Android

The Pixel line of smartphones has been defining itself through enhanced low-light photography since 2018. Now, a new leak hints that Google has something new to add to this Night Sight suite of features in 2021: Astro TimeLapse. It might be added through the next major update to the OEM's Camera app.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold2 sits at the bleeding edge of current consumer mobile tech thanks to its foldable display. However, this spec comes with a drawback: it is easily twice the depth of the average 'normal' smartphone when closed. Now, a display-focused leaker claims its impending upgrade will get no slimmer.

New rumors emanating from the Weibo social media platform hint at a phone called the X20, slated to be released by Honor after the launch of its premium 50 series. It may have a 120Hz 6.7-inch display, as well as 3 rear cameras in a vertical off-center housing.

Google has reportedly informed developers that it will introduce a new setting in Android that allows users to suspend Advertiser ID sharing across apps. The measure might boost privacy, although some app-makers might argue that it might also increase the risk of certain frauds, as well as revenue loss. Nonetheless, the changes are slated to start taking effect from late 2021.

The Velvet 2 Pro would have been LG's flagship smartphone for 2021 - had the OEM not chosen to pull out of the smartphone business prior to its planned launch. Now, the marketing material outlining this device's design and main features has allegedly leaked. They indicate that it had a completely button-less form-factor and a 64MP main camera.

Now that the pre-order phase is over, the company has opened up its latest flagship smartphone for anyone to purchase. U.S. and European customers will have to pony up at least 749 USD or 749 Euros for just the baseline 8 GB+128 GB option.

The Oppo A74 offers a lot of value for an official price of 249 Euros (~$303), including a bright AMOLED display, a 5,000 mAh battery, and a 48 MP triple-camera setup. In our review, the 6.43-inch device scored well in these three areas, but it showed weaknesses in other areas.

Several specs for the SM8450, Qualcomm's purported next generation of flagship chipsets for mobile devices, have emerged quite recently. Not long afterward, a Lenovo executive has reportedly confirmed that the OEM will develop phones based on this SoC, to be sold under its brand as well as that of Motorola.

The current US Government has announced a fresh panel of restrictions on a total of 59 companies that, as the administration believes, has links to China's ruling political party. These sanctions prevent the corporations on the list from securing investment from US entities. The measures come into effect from August 2, 2021.

Google may still be months away from releasing the Pixel 6 series, but case designs for both models have already leaked. The cases add a fair bit of bulk to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro too.

Samsung has debuted the Galaxy A22 5G in the Dutch market, starting at €249 (~US$303) for a 4GB/128GB SKU. It has arrived alongside what is called its 4G/LTE variant, although the two phones have considerably different specs, starting with their displays. The A22 5G's is larger, although it has a 60Hz refresh rate compared to 90Hz in its 4G/LTE counterpart.

Google has formally launched its latest TWS earbuds, albeit as effectively cut-down versions of its original Pixel Buds for $100 less than their original price. Therefore, the new A variants' design is much unchanged from their predecessors. They also retain features such as noise reduction and touch controls, but lose others, wireless charging included.

Recent leaks have pointed to a mysterious Motorola phone with the code-name of Denver, rumored to have a stylus and a new affordable-grade Qualcomm processor. Now, it has just surfaced again, on Geekbench and as a registered Bluetooth device this time. Both new tips may confirm that it will be called the Moto G Stylus 5G on its launch.

According to a new leak, OnePlus is about to join the growing number of smartphone OEMs with its own smart tag. The report asserts that the company has registered a relevant trademark, alongside others for pre-existing products. Therefore, a product to go with that name might launch soon.

Xiaomi has opened a survey for fans to complete in regard to MIUI (Global ROM). The feedback form is short and sweet with focus on MIUI features and bugs. Xiaomi’s own MIUI 12 Global ROM bug tracker is filled with dozens of entries covering a wide range of Mi, Redmi, and POCO devices.

OnePlus is geared to release its next mid-range device shortly. The phone in question, the OnePlus Nord CE, will be available on pre-order starting June 11, and details have now leaked. Notable takeaways include a Snapdragon 750G, a 90 Hz FHD+ AMOLED, and a 64 MP main camera.

Samsung Display is looking to expand its ultra-thin glass business by offering the technology to companies other than Samsung Electronics. Some of the first new customers include Google with its upcoming foldable Pixel smartphone and possibly even Apple when it launches its own foldable in a few years.

Samsung has patented a device known as the "Galaxy Z Fold Tab" on the rumor mill. It seems to confirm that the OEM is planning to launch an inaugural tablet with 2 hinges and that can fold in a number of ways to give a number of modes. Some new renders might hint at how such a device might look and work in the real world.

Zepp Health has announced that its increasingly popular brands Amazfit and Zepp broke into the top 4 of names in the smartwatch market in terms of shipments for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021). They sold nearly 69% more units compared to 1Q2020. Zepp Health brands were also #1 in several countries for the quarter.

More details about the Galaxy Z Flip3 and its foldable display have leaked. The device will not only feature a more refined look than previous Galaxy Z Flip models, but it also may sport a new 'Round Diamond Pixel' display panel.

Huawei has launched a new high-end tablet in Germany called the Huawei MatePad Pro. It features a 12.6-inch OLED screen, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, a 10,000mAh battery and HarmonyOS 2.0. It will retail at EUR 799 and will hit shelves on June 13.

The Huawei Mate Pad 11 is now official in Germany. It runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ chipset coupled with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 7,250mAh battery. It costs EUR 399 and will be available for purchase on July 13.

Google looks to be laying the foundation to add Android app mirroring support in a future update to Chrome OS. A line of code was spotted in the latest update to Google Play Services for Android and points to tighter integration between Android phones and Chromebooks.

Sony appears to have a smash-hit on its hands with the Xperia 1 III flagship smartphone, going by sales results taken from a major retailer in China. The new Sony Xperia 1 III is clearly attracting buyers despite its high asking price thanks to its appealing specifications and novelties, such as its 4K 120 Hz-capable display.

Released earlier today, Firefox 89 comes with a clean design "is easy on the eyes, bright and buoyant on screens of all sizes" across multiple platforms. The list of visual changes is pretty long and includes a new icon set crisp typography, streamlined toolbar and menus, a new look for tabs, expanded privacy protections, and more.

Honor has officially confirmed that its 50-series of smartphones will launch in mid-June 2021. The OEM is now hyping them as capable of "beautiful" images and videography, although it has yet to hint at the devices' looks. Then again, it is also known that they will launch with the new Snapdragon 778G processor.

The Redmi AirDots 3 Pro have just launched on the Chinese market as its brand's latest ANC TWS earbuds; now, they seem poised to hit the global market, albeit under a different name - possibly even a different brand. They have been registered with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) with not 1 but 2 alter egos, suggesting that they might be destined for different regions under one or both of them.

The Sony Xperia 1 III has officially gone on sale in China with two storage variants and two different colors available for potential buyers. At about the same time, Japan’s NTT Docomo mobile phone operator has revealed a hefty price tag for the Xperia 1 III that aligns with the prices in China and points to high prices for Sony’s 2021 flagship in other markets.

Today (May 31, 2021) is the last day on which LG's production lines for smartphones and tablets will be open. The OEM had previously announced that it would no longer be making these kinds of devices, and will now repurpose their former plant to make new home appliances instead. It might also now churn out new displays and camera components.

Motorola had confirmed that it will partner with the Bullit Group to launch the brand's first ruggedized phone soon. A new leak purports to reveal some specs for this first-gen toughphone. It is now alleged to come with a 5,000mAh battery, which will sustain an aging Qualcomm processor.

The Mi 10 Lite and Mi Note 10 Lite are the latest two devices to start receiving MIUI 12.5 outside of China.

Meizu has just announced a new smartwatch powered by the latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform for wearables. The OEM has packed it with a raft of health-monitoring features, heart-rate and blood-oxygen measurements included, not to mention 4G/LTE support. It can be pre-ordered from tomorrow (June 1, 2021) at a price equivalent to US$235.

Xiaomi has just showcased its latest standard for mobile-device charging, consisting of a power brick rated to charge at up to 200W. The OEM claims that it can power a compatible smartphone with a 4,000mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 8 minutes. It has not stopped there, though, having also revealed its latest wireless charger that can apparently go at a blazing-fast 120W.

A couple more Sony Xperia 1 III secrets have been revealed thanks to the work of a well-known leaker. Fans will be pleased about the news in regard to the change in photo file storage naming while temperature and more crucially battery life data for the Xperia 1 III in 120 Hz usage have been offered up.

With the Poco X3 Pro, Xiaomi once again becomes unpopular with the competition. At a starting price of 250 Euros (~$305), the 6.7-inch mid-range smartphone offers a lot of performance combined with extensive features. Only 4G and an OLED panel are missing.

OnePlus is all set to launch the OnePlus Nord CE 5G on June 10 in India and some European countries. Some of its key specs include a Snapdragon 750G chipset, 64MP triple rear cameras, and a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen that refreshes at 90Hz.

The new Redmi Note 10 Pro is an intriguing prospect, even with its worse SoC. One is Xiaomi's use of Gorilla Glass Victus, Corning's most robust glass type. A durability video has shown the benefits of using Gorilla Glass Victus, not least with its improved shatter resistance.

Samsung is rumored to launch next-gen wearables called the Galaxy Buds 2 at its next product event. Now, the OEM has submitted a pair of TWS earbuds that might match up with this leak with the FCC. They look a lot like their immediate predecessors and support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

Ulefone has announced the Armor 11T as a ruggedized smartphone with the special feature of a thermal imaging camera which, as the OEM claims, is co-engineered with FLIR. The smartphone is also slated to ship with Android 11, which will run on the MediaTek Dimensity 800 5G processor.

The OPPO Watch is probably one of the most Apple-like smartwatches with Wear OS out there. Now, some leaks hint strongly at a second generation powered by Qualcomm's most up-to-date platforms for wearables. Meanwhile, the company Ambiq seems to have already gone ahead and confirmed that it has provided a back-up SoC that conserves battery life on this device.

Samsung will reportedly launch three tablets as a part of its Galaxy Tab S8 series. The maxed-out Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has some interesting specs, such as a 14.6-inch OLED screen clocked at 120Hz, a 12,000mAh battery, and two front-facing cameras. Its 5G variant could retail at KRW 1,669,000(US$1,498).

Xiaomi is now expanding its Android 11 rollout to the Mi 9T. The flagship killer is currently receiving the OS upgrade, albeit only in global model guise. The OTA doesn't deliver MIUI 12.5, however, so owners will have to wait a while longer for that. The update weighs in at about 2.4 GB.

HMD Global is running sales on the Nokia 8.3 5G in multiple countries. The best of the lot appears to be in the UK, where HDM Global has reduced the smartphone by over 40%.

Qualcomm's H2 2021 flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 888+, has made an appearance on Geekbench. It single and multi-core scores of 1,110 and 3,587 are on par with the Snapdragon 888's average. However, its Cortex-X1 core is clocked at 3.0GHz, indicating that it is a Snapdragon 888+.

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a new Samsung tablet that definitely falls into the budget category. Despite this, it has both Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE-enabled variants. It will be available in certain European markets from June 2021 with an 8.7-inch HD+ TFT display, a 5,100mAh battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The PowerVision S1 will add to the increasingly popular trend of automatic, motorized magnetic gimbal accessories on its impending launch via Indiegogo. However, this one also incorporates its own power bank for pass-through wireless charging on the go. It also has a tripod folds down to fit in pockets or bags easily.