Software

Huawei is slated to launch its flagship P50 smartphone series in early 2021. According to a new leak, its vanilla model will have 5 rather different rear cameras, arranged in a new slim housing. It has been worked up into high-end renders that also show quad-curved displays and singular punch-hole selfie shooter.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 has a new firmware update that brings part of the OEM's virtual group-workout initiative to the wearable. It also now supports SmartThings Find, which might help an owner recover a missing unit, as well as Samsung's hand-washing app.

Can smartwatches help to diagnose cases of Covid-19? According to a couple of new studies, they can. The research applies to the Apple Watch and other wearables associated with heart-rate monitoring, as they might record the variations in this metric that might indicate the presence of the virus, even in asymptomatic patients.

Embattled smartphone makers Huawei has now removed the Mate 20 series from its security update schedule, in a move that mirrors what happened with the Mate 10 series a year ago. The phones include the Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 RS, and Mate 20 X.

There are reports that Sony Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 smartphones have started receiving an Android 11 update earlier than scheduled. The Android 11 rollout has apparently already begun in Russia and Southeast Asia, even though the Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 were expected to receive the software update in February.

Although it seems like a long shot, Android 11 works fine on the Xiaomi Mi A1. The POSP ROM might not be perfect but looks very good and seems stable enough for daily use. The version that I installed on my handset comes with the January 5 security patch, and it also seems to support Qualcomm aptX.

AV1 is a video codec rated to enhance file compression compared to its current alternatives. Google has become its a major proponent, to the extent that it is now reportedly insisting that manufacturers need to have it enabled in devices with compatible SoCs if they want to use the Android 10 for TV interface.

WhatsApp has taken to social media channels to try to allay deep concerns that users have been voicing about data sharing and privacy. The company has decided to extend the deadline for its terms update acceptance from February 8 to May 15. However, millions have already decided to move to rival messenger services such as Signal and Telegram.

Realme is a brand that has built its appeal on affordable mobile and personal audio devices. Initial leaks suggest it is going to keep this going in 2021 with the launch of the C21 smartphone and the Buds Wireless 2 Neo. They are slated to be the successor to the cost-effective C11 and to be neckbuds rather than TWS earbuds respectively.

OPPO may have set a rough date for the launch of its 2021 premium smartphone series, likely to be called the Find X3 and X3 Pro. At the opposite end of its mobile-device spectrum, the A93 5G has debuted with Qualcomm's latest 5G-for-the-masses SoC. It offers decent specs, including 8GB of RAM and a headphone jack, for about US$310 in China.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra launched with a new 108MP main shooter, even though the OEM did not introduce it by name exactly during the show. However, it is apparent that it is called the ISOCELL HM3, the first of its kind to debut with nine-pixel binning and a 0.8 micron pixel size. Samsung asserts that it can enhance dynamic range, clarity and detail compared to its predecessors.

The iQOO 7 is the world's second Snapdragon 888-based phone in the world, although it is only available to order in China at present. These sales kicked off today (January 15, 2021), an event its OEM now claims made it 200 million yuan (~US$30.86 million). Its new OS update also upgrades its touch-sampling rate to no less than 1000Hz.

A recent video from WindowsCentral's YouTube channel purports to demo the Windows 10X interface. The latest word on this version of the OS is that it will first arrive on devices that are single-screen, touchscreen-oriented or both. Its new leak seems to bear that impression out in detail.

The Galaxy SmartTag is a new consumer-grade electronic tracker from Samsung. It has a versatile array of use-cases, from potentially protecting bags from theft to finding lost pets. It is rated for up to 6 months of use per charge, and for ultra-wide-band (UWB) technology, which helps with its AR Tracking feature.

Samsung has added Pro variants to its Galaxy Buds series of TWS earbuds. They are rated for upgraded active noise cancellation (ANC), voice-call quality and 360° Audio. They can also switch automatically between different mobile devices from their OEM depending on what the user is doing with either one.

Samsung has made the Galaxy S21 Ultra official, alongside its smaller S21 and S21+ siblings. Its heretofore well-leaked specs is housed in a fresh case design with a metallic rear camera housing and an otherwise matte finish. The OEM also confirms its newly-acquired S Pen compatibility, new 108MP main shooter and Knox Vault security features.

With its Snapdragon 690 SoC and 90 hertz (Hz) FHD IPS display, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G has stepped into the ring with the OnePlus Nord N10. However, while that phone is destined for multiple markets, its new rival has only debuted in its native Taiwan to date. Its price there works out much higher compared to its competition, however.

For almost a decade, Electronic Arts has had exclusive access to the Star Wars IP. EA was the sole creator of AAA Star Wars games - an arrangement, which did not turn out to be very productive. And it is now coming to its end: Disney's new Lucasfilm Games division is opening up the IP for other partners, starting with Ubisoft.

Asus has debuted its new Instant Guard facility in the new RT-AX68U Wi-Fi 6 home router. The device also sprouts 3x3 MIMO antennae for speeds of up to 2.7 gigabits per second (Gb/s). It also supports the OEM's AiMesh software, so as to integrate into and proliferate any such network it finds itself in.

Asus is clearly pitching its new ExpertCenter D700 and D500 machines at the IT professionals who would maintain them as well as the employers that would buy them. Their cases can go down to 9 liters (L) in size, and are made to US MIL-STD-810G durability standards. Furthermore, they have a tool-less design and have legacy serial and parallel ports.

Qualcomm has revealed that it has bought the CPU-design team NUVIA for approximately US$1.4 billion. The OEM asserts that the move will make it more competitive in the future, and will enhance the development of Snapdragon mobile chipsets, as well as platforms for AI-powered vehicles, XR and infrastructure. Its hardware partners, including Microsoft and Samsung, have welcomed the acquisition.

Motorola is said to have a new premium phone in the works with the code-name "Nio". It also has a rumored model number (XT2125), which has shown up on the Federal Communications Commission, (FCC) website. This new leak may thus confirm the device will launch soon with a 20 watt (W) power brick and a 5000mAh battery.

TCL's new product launches are mainly display-centric; however, it has also announced the expansion of its smart device ecosystem at CES 2021. They include the new Wearable Display, a name the OEM has seen fit to give its first pair of smart glasses. They are joined here by other devices such as the hybrid ANC-enhanced MOVEAUDIO S600 earbuds, the MOVETRACK PetTracker and the LINKHUB 4G/LTE Outdoor CPE.

The latest iteration of the 15.6-inch Acer Predator Helios 300 could easily be mistaken for the last. However, the OEM asserts that it is rated for even smoother gameplay thanks to its new GPU and display option. Can these new specs help it blow the cobwebs of 2020 away?

TCL's latest generation of mini-LED panel is called OD Zero, ostensibly as the OEM claims to have reduced the distance between the backlight and diffuser layers in these panels to "zero millimeters". This could improve on luminance and color-depth for the devices based on it, not to mention their form-factor. TCL has also announced that its 2021 smart TVs will launch with Google's new UI.

LG asserts that it has brought the "ultimate" slew of updates to its premium TV offerings to CES 2021. The OEM has even invented a new sub-category for this year: QNED, a combination of its mini-LED and Quantum NanoCell Color technologies. As for the OLEDs, the 48-inch C1 has already won a Best of Innovation Award at the show.

TCL's display-development subsidiary CSOT has prepared 2 of its flexible prototypes that can function when paired to rollers for display at CES 2021. One is the extendable AMOLED panel that may have been seen as part of a concept smartphone before. The other is a 17-inch piece of OLED that may show what the OEM can offer the makers of devices such as transparent TVs.

TCL has just launched its first ever NXTPAPER tablet at CES 2021. It is built around the OEM's recently-developed e-ink competitor, and is slated to deliver a "paper-like" viewing experience. It is joined at the virtual show by the new TAB 10s slate.

HP asserts that its new Elite-series earbuds are an enterprise-grade way of introducing wireless audio into your professional online conferencing set-up. They are rated for both passive and active noise cancellation (PNC and ANC), streamlined device-switching and fast case charging via USB type C.

108MP is the highest resolution available to mobile devices at the moment, featuring most recently in the freshly-launched Xiaomi Mi 11. However, the respected leaker Ice Universe asserts that Samsung has new 200MP ISOCELL-line sensors ready to go "soon". Therefore, OEMs may aim to include this tech in their flagships in the course of 2021.

Sony has announced new SRS-series wireless speakers. The RA5000 and RA3000 have been designed with "room-filling sound" in mind, which entails a novel design meant to distribute sound horizontally in all directions, at least. They can also calibrate this output with respect to the room they are placed in and its dimensions.

Lenovo has made an ambitious leap into the business end of AR glasses with the new ThinkReality A3s. Their lenses are 1080p displays for their potential mixed-reality (MR) or heads-up display content. They also have dual RGB cameras to orient this view, and come in smartphone- or laptop-tethered USB type C variants.

Samsung has made the Galaxy A02s - a potential 2021 cost-effectiveness champ - official, but has yet to release it to any market. A new leak has led to speculation that the US will be first among them. The OEM has certified a number of A02s variants that could correspond to various carriers in the country.

Sony India has confirmed that it has finally set a release date for the PlayStation 5 (PS5): February 2, 2021, although pre-orders start from January 12 in the country. However, those hoping to reserve a Digital Edition have had their hopes dashed by blogs claiming the company has told them this version is not coming during this early-year launch period.

SlashLeaks now claims that an OPPO device newly discovered on Geekbench 5 is the upcoming Find X3 flagship. This is most likely because of the Snapdragon 888 SoC that it, according to this new listing, runs on. Then again, its reportedly stellar performance on AnTuTu has not exactly been replicated here.

Apple App Store users spent a record US$540 million on New Year's Day, capping off a week that saw total App Store spending of $1.8 billion. The App Store continues to be one of Apple's most successful lines of business; since its inception, developers have earned over $200 billion and Apple has earned an estimated $85 billion over the past 12 years.

Those who own current-gen Xbox consoles have reportedly been sent a survey by Microsoft about their experiences with the devices to date. It also contains some pointed questions about how they would like to see it go in the future, hinting at the possible prospect of a new controller with up-to-date features from that for the new PlayStation.

A new app called OnePlus Health has reportedly appeared on the Google Play Store. It has ostensibly been developed to accompany the new fitness band and smartwatch coming soon from this brand. Tech bloggers claiming to have torn its APK down have posted faces and UI snippets for either device.

Modder specikk’s City H4ck mod for Cyberpunk 2077 overhauls the game’s hacking mechanic, including vehicle and door hacking options that are strongly reminiscent of Watch Dogs.

An incredibly exciting but almost certainly fake itinerary for an upcoming Nintendo Direct event has been supposedly leaked. Featuring on the fantasy wishlist are details of a Nintendo Switch Pro console at US$399 and a huge list of games, including Mario Kart 9, Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of the Past.

OnePlus last updated its premium 8T smartphone on December 29, 2020. However, this version of OxygenOS caused a strange issue in which videos on the device would pause out of nowhere. The OEM has just re-released the same update to address this, leaving it otherwise unchanged.

Quite unexpectedly, Xiaomi has now started the Android 11 rollout for the Redmi Note 8. The rollout is still in its infancy, however, as it's only being sent out to enrolled beta testers in China, but it's something nonetheless and the myriad of Redmi Note 8 owners now have something to look forward to.

LG has announced its Android 11 upgrade plan for Q1 2021, and it only contains the Velvet 5G. Seemingly, the V60 ThinQ and Wing 5G must wait until Q2 2021 before receiving Android 11. Owners of the Velvet 5G outside of South Korea are unlikely to see Google's latest OS this quarter, too.

Non-South Korean variants of the LG Wing are already lagging behind in terms of software improvements. While LG delivered new multitasking features to the South Korean edition of the Wing in early November, it has taken almost two months for the update to arrive in the US.

The 732 MB package that has just begun to reach the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro worldwide comes with all the features of MIUI 12, the usual optimizations, and bug fixes. Unfortunately, the update for this handset that was introduced back in September 2018 is only based on Android 9 Pie.

Some Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy S10e users in Switzerland have confirmed that they have received the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update on their devices. However, it may take a few days for the update to make its way to other regions.

Xiaomi has messed up another OS upgrade for the Mi A3. Now on its second and final OS upgrade, the Mi A3 will officially remain on Android 11 indefinitely. Xiaomi has begun rolling Android 11 to the device again now, but it did kill some Mi A3 units with its initial rollout.

After a great debut that has managed to bring in over 1 million concurrent users, Cyberpunk 2077 has already dropped to less than quarter of that. This happened with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as well, but after three months. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk 2077 took the dive in less than a month after release.

The leaker Ice Universe claims to have found new AnTuTu benchmarking scores for an unreleased OPPO device, said to be the upcoming Find X3 flagship. Should this be the case, it has beaten the current official #1 in these terms, the Xiaomi Mi 11, as well as the also-rumored fellow Snapdragon 888 phone the iQOO 7 - and by a good margin, too.

Huawei has refreshed its EMUI 11 upgrade plans globally. The OS update has only been delivered to a limited number of handsets so far, while India is yet to receive EMUI 11 at all. Huawei has provided the update to all users of a few devices in some regions, though.