2019 since the previous year.

(source)

Huawei MED-AL00 with Helio P35 and 4 GB RAM appears on Geekbench

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Feb 26, 2020

Last month, a mysterious Huawei phone with model number MED-AL00 was certified by 3C and TENAA authorities of China. While 3C listing revealed that the MED-AL00 could be a mid-range phone that may arrive with 10W charging support, its TENAA appearance only revealed its images, dimensions along with display and battery size. Today, the smartphone has appeared on Geekbench benchmarking platform through which some other details have been revealed.

On Geekbench, the Huawei MED-AL00 has recorded a score of 868 in the single-core test. It garnered 4356 in the multi-core test. The smartphone is equipped with a MediaTek MT6765V processor. It is nothing but the Helio P35 chipset that features a 2.3GHz octa-core CPU. The SoC is coupled with 4 GB and the phone is loaded with Android 10 OS.

The TENAA listing of the Huawei MED-AL00 revealed that the phone features a waterdrop notch display of 6.3 inches. It is not known whether the phone supports HD+ or full HD+ resolution. It has a minimum rated battery of 4,900mAh capacity which suggests that its typical size could be 5,000mAh.

The rear side of the phone is fitted with a dual camera setup at the top-left corner. The right spine of the device is population with buttons for volume and power. The handset measures 159.07 x 74.06 x 9.04mm. There is no word on the actual name of the device. It is speculated that the phone may go official in the coming month in China. Hopefully, the entire specs of the phone will be revealed through its updated TENAA listing in the coming days.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei Mate Xs price confirmed as 16,999 Yuan (~$2,415) for China

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor is also working on a mid-range phone that has a model number of MOA-AL00. It is also equipped with a 6.3-inch waterdrop notch screen and a 4,900mAh minimum rated battery. The backside of the device has a rectangle-shaped camera module that houses two cameras. The handset measures 159.07 x 74.06 x 9.04mm. Again, the name of the device is under the wraps. It appears that the Huawei MED-AL00 and Honor MOA-AL00 smartphones be made official in March.

(via)

These Apple AirPods holder offer a practical and unique solution

By

Sean

-

Feb 26, 2020

The internet is a vast stage for various quirks. This even extends to the consumer electronics industry, especially in regards to strange but highly practical products. One such quirky items are these new Apple AirPods holders, which are different from anything you’ve ever used before.

Right of the bat, one will easily realize the purpose the AirBand serves. It is a silicone band that is designed to be mounted on the Apple Watch and it doubles as a simple holder for your AirPods. The mechanism that holds the AirPods together is not magnetic but rather a simple solution of two loops that wrap around it. These loops are located right below the display on the Apple Watch and are compatible with both AirPods and AirPods Pro.

Although the design is strange, it offers a very unique yet simple solution. According to the creator of this product, Matt Youngblood, the AirBand serves a distinct purpose when the carrying/ charging case that arrives with the AirPods is not at hand. So rather than just carrying them unsecured in your pockets, one can just house them on your wrists for quick and easy access.

Matt even gave out a few examples of its possible usefulness apart from just the lack of a carrying case. Examples include going to pay for something in a store’s counter or working at a cafe and wanting to sit down and focus on the important task at hand. These would be helpful as one would not have to simply leave it around unsecured or unpair and keep it back in the case.

As of right now, the project for the AirPods holders is currently seeking crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the popular online crowdfunding website. The goal of the project is set at 10,000 US dollars. Matt claims that the product has already been tested and has a manufacturer lined up as well. He has turned to Kickstarter to receive funding and will begin the large sale production once materials can be bought. The pledge to support this arrives at a minimum of 20 US Dollars and will have people receive at least one AirBand, which is expected to start shipping by April 2020.

(Via)

EU working on replaceable smartphone batteries proposal to counter e-waste

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Feb 26, 2020

Till the introduction of the modern-day smartphone, swapping batteries on your device was possible. The good old days might return if the EU has it their way. According to recent reports, the European Union is working on a new proposal to reduce e-waste in the region. Non-replaceable batteries have their benefits. If such a law is passed in the near future, OEMs will have to extend the availability of spare parts. The proposal is scheduled to be released in mid-March.

News of the proposal surfaced on a Dutch tabloid that was soon covered by XDA Developers. Worn-out batteries are quite a common problem with modern smartphones, prompting users to replace their perfectly-working handsets every few years. With the new proposal, the EU hopes to cut down significantly on e-waste by prompting users to replace the worn-out batteries instead of the smartphone.

Editor’s Pick: Realme 6 and 6 Pro smartphones confirmed to launch in India on March 5

As a result, OEMs will be forced to supply spare parts and design smartphones in a manner that makes battery replacement a quick and DIY process. The non-replaceable batteries on present handsets are designed to save space, increase the battery size, and charge quicker due to the lack of a protective cover required on replaceable batteries. On the downside, they are extremely hard to replace when they run out of juice, resulting in millions of smartphones being discarded each year. The new proposal also aims to regulate the use of USB Type-C technology currently used for connecting and recharging smartphones.

Android Central correspondent Philip Bene pointed out a few flaws with the strategy. “OEMs today avoid using micro USB not because they do not care about the planet. They do it either because it is expensive, not suited to their devices, or a combination of both. Smartphones with Type-C connectors are more expensive to make. Forcing all manufacturers to implement USB Type-C could result in more e-waste being generated, as companies like Apple will have to adapt to a new connector”.

Non-replaceable batteries have their benefits. Water and dust-resistance being the highlights. Both these features arguably increase the life of smartphones by shielding the device against negligence and accidental spills, enabling users to keep using their smartphones over longer periods. The EU must consider more feasible options like asking OEMs to increase the warranty on battery replacements and reducing the costs to encourage users to keep using their existing devices instead of discarding them for a new one.

(source|via 1, 2)

Google plans on rebuilding ties with Huawei: Report

By

Sean

-

Feb 26, 2020

A new report has just surfaced that is related to the business ties between Google and Huawei. The latter is currently banned from using the former’s services on its smartphones, but it seems like the search engine giant is trying to appeal this ruling and try and rebuild business relations.

Back in early 2019, Huawei was dealt a decisive blow by the US Government’s Commerce Department. The Chinese tech giant was placed on the “Entity List” which has banned the company from collaborating or using technology and software from companies based in the US. One such brand was Google and Huawei smartphones since have not arrived with official Google services.

Thus, Huawei smartphones since the Mate 30 series do not arrive with Google services and feature the vanilla Android OS alongside HMS (Huawei Mobile Services). However, it seems like Google is planning on gaining special permission from the White House that will allow it to partner with Huawei again. Interestingly, a Huawei executive had stated a few weeks prior that the company will not work with Google even if the ban was removed. However, this statement alone may not represent the entire company’s wishes as the statement has already been backtracked on.

This is great news but whether Huawei is still leaning on Google services is still unknown. As it stands right now, the smartphone brand is willing to spend billions in its own HMS and AppGallery service, which is the world’s third largest App Store. The move will also seek to distance a large number of Android users from Google’s ecosystem that will ultimately hurt the company. Hence, it arrives as no surprise if Google actually ends up receiving special permission.

Unfortunately, finer details are still at large as it is unclear if whether Google wishes to rebuild ties or just simply gain additional permissions for its Open Source program. The news first broke by overseas German and Spanish media outlets and also detailed that the decision on the special permission is yet to be decided by the US President, Donald Trump.

(Source,Via)

OPPO Watch appears in real image

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Feb 26, 2020

OPPO is working on the launch of its first smartwatch. The official name of the product is not known yet. However, the OPPO Watch is expected to go official alongside the OPPO Find X2 and Find X2 Pro smartphones on March 6. The smartwatch is now up for reservations in China through its OPPO smartwatch app. A new image of the OPPO Watch is now doing rounds on Weibo. It showcases the marvelous curved screen of the device.

The OPPO Watch is rumored to be equipped with a hyperboloid OLED display that curves towards the edges. The square-shaped design of the OPPO Watch makes it appear like the Apple Watch. The screen of the OPPO Watch shows the Settings screen with the clock at the right corner. Multifunction Button, Battery, Password and More options are available in the Settings page.

The new image does give a good look at the strap of the OPPO Watch. It appears to be a silicone strap. The device is expected to arrive in leather strap options too. The right edge of the device has two flat buttons. These buttons may probably users to control the UI and features of the OPPO Watch.

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At present, there is no information available on the specifications of the OPPO Watch. It remains to be seen whether the device will run on Android Wear platform. Some reports have claimed that it could be featuring a heart rate monitor with ECG/EKG.

OPPO Find X2 series that will go official is also up for reservations in China. The company is now building hype around the device. So far, it is known that the Find X2 will come with a 6.5-inch punch-hole AMOLED display that supports 3K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate and it will be fueled by Snapdragon 865 SoC and LPDDR5 RAM. Other rumored specs of the Find X2 include 8 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage, 65W fast charging, Android 10 OS with ColorOS 7 Sony IMX616 32-megapixel selfie camera and a triple camera setup with 48-megapixel Sony IMX689, 48-megapixel Sony IMX708 and 13-megapixel telephoto lens.

(source)

Realme 6 and 6 Pro smartphones confirmed to launch in India on March 5

By

Jeet

-

Feb 26, 2020

After launching the flagship X50 Pro 5G smartphone, Realme is all set to launch a new smartphone series in the Indian market. The company has confirmed that it will be launching the Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro smartphones in India on 5th March.

The poster shared by the company along with making the launch date announcement also reveals that Realme has signed Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as the ambassador. It remains to be seen if he is an ambassador for the Realme 6 series only or for the brand.

The company is promoting the upcoming smartphones with hashtag #ProCameraProDisplay and claims that the “user experience will get new benchmarks with 64MP” camera. This confirms that the Realme 6 Pro has a 64MP primary camera sensor in what is believed to be a quad-camera setup.

Along with the 64MP primary sensor, the quad-camera setup includes an ultra-wide lens, a telephoto lens, and an ultra macro lens. The standard model will come with a single front camera housed inside a punch-hole cutout while the Pro model will house two front camera sensors inside the punch-hole notch.

The company has also confirmed that the smartphone will come with 90Hz Ultra Smooth Full HD+ display which aims to deliver sharp and vivid visual experience. The phone is also confirmed to come with 30W fast charging technology.

Realme will be taking “Blind Orders” for the Realme 6 series smartphones in India from 26th February to 4th March. Users can make a deposit of ₹1,000 to pre-order the smartphone and pay the due balance on 15th March when the first sale will take place.

The Realme number series smartphones have more than nine million users, as per the company. The Realme 5 series, which was launched last year, was one of the brand’s most popular series with sales exceeding 5.5 million units. Now, the series is all set to get its successor on 5th March. The company is also set to launch the first Realme fitness band at the same event in India.

Vivo Z6 5G confirmed to pack SD765 SoC and dual-mode 5G support

By

Jeet

-

Feb 26, 2020

Last week, Vivo announced that the company will be launching a new 5G smartphone in its home country China on 29th February — Vivo Z6 5G. Soon after making that announcement, the company started sharing teaser posters, revealing some of the key specifications of the upcoming device.

In a newly shared poster, Vivo confirms that the Z6 5G smartphone will come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G octa-core processor, manufactured using 7nm EUV process and will be clocked at 2.4GHz.

It will come with Adreno 620 GPU for graphics processing along with an AI Engine. The poster also confirms that the smartphone will come with dual-mode 5G connectivity support which includes SA and NSA.

The phone will come with 5G and 4G dual SIM dual standby support which can intelligently switch between 5G and 4G connectivity to ensure that the network is always available, in order to offer a smoother experience to users in terms of network connectivity.

The Z6 is also said to come with dual Wi-Fi acceleration technology, which can connect 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi signals at the same time, and uses advanced algorithms to intelligently check the network status, providing users with a faster and more stable network experience. Additionally, the Vivo Z6 also supports SLA intelligent network acceleration technology to achieve 5G + Wi-Fi dual-channel network speed multiplication.

As per the leaks, the Vivo Z6 will come with a 6.57-inch TFT display that produces Full-HD+ screen resolution of 1080 x 2080 pixels. It will come packed with 6GB and 8GB of RAM and 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of internal storage.

The handset is also confirmed by the company to arrive with a special professional gaming mode — Multi Turbo 3.0 acceleration engine, along with a PC-level liquid cooling technology. It features an 85mm long liquid cooling tube and a multi layer graphite heat sink that covers a total area of more than 10,000 square millimetres.

In the camera department, the device will have a quad-camera setup on the back, consisting of a 48-megapixel primary sensor, along with an 8-megapixel sensor, a 2-megapixel sensor and yet another 2-megapixel camera sensor.

On the front side, the device will feature a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The smartphone will be running the latest Android 10 operating system with the company’s own FunTouch OS on top. It is confirmed to come powered by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging technology.

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