ARM

Qualcomm is said to be working on a new "Snapdragon 1000" ARM-based chip that it is targeting for Windows 10 machines by either late 2018 or 2019. What will set this chip apart is that it is being specially designed for Windows 10 on ARM PCs with a higher TDP for true notebook-class performance.

A tweet from Asus ROG can be seen as evidence that previous rumors about the planned release of an ROG gaming phone are correct. The tweet shows an unknown phone attacked to a gaming controller, which leaks suggest is equipped with a Snapdragon 845, 8 GB of RAM, and a possible 120 Hz display.

Samsung is finally acknowledging the arrival of the in-display fingerprint sensors with the launch of next year's premium smartphones. The Korean company has closely been working with Qualcomm to deliver what they call the ultrasonic fingerprint recognition, which will be using updated OLEDS that include the Snapdragon Sense ID 3D.

Using the 7 nm manufacturing process, the new ARM Cortex-A76 CPU will bring "laptop-class" performance to handheld devices. The new CPU features a totally new architecture that delivers 35% increased performance, 40% improved power efficiency and 4 times increased machine learning workloads for the upcoming "always connected" Windows on ARM PCs.

According to Roland Quandt, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are set for an August/September launch. Both devices are also going to built by Foxconn, the Taiwanese company most known for manufacturing iPhones.

Xiaomi, yesterday, released a trio of devices in its Mi 8 lineup. The Mi 8 SE is the cheapest and least powerful of the devices but still manages to offer unbeatable value, especially considering its sub-$300 price tag.

Vivo has unveiled its latest device, the Vivo Y83. While mostly unspectacular, it will go down as the first device to be powered by MediaTek's mid-range Helio P22 SoC.

Dell could very well join in the Windows 10 on ARM bandwagon alongside new devices Asus, HP, and Lenovo if word on the street is to be believed. Dell was earlier skeptical of Windows 10 on ARM and adopted a wait and watch approach. That could change now and in fact, Dell could be one of the first to realize Microsoft's 'ultimate mobile device' dream.

It looks like Dell could work its magic and release a foldable phone before Microsoft even gets to officially announce the Surface Phone. Dell's codename "Januss" could also be among the first 5G smartphones, since it is said to be powered by Qualcomm's 7 nm Snapdragon 850 SoC. Other features include a USB-C connector and multiple cameras.

Alongside the Mi 8 reveal, Xiaomi also showed off a limited edition Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition features an in-display fingerprint sensor and a transparent back that reveals the innards. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition is limited to China as of now and will be available only in defined quantities.

Xiaomi has taken wraps off its newest flagship model, the Mi 8. The Mi 8 comes with the latest Snapdragon 845 chip, dual cameras, and a dual GPS system. The Mi 8 gets launched in 8 other markets apart from China and packs most features found in other expensive flagships. While the design is reminiscent of the iPhone X, the smartphone looks to be priced quite competitively and should rake in good numbers for the Chinese major.

Qualcomm is working on an exclusive SoC for upcoming Windows 10 on ARM devices. Entries for a new Snapdragon chip were found on Geekbench and all clues point it to be a performance-based variant of the Snapdragon 845 adapted for the extra thermal headroom in notebooks and 2-in-1s.

According to Qualcomm, the VR and AR market is now mature enough for a unified SoC, so the company is almost ready to release the Snapdragon XR1 chip that will bring support for virtual, augmented and mixed reality environments. At its core, the XR1 is a smartphone SoC that does away with most communication-related features.

Starting at less than US$125, the new Meizu M6T is powered by the outdated MediaTek MT6750 processor, but its main selling point is the 13 MP + 2 MP main camera setup on the back. This 5.7-inch handset also has a 3,300 mAh battery and a traditional audio jack, but it is only available in China for now.

HMD has officially launched the Nokia 2.1, 3.1 and 5.1 smartphones. The Nokia 2.1 and 3.1 are the more affordable of the three and carry Google's Android One branding. The new 5.1 is a slightly more expensive model machined from a single block of aluminum.

Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce ARM-powered notebooks. A Digitimes report says that Pegatron has landed orders from Apple for an ARM-powered MacBook codenamed 'Star' with series number N84. The new MacBooks are speculated to run an iOS derivative and could be marketed separately from other Intel-based MacBooks.

A render of a smartphone currently known as the Motorola One Power has been leaked. The image shows a device with slim bezels, a notch and a dual-camera setup on the rear. The Android One logo can be seen on the back case, whilst the Motorola brand name is visible on the front. No specifications for the phone have been revealed yet.

Huawei seems to be ready to join the gaming smartphone craze with its upcoming Honor Play model. The latest smartphone teaser posted by the Chinese company on Weibo emphasizes the AI functionalities that should bring a "groundbreaking" 4D gaming experience. However, it looks like the Honor Play might have been spotted at TENAA, but the specs are mid-range at best.

Images of the supposed screen protector of the Pixel 3 devices have surfaced, throwing more light on what we should expect from the devices, including a notch and dual selfie cameras.

The LG V30S was unveiled back in February and went on sale in the US a short while ago. Its MSRP of US$930 was always a tad ridiculous, so it's no surprise that it's price has currently dropped down to US$680—which still isn't a very attractive proposition.

Official renders of the Motorola Moto Z3 Play have surfaced online. Perhaps even more interestingly, Motorola plans to release a 5G-capable Moto Mod that will upgrade it, and compatible Moto devices, from 4G to 5G cellular connectivity.

Sometimes delays can be benefic for laptops, since at least some of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835-powered Windows 10 portables that were expected to arrive this year will use the faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor instead, which also has a noticeably faster frequency than when used in smartphones.

While a recent rumor claims that a top-of-the-line variant of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9 might hit the market with 8 GB RAM and 512 GB storage onboard, the Samsung SM-N960N model that has just surfaced on Geekbench only sports an Exynos 9810 processor and 6 GB RAM.

Lenovo Vice President Chang Cheng has, once again, teased the company's upcoming device on Weibo. This time, he clarifies that the device will be named the Lenovo Z5. The teaser paints the picture of a device with absolutely no bezels—and no notch.

Xiaomi's upcoming flagship, the Mi 7, has been spotted online. The device is expected to feature a Snapdragon 845, 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, 3D facial recognition, and wireless charging...and all of that could come with a US$450 price tag.

The Zenfone 5 Lite was launched a few months ago and has finally made its way to the US as the Zenfone 5Q. It's the only Zenfone 5 device to not sport a notch, and it features a Snapdragon 630, dual rear cameras, and a 20 MP selfie camera. Not a bad deal for US$300.

HTC has confirmed that its newly released U12+ flagship will not ship with a 3.5mm to Type-C adapter, and that is wrong for all sorts of reasons.

Maze was one of the upcoming smartphone companies in 2017. The company released devices like the Blade and Alpha and while both had their issues, they also offered great value for money. Sadly, it would seem that we won't be getting anything else from Maze, with the company appearing to have kicked the bucket.

The innovative stacked display design developed by Mobvoi for the upcoming TicWatch Pro should provide a substantial battery life boost. While in standard mode, the battery may last around 2 days, but there is also an Essential mode that completely disconnects the OLED screen and turns off the Wear OS, leaving only the black/white LCD active.

Huawei has announced its decision to end official support for bootloader unlocks. Devices released after May 24 will not be eligible for unlocks, while those already released will have that option closed to them in 60 days.

HTC's latest flagship, the U12+, made the trip over to DxOMark this week, with the device impressing—and earning a photo score that puts it above competitors like the Pixel 2 XL and Samsung Galaxy S9+.

BlackBerry Mobile has released a new teaser clip for the KEY² smartphone. The brief video shows that the device will feature a dual-camera system and reveals a new button on the keyboard that has fuelled speculation in regard to its purpose. Full details about the KEYone’s successor are expected to be given at the June 7 launch event in New York.

Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor, has issued a press release to announce that the Honor 10 flagship smartphone has already managed one million sales. This is an impressive feat, considering the device was only released in China on April 27 and received a limited global launch on May 16. The Honor 10 has been praised for offering high-end features for a mid-range price.

MediaTek has unveiled its new SoC, the Helio P22. The chipset is built on a 12nm manufacturing process and will offer stiff resistance to SoCs like the Snapdragon 450 and Kirin 659.

HTC has finally unveiled its new device, the U12+. The flagship sports a 6-inch QHD+ Super LCD display, a Snapdragon 845, IP68 certification, a quad camera setup, and a host of other features that make it one of the most impressive devices so far this year—on paper at least.

Less than a month since it surfaced with Android 8.0 Oreo onboard, the upcoming Samsung SM-T835 tablet hits the GFXBench database with Android 8.1. The graphics performance is slightly lower with the new software version, so it might take a while before they launch this 10.5-inch slate.

First shown as a futuristic concept phone, the Vivo APEX is officially launching on June 12. The device avoids a display notch by incorporating a retractable selfie-camera that pops out of its chassis when required.

Meizu is set to unveil its next device, the M6T, at an event in China, on May 29. The device will sport a dual rear camera setup and 18:9 device, and will go against Xiaomi's recently released Redmi S2.

CEO of Xiaomi, Lei Jun, has announced that the company's Mi Max 3 will be unveiled in July. Details of the device remain unconfirmed but it's expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 660.

LG has updated its popular Q6 with new Q7 models that the company is touting feature audio quality usually reserved for high-end devices, but at a mid-range price point. The new models retain the basic features of the 5.5-inch FullVision display Q6 design, but come with a number of tweaks.

It appears the innovative RED Hydrogen One smartphone is to be made available through AT&T and Verizon. Pre-orders for the novel device that sports a holographic screen are no longer being accepted at RED’s website, whereas Verizon is allowing those interested to sign up for updates. AT&T is planning a demo for the RED Hydrogen One in Los Angeles, June 2-3.

Major cities in the US and across the globe are testing 5G services throughout this year, and some areas might even get limited 5G connectivity in the second half of 2018. Tis has prompted some OEMs to pressure Qualcomm into allowing them to integrate the X50 5G modem and maybe even the upcoming Snapdragon 855 SoC in several smartphones that could launch by the end of 2018.

The rumored Samsung Galaxy S8 Lite is now official in China as the S Light Luxury. Its highlights include a 5.8-inch Infinity Display with 2,220 x 1,080 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone has no dual camera setup and can be pre-ordered for the equivalent of US$578.

Chief Product Officer at HMD, Juho Sarvikas, has confirmed that the Nokia X6 will be launched for the global market soon. The device was released in China last week, and is likely to be sold as an Android One device when it makes its way outside the country—whenever that is.

According to data by Counterpoint Research, Xiaomi's Redmi 5A clinched top spot as the best-selling Android device in the world. The device, by its lonesome self, accounts for 1.8% of all smartphones sold in the world in March. This dominance extends all through Q1.