Software

Xiaomi has begun upgrading the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7S to MIUI 12 in India. V12.0.1.0.QFGINXM will arrive as an OTA, but the recovery ROM can be downloaded manually now.

Problems involving the PlayStation 5 are starting to appear en masse online, with system errors, hardware-related coil whine, scalping activities, and delivery issues among the most common complaints. However, at least an apparent fix for the PS5’s “queued for download” bug has now been issued.

The PlayStation 4 smash-hit adventure game The Last of Us Part II has amassed 10 nominations for The Game Awards 2020, including in the Game of the Year category. Indie hit Hades managed to grab eight nominations, while the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima received seven nominations. Winners will be announced on December 10.

The Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 have received some exciting upgrades, thanks to a new software update. The update brings the Google Assistant to the two smartwatches, along with improvements to the SpO2 sensor, among other changes. Fitbit OS 5.1 is rolling out now in the US.

OnePlus has finalised some of the changes that it will be adding to OxygenOS. The new features have been whittled to seven from thousands of community suggestions, and include a proper dark mode, not a dark grey mode as is currently available on OxygenOS 11.

Without an official changelog to go with it, the Sony Xperia 1 II has just received a new software update. The 108.6 MB patch is available via OTA and contains the November 2020 Android security patch from Google, most likely combined with a few Sony-exclusive tweaks and fixes.

Samsung has updated the Galaxy S6 series and Galaxy Note 5, years after official support for the devices ended. The four handsets remain on Android 7.0 Nougat and the September 2018 security patch, but Samsung claims to have optimised security-related code in some regard.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro flagship smartphone will apparently utilize MIUI 12 firmware to deliver users with a top-notch screen-viewing experience according to a noted leaker. On top of that, it appears the Pro model of the upcoming Mi 11 series will sport some serious camera sensors, with a main lens that could even approach 200 MP.

Huawei is set to upgrade only 14 devices to EMUI 11, according to a new report. Citing official confirmation from Huawei, it will apparently take the Chinese company until March 2021 before it finishes the rollout. Devices like the Mate 30, Mate 30 Lite and P40 Lite have missed the cut for EMUI 11, too.

Vivo held its Developer Conference today (November 18, 2020). This event was dominated by the introduction of OriginOS, a new UI the OEM has developed in order to replace Funtouch OS on its smartphones. With its adaptive, dynamic widgets, "behavioral" wallpapers and Multi-Turbo 5.0 engine, it may be a vast improvement over its predecessor.

While still distributing the Android 11 update to the Mi 10 series, it seems Xiaomi has already set its sights towards the popular, mid-range Snapdragon 720G-powered branch of the Redmi Note 9 family. Yes, it appears that the Redmi Note 9 Pro is now receiving Android 11. In India, at least.

A week ago, Xiaomi rolled out the MIUI 12.2.2.0.RJBCNXM update for the Mi 10 flagship, but pulled it back shortly after, most likely due to bugs. Now, the Android 11-based firmware is finally back on track and this time everything seems all right. The update sports camera VLOG and AI watermark, as well as the usual Android 11 changes.

Xiaomi has issued new MIUI 12 updates to several devices, including the Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 9S, Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro. The updates bring the global and Russian branches of the devices onto MIUI 12, which remains Xiaomi's latest OS.

As more and more Cyberpunk 2077 product images show up, it becomes certain that the release date of December 10 will not be pushed forward once again. However, a set of recent shots also revealed that the PlayStation 4 version of the game will come on two discs. Remote Play is also in the features list.

Apple's latest operating system, macOS Big Sur, uses a new API to constantly send users' data (including how, when, and where a Mac is used) to Apple. This data is transmitted to Apple without encryption, meaning anyone with access to the same network as the Mac can see the information.

OPPO's Inno Day is its annual developer's conference, at which it might also unveil some new hardware and concepts. In 2020, this event was dominated by the introduction of its 3+N+X strategy. This will determine how the OEM's software will be distributed and developed across its expanding range of products, its 2nd-gen AR glasses included.

In addition to the updated Dagor Engine, which has reached version 6.0, War Thunder 2.1 "New Power" comes with the first battleships, vertical take-off aircraft, AI-controlled aircraft carriers, and more. The game is ready to run on 4K and 60 fps with improved graphics on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

Eve Devices has already invited feedback on the keyboard and chassis of its second-generation "crowd-designed" convertible, the V 2020. Now, it's the turn of its chipset, RAM, wireless connectivity and other specs. The company seems to want to assess the popularity of more expensive options with their new poll.

With its "organic glass" body and in-built candle-effect lighting, the LSPX-S2 speaker has been designed to be enjoyed for its looks at as much as its sound. Then again, Sony claims its audio is also effective thanks to its "Advanced Vertical Drive Technology". It is now available on Amazon.com or select retailers throughout the US.

Microsoft has issued a document outlining the dates on which its own-brand convertibles or laptops run out of software updates. It shows that the Surface Pro 3, despite launching in 2014, will get them until November 2021. Oddly, the Pro 4 will also see the end of its service on the same day.

Xiaomi has announced that Redmi Note 8 Pro devices operating on the China MIUI 12 ROM will start receiving a new beta stable update of the Android overlay via OTA. For the moment, only random users of the Redmi Note 8 Pro will get the new MIUI 12 update, which brings the October 2020 security patch with it.

OPPO is an electronics company that holds a developer's conference for its growing ecosystem of devices it calls Inno Day every year. It has announced that the latest in this series of events will take place on November 17, 2020. Apparently, its headline product debut on this date will be a pair of augmented-reality (AR) glasses.

The PlayStation 5 is one of the world’s hottest products at the moment, which means many gamers will have been struggling to make a purchase due to the undesirable actions of scalpers and bots. However, a simple Chrome extension called OctoShop has recently been updated to help in the quest for securing a brand-new PS5 console.

Although no main storyline achievements were included in this recent leak, those that surfaced online via the GOG Galaxy app provide quite a few hints about the kind of side quests that will be included in Projekt RED's upcoming title. By the looks of it, Cyberpunk 2077 will have a total of 45 achievements.

Nokia has introduced some old familiar names as new KaiOS devices. These versions of the 6300 and 8000 have 4G/LTE in 2020, although they look much the same as old-school button phones. There are also features such as FM radios, WhatsApp support and headphone jacks in evidence with these new devices.

HarmonyOS will be available for up to 48 devices, Huawei Central believes. The 48-strong list includes current and recent flagship series, including those from Honor. Only 90% of devices will be eligible to try HarmonyOS, though.

Xiaomi has seeded a new Beta Stable update for the Redmi Note 9 Pro, this time in Europe. V12.0.1.0.QJZEUXM will be available as an OTA for the device and brings all variants of the Redmi Note 9 Pro onto MIUI 12. The global MIUI 12 upgrade for all Redmi Note 8 handsets will be ready next month, according to Xiaomi.

One UI 2.5 has arrived on more versions of the Galaxy S9, S9 Plus and Note 9. Following the arrival of the OS update for unlocked handsets last month, One UI 2.5 has now reached the T-Mobile and Verizon locked editions of the three devices in the US. One UI 2.5 for the three carrier-versions also includes the October 2020 security patch update, but the November 2020 set has already hit the Note 9 in Germany.

MIUI may be one of the most popular custom versions of Android, but it does contain adverts. Other custom Android skins are no different, but few OEMs actively teach their fans how to switch them off. Xiaomi is doing so in China, though.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro will have received MIUI 12 globally before the end of the month, Xiaomi has confirmed. Many global and European handsets remain on MIUI 11, although all other variants should have already received MIUI 12.

A few days after the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 lineup in the wild has started to receive this month's security patch, the Verizon units have begun to receive the new firmware as well. The November 2020 patch fixes five critical vulnerabilities alongside 29 high-level ones and no less than 31 moderate threats.

Apple fans are rightly excited about the transition to Apple’s new in-house silicon for Macs. However, in transitioning from Intel to chips like its new M1, the popular Windows on Boot Camp feature has been lost. Parallels, however, says it’s on track to bring support for OS virtualization back to the Mac in a future release.

Motorola launched a Moto G-series phone with an in-built pen for the first time earlier in 2020. Now, it seems its successor will have more real estate for its special feature. It may also have a Snapdragon 675 processor, a quad rear camera and software based on Android 10 out of the box.

One of the most useful features added by OPPO to the ColorOS 11 firmware protects the handset's battery by pausing the night charging process at 80 percent and restarting in time for the user to wake up with a fully charged smartphone. Sony introduced the same feature as Qnovo Battery Care back in 2016.

DISH, the company behind Sling TV, has announced that it will soon offer 5G services in the US. Furthermore, its network will be the first to be compatible with Open Radio Access Network (RAN) technology, so as to make the integration of individual vendor equipment easier. This will be achieved thanks to a partnership with Qualcomm.

OnePlus may now sell three Nord-branded smartphones, but the company will not afford the same software support for all models. Two will receive just one OS update, and they arguably should have been released on Android 11 anyway.

A hands-on image of two new flagship smartphones has been posted online, but some people have mistaken them for the Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro. Sadly for Xiaomi fans, the image is actually of the Vivo X60 series, not Xiaomi's 2021-bound flagships.

The OnePlus 5 has received a fixed OxygenOS 10 update, six months on from the disaster that was OxygenOS 10.0.0. OxygenOS 10.0.1 promises to fix the call recording, de-activated alarm and EIS issues that were present on the original Android 10 update, among other changes. OnePlus states that OxygenOS 10.0.1 will arrive on the OnePlus 5T too, although it has not said when.

Skullcandy has updated its wireless headphones and earbuds with active noise-cancelling (ANC) variants. Both of these new audio products also have an Ambient mode for environmental awareness and in-built Tile technology to avoid their loss. For those uninterested in ANC (and its price), however, the Hesh headphones also have a new Evo variant.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S has received a new MIUI 12 update, this time in Europe. V12.0.2.0.QJWEUXM replaces V12.0.2.0.QJWEUXM and is available as an OTA upgrade.

Huawei has started rolling out EMUI 11 to 10 devices, including to the Mate 30 Pro, P40 Pro and MatePad Pro. The Mate 30 Pro 5G is seemingly the first device to receive EMUI 11 outside of China, but Huawei also plans to have HarmonyOS beta builds ready for next month.

LG's Android 11 testing is underway, according to Max Weinbach. Reputedly undergoing development on the V60 ThinQ, LG UX 10.0 will probably arrive in 2021 for most LG smartphones.

The Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8T have received new MIUI 12 updates, bringing more variants onto Xiaomi's latest OS. The two updates are also based on Android 10 and are rolling out on the Indian and Russian branches of MIUI, respectively.

Timex is a classic watch brand that has also recently waded into the smart wearables arena. Its latest addition to this new series is a fitness band. However, unlike the vast majority of devices in its category, this one comes with a milanese-style stainless-steel strap. It is now on sale in its first market, India, for a price of just over US$60.

Recent leaks have pointed to a "new" Nokia 8000 that may launch soon. The reliable tips site WinFuture has now posted what looks like a real-life promo for this device. The possible marketing image paints the device as a high-end feature phone that might not use Android.

Beta builds tend to include more bugs than stable ones, but few will wipe your data as a new update for the OnePlus 8, and OnePlus 8 Pro, on the Open Beta program has. OnePlus has, to its credit, provided a workaround to prevent data loss, though.

The decade-old Call of Duty: Black Ops has just got modded to run in 4K with ray tracing effects and the result is quite impressive. To record the video posted on YouTube, the game was running on a rig consisting of the following: Intel Core i7-9700K, 32 GB of memory, and a single NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super video card.

An app that allows iOS users to run a Unix shell on their iDevice was under threat of removal from the App Store. However, Apple apparently reversed its decision, allowing the app to stay up. This could open the door for more scripting and shell apps to hit the App Store in the future.

Sony has announced the creation of the Airpeak brand, which is to be applied to a new series of drones developed by this OEM. However, it seems these devices are to be pitched at professional content creators and enterprise customers rather than take on products like the DJI Mavic series. Their first examples may be launched in the spring of 2021.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro has started receiving MIUI 12 globally. The update is called V12.0.1.0.QJZMIXM and is rolling out as an OTA following the arrival of similar updates for other regional variants of the Redmi Note 9 Pro.