HMD Global has confirmed it will have a launch event in Barcelona on February 23. It is expected to announce a couple of midrange phones including the Nokia 8.2 5G, an entry-level phone, and a feature phone. There have been reports of a Nokia 5.2 being in development but it is unconfirmed if it will launch at MWC 2020. Yesterday, an unknown Nokia smartphone presumed to be the Nokia 5.2 surfaced online. The leak includes photos, specs, and the price of the device.
The source of the leak is Evan Blass (@evleaks) and in his tweet, he revealed the phone’s codename as Captain America. The device has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Unfortunately, the screen size, battery capacity, and processor were not revealed. The tweet also mentioned the phone will cost $180 at launch and might be announced on the 4th of March.
Coming to the design, the Nokia phone has a waterdrop notch and a moderately thick lower bezel with Nokia inscribed on it. The device is probably running Android 9 Pie but has three-button navigation turned on.
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The back of the device is more interesting. The Nokia phone has four cameras arranged in a circular housing with a pill-shaped LED flash in the middle. The camera housing protrudes a bit and right below it is a fingerprint scanner. The back of the phone appears to be covered in frosted glass or plastic with curved sides and it sure is a fingerprint magnet.
Since the identity of the phone is unconfirmed, we advise you to take the info about it being the Nokia 5.2 with a grain of salt.
Google Apps or GApps are primarily used to flash Google services on custom ROMs. Usually, most of the custom ROMs come without any support for Google services. It is also an advantage of third-party ROMs that they don’t carry any inbuilt support for any assistance. However, the GApps zip package was compatible with Android 9.0 Pie or earlier versions, but now it has been extended to support Android 10. The interested users can now download GApps for Android 10 from the respective link below.
It’s been a few months since Google posted the AOSP source code for the latest Android. The same AOSP code is being used by the major OEMs to develop their ROMs based on different skins. They often add or remove the Android’s base functionalities to make it compatible the smart devices, including Smart Watch, Smart TVs, Smart Box, Smartphone, and more.
On the other hand, third-party custom ROM developers like Pixel Experience, LineageOS, Nitrogen OS make the AOSP source code available with extensive features. Now, it depends upon the developers to either include Google Apps or not. Then the role of flashable GApps comes into play.
Until recently, it was impossible to get Google Apps on Android 10 based custom ROMs. It means the users were unable to install apps from Play Store. They are unable to use the Google-powered backup features and some other essential services.
Types of GApps
There are different GApps packages based on multiple apps available in the zip. Here’s the differentiation
Pico – The Pico GApps package consists of only the minimal and essential Google services base.
Nano – The Nano features Offline speech and Google search app.
Micro – Along with the Nano package, there are few more apps like and services support. It brings FaceUnlock, Google Calendar, Google Text-to-Speech service framework.
Mini – In addition to Micro Apps, the Google features Hangouts, Maps, YouTube apps in Mini package.
Full – The GApps package features a full lot brochure of Google services except Google Mail, Camera, and Keyboard. It even overlaps the AOSP Calendar app with Google.
Stock – Like the Full, The Stock package brings all the features and services of Google.
Download GApps for Android 10
After over a few months, the Open GApps community has come up with the Android 10 compatible GApps. However, the GApps are currently available in pico and nano packages. The team is pouring in extra efforts to bring in support for other packages on Android 10.
The interested users can grab the GApps by heading to the SourceForge powered Open GApps repository.
ASUS promised the Zenfone Max Pro M1 would get two Android upgrades and it already got one last April when it was updated to Android 9 Pie. Since the Max Pro M1 will be getting Android 10, it only makes sense that its successor, the Max Pro M2 also gets updated. Both devices launched with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.
The beta update for the Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes as version 17.2017.1911.407 and weighs in at 1.6GB in size. The update for the Max Pro M2 arrives as version 17.2018.1912.409 and is 1.5GB in size. If you are interested in trying it out, you can download it for your device from the source links below and sideload it on to your device. This is a beta update, so it is expected to experience issues. It is therefore advised that you backup your data before updating.
Android 10 brings changes in the user interface, Dark Mode, Smart Reply for messaging apps, and a new navigation system.
Android 10 – ASUS update in France : – Zenfone 6 : deployed – Zenfone 5Z : deployed – ROG Phone 2 : Jan 2020 – Zenfone Max Pro M1 : Feb 2020 – Zenfone Max Pro M2 : Feb 2020#ASUS#Zenfone#ROGPhone2#Android10
The stable update is expected to also arrive this month according to a tweet from an ASUS staff. So if you are not up for the issues a beta update may bring, you can wait for the stable update.
Phones come with either eMMC storage or UFS (Universal Flash Storage) and it is no news that the latter is the faster type of storage. UFS used to be found mostly on flagship phones but in recent times, they have been put into mid-range devices too while eMMC storage has been relegated to entry-level devices.
The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has now unveiled the latest version of UFS called UFS 3.1 (JESD220E). It succeeds UFS 3.0 which appeared in Samsung’s 2019 flagships and even OnePlus’s own phones too.
According to the press release by JEDEC, UFS 3.1 is designed for mobile applications and computing systems that require high-performance with low power consumption. The new storage technology brings three major improvements over the last generation. They are:
Write Booster: an SLC non-volatile cache that amplifies write speed.
DeepSleep: a new UFS device low power state targeting lower-cost systems that share UFS voltage regulators with other functions.
Performance Throttling Notification: allows the UFS device to notify the host when storage performance is throttled due to high temperature.
JEDEC also announced a companion standard called UFS Host Performance Booster (HPB) Extension which provides the option to cache the UFS device logical-to-physical address map in the system’s DRAM.
There is no information regarding when we will begin to see the new storage standard in devices but we will not be surprised if it shows up first in a Samsung device.
As the Coronavirus continues to spread, more offices and factories are closing down until things are under control. Just a few days ago, Xiaomi announced all its offline stores across China will be closed. Now, it has been reported that Apple will be closing its stores and offices across Mainland China too.
The tech giant released a statement announcing that it will be shutting down work and business at its offices and stores through February 9. Apple has a total of 42 stores across China but its online store will be up and running, so buyers can purchase from there.
“Out of an abundance of caution and based on the latest advice from leading health experts, we’re closing all our corporate offices, stores and contact centers in mainland China through February 9”
– Apple’s statement to CNN BUsiness
Apple says it has been conducting checks on its store employees and carrying out deep cleaning too.
The impact of the virus outbreak on the mobile industry is still considered small but that may change if the outbreak continues for longer. Managing Director of equity research at Wedbush Securities, Daniel Ives, is quoted to have said: “…..if the lockdown in China [and] outbreak spills into later February or March, then we have darker storm clouds on the horizon for the tech space and global markets, with China consumer demand doldrums.”.
It was reported a few days ago that the outbreak will affect the production of the iPhone 9, however, Foxconn released a press statement saying the current health situation will not affect the production of iPhones.
“We do not comment on our specific production practices, but we can confirm that we have measures in place to ensure that we can continue to meet all global manufacturing obligations,”
– Foxconn
The manufacturing contractor has a large factory in Wuhan but it has been closed down since the holidays which have been extended to today.
The Realme C-series will be getting a new model in a few days. We already know what the device looks like thanks to an official poster. Now Realme has released another poster confirming the mid-range device will ship with the new Realme UI.
A few Realme phones are already getting a new update that replaces Color OS with Realme UI. However, the Realme C3 will be the second (not the first as the poster says) Realme phone to ship with the new custom user interface out of the box.
Realme UI brings a new user interface and a number of new features such as Focus Mode, Smart Gestures, and personal information protection.
Powering the Realme C3 will be the new Helio G70. The chipset was announced by MediaTek a few weeks ago and is designed for gaming. The 12nm Helio G70 processor has four Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.7GHz. It also has a Mali-G52 GPU clocked at 800MHz.
Prior to its announcement, a leak revealed that the chipset will power the yet-to-be-announced Redmi 9. As it turns out, the processor will be appearing first in the Realme C3 scheduled to launch in a few days while there is still no official news of the Redmi 9.
The official Realme Twitter account has also confirmed that the Realme C3 will have a primary 12MP rear camera paired with a 2MP portrait lens. We do not know the manufacturer of the main camera but we know its aperture size is F1.8 while that of the second camera is F2.4. The Realme C2 launched with a 13MP F2.2 + 2MP F2.4 dual camera. The Realme C3 should be able to take brighter photos since it has a larger aperture size.
Other confirmed features of the Realme C3 include a 6.5” Mini-drop Fullscreen and a 5000mAh battery capacity.
The ROG Phone II was announced last September in India. The phone is the second gaming smartphone from ASUS’s ROG gaming line. Today, the official Twitter account for ASUS ROG India announced that there will be a temporary shortage of the phone.
ASUS informed its fans through an open letter that the ROG II will face temporary shortages due to the “disruption in the supply chain caused by the prevailing situation in Asia”. While not stated, the cause for the disruption is the recent outbreak of the coronavirus which has caused factories to suspend work.
The open letter goes on to say that work is underway to make sure that the device is available soon. As at the time of writing, the ROG Phone II is still available for purchase on Flipkart
The ROG Phone II has a 6.59-inch 2340 x 1080 display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 855+ processor and comes with 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. There is a 48MP + 13MP dual-camera setup on the back of the phone while a 24MP camera is in front for selfies and video calls.
The phone has DTS:X stereo speakers, an audio jack, aptX HD audio, and Bluetooth 5.0. It has a USB 3.1 port for charging at the bottom while a second one is on the side for connecting peripherals and also for charging. It also has touch-sensitive trigger buttons built-in to the right side of the frame.
The ROG Phone II tops up its impressive specs with a massive 6000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charge and 10W reverse charging.
Huawei just launched the Nova 7i: it is not a completely new device but it is just a rebranded version of the Huawei Nova 6 SE for markets outside of China. So you would get exactly the same specifications which you can consider midrange-class. But given that many people outside of China did not care about the Nova 6 SE since it was not for their market, we decided to compare it with other trending mid-rangers in order to give you a satisfying idea of what this handset is able to offer. We think there is nothing better than Redmi K30 and Realme X2 for such a specs comparison.
Huawei Nova 7i vs Xiaomi Redmi K30 vs Oppo Realme X2
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
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4
32 MP f/2.0 front camera
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4, f/2.4 and f/2.4
16 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging 27W
4000 mAh, fast charging 30W
4200 mAh, fast charging 40W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Hybrid Dual SIM slot
Dual SIM slot
Design
I consider Redmi K30 as the most impressive device in terms of aesthetics for a simple reason: the materials used. Redmi K30 is the only one to come with both a glass back (protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 just like the display) and an aluminum frame. Realme X2 has a glass back as well, but it sports a plastic frame, while Huawei Nova 7i has a full plastic design, despite it has a very nice look due to its single punch hole and its modest dimensions. Naturally, your personal tastes will play an important role in this kind of decision.
Display
On the display side, it is a close fight between Redmi K30 and Realme X2. The former comes with an LCD panel that is not a trending technology, but it boasts a very high 120 Hz refresh rate and even the HDR10 technology. The latter has a pleasing AMOLED display which even comes with an in-display fingerprint reader, unlike Redmi K30 and Huawei Nova 7i. Do you prefer a higher refresh rate delivering a smoother user experience or an AMOLED panel and an under-display biometric sensor?
Specs & Software
The Snapdragon 730G chipset that you can find on the Redmi K30 and Realme X2 is definitely a more interesting SoC than the Kirin 810, despite Kirin 810 is built with a better production process. Indeed, it comes with very high graphics performance, you have more option for modding and even an amazing CPU. Both Redmi K30 and Realme X2 sport up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage, so what makes the difference is the software. MIUI is currently more advanced than the ColorOS found on the Realme X2, but the phone will soon update to Realme UI and its software department will improve a lot. But for now, Redmi K30 takes the crown.
Camera
It is a very close fight between Realme X2 and Redmi K30 even when it comes to cameras. They have essentially the same quad camera on the rear side, both better than Huawei Nova 7i on the paper. But their front cameras are different: the Redmi K30 has a dual front camera including a depth sensor, while Realme X2 has a single 32 MP sensor (better than the 20 MP one found on the Redmi K30) but it lacks a depth sensor.
Battery
Redmi K30 has the biggest battery: with 4500 mAh it should last more than Huawei Nova 7i and Realme X2. The Realme X2 has just 4000 mAh but it charges faster thanks to a 30W charging technology. Huawei Nova 7i sits in the middle in terms of battery capacity, but it has the fastest charging technology with 40W, and that is why it wins the battery comparison.
Price
Huawei Nova 7i debuted with a €300 price tag, Realme X2 starts from €300 globally ($254 in China) and Redmi K30 starts from €255 in China (we learned it will launch globally as the Poco X2). At the end of the day, Redmi K30 is more interesting due to its bigger battery, 120 Hz display, good software, and more. But Realme X2 is not so far with its AMOLED panel, same hardware, good cameras and an upcoming software update which will add interesting improvements.
01-February Update: The update has bricked some devices in the last couple of days. In the wake of such reports, Realme has removed the download page and is further investigating the issue. As a precautionary measure, we have removed the download links and request users to wait for the official OTA.
Realme is working to bring the recently unveiled Realme UI to most of its devices. The users who are fed up with the gradual rollout of Realme UI across various Realme smartphones can now manually upgrade. Yesterday, Realme CEO Madhav Seth took to Twitter to make a formal announcement about the update.
The unusual wait for Realme UI has ended with the availability of the manual OTA files from Realme. The user can easily sideload the Android 10 based OTA update by downloading them on their smartphones. Both the Realme XT and Realme 3 Pro users can now manually update to Android 10.
There are many new features that have been a part of the Realme UI. It is more like an Android-based device than iOS. It is more like Stock Android experience rather than the iOS. However, the Realme UI is much lighter than the MIUI and offers a neat and clean experience.
Features of Realme UI
Improved Typography and Refined UI – Realme UI is more refined and minimal skin in comparison with the MIUI. The system offers round shaped icons, fewer animations, and more intuitiveness.
More customization – The user can choose custom icon styles – material, Pebble or Default. There’s also an ability to tweak a lot of system-based features. Several new static and live wallpapers are part of the new Realme UI.
New Gestures – The Realme UI engrossed some features from OxygenOS, some from EMUI and others from stock Android. The new system offers double tap to lock, optimized three-finger screenshot and additional Android 10 gestures.
Improved Camera UI – The new camera UI has been tweaked slightly for ease of accessibility to features. Simple swipes in either direction can switch modes.
Enhanced Security, Audio and Communication – Realme UI also supports file sharing between Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. The presence of Dual Mode Music makes it connect with Bluetooth and wired earphones.
Focus Mode – It also adds the new Focus Mode as the Zen Mode in OnePlus smartphones.
Riding Mode – Bikers would love the new Riding Mode along with the existing Smart Driving Mode. In Riding Mode, the phone mutes all alerts except for incoming calls. There are various other changes that Riding Mode makes for the riders.
Dark Mode – As like the native Android 10, Realme UI has received the global Dark Mode support.
Apart from these, there are a ton of other changes for Realme UI.
Manually Update Realme UI on Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT
It’s quite an easy process to install the Realme UI update manually.
Note: The update has bricked some devices in the last couple of days. In the wake of such reports, Realme has removed the download page and is further investigating the issue. As a precautionary measure, we have removed the download links and request users to wait for the official OTA.
Prerequisites
Realme 3 Pro / Realme XT are only compatible devices right now.
The battery should be at least up to considerable levels.
Download the respective Realme UI update file.
Realme 3 Pro Update file
Realme XT Update file
Steps to update Realme 3 Pro and Realme XT
Download the respective update file from the above links.
Now, move the file from the computer to your device.
Open the File Manager App on your phone and navigate to download location.
Now, tap on the Realme UI update file and install it.
Your device will automatically boot into recovery and will install the update.
Your phone will automatically reboot into Android 10 based on Realme UI after a successful installation.
Enjoy!
This is the little procedure to install the Realme UI on Realme XT and Realme 3 Pro devices. If you get any problem, then let us know via the comments below.
Three of the major market research firms Counterpoint, Canalys and Strategy Analytics (SA) have all published their report showing the shipping estimates of the major smartphone companies. The data all seem to correspond with each other and shows Samsung retained its position as the number one brand in terms of smartphone shipment for the whole of 2019.
Huawei maintained its 2018 record by staying ahead of Apple to become the world’s second best selling smartphone manufacturer in 2019. This is especially surprising considering that the brand has been grappling with an obnoxious ban by the US government hinged on security concerns. Huawei shipped an estimated 240 million mobile phones, a tad higher than its entire shipment in 2018. On the other hand, Apple managed to corner 200 million units, representing a slight drop in shipment.
Xiaomi emerged as the fourth largest phone maker in 2019 with shipments estimated at 125 million. The figure is slightly higher than the company’s feat in 2018. Oppo rounded out the list of the top five manufacturers.
Despite individual gains, all three reports reveal that the industry experienced a slump with fewer phones sold in 2019 than in 2018. Counterpoint Research notes that this is the first time the smartphone market has ever declined for two years in a row. With the US’s trade wars still ongoing, and China’s coronavirus scare having potential implications for supply chains, 2020 could be another challenging year.
Samsung has been pretty generous with leaks regarding the Galaxy S20 series that is expected to go official on February 11. Almost everything is practically known about the series and more still keep coming. The latest is a photo of the three Galaxy S20 models lying side by side.
The image which is said to be making the rounds on Twitter shows the rear aspect of all three Galaxy S20 models. Even though the rear cameras were blurred in this image, we can make out the fact that the three models will differ slightly in sizes. Also, we also get to see how much of a camera bump the Galaxy S20 models would have.
The series is made up of the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. Samsung will be confirming the pricing of the S20 models at the launch event on Feb. 11. Rumors have it that the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G will be costing $1,300. In the Europe, the Galaxy S20 4G will cost 899 euros and its 5G variant could be priced at 999 euros. The S20+ 5G may cost 1,099 euros. The South Korean company is also rumored to debut the Galaxy Z Flip at the same event. The clamshell Galaxy Z Flip which is the second phone from the company to sport a flexible screen is expected to be priced at $1,500 in the U.S.
Xiaomi’s ecological chain company Yuemi Technology has gained a solid reputation as a manufacturer of mechanical keyboards. Since the first mechanical keyboard was introduced in 2016, it has launched several other models, including the Yuemi mechanical keyboard Cherry version, the Yuemi mechanical keyboard Pro, Yuemi mechanical keyboard 104-key keyboard products with prices ranging from 329 yuan-699 yuan.
The brand has now expanded its product category form just PC peripherals with the launch of a new single-axis Stabilizing Gimbal. The device allows a single-click stable recording of mobile phone videos. It is also dual-use, having a bracket for holding the phone in addition to the stabilizer.
The Yuemi single-axis stabilizer uses a 32-bit ARM processor, is equipped with a 6-axis acceleration gyro sensor, a flight control stabilization algorithm, and a dedicated brushless motor magnetic force sensor. The powerful movement gyroscope, combined with high-precision motor control and advanced camera-stabilization algorithm, can improve the shake and shake of mobile phones in real-time.
The handle can be extended up to a distance of 420 ± 10mm, and the stretching distance of the mobile phone clip is up to 11mm. When it is folded, it is only 190mm long and has a net weight of 229g, making it easy to carry around.
Further, Yuemi single-axis stabilizer gimbal supports 180° automatic horizontal lock, 360° horizontal and vertical screen switching. You don’t require an app to control the device. There is a remote control which can pair with a smartphone via Bluetooth and can be used to control the gadget remotely.
The device crams a built-in 450mAh capacity battery which meets your daily beauty shooting needs. When the stabilizer is out of power, you can use your hand to turn the stabilizer to use it as an ordinary selfie stick.
Pricing details and availability were not disclosed.
Sports brand Puma and watchmaker Fossil first teamed up in September 2019 to launch the Puma PT9100 smartwatch. The smartwatch has now been launched in India just four months after its initial debut.
The new smartwatch features a classic design similar to the Galaxy Watch series. It features a 1.19-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixel. The watch is encased in a casing that is 44mm in diameter and has a digital crown just like a mechanical wristwatch. Some of the features include a heart rate monitor, NFC, water-resistance up to 5ATM and all the standard fitness tracking modes you’d find on other smartwatches.
The Puma smartwatch runs on the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset paired with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. Battery life is rated at 24 hours of endurance with constant GPS usage. It runs Google WearOS. The Wear OS interface can be operated via the touch screen or through the digital crown. The watch syncs over Bluetooth 4.2 and is compatible with any iOS 9.3+ and Android OS 4.4+ phones.
As for the price, the Puma PT9100 is on offer for Rs 19,995 (~$280). The watch is available in black, yellow and white colours.
The countdown is already on towards the February 4 launch of the Poco X2. POCO India has been consistent in releasing teasers of the upcoming device which will be the brand’s first model since it went solo. The tech giant has released yet another teaser video on its official Twitter handle.
The teaser basically erases any doubt that the upcoming model is a rebadged Redmi K30. The video shows what looks very much like the Redmi K30 purple variant. The video lived up to its billing as a teaser since it didn’t allow us to have a focused look at the design., However, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor which doubles as the power button. The rear camera arrangement is also similar to what the K30 utilised.
This discovery really shouldn’t hit anyone as a surprise. The cues have been everywhere this past few days. Even though we have seen the signs, some still wish they were untrue. The Poco X2 is coming two years after the company first launched the Poco F1. So, we had expected an upgrade. That befitting upgraded model may still be in the works.
It is no longer news that Motorola plans to announce a phone with a stylus. The device which will launch as the Moto G Stylus has been in the news a lot lately. Now a new leak reveals the full spec sheet as well as features of the stylus and a render of the device.
The Moto G Stylus will have a 6.36-inch 2300 x 1080 display with a hole in the top left corner for the selfie camera. There will be a Snapdragon 665 processor inside and it will be paired with 64GB or 128GB of storage. There is no mention of storage expansion but XDA Developers reports that the phone will come in single SIM and dual-SIM variants
With respect to cameras, it turns out the Moto G Stylus has three sensors on its back and not four. We erroneously reported it has four cameras but on closer inspection, the fourth hole actually houses a laser focus system and not a sensor.
The primary camera is a 48MP f/1.7 Samsung S5KGM1 camera and it is paired with a 16MP f/2.2 117° wide-angle “Action Cam”. The wide-angle camera is the same one that debuted on the Motorola One Action. The camera allows users to record wide-angle videos even though the phone is held in portrait mode. The third sensor is a 2MP f/2.2 macro camera. Motorola has put a 25MP f/2.0 camera in front for selfies.
The Moto G Stylus has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and packs a 4000mAh battery. While we expect it to have support for at least 15W fast charge, it is said that the FCC filing for the device says it supports just 10W fast charge.
The phone will have NFC in some regions while other regions will miss out on the feature. What is consistent across all markets is that it will run Android 10 out of the box.
The phone will have four regional variants – North America, Latin America, China, and an international variant.
The source also mentions some software features of the phone. The Moto G Stylus will have an app that can be configured to launch an app or shortcut when the stylus is removed from its slot. There is also a feature called “Moto Note” whose function doesn’t need to be explained. However, it has been revealed that users will be able to erase with a finger while using the stylus. They will also be able to add a watermark with a date on written notes.
This app will also record the time and location you removed the stylus and send you a notification if the stylus has not been reinserted after a certain duration. This way, you can keep track of the location of the stylus.
A render of the phone’s bottom shows the stylus is positioned at the bottom right corner of the phone. There is an audio jack to the far left while a USB Type-C port sits in the middle and a speaker grill flanks it on the right.
The launch date for the Moto G Stylus is still unknown.
Lenovo-owned Motorola has announced that the Moto G-series has sold up to 100 million units since inception. This was revealed by the company on Thursday. To mark the milestone, the US company is on a discount spree which will see customers purchase selected Moto models at pocket-friendly prices. The models include the Moto G7 series, Moto Z3 Play, Moto Z4, Motorola One Zoom, and Motorola One Action.
The most spectacular offer is that of a free smartphone with each purchase of select models. In this regard, customers who opt for the Moto G7, Moto G7 Power, Motorola One Action, Motorola One Zoom or Moto Z4 will get a 32GB Deep Indigo Moto G6 or Moto G6 Play free of charge. Regardless of the free phone offer, all the models listed above are also available at jaw-dropping price tags.
In addition, Motorola is offering a BOGO deal for customers who specifically choose to buy a Moto G6 or Moto G6 Play. Here are the listed price tags.
Moto G7 – $200 ($100 off)
Moto G7 Power – $180 ($70 off)
Moto G7 Play – $130 ($70 off)
Moto Z3 Play – $230 (up to $320 off + two Moto style shells)
Motorola One Action – $250 ($100 off)
Motorola One Zoom – $350 ($100 off)
Moto E6 – $100 ($50 off)
Moto Z4 – $400 ($100 off + Moto 360 camera mod or Polaroid Insta-Share Printer)
Moto G6 – $150 ($170 off)
Furthermore, military personnel that are on active service including veterans, retired officers, and reservist personnel are eligible to receive a further 10% military discount. This also applies to students who are interested in any of the models in this discount promo.
Despite Apple’s protest, the European Parliament voted strongly in favour of adopting a common charger. The resolution received massive support of 582-40. The parliament enjoined the European Commission to adopt new rules by July that would eliminate the need for buyers to get a new charger with each new device.
The EU had, a decade ago, enacted a policy that enjoined major phone makers (including Apple) to voluntarily move towards a common standard. That has not happened and the members of the EU parliament believe that it was due to the voluntary approach so, saw a need to pass new legislation.
The resolution extols wireless chargers as a way to reduce electronic waste but notes that the rules written by the Commission should ensure that chargers can work with various phone brands.
Apple had earlier released a response while the legislative process was in motion. The company argued against a common charger saying that it will stifle innovation and inadvertently create e-waste as existing Lightning chargers and cables are swapped out for USB-C, the preferred common standard. However, the argument seems not to have had any effect on the resolution. This may be because Apple is sort of a lone ranger. Other OEMs have mostly migrated their flagship and upper midrange models to USB-C ports.
A research by Sustainably SMART had earlier shown that most of the e-waste is generated by the charging brick, not the cable. They recommended that the inclusion of a charger in the retail packaging for smartphones should be banned or disincentivized. Buyers will then have to use their old chargers instead.
This would have formed part of the resolution but there is no unified charging standard. some phones ship with 40/60W fast charging technology and would definitely charge slower when connected to a USB PD adapter. The same thing applies to wireless charging technology. However, new legislation may hit the charging brick especially as the move is aimed at reducing e-waste. The resolution notes that in 2016 the global average was 6kg of e-waste per person per year while the average for EU citizens was 16.6kg. It also calls for increased volumes of collection and recycling of old cables and chargers.
After a slight upsurge during the third quarter of 2019, overall tablet sales have once more declined in the final quarter of 2019. As per the most recent IDC report, the tablet sales decline is somewhere around 0.6% year over year as a total of 43.5 million units were shipped during the October-December period.
Unsurprisingly, Apple is as yet the runaway leader as it figured out how to sell an estimated 15.9 million units in Q4 2019. The US company is the only brand which recorded an increase in shipment YoY. Samsung with 7 million and Huawei with 4 million round up the top three. Amazon saw a precarious decay of 29% contrasted with Q4 2018 with simply 3.3 million shipments this time around while Lenovo sits in the fifth spot with its 2.5 million sales.
For the entire 2019, the tablet shipment shrank by 1.5% as worldwide shipments totalled 144.1 million units. Apple sold the most tablets with 49.9 million, more than twofold of runner up Samsung which oversaw 21.7 million units. Huawei sits at third with 14.1 million shipments, trailed by Amazon with 13 million and Lenovo with 8.5 million shipments. Apple (+15.2%) and Amazon (+9.9%) were the main two merchants to see deals development in 2019
HMD Global Oy is prepping up a launch event holding pretty soon. The company behind the Nokia brand has started sending out invites to an event that would be held during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona Spain. The event will hold on February 23 at 4.30 PM local time. Registration for the event will commence half an hour earlier.
The invitation didn’t reveal any detail on the product that the company will be unveiling but there have been talks of a new true Nokia flagship in the works. The device is said to come later in the year. The device might spring up a surprise by featuring the world’s first under-display camera. We won’t get our hopes too high on that one as Xiaomi’s VP LU Weibing and OPPO’s head had earlier adduced reasons why the innovation is not feasible right now.
In terms of models expected, Nokia is likely to go official with the Nokia 8.2 packing a mid-range Snapdragon 765 SoC as well as 5G connectivity. The chipset will team up with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device is expected to also sport a pop-up selfie camera and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It may likely adopt a price tag under €500.
In addition, HMD may also announce the Nokia 5.2 and Nokia 1.3. The Nokia 5.2 will pack a 6.2-inch LCD notch display and be powered by a Snapdragon 632 SoC with dual rear cameras. The device will come in 3/4GB of RAM, 32/64GB of storage options. The Nokia 5.2 would likely sell for around €169.
On the other hand, the Nokia 1.3 will be a cheap device priced around €79. The device will feature a 6-inch LCD screen and will be powered by a MediaTek chipset. Other features are basically entry-level such as 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and Android 10 (Go Edition) on board. The others should all be part of the Android One program and run the full version of Android 10 out of the box.
Nokia may also announce the Android feature phone – Nokia 400 – that it is rumoured to have got in the works as well as a fitness tracker. We can’t say if the company may also showcase the Nokia 9.2 Pureview at the event.
Samsung‘s Galaxy A-series is presently its top-selling series, thanks to the dynamism which the Korean giant introduced last year. The Galaxy A51 was one of the models released late last year. The brand is about getting a 5G variant as was seen in a recent GeekBench listing.
The Galaxy A51 appeared with the model number SM-A516N. The benchmark database also contained some of the key specifications of the device. These include an Exynos 980 System-on-Chip (SoC), 6GB RAM, and Android 10 operating system which will definitely get a touch of Samsung’s custom OneUI.
Of course, you won’t get a lot of details of the Galaxy A51 5G from Geekbench but previous rumours point to the presence of 128GB storage on the base model. The device is expected to be launched in South Korea in no distant time. Before that’ll happen, we expect more details of the Galaxy A51 5G to emerge online as time goes on.
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