Android

A recent survey run by Blind shed some light on what various tech employees think of Apple and the App Store. Apple's own employees largely believe the company doesn't hold a monopoly on iOS app distribution, but other companies (namely Qualcomm and Spotify) believe that Apple's App Store constitutes a monopoly. The survey comes as a response to a recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the validity of a lawsuit filed against Apple for monopolistic practices.

LG is apparently looking to refresh its entry-level X-series with the X6 handheld that looks very similar to the unreleased Q60. The only confirmed specs include a 6.3-inch display with a teardrop notch, 64 GB storage, at least 3 GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner (on the back most likely) and the out-of-the-box Android 9.0 OS. Geekbench reveals that the X6 could be powered by a Snapdragon 625 SoC and may come with 4 GB of RAM.

Google is currently optimizing some of its core apps in order to comply with Android Q's system-wide dark mode. The latest of these spotted with such an update is Keep, a handy source of memos. Its new theme, while not available to all users, may appeal with its ease on the eyes and new custom colors.

Today (May 22, 2019), the carrier EE announced the launch of its 5G network in the UK, the first of its kind in this country. EE has also made some devices that are compatible with this network available. They include the OnePlus 7 Pro and the LG ThinQ V50.

Huawei and Aptoide are reportedly in talks to offer an alternative to the Google Play Store after Google decided to suspend all commercial engagements, including Android licensing, with Huawei following a recent executive order by the US Government. Aptoide boasts of over 900,000 apps and almost 200 million users making it an interesting prospect for Huawei to consider. Aptoide CEO Paulo Trezentos has, however, ruled out any chances of a merger with Huawei at the moment.

Samsung has reportedly unveiled a new kind of smartphone camera component in South Korea. It apparently confers 5x zoom on a device, without creating an ugly bulge extending from its rear panel. However, this module may not be destined for upcoming flagships such as the Galaxy Note 10 yet.

Although Huawei still has to confirm their existence, the Nova 5 and Nova 5i have been both spotted recently on the website of various certification bodies such as ECC, FCC, and 3C. The 3C certification received by the Nova 5 is the latest such event, and it confirms the 40 W charging capabilities of the device.

In what may be a fresh blow to Huawei's electronics concern, reports that ARM has told its staff not to deal with the OEM have emerged. The silicon giant has done so as it believes it falls under the recent ban imposed by the US administration. This may affect the ability to produce HiSilicon chipsets in the future.

Huawei has lashed out at the US government accusing it of ‘bullying.’ The embattled Chinese smartphone and telecoms giant made the comments in response to US government trade restrictions that have effectively left the company sitting dead in the water.

The latest mid-range handheld from Vivo is expected to integrate a 6.53-inch display plus a hefty 5,000 mAh battery. Press images also reveal a punch-hole selfie cam and a triple-cam setup as well as a fingerprint sensor on the back. The JD.com listing does not mention the exact SoC, but there will be 4 GB RAM / 64 GB storage, 6 GB / 64 GB, 6 GB / 128 GB and 8 GB / 128 GB versions.

Adobe Premiere Rush is now fully optimized for the Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, and Galaxy S10 devices. This piece of code provides multiple features such as AI-powered audio clean up, graphics creation and audio mixing, customizable Motion Graphics templates, HDR10+ and Samsung DeX support, and more.

The full gamut of Honor 20 and 20 Pro details is now available. The brand's new flagships are quad-camera devices, although only the 20 Pro has a telephoto lens among its sensors. They will start at about US$557 on their release for sale.

The OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro have only been official since May 14, 2019. Despite this, the OEM has already rolled a new Android Q beta out for the phones. The build may offer insights as to what software updates of the future will be like on the 2 devices, but not much else at this point.

The Galaxy S10 and S10+ had been rumored to rock a bright red color, that would have been new to the Samsung flagships, prior to their launch. The actual range of shades displayed at this event appeared to debunk this theory. However, the option now seems to be back on the table, thanks to a new exclusive leak of Roland Quandt's.

Although Google has a rich experience with Android devices, some of its latest Pixel handsets are now affected by an ancient plague: random shutdowns. After quite a few such incident reports that have been posted on Reddit recently, it seems that the cause of this problem is software-related, but a hardware cause cannot be excluded, either.

Although there is no official confirmation yet, the Redmi M1903C3EC device that has recently been spotted on the website of Chinese certification authority TENAA seems to be the upcoming Redmi 7A handset. Its alleged specs, such as the single 13 MP main camera and the 5.45-inch HD+ display, place it in the low-end sector of the market.

The South Korean manufacturer Samsung may be planning on releasing a surprising new addition to its smartphone lineup in the second half of 2019. There is already a mountain of expectation for the Galaxy Note 10 phablet series and the Galaxy Fold could still create some ripples when it’s finally fully ready. However, there now seems to be another device to be excited about.

Although apparently not available in this moment, Firefox 67 is scheduled to arrive today all over the world. The new release of Mozilla's browser comes with private browsing mode extension controls, WebRender enabled for 5 percent of compatible systems, as well as various performance improvements and fixes.

Huawei has issued a statement in response to the devastating news that it has lost its Google Android license. The besieged Chinese telecoms and consumer electronics giant has promised to continue to provide security updates and service support to its users while highlighting the contribution it has made to the development and expansion of Google’s Android platform across the globe.

Given the trouble that Huawei has been having lately, it is not surprising to find out that the Chinese giant is already working on a Google Android replacement. Media reports confirm that HongMeng OS is in the trial phase already and if the Android ban stays in place, this will become the firmware of choice for new Huawei handsets.

The super-pricey style house Louis Vuitton has unveiled a new range called "Canvas of the Future". This, appropriately enough, means bags that incorporate flexible displays from the OEM Royole. These displays can make the side of the bag show nearly anything, and can also be controlled by the owner.

Cherubi, Gible, Hippopotas, and other Pokemon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region are now coming to other areas. The latest Pokemon GO update also comes with a new Ground-type move (Earth Power), as well as Glacial Lure Modules, Mossy Lure Modules, and Magnetic Lure Modules.

Apparently the same phone as the global variant of the Redmi Note 7, the Redmi Note 7S will be available for purchase in India later this week. The starting price of this Qualcomm Snapdragon 660-powered handset is around US$158 for the 3/32 GB variant. The 4/64 GB model can be acquired for about US$187.

The Honor 20 line is (still) set to launch tomorrow (May 21, 2019) in London. A new poster showing the brand's logo alongside a treatment for the next upcoming X-Men movie, "Dark Phoenix" has been released via official Weibo channels. It shows the probable outline of at least one new phone.

A Dutch blog claims to have unearthed patents filed with the Chinese intellectual property office (SIPO) by the OEM OPPO. They show a mobile device that is clearly foldable. The documents show that the company is considering either a notch or punch-hole technology for its purported first flexible display.

Certified by the Chinese telecommunications regulatory authority TENAA earlier this month, the 6.3-inch mid-range Lenovo L38111 has just been spotted on Geekbench. According to the benchmark database, its specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor and 6 GB of memory, with Android 9.0 Pie on top.

Huawei’s smartphone and PC operations are in serious danger following the latest order from the Trump administration. In response to the order, US companies have withdrawn all sales and support for Huawei. This includes, crucially, Google revoking its Android licence and both Qualcomm and Intel among others ceasing all supply of components.

According to tests performed by LG Uplus in dense areas within Seoul such as Magok and Jongno, the LG V50 ThinQ 5G can hit an impressive download speed of no less than 1.1 Gbps. Thanks to the features of this handset and this impressive mobile connection, V50 ThinQ 5G users can enjoy a wide range of AR and VR applications, as well as 8K videos.

The recently unveiled Minecraft Earth is a free-to-play, augmented reality Minecraft title to be added to the Minecraft universe. However, those interested can only sign up for a chance to play the limited beta — which is scheduled to arrive this summer — for now. Signing up will also get them a free Earth skin for Minecraft Bedrock.

New variants of the Pixel 3 have just been released by Google and already there is plenty of speculation about what the Pixel 4 will offer and how it will look. There’s even a rumor that the Pixel 4 could come with a button-less design. Some excellent new concept images have stuck with hardware buttons, though.

OPPO has confirmed that the upcoming K3 smartphone will be launched on May 23, 2019. This new mid-range device will apparently be equipped with VOOC 3.0, with a fresh range of accessories to match. They are said to include power banks with the same technology.

Xiaomi's 2019 gaming phone, the Black Shark 2, has been released in a number of markets so far. However, it has not been available in India thus far. The OEM plans to amend this by scheduling a launch for the phone on May 27, 2019

A well-regarded tipster claims to have heard that OnePlus has managed to amass 1 million reservations for units of its new flagship, the 7 Pro. These reservations could be made in China only in advance of the phone's launch. Therefore, it seems the latest pop-up selfie-cam device is very popular there.

A new leak on the Mi Mix 4 has revealed a mouth-watering specifications sheet that would see the Xiaomi flagship compete against traditional flagship giants like the upcoming Huawei Mate 30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Features start with a 2K AMOLED 120 Hz display and get a lot crazier.

Honor will unveil its two new flagships, the Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro, at an event in London on May 21. The Honor 20 Pro, in particular, is gearing up to be a photography monster, and Honor has enough confidence in it to make it its first device to be evaluated by DxOMark.

Samsung Semiconductor held its Foundry Forum this week and announced a breakthrough in its fabrication process for making the Exynos chips that power its Galaxy smartphones. The new technique will give the company at least a 12-month lead on the competition in moving to the 3nm process that will result in a 50 percent boost in battery life just in time for the Galaxy S12.

“Picasso” has been revealed as the research and development codename for Samsung’s Galaxy S11 smartphone. It seems an interesting and appropriate choice by the South Korean manufacturer, which has already selected another world-famous artist to represent its upcoming Galaxy Note 10 device: Da Vinci.

Leaked information about the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has offered a surprise in regard to the upcoming device’s camera setups. Although the actual details that have been shared are somewhat vague and even ambiguous, it hasn’t stopped commentators speculating on what the South Korean manufacturer is preparing for its flagship phablet.

Nura the company behind the critically acclaimed NuraPhone learning headphones has launched its first Bluetooth earphones. The like NuraPhone, the NuraLoop learns and adapts to the way a listener’s ears respond to audio tones to create a customized listening experience.

Huawei has revealed what will be its first 5G smartphone to hit the market. The device is an update of the behemoth Mate 20 X that features the Chinese company’s home-grown Balong 5000 5G chipset.

Redmi is currently building a vortex of hype for its upcoming Snapdragon 855 flagship. As a result, it has teased its name (the K20) and a few key specs of the phone to keep us interested. One is its pop-up selfie camera, which, as the brand's general manager now insists, will not weigh the phone down.

The BV9700 Pro is a phone described as "beyond rugged" by its manufacturer, Blackview. This OEM has put its new device on Indiegogo, as part of a campaign in which it was looking for about US$20,000 to help make it. However, its backers have contributed $119,275 - in the first day alone.

The Reolink Go is a possibly worthwhile innovation in the security-cam industry: it is a truly stand-alone product that does not require external power or cables of any sort. Therefore, it can be installed so as to surveil anything the user wants. However, its need for 4G connectivity could be a drawback in some circumstances.

WeChat claims to have over 1.1 billion users per month, 800 million of who also use WeChat Pay. Now, the company intends to make the use of this aspect of the service easier to use abroad. This involves improving on its existing payments systems in Europe.

Consumers who experienced bootlooping and battery drain issues with their Nexus 6P devices could receive compensation after Huawei and Google agreed to settle class action lawsuit. Although you'll have to hurry - the claim period is limited!

Arguably the most anticipated Sony flagship smartphone for some time, the Xperia 1 has finally got an official launch date. First revealed in February, the device will officially go on sale from July 12 priced at US$949 and will bring with it the first 4K HDR OLED display on a smartphone with a 21:9 aspect ratio.

SanDisk’s long-awaited 1 TB microSD is finally available for purchase. The new card has the potential to expand the storage of Samsung’s recent flagship smartphones, for example, to a massive 1.5 TB of total storage. But it will cost you.