A new report has revealed that the average smartphone upgrade cycle for consumers in China has risen. The average time for an upgrade is now 25.3 months, which is up by 0.7 months as of October of last year.

According to a new report from China Mobile Terminal Lab (Via Cankaoxiaoxi), the replacement cycle for older smartphone in favor of newer devices has lengthened again. The slight 0.7 month rise arrives after an increase of a whole month in 2020, compared to 2019. Although, it is worth noting that the upgrade cycle is different for various brands that are popular in the region. In this regard, Apple has the most stable and highest upgrade cycle of about 27.1 months on an average.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi users have the most frequent upgrade patterns out of the lot with just a 22.8 months upgrade cycle. Talking about the frequency in replacements for other brands, Honor has a cycle of 26.4 months, Oppo with 26.3 months, 25.6 months for Huawei, 25.5 months for Vivo, and Samsung has a replacement cycle of 24.5 months. The report adds that one of the primary reasons for the rise arrives due to smartphone technology improving over time.

In other words, the experience each device offers now is better than the models sold in the past, causing users to be content with their current devices for longer periods of time. Another interesting finding is that the upgrade cycle for both the high end and low end handsets are relatively long, crossing the 26 months mark. On the other hand, the mid range and premium grade segments have a much shorter cycle that averages around just 21 months. The premium grade flagship models are those that sell for more than 10,000 Yuan (roughly 1,552 US Dollars).

Apparently, this trend is due to buyers of low end devices being more cost sensitive about upgrades while consumers that are willing to spends upwards of 1,000 US Dollars are much likely to be early adopters for new flagship models that launch in the market. This report adds an insightful look regarding the market trends in China, which might also be a good example of the trend in a more global scale, especially after the impacts of the pandemic.

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While Microsoft ended the support for Windows 7 back in January 2020, the older version of Windows is still going strong with a notable user base across the globe. However, despite this, the company has recently started seeing an upgrade wave as well.

According to a WCCFTech report, the American tech giant has supported the older version of Windows for over 10 years before finally ending support. While the company never officially shared any stats regarding the user base, data from NetMarketShare has revealed that 1 in every 4 computers was still being powered by Windows 7. Microsoft has offered a free upgrade offer to Windows 7 users. Now, a year after the company ended support, it has observed a new upgrade wave.

In other words, there has been a number of users shifting away from the now unsupported Windows version. Last month, the company stated that “In Windows, the stronger PC market resulted in overall OEM revenue growth of 1 percent, despite a strong prior year comparable in OEM Pro from the end of support for Windows 7. OEM non-Pro revenue grew 24 percent, and OEM Pro revenue declined 9 percent. Inventory levels ended the quarter in the normal range.”

At the moment, at least 20 percent of all devices are still running on Windows 7, as per NetmarketShare. Furthermore, the most number of older devices running this version of Windows belong to government and institutions, which have always been slow to switch to newer products and services despite the company offering a free upgrade plan.

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Chuwi HeroBook was one of the most successful laptops for the company in the past and the Chinese manufacturer is about to release an upgraded version, the HeroBook Pro. It will be equipped with a more powerful processor as well as more RAM and storage to meet the needs of users at a higher level. Hopefully, it will have a low price tag as its predecessor did and will become a best-seller.

Hardware upgrade

Instead of the Intel E8000, Chuwi went with the more powerful Intel N4000 CPU that is manufactured at 14nm and reaches a peak operating frequency of 2.6GHz. With the ninth-generation Intel UHD 600 graphics card, it can decode 4K video smoothly. The difference of the two processors can be seen below in the benchmark test.

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Besides the CPU upgrade, HeroBook Pro also comes with more and faster RAM as it now comes with 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM while the previous model featured 4GB of DDR3 RAM. The advantage here is clear.

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The same goes for the disk that is a 256GB of fast SSD. A solid upgrade that is totally worth the around $250 price tag. Lastly, the display is a 14.1″ IPS panel while the device it carries a full-size narrow border keyboard, a big touchpad, and a big 38Wh battery.

Comparison with other laptops

When compared with other laptops from popular manufacturers like Dell and Acer, the HeroBook Pro is lighter and has larger storage and RAM. So, with a competent CPU and plenty of RAM and storage, it’s safe to say that the Chuwi HeroBook Pro will be the next best-seller of the company thanks to its low price and hardware combination. You can find out all about it on the official product page.

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The XIDU PhilBook Max has been an important model in the company’s lineup as it managed to become a success thanks to its above-average specs that came at a great price. The most important feature was the 14.1″ FHD NanoEdge touchscreen and its durable 360-degree hinge that became helpful in many use cases.

Besides the rest of the specs, the PhilBook Max came with a not so powerful Intel Apollo Lake J3355 Dual-Core CPU as well as 6GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 128GB SSD. Well, XIDU decided to improve that sector and make the PhilBook Max and even more complete laptop as it just got upgraded to a Quad-Core Intel E3950 CPU and got 2GB more RAM for a total of 8GB. The upgrade contributes to making the device up-to-date and future-proof, performance-wise.

The rest of the specs remain the same meaning that it comes with a lightweight metal body of 1.39kg and just 16.4mm thickness while connectivity is top-notch with 2 x USB 3.0, Mini-HDMI, MicroSD card reader, SSD expansion slot, headphone output and combined audio input connector, backlit keyboard, 2MP webcam, 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n WiFi, and a battery that lasts at least 5 hours.

Despite the almost 30% performance bump it got, its price remains the same as the previous version, $399.99 that is. And f course, XIDU is still active in more than 32 countries around the world and continues to expand. You can get the PhilBook Max on the following online store at a discounted price using the coupons provided when needed. For more discount coupons on other XIDU products, check out this list.

• Amazon US, $30 coupon code: WKMXN8I3
• XIDU Official Store, $30 coupon code: FLASH30
• Aliexpress Store, $25 off
• Amazon FR, €30 off

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We’ve talked about the upcoming spec bump that Blackview had scheduled for the BV9600 Pro and on September 7th, the upgraded model hit the market featuring the Helio P70 SoC. Coming with smoother multitasking and better user experience than the model it replaced, it comes at the exact same price so there’s one more reason to grab one if you’re looking for a rugged phone.

The Helio P70 promises a 10-30% boost in AI tasks and a 13% improvement on general tasks over its predecessor as it runs on higher clocks since the four big Cortex-A73 cores now run at 2.1GHz. Meanwhile, the Mali-G72 MP3 GPU is now clocked at 900MHz. What’s more, it consumes up to 35% less power in popular games compared to the P60. This is thanks to the Energy-Aware Scheduling+ thermal management solution that promises to lower operating temperature by up to 4.5°C.

The spec bump is the icing on the cake for BV9600 Pro, one of Blackview bestsellers, which gained great popularity among outdoor workers and enthusiasts, with sales volume totaling up to 300,000 pieces. Let’s see what comments some YouTubers made about it. Also, you can visit the promo running for more info.

In the meantime, the Chinese manufacturer has, since September 2nd, launched the Blackview Short Video Contest. In order to participate in the contest, all you have to do is upload your creative video showing your story with Blackview to social media (Like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, VK, TikTok, etc), add a tag of #Blackview and get as many views as you can.

The prizes are pretty big too. The first prize is $4000, the second prize is $2000, the third prize is $1000, and the innovation prize of $200 is given to 5 people. You can post your creative video based on the theme of Me & Blackview. You can show your life, work, outdoor adventures and so on. The video with the most views will win the first prize, the most posts win the second prize, and so on. The contest ends on December 2nd and you can learn more about it here.

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Smartphone models are literally thousands and choosing the right one can become a real pain. Choose a good looking phone with decent specs or choose a rugged phone with a battery that lasts “forever”? Such a struggle is easier to solve when the Blackview BV9500 enters the equation. The phone presented a great sales performance proving that the 10000mAh ultra-big BAK® battery and rugged specs instantly became a favorite among engineers, building workers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

That was until 2018 as development is processing power made the Helio P23 found on the BV9500 a bit weak and in conjunction with Android 8.1 OS seemingly can’t meet the need of today’s phone users. Also, the big battery capacity alone isn’t enough for users to prefer this over a more powerful competitor. Blackview didn’t back off and is bringing the BV9500 Plus to the market, an upgraded version of BV9500 that not only inherits the advantages of the old model but also improves its inadequacies.

To start, BV9500 Plus retains the killer feature of its predecessor which is the 10000mAh BAK® battery with standby time up to 40 days. In addition, there are 2 charging options now: the wireless charging and 12V/2A fast charging that is more than 2 times faster than normal 5V/2A charge technology. The huge battery can be charged within just 3.5 hours. As for the upgraded parts, the Blackview BV9500 Plus now comes with Helio P70 SoC together with the latest Android 9 Pie, offering a smooth multitasking experience.

What’s also new in BV9500 Plus is the waterproof rating up to IP69K, withstanding submersion under 1.8 meters deep water up to 2 hours. Furthermore, it can resist 1450 psi high-pressure and 80ºC high-temperature steam scouring.

The new device is planned to hit the market next week so stay tuned as it will definitely come with an offer! The old model’s production is now over and you can find it online while stock lasts. In the meantime, the BV9700 Pro, BV9600 and BV6100 are on promotion. For more information visit their official website.

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Smartphones are an essential accessory for almost everyone nowadays but those who work in more intense environments like construction, usually seek something that can withstand bumps, drops, and even water. Blackview is a traditional rugged smartphone manufacturer and their latest release is an upgraded version of BV9600 that features all the necessary rugged specs one would need. The BV9600 inherits most of the BV9600 Pro’s legacy while having a more affordable price. Their design is the same but how do they compare in terms of performance? Let’s see.

The BV9600 is powered by MediaTek 6771 (Helio P70) octa-core SoC, the successor of P60 and gathers class-leading hardware to provide an even better experience for users. It brings longer battery life, fast, fluid and fun gaming, a more sustainable, higher performance in extremely harsh environments.

In addition, the Blackview BV9600 comes with IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certification so its waterproof, dustproof and drop-proof while its performance is no weaker than the BV9600 Pro. The Helio P70 brings AI evaluation for clearer low-light pictures to the table making outdoors photography exciting with better low light performance.

Even more important is the fact that it comes with the latest Android version as Chinese manufacturers have been greatly accused in the past for not receiving software updates or coming with older OS versions. Android 9 Pie harnesses the power of artificial intelligence, it’s smarter, faster, and adapts to you according to how you use your phone and learning your preferences as you go. What’s more, despite the fact that it is a rugged phone, it sports a modern FullView Display with 19:9 aspect ratio, ultra-narrow bezels, and AMOLED panel.

Coming to the battery, outdoor workers or enthusiasts will have no problem at all since the BV9600 comes with a 5580mAh battery capacity that delivers up to 600h of standby time. Lastly, there are 4GB of RAM backing the CPU as well as 64GB of storage. This is less than the Pro version but the price is significantly lower as well. The storage is expandable nonetheless. All in all, BV9600 is an excellent choice for those looking for a cost-effective phone that doesn’t compromise on quality.

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The Doogee S90 is the last rugged phone that the company had released and today, the Chinese manufacturer is ready to release its successor, the all-new Doogee S90 Pro. As an upgraded version, the new model comes with increased performance, better modularity, better battery life, and Android 9 Pie. The S90 Pro is expected to hit the market on July 15th on Doogeemall.

Doogee S90 Pro modular design

Starting with the design, the DOOGEE S90 Pro continues the innovative modular tri-proof design inherited from S90. Of course, as a rugged phone, it sports IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certifications, and together with the improved rubber design and titanium alloy chassis, the S90 Pro can withstand water (30′, 3 meters deep), dust, and drops from 1.5m high. As for the modular design, the phone supports all current modules like the 5000mAh powerbank, Walkie-Talkie module, Gamepad module, and Sony Ultra-Wide Night vision camera module.

Performance Upgrade

The S90 Pro comes with Helio P70 instead of the P60 found on the previous model and it offers a 35% bump in power efficiency, 10% boost in A.I. performance, 13% increased CPU performance, 3x improvement in camera performance, and 15% longer battery life.

Hosting a 5080mAh battery under the 14.1mm chassis, the S90 Pro is one of the thinnest rugged phones with more than 5000mAh battery. Moreover, the quick charge 10W wireless charging and 10V/2A wired charging are also new features. Thanks to the 35% better efficiency of the new SoC, the battery life of the phone has been improved to 2 days/48 hours (average usage).

Rest of specs

The phone comes with a large 6.18″ U-notch in-cell display with FHD+ resolution that is protected with Gorilla Glass 4. The notch hosts a 16MP Sony wide-angle camera with f/2.0 aperture and A.I. Beauty Camera support. At the same time, the rear camera consists of two Samsung sensors with 16MP/8MP configuration and f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, and Quad-Tone LED flash. There’s also NFC with Google Pay support, Face and fast Fingerprint support, and the already known from the previous model Survival Toolkit for physical measurements. Lastly, the Android 9 Pie in conjunction with Helio P70 and 6GB/128GB memory combo, not only takes care of fluid and smooth performance but also sports the most recent Google security patches and new features.

Now, you can join the Doogee Affiliate Program to win high commission! Find more information here.

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