Smartphone

A render of an upcoming Sony mobile rear camera set-up. (Source: Android Next)

MWC 2020 | No-show for Sony; TCL cancels its press conference

Sony has announced that it must withdraw its entire presence from the Mobile World Congress this year. This includes its scheduled press conference and its product showcases on the floor during the event. Meanwhile, TCL has announ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Feb 2020 13:46

The Mi Mix 2S may have received its final OS upgrade, but not its last version of MIUI (Image source: Xiaomi)

Are you having issues with Android 10 on your Mi Mix 2S? You may not be alone

Xiaomi finally brought the Mi Mix 2S onto Android 10 builds of MIUI 11 last month, with the update introducing several fixes too. However, the upgrade has caused issues for some people, and appears to have left a pressing concern ...

Alex Alderson, 10 Feb 2020 20:33

A concept render of the iPhone SE 2 / iPhone 9. (Image source: ConceptsiPhone)

Rumour | iPhone SE 2: Mid-March launch date confirmed and fresh rumours about Apple's next budget smartphone featuring a larger display than the iPhone 8

Rumours about the iPhone SE 2 have been flying around for ages, with Apple now apparently set on releasing its next budget smartphone in mid-March. No fixed date has yet been offered but there is talk of the device, which may be s...

Alex Alderson, 10 Feb 2020 20:13

The Samsung Galaxy S20 series will be unveiled tomorrow. (Source: Winfuture)

Leaked Galaxy S20 photo samples give first look at what the S20/S20+'s cameras are capable of

The Samsung Galaxy S20 phones will be unveiled tomorrow but why wait till then to have an idea of what the phones' cameras are capable of. The first photo samples of the Galaxy S20 have now been leaked; better still, with the same...

Ricci Rox, 10 Feb 2020 19:56

WhatsApp Pay has approval to operate in India. (Source: WhatsApp)

WhatsApp acquires the OK to support payments in India

WhatsApp has secured approval to roll out a new facet of its service in India. It is a new payment platform that has just been approved by the relevant authories. This may help the Facebook-owned app compete effectively with other...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Feb 2020 19:52

LG released the G7 ThinQ running Android 8.0 Oreo in May 2018. (Image source: LG)

Android 10 edges nearer for the LG G7 ThinQ

Fancy trying Android 10 a few months early on the G7 ThinQ? Well, you soon can, although there are caveats. LG has even published the device's Android 10 kernel source code, a good sign that the OS upgrade is on its way to seeing ...

Alex Alderson, 10 Feb 2020 19:49

Ericsson has dropped out of MWC 2020. (Source: Ericsson)

Ericsson cancels its MWC 2020 showcase

The telecomms equipment maker Ericsson has become one of the latest in a growing group of companies that have decided against an appearance at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year. Like those others, it has cited prevention m...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Feb 2020 19:06

OPPO releases the Reno2 and Reno2 Z to the German market

The smartphone maker OPPO has announced the launch of the Reno2 and Reno2 Z in Germany. This series distinguishes itself through its high digital and hybrid camera zoom specs and its pop-up selfie modules. These aspects of the pho...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Feb 2020 18:30

Xiaomi Mi 10 official poster (Source: Lei Jun on Weibo via MySmartPrice)

This is the real thing: Xiaomi Mi 10 official poster shows up, Pink finish also in the cards

Expected to launch at MWC next month, the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 10 has just surfaced on Weibo in an official poster that reveals two color choices and its overall design traits. Hopefully, the Mi 10 will be available with more color ...

Codrut Nistor, 10 Feb 2020 10:42

Can you spot the two devices on show here? (Image source: Weibo via @xiaomishka)

Rumour | Xiaomi takes cues from Samsung and Huawei with the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro in leaked promotional posters

Xiaomi is hoping to set the world alight this week with the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro, its latest flagship smartphones. The two devices will sport not only the hyper-curved display of recent Huawei flagships, but will also pack the late...

Alex Alderson, 10 Feb 2020 10:19

The Honor Play. (Source: Adam Patrick Murray, PCWorld)

New update to the Honor Play may leave owners livid amidst clamor for EMUI 10

Owners of the Honor Play are campaigning for their much-deserved EMUI 10 update. The Honor Play was ignored on all of Huawei's roadmaps so far even though its powered by the same Kirin 970 on flagships like the Mate 10 Pro and P20...

Ricci Rox, 10 Feb 2020 09:42

White box for the Xiaomi Mi 10 and black box for the Mi 10 Pro. (Image source: @xiaomishka)

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro with Snapdragon 865 topples the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro with phenomenal Geekbench results

A couple of recent Geekbench records, seemingly for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, have been unearthed that offer incredible scores in both the single-core test and the multi-core test. The scores for the single-core benchmark were 904 and...

Daniel R Deakin, 10 Feb 2020 09:21

The Asus ZenFone 5's Android 10 update status is unclear. (Image Source: Gadgets360)

Employee's tweet leaves Asus ZenFone 5 Android 10 update prospects hanging in the air

The chances of the Asus ZenFone 5 getting updated to Android 10 seem to be slim if the tweets of an Asus France employee are anything to go by. In a response to user's query, the rep said that a lot of work needs to be done before...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 09 Feb 2020 20:53

The Galaxy S10's successor may outdo them in the market. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy S20 series will outsell the S10s, according to a prominent analysis firm

Counterpoint Research now believes that the upcoming Galaxy S20 flagships will maintain an upward trend in Samsung sales that began with their S10-series predecessors. Furthermore, the new phones' performance in the market could r...

Deirdre O Donnell, 09 Feb 2020 19:11

Leaked renders of the LG G9 ThinQ may actually be for the V60 ThinQ. (Source: OnLeaks)

New LG V60 ThinQ leak surfaces amidst rumors of the LG G9 ThinQ being cancelled

LG is billed to launch the V60 ThinQ at MWC later this month. Details of the device have now leaked, with major takeaways including the presence of headphone jack, a quad-rear camera setup, and a huge 5000 mAh battery. Reports als...

Ricci Rox, 09 Feb 2020 13:30

The Mate 20 X. (Source: Trusted Reviews)

Feature | In hindsight, the Huawei Mate 20 X was an incredibly underrated smartphone

Look away, lovers of smaller-sized phones, this one isn't for you. Huawei's Mate 20 series is almost 16 months old and here we have a look at the forgotten son of the lineup, the Mate 20 X—perhaps, the most underrated device Huawe...

Ricci Rox, 09 Feb 2020 09:20

The next Red Magic: 2020's fastest gaming phone? (Source: Nubia)

Nubia confirms MWC 2020 launch and more for the Red Magic 5G

The Red Magic series of gaming smartphones is headed for an update, which is to be revealed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020. This has been confirmed by its maker Nubia, by way of a new Weibo post by its CEO, Ni Fei. The ex...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Feb 2020 19:52

The first iQOO flagship of the year may have been caught on Geekbench

iQOO, a sub-brand of the smartphone OEM Vivo, released a premium, Snapdragon 855 Plus-powered device called the Pro 5G in 2019. Now, with a new Geekbench 5 listing that may fit its description, its 2nd generation could be on the w...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Feb 2020 19:17

The Motorola Razr. (Source: Business Insider)

Opinion | CNET's Motorola Razr test was flawed, and the results proffer no tangible deductions

You've no doubt seen the headline: "Motorola Razr fails folding test, doesn't last up to 28,000 folds". Or something in that vein. Yes, the new Motorola Razr did perform terribly at that test, but what if the test itself was inher...

Ricci Rox, 08 Feb 2020 14:29

The Samsung Galaxy A10 comes with an Exynos 7884B SoC. (Image source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018), A10, A10e, and A20e seemingly next in line for welcome One UI 2.0 update

It appears Samsung has been working hard to make sure owners of some of its wide range of smartphones can start enjoying the Android 10-based One UI 2.0. It’s not just the famous flagships of the South Korean manufacturer that are...

Daniel R Deakin, 08 Feb 2020 10:38

The Asus Zenfone 6 offered excellent value for money. (Source: FirstPost)

New Asus Zenfone 7 leak shows a triple camera setup, dual hole punch, LCD display

A new leak has given us our first look at the Asus Zenfone 7. The Zenfone 7 appears to feature a triple camera setup housed within a square module. The dual-selfie camera is present—in an Honor V20 Pro-esque punch-hole—and Asus ap...

Ricci Rox, 08 Feb 2020 07:32

The GDSA is a new potential resource for mobile app developers. (Source: GDSA)

Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo reportedly team up to form their own app-distribution platform

The Global Developer Service Alliance (GDSA) is a kind of one-stop pipeline for developers, by which their apps can be uploaded to the in-house software ecosystems of 3 different OEMs simultaneously. However, these companies have ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Feb 2020 23:54

The Flash wants to be all power banks to all users. (Source: Indiegogo)

The Flash power bank promises 100W USB type C charging, and just about everything else as well

Chargeasap, the company responsible for the Infinity Cable, has introduced another new product via Indiegogo. The Flash power bank is described as based on Tesla graphene-battery technology, which allows it to fill up at a maximal...

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Feb 2020 22:37

EMUI 10 update now rolling out to the Honor 10, Honor View 10, and P20 Pro

Rejoice, owners of older Huawei premium phones; your time in the spotlight is here. Huawei is currently sending out the Android 10-based EMUI 10 update to the Honor 10 and Honor View 10 outside China, with the P20, P20 Pro, and li...

Ricci Rox, 07 Feb 2020 20:10

Android hints at a new feature to debut at the Samsung Galaxy S20 launch

The Android OS' official Twitter account has posted a message alerting us all to "something exciting" that is "just around the corner". However, we will have to wait until Samsung's next big event to see what it is. The announceme...

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Feb 2020 19:07

A concept render of what a Xiaomi Mi 10 Explorer Edition could look like. (Image source: @xiaomishka)

Rumour | The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro will feature at least 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM

Xiaomi has already offered a taste of the cameras in the Mi 10 Pro, and now the company has also confirmed other features about the Mi 10 series. The Chinese company will reserve premium features for only the Mi 10 Pro either, wit...

Alex Alderson, 07 Feb 2020 13:48

Samsung Galaxy M20 gets Android 10 update in Europe

The Samsung Galaxy M20 is now receiving its much-awaited Android 10-based One UI 2.0 update in Europe. It is currently available in Germany, Luxembourg, and Greece. Users in other regions should receive the update in the coming da...

Anil Satyanarayana, 07 Feb 2020 13:19

Looks pretty but isn't the most durable. (Source: CNET)

Big oof: The Motorola RAZR shows awful durability as it fails a folding test

Hinge noises aren’t as bad as it gets for the new Motorola RAZR. The phone was put through a folding test to see how many times it could be folded before showing damage. The results were...rather disappointing, especially in light...

Ricci Rox, 07 Feb 2020 09:40

The Redmi K30 Pro will disrupt the Indian market like no other device. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Here's why the Redmi K30 Pro will be a roaring success in the Indian market

Opinion Even though Xiaomi is yet to officially announce the Redmi K30 Pro, the device appears to have tremendous potential to disrupt the Indian market, despite the increased competition from the likes of Realme. The lack of a Poco F1 su...

Anil Satyanarayana, 07 Feb 2020 09:36

The "OnePlus hidden camera phone patent" image. (Source: LetsGoDigital)

OnePlus may have patented a hidden-camera phone, but not as you might think

A new report claims that the smartphone OEM OnePlus has patented a phone with hidden rear cameras. However, this design allegedly depends on physical components rather than the next-gen electrochromic technology found in this comp...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2020 23:37

The Galaxy Buds+ bring a number of improvements, along with a US$20 premium. (Source: Evan Blass)

Galaxy Buds+ to offer Game Mode for lower latency; extra microphone for improved call quality, more

Ever tried playing an online FPS on a wireless earbud? Latency galore. Samsung will attempt to cut down on latency by introducing a game mode on the upcoming Galaxy Buds+, along with a number of other major improvements over the c...

Ricci Rox, 06 Feb 2020 20:40

Xiaomi only released the Redmi 8A in September last year. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Rumour | Xiaomi to launch the Redmi 9a next week featuring a 5,000 mAh battery and dual cameras

Thinking about buying the Redmi 8a? Well, Xiaomi company executives are dropping heavy hints that a successor is already in the works, and it could be arriving as soon as next week. Better still, the device, likely called the Redm...

Alex Alderson, 06 Feb 2020 19:49

The Realme C3 has launched in India. (Source: Realme)

Realme C3 launches: new MediaTek silicon and a 5000mAh battery for US$98

The Realme C3 has become the first phone with a MediaTek Helio G70 processor, as it launches via Flipkart in India. It also has a 6.5-inch HD+ display with 3-4GB of RAM and up to 64GB of internal storage. It starts for INR 6999, o...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2020 19:13

The 2nd-gen OPPO Find X will finally be revealed. (Source: OPPO)

OPPO announces a launch date for the Find X2

The smartphone OEM OPPO has issued press invitations for the launch of what may be its next flagship, the Find X2. This phone, which is thought to have state-of-the-art specs such as a 120Hz display, will debut in Barcelona, but n...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2020 18:44

Qualcomm announces its first-quarter earnings for 2020

Qualcomm has released its first earnings report for the year 2020. The quarter (1Q2020) saw no less than US$5.1 billion in revenue for the chipmaking giant. This is a 5% improvement compared to 1Q2019. In addition, the company's l...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2020 17:55

A possible budget Huawei P40 variant appears in an official certification

A phone called the Huawei P40 Lite E has reportedly been approved by a Russian telecomms authority. This device might also be called the Enjoy 10 on its launch in other markets. However, its new leak does not offer any information...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Feb 2020 17:15

The Redmi K30 Pro will likely use the same 64 MP Sony IMX686 that's on the vanilla K30. (Source: Geekbuying)

Bigger battery, faster charging, better performance for the Redmi K30 Pro

The Redmi K30 was something of a disappointment, and Xiaomi will be hoping to make amends with the Redmi K30 Pro. A new report has now shone more light on Redmi's upcoming flagship phone, and things are looking up for expectant fa...

Ricci Rox, 06 Feb 2020 16:23

The Mi 10 series could feature a 108 MP like the Mi Note 10 Pro. (Image source: Xiaomiaddictos)

Rumour | Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro impresses with 108 MP, 10x zoom and video camera samples

While Xiaomi may unveil the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro during an online-only event, company VP Lu Weibing has been sharing the camera capabilities of the upcoming flagships. A 108 MP main sensor paired with a 10x zoom camera and a Snapdr...

Alex Alderson, 06 Feb 2020 15:47

The Galaxy S20 Ultra. (Source: 91Mobiles)

How much will the Samsung Galaxy S20 phones cost?

Going by all available information, the Galaxy S20 phones will be more expensive than their predecessors—in the US at least. While that may sound like a thoughtless move by Samsung, some context is necessary.

Ricci Rox, 06 Feb 2020 10:44

8K video recording will be available on this year's Snapdragon 865-powered flagships, but do we really need this feature right now? (Image Source: Qualcomm)

Updated | Qualcomm showcases 8K video recorded with Snapdragon 865-powered phone, quality is iffy

8K video recording capabilities are coming to Snapdragon 865-powered flagships this year, even though they will be mostly useless and potentially buggy, at least judging by a showcase video posted by Qualcomm on YouTube. It is imp...

Bogdan Solca, 06 Feb 2020 09:38

The Samsung Galaxy A50 features an Exynos 9610 SoC. (Image source: Samsung)

The legions of Samsung Galaxy A50 owners should brace themselves for an impending One UI 2.0 update

It appears one of the world’s current best-selling smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A50, could be receiving the expected update to One UI 2.0 soon thanks to the information revealed in a recently spotted Wi-Fi Alliance certificatio...

Daniel R Deakin, 06 Feb 2020 08:53

The Doogee S68 Pro is a rugged smartphone with reverse wireless charging

Doogee has announced the S68 Pro, another in its long line of toughphones. However, this one also has the reverse wireless charging feature normally found in Huawei or Samsung flagships. This power will come from the device's 6300...

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Feb 2020 23:47

Huawei touted to debut 65 W fast-charging technology on the Mate Xs

Huawei's 22.5 W SuperCharge was class-leading three years ago but the company has slowly lost ground on that front. That could be set to change soon, though, as a new report claims the Chinese company could debut a new 65 W fast-c...

Ricci Rox, 05 Feb 2020 19:48

Update | The Android 10 rollout for the LG G8 ThinQ continues

LG looks to be getting better with software updates. The South Korean company is continuing its Android 10 rollout for the G8 ThinQ, and the latest version of the phone to receive the update is the US unlocked model. Both the Spri...

Ricci Rox, 05 Feb 2020 19:47

Huawei released the Nova 3i in August 2018. (Image source: Huawei)

Thousands sign petition in response to news that the Huawei Nova 3i will not receive EMUI 10

While many other Kirin 710-powered smartphones have now received EMUI 10 and Android 10, Huawei has frozen out the Nova 3i. The official confirmation that the device will not be getting a second OS upgrade has clearly irked some f...

Alex Alderson, 05 Feb 2020 18:39

The iPhone SE 2 is rumoured to feature a 4.7-inch display. (Image source: ConceptsiPhone)

iPhone SE 2: New renders offer a look at Apple's rumoured next budget smartphone in an array of colours

With mass-production of the iPhone SE 2 rumoured to start in the next week or two, a popular YouTube channel has produced a new set of renders show what the device could look like. Combining the design of the iPhone 8 with new col...

Alex Alderson, 05 Feb 2020 18:25

The OnePlus 7T successors were spotted on Amazon India. (Image source: OnePlus)

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro appear on Amazon

OnePlus is preparing to launch its next-generation flagship smartphones, specifically the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. While there have been a few reports speculating about the design of OnePlus' upcoming devices, we now have offi...

Alex Alderson, 05 Feb 2020 18:18

The rear camera bump on the Galaxy S20 Ultra in all its glory (Image Source: Ice Universe)

Real life pictures of Samsung's Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra plus "reliable" U.S. pricing scheme get leaked

Behold the majestic camera bump on the Galaxy S20 Ultra model! It is twice as wide as the one from S20 / S20+ and almost half as wide as the phone itself. There is a dedicated mic between the main sensor and the LED, as well. Care...

Bogdan Solca, 05 Feb 2020 16:55

Samsung Galaxy M31 teaser image (Source: SamMobile)

Samsung India teases upcoming Galaxy M31, 64 MP camera and a generous battery in tow

While most details remain sketchy, the teaser that surfaced online earlier this week suggests that the Galaxy M31 will hit the market with a 64 MP main camera and a generous battery able to provide at least 5,000 mAh like the Gala...

Codrut Nistor, 05 Feb 2020 15:59