XiaoAI 3.0 brings Google Assistant-like continued conversation feature

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Nov 19, 2019

Google recently announced a new feature for its Google Assistant that enables it to have continuous conversation. Now, a similar feature is being rolled out by China-based Xiaomi for its XiaoAI smart assistant with the version 3.0.

Making announced during the Xiaomi Developers Conference, the company claimed it to be the first smart voice assistant which is capable of supporting full-duplex natural continuous conversation on smartphones. However, its noteworthy that the current interrupt function is only supported by two devices — Mi 9 Pro and Mi 9.

The new update will now be rolling out to the users of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone users and the company added that it is being released on an “Immediate Upgrade” command.

It has also added that the continuous dialogue can be achieved with a single wake-up, and other instructions can be interrupted at any time. Using the feature, the assistant stay active and listening so that you can continue to ask follow-up questions without needing to repeat the wake-up command each time.

The function also allows users to convert call content into text when the user isn’t available or is inconvenient for them to answer the call. The artificial intelligence can also communicate the automatic reply to the caller.

Although Google had released a similar feature in last summer, it was only available for audio-only Google Home series of smart speakers. However, the company recently released the feature for its smartphones as well.

Redmi K30 5G dual-mode phone to debut in December; revealed Xiaomi CEO

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 19, 2019

Xiaomi Developers Conference was held this morning in Beijing, China today. At the event, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun reviewed the company’s progress towards launching 5G phones in the country. Jun announced that the Redmi K30 with dual mode 5G support will be made official in December.

While Jun confirmed the December arrival of the Redmi K30, he did not spill any information on its specifications. Interestingly, Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing had recently said through a Weibo post that the Redmi K30 will launch next year. Probably, the Redmi K30 will break cover next month whereas the advanced Redmi K30 Pro may debut in early 2020.

At the recently held China Mobile Global Partners Conference Jun had stated that all Xiaomi phones priced above 2,000 Yuan (~$285) will arrive with 5G support. He had also revealed that the company will launch at least 10 5G phones in 2020. The Chinese firm will debut affordable 5G phones in the first half of the coming year.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi eBook Reader goes on crowdfunding from November 20 for 579 yuan ($83)

Redmi K30 will be the first Xiaomi phone to support standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) dual-mode 5G. It adopts a pill-shaped punch-hole display design since it features dual front-facing cameras. The Redmi K30 will be the company’s first phone to come with a punch-hole display.

Weibing has said that Redmi has used the punch-hole display technology as it has matured and has been stable. A leaked image of the man holding a mysterious phone with an elliptical cutout for the dual selfie cameras had appeared recently on Weibo. It was believed to be the Redmi K30. There are no leaks on the other specs of the phone.

The Redmi K30 is expected to come equipped with a MediaTek 5G chipset. However, there is a possibility that the company may use a Qualcomm 5G chipset instead. The reason behind it is that when Qualcomm had announced the first Snapdragon 7 series dual-mode 5G SoC through a Weibo post, Redmi had reposted it and stated that Redmi will be launching the first batch of products featuring the chipset. This suggested that the Redmi K30 5G could be equipped with the rumored Snapdragon 735 5G chipset.

(source)

TikTok has now seen over 1.5 billion downloads globally

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 19, 2019

Store Intelligence estimates published by Sensor Tower in March this year showed that ByteDance’s popular app TikTok also known as Duoyin in China had been downloaded more than one billion times globally as at February 2019. Sensor Tower has again released its latest Store Intelligence estimates and it shows that the short video app has been downloaded more than 1.5 billion times on Apple’s App Store and Google Play since release.That is over 500,000,000 downloads were recorded between February and now.

TikTok was first launched in China in September 2016 and was later introduced to the overseas market in 2017. It was ranked as the fourth most downloaded non-gaming app in the world last year, hitting 655.8 million unique installs. This year so far, the app has accumulated 614 million downloads which is 6 percent more than it had by the same point last year. At this pace, it will even surpass last years record number of installs.

The app is the third most popular app worldwide in the non-gaming category after WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger which have 707.4 million and 636.2 million installs so far this year, respectively. The data released also show that India accounted for the largest share of the 1.5 billion cumulative downloads, with 31% of all unique installs coming from the country. China came in second with an estimated 11.5% of all installs but that is for the Chinese version called Douyin. The figures could even be higher a it doesn’t include downloads from third-party Android stores which are popular among Android phone users in China.

TikTok is also popular in the US with approximately 8.2% of the 1.5 billion total downloads coming from the US. The growing popularity of the app in the US has not gone unnoticed by the authorities. The US congress is presently scrutinizing the app for potential privacy and national security risks.

(source)

Huawei Nova 6 5G gets first official video ad; teases super wide-angle selfies

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 18, 2019

Just as Honor is gearing up for the launch of the V30 series, Huawei is also working on the Nova 6 5G phone. There have been multiple leaks about the phone but there hasn’t been any official confirmation until now.

Huawei’s official Weibo account has shared the first video advert that confirms the Nova 6 5G is coming soon. The short video gives us a good look at the front of the device and its punch-hole display which houses two cameras.

The Nova 6’s punch-hole is on the left side unlike that of Samsung’s Galaxy S10+ which has its own on the right. The bezels are not completely gone as there is still a bit of chin.

The phone’s volume rocker is visible on the right frame and just right after it, you can see the break in the frame where the indentation created for the side-mounted fingerprint scanner/power button.

At the end of the video, Huawei reveals the Nova 6 5G will be able to shoot 105° super wide-angle selfies, no tanks to its secondary selfie camera.

A leak from earlier this month revealed the Huawei Nova 6 5G will have an LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by the Kirin 990 processor and will have a 4000mAh battery with support for 40W SuperCharge fast charging. Its dual front-facing cameras are reported to be a 32MP +12MP combo while the rear is said to house 60MP + 16MP + 2MP + 2MP quad cameras.

Huawei is yet to announce a release date but we will not be too surprised if it launches on November 25 alongside the MatePad Pro tablet.

Blackview A80 Pro is official! Meet the quad-camera budget king (video)

By

Dimitris Economou

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Nov 18, 2019

As Blackview had announced 10 days ago, the Blackview A80 Pro made its official appearance today globally and it’s the company’s new budget smartphone, expanding its existing A-series lineup. The surprise came from the pricing as it costs just $79.99, an unprecedented price for a quad-camera phone!

Of course, there are other excellent budget phones on the market but the A80 Pro is the most appealing in its price range. Starting at just $79.99 for the global open sale on November 29th, it comes with an impressive set of specs. Let’s see what they’ve got.

Main Specs

Differentiating from the vast majority of phones out there, the Blackview A80 Pro comes with a bigger than usual display at 6.49″ and HD+ resolution with a waterdrop notch and advanced in-cell technology. Also, the bezels are pretty narrow, offering a screen/body ratio of 90.3%. The main camera is the killer feature of the phone as it’s a quad-camera setup consisting of a Sony® IMX258 13MP lens and 3 sub-cameras. The selfie shooter, on the other hand, features an AI-driven Sony® IMX239 8MP sensor.

Under the hood, hosts the Helio P25 8-core SoC backed by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Running on Android 9 Pie, these specs are more than enough for a smooth and snappy performance. Surprisingly, the body is just 8.8mm thin despite the fact that it houses a 4680mAh big battery. It also supports global LTE bands while other connectivity options include Dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, Type-C port, 3.5mm audio jack, and triple positioning system. On top of that, the A80 Pro comes in 4 color variants: Gradient Blue, Jade Green, Midnight Black, and Coral Red.

Overall, the Blackview A80 Pro’s specs are very impressive considering its competitive price at $79.99. Blackview urges you to add the device to your cart so you will be notified when the presale begins. Lastly, Blackview is recruiting 10 trial users to test the phone and if you want to be among them, head over to their official website to join the Giveaway and see the full specs.

UMIDIGI Uwatch GT unboxing and first impressions video

By

Dimitris Economou

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Nov 18, 2019

UMIDIGI that is best known for its affordable flagship smartphones, recently launched its latest flagship sports smartwatch, UMIDIGI Uwatch GT. According to the company, the killer features are its 5ATM water-resistance as well as Bluetooth 5.0, features difficult to find in smartwatches below $50. The Uwatch GT will be globally available on Thanksgiving at a discounted price of $39.99 and until then, you can check out the unboxing video below to see it in action.

The design has greatly improved over the previous version and the watch looks premium. UMIDIGI moved from a square display to a dual-crown rounded one with a watch case width of 47mm and a 1.3″ display. The metal body features smooth edges and paired with the silicon-based strap, it looks suitable both for work and sports. There are 2 physical buttons on the right side for easy use.

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Back to the 5ATM feature, the Uwatch GT allows you to go for a swim while wearing it. As we’ve explained in previous news, the watch is water-resistant up to a depth of 50 meters for 10 minutes so that you don’t have to worry when wearing it in daily life or swimming.

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What’s more, the watch supports advanced exercise tracking with 12 sports modes, including running and walking. Also, the continuous heart rate monitoring has improved over the previous model and the battery life is around two weeks with average use.

UMIDIGI Uwatch GT will start its global sales at a discounted price of $39.99 on November 28th and the promotion will last until the end of Cyber Monday sales. You can add it to your cart on Aliexpress in advance so that you won’t miss the sale. Lastly, UMIDIGI is already running a big giveaway to recruit 10 trial users for Uwatch GT. You can see all the specs and join the giveaway here.

Geekbench result reveals Realme 5s has 4GB of RAM

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 18, 2019

The Realme 5s arrives in two days as a slight refresh to the Realme 5. So far, the only upgrade is the primary camera which is now a 48MP sensor compared to the 12MP sensor of the Realme 5. Ahead of the phone’s launch, a Geekbench benchmark result has surfaced.

The Realme 5s was benchmarked today, appearing as the realme RMX1925. It runs Android 9 Pie and has 4GB of RAM. Its 1.8GHz octa-core processor codenamed trinket is the Snapdragon 665 processor. This is the same codename that appeared on the Geekbench result of the Realme 5 and Xiaomi Mi CC9e.

The device scored 314 points in the single-core test and 1368 points in the multi-core test.

The Realme 5s will pack a 6.51-inch HD+ display with a waterdrop notch. The processor will draw power from a 5000mAh battery. While the capacity is the same as that of the Realme 5, we hope it comes with support for fast charging and not 5V 2A like the Realme 5.

Realme has also confirmed the phone will have quad cameras and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The Realme 5s will come in a new red color variant which should be called Crystal Red. It will also be available in Crystal Blue and Crystal Purple just like the Realme 5.

There are reports the price tag of the Realme 5s is INR 8,999 (~$125). That is cheaper than the price tag of the upcoming 3GB RAM + 32GB version of the Redmi Note 8; a phone with the same chipset and 48MP quad rear cameras too but a sharper display and a smaller battery capacity.

(Source, Via: 1, 2)

Buy OnePlus 7T (EU) for Just €449.10 from Giztop [Fast Shipping+No Customs Tax]

By

Vinay Patel

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Nov 18, 2019

Popular Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus keeps coming up with amazing mobile phones to retain its existing fanbase while luring new adherents.

Keeping in line with that, the company launched the OnePlus 7T series featuring the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro smartphones during a launch event held in China earlier this year. On October 22nd at 10:00 AM (local time), the phones were made available to OnePlus fans via JD.com and the company’s official online store.

As soon as a long-awaited mobile phone hits the store shelves, the burning question on popping inside everyone’s head is where can they buy it for a reasonable price. If you haven’t figured that out yet, fret not, cause we got your back!

Available in two highly-appealing color options including Frosted Silver and Glacier Blue, the OnePlus 7T has gone up for sale bearing an unbeatable price through Giztop, one of China’s leading online stores for mobile phones and other electronic gadgets. So without wasting more time, let us dive straight into the details.

The aforesaid OnePlus 7T models ship with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and offer a hearty 256GB UFS 3.0 2-LANE storage, coupled with a myriad of other exciting features that we will be talking about in just a bit. A top-branded smartphone understandably carries a steep price tag, but the OnePlus 7T can be yours for €449.10 if you place your order via Giztop.

This is a noteworthy reduction in the phone’s original asking price of €521.10. But there’s for European buyers to cheer about. Giztop users based in Europe will not only be able to avail for faster shipping benefits but will also be granted exemption from customs duty, which means, they do not need to pay customs tax.

If you are already jumping for joy, you might be want to control your happiness until you find out more about the awe-inspiring features that you’d get with the OnePlus 7T. First off, the phone features a 6.55-inch 90Hz Fluid AMOLED display with HDR10+, and the world’s fastest screen unlock for quicker access to your data.

It is powered by 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus Octa-core AI Soc and has an Adreno 640 GPU under the hood for unparalleled user experience. For mobile photographers and video shooters, the OnePlus 7T houses 48MP+12MP+16MP triple Circular cameras at the back. Much to the delight of selfie addicts, it comes with a 16MP front camera with EIS.

Furthermore, the OnePlus 7T runs Original Oxygen OS based on Android 10 OS. The phone draws its juices from a 3800mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T Fast Charging.

To know more about the simply irresistible OnePlus 7T feature-rich smartphone from OnePlus, and to place your order, simply follow this link to Giztop before the promo comes to an end.

OnePlus 7T (EU)

Win Free Gifts, Free Orders and Get Great Discounts on Home Appliances and Outdoor Products on Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Nov 18, 2019

While online shoppers prepare the upcoming Black Friday sale, leading e-tailers are coming up with big promotion sales to give them something to cheer about.

Keeping in line with that, Banggood has launched a new promotion sale, wherein loyal Banggood users can get great discounts on a wide range of products across home appliances, outdoor and multiple other categories. Dubbed as the Banggood Black Friday 2019 – Home Appliances & Outdoor Sale, the recently kicked-off promo offers free gifts, free orders, products under $9.99 and lots more.

The 1/2 Price Daily activity will be valid between November 12th to November 27th. The section is loaded with highly useful products that have been assigned dedicated coupons that can be used for a discount. For example, 2 pieces of Replacement Toothbrush Heads Compatible for Soocas X1/X3/X5/V1 Soocare Electric Toothbrush usually retails for $10.23, but you can use coupon code BGBFE29 to reduce this retail price.

Products that have received 99% positive feedbacks have been placed under the Top Sellers section, and you can get noteworthy discounts on some of them. Coupon chasers might want to check out the following category called Coupon Deals which promises ‘More Goods, Less Cost.’

Each product added under the above-mentioned section has a specific coupon code assigned to it. You can apply these coupons to reduce the original asking price of the product.

For instance, the Roborock S50 Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can use coupon code BG50MY to reduce its original price to just $462.08. This is a noteworthy reduction in the device’s selling price of $614.39.

Next off, we have the New Products section. As the name suggests, this category features the latest arrivals on Banggood. More importantly, you can avail of big discounts most of them. All products featured under the aforesaid section come in handy in day to day life.

The following category is called Home & Garden Must, and it is further divided into Hot Pick, Kitchen, Dining & Bar, Bathroom, and Gardening & Home Decor sub-categories. Likewise, the Home Appliances Must section features products that have been split into Hot Pick, Cleaning, Smart Home and Home Appliances sub-categories.

A must check-out for adventure junkies who love adventurous outdoor activities, the Outdoor Must category includes products that have been divided into Hot Pick, Bike & Bicycle, Camping, and Fishing & Hunting sub-categories to simplify and expedite the search process.

Right lightning can enhance the overall ambiance of a room, and that’s no secret. Regrettably, these devices aren’t easy on the pocketbook. To make top-end lighting accessories available to cost-conscious buyers, Banggood has also included a Light & Lighting Must category on the activity page.

If you are a brand-conscious buyer, we highly recommend you to check out the Top Brands category which features products from popular manufacturers such as DIGOO, BlitzWolf, XMUND, and Xiaomi. The concluding section is called More to Love and you can grab up to 60 percent off on all products included under this section for a limited period.

There will a $0.01 Snap Up starting from November 20th and it will be available until November 22nd. The 373 Free Gits & Free Orders activity will kick off on November 22nd and will wrap up on November 30th.

Top five spenders between November 12th to November 30th will qualify for the Free Gifts & Free Orders activity. If your order value is over $0.01, you still stand a chance of winning free orders. You can visit the promotion page by following this link for more details about the event and to ensure you make the most out of it.

Banggood Black Friday 2019 – Home Appliances & Outdoor Sale

Buy Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle Off-road RC Car for Just $199.99 from GeekBuying [Coupon]

By

Vinay Patel

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Nov 18, 2019

The hotly-anticipated Black Friday Sale is just around the corner. As excited online shoppers continue waiting with bated breath for one of this year’s biggest sales, GeekBuying is making sure their wait is full of big discounts.

Taking that into consideration, the Chinese e-tailer has launched a new promotion called Black Friday Sale is Coming – Best of 2019! There are no prizes for guessing that the promo page is teeming with amazing products that you can get your hands on without emptying your pockets.

To ensure you do not waste a lot of time searching for a product, the promotion page has been split into multiple categories including Today Exclusive, Consumer Electronics, Phones & Laptops, Outdoor, Drones & Toys, Smart Home and More Deals. We’d be checking out the discount GeekBuying is currently offering on the Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle, which is an off-road RC car.

GeekBuying Black Friday Sale

Aside from shedding light on the discount, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of more money during the checkout process. So without wasting more time, let’s dive straight into the details.

Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle Off-road RC Car Vehicle RTR

RC (remote control) toys come in various shapes and sizes. You get them in the form of trucks, airplanes, drones, boats, cars, etc. Although promoted as toys, these machines are a lot more than mere trinkets as they adopt the latest technology to offer a superior user experience. The Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle is no exception.

We will talk more about what the Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle has to offer in terms of features in just a bit, but before that, let us check out the discount you can now avail on this amazing RC toys through GeekBuying.

The original asking price of the Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle is $229.99, but you can get your hands on the RC toys for a lowered price of only $219.99 if you place your order through GeekBuying. In addition to getting this 4 percent off, new GeekBuying users can get an extra 2% OFF New User Coupon and save more money.

The rest of the users can take advantage of coupon code 41UOLLZ9 for an extra $20 off. In other words, you can bring the original asking price of the Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle down to just $199.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon before clicking the ‘Place Your Order’ button.

The usually steeply-priced FY03H Desert Eagle RC car boasts an impressive array of features. It comes in red, as well as grey color options and is made using high-quality metal and electronic materials.

With a wheelbase of 247mm, the FY03H Desert Eagle RC car offers a 4WD drive and track 193mm. Powered by a Brushless 2212 2700KV motor, the RC car uses a 2S 7.4V 1500mAh Lipo battery to draw its juices. Its charging time of 2.5 hours and runs for 15 minutes after fully charged.

The FY03H Desert Eagle is ideal for kids of above 14 years. You can follow this link to check out more details about the RC car and place your order before the promotion sale ends.

Feiyue FY03H Desert Eagle Off-road RC Car

Banggood Launches Xiaomi Black Friday 2019 Sales, Offering Top-End Products at Lowered Prices

By

Vinay Patel

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Nov 18, 2019

It looks like Xiaomi fans are in for a treat. The Chinese electronics giant has established a partnership with one of the country’s most popular online retailers, Gearbest to launch the Xiaomi Black Friday 2019 Sale.

As part of the recently kicked-off promo, Gearbest users will be able to avail of noteworthy discounts on a wide range of Xiaomi-branded products. To expedite and simplify the search process, all products have carefully been added to specific categories including Hot Picks, Cool Coupon, Cool Electronics, Smart Life and Xiaomi Life.

First off, the promotion page features Xiaomi’s recently unveiled Mi Note 10 (CC9 Pro) smartphone with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage space. The aforesaid model would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can now buy it for just $549.99 under the New Arrival category. This is a 9 percent reduction in the world’s first 108MP Xiaomi phone, which usually retails for $606.62. The black, white, as well as green color options of the phone, will be available for a lowered price for nineteen days.

The following section dubbed Hot Picks features a slew of Xiaomi’s well-received mobile devices. More importantly, you can get your hands on these phones without burning a hole in your pocket as they’d be bearing lowered prices during the activity period.

Aside from the mobile phone, the category features some of Xiaomi’s highly popular devices including the Mi Ruby Notebook, the Mi AirDots, the Xiaomi Wear Smart Bluetooth Watch and lots more. It is worth mentioning here that Gearbest users will be able to use specific coupon codes with each item to get great discounts.

For instance, the Xiaomi Mi Ruby Notebook usually carries a steep $969.87 price tag, but you can bring its original asking price down to only $529.99 simply by applying coupon code GBXMRUBY01 during the checkout process.

If you are a coupon chaser, you might want to check out the following section called Cool Coupon, wherein each item has been assigned a dedicated coupon code. To get discounts, all you need to do is to apply these coupons before you click the ‘Place Your Order’ button.

Electronics lovers can head straight to the Cool Electronics section, which features everything from a smart bracelet, to earphones, smart cameras, dash cams and lots more. Each item included under this section will be up for grabs for lowered prices during the promotion sale.

Featuring a slew of smart appliances that come in handy in day to day life, the Smart Life, as well as the Xiaomi Life categories include heavily-discounted devices that usually cost a bomb but are now available for considerably lowered prices. For instance, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner usually retails for $399, but you can purchase it for only $245.99.

This is a noteworthy 38 percent discount and it will be valid for only eleven days. To ensure you do not end missing this opportunity, simply visit this link and start placing orders for your favorite products before the activity period ends.

Xiaomi Black Friday 2019 Sale

Apple has reportedly sold 10 million iPhones in China, thanks to iPhone 11!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 18, 2019

Apple‘s latest iPhone 11 was reported to be a very popular product in China after its launch. This came out as a good sign for the US company whose sales have been on the decline in recent times. Retailers in China revealed that iPhone 11 sales are up over 300 percent compared to last year’s iPhone XR release. A report by Bloomberg has now emerged to support this.

The report claims Apple has shipped 10 million iPhones in China between the months of September and October. This claim is based on Bloomberg’s “calculations from government data on overall and Android device shipments”. According to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, which is run by the country’s technology ministry, iPhone shipments rose up 6% from a year earlier.

Apple has been on the decline in China prior to the iPhone 11 release. This is as a result of the rise of local brands like Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo who offer affordable pricing on top of a decent specs lineup. Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook hinted that new pricing, a monthly payment program and trade-in offers helped the iPhone’s performance in China.

Canalys analyst, Nicole Peng is of the view that Chinese customers seem to be receiving the iPhone 11 series better than last year’s models as a result of the lowered retail price. He noted that the latest products are going strong despite the old models seeing weaker shipments.

(source)

Samsung W20 5G (Galaxy Fold 5G) appears in hands-on video

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 18, 2019

Samsung is launching the Galaxy Fold 5G in China but under a different name entirely. The foldable device will be sold in the country as the Samsung W20 5G, and ahead of its release tomorrow, a hands-on video has been posted on the web.

The short video shows the device when it is opened and closed. The phone will be available in white when it launches.

The Samsung W20 has two displays – a 7.3-inch foldable AMOLED screen with a 2152 x 1536 resolution and a second screen that is 4.6-inches, has a 720 x 1680 resolution and is on the outside of the device.

Samsung is shipping the phone with the Snapdragon 855+ processor along with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There are six cameras in total on the device. The first is a 10MP camera above the smaller display on the outside. You also have a 12MP + 12MP + 16MP triple camera configuration on the back of the phone. Samsung has also included 10MP + 8MP dual cameras above the inner display.

The W20 will run One UI based on Android 9 Pie out of the box and ship with a 4135mAh battery.

Honor V30 Pro official launch event invites surface online

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Nov 18, 2019

The Honor V30 Pro official launch isn’t far now. The device is slated for release on the 26th of November, but it still pops up very frequently in leaks and rumors. Earlier today we got to see the design renders for the device in all their glory. Now, we’re getting a closer look at the official physical invites for the launch event.

The invitations are designed to look similar to passports, since Honor are calling them 5G passports. On the inside, we’ve got all the relevant information regarding the event’s launch date and venue, as well as an image of an Honor ambassador. It’s a cute idea, though definitely not the most interesting we’ve seen from a Chinese company.

The Honor V30 Pro is said to feature a quad camera system on its rear. It may include a 60-megapixel primary lens, a 16-megapixel superwide lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 3D ToF sensor. On other side, it may feature a quad camera system with a 60-megapixel main lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens, a 20-megapixel superwide lens and a ToF camera.

According to even more rumors, the standard V30 could have a 4,000mAh battery whereas the Pro model could be equipped with a larger 4,200mAh battery. The 3C appearance of the alleged V30 Pro phone has revealed that it may arrive with support for 40W fast charging. The Pro model may also support wireless charging. Lastly, the Honor V30 series is expected to support NSA and SA 5G connectivity in China.

(Source)

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G vs Vivo iQOO Pro 5G: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Nov 18, 2019

If you thought you still need a huge amount of money to get a 5G smartphone, you were wrong. At the moment, there are several smartphones with the support to 5th generation networks available at modest prices, at least in the Asian market. We are not talking about very affordable devices: they are still flagships, but they are affordable flagships. The latest ones are Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G, Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G, and Vivo iQOO Pro 5G. You can get all of them for less than €500 in China and they offer flagship-class performance for such a low price. But which one is the best and which has the highest value for money? Answering these questions is the reason why we decided to write this specs comparison.

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G vs Vivo iQOO Pro 5G

	Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G	Vivo iQOO Pro 5G	Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	157.2 x 74.6 x 8.5 mm, 196 g	158.8 x 75.7 x 9.3 mm, 217 g	157.5 x 74.6 x 8.7 mm, 185 g
DISPLAY	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.41 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB	6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, MIUI	Android 9 Pie, Funtouch OS	Android 9 Pie, ZUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 48 + 12 + 16 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.2	Triple 48 + 13 + 2 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.4 12 MP f/2.0 front camera	Quad 48 + 8 + 16 + 2 MP, f/1.8, f/2.4, f/2.2 and f/1.8 32 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh, fast charging 40W with Quick Charge 4+ and wireless charging	4500 mAh, fast charging 44W	4000 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, 5G, reverse wireless charging	Dual SIM slot, 5G	Hybrid Dual SIM slot, 5G

Design

In my personal opinion, Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G has the most impressive design due to its amazing transparent back. But the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G comes with a better build quality since its frame is made of aluminum 7000 series and its glass back is protected by Gorilla Glass 6 that is the latest version of Corning’s protection. Vivo iQOO Pro 5G is a smartphone meant for gamers, but it does not have a so gaming-centric design, unlike other gaming phones. Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G is the lightest device, while Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G is slightly thinner and smaller. Yet I prefer the Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G for its transparent back, but that is only about personal tastes.

Display

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G and Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G have a better display than Vivo iQOO Pro 5G since they offer a higher image quality. Both have a high DCI P3 coverage and they even support HDR10, while Vivo iQOO Pro 5G does not. The advantage of the iQOO Pro 5G is a slightly wider display diagonal which often makes gamers and productivity users happier. But image quality is definitely more important, given that we are talking about just 0.02 inches of difference. Between Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G and Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G, there are just marginal differences in the image quality.

Hardware/Software

Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G takes the gold medal in the hardware comparison since it sports the most powerful Qualcomm’s chipset, the highest amount of RAM and a higher amount of internal storage, at least in the most expensive configuration. Both Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G and Vivo iQOO Pro 5G are fueled by the Snapdragon 855+ chipset, but only the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G has internal storage up to 512 GB. Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G has up to 512 GB as well, but it packs the older Snapdragon 855 chipset, so it can not reach the performance of the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G. In each case, you get Android 9 Pie out of the box and a single-mode Snapdragon X50 5G modem, but only Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G has expandable storage.

Camera

The most performing device in terms of camera quality is the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G again. It packs a triple camera setup including laser autofocus, 2x optical zoom, and an ultrawide sensor. The Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G is a great camera phone too and it offers a better selfie camera. If you need a camera phone, do not choose the Vivo iQOO Pro 5G.

Battery

Vivo iQOO Pro 5G has the biggest battery and it lasts more on a single charge, which is very important for gamers since this is a gaming phone. But Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G is the only to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

Price

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G is currently on sale for €424/$471 making it the cheapest 5G phone in China, Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G’s price starts from €470/$520, and Vivo iQOO Pro 5G costs about €485/$538 in India. Overall, Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G is the most complete device due to the support to wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, better build quality, and better hardware. But Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G is currently the best buy due to its extremely affordable price.

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G official teardown reveals the smartphone’s internals

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G vs Vivo iQOO Pro 5G: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G

PROS

Reverse wireless charging
Up to 512 GB of internal storage
Very fast wireless charging
Great build quality

CONS

Higher price

Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition

PROS

Transparent back
Expandable storage
Good price
Great selfie camera

CONS

Lower-end chipset

Vivo iQOO Pro 5G

PROS

Bigger battery
Wider display diagonal
Fastest charging technology

CONS

Worse cameras

Xiaomi’s Inexpensive 79 yuan ($11) vertical 20W wireless charger gets over 70,000 backers

By

Joel Joseph

-

Nov 18, 2019

Xiaomi’s newly announced vertical wireless charger is doing pretty well in China. The company revealed earlier today that its inexpensive 79 yuan ($11) wireless charger has already received over 70,000 backers on its crowdfunding website. The campaign kicked off on Singles Day (11/11) and it’s not surprising that it has received a strong response from Xiaomi fans in China.

It can wirelessly charge the Mi 9 Pro at 20W, ensuring you get up to 50% of charging in around 35 minutes. Since its a Qi-based charger, it can also wirelessly charge other devices like the Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11 series models. The charger supports wireless charging up to 4mm, which means you can charge your device with a case as well.

The 20W wireless charger from Xiaomi has a minimalist design with a circular base and an angled back which somewhat looks similar to its power banks. It comes in a matte black finish which gives it a classic and elegant look. It is capable of charging smartphones in both landscape and vertical position.

Once the $11 crowdfunding campaign ends, the Mi Wireless charger will end up for sale in the retail market for a slightly higher 99 yuan ($14) price tag.

Liang Hua says that Huawei will release its strategy for HarmonyOS on November 20

By

Airyl Jaszly

-

Nov 18, 2019

Huawei aren’t exactly in a great position, but they’ve been doing well with what they have. In a fairly in-depth interview with CNBC’s Geoff Cutmore, Huawei Chairman Liang Hua revealed some interesting little tidbits of information regarding the company’s current state. Perhaps most interesting however is this bit of information regarding HarmonyOS.

When asked about HarmonyOS, Liang said “you mentioned Harmony OS. Let’s say on November 20, two days from now, we will release our strategy, so I hope you will be able to tune in.” He then continues with “whether or not there will be a decision by the US, we will still launch our strategy.”

HarmonyOS had massive buildup before its launch, as people were expecting it to be Huawei’s replacement for Android. If you’ve been keeping up with the news however, you know that this never came to be. HarmonyOS was relegated to being an OS for Huawei’s IoT devices, while the company continued on with Android regardless of the lack of GMS.

When asked for further information, Liang responded with “we are still developing HMS, and have devoted a lot of effort to do this. We selected developers who were originally working on cutting-edge research for the next 5-10 years, and asked them to help develop the HMS. At the same time, we were working on the ecosystem with a number of partners.

This is followed by “with regards to this, we will continue to engage with our partners. We believe we will be able to accelerate our work on the HMS core. However, it may take time to build a thriving ecosystem. It could be 2-3 years to build a Huawei system that will better support this experience.”

With so much emphasis on the HMS core, it seems fairly obvious that HarmonyOS will be built with it as a base for applications. This would explain Huawei’s rush to push development of the HMS core forward on Android, it’s easier to convince people to make an application for an Android device than a brand new operating system, but the apps developed will still be cross compatible.

Of course, this is all merely speculation. We can’t really say for sure what Huawei has in store for us on the 20th of the month. It’s possible we could see them finally announce HarmonyOS as a smartphone OS, or they could just double down on their current IoT strategy. They could even take a brand new approach with it. Regardless of what the outcome is however, it’ll certainly be very interesting to watch.

(Source)

Redmi Note 8 series shipments exceed 125,000 units in a month in Indonesia

By

Joel Joseph

-

Nov 18, 2019

Redmi Note 8 series has remained popular in markets like India and Indonesia. Earlier today, Xiaomi Indonesia revealed that Redmi had shipped over 125,000 units of the Redmi Note 8 series in a month. This marks a new milestone for the smartphone maker in Indonesia, which currently ranks second in terms of market share in the country.

To celebrate the milestone, the team ordered the Indonesian traditional celebratory cuisine, Tumpeng alongside a large cake.

Although Samsung dominates the Indonesian market at 22% market share, Xiaomi is close behind at 20%. Sale of the company’s Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro models should Xiaomi help cover this difference in the coming quarters and today’s milestone definitely comes as a good sign.

Celebrating my 6 year anniversary at @Xiaomi with an awesome milestone of shipping more than 125000 units of #RedmiNote8 and #RedmiNote8Pro in 30 days! We ordered Tumpeng, traditional celebratory cuisine in Indonesia to mark the occasion! pic.twitter.com/DJiuTficcY

— Alvin Tse #MiFan (@atytse) November 18, 2019

The Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro models have been very well received due to its incredible value for money. The Pro version features a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with a waterdrop notch. There’s the Helio G90T processor with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. A 64MP camera sits on the back of the phone along with an 8MP ultrawide camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. It also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, IR blaster, audio jack, NFC, and a 4500mAh battery with support for 18W fast charge.

The Redmi Note 8 with 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM starts at 1,999,000 Indonesian Rupiah ($142) while the Note 8 Pro with 6GB RAM + 64GB ROM starts at 2,999,999 Indonesian Rupiah ($219).

OnePlus 7 Pro users in China receive stable HydrogenOS based Android 10 update

By

Joel Joseph

-

Nov 18, 2019

OnePlus started rolling out stable Android 10 to OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro users in India as well as internationally around late September 2019. However, due to issues in the initial release, the company has to pause the rollout. OnePlus resumed the update sometime in mid-October for international users. Now, OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro users in China are finally getting the stable HydrogenOS based Android 10 update.

The stable Hydrogen OS 10.0.1.GM2 update for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro comes after four public beta updates that fixed all the bugs and refined the software. Those who are on HydrogenOS’s Android 10 public beta 4 can directly flash the new ROM via the local upgrade method. The OnePlus 7 Android 10 Hydrogen OS stable ROM can be downloaded (here) and the OnePlus 7 Pro Android 10 HydrogenOS stable (here).

Unfortunately, the stable update brings the old October 2019 security patch to the devices. So users will have to wait for a few days more to get the new November patch. While this completes the worldwide Android 10 push to the OnePlus 7 series, 5G users will have to wait until Q1 2020 to get the new Android version.

New Honor MagicBook 15 to launch soon

By

Airyl Jaszly

-

Nov 18, 2019

Honor‘s MagicBook series aren’t exactly the most popular devices, but they’ve always been fairly solid. They feature fairly decent specs and nice, quality builds. They must also supposedly sell pretty well, as Honor is introducing a brand new product into the lineup, that being the Honor MagicBook 15 according to Huawei Mall official.

Unfortunately at the moment, we don’t really know much about the specifications of the Honor MagicBook 15. The render on the official poster shows us that it continues the design language of previous MagicBooks with narrow bezels, but nothing about what’s powering the device. To that end, all we can really do right now is speculate.

Following previous releases, we can assume it will be available in multiple different configurations. There will possibly be Intel and AMD Ryzen options, with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD storage. We can also see the good old Honor MagicBook fingerprint sensor power button, which is a welcome addition to the device. Finally, it’ll will probably come in Windows and Linux variants.

There’s also no pricing information, though we wouldn’t expect the MagicBook 15 to cost all that much. According to Huawei Vmall official, more information regarding the device will be revealed tomorrow, so all we can really do for now is wait. Hopefully it’ll continue Honor’s streak of releasing fairly good high quality laptops at affordable prices.

(Source)

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Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro 5G vs Vivo iQOO Pro 5G

Design

Display

Hardware/Software

Camera

Battery

Price

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