Blog

Fortnite’s “Reboot Van” Is Just Like Apex Legends’ Respawn Feature, Will Arrive Next Week

A neck to neck battle is prevailing between some of the best battle-royale games right now, and Fortnite and Apex seem to be grinding it out. Quickly becoming a fan favourite, Apex Legends charmed its new player base with exciting features such as the unique pinging system, special character abilities and the innovative “respawn” option. Recently, Epic Games carried over the pinging mechanism from Apex Legends to its game. As per the latest tweet from the company, Fortnite will soon get a similar respawn feature to Apex Legends.

About The Update

First leaked in February 2018, the feature will allow players to revive their fallen teammates using various “reboot vans” spread all over the map. One of the most bothersome things regarding Battle Royale games is getting removed from the match early and watching your teammates play the entire game without you. In fast-paced Battle Royale games, a lot of players are knocked out of the game in the early stages, and most of them end up leaving the match for the sole reason that they can play another game in the time it takes to spectate the previous one. While Apex Legends was the first game to combat this problem with the help of Respawn Beacons, Fortnite is quickly following in the same footsteps of the EA-published game.

How Does The Reboot Van Work?

Fortnite’s respawn feature looks very alike to its counterpart, except for one gimmick. The reboot vans are likely to be one-time usable, which means that a squad or a player can use the van only once to revive a teammate. However, as hinted in the YouTube video for the same, the vans may turn inactive for a certain duration of time after reviving the teammates but will continue to function normally after the aforementioned period.

We're introducing the Reboot Van in v8.30! Learn all about it in our latest Dev Update.

?: https://t.co/U9ONMlJzjE
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) April 5, 2019

Also Read: Google Store Accidentally Leaks The Upcoming Pixel 3a Smartphone Duo

The reboot vans will be highlighted throughout the map. Also, once the reboot/revival sequence has been initiated, an audio cue will be played along with a beam of light which will inform nearby players regarding the usage of the Reboot van. A lot of players took to criticizing the fact that the game is copying features from its competition, but the game has already proven that it can redefine the whole battle-royale genre with a feature like building structures. The official update may be rolled out in the second week of April 2019.

April 6, 2019
Cases For The Samsung Galaxy Fold To Be Priced At $ 119.99

Samsung Galaxy Fold is probably one of the most awaited foldable smartphones in the market right now, and the device will be made available in markets April 26 onwards. The smartphone was first introduced along with the Galaxy S10 lineup at the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 20. Notably, the device is the first foldable smartphone from the company and is only the second foldable device in the market currently. The Samsung device supports three-way multitasking and features a uniquely designed one-of-a-kind hinge with interlocked gears, which forms the basis of the folding mechanism. As per latest reports, listings for official cases for the same smartphone are now available on UK based e-commerce website, MobileFun.

About The Cases

Bearing a hefty price tag of US$ 119.99 for the highest-priced case, the covers are available in 5 different variants on the aforementioned website. The one priced at almost US$ 120 is a genuine leather cover case for the upcoming smartphone, and it is available in two colour options: Black and White. There is a label beneath these two listings which says “Due in 2 months”, implying that these two cases will go live for sale almost a month after the launch of the Galaxy Fold.

Also Read: Samsung Launches The Galaxy A20 In India

The other three cases are non-official and are priced at almost half the price of the official covers. There is a leather folio case priced at US$ 65.49, a Tough Grip Case for US$ 43.99 and a leather pouch-cum-wallet case priced at US$ 21.99. Out of all the aforementioned cases, only the cheapest case is available for purchase currently. When looked at from a different perspective, it almost makes sense that the company will price its cases at such a high price point, considering that the Galaxy Fold will set its customers back by almost US$ 2000. The foldable smartphone can be pre-ordered in Europe April 26 onwards and will hit the stores on May 3.

April 6, 2019
Google Store Accidentally Leaks The Upcoming Pixel 3a Smartphone Duo

It has been leaked time and again that Google will release a watered down version of its Pixel 3 smartphones this year. The devices were allegedly called Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. While there was no official confirmation from the company about the same, that changes now. Fresh listing on Google’s website lists the Pixel 3a lineup. This suggests the handsets are closer to launch than ever.

Pixel 3a/3a XL

The Pixel 3a lineup will be Googles mid-range offering. The smartphones have been previously leaked to sport a design that is reminiscent of their elder siblings. However, the material of choice is expected to be polycarbonate instead of metal and glass on the Pixel 3 & 3 XL. The front is expected to sport a 5.6-inch OLED display on the Pixel 3a while the Pixel 3a XL will have a 6 inch OLED display. For biometrics and security, the devices will have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Google Pixel 3XL

Under the hood, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL are expected to be kitted with the 10nm Snapdragon 670 SoC. The chipset has an Octa-core processor and Adreno 612 GPU. For optics, a 12 MP rear camera is expected in both the smartphones, while the front snapper will be of 8MP resolution. In terms of memory and storage, the devices are expected to have 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage.

Past leaks suggest that the Pixel 3a smartphone duo will be powered by a 3000mAh battery with support for fast charging. Being Pixel devices, they are expected to run on the current Android 9 Pie with a stock interface and receive fast software updates. The leaked images also confirm the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack on at least one of the two devices.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Xiaomi Cuts Off Support For Older Redmi Smartphones

It was earlier rumoured the company will launch the Pixel 3a smartphone duo at Google I/O next month. However, their listing on the official Google store suggests their launch is imminent. Reportedly the Pixel 3a will start at Rs. 35,000 while the Pixel 3a XL will start at Rs. 40,000

April 6, 2019
Xiaomi Cuts Off Support For Older Redmi Smartphones
Redmi devices hold the status of being some of the most popular smartphones in the market, and Xiaomi has found a lot of success in the hands of Redmi devices. The company is known to launch smartphones with segment-disruptive specifications while keeping the prices budget aggressive. Recently, the Chinese manufacturer launched the Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphone with a 48MP camera, which received rave reviews worldwide. As per latest news, the company has decided to terminate support for older devices.

Which Devices Will Be Affected?

The Chinese technology company believes that this step will be a major part of executing the brand’s overall strategy. Furthermore, the Xiaomi states that cutting off future updates will ensure the stability of older devices. The list of the devices which will be a part of this step are listed below:
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
- Xiaomi Redmi 3S
- Xiaomi Redmi 3X
- Xiaomi Redmi 4
- Xiaomi Redmi 4A
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 3
- Xiaomi Redmi Pro
The company adds that its present devices won’t be affected because of this strategy. The fact that the company is terminating support to its older devices indicates towards the underlying theory that even though Xiaomi is known to tweak its MIUI to provide the most recent updates on the older generation of devices, there comes a time that the smartphone’s hardware may become obsolete. Consequently, such a situation may lead to degradation of user experience on that particular device, which is definitely not the aim of any smartphone brand.

Also Read: The Moto P40 Play With A Compact Form Factor Leaks

Xiaomi also recommended its old users to upgrade to the latest stable ROM if they are running the developer versions of ROM on the aforementioned devices. To the joy of users, the company announced a future program, which will allow users to beta test the stable versions of developer ROMs before their full release on the respective smartphones.
April 5, 2019
Snapchat Launches Snap Games, Snap Original Shows & Upgrades Lens, Snap Kit
Snapchat was first released in the year 2011, and over time, the application became popular because of its interesting Instant Messaging platform. The app allows users to send messages that vanish once the user on the other end has viewed the same. 8 years later, Snapchat is an application with a host of features such as Snap Map (which allows users to view the locations of their friends on the world map) and the Discover tab, which shows stories and video content from celebrities and creators across the world. On its Snap Partner Summit held on April 5, 2019, Snapchat unveiled a plethora of new features that will soon be added to the application.

Snap Games

https://youtu.be/LWD4mfKx3eE

A few weeks back, Snapchat teased a mobile gaming integration within its application. At the event, Snapchat shed light on its new gaming platform, known as Snap Games, which is a platform to play multiplayer games with friends. Furthermore, users can use text or voice chat while playing all those games. At the time of launch, Snap Games is rolling out with a total of 6 games, which are listed below:
- Bitmoji Party
- Tiny Royale (Zynga)
- Snake Squad (Game Closure)
- C.A.T.S. Drift Race (ZeptoLab)
- Zombie Rescue Squad (PikPok)
- Alphabet Hustle (Spry Fox)
Snap Originals

https://youtu.be/oKU99fWC1xs

Interestingly, 2019 seems to be like an year where a lot of brands are trying to enter the show space. First Apple, and now Snapchat has announced its upcoming feature, Snap Originals, which will portray original programs and shows made by Snapchat. The shows will play in portrait mode, surprisingly, and will follow the ‘Stories’ trend of Snapchat. As of now, Snapchat has genres ranging from Teen dramas to documentaries and comedies as well. A total of 10 shows were announced at the time of launch, with a promise of new shows coming up soon.

Snap Lenses

As some users may be aware, Lenses are Augmented Reality effects that can be applied onto images or can be used with the Live Camera to create amazing filters. Lenses and filters are one of the most defining features of this application, and Snapchat has upgraded the same for a better experience. As per the teaser video by Snapchat, the new Lens feature can be used to look up music, products, solve math problems and have fun with landmarks. Moreover, with the new Lens Studio, users can create their own lenses and share them in an active AR community, Snapchat says. Users can find out more about Snap Originals here

Snap Kits

https://youtu.be/a7sfJ8ei25o

Also Read: Samsung Launches The Galaxy A20 In India

As the last announcement of the event, Snapchat stated that it will incorporate new upgrades to the Snap Kit. Snap Kit is a set of development tools that allow developers to embed Snapchat based features in their own applications. Previous apps using Snap Kits are Tinder and Houseparty. Additionally, Bitmoji Kits will allow users to implement Bitmojis (animated avatars) in other applications too. The aforementioned features may be available in an official update very soon, however, Snap Originals will roll out in the upcoming months.
April 5, 2019
Samsung Launches The Galaxy A20 In India

Samsung has launched a new member in the Galaxy A series of smartphones, the Galaxy A20 in India. The device joins the previously launched Galaxy A10, Galaxy A30 and Galaxy A50 in the country. Interestingly, while the latter three handsets have already been launched in India in February, the Galaxy A20 was first launched last month in Russia.

Galaxy A20: Design & Features

The Galaxy A20 features a polycarbonate body with a similar design language to the Galaxy A10 and the Galaxy A30. While the front of the smartphone resembles the former handset, the back is similar to the latter. The device measures 158.4 x 74.7 x 7.8 mm and has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1560 x 720 px. The front has minimal bezels all around the display with a small Infinity-V style waterdrop notch on top. The rear of the smartphone houses a fingerprint sensor which allows it to securely unlocked. Additionally, it also supports face unlock technology.

Under the hood, the Galaxy A20 is kitted with the Exynos 7884 SoC which consists of an Octa-core CPU. The device has a dual rear camera setup comprised of an f/1.9 aperture equipped 13MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture equipped 5MP sensor. For selfies, it has an f/2.0 aperture equipped 8MP camera housed in the notch on top of the display. The smartphone is available with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage which is further expandable by up to 512GB with microSD support.

The Galaxy A20 is powered by a 4000mAh battery, which is an upgrade over the 3400mAh found on the Galaxy A10. It supports 15W fast charging via the bottom mounted USB Type-C port. The smartphone runs on the latest OneUI on top of the current Android 9 Pie. It will be available in three colours namely Black, Blue and Red.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Apple iPhone XI Middle Frame Leaks, Shows Triple Camera Cutout

The Galaxy A20 has been launched in India for the price of Rs. 12,490 and will go on sale starting April 10. The smartphone will be available from all the major online and offline carriers.

April 5, 2019
Galaxy A90 Specifications Leak Online, Reveals Triple Camera Setup

Samsung is expected to launch three new smartphones under the Galaxy A lineup on April 10. The highlight of the event will be the alleged Galaxy A90. According to previous leaks and speculations, it will have a bezel less screen with no notch or hole punch in sight. In a fresh leak on Chinese social networking website Weibo, a user has listed what could be the specifications of the upcoming Galaxy A90. The leak claims the smartphone will be launched as the A80 in China.

Galaxy A90

The leak claims the design of the Galaxy A90 will provide users with a refreshing feeling when held. According to the post, it will measure 76.5 x 165.0 x 9.0mm and will weigh 219g. The smartphone features a 6.7 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 px. As mentioned above, there will be minimal to no bezels around the display. Samsung is expected to use a New Infinity display for the device. For biometrics and security, the handset will have an in-display fingerprint sensor.

The leak alleges Galaxy A90 runs on the Snapdragon 7150 Octa-core SoC. This chipset is unannounced as of yet and is speculated to be an upgrade over the Snapdragon 710/712. The highlight of the smartphone is expected to be its camera mechanism. It will feature a triple camera setup, consisting of an f/2.0 aperture equipped 48MP sensor; combined with an f/2.4 aperture equipped 8MP sensor and a tertiary Time of Flight (ToF) sensor. The camera adopts a pop-up, rotary design which will let it capture images from the front and the back.

Also read: Lenovo Launches The K6 Enjoy With Triple Rear Cameras

In terms of battery, the Galaxy A90 is expected to be powered by a 3700mAh cell with support for 25W fast charging. Furthermore, the smartphone will also feature a new technology for the company. It will forego the traditional earpiece and rely on bone conduction to produce sound from the handset’s screen. While the pricing of the device is not known, it is expected to be priced below Rs. 30,000.

April 5, 2019
Apple iPhone XI Middle Frame Leaks, Shows Triple Camera Cutout

Rumours surrounding the design of the upcoming iPhone XI are already afloat. Since triple camera setups are the market norms for any flagship smartphone these days (except for the Google Pixel), a multitude of fans and consumers are expecting a triple camera setup on the Apple iPhone XI. Previously, leaks had revealed the presence of a triple camera setup on the upcoming device. In recent developments, the images of the alleged iPhone XI’s middle frame have surfaced online.

About The Leak

The middle frame usually forms the basis of a phone’s chassis. It holds the major components of a smartphone together, including the chipset, battery, display panel and the mainframe of the device. The leaked image clearly indicates towards the new triple camera setup of the upcoming device. The module is present on the top left corner of the metal middle frame and has three circular holes.

Consequently, it seems that the flagship’s camera module will sport three camera sensors, a flash and what looks to be a microphone for directional audio capturing. Apart from the primary camera, one of the other sensors can be an ultrawide sensor, whereas the third could be a telephoto lens. The upcoming iPhone is expected to feature Apple’s latest chip and an improved battery upgrade. Moreover, the iPhone 11 is speculated to feature reverse wireless charging, which will allow users to wirelessly charge their accessories including AirPods and other wireless charging compatible devices. This feature was first seen in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, which was launched in 2018.

Expected Availability

Also Read: Apple May Release The iPhone XE With A 4.8 Inch Display This Year

However, Apple fans should take this news with a grain of salt, because it is a leak after all. Apple is also rumoured to unveil a device with a flexible display to go up against other foldable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X and Xiaomi Foldable Smartphone. When and where these devices will be launched is not known to everyone as of now. The iPhone 11 may make an appearance in the second half of 2019.

April 5, 2019
Lenovo Launches The K6 Enjoy With Triple Rear Cameras
Chinese smartphone maker, Lenovo has launched its latest smartphone, the K6 Enjoy in China. The device is a part of the company’s K6 lineup which was launched back in the year 2016. It has been targeted towards the budget segment and promises to offer competitive specifications at an affordable price.

Lenovo K6 Enjoy

The K6 Enjoy has a design similar to the Z5s launched last year, complete with glass on the front and back. It measures 156.4 x 75 x 7.99mm and weighs 161g. The front of the smartphone is dominated by a 6.22 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1520 x 720. To ensure the device has a high screen to body ratio, there is a waterdrop notch on the top of the display. For biometrics and security, the handset has a rear mounted fingerprint sensor with support for face unlock technology.

Under the hood, the Lenovo K6 Enjoy is kitted with a MediaTek Helio P22 Octa-core SoC. For optics, the smartphone has a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP main sensor and an 8MP and a 5MP secondary and tertiary sensor respectively. For selfies, there is an 8MP camera housed in the notch on top of the display. In terms of memory and storage, the handset will be available in the following variants.
- 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM
- 4GB RAM and 128GB ROM
The Lenovo K6 Enjoy is powered by a 3300mAh battery with support for 10W charging via a USB Type-C port. Furthermore, the smartphone supports memory expansion of up to 256GB via microSD. The device will be available in two colours, namely Blue and Black.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Samsung Starts Manufacturing Its 5G Modem For Smartphones

The Lenovo K6 Enjoy has been priced starting CNY 1398 (INR 14,400) for the base variant. It will be available via flash sales starting April 5. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t announced when it will be available in the Indian market.
April 5, 2019
The Moto P40 Play With A Compact Form Factor Leaks

Motorola launched the P30 series of smartphones in China last year which include the standard P30 and the P30 Note. Reportedly the company is working on their successors which include the P40 and P40 Note. A fresh leak claims that in addition to the aforementioned smartphones, Moto plans to launch a less feature-rich smartphone, the P40 Play. The HD renders and video of the handset have been leaked by a notable tipster, onLeaks. Therefore, the plausibility of this turning out true is considerably high.

Moto P40 Play Design And Features

The front of the Moto P40 accommodates a 5.6 inch display that has a waterdrop notch up top. Notably, the bezels surrounding its display are quite prominent which is mainly due to its affordable price tag. The handset measures 147.7 x 71.5 x 9.2 mm while the details about its weight are unavailable.

The right side of the Moto P40 is occupied by the power button and the volume rockers while the left side is occupied by the SIM card slot. The micro-USB port for charging and data transfer is placed on the bottom while the 3.5 mm audio jack is placed on the top. The rear of the smartphone seems to be made out of hard plastic that tapers towards the sides. The rear panel of the handset houses the fingerprint sensor and 13 MP dual camera setup.

Launch Date

Also Read: Samsung Starts Manufacturing Its 5G Modem For Smartphones

Unfortunately, the source has not revealed the launch date of upcoming smartphones. Hence, we will have to wait patiently to hear from Motorola about the compact Moto P40 Play.

April 5, 2019
Samsung Starts Manufacturing Its 5G Modem For Smartphones

The latest trend in smartphones this year has been the advent of 5G. The latest mobile connectivity standard promises better connection speeds and stability. Korean giant Samsung launched its first device supporting the standard, the Galaxy S10 5G at the Unpacked event in San Fransisco on February 20. It features the latest processor from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 855 SoC. To provide the handset 5G functionality, it also had the X50 modem. In a bid to develop a smartphone with homegrown internals, Samsung has started the production of its 5G components, including the Exynos 5100 5G modem, Exynos 5500 RF transceiver and the Exynos 5800 supply modulator.

Samsung’s 5G Components

The Samsung Exynos 5100 5G modem is the company’s first modem that supports the new connection standard. While it completed all the preparations for commercialization in August 2018, it is presently ready for mass production. According to the company, the modem virtually supports most networks, right from the sub 6Ghz networks of 5G to 2G GSM/CDMA, 3G WCDMA, HSPA and 4G LTE. The Exynos 5100 is further paired with the Exynos RF 5500 and the Exynos SM 5800 which is the company’s Radio Frequency and supply modulator solution. Notably, these components combined are claimed to support up to 1 Gbps download speeds.

To maximize the data rate over the 5G network, the Exynos RF 5500 has 14 receiver paths for download and supports 4×4 MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output); and higher-order 256 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modification). All of this helps in an efficient way to maximize the data transfer rate over the latest connection standard. The Exynos SM 5800 on the other hand, is a low-power supply modulator. It has been demonstrated to reduce the power consumption of the 5G modem by up to 30 percent. According to Samsung, it was achieved by adjusting the supply voltage according to the modems RF input signals.

Also read: Apple May Release The iPhone XE With A 4.8 Inch Display This Year

Interestingly, in contrast to the previous connection standard 4G LTE, 5G components in smartphones take up significant space inside the device. This lets the OEM compromise on essential features like a microSD card and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Even Samsung, who is known to retain the said components in its handsets, removed the headphone jack from the Galaxy Fold and microSD card slot from the Galaxy S10 5G to save space. Furthermore, the mobile network standard is also notorious for consuming battery and producing a lot of heat. This is seen as the main reason for the slow, gradual rollout of 5G.

April 5, 2019
Amazon Is Apparently Working On True Wireless Earphones With Alexa Support

The popularity of True Wireless buds is at an all-time high, which is apparent from the fact that every major technology brand is launching its own version of truly wireless earphones. For instance, Beats By Dre unveiled its own truly wireless earphones on April 4, which are known as the Powerbeats Pro. Apple, however, holds the top spot when it’s about TWE (truly wireless earphones). Apple’s AirPods have been immensely popular since its launch in the year 2016, and every other brand is just dropping into the race while Apple has already launched an upgraded version of its AirPods. Another upcoming contender is Amazon, which is speculated to unveil its Alexa based True Wireless Earbuds later in 2019.

Expected Features

The upcoming earphones from Amazon are reported to sport a similar design and functionality to Apple’s AirPods but will incorporate a richer quality of sound as compared to its competitor. Sources say that Amazon’s truly wireless earphones, which is the most important project for the company as of now, will support complete Alexa integration. This will help users to check the traffic, weather, order goods and groceries and use other Alexa commands hands-free without even using the smartphone.

As per sources, the upcoming earphones will support gesture control, implying that users can tap the wearables to answer calls and skip through tracks. The earbuds may have improved battery life over the competition because in terms of TWEs, battery life plays a very significant role. Moreover, the Alexa earphones may sport a more ergonomic design, which will help place it above most of the other True Wireless earbuds in the market.

Expected Availability

Also Read: Top 5 Movie Trailers To Watch This Week, Avengers, Joker And More

Amazon has previously launched personal audio products in the form of its Echo devices, which have Alexa support. As for detailed specifications and features, no official statement has been made by the American multinational technology giant. However, as mentioned previously, the Truly Wireless Earphones will make their into the market by the end of 2019.

April 5, 2019
Meizu’s Upcoming Flagship, The 16S Leaks On TENAA Before Launch

Meizu is a less known Chinese smartphone maker that has launched several innovative devices in the past (1,2). The company has been highly anticipated to launch its upcoming flagship smartphone, the 16s which has been leaked on Chinese mandatory website, TENAA before its official launch.

Meizu 16s

According to the TENAA listing, the Meizu 16s measures 151.9×73.4×7.65 mm and it tips the scale at 166 grams. The images of the smartphone revealed that the front fascia of the upcoming smartphone is reminiscent of the Meizu 16 from the last year. It sports a 6.2 inch AMOLED display that has a pixel density of 2232 x 1080 px. The left and right bezels around its display are almost negligible while the top and bottom bezels are comparatively thicker. The bezel above the display of the smartphone house the earpiece and a single 20 MP front-facing camera.

The Meizu 16s features an Octa-Core CPU which has a clock speed of 2.8 GHz. Even though the TENAA listing does not specify the chipset name, it is most likely to be the Snapdragon 855. Also, the previously mentioned clock speed of smartphone matches that of the chipset. The rear of the smartphone harbours the company branding and dual rear camera setup. The rear camera setup consists of a 48 MP sensor, a 20 MP sensor and a Ring LED flash which provides for even light yield.

In terms of memory and storage, the Meizu 16s has 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. Details about the option for memory expandability are unavailable. The smartphone is powered by a 3,540 mAh battery which is likely to support high speed fast charging.

Launch Date and Price

Also Read: Apple May Release The iPhone XE With A 4.8 Inch Display This Year

Meizu has not yet announced the launch date of the smartphone, the TENAA listing suggests its launch is imminent. The official price of the smartphone will be publicised at the time of its official launch. However, it is reported to priced around Rs 40,000 in India.

April 5, 2019
Apple May Release The iPhone XE With A 4.8 Inch Display This Year

Apple launched the iPhone SE back in the year 2016. The smartphone quickly became one of the best compact devices of its time. Apple has been long awaited to launch its successor which has not yet happened. Pleasingly, a new report claims Apple may finally launch its successor, allegedly called the iPhone XE later this year. Noteworthy, the smartphone may be produced by Wistron, which has massive production plants in India.

iPhone XE

Sources claim the iPhone XE will have a similar design to the original iPhone SE, which suggests an aluminium back. Since metal doesn’t let current pass through the induction method; the possibility of the device supporting wireless charging is ruled out. Reports claim the smartphone will feature a 4.8 inch OLED display with a wide notch and minimal bezels. The notch will feature the components used for FaceID, Apple’s signature biometrics security technology. This suggests the handset will ditch the TouchID in favour of FaceID in comparison to its predecessor.

The reports further claim that the iPhone XE will run on the current 7nm Apple A12 Bionic SoC. This processor is also present on the iPhone XS, XS Max and the iPhone XR. In terms of optics, a single rear camera is expected. This may an f/1.8 aperture equipped 12MP sensor last seen in the iPhone XR. For selfies, a 7MP camera is expected to be housed in the notch on top of the display. Although the report of a smaller iPhone has been rife for quite some time, there has been no announcement from Apple. It may be the case that the Cupertino giant may surprise everyone by launching the aforementioned smartphone.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Top 5 Movie Trailers To Watch This Week, Avengers, Joker And More

The reports claim the iPhone XE might launch in the third quarter of this year. The price of the smartphone is expected to start at around US$ 600 (Rs. 41,400).

April 4, 2019
Apple Stepping Up In-House 5G Modem Production After Conflict With Intel

As per a report, Apple is facing strained relationships with the American chipmaker Intel, due to which it is ramping up its in-house modem production for its future 5G smartphones, which may make their way into the market by the year 2021. Now, It appears that Apple has lost its confidence in Intel’s ability to deliver the promised 5G modems by 2020.

About The Intel-Apple Partnership

Reports state that 1000 to 2000 Qualcomm and Intel engineers are working on the aforementioned chips and modems, which will be used in future iPhones. However, Intel has reportedly missed out on deadlines for the production and development of the XMM 8160 5G modem. While Apple is unsatisfied with Intel’s results, Intel reverted by saying that Apple is a demanding client and that it is very conflicted with Apple regarding the partnership.

Additionally, Intel also claims that it has lowered its margins drastically in light of the partnership, and at the same time, the company has to treat Apple as its number one priority. The internal conflict between the two companies may take a more serious turn, with Intel focusing on more profitable businesses in other categories. Even though doing so might be a breach of contract, Intel may start taking a practical oversight of the situation, which might harm relations between both the companies.

Also Read: Beats Powerbeats Pro True Wireless Earbuds Launched

Consequently, Apple is in a twist regarding the 5G modem production. Companies like Samsung and MediaTek will be unable to supply 5G modems for the iPhones by at least 2020, reports say. As reported previously, Apple has been in a legal fallout with chipset manufacturer, Qualcomm, so the prospects of Apple and Qualcomm working together for a long period of time may be very weak. Nonetheless, Apple is known for treating its customers with the utmost priority, so the American multinational technology company may have something up its sleeve in order to speed up the rollout of 5G iPhones in the near future.

April 4, 2019