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[Update 2: Launch Date] Possible Xiaomi Mi Note 10 "Lite" gets certified by the FCC with Snapdragon 730G and penta-cameras
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 could be getting a cheaper "Lite" model soon, swapping its headline 108MP camera for a more modest 64MP sensor. Check it out!
Back in November, Xiaomi surprised everyone by bringing back the Mi Note lineup, which had not seen a new entry since the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 in 2017. These new devices were the Mi Note 10 and its Pro variant. Both pack a Snapdragon 730G processor, and the other specs are expectedly mid-range for an Android smartphone until you go to the camera side: it was the first phone to release with a 108MP sensor, and the rest of the penta-camera array was also pretty impressive. Max Weinbach went hands-on with it, and he found it to provide pretty great camera versatility. Now, it seems that a cheaper version of this phone may come to the market very soon.
Motorola Edge, Motorola Edge+, and LG Velvet forums are now open
We have now opened up official XDA forums for the Motorola Edge, the Motorola Edge+ and the LG Velvet. Be sure to pass by and check them out!
Motorola is back to the flagship smartphone market with the Motorola Edge and the Motorola Edge+. While the Motorola Edge is more of an upper midrange device sporting a Snapdragon 765G, the Motorola Edge+ brings the flagship might we haven't seen from the company in years. With a combo of bleeding-edge features with a Snapdragon 865, a 108MP rear camera, a waterfall display, and much more, Motorola is pulling no punches with the Edge+. LG, meanwhile, is preparing to launch the LG Velvet, part of a completely new smartphone line (that might eventually replace LG's G series). It is confirmed to come with a Snapdragon 765 processor with 5G connectivity support and will be touting an all-new design language different from what the company is currently doing with phones like the LG V60.
Facebook still wants to put ads into WhatsApp
Facebook is apparently still planning to go forward with their plan to include ads on WhatsApp's Status feature after all, but not right now. Read on!
WhatsApp is a service that is used by billions of people around the world. The app's popularity is fueled by the fact that it is free to use and it operates on an ad-free model. This has not always been the case though: many years ago, WhatsApp was available on a semi-premium monetization model, which required you to pay $1 a year to use it, a subscription model which was mostly irrelevant as many people even got more free time added to their subscription just by sheer usage. Given how WhatsApp doesn't really have any ads, Facebook isn't really making much money from it, but they want to change that.
Google Play hints the Redmi K30 Pro will be rebranded as the POCO F2 Pro, but maybe not in India
According to a Google Play listing, the Redmi K30 Pro will be rebranded into the POCO F2 Pro, but the rebranding may not happen for India. Read on!
Xiaomi, through its sub-brand Redmi, recently announced the Redmi K30 Pro as the follow-up to last year's Redmi K20 Pro. While it got rid of a few features we saw in the regular Redmi K30, such as the 120Hz display, it made up for it with the latest and greatest Snapdragon 865 processor, an AMOLED display as well as other upgrades. The Redmi K30 went on to launch in the Indian market as the POCO X2, the second device to launch under the POCO flag after the POCO F1 in 2018.
[Update: Response] OnePlus reportedly downsizes in some European countries
OnePlus seems to be doing some internal cleanup in the European market, as the company is downsizing their teams in certain countries.
OnePlus recently held an online event to announce the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, two phones we've already reviewed and found to be great contenders in the high-end, premium smartphone space. With wider carrier support in the U.S. as well as 5G support on all variants, it seems poised to be a successful launch for OnePlus in the country. But this success may not be seen in every country where OnePlus does business. According to a report from Engadget, OnePlus may be undergoing a major restructuring in some European markets.
OnePlus 8 pre-launch leaks reveal Google One promotion, André limited edition cases, Pop-up box, more
The OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro are launching tomorrow, but we're still getting a few leaks, this time, from some launch goodies. Check it out!
The highly anticipated OnePlus 8 series — namely the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro — are finally launching tomorrow. We already know in detail what both devices will look as well as what they're packing inside. Both phones are launching with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, multi-camera arrays, and curved displays with hole-punch front cameras. The OnePlus 8 Pro will also be packing a 120Hz display, a first for OnePlus who previously popularized 90Hz displays with the OnePlus 7 Pro last year. Even though we know so much already, the leaks keep coming nonetheless. Now, less than 24 hours until the phone's announcement, we're getting confirmation of a few of the phone's features as well as some extra launch goodies.
[Update 2: Product listing] OPPO is preparing to launch the Ace2 5G with Snapdragon 865 and quad cameras
OPPO is preparing to launch a new flagship smartphone, the Reno Ace2, which will carry a high-end Snapdragon 865 processor, quad cameras, and more.
The OPPO Reno lineup has received significant shake-ups since its initial release in early 2019. The first devices in this lineup, the OPPO Reno and the Reno 10x Zoom, featured unique, iconic designs with a flush rear camera and a crazy pop-up swivel module which both hosted the rear flash module and the front-facing camera. This, therefore, eliminated the need for having a notch. This unique design was kept through their successors, the Reno2 lineup, but it was discontinued with the Reno3 in favor of a more conventional-looking hole-punch display. We also saw it branch out with a higher-end offshoot, the OPPO Reno Ace. The OPPO Reno Ace was OPPO's first phone with a high refresh rate display (90Hz) and 65W SuperVOOC 2.0. Now, we're getting a successor in the form of the OPPO Reno Ace2.
OnePlus 8 Pro renders show off new Ultramarine Blue color and Case options
The OnePlus 8 Pro is coming, and we're now getting a first-class look at it thanks to leaked renders for both the phone and its accessories.
Just in case you've been living under a rock these past few weeks, OnePlus is about to launch new smartphones. After the highly successful OnePlus 7 series and OnePlus 7T series last year, the company is looking for another hit, and that will come in the form of the new OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. We've been covering the leaks and rumors for a while: we've had a vague idea of how these phones will look, and we've even gotten new renders of the smaller model, the OnePlus 8. Now, we're getting new official renders for the OnePlus 8 Pro, the most noteworthy device from the family.
[Update: Download Links] Realme X2, X2 Pro are getting the Android 10 stable update with Realme UI
The Realme X2 and the Realme X2 Pro, two mid-range/high-end phones from Realme, are now getting the latest Android 10 stable update based on Realme UI.
The Realme X2 and Realme X2 Pro were launched globally some time ago. The Realme X2 (review) had fiery midrange specs with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, a 64MP quad-camera and up to 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. The X2 Pro (review), on the other hand, served the flagship space by bumping up the specs with a Snapdragon 855+ and up to 12 GB of RAM. Both phones served as Realme's hottest devices for the last quarter of 2019, and now we have some good news for owners of both of these phones: an Android 10 update is coming your way after the conclusion of the opt-in beta.
FCC will make carriers authenticate IP calls with STIR/SHAKEN by the end of June 2021
The FCC is strengthening the fight against robocalls: By mid 2021, carriers will be required to authenticate IP calls using the STIR/SHAKEN protocol.
Robocalls and spam calls are a major issue for people in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, estimates that fraudulent calls cost Americans a total of $10 billion every year. As such, there have been efforts by software technology giants (such as Google), smartphone makers, telecommunications carriers, and the FCC itself aimed at stopping or reducing robocalls and fraudulent call schemes. One of the major technologies aimed at fighting robocalls is the STIR/SHAKEN protocol, with STIR standing for "Secure Telephone Identity Revisited" and SHAKEN standing for "Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs". Now, the FCC has set a deadline for the mandatory adoption of STIR/SHAKEN for IP calls.
HMD Global rolls out the Android 10 update to the Nokia 7.2
Nokia is now rolling out an update to Android 10 to the Nokia 7.2, one of their midrange phones from 2019, as previously promised.
HMD Global has had decent success with its Nokia-branded Android smartphones since they started licensing the name back in 2016. The new Nokia's approach to Android smartphones was an interesting one: with a focus on updates and software without unnecessary fluff and gimmicks, their phones were pretty close to what Motorola released in 2013 and 2014 under Google's ownership. One of their most recent smartphones is the Nokia 7.2 (which, as a fun fact, is also one of the very few Nokia phones that shipped with an unlockable bootloader, albeit this was unintentional and patched later on). Users of the Nokia 7.2 might be glad to know that the device is now receiving its dose of Android 10 through an OTA update.
Samsung Galaxy S20 has a hidden 96Hz display mode: Here's how to enable it
The Samsung Galaxy S20 lineup has a 120Hz display that you can only turn down to 60Hz... or so we thought: there's a hidden 96Hz display mode. Read more!
Samsung recently unveiled their Galaxy S20 lineup of smartphones. They have all of the bells and whistles you would expect from a Samsung flagship by now, including decently-performing cameras as well as top-of-the-line internals, but they also have one notable key feature, which is a high refresh rate display. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series has a display that supports a maximum resolution of 3200x1440 (WQHD+) and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. Despite some limitations, such as the fact that the 120Hz mode is limited to an FHD+ resolution (WQHD+ is limited to 60Hz, so you either have one or the other), it was a first and a major milestone for Samsung.
Xiaomi releases the Redmi K30 Pro kernel source code
The Redmi K30 Pro has now been released, and for those people that like to tinker and play with their devices, the kernel source code is now available!
Xiaomi first unveiled their Redmi K series last year with the Redmi K20 and the Redmi K20 Pro. While the former was an upper-midrange flagship, the latter is the one that got the most attention, since it fit very snugly into the "flagship-killer" category. Early this year, we got to know the Redmi K30 lineup, first unveiled with the standard Redmi K30 (which then went on to launch in India as the POCO X2) and the Redmi K30 5G. More recently, Xiaomi also announced the Redmi K30 Pro, which follows the footsteps of its predecessor in bringing a flagship processor (the Snapdragon 865 in this case) to a competitive price point.
OnePlus 7, 7 Pro, 7 Pro 5G, and 7T Pro 5G get new OxygenOS stable updates with March 2020 patches and more
Various devices in the OnePlus 7 series, including the OnePlus 7, the 7 Pro, the 7 Pro 5G and the 7T Pro 5G are getting OTA updates with March 2020 patches.
Last year, we got to know the OnePlus 7 series of smartphones. The OnePlus 7 served as little more than an iterative upgrade to its predecessor, the OnePlus 6T, but the OnePlus 7 Pro managed to raise the bar even higher for OnePlus. The OnePlus 7 Pro can be credited for helping to popularize high refresh rate smartphone displays among the wider smartphone public. This trend has caught up with other smartphone manufacturers since then, while OnePlus themselves kept on improving their technology with the OnePlus 7T series and are expected to yet again with the upcoming OnePlus 8 series.
Forums are open for the Xiaomi Mi 10 series, Huawei P40 series, and OnePlus 8 series
We have opened up XDA forums for the Xiaomi Mi 10 series and the Huawei P40 series, as well as forums for the upcoming OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
Despite everything that has happened during the past 4 weeks, February and March were exciting months for the smartphone ecosystem. First, we saw Xiaomi announce (both in China and for the global market) their newest flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi Mi 10 and its Pro variant, with bleeding-edge hardware, a very capable camera, and equally steep pricing, alongside the Mi 10 Lite, a mid-range smartphone with support for 5G connectivity. Then, Huawei took the stage in an online event to announce the Huawei P40 series, which, in the case of the P40 Pro, raised the camera bar even higher once again and brought a revolutionary quad curved panel -- which also greatly reduced bezels. We're also expecting the announcement of the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus' newest flagship lineup, very soon.
[Update: LG's statement] LG may drop the G series brand and launch a mid-range Snapdragon 765 phone later this year
LG is apparently planning to drop the G series of smartphones instead of launching an LG G9. Instead, we might see a mid-range phone.
LG's mobile division has been tumbling for a while; that's not a secret to anyone. And that is precisely the reason why they may be looking into shaking things up internally to renew interest. Last year, they disrupted their normal release cycle — an LG G-series smartphone by the start of the year and an LG V-series phone by the end of the year — to announce both the LG G8 and the LG V50 at the same time. This year, however, we only saw the LG V60 (which our own Joe Fedewa is currently reviewing) with no signs of an LG G9 anywhere. While we've heard of a whole host of rumors regarding this device, we might end up not seeing an LG G9 after all.
LG V60 and its Dual Screen attachment support Active Stylus pens
The LG V60 ThinQ supports active pens from brands like Microsoft and Wacom, and so does its Dual Screen attachment. Read on to know more!
The LG V60 ThinQ was recently introduced and launched to the wider public as LG's newest flagship smartphone. We recently went hands-on with it, and we found it to be a reliable flagship smartphone that is decently priced. While the phone itself doesn't have many "wow" factors, it does come with a Dual Screen attachment, a feature we've seen in previous LG smartphones that basically adds a second screen to your phone for multitasking purposes. Turns out, however, that there's more than what meets the eye when it comes to the phone and its Dual Screen accessory. Now we know that the device, as well as its respective Dual Screen attachment, can work with Active Stylus pens.
One UI 2.1 on the Galaxy S20 improves Samsung DeX with mouse window snapping, new gestures, and Bixby Routine support
Samsung DeX is receiving some new features and usability improvements with One UI 2.1 on the Galaxy S20 lineup. Read on to know more!
The Samsung Galaxy S20 lineup of devices was recently released after a hot round of rumors and leaks, with the Snapdragon 865/Exynos 990 processor, 5G connectivity support, amazing cameras (and in the case of the S20 Ultra, a mammoth 108MP camera), high refresh rate displays, and much more. They serve as successors to the Galaxy S10 lineup, and worthy ones at that. The S20 series was also the first set of devices to be released with One UI 2.1, which is based on Android 10 and comes with some additional features and improvements over the previously-released One UI 2.0.
Samsung says they are still working on the Galaxy Watch Active 2's ECG support
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 had to be released 7 months ago without one of its headlining features, ECG support, but it seems Samsung is still working this.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch Active 2 alongside the Galaxy Note 10 series in August of 2019. It is a fitness-focused smartwatch powered by Tizen and packing all of the features you might expect from a Samsung smartwatch by now. The device was announced over 6 months ago and has been available for purchase throughout that time. And one of the headlining features of the new smartwatch is its ECG sensor, but support for it has been notably absent since it was first released.
Realme brings the March 2020 security update to the Realme X, XT, 5 Pro, 5i, and C2
Realme has now released the March 2020 security update to a bunch of phones, including the Realme X, the XT, the 5 Pro, the 5i and the C2.
Realme, as a smartphone manufacturer, has been putting a surprisingly decent amount of focus on Android updates despite the fact that their phones run a fairly heavy OEM UX skin (first ColorOS, now Realme UI). Not only have they managed to roll out Android 10 to a large number of devices by now, but we've also seen them roll out security updates to these phones on a fairly regular basis. The latest smartphones to receive security updates include the Realme X, the Realme XT, the Realme 5 Pro, the Realme 5i, and the lower-end Realme C2.