Software

Xiaomi has officially announced that a new MIUI 12 beta stable update has started being pushed out for the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro and Redmi K20 Pro testers in Europe. The software version is V12.0.2.0.QFKEUXM and will only be available to users who have been assigned with testing duties.

A prominent tipster has posted what may be listings for Intel's USB 4 controllers. Should this be the case, it seems they will not be compatible with the traditional type A port. The material only mentions the USB 3.2 specification, with no hint of 2.0 in sight.

The THX Spatial Audio app is software developed in conjunction with Razer that may improve the immersion offered by headsets of nearly any type. Its latest update is to add Spatial Audio Game Profiles, which may improve environmental awareness or realism while playing a compatible range of titles.

Xiaomi has started issuing the Android 10 update to some Redmi Note 7 Pro handsets in India. The update is based on MIUI 11 rather than MIUI 12 and contains the July security patch. The rollout of MIUI 12 has been expanded for the Mi Note 10 and Redmi Note 8 Pro, though.

TCL has announced the latest generations of its 5- and 6-series TVs. The former has upgraded to QLED in 2020, whereas the latter now has high-end, high-density mini-LED backlighting. Both new lines have 4K resolutions and have up to 75-inch options.

Samsung has launched a new feature called AltZLife that lets users run specific applications in 'Regular Mode' and 'Private Mode'. Switching from the former to the latter requires you to input a password every time. The feature is available on Galaxy A51 and Galaxy S71 handsets in India.

The Pocophone F1 has started receiving MIUI 12, albeit on the Mi Pilot program. The update is available to the global version of the device and is rolling out in batches. According to Xiaomi, the global stable MIUI 12 update for the Pocophone F1 could arrive within a matter of days, contrary to previous information that the company provided.

Xiaomi has now started sending out the August security patch to its Android One phones, starting with the Mi A3. The update is seeding to global models of the device and weighs just 33 MB while promising to offer bug fixes.

Xiaomi's hotly-anticipated 10th-anniversary edition of the Mi 10 - or Mi 10 Ultra, according to the latest rumors - is expected to drop today (August 11, 2020). A down-to-the-wire leak purports to unbox this phone on camera beforehand, however. The video appears to confirm many primary specs of the impending super-flagship.

The MIUI 12 stable rollout for Xiaomi devices in China included in the third batch or phase of the company’s update roadmap could begin by October depending on how the second-batch rollout progresses. Smartphones that are part of the third batch include the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Mi 8 SE, Redmi 7, and Redmi Note 8.

Hisense has revealed that it is to become known as a partner to Paris St-Germain worldwide. This means its brand will become officially associated with the famous French soccer club, and that its products will be marketed during relevant games. Furthermore, the OEM will furnish this team's technological considerations.

Huawei is planning to run its in-house HarmonyOS all of its future devices. A company executive confirmed that a smartwatch running the software is due to be released later this year. HarmonyOS will eventually make its way to Huawei's upcoming tablets, laptops, and even smartphones.

The lens specialist Sigma has released the new f/1.4 DG DN Art attachment for Leica L-mount and Sony E-mount full-frame cameras. With its new arrangement of aspherical, high-refraction and special low dispersion (SLD) elements, it may be well-equipped indeed for portrait shooting. It also has a button that either allows or denies the option of audible clicking in the aperture ring.

The Mi Mix 3 5G is finally receiving a new update after months out in the cold. The new OTA brings the update with build designation "MIUI V10.3.26.0.PEMEUVF", which denotes that it's for the Vodafone EU models. This update is the July security patch and is a 496 MB download.

GoPro is an OEM nearly synonymous with outdoor pursuits and occupations. Therefore, it may come as no surprise that it posted a net loss of nearly US$51 million for the second quarter of 2020 (2Q2020). However, it is not all bad news for the popular action-cam brand: for example, its online sales model seems to be taking off.

Amidst rumors of the cancellation of Xiaomi's Android One Mi A-series, the company is still judiciously supporting its current Android One lineup. The Mi A2 Lite has now received the July update, with the 180 MB download promising to provide much-needed bug fixes.

The Mi 8 Pro is set to receive its inaugural MIUI 12 update this week, according to Xiaomi. The company has pulled back MIUI 12 for the Poco X2 because of bugs though and has suggested that the Pocophone F1 may not receive its latest OS until September at the earliest.

Android 10 has reached the LG G7 ThinQ in Canada and Europe. The update is rolling out to devices now and is available to download either as an OTA or via the LG Bridge.

The Razer Kishi is a recently-launched smartphone accessory that snaps around a phone to give it physical in-game controls. Its controls include analog mechanical thumbsticks, which might be handy in the course, of, say, using Xbox Game Pass. Conveniently, the Kishi now works with this new cloud-gaming solution for Android.

Samsung's latest smartwatch reportedly already has a firmware update. The new download confers blood-oxygen measurements as well as the ability to track maximal oxygen uptake (or VO2Max). Therefore, the wearable may be better equipped to help the user get an idea of important aspects of their health and fitness.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 users in China have been reporting receiving a stable update for MIUI 12 on their smartphones. This indicates that the global, European, and Indian releases of the MIUI 12 stable update ROM for these two Mi Mix smartphones should take place over the coming weeks.

After weeks of waiting, the stable MIUI 12 update is finally seeding to the Poco X2 in India. The Redmi K30-based phone is getting the OTA with build number "MIUI 12.0.1.0 QGHINXM" and an 813 MB file size.

QNAP has announced that it will no longer officially support vQTS-built virtual machines (VMs) on its servers. This means that, while users can still operate the VMs they have previously constructed on this platform, they will no longer be supported or updated by the company. Machines set up using the newer QuTSCloud will, however.

The number of devices that have started receiving MIUI 12 has grown to 48. A detailed list outlines which devices have been upgraded to Xiaomi's latest OS, and on which branches of MIUI too.

The stable MIUI 12 update has started being issued to the Redmi Note 7 Pro outside of India. It is bad news for the Pocophone F1 though, as Xiaomi has delayed its planned OS upgrade once again.

Samsung has reportedly applied for a European trademark for a "Book Flex" with an unusual new addition: 5G. Therefore, it may have a convertible PC with this connectivity in the works. This leak offers no hints as to the putative next-gen device's further specs, OS and chipset included, however.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 was marketed as a device that would be capable of generating electrocardiograms (ECGs) for advanced health-tracking purposes. Now - almost exactly one year after its launch - the OEM has activated this function. However, it still only works for units sold in their own home market.

MediaTek and Intel had previously announced a partnership to ultimately result in 5G-capable laptops powered by the latter's CPUs. Now, this collaboration has reached a stage at which the modem necessary has been tested and validated for these purposes. It is thus now rated for standalone- and non-standalone sub-6GHz connectivity.

The Realme X3 Pro is a phone that has been shrouded in mystery, not to mention uncertainty as to whether a device of this name will even see a launch event this year. Some leaks have thrown up more new model numbers associated with this brand with possible specs that may yet fit the bill.

The Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro has picked up the MIUI 12 upgrade. The device remains on Android 9.0 Pie for some reason, though. Additionally, Xiaomi has started upgrading the Mi 10 to its latest OS in Russia.

Nearby Share is Google's long-awaited answer to AirDrop, and may formally debut as part of Android 11. However, XDA contributors have found evidence that it may work with other operating systems, so long as they run Chrome. This is because it may have a web UI, which could make it almost universal for file-sharing.

Yesterday at Unpacked, Samsung announced that it would improve its software support lifespan to three generations of major OS updates, starting with the Galaxy S10 series which will now receive Android 12 when it's available.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch series officially has a new generation. This 2020 variant retains the moving bezel that was so popular the first time around. However, its build and footprint has been updated, as have its health-tracking features.

Samsung has long been rumored to launch its new generation of Galaxy Buds in a completely new form-factor. This has finally been proven true at the OEM's latest product launch. The Buds Live are indeed also the first of their line to feature active noise cancellation (ANC).

The Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Ultra 5G have been unveiled today (August 5, 2020) at the latest Galaxy Unpacked event. This series has turned out to conform to all its more recent leaks and rumors well. In fact, all Samsung really had to do was announce their pricing and availability.

After sending out the global beta stable MIUI 12 update to the Redmi Note 9 last week, Xiaomi has now blessed the European model of the phone with a similar update. The update bears the build number "MIUI 12.0.1.0 QJOEUXM" and is a 538 MB download.

The stable MIUI 12 update has arrived for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro in Europe, a few days after an equivalent one for the Mi 10 arrived. Xiaomi has also begun upgrading the Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A to Android 10 globally.

Aipower's Wearbuds were unique on their launch in that they combine a fitness tracker and TWS earbuds in one product. Now, their second generation has finally come to the market via a crowdfunding platform. The OEM claims this new Pro variant improves on the original in terms of functions, battery life and finish.

At first sight, World of Tanks 1.10 comes with a few interesting changes, such as the introduction of a new medium branch to the Polish tech tree. Sadly, the rework of the equipment system and some of the other improvement attempts were enough to make me uninstall the game after just two battles.

A supposed list of Xiaomi and Redmi devices that will not get an update to Android 11 has been shared online and it makes for disappointing reading for owners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi Note 8T, and Redmi Note 8. Unsurprisingly, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G has also found its way onto this particular shortlist.

A device calling itself the "motorola moto e(7) plus" has appeared on Geekbench 4. Therefore, a direct replacement for the unprepossessing Moto E6 Plus may be on the way. This new putative phone has 4GB of RAM and runs on a possibly unknown Snapdragon processor.

TCL has teased the next generation of 6-series TVs with a potentially important spec: THX Certified Game Mode. It functions to activate a panel of settings intended to represent gaming content with improved fidelity and quality. The upcoming screens will be the first to feature this new technology.

The Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone has joined many other Xiaomi and Redmi devices on the Android 10-based Paranoid Android Quartz 4 custom ROM support list. The devs behind the firmware are also preparing the Xiaomi Mi A3 and Mi Mix 3 for future releases of the Paranoid Android ROM.

Samsung is expected to launch a fitness tracker alongside a number of other products at its impending Galaxy Unpacked event. A new leak appears to set its status as a second-gen Galaxy Fit series in stone. It may be the first reported listing for the device that uses a corresponding product name.

Today (August 3, 2020) Google has ushered the Pixel 4a onto its Store website as its newest phone. This 5.81-inch FHD+ display device has just 1 SKU, although its RAM/storage specs are improved compared to its predecessor's starter variant. It is available as an unlocked device for under US$400, or through Verizon on a 24-month contract.

The Android 11 update will start making its way to Xiaomi devices in September. It will be based on MIUI 12 and available to a host of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphones. The company is already testing the software on many smartphones, such as the Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, and Redmi K30 Pro.

Netflix is reportedly rolling out a feature by which a user can make content go forward or backward at different rates. This facility has apparently been under consideration at the streaming giant for years, and may benefit those with sensory impairments. However, it is only available on its Android app as yet.

After sending out the global stable MIUI 12 update to the Redmi Note 9 last week, Xiaomi is rolling out a new update to the Redmi Note 9 Pro. Sadly, it doesn't bring the much-awaited MIUI 12, and owners of the mid-range phone will have to wait a while longer.

There were reports a while back that the Mi Mix 3 5G wouldn't receive any other update but those may have been a tad misguided, as Xiaomi has now confirmed that the last-gen premium phone is set to get a new update shortly, with MIUI 12 to follow.

Google has released a new little online puzzle that offers what is probably an insight on the Pixel 4a's long-awaited launch date. It is expected to do so with a 5G variant for the first time in this series' history. However, it seems it will not make it to this event, and will instead wait until Android 11 is here too.