Chinese Tech

AnTuTu has taken to Weibo to present the first benchmark score derived from the newly-released OPPO Reno line. It is associated with the '10X Zoom' variant, which has a Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM. This alleged super-camera-phone has returned a result of 369254, which is just about what is expected of its flagship SoC.

The Huawei Y5 2019 will feature a 720p display with a teardrop-shaped notch along with a MediaTek MT6761 SoC and 2 GB RAM. The device comes from the same source that previously confirmed the likes of the Razer Phone 2.

Lenovo has confirmed that its next flagship phone, the Z6 Pro, will be launched in China on April 23. Much remains to be known about the device but it will feature a Snapdragon 855 and, perhaps, a massive 100 MP camera.

The first member of the Honor 20 lineup is scheduled to be launched on April 17. Huawei only teased the waterdrop notch with a 32 MP selfie cam, but, thanks to an early leak from VMall, we now get to see the mate 20i from almost every angle. Rumors have it that the Mate 20i is the China-exclusive version of the international Mate 20 Lite leaked a few days ago.

A live video showcasing what is said to be the upcoming Redmi flagship has surfaced. The device has been touted to be powered by a Snapdragon 855, and the video shows it sporting a triple rear camera setup, and a terribly distasteful camera punch-hole in its display.

The Oppo Reno has already been spotted online on several websites, but it looks like a high-end version is also in the cards. The Oppo Reno 10X Zoom features a 10x optical zoom sensor, which is clearly visible in a square camera assembly similar to what Oppo has revealed at MWC 2019.

A 2019 refresh of the 14-inch Honor MagicBook is going to be released on April 17, according to a Chinese retailer. The main difference between the upcoming version and the 2018 laptop is a processor upgrade: Last year’s AMD MagicBook variant came with a Ryzen 5 2500U, whereas the 2019 model will be fitted with a Ryzen 5 3500U APU.

Apple may be obliged to delay its adoption of 5G until 2020 at the earliest. This is due to its ongoing feud with Qualcomm, who, as it is claimed, will not sell the necessary hardware to the Cupertino company. More recently, Huawei has said it may sell its own modems to Apple.

Introduced to the world at the MWC trade show back in February, the Nubia Alpha "wearable phone" will go on sale tomorrow. This smart wearable is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 chipset and runs a custom Android build. Sadly, it looks like only China will get it this week and the rest of the world will have to wait.

The second iteration of the ROG Phone by Asus will come out in the third quarter of the year with the support of Chinese game publisher Tencent. Its specs are expected to include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, multiple memory/storage combinations, as well as a premium build that would integrate an advanced cooling solution.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) vice-president of research Maria Zuber has stated that the university will discontinue its new and existing partnerships with the OEMs ZTE and Huawei. This decision is reportedly connected to suspicions that the two companies have violated US sanctions.

Nokia's new punch-hole camera phone, the X71, has been launched in China today (April 8, 2019). This device is a variant of the 7 Plus, but with a triple rear camera set-up. It is available in 6/64GB or 6/128GB configurations.

Huawei's sub-brand, Honor, is set to release yet another premium device in the coming months. In fact, if rumors are to be believed, the company could actually release a pair of flagships—the Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro—that promise to deliver excellent camera performance at sub-premium price points.

A picture of two MECHREVO Z2 laptops that apparently sport an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 Ti, respectively, has been leaked. Not only do the gaming notebooks allegedly come with these often-rumored mobile GPUs, but it is claimed they also feature a brand-new 9th Gen Coffee Lake H Refresh CPU, in this case the i7-9750H.

Huawei is set to release its latest power bank for sale for the first time in China. This will take place in the coming week (on April 11, 2019). The OEM alleges that this power bank is compatible with devices that can charge at 40 watts. This includes the P30 line of smartphones, as well as some Matebooks.

Front-facing cameras that are hidden inside the body of a phone, and can deploy at need, are gaining steam in 2019. They leave the display in question with an improved body-to-screen ratio, but also require extra moving parts. Redmi's general manager has reportedly rubbished speculation that this brand may adopt 'pop-up camera' technology.

OPPO has apparently released a promotional poster detailing the new carmera set-up of the upcoming Reno phone. It includes possible references to the long-awaited 10X zoom feature, as well as a main rear camera that is the 48MP Sony IMX586. The other two are a super-wide-angle 8MP module, accompanied by the 13MP shooter that will contain the new kind of zoom technology.

Xiaomi normally has a decent reputation for keeping its phones updated with new versions of MIUI, its version of Android. However, the OEM has recently announced that some Redmi phones from 2017 or earlier will no longer be receiving this support. It means that these devices will see no further software development, although they may still receive regular security updates.

Xiaomi is said to be on the point of releasing a new product for 2019. This product is to be called the Star Trang telescope, and will be available for sale on April 9. It is set to cost about US$89, and is one of many gadgets the OEM may release for its "Fan Day" event in China.

The main specifications for the upcoming Meizu 16s smartphone have been listed by TENAA, the Chinese telecommunications authority. Although a specific SoC is not mentioned, the CPU frequency of 2.8 GHz certainly points to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. New leaked images of the smartphone show that it will not come with a notch or punch-hole selfie camera.

The WIN 2 Max is rumored to get a few improved specs, including a higher-resolution 1280 x 800 screen, a new AMD APU with integrated Radeon graphics that can be overclocked for improved performance or underclocked for extended battery life, and a keyboard with bigger keys. The model is expected to launch in late 2019.

Pop-up components in smartphones are becoming increasingly familiar concepts in anti-notch technology. However, a tech blog claims to have uncovered patents that suggest the OEM OPPO is considering a different approach to them. The 'pop-ups' portrayed in them deploy things besides selfie cameras.

The concept of a whole new brand for OPPO could have been a major reveal for the company at its next launch event. However, this possibility has been disrupted by a multitude of leaks on the subject. Now, the OEM is said to have to be threatening a store with legal action over one of them.

Huawei has big plans for its sub-brand Honor, which has achieved an impressive YoY growth in international shipments of 170 percent last year. While Honor is still far behind, Huawei is planning to make it the fourth-largest global smartphone maker as soon as possible, although it might take a while.

The A7n is the latest member of the entry-level lineup form OPPO. Most of the features like the MediaTek Helio P35 SoC, the 4 GB of RAM, the 1520 x 720 resolution and the 13 MP + 2 MP rear dual-cam setup are clearly meant to fit a tight budget. However, OPPO also added a few mid-range features like a bigger 6.2-inch display, 64 GB of storage and a 4,230 mAh battery.

A leaker often seen on SlashLeaks has posted a set of images on their own Twitter timeline. They apparently show the upcoming OnePlus 7 in a clear case. The account-holder claims these renders come direct from an accessories manufacturer.

Some renders have been developed based on patent drawings made by Lenovo as part of a patent filing with the USPTO. The result is a rather odd foldable smartphone that not only looks peculiar in comparison to other foldable smartphones, but it also seems to reveal a number of impractical features.

ZTE Nubia is slated to release a new generation of its Red Magic gaming smartphone soon. A Weibo account-holder has posted screenshots that may show an AnTuTu benchmark score for this phone. Should it be proven accurate, the device is capable of attaining 437,524 points in this test.

Samsung followed Huawei into reverse wireless charging territory in 2019. Now, the respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo asserts that Apple will do the same. This feature would align nicely with the new capabilities of the AirPods.

Unleashed worldwide almost two months ago in two versions — Essential and Superior — the ZTE Nubia Red Magic Mars gaming handset is now available with more memory, storage, and a camo design. This variant with 10 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage goes by as "Conqueror" and can be acquired for US$549.

DC dimming is often used to modulate LED brightness in professional or business environments. It involves switching a DC input from between 0 and 10 volts. OPPO claims to have integrated it into the display panel of the upcoming Reno range of phones, although it may be more software-based than the typical implementation.

Chinese OEM Xiaomi released the Mi 9 and MI 9 SE about a month ago. Since then, the company has shipped a million units of the Mi 9 worldwide, and half-a-million units of the Mi 9 SE—a device that's currently exclusive to the Chinese market.

Another alleged test score for the Meizu 16s has been shared online, this time with the renowned Chinese benchmarking utility AnTuTu. The upcoming smartphone apparently managed to amass a total of 357,975 points, which puts it way ahead of some big name devices, such as the Xiaomi Mi 8 and OnePlus 6.

A fantastic render has been published showing what Xiaomi could be planning in regard to smartphone front-facing camera placement. The render is based on a patent made by the Chinese smartphone company, which of course, may never go further than the drawing board. But it does at least highlight how important innovation is for Xiaomi.

OnePlus has hinted at something called WarpTen on its Weibo page. Given the term's similarity to the OEM's latest charging standard, it may have something to do with improved charging for the upcoming 7 flagship. However, the post's proximity to April 1, 2019 may cast doubt on this prospect.

UMIDIGI unveiled the F1 in December 2018. This phone shook up the US$200-300 bracket with a 5000mAh battery and other decent specs such as an FHD display and 4GB RAM. Now, a new version of the same adds a 48MP camera sensor, even more battery and a new, even lower price.

Huawei broke records in terms of DxOMark camera ratings when it released the P30 Pro. The OEM has been touting it as a major point of the phone's appeal ever since. Its rival Samsung has pointed out that this situation is not the whole picture.

A device under the name “alps m1971” has turned up in a Geekbench test, and this could be the upcoming Meizu 16s. The smartphone was already rumored to be loaded with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC, and if the Geekbench listing is genuine, then this rumor seems to be confirmed.

Xiaomi launched the Mi A2 last year and could be set to follow it with this year's iteration, the Mi A3. The Mi A3, an Android One device, is expected to be based on a regular MIUI phone, and details of that device have now surfaced.

Reno is a new line of OPPO smartphones set to launch later this year. At least one of its devices has reportedly leaked due to its submission to international certifiers such as TENAA recently. Now, a SlashLeaks contributor claims that a possible Lite variant of the same has also passed through this body's doors.

Xiaomi's Black Shark 2 is powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC and comes with up to 12GB of RAM. It was released earlier this month, albeit to the Chinese market only. Now, however, the OEM has released it for sale on its EU sales site.

OPPO's Reno sub-brand smartphones are expected to launch in a few weeks, and the models recently received the mandatory TENAA certification that also leaked most of the specs. Reno is set to feature high-end Snapdragon 855 SoC models, but TENAA reveals that there will be mid-range variants powered by the Snapdragon 710 SoC, as well. These will get only a dual-camera setup on the back, plus the 16 MP pop-up selfie cam, and a smaller 3,680 mAh battery.

New information about a Nubia gaming smartphone that is currently known by the model number NX629J has surfaced online. This smartphone is expected to be the upcoming Nubia Red Magic 3 that has been recently teased on Weibo by the company’s co-founder. If the specifications are accurate, it should completely eclipse the performance of the Red Magic Mars.

Oppo’s forthcoming Reno flagship smartphone has been leaked in full by via a case maker through Slashleaks. The device shows a premium truly all-screen smartphone that takes a unique approach to incorporating a pop-up selfie camera.

The new, ultra-compact Vnopn K1 does without a fan and has no moving parts, which helps keep its form factor down. Vnopn has equipped the K1 with an AMD processor too unlike many other PCs of its size.

Shortly after the release of the Huawei P30 flagship, an official of the Chinese company, Bruce Li, confirmed that the Huawei Mate 30 is currently being tested. He also added that — if everything works as planned — this next-gen phablet could be hit the market in September - October.

Xiaomi has shared a new short promotional video of its upcoming foldable smartphone. The device still looks fantastic and is distinctly different to the foldable devices produced by Samsung and Huawei thanks to its unique folding mechanism. But the simple clip does raise a couple of concerns about the Chinese manufacturer’s creation.

The backdoor-like vulnerability was discovered through the Windows Defender ATP kernel sensors back in January, but Microsoft did not alert the media. Instead, the company contacted Huawei directly and a patch was promptly released. Microsoft presumably did not want to add to the list of serious allegation currently targeting Huawei.

The 2.4-pound Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air (2019) is now official in China and comes with Harman Kardon audio with DTS surround, fast charging, and more. The starting price (in China) is the equivalent of US$536 and this amount would get you the model with Intel Core m3-8100Y/4 GB RAM/128 GB storage.