China gives key 5G equipment contract to Ericsson and Nokia

By

-

Jun 18, 2019

Europe-based telecom equipment manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson are winning key 5G contracts in China which is a significant move as analysts say that it indicates China’s open attitude towards all the international players when it comes to rolling out the next-gen network technology — 5G.

China had promised international cooperation and the significant share of equipment procurement indicates that it is keeping its word. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China had said that it welcomes foreign enterprises to actively participate in China’s 5G network construction and application promotion.

The development comes after China Mobile, which is the world’s largest telecom operator by the number of subscribers count, awarded its first round of 5G network equipment contracts worth around $2 billion.

The company has procured around 153 units of MME telecom equipment from Sweden-based company Ericsson. This accounts for around 34 percent of the company’s total procurements. On the other hand, Nokia has provided 56 units of MME telecom equipment, accounting for 12 percent.

Coming to the SAE telecom equipment, Ericsson provided 231 units, accounting for 34 percent of China Mobile’s business, while Nokia offered 60 units, equivalent to around 9 percent of the overall procurements.

Editor’s Pick: China to reportedly spend over $65 billion on AR/VR by 2023

China Mobile is currently accelerating the development of infrastructure for the 5G technology after it recently won the 5G commercial license. The company is now aiming to offer 5G commercial services in around 40 cities by the end of September 2019.

Earlier this month, China granted four licenses to telecom carriers, marking the official kick off of the 5G era in the country. It also marked an accelerated push by China for the adaptation of 5G given that the country’s previous plan was to commercialize the 5G technology in 2020.

A number of foreign companies, including Nokia, Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Intel have already participated in three phases of technical test conducted by China to get their 5G products and solutions ready for the commercial use in China.

Up Next: LG’s 5G phone launch could be delayed due to lingering license negotiations with Qualcomm

[UPDATED] Vivo 1951 Geekbench listing spotted; Could it be Vivo Z1 Pro?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

UPDATE: An image of the retail box of the Vivo Z1 Pro been shared by Mukul Sharma. The Vivo 1951 model number mentioned on the box confirms that it is indeed the Vivo Z1 Pro smartphone.

Original Story continues…

Plenty of Vivo phones are waiting in the pipeline to go official. Among them is a newly spotted Vivo 1951 smartphone. A Geekbench listing of the said phone has cropped to reveal some of its key specs. The listing suggests that it is an upcoming mid-range phone from the company.

On Geekbench, the Vivo 1951 smartphone has appeared with Snapdragon 710 chipset and 6 GB of RAM. The handset is loaded with Android 9 Pie OS. In the single-core test, it has recorded a score of 1907. It has scored 5974 in the multi-core test of Geekbench. The identity of the phone is currently under the wraps. Also, there is no information available on the other specs of the phone. The smartphone has recently bagged approval from India’s BIS agency which indicates that is one of the upcoming Vivo phones for the country.

The upcoming Vivo Z1 Pro is confirmed to debut as India’s first phone with Snapdragon 712. The 10nm chip has the same tech specs as the SD710 chip. However, the SD712 offers a faster clock speeds of 2.3 GHz, while the SD710 clocks at 2.2 GHz.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo Z5x Review: Punch Hole Screen And Big Battery

The only other phone that features the SD712 is the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE phone that was announced earlier this year. There are couple of Geekbench listing of the Mi 9 SE which shows the phone breaching 19XX mark in single-core test and 60XX mark in the multi-core test. The SD710 phones on Geekbench have mostly scored around 14XX to 18XX in single-core tests and 52XX to 59XX in multi-core tests.

Interestingly, all the Mi 9 SE Geekbench listing mentions its processor as sdm710, and not as Snapdragon 712 or sdm712. Hence, there is a possibility that newly spotted Vivo 1953 phone could be the Snapdragon 712 powered Vivo Z1 Pro phone.

The Vivo Z1 Pro will be arriving with a punch-hole display. It will come with a 32-megapixel selfie camera. It will come packed with a 5,000mAh battery that will carry support for 18W fast charging. The smartphone is expected to go official later this month.

(via)

UP NEXT: Vivo V1914A 3C certified with 22.5W charging; Could it be iQOO Youth Edition?

Huawei might retaliate against the US ban with its vast portfolio of patents

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

In the trade war between the U.S. and China, Huawei is caught in the middle and is going through a rough patch. While the situation doesn’t show any sign of improvements for Huawei, it has not yet retaliated. However, that could soon get changed.

As per the reports, if nothing improves for Huawei, the Chinese company might resort to using one of the most deadly weapons in its arsenal — the vast portfolio of patents on essential technology.

Reports from Anaqua’s AcclaimIP says that Huawei owns 56,492 active patents on telecommunications, networking, and other inventions. In the year 2018, the company apparently received 1,680 US patents and its total collection of active patents and published applications stand at 102,911.

Huawei is currently in protracted licensing talks with phone-services provider Verizon Communications and is in a dispute with chip maker Qualcomm over the value of patents. The company has also lodged claims against Harris Corp. after the defense contractor sued it last year alleging infringement of patents for networking and cloud security.

Huawei is reportedly asking for over $1 billion in patent licensing fees for using around 320 of its networking equipment patents, even though Verizon isn’t directly using Huawei’s equipment. Verizon is the biggest smartphone carrier in the U.S. and the first telecom company in the country to roll out 5G networks.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei gearing up for 40 percent to 60 percent drop in international smartphone shipments

In some circles, Huawei’s outsize role as a supplier to the next-generation technology and 5G networks makes the company a potential threat either as an espionage agent or network disruption tool. Not only Huawei has become a flashpoint in the middle of the 5G race, but it is also targeted by the Trump administration in the on-going trade dispute.

Given the number of patents from the Chinese giant, whether or not a country decides to use Huawei’s infrastructure, there are pretty high chances that they will still be using one of the technologies that Huawei has a patent on.

The U.S. isn’t just banning Huawei in its country but is also pressuring its European allies to not use Huawei’s 5G equipment. Because of this, experts believe that the Chinese manufacturer can retaliate by putting its patents to good use.

(Source)

Up Next: US-based chipmakers are reportedly lobbying to ease Huawei ban

Huawei Nova 5 Pro AnTuTu benchmarks reveal key specs ahead of June 21 launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

The SEA-AL10 / TL10 model number was spotted with support for 40W fast charging in May. Recently, the SEA-AL10 had appeared on Geekbench with some key specs. Reports surrounding have suggested that it could be the Huawei Nova 5 Pro flagship phone that will be debut with other Nova 5 devices on June 21. Today, the SEA-AL10 smartphone has appeared on AnTuTu benchmarks with some more details.

The AnTuTu listing of the Huawei Nova 5 Pro (SEA-AL10) shows that it is loaded with Android 9 Pie OS. The Kirin 980 chipset that includes Mali-G76 graphics fuels the smartphone. The SoC is assisted by 8 GB of RAM.

The SEA-AL10 has a native storage of 256 GB. It carries support for full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. On AnTuTu, it has recorded an average benchmarking score of 315,816. In May, the purported Nova 5i handset powered by Kirin 710 chipset was spotted on AnTuTu.

The Huawei Nova 5 Pro has recently appeared on JD for pre-bookings. The listing reveals that the first sale of the phone will be carried out on June 28. It will be available in two model such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. The pricing of both models is currently under the wraps. The smartphone will be available in some attractive colors like Black, Orange, Purple and Green.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei gearing up for 40%-60% drop in international smartphone shipments

Rumors are rife that the Huawei Nova 5 Pro will be equipped with a 6.39-inch AMOLED display. The images of the phone have revealed its display will be sporting a waterdrop-like notch. The Chinese firm has already confirmed that the Nova 5 Pro will come with a 32-megapixel front-facing camera with impressive low-light performance. It has also shared some sample shots that wee captured using the Nova 5 Pro.

Huawei has also confirmed that its rear-facing camera setup will include a 48-megapixel main sensor, a 16-megapixel superwide lens, a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel ToF sensor. The smartphone may include a 3,500mAh battery. The rear shell of the phone lacks a fingerprint scanner. Hopefully, it will be coming with an in-screen fingerprint reader. There is a possibility that it could be featuring a side-mounted fingerprint scanner like the Honor 20 series. The Huawei Nova 5 series will be launching on June 21 and its first sales will be carried out on June 28.

(source)

UP NEXT: Huawei Nova 5 Pro selfie camera samples boast impressive low-light photography

OnePlus 7 Pro 5G gets a new OxygenOS 9.5.4 update via OTA

By

Joel Joseph

-

Jun 18, 2019

While most of the hype is around the OnePlus 7 Pro, there’s another model that many could have forgotten about – the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. The regular Pro variant has already received a couple of important updates but the company wants users to know that they are working on the 5G variant as well. The OP7Pro 5G has just received a brand new update fixing some important issues in software.

The OnePlus 7 Pro 5G variant is the company’s first ever 5G phone and was announced at the UK event on May 15. The phone is identical to the regular OnePlus 7 Pro, except for the X50 LTE modem and started selling soon after UK’s EE launched its 5G network around the end of May. The new update improves screen touch sensitivity, optimizes DC dimming along with Double Tap to Wake and Ambient Display.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Trolls OnePlus on Twitter

The OTA 9.5.4 update for the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G edition also fixes issues in the software like persistant fingerprint animation on the screen after successful unlock, app icons failing to load after unlocking, and the issue with the pop-up camera opening during an incoming video call when the screen is off.

The OTA 9.5.4 is already rolling out to existing OnePlus 7 Pro 5G users. If you haven’t got it yet, don’t worry, the rollout is in batches and you should get the new update in the next couple of days.

Hit the source link for the complete changelog.

UP NEXT: OnePlus 7 Pro kills the Galaxy S10 Plus sales in China

(Source, Via)

Xiaomi will move to its massive Beijing HQ very soon

By

Joel Joseph

-

Jun 18, 2019

Xiaomi’s rapid global expansion isn’t news anymore but in order to house its every increasing employee count, the company has changed its headquarters in Beijing a few times since its inception. Now, it looks like Xiaomi is finally ready to move into its brand new HQ in Beijing, which will be fully owned by the company.

Xiaomi HQ featured — Xiaomi’s Beijing HQ shared by Lin Bin

Xiaomi currently rents its offices in Beijing. However, the company finally decided it was time to purchase its own HQ in the capital city last year. The construction started back in 2017 in Beijing’s Haidian district and it looks like the HQ is finally ready to move in. Xiaomi’s founder Lin Bin proudly shared a couple of pictures of the campus today saying that Xiaomi will move into the new Beijing HQ very soon. It is said that the company could continue to use its existing Beijing office locations alongside the new HQ.

Editor’s Pick:Throwback Tech Thursday: We Revisit the World’s First Camera Phone & Its Selfie Camera

According to Cnbeta, Xiaomi’s new campus called the Xiaomi Science and Technology Park is spread over 210,000 square meters with 8 buildings. The Chinese smartphone maker has over 20,000 employees right now, so it desperately needed a huge campus to house the ever-increasing workforce. The new HQ would also cater to the needs of Xiaomi’s ecosystem partners who develop and release a number of smart products with the company’s support.

It is worth noting that Xiaomi is also building another HQ in Wuhan, China with a core focus on AI. Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province and acts as the educational hub of China. The city hosts a number of popular universities and Xiaomi likely wants to use the proximity to these universities to boost is R&D plans. The company plans to shift as many as 10,000 of its workforce in Wuhan in the next couple of years.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi TV Lands In Russia!

(Source)

Huawei laptops are now back on Microsoft’s online store in the USA

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

After the Trump administration banned Huawei, barring the Chinese company from acquiring components and technology from US firms without government approval, Microsoft removed the listing of Huawei laptops from its online store.

Surprisingly, the Huawei laptops are now back on the Microsoft online store. However, the software giant has not yet revealed if Huawei will still be able to obtain Windows licenses for its range of laptops.

huawei matebook x pro 2019 — Huawei MateBook X Pro 2019

In a statement related to resuming sales of Huawei laptops, Microsoft spokesperson said:

“We have been evaluating and will continue to respond to, the many businesses, technical and regulatory complexities stemming from the recent addition of Huawei to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations Entity List. As a result, we are resuming the sale of existing inventory of Huawei devices at Microsoft Store.”

Editor’s Pick: US-based chipmakers, including Qualcomm and Intel, are reportedly lobbying to ease Huawei ban

It’s noteworthy that the company has said that it is selling existing inventory and when the company was asked whether it plans to continue to stock and sell Huawei laptops, a spokesperson reiterated that “Microsoft Store is selling existing inventory, which is compliant with current U.S. regulations.”

Huawei was all set to launch a new Windows-powered laptop during the CES Asia show in Shanghai but the company canceled the launch, as confirmed by Huawei’s consumer division CEO Richard Yu. He said that the laptop would have been unveiled without a release date, but Huawei’s placement on the US Entity List has stopped the company from announcing the product altogether.

(Source, Via)

Up Next: Huawei is gearing up for 40 percent to 60 percent drop in international smartphone shipments

Get $77 OFF Coupons in Geekbuying 7th Anniversary

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jun 18, 2019

GeekBuying comes up with amazing deals, great promotions and unmissable events from time to time, allowing its loyal users to get their hands on a wide range of products at lowered prices.

Keeping in line with this, the Chinese online store launched its 7th Anniversary Sale on June 11 at 16:00 (UTC+8). The promotion page is teeming with a slew of top-end items, that have been carefully arranged in specific categories.

While the aforesaid products carry heavily discounted price tags, the promotion has been split into two extensive sections including Check In To Win A $100 Coupon, and Post & Win. So, without wasting more time, let’s delve straight into the details.

Check In To Win A $100 Coupon

This section offers you an opportunity to take advantage of big coupons that can be used when you are logged into your GeekBuying account. It is imperative for you to check in frequently in order to stand a chance of getting more coupons.

GeekBuying users who check-in regularly are more likely to receive check-in discounts, which will be accumulated and can be redeemed to coupon later. Note that you can check-in between June 11-17 (UTC+8).

Post & Win

You can join by sharing posts with #Geekbuying7th on Instagram. Posts shared with the aforesaid hashtag on this Facebook-owned photo and video-sharing social networking service will be featured on the promotion page under the ‘Post & Win’ category.

Five lucky participants will be chosen by GeekBuying for receiving free gifts. Those interested in getting these gifts are advised to share more posts with #Geekbuying7th on Instagram.

The following category called ‘Flash Deals’ is teeming with various electronic items that have gone up for sale bearing reduced prices. This section features the KUGOO S1 folding electric scooter, the recently unveiled Mi Band 4 smart bracelet and Netac P500 128GB Micro SD Card TF Card, just to name a few.

Aside from taking advantage of the recently kicked-off promo, GeekBuying users who spend more than $77, can apply coupon code GKB07OFF for an extra $7 off. Likewise, you can use coupon code GKB77OFF to save $77, if you end up shelling out over $100 on select items on GeekBuying.

Beelink L55 Mini PC

Under the hood, this palm-sized Mini PC from Beelink packs an Intel Core i3-5005U is a ULV (ultra low voltage) dual-core processor, which is based on Broadwell architecture with Intel HD Graphics 5500 GPU. It ships with 8GB of RAM and offers 256GB SSD storage capacity.

Equipped with pre-installed with Windows 10 home OS, the Beelink L55 Mini PC is currently available for a reduced price of just $269.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 25 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $358.99.

You can follow this link to check out more details about the Beelink L55 Mini PC and avail the discount. Note that the promo is slated to end in just six days.

Get 25% Off on Beelink L55 Mini PC

Beelink GT-King TV Box

The Beelink GT-King TV Box is based on Amlogic S922X, which is a 12nm six-core chip featuring Quad-core ARM Cortex-A73, that can reach an impressive reach 1.7 GHz and Dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 that reaches 1.8 GHz. It runs the latest Android 9.0 Pie OS for a smooth and high-speed performance.

The device comes with 4GB of RAM and provides 64GB of eMMC storage capacity for you to enjoy your entertainment without any sort of interruption. Moreover, it packs a highly competent Mali G52 MP6 graphics processor for a superior experience.

The Beelink GT-King usually retails for $175.99, but you can buy it for just $107.99 from GeekBuying. Since this 39 percent discount will be valid only for six days, you can head straight to this link and avail it before the promo wraps up.

Get 30% Off on Beelink GT-King TV Box

Check Out GeekBuying’s 7th Anniversary Sale

Huawei Nova 5 Pro selfie camera samples boast impressive low-light photography

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

On Friday, Huawei will be unveiling the Nova 5 series of smartphones in China. The Chinese firm has recently confirmed that the Nova 5 lineup will feature a 32-megapixel selfie camera. Now, the camera samples captured through the front-facing camera of Nova 5 have been officially shared on Weibo. The images that feature Nova brand ambassador Jackson Yee from TFBoys show that the Nova 5 Pro will offer impressive low-light selfie shooting experience.

The Huawei Nova 5 Pro is equipped with a 32-megapixel front-facing camera in its waterdrop notch. The four images shared by Yee show that the Nova 5 Pro is capable at capturing brighter selfie shots in dim-light conditions. The sample shots with impressive color reproduction and details suggest that the Nova 5 Pro will be able to shoot richer images at daytime.

1 of 4

The Huawei Nova 5 Pro is rumored to be equipped with a 6.39-inch AMOLED display with in-screen fingerprint reader. The Geekbench listing of the phone suggests that it will be arriving with Kirin 980 chipset. The official listing of the phone on JD reveals that it will be selling in 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage editions in China.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei expects sales to fall to $100 billion this year and in 2020

The rear shell of the Nova 5 Pro is fitted with a 48-megapixel + 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad camera setup. The smartphone is rumored to arrive with a 3,500mAh battery. The 3C listing of the phone had revealed that it will be equipped with 40W fast charging. The Nova 5 Pro will be available in four colors like Green, Black, Orange and Purple. As of this writing, there is no information available on the pricing of the smartphone.

The alleged Nova 5i phone that was spotted with full specs on TENAA will be arriving with a 6.4-inch IPS LCD display with a punch-hole at its top-left corner. An octa-core processor may power the phone with 2.0 GHz octa-core processor. It will be come with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of inbuilt storage. It is expected to arrive with a 4,000mAh battery. The rear panel of the phone will be featuring a 24-megapixel sensor, an 8-mgapixel sensor, a 2-megapixel lens and ToF (Time of Flight) lens. The TENAA listing of the smartphone also states that it has a 24-megapixel selfie camera.

UP NEXT: Huawei gearing up for 40%-60% drop in international smartphone shipments

Top 5 Online Stores Where You Can Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 at Lowered Prices [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jun 18, 2019

Primarily known for making top-end mobile phones, Xiaomi is a leading manufacturer of smart wearables.

Staying true to its reputation, the Chinese electronics giant officially launched the Mi band 4, the long-awaited Mi Band 3 successor earlier this month in China. Here are top online stores from where you can buy the recently unveiled smart bracelet from Xiaomi.

Aside from revealing what makes the Mi Band 4 an irresistible smart bracelet, we will show how you can save money during the checkout process. So without further ado, let’s delve into the details.

GearVita

GearVita is offering the global version of the Mi Band 4 for $69.99. You can use coupon code ROMiband4 to bring the original asking price of the Mi Band 4 down to just $35.99. In other words, the aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $31 off. You can visit this link in order to use the coupon, which is slated to expire soon.

Now, you can get the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Chinese version at $27.99 with the coupon code ROMBand4CE on GearVita

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet Chinese Version, Coupon Code ROMBand4CE

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet Global Version, Coupon Code ROMiband4

GeekBuying

You can pre-order the Mi Band 4 for a dropped price of just $34.99 with coupon code 3AJGHRBI by following this link. It is worth noting that the smart bracelet carries a $65.99 price tag without the aforesaid discount. You can visit this link to avail the discount.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet, coupon code 3AJGHRBI

The feature-rich Mi Band 4 global version would normally set you back $159.99, but GeekBuying is giving its loyal users an unmissable chance to buy it for just $49.99. Moreover, you can extend this noteworthy discount by applying coupon code 3ZKVNYFK.

The coupon helps you save $5. After applying the coupon, the retail price of the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 reduces to just $44.99. You can visit this link to avail the discount before the promo comes to an end.

Pre-Order Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet, Coupon Code 3ZKVNYFK

Giztop

The Standard version of the Mi Band 4 is currently up for grabs bearing a $42.99 price tag on Giztop. This model comes in black color version and is loaded with awe-inspiring features such as a 0.95-inch AMOLED color touch screen, Xiao AI voice assistant, a heart rate monitor and more.

You can follow this link to check out more details about the Mi Band 4 Standard version and place your order.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Global Version

Gearbest

Touted as one of China’s best online stores for electronic items, Gearbest is now doling out a noteworthy 52 percent discount on the international version of the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 smart bracelet. As a result, the device which normally retails for $91.56, can now be yours for a lowered price of only $43.99.

You can head straight to this link in order to grab this discount, which is available for the black color version of the smart bracelet. With only 47 pieces remaining, this promo will come to an end in just two days.

Get 52% Off on Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet International Version

Get Xiaomi Mi Band 4 NFC Version at $50.99 [coupon code GBBAND4NFC]

Banggood

Banggood, the popular online store known for offering the best bang for your buck is now giving its loyal users a chance to pre-order the international version of the Mi Band 4 for a lowered price of just $63.99. This is a 36 percent drop in the device’s original selling price of $99.99.

You can visit this link to grab the discount, which will be valid for the black color option of the Mi Band 4 international version. The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 smart bracelet offers the following features:

95 Inch AMOLED screen with 240*120 pixels resolution
Supports the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology
5ATM waterproof
Heart Rate Monitor
Sleep Monitor
Supports multi-sport modes including swimming, outdoor run, etc.
135mAh battery with about 20 days of standby time

Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Smart Bracelet

Xiaomi sold over 100,000 Mi TV in just 9 minutes during 618 sales in China

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

Xiaomi has created yet another sales record and this time it is for its smart TV range. The company has announced that during its annual 618 sales, the company sold over 100,000 units of Mi TV in just 9 minutes and 8 seconds.

The major reason behind such sales figure is the discount offered by the company. For instance, the Mi TV 4S 75-inch model which costs 7,999 Yuan (~$1,155) was available for just 5,899 yuan (~$852), offering a discount of 2,100 yuan.

On the other hand, the Mi TV 4X 65-inch model was available for 2,599 Yuan while the Mi TV 4X 55-model was priced at 1,799 Yuan. The company also sold Mi TV 4A 50-inch model for 1,399 Yuan and Mi TV 4A 32-inch model for 699 Yuan. Such discount was one of the major reason behind such massive sales figure posted by the company.

Xiaomi’s smart TVs come with the company’s own custom user interface called PatchWall which the company says makes it easy to navigate through different kind of media or content. It also comes with a smart voice-activated assistant for easy control of the TV. Further, the company has also partnered with several content providers to ensure that it offers a wide range of content for the users.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi is finally introducing an app drawer and app shortcuts in MIUI

Last week, as per the data released by JD.com for its 618 shopping festival, Xiaomi had dominated the platform’s sales list with Mi 8 Youth Edition leading the single-selling product for becoming the best-selling smartphone.

It also revealed that in the top 10 bestselling smartphones list, eight out of ten products were from Xiaomi. The other two products were from Apple and Huawei — iPhone XR and P30 Pro. Apart from Mi 8 Youth Edition, the other Xiaomi smartphones in the list included Redmi 6A, Mi 6X, Mi 8 SE, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3, Mi 8 In-display Fingerprint Edition, Redmi Note 7, and Redmi K20 Pro.

Currently, the company is gearing up to launch the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro in other regions. While it launched the Redmi K20 as Mi 9T in Europe, it is all set to do the same in Malaysia on 20th June. However, both the smartphones — Redmi K20 and K20 Pro are all set to launch in India next month with their original moniker.

Up Next: Xiaomi starts reducing advertisement spots in its MIUI and is also making it easier to disable ads

Xiaomi Mi TV is now available in Russia; Mi 9T, Mi Smart Band 4 also debuts

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

Yesterday, Xiaomi introduced several of its products in the Russian market. It unveiled the Xiaomi Mi 9T, Mi Smart Band 4, Mi True Wireless Earphones and Mi TVs. It is the first time Xiaomi has launched its Mi TV line of smart TVs in Russia.

Xiaomi Mi TVs

The Xiaomi Mi TV models with screen sizes of 32 inches, 43 inches and 55 inches have been brought to Russia. The precise models are Mi TV 4A 32-inch, Mi TV 4S 43-inch and Mi TV 4S 55-inch. These models are respectively priced at 11,990 rubles (~$186), 22,990 rubles (~$357) and 33,990 rubles (~$528). The sales of the new Mi TVs will begin in Russia from June 25.

To attract first time buyers, Xiaomi will be selling the three Mi TVs at discounted prices between June 25 and Aug. 5. The aforementioned models can be availed at respective prices of 9,990 rubles (~$155), 19,990 rubles (~$310) and 29,990 rubles (~$466) until Aug. 5. Apart from online store, the new Mi TV series will be also available through its offline stores. The new Mi TVs are all equipped with bright display panels, dual speakers with DTS-HD and Dolby Audio, three HDMI, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.2, dual-band Wi-Fi and support for built-in Google play and Chromecast.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi is finally introducing an app drawer and app shortcuts in MIUI

Xiaomi Mi 9T

The Xiaomi Mi 9T that is selling as Redmi K20 in China was also unveiled yesterday. Its 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage models are respectively priced at 25,990 rubles (~$404) and 28,990 rubles (~$450) in Russia. The sales of the Mi 9T begins from today through its online store. The offline Xiaomi stores will be selling the smartphone from June 28. It can be availed in colors like Carbon Black and Blue.

The first buyers of the Mi 9T will get the all new Mi True Wireless Earphones. The Red variant will be brought to Russia sometime later. There is no word yet on whether the Snapdragon 855 powered Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro will be made available in Russia.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 and Mi True Wireless Earphones

The non-NFC edition of the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 has landed in Russia with a price tag of 2,990 rubles (~$46). Its sales will kick off from July 9. The Mi True Wireless Earphones is priced at 5,990 rubles (~$93) in the country. It will available for buying from June 28.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi CC9 and CC9e key specs, variants and pricing leaked

Xiaomi is finally introducing an app drawer and app shortcuts in MIUI

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

Xiaomi’s MIUI is one of the most popular custom Android user interface as it comes pre-installed on most of the Xiaomi smartphones. However, like most other Chinese custom UIs, this one too lacks the app drawer.

When Xiaomi launched the Poco brand and Poco F1 smartphone, the company also announced Poco Launcher which surprisingly features an application drawer. This was well-received as users didn’t have to rely on third-party launchers.

Now, it seems that Xiaomi is finally ready to introduce app drawer in the MIUI itself. In the latest alpha build of the MIUI launcher, which carries version 4.10.6.1025-06141703, an app drawer is found.

However, the images show that instead of the new swipe gesture to open the app drawer, the company has adopted the older technique and the user will have to tap on the middle button in the app bar at the bottom of the home screen to open the app drawer.

In the app drawer, the installed applications are listed in the alphabetical order. On top of the apps list, there’s a list of recently used apps. There’s also a downward-facing arrow on the top, which when tapped, collapses the app drawer. Swipe down gesture to close the drawer doesn’t work but you can use the back button or the downward-facing arrow.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi announces the end MIUI Global Beta program; will stop releasing updates from July

Along with this app drawer, the alpha build of the MIUI also gets support for app shortcuts. These are sets of quick actions which show up when the app icon is long-pressed. The feature was first introduced with Android 7.0 Nougat which enables users to launch any specific part of the app directly to perform key tasks.

You can go to the source link to install this alpha build of the MIUI launcher on your compatible device. However, we recommend not to do so given that it may not be very stable or might crash during usage. While the Poco Launcher is available for all device, this one is limited to the device running MIUI.

(Source)

Up Next: Xiaomi India throw shade at OnePlus over the OnePlus 7 Pro’s “World’s Fastest Phone” claim

Buy Top-End Smartwatches from Microwear at Lowered Prices from GearVita [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Jun 18, 2019

Founded in 2010 by a group of tech junkies, Microwear is known for making smartwatches that encourages us to lead a healthier lifestyle. If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on a Microwear-branded smartwatch without emptying your pocket, you’ve come to the right place.

Microwear has teamed-up with GearVita in a bid to offer its well-received smartwatches at unbeatable prices. Not only we will shed light on the aforesaid smartwatches but also show how you can save a considerable amount of money during the checkout process.

Microwear L7 Bluetooth Smartwatch

The L7 delivers multiple times faster graphics processing and computing speed as compared to the regular Bluetooth watch chip. The smartwatch’s high-precision gravity sensor enables it to record various activities of the wearer.

Moreover, the L7 smartwatch is backed by a 300mAh high-density polymer lithium-ion battery which offers up to 2-3 days of battery life with low power consumption management. This feature-laden smartwatch usually retails for $54.99, but you can buy it for just $48.99 from GearVita.

You can extend this 11 percent discount by applying coupon code ROMWearL7. The coupon helps you save $13 more by reducing the retail price of the Microwear L7 smartwatch to just $35.99. You can choose between multiple color options including black, brown, black steel, and silver steel.

You can head straight to this link to grab the discount and check out more details about the Microwear L7 smartwatch before the promo ends.

Buy Microwear L7 Bluetooth Smartwatch, Coupon Code ROMWearL7

Microwear W34 Bluetooth Smartwatch

The Microwear W34 smartwatch is housed in a sturdy shell that’s made using high-quality alloy metal. Sporting an ultra-thin and tough finishing design, the Microwear W34 is designed for daily life sports wearing.

Aside from being wear resistance, the smartwatch offers superior performance. The smartwatch comes with a built-in heart rate sensor that monitors the wearer’s dynamic and resting heart rate in real-time. The Microwear W34 comes in black and silver color versions bearing a $30.99 price tag.
If you aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money on a smartwatch, all you need to do is to apply coupon code ROMWearW34 for an extra $14 off. As a result, the original asking price of the Microwear W34 smartwatch reduces to only $16.99.

You can visit this link to take advantage of the coupon. Note that the aforesaid coupon is slated to expire soon.

Buy Microwear W34 Bluetooth Smartwatch, Coupon Code ROMWearW34

Microwear X12 Smartwatch

Equipped with an optical pulse monitor, the Microwear X12 smartwatch measures the heart rate, Blood pressure, Blood oxygen, and ECG. The smartwatch carries a waterproof level of IP68 so that you can wear it even while swimming without damaging its parts.

Furthermore, the X12 smartwatch comes with new technology optical monitor, which facilitates ECG+PPG heart rate monitoring. Aside from that, it supports sleep monitoring that keeps a track of your different sleep stages such as deep sleep, light sleep, awake at night, etc.

The Microwear X12 comes in two eye-catching color versions including black and white, both carrying a $25.99 price tag. You can use coupon code ROMWearX12 to bring the original asking price of the smartwatch down to just $13.99.

In other words, the coupon helps you save $12 before you place your order. You can follow this link to use the coupon before it expires.

Buy Microwear X12 Bluetooth Smartwatch, Coupon Code ROMWearX12

LG Stylo 5 renders leak design ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

In June 2018, LG had launched the LG Stylo 4 smartphone. According to a fresh report from Android Headlines, the South Korean company may soon launch the LG Stylo 5 as its successor in the coming weeks. Leaked renders of the upcoming LG Stylo 5 have been shared by the publication to give an early look at its design before launch.

The leaked renders reveal that the LG Stylo 5 largely resembles the predecessor phone in terms of design. Earlier this month, the rumor mill had leaked some renders of the black version (shown below) of the same phone. Today, the publication shared images of the Platinum Gray edition of the LG Stylo 5 smartphone. Last year, the LG Stylo 4 had released in Aurora Black and Metallic Lavender. The new renders suggest that the Stylo 5 will be available in a new color.

Apart from the slight change in the camera module of the Stylo 5, there is hardly any change in its design compared to the predecessor phone. The left and right bezels of the phone are thin, but its upper and lower bezels are a bit thick. The top bezel features a front-facing camera and an earpiece. The right edge of the smartphone has volume up and down buttons. A power button seems to be positioned on the left spine of the device.

Editor’s Pick: LG’s 5G phone launch could be delayed due to lingering license negotiations with Qualcomm

The LED flash and camera were placed separately on the predecessor model. However, the LG Stylo 5 renders show that the both are placed together with a fingerprint sensor positioned below them. As the name of the phone goes, the major selling feature of the Stylo 5 smartphone is that it is equipped with a stylus. There is no information available on the specifications of the smartphone yet. The renders have the July 15 date mentioned on the screen of the Stylo 5. It remains to be seen whether LG announces the smartphone on the said date.

The LG Stylo 4 came with a 6.2-inch IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. It features LG UX 7 based Android 8.1 Oreo OS, Snapdragon 450 chipset, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of native storage and a microSD card slot. For photography, it came with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a frontal shooter of 5-megapixel. The 3,300mAh battery of the Stylo 4 supported 10W charging through USB-C. It had arrived with a price tag of $239 in the U.S.

(source).

UP NEXT: Live photo of LG W10 surfaces, has an audio jack

Xiaomi Redmi 7A heads to Europe amidst Redmi 7 Pro rumors

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jun 18, 2019

Xiaomi had announced the Redmi 7A smartphone in China just over a month ago. The entry-level Xiaomi phone is now on its way to Europe. It is expected to be priced around 100 euros (~$112). The smartphone could be available in European markets starting from June 21. However, dealers in Europe may start the sales of the phone from the coming month.

Xiaomi Redmi 7A Specifications

The Redmi 7A that measures 9.6mm in thickness and weighs 165 grams comes with a polycarbonate with splash-resistant coating. It is fitted with a 5.45-inch notch-less display that is surrounded by thick bezels. It supports HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9.

The MIUI 10 based Android 9 Pie OS comes preinstalled on the Redmi 7A smartphone. The 12nm Snapdragon 439 is present under the hood of the device along with up to 3 GB of RAM. There is a dedicated slot for adding a microSD card for extra storage. The smartphone is packed with a big battery of 4,000mAh capacity that supports 10W charging.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi crowdfunds the Deerma Wet and Dry Bucket Vacuum Cleaner priced at 399 yuan ($57)

The rear panel of the Redmi 7A smartphone features a main camera of 13-megapixel along with an LED flash. There is a front-facing camera of 5-megapixel on the device. The handset lacks support for fingerprint scanner. The smartphone offers usual connectivity features like dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB and 3.5mm audio jack.

The Redmi 7A is available in China in two models such as 2 GB RAM + 16 GB storage and 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage. Both are respectively priced at 549 Yuan (~$79) and 599 Yuan (~$86). It comes in two color options such as Morning Blue and Matte Black.

The Xiaomi Redmi 7A has not been officially announced in Europe yet. It is speculated that the variants of Redmi 7A that were released in China will be also made available in the European markets.

In related news, a new Xiaomi phone with model number M1906F9SC was spotted on the database of China’s 3C authority recently. Since it was spotted with 10W charger, it was believed that it could be an upcoming mid-range phone from the company. Some sources are speculating that it could be the Redmi 7 Pro. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm on the arrival of Redmi 7 Pro.

(source)

UP NEXT: Xiaomi India throw shade at OnePlus over the OnePlus 7 Pro’s “World’s Fastest Phone” claim

Samsung Galaxy M40 to go on sale in India today for the first time

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

Samsung recently launched its fourth Galaxy M-series smartphone in the Indian market — Samsung Galaxy M40. This is also the lineup’s first device to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and not the company’s own Exynos processor.

Today, the handset will go on sale in India for the first time through Amazon India and Samsung’s official online store. The phone is priced at Rs. 19,990 which roughly converts to $286. The sale will begin from 12:00 PM IST today and the phone is offered in Midnight Blue and Seawater Blue gradient colors.

The Samsung Galaxy M40 features a 6.3-inch Full-HD+ Infinity-O Display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, a contrast ratio of 1200:1, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and 480 nits of brightness. The device has ditched the speaker and comes with Screen Sound Technology that pumps out sounds by vibrating the screen.

Under the hood, the handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 octa-core processor, which is paired with Adreno 612 GPU and 6 GB of RAM. This is the first Galaxy M-series smartphone to come powered by the Qualcomm chipset instead of the company’s own Exynos SoC. It packs 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage and also has a microSD card slot that supports memory expansion of up to 512GB.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung has reportedly bagged Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip orders ahead of TSMC

For taking selfies and video calling, the smartphone has a 16-megapixel sensor at the front. There’s also a fingerprint sensor at the back panel. It features a triple rear camera setup that comprises a 32-megapixel primary sensor with an AI scene optimizer and f/1.7 lens, a 5-megapixel secondary depth sensor, and an 8-megapixel tertiary sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, and a USB Type-C port. The handset is running Android 9 Pie-based Samsung One UI out-of-the-box and is powered by a 3,500mAh battery with support for fast charging.

Up Next: Samsung Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A30 get price cut of up to Rs. 1,500 (~$22) in India

Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2 gets price cut in India, now starts at Rs. 8,490

By

Jeet

-

Jun 18, 2019

HMD Global’s two entry-level smartphones in the Indian market — Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2 have received a price cut of Rs. 500. With this price cut, the Nokia 3.2 now starts at Rs. 8,490 (approximately $122) for the 2GB RAM model while the 3GB RAM model costs Rs. 10,290 (~$147).

When launched, the Nokia 3.2 was priced at Rs. 8,990 for the base model and Rs. 10,790 for the 3GB RAM model. On the other hand, the Nokia 4.2 (Full Specs) is available for Rs. 10,490 (approximately $150), down from its original pricing of Rs. 10,990.

The Nokia 3.2 comes with a 6.29-inch HD+ a-Si TFT LCD display with 720 x 1520 pixels screen resolution having an aspect ratio of 19:9. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 SoC, with up to 3GB of RAM.

In the camera department, it comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the front with support for Face Unlock. The 3GB RAM model also features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It has dedicated dual SIM and microSD slots and packs a 4000mAh battery with 10W fast charging support.

Editor’s Pick: HMD Global to launch two 5G phones in Q3: one flagship and a likely Nokia 8.1 successor

The Nokia 4.2 flaunts a 5.71-inch IPS LCD display with a water drop notch and an HD+ screen resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels and 19:9 aspect ratio. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 439 chipset and comes in 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model in India. The company has not launched the 2GB RAM variant in India.

It comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera along with a 2-megapixel secondary camera for portrait shots and an 8-megapixel camera sensor on the front. The phone is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery while there is equally a dedicated Google Assistant button.

Up Next: HMD Global executive admits about confusing Nokia smartphone naming scheme

OnePlus 7 Pro kills the Galaxy S10 Plus sales in China

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 18, 2019

Samsung‘s smartphone business has been on the decline in China, no thanks to local OEMs who offer premium smartphones at affordable prices. OnePlus isn’t helping the Korean giant’s plight in the Chinese market with its latest OnePlus 7 Pro flagship. The OnePlus 7 Pro sales have literally crippled that of Samsung’s latest Galaxy S10+ going by data from one of China’s biggest e-tailer Jingdong (JD.com)

In https://t.co/1ErT3bc3ke, One of the largest shopping sites in China, we can see that the sales of OnePlus 7 Pro are more than ten times that of the Galaxy S10+. The 90Hz 2K AMOLED screen has become the biggest weapon to kill Samsung in China. pic.twitter.com/mEF2ZRI2Br

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) June 17, 2019

We didn’t verify the data independently as it was shared by popular tipster @Universelce on Twitter who claims the sales is ten times that of the Galaxy S10+. He disclosed also that the 90Hz 2K AMOLED display is the most potent weapon which the OP7 Pro has over the Galaxy S10+.

oneplus 7 pro vs samsung s10 — OnePlus 7 Pro and Galaxy S10

The information is consistent with earlier official disclosure by Jingdong which termed the OnePlus 7 Pro as the ‘best selling product on the whole platform.’ When it went on its first sale, it garnered huge sales within few minutes in China and went out of stock in a short while. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau later hinted that the company was redistributing the supply of other regions to meet the demand in China. Apparently, sales have not slowed down since then, despite a handful of fans still undecided and waiting to see what the Redmi K20 Pro will offer. DO you think, the Redmi K20 Pro will a real challenger to the OnePlus 7 Pro? Let us in on your thoughts in the comment section.

UP NEXT: Huawei gearing up for 40%-60% drop in international smartphone shipments

Xiaomi India throw shade at OnePlus over the OnePlus 7 Pro’s “World’s Fastest Phone” claim

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jun 18, 2019

Xiaomi India has practically been trolling OnePlus for a while and the reason isn’t difficult to find out. OnePlus and Samsung controls India’s premium smartphone market. The OnePlus 7 Pro launch was yet another opportunity for Xiaomi India to resume its demarketing tactics against the OnePlus 7 Pro but this time the Redmi brand takes the front seat.

Some celebrations are short-lived. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/NitBxGxOVA

— Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) June 14, 2019

In a tweet posted a couple of days back, Redmi India shared a poster which practically disses the OnePlus 7 Pro. The poster has the text “Someone jus+ announced the World’s Fastest phone. Oh really? Hold my AnTuTu.” Notice the + sign used in place of letter T in “just”? That is a clue, the OnePlus model is referenced. Besides, OnePlus projects the model as the World’s Fastest phone. Definitely, Redmi India thinks otherwise, hence the cheeky reference to AnTuTu which we understand to mean the OnePlus 7 Pro will be floored by Redmi’s upcoming flagship Redmi K20 Pro.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus TV is our Next Focus For India: Vikas Agarwal

The Redmi K20 Pro is expected to debut with a Snapdragon 855 chipset just like the OP7 Pro. Both models will square up with each other in other departments but we’ll need more than an AnTuTu benchmark score to be convinced as to which is better.

Xiaomi India has been a thorn in the flesh of smartphone rival OnePlus and it did not just start today. We could recall Xiaomi attended the OnePlus 6T India launch in October last year and reportedly shared calculators to fans at the event with the boxes having the inscription “You Do The Math” in comparison with the Pocophone F1 that was also launched around that period. The company later took to its Twitter handle to post a tweet which borrowed OnePlus’ slogan “Never Settle” but instead, it read “Never Settle for OverPriced” apparently comparing the OP6T price tag to that of the Poco F1. The tweet also had the hashtag #DoTheMath. In addition, Xiaomi also placed an outdoor billboard advert close to the OnePlus 6T conference venue with the same theme.

UP NEXT: Alleged Honor 9X Pro specs leaks, will also have a Kirin 810 chipset

(source)