Google Pixel 4 renders leak reveal square-shaped camera module

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Jun 11, 2019

Google has recently launched the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL with mid-range specs. In October, the search engine giant is expected to unleash the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. Popular tipster @OnLeaks has collaborated with Pricebaba to leak the first look of the upcoming Pixel 4 flagship smartphone. The publication has claimed that the renders are based on the early prototyping schematics. Hence, the final product may differ from the renders that have surfaced now.

Google Pixel 4 Design

The most striking change on the Pixel 4’s design is the presence of a square-shaped camera module on its rear. It reminds of the same shaped camera system that is expected to be available on the 2019 iPhones. @OnLeaks has claimed that the Pixel 4 could be featuring at least two rear facing cameras. Google had introduced its Pixel series of smartphones in 2016. Since then, the Pixel smartphones have sported only single rear-mounted cameras. However, the new leak suggests that the Pixel 4 duo could be the first smartphones from the company to sport multiple camera sensors.

The glass rear of the Pixel 4 does not seem to feature a fingerprint sensor. This indicates that the phone will may arrive with in-display fingerprint scanner or it will be solely relying on 3D face recognition feature like the recent iPhones. The positioning of the earpiece suggests that the Pixel 4 will be featuring a notch on its display.

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The bottom edge of the phone seems to feature two external speakers with a USB-C port in between. Hence, it appears that Pixel 4 won’t be featuring front-firing speakers like the predecessor models. There is no 3.5mm audio jack on the device. The left edge of the smartphone is barren where its right side is equipped with volume buttons and power key.

Google Pixel 4 Specifications

There is no information available on the specifications of the smartphone. However, it can be safely speculated that it could be featuring the Snapdragon 855 and the upcoming Android Q OSv. The SoC of the smartphone could be assisted by 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM.

What’s your opinion on the design of the Google Pixel 4? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source)

UP NEXT: Google Pixel 3a Durability test shows there’s nothing to worry about the plastic body

Get Great Discounts on Tronsmart T6 Plus and Tronsmart Force Bluetooth Speakers on GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jun 11, 2019

GeekBuying users can now take advantage of the recently launched ‘Top Selling Tech’ promotion wherein the Chinese online store will be doling out noteworthy discounts on TWS earphones, Bluetooth speakers, TV boxes and a slew of other products.

Aside from that, GeekBuying will be giving its users that buy 2 items a chance to save $5, $3, and even 1 free gift with select items. Much to the delight of music lovers, the promotion offers noteworthy discounts on Bluetooth speakers that usually carry steep price tags.

Among various other music accessories, you can now get your hands on the Tronsmart T6 Plus and Tronsmart Force Bluetooth speakers at lowered prices from GeekBuying. Moreover, we will show how you can save a considerable amount of more money at checkout.

Tronsmart Element T6 Plus Portable Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker

Touted as a new generation of Portable Bluetooth Speakers, the T6 Plus delivers a max output of 40W for an extra kick of bass. It adopts the SoundPulse technology that facilitates a 40W max output, while its dual passive radiators with two 20W full-range stereo loudspeakers enable low-end tunes and deep bass sound.

The IPX6 water-resistant Bluetooth speaker would normally set you back $103.65, but GeekBuying users can now buy it for just $79.99. Moreover, you can extend this 23 percent discount by applying coupon code T6PLUS at the time of checking out.

The coupon helps you save $10 more. In other words, you can reduce the original asking price of the Tronsmart Element T6 Plus Bluetooth speaker to just $69.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon, which is valid for the black as well as the red color versions in all warehouses.

As if that weren’t enough, you get a Tronsmart PB10 10000mAh Mini Power Bank as a free gift with your order. You can grab this unmissable discount by heading straight to this link.

Buy Tronsmart Element T6 Plus Portable Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker, Coupon Code T6PLUS

Tronsmart Force SoundPulse 40W Bluetooth Speaker

Designed for music lovers who fancy listening to their favorite music on-the-go, the Tronsmart Force SoundPulse is a highly durable and portable Bluetooth speaker. You can take it to the beach or the pool as it can withstand accidental splashes or submersion in water as it carries a water resistance rating of IPX7.

On the downside, the Tronsmart Force SoundPulse isn’t easy on the pocketbook. In fact, it usually sells for $72.99 on online as well as offline stores. In a bid to make the feature-laden speaker available to those living on a tight budget, Tronsmart is now offering the Tronsmart Force SoundPulse for only $55.99 on GeekBuying.

In order to extend this 23 percent discount, all you need to do is to apply coupon code 3Y5TWSJL before you place your order. The coupon helps you grab an extra $6 off by bringing the already lowered retail price of the Tronsmart Force SoundPulse further down to only $49.99.

You can visit this link to avail the discount. Note that the promo will only be valid for one day.

Buy Tronsmart Force SoundPulse 40W Bluetooth Speaker, Coupon Code 3Y5TWSJL

Check Out Top Selling Tech Promo on GeekBuying

Huawei is requesting developers to publish apps on its app store

By

Jeet

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Jun 11, 2019

Last month, Huawei faced the situtation which it hoped to avoid but was getting prepared to face since past year or so — getting banned by the United States. The Trump administrator banned US-based companies and technologies from getting involved with the Chinese telecom giant.

Soon after the announcement, Google was among the first to obey the order and announced that it has halted all business dealings with Huawei. This was a major blow to the world’s second largest smartphone maker given that it relies on Google’s Android operating system to power its smartphones.

The company was working on its own mobile operating system based on open source Android which is now expected to get launched by September this year. However, getting banned by Google also mean no longer access to the Play Store for apps.

Earlier, the company was reportedly in talks with Aptoid to include it on Huawei phones as a Play Store alternative. Meanwhile, to ensure that its devices have access to a flourishing app ecosystem, the company is requesting developers of popular Play Store applications to get them to publish their apps on EMUI‘s pre-installed AppGallery app store.

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A developer, who wished to remain anonymous, reached out XDA-Developers to share an email sent by Huawei. The email invites developers to join AppGallery which is claimed to have “270 million monthly active users” on over “350m phones,” about half of which are sold outside of China.

The email promises that developers will be provided with “full support” to help them publish their app on AppGallery. However, the company has clearified exactly what kind of support will be provided to developers.

As per the reports, the Chinese company has been pitching app makers from last year to build software for a new Huawei app store outside China. The company had even talked with European wireless carriers about spreading this new app store even further.

Up Next: Huawei halts delivery and development of new notebooks PCs

(Source)

Motorola One Vision with in-display camera all set to launch in India on June 20

By

Jeet

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Jun 11, 2019

Last month, Motorola launched its latest smartphone Motorola One Vision, which comes with an in-display front-facing camera. Earlier this month, we reported that the company has scheduled a launch event in India on June 20 but Motorola had not revealed which phone it plans to launch.

Now, the company has shared a new teaser which talks about the in-display camera and #ANewVision, hinting that Motorola One Vision smartphone will be launched at the company’s 20th June event in India.

As per the reports, the smartphone could be priced at around Rs. 25,000. For comparison, the phone is priced around 299 Euros (approximately Rs. 23,500) in Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The smartphone comes with a 6.3-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2520 pixels) display with a taller 21:9 aspect ratio. The company is calling this display CinemaVision (which is similar to Sony’s CinemaVision display) but unlike Sony’s display, this one comes with a punch hole.

Let’s move a notch ahead with a wider perspective! Get ready to experience #ANewVision. Tag your binge-watch partner who needs to see this now! pic.twitter.com/FhhlLWFGQe

— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) June 10, 2019

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Samsung Exynos 9609 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz and is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It comes with a hybrid SIM card slot allowing you to swap the secondary SIM for a microSD card of up to 512GB.

The highlight of the smartphone is the camera setup. It comes with a 48MP f/1.7 Quad Pixel camera with OIS on the back and it is paired with a 5MP f/2.2 depth sensor. The camera has a feature called Night Vision for incredible shots at night similar to the Pixel’s own Night Sight. Other camera features are 8x digital zoom, Portrait mode, Cinemagraph mode, Best Photo, Instant Camera, and YouTube Live mode.

On the front side, the phone features a 25MP f/2.0 Quad Pixel selfie camera which also has 8x digital zoom, Cinemagraph mode, Auto HDR, a manual mode, portrait mode, and a YouTube Live mode.

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Given that the Motorola One Vision is an Android One device, it runs the almost stock version of Android 9 Pie operating system out-of-the-box with some Motorola-exclusive features. The company has confirmed that the phone will get updated to Android Q and Android R and will receive security updates for 3 years.

Other features of the device include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The smartphone is powered by a 3,500mAh battery which comes with support for TurboPower fast charging.

Up Next: Motorola officially confirms it won’t be launching a Moto Z4 Force or Moto Z4 Play

Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s rugged phone debuts for 299 euros

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 11, 2019

In 2017, Samsung had launched a budget-friendly rugged smartphone called Galaxy XCover 4 that had received good reception from the audience. The South Korean company has now officially its successor with Galaxy XCover 4s moniker. Like the predecessor model, the XCover 4s is a rugged smartphone that sports a similar design. However, it has arrived with slightly upgraded specs.

Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s Specifications

The Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s rugged smartphone rear shell is coated with durable rubber. It protects the device from impact. It is an IP68 certified dustproof and water-resistant phone. The MIL-STD 810G certification ensures that the device can withstand harsh climatic conditions. The device weighs 172 grams and its thickness is 9.7 inches. Below the display of the phone, there are three physical buttons for accessing home, back and recent apps.

The Galaxy XCover 4s is fitted with a 5-inch display that offers HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels and 16:9 aspect ratio. The Exynos 7885 chipset that features an octa-core processor that works at 1.6 GHz is present under the hood of the device along with 3 GB of RAM. The native storage of the device is 32 GB and it comes with a microSD card slot for more storage.

The rear side of the Galaxy XCover 4s features a 13-megapixel camera with f/1.7 aperture. It is accompanied by an LED flash. The smartphone comes with AI scene optimization features for better photography experience. For shooting selfie snaps, the XCover 4s features an f/2.2 aperture 5-megapixel front camera. There is a screen flash that can be used for capturing brighter selfies in dim-light conditions.

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The Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s a 2,800mAh battery onboard which can be charged through USB-C. The handset offers Android 9 Pie OS out of the box experience. There is a XCover key on the left edge of the device. It can be configured by the user to launch a preferred app or function.

Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s Price and Release Date

The South Korean company will be releasing the Galaxy XCover 4s smartphone in limited markets. It will be available in Italy for 299 euros from next month.

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Huawei Nova 5 series confirmed to debut on June 21

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 11, 2019

Plenty of reports have been leaking information on the Nova 5 series. The GLK-TL00/AL00 model that belong to Nova 5i was recently approved by TENAA through which its entire specifications were leaked. Hence, it was believed that Huawei may launch the Nova 5 series in the near future. Today, the Chinese manufacturer has officially confirmed through Weibo that June 21 is the launch date of the Nova 5 series.

Huawei Nova 5i Specifications

Huawei has recently launched the Huawei P20 Lite (2019) smartphone in Europe. It is speculated that the same phone will be coming to China as Nova 5i. The Nova 5i may come to the home market with slightly modified specs. The smartphone is equipped with a full HD+ IPS LCD panel of 6.4 inches. It has a punch-hole on the display for the 24-megapixel front-facing camera.

The handset receives power from Kirin 710 chipset. It may come in 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage models. The Android 9 Pie OS will come loaded on the device. It may not feature a microSD card slot. It could be fueled by a 4,000mAh battery that may carry support for 10W charging only. The rear shell of the phone is expected to feature 24-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera setup.

Huawei P20 Lite 2019 featured — Huawei P20 Lite 2019

Editor’s Pick: Huawei halts delivery and development of new notebooks PCs

Huawei Nova 5 Specifications

The Nova 5 is speculated that the Huawei has SEA-AL10 / TL10 model number. The handset may house a 6.39-inch display with full HD+ resolution. The Kirin 980 chipset may power the smartphone. Its 3,500mAh battery may carry support for 40W rapid charging. It could be featuring a front-facing camera of 25-megapixel.

The Nova 5 may feature a triple camera setup on its rear. It may include a 48-megapixel primary lens, a 12.3-megapixel wide-angle lens and a ToF sensor. It is advisable to digest the specs leak of the Nova 5 with a grain of salt since no concrete information from other sources are available to confirm the aforementioned specs. Hopefully, the phone will appear with its full specs on TENAA soon to resolve the mystery surrounding its specs.

While it is being speculated that the upcoming Nova 5 series will include Nova 5 and Nova 5i smartphones, a recent leak had claimed that Kirin 980 powered phone could be called Nova 5 Pro and Kirin 710 model could be arriving as Nova 5i. It is advisable to wait for further to reports to confirm on the exact names of the Nova 5 series smartphones.

UP NEXT: Huawei P20 Lite 2019 goes on sale in Switzerland for under €300

OPPO patents a Foldable phone design with a pop-up camera

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 11, 2019

Foldable phones are yet to become a thing but the few that have been unveiled have received rave reviews, despite the challenges that plagued the Galaxy Fold. We may likely be seeing a few more foldable models soon.

An OPPO patent for its own foldable phone filed in October 2018 with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has been published recently. The listing also gave us an idea of what the company might come out with for its own foldable model.

The most spectacular feature on the design is definitely the pop-up camera which made it possible for the device to have an immersive full-screen design with trimmed down bezels. With the pop-up design, it is likely possible that the camera is used in the folded and unfolded formats. The display folds outwards with the hinge of the phone providing rigid support. The renders also show the device has a 3.5mm audio jack. The company may not be launching a foldable phone anytime soon.

UP NEXT: Huawei halts delivery and development of new notebooks PCs

(source)

iQOO Lego Master Edition launching tomorrow

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 10, 2019

The iQOO gaming smartphone will be getting a new limited edition variant tomorrow. Called the iQOO Lego Master Edition, the phone comes in a custom box that includes a Lego Master customized case and the Black Knight variant of the iQOO gaming phone.

It appears this limited variant will be sold by Jingdong seeing as the store’s logo is on the box. The Weibo post also says iQOO will be giving away 20 free Lego Master cases to lucky winners.

The iQOO is a gaming smartphone by Vivo. It has a 6.41-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch and a fingerprint scanner under the screen. It is powered by the Snapdragon 855 processor and also comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants with 128GB or 256GB of storage. There is a 12MP + 13MP + 2MP triple camera setup on the back and a 12MP selfie camera inside the notch.

The phone has a dedicated AI assistant button on the left and two touch-sensitive buttons on the right. It also has liquid cooling and packs a 4,000mAh battery with support for 44W fast charging.

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Samsung bags Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip orders ahead of TSMC

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 10, 2019

Reports from South Korea indicate that Samsung Electronics has received orders from Qualcomm for its next-gen application processor (AP) which is expected to go by the name Snapdragon 865. This is coming after a one-year hiatus between both companies. Taiwanese Semiconductor manufacturing company (TSMC) clinched the orders in 2018 for the current-gen Snapdragon 855 chipset.

South Korea media outfit Theelec reports that Samsung foundry for the SD865 is expected to commence at the end of 2019. The chipset will be manufactured on the 7nm ultra-violet (EUV) process with high throughput. This will be the first chipset Samsung will be manufacturing for Qualcomm using Samsung’s 7-nm EUV process. The last chip – Snapdragon 845 manufactured by Samsung foundry uses a 10nm wafer. TSMC took the lead in the 7nm process in 2018 and so, it got the orders from Qualcomm. But according to Qualcomm, the Samsung 7-nm EUV is more competitive than the TSMC 7-nm process, thus necessitating the shift to Samsung. Earlier in April, Samsung reportedly began shipping the 7-nm EUV process Exynos AP, which is expected to be used in Samsung’s upcoming flagship – the Galaxy Note 10.

EDITOR’S PICK: The Samsung Galaxy S10+ Park Hang Seo Limited Edition adopts sleek gradient finish and more!

Although negotiations are said to still be ongoing, both firms have reportedly entered the final stage of process negotiation. Qualcomm is expected to launch the Snapdragon 865 in 2020. Apart from Qualcomm, other OEMs expected to use Samsung’s 7nm EUV include NVIDIA, IBM and several others apart from Apple and Huawei. The next-gen chipset is also expected to come in two versions, a standard version and another equipped with Snapdragon X55 5G chipset.

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(source)

Huawei halts delivery and development of new notebooks PCs

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 10, 2019

Since the Huawei-US saga began, the focus has been on its mobile phone business but the ban also affects its other businesses with ties to US companies. The attention has now been turned to is its PC business which has suffered a strong blow.

A new report says the Chinese giant has asked its supply chain partners to halt deliveries. It has also asked work on new projects to be suspended. This move affects Huawei’s own MateBook PCs as well as that of its Honor sub-brand which are sold under the MagicBook brand.

According to Digitimes, a number of suppliers have received a memo from Huawei to stop supply. There is no time frame for when production and development will resume as Huawei doesn’t have an alternative to Intel and Windows OS (Wintel). Both Intel and Microsoft are US-based companies and are prevented from conducting business with Huawei. AMD, which also powers some of Huawei’s PCs is also an American company.

While Huawei has been able to stock up on chipsets for its mobile phones following the US’s spate with ZTE last year, it has not been able to do so for its Notebook business.

Huawei’s PC business has grown significantly ever since it began a few years ago. Its shipment is expected to reach up to 277.3% but that figure will no longer be attainable following the recent developments. The MateBook X Pro which launched earlier this year set a record of ¥10 million in sales in just 10 minutes on a Chinese e-commerce store.

(Source)

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iQOO Youth Edition coming soon, powered by Snapdragon 845

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 10, 2019

Vivo’s gaming phone line, iQOO, may soon announce a new phone. Key details of the phone which will launch as the iQOO Youth Edition (iQOO Lite) have surfaced.

The iQOO Youth Edition will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor according to a poster of the phone that was shared on Weibo. The image also reveals the device will have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It will also pack a 4000mAh battery.

With respect to its design, the iQOO Youth Edition may not be different from its more powerful sibling. The upper half of the front is visible on the poster and it has a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. However, Vivo might go for a different design for the rear of the phone.

The last key info the poster reveals is the price. The iQOO Youth Edition will sell for ¥1998 (~$289), ¥1000 (~$144) less than the base model of the iQOO gaming smartphone. Other than the processor, we have no idea what else Vivo will be trimming in this lite version but $289 doesn’t sound bad for a Snapdragon 845 phone. The chipset is a very capable one and only a very few chipsets currently outperform it.

The iQOO Youth Edition is believed to be the same Vivo phone that was benchmarked back in May. The phone has the model number V1914A and is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor. It also has 6GB of RAM and runs Android 9 Pie.

That isn’t all about this new device. Another poster was also seen on Weibo but this one says the phone has a Snapdragon 710 processor and will sell for ¥1798 (~$259).

iQOO itself hasn’t made mention of a Youth Edition of its gaming smartphone. We, therefore, advise you to take this with a grain of salt until there is more concrete evidence.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, | Via: 1, 2)

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We want the Mi Band 4 on our wrists after seeing these press renders

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 10, 2019

Tomorrow, Xiaomi will announce the 4th generation of its fitness tracker. The Mi Band 4 will feature a brand new color display, a bigger battery, and hopefully, new fitness tracking features. Ahead of the launch tomorrow, official press renders of the device have surfaced online.

The images were shared on Twitter by Alvin Tse, the head of Xiaomi’s POCO brand. The Mi Band 4 will be available in several different colors according to the photos. There is the classic black alongside orange, purple, burgundy, and beige.

[envira-gallery id=”258177″]

We are not sure how many of these colors will actually be available for purchase, probably only black with the option to buy replaceable straps in other colors.

The color screen looks gorgeous in the renders but we can’t wait to see how great it is under direct sunlight. The images also confirm that the Mi Band 4 will have its charging connector underneath which means that the charging cable of the Mi Band 3 won’t work for it.

Just like its predecessor, the 4th gen Mi Band will come in NFC and non-NFC variants. It is reported to be powered by Huami’s RISC-V-based chip and will connect via Bluetooth 5.0.

Will you buy the Mi Band 4 when it launches? Let us know in the comment box.

(Source)

UP NEXT: Huami reveals plan to announce over 10 new smartwatches in the coming months

Huawei P20 Lite 2019 goes on sale in Switzerland for under €300

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 10, 2019

The Huawei P20 Lite 2019 is the successor to the P20 Lite that launched alongside the P20 and P20 Pro last year. Even though there is a P30 Lite already, Huawei is refreshing last year’s model. This new version comes with a bunch of new features and is now available for purchase in Switzerland.

The Huawei P20 Lite is sold by MediaMarkt and has a price tag of CHF 299.95 (~$303/€268). That price gets you a phone with a 6.4-inch 2340 x 1080 punch hole display, a Kirin 710 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage.

You also get 16MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP quad cameras on the rear and a 16MP camera inside the punch hole for video calls and selfies. It has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC, dual SIM (nano only), an audio jack, a Type-C port, and a 4000mAh battery.

MediaMarkt has the phone in Crush Blue, Charming Red, and Midnight Black. The listing says the phone will come with a pair of wired earphones.

The price of the Huawei P20 Lite 2019 also gives us a hint as to the price of another upcoming Huawei phone – the Nova 5i. Both phones share the same design, dimensions, and nearly the same specs. The only difference is that the Nova 5i swaps the 16MP cameras on the front and rear for 24MP sensors.

(Source)

UP NEXT: Huawei can’t pre-install Facebook apps on its phones anymore which is good news for some

Can you use only a flip phone for a week? $1K could be yours if you can

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 10, 2019

Flip phones are almost extinct save for some few companies like LG, Samsung, Kyocera that still manufactures them. The advent of smartphones ensured flip phones and other feature phones became near extinct. With smartphones came several apps and features that keep you occupied all day long. However a company in Utah, US is conducting a social experiment dubbed Flip Phone Challenge that seeks to determine how it feels to use a flip phone at this present time.

Make no mistake, there are still some persons stuck with their flip phones with no immediate plan to let go. The experiment isn’t for such persons, rather it is for persons who are smartphone addicts and can’t go a day without turning on their phones. In the words of the company; “Our ideal candidate will be a self-proclaimed smartphone fiend who’s always up to date on the latest tech news. They’ll be organized, detail-oriented, and willing to persevere (through a smartphone-less week)!” The candidate will take home $1000 if he carries out the task successfully.

EDITOR’S PICK: Throwback Tech Thursday: World’s First Android Phone Revisited

You won’t be getting the Motorola Razr, though.

The company says the goal of the Flip Phone Challenge is to send someone “back to the 90s” to find out just how much and in what ways people rely on their smartphones in 2019. The research will also determine if the lack of a smartphone could affect sleep patterns, productivity, punctuality and more. To get the candidate into the right frame of mind that reenacts the 90s, the company will provide the candidate with some stuff which it termed Boredom Buster Swag Bag (survival kit) and this includes a physical map in place of GPS, pocket phonebook which will make up for the limited phone storage space, notepad and some CDs from the ’90s to replace Spotify and other music apps.

Application is still ongoing for anyone willing to apply. The source link takes you to the page.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 already available to Pre-order on AliExpress for $49.99

(source)

Nokia 8.1 gets another price cut in India

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jun 10, 2019

Just last month, the Nokia 8.1 got a massive price cut in India during Nokia’s Fan Festival. If you didn’t buy it then, you are in luck, as the phone is now selling for even less.

During the Fan Festival, the 4GB RAM version was priced at INR 20,999 (~$300) but you can get it for INR 19,999 (~$287) now. However, that isn’t a significant cut compared to the 6GB RAM version.

The Nokia 8.1 with 6GB of RAM is now priced at INR 22,999 (~$330), INR 3,000 (~$43) less than it was last month during the Fan Festival.

You can buy the phone at the new prices on the official online store or on Amazon (even slightly cheaper). It is also said to be available at the new prices in brick and mortar stores.

The Nokia 8.1 is powered by the Snapdragon 710 processor. It also has a 6.18-inch notched display with an FHD+ resolution. There is a 12MP + 13MP dual camera setup on the back along with a fingerprint scanner. It also has a 20MP selfie camera, a 3500mAh battery with 18W fast charging, a 3.5mm audio jack, and support for storage expansion.

It runs Android Pie out of the box and will get 2 years of OS updates, so it should get Android Q and Android R. This is the edge it has over most of its competitors which have similar specs but a lower price tag.

(Source, Via)

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OPPO R&D Team details the development of Under-Screen Camera Technology

By

Joel Joseph

-

Jun 10, 2019

Under-screen cameras are the next big thing in smartphones. The technology is still being developed by a number of smartphone manufacturers in the market right now, including OPPO. In fact, OPPO revealed its under screen camera prototype a few days back. While we saw the real phone in action, we didn’t get any specific details about the technology. Today, OPPO’s R&D team engineer sheds some more details about the development of this next-gen technology.

For those seeking the perfect, notchless smartphone screen experience – prepare to be amazed. 📲

You are taking a very first look at our under-display selfie camera technology. RT! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/FrqB6RiJaY

— OPPO (@oppo) June 3, 2019

According to an engineer working for OPPO, the company started studying under-screen cameras as early as 2017. To recall, the industry’s obsession with full-screen displays really kick-started after the launch of the Xiaomi Mi Mix around late 2016. There have been multiple solutions for a truly bezel-less smartphone since then, with the recent emergence of pop-up front cameras. But it’s clear that under-screen cameras are the future of smartphones. And it’s only a matter of time until we see a commercial device sporting this technology.

Editor’s Pick: Qualcomm Backs ARM’s Competitor!

OPPO’s engineer reveals that the biggest challenge in implementing this technology is that no one has actually managed to successfully do it yet. He compares its development to crossing a river by just feeling the stones under it as there are numerous difficulties associated with bringing it to a commercial smartphone.

The under-screen camera has to work with other hardware flawlessly and algorithms are needed to perfect the camera experience. But if implemented properly, the under-screen cameras will perfect the smartphone screen experience. The engineer adds that it doesn’t add any weight to the body and even the display area above the camera functions perfectly. So, there’s no need for any ugly notches or moving parts to bring a truly full-screen experience.

Unfortunately, it looks like it will still take some time before someone manages to perfect the technology. We know companies like OPPO, Xiaomi, and Honor are working on a prototype, but what they revealed last week was just a proof of development. It’s similar to how Xiaomi demoed the 100W fast charging technology earlier this year. It’s still in development and a commercial release is at least a few months away.

So for now, it looks like companies will focus on tweaking existing pop-up camera solutions similar to what we saw in the Zenfone 6.

UP NEXT: 8 New Xiaomi Products Heading Your Way At Tomorrow’s Launch!

(Via)

Huawei Nova 5i TENAA full specifications leaked on TENAA

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 10, 2019

Huawei is expected to debut Nova 5 and Nova 5i smartphones by the end of this month in China. The Huawei Nova 5 could be packed with flagship specs whereas the Nova 5i is rumored to arrive as a mid-range phone. The Huawei Nova 5i has appeared on the database of China’s TENAA authority with its full specifications. Also, it was recently spotted on Geekbench benchmarking platform with two different RAM variants.

Huawei Nova 5i TENAA Listing

Previous reports have revealed that GLK-TL00 and GLK-AL00 are the network variants of the upcoming Huawei Nova 5i smartphone for China. TENAA listings for GLK-TL00 / AL00 contains the entire specs of the Nova 5i. However, the listings lack the images of the phone.

The Nova 5i smartphone measures 159.1 x 75.9 x 8.3mm and it weighs 178 grams. It is fitted with a 6.4-inch IPS LCD panel that supports 1080 x 2310 pixels resolution. The handset houses a 3,900mAh minimum capacity. Its typical capacity will be 4,000mAh. The handset is fueled by 2.2 GHz octa-core processor.

The TENAA listing reveal that the 6 GB and 8 GB RAM editions of the phone will come with 128 GB of native storage. There is no microSD card slot for additional storage on the device. The rear side of the phone will be a featuring a quad camera setup and a fingerprint scanner. The quad camera unit includes a 24-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary lens, a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a TOF (Time of Flight) lens. For capturing selfies, it has a front-facing camera of 24-megapixel. The EMUI 9 based Android 9 Pie OS will come preloaded on the device.

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Huawei Nova 5i Geekbench Listing

The Geekbench listing of the GLK-LX3 variant has already on Geekbench with 6 GB of RAM at the end of the last month. Now, the GLK-LX2 model with 4 GB of RAM has appeared on the benchmarking platform. The GLK-LX3 / LX2 models could be heading to Europe. The base frequency of the processor that powers LX2 model is 1.71 GHz which suggests it could b powered by the Kirin 710 SoC.

The AnTuTu listing of the phone that had surfaced at the end of the previous month had also revealed that it is powered by Kirin 710 chipset. The 4 GB RAM variant for Europe may come with 64 GB of storage whereas the 6 GB RAM edition may have 128 GB of native storage. In Europe, the phone may debut as Huawei P20 Lite (2019).

Some rumors have claimed that Nova 5 and Nova 5i may debut in China as Nova 5 Pro and Nova 5. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm on their exact monikers.

(source 1, 2, 3)

UP NEXT: TENAA listing reveals Huawei P30 will come in two new variants

Huami and XiaoPeng Motors team up to push new features

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Jun 10, 2019

Huami are doing quite well when it comes to partnering with other companies. Just a while back we saw the Avengers: Endgame tie-in products. This time, Huami and XiaoPeng Motors are straight up announcing their love for each other on Weibo. They’re even still pushing the Avengers: Endgame by saying “I LOVE YOU 3000”, things are very serious here.

For the uninformed, Xiaopeng Motors is a electric vehicle and technology company that designs and manufactures smart car. Usually referred to as Xpeng, they focus on local needs and the consumer experience, while also integrating autonomous driving and internet electronic technologies. Their vehicles are the result of all their technologies and advances.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 already available to Pre-order on AliExpress for $49.99

This actually makes them pretty suitable partners for Huami. Working together can allow them to push some synergy between wearables and smart vehicles. It’s very likely we’ll be seeing a new Amazfit smartwatch soon that focuses on enhancing this synergy. We can only imagine the possibilities that could arise from this partnership.

On top of simple things like smart unlocking, it’s fully possible we could browse the car’s condition straight from a smartwatch. Things like the vehicles fuel levels, cruising control, and other things. We’re quite eager to see what comes out of it in the future. In the meantime, we’ll just have to sit and wait to see how things turn out.

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(Source)

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 NFC variant confirmed to come with support for payments

By

Jeet

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Jun 10, 2019

Xiaomi has already confirmed that the Mi Band 4 fitness tracker will get launched in China on 11th June at 2:00 PM local time. The fitness tracker is expected to come in two variants — one with NFC support and another without the NFC support.

Now, in the latest teaser shared by the company on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo confirmed that a variant of the Mi Band 4 will come with support for payment system. This confirms the NFC variant of the fitness tracker will get launched tomorrow.

Huami CEO Wang Huang has teased that the chipset that powers the Mi Band 4 is the AI-powered Huangshang No.1 chip. Given that the official Mi Band page on Weibo has forwarded his post, it’s likely that the new Mi Band is powered by it.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 has been listed on AliExpress for pre-order ahead of its launch. The listing confirms the next-gen Mi Band fitness tracker will come powered by a 135mAh battery onboard.

It will also have a curved OLED color display but the curvature isn’t as pronounced was that of the Band 3. In addition, the device will have the latest Bluetooth 5.0 support. Lei Jun has revealed that the screen is about 39.9 percent bigger than that of the Band 3.

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Further, the fitness band will also come with support for several colorful personalized or custom watch faces. The teaser posters of the device also show several Mi Band 4 renders, each having a different watch face.

While the Mi Band 4 is getting launched in China tomorrow, it is expected to soon get launched in other regions, including India and Europe. The shipping date of the device is not yet revealed but it should be available for purchase soon after its official announcement.

(Source)

UP NEXT: Along with the Mi Band 4 fitness tracker, Xiaomi to announce eight new products at tomorrow’s launch event

Xiaomi to announce 8 new products tomorrow, including the Mi Band 4

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Jun 10, 2019

Xiaomi is one of the biggest start-ups of all time, and their announcements are just as important as those from other big companies. Tomorrow however may be one of their biggest announcements to date, with a teaser revealing that we’ll see 8 brand new products launch tomorrow. This includes the much awaited Mi Band 4, as well as a few other rumored products that have been in the works.

Six of these new products will be brand new smart home appliances. Among them will be some brand new smart kitchen appliances from Feng Wei Holdings founder Nicholas Tse. Outside of that, we’ll also be getting some sort of announcement from regarding popular chat application Line. Outside of that, there’s the aforementioned Mi Band 4 and a mysterious product that will allegedly be able to “change fate”, according to the teasers.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 already available to Pre-order on AliExpress for $49.99

The Mi Band 4 has been in the news a lot lately, and it’s no wonder why. They’re well known for selling very well, and are among the most popular wearables in the world, so it makes sense everyone’s waiting for it. We’ve known for a while now that the Mi Band 4 will pack a 135mAh battery, as well as a curved colour OLED display. What’s more intriguing in the lineup however is the mysterious fate changing product.

The new product is being marketed as something new and revolutionary. In fact, Xiaomi is literally saying we’ve never seen anything like it before. They’re even calling it “the next big thing”, so we can only assume Xiaomi’s incredibly confident it’s going to blow our minds. Like we said earlier, this may just be the biggest launch from Xiaomi we’ve seen in a while, but it’s also starting to look like it’ll be a memorable one as well.

We’re quite curious what exactly we’ll be seeing at tomorrow’s launch. It’s possible we’re finally going to see the Xiaomi folding phone, but we also feel it’s somewhat improbable. Whatever this mystery product is, we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Until then, stay tuned on Gizmochina for all the latest Chinese technology news.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi Band 4 likely to use Huami’s RISC-V based Huangshan No.1 Chip

(Source)