Huawei's 100W charger gets 3C certified

Honor announced the Honor 50 Pro last month with 100W charging, and it appears its former owner Huawei will follow suit soon since a 100W Huawei charger (20V@5A) with model code HW-200500C00 has been certified by China's 3C. We don't know when Huawei will launch a smartphone with 100W charging, but since its 100W adapter has bagged 3C certification, we should soon hear about a Huawei device that will charge at up to 100W. The freshly announced Huawei P50 and P50 Pro go up to 66W, with the latter also supporting 50W wireless charging. You can read our Huawei P50 series announcement...

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Samsung Galaxy A52 5G in for review

Say hello to the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, the latest arrival at HQ. It's got several differences to the 4G-only Samsung Galaxy A52, which we reviewed in March, even though the colors match. The biggest differences are that the 5G model gets faster 120Hz refresh rate on its 6.5-inch Super AMOLED and that is has a 5G-ready Snapdragon 750G in place of the Snapdragon 720G of the 4G model. For the €450 starting price, the unboxing is underwhelming. You get a SIM tool, a USB cable and a 15W charger. That's one slow charger and no case, but that's also the norm with Samsung's A...

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Samsung Galaxy Buds2 price in Europe revealed

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Buds2 TWS headphones have been in the rumor mill for quite some time now and the leaks themselves are pretty extensive too. We already know most of the features as well as the design and available colors. What's left is the pricing. We've had some price guesses already from various sources, but this is the first one coming from а tech media with a solid track record when it comes to this type of stuff. If its internal connections are right, the Galaxy Buds 2 will cost approximately €172.90 including VAT. As of now, the Galaxy Buds Pro go for about...

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 to launch with MIUI 12.5, company's PR confirms

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 is reportedly all set to launch in August and previous rumors suggest that the handset will launch with the company's MIUI 13 software. In fact, it was believed that the event would not only be about the handset but about the new version of the OS too. However, Xiaomi's PR, Wang Hua, disproved those claims by saying that developers are still working on polishing out the user experience, which also happens to be the main focus of the new MIUI 13. It will take some time before Xiaomi announces MIUI 13, that's for sure. This information is in line with Digital Chat...

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Weekly SamMobile Quiz 84 – Come test your Samsung knowledge!

Fancy yourself as a Samsung superfan? Take our quiz and see how many answers you can get right! This is a fun activity that we do with our readers every week to test their knowledge of the Korean giant. The quiz has a mix of easy and difficult questions that most fans should be able to answer without turning to Google.

We make a new quiz for you every weekend so we hope that you’ll participate and learn a thing or two about Samsung in the process! Don’t forget to share the results of the quiz with your friends and see if you can outscore them. A little competition never hurt anybody!

Remember, if the quiz isn’t loading properly, please access the non-AMP version of this webpage.

The post Weekly SamMobile Quiz 84 – Come test your Samsung knowledge! appeared first on SamMobile.

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Xiaomi opens up another store, this time in Bulgaria

Perhaps Bulgaria is one of the few countries left in Europe that doesn't have its own Mi Store, but that's not the case anymore. The company officially unveiled its first Mi Store in the country's capital Sofia. Mi Store in Sofia, Paradise Center We had the chance to talk to a representative, who said that this is just the first of many Mi Stores in the country and it has plans to open up a lot more. Additionally, the official Mi Stores in Bulgaria will work with a new distributor with its own channel. This, in turn, means that the Mi Stores will offer some products that you...

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Samsung Galaxy S21 series is receiving the August 2021 Android security patch

Samsung released the August 2021 Android security patch for the Galaxy A52 a few days ago, followed by the A72 and A8 (2018). Now, the company has rolled out the latest security patch to three more smartphones - Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra The new build carrying the August 2021 security patch comes with firmware version G99x0ZCU2AUGE, and the update for the S21 Ultra requires a download of about 300MB. The update is currently seeding in China and should begin rolling in Hong Kong and Taiwan in a few days, with the...

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Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers now available for download

There has been no shortage of leaks concerning the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung has already confirmed its August 11 Unpacked event so we may not have to wait for long until these devices are unveiled.

The leaks are going to continue right up until the event. The latest only today brings us the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers.

Download Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers

Samsung has gone for an impressionist vibe with the new wallpapers for the upcoming foldable devices. It’s keeping that butterfly silhouette for the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s wallpapers as we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It just appears to be more ornate and as if it’s been painted by hand.

We get similar vibes from the Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers. The colors are vibrant and the abstract design really makes them look quite unique. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers are available in four different color combinations.

You can download them now and start using them on your existing foldable devices should you so desire. They’ll only really fit the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Galaxy Z Flip. This leak includes the wallpaper for the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s cover display as well. The color and design is consistent with the wallpaper for the internal foldable display.

The post Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 wallpapers now available for download appeared first on SamMobile.

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S Pen Pro details surface, including pricing

A recent tweet revealed some spicy details around the upcoming S Pen Pro - Samsung's stylus that can be used with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold3. Interestingly, the post went unnoticed for days but it comes from a fairly reliable source. The active stylus is said to feature a thin 0.7mm tip that shouldn't damage the handset's foldable screen, supports 4096 pressure levels and charges over USB-C, which is kind of unexpected. Of course, the S Pen Pro will be sold separately and will attach magnetically onto compatible cases. The post ends with an estimated price of £70 in the UK. For...

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Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic appears in live images

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Watch4 and Watch4 Classic at its August 11 Galaxy Unpacked event. We already know what these smartwatches look like thanks to their leaked renders, but today we are looking at the live images of the Classic model, which corroborate previous leaks and give us a glimpse of the wearable's UI. The Galaxy Watch4 Classic will come with a rotating bezel and two buttons on its right side. The smartwatch is rumored to arrive in three colors, but we only see two of them in the live photos. Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic Samsung hasn't revealed much...

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Telegram adds video playback speed, screen sharing with sound, and video calls up to 1000 viewers

In a blog post, popular messaging app Telegram outlines a slew of new updates coming to its app, the most significant of which is “Group Video Calls 2.0” where video calls of up to 30 participants can broadcast their cameras and screens with up to 1000 spectators. Telegram lightheartedly jokes that this limit will increase until “all humans on Earth can join one group call”. Video Messages have been updated to 2.0. This means that those circular press-hold video messages are now higher-resolution and you can tap the message to expand the circular video. You can also pause and scrub...

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Infinix Smart 5A will launch in India on August 2

If you're in India and searching for a cheap smartphone, you'll get yet another option on Monday, August 2, because that's when Infinix is said to launch the Smart 5A in the country. This is an entry-level device with a 6.52-inch HD+ display that can apparently go up to 500 nits of brightness, a teardrop notch, a 13 MP main rear sensor aided by a 2 MP decorative one (and a third "circle" that is actually 100% fake/dummy), a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a 5,000 mAh battery. The phone sadly features a microUSB port, and it's rumored to be powered by the MediaTek Helio G25...

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Oppo's upcoming magnetic wireless charger gets shown in leaked renders

Realme is going to be the first Android smartphone maker to come out with its own version of Apple's MagSafe magnetic wireless charger. It's called MagDart and will make its debut next week. Given the fact that Realme started out as an Oppo sub-brand, it may not shock you at all to find out that Oppo too is working on a magnetic wireless charger of its own. This has been leaked today in the renders you can see below. Unfortunately no specs were outed alongside the renders, nor any dimensions. From the images alone, it's pretty obvious that it's quite slim, and there's a USB-C port...

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OnePlus is the fastest growing phone maker in the US in 2021 thus far

OnePlus has gone through a strategic shift in the last year or so. With the launch of the Nord lineup, it has been able to aggressively expand to new markets within Europe and India, all while raising brand awareness in the US – known to be a very difficult market for Chinese OEMs to break through. OnePlus just announced that its aggressive expansion is showing in its numbers. The company’s growth resulted in a 257% increase in number of shipments globally (including China, India, EU, and US) in the first half of the year. This compared to the same time frame last year. The...

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ZTE Axon 30 global launch set for September

After launching in China earlier this week, ZTE’s Axon 30 now gets a global launch which is scheduled for September. The brand confirmed this via its official Twitter handles but did not disclose an exact date and pricing details. Axon 30 is expected to be available across Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, Middle East and Africa. A new under-display camera generation is coming soon...Don't miss out for the Next Gen Vision: https://t.co/ywnbiDl35n— ZTE Device (@ZTEDevice) July 27, 2021 Axon 30 debuts ZTE’s second-gen take at an under-display (UD) camera with a completely reworked...

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A few potential fixes to WhatsApp chat backup getting stuck on your Galaxy phone

Many WhatsApp users are reporting an issue related to the backup function getting stuck at 100%. The problem seemingly affects Android users, Galaxy smartphone owners, and iOS customers in equal measure. It crosses all mobile platforms, and as of this writing, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive solution in sight. Nevertheless, WhatsApp users can try to work around the problem with a bit of tweaking.

The WhatsApp chat backup problem

WhatsApp has a backup option that syncs data with Google Drive. Users have to opt-in before using it, and once they do, they can allow WhatsApp to perform regular backups of chat messages and media files to Google Drive.

A notification — complete with a progress bar — is sent to the user when a backup starts. So far, so good. But the problem that many WhatsApp users face is a progress bar that gets stuck at 100%.
From our own experience using WhatsApp on various Galaxy smartphones, the backup process finishes eventually, though it’s painfully slow and can take hours.

Various solutions have been attempted to fix this issue permanently, but none seem to have worked. There are, however, several possible temporary solutions that could help you get past the stuck backup process faster.

The problem is very likely to reoccur later on, and some fixes might not always work. But if you’re one of the many WhatsApp users getting nagged by this issue, then there’s not much else you can do except for waiting or trying to work around the issue. So, here are a few fixes that Galaxy smartphone owners and affected WhatsApp users can try.

Ways to try getting WhatsApp chat backup unstuck

First things first, let’s get the more obvious possible solution out of the way by making sure that you’re using the latest version of WhatsApp from the Google Play Store. It’s up to you if you want to update your existing app or uninstall it first, but if you’re looking for a clean install, you’re more likely to get results from clearing the app’s cache.

Clear WhatsApp cache

Tap and hold the WhatsApp shortcut and tap the small “i” (info) button. Alternatively, you can open the Settings app on the phone, go to Apps, scroll all the way down to and tap WhatsApp.

Then, go to Storage and tap the Clear Cache button in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Make sure you have the right Google account linked with WhatsApp

WhatsApp uses Google Drive to sync data, which means that a Google account is required to perform automated backups. And while this is unlikely to be the root of your problem, there’s a theory that if the Google account linked to WhatsApp is inactive, the backup-to-Google Drive function could run into issues.

To check if you have the right Google account linked with WhatsApp, open the app and tap the three-dot button located in the upper-right corner. Go to Settings and access the Chats category. From there, tap Chat backup and make sure you have the right Google account.

It could be as easy as closing WhatsApp from recent apps

If the backup process runs in the background for long enough, it could be that the system puts WhatsApp to sleep as the backup process continues. It might look like the process is stuck at 100%, but it might’ve been completed already while the app was asleep. What you’re seeing could be a leftover notification.

If you want to test this, simply close WhatsApp from recent apps when you think that the chat backup process is stuck, and then reopen the app. Notice if the backup process completes or hangs again.

Back up WhatsApp chat over Wi-Fi only

4G is fast enough for backing up WhatsApp chats, not to mention the fact that 5G is becoming more widespread, but if your app decides to perform a backup when you’re not connected to a Wi-Fi network, then poor cellular coverage might lead to the WhatsApp backup progress bar slowing down or even getting stuck.

You can set WhatsApp to back up chat data only when the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. To do this, open the Settings menu in WhatsApp, access the Chats category and Chat backup section, and tap Back up over. Select Wi-Fi only from the drop-down menu.

Lower the amount of data WhatsApp has to back up by excluding video

WhatsApp lets users back up not only text chat to Google Drive but video messages as well. Evidently, videos take a lot more data than text, and this could make the progress bar look like it’s stuck, or it might even cause the backup process to freeze.

You can try lowering the amount of WhatsApp chat data being backed up to Google Drive by excluding video data. To do this, go to WhatsApp settings and access Chats, tap Chat backup, and turn off Include videos.

Delete existing WhatsApp chat backups from Google Drive

And lastly, you can try deleting your WhatsApp chat backup files from Google Drive and start fresh with a new backup, assuming you’ve taken the proper precautions in case you need to preserve your data.

To delete WhatsApp chat backups in Google Drive, open your Google Drive account in your browser, click the cog icon in the top-right corner to access Settings, then click Manage Apps and look for WhatsApp Messenger. Click the Options drop-down menu and clear the app data.

The post A few potential fixes to WhatsApp chat backup getting stuck on your Galaxy phone appeared first on SamMobile.

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AMD announces Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card for $379

AMD has announced the newest member of the Radeon RX 6000-series of desktop graphics cards, the RX 6600 XT. Priced at $379 (on paper, anyway), the RX 6600 XT will be available starting August 11. The RX 6600XT is now the cheapest and least powerful member of the RX 6000-series, and will compete against the $329 Nvidia RTX 3060. The RX 6600XT uses the new smaller Navi 23 GPU, unlike the Navi 22 (6700XT) and Navi 21 GPU (6800, 6800XT, 6900XT) we have seen on previous cards. It has 32 compute units compared to the 40 on the 6700XT and 60 on the 6800. It can clock up to 2359MHz...

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Samsung was the top Android tablet maker in Q2 2021

Customers who want flagship Android tablets don’t have much choice. Samsung has remained committed to this segment by launching new flagship tablets every year. It has actually launched three premium tablets over the past year as part of the Galaxy Tab S7 series.

The company also makes mid-range and entry-level tablets. That has enabled Samsung to cater to a wide range of customers. The strategy has paid off as Samsung remained the top Android tablet maker in the second quarter of this year.

Samsung is the undisputed Android tablet king

The latest figures from Strategy Analytics show that Samsung shipping 8.2 million tablets in Q2 2021. It registered an 18% growth year-over-year compared to the same period in 2020. The diverse product range, which includes the Galaxy Tab S7, Tab S7+ and the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, helped Samsung increase its share. This also enabled Samsung to grow its tablet market share by 2.1 percentage points of 18%.

Lenovo’s Android tablet shipments were up significantly. It shipped 4.7 million units during the quarter, a 67% increase compared to Q2 2020. Huawei’s troubles enabled Lenovo to pick up its share outside China.

Amazon is the third-largest Android tablet vendor thanks to its affordably priced devices. Its tablet shipments grew 49% year-over-year to 4.2 million this past quarter. The company now accounts for a 9% share of the global tablet market.

Apple remains the leader in the overall tablet market. It shipped 15.8 million units in Q2 2021, grabbing a worldwide market share of 35%.

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Moto G50 review

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Xiaomi Mi 12 said to have LPDDR5X RAM to go with its Snapdragon 898 chipset

It was only yesterday that JEDEC unveiled LPDDR5X, a refinement of version 5 that pushes the maximum data rate from 6,400 Mbps to 8,533 Mbps – that’s double what LPDDR4X can do. And today come the first rumors that Xiaomi will be among the early adopters of the new tech with shiny new LPDDR5X RAM chips appearing alongside the Snapdragon 898 in the Xiaomi Mi 12. The 898 should introduce support for the X version of RAM as older Qualcomm chipsets (the 888 and 865) only support the vanilla LPDDR5. The chipset will also be the first in the family to be based on the new ARMv9...

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Galaxy A Quantum picks up the July 2021 security update

The Galaxy A71 had received the July 2021 security update last week. Yesterday, the Galaxy A Quantum (a variant of Galaxy A71 5G) started receiving the update in South Korea.

The latest update for the Galaxy A Quantum (SM-A716S) has firmware version A716SKSU3CUG5, and it includes the July 2021 security patch. It fixes more than 20 user privacy and data security-related vulnerabilities. It might also include the Android Auto-related bug that some Galaxy smartphone users were facing. No new features or UI changes are expected to be a part of this update.

If you are a Galaxy A Quantum user in South Korea, you might have already received a notification of the new update. If you haven’t, you can check for the update manually by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also choose to flash the firmware manually after downloading the latest firmware file from our firmware database.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy A Quantum in South Korea in mid-2020 with Android 10 on board. The phone received the Android 11-based One UI 3 update earlier this year, and it will get at least one major Android OS update in the future.

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Micromax IN 2b announced: 6.52" screen, stock Android, and big battery

Micromax made a comeback in India last November with the IN 1b, and today, the company announced its successor, dubbed Micromax IN 2b. The Micromax IN 2b is touted as a "No Hang Phone" that promises a "seamless, lag-free experience". And to do that, the Indian handset maker has used a Unisoc T610 chip paired with 4/6GB RAM. The smartphone runs the stock version of Android 11 devoid of any bloatware and comes with the promise of two years of upgrades. On the storage front, you have only one option - 64GB - but the smartphone has a dedicated microSD card slot, allowing storage...

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Huawei will offer storage upgrades for older devices

Huawei held an event yesterday, and while the P50 series was the star of the show, the company revealed an upgrade program for older devices is also being launched. Users with Mate, P, nova, and Enjoy phones will be able to upgrade their internal storage for a small fee of CNY369 (that’s about $57) to have room for the Harmony OS without losing valuable files. First in line are the Mate 9, Mate 10, Mate 20, Mate 30, P10, P20, and P30 series, save for the Lite versions, which aren't eligible. The phones will receive increased storage, meaning phones with 64GB will get a 128GB upgrade,...

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DxOmark gives Huawei P50 Pro's cameras its highest score yet

As usual with its camera reviews, DxOMark managed to deliver a comprehensive camera review of Huawei’s just launched P50 Pro soon after the phone’s launch. Without much surprise, the latest P-series flagship managed a combined score of 144-points which places it first in the overall smartphone camera rankings. The front 13 MP selfie shooter also impressed earning another pole position for Huawei with a combined score of 106 points. DxO lauds the 50MP main sensor and 40MP monochrome module on the P50 Pro which deliver best in class experience with accurate colors, wide dynamic range and...

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Galaxy S21 August 2021 update rollout kicks off in China

As usual, Samsung started rolling out a new security update to its Android smartphones even before the start of the month. The Galaxy A52 was the first smartphone to get the August 2021 security update, and then the update was expanded to the Galaxy A72 and the Galaxy A8 (2018). Now, the update has been released to the Galaxy S21 series.

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra have started getting a new software update in China. It bears firmware version G99x0ZCU2AUGE and includes the August 2021 security patch to the smartphones. While Samsung hasn’t revealed which vulnerabilities it has fixed with the new security patch, the official changelog for the Galaxy S21 series mentions bug fixes and improved device security and stability.

If you are a Galaxy S21 series smartphone user in China, you can now check for the latest software update by navigating to Settings » Software update and tapping on Download and install. You can also download the latest firmware file from our firmware database and flash it manually using a Windows PC. The update could expand to Hong Kong and Taiwan within a few days.

Samsung could expand the August 2021 security update rollout to the Galaxy S21 series in more international markets over the next couple of weeks. The company had launched the Galaxy S21 series earlier this year with Android 11-based One UI 3.1. They will get three major Android OS updates in the future, along with monthly security updates.

CHINA VERSION S21 updated August patch pic.twitter.com/KUSyOasV1G

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) July 30, 2021

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Galaxy A03s could be launched in India soon

Samsung has launched multiple entry-level smartphones this year, but the company isn’t done yet. It is working on the Galaxy A03s (SM-A037F), and the smartphone has already received multiple certifications for the launch clearance. Now, it looks like the smartphone could make it to the Indian market soon.

The South Korean firm has published support webpages for the Galaxy A03s on its Indian website, which means that the company will most likely launch the smartphone in India. While the webpage doesn’t reveal anything more than the model number of the smartphone, we can see that the phone will feature a dual-SIM card slot.

It was revealed earlier that the Galaxy A03s features a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display (most likely an LCD panel), a 13MP triple-camera setup at the rear, a 5MP front-facing camera, a MediaTek Helio G35 processor, 4GB RAM, Android 11, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also features GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 5.0.

It measures 166.6 x 75.9 x 9.1mm, but the camera bump area might be a bit thicker. The Galaxy A03s passed through the FCC certification, revealing that it is powered by a 5,000mAh battery. Knowing Samsung, the company will likely equip the phone with 15W fast charging.

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Samsung Galaxy A03s launch imminent as support page goes live on official website

The support page for the Galaxy A03s we've been hearing about for a few months has gone live on Samsung's official Indian website, suggesting an imminent launch. The page doesn't divulge anything about the Galaxy A03s, but previous leaks revealed the smartphone will pack a 6.5" LCD having a notch for the 5MP selfie camera, and the back cover will sport a triple camera setup consisting of one 13MP and two 2MP units. Leaked renders also revealed the Galaxy A03s will feature a USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Samsung Galaxy A03s leaked...

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Realme's latest teaser is a dig at Apple

Realme is bringing the first Android smartphone with magnetic charging on August 3, and with that, it will also announce the MagDart, its own magnetic wireless charger. Our exclusive leak revealed an absolute unit of a charger, but now we expect to also see a thinner solution similar to Apple's 15W MagSafe. Realme CEO has posted two teasers on his Twitter page, taking a dig at Cupertino. Madhav Sheth has said the MagDart would be 440% faster and thinner, without specificing the reference point. However, MagSafe is the only popular comercially available alternative so it's clear that it's...

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Check out all the promo videos of the Huawei P50 series, including an official unboxing

Huawei has announced the P50 and P50 Pro smartphones yesterday. Now that the dust from the event has settled, we decided to go through the official promos the company has posted online, as well as an official fully-fledged video review. The P50 duo has a radical new dual-matrix camera design and Huawei has decided to emphasize what it does best - build a great camera phone with amazing capabilities both for photos and videos. The Huawei P series has always been about aesthetics and photography, and in the video review Bruce Lee, VP and Product Manager at Huawei, explained what new...

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 passes through 3C again, will support 25W charging after all

Last week, it was reported by Ice Universe on Twitter that Samsung’s upcoming clamshell foldable phone the Galaxy Z Flip3 was going to arrive with the same 15W charging capacity as the original Galaxy Z Flip. A recent 3C certification entry for the Z Flip3 now refutes this. The 3C certification shows that the Z Flip3 with model number SM-F7110 is associated with the EP-TA200 and EP-TA800 chargers. It’s unclear which one the phone will actually come with, but this does confirm that the Z Flip3 will be compatible with the faster charger of the two. While the EP-TA200 is the Adaptive...

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OnePlus Nord CE update brings camera improvements and less overheating

OnePlus recently launched (and subsequently released) the Nord 2 smartphone, but not long before that the Nord CE debuted as a "core edition" of the original Nord. This model hasn't been forgotten by the company after the arrival of the Nord 2, and now it's receiving a new software update. The new build for the Nord CE is labeled OxygenOS 11.0.5.5, and it brings with it "optimized overheating control management", improved overall stability, fixes for known issues, along with improvements to the camera image clarity and stability, better white balance consistency for enhanced image...

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Realme 8s leaks, official images and specs are out

Unsurprisingly given its usual new phone release pace, Realme is working on its next device, and today a huge leak brings us its specs and some official-looking images too. The device in question is said to be called Realme 8s, and in spite of the lack of 5G branding, this will be a 5G capable smartphone. In fact, it's a bit of a confusing addition to the Realme 8 family. Because of the 5G support, it can only be viewed as a a slight improvement over the Realme 8 5G, which it is. We're not sure whether it will end up being sold alongside all the other Realme 8 branded handsets or...

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Galaxy S20 FE gets another update with the July security patch

Every so often, Samsung ends up releasing multiple updates for a device in a single month. It’s now doing so for the Galaxy S20 FE. The Galaxy S20 FE was among the first devices to receive an update with the July 2021 security patch, and it is now getting another such update. This one carries firmware version G780FXXU4CUG5 and is available for the Exynos-powered LTE variant at this time. The Snapdragon-powered 5G and LTE models will probably get it in the near future, as well.

Unfortunately, in both instances, the changelog only mentions enhanced security while the firmware versions suggest there are other changes in there, so it’s unclear what these updates are all about. Still, whatever it is must be important, or Samsung wouldn’t bother releasing two updates for the Galaxy S20 FE in such a short time, that too with an existing security patch even though a newer one — dated August 1, 2021 — has already begun rolling out to some Galaxy devices.

So, if you own a Galaxy S20 FE, you should probably grab the latest software as soon as you can. It seems to be rolling out in random parts of the world at the moment but should pick up momentum in the coming days. You can check if it’s available for you by opening the phone’s Settings app, selecting Software update, and tapping Download and install. If the update is out in your country, you can also download the latest firmware from our archives and install it on your S20 FE using a Windows PC.

Thanks for the tip, Max!

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Canalys: China smartphone shipments declined by 17% in Q2, vivo in the lead

According to the latest report from Canalys, smartphone shipments in China totaled 74.9 million units for the April-June period. The number represents a 17% decline compared to the 90.7 million shipments during the same period last year. Another big takeaway is that Huawei is no longer among the top five largest brands in its local market. Leading the way is vivo which managed 18.2 million shipments and a 24% market share. Oppo comes in second with 16 million shipments and 21% of the market while Xiaomi with its 12.6 million shipments and 17% market share rounds out the top three. ...

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The Galaxy A72 is catching up with the A52, gets the August security update

Samsung began rolling out the August 2021 security patch a couple of days ago, and you can be sure that it was the first OEM to debut it. The update got released for the Galaxy A52 first, and after a surprise visit to the Galaxy A8, the August 2021 security update is now rolling out for the Galaxy A72.

The latest firmware update is now available for the Galaxy A72 in Russia, Ukraine, and possibly other neighboring markets. Users can identify the update by firmware version A725FXXU3AUG2. The firmware number hints that the update could includes additional changes and/or features along with the new security update, so keep an eye out.

Previous Galaxy A72 firmware updates were quite generous, bringing improvements to Quick Share, Gallery, Camera, call quality, face recognition, and introducing the option to view remastered pictures.

If you own the Galaxy A72 and Samsung is rolling out the new update in your region, you should be greeted by an update notification at any moment. Or you can check for new firmware updates by opening the Settings app on the phone, tapping Software update followed by Download and install. Of course, you can also download the latest update from our firmware section and install it on your phone manually.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra long-term review: The ‘last’ true Note?

In any other year, this would be just about the right time to be excited about a new Galaxy Note flagship. Not in 2021, though. Samsung’s giving the Note lineup a rest this year and is focusing on its new foldables instead.

In fact, while the company hasn’t yet cancelled the Galaxy Note series, the fact that it is bringing S Pen support to other flagships — the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 3 — isn’t a good sign for the future of what is the best stylus-toting smartphone series in the business.

That means the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra could be the “last” true Note offering from Samsung for quite some time, and those looking to buy one today will be wondering just how well it will hold up over the long term. Well, we’ve got part of the answer: We can tell you how well it has held up after almost a year since it first went on sale.

Our long-term Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review is now up on YouTube, and you can check it out by hitting the play button below. Oh, and if you love the Galaxy Note lineup, we’ve got a petition going in the hopes that Samsung will give us a Note flagship early next year, even if it means skipping the Galaxy S line in 2022. Join all your fellow Note fans and sign that petition so we can get Samsung’s attention!

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Another company fails to come remotely close to Samsung’s software update game

Samsung’s been crushing it with firmware updates lately, and it doesn’t seem to plan on slowing its pace down in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately — for non-Samsung customers — some Android smartphone manufacturers don’t feel the same way Samsung does. And while the latter company is now offering three major Android OS updates for many of its phones, Motorola’s firmware policy has just folded and crumbled, much like the new Razr (2019) did when faced with the Galaxy Z Flip.

Motorola just took three new phones out of the oven. They run Android 11 and none of them will benefit from more than a single Android OS update — presumably to Android 12. It comes as a bit of a surprise yet feels like deja vu to many Motorola customers.

The company originally intended to cut firmware support last year before it had a change of heart following backlash. But despite Motorola’s efforts to keep fans happy last year, no such efforts will be made for the new Edge 20 trio of smartphones moving forward. And while these phones cover different price points, they’re all subjected to the same one-update policy.

Motorola isn’t the only smartphone manufacturer to cut corners in terms of firmware support. OnePlus adopted a similar support strategy with the Nord series — though it’s now trying to catch up again — and other OEMs such as Sony simply can’t keep up with Samsung’s pace. The only Android smartphone company that stands a chance is Google itself, mainly due to a recent rumor hinting that Google could start offering five Android OS updates for future Pixel phones.

You better hope other people will buy the same Motorola phone as you

Motorola might be able to offer more than one Android OS update for the Edge 20 series, assuming that enough people will buy these phones and the company determines that it’s worth spending time and resources on this endeavor. According to Android Authority citing Motorola, “If [the company] does find that the device has a longer life cycle in the market, [they’ll] obviously review to see whether it needs more OS upgrades.”

In other words, if you’re a Motorola Edge 20 customer, you could get a second Android OS update if enough people buy the same phone model as you and you all continue using these devices for at least a couple of years. Even so, this is not a guarantee, and no new updates will be released after the first if it’s deemed unprofitable, or a waste of time, or whatever Motorola might decide.

And although Motorola isn’t in the same league as Samsung in terms of market influence, resources, and others, it’s difficult not to compare Motorola’s approach to Samsung’s. The latter made efforts to extend support for Android OS firmware updates, and it doesn’t really care about these types of metrics anymore. Almost every Galaxy smartphone, regardless of its price and popularity, is guaranteed to receive at least two Android OS updates and four years of security patches throughout its lifetime. A good number of Galaxy devices, mid-range and high-end, are getting three major Android OS updates.

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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ brings ANC and 20-hour battery life

Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen today announced its Beoplay EQ earbuds which marks the first active noise cancelation earbuds in the maker’s lineup. They feature an in-ear design without any protruding stems and offer up to 20 hours of usage with their charging case. Beoplay EQ are powered by 6.88 mm electro-dynamic drivers and feature three microphones in each bud for ANC and voice pickup. The buds pack an anodized aluminum casing and feature the signature B&O sound tuning. Pairing is done over Bluetooth 5.2 and battery life is rated at 6.5-hours on the buds with ANC on and 20 hours...

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Leakster: the Snapdragon 898 will run its Cortex-X2 prime core at 3.09 GHz

The successor to the Snapdragon 888 will be called the Snapdragon 898, according to leakster Ice Universe, who also posted that the prime Cortex-X2 core will be running at 3.09 GHz. The single X2 will most likely be paired with 3x Cortex-A710 and 4x Cortex-A510, the first ARMv9 designs. The X2 promises a 16% speed boost over the X1, the A710 upgrades are more focused on energy efficiency (+30%). And keep in mind that these numbers are if the cores are fabbed on the same process. The 898 chipset will be manufactured at Samsung’s 4nm foundry (according to rumors), the process...

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Official Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 cases leak, show kooky design with belts and D-rings

Come, feast your eyes on these Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 cases. Some of them are a little... utilitarian. The official cases for the new clamshell foldable will come in leather, silicone and clear varieties. The leather case looks pretty fine. This image also showcases the larger external display and dual camera setup. As a reminder, the Z Flip3 (and Z Fold3) will be the first water-resistant foldables with an IPX8 rating. Of course, the cases have nothing to do with that, but we’re curious to see the hinge that made this possible. Official Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 case (leaked...

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Samsung wants to go shopping for new companies with its $114B cash

Samsung announced its quarterly results today. Its Q2 2021 profit is the highest in three years as it registered a 20% increase in revenue and a whopping 54% surge in operating profit. The surge was largely driven by the semiconductor division.

The company has been investing heavily in improving its core competencies to sustain its growth momentum for the future. With over $114 billion in cash reserves, Samsung is now open to major mergers and acquisitions.

Money is no object for Samsung

The company had previously said in January this year that it’s actively pursuing mergers and acquisitions. While it hadn’t named the targets, market analysts felt that Samsung might acquire an automotive semiconductor company. NXP, Texas Instruments and Microchip Technologies were believed to be among the targets.

Samsung has said once again that it’s going to push forward with large-scale acquisitions in the coming years to increase competitiveness in the post-COVID world. Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Ben Suh confirmed to investors during a conference call today that “we are positive about pushing forward with significant-scale M&A within the next three years.”

Suh pointed out that the company has been extensively preparing for this and that it hasn’t limited its target companies. Market analysts feel that Samsung will aim for companies that can add to its core strengths in the semiconductor and mobile industry.

Samsung hasn’t made a major acquisition since it bought Harman in 2016 for $8 billion. There are many prospective targets in both industries that Samsung can potentially buy. With a substantial cash balance of over $114 billion in the bank, money isn’t going to be an object for Samsung when it goes company shopping.

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Case maker joins in on Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 leaking action

No one seems to be trying to keep Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones a secret anymore. Samsung itself has been mentioning the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in app changelogs, leakers have been showing us renders of the devices for many weeks, and now, a case maker has joined in on the action as well.

A Korean retailer has listed cases for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 that show us both phones from every angle. And what beautiful phones these are. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 in particular looks amazingly stylish, and we can imagine it being the bigger seller of the two thanks to its compact form factor and, of course, the lower price tag.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3, meanwhile, is sure to attract those looking for a productivity-focused device, especially with its support for the S Pen and the considerably larger folding screen. That folding screen, in addition to supporting stylus input, will provide an uninterrupted viewing experience thanks to its under-panel camera.

As for cases, we’re bound to see plenty of third-party options hitting the market once the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 go on sale. Samsung will have cases of its own, including some snazzy new designs for the Z Flip 3 that make it easier to lug the phone around.

The new foldables will be unveiled on August 11 and are expected to hit retail shelves in late August.

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CR: India smartphone market rebound continues, Samsung loses ground

Counterpoint Research has released its quarterly analysis of the mobile market in India, one of the biggest markets in the world. The report revealed an 82% yearly increase in shipments and a 14% sequential decline due to the second COVID-19 wave. Xiaomi retained its leadership with a 28.4% market share, while second placed Samsung lost a lot of ground and accounted for just 17.7% of the sales. Third placed vivo also lost some market share as Realme and Oppo as well as the makers in the "others" group gained significantly. India is also a huge market for feature phones, and that...

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Watch the Huawei P50 series announcement live

Huawei will unveil its P50 series smartphones today in China. The event will start at 7:30PM local time, and you can follow it live on Huawei's website here. Huawei P50 series announcement livestream Huawei hasn't revealed much about the P50 lineup in advance, but thanks to leaked renders, we know what the P50 and P50 Pro will look like. We also saw the P50 Pro 4G's leaked specs sheet yesterday, which left little to the imagination. The report claimed that the Huawei P50 Pro 4G will be powered by the Kirin 9000 SoC and come with 8GB RAM. It will have 256GB and 512GB storage...

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New leak reveals snazzy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen the Galaxy Z Flip 3 several times. Many renders of the foldable are out and about., which give us a decent idea about what it has in store for us. Now 91mobiles has posted fresh images of the soon-to-be-released foldable’s protective cases.

As you can see in the images, one Galaxy Z Flip 3 protective case will come with a handy ring that lets you lug it around. Another model will replace the ring with a strap of sorts that one can hook to surfaces. The strap also protects the foldable part of the phone from daily wear and tear, although it doesn’t cover the entire surface.

They also showcase at least three different colour variants, yellow, pink and purple, that will match the foldable’s chassis. There appears to be a cutout at the back for the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s secondary display, along with rectangular notches of sorts. The cases also reveals the positioning of the power and volume rocker, which will be located at the right spine.

Because the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s dual rear cameras sit flush with the secondary display, there is no need to make accommodations for them. The LED flash, on the other hand, peeks through a hole. One of the cases is expected to be made of leather, while the other will use silicone.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is set to launch on August 11 at Samsung’s Unpacked event, where the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will also be in attendance, along with Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Watch 4 wearables.

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