The OPPO Reno3 and Reno3 Pro will be OPPO’s first mid-range 5G smartphones. While we are excited about both phones, we are actually eager to see how they measure up against each other since they will come with different processors. The Reno3 will be the first phone to be powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000L processor while the Reno3 Pro will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G. Benchmark app, Master Lu, has released the benchmark results for both phones, giving us a chance to compare the two chipsets.
It is important to mention that other than the processors, the RAM of both phones benchmarked is different. The Reno3 has 12GB of RAM which TENAA doesn’t state but is listed on the JD pre-order page, while the Reno3 Pro has 8GB of RAM. There will also be a 12GB RAM version of the Reno3 Pro and it will be available with 128GB or 256GB of storage.
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CPU
For the CPU score, the 2.3GHz Snapdragon 765G wins with a total of 134,320 points as against the 2.2GHz Dimensity 1000L’s 110,392 points. Where it surpasses MediaTek’s processor is in the Multi
GPU
The winner here is MediaTek as the Dimensity 1000L scores 104,188 points against the Snapdragon 765G’s (Adreno 620 GPU) 97,786 points.
Memory Performance
The Reno3 wins here again with 50,392 points, which is no surprise as it has 12GB RAM as against the Reno3 Pro’s 8GB RAM and 40,695 points.
Storage Performance
The winner here again is the Reno3 with 40,695 points. Its read speed 1015MB/s and its write speed is 219MB/s while the Reno3 5G has a read score of 589MB/s and a write speed of 236MB/s. The read speed of the Reno3 is almost twice that of the Pro version which is unusual.
Overall Score
The Snapdragon 765G-powered Reno3 Pro wins with 307,855 points while the Dimensity 1000L is not too far behind with a total score of 305,667 points.
Conclusion
The Snapdragon 765G is the more powerful processor but the Dimensity 1000L is no slouch either and we are most impressed with its GPU score. While these are just prototypes that have been benchmarked, we look forward to real-life comparisons of the final product.
HMD Global launched the Nokia 2.3 smartphone earlier this month, and the device has finally arrived in India. Nokia announced the Nokia 2.3 along with a 1-year replacement guarantee that covers hardware defects, along with a 6-month warranty on the accessories that come bundled with the device.
Nokia 2.3 Specifications and Features
The Nokia 2.3 features a 6.2-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels, an aspect ratio of 19:9, and a waterdrop notch. The smartphone draws power from a quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 SoC with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage expandable up to 400GB with a microSD card. Camera specifications include a 13-megapixel primary camera with an aperture rating of f/2.2 along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The smartphone features a 5-megapixel camera on the front with an aperture rating of f/2.4.
The Nokia 2.3 draws power from a 4,000 mAh battery. The company provides a 5W charger with the device. The smartphone sports a polymer body with 3D nano texture for additional grip. The device flaunts a dedicated Google Assistant key on the side. Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, micro-USB v2.0, GPS, A-GPS, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Nokia 2.3 Price and Availability
The Nokia 2.3 is priced at Rs. 8,199 (~$116) in India. The device will be available at the Nokia e-store, Reliance, Croma, Poorvika, Sangeetha, MyG, and Big C outlets apart from authorized retailer stores. The smartphone is available in three hues, namely Cyan Green, Sand, and Charcoal.
New and existing Jio customers can get benefits worth Rs. 7,200 (~$101) with recharge plans worth Rs. 249 (~$4) and Rs. 349 (~$5). The benefits include Rs. 2,200 (~$31) cashback from Jio, vouchers worth Rs. 3,000 (~$42) from Cleartrip, and discounts worth Rs. 2,000 (~$28) from Zoomcar. Customers who buy the Nokia 2.3 before March 31, 2020, can get a replacement smartphone from a Nokia Mobility Store if their existing device experiences hardware failure. Nokia also promises to replace faulty accessories and solve software glitches for free within 6-months from the date of purchase.
This week, OPPO had an event in Malaysia. The APAC Strategy Launch was an avenue for OPPO to discuss its plans for the region which is a key market for smartphone manufacturers. The Chinese tech company not only announced the establishment of a hub center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but also revealed more details about its upcoming wireless earbuds, the Enco Free, and its 5G CPE T1.
Enco Free
The Enco Free is expected to launch on December 26 in China alongside the Reno3 and Reno3 Pro but was on display at the event. The Enco Free is not like the O-Free that launched last year. The new pair of earbuds has a more familiar design and is available in white, black, and pink.
The earbuds have support for touch controls. You can slide a finger on the left earbud to adjust the volume while the right earbud is for switching between tracks. OPPO will ship the earbuds with three silicone tips of different sizes, so users can switch to the one that provides the best fit.
OPPO says the Enco Free uses AI uplink noise cancellation. It also has wear detection, so it pauses and resumes playback when you take it out or put it back in your ear.
The Enco Free has a 5-hour battery life and goes up to 25 hours with the charging case. The case charges via USB Type-C only unlike the new Realme Buds Air which adds support for wireless charging. It takes 90 minutes to charge the earbuds and almost 2 hours to charge the case.
OPPO will sell the Enco Free for 499 Malaysian Ringgit (~$120) when it is announced in January 2020. Also, registration is already live in China ahead of its launch next week.
At its Inno Day Event in China last week, OPPO unveiled a 5G CPE with a cylindrical design and support for SA and NSA networks. The CPE has a Snapdragon X55 modem and a 5G SIM slot. OPPO said at the event that it will be launched next quarter.
However, the 5G CPE unveiled at the Malaysian event is actually different. While it also has a Snapdragon X55 5G modem, the OPPO 5G CPE T1 has an entirely different design. It has a square tower design with curved corners and appears to be a bit taller than its cylindrical sibling.
There are LED lights on the front that light up when it is powered on and if it is connected to a 5G or 4G network. There is also an LED for when WiFi is on. On the rear are three LAN ports, a power input jack, the power button, the WPS button, and a switch.
The router also supports NSA and SA 5G networks and boasts download speeds of up to 5Gbps. It has support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi as well as WiFi 6 and 2×2 MU MIMO. Unlike the one unveiled in China with a 5G SIM slot, the 5G CPE T1 has an eSIM.
OPPO didn’t reveal any details about pricing and availability but the CPE will be available in white and brown color variants.
Android is always known for its customization abilities. There are many ways to customize an Android device using custom fonts, wallpapers, boot animations, ringtones, apps, and system UI with some root capabilities. The are different ways to get the customized look either by rooting the device my installing third-party Android Apps. Similarly, there are countless choices in choosing third-party Android keyboards.
It is a favorite thing for some users to replace the stock Android keyboard with just a few simple taps. Android brings the ability to change the look and the feel of the keyboard either by changing the app or by customizing the keyboard.
The alternative keyboards come with some additional features such as advanced swiping gestures, theming options, customizable layouts, etc. Some other advancements vary according to the chosen app. It has become neccessity for every user to switch to a preferable keyboard to stay up to date with the latest features. Some keyboards offer more customization, while others focus on better typing.
There are a plethora of third-party Android keyboards available on the Play Store. We have listed some best keyboards of 2019 based on their popularity and the features.
List of best third-party Android Keyboards
Swiftkey
It is one of the best keyboards available for Android. Swiftkey offers vast customization and better typing at the same time. Microsoft acquired it in 2016. It provides several unmatchable features such as the presence of Artificial intelligence, to predict the next word. The complex algorithms allow the app to predict the emoji while you type the name.
The standard features such as autocorrect, gesture typing, and others come along with the Swiftkey keyboard. It features inbuilt emojis, GIFs, and sticker support. There’s also support for custom themes under the keyboard customization category. The user can choose wallpaper from various prebuilt themes available in the store.
It is a reliable keyboard app that enhances typing on the smartphone and offers a better feel with some other features. The keyboard app supports multiple languages for nativity throughout the globe.
It is the native keyboard for stock Android these days. the nativity to the Android system is its major pro. Gboard offers various features like gesture typing, voice typing, language support, etc. It is a fully reliable app direct from the makers of Android. It comes preloaded with Google Pixel and Android One devices.
The predictive search, Google integrated search results, and suggestions are the advanced features of Gboard. The ability to create your sticker got appreciation from many users. The better integration with other Google services makes it better than any other keyboard.
Gboard supports Android 10 global dark mode toggle making it more dynamic. Google keeps the Gboard updated with the latest features via frequent updates. It is a minimal and simple keyboard.
Grammarly is an vital writing tool that has become quite useful for the last few years. It offers support for Chrome, Firefox, Safari browsers irrespective extensions. However, in the absence of extensions support for chrome on Android, the company has launched its Keyboard App both for iOS and Android.
The Android app offers effective spell checking and other grammar anomalies while typing. Being a third-party keyboard, it is quite a simple-to-use keyboard having a minimal design. It let users add personal words to the dictionary. Grammarly Keyboard can scan whole text with a single tap.
The user can choose between different languages such as American, British, Australian, and Canadian for better optimizations. It is available for free on Android.
It has all the essential features such as keyboard resizing, predictive typing, gesture typing, etc. In a step ahead, the Chrooma offers more customization than the Google Keyboard. Chrooma is also is known as the name of a colorful keyboard.
It allows the users to change the color tone while using the keyboard. It features an adaptive color mode that can automatically adjust the color of the keyboard according to the primary color of the active app. The native color gives it a more immersive look.
The features, such as predictive texts, are powered by artificial intelligence for more accuracy. However, the developers are quite quick to rectify any major issues. It is a responsive, lightweight, and swift keyboard with an extra row for emoji or numbers.
It is the “fastest keyboard in the world” with some speedy and responsive features. It features auto-correct gestures, emoji keyboard, and extensions support. Fleksy has its theme engine with access to several free themes. The FleksynextAI helps to predict the emoji, stickers, GIFs, and text.
Apart from normal keyboard functions, there’s also support for different small extensions. The Fleksy keyboard helps to access emoji, GIF, stickers, travel, and food apps within the keyboard. It supports over 45+ languages, including Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Japanese, Italian, French, Greek, English, and others.
Pinterest now owns the app. It is available for free and offers in-app purchases.
It is an emoji keyboard with customized text fonts and styles. There are around 3600+ emojis along with cool fonts, GIFs, and 1500+ keyboard themes. The user can customize the keyboard by adding your photos, changing themes, cool fonts, tap sounds, etc.
The lite version weighing 7MB is also available for download. It supports an inbuilt translator that allows the user to write in any language. Smart input options, including gesture typing, are some favorite features. It supports Emoji Combos, Emoji Prediction, and Trending Gifs feature.
The multilingual support of upto 120+ languages helps the keyboard to have a global user base. The Facemoji Keyboard does not collect any personal information without any permission.
Go Keyboard is an optimal solution to replace your stock keyboard with a much simple, minimalist keyboard. It improves typing habits with integrated dictionaries for meanings. Apart from the usual keyboard features, it supports 1000+ different themes, fonts, GIFs, etc.
The user can change the keyboard background with just a single switch. It supports different layouts, gesture typing, auto-correction, emoji search, etc.
Go Keyboard has 200 million worldwide user-based with 99% of positive pratings. The GO Keyboard offers control over your privacy as the company claims of not collecting your personal information, including credit card information, passwords, etc.
Touchpal is popularly known for contextual prediction through the built-in Talia assistant. It productively looks for information online and even helps to manage clipboards. Touchpal includes all the essential features such as gesture swiping, predictive search, auto-correction, and emoji prediction.
The TouchPal Curve gestures help to type long messaging without tapping display several times. The users can set custom themes, fonts, wallpapers as background, etc. As like Gboard, Touchpal inherits the feature of creating your GIF emoticon.
The size of the keyboard is freely adjustable as required. The keyboard was recently taken down by the Play Store due to some security issues. However, the listing is back online without compensating any feature.
FancyFey is another new generation keyboard with cool customization graphics and animations. It is a customized Android keyboard with cool fonts, 3200+ emoji, emoji arts and emoticons, typing sound, typing effect, key font, personalized themes, and word predictions.
FancyFey is the most popular keyboard app for iOS and recently arrived on Android. It has over 3200+ emojis &emotics, 70+ fonts, 50+ sounds, 50+ themes, and 50+ languages support. FancyFey offers advanced auto-correct, autosuggest engines. The keyboard is compatible with all popular apps to add nicely crafted emoji compositions.
Despite being offering multiple features, the keyboard remains easy to use and customize. It is available for free on Android. The interested users can grab the keyboard from the download link below.
Wireless headphones are gradually replacing their wired counterparts as OEMs gradually phases out the 3.5mm audio jack on smartphones. Over the years, we have seen tremendous improvements in the hearable industry in terms of their overall build, sound output and battery capacity. From models with batteries that can last for just a few hours, headphones have been developed that can deliver up to 24 hours of playback. Harman has launched the JB Reflect Eternal self-charging headphones.
The JBL brand has over the years gain wide popularity for the manufacture of powerful sound products. The JBL Reflect Eternal brings a whole new level of innovation to the hearable industry with the technology at play. With the JBL REFLECT Eternal, the more time spent outside each day, the more hours of playtime you get between charges. The headset packs a 700mAh battery which ordinarily should deliver up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge.
However, the solar charging feature ensures the headphones can be used for an unlimited number of hours when the headphone is used outdoors. According to JBL, spending 1.5 jours outdoors will extend the usage time to 68 hours while 2 hours outside daily delivers 168 hours. Finally, 2.5 hours of outdoor time translates to unlimited playtime daily.
While we won’t trust this claims as there are some caveats attached, the JBL REFLECT Eternal has the potential to remove the headphones from the list of devices you need to worry daily about charging. The headphone also comes with a highspeed USB charger in case there is a need for that. The wired charger delivers up to 2 hours of playback time in just 15 minutes.
The JBL headphone comes with a price tag of $99 and is presently on crowdfunding on Indiegogo. The exercise is expected to end in January but the product is expected to start shipping to backers in October 2020.
Xiaomi has launched a laser rangefinder under the Youpin crowdfunding platform. The product is known as Akku Laser range finder and is easy to operate with just two buttons. The device also comes with a 50m range. It adopts a retail price of 119 yuan (~$17).
The Akku 50m laser rangefinder can achieve measurement swiftly in just 0.2 seconds. It also comes with dual singe-double receive mode including dual laser tubes. With this design, users can simultaneously undertake two measurements at the same time.
The laser rangefinder adopts phase optical ranging and aspherical collimating focusing lens in front of the laser device and the lens makes the laser light finer and concentrated. The lens design also improves the measurement accuracy.
Further, the Akku laser rangefinder supports four measurement modes: distance measurement, area measurement, volume measurement, and continuous measurement. The rangefinder has two modes: front reference mode and rear reference mode. When you need to stick to the frame for distance measurement, you can choose the rear reference mode to make the measurement more convenient.
In terms of the build, the laser rangefinder weighs just 100 grams which is quite light and convenient to carry around. The body is made of ABS + TPE engineering plastic, which is sturdy and durable and has good dust resistance. The rugged, compact and portable design ensures it is comfortable to hold and won’t slip from the hand easily. There are just two buttons on the body; the power button and a function button. The device is also equipped with a 31x27mm electronic screen which supports high-definition backlight display and can be clearly seen in dark environments.
In terms of battery life, the rangefinder is equipped with two AAA batteries as standard, which can meet the needs of 2,000 measurements.
Two live photos of the upcoming Reno3 5G smartphone have been posted on the web. However, only one of the two photos is genuine. The other is either a very good photoshop or an unknown device.
The photos were posted on Weibo by a user that goes “Clear-Aurora”. The device is turned on and we can confirm some details since the user is on the “About Phone” section.
The OPPO Reno3’s model number is PDCM00 and it is running ColorOS 7 based on Android 10. It has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. These are the same details as what TENAA published last weekend.
With respect to the front design, the Reno3 has a waterdrop notch for a 32MP selfie camera. However, its bezels are not the slimmest we have seen on a phone. On the other hand, the image of the phone’s rear is quite surprising as it looks just like that of the Redmi K20 series save for the position of the camera. However, this device is not the Reno3 for the following reasons.
First, the color variant doesn’t match any of the four colorways OPPO itself revealed in its press renders. Also, the Reno3 has quad-rear cameras while this phone has just three cameras albeit arranged just like that of the Reno3. So since this is not the Reno3, which device is this? We honestly cannot say. It is either a photoshopped image or a different device entirely.
The Reno3 will arrive on December 26 as the first phone powered by the Dimensity 1000L 5G processor from MediaTek. It will have a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen with an in-display fingerprint scanner, 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP quad rear cameras, and a 4025mAh battery capacity.
China’s smartphone market has been on a slight decline for the past three years. But according to a new report, the speculated market forecast shows that it could show a growth of 0.7 percent in 2020 thanks to the emerging 5G smartphone market.
Multiple reports have so far suggested that 5G handsets will be more affordable next year. These devices will be the catalysts that recover the declining Chinese smartphone market growth. Reportedly, more than 20 percent of 5G devices that will be available in 2020 will be sold for less than 2,000 Yuan or roughly 285 US Dollars, according to IDC (International Data Corporation).
The newer and faster networking bandwidth is said to bring a positive effect on the entire smartphone industry, according to Wang Xi, an IDC China research manager that specializes in the Chinese smartphone market. Furthermore, the IDC reported that 5G smartphones will see an increase in shipments next year and will account for about 14 percent of total mobile shipments globally. This far exceeds the 1.3 percent share that 4G smartphones had in 2010 when the bandwidth was then introduced.
Many nations, especially developed countries like the US, China, and other European regions, are currently in a race to integrate 5G networks; for reasons that include, but are not limited to, faster data rates, reduced latency, energy efficiency, and massive device connectivity. China is expected to be at the forefront of this advancement towards 5G services with an estimated 5G userbase of a massive 600 million people by 2025.
SHENZHEN, CHINA – APRIL 12: A member of Huawei’s reception staff walks in front of a large screen displaying the logo in the foyer of a building used for high profile customer visits and displays at the company’s Bantian campus on April 12, 2019 in Shenzhen, China. Huawei is Chinas most valuable technology brand, and sells more telecommunications equipment than any other company in the world, with annual revenue topping $100 billion U.S. Headquartered in the southern city of Shenzhen, considered Chinas Silicon Valley, Huawei has more than 180,000 employees worldwide, with nearly half of them engaged in research and development. In 2018, the company overtook Apple Inc. as the second largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world behind Samsung Electronics, a milestone that has made Huawei a source of national pride in China. While commercially successful and a dominant player in 5G, or fifth-generation networking technology, Huawei has faced political headwinds and allegations that its equipment includes so-called backdoors that the U.S. government perceives as a national security. U.S. authorities are also seeking the extradition of Huaweis Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, to stand trial in the U.S. on fraud charges. Meng is currently under house arrest in Canada, though Huawei maintains the U.S. case against her is purely political. Despite the U.S. campaign against the company, Huawei is determined to lead the global charge toward adopting 5G wireless networks. It has hired experts from foreign rivals, and invested heavily in R&D to patent key technologies to boost Chinese influence. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Additionally, Chinese telecoms like Huawei are one of the leaders in supplying 5G infrastructure. Although the company is currently facing numerous setbacks in western regions like the US and Europe, it still is ahead of other companies in terms of 5G networking.
It is estimated that China has over 800 million internet users that access videos, movies, play games and much more via 4G smartphones. Thus the nation can be accurately summarized as having one of the biggest potentials in 5G growth.
The Huawei Mate 30 series of smartphones have been available in China since the past few months. The Chinese manufacturer has been selling the Mate 30 Pro 5G in 256 GB and 512 GB storage models. Today, the Chinese manufacturer has started with the sales of the 128 GB variant of the phone.
Like the 256 GB and 512 GB storage variants of the Mate 30 Pro 5G, its 128 GB model is also equipped with 8 GB of RAM. The 128 GB Mate 30 Pro 5G can be availed with a price tag of 6,399 Yuan (~$915). It will co-exist with 256 GB and 512 GB variants that are respectively priced at 6,899 Yuan (~$986) and 7,899 Yuan (~$1,129). The new variant is available for purchase through Vmall in colors like Vegan Leather Forest Green and Vegan Leather Orange.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G Specifications and Features
Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G Vegan Leather Orange
The Mate 30 Pro 5G houses a 6.53-inch OLED display that offers full HD+ resolution of 1176 x 2400 pixels. With the wider notch on the screen that houses a front-facing of 32-mgeapixel and complex sensors for 3D face unlock, the smartphone offers an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The front and rear sides of the phone are shielded by Gorilla Glass 6.
The Kirin 990 5G chipset powers the smartphone. It ships with up 12 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.0 storage of up to 512 GB. There is a nanoSD card slot (shared SIM slot) for expanding its storage. The EMUI 10 based Android 10 OS runs on the device.
Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G Vegan Leather Forest Green
The Leica engineered quad camera setup resides on the backside of the phone. It includes an OIS assisted 40-megapixel main lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom support, a 40-megapixel ultrawide shooter and a 3D ToF lens. The phone features a front-facing camera of 32-megapixel.
The 4,500mAh battery of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G supports 40W fast charging, 27W fast wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. The handset is equipped with an in-screen fingerprint. It lacks support for 3.5mm audio jack. The phone comes with an IP68 rated dust and water-resistant body.
In September, Xiaomi India had launched the Redmi 8A phone. The Redmi 8 had debuted in India with slightly better specs in October. A new report on 91mobiles states that the Chinese firm may launch Redmi 9 phone in early 2020. It claims that the Redmi 9 will debut first in China and it will also arrive in India in quick succession. The publication has also shared some of the key specs of the phone.
Xiaomi Redmi 9 Specifications (Rumored)
The Redmi 9 is expected to sport a notch display of 6.6 inches. The predecessor has a 6.22-inch display. Since the Redmi 9 is rumored to launch with a bigger display, it will be sporting a larger form factor. The publication has claimed that the Redmi 9 will be receiving power to perform from the MediaTek Helio G70 chipset. The SoC is said to arrive in the market as an inferior version of the Helio G90 and Helio G90T processors. The SoC could be coupled with 4 GB of RAM. The phone may offer an internal storage of 64 GB. The smartphone could be available in other variants.
The Redmi 9 is expected to go official in China first in Q1 2020. It remains to be seen whether the Redmi 8 also debuts by the end of the same quarter. Xiaomi fans can expect Redmi 9 to deliver better performance and improved photography experience. It could be running on MIUI 11 based Android 10 OS. The other details of the phone are currently under the wraps.
Redmi 8 Specifications and Price
The Xiaomi Redmi 8 has a 6.22-inch IPS LCD display with dot notch. The Snapdragon 439 SoC fuels the smartphone. It houses a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging through USB-C. It has a front camera of 8-megapixel and it is fitted with a Sony IMX363 12-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera system on the back. The MIUI 10 based Android 10 OS runs on the phone and it is equipped with a fingerprint reader.
In China, the 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 Gb storage models of the Redmi 8 are respectively priced at 899 Yuan (~$128) and 999 Yuan (~$143). The smartphone comes in color options like Black, Blue and Green. In India, it comes in additional color of Red. The country has received only the 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage edition of the phone with a price tag of Rs. 7,999 (~$112).
Xiaomi has begun rolling out a stable MIUI 11 update to its 2018 flagship, the Mi 8, in China. The update not only brings a new user interface and new features to the phone but also brings Android 10.
The update arrives as MIUI V11.0.5.0.QEACNXM and is 2.1GB in size. Xiaomi advises that users back up their data before they install the update since it not only comes with a new version of MIUI but also upgrades the Android version. Users are also warned that certain apps may be incompatible with Android 10 and may not function properly. However, it is advised that you update your apps afterward as the latest version of the app may have fixed the incompatibility issue.
MIUI 11 brings a redesigned user interface, always-on-display with new customization and personalization options, breathing lights for notifications using the display, new notification sounds inspired by nature, and Mi Work and Mi Life to helo you improve productivity and balance work and personal life. There is also Mi Share for file sharing between compatible devices.
MIUI 11 also has a built-in document viewer called Mi Doc Viewer so you don’t have to download a document viewing app for your device. There is also wireless printing with support for more than 2000 printer models from HP, Lexmark, HP, Sharp, Epson, Toshiba, Kyocera, Lenovo, Mijia and NEC e.t.c. Xiaomi has also included a period tracker, an emergency SOS feature, and a step counter.
There is no news yet with respect to when the stable update will be available for the global version but it should not be far off. The phone launched with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and was updated to Android 9 Pie. It should still be eligible for future MIUI updates but this may be its last Android OS upgrade.
Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi K30 series smartphones in the Chinese market which is yet to make its debut in the Indian market. However, the company has brought a few other products in India.
The company has launched a new Mi Step Out Backpack in India which is priced at ₹249. Along with that, Xiaomi also launched Mi Protective Glass in partnership with Corning, for the protection of display for the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
This new 2.5D glass screen protector is just 0.4mm thin and features silicon adhesive for an effortless bubble-free installation. It is made using Accessory Glass by Corning which is an alkali-aluminosilicate glass offering better safety compared to the generic tempered glass, as per Xiaomi.
The company also claims that the Mi Protective Glass goes through an additional ion-exchange process that again provides 5x better protection against scratches and contact with sharp objects. It also has 9H hardness to protect the smartphone display from scratches and drops.
Apart from this, the screen protector comes with high light transmittance that allows full clarity and colour and the oleophobic coating on top reduces glare and prevents fingerprints and smudges. The Mi Protective Glass for the Redmi Note 8 Pro is available for purchase via Mi.com at a price of ₹399.
On the other hand, the Mi Step Out Backpack has a capacity of 12 litres and two zipper pockets that can house gym wear and travel essentials. The backpack is made of 600D polyester fabric which is said to be water repellant and lightweight.
It measures 40 x 30 x 6.5 mm in dimensions and is touted to be built using 100 per cent polyester material. The Mi Step Out Backpack is available for purchase in four colours — Navy Blue, Royal Blue, Black and Red. It will go on sale on Mi.com for ₹249.
On 18th December 2019, Xiaomi‘s Wuhan headquarters has officially opened with Lei Jun, the CEO of Xiaomi Group, attending the opening ceremony. The new headquarters of the Chinese company is located in Optics Valley Central City, in the Hubei province and has been completed in just two years since its official listing.
Xiaomi commencing the start of building the Wuhan Headquarters on 25th November 2018
The total construction area of Xiaomi’s new Wuhan headquarters is about 52,000 square meters which can accommodate anywhere between 2,400 to 3,000 employees. Previously, Lei Jun had revealed that the production cost alone for the new headquarters was 10.5 billion Yuan or roughly 1.5 billion US dollars. Notably, the company has also recruited about 2,000 employees out of which 80 percent were hired from the local areas.
Xiaomi Wuhan Headquarters with an area size of 52,000 square metres
The Wuhan Headquarters of Xiaomi is the second center of the company’s artificial intelligence department; through which the company plans on building Hubei Xiaomi Artificial Intelligence Technology Innovation Center for future techs scientific research and development. This will further be supplemented by employees taken up directly from various reputable universities in the region.
OnePlus is expected to announce the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro smartphones in the second quarter of 2020. A recent leak had revealed that the Chinese firm is also working on a more affordable smartphone called OnePlus 8 Lite. The launch event for the OnePlus 8 series is couple of months away. However, the rumor mill is working hard to spill new details on the OnePlus 8 series. A Chinese tipster has shared full specs of OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro and OnePlus 8 Lite. The leak appears to be a calculated guess based on the rumors surrounding the OnePlus 8 lineup.
OnePlus 8, 8 Pro and 8 Lite Specifications (Unconfirmed)
The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are rumored to be equipped with 6.4-inch and 6.7-inch S-AMOLED E3 curved dual punch-hole display that supports 120Hz refresh rate. The OnePlus 8 is expected to produce quad HD+ resolution of 1440 x 3140 pixels. The OnePlus 8 Lite may house a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED E2 display with 90Hz refresh rate. The OP8 and OP8 Lite will offer full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Lite model will support 90Hz refresh rate. All three phones will sport an in-screen fingerprint reader.
The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro is powered by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform and X55 5G modem that brings support for 5G connectivity. Both models are expected to come in 8 GB and 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM variants and USF 3.0 storage options such as 128 GB and 256 GB. On the other side, the OnePlus 8 Lite is expected to feature the Dimensity 1000 SoC, 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.0 storage of 128 GB and 256 GB.
OnePlus 8 renders
The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro may feature 32-megapixel (Sony IMX616 Iens) + 3D ToF dual camera system. The OnePlus 8 Lite may feature a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel (Sony IMX471) housed inside a single punch-hole on the screen. The rear shell of the OnePlus 8 Lite may sport a triple camera setup with an f/1.7 aperture 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 main lens, a 16-megapixel ultrawide lens with f/2.2 aperture and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. The rear camera may carry support for OIS and EIS.
OnePlus 8 Pro renders
The OnePlus 8 is expected to come with an OIS and EIS enabled rear camera setup that includes an f/1.6 aperture 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 main lens, an f/2.2 aperture 20-megapixel ultrawide lens, an f/2.4 aperture 12-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x hybrid optical zoom support. The OnePlus 8 Pro is said to feature the same three sensors that are available on the OP8 along with an additional 3D ToF sensor. The OP8 Pro may offer 10x hybrid optical zoom, dual OIS and EIS.
The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Lite may come with a 4,000mAh batteries that support 30W fast charging. The Pro model may come with a larger 4,500mAh battery with 35W fast charging. The leak states that OP8 series will come with stereo speakers.
OnePlus 8 Lite renders
The front rear sides of OnePlus 8 and 8 Lite are protected by Gorilla Glass 5 panels. The OnePlus 8 may come with a Gorilla Glass 6 panel on the front and its rear will be shielded by Gorilla Glass 5. The OnePlus 8 Lite will be an IP53 certified device whereas the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will have IP68 rated chassis.
OnePlus 8, 8 Pro and 8 Lite Pricing (Unconfirmed)
The leak claims that the OnePlus 8 models such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage will be respectively priced at 3,699 Yuan ($528), 3,999 Yuan (~$571) and 4,299 Yuan (~$614)
The OnePlus 8 Pro is also expected to come in same variants as the OP8 phone. The three models could be respectively priced at 4,999 Yuan (~$714), 5,499 Yuan (~$786) and 5,999 Yuan (~$858). The OnePlus 8 Lite is likely to come in two models such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These could be respectively priced at 2,999 Yuan (~$428) and 3,299 Yuan (~$472).
Readers are advised to digest the leaked specs of the OnePlus 8 series with a grain of salt. Concrete on the specs of the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro and 8 Lite will appear as their launch date draws near.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Xiaomi are currently one of the most important smartphone companies around. They have an extremely strong lineup of devices, from budget devices, to mid-rangers, to top-of-the-line flagships. The current crown jewel of the company is the Mi MIX Alpha, a stunning device, but instead we’re going to discuss a possible Mi MIX Alpha 2 based on these recently released leaks.
LetsGoDigital has discovered that Xiaomi has filed a series of patents with the Chinese patent office for a smartphone that consists entirely of a full screen surface, with no camera bar to speak of and even narrower screen edges.
According to LetsGoDigital, Xiaomi filed this series of design patents for a smartphone that consists entirely of screen surface about a year ago. It took until December 13, 2019 before these patents were approved and published in the WIPO Design database for worldwide protection of this design.
While we did bring up the Mi MIX Alpha, this user interface is for a smartphone with a full surround display AND under-screen cameras on both the front and rear side of the device. This phone has ultra thin bezels at the top and bottom as well as no physical buttons.
All graphical user interface pictures presented in this publication are from Xiaomi.
The screen itself does not run through the bottom or top, seeing how the bottom offers space for the device’s stereo speakers and a USB Type-C port. The microphone is placed on top, along with nothing else. Outside of these details, the patent mainly focuses on the details of the GUI design, and all the screenshots are in full colour which indicates that Xiaomi may already have the device in the works.
The description shows that the screen icons on the side of the device will change based on the content / application shown on the main screen. For example, general status icons such as the battery indicator and network signal strength can be displayed on the right-hand side, while the left side offers space for displaying time, weather, etc.
In addition, a simple swipe movement will make it possible to add icons to the sides yourself for things like cameras and music controls. This way you can customize the phone and its functions to suit your needs. On the right side of the smartphone, a virtual button is also provided that functions as a system shortcut and as the power button.
While the Mi MIX Alpha is certainly a stunning display of Xiaomi’s engineering capabilities, it’s also very similar to the first Mi MIX in that it’s an expensive concept device that’s meant to show off something extremely new and fresh. Now that it’s out of the way, it may open the doors toward a camera bar-less Mi MIX Alpha 2, which is where this UI might apply.
Whatever the case is with these patents, it certainly leaves us quite excited for Xiaomi‘s future prospects. We’re looking forward to seeing what the Chinese giants can conjure up, and if they’re anywhere near as interesting as the Mi MIX Alpha, then we’re absolutely on board.
Ren Zhengfei, the Founder and CEO of Shenzhen-based Huawei, had stated that his retirement plans were ruined after the company faced a ban from the US Commerce Department.
Earlier today (18th December 2019), the Chinese company publicized an interview of the Senior executive who was addressing 5G network development in Latin America, Huawei’s HarmonyOS (HongMengOS in China), and temporary extensions. In the conference, Zhengfei was asked by a reporter regarding his retirement plans. He answered this by mentioning the US Government’s actions to suppress the company had motivated him.
HarmonyOS (HongMengOS in China)
Reportedly, the CEO was planning on retiring soon but the sudden ban in early 2019 led him to work for the public relations department of Huawei. Following this, Ren Zhengfei stated Huawei’s plans in Spain to build the best 5G network in Europe and further went on to mention Huawei’s cooperation with Telefonica in Latin America. Notably, the company is also facing issues with the Spanish Government regarding security concerns.
The Founder also answered questions regarding its HarmonyOS’ relationship between Google‘s Android system and whether the extension of temporary licenses by the US Government affects the company. According to Zhengfei, the HarmonyOS will be open source for each country similar to Android OS but will have no ties with the latter and also will be completely separate with its own ecosystem and app development.
US-China Trade Disputes
The proprietary OS would help the company lessen its reliance on western-based companies, a move the company supports every country in making. This would also help its OS achieve digital sovereignty. Huawei’s CEO even stated that whether or not the US Government extends its temporary licensing to its business partners is irrelevant and will have no effect on the company.
Although 5G is not expected to arrive in France until summer next year, operators have already sent their requests to ANSSI (French National Cybersecurity Agency) to find out if they will be able to use Huawei equipment. Unfortunately however, it seems the administration isn’t just refusing, but outright not replying to queries at all.
Huawei is no longer entitled to supply new antennas to operators in the United States. However, it can still offer its services to European countries like Germany and Great Britain. In France however, there are some peculiar problems playing out between the government and telecom operators over 5G development and Huawei equipment.
A law aimed at securing the 5G network, promulgated a few days ago, stipulates that operators must validate with ANSSI, who are in charge of monitoring electronic services – placed under the authority of the Prime Minister, any radio towers the telco want to deploy. On top of this, any query not replied to in over two months amounts to a refusal, and submissions regarding Huawei equipment currently aren’t being responded to.
As it stands, ANSSI and the French government aren’t responding to any queries regarding the use of Huawei equipment in 5G networks for the country. There’s a general lack of information for the telecommunication companies to go off, and it’s resulted in a rather frustrating experience for them according to reports and interviews.
A manager at Orange, a French telco” tells in an interview from Frandroid that “We want to understand the rules of the game so that we don’t get stuck afterwards. Even at ANSSI, everything is not crystal clear… Everyone is waiting for news. So we want to test the mechanism.” This essentially means that due to these issues from the government, they can’t test their networks.
This applies to all telcos submitting these files to ANSSI. Despite this, all companies are still pushing for Huawei equipment, as SFR has already submitted files for the antennas of Huawei and Nokia. Bouygues plans to send its file quickly, and Orange also intends to try to file files for equipment from Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei, even though it does not use antennas of the Chinese brand for its 4G network.
The US government is weighing new limits on sales of chips and other vital components to Huawei, sparking another furious round of lobbying by technology companies. Industry associations representing US chip makers, software companies and manufacturers have written to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in recent weeks arguing against the changes, according to copies obtained by Bloomberg News.
Some U.S. companies have continued selling to Huawei even after the blacklisting, citing rules that limit the government’s ability to restrict exports. De minimis provisions exempt certain products if companies can prove the majority of work done to create the items happens outside the U.S. The current threshold effectively kicks in when 75% of the work occurs overseas.
The administration is considering raising that to 90%, and broadening the list of products, people familiar with the discussions said. The change could come as soon as January, added the people, who asked not to be identified discussing policy deliberations. This will obviously put a cork on the current loophole, effectively reducing Huawei’s presence.
U.S. tech companies have already struggled to comply with the original Huawei ban, while keeping access to the Chinese market, the largest in the world. The government in Beijing has threatened to retaliate against companies that stop supporting Huawei, resulting in just a very messy situation all around.
In November, the Commerce Department said it started approving some applications for licenses to do business with Huawei, while rejecting others. It characterized the approvals as “narrow.” Microsoft Corp. got a license. It’s unclear which other companies got approved and how the decisions were made, but it’d be great if these got streamlined quicker.
According to sources from the MIUI forums, the Android 10 based MIUI 11, which is a custom skin from the company, has entered closed beta in China. The early build stays in this phase for two to three weeks for various bug fixing and performance tweaking before being launched in open beta. From here, it can take anywhere up to eight weeks before the official stable build can be ready for a global launch.
With the Redmi Note 7 entering closed beta now, Xiaomi seems to be ahead in the schedule. Previously, the Chinese tech giant had stated that it would start working on Android 10 for the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro in the first quarter of 2020. Although the new year is just around the corner, the early testing is still a great sign for the Redmi smartphone users.
Android 10 based MIUI 11 for Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro
Notably, Redmi Note 7 series is a year-old smartphone lineup and might just receive Android 10 and MIUI 11 ahead of its successors, the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro. Xiaomi has yet to announce any official major update for the latter series so far.
Now, the Chinese tech giant is facing more problems, but this time in Eastern Europe, in the Czech Republic; as amidst the disputes regarding Huawei’s security threat, the country’s Cybersecurity Chief has just been fired.
Huawei being caught in the crossfires of the US-China Trade Disputes
According to a new report, Dusan Navratil, who became the first director of the National Cyber and Information security Agency (also knows as Nukib), has just been fired by the leading Government. This arrives after he was alleged to lack experience, managerial skills, and communication expertise for the job. Reportedly, the Czech Government unanimously agreed to the dismissal of Navratil, who also served as head of the National Security Authority for 10 years.
Navratil said he was “surprised” over this sudden dismissal by the Prime Minister and has refused to comment further on the situation. The cybersecurity chief was known for being involved in a year-long controversy over his December 2018 reports that condemned Chinese brands like Huawei and ZTE for being national security threats.
After the report, Government agencies were banned from using Huawei smartphones by the Prime Minister, Babis, but ordered more evidence for the accusation. Since then, a Nukib spokesperson has denied any ties or pressures from the US Government regarding the decision against Huawei; citing, “it surprised the US authorities as much as it surprised Huawei.”
It is still unclear if the dismissal of the Navratil is based on his allegations against Huawei, which is expanding in Europe to better take on its western competitors. According to Cui Hongjian, the director of China Institute of International Studies think tank, Huawei has been in a chaotic position in the Czech Republic which is also indicative of the broader trend in Europe regarding the company and 5G networking as a whole.
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