Android

A device simply called “Huawei Dev Phone” has been spotted on the AI Benchmark, and both the phone and the HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G mobile SoC it features have completely outclassed the competition in the benchmark’s performance rankings. The smartphone’s final AI score was more than twice the amount of its nearest rival, the Honor 20S.

An image showing three Google Pixel 4 smartphones in different colors has seemingly leaked on Weibo. Unsurprisingly, both a black and white SKU are visible, but the choice for the third color has caused some eyebrows to be raised. It had already been leaked that Google was going with orange as one of the Pixel 4’s color options.

Qualcomm has announced that its chipsets for the premium, premium mid-tier and mid-tier mobile devices of the future will all come with 5G as standard. This is because they will have support for these next-gen data bands built into them directly as systems-on-chips (SoC). Of these, the 5G 7-series is already being used to design phones by OEMs such as Nokia and LG.

The anticipated successor to the Pixel 3 has appeared on Geekbench. It shows that the device has 4GB of RAM, is powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC and runs Android 10. Therefore, it stands a decent chance of actually being a Google phone - however, the leak does have some inadequacies.

Senior XDA member 'kdrag0n' has released the new Proton Kernel for the Asus ZenFone 6. Apart from bringing several enhancements, the Proton Kernel enables a 75 Hz display refresh rate option for smoother visuals. The Proton Kernel can be installed over the stock Asus ZenUI 6 Android Pie image after a bootloader unlock.

The JBL Pulse 4 is the latest in a series of portable Bluetooth speakers that also light up as they stream audio. This iteration also has an IPX7 rating and an estimated 12 hours of playback. Its LEDs are controlled by a proprietary app, which also allows it to sync with multiple compatible devices from the same brand.

The charging accessory brand Arun has a new travel product that can charge both mobile devices and full notebooks. This "power station" has variants with 22000mAh or 30000mAh capacities, both of which has a full AC outlet, as well as USB type A and C ports. The latter can charge a mobile device at up to 45 watts (W), whereas the former can deliver up to 100W.

Qualcomm has introduced its latest "add-on" for its 2nd-generation 5G modem, the Snapdragon X55. The QTM527 is an antenna that confers mmWave reception on the chipset. It is intended to enable the X55 to handle fiber-level connections for homes and businesses, regardless of their location.

Although it is not cheap at all, the Galaxy A90 5G is Samsung's first non-flagship handset with support for the fastest mobile connectivity standard available for the masses (depending on region, of course). Sadly, although it is more expensive than most 4G flagships currently on the market, the Galaxy A90 5G will only get a new security patch every four months.

HMD Global has announced a new a mid-range smartphone at IFA 2019 — the Nokia 7.2. The Nokia 7.2 features a 48 MP triple camera setup with ZEISS optics and AI enhancements for improved low-light photos. The Nokia 7.2 sports an always-on 10-bit HDR FHD+ display powered by a dedicated Pixelworks visual processor and will be available September-end starting from €299.

As expected, LG has officially revealed its latest flagship smartphone at Berlin’s IFA 2019 expo. The new LG G8X ThinQ is also offered with a new sleeker second-screen accessory that also includes a third monochrome 2.1-inch ancillary on its rear for notifications when the second screen accessory case is folded over the main display.

According to a purported leak, the OPPO A5 (2020) will have the exact same SoC, screen, battery, and camera as the A9 (2020). The main difference between the two handsets will be RAM and storage: the A5 (2020) tops out at 4 GB/128 GB, while the A9 (2020) can only be configured with 8 GB/128 GB. The price difference is rumored to be less than US $40.

The well-known tech tipster IceUniverse claims to have attended a Vivo event in which this OEM outlined plans to use Samsung's newest SoC in one of its own phones. This chipset, the Exynos 980, is thought to be best suited to mid-range phones - albeit ones with 5G. Vivo apparently plans to release just such a device before the end of 2019.

Motorola has announced the release of 2 new smartphones, the One Zoom and Moto E6 Plus. The former has a 6.4-inch 1080p display, a 4000 mAh battery and Dual OIS for its quad rear cameras. The new Moto E, on the other hand, is a dual-camera phone with a 6.1-inch HD+ display.

Have the rumours about the Mate 30 Pro got you clamouring for its launch event on September 19? Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but recent renders published by OnLeaks and Pricebaba paint the Mate 30 Pro as one of the uglier flagships of 2019. Some of its rumoured features look more gimmicky than innovative too.

Sony has revealed that the long-awaited compact variant of its 2019 flagship is called the Xperia 5. It shares an OLED "TV-grade" screen with the 1; however, this panel measures 0.4 inches less than its regular-sized counterpart. The 5 also has the same triple cameras and Snapdragon 855 SoC as the 1.

Upgraded with a Snapdragon 855+ SoC, improved liquid cooling solution and USF 3.0 storage, the Red Magic 3S from Nubia is scheduled to begin shipping on September 9 in China. As per usual, Nubia is looking to maintain aggressive prices, and the latest model is no exception, as the flagship variant costs ~US$531.

The wait is over. Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy Fold in its home market of Korea. Locals will get the Fold in a 5G variant with 512 GB of storage on board while other markets will also get the 5G option or a 4G LTE version.

The respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now estimates that Huawei could seize up to 50% of its domestic market next year. However, he also believes that the OEM will now miss a previous projection of 260 million units shipped this year. This company is also planning to grow stronger based on further investment into research.

The OEM OnePlus has succeeded in releasing a build of Android 10 shortly after Google formally introduced this fresh version of the OS. It is an Open Beta compatible with the 7 series from the Chinese phone-maker. The ROM updates the UI and contains many long-awaited Android 10 features.

Xiaomi is apparently set to disrupt the iPhone 11 Pro and Mate 30 Pro with the Mi Mix 4, with latest rumours suggesting that the 108 MP monster will be released on September 24 alongside MIUI 11. Xiaomi seemingly has no plans to return to a slider mechanism for the Mi Mix 3 successor either.

Samsung does not directly specify this, but the Exynos 980 appears to be aimed at premium mid-range handhelds like the top-of-the-line Galaxy A-series. Its main features include a 5G modem with E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity for downloads speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps, WiFi 6, a faster NPU, plus support for single 108 MP cams.

Banners put up by Huawei at the IFA 2019 venue confirm that the upcoming flagship Kirin 990 SoC will feature an on-die 5G modem instead of an external solution. The Kirin 990 will be the first SoC to be fabbed on TSMC's new 7nm FinFET Plus EUV process and will also be the first to support native 4K 60 fps video recording.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has finalized the specification for USB4. A few things are different this time around including the way the it named, as well as its support for another standard in the form of Thunderbolt 3.

Sony has rolled out a teaser ahead of its presentation at IFA 2019. The teaser features the tagline “in the palm of your hand” pointing to a more compact handset in line with rumors and leaks associated with what is thought to be the Sony Xperia 2.

The latest version of Android, Android 10, is now rolling out to all Pixel handsets and non-Sprint Essential Phones. The update brings some dramatic changes to the look and feel of Android; navigation is shifting to a fully gesture-based system, privacy controls have received a deep overhaul, and many more features have been introduced to make Android 10 the most robust version of Android yet.

The Nubia Red Magic 3 is a gaming phone set to gain a new variant with the updated Snapdragon 855 Plus processor. Its first AnTuTu benchmark has reportedly been posted, and may have attained the highest score in these tests to date. This device may also come with a 90Hz display.

Instagram recently rolled out a new option in which the like (or reaction) count of a given post could be concealed from any user but the creator in question. Now, an analysis of new code in the Facebook app for Android indicates that this site will do the same. The feature is said to have been instituted for a number of reasons, some of which are related to mental health online.

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy A90 5G. Although ostensibly a mid-range device given it is part of Samsung's A-series of smartphones it also packs a high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset matched with up to 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.

The Huawei Watch GT is a popular wearable in which the in-house software LiteOS had its debut. Now, the respected leaker Roland Quandt asserts that it is to get a second generation. This smartwatch will apparently have a larger battery than its predecessor.

Some new Weibo posts purport to show the Vivo Nex 3 in a candid real-life image. Furthermore, this site has also provided what may be a full panel of this upcoming flagship's specifications. It suggests that the device will have 4G and 5G variants, a 6.89-inch screen and a top-end model with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

XDA contributors claim to have found references to code-names for 4 different new Xiaomi phones in this OEM's software. There is also evidence that all of these devices will have the state-of-the-art 108MP Samsung image sensor that should inform the apex of smartphone cameras going into 2020. Furthermore, it is possible that the Mi Mix 4 is not one of them.

Samsung has made its pre-registration page for its first ever flexible device, the Galaxy Fold, live in the US and UK. It enables potential buyers to submit their contact details in order to receive instructions as to how to order this phone. A new report indicates that the Fold will cost the same as it did prior to its failed launch.

The OEM OPPO is now rumored to have a refresh for its A9 smartphone in the works. Its "2020" upgrade apparently involves the Snapdragon 665 SoC, quad cameras and a single 8GB/128GB SKU. It is also now linked to an impressive enough 5000mAh battery.

The AirDots Pro are Xiaomi devices that conform to the "toothbrush" form factor of truly-wireless earbuds. Chinese social media users have spotted what looks like their packaging, but with a new product name, in a photograph. The box suggests that these wearables have, if anything, become more Apple-esque than their predecessors.

Motorola has been subject to leaks concerning its new Moto G variants already. Their flagship may be called either the G8 or G8 Plus. The latest leak on this subject indicates that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 665 SoC. It may have up to 6GB of RAM, as well as a triple rear camera with a 48MP main shooter.

An earlier report has suggested that the rumored OnePlus 7T will be a substantial upgrade over its immediate predecessor. Now, a new leak hints that the same may not be true of the 7T Pro. Despite the possibility that it will get a Formula 1-themed special edition, it will look much the same as the original 2019 flagship.

Fitbit has launched its second-generation Versa health and fitness smartwatch. The key upgrades include support for Amazon Alexa voice recognition and the addition of enhanced sleep tracking.

Samsung first mid-range 5G-capable smartphone will be the Galaxy A90. The new device will be an important device for the company as it looks to take 5G technology downstream in the hope of boosting its sales.

Xiaomi is slated to release a version of its popular Mi 9 smartphone with next-gen connectivity soon. A new report asserts that it will cost even less than the iQOO Pro 5G when it goes on sale in China. This second device starts at only 3798 yuan (~$540) at present.

The existence of the Samsung Galaxy A20s has been confirmed, as a device by this name has just gained Bluetooth SIG certification. In addition, a new model number that may conform to the rumored A71 has appeared on Geekbench. This listing hints at a 2020 release for this phone, as it is described as running Android 10.

The online retailer JD.com has posted a new page for a new member of the Honor 20 series. Known as the 20S, it has a new range of colors compared to the existing models available outside China. It has the same front-facing camera as the 20 and 20 Pro, but has 3 rear cameras where these phones have 4 each.

As part of Lenovo’s pre-IFA 2019 Berlin announcements includes a new Chromebook S340. The device comes in two variants, a compact 11-inch version and a larger 15-inch model

A handful of images of a new Sony Xperia smartphone have been leaked online. There has been speculation that this could be a first look at the successor of the Xperia 1, and the overall design language is certainly reminiscent of the 21:9 aspect ratio-boasting flagship from the Japanese manufacturer.

Samsung has sent a new device to the Wi-Fi Alliance for certification. However, this document does not confirm much about this device, save that it is a tablet with the model number SM-T545. The same number has cropped up in a Geekbench leak recently that pegged it as a Snapdragon 710-powered device with 4GB of RAM.

The Lenovo Z6 Pro is a quad-cam flagship with the Snapdragon 855 processor, and yet has not had much availability worldwide. This has been addressed somewhat with the announcement of a release event for this phone in India. It will be launched in this market with the K10 Note and A6 Note on September 5, 2019.

Huawei had faced the prospect of becoming unable to use the Android ecosystem due to a dispute with the current US government. However, most of its newer devices have subsequently retained the license necessary to do so. Unfortunately, Google has told the BBC that the upcoming Mate 30 series will not be granted access to the same.

Even as Redmi prepared for the Note 8 Pro's launch, Realme was reportedly sending units of its new XT mobile device out to some media outlets. It is the OPPO sub-brand's long-awaited 64MP quad-camera phone. Realme claims that it will be available for sale in September 2019.

The camera benchmark website DxOMark has just released its in-depth analysis and extensive review of the rear-facing and selfie cameras in the Xperia 1, and it is not good news for Sony fans. As we discovered in our recent review, the Xperia 1 has sub-par cameras for a modern flagship.

While it may currently seem unusual for OnePlus to introduce such a big change for an incremental hardware upgrade, the news comes from the reliable Ishan Agarwal. The OnePlus 7T will apparently feature a larger display with a small notch than its predecessor that will also operate at up to 90 Hz. The next OnePlus flagship seems a curious upgrade from the OnePlus 7 for other reasons too according to leaked specs.