iQOO confirms entry into India; will launch a Snapdragon 865 phone next month

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Jan 23, 2020

Apple’s iPhone 11 series has been one of its most popular lineups in recent years. It includes the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and the Pro Max variant. One of the great features the smartphone lineup provided was a great camera and DxOMark has rated the iPhone 11 with 109 points in its tests.

Initially, DxOMark was a benchmarking platform that tested digital and professional grade cameras, but since the original Google Pixel, have also started testing smartphones as well. In the tests, Apple iPhone 11 scored 109 points overall for its camera which includes both photography and videography. This put the Cupertino based giant’s smartphone right below Xiaomi Mi 9 with 110 points and next to Huawei P20 Pro that scored 109 points as well.

Notably, iPhone 11 beat the previous generation flagship, iPhone XS Max, which scored 106 points. However, the former is beaten by its more expensive variants, the iPhone 11 Pro Max with an overall score of 117. The reason for the noticeable difference has bee n accredited to the lack of a third lens in the iPhone 11, unlike its larger more pricier variant. It scored 112 points in still images with its strength lying in its quick autofocus and great exposure in images.

Unfortunately, it loses out due to its short focal length for portraits and the low zoom quality at medium to long ranges, since it lacks a telephoto lens on the rear. Although it’s ultra wide lens did receive positive remarks. In terms of videography, Apple iPhone 11 scored 101 points, with its exposure being highlighted again alongside great color reproduction and praiseworthy stabilization.

But, the Apple flagship from 2019 suffers from a visible jello effet with when walking and recording and its white balance tends to suffer while indoors, according to DxOMark. All in all, the company stated that “the device is very capable of shooting both stills and video” so it is still one of the best cameras on a smartphone.

(Source)

Huawei postpones its annual Flagship Developer Conference due to Virus Outbreak

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Jan 23, 2020

Huawei has announced that it will be delaying its largest annual developer conference, the HDC.Cloud. The reason cited for the postponement is the new virus outbreak in Wuhan which has caused alarm in China.

According to the event website, HDC.Cloud 2020, which was originally planned to be held in Shenzen from 11th to 12th of February 2020, has been postponed to the 27th – 28th of March 2020. The major event is witnessing more than a month of delay but will still be broadcasted via live webcast. The main reason for the delay is the new virus outbreak which has primarily affected the Wuhan region in China. The Coronavirus is responsible for the outbreak and is known to cause cases of pneumonia in the infected.

Many companies operating in the region have warned their respective employees and citizens residing in the region have been told to exercise caution when moving about in the open. Furthermore, this has even led to face masks being sold out in the Southeast Asian country, which now also suffers from a shortage of the crucial and preventive commodity. Wuhan district is currently under quarantine with 11 million people barred from leaving the region while about 17 people have been confirmed to have perished due to the outbreak.

For those unaware, HDC.Cloud is Huawei Group’s largest annual developer conference, meaning its a flagship event with notable announcements taking place. The Huawei Developer Conference of 2020 is a global event that also sees the presence of foreign developers as well for its Information and Communications field (ICT). The aim of the conference is to build a global platform for communications and has been an annual event for the past 30 years.

Since the situation is Wuhan grows dire, Huawei’s plan on the delay is the right move with global organizations like WHO (World Health Organization) also stepping in to deal with the situation. Although, controlling an entire region filled with 11 million people seems like a Herculean task in itself. Stay tuned for more updates and developments regarding the event.

(Via)

Tencent offers to acquire Funcom Games for $148 million

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Jan 23, 2020

Chinese gaming conglomerate Tencent made an offer to acquire Oslo-based developer Funcom, whose notable titles include the popular “Conan franchise”, “Dune,” and other titles. If accepted, the deal would put Funcom’s value at $148 million and supply the necessary cash flow required to pursue its future endeavors.

Tencent is the largest game developer globally in terms of generated revenue and has stakes in some of the biggest businesses like Riot Games – makers of League of Legends, Epic Games – creators of Fortnight, Supercell – developers of Clash of Clans, and more. Tencent currently owns 29% shares in Funcom through a deal made back in October 2019.

Reports claim Funcom is quite happy about the offer and have urged shareholders to sell their stakes. The company’s shares are traded publicly at the Oslo Stock Exchange at 27.3% higher value than the previous day’s (January 21) closing bid.

According to Rui Casais, Funcom CEO “We have had a great relationship with Tencent in the past being a majority shareholder, and are excited about the turn of events. We plan to continue developing great games that people love spending time on. With Tencent’s expertise, we plan to take gaming to the next level. Tencent brings on board a vast knowledge-base from its successful stint in the world of competitive and casual gaming”.

Editor’s Pick: Companies like Samsung, Corning increase investment in China

This news could not have come at a better time. While Tencent competes with the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony in terms of gaming revenue, rival compatriot ByteDance, the makers of popular short video maker TikTok, is getting ready to make a foray into gaming. This is interesting since Tencent had shown a keen interest in the social media space in the past, especially through WeChat, its messaging app.

While most people download and use multiple apps, spending money on one platform increased dependency on the platform, reducing their chances of spending on a similar app. While ByteDance currently generates revenue by posting content related to Tencent’s gameplay. If Tencent comes up with its own platform, users are likely to switch loyalty. Hence, diminishing generated revenue. It is hardly surprising that both companies have been involved in legal battles in Chinese courts related to unfair competition in the past.

Today Tencent is the biggest gaming companies in the world with a turnover of RMB 28.6 billion (~$4.1 billion) in the last quarter. Mobile games account for RMB 24.3 billion (~$3.51 billion) of the total revenue. Acquiring stakes in rival companies play a major role in generating revenue for Tencent.

Speaking of Funcom, some of its most popular titles include Anarchy Online, Conan: Exiles, and Age of Conan. The studio is currently working on Dune, based on the classic sci-fi novel by Frank Herbert. Tencent does not wish to interfere with Funcom’s future projects, management or employee policies post-acquisition.

In an official statement, Steven Ma, Senior Vice President at Tencent said, “We are impressed with Funcom’s capabilities as an open world, action, multiplayer, and survival game developer. The company has a strong track record for developing new titles with a long lifespan. We are excited about being a part of Funcom’s journey and help them develop more exciting games for the fans to enjoy.”’

Samsung Galaxy M31 receives Bluetooth SIG and Wi-Fi certifications

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Jan 23, 2020

A report from the previous month had revealed that Samsung has started the production of the Galaxy M11 and Galaxy M31 smartphones and these phones will be hitting the Indian markets in February. The Galaxy M31 model numbers have appeared on the database of Bluetooth SIG and Wi-Fi certification authorities. These appearances suggest that the Galaxy M31 may possibly go official in the coming month.

The Galaxy M31 Wi-Fi certification reveals carries its SM-M315F/DS model. The same model number along with its SM-M315F/DSN has been approved by Bluetooth SIG. The WFA listing revealed that the Galaxy M31 is preloaded with Android 10 OS and it carries support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi. The Bluetooth SIG certification has only revealed that the device is equipped with support for Bluetooth 5.0.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite launched in India for Rs. 39,999 (~$560); Specifications and price

Samsung Galaxy M31 Specifications (Rumored)

At present, only minimal details of the Galaxy M31 are known. It is speculated to arrive in 32 GB and 64 GB storage choices. Recently, a leaked image of the rear camera module of the Galaxy M31 was leaked by 91mobiles. The image revealed that the phone will be equipped with a rectangle-shaped camera housing on its back. It will be equipped with as many as four cameras and an LED flash.

samsung-galaxy-m31-camera-module-image — Galaxy M31 camera module leaked shot

The Galaxy M31 has recently appeared on Geekbench benchmarking platform. The listing revealed that it is powered by Exynos 9611 chipset and 6 GB of RAM. The handset is speculated to arrive in three color variants in India such as blue, black and red.

Samsung introduced a behemoth battery of 6,000mAh capacity on the Galaxy M30s. Hence, it is likely that the Galaxy M31 may retain the same battery. Smartphones are known to go official around a month after its appearance on Bluetooth SIG. Hence, if it is going to debut in February, Samsung India may soon begin releasing the teasers of the smartphone.

(via)

Sony Xperia 5 DXOMark score places it on par with the Galaxy Note8 and iPhone 8 Plus

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 23, 2020

Japanese tech giant Sony first unveiled the mid-range Xperia 5 at IFA Berlin in September 2019. The smartphone was later launched in China a few weeks after. The device comes as a mid-range model but packs a triple camera arrangement just like the flagship Xperia 1. The Xperia 5 is said to have an improved camera setup over the Xperia 1 with all three sensors being 12MP sensors. DXOMark has released its review of the Xperia 5 camera and the score isn’t superb.

The overall score of the Xperia 5 is 95 slightly higher than the Xperia 1’s score of 91. In the aspect of photography, it scored 101 and 83 for video. The review noted slight improvements in exposure, textures, artefacts, night, and wide-angle shots with slight declines in colour, autofocus, and zoom. However, DxOMark labels these differences as marginal, stating that both devices are comparable in image quality.

That is in no way saying that the Xperia 5 ranking isn’t impressive. The device, in fact, ranks in the same class as the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in terms of video performance.

One of the limitations noted by DxOMark is that the device comes with a limited dynamic range with highlights easily clipping in high-contrast scenes. Colour rendition could also be improved with a more neutral white balance. The low-light performance, they noted, tends to generate a lot of noise in dimmer edges of the shot. Also, the autofocus wasn’t very fast but was consistent and accurate on the Xperia 5.

In addition, the video performance was also affected by the same limited dynamic range issue, with highlights constantly clipping in bright outdoor footage. There are also some inconsistencies with white balance and unstable autofocus. However, exposure remains accurate and noise is well-controlled with effective stabilization.

(source)

Apple to bring scissor switch keyboards to 2020 iPad lineup: Report

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Jan 23, 2020

In 2019, Apple had switched from its controversial butterfly switch keyboard design and back to the scissor switches that are found in MacBook lineup. Now, the Cupertino based is planning on including the same input technology for its 2020 iPad lineup as well.

According to a new report, Apple’s latest generation of iPad series will feature a scissor switch keyboard. The upcoming iPad lineup is also expected to feature a “glowing” keyboard in the second half of 2020. In other words, iPads will receive a detachable keyboard as seen before in the past, unlike a built in one that is found in the MacBook series.

Apple had initially used the scissor switch keyboard up until 2015 before the infamous move towards the flawed butterfly switch keyboard. These keyboards were known to malfunction easily with elements like dust ruining its functionality quite easily. But with the 16 inch MacBook Pro in 2019, the company made a shift back to the original. The reason cited was that the butterfly switch was more expensive for the company and it wished to save on the cost of production.

The key difference between a traditional scissor type (X shaped) and butterfly type (V shaped) switch is the travel distance. The former has a larger travel distance which makes it easier to clean and a bit sturdier as well. Apple initially made the move to the latter to make its portable PC offerings even thinner and lighter. But we all know how that panned out, with Apple laptops still suffering from heat displacement issues in the long run for productivity.

(Via)

Purported POCO X2 real image and key specs appear; Leak suggests its rebadged Redmi K30 4G

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Jan 23, 2020

POCO is soon expected to unveil new phones in India. Rumors have it that its upcoming phones are POCO F2, POCO F2 Lite and POCO X2. Fresh evidences reveal that have surfaced suggests that the POCO X2 could be the first phone to debut in India. A new report on XDA Developers cites information a Polish website that has carried a leaked photo of the purported POCO X2 phone. Also, the Polish site has revealed some screenshots taken from the device through which its key specifications have been revealed. The fresh leak indicates that Redmi K30 4G that had gone official in China last month will be probably arriving in India as POCO X2.

The real-life image of the purported POCO X2 shows that there is a pill-shaped camera cutout on the display for its dual front-facing cameras. The Redmi K30 4G for China has the same display design. Moreover, the image reveals the POCO X2 name on its About Phone page.

The above shown video showcases the About Phone and All Specs pages of the POCO X2 phone. It has been found the model number of M1912G7BE. This model number along with M1912G7BC belongs to the Redmi K30 4G. Those pages further reveal that it is fueled by an octa-core processor that clocks at 2.2GHz. It seems to be the Snapdragon 730G.

The SoC is coupled with 8 GB of RAM. The native storage of the device is 256 GB. The phone is running on MIUI 11.0.2 (global edition) based Android 10 OS. The leak further reveals that the device is preinstalled with ‘pheonixin’ ROM. The same codename was spotted on Geekbench of the POCO X2 last week. Phoenix is the codename of the Redmi K30 4G phone and inclusion of ‘in’ suffix suggests that the POCO X2 that appeared on Geekbench could be Indian version of the Redmi K30 4G.

Editor’s Pick: POCO GM sheds light on the company’s new plans

The Polish site has further stated that the alleged POCO X2 does not seem to support 120Hz refresh rate. Also, it could not be confirmed whether the phone has NFC support. The purported POCO X2 may not be running on the final build. It remains to be seen whether these features will be available on the final build on the device.

In December, a Redmi phone with model number M1912G7BI had surfaced at the database of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Since the model number is associated with Redmi K30 4G, it was believed India will be receiving it soon. However, recently the M1912G7BI was moved to POCO section at BIS. This suggested that the India could be receiving the Redmi K30 4G as POCO X2. The screenshot shown above has been snapped from POCO’s recent teaser on Twitter. It reveals that the upcoming device from POCO could be indeed called POCO X2. Readers are advised to take the report with a grain of salt and wait for further leaks to know the full specifications of POCO X2.

(source 1, 2)

Apple supplier Wistron is raising iPhone production in India

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Jan 23, 2020

Apple, the smartphone manufacturing giant, had previously started the production of its popular iPhone series in India. It achieved this alongside its known suppliers. Now, Wistron, one of its known suppliers, is bumping up the production capacity of iPhones in India.

Wistron plans on raising the production capacity by running its third and latest manufacturing plant in full capacity. The trial production of the facility started in November 2019 and has been constructed in haste thanks to collaborative efforts with local teams, according to Simon Lin (Chairman of Wistron). The company will also be hiring mid to top level management for the plant from the locals as well.

Currently, Wistron has two plants established in India, which includes its Bengaluru plant that has been producing Apple’s iPhone SE and iPhone 6s models for the Indian market. the newest and third plant that has been set up in India is situated in Naraspura and will also undertake the production of iPhones in India. This is expected to boost the total production capacity of Wistron by a significant margin in the Southeast Asian country which is also the second largest smartphone market in the world, after China.

Furthermore, Apple is also expanding the production of more smartphones in the iPhone lineup for the Indian production facilities with another notable supplier called Foxconn Electronics. It has already been supplying iPhone XR devices in India and is expected to include higher end models and the newer models as well.

(Via)

Xiaomi Mi A3 and Redmi K20 series get price cuts in India

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 23, 2020

The Mi A3 launched in India on August 21, 2019, which is about 5 months ago. It had a starting price of INR 12,999 for the base configuration with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage while the 6GB + 128GB model sold for INR 15,999.

Starting today, Xiaomi will sell the Android One phone for INR 11,999 (~$168) and INR 14,999 (~$210) respectively. You can now pick up the phone at these new prices on Mi.com, Amazon India, and on Flipkart.

Mi fans, your favourite #AndroidOne phone with #48MP Triple Camera now available at a new price: 1⃣1⃣,9⃣9⃣9⃣

Get yours from https://t.co/lzFXOcGyGQ, @amazonIN, @Flipkart and retail stores.

I personally love the AMOLED screen on #MiA3. What's your favourite feature?#Xiaomi ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1eGsf7MZS2

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) January 23, 2020

The Mi A3 is not the only phone that has gotten a permanent price cut in India, Manu Kumar Jain also announced that the Redmi K20 Pro flagship and its sibling, the Redmi K20, also have new price tags.

The 6GB + 128GB Redmi K20 Pro which launched for INR 27,999 (~$393) will now be sold for INR 24,999 (~$350) while the 8GB RAM + 256GB version that had a launch price of INR 30,999 (~$435) will now be sold for INR 27,999 (~$393).

Mi Fans! #RedmiK20Pro – India's No. 1 Premium Smartphone is now available at a mind-blowing new price!🤩

🥊 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
🥊 48MP AI Triple Rear Camera
🥊 Stunning Aura Prime design!

Get the #FlagshipKillers #RedmiK20Pro & #RedmiK20 starting at just ₹19,999 today! pic.twitter.com/wRm9BgpEC6

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) January 23, 2020

The 64GB Redmi K20’s new price is INR 19,999 (~$281), INR 2000 (~$28) off its original price. While the 128GB version gets INR 1000 (~$14) off and will now sell for INR 22,999 (~$323). Just like the Mi A3, you can pick up the Redmi K20 series at these new prices on Mi.com, Amazon India and Flipkart.

The Mi A3 is an Android One mid-range device with a 6.08” AMOLED HD+ screen, a Snapdragon 665 processor, 48MP triple rear cameras, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on both sides, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a 4030mAh battery with 18W fast charge. Xiaomi has promised it will get updated to Android 10 next month.

The Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro both have a 6.39-inch AMOLED FHD+ screen, a 20MP pop-up selfie camera, 48MP triple rear cameras, a 4000mAh battery, liquid cooling, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The Pro version has a Snapdragon 855 processor powering it and supports 27W fast charge while the standard model has a Snapdragon 730 chipset and supports 18W fast charge.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Honor says 100MP cameras are unnecessary, will focus on larger pixel sensors

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Jan 23, 2020

Smartphone cameras have been getting increasingly more advanced with each passing year. Just a couple of years ago, flagship devices featured 16 megapixel cameras as their primary in dual or triple camera module. Now, even mid range devices ship with 48 megapixel cameras and even feature a quad camera setup, depending on the OEM.

However, simply having a higher pixel count doesn’t necessarily translate to a better photo. Many factors like sensor optimizations and software algorithms also play a vital role and according to a senior executive at Honor (a subsidiary of Huawei), larger pixel size is the future of photography. So far, we have seen Xiaomi unveil a 108 megapixel smartphone with the Mi Note 10 while rumors also suggest Samsung Galaxy S20 will launch with a 108 megapixel camera as well.

But, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer plans on approaching the advancement in the field in a different manner. The marketing manager of Honor stated that “to achieve 100 million pixels [100MP], the pixel size is difficult to exceed 0.8 μm. Sony and we all believe that a pixel size of 1 μm or more can guarantee the flagship sensitivity and image quality requirements. In 2020, our flagship company will firmly choose the route of large bottom pixels.”

In simpler terms, it seems like Honor and Sony are focusing more on a larger pixel size rather than pushing for a 100 megapixel camera like Samsung. So, we might not see one from Sony, at least not in 2020. Google Pixel 4 with 12 megapixel and 1.4 micron pixel camera sensors is a great example of a smartphone with a low pixel count but great performance.

Bigger pixels brings a lot of positive aspects to a sensor, including better light gathering and accurate color reproduction. Notably, brands like OmniVision which revealed its 48MP sensor with a large 2.4 micron pixel binning sensor also follow the same philosophy. Thus, we can expect the upcoming Honor and Huawei flagship will feature a sub-100MP sensor with a large pixel size.

(Source)

Realme to hold 5G launch event at MWC 2020 on February 24

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Jan 23, 2020

Realme has officially confirmed that it will be present at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 tech exhibition that will be held between Feb. 24 and Feb. 27 in Barcelona, Spain. According to Realme’s event description, “Realme will host its first global launch event in February 2020. The company plans to popularize cutting-edge technology by promoting 5G networks globally via a portfolio of 5G smartphones”. The statement hints at the launch of at least one 5G smartphone at the event. The Realme event at MWC will be held at 10 AM CST on Feb. 24..

Despite seeing a few 5G smartphones being launched, 2019 did not witness mass 5G rollout as anticipated. The primary problems plaguing smartphone manufacturers were the lack of carrier and hardware support. While most major carriers only offered limited 5G connectivity, mass-market modems like the Snapdragon X50 failed to live up to the mark.

The situation started improving towards December 2019 with the launch of the Snapdragon 865 and 765G chipsets featuring the more mainstream X52 5G modems. Manufacturers have already started using the new chipsets in upcoming smartphones. The Realme X50 5G slated to launch at MWC 2020 in February is perhaps the best example.

Editor’s Pick: Realme among the first to launch a smartphone with Snapdragon 720G: CEO

The Realme X50 5G is the most likely candidate since it is the only 5G smartphone in Realme’s product catalogue at the moment. It is possible that the Chinese firm might reveal an entirely new device powered by the SD865. Such a smartphone might be the successor to the popular Realme X2 Pro that launched back in October 2019.

A mystery RMX2071 Realme phone sporting the Snapdragon 865 was spotted on AnTuTu with the highest score. This could be the forthcoming Realme X50 Pro. According to a popular leakster, the X50 Pro features a punch-hole camera with a 120Hz display like the Realme X2 Pro.

Realme X50 5G Specifications and Price

The Snapdragon 765G powered Realme X50 5G comes in 6GB/8GB/12GB RAM and 128GB/256GB of native storage. The X50 5G flaunts a 6.57-inch FHD+ IPS LCD dual punch-hole display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

In terms of optics, the smartphone features a 64-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GW1 primary sensor with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor with 2X optical zoom, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. At the front, the Realme X50 sports a 16-megapixel primary lens along with a 2-megapixel wide-angle lens. The smartphone draws power from a 4,200 mAh battery with a 30W VOOC 4.0 charge.

If the Realme X50 5G launches globally, it could be the cheapest 5G smartphone as it carries a price tag of around $360 in China. It remains to be seen whether the Realme X50 5G debuts with a different in the international markets.

(source)

Motorola smartphone spotted on FCC, Codenamed Blackjack

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Jan 23, 2020

An upcoming Motorola smartphone has been spotted on FCC (Federal Communications Commission). The device is codenamed ‘Blackjack’ and may launch in the near future.

The new Motorola smartphone that surfaced in the FCC certification bears the model name XT2055-2. Unfortunately, finer details regarding the handset are still at large. However, it is expected that the device will be a mid range smartphone and will be powered by a large battery, which might be around 5,000mAh. It may be a smartphone based around delivering a better battery over raw performance and does not feature dual band Wi-Fi, another hint of its mid segment status.

According to the FCC database, the smartphone measure 175mm diagonally which should translate to about a 6.6 inch display. So, it might just be a ‘Pro’ or ‘Max’ variant of a mid range handset that will be announced in 2020. It is reported that other variants of Motorola ‘Blackjack’ has been spotted also been spotted, which implies that the series will see a global launch and will be available in multiple different regions.

It is also not likely to be a part of the existing Motorola G8 series since it bears the model name XT2041. Furthermore, the smartphone manufacturer seems to have a bunch of other smartphones in the making as well, with filings spread across FCC, EEC and WFA certifications.

This includes Motorola XT2043 that will feature a large 4,000mAh battery, Motorola XT2045, XT2052, and the XT2053 which are another group of upcoming smartphone that includes both Motorola and Lenovo lineup.These all are expected to launch soon so an announcement might unveil the new smartphones in the arriving few weeks.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite launched in India for Rs. 39,999 (~$560); Specifications and price

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Jan 23, 2020

Samsung just revealed the Galaxy S10 Lite in India today. The device launched globally earlier this month after weeks of speculation fueled by teasers and leaked renders. The South Korea company claims the S10 Lite is designed for millennials who want a powerful camera powered by a massive battery without spending big bucks. The S10 Lite offers just that!

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Specifications and Features

The Galaxy S10 Lite flaunts a 6.7-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with 20:9 aspect ratio. The display flaunts an in-screen fingerprint sensor. Powering the Galaxy S10 Lite is a 2.8 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 855 SoC with Adreno 640 GPU with 8 GB of RAM. The smartphone supports 128 GB of native storage.

The S10 Lite draws power from a 4,500 mAh battery with 25W fast charge support. The device runs on the Android 10-based One UI 2.0 OS with Bixby, Samsung Pay and AR pre-installed. Multitasking is a breeze on the device as it offers a lag-free experience. The advanced Game Booster ensures optimum hardware performance even during hardcore gaming sessions. When enabled, Game Booster optimizes battery usage, blocks notifications and unwanted calls, ensuring a disturbance-free experience. Gaming Mode also restricts the navigation bar from showing up, prevents accidental touches, and disables quick screenshots.

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

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite packs quite a punch in terms of optics. The smartphone flaunts a 32-megapixel camera on the front housed within the central punch-hole. The camera flaunts Super Steady Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and UHD shake-free videos. The device flaunts a triple-camera setup at the rear, complete with one 48-megapixel lens, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro sensor. The camera setup is ideal for capturing clear images even in underlit conditions. The primary 48-megapixel camera comes equipped with OIS to give the smartphone gimbal-like stability.

The Galaxy S10 Lite’s camera takes bokeh mode to a whole new level with the Live Focus feature, using which you can control the depth-of-field. Switching between foreground and background focus is also achieved with a single click. Samsung has equipped the S10 Lite with the Zoom-in-mic feature that helps control the ambient noise level while recording videos. Simply zoom in to the subject and hear background noise fade away. The other features on the device include dedicated microSD card slot, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.1ac, GPS and USB-C. It lacks a 3.5mm audio jack.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Price and Availability

The Galaxy S10 Lite comes in a single 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage version that carries a price tag of Rs. 39,999 (~$560). The smartphone is now available for pre-booking on Flipkart and the official Samsung India website. The handset will go on sale on Feb. 4. The device will be available in three color options including Prism Blue, Prism Black, and Prism White. Customers who pre-book the S10 Lite can take advantage of Rs. 1,999 one-time screen replacement offer. ICICI card users can benefit from Rs. 3,000 cash back offer on purchase of the S10 Lite.

Purported Realme X50 Pro scores highest AnTuTu score; May debut at MWC 2020

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Jan 23, 2020

Realme introduced the Realme X50 smartphone on Jan. 7 in China. The Snapdragon 765G powered device is the first phone from the company to arrive with support for 5G connectivity. Soon after the introduction of the flagship Snapdragon 865 mobile platform in December, Realme was one of the first companies to confirm that it will be launching a SD865 driven phone. It is believed that the Realme may launch the Realme X50 Pro 5G as its first SD865 phone. A new Realme phone breaking AnTuTu records has been spotted. It seems to be the rumored Realme X50 Pro handset.

A new Realme device with model number RMX2071 has surfaced on AnTuTu. It has recorded an average benchmarking score of 574,985. This suggests that the Realme device could be fueled by the Snapdragon 865 chipset and it could be the forthcoming Realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone. However, the moniker is yet to be confirmed by the company.

According to a reliable Chinese tipster, the Realme’s upcoming SD865 phone will be sporting a single punch-hole at the upper left corner. This is in contrast with the Realme X50 5G phone that has a dual punch-hole display design. The other details of the Realme X50 Pro 5G phone is currently under the wraps.

Editor’s Pick: Realme Buds Air Neo live photos surface online as it passes through certification

]The Realme X50 Pro 5G could be arriving as a successor for the Realme X2 Pro from last year. Hence, there is a possibility that it be could be fitted with a 120Hz refresh rate display. It is likely to sport a quad camera setup. It remains to be seen whether it could be decked with a primary lens of 108-megapixel. It is advisable to wait for further reports to know more about the SD865 powered Realme phone.

Realme has confirmed that it will be present at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 tech trade show that will be held in February. It will be a 5G event that will be held on Feb. 24. The company may showcase its 5G-ready Snapdragon 865 powered flagship phone at the event. Also, it may display the Realme X50 5G phone that is currently only available in China. Now that the company has confirmed its presence at MWC 2020, it is likely that it could be aiming at bringing its cheaper 5G phones to global markets.

Xiaomi’s Lei Jun confirms launch of SD865-powered Mi 10 in Q1 2020

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Jan 23, 2020

Lin Bin, co-founder of Xioami and President of the company’s smartphone department had previously revealed that the company will be among the first brands to launch a smartphone powered by the newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC.

Now, Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of the company has confirmed that the company will launch Xiaomi Mi 10 smartphone powered by Snapdragon 865 chipset in the first quarter of this year.

He added that the company will continue the trend of launching its flagship smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s flagship chipset. The Mi MIX 2S was powered by SD845 SoC while the Mi 9 was powered by SD855 SoC.

Further, the Chinese smartphone maker has revealed that the company has sold over 427 million units of smartphones which are powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon chipsets. Lei Jun also emphasised on the 5G trend and said that the company plans to launch at least 10 5G smartphones this year.

As per the leaks, the Xiaomi Mi 10 is expected to feature a 6.5-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. As already confirmed, it will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 integrated with 5G support.

The device will come packed with 12GB RAM and will be offered in three internal storage options — 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The smartphone will have 108MP main sensor in a quad-camera arrangement along with 48MP sensor, a 12MP sensor and an 8MP sensor.

Recent reports indicate that the device will come powered by a 4,500mAh battery with support for 48W fast charging technology. However, the Pro variant of the same will have 65W fast charge support. The smartphone will be running Android 10 operating system with the company’s MIUI 11 custom interface on top.

(Via)

Huawei P40 Pro surfaces online in a Mint Green color

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Jan 23, 2020

Huawei will be launching its next-generation P-series flagship smartphones in March this year. As the launch date is nearing, more and more details about the upcoming devices keep surfacing online.

After live images of the P40 Pro smartphone leaked online, a new render of the same device has now surfaced online, showcasing Huawei P40 Pro in Mint Green color option.

As per the previous leaks, the Huawei P40 Pro will have a 40MP Cine (ultrawide) camera with a 1/1.5” sensor size and will pair it with a 52MP main camera with a 1/1.3” sensor size. Rather than a telephoto camera, Huawei is going with a periscope zoom lens like that of the Huawei P30 Pro. This will offer more optical zoom, at least 5x, and of course more digital zoom. Further, the device will also comes with a 3D ToF camera.

Recently, it was revealed that the Chinese giant is planning to launch three P-series flagship smartphones in China — P40, P40 Pro, and P40 Pro Premium. The major factor of differentiation between the phones will be the rear camera setup.

While the Huawei P40 Pro will come with four camera sensor on the back panel, the Pro Premium variant is said to feature a penta-camera setup. As for the other specs, the smartphones are expected to come powered by the company’s own Kirin 990 processor with support for 5G.

The Huawei P40 series launch event is expected to take place in Paris, France in March 2020 but the company is yet to officially confirm this. Ahead of the launch, more details about the device will surface online.

(Source)

Sony PS5 controller to reportedly get support for smart voice commands

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Jan 23, 2020

Sony has already confirmed that the company will be launching its next-generation gaming console — Sony PlayStation 5 aka PS5 during the holiday season later this year. Recently, the company also revealed the logo for the same.

However, the company is yet to reveal the hardware design of the upcoming playstation. Now, there are reports coming up about the new controller that Sony will offer along with the PlayStation 5, which will be called DualShock 5.

There are also reports and leaks confirming that the new controller will look very similar to the current DualShock 4 and will be fully compatible with the PS4. Now, new report claims that it will also come with a voice assistant support.

The claim is further supported by a patent on WIPO which indicates that Sony is putting in a microphone on the controller, making the device capable of interpreting commands and requests while it is in use. This is similar to the functionality of smart speakers like Amazon Echo with Alexa support.

But it remains to be seen how powerful this new smart voice commands-based system will be for the controller and what functionalities will it support. We expect to know more about this ahead of the Holiday 2020 launch.

(Via)

Motorola Razr release date pushed to February 6

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Jan 23, 2020

Motorola had announced the Motorola Razr clamshell foldable phone in November. It was officially confirmed that the device would be available on pre-orders from Dec. 26 in the U.S. and its shipping would start on Jan. 9. However, the company delayed the market release citing high demand that surpassed its supply predictions. Motorola had said that there won’t be significant shift from the original availability timeline. Fresh information reveals that the pre-orders of the Motorola Razr will kick off in the U.S. from Jan. 26 followed by a market release starting on Feb. 6.

In the U.S., the Motorola Razr can be availed from Verizon, Walmart and the official site of Motorola. The foldable device can be purchased with a price tag of $1,499. The new Razr will be also made available in select markets. The company is yet to release the list of markets that will be provided with Motorola Razr.

The Motorola Razr is already up for pre-orders in the U.K and is currently available only on contract through EE’s website. The customers who have pre-ordered have been reportedly provided a shipment timeframe of around 28 days. This indicates that the market release of the Motorola Razr in the U.K. could be synced with the U.S.

Soon after its announcement in November, the handset appeared on the website of Motorola India. Interested buyers in the country can register to know more on the arrival of Razr. Recently, the images of the production unit and retail box of the Razr was recently shared on China’s Weibo microblogging site. China will be receiving the device in Q2 this year.

Editor’s Pick: Motorola One Zoom records 87 score on DxOMark

Motorola Razr specifications

The Motorola Razr has a main 6.2-inch Flex View P-OLED screen that supports full HD+ resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio. When closed, users can access its 2.69-inch Quick View display that supports 800 x 600 pixels resolution for viewing notifications and caller IDs.

The mid-range Snapdragon 710 chipset from 2018 powers the Motorola Razr. It is assisted by 6 GB of RAM. The handset offers an internal storage of 128 GB. It has a selfie camera of 5-megapixel. The rear camera of 16-megapixel is assisted by a 3D ToF sensor.

The device is backed by a 2,510mAh battery that may carry support for 15W fast charging. The Android 9 Pie OS in its near stock version runs on the device. Hopefully, the device will be treated with the latest version of Android 10 update soon. A fingerprint scanner is present on the broad chin of the device. The handset comes with connectivity features like eSIM, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS and NFC. It lacks a 3.5mm audio jack.

Xiaomi Youpin launches Trident tactical knife in China for 158 yuan ($23)

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