Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro debut with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipsets, 50MP main cams

After months of leaks and rumors, Xiaomi’s 12 series is now official with two entries - Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro. The vanilla model takes a compact approach with its 6.28-inch screen while still fitting the very best Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. The 12 Pro bumps up the size to 6.73-inches and also boasts the same SoC but it also adds an LTPO AMOLED display, bigger battery, faster charging and more capable camera hardware. Xiaomi 12 Xiaomi 12 comes with the smallest screen on a Xiaomi flagship since the Xiaomi Mi 8 days which is a welcome move for compact flagship enthusiasts....

Xiaomi introduces MIUI 13 with enhanced security and privacy

Xiaomi had a big event today, filled with many announcements. Lei Jun, CEO and co-founder of the company, has opened the stage with the revealing of MIUI 13 - the latest user interface which will have improved privacy featured and enhanced security. It will also allow multiple Xiaomi devices in one network to cooperate like never before, including phones, tablets, TV, smart wearables, smart home devices, and the XiaoAI voice assistant. Privacy is a crucial concern for smartphone users, so Xiaomi implemented a three-step verification process, although it sounds like it could work in...

Microsoft patent reveals possible tri-fold Surface phone

A new patent from Microsoft may have just revealed an early look into the company’s “multi-panel device” which boasts a tri-fold design. The patent was granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) last week and shows a sketch of a device with two hinges that opens up to reveal one massive screen made up of three distinct sections. When folded back up the device can serve as a traditional smartphone and looks to be in the Surface Duo mold with a wide profile. Microsoft “multi-panel device” (image: USPTO) There aren’t any further spec details from Microsoft nor...

vivo confirms iQOO 9 launch date and looks

The vivo iQOO 9 series was rumored to arrive next week with an extra-big camera island on the back, according to a leak from last week. The company decided to lift the curtain and reveal that the leak was right - the new series will launch on January 5, and yes, the rectangular camera island is really that big. vivo iQOO 9 teasers The new iQOO 9 will retain the BMW M design on the back, and vivo also confirmed the screen. It will remain Samsung E5 AMOLED, but this time it will be a second-generation panel. The phone will also be the official KPL device, meaning all competitors...

Realme GT 2 series boasts Samsung Display LTPO screen with A+ DisplayMate rating

Realme is all set to introduce its GT 2 series on January 4 and as we inch closer to said date we get more details. Just a few days ago we got to see the GT 2 Pro Master Edition’s display in a teaser video and today we get plenty of details about the panel’s specs. Realme GT 2 series display specs (images: Weibo) Realme GT 2 series will bring a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with 3216 × 1440px resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. The screen already received an A+ rating from DisplayMate and is will be protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus. Realme GT 2 series...

Oneplus 10 Pro appears in retailer listings, could launch on January 4

OnePlus 10 Pro was confirmed to arrive in January 2022, and the phone is already up for reservations, which is just a feature to notify users when the product arrives. A listing on JD.com said the pre-order is scheduled for January 4, and we think this is also the launch date in China. Smartphone companies usually put their phones up for pre-order when the device is launched, but OnePlus is not a typical maker, since it is as popular overseas as it is at home. We would not be surprised to see a simple teaser on January 4 with some of the key features of the phone, like a Snapdragon 8...

MIUI 13, Watch S1 will arrive alongside Xiaomi 12 series

Xiaomi will introduce the 12 series tomorrow, December 28. In a series of posts on Weibo the brand also confirmed the new MIUI 13 will debut alongside the flagships, as well as a new high-end smartwatch for business professionals, called Xiaomi Watch S1. Xiaomi Watch S1, MIUI 13 Pad, MIUI 13 teasers MIUI 13 will have a separate version for tablets, and unsurprisingly will be called MIUI 13 Pad. It will allow multitasking for more than two apps - one on big background, and at least two more in floating windows. The regular-sized MIUI 13 is expected to be a slight upgrade over the...

Tecno will bring Spark 8 Pro on December 29 with 33W fast charging

Tecno Spark 8 arrived back in August, and now the brand revealed a Pro sibling is on its way. The Tecno Spark 8 Pro will be launched on December 29 and will charge at 33W, the fastest ever in the Spark portfolio. The Twitter account of Tecno India posted the teaser, suggesting the “super-fast charger” will fill the battery from 0 to 85% in just one hour, which is a massive improvement over the 18W standard in the Spark 6 (quickest one so far) and 10W disappointment in the regular Spark 8. We don’t know much about specs, but we can assume the screen will be LCD from the image, given...

Honor Magic V teaser highlights gapless design

Honor’s first foldable smartphone will be announced soon and we’ve already got reports that it will debut with a horizontal fold design and Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Today, Honor posted a short video teaser highlighting the phone’s design and we finally got to see its cover screen alongside glimpses of the primary large screen, hinge mechanism and the device’s bottom. The main screen appears to have an interrupted appearance with no visible camera cutout. It remains to be seen if Honor completely omitted a selfie cam on the inward panel or went with an...

Xiaomi reveals key 12, 12 Pro specs while live photos leak

Xiaomi is expected to introduce its new flagship series tomorrow, December 28. We expect to see the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro on stage, while rumors also suggested a Xiaomi 12X is on its way. The phones will have Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipsets, and today company CEO and co-founder Lei Jun revealed more key features about the duo. The Xiaomi 12 will ship with 67W fast wired charging and 50W wireless, while the Pro will bring 120W to the table. Meanwhile the full list of alleged 12 Pro specs leaked online, along with some renders and live photos, suggesting yet another camera redesign that...

Top 10 trending phones of week 51

Oppo's Find N foldable phone did stay long in the spotlight and after being the most popular smartphone in our database last week didn't even make the top 10 this time around. Instead all eyes are on the Xiaomi 12, which is due to be announced in two days. It leads from the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G, which have been in these positions for three weeks now. In fourth place we have another upcoming phone - the vivo V23 Pro, which just edged out the newly introduced Huawei P50 Pocket foldable. That pushes the iPhone 13 Pro Max to sixth, just ahead of another new...

Best phone speakers of 2021

What are the best-sounding smartphones to come out this year? Not the ones that are the loudest - that's settled by the numbers in our tests and we already covered it. No, we're talking about the phones that we can listen to with our own ears and truly like what we're hearing. And while some of the phones we've gathered here are objectively loud and that did help their cases, that's not what got them on this list in the first place. We introduced the current testing methodology in early 2020 to replace the old one in an attempt to offer a test that better reflects real-world usage of...

Huawei Watch GT3 review

Huawei has consistently delivered impressive smart wearables for the past few years and it's no wonder we welcomed the Watch GT3 with high expectations. Having spent the better part of a month putting it through its paces we are now ready to share our impressions with you. Spoiler alert: it's very good, an the 2021 smartwatch to have for many a user. Read on to find out if you are among them. Design and Build The Huawei Watch GT3 adopted the rotating top button from its more premium Watch 3 siblings, down to the neat detail with the engraverd brand name. The bezel has minute...

Week 51 in review: Galaxy S22 leaks aplenty, Huawei P50 Pocket is here

Another week down and only one left to go in 2021. It was business as usual, which means a lot of Galaxy S22 leaks. We saw official cases for the Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra, as well as a look at the new S Pen. We saw the Galaxy S22 series dummies pictured side by side for scale, as well as a reported official poster for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. We learned that all three S22 models will have glass backs, as opposed to last year's series, where only the Ultra was all glass. Finally, the Galaxy S21 FE is expected to become official on January 3 and launch on the 11. The upcoming phone was...

My top 5 phones of 2021 - Kaloyan

We all know this year wasn't great as many things went from bad to worse. The mobile industry suffered from supply shortages that caused cancelled launches and premature discontinuations. But the year 2021 still gave us some incredibly good smartphones, beacons across a sea of incremental upgrades (or even downgrades). I have reviewed, helped review, or just used, a lot of phones this year and there are certainly a few that left their mark and became an instant recommendation to give to friends and family. Those are not necessarily flagships; they are just good smartphones for various...

Top 10 most popular reviews of 2021: Q2

It's the end of the year, we are all feeling a bit nostalgic. Having gone throught the most popular reviews of the first three months of the year it's now time to recap what phones of the second quarter got your interest. The Xiaomi Poco F3 review, topped the Q2 chart just barely spilled over into April. It was unveiled alongside the Poco X3 Pro, which soaked up a lot of spotlight in Q1 and there are quite a few similarities between the two devices. Mostly that they embody Xiaomi's ambition towards ultimate value-for-money. The Poco F3 will run you more than the budget X3 Pro,...

Weekly poll results: Oppo Find N showered with love

Folding phones seem to have an ever-increasing fanbase and Oppo Find N is no exception despite its single-market availability. W loved our time spent with the compact foldable doing our full review and plenty of you are also fond of Oppo’s first folding phone. Last week’s poll was all about your opinion on the Find N and now that the votes are in, we have a clear majority that believes Oppo made the best foldable to date. And there’s good reason for all the positive feedback, Oppo really made a well-rounded device with a unique form factor that does not really have a direct competitor...

Best tablets of 2021

Working, studying and spending more time at home than ever before leads to some unexpected market trends. The tablet market was dormant for years with Apple having an unparalleled lead over competitors yet once 2020 rolled in things began to change. Android makers re-emphasized their efforts in the once-forgotten tablet sphere and we got plenty of interesting options in all price points over the past twelve months. Apple also kept improving its own iPads with its refreshed mini and high-end Pro models. We’ve gathered a bunch of our top picks for the best tablets of 2021 and are presenting...

Anker 547 USB-C charger provides up to 120W of power while teaching you math

Anker has launched a new multi-device charger featuring four USB-C ports. This charger is capable of providing up to 120W at the same time, provided you can do a bit of math. The way this works is that different ports on the charger have different outputs. One of the ports is capable of sending up to 100W of power by itself if it's the only one in use. Another one can do up to 60W and then the remaining two can do 20W each. Now, if you plug in two devices, the 100W port drops down to 90W if you use one of the two 20W ports or 60W if you use the 60W port. And if you're charging...

Apple iPhone 15 Pro to come without a SIM card slot

Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 lineup in September, and the iPhone 14 is still months away from the launch, but rumors around the iPhone 15 have already started doing rounds on the internet, with the latest one claiming Apple will ditch the physical SIM card slot beginning with the iPhone 15 series in 2023. Word comes from Brazilian publication Blog do iPhone, which says that the 2023's Pro models (tentatively called iPhone 15 Pro) will not have physical SIM card slots and will rely entirely on eSIM technology for connectivity. The source also claims that these iPhones will come with dual...

Winners and losers: Apple

It was a challenging year for all brands, but Apple ends up an absolute winner. Sure, it ended up a victim of the chip shortages as well and is still having trouble putting all of its devices on store shelves. But those devices are in high demand and when that's said for devices as expensive as Apple's are, you know they are pretty great. Apple grew its sales in much of 2021. Whether it was tablets, laptops, or phones, Apple either was the number one or in the top five among rivals. Couple that with Apple's unmatched high margins and it spells a superb 2021. But it wasn't all wins for...

Samsung Galaxy S20 will get Android 12-based One UI 4 stable update next, no more betas

Samsung's been testing the Android 12-based One UI 4 beta on the Galaxy S20 series for some time now, but the lineup won't get any more beta builds since the Korean tech giant has said that the S20 smartphones will receive the stable update next. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra This revelation comes from Samsung Korea's Beta Operations Manager, who said "there are currently no plans to open additional betas" and the company is "preparing to open the official version." While that's undoubtedly good news, the official didn't tell which S20 series smartphone will receive the stable One UI 4...

iQOO 9 and 9 Pro to debut on January 5, leaked poster reveals

vivo sub-brand iQOO is getting ready to unveil its next flagship smartphone duo, comprised of the iQOO 9 and the iQOO 9 Pro. According to a leaked poster that surfaced in China today, these will become official at an event on January 5. As you can see from the image below, the iQOO 9 has a racing stripe design and an unnecessarily huge camera island at the rear. It sports three sensors, and a lot of unused glass - maybe the other half can be used as a mirror? A usually reliable tipster has shared the following image that's said to be of the iQOO 9 Pro, and the design is very similar...

Motorola is working on a new foldable Razr

The foldable smartphone space is definitely heating up these days, with more and more companies announcing more and more such devices. Motorola was one of the pioneers of the space, with the original foldable Razr launched in 2019. The 5G followup a year later made much smaller waves, but the company is undeterred and in fact it's already working on the next generation Razr. This information comes straight from a Lenovo exec, posting on Weibo (Lenovo owns Motorola). He promises that the next Razr will be more advanced in terms of performance, and it will come with an improved UI....

The top stories of 2021: Q1

Welcome to our recap of the top news articles of 2021. We'll start with the main events of the first three months of the year and we'll cover the next quarters in the following episodes of the series. The first quarter of the year was transformative and shaped a lot of 2021. Qualcomm had just announced its Snapdragon 888 in the last month of 2020, and the first phones with the new flagship chipset came out at the turn of 2021. The Xiaomi Mi 11 pioneered the SD888, but notable phones with Qualcomm's new silicon included the Mi 11 Pro, the Redmi K40 Pro+, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Mi Mix...