iQOO Pro, iQOO Neo and iQOO Lite monikers trademarked in India

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Jan 22, 2020

Earlier today (22nd January 2020), Huawei officially announced that the Mate X, the company’s foldable smartphone, will start the public trial for EMUI 10 through an Open Beta.

For those that wish to participate in the beta program, go to the “Services” app and search for early adopters update to upgrade to the beta build for EMUI 10. Furthermore, you also have to have the latest version update of the Services app to opt in for the program, so make sure you have the latest version.

Note: Open Beta program is an unstable and unpolished version of the future Android 10 based EMUI 10 custom skin. So, a participating user is likely to find bugs and glitches when using the new unfinished software. Make sure to backup important data if you still wish to follow through.

Previously, Huawei had announced that the EMUI 10 update roadmap for the month of February and March of this year. The models which are scheduled to receive the new update in mid or late February include Nova 5, Nova 5i Pro, Nova 5z and Honor 20S. Furthermore, the smartphones that will receive the rollout for EMUI 10 in early March 2020 are the Nova 5i, Huawei Enjoy 10S, and Honor 20 Youth Edition.

Huawei’s Mate X is the Chinese tech giant and smartphone manufacturer’s first foldable smartphone. It was released in November of 2019 and features an 8 inch flexible OLED display and houses the Kirin 980 SoC from the company’s subsidiary, HiSilicon. It is powered by a large 4,500mAh battery and houses a quad camera setup on the rear.

(Via)

BOE OLED panel capacity more than 200% in 2020

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Jan 22, 2020

BOE, a renowned smartphone display manufacturer, is the largest LCD panel supplier in the world but has plans to cease further investments in the area. As the popularity of OLED displays grows, even more, the company is planning on increasing its production capacity for the same.

LCD panels prices have been plummeting as even more smartphone manufacturers adopt the OLED panel. In South Korea, China and Taiwan, the production of the display technology has been ceased effectively. This, in turn, will see BOE suffer from heavy losses due to lack of orders or oversupply. Currently, smartphones with OLED displays are more popular in mid to premium grade handsets, with even entry level devices expected to soon adopt the technology as well.

BOE display technology — Flexible OLED Display from BOE

Thus, BOE is launching the OLED production lines this year which will essentially boost its manufacturing capacity by more than 200 percent. Recently, the company has heavily invested in three OLED production lines in China. The first is in Chengdu which is also the first flexible AMOLED production line within China. It will produce the sixth generation of AMOLED displays and will reach a full production capacity of manufacturing 48,000 units every month.

The second is in Sichuan and will start shipping AMOLED display units by July 2020 and is currently raising production capacity. The third facility is in Chongqing, which had a massive 46.5 billion Yuan investment and will be completed later this year. The production capacity of this is also expected to reach 48,000 units per month volume.

BOE's iPhone X-like OLED panel — BOE’s Apple iPhone X-like OLED panel (Reference: Screenshot of China Daily’s YouTube)

According to BOE, the production capacity of its new OLED panels will be around 70 million units in 2020. Out of this number, about 20 million are said to be flexible OLED displays. This number will reportedly bump up the company’s global market share in the field to 18 percent. Notable clients of BOE OLED displays include Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and more. Even Apple is said to be considering the supply of OLED displays for its 2020 lineup of iPhones as the company already supplies LCD panels for its iPads and Macbooks.

(Via)

Apple approaches TSMC to bump A13 chipset production to meet high demands for iPhone 11: Report

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Jan 22, 2020

Reportedly, Apple has reached out to TSMC to increase the production of its A13 processor as the demand for the iPhone 11 was higher than previously predicted. The report arrives after the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro were well received in the Chinese with a healthy sales number.

Bloomberg, a reporting agency, published the news and stated that the iPhone 11 series is “outperforming the market and Apple’s expectations.” In other words, the Cupertino based tech giant has to raise production capacity for its smartphone to keep up with high demands. TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is a major manufacturer of PC and mobile processors. It is also a known brand that supplies Apple’s A13 chipsets used in its iPhone 11 lineup.

Furthermore, another major reason for Apple bumping up the production of its proprietary chipset also ties in with an upcoming affordable iPhone model. It is reported that the device will feature a design similar to that of the iPhone 8 but with the newer and faster A13 processor. Unfortunately, it has yet to be officially confirmed but the iPhone 8 was one of the best selling iPhones in recent years due to its lower price tag, so it is likely to be the case.

Later this year, Apple will also be unveiling its 2020 iPhone lineup which will arrive with the new generation of processor, likely the A14 SoC (systems on a chip). The production for this next generation chipset will start sometime in the second quarter of 2020 and will be on the new 5nm process. The A13 was manufactured on a 7nm process, meaning that the newer iteration should be more powerful and energy efficient.

Analysts have claimed that the iPhone 11 series is performing better than what was originally predicted. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max currently account for about 69 percent of all iPhones sold in the fourth quarter of 2019.

(Via)

Face Masks sold out amidst Virus outbreak, JD.com bans sellers artificially raising prices

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Jan 22, 2020

Amidst the virus outbreak responsible for causing pneumonia, the demand for face masks has risen immensely. It has also led to the face masks being sold out and a few retailers even raising prices for such face masks, prompting JD.com to ban or unlist such abnormal price surges.

For those unaware, China has been hit with a virus outbreak that has been causing pneumonia. The thing that is particularly dangerous about this virus is that it’s a new breed named coronavirus which is currently more difficult to treat in case of infection. Thus, the market has seen an explosive demand for face masks that citizens of the nation are buying for protection.

As of right now, masks are being sold on various e-commerce websites online as well, including Taobao and JD who are also two of the largest online retailers in China. Furthermore, other stores like Minnesota Minding and Manufacturing or 3M said that several varieties of its regular face masks have been sold out as of Tuesday morning (21st January 2020).

On top of this more brands that manufacture and retail face masks have also been seeing a surge in demand and have reported their troubles in keeping a sufficient stock. This has created a scenario with an excess demand and shortage of supply, which in turn has driven up the prices of such masks. These masks can also be bought from third party retailers but are being offered at higher prices.

JD.com is one of the first to address these issues as the company bans raising prices for face masks. Additionally, anyone found offering such masks at abnormally high prices will be removed from its website altogether. The move is being done to guarantee the stability of the pricing of the crucial commodity. The online retailing giant is also working on gaining consistent resources to ensure supply, proper warehousing and distribution control.

(Via: 1,2)

Future OPPO Reno phone likely to feature selfie camera in narrow top bezel, reveals patent filing

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Jan 22, 2020

The Reno series of smartphones were introduced last year. The OPPO Reno lineup includes phones with different display designs such as notch-less screen and pop-up selfie camera, waterdrop notch display and punch-hole screen. The forthcoming OPPO phones may sport a new front. 91mobiles has come across a patent filing that showcases a new display design that features the selfie camera lodged in the narrow top bezel.

According to the publication, the Chinese manufacturer had filed a patent in March 2019, and it was published on Jan. 21. The patent design seems to belong to an upcoming Reno series phone as it features an O-Dot structure on the back. OPPO has claimed that the all the upcoming Reno smartphones will be equipped with O-Dot structure that protects the rear surface and cameras.

The main highlight of the phone’s design that can be seen in the new patent filing shows that its display is surrounded by slim bezels. The display sports a notch-less design as it features a selfie camera at the center of the slim top bezel. The design reminds of the recent flagship phones from Meizu that have very slim top bezel along with the selfie camera. However, none of the Meizu phones have featured the selfie snapper in top-center position.

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The patent images of the OPPO Reno phone further reveal that the power button is placed on the right spine of the device whereas the left side is populated with volume up and down buttons. The rear side of the phone has a green-colored O-Dot structure. Probably, the rear cameras will be placed above the O-Dot in vertical manner.

Editor’s Pick: ZTE top executive reveals he’s a fan of the Oppo Find Series, Excited for Find X2

OPPO has recently launched the OPPO Reno 3 and Reno 3 Pro 5G smartphones in China. It remains to be seen whether the above shown design comes true on the OPPO Reno 4. Chinese firms are known for skipping number 4 in the names of their devices. Hence, forthcoming Reno phones could be called Reno 5.

In related news, OPPO is expected to soon launch a different Reno 3 Pro with dual front-facing cameras in India. YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss recently gave a first look at an OPPO phone with dual punch-hole design. It is said to be equipped with 44-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual selfie camera. Its main lens could be the 43.7-megapixel ISOCELL GH1 lens. There is no word on the other specs and arrival time of the Indian version of OPPO Reno 3 Pro.

US Officials ground Drones fearing Chinese Espionage

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Jan 22, 2020

Following Huawei being caught in the crossfires of the US-China trade disputes, drones have now become another area that is facing scrutiny by the US Government. Allegedly, Drones that are manufactured or belong to Chinese brands could potentially be used to spy in the US, according to Government officials.

Drones have been increasing in popularity in the US and it is not just limited to cinematography or plain entertainment. They can be highly useful in real world scenarios as well. The best example being the volcano eruption in Hawaii back in May 2018, where a drone was used by US scientists to save a man from the lava by asking him to follow the drone to make it out of a jungle.

Examples such as these are indicative of the wide range of application and usefulness unmanned drones bring to the table. However, what about “espionage?” is the question the US Government is asking. With the increasing rivalry between the US and the east, namely China, the western nation is scrutinizing every avenue that the Chinese have a foothold in. One of these is the commercially available drones that are widely sold in the US.

DJI or Da Jiang Innovations Science and Technology Company is one of the market leaders in videography equipment and unmanned drones. Its offerings are used both for entertainment and to access areas for scientific research as well. But the company isn’t alone as even more Chinese drone manufacturers are seeking to enter the US market in the near future. These drones are also seeing an increase in adoption in various Government departments and have become a cause for worry for David Bernhardt, the Head of a Federal agency.

According to Bernhardt, these drones are currently under evaluation and review, which is an effort being made to deem their safety for being used in the nation. Furthermore, during this process, all drones made in China are grounded, as reported by the BBC network. Notably, crucial areas like drones used in fire fighting and to help rescue people are still allowed to fly.

Chinese analysts see US policies that hamper the operations of companies from China as a form of protectionism. In other words, the US is actively against foreign MNCs gaining a large market share within its nation. However, despite all of these allegations and friction, the US and Chinese leaders are well on their way to sign a trade deal to recuperate the ailing relations between the two.

(Via)

Apple iPhone 9 / SE 2 mass production to begin in February ahead of March launch, claims report

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Jan 22, 2020

Cupertino-based telecom giant Apple Inc. is gearing up to launch its latest budget-friendly smartphone this year. The device is likely the much-awaited iPhone SE 2. Some reports have claimed that it could be arriving in the market as the iPhone 9. Apple plans to begin assembly this February, ahead of its 2020 roadmap when it adds a range of 5G-enabled devices to the lineup.

According to a report on Bloomberg, a source close to Apple claims that the company is likely to officially unveil the new device in March. The three Taiwanese firms in charge of the assembly lineup are Wistron Corp., Pegatron Corp., and Hon Hai Precision Industry. The iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9 will be the second low-cost iPhone following the first-generation iPhone SE from 2016 that based on the iPhone 6S. The smartphone is rumored to be based on the iPhone 8, which is currently priced at $499.

Editor’s Pick: Apple drops data encryption on the FBI’s request

Everything We Know So Far About the iPhone 9 / iPhone SE 2

The demand for compact smartphones has increased recently, with the iPhone XR being well-received globally. Hence, Apple could be planning to launch a low-cost iPhone 9 / iPhone SE 2 smartphone. According to leaked renders that were shared by OnLeaks in the recent past, the iPhone SE 2 sports a 4.7-inch display with a thick bezel on top and an equally thick chin. Apple might do away with the more expensive XDR OLED Retina display in favor of a Liquid Retina LCD display to keep costs down.

The iPhone SE 2 sports an aspect ratio of 16:9, along with a physical fingerprint scanner on the chin. The device likely lacks Face ID. While the power button is located on the right edge, the volume rocker and alert slider are found on the left edge. The lightning port is located between two speakers grills on the bottom.

The frosted glass rear panel is similar to the one on the iPhone 8. The device sports a single camera with an LED flash on the top left corner, with the iconic Apple logo located in the center.

Powering the iPhone SE 2 is the Apple A13 Bionic chipset found on the latest iPhone 11 series. The device is likely to feature 3GB of RAM with 64GB/128GB of native storage, run on iOS 13 and sport a price tag of $399. Rumors of a second variant with a larger 5.5-inch or 6.1-inch display sporting a price tag of $499 are also doing the rounds on the internet. This phone might be called iPhone 9 Plus. There is no official word from Apple or any of its partner firms in-charge of assembly.

Affordable iPhones have proven to be quite popular with customers. Perhaps the best example of which is the iPhone 11, whose base price starts at $50 lower than Apple’s usual pricing. Keeping this steady rise in demand in mind, Apple has asked its semiconductor supplier to make more chips this quarter. iPhone sales have been dwindling in price-sensitive markets like India. The company plans to sell over 200 million units in 2020, and the iPhone SE 2 will play a major role in achieving the target.

Apple drops data encryption on the FBI’s request

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Jan 22, 2020

According to a recent post on Reuters, Apple dropped plans to allow users to fully encrypt data on its iCloud services after the FBI warned such a move would hamper investigations. Quoting six sources familiar with the issue, the Reuters report highlights the extent to which Apple is willing to aid the US law enforcement agencies, despite facing the flak of the government in high-profile legal disputes in the recent past.

Apple’s compliance with the FBI’s demand surfaces two years after the talks formally commenced. Data encryption would have made it impossible for Apple to access user information stored on its iCloud servers even if law enforcement agencies sent a legal request. This is when the FBI sent in a stern warning saying such a step would negatively affect the organization’s ability to gather proof in cases where the perpetrator used an iPhone.

Around two years back, in an effort to block hackers, Apple informed the FBI about its plans to offer users end-to-end encryption when storing iPhone data on iCloud. As part of the plan, the company would no longer have the ability to access user data even under court order. Representatives of the FBI’s cybercrime wing soon objected to the plan arguing that it would open up a whole new level of difficulties gathering proof against suspects using an iPhone.

Editor’s Pick: Apple might just make a touchscreen MacBook

Apple dropped the effort soon after, along with the 10 key people involved in developing advanced encryption technology, codenamed Plesio and KeyDrop, a year later. A former Apple employee anonymously claimed, “The effort was dropped due to mounting legal pressures for reasons you can imagine”. However, it is unclear what role the FBI played in the matter.

The news will not go down well with Apple users, as the reversal clearly contradicts the company’s policy of preserving user data. However, it is easy to understand why Apple would not like to poke the bear, read US government, any longer following the long legal battle against law enforcement agencies back in 2016.

There is a silver lining to this, as pointed out by cybersecurity and privacy attorney Leeza Garber. “This decision does not hurt user information directly, as customers can still monitor what data gets uploaded to iCloud”. Physical data stored on the iPhone cannot be accessed remotely. Hence, users need to be more careful about what information they want to be stored on the cloud.

“While major corporations like Apple and Google are doing their best to preserve user data. This is a great opportunity for users to consider what we choose to store online. In the end, we need to take greater responsibility for our actions and decisions. Understanding privacy settings, backup choices, and digital security measures is a priority. We need to consider alternative backup options. While iCloud is easy to access, it has its fair share of flaws. Users could effectively use a 3TB hard drive stored in a safe for privacy” Garber adds.

Huawei founder predicts U.S will take more actions against them, claims Huawei is a “pro-U.S.” company

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Jan 22, 2020

Founder of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei, claimed at Davos that he suspects the U.S. will take more actions against the company while Huawei continues to survive. “We got the experience now,” he said during a session at the Winter Davos. “We have poured hundreds of billions of money into our Plan B, and that’s why we can withstand the first wave of U.S. attack.”

The comments by Huawei chief executive and founder Ren Zhengfei to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos come amid a bitter court fight in Canada over a US demand to extradite Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who is his eldest daughter. Huawei has also been banned from working with American firms on the grounds that it poses a national security threat – an accusation the company has consistently denied.

In response to the U.S. attacks, Huawei disclosed some “Plan B” products that can be used to replace U.S. parts, including Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), a replacement of its Google counterpart. Huawei also started porting its IoT operating system “Harmony” to smartphones.

Ren also stressed that Huawei is a “pro-U.S.” company that hired tens of U.S. consulting firms to teach Huawei how to manage a big company. “The U.S. should be proud that their experience on management brought development to other places,” he said.

Ren also discussed aspects of the concurrent AI race, telling us that the fear of AI will fade away, comparing it to the fear of nuclear energy. “I was born around the time of Hiroshima, and I saw people around me being afraid of nuclear bombs,” he said. “But eventually nuclear power plants and the use of radiation in hospitals have benefited so many people. The same can be true for AI,” Ren stressed.

He also weighs in about the current fear of a split between the tech world due to the ongoing problems between the US and China. “In my opinion, the Chinese government has not even started to think about the consequences of AI development,” he told Davos.

According to Ren, the U.S. is overthinking about China’s sci-tech power. “China’s education is still trying to train engineers instead of scientists, which means China does not have enough basic science research power to compete with the U.S.,” he explained. “There is only one truth. That’s why the tech world will not split,” he said. “Whoever gets the truth will share it with everyone else.”

iQOO phone with SD865 likely to arrive in India soon, Monster Inside lighting and design cancelled

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Jan 22, 2020

Last year, Vivo had introduced iQOO sub-brand in China by launching the Vivo iQOO phone in April. It was previously believed that the iQOO brand will include gaming-centric phones that will take on the likes of Xiaomi Black Shark, ASUS ROG and Nubia Red Magic. However, iQOO phones that were unveiled last year all featured flagship chipsets and they were made available at affordable pricing. Hence, the iQOO brand is all about selling performance focused phones with some gaming capabilities. A recent report had claimed that iQOO brand will be introduced in India in March. Today, another report courtesy of India Tech Today has revealed that the first iQOO phone for India will be powered by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.

The new report claims that India will be receiving the new iQOO phone soon. However, the name of the device is not known yet and the only thing known about it is that it has Snapdragon 865 onboard.

The first iQOO phone that was unveiled last year had a top variant called Monster Inside Edition. It had a sportier appeal with halo lights. However, a Chinese tipster has claimed that iQOO is no longer a gaming-focused brand. The company has cancelled the Monster Inside lighting and design an engineering machine of the next generation iQOO. He could be talking about the pre-production unit of the upcoming iQOO 3.

Rumors have revealed that the upcoming iQOO 3 for China will be the company’s first phone with Snapdragon 865 mobile platform. The SoC tags along X55 modem which enables support for NSA and SA 5G networks in the home market. The same iQOO phone could be also coming to India. It remains to be seen whether the device arrives with the iQOO 3 moniker or some other name. India is not 5G ready yet. Hence, the phone may arrive in its 4G version in the country. It is advisable to wait for further reports to known about the first iQOO phone for India.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo sends out invite for MWC 2020 event; to show off APEX 2020

Vivo iQOO 3 specifications (Rumored)

Based on the recent reports, it can be said that the Vivo iQOO 3 will be arriving with a punch-hole S-AMOLED display that offers full HD+ resolution, an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. It could be featuring the same display that’s available on the Vivo X30 series, Vivo S5 and Vivo V17 India version.

The Snapdragon 855 powered iQOO 3 will be equipped with a 4,410mAh battery. It seems that the Vivo V1950A that recently passed the 3C certification with 55W charger could be the iQOO 3 smartphone. The device is expected to come with a 48-megapixel quad camera setup on its back.

(source 1, 2)

Google designs an Envelope to encourage using your smartphones less often

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Jan 22, 2020

Google, the search engine giant, has launched three new and experimental apps to encourage one to use their smartphones less. These new apps are a part of the company’s Digital Wellbeing initiative and one of these offers a unique solution which basically involves you putting your handset in an envelope.

The new apps were launched on 21st January 2020 and are made to help people use their smartphones less often. However, the envelope from Google does let users make calls. Unfortunately, the envelope currently only supports Google’s Pixel 3A, for now at least. So for those interested, a Pixel 3A is the only way for one to experience it at the moment.

The app is called Envelope and can be downloaded from Google’s Play Store app. This app will have a PDF attached to it that is supposed to be printed out by the user. Then, cut out the template and build it according to the instructions provided. Once completed, users can put their Pixel 3A devices inside it and are only able to user the number keys for dialing, speed dials and even flashes the numbers on the same to tell the time.

The Envelope follows a design philosophy from Google that allows smartphone users to disconnect. The effort behind it is to silence digital distractions to allow for more focus in a given environment. Google has open sourced the Envelope app on GitHub so interested users do have the option to tinker with how it works, apart from just calling or being able to use the camera.

Furthermore, the way the envelope is built is also significant in this process. Once sealed, users will have to tear open the seal to access their smartphone. Thus, if one does tear open the seal, they will have to make another one from scratch as it is not designed for sealing and reopening, encouraging longer use in this manner.

(Via)

Xiaomi’s XiaoAi adds a pnuemonia coronavirus shortcut card for live info on the epidemic

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Jan 22, 2020

Earlier today, Xiaomi‘s XiaoAi division officially announced that the XiaoAi Shortcut app has added a “Real-Time Pneumonia Epidemic” card. This is obviously in response to the current coronavirus epidemic. Users can view the latest updates regarding the coronavirus epidemic information through the AI key on any Xiaomi smartphone, or by saying “real-time pneumonia epidemic” to the program.

The recent outbreak of a new coronavirus in China has killed nine people and sickened more than 400, and has spread to several other countries. The first case outside of Asia was announced on Tuesday, as federal health officials confirmed that a Washington State man who had recently traveled to China had been hospitalized. It is possibly one of the worst possible epidemics to take place in recent years.

Coronaviruses are named for the spikes that protrude from their membranes, which resemble the sun’s corona. They can infect both animals and people, and cause illnesses of the respiratory tract, ranging from the common cold to severe conditions like SARS, which sickened thousands of people around the world — and killed nearly 800 — during a 2003 outbreak.

It’s good to see that Xiaomi are taking the outbreak seriously and providing users with the relevant information as easily as possible. This quick response and addition will hopefully help Xiaomi users keep up-to-date with the current situation, as well as hopefully keep them safer. Users can also add the a shortcut to the XiaoAi card in the notification bar for quicker access.

WhatsApp beta for Android finally gets Dark Mode

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Jan 22, 2020

One of the most popular instant messaging platform WhatsApp is now finally rolling out the much-requested feature to its Android beta application — Dark Mode. This is the third major application from Facebook to get Dark Mode after the company rolled out similar feature for Messenger and Instagram.

Do note that the Dark Mode feature is rolling out to Android application and that too only for the users who have opted for the beta build. However, we expect the company to roll out dark mode for everyone in the coming weeks, at least for the Android users.

The latest beta version of the app with version number 2.20.13 through Google Play Beta Program comes with the new dark theme. If you are a part of this program, you can easily enable this dark theme by going to WhatsApp settings > Chats > Themes and then select “Dark” option.

Once you enable the Dark theme, the entire interface will be in the darker shade but it is not completely black. The green color remains as it is but the white shifts to dark grey while the fonts change color from white to black.

If you are not a WhatsApp beta tester, you can join the program from the Play Store but it seems that the program for this app is no longer accepting new entries. However, you can try out this latest update by sideloading the WhatsApp Beta APK on your phone.

(Via)

New Chromebooks will get Chrome OS updates and support for 8 years

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Jan 22, 2020

Chromebooks, which started off as devices to help students get more resources in a limited budget, are now getting popular. However, it is no longer limited to budget segment and manufacturers are launching new Chromebooks with premium features.

Google has now announced that it is extending the length of time it plans to support new Chrome OS education devices with security and platform updates. From this year, the company will now offer updates for eight years.

Prior to this, Google had guaranteed to support most devices with at least six years of automatic updates. With additional years of support, the company is also increasing the price of its Chrome Education Upgrade, a one-time license school boards can purchase, from $30 per device to $38 per device.

The company has also confirmed that from now-onwards, latest education devices from Lenovo and Acer — Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet and Acer Chromebook 712 will get automatic updates until June 2028. Other new devices could receive similar support as well, if the company opts for this.

So, not all the new Chrome OS devices will receive updates for eight years from manufacture date and the company has clarified that it is up to the manufacturer to detail exactly how long its devices will receive updates.

Alongside the new devices, Google is also introducing new search features to the Chromebook App Hub which is aimed at making it easier for teachers to find specific programs. It allows educators to narrow down an app search by school subject and availability of Google service integrations.

Xiaomi CFO Chew Shou Zhi details emphasis on Western Europe expansion

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Jan 22, 2020

Xiaomi CFO Chew Shou Zhi recently went on Bloomberg for an interview, and he revealed some quite interesting information. According to Chew, Xiaomi is planning to make a huge push for the 5G market in China in 2020. More interestingly however, he also claims that the Xiaomi‘s plan for 2020 includes a big emphasis on Western Europe due to them gaining plenty of traction there.

Chew claims that the company has made huge strides in Western Europe, becoming the 4th largest smartphone maker there. In Spain, Xiaomi is even the LARG, a solid acheivement. The company’s success doesn’t end at smartphones however as they also conquer a big chunk of Western Europe’s wearable market, being the 2nd largest wearable company there.

Perhaps the biggest surprise when it comes to Western Europe however is that Xiaomi’s Scooters are big sellers. The company’s scooters conquer more than 70% of the market share in many countries in Western Europe, though he doesn’t specify which ones. He also mentions that Xiaomi grew by 90% in Western Europe over 2019, making them one of the top 4 fastest growing companies there.

Chew goes on to talk about how Xiaomi plans to launch 10 5G smartphones in China for 2020, and they’re also planning to bring their 5G product portfolio to their other countries of operation, which includes South-East Asian markets, African markets, Latin American markets, the Indian market and of course, the Western European market. When asked about whether Xiaomi plans to bring 5G devices the US however, Chew remains coy, meaning American Mi Fans will probably have to continue waiting.

Alleged live shots of the Huawei P40 Pro leaked

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 22, 2020

Ahead‏ of the March 2020 launch of the Huawei P40 series, alleged live shots of the Huawei P40 Pro have appeared online. The pictures show the front view of the device but there seems to be a casing at the rear which makes it impossible to see the back design, including the camera design.

From the pictures, we can make out the dual punch-hole design nested at the top left corner of the display panel giving the device a full-screen, notch-less and immersive display screen. The P40 Pro’s front design also includes a curved-edge design.

Even though we don’t have a view of the rear, the rear design has already been confirmed to include a rectangular camera module which now seems to be a growing trend. The design includes a wide rectangular cut out to project the rear camera. The P40 Pro is reported to feature a quad-camera setup which is one sensor more than that of the P30. The camera housing is expected to have a protrusion from the rest of the glass body.

Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Z Flip pricing leaked

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Jan 22, 2020

Recent reports have revealed plenty of information on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones that are scheduled to go official on Feb. 11. The Galaxy S20 series includes Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. The S20 and S20+ phones will come in 4G and 5G variants depending on the market. The Galaxy Z Flip is a clamshell device with a foldable display. Max Weinbach from XDA Developers had recently revealed plenty of information on the specs of the S20 series. Now he is back with the pricing information of the S20 lineup and Z Flip.

Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra pricing (Rumored)

The tipster has revealed that the Galaxy S20 5G will be costing between 900 euros and 1,000 euros. The Galaxy S20+ could be priced between 1,050 euros and 1,100 euros.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G will be priced at 1,300 euros. It is said that the 5G-ready countries will only receive the 5G variant of the S20 series. In countries with 4G, one can expect the S20 models to be cheaper by 100 euros. The Galaxy Z Flip could be priced at 1,400 euros. The tipster has claimed that the pricing could be lower than what he revealed.

Samsung Galaxy S11 series early renders by Benjanim Geskin — Samsung Galaxy S20 series early renders by Benjanim Geskin

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite launched in India for Rs. 38,999 (~$548); Specifications and price

Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy Z Flip specifications (Rumored)

Leaks have revealed that the Galaxy S20 has a 6.2-inch display and the S20+ is fitted with a 6.7-inch display. The more advanced Galaxy S20 Ultra has a bigger 6.9-inch screen. They all have Infinity-O design and carry support for quad HD+ resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio and 120Hz refresh rate. Depending on the market, S20 lineup will come in Exynos 990 SoC or Snapdragon 865 SoC versions. The RAM variants of these phones haven’t been revealed yet.

The S20 and S20+ may come with 128 GB built-in storage and they are going to be equipped with a microSD card slot for more storage. The S20 will have a 4,000mAh battery, S20+ will be featuring a bigger 4,500mAh battery and the Ultra edition will include a behemoth 5,000mAh battery. The One UI 2.0 based Android 10 OS will run on all S20 models.

The S20 and S20+ may have 10-megapixel front cameras whereas the S20 Ultra could be coming with a 40-megapixel front camera. The S20 is expected to arrive with 12-megapixel (main) + 64-megapixel (telephoto) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) triple camera setup. The S20+ will have a quad camera setup featuring the same three camera lenses as S20 along with a 3D ToF lens. The S20 Ultra 5G will have a 108-megapixel (main) + 48-megapixel (telephoto) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide) + ToF quad camera system on its rear. The S20 series be sporting IP68 certified chassis.

The Galaxy Z Flip is rumored to be fitted with a 6.7-inch foldable AMOLED screen with Infinity-O design. The Snapdragon 855 powered phone could be having a 3,300mAh battery inside with 15W fast charging support. The dual camera setup of the phone may include a 12-megapixel primary shooter. It may come with a selfie snapper of 10-megapixel. The phone could be housing a 1-inch secondary display for checking notifications. The device may come with an internal storage of 256 GB.

Realme Buds Air Neo live photos surface online as it passes through certification

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Jan 22, 2020

Realme debuted its Realme Buds Air true wireless earbuds in the Indian market last month, which also made its way to China a few days ago. We recently reported that the company is now working on another variant of the same, named Realme Buds Air Neo.

Now, the upcoming Realme Buds Air Neo have surfaced online through the listing on Taiwanese National Communication Commission (NCC). While it doesn’t reveal much information about the earbuds, it gives us a clear look at the design.

While the Realme Buds Air Neo looks very similar to the Apple AirPods-like design of the Buds Air, there are some minor difference. Firstly, the upcoming Buds Air Neo will come with a microUSB port for charging, unlike the USB Type-C port on its predecessor.

This means that the upcoming Realme Buds Air Neo could be a cheaper variant of the Buds Air TWS earbuds. Although it has the same carry case, we expect the company to drop wireless charging feature to make them more budget-friendly.

When the Buds Air Neo first appeared in a teaser video shared by the company, we expected it to be a premium and upgraded variant with features like active noise cancellation. However, that no longer seems to be the case given that its more of a budget-friendly option.

Since the device has already passed through certification process, we expect Realme to launch this Buds Air Neo in the coming weeks or months.

The recently launched Buds Air from Realme comes with a battery life of 3 hours for continuous playback and up to 17 hours with the charging case. At a price point of ₹3,999, the device comes with several interesting features like the charing case which comes with support for wireless charging and has a Type-C port for wired charging.

You can check out our review of the Realme Buds Air here.

Xiaomi’s poll on which camera manufacturer to partner with shows Hasselblad gets most votes

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