Android

The latest market analysis indicates that the volume of eSIM-enabled device shipments reached 384 million last year. The resulting projections suggest that this figure will grow to about 2 billion over the next 6 years. Smartphones will account for the vast majority of the units in question.

The Nest Hello device is a smart doorbell with an inbuilt camera. A leak concerning a software update for this product has found that it may gain the ability to detect when a package has been delivered. This code may also allow for a follow-up feature in which it can tell when the same has been picked up again.

Confirming some earlier leaks, the Samsung device carrying the model number SM-A908N surfaced on Geekbench. This 5G variant of the Galaxy A90 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and 6 GB of memory, runs on Android 9.0 Pie-based software, and its Geekbench 4 benchmark results place it next to the Galaxy S10.

Mobvoi has unveiled a new, LTE-enabled version of the Ticwatch Pro. This wearable has most of the specs of its original variant, including its innovative battery-saving dual display. On the other hand, the LTE model is enhanced with Corning Gorilla Glass and double the RAM.

Those who own the Mi TV 4A can now apply for a kind of Android Pie beta-test. Xiaomi is working on what it calls an 'early-access build' for this 32- or 43-inch device, and is currently inviting users to install and test it. The 4A's new OS adds support for the Play Store and Google Assistant (albeit in a slightly roundabout way).

The ability to use Spotify on your phone may be restricted in terms of the storage it can take up. The new Lite version of this Android app, however, takes up about a tenth of the space compared to the regular download. It also has a meter for the cellular data used while streaming music.

The leaked boot screen picture coming from SamMobile suggests that Samsung will be skipping the S5 denomination and go straight to S6. Additional unboxing pictures show that the Galaxy Tab S6 is the first Samsung tablet to feature a rear dual-cam setup and it looks like the Stylus is getting a groove with magnetic recharger.

Android Q is nearly upon us, bringing with it a slew of changes and refinements. Beta 5 has started rolling out too, but it seemingly confirms that gesture navigation controls will not work with third-party launchers. The slow-march to a closed-source Android seems upon us.

A Samsung phone with an unfamiliar model number has appeared on the Geekbench testing database. It is described as having 4GB of RAM and being powered by the Exynos 9610 SoC - as is the Galaxy A50, which was released some time ago. Therefore, this phone may be getting a new variant, albeit one nearly entirely the same as the old.

The lesser-spotted Chinese OEM Haipai has filed a patent for a new phone with a type of pop-up module for the selfie camera that rises from the top of the device as a wedge. Sound familiar? If so, you may be thinking of OPPO, who pioneered this kind of design in its Reno flagships.

The smartwatch features 8 display segments, 7 of which are stacked inside the case underneath the main display. Users can transform the smartwatch into a smartphone that utilizes 4 display segments, or a tablet that utilizes all 8 segments.

The MediaTek Helio P70-powered Realme 3 handset will get a compact sibling. The alleged Realme 3i surfaced on Geekbench as the RMX1827 with the slower Helio P60 processor, 3 GB of memory, and Android 9.0 Pie-based firmware. Teased on Flipkart as a "Real Champion," the Realme 3i should hit India next week.

In addition to the usual system optimizations and general bug fixes, the OxygenOS 9.5.9 OTA update for the OnePlus 7 Pro comes with new enhancements for the camera: improved back-to-front switching, faster autofocus, advanced Panorama mode photo-stitching, as well as better quality of 48 MP JPG images in Pro mode.

Qualcomm has introduced the latest iteration of its 2-series for entry-level mobile devices. The 215 is the first of this line to support dual image signalling processors (ISPs) and 64-bit processing. It would also introduce HD+ resolution to the phones in which it will be integrated.

Samsung's SmartThings app has been found to contain diagrams of heretofore-unreleased pairs of headphones and wireless earbuds. The latter have AKG branding, whereas the former have these 3 letters as part of their model number. It is now thought that they may be products that could be unveiled at the next Galaxy Unpacked event.

If there were still some doubts left regarding the name of the next device to join the Galaxy A10 lineup, a new certification body confirms that the Galaxy A10s with the model number SM-A107F/DS is in the cards. Sadly, the details that have been listed online in relation to this specific certification do not confirm any specs or features.

Android Q may be just around the corner, but HTC has finally started rolling out Android Pie to the HTC U11+. Previously slated for a Q2 2019 release, the Taiwanese company has now begun pushing out Android Pie via an OTA to handsets in its home country. Better late than never, right?

The Pixel 4 XL will have a 6.25-inch display, dual front-facing cameras and perhaps even a Project Soli radar-based biometric face authentication system. By golly, bezels are here to stay though, while the headphone jack is resting on the cutting-room floor.

The latest rollable and foldable rumors to surface over the weekend suggest that both Sony and Apple are prepping devices with flexible displays. The Sony rumor suggests a smartphone with a extendable rollable display while Apple could release a foldable iPad with 5G capability.

HTC has been in dire straits financially for some time with profits taking a dive over the past several years. However, in a more positive sign for the Taiwanese company, its June unaudited consolidated revenue was up sharply from just US$24M last month to US$46.8M.

SwiftKey users will soon be able to create their own virtual character that matches their head movements and facial expressions. This AR emoji feature is similar to Apple's Animoji and currently comes with five characters: Dinosaur, Panda, Cat, Owl, and Dog. For now, it is only available in SwiftKey Beta.

Facial recognition is projected to continue to grow as an industry into the next decade. Its market is estimated at being worth US$3.2 billion now. However, this value is projected to grow to $7 billion by 2024.

The Redmi 7A boasts an improved camera, processor and SKU choices compared to its predecessor, the 6A. It will go on sale in India at a special starting price of INR 5799 (~US$85). However, even its "normal" price translates to about $95: the Redmi 6A's price when it launched.

With its Snapdragon 855 processor, in-display fingerprint sensor and 48MP main camera, the Meizu 16s is a 2019 flagship smartphone in its own right. An electronics blog claims to have found screenshots indicating that the e-store Taobao is preparing to sell Pro variants of this phone.

Mobvoi has released a YouTube video offering hints of its next product release. It appears to be a new smartwatch, most likely of the Ticwatch line. The OEM claims that it can "boost your daily efficiency" and has an improved heart rate monitor.

TENAA has reportedly certified a new device for Vivo. It is described as a 6.38 inch-display phone with a 4420mAh battery. The images associated with this listing show 3 rear-facing cameras and no visible fingerprint scanner.

We're exactly a month away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 phones, and it's become increasingly obvious that the early leaks were right: the flagship duo will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. How that influences your potential purchase decision is entirely up to you.

The Pixel 4 phones are expected to debut in October. An official teaser a few weeks ago confirmed that the devices would feature two rear shooters and the argument until now has been about what kind of secondary shooter Google would use. New information indicates a telephoto lens, though, leaving lovers of ultra-wide angle lenses in quite the pickle.

Xiaomi will release the Mi Mix 4 in the coming months and a company executive has confirmed that the upcoming flagship will feature a class-leading camera sensor. Not Samsung's 64 MP GW1 but something "better".

The Pixel C was released back in 2015 and received two major updates and about four years of software support in total. Starting this month, July 2019, though, Google will stop sending out security updates to the tablet. This comes after reports a few weeks ago that Google is planning to kill off its tablet business completely.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro was launched a few months ago and has been hailed as the indubitable best-value mid-range option in the markets in which it's sold. Huawei's sub-brand, Honor, is a rival to Xiaomi on many counts and the company's upcoming Honor 9X may finally dethrone the Redmi Note 7 Pro as king of the mid-range.

The Mi CC9e is one of Xiaomi's latest phones on the Chinese market. Despite its mid-range specs, it still features an in-display fingerprint scanner and the new Snapdragon 665 processor. There is now evidence that this device may be released as the long-awaited Mi A3 in other regions.

A new report includes images of a heretofore-unseen phone linked to Nokia with triple cameras in a single circular module. Some material allegedly posted alongside these photos asserts that the main lens has a 48MP resolution. However, as a rear-facing fingerprint sensor is also visible, this putative new phone is not likely to be a premium product.

First, we had a back glass leak, next a few fan-made renders, and now apparently a set of official adverts? A deepfake or something more legit?

Samsung has launched a new entry-level tablet today (July 5, 2019). It is the 8-inch Galaxy Tab A model for this year. This slate has a 1200x800 resolution, 2GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 425 processor.

Some intriguing patents have been published by the German patent office. They show that Huawei is toying with the idea of how to contextualise UI and UX around a punch-hole camera. So, it appears that the Chinese manufacturer is hedging its bets that punch-hole cameras are here to stay, at least for the time being in some capacity.

The triple camera setup of the Galaxy A50 failed to impress on DxOMark, although its specs are impressive. According to DxOMark, the images produced by this Samsung phone lack detail, the autofocus often fails to work in low-light conditions, geometric shift and localized low detail artifacts are also visible quite frequently.

The Finnish carrier Elisa now offers the 5G version of ZTE's 2019 flagship smartphone. It joins the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G as options that can use the new bands on this network. The Axon 10 Pro 5G costs €899 (US$1009) outright through this medium.

The latest report from SensorTower shows that app purchases generated a revenue of US$39.7 billion in the 1st 6 months of 2019. This impressive figure also represents a 15% year-on-year increase in the same kind of spending. The Apple App Store accounted for 64% of these takings.

The OPPO A9x is a mid-range smartphone based on the MediaTek Helio P70 SoC. It was released as a single 6GB RAM SKU in May 2019. Now, it has reportedly returned to the TENAA certification authority in a new, 8GB incarnation.

Samsung is being sued in Australia by its consumer watchdog for allegedly making misleading claims about the water resistance of its Galaxy smartphones in its marketing. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) claims Samsung suggested customers could use their phones while under water or in the ocean.

Sony has launched its latest truly wireless in-ear buds. The new WF-1000XM3 aims to deliver a light-weight alternative to Sony's hugely successful WH-1000XM3 wireless and noise cancelling over-ear headphones.

The latest report projects that the power bank market will be worth US$29.5 billion in the next 5 years. It indicates that the growth in demand for devices such as smartphones drive this industry. In addition, it is possible that different forms of energy storage (such as hydrogen as opposed to lithium-ion batteries) may influence this market in the near future.

Anyone fancy a new LG flagship? Well, the South Korean company thinks so, although it is a device that it seemingly forgot to release. Curiously, LG introduced the G8S ThinQ at MWC19 in February but has only now gotten around to bringing the bookend to the G8 ThinQ to market.

Lenovo has unveiled its latest phone, the Z6, in China today (July 4, 2019). It has a 6.39-inch FHD+ OLED display with a waterdrop notch and a 120-hertz refresh rate. The Lenovo Z6 also has 3 rear cameras, a 4000mAh battery and the Snapdragon 730 SoC.

YI (or Xiaoyi) is a company known for camera-related product and accessories, including dash-cams. Its newest version of these is the Nightscape, a 1080p, Wi-Fi enabled device with a 140-degree field of view. It also integrates Sony's STARVIS technology for improved low-light imaging.

Wearables are currently projected to influence the way personal electronics are used more and more in the future. This technology now covers both devices that can double as accessories and as clothing. Their market is estimated to be worth up to US$51.6 billion in the next 3 years.