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TCL cancels global press event but will still attend MWC

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

This year’s edition of Mobile World Congress will be one of the most memorable ones for years to come, no thanks to the deadly coronavirus that has caused several manufacturers to pull out of the show or cancel their press events. In the past week, quite a number of manufacturers including Sony, Amazon, NVIDIA, have announced that they will no longer be in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2020. It has now been reported that TCL will be canceling its global launch event too.

TCL 10 series
TCL will no longer hold a press event for the launch of the TCL 10 series in Barcelona

XDA-Developers reports that the Chinese manufacturer has released a press statement to inform attendees that it will be canceling its global press event scheduled for February 22 due to the virus outbreak. The company had to make the decision as a cautionary move to protect its staff, customers, and guests.

However, TCL says it will still attend the show and will still announce its new devices, it just will not have a launch event. Attendees will be able to see its latest products at its booth in Hall 3 (Stand D311), probably from behind a glass. This is the same decision ZTE made last week.

The press event was to be for the launch of its TCL 10 series of 5G devices as well as Alcatel products. TCL has also said that it will continue to monitor the situation and share any new updates to its plans.

UP NEXT: BlackBerry Mobile is dead; this time at the hands of TCL

 

(Source)

Moto G Stylus vs Oppo F15 vs Poco X2: Specs Comparison

By
Michele Ingelido
-

A few days ago, Motorola launched the Moto G Stylus: the only last-generation smartphone with a stylus if we exclude the Samsung Galaxy Note series. It does not offer the pressure sensitivity and all those amazing features of the S Pen, but it is available at an affordable price since it is a mid-ranger. This is a comparison between the new handset and two of its most interesting rivals: Oppo F15 and Poco X2. Does the new Motorola’s mid-ranger offer a higher value for money than its concurrence? Let’s discover it together.

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Oppo F15 vs Xiaomi Poco X2

Xiaomi Poco X2 Motorola Moto G Stylus Oppo F15
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 165.3 x 76.6 x 8.8 mm, 208 grams 158.6 x 75.8 x 9.2 mm, 192 grams 160.2 x 73.3 x 7.9 mm, 172 grams
DISPLAY 6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2300p (Full HD+), 399 ppi, IPS LCD 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 408 ppi, AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, octa-core 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, octa-core 2 GHz MediaTek Helio P70, octa-core 2.1 GHz
MEMORY 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot  8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE Android 10, MIUI Android 10 Android 9 Pie, Color OS
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
CAMERA Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.9, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
Dual 20 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 front camera		 Triple 48 + 16 + 2 MP f/1.7, f/2.2 and f/2.2
16 MP f/2.0 front camera		 Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4
16 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY 4500 mAh, fast charging 27W 4000 mAh, battery charging 10W 4025 mAh, fast charging 20W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Hybrid Dual SIM slot Hybrid Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot

Design

Xiaomi Poco X2 offers the most premium design if we talk about materials. It is the only to come with both an aluminum frame and a glass back. And all the glasses on the phone are protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Motorola Moto G Stylus has a 6000 series aluminum frame, but its rear side is made of plastic. On the other hand, it is splash resistant. Despite it is an elegant and minimal phone, Oppo F15 has a full plastic design. But the Oppo F15 is slimmer and lighter.

 

Display

While Oppo F15 does not shine for its materials, it is definitely amazing when it comes to the display. It sports a Full HD+ AMOLED panel with high brightness and an under-display fingerprint reader. Both Motorola Moto G Stylus and Poco X2 have a classic and not trending IPS panel, but the Poco X2 has a very high 120 Hz refresh rate and this will please gamers and people seeking the smoothest user experience. Do you prefer an AMOLED panel with an in-display fingerprint reader or an IPS panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate?

 

Specs & Software

Poco X2 wins the performance comparison because it sports a much more powerful chipset: the Snapdragon 730G with very high CPU and GPU performance, meant for gamers and power users (but still a midrange chipset). It even has the best memory configuration with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage which you can furtherly expand through a micro SD slot. Just like the Moto G Stylus, Poco X2 comes with Android 10 out of the box (customized by MIUI), while Oppo F15 is still based on Android Pie. Note that Poco X2 and Oppo F15 both come with UFS 2.1 internal storage, while Moto G Stylus has an eMMC storage.

 

Camera

Poco X2 has the most complete camera department including a 64 MP quad camera on the rear and a dual front camera with a depth sensor. But Moto G Stylus is still an amazing camera phone, with great autofocus and a very nice video quality. On the paper, Oppo F15 is inferior.

 

Battery

Thanks to its bigger battery, the Poco X2 will be able to offer a longer battery life on a single charge. And it even has a faster charging technology, so you do not have to worry about charging times despite the bigger capacity.

 

Price

Motorola Moto G Stylus hitten the shelves with a €270/$295 price tag in the configuration with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, Oppo F15 is available for about €355/$388 in the 8/128 GB configuration, and Poco X2 starts from just €205/$225 in the 6/64 GB variant. Overall, Poco X2 looks like a more complete device with its better chipset, great cameras, bigger battery, great software, and a 120 Hz refresh rate. And it is even a smartphone with a higher value for money, but you should note that these devices are sold in different markets, so it is currently impossible to make a fair price comparison.

 

Motorola Moto G Stylus vs Oppo F15 vs Xiaomi Poco X2: PROs and CONS

Xiaomi Poco X2

PROs

  • Better performance
  • 120 Hz display
  • Wider display
  • Bigger battery
  • Dual front camera
  • Premium materials

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Motorola Moto G Stylus

PROs

  • Pen
  • Interesting cameras
  • Single punch hole display
  • Stereo speakers
  • Splash resistant

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Oppo F15

PROs

  • Nice AMOLED display
  • Under-display fingerprint reader
  • Micro SD dedicated slot

CONS

  • Plastic body

Xiaomi Mi 10 “defeats” Rubik Cube world champion

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Xiaomi has been releasing promotional videos ahead of the launch of its flagship smartphones, the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro, on Thursday, February 13. One promotional video posted on Weibo shows the Mi 10 taking on a Rubik’s Cube world champion and coming out on top.

The video, which was shared by Lei Jun, the company’s CEO, pits world champion, Du Yusheng, against robotic arms powered by the Mi 10 which in turn is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 processor.

The world record time for solving a Rubik’s Cube is actually 3.47 seconds while Du Yusheng’s own record is 6.47 seconds. However, with the Mi 10 powered robot, the battle is even over before you know it as the robot completes the challenge in just 1:43 seconds.

In another test carried out to demonstrate the processing power of the Mi 10 (Snapdragon 865), the phone is pitted against a notebook powered by Intel’s Core i7-8550U processor to calculate the value of Pi to a decimal of 10 million (only last 200 digits visible). The Mi 10 completed the calculation in 36.8 seconds while it took the notebook 92 seconds.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro will be announced at an online-only event on Thursday, February 13 in China. It will then get a global launch in Spain on 23rd February. With manufacturers canceling their MWC 2020 press events and even pulling out completely, we won’t be surprised if the Mi 10 global launch event gets canceled too.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi to Launch a flagship Wi-Fi 6 Router alongside the Mi 10 series

 

(Sources: 1, 2)

Huawei Mate 20 Lite now receiving EMUI 10 globally

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Huawei first stared pushing EMUI 10 update to the Mate 20 Lite in Europe in November last year. That rollout was seen as a precursor to the global release of the Android 10-based latest custom ROM. The company has now started rolling out the update to Mate 20 Lite users globally. Huawei Mate 20 Lite

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi’s Aqara officially unveils its range of smart home products in the US

The new update brings the versions EMUI 10.0.0.172 and EMUI 10.0.0.170 depending on the region. Both versions have a file size of about 4GB. To check for the update,
Go to Settings > System > Software update > Check for Updates. If an update is available, it’ll ask if you want to download it. Alternatively,  open HiCare app > Update > Check for updates.Huawei Mate 20 Lite (Front)

EMUI 10 update brings improved smoothness and performance on Mate 20 Lite models. The company has even added a system-wide dark mode which even forces apps that don’t have a dark mode to comply. The system settings are better organized in this new version and the OS is designed to offer a better experience when working other devices like a Windows 10 laptop. EMUI 10 allows the smartphone to cast its screen directly on to the Windows 10 device, offering a seamless working experience. The update equally brings Android 10-inherent features.

The Mate 20 Lite was launched in 2018 packing a 6.3-inch Full-HD+ display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio, offering a pixel density of 409ppi. The device uses a notched display and is powered by a Kirin 710 chipset. It is impressive to see a two-year-old model get updated to the latest Android version this fast. We doubt, though, if the device will get any other update.

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 Vitality Edition with SD765 now available for pre-order

 

(source)

 

Samsung expands The Wall TV lineup with up to 583-inch 8K for business use

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Samsung Electronics continues its drive to be the leading name in the tech industry as it announced new The Wall TV with expanded functions. The company also showcased a new and improved Samsung Flip 2 digital flipchart as well as a QLED 8K SMART displays.Samsung The Wall

The Wall modular TV was first unveiled last year having onboard Samsung’s innovative use of microLED technology. The innovation has now been taken to a different level as it now enables brand-new features in digital signage. The Wall Luxury presents an unmatched visual experience with an array of lifestyle features available up to a stunning 292-inch 8K version. Samsung’s The Wall lineup boasts limitless possibilities when it comes to size, resolution or ratio and all the displays are completely bezel-free.

The latest iteration applies industry-leading visual experience for a wide variety of commercial applications from control rooms to broadcast centres, lobbies, design centres and more. The Wall for Business features a wide range of configurable and customizable sizes and ratios from 219- and 292-inch 4K versions, up to 437- and 583-inch 8K versions, the largest ever unveiled. The Wall for Business will be available globally beginning at ISE 2020 holding in Amsterdam from February 11-14, 2020.

UP NEXT: Poll of The Week: Flat Edge Display or Curved Edge Display?

 

(source)

 

List of Huawei and Honor phones to get EMUI 11/Magic UI 4 update

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Huawei is still rolling out EMUI 10 to its devices but news of the next version which is expected to be called EMUI 11 has surfaced. The folks at Huawei Central have gotten their hands on a list of Huawei and Honor phones that will get updated to EMUI 11 (or Magic UI 4).

EMUI 11 and Magic UI 4 will be based on Android 11 and will be announced in the second half of the year. Below is the list of Huawei devices that will get the update:

Mate Series

  • Huawei Mate 30 Pro
  • Huawei Mate 30
  • Huawei Mate 30 RS Porsche design
  • Huawei Mate 20
  • Huawei Mate 20 Pro
  • Huawei Mate 20 X
  • Huawei Mate 20 X (5G)
  • Huawei Mate 20 X (4G)
  • Huawei Mate 20 Porsche RS
  • Huawei Mate X

P Series

  • Huawei P40
  • Huawei P40 Pro
  • Huawei P30
  • Huawei P30 Pro

Nova Series

  • Huawei Nova 6
  • Huawei Nova 6 5G
  • Huawei Nova 5T
  • Huawei Nova 5
  • Huawei Nova 5 Pro
  • Huawei Nova 5Z
  • Huawei Nova 5i
  • Huawei Nova 5i Pro

Tablets

  • Huawei MatePad
  • Huawei MediaPad M6

List of Honor Devices that will get updated to Magic UI 4 and EMUI 11

  • Honor V30
  • Honor V30 Pro
  • Honor V20
  • Honor 20
  • Honor 20 Pro
  • Honor 20S
  • Honor 20 Youth Edition (EMUI 11)
  • Honor 9X (EMUI 11)
  • Honor 9X Pro (EMUI 11)

We advise you to take the above lists with a grain of salt. Manufacturers can drop support for devices even after promising updates as we have seen in the past. And since this is not an official list, it means you should even be more skeptical.

 

UP NEXT: Huawei announces new color variant for FreeBuds 3 and Nova 5T in Singapore; includes free gifts with purchases

 

(Source)

Motorola One Action receives Android 10 update in Russia

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Motorola One Action which was launched in August 2019 running Android 9.0 Pie is now reportedly receiving Android 10 updates in Russia. Earlier this month, Motorola One Action received Android 10 updates in Brazil and India. The new update in Russia comes with a firmware version (QSB30.62-19).Motorola One Action Brasil launch

This update includes all the features of Android 10, including a dedicated dark mode, enhanced animations, new navigation gestures and an upgraded one-handed mode. The update also brings the December 1, 2019, Android security patch.

The Motorola On Action utilises a 21:9 aspect ratio and has a rotating camera so the camera automatically shoots stills and videos in landscape even when held in portrait mode. The action camera equally features a 117° ultra-wide-angle lens.

Since it an action camera that will be used even while on the move, the phone was expected to have Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) but that is missing. Instead, Motorola added digital stabilization on the camera. The Action Cam is a 16MP sensor, which uses 4-in-1 pixel binning to improve low-light performance (this gives it effectively 2.0µm pixels).

UP NEXT: Huawei smartphones could feature up to 70 pre-installed apps to substitute Google Services

 

(via)

 

Leaked video ad reveals Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

We have seen the Galaxy Z Flip in Purple and Black. We have even seen a Joker & Harley Quinn Edition made by Caviar. What we haven’t seen, not until today, is a Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition.

A video advert of the special edition Galaxy Z Flip was posted on Twitter by @h0x0d. The over 2-minute long video doesn’t show the phone until a few seconds to the end.

The Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition has a silver/gray finish with bands of red, white, and blue running through the middle. The video shows the phone will come in a matching box that also contains custom versions of the Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Watch Active 2.

The box also has a pull-out section that houses a customized case and a pair of extra straps for the watch.

Galaxy Flip Z Thom Browne Edition

The Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition will definitely cost as much as $2000 since the phone itself is priced at $1400. Throw in the $149 Galaxy Buds+ and the $249 Galaxy Watch Active 2 and we have already crossed the $1700 mark.

We do not know which markets will get this special edition combo but we expect Samsung will release more details at the launch tomorrow.

Thom Browne is an American fashion menswear and womenswear brand named after the owner.

UP NEXT: Samsung Galaxy M31 leak reveals 6.4-inch display 6,000mAh battery and variants

 

(Source, Via)

Taiwan’s Foxconn Gets a Stamp of Approval to Resume Work at a Plant in Zhengzhou, China: Reuters

By
Vinay Patel
-

Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn has received a stamp of approval to restart work at a plant located in the northern Chinese city of Zhengzhou that had been shut out citing the coronavirus crisis, according to information provided by an insider with knowledge of the matter to Reuters on Monday.

The unnamed source said nearly 16,000 employees, which translates to just under 10 percent of the company’s workforce in Zhengzhou, have resumed work at the plant. Furthermore, the person that the company executives have left no stone unturned in an attempt to work out a deal with authorities to reinstitute production in other parts of China.

This turn of the event can be attributed to the coronavirus outbreak, which is touted as a global health emergency by WHO (World Health Organization). As a result, Chinese manufacturing has been critically affected, leaving policymakers no choice but to come up with preventive strategies to firm up the economy.

As far as Foxconn is concerned, the held up the resumption of work is likely to negatively impact shipments to consumers such as Apple, while having a major impact on the global technology supply chain, a source with access to the matter told Reuters. Foxconn is currently trying to restart production at Kunshan, Shenzhen and other key plants, according to an unnamed source who wasn’t permitted to speak publicly on this matter.

Editor’s Choice: World’s biggest contract smartphone manufacturer, Foxconn partners with Fiat to Build Electric Cars

In a statement, Foxconn pointed out that the safety of its employees is the priority. The company said it is currently working with the authorities to acquire permission to resume production in China “in a staggered and orderly manner.”

A large number of Foxconn employees have resumed work after a long Lunar New Year holiday. They have been advised to put on masks, follow a specific dining system and go through temperature checks, as per internal memos spotted by Reuters.

FoxconnThe source said senior Taiwanese officials who needed to return to China had to first get approval from Foxconn’s new Chairman Liu Young-Way. The popular device maker for global OEMs has set up production lines in the southern province of Guangdong to manufacture masks for its huge employee base, aiming to make a whopping two million masks daily after reaching full capacity towards the end of this month, the memos revealed.

UP NEXT: Apple iPhone production will be affected due to Foxconn factory halt after Coronavirus Outbreak

 

 

(Source)

Vivo Plans to Launch More than 250 Exclusive Stores to Extend its Retail Network in India This Year

By
Vinay Patel
-

Vivo has set up a new experiential flagship store in Thane, a city located outside Mumbai and the Chinese technology company plans to come up with twenty more such stores.

Vivo experiential flagship store

The company described the experiential store as an outlet that offers dedicated VR (virtual reality), gaming and customer interaction zones, serving as a place with an immersive environment wherein smartphone lovers can check out Vivo-branded devices while experiencing top-end technology. On Saturday, Vivo announced its plan to introduce more than 250 exclusive stores this year in a bid to expand its already extensive retail network in India.

Keeping in line with that, the company has set up a new experiential flagship store in Thane, and will be launching 20 more similar stores across state capital and metros, providing an unparalleled customer experience in an offline retail store, Vivo noted in a statement. Vivo India Director (Brand Strategy) Nipun Marya stated, “Keeping customer centricity at the core, we at Vivo strive to offer our customers unique retail experiences.

Editor’s Choice: Vivo Y91C 2020 launched; Specifications, featured and price

An important aspect of the company’s go-to-market strategy, the offline channel will continue receiving attention from the company. As part of the expansion plan, Marya said, the company will launch over 250 exclusive stores this year, taking the total up to 600.

Everything You Should Know About Vivo Flagship Store In Mumbai

Speaking about the experiential store, Vivo said consumers will be able to get their hands on gaming, VR devices, and check out the customer interaction zones that house Vivo products. Aside from that, smartphone enthusiasts will be able to experience Vivo’s top-notch technology in this engaging environment.

According to a report from research firm IDC, the Chinese smartphone maker has acquired the second spot (Xiaomi captured the first spot) in terms of total smartphone shipments with an impressive 18.8 percent share, which translated to 6.9 million units, in December quarter last year. Vivo grabbed the third spot behind Xiaomi and Samsung in a full-year tally.

UP NEXT: Chinese Smartphone Shipments to drop significantly in Q1 2020 due to the epidemic: Digitimes

 

(Source)

Purported OPPO Find X2 appears in new render to flaunt design

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

The OPPO Find X that was made official in 2018 will be soon replaced by its successor – the OPPO Find X2. The smartphone will be unveiled on Feb. 22 in Barcelona and it will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 tech trade show between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27. SlashLeaks has a listing for a leaked render of the upcoming Find X2. It appears like a fan-made render, but it does corroborate with the all information that have surfaced so far for the Find X2 phone.

The render shows that the Find X2 is fitted with a punch-hole display. The edges of the screen are curved. Reports have claimed that the phone will be arriving with a 6.5-inch screen that will support quad HD+ resolution. Users will be able to switch between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates on the device. The curvature at the edges of the screen could around 80 degrees. The new image shows the presence of volume up and down buttons on left side and a bit large-sized power key.

OPPO Find X2

Editor’s Pick: OPPO Reno3 Pro India launch confirmed; Leaked poster reveals 44MP dual selfie camera

The Find X had a slider mechanism for its camera assembly.  The new render of the upcoming Find X2 reveals that its backside has a triple camera setup at the top-left corner. The first lens is a rectangular in shape which suggests that it could be a periscope lens. An LED flash is placed below the third lens.

Reports have revealed that the Find X2 will be arriving with a Sony IMX689 lens. The custom-made 48-megapixel sensor is said to be built by partnership between Sony and OPPO. The setup reportedly includes a Sony IMX708 lens. It said to be capable at shooting the widest wide-angle shots and it is expected to debut first on the Find X2. The camera setup of the Find X2 is also rumored to include a 13-megapixel telephoto sensor. The phone may flaunt a Sony IMX616 32-megapixel selfie snapper.

Certifications platforms have revealed that the Find X2 series will include Find X2 and Find X2 Pro. The Snapdragon 865 mobile platform will be driving the Find X2 lineup. Some of the other features that could be available on the Find X2 include LPDDR5, UFS 3.0 storage, NFC, Wi-Fi 6, 65W fast charging and OPPO M1 co-processor.

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 Vitality Edition with SD765 now available for pre-order

 

 

(via)

Vivo V19 Pro March 3 launch date for India tipped

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

Recent reports have revealed Vivo is gearing up to launch the Vivo V19 Pro smartphone in India. While the series includes Vivo V19 and V19 Pro smartphones, the company is expected to announce the Pro model first. A fresh report on 91mobiles states that the Vivo V19 Pro will be announced on March 3.

The report states that it has learnt through an anonymous source that the Vivo India will begin with the pre-bookings of the upcoming Vivo V19 Pro from Feb. 15. Last year, the Vivo V15 Pro was made official in February and the Vivo V15 had arrived in March. The launch date of the Vivo V19 is currently under the wraps. Like the V15, the Vivo V19 may debut in March. The Chinese firm is expected to advertise the Vivo V19 series at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 cricket tournament that kicks off on March 29 in the country.

Vivo V17 Pro
Vivo V17 Pro

Editor’s Pick: Vivo Y91C 2020 launched; Specifications, featured and price

The specifications of the Vivo V19 Pro are still a mystery. What’s known about the phone is that it will be sporting a punch-hole display. It will have an elongated cutout to house the two front-facing cameras. The V15 Pro sport four cameras on its back. Hence, it is likely that the V19 Pro could be equipped with a quad camera setup on its rear. The Vivo V19 and V19 Pro phones are expected to be priced between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 30,000 in the country.

Vivo V17 Pro specifications

The Vivo V17 Pro had arrived with a 6.44-inch S-AMOLED notch-less and full HD+ resolution supporting display that offers 20:9 aspect ratio. The Snapdragon 675 fueled it with 8 GB of RAM. It had a native storage of 128 GB. The V17 Pro sported a 32-megapixel + 8-megapixel pop-up selfie camera setup. The back panel of the phone featured a 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera system. It came loaded with FunTouch OS 9 based Android 9 Pie OS. The phone was backed by a 4,100mAh battery that supported 18W fast charging. It had launched with a price tag of Rs. 29,990 (~$420). Few months back, its price was lowered to Rs. 27,990 (~$392).

UP NEXT: Vivo APEX 2020 Concept Phone unofficial renders reveal the front and rear designs

 

 

(source)

Vivo APEX 2020 Concept Phone unofficial renders reveal the front and rear designs

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

Since the Vivo APEX Concept smartphone was launched in 2018, the device has often become a reference point when discussing true bezel-less phones. The tech giant later unveiled a 2019 edition and is expected to do the same this year. The unofficial renders of the Vivo APEX 2020 Concept Phone have been shared by tipster Ben Geskin. Vivo APEX 2020

EDITOR’S PICK: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

The renders suggest the Vivo APEX 2020 will continue with a bezel-less design and apparently a super-high screen-to-body ratio. The device will utilise the in-display fingerprint sensor and would have a curved-edge display design. The APEX 2018 and APEX 2019 utilised a pop-up camera design but this year’s model will likely ditch that and may have an under-screen selfie camera.

The design of the back of the phone is also very interesting. A circular Oreo-shaped main camera with a rectangular optical zoom lens. Ben Geskin says the APEX 2020 will come with 5-7.5X Optical Zoom and 48MP Gimbal Camera. The rear camera is housed in a circular module which holds just the Optical zoom sensor and a 48MP camera, Interestingly, there is no ultrawide angle camera and LED flash onboard. The device will also feature 5G connectivity. The body won’t have any opening and will still utilise a wireless fast charging method and virtual buttons.

Despite how interesting this concept renders look, Vivo will still not mass-produce the model. Instead, we expect some of the feature to be onboard the Vivo NEX 20

UP NEXT: OPPO Reno3 Vitality Edition with SD765 now available for pre-order

 

(source)

 

Honor 30 Series rumored to launch in April 2020; MagicPad tablet coming too

By
Habeeb Onawole
-

Several manufacturers are working round the clock to launch their first flagship phones of the year. The launch events will kick off tomorrow with Samsung’s Unpacked event and will continue with Xiaomi’s Mi 10 online launch on Thursday. The announcements are expected to go on until the first half of the year ends. Now, news regarding the launch of Honor’s own flagship, the Honor 30 series, has surfaced.

According to the leaker, Teme (@RODENT950), the Honor 30 series will be announced in April 2020. This is a month earlier when compared to the date the Honor 20 series was announced.

The Honor 30 series should include a standard variant and a pro model called the Honor 30 Pro. Both phones should be powered by the Kirin 990 5G processor. We also presume there will be a mid-range model called the Honor 30 Lite with a Kirin 810 processor.

We may also get a new Honor flagship tablet called the Honor MagicPad according to a tweet from the same source a couple of days ago. This tablet might share some features with Huawei’s own MatePad Pro but should be more affordable.

Honor’s latest flagship phones are the Honor V30 and the Honor V30 Pro. Both phones were announced in November 2019 and went on sale in December. We presume the Honor 30 series will also go on sale the following month (May) after it is launched.

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

 

(Sources: 1, 2)

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

By
Jed John Ikoba
-

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.

EDITOR’S PICK: Xiaomi’s Aqara officially unveils its range of smart home products in the US

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.

UP NEXT: First Samples from the 108MP Mi Mix Alpha is here & we are not impressed!

 

 

(source)

 

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

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
-

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.

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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.

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

 

 

(via 1, 2, 3)

Samsung Galaxy S20+ 30x Digital Zoom sample spotted

By
Joel Joseph
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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.

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

By
Anvinraj Valiyathara
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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.

Editor’s Pick: OnePlus files patent for under-display camera technology

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.

UP NEXT: OnePlus takes top spot in the Indian Premium Smartphone Market in 2019: Counterpoint

 

 

(source 1, 2)

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

By
Joel Joseph
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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.

UP NEXT: Nubia All Set to Launch the Red Magic 5G at MWC 2020 with 144Hz refresh rate

 

(Source)

Realme C3 will have triple rear cameras in Indonesia

By
Habeeb Onawole
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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.

 

UP NEXT: Realme VP shares specs of Realme X50 Pro 5G ahead of MWC launch

 

(Source, Via)

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