Chinese Tech

Xiaomi has revealed its upcoming Mi EBook Reader Pro, which will be officially launched on Tuesday, December 15. A promo image of the device has been released that shows the electric paper book decked out in black with a touch button on the front. According to the marketing material, the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro will normally cost 1,299 yuan (US$198).

Vivo has announced that the X60 and X60 Pro smartphones will be unveiled later in December 2020. These devices will be powered by SoCs provided by Samsung, and have cameras augmented by Zeiss technology. The OEM will also hold a conference that outlines the latter prior to its new hardware launch.

Live images of the Redmi K40 have been leaked online, and if they are genuine they reveal a smartphone that has considerably evolved from the predecessor Redmi K30. The camera equipment for the Redmi K40 has changed a lot, enhancing the flagship-killer that is already expected to come with a Snapdragon 888 and AMOLED screen.

Oppo has used the 4th China International Industrial Design Expo (CIDDE) to showcase several new concept devices. Designed in collaboration with famed Japanese design studio Nendo, the concepts include what it calls a “slide-phone” that can be folded into different sizes and “music-link”, which is described as a collection of devices centered around a pair of TWS earphones.

The POCO X3 NFC smartphone is to receive a new MIUI 12 build before it gets Android 11. Xiaomi has announced a beta stable Global ROM for the POCO X3 NFC that is currently being pushed out to select users. It seems owners can expect to get an upgrade to Android 11 soon as well, thanks to an appearance on Geekbench.

The Mi 11 was initially rumored to be launched in January but it appears the next-gen Xiaomi flagship series could arrive even sooner. According to reports surfacing today on Chinese media, the Mi 11 series is scheduled to be unveiled on December 29.

The Redmi 9 Power is a device believed to be a re-brand of the new Chinese Note 9 4G for the Indian market. However, according to a new leak from Ishan Agarwal, the story may not be quite that simple. A render for this device shows 1 more rear camera than is present in the recently-launched budget phone.

Realme is gearing up to release a new smartwatch into its wearable lineup in the form of the Realme Watch S Pro. The device has already been leaked via the FCC and now Realme India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has been continuously teasing the Watch S Pro ahead of its imminent launch. Built-in GPS and a large AMOLED should feature.

Images of what might be OPPO's 2021 flaghip smartphone have emerged online. These initial renders of the "Find X3 Pro" are strongly reminiscent of an iPhone from the back, even though it might have 4 rear cameras rather than 3. The images also show the OEM might go with a single punch-hole camera again.

Live images and specs for a OnePlus 9 5G smartphone have been leaked. Apparently, the smartphone in question is a prototype model, so there could still be changes waiting ahead. This particular OnePlus 9 device comes with a Snapdragon 888 chipset and a clunky-looking main camera housing that sports the UltraShot branding.

More leaked photos of what looks like the Xiaomi Mi 11 have been posted online. The photos match the odd camera shape shown in previous leaks, which only features two lenses. Recent 3C certifications have confirmed that Xiaomi will be bringing 5,000 mAh batteries to the Mi 11 series, too.

Xiaomi has officially announced the latest stable MIUI 12 ROM for owners of the China variant of the Redmi Note 8. The software update is available either over-the-air (OTA) or as a download. Users of the Global version of the Redmi Note 8 can expect the Android 10-based update to land on their devices soon.

Xiaomi has introduced the Mi Watch Lite with little to no fanfare. The new smartwatch has a square display, up to 9 days of battery life, a 230 mAh battery and GPS support, among other features. The Mi Watch Lite currently retails in China for CNY 299 (~US$45).

Xiaomi will unveil the Mi 11 series in the near future and a new report claims that the company will actually launch three phones: the Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro - which may be joined by the Mi 11 Mini, a compact premium device.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro will be one of Xiaomi's next devices to receive Android 11. The same applies to the Redmi Note 8 as Xiaomi looks to bring Android 11 to more handsets on the beta branch of MIUI in China. The Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro are two of four Redmi handsets to be called up to Android 11 within the next few weeks.

Several prominent mobile device OEMs have been rumored to enter the foldables market fairly soon. Now, a new tip from a display-focused leaker indicates that pretty much all of them will do so by the second half of 2021 (2H2021). The devices in question might have to compete with Samsung's more familiar offerings, including a possible affordable Galaxy Z Flip variant.

Oppo has launched the Reno5 series in China. The series comprises the Reno5, Reno5 Pro and Reno5 Pro+, although only the latter features Sony's new IMX766 camera. All three devices have 90 Hz displays and larger battery capacities. The Reno5 Pro+ will be officially unveiled on December 24.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 has supposedly shown up in a spyshot that conveniently reveals the main camera system on the rear. The Mi 11 was already rumored to be coming with a square-shaped camera housing that featured at least one huge lens as part of its setup, which is apparently confirmed in the new live image.

The company behind the AYA NEO Founder handheld gaming console has uploaded a video showing the mobile device reaching a peak of 39 FPS while running Cyberpunk 2077 and maintaining a playable rate throughout the test. The AYA NEO Founder handheld sports an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U that features a Radeon RX Vega 6 iGPU part.

Xiaomi has been celebrating the phenomenal sales of the new Redmi Note 9 series in China. Apparently, the Redmi Note 9 4G, Redmi Note 9 5G, and Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G have racked up over one million units sold across the range in fewer than 14 days. The Redmi Note 9 sales success is down to low prices and decent specifications.

A patent filed by Xiaomi has revealed a new rollable phone that is fitted with a retractable display. The user can operate the pull-out screen in the so-called Xiaomi Mi Alpha R to turn the smartphone into a tablet-like device. The patented smartphone borrows heavily from the design of the Mi Mix Alpha but with the addition of a rollable display.

Recent convincing leaks have pointed to the imminent launch of Reno5 and 5 Pro smartphones with mid-range to premium mid-range specs and 5G SoCs. Now, new leaks indicate that OPPO will be introducing 5 Pro+ and 4G variants alongside them. The former is also rumored to debut a new Sony 50MP camera, and more besides.

A new leak suggests that Vivo will launch the Vivo X60, Vivo X60 Pro and Vivo X60 Pro+ on December 28. One of the three devices is confirmed to feature a 120Hz AMOLED panel and support for 33W fast charging. The Samsung Exynos 1080 SoC is also expected to make its debut alongside the smartphones.

A Redmi K40 Pro render has surfaced online. It tells us that the affordable flagship will come with three rear cameras arranged vertically and a hole-punch selfie camera. The smartphone is expected to feature an AMOLED screen and a 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charging at 55W.

The new LarkBook is one of those affordable notebooks with dated specs that at least look good. Thanks to a cutting edge aluminum and magnesium chassis that weighs a little under 1 Kg (2.2 lbs) and is 11.9 mm (0.47 inch) thick, the LarkBook could pass as a premium model. However, the specs are so 2017, as it comes equipped with an Intel Celeron 4100 CPU, 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256 GB SSD.

It appears as though Xiaomi is pulling a Samsung with a half-step upgrade for MIUI 12. The update will supposedly be called MIUI 12.5, and will feature multiple UI changes from MIUI 12. Xiaomi is yet to officially upgrade many devices from MIUI 11 to MIUI 12, though.

Huawei has released new software updates for two of its most popular smartwatches, the Watch GT 2 Pro and Honor MagicWatch 2. Each update adds a few interesting new features, such as workout upgrades and a quick dial that contains shortcuts for favourite features.

Android 11 is almost ready to arrive on another dozen devices like the Xiaomi Mi A3, according to a new report. The Mi A3 is Xiaomi's only Android One handset that is eligible for Android 11, as the Mi A1, Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite have already received their allotted two OS upgrades. Other devices supposedly scheduled for Android 11 include the global Redmi Note 9 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max.

A new concept render by Ben Geskin of the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 11 shows a smartphone with an elegant design that appears to have embraced simplicity over unnecessary complexities. In further Mi 11-related news, it seems possible that the Snapdragon 888-sporting flagship might have a dual-battery setup for a 5,000-mAh total capacity.

The new Realme Q2 5G and Realme Q2 Pro 5G have made quite a splash in AnTuTu’s various price-performance charts, with the former even managing to push the Redmi Note 8 Pro out of the top three in the most-affordable smartphone table. The Realme Q2 and Q2 Pro both feature the MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor.

The latest patent that surfaced online suggests that OPPO aims to take the modular phone concept one step further in the camera department. Thanks to this design, the user could even place the camera module a few feet away and use the handset as a remote, apart from being able to use the module for selfies and usual photos.

The OEM Vivo's next flagship series of smartphones are now thought to be called the X60, X60 Pro and X60 Pro+. At least some of them may be the devices that feature in a new certification by the Chinese regulator 3C. If so, they may be capable of charging at up to 33 watts (W).

DOOGEE claims that its latest rugged phone, the S59 Pro, has a battery capacity of no less than 10,050mAh. This power-pack apparently allows it to last for 18 hours' worth of gaming or video playback, 50 hours of audio playback or up to 768 hours on standby. Then again, with a MediaTek Helio P22 SoC, it could indeed last this long.

Earlier tips may have offered a glimpse of an early-2021 premium mobile device from Motorola. Now, another suggests that the OEM also has more affordable phones in the works. They are said to have the code-names Capri and Capri Plus, one of which may have a 90Hz display.

The Xiaomi Redmi Watch is already available to order from third-party retailers. Currently, AliExpress offers the best deal on the smartwatch, where it sells for US$59.99. The Redmi Watch is available in three colours from the retailer, all of which have the same 1.4-inch display and IP certification, among other features.

An alleged live image of Xiaomi's upcoming flagship, the Mi 11, is doing the rounds on the web. The image shows what appears to be a curved back and a square camera module housing three lenses. While the Mi 11's image looks very similar to the renders shown in leaked posters, there's a high chance it could be fake.

Xiaomi has been updating devices to MIUI 12 for months, having started with the Mi 9 and Redmi K20 series in June. Now, the company claims that MIUI 12 is available on more than 30 smartphones, but many remain adrift on MIUI 11.

The Axon 20 5G was the first ever phone to launch with an under-display selfie camera. However, its maker ZTE has never made it available outside China. This will change, though, on December 21, 2020, when the OEM releases it to certain additional markets.

Xiaomi has rolled out Android 11 to all Mi 10 Pro handsets globally. The update, V12.2.1.0.RJAMIXM, has passed Xiaomi's Beta Stable testing and will reach devices as an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade. The new update includes a few changes besides the upgrade to Android 11, too.

Some Xiaomi Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro specifications have shown up online. Both phones are tipped to come with a 1440p screen that refreshes at 120Hz. The Mi 11 Pro will allegedly support fast charging at 120W. Xiaomi is expected to unveil the Mi 11 series by the end of December 2020.

Xiaomi has another smartphone release in India planned. This time it is a rebadged version of the Redmi Note 9 4G, which the company unveiled in China last month. The device will be sold as the Redmi 9 Power in India, according to the Google Play Console and an initial MIUI 12 build published by Xiaomi.

Xiaomi launched a new trio of Redmi Note 9 series devices a few days ago. The phones look to have stunned commercially, with company man Lu Weibing announcing that over 300,000 units of the new phones were sold on day one.

The electronics company Philips has petitioned the High Court of Delhi to block the sale, production or import of certain smartphones in India. Their OEM, Xiaomi, has been accused of infringing on Phliips' patents in making the devices in question. This case may result in financial penalties.

Motorola is all set to launch a smartphone running Qualcomm's newest Snapdragon 888 SoC. Unlike the company's previous high-end offerings, this device will be released as a part of the Moto G series. The affordable flagship smartphone is likely to be unveiled in late 2021.

Realme has announced its next flagship smartphone. Codename 'Race', the device will debut with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset. Realme is quiet on details about the Race, but the design and some specifications have already leaked.

Xiaomi has now officially announced its next-gen flagship phone, Mi 11. While details of the device remain unknown, the company confirmed that it will be powered by the all-new Snapdragon 888—Qualcomm's most powerful chipset yet. Launch is rumored for January 2021.

The Amazfit Pop Pro offers almost an unbelievable amount of smartwatch for about US$60. Despite its relatively low price, the Pop Pro has a GPS module, a SpO2 sensor, 5 ATM waterproofing, NFC and up to nine days of battery life.

The Amazfit GTS 2 mini builds on the GTS 2, albeit by being a cheaper and smaller alternative to Huami's recent smartwatch. The feature set has been shrunk compared to the Amazfit GTS 2, as has the size of the display and watch body.

Huami only unveiled the Zepp Z in the middle of November, but it turns out that there is a second version of it. The second model includes an ECG monitor and an NFC module, which were both missing from the Zepp Z that Huami announced internationally.