Category: Cell Phone

One of the most interesting things about mobile tech in 2020 is the rise of the Dimensity SoC series. MediaTek has managed to develop these 5G processors in order to target numerous tiers of the smartphone market that might otherwise be dominated by the same few Snapdragon equivalents, while also providing some arguably necessary competition in the same spaces. On the other hand, the intriguing (and increasingly well-priced) devices based on these processors have rarely made it out of what is often their home market of China.

Now, Realme has affirmed it is working on changing that with the launch of the X7 series in a new market. These phones may be a big hit there, particularly as the Pro variant rocks the highest-end Dimensity 1000+ chipset and a 120Hz AMOLED display.

The vanilla model also offers the lesser-spotted Dimensity 800U. Given these specs, it is a slight shame that they will only reach India by 2021. Realme India’s CEO, Madhav Sheth, has stated that this is indeed the case in a recent tweet.

Then again, the executive also mentioned that the X7s are just the tip of the incoming Realme 5G-berg in India. Therefore, more potentially Dimensity-powered phones making it to this market may improve the chances that they will also start gravitating towards others in the near future.

In our test, the Redmi 9A presents itself as a successful low-budget smartphone that can be purchased already for significantly less than 100 Euros (~$118). The workmanship is good, the battery life very long, and the equipment is convincing for a very affordable smartphone. In addition, the IPS panel offers solid viewing angles and a good color reproduction.

However, compared to the Redmi 9 and Redmi Note 9 sibling models, you have to accept some compromises. While customers in China have the choice between various models with up to 6 GB of RAM, in this country (Germany) users have to be content with the Redmi 9A with the small amount of working memory. In this regard, the Redmi 9 and Note 9 are able to score with twice as much RAM, which becomes positively noticeable in everyday usage. In addition, Xiaomi has equipped its low-budget smartphone with a fairly weak MediaTek processor, the new Helio G25.

The system of the 9A model does not always run smoothly and there are often some delays. Due to the slow eMMC storage, the load times are also significant. Particularly the Mali-G52 MP2 of the Helio G80 or G85, which is inside the Redmi 9 and Note 9 sibling models, offers significantly more GPU performance and ensures considerably more gaming fun and higher frame rates in combination with the 1080p panel. 

So you have to take a critical look at the question whether the slightly lower purchase costs of the Redmi 9A are worthwhile when possibly using it for several years. A Redmi 9 or Redmi Note 9 would offer a noticeably better overall package for the extra amount of currently 20 or 40 Euros (~$24 or $47) respectively.

If you would like to get a more detailed impression on the Redmi 9A, we recommend our review of the Xiaomi smartphone.

If a smartphone isn’t launched with the latest technology, it has little impact on the performance behind it. The reason for this is SoCs that may be significantly older than a year but belonged to the mid-range at the time and, therefore, still deliver enough performance for modern applications even today.

This is also the case with the ZTE Blade V2020, since it’s equipped with the MediaTek Helio P70 that was released in April 2019, which in turn is accompanied by an ARM Mali-G72 MP3 graphics unit. For under 300 Euros (~$355), the manufacturer also packs 128 GB of storage space and 4 GB of RAM into the smartphone. A hybrid slot allows the choice between using two nano SIMs or a microSD card.

In addition to solid WLAN and camera performance, the Blade V2020 also shows good results in our benchmark tests. Here, the strongest competitor is the Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC, which scores better in almost all aspects. Compared to the rest of the competition in this price range, however, the ZTE smartphone manages to assert itself.

Thanks to its large and bright display, it can be used comprehensively. Even users with sensitive eyes may be happy here, as PWM is limited to a very high frequency of 63,290 Hz and only kicks in at brightness levels below 23%. This makes the built-in IPS panel much easier on the eyes than most current OLED panels. More details and further information can be found in our review of the ZTE Blade V2020.

OnePlus is known for its excellent software support, but it has apparently chosen to treat its Nord sub-brand differently. OnePlus was long one of the only Android OEMs to release three OS upgrades to its smartphones, while newer handsets like the OnePlus 8T should receive Android 14 whenever that comes around. OnePlus will abandon the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 long before then, though.

To recap, OnePlus announced the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 as budget options in its portfolio, following the release of the OnePlus 8T and OnePlus Nord. OnePlus launched the OnePlus 8T on Android 11 but the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 on Android 10, which seemed like an odd move. However, OnePlus is reported by Android Central as having confirmed the following about software support for the two devices:

The Nord N10 5G and N100 will receive one major Android update and a total of two years of security updates. The plan for these two devices aligns with industry standards for smartphones in more affordable price ranges. As always, we will continue listening to feedback from our users and looking for ways to improve the software experience for all OnePlus devices.

So, the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 will receive fewer security updates than other OnePlus smartphones, too. To clarify, Android OEMs typically afford two OS updates to their smartphones, not one. In fact, companies like LG and Sony have been called out for failing to support some of their smartphones after one software update. OnePlus is not really offering one major Android update with the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100, either. Clearly, the company had OxygenOS 11 and Android 11 ready for the OnePlus 8T, so it seems that the company may have released its two new Nord smartphones on Android 10 to offer the bare minimum of software support.

Ultimately, OnePlus’ ‘Never Settle’ mantra wears a little thin when applied to the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100. We cannot understand why OnePlus has effectively announced that it has already abandoned the Nord N10 5G and Nord N100 before it has released them, though.

Xiaomi is now thought to have new 5G variants of the Redmi Note 9 and 9 Pro in the works. Should some new TENAA listings truly pertain to these phones, they may have quad rear cameras, 6-inch-plus displays and large batteries with possible 22.5-watt (W) charging speeds. However, a new leak claims that they will fall into a relatively low price-tier on their launch.

This new tip comes from a Weibo account that insists the Note 9 5G will start at just 1000 yuan (~US$151). Furthermore, its Pro counterpart – which may have a 108MP main sensor and the new Snapdragon 750G processor – might have a base model worth about 1500 yuan ($226).

This would make the new series extremely competitive in the 5G space, even possibly giving the Realme V3 a run for its money. One of these phones (probably the Pro version) is also projected to have a 6.67-inch LCD display with what may be a form of variable refresh rate that allows it to range between 30 and 120 hertz (Hz).

LG overhauled its Android skin with LG UX 9.0, which it based on Android 10, but the company has not been forthcoming about when it will release a successor. To date, the South Korean company has offered no timescales for delivering Android 11, unlike most other Android OEMs. Even Samsung has commenced beta testing of its Android 11-based OS update, for example.

However, Max Weinbach has revealed that LG is working on Android 11, after all. According to Weinbach, LG is testing the new OS on at least the V60 ThinQ, which it released in March. Sadly, Weinbach has not offered any details about Android 11 on the V60 ThinQ, save for some information about test and release keys.

It should come as no surprise to see Android 11 in development for the V60 ThinQ though, considering that it launched on Android 10. It is unclear when LG will deploy Android 11, but we doubt that the OS will reach most LG smartphones until mid-2021, at best.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A51 in December 2019, which it followed with a 5G variant in April. So, the South Korean company should be on the verge of releasing a successor, since it usually leaves about a year between smartphone refreshes. Late last month, a leaked suggested that Samsung had started developing firmware for the Galaxy A52 5G, and now the device has popped up on Geekbench. 

Spotted by Abhishek Yadav and Galaxy Club, the Galaxy A52 5G has been benchmarked as the SM-A526B, the same codename seen in last month’s firmware development leak. According to Galaxy Club, the SM-A526B has an Adreno 619 GPU and two CPU cores that can reach 2.2 GHz. Based on this information, it would seem that Samsung has chosen Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 750G for the Galaxy A52, which also features an octa-core Kyro 570 CPU and an X52 5G built on an 8 nm process.

Additionally, Geekbench reveals that the Galaxy A52 is being tested on Android 11, or One UI 3.0 as Samsung calls it. The benchmarking website confirms the presence of 6 GB of RAM too, which would be a 2 GB upgrade on the Galaxy A51.

Some new information about the Redmi K40 has been provided by Digital Chat Station in regard to the type of display the upcoming affordable flagship-killer will have. For starters, apparently it will be a flat screen that will be used, so those not keen on the ever-present curved displays found in many current smartphones can breathe a sigh of relief here.

Along with featuring some straight edges on its screen, the Redmi K40 will offer a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The regular Redmi K30 could also manage up to 120 Hz while the Redmi K30 Pro had to settle for a 60 Hz refresh rate to save the battery life. So while the Redmi K40 supposedly trumps the Redmi K30 Pro here, how is it an improvement over the regular K30 model if they both support 120 Hz?

Well, according to the same source, the Redmi K40 will sport an OLED panel, whereas the Redmi K30 had to make do with an LCD panel. The Redmi K30 Pro has an AMOLED screen, so it seems that Xiaomi has decided to take the best parts of the Redmi K30 series and deliver them with the Redmi K40: 120 Hz OLED panel with a centered punch-hole for the selfie camera. It’s a potentially bright start for the next iteration, which is rumored to be coming with a Snapdragon 775G for the entry model and a Snapdragon 875 for the Redmi K40 Pro variant.

Nokia promised a product launch mainly addressed to its US fans today (November 9, 2020) and has delivered. However, while this announcement might have raised hopes for confirmation of the 7.3 5G or perhaps even the 9.3 PureView, what emerged is in fact a device from different earlier leaks.

It is the 8 V 5G UW, which, as prior rumors have indicated, is the 8.3 5G but specifically for Verizon. This new partnership was introduced as a considerable coup for the brand by Juho Sarvikas, its chief product officer and vice president of its North American division.

This quadruple-barrelled-name mid-ranger retains the 8.3’s Snapdragon 765G SoC; PureView rear camera with Zeiss optics and a 64MP main shooter; 6.81-inch FHD IPS display and “all-day” 4500mAh battery. However, it can also use its new carrier’s Ultra-Wideband (UW) form of mmWave 5G.

Finally, the 8 V 5G UW also distinguishes itself with a new Meteor Gray colorway. It will become available on November 12, 2020 for US$699. Nokia did not mention this in its presentation, but that price most likely means it is based on the 8.3 5G’s base 6GB RAM/64GB SKU.

Apple is capable of developing great smartphone displays, that’s always been true. Despite Apple not owning their own display manufacturing and developing displays in collaboration with Samsung, they always manage to provide some special aspects for their displays.

The iPhone 12 now features an OLED display instead of the standard LED panel. Apple probably made this choice in part in order to provide the necessary contrasts for Dolby Vision. This is a development of HDR that is also used in Hollywood movies. 

Our iPhone 12 review shows that the display has great color accuracy, is bright and can display details precisely thanks to its high resolution. That’s a real advantage for iPhone fans… isn’t it?

There is one caveat that goes along with this new technology: OLED displays don’t have background lighting that can be dimmed, which means that the entire display has to be turned on and off constantly to simulate lower brightness. This happens at a frequency of around 218 Hz on the iPhone 12, which might easily be tiring for sensitive eyes. 

The LED displays usually – if at all – only have this problem at very low levels of brightness, while the OLED displays use PWM at all levels except for maximum. There would be a solution for this: so-called DC dimming could be used to reduce the voltage of the individual OLED diodes in order to reach a lower brightness. However, it doesn’t seem like Apple is planning to bring this technology to the iPhone anytime soon.

So while users can grab themselves an iPhone 11 without any further thought, sensitive eyes or not, potential buyers of the iPhone 12 had better try out the phone’s display before taking this $900 smartphone home. 

Find out more about the display and other relevant aspects of Apple’s newest product in our detailed review of the iPhone 12.