Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has projected that the demand for 5G smartphones could reach 300 million units by next year, according to DigiTimes. The company is said to base its projection on the current level of demand for 5G modems as well as premium chipsets which have kept the fab chip manufacturer’s 7nm process running at full capacity.
DigiTimes attribute this disclosure to a leaked internal report which emanated from the Taiwanese company. TSMC’s prediction is more optimistic than the 200 million units or less, that was predicted by other OEMs. Presently, 5G phones account for just 1% of the market but research firm Strategy Analytics predicts that 5G phones will rise to 10% by 2020 as more consumers migrate to 5G phones. The different projections are indications that 5G phones will see increased demand next year as more carriers launch 5G services. Strategy Analytics also projects that 5G phone sales by 2025 could surpass 1billion units globally as more affordable 5G phones get launched.
Samsung currently leads the market in terms of 5G phone sales, and it owes it all to strong sales in its home country of South Korea. Huawei could topple Samsung next year as the Chinese tech giant is predicted to ship 80 million 5G phones in China next year. That is half of the entire 160 million projected shipments which Strategy Analytics predicted for next year. China is also expected to be the largest 5G market going forward due to the early rollout of 5G infrastructures. Since this is Huawei’s stronghold, coupled with Samsung having only a 1% share in China, it is safe to say Huawei could surpass Samsung ext year in the sales of 5G phones.
Black Friday 2019 deals in the United States are slated to kick off on Friday, November 29 this year. Retailers have started promoting Black Friday advertisements, calling online buyers’ attention to products that will be available at knocked down prices during the activity period.
The discounts will be rolling out starting from Thanksgiving, but how about taking advantage of some great offers ahead of Black Friday? If the excites you, you might want to check out the Pre Black Friday Sale on GeekBuying. The recently launched promotion offers a lot to cheer about, especially PayPal users.
During the promo period i.e. from October 17th – October 29th, 10:00 (UTC+8), GeekBuying is offering a flat 5 percent off on the first 10,000 orders placed via PayPal. Note that the max discount is $20 and wholesale orders are excluded from this offer.
Moreover, the activity page features a PayPal Exclusive Coupons section, which you copy different coupons and use them to save money at checkout. For instance, if your order exceeds $500, you can use coupon code GKB50PP for $50 off.
Those spending more than $200 can apply coupon code GKB20PP and save $20. Likewise, you can use coupon code GKB10PP to save $10 on orders over $100, and apply coupon code GKB02PP and get $2 off if your cart value exceeds $10.
The next section is called Price Drops and it is crammed with amazing products carrying heavily discounted price tags. For example, the Xiaomi Mi A3 smartphone with 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM usually sells for $313.99, but it is now available for just $169.99. Moreover, new users can extend this 46 percent discount by applying the 2% Off New User Coupon.
From Xiaomi’s Mi Gaming Notebook to SG106 1080P WiFi FPV RC Drone, the Flash Sale category is being graced by simply amazing products. More importantly, you can get your hands on these items without emptying your pockets as they have gone up for sale carrying reduced prices.
Tech buffs and gadget lovers might want to check out the following section dubbed Top Tech, which is split into multiple sub-categories such as Smartphones, Laptops & Tablets, Wearables, Consumer Electronics, TV Boxes, and PC Peripherals. It is worth noting that all products available under the aforesaid sub-categories carry noteworthy discounts.
For the sake of an instance, there’s 18 percent off on the One Netbook One Mix 3S Yoga Pocket Laptop, which usually retails for $1601.99. Thanks to the above-mentioned, this coveted laptop can now be yours for just $ 1319.99. On top of that, new users can get an extra 2% off with the New User Coupon.
Smart homes are the need of the hour. Regrettably, devices that transform a regular home into a smart one aren’t easy on the pocketbook. To make these smart products available to cost-conscious buyers, GeekBuying’s latest promotion features the Smarter Lifestyle section.
This section has been split into Outdoor, Smart Home, RC Toys and Fashion sub-categories, enabling you to find what you’re looking for without wasting a lot of time. There are no prizes for guessing that all items available under the section carry great discounts.
For example, the KUGOO S1 Pro Folding Electric Scooter would normally set you back $549.99, but you can buy it for just $359.99 as part of GeekBuying’s Pre Black Friday Sale. Moreover, you get the Xiaomi Small Backpack worth $26.99 as a free gift with your order.
You can reduce the original asking price of the e-bike to just $299.99 by applying coupon code GKB20PP at the time of checking out. Alternatively, you can buy it for just $284.99 if you use PayPal for payment.
Those who are brand conscious can check out the next section called Brand. Under the Brand category, you can buy well-received products from leading manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Tronsmart, KUGOO, AMAZFIT, JJRC, and Tonix without burning a hole in your pocket.
The concluding category is called You May Also Like and it is crammed with miscellaneous items that come in handy in day to day life. You can visit the promotion page by following this link and take full advantage of these amazing discounts before the activity period ends.
Last month, Huawei released its latest flagship smartphones, the Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro, unfortunately, both of these devices lack the support of Google services, which most of us know, is due to Huawei’s designation to a blacklist by the US commerce department. Undoubtedly, the specifications that they offer allow them to be referred to as one of the best Android smartphones of 2019.
Due to this fact, users have tried to find a way around by installing Play services on the Mate 30 which would allow them to function like any other Android smartphone available out there.
Until now we have seen two such methods which sort of are interconnected. The first one was an app called LZPlay which would allow users to install Google Play services in a matter of minutes which was soon taken down. Although not a secure approach as the installer came from an unverified developer, a large number of users still went ahead with it.
The second method was to restore their brand new devices with a software backup from another user who had successfully installed the LZPlay workaround before its removal. Clearly way riskier, as now you don’t even know where the operating system or the ROM on your smartphone originated from.
Now, Huawei fanboys have come up with the third method, which is less risky than prior options. Let us introduce you to VMOS short for “Virtual Machine Operating System” does exactly what its name suggests. It allows smartphone owners, Mate 30 users, in this case, to run an entirely separate copy of Android (with Google Services) in the main OS which acts as a host.
Google Play Store on Mate 30 Pro with VMOS
Windows users who have used a virtual machine to install another OS like Mac or Linux; or Mac Owners who have used Parallels to install windows would understand right away how VMOS would function on the Mate 30 lineup.
Once the VMOS has been set up on a Mate 30, as previously mentioned, users can easily use Google service. However, the caveat observed with the LZPlay workaround persists meaning no Netflix or Google Pay, but most other applications work fine. Besides, there is more issue with this method is that applications generally have considerably longer load items and it provides for a sluggish experience as demonstrated in the video.
Moreover, it is not as secure as native Google supported devices. All in all, it is a compromise to get the services working on the devices. Having said that, it is the safest option until now and has much lesser chances to be taken down like prior options.
Apart from this, Huawei is losing a lot of money as their devices are not being sold in most regions, the Chinese corporation might have a nifty trick up its sleeve. Honor which is Huawei’s sub-brand had previously gotten the Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro Google certified and the company is now expected to rebadge those devices and sell them in these regions as the Huawei Nova 5 lineup.
With Halloween just around the corner, it is time for us to search the internet for great promotions, deals, and discounts. If you aren’t sure where to start, Banggood’s got your back. The Chinese online store has come up with two exceptional promotions for you to take advantage of.
You can follow this link to visit the activity page and grab the discounts before the promotion sale wraps up.
Halloween Day Max 56% OFF Coupon
Known for offering the best bang for your buck, Banggood recently kicked-off a new promotion, offering discounts on a wide range of products across various categories. Dubbed as Halloween Day Max 56% OFF Coupon, the new promo is simply unmissable.
The promotion page is crammed with all sorts of amazing products that have carefully been placed under specific categories to simplify the search process. Aside from carrying considerably lowered prices, some of these products have been assigned specific coupon codes that you can use to save more money at checkout.
The Pumpkins Knocking section features a slew of high-end electronic devices including an RC drone, 3D printer, a smart wearable, music accessory, and a smartphone that usually cost a bomb, but are now available for lowered prices. For instance, the Xiaomi Mi9 with 6GB RAM, 128GB ROM usually retails for $419.99, but you can buy for only $402.59 from the activity page.
Moreover, you can extend this discount with the help of coupon code BGM109L8. The coupon helps you bring the already lowered asking price of the Mi9 down to just $272.88 even before you place your order.
Electronics lovers can head straight to the next section dubbed Halloween Electronics, and grab big discounts on the OnePlus 7 smartphone, CHUWI Hi9 Air tablet, Eachine Wizard X220S, and other equally well-received products. Some of these items have been assigned dedicated coupons that you can apply at the time of checking out to save money.
Much to the delight of fashion-conscious buyers, the promotion page has a dedicated section called Halloween Fashion, wherein you can get your hands on exceptional products without breaking the bank. For instance, the FREETIE Sneakers from Xiaomi Youpin would normally set you back $60.99, but it is currently available for just $24.99 with coupon code BGFTY6. Moreover, new users can take advantage of a $100 Off Coupon.
While we are on the topic of coupon codes, let’s check out the next category called Super Coupon. The products included under the aforesaid section not only carry reduced price tags but have also been assigned dedicated coupons for Banggood users to save more money.
Hugely popular among fitness and sports enthusiasts, the Zeblaze THOR 4 smartwatch phone usually sells for $239.99, but thanks to a 33 percent off, you can now buy it for just $159.99. Moreover, there’s free shipping on orders over $19.99.
If that doesn’t impress you much, all you need to do is to apply coupon code BGZBDUAL for 55% Off. In other words, you can buy the Zeblaze THOR 4 for an unbeatable price of just $99.99 after applying the coupon, which will be valid for the first fifty pieces only.
Brand conscious buyers might want to check out the Brands Deals section that is teeming with products from Xiaomi, Eachine, and Doniu. Each brand is offering great discounts on the items featured under this category, but for a limited period only.
The concluding section called Trick or Treat is likely to sweep you off your feet with amazing surprises. The get them, all you need to do is to click on the images placed under the category. To visit the promotion page for these exceptional discounts, simply follow this link.
It looks like electronics lovers are in for a treat. Banggood is doling out up to 60 percent discounts on a wide selection of electronic items that usually carry steep price tags. Aside from that, the promotion offers a limited number of buyers a chance to use a $160 Off Coupon and save more money.
To ensure you don’t waste a lot of time searching for your favorite item, these products have been split into multiple categories. The first section called Top Sale, for instance, is teeming with electronic devices that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket.
For example, the Blitzwolf BW-VP1 LCD Projector would normally set you back a pretty penny but you can now buy it for a lowered price of just $79.99. This is a 43 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $139.99.
If you have restlessly been waiting for mobile phone prices to drop, now’s the time. As part of the latest promo, Banggood is offering a slew of smartphones, and mobile phone accessories for lowered prices under the Mobile Phones section.
The handsets have been placed under the Consumer Electronics sub-category, as it features other items such as the Blitzwolf BW-FYE7 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earphone, Bakeey Watch 4, Xiaomi Youth Wireless Bluetooth earphones, etc.
Those who fancy working on the go usually spend a lot of money on high-end laptops, and notebooks. Much to the relief of these workaholics, the Halloween Electronics promo is offering considerable discounts on computers, laptops and a myriad of other networking accessories under the Computer section.
For the sake of an instance, the Teclast M30 X27 tablet PC usually carries a $217.59 price tag, but you can get it for a lowered price of just $190.72 by applying coupon code BGbd74cb during the checkout process.
Products added under the Electronics category have been divided into three sub-categories including 3D Printers & Accessories, Module Board & Accessories, and Video Games Accessories. Likewise, the Tools section has been further divided into Professional Tools, Laser Equipment, and Tool Accessories sub-categories. There are no prizes for guessing that these products are all available for lowered prices.
If you have been searching for toys for big kids that don’t cost a bomb? You might want to check out the Toys section, which is split into RC Toys and RC Robot sub-categories. The last category called Automobiles includes Card Audio & Monitor, and Halloween Cosplay sections, which are crammed with awe-inspiring products.
To check out all the products and to avail of the discounts on them, follow this link.
PUBG Mobile has announced a new ‘Diwali Dhamaka Event’ which starts today and will continue till 4th November. As a part of this Diwali event, players will get access to some exclusive in-game items and rewards.
The PUBG Mobile Diwali Dhamaka event will come with daily missions and after completing these daily missions, players will get Diwali Sparklers that can be used to burst crackers and obtain Gift Tokens.
The Gift Tokens can be redeemed to win exclusive in-game items including a cricket costume, kurta pajama set, lobster set, future policemen set, nightmare set, AWM/M415 gun skins, and crate coupons.
It also added that the event will have three levels and each level will have fixed numbers of ‘Gift Tokens’ which will be hidden in a set of 25 crackers. Players can move to the next level after they collect all the gift tokens at the current level.
Players who complete all three levels will either get a M416 gun skin or a Diwali costume. PUBG Mobile is also going to select a few lucky winners who will get physical rewards like OPPO smartphones, Boat headphones, gold and silver coins, and more. Selected winners will also get exclusive PUBG Mobile merchandise including t-shirts and caps.
This new event from the company comes just a day after it started rolling out PUBG Mobile 0.15.0 update the brings new game modes, weapons, and vehicles to the game. It brings ‘Payload Mode’ with features like team recall, new weapons, and helicopters that players can use in battle. PUBG Mobile’s ‘Survive Till Dawn’ also gets a Halloween makeover with the latest update.
Rumours about the highly anticipated Mi Mix 4 do not tend to cease. The company was expected to launch the handset in the month of September, instead, Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix Alpha which is a conceptual smartphone with a wrap-around display. Though some netizens were still expecting to see a possible launch before the end of the year, a senior Xiaomi official shattered all hopes, after he publically announced that the company will not be launching a Mi Mix 4 in 2019.
Further contributing to its story, an unreleased Xiaomi smartphone has been spotted online which is alleged to be the Mi Mix 4. Even though the images were blurred out before being posted online, we can clearly see a smartphone box with Mi Mix branding on top.
The front fascia of the alleged Mi Mix 4 is highly reminiscent of the previously launched Vivo Nex 3 that features a high screen-to-body ratio display with extremely curved edges aka “waterfall display”. Except for the fact that this device runs on MIUI and it has a curved display not much can be derived.
Recalling reports from the past the Mi Mix 4 is claimed to have a remarkably high refresh rate of 120 Hz. Besides, it is also rumoured to the world’s first smartphone with Qualcomm’s fourth-generation ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.
Unfortunately, neither the rumoured specs nor the alleged images of the Mi Mix 4 can be verified at this stage. Henceforth, we will have wait till the time further details are revealed either via official or unofficial resources. Till that time we would recommend taking these rumours with a grain of salt.
Chinese luxury smartphone manufacturer, 8848, had an event today in Beijing where it discussed its plan for the future. The company, which celebrated its 5th anniversary this year, also announced its first 5G smartphone, the 8848 Titanium M6.
The 8848 Titanium M6 is not only the first luxury 5G smartphone but also the first Snapdragon 865-powered device. The phone has a 6.01-inch AMOLED display, 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It also has a 64MP camera that can shoot 100MP photos.
The rest of the M6’s specs were not revealed and that is because the phone will not be available until the first quarter of 2020 when Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 processor will be already available.
8848 also announced a plan called “5G Zero Distance”. The plan has been designed to make switching to 5G easy. 8848 says to subscribe to the plan, all you have to do is purchase its current phone, the 8848 Titanium M5, and when the M6 launches next year, you will be able to purchase it at the same price you bought the M5.
8848 also announced a personal assistant service for its customers. While other companies are launching AI-based smart assistants, 8848’s assistant service is made up of real people that will handle trivial tasks for customers. The company said it believes smart assistants can’t provide good enough services to people, so it decided to launch a personal assistant service made of real people.
Xiaomi was the first company in India to sell online exclusive smartphones in the country. In the year 2014, it unveiled the MI 3 which was available for purchase only via Flash sales hosted on Flipkart.com. The company had a completely different approach towards marketing its products as the costs saved by eliminating the middlemen like distributors & sub-distributors were passed on to the consumers.
Therefore, Xiaomi was able to price its devices much more aggressively in comparison to its competitors. And it was only a matter of time until these competitors started following suit in order to stay relevant in the industry. As of today, about 40% of the smartphones sold in India are sold while online channels, out of which the most prominent ones are Amazon.in, Flipkart.com and every OEMs respective online stores.
Even though the number of devices sold online is still less than the number of devices sold offline, the gap is getting narrower with each passing day. Undoubtedly, the online sales model has contributed in making technology more affordable for the end-user, it has been a nightmare for small or medium scale business owners who have been establishing their business for years, if not decades.
Report Begins here
While associations of such business owners, in the past, have been protesting so that the online exclusivity of these devices is stopped, which would allow them to sustain their business, no concreate laws have been enforced until now. However, this might change early next year, as smartphone OEMs currently have an ongoing contract with these online retailers which will end on the 31st of December 2019.
According to Arvinder Khurana who is the president of All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA),
Realme has decided that there will be complete parity between online and offline retailers with no exclusive model, an exclusive period of launch, price or brand offers from January.
Even Oppo and Vivo have assured us that they would do something similar, though official communication is awaited,
Readers who are unaware, all three of these brands are owned by BBK electronics which is based out of China. According to Counterpoint research, these three brands make up 30% of collective sales in the India smartphone industry.
Arvinder Khurana even said that “Over 30,000 cellphone stores have shut in the past year and a few thousand jobs have been lost. We need brand support to revive offline business,”
After AIMRA presidents made the statement ET India sent out mails to India’s five largest smartphone brands which include Xiaomi, Samsung, Vivo, Realme and Oppo.
Madhav Sheth, the CEO Realme India said the “company believes in fair trade practices, offering similar benefits to online and offline customers, with the same price for its products. Any offers available on platforms are run by respective retailers and not by the brand,”
An Oppo spokesperson made this statement “Having an aggressive omni-channel approach has helped us achieve healthy growth in the Indian smartphone market. Keeping in lieu of the same, we plan to continue launching our products across channels going forward,”.
While emails sent to Vivo, Xiaomi and Samsung have not been replied yet which would either accept or deny the previously mentioned statements.
We will have to wait until further developments are made to verify “whether the scheme of selling online exclusives martphones comes to an end in India or not”. we will keep you updated on the subject so stay tuned.
Google Pixel 4’s new set of sensors on top of the display was the talk of the town over the past few weeks. Such a setup warranted powerful features like Motion Sense and an ultra-fast Face Unlock. But once the phone was launched, reviewers noted that the soli radar based ‘Motion Sense’ experience was underwhelming. Even the Face Unlock feature on the Pixel 4, which was very secure on paper, came with a major flaw.
Over the past couple of years, Face Unlock has become a huge part of our smartphone experience. But most Android smartphone makers have so far opted for a less expensive and less secure Face Unlock technology. So it was exciting to see Google’s own version of Face Unlock which was secured. But it turns out, Google’s Face Unlock has a major flaw, it works even when the user’s eyes are closed. So, if the Pixel 4 user is sleeping or even dead, Face Unlock will be able to open the phone.
Most Face Unlock mechanisms, even the ones that just rely on the front camera, cannot unlock your smartphone if your eyes are shut. For example, OnePlus 7T‘s Face Unlock needs at least one eye to be open in order to unlock the device. This is a very important feature to ensure no one can unlock your phone while you are sleeping. But Google has confirmed that Pixel 4’s Face Unlock works even when your eyes are shut and unfortunately, there’s no workaround to the issue.
Technically, Google doesn’t consider this as an issue as it believes this allows for a seamless and ultra-fast unlocking experience. But many don’t share the same feeling. BBC’s Chris Fox was the first to spot this issue. He even tweeted with video proof.
Google doesn’t confirm whether it will add an option to fix this (issue?). But given how this particular point has got global coverage, it’s quite possible that the company adds a toggle setting via a future update to force ‘eyes to be open’ before unlocking the device.
Huami has put up the much-anticipated Amazfit Verge 2 Avengers Limited Edition for pre-sale in China. The Verge 2 Avengers customized edition was launched on July 11 alongside the Amazfit Verge 2 and ECG version. The regular Verge 2 was immediately available to pre-order but the ECG and Avengers Limited Edition was billed to go on sale at the end of July. That obviously didn’t happen until now. The company cites the complexity of the ceramic body and the high processing difficulty for the inability to meet up with the schedule.
The presale has now opened on Amazfit’s official flagship store on Jingdong (JD.com). The device is on offer for 1399 yuan (~$197).
The Amazfit Verge 2 smartwatch comes with a spectacular design manufactured using a new material different from the plastic body which the first-gen Verge utilises. It has a Microcrystalline zirconium ceramic body with skin texture and extremely high hardness. Huami says the ceramic body comes out after 35 days of precision processing and that it wet through 24 complex processes. The Avengers edition comes with a wite frame as well as a white rubber strap designed with the Avengers logo. We expect the watch face to have an Avengers theme in addition to special watch faces.
Samsung has been granted a new patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a flexible phone. The phone extends outwards to create a bigger display on a smaller body.
The patent description is for a smartphone that has a 16:9 display in standard mode but when it is unfolded, it changes to a larger display with 18:9 aspect ratio when the display is stretched fully. Samsung had earlier on patented a similar design but that one is for a smartphone which pops up in order to extend the display. In this case, the flexible display stretch from the bottom edge to roll out to its full size.
The flexible display rolled out fully to show the notch and the sensors in the front. While most of the display will be visible when unfolded, there will still be a portion that when the display is not stretched fully, the screen will not show the earpiece, selfie sensor, etc. This can provide a more immersive experience while watching videos, reading a text message, browsing, etc.
The sketch shows the flexible display hides the notch and sensor under the back panel when it is rolled up. When there is a call or the selfie camera is activated, the phone’s screen will stretch out to its full length, revealing the notch that houses all the sensors. We can’t tell if the mechanism will operate automatically or manually but it unrolls via a swivel mechanism.
Flexible screens are usually very fragile so the display and the swivel mechanism are all enclosed in a back panel which covers the frame on the left and right sides too. We can’ b sure if this design would be commercialized anytime soon.
Last month, Asus released its latest gaming-centric smartphone, the ROG Phone 2. As we already know the device packs impressive features some of which include a gigantic 6,000 mAh battery and a 6.6 inch AMOLED display with a remarkable refresh rate of 120 Hz. Recently, the device was subjected to a teardown by the famous Youtuber JerryRigEverything that has revealed shocking findings of the design preferences chosen by Asus.
The trapezoidal plastic piece with a metal grille on its back which originally seemed like a vent to provide active cooling while the CPU is processing heavy loads, turned out to be a sham and is nothing more than a cosmetic addition.
Besides, the narrow metal grille makes it one of the least water-resistant smartphones of 2019. As liquid would seep right in, even when dripped at an angle, leave alone sub-merging it underwater. Having said that, Asus never claimed the device to be water-resistant but this could be a downer for some especially the ones who have been spoiled by the laudable IP ratings on other flagships from Apple or Samsung.
ROG Phone 2’s Massive Copper Cooling Chamber
Nonetheless, the teardown did reveal some praiseworthy bits of the Asus ROG Phone 2 as well. While the Youtuber had to sacrifice the display on his unit to reveal this, the device packs one of the largest copper chamber found on any smartphone. For those who do not know, copper is an excellent conductor of metal, therefore, heat dissipation on the device will be superb.
Accordingly, temperatures on the device would stay well under the acceptable range even when its Snapdragon 855+ is rendering complex bits of data while playing PUBG on high settings or executing similar resource-hungry tasks.
What else did the teardown reveal? A massive 6,000 mAh battery which by the way popped right off after the pull tab was easily removed (unlike Apple), dual vibration motors to provide powerful haptic feedback and cleverly implemented RGB LED logo on the back.
What are your thoughts on the Asus ROG Phone 2’s innards? Do you think IP rating is a must in today’s day and age? Let us know in the comments below.
Tech companies are obsessed with achieving a true 100% screen to body ratio on their smartphones. And the front camera is the biggest obstacle that comes in between this dream. We have already seen technologies such as a punch-hole camera, pop-up camera, and even a rotating camera to maximize the screen real estate on smartphones. However, future implementations are going to be even more exciting with the front camera going under the display. And it looks like we could see our first under-display camera (UDC) module as soon as early 2020 as a report reveals that Samsung is already prepping the technology for mass production.
Galaxy A8S was the first Infinity-O punch-hole camera phone
South Korean media website, The Elec reports that Samsung’s Under Display Camera Technology (UDC) will make its way on to a smartphone by the first half of 2020. Samsung Display has brought two pieces of equipment to its campuses: the HIAA1 and HIAA2. The term HIAA stands for Hole In Active Area which reportedly helps Samsung to cut out a display in the OLED for the camera.
Samsung is reportedly testing the HIAA1 equipment for standard punch-hole displays while the HIAA2 will be used for the Under Display Camera technology. While the HIAA1 was brought to Samsung’s campus back in August, the HIAA2 was brought to the facility this month. Mass production of the UDC OLED panels is expected to kick off around H1 2020.
How Will Samsung’s Under Display Camera Technology Work?
The Elec reports that Samsung will use the HIAA2 equipment to create a transparent display where the UDC will be placed. The equipment comes with a laser to drill a number of tiny holes in the display to improve the transmission of light to the camera below it. The process is called Laser Etching.
Samsung’s current R&D team is focused on reducing the size and number of pixels in that area and increasing the transparency and permeability of the substrate. The current OLED substrate is not transparent and has a yellow tint.
After testing out HIAA2 this month, Samsung Display will reportedly send it out to mass production facilities early next year. A true Under Display Camera smartphone from Samsung can be expected by the first half of 2020.
Oppo’s prototype under-display camera smartphone
The First-Gen Under Display Cameras May Not Be Great
Samsung has a lot of challenges to overcome in order to perfect this technology. Apart from making a specific area of the OLED display transparent for the camera underneath, the company will also have to work on the algorithms to effectively balance the yellow glow and slight blurriness of the photos captured from the camera.
While this might take some time, the UDC technology is expected to improve in the coming years, just like the under-display fingerprint sensor which improved after a couple of generations.
There Could Be Multiple Smartphones Featuring UDC In 2020.
Samsung would most likely use this UDC technology on an S series flagship, possibly the S11. But it is said that this technology is more likely to end up on the successor to the Galaxy Fold next year.
Samsung could be the first smartphone company to release an Under Display Camera smartphone but it could soon be joined by multiple companies. OPPO, Xiaomi, and Honor have confirmed that they are working on an Under Display Camera smartphone. In fact, Xiaomi and OPPO both have showcased their technologies a few months back.
But will they be any good? We’ll have to wait and see!
In September, Huawei had launched the Enjoy 10 Plus smartphone with notch-less display, a pop-up selfie camera and triple rear cameras for 1,499 Yuan (~$211). Today, it has announced the Enjoy 10 phone as its inferior sibling. With a starting price of 1,199 Yuan (~$169), the Enjoy 10 offers users with features like punch-hole display and dual rear cameras.
Huawei Enjoy 10 Specifications
The Huawei Enjoy 10 measures 159.1 x 76.13 x 8.13mm and it weighs around 176 grams. It is fitted with a punch-hole display of 6.39 inches that produces HD+ resolution of 720 x 1560 pixels. The Kirin 710F SoC fuels the smartphone with up to 6 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of up to 128 GB. A microSD card slot is available on the device for expanding its storage.
The EMUI 9.1 based Android 9 Pie OS comes preloaded on the Huawei Enjoy 10. The GPU Turbo 3.0 technology optimizes the phone’s performance while gaming. The smartphone houses a big battery of 4,000mAh. However, there is no support for rapid charging on the device.
The rear-facing dual camera system has an f/1.8 aperture 48-megapixel main lens and an f/2.4 aperture 2-megapixel depth sensor. The Enjoy 10 supports 480fps slow-motion video shooting and handheld super night scene mode. The 4.5mm sized punch-hole present on the screen has an f/2.0 aperture 8-megapixel selfie snapper. The handset lacks a fingerprint reader.
Huawei Enjoy 10 Pricing and Availability
The pricing of the different variants of the Huawei Enjoy 10 are as follows:
4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage – 1,199 Yuan (~$169)
6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage – 1,399 Yuan (~$198)
4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – 1,399 Yuan (~$198)
Color Variants: Magic Night Black, Aurora Blue, Breathing Crystal and Acacia Red
The pre-sale of the Huawei Enjoy 10 begins today in the home market. Its shipments will kick off on Nov. 1
Samsung revealed the Galaxy A90 5G as the cheapest 5G smartphone in South Korea back in September. It is the latest device to feature 5G capability after the flagship Galaxy S10 5G and the Note 10 5G. Samsung has today introduced the A90 5G in China. The smartphone features the powerful Snapdragon 855 SoC and supports the NSA network through external bandwidth.
Samsung Galaxy A90 Specifications and Price in China
The Samsung Galaxy A90 5G flaunts a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED full HD+ Infinity-U display with a Infinity-U notch and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The device has arrived in China with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of native storage.
The primary camera is a 48-megapixel unit with an aperture rating of f/2.0, which is paired to a 5-megapixel depth sensor with an aperture rating of f/2.2 along with an 8-megapixel depth sensor with a 12-degree wide-angle field-of-view. The Samsung Galaxy A90 draws power from a 4,500 mAh battery with 25W rapid charging. The device runs on Android 9.0 Pie-based One UI and features face unlock for additional security.
The Samsung Galaxy A90 starts from 4,499 Yuan (~$635). The smartphone is available in two color options, namely Space White and Holographic Black. The rear panel is designed using a splicing scheme last seen on the Huawei P30 Pro. Samsung is calling it their holographic plaid pattern. The design has a gradient finish on the upper half and a solid color on the lower portion.
Pre-sales of the A90 5G will begin in China from Oct. 25 and its shipments will start on Oct. 31. The Samsung Galaxy A90 rivals the iQOO and Xiaomi’s 5G lineup in China.
It has barely been a week since OnePlus launched the OnePlus 7T Pro, but rumors of the OnePlus 8-series have already started flowing in. While the initial renders of the OnePlus 8 were revealed earlier this month, 91mobiles in association with reliable tipster and industry expert Onleaks has just released detailed renders of the OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus 8 Pro Renders and Rumored Specs
The renders clearly show that the OnePlus 8 Pro will be sporting a punch-hole display instead of a notch or a pop-up module along with a quad-camera setup at the rear. The OnePlus 8 is the first smartphone in the company’s portfolio to feature four lenses on the back. The OnePlus 8 Pro carries the tradition forward.
The renders reveal that the OnePlus 8 Pro features similar design elements as the OnePlus 8. The smartphone is expected to flaunt a 6.65-inch display instead of the 6.5-inch screen seen on the OnePlus 8. The OnePlus 7T Pro however still has the biggest display in the lineup, featuring a 6.67-inch unit. The company has already confirmed a standard 90Hz refresh rate on all future smartphones. It is safe to assume that the 8 Pro will not miss out on the action. The smartphone could be fueled by the upcoming Snapdragon 865 flagship chipset.
Coming to the rear panel, the three primary lenses are placed in a vertical alignment with the 3D depth sensor positioned next to the unit, along with a few other undisclosed sensors. An LED flash module completes the setup. The OnePlus logo is etched right below the camera module. The left edge features the volume rockers while the power button and alert slider are positioned on the right edge.
The OnePlus 8 Pro features a redesigned speaker grille on the bottom edge, with the USB Type-C port in the middle. The top edge only has a hole for the mic, since OnePlus ditched the pop-up camera module. The smartphone measures 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.8 mm. The thickness increases to 10.8 mm along the lines of the camera bump.
The OnePlus 8 Pro does not feature revolutionary design changes. People hoping to upgrade to the OnePlus 8 lineup next year will have to stay content with the quad-camera setup and the 3D ToF (depth sensor) for now. OnePlus might introduce 5G capabilities from the 8-series. The 7T Pro currently misses out on the 5G spectrum. Detailed specifications of both smartphones are expected soon. There is no word on software either. Expect the Oneplus 8 Pro to feature AR, 3D photography and portrait mode thanks to the advanced 3D sensor.
What’s your opinion on the design of the OnePlus 8 Pro? Share us your views by posting your comments below.
Late last month, Xiaomi took covers off its latest Android skin which is called MIUI 11. While its open beta had already been available, its stable version has started rolling out today in China via an OTA update, confirmed Xiaomi on Weibo. Initially, the MIUI 11 update will be provided for 12 devices while the remaining handset that were promised to get the update will start receiving in the following weeks.
The list of devices which that have started receiving the MIUI 11 update are as follows:
Readers who are are wondering, why don’t you see the Redmi K20 Pro and the Mi 9 in this list, there hasn’t been a mistake while writing. Xiaomi has confirmed that the stable version of these two devices based on Android 10 is in its final stages which will be rolled out soon.
To recall here are some of the features that MIUI 11 introduces:
New Icons and smoother animations: With the latest MIUI 11, Xiaomi has tweaked the look of the icons found in the UI and they now have a minimalist yet appealing look. The company has also tweaked the animations which are slower in comparison to MIUI 10 but they now provide for a rich and immersive experience.
Ultra Power Saving Mode: As the name suggests, this mode is meant for prolonging battery life when running out of charge. According to the company, while in this mode, a device can provide a battery backup of upto 24 hours with just 5% of battery. When this mode is turned on, the device turns off the Wi-Fi module, hides non-essential apps, turns the display colour to black/white whilst restricting background processes.
Kids Mode: This mode is meant for parents who want to create a safe digital environment for their kids. While in kids mode, the device will only be able to run applications that are whitelisted by their parent or guardian. Besides, it also has an education space which Xiaomi claims is an intuitive manner to teach young kids.
Digital Wellbeing: With this feature, device owners will be able to check how much time they spend on each application and if needed they can cut down the usage time in order to maintain a healthy mental and physical well-being.
Earthquake alerts: With the help of data provided by regional offices, devices running MIUI 11 can notify its owner in case of an ongoing earthquake or after one takes place. Moreover, it will also provide additional details like nearby relief centres and places to avail medical service in case of a mishap.
Casting to external display: This feature will allow smartphones running on MIUI 11 to wirelessly cast onscreen content which includes games, videos, documents and other applications to TV, given the TV also supports this functionality. Xiaomi has thoughtfully designed this feature so users can even hide personal items to keep all sensitive things private. Moreover, the device can continue to cast even when its display has been turned off.
While these are just a handful of new introductions to MIUI 11, if you want to read about other features that the latest update brings, you can do so by clicking here.
Our Indian readers who are curious about the update schedule in the country can learn all the details by clicking here.
Update: The images of the Vivo V1941A/T have appeared on TENAA.
Original story follows…
The Vivo V1941A/T is the latest phone to surface on TENAA with its full specifications. It appears to be an upcoming entry-level phone from the Chinese firm. The exact identity of the smartphone is currently under the wraps.
Vivo V1941A/T Specifications
The Vivo V1941A/T has 162.15 x 76.47 x 8.69mm dimensions and it weighs 193 grams. The exact design of the phone is not known yet since the TENAA listings lack its images. The handset has a 6.53-inch screen that offers full HD+ resolution. Since there are no images, there is no confirmation on whether its features a waterdrop notch screen or a notch-less design or a punch-hole display.
The Android 9 Pie OS comes preinstalled on the device. It is expected to be customized with Vivo’s FunTouch OS UI. The smartphone is fueled by 2.0GHz octa-core processor. The Vivo V1941A/T is expected to release in RAM editions of 4 GB, 6 GB and 8 GB. It is likely to hit the Chinese markets in 64 GB and 128 GB storage editions. For more storage, the handset is equipped with a microSD card slot.
Above image is NOT of V1941A/T It belongs to Vivo V1934A/T
The Vivo V1941A/T draws power from a battery that has a minimum capacity of 4,920mAh. Its typical capacity could be 5,000mAh. It has a triple camera system on its back, and it comprises of a 16-megapixel main lens, an 8-megapixel secondary shooter and a third lens of 2-megapixel. On its front is a 16-megapixel selfie snapper. The handset does not seem to support fast charging and it lacks a fingerprint scanner. Hence, it appears that it could be an entry-level model.
In related news, earlier today, Vivo had teased that it will be launching a new budget phone fueled by the Snapdragon 675 chipset in China in the next few days. It seems that the Vivo V1934A/T that had appeared on TENAA earlier this week could be the mysterious Vivo SD675 phone. The Vivo V1934A has a full HD+ waterdrop notch screen of 6.53 inches and it powered by 2.0GHz octa-core processor along with up to 6 GB of RAM. The handset has a native storage of 128 GB and it features a microSD card slot.
The back panel of the Vivo V1934A/T has a 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system. It has a front camera of 16-megapixel. The Android 9 Pie OS runs on the phone and it is backed by a 5,000mAh battery.
Vivo has started teasing a new budget-friendly smartphone in China. The teaser released by the company showcases the rear design of the smartphone. Also, the poster confirms that it will be powered by Snapdragon 675 chipset.
Vivo has so far released three Snapdragon 675 powered smartphones in this year such as Vivo V15 Pro, Vivo S1 Pro and Vivo V17 Pro. All of them are upper mid-range phones that are equipped with in-screen fingerprint reader. However, the phone shown in the below image has a rear-positioned fingerprint reader.
The upcoming SD675 Vivo phone has a vertical triple camera system placed at the upper-left corner of the phone’s rear shell. The Vivo branding can be seen at the bottom-left corner of the backside of the device. The left edge is not visible in the images. Its right spine has a volume rocker and a power button. The front design of the phone is a mystery
The bottom side of the smartphone features an external speaker, a microUSB port and a 3.5mm audio jack. It is difficult to identify whether the smartphone features a polycarbonate rear with glossy appeal or a glass rear. The presence of a rear-positioned fingerprint sensor and a microUSB is a clear giveaway that it is a budget-friendly device. Hopefully, more details of the smartphone may appear on the device in the coming days.
The handset appears to be the Vivo V1934A/T phone that recently showed up with full specifications on TENAA. Probably, it may debut as a new Y-series or U-series device.
The V1934A/T measures 162.15 x 76.47 x 8.89mm and its weight is 193 grams.The device comes with a 6.53-inch LCD full HD+ display with waterdrop notch. It is powered by 2.0GHz octa-core chipset. The handset may come in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM options. Both models may feature 128 GB of native storage. There is a dedicated microSD card slot on the device.
The Vivo V1934A/T has a front-facing camera of 16-megapixel. The rear side of the device has a 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera system. It has a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. The Android 9 Pie OS runs on the device along with FunTouch OS 9.1 UI. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery and it may come with up to 18W fast charging support.
Earlier this year, in July, Honor launched it latest fitness tracker named Honor Band 5. Now, the company has been teasing the launch of another variant of the same, which is dubbed Honor Band 5i.
Today, the upcoming Honor Band 5i, which is expected to launch in China on 22nd October, is up for reservation on TMALL. However, the pricing of the device remains unknown as the eCommerce listing shows a placeholder price of 9,999 Yuan.
The listing as well as the poster shared by the company confirms that the Honor Band 5i will be made available in three color options — Pink, Black, and Olive Green. As for the design, it looks similar to the original device with an elongated body and silicone strap.
While the display size is yet to be confirmed, it looks similar to the standard Honor Band 5 that features a 0.95 inch OLED AMOLED display which is capable of displaying 43 characters at once. The teaser shared by the company also confirms that Band 5i variant will have an Spo2 meter to measure blood oxygen and will also come with a step counter.
Usually, the “i” suffix are used for watered down and affordable variants of the standard handset and similar strategy is expected to be adopted with the Honor Band 5i. Even though this cannot be confirmed, we assume the only major alteration with this variant will be the new type of charging connector and the lack of NFC.
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Therefore, Xiaomi was able to price its devices much more aggressively in comparison to its competitors. And it was only a matter of time until these competitors started following suit in order to stay relevant in the industry. As of today, about 40% of the smartphones sold in India are sold while online channels, out of which the most prominent ones are Amazon.in, Flipkart.com and every OEMs respective online stores.
We will have to wait until further developments are made to verify “whether the scheme of selling online exclusives martphones comes to an end in India or not”. we will keep you updated on the subject so stay tuned.
The trapezoidal plastic piece with a metal grille on its back which originally seemed like a vent to provide active cooling while the CPU is processing heavy loads, turned out to be a sham and is nothing more than a cosmetic addition.
