Technical Yaar

Lava BeU With Dual Rear Cameras Debuts in India, Launch Planned Alongside 4 More Models on January 5

Lava BeU price in India has been set at Rs. 6,888.

HIGHLIGHTS

Lava BeU runs on Android 10 Go edition
The smartphone has been listed on the company site
Lava is planning to launch a smart band alongside its new phones

Lava BeU With Dual Rear Cameras Debuts in India, Launch Planned Alongside 4 More Models on January 5 — Lava BeU comes with a crystal-studded deco and a floral speaker mesh

Lava BeU has debuted as the latest budget smartphone by the Indian vendor. The new phone is designed for women, the company says, with crystal-studded deco and floral speaker mesh. The Lava BeU also comes preloaded with a safety app. Alongside the new smartphone, Lava is planning to launch four new smartphones on January 5, the company confirmed to Gadgets 360. The new smartphones will be available for purchase through both offline and online channels in the country. Lava also plans to bring a smart band with fitness tracking features.

Lava BeU price in India, availability details

Lava BeU price in India has been set at Rs. 6,888 for its single 2GB RAM + 32GB storage variant. The phone is already listed on the Lava International website in Rose Pink colour option. It will be accompanied by four additional smartphones that all will be launched at a virtual event on January 5, Lava confirmed to Gadgets 360.

The new Lava smartphones will be priced between Rs. 5,000 and 15,000 and will be available through both online and offline channels. The company will also bring a smart fitness-tracking band — alongside its five new smartphones.

Lava BeU specifications

Exact specifications of all the four new Lava smartphones are yet to be revealed. However, the company’s official website confirms details of the Lava BeU. The dual-SIM (Nano) phone runs on Android 10 Go edition with a stock experience on top and features a 6.08-inch HD+ (720×1,560 pixels) display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display is also protected by a 2.5D curved glass and has a waterdrop-style notch.

The Lava BeU is powered by an octa-core SoC clocked at 1.6GHz, coupled with 2GB of DDR4 RAM. There is a dual rear camera setup that houses a 13-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.85 lens, along with a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. The phone also includes an 8-megapixel selfie camera sensor at the front, with an f/2.2 lens.

Lava has provided 32GB of onboard storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB). Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone also comes with a fingerprint sensor at the back. It packs a 4,060mAh lithium polymer battery that is claimed to deliver up to 16 hours of talk time on a single charge. Besides, the phone measures 155.5×73.3×9.82mm and weighs 175.8 grams.

APPLE CAR TO COME IN 2021, TWO YEARS AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE

Smartphone and technology companies are investing high in other technology segments to reduce their reliance in smartphones. This is a movement that gained strength in 2020, but there are plenty of firms that have been investing in unusual ranges for quite some. Apple is one of the most relevant technology companies. The company is well known for its Mac, iPhone, and iPad division, but the company has a presence in multiple segments. For years, it’s a known fact that Apple has been investing in the automobile segment to produce the so-called Apple Car. Everything has been based in rumors so far, but now, it seems that the Cupertino-based firm is really close to releasing its first automobile.

According to a new report, the company’s long-rumored electric vehicle could possibly launch in the third quarter of 2021. That is at least two years ahead of its schedule. After all, previous rumors were suggesting a launch by the end of 2023. According to a report from EconomicDailyNews, Apple might be launching its first automobile next year. The report claims that manufacturers and suppliers of the company in Taiwan are preparing to ramp up production of “Apple Car” components as early as the second quarter of next year. Apparently, the company has already begun testing the prototypes o the road in California, US.

Back in 2017, the company got its permit from California’s DMV to test its self-driving cars. This was first spotted on SUV from another brand that was equipped with its LiDAR technology. Various reports were suggesting the Apple Car for around 2023 and 2025. The latest report comes to affirm that the new automobile is closer than we’ve expected. The Taiwanese agency cited an unnamed director from a major Taiwanese manufacturer as its source.

Apple Car may arrive in September 2021

According to the director, Apple is targeting a September 2021 launch. Well, iPhones usually come in September. This only changed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncountable challenges imposed by it. If the Apple Car is really in September next year, then we’ll have one of the most exciting months for lovers of Apple technology.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t done. So the same challenges faced this year, can come in the next year. So, we may digest this report with a pinch or two of salt. The Apple Car may come with impressive technology, but we can’t hold our breath for it just yet.

OnePlus 8T Concept Smartphone Unveiled With Colour-Shifting Back Panel That Recognises Gestures

OnePlus 8T Concept can also change colours on the back to appear like it is breathing with you.

HIGHLIGHTS

OnePlus 8T Concept has been designed by a team of 39 designers
The new concept comes with a mmWave radar module
OnePlus 8T Concept can flash colours on the back to notify users

OnePlus 8T Concept Smartphone Unveiled With Colour-Shifting Back Panel That Recognises Gestures — OnePlus 8T Concept comes with an all-new back that has a colour-shifting film under the hood

OnePlus 8T Concept smartphone has been unveiled, based on the OnePlus 8T flagship. It comes with an all-new back panel that features a colour-changing film. The film can shift colours from dark blue to light silver. OnePlus 8T Concept also includes a millimetre wave (mmWave) radar module on the rear camera bump to enable touchless controls and a breathing monitor. The concept phone has been envisioned by a team of 39 designers who are based out of Shenzhen, Taipei, New York, and India.

Unlike the regular OnePlus 8T that has a normal glass back, OnePlus 8T Concept features an all-new rear covering with patterns that are inspired from natural elements. There is a colour-changing film behind the glass back panel that contains metal oxide in glass and can change its colour from dark blue to light silver. OnePlus said that the film switches between the two colours when the metal oxide activates.

This enables the back of the OnePlus 8T Concept to light up when receiving new notifications. Although the experience is just like how you are informed about a new message or call through a notification LED light, the technology used by OnePlus prominently flashes the patterns on the back to gain your attention.

Alongside the new back design, OnePlus 8T Concept includes a mmWave radar module that transmits and receives electromagnetic waves. This enables the inbuilt digital signal processing (DSP) unit and CPU to process receives from the waves to allow the device to perceive, image, locate, and track objects. The use cases are similar to a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor, though OnePlus said that the radar isn’t affected by the environment.

The presence of mmWave module enables OnePlus 8T Concept to use touchless gesture controls, including ‘double tap’ and ‘distance recognition.’ These can be used for accepting or rejecting a voice call by covering the camera module with your hand. You can also cover the camera to change the colour of the phone’s back cover.

OnePlus claimed that apart from enabling gestures, the mmWave module can also register your breathing to enable the colours on the back to change in sync. The module uses software algorithms to measure respiration to record the millimetre-level movement of the chest during breathing, the company said.

It is worth pointing out that the inbuilt radar doesn’t require 5G mmWave networks to enable gesture controls. This means that the new technology can work even in markets including India where 5G is yet to become public.

OnePlus 8T Concept will not be available for purchase commercially in the market. However, OnePlus does have plans to evaluate the advancements it used in the concept device to make some of them available in its future offerings.

Realme Watch S Pro Leaked Specifications Tip 1.39-Inch AMOLED Display, 5ATM Water Resistance

Realme Watch S Pro features 15 Sports Modes, including a Swimming Mode.

HIGHLIGHTS

Realme Watch S Pro will launch on December 23 in India
Realme Watch S Pro is claimed to offer 14-day battery life
Realme Buds Air Pro Master Edition will also debut on December 23

Realme Watch S Pro Leaked Specifications Tip 1.39-Inch AMOLED Display, 5ATM Water Resistance — Realme Watch S Pro to feature blood oxygen and heart rate monitor
Photo Credit: Twitter/ Madhav Sheth

Realme Watch S Pro’s alleged features and specifications have been shared by a tipster on Twitter. As per a tweet, the upcoming smartwatch from Realme will come with an AMOLED touchscreen display, 15 Sports Modes, and 5ATM water resistance, among others. Some key features have already been revealed by the company, and the latest leak adds a few more. Realme has already announced that it will launch the Watch S series along with Buds Air Pro Master Edition TWS earbuds in India on December 23.

As per a tweet by tipster Mukul Sharma, apart from 1.39-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, 5ATM water resistance (water resistant up to 50m), the Realme Watch S Pro will offer 14-day runtime, thanks to its 420mAh battery. It may also come with a stainless steel case and dual-satellite GPS. Other features include blood oxygen and heart rate monitor, 15 Sports Modes, and a “powerful dual processor.”

Realme Watch S Pro is expected to weigh 63.5g with the strap, offer over 100 watch faces, come with a magnetic charging base, and offer support for devices running on Android 5.0 and above. As per the tipster, the support for iOS 9.0 and above will be added at later stages. The upcoming wearable from Realme could also allow users to control music playback and the paired phone’s camera. It will also offer meditation assist, 12/24-hour stopwatch, weather forecast, power-saving mode, and a no-disturb mode.

Realme has already announced that it will launch the Watch S series along with Buds Air Pro Master Edition in India on December 23. The company teased the new products across social media platforms, its own website and Flipkart. Previous reports claimed that the AMOLED display on the smartwatch may have 454×454 pixels resolution, 450 nits brightness, and 1,00,000:1 contrast ratio.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro to Come With 3D Spatial Audio, Voice Detection: Report

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro could be priced at under Rs. 20,000 in India.

HIGHLIGHTS

New leaks suggest 3D audio on the Galaxy Buds Pro
Voice detection and adjustable ANC could also be a possibility
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Buds Pro in January

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro to Come With 3D Spatial Audio, Voice Detection: Report — Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are expected to launch in January 2021
Photo Credit: u/TheBone_ / @ishanagarwal24

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro could come with advanced features such as 3D spatial audio with head tracking and voice detection, according to a new report. In addition to active noise cancellation (ANC), the upcoming true wireless earphones from Samsung are expected to come with these advanced features, offering a significant step up in capabilities when compared to Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. The Galaxy Buds Pro are expected to launch in January 2021, alongside the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones, as per various reports and rumours.

The latest report comes via an app disassembly of the specific plugin for Galaxy Buds Pro within the Galaxy Wearable app, showing new images of the earpieces and charging case, as well as various features such as 3D spatial audio, voice detection, and a further confirmation of the presence of ANC and ambient sound modes. The app screenshots also show the preset equaliser settings that are typical on Samsung’s earphones, as well as control customisation.

Among the key features, 3D spatial audio will create a 3D-like environment when watching videos and certain content, but the feature will only be supported on the Galaxy Buds Pro when used with select Samsung smartphones running Android 11. As per the teardown, this appears to be due to the requirement of certain sensors on the device to enable the head tracking feature.

Voice detection will likely work with all devices, similar to how it works on Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones. This will trigger the ambient sound mode and likely also reduce the volume of music playback when the user’s voice is detected, allowing for quick and immediate conversations without the user needing to actively control the earphones.

Also mentioned are a left/ right hearing-adjustment feature, that functions similar to balance settings on audio systems. While this isn’t something that we’d expect a lot of people will need, it will assist users with hearing difficulties or impediments, by boosting the volume on one side. As reported earlier, the Galaxy Buds Pro true wireless earphones are expected to come with an in-canal fit and ANC, offering a significant step up over the Galaxy Buds Live.

OnePlus Watch in Development Confirms Co-Founder Pete Lau, May Come With Google’s Wear OS

OnePlus is working with Google to improve connectivity between the Wear OS ecosystem, Android TV, and Android smartphones, CEO Pete Lau said.

HIGHLIGHTS

OnePlus Watch has been in rumours for some time now
Pete Lau revealed OnePlus’ work with Google towards Wear OS
OnePlus Watch was earlier expected to debut alongside OnePlus 8T

OnePlus teased its smartwatch launch in October, but has since maintained silence

OnePlus Watch has been a part of the rumour mill for quite some time. But while a recent rumour suggested an indefinite delay in the launch plans for the first-generation OnePlus Watch, Co-Founder and CEO Pete Lau has suggested in a media roundtable that OnePlus is still working with Google to bring its smartwatch based on Wear OS. The executive confirmed that development of a smartwatch was underway. He underlined that the company was working with Google to bring improvements to Wear OS, including a better interoperability experience. This work could just be what major manufacturers generally do before launching their first hardware in the market.

As quoted by Input, Lau said OnePlus was typing to improve connectivity between the Wear OS ecosystem, Android TV, and Android smartphones to bring better device interoperability across devices.

“This has been something looked at very positively from Google’s side as well, so this is the direction that we’re trying to develop,” he said.

Interestingly, Lau didn’t explicitly mention any details about OnePlus’ plans for its smartwatch. His comments, however, suggest that the company’s ongoing work with Google could result in the launch of the new device in the coming future.

OnePlus provided a clarification to 9to5Google on the Input report and stated that the company’s smartwatch was not confirmed to be running Wear OS. Lau didn’t directly link work on Wear OS with Google to the development of a smartwatch, but it certainly appears a possibility that the OnePlus Watch will run Wear OS by Google.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Full Specifications Surface Online, Galaxy S21 Wallpapers Leaked

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to come with a 108-megapixel main camera ad could be powered by the Exynos 2100 SoC in Europe.

HIGHLIGHTS

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra may offer 120Hz refresh rate display
The phone is expected to pack a 5,000mah battery with 45W fast charging
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra may support S Pen as an optional accessory

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Full Specifications Surface Online, Galaxy S21 Wallpapers Leaked — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is tipped to feature a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
Photo Credit: WinFuture

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra full specifications have leaked online. These details come from the same source that leaked its official renders a few days ago. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to be the most-premium model in the upcoming Galaxy S series, and is tipped to be powered by the Exynos 2100 SoC in Europe. The phone may sport a 108-megapixel main sensor, pack up to 12GB of RAM, and have a large 5,000mAh battery. Separately, Samsung Galaxy S21 wallpapers have also surfaced online.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra specifications (expected)

Tipster Roland Quandt tweeted a link to the WinFuture report that showed the possible specification details of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. The post suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra may run on Android 11-based Samsung One UI 3.1. It is expected to be a dual-SIM (Nano) handset that features a 6.8-inch (1,440×3,200 pixels) Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display with 20:9 aspect ratio and 515ppi pixel density. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is tipped to come with 120Hz refresh rate and offer Gorilla Glass 7 protection.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s Europe models are expected to be powered by the Exynos 2100 SoC whereas the US models are expected to feature the Snapdragon 888 SoC. There could to be up to 12GB of RAM on board with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. Storage is tipped to not be expandable in nature.

Coming to the cameras, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to feature a multiple lens setup with a 108-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS), 1/1.33-inch sensor size, and 0.8mm pixel edge length. There are two additional zoom lenses on board with 10-megapixel resolution, 1.22mm pixel edge length, OIS, and 1/3.24-inch sensor size. One zoom lens has 35-degree field-of-view and f/2.4 aperture and the other has 10-degree field-of-view but comes with periscope optics to offer 240mm focal length. The aperture on this lens is f/4.9.

There is also a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture, 13mm focal length, and 120-degree field-of-view. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra also has a laser autofocus system at the back. At the front, the phone comes with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture, 13mm focal length, and 120-degree field-of-view. The report says that the front 40-megapixel 1/2.8-inch sensor has PDAF and laser autofocus features. It has 0.7mm pixel edge length and 80-degree field of view. The front sensor is reported to support 8K UHD- Videos with 30 frames per second, 4K UHD videos with 60 frames per second and 1080p Full-HD videos with a maximum of 240 frames per second.

Best phones of 2020: The Winners

Best Flagship of 2020 – Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G

Congratulations goes to the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, which won with a commanding lead. It’s a successor to the 2019 winner, the Note10+, and the 2018 winner, the Note 9. This winning streak is no accident, the Note series has proven itself to be a market leader. Which is why Samsung refuting rumors of its death is great news to hear.

The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is a worthy runner-up. The 11 Pro Max narrowly missed out on second place last year, so the changes Apple made for 2020 have paid off.

Best Flagship Killer of 2020 – Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G

This feels like the plot of a fantasy novel – one Galaxy rules as king, its brother sets out to kill it. That would be the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, whose victory is perhaps a clear indication of how people feel on the Snapdragon vs. Exynos matter. Or it won because it’s just a great phone. Either way, it brings home the title of Best Flagship killer.

The OnePlus 8T is the runner-up, after outdoing competitors from larger brands. The 8 Pro didn’t quite make it to the top two steps in the flagship category, but the 8T is one of the best flagship killers of 2020.

Best Camera phone of 2020 – Huawei Mate 40 Pro

The company has emerged as a market leader in this category, so Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s victory comes as no surprise. Sony sensors, Leica know-how and Huawei engineering have proven to be a winning combination, it’s a shame that the politics of 2020 will prevent the Mate from becoming as popular as it could have been.

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is not only a great all-rounder, it’s one of the best camera phones to come out in 2020. It narrowly beat out the iPhone 12 Pro Max, a second victory over the Apple phone.

**Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (**Runner-up)

Best Mid-ranger of 2020 – Poco X3 NFC

This January Poco declared its independence and won the category that was a Xiaomi stronghold – the Poco X3 NFC is the best mid-ranger of the year, a title previously held by a Redmi Note. In fact, the new Redmi Note barely made it to fourth place, showing that Poco can capture market share currently held by its former parent brand.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 (the original 4G version) came in a close second, a far better showing than the A70, which was 2019’s runner-up (but a very distant second).

Best Affordable 5G phone of 2020 – OnePlus Nord

It was a gamble, but it paid off – the OnePlus Nord is only the company’s second mid-ranger and the story of the first one is infamous. And yet the Nord won its category by the widest margin of any phone, thus proving that “Never Settle” never meant “only flagships”.

The Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G managed to build a strong following in only a couple of months – it easily defeated its sibling, the Mi 10 Lite 5G (no T), in the preliminary round and topped the Galaxy A51 5G in this round to become the runner-up in the affordable 5G category.

Best Gaming and Trailblazer phones of 2020

the Asus ROG Phone 3 ZS661KS was elected the Best Gaming phone while the LG Wing 5G was chosen as the Trailblazer phone of 2020.

LG Wing 5G (Best Trailblazer phone)

Motorola ‘Capri’ smartphone with 5,000mAh battery spotted on FCC

Motorola Capri launch seems to be around the corner as the phone was spotted on the FCC certification website

HIGHLIGHTS

Motorola XT2127-1/XT2127-2 has been codenamed ‘Capri’
The handset can be seen with a 5,000mAh battery that supports up to 10W fast charging
Motorola Capri specifications include an HD+ display and 48MP quad rear cameras

An upcoming Motorola phone, with model number XT2127-1/XT2127-2, has now been spotted on the FCC website. This handset, which is said to have the codename ‘Capri’, has also been spotted on the TUV Rheinland certification website and the UL (Demko) certification. These listings have revealed some interesting details about the upcoming Motorola smartphone. The FCC listing clearly shows that the handset would support 4G LTE, not 5G, which indicates that we could be looking at an affordable offering here. Considering that Motorola recently launched Moto G9 Power recently in India with a 6,000mAh battery at a pretty affordable price point, Motorola XT2127-1/XT2127-2 certainly looks like an entry-level offering from the brand.

While the FCC listing doesn’t reveal much about the Motorola ‘Capri’ specifications, the TUV Rheinland and UL (Demko) listings reveal that the smartphone features a 5,000mAh battery with 10W fast charging support. Moving on to the rest of the specs, the upcoming Motorola handset is expected to feature an HD+ panel with a 1,600×720 pixels screen resolution. The handset is said to be fuelled by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor, which could be coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage. As far as cameras are concerned, the Motorola Capri has been tipped to come with a 48MP quad rear camera setup.

Unfortunately, there are no more details about the Motorola Capri as of now and we do not have any information on the phone’s design either. As the handset has received the FCC clearance you can expect it to launch relatively soon and we will keep you up to date with any leaks that come around till then.

Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 tablet and Cetus foldable smartphone with high refresh rate display scheduled for 2021 production

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus sported a Snapdragon 660 SoC and 8,620-mAh battery. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi is rumored to be working on both a new foldable smartphone and tablet, which could make appearances in 2021. A potential Mi Pad 5 tablet would be a welcome addition to the stagnating Xiaomi Mi Pad range, whereas the “Cetus” or “Mi Fold” smartphone will apparently feature a screen with a high refresh rate.

Noted tech leaker Digital Chat Station has been offering up some tidbits in regard to Xiaomi’s schedule for the near future. While it was already widely reported that the Chinese OEM will sooner or later reveal a mass-production foldable smartphone to the world, it appears Xiaomi is also working on a new tablet. The latter could end up being a successor to 2018’s Mi Pad 4 Plus, so a possible Xiaomi Mi Pad 5, or the company might decide to introduce a whole new Android-based tablet range.

Hopefully, Xiaomi might launch a tablet that could take on the all-powerful Apple iPad range and rival the Samsung Galaxy Tab series, as consumers have not exactly been spoilt for choice in recent years in regard to the tablet computer market. The Mi Pad range was often accused of ripping off the iPad, but a Mi Pad 5 might offer at least a design departure for Xiaomi and be priced at an attractive and affordable point that seems to have been overlooked by both Samsung and Apple as of late.

Fortunately, Digital Chat Station offered up a little bit more detail about Xiaomi’s foldable smartphone. Numerous patents have already been unearthed that indicate the firm is working on such a device, with the codename “Cetus” even appearing in connection with a foldable phone. While it has been previously rumored that the Xiaomi foldable smartphone would come with a 108 MP camera, the tech tipster also claims that the device will have high performance, high resolution, and a high refresh rate. In fact, another source reckons the Xiaomi Cetus could end up with a 90-Hz or even 120-Hz display.