New Meizu 17th render leak shows punch-hole display and narrow bezels

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Feb 17, 2020

Meizu may not be in-demand as much as its rival smartphone brands in the market but the company has penchant to deliver amazing and spectacular smartphone designs, especially on its flagship series and the same is expected for Meizu 17th.

The company is expected to launch its next-generation flagship smartphone Meizu 17th this year with the notch-less design and trimmed bezels. Now, a new render of the smartphone has been leaked online, showcasing the front side of the device.

However, contrary to the reports and previous leaks, this new leak shows the Meizu 17th having a punch-hole right in the top-center of the display for housing the front-facing camera. However, the bezels surrounding the display are quite thin.

There’s a possibility that the Meizu 17th will come with a punch-hole display while the Plus variant of the same will have a notch-less full-screen design, similar to the one shown in the earlier leak.

The upcoming flagship series from Meizu is expected to come powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset along with up to 512GB of storage onboard. It will have triple-camera setup on the back consisting of 100MP + 20MP + 20MP camera sensors. We expect to know more about the Meizu 17th series smartphones in the coming weeks.

(Via)

OnePlus 7 series and OnePlus 7T Pro receives Jio Wi-Fi Calling Support in India

By

Sean

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Feb 17, 2020

OnePlus is now rolling out a new OxygenOS update for three of its smartphones, including the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro. One of the highlighting features that are arriving on these devices is the support for Wi-Fi voice calling support through Jio, a popular telecom operator in India.

The update has been long since overdue as the company has been slower with its update and patch cycles in recent weeks. Its new software rollout not only adds the much anticipated feature but also updates the security patch from the November 2019 version to the January 2020 patch version. The new VoWi-Fi calling support on Jio SIM cards will enable a large demographic of Indian OnePlus owners to utilize this feature since the telecom operator has been extremely successful in the country.

OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro — OnePlus 7T (left) and OnePlus 7T Pro (right)

So far, only Bharti Airtel SIM cards had supported the Wi-Fi calling support but the three newer smartphone models of 2019 are also bringing compatibility for Jio. Thus, older models like the OnePlus 6 series which currently only support Airtel VoWi-Fi should soon also receive the update for Jio support as well, although that has yet to be confirmed.

The new update is the OxygenOS 10.3.1 for the three handsets and also brings other improvements like optimized RAM management and certain system stability fixes and addressed the general bugs. Furthermore, it also brings Cloud synchronization with Notes and Contacts and a bunch of other minor quality of life improvements, especially with the notifications system.

Unfortunately, OnePlus 7T owners would have to wait a bit longer as the device has skipped this update cycle. Meaning, the device will still run the November 2019 security patch as well but the company did mention the reason for the delays. Reportedly, the recent Coronavirus outbreak in China has hampered some of its operations and the company has since dedicated OxygenOS team at its Hyderabad, India, R&D center to address the delay in the update.

(Via)

Xiaomi Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker launched in India for Rs. 1399 ($20)

By

Joel Joseph

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Feb 17, 2020

After teasing a new audio product last week, Xiaomi has officially announced its new Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker in India today. The new speaker is targeted at users looking for a compact and portable Bluetooth speaker that can last for a long time. Despite its compact form factor, the speaker boasts of a 2000mAh battery that promises up to 20 hours of music playback.

The Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker comes with a fabric finish on the outside, similar to what we’ve seen on smart speakers like Amazon Echo and the Google Home Mini. Since its meant for outdoors, its rated IPX5 which makes it’s safe for your pool parties. Note that it comes with a 5W speaker which is decent for its compact size. But it is not suitable for playing music in a large space.

Exceptional sound. Pretty smart. #MiOutdoorBluetoothSpeaker is here:

– 5W powerful sound
– Supports Voice Assistant
– 20-hours battery
– Beautiful design

Check out now – https://t.co/QeVKv5RCnG

Tell us the first song you would listen on it. pic.twitter.com/ZVSp4HSH0c

— Mi India #108MP IS COMING! (@XiaomiIndia) February 17, 2020

The Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker supports both Android and iOS devices and is compatible with Bluetooth 5.0. It features an in-built microphone which means you can answer calls on the speaker too. The play/ pause button and volume buttons are located on the two sides of the speaker. It also comes with a MicroUSB port (which is pretty unfortunate) and an AUX port. You can also access the voice assistant on your phone via the speaker.

The Mi Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker should have been ideally called as a Mi Travel Bluetooth speaker because of its portable form factor and super-long battery life. The 5W output and 20 hours of battery life make it a handy speaker for your travels but it’s not powerful enough to play music outdoors. The speaker is priced at Rs. 1,399 (~$20) and is available on Mi.com.

Fake Samsung and Huawei smartphone models are flooding AliExpress

By

Sean

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Feb 17, 2020

According to a fresh report, a company called Kimtien on AliExpress, the popular online retail website has been found selling numerous fake smartphone models of major brands, including Samsung and Huawei. A great example of such fakes is the Kimtien Note 10+ which looks like a carbon copy of the similarly named Samsung Galaxy Note 10+.

Kimtien branded smartphones found online on the AliExpress website, features copies of popular Samsung and Huawei flagship smartphone models

Notably, the price of the former is just one fifth or 20 percent of the latter. The large difference in price is mainly due to different internal specifications being used that are more affordable. To elaborate, a MediaTek processor can be found in the Kimtien device unlike the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC or the South Korean tech giant’s proprietary Exynos 9825 processor.

The plagiaristic design also extends to Huawei smartphone models as well. A simple search of the brand will reveal multiple results of familiar looking handsets that carry a different name. Interestingly, models like the Huawei Mate 30 series can be seen on the website too.

samsung galaxy note 10 and samsung galaxy note 10 plus — Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+

Unfortunately, not a lot regarding the Kimtien brand is known at the moment but it is clear that it is currently sourcing most of its products from China and is also likely to be based in the Southeast Asian nation as well. Currently, it is unknown if the major e-commerce and online retailer giant, AliExpress, will take in actions regarding these blatant rip offs. Thus, users and other potential buyers are advised to be wary of this company.

(Via)

Buy Zeblaze Crystal 3 Smartwatch for Just $13.99 from Gearbest

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 17, 2020

Touted as the long-awaited Zeblaze Crystal 2 successor, the Zeblaze Crystal 3 is a lighter and more convenient smartwatch. Weighing in at just 27 grams, it can be worn for a longer period without experiencing any sort of discomfort.

Health junkies usually end up spending a lot of money on high-end smartwatches and other fitness gadgets that help them monitor their activities. These devices adopt cutting-edge technology to track the wearer’s health, training, calories burned and perform multiple tasks.

As mentioned earlier, these devices aren’t easy on the pocketbook, which means, cost-conscious buyers have to settle for inexpensive alternatives that offer run-of-the-mill features. To ensure, people on a tight budget can get their hands on the Crystal 3, Zeblaze has teamed-up with Gearbest, offering its latest smartwatch for a considerably lowered price.

The black-tinted Zeblaze Crystal 3 smartwatch would normally set you back $21.77, but you can now buy it for just $13.99 through Gearbest. This significant 36 percent discount will be available for a limited period.
Alternatively, you can avail of a 22 percent off on the red, as well as green color options that usually retail for $21.77, but are currently up for grabs bearing a reduced price of just $16.99. Sporting an easy-to-read 1.3-inch HD IPS display with 240 x 240 pixels resolution, the Crystal 3 is loaded with highly useful features and top-end specs.

Moreover, you can adjust the dial of the smartwatch based on your preference. Aside from that, the Zeblaze Crystal 3 features highly accurate sensors such as the accelerometer and heart rate sensor, which consume low power and can be deemed as the heart of the smartwatch.

This new-generation optical sensor is designed to deliver precise heart rate monitoring so that you can keep an eye on the changes in your heart rate throughout the day. It detects any sort of abnormality while monitoring your general health.

Furthermore, it adopts an IP67 waterproof design that allows you to go out in the rain without worrying about damaging the smartwatch. On top of that, Crystal 3 can efficiently record all your activities including steps, distance covered, calorie consumed in real-time. It uses the scientific method to determine the status of your workout, which helps you to adjust the intensity of your exercise.

You can visit this link to check out the rest of the features and place your order. It is worth noting that the promo is slated to end in just one day.

Zeblaze Crystal 3 Smartwatch

The Gizmochina Coupons is a community that finds, reports and evaluates deals and coupons of Chinese products from online shops. Please visit it here to find more coupons to save money on mobiles and smart gadgets.

MWC 2020 being Canceled in Barcelona brings a hefty financial cost

By

Sean

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Feb 17, 2020

Earlier this month, news arrived that the MWC 2020 (Mobile World Congress) which is held in Barcelona has been canceled. The reason for this was the recent Coronavirus epidemic that has devastated China and is causing a massive financial cost to be incurred for the canceled event.

For those unaware, China is witnessing the outbreak of a new breed of Coronavirus. The infection is highly contagious and has killed an estimated 1,669 people until now. The virus is known to cause pneumonia and originated from the Wuhan city in China. As of right now, a handful number of cases have also been confirmed worldwide and have since been a reason for high alert in other nations apart from just China as well.

The GSMA, the organizer behind the MWC 2020 event, is now discussing MWC events for Shanghai and Los Angeles. These are the other locations that also hold the event and take place later during the year. Furthermore, GSMA has already posted about the upcoming MWC 2021 event as well, which is stated to be held from March 1st to March 4th next year.

After the decision to cancel the MWC event in Barcelona arrived, the organizer has seemingly taken a heavy loss. According to reports, the GSMA is even asking tech firms and other telecom operators’ help to cushion the sizable financial blow that it has witnessed. Since the event was canceled quite near the event dates, OEMs had already prepared and bought booths to promote their respective products whilst hotel rooms and other forms of accommodations had already been reserved as well. Even tickets to the event have also been sold too, and it is yet unclear if refunds will be handed out.

Nubia Red Magic 5g MWC 2020 — Smartphone manufacturers like Nubia had already booked booths for the event

The Director General of GSMA, Mats Granryd, has stated that “We’re looking for solidarity and everybody bearing their own costs, Granryd said on Friday. “We’re an NGO (non-governmental organization) and we don’t make a profit. We don’t have huge amounts of funds, and all our proceeds are funneled back into the industry.” In other words, the organizer wishes for companies to manage the cost already incurred internally since the event isn’t made for profit, rather, to ensure that another event is held later down the road.

(Via)

Buy Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker for Just $21 from Amazon

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 17, 2020

The Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker would normally set you back $69.95, but Amazon is currently offering this highly useful tracking device for a lowered price of just $21, offering its loyal users a chance to save $48.95 as part of its latest deal. In short, you can avail of a noteworthy 70 percent off on the Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker.

A must-have device that helps you track people, vehicles or equipment, the Spytec STI GL300MA offers real-time tracking over the internet. Moreover, it is backed by a high-capacity battery that delivers an impressive 2.5-week battery life, giving you freedom from the hassle of frequent charging.

You can access the Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker regardless of your location using your mobile phone or tablet. To ensure you do not end up missing anything, the tracking device sends you alerts on email as well as on your phone. On top of that, the tracking data can be stored for an entire year.

This compact GPS tracker has dimensions of 3 x 1 x 1.5 inches and weighs in at just 2.11oz, making it an easy-to-carry device wherever you go. You can keep a track of your loved ones, various types of equipment, pets or vehicle by viewing their accurate location on Google Maps and Google Earth.

You can check out more details about the Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker and place your order simply by following this link. Note that the deal will be valid for a limited period only.

Spytec GL300MA GPS Tracker

The Gizmochina Coupons is a community that finds, reports and evaluates deals and coupons of Chinese products from online shops. Please visit it here to find more coupons to save money on mobiles and smart gadgets.

OPPO’s upcoming flagship Find X2 could support 30W fast wireless charging

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2020

OPPO was all set to launch its next-generation Find-series flagship smartphone — OPPO Find X2 at a launch event on 22nd February, just before the Mobile World Congress. Since MWC 2020 has been canceled, the company has now rescheduled the event.

Now, ahead of the official launch of OPPO Find X2 smartphone, Shen Yiren, Vice President of OPPO has confirmed that the phone will come with support for 65W fast charging technology. Now, a screenshot of the fast charging tech for the upcoming phone, shared on Weibo, also reveals support for 30W wireless fast charging.

Along with fast wireless charging, the smartphone will also support reverse charging. The company will also introduce some new features for the wireless charging technology, including “disable when the battery is too low”, “offset reminder”, “optimize during sleep”, etc.

However, there’s seems to be a catch for the fast 30W wireless charging technology as the phone could only support such high speed with OPPO’s wireless charging base and not any other products.

As per the reports, the OPPO Find X2 could come with a 6.5-inch display with a punch-hole that features a Sony IMX616 32-megapixel selfie snapper. The display is expected to support quad HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate along with a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. The other features that will be offered by the phone’s screen include 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut support, HDR up to 1200nits brightness and SDR to HDR conversion.

Under the hood, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 mobile platform will be powering the device. The phone may come with a charger that supports 65W fast charging capabilities. The device will be equipped with other features like LPDDR5 RAM, USB 3.0 storage and Wi-Fi 6.

Rumors indicate that the phone will come with a periscope telephoto lens of 13-megapixel. Its main Sony IMX689 48-megapixel lens is a custom sensor co-developed by Sony and OPPO. Also, the new Sony IMX708 super-wide lens with widest photography capabilities is expected to make its debut on the Find X2.

While the scheduled launch event for the OPPO Find X2 in Barcelona on 22nd February has been canceled, the company has said that it will share more information about the phone’s launch in March 2020 in the coming days or weeks.

Realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone to feature 90Hz Super AMOLED display

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2020

Realme has confirmed that its upcoming flagship smartphone — Realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone will go official on 24th February. While the launch event was scheduled for MWC 2020 but since the conference has been cancelled, the launch event for the X50 Pro 5G will be held online.

So far, the Chinese company has confirmed some of the key features and specifications of the smartphone. Now, Xu Qi Chase, Vice President of Realme has revealed details about the display of this upcoming smartphone.

He has confirmed that the Realme X50 Pro 5G will come with a Super AMOLED screen from Samsung with a refresh rate of 90Hz and E3 light-emitting material. As per the earlier reports, the phone will feature a Full HD+ display with a screen resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and 20:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the device is expected to be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC along with Snapdragon X55 5G modem that enables dual-mode 5G. It is also said to pack up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

The company has also confirmed that the X50 Pro 5G will come with a 65W SuperDart charging technology. This is most likely based on the SuperVOOC 2.0 charging tech used by last year’s Reno Ace model.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 will reportedly use under-display camera technology

By

Jeet

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Feb 17, 2020

Samsung, which was among the firsts to launch a foldable smartphone in the market, seems to double down on the same. After launching Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, the company is now gearing up to launch the successor of Fold, reportedly called Samsung Galaxy Fold 2.

While nothing has been officially confirmed about the said smartphone, a new report from South Korean media reveals that the Galaxy Fold 2, which is codenamed “Champ”, will come with Samsung’s under-display camera technology.

If this turns out to be true, then the Galaxy Fold 2 will be Samsung‘s first smartphone to come with such technology, which the South Korean giant has been working on since few years. This will also enable the company to get rid of display notches for offering full-screen user experience.

This is a major development from Samsung which had previous confirmed working on this technology. Unlike Chinese smartphone brands like Xiaomi and OPPO which have already showcased their in-display camera technology, Samsung has not yet demonstrated its tech.

However, both OPPO and Xiaomi are yet to launch their first devices featuring under-display camera technology. Along with them, brands like Honor and OnePlus are also working on a similar technology.

Samsung recently launched its second foldable smartphone named Galaxy Z Flip, which unlike the Galaxy Fold, comes with a clamshell design. It comes with a 6.7-inch flexible hole-punch display covered with Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG).

The company has designed the phone to be used in three ways – closed mode where the phone is shut and the user operates it by using the small 1.1-inch Super AMOLED cover display on the back; in open mode where the phone is opened up flat to be used as a regular smartphone; and Flex Mode, where the display can be stopped at any angle much like the way you can adjust the screen of your laptop.

The newly launched foldable smartphone comes with a price tag of $1380 and is now available for purchase in two colors — Mirror Purple and Mirror Black while some select markets will get a third color variant called Mirror Gold.

(Via)

iQOO 3 5G smartphone gets highest ever AnTuTu score; battery specs revealed

By

Jeet

-

Feb 17, 2020

Vivo‘s sub-brand for premium smartphones, iQOO, which has already launched a few devices in the market, is all set to launch its next-generation flagship smartphone named iQOO 3 on 25th February in China as well as in India.

Ahead of the phone’s official launch, several key specifications and features of the smartphone have been confirmed by the company. Now, in the latest development, the device has appeared on AnTuTu benchmark, registering the highest ever score.

Allegegd iQOO 3 (right) with purported OPPO Find X2 (left)

The iQOO 3 has scored 597,583 points on AnTuTu, making it the highest scoring smartphone on the benchmarking platform so far. Currently, ASUS ROG Phone 2 has been ranked at the top in terms of performance with a score of 507,051.

Along with that, a new leak related to the device also confirms the battery specifications of the upcoming flagship smartphone. It has been confirmed to come with 4,440mAh battery along with 55W ultra-fast flash charge technology. It is claimed to charge the phone up to 50 percent in just 15 minutes.

While the company has not yet revealed the full specifications of iQOO 3, the TENAA listing of the phone has revealed almost everything. It features a 6.44-inch S-AMOLED display with a punch-hole screen that will offer full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2,400 pixels, an aspect ratio of 20:9 and 120Hz refresh rate.

The phone is expected to come powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC along with 6/8/12 GB of RAM and could be the first smartphone in the world to arrive with the latest UFS 3.1 storage technology.

It will be running the latest Android 10 operating system out of the box. As for the camera, the device could come with a front-faxing camera of 16-megapixel while the rear shell of the device has a 48-megapixel quad-camera system.

As iQOO 3 is set to debut on 25th February in China as well as India, we expect the company to launch a 4G-only variant as well, at least in the Indian market where the 5G infrastructure deployment is yet to take place.

(Via)

Poll of The Week: Do you want phones with small or large displays?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 16, 2020

Over the past few years, smartphones have gotten bigger. Gone are the days when phones with a 5.7-inch screen were referred to as phablets. These days, we have phones with displays as large as 6.9-inches. Heck! The Huawei Mate 20 X even takes it further with its 7.2-inch display.

Manufacturers say surveys have shown people want phones with large displays, but how true is that? We have seen several complaints from folks on how they can’t find a good phone with a display size of less than 5.5-inches.

Of all the flagships released in 2019, only the Pixel 4 and the Galaxy S10e have a display smaller than 6.0 inches in size. If you are looking for a phone with a small screen, you have to choose from phones such as the Galaxy A2 Core, Redmi Go, or Nokia 1 which are all entry-level phones.

For this week’s poll, we want to know if you prefer phones with large displays or you want manufacturers to bring back phones with smaller displays. So, please take the poll and also share your thoughts in the comment box.

[yop_poll id=25]

Rumor: Snapdragon 865 Plus coming in Q3 2020

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 16, 2020

The first set of Snapdragon 865 phones have just been announced and more will launch in the coming weeks. However, you may want to read this before you decide to purchase any of these new flagship smartphones.

A leaker has revealed Qualcomm will announce an improved version of the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform in the third quarter of the year and it will arrive as the Snapdragon 865 Plus (stylized as Snapdragon 865+).

The info comes from a Weibo post by Digital Chat Station. In the post, he said the Snapdragon 865 Plus is scheduled to be launched in the third quarter of the year. He also added that prototypes will be available in two months (April?).

Last year, Qualcomm released two flagship processors – the Snapdragon 855 and the Snapdragon 855+. The Snapdragon 835 and Snapdragon 845 didn’t have a Plus variant but in 2016 there were two flagship processors too – the Snapdragon 820 and the Snapdragon 821.

The differences between the two chipsets can be narrowed down to a boost in performance as the CPU and GPU are clocked higher than the non-plus variant. We believe the Snapdragon 865 Plus will be no different but it will be a pleasant surprise to see the new processor have an integrated 5G modem.

When the Snapdragon 865 Plus launches, it should power the second batch of flagships from manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, Vivo, Nubia, and Black Shark.

(Source)

Leaked renders give us first look at Samsung Galaxy A70e

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 16, 2020

Last year Samsung announced the Galaxy A70, an upper mid-range smartphone with an Infinity-U display, triple rear cameras and a Snapdragon 675 processor. It followed it with the Galaxy A70s which kept most of the specs but swapped the 32MP camera of the first one for a 64MP sensor. Now renders of another model called the Galaxy A70e have leaked and it seems to be an affordable version of the Galaxy A70.

The source of the leak is OnLeaks and he has collaborated with Indian blog, CompareRaja.

The Galaxy A70e has an Infinity-U display like that of the Galaxy A70 and Galaxy A70s. However, the bezels around the display are thick. We are not sure if it is just the renders that are like this or if the final product will have bezels this thick. The screen size is put at 6.1-inches and it is flat at the edges.

On the back of the device are three cameras arranged vertically and housed together with an LED flash. There is a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device which is surprising as the Galaxy A70 and Galaxy A70s have their fingerprint scanners under the display. This doesn’t mean the display may not be an AMOLED panel as Samsung has phones with AMOLED screens and rear-mounted fingerprint scanners. An example is the Galaxy A30.

1 of 3

The Galaxy A70e has an audio jack at the top while the bottom is home to the speaker grille, a MicroUSB port, and a microphone. The volume and power buttons are on the right while the SIM tray sits on the left.

There is still a lot not known about the specs of the Galaxy A70e but it most likely will have a cheaper price tag than its siblings. The phone will be available in black and white color variants but there might be more when it eventually launches.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Google Play Console reveals specs of Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020)

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 16, 2020

Samsung is one of the few manufacturers still churning out tablets. Just as it did last year, we expect there will be new models this year that cut across different price categories. Specifications of one of the upcoming mid-range tablets called the Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020) have surfaced on the web thanks to a Google Play Console listing.

Just as the name says, this tablet will have an 8.4-inch display with a 1200 x 1920 resolution. There will be an Exynos 7904 processor powering the device and it will be paired with 3GB of RAM.

Surprisingly, the spec sheet says the tablet is running Android 9 Pie instead of the latest version which is Android 10. It is possible the Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020) will run Android 10 out of the box or get an update after its launch.

There are still a couple of specs that are unknown such as the storage capacity, cameras, and battery capacity. These details may surface before the tablet launches.

(Souce, Via)

OnePlus 7 series receive January 2020′ security patch

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 16, 2020

OnePlus is rolling out a new update to the OnePlus 7 series from last year. The update brings January’s security patch to the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, and the OnePlus 7T Pro.

The update is rolling out as OxygenOS 10.0.4 for Europe and OxygenOS 10.3.1 for Indian and International models of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro while it is arriving as OxygenOS 10.0.7 (Europe) and OxygenOS 10.3.1 (Indian and International models) for on the OnePlus 7T Pro.

Below is the changelog for the update:

System

Optimized the RAM management
Improved black/blank screen issues with some apps
Added the feature to support reminders for privacy alerts
Improved system stability and fixed general bugs
Updated Android security patch to 2020.1

Network (India Only)

Integrated the VoWifi registration for the Jio Sim

Cloud Service (India Only)

Supported synchronization with Notes and Contacts

Work-Life Balance (India Only)

Optimized message notification
Optimized the mode and app selection
Added location, calendar, auto-track feature

Cricket Scores (India Only)

Add Cricket scores as a card in your Shelf for quickest access to live match scores and team updates

As usual, the update is rolling out in stages and has arrived on only a few devices. A wider roll-out should in the next few days.

(Sources: 1, 2)

OPPO Reno3 Pro will launch in India on March 2; key specs leaked

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 15, 2020

The OPPO Reno3 Pro will soon launch in India and if you have been following the news, you already know it is different from the Reno3 Pro 5G sold in China. The Reno3 Pro heading to the South-Asian country will have dual front-facing cameras housed inside a pill-shaped notch. After weeks of waiting, the phone has a release date.

According to the promo page on Flipkart, the Reno3 Pro will be launched in India on the 2nd of March, 2020. The poster on the page show’s Indian Actor, Ranbir Kapoor, holding a gradient blue version of the phone. The actor is one of the Chinese smartphone manufacturer’s brand ambassadors.

The poster also has the logo of the International Cricket Council. OPPO is the official mobile phone partner of the ICC. The partnership was renewed last year for another four years after the first one that ran from 2015 to 2019.

The Reno3 Pro will be the world’s first phone with a 44MP dual front-facing camera when it launches next month. The second front-facing camera is expected to work together with the primary camera for better portrait images.

Ahead of the launch, key specs of the phone have leaked thanks to photos of dummy units that were taken in a retail store and posted on the web. According to one of the photos, the Reno3 Pro will have a 64MP quad-camera setup on the back with up to 20x zoom. It will have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and also have support for 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0.

[envira-gallery id=”305623″]

The second image shows the back of the device and we can see the Reno3 Pro will be available in black as well as pearl white color variants.

The processor is still unknown but there are speculations it will be powered by the Snapdragon 730G rather than the Snapdragon 765G that’s inside the Chinese version.

There are still a lot of unknown features of the device but they most likely will become public knowledge before the March 2 launch date. OPPO is also expected to announce its Enco Free Wireless Earbuds at the launch event. The earbuds already launched in some other markets but are not sold in India yet.

(Sources: 1, 2)

Nubia announces its Red Magic 5G MWC launch is canceled

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 15, 2020

Following the GSMA’s decision to cancel MWC 2020, other manufacturers that hadn’t pulled out of the event prior to the announcement have been left with no other option than to cancel their launch events too. The latest to do so is Nubia and it has put out a statement that its Red Magic 5G launch will no longer hold.

The Red Magic was supposed to launch first at MWC 2020 but that will no longer be the case. The official statement said they had planned to have the global launch of Red Magic 5G at MWC but since the GSMA has canceled the event due to safety concerns about the Coronavirus, they have been left with no choice other than to cancel the event and pack up their booth.

The flagship gaming smartphone will still get a global launch but it may be announced first in China. The phone will have a 144Hz refresh rate, 5G support, and a combination of air cooling and liquid cooling. It will also have LPDDR5 RAM, triple rear cameras, and super fast charging.

Nubia says it will announce a new date for the launch of the phone and its other products as soon as possible.

(Source, Via)

Nokia TA-1212 is a feature phone; appears on TENAA

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 15, 2020

HMD Global has already announced that its February 23 pre-MWC launch event will no longer take place on the aforementioned date. The Finnish manufacturer had put out the press release even before the GSMA canceled this year’s edition of the tech show. One of the phones expected to launch as the event is a feature phone which has now appeared on TENAA as the Nokia TA-1212.

The TENAA listing reveals the phone has a 2.4-inch 340 x 320 screen. There is a single-core processor clocked at 0.36GHz powering the device and it is paired with 0.8MB of RAM and 16MB of expandable storage (up to 32GB). It also has a single 0.3MP rear camera.

The Nokia TA-1212 packs a 1200mAh battery. It weighs 88 grams and measures 132.75 x 52.43 x 13.1 millimeters and will be available in Dark Gray. Unfortunately, TENAA has not included images of the phone in the listing.

The official name of the phone is unknown but previous reports saying the phone is the Nokia 8.2 are incorrect. HMD Global said it will announce a new date for the launch of its products. There is a possibility the identity of the phone will become public knowledge before then.

(Source)

Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series pre-order starts at INR 66,990, Galaxy Z Flip pre-registration is live

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Feb 15, 2020

If you reside in India and want to pick up Samsung’s new Galaxy S20 phones, you are going to be paying a premium. The official Samsung India website has now put up the prices for the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

The Galaxy S20 will be available in a single configuration – 8GB RAM + 128GB and will come in Cosmic Gray, Cloud Blue, and Cosmic Black. Irrespective of the color variant you pick, you will be forking out INR 66,990 (~$937). Of course, you can trade-in your current device to get the price down by as much as INR 48,100 (~$672), but you will have to check first if your phone is eligible.

The Galaxy S20+ will also come in the same configuration as the Galaxy S20 as well as the same colorways. However, the price tag goes up to INR 73,990 (~$1034) if you are not spreading the payment.

Samsung is offering the Galaxy S20 Ultra in just Cosmic Gray and you only get the base configuration which has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The price for the 108MP flagship phone is INR 92,999 (~$1300).

It has been reported that the models sold in India have an Exynos 990 processor and a 4G modem.

The phones are available for pre-order now and will go on sale on March 6, save for the Ultra that goes on sale on March 15. If you pre-order either the Galaxy S20+ or Galaxy S20 Ultra, you get the Galaxy Buds+ for INR 1,999. Nope, not free.

The Galaxy Buds+ is also up for pre-order as a standalone purchase for INR 11,990 (~$167) (INR 2000 off the original price) and is available in Blue, Black, and White.

If you want the Galaxy Z Flip, you will have to wait a bit more as Samsung doesn’t have a launch date yet for India. However, there is a pre-registration page where you can register your interest for the foldable phone.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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