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Xiaomi Mi 10 aims to take on the high-end, likely to be expensive

Earlier today, Xiaomi‘s VP and Redmi GM Lu Weibing penned an essay on Weibo where he stated the brand’s change in strategy as regards the high-end Mi brand. As you may already know, the Mi 10 series is set to go official on February 13. The rumour mill has been kept buzzing with several leaked details emerging. One of such leaks is the pricing detail for the Mi 10 which is tipped to start at $4200 ($599).

Now, the Mi-series models have not been this expensive, especially for the base variant. Lu Weibing has now clarified in his post that the Mi brand and MIX series are high-end brands in the same rank as the Huawei P/Mate series and Apple iPhones. He then added that the brand was getting rid of the price limit and is doing its best to be a flagship in order to compete favourably. The Xiaomi exec also made reference to the upper mid-range segment that is occupied by the Redmi K30 where it is the preferred choice ahead of the Huawei V30.

Lu Weibing’s viewpoint was also amplified by Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun who affirmed that the brand was aiming to sprint into the high-end market with the Mi 10. Thus, just bear in mind that the era of cheap Mi flagship phones is at its end. We expect the flagship to be competitively priced like the Galaxy S30 series, Huawei P40 and others.

It is noteworthy that this is a major shift in Xiaomi’s brand strategy which is to keep prices down and focus on in-app ads for revenue. Since the company became a publicly listed firm, we have always expected this to happen someday. The Mi 10 is well-positioned with several new features such as UFS 3.0 storage, LPDDR5 RAM, WiFi 6, 108MP main camera, Snapdragon 865 5G SoC and 90Hz refresh rate, among others.

 

 

(source)

 

Sony, Amazon, and NVIDIA withdraw from MWC 2020 due to rising concerns of Coronavirus outbreak

Sony, Amazon, and NVIDIA have just announced withdrawal from the Mobile World Congress 2020 scheduled in Barcelona between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27 amid rising global concerns regarding the Coronavirus outbreak. Other tech giants are also contemplating the possibility of avoiding the event which attracts over 100,000 tech fans from around the world every year.

According to a statement posted on its official website, Sony claims, “We have been closely monitoring the Coronavirus outbreak that was declared a global emergency by WHO on Jan. 30, 2020. Keeping in mind the safety of our fans, partners, and employees, Sony has decided to withdraw from the exhibition. A press conference will now be held at 8.30 AM CET on Feb. 24 on the official Xperia YouTube channel instead”.

Similar news comes from Amazon and NVIDIA. In a report published on TechCrunch, an Amazon spokesperson revealed, “Amazon has decided to withdraw participation from MWC 2020 due to the global outbreak and rising concerns related to Coronavirus”. Other companies to have previously withdrawn from the event include Ericsson and LG.

NVIDIA posted a brief summary during the weekend, explaining its decision to skip the event this year. “NVIDIA has decided to forego MWC 2020 keeping in mind the health risks around Coronavirus. Given the unforeseen circumstances, the difficult decision was taken to ensure the safety of our colleagues, partners, and clients” the statement read.

The organizers, GSMA, recently came forward with a list of precautions that they have taken, including putting a ban on visitors from China’s Hubei province, which is Ground Zero for the Coronavirus outbreak. Chinese passport holders interested in attending MWC must also prove they have been living outside China for the last 14 days. GSMA has also confirmed that “while a few major participants have withdrawn from the event, more than 2,800 exhibitors are still taking part”.

LG and Ericsson are some of the other known brands that have withdrawn from MWC 2020. Similar announcements are expected from other notable brands within the next few days, but its impact on MWC is uncertain. A spokesperson from ZTE had said that the company had cancelled its MWC 2020. However, through a press release that it will showcase its new products at the tech exhibition. Qualcomm, Lenovo, Motorola, Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO, Realme, Nokia, Honor, TCL, ZTE and Nubia are some of the companies that will be present at the event. 

According to the GSMA’s estimates, between 5,000 and 6,000 Chinese nationals visit MWC every year. The organizers suggest participants avoid any form of physical contact with others, including handshake and the like. The hosts also plan to disinfect microphones and other shared electronic devices after every use and change the microphone for the next speaker.

There are more than 908 confirmed deaths due to Coronavirus infection in China alone, while 40,171 people are infected. The numbers are only likely to increase in the coming days. Coronavirus is difficult to diagnose at first as its symptoms are in-line with the common cold. Moreover, the virus only affects people with a weakened immune system, which puts children and the elderly at a higher risk of infection.

 

 

(via 1, 2, 3)

Samsung Galaxy S20+ 30x Digital Zoom sample spotted

The Samsung Galaxy S20 lineup is all set to launch tomorrow at an official Samsung Unpacked event in the US. The S20 series is turning out to be Samsung’s most leaked lineup till date. And just a day before its launch, we have yet another S20 leak. This time, its a 30x digital zoom sample from the Galaxy S20+, shared by XDA’s Max Weinbach.

The current crop of Galaxy S10 devices offers a maximum of 10x digital zoom. So, Galaxy S20’s 30x zoom will be a significant upgrade over its predecessor. What’s more, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is expected to take things to a whole new level with its 100x digital zoom capability, as revealed by the recent leaks.

The Galaxy S20 and S20+ models reportedly feature 30x digital zoom with the help of their 64MP telephoto shooters. The S20 Ultra’s 108MP shooter is said to responsible for making its crazy 100x zoom possible. If true, it would be the highest zoom offered by any smartphone in the market.

Max has also shared a couple of night time samples from the S20, which seems to have slightly better details and color balance as compared to the ones from the S10.

Notably, the S20 Ultra is going to be the real flagship model of Galaxy lineup this year, all thanks to its 108MP primary camera. The phone is expected to feature a quad-camera setup that includes a large periscope shooter, like the Huawei P30 Pro.

 

 

OnePlus 8 Pro key specifications leaked; Alleged OnePlus 8 appears in real skin

Since the past few years, OnePlus has been launching its flagship phones in the second quarter of the year. However, a recent report had revealed that the Chinese firm may launch it as early as at the end of the coming month. Rumors have it that the series will include three phones such as OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Lite. A new leak that showcases the render of the OnePlus 8 Pro along with some of its key specs have also surfaced. Another leak carrying the live shot of the alleged OnePlus 8 series phone has surfaced to reveal key details.  However, the authenticity of the leaked image could not be confirmed.

OnePlus 8 Pro leaked specifications (Rumored)

The first renders of the OnePlus 8 Pro had surfaced in October in last year. It had revealed that the phone sports a punch-hole screen and a vertical triple camera setup with a fourth camera and LED placed alongside. The new leak that mentions the key specs of the OnePlus 8 Pro carries an image that appears almost identical to the first renders. This time around the phone can be seen in green color. A popular tipster from India had recently claimed that the OnePlus 8 Pro will be arriving in a new green color. The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are expected to come in the new color. It remains to be seen whether the OnePlus 8 Lite will be also available in green variant.

Coming back to the leak, the specifications that have surfaced alongside the render states the Snapdragon 865 powered OnePlus 8 Pro has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. The phone may come with 8 GB of RAM and it could be available in 128 GB and 256 GB storage choices. It could be housing a 4,500mAh battery with 50W fast charging support. Readers are recommended to take the OnePlus 8 Pro leak with a pinch of salt as some of these specs are pretty obvious to arrive on the device.

Alleged OnePlus 8 live shot

The leaked shot shows the “About Phone” page on the OnePlus 8. As it can be seen, there is a punch-hole at the top-left corner on the display of the smartphone.  It mentions the model number of the phone as IN2019 and it can be seen that the device is connected 4G VoLTE network. A recent report had revealed that the OnePlus series phone that was certified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) carried IN2011 model number.

The handset runs on OxygenOS based Android 10 OS. It has a 90Hz Fluid AMOLED screen of 6.55 inches. The edges of the display are slightly curved. The leak further states that it is fitted with a 48-megapixel + 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera setup. The camera specs contradict other leaks that claim that the OnePlus 8 will have Certain portions of the image seem to be photoshopped. Hence, it is advisable to wait for further reports to know more about the OnePlus 8.

 

 

(source 1, 2)

MediaTek expects 200 million 5G smartphone sales in 2020 with China getting the bulk

MediaTek has just revised the total 5G smartphone sales estimates for 2020. The company announced that it is reducing the projected 5G smartphone sales from over 200 million to between 170-200 million in 2020. This revision is a direct result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis in China, a market where it expects most 5G smartphones to be shipped.

mediatek-5g

MediaTek predicts China will still ship around 100-120 million 5G smartphones this year, accounting for a global market share of 60%. The company’s CEO revealed at an investor conference yesterday that he is confident that MediaTek will be able to offset the impact of the ongoing crisis in China, all thanks to its 5G, AI, and AIoT chip solutions.

He further talked about MediaTek’s new Dimensity 5g chipset series and said that Chinese smartphone makers are actively developing new models with chipsets from the series.

MediaTek Dimensity 800

The Dimensity series currently has two major lineups: 800 and 1000 series. The 800 series is expected to power premium mid-range smartphones in 2020 while the 1000 series will power the top-end flagships of the year.

 

(Source)

Realme C3 will have triple rear cameras in Indonesia

If you are on the lookout for an affordable phone that can handle games such as PUBG, then the recently announced Realme C3 should definitely be on your radar. The budget phone is the first in the world to be powered by MediaTek’s Helio G70 gaming chipset and it packs a massive 5000mAh battery to provide more gaming time. After launching in India, Realme is set to unveil the phone in Indonesia but it will have a different look from the Indian model.

Realme C3 Indonesian Launch

The official website for Realme Indonesia already has a promotional page for the phone that lists some of its features and one image shows the Realme C3 for Indonesia has triple rear cameras, unlike the Indian version that has just two cameras on the back.

Realme C3 Indonesia

The Realme C3 sold in India has a 12MP primary rear camera paired with a 2MP depth sensor. We are not sure what type of lens the third sensor on the Indonesian model is but our guess is it is a macro lens.

Other than the difference in the number of rear cameras, we do not know yet if there are other differences between the two phones. The promotional page says the phone will have a MediaTek processor but doesn’t state which type. It also mentions a bigger battery and a bigger screen.

Realme C3 competition

The Realme C3 will launch in Indonesia on 19th February at 15:00 West Indonesian Time. The page also says fans that register can get a chance to win one of three Realme C3 phones or 8 Realme Buds Wireless up for grabs.

 

 

(Source, Via)

OPPO Reno3 Pro India launch confirmed; Leaked poster reveals 44MP dual selfie camera

Recent reports have revealed that OPPO is gearing up to launch OPPO Reno3 Pro smartphone in India. This handset is said to be somewhat different from the Reno3 Pro that went official in December in China. A leaked poster that showcases the banner ad of the Reno3 Pro has been shared by 91mobiles. OPPO India Vice President and Head of India R&D Tasleem Arif has confirmed the company will be soon launching the Reno3 Pro in India.

The OPPO Reno3 Pro that was unveiled in China was powered by Snapdragon 765G that tagged along X52 5G modem. Hence, it was a 5G device. Arif’s tweet reveals that the Reno3 Pro arriving in India will be equipped with 4G specifications. Since the smartphone is expected to arrive with 44-megapixel dual selfie cameras, it could be advertised as “Expert Camera” phone. The executive has revealed that OPPO India has planned to launch new products with 5G version later this year. As far Reno3 Pro is concerned, the handset is likely to go official this month.

The leaked post reveals that the OPPO Reno3 Pro has a pill-shaped cutout on the screen at the upper-left corner. It houses two front-facing cameras. The leaked poster reiterates previous reports that it will be arriving with 44-megapixel dual front-facing cameras. It is said that it has a 2-megapixel secondary sensor and a main lens of 44-megapixel. So far, the 32-megapixel lens has been the highest resolution selfie camera on smartphones. However, the Reno3 Pro is expected to soon arrive as the world’s highest resolution selfie camera phone.

The blue colored glass rear of the Reno3 Pro has a sleek appeal. It is fitted with a quad camera setup. It is speculated that the phone will be sporting as the same four rear-facing cameras that can be found on China’s Reno3 Pro. Hence, its Indian version is expected to sport a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 main lens, a 13-megapixel telephoto shooter, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens. The other specs of the Reno3 Pro for India are currently under the wraps.

OPPO Reno3 Pro (China Edition) specifications

The Reno3 Pro houses a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with in-screen fingerprint sensor. It supports 1080 x 2400 pixels full HD+ resolution. It has a 32-megapixel main lens. The SD765g SoC powered phone comes in 8 G RAM + 128 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage models. It lacks a microSD card slot. The Android 10 OS along with ColorOS runs on the device. It is backed by a 4,025mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging.

 

 

(source)

Xiaomi’s upcoming AX3600 Wi-Fi 6 router is based on Qualcomm’s enterprise grade networking platform

Xiaomi has finally confirmed that it will announce its new Wi-Fi 6 router, the Xiaomi AIoT AX3600 at the Xiaomi Mi 10 online launch event on February 13. The existence of this router was first revealed by Digital Chat Station a couple of days back. But today, the company also revealed that the new router will be based on the Qualcomm Networking Pro 600 Wi-Fi 6 platform, which is essentially built for enterprise-grade routers.

Xiaomi wi-fi router teaser

Xiaomi has highlighted that the Mi AIoT AX3600 Wi-Fi ax router is the first to use an enterprise-grade platform for the consumer market. In the image shared on the company’s Weibo account, we can see that this router will be powered by Qualcomm’s IPQ8071 platform. The chipmaker explains that this platform is “the ideal architecture for retail routers, two-radio mesh networking systems, broadband gateways, as well as enterprise and carrier-class applications.”

The new-age Wi-Fi 6 promises to optimize power consumption and coverage capabilities of a router with support for high-speed concurrent connections. Other benefits of this new-generation connectivity include lower overall latency and high rate of data transmission.

We can expect more details about the new router in the next couple of days. It will officially launch alongside the Mi 10 series at an online-only event in China on Thursday, February 13.

 

 

Redmi’s latest teaser hints at the RedmiBook launching in India

Tomorrow is going to be a big day as Samsung unveils its long-awaited Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Flip Z. Prior to that, Redmi India will also have a launch event where it will announce a new mobile phone (Redmi 9A/Redmi 8A Pro) and the first product from a new but undisclosed category. The latest teaser posted by the official Twitter account hints at the second product being the RedmiBook PC.

The 22-second video shows the chamfered edges of what looks like a PC as well as the device in its opened state.

News of the RedmiBook launching in India first surfaced at the beginning of January when it was discovered that Xiaomi/Redmi India had applied for a trademark for “RedmiBook” at the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Redmi announced its first PC, the RedmiBook 14 back in May 2019. A few months later, it announced a new model called the RedmiBook 14 Enhanced Edition with Intel’s 10th Gen processors. Then in October, it followed it up with models powered by AMD’s Ryzen processors. Just before the end of the year, it unveiled a smaller model called the RedmiBook 13.

We do not know which of the aforementioned models of the RedmiBook will be announced tomorrow but we are excited nonetheless. This will be Xiaomi/Redmi’s very first computer sold in India and it remains to be seen if it can challenge other big-name brands in the Indian PC market.

 

 

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi 10 will feature an oversized VC cooling system with 5 temp. monitoring sensors

As the Xiaomi Mi 10 launch nears, the company is sharing important details about the upcoming flagship. Earlier today, Xiaomi revealed a few details about the phone’s cooling system. From what was shared today, it looks like the Xiaomi Mi 10 will feature a pretty large Vapor Chamber (VC) cooling system to ensure the flagship doesn’t overheat during long hours of usage.

Xiaomi Mi 10 oversized VC cooling system
Xiaomi Mi 10 VC cooling system vs competition

The company emphasized that Mi 10’s VC cooling system is significantly larger than competitors. To give you a perspective, the company shared the image above where its own VC system is compared with the competition. Along with an oversized VC cooling system, the Mi 10 will use graphite at multiple layers to ensure the temperature is controlled throughout the device.

Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun added that one of the first aspects of an effective cooling system is accurately measuring the phone’s temperature. In this regard, he said that the Xiaomi Mi 10 will come with 5 temperature monitoring sensors installed near 5 key components of the device: CPU, camera, battery, connector, and communications chip.

Xiaomi Mi 10 5 temp control sensors
Xiaomi Mi 10 has 5 temp control sensors

With the help of accurate temperature measurement, a large VC cooling system, multiple graphite layers and AI machine learning for temperature control, Xiaomi claims that the phone will be able to adjust its temperature between 1 to 5 degrees.

Xiaomi Mi 10 specs

The Xiaomi Mi 10 will pack in powerful hardware like the new Snapdragon 865 chip with a 5G modem and 12GB to 16GB of RAM. So it makes sense why Xiaomi wants to ensure effective cooling on the device. The Mi 10 is also confirmed to feature Wi-Fi 802.11ax, LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0. The phone could also get a super-fast 66W wired charging, but this feature is yet to be confirmed. The Mi 10 launches on February 13 in China and its international launch is slated for February 23 at MWC 2020.

 

 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip commercial aired during the Oscars, confirms design and Launch Date

Samsung ran a commercial for the upcoming clamshell Galaxy Z Flip with foldable screen at the Oscars, ahead of launch. This comes as a surprise since the chaebol was expected to formally unveil the smartphone at the Unpacked 2020 event on Feb. 11. 

Samsung is expected to announce its Galaxy S20 lineup at the event along with the Z Flip, which is the highlight of the event. The Galaxy Z Flip is Samsung’s first folding smartphone with a glass display. In the commercial, the device was spotted resting vertically folded to aid video chatting. As it can be seen in the video, the Galaxy Z Flip does not fold completely flat. 

The fine print below the commercial reads “There may be a small crease in the middle of the primary display, which is a general characteristic of the screen”. The advert discloses two color variants, namely purple and black. Unlike the Motorola Razr, the small-sized secondary display flaunts full colors, but cannot be used to control every function on the device. It can only be used to view notifications and answer or reject calls.

Initial reports suggested that the Galaxy Z Flip would be primarily targeted towards the young female audience, and the commercial seems to back up the theory. Especially since the handset is rumored to draw inspiration from the clamshell-shaped powder compact case. While the commercial did not reveal much about the general specifications or price, it clearly mentions that the handset will be formally showcased at Unpacked 2020 on 02.11.2020.

Samsung has historically made huge revelations through commercials aired during the Academy Awards. Previous examples include celebrity product endorsements to issuing a public apology for the exploding Galaxy Note devices. The company has taken the traditional route this year, simply teasing a flagship product ahead of launch.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Specifications and Features (Rumored)

According to current reports, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip flaunts a 6.7-inch flexible AMOLED display with a punch-hole camera and a tall aspect ratio of 22:9 The smartphone draws power from a 2.96GHz octa-core Snapdragon 855+ SoC with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of native storage. The primary optics include a dual-camera setup consisting of two 12-megapixel sensors. The front camera uses a 10-megapixel unit.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip draws power from a 3,300 mAh battery and runs on Android 10 with One UI 2.0. Connectivity options include 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS, and USB-C. The smartphone flaunts a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for additional security.

 

 

Xiaomi Employees get Coronavirus protection kit as they Return to Work

Xiaomi employees finally resumed work today after spending extended holidays back home due to the coronavirus crisis. As a safety measure, all employees have been allotted masks and sanitizers for protection against coronavirus.

Xiaomi Office

Xiaomi is one of the few tech firms that resumed work today i.e. February 10th. Xiaomi Product Director Wang Teng announced the company’s decision to provide a coronavirus protection “three-piece bundle” to each employee.

In his Weibo post, Mr. Teng revealed Xiaomi employees were given three things including a couple of medical masks, alcohol disinfection spray, and a sanitizer.

Redmi‘s General Manager Lu Weibing also advised people to focus on safety via a Weibo post that read: “Everyone, are you back to work today? Be sure to pay attention to protection to ensure safety.”

Responding to the call, Xiaomi’s co-founder Lei Jun wrote, “We all use medical protective masks. Do you know these people?” Mentioning the topic, he requested #Please leave the medical N95 mask to the first line of medical care #.

The latest reports suggest shipment of masks that were purchased online has started since domestic mask production capacity has been restored. Moreover, some other reports suggest that the resumption rate of companies making these masks has reached 73 percent.

 

 

(Source)

Smartphone retailers in India decide to boycott Samsung devices

UPDATE: Samsung has officially withdrawn Amazon Pay cashback promotion in offline retail stores following a letter sent by the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA). The company was offering 5 percent and ₹1,500 cashback offers, depending on the phone models, when paid through Amazon Pay.

Samsung, the world’s leading smartphone maker and the second largest vendor in India, has receiving flak from the mobile retailers in India. Retail store owners of India have decided to boycott the sale of Samsung devices in the country for three days — 11th, 12th, and 13th February.

Arvinder Khurana, President of AIMRA, said: “We will be showing our protest through digital posts, covering Samsung branding with a black cloth on in our stores, and not doing business with Samsung distributors for three days.”

He also added that despite several communications sent to country heads of Samsung in the last five years, “they have not had the time to meet AIMRA leaders” and have neither acknowledged nor replied to emails sent by the offline retailer community.

This development comes at AIMRA along with other trader associations have been campaigning to end exclusive deals between phone brands and e-commerce platforms, deep discounting and cashback offers.

While several smartphone makers including Vivo, Realme, and OPPO have assured their retail partners that they will simultaneously launch products as well as their variants at the same price across channels, Samsung hasn’t responded yet.

According to the data released by International Data Corporation (IDC), Samsung is currently the second largest smartphone brand in India after Xiaomi, accounting for 20.3 percent market share. Out of the total sales of Samsung in India, offline channel constituted for about 12-15 percent in 2019.

 

Xiaomi Mi 10 reservations cross 1.5 million; Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro to receive stupendous response

Since the past two days, the Xiaomi Mi 10 series is up for reservations in China through Xiaomi Mall and JD.com. The company is running the reservations of the smartphone ahead of the Feb. 13 online-only launch event in China. Reservations are different from pre-orders that allow buyers to have a chance of ordering the device before the market release date. People in China who are interested in the Mi 10 series can register their name and phone number to get updates on the availability of the Mi 10 phones. A screenshot of the Mi 10 reservations reveal that the series will meet an impressive response from the people in the home market. The reason behind it is that the Mi 10 series reservations have crossed 1.5 million mark three days ahead of the launch event.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 series is expected to include two smartphones such as Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. Some reports have claimed that there could be Xiaomi Mi 10 Explorer Edition that may sport a transparent rear. The first official poster of the Mi 10 series reveal that the Mi 10 will be equipped with a curved display with a single punch-hole at its top-left corner. The advanced Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro will be also sporting a similar display.

Xiaomi Mi 10 reservations onJD.com

The rear design of the Xiaomi Mi 10 looks like the Mi Note 10 series.  The Mi 10 has a quad camera setup whereas the Mi 10 Pro may come with five rear cameras. The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform will be fueling both phones. The Mi 10 series will come with may many advance features like 108-megapixel main camera, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 storage and Wi-Fi 6. Some of the other features that will be available on the Mi 10 series include 90Hz refresh rate supporting OLED display, in-screen fingerprint reader, liquid cooling technology and up to 66W fast charging.

A pricing leak revealed that the Xiaomi Mi 10’s base model with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage could be priced at 4,200 Yuan (~$600). There is a possibility that the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro could be costing 5,000+ Yuan (~$715). Customers who are looking forward for a cheaper flagship phone from Xiaomi can wait for the Redmi K30 Pro 5G that will probably break cover next month. The Redmi K30 Pro 5G could be priced around 3,500 Yuan (~$500).

 

 

 

Realme X50 Pro 5G confirmed to be unveiled at MWC 2020 on Feb 24

After teasing that Realme will announce its 5G flagship smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the company has today confirmed that the Realme X50 Pro 5G flagship will be launched on 24th February.

The teaser image shared with the invite shows that the smartphone will come with a dual punch-hole cut-out for the front-facing camera and it also seems that the display will be curved towards the edges.

Realme X50 Pro 5G

The company’s CMO Xu Qi Chase had recently confirmed that the Realme X50 Pro 5G will come with model number RMX2071 will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. It will also come packed with the Snapdragon X55 chip for 5G network connectivity.

It has also been revealed that the phone will be running Android 10 operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Realme UI on top. The phone was also recently spotted on AnTuTu Benchmark, revealing scores of 574,985.

Leaked details related to this upcoming smartphone reveals that it will come with Full HD+ display having screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and 20:9 aspect ratio as well as 120Hz refresh rate. While the battery capacity is not yet known, the device is expected to come with 50W fast charging support.

Apart from this X50 Pro 5G flagship smartphone, the company has also confirmed that it will also have an announcement at MWC about its first smart TV. We are not sure it will unveil the TV at the event as MWC isn’t really the place for TVs. What we expect we will get are more details about the TV and its eventual release date.

The Realme X50 Pro 5G launch at MWC later this month is scheduled for February 24th at 10 AM CEST. We expect to know more details about the flagship smartphone as the launch date nears.

 

Xiaomi Mi 10 poster reveals marvelous curved display and four rear cameras

Xiaomi will be holding a global launch event for the Xiaomi Mi 10 series on Feb. 23 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020. The Chinese firm will also organize a dedicated online launch conference for the Xiaomi Mi 10 series in China on Feb. 13. Ahead of the unveil event, the Chinese firm is busy teasing on the features of the Xiaomi Mi 10 series. Today, the company released the first official poser that confirms the design of Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro smartphones.

As it can be seen, the Xiaomi Mi 10 can be see sporting a marvelous curved display. The screen has a punch-hole at its top-left corner. The display is surrounded by ultra-thin bezels. The thin bezel above the screen has an earpiece. The phone will come equipped with an in-screen fingerprint reader. Xiaomi is yet to confirm the screen size of the Xiaomi MI 10 series.

The back panel of the phone which is made out of glass also has a curvy appeal towards the edges. The camera setup includes four lenses. Its primary shooter is 108-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX lens. Xiaomi Group China President who is also General Manager of Redmi brand has claimed that the DxOMark score of Xiaomi Mi 10 will be a surprise. The Xiaomi MI 10 Pro that is expected to feature an additional camera is not present in the above image.

Xiaomi Group Vice President Chang Cheng stated that the three main issues of the Android phones are automatic brightness adjustment, screen fluency and overheating. It appears that the Xiaomi Mi 10 series won’t be plagued with such problems. The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro will be arriving with a topnotch display that offers 90Hz refresh rate and it is also coming with some latest technologies such as Snapdragon 865 mobile platform, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 storage and liquid cooling technologies that may ensure that there are no overheating issues on Mi 10 devices.

Xiaomi has started with the reservations of the Xiaomi Mi 10 series on major platforms such as Xiaomi Mall and Jingdong Mall in China. It has been found that the reservations of the Mi 10 series have already crossed 1.5 million mark.

A recent leak had revealed that the Xiaomi Mi 10 will be arriving in models such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These models could be respectively priced at 4,200 Yuan (~$600), 4,500 Yuan (~$644) and 4,900 Yuan (~$701). The leak did not reveal the pricing of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro. If the above leak turns out to be true, the pricing of the Mi 10 Pro may breach 5,000 Yuan (~$715) mark.

 

 

 

Microsoft Surface Duo spotted publicly; could launch sooner than expected

Microsoft recently unveiled some of the unique and interesting devices which are expected to get launched during Holiday 2020. However, now it seems that few of the devices could go official sooner than expected.

The company’s much-anticipated device — Microsoft Surface Duo was recently spotted in the wild as the device has apparently entered the testing phase. However, this has not been confirmed by the company yet.

Microsoft Surface Duo

A photo has surfaced online which shows a man using the upcoming Surface Duo out in Vancouver’s public transit system. Interestingly, the tweet reveals that the Surface Duo in question is different from the prototypes Microsoft showcased at its hardware event in October 2019.

The device in the leaked image has a front-facing flash, which seems to confirm rumors that the Microsoft Surface Duo will only have a front-facing camera module, and not a world-facing camera.

It is also being reported that Microsoft has seeded more Surface Duo units to its employees internally, possibly to test the usage of the smartphone in the public and day-to-day activities. Some of the company’s employees were also seen using Surface Duo device during Ignite 2019 sessions.

The prototype showcased in October 2019 shows that the Surface Duo has two 5.6-inch displays connected by 360-degree hinges allowing it to transform into an 8.3-inch tablet when opened.

It runs Android which makes sense given that Google already developed Android to work with dual-screen devices. You can run two apps on each of the screens for true multi-tasking. You can also have one display act as a virtual controller for games or a virtual keyboard for typing.

There’s Snapdragon 855 processor inside but we doubt this will be the SoC powering it when it launches by the end of 2020. There are no cameras on the back just like the Duo and there is no mention of a camera(s) above the displays.

(Source)

Is this our first look at the ASUS Zenfone 7?

ASUS has kept a tight lip on news relating to any of its upcoming smartphones this year. It has also not made any announcement regarding Mobile World Congress 2020. Nevertheless, we expect a successor to last year’s Zenfone 6, and a leaked image may be our first look at the phone which is expected to launch as the Zenfone 7.

The photo was posted on the official ASUS ZenTalk Forum and it shows the device, believed to be the Zenfone 7, with a square camera module similar to that of the Pixel 4. However, unlike Google’s phone, the camera housing sist in the middle and it houses three rear cameras arranged in a matrix along with an LED flash.

Alleged ASUS Zenfone 7

Based on the image, we can see ASUS will not be bringing back the flip camera design of the Zenfone 6.

The camera housing protrudes a bit from the curved back which appears to be covered in glass. There is no fingerprint scanner visible in the image, so we presume there will be one under the display. The Zenfone 7 is expected to have support for wireless charging since the Wireless Power Consortium already certified an ASUS wireless charger last October.

The image is far from being the sharpest but we can still make out some of the details on the front of the phone. The display does not appear to be curved though it has rounded corners. There is also a pill-shaped punch hole at the top left corner for dual front-facing cameras.

The image also shows the phone will have its power button and volume control buttons on the right but the Smart Key from the Zenfone 6 seems to be gone.

The Zenfone 7 is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 865 processor and should have a 5G modem too. When it launches, it should be ASUS’s first 5G smartphone. Since its predecessor was announced in May, ASUS may want to stick to that timeframe again this year.

 

(Via: 1, 2)

Honor 9X Lite poster surfaces; will have 48MP dual rear cameras

Honor launched the Honor 9X and Honor 9X Pro in China last July. Both are powered by the Kirin 810 processor and are Honor’s mid-range phones. Now, the Huawei sub-brand is ready to release a third model that will launch as the Honor 9X Lite.

The poster for the Honor 9X Lite surfaced on the web last weekend and the image revealed the design as well as some key specs of the device.

Honor 9X Lite

The Honor 9X Lite will come in green and will have dual rear cameras placed inside a rectangular housing. The poster says the primary camera is a 48MP sensor and the words “48MP AI CAMERA” are inscribed next to the sensors. The second camera is unknown but we expect it to be a depth sensor just like that of the standard Honor 9X. Honor is marketing the Honor 9X Lite as the “XTRAORDINARY PHOTOGRAPHER” but only reviews will tell us if the cameras are truly “xtraordinary”.

The poster also shows the phone will have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner while the volume rocker and power button will reside on the right side of the phone’s frame.

Honor 9X Lite Google Play Supported Devices

The Honor 9X Lite has also received Google Play certification and appears on the list of Google Play certified devices. The page reveals three different model numbers for the device (JSN-L21, JSN-L22, JSN-L23). Seeing as it has Google Play Certification, it is believed the Honor 9X Lite will have a Kirin 710/Kirin 710F processor like its other mid-range devices released since the ban took effect.

Huawei/Honor is yet to get the Kirin 810 processor certified, hence why its mid-range devices launching outside China are powered by the Kirin 710 or Kirin 710F rather than the more powerful Kirin 810.

There is no news yet regarding a launch date for the phone but a launch should be around the corner.

 

 

(Sources: 1, 2 | Via)

Xiaomi Mi 10 & Mi 10 Pro official posters, retail boxes & likely prices leaked

Just about the same time when Xiaomi released the information that the Mi 10 series will go official on February 13 in China, a couple of official posters of the models have leaked online. The posters appeared on China’s Weibo and give us a close look at the design of the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro.

The leaked images clearly distinguish the Mi 10 from the Mi 10 Pro. From the look of things, both models will have the same display type which is a curved OLED screen. The display features a punch-hole camera at the top left corner. At the rear aspect, the Mi 10’s camera setup includes three lenses arranged in a single module and a fourth sensor placed underneath. There is also an LED flash at the bottom of the fourth sensor.XIaomi Mi 10 Pro

On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro features an additional sensor between the second and third lenses. As past reports have revealed, the Mi 10 series will be equipped with a 108-megapixel main lens as well as other camera features like 8K videography and 50x hybrid zoom.

The other specifications of that are expected to be available on the Mi 10 series include LPPDR5 RAM, UFS 3.0 flash storage and Wi-Fi 6. The Mi 10 Pro may support 66W fast charging whereas the Mi 10 may arrive with 30W rapid charger. The base model of the Mi 10 could be coming with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.

Furthermore, the expected prices of the Mi 10 were also leaked online. The leaked poster shows the Mi 10 will start at 4200 yuan ($599) for the base variant with 8GB RAM/128GB storage.  The 8GB RAM/256GB storage variant goes up to 4500 yuan ($642). Finally, the topmost variant with 12GB RAM/256GB storage will be sold for 4900 yuan ($699). We doubt if these leaked prices are accurate. If the Mi 10 should cost this much, then the Mi 10 Pro which should have a higher price tag may max at around $800. We’ll have to wait until the models are officially unveiled to find out the actual prices.

 

(source 1, 2, 3)