YouTube Music for Wear OS gets a confusing new update

YouTube Music for Wear OS just received a new update and it's a bit of a mixed bag. It does fix a long-standing issue when browsing tracks in albums, but it also introduces an interesting solution to playing order, to put it mildly. The new version 6.15 now allows you to browse individual tracks within an album and adds a blurry album art in the background. The former was previously impossible and you could only play an entire album and you were forced to skip each track manually until you find the right one. The new interface And while this change is more than welcome, Google...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/youtube_music_for_wear_os_gets_a_confusing_new_update-news-59607.php

Google is working on new UWB-based features for Chromebooks

Currently, the UWB (Ultra Wide Band) applications are limited, and the chip is present in only a handful of Android and iOS devices. However, that's probably about to change in the near future as Google is working on new UWB-based Chromebook features. While UWB is currently used mostly for a more accurate way to determine the device's position and navigation indoors, the short-range wireless communication protocol has a lot more potential than this. In fact, it's so powerful that it may replace Bluetooth, NFC and RFID in the future. Not to mention, it can rival the Wi-Fi protocol with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_is_working_on_new_uwbbased_features_for_chromebooks-news-59606.php

Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24+ to adopt a flat design

With Samsung's foldables out of the way, the upcoming Galaxy S24 lineup leaks will likely intensify. Today's rumor is about the Galaxy S24 and S24+ design change. According to a reputable Samsung tipster, Ice Universe, Samsung will likely flatten the side frame to be more in line with the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 looks. Right now, the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ have flat backs but slightly bulging middle frame and that's about to change. Galaxy S24 mockup renders Perhaps the decision is influenced by external factors given that the design trends for the past couple of years...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s24_and_s24_to_adopt_a_flat_design-news-59605.php

Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro get Android 14-based MIUI 14 stable beta

Xiaomi first released its Android 14-based MIUI 14 beta back in May and today, the company is seeding a stable version of the software, but still beta, of course. After all, Google hasn't released an official and stable version of Android 14 to the masses. Google achieved platform stability with its Android 14 Beta 5 update about a week ago and it seems like Xiaomi is done with most of the beta testing too. Notably, the most recent MIUI 14 stable beta update is based on that Android 14 Beta 5 we are talking about. Even though Xiaomi 12T was part of the first Android 14 Beta release,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_13_and_13_pro_get_adnroid14_based_miui_14_stable_beta-news-59597.php

IDC: India's PC market continues to slide, shrinks by 15 year-over-year

According to the latest PC market analysis from IDC, the PC market has declined in the second quarter this year by 15.3% year-over-year. The silver lining is that it actually grew compared to Q1 2023 by 5.9%. All PC market categories saw a decline, though, with the notebook segment declining by 18.5% YoY, while the desktop segment had a smoother sailing with a 7% YoY decline. Looking at the PC market as commercial and consumer, things aren't that great either. The consumer segment fell by 17% while the commercial slid by 13.8% YoY. There's a good trend in the educational and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/idc_indias_pc_market_continues_to_slide_shrinks_by_15_yearoveryear-news-59594.php

Realme Buds Air 5 series will go global on August 23

The Realme 11 series arrived back in May, and they shared the stage with the Buds Air 5 Pro earphones. Today, we learned the audio wearables will reach their first international market on August 23 - it will be launched in India, alongside the Realme 11 5G and Realme 11x 5G. In just two days, Realme first revealed the Buds Air 5 Pro would arrive in India, and today we saw another case with a different size, LED placement, and fancy blue color - surely this is the vanilla Buds Air 5, a likely successor of the Buds Air 3. The Buds Air 5 Pro has 11 mm woofers and 6 mm planar drivers,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_buds_air_5_pro_will_go_global_on_august_23-news-59592.php

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 in for review

The Chinese foldable market is booming with competition which in turn offers users a wider array of choice and the latest folding phone to launch is Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 3. We received a review unit and its time to take a quick look at the latest addition to the Mix Fold lineup before we bring you our detailed review. Mix Fold 3 is a premium device through and through with a premium aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover screen, quad cameras with Leica optics and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. Mix Fold 3 is still one of the slimmest and lightest vertical folding devices out...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mix_fold_3_in_for_review-news-59586.php

vivo V29e set to debut on August 28

We finally have an official launch date for the vivo V29e – the upcoming midranger is set to debut on August 28 in India at 12PM local time. The teasers on the phone’s launch page also confirmed a few key specs including a cured display, a 50MP front-facing camera with autofocus and a 64MP main cam with OIS on the back. vivo V29e launch poster The V29e will arrive with an “Artistic Design” boasting a catchy dual-tone back with large camera rings and a color-matched frame. The device is confirmed to measure just 7.6 mm thick while weighing 180 grams. Based on speculation the phone...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_v29e_set_to_debut_on_august_28-news-59591.php

vivo Y77t arrives with Dimensity 7020 and 256 GB base storage

The vivo Y77t was launched today in China, and the company has already listed the device for sale. It comes with Dimensity 7020 chipset, a 50 MP main camera and a big battery, and if those specs look familiar, this is because this is exactly the same device as the vivo Y78 with only one difference - the base storage is 256 GB. The screen of the Y77t is a 6.64” LCD with Full HD+ resolution and up to 120 Hz refresh rate. There is a punch hole in the center for the 8 MP camera, while the dual shooters on the back are 50 MP main + 2 MP. The battery is 5,000 mAh with 44W fast...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_y77t_arrives_with_dimensity_7020_and_256_gb_base_storage-news-59590.php

T-Mobile introduces Revvl 6x 5G, Revvl 6x Pro 5G, and Revvl Tab 5G

T-Mobile has added a trio of new devices to its Revvl own-brand stable of affordable products, including the first ever Revvl tablet, creatively named Revvl Tab 5G. This has an unknown MediaTek chipset at the helm with an octa-core CPU with 2 2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 cores and 6 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. The Revvl Tab 5G boasts 5G connectivity as the name implies, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, a 10.36-inch 1200x2000 LCD touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera with a 2 MP depth sensor next to it, an 8 MP front-facing camera, and a 7,040 mAh battery that charges from zero to full in exactly...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_introduces_revvl_6x_5g_revvl_6x_pro_5g_and_revvl_tab_5g-news-59588.php

WhatsApp finally lets you send higher resolution photos

One of the main downsides of sending photos through WhatsApp is the processing that goes on, lowering their size, resolution, and quality significantly (and very visibly). This, however, is finally going to be a thing of the past. At least the low resolution aspect, that is. Way overdue, but finally here, are "HD photos". In WhatsApp speak, "HD" in this case means up to 4096 x 2692 in resolution. You also still have the 'standard' quality option for whatever reason, which will resize everything to 1600 x 1052. Resolution is one thing, compression is another - and WhatsApp has stayed...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_finally_lets_you_send_higher_quality_photos-news-59587.php

Oppo Watch 4 Pro specs emerge in new teasers

Oppo is gearing up to launch its latest smartwatch later this month and we now have some official specs for the Watch 4 Pro thanks to the brand’s Weibo page. Oppo Watch 4 Pro will arrive with a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 wearable platform alongside a secondary BES 2700 co-processor. This is the same chipset that was used on last year’s Oppo Watch 3 series Oppo Watch 4 Pro key specs (machine translated from Chinese) The rest of the teasers confirm Watch 4 Pro will bring an LTPO AMOLED display and 2GB RAM with improved 4.2GB/s speeds. We also get confirmation for extended app support...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_watch_4_pro_specs_emerge_in_new_teasers-news-59583.php

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 being tested, has a 50MP primary camera

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 unveiled last month comes with the same 12MP primary camera used by the Korean brand on last year's Flip4. However, if Dutch publication GalaxyClub is to be believed, next year's Galaxy Z Flip6 could finally get a much-awaited camera upgrade. The publication claims that Samsung has begun testing the Galaxy Z Flip6's prototypes with a 50MP primary camera, which will prove to be a massive upgrade over the Flip5's 12MP unit if Samsung decides to go ahead with the high-res camera. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 (left) with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 (right) The source...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_z_flip6_camera_specs-news-59582.php

Samsung is seeding One UI 5.1.1 stable to Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Tab S8 series

Just a day after Samsung promised to release One UI 5.1.1 for its older devices, the company is now seeding the stable version of the software to Galaxy Z Fold4 owners in Europe. That same update is also hitting the Galaxy Tab S8 series as well. The software version is F936BXXU4DWH5, weighs in at 2.76GB and delivers the August 2023 security patch from Google as well. The update brings a bunch of multitasking-related features such as up to four app icons on the taskbar (recently used apps) and two-hand drag-and-drop that allows you to move files between apps. The new One UI also...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_seeding_one_ui_511_stable_to_galaxy_z_fold4_and_galaxy_tab_s8_series-news-59581.php

Lenovo Legion Go handheld gaming device leaks in official-looking images

Lenovo may have pulled out of the gaming smartphone business but that doesn’t mean the brand is giving up on portable gaming. A new set of images shared by WindowsReport show the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld which is rumored to come as a competitor to the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally from Asus. Lenovo Legion Go Lenovo is taking some inspiration from the Nintendo Switch with detachable controllers on each side with RGB lighting around the two joysticks. The right controller also has a trackpad which would be great for navigating the Windows 11 interface. The device is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_legion_go_leaks_in_officiallooking_images-news-59580.php

Apple has allegedly cut iPhone 15 production ahead of announcement

Apple is expecting lower sales of its iPhone 15 series compared to the iPhone 14. That forecast coincides with Ming-Chi Kuo's from earlier this month but it's in stark contrast to an earlier report claiming that total iPhone 15 shipments are expected to remain stable. The latest analysis comes from analyst Jeff Pu, who believes that Apple's order has been reduced from 83 million to 77 million units by the end of this year due to supply issues and lower-than-usual demand. The issue with Sony's CMOS camera sensors is once again brought up in this report, along with the new titanium...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_cuts_iphone_15_production_ahead_of_announcement-news-59579.php

Oppo Find N3 Flip and OnePlus Open get new rumored release times

Oppo's Find N2 Flip was announced in China in December 2022, so it's only around eight months old at this point. And yet, we've seen a lot of leaks and rumors regarding its successor already. As it turns out, that may not have been a coincidence - according to a new rumor from a usually reliable source, the Find N3 Flip will become official in China at the end of this month. Oppo Find N3 Flip leaked render The same source also claims OnePlus' first foldable, the Open, will launch globally in late September or early October. This device was recently said to have been delayed due to a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_n3_flip_and_oneplus_open_get_new_rumored_release_times-news-59575.php

The iPhone 15's new USB-C connector might support the Thunderbolt standard

After it became clear that the new iPhone 15 series will definitely replace the age-old Lighting connector with USB-C, the guys over at ChargerLAB dug deeper and got a hold of some exclusive photos of the port revealing something very interesting. According to the publication, the new iPhones feature what appears to be a Retimer chip, which is often used for reconstructing signals and reducing signal jitter in Thunderbolt-enabled devices. This, in turn, means that the upcoming iPhones will offer Thunderbolt support. However, ChargeLAB clarifies that the Thunderbolt support might be...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/the_iphone_15s_new_usbc_connector_might_support_the_thunderbolt_standard-news-59574.php

Apple iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max to come with 48MP ultrawide camera, Wi-Fi 7

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 series next month, but we've already heard several rumors about next year's iPhone 16 lineup, with the latest one claiming an upgrade to the ultrawide camera. This information comes from Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities. In a research note, Pu claims that the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature 48MP ultrawide cameras. The primary cameras on last year's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max already use a 48MP sensor, and it seems the ultrawide cam will be due for the same upgrade...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_16_pro_16_pro_max_48mp_ultrawide_camera_wi_fi_7-news-59567.php

Honor Magic V2 Lite, Magic V2 Slim could arrive at IFA Berlin next month

Honor will host an event in Berlin during IFA on September 1, and we know the Magic V2 will make a global debut. Leaksters revealed more foldables might appear at the event – one of them should be a Magic V2 Lite (or Youth Edition in Chinese) with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and a lower price tag of CNY5,000 – that's equal to about $700. According to @RODENT950 on X, there is also a Magic V Slim on its way, which will be an even thinner foldable with a vertical hinge. It was already certified at MIIT in China under the codename “Victoria”. Honor Magic V2 Honor is also working on...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_magic_v2_lite_magic_v2_slim_could_arrive_at_ifa_berlin_next_month-news-59565.php

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 teardown reveals the new hinge and vertical stack motherboard design

Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 3 is the latest new foldable to launch in China and we now have a teardown video from WekiHome showing out the challenging work accomplished by the Xiaomi engineers. The whole process starts like any other teardown by removing the SIM card tray and prying off the back plate which reveals one half of the device. The cover screen is also carefully removed exposing both sides of the back. Removing a few covers, screws and flex cables reveals the vertical stack motherboard and quad Leica camera system. We then focus our attention to the dual battery cells with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mix_fold_3_teardown_reveals_the_new_hinge_and_vertical_stack_motherboard_design_-news-59566.php

Realme 11 5G and 11X 5G are coming to India on August 23

Realme India confirmed it is launching the Realme 11 5G and Realme 11X 5G in India on August 23. The launch event is set to take place next Wednesday at 12PM IST time. Realme 11 5G and Realme 11X 5G are launching in India on August 23 Realme 11 5G was introduced in Taiwan two weeks ago and brings a Dimensity 6100+ chipset, a 6.72-inch IPS LCD (FHD+ and 120Hz) and is equipped with a 108MP ISOCELL HM6 main camera sensor. The device also boasts a 5,000 mAh battery with 67W fast charging and boots Realme UI 4.0 based on Android 13. Realme 11X 5G is expected to feature a 64MP main cam...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_11_5g_and_11x_5g_are_coming_to_india_on_august_23-news-59564.php

YouTube Music's new TikTok-like Samples tab wants to help you discover more songs

Music streaming services are everywhere these days, and did you know that Google has one too? It's called YouTube Music and starting today it wants to help you discover new music in a very addictive fashion. So it's adding a new tab called Samples, which is basically a TikTok-like vertically scrolling stream of, well, music samples. It's aiming to take personalized music discovery to the next level, helping you find new songs you'll like, since discovering new music is still a challenge even though you theoretically always have tens of millions of tunes at your fingertips with services...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/youtube_musics_new_tiktoklike_samples_tab_wants_to_help_you_discover_more_songs-news-59560.php

Bose QuietComfort headphones leak in promo video

The recently leaked Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds will be joined by a third pair of over-ear headphones dubbed Bose QuietComfort. These headphones are rumored to retail for €399.95 and will arrive in Black, Cloud White, and Cypress Green colors later this year. We now have an official-looking teaser video for the upcoming QC headphones that covers their design and key features. The upcoming Bose QC headphones bring a similar design to the QuietComfort 45 and QuietComfort SE which launched last year. The video goes over the headphone’s noise cancelation capabilities and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/bose_quietcomfort_headphones_leak_in_promo_video-news-59556.php

Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE unveiled with attractive price, 8,000 mAh battery

Say hello to the Redmi Pad SE – the latest tablet in the portfolio of Xiaomi's affordable sub-brand. The device arrives on the international scene with a big screen for “exceptional visual enjoyment” and a price tag of just €199. Redmi equipped this tablet with a Snapdragon 680 chipset. It is built on the 6nm process and has 128 GB storage alongside; there is a micro SD port for up to 1 TB more. We get to select one of three RAM options – 4 GB, 6 GB, or 8 GB. The screen is an 11” LCD with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels with up to 90 Hz refresh rate. Redmi promises 400 nits...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_brings_redmi_pad_se_with_an_affordable_price_8000_mah_battery-news-59555.php

Xiaomi Redmi K60 Ultra announced: Dimensity 9200+ SoC, 54MP camera, and 144Hz screen

Xiaomi announced the Redmi K60 series last December, consisting of three smartphones - Redmi K60, Redmi K60E, and Redmi K60 Pro. These are today joined by a fourth member of the lineup, dubbed Redmi K60 Ultra. The Redmi K60 Ultra is powered by the Dimensity 9200+ SoC, boots MIUI 14, and comes with up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. The K60 Ultra packs a 12-bit 6.67" 1.5K (2,712x1,220 pixels) screen with 2,600 nits peak brightness and 2,880Hz PWM dimming. The display has a 144Hz refresh rate and 480Hz touch sampling rate, and Xiaomi says the Redmi K60 Ultra comes...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_k60_ultra_features_price_sale_date-news-59554.php

vivo will introduce iQOO Z8 series in September

The iQOO Z7 series arrived in March, and six months later, the vivo brand will bring the iQOO Z8 successors. According to a tipster on Weibo, the new lineup will be introduced in September, and for the first time will have a 512 GB storage option. The iQOO Z8x already appeared on 3C, but the listing claimed 44W charging support, raising the question if it is indeed from the upcoming series. In comparison, the iQOO Z7x supported 80W charging, which was lower than the 120W standard on the vanilla Z7. iQOO Z7 in Space Black, Atomic Blue and Infinite Orange We expect the iQOO Z8...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_will_introduce_iqoo_z8_series_in_september-news-59553.php

Oppo Find N3 Flip emerges in new renders

The Find N2 Flip was Oppo’s first take at a clamshell foldable phone and it came as a worthy adversary to Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 but it’s now time we turn our attention to the next iteration in the Find N Flip series. Updated renders of the Find N3 Flip emerged from leakster Digital Chat Station and Pricebaba revealing an updated look from the previously shared renders from earlier this year. Oppo Find N3 Flip new render The big change from the new renders is the camera island which is now shown as a ring housing the three sensors and Hasselblad branding. The tall cover screen...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_n3_flip_emerges_in_new_renders-news-59552.php

Watch the Honor Magic V2 get assembled on video

We assume that, over the years, you've seen your fair share of teardown / disassembly videos, where one YouTuber or another takes apart a smartphone or another. Maybe they even reassemble it at the end. That's cool enough. But you know what would be cooler? Starting from a bunch of parts, and assembling the smartphone on camera. And that's exactly what Zack of JerryRigEverything fame has done today, with Honor's help. At the start, there are only parts. At the end, there's a fully functioning Honor Magic V2, the brand's latest foldable smartphone, introduced last month. The Magic V2...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/watch_the_honor_magic_v2_get_assembled_on_video-news-59549.php

Our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 video review is up

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold5 to much fanfare late last month, and last week we published our full in-depth review of it. Today, it's time to condense all of the information available in the written review into a twelve-minute video. That's right, our video review of Samsung's latest and greatest 'big' / horizontal-style foldable is finally fully baked and out of the oven. So grab yourself some popcorn (or another snack of your choosing), perhaps a nice beverage too, and hit Play below to see the Fold5 in all its glory, from all possible angles. You won't just see it - you'll...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/our_samsung_galaxy_z_fold5_video_review_is_up-news-59548.php

The Tecno Pova 5 and Pova 5 Pro are launching in India on August 22

Tecno just wrapped up its first “World of TECNOlogy” event, which ran over the weekend. At that event the company confirmed that the two Pova 5 phones along with the Megabook T1 laptop are coming to India soon. The Tecno Pova 5 and Pova 5 Pro will be sold through Amazon India starting on August 22 (Tuesday next week). Unfortunately, there is no official pricing just yet and Amazon is yet to put up landing pages for these two. The Tecno Pova 5 and Pova 5 Pro are coming to India next week As a quick refresher on the two phones, they are built around a 6.78” 120Hz IPS LCDs (120Hz,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/the_tecno_pova_5_and_pova_5_pro_are_launching_in_india_on_august_22-news-59542.php

Samsung One UI 6 Beta is coming to China, India, Poland and the UK

Samsung launched its One UI 6 beta program last week for the Galaxy S23 series devices in the US, South Korea and Germany but we now get confirmation that the beta is expanding to four more countries. Galaxy S23 users in China, India, Poland and the UK will soon be able to join the One UI 6 beta program as confirmed by the Samsung Developers portal. Registrations for the One UI 6 beta are available via the Samsung Members app Samsung has not confirmed when it plans to release the One UI 6 beta in the aforementioned markets but expectations are it will happen later this week. Users...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_one_ui_6_beta_is_coming_to_china_india_poland_and_the_uk-news-59540.php

Huawei Mate 60 leaks in hands-on images

Huawei is expected to launch its Mate 60 series sometime this fall and we now have our first look at the Mate 60 thanks to a series of hands-on images doing rounds on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The new shots depict the Mate 60 sporting a dual-tone back with what looks like frosted glass on the top half and a metal bottom part. The previously leaked circular camera island is still present with three cameras cutouts. Huawei Mate 60 hands-on images Earlier rumors suggest Mate 60 will bring an OLED display with 1220p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The more...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_60_leaks_in_handson_images-news-59537.php

vivo V29 makes official debut, again

While we’ve been tracking the vivo V29e teasers building up to its unveiling in India, the vivo V29 beat it to the finish line. In fact, the V29 will be available in more than 39 markets, including India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, Mexico and the selected European markets. Of course, the phone made its debut in Europe earlier this month, but the announcement was lacking in details – particularly details about its price and availability. We guess vivo wanted to wait until it’s ready to launch the phone in multiple markets simultaneously. vivo...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/the_vivo_v29_is_coming_to_multiple_asian_markets-news-59539.php

HTC U23 Pro in for review

The HTC U23 Pro marked the return of the once leading maker to the smartphone race proper and now it landed at our office for a review. But before we put it through its paces, let's take a quick look at what it offers. The HTC U23 Pro comes in a white-colored retail package, including a USB-C cable, some paperwork, and a SIM card ejector tool. It doesn't come with a charger, so you'll have to purchase it separately if you don't have one already. The HTC U23 Pro is built around a 6.7" 120Hz FullHD+ OLED display with Gorilla Glass Victus protection and a punch hole in the center for...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u23_pro_in_for_review-news-59522.php

Week 32 in review: Pixel 8 phones leak, iPhone 15 USB-C ports appear, OnePlus is launching a phone with 150W

In the brief period of a Samsung Unpacked event in mid-summer and the iPhone unveiling in early September, we have a flurry of leaks and teasers, picturing the landscape of smartphone launches in the next few months. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro variants leaked in renders, revealing Google is going to stick with the stripe camera island with all the shooters placed horizontally. Another launch we eagerly expect, the one of the iPhone 15 series, is going to be groundbreaking for Apple users, as the Cupertino company is finally ditching the Lighting port for a USB-C, not without the nudge...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/week_32_in_review_pixel_8_phones_leak_iphone_15_usbc_ports_appear_oneplus_is_launching_a_phone_with_150w-news-59517.php

Flashback: MediaTek's Helio X20 chip with 10-core CPU was ahead of their time

Modern smartphone chipsets are awesome – their CPUs reach incredible clock speeds of up to 3.46GHz on the iPhone 14 Pro series (Apple A16). The Android rivals aren’t far behind at 3.36GHz with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2. But while raising the clock speed is a simple way to increase performance, it comes with major issues, mainly related to much higher power draw and overheating. Can you go faster while keeping the clock speed low? Sure you can, just throw more cores at the problem. That must have been the line of thought back in 2015 when MediaTek announced the Helio X20, the world’s first...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/flashback_a_look_back_at_the_10core_cpus-news-59511.php

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the US, the UK, Germany and India

This week Samsung's newly Unpacked devices went on sales in the first wave of markets – the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5, the two Watch6 and three Galaxy Tab S9 slates – so we’ll check out offers from Samsung itself as well as Amazon. Samsung aside, there are interesting deals on Motorola foldables and bar phones too, plus mid-rangers from other brands and some interesting accessories as well. USA The UK Germany India USA Friday was the first day of open sales for Samsung’s latest foldables. This means that pre-order promos are over, but there are still some...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_deals_the_best_smartphone_deals_from_the_us_the_uk_germany_and_india-news-59524.php

Google Pixel Fold's built-in speakers support Spatial Audio

The Google Pixel Fold unveiled in May supports Spatial Audio over wired and wireless headphones for a more immersive experience, and three months later, we now learn that Google's first foldable smartphone supports Spatial Audio over its built-in speakers as well. This revelation comes from Telegram user SageSushi via XDA-Developers' former Editor-in-Chief Mishaal Rahman, who shared a screenshot on X (formerly Twitter) showing Spatial Audio support for Pixel Fold's built-in speakers. If you own a Pixel Fold and want a more immersive audio experience through the foldable's speakers,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_fold_spatial_audio_speakers-news-59535.php

Weekly poll results: most agree that Apple switching to USB-C is an improvement

Last week’s poll shows that people are excited for Apple’s move to USB-C – it’s the right choice, even if the EU had to strong-arm Cupertino into doing it. The EU isn’t alone anymore, Saudi Arabia will make USB-C mandatory for portables from 2025, Brazil is still considering its options. Anyway, a few are worried about the e-waste that will be created by the move, but the vast majority see it as a necessary, even positive move. What really troubles people is whether Apple will limit USB-C functionality on the iPhones. Current Lightning cables (and other accessories) need to be MFi...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_most_agree_that_apple_switching_to_usbc_is_an_improvement-news-59491.php

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 review

Introduction At first glance, Samsung was very docile with the upgrades to its Galaxy Watch6 series. But you could argue that there was very little wrong with the Galaxy Watch5 series and that all the upgrades we got were useful or thoughtful. The new watches use the new Exynos W930 chipset, which is nearly identical to last year's W920. Both are made on a 5nm process and have dual-core Cortex-A55 processors, but the new chip has a higher 1.4GHz clock speed, which Samsung says makes for an 18% increase in speed. The Watch6 series also bumps the RAM up to 2GB. On the software...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_watch6_review-news-59466.php

Google might implement hardware requirements for future foldables

A shiny new foldable smartphone is great, but despite the massive improvements that have been entering the foldable niche lately, there is still a certain level of uncertainty regarding device longevity and rigidity associated with foldables. All you generally have to go by are manufacturer informal assurances and third-party fold tests, like this recent one which revealed that the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra only managed 126,266 folds despite being manufacturer rated for 400,000 cycles. You get the point. As per some insider info courtesy of Mishaal Rahman, Google might be looking to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_might_implement_hardware_requirements_for_future_foldables-news-59530.php