Android

Google SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer has tweeted his excitement at the Chrome OS and Chromebook pipeline for 2021. It comes in the context of an IDC report showing that Chrome OS device sales surpassed macOS device sales in 2020 for the first time.

New Redmi Note 10 teasers have claimed that the upcoming potential midrange smartphone champion will have a display that is as bright as the screen of the iPhone 12 Pro and certainly way beyond that of the Redmi Note 9. The teasers have sparked renewed speculation that the Redmi Note 10 will feature an OLED screen instead of an LCD like its predecessor.

The ZTE Axon 20 5G smartphone’s under-display front camera has been found deeply wanting in DXOMARK’s rigorous photo and video tests. The Axon 20’s final selfie camera ranking leaves it 78 points behind the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and second from the bottom overall. The under-display camera had issues with high noise and color fidelity.

Fi is Google's own MVNO that offers phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and (naturally) the Pixel 5. Its latest phones are from Motorola, however. The 6.7-inch, Snapdragon 750G-powered and 5,000mAh One 5G Ace is now up to US$120 off its retail price through Google Fi. It is joined by the 2021 Moto G Power and Moto G Play on the network.

A Weibo-based tipster has posted what is claimed as an official Huawei poster for the impending Mate X2 flagship foldable device. This phablet has long been rumored to ditch its predecessor's form-factor, in which its flexible screen is on its outer surface, for a more book-like effect similar to that developed by Samsung. The new leak appears to support this idea.

OPPO is slated to launch its 2021 flagship Find X3 smartphone series, in accordance with a slew of leaks that have proceeded in the mystifying absence of a vanilla variant. However, it may have just emerged in a recent tip that suggests it will have the Snapdragon 870 processor rather than the 888. New Geekbench listings appear to confirm this.

The Asus ROG Phone has arguably been the benchmark for Android gaming-focused powerhouses since the debut of its series in 2018. Therefore, it will see its fourth generation in 2021. Despite this, the OEM has confirmed rumors that it will be called the 5 rather than the 4.

The next Galaxy Z Fold is very likely to a reworked inner display, according to a renowned leaker. Reportedly, Samsung plans to ditch the punch-hole camera from last year's Galaxy Z Fold2, which was an improvement on the Galaxy Fold's notch, itself.

Multiple details about two new Samsung tablets have leaked, both of which are Lite models of versions that the company released last year. Not only does the leak confirm multiple specifications about the Tab A7 Lite and Tab S7 Lite, but it also confirms their release dates and offers a look at marketing renders.

A new leak from Max Jambor says that the OnePlus 9 Pro will come with an LTPO display. Therefore, its 1440p 120Hz AMOLED screen could likely support dynamic refresh-rate adjustment. There is no word about the OnePlus 9 series release date just yet.

Realme is all set to launch its new flagship smartphone, the Realme GT, in China on March 4, 2021. Some of its expected specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, support for 120W fast charging and a 160Hz AMOLED screen.

Samsung has started the roll-out of the One UI 3.1 update for the Galaxy S20 phones, Galaxy Note20 devices, and the Galaxy Z range. While these Samsung Galaxy smartphones will receive many of the features Samsung One UI 3.1 has to offer, there will be no support for Google Discover, which is available on the Galaxy S21 series.

The Infinix Note 10 Pro is on the way and could launch soon after making a trip over to the FCC for certification. The phone has also been spotted on Geekbench, equipped with 8 GB of RAM and MediaTek's Helio G90T.

OnePlus will continue to offer up to 12 GB of RAM on its premium smartphones, according to a new report. Both the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 will be purchasable through T-Mobile in the US, too.

The Galaxy A52 and A72 are upcoming Samsung mid-range phones that might launch with 4G and 5G variants, 90Hz AMOLED displays and decently large batteries. They are also now tipped to have an Indian launch in March 2021. The latest leak also suggests the A52 will start at around US$412, whereas the A72 will do so at ~$547.

Google made its acquisition of the health-tracking household name Fitbit official in January 2021. As if to provide more evidence of this, the Mountain View's online shop now lists products from this brand alongside those of Nest, which it has also absorbed. Therefore, consumers can now buy devices such as the Charge 4 through this Store.

Epic Games has stepped its dispute with Apple over developer remuneration by filing an official antitrust complaint with the European Commission (EC). It alleges that competition in the app-distribution and payment markets has been "completely eliminated" by Apple's practices of insisting that these activities are carried out through its App Store for all software intended for use on iOS.

It looks like Google has borrowed heavily from the likes of Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi and even Sony with some of the features that it has integrated into Android 12. From scrolling screenshots to a Game Mode and a one-handed mode, Android 12 may feel familiar in some respects to those who have used EMUI, One UI or MIUI in the last few years.

LineageOS is one of the most popular custom ROMs out there, bringing newer versions of Android to devices that OEMs have abandoned. Unfortunately, support does not last forever with LineageOS either, as the company has dropped support for LineageOS 16.0 and Android 9.0 Pie. As a result, 24 devices will no longer receive security patch updates, including the Huawei P20 Pro.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5750G has appeared online and overclocked to 4.8 GHz. The Cezanne APU comes within a whisker of the Ryzen 7 5800X in CPU-Z and outscores the Core i9-10900K on single-core performance. The Comet Lake-S has the edge in CPU-Z multi-core thanks to its two additional cores, though.

Vivo is allegedly working on a flagship smartphone that will run Samsung's Exynos 2100 chipset. The mystery device will also feature some 'very scary' Samsung hardware. This is very likely referencing a new Vivo Nex series smartphone aka Vivo Nex 5.

The Redmi Note 10 series is officially confirmed to launch on March 4 and Xiaomi has now made public a teaser page on its website for the upcoming lineup. The page teases some features of the series, with notable takeaways including improved haptics, faster charging, and an IP rating.

Samsung launched the Galaxy M21 as one of its battery- and camera-centric phones for the Indian market. The OEM has just dropped its 4 and 6GB RAM SKUs by INR 1,000 (~US$14) each in price. This may hint at a stock-clear to make way for a newer device: could it be the M12?

The Pro1-X by F(x)tec and XDA Developers was supposed to arrive next month and with a Snapdragon 835 SoC. However, supply problems have pushed the device's estimated delivery date to August 2021 and forced F(x)tec to use the Snapdragon 662, instead.

Images of the OnePlus Watch's probable design have been published online, courtesy of the German Patent and Trademark Office. The images show two designs, which are seemingly sports and luxury models of the same smartwatch.

Earlier leaks have seemed to confirm the existence of OPPO's upcoming Find X3 Pro, but not that of its vanilla variant. Now, a new SlashLeaks post alleges that, not only does the X3 exist after all, but that it will have the new Snapdragon 870 processor. If true, this might presage an interesting and different approach to a flagship launch by an established company.

Realme has started promoting the Narzo 30 series, which the company claims it has built for 'gaming enthusiasts'. A launch poster has seemingly confirmed that a MediaTek Dimensity 800U 5G processor will be headed the way of the Narzo 30 Pro 5G, as will a 120 Hz display. However, the Narzo 30 Pro 5G looks a lot like a rebrand of the four-month-old Realme Q2.

The Redmi Note 10 series will arrive on March 4, Xiaomi has confirmed. While the company describes the launch as a global debut for the new smartphone series, March 4 will probably mark the release of the Redmi Note 10 4G, Redmi Note 10 5G, Redmi Note 10 Pro 4G and Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G in India.

Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus and now most recently Nothing has made one of the more surprising acquisitions in recent times. It has been revealed that his new venture has picked up parts of what is left of former Android supremo Andy Rubin’s defunct Essential mobile devices company.

Motorola has unveiled two new mid-range smartphones, the Moto G10 and Moto G30. Both devices come with a 6.5-inch HD+ screen, 5,000mAh battery, four rear cameras, NFC and more. The Moto G10 will cost €149.99 (US$182) and the Moto G30 €179.99 (US$218).

Concept renders of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra have been shared online by a popular designer. The smartphone looks stylish and innovative in the renders, but there is no side view of the Mi 11 Ultra’s off-putting camera bump. A noted leaker expects more smartphones with rear secondary screens will appear before the end of the year.

Google has effectively given up on making first-party games for its streaming service Stadia. However, it has committed to bringing more titles from external studios to the platform in the course of 2021. They are slated to include Far Cry 6, FIFA 21 and Hello Engineer, although not all of those will form part of the first wave of these new games.

The mysterious Realme smartphone codenamed Realme Race will be launched as the Realme GT, according to a company executive. It will herald a new line of Realme-branded flagship smartphones, and feature some outlandish specifications such as an AMOLED panel with 160Hz refresh rate and support for 125W fast charging.

LG launched the W31 series in November 2020, but leaked renders confirm that the W41 series is already close to release. There will be at least three W41 series smartphones, although only the W41 has leaked in detail so far.

The WhatsApp privacy policy change, in which the company will oblige users to agree to hand the data they have given it to Facebook, has caused controversy and virtual boycotts worldwide. However, the EU market is effectively immune to these changes. The Indian Supreme Court has argued that this should apply to all markets in which the messaging service is used.

The Snapdragon 855 and Snapdragon 730 have received a lot of love from Xiaomi, but the company is not done with the two chipsets quite yet. According to DigitalChatStation, the two outdated SoCs will power upcoming mid-range smartphones from the company, possibly to reduce costs.

DigitalChatStation has provided more information about the Mi 11 Lite, Xiaomi's supposed budget answer to the Mi 11. While the two designs will look alike, the Mi 11 Lite will have a flat display, which is infinitely more practical, in our opinion.

The Galaxy A51's successor will arrive in March, according to new reports. The Galaxy A52 will be cheaper than its predecessor too, while the 5G model will remain reasonably-priced, despite its 120 Hz display and powerful SoC.

The future of the Galaxy Note series may remain uncertain, but LetsGoDigital has imagined what a Galaxy Note 21 FE could look like, anyway. With an understated design, the Galaxy Note 21 FE presented here may appeal to fans of clean-looking smartphones.

The mid-range Samsung Galaxy F62 has finally been launched in India. Some of its key specs include an Exynos 9825 SoC, 7,000mAh battery, four rear cameras and a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen. It will be available via online portals such as Flipkart, Reliance Digital and Samsung's official website starting at INR 23,999 (US$$330).

Currently, the highest-res smartphone image sensor in existence is one of 108MP. Obviously, it is used as a marquee feature on the back of devices like the new Xiaomi Mi 11. However, should the prolific leaker Digital Chat Station be believed, it might migrate to the front of upcoming models soon.

Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei continues to gush about Apple and its products. In his latest interview, Zhengfei has said that Apple makes the best 5G iPhones in the world and that they are the perfect compliment for his company’s 5G network technologies.

A supposed Geekbench listing for what could be the Sony Xperia 10 III has revealed some details about the upcoming midrange phone’s possible specs and processor performance. If the record is the genuine article, then the Xperia 10 III could offer Redmi Note 9 Pro-like performance but clad in that instantly recognizable Sony smartphone design.

Lenovo offers a balance between high-end materials and mid-range internals in the Tab P11 Pro. Nevertheless, the OEM asserts that the user can get their work or gaming done on this 11.5-inch Android tablet in the manner suggested by its suffix. It has now been released on platforms such as Amazon.in and Flipkart for INR 44,999.

At online prices of partly less than 200 Euros (~$242), the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T is currently the cheapest 5G smartphone on the market. Our review shows that Xiaomi didn't cut corners in terms of features nonetheless.

Samsung and Microsoft's efforts to form a joint Android/Windows ecosystem to rival that of Apple's has reached a potentially critical stage. The OEMs are working to bring Quick Share (an AirDrop counterpart found on Galaxy-series smartphones) to PCs. Samsung's Free service is also to arrive on Windows 10 soon, as is a new app called "O".

Vivo is currently rumored to be working on what might be the world's first phone with the new Dimensity 1100 processor. It is said to be called the S9, a product name that has surfaced in what might be pre-launch marketing material posted to SlashLeaks. The device looks somewhat like its OEM's flagships, although it might have different specs.