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ARM Mali-G78 mobile GPU now official (Source: ARM)

ARM unveils the Mali-G78 and Mali-G68 mobile GPUs

The new Mali-G78 mobile GPU is more efficient and provides performance improvements of up to 25 percent compared to its predecessor — Mali-G77, which launched last year as the first Valhall-based mobile GPU. Its companion, the Mal...
Codrut Nistor, Wed, 27 May 2020 11:03:00 +0200
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ has a disconcertingly large camera bump. (Image source: @OnLeaks via Pigtou)

New Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ renders and video: Curved screen and massive camera bump

New renders and a video clip of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ have been posted online. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Note 20+ is larger than the regular Galaxy Note 20, and it comes with a curved display. However, it’s hard to ignore j...
Daniel R Deakin, Tue, 26 May 2020 16:39:00 +0200
Seems the Watch GT series is getting some very direct competition. (Source: Huawei)

Rumor | Huawei will start a new smartwatch line that matches the Mate series

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. ...
Deirdre O'Donnell, Sat, 23 May 2020 19:47:00 +0200
This Samsung Galaxy Note 20 render has an S Pen surprise on the bottom edge. (Image source: Pigtou)

Latest Samsung Galaxy Note 20 renders and video: More of the same but the S Pen slot has moved from the right side to the left

Some alleged renders of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 supposedly based on genuine CAD drawings have been shared online. The flagship smartphone looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, and the S Pen slot has apparently been mov...
Daniel R Deakin, Sat, 23 May 2020 14:35:00 +0200
The latest SD Express 8.0 specs allow for transfer speeds of up to 4 GB/s. (Image Source: thanhnien.vn)

SD Express 8.0 specs released, 4 GB/s transfer speeds now possible for SD cards

The updated specs allow transfer speeds of up to 4 GB/s, which is essentially half of what computer PCIe NVMe SSDs can achieve, since the SD cards are only limited to X2 lanes instead of X4. Nevertheless, with the new version, upc...
Bogdan Solca, Wed, 20 May 2020 15:19:00 +0200
The Xiaomi Mi 10 series could be getting yet another addition to it later this year. (Image source: Lowyat/edited)

Rumor | Xiaomi Mi Mix 2020 or Mi 10S Pro to come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and 144 MP camera

Some more rumored information about a potential Xiaomi Mi Mix 2020 smartphone has been shared online. It seems the device could be fitted with Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 865 SoC and boast of a 144 MP main camera. However, it h...
Daniel R Deakin, Thu, 14 May 2020 12:29:00 +0200
Some figures from the new study. (Source: CAIST via MyDrivers)

The market for phones in China regained some sense of normalcy in April 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has been linked to the depression of the mobile-device market worldwide over the first quarter of 2020 (1Q2020). However, new official figures from China show that this sector of the same had recovered to a d...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 13 May 2020 18:22:00 +0200
The last entry to the Xiaomi Mi Mix line was the Mi Mix Alpha concept smartphone. (Image source: Xiaomi)

New hope for a Mi Mix 4 as details start emerging of two upcoming Xiaomi flagship smartphones

It seems possible that Xiaomi could be working on flagship smartphones for a potential Mi Mix 4 series, or at least devices with the Mi Mix moniker. Scant details have been offered by a well-known leaker on Weibo, however, there i...
Daniel R Deakin, Mon, 11 May 2020 13:23:00 +0200
Prices for the Apple iPhone 11 start at US$699. (Image source: Apple)

Galaxy A, Redmi Note 8, and iPhone 11 lineups help Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple fill all of the global top 10 smartphone share spots for Q1 2020

Canalys has tweeted a graph showing the global top 10 smartphones in Q1 2020 and all of the positions are taken up by devices from just three OEMs: Apple, Xiaomi, and Samsung. The big winner for the quarter was the iPhone 11 with ...
Daniel R Deakin, Fri, 08 May 2020 14:22:00 +0200
The Redmi Note 8 series consists of three devices. (Image source: Redmi via Weibo)

Lu Weibing explains why over 30 million units of the Redmi Note 8 series have been sold worldwide then cuts the price of the Redmi Note 8 Pro for good measure

Xiaomi has been celebrating the sales of over 30 million smartphones from the Redmi Note 8 series, which was launched in August 2019. Redmi general manager Lu Weibing has been talking about the success of the Redmi Note 8 and also...
Daniel R Deakin, Wed, 06 May 2020 11:42:00 +0200
Omnivision has launched a new 64MP sensor. (Source: Omnivision)

Omnivision launches a new, ultra-thin and ultra-large 64MP sensor for mobile devices

Omnivision is a company that makes CMOS image sensors for devices such as smartphones. Its latest such product is the OV64B, which offers a resolution of 64MP with a slightly different footprint compared to its more common Samsung...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:11:00 +0200
Huawei Mate Xs Smartphone Review - Foldable with Drawbacks

82% Huawei Mate Xs Smartphone Review - Foldable with Drawbacks

Upgraded. After a lot of noise, the predecessor failed to make the jump to the international market. Now, with the Mate Xs, Huawei claims to have fixed all the issues and even updated the foldable smartphone's hardware. In our test, we will determine if it is $2,700 well spent.
HiSilicon Kirin 990 5G | ARM Mali-G76 MP16 | 8" | 300 g
Daniel Schmidt, Sun, 26 Apr 2020 11:27:00 +0200
Notebookcheck's Top 10 Smartphones

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Smartphones

April 2020 Update. Here you will find the latest smartphones reviewed by Notebookcheck. Our Top 10 list is regularly updated, maintained and commented on by our editors. This page is intended to help our readers decide which product to purchase.
Daniel Schmidt, Thu, 23 Apr 2020 03:38:00 +0200
Notebookcheck's Top 10 Phablets

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Phablets (>90cm²)

April 2020 Update. Here is a list of the best XL-sized smartphones - with screen surface areas above 90 cm² - we have reviewed in the last few months. Our list of top models is regularly updated, maintained and commented on and should assist in purchase decisions.
Daniel Schmidt, Thu, 23 Apr 2020 03:29:00 +0200
Top 10 Camera Smartphones

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Camera Smartphones

April 2020 Update. Smile please! Here you will find the best smartphones for digital photography including a big picture comparison. Our list of the best camera smartphones is regularly updated, maintained, and commented on and should assist in purchasing decisions.
Daniel Schmidt, Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:46:00 +0200
Top 10 Smartphones under 300 Euros

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Smartphones under 300 Euros

April 2020 update. Here you will find the best smartphones under 300 USD/Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck over the last few months. Our list of top models is regularly updated, maintained and commented on and should assist in purchasing decisions.
Daniel Schmidt, Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:14:00 +0200
Top 10 Smartphones under 500 Euros

Notebookcheck's Top 10 Smartphones under 500 Euros

April 2020 update. Upper class. Up until a few years ago, high-end smartphones were usually in the price range of between 500 and 600 USD/Euros, but this segment is now occupied by upper class models and older high-end smartphones. The latter might not be new anymore, but are still good alternatives.
Daniel Schmidt, Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:12:00 +0200
Unofficial renders based on leaked specs (Image Source: Ben Geskin)

Latest Galaxy Fold 2 leaks: outer and inner display detailed specs, S-Pen support in the books after all

Contrary to some Korean sources that were previously claiming the S-Pen support would not be added to the Fold 2, the latest leaks point out that Samsung's S-Pens will indeed work with the upcoming foldable. Additionally, the inne...
Bogdan Solca, Tue, 21 Apr 2020 15:00:00 +0200
Best Outdoor/Rugged Smartphones

Best Outdoor/Rugged Smartphones

April 2020 update. Current smartphones are not just getting bigger and faster, they are also getting more and more fragile with each generation. Besides the display, the case is often made of glass as well and therefore subject to shattering when dropped. However, special-made and certified rugged smartphones are made to withstand massive abuse even without any protective shells. Here are the best outdoor smartphones reviewed by us.
Florian Schmitt, Mon, 20 Apr 2020 23:00:00 +0200
The Mi Note 10 will get a Lite variant. (Source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi will launch the Mi Note 10 Lite sometime soon

The Mi Note 10 is a phone with a 108MP main camera sensor and a bigger battery than its flagship Mi 10 analog. However, Xiaomi has also been rumored to have a Lite variant of this device in the works. Now, official documentation f...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 12 Apr 2020 22:30:00 +0200
Some Google Phone features. (Source: Google)

The Google Dialer is found to be compatible with a greater range of devices

Phone is an app made by Google that may offer more features and settings compared to the average default Android dialer. It is normally only exclusive to Pixel and Android One devices. However, XDA contributors now claim that it c...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 11 Apr 2020 23:59:00 +0200
iFixit had the Mate Xs X-rayed as part of its teardown. (Source: YouTube)

iFixit's Huawei Mate Xs teardown does little for the foldable category's reputation for durability

YouTube teardown specialists iFixit has posted its disassembly video for the Huawei Mate Xs. This device has a flexible display found on the outer face of its phablet form-factor. It has also now been found to contain various seri...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 11 Apr 2020 20:31:00 +0200
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung discontinues official support for the Galaxy S7 series

Samsung has published an update to its security patch update roadmap. It outlines which devices get monthly, quarterly or less frequent upgrades of this nature, revealing in the process that the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are on neithe...
Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 07 Apr 2020 23:25:00 +0200
Ultra-thin glass is made by firms such as Schott. (Source: YouTube)

Samsung Electronics reportedly plans to bring glass for its next-gen foldables in-house

Samsung's Display division sources the ultra-thin glass found in the Galaxy Z Flip from a company in which it has a major share. However, this has not stopped rumors that the same OEM now plans to manufacture the same material by ...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 05 Apr 2020 22:27:00 +0200
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra - High-End Smartphone Reeks of Poor Implementation

89% Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra - High-End Smartphone Reeks of Poor Implementation

Smartphone Monster. Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra is kinda like the Plus model, but on steroids. Not only does it offer an even larger display, it also comes with a massively upgraded camera setup as well as a larger battery. Find out in our review whether or not the Exynos SoC is really that much slower, and if the price premium is really worth it.
Samsung Exynos 990 | ARM Mali-G77 MP11 | 6.9" | 219 g
Daniel Schmidt, Tue, 31 Mar 2020 23:58:00 +0200
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 unofficial render, two models coming instead of three late March 2020 rumor

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will allegedly come in two models, not three as previously rumored

Although multiple rumors claimed that Samsung is planning to release three Galaxy Note 20 models, a new tip reveals that the next-gen phablet family will only launch with two members — the Galaxy Note 20 and the slightly larger Ga...
Codrut Nistor, Tue, 31 Mar 2020 20:01:00 +0200
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) gets Android 10 with One UI 2.0 as of late March 2020

Quad-rear camera Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) gets Android 10

Samsung's first phone to sport four rear cameras has just received its second major update. The Android 10/One UI 2.0 update arrives one year after the Galaxy A9 (2018) got the Android 9.0 Pie update. The changelog is not official...
Codrut Nistor, Mon, 30 Mar 2020 13:09:00 +0200
The Samsung Galaxy A71 can now use Google Play AR apps. (Source: Samsung)

Google makes a slew of new devices compatible with Play Services AR

Google Play Services for AR is the new name for ARCore, the SDK necessary to develop augmented-reality (AR) features within Android apps. The Mountain View giant has announced that a long list of new phones (and some tablets) are ...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:52:00 +0100
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to advanced prevention measures worldwide. (Source: CDC)

Samsung, OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi suspend work on their devices at their Indian facilities

Samsung, Xiaomi and OPPO are among a growing number of businesses announcing a shut-down of their plants in India in order to comply with this country's COVID-19-related lockdown measures. Meanwhile, Vivo has reportedly asked thei...
Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 23 Mar 2020 18:53:00 +0100
Samsung accounted for 14.1 percent of the global AP market in 2019

Samsung overtakes Apple and becomes the world's third-largest mobile chipmaker

Thanks to increased sales in India and the US, Samsung has finally managed to overtake Apple and to become the world's third-largest mobile chipmaker. Last year, the tech giant, headquartered in South Korea, was in control of 14.1...
Codrut Nistor, Mon, 23 Mar 2020 11:15:00 +0100
The Samsung Galaxy M21. Image via Samsung

Samsung announces Galaxy M21, an affordable phone with a monster battery aimed at the Indian market

Samsung announced the Galaxy M21 today. The budget-oriented handset shares many of the same specifications with the slightly more expensive Galaxy M31. However, the Galaxy M21 cuts back on cameras to hit a lower retail price. The ...
Sam Medley, Wed, 18 Mar 2020 17:42:00 +0100
Chinese OEMs have demanded a 200 MP sensor, yet Samsung apparently can only deliver a 150 MP in the desired time-frame. (Image Source:Samsung)

Rumor | Samsung may launch 150 MP mobile sensors by Q4 2020

Chinese smartphone OEMs like Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo apparently demanded the development of a 200 MP sensor by the end of 2020, but Samsung could only offer 150 MP for that specific time-frame. The upcoming sensor is supposed to off...
Bogdan Solca, Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:29:00 +0100
The eUFS 3.1 chips come in 512, 256 and 128 GB flavors. (Image Source: Samsung)

Samsung brings mobile storage one step closer to NVMe speeds with eUFS 3.1

The latest mobile storage standard is optimized for 8K videos and large image files. With sequential write speeds improved by almost 3 times, users will soon be able to transfer 100 GB of files in only 1.5 minutes. General respons...
Bogdan Solca, Tue, 17 Mar 2020 15:59:00 +0100
An alleged image of the phone in question. (Source: 91Mobiles)

Redmi Self Destruct: yet another Note 7 Pro unit reportedly blows up

In November 2019, a Chinese user alleged that his Redmi Note 7 Pro exhibited spontaneous combustion following normal function. Now, an Indian owner has claimed that his phone did much the same, in an abrupt and alarming fashion. X...
Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 16 Mar 2020 23:27:00 +0100
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro has been nicknamed "The Performance Beast". (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi has now sold over 110 million Redmi Note smartphones around the world

Xiaomi has recently been highlighting the sales record of its Redmi Note devices on the company’s Twitter account. According to estimates provided by Canalys, the Chinese manufacturer has been successful in selling over 110 millio...
Daniel R Deakin, Sun, 15 Mar 2020 11:19:00 +0100
A new Firefox Preview is now available. (Source: Mozilla)

The latest Firefox preview for Android introduces extension support

Mozilla's GitHub now offers a version of Firefox for Android that is updated compared to the app available on the Google Play Store. Its most interesting attribute is an ability to add extensions to this mobile browser for the fir...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 11 Mar 2020 23:10:00 +0100
The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 features a generous 5,500-mAh battery. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Mi Max 3 users will soon be enjoying MIUI 11 based on Android 10

The Android 10-based MIUI 11 update for the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 smartphone/phablet has apparently started rolling out to users in China. It’s expected a rollout for owners of the 6.9-inch device will soon follow in other parts of the ...
Daniel R Deakin, Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:55:00 +0100
Huawei needs to draw developers in order to achieve its AppGallery goals. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei may offer greater cuts of app revenue to developers, if for a limited time only

Huawei is currently compelled to generate its own in-house alternative to the Google Play Store - and to this platform's developer-side ecosystem in turn. Accordingly, it has publicly released details on the percentages app makers...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sat, 07 Mar 2020 16:30:00 +0100
Cheetah Mobile's apps can no longer be downloaded on the Play Store. (Source: Cheetah Mobile)

Google announces the removal of about 600 apps from the Play Store

Google has released a blog post explaining why nearly 600 apps have just been removed from Android's Play Store. These apps were deemed guilty of "mobile ad fraud", which contravenes the Mountain View giant's policies. The apps in...
Deirdre O Donnell, Mon, 02 Mar 2020 18:24:00 +0100
The Razr joins the Z Flip in being disassembled. (Source: YouTube)

A new teardown video highlights various differences between the Motorola Razr and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

The YouTuber JerryRigEverything (or Zach Nelson) has conducted his traditional post-durability test teardown of the Motorola Razr 2020. This video revealed how its maker intends to keep the internals free of dust, as well as other...
Deirdre O Donnell, Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:18:00 +0100
The Microsoft Surface Duo phone features a 360-degree hinge. (Image source: Microsoft)

Microsoft Surface Duo peek function just makes the foldable device even more desirable

A new peek function for the upcoming Microsoft Surface Duo foldable device has been leaked. A couple of short video clips have been shared on Twitter that show the smartphone being opened only slightly but still allowing the user ...
Daniel R Deakin, Thu, 27 Feb 2020 08:54:00 +0100
Samsung's latest LPDDR5 DRAM has 16GB on a single module. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung announces that its highest-end RAM for smartphones is nearly here

Samsung has announced that it has started to mass-produce DRAM chips of 16GB in size and LPDDR5 in quality. This next-gen mobile-device memory is capable of approximately 1.3 times higher speeds than the nearest LPDDR4X module mad...
Deirdre O Donnell, Tue, 25 Feb 2020 18:18:00 +0100
Some private WhatsApp group invite links may be searchable. (Source: WhatsApp)

App researchers report that WhatsApp group invites are searchable online

WhatsApp sets a lot of store by the privacy in messaging it supposedly offers. However, allegations that links that invite new users to private groups are searchable online have recently emerged. This is due to the fact Google has...
Deirdre O Donnell, Sun, 23 Feb 2020 23:14:00 +0100
The Galaxy A71 5G may be here soon. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy A71 5G is now a certified Wi-Fi device

The Galaxy A71 may be a convincing upper-mid range device; however, several leaks suggest Samsung has decided it would be improved with a 5G variant. This phone - the SM-A7160 - has now appeared on the Wi-Fi Alliance certification...
Deirdre O Donnell, Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:06:00 +0100
These OPPO phones now have an Android 10 beta program. (Source: Twitter)

OPPO announces an Android 10 beta program for the Find X and R17 series

OPPO has announced new beta programs to help bring the latest version of Color OS (based on Android 10) to some of its 2018 phones. These are the flagship Find X, the R17 and its Pro variant. Places in these programs are available...
Deirdre O Donnell, Thu, 20 Feb 2020 21:21:00 +0100
Pokemon GO's anti-cheating features have reportedly turned on TWRP. (Source: XDA)

Pokemon GO reportedly blocks players using Android custom recovery or backup methods

Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) is a popular alternative recovery used by those who like to root and modify their Androids. A new thread on Reddit asserts that Pokemon GO will not work if it detects signs of it in a device's stor...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 19 Feb 2020 20:23:00 +0100
3x optical zoom for the Galaxy S20 and S20+? Not quite

Update | 3x optical zoom for the Galaxy S20 and S20+? Not quite

The Galaxy S20 and S20+ both have 3x optical zoom, right? Well, not quite. A quick look at the phones' official technical specs reveals that they likely offer just 2.5x optical zoom, with some image cropping done to reach the 3x l...
Ricci Rox, Wed, 19 Feb 2020 16:23:00 +0100
The LG G7 ThinQ. (Source: LG)

The LG G7 ThinQ is spotted running Android 10 on Geekbench

LG's G7 ThinQ is a flagship phone that is still less than 2 years old; despite this, the OEM is yet to provide it with a stable Android 10 upgrade. However, there are now signs that it is progressing in beta form, at least. It com...
Deirdre O Donnell, Wed, 19 Feb 2020 15:21:00 +0100
Samsung Galaxy S20 lineup to get display-related software update

WQHD+ 120 Hz software update allegedly coming soon to the Galaxy S20 series

Currently limited at full HD resolution due to battery life-related concerns, the 120 Hz display refresh might soon become available for the Galaxy S20 lineup since Samsung is reportedly working on a software update that will brin...
Codrut Nistor, Wed, 19 Feb 2020 13:27:00 +0100
Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G

82% Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G Smartphone Review: A 5G smartphone with a 120 Hz screen at a bargain price

Buttery smooth. The Redmi K30, sold as the POCO X2 in India, relies on high-end features like 5G connectivity, a 120 Hz panel and the new Sony IMX686 image sensor. It starts at around 250 Euros (~$270) though, undercutting even a significant portion of most current mid-range smartphones. There are downsides though, as our review will discuss.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Qualcomm Adreno 620 | 6.67" | 208 g
Marcus Herbrich, Wed, 19 Feb 2020 10:14:00 +0100

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Redaktion, 2013-05- 8 (Update: 2013-09-27)