5G

Had the CoViD-19 outbreak not occurred, OPPO would have revealed its 2020 flagship X2 series already. However, it was obliged to reschedule this event, as did many smartphone OEMs planning shows for MWC 2020. However, the company has now decided to go for an online-only event, which will take place soon.

Samsung has launched its latest high-end smartphone display panel. So far, it has been tested by the eye-safety authority SGS and validation specialists UL, and found to have reduced blue-light emissions and energy-consumption values respectively compared to its predecessor. Therefore, the OEM asserts that this new product is ready to take the 5G era on.

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design headset, the first such XR (as in, virtual, mixed or augmented reality) device that supports 5G. It does so via its in-built X55 modem, which is part of its latest hardware platform for this category of media. Therefore, OEMs may now start building their own headsets based on this new "boundless" artificial-reality tech.

Qualcomm has listed several upcoming flagship phones that will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 5G Mobile Platform. For the first time, we are seeing the Asus ROG Phone 3 and the ZenFone 7 getting an official mention. Surprisingly, the highly anticipated OnePlus 8 series and the LG V60 ThinQ do not feature in this list.

Qualcomm announced that 17 mobile operators around the world will be supporting upcoming 5G Always On, Always Connected PCs powered by the Snapdragon Compute Platform that are expected to be available later this year. Apart from this, the company also announced that operators in 115 countries are investing in 5G infrastructure.

According to images allegedly derived from the Chinese regulator TENAA, the Red Magic 5G will be a considerable departure from the rest of its series in terms of rear panel design. Its new putative certification may also reveal the size its 144Hz display will be, as well as how big its battery will be.

Huawei unveiled its vision for a complete, connected ecosystem of devices at its latest product launch. This involves the new AX3 series of routers, which is powered by this OEM's Gigahome SoCs for Wi-Fi 6 support (and more besides). The company also unveiled second-gen "Pro" 5G consumer premises equipment (CPE).

The veil has finally been lifted off the highly-awaited iQOO 3. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, up to 12 GB of RAM, a quad-camera setup and a 4,400 mAh battery that supports charging at 55 W. Prices start at 36,990($515) for the base variant, while the maxed-out 5G version can be had for 39,990($556).

The highly-awaited Redmi K30 Pro 5G is will reportedly be launched sometime in March. This information comes via to a Twitter user who managed to get his hands on some promotional material. The device is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, a 120Hz screen, and a 5,000mAh battery, among other things.

Huawei held a virtual product launch today (February 24, 2020) in lieu of its planned pre-MWC press conference. This event saw many new notebooks and other products. It also introduced the MatePad Pro 5G, a new variant of this OEM's flagship tablet.

Sony held a virtual press conference today in order to unveil its latest premium mobile device. However, it also made references to an intriguing device that was not the Xperia 1 II. The Pro is to have the same display and camera quality as this phone, but will also support mmWave 5G and have an HDMI port. However, there are no images or further specs for this product at present.

Sony has formally revealed its 2020 flagship smartphone, and that it really is called the Xperia 1 II. This device has a 21:9 4K OLED display with the Motion Blur Reduction technology developed to step in for an up-to-date refresh rate. Its rear cameras support various, often own-branded, advanced features, but not 8K.

Chinese gaming smartphone manufacturer Black Shark will release the highly-awaited Black Shark 3 on March 3rd. It is powered by a a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, making it the world's first 5G gaming smartphone. The device will also come with a 120Hz AMOLED panel, , up to 16 GB of RAM, and a battery that can be charged at 65W.

Interested in a 5G-capable "ultra-premium" laptop? Dell's 5G notebook is the first of its kind to pass 5G testing in the City of Lights, as a part of an ongoing partnership with Orange. Download speeds are nearly 20 times those of 4G.

The Galaxy A71 may be a convincing upper-mid range device; however, several leaks suggest Samsung has decided it would be improved with a 5G variant. This phone - the SM-A7160 - has now appeared on the Wi-Fi Alliance certification database. It shows that the A71 5G has much of the same relevant specs as its 4G counterpart.

A leaked render posted by Android Headlines shows off the upcoming LG V60 ThinQ. The flagship phone retains much of the design language from the G8X and V50 ThinQ, including a waterdrop notch and a dedicated Google Assistant button. Other specs are still unknown, though it's almost certain the V60 ThinQ will boast flagship components and 5G capability.

3C spilled the beans about the 5G certification and the inclusion of a 65 W charger, then Xiaomi confirmed the 65 W fast charging feature also revealing that the Black Shark 3 includes a 5,000 mAh battery that can be fully charged in 38 minutes. Other rumored features include a variable refresh rate 2K dynamic display, up to 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and an overclocked Snapdragon 865 SoC.

The upcoming Vivo iQOO 3's specs have been leaked just five days before its February 25th launch. It will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel that has a refresh rate of 90Hz and a 4,400 mAh battery that charges at 55W. Pricing starts at Rs 35,000 (~$490) for the LTE variant and Rs 40,000 ($560) for the 5G version.

Google has made the Developer Preview page for the next version of Android live. This build is now available to download onto certain devices, Pixel phones included. It exhibits changes such as new security measures, privacy safeguards and electronic ID support.

Xiaomi did not want to wait until review sites post meticulous teardowns of the Mi 10 Pro, so it went ahead and posted an official disassembly video highlighting all the small wonders packed inside the powerful flagship. The first benchmarks, on the other hand, are not so impressive, unfortunately.

Realme has announced that it will add an Indian event to its date for the X50 Pro debut's live-stream from Madrid, Spain. This new show will take place on 14:30, February 24, 2020, or about 30 minutes before the European stream starts. This phone will be the OEM's first top-end 5G device on either occasion.

A new 5G variant of the Galaxy A71 was recently spotted on Geekbench. Sporting the Exynos 980, Samsung's first 5G-integrated SoC, the Galaxy A71 5G delivered better single and multi-core scores than the vanilla Galaxy A71.

Apple may release a revamped version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. According to Digitimes, Apple will launch an iPad Pro 12.9 with a triple camera array similar to that found on the iPhone 11 Pro next month, though shipments won't peak until late April at the earliest. However, this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt; there has been a lot of speculation as to the launch of the next iteration of the iPad Pro.

A listing on the Giztop web store (now removed) revealed the full specifications of the OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus 8 Lite. While the listing should be taken with a grain of salt, the specs coincide with prior rumors and leaks. Unsurprisingly, the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. However, the OnePlus 8 Lite will opt for the MediaTek MTK Dimensity 1000. Other specifications (listed below) are decidedly flagship-level.

Apple will reportedly use Qualcomm's 5G chips on iPhones for the next four years. This revelation comes from a document published by the United States International Trade Commission. It also states that Apple is slated to release a 5G-ready iPhone in 2020, which will be powered by a Snapdragon X55 5G modem.

A Nubia executive has confirmed that the next-gen device from its gaming-phone brand, Red Magic, will have SKUs with 16GB of RAM. This spec is an upper limit for Android phones currently defined by the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra in 2020. Considering all its other properties, both definite and rumored, this alternative is shaping up to be an attractive potential contender.

Most smartphone enthusiasts don't seem to like MediaTek chipsets. While there are solid reasons for that, performance isn't one of them anymore. For example, the new MediaTek Dimensity 1000L looks to be the most powerful SoC outside the flagship space.

According to a source familiar with the subject, Apple is currently developing its own 5G antenna to better fit with the 2020 iPhone's design. While it is currently believed that Apple will opt for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X55 modem for its first 5G iPhone, the Cupertino colossus may be designing its own antenna. This would mark the first step toward Apple creating its own 5G modem.

NVIDIA has now completed its fiscal 2020, which ended on January 26 this year. It has reported revenues of just over US$3 billion for its last quarter (4FQ2020), or 41% greater compared to 4FQ2019. The company's CEO has attributed this success to its "accelerated computing" concerns.

With the MWC 2020 event officially called off, Realme has decided to launch its flagship, the Realme X50 Pro 5G, in an online event on February 24. The Realme X50 Pro 5G will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC, will feature 65W SuperDart fast charging, and will run on the new Realme UI OS based on Android 10.

iQOO is a Chinese smartphone brand that has made a name for itself in recent years by offering high-end hardware at decent price-points. Now, it has revealed that its next such device is to be called the 3 5G. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC and have the next-gen UFS 3.1 storage standard.

Instead of ending production of the Galaxy S10 series, Samsung will keep making them and selling them officially with a US$150 permanent price drop. That could have an interesting effect on the support lifespan of the phones, and their resale value.

After meeting earlier this week to discuss the viability of Mobile World Congress 2020, the GSMA has decided to cancel MWC 2020 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. Multiple companies have stated they would not be in attendance due to the epidemic earlier this month. In response, the GSMA has outright cancelled MWC in its entirety.

Recently, a prominent tech vlogger teased a phone with a dual punch-hole camera alleged to contain a groundbreaking 44MP sensor. Now, this device has been revealed as OPPO's Reno3 Pro - but not as its existing fans know it. It has indeed sprouted this improved in-display shooter, but lacks an important marketing point from its original launch.

HMD Global, an OEM that makes Nokia phones, is one of the latest companies to announce the cancellation of its showcase at MWC 2020. Like the others, it has done so to keep its staff and audience safe from the spread of the novel coronavirus. To date, there is no new date for its upcoming launches.

Earlier, Android teased "something exciting" that might debut alongside Samsung’s new flagships. Now, this has been realized in the form of a new Live Caption feature in Google’s Duo app. In addition, the OS may get much more foldable- and 5G-friendly soon.

The Galaxy S20/Z Flip launch event also saw the announcement of a new level of collaboration between Microsoft and Samsung. It involves porting PC games to this OEM’s phones, starting with Forza Street. It will be exclusive to Samsung's own app store for a while after its release, as may others in the future.

A new commercial that aired during the Oscars award show Sunday officially unveiled the final design of the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip foldable from Samsung. The commercial shows nothing more than the design of the phone, which is highlighted across dozens of simulated renders. Samsung should officially announce all details of the handset at its Unpacked event later today.

The Dutch tech blog LetsGoDigital claims that its official Samsung Galaxy S20 press-pack is out of embargo, and can now be shared with the world. Its contents appear to match corresponding leaks almost exactly: for example, the 3 new phones will launch alongside second-gen Buds. This possible final tip also appears to put the flagships' ultra-high price-tags beyond doubt.

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 announced that its own conference is cancelled, but that it will still display products.

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 measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus to its employees or public as its reason for quitting the show.

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 re-energise the uptake of their category in general. This may be based on the strength of the S20s' price and specs.

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 also claim that the South Korean company could be set to kill its G-series line, in an attempt to focus on the V-series.

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 executive has also validated rumors that this device will have a 144Hz display.

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 way. It apparently runs Android 10 and has 8GB of RAM.

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 latest pre-tax earnings saw a year-on-year increase of 69%.

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 to pay US$1,399 for it? Too much? How about US$1,199 for the Galaxy S20+? No? Maybe the US$999 regular S20 is the phone you are looking for, then?

Nubia is thought to be working on a successor for the Red Magic 3 gaming phone. This generation is touted to have 5G, a 144Hz screen and other potentially ultra-fast attributes. However, a new specs leak suggests that at least one of these may not be as speedy as once thought.