Android

Imaging sensors are used in a huge variety of electronics, which include digital cameras and smartphones. Their market was worth US$15.93 billion in 2018, but is now projected to be worth $29.99 billion in 6 years. This is thought to be related to their emerging relevance to autonomous vehicles.

As the latest Qualcomm flagship processor, the Snapdragon 865 may be expected to gain a Plus variant (or 865+) later this year, in accordance with very recent tradition. A Weibo tipster now asserts that this will occur some time in the third quarter of 2020. This new version may power late-year versions of phones such as the OnePlus 8 and Nubia Red Magic 5G.

The T8i is the latest in the EOS Rebel series made by Canon. It has a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a 45-point all-cross form of auto-focus (AF) with Face Detect. This Rebel is also the first of its line to feature vertical video for consumption on mobile devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip's default keyboard seems to have a bug that automatically lowercases any letter typed in uppercase and this behavior is persistent even after fiddling around with the settings. It is not a big deal-breaker though, as users can still install third-party keyboards such as Gboard or SwiftKey.

OnePlus has announced a new software update for the 7, 7 Pro, and 7T Pro. These stable new updates bring the same bug-fixes and feature additions to each of these devices. They also update their security patch levels to January 2020.

Most smartphone enthusiasts don't seem to like MediaTek chipsets. While there are solid reasons for that, performance isn't one of them anymore. For example, the new MediaTek Dimensity 1000L looks to be the most powerful SoC outside the flagship space.

A company called Aria has put its new true-wireless (or TWS) earbuds up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. This isn't hugely unusual these days - however, these SONG X products distinguish themselves with an innovative "Star Ring" charging case. They are also described as capable of delivering high-quality audio with robust Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

An Android trojan by the name of xHelper has been found to reinstall itself after removal. Worse still, the malware reinstalls itself even after a factory reset. Malwarebytes has devised a fairly complex manner of removing the malware, which it says is the worst mobile malware the antivirus firm has ever encountered.

All the talk and expectation around mobile silicon from Qualcomm this year is understandably focused on its beastly Snapdragon 865. However, there are to relatively new PCs on the market that are running PC-optimized versions of the 2019 flagship Snapdragon 855. These are of course, the Samsung Galaxy Book S and the Microsoft Surface Pro X. The Galaxy Book S runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx while the while Microsoft’s Surface Pro X runs a custom variant of the 8cx dubbed the Microsoft SQ1. So, what are the differences between them and is there much of a difference in performance between the chipsets?

The latest update for Pokémon Masters, a popular mobile game that takes place in the Pokémon universe, introduces Professor Oak and Mew as a sync pair. Players that complete the game's tutorial by March 15 will unlock the pair, as well as extra content surround the Pokémon Prof's character.

Earlier (on February 13, 2020), Android Police spotted a page for a new Android Developer Preview on this OEM's website. However, its download links never went live. Now, this page is back to its old Android 10 self, suggesting that the new version is still not here in any form after all.

Meizu's next flagship phone series with be called "17th", according to a new leak. It includes a render purporting to show the Plus variant of this line. It has a distinctly Galaxy S20-esque display, whereas the rear panel has a...unique gradient effect that goes from a very bright yellow to a neon green. This phone is also purported to come with the Snapdragon 865 and 3 to 4 rear cameras.

Some recent leaks have asserted that the second-generation Find X flagship phone from OPPO will have a 120 hertz (Hz) refresh rate at a QHD+ resolution. The freshly-launched Samsung Galaxy S20 series has similar properties - however, they don't co-exist in real-world devices. In addition, the X2 is rumored to have some new Sony camera sensors.

Fancy a look at the Pixel 5 XL nine months before Google releases it? Well, that is what Jon Prosser and Front Page Tech claim to be offering, at least. Unconvinced? Yeah, so are we.

Rumours about the possibility of Sony releasing an Xperia 9 have appeared online, with an image posted to Reddit cited as proof. Does that not sound dodgy enough?

While this week has been all about Samsung, Xiaomi and the cancellation of MWC 2020, we may only be a few weeks away from the launch of the OnePlus 8 series. To that end, the OnePlus 8 has now appeared on Geekbench, complete with a Snapdragon 865 SoC and 8 GB of RAM.

Last week, Google Maps celebrated its 15th anniversary and now the mobile apps receive an update that includes quite a few noticeable changes, both functional — more information about transit rides — and visual — a new icon and a refreshed interface.

With the MWC 2020 event officially called off, Realme has decided to launch its flagship, the Realme X50 Pro 5G, in an online event on February 24. The Realme X50 Pro 5G will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC, will feature 65W SuperDart fast charging, and will run on the new Realme UI OS based on Android 10.

The Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra were launched in their new Cloud- or Cosmic-themed colorways on February 11, 2020. However, other reports have revealed that they have drastically different options on the South Korean market, one of which is Aura Red. A leaker now asserts that these SKUs are also on their way to Europe.

The recent Samsung Galaxy S20 launch event also served to unveil the addition of the Live Caption feature to Google, in which video-call speech is converted into text in real time. Now, there is evidence that this function is also being ported to Chrome. This app's gerrit shows the integration of an API necessary to deliver it within the browser.

Roh Tae-moon, the president of Mobile at Samsung, has claimed that the OEM has developed devices with "even more" hinges than the new Galaxy Z Flip. However, these multi-folding phones are apparently not ready for prime-time yet. This is due to the idea that consumers will want much more UX polish in such products.

iQOO is a Chinese smartphone brand that has made a name for itself in recent years by offering high-end hardware at decent price-points. Now, it has revealed that its next such device is to be called the 3 5G. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC and have the next-gen UFS 3.1 storage standard.

Xiaomi is now broadening the rollout of Android 10 to the Mi 8, having begun rolling out the OS upgrade to its former flagship last month. The latest update, V11.0.3.0.QEAMIXM, weighs in at 1.9 GB and introduces a few other fixes, too.

Instead of ending production of the Galaxy S10 series, Samsung will keep making them and selling them officially with a US$150 permanent price drop. That could have an interesting effect on the support lifespan of the phones, and their resale value.

The cancellation of MWC 2020 and the coronavirus may have scuppered the release of the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro, but that has not stopped Xiaomi from unveiling both in an online event. The Mi 10 Pro has stormed to the top of DxOMark too, but there are some key differences between it and the Mi 10. The Mi 10 has the edge over the Mi 10 Pro in some areas, too.

While Samsung continues to dominate the foldable smartphone market, Huawei is set to release a successor to the Mate X. The Chinese company is said to be switching to using an ultra-thin glass for its next foldable too, a change that may do away with the crease that affects the likes of the Galaxy Z Flip and Moto Razr.

It has been over a year since Razer last released a gaming phone, with plenty of other OEMs stepping into the fold in the meantime. Now, Lenovo has dropped hints that it too will bring a gaming phone to market this year. Naturally, the device will be marketed under the company's Legion division, and with a Snapdragon 865 SoC in tow too.

Surprisingly, Samsung has just managed to release the Android 10 update for the Galaxy A30 one month ahead of schedule, so other handsets might get the new software earlier than expected as well. The Indian Galaxy A30 gets the software version A305FDDU4BTB3 in the shape of a 1.4 GB OTA update package.

Xiaomi has just launched its newest flagship phones, the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. The Mi 10 Pro has also been put through the paces over at DxOMark, and posted impressive results that place it at the top of the website's photo, video, and audio leaderboards.

Samsung has opened up its Galaxy S20 series trade-in program for reservers and there looks to be a few issues with it. For one, owners of the Galaxy S10e get the short end of the stick.

Essential just announced that it will cease operations starting today. The Essential PH1 will no longer receive security updates. One has to look for third-party software alternatives such as LineageOS to keep their devices up to date. The company's email app Newton Mail will cease to operate on April 30th 2020.

The wait for Android 10 on the Redmi Note 8 Pro continues, as does a Widevine DRM L1 fix. While the former remains an unknown quantity, the latter is apparently now in sight. Owners of the Redmi Note 8 Pro must wait at least another month or so before the next OTA update, though.

OnePlus' flagship smartphones are expected in late March or early April. Many supposed technical details and specs for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro cell phones have already made the rounds. A new leak is said to confirm the design and some specs of the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Sony took a few months to prepare the release of Android 10 for its latest set of smartphones. Apparently, it did not take long enough as people have been complaining of experiencing a multitude of bugs. The situation is so dire that Sony has ceased the rollout of Google's latest OS to the likes of the Xperia XZ2 and XZ3.

After meeting earlier this week to discuss the viability of Mobile World Congress 2020, the GSMA has decided to cancel MWC 2020 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. Multiple companies have stated they would not be in attendance due to the epidemic earlier this month. In response, the GSMA has outright cancelled MWC in its entirety.

The popular online messaging service WhatsApp has reported that it has passed an important milestone: 2 billion users. It emphasized its simple, convenient and private interface in its statement on this matter. Furthermore, it asserted its ongoing commitment to protecting the (doubtless huges amounts of) data sent through it daily.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro are upcoming flagships likely to rock the Snapdragon 865 processor. They have been just been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, putting their imminent launch beyond doubt. This new approval also drops an interesting extra detail: these phones will run a heretofore-unknown version of their OEM's OS skin.

The Mi A3 should be in line to receive Android 10, with a mid-February release date previously being touted. The company has informed some fans that the OS upgrade may arrive later this week, but we would not guarantee it. On the contrary, Android 10 may be delayed until the end of February, instead.

Recently, a prominent tech vlogger teased a phone with a dual punch-hole camera alleged to contain a groundbreaking 44MP sensor. Now, this device has been revealed as OPPO's Reno3 Pro - but not as its existing fans know it. It has indeed sprouted this improved in-display shooter, but lacks an important marketing point from its original launch.

HMD Global, an OEM that makes Nokia phones, is one of the latest companies to announce the cancellation of its showcase at MWC 2020. Like the others, it has done so to keep its staff and audience safe from the spread of the novel coronavirus. To date, there is no new date for its upcoming launches.

The Poco X2 was launched just last week but is already receiving its first OTA update. The update comes as the January security patch, and brings some image processing improvements to the phone's cameras, along with a nifty bug fix.

Colour us disappointed. Redmi had been hyping up its next smartphone, only to release a tweaked Redmi 8A. Sadly, the device thought to be the Redmi 9A is actually the Redmi 8A Dual. All Xiaomi has added is a textured back panel, an improved primary rear-facing camera and, as its name suggests, a secondary sensor.

Xiaomi will still be attending MWC 2020 in Barcelona at the end of the month, where it will globally unveil the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. The company has promised to take precautions against the proliferation of the coronavirus, the reason for the likes of Sony bowing out of this year's conference. CEO Lei Jun has been showing off some official camera samples for the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro ahead of their Chinese launch this Thursday, too.

The stylish result of the collaboration between Samsung Electronics and New York-based fashion brand Thom Browne "was created for those who are not afraid to make a statement—and who want their technology to be as iconic as their wardrobe" and will arrive in March. The pre-orders will kick off later this week — on February 14, to be more specific.

About a week ago, reports surfaced claiming that Huawei was working on the EMUI 10 update for the Mate 9 and Mate 9 Pro, the company's flagship phone from 2016. Huawei has reportedly now confirmed those claims to be without substance.

You can get 50 percent off the Galaxy S20 or more if you own a Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Galaxy S10, iPhone 11, or iPhone XS. Owners of the Pixel 4 should definitely consider the $600 trade-in offer as that is more than what the smartphone is currently retailing for new.