It’s the start of a new day, and we have with us a new set of leaked CAD-based renders that claim to reveal the design of the upcoming Galaxy Note 20+ smartphone. Courtesy of OnLeaks and Pigtou, the new renders are of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ which show off the upcoming phone’s design, camera array, and also its large display.While the new CAD-based renders do bring some surprises, they do overall appear to show a design that borrows heavily from the Galaxy S20 series. On the front, the Galaxy Note 20+ is shown to bring slight curves and a boxy design — something we’ve previously seen on Galaxy S20 Ultra and even the Galaxy Note 10 last year. Interestingly, the renders also claim the same placement for the S-Pen on the device. This is quite surprising as previous leaks have suggested the smaller Galaxy Note 20 could switch the location of the S-Pen on the phone. The new leak about the phone also reveals that the Galaxy Note 20+ will have dimensions at 165mm long, 77.2mm wide and 7.6mm thick.The only noticeable change that catches the eye is camera bump at the back of the Galaxy Note 20+. The device appears to house a rather big camera module that reminds us of the S20 Ultra’s module. However, there are some changes. Like the fact that the render shows off a set-up with only three camera sensors, with no space for a ToF lens.OnLeaks also claims the Galaxy Note 20+ will bring a rather big display at 6.9-inches. This will be bigger than the one found on the Galaxy Note 10+ which came with a 6.8-inch display. However, this may not have been made possible by increasing the size of the phone, but rather narrowing the bezels surrounding it.Reports in the past have suggested that the Galaxy Note 20+ could come with a 120Hz mode for faster refresh rates. Additionally, reports claim the panel on the phone will be built using LTPO tech. This should offer the device improved power consumption compared to LTPS panels. This technology was first seen on the Apple Watch Series 4, but Samsung debuted its own LTPO displays with the Galaxy Watch Active2.Earlier, we have also read reports that the Galaxy Note 20 will come with a powerful new processor that will be faster and more power-efficient than anything Samsung phones have seen in the past. A report by ZDNet Korea has all but confirmed that instead of equipping the Galaxy Note 20 devices with the Snapdragon 865, 865 Plus, or its in-house Exynos 990 chipsets Samsung is working on an upgraded Exynos 992 chipset for its next phone.
Oppo Find X2 Pro to likely come in Green Vegan Leather variant, cost about Rs 74,000
Oppo is leaving no stone unturned for its flagship Find X2 Pro. In March, Oppo introduced the Find X2 Pro alongside the Find X2, marking its entry into the elite club that is populated with the likes of Samsung Galaxy S20 series. The Oppo Find X2 Pro was originally launched in two colours – Orange Vegan Leather and Ceramic Black. Later, the company rolled out a Grey Vegan Leather model for the flagship. Oppo is now seemingly releasing a Green Vegan Leather variant of Find X2 Pro in China.
According to a Weibo post by an account that goes by shuzike, Oppo received a welcome response for its Vegan Leather variants of the Find X2 Pro. And now Oppo looks convinced to out more models under the same design. The Oppo Find X2 Pro will get a Green Vegan Leather option as early as later this month for buyers in China. Per the post, the said model will be available to buy starting May 25 in China, alongside the existing Orange Vegan Leather, Ceramic Black, and Grey Vegan Leather models.
The Oppo Find X2 Pro Green Vegan Leather model will bear a hefty price tag of CNY 6,999, which is approximately Rs 74,400. It will come in only a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model unlike the Ceramic Black and Orange Vegan Leather models. The sale will be conducted on Oppo China website and other supported e-commerce websites in China. Meanwhile, Oppo is preparing to launch the Find X2 series in India.
While the specifications of the upcoming design model of Find X2 Pro remain the same as those of other models, the look has been changed. The back panel on the Green Vegan Leather model has a faux leather material used to impart a matte finish in green colour at the back. Since it is faux leather, the back panel of the smartphone should feel soft and have a good grip in hands. The faux leather material also minimises any possibility of breakage on the smartphone.
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Oppo Find X2 Pro has a 6.7-inch 3K display with a resolution of 1080×3168 pixels and an aspect ratio of 21:9. The display has a fingerprint sensor, supports HDR10+, and has a refresh rate of 120Hz. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. It runs ColorOS 7.1 that is based on Android 10. The smartphone is backed by a 4260mAh battery under the hood that supports the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0.
In the photography department, Oppo Find X2 Pro comes with a 48-megapixel Sony IMX689 sensor with OIS, Omni-directional PDAF, and Ultra Video Steady Pro technology. There is also a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 ultra-wide sensor with capability to shoot macros. The third one is a periscope sensor that supports OIS and can offer a digital zoom of 60z, hybrid zoom of 10x, and optical zoom of 5x. For selfies, there is a 32-megapixel Sony IMX616 sensor on the front.
Asus ROG Phone 3 to launch soon, possibly running on Snapdragon 865
Last year’s ROG Phone 2 was an absolute beast of a smartphone, with Asus throwing on everything it could. The ROG Phone 2 carried on a familiar design but upgraded the key specifications to make the experience much better. Of course, its successor is expected to be even better and offer more firepower for all the gaming requirements. This phone is already under development and has been spotted nabbing certifications.The ROG Phone 3 has been spotted on Geekbenck, flexing its muscles and showing off what it can do with the upgraded hardware. A recent report from MySmartPrice spotted the successor to the ROG Phone 2 hiding under the name of I003DD. The listing only confirms that Asus will be using the Snapdragon 865 chipset, like all gaming smartphones this year. It also reveals an 8GB variant of the phone. It will also have Wi-Fi (of course!) as it has been certified by the Wi-Fi alliance.While it is nice to see Asus readying the successor to the ROG Phone 2, it is also surprising to not see any developments on the successor to the Asus 6Z. Last year, Asus had two flagship offerings, with the 6Z acting as the more generic flagship while the ROG Phone 2 catering to the performance seekers.However, the Asus 6Z was not among the bestselling premium smartphones in the market. Despite having a Snapdragon 855, a bezel-less fullscreen LCD display with no notch, a 5000mAh battery and a unique Flip Camera, most people chose the ROG Phone 2 despite the latter costing more. Asus may have cancelled its plans to go ahead with its mainstream flagship phone this year owing to the lower demand.The ROG Phone series has always been offering the latest technological advancements in the smartphone space. Last year’s model initiated the trend of 120Hz refresh rate screens and big 6000mAh battery. This year, Asus could upgrade the display to the trendy 144Hz refresh rate. You can also expect Asus to retain the same design, albeit with minor tweaks.With component prices rising high, the ROG Phone 3 could come at a higher price than the ROG Phone 2. The base model could easily start from approximately Rs 50,000. At this price, the ROG Phone 3 will have to face the Xiaomi Mi 10 5G and the OnePlus 8. Several affordable gaming phones have also made it to India this year, such as the iQOO 3 and Realme X50 Pro 5G.
Vivo Y70s With 5G Support Teased, Live Images Leak Before Official Launch
Vivo Y70s has now hit headlines, and it looks like Vivo is gearing up to launch more smartphones under its Y series. It was recently reported that Vivo would be bringing the Vivo Y30 to India sometime next month. Now, a Vivo Y70s poster has popped up revealing Vivo’s plans of launching this new smartphone as well. The official teaser from the company tips 5G support for this new smartphone while another post on Weibo tips three different colour variants along with live images of the Vivo Y70s that reveal the smartphone design and its packaging.
The official teaser of the Vivo Y70s surfaced on Weibo tipping that the smartphone has 5G support. The official teaser does not reveal much but another post on Weibo shares another official-looking poster which tips three colour variants of the smartphone. The same post also shares live images of the Vivo Y70s along with the retail box of the smartphone. It could be possible that the smartphone is very close to its official launch in China.
The official-looking poster also tips that the Vivo Y70s has a hole-punch display and a triple camera setup at the back. It also tips a 4,500mAh battery and a 48-megapixel primary camera.
The Vivo Y70s is tipped to sport a Samsung Exynos 880 processor with two Cortex-A77 cores clocked at 2GHZ and six Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.79GHz. It has a Mali-G75 GPU. This is in line with a previous sighting of the Vivo Y70s on a benchmarking website. The smartphone is tipped to sport 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. While it was benchmarked, the smartphone did score 641 and 1814 in single-core and multi-core tests respectively. This Vivo Y70s is tipped to run Android 10. Another report in the past tips 18W charging support for the device.
It looks like the Vivo Y70s is very close to its official launch and we can expect to see an announcement from Vivo soon.
Xiaomi Mi TV E43K With Bezel-Less Design, 43-Inch Full-HD Screen Launched
Xiaomi has launched the new Mi TV E43K in China, adding to its E series of smart TV models. The Mi TV E43K, as the name suggests, features a 43-inch display and follows the company’s budget friendly approach to electronics. It comes with Xiaomi’s PatchWall interface that gives easy access to all sorts of content at one place. It has a bezel-less design and a full-HD resolution. There is no Bluetooth connectivity in the Mi TV E43K, unlike other smart TVs by the company.
Mi TV E43K price
The Mi TV E43K by Xiaomi has been launched with a price tag of CNY 1,099 (roughly Rs. 11,700). It is now available for purchase in China through Xiaomiyoupin. The company has not shared details about international availability as of yet.
Mi TV E43K specifications
The Mi TV E43K packs a full-HD (1,920×1,080 pixels) display with 60Hz refresh rate and 178 degree viewing angles. The TV is powered by the dual-core processor with 1.4GHz clock speed and a Mali-450 MP2 GPU. It has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. It comes with Wi-Fi connectivity and infrared. There is no Bluetooth present on the Mi TV E43K that means the remote works through infrared.
For connectivity, the Mi TV E43K offers two HDMI ports and one of them supports HDMI ARC (High Definition Multimedia Interface Audio Return Channel). You also get an AV port, two USB ports, and an Ethernet port. For audio, the TV features two 8W speakers with DTS 2.0. It runs on PatchWall interface that brings all content in one place a more convenient entertainment experience. It comes with several pre-installed apps and access to the Mi app store as well. Further, the Mi TV E43K is compatible with Airplay and Miracast.
It measures 969.59×556.9mm and weighs 6.31kg without the stand. With the stand installed, the weight is 6.42kg.
WhatsApp for Android, iPhone Gets QR Code Support for Beta Testers
WhatsApp for Android and iPhone will bring QR code support in the coming days, allowing users to add new contacts by scanning their QR codes. The Facebook-owned company hasn’t yet provided any official details about the new update, the latest WhatsApp beta versions for both Android and iPhone have been released with support for QR codes. Beta users can experience the change and provide feedback ahead of a public release.
A recent WhatsApp for iPhone beta has also been spotted with a feature called Password Protect Backups that would enable password protection to the backups stored in the iCloud Drive.
Support for QR code on WhatsApp has been in the works for quite some time, with the first reference back in November 2018. It seems that WhatsApp is now ready to showcase the new feature to the public with beta version 2.20.171 for Android devices and version 2.20.60.27 for iPhone.
As reported by WhatsApp beta watcher WABetaInfo, the latest WhatsApp beta for Android shows that the new feature is available under the Profile settings and allows users to show their QR codes to let anyone quickly add them to their contacts list. There is also an option to scan a QR code. This is there to add a contact directly by scanning their QR code from WhatsApp.
WhatsApp Is Looking to Bring Back 30 Second-Limit for Video Status Updates
Similar to other apps, but with a way to reset existing code
This sounds similar to how LinkedIn enabled QR code support to its platform in June 2018, letting users add people to their professional network by scanning their QR codes. Apps such as Instagram and Snapchat have QR code support for some time.
WhatsApp beta for Android carries support for QR code along with the ability to reset
WhatsApp seems to have provided an additional feature that lets users reset their existing QR code. This means that you’ll be able change your QR code if in case it’s been shared accidentally.
Everything You Need to Know About WhatsApp Web Version
How to get the new feature?
You can experience the QR code integration after downloading the latest WhatsApp beta (version 2.20.171) for Android directly from the Google Play Beta programme or by getting its APK file from APK Mirror.
Continue reading “WhatsApp for Android, iPhone Gets QR Code Support for Beta Testers”
Samsung Galaxy M51, Galaxy M31s With 64-Megapixel Main Camera Tipped to Launch in India in June
Samsung is reportedly developing Samsung Galaxy M51 and Galaxy M31s smartphones for the Indian market. According to a report, both Galaxy M51 and Galaxy M31s will come with 64-megapixel main camera and the phones are speculated to launch in June. The report also indicates that the launch of M51 may get delayed to July due to production issues, owing to coronavirus pandemic. Samsung is yet to confirm the launch of the aforementioned smartphones, therefore, all the information should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Samsung Galaxy M51 availability, specifications (expected)
As per a report by 91Mobiles citing industry sources, Samsung Galaxy M51 is tipped to launch in late June in the country. It is also said that production of the phone largely depends on the ongoing coronavirus situation in India, therefore, the launch timing may vary depending on that.
Further, the Galaxy M51 is said to come with a 64-megapixel main camera and feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Galaxy M51 is tipped to be a mid-range phone, however, the report does not highlight the price details.
Samsung Galaxy A51 Review
Earlier this month, a separate report had indicated that the Galaxy M51 is essentially a rebranded version of Samsung Galaxy A51 “with some hardware and design changes.” The phone will reportedly come with 128GB onboard storage.
To recall, Samsung launched the Galaxy A51 in India in January. The phone features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Infinity-O Display and is powered by Exynos 9611 SoC, coupled with 6GB of RAM. The Galaxy A51 also packs quad rear cameras.
Samsung Galaxy M31s availability, specifications (expected)
Similar to the Galaxy M51, the Samsung Galaxy M31s is tipped to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor and a 64-megapixel main camera. The phone is expected to launch in the first week of June, however, the pricing has not been highlighted.
Samsung Galaxy M51 With Hole-Punch Display, Triple Rear Cameras Leaked
Samsung Galaxy M51, Galaxy M31s With 128GB Storage Coming to India: Report
An earlier report had also claimed that the Galaxy M31s will be shipped with 128GB onboard storage. The phone is tipped to be an upgraded version of Samsung Galaxy M31. It is also rumoured that the Samsung Galaxy M51 and Galaxy M31s will reportedly carry the model numbers SM-M515F and SM-M317F, respectively.
OnePlus 8T Pro McLaren Edition may not happen as McLaren drops OnePlus from its partner list
If you are a McLaren fan, this is not a great year for you. The Formula 1 2020 season has been delayed with a couple of races cancelled and McLaren’s ace driver Carlos Sainz will be departing for Ferrari at the end of the year. To add to the misery, it now seems that OnePlus has also parted ways with the British racing outfit. Hence, if you have dreamt of buying a McLaren Edition OnePlus flagship this year, you may be out of luck.
A fan on Reddit going by the user name of rudefyet has notified that OnePlus is no longer listed as a partner for the McLaren F1 team for 2020. McLaren has been listing OnePlus as its brand partner for the last one year, with the OnePlus logo making it to the 2019 McLaren MCL34 F1 racer’s halo at the start of the 2019 season. Chances are that the OnePlus-McLaren deal was supposed to last only for one year.
For fans of McLaren looking to secure the special edition of the OnePlus flagships in the future, it could be an utter disappointment. With the partnership not existing, OnePlus could stop making the McLaren Edition of its phones and instead strike a deal with some other partner for this year’s OnePlus 8T series. Based on the past partnerships, OnePlus may strike a deal with another franchise that culturally popular for the geek community.
Prior to the McLaren partnership, OnePlus joined hands with two superhero movie franchise for special edition models of its phones. The OnePlus 5T was the first phone to get a special edition variant that celebrated the launch of the Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie back in November 2017. Almost six months later, OnePlus launched a OnePlus 6 Avengers:Infinity War Edition device.
The partnership with McLaren spawned a total of three special edition devices, out fo which only were available commercially. The first one was the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition that introduced 10GB RAM as well as OnePlus’ famed 30W fast charging system. The OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition came almost six months ago and the Indian variant got 12GB RAM along with a couple of McLaren themed goodies. Of course, these phones had a whip of the Papaya Orange that drapes the McLaren supercars as well as the F1 cars.
Both OnePlus and McLaren are yet to give out an official statement regarding this. If the partnership has ended, OnePlus fans have a new theme of special edition phones from OnePlus to look forward to. As a McLaren fan, I would surely miss those orange coloured OnePlus phones. But hey, as OnePlus says, one should never settle.
Redmi Book,Redmi 10X launched
Xiaomi has long been known to be working on a new RedmiBook laptop, and a new Redmi 10X smartphone. And now, we have information on the launch date of the devices. As per reports, the Redmi will be launching new RedmiBook laptops and a new Redmi 10X phone in China on May 26. The information was reportedly confirmed by Lu Weibing, General Manager of Redmi.Ahead of their launch, key specifications of the RedmiBook models have leaked online, and the Redmi 10X has been listed on a Chinese e-commerce website revealing all the key specifications of the device.RedmiBook: Leaked specificationsTalking about the devices, the RedmiBook laptop have been tipped to come in three models, of which specs for two have been leaked. Both models are said to bring 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The RAM here is said to be DDR4 in make and clocked at 2666 MHz. The leak also reveals the storage on-board will be 512GB PM881 Samsung SATA SSD.The leak further reveals that one of the models will come running the Ryzen 5 4500U processor from AMD. This six core processor will be clocked at 2.4GHz and support a turbo clock speed of 3.9GHz. This particular model, TIMI TM1951, is also said to come with a copy of 64-bit version of Windows 10.The other RedmiBook model will be slightly more powerful and will be powered by the eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor. This processor will bring a core clock of 2.7Ghz and the boost clock will be 4.1GHz. This model will also be running a 64-bit version of Windows 10.Redmi 10X: Leaked specificationsTalking about the Redmi 10X, the phone has also seen its specs being listed online ahead of its launch. The phone is said to be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 820 SoC with 5G support. Reports claim there will be two network variants, with the phone available both in 4G and 5G versions.The 5G variant of the phone could be launched in multiple configurations, including 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB configurations. All these configurations will be available in Dark Blue, Gold, Silver, and Violet colour options. The modest 4G variant may be made available in 4GB + 128GB and 6GB + 128GB configurations with Green, Sky Blue, and White colour options.
Apple roll out with iOS 13.5
Apple has finally released iOS 13.5 to the public. The update brings a number of new features, some of which are understandably there to help users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the new features, the most interesting are the Exposure Notification API and enhancements to Face ID.
Faster unlocking while wearing masks
With the latter, iOS 13.5 promises to make it easier to unlock an iPhone while wearing a mask. The update allows the process to become faster if the user is detected to be wearing a face mask. In such cases, the passcode interface is displayed more quickly, thereby making it quicker to get into an iPhone using a passcode than before.
For most users who find themselves wearing a face mask when they step out, this sure will prove to be an important update — especially those involved in the healthcare sector. However, it’s important to note that this update has only been extended to certain iPhones on which Face ID is available.
Exposure Notification API
Apart from this, the other big update coming to iOS 13.5 is the Exposure Notification API which has been created in partnership between Apple and Google. The API is designed to allow public health authorities to better handle contact tracing apps for COVID-19.
With the API working in the background, the device will send out a beacon via Bluetooth for the Exposure Notification API to download a list of the keys for verified beacons belonging to people confirmed with COVID-19 and check against that list.
Apple has also tweaked Group FaceTime, which now brings a new toggle to disable feature that automatically enlarges the tile of the person who is speaking. Earlier, the Group FaceTime brought a dynamic vew where the person speaking automatically had a bigger tile than the other speakers. The feature can be toggled from a new “Automatic Prominence” section in the FaceTime part of the Settings app.
Security fixes and more
The update also patches two security issues, including one that affected the Mail app on the iPhone and the iPad. The vulnerability now patched had previously allowed attackers to remotely hack an iOS device by sending emails that consume a significant amount of memory.
It also fixes an issue where users may see a black screen when trying to play streaming video from some websites and addresses an issue in the share sheet where suggestions and actions may not load.
Tech with Prakalp 