OPPO Reno rumor roundup: Specifications, variants, launch event and livestream details

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Apr 7, 2019

The OPPO A5 is a mid-range phone with a notch and dual rear cameras. It launched in India last year in a single variant with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. OPPO has now released a new variant with double the storage.

The new variant retains all the specs of the 32GB version but has 64GB of built-in storage. As expected, it also costs more – ₹12,990 (~$188). To be honest we see no reason why you will want to buy this as the Realme U1 (4+64GB) offers much more (save for a smaller battery) and costs less – ₹11,999 (~$175).

The OPPO A5 has a 6.2-inch HD+ 19:9 display with a wide notch at the top for the selfie camera and speaker. It is powered by the Snapdragon 450 processor and there is support for storage expansion.

The back of the phone is home to dual cameras – a 13MP f/2.2 primary sensor and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The front-facing camera is an 8MP f/2.0 sensor with support for Face Unlock and AI Beauty 2.0. It also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The A5 runs ColorOS 5.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo and packs a 4230mAh battery. It has a pretty nice feature called Music Party which allows your friends to connect to your hotspot and play the same song your phone is playing.

Sony resumes Xperia XA2 Android Pie update

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Apr 6, 2019

Sony began rolling out the Android Pie update to the mid-range Xperia XA2 back in February. However, it had to suspend the update as it was bricking the Russian version of the phone. Sony has now resumed the update for the phone.

The old update’s which has version number 50.2.A.0.342 would cause phones to restart and then display black and white stripes on the screen afterward, rendering the phone unusable. The new update has resolved the issue and is now safe for installation.

The new update’s version number is 50.2.A.0.352 and it brings March 2019’s security patch too. It is also said to be rolling out in other regions too. So check your phone for the update.

The Xperia XA2 was released over a year ago. It has a 5.2-inch FHD display with thick bezels at the top and bottom of the screen and covered with Gorilla Glass 4. There is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 under the hood and it is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The SIM 2 slot also doubles as a MicroSD card slot (256GB max.).

Xiaomi is 9 Years Old: We Document Its Journey & Major Milestones!

By

Joel Joseph

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Apr 6, 2019

Nine years ago, eight people came together in Beijing with one purpose: To create something cool! And it took them just a bowl of millet porridge to know what they wanted to call the company. Thus, Xiaomi was created.

Little did they know they were creating one of the biggest smartphone companies in the world.

Today, Xiaomi is not just a smartphone maker. It’s a way of living. Its products can replace nearly all of your essential electronics at home, ranging from tiny smart bulbs to heavy duty washing machines and water purifiers. The Xiaomi fever is spreading ever quickly and they seem unstoppable right now. Despite its solid footing in the smartphone industry, Xiaomi had its fair share of struggles and downfalls. And the company has shown us that it’s here to stay by surviving all those tough times. In fact, the company’s turnaround story is so good that people often refer to it as the ‘Chinese Pheonix’!

From making smartphones that borrowed its design from competitors to leading the industry in multiple facets, Xiaomi has carved out a niche of its own in this highly competitive market. To be honest, the smartphone industry wouldn’t have been the same without Xiaomi.

So, it’s only fitting to see some of the biggest milestones by the company on its ninth birthday. So, hop on to this Xiaomi story where you’ll get some interesting facts and figures of the company.

1How It All Began!

Xiaomi’s initial team members having millet porridge Source: Donovan Sung Twitter

Xiaomi is headquartered in Beijing, China and started its journey with eight co-founders and fourteen employees on April 6, 2010.

Xiaomi’s logo is abbreviated as Mi and stands for ‘Mobile Internet’. Mi has other meanings as well, which include ‘Mission Impossible’ which represents the various challenges the company had to overcome in its initial years.

The Chinese word for Xiaomi is ‘小米’ which means ‘Millet’. When one of the co-founder’s father cooked millet porridge for the entire team, the company decided to go with this name since it represents affordability and nutrition.

Fun Fact: Xiaomi’s founder, Lei Jun adds “When I went to the trademark registration, someone asked me whether we are an innovative agricultural technology company,”.

Lei Jun and Lin Bin, the two founders of Xiaomi were already good friends before starting off their new idea. Lin Bin met Lei Jun around early 2009 when Google decided to partner with UC Browser. Back then, Lin Bin was at Google heading the company’s mobile products and business developments in China. Lei Jun was the Chairman of UC Web, and it was only natural that they became good friends.

2Xiaomi Founders

xiaomi 8 cofounders — Xiaomi cofounders Source: blog.mi.com

Xiaomi started its operations with eight co-founders. They were all in their 30s or 40s, which was above the average age for startup co-founders in China at that time. Nevertheless, they brought in years of rich experience to the company.

Lei Jun (ex-Kingsoft) [Nick: Lei Zong] — Currently the CEO of Xiaomi
Lin bin (ex-Googler) [Nick: Bin Zong] — Currently the President of Xiaomi, heads Mobile department
Li Wanqiang (ex-Kingsoft) [Nick: Alee] — Heads Xiaomi’s e-commerce teams
Kong-Kat Wong (ex-Microsoft) [Nick: KK] — Leads Mi Wi-Fi and Mi Cloud teams
Wang Chuan [Nick: Chuan Sir] — Currently President of Xiaomi China, headed Xiaomi’s Smart TV business
Hong Feng (ex-Googler) — Heads Xiaomi’s MIUI division
Guangping Zhou (ex-Motorola) — Heads Xiaomi’s Hardware and BSP teams
Liu De [Nick: Brother De] — Heads Xiaomi’s Industrial Design and Ecosystem Development Teams

3Xiaomi Employees

Xiaomi’s New Store in Madrid, Spain

Xiaomi started off with just 14 employees.

Right now, the company has over 18,000 employees spread throughout China, India, and other countries.

While Lei Jun and Lin Bin retain over 40% of shares in Xiaomi, there are 7000+ employees in the company with its shares or options. This was because Xiaomi’s executives offered share options to its employees right from the start. In fact, at the time of Xiaomi’s IPO, it was said that around 56 early employees of the company were all set to become millionaires.

When word spread back in 2010 that Lei Jun and his co-founders were racking up their own money for a venture financing round, there were employees like Li Weixing and others who wanted to join them. Lei Jun had hinted in an interview conducted in March that they had to let everyone in since they can’t let only Weixing invest. The investments from the rank-and-file were capped at about 300,000 yuan each to limit risk and stop employees from taking out loans to invest. The employee who even took out her dowry of around 100,000 to 200,000 yuan ($16,000 to $31,000) was simply identified as employee No. 14, a receptionist now working in Xiaomi’s human resources office.

Today, many of them are millionaires.

4Xiaomi’s Smartphone Journey: A Solid Start

Mi 1S

2010

The first version of the company’s Android UI called MIUI was announced in China

2011

Xiaomi’s first smartphone, Mi 1 announced on August 16. The phone was the first phone with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and went on sale in October in an online-only sales model. The price tag was just 1999 Yuan ($300).

2012

Xiaomi announces the Mi 2 featuring Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064. The phone is quite popular in China.
This helps Xiaomi sell over 7.19 million smartphones in the year.

2013

Xiaomi announces the Xiaomi Mi 3 in two versions, one with SD800 and another one with NVIDIA’s Tegra 4. This phone becomes the company’s flagship model in the international markets next year.
In the same year, Xiaomi announces its first phone under a new lineup, Redmi, focused on the budget segment. The first model in the lineup is the Redmi 1. It was announced in July 2013 and came with MediaTek’s MT6589T processor and 1GB of RAM. It’s a hit among budget users.
The surge in Xiaomi fanbase helps the company sell over 18.3 million smartphones in the year, which was more than 50% YoY growth.

2014

This was the year when Xiaomi decided to let loose and reach out to other markets outside of China.
The first international stop was Singapore, followed by countries like Malaysia and the Philippines.
The same year, Xiaomi started its operations in India with the Xiaomi Mi 3 flagship.
In light of its international expansion, the company decided to give its online operations a global reach by purchasing the Mi.com domain for a staggering $3.6 million. This was the most expensive domain purchase in China in its time.
In the same year, the Redmi 1 model got a larger sibling, called the Redmi Note.
In terms of smartphone shipments, Xiaomi came into the big league, shipping over 61.12 million units in 2014.

5Xiaomi’s Smartphone Journey: Trying Times

2015

Xiaomi’s international expansion continued and it entered new markets like Brazil.
The company decides to prioritize its operations in India. In this regard, Xiaomi announced Xiaomi Mi 4i, its first smartphone tailored for the Indian market. The phone first launched in India before any other country including China.
The company continues its aggressive online-only model. However, it fails to achieve its 100M smartphone target and accepts that it grew too quickly. Xiaomi didn’t reveal an exact sales figure at that time, but it was said to be only around 70 million units, falling way short of its initial target for the year.

2016

The struggle continues, with Xiaomi ceasing its operations in Brazil.
However, there were a bunch of new announcements like the Xiaomi Mi Max series and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 model. The latter would turn out to be one of the best selling smartphones in India.
Xiaomi targets the EU market bagging its first official distributor, ABC Data.
In November that year, Xiaomi announced a smartphone that changed the way we perceive the brand. The Mi Mix series was announced with a revolutionary tri-bezel-less design and a very high screen to body ratio. The company managed to beat the big players to release something unique and beautiful in the industry. In some sense, we can say that the Mi Mix series paved the design for the smartphones that we see today!
But overall, 2016 was a bad year for Xiaomi. Company’s online-only sales model was no longer effective and competitors like OPPO and Vivo, driven by its solid offline sales strategy, was eating up Xiaomi’s sales. By the end of the year, Xiaomi could only sell around 53 million units. A huge decline over last year and definitely falling short of the company’s big goals.

6Xiaomi’s Smartphone Journey: China’s Pheonix!

xiaomi mi store — Xiaomi started focusing on offline sales

2017

This year defined Xiaomi. After two years of declining sales, some people started to write off Xiaomi as any other startup that shows promise but fails to deliver in the long run.
However, the company turned things around drastically! And the way they did it forced people to take notice. By the end of 2017, Xiaomi has shipped over 92 million smartphones, which was an unprecedented growth figure in the industry!
Xiaomi first revamped its offline policy. CEO Lei Jun announced the company’s newfound love for retail and vowed to open 200 Mi stores in China by the end of the year.
Despite struggling in its home country, Xiaomi was exceptionally successful in India in the previous two years. It managed to overtake Samsung to become the number one smartphone company in India in 2017.
It opened its first Mi Store in Bengaluru, India in the same year. At the same time, Xiaomi renews its focus in India with a target of opening 100 Mi Stores throughout the country in the next two years.
In the same year, Xiaomi offers something unique to its Mi fans. The first Android One smartphone, the Mi A1 is announced. It runs on stock Android instead of the company’s MIUI platform.

2018

Xiaomi strengthens its hold in Europe with Three partnership. This opens up its entry into the UK.
The company also announces the Mi Mix 2S flagship. This is the first ever Xiaomi smartphone to have a really good camera, changing the perception that the company couldn’t excel in the camera department. With a DxOMark score of 97, Xiaomi had finally entered the big leagues of flagship camera performers.
Xiaomi announces it will forever limit its net profit margin after tax for the entire hardware business to 5%.
In the same year, Xiaomi gets listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange at HK$17, thereby raising $4.2 billion. With that pricing, the company is valued at $54 billion.
Xiaomi’s turnaround strategy further fuels its growth in 2018. It shipped over 100 million smartphones by November 2018. By the end of the year, the total shipments figure reach 122 million!

2019

In January 2019, Xiaomi decides to split its popular Redmi brand from the flagship Mi brand. Also, Redmi gets a new head, Lu Weibing, who was the former President of Gionee.
The company also decides to offer 18 months of warranty for its newly launched Redmi Note 7 series smartphones. It further announces its intention to set the 18 months warranty trend in the industry.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G also makes its debut at MWC 2019, joining the likes of Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and other big players with this new generation wireless standard.
Xiaomi proves it means business in the smartphone industry by upgrading the camera on its Mi 9 flagship. The phone bags a DxOMark score of 107, making it one of the top 5 smartphone cameras in the industry.

7Xiaomi’s 9 Year Journey In Figures

Xiaomi has over 242.1 million MIUI users
Xiaomi has over 151 million IoT devices with over 2.3 million users with more than 5 Xiaomi branded IoT devices.
Xiaomi is the No.1 Smart TV Brand in Mainland China.
The company sells its products in over 70 countries. It one of the top 5 smartphone makers in 16 markets.
There will be over 2000 Mi Home stores worldwide by 2019.
The company has applied for over 24,000 patents worldwide. Out of them, 5920 patents have been granted yet.

Xiaomi logo in front of the headquarter

As compared to some of the big players out there, Xiaomi’s journey is quite short. However, what the company has managed to do in these short 9 years says a lot about the way it works.

For example, Xiaomi exceeded its revenue goal of RMB 100 billion in just over 7 years! For the same target, Apple took 20 years, Facebook 12 years, Google nine years, Alibaba 17 years, Tencent 17 years, and Huawei 21 years!

After its Hong Kong IPO, the company is going strong with its strategy of product diversification. Hence, it isn’t really surprising to see that the company released over 44 non-smartphone products since January 2019!

So, on its 9th birthday, we wish Xiaomi all the success in the coming years. We hope it continues to offer great products and features at an affordable price tag, leading the way for all other companies out there!

Samsung Galaxy Fold gets certified by TENAA, further proof of availability in China

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Apr 6, 2019

Samsung announced the Galaxy Fold at its Unpacked event on February 20. The Galaxy Fold is the manufacturer’s first foldable device with a flexible display. Before its launch, the device was certified by China’s Communication Commission (3C) which meant it would be sold in China.

Earlier this week the phone was certified by TENAA and the listing reveals a few of its specs. We are not bothered about the incomplete info since the device has already been announced but this is further proof that the Galaxy Fold will be available in China and possibly soon.

The TENAA listing says the Galaxy Fold (SM-F9000) will run Android 9 Pie out of the box, have five cameras (it actually has six) and pack a 4275mAh (minimum capacity) battery. There are no images, no dimensions, and no color variants listed. There is also no info on RAM and storage configuration.

The Galaxy Fold phone has two displays – a 4.6-inch 840 x 1960 screen on the outside and a 7.3-inch 1536 x 2152 flexible display on the inside when unfolded. It is powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage.

There are two cameras above the flexible display – a 10MP f/2.2 sensor and an 8MP f/1.9 sensor both for selfies. The triple rear cameras are a 12MP telephoto camera with OIS and an f/2.4 aperture paired with a 12MP wide-angle camera with a variable aperture (f/1.5 and f/2.4) which also has OIS. The third sensor is a 16MP ultra-wide angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture. There is also a 10MP f/2.2 selfie camera above the smaller display when it is folded.

The Galaxy Fold packs a 4380mAh battery with support for fast charging. It has a USB type-C port at the bottom, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner but no audio jack.

Android 9.0 update schedule for LG V30, V35 and V40 ThinQ revealed

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Apr 6, 2019

I remember last year, just before the LG V40 ThinQ was launched, the device appeared on Geekbench. The benchmark result revealed the phone would run Android Oreo out of the box, and I was disappointed.

For a phone launching two months after Android Pie was released, it wasn’t acceptable for a flagship. Manufacturers like Huawei was also going to launch its own flagship around that period with Android Pie pre-installed.

Eight months after the release of Android Pie and six months after the release of the LG V40 ThinQ, LG is yet to update the device to Android Pie. Yesterday, the Korean company revealed the update schedule for the phone and other V series phones such as the V30, V30S ThinQ, and the V35 ThinQ.

According to the source, the four phones will get the Android Pie update by the end of June, ten months after Android Pie was released.

At the moment, the LG G7 One and the LG G7 ThinQ are the only two LG Phones that have been updated to Android Pie. The former got it first because it is an Android One phone.

Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL get certified by Singapore’s IMDA, few specs confirmed by Google

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Apr 6, 2019

The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are upcoming mid-range phones from Google. The two phones have been certified by Singapore’s IMDA.

The Info-communications Media Development Authority has certified the two phones listed as the Google G020F and Google G020B. Although the certificates do not mention the marketing names of the phones, the phones are believed to be the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL.

In other news, Google itself has confirmed the official name of the Pixel 3a as well as the specs of both phones. The Pixel 3a was spotted earlier today on the official Google Store site. The store also has a link to the “Pixel 3a Case” listed and even a “Compare phones” link. However, none of the three opens to any page.

[envira-gallery id=”245322″]

Both devices were also added to Google’s Play Developer Console which lists some of their specs. Bonito which is the codename for the Pixel 3a XL will have a 6” display with a 1080 x 2160 resolution. It will have 4GB of RAM and run Android 9 Pie.

The smaller Pixel 3a codenamed “Sargo” will have a 5.6-inch display and a 1080 x 2220 resolution. It will also have 4GB of RAM and run Android Pie out of the box.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4 | Via)

OPPO Reno to launch in Zurich on April 24

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Apr 6, 2019

The OPPO Reno is scheduled for an April 10 launch in China but a new report has revealed there will be an international launch a few weeks later.

OPPO is said to have sent out invites for an event in Zurich, Switzerland on April 24 where it will unveil the OPPO Reno. The version of the phone that will be launched in Europe will have a triple camera system with 10x zoom and 5G support.

The OPPO Reno’s main camera is a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and it is paired with an 8MP super wide-angle camera while the periscope lens is a 13MP sensor. The phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor.

With respect to design, the phone will have a bezel-less display with no notch or punch hole. OPPO has adopted a unique pop-up selfie camera design that has been tagged as “Sharkfin selfie” due to its angled look.

Get 33% Off On The Standard Edition Of The i12 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds

Huawei’s 40W SuperCharge supported Power Bank sales to commence next week

By

Simranpal Singh

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Apr 6, 2019

At the P30 series launch event, Huawei also unveiled 12000 mAh 40W SuperCharge power bank featuring two-way fast charging and few other amenities. On the day of launch, Huawei didn’t confirm the availability details of the power bank. Though, Bruce Lee, the Vice President of Handset Business at Huawei Consumer Business Group now confirms the commencement of 40W power Bank sales next week.

The new Power Bank is compatible with various other devices, including accessories and some Apple products. In a recent Weibo post, Bruce Lee exposed it charging the Huawei Matebook with a data cable.

The power bank will charge the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Honor Magic 2 and P30 series at 40W. It can SuperCharge 70% of Huawei P30 Pro’s 4200 mAh battery within 30 minutes. Inversely, the power bank itself supports 40W charging and can fully charge in 2 hours and 14 minutes. On standard 10W charge, you would have to wait for at least five hours.

It has two USB ports – USB-A for 40W charging and USB-C for Quick Charging the non-Huawei devices. Users can plug in MacBooks and other Laptops to charge using USB Type-C PD charging.

Related: Huawei’s latest 12000mAh 40W SuperCharge Power Bank can charge all your gadgets including laptop

Moreover, the device has four LED charge indicators and a button to check charge status. It measures 135.4 mm x 69 mm x 15.5 mm and weighs 227 grams.

The device will retail in White and Blue colors for the price of 99 Euros (US$ 111 / 749 Yuan approx.). Huawei 40W SuperCharge device will start retailing from April 11th.

(via)

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

By

Simranpal Singh

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Apr 6, 2019

Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 flagship series in February featuring first-ever Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. At the launch, Samsung advertised various benefits of the Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor including its accuracy and efficiency. Unfortunately, the so-called advanced in-display fingerprint sensor is fooled by an Imgur user dark shark.

The user easily fooled the Galaxy S10 ultrasonic fingerprint sensor by a 3D printed fingerprint. It is quite difficult to believe that a user can go upto such an extent to get into someone’s phone. The fact is the new on-screen fingerprint sensor carries some advancements over optical and capacitive fingerprint sensors, but still, it carries some loopholes.

According to darshark, a fingerprint photograph he took using his smartphone from a wine glass tricked the ultrasonic fingerprint. He used some photoshop skills to optimise photo and added height and depth details in 3DS Max for a 3D print. After doing necessary changes, he printed a 3D images of his fingerprint using AnyCubic Photon LCD resin printer.

Although after some changes involving three times reprinting, the 3D print unlocked the device as like of his actual finger. He believes using a DSLR camera would trick the sensor in a maiden attempt. Improved photography equipment can aid such type of hacks more efficiently and effectively.

This new way to trick fingerprint in-screen fingerprint is raising security questions against the endless safety and security claims from smartphone manufacturers. It pulled the wraps off the next level of security that Samsung has been advertising from past sometime.

Read More: Samsung will delay shipments of some Galaxy S10 and S10+ models

However, Samsung Galaxy S10 was launched at Unpacked Event in February. It carries Exynos 9820 Octa-core processor through the world, except for the US where it retails with Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC. It features a triple rear camera module featuring a 12 MP primary shooter + 12MP telephoto lens and a 16 MP ultrawide camera.

(via)

Xiaomi turns 9 today: We Pick the company’s recent Game Changers!

By

Michele Ingelido

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Apr 6, 2019

Xiaomi was officially founded on April 6, 2010. This means that the Chinese giant turned 9 today, and during this time, Xiaomi has become one of the best smartphones manufacturers in the world. Considering how the company started from scratch, this is indeed a tremendous achievement.

Currently, the company is in the top 4 smartphones manufacturers in the world and it is registering a huge and constant growth year-over-year. In just a few years, Xiaomi passed from being a Chinese-based company to a global giant, and now it ships millions of devices per month.

Here, you can find our selection of the best and most innovative Xiaomi phones released in the last two years.

1Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G deserves the first spot in this selection as it is the world’s first 5G-enabled smartphone ever announced. It is not the first one which hit the market as Samsung Galaxy S10 5G debuted in South Korea on April 5, but it will be available in the global market starting from next month. The handset is powered by a Snapdragon 855 chipset which is paired with a Snapdragon X50 5G modem. It is a single-mode modem (it needs an additional modem to support 4G, 3G, and 2G networks, that is the Snapdragon X24 in this case) which can reach peak download speeds up to 5 Gbps with the mmWave technology.

2Xiaomi Mi 9

The Xiaomi Mi 9 is the first Xiaomi phone to support fast wireless charging with a power of 20W. So, besides being able to fully charge with blazing speeds through Quick Charge 4+ and a USB-C cable, it even charges in a very quick way wirelessly. The Mi 9 is also one of the most affordable devices to come with the best Qualcomm’s chipset: the Snapdragon 855. It is not a 5G phone unlike the Mi Mix 3 5G, but it costs just €450 in the global market. Despite its incredibly affordable price, it has one of the best camera departments out there: a triple setup with a 48 MP main sensor, a 16 MP ultrawide lens and a 12 MP telephoto lens. It was ranked in the top 5 inside DxOMark’s camera phones chart.

3Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S deserves a mention for being the first Xiaomi flagship phone to really feature a flagship-grade camera. Until its release, lots of people were complaining about the scarce camera potentialities of the company’s flagships and every expert who wanted to shoot great photos with an Android handset opted for other manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei. But with the Mi Mix 2S things totally changed. Finally, it was possible to get a flagship-killer with an affordable price without sacrificing on amazing photos. And through the updates over time, the phone has got even better! In case you forgot, the Mi Mix 2S is equipped with a 12 MP dual camera with OIS and 2x optical zoom.

4Xiaomi Black Shark

With Black Shark, Xiaomi officially debuted in the gaming phones sector. The Black Shark, made in cooperation with a third-party company supported by Xiaomi, was essentially the affordable alternative to the Razer Phone, alias the world’s first gaming smartphone. Despite being an affordable device, it came with a flagship-class Snapdragon 845 SoC and amazing performance, as well as a very advanced cooling system. It even supports a dedicated external controller. And the listing price is just €400 ($450).

5Xiaomi Redmi Note 7

A few months ago, Xiaomi decided to split its core smartphone business and its whole Redmi line-up by transforming Redmi in a sub-brand, just like Huawei did with Honor (and Oppo with Realme). Redmi Note 7 was the first smartphone released after Redmi became independent from the main company. And the Redmi Note 7 hit the shelves with one of the most interesting price tags of 2019. Just €179 (globally) for the base version for a phone that is powered by a Snapdragon 660 chipset and sports a 48 MP dual camera, as well as a huge 4000 mAh battery! Do you know any device with a better value for money at the same price? Let us know in the comment box below.

6Xiaomi Mi A1

With the Mi A1, Xiaomi embraced the Android One program for the first time. This device belongs to the only Xiaomi midrange line-up containing smartphones without MIUI installed. It comes with Android One out of the box: a stock Android version supported directly by Google with constant and fast updates. Thanks to this device, customers were able to break free from all MIUI’s customizations, bloatware, and preinstalled apps. The phone was also released in a version with MIUI for the Chinese market: the Mi 5X. But the Mi A1 turned out to be one of the company’s best-sellers in that year.

Read More: Mi’s next Android One phones (possibly Mi A3 and Mi A3 Lite) will have in-display fingerprint scanners

7Xiaomi Redmi Go

While Xiaomi Mi A1 is the first company’s phone with Android One, the Redmi Go is the first with Android Go. In case you don’t know, it is an enlightened version of Google’s operating system with toned down apps which takes less storage and fewer system resources, so it is able to run smoothly even on devices with low-end or outdated hardware (it can be used with only 512 MB of RAM!). So, the Redmi Go allows people to get a smooth and performing device while spending less than 100 bucks. And it still comes with an HD display and a long-lasting battery.

RELATED: Xiaomi lets the media in on the rigorous tests the Mi 9 undergoes with a tour of Foxconn’s production factory

As you can see, Xiaomi devices evolved a lot in the last years, a lot of new line-ups were born and we saw a lot of best-sellers.

We can’t imagine the smartphone industry would have been the same without Xiaomi and its smartphones. Thank you Xiaomi! And Happy Birthday!

Which is your most favorite Xiaomi phone ever? Let us know in the comments box below.

Get Great Discounts On The Apods i10 And i12 Bluetooth Earbuds On GeekBuying [Coupons]

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 6, 2019

If you’re in the market for cost-effective AirPods alternative, you might want to give the Apods i10 and Apods i12 a test drive.

Here are the top online stores where music lovers can buy these amazing earbuds without emptying your pocket.

i12 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds on GeekBuying (Standard Edition)

Equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology, the i12 offers fast sound transmission, coupled with a stable connection. The standard edition of the i12 earbuds usually retails for $29.99, but you can now buy it for only $19.99 on GeekBuying.

Moreover, you can extend this 33 percent discount by applying coupon code TLTEOTGH. The coupon helps you save $7.30 and bring the already reduced selling price of the i12 further down to only $18.69 at checkout.

You can follow this link to avail the discount, which is valid for the white color version of the i12 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds. Note that the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

Apods i12 Bluetooth 5.0 TWS Earbuds (Upgraded Edition)

Alternatively, you can go for the upgraded edition of the i12, which usually sells for $39.99 on both online as well as offline stores. Much to the delight of those who aren’t willing to shell out that kind of money on Bluetooth earbuds, GeekBuying is now offering it for just $28.99.
Not only can you take advantage of this 28 percent discount, but also use coupon code ZFVQXUFD to save $6 more. In other words, you can reduce the retail price of the device to just $26.99 before placing your order.

In order to avail the discount, all you need to do is to follow this link. Note that the promo is slated to end soon.

Get 28% Off On The Upgraded Edition Of The i12 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds

Apods i10 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds

The i10 adopts the Bluetooth 5.0 technology that warrants reliability in terms of connectivity and faster sound transmission. As a result, you get a superior calling and game playing experience.

The i10 usually carries a steep $29.99, much to the chagrin of cost-conscious music lovers. In a bid to make the i10 available to those living on a tight budget, GeekBuying is now doling out a 33 percent off on these amazing Bluetooth earbuds.

While the above-mentioned discount allows you to buy the i10 for a reduced price of just $19.99, there’s more for you to cheer about. Aside from getting the discount, you can save $7 more simply by applying coupon code XUFDWYTK during the checkout process.

This reduces the original asking price of the Apods i10 to only $18.99. You can click here to visit the promotion page and grab the discount, which will be valid for the white color version of the earbuds for a short period of time.

Get 33% Off On i10 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds

How To Choose The Best Pair Between The i10 And i12 For You

Buy Xiaomi Remote Control At Affordable Prices From Top Online Stores

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 6, 2019

Do you fancy remotely controlling electronics in your house? Xiaomi’s got your back!
The Chinese electronics giant, known for making top-end smartphones also manufactures a slew of other electronic items including a remote control that enables you to control appliances without breaking a sweat. Here are leading online stores that offer this amazing device at reasonable prices.

Xiaomi Universal Convenient Remote Control on Gearbest

Staying true to its reputation for offering China’s best electronic items at unbeatable prices, Gearbest is giving its users a chance to buy the Xiaomi Universal Convenient Remote Control for a lowered price of only $27.99.

It is worth mentioning here that the feature-laden remote control would normally set you back $29.99 without the aforesaid 7 percent discount, which is valid for the black color version of Universal Convenient Remote Control.

On the downside, there are only 297 pieces left for this promo, which is slated to end in just six days. You can visit this link to grab the discount without wasting time.

Get
7% Off On Xiaomi Universal Convenient Remote Control

Xiaomi Mijia Universal Remote Controller on Banggood

Banggood has been offering the best bang for your buck for quite some time now. Keeping in line with that, the Chinese online store is now doling out a noteworthy 51 percent off on the Mijia Universal Remote Controller that supports Mi AI Speaker Voice Control.

While the Xiaomi Mijia Universal Remote Controller usually retails for $39.96, you can now buy it for just $19.80 thanks to the aforesaid discount. In order to take advantage of the discount, all you need to do is to follow this link before the promo ends on April 9th.

Get
51% Percent Off On XIAOMI Mijia Universal Remote Controller

Xiaomi Mijia Universal IR Infrared Remote Control on GeekBuying

You can control the Mijia universal remote controller using your phone after downloading and installing the Mi Home APP. The device enables you to turn appliances on and off using just your voice.
The Mijia Universal IR Infrared Remote Control usually retails for $44.99 but is currently up for grabs bearing a lowered price of $20.99 on GeekBuying. This is a 53 percent reduction in the device’s original selling price.

You can follow this link in order to avail the discount. Regrettably, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

Get
53% Off On Xiaomi Mijia Universal IR Infrared Remote Control

Xiaomi Mi Universal Intelligent Smart Remote Controller on AliExpress

The device works with Xiaomi’s Al Speaker and Al Speaker Mini via Xiaoai tongxue voice control. You can also download the Mi Home App in order to use the Mijia universal remote controller and turn your appliances on or off.
The black-tinted Xiaomi Mi Universal Intelligent Smart Remote Controller has gone up for sale bearing a price tag of $17.90 on AliExpress. New users can avail $3 off simply by applying the New User Coupon before placing their orders.

You can visit this link to get your hands on the highly-efficient remote controller.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Universal Intelligent Smart Remote Controller For $17.90

Get Great Discounts On Vivo Y95 4G Phablet On Gearbest And Flipkart

By

Vinay Patel

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Apr 6, 2019

Vivo made the Y95 4G phablet available to the public back in November last year. Even months after hitting the store shelves, the device continues to garner huge popularity among those who fancy using big-screen mobile devices.
If you’ve been waiting for the Vivo Y95 price to drop, we got good news for you. Leading online stores Gearbest and Flipkart are now offering the well-received phablet at a considerably lowered price.

Vivo Y95 4G Phablet on Gearbest

The global version of the Y95 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage capacity usually retails for $135.49, but you can now buy it for only $119.99 on the Chinese online store. This is an 11 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price.
While the aforesaid discount is valid for both red and black color versions of the Vivo Y95, there were 88 pieces of the red and only 74 pieces of the black color version left at the time of writing.

You can follow this link to avail the discount. Note that the promo is slated to end in only two days.

Get
11% Percent Off On Vivo Y95 4G Phablet on Gearbest

Vivo Y95 on Flipkart

Flipkart is offering its users an unmissable chance to buy the Vivo Y95 at a considerably reduced price of just 14,990 INR. This is a 21 percent drop in the 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM variant of the phone, which normally sells for 18,990 INR.
Moreover, the Indian e-commerce company is doling out the aforesaid discount on two beautiful color versions including Nebula Purple and Starry Black. You can check out other offers such as no cost EMI starting from 937 INR/month with 25 percent down payment by visiting this link.

The irresistible Vivo Y95 offers the following features:
6.22 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with 720 x 1520 pixels resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 Octa Core 1.95GHz processor
Adreno 505 GPU
4GB RAM, 64GB ROM
13.0MP + 2.0MP rear camera
20.0MP front shooter
Funtouch OS 4.5 based on Android 8.1 Oreo OS
Nano SIM card + Nano SIM card / TF card
4030mAh non-removable battery

Get
21% Percent Off On Vivo Y95 on Flipkart

Xiaomi’s MIJIA Anti Blu-ray Goggles Pro joins the fray ahead of Mi Fan Festival

By

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Apr 6, 2019

Ahead of the Mi Fan festival, Xiaomi has unveiled one of the 20 new products that were teased a week ago. It is an anti-blu-ray eyeglass dubbed MIJIA Anti Blu-ray Goggles Pro. The glasses will go on sale on April 9.

Anti Blu-ray glasses work to block harmful blue light rays and prevent them from reaching our eyes. They have a yellow-tinted filter that is designed to cut out the blue light rays from the screen and prevent them from reaching your eyes. Mijia anti-Blu-ray Goggles Pro has a 50% blue light absorption rate, and adds a double-sided anti-grease film layer, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning troubles.

The glasses use a TR90 frame, thus its overall weight is only 16 grams, bringing a pressureless wearing experience. For clarity, the TR90 eyeglasses frame is made up of a material that is bendable so that it is less likely to break from sudden ground shocks. The frames are ideal for anyone because they are extremely lightweight and flexible and just perfect to be used as eyeglasses or even sunglasses.

The MIJIA Anti-Blue ray Goggles Pro has a pair of silicone nose pads and no single screws at all. The temples and frames feature a new hinge design that eliminates the use of screws.

First Sample from Nubia Alpha’s tiny 5MP camera doesn’t disappoint

By

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Apr 5, 2019

Nubia first unveiled the innovative Nubia Alpha wearable in February this year. The wearable device looks more like a concept device with its foldable display and smartphone features crammed into a smartwatch design. However, the phone isn’t just a concept but will actually meet with us on April 8 when it will be launched in China. Ahead of the launch, Nubia’s co-founder and G, Ni Fei has released a camera sample which he says was shot using the minuscule Nubia Alpha’s camera.

For the avoidance of doubt, the device comes with a 5MP camera for photos and video shooting. For a small sensor, the sample is pretty impressive with high clarity and attention to details. We don’t know much about the camera details like if there is autofocus, PDAF or the aperture size, among others. Ni Fei did share the EXIF data of the photo though, to convince us that it was indeed shot by the tiny wearable. The data shows the camera uses a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels (FullHD).

As a reminder, the Nubia Alpha features a 4-inch flexible OLED display but appears a lot bigger because of its ultra-wide aspect ratio. The display offers 960 x 192 pixels screen resolution and an aspect ratio that looks to be in the region of 5:1 or 49:9. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, coupled with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

It also comes with fitness-related features such as sleep-tracking and health-assistant apps. The Nubia Alpha is fuelled by a 500mAh battery which promises a day or two of endurance, comparable to smartphones. It comes in two models, one with an eSIM while the other has only Bluetooth connectivity. Both models will be available in Black and Gold colours.

Live picture of the SD855-powered Redmi phone (Redmi Pro 2) with pop up camera leaks

By

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Apr 5, 2019

Xiaomi’s independent Redmi brand was recently tipped to have got a flagship model in the works. The device is rumoured to adopt the moniker Redmi Pro 2 and recently, the render of the model was leaked showing a pop-up camera design. The real-life picture of the supposed Redmi Pro 2 has now leaked on China’s Weibo.

The leakster only indicated that the phone is Xiaomi’s Snapdragon 855 flagship but no mention of Redmi Pro 2 was made. The device is also detailed to feature triple rear cameras and that is visible from the picture. The pop-up camera design will ensure the bezels around the display are minimal and the device will have a high screen-to-body ratio. The camera is at the middle while two antenna bands run adjacent at the left and right sides. While there is no evidence the model will be called Redmi Pro 2, the innovative pop-up design aptly fits the iteration considering that the Redmi Pro released in 2016 was Xiaomi’s first dual camera phone. Thus, it won’t be a bad idea if the first pop-up camera-packing phone is called Redmi Pro 2.

The Redmi brand is turning out to be a brand full of surprises. Just a few months in the market, we are already getting inundated with spectacular products under the brand. First, we saw the Redmi Note 7 with its rock-solid Gorilla glass that just won’t break. Then the Redmi Note 7 Pro joined the fray with a powerful Sony IMX586 48MP sensor and Snapdragon 675 chipset. The budget Redmi 7 that didn’t in any way look like a budget phone was also unveiled recently. Away from smartphones, Redmi also added several new products like a washing machine, Airdots earbuds etc. There is no word yet on when the pop-up camera-packing model will be launched but we expect that to happen sometime soon.

Motorola launches the Moto G7 Plus with 4/6GB RAM and 128GB storage in China

By

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Apr 5, 2019

Motorola has today launched the Moto G7 Plus in China. The Moto G7 Plus is positioned as a mid-range phone and comes in a sexy Viva Red and Deep Indigo colours. Recall that the Moo G7 Plus was first unveiled in Brazil on February 8 alongside the Moto G7, G7 Play and G7 Power. However, Motorola had earlier hinted that the G7 Plus will be the only model that would be launched in China this year.

The Moto G7 Plus is a sleek smartphone with a beautiful 3D curved design and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The mobile phone features a 6.24-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2270 pixels. The display has a cool waterdrop notch at the top holding the selfie camera. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor which isn’t really the best midrange chipset around but guarantees smooth and fast running of the smartphone. The China version is available in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants but both come with 128GB storage option only.

On the camera end, the G7 Plus also packs a dual rear camera setup, 16MP + 5MP combo while for selfies, there is a 12MP sensor. In addition, the phone will have a 27-watt fast charging that will give you 12 hours of power with just 15 minutes of charge. Other features include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual-band VoLTE, dual SIM slots and NFC.

As for the pricing, the Moto G7 Plus 4+128GB version is priced at 2099 yuan ($312) while the 6GB+128GB version comes in at 2399 yuan ($357). Both variants are scheduled to go on sale at 10:00am on April 11.

Xiaomi lets the media in on the rigorous tests the Mi 9 undergoes with a tour of Foxconn’s production factory

By

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Apr 5, 2019

Xiaomi recently invited some media personnel to a tour of Foxconn’s Langfang factory which is one of the three factories where the flagship Mi 9 series is produced. The three factories are Foxconn’s Langfang factory, Yinghuada’s factory at Nanjing, and BYD’s Xi’an factory. As you must have known, the Mi 9 has been experiencing some shortage in stock, occasioned by surging demand and from the look of things, a cumbersome production process.

The Mi 9 production is not just difficult because of the material it uses, but because it has to undergo several tests to assure of its durability. Most of the Mi 9 units in circulation are produced at Foxconn’s Langfang factory so this tour is a clear demonstration of the process. According to PCpop, the tour took reports to the SMT production line where the motherboard for the phone is processed.

There, the components are soldered on to the PCB main board. This is an automated process that is carried out by robots. The phone’s chipset, resistors and capacitors are placed on the main board by the robot according to the specified coordinates, and then it goes through the reflow oven where the entire motherboard is processed. The workers are mainly there to monitor the process and add raw materials. This process is very fast and accurate. One of the production lines can produce 8000 mobile phone motherboards a day and there are 10 of such SMT production lines at Langfang Foxconn.

The tour also took the reporters to the assembly workshop where the motherboard, screen, camera, earpiece, battery, wireless charging coil and other components of the Mi 9 is assembled to the frame. The process is constantly monitored with each unit checked to ensure the assembled components are working. After that, the glass back panel is mounted. It is also precisely positioned by a precision robot, and the back cover is tightly fitted to the body. Then the model name is printed on the rear shell. After that, the production is completed.

After the complete production, the phone isn’t shipped out just yet but still has to undergo several rigorous stress tests. In the ageing test workshop, the assembled mobile phone will simulate the heavy use of the user, and test whether there are software and hardware issues on the mobile phone. After that, the mobile phone will be processed by p2i, which is to cover the surface of the mobile phone with the P2i nano-coating so that the surface of the mobile phone is hydrophobic, and the liquid can be prevented from entering the mobile phone, thereby achieving a ti-splash level. The entire p2i process lasts for 3 hours.

The last production line is where the Mi 9 is packaged. Before packaging, another test is carried out on some of the features such as the screen and camera before the packaging of the mobile phone. Then the network license is placed on the back of the fuselage, as well as a barcode on the back and a protective film on the screen. The phone is then placed inside the packaging box alongside other accessories before sending it to a temporary storage facility. According to the officer in charge of the factory, the sales of the Mi 9 is very hot so, the phone doesn’t even make it to the warehouse before it is shipped to the various sales channels.

After the factory tour, Qiao Tonghu, senior manager of mobile phone delivery management in the production management department of Xiaomi Group’s mobile phone department, and Xu Jieyun, general manager of Xiaomi Group’s public relations department, accepted questions from the media. Most of the questions centered on the production capacity of the Mi 9. The Xiaomi official in charge noted that the company first encountered problems in the early production stages in two aspects. First, the supply of camera modules was relatively small, which limits the overall production capacity. Then the aspect of worker’s proficiency but that is constantly improving.