Android

The LG Velvet represents good value, especially if you get the Dual Screen case that transforms the mid-range handset into a Surface Duo or foldable smartphone alternative. The handset is just 7.9 mm thick, but it stood up to the rigours of JerryRigEverything's durability tests. The popular YouTuber has uncovered the origin of the screen in the LG Velvet Dual Screen accessory, too.

The Motorola Moto G9 Plus has appeared on the Google Play Console, following its sighting on Orange Slovakia. The latest outing for the device confirms yet more aspects about its hardware ahead of its inevitable unveiling, like the chipset that has been chosen by Motorola.

The Huawei Mate 8 is still receiving software updates, nearly five years after its release in November 2015. The latest update brings the July 2020 set of security patches and a battery abnormality detection feature. The update is rolling out now to Chinese handsets but should make its way to global handsets, too.

A new variant of the Pixel 5 has appeared in live photos for the first time. Dubbed the Pixel 5s, the device is made from polycarbonate and features a very similar design language to the recently released Pixel 4a.

Another innovative Xiaomi smartphone patent has seen the light of day, with the device in the patent drawings featuring an interesting solution for both the front and rear cameras. Xiaomi has integrated a dual pop-up camera system in this concept that leaves the case of the smartphone completely camera free.

After releasing the Realme 7 and Realme X7, Realme is set to launch a cheaper device that will go against Xiaomi's Redmi 9 in an attempt to win some market share in that high-volume market segment. Details of the Realme 7i have now leaked in full, and it keeps up with the competition rather exquisitely.

Official renders of the LG Wing have leaked ahead of its launch next week thanks to Evan Blass. The images show the device from behind for the first time revealing a rear camera array that is quite similar in appearance to the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 line.

Google has released the first stable build of Android 11 for the Pixel line of smartphones today (September 8, 2020). Now, OnePlus has announced that it too has such an update for its current flagships, the 8 and 8 Pro. They come in the form of OxygenOS Open Betas, the last step before a stable software version.

Evan Blass has offered a first look at the Nokia 2.4 and Nokia 3.4, HMD Global's next entry-level smartphones. The two devices share many specifications, but they also differ in crucial areas.

The Xperia 5 II has stopped by the FCC, confirming that it will come bundled with an 18 W fast charger. The September 17-bound flagship will also have a 4,000 mAh battery, a 120 Hz display and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 SoC.

Huawei has started teasing EMUI 11, with the company focusing on greater connectivity and usability for its next in-house OS. EMUI 11 will be unveiled on September 10 at HDC 2020 alongside HarmonyOS 2.0 and potentially some new hardware, too.

The new Redmi SonicBass Wireless Earphones are accessories of the 'neckbud' variety alluded to in a leak earlier in 2020. Now, the brand has finally launched them in their first market, Nepal. They will cost the equivalent of about US$17 in this country on their imminent release.

The forthcoming LG Wing has been caught in action once again ahead of its official launch on September 14. The latest video leak shows how the swiveling display works which is something that we haven’t previously seen.

Samsung recently rolled out update G96xFXXSBETH2 for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Unfortunately, while the latest software includes a security patch, owners of the 2018 flagship lineup are still waiting for One UI 2.5 to materialise.

Realme has made a successful foray into the true-wireless (TWS) earbud market recently. Then again, none of its products have have the sought-after spec of active noise cancelling (ANC). A new leak suggests it is coming in a new set soon, and that their launch will take place in India.

A renowned Twitter leaker suggests that OnePlus has no plans to release a Pro version of the OnePlus 8T. The information falls in line with an earlier leak that tells us about some of the phone's specifications. OnePlus will likely replace it with an affordable smartphone.

Poco has now launched its latest mid-range, the Poco X3 NFC. The Poco X3 NFC has its sights aimed right at the OnePlus Nord and delivers on the hardware with a 120 Hz display, Snapdragon 732G, quad-rear camera setup, and massive 5160 mAh battery—all at a starting price point of €229.

The ROG Phone 3 is a mighty piece of hardware and the best gaming smartphone that we have ever seen. However, this is not only due to the powerful hardware, Asus has also got a lot of other things right.

The Withings ScanWatch hybrid smartwatch is now available to buy in Europe, and it can be purchased from £249.95/€279 (about US$330). This incredible health-focused wearable comes with its own on-demand electrocardiogram, respiratory scanner, atrial fibrillation detector, medical-grade SpO2 oximeter, and the ScanWatch is water resistant to 165 ft (50 m).

Motorola's latest affordable mid-range smartphone has been spotted online ahead of its official unveiling. The Motorola G9 Plus launch appears imminent and follows closely on the heels of the official launch of the Motorola G9/G9 Play late last month.

Counterpoint Research has published its latest report on the premium (~US$400 or more) sector of India's smartphone market. It declined by 32% in the second quarter of 2020 (2Q2020) - although this drop was less severe than that of the entire market for the same quarter. OnePlus took the #1 spot here again, just edging Samsung out with a 29% share.

Asus delighted fans of the flip camera with the launch of the ZenFone 7 series, which are mobile devices with the second generation of this display-sparing tech. Those in the US may have been disappointed when the OEM mentioned no availability for its new flagships in that market. A Reddit thread contains alleged evidence that may contradict this, however.

The Mi Mix 3 5G was stuck on MIUI 10 for ages but has now risen from the ashes in spectacular style, with Xiaomi finally sending out the MIUI 12 update to owners of the phone in Europe. The update does not bring Android 10, however.

Vivo has been showing off an interesting new prototype smartphone that can offer users different-colored back panels thanks to the utilization of electrochromic technology. The rear of the Vivo smartphone, which looks like a modified S7 5G, is clad in smart glass, enabling it to switch colors from blue to purple and eventually silver.

The Redmi Note 10 draws closer to launch. More details of the upcoming Xiaomi mid-range phone has now been revealed, with a notable takeaway being the presence of a 48 MP camera, same as on the Redmi Note 9 and the Redmi Note 8 before it.

A Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra smartphone with an under-display camera has seemingly been leaked in a comparison video. Xiaomi has already revealed the technology in a recent promotional clip; however, it has now been speculated that the under-display camera variant of the Mi 10 Ultra could be launched sooner than what was previously anticipated.
The original source and a longer hands-on video have surfaced.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 series phones are nearly 7 months old now. Nevertheless, leaks about their possible successors have already emerged. One of them concern 2 new batteries from their OEM freshly approved for use by the Chinese regulator 3C and now tipped as meant for an S21 variant apiece.

Oppo appears to be taking a proactive approach to Android 11. The phone maker will reportedly start testing a beta version of its Android 11-based ColorOS ROM on phones including the Find X2 and Reno3, starting on September 7th.

Evan Blass has leaked a promotional video for the Xperia 5 II, confirming yet more aspects about the device, including its 120 Hz display. Sony will launch its next flagship on September 17 with a Snapdragon 865 chipset, three 12 MP rear-facing cameras, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a 4,000 mAh battery.

Samsung fans rejoice, for a Snapdragon 865 version of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition will be launching in Europe. There will also be a 4G Exynos 990 model, but there may well be a huge difference in performance between the two editions. The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, shortened to the Galaxy S20 FE, will be available in six colours and will have a 120 Hz display too.

The TCL 10 TABMAX and 10 TABMID are 2 new slates launched at IFA this year. They feature their brand's in-house NXTVISION technology for "the most vibrant colors and rich details", as well as reduced blue-light emission. They may also go well with the OEM's new MOVEAUDIO S200 TWS earbuds.

Zhiyun is known as a maker of smartphone-videography aids. The Smooth XS is the latest product in this line. It, like its recently-launch DJI counterpart, is a motorized gimbal with an optional tripod. However, unlike the OM 4, the XS has a telescopic arm for selfies and also costs under US$100.

With the HiPad X, Chuwi has created a new tablet aimed at Android fans. The 10.1-inch device runs Android 10, supports pen input, has a detachable keyboard and includes an LTE modem. Chuwi will launch the HiPad X on September 15, but it is already available to order on AliExpress.

US carrier T-Mobile has announced what is a more powerful variant of the LG Velvet. The new version of the device eschews a Qualcomm chip in favor of the new MediaTek Dimensity 1000C which features four high-performance Cortex A-76 cores versus just the two in the normal Snapdragon 765G-powered devices.

AnTuTu has been busy compiling its August price-performance charts for Android phones, and there are new leaders in two out of the five tables. The iQOO 3 and Meizu 17 Pro have scored highly enough to remove the Redmi K30 Pro Zoom and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro from their respective positions, although Redmi still has an incredible 11 smartphones in the charts.

A company spokesperson has revealed some critical OnePlus 8T specs. It will be the first non-Pro variant to come with a 6.5-inch AMOLED panel clocked at 120Hz. The phone will also ship with a 48MP quad-camera setup. We can expect OnePlus to release the phone sometime in October.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro remains on MIUI 11 but not for much longer. An official source at Xiaomi Indonesia has finally cleared the air on when the MIUI 12 update will arrive for Xiaomi's current Pro mid-range phone. Variants like the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9S should also get the update at the same time.

The low-priced Samsung smartphone makes the world take notice, because it comes with a very impressive specifications sheet. However, the Galaxy A21s has some weaknesses…

The One UI 2.5 update is making its way to Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 phones in Germany. It adds new functions to Pro Video Mode, Single Take Mode, and Samsung Keyboard. Users can also wirelessly cast their phones to select smart TVs via Wireless DeX. Its global rollout is expected to commence soon.

The Poco X3 will be unveiled on September 7, but the device has already been leaked online courtesy of a hands-on video. A Poco X3 Premium Version also appears to be on the cards.

MIUI 12 is still yet to arrive for the Pocophone F1, months after Xiaomi started rolling out the OS upgrade to numerous devices. Apparently, the reason for the delay centres on overheating issues, which occur even during simple tasks like recording a 4K video or running the screen at full brightness.

The LG V40 ThinQ has been upgraded to Android 10 in at least seven new countries. At least devices in Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK have started receiving LG UX 9.0 following equivalent rollouts for US carrier-locked devices earlier this year. Reports of the V40 ThinQ receiving Android 10 in India are false, though.

Bang & Olufsen has a well-earned reputation as the purveyor of high-quality audio experiences so it is always exciting when the company launches a new set of headphones. Its new H95 compact over ear headphones have all the traditional hallmarks we expect from B&O blending enhanced comfort with active noise cancellation.

A market analyst report concerning the best-selling smartphones of the first half of 2020 has placed the Apple iPhone 11 in top position with remarkable sales of 37.7 million units. The six months have also been kind to Xiaomi, with four Redmi devices, including the Redmi 8A and Redmi Note 8 Pro, making it into the list of the top 10 most-shipped smartphones.

The Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro are now official. While both phones offer some incremental upgrades, they are quite similar to their predecessors. The Realme 7 series is only available in India for now, but we can expect a global launch soon.

Samsung owners tend to like their Google Camera ports a lot due to the significant improvement in camera performance they offer. That may be in jeopardy now, however, as the new One UI 2.5 appears to be killing Google Camera functionality, starting with the Galaxy S20 series.

The AnTuTu midrange smartphone performance chart for August is currently dominated by Redmi, Honor, and Huawei. The Redmi 10X 5G and 10X Pro 5G with their MediaTek Dimensity 820 processors have managed to keep challengers away from their positions at the top, while devices with Kirin chips bring up most of the rear.