This year, Google did something different with the Pixel series. It released two ore affordable versions called the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. Following the launch of the two phones, Google revealed it has plans to release more affordable phones, and today we get our first look at the upcoming Pixel 4a.
The renders are from famed leaker OnLeaks once again, who has been on a roll lately with his leaks of several key phones scheduled to be released next year. He has partnered with 91Mobiles for this leak.
The Pixel 4a, according to the renders, will be Google’s first phone with a punch-hole display. The hole is placed at the top left corner of the display and is definitely not the smallest we have seen. The screen is said to measure between 5.7-inches to 5.8-inches in size while its resolution should remain Full HD+. There is a slit at the top of the display for the speaker.
The back of the phone is covered with polycarbonate but has undergone a bit of redesigning. It adopts the squircle camera housing of the Pixel 4 but it houses just a single camera and an LED flash which is quite large. However, OnLeaks says there will be more sensors, probably just one more inside the housing, and we hope it is an ultrawide angle camera.
[envira-gallery id=”297693″]
The Pixel 4a keeps the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner of its predecessor and also has a “G” logo at the bottom. It also has an audio jack at the top while the bottom is home to the USB Type-C port and two grilles for the speaker and microphone.
The device has its buttons on the right side; the power button takes on an orange hue while the volume rocker is the same shade as the rest of the body.
The specifications of the Pixel 4a are currently unknown but there are a few guesses. 91Mobiles speculate it may come with 4GB of RAM that is paired with the Snapdragon 730 or even the new Snapdragon 765. Knowing Google, they will probably go with the former. It is also expected to have the same 12.2MP primary camera as the Pixel 4. Other no-brainers are NFC and Android 10 with the new Google Assistant out of the box. We hope it comes with a bigger battery.
The Pixel 4a measures 144.2 x 69.5 x 8.2 millimeters in size and should be available in white and black. Google may decide to spice things up with new color options in addition to the aforementioned ones. We also expect there will be a larger model that will launch as the Pixel 4a XL.
The Pixel 3a launched in May of this year, so there is a chance its successor won’t arrive until about the same time next year.
This year has been the year of many firsts in the smartphone industry. 5G phones became a thing as well as foldable phones. One of the foldable smartphones we saw this year is the Mate X and it combines a foldable design with 5G connectivity. Huawei‘s own foldable design is regarded by many as a true definition of the foldable concept due to the out folding design that transforms the screen from a wide to a narrow form factor.
A new Huawei model believed to be theMAte X successor has been certified by China’s CCC (3C). The device appears with the model number TAH-AN00m. The Mate X had the codename TAH or Tahiti in full, meaning this model is related. As usual, 3C doesn’t reveal any details about a model aside from the charging features. In this case, the only apparent improvement revealed in the listing seems to be improved 20V/3.25A (65W) charging. 65W charging is rumoured to be coming with Huawei’s upcoming Huawei P40 lineup, and it’s also rumoured to be one of the Mate Xs’s purported features. It will be a significant improvement over the Mate X which supports 55W charging.
The Mate X2, a new version is expected to come in Q3 2020. but before then, Huawei will release a trimmed down variant known as MateXs around the first quarter of 2020 but will be unveiled at MWC 2020 trade show.
This year, Apple went extra with the cameras on its phones. The iPhone 11 which succeeds the iPhone Xr has dual rear cameras while the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max respectively, got an extra camera too. Sadly, Apple didn’t release a new iPad Pro this year, but leaked renders have revealed next year’s models are getting camera upgrades too.
The new iPad Pro models are rumored to be scheduled for a Spring 2020 launch and just like 2018’s models, we will be getting an 11-inch version and a 12.9-inch version. Popular leaker, Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) has shared renders of the two iPad Pro models.
The renders show the 2020 iPad Pro will have rounded corners and slim bezels. Both sizes will have three connector pins at the bottom of the rear. Steve says he is not sure about the material Apple will use for the rear which is why the renders show both a metal back and a glass back.
The images reveal the iPad Pro will be getting a major camera upgrade as they show both models have a triple rear camera setup just like that of the iPhone 11 Pro. This is a big upgrade from the single sensor of the 2018 edition.
The configuration should be the same as that of the iPhone 11 Pro, so a primary rear camera paired with a telephoto camera and an ultrawide camera. With the iPad Pro getting a similar camera configuration as the iPhones, we may see a reemergence of folks whipping out their tablets in public to take pictures or record videos.
1 of 6
Steve says the 11-inch model roughly measures 248 x 178.6 x 5.9 millimeters with the thickness going up to 7.8 millimeters when you add the camera bump. However, there are no dimensions for the 12-inch model.
There are speculations the new iPads will come with an A13x chipset. We also expect them to come with a new version of iPadOS. Will we get a 5G version? Most probably not.
It has been rumored that Samsung’s next Galaxy S flagships will arrive in early February. It is still unconfirmed whether it will launch as the Galaxy S11 or the Galaxy S20 series. Nevertheless, more details about the phones keep surfacing. The latest is a render showing what the rear camera setup of the Galaxy S11+/S20+ will look like.
Steve Hemmerstoffer a.k.a. OnLeaks shared a photo on Twitter which he says is an updated render of the phone’s rear camera setup. He stated that the design we first saw back in November when he released renders of the phone was “based upon a first stage prototype”.
Next up, the #GalaxyS11Plus…😏 It appears the renders I shared one month ago were based upon a first stage prototype which had different rear camera layout. Here an updated render based upon the latest prototype I got and which depict what I assume is the final configuration… pic.twitter.com/IhUWdQh9JN
The new render shows the Galaxy S11+/Galaxy S20+ will have four rear cameras and not five. One of the cameras appears to be a periscope zoom lens due to the shape of the sensor. This means we may be getting some really impressive zoom features with the Galaxy S11+/Galaxy S20+.
Back in late November, it was reported that the upcoming Galaxy S flagships will have a feature called Space Zoom. This feature allows the phones to have up to 100x digital zoom.
This periscope zoom lens may also be the distinguishing feature, at least with respect to cameras, between the standard model and the Plus model.
The Galaxy S11+ is rumored to have a primary 108MP sensor that is different from the one used by Xiaomi’s Mi Note 10. It should also have an ultrawide camera and may include a 3D ToF camera. It has also been reported that its battery capacity may reach 5000mAh.
Samsung Galaxy A30s, the smartphone which was launched in India in September this year, received a price cut last month. Now, the company has announced a second price cut for the same smartphone in the country.
The company has slashed the pricing of the Samsung Galaxy A30s smartphone in India by ₹1,000 (~$14), bringing down the price of the device to ₹14,999, roughly $210. It has been confirmed that this is a permanent price cut.
As for the specifications, the smartphone comes featuring a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED display with Infinity-V notch. It offers HD+ resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels and the display is also integrated with a fingerprint sensor underneath it.
The company’s own Samsung Exynos 7904 chipset powers the smartphone along with 4GB of RAM and the phone is offered in two storage options — 64GB and 128GB and both the models have a dedicated microSD card slot for expanding its storage.
Coming to the camera department, the smartphone has a triple-camera setup on the back that comprises of a 25-megapixel main lens, a 5-megapixel depth sensor and an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor along with LED flash. On the front side, it comes with a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.
The smartphone comes with connectivity features like dual SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC and USB-C. It runs Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box but will soon get Android 10-based Samsung One UI 2.0. The device is backed by a 4,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging.
In a related news, it is also being reported that the South Korean giant has also launched the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage variant of the Galaxy A30s in India which is priced at ₹15,999 that roughly converts to $225.
The Redmi K30 is the first Redmi (read Xiaomi) phone with a punch-hole display. Initially thought to have a single hole that houses two front-facing cameras, it was later revealed to be two separate holes and not one pill-shaped hole. It has now been reported that Xiaomi is working on a phone with a single punch hole.
The info comes from the Chinese leakster who goes by @Digital Chat Station on Weibo. In a post made earlier today, he revealed that Xiaomi is working on a mysterious phone with a single punch hole in the screen.
The punch hole for the phone is on the upper left corner unlike the ones of the Redmi K30 that are placed at the upper right corner. He also did mention that the size of the hole is larger than that of Vivo’s (X30) own which is 2.98 millimeters in diameter.
We have no idea which device this may be as Xiaomi and Redmi have a number of phones coming up in the first quarter. However, there is a high chance it will be a flagship phone.
BBK subsidiary Vivo has already released a launch poster which points to an event at CES 2020. As always, we expect the tech giant to unveil the Vivo APEX 2020 edition. Ahead of CES 2020, renders of the Vivo APEX 2020 has appeared online.
The APEX series has come to be known as a lineup of concept models equipped with a futuristic design and features such as a bezel-less design, high screen ratio, powerful cameras, pop-up selfie cam and more.
The renders suggest the Vivo APEX 2020 will continue with a bezel-less design and apparently a super-high screen-to-body ratio. The device will utilise the in-display fingerprint sensor and would have a waterfall design which looks like that of the NEX 3 but there is no sign of a selfie camera. That means the device will retain the pop-up camera design utilised on the APEX 2018 and APEX 2019 or may have an under-screen selfie camera.
The device will also likely retain the curved edge screen and well-chamfered edges which the previous versions are known for. The body won’t have any opening and will still utilise a wireless fast charging method and virtual buttons.
Vivo NEX 3
We can’t say if the renders are accurate but there’s no doubt the Vivo APEX 2020 is sure going to be a device to look forward to.
Xiaomi launched dozens of products in crowdfunding this year, especially through Youpin. The company even announced a partnership with Indiegogo in order to launch global crowdfunding with Youpin. The products crowdfunded this year range from smart home to books and the most unbelievable niches in which technology can be. Xiaomi was able to bring technology in every kind of product and that is why, in this article, we included the craziest crowdfunding products launched by Xiaomi during 2019.
Top craziest Xiaomi crowdfunding products
Xiaomi SCTW-700 Star Trang Telescope
Did you ever dream of recording everything you see from a telescope without spending a huge amount of money for it? With the Xiaomi SCTW-700 Star Trang Telescope, you can finally do it directly on your smartphone. This amazing telescope includes support for mounting a mobile phone allowing users to record what they see. The telescope has a high build quality with a two-stage stainless steel tripod and it uses a 70 mm double lens with a great optical performance and very sharp image reproduction.
Would you like to have the maximum relax while you are laying on your bed? Then you should give a try to one of Xiaomi’s latest crowdfunding products: a smart pillow which includes a massager, stereo speakers, and Bluetooth. Thanks to this smart pillow, you can relax while listening to music via Bluetooth very close to your ears. And you can even get massages to your neck. The smart pillow is made out of 93 percent pure natural latex and it comes in two sizes suitable for men and women. It even includes a heating pad with three pulse emitters which increase blood flow and alleviate stress. You can set 6 different temperatures for the heating pad and the company claims it is harmless to the human body. The smart pillow even supports smart sleep monitoring and it is compatible with both Android and iOS.
Are your cooking skills very bad or you just do not have time to make your favorite recipes every day? Xiaomi’s Solista Solo Smart Cooker is the perfect choice for you. It makes cooking a lot easier with three important functions: pot, gas stove and range hood. It has a 1600W power and a 3.5L bowl with a visible glass lid. It comes with a precision temperature control system maintaining the temperature at the exact point where the smoke is about to be generated. It is very easy to clean thanks to a non sticky coating liner and it also comes with app support including several cooking styles and recipes.
Everyone may face the cold winter with less sufferance with a heated jacket. That is exactly one of the most important Xiaomi’s crowdfunding products this year. But it is not a classic heated jacket: it can be powered by a power bank, the same power banks people usually buy to avoid remaining out of battery with their phones while they are out of the home. For about $70, Xiaomi’s heated jacked brings a smart three-speed temperature control and a level 3 anti-splash treatment. According to Xiaomi, a 10,000 mAh power bank can provide continuous heating of the jacket for up to 7 hours.
Thanks to Xiaomi, even your garbage bin can be smart. Xiaomi Smart Garbage Bin was crowdfunded in November with a price tag of just $28 at the actual change. It has an automatic lid opening feature working through an infrared sensor with the lid opening as soon as the user is intentioned to throw something inside. It has a dimension of 330 x 188 x 370 mm and a capacity of 12L. The garbage bin is able to detect when it is filled and it automatically seals the bag. If you need to keep it open for a long time, you can disable the automatic closing and close it with a button.
Xiaomi Small Whale Wash-integrated Smart Toilet Zero
Did you think Xiaomi would miss launching a smart toilet? You were wrong. This year Xiaomi even crowdfunded a complete smart toilet and not just a smart seat like happened in the past. The toilet comes with a multi-mode hot flush system and it can connect to your phone with the Mijia app. The toilet seat supports three-speed temperature adjustment and there is also a self-cleaning system with water spray made of antibacterial material and working in all directions. The smart toilet package also includes a wireless full-touch remote control with a flush button included. It launched in crowdfunding with a price tag which roughly translates into $409.
If you want to record everything without people realizing, check the Xiaomi Ink Case AI Recording Pen. For about $30 you can get a great recording quality with high-definition noise reduction, AI transfer and even encrypted storage. It uses Alibaba Cloud artificial smart speech engine with the support of smart sentence segmentation. It can even translate English and Mandarin. With an all-digital MEMS microphone and a smart acoustic algorithm, it can filter out the ambient noise and reverberation noise caused by indoor space reflection in order to deliver a clear and sharp sound. It obviously supports Bluetooth (5.0) and a mobile app allowing file synchronization and customization options.
ASUS had announced the ProArt series of laptops in September this year. One of the models dubbed ASUS ProArt Q17 Designer Notebook is now available in China via Jingdong. The product is on presale with the prices ranging from 5999 yuan ($857) for the Core-i5 version to 6799 yuan ($971) for the Core-i7 version.
The ASUS ProArt Q17 designer notebook uses a 17-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1200 pixels, an aspect ratio of 16:10, and a screen ratio of 84%. The display also has PANTONE color certification. The notebook is just 18.4mm thick and is available in gray colour.
In terms of hardware, it is equipped with Intel Xeon E-2276M processor with Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 professional graphics display. The laptop comes with a 64GB memory (ECC) and 2TB PCIe SSD (supports RAID 0). In terms of heat dissipation, it has five heat pipes combined with four-direction flow radiating fins and the official claims that the noise is less than 35dB under heavy loads. In terms of interfaces, it has USB 3.1 Gen2, HDMI, audio interface and Thunderbolt3.
In other respects, the ASUS ProArt Q17 designer notebook has a NumberPad digital touchpad, 180-degree hinge design, SonicMaster stereo, etc .; this notebook complies with the MIL-STD 810G standard and has undergone extended tests in harsh environments such as extreme altitude, temperature and humidity.
Xiaomi‘s ecological chain company Viomi has launched the Viomi Internet Refrigerator with a design that reminds us of the Samsung Family Hub smart refrigerator. The fridge is said to adopt a two-door multiple cabin design with a total space of 450L.
The most spectacular feature on the internet refrigerator is definitely the large 21-inch IPS Full-HD wide-angle display at the front. The touchscreen display brings onboard touch control. The fridge is also equipped with Viobrain AI which brings voice control to the mix. Users can ask how the weather is, listen to the news, or ask the temperature of the refrigerator freezer. In addition, users can also order a variety of fresh food on the courier and get home delivery. Since the fridge is only on sale in China, the feature is also restricted to the Chinese market.
In addition, the Viomi Internet Refrigerator also provides users with 1 million+ online recipes. Users can also listen to songs and watch dramas with access to 17 million+ songs thanks to iQiyi app. This while sure make users no longer bored while cooking.
The fridge also comes with support for MIJIA app which will make it possible to link up with mobile phones as well as other smart homes and IoT home appliances. Users can control the linked smart homes through voice.
The Viomi Internet Refrigerator comes with a retail price of 5999 yuan ($857) but is presently available on Xiaomi Youpin for a special promo price of 3,499 yuan ($500). The price will even go down to 2999 ($424) yuan for a limited-time flash sale on December 30.
ZTE is finally rolling out Android 10 for its flagship smartphone, Axon 10 Pro. The new update brings the MiFavor 10 UI which is based on the latest version of Android OS. Earlier this month, we had reported that the company had announced the new update which is now being rolled out.
ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G
According to past reports, many new features and functions had been mentioned. However, a few additional features are also present that were compiled in the form of lists by the company itself. These include:
New Visual Design
A new visual design with motion gestures and elegant and flowing wallpapers and themes.
System
A new generation system optimization engine Z-Booster 2.0, with AI algorithm support to achieve smooth payment inspection.
Added SOS emergency help function.
Added system-wide dark mode to reduce power consumption and protect users’ eyes.
New full-screen small window reply option.
Optimized built-in ringtone resources.
Optimized split screen windows. Now, supports three levels of adjustments.
Lock screen, Status bar, Notification bar
Users can blindly press the fingerprint area to unlock while the next button on the black screen enters standby.
Added one-finger direct function to quickly launch application functions through fingerprints.
Added face recognition access to private space function, optimized off-screen display, and provided multiple clock backgrounds.
Communication
Added group ringtone setting function.
Optimized harassment blocking mechanism and increased blacklist MMS blocking.
Voice Assistant
The power button can now activate voice assistant.
New voice shortcut function. Automatically execute multiple functions.
Optimized common functions of WeChat via voice assistant.
Still riding high on the success of its Redmi Note 7-series, Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 8 series featuring the Redmi Note 8 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphones earlier this year. The phones were announced during a launch event held in Beijing, China in August.
There is a possibility that Xiaomi might introduce more phones in the recently unveiled series, just like it did with the previous generation Redmi Note 7 series, by launching the Note 7S. While there’s still no confirmation about Xiaomi’s plan to release more devices under the Note 8 series, it might interest you to know that you can now get your hands on the Redmi Note 8 Pro for a lowered price through Gearbest.
Equipped with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage space, the global version of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro usually retails for $299.99. If you aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money, all you need to do is to apply coupon code GBNOTE8P3 at checkout.
The coupon enables you to get $86 off. In other words, you can bring the retail price of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone down to just $213.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon during the checkout process. An absolute steal at this price, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro offers the following features:
6.53-inch waterdrop notch screen FHD+ display with 2340×1080 pixels resolution
A rear-mounted ultrasonic fingerprint sensor for faster unlocking
MediaTek Helio G90T Octa-core gaming processor
Samsung GW1 64MP+8MP+2MP+2MP quad cameras at the back
20MP selfie camera
4500mAh battery with 18W fast charging
MIUI 10 base on Android 9 Pie OS
You can visit this link to check out more details about the Redmi Note 8 Pro, and take full advantage of the coupon which will be valid for a limited period.
Vivo finally took the wraps off the X30 models earlier this month with both models having spectacular features that distinguish it from the pack. The Vivo X30 Pro 5G is the high-end variant and even though the 5G connectivity may be the biggest feature onboard, the device comes with an impressive camera setup including a periscope lens. We have now laid our hands on a couple of camera samples which showcases the prowess of the zoom levels on the periscope camera on the device.
Vivo X30 Pro 5X zoom
The first picture highlights a building at some distance which is barely visible without zooming. The camera sample at 5X zoom, 10X zoom, 20X zoom and 60X zoom. What makes this amazing is the lack of photographic noise on the samples as the object is zoom closer. Even though the 60X zoom sample is a little blurry, the text on the wall of the building can be seen clearly.
The device packs a 13MP periscope lens that enables 5x optical zoom and up to 60x digital zoom. The device also comes with a powerful 32MP selfie shooter with f/2.0 aperture. At the rear, there is a triple camera setup in addition to the periscope lens. The setup includes an OIS-enabled 64-megapixel main lens with f/1.8 aperture, a 122-degree 8-megapixel ultrawide lens with f/2.2 aperture as well as an OIS-assisted 32-megapixel portrait lens with f/2.0 aperture.
Vivo X30 Pro 20X zoom
In other aspects, the X30 Pro has a 6.44-inch S-AMOLED display with punch-hole design. It offers 1080 x 2400 pixels full HD+ resolution and is integrated with a fingerprint sensor. The phone is powered by a Samsung Exynos 980 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 2.1 native storage without external storage. The latest FunTouchOS 10 based Android 9 Pie OS comes preloaded on the device.
Mid-range smartphones are no longer budget devices with a bunch of higher-end features. In 2019, the best mid-range devices were essentially high-end smartphones sans a couple of premium features.
If last year’s mid-rangers were all about good processors, big batteries, and dual cameras, in 2019 brands upped their game by adding high-end chipsets, flagship-grade fast charging, quad-cameras, AMOLED displays, and even in-screen fingerprint sensors. We are spoiled by the number of good mid-range choices we have this year that costs less than €299 or Rs. 20,000 or $300.
Like our Best Budget Smartphones of 2019 article, compiling this list wasn’t easy, but the following smartphones stood out for us for their excellent quality and value for money.
It wouldn’t be fair to compile the Best Mid-RangeSmartphones list without a Redmi Note model, right? The Note lineup is extremely popular among mid-range buyers and the company has already sold 10 million units of the Redmi Note 8 series across the globe within three months of launch. That’s an average of over 110,000 units in a day!
The Redmi Note 8 Pro brought in the perfect blend of imaging prowess, gaming-oriented processor, and a large battery, packaged inside a beautiful body. It might be a bit heavier and bulkier than some competitors but overall, the Note 8 Pro is a well-balanced mid-range smartphone of 2019.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with a MediaTek Helio G90T processor with a quad-camera setup consisting of a high-resolution 64MP primary camera, 8MP wide-angle camera, and a couple of 2MP shooters for macro and bokeh. There’s a large 4500mAh battery on board with 18W fast charging too!
Realme has absolutely embraced the motto: If Redmi can do it, we can do it too! So if there’s a Redmi Note model in this list, there’s an equivalent (or even a better) Realme model to take it on. And Realme X2 is the mid-range phone to beat in 2019! The phone offers more value than any other smartphone in its price segment.
Gaming processor ✔
Super AMOLED display ✔
In-screen fingerprint ✔
Quad-cameras with a wide-angle lens ✔
Large battery ✔
Super-fast charging ✔
Beautiful design ✔
If you had doubts about my earlier statement of how ‘2019 mid-rangers were high-end devices sans a few premium features’, this phone should help you to cast them away.
The Realme X2 comes with Snapdragon 730G (8nm), a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, up to 8GB of RAM, 64MP primary camera with three other supporting cameras including an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 4000mAh battery with 30W fast charging. You get all this for a starting price of just Rs 16,999 (4GB + 64GB), Rs. 18,999 (6GB + 128GB) in India or up to 289 € (8GB +128GB) in Europe. That’s incredible value for money!
If there was a phone that can take on the Realme X2, it would be the Redmi K20. It comes with the non-gaming Snapdragon 730 (8nm) processor with a full-screen AMOLED display, a pop-up camera that houses a 20MP selfie camera and a capable rear camera setup featuring three useful sensors, a 48MP primary shooter, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 13MP wide-angle camera.
In case you are wondering, the K20 has the same camera setup as the K20 Pro, which we all so loved! So despite having one camera less than the two smartphones mentioned above, the triple camera setup on the Redmi K20 is more useful than those quad-cameras (let’s not talk about the quality of those 2MP shooters) on the Realme X2 and Redmi Note 8 Pro. Also, the K20 is one of few phones in this price segment to feature a telephoto lens that offers up to 2X optical zoom!
It’s a shame that the Redmi K20 was overshadowed by its more expensive ‘Pro’ sibling this year. So, it shouldn’t be surprising to see that it makes it to our Most Underrated Smartphones of 2019 list.
The Lenovo Z6 is yet another underrated smartphone in this list but offers immense value for your money. The phone comes with Snapdragon 730 (8nm) like the Realme X2 with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with in-screen fingerprint, a triple camera setup featuring a 24MP main camera (f / 1.8 large aperture) + 8MP 2x optical zoom camera (f / 2.4 aperture) + 5MP bokeh camera, and a 4000mAh battery with 18W fast charging.
These specs are pretty amazing but it looks very similar to the models mentioned above right? And Lenovo is not really known for its software support either. So why does this phone make it to our Best Mid-Range Smartphones of 2019 list?
The three smartphones mentioned above: Realme X2, Redmi Note 8 Pro, and Redmi K20 weigh over 180 grams and measure over 8.6mm in thickness. In comparison, the Lenovo Z6 weighs just 159 grams and measures 7.7mm in thickness! It might well be one of the most comfortable mid-range smartphones of 2019.
And how much does it cost? 1199 yuan in China, which comes to just $171 or €154! It’s a shame that Lenovo Z6 didn’t get a widescale release and I blame Lenovo for that. But for its price, it offers outstanding value (including 2x Optical zoom)! You can get it for around $200 or €180 via sites like Aliexpress in Europe.
2019 was all about 6-inch+ displays, large batteries, and multiple cameras. But these features come at a cost and that’s the bulky form factor. Some users don’t mind if their phones are a bit heavy or thick, but for others, it’s a definite deal-breaker. The Lenovo Z6 was a pretty lightweight phone, but if you are in the market for something smaller, lighter, and more compact, the Mi 9 SE is your best bet.
With the dimensions of just 147.5 x 70.5 x 7.5 mm, it’s smaller, thinner, and lighter than all the smartphones in this list. However, despite its compact form factor, the Mi 9 SE doesn’t sacrifice any major features. It comes with a 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 6GB RAM, Snapdragon 712 (10nm octa-core 2.3GHz) processor, a 48MP triple cameras with ultra-wide and telephoto lens (2x optical zoom), and a 3070mAh battery with 18W fast charging. The battery is small but given its compact size and fast charging support, for those who want a capable smartphone that’s also comfortable to hold, the Mi 9 SE turns out to be a competitive option.
The Mi 9 SE wasn’t launched in India but it is available for around € 349.90 or £300 (6GB + 64GB) in Europe!
So these were our picks for the Best Mid-Range Smartphones of 2019! Do you think any other device deserves to make it to this list? Let us know!
In recent times, many developers and publishers ranging from online service providers to even gaming studios have started offering two-factor authentication. And what they all stated and everyone is led to believe is that it makes one’s account, system, smartphone, etc, more secure. However, it seems like that is not the case.
According to a new report, a Chinese hacker group called APT20 has managed to bypass the commonly used security methods without settings off any alarms. In other words, the group has circumvented the means for two-factor authentication which makes the security method vulnerable.
Reportedly, APT20 used what Fox-IT has labeled “Operation Wocao” to achieve this feat. Previously, the group managed to hack web servers but have now shifted focus. APT20 used an RSA SecurID software which was stolen from a hacked account to circumvent through the two-factor verification methods. In simpler terms, the group used a stolen and modified key from a hacked account to make their hack seem valid to the security systems.
Through this method, APT20 also managed to fool other systems to show valid results. Since two-factor authentication relies on different systems, it means that if the group manages to hack one side, then they can manage to make the other system agree to its modified key as well. Thus, allowing them to either steal or not need a key in the first place.
How Two-Factor Authentication works
As of right now, no solution for the latest exploit is currently available. But, it does not mean that the system is completely flawed and insecure. The report also details various methods through which the dual verification process can be made more independent and less reliant on one another.
Notably, Chinese citizens are at higher risks apparently due to the group being allegedly linked to the Chinese Government. It seems more plausible now as the group is actively targetting VPN systems. A VPN is basically used to access outside data or websites that the nation censors or doesn’t allow its people to access freely.
WhatsApp, the popular online messaging application, is adding another new feature in its latest beta. The Facebook owned service was previously rumored to have been testing a sort of “disappearing messages” but what it actually did was unknown up until now.
WhatsApp Beta with Disappearing Messages features (Image via WABetaInfo’s)
The new expiring messages features will be added to its latest beta build. For those unaware, a beta build is basically an early version of apps that carry new features that need to be tested before being available globally in the form of live builds. The latest version 2.19.275 of WhatsApp Beta, for Android, carries the upcoming feature for group chats.
It has been dubbed as “Delete messages” and allows the user to chose when their texts expire or disappear after a predetermined amount of time. This could be anywhere between an hour, a day, a week, a month or even a year. According to a report, the upcoming feature is being implemented to keep group chats’ conversations from taking up too much storage on smartphones.
WhatsApp’s upcoming Dark Mode feature is also being tested in the Beta program
Currently, a single WhatsApp group can have up to 256 different participants. Thus, the feature might turn out to be quite useful in the long run; though, there are also many different reasons for users to utilize this feature. The “Delete messages” feature is exclusively for a group chat, for now, and can only be accessed or set by the group chat’s administrators. So, a setting once applied will affect every member of the said group chat.
Vivo plans to bring the S1 Pro to India next month. The mid-range smartphone has just been listed on Amazon India with the caption ‘Coming Soon’. Some of the key specifications have been confirmed through the Amazon listing.
The teaser page of the Vivo S1 Pro on Amazon India has revealed that it has a diamond-patterned camera system on its rear which includes a 48-megapixel main lens. The quad camera system also includes a superwide lens and a macro lens. For capturing selfies, the S1 Pro has a 32-megapixel camera on the front
A previous report on 91mobiles stated that the device is expected to arrive by mid-January 2020 at a price point of Rs. 19,990 (~$280). Vivo is expected to launch the 8GB + 128GB variant in India shortly, although, a 6GB variant could be introduced sometime in the future. The MSRP of the 6GB variant is currently unknown. The Vivo S1 Pro headed to arrive in India is the same smartphone that was unveiled earlier in Southeast Asian markets including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The Vivo S1 Pro flaunts a 6.38-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch that offers a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. Powering the Vivo S1 Pro is a Snapdragon 665 SoC with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of native storage.
The primary camera setup on the smartphone features a 48-megapixel Samsung GM1 sensor, along with an 8-megapixel superwide sensor, a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The S1 Pro is equipped with an in-display fingerprint scanner for security. The smartphone draws power from a 4,500 mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging through USB-C.
OPPO‘s independent Realme brand started in India before expanding to other regions including China. It wasn’t any surprise that Realme entered the Chinese market considering the market size and what it can offer OEMs. The Chinese market has become one of the main focus of the Realme brand. The brand is now set to launch its first earbuds in China. A launch poster has been released showing the Realme Buds Air, as it is called, will be launched in China on January 7.
The Realme Buds Air was first launched in India earlier this month. Asaeminder, the wireless headset is equipped with a high-performance R1 processor supporting Bluetooth 5.0, which can ensure the effective transmission of audio and further reduce the sound delay. The two earbuds of the realme Buds Air true wireless headset can be connected to the phone simultaneously to ensure that audio is transmitted seamlessly and in sync with the lowest possible latency.
In addition, Realme Buds Air true wireless headphones reduce the sound delay in the game mode by 51%. Realme Buds Air’s delay is only 120ms which is far lower than the Apple Airpod’s 205ms delay.
Realme Buds Air true wireless earphones are equipped with two built-in microphones in a single earphone to eliminate dual-microphone noise: one to eliminate environmental noise and one to eliminate vocal noise. In addition, Realme Buds Air true wireless headphones algorithms are synthesized to offset ambient noise and provide clear call quality during a call.
Realme Buds Air true wireless headphones are equipped with imported LCP advanced multilayer composite diaphragms, 12mm large speakers, and use customized Dynamic Bass Boost solution to provide powerful bass effects, enhancing the immersion of watching movies and listening to music. The true wireless headset has built-in, intelligent wear detection and built-in distance sensor, which can detect wear and tear.
In terms of gestures, the realme Buds Air true wireless headset provides three quick operations-double-tap play/pause, triple-tap next song, long-press to call out Google Assistant. It also comes with support for wireless charging.
Earlier today (27th December 2019), Xiaomi went on its official Weibo account to share an apology. The show of sincerity was made after the Chinese tech giant stated that it had to delay the launch of the Mi Watch’s Exclusive Edition.
Xiaomi’s Mi Watch Exclusive Edition had an official launch date set in December 2019. However, the company has now said that the launch will be delayed due to certain reasons that include, insufficient stocks and more emphasis on improving the user experience in the UI department.
Xiaomi Mi Watch
Reportedly, the delay of the Mi Watch Exclusive Edition will have it see a new launch date which is in February 2020, about two months from now. It gives the smartphone manufacturing company enough time to prepare as this move indicates that it expects a healthy sales number regardless of the fact that only limited units will be shipped.
In the official apology shared on the Chinese microblogging website, the company stated that it regretted the delay; but the smart watch will be available early next year and launch in Xiaomi Mall, Xiaomi Yuopin and Xiaomi Tmall’s official flagship store simultaneously.
For those interested, Xiaomi’s Mi Watch Exclusive Edition is functionally similar to the original variant, but features improved aesthetics. It is made of four curved sapphire glass, 9H ultra-high hardness fully polished stainless steel frame alongside a stainless steel strap. In terms of price, the smart watch will be available for 1999 Yuan or roughly 285 US Dollars.
According to a new report, Huawei, the smartphone manufacturer, has applied for a new trademark for what seems to be a pair of bluethooth earphones. The name Huawei Novabuds was registered with the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) in the headset category.
Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s trademark application with the EUIPO for NovaBuds
Notably, the Huawei NovaBud’s trademark application includes certain tags like virtual reality gaming augmented headset, mobile phone headset, in-ear headset and more. As of right now, the application for the trademark is still undergoing review and it is expected that the NovaBuds are truly wireless earbuds from the Chinese tech giant.
Unfortunately, additional information is currently unknown and finer details like design and specifications have not been revealed. We will have to wait for an official announcement to see if this is Huawei’s entry to capture the popular wireless earphones market. Currently, Apple with its AirPods series is at the top of the wireless hearables category, so the trademarked NovaBuds could soon be a viable alternative in the near future.
Interestingly, we had also previously covered a report which detailed that the Nova subbrand might become an independent entity from Huawei. The Nova brand includes the popular Nova series of smartphones and, in the future, wireless headphones, smart watches and more. Thus, Huawei’s NovaBuds could also be one of the first Nova products launched after it achieves operational independence.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
UP NEXT: Vivo V19, V19 Pro launch date tipped in Q1 2020