Chinese Tech

The Vivo Y90 has nothing out of the ordinary since it is a handset tailored for budget-conscious consumers. This MediaTek Helio A22-driven smartphone features only 2 GB of memory, 16 GB of internal storage, and no dual camera or Android Pie. However, it also has a price tag equivalent with around US$101.

The Moto E series has often been a compelling option for those in the market for a budget smartphones. It seems, however, that its next upcoming generation may fail this promise in 2019 somewhat. The Moto E6 is now listed on an official Google database as a 2GB RAM device without NFC or a fingerprint scanner.

The CHUWI MiniBook is the focus of an extremely successful campaign on Indiegogo. The device in question is a UMPC with an 8-inch screen, a Lenovo Yoga-like hinge and as much as 16GB in RAM. The OEM is celebrating an important milestone in its funding by offering its backers a 45-watt (W) charger.

Around a month since the introduction of the Nova 5 series, Huawei is ready to unleash the Note 5i Pro. This phone with a 6.26-inch display and a HiSilicon Kirin 810 processor will be unveiled in China on July 26 with a price tag of CN¥2,000 — around US$290. Unfortunately, there is no information about its global release yet.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is now over 2 years old; nevertheless, its maker has been working on an update to Android Pie for this former flagship. This project is now complete, and has resulted in an OS called MIUI 10.4.1.0. Those who still have the Mi 6 can download it from Xiaomi's official global ROM repository.

Some photos of what seems to be the upcoming Huawei Mate 30 Pro have been shared on the Chinese social network site Weibo. The pictures show a couple of the flagship smartphones being tested on public transport, with what appear to be a pair of Huawei Mate 20 X devices joining them for the ride.

At an event in China a few hours ago, Honor announced the launch of its two newest devices, the Honor 9X and 9X Pro. Notable features include pop-up selfie cameras, a triple rear camera system, fast-charging, and the Kirin 810, Huawei's new mid-range SoC which outperforms the Snapdragon 730. Prices start at US$200.

Motorola has released a phone called the P50 in China. This device is nearly identical to the One Vision, except that it runs ZUI 11 rather than stock Android 9.0 (Pie). It also comes in a 6GB RAM flavor, whereas its alternative version only has 4.

A set of Mate 30 Lite live-photos is doing the rounds, showing a punch-hole display, a capacitive fingerprint scanner and quad rear-facing cameras. The Mate 30 Lite will be sold as the Nova 5i Pro in China.

With more than two weeks until the release of Samsung's next-gen flagships — which are also supposed to feature a 64 MP camera — Xiaomi's unveils the first 64 MP image sample taken using an upcoming Redmi device. The sensor used in its camera is the Samsung GW1 and the result looks simply great.

The leaks that surround the Huawei Mate 30 line hint at a relatively novel conformation for its rear cameras. However, the latest such photo, allegedly linked to this series' non-Pro variant, shows no such development for its front panel. It has a wide, thin notch that houses no less than 5 sensors.

The Nokia rumor mill has generated details on 2 potentially upcoming phones: the 6.2 and 7.2. They are thought to have Marvel-inspired code-names and the circular rear camera module seen in an earlier leak. The latest indication is that they will be released together during an August 2019 event.

A leak pointing to a new mobile device with an in-display fingerprint scanner, a 4150mAh battery and rear triple cameras from UMIDIGI ha sprung online. As one of its cameras is allegedly a 48MP sensor, it is likely that this phone, apparently to be called the X, may be an OEM flagship at launch.

Huawei has reportedly developed a whole new operating system known as HongMeng. It has been speculated that this software exists as a contingency for the OEM's uncertain position with respect to the use of Android. However, the company's senior vice president (SVP) has just shot this idea down in no uncertain terms.

OnePlus has just posted download links for its latest Developer Preview (DP3) for the next upcoming major Android update. It contains the latest features of both this OS and OxygenOS, the OEM's custom skin for the same. This build of DP3 is compatible with the OnePlus 7 Pro, 7, 6T and 6.

Xiaomi is following suit with ASUS and Nubia by refreshing its gaming smartphone this summer. The company has confirmed that it will unveil the Black Shark 2 Pro on July 30, but it is currently keeping other details close to its chest. Expect only minor changes though, if the name is anything to go by.

The One Action is now almost certainly Motorola's next Android One device. A phone of this name has reportedly been found on the Google databases that pertain to this program. Its entries appear to confirm a 21:9 aspect ratio and a punch-hole in its display.

Huawei shipped close to 60 million smartphones units in the first quarter of the year but was hit with a trade ban by the US government that negatively influenced sales in Q2. Analysts expect the company to hit 260 million shipments this year—a figure that would represent a hefty 25% year-on-year growth—but we're leery.

Previously rescheduled for a September launch, the Mate X may end up launching this August, at least in China. This possibility is backed by the recent TENAA certification, which also reveals that the mate X will integrate an 8-inch AMOLED display with 2,480 x 2,200 resolution, plus a ToF sensor along with a 40 + 16 + 8 MP rear cam setup and an 8 MP selfie cam.

A Dutch tech blog claims to have found a ZTE patent for this OEM's latest trick: the dual-display premium phone. Unlike the pre-existing Axon M, this design puts a screen on either side of the device. As it has triple rear cameras in a vertical alignment, it invites comparisons with Huawei flagships, or even Galaxy Note 10 renders.

A Korean tech news site claims that the Galaxy Fold has passed testing by a group of "professionals and professors" at 2 prominent universities in the country. Reportedly, this assessment was the flexible Samsung device's final step towards approval for a re-launch. Therefore, its ultimate release for sale may not be far away now.

Xiaomi has officially launched the Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro in India. The K20 and K20 Pro offer a flagship-grade experience under the Redmi sub-brand and feature the latest Qualcomm SoCs, FHD+ AMOLED displays, a triple-camera setup, and a pop-up selfie camera. These phones are priced pretty competitively in the Indian market and Xiaomi has also announced several accessories for these phones including a 27 W fast charger and Mi Neckband Bluetooth earphones.

Xiaomi has finally confirmed the Mi A3's specs in the course of this new Android One device's launch. As this event took place in Spain, this is also the first market in which it is being sold at present. The phone starts at €250 (about US$281).

In response to the recently leaked Asus ROG Phone 2 powered by the Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC, Nubia immediately teased an upgraded version of its top selling Red Magic 3 gaming phone. We could also see new versions for Xiaomi's Black Shark and the Razer Phone down the line, since the new Snapdragon 855 Plus is specifically designed for gaming phones.

Huawei and Honor have announced the roll-out of EMUI 9.1 (or Magic UI 2.1) for various phones released in or around 2018. This new OS version is probably best known for GPU Turbo 3.0, which optimizes performance when various compatible game apps are opened. The update also adds a new file-system to Magic UI devices.

New leaks that allegedly emanate from Chinese sources point to the imminent release of a new processor by MediaTek: the Helio G90. This CPU is also directed at relatively fresh ground for the Taiwanese silicon-smiths. It is purported to be destined for gaming smartphones.

To say OPPO may be planning to expand its K series of smartphones may be somewhat of an understatement. The OEM has reportedly made a total of 21 trademarking applications for new device names along these lines. This volume of submissions may mean that it plans to keep this line going for some time.

According to some new leaks, the Honor 9X and its Pro variant will have full-screen displays. This will allegedly be conferred by selfie cameras hidden in pop-up modules. One of these Huawei sub-brand phones may also have appeared on the Antutu benchmark database.

The V1921A is a new device from Vivo that has triple cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It has been certified by TENAA, and has now also appeared on the benchmarking site Geekbench. Its results show that it is powered by the Snapdragon 710 SoC, runs Android 9.0 and has an 8GB RAM SKU.

Huawei is putting together plans to lay off hundreds of its US-based employees, according to the Wall Street Journal. Although President Trump has eased some of the restrictions on the Chinese company, it remains on the US Entity List and US companies still need to apply for licenses to supply it.

The PanGu is an STMicroelectronics STM32MP1 powered single-board computer (SBC), which should offer good value for money for some developers. The board runs Debian Jesse and Yocto Linux and is available to order from Taobao for 499 RMB (~US$72.50).

Vivo is an OEM that mostly produces smartphones with modern features such as multiple cameras. However, these handsets have not been officially available in certain regions. However, new reports indicate that this company is hiring for pivotal positions in Central Europe, indicating that Vivo intends to establish a presence there.

Xiaomi is set to unveil its newest Android One phone, the Mi A3, soon, and details of the device have now been revealed in full. Notable takeaways include a 32 MP selfie camera, 48 MP main rear shooter, and an SoC that looks to a worse performer than the chipset on last year's Mi A2.

News about the GPD Win Max has been quiet since April, but a host of leaked photos give a better look at the 8-inch handheld. Dual-fans, a larger keyboard, a PlayStation Vita style d-pad and even a trackpad? One-Netbook and Smach better take notice.

Huawei is now linked to multiple different possible names for its well-publicized in-house OS, which may replace Android on its phones in the near future. A new possible leak has turned up another new such term for this system: Harmony. It has allegedly been trademarked in the EU for this purpose.

Huawei has released the schedule for its Developer Conference, which will take place in Dongguan, China, on August 9, 2019. The second talk in this event will concern EMUI 10, which is based on Android Q. It will be conducted by Wang Chenglu, Huawei's President of Consumer Business Software.

Xiaomi has released a new, official version of MIUI (10.3.5.0) for the Pocophone F1. This is normally great news, and would be in this case were it not for a sub-group of users who report problems such as screen freezing and ghost touch on their updated devices. The OEM has requested that affected owners send them their units for testing in relation to the issue.

Vivo has launched a phone called the S1 for the Indian market. Unlike the existing device of the same name for the Chinese region, it is a new product powered by the MediaTek Helio P65 SoC, runs Android 9.0 and has triple rear cameras.

From July 15 to July 16, these already cheap Chuwi devices will be even cheaper from $111 to $399 as part of Amazon Prime Day. Chuwi is notable for offering very inexpensive laptops and tablets that tend to work best as secondary or backup PCs.

New certifications pertaining to a device called the OPPO CPH1931 have allegedly been found online. This device as described is a phone with a 6.1-inch screen and a 5000mAh battery. Its most interesting attribute so far may be references to the recently-released CPU, the SM6125, or Snapdragon 665.

Recently made available for pre-order in UAE, the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G is now ready to launch in China. This massive phablet that sports a 7.2-inch OLED display with a waterdrop notch will debut in its home market on July 26 and is expected to carry a price tag equivalent with around US$1,100.

Various leaks have indicated that Xiaomi's Mi Ax series will be updated soon. Some leaks have also suggested that this year's iteration will be a rebrand of the OEM's new quasi-premium, youth-oriented Mi CC9e. However, the freshest twist in this tale indicates that there will be 2 Mi A3 variants, which will rock the Snapdragons 730 and 675 respectively.

Huami, not to be confused with Huawei, produces wearables not only for Xiaomi but also has its own line of smartwatches and fitness trackers. The company recently released the Amazfit Verge 2 smartwatch with EKG functionality and is set to present the Amazfit GTR, a Grand Tour Racing model, on July 16.

Thanks to its dual-NPU design, the i700 SoC provides 5X increased A.I. acceleration when compared to the already available i500 chip. It also features eight ARM Cortex cores, a PowerVR GM 9446 GPU and supports up to 8 GB of LPDDR4x-1866 RAM. The chip is targeted at smart IoT devices, fitness and entertainment devices that enable AR experiences and warehouse autonomous vehicles.

GPD is refreshing the Win 2, its 6-inch handheld that can run AAA games. The company has not only bumped the device up from a Core m3-7Y30 to a Core m3-8100Y, but it has also redesigned the motherboard to aid better heat dissipation, upgraded the storage to 256 GB and improved the speakers. The new GPD Win 2 is available to order now for US$775 and will ship from July 26.

Mobvoi has unveiled a new, LTE-enabled version of the Ticwatch Pro. This wearable has most of the specs of its original variant, including its innovative battery-saving dual display. On the other hand, the LTE model is enhanced with Corning Gorilla Glass and double the RAM.

Those who own the Mi TV 4A can now apply for a kind of Android Pie beta-test. Xiaomi is working on what it calls an 'early-access build' for this 32- or 43-inch device, and is currently inviting users to install and test it. The 4A's new OS adds support for the Play Store and Google Assistant (albeit in a slightly roundabout way).

We've already posted a few articles about Chuwi's LapBook plus, a $439 USD budget laptop that distinguishes itself with a 15.6-inch 4K HDR 100% SRGB display and unibody metal build. There's a reason why Chinese budget laptops are able to have high-spec panels in them suddenly, however, and it's related to OLED and Chinese subsidies.

The lesser-spotted Chinese OEM Haipai has filed a patent for a new phone with a type of pop-up module for the selfie camera that rises from the top of the device as a wedge. Sound familiar? If so, you may be thinking of OPPO, who pioneered this kind of design in its Reno flagships.

The MediaTek Helio P70-powered Realme 3 handset will get a compact sibling. The alleged Realme 3i surfaced on Geekbench as the RMX1827 with the slower Helio P60 processor, 3 GB of memory, and Android 9.0 Pie-based firmware. Teased on Flipkart as a "Real Champion," the Realme 3i should hit India next week.