Verizon officially makes Google Messages the default messaging app for all Android phones

At the start of July, AT&T announced that it was changing the default text messaging app for all of its Android phones to Google Messages. With T-Mobile already on board, Verizon was the only major US carrier that was not committed to using Google Messages encrypted RCS solution. That is until now. Verizon is announcing that it has teamed with Google to make Google Messages the default messaging app on Android phones sold by Verizon. Surely, anyone with an Android device on Verizon already had the freedom to download the app from the Play Store and set it as default but making Google...

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Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 to have better heat management than S21 Ultra

We’re expecting to see Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold3 arrive some time next month and expectations of this highly anticipated foldable can’t be higher. We pretty much know everything about the Z Fold3 that there is to know, but a new rumor suggests good news for gamers and heavy users. Fold3 (Snapdragon 888 version) has less heat in daily games, much stronger than S21U, and has a good battery life.— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) July 20, 2021 According to a tweet by @IceUniverse, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 will feature improved thermal management. In other words, the phone will be better at...

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Asus ROG Phone 3 finally gets Android 11 update

While Google was busy beta testing Android 12 for its Pixels for the past few months, Asus has been doing the same thing for last year's ROG Phone 3 - only with Android 11. As a matter of fact, the gaming-oriented device has been stuck on Android 10. Until today. Asus has put out a new firmware update file on its website which takes the ROG Phone 3 from Android 10 to Android 11, finally. However, there's one huge caveat - this is only intended for handsets sold on the Taiwanese market. At least for now. The new build is labeled WW-18.0410.2105.133 and is a 2.72GB download. It brings...

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Check out our Flashback video, we revisit the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini

If you’re one of our frequent readers here at GSMArena, you’re likely aware of our Flashback series. Usually posted over the weekends, we look back at some outdated tech that offers insight on how tech has evolved since then. We’ve also started making Flashback videos highlighting some of the hardware that we played with years ago. This time, we’re visiting the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini that we first reviewed more than ten years ago in 2010. With its chunky 16mm profile, the Xperia X10 mini is a pre-cursor to what we’d eventually see materialize as Sony’s Compact lineup of...

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Google Play update allows you to install Wear OS apps from your phone

Google continues to prepare its Play store for the arrival of Wear OS 3.0 for smartwatches. The latest update allows you to install watch apps from your phone's Play store and adds useful filters to narrow your search to just Watch apps or Watch faces. The Play store app on the watch itself is also getting the UI revamp that Google announced at the beginning of the month, featuring Material You design queues. It's a card interface, which seems to be the best way of using the small screen estate of a circular smartwatch. If you initiate an in-app purchase on your wrist,...

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Samsung Galaxy A52 and A72 get major updates improving camera quality

Samsung Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 are getting a big OTA update with July 2021 security patch from Google. Both OTA updates are rolling out gradually and might take a while before it reaches your market. Screenshot from the changelog The changelog includes the option to remaster photos automatically. The new feature looks for the optimal resolution, brightness, color and sharpness. It also suggests already optimized images. The stability of the camera app has been improved along with the overall picture quality but no details are given. Face recognition and call quality have...

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Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 certified with 67W fast charging, Mi Mix 4 with 120W, Mi CC 1 1 with 33W

The 3C has certified several upcoming Xiaomi devices and revealed their charging characteristics in the process. Among them are the M2105K81AC and M2105K81C, two variants of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5. The latter version has 5G connectivity, which will make it Xiaomi’s first 5G tablet. And it supports 67W fast wired charging, the most out of any Xiaomi tablet so far. There’s a third model, the 21051182C, which tops out at 33W (a Lite model?). Meanwhile, unconfirmed renders and specs for the tablet have also surfaced. The Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 will allegedly be powered by the Snapdragon 870...

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Honor's CEO confirms the SD 888+ for the Magic3 series, talks about photography

In a Global CEO Tech Talk, Honor's boss, George Zhao, revealed several key features of the upcoming Honor Magic3 series. And perhaps the most important one is that both the vanilla Magic3 and the Magic3 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 888+. In addition, the CEO says that the word "magic" in the name has more than one meaning. Firstly, the cameras are optimized to capture the most accurate gold and pink-ish hues in the sky during the so-called "Golden Hour", which is also known as the "Magic Hour". This probably explains the sunset-inspired teaser for the phone too. For those of you...

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Redmi Buds 3 Pro announced as the global version of the Air Dots 3 Pro

Back in May, Xiaomi introduced its Redmi AirDots 3 Pro for the Chinese market and now the TWS earbuds are official for the rest of the world as the Redmi Buds 3 Pro. Pricing is set at $60 though a limited-time promotion gets it down to $40 before shipping. Redmi Buds 3 Pro The specs on the Buds 3 Pro are identical to the Air Dots 3 Pro which entails 9mm drivers and 3-mics for noise cancelation and voice pickup. ANC on these is claimed to block out 35dB of outside noise while connectivity happens over Bluetooth 5.2 with simultaneous connection to two devices at once. Battery life...

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Apple's MagSafe power pack handled, can be charged by an iPhone or over USB-C

Apple’s $99 MagSafe battery pack has already reached its first customers, one of whom, Steven Russel, posted photos and first impressions of the device. Apple MagSafe battery pack on an iPhone with a white silicone case It’s made out of hard plastic and is somewhat chunky. Interestingly, it has a USB-C port for charging – if you have a 20W adapter (or more), it will be able to charge the MagSafe pack and the phone simultaneously. With brown and blue silicone cases • No case The pack sends 15W of power wirelessly to the phone. And it can be used to charge more...

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Redmi Note 10T 5G arrives in India, sales begin July 26

Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi announced the Redmi Note 10 5G back in March, and later in May, another sub-brand, Poco, introduced the Poco M3 Pro 5G, which is just a rebranded Redmi Note 10 5G with a different design. Then in June, we got the Redmi Note 10T 5G, which is a rebadged Note 10 5G carrying a "T" in the moniker. The Poco M3 Pro 5G arrived in India earlier last month, and today, the Redmi Note 10T 5G made its debut in the Asian country. One might wonder what could've been the rationale behind launching the same phone in the same market with the same memory options at the same...

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Bixby confirms August 11 is the date of the next Galaxy Unpacked event

Samsung's huge Unpacked event is happening and it's happening on August 11. Numerous rumors have pointed at that date, Samsung itself confirmed it accidentally before pulling it, and even the teaser for the event leaked.. And now Bixby is openly admitting the date is real. When you ask Bixby when the next Unpacked is, you get an answer in Morse Code. When you run the code - "._ .._ __. .._ ... _ .____ .____" through a Morse Code Translator you get 'AUGUST11' - geeky. Ask Bixby to tell you when's the next Unpacked and you get Morse Code We all know what Samsung will unveil at the...

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Nothing ear (1) to have 24-hour battery life with ANC on

Nothing is launching its ear (1) TWS earphones next Tuesday, and Carl Pei, the company CEO, has revealed some juicy details. The audio wearables will come with a semi-transparent case that will have a 570 mAh battery and will support wired fast charging, as well as wireless. The battery life will be good enough for 24 hours of music with ANC or 36 hours without the noise cancellation, and a quick 10-minute charge will suffice for 6 to 8 hours of playback. The case and the earphones will have transparent elements, and Pei revealed during the interview it was extremely hard to pull...

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More Huawei P50 Pro camera details revealed

Huawei is expected to bring the P50 series on July 29, and zooming in on one of the teaser videos has now revealed key specifications of P50 Pro's camera setup. The writing next to the camera says VARIO-SUMMILUX-H1:1.8-3.4/18-125ASPH which matches the apertures and focal lengths of the P40 Pro and Mate 40 Pro. Huawei Mate 40 Pro This means the telephoto cam will offer 5x zoom, while the ultra-wide-angle cam will have an 18mm equivalent. Huawei P50 with Leica lenses (18mm f/1.8 ultra wide and 125mm, f/3.4 periscope) However those numbers only reveal the apertures and focal...

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Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 prices leak through European retailers, Dbrand shows off Fold3 skins

Samsung’s stilted teaser campaign for the upcoming foldable flagships leaks more often than it gets posted on purpose. The latest tear in the veal of secrecy comes from European retailers, which already list the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3, as well as Dbrand, which has brand new skins ready for the Fold. LamdaTek seemingly has Z Fol3 units on hand in Phantom Green, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black. There are two versions, one with 256 GB and one with 512 GB storage. The former is listed at €2,038.63 with VAT, which is around £1,765. A different retailer has it at £1726.50 with VAT. The...

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Sony clarifies: the Xperia 1 III will get at least two Android updates

Sony representatives reached out to us to set the record straight on the expected software support for the Xperia 1 III flagship. The company plans to deliver at least two Android OS updates to the Mark 3 flagship. That’s a lot better than the single OS update that Sony Netherlands was claiming. And yes, the statement is worded defensively, but that’s to cover unforeseen circumstances. We have to point out that the Sony Xperia 1 III will launch in August in the US and in Europe with Android 11 pre-installed. Google’s schedule shows that Android 12 will reach “platform stability”...

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Oppo Reno6 Z specs listed on company's site day before announcement

Oppo will introduce its Reno6 Z tomorrow in Thailand but a day before the launch we stumbled upon the device’s official specs on Oppo’s Thai website. These confirm past rumors including a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. There’s a punch-hole cutout for the 32MP selfie shooter in the top left corner. The device features Oppo’s signature Reno Glow design with Stellar Black and Aurora colorways. The back comes with a rectangular camera cutout for the 64MP main cam which is backed by an 8MP ultrawide snapper and 2MP macro cam. The phone will support 4K...

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Realme GT Master Explorer Edition white color variant appears in official images

Realme will introduce the GT Master Series tomorrow, which is said to include two smartphones - GT Master Edition and GT Master Explorer Edition. Recently leaked renders of the latter showed us the smartphone's travel-inspired design in two colors, and today we are looking at its white-colored variant, which reminds us of the Oppo Reno4 Pro's Silk White model. These images were posted by a couple of Realme officials on Weibo, and while they didn't share the phone's specs sheet, the company's CMO, Mr. Xu Qi Chase, did confirm that the rear panel of this white version is covered with AG...

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Nokia G50 5G shows up at British retailers with a lower price than the Nokia X10

Back in April HMD Global unveiled the Nokia X-series with a couple of 5G-enabled mid-rangers and the Nokia G-series and more affordable LTE-only models. But there’s no hard 4G/5G divide between the G and X series, apparently, as British retailers have started listing a Nokia G50 with 5G connectivity. LambdaTek lists two colorways, Blue and Sand, both dual SIM phones with a 4/64 GB memory configuration. They are priced £217.52 with VAT included, that converts to about €250/$300. That falls between the Nokia X10 (€310) and the Nokia G20 (€160). MoreComputers undercuts that price a...

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Honor posts a new Magic3 teaser video, this one focuses on the back

The Honor Magic3 series will be unveiled on August 12 with at least two attention-grabbing features – these will be some of the first devices to be powered by the new Snapdragon 888+ chipset and that curious-looking camera. The latest teaser video posted by Honor earlier today offers an extra close look at the camera: And here’s the video from yesterday that showed the Magic3 from the front. The display features an OLED panel with 2.5D curved glass and a dual selfie camera. There will allegedly be a Pro model with an under display camera, but that is not shown in the promo. ...

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iQOO 8 naming and key specs surface

Yesterday brought news of the upcoming iQOO 8 flagship which will likely debut as the first Snapdragon 888 Plus phone on August 4. Now, we get more confirmation on the device’s name as well as some of its key specs thanks to several tips from China. iQOO 8 poster Noted tipster @WhyLab shared an image of an iQOO 8 poster complete with FlashCharge branding. In related news DigitalChatStation also confirmed the upcoming phone’s name and V2141A model number. The tipster also shared some key specs directly from the phone’s About section. iQOO 8 about section and specs We...

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Google Pixel 4 XL receives extra year of warranty due to battery issues

Google’s Pixel phones have had their fair share of hardware issues and the Pixel 4 XL is now getting a warranty extension after countless user reports of significant battery drainage and other power-related problems. Pixel 4XL owners in the US, Singapore, Canada, Japan, and Taiwan are eligible for a one-year warranty extension that covers battery replacements on affected units. Users who experience random restarts and shutdowns, significant battery drainage or have devices that fail to turn on can file a warranty claim via Google’s support page. Google warns users that it may charge...

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Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event's teaser leaks

Samsung's Unpacked event have been is taking place next month and now we even get to see the first teaser for it ahead of schedule. A short GIF image reveals the tag line for the event and hints at what we are about to see. The event will be taglined "Get Ready to Unfold” and if that wasn't clear the short clip shows light dancing as it is coming from inside a foldable phone. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 are coming at 2 PM GMT / 10 AM EST / 7.30 PM IST on August 11. The Galaxy Z Flip3 will be the latest clamshell smartphone by Samsung, and it will have a bigger...

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