Weekly poll: how big should "mini" phones be?

To this day you can still hear people on Internet forums complain that there are no small high-end phones. Is that true, though? But more importantly what constitutes “small” these days? One might say that the Apple iPhone 12 mini is the only true mini flagship around. You might be tempted to include the Sony Xperia 5 II on this list, but it’s debatable whether it belongs – even Sony doesn’t call it a Compact (a true Compact may be on the way, though). Check out the table below with some potential candidates for the mini flagship category. We included flagship-level models as well as...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_how_big_should_mini_phones_be-news-47588.php

Weekly poll results: most people prefer wireless in-ear headphone, the TWS kind specifically

In last week’s poll we asked you about your headphone preferences – it turns out that True Wireless (TWS) headsets really are the new hotness. In-ear designs in general are preferred over other designs and, on a broader scale, wireless headphones are beating out their wired cousins. Perhaps, we shouldn’t be surprised that every company under the sun has launched at least one TWS headset. And you can bet that sales will only go up, now that makers have started removing the basic wired headsets from the retail packages of flagship phones (and lower-ranked models usually came...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_most_people_prefer_wireless_inear_headphone_the_tws_kind_specifically-news-47585.php

Week 5 in review: Exynos 2100 vs Snapdragon 888 tests, Oppo Find X3 series leak

Another week is over, so let's look at the big stories it brought. This one was an eventful one. Our top story was a drop test, featuring the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Neither came out looking good so maybe don't watch it if are faint of heart. We saw a couple of deep-dives into the Galaxy S21 Ultra. One looked in-depth at the new Exynos 2100 chipset and its power draw and performance compared to the Snapdragon 888 and the Exynos 990 from last year. The conclusion is that the Snapdragon 888 is a bit more efficient in the way it delivers its power, but can lead to more...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/week_5_in_review_exynos_2100_vs_snapdragon_888_tests_oppo_find_x3_series_leak-news-47608.php

Flashback: That phone that ran on AA batteries

A single AA battery. That’s all that is needed to power the most basic phone dubbed SpareOne Plus. As you can tell by the name, this one is intended to be a backup phone only to be used in case of emergency (it was originally designed for first responders). Its best feature is that it can sit on a shelf for 15 years and be ready when you need it. Modern phones with their lithium batteries can’t match such endurance – the self discharge rate can be as high as 2% per month, meaning lithium batteries lose charge even if the device is completely powered down. And they are, of course,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/flashback_that_phone_runs_on_what-news-47607.php

Black Shark phone with FullHD+ screen and 12GB RAM appears on Google Play Console

A Black Shark smartphone codenamed "kaiser" and bearing model code KSR-A0 was spotted on Google Play Console last week with a FullHD+ screen and 8GB RAM. It is likely the Black Shark 4, and while we wait for its official launch date, a new Black Shark phone has appeared on the Google Play Console with model designation PRS-A0 and codename "penrose". The PRS-A0, said to be the Black Shark 4 Pro, is listed on Google Play Console with Android 11, 12GB RAM, and a FullHD+ screen. The SoC is SM8250, which is the Snapdragon 865. But this could be a mistake since the Black Shark 4, which will...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/black_shark_4_pro_prs_a0_google_play_console-news-47619.php

OnePlus 8 series gets January security patch and bug fixes with latest OxygenOS updates

OnePlus has released new OxygenOS updates for the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and 8T, which bump up the Android security patch level on the smartphones to January 2021. The new builds also improve the stuttering problem of some tripartite apps and optimize the UI display effect of the notification bar and the experience of using long screenshots. OnePlus 8 Additionally, these updates fix the noise issue on 5G calls and squash half a dozen bugs. The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are receiving OxygenOS 11.0.4.4, whereas the 8T in Europe is receiving the 11.0.7.10 update. The 8T units in India and North...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_8_8_pro_8t_january_patch_oxygenos_updates-news-47616.php