With the smartphone cycle for 2018 almost coming to an end, all that we can look forward to as of now is software updates. Possibly the biggest software update in the mobile industry is that of the Android OS. Each year, users wait for the lates version of their beloved OS to see what changes it brings. And now, a Google Pixel 3 XL running on Android Q has been spotted on Geekbench.
Android Pie was announced back in June this year and starting rolling out to devices only around October. Even almost a month after the rollout started, few devices run the latest Android version. In fact, most of the new phones do not run Android 9 Pie out of the box, which is also very surprising.
Geekbench Scores
The Geekbench listing revealed that a Google Pixel 3 XL device is being tested. Running the latest Android Q version with other regular specs. These include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and 4 GB of RAM. The device has a single core score of 2404 and a multi core score of 8510, which is a slight improvement over the scores with the previous OS.
While nothing more about the OS is known as of now, it is expected that users with devices that were shipped with Android Pie will receive the update first. Reports also say that Google is considering letting users test Android Q before its Android Open Source Project release.
This means that this version will not have any additional features which are meant for specific devices. Therefore, users will be able to use the OS as it is, and give better feedback. This also falls under the umbrella of project Treble which had promised access to future versions of Android.
Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has launched a mid-range smartphone called the Honor 10 Lite. Honor states that the smartphone has been designed and developed with the youth in mind.
Design & Specifications
The Honor 10 Lite has a front and rear glass build. It measures 154.8mm × 73.64mm × 7.95mm and weighs in at 162 grams. The device has a 6.21-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 415 ppi. The display has a water drop notch which has the front 24 MP selfie camera. The smartphone has a small cutout above the camera notch which houses the front earpiece. On the rear of the smartphone, it features a fingerprint sensor, company branding, and dual AI-powered cameras along with an LED flash.
Under the hood, the Honor 10 Lite Lite runs the Octa-Core Kirin 710 CPU along with Mali G51 GPU. The smartphone is available in three different memory and storage variants which are as follows:
4 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM
6 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM
6 GB RAM + 128 GB ROM
It also supports memory expansion up to 512 GB via a microSD card. However, this uses the second slot in the hybrid sim tray. The smartphone runs on EMUI 9.0.1 which is built on top of the latest Android 9.0 Pie. Talking about rear cameras, the smartphone has dual 13 MP + 2 MP sensors with AI support that offers camera modes like night scene, AI Beauty, portrait mode and many more. In terms of connectivity, the smartphone gets dual 4G VoLTE support, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5 mm headphone jack and micro USB port for charging and data syncing.
The Honor 10 Lite has a 3,400 mAh non-user removable Lithium-Ion battery which supports charging at 5V/2A.
The Honor 10 Lite is available in three different colors which are Gradient Blue, Gradient Red, and Magic Night Black. It is currently available for pre-booking in China and the prices for all three variants are as follows:
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was launched in an event held by the company last month. The event also saw the launch of the Mate 20 and the Mate 20 X. Along with this, the company launched the Huawei Watch GT. Now, after what seems to be a long wait, the devices are finally heading to India. Invites reading “A Higher Intelligence Is Coming” have been sent out. The text is accompanied by an image of the unique triple camera setup on the Mate 20 Pro. The invite details the launch of the device on 27th November.
While it is not clear as to what all products will see their launch at the event, we can be sure that the Mate 20 Pro will be one of them. Being the flagship phone of the company, whose sub-brand Honor is already raking up a lot of sales in India, the Mate 20 Pro will probably see an aggressive campaign in India. Judging by the pricing at the launch, the Indian price will start somewhere around the Rs 85,000 mark.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro Specs
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro has a 6.39 inch curved OLED display. It has a 3120 x 1440 px resolution and a 538 ppi pixel density. The display sports a notch and has Corning Gorilla Glass for protection against falls and scratches. The phone is also available along with an underwater case, which can be fitted to use the phone for underwater photography.
The highlight of the phone is the newly introduced Hisilicon Kirin 980 chipset. This is the first Android chipset to be built using the 7 nm process. The only other mobile chipset made from this process is Apple’s A12 Bionic, which powers its latest phones. Qualcomm is also set to launch a 7nm chipset soon. The 7nm process of manufacturing ensures that more transistors can be fitted into a smaller area, ensuring better performance and lower battery consumption. The phone also has Dual NPUs for AI integration in the camera and other apps.
Camera Performance
The camera is another interesting part of the phone. Huawei has made the camera setup in collaboration with Leica and the results show. The Mate 20 Pro has one of the best camera performance of all the smartphones out there. It has a 40 MP f/1.8 wide lens along with a 20 MP ultra-wide and an 8 MP telephoto lens. These give it a wide range, even in terms of ISO, with values ranging up to 102,400. It also has macro capability, and can shoot objects as close as 2.5cm.
Under the hood, it packs a 4,200 mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. Another great feature on the phone is the ‘Reverse Wireless’ charging. With this, you can use the Mate 20 Pro to charge another wireless charging enables smartphone. The Mate 20 Pro also has an in-display fingerprint sensor and 3D Face Unlock along with an IR flood illuminator.
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was launched in London at EUR 1049 for its 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. This roughly translates to Rs 85,000. The Indian pricing of the device is still now known and will be unveiled at its launch in India which will be held on 27th November.
The Neighbourly App by Google is meant to make your life easier, by just answering your questions. The app lets you post any question you would have, which would then be answered by people living in your locality. These could include questions regarding a good eating joint, a super market or guitar classes. Earlier, the app was only available in select cities, but now Google has started rolling out the app across India.
The Rollout
The neighbourly app was first introduced in Mumbai in May this year. Google then expanded it to cities such as Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore and Mysore. By the start of this month, the app had more than 1.5 million downloads on the Play Store and had almost half a million people on the waitlist. Now, the app is being rolled out to all cities across India, starting with Delhi and Bengaluru, since these two cities topped the number of users on the waiting list.
The Neighbourly app is Google’s way of bridging the ‘hyper-local’ information gap. Even with most of the services and providers listing themselves on Google or being listed, it is still difficult to find things specific to a certain need. This might include things like where one could find good books for a certain subject and the quality of food at a restaurant and its service.
The app does so by creating a very simple interface. You ask a question on the app, and based on their location, Google presents this location to people around you. Knowing the locality well, they would ideally provide the answers to your questions. Conversely, you can also view and answer other people’s queries. The app has a simple interface and you can also add multiple neighbourhoods, depending on where you use the app. You can also join other neighbourhoods. The app also has certain guidelines to ensure that a certain decorum is maintained within the app.
While the app is a welcome change, we are yet to see how useful it actually will be. It most probably will be a pretty useful app and is a step towards integrating technology with our daily lives.
Samsung is about to introduce a new range of smartphones under the M-series. Recently, a Samsung smartphone with the model number ‘SM-M205F’ had been spotted on Geekbench. This device will probably be named the Galaxy M2, going by the first two characters of its model number. In terms of price and features, the M series smartphones will be placed higher than the Galaxy On series of smartphones which were later renamed as Galaxy J series.
Geekbench Revelations
The Geekbench scores were first uploaded on November 20th. The listing reveals basic specifications like the processor and memory of the smartphone. The device runs on Android 8.1.0 and has 3 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The Galaxy M2 fetches a single-core score of 1319 points and a multi-core score of 4074 points. Therefore, the score puts it in the league of smartphone which features chipsets like the Helio P60 and the Snapdragon 660.
Under the hood, the Galaxy M2 gets the Octa-Core Samsung Exynos 7885 SoC with a base frequency of 1.59 GHz. The chipset accommodates the Mali G71 GPU with two Cortex A73 cores and six Cortex A53 cores. While other specifications of the smartphone are currently unavailable, Samsung’s website does provide some insight about the chipset.
Samsung Exynos 7885
The Samsung Exynos 7885 is manufactured using 14nm FinFET Process and supports eMMC 5.1 and SD(Secure Digital) 3.0. The eMMC 5.1 is the latest standard in storage chips and has a maximum sequential read speed of up to 250 MB/s and a sequential write speed of up to 125 MB/s. Whereas SD 3.0 is the newest external SD card standard with maximum read and write speeds of up to 104 MB/s and 50 MB/s respectively. The chipset is capable of supporting 21.7 MP Front or Rear cameras. It also provides an option for dual 16 MP + 16 MP cameras which can be featured on either the front or back as the company wishes. In terms of connectivity, it offers support for LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.
In conclusion, the Exynos 7885 is a capable chipset. It is dependent upon Samsung as to how well they utilise its potential on the upcoming M2 smartphone.
American chipmaker Qualcomm is about to launch their latest Snapdragon 8150 processor. It will be the successor to the Snapdragon 845. The new processor will be manufactured using the 7 nm FinFET technology compared to its predecessor which is made using the 10 nm technology. Qualcomm claims that the new processor has better performance and consumes less power. Recently, the AI performance of the Snapdragon 8150 was registered on the AI-Benchmark application. The results reveal that the AI scores are about two times higher than the Snapdragon 845.
AI-Benchmark
Model
CPU
RAM
Year
Android
AI-Score
Qualcomm 8150 Dev Platform
Snapdragon 8150
6GB
2018
9.0
22082
MediaTek P80 Dev Platform
MediaTek Helio P80
6GB
2018
9.0
19453
OnePlus 6
Snapdragon 845
8GB
2018
9.0
12274
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980 (NPU)
6GB
2018
9.0
12026
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970 (NPU)
6GB
2018
9.0
8921
Google Pixel 3 XL
Snapdragon 845
4GB
2018
9.0
6895
MediaTek P60 Dev Platform
MediaTek Helio P60
6GB
2018
8.1
5767
The tests were performed on a developer platform (prototype board) and not a real-world device. But it gives a fair idea about what to expect from the new platform. The prototype board with 6 GB of RAM and Android 9.0 Pie scored 22082 points. This score allows it to place at the top of the AI-benchmark results.
The Competition
Surprisingly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 815o is closely followed by the MediaTek P80 chipset. Again, the results from the Helio P80 were collected on a prototype board. It is able to fetch a score of 19453 points. The results are about 400% higher than the company’s Helio P60 which is featured on a lot of budget devices like the Oppo Realme 1.
At number three in this list is the Snapdragon 845 which gets a score of 12,274 points. Shockingly the 7 nm Kirin 980 is at number four in the list which Huawei claimed would have 2 times higher AI-scores than its predecessor, the Kirin 970. But, it only manages to fetch 12,026 points which are only 33% faster than P70’s 8921 points. Another revelation that AI-benchmark reveals is that the Google Pixel 3 XL with the Snapdragon 845 only scores 6895 points. This is probably due to lower RAM capacity and inferior optimisation compared to the OnePlus’s Oxygen OS.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is the upcoming flagship from Samsung and is expected to be the star of the Galaxy lineup. The Galaxy S10 also marks the ten-year anniversary of the Galaxy S series, making it all the more special. Samsung is also hoping that the Galaxy S10 will be Samsung’s big ticket to get back to the top of the smartphone market once again. With so much riding on the next phone, it seems like Samsung is not holding back in terms of innovations. While we thought that we almost knew what all to expect from the phone, a report surfaced, claiming the existence of a fourth variant of the Galaxy S10.
That’s A Lot Of Galaxies
Earlier, a flagship phone defined the standard set by a smartphone company. Obviously, your best would just be one. Now, that has evolved to at least two models, which vary in size, specifications and price. However, four variants to the same phone is a bit too much. Considering the alleged specifications of this device, Samsung might have been better off making it an entirely new phone.
The report details that a fourth Galaxy S10 variant will be available, featuring a massive, 6.7 inch display. This is other than the two 5.8 inch variants (one with a flat display) and one 6.4 inch variant (which was supposed to be the S10+). What’s even more amusing, is the addition of of four rear cameras and dual front-facing cameras. That makes for a total of six cameras on a smartphone. Whether the number of cameras will do the phone any good in terms of performance is still a major question. A prime example of this is the Google Pixel 3. The Pixel 3, despite having just a single lens, beats most of the smartphone cameras out there.
Apart from this, the report also suggests that Samsung is thinking about bringing the reverse wireless charging technology, which was recently seen on the Huawei Mate 20 pro, to the galaxy S10. Sources also say that the phone is known by the name “Beyond X” in the company circles. The 6.7 inch Beyond X will also have 5G support.
Additionally, you can read all there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy S10 by clicking here.
The specification and pictures of the alleged Google Pixel 3 Litewere previously leaked on Twitter. The leaker goes by the name of Rozetkedon Twitter. Now he has shared camera samples that are supposedly shot on the Pixel 3 Lite. The user has shared several samples that include both indoor and outdoor shots. The user reveals that the Pixel 3 Lite, like the elder Pixel 3 & Pixel 3 XL, also has a 12 MP rear camera with dual LED Flash.
Camera Samples
The first sample demonstrates the amount of background blur the device is able to capture in portrait mode. Though the chosen subject could have been better, the shot gives a pretty good idea as to what we can expect from the portrait mode on the device.
The second shot is taken on a public street. Like the other shots, it is crisp and well lit and the objects look defined and well saturated. Again, nothing much can be said about the quality of the images, as the surroundings do not look very bright or have colours that really pop out.
Another shot that was taken on the alleged Pixel 3 Lite produces similar results where the objects can be easily differentiated and the colours look natural. Although Rozetked has not revealed anything about Google’s night camera mode. It is very likely to be featured on the upcoming device as this phone will help attract a lot of potential buyers for the company.
Pixel 3 Lite Specifications
The Pixel 3 Lite has a 5.56-inch display with a resolution of 2220 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 444 ppi. Under the hood, the smartphone has the Octa-Core Snapdragon 670 CPU along with the Adreno 615 GPU. The smartphone has 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of inbuilt storage. It is powered by a 2,915 mAh Li-Ion battery and runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie operating system.
Also Read:LG Launches XBOOM AI ThinQ Speaker
According to rumors, the Pixel 3 Lite will be a mid-range smartphone and will be priced between 400-500 USD. However, Google is yet to comment on the existence or launch date of the smartphone. The smartphone was recently spotted in Android Pie’s source code. Hence, the chances of this being a reality are quite high.
With the latest update, which is already rolling out, Google has added multi-room playback support for the Chromecast, when it is paired with Google Home speakers. This will add the Chromecast to the Home ecosystem and allow you to play a song, a playlist, a podcast or even an audiobook. The Chromecast will then let you play it across all speakers and other Chromecast-connected devices in your house.
Earlier, the Home ecosystem only allowed for speaker groups to be made with audio devices. Obviously, this did not include the Chromecast. The speaker support for Chromecast had been announced by Google way back in October. The feature is already available for users who are a part of google’s preview program. Working on all the generations of Chromecast, the update is expected to reach almost every device soon. Some users reported that there were not able to see the option even after the update. It was later found out that this issue will be resolved after rebooting the device.
The speaker group can be setup through the Google Home app. The speaker group also includes televisions, which can now be aded to the groups. For example, when a TV, which is connected to a Chromecast is synced to a speaker group, you can view the song information on the screen. This is displayed against a background of rotating images.
The new grouping also includes smart displays including the Google Home Hub and the recently launched LG Xboom WK9. Along with this, Google had also added support to pair bluetooth speakers with the Home App. This was done earlier this year and enables users to add voice control to the sound system.
The demand for smart home devices and AI-powered speakers is on the rise. In order to capitalise the upcoming sector, South-Korean electronics giant LG has launched a new Smart Display. The new device is the XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 and is a hybrid between a smart display and speaker.
Design & FeaturesThe XBOOM AI ThinQ has a pretty ‘unique’ design. It looks like a titled cuboid. The smart device measures 370 x 244 x 145 mm and weighs in at 1.51 kg. LG states that the smart speaker was made in partnership with Meridian Technology. Meridian Technology is an English manufacturer that is known for making high-performance audio and video components. LG also collaborated with Google to bring Google Assistant to the smart speaker.
The XBOOM AI ThinQ has an 8-inch touchscreen display which is flanked by 2 channel 20 w audio drivers on either side. It also has a 5 MP camera which is built into the top bezel that can be used for video conferencing. The Smart Display runs on Android Things operating system which is developed by Google. It also supports applications from Google’s ecosystem like YouTube, Google photos, Google maps and many more.
The XBOOM AI ThinQ can also remotely control other appliances the company manufactures. Other smart devices from the company include smart TVs and connected air conditioners. Additionally, the smart speaker can be used to control more than 10,000 smart devices from over 1,000 brands that work with the Google Assistant. The Smart Display only consumes 5.6 watts of power and for connectivity, it has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology.
The XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 is currently available at 199 USD which includes a 100 USD introductory discount. The Smart Display can be directly ordered from LG’s North America website and is available in the black colour.
There is no doubt about the fact that Samsung phones feature some of the best displays, whether they are flagship devices or even mid-range and budget phones. The bit about the mid-range and budget phones might change soon. But the flagships will continue to receive the best-in-class displays. Samsung had introduced the curved, Infinity display with its edge series way back with the Galaxy S6. Soon, the S8 and S9 were only available with curved displays and the flat display option was removed. According to the latest report, this option might be making a comeback with the latest Samsung Galaxy S10.
It is well known by now that the Samsung Galaxy S10 will launch in three different variants. While the only difference between these variants up till now was the size difference and some other unconfirmed specifications, the new report also details the type of displays that they may use. The cheapest variant of the Galaxy S10, which will also be the smallest, is said to have a 5.8 inch flat display. The second model will have a 5.8 inch screen as well, but this one will be curved. The third, tipped to be the Galaxy S10+ will have a 6.2 inch curved display.
The details surface from, a report about the changes in chemical suppliers for the displays. The new suppliers now use organic chemicals for the Red, Green and Blue sub pixels. These will replace the M8 chemicals used in the S9 and Note 9 with M9 chemicals. The report also details that the phones will ‘appear’ in the first half of 2019 and the production for the panels is already underway.
Galaxy S10
While most of us are familiar with the numerous leaks surrounding the Galaxy S10, here is a quick recap for those who aren’t. The Galaxy S10 is Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. The launch of the S10 will also mark the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S devices, making the smartphone all the more special. Some reports also suggest that it is for this very reason that the company had held back on some of the innovations during the production of the galaxy S9, saving it for the S10.
The Galaxy S10 is as mentioned before, expected to launch in three variants. This includes a cheaper version, dubbed as the Galaxy S10 Lite, the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+. Other interesting details about the phone include an in-display fingerprint sensor, a notch-less display (with a camera cut-out or an in-display front camera) and 5G connectivity on the Galaxy S10+. Additionally, this will also be the first phone from Samsung to run on the brand new One UI, out of the box. This will allow for a lot more customisations and a better user experience.
Samsung’s midrange smartphones have not been a hit in recent times. But, things might soon change due to the newly launched Samsung Galaxy A9 that has quad rear cameras and 128 GB of internal storage. The Samsung Galaxy A9 was launched last month in Malaysia and some European countries. Now the company has launched the smartphone in India as well.
Design & Specifications
The new Samsung Galaxy A9 has an all-glass front and rear build with an aluminum unibody frame. The front of the smartphone has a 6.3 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2220 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 392 ppi. The phone has thin bezels on the left and right side while the top and bottom bezels are quite prominent. It has a f/2.0 aperture equipped 24 MP front camera which along with the speakerphone and ambient light sensor is housed in the top front bezel. The front camera can also capture 1080p videos at 30 fps.
The rear of the Galaxy A9 houses the key highlighting feature, the quad camera setup along with a LED flash. The company branding and the fingerprint sensor are also placed on the rear of the device. The left side of the smartphone is occupied by the dedicated bixby button while the volume controls and the power button are on the right. The dedicated microSD + dual sim slot is present on the top of the phone.
Under the hood, the smartphone has the Octa-core Snapdragon 660 CPU along with the Adreno 512 GPU. In terms of memory and storage the Galaxy A9 in available in 6 GB + 128 GB and 8 GB + 128 GB variants, which is expandable upto 512 GB via a microSD card. The smartphone runs on Smasung’s TouchWiz UI which is built on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. The device is powered by a 3,800 mAh Li-Ion battery that also supports fast charging.
In terms of connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy A9 supports dual 4G VoLTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC and a USB Type-C reversible port for charging and data transfer.
Optics and Sensors
The quad rear cameras on the Samsung Galaxy A9 are arranged in a vertical manner and the LED Flash is placed below this arrangement. Each of the four camera sensors on the smartphone has a dedicated function. It has an f/2.4 aperture 8 MP sensor which is an ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree viewing angle. Next, is the f/2.4 aperture 10 MP sensor that has a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom capabilities. These are accompanied by an f/1.7 aperture 24 MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture 5 MP depth sensor.
The newly launched Samsung Galaxy A9 is available in three different gradient colors which are as follows:
Bubble Gum Pink
Lemonade Blue
Caviar Black
The smartphone has a price tag of Rs 36,990 for its 6 GB + 128 GB variant and Rs 39,990 for its 8 GB + 128 GB variant. It will be available via both online and offline channels. Pre-bookings for the phone start today and it will be available from 28th November 2018.
Motorola hasn’t really had an ideal year in 2018. Lower sales and a diminishing fan base have put the Lenovo owned company in a tight spot and they are trying hard to get out of it. The company is looking to ‘mod-ify’ this with its next phone, quiet literally. According to a website, the company is working on a new flagship smartphone and has codenamed it the Moto Odin.
The Mighty Odin And Snapdragon 8150
The Odin smartphone is set to be the next flagship from Motorola, and it is shaping up to be a very exciting one, to say the least. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150 SoC, which is the latest processor from Qualcomm. Even though the chipset has not officially been unveiled by Qualcomm, a foldable phone running on the chipset has already been made public. Additionally, AnTuTu scores of an unknown device running the chipset have placed it above every other Android device till date. The report also tells us that the Odin has a 4 GB RAM and 32 GB storage configuration. But this might get a bump considering that these are just the initial stages of manufacturing.
The Rouyu FlexPai Running On The Snapdragon 8150
The Snapdragon 8150 is based on the 7 nm manufacturing process which is used by Apple’s A12 Bionic and Huawei’s Kirin 980. This manufacturing process allows for more transmitters to be fitted in a lesser space, making the chipset more powerful and battery efficient at the same time. Additionally, it is also said to feature a dedicated NPU which will make AI based problem solving faster.
5G Moto Mod
The next big thing is the continued Moto Mod support, especially that of a 5G Mod. We still do not know if Motorola will offer support for the previously released Moto Mods. Or whether this will feature an entirely new lineup of Mods. However, it is said to have support for a 5G Mod. The 5G Mod was seen earlier this year when Verizon used the same for its first 5G data transmission. This was done with the Moto Z3, which was a Verizon exclusive. As of now, the Moto Odin is said to be a North-American exclusive. But we might see that change with the introduction of the phone in other markets.
Another interesting aspect is talks of an in-display fingerprint sensor. While it is too early to say whether Odin would have this, reports confirm that Motorola is working on this technology for sure. The company won’t use the technology on their mid-range phones. So, it is safe to assume that Odin, being the flagship will carry this feature. Most importantly because it is now a staple feature in most Android flagship these days.
One thing is for sure, we will get to see the phone only sometime towards the middle of 2019. With the pace at which technology is growing, we’re wondering if these few features will be enough to make the Odin a great flagship by the time it is out. Also considering the fact that Motorola has named the device after the mighty Odin, expectations are quite high.
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme launched their first smartphone, the Realme 1 earlier this year. The company since then has launched several other devices in the country that have received a positive response from consumers. Now, the company is about to launch their first U-series smartphone; the Realme U1 in India which will be exclusively available on Amazon. The upcoming smartphone might have a focus on photography due to its tagline “India’s Selfie Pro”. As promised, it will be the first smartphone to run on the MediaTek Helio P70chipset. The smartphone will launch on 28th November at 12:30 AM. The company will live stream the launch event of the upcoming smartphone on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
The company is touting the Realme U1 as a smartphone that shines in the area of photography. Any technicalities regarding the resolution or type of sensor on the device are currently unavailable. But, it is expected to have a high-resolution sensor and optimised software to match it. Additionally, the camera will have AI capabilities that can result in better-looking pictures.
MediaTek Helio P70
The Realme U1 will not only be limited to photography but will also be a solid performer due to the Helio P70 chipset. The Helio P70 was launched last month and is the successor to the Helio P60 which is present on the Realme 1. MediaTek claims that the new processor is a big leap forward from its predecessor. It now has a multi-core APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) which delivers 10-30 % better AI processing than the last generation. According to MediaTek, the processor is up to 35% less power hungry than its predecessor which will lead to better battery backup.
Notch Display
The pre-release webpage of the Realme U1 is already live on Amazon and it reveals that the new smartphone will have a dewdrop notch at the front. This notch will also help to bump up the screen-to-body-ratio of the smartphone.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched earlier this year. It was a big hit among Indian consumers due to its value for money pricing. Xiaomi is now all set to launch the Redmi Note 6 Pro in the country on 22nd November. The specifications of the Redmi Note 6 Pro are quite similar to its predecessor. But, even with similar specifications, Xiaomi claims that it is a major step forward from the previous smartphone.
What’s The Same
Before we start talking about what is different, here are the similarities. The Redmi Note 6 Pro has the same 4,000 mAh battery as its predecessor. Even though the company has tweaked the performance of the new device with MIUI 10, it still runs on the same Snapdragon 636 chipset from the previous generation. Having the same chipset means that both devices have the Adreno 509 GPU.
The company might have bumped up the display size from 5.99-inch to 6.26-inch but the screen resolution and type still remains the same. The new phone still ships with a hybrid SIM tray while the competition like Realme 2 Pro has a dedicated slot for the second SIM. Even memory and storage options stay the same while other contenders in this price range offer up to 8 GB of RAM + 128 GB of ROM.
Specifications
Rear Camera
12 MP PDAF
5 MP Depth Sensor
Dual LED Flash
Battery Capacity
4,000 mAh
Chipset
Snapdragon 636
Octa-Core
GPU
Adreno 509
Display Resolution
2160 x 1080 px
Finger Print Sensor
Rear-Mounted
Display Type
LCD
SIM Slot Type
Hybrid Dual SIM
RAM & ROM
4 GB + 64 GB
6 GB + 64 GB
What’s Changed
Improved Camera Optics
As one cannot judge a book by its cover, the same is the case with camera performance on this smartphone. The Note 6 Pro has a similar camera setup with one 12 MP sensor and one 5 MP sensor. But, the company claims better real-world output from them. The sensor on the new phone features a larger f/1.9 aperture instead of the f/2.2 which was present on the previous model. The larger aperture we hope, allows it to absorb more light, therefore resulting in better lit pictures.
Additionally, the camera of the new smartphone has a 1.4 micron size pixel that will help in capturing better detail. The device also has AI scene detection capabilities that enable it to automatically choose the best scene from 32 different available options.
The Redmi Note 6 Pro has dual front-facing cameras with AI portrait mode and 12 scene detection modes. The front camera setup has a 20 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP secondary sensor for the depth effect. Xiaomi states that the 20 MP sensor is integrated with Super Pixel Technology which when combined with the 2 MP depth sensor produces results equivalent to a 1.8 micron size pixel sensor.
New Design & Corrosion Resistant Ports
The new Note 6 Pro now has a wide notch on the front. With an arc design on the back and a brushed metallic finish. The design not only looks good but, it also improves the grip of the device in the user’s hand.
With the Note 5 Pro, some consumers in coastal regions were left disgruntled. The 3.5 mm jack and charging port on their phone would corrode easily. The company noticed that it was an issue that was mostly faced by people living in coastal regions. Upon investigation, the company found humidity along with salt to be the reason behind the issue. To overcome the problem, Xiaomi now uses a corrosion resistant metal alloy to manufacture the ports for their devices.
P2i Coating
Xiaomi coats the innards of its Note 6 Pro with a P2i hydrophobic nano coating which makes it resistant to light splashes of liquid. However, It does not make the smartphone waterproof. But, the coating will allow the handset to easily survive those accidental liquid spills.
Bigger, Brighter Screen
The Note 6 Pro packs in a larger 6.26-inch display compared to a 5.99-inch on its predecessor. Xiaomi has managed to pack a larger display into the phone while retaining the footprint of its predecessor. Furthermore, the display panel on the new phone can reach up to 500 nits of peak brightness. These high brightness levels allow for easy screen viewability even in harsh sunlight.
MIUI 10
The Note 6 Pro runs MIUI 10 out of the box which Xiaomi claims is highly optimised. According to the company, MIUI 10 significantly bumps up performance on the new device while still featuring the same Snapdragon 636 processor. The new MIUI 10 also has inbuilt support for gestures which makes navigation across the device’s menus a total breeze.
