BrandZ’s Top 100 Most Valuable Chinese companies: AliBaba leads, Huawei in Sixth, Xiaomi in eleventh

By

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May 7, 2019

BrandZ recently released a chart of the top Chinese brands that are competing on the global market and that ranking was headed by Huawei followed by Lenovo with AliBaba, Xiaomi, and Byte Dance completing the top 5. The agency has released yet another chart of the 2019 Top 100 Most Valuable Chinese Brands in the domestic market.

The list shows that Alibaba topped the list to become the most valuable brand in China. The e-commerce giant’s brand value increased by 59% year-on-year to reach $141 billion. Tencent ranked second, with a brand value of US$138.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 4%.

Another tech brand on the list is Huawei which was ranked sixth, consistent with last year. Huawei’s brand value was $33.1 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 38%. Search engine giant Baidu came in at number eight spot with a brand value of $26.7 billion, representing an increase of 7% YoY. Jingdong (JD.com) ranked tenth, with a brand value of US$21.1 billion and a year-on-year increase of 45%. Xiaomi is at number 11 with a brand value estimated at $20.6 billion. Interestingly, Lenovo which ranked among the top most valuable Chinese brands operating overseas ranked at a distant 47th position with a value of $2.9 billion.

The list of most valuable brands in China has eleven brands from science and technology, representing 26% of the top 100 brands. A lot of the science and tech brands account for the top 10 Chinese brands recognised globally.

(source)

Alleged Indian pricing for OnePlus 7 leaked, 10GB RAM Pro version listed too (UPDATED)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

UPDATE:

The OnePlus 7 Pro pricing on smartprix has changed. Here is the updated pricing.

A few days ago, we reported the Indian pricing details for the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro. New info has surfaced that reveals the price of the OnePlus 7. It also mentions two configurations of the Pro version we haven’t heard of before.

The OnePlus 7 was listed on an Indian online store. Along with some key specs of the phone, the listing also includes the price of the device which is stated as INR 38,990 (~$562) for the 6GB RAM + 128GB version. That price is just a little above that of the OnePlus 6T which is INR 37,999 (~$548). There is no mention of another variant.

Alongside the price for the OnePlus 7, the store also listed that of the OnePlus 7 Pro. There is an 8GB RAM + 128GB version priced at INR 45,990 (~$663) and a 10GB RAM + 256GB version priced at INR 51,990 (~$749). This is the first time we are seeing these two variants. However, we advise you to take the prices with a grain of salt.

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Google Pixel 3a spec sheet leaks, withholds nothing

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

The Pixel 3a will be announced tomorrow at Google I/O 2019, and less than 24 hours before the event kicks off, the full specifications of the device have leaked. The leak also includes all the features the phone will have.

Specs

The Google Pixel 3a will have a 5.6-inch Full Screen HD+ OLED display with a 2220 x 1080 resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio. It will have the Always-on Display and Always-listening features. Google says the display has a contrast ratio of 100,000:1

The device will have 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage paired with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 670 octa-core processor and Adreno 615 GPU. There is no mention of a 128GB version nor support for storage expansion.

The Pixel 3a will have a 12.2MP 1.4µm f/1.8 aperture Dual Pixel camera on the back. The camera will have autofocus, dual pixel phase detection, optical and electronic image stabilization, and a 76° field of view. The Pixel 3a will be able to record 1080p videos at 30, 60, or 120 frames per second, 720p videos at 30, 60, or 240 frames per second, and 4K videos at 30 frames per second.

The selfie camera is an 8MP 1.12µm f/2.0 sensor with an 84° field of view. It will be able to record 1080p, 720p, and 480p videos all at 30 frames per second.

There is a 3000mAh battery under the polycarbonate body that supports 18W fast charging and USB-PD 2.0 via a USB 2.0 Type-C port. For connectivity, the Pixel 3a will have a single nano-SIM slot, eSIM support in select markets, a 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth 5.0+LE with support for AptX, AptX HD, and LDAC codecs. The Pixel 3a will also have stereo speakers, a fingerprint scanner on the back, and support for Active Edge.

The Pixel 3a will run Android Pie 9.0 out of the box. Its weight is given as 147 grams and its dimensions as 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm.

[envira-gallery id=”251765″]

Features

The spec sheet says the phone will be scratch resistant but painting may flak off if it falls. Also, the color of materials such as denim and leather can rub off on the body of the phone.

The Pixel 3a will have Night Vision for flash-free bright and detailed low-light images, an impressive portrait mode, and exceptional sharpness thanks to the moving autofocus feature that is able to focus even moving subjects. There is unlimited Google Photos storage for all those high-quality images and videos too.

The Titan M security chip ensures that your data and OS is safe Owners will also be able to easily switch from their old device to the Pixel 3a using the Quick Switch Adapter. The Google Pixel 3a will receive security updates and OS updates for at least three years.

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Honor 20 Lite vs Huawei P30 Lite vs Huawei P Smart+ 2019: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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May 6, 2019

Huawei is currently among the smartphones manufacturers with the biggest catalog of midrange phones. Despite there are a lot of specular models, especially between Huawei and Honor, there is an affordable phone for every kind of user in the Huawei’s line-up. The latest and most impressive Huawei mid-rangers are Honor 20 Lite also known in China as the Honor 20i, Huawei P30 Lite which is called Nova 4e in the Chinese market, and the P Smart+ 2019 which, unlike its internal rivals, is not an affordable variant of a flagship line-up. The P30 Lite is currently the most famous one, but is it also the best Huawei mid-ranger you can buy? Let’s discover it together with an in-depth specs comparison.

Honor 20 Lite vs Huawei P30 Lite vs Huawei P Smart+ 2019

	Huawei Honor 20 Lite	Huawei P30 Lite	Huawei P Smart+ 2019
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	154.8 x 73.6 x 8 mm, 164 grams	152.9 x 72.7 x 7.4 mm, 159 grams	155.2 x 73.4 x 8 mm, 160 grams
DISPLAY	6.21 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 415 ppi, IPS LCD	6.15 inches, 1080 x 2312p (Full HD+), 415 ppi, IPS LCD	6.21 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 415 ppi, LTPS IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz	Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot	4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot	3 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 9 Pie, EMUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 24 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 24 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.0 front camera	Triple 24 + 16 + 2 MP 8 MP front camera
BATTERY	3400 mAh, fast charging 10W	3340 mAh, fast charging 18W	3400 mAh, Fast Charging 10W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Design

All of these phones come with stunning but also very similar bodies. They have wonderful glass backs as well as displays with an incredibly high screen-to-body ratio, thanks to their waterdrop notches. And the differences between them are very marginal. My favorite one is the Huawei P30 Lite because it offers a more compact and thinner body, so it is easier to use with one hand and to keep in a pocket. I think this is the most important thing when it comes to three phones with similar aesthetics.

Display

IPS panel are nothing impressive nowadays, given that AMOLED panels are the trend and they also offer more brilliant colors. These three devices all come with an average IPS panel, but the Huawei P Smart+ 2019 looks slightly better as it offers the more advanced LTPS technology. Both Honor 20 Lite and Huawei P Smart+ 2019 have the same display size and resolution, while the Huawei P30 Lite has a slightly smaller panel.

Specs & Software

Even if we talk about hardware, these handsets do not differ so much. All of them are powered by the midrange Kirin 710 chipset built at 12 nm with a max clock frequency of 2.2 GHz. It can handle almost every app with more than sufficient performances. What makes the difference are the memory configuration: Huawei P Smart+ 2019 is the weakest as it only comes with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. The best one is the Huawei P30 Lite because it sports up to 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage in every variant.

Camera

Huawei P30 Lite is the best camera phone, but only in its most expensive variant. Indeed, in the costlier one, it has a main 48 MP sensor that enhances the level of detail captured in every light condition. Honor 20 Lite and Huawei P Smart+ 2019 have a 24 MP main sensor in each and every variant. Huawei P30 Lite and Honor 20 Lite are the best ones when it comes to selfie cameras as they both have a 32 MP snapper, while Huawei P Smart+ 2019 stops at just 8 MP.

Battery

The battery life of Huawei P30 Lite, P Smart+ 2019 and Honor 20 Lite is average. They all can reach one day on a single charge with moderate use, but they won’t go so farther than that. Huawei P Smart 2019 and Honor 20 Lite have a slightly longer battery life because they come with 50 mAh more than Huawei P30 Lite, but in most of the scenarios, it is not a noticeable difference. On the other hand, Huawei P30 Lite has a way faster charging technology with its 18W power.

Price

Honor 20 Lite is yet to hit the shelves, while Huawei P30 Lite and Huawei P Smart+ 2019 are already available with prices starting from €290/$325 and €350/$390 respectively. Overall, Huawei P30 Lite looks like a more interesting phone due to its better camera department (in the costlier variant), faster charging technology and a more compact design.

Read More: Honor 20i with 32MP selfie camera, triple rear cameras and Kirin 710 launched for 1,599 Yuan (~$238)

Honor 20 Lite vs Huawei P30 Lite vs Huawei P Smart+ 2019: PROs and CONS

Huawei Honor 20 Lite

PROs	CONS
Good design Affordable price Great cameras More storage	Nothing particular

Huawei P30 Lite

PROs	CONS
Good cameras Nice design Worldwide availability Faster charging technology	Smaller battery

Huawei P Smart 2019

PROs	CONS
1080p 60 fps recording Nice cameras Good display Affordable price	Just 3 GB RAM

Cheetah Mobile’s CM Translator heads to US this month supporting 6 languages

By

Joel Joseph

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May 6, 2019

Cheetah Mobile may not have a significant presence in the western world, but the company’s products are being used globally. Some of its apps like Clean Master and Cheetah keyboard are extremely popular among a global audience. However, the company has a keen interest in AI as well. It is well invested in the field of Artificial Intelligence and has developed a number of products like the Greetbot retail robot and the CM translator in partnership with the Beijing based AI company, OrionStar.

Now, the company’s decorated product, the CM Translator is landing on the US shores later this month. The translator was showcased at the Microsoft Build 2019 event today. This will be the international version of CM translator and will come with support for 6 languages including Spanish (Chinese version didn’t support it). English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai are the other five supported languages. The device will retail for $129.99 when it goes on sale later in May.

Cheetah Mobile‘s translator is powered by AI technology from Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services which includes machine learning and TTS capabilities. OrionStar provides the technology for Automatic Speech Recognition.

RELATED: Cheetah Mobile Robots steal the show at the AI-themed 321 conference!

The CM translator features a one-click design. Once you successfully pair and setup the device with your smartphone, you can long press the button and speak. Release to listen to the translation. It’s extremely portable and can fit in your pocket. Currently, there are two color options available, Black and White. The company claims 24 hours of continuous usage and up to 180 days of standby time.

“CM Translator has been a huge hit in China, so we’re thrilled to bring this handy device to international customers, starting with the U.S.,” said Solomon Lee, VP of AIoT at Cheetah Mobile. “CM Translator’s one-click to translate feature makes it a must-have accessory for overseas travelers and multi-lingual families.”

The CM translator will be demoed at the Azure Cognitive Services booth for Microsoft Build 2019 attendees. Official release date of the device is yet to be revealed.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 might debut with faster than 25W charging

By

Simranpal Singh

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May 6, 2019

Samsung is already done with Galaxy S series flagship, and the focus is now shifting towards the new Galaxy Note 10 scheduled for the second half this year. The latest Galaxy Note 10 leak unwraps some unknown information. According to multiple sources, the new Galaxy Note 10 is expected to carry faster than 25W charging technology.

Samsung announced 25W fast charging recently for Galaxy A70. The device maker is now working on even a faster charging method. According to famous tipster Ice Universe, the South Korean giant will unveil the powerful charging technique with the new Note series later this year. “You should be thinking bigger. That’s all I can say about it right now but expect to be pleasantly surprised and not disappointed when the charging specs are released publicly,” Ice Universe reveals while talking about the Note 10.

Samsung is supposedly working on a 50W fast charging technology as seen on Oppo Find X Lambhorgini special edition. If Galaxy Note 10 received the support for improved fast charging it will be a significant upgrade over the Galaxy S10 series which carries 18W fast charging.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is rumored to feature quad camera setup and a 4500 mAh battery. Samsung might surprise users with four different models of the Galaxy Note 10 featuring different screen sizes and features as like of Galaxy S10 series.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S10 in-display fingerprint sensor fooled by a 3D printed fingerprint

It would be an added advantage if the device’s huge battery supported faster-charging technology.

source | via

First look at OnePlus 7 press renders and not a lot has changed

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

If you have been eagerly waiting to know what the OnePlus 7 looks like, then you are in luck. Press renders of the phone have surfaced and they give us a good look at the upcoming flagship.

The images, which were first covered by Winfuture.de, show the OnePlus 7 doesn’t deviate much from its predecessor, the OnePlus 6T. The OnePlus 7’s display also has a waterdrop notch to house the selfie camera and the size of the bezels seems unchanged too. That isn’t to say there aren’t any differences. For example, the slit for the earpiece is wider now and this is because it also doubles as one of the two stereo speakers.

On the back, the OnePlus 7 is home to dual cameras just like the 6T but these are not the same sensors. The primary camera is a 48MP Sony IMX586, an upgrade from the 16MP primary camera of the OnePlus 6T. To further differentiate it from its predecessor, the LED flash is now a circle and not pill-shaped. It also shares the same housing with the cameras. There is a OnePlus logo below the setup and the word “OnePlus” written further down.

[envira-gallery id=”251703″]

The alert slider and power button remain on the right side while the volume rocker sits on the left. There are two grilles on the bottom flanking the USB Type-C port. One is for the microphone and the other is for the second half of the stereo speakers. The renders show only one color variant – Mirror Black, but there should be more.

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Fresh OnePlus 7 Pro official renders leak detailing a new Almond colour variant

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 6, 2019

The OnePlus 7 Pro will likely clinch the crown as the best phone OnePlus would have released till date. The hone is expected to drop soon alongside the OnePlus 7 and OP7 Pro 5G variant. A fresh set of renders showing the colour variants the device will come in has leaked, thanks to popular tipster Roland Quandt.

Earlier on, we had seen the renders of the OP 7 Pro in a new Nebula Blue paint job, the first of such from OnePlus. This new renders also contain the Nebula Blue variant and Mirror Gray variant. There is also a new Almond colour variant which is unprecedented as far as previous OnePlus models are concerned. It brings to mind the Soft Gold variant that accompanied previous models like the OP3, OP3T and OP5.

The new colour variant looks attractive and will act as icing on a device with solid hardware. The OnePlus 7 Pro is expected to feature a 6.67-inch full-screen display with a resolution of 3120×1440 pixels and a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hertz. The phone will have at its heart, the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset. The device will have a triple camera set up at the rear with a 48MP+16MP+8MP sensor arrangement. The device is also expected to present with an awesome pop-up camera for selfies which ensures there is no notch at the top of the display. It will pack a 4000mAh battery and a new UFS 3.0 flash storage of 128GB and 256GB capacity.

(source)

Smartphone Shipments in China tumbled in Q1 2019: Digitimes Research

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 6, 2019

The Chinese smartphone market continues its downward spiral in terms of shipment. A report by Digitimes Research indicates that shipments of cell phones by China’s mobile phone producers shrank 30.5% when compared to the shipment last quarter. The shipment also shrank 5.8% when compared to the shipment of last year, berthing at an estimated 140 million units in the first quarter of 2019. The report fingered debilitated consumer confidence in the domestic market occasioned by the US-China trade tensions and off-peak season effects in the overseas market.

In any case, Huawei figured out how to see an expansion of more than 10 million units in cell phone shipments in the primary quarter when contrasted with the sum shipped a year back. The tech giants positive outlook is as a result of the launch of several entry-level and mid-range models and solid consumer patronage in China in the face of several furores with the US government.

The second to fourth spots are occupied by Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo but they all saw their shipments decrease fundamentally in the first quarter in accordance with the general market outlook. Shipments from Xiaomi alone contracting by over 20% when compared to that of the same period last year.

Looking forward, Digitimes Research projects that China’s cell phone shipments are expected to post a successive development of over 20% and narrow the annual decline rate to 1.9% in the second quarter.

The steady decline in shipment is also due to a saturated market especially as new smartphones get released so often. This explains why Chinese OEMs are looking to explore new markets in a bid to ramp up shipments. A rebound in export sales will help offset the continued weak demand in the domestic market. Digitimes Research projects Huawei will be the only OEM that will see its shipments keep on growing on a yearly basis in the second quarter.

(source)

ZTE Axon 10 Pro unveiled in China: 5G, 3x optical zoom, and a ¥3199 (~$470) price tag

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

ZTE, the Chinese telecommunications giant, has unveiled its latest flagship phone – the Axon 10 Pro, in its home country of China. The Axon 10 Pro is also the company’s first 5G smartphone but it also has a 4G version.

The Axon 10 Pro has a 6.47-inch curved flexible AMOLED FHD+ display with really slim bezels. ZTE has used COP packaging technology which results in an ultra-thin lower bezel that measures just 1.8mm. The phone has a 92% screen-to-body ratio, is covered with Gorilla Glass and supports HDR10.

The Axon 10 pro is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor. It is the first Snapdragon 855 phone with F2FS file system and AI Acceleration Engine. The F2FS File System improves storage read and write speeds as well as memory capabilities. And with the new gen AI Acceleration Engine, ZTE boasts your phone will still be as fast 20 months from now.

The Axon 10 Pro comes in multiple variants. There is a 6GB RAM + 128GB version, an 8GB RAM + 256GB version, and a 12GB RAM + 256GB version.

Coming to cameras, the ZTE Axon 10 Pro is no walk-over. It has a 48MP f/1.7 primary camera, a 20MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera with a 125° FOV, and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto camera. The phone has 3x optical zoom, 5X hybrid zoom, 10x digital zoom! Watch out OnePlus! There is also a 20MP sensor nestled inside the notch of the display.

The ZTE flagship has an in-display fingerprint scanner that unlocks in just 0.27s and support for Face ID too. It has stereo speakers (Dual Super Linear speakers), Dual SmartPA, and DTS:X Ultra. The 5G version has one SIM slot and MicroSD card slot while the 4G version has a hybrid dual SIM slot. Both have NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi. The Axon 10 Pro also has enhanced gaming features.

The 5G version uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X50 modem with a slot antenna design and a Smart SAR solution. To keep the device cool, ZTE uses liquid-cooling technology and “composite phase-change thermal materials” which allows the CPU to run at high temperatures for long periods without a drop in performance.

The Axon 10 Pro has a 4000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4+ and wireless charging. It also has a USB Type-C 3.1 port for high-speed data transfer. The phone comes in only one color – Blue and is also covered in glass on the back. It runs MiFavor 9.1 based on Android Pie out of the box and has its own built-in AI assistant.

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Pixel 3a XL alleged to start at INR 44,999 (~$649)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

How much are you willing to pay for the Pixel 3a XL? Definitely not INR 44,999 (~$649) if you live in India. Unfortunately, if this leak is true, that will be the amount you will have to shell out for Google’s affordable Pixel phone.

According to this report from Smartprix, the Google Pixel 3a XL with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage will be priced at INR 44,999 based on a tip from an unnamed source. That is pretty expensive for a mid-range phone. However, this isn’t Google’s fault entirely.

The “Make in India“ policy puts a high tax on products that are not manufactured in the country. While the initiative is to develop the country’s manufacturing sector, it means any product imported to the country will be sold at a much higher price than in other markets.

The leak also reveals some of the specs of the phone. The Pixel 3a XL will have a 6.0-inch FHD+ display and support 18W fast charge over USB type-C. It will have a 12.2MP primary rear camera and an 8MP front-facing camera. While the aforementioned specs are similar to what we have heard before, the processor and memory configuration is different.

This Pixel 3a XL has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage and is powered by a Snapdragon 710 processor. Previous leaks have revealed the phone is actually powered by a Snapdragon 670 processor and has 4GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL don’t even have 6GB of RAM, so this is most likely false.

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Leaked OnePlus 7 screen protector confirms waterdrop notch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 6, 2019

The OnePlus 7 will be very different from the OnePlus 7 Pro not only with respect to features but also design. Other than the difference in the number of cameras, the two phones will also have different display designs.

A new leak has surfaced and it shows the screen protector of the OnePlus 7, and unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro, this has a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera. This means only the Pro version will have a pop-up selfie camera. The source of the leak is Sudhanshu Ambhore who is gradually building his reputation as a leaker.

Exclusive- #OnePlus7 screen protector leaked. pic.twitter.com/IeysJ9mxZo

— Sudhanshu Ambhore (@Sudhanshu1414) May 6, 2019

Previous leaks have revealed the screen size of the OnePlus 7 is 6.2-inches, a tad smaller than that of its predecessor, the OnePlus 6T. It will be an AMOLED panel, have a 1080p resolution, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

With the differences between the Pro and non-pro model widening, we expect a significant difference in price too. The price for the OnePlus 7 Pro has leaked and it starts at INR 49,999 (~$720). If we were to take a guess, we would say the OnePlus 7 will have a starting price of $579 and max out at $649.

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Huawei P30 duo top Master Lu’s smartphone fluency ranking for April 2019

By

Jeet

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May 6, 2019

One of the reason behind the growth of the premium smartphones even though mid-range smartphones are now coming with similar specs is the fluency and smoothness in terms of performance of the smartphones.

Master Lu, a China-based benchmarking platform has published the report of the leading smartphones in terms of performance in the month of April 2019 and the recently launched Huawei P30 Pro emerged as a leader.

The P30 Pro from Huawei has been named as the best performing smartphone for the month of April 2019 in China with an average of 157.58 points. The phone was followed by Huawei P30 with 156.97 points. The third position was attributed to the recently launched Nubia Red Magic 3 gaming smartphone.

The list for the top performing smartphone for the month of April only consisted of the smartphones that were launched in April 2019. Thus, other phones that were launched before April, such as Xiaomi Mi 9, are not included in the list.

On the other hand, the list of popular smartphones for the month of April 2019 was also led by the Huawei P30 series of smartphones. Following that was Samsung’s flagship smartphone — Samsung Galaxy S10. The third spot was grabbed by the all-new Oppo Reno, followed by Meizu 16s.

There are three variants of the Huawei P30 Pro in China — 8GB RAM+128GB ROM, 8GB RAM+256GB ROM, and 8GB RAM+512GB ROM. It has a 6.47-inch display and is powered by the Kirin 980 processor. The phone has four rear cameras – a 40MP standard sensor, a 20MP ultrawide angle sensor, an 8MP periscope zoom lens, and a ToF 3D camera.

The phone also has a 32MP selfie camera. There is a fingerprint scanner under the display, a 4200mAh battery with support for 40W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. The P30 Pro runs EMUI 9.1 based on Android Pie.

You can check out our review of the Huawei P30 Pro here.

(Via)

Xiaomi exec accidentally drops his Mi 9 in water and discovers a new way of drying up a wet phone

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 6, 2019

One generally proven way to salvage a phone that fell inside water is to switch off the phone and remove the battery where possible, and then to keep the phone inside a sack of rice. The heat generated by the rice grains inside the sack dries up the wet phone and in most cases, the phone starts working again. Li Weixing GM of Xiaomi Internet recently discovered a new way to dry a wet Mi 9 that may have dropped inside water accidentally.

Sharing the tip on Weibo, Weixing hinted that he accidentally dropped his Mi 9 unit inside the water and was in a hurry to leave the house that the rice option wasn’t feasible. He even continued using the phone while at work but the touchscreen sensor wasn’t responsive. He placed the phone under the sun and played music at the same time. Apparently, the vibration of the speaker generated the exchange of air between the inside and outside of the phone and before sunset, the phone was working fine.

Xiaomi phones are not officially launched with an IP rating indicating they are waterproof but the tech giant usually crafts its flagship and premium mid-range phones with features that help protect the internals. The Mi 9 is no exception, as it comes wrapped with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the back and Glass 6 at the back. Even though the Gorilla Glass is for waterproofing, it adds some level of water resistance to the phone. So, it is difficult to encourage anyone to try this with a phone that doesn’t have any sort of water resistance. You might end up frying the internals by keeping it on.

(source)

ZTE Blade A7 launched in China for the starting price of 599 Yuan (~$88)

By

Simranpal Singh

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May 6, 2019

Before a new product launch event today, ZTE revealed Blade A7 in China. The device’s pre-registration is now live via JD.com. It is available in three different colours – Sea Blue, Night Black and Star Black. The mid-level device retails at the affordable price of 599 Yuan (~$88) for 2GB + 32 GB and 699 Yuan (~$103) for 3GB + 64 GB internal storage variant. It will start shipping from May 17.

ZTE Blade A7 features a MediaTek P60 octa-core Helio P60 processor coupled with 2/3 GB RAM. It carries a 6.0-inch TFT HD display with the resolution of 1560*720 pixels. The waterdrop notch houses a 5-megapixel f/2.4 front camera. On the rear side, there’s a 16-megapixel camera with AI intelligent scene recognition, a speaker grill and company’s branding. It is a dual SIM dual standby device with 4G support.

Pricing Details:

ZTE Blade A7 2GB + 32 GB – Night Black and Sea Blue – 599 Yuan (~$88)
ZTE Balde A7 3GB + 64GB – Night Black and Star Black – 699 Yuan (~$103)
Read More: Oppo Reno 5G vs ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G: Specs Comparison

The device is powered with a 3200 mAH battery and carries 5V 1.5A standard charger. It measures 154mm x 72.8mm x 7.9mm and weighs over 146 grams. In the connectivity, ZTE Blade A7 supports 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth, WiFi hotspot, OTG support and GPS. Buyers will get a charger, data cable, ejector pin, guide and a smartphone unit.

(source)

A man accidentally swallowed AirPod while sleeping and it still worked

By

Simranpal Singh

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May 6, 2019

Technology advancements are making our lives more comfortable with new features and improved designs. However, opposing the benefits, a Taiwanese man accidently swallowed Apple AirPod while sleeping and was surprised to find it working inside his stomach.

An unusual experience happened with a Taiwan based navy recruiter named Ben Hsu. While sleeping, he somehow slipped the right AirPod into his mouth. After coming back to the senses, he found it missing and used the ‘Find my Airpods’ feature to locate it. After searching, he found the ‘beep, beep’ sound coming from his stomach. “I checked under my blanket and looked around but couldn’t find it,” Hsu said. “Then I realized the sound was coming from my stomach.”

Hsu rushed to the hospital for a checkup to confirm the ordeal that happened with him. The doctors at Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital validated it through his X-ray and prescribed him a laxative. He was asked to wait and let nature take its course.

The next day Hsu successfully eliminated it from the body and found it still working with 41 percent battery life left. Airpods are not officially waterproof, and even Apple advises users to keep it away from liquids.

Read More: Newer AirPods Fakes can even replicate the original model’s W1 chip auto pairing, costs just $40!

However, users should be aware of these kinds of situations and always keep Airpods away while sleeping.

(via)

Huawei trolls Samsung with a giant P30 Pro billboard on top of the South Korean company’s store in Australia

By

Simranpal Singh

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May 6, 2019

The smartphone wars are getting interesting this year, especially between Samsung and Huawei. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer placed a giant P30 Pro billboard on top of the Samsung store at a Brisbane shopping mall. Flagship devices from both the companies – Huawei P30 series and Samsung Galaxy S10 series come with high-end features. The manufacturers are striving for different ways to corner-off the edge-to-edge competition between their respective smartphones.

Samsung and Huawei have indulged various times in similar battles over the recent past. In Dubai, Huawei placed a larger billboard advertising the P30 device against the Korean giant’s advertisement of the Galaxy S10. Huawei even mocked the Galaxy S10 with the P30 advanced features like 3D face recognition and others via its official Twitter handle. Huawei’s Trucks stopped-off last year at one of the Apple store carrying promotional billboards citing “Renaissance is coming.”

Notably, both smartphones carry striking features and have their own USPs over each other. We are going to see a great battle in terms of total sales in the coming years.

However, the Chinese smartphone maker overtook Apple last year to become the second largest smartphone maker. It is now looking for the top spot by displacing Samsung as the largest smartphone manufacturer.

Read More: Huawei P30 Pro Camera Review: We test out its incredible camera performance!

According to a recent report by IDC, Huawei surged 50 percent in Q1 2019, whereas Apple tumbled by 30% as compared to the same period last year. Samsung is still on top with 71.9 million shipments in the first quarter but witnessed an 8.1% drop over YoY basis.

(source | via)

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 lands in the UK, will go on sale from May 7

By

Jeet

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May 6, 2019

Earlier this year, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 smartphone in the Chinese market and then brought the same device to the Indian market. The smartphone has been very well received and is one of the best in its price segment.

Now, the company is expanding the phone’s availability to other regions and has launched the Redmi Note 7 in the United Kingdom. It will be available for purchase from 7th May in three color options — Space Black, Neptune Blue, and Nebula Red.

The smartphone flaunts a 6.3-inch Full-HD+ “dot notch” display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and 409ppi pixel density. Under the hood, it packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor, clocked at 2.2 GHz and coupled with Adreno 512 GPU.

As for the memory configuration, it comes in three variants — 3GB RAM +32GB storage, 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage. There’s a microSD card slot for expanding the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB.

Coming to the camera department, the smartphone features an AI dual camera setup on the back, similar to the Chinese variant. It consists of a 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. The Indian variant comes with a 12 MP + 2 MP setup. The camera comes with support for PDAF, Super Night Mode, EIS, Portrait Mode, AI Scene Recognition, and HDR.

On the front side, the device features a 13-megapixel sensor with AI Portrait Mode, AI Smart Beauty, HDR, and AI Scene Recognition. The phone runs Android 9 Pie-based MIUI 10 operating system out-of-the-box. The device is powered by a 4,000mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging technology.

(Source)

Redmi’s first Snapdragon 855 flagship could be called as the Redmi K20 Pro

By

Joel Joseph

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May 6, 2019

Redmi is confirmed to compete in the flagship segment in the coming weeks. We know that the phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC and will be priced quite competitively. In fact, Redmi general manager, Lu Weibing has revealed that the brand will take on smartphone makers who slap excessive price tags on their flagships. Now, thanks to an alleged protective film from the upcoming phone, we have an idea of what it could be called.

Alleged Redmi SD855 smartphone protective film

Redmi’s first Snapdragon 855 smartphone could end up being called as the Redmi K20 Pro. This information comes with a protective film that’s usually on the screen of a brand new smartphone. The film also features most of the important specifications of the device. So, Redmi’s Snapdragon 855 flagship, most likely called as the K20 Pro will come with a 48MP triple camera setup at the back and a pop-up 20MP AI front camera.

The film further reveals that the AMOLED screen will be of 6.39-inches and will feature the new generation version of screen fingerprint. Finally, the battery is said to be of 4000mAh with 27W fast charging support.

We have to add that this leak comes from an unconfirmed source, so take this with a pinch of salt. However, there might be some truth to it. Lu Weibing revealed a couple of days back that the phone won’t be called as the Redmi X. So we could scrap off that name from the potential list. But we know that the phone would be placed in a new series since it’s the first such flagship from the recently separated brand. So, ‘K’ series could very well be the flagship lineup from Redmi. However, these are all speculations for now.

RELATED: Xiaomi sends Redmi Note 7 in space to capture photos of the earth

According to recent leaks, the Snapdragon 855 powered Redmi flagship will come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC, and an ultra-wide camera lens. The triple camera setup is said to feature a 48 MP primary sensor with 13 MP and 8 MP sensors.

(Via)

Pre-Order Top Variants of VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV Box at Lowered Prices from GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

-

May 6, 2019

Looking for a TV box that can transform your regular television into a smart TV without setting you back a pretty penny? You’ve come to the right place.GeekBuying is giving its loyal users a chance to buy top variants of the VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV box at unbeatable prices. Moreover, we will show how you can avail additional discounts without breaking a sweat at the time of checking out.

VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV Box (4GB RAM, 32GB ROM)

The VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 runs the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system to deliver high speed and overall smooth performance. Powered by Cortex A53 chip, this version ships with 4GB of RAM and offers 32GB of internal storage capacity.

The aforesaid variant of the VORKE Z7 usually retails for $76.99, but you can now pre-order it for a dropped price of only $43.99 from GeekBuying. Moreover, you can extend this noteworthy discount simply by applying coupon code ETPEHQHF. The coupon helps you save $4 more by reducing the original asking price of the model to just $39.99. You can visit this link in order to avail the discount and use the coupon before it expires.

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VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV Box (4GB RAM, 64GB ROM)

This variant comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite content. It packs an Allwinner new H6 quad-core high-end master chip which is Cortex A53 architecture, under the hood for unparalleled processing capacity.

You’d normally end up shelling out $71.99 on the 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM variant of the VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV box, but you can now pre-order it for just $46.99 from GeekBuying. On top of that, you can apply coupon code WDAUPYER and get an extra $4 off at checkout.

In other words, you can bring the already reduced asking price of this slightly larger version of the VORKE Z7 Allwinner H6 TV box simply by applying the aforesaid coupon. You can visit this link to grab the discount and use the coupon, which is slated to expire shortly.

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