Realme X50 5G (RMX2051) spotted at CMIIT; Key specifications revealed

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Dec 17, 2019

An unannounced Realme smartphone with model number RMX2051 has been approved by the CMIIT authority of China. The listing reveals that the phone carries support for 5G connectivity. Since the past few weeks, Realme has been teasing on the arrival of Realme X50a as its first 5G phone. Hence, it is being speculated that the RMX2051 5G phone could be the coming Realme X50 5G. The CMIIT certification hasn’t revealed any information on the specs of the phone. However, the Chinese tipster who was one of the first ones to spot the RMX2051 CMIIT certification has shared some of its key specifications.

In the recent past, Realme Product Director Wan Wei Derek had posted on Weibo in the previous week that the Realme X50 5G supports 5G frequency bands such as n1, n41, n78 and n79 in China. Thee are the mainstream 5G frequencies that have been commercialized in China and that will be used in the year 2020. The RMX2051 5G phone that has surfaced on CMIIT has been spotted for the first time. It is likely that the phone will soon appear on 3C and TENAA certification platforms of China through which more details will be revealed.

Editor's Pick: Realme X2 with 6.4-inch display, SD730G, 64MP quad cameras launched for Rs. 16,999 (~$240) in India/

Realme X50 5G Specifications (Rumored)

According to a tipster from China, the Realme X50 5G phone has a 6.6-inch IPS LCD display. The first official teaser of the smartphone that was released by the company last month had revealed that it will be arriving with a display with dual front-facing cameras. The Chinese firm has already revealed that the Snapdragon 765G will be powering the smartphone. The presence of SD765G will bring support dual-mode 5G on the device.

The Realme X50 5G is expected to come with equipped with a 64-megapixel main lens in its rear-facing camera module. There is no confirmation on whether it features a Sony IMX686 64-megapixel lens. The exact size of its battery is not known, but it is expected to carry support for 30W VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge technology. The other details of the phone are currently under the wraps.

Realme X50 5G Launch Date

A teaser that released by Realme CMO Xu Qi yesterday evening suggested that the launch date of Realme X50 5G is 20 days away. Hence, it is being said that the smartphone will go official on Jan. 5. An official confirmation on its exact launch date will be revealed in the next few days.

It seems like a worthy competitor for Redmi K30 5G phone that will hit the Chinese markets by Jan. 15. What’s your opinion on the Realme X50? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(via)

HMD Global discontinues Nokia 8.1 and discounts others

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 17, 2019

Quite a number of folks expected HMD Global’s December 5 event to be for the unveiling of the Nokia 8.2, a successor to the Nokia 8.1 released about the same date a year ago. However, the Egypt event was for the unveiling of the Nokia 2.3. Now, it has been reported that the Nokia 8.1 has been discontinued in the UK.

According to Nokia Power User, UK retailer, Clove, lists the Nokia 8 (2019) as discontinued and no longer available for sale while other stores such as Carphone Warehouse do not have any new models in stock.

This new development can only mean one thing – a successor is coming. Although, in my own opinion I do not get why a phone has to get discontinued because a successor is about to launch. The Nokia 2.1 has not yet been discontinued even though it already has two successors – the Nokia 2.2 and Nokia 2.3.

The upcoming Nokia 8.2 is rumored to be the Snapdragon 765-powered smartphone scheduled to arrive in Q1 2020. However, the exact date is not known. It could be early (probably at CES 2020) or later at MWC 2020. However, since the Nokia 8.1 has been discontinued already, then the launch should be in January.

The upcoming phone will have 5G, ZEISS imaging, and a PureDisplay. An image of the phone shared at the Qualcomm Summit shows the phone has a circular camera housing, not unlike the Nokia 7.2.

In other news, HMD Global has discounted some of its phones in the UK and has included some nice gifts too. The Nokia 7.2 now sells for £249, down from £394 for the 6GB RAM version and it includes a free pair of Nokia Power Earbuds, a free clear case, and an additional year of warranty.

The Nokia 4.2 is priced at £159 and you get a free dual-port car charger with Quick Charge 3.0, a clear case, and 1 extra year of warranty. The Nokia 3.2 is also now £109 and you get the same free gifts as the Nokia 4.2 along with an extra year of warranty. The Nokia 2.2 has also been discounted to £79 but you get a free Xpress-On Cover and an additional year of warranty.

You can purchase these phones on the official Nokia website. The deals run until 10:59 PM on December 31, 2019.

(Sources: 1, 2)

How to enable Airtel WiFi Calling on smartphones with these simple steps?

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 17, 2019

Since the past few months, Airtel and Reliance Jio was working on the WiFi Calling feature in the NCR region. Last Week, Airtel became the first telecom provider in India to enable WiFi calling function for its prepaid and postpaid users. It will let users make calls over VoIP using the WiFi network. In today’s write-up, we will let our users know about how to enable Airtel WiFi Calling on smartphones.

What is WiFi Calling?

It is a technology that allows users to make and receive calls over a wireless internet connection. It eliminates the use of a cellular network. No matter if the receiver has an internet connection or not, the caller needs to be on the WiFi to successfully connect the call over VoIP using the WiFi network. It has several advantages over the typical calling facility provided by cellular networks.

Advantages of WiFi Calling:

Unclog Cellular Network – In the areas of dense population, the carriers opt for the WiFi-calling facility. It allows companies to decongest their typical cellular networks.
No Extra charge – Airtel is currently offering the WiFI-calling facility at no extra charges.
HD Quality Audio – In some stranded off regions or scarcely populated areas, the carriers do not offer VoLTE or HD voice capability. However, with WIFi-calling, the users can make HD calls.
Expansion in-network coverage without more significant investment – It is a smart idea of expanding the network coverage without investing in the high-end infrastructure.

While announcing the service, the company spokesperson said, “Airtel Wi-Fi Calling is designed to enhance voice calling experience for Airtel smartphone customers, especially when they are indoors. With Airtel Wi-Fi Calling, customers with Wi-Fi at home or office will get excellent signal quality indoors. There will be no extra charge for calls made over Airtel Wi-Fi Calling, and the application consumes minimal data.”

Compatibility:

Airtel WiFi-Calling works only with compatible smartphones.

It currently supports :

Samsung J6, Samsung A10s, Samsung On6, Samsung M30s support Airtel Wi-Fi calling.
All iPhone starting iPhone 6s and above are supported. This means iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Plus support Airtel Wi-Fi calling.
Xiaomi Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro, and POCO F1 support Airtel Wi-Fi calling.
OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T, and OnePlus 7T Pro support Airtel Wi-Fi calling.
Support for more phones coming soon.

Prerequisites:

Some limitations are put forth by the Airtel while using the WiFi-Calling on its network.

The Phone should be compatible with the WiFi-Calling Network.
You should be residing in the Delhi NCR region to use the service as of now.
Upgrade to the latest firmware version.
Airtel Broadband connection is only supported as of now.

Steps to activate Airtel WiFi- Calling facility

Make sure your smartphone supports the VoWifi feature, and it has been enabled.
Connect to the Airtel Broadband connection.
Turn on VoLTE service for Airtel SIM by heading to Settings > Networks > Airtel SIM > Toggle VoLTE.
Now, enable WiFi call settings by heading to Settings > SIM & Network Settings > Airtel SIM > Activate Make Calls using WiFi option.
That’s it.

Now, Airtel users having the devices mentioned above can easily access the WiFI-Calling facility. It is currently available for the Airtel users in the Delhi NCR region. However, the company is looking to expand the service to more cities very soon. If you have any problem while setting the VoWIFI facility, then let us know by commenting below.

Realme Buds Air true wireless earphones launched in India for ₹3,999 ($56)

By

Jeet

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Dec 17, 2019

As promised, along with the Realme X2 smartphone, the Oppo-backed company has also launched its first true wireless earphones in the Indian market — Realme Buds Air. This is the fourth audio accessory from the company after launching Buds, Buds2, Buds Wireless.

The company says that the Realme Buds Air are ergonomically designed in a semi-open shape that relieves you from the discomfort caused by in-ear earbuds. The Realme Buds Air have an imported LCP advanced multi-layer composite diaphragm and a big 12mm sound unit.

It uses a custom Dynamic Bass Boost solution to provide powerful bass that enhances the immersive experience of watching movies and listening to music. They pack two built-in microphones for dual-mic noise cancellation — one for capturing the human voice and the other for ambient sound, which are algorithmically synthesized to offset environmental noise and deliver clear conversation quality during calls.

The product is powered by the high-performance R1 processing chip that solves the problem of wireless audio latency. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 protocol that effectively processes audio transmission and ensures extremely low latency.

The company added that thanks to the technology used in them, once Realme Buds Air are recognized by your phone, it connects instantly every time the case cover is opened, ensuring seamless music experience.

Further, the two earbuds are connected to the phone synchronously to ensure seamless audio sync and keep the latency as low as possible. Unlike other similar products in the market, this one come with a Gaming Mode.

The Gaming Mode on Realme Buds Air further reduces the latency by 51 percent to achieve excellent sound and picture synchronization, says that company. It further adds that when compared to competitors, it beats them hands-down with a latency of 120ms only.

Realme adds that the Buds Air comes with Smart Wear Detection and built-in distance sensor that detects wearing and removal of the buds for truly wireless and seamless experience. It also supports smart touch controls such as double tap to play/pause, triple tap to skip track, a long press to wake up Google Assistant for voice operation, etc.

Coming to the battery life, the company claims to offer 3 hours of continuous playback and up to 17 hours with the charging case. Further, Realme adds that the Buds Air also supports wireless charging and the case is designed with an ergonomic shape, a single LED indicator and a Type-C port for wired charging.

The Realme Buds Air are offered in three color options — Yellow, White, and Black. It is priced at ₹3,999 in India, which roughly converts to $56 and will go on sale from today itself through Flipkart.

Samsung Galaxy S10 series receives Android 10 Update in the US

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2019

Previously, we had covered Samsung‘s roadmap for updating its existing lineup of smartphones with the latest Android 10 OS based One UI 2. The list included many other devices as well that were slated to receive the update in early 2020. However, a few of the devices were ahead of schedule when the company started rolling out updates earlier this month. These handsets are now also joined by the Galaxy S10 series.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Smoky Blue — Samsung Galaxy S10+ Smoky Blue

According to the original schedule, the Galaxy S10 series, which includes the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e, were all set to receive the Android 10 update in January 2020. But similar to the Galaxy Note 10 series, the 2019 flagship smartphone of the South Korean tech giant has already started receiving the major update in the US.

Samsung’s One UI is the company’s custom skin which is based on Google‘s Android OS. The latest version which is currently being rolled out in the US carries the second iteration of the skin; which brings a bunch of new features and upgrades along with it. Currently, the Galaxy S10 series is receiving the new update for its Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile models, with AT&T reportedly soon to follow.

Samsung Galaxy S10 series (L-R: Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+)

Being a major update, the new software includes the December security patches alongside the One UI 2 upgrade. Notably, the update roll out is occurring in a staggered manner. In other words, it is yet to arrive on every handset, so don’t worry if you haven’t immediately received the update. It will soon be available to a broader userbase and will arrive with a download size upwards of 2GB.

(Via)

Realme X2 with 6.4-inch display, SD730G, 64MP quad cameras launched for Rs. 16,999 (~$240) in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 17, 2019

Realme India had launched the Snapdragon 855+ mobile platform powered Realme X2 Pro smartphone in November. Today, the Chinese firm introduced the less powerful Realme X2 smartphone in the country. At the same event, it also unleashed the Realme Buds Air truly wireless earbuds. The Realme X2 was originally announced in China in September. The same phone that features a waterdrop notch display, Snapdragon 730G processor and 64-megapixel quad cameras.

Realme X2 Specifications and Features

The Realme X2 has a 6.4-inch S-AMOLED display that produces full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone boasts a screen space of 91.9 percent. The front and rear sides of the smartphone is shielded by Gorilla Glass 5 panels.

The 8nm Snapdragon 730G octa-core processor that works at 2.2GHz powers the phone with up to 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The device is equipped with up to 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. A microSD card is available on the device for expanding its storage.

The display notch is the home for Realme X2’s selfie camera of 32-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture. The phone comes with selfie video stabilization feature and selfie nightscape feature. The backside of the device is fitted with a quad camera system. The Samsung GW1 64-megapixel sensor is available as the main sensor. It is coupled with a 119-degree 8-megapixel superwide lens, a macro lens of 2-megapixel with 4cm focal length and a 2-megapixel portrait lens. The Realme X2 comes with support for EIS, real-time bokeh, super night mode,30fps 4K video recording, 60fps 1080p and 720p video shooting and 960fps slow-motion video recording.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo X30 series arrives with 5G, Exynos 980, and impressive zoom cameras

The Realme X2 is loaded with Android 9 Pie OS that is customized with the latest ColorOS 6. For gamers, the phone comes equipped with GameBoost 2.0 and Game Assistant. Depending on the signal strength, the Realme X2 can smartly switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data. There is dual Wi-Fi function to connect two Wi-Fi networks simultaneously. For audiophiles, the smartphone is equipped with super linear speaker and smart PA along with support for Hi Res Audio and Dolby Atmos.

The Realme X2 is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery and it comes with support for VOOC 4.0 Flash Charge technology that enables 30W charging. It takes only 75 minutes to completely charge the Realme X2. It takes only 19 minutes to achieve 50 percent battery power from scratch. The connectivity features available on the Realme X2 are dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB-C and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Realme X2 Price and Availability

Here is the pricing of the different variants of the Realme X2:

4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage – Rs. 16,999 (~$240)
6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – Rs. 18,999 (~$268)
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – Rs. 19,999 (~$282)

The smartphone will be available for purchase in India through Realme India’s online store and Flipkart. Later, the phone will be also available through offline stores. Some of the launch offers for the Realme X2 buyers include flat Rs. 1,500 instant discount on ICICI credit cards, MobiKwik cash benefits of up to Rs. 1,500, no cost EMI and benefits worth Rs. 11,500 from Jio.

The first sale of the Realme X2 will start on Dec. 20 at 12 PM IST and it can be availed in three colors like Pearl White, Pearl Blue and Pearl Green. The Realme Buds Air has gone official in India with a price tag of Rs. 3,999 (~556). Head on to our dedicated story on the Buds Air to know more on it.

What’s your take on the pricing and specifications of the Realme X2? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

Xiaomi Folding phone patent appears, features extending display

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Dec 17, 2019

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. But despite all this, the company has yet to introduce to a proper Xiaomi folding phone.

While Xiaomi does technically have the Mi Mix Alpha, that’s a completely different type of device that doesn’t have the typical features of a folding phone. Some have even been questioning whether we’ll even see a folding phone from the company. Well, today we’ve have gotten a glimpse at some patents for such a device courtesy of LetsGoDigital.

Halfway through 2018, Xiaomi filed a design patent for a pull-out phone with a side bar. The documentation was approved and only recently published on December 6, 2019. There are some product images included where a device is shown that can be pulled into a tablet format. It’s a very interesting take on a folding phone, which we’ve seen before.

If you remember from last month, we saw a very similar design patented by LG where the device unrolled like a scroll from a small form factor into tablet-sized device. Unlike LG’s solution however, Xiaomi’s patent seems a lot more robust. In fact, Xiaomi’s device looks like it could legitimately take form and isn’t just a plain and obvious concept.

The Xiaomi version of an extendable device begins as a normal sized smartphone, which can then be pulled to the left to extend further. The camera module on the back seems to sit on what will be the pull tab, while the front cameras sit on a side bar akin to the current back camera situation on the Mi Mix Alpha. It’s definitely a good concept device.

Unfortunately, lots of patents get approved yet amount to nothing. A good example is the LG folding phone we just shared, which still has had no presence in any LG release. It’s a shame, but chances are we’re not going to see anything like this launch, at least not for the next few years. We’re definitely excited for the idea however, and we can’t wait to see someone actually attempt it.

(Source)

Xiaomi crowdfunds fruits and vegetables purifier, removes pesticides and bacteria

By

Sean

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Dec 17, 2019

On 17th December 2019, Xiaomi unveiled its own portable fruits and vegetable purifier which is being crowdfunded on Xiaomi’s Youpin website. It arrives with useful features that are aimed for people that are conscious regarding their health and food quality.

According to official notes, the new Xiaomi purifier uses high energy ion purification technology. This means that water is broken down into hydroxide ions and hydrogen ions under the action of an ion generator. Through this, the device can reorganize the bacterial walls to make it easier to break them down; and once treated, the bacteria is killed by an oxidation reaction after the hydroxide ion combines with chlorine in the water to form hypochlorous acid.

Xiaomi Youpin Fruits and Vegetables Purifier — Xiaomi’s Fruits and Vegetables Purifier being submerged in water to remove bacteria and pesticides

In simpler terms, the fruits and vegetable purifier uses a simple chemical process that weakens and kills any harmful substance on the surface of consumer’s groceries which doesn’t hard the food. The device has been officially stated to have an effectiveness of 99.99 percent in killing bacteria and also having pesticide degradation effects great than 90 percent.

Under the hood, the Xiaomi fruits and vegetable purifier is powered by a large 4,400mAh battery which also supports wireless charging. Reportedly, it can work up to or more than 35 times on a single full charge. The Youpin product is rated with IPX7 waterproof rating as well.

Xiaomi’s new consumer-friendly product is available as crowdfunding and arrives in a full white body with a circle LED indicator on its side. Lastly, the product carries a price tag of 199 Yuan or roughly 28.42 US Dollars.

(Via)

Xiaomi could lose top spot in India in 2020, but not to Samsung

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Dec 17, 2019

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is confident that it will be able to retain its No. 1 position in the Indian smartphone market next year too, but industry experts believe that a different company will take the number 1 spot in the country in 2020. This is a pretty big claim, so let’s take a closer look at why exactly there’s this expectation.

The big competitor this time is apparently not Samsung or Apple, but instead the behemoth that is the BBK Group. For those not in the know, the BBK Group is the company behind such smartphone companies like Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus and Realme. You can probably already see where this is going, especially considering the popularity of these brands.

“Given the remarkable Q3 2019 strides made by the BBK brands in India, Xiaomi would need to be wary of the rising competition and the decline in its market share. In the first three quarters of 2019, Xiaomi lost three per cent market share,” claims Prabhu Ram of Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR).

All of these brands saw great performance in India this past year, and they only seem to be gaining more steam. Realme in particular seems to be punching well above their weight. Xiaomi on the other hand have been doing well, but saw a decline in Q3 2019 where Xiaomi’s market share fell from 30.6 per cent to 27.1 per cent.

“As Realme comes with new offerings in the mid-tier and premium segment, and OPPO and Vivo also unveil plans to go premium, Xiaomi faces an uphill battle. To retain their numero uno position, Xiaomi would need to go beyond its existing brand imagery and also consolidate its offline play,” says Ram.

(Source)

Apple kills app that turns your iPhone into an iPod Classic

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Dec 17, 2019

Apple iPhone users are probably accustomed to not being allowed to have fun things by now, as the company kills yet another app. This time around, Apple has brought the hammer down on Rewound, an app that allowed users to customize their iPhones to look like an iPod Classic.

Developer Louis Anslow is the creator of Rewound, a customizable music player that more or less turns the iPhone’s touchscreen into an iPod Classic. Anslow isn’t the first developer to try to feast on the general public’s want for iPod nostalgia, but Anslow managed to get Rewound into the app store with a workaround that may or may not run afoul of Apple’s intellectual property rules.

The apps was designed from the ground up to use skins that allowed users to customize the look of their app. According to the devs, “Rewound was specifically designed not to infringe on Apple’s trademarks and we didn’t. Rewound could look many ways. Not until users started sharing/using Clickwheel skins did they ban the app.”

According to Rewound, another reason why Apple removed it is because the app charged for Apple Music features. “This is less unreasonable BUT they already approved the in-app purchase before Clickwheel skins started proliferating… then they decided it was not ok. Double standard?” said Rewound.

Rewound said it can’t update the app to get it re-approved without breaking the app for more than 170,000 users. “So we’re going to have to upload a separate version. They’re just going to keep saying no until users can’t possible make it like their favourite music player,” said the app developer.

(Source)

Upcoming Android phones in Turkey to miss out on crucial Google services

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 17, 2019

According to the latest report on Reuters, Google has stopped licensing Android smartphones for sale in Turkey, meaning new Android devices will no longer enjoy the perks of Google Mobile Services (GMS). The development closely follows the Turkish competition regulator’s decision to impose a 93 million lira (~$17.4 million) fine on Google for failing to comply with the law. Even as Google responded by making significant changes to its arrangements with its local business partners, the regulatory body was far from impressed.

In its official statement, Google said that it will not approve licensing requests for new Android smartphones in Turkey, meaning the devices will lack some crucial features like Google Play Store, YouTube, and Gmail. However, the company clarified that existing smartphone models do not come under this purview. “Existing models will continue to receive updates as usual. Google’s other services will remain unaffected”, read Google’s statement.

Editor’s Pick: Google Maps adds plug type filter for EV charging stations

Google further mentioned that it is actively in talks with the Turkish regulatory body to try and resolve the situation. The company also urged its business partners to pressurize the country’s trade minister and the competition authority to revoke its decision. “Google is aware of the complications that arise from its decisions and understands the problems generated for consumers, app developers, manufacturers, and carriers. We expect to arrive at a conclusion with the TCA soon”. Google said the company already restructured its contract with local partners, allowing greater flexibility on how smartphone manufacturers preload Google’s revenue-generating apps on their devices.

The Turkish competition authority opened its first investigation into Google back in 2017, following a complaint by Yandex. The investigation found Google guilty of abusing its dominant position by making it difficult for its partners to conduct business. The regulatory body instructed the company to sort out the problems that had been identified within six months while imposing a fine in September 2018. Although Google made a few significant changes to its business contracts based on the findings in August 2019, the TCA remained dissatisfied with Google’s efforts and imposed a fine of 0.05% of the company’s revenue per day till the issues were finally resolved.

(source|via)

Xiaomi adds VoWiFi support to Redmi K20, K20 Pro, and Poco F1

By

Jeet

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Dec 17, 2019

Airtel, one of the leading telecom network operator in India, recently started offering VoWiFi calling feature to its users in select circle and it plans to expand the offering to other circles in the country soon.

However, not all the smartphones are compatible to make use of this Wi-Fi calling feature. Initially, only 24 smartphones were compatible with the new feature introduced by Airtel. Now, Xiaomi has added VoWiFi calling support to three more devices.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has today announced that Redmi K20, Redmi K20 Pro, and Poco F1 smartphones now have support for Wi-Fi calling. So, if you have any of these phones and an Airtel connection, you can make use of the feature to make clearer calls.

Do note that the VoWiFi support comes with the latest MIUI 11 update that these devices have received. If you have not yet received the MIUI 11 update, you should check for system updates and download it. Users will then have to enable the support for VoWiFi calls from the Settings menu. Once the VoLTE is enabled on the smartphone, you need to go to SIM Card & Networks and look for Airtel SIM and then head over to Make Calls using Wi-Fi and turn it ON.

To make calls using VoWiFi, you also need to connect to an Airtel broadband network. Once the connection is secure, you can simply make your call and the device will latch on to the broadband network to conduct the call. So currently, in order to use the VoWiFi network, you need to have an Airtel SIM card and an Airtel broadband network at your place.

US House of Representatives passes bill barring government from buying Huawei gears

By

Jeet

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Dec 17, 2019

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that will now prevent the government from using funds to help carriers buy Huawei’s telecommunications equipment. Along with that, other equipment considered to be a threat to national security is also banned under the draft ‘Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act’.

Commenting on this, Frank Pallone Jr., Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman, Ranking Member Greg Walden, Reps. Doris Matsui, and Brett Guthrie said that the move is critical to protect America’s wireless networks from “malicious foreign interference”.

They also added that “companies like Huawei and its affiliates pose a significant threat to America’s commercial and security interests because a lot of communications providers rely heavily on their equipment.”

The legislation now faces a vote from the Senate. As said, when passed, it will prevent the Federal Communications Commission from providing funds to carriers to purchase the equipment from Huawei. It also requires the government to help smaller carriers rip out any “suspect network equipment” and will also see the government share supply chain security information with carriers.

Huawei, the Chinese giant and the world’s leading telecommunication equipment maker, was blacklisted in May when the company was added to the United States’ “entity list”.

In addition to adding Huawei to the list, US President Donald Trump at the same time signed an executive order essentially banning the company due to national security concerns that Huawei had close ties with the Chinese government. However, no proof was provided to back the claim and Huawei has repeatedly denied that charge.

JD.com lists its top 10 “Unaffordable” Phones; the most-expensive is ¥2.47 million (~$353K)!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 17, 2019

Chinese e-commerce company Jingdong (JD.com) recently held its Luxury Goods Festival-Autumn and Winter Mobile Phone Fashion Festival. The company unwittingly listed the top 10 “unaffordable” mobile phones and a look at the list would leave you speechless. The most expensive of the lot cost as much as 2.47 million yuan (about $353,000)! That model is the Vertu Signature Cobra Limited Edition. The phone was launched back in May 2017 and even came with an offer of delivery by Helicopter. We doubt if the device will ever get sold out since it is still listed over 2 years after.

Vertu is known for its premium phone designs with gold or platinum accents as the case may be. So, it is no surprise that the second-most-expensive model on the list is also a Vertu model. Next on the line is the Vertu Aster P which was launched in October 2018. The gold plated version is listed on JD.com for 221,800 yuan ($31K).

The third phone is Huawei Mate X 5G foldable smartphone which holds the record as the industry’s first 5G foldable display mobile phone. The Mate X has a recommended retail price of 16,999 yuan (~$2400)but Jingdong’s spot price for the device was 69999 yuan(~$10K). It is presently sold out.

The Vertuu Aster P made it again into the list with a price tag of 46800 yuan which should be for the Ink Black and White variants. Swiss watchmaker 8848 released the M5 luxury smartphone and it is ranked at number 5. The rest of the top 10 is made up of the Huawei Mate 30 RS Porsche design, a light business phone priced at 15999 yuan (~$2286). It is followed by the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the world’s first mass-produced foldable phone with a price tag of 15,999 yuan (~$2286). A number 8 is the iPhone 11 Pro Max, priced at 12,699 yuan (~$1800). OPPO Find X Lamborghini model, which costs 9999 yuan ($1400) claims the ninth spot. Finally, the Royole Flexpai completes the top 10 with a 9,998 yuan price tag (~$1400).

(source)

EMUI 10 Beta is now available for Huawei Mate 10, P20, Honor 8X and more

By

Jeet

-

Dec 17, 2019

Last month, Huawei released a revised EMUI 10 update roadmap which stipulated when the tech giant would push the latest update for the latest Android custom skin, including Stable ROMs to specific models.

The company has already rolled out the latest EMUI 10 update, which is based on Android 10 operating system, to several devices from Huawei as well as its sub-brand Honor. Now, the beta version of the update is made available to more devices.

On the Club Huawei forums, the company has confirmed the latest batch of devices to receive the EMUI 10 Beta. The list includes Chinese variants of the following devices:

Huawei Mate 10
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Huawei Mate RS Porsche Design
Huawei P20
Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei Mate 20 RS Porsche Design
Honor 8X
Huawei Nova 5 Pro

EMUI 10 is an important update for Huawei phones as it improves smoothness and performance on existing devices. The company has even added a system-wide dark mode which even forces apps that don’t have a dark mode to comply.

The system settings are now better organized in this new version and the OS is designed to offer a better experience when working other devices like a Windows 10 laptop. EMUI 10 allows the smartphone to cast its screen directly on to the Windows 10 device, offering a seamless working experience. The update equally brings Android 10-inherent features.

Huawei has impressively managed to roll out its latest Android 10-based EMUI update to its portfolio devices, at a time when the company is going through the worst possible time given that it has been blacklisted from doing business by the United States.

OnePlus Concept One smartphone to be unveiled at CES 2020

By

Jeet

-

Dec 17, 2019

OnePlus recently announced that the company will be hosting a ‘OnePlus Special Event’ from 7th January 2020 to 10th January 2020, during the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

When announcing the event, the company had not revealed what to expect from OnePlus at the event. Recently, Pete Lau, Founder and CEO of OnePlus revealed on Twitter that the company will showcase “something special” at the event.

Now, he has finally revealed what will be showcased at the January’s Special Event. Pete Lau confirmed that OnePlus will announce a new concept smartphone at its CES 2020 event in Las Vegas.

The company will be taking the wraps off OnePlus Concept One smartphone, which as the name itself indicates, is the first concept device from the brand. Apart from this, nothing is known about this upcoming device.

While the company has not revealed what this product is, there are three possibilities — a mid-range smartphone, a true wireless earphones, and a foldable smartphone. Since the event is happening at CES and the foldable devices are going mainstream, chances of OnePlus showcasing a foldable concept phone is higher than the other two options.

This is just a speculation and the company could come up with something new and entirely different. To know for sure, we’ll have to wait for the ‘OnePlus Special Event’ to take place next month. However, we expect the company to teased the product in the coming days.

The Chinese brand, which started off with value-for-money smartphones, has been trying to diversify its portfolio of products. It has already launched Bluetooth wireless earphones and recently entered the smart TV market in India with the launch of OnePlus TV lineup.

(Source)

Realme X50 5G teaser suggest January 5 launch date

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 17, 2019

Last week, Redmi announced the Redmi K30 5G phone in China with an affordable pricing. Yesterday, the Vivo X30 and X30 Pro were made official in the home market as its first non-flagship 5G phones. Realme too is gearing up to launch its first 5G-ready smartphone. The Realme X50 5G will be the first 5G phone from the company. It was recently reported that the Realme X50 5G will be made official before China’s Spring Festival. A new teaser that was released by Realme CMO Xu Qi Chase yesterday evening suggests that the company may announce the Realme X50 5G phone on Jan. 5.

Qi has stated that Realme X50 5G’s press conference is only _ _ days away. The number 20 that can be seen between the two treadmill screens suggests that the company may the Realme X50 5G launch event 20 days from Dec. 16. Hence, it appears that the Chinese firm may unveil the phone on Jan. 5. With few days remaining for the launch, the company may confirm on the actual unveil date in the next few days.

Realme has revealed that the Realme X50 5G phone will come equipped with a display that features a pill-shaped punch-hole for the dual front-facing cameras. The recently launched Redmi K30 also features a dual punch-hole display. The Redmi K30 has an elliptical cutout for the two cameras at the top-right corner. On other side, the Realme X50 5G has the punch-hole positioned at its top-left corner. The Redmi K30 has an IPS LCD display with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It remains to be seen whether the Realme X50 5G will come with an AMOLED display and in-screen fingerprint scanner. So far, all the X-series phones released by Realme have featured in-display fingerprint reader.

Editor’s Pick: Realme sold 15 million smartphones in first year, hopes to double it in 2020

Realme has recently confirmed that the Realme X50 5G will be powered by the Snapdragon 765Gv SoC which will bring support dual-mode 5G connectivity. The same chipset also powers the Redmi K30 5G phone. No other details on the specs of the Realme X50 5G has been revealed by the company.

An unofficial render that is now doing rounds on social media sites reveal that the Realme X50 5G will be featuring a quad camera setup on its back. The rumored specs that surfaced along with it revealed that the phone will come with 12 GB of RAM, 128 GB / 256 GB of storage, ColorOS 7 and 50W rapid charging.

ZMI 45W Fast Charge Car Charger goes official for 69 yuan (~$9)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 17, 2019

Xiaomi‘s ecological chain company ZMI is gaining popularity for its wide range of charging solutions. The company’s products include superfast power banks, wired charger, wireless chargers, as well as car chargers. ZMI has just launched a 45W fast charging version of the ZMI car charger. The device is presently on sale at the ZMI Jingdong/Tmall official flagship store for 69 yuan ($9).

The fast car charger adopts dual-port independent output design consisting of a USB-A and USB-C port. The maximum output of both ports can reach 45W at the same time. The USB-C interface with the ZMI USB Type-C to Lighting data cable charges the iPhone 11 and it takes only 1 hour and 46 minutes to fully charge. The charging speed is said to be 50% faster than the original Apple charger. In addition, the USB-C interface supports 27W MAX high power output.

On the other hand, the USB-A interface supports 22.5W MAX output. With the ZMi 5A data cable, it can charge the Huawei Mate 20 Pro up to 55% in 30 minutes and can deliver a full charge in 1 hour and 19 minutes.

ZMI 45W fast charge car charger has a built-in smart chip and can automatically adapt to different devices and effectively output the appropriate current. In terms of design, the fuselage is made of flame-retardant PC material, integrated injection moulding process, and double-sided metal elastic contact design, which is effective to prevent shock and not fall off easily. In terms of safety, it adopts imported main control chip, multiple protections such as overcurrent protection, short circuit protection, overvoltage protection and temperature protection.

(source)

BlackBerry KEY2 gets November security patch in China

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 16, 2019

None of the licensees for the BlackBerry Mobile brand announced a new smartphone this year. Not TCL, not Optiemus Infracom, and definitely not BB Merah Putih. One can say the brand is dead once again. However, while no new phones were announced, the older ones got software updates albeit security patches. For example, the 2017 BlackBerry Motion got September 2019’s security patch back in October. Now there are reports that the KEY2 is getting November’s security patch.

The news comes from China and it says the changelog doesn’t bring any new features other than the security patch. So the BlackBerry KEY2 is still stuck on Android 8.1 Oreo which is quite sad.

While there is no confirmation of a new BlackBerry phone in development, one thing we are sure of is that there won’t be a 5G BlackBerry phone anytime soon according to a TCL executive. Stefan Streit who is the general manager of marketing said back in October that they have no plans to launch a 5G BlackBerry phone. Apparently, he doesn’t see the need for the technology on a device that isn’t considered as an entertainment phone. This is not completely ruling out a 5G BlackBerry phone but it just isn’t currently in their plans.

The BlackBerry KEY2 was announced in June 2018. It has a 4.5-inch screen with a 1080 x 1620 resolution that sits above a physical QWERTY keyboard. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 660 and has 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage. There are dual 12MP cameras on the rear while an 8MP camera sits in front for selfies and video calls. The phone also has a 3500mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0, a front-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, and an audio jack.

TCL is currently focusing on its own brand. It launched the TCL Plex in September and there is a possibility it will announce another TCL-banded phone next year. So for now, one can say the BlackBerry Mobile brand has taken a backseat.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Realme 5 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Dec 16, 2019

The new Galaxy A 2020 series by Samsung was officially announced a few days ago and it currently includes two devices: Samsung Galaxy A51 and A71. We already published a specs comparison regarding the Galaxy A71, so now it is time for its affordable sibling. Just like most of our comparisons, we chose the devices we believe to be the most competitive sold in the same price range. For this comparison, we decided to pick the Realme 5 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite. Both are devices offering high performance at very interesting prices: will the Galaxy A51 be able to compete with them? Let’s discover it together.

Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Realme 5 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite

	Samsung Galaxy A51	Oppo Realme 5 Pro	Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm, 172 grams	157 x 74.2 x 8.9 mm, 184 grams	156.8 x 74.5 x 8.7 mm, 179 grams
DISPLAY	6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 405 ppi, Super AMOLED	6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, IPS LCD	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Samsung Exynos 9611, octa-core 2.3 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 10, One UI	Android 9 Pie, ColorOS	Android 9 Pie, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
CAMERA	Quad 48 + 12 + 5 + 5 MP f/2.0, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.2 front camera	Quad 48 + 8 + 2 +2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8 32 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh, fast charging 15W	4035 mAh, fast charging 20W with VOOC 3.0	4030 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Design

In order to make their budget phones very affordable, both Samsung and Realme decided to make the Galaxy A51 and the Realme 5 Pro with a cheap plastic body. Despite coming with cheap materials, keep in mind that Realme 5 Pro is splash resistant. But the device offering the best design and build quality is the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite, also known as the Xiaomi Mi CC9 in China. Unlike most of the budget phones, it comes with both a glass back and an aluminum frame for a premium touch & feel. Further, its rear side shows suggestive light effects depending on the viewing angle.

Display

Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is superior even if we talk about the display quality. It is the only HDR-compliant device from this trio, which means it provides a richer image quality. Further, it has a higher peak brightness with up to 600 nits. It is also an AMOLED panel. The silver medal goes to the Samsung Galaxy A51 equipped with a Super AMOLED display, while Realme 5 Pro loses the comparison as it comes with a classic IPS panel, but it is not disappointing thanks to its Full HD+ resolution.

Specs & Software

In a lot of regions, if you want the most affordable smartphone with the highest performance, you have to choose the Realme 5 Pro. The mid-ranger from Oppo’s sub-brand is available for less than €200 and it offers an amazing Snapdragon 712 chipset, which is an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 710 found on the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite. The Mi 9 Lite offers a fast UFS 2.1 internal storage, but Realme 5 Pro has more RAM: up to 8 GB in its most expensive version, while both Samsung Galaxy A51 and Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite stops at 6 GB. Despite it is less impressive in terms of performance, Samsung Galaxy A51 is the only with Android 10 out of the box since it is a more recent handset.

Camera

The differences in photo quality between Samsung Galaxy A51, Realme 5 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite are not excessive. Due to its definitely better secondary sensors, I personally prefer the quad rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy A51. It is even great at shooting selfies, but Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite has a better selfie snapper.

Battery

With these three phones, you get more or less the same battery capacity and, given that we still did not test the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy A51, we can not provide you a definitive opinion. Between Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite and Realme 5 Pro, the former offers a slightly longer battery life in most of the scenarios.

Price

Samsung still did not announce the price of the Galaxy A51. You can get the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite globally for less than €250/$279, while Realme 5 Pro has a €199/$222 global listing price (but street prices are lower). Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is a more complete device than its rivals due to its better build quality and display, but it costs definitely more than Realme 5 Pro, even though the 5 Pro provides higher performance.

Read More: Realme 5 Pro OTA Update brings Dark Mode, Wide-Angle Video & Oct. Security Patch

Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Realme 5 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite: PROs and CONS

Samsung Galaxy A51

PROs

Great rear cameras
Micro SD dedicated slot
Good front camera
Punch-hole display

CONS

Plastic body

Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite

PROs

Best design and build quality
Good selfie camera
Nice display
Fast storage

CONS

Nothing particular

Realme 5 Pro

PROs

Splash resistant
Micro SD dedicated slot
Better performance
Faster charging

CONS

Plastic body

Editor's Pick: Realme X2 with 6.4-inch display, SD730G, 64MP quad cameras launched for Rs. 16,999 (~$240) in India/

Realme X50 5G Specifications (Rumored)

Realme X50 5G Launch Date

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What is WiFi Calling?

Advantages of WiFi Calling:

Compatibility:

Prerequisites:

Steps to activate Airtel WiFi- Calling facility

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Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Realme 5 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite

Design

Display

Specs & Software

Camera

Battery

Price

Samsung Galaxy A51 vs Realme 5 Pro vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite: PROs and CONS