Android

Google has now officially confirmed that Android 13 has moved along the path to a full release to the point at which its first public beta is now available. Those who own eligible Pixel-series devices can install it to enhance the level of control they have over how apps use media files, if not much else at this point.

ZTE has already strongly indicated that its impending Axon 40 will be its third-gen under-display camera (UDC) smartphone. Now, an image that allegedly offers a better close-up of the front panel in question might confirm this state of affairs, and also hints at upgrades over the device's predecessor.

According to a new report coming from Korea, Samsung may have cancelled the Galaxy S22 FE. Supposedly, the company is yet to take any development steps for the phone and it now looks to be cancelled in a manner similar to the Galaxy Note series'.

Samsung may have released two versions of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but both rely on the same camera hardware. Different ISPs within the Exynos 2200 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 result in varying image quality, each with their advantages and disadvantages.

Reportedly, Xiaomi plans to leverage the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus for half a dozen smartphones. The list includes the Redmi K50S Pro, along with the Xiaomi 12T Pro, which should both be cheaper alternatives to the upcoming 12 Ultra and MIX Fold 2.

Xiaomi has presented the POCO F4 GT, a flagship gaming smartphone based on the Redmi K50 Gaming. The POCO F4 GT is rather affordable as Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered smartphones go too, especially considering the €100 rebate available on pre-orders.

Another certification agency has provided information about the Moto G82 5G, another unreleased mid-range smartphone from Motorola. Not only will the Moto G82 5G arrive with an OLED panel, but it will also feature a 50 MP primary camera and up to 16 GB of RAM.

The Vivo X80 series of Android smartphones is now official, which means their V1 Plus (or V1+) image signal processor (ISP) is as well. This chipset is exclusive to the new devices, and is rated to augment some aspects of their battery-saving and gaming functions as well as those of their new Zeiss-tuned rear cameras.

The Poco F4 GT will makes its global debut on April 26. The phone's pricing has now leaked ahead of launch, and it looks to be a lot more expensive than the device it's essentially a rebadge of—the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition.

General Manager of Redmi, Lu Weibing, has now teased the imminent arrival of a new batch of Redmi Note series devices. These phones are intended to be the performance-focused counterparts of the Redmi Note 11 series, and word on the grapevine indicates they will be branded as the Redmi Note 11T series, with further hardware information also surfacing.

According to new rumours, the Pixel Watch relies on the same health tracking sensors that Fitbit includes in the Charge 5 and the Luxe. The Pixel Watch could debut in May alongside vanilla Wear OS 3 at Google I/O 2022 alongside the Pixel 6a.

Reportedly, the Pixel 6 will never receive face unlock as a screen unlock method. Instead, Google is rumoured to be still working on face unlock for the Pixel 6 Pro, which could debut in a future Pixel Feature Drop.

Vivo has announced the S15e as a perhaps more affordable alternative to the new X80 mobile-photography flagship smartphones today (April 25, 2022). It has a modern design, although it lags behind a bit in terms of display refresh rate and Android version out of the box. This panel is driven by a lesser-spotted Exynos processor from Samsung.

Vivo has lifted the lid on the X80, the cheaper alternative to the X80 Pro. While the X80 lacks some of its more expensive sibling's features, it still packs a Dimensity 9000 chipset, up to 12 GB of RAM, and a 4,500 mAh battery that supports 80 W fast charging.

Vivo has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone in two variants. The Vivo X80 Pro has a 1440p AMOLED display, impressive camera hardware and a choice between two premium chipsets.

The Google Pixel Watch made its first real-world appearance yesterday after it was "forgotten" at a restaurant in Chicago. The leaker has now come on Reddit to provide a thorough look at the smartwatch, in the form of an enthusiastic Q&A.

The Android gaming smartphone brand RedMagic has announced that a new limited edition of its 7 Pro flagship will become the first-gen Optimus Prime-themed smartphone. The brand has yet to divulge what this collaboration will look like exactlly, although it has prepared a new, appropriately creative unboxing experience for consumers in China.

Realme has brought the Free Fire Edition of the 9 Pro Plus to Europe. The handset starts at €419.99 but will be available initially at €369.99 across the Eurozone. The Realme 9 Pro Plus Free Fire Edition has a Dimensity 920 chipset and supports 60 W charging, among other features.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus will replace the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 by trading in the current chipset's Samsung manufacturing process for TSMC's node. A new leak has now provided insight into how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus will perform.

OPPO has launched the K10 series today (April 24, 2022). The 2 smartphones involved have introduced an unusual list of world-firsts, including the debut of the Dimensity 8000-MAX processor in the vanilla model. The new Android 12 devices start for less than US$310.

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip4 will likely be Samsung's best-selling foldable, but it appears Samsung will be loading up the more expensive Galaxy Z Fold4 with more upgrades. On the Flip side, changes are expected to be incremental—design-wise, at least.

A series of POCO F4 GT official renders have emerged, highlighting the device's similarities with the Redmi K50 Gaming. The POCO F4 GT will be available in three colours, including POCO's signature yellow. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be on board, as will up to 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

The Google Pixel Watch is expected to debut alongside the Pixel 7 series in October. The first-gen wearable from Google has now made its first appearance in the flesh, after being conveniently forgotten at a restaurant in the US.

LG has begun to push a new major software upgrade to the V60 ThinQ in the US. Then again, the update to Android 12 has reportedly only hit those units associated with the carrier T-Mobile. This is probably one of the last times the device will receive an OTA from its OEM.

Xiaomi is getting set to launch new devices in the coming months: the Redmi Note 12 series in China and the Poco F4 globally. Two Redmi Note 12 models have now been spotted at TENAA, while the Poco F4 looks to have made the trip over to Thailand's NBTC.

There are already smartphones with Samsung's Exynos 1280 processor on the market - however, the OEM never outlined its specifications in any detail. Now, however, it has confirmed various aspects of the chipset, such as its architecture, its individual ARM cores and the speeds at which they are set.

Almost all specifications for the Vivo X80 have leaked, courtesy of Ishan Agarwal. The leaker has outlined that the Vivo X80 will include a Dimensity 9000 chipset, LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, plus 80 W wired charging, among other features.

New rumours allege that Samsung plans to drop the Galaxy Watch Classic brand after just one generation. In its place will arrive the Galaxy Watch5 Pro, details about which have leaked previously.

Xiaomi's sub-brand, Poco, has now officially announced the launch dates of its two latest products, the Poco Watch and Poco Buds Pro. Both devices will launch globally on April 26 alongside the Poco F4 GT.

The GT Neo3 is Realme's first-ever smartphone rated to charge at up to 150W. Now, the OEM has announced it is bringing that top-end spec with it when it lands in India later in April 2022. It will launch alongside the Mini version of Realme's first-gen Android tablet, as well as a new TV and more.

Vivo has announced that its X80 series of Android smartphones will deliver a new "breakthrough" in mobile photography. It will be the world's first phone with the Sony IMX866 camera sensor. The brand has yet to divulge any specs on this new kind of camera, although it is tipped to come with multiple upgrades compared to its predecessor.

Not only has Motorola presented a new version of the Moto G Stylus 5G, it has also revealed an updated Moto G 5G. Exclusive to North America, the Moto G 5G (2022) has a 720p display, a Dimensity 700 SoC and a 5,000 mAh for US$399.99. Motorola will only sell the Moto G 5G (2022) in a single colour variant, too.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) follows in the footsteps of its 4G sibling, but with a more powerful chipset, a faster display and more memory. The Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) arrives in two colours as well, both for US$499.99.

Earlier this week, OnePlus launched the Nord N20 in the United States. Available exclusively from T-Mobile starting at US$282, the Android smartphone packs in many flagship features for a third of the price. Beginning next week, OnePlus fans will be able to get their hands on this flagship killer. Take a look at what sets the N20 apart!

OnePlus has showcased the OnePlus Ace in China, which will launch in other markets as the OnePlus 10R. The OnePlus Ace features the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 MAX chipset and launches with ColorOS 12.1, not OxygenOS.

A new leak has now provided the closest look yet at OnePlus's next premium phone, the OnePlus 10. The OnePlus 10 will sit beneath the OnePlus 10 Pro but will remain noteworthy in its own right thanks to features like a 50 MP main camera, a possible MediaTek Dimensity 9000, and 150 W charging.

Xiaomi has announced the Civi 1S in China, where it starts at CNY 2,299 (~US$358). Essentially a Xiaomi Civi with a slightly faster CPU, the Xiaomi Civi 1S arrives in four colours, three memory configurations and MIUI 13 based on Android 12.

A Ukrainian soldier fighting in the trenches has now revealed how their life was saved thanks to their smartphone, seemingly a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, stopping a 7.62 round. The phone is, of course, now ruined but most would consider that a fair trade.

According to new information from a supply chain source, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 could debut with a lower price tag than its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold3. The foldable is expected to launch in August with cameras from the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Xiaomi India has announced 2 new versions of the Redmi 10 Android smartphone today (April 20, 2022). Its new Power version offers new, higher end finishes and more RAM. whereas the 10A offers bargain specs with a price to match.

Realme has validated a number of leaks today (April 20, 2022) with the launch of the Q5 Android smartphone series. Of these, the Pro has indeed debuted with a distinctive checkered pattern on its rear panel, not to mention a Snapdragon 870 SoC, a 120Hz display and flagship-grade 80W charging. It is joined by the Snapdragon 695-powered, 50MP-main camera-toting Q5.

Firefly has unveiled the ROC-RK3588S-PC, a single-board computer (SBC) that will be available in multiple memory configurations with up to 32 GB of RAM. Currently, the ROC-RK3588S-PC starts at US$219 and is the first SBC that leverages the Rockchip RK3588S, a cheaper alternative to the RK3588.

The OnePlus Ace is currently thought to launch as the Chinese-market version of the upcoming 10R flagship smartphone variant. The brand is currently hyping it as a device that will also debut a new kind of "supercrystalline" material for thermal management. It is tipped to help the Ace's new Dimensity-series SoC maintain performance while gaming.

Reportedly, Xiaomi is preparing to launch two more new flagship smartphones in what may be a mid-generation refresh of the Xiaomi 12 series. At least one will feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus, an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that Qualcomm has not released yet.

More details about the Motorola Edge 30 5G have leaked, just a few days after official renders appeared online. Reportedly, the Edge 30 5G will start at €549 in Europe and could launch in just over two weeks.

The Civi 1S is Xiaomi's next mid-range smartphone, albeit one that will feature a familiar Snapdragon SoC for Xiaomi fans. The Civi 1S will launch in China tomorrow, where it will debut a new 'Miracle Sunshine' colourway, among other changes from the original Xiaomi Civi.

Next week, Vivo will unveil the X80 series, including the X80 Pro. Ahead of next Monday's announcement, Vivo has shared several official marketing renders that showcase the X80 Pro in three colours. Also, specifications for the upcoming smartphone have leaked that outline the flagship's features.

New reports indicate that Samsung will equip the Galaxy S23 series with bigger batteries, likely in a bid to finally match Apple's class-leading battery endurance. These upgrades will come thanks to a "new" battery technology that promises 10% better energy density.

Microsoft offers two flavours of its infamous Office software: Microsoft 365 for US$69.99 per year or US$149.99 for a perpetual licence. If neither of those options sound ideal, you're not alone in thinking that. Fortunately, there is a whole host of free, open-source alternatives to choose from.