Apple had no choice but to settle with Qualcomm - Intel exits 5G modem business

Following a surprise settlement between Apple and Qualcomm after years of legal back and forth, Intel reveals that it will no longer be in the business of making 5G modems. The timing of this news is no coincidence. After initial litigation began, Apple dropped Qualcomm as a chip supplier and solely relied on Intel as its supplier of LTE modems for the past generation of iPhones. As 5G smartphones go up for sale this year, it was rumored that Apple's 2020 iPhones would feature 5G modems made by Intel. Now that Intel is out of the race, Apple scrambled to figure out how it could compete in...

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Qualcomm and Apple drop lawsuits against each other

On Tuesday in a San Diego courthouse, both Apple and Qualcomm have unexpectedly settled all their legal disputes. This was discovered when Apple and Qualcomm released a joint press release detailing their agreements to drop litigations, just as Qualcomm's head lawyer finished delivering opening remarks. According to the release, the settlement involves a payment from Apple to Qualcomm for an undisclosed amount, a six-year license agreement effective as of April 1 2019, which includes a two-year option to extend. The two also entered a multi-year chipset supply agreement. Today, our...

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Latest OxygenOS beta adds April security patch and parking location features

OnePlus owners are treated to some new features in the latest OxygenOS beta build. Available to phones from the OnePlus 5 to the latest 6T, the new release brings the April security patch alongside several new system features. The added parking location feature seems to be the highlight of the update. Similar to the Google Maps feature, you will be able to either take a photo of your car with geolocation or simply mark the vehicle on the map for convenience. The new parking feature will be directly available as an app in the launcher. Another key addition is the landscape quick reply...

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Samsung sends Galaxy Fold to celebrities for exclusive unboxing video

Before the Samsung Galaxy Fold reaches consumers, it visited a number of celebrity fans who were invited to take part in the exclusive event "The First Fold". Check out their reactions below. You should recognize at least a few of them. First up is Mario Götze, who scored the winning goal in the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, next is Steve Aoki, a Grammy-nominated DJ. Then it's Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things and Twitch star Ninja, plus some of the biggest YouTubers. Samsung also posted another promo video - an interpretive dance that "captures the spirit of the Galaxy...

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Realme lets you buy the 3 Pro before it's announced

Realme will introduce the 3 Pro on April 22, but hardcore fans can pre-order in advance without knowing much about it. Madhav Sheth, the chief of the Indian division, just tweeted that you can participate in a blind pre-order, starting at midnight on April 19 on the company website. It is clear that early adopters will not know what kind of smartphone are they getting. So far we know it will be fast, it would provide "amazing photography" and "super slow-mo" videos and will be available on Flipkart as well. It will also support 60fps for gaming, as demoed by the regional...

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Asus Zenfone 6 goes through FCC, schematic shows dual camera

The Asus Zenfone 6 has received its FCC certification, which reveals some details about the upcoming device. One of the documents mentions the SM8150 baseband processor - that's the Snapdragon 855 chipset. This comes from the FCC label, which will be placed on the back, as shown in this helpful schematic. It looks like the phone will have a dual camera (according to rumors, one of the sensors will have 48MP resolution) as well as a traditional fingerprint reader. The label also reveals the fast charging support - 18W, same as the Zenfone 5z from last year. Notice that there are two...

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Report: US DOJ unlikely to approve Sprint T-Mobile merger

Sprint and T-Mobile are in the final stages of a merger, nearing completion. Following extensive periods of review periods by regulators and a grueling hearing before a committee of US Representatives, a new report from The Wall Street Journal says the outcome isn't so bright. According to people familiar with the matter, staff members of the US Department of Justice have already told T-Mobile and Sprint that the merger isn't likely to be approved in its current state. The cause is apparently the DOJ's antitrust division, who is worried about the impact of the industry when four major...

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Huawei denies reports about selling 5G modems to Apple

Last week, there were reports that Huawei might sell 5G modems to Apple, which currently has no way to source such chips. Today, at a Q&A session Huawei representatives squashed such rumors, saying: "We have no change in our chipset strategy, and no communication with Apple on 5G modems." Huawei has the Balong 5000 modem ready, which is already used in 5G Wi-Fi hotspots and will go into the foldable Mate X. However, the company has so far kept its in-house chips to itself (both modems and Kirin chipsets). Apple's current 4G modem suppliers are not an option for the 5G generation -...

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OnePlus 7 shines in CAD renders again, but this time without a pop-up camera

Earlier last month, we were treated to CAD renders of the OnePlus 7 which gave us a look at the smartphone from multiple angles. Today, some more images of this smartphone have surfaced, but they reveal a different design. These images of the OnePlus 7 come to us courtesy of the usually reliable OnLeaks, and they show us that this 2019 OnePlus flagship will look a lot like the OnePlus 6T from last year. The pop-up selfie camera and notchless screen we saw on previously leaked renders are gone, and they are now replaced with a waterdrop notch display. OnePlus 7 CAD...

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Samsung Galaxy Fold will get software updates out the box

The Samsung Galaxy Fold might just be the most talked about device at the moment as Samsung is preparing to ship out the first units. Those privileged enough to get their hands on Samsung's first foray into the folding smartphone game will find at least one software update waiting directly out the box. As noted by the folks over at SamMobile, some units received firmware version F900FXXU1ASD4 but it did not bring the latest security patch. Therefore, a second update is to be expected in the next few days alongside April's security build. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Fold will continue...

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Facebook drops Messenger payments in UK and France

Facebook is discontinuing payments in its Messenger app for users in the United Kingdom and France. The information comes from Engadget, who it from Facebook itself. The company says it will focus its efforts on experiences that people find more useful and is currently informing users who used the feature for the upcoming changes. Some reports have been saying that Facebook is planning to launch a blockchain "stablecoin", linked to the US dollar. While it is in development for WhatsApp, it might eventually replace the peer-to-peer payments that have just been discontinued. The...

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Leaked Meizu 16s promo video confirms price, camera samples also surface

A promo video for the Meizu 16s has surfaced. It ends with a price - starting from CNY 3,400, which matches the early rumors. That works out to $505/€450, not bad for a phone with a Snapdragon 855 chipset. Plus you get a 48MP camera. A leakster on Weibo shared the following daytime and nighttime photos that compare the Meizu 16s with the Mate 20 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 9. Daylight samples: Meizu 16s • Huawei Mate 20 Pro • Xiaomi Mi 9 Night mode samples: Meizu 16s • Huawei Mate 20 Pro • Xiaomi Mi 9 By the way, the promo video hints at possible materials - that's...

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Samsung Galaxy Fold hands-on review

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Samsung Galaxy S10 5G has the best camera yet according to DxOMark

The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is the new camera king in the DxOMark charts - the rear camera posted a combined score of 112 (matching the Huawei P30 Pro) and the selfie camera got 97 (compared to 89 for the Huawei). Also, the rear camera holds the high score for video recording ever. Interestingly, the 5G model topped the 109 rear camera score that the Galaxy S10+ received, even though it's mostly the same hardware. The ToF sensor - the only addition to the rear camera compared to the S10+ - helps render bokeh in videos and delivers better subject separation in regular shots, but the...

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Counterpoint: Apple dominates premium smartphone market, OnePlus enters top 5

Apple sold the most premium ($400 and up) smartphones in 2018 according to new Counterpoint Research data. A new entrant - OnePlus cracked the prestigious rankings for the first time in its brief history. Overall, the premium segment grew by 14% year on year, despite the slumping global smartphone market which saw a 3% decline. Chinese OEMs Huawei, Oppo, and OnePlus have all expanded their presence, as established players Samsung and Apple lost some share. Apple still dominates with its 51% share, followed by Samsung with 22% and Huawei with 10%. Thanks to strong sales of its P20...

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LG V50 ThinQ 5G launch postponed

The LG V50 ThinQ that was unveiled back in February at MWC 2019 was slated to launch on April 19 in its home country South Korea. However, the company has now announced that the launch has been postponed. LG pushed back the launch citing need to further optimize the Snapdragon 855 SoC and X50 5G modem to offer enhanced experience to V50 ThinQ 5G users. The company also said that it's working with Qualcomm and South Korean mobile operators towards improved 5G service and smartphone interoperability. New release date of the V50 ThinQ 5G is currently unavailable, but LG has said that...

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Realme 3 Pro fast charging support confirmed

The Realme 3 Pro's announcement date is close (April 22) and the company continues to tease it and build up the hype. A landing page has already been set up on Flipkart with a #HateToWait slogan. It appears to be all about the Realme 3 Pro's fast charging feature. It's going to be the company's first smartphone with a fast charging tech on board. It comes as no surprise given that Oppo is a parent company of Realme and it has all the cool charging tech. Some kind of iteration of VOOC charging will likely be implemented. In addition to the landing page, Realme's CEO published a...

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Samsung has finished the development of next-gen 5nm EUV node

Samsung just announced that it has successfully completed the development of its next-gen 5nm EUV manufacturing process and it's ready to ship samples. Samsung claims that the 5nm node boasts 25% better logic area efficiency with 20% lower power consumption or around 10% higher performance for the same power draw. The 5nm node is based on the same EUV lithography process and it will be manufactured at Samsung's Hwaseong foundry. The foundry, by the way, will expand its capacity by the second half of this year and ramp-up production in early 2020. It's still too early to tell but...

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Microsoft launches free-to-play Forza Street

Another racing game is official and its name is Forza Street. A product by Microsoft, this is a spinoff of the Forza Motorsport series and is free-to-play on Microsoft Store for Windows 10. According to the Xbox Blog, it should roll out to iOS and Android "this year". Racing games enthusiasts would recognize Miami Street in the new Forza because it is rebranded under the Forza franchise, aimed to arrive at low-end devices. Microsoft says it is designed for "racing on the go with streamlined controls that focus on timing of gas, brake, and boost". The gameplay is pretty...

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Lenovo Z6 Pro pre-bookings start

Lenovo's now letting Chinese fans register their interest in their upcoming Z6 Pro flagship on the company site and Chinese online retailer JD.com. The pages hype up the phone's camera capabilities and confirm its ample 4,000 mAh battery. The host of leaks and teasers have talked Hyper Vision camera, latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, 5G support and we've even got previews of the retail packaging. The upcoming flagship will feature an unconfirmed minimal bezels and in-display fingerprint sensor. The main attraction, however, seems to be around the back where the supposed Hyper Vision...

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Deal: OnePlus 6T down to INR35,000 ($503) in India

The OnePlus 6T is currently deeply discounted in India. The 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB models have got a price cut of INR4,000 ($57) which brings them down to INR37,999 ($546) and INR41,999 ($603), respectively. The base model, on the other hand, received a discount of INR3,000 ($43) and now costs INR34,999 ($503). The 6T is available at this discounted price on Amazon.in for a limited time, with the company's online store in India still selling the phone at its original prices. The OnePlus 6T got its price slashed in China last week which is obviously the company wanting to clear the...

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Samsung Galaxy Fold infographic describes the phone's front, back and inside

The Samsung Galaxy Fold took years to develop, it's a pretty complicated device. And thanks to its unusual form factor, reading the specs off a table isn't the best way to describe the phone. For example, there are two separate "front" cameras. The infographic below does a solid job of describing the features of the device in both folded and unfolded form. When folded, it measures 17mm at the hinge and 15.5mm at the other end. However, the magic happens when you open up the Galaxy Fold, which gives you a 7.3" Dynamic AMOLED with HDR10+ support and a document-friendly 4.2:3 aspect ratio....

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Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A Android Pie updates cancelled

Xiaomi introduced the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A affordable smartphones almost a year ago with Android Oreo on board. The phones later appeared on the MIUI forums with a promise to get a Pie update, but the company silently changed the development status to "Change of Plan, Suspension of Recruitment", meaning the devices will miss out on the new Android OS. The discontinuation of OS updates is sad news for Xiaomi fans, but it's not all bad. While the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A are unlikely to get Android Pie, they will most certainly keep getting software updates and eventually MIUI 10 and...

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Realme C2 specs surface, might launch alongside Realme 3 Pro

Realme is all set to unveil the Realme 3 Pro next week on April 22, but alongside that, the company will also reportedly announce the Realme C2. Alleged specifications of the C2 have surfaced, talking of a Helio P22 SoC, a dual camera setup (13MP + 2MP) at the back, and an 8MP front camera. It will boot to ColorOS 6 and pack a battery having a capacity higher than 4,000 mAh. The size of the C2's display is currently unknown, but the source claims that it will come with a waterdrop notch. Realme C1 The Realme C2 is reported to carry a price tag of around INR8,000 ($115). There's...

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vivo Y17 surfaces with 20MP selfie camera and 5,000 mAh battery

Chinese phone maker vivo is about to launch the Y17 in India towards the end of this month, a new report claims. The company hasn't revealed anything about this smartphone officially, but a leak brings us its images and some of its specs. The smartphone borrows the design language from previous Y series smartphones like the Y91 - a waterdrop notch display on the front with a multi-camera system on the back accompanied by a fingerprint scanner. The Y17 will have 4GB RAM and 128GB storage as well as a 5,000 mAh battery. It will feature a 20MP selfie camera, but at this point we don't have...

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Realme 3 with Helio P60 arrives in Pakistan

Realme 3 arrived with a Helio P70 chipset in India back in March, but the company said it would hit other markets with the Helio P60 platform by Mediatek. One of them is Pakistan, where the phone just made an official debut. It will be available for purchase on April 20 at online and offline retailers, with prices starting from PRK21,999, which is about $155. The Realme 3 has two memory configurations - 3/32 GB and 4/64 GB. The low price is for the first one and will be only at the local online retailer Daraz. The roomier version is priced at PRK28,999 (about $205) and can be bought...

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Google teases May 7 announcement of Pixel 3a and 3a XL

A leak from earlier this month hinted at Google's Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL going official in May. Now, the search giant itself has teased May 7 announcement for these mid-rangers. Google has set up a page on its online store promoting the upcoming Avengers: Endgame movie. The page has a big "G" logo in purple shade with "Help is on the way." written underneath. It also has text that reads "On May 7, something big is coming to the Pixel universe" which hints at the announcement of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL on the said date. Google has also announced a Playmoji pack for the Pixels which...

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