Chinese Tech

After months of beta testing, the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are now receiving the stable Android 10-based OxygenOS 10 update. The update weighs in at almost 1.9 GB and delivers all the typical Android 10 features to the three-year-old phones.

The Mi Mix 3 5G was Xiaomi's first 5G phone and was powered by the flagship Snapdragon 855. In spite of that, it's been mostly neglected and remains on Android Pie and MIUI 10. Android 10 is unlikely to arrive for the phone, too, but like with the Mi Mix 2, MIUI 12 may be on the cards.

The Vivo X50 Pro is currently believed to be the first phone to rock the markedly large 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 main camera sensor. New leaks suggest that it may also have 8GB of RAM and run Android 10. It may also have 3 color options and a comprehensive packet of OEM hype-content already.

The Redmi Smart TV X55 from Xiaomi has had its price considerably slashed ahead of going on sale. The new price tag for the television is 1,699 yuan (US$237). This puts the Redmi Smart TV X55, which features a 4K screen and 32 GB storage, at the same price as the just launched 55-inch rival Honor Vision X1 Smart TV.

In a move that will almost certainly have an impact on global consumer tech supply chains, US President Donald Trump's administration dramatically escalated simmering tensions with China by revoking Hong Kong's special trade status.

Apple is finally allowing Indian customers to purchase customized, configure-to-build Mac and MacBook variants. This move gives Indian Mac buyers much-needed flexibility in terms of RAM, storage, and CPU/GPU configurations.

The Redmi Display 1A monitor from Xiaomi is now official and has been put up for pre-sale. Customers in China can reserve one of the external monitors for 100 yuan (US$14) deposit while the full price for the Redmi Display 1A is 599 yuan (US$84). The thinnest part of the display measures a tiny 7.3 mm.

The 5G version of Huawei's latest premium slate has been on the international market for some months now. However, it has not been available in this OEM's own home market. The company has rather abruptly announced that it will correct this situation tomorrow (March 27, 2020).

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau stated that the company wants to get back to its roots as an affordable gadget provider. We can expect to see a host of reasonably-priced OnePlus gadgets and smartphones on the market soon. It is all part of a plan to create a wider ecosystem centered on the OnePlus brand.

Redmi is expected to launch a new device codenamed Karna in July this year right on the heels of the recent Redmi 10X and 10X Pro launch. Redmi Karna is expected to feature a 144 Hz refresh rate display and will be a 5G-capable phone powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ SoC.

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Smart X TV series. Available in three sizes, the X50, X55 and X65 are all 4K TVs with MEMC motion compensation. Xiaomi has equipped all models with 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage. The Redmi Smart X series incorporates four 12.5 W speakers too and includes subwoofer sound effects.

Motorola accidentally revealed the details of its upcoming Moto G Fast smartphone. While the contents of the spec sheet remain unclear, we know that the phone will come with a triple-camera setup, a Qualcomm 6xx series chip, 3GB of RAM, and a 4-5,000mAh battery. It is likely to retail at the ~$180 -$200 mark.

MIUI 12 has landed on the Xiaomi Redmi K20 and Mi 9T. Arriving as an OTA, the update has already gone live for many handsets. Based on Android 10, the Redmi K20 and Mi 9T are some of the first devices to receive Xiaomi's latest OS.

Redmi has unveiled two new affordable 5G-ready smartphones for the Chinese market. Dubbed as the Redmi 10X and 10X Pro, both phones come with a MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC, a 6.57-inch AMOLED panel, a 4,250mAh battery, and more. The former starts at 599 yuan (~$224) for the entry-level version, while the latter will set you back by 2,299 yuan (~$322.) Both phones will be up for grabs in China next week and should make their way to global markets soon.

Redmi has been confirmed to have a phone called the 9 ready to go, thanks to new certifications by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), Wi-Fi Alliance and SIRIM. These leaks suggest that it has several region-specific variants, one of which may be destined for the Malaysian market.

For less than US$600, the Realme X3 SuperZoom offers a 6.6-inch screen with 120 Hz refresh, along with a Snapdragon 855+ SoC coupled with 12 GB LPDDR4x RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.0 storage, plus an impressive imaging system that includes two selfie cams and a rear quad setup with a 64 MP main cam and a 8 MP 5x optical periscope with 60x hybrid zoom.

ZTE has announced that it is going to launch an "SE" (possibly Special Edition) version of its Axon 11 in China. This new variant is billed as a "5G video phone" and is directed at a younger audience. However, the OEM has yet to reveal how it differs from the original.

Oppo sub-brand Realme has launched its very first smartwatch. The new Realme Watch has a derivative look about it but offers the sharp value that we have come to expect from the brand.

Redmi has launched a new pair of TWS earphones in India called the Redmi Earbuds S. It boasts of up to four hours of continuous playback on a single charge, splash resistance, and a 122ms low-latency mode for gaming. It is available on Xiaomi's website for Rs 1,799 (~$24.)

It may look good in pictures, but you'd be better off with a more well-known brand with better quality control and warranty options.

Xiaomi has confirmed the design of the RedmiBook 16 ahead of its official release. Launching tomorrow, the RedmiBook 16 will also support up to 12 hours of battery life from its Ryzen 4000 Renoir processors. A plethora of ports are on board too, as is a fingerprint scanner.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness tracker will reportedly feature a smartphone camera controller among its array of functions. On top of that, five new fitness categories have been added to the included list of workout activities, and the Mi Band 5 will also be able to display an analog watch face if the user so desires.

Powkiddy has launched a new, handheld games console. The Powkiddy X2 costs US$80 and looks unmistakably like the Nintendo Switch.

Over 1.5 million developers have already signed up to the Huawei AppGallery, Huawei's in-house app store. Perceived to be an alternative to the Google Play Store during ongoing US trade sanctions, all new Huawei and Honor products will ship without Google Play Services.

Rather unsurprisingly, there is a new Android Pie-based firmware update rolling out for the Xiaomi Mi A1 right now — at least in Eastern Europe. With a size of less than 80 MB, the new patch does not contain any noticeable changes apart from the usual security improvements and bug fixes.

Redmi is apparently working on a cheap 5G smartphone that will be powered by a Qualcomm SM6350 SoC. The decent 8-core processor features two performance cores that can reach clock rates of 2.25 GHz. It’s rumored that the SM6350-based Redmi 5G smartphone could be priced at a very competitive 1,000 yuan (US$140).

Key specifications for the upcoming OPPO Reno4 and Reno4 Pro smartphones have been leaked along with a hands-on photo and some promo images. Both devices are going to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor and feature 65 W fast charging but the OPPO Reno4 Pro will have a larger 6.55-inch 3D curved screen.
New renders and promo video posted.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 wearable fitness tracker has supposedly been leaked once again in some live photos. The alleged Mi Band 5 is shown being plugged into its charging station in the latest images. Few additional details are offered with the leaked photos, although a price of 200 yuan (US$28) has been speculated.

Redmi's upcoming monitor will be called the Redmi Monitor 1A, according to well-known leaker Ishan Agarwal. Much like the Mi Display 1A, it will also come with a 60Hz 23.8-inch IPS LCD panel. The monitor will reportedly cost around $85 and will be unveiled alongside a host of other products on May 26th.

Months after releasing the Redmi K30 5G, Xiaomi has now launched another K30-series phone. The Redmi K30i 5G is a "lite" version of the K30 5G and offers similar specs bar one notable change while costing a bit less.

Back in February, Huawei claimed that the Mate 10 Pro and P20 Pro would receive the EMUI 10 update in March. Here we are months after, though, and most owners of the two phones remain stuck on EMUI 9.1. Comparatively, phones from that generation like the LG G7, Galaxy S9, and OnePlus 6 have all received Android 10.

OPPO has been busy teasing some new upcoming products on social media, including the OPPO Smart Band wearable and OPPO Enco W51 wireless earbuds. Specific details about the two products are currently scarce, but it is believed OPPO will launch the Smart Band and Enco W51 earbuds in June.

The Redmi 10X 5G has posted another seemingly impressive AnTuTu score ahead of its expected release on May 26. Confirmed to feature OIS and to support up to 30x digital zoom, Xiaomi has also teased that the Redmi 10X series will include Gorilla Glass 5 and will be IP53 certified.

Huawei has put its latest 5G smartphone, the Enjoy Z, up for preorder. Unlike many new devices with this connectivity, it comes in at under US$300 for this state-of-the-art connectivity. The Z is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 800 SoC and starts with 6GB of RAM.

Reports over the past few months have claimed Huawei would release the Mate 40 Pro with a Kirin 1020 under the hood. That appears to have been false, though, as the next-gen flagship SoC will likely be the Kirin 1000 instead. The chipset will be built on TSMC's 5nm node.

A leaks site has posted what is claimed to be a new trademarking application filed by Huawei for a "Mate Watch". Therefore, it seems the OEM is making a new wearable specifically intended to go with the phablets of the same name. It may be joined by another accessory, the "MatePod".

The Honor Play offered some much-needed competition to the Poco F1 back in 2018, and Huawei is set to debut a spiritual successor to the phone—an Honor Play 4 Pro featuring the flagship Kirin 990 5G. That's all fine and dandy but the original Honor Play remains stuck on EMUI 9.1 without any prospects for an EMUI 10 update.

Recently, a Geekbench leak pointed to a new Vivo phone that ran an equally novel 5G Samsung SoC. Now, what looks like a promo for a device from this OEM with this spec has been posted by a tipster on Weibo. It also suggests that it will cost less than US$310 on its launch.

Xiaomi has already claimed a phone with a twistable camera as intellectual property. Now, it has combined this design with that of a clamshell foldable. As before, it allows the user to take selfies with the device's main shooters at will.

Arriving on May 26, the RedmiBook 16 will feature a 16.1-inch display with a 90% screen-to-body ratio and minute bezels. Xiaomi is promising up to 60% improved performance for the RedmiBook 16 too, which is expected to come with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor.

Available as three units or one, the Mijia Mosquito Repellent is a compact and affordable way to kill unwanted insects like mosquitoes. The units run off two AA batteries and support Bluetooth 4.2 LE for communication with the Mi Home app.

Xiaomi has extended the rollout of Android 10 for the Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro. The update will arrive as an OTA, but the full build can be downloaded now.

Xiaomi's upcoming Mi Band 5 fitness tracker will bring forth a host of new features, according to a source familiar with the matter. Some of them include an SPO2 filter to monitor blood oxygen levels, support for Alexa out of the box, a menstrual tracker, new activities, and more. The band was initially supposed to drop in June, but that date got pushed back to August or September due to the ongoing pandemic.

Redmi will soon be introducing its new Smart TV X series. Three sets are scheduled to be launched on May 26: the Redmi X50, Redmi X55, and Redmi X65. The smart televisions will feature MEMC technology, which utilizes motion interpolation to offer up a smoother viewing experience.

Redmi boss Lu Weibing has been promoting the upcoming RedmiBook laptops on Weibo. The Xiaomi executive revealed that the laptops will have three CPU modes for optimum performance in different scenarios. He also confirmed the new RedmiBooks will feature the latest generation of AMD Ryzen 4000 processors.

Sharp's Aquos Zero 2 gaming phone is now available for purchase outside of Japan. It comes with a 6.4-inch OLED panel that refreshes at a whopping 240Hz, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. It is currently up for sale in Taiwan for $730. We should know if the phone will be released internationally in the coming days.

Xiaomi has showcased the capabilities of the quad-cameras in the Redmi 10X Pro, a smartphone that will support OIS and up to 30x digital zoom. The device, which will launch alongside the Redmi 10X 4G and Redmi 10X 5G on May 26, will also feature a 4,500 mAh battery and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The Redmi 10X 5G will launch for CNY 1,499 (~US$210), too.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 laptop with AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor is finally available at the OEM’s US site, with prices starting from US$899.99. However, expectant users in other markets, where the device is called the Yoga Slim 7, may have to wait until mid to late June before getting their hands on the Ryzen 4000 laptop.

Xiaomi India has teased the release of a new electric screwdriver in the market. It could likely be the successor to Xiaomi's Mijia Wiha screwdriver set, which was released over two years ago. Unfortunately, there is no release date mentioned anywhere, but we should know more about it in the coming days.