Android

Advertised as "the only app to download MIUI 13 on your device" and apparently updated on June 23, the app created by Madhav Developers looks like a piece of code — possibly malignant — that should not have been allowed on Google Play. However, one thing is certain - MIUI 13 is not available for the public yet.

A leak has confirmed that Xiaomi has a new family of devices in development, codenamed Gauguin. Apparently sporting 64 MP and 108 MP rear-facing cameras, the Gauguin and Gauguin Pro also have Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs. The specifications of the Gauguin family seemingly line-up with the Redmi K40 and Redmi K40 Pro, which are due to arrive in Q4 2020 and Q1 2021 respectively.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a new Samsung device called the SM-A716V for sale. This phone is thought to be called the Galaxy A71s 5G on launch. According to its new official schematics, it may look much like the pre-existing A71. However, there are some signs its potential new derivative is destined for the Verizon network.

A 3C certification listing was recently spotted for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G and indicates that the foldable will come with the same 25W charger as the Samsung Galaxy S20. This means the Galaxy Fold 2 will likely charge from 0 to 50 percent in just half an hour.

Huawei has confirmed that its next OS, EMUI 11, will be arriving in August. Based on open-source Android 11 without any Google apps or services, EMUI 11 will land on the Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro this quarter before making its full debut on the Mate 40 and Mate 40 Pro later this year.

Recent China Beta versions of MIUI 12 suggest that Xiaomi is developing its answer to Top Shot, Google's machine-learning photography tool. Called AI shutter, the feature appears to have similar functionality to Top Shot and may eventually make its way to stable MIUI 12 builds.

Rumour has it that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra at some hefty price tags next month. Apparently, the two flagships will retail for 25%-30% higher than the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+. The rumoured pricing would also see the Galaxy Z Fold 2 cost over US$2,000. A fake Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Geekbench listing has convinced some people, too.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 may not receive MIUI 12 until September. The device, which Xiaomi released in October 2018, is on Round 2 of the company's MIUI 12 Release Schedule. However, it is not eligible for its fledging Mi Pilot progam.

ASUS has confirmed that it will be launching the ROG Phone 3 this month, the successor to last year's ROG Phone 2. The device, which is thought to include a 6,000 mAh battery, has already been seen in a leaked hands-on video and at the TENAA. The ROG Phone 3 should have a high-refresh-rate AMOLED panel and perhaps even a Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset.

MIUI 12 firmware for owners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro in India has been restricted to official testers who were part of the Mi Pilot program so far. However, it appears that Xiaomi is expecting the testing period to be completed soon, as the MIUI 12 India ROM should start rolling out “shortly”.

A new feature update coming to Chrome 86 looks set to make serious reductions in its resource usage. The experimental feature could extend battery life considerably on laptops by shutting down certain background tasks in open tabs.

The Redmi 8 has received yet another price increase in India, bringing the total to four price hikes in that market since it was released in October 2019. While one of the hikes was due to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the other three increases for the Redmi 8 suggest that Xiaomi is milking the smartphone’s incredible popularity.

Huawei's best SuperCharge wired power adapter can charge a compatible device at up to 40 watts (W). However, a leak points to a new generation of these accessories that is capable of 66W. The OEM has reportedly had it approved for use by the regulator 3C, which may make it available for the Mate 40 series.

An alleged roadmap was posted on the Mi Community forums detailing Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4 rollout of the MIUI 12 stable ROM in China. While this does list all the Xiaomi and Redmi devices likely to be covered in each phase, it does not indicate any definite timeline. Interestingly, this roadmap also includes older devices such as the Redmi 4X and the Redmi Note 4X.

Nine months after release, the Redmi Note 8 is yet to receive a major OS update, even though the Redmi Note 8 Pro got its Android 10 update months ago. That is set to change, however, with new information giving Redmi Note 8 owners around the world an idea of when the Android 10 update will finally arrive.

The smart-glasses company Vuzix has announced that it has 3C certification for its M400 model. Therefore, it may now target the market in question with this IP67-rated, drop-resistant smart viewer. As with many other products in this category, it is directed at professional and industrial applications.

Samsung India has reportedly posted a support page for a phone called the Galaxy M01s (or SM-M017F/DS), despite the fact that this phone is not on sale in the same country yet. This official leak shows that the upcoming device has 3GB of RAM. However, additional tips show that it may not be a brand-new product on its launch.

The OnePlus 8 Pro was launched back in April but has routinely been out of stock since then. The phones has received mostly positive reviews and that appears to have translated into sales, with the implication of OnePlus selling a lot more units than it projected.

A post on Weibo by Redmi boss Lu Weibing has sparked speculation that either Xiaomi or Redmi is planning on releasing a small phone. A small-screen flagship variant of the rumored Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 was suggested by many of his post’s commentators. Weibing shared an image showing a size comparison of the Apple iPhone 4 and Redmi Note 8.

iQOO has announced that its new addition to the Z1 series of phones will debut later in July 2020. According to recent leaks, this one will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor, whereas the flagship has the MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ SoC. Its mid-range sibling may also have a 6.57-inch FHD display and triple rear cameras.

Android has been a 64-bit OS for some time now. However, this transition has not resulted in a wholesale switch to the same in all apps. Nevertheless, Chrome has finally shown signs of migrating to this platform, starting with its newest Dev and Canary versions.

Move over, Galaxy M31: it looks like your title of "battery monster" will go to a newer phone soon. Samsung has apparently made a new mobile power-pack with a rated capacity of no less than 6800mAh. It has leaked out thanks to a few official certifications for this component from Korean and Chinese regulators.

A new phone design patent attributed to the OEM Huawei shows that it has one truly massive lens in an even larger rectangular housing on its back panel. However, there may be a good reason for this: its schematics show that it may also be capable of DSLR-like zoom. Therefore, this IP may one day represent the company's next image-sensor breakthrough.

Xiaomi has officially announced that the MIUI 12 beta stable update (V12.0.2.0.QFJINXM) has started to roll out to some Xiaomi Mi 9T/Redmi K20 devices in India. The firmware has now been pushed OTA and users chosen by random should start receiving notifications to install the MIUI 12 update. The public ROM should be available soon.

Microsoft’s hardware chief Panos Panay has taken to Twitter to once again tease the Surface Duo ahead of its impending launch. The device in Panay’s hands features a clear and white plastic case which is the first time it has been shown in any protective armor.

Huawei is now expanding its EMUI 10.1 rollout. The company is currently sending out the EMUI 10.1 update to owners of the Mate 20 X 5G in Europe, as well as owners of the P30 and P30 Pro in South Africa, North Africa, South-East Asia, and the Middle East.

The Meizu 17 Pro has managed to squeeze its way into an increasingly tight AnTuTu flagship smartphone performance chart. The table for June shows the Meizu 17 Pro beating out the OnePlus 8 Pro, while a total of just 23,453 points separates the first place device with the last place device in the Snapdragon 865-dominated chart.

It seems likely that the MIUI 12 update for Redmi Note 9 smartphone users in Europe has been temporarily halted. A new MIUI 11 stable update has started rolling out for the Redmi Note 9 instead, which will bring the device up to date in terms of security patches. Owners of the phone in China have already started receiving MIUI 12.

A potent combination of Redmi and MediaTek has made some waves at the top of the latest AnTuTu midrange smartphone performance chart. Both the Redmi 10X Pro 5G and Redmi 10X 5G devices have snatched up first and third places, respectively, with the help of their MediaTek Dimensity 820 processors.

At a street price of around 440 Euros (~$494), the Find X2 Lite lacks the purchase arguments against the strong mid-range competition in this price segment. The Snapdragon 765 mobile phone doesn't have the sophisticated looks of its sibling models, the Find X2 Neo and Find X2 Pro, to attract the attention of potential buyers.

The Chinese telecomms regulator 3C has reportedly certified a new Motorola device called the XT2071-4. This model number is rumored to correspond to the 2nd-generation foldable Razr. This new clamshell is thought to have the same screen size as its predecessor, although it may have an updated 5G SoC.

Every year, Android and iOS get new features, and every year, the differences between the platforms diminish. The recent announcement of iOS 14 showcased a bevy of new features, and some of them will look quite familiar to Android users.

After sending out a global beta MIUI 12 update to the Redmi Note 8 Pro, Xiaomi has now also released a MIUI 12 update to the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 7 Pro in China. The update bears the build designation "MIUI 12.20.7.3", and is only available for those who opted into the MIUI 12 China beta testing program.

A leak has confirmed that the Redmi K30 and Redmi K30 Pro will soon be joined by a device called the Redmi K30 Ultra. Possibly the real name for the rumoured Redmi K40, the device has been spotted with a 64 MP primary camera and a pop-up selfie camera. Xiaomi has just certified a 120 W with the 3C too.

Some phones from 2019 and 2020 that bear the Samsung Galaxy name now have OTA updates that contain the latest Android security patch. They include the S20 series, as well as the Note 10s. Some higher-end Ax0 devices are also included in this list, which has appeared markedly early in the month.

Samsung Germany has confirmed that it will be releasing a 5G version of the upcoming Galaxy Tab S7+. Rumoured to be launching on August 5, the 12.4-inch tablet is thought to have a 120 Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 865 SoC and a 10,000 mAh battery. A 15 W charger is expected to be included in the box now, too.

OnePlus has teased the design of the OnePlus Nord. Spotted on an Instagram video, the company has revealed that the device will feature a flat screen, multiple rear-facing cameras and at least one, if not two, front-facing cameras.

Some recent leaks have raised the possibility of a successor for the Samsung Galaxy M30s. Now, the OEM has certified a battery that could conceivably have been made for this phone. However, those hoping for even more screen-on time between charges may be slightly disappointed in its specs.

POCO has confirmed the existence of the M2 Pro, and is currently teasing it on Twitter and Flipkart ahead of its July 7, 2020 launch. These official leaks show some inextricable links between it and the pre-existing Redmi Note 9 Pro. For example, both phones are now known to have quad rear cameras and 33 watt (W) charging.

An anomalous Geekbench 5 listing of a Xiaomi Redmi K30 shows scores that are many times more than even a Ryzen 9 3950X. The fact that such a record exists in the official Geekbench database is the reason why buyers should exercise due diligence when considering synthetic benchmarks as a sole yardstick for overall device performance.

Rumour has it that the OnePlus Nord will be launching in India on July 21. Additionally, the OnePlus Nord is purported to feature a 90 Hz display, up to 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. A total of six cameras will be in tow too, along with OIS and EIS.

Motorola has started the global rollout of its new mid-range Fusion+ and Fusion smartphones. The new smartphones will appeal to value hunters looking for a good balance of price and performance.

The Mi 10 Pro has earned plenty of positive reviews for its excellent rear cameras and audio performance, as well as for being competitive across the board. It would seem, however, that the phone has one major weakness, and one that may be a dealbreaker for some in the social media era.

The Google Pixel 4a has popped up at the NCC in Taiwan, confirming the device's battery capacity. According to the listing, the Pixel 4a will have a larger battery than not only the Pixel 3a, but also the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4. Google is sticking with 18 W fast charging for its next mid-range smartphone, though.

The Nokia 8.3 5G has landed in the UK for under £500. The device features a 6.81-inch display, a Snapdragon 765G SoC, 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and 5G connectivity. The Nokia 8.3 5G will begin shipping in September.

OnePlus has unveiled its new range of smart TVs for the Indian market. The OnePlus TV Y costs INR 49,999 (US$670) and comes with a 55-inch 4K-ready HDR 10 screen, MEMC, and OnePlus' in-house Gamma Colour Magic chip. The OnePlus TV U retail at INR 22,999 (US$307) and INR 12,999 (US$173) for the 43-inch 1080p and the 32-inch 720p versions, respectively.

Geekbench has seemingly confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC and 8 GB of RAM. The Galaxy Tab S7 is thought to be launching next month with a 7,760 mAh battery and alongside the Galaxy Note20 series.

The stable MIUI 12 update has arrived for the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro and Mi 9T Pro in India. The update, which is arriving as an OTA download, is live now. A corresponding OS upgrade has reached the Redmi Note 9 and Redmi 10X 4G too.

Honor has launched a pair of new Dimensity 800-powered phones today (July 2, 2020). Despite this, the 2 phones are quite different, particularly in terms of their displays. The 30 Youth Edition has a 6.5-inch 90 hertz (Hz) panel, whereas that of the X10 Max exceeds 7 inches. Both devices can be pre-ordered today.