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Lei Jun says Xiaomi must become China’s first 5G mobile phone provider

Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun granted an exclusive interview to China Central Television (CCTV) yesterday at the Boao Forum for Asia’s 2019 annual meeting held in Baoa, Hainan. Chairman Lei hinted among other things that the overall investment in 5G R&D in the industry is very high presently. He also hinted that Xiaomi strongly aims to be the number one provider of 5G mobile phones. Since this is the first year for 5G, Lei Jun says Xiaomi must be visible in the market by being among the first batch of 5G mobile phone providers in China. Also, he stated that the company must stay prepared to deal with the 5G phone demand for next year. This they can achieve by a lot of careful preparation and updating the product line as soon as possible. The company will also be thinking of ways to improve the cost/performance ratio in order to afford more people the opportunity to own 5G phones.

Mi MIX 3 5G

Xiaomi announced its first 5G phone, the Mi Mix 3 5G, at MWC 2019 in Barcelona last month. The phone is similar to the regular Mi Mix 3 that is already on sale in many aspects, including the design. Where the 5G version differs is that it is powered by the 5G-enabled Snapdragon 855 chipset instead of SDM 845. The phone is expected to become available in May but its global availability may be tied to the speed at which the network carriers roll out their 5G network.

Read Also: Liu Weibing: Redmi to have its own ecosystem, outlines strategies and goals

Lei Jun also spoke about the firm’s investment in research and development, revealing that Xiaomi increased its R&D investment by more than 80% last year. He noted how R&D investments continue to grow and expressed is thought that the company’s investment in R&D investment is expected to increase tremendously this year. This increase in R&D investment will, no doubt, lead to an increase in the technical strength of Xiaomi’s products. We expect to also see more innovative and topnotch products just like the revolutionary Mi Mix concept phone. On foldable phones, the CEO reiterated what we already knew, that the company has a double folding foldable phone concept. He also hinted that the company explored several folding schemes but the double folding design emerged as the most practical one for the Chinese giant. So, we may actually see that design on the phone when it is eventually announced.

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The new 360 Home Firewall Router 5S has dual Gigabit ports and can connect 100 devices

In addition to the 360 AI Speaker Max, the company also launched the 360 Home Firewall Router 5S with an equally attractive price tag of 169 yuan ($25). Mind you, this isn’t just a router but one with a firewall as well. Hardware firewalls are network security appliances and are of two types; perimeter firewalls and internal firewalls. Most smaller networks typically have just perimeter hardware firewalls, which control access and secure local networks from the outside world. For this reason, most perimeter firewalls also have routing capabilities as in this case. While routers (without firewall capabilities) blindly pass traffic between two separate networks, firewalls actually monitor the traffic and help block unauthorized traffic coming from the outside trying to get into your network. Some firewalls even have anti-virus and anti-spam mechanisms to protect your network from viruses and unwanted email. This is one of 360’s strongholds so we expect the router also has anti-virus and anti-spam software onboard.360 Home Firewall Router 5S

The 360 Home Firewall Router 5s is equipped with dual Gigabit ports, allowing the home broadband to run quickly. It is equipped with a 28nm process SoC which is said to be 30% better than the chipset using the 40nm process. The device is also equipped with 802.11AC Wave2 MU-MIMO technology which makes the communication capacity of the router multiplied. This also enables the router to simultaneously handle the Internet access requirements of multiple terminals, thus preventing network congestion. 360 says it can successfully connect 100 devices at the same time.360 Home Firewall Router 5S

Related: 360 Mobiles N7 May Come With Helio P60 Since It Has A PumpExpress Charger

More importantly, the 360 Home Firewall Router 5s has added a signal enhancement algorithm to automatically determine the distance from the networked device and intelligently adjust the signal transmission power to ensure stable Internet access. At the same time, it is equipped with signal optimization technology for mobile devices which greatly reduces Wi-Fi disconnection while still maintaining the speed even if the device is far away from the router.

The 360 Home Firewall Router 5s will officially go on sale at 10 am on April 2 via JD.com.

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360 AI Speaker Max with powerful HiFi Sound, Voice prompt launched for 199 yuan ($29)

360 is one of the often underrated Chinese company that has been around for quite a while. The company is best known for its anti-virus software products than for any of its hardware which includes smartphones. Its products are pretty good, though, as they are known for quality over quantity. The Chinese startup is presently holding a week-old IoT conference in Beijing, China and during the event, the 360 AI Speaker Max M1 and 360 Home Firewall Router 5S were today unveiled.360-ai-speaker-max

The 360 AI Speaker Max isn’t just a smart speaker but also a powerful sound bar with Hi-Fi grade sound quality. The speaker has built-in DSP audio processor and supports advanced audio processing. It also comes with Smart EQ support which automatically changes the sound effect based on the song blasting from the speakers. The smart speaker has four linear array microphones and so, it supports voice prompt control. You may decide to wake up the speaker using your voice from a maximum distance of 5m.

Read Also: 360 Mobiles Launches New 360 Watch Series For Both Adults & Kids

The speaker also supports double tap to wake up. It can also act as a smart home hub which can be used to control other smart gadgets via voice prompt. There is equally a child mode which wakes up using the kid’s voice. This voice recognition feature allows the speaker to enter the Child mode. This mode delivers contents suitable for children of different age grades. In addition to working solo, the 360 AI Speaker Max is also on offer bundled with a camera set and video doorbell set at slightly higher prices. On its own, the AI Speaker Max costs 199 yuan ($29).

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OTA update will bring 25W fast-charging and more to the Galaxy S10 series

The Galaxy S10+ 5G is the only version of the S10 series that supports 25W fast charging. The feature is also available on the newly announced Galaxy A70. Today, the president of Samsung Greater China, Quan Guixian revealed that the S10e, S10, and regular S10+ will get the feature via a software update.

samsung-galaxy-s10-smartphones-960x519

The info was revealed at a meeting with fans at one of the major Samsung stores in China. Mr. Guixian said the OTA update should arrive next month and all users have to do is update their devices and purchase the 25W charger to be able to charge their devices faster.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy Fold will head to Asia and Europe with Snapdragon 855 instead of an Exynos CPU

New 8-inch Galaxy Tab A (2019) with S Pen announced

Last month, Samsung announced two new tablets – the Galaxy Tab S5e and the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019). None of the two tablets have Samsung’s S Pen stylus, not even the upper mid-range Tab S5e which has a $400 starting price. Samsung has now announced an 8-inch version of the Galaxy Tab A (2019) and unlike the other two, it has an S Pen.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2019) with S Pen

The Galaxy Tab A (2019) has an 8inch 1920 x 1200 display. It has thick bezels around the screen and appears to be made of plastic. It is powered by the same Exynos 7904 as the 10.1-inch model and also has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage that can be expanded via a MicroSD card slot (512GB Max.).

The tablet has a single 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. The camera app has features such as AR Emoji and stickers, live bokeh, and live beauty modes. The rear camera can also record in 1080p.

It runs One UI based on Android 9 Pie and packs a 4,200mAh battery. The S Pen is housed at the bottom right corner of the phone and is the same type as that of the Galaxy Note8. The Galaxy Tab A (2019) also has support for LTE. It will come in black and gray.

READ MORE: Samsung Galaxy Note FE starts receiving Android Pie update

Huawei P30 Pro vs iPhone Xs Max vs Samsung Galaxy S10+: Specs Comparison

The long-awaited Huawei P30 Pro is finally official with its awesome camera department as promised. This means that now we can finally compare the three best flagships of the first half of 2019 released from the most important brands. Besides the P30 Pro, we are obviously talking about the Galaxy S10+ and the iPhone Xs Max from Samsung and Apple which are the companies in the podium of the best smartphones manufacturers alongside Huawei. Which company did better for this year and which is the flagship you should go for if you have a consistent amount of money to spend on a new phone? This comparison will help you find out.

Huawei P30 Pro vs iPhone Xs Max vs Samsung Galaxy S10+

Huawei P30 Pro Apple iPhone Xs Max Samsung Galaxy S10+
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 158 x 73.4 x 8.4 mm, 192 g 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm, 208 g 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm, 175 g
DISPLAY  6.47 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), OLED  6.5 inches, 1242 x 2688p (Quad HD+), 19.5:9 ratio, Super AMOLED  6.4 inches, 1440 x 3040p (Quad HD+), Dynamic AMOLED
PROCESSOR Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz  Apple A12 Bionic, hexa-core 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz
Samsung Exynos 9820, octa-core 2.7 GHz
MEMORY  6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 512 GB – nano memory card slot 4 GB RAM, 256 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 512 GB  8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 512 GB – 12 GB RAM – 1 TB – micro SD slot
SOFTWARE  Android 9 Pie, EMUI  iOS  Android 9 Pie, Samsung Experience
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA  Quad 40 + 20 + 8 MP + TOF, f/1.6 + f/2.2 + f/3.4
32 MP f/2.0 front camera
Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4
7 MP, f/2.2 front camera
 Triple 12 + 12 + 16 MP, f/1.5-f/2.4 and f/2.4 and f/2.2
Dual 10 + 8 MP f/1.9 and f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY  4200 mAh, fast charging 40W, wireless charging 15W  3174 mAh, fast charging 15W  4100 mAh, fast charging 15W, wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Hybrid Dual SIM slot, waterproof (IP68), reverse wireless charging  Qi wireless charging, IP68 certification, Face ID, 3D Touch Dual SIM slot, IP68 certification, reverse wireless charging

Design

We want to award the Samsung Galaxy S10+ for having the most innovative design and also the most interesting materials, at least in its most expensive variant. Unlike the Huawei P30 and iPhone Xs Max which come with a classic notch in order to reduce the bezels, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ gets rids of thick bezels thanks to a punch-hole dual camera placed inside the display. Further, it is the only to come in a variant with a ceramic back. Huawei P30 Pro and iPhone Xs Max remain among the best devices for both aesthetics and build quality. Between the twos, I prefer the iPhone Xs Max due to its stainless steel frame as well as a cleaner and more symmetric design.

 

Display

The best display belongs undoubtedly to the Samsung Galaxy S10+. It has the highest brightness ever seen on a phone, a perfect color reproduction thanks to the Dynamic AMOLED and the HDR10+ technologies, and a very high level of detail. The second place goes to the iPhone Xs Max which has a panel manufactured by Samsung as well. It even has a 120 Hz refresh ratio that is very nice for the most advanced gamers. Huawei P30 Pro does not have a bad screen, but it is definitely inferior and it comes with a lower resolution.

 

Hardware/Software

The most powerful hardware department is the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S10+. Besides coming with the most powerful chipset in the Android market (the Snapdragon 855 but note that the European version comes with the Exynos 9820, but it is more or less at the same level), it sports up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of internal storage which you can furtherly expand with a micro SD. On the other hand, iPhone Xs Max comes with iOS that is a more stable operating system, so it delivers blazing speeds and solid experience as well. Even Huawei P30 Pro is wonderful with its fast Kirin 980 and up to 8 GB of RAM.

 

Camera

While the Huawei P30 Pro could not compete with the Samsung Galaxy S10+ and iPhone Xs Max in the previous paragraphs, it is undoubtedly the most interesting camera phone. It ditches the classic RGB main sensor in favor of a RYYB (red, yellow, blue) sensor which improves the photos in low light conditions very much. Further, unlike its rivals, it comes with a quad camera setup consisting of a main 40 MP lens, an ultrawide sensor, a telephoto lens, and a TOF sensor to calculate depth info in the best way. Right after there is Samsung Galaxy S10+ which remains one of the best camera phones ever and it has an even better camera department for selfies which can record 4K videos. iPhone Xs Max is able to click amazing shots, but despite being one of the most impressive camera phones, it can not compete with the amazing Huawei P30 Pro and Galaxy S10+ cameras.

 

Battery

With much bigger battery (4200 mAh and 4100 mAh respectively), Huawei P30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10+ are way better than the average iPhone Xs Max at battery life. Thanks to its bigger capacity, its efficient components, and great software optimization, Huawei P30 Pro is able to last a little more on a single charge than Samsung Galaxy S10+ and it wins the battery comparison.

 

Price

Huawei P30 Pro starts from just €880, while Samsung Galaxy S10+ cost €1050 and €1250 respectively in their base variants. However, street prices make them way more affordable. Overall, at least when it comes to the most expensive variant, I would go for the Samsung Galaxy S10+ because of its better display, more innovative and original design, and its amazing 12 GB / 1 TB memory configuration. But keep in mind that Huawei P30 Pro is a better camera phone, just in case camera is your priority like a lot of users.

 

Huawei P30 Pro vs iPhone Xs Max vs Samsung Galaxy S10+: PRO and CONS

Huawei P30 Pro

PROS

  • Amazing cameras
  • Bigger battery
  • Reverse wireless charging
  • More affordable

CONS

  • Worse display

 

Apple iPhone Xs Max

PROS

  • High performance
  • Face ID and 3D Touch
  • Good display
  • Amazing build quality

CONS

  • Shorter battery life
  • Higher price
  • No expansion slot

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

PROS

  • Amazing display
  • Up to 1 TB of storage
  • Big battery
  • Great camera
  • Innovative design

CONS

  • Nothing particular

Sony merges mobile, TV, audio, and camera divisions into one

Sony Mobile has been posting losses for several quarters now while other divisions such as camera, TV and audio divisions keep recording millions in profits. However, that might end soon as Sony has announced it is merging the mobile division with the camera, TV and audio divisions.

Sony Xperia 10 Plus

The new division will be called Electronics Products and Solutions and should result in technologies being exchanged between future products. Some folks have expressed surprise at the merger as they expected Sony to sell off or shut down its mobile phone division. As we can see, Sony has other plans. Now that the camera and mobile divisions are now one, the reported “rivalry” between them should no longer exist.

The Japanese company says it will continue to announce the performance results for its phones even with the new decision. The mobile division is doing pretty badly. Reports say it lost more money ($480 million) than the gaming division made in profits ($317 million) in Q2 2018!

Sony still has high hopes for its mobile division, if we can still call it that. It foresees the Xperia line might begin to make profits by 2021 at the earliest. However, the company also plans to cut its spending by half.

RELATED: Sony closing smartphone plant in China, moving production to Thailand

OnePlus 7 case renders reveal pop-up selfie and triple rear cameras

Around two weeks ago, Gizmo China had exclusively revealed case renders of the upcoming OnePlus 7 phone to reveal the rear design of the phone. New case renders have appeared on SlashLeaks to corroborate on the previously revealed rear design of the forthcoming OnePlus flagship smartphone.

The fresh renders reveal that the OnePlus 7 features an alert slider and a power key on its right edge. The left side that is not visible in the fresh images is equipped with a volume rocker.

OnePlus 7 case

The render also confirms that the OnePlus 7 will be featuring an elongated camera cutout on the rear. The images reveal that it will be the first OnePlus phone to arrive with triple rear cameras. The camera module seems to feature laser autofocus module in between the second and third sensors. Below the camera module is a dual-tone LED flash.

The bottom edge of the phone seems to feature cutouts for external speaker and USB-C port. There is a big cutout on the top edge which very likely belongs to the pop-up selfie camera. The other cutout on the top edge is for the microphone. Now that multiple leaks have confirmed on the existence of pop-out front camera on the OnePlus 7, it is very likely to sport a notch-less display. There is no cutout for rear-mounted fingerprint scanner on the cases designed for OnePlus 7. This indicates that the phone will be equipped with an in-display fingerprint reader like the OnePlus 6T.

OnePlus 7 case

OnePlus 7 case

Previous reports have revealed that the OnePlus 7 will be arriving in three color gradient options such as Black Yellow, Black Purple and Cyan Grey. Rumors are rife that the OnePlus 7 will be equipped with a 6.5-inch display and it will be fueled by the Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. The other specs of the smartphone are currently under the wraps. The smartphone is likely to go official in May or June. As of this writing, there is no information on its pricing.

(source)

Redmi 7 Hands on pictures: Leaves Redmi’s earlier budget offerings looking like garbage

Xiaomi’s Redmi brand gave us a surprise package last week when it unveiled the supposed budget Redmi 7 smartphone. If there was any category named “budget flagship”, that is where the Redmi 7 should belong. Not to create any controversy, let it be stated clearly that the Redmi 7 is not a flagship model but the sleek design, premium build and impressive hardware position the device as a model that can’t be overlooked by those shopping for a smartphone on a budget. With a starting price of 699 Yuan (~$104), it is hard to believe Xiaomi hasn’t compromised on quality on this one. Here are some unboxing/ hands-on pictures of the Redmi 7, affording us a closer look at the model.Redmi 7

The Redmi 7 is the cheapest model Xiaomi is releasing under the brand since Redmi became an independent brand. It doesn’t have any trace of compromise in quality, instead, you get a device with a topnotch finishing. Starting off with the packaging, the phone has a similar packaging with the Redmi Note 7. Inside the box, you get the smartphone, a 5V/2A charging adapter, data cable, SIM tray ejector, user manual and a complimentary pouch for the phone.

redmi 7

The phone size deviates from the compact size of its predecessors as it features a 6.26-inch display with a resolution of 1520x720pixels. The display uses the 19:9 aspect ratio and carries support for 84 percent NTSC colors. The screen is a TUV Rheinland display and so it effectively reduces the emission of harmful blue rays thus users won’t experience eye fatigue. Xiaomi took the quality of the budget phone to another level by adding a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 panel on top the display. In addition, it has a P2i splash-resistant coating. The device has a waterdrop notch design, a feature which it shares with the Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro. The notch houses an 8MP sensor with features such as AI Beauty and AI Face Unlock.

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Redmi 7 vs Competition: See how the Phone fares in the Budget Segment

The rear aspect design is yet another testament to the quality finish of the Redmi 7. The phone has a gradient finish upon what we believe is a plastic back. The finishing may make you think it is a glass back. At the top left corner is a dual camera setup with LED flash at the bottom. The camera comprises a 12MP + 2MP combo. There is equally a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for unlocking the phone. The SIM card tray is located at the left side of the display and has three slots – two nano SIM slots and an SD card slot.Redmi 7

Read Also: Buy Top Variants Of The Xiaomi Redmi 7 Global Version Smartphone On Giztop

On the internal hardware, the Redmi 7 is equipped with a Snapdragon 632 SoC paired with 2GB, 3GB and 4 GB of RAM on different variants. The device also packs 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options. It gets its interface from Android 9-based MIUI 10 while a 4000mAh battery keeps the lights on. You also get features such as dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Infrared remote control, microUSB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio jack.

Check out the gallery for more sleek photos of the Redmi 7 from below.

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Buy Link: Buy Xiaomi Redmi 7 on Giztop, Geekbuying and Banggood

[envira-gallery id=”243311″]

Hisense confirms April 3 launch event; Hisense U30 with punch-hole display may get announced

Hisense has confirmed through its Weibo account that it will be hosting a launch event on April 3 in China. The teaser video shared by the company suggests that it may launch a smartphone with punch-hole display. Hence, it appears that the company may announce the Hisense U30 that was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 in January and Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in February. The smartphone was recently certified by the TENAA authority of China.

Hisense U30 April 3 launch

The above shown teaser has no information on the name of the phone that may get announced through Hisense’s April 3 event. There is a possibility that the apart from launching the Hisense U30, the Chinese firm may also debut some another phone. Recently, the Hisense HLTE216M / HLTE216T phone was also approved by the TENAA body. It is the very same phone that was showcased as Hisense Rock V.

Hisense U30 Specifications

The Hisense U30 TENAA listing has revealed that it will be featuring a 6.3-inch IPS LCD punch-hole display that offers 1080 x 2340 pixels. The Snapdragon 675 chipset will be powering its 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variants. .

Hisense U30

It will be sporting a leather rear with 48-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup and a fingerprint scanner. It will be featuring a frontal shooter of 20-megapixel. The handset will be fueled by a 4,500mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. Black and Blue are the two color editions of the Hisense U30.

Hisense Rock V Specifications

The Hisense Rock V has a 6.2-inch waterdrop notch screen that produces HD+ resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. The Snapdragon 439 SoC will be powering the phone along with 5,360mAh battery.

Hisense Rock V

It will be releasing in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants and 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB storage models. For photography, it will be equipped with 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup and an 8-megapixel front camera. Gold and Black are the two editions of the Hisense Rock V.

(source)

OPPO Reno Snapdragon 855 edition Master Lu listing confirms key specs

The Bluetooth SIG certification of the OPPO CPH1919 phone had revealed that it will be unveiled as OPPO Reno. The Bluetooth certification site has also confirmed that the CPH1917 and CPH1921 are its Snapdragon 710 and 5G version of the same phone. The CPH1919 has been appeared on the Master Lu benchmarking platform with an impressive score. It has also revealed some of the key specs of the phone.

 

According to Master Lu benchmarks, the display of the OPPO Reno produces full HD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. It is fueled by the Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. Recent reports have revealed that the CPH1919 model will be equipped with a 6.65-inch display. A recently leaked hands-on video of the phone has revealed that it features a notch-less display. The handset will be equipped with an in-screen fingerprint reader. The SD855 SoC will be coupled with copper tube liquid cooling to maintain the internal temperature of the device.

Coming to the Master Lu benchmarks of the OPPO Reno, its SoC will be coupled with 8 GB of RAM and it will include an internal storage of 256 GB. It has recorded 389,386 benchmarking score on Master Lu. There is no confirmation on whether the SD855 variant will be coming in other RAM and storage options. The Chinese manufacturer will be also selling a 5G-ready version of the OPPO Reno smartphone.

The Snapdragon 855 powered OPPO Reno phone will be featuring a unique triangle-shaped pop-up selfie camera module that will include a 16-megapixel lens and an LED flash. It will be coming with Sony IMX586 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 13-megapixel triple camera module on its rear that will carry support for 10x hybrid zoom. It will be fueled by a 4,065mAh battery that will carry support for VOOC 3.0 flash charging.

OPPO Reno case render

The OPPO Reno will be releasing in China in four color options such as Midnight Black, Sea Green, Nebula Purple and Pink. As of this writing, there is no information available on the price tag of the phone.

(source|via)

Kirin 980-powered Honor V20 6GB+128GB version gets a price cut

The Honor v20 is just three months on the road but the midrange model has gotten its first price slash. Huawei Mall officially announced today that the Honor V20 version with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage has gotten a 100 yuan cut in its price. The model is now available on VMall for 2899 yuan ($430), down from 2999 yuan ($445). Honor V20

The Honor V20 is one of the most cost-effective smartphones around with a price point that is way lower than the hardware it packs. The V20 features a sleek glass body with a gradient finish. Perhaps, the most spectacular feature at the front is the punch hole which houses the 25MP front-facing camera. According to Honor, the aperture of the selfie shooter has the smallest diameter of 4.5mm in the industry which helps in integrating the display.Honor V20

The V20 features a 6.4-inch full-screen display and is powered by Huawei’s latest Kirin 980 processor. At the rear, the device packs a 48 Sony IMX586 main camera paired with a TOF sensor. The phone gets its juice from a 4000mAH battery with support for 4.5V/5A super fast charge. The phone also has Huawei’s latest GPU Turbo 2.0 technology which greatly improved the overall efficiency of the GPU graphics operation.

Read Also: Honor V20 vs OnePlus 6T vs Vivo NEX Dual Display: Specs Comparison

Summarily, Honor V20 is the cheapest Kirin 980-powered model around and even without the price slash, the phone is worth every penny you spend in getting it. You are certainly assured of getting full value or your money.

(source)

Buy Link: Get Honor V20 on Giztop and GeekBuying

Honor V20 price cut

MIUI 11 will come with redesigned and unified icons, monochrome low-power mode and more

Xiaomi is already developing the next version of its custom Android OS which will be called MIUI 11. Yesterday, the product manager and design director for MIUI held a Q&A session where they disclosed new features that will be added to the new version.

MIUI 11

One of the main changes we will see is a brand new set of system icons that have been redesigned from the ground up. The new icons will also have a unified design. Liu Ming says they are hard at work on MIUI 11 and hope everyone will like it.

Another feature coming to MIUI is an ultimate power saving mode where all system functions are turned off except calls and messages. In this mode, all colors will be turned off and the UI will switch to a monochrome mode to conserve power. Users will be able to customize this power saving mode too in case they want a certain app to still function.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi 9X full specifications, price leaked ahead of April launch

OPPO Reno hands-on video reveals unique pop-up front camera

The OPPO Reno smartphone will be unveiled on April 10. Several details of the phone have already appeared in recent reports. Not many leaks have revealed the front design of the phone. A new hands-on video of the OPPO Reno have appeared on Weibo to reveal its front and rear design. The video also reveals that it features a unique pop-up selfie camera.

The video begins by showcasing the rear design of the OPPO Reno. The back panel of the phone is equipped with two vertically arranged cameras. Hence, it could be the Snapdragon 710 edition of the OPPO Reno. Some rumors are claiming that it could be called OPPO Reno Lite. The dual camera setup of the phone will comprise of 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor.

Just as the case renders of the OPPO Reno had revealed few hours ago, the hands-on video also shows that it will be arriving with an unusual triangular pop-up selfie snapper. The selfie camera module is equipped with an LED flash and camera lens. Recent reports have revealed that the phone will be featuring a selfie camera of 16-megapixel.  The top edge of the module features the earpiece. When the pop-out module reverts back to its place, the earpiece which remains visible on the frame of the device will continue to product sound.

There is no rear-facing fingerprint scanner on the phone because it will come embedded under its OLED screen. The Snapdragon 855 edition of the phone will have a tripe camera that will include a 48-megapixel sensor, an 8-megapixel lens and a 13-megapixel sensor that will bring support for 10x hybrid zoom. The Chinese manufacturer will be also selling a 5G version of the smartphone. The pricing of the SD710 and SD855 editions of the OPPO Reno are currently under the wraps.

Xiaomi trolls Huawei’s newly launched P30 smartphone series

After trolling Samsung and Apple, Xiaomi is making fun of its home country rival Huawei this time. Xiaomi shared a couple of posts on Facebook trolling the newly launched Huawei P30 series – P30 and P30 Pro.

Is this really necessary?

Posted by Mi on Tuesday, March 26, 2019

In the first Facebook post, Xiaomi took a jibe at the P30 series pricing and captioned the shared screenshot from live-stream as “Is this really necessary?”. In another attempt, Xiaomi compared the Huawei P30 with Mi 9. Featuring all the features and pricing details, Xiaomi wrote  “We really believe in giving you amazing products at #HonestPrices. Do you think a flagship smartphone should cost you a fortune? #Mi9.”

At Xiaomi, we really believe in giving you amazing products at #HonestPrices. Do you think a flagship smartphone should cost you a fortune? #Mi9

Posted by Mi on Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Huawei launched the successors of P20 series – P30 and P30 Pro featuring high camera modules and other advanced features. Both the devices carry Kirin 980 SoC featuring dual NPUs and improved graphics performance. The elder sibling aka P30 Pro hosts a bigger 6.47 inch AMOLED display, 8GB RAM with 128/256/512GB internal storage, 4200 mAh battery and weighs 192 grams. Meanwhile, the P30 comes with smaller 6.1 inch AMOLED display, 6GB/128GB storage, 3.5 mm jack, and 3650 mAh battery.

As like of P20, Huawei added powerful cameras on both the devices. P30 Pro features rear quad camera module featuring 40MP, 20MP, 8MP and ToF sensors along with 32 MP front-facing camera. On the other hand, P30 embeds all other cameras except the ToF sensor.

Vivo V15 Pro emerges as the fastest-selling V-series phone, one month after launch

Vivo‘s V series is fast becoming one of the company’s cash cow as a result of its growing popularity. That is mostly due to the impressive designs and affordable pricing which the models have. From the Vivo V1 to the premium V15 Pro that was released recently, the models are just spot on. Talking of the V15 Pro, the model has been crowned as the fastest-selling V series model in India where it was released only a month ago.

Vivo V15 Pro hands-on images
Image Courtesy: Soyacincau.com

This is according to data released by market research firm GfK who also disclosed that the Chinese phone maker was the fastest-growing brand in India. Vivo’s growth is said to surpass the growth of the general market year over year. Between January 2018 and January 2019, Vivo shipped 60.9% more units and raked in a massive 63.2% revenue increase. This is pretty interesting due to the fact that GfK says the Indian market only grew 14.2% in shipments and 16.8% in revenue during the same period. Vivo’s performance in the final quarter of last year was also solid. Its Y-series phones secured the “under INR 20,000” market while the V-series tackled the segment above that.

Read Also: Vivo V15 Pro hands-on images reveal it design from all angles

While the V series targets the midrange segment, the Y series dominates the  “under INR 20,000” market. This strategy has helped the company dominate both the “under INR 20,000” and the “over INR 20,000” segments.

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ZTE making a comeback with new 5G Labs in Europe and China

After a record US$1 billion annual loss in 2018, ZTE – China’s second largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer is emphasizing its focus on 5G technology. In a statement, ZTE plans to boost investments in 5G research and development to improve on new networks.

ZTE logo

To address security concerns, ZTE is planning to invest in 5G labs across Europe and China by the end of this year. Initially, ZTE will set up three cybersecurity evaluation centers in Belgium, Italy, and China. The Shenzen-based telecommunications equipment maker ZTE is following the Huawei’s path of operating under the supervision of the local government.

ZTE’s primary focus is to reassure the telecom operators and governments about the security of its 5G equipment, reveals people concerned about the matter. ZTE is returning to its normal working and seeks a comeback after such troubled times. However, the company secured six commercial 5G contracts and is working with three major telecom operators in China – China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. ZTE is continuously cooperating with telecom operators around the world on 5G research and development.

“In 2018, ZTE adhered to innovation drive and concentrated on efficiency improvement by focusing on value customers, core products and optimizing R&D structure. It has continuously concentrated on the core 5G technical fields and further intensified 5G R&D investment,” the company said in a statement.

The company is trying hard to put aside the allegations and refocus on 5G development. Last year, the US government fined ZTE for violating its sanctions against selling equipment to Iran. All the executives were replaced and the board was reshuffled in accordance with the agreement. Further, ZTE remained shut for around four months in the US, its share price fell to HK$9.56 in June and reported an annual loss of 6.98 billion yuan (US$1.04 billion).

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Case renders shows the OPPO Reno (SD710 variant) has an unusual pop-up camera

The OPPO Reno has been trending ever since it was first revealed a few weeks ago. The phone which is scheduled for an April 10 launch is said to mark the beginning of a new direction for OPPO smartphones. There have been lots of details about the phone since the announcement with a large chunk originating from OPPO’s own VP, Brian Shen. Some of these details include renders of the Snapdragon 855 variant of the phone but today, we get to see renders of the Snapdragon 710 variant which reveals the phone will have an unusual pop-up selfie camera design.

OPPO Reno case renders

Vivo is the pioneer of the pop-up selfie camera design with the NEX A and NEX S smartphones. More manufacturers have adopted the design and even modified its size and the position the camera slides out from. But the OPPO Reno takes the design to a new level.

The selfie camera on the OPPO Reno comes out at an inclined angle (rough estimate 30°). It is unlike anything we have seen and we are eager to see it in person. The renders also reveal the front-facing camera will have an LED flash and the housing holds the earpiece too. When closed, the speaker pumps out sound via the five holes on the frame of the phone.

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The OPPO Reno has vertically stacked dual rear cameras reported to be a 48MP primary sensor paired with a 5MP depth sensor. The selfie camera itself is a 16MP sensor. There is an audio jack and a USB type-C port at the bottom of the phone. There is no fingerprint scanner on the back which means it is under the display.

READ MORE: OPPO’s 5G smartphone has now received CE certification

WhatsApp fingerprint authentication and ‘dark mode’ appears on Android Beta

WhatsApp keeps testing new features in the Android Beta version, and after endless refinements, they are made available on the stable release. Similarly, WhatsApp Beta 2.19.83 brings features like fingerprint authentication and ‘dark mode’. The Facebook-owned company is working on these features since a while now, and we soon expect it on the stable version.

Earlier last month, Facebook Messenger received the dark mode, and now it appears, the company is planning to induce the same feature on WhatsApp.

whastapp lock f

According to screenshots shared by the beta tracker WABetaInfo, the new ‘dark mode’ completely changes the look and feel of the app. It is limited to the Settings menu of the app and uses a dark grey background colour. It means AMOLED displays won’t be able to save battery effectively as they require pure black colours.

Fingerprint Authentication feature is also present in the new update. Users can enable it in Settings >Account >Privacy > Use Fingerprint to Unlock after registering your fingerprint. WhatsApp also gives users an option for a timeout after 1 minute, 10 minutes or 30 minutes. As like of Android system, too many failed attempts will lock out the app for a few minutes. The same feature is already available on iOS devices since the past year, apart from fingerprint authentication, users can also unlock using facial recognition via Face ID.

The new features needs some refinement before being made available on the stable build. Currently, both the features are limited to some users on the latest WhatsApp Beta version.

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