Android

A well-known leaker has posted a list of phones projected to upgrade to 125 watt (W) charging in 2022, and OnePlus' potentially upcoming flagship is on it. It is joined by others from sister brands such as Realme and OPPO. This new tip also purports to confirm the resurrection of one of the most innovative smartphone series of the last 10 years.

A report out of China sourcing a Xiaomi official has listed 25 devices that should soon start receiving the MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition software update. The third-batch list, which includes all variants of the Xiaomi Pad 5, the Redmi K30 models, some Mi 9 phones, and even the aging Redmi Note 8 Pro, is for devices with the China ROM. Users with different ROM versions will have a slightly longer wait.

Written in Google's own open source Golang programming language, Botenago could potentially affect millions of routers connected to the internet as well as IoT devices.

The Galaxy S21 FE may not be due for another two months, but almost all its English marketing assets have leaked. Samsung will launch the Fan Edition in a minimum of four colours, and with the Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888, depending on where you live.

Samsung’s Exynos 2200 will still make an appearance in the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 series, despite rumors to the contrary. A tipster with a reliable track record says that the E2200 will be headed to Galaxy S22 models in Europe and Russia, while the Snapdragon 898 will be fitted to Galaxy S22 models in all other markets.

The rumor mill has taken a more than slightly cryptic post from a famous Weibo leaker and run with it in the form of claims that it points to a variant of the possibly upcoming Xiaomi 12 flagship series with a much smaller screen size than normal. It is thought to be pitched at an audience who might be inclined to look for more of a flagship killer than a flagship.

An AnTuTu benchmark result showcasing what appears to be a MediaTek Dimensity 2000 SoC has surfaced online. It netted an overall score of 1,002,220, becoming the first-ever Android smartphone to do so. However, AnTuTu thinks the score could have been manipulated, so it's best to treat it with scepticism.

A new Geekbench listing has showcased the Galaxy S22 Plus with a Snapdragon 898. The listing confirms that Qualcomm's next high-end SoC will be making its way to the US in Samsung's mid-tier flagship smartphone.

Motorola is now thought to have a Moto G71 getting ready to join the new G51 on the market soon. Now, a device that might conform to this novel product name has been spotted as fresh entries in the databases of Chinese regulators. Therefore, the alleged Android smartphone might indeed launch soon.

OPPO has persisted in pushing curved displays in its upper-mid-tier Reno series of smartphones over the last few years, especially in the higher-end models. Now, an alleged in-the-wild image leak suggests that the OEM is finally ready to make a change with the successor to the Reno6 Pro. The tipster in question asserts that this device feels more like an iPhone as a result.

According to a new report, the Xiaomi 12 will launch next month with a 50 MP primary camera that also has approximately a 1/1.3-inch optical format. If correct, then it would rule out the Xiaomi 12 from inheriting the ISOCELL GN2 that Xiaomi uses in the Mi 11 Pro and the Mi 11 Ultra.

Google may have forgotten the Pixel 2 XL, but developers have brought Android 12 to the device in the form of ProtonAOSP. The custom ROM will soon be available for the regular Pixel 2, too.

A good smartphone doesn't necessarily need to cost a lot of money. The Xiaomi Redmi 10 is a good example: It's a solid everyday smartphone with a 90 Hz display, an octa-core SoC, and NFC for less than 200 Euros (~$229). It also features a 50 MP camera and a 5,000 mAh battery with 18-watt fast charging.

Rumour has it that Samsung will increase the price of the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra relative to their Galaxy S21 series predecessors. The Galaxy S22 Ultra could come in at US$1,299, albeit with at least 256 GB of storage.

2021 smartphones such as the Galaxy A12, A52 and A73 are now projected to attain successors with a fairly straightforward naming scheme in the coming year. Now, they are also expected to be uniform in their choices of rear panel finish, too. Then again, they might move on in terms of specs as well.

It seems that Google was originally developing the Pixel 5 with its Tensor SoC, rather than the Snapdragon 765G. The device, codenamed 'whitefin', contains an earlier revision of Tensor with different clock speeds than the SoC in the Pixel 6 series, too.

Reputedly, Xiaomi remains on target to announce the Xiaomi 12 in December. According to Digital Chat Station, while the Xiaomi 12 is expected to outclass Xiaomi's current premier handset in multiple areas, the MIX 4 will have the edge in others, including an in-display camera.

It's 11.11, and Xiaomi has been having a bumper sales event via its JD.com store in its native China. It claims to have taken only a half-hour during this event to sell 2 million of its fitness trackers and wearables. The OEM has also now revealed that its smartphones, the latest Mi 11-series units and the top-end Mix Fold included, are also doing well.

The ZTE Watch Live started at US$40; however, it is priced at much less than that for today only. Besides that, the OEM offers the Axon 30 5G, one of the world's few under-display selfie camera bundled with various useful accessories at a promotional price for 2021's 11.11 event.

Renders of what could be the first Snapdragon 898-powered smartphone have leaked. The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, also known as the Moto Edge X, should debut in January 2022 with four cameras and a 144 Hz display.

Huawei has opened its beta programme for EMUI 12 in Europe. Currently, EMUI 12 is available to test on the Mate 30 Pro, Mate 40 Pro, P40, P40 Pro and the P40 Pro Plus. EMUI 12 builds on EMUI 11 and HarmonyOS 2, which Huawei distributes in China.

A leak has confirmed Motorola's plans to release a new version of the Moto G Power. The Moto G Power 2022 has a 5,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP primary camera and a USB Type-C port, among other features. The same leak has revealed the device's design, too.

In an attempt to combat "doomscrolling," Instagram is set to launch a new feature called "Take a Break," which encourages users to periodically take breaks from the app after a set amount of time.

PUBG: New State, the hotly anticipated successor to the original PUBG, has launched officially on Android and iOS in over 200 countries and territories. New State sports significantly enhanced graphics, larger maps, and a futuristic setting, along with features like weapon customization and drone combat.

A newly discovered mobile surveillance tool, Phonespy, appears to offer hackers and governments similar capabilities to NSO's Pegasus. Researchers found that Phonespy was being used by unknown actors to monitor and steal data from thousands of South Koreans.

A OnePlus Nord 2 smartphone has exploded in the pocket of a user in India. Photos posted by the victim clearly show a phone that has suffered an explosive episode and subsequent serious injury to the owner. OnePlus India is said to have stepped up with a refund on the phone along with offering to cover the costs of the medical treatment. [Warning - Graphic Images]

Vivo has added the Vivo Watch 2 to its Smart Health app, hinting at its impending release. The upcoming smartwatch has a circular display and smaller bezels than its predecessor, but it may only be available as a 46 mm smartwatch.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro currently only support one biometric authentication method, which has its issues. However, Android 12 code has revealed that Google has been working to bring face unlock to the pair with a feature codenamed 'Tuscany'.

The HiRes certified FC5 USB DAC/headphone amp by HiBy supports MQA and features a 4.4 mm balanced output with 125 mW output power. The hardware inside the sleek metal body of the FC5 includes the ES9281 Pro DAC, dual ES9603Q headphone amps, hardware volume controls, as well as RGB lights.

The Galaxy S21 FE will launch next year with both Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888 chipsets. An example of the former has appeared on Geekbench again, along with 8 GB of RAM and Android 12.

The Nokia X100 is a phone with quad rear shooters enhanced with Zeiss lenses, NFC and a headphone jack. It is powered by the Snapdragon 480 SoC and, thus, will support the 5G bands of its new exclusive carrier, T-Mobile. It will also be available through its Metro pay-as-you-go arm from November 19, 2021.

You can now install One UI 4 on the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. However, you must have bought your device in the UK to be eligible to receive beta builds. Likewise, One UI 4 is also available on the Galaxy S20 series in the US.

Xiaomi is seeking more people to test Android 12 on its recent flagship smartphones. Currently, Xiaomi is only looking for those who own the Mi 11, Mi 11i and the Mi 11 Ultra. All devices must be enrolled on MIUI's global branch, too.

The OnePlus 10 Pro design has leaked out in renders ahead of an expected launch in April 2022. The new design builds upon the OnePlus 9 Pro, but also adds a distinctive Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra-inspired wraparound design element to its rear camera array.

Another Pixel 6 series fingerprint bug has hit users. This time around, the fingerprint scanner stops working entirely if users let their device run out of battery.

According to Samsung, 'everything changes' on November 19. With a nod to gaming and its Exynos chipsets, it would seem that Samsung is preparing to announce new SoCs next week. The reality could be somewhat more banal though, unfortunately.

Niantic, famous for developing games like Pokemon GO, has released an Augmented Reality Developer Kit (ARDK) for people who want to build AR games. The ARDK is available for free and allows developers to build upon Niantic's core technologies.

Multiple sources have posted an image of what appears to be Oppo's yet-to-be-released tablet. Some of its key specs have been outed, too, which include a Snapdragon 870 SoC, 6GB RAM, 256GB internal storage, and a screen that refreshes at 120Hz. Oppo is expected to unveil the tablet sometime in 2022.

Huawei is looking to offload another smartphone through TD Tech, which it and Nokia founded over 15 years ago. The TD Tech Mate 40 Pro will arrive with barely any changes from Huawei's original model, suggesting that Huawei is clearing old inventory.

Motorola is now rumored to launch a smartphone with the impending next iteration of top-end Qualcomm processors. Now, more alleged details of this device have emerged. According to this new leak, it will be released to the global market as well as in China, and will have markedly high-end specs, particularly in the display department, in both instances.

GPD has started selling the GPD XP online. The Android-based gaming handheld has a 6.81-inch display, a 7,000 mAh battery, modular controllers and is available for under US$350.

Google has weighed in on the speed of the fingerprint readers in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Apparently, they are slow because they are more secure, with 'enhanced security algorithms' reducing their speed.

Samsung has announced another special edition of the Galaxy Watch 4. The new model is the second golf-focussed version that Samsung has unveiled, this time in partnership with Parsons Xtreme Golf. The Galaxy Watch 4 PXG Edition comes pre-installed with 40,000 golf courses and several PXG-exclusive accessories.

OnePlus has lifted the lid on the PAC-MAN Edition of the Nord 2. The handset will launch on November 15 across the EU, India and the UK. The OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition can be won in a PAC-MAN web-based game or purchased for INR 37,999, €529, and £499.

POCO has just made its last new smartphone of 2021 official. The M4 Pro 5G offers several upgrades over its predecessor in a package with styling to match the increasingly popular brand's esthetics. It starts at just under US$270, although its impending early-bird deals allow for its first round of orders to go for even less than that.

By joining forces with the fastest blockchain in the world, Brave Browser is planning to provide the best-in-class wallet features to its desktop and mobile browsers starting in the first half of 2022. However, the company will continue to support Ethereum and aims to integrate additional blockchains over time.

The recently-launched Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro Plus now seems destined for a launch in India, thanks to reports that the devices have acquired approval from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). They are joined there by a third model number said to belong to the upcoming Xiaomi 12 series of flagships.

Ex-Samsung employee turned insider Super Roader alleged that Samsung may be ditching the Exynos 2200 in favor of the Snapdragon 898. Until now, Samsung has shipped its flagship phones with Exynos chips in all markets except the US and some other countries where it uses Snapdragon SoCs. Reportedly, the ongoing chip shortage is making it hard for Samsung to procure enough Exynos chips for the upcoming Galaxy S22 phones.

Renders of Samsung's next mid-range smartphone have leaked. The Galaxy A53 is expected to launch with a 64 MP primary camera, a flat design and a 120 Hz display.