Xiaomi MIUI 12 stable update rolling out to new phones Heres whats new

It’s been just about a month that Xiaomi announced the global version of MIUI 12 for its smartphones, with beta versions rolling out on the same day. Now, with the sale and production of new smartphones impacted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Xiaomi is focusing on rolling out the new interface to new smartphones on priority.

A new report states Xiaomi smartphones have already started to receive the stable update to MIUI 12 which includes the Redmi K30 5G, Redmi K30 Pro Zoom, Mi 9, Mi 9 Pro 5G and Mi 10 Youth. The report claims that the updates started rolling out from June 28 for more phones including the Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 9 Explorer Edition, Redmi K20 Pro and the Redmi K20.

However, it seems there’s still time for the updates to roll out to phones in India. The rollout falls in line with the timeline shared by Xiaomi at the launch of MIUI 12. Xiaomi had promised that the first stable build will start rolling out from June. The rollout will also depend a lot on the COVID-19 pandemic that’s presently raging across the globe.

What’s new in MIUI 12?

MIUI 12 brings a new design that’s powered by a Physics Engine and an animation rendering engine, which makes UI elements appear a lot better and more consistent across the software. The new interface also introduces floating windows to Xiaomi smartphones that can be used for quick replies to messages, or even a game to run minimized. MIUI 12 also supports universal casting to TVs and displays that support Miracast.

Then there are Super Wallpapers which let you tour planets from your phone screen. These wallpapers use part of the same package to animate the home screen, lock screen and the always-on display.

There are also a host of privacy improvements including a better notification management feature. MIUI 12 will highlight the critical components like the camera or microphone used by an app in the background. You can also choose to let apps acquire your location information only when they are running in the foreground.

There’s also a new dark mode that can force third party apps to also emulate the theme style. Lastly, a new Ultra Battery Saver mode is included to make phones last longer on a single charge. It kicks in when the phone hits 5 per cent battery,  and shows a minimalist home screen with just a few essential apps.

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Apple could launch a 108-Inch iPad in 2020, 85-inch iPad Mini in 2021: Report

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to launch a 10.8-inch iPad in 2020 and an 8.5-inch iPad Mini in 2021. It isn’t clear whether the new iPad will replace or be in addition to the 10.2-inch iPad and 10.5-inch iPad Air. It also isn’t clear what chip the upcoming iPads will run on as the refreshed iPad Air and iPad mini in 2019 run on the A12 Bionic chip which is Apple's latest and greatest. It is possible we could get the A13 with the upcoming iPhone 12 and the same chip could find its way to the upcoming iPads. Kuo has also said that a 20W power adapter will come with the new iPads in the box. 

Kuo has often been right with his Apple predictions, but we still suggest you take this with a grain of salt. Apple recently refreshed its iPad Pro lineup and also introduced a snazzy new keyboard that magnetically holds the iPad in place, giving the illusion that it is levitating. The refreshed iPad Pros come with the A12z chip. You can read more about the new iPad Pros here. 

We had a chance to review the iPad Air in 2019 and in our review we said that “The iPad Air is a fantastic device for content consumption, playing games and running a host of different apps from the App Store. It has swift performance and the display is a treat. The battery life and touch response are good too. The sound output from the tablet is good. However, it doesn’t have stereo separation when watching movies and it does not support the second-gen Apple Pencil.” You can read our review in detail here. 

The iPad Mini was also refreshed in 2019, bringing with it Apple Pencil (1st gen) support, A12 Bionic Chip and an upgraded display. Though it does retain its 7.9-inch form factor. It isn’t clear whether the upcoming 8.5-inch iPad will replace the 7.9-inch one or offer customers one more choice for an iPad mini.

At WWDC 2020, Apple announced the latest version of iPadOS and if you want to know if your iPad is compatible with iPadOS 14, then you can check out the list here.

Source

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Everything you need to know about the upcoming OnePlus TVs

OnePlus has been drip-feeding us information about the upcoming OnePlus TV with some new teaser every day. So we thought we’d compile everything we know about the OnePlus TV in one place. We will talk about the speculated pricing, display size, features and more. This includes all the information that OnePlus has confirmed about the OnePlus TVs and some information we are guessing based on the teasers, leaks and out experience. 

OnePlus TV Screen Sizes

As per a Bluetooth listing, it was speculated that OnePlus would launch three variants of the OnePlus TV - 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch. The naming convention in the same listing also hinted that the 32-inch TV would be an HD ready TV, the 43-inch TV an FHD TV and the 55-inch a UHD TV. OnePlus has also teased three prices for the TVs hinting at three models. The 32-inch and 43-inch screen sizes are the hottest space in the TV market right now with brands like Xiaomi, Kodak and more offering TVs in this space and new entries from brands like Realme, Nokia and more. The 55-inch screen space also has Nokia, Xiaomi, Kodak and more flexing their muscles and even though OnePlus has a 55-inch offering in the Q1 and Q1 Pro, its high price tag puts it in the premium TV category.  

OnePlus TV Price

Which, of course, brings us to the price of the new TVs. OnePlus took to Twitter to tease three different prices for the TV. 1X,999, 2X,999, and 4X999. This, of course, represents the price of the three TVs - 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch respectively. As far as availability is concerned, we will know that once the TVs are announced on July 2.  

OnePlus TV display technology

The OnePlus Q1 and Q1 Pro that launched last year were QLED TVs. We recently reviewed a TCL QLED TV and the 55-inch variant of the C715 is priced at Rs 55,990. There are of course higher variants available as well of the TCL QLED TV. It isn’t confirmed whether OnePlus will stay with the QLED bandwagon this time around as the company has only teased features like support for Dolby Vision, 93 percent DCI-P3 colour space, 95 percent screen to body ratio and the fact that the Gamma Engine, which was there in the Q1 will be there on these TVs as well. Since the Q1 TVs supported Dolby Atmos as well, it is likely that the new TV will do the same. Whether we will see any HDMI 2.1 features like eARC remains to be seen. With a lot of budget TVs offering Dolby Vision and smooth Android TV experience, it will be interesting to see how OnePlus distinguishes itself from the crowd.  

OnePlus TV OS and UI

Which brings us to the OS and UI. The OnePlus Q1 and Q1 Pro ran on the Android TV platform with OnePlus’ own Oxygen Play overlaying it. We don't see any reason for the company to deviate from this, rather we think improvements could be made to the UI and UX the TV comes with. The Q1 Pro gave users the best of Android TV and Oxygen Play as UI options, similar to what Xiaomi does with its PatchWall and Android TV options on TVs. OnePlus’ app integration the last time around was impressive giving users features like screenshots, seamless app controls and more and we think the experience could be better refined this time around. Nothing is known about the UI and OS of the upcoming TVs. This is us making an educated guess. 

OnePlus TV remote control

One of the weakest elements of the OnePlus Q1 TVs was the remote control that came with it at launch. It was unergonomic. OnePlus did release a refreshed remote control later on which improved on some of the problems with the original remote control. Whether OnePlus decides to stick with the second-gen remote control or go back to the drawing board and come up with something new is yet to be seen. One of the best features about the first-gen remote control was the USB-C charging. We hope that it is retained. 

OnePlus TV launch date and pre-orders

As we’ve mentioned above, OnePlus will reveal the OnePlus TV to the world on July 2, 2020. There is no information on when the TVs will be available. However, those interested can pre-book the OnePlus TV. Customers can pre-book the OnePlus TV for a mere Rs 1000 and get 2 years extended warranty if they purchase the TV before August 5 2020. You can check out all the pre-booking benefits here.  

OnePlus TV made in India

Information circulating the internet suggests that OnePlus has partnered with Skyworth to manufacture its TVs in India. OnePlus has done this to take advantage of zero import duties of the key component which is the open cell TV panel. It accounts for 70 percent of the cost of the TV. This will help OnePlus keep the cost of the TV down and be more competitive in the Indian market. OnePlus is also making its OnePlus 8 family of smartphones in India in the Oppo facility in Greater Noida, so it is possible that the company is making its TVs in India as well. This isn’t confirmed though. You can read more about it here.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 is expected to be 50 more expensive Will it be worth the premium

With Qualcomm making the 5G modem on the Snapdragon 865 mandatory, Android flagships are struggling to remain affordable with many crossing the Rs 50,000 mark in India, a market where OEMs aim to keep devices affordable. And if you have been hoping the Snapdragon 875 next year will lower the prices again, we have some bad news.

Based on information from South Korea, the Snapdragon 875 will be even more expensive than the current Snapdragon 865. A whopping 50 percent increase in price is expected. A forum post claims the Snapdragon 875 SoC itself will cost $130, as compared to Snapdragon 865’s $85 price tag.

The entire package, however, is expected to go up to $250, where the Snapdragon 865 is being sourced at $160. The forum post claims this is the price Xiaomi will be buying the chipsets at, from Qualcomm. It needs to be noted that the final unit price of the chipsets will depend on the volume ordered. Considering the number of flagship Android phones Xiaomi launches and sells in a year, it’s fair to guess Xiaomi is one of the largest customers for the chip.

The higher $250 price tag is likely what OEMs will have to pay since the company has made the purchase of the entire chipset mandatory, including the 5G modem and the RF components.

Android flagships to become more expensive in 2021

With Qualcomm having a near-monopoly in Android flagship chipsets, the price of these premium smartphones is only going to go up in 2021, if the report is to be believed. This could force OEMs to limit the number of flagship devices, in favour of smartphones powered by the 7-series SoCs. Or opt for silicon from MediaTek and Samsung instead. With the latter finally foregoing the use of proprietary Mongoose cores, we might just see an Exynos chipset go toe to toe with the next Snapdragon 8-series SoC.

What we know so far about the Snapdragon 875

Based on reports coming out of Taiwan, the Snapdragon 875 is already under mass production using TSMC’s 5nm manufacturing node. The Apple A14 Bionic is also being made on the same platform at TSMC. Reports claim Qualcomm is investing 6,000 to 10,000 5nm wafers per month in TSMC for the Snapdragon 875, which also includes the Snapdragon X60 5G modem.

As for the features, new CPU designs released by ARM gives us a good idea on what to expect. The Snapdragon 875 is expected to come with custom Cortex-A78 cores and the Cortex-X1 Super Core. MyDrivers also confirmed that the new cores will debut first on the flagship chipset, followed by the 2021 Samsung Exynos 1000 chip. Qualcomm is likely to stick to the 1+3+4 core configuration.

The Cortex-X1 Super Core promises a whopping 30 percent improvement in speed than last year’s Cortex-A77, while the Cortex-A78 also offering a modest 20 percent increase, as claimed by ARM.

Further reports state Qualcomm will use an Adreno 660 GPU in the Snapdragon 875, and for what maybe for the first time, another Adreno 665 video processing unit (VPU) and an Adreno 1095 display processing unit (DPU).

Provided there’s no halt in production due to the ongoing pandemic, Qualcomm is expected to announce the Snapdragon 875 in December 2020, followed by a debut on a Xiaomi smartphone.

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Affordable OnePlus phone teased on Amazon India ahead of official launch

OnePlus is asking people to guess the name of its upcoming affordable smartphone and as listed the OnePlus Lite and OnePlus Z as two options on Amazon India ahead of the official launch. The affordable OnePlus phone has been leaked previously as the OnePlus 8 Lite and subsequently as the OnePlus Z but there’s no confirmation yet on the official name of the upcoming phone. In fact, OnePlus accidentally indicated that the phone could be called OnePlus Nord instead as has been spotted in a now-deleted picture on Instagram. 

OnePlus is generating a lot of hype in the heads up to the official unveiling of their upcoming smartphone which marks the company’s re-entry into the affordable segment after the OnePlus X that was launched back in 2015. With the new phone, the company could be looking to stay relevant in the affordable price segment of the Indian smartphone market which it once dominated.

OnePlus Nord Leaked Specifications  OnePlus Nord is rumoured to feature a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED screen with a 90Hz high-refresh-rate. The leaks have indicated that the phone could have a dual punch-hole cutout in the corner for the selfie camera. 

The phone will reportedly be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset with an octa-core processor and Adreno 620 GPU. This is paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and there could be more variants as well. 

The OnePlus Nord could come with triple camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 64MP camera, a 16MP ultra-wide-camera and a 2MP macro lens. On the front, there is a 32MP primary camera supported by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera for selfies. 

It is rumoured to be fitted with a 4,300mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging out-of-the-box. Carl Pei even suggested the phone could be priced as much as the original OnePlus One, which launched at around Rs 22,000. We’ll keep an eye out for the official launch that is rumoured to be tentatively scheduled for July 10.

 

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OnePlus 8 series to go on sale today on Amazon India: Here are the alternatives to consider

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are going on sale later today on Amazon India. The OnePlus 8 series was previously available in limited quantities earlier due to production issues likely caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. However, this afternoon, both the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will go on sale on Amazon India and OnePlus India store.

OnePlus 8 series pricing, sale date and launch offers 

OnePlus 8 is priced starting at Rs 41,999 for the base variant in Glacial Green colour with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 44,999 and comes in Onyx Black colour. The maxed-out variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is up for grabs in Interstellar Glow and Glacial Green colours and is priced at Rs 49,999.

OnePlus 8 Pro is priced starting at Rs 54,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage while the maxed-out variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is up for grabs at Rs 59,999. 

As part of the sale offers, OnePlus is offering a 10 percent discount for CITI Bank cardholders, an instant cashback of Rs 1,000 on Amazon Pay for those who pre-booked the phone, no-cost EMI of up to 12 months with major banks, benefits worth Rs 6,000 with Reliance Jio and six bonus audiobooks by Audible. As part of the OnePlus Red Cable Club, new users will also get six-months extended warranty and 50GB free cloud storage.

OnePlus 8 alternatives

OnePlus 8 is perhaps one of the best mid-range flagship phones to consider if looking for a new smartphone that you can depend upon. However, it’s likely that many people don’t want to spend over Rs 40,000 on a smartphone yet so here are the alternatives you can look at instead.

Realme X50 Pro is available starting at Rs 39,999 and comes packed with the latest Snapdragon 865 chipset as the OnePlus 8 along with 64MP quad cameras on the back and support for 65W fast charging out-of-the-box. The maxed-out variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is available at Rs 47,999 on Flipkart.

The iQOO 3 is one of the most affordable Snapdragon 865 powered smartphones in India as it’s available both in 4G and 5G versions. The iQOO 3 also features an AMOLED screen, a 48MP quad-camera setup but supports 55W fast charging out-of-the-box.

The iQOO 3 starts at Rs 34,999 for the 4G variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage while the 256GB storage option retails for Rs 37,990. The 5G variant has 12GB RAM and 256GB storage and is priced at Rs 44,990. There are some cashback offers that buyers can avail which provides cashback of Rs 3,000. 

OnePlus 8 Pro alternatives

While the OnePlus 8 Pro features top-of-the-line specifications, there are other flagship smartphones you can consider especially when you’re spending over Rs 50,000 on a mobile phone.

Xiaomi recently launched the Mi 10, it’s flagship phone in India with a versatile 108MP camera array, Snapdragon 865 chipset, high refresh rate display and support for fast wired/wireless charging. It starts at Rs 49,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and goes up to Rs 54,999 for the other variant with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro specifications 

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are both powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC and are 5G-capable. OnePlus 8 rocks a 6.5-inch FHD+ 90Hz AMOLED display while the same on the OnePlus 8 Pro is a 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED display measuring 6.7-inches. Both are HDR10+ certified and rock in-display fingerprint sensors and punch-hole selfie cameras. 

There's a triple camera setup at the back of the OnePlus 8 including a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, a 16MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP macro. The OnePlus 8 Pro gets a quad-camera setup with a 48MP Sony IMX689 primary sensor, another 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with an ultrawide lens, an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x hybrid zoom and a colour filter lens.

The OnePlus 8 is powered by a 4,300mAh battery while the OnePlus 8 Pro is powered by a 4510mAh battery. Both smartphones get charged via a 30W Warp Charge 30T charger. Only the OnePlus 8 Pro goes a step further and boasts of 30W wireless charging support as well. The OnePlus 8 Pro is also IP68-rated water and dust resistant.

 

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OnePlus confirmed to launch three affordable TVs in India on July 2

OnePlus has confirmed that it’s going to unveil three new televisions in India on July 2, entering into the affordable TV segment. The company is going all-in with marketing the new televisions and has revealed some key details about their upcoming affordable TVs. OnePlus currently sells two TVs in its Q1 series and while there’s no word on what the new and affordable TV series will be called, the company has revealed on its official forum, some of the key highlights about the three upcoming TVs in India.

In the heads up to the official launch, OnePlus is hosting a contest on Amazon India asking users to guess the starting price of its upcoming televisions. In a tweet, the company has also hinted at the starting price of three models, expected to be 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch starting at Rs 1X,999, Rs 2X,999 and Rs 4X,999 respectively.

It's all that you need at a price that you want. Can you guess the price of the upcoming OnePlus TV Series? #SmarterTV #OnePlusTV

— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) June 27, 2020

Based on this, one can speculate that the starting price of the most affordable OnePlus TV could be Rs 19,999 or lower as is also indicated by the contest on Amazon.

Additionally, OnePlus has confirmed that the upcoming TVs have a nearly bezel-less display with over 95 per cent screen-to-body ratio and measures just 6.9mm at its thickest point. The new TVs are expected to come with HD, Full HD and 4K UHD resolution panels with support for Dolby Vision and 93 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut.

The new OnePlus TVs are set to launch in India on July 2 but if you’re interested to get either of the three TVs based on the features teased by OnePlus, you can pre-book the upcoming OnePlus TVs. As a complimentary offer, everyone who pre-orders the upcoming OnePlus TVs will be eligible to get a 2-year extended warranty.

 

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