Smartphone

Market share trends for phone brands in India. (Source: IDC)

The Indian smartphone market "rebounded" in the third quarter of 2020: new market research

Smartphone shipments in India - one of the top 3 markets worldwide - shrank by a worrying 48% in the second quarter of 2020 (2Q2020). However, three months later, the story has changed: the same market had posted year-on-year (YoY...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 07 Nov 2020 16:36

Redmi's "Note 9 Pro 5G". (Source: TENAA)

The new 5G versions of the Redmi Note 9 may have been confirmed by TENAA

Recently, signs of a new and more premium version of the popular Redmi Note 9 emerged in leak form. A new certification issued by the Chinese regulator TENAA may shed more light on these rumors: it may be a variant of this phone t...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 07 Nov 2020 15:24

The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro have a left-hand side location for the selfie camera punch-hole. (Image source: OnePlus - edited)

OnePlus 9 model numbers and key specs leaked: Snapdragon 875-powered OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus 9 "Ultra" in the lineup

Model numbers and key specifications for the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and a potential OnePlus 9 “Ultra” have appeared online. Unsurprisingly the OnePlus 9 series of smartphones is expected to sport the cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapd...

Daniel R Deakin, 07 Nov 2020 11:56

The Redmi Note 8 Global model has hit a snag while waiting for the MIUI 12 update. (Image source: Xiaomi - edited)

Redmi Note 8 MIUI 12 update rollout partly stalls because of OTA issue

The MIUI 12 rollout for the Global variant of the Redmi Note 8 has been stalled. Apparently, there has been an issue reported with the OTA (over the air) process that is preventing the Android 10-based MIUI 12 update from reaching...

Daniel R Deakin, 07 Nov 2020 11:09

The Mi 10 Ultra remains available for now. (Source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi ends Mi 10 Pro production ahead of Mi 11 release but you can still buy an Mi 10 Ultra...for now

The Mi 10 Pro will go down as Xiaomi's first actual flagship phone on par with the regular juggernauts of the segment but the company is already phasing the device out, likely in preparation for the release of the Mi 11. The Mi 10...

Ricci Rox, 06 Nov 2020 20:21

The iPhone 12 Pro outclasses Samsung's Note 20 Ultra thanks to its new A14 Bionic chipset. (Image source: Salman Majeed)

Apple iPhone 12 Pro flexes its muscles in Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra speed comparison

The iPhone 12 Pro has been shown to conquer the speed of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, even the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ edition. The Note 20 Ultra may have double the RAM that the iPhone 12 Pro offers, but Apple's new 5 nm ch...

Alex Alderson, 06 Nov 2020 17:17

The Xiaomi Mi 11 will likely be released in January 2021

Xiaomi Mi 11 shows up on Geekbench running a Qualcomm Snapdragon 875

The Xiaomi Mi 11 has just made its second Geekbench appearance. The Snapdragon 875-powered smartphone nets single and multi-core scores of 1,105 and 3,512, respectively. Although the multi-core score seems a bit lot, the results r...

Anil Satyanarayana, 06 Nov 2020 16:45

Apparently, this is the Meizu 18 Max 5G. (Image source: Weibo)

Meizu 18 Max 5G reputedly leaks with outlandish specifications and an eye-catching design

A leak supposedly of the Meizu 18 Max 5G is doing the rounds online, and it points towards the smartphone being a true flagship challenger. Allegedly, Meizu's next smartphone will feature a 3K OLED screen, a Snapdragon 875 chipset...

Alex Alderson, 06 Nov 2020 14:41

Huawei has completed all but one of its EMUI 10.1 upgrade plans. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei finishes EMUI 10.1 upgrade plan in another region

Huawei has reached another milestone in its release of EMUI 10.1, this time finishing its OS rollout in North-Eastern Europe. EMUI 10.1 should now have been delivered to all devices in the region, from the likes of the Mate 20 and...

Alex Alderson, 06 Nov 2020 14:37

The Huawei Nova 8 SE resembles another recently-released smartphone series. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei leans heavily on the design of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max with the Nova 8 SE and Nova 8 SE High Edition

Huawei has unveiled the Nova 8 SE, and it has borrowed heavily from the design of the iPhone 12 series. The Nova 8 SE comes in standard and 'High Edition' versions, which means to say that the latter has a more powerful chipset an...

Alex Alderson, 06 Nov 2020 14:34

The Redmi Note 9 Pro is fitted with a 5,020-mAh battery. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Deal | Redmi Note 9 Pro flash sale offers huge 34-40% discount on Xiaomi smartphone with speedy system performance and first-class battery life

The midrange smartphone Redmi Note 9 Pro already offers plenty of punch for its price, but with Banggood offering a further 34-40% discount off the Xiaomi smartphone in key markets like India, UK, Brazil, Australia, and more, now ...

Daniel R Deakin, 06 Nov 2020 09:10

Samsung is reportedly working on a new Galaxy M series smartphone

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy M62 smartphone could offer up to 256GB of storage

A new report states that Samsung is working on a high-end Galaxy M series phone, allegedly coming with up to 256GB of internal storage. Dubbed as the Galaxy M62, it will succeed the Galaxy M51 released earlier this year. We can ex...

Anil Satyanarayana, 06 Nov 2020 02:42

The Pixel 4a 5G is released to more markets. (Source: Google)

The Pixel 4a (5G) is now available to pre-order in some European countries

Today, (November 5, 2020) Google has released the 5G variant of the Pixel 4a for pre-orders in Germany, France, the UK and Ireland. As with its flagship sibling, the 5, they come with an offer of free Bose wireless headphones with...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 05 Nov 2020 19:39

The Moto G 5G retails for €299. (Image source: Motorola)

Moto G 5G: Motorola launches a mid-range smartphone with a Snapdragon 750G SoC, a 90 Hz display and a 5,000 mAh battery

Motorola has unveiled the Moto G 5G, its latest mid-range smartphone. Paired with a Snapdragon 750G, the Moto G 5G has a 6.7-inch punch-hole display, a 5,000 mAh battery and up to 6 GB of RAM. The Moto G 5G is available with eithe...

Alex Alderson, 05 Nov 2020 19:15

The Moto G9 Power has a whopping 6,000 mAh battery. (Image source: Motorola)

Motorola unveils the Moto G9 Power with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC and 60 hours of battery life

The newest entry in the Moto G9 family comes with a 6,000 mAh battery that Motorola claims should last up to 60 hours on a single charge. The Moto G9 Power comes with a 6.8-inch display too, along with a Snapdragon 662 chipset, 20...

Alex Alderson, 05 Nov 2020 19:09

The "S21 Ultra case leak". (Source: Twitter)

A new "protective case" leak may confirm the Samsung Galaxy S21 series' new design

The reliable tipster IceUniverse has posted what appear to be marketing images for Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra cases. The high-quality photos unambiguously show the new and super-prominent rear camera modules linked to this upcoming ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 05 Nov 2020 19:09

The Xiaomi prototype smartphone features a single mechanical telephoto lens on the rear. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi reveals prototype smartphone with single mechanical telescopic camera and plans to take over Europe with the help of 5,000 new engineers

The Xiaomi Mi Developer Conference (MIDC) is underway and an incredible prototype smartphone with a mechanical zoom lens has already been revealed. Xiaomi is also apparently planning on becoming the number one smartphone brand in ...

Daniel R Deakin, 05 Nov 2020 13:12

Xiaomi Mi 11 fan-made concept render shows a notchless screen. (Image source: TechDroider)

Xiaomi Mi 11 fan-made concept video imagines the flagship smartphone with a notchless and portless design with a Mi Mix Alpha-inspired rear

A new fan-made concept video of the Xiaomi Mi 11 has been posted online, and it offers an intriguing vision of the upcoming flagship smartphone. The Mi 11 rendered here has an extremely curved design and borrows its rear view from...

Daniel R Deakin, 05 Nov 2020 10:50

Samsung W21 5G Android handset hits China (Source: Android Community)

Foldable Samsung W21 5G to launch later this month — exclusively — in China

After a few luxury handsets available exclusively for the Chinese market, such as the W2018, W2019, and the W20, Samsung is back with the W21 5G. With a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen inside and an external 6.23-inch display, the ...

Codrut Nistor, 05 Nov 2020 10:37

Is the Redmi Note 9 series getting yet another member? (Source: Xiaomi)

Rumor | The upcoming premium version of the Redmi Note 9 will come with a 120Hz display and VRR

A prominent leaker has asserted that Xiaomi has a new variant of the pre-existing Redmi Note 9 in the works. This device is to have a 6.67-inch display with a refresh rate that can range from 30 to 120 hertz (Hz). It is also appar...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 05 Nov 2020 00:24

The Redmi Note 8T is essentially a Redmi Note 8 with NFC support. (Source: Xiaomi)

MIUI 12 updates land on the Redmi Note 8T and Mi Note 10 Lite in Europe

After sending the MIUI 12 update to the global models of the Redmi Note 8T and Redmi Note 8, Xiaomi is now bringing the update to Europe. The new OTA finally brings MIUI 12 to the horde of European Redmi Note 8T owners, with new u...

Ricci Rox, 04 Nov 2020 20:10

The Galaxy S21 series will reputedly launch on January 14 with wireless earbuds in the box. (Image source: CNET)

Samsung reputedly set to launch the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra on January 14 bundled with Galaxy Buds Beyond wireless earbuds

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series will reputedly launch on January 14, 2021, with wireless earbuds in the box, according to new reports. The Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra will launch simultaneously and will begin shipping 3before...

Alex Alderson, 04 Nov 2020 18:02

Leaked Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 specs indicate that its Cortex-X1 core is clocked at 2.8GHz

A seasoned Weibo leaker has shed some light on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875's specifications. Its 1+3+4 design consists of a Cortex-X1 super core clocked at 2.8GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores at 2.4GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8...

Anil Satyanarayana, 04 Nov 2020 16:49

WhatsApp is rolling out new disappearing messages and storage management featuares to iOS and Android users. (Image Source: WhatsApp)

WhatsApp rolling out disappearing messages and storage management tool for iOS and Android, new Vacation Mode in testing

WhatsApp is gradually rolling out two new features to iOS and Android users. Disappearing messages brings added privacy to WhatsApp chats by deleting messages automatically within seven days. There's also a new storage management ...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 04 Nov 2020 16:11

Apparently, gaps between the display and chassis of the Pixel 5 are a 'normal part' of the smartphone's design. (Image source: Notebookcheck)

Google dismisses concerns about Pixel 5 display and chassis gaps as 'a normal part of the design' of the smartphone

It is normal for your Pixel 5 to have noticeable gaps between its display and chassis, according to Google. Apparently, any gaps should not affect dust and water resistance or the functionality of handsets, but people remain uncon...

Alex Alderson, 04 Nov 2020 15:32

The original Xiaomi Mi Mix smartphone was released in 2016. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Mi Mix 4 on hold as Xiaomi focuses on 200 W plus charging, under-display camera, and 2K screen for a potential Mi 11 Pro

Xiaomi is reportedly working hard on 200 W and above fast charging, foldability, 2K screens, and the under-display selfie camera. There has been speculation that some of these features may end up being incorporated into a Xiaomi M...

Daniel R Deakin, 04 Nov 2020 13:22

The Nokia 8000 is making a comeback, according to Roland Quandt. (Image source: Nokia)

The Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000 are making a comeback; new 4G models to debut in a few weeks

Two more classic Nokia smartphones are being brought back from the grave, according to Roland Quandt. This time, HMD Global has its sights set on the Nokia 6300 and Nokia 8000; two classics of the early smartphone era. The two rev...

Alex Alderson, 04 Nov 2020 01:22

An alleged OriginOS/Android UI switch. (Source: Weibo)

The Vivo X60 may be able to "switch" between its new OriginOS and Android

The OEM Vivo is slated to launch its new X60 flagship smartphone later in November 2020. The rumor mill also has something called OriginOS to launch alongside it. It will be a new UI, at the least, which will apparently allow reve...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 04 Nov 2020 00:02

ARM intros the Cortex-A78C core. (Source: ARM)

ARM announces the Cortex-A78C, a new variant of a next-gen high-end core

ARM unveiled the Cortex-A78, a new core likely to form part of flagship mobile SoCs in 2021, recently. Now, the company has revealed that it is in fact part of a family of such products. One of them is the A78C, which has been mod...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 03 Nov 2020 23:18

Everybody loves Redmi. (Image source: Xiaomi - edited)

Redmi K30 series devices rock the new AnTuTu smartphone price-performance charts by claiming three out of five top spots

Three out of the five AnTuTu Android smartphone price-performance charts have been topped by devices from the Redmi K30 series. The Redmi 10X, Redmi 9, and evergreen Redmi Note 8 Pro add to the Xiaomi sub-brand’s dominance. Only t...

Daniel R Deakin, 03 Nov 2020 22:56

Motorola Moto G10 Play render (Source: Steve Hemerstoffer)

Motorola Moto G10 Play renders and specs leak online

According to the latest renders, the Motorola Moto G10 Play will hit the market with a side-mounted fingerprint reader, an old-school 3.5 mm headphone jack located on the top, not to mention the 4,850 mAh battery capacity that was...

Codrut Nistor, 03 Nov 2020 19:30

A render based on LG's alleged IP. (Source: LetsGoDigital)

LG's "Project B" rollable phone may have surfaced in a leaked patent document

LG is currently said to have a next-gen phone in the works called Project B. It is rumored to have a rolling display, which means its screen can extend beyond the confines of its frame. Now, a new patent application submitted to t...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 03 Nov 2020 18:58

V12.0.1.0.QCOMIXM should now be available for all Redmi Note 8 handsets. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Global MIUI 12 update for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 released to all handsets as the Redmi Note 7 receives a new update

The global MIUI 12 update for the Redmi Note 8 is now rolling out to all handsets, following its stint as a Stable Beta build. V12.0.1.0.QCOMIXM is rolling out to the global variant as an OTA, while V12.0.1.0.QFGRUXM has reached t...

Alex Alderson, 03 Nov 2020 18:53

The Huawei Mate 40 RS post-teardown. (Source: Bilibili via SeekDevice)

A Huawei Mate 40 RS teardown reveals an ultra-fast in-house memory chip

The Huawei Mate 40 RS is a special edition of its new flagship smartphone series with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. A new report indicates that the latter spec is handled not by a standard mobile ROM module but by one...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 03 Nov 2020 18:21

Huawei could bridge its chip gap with help from MediaTek and Qualcomm. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei to regain access to MediaTek and Qualcomm chipsets but still has its eyes set on going it alone

Huawei's mobile division may be on the verge of receiving chipsets from the likes of MediaTek and Qualcomm, according to the Financial Times. The Chinese company is ploughing on with buildings its own chip fabrication plants. It w...

Alex Alderson, 03 Nov 2020 17:29

The Redmi 10X Pro 5G and Redmi 10X 5G smartphones come with a 3.5 mm audio jack. (Image source: Xiaomi - edited)

Redmi 10X Pro 5G leapfrogs the regular Redmi 10X as AnTuTu's latest midrange smartphone performance chart stays mostly static

The Redmi 10X duo of 5G smartphones with the MediaTek Dimensity 820 processor have managed to retain the top two positions in AnTuTu’s latest midrange Android smartphone performance chart. However, the Redmi 10X Pro variant has no...

Daniel R Deakin, 03 Nov 2020 16:44

Samsung Exynos chips could be used by Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo in 2021

Xiaomi and Oppo to join Vivo in using Exynos chipsets starting next year

Since Vivo is already receiving both Exynos 980 and Exynos 880 chipsets from Samsung, it would not be surprising to see Xiaomi and Oppo joining them in the coming months. However, it seems that these two companies will only get bu...

Codrut Nistor, 03 Nov 2020 15:11

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro comes in Mystic Silver, White, Black, Olive Green, and Sunflower Yellow. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei Mate 40 Pro with 5nm Kirin 9000 SoC spoils the Snapdragon party to top AnTuTu's October flagship smartphone performance chart

AnTuTu’s Android flagship smartphone table for October has produced a surprising new leader with the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 5G breezing past the Snapdragon 865 competition and snatching the top spot away from the iQOO 5 Pro. The perfo...

Daniel R Deakin, 03 Nov 2020 14:22

The Moto G 5G will come with a Snapdragon 750G chipset and 6 GB of RAM. (Image source: u/kutlay1653)

Motorola Moto G 5G to launch with a Snapdragon 750G, a 5,000 mAh battery and 6 GB of RAM

Motorola is on the verge of releasing the Moto G 5G, its next mid-range smartphone. Powered by the Snapdragon 750G, the Moto G 5G will have a 5,000 mAh battery, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage and a 6.66-inch display.

Alex Alderson, 02 Nov 2020 23:48

With a display size of 6 inches, the Google Pixel 5 is a very compact mid-range smartphone.

Google Pixel 5: An overview of the test results

At 630 Euros (~$747), the costs for the Google Pixel 5 are relatively low for a flagship smartphone. There is only one hitch: the Pixel 5 is only 6 inches and uses mid-range hardware. However, as our test shows, the overall packag...

Manuel Masiero, 02 Nov 2020 23:39

The putative Nokia 10's most direct predecessor. (Source: Nokia)

The Nokia 10 PureView is now tipped to be a 2021 flagship with a seriously premium display spec

A recent leak has pointed to the launch of a phone called the Nokia 10 PureView. Now, a tech blog claims that is to run on the Snapdragon 875 processor and to be released in mid-2021. It is also now touted to have a display proper...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 02 Nov 2020 22:52

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 is expected to make its debut sometime in January

New Snapdragon 875 Master Lu benchmark listing sheds light on the chip's GPU prowess, maximum clock speed, and more

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 managed to beat Huawei's Kirin 9000 and the previous-generation Snapdragon 865+ in the Master Lu benchmark. While the Snapdragon 875's Cortex-X1 Super core (2.8GHz) managed to keep it ahead in the CPU d...

Anil Satyanarayana, 02 Nov 2020 21:16

The Mate 40 Pro is a modular smartphone by modern standards. (Image source: Huawei)

Teardown confirms the modularity of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro

The Mate 40 Pro may not sell as well in many markets because of its lack of Google Mobile Services, but it is at least reasonably repairable. The Mate 40 Pro is modular for a modern flagship, especially considering alternatives li...

Alex Alderson, 02 Nov 2020 17:55

Google is no longer good enough to earn a spot in DxOMark's top 10 smartphone leaderboard. (Image source: DxOMark)

The Google Pixel 5 fails to impress in camera tests

The limits of Google's strategy of pairing old camera hardware with excellent software have been shown in a series of camera tests published by DxOMark. There may well be some flaws in DxOMark's methodology, but it seems that Goog...

Alex Alderson, 02 Nov 2020 17:52

Google's Pixel 5 from the inside. (Source: YouTube)

The Google Pixel 5 looks decently reparable in a new video

The YouTuber PBK Reviews has conducted a Pixel 5 teardown on this channel. It seemed relatively easy to do so, possibly showing that several individual components can be replaced with ease. Then again, the vlogger could find no si...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 02 Nov 2020 16:31

Xiaomi might release the Redmi Note 10 soon

The Redmi Note 10 series will allegedly feature three devices; mid-November launch date likely

An industry insider suggests that Xiaomi is all set to unveil the Redmi Note 10 series sometime in November 2020. It will consist of three devices, namely the Redmi Note 10, Redmi Note 10 Pro, and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. At least o...

Anil Satyanarayana, 02 Nov 2020 15:23

It might be better to stick to charging the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra at 50 W. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra charging test disputes 120 W claim but it can still go from 0 to 100% charge in a hot 21 minutes

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra has been put through a series of charging tests and has come up short with the promise of 120 W fast charging. The Mi 10 Ultra did manage to refill its battery from 0 to 100% in just 21 minutes, but this cam...

Daniel R Deakin, 02 Nov 2020 14:14