Category: Mobile

Smartphone News and Reviews, Latest Cellphones, Accessories, New Launches, Specifications, Details with Image and Video from Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Moto, HTC, Xiaomi, Oneplus, Meizu, Sony, Lava, Micromax Yu Mobile and More.

Galaxy Note 10 & Note 10 5G: What We Know So Far

Samsung is bracing for the launch of its 10th generation Galaxy Note smartphone which is expected to happen in the month of August. Similar to what was seen with the Galaxy S10 lineup, the Galaxy Note 10 is also reported to be launched in four variants. The four different models of the flagship handset will allegedly be called Galaxy Note 10e, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10 Pro and Note 10 5G.

Similar to the Galaxy S10e, the Note 10e will be the most affordable device while the 5G variant of Note 10 will be the most expensive and spec laden handset out of the bunch. Even though the expected launch date of the upcoming devices is still far, several details about them have been revealed via unofficial sources.

Galaxy Note 10 Display and Design

The Note 10e is reported to sport a 6.28 inch display while the standard Note 10 is reported to sport a 6.7 or 6.75 inch display. In terms of design, the upcoming devices are speculated to be significantly different than its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 9. Leaked renders and screen protector images exhibit that the future Note 10 smartphones will have negligible bezels around the display and high screen to body ratio. Like the OnePlus 7 Pro, the Note 10 5G and Note 10 Pro are reported to have a display that tapers towards the side.

The key distinguishing feature of the Note 10 smartphones is told to have is a centre-mounted punch hole for the front facing selfie camera. Similar to what was observed with the S10 lineup, all smartphones in the 10th Gen Note range are assumed to have an in-display fingerprint scanner except for the Galaxy Note 10e. The latter is expected to have a side mounted fingerprint scanner which will be built into power button.

Galaxy Note 10 Camera, Chipset and Battery

In terms of optics, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 lineup is reported to have multiple rear cameras(1). One highlighting aspect of the camera which was leaked on Twitter is the presence of variable aperture camera sensor. Speaking of the chipset, all variants in the upcoming lineup are assumed to be kitted Snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9820, depending on the region.

Galaxy Note 10 Rear

Past leaks claim that the standard Galaxy Note 10 will have a 4,500 mAh battery which is a worthy upgrade over its predecessor that features a 4,000 mAh pack. All the smartphones in the lineup are also expected to support fast charging which may range from 15 W to 25 W.

Galaxy Note 10 Renders

To provide the devices with a supreme usability experience, they might feature UFS 3.1 ultra fast storage. This features was first seen on the OnePlus 7 Pro which is an obvious contender to Samsung’s offerings. Staple to Note series of handsets, the upcoming devices will also have a stylus which will provide for several nifty features like wirelessly clicking selfies or drawing on the display.

Galaxy Note 10 Leaked Battery

Unlike past claims, the devices were reported to retain a 3.5 mm sensor which is a big sigh of relief for music lovers who enjoy their music on high end headphones.

Even though the price of the smartphones is currently unannounced, the Note 10e is expected to retail for € 800 while the flagship Note 10 5G may cost € 1,300 for the base variant.

Also Read: Raspberry Pi 4 Launched With 4GB RAM, 4K Video Output

Taking all the leaks into account, Note 10 smartphones seem to be worthy flagship devices. The launch date is currently not revealed but a Cnet report hints of a 7th August US launch which will be followed by the global launch on 23rd August.

June 24, 2019
Huawei Nova 5i Pro Leaked Renders Reveal Quad Rear Cameras, Punch Hole Display

Huawei launched the Nova 5 and Nova 5 Pro at an event in China last week. The smartphones are the latest entrants in the company’s mid-range Nova series. However, two more handsets which were the were the Nova 5i and Nova 5i Pro, also rumoured to be announced at the same event didn’t make an appearance. It was later speculated that the company may be planning on launching them at a later date than expected. While they were leaked in the past, no further information about them followed. Now, popular gadget tipster Evan Blass has revealed the schematics of the Nova 5i Pro which contradicts the design of the smartphone in the previous leak.

Huawei Nova 5i Pro

As mentioned above, the design of the Huawei Nova 5i Pro was leaked on Twitter by the known gadget leaker. Opposing the previous design leak, the alleged schematics of the smartphone reveal a different looking device. The front of the handset has a large display with minimal bezels on all sides and a substantial chin at the bottom. It has a punch hole cutout on the top left corner of the display to maximise the screen real estate of the smartphone; like present in the Galaxy M40 and Honor View20. The right side of the device houses the volume rockers and power button; while the left side remains completely empty save for the SIM card tray. Over at the bottom, a USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack are visible in the image.

Mate 20 Pro

Also read: Huawei Will Soon Enter The Indian Tablet Market

The back of the Huawei Nova 5i Pro showcases a design that is reminiscent of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. There is a square housing which consists of a quad camera setup and an LED flash beside it. The circular fingerprint scanner is present right below the camera module. Unfortunately, other details like the pricing and launch date of the smartphone are unknown at the moment. However, as the elder siblings of the device have already been announced, the handset may be closer to launch than ever.

June 24, 2019
Full Specs And Price Of Xiaomi CC9 And CC9e Leak
Xiaomi will soon launch a new lineup of smartphones called CC, which is developed in collaboration with Meitu, a luxury smartphone maker that the former acquired in the year 2018. According to senior Xiaomi executive, the new range of handsets is targeted towards young consumers, and they will have worthy photography capabilities and an appealing design. The smartphones are set to launch early next month, however, before the official unveiling, the price and features of two upcoming handsets have been leaked on Twitter. Althoug the details are in Chinese, the magic of Google translate allows deriving most of the specifications.

Xiaomi CC9e Full Specs and Price

According to the source, the Xiaomi CC9e sports a 5.97 inch AMOLED display with a water drop notch and a pixel density of 2340 x 1080 px. Like several mid range and premium smartphones, it features an in-display fingerprint scanner. Under the hood, it is kitted with the Snapdragon 710 Soc which consists of an Octa Core CPU and Adreno 616 GPU.

For photography, the Xiaomi CC9e will have 32 MP front camera and a triple rear camera setup which consists of the 48 MP Sony IMX582 sensor, an 8 MP sensor and a 5 MP sensor. The handset will be powered by either a 3500 mAh battery or 4,000 mAh battery which supports 18 w fast charging. To provide durability to the device, it has Corning Gorilla 5 on both the front and back.

For charging and data syncing, the Xiaomi CC9e will incorporate a USB 2.0 Type C port. The smartphone will run MIUI 10 which is based on Android 9 Pie. In terms of memory and storage, it will be offered in three variants which are listed below along with their leaked price:
- 6 GB + 64 GB- CNY 1599 (Rs 16,200)
- 6 GB + 128 GB- CNY 1899 (Rs 19,200)
- 8 GB + 128 GB- CNY 2199 (Rs 22,200)
Xiaomi CC9 Full Specs and Price

The leaked spec sheet reveals that the Xiaomi CC9 is beefed up variant of CC9e, which is similar to Samsung’s branding with the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e. The source reveals that the Xiaomi CC9 will sport a 6.39 inch AMOLED display with water drop notch and a pixel density of 2340 x 1080 px. Similar to the younger, CC9e, it will also have an in-display fingerprint scanner.

In terms of optics, the Xiaomi CC9 features a 32 MP front camera like its younger sibling, while its triple rear camera setup consists of 48 MP Sony IMX 586 sensors, 16 MP wide angle sensor and a 12 MP sensor. The smartphone is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery which will support 27 w fast charging. The front of the smartphones is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 while the rear is protected with Gorilla Glass 5.

Qualcomm Snapdragon

The device will be kitted with the Snapdragon 730 SoC which Qualcomm’s latest offering for mid range to premium smartphones. Indifferent to the more affordable offering, the Xiaomi CC9 will also support NFC. It also sports a USB 2.0 Type C which will be used for charging and transferring data. The smartphone will be offered in three variants which are listed below along with their leaked price:
- 6 GB + 128 GB- CNY 2599 (Rs 26,300)
- 8 GB + 128 GB- CNY 2799 (Rs 28,200)
- 8 GB + 256 GB- CNY 3099 (Rs 31,300)
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy M30s Colour Variants Leaked, To Launch In India Soon

In order to verify the leaked details, we won’t have to wait for long as the Xiaomi’s CC lineup of smartphones is set to be unveiled on 2nd of July.
June 24, 2019
Samsung Galaxy M30s Colour Variants Leaked, To Launch In India Soon

It was revealed a few days ago that Samsung is working on a new entrant in its online-only Galaxy M lineup of smartphones. This device was purported to be called the Galaxy M30s and is claimed to be an upgraded variant of the Galaxy M30 launched back in the month of February. The handset was leaked via a listing on performance benchmarking website Geekbench which revealed its specifications. Now information about the colour variants of the upcoming device has surfaced online. The report also claims the smartphone is launching in India soon.

Samsung Galaxy M30s

Galaxy M30

The Samsung Galaxy M30s will be a mid-range smartphone from the company. Latest reports about the device reveal it will be available in three colour options, namely Black, Blue and White. Notably, the Galaxy M30 was available in the colours Gradation Black and Gradation Blue at the time of launch. It is also claimed that the company may also introduce the Prism White colour of the Galaxy S10+ to the Indian market soon. It is not known if the two aforementioned announcements will be made together.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e & Galaxy Tab A 10.1 Launched In India

Past leaks of the Samsung Galaxy M30s reveal it will run on an octa-core processor with a clock speed of 1.74GHz. It is acknowledged to be the 10nm Exynos 9610 SoC; which is also present in the Samsung Galaxy A50. The chipset consists of an Octa-core CPU and the Mali G72 MP3 GPU. Also present in the handset is 4GB of RAM which is the same as the regular variant. The device runs on the current Android 9 Pie which is likely to be skinned with the company’s OneUI. Unfortunately, more details like the pricing of the handset are unknown at the moment but the sources claim that it may be closer to launch than ever.

June 24, 2019
LG Patents A Smartphone With Punch Hole Front Camera

A glimpse of LG’s upcoming smartphone was seen through a patent granted by the Turkish Patent Institute. The device in question is reported to sport a punch-hole front-facing camera. This would mark the first time LG is planning to use this form of bezel reduction method for an all screen device.

According to the schematics, the smartphone will sport a punch-hole camera in the top left corner of the screen. The front panel is devoid of any seems apart from bezels on the top alongside an earpiece with necessary sensors and a buttonless bottom. The back, however, is a familiar design that has already been seen before. LG V40 ThinQ is clearly used as an inspiration for the rear layout, as the schematics show a striking resemblance.

The triple camera module at the back is in an identical pattern to the LG V40 ThinQ with a horizontal placement side by side. A flash flanks the right of the camera set up while the fingerprint sensor is placed right below it. This proves that the new device will not feature an in-display fingerprint scanner at the front. Changes to LG’s formula has been historically slow with the rate of adoption being behind other OEMs at this moment.

Unfortunately, no information about specifications as such is available regarding the upcoming device, or rather even if it is planned on being mass produced. With this only assumptions can be made regarding its specifications and hardware. If the device is similar to LG V40 ThinQ then it might see the same sort of top-notch hardware treatment if it launches the coming months.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 To Retain 3.5 MM Jack Claims Report

LG has not had a great record in the global smartphone market in the last few years. With the rise of Chinese companies like Xiaomi and OnePlus, LG has seen a decline in sales both in volume and value. The company has to aggressively price this device or in future iterations be at the forefront of newer technology or innovation to survive in the current highly dynamic smartphone industry

June 24, 2019
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 To Retain 3.5 MM Jack Claims Report

The announcement for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series is right around the corner. Various reports and leaks regarding the device have already made many rounds on the internet. However, A new report from a reliable source seems to confirm and disprove a few of the aforementioned rumours from the past.

5. No noticeable software changes.
6. No top speaker grill and much smaller bezels.
7. Power and volume on the left side.
8. "3 cams vertical on small one
3 vertical plus one more on pro under the flash to the right of the stack"
9. Both are centered single hole punch cameras.
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) June 21, 2019

Max Weinbach, the source, went on Twitter (goes by @mweinbachXDA) to list a series of features and design specifications. Weinbach allegedly received the information from his source who gave out a total of 9 details regarding the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10. All of these were shared in the tweet thread. The first thing to be unveiled was the retention of the 3.5mm headphone jack by the upcoming Note series, which may be unlikely considering the leaked renders and cases that have been seen so far.

The South Korean company is apparently not making any new major overhauls with the S-Pen that is claimed to be similar to the Galaxy Note 9‘s pen. Furthermore, the tweet also reported the removal of expandable storage from the standard version of the Galaxy Note 10. Samsung is also reported to not making any new major additions to the software and UI of the upcoming flagship handset. The device will run on the Android 9 Pie based One UI.

Reportedly, there will no longer be a speaker grill on the top of the smartphone leading bezels to be much smaller than its predecessor. Interestingly, the volume rockers and the power button will now both be found together on the left side, a small but notable design change. The tweet also goes on to confirm the vertical setup for the 3 camera sensors, while the fourth being under the flash to the right in the Pro variant.

Also Read: Features And Layout Of Honor’s MagicBook Pro Laptop Leaked

Finally, both of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 versions will be equipped with an infinity-O display. The punch-hole cameras will be embedded right in the middle of the top portion of the screen. Again, these speculations have yet to be confirmed by the company and the only addressal that might be received will be in the form of an official launch. The highly anticipated flagship is set for an announcement in August for those interested customers. Updates will follow regarding the launch and more as additional information is available.

June 22, 2019
HD Renders Of Xiaomi CC9e Reveal An Elegant Smartphone

Xiaomi is soon set to launch brand new smartphones in partnership with Meitu, which is a luxury handset maker that the former took over last year. Even though handsets in the new lineup are currently unannounced, several details about them have already been leaked. In the latest event, the alleged HD renders of the mid-range Xiaomi CC9 smartphone have been revealed on Chinese social media website, Weibo.

Xiaomi CC9e Design

Xiaomi CC9e Renders

As per alleged renders, the Xiaomi CC9e features a large screen water drop notch display on the front with a contoured back that seems to be made out of plastic. The display of the smartphone is surrounded by thin bezels on all sides which provide the device with a high screen to body ratio. Also, the images reveal that the upcoming smartphone will have an in-display fingerprint standard which is slowly becoming a standard in mid range and premium smartphones.

The rear of the Xiaomi CC9e has a pleasing look that only accommodates a vertically aligned company logo and triple camera setup. Overall, the device has an elegant design and adding to the claim is the pearl white coloured rear panel which looks appealing.

Xiaomi CC9e Features

Also Read: Features And Layout Of Honor’s MagicBook Pro Laptop Leaked

The previously leaked poster of the Xiaomi CC9e which was also discovered on Weibo reveals its key specifications. Accordingly, the device will be kitted with the Snapdragon 710 SoC which consists of Octa Core CPU and Adreno 616 GPU. For clicking selfies, the device will feature a 32 MP camera. Talking about the previously mentioned triple rear camera, the main sensor in the arrangement will have 48 MP resolution. In terms of battery, it will be kitted with a 3900 mAh battery which will support 18 W fast charging.

In addition to the CC9e mid-range smartphone, Xiaomi is also expected to unveil a high-end device which will have a flip camera like the newly launched Asus 6z. The alleged render of the said device looks the image shared above.

On the whole, the CC lineup seems like another league of worthy smartphones from Xiaomi’s stable. Although we will have to wait patiently as the launch date of the CC lineup is yet to be announced.

June 22, 2019
Samsung To Debut A New Mid Range Galaxy R Series

Samsung introduced the Galaxy M and the refreshed Galaxy A lineup of smartphones earlier this year; in a bid to take back the market lost to Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi, Honor and Realme. The company has since seen significant success with both the lineups in countries like India. Now, a known gadget tipster has claimed that Samsung is looking forward to introducing a brand new series which will be called the Galaxy R.

Samsung Galaxy R Series

So. What many are calling #GalaxyA90 (SM-A90X) will very likely be launched as the new #GalaxyR series.

– Two models already in the pipeline.
– Both have huge display and triple camera.
– At least one of them comes with 5G support and the other with a very unique camera feature. pic.twitter.com/oJMnzJSYG1
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) June 21, 2019

According to the tipster who goes by the username @OnLeaks on Twitter, the Samsung Galaxy R series of the smartphone will cater to the mid-range. Two devices are currently in development in the lineup, out of which both of them have a huge display and triple rear cameras. It is claimed that at least one of the handsets in the upcoming series will have support for 5G; the next generation of mobile networks.

The other smartphone is touted to have a unique camera feature, details of which are unknown at the moment. One of the smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy R series may be the long rumoured Galaxy A90 which will be rebranded into the new lineup. The device has the model number SM-A90X and was leaked a while ago, but was later claimed to be launched as the Galaxy A80 back in the month of April. This suggests that the “unique” camera feature may be a pop-up mechanism to house the front-facing camera; as the feature was expected to debut with the Galaxy A90.

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Also read: Future MacBook And iPad Models Reported To Feature OLED Display

The upcoming 5G smartphone in Samsung’s R series will not be the first 5G capable device from the company. It has earlier launched the Galaxy S10 5G back in the month of February. While the handset caters to the premium category, the 5G R series device is expected to be a mid-range handset, so it may be the world’s most affordable 5G smartphone when it is introduced. Unfortunately, more details about the lineup including the price and rest of the specifications are unknown at the moment but are expected to be revealed in the following weeks.

June 22, 2019
LG W Series Smartphones India Launch Date Revealed

Korean electronics manufacturer, LG was one of the first OEM that got in the Android smartphone business. Some notable devices launched by the company include the LG Optimus One, LG ThinQ lineup and the LG V lineup. However, due to fierce competition from Chinese companies, LG had to fall back for a while and reiterate its product strategies for the Indian market.

It seems that the company is now ready to make a come back with full force which will happen with a brand new smartphone lineup called the LG ‘W’. Although the company’s upcoming mid range offering, the LG W10 has leaked on several instances (1,2), there were no details about its launch. A tipster on Twitter has shared a leaked launch invitation of the LG W lineup which exhibits that the series will make its global debut on the 26th of June at an event in New Delhi.

In addition, the leaked launch poster also boasts of a triple rear camera module which the device was previously reported to have.

As previously mentioned, one device that is confirmed to launch at the event is the LG W10 which was leaked previously. In terms of looks, the smartphone has a contemporary design with a water drop notch display on the front and a plastic back. The rear of the smartphone houses a triple camera setup, LG branding and a fingerprint sensor.

In terms of battery, the LG W10 will be powered by a 4,000 mAh lithium cell which is likely to support fast charging. The details about the smartphone’s chipset are currently unavailable, however, it is assumed to be kitted with the Snapdragon 660 or Snapdragon 675 SoC which is present on most smartphones in the mid range segment.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 To Pack In A Time Of Flight Sensor

Conclusively, all the details about the LG W series smartphones including price and specifications will be revealed at the launch event which is scheduled for the 26th of June.

June 22, 2019
Samsung Galaxy A10s Leaked Via FCC

Korean electronics giant Samsung launched the refreshed Galaxy A lineup of smartphones back in the month of February. The series was debuted with the Galaxy A50, Galaxy A30 and the Galaxy A10 but was later expanded to include more devices. Now, a new handset in the lineup has been leaked which may be announced soon. A smartphone, purported to be the Galaxy A10s has been listed on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website of the United States; which reveals its details.

Samsung Galaxy A10s

The Galaxy A10s, as the name suggests will be an upgraded variant of the budget Galaxy A10 launched a while ago. The listing on the FCC website reveals the schematics of the upcoming smartphone from the rear. It has been exhibited to feature a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner which is missing from the regular variant of the device. Also, present on the back of the handset is vertically placed dual cameras with an LED flash; which was also not found in the Galaxy A10, which sports a single camera sensor on the rear. The upcoming smartphone in the schematics has been revealed to be 157mm tall and 75.8mm wide; which are almost the same dimensions as the regular variant.

Galaxy A30

Also read: Samsung Galaxy M30s Leaked Via Geekbench

The FCC listing of the Samsung Galaxy A10s claims that it will be powered by a 3900mAh battery; this is a significant upgrade over the 3400mAh cell found on the regular variant. In terms of connectivity, the upcoming smartphone has support for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth and 4G LTE. The handset is further expected to run on the latest Android 9 Pie which is skinned with the current OneUI. Unfortunately, more information like the price of the device is not available as of now. However, the listing on the FCC website suggests its launch is imminent.

June 22, 2019
Samsung Galaxy M30s Leaked Via Geekbench

Korean electronics giant Samsung launched the Galaxy M series of smartphones back in the month of January. The first devices in the lineup were the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20, and the series saw expansion in the name of the Galaxy M30; in the month of February and the Galaxy M40 which was launched last week. The lineup has seen tremendous success and has put Samsung in level with its Chinese rivals in the budget smartphone space in India. Now, reports of another addition to the Galaxy M series has started to surface online. A handset, purported to be the Galaxy M30s has been leaked via Geekbench, a popular performance benchmarking website.

Galaxy M30s

As mentioned above, the Galaxy M30s is expected to be the latest entrant in the popular Galaxy M series. According to the Geekbench listing, the smartphone has the model number SM-M307F. This is in line to the model number of the Galaxy M30 which is SM-M305F in India. The change hints at a slightly upgraded device of the same device. Other details in the lsiting includes an octa core processor with a clock speed of 1.74GHz. It is revealed to be the 10nm Exynos 9610 SoC which is also present in the Samsung Galaxy A50. The chipset consists of an Octa-core CPU and the Mali G72 MP3 GPU. It is a more powerful processor than the Galaxy M30’s Exynos 7904 which should make it a worthy performer.

Galaxy M30

Also read: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 To Pack In A Time Of Flight Sensor

Also present in the Samsung Galaxy M30s is 4GB of RAM which is the same as the regular variant. The device runs on the current Android 9 Pie which is likely to be skinned with the company’s OneUI. Unfortunately, more details like the pricing of the handset are unknown at the moment but the listing on Geekbench insinuates that it may be closer to launch than ever.

June 21, 2019
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 To Pack In A Time Of Flight Sensor

It has been revealed that Korean electronics giant Samsung may launch its latest flagship smartphone; the Galaxy Note 10 on the 7th of August. While there is still considerable time before the handset is officially unveiled, a few key details about the device have already been leaked. Now, fresh reports claim that Samsung has filed a trademark which confirms the presence of a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor in the upcoming smartphone.

Galaxy Note 10 ToF sensor

Galaxy Note 9

Samsung Electronics filed a trademark with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on the 20th of June 2019. It was registered under the name Make & Play 3D and was submitted by an intermediary company named Abril Abogados from Madrid, Spain. This company has often acted on behalf of Samsung, so the connection makes sense. The description under the trademark mentions camera module for smartphones and ToF camera for smartphones. It all but confirms the presence of the sensor in at least one variant of the Galaxy Note 10; rumoured to be called the Galaxy Note 10 Pro.

Huawei P30 Pro

Also read: Xiaomi Announces The Selfie Centric CC Smartphone Series In China

A Time of Flight (ToF) sensor as rumoured on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is generally used for depth mapping and AI features in smartphones. The sensor is also seen in handsets like the Huawei P30 Pro and LG G8. Even Samsung has used a ToF sensor in its Galaxy S10 5G; which was launched back in the month of February. The naming Make and Play 3D suggests the upcoming flagship device may utilise the camera module for AR purposes. It may sport a feature similar to Google Pixel’s Playground wherein users can put objects in real time using their camera. Unfortunately, more details like the price and specifications of the Galaxy Note 10 remains shrouded in mystery. But one can expect them to be revealed as we move closer to the August launch date.

June 21, 2019
Xiaomi Announces The Selfie Centric CC Smartphone Series In China

It was revealed a while ago that Xiaomi is planning on introducing a new, selfie-centric smartphone series in China. This lineup was expected to be made in collaboration with the Meitu brand which Xiaomi acquired last year. Now, the CEO of the company has announced the lineup with a post on Chinese social networking website Weibo and revealed it will be known as the CC series. It was speculated that the company will also introduce new smartphones under the lineup with the announcement, but that didn’t happen.

Xiaomi CC series

As mentioned above, Xiaomi has announced the CC series of selfie centric smartphones made in collaboration with Meitu. The latter, before the former’s acquisition of its hardware business, was a known name in China in regard to smartphones that cater to the young generation. There were no devices launched as of yet, but it is expected that a handset with the moniker CC9 will be the first one to be launched under the series.

The senior Xiaomi executive in his post explained the reason behind the CC name, which stands for Colourful and Creative. The CC9 smartphone will also have a definitive meaning to its name. It is being released on the 9th anniversary of the Xiaomi brand, which is why the number is being added to the name. The teaser that was previously shown off reveals the CC9 will have a flip camera mechanism similar to the Asus 6Z launched a few days ago in India. Unlike the smartphone though, the CC9 will have a triple camera set up inside the module.

Also read: App Store Publishers Reportedly Earn 60% Higher Than Android Developers

The smartphones under Xiaomi’s CC series will be developed by young company executives; which are being referred to as the Chic & Cool 90 team. According to the company’s CEO, the team will pursue design and aesthetics first and then core specifications later. This insinuates that the handsets under the CC moniker will not have top tier hardware and will be focussed towards the youth. Unfortunately, further details about the CC series of smartphones are not available yet but are expected to be unveiled in the following weeks.

June 21, 2019
Huawei Launches The Nova 5 Series In China

Huawei is still going strong despite the heavy setbacks caused by the US trade ban. The Chinese company has now launched the latest offerings in the form of Huawei Nova 5 and Nova 5 Pro. The former of the two is a mid-range smartphone while the other is a flagship-grade premium device.

Nova 5 & Nova 5 Pro

Both smartphones sport a 6.39 inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution alongside a 32MP camera sensor at the front. The rear shooter is a quad camera module with a 48MP, 16MP, 2MP and another 2MP cameras that will consist of a standard, wide-angle lens, depth of field, and macro sensors. Nova 5 is equipped with a 7nm Kirin 810 SoC processor with Mali-G52 GPU, while the high-end Nova 5 Pro will house the more powerful Kirin 980 SoC with Mail-G72 GPU. The chipset in the latter is currently also being utilized by other Huawei and Honor Devices including the P30 Pro, Mate 20 Pro and View 20.

The latest smartphones also feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, which has increasingly become an industry standard. Furthermore, the lower variant will not support NFC, unlike the Pro version. The aforementioned smartphones will be capable of 40W fast charging for its 3500mAh battery. Huawei Nova 5 will be available in a single memory configuration of 8GB RAM with 128 GB of internal storage. On the other hand, the higher specced Nova 5 Pro will have two storage variants with 8GB of RAM and an option of either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

Special emphasis is being placed on the identical camera module of the mid-range and top-end devices. Huawei boasts of improved low-light photography with key regards on night portrait pictures.

Also Read: App Store Publishers Reportedly Earn 60% Higher Than Android Developers

Price & Availability

The Nova 5 is priced at CNY 2,799 (approx. Rs.28,300 ) while the Nova 5 Pro has launched for CNY 2,999 (approx. Rs. 30,400) for the 128GB variant and CNY 3399 (approx. Rs. 34,400) for the 256GB. The smartphones are expected to be released for the global market in the following weeks.

June 21, 2019
Google Pixel 4 Renders Reveal A New Mint Colour Option

Google launched the first smartphone under its Pixel lineup back in the year 2016. The company since has been known for releasing two flagship handsets in the month of October each year. It is expected that the next iteration in the lineup will also follow the same pattern. These devices will be called the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and will be a successor to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL launched last year. While the launch of the smartphones is still a few months down the road, Google in a surprising move revealed how they will look like in a teaser image on Twitter last week. Now, a leaked render of the devices showcasing a new colour option called Mint has appeared online.

Pixel 4

As mentioned above, the Pixel 4 series will be a flagship offering from Google. The leaked image reaffirms the design that was showcased by the company a while ago. The device features a glass sandwich design and a square cutout at the back which houses the camera system. The optical setup of the handsets will be comprised of dual sensors, details about which are unknown at the moment; which will be combined with a spectral sensor. This sensor was also present in the previous generation and helps in reducing the flicker while recording a display of an electronic device.

A contradictory design feature visible in the images of the Pixel 4 renders is the difference in the camera placement in the cutout. While the previous renders had the sensors on the centre part of the square module, the white render has them in the top half. It is believed to be an intentional feature to differentiate between the regular and XL model from the back like done with the Pixel 2 series in the year 2017. The previous models had the camera sensors and LED module swapped to distinguish them from each other. Similarly, the regular Pixel 4 may have the sensors on the top part while the Pixel 4 XL may sport them on the centre.

Google Pixel 3a

Also read: Google Axes Its Tablet Lineup, Will Focus On Laptops Instead

While the previous renders from Google revealed the upcoming flagship smartphones from the rear, there was no information on how the front of the devices will look like. Based on the latest renders, it has been showcased to have a different design to its predecessors. The handsets will have thin bezels around the display with a prominent forehead to house the front-facing sensors. The Pixel 4 series has been leaked to have two selfie cameras, along with a slew of sensors for facial recognition and motion gestures. Unfortunately, more details about the smartphones are shrouded in mystery, but they are expected to be revealed as we move closer to their launch in October.

June 21, 2019