Here’s our best look at Samsung’s Galaxy M12, a budget smartphone with a 7000mAh battery

Samsung launched the Galaxy M series in India last year to compete with Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi and Realme in the budget and lower mid-range segments. The Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 were the first phones in the series, and they were followed by the Galaxy M30, Galaxy M30s, and Galaxy M40 over the course of the year. Since all of these devices target different price brackets, Samsung has been busy launching refreshed models for each device this year. Up until now, the company has launched the Galaxy M11, Galaxy M21, Galaxy M31 to succeed the Galaxy M10, Galaxy M20, and Galaxy M30s, respectively. It seems like the company is ready for another generational refresh, as renders of the upcoming Galaxy M12 have now surfaced online.

Noted leaker OnLeaks has shared the following renders of the Galaxy M12, which give us a good look at its design and highlight some of its features. As you can see in the images attached below, the upcoming Galaxy M12 is a far cry from its predecessor. It offers a more modern design with a square camera module and a two-tone finish on the back panel. Over on the front, however, it features a similar Infinity-V display with an angular waterdrop-style notch for the selfie camera.

Unlike the Galaxy M11, which featured a rear-mounted capacitive fingerprint scanner, the Galaxy M12 features a side-mounted scanner integrated into the power button. The renders further reveal that the device will include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port. Although the renders reveal no hardware specifications, OnLeaks claims that the device will pack a 6.5-inch flat display and measure 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm (10mm with the camera bump).

It’s worth noting that another Galaxy M21 leak was recently shared by 91mobiles, which showcased live images of the device’s back panel. However, the previously leaked images don’t match these new renders, as they don’t include the same two-tone finish. And the display specifications shared by the publication don’t line up with the information shared by OnLeaks either. According to 91mobiles, the Galaxy M21 will feature a 6.7-inch hole-punch display and a massive 7,000mAh battery.

The report further claims that the Galaxy M12 is currently in development at Samsung’s facility in India, and it will go by the model number SM-M127F. One of the images showcases the model number etched onto the back panel along with the model number SM-F127G. This suggests that the device could be launched as the Galaxy F12 in some regions. As of now, Samsung hasn’t released any official information about the device.

The post Here’s our best look at Samsung’s Galaxy M12, a budget smartphone with a 7000mAh battery appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3pyTW2t
via IFTTT

This is the OPPO X 2021, a concept smartphone with a rollable display

Towards the end of last month, we learned that LG was working on a unique smartphone with a rollable display as part of its Explorer Project. The device, codenamed Project B, was teased during the LG Wing launch, and it’s expected to hit the market in March next year. While Project B is still in the works, OPPO has beaten LG to the punch with the new OPPO X 2021 concept smartphone, showcased at the recent INNO Day 2020 event, alongside the OPPO AR Glass 2021 & OPPO CybeReal.

OPPO X 2021 Concept Smartphone

The OPPO X 2021 concept smartphone features a continuously variable rollable OLED display. The device uses OPPO’s proprietary Roll Motor powertrain to expand the display from 6.7-inches to a maximum of 7.4-inches, converting it from a regular smartphone to a bigger phablet of sorts.

The powertrain consists of two motors that generate a constant force to unfold the device uniformly, ensuring that the display isn’t damaged during the process. And it even gives you the freedom to unroll the display as much as you want, unlike foldable smartphones which usually have just two states (folded and unfolded) to switch between.

Despite this rolling mechanism, the display on the device has no kinks or visible folds. To ensure this, OPPO’s engineers have designed a bearing with a slider on the display side with a 6.8 mm arc. This arc allows the display to roll back without any visible folds.

Since the rollable display on the OPPO X 2021 isn’t as rigid as conventional displays, OPPO has also designed an innovative 2-in-1 Plate display support technology that supports the display on either side from the inside.

As you can see in the attached image, this plate has a comb-like structure that effectively supports the display, no matter its shape. When the device is rolled shut, the plates form a single surface to support the display. And when it’s rolled out, one of the plates slides out to support the display without leaving any gaps. This mechanism ensures that the display remains smooth even when it’s rolled out.

To protect the sliding mechanism from the back, OPPO has adopted a dynamic frame, consisting of an outer fixed frame and a sliding frame within. As the display rolls out, the sliding frame and the rear battery cover move off the back panel to better protect the internals.

Since rollable displays are quite delicate, the OPPO X 2021 also uses a proprietary Warp Track high-strength screen laminate that adds some strength to the display. The laminate is made with high-strength steel, and it’s only 0.1mm thick at its thinnest. As the following image illustrates, the Warp Track laminate forms a caterpillar track behind the display, which adds strength without increasing resistance.

The aforementioned technologies on the OPPO X 2021 just scratch the surface of what went into developing the concept smartphone. OPPO claims that it applied for 122 patents during its development, 12 of which are related to the rolling mechanism alone.

You can watch OPPO’s presentation on the smartphone over here:

---

OPPO AR Glass 2021 & OPPO CybeReal

Along with the OPPO X 2021, the company showcased two more innovative products during its INNO Day event — OPPO AR Glass 2021 and OPPO CybeReal. The second-gen AR smart glasses are 75% lighter than last year’s model and feature a new “split-design”. The OPPO AR Glass 2021 uses Birdbath optical technology for 98% increased brightness uniformity and provides the same viewing experience as watching a 90-inch screen at 3 meters. The glasses feature binocular fish-eye cameras that capture the environment around you and provide local mapping and 3D spatial localization with low latency.

These cameras, coupled with a ToF sensor, also track hand movements for easier operation. The hand-tracking feature follows 21 unique markers on each hand, ensuring that the AR glasses capture even the most subtle movements. On top of that, the glasses come with OPPO’s voice assistant Breeno built-in for voice commands.

OPPO CybeReal, on the other hand, is an AR app powered by real-time spatial calculation technology. The app is based on a digital model of the physical world built on OPPO Cloud, and it offers real-time high-precision localization and scene recognition using GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and network information.

The post This is the OPPO X 2021, a concept smartphone with a rollable display appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2H8SHFP
via IFTTT

Microsoft starts selling the Surface Go 2 and Surface Book 3 in India

Microsoft has begun selling the Surface Go 2 and Surface Book 3 in India. Announced earlier this year, the Surface Go 2 is a refresh for the company’s smallest Surface tablet, while the Surface Book 3 is Microsoft’s most powerful convertible notebook. Notably, Microsoft had also announced the Surface Headphones 2 and the Surface Earbuds during the official unveiling in May. However, it seems that these accessories will not be available in India as of yet. Pricing for the new Surface Go 2 starts at ₹42,999 and ₹1,56,299 for the Surface Book 3. Microsoft also mentions in its press note that while the Surface Go 2 will be available to all consumers, the Surface Book 3 is only being offered to commercial customers in India. This sounds odd as the Surface Book series was never solely marketed at commercial users.

Surface Go 2

The Surface Go 2 features a similar design as its predecessor, the Surface Go, but with slimmer bezels. It is Microsoft’s smallest Surface offering with a display measuring 10.5-inch with a full-HD (1920×1280) resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The notebook can be configured with an  Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y processor or the 8th-gen Intel Core m3 processor with either 4GB RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage or 8GB RAM with a 128GB SSD. There is a microSD card slot for storage expansion of up to 1TB. It is claimed to offer up to 10 hours of battery life and up to 64% improvement in performance on the top variant. The rest of the features include a USB Type-C port, Surface connector, a headphone jack, dual studio microphones, and a 5-megapixel webcam. The Surface Go 2 also supports its own Surface Type Cover, although there is no word on the official pricing in India. However, we can spot a listing on Amazon India for ₹9,999 for the Surface Type Cover for the Surface Go 2.

Pricing Details

Processor	RAM	Storage	Price
Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y	4GB	64GB	₹42,999
Intel Core m3	4GB	64GB	₹47,599
Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y	8GB	128GB	₹42,999
Intel Core m3	8GB	128GB	₹63,499

As per Microsoft India’s website, the new Surface Go 2 will be available through authorized retailers and online partners including Flipkart, Amazon India, and Paytm Mall.

Surface Book 3

The Surface Book 3 also offers a detachable 2-in-1 form factor and is available in two size variants- 13.5-inch and 15-inch. Made for creative professionals and developers, the notebook is powered by the 10th-gen Intel Core mobile processors along with the option of discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX or Quadro RTX graphics. The Surface Book 3 is claimed to offer 50-percent improved performance over its predecessor, the Surface Book 2. Both the 13.5-inch and 15-inch variants feature two USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A ports, a USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port, two Surface Connect ports, an SDXC card slot, a 5-megapixel front camera, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and far-field stereo microphones. The 15-inch model is said to offer up to 17.5 hours of battery life while the 13.5-inch model is claimed to offer 15.5 hours of battery life.

Pricing Details

Screen Size	Processor	GPU	RAM	Storage	Price
13.5″	Intel Core i5-1035G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650	8GB	128GB	₹1,56,299
13.5″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650	16GB	256GB	₹1,95,899
13.5″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650	32GB	512GB	₹2,37,199
13.5″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650	32GB	1TB	₹2,59,299
15″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti	16GB	256GB	₹2,20,399
15″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti	32GB	512GB	₹2,66,499
15″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti	32GB	1TB	₹2,86,199
15″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA Quadro RTX	32GB	512GB	₹3,21,899
15″	Intel Core i7-1065G7	NVIDIA Quadro RTX	32GB	1TB	₹3,40,399

For the Surface Book 3, customers will have to rely on commercial authorized resellers.

The post Microsoft starts selling the Surface Go 2 and Surface Book 3 in India appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3lFg1dt
via IFTTT

Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Pro flagship could bring major display enhancements

Qualcomm is scheduled to host the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit early next month. During the event, the chipmaker is expected to unveil its next flagship SoC — the Snapdragon 875. Much like last year, we also expect some smartphone OEMs to announce their next-gen flagships at the event. Last year, Xiaomi was one of the few OEMs that announced its Snapdragon 865-powered flagship Mi 10 series during the tech summit. This time around, we’re expecting the Chinese smartphone maker to talk about the Mi 11 series. While Xiaomi is yet to reveal any details about its upcoming flagships, recent leaks suggest that the Mi 11 Pro could include major display enhancements.

Digital Chat Station, a leaker on Weibo with a good track record, suggests that the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro will feature a QHD+ resolution panel at up to 120Hz refresh rate. Although this wouldn’t make it the first Android phone with a QHD+ panel and 120Hz refresh rate (OPPO Find X2 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro already offer QHD+ 120Hz panels), it would be a big leap for Xiaomi as the Mi 10 Pro had an FHD+ panel with a 90Hz refresh rate.

Along with the high-resolution panel, Xiaomi is expected to introduce some new display features with the Mi 11 Pro. XDA Senior Member kacskrz, another reliable Xiaomi tipster, recently spotted several new display features in the latest MIUI 12 beta code. These include MEMC, SDR-to-HDR upmapping, and AI upscaling.

Xiaomi has already implemented MEMC in several of its previous phones, including the Mi 10 Ultra and the Mi 10T Pro, but the company is yet to add SDR-to-HDR upmapping or AI upscaling to any of its devices. The company’s Mi Box 4K features SDR-to-HDR upmapping, so the tech isn’t new for the company. Furthermore, there are some other devices in the market that offer SDR-to-HDR upmapping, such as the OPPO Find X2 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro. As of now, it isn’t clear if Xiaomi will use self-developed display technology to offer these features or if they’ll license it from a company like Pixelworks. Regardless, it would be great to see such premium display tech reach more people with Xiaomi’s next flagships.

---

Featured image: Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

The post Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Pro flagship could bring major display enhancements appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/35A7sLo
via IFTTT

It’s official: Huawei has sold its Honor smartphone brand

Last week, a report claimed Huawei had finalized a buyer for Honor’s smartphone business. Today, Reuters is reporting that Huawei has agreed to sell Honor, a smartphone brand under the Huawei Consumer Business Group, to a consortium of over 30 agents and dealers. The buyers announced they’re setting up a new company called Shenzen Zhixin New Information Technology to complete the purchase.

Once the sale is complete, Huawei will no longer hold any share in the new Honor brand. The deal will include everything from R&D capabilities, supply chain management, and other Honor assets. Honor’s workforce includes over 7,000 employees.

A joint statement, shared by Chinese newspaper Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, on behalf of the more than 40 companies involved in the transaction said the sale is a “market-driven investment made to save Honor’s industry chain.” After the change of ownership, Honor will continue as usual, with no impact on production expected.

Ever since Huawei was placed on the U.S. Commerce Department’s “Entity List,” the company has found it difficult to operate its consumer hardware business. The company has adapted about as well as it could, but it’s increasingly facing tougher challenges due to increasing restrictions by the U.S. For instance, since the U.S. effectively blocked many chipmakers from supplying to Huawei, the company will be unable to have its ARM-based SoC designs fabricated by contract chipmakers like TSMC. As such, the Kirin 9000 found in the Huawei Mate 40 series is expected to be Huawei’s last self-designed high-end Kirin silicon, and the company will have to turn to 4G chipsets from competitors like Qualcomm or hope that China’s semiconductor manufacturing industry can step up.

If Huawei seeks to become fully independent from US-based companies, then it’ll need a lot of cash to make that happen. The deal to sell Honor could be the cash infusion that Huawei needs for this effort. No figure for the transaction was revealed, but a previous report claimed it was in the region of $15.2 billion. The previous report also claimed that the consortium’s goal after purchasing Honor would be to take the company public within three years.

With the sale now complete, Huawei will allegedly put its focus on continuing to make high-end smartphones and its corporate-oriented business. Honor, meanwhile, will continue to cater to the mid-range market across the globe.

The post It’s official: Huawei has sold its Honor smartphone brand appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3nwjjQQ
via IFTTT

Samsung is working on a secure file transfer app called “Private Share”

Samsung this year introduced a clever Quick Share feature that makes it simple to share files between the company’s smartphones and tablets. Now, the company is allegedly gearing up to introduce another file sharing feature known as Private Share.

According to SamMobile, the new feature will use the power of blockchain for a more secure file transfer experience. The concept will reportedly take inspiration from ephemeral messaging, with senders having control over when the sharing of a file will expire. Once sharing expires, that file will then be deleted from the recipient’s device.

The Private Share app will also prevent recipients from re-sharing and taking a screenshot of files. However, there’s nothing to stop a recipient from take a picture of said information with another device. But if you’re sharing such private information with someone, one would hope you could trust that person not to go to such lengths.

SamMobile said Private Share will work similarly to Quick Share. Both the sender and the recipient will need to have the Private Share app, and once the sender sends a transfer request to the recipient, a private channel will be created after the request is accepted.

SamMobile speculates that Private Share will be introduced as a headlining feature alongside the rumored Galaxy S21. It’s unclear, however, if Private Share will be exclusive to Samsung’s new device, or if it’ll eventually roll out to other Samsung phones in its lineup.

This wouldn’t be Samsung’s first mobile foray into blockchain tech. The Galaxy S10 previously introduced a Blockchain Wallet to securely handle your cryptocurrencies. We may find out what Samsung is up to very soon, as reports suggest the company may introduce a new flagship device in early January 2021.

The post Samsung is working on a secure file transfer app called “Private Share” appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3ly3pER
via IFTTT

Former Essential employees form OSOM, a tech firm making privacy-centric hardware

Many former Essential Products employees have joined a new startup called OSOM, which stands for “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.” The company has secured $5.6 million in funding and will use that money to create products that put an emphasis on privacy.

According to a CNET report, OSOM’s main goal in making consumer hardware is to respect user privacy. That means the company won’t collect any analytical data without explicit user consent. If data is collected, the company will tell users exactly how that data is being used. OSOM founder Jason Keats, who was a former head of R&D at Essential, told CNET that “there will never… [be] a scenario where we have an individual’s data.”

Users will also be able to control what data is shared with third-party apps, although OSOM didn’t make clear how this method of control will be implemented. OSOM has, however, assured potential customers that when a device’s camera or GPS is turned off, they won’t be turned on through software without a user knowing. Some of today’s phones already allow people to do that, but OSOM said its privacy-first features will be easier to use.

As of now, OSOM hasn’t said what kind of products it’s working on, only revealing it has seven or eight in mind. What OSOM won’t do is re-create Essential or release products the former company never finished. However, with so much talent from Essential Products coming to OSOM, it’s very likely there will be at least one phone in the next few years.

Other notable former Essential Products employees at OSOM include Wilson Chan (former head of operations), Wolfgang M. Muller (former VP of Global Sales), Jean-Baptiste Théou (former Principal Software Engineer), and more. It’s a small team consisting of nine full-time employees, but OSOM is planning to expand to 50 by the end of 2021.

According to Keats, he and his team learned a lot from working on the Essential Phone. Keats acknowledged that its one and only smartphone was flawed — it featured buggy software and an underwhelming camera, not to mention it was rushed to market. He’s hoping to avoid a repeat of that, so consumers should expect a much more polished experience.

When OSOM does launch its first product, it will likely run Android. But it’s unclear if the company will ship a smartphone with a customized version of Android lacking Google apps, or simply strengthen Android with improved security and privacy features. Whatever is released, OSOM has assured that it’ll feature premium hardware at an affordable price. We can expect a simultaneous launch in the U.S. and Europe, with plans to launch in parts of Asia, too.

It’s important to note that Andy Rubin, the founder of Essential Products and the center of recent sexual assault allegations, is not involved in OSOM.

“Essential’s our past,” Keats said. “OSOM’s our future. Andy’s not involved in any capacity.”

The post Former Essential employees form OSOM, a tech firm making privacy-centric hardware appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/32RhPbJ
via IFTTT