OnePlus 8 series gets June security patch and AOD screenshot function with the latest Open Beta

OnePlus has released OxygenOS Open Beta 11 for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro and Open Beta 6 for the 8T to bump up the Android security patch level on the smartphones to June 2021. OnePlus 8T Additionally, the new beta builds add the screenshot function for Always-On Display (AOD) and improve the power consumption performance to extend battery life. The changelog for Open Beta updates for all three smartphones is the same. You can check it out below for more details: System Improved the power consumption performance to extend battery life Newly added the...

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Android's Find My Device network will reportedly go crowd-sourced

Both Samsung and Apple have their own trackers: the SmartTag and the AirTag, respectively. What these trackers have in common is they both use a crowd-sourced network of devices to help track and locate lost tags or other devices. An APK Teardown suggests Google is working on a similar crowd-sourced network for locating lost things. The teardown revealed hidden code found in the latest version of the Google Play Services 21.24.13 in the beta channel. The first says ”Allow your phone to help locate your and other people’s devices” and the second one reads ”Find My Device...

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Google chimes in about the fate of current Wear OS watches and the new update

On Wednesday, Qualcomm issued a statement to XDA-Developers where a spokesperson confirmed that the most recent couple of generations of the Snapdragon Wear Platform would be capable of running the new, unified Wear OS version. A Google spokesperson later issued a statement to the same outlet. User experience is a top priority for us. We have not confirmed eligibility or timeline on whether any Wear OS smartwatch will update to the new unified platform. There are many technical requirements in order to run the unified platform that ensures all components of the user experience are...

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Samsung stops selling the Galaxy Z Fold2 in the US

Samsung has stopped selling the Galaxy Z Fold2 in the US through its official online store. When you try to access the page that used to host the listing for the device, you're greeted with an error message telling you that the "Galaxy Fold is no longer available for purchase on Samsung.com". The wording is weird because it references the original Galaxy Fold that was out of stock for months anyway following the launch of the Fold2, but this may just be a case of the person in charge of the copy for such messages simply reusing the text from when the original Fold stopped being offered by...

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Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro are now receiving the MIUI 12.5 update in Europe

Back in February Xiaomi announced the international rollout of MIUI 12.5, the latest version of its Android skin, which was initially unveiled in December in China. Since then, we've seen a steady, if slow, stream of updates headed to various devices in international markets. Over in Europe, the Mi 11 got MIUI 12.5 last month, and now it's finally time for the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro to receive the new software too. They should've gotten it in May as well, but for some reason the rollout got delayed. Anyway, it's here now, so if you have a Mi 10T or Mi 10T Pro purchased somewhere in...

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SA: Samsung and vivo are the fastest-growing 5G smartphone vendors in Q1 2021

The latest report from Strategy Analytics gives more insight into the sales of 5G phones for the January – March period. Samsung (17 million shipments) and vivo (19.4 million) saw the biggest gains on a per quarter basis as they grew by 79% and 62% respectively compared to Q4 2020. Apple still holds the lead with total shipments at 40.4 million but it lost considerable ground compared to last quarter’s 52.2 million shipments. Oppo with 21.5 million and Xiaomi with 16.6 million complete the top-four makers' list. Vendor Q4 2020 shipments (million) Q4 2020 Market share ...

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OnePlus confirms that OxygenOS is here to stay

OnePlus and Oppo have always had a connection, but the two companies made it official last year and yesterday Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus and SVP at the parent company of the two brands, announced that the two will merge even more resources. What does that mean for OxygenOS? Nothing, says OnePlus, after MySmartPrice reached out for clarification. According to Lau OnePlus will continue to operate as an independent brand and this includes developing OxygenOS. OnePlus phones in China used a branch of that OS called HydrogenOS – this was necessary as the local models shipped without Google...

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LG might soon start selling iPhones in its stores in Korea, report claims

LG is exiting the mobile business and yet its LG Best Shop locations in Korea may soon find themselves full of people looking to buy a new phone – not one made by LG, but by Apple. Such a move makes sense as LG stores will soon find themselves with empty floor space and available sales assistants that used to be dedicated to LG phones. According to Business Korea Apple and LG are still in the process of negotiations with some major bits to work out. First off, will these Apple corners within the LG stores be operated by Apple employees or will LG employees from the mother-store help...

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The LG phones that could be surface: LG Stylo 7, LG K33 and K35

LG mothballed its smartphone business, but when that happened several new models were in different stages of development. The LG Velvet 2 Pro was apparently close enough to being ready that LG had a few thousand units produced, which it sold to employees. A couple of weeks ago details on the phone surfaced – an S888-powered flagship with a keyless design. Now, a few more models have cropped up. One of them is the LG Stylo 7, what would have been the 2021 entry in LG’s mid-range stylus-packing lineup. This one would have had a Snapdragon 662 chipset – not exactly exciting, but still a big...

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The Lenovo K13 Pro is the Moto G30, the K13 Note is the G20, confirms the Bluetooth SIG

Yesterday a couple of Lenovo K-series phones appeared on the Google Play Console and we suspected them of being rebranded Moto G devices. That is indeed the case for both as revealed by the Bluetooth SIG, which certified several variants of each device. Bluetooth SIG certifications for the Moto G20/Lenovo K13 Note and the Moto G30/Lenovo K13 Pro The Lenovo K13 Note is a rebadged Moto G20 – the Lenovo has the code XT2128-3, while the G20 has two versions - XT2128-1 and 2. The specs seen in the Google Play Console already matched the Motorola phone, which was announced in...

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OnePlus Nord CE 5G starts receiving its first software update

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G just went on sale and it's already getting an OTA update addressing some issues and bumping up Google's security patch to May 2021. The changelog mentions improvements to the color accuracy of the display, ironing of some stability issues and tuning for the selfie portrait mode. The software version is OxygenOS 11.0.2.2 but the interesting part is that it's still not being widely distributed, with only a limited number of early adopters confirming they got it. There's not even a post in OnePlus' community forum about the update so you might have to wait a...

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Xiaomi sets up Pioneer Team to polish MIUI experience

Xiaomi's MIUI has come a long way in recent years and we've often praised the custom skin for how mature it has become. However, there are still some bugs and inconsistencies feature-wise from one Xiaomi phone to the other. To fix that the company is now gathering a MIUI Pioneer Team. The team will be based in China and its main task is to gather user information and feedback regarding MIUI so the developers' team can better understand the issues Xiaomi phone owners have. Essentially, it wants to work closely with the MIUI community. And although the team is assembled in China, it...

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Motorola Defy officially announced with IP68 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus

Earlier this year Motorola announced a deal with UK-based rugged phone maker Bullitt Group. Now, Moto has unveiled the first phone from the partnership – the Motorola Defy (2021). This is the first Defyphone since 2012 and it has a rugged body with internals similar to the Moto G9 Play. Motorola Defy (2021) It all starts wit the 6.5-inch HD+ screen with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The panel sports a water drop notch for the 8MP selfie shooter. The phone features a ruggedized plastic body which is IP68-certified for water and dust protection. Motorola also assures the Defy can...

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Vivo V21e 5G to launch in India on June 24

The vivo V21e 5G is coming to the Indian market on June 24, per vivo itself. The phone is the namesake of the vivo V21e, which launched back in April in Malaysia, but with a few differences. The Indian model achieves 5G through the use of a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset (confirmed via a recent leak) and it has a different rear panel design with a gradient, two-toned finish. Presenting our Camera Xperience Officer @imVkohliwith the #MostStylish5G in town!​Make every moment stylish with the slim and sleek #vivoV21e​#DelightEveryMoment #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/Njb832sHZd— Vivo India...

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Honor Earbuds 2 SE run for 10 hours and have active noise cancellation

Honor unveiled its first TWS earbuds since the split with Huawei and they're called the Honor Earbuds 2 SE. Costing CNY 469 (INR 5,400/€60, converted), the Earbuds 2 SE have an in-ear design and active noise cancellation, thanks to two dedicated microphones. When not used for cancelling noise, the two mics allow for ambient sound mode so you can have a conversation or hear your surroundings without taking the buds out. The Honor Earbuds 2 SE have 10mm drivers. Honor says the buds will go for 10 hours (7 and a half with ANC) on a charge with another 22 hours available through the...

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Infinix phone with 160W charging leaks in renders

Last week we reported on an upcoming Infinix phone with 160W charging and today we have some images shared by the folks over at XDA Developers showcasing the rumored device in all its glory. Infinix 160W charging phone renders The device certainly looks more premium than past Infinix phones with a curved display and under-display fingerprint scanner. The back houses a triple cam setup while the front has a small cutout in the left corner for the selfie cam. We can also spot a USB-C port on the bottom next to the speaker grille and SIM slot. The power button and volume rocker are...

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LG Velvet LTE gets Android 11 stable update

The LG Velvet 5G received the Android 11 stable update in January, and now it's the LTE model that's getting a taste of Android 11. A detailed changelog of the update is currently unavailable, but we know the new build comes with the usual Android 11 features such as chat bubbles and notification history. It also adds Quick View and Night Time Lapse features to the default camera app. The Android 11 update for the LG Velvet LTE is currently seeding in South Korea, and it should reach all the units in the country in a week or two. Back in April, LG confirmed it will release...

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Leitz Phone 1 is a Leica-branded phone exclusive to Japan

Leica has released its first phone for the Japanese market with the SoftBank exclusive Leitz Phone 1. The internals are shared with another Japan-exclusive phone – Sharp’s recently launched Aquos R6 with the only difference being in the phone’s design including the camera bump which is now circular and comes with its own Leica-branded lens cap. The Leitz Phone 1 comes with a 6.6-inch IGZO OLED display with a 2,730 x 1,260-pixel resolution and an adaptive 240Hz refresh rate display. The big highlight is around the back where we find the massive 1-inch camera sensor. It’s a 20MP...

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Realme Narzo 30 4G and 5G's India launch set for June 24, Smart TV 32" will tag along

Realme India and Europe's CEO, Mr. Madhav Sheth, recently confirmed that the company will launch the Narzo 30 4G and 5G in India this month, and today the phone maker announced the Narzo 30 duo will debut in the Asian country next week - on June 24. Alongside the Narzo 30, Realme will introduce the new Smart TV 32" in the country and promised "more surprises" at the event. Realme hasn't divulged anything about these surprises yet, but we believe the company will announce the Buds Q2 TWS earphones for the Indian market next Thursday, which are expected to be rebranded Buds Air 2...

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