Leaks / Rumors

A YouTube-based tipster has asserted that successors to the premium Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ slates are on the way. However, it seems they will be not much more than Snapdragon 888-powered versions of those 2020 models. Then again, their prices are now not expected to change either.

The tipster WHYLAB now claims that the newly-hyped ZTE Axon 30 Pro will launch with a new image sensor called the S5KGND. This, apparently, is Samsung's rumored new 200MP sensor, possibly the most powerful of 2021. It is projected to support 16K recording, dual pixel-binning modes and dual native ISO.

According to an unverified rumour from a South Korean tech forum, AMD could shift some of its GPU/APU production to Samsung. AMD wants to ramp up production, but TSMC is unable to keep up due to prior commitments.

The leaker @MauriQHD has posted claims that Apple has finally produced an edge-to-edge iPhone display. Unfortunately, it is also apparently a prototype, and may not be intended for the upcoming 13 (or possibly 12s) series. In other rumors, the Cupertino giant might see fit to "invent" 1TB internal storage options in 2021.

Meizu is expected to launch smartphones with the Snapdragon 888 flagship-grade processor soon. A new leak purports to show one of them (possibly the 18, 18 Pro or 18 Max) with a completely edge-to-edge screen. This suggests it will join the currently very exclusive under-display camera club in 2021.

Xiaomi has just gone public with its working prototype of groundbreaking over-the-air (or remote) wireless charging. However, it seems Motorola is hot on its heels with its own take on this "Mi Air Charge". A YouTube demonstration appears to show it working with 2 modified smartphones placed at 0.8 and 1 meter away from a single transmitter.

Realme is mostly known for its phones and audio devices; however, like Xiaomi and Huawei before it, it is now rumored to get into the laptop game as well. According to a well-known leaker, the first of these new products will debut in June 2021. Meanwhile, the OEM has teased a new initiative called TechLife, which will launch in February.

MediaTek invented a whole new tier of its high-end mobile chipsets with the introduction of the Dimensity 1100 alongside its outright flagship counterpart the 1200. A new leak indicates that Vivo has a device with this new premium-ish mid-range processor in the works. It is to have 12GB of RAM and an FHD+ display.

The OEM ZTE had a landmark 2020 in that it was first to launch a smartphone with a cutting-edge under-display selfie camera. Now, it has confirmed the existence of a phone with a name that not only sounds like a next generation for the Axon 20, but is a Pro variant as well. It is being hyped as a device with industry-leading cameras.

Thanks to prolific leaker @OnLeaks, we have our first look at Sony's upcoming Xperia 1 III flagship smartphone. It features three rear cameras; one of which is a periscope lens. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor, an all-glass body and a programmable button are also included.

A new report suggests that Intel has outsourced a good chunk of its future manufacturing to TSMC. Production is expected to kick off when TSMC's 3nm node is fully operational, which is expected to happen sometime in H2 2022. Intel is reportedly assisting TSMC in its 2nm R&D too.

Rumours about Nintendo releasing a more powerful version of the Switch persist. Now, a leaker claims that the device will arrive as the Nintendo Super Switch. However, developers have questioned the benefits of Nintendo releasing a more powerful eighth-generation console. Nintendo has announced the release of Monster Hunter Rise special editions of the Switch and Pro Controller, too.

An internal MSI document has spilled the beans about three Intel Rocket Lake-S processors, the Core i9-11900K, Core i7-11700K and Core i5-11600K. It reconfirms reports from earlier, stating that the Core i9-11900K and Core i7-11700K would come with eight cores and sixteen threads, while the Core i5-11600K will serve as six-core, twelve thread CPU. It also sheds some light on the processor's base clock, boost clock, L3 cache, etc.

The tipster Digital Chat Station claims to have found new premium phones from Meizu on the 3C regulatory website. One might be called the 18 and support 30-watt (W) charging, while the other might be a 40W 18 Pro. However, despite these specs, it is said that the company will follow Apple and Samsung's example in leaving the necessary power bricks out of their retail boxes.

Today (27 January 2021), OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei launched his first company formed since leaving that OEM in 2020, and it's...Nothing. This new brand-name apparently applies to new and innovative tech Pei and his team plan to build from the ground up with no reference to what has gone before. However, there is still no word on what forms these products are to take yet.

A new Xiaomi patent for an “electronic device” has given an idea of what the heir apparent to the stalled Mi Mix line could look like or what it could feature. The potential Xiaomi Mi Mix smartphone in this patent has a slider mechanism that can be voice activated, and it has a display that wraps over the bottom edge and onto the rear side.

Wireless smart tags for possession-tracking seem to be one of the major trends for mobile device OEMs in 2021. According to a new patent application discovered on the CNIPA database, OPPO may be the next to jump onto this bandwagon. Its new Bluetooth tag looks much like that of Samsung's, although there are no indications as yet that the two would work in the exact same way.

A few months after the latest reports concerning its arrival, the next-gen Samsung Galaxy XCover surfaces on Geekbench. The list of specs does not include 5G, or at least the 5G variant is not ready yet. The SM-G525F handset runs on Android 11 and is powered by Samsung's Exynos 850 processor, paired with 4 GB of memory.

Well-known Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station says that Xiaomi will reportedly relaunch the Mi 10 soon. It will ship with Qualcomm's newest Snapdragon 870 SoC. The remaining Mi 10 specifications will remain identical. Xiaomi could launch the device alongside the Mi 11 Pro in February 2021.

Apple has done nothing to the iMac design since 2012, and its huge bezels have not aged well. However, a new report claims that Apple is finally on the verge of unveiling a complete redesign. The new-look iMacs will launch alongside a cheaper alternative to the Pro Display XDR, too.

An alleged live photo of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has been shared on Chinese social media and has been met with something of a lukewarm response so far. The Snapdragon 888 phone has been called “ugly”, with the Mi 11 Pro having a large main camera system housing that stretches over a significant portion of the rear side.

A first leak of Xiaomi Mi Band 6-related specifications has offered up a goldmine of information about the upcoming budget fitness tracker – apart from its release date and probable price. However, Xiaomi’s habits with previous Mi Band launches and the state of the wearables market offer up some useful clues for predictions.

Samsung has partnered with Tesla to supply its cars with processors for their "auto-pilot" functions in the past, although the silicon in question has come from 14 nanometer (nm) process nodes. However, a Korean news outlet now asserts that these automotive SoCs are to evolve all the way to 5nm soon. They might control in-car entertainment as well as self-driving abilities in the future.

Blackview touted its Dimensity 800-powered BL6000 Pro as the "toughest 5G phone in the world" on its launch. Now, it has an upcoming successor, the BL8000, which upgrades to the Dimensity 1200 - MediaTek's new flagship SoC. This could make the impending device a very powerful rugged phone indeed.

Motorola seems to be carrying on with its new 2021 trend of resort island-based code-names for its upcoming budget phones. The latest of these is apparently the "Ibiza", a device rumored to launch with the new Snapdragon 480 SoC for budget 5G phones. It may also have been registered with the Wi-Fi Alliance, suggesting it will be here soon.

XDA contributors claim to have found code in the latest version of the OnePlus camera app for new features that are likely to launch alongside the upcoming 9 flagship series. They include distinctly pro-sounding abilities including Focus Peaking and Tilt-Shift. It seems the OEM is also going trendy with other features such as Moon Mode and Starburst.

According to a new report, Vicarious Visions will be developing Blizzard games from now on. The developer will commence with a remake of Diablo 2, which apparently was known as Diablo II: Resurrected. The merger of the 200-strong studio follows Blizzard Entertainment dismantling one of its internal development teams in the wake of the poorly-received Warcraft III: Reforged.

Tencent Holdings Limited is reportedly raising billions of dollars to acquire a US or South Korea-based gaming studio. Rumor is that the Chinese gaming major could be looking at acquiring Take-Two Interactive or Electronic Arts. There's also the other possibility that Tencent is raising funds to develop its own GTA competitor.

Sony may have resurrected its Xperia Compact line, according to OnLeaks. The leaker has published multiple CAD renders of the device online, which reputedly is just 140 mm tall with a 5.5-inch display. While some people may be hoping for a new compact flagship smartphone from Sony, several design cues suggest that the handset will be a distinctly mid-range affair.

Intel may launch the 12th gen Alder Lake-S family as early as September this year alongside 600-series chipset-based motherboards, just six months after Rocket Lake-S becomes available. Alder Lake-S will feature a similar Xe LP iGPU as Tiger Lake and Rocket Lake-S but now, we may also get to see a GT0.5 variant.

Sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters that Huawei is planning to sell the Huawei P and Huawei Mate line of smartphones to a consortium of investors affiliated with the Shanghai Government. Huawei has denied said report and states that it has no plans of selling any more of its assets.

A new leak suggests that Samsung's upcoming Exynos 1000 and Exynos 2000 series SoC could come with an AMD Radeon GPU. They are likely to be launched in Q2 or Q3 2021, presumably alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 or Galaxy Z Fold 3. Another forum post says that the Radeon-branded GPU manages to outperform the A14 Bionic.

The tech blog MySmartPrice claims to have been sent exclusive renders of a new Galaxy Tab A-series slate. It is purported to be the next generation of it 8.4-inch variant, and to be slimmer and more portable compared to its predecessor. Otherwise, it seems to be largely unchanged, down to its 3.5mm jack.

The betas for Android's next major update may not be too far away at this point. This version is the one now rumored to implement a feature in which a phone can respond to double-taps on its rear panel to open shortcuts. Android 12 is also said to add App Pairs, a new form of split-screen mode, as well as more effective third-party app-market access.

The Redmi Watch - or Mi Watch Lite for global markets - has been spotted on the BIS regulatory documentation, hinting that it will launch in India soon. It is slated to be the Redmi-branded version as it has been registered under that name. By any name, it has a 1.4-inch square face, 5ATM water resistance and up to 9 hours of battery life.

The first details of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 have been posted online, and it seems likely there will be a global variant called the Mi Smart Band 6. The upcoming activity tracker has all the features that the Mi Band 5 offers but with additional utilities, such as SpO2 tracking (blood oxygen level measurement) and Alexa support. The Mi Band 6 may have a larger display too.

The Motorola Edge S might be the first Android device to launch with the new Snapdragon 870 SoC. According to a new allegedly official poster, this event is scheduled for later in January 2021. It also seems to confirm its quad rear cameras and color options.

The Galaxy A52 is an upcoming Samsung phone, the release of which is all but confirmed through new Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) and Wi-Fi Alliance certifications. Then again, its additional specs, the Snapdragon 750G SoC included, have not been revealed in these new leaks.

OPPO is rumored to have a Lite version of its Find X3 2021 flagship smartphone in the works that is in fact a re-badged Reno5 5G. This idea has been given more weight by a new photo of what a prominent leaker asserts is this device's retail box. It shows a handset with very Reno-like rear cameras, presented on top of a large charging brick.

The Realme Buds Q are TWS earbuds that launched for about US$30 in 2020. Now, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has inadvertently confirmed that their second generation is likely to launch soon. They have been registered as Bluetooth devices with black and fluorescent green colorways.

A shortlist of smartphones either already with or expected to feature LTPO screens in 2021 has revealed some interesting entrants and a notable absence. There is mention of an Apple iPhone 12s Pro, Huawei Mate 50 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and even the Xiaomi Mi 12, but there seems to be no room for a Galaxy Note 21 here.

Specs and price predictions for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone have started appearing on social media just as well-known tech commenters have been ringing the death knell for the Samsung Galaxy Note series. One analyst has stated there may be a Galaxy Note 20 FE while a tipster believes rollables will take over from the Note in 2022.

The OnePlus Watch is coming to India, according to a new regulatory certification posted by a well-known tipster. It has been presumed that this wearable would have a round face; however, the new registration specifies 2 variants with different model numbers. Therefore, a square-faced option from OnePlus might be back on the cards.

Realme's first-ever smartwatch was an Apple Watch clone, whereas its second had a round face and a Pro variant. A new FCC registration reveals the OEM has gone back to a square face for its next wearable. It has an on-trend blood oxygen monitor, as well as "dynamic" heart-rate tracking and IP68 ingress-protection.

Nokia's highly-awaited 5G smartphone could be launched soon. It just showed up on Geekbench codenamed 'Quicksilver'. The device in question is likely the Nokia 7.3, slated to come with four rear cameras, a 90Hz screen and a 4,000mAh battery.

Nubia has hyped its 2021 flagship-grade gaming phone with a new spec: ultra-fast 120-watt (W) charging. A new leak suggests that there will be 2 variants of the device, only 1 of which will have the new technology. The putative Snapdragon 888-powered series is also now rumored to have other exciting features such as color-changing glass rear panels.

Unnamed 8-core Tiger Lake-H processors from Intel have been producing incredible 1-core scores on UserBenchmark in HP ZBook Studio G8 and HP ZBook Create G8 laptops, although the multi-core scores were quite poor. The mysterious Intel Tiger Lake-H chips recorded a base clock of 3.1 GHz in the benchmark entries.

A Chinese news outlet has recently broken the story that OPPO and OnePlus - two heretofore independent brands under the BBK Electronics umbrella - will "merge" their research and development efforts. This leak, which might mean the 2 OEMs start producing much more similar products soon, has been confirmed to some extent by OnePlus.

Samsung has certified a new line of products with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). They are called the Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360. By the sound of it, they are new PCs of the laptop or convertible form-factor.

Motorola will unveil the Edge S on January 26, but leaked photos have already revealed what to expect from its next smartphone. Additionally, early AnTuTu scores show what we should expect from Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 870.