Google’s AR Core was recently renamed to Google Play Services for AR. You would think that every new Android device that launches should support it right out of the box but that isn’t the case. Google has to manually grant support to devices which explains why there are always posts about which devices are now supported.
Apparently, the reason for all devices not having support right out of the box is because Google needs to work with manufacturers to “create a custom calibration profile for each device”. This custom profile is based on the camera configuration of the phone and differs for each phone.
The list gets updated regularly with some devices sometimes showing up even before launch while others are added months after they have been announced. There are also some devices that may never even make
Below is a list of the latest entries on the supported devices list:
If you own one of these devices, Google Play Services for AR should automatically arrive on your device. You can also side-load the APK on to your phone from trusted sources like APKMirror. Once you do that, you can head to the Play Store and download supported apps.
OnePlus announced two new high-end TV models in India last week dubbed the OnePlus TV Q1 and the Q1 Pro. Both the TV models come with a hefty price tag, with the Q1 starting at Rs 69,900 ($990) and the Q1 Pro at Rs 99,900 ($1414). However, there’s a possibility that these prices might go down slightly by the end of this year. OnePlus has confirmed that it will start manufacturing its new TVs in India by the end of 2019.
Currently, OnePlus TVs are manufactured and imported from China which means they are subjected to import taxes. However, once the company starts making these smart TVs in India, we might see some price cuts due to the tax savings as well as changes in labor expenses.
OnePlus also confirmed to 91mobiles that it doesn’t have any plans to make cheaper and affordable OnePlus TV models in the near future. Just like its smartphones, the company will focus on the premium segment of the TV industry to make its mark.
OnePlus TV Remote has a minimalistic design
The OnePlus TV Q1 & Q1 Pro come with a beautiful 55-inch 4K QLED panel with 120% NTSC color gamut, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10+. Both models sport 50W speakers but the ‘Pro’ version features a motorized soundbar with six front-facing and two rear-facing speakers.
Flipkart’s hotly-anticipated Big Billion Days sale has finally kicked-off. As part of its latest sale, the Indian e-commerce giant is doling out great discounts on a wide selection of products, including smartphones.
With the festive season sale kicking off, Flipkart has launched the Big Billion Days sale. During the activity period, the Bengaluru based e-commerce company is offering top-branded smartphones for considerably lowered prices.
As if that weren’t enough, Flipkart is giving online shoppers using Axis Bank Debit or credit card and ICICI credit card a 10 percent instant discount. The aforesaid bank offer is available in addition to the flat discount. We have listed the best smartphone deals that are currently available on Flipkart to expedite and facilitate the search process for you.
Redmi Note 7S
Much to the delight those who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on the Redmi Note 7S smartphone without spending a lot of money, there’s a noteworthy 28 percent off available on the handset. Thanks to the discount, you can now buy the phone for a lowered price of only 9,999 INR, while it usually retails for 13,999 INR.
Moreover, you can avail a 10 percent off with Axis Bank Credit and Debit Cards. To take advantage of the discount, simply follow this link.
The well-received Vivo Z1Pro usually retails for 15,990 INR, but you can now get your hands on it for a lowered price of just 12,990 INR from Flipkart. This is a noteworthy 18 percent reduction in the phone’s original asking price.
In addition to that, Axis Bank Credit and Debit Card users can avail a 10 percent discount. You can visit this link to grab the discount, which is available on the Sonic Black, and Sonic Blue color options.
Along with a slew of other unmissable offers, Flipkart is offering a 22 percent off on the Google Pixel 3a XL, which usually sells for 44,999 INR. Much to the relief of those on a tight budget, the coveted handset is now available for a dropped price of just 34,999 INR.
To ensure you do not end up missing this great discount, simply follow this link without wasting time.
A part of the recently unveiled Redmi K20 series smartphones, the Redmi K20 Pro has gone up for sale bearing a lowered price tag of 24,999 INR on Flipkart.
This is a significant 13 percent reduction in the device’s original selling price of 28,999 INR. Aside from that, the Axis and ICICI bank offers will help you reduce the already lowered retail price of the phone.
You can head straight to this link to grab the discount, which is available for the Carbon Black, Flame Red, Glacier Blue, and Pearl White color options of the phone.
In addition to its bigger sibling, the Redmi K20 is also available for a reduced price on Flipkart. While you’d normally need to shell out 22,999 INR for the phone, it is now up for grabs carrying a reduced price of just 19,999 INR.
Aside from this 13 percent discount, you can get a 10 percent instant discount for using your Axis Bank Credit and Debit Card while placing your order. You can visit this link to get the discount.
Vivo fans haven’t been ignored either. The Vivo Z1x, which would normally set you back 19,990 INR can now be yours for a reduced price of only 16,990 INR if you order it from Flipkart.
This 15 percent discount is coupled with an additional 10 percent instant discount for those using Axis Bank Credit and Debit Cards. To grab the offer, you need to follow this link.
Samsung’s Galaxy A50 usually retails for 21,000 INR, but Flipkart is giving its loyal users an unmissable chance to get their hands on the coveted smartphone for a reduced price of just 16,999 INR. This is a 19 percent drop in the phone’s original selling price.
On top of that, you can get an extra 10 percent instant discount if you place your order using an Axis Bank Credit and Debit Card. Follow this link to place your order.
Another smartphone from the South Korean tech giant is available for a lowered price on Flipkart. The Galaxy S9 usually bears a steep price tag of 62,500 INR, but it is now up for grabs for just 29,999 INR, thanks to a 52 percent discount Flipkart is offering on its retail price.
You can grab an extra 10 percent instant discount by placing your order using a debit or credit card of Axis Bank. You can click here to check out more details about the offer.
You can get a noteworthy 33 percent off on the 6GB RAM+128GB ROM F11 Pro variant, which usually retails for 29,999 INR.
As a result, the handset can now be yours for only 19,990 INR. In addition to that, you can get 10 percent instant discount for using Axis Bank Credit and Debit Card at the time of placing your order.
You can visit this link to check out more details about the offer and place your order without wasting time.
If you have been waiting with bated breath for the Realme 5 Pro price to drop, Flipkart’s got your back. The e-commerce giant is giving you a chance to buy the phone for a reduced price of just 13,999 INR. Note that the phone usually sells for 14,999 INR.
In an attempt to give you something more to cheer about, Flipkart is offering an additional 10 percent instant discount, provided you use an Axis Bank debit or credit card to place your order.
You can follow this link to grab the discount and check out more details about the offer.
Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case Bluetooth Headset with Mic
Music lovers, rejoice. The coveted Apple AirPods has gone up for sale bearing a heavily discounted price tag of 14,999 INR on Flipkart. This is a significant 20 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of 18,900 INR. But that’s not all.
If you use an Axis Bank debit or credit card to place your order, you get an additional 10 percent instant discount at the time of checking out. You can visit this link to check out more details about the offer.
If you are an avid gamer who has been searching for an inexpensive gaming laptop that doesn’t compromise on performance, you’ve come to the right place. As part of its latest sale, Flipkart is offering the MSI GF Core gaming laptop for just 49,990 INR, while it usually retails for 89,990 INR.
Apart from this 44 percent discount, Flipkart is allowing you to get an extra 10 percent instant discount if you use an Axis Bank debit or credit card to buy the gaming laptop. You can visit this link to grab the offer.
A big hit among those who fancy watching their favorite videos or playing popular games on a big-screen mobile device, the Apple iPad is now available for a reduced price of only 21,999 INR through Flipkart. This is a 21 percent drop in the tablet’s original selling price of 28,000 INR.
If that didn’t impress you much, you can avail an additional 10 percent instant discount by using an Axis Bank debit or credit card for placing your order. To take advantage of the discount, simply follow this link.
The Cupertino giant’s popular Apple MacBook Air usually carries a price tag of 84,900 INR, but much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers who aren’t willing to spend that kind of money, the MacBook Air is currently available for just 54,990 INR on Flipkart.
This 35 percent discount can be extended for an extra 10 percent off by using an Axis Bank credit or debit card for placing your order. To check out more about the offer, just follow this link.
The next Armor smartphone that Ulefone is going to release isn’t too far from hitting the market. As an Armor member, it will be the new flagship of the company and it will come with a triple main camera with 48MP sensor as well as Helio P90 SoC. Before the official global presales, Ulefone will host a Giveaway event during which you’ll have the chance to be among the 10 lucky winners that will get it for free. Now, let’s go through the device’s specs and features.
First of all, the triple camera system includes a 48MP main camera, a 16MP camera used for night shots, and an 8MP telephoto camera for incredible close-up shots. The improved AI capabilities of the Helio P90 SoC assist in offering detailed and vivid photos. Also, a 10X zoom is supported.
The Helio P90 is a pretty powerful SoC and it gets even better as it will come with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It is clear that it can handle complex AI apps and tasks while multitasking between them should be smooth as butter. It is the most powerful phone of the company to date.
It comes with a 6.3″ FHD+ display with waterdrop notch and as always, IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810G are applied allowing for water, drop, and dust resistance. The selfie shooter is 8MP, there are also 5 rear LED flashes while the battery capacity measures at 5500 mAh and supports Qi 10W wireless charging. All 4 main positioning systems are supported, NFC with Google Pay support is present, and it comes with Android 9 Pie pre-installed.
Of course, that’s not all it has to offer. If you want to learn more about it and participate in the Giveaway that is soon coming, visit the promotion page on the company’s official website.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro is the company’s latest premium mid-range phone that first got launched in China last month. The phone has as its major selling point, a quad camera setup consisting of a 64MP sensor. The Redmi Note 8 Pro also has an affordable price tag working in its favour and that could play a huge role in the success of the phone globally.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro packs a quad-camera setup at the back. The cameras are stacked vertically with three sensors and the rear fingerprint sensor in one module while the fourth sensor is at the right side in the same plane with the LED flash. The quad-camera setup includes an f/1.7 aperture 64MP ISOCELL Bright GW1 as a primary lens, an ultrawide lens of 8MP, a 2MP macro lens with 2cm focal length and a depth sensor of 2MP. The mains lens that has a large pixel size of 1.6micron can capture high-resolution images of 9248 x 6936 pixels. The Note 8 Pro can shoot 960fps slow-motion videos.
The display is a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and 91.4% screen-to-body ratio. The screen has the waterdrop notch design where the 20MP selfie camera is housed. The phone also comes with an IP52 splash resistant body and TUV Rheinland certification for the display meaning it filters harmful blue rays. The device is wrapped with Gorilla Glass 5 panels at the front and rear.
The premium mid-ranger is powered by a MediaTek Helio G90T processor paired with 6GB/8GB RAM but only the 6GB RAM version is available in Germany. The handset comes in 64GB and 128GB storage options. There is equally a dedicated microSD card slot for expansion, although that also doubles as a second SIM slot. The phone accepts two nano-SIMs.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro gets its power from a 4,500mAh battery that carries support for 18W fast charging. The Note 8 Pro also comes with liquid cooling technology which can be found in popular gaming smartphones. The antennas of the phone are arranged smartly inside the phone so that it does not obstruct signals while holding the device in landscape mode while playing games. You also get a superlinear speaker with smart PA, NFC, IR blaster, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS, USB-C and 3.5mm audio jack onboard. It runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie and features Game Turbo 2.0.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro Pricing and Availability
As for the pricing and availability in Germany, the device will be available exclusively on Amazon Germany. Xiaomi is offering the first 3000 units at a knockdown price of only 229.99 Euros for the 64 GB version only. After all 3000 units are exhausted, the price berths at 249.99 Euro which is similar to the price in Spain. The 128GB version comes with a slightly higher 279.90 Euros retail price. Check out our Redmi Note 8 Pro unboxing article.
Xiaomi #Redmi Note 8 Pro is getting a new "Midnight Blue" color in November.
UPDATE: Popular tipster Roland Quandt who was at the launch event also hinted that a new Midnight Blue colour would be introduced in November. Presently, the Redmi Note 8 Pro is available in Ice Jade, Fritillaria White and Electro-optic Ash colour options.
Apart from China, India is one of the most important markets for Xiaomi. In order to demonstrate a sense of exclusivity to the Indian audience, the company tends to launch several products in the country ahead of other regions. One such example of this statement is the Redmi Note 7 Pro, which made its global debut in India.
Another recently launched smartphone that made its international debut in the country is the budget-oriented, Redmi 8A. However, according to the latest activity of Redmi’s General Manager, Lu Weibing on Weibo, the handset is about to launch in its country of origin as well.
On the 30th of September, a Chinese netizen shared an image of a man on Weibo who is standing in an aeroplane or train aisle to charge his smartphone. The image is accompanied by a question that asks “Can the fast charging revolution solve the dilemma of your smartphone’s battery life?”.
To which the senior Xiaomi official replied that support for fast charging alone cannot provide for a long battery backup. Instead, the handset should also have a large battery, like the 4,500 mAh capacity powerhouse found in the Redmi Note 8 Pro or a 5,000 mAh battery which is seen in our recently launched smartphone.
Clearly, Xiaomi has not launched any smartphone in China recently that packs a 5,000 mAh battery. Therefore, it is assumed that the official is, in fact, talking about the Redmi 8A which was launched in India, earlier this month. Besides, the handset also supports 18 W fast charging via the bottom-mounted USB C port.
All in all, the possibility of this assumption turning out true is very high and the smartphone might be launched in China in the coming weeks.
If you want to read about the full specs and features of the Redmi 8A, you can do so by clicking here.
Shenzhen Transsion holdings might not be a very familiar name for most smartphone users here. So, if this name is not ringing a bell, how about Tecno, Infinix Mobile or iTel? I’m sure many of you may have heard at least one of these brands before and if you didn’t know, they are all owned by Transsion. The company made its debut at the STAR Market (Nasdaq style board for tech stocks by Shanghai stock exchange) earlier today but just before its IPO, Huawei slapped a lawsuit against Transsion in China.
Tecno is extremely popular in Africa and is owned by Transsion
Huawei sued Transsion in a local court in Shenzhen China, where both these companies are based. The lawsuit is specifically for IP theft and concerns Transsion and five of its subsidiaries. The local court has reportedly accepted the lawsuit, so we should hear more about this in the coming weeks.
Intellectual Property (IP) Rights are very important for any smartphone company. However, Transsion doesn’t have a lot of patents under its belt. The company reportedly has only 630 patents and 286 computer software copyrights to its name in China, which is minuscule as compared to competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi which have over 100,000 patents individually.
So how did Transsion become the largest smartphone vendor in China with such a small number of patents?
The company basically established its dominance in Africa with extremely cheap smartphones that rely on old technologies like 2G whose patents have expired. Its Tecno, iTel, and Infinix brands all individually rank within the top 5 vendors in the African smartphone market. But as competitors like Xiaomi and Huawei are expanding its presence in the African continent, IP rights are going to be very important for Transsion. Also, Africa is slowly modernizing with technologies like 3G and 4G, which will force Transsion to improve its IPR position in the region.
So a lawsuit from a giant like Huawei won’t be welcomed by the company.
However, this lawsuit hasn’t affected the company’s IPO today. Transsion’s shares opened at RMB 53 ($7.4) which was a strong 50.7% higher than the listing price of RMB 35.15 ($4.93) per share. The company is reportedly valued at around RMB 42.4 billion which comes to around $5.95 billion.
The update is rolling out gradually and has the version number RMX1941EX_11.A.17. Realme says it is a staged roll-out, with few random users getting it today and more over the next couple of days. This is to ensure there are no critical bugs.
The changelog for the update says the security patch has been updated to that os September 2019. It also brings the Digital WellBeing app and more customizations when you setup hotspot such as speed limit, data consumption and more for connected devices. Below is the full changelog:
Security
Android security patch: September 2019.
System
Added the manual lock feature by long-press the power button.
Manual limit the network speed of hotspot connected device.
Display the data consumed by connected devices.
Customizable data consumed reminder.
Setting
Added Google Digital Wellbeing.
Launcher
Optimized lock screen clock widget design.
Added date and weather widget.
Optimized Smart Assistant interface.
Notification Center and Status Bar
Redesigned the notification center style.
Swipe left or right to remove the message prompt after receiving the message.
You can check for the update by going to the update section under Phone Settings. If it isn’t available, then you should wait for the notification to arrive over the next few days.
A few days ago, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor had announced a new color variant for its Honor 9X series smartphones — Holographic Icelandic White. Now, the company has announced that the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant will be available for purchase in China from 1st October in a new color option.
The 8GB + 128GB model costs 2,099 Yuan, which roughly converts to $294. Till now, the smartphone was available in three variants — 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, 6GB RAM + 64GB storage, and 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, costing 1,399 Yuan (~$203), 1,599 Yuan (~$232), and 1,899 Yuan (~$276) respectively.
The Honor 9X features a glass and metal combination chassis and comes with notch-less display of 6.59-inch, offering 1080 x 2340 pixels Full HD+ screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by the 7nm Kirin 810 chipset, with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.
As for the cameras, it comes with a dual-camera setup on the back consisting of a 48-megapixel primary lens with f/1.8 aperture and a depth sensor of 2-megapixel with f/2.4 aperture. On the front side, there’s a motorised pop-up selfie snapper of 16-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture.
The smartphone comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and runs Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own EMUI 9.1 on top with GPU Turbo 3.0 and is powered by a 4,000mAh battery.
At the end of August, the company had revealed that the sales of Honor 9X series smartphones crossed the mark of three million in just 29 days of its launch. Do note that the number of sales is the combination of both the devices — Honor 9X and 9X Pro.
We are approaching the end of the year and various promotion periods have passed with tech brands offering great discounts and gifts. November may be the month that hosts the biggest sale event of the year (Black Friday) but Elephone is warming up and is offering residents of Russia $50 off discount if you buy 2 smartphones from their official Aliexpress store.
The deals are specific and that means that Elephone has set up pairs of devices that you can buy together and save $50 off the official price. For example, you can the Elephone PX pop-up camera phone together with Elephone A2 for just $179.99! Even their recent flagship Elephone U2 is available as a pair with the A2 at just $249.99. The promotion is only available to the Russian region and it is applicable from September 28th to October 18th. Definitely a long time for a promotion as in most cases, deals are available for about a week. To see all the available “pairs”, visit the dedicated promotion page on Aliexpress.
The TVs boasts some unique features not available on a lot of other smart TVs such as a special integration with your phone which brings additional features such as TypeSync which allows you to type on your TV screen using the keyboard on your phone and Smart Volume Control which automatically reduces the volume of your TV when you receive a phone call.
However, the OnePlus TV Q1 and OnePlus TV Q1 Pro are pretty expensive with a price tag of INR 69,900 ($985) and INR 99,900 (~$1400) respectively. That is sure out of the budget for a lot of people. While OnePlus may announce more affordable models in the future, we doubt that it will have a model that will be priced as low as some of Xiaomi’s own models whose affordable price tags have helped it shoot to the top of the smart TV market.
If OnePlus wants to increase drastically the number of users of its customized Android TV platform, we think the best and easiest way to do that will be to release a TV box or TV stick similar to Xiaomi’s Mi Box or Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.
OnePlus TV Remote
This TV box or TV stick can even use the same remote as the one that ships with the OnePlus TV which should cut the development by half. Also, with a TV box or TV stick, owners can take their “setup” anywhere such as when they are on holidays or visiting a relative or friend.
So for this week’s poll, we want to know if you will be willing to purchase a OnePlus TV box or TV stick that brings all the software features of the OnePlus TV Q1/Q1 Pro including the promised three-years of software support.
Do vote and share the post with your friends and maybe, just maybe, OnePlus will see there is a market for a TV box and or dongle and make one.
Apple‘s latest iPhone 11 is said to be a very popular product in China and that is a good sign for the US company whose sales have been on the decline in recent times. Retailers in China have said that iPhone 11 sales are up over 300 percent compared to last year’s iPhone XR release. Another strategic market where the iPhone 11 is said to be equally popular, is India. As the third-largest smartphone market globally, India has become an increasingly important market for Apple in the past few years.
Local reports from India indicate that people queued up last week when the new iPhone 11 models went on sale for the first time at Apple-authorized dealer stores. The report compared the scene at the time to be similar to what was obtained when the iPhone 6 and 6s series were launched in the Asian country in 2014 and 2015. Since its launch, the iPhone 11 has been widely sold in India. This is despite the absence of an official Apple store in India.
The iPhone 11 series is also selling well in the US, especially the 256GB version of the iPhone 11 Pro.
With WhatsApp no longer supporting Android Eclair and Froyo, it was only a matter of time until the same could be said of Android Gingerbread. According to WhatsApp’s blog announcement, Android Gingerbread support ends on February 1st, 2020. The app will still work on the older devices but the users will no longer be able to register or re-verify accounts. Eventually, all support on these versions should cease after a few weeks.
A move like this was inevitable. The latest Android distribution numbers show that 0.3 percent of devices still run Gingerbread. That amounts to roughly 3.9 million active devices that run 10-year-old software. Compared to the 1.3 billion Android smartphones sold to date, the number of Gingerbread-running smartphones seems minuscule by comparison.
This also applies to iPhones that are running iOS 8, which will also see WhatsApp support ending on the 1st of February 2020. iPhone users still on iOS 8 need to either update to a newer version of the software (if available) or get a new device with iOS 9 or later if they want to get all the features of WhatsApp on their phones.
In an official communique, the Facebook-owned company said: “On iOS 8, you can no longer create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts”. The message further suggested users get a device with the latest version of the software, which is iOS 13.1, for the best results. “For the best experience, we recommend you use the latest version of iOS available for your phone”, WhatsApp said.
The company also warned against the possible dangers from jailbroken devices, saying: “We don’t explicitly restrict the use of jailbroken or unlocked devices. However, because these modifications might affect the functionality of your device, we can’t provide support for devices using modified versions of the iPhone’s operating system”, it added.
While we’re somewhat saddened by the news, it’s still some serious and rare commitment to an antiquated OS, even when compared to other major applications. You can’t help but tip your caps toward WhatsApp for supporting users up until the very end. By the time February 1st rolls around, Android Gingerbread will be 10 years old.
For now however, the very few Android Gingerbread users should probably get new phones, the OS is nearly a decade old guys. With Android 10 abound, there’s no reason not to switch to a brand new device, especially with all the great budget phones available now.
Earlier this year, the US Commerce Department designated Huawei to an entity list which bars all American corporations from having any sort of trade relations with the Chinese giant. The designation was entitled over allegations that the devices sold by Huawei have backdoors that could be used by the Chinese government and this fact poses a national security threat to the USA.
Not only has the Trump administration barred Huawei from selling networking equipment and other products in the US, it has also been warning allies not to purchase from the Chinese corporation.
A couple of days after imposing the trade ban, the US government gave a 90 day window to Huawei which it could use to purchase new equipment from American companies and setup servers which would allow its existing users to continue using the company’s services.
When the first 90-day window expired, the U.S. Commerce Department allowed a similar 90-day window which will shut in the month of November and will most likely stay closed forever.
According to a latest Bloomberg report, Rob Strayer, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for cyber policy has threatened that the US could cut-off intelligence-sharing agreements or otherwise punish its allies in some way if they purchase 5G networking equipment from Huawei.
The European Union is expected to release an assessment report next month which would include security risks that implementation of 5G networks could pose. Subsequently, members of the European Union will have to get the networking equipment to be certified as secure before they are purchased and put to use in that country.
However, this could lead to disputes as some European Union countries, Hungary, in particular, considers Huawei as a strategic partner and important supplier of equipment for the next generation of telecommunication, 5G.
While the US seems to have a firm stance against Huawei and its offerings, a senior executive of the Chinese corporation does not believe likewise.
At the launch of the Huawei Mate 30 lineup, which took place on the 19th of September, Huawei’s consumer group chief, Richard Yu said once the US ban is lifted, the company can push an OTA update to its device which will equip them with Google Play services that they currently lack.
Even though Huawei might seem optimistic about the US situation, the Trump administration is leaving no stone unturned to make sure the former is unable to emerge as a leader of 5G equipment supplier.
Not much can be said about the whole scenario, and only time will tell what the future beholds for Huawei.
Huawei may be banned in the US, but the Chinese tech giant is finding support elsewhere this time. Russia, who have had a rather excellent relationship with Huawei as of late, have opened their doors for Huawei to develop 5G networks in the country. This effectively makes Huawei the pioneers for 5G tech in Russia, leaving others in the dust.
Apparently, things have already begun happening, and they’re going swimmingly well. Just earlier this month, Huawei opened its first 5G test zone in Moscow in partnership Russian operator MTS, with the goal of rolling out the service to the rest of the capital soon. Moscow authorities say the network will become part of the city’s normal infrastructure within the next few years.
This is a particularly excellent deal for Huawei, as Russia plans to deploy 5G in all of its main cities by 2024. When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Russia in June – at the height of Washington’s conflict with Huawei – Russia’s main operator MTS signed a contract with the Chinese company.
“We have been working in Russia for 22 years. Thanks to our partners, we live well here,” claimed Huawei’s very own Zhao Lei, adding that the company is already looking towards 6G development for their future endeavors.
Analysts say the move is as much a show of solidarity with Beijing against the US as it is a drive to bring ultra high-speed internet to Russian tech users. Tell us your thoughts on the matter down in the comments below, and stay tuned on Gizmochina for all your tech news.
At the end of May, MediaTek announced its 7nm FinFET 5G-enabled processor which features an integrated Helio M70 5G modem, Cortex-A77 CPU, and Mali-G77 GPU.
The chipset is scheduled to be mass-produced by the end of the year and will appear in devices by the first quarter of 2020. Today, a Geekbench result showing the processor’s performance has surfaced on the web.
The benchmark result shows the processor scored 3447 points in the single-core test and then 12151 points in the multi-core score. The result also shows the test device is running Android 10.
Compared to the Kirin 990, MediaTek’s flagship processor scored less in the single-core test but trumped the Kirin 990 in the multi-core test. The same thing applies to the Geekbench score of the Vivo NEX 3 which is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor.
The technical details of the processor were not revealed back when it was announced in May but Chinese tech blogger @Digital Chat Station, said the Cortex-A77 CPU cores are clocked at about 2.3GHz. He also added that phones powered by the chipset will be priced at about ¥3000 (~$420).
MediaTek’s 5G processor will definitely show up in a Chinese phone first but we don’t know which of the big players will be the first to announce a phone with the chipset inside. However, OPPO and Vivo seem like possible options.
MediaTek says it is aiming for 60 million shipments of 5G chips next year. To achieve this we expect it to bring Huawei and HMD-Global on-board. We also expect that the Taiwanese company will announce another SoC with an integrated 5G modem as a follow-up with most likely a higher clock-speed.
Sony’s market share in the smartphone segment has been declining and the company has already shifted focus from it. Now, a new report has surfaced online which says that Sony will not give up on the smartphone business even though the division is not profitable and even if it loses money.
The company’s head of mobile business recently said in an interview that the company will not leave the Chinese market. He also added that the company will be launching more competitive products to win the market in the 5G era.
Sony Mobile had said that division will be integrated into Sony China Consumer Electronics Business Division to promote cooperation of Sony’s various electronic businesses in terms of personnel, technology, sales channels and infrastructure.
Since last few months, the company has closed down its factory in Beijing, but it has now confirmed that Sony will not withdraw from the Chinese market. It will continue to sell smartphone devices and conduct related marketing activities in the Chinese market. It has also added that the company will provide comprehensive service support for its Chinese customers.
Sony Mobile has already announced 50 reduction in operating costs and is planning to exit multiple markets, including India, Australia, Canada, South America, Mexico, Africa and the Middle East, etc. The company has confirmed that it will continue to focus on markets such as Japan and Europe and is also aiming to become a profitable business by 2020.
The most recent smartphone launched by the company is Sony Xperia 5 which is now available for purchase in China for 5,399 Yuan, roughly $759. Now, reports indicate that the company is working on a new smartphone which will be powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 865 chipset.
The ongoing festive season sales have turned to be the latest battleground for India’s top two online retailers to achieve supremacy of this fast-expanding market. Walmart-backed Flipkart and Amazon India have both claimed record sales on the first day of sales on the back of strong demand from cities beyond the major metros.
Flipkart claimed that it recorded two times sales growth on the first day of the festive sales, compared to last year’s opening day sales of the TBBD, as the number of transacting customers from Tier II, III, IV cities doubled. Travel is the fastest-growing category on Flipkart, with 12X growth compared to last year, according to the company.
Kalyan Krishnamurthy, chief executive, Flipkart in a statement said: “There is no doubt that e-commerce has not only lifted consumer sentiment but has also driven the industry to set new benchmarks. Affordability and value-driven themes clearly are the pulsating chords for India and Bharat. We are in the centre of it all and are able to serve the ecosystem for their unique needs.”
Amazon India aren’t resting on their laurels either. According to Amazon’s senior vice-president Amit Agarwal, the company also saw the single-largest day of Prime sign-ups, with 66 per cent of Prime members shopping in 24 hours coming from tier II and tier III towns. The company added that 91 per cent of new customers were from smaller cities.
“Whether it is the Diwali festival season or any other shopping event, the primary objective for us is to add as many new customers as we can and convert the existing customer into Prime members. We are relevant to customers, no matter the macroeconomic conditions,” said Agarwal.
Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days (TBBD) started on Saturday night (8pm), while Amazon India’s Great Indian Festival sales began on Saturday noon for Prime subscribers and opened for all 12 hours later. Both festive sales will come to a close on October 4th, if you’re in India you’ll probably want to rush for a new device before the sales are over.
OPPO has just announced that it is the official smartphone partner for League of Legends starting 2019. This will be a multi-year deal where the sponsorship will continue till 2024. The smartphone maker will sponsor the Mid-Season Invitational, the All-Star Event, and the World Championship.
This partnership marks OPPO’s first entry into the e-sports big leagues. The smartphone maker will join the likes of Mastercard, Alienware, and Louis Vuitton as the official sponsor of the game. This move isn’t surprising since OPPO has sponsored big names such as FC Barcelona, Wimbledon, and even ICC (International Cricket Council). Given this announcement today, it won’t be surprising to see a limited League of Legends edition for one of its flagships later this year. The company follows a similar tradition after its FC Barcelona tie-up. We have already seen FC Barcelona Editions for the Reno 10X Zoom, R11, and even R9 models.
Starting the 2019 World Championship of LoL, OPPO will have activations for ‘MVP Presented by OPPO’, ‘OPPO Cam’ for behind-the-scenes footage, and ‘Welcome to the Rift’ for teams making an inaugural appearance at the World Championships.
“Esports is a fast-growing sport globally, and League of Legends has become a lifestyle of many young people in recent years,” said Brian Shen, OPPO Vice President and President of Global Marketing. “As a consumer-centered brand, OPPO always seeks the right way to communicate with young people, our target audience. This is a great move for Riot and OPPO; the partnership will allow us to continue to strengthen our bond with the young as we join them in celebrating the victory of each game.”
The Nubia Z20 dual display flagship phone was made official in August. At that time, the smartphone was made available for buying in Diamond Black and Koi Red colors even though the company had also confirmed Star Blue color edition at launch. The Chinese firm has confirmed that it will start selling the Nubia Z20 Star Blue model from Oct. 5. Moreover, the smartphone is now available in China with a discount of 300 Yuan (~$42).
The smartphone comes in three models such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage. The newly introduced Star Blue color variant is only available for 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model. It carries a reduced pricing of 3,399 Yuan (~$476). The Star Blue model will come with a crystal touch protection cover.
At launch, the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model was priced at 3,499 Yuan (~$490), the 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage costed 3,699 Yuan (~$518) and the 8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage had arrived with 4,199 Yuan (~$588) price tag. From Sept. 29, these models are available with respective discounted price tags of 3,199 Yuan (~$448), 3,399 Yuan (~$476) and 3,899 Yuan (~$547).
The Nubia Z20 has a 6.42-inch AMOLED full HD+ display with notch-less design. The rear side of the phone has a 5.1-inch AMOLED display with HD+ resolution. The Snapdragon 855+ fuels the smartphone. The rear side of the phone has a 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 16-megapixel triple camera setup on the rear. The smartphone lacks a selfie camera as the rear camera along with its display can be used to capture topnotch selfies.
The Nubia UI 7 based Android 9 Pie OS runs on the Nubia Z20. It is equipped with dual side-mounted fingerprint scanners. The 4,000mAh battery of the phone supports USB-PD 27W fast charging. The Z20 also lacks a 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD card slot.
On Oct. 14, the Nubia Z20 will receive a global launch. It will be arriving in markets like Canada, Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. The global edition will have Diamond Black and Twilight Blue color editions.
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