There were a number of pretty big announcements last week, and if you missed out on them because you were focused on the stock market, here’s a recap.

Motorola Edge S launched as the new flagship killer king

Motorola launched a new smartphone in China that has set a high standard for the flagship killer category. The Motorola Edge S starts at ~$310 and packs a Snapdragon 870 processor, a 90Hz display, dual front-facing cameras, quad-rear cameras, Turbo fast LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, and a 5000mAh battery. It also has a desktop interface, allowing you to use it as a computer when connected to an external display. That is definitely a lot you are getting for that price.

Carl Pei finally unveils what he has been cooking and it’s Nothing

Former OnePlus executive and co-founder, Carl Pei, unveiled his new startup following his exit from the phone company he founded, and to our surprise it is Nothing. Yes, Nothing is the name of his new London-based company.

The company is said to be into consumer technology and plans to announce its first batch of smart devices later this year. No info was provided about what category these smart devices will fall under but the company’s plan is to release an ecosystem of devices.

India permanently bans TikTok, WeChat, and several others

After issuing a temporary ban last year, the Indian government has permanently banned 60 Chinese apps that include popular ones such as TikTok, WeChat, Baidu, and UC Browser. ByteDance has had to cut its workforce following the loss of users of its app, TikTok.

The Indian government has said that the response gotten from the companies that own the affected apps regarding the security concerns it raised has not been satisfactory.

Xiaomi’s Mi Air Charge Technology is the wireless charging you’ve always wanted

Mi Air Charge Technology is the wireless charging technology we’ve always wanted – one that doesn’t have you tethered to a spot. Current wireless charging technology requires you to place your phone on a device to charge but Xiaomi’s new and proprietary technology allows your phone to begin to charge wirelessly once you enter a room. The technology uses millimeter waves to charge and power compatible devices within a certain range.

Sony’s first 5G phone for the US is for professionals and costs $2500

After nearly a year since it was announced, Sony’s Xperia Pro smartphone is now available for purchase in the US. The Japanese manufacturer is targeting professionals especially those in the creative industry. It packs professional camera features that are not available on the Xperia 1 II which it is based upon and it also costs a whopping $2500.

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• Next Week in Tech: POCO M3, Itel A47, Galaxy M02, and Realme X7 series launching in India
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The post Top stories from last week: Motorola Edge S launched, Carl Pei unveils Nothing, India permanently bans Chinese apps, Xiaomi’s truly wireless charging tech, and more appeared first on Gizmochina.

In the past few years, Xiaomi has been one of the few phone companies setting the pace in terms of new technologies. For example, the Mi MIX was the phone that ignited the bezel-less craze. Xiaomi has also proved that it is one of the pioneers in charging technology with announcements such as its 80W wireless charging technology. Today, it has taken it to another level with its Mi Air Charge Technology which allows you to charge multiple devices simultaneously without the need for cables or a wireless charging stand.

Xiaomi says that its patented Mi Air Charge Technology makes use of a special self-developed tower/box-like device that uses beamforming technology to send millimeter waves directly to a device. These waves are converted to electric power that charges the device.

The tower is said to have 5 phase-detection antennas that help it locate the position of a smartphone (or compatible device) in a room in milliseconds. It also has 144 beamforming antennas that transfer millimeter waves.

The phone itself is fitted with two antenna arrays similar to the ones in the charging device but much smaller in size. The first is the beacon array that communicates with the charging tower and the other is the receiving antenna array made up of 14 antennas that receive the millimeter waves which are then converted into electric power via a special circuit and used to charge the device.

Xiaomi has released a short video that shows the new technology in action. The video also gives us a better look at the box-like device behind the technology.

Xiaomi says that at the moment, Mi Air Charge Technology supports the charging of multiple devices simultaneously at long-range at a maximum power of 5W (per device). While that is so much slower than its 80W wireless technology for phones, Xiaomi’s main goal doesn’t seem to be phones but smaller devices and home appliances.

According to a Weibo post by Adam Zeng Xuezhong, the new head of Xiaomi’s mobile division who took over from Lin Bin last year, the plan is to have Mi Air Charge Technology charge wearable devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers in the future. It is also expected that it will be able to power other small devices in the homes such as speakers and desk lamps. The ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for wires which have become a menace in most households.

RELATED:

• Xiaomi might soon launch a smartphone with 200W fast charging
• Xiaomi’s 80W wireless charging technology may enter mass production in the first half of 2021
• Battery charging test shows Mi 10 Ultra charges at 80W and not 120W

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