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Monday

iPhones in 2021 will come with Face ID and Touch ID under the screen

Popular Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo made a bold prediction that iPhones in 2021 will have two biometric authentication methods. The company will keep the Face ID but also resurrect Touch ID in the form of an under the screen fingerprint reader. Yes, we are doing predictions for two years ahead now, but it all makes sense when you think about it. Apple hasn't always been the first one to implement a feature and instead has waited for the tech to mature so it can offer more polished user experience or put its own spin to it. In-display fingerprint technology has only recently started...



Huawei's Q2 saved as patriotic Chinese boost local sales

Since the US put Huawei on a blacklist back in May, the company has been struggling everywhere but in China, where combined with its sub brand Honor it captured 46.1% of the market. Huawei has enjoyed a number 1 position in China for some time and according to a report by the WSJ local companies are going the extra mile to try and boost its sales during its current struggles. One such company is Xinye Lubricating Oil based in Puyang, which is awarding a CNY 500 (€65) vouchers to any employee that switches from an iPhone to a Huawei device. Another is Days Hotel & Suites in...



The first Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 promo video stars LA chef Roy Choi

The first promo video for the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 stars LA chef Roy Choi. In addition to cooking, he's a bit of an entrepreneur too - he runs five businesses, but instead of an office, he prefers to do everything from his phone or his watch. Better yet, he's a fan of the series and previously wore the original Galaxy Watch Active. Now check out the video to see how the Galaxy Watch Active2 helps him throughout his busy day. It's not just calls and reminders, it gives him a nudge when he's been sitting for too long and cheers him on during his runs. The ability to easily swap out...



Asus Zenfone 6 now available for pre-order in the US

The Asus Zenfone 6 will soon be available in the US. B&H has it available for pre-order - here's the link - but note that the shipping date is yet to be set. The 64GB model costs $500 and while the phone has a microSD slot, you may want to go up to the version with 128GB storage anyway - that's $550. Both versions come with 6GB of RAM. By the way, the card slot can house two SIMs in addition to the microSD card (it's not either-or like with hybrid slots). The Asus Zenfone 6 is available in Midnight Black and Twilight Silver Last year, the Zenfone 5z launched at that exact same...



Our Xiaomi Mi A3 video review is up

Ever since its launch in the fall of 2017, Xiaomi's Mi A-line has grown in popularity thanks to its affordable pricing and stock Android software. Now, the third edition is in and its offering some compelling specs like a Super AMOLED display and a triple camera setup alongside the traditional clean software. On the other hand, the resolution of the panel is only 720p, which is lower than both its predecessors and the chipset is a bit dated. If you're pondering whether the Mi A3 is worth it, check out our brand new video review below. This year's Mi A3 brings a much needed refreshed...



ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G goes on sale in China

ZTE has just released the first commercially available 5G phone in China - its Axon 10 Pro 5G. The phone was announced back in February at MWC and packs quite a compelling spec sheet with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display, Snapdragon 855 and a triple camera setup. The only issue is that there are no large-scale 5G commercially-available networks in China yet as they are expected to arrive later on in October. So until then, users of the device will mostly have to resort to 4G networks. For now, the phone is only out in its 6/128GB configuration and goes for CNY 4,999 ($710). Initial...



Huawei Mate 30 Pro will have two large 40MP sensors on the back

Not only will the Huawei Mate 30 Pro have two 40MP sensors, they will be massive too. The main camera keeps the 40MP 1/1.55" type sensor (with quad RYYB filter) from the P30 Pro, the second 40MP sensor goes behind the ultra wide-angle lens. It will be a 1/1.7" sensor - that's the same size as the P20 Pro main sensor! And as you can see in the image shared by @IceUniverse, both sensors are quite a bit larger than the main sensor that Samsung uses in the Galaxy S10 and Note10. In fact, Huawei has had the upper hand in terms of sensor size since early 2018 with the Huawei P20 Pro vs....



Another Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G image leaks

We're yet to see the European and US prices for the 5G version of the Galaxy Note10 yet. What we do know about it is that that Verizon will sell it (along with many other carriers) and it should be available on August 23. Plenty of renders of the phone have leaked already, but since the official reveal is two days away, here's another look: Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G • The LTE version There are no external differences compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ - when it comes to connectivity, it's inside what counts. In the case of the US model, that will be a Snapdragon 855 chipset...



Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro hands-on review



Nokia 8.1 gets Android Q beta 5 along with corner swipe for Assistant

HMD global is now seeding the Android Q beta 5 to the Nokia 8.1. The fifth beta lets you invoke the Google Assistant with a swipe gesture from either of the bottom corners. Other changes include a bit more polish on the gesture navigation as a whole and the latest Android APIs. Starting with Android Q beta 6 the OS will automatically switch to the old 3-button navigation when a custom launcher is used. Dear developers! The latest Android Q developer preview (Beta 5) is now available on the Nokia 8.1. Get ready to summon Google Assistant with just a swipe from either of the bottom...



Huawei to launch a smartphone with HongMeng OS by the end of 2019

Huawei will launch its first devices with HongMeng OS next week - an Honor Smart TV for the Chinese market. However, Global Times reported a smartphone with the mobile system will follow in Q4 2019 to lure developers and fans into the new ecosystem. The information from the state-funded media comes less than a month after Huawei VP assured journalists that HongMeng OS is not intended for mobile phones. The HongMeng OS will be officially released at Huawei's Developer Conference on August 9 in Dongguan. It will be primarily running on autonomous driving platforms, remote medical...



Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 goes official with digital bezel, ECG sensor

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 drops the physical rotating bezel in favor of a digital one. The revamped OneUI now uses a virtual bezel on the Super AMOLED display, a design that maximizes the screen real estate on your wrist. For comparison, the 44mm version has a larger screen than the 46mm Galaxy Watch. The Watch Active2 comes in two sizes - 40mm and 44mm - and two styles. You can have a casual version with a lightweight aluminum body and an FKM wrist strap or a premium stainless steel watch body with a leather strap. In both cases you can swap the strap with any standard 20mm...



Redmi's General Manager confirms the Redmi Note 8 is coming soon

A couple of Redmi fans asked Lu Weibing, Redmi's General Manager, if the Redmi Note 8 is in the works and when should we expect it. To our surprise, Weibing answered, albeit vaguely. He confirmed that the Redmi Note 8 is coming soon enough and it will be "stronger than the next door", as per Google translate. Perhaps what he meant is that it's going to crush the competition or it's a major improvement over its predecessor. Either way, it's good to know that one of Redmi's most successful lineups is getting an upgrade real soon. Via (in Chinese)



Limited edition Huawei P30 Pro gets Swarovski crystal case

Huawei P30 Pro arrived in Pearl White at some markets - it is a pretty gradient reminiscing of a sunlit pearl. To celebrate the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha, the company is now bringing a limited edition gift box that also has a Swarovski crystal-covered phone case. The phone with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage comes in a neat glossy retail box that showcases both the phone's back and the case. Apart from that, it is the same flagship device with Kirin 980 chipset, curved-edge screen and periscope telephoto camera. If the phone is ordered by the end of the day, it will arrive in...



Nokia 6.2 and 7.2 inch closer to release, certification documents suggest

Last month we heard that the Nokia 6.2 and 7.2 will hit the market sometime in August and it looks like that HMD Global is right on schedule. Certification listings suggest that two Nokia devices have obtained Indonesian certification and are ready to be announced. One of the phones is with the TA-1192 model number and we don't know if it belongs to the Nokia 6.2 or 7.2 but one thing is for sure - they are going to be released together. And there's a good chance that this will happen this month. Via



Samsung Galaxy Note10+ prototype spotted out in the wild

Just two days before Samsung's Galaxy Note10 unveiling, a Chinese user was spotted with what appears to be a fully functional prototype of the Note10+. The device sports the centered punch hole and minimal bezels but its screen does not seem to be curved. That's likely just masked by the protective case which serves to hide prototype devices. The short clip shows the user navigating through the OneUI interface but we don't see much else. According to past speculation, the Note10+ will feature the highest screen to body ratio of any device on the market. The top bezel will come in at...



OxygenOS 9.5.8 hits OnePlus 7 with a couple of fixes and August security patch

Just last week, the OnePlus 7 Pro received a software update that squashes a few bugs, fixes a couple of things and bumps up the security patch to August 2019. Well, today the vanilla 7 is receiving the incremental update as well. The changelog is quite similar to the one of the 7 Pro although, the Oxygen version is 9.5.8. It optimizes the adaptive brightness, clears the issue with accidental touches during phone calls and takes care of some minor bugs. As always, it's a staged rollout so the OTA will take some time to reach all users. Source



Kuo: Apple won't raise prices due to higher tariffs, to optimize supply chain

Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released his latest investor note which takes a look into Apple's supply chain logistics and the consequences of the latest tariffs imposed on China by the Trump administration. According to Kuo, Apple is prepared to absorb the extra expenses and the tariffs won't lead to a price increase for Apple products at least in the short to mid term. In addition, Kuo believes Apple will work to boost its non-Chinese production so it can match the demand of the US market thus avoiding the extra tariffs altogether. The new report comes just days after...



Redmi to demo its 64 MP camera on August 7

Samsung announced the ISOCELL Bright GW1 64MP sensor and smartphone companies have been racing to announce their implementation of it. Realme will showcase the technology with a quad-camera setup on August 8, but Xiaomi will aim to be first as it has invited media representatives to a demo the day before - August 7. The new camera is supposed to go on a Redmi smartphone and will output 20 MB images with the new sensor. That's a lot of information, and Xiaomi is going to reveal how it works in its image processing laboratory where the camera department is working. There is a...



Sunday

Realme reaches 10 million shipments worldwide in just over a year

When Realme 1 arrived back in May 2018, it was a great deal and a phone worth recommending. 11 devices later and 14 months further in time, the company finally can join the big boys league after reaching 10 million shipments across the globe. The Weibo profile of the company revealed the impressive milestone that is dated between May 16, 2018 (the announcement of Realme 1) and today's date. Simple math tells us that Realme managed to push over 22,000 devices per day on average. Looking back to the company's path, first it started with the Realme 1 under Oppo's wing, after going...



LG unveils X2 (2019) / K30 (2019) mid-ranger

LG announced its latest affordable handset in South Korea under the name X2 (2019). It arrives with a quad-core CPU, an HD+ screen without notches, and a single camera on the back. The price is KRW198,000 in South Korea, but we expect it to cost about $160 around the world. LG also revealed the phone will have another name in Europe (including Germany, Italy, and Poland) and North America - LG K30 (2019). The phone packs a Snapdragon 425 chipset, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. There is also a slot for microSD cards for expanding on that. The camera on the back has a 13 MP...



Samsung Wireless Powerbank hands-on

Today we're looking at the Samsung Wireless Powerbank, a product that does exactly what it's called. While powerbanks are common, as are wireless chargers, there are very few wireless powerbanks on the market and even fewer from reputed manufacturers. The Samsung Wireless Powerbank goes a step beyond most and also includes fast charging, not just for the wired mode but also for the wireless mode for Samsung's own smartphones. For wireless charging, the powerbank supports standard Qi charging, Samsung's own Fast Charge protocol as well as all the different Samsung...



Top 10 trending phones of week 31

Samsung dominated our popularity chart in week 31, getting six of its devices in the top 10 to Xiaomi's four and taking the first two spots. The Samsung Galaxy A50 leads from the Galaxy A70 with Xiaomi's Redmi Note 7 completing the podium. The newly unveiled Black Shark 2 Pro got fourth, while the Mi A3 makes it three Xiaomi' phones in a row by capturing fifth. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 becomes one of the few tablets to ever be among the top 10 most popular devices in our database, as it edged out the Galaxy A30 for the sixth spot. In eight we have the upcoming Samsung Galaxy...



Week 31 in review: Black Shark 2 Pro, Galaxy Tab S6 and MediaTek's gaming SoC

The mid-summer rarely brings a lot of high-profile announcements, but we got two premium products this week alone. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 slate and the Black Shark 2 Pro gaming smartphone officially began their journeys today. Yet our most read story was not about a device, but a technology. Oppo's new Waterfall display with nearly 90-degree curved panel promises to bring us yet another step closer to the all-screen future and clearly got you very excited. It looks awesome and we might get to see it as early as next year in one of Oppo's flagship models. We got plenty of leaks...



Mi True Wireless Earphones review

The Mi True Wireless Earphones is Xiaomi's attempt at the truly wireless earbuds segment. Employing a very AirPods like design, the Mi True Wireless Earphones bring you that wireless freedom along with features like touch gestures, splash and sweat resistance and active noise cancellation at a very attractive €80 price tag. Design The design of the Mi True Wireless Earphones bears more than a passing resemblance to the AirPods. It comes in a similar dental floss like casing with a top that opens up to reveal the earbuds inside. However, the case isn't as compact as the AirPods and while...