Flashback: a decade of mini phones

In the early days miniaturization was fashionable, but as smartphones took over, the need for a large screen overrode everything else. That’s how we ended up with tablet-sized behemoths. Remember the Dell Streak from 2010? It was marketed as a “tablet”, even though it had a 5” screen. These days phones with 6.8” displays are fairly common, just fractions of an inch away from the smallest tablets on the market. You may be thinking that Sony was making awesome mini phones. And it was, until a few years ago. These days Apple is the only one making a phone that is both small and actually...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/flashback_a_decade_of_mini_phones-news-55071.php

Weekly poll results: Xiaomi 12S Ultra gets praised, 12S and 12S Pro need to prove themselves

It comes as no surprise – the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has people excited. We’re still working on the full review, but you can check out the camera samples from the phone in our impromptu 12S Ultra vs. Mi 11 Ultra shootout. Last week’s poll shows that 2 in 3 voters are interested in the new Ultra. Many will even consider importing the phone – that 1” Sony sensor is unique and is supported by Leica’s lens making know-how and the faster ISP inside the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. As some commenters point out, the import route may be just a pipe dream – as Xiaomi doesn’t intend for the 12S Ultra to be...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_xiaomi_12s_ultra_gets_praised_12s_and_12s_pro_need_to_prove_themselves-news-55056.php

Infinix Note 12 Pro 4G quietly goes official with store listing

Infinix just can't stop expanding its Note 12 line. There is the vanilla model, a variant with the MediaTek Helio G96, a Note 12i, a Note 12 VIP, which we recently did a hands-on review of and the Note 12 Pro 5G. Last month the company promised to unveil the world's first MediaTek Helio G99 phone. Enter the new Infinix Note 12 Pro 4G, which just quietly made an appearance in an Aliexpress listing. The Note 12 Pro 4G shares many specs with its 5G sibling, like the 6.7-inch, FullHD+ AMOLED display, the dual loudspeaker setup, the 5,000 mAh battery with 33W charging and its camera...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/infinix_note_12_pro_4g_quietly_goes_official_with_store_listing-news-55084.php

Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 in for review

Huawei's premium Freebuds Pro 2 earbuds are in the office and they are among the most feature-packed TWS earphones around. Noise-canceling? You got it, up to a staggering 47dB, which is more than twice as much as what Apple's AirPods Pro offer! Audio quality? You bet, the Freebuds Pro 2 has a wider frequency response than most other TWS - from 14Hz up to 48kHz. Base? Yep, courtesy of an 11mm dynamic driver. Water-resistance? IP54 rated for splashes. The Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 come in a simple box with a USB-A to USB-C cable and three sets of S/M/L eartips. The case itself supports...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_freebuds_pro_2_in_for_review-news-55016.php

Google Play Store might be removing app permissions overview in favor of new Data Safety info

Back in May last year, Google introduced a new Data Safety section for apps published on the Play Store. A feature that started appearing on actual app listings in April this year and one that will be mandatory for all apps to have soon (July 20). Now Data Safety info sections have started popping up on actual live app listings on the store, and there is something a bit concerning. Namely that the new info window seems to be taking the place of the app permission overview that all apps on the Play Store used to have. The new Data Safety section in Google Play Store If this...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_play_store_might_be_removing_app_permissions_overview_in_favor_of_new_data_safety_info-news-55083.php

iQOO 9T's black color model appears in official teaser

Last week iQOO told us it will launch the iQOO 9T in India by the end of this month with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, and a couple of days ago, the company gave us our first official look at the smartphone, sporting BMW-themed stripes on its back. Today, iQOO dropped a new teaser on Twitter, revealing the iQOO 9T's black color model design. The iQOO 9T's black version also has a dual-tone design, but the iQOO logo is centrally aligned, and the smartphone doesn't feature the BMW stripes like the other variant. The area around the camera module has a kevlar-like pattern similar to the BMW...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_iqoo_9t_black_color_model_design-news-55082.php