Chinese Tech

The Asus ROG Phone 2 has been hailed for its outstanding hardware. Designed to be a gaming phone, the ROG Phone 2 delivers excellent performance and user experience-enhancing features, but it would seem that its cameras don't quite match up to the rest of the package.

A new listing on the TENAA regulatory website indicates that the OEM Vivo intends to reboot its Nex 3 flagship with a new version. It has an SoC with a different max clock to that of the phone's original Snapdragon 855+ processor. This upcoming device also has dual-mode 5G and a new red color.

An Indian electronics authority has approved a new device from Realme described as being part of the "Smart Watches" category. Therefore, it seems this brand is preparing to launch its first wearable of this type in India. If so, it will compete with other OEMs such as Huawei and Garmin in this market.

Some live images of an alleged Poco F2 Lite smartphone have been uploaded in a brief video clip on YouTube. Along with showing off a waterdrop notch on the front for the selfie camera, it seems the Poco F2 Lite might come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, 6 GB RAM, and a meaty 5,000 mAh battery.

OPPO has reportedly revealed that there will be a Find X2 after all, and that it will launch in the first quarter of 2020 (1Q2020). New leaks posted to Weibo hint that this phone will have a premium display with a class-leading 120 hertz (Hz) refresh rate. However, there is no word on a repeat of the original X's most unique trick: its pop-up camera.

Nokia has certified a new phone for use in the United States. Based on the specs leaked as a result of this new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documentation, it may have a relatively small screen - about 5.6 inches at most. Therefore, it may most likely be a 1-series device for this new year.

The Honor V30 phones were released a few months ago. The V30 Pro, in particular, is notable for being the first non-Huawei phone to sport the huge 40 MP IMX600. That move has paid off sweetly, too, as the phone manages to deliver excellent camera performance.

The Realme 3 Pro's latest software update moves it from ColorOS to its OEM's new UI. This OS skin is also based on Android 10. However, it also offers a very different esthetic, as well as potentially improved performance.

Huawei has released its performance for 2019 to the Chinese media. It claims it shipped approximately 240 million units in total that year, 6.9 million of which had 5G. For context, Samsung has announced that it shipped about 6.7 million of the same kind of phone in the same time-frame.

The wait goes on for the Pocophone F1. The device is the last in Xiaomi's Snapdragon 845 arsenal to receive Android 10 builds of MIUI 11, and the company has been cagey about when the device will see Google's latest OS too. However, now a representative has tentatively set a date, and it might not be another month, at least.

The latest "leak" doing the rounds about the Xiaomi Mi 10 certainly paints the picture of an exquisite-looking device, but is it real? Despite calls to the contrary, one respected leaker of Xiaomi hardware says no. We are digging the Mi Mix Alpha vibes, though.

Xiaomi India head Manu Kumar Jain just announced that the company's sub-brand Poco is now an independent entity. The Poco F1 made quite the impact on the market back in 2018, and that's why Xiaomi is confident that it can operate on its own. Although there is still no official word about the Poco F1's successor yet, we can expect to hear about it in the coming weeks.

Meizu is a smartphone OEM that posted a "New Year gift box" at the start of 2020. It consists of rather unique desk organizers and accessories, including a clock. On closer inspection, this object may be present to hint at an upcoming flagship, the 17.

OPPO has released the F15 to the Indian market. It is technically a new device, although it ships with an older chipset: the MediaTek Helio P70. It costs the equivalent of US$280 and will ship from January 28, 2020.

Xiaomi only announced last week that it would be releasing a new colour variant of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but people have already started posting hands-on pictures of their new devices. Twilight Orange comes with 128 GB of storage and 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, but its release has not coincided with anything new software-wise. Instead, the move to Android 10 appears to be on hold, as Xiaomi has issued an iterative update for the device.

The P40 Pro is set to arrive in March, and possibly in five colours. The device will sport a quad-curved display, six cameras and probably 5G connectivity too. A 52 MP main rear-facing camera has been touted among other camera hardware, too.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT is a rugged but silent mini PC suited for IT deployments and enterprise use. Unfortunately, the little desktop's performance suffers under load, primarily because of thermal throttling.

Remember Huawei? You know, the company that released the Mate 30 Pro, the best phone that MKBHD would never recommend? Well, it is not done yet despite the lack of Google services, and the P40 series is its next set of flagships. New renders of the P40 make it look more practical than the Mate 30 Pro, but will anyone actually buy it?

The Mi 8 Lite was one of the first devices that Xiaomi updated to MIUI 11 last year, with it being in the first phase of its release schedule. While most devices in Phase 1 have since received Android 10, the Mi 8 Lite remained on the older base of Android 9.0 Pie. A recently released Android 10 beta build hinted at that changing, but a new stable build may leave people feeling underwhelmed.

Recently, a phone called the "Xiaomi POCO X2" has appeared on the Geekbench 5 database. It is listed as having 8GB of RAM, a 1.8GHz processor and as running on Android 10. However, suspiciously enough, there is another device with the exact same specs out there: the Redmi K30.

With a rear panel that boasted its own display, the Nubia Z20 remains one of 2019's most innovative premium smartphones. It originally launched at a price of US$549 (or the equivalent in other currencies). Now, however, its OEM has just issued a discount for the Snapdragon 855+ device.

A crisis of its own making? Last year, Xiaomi had promised that the Mi A3 would be one of the first devices in the world to receive Android 10, but even its predecessor has been graced by Google's latest OS before it has. There has at least been confirmation of when the Mi A3 will receive Android 10 now, but the date has left a sour taste in some people's mouths.

It has been over two months since Xiaomi last updated the Pocophone F1, with the device rocking the October 2019 Android security patch. While some people are rightfully dismayed by the lack of updates for the handsets, the next update for the Pocophone F1 looks likely to bring it onto Android 10.

The Red Magic 3 was one of the most interesting gaming phones of 2019. Now, its OEM's president Ni Fei has posted an image on Weibo suggesting that this device's successor's refresh rate could be cranked up to 144 hertz (Hz). However, the spec apparently needs to complete testing before it finds its way to a Nubia display.

The Mi 8 SE is seemingly one lucky smartphone. The device received MIUI 11 last year after not initially making the cut, a new update suggests it is on the verge of receiving Android 10 too.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 will be one of the hottest flagships of 2020, but we are willing to bet good money that it will not look like the latest round of leaks. Another leak may offer an insight into the capabilities of its SoC and GPU, though.

Xiaomi released the Android 10 kernel source code for the Mi A2 and Mi A3 a few days ago, and we expected the Android 10 OTA to start hitting owners of the devices shortly after. Well, Android 10 is here for the Mi A2. Sadly, it's also the last major OS update the phone will receive.

The Doogee S95 Pro is a new phone with 8GB of RAM, a triple rear camera, an IP68 certification and a 5150mAh battery. This capacity can be extended with a 3500mAh power-pack for the device that fits onto its back via a magnetic interface. There is also a detachable speaker for this phone that works along the same lines.

An unearthed Chinese trademark application has sparked rumors that Xiaomi may be preparing to finally reveal the long-awaited successor to the Pocophone F1 (Poco F1 for the Indian market). The trademark documents specifically state “POCO F2” on them, giving fans of the original device hope that they will soon get their hands on a Xiaomi Pocophone F2.

A new rumor has suggested that Xiaomi is planning on fitting its upcoming Black Shark 3 smartphone with a whopping 16 GB of RAM. Along with that huge amount of memory, the gaming-focused device would also be 5G capable, making it a sure-fire futureproofed handset for those who seek the most mobile form of high-end gaming enjoyment.

Owners of Xiaomi's Android One phones, the Mi A2 and Mi A3, have waited a long time for the release of the Android 10 update. New developments, however, point towards that wait being almost over.

While we have previously argued that Xiaomi's approach to MIUI 11 is disingenuous, its latest round of updates for the Mi 9 SE borders on the farcical. While the wait for Android 10 goes on for most Mi 9 SE owners, some have already started receiving the latest version of Android on their handsets. Only a few mind you, and some may have not even realised it.

Xiaomi is screaming ahead with bringing Android 10 to its devices, having upgraded many to Android 9.0 Pie builds of MIUI 11 last year. The Mi 8 has now received Android 10 too, with the latest update for the device addressing a host of issues too.
Update: Xiaomi has now released an Android 10-based version of V11.0.6.0 to Mi 8 too.

With the arrival of the source code on Gitee, Huawei's CentOS-based openEuler Linux distro is taking one step forward. However, this notable effort by the Chinese tech giant is currently sabotaged by its unfinished website and documentation, as well as the apparently non-bootable ISO available for download.

Xiaomi is yet to finish rolling out MIUI 11, but it has already started hyping up the next version of its OS. MIUI 12 is expected to arrive in Q3 2020 if the release of MIUI 11 is anything to go by, but Xiaomi is coy on the details for the time being. What would you like to see Xiaomi integrate within MIUI 12?

The Xiaomi Mi Band range is getting another a cost-effective fitness tracker, and one that features a larger touchscreen than its predecessor. The Mi Band 5 will apparently support NFC globally too, and will launch later this year for as little as US$26.

Some new tips concerning Xiaomi's next flagship phone suggest that it could launch before the 2020 Galaxy Unpacked event. That would make it the first Snapdragon 865 device to be announced this year. In addition, there may be a Mi 10 Pro variant in the offing.

iPhone sales in China leapt to 3.18 million units in December, a year-over-year increase of 18.7%. While many analysts are excited about what this could mean for Apple's sales in China, it should be noted that October and November were terrible months for Chinese iPhone sales.

Amazfit has launched a series of products in a category new to this brand: personal work-out equipment. It consists of the SMART GYM HUB, a 43-inch vertical screen with AI and a ToF sensor that can deliver fitness classes right in the home. This device can also integrate with the new Home Studio or AirRun treadmills.

The Amazfit T-Rex is this brand's first smartwatch of 2020. With its MIL-STD-810G rating and 14 sports modes, it is clearly intended for rugged pursuits. Its maker has also updated its Bip series with the S variant, a watch with a 40-day battery life and health-focused AI features.

Xiaomi is not only rolling out Android 10 to the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but the device is also receiving a fresh look. The former is available to download now, while the latter will arrive tomorrow with 128 GB of storage and 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM.

Amazfit has announced that it's ready for the TWS earbud market in 2020. To this end, it has revealed 2 new products in this category: the PowerBuds and ZenBuds. The former are sports-focused, whereas the latter have been designed by their OEM to help relieve stress and improve sleep quality.

Xiaomi left the Mi Mix 3 on Android 9.0 Pie last year, despite upgrading it to MIUI 11 in October. While Android 10 has found its way onto the device now, there are some quirks.

The entry-level Pura looks and feels a lot like the Asus VivoBook while the mid-range Admiror is distinguishable by its large hinges and C-shaped visual design along the corners.

Realme has unveiled its first 5G phone today (January 7, 2020), as expected. However, the OEM did have more of a surprise to drop on the audience at the X50's launch: it is also the first phone to ship with Realme UI. This is a new software skin, although it is still based on ColorOS 7/Android 10.

Have you been waiting for Android 10 to reach your Redmi K20 or Mi 9T? Well, the wait is over, as a new MIUI 11 build based on Android 10 has started rolling out globally. The 2.2 GB build brings other fixes and changes to both handsets too.

Lenovo's new Smart Frame is a digital photo frame with an A.I. twist. The frame runs Android 10.0 and can connect to a user's Google Photos account to display their snapshots and movies. Some A.I. software in the background helps curate and adjust the pictures on display.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus joins a growing list of productivity-focused notebooks with dual or secondary screens. This version has a unique twist in that the added display is an e-ink panel found on the PC's cover. The OEM asserts this will enhance productivity and work-flow for today's multi-tasking professionals.

The Lenovo Ducati 5 is a laptop made to match the famous Moto GP bike brand. Internal components are mid-range in nature. The racing stripe along the back lid and honeycomb mesh ventilation are nice details that racing bike fans will appreciate.