Samsung will launch S22 series on 9 Feb, hints at the end of the Note line

 

Samsung will host an Unpacked event next month, the company has confirmed in a press release authored by president TM Roh, and the writing is on the wall for the Galaxy Note series. The release hints that more Note features will be coming to the Galaxy S series — specifically the next Ultra phone in the lineup, which looks poised to take on the Note’s built-in stylus and related productivity features. This all but seals the Note series’ fate, which Samsung left in ambiguous territory last year.

Things looked doubtful for a renewal of the Note series when 2021 came and went without a new Note device. Roh’s post acknowledges the disappointment from Note fans and that this feedback has been taken into account in designing “the most noteworthy S series device we’ve ever created.” To drive home the point, the post ends with a rallying cry to “help Samsung rewrite the future of smartphones once again” and an invitation to “[g]et ready for the ultimate Ultra experience.”

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Last year’s S21 series took a half step toward absorbing the Note series when it incorporated S-pen support. When the S22 leaks started to roll in, it began to look more obvious that the S-series Ultra, in particular, would more or less become the new Note, complete with a built-in stylus silo. We expect to get all of the details at Samsung’s February Unpacked event, though the exact date and time are still unknown. Until then, Note fans can hold out some hope that the stylus features they love haven’t been forgotten.

Samsung launches Galaxy S21Ultra with no charger adopter and AKG Headphones in the box

 It’s official: Samsung’s new flagship phones will ship without a charging brick in the box. The phones will include a USB-C to USB-C cable, but no way to plug it in to the wall. If it helps take the sting out of it at all, Samsung has dropped the price on its 25W charger from $35 to $19.99. If you don’t have a USB-C charging brick, or don’t have a high-powered one and want fast charging, you’ll have to add $20 to the price of the phone.

The fact that it’s a standard cable means that many techy people will have something kicking around that can charge it — but it’s not hard to imagine a buyer who doesn’t. While last year’s Galaxy came with a USB-C charging brick, the one before that didn’t — and it’s the people who don’t upgrade every year who are less likely to have a free USB-C charging brick laying around.

The writing was on the wall for the omission: last year’s iPhone 12s come without a charging brick in the box, and Samsung has been rolling back the ads it ran poking fun at that fact. It’s also a move that’s been rumored for a while, but it’ll still be a bit of a sting the first time you unbox your new phone and have to use an old charger with it.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t all for naught — for every person who would actually need a charger in the box, there would’ve been another who wouldn’t have, and it’s always good to reduce the amount of e-waste that tech generates. It just seems like companies could've found a way to make sure that people who need the chargers would have them, or included compatible chargers for one more year to better serve the people who aren’t upgrading every year (by the way, isn’t that the most ecologically friendly path anyways?)

Speaking of things not being included in the box, the S21 will also ship without a pair of wired headphones (except, presumably, where it’s required to by law.) As with the charger, this is one less thing that will go to waste if you already have a pair of headphones or were looking to pick up the Galaxy Buds Pro, but it’s a bummer for people who don’t already have a pair and would’ve been just fine with keeping it simple.

Source: The Verge

Oppo launches Reno5 Pro+ with Snapdragon865 and 4 cameras

 

After unveiling the Reno5 and Reno5 Pro earlier this month, Oppo just gave the Reno5 Pro+ its own event probably because it shapes up to be a proper flagship. In other words - it checks all the boxes, although, given the amount of leaks from the past couple of weeks, it's no surprise.

The handset is built around the 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with 1080 x 2400px resolution (tall, 20:9 aspect ratio) and supports up to 90Hz refresh rate. The touch sampling rate is also a bit higher than the average at 180Hz. Arguably more important is the fact that the display can peak at 1,100 nits of brightness. But we don't know if Oppo has measured this on a small patch in the center of the display or on the whole panel. Either way, it's rather impressive.

All the pixels are driven by a Snapdragon 865 SoC with either 8 or 12GB of RAM paired with 128 or 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage, respectively. No microSD card support.

The camera setup is equally competent. Sony's brand new 50MP IMX766 (1/1.56" in size) sensor is doing the heavy lifting on the back with f/1.8 aperture lens and OIS. The telephoto unit is 13MP using an f/2.4 aperture, but to our surprise, there's no info on the zoom. We bet on 3x magnification, but will update the article once we know for sure.

As for the other two cameras on the back, there's the usual 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide unit and a 2MP f/2.4 snapper for macros, whereas the front panel accommodates the 32MP, f/2.4 selfie camera.

Battery life should be solid given the 4,500 mAh capacity while charging is also going to be blazing fast thanks to Oppo's SuperVOOC 2.0 65W charging. Reverse wired charging is also supported by the handset.

Other notable features include Android 11 with ColorOS 11 out of the box, all-premium glass and aluminum build, stereo loudspeakers with Dolby Atmos tuning, a color spectrum sensor and a fast under-display fingerprint reader.

For now, the device will be made available only in China and pre-orders will start on January 18 while actual sales will begin on January 22. The entry-level 8GB/128GB iteration will sell for CNY 3,999 (~$610), while the beefier 12GB/256GB version will ask CNY 4,499 (~$690). The available colors are Black and Blue. A limited edition version designed in collaboration with Joshua Vides will be available and will go on sale for the same price as the 12GB/256GB model.

Huawei will invest 200 million euros for Network Equipment Factory in France

 China's Huawei said on Thursday it would invest 200 million euros in building a mobile phone network equipment factory in the east of France, pressing ahead with the roll-out despite French curbs on firms using its 5G gear.

The plant will initially employ 300 people, growing to 500 in the longer term, and its products will go to Huawei's European clients.

The Chinese technology company, which had already floated plans for a French factory, said in March it would persevere regardless of whether the French government cracked down on telecoms companies using its equipment.

The plant is part of efforts to ease worldwide concerns stoked by U.S. charges, repeatedly denied by Huawei, that Beijing could use the company's equipment for spying.

France has not banned mobile phone operators from using Huawei equipment outright, but in July authorities told telecoms companies planning to buy firm's 5G equipment that they would not be able to renew licences for the gear once they expired, effectively phasing it out of mobile networks.

Source: Reuter's

Whatsapp Web and Desktop now support Video Calls available in beta

 

WhatsApp has offered voice and video calling on its mobile clients for quite a while now. Sadly, its web and desktop clients don’t offer the features at the moment. This can prove to be quite a hassle for those who predominantly use these clients. Fortunately, WhatsApp has been working on bringing voice and video calling to its web and desktop clients, and we recently got our first look at the feature ahead of its official release.

Now, as per a recent report from WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has finally started testing voice and video calling in beta with a handful of users. As you can see in the attached screenshots, a few WhatsApp users have received new voice and video calling buttons in the chat header on the desktop and web clients. You can click on these buttons to make voice and video calls to the selected contact.

If you’re on the receiving end, a separate pop-up window will show up whenever someone calls you. The window will show the contact’s name, profile photo, and buttons to accept or reject the call.

Similarly, if you make a call, you should see a separate pop-up window with the name and profile photo of the contact you’re calling, a button to turn on/off video, a mute button, a menu button, and a button to hang up.

As mentioned earlier, the voice and video calling support on WhatsApp’s web and desktop client are currently in beta and are only available for a handful of users. While WhatsApp is yet to announce an official release date, the features should roll out to more users in the coming weeks. We’ll update this post as soon as we get any information regarding a wider rollout.

Amazon Cloud Gaming Service Luna is now available for Select Android Devices

 

One of the closest competitors to Google’s Stadia is Amazon Luna, and now the platform is getting a notable expansion. Amazon Luna is available now on Android devices.

Back at launch, Amazon Luna surprised most people by launching on Windows, Fire TV, the web, and Apple’s iOS, which, at the time, lacked support for any cloud gaming platforms. Meanwhile, Android was left on the waitlist. Now, Amazon has opened the doors to Luna on Android.

Just like on iOS, Luna for Android is a web app accessed at amazon.com/luna. Amazon says you’ll need to be using the Chrome browser and Android 9 or higher. The company also mentioned that its own Luna Controller, as well as Bluetooth controllers such as the DualShock 4 and Xbox One Controller, are also supported. You can even “install” Luna as a Progressive Web App on your homescreen, complete with a new UI when you do so.

Oddly, though, Amazon is limiting this web app to only a select few devices. For the time being, you’ll need one of the following to play Amazon Luna on Android:

Pixel 4 XL

Pixel 4a

Pixel 4a 5G

Pixel 5

Samsung Galaxy S10

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

Samsung Galaxy S20

Samsung Galaxy S20+

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

OnePlus 7

OnePlus 8

OnePlus Nord

OnePlus 7T

OnePlus 7T Pro

OnePlus 7T Pro

It’s a bit strange that Amazon has a restriction on the web app in the first place since, in theory, the specs of your device shouldn’t matter all that much. However, it’s even odder that this list omits some obvious devices. For example, why is the Pixel 4 XL supported, but not the Pixel 4? Also, where’s the Galaxy Note 20 series? If you do try to access Luna from an unsupported device, the page errors out, at least in some cases. My Note 20 Ultra worked perfectly fine, but a Galaxy Z Fold 2 failed after picking my account. Your results may vary. Notably, Stadia supports all Android devices.

Regardless of the odd restriction, it’s great to see Luna arrive on Android. Amazon says that more devices will be added while Luna is in early access. You can request an invite to the $5.99/month service here

HMD Global launches Nokia 5.4 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 662,48 MP Camera and below 200 Euros Price tag

 

After being hinted at thanks to an early ARCore support list inclusion, HMD Global has now officially launched the Nokia 5.4, a device aimed squarely at the mid-market Android space.

The 6.39-inch panel comes sees the HD+ drop the dewdrop notch for the first time on a 5-series Nokia device for the first time, although the sizeable Nokia-emblazoned chin still remains. HMD Global has minimized the bezels on all sides by utilizing an upper-left punch-hole notch that houses the front-facing selfie camera. The Nokia 5.4 relies on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset, 4 or 6GB of RAM, 64 or 128GB of internal storage, and a 4,000mAh battery.

In terms of looks, the Nokia 5.4 looks very much like a smaller version of the recently released Nokia 8.3 5G, which was the firm’s very first 5G-enabled smartphone. You’ve got a rear fingerprint scanner, dedicated Google Assistant button, plus the ability to use Face Unlock too.

At the rear, there’s a quad-camera setup that consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor, 2-megapixel macro sensor, and 2-megapixel depth sensor. The front-facing selfie camera hidden within the punch-hole is rated at 16-megapixels. The camera setup might not win any awards but the Nokia 5.4 includes many of the modes found on the 8.3 5G including portrait and night mode, plus the ability to apply your own custom watermarks.

The Nokia 5.4 will ship with Android 10 out of the box but is “Android 11 ready” according to HMD Global. That is still a bit disappointing as we’d imagine that means you’ll get two major OS updates putting the Nokia 5.4 up to Android 12. That said, you’ll be able to pick up the Nokia 5.4 in Polar Night or Dusk from priced at €189 or around $229 (when exchange rates are factored in).

Spotify is reportedly adding support for local music playback on Android

 Streaming music is what most people do nowadays, but local files can help fill in the gaps and pull from a library you spent years curating. Now, Spotify for Android is preparing to finally add support for listening to local music on your phone.

Jane Wong discovered a new option being developed for Spotify’s Android app which allows users to import audio files locally stored on the device so they can show up in your Library. It’s unclear if this is an all-in or granular approach, but in either case, it’s exciting.

Currently, personal MP3s are only available on Spotify through the desktop app with the ability to sync songs to your device. That feature is only available on Premium accounts, though. Those who have tried it, too, claim that it’s a bit unreliable.

This change also notably comes right after Google pulled the plug on Play Music. While YouTube Music is an adequate replacement, it is lacking quite a few features that have some users looking for alternatives, and Spotify is one of the best. Now, Spotify is making it much easier for users to get on board with their local files, that is as long as there’s enough storage on the device. It’s also unclear if Spotify will be able to cast local music from the app.

Source:9to5Google

Huawei completes construction of its own chipset manufacturing facility

 

As China is gearing up to become self-reliant in the chipset manufacturing sector and reduce its reliance on other countries, Chinese giant Huawei Technologies has reached a milestone in that direction.

A report reveals that Huawei’s first domestic chip manufacturing factory, called Wuhan Huawei Optical Factory Project (Phase II), has officially completed construction. The project is said to be spread across 208,900 sq. mt. and is located in Wuhan Optics Vallery Center.

This is also Huawei’s largest Research & Development base in China’s central region. It includes FAB Production Plant, CUB Power Station, PMD Software Factory, and some other supporting facilities. It will also sever as the company’s internal optical capability center, smart terminal R&D center, and some other cutting-edge technologies.

Once the project is completed, it will start the production work as Huawei’s first chip manufacturing factory in China. This will enable the Chinese giant to have a complete semiconductor industrial chain — from chip design to manufacturing, to testing and packaging, which is a rare feat.But it seems that this won’t be the only such facility from Huawei. As per another report, the company is planning to have another chipset factory in Shanghai and will be managed by a Shanghai-based R&D company on behalf of Huawei.

Although the chipset factory is being set up, it won’t be able to compete with the current leaders. Huawei will start making 45nm chips next year and will progress to 28nm chipsets by 2022. This is nowhere near 5nm chipsets being launched nowadays that powers the premium flagship smartphones.

The development comes after the United States government imposed sanctions on Huawei and barred the company from procuring chipset or any technology that is made in the US. With the supply of necessary components halted, Huawei decided to focus on becoming self-reliant to keep the business afloat.

Samsung Galaxy S21 visits GeekBench with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and Android 11

 

Following official certification and leaked renders of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S series, the latest evidence of the Galaxy S21 comes from a Geekbench entry, run by the unreleased smartphone.

The phone carries a model number SM-G991U and is the chipset listed is “lahaina”. This is the codename for the recently announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset. The phone is also listed with 8GB of RAM and running Android 11.

Granted, the scores are not impressive on Geekbench 5.2.5, but that just means Samsung is likely still optimizing the software on this device.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is expected to arrive much earlier this year than ever before: January. CAD renders of the Galaxy S21+ surfaced earlier this week (based on leaks from further ago) which showed us a familiar design with a new twist around the design of the camera array, which flows towards the power key on the side and looks beautiful.

The highest-tier (Ultra model) of this series is expected to come with support for the S Pen. This device is said to be the ultimate successor to the Galaxy Note series, whose launch window in the fall is expected to be taken over by Samsung’s succeeding folding flagships like the Z Fold and Z Flip.

Source: Gsmarena

SuperSU Pro v2.82 Official APK is Here !

SuperSU Pro

SuperSU is the Superuser access management tool of the future! SuperSU allows for advanced management of Superuser access rights for all the apps on your device that need root. SuperSU has been built from the ground up to counter a number of problems with other Superuser access management tools.

SuperSU Features and Functions

• Superuser access prompt, on-screen notice in the times, super user authority is required
• Wake on prompt
• Super user access logging, as a details logs of the applications that have attempted to access superuser permissions
• Superuser access notifications to get notified a certain app waiting for the superuser permissions
• Perform unroot temporarily and permanently
• Deep process detection feature
• Per-app notification configuration to take individual app to concern
• Functions in Recovery mode
• Feature as Convert to /system app,Runs in Ghost mode and some more

What's new in SuperSU Pro Version?

• Offering PIN protection.
• Offers OTA survival mode.
• User override on per-app basis.
• Auto-deny countdown adjustments.
• Advanced per-app logging configurations.
• Grant or deny permission for a certain time period set.
• Per-app PIN protection to ensure more security for each individual app.
• Full color-coded command logging information as displays input/output and more.

Download link:

Here

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei wants Honor to be one of its biggest competitors

Earlier this month the persistent rumors were proven true: Huawei sold off its Honor brand to a consortium of Chinese companies. The sale was widely believed to have been triggered by the various bans that Huawei has been subjected to by the US government.

Today Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei admitted at a company employee forum that the sale was necessary because of the smartphone unit being "under tremendous pressure due to a persistent unavailability of technical elements needed".

He added that Huawei could overcome the difficulties, but decided to sell Honor so that the people it employs, as well as its distributors, wouldn't lose their jobs if sales channels dried up.

Ren continued: "Wave after wave of severe US sanctions against Huawei has led us to finally understand certain American politicians want to kill us, not just correct us".

He wants Honor to become Huawei's biggest competitor after their "divorce", and says Honor's employees should be motivated by wanting to topple its former parent company. That's a long way from being achievable, at least for now, as Honor smartphone sales made up only about 26% of Huawei's total in Q3.