Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge RAM and Storage, Colour Options Tipped Ahead of Official Announcement

Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge configuration and colour options have been tipped online ahead of its official launch. The Xiaomi phone is said to be a rebranded Redmi Note 11 Pro+ that was unveiled in China in October.

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Realme GT 2 Pro, Xiaomi 12, Moto Edge X30 to Be the First Phones Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

Realme GT 2 Pro, Xiaomi 12, and Moto Edge X30 are confirmed to be among the first phones to come with the newly launched Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The chip was announced by Qualcomm at the Snapdragon Tech Summit earlier on Wednesday.

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Redmi Note 11T Pro, Note 11 Pro, Note 11S, and Poco M4 Launch Details Surface Online, Key Specifications Leaked

Redmi Note 11T Pro, Note 11 Pro, Note 11S, and Poco M4 details have been spotted online, suggesting that the company is working on four new smartphone models as part of its Note 11 series. These handsets could feature similar specifications and could be launched in India and in other global markets. Xiaomi is yet to announce any details regarding these devices, but a ...

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Tecno Camon 18T With MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, 5,000mAh Battery Launched: Price, Specifications

Tecno Camon 18T has been launched. The handset features a 6.8-inch full-HD+ display. It has an octa-core MediaTek Helio G85 chipset under the hood, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The latest Tecno Camon 18 series also sports triple cameras at the rear.

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చంపేస్తాం అంటున్నారు.. అయినా భయపడను.. సోనియా గాంధీకి కంగనా మెస్సేజ్!

బాలీవుడ్ సినిమా ఇండస్ట్రీ లోనే కాకుండా ప్రస్తుతం కంగనా రనౌత్ పేరు అయితే దేశవ్యాప్తంగా వైరల్ అవుతోంది. ఆమె వివిధ రకాల సామాజిక అంశాలపై కూడా తనదైన శైలిలో స్పందిస్తోంది. అంతేకాకుండా రాజకీయ పార్టీలతో కూడా ఆమె చేసిన వ్యాఖ్యలు చర్చనీయాంశంగా మారుతున్నాయి. కంగనా గతంలో ఎప్పుడూ లేని విధంగా కొంతమంది రాజకీయ నాయకులను ప్రశంసిస్తూనే మరి

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Oppo Find X4 release date rumors, price, news and leaks

The Oppo Find X4 series of smartphones is expected to launch in early 2022, and it'll probably be one of the biggest gadget events of the early part of the year, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Xiaomi Mi 12 launches.

Like with those phones, the Oppo Find X4 will probably bring us a few different phones, like a lower-cost mid-range Lite model and a top-end Pro device with impressive specs.

The Oppo Find X3 Pro, Find X3 Neo and Find X3 Lite in 2021 brought us a true premium, mid-range and budget champion respectively, with each packing top specs for their price, and it's likely their Find X4 counterparts will be the same.

Indeed, Oppo's Find X line has come to represent true premiumness, and the handsets rival the Xiaomi Mi, Samsung Galaxy S and OnePlus phones that come out around the same time - though so far those devices have tended to dank higher in our list of the best smartphones

We haven't heard much about the Oppo Find X4 series of phones just yet, but expect to get the full picture of the new handsets as they leak throughout the coming months.

Latest news

Oppo has confirmed its next-gen flagship phone is coming by the end of March 2022, and it'll feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. It hasn't yet confirmed the name of its 2022 smartphones though.

Oppo Find X4: cut to the chase

  • What is it? Oppo's 2022 flagship line
  • When is it out? By the end of March 2022
  • How much will it cost? One premium, one mid-ranged and one budget model

Oppo Find X4 release date and price

Oppo Find X3 Neo

(Image credit: Future)

Oppo has confirmed its next-gen flagship phone will be revealed by the end of March 2022. It said it'd be introduced just Q1 2022, which ends at the end of March next year.

An exact release date has yet to be confirmed, but if it's coming in those first three months it may be we see it at MWC 2022 that starts on February 28.

Regarding prices, there will probably be a Pro, Neo and Lite entry in the line, as a top-end, mid-range and entry-level entry respectively, each with a different price, so the Oppo Find X4 line could hit a few price points.

The Oppo Find X3 Pro cost Oppo Find X3 Pro will cost £1,099 / AU$1,699 (roughly $1500), the Neo started at £699 / AU$1,199 (around $975) and the Lite went for £379 / AU$749 (around $530), so we could see similar prices for the Oppo Find X4 entries.

However, at least for the Pro models, we've consistently complained about the high prices of those phones, so hopefully we could see a lower cost.

Oppo Find X4 leaks and rumors

Little detail about the Find X4 series has been leaked so far, but we're starting to hear a trickle of news with a few new reports on what we can expect.

The biggest leak so far is that the Find X4 may come with 125W charging. This is a technology that Oppo has already unveiled, but at the time it didn't confirm it'd be available on its upcoming flagship smartphones.

According to tipster Digital Chat Station, some members of the Find X4 family will feature the technology. That would make this specific device the fastest charging smartphone in the world, unless any manufacturer beats Oppo to the title.

We don't yet know which models would feature the tech, but history would suggest that this sort of feature would be exclusive to the Pro model. That may mean we see something like 65W charging on the standard Oppo Find X4.

Another report from Digital Chat Station has claimed the Find X4 will come with a 6.7-inch display that has a resolution of 3216 x 1440. It'll feature a 120Hz refresh rate, much like the Find X3 and Find X3 Pro.

Further information from that same source suggests one phone from the Find X4 line will come with a 50MP Sony IMX766 main camera, a 13MP telephoto camera capable of up to 2x optical zoom and a 3MP microscopic camera.

The phone is confirmed to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is the next-gen flagship platform that many top-end phones of 2022 will feature.

We don't yet know if this chipset will power all of the Oppo Find X4 series, but it has confirmed it'll be coming to the flagship device. While the name hasn't yet been confirmed, we expect this to be at least the Oppo Find X4 Pro.

What we want to see

Here are some changes and new features we want to see in the Oppo Find X4 line, compared to previous Oppo phones and the range's competition.

Oppo Find X3 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

1. Some lower prices

If we had to give some feedback on previous Oppo Find phones, especially the Pro models, our first response, written in size-72 font, in bold, and in all caps, would be 'make it cheaper'.

The Find X Pro phones are incredibly pricey, and the Neo phones often aren't quite competitive for their costs either, and while there's lots to love about the phones, they can be hard to recommend to people who don't have bunches of cash ready to spend.

If Oppo reduced the prices of its phones, even by a little bit, they'd be much easier to recommend as great value-for-money devices.

2. Bring back the (faux) leather

The Oppo Find X2 Pro could be bought in a premium-feeling faux leather version (otherwise known as vegan leather), which felt great to hold and was easily grippable too. The Find X3 Pro line dropped this lovely-feeling material, for a standard glass back.

We'd like to see the return of faux leather - it's a material that signifies the kind of premium-ness the Pro phone's price tag brings. 

Now that even mid-range phones have top specs, the design department is one of the few bastions top-end phones have left with which to prove themselves, and we'd like to see the Oppo Find X4 Pro win in this department.

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom (Image credit: Future)

3. A better zoom camera

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom was named after its hybrid 10x zoom lens, which was great for taking pictures of far-away things, and a few other Oppo phones (including the Find X2 Pro) used it too.

The company has stopped using this camera though, and its Find X3 series didn't have amazing zoom capabilities as a result. Instead, the focus was on ultra-wide and, in the case of the Pro phone, microscope, photography.

But zooming is, for some people, a really important part of the phone photography experience, and we'd like to see the camera brought back. If not, we'd at least like to see a similar alternative.

4. A microSD slot

While modern mobiles come with lots of internal storage, professionals or power-users will sometimes want even more space on their phone for apps, videos or photos.

That's where MicroSD slots come in, as they can bump up a handset's internal storage to 1TB or even higher. However lots of companies have started dropping the slots from phones, Oppo included.

We'd like to see some of the Find X4 phones - at least the Pro model, because as the name suggests that's designed for professionals - have the MicroSD slot again.

Oppo Find X2 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

5. Orange

Orange is arguably the best color for a smartphone - it's bold and vibrant, eye-catching and attractive. In second and third place come red and yellow, for the same reasons.

The Oppo Find X2 Pro came in a lovely orange shade, making it one of the most attractive smartphones we'd seen, but the Find X3 Pro just came in blue. It was a little dull in comparison.

We want an orange phone again, so you can see it a mile away.



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Oppo's next flagship Android phone coming in early 2022 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

Oppo's next flagship phone - likely to be called the Find X4 series - is set to feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and it's also confirmed to launch in early 2022.

Oppo confirmed this soon after the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 reveal at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit 2021. Oppo joins Xiaomi and Motorola as the first manufacturers to confirm compatibility with the new chipset.

The company confirmed it would be introducing its new device in Q1 2022, which means it'll be revealed at some stage before the end of March next year.

The Oppo Find X3 series was introduced in March 2021, so it may be that we see the sequel handsets launch in March 2022. 

If that's the case, it may be the company decides to launch its phones as part of Mobile World Congress 2022.

Scott Zhang, Oppo Vice President of Overseas Sales, said, "Oppo maintains a close relationship with Qualcomm Technologies, and we believe the new mobile platform will bring immense improvements and powerful performance to the next generation of flagship smartphones."

We've begun to see leaks for the Oppo Find X4 series with one tipster saying the Find X4 Pro may come with a QHD display, 80W fast-charging and 12GB of RAM. 

Earlier in the Qualcomm launch, the Xiaomi 12 was confirmed to be the first phone to feature the next-gen chipset. Plus, a new Motorola Edge phone that will be revealed in China will also include the chipset.



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New Motorola Edge is coming in 'just a few days', but it may be a China exclusive

A new Motorola Edge phone is set to launch very soon, and it'll be one of the first phones to include the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset (previously anticipated to be named the Snapdragon 898). The only problem is, we don't know whether you'll be able to buy it.

Announced during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2021, a Motorola representative said a new Edge smartphone is set to launch in China in the coming days.

Ruben Castano, Head of Customer Experiences at Motorola, said, "All the experiences you saw today will be available very soon on an upcoming Motorola Edge device. 

"In fact, in just a few days we will reveal one of the very first smartphones to launch on this new Snapdragon 8 platform in China."

Castano was clear that this device would be revealed in China, and that may mean this is a phone that won't be available elsewhere in the world. Motorola does sometimes reveal phones that are just specifically for that market.

For example, 2021's Motorola Edge S was revealed in January this year but didn't make its way to other markets until April where it was revealed as the Motorola G100.

If you are able to buy this smartphone, it may be you'll have to wait until 2022 and it may be introduced to markets like the US and UK under a different name.

Not the first

Less than an hour before this announcement, Xiaomi confirmed its upcoming Xiaomi 12 will be the first phone to feature the new chipset.

We're not clear yet when the Xiaomi 12 will launch, or whether the new Motorola Edge phone will be revealed in full ahead of that handset, We also don't know exactly when the new Motorola handset will be revealed.

Earlier this week, one leak suggested a Motorola Edge X30 smartphone was set to launch in China. That leak suggested it would feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, so this may be the device Castano has been teasing.



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Xiaomi 12 release date rumors, price, news, leaks and why it's not the Mi 12

We're expecting the Xiaomi 12 to be the next major smartphone from the Chinese tech giant - it could get announced before the end of 2021, though a global launch will likely fall in early 2022.

This upcoming Android phone could end up being one of the top smartphones of the year, unless any Lite, Pro or Ultra version launched alongside is even better - it's one of the most anticipated mobiles of 2022 too.

The Xiaomi 12 has been confirmed to be "available soon", according to the company's CEO. We don't yet know the release date, but we expect to learn about it soon.

We gave 2021's Xiaomi Mi 11 a very good score, but there's always something a brand can do to improve, especially when you look at the Mi 11 Lite 5G and Mi 11 Ultra which also had their issues (though were good overall).

Xiaomi 12 leaks were quiet for a good long while, but they've started dropping faster and faster, and we've collected all the ones worth knowing about below.

After that, we've listed all the new things we want to see in the Xiaomi 12 below, based on what we liked (and didn't) about the Mi 11 series, and looking at other Xiaomi phones as well as handsets made by other companies.

Latest news

Xiaomi's CEO has confirmed the Xiaomi 12 will be "available soon" and it'll include the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform.

Xiaomi 12: cut to the chase

  • What is it? Xiaomi's 2022 flagship phone
  • When is it out? Likely early 2022, possibly earlier
  • How much will it cost? Expect a premium price

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

(Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi 12 release date and price

Xiaomi's a weird company for release dates, at least judging by the Mi 11 series, and the Mi 12 probably won't be any different.

The Mi 11 was first unveiled in December 2020, in a China-only launch. It took until February 2021 for a global re-launch and another month until it went on sale.

That's a bizarre and stretched-out timetable that negates lots of the phone's hype by the time it reaches the global market, but according to a popular leaker, the Mi 12 will debut in China sometime in December.

It's a claim that we've since heard again, with the addition that the lower end Xiaomi 12X could land at the same time.

Regarding a Xiaomi 12 price, we can once again only go on the Mi 11 as guidance. The phone cost £749 / AU$1,099 (around $1,040), which put it roughly in line with the Samsung Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9 in terms of price - expect a similar competition again next year.

News and leaks

We've seen some fan-made renders of the Xiaomi 12. While they're not official, they're supposedly based on real leaks about the phone, so we can use them as a really early look at the device.

The screen and design looks roughly the same as on the Mi 11, but there's an extra rear camera, and no front-facing camera. This doesn't mean selfies are forbidden, but that the phone could have an under-display snapper, like the ZTE Axon 20 5G.

This is directly contradicted by one leak though, with a top leaker suggesting the Mi 12 will still have a punch-hole cut-out for the main camera like its predecessors.

A second leak has contradicted the fan-made renders too, as apparently the Xiaomi 12 will have the same rear camera layout as the Mi 10T Pro, with one big snapper joined with loads of smaller ones - so these renders seem less unlikely as time goes on.

One big leak suggests the Xiaomi 12 will have a 192MP or 200MP main camera, either of which would be the highest-res camera we've seen on a smartphone.

The company has also confirmed this will be the first phone to sport the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Elsewhere, we've heard that the Xiaomi 12 Ultra will have cameras tuned by Leica, a camera company that also works with Huawei and Nokia.

A separate leak backs up this high-res camera rumor. The rumor also says the vanilla and Pro models could have similar cameras to the Mi 11 Ultra - so a 50MP main, 5x periscope and ultra-wide combo.

We've also heard that there could be a Xiaomi 12X with a Snapdragon 870 chipset, a 6.28-inch 1080 x 2400 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 50MP main camera. So this would likely sit at or near the bottom of the Xiaomi 12 range.

And in smaller news a leaker claims that every Xiaomi 12 model will have a curved screen, and that they will also have a symmetrical speaker layout.

Before we heard anything specifically about the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi unveiled a new tech called Xiaomi HyperCharge, which offers 200W wired charging and 120W wireless charging. That's supposedly enough to fully charge a 4,000mAh battery in just 8 minutes with wired charging, or in 15 minutes wireless.

The company hasn't said this will be used in the Xiaomi 12, but we'd think it's likely to arrive in a phone before too long, so the Xiaomi 12 (or one of its siblings) is a likely candidate.

What Xiaomi 12 phones are we expecting?

We've heard about quite a few different Xiaomi 12 phones in the family including two Lite models, the standard edition, a Pro and an Ultra model.

Most recently we heard about the Xiaomi 12 Ultra Enhanced, an even more premium version of the top-end phone, though we don't know what distinguishes this from the other model.

What we want to see

This wish list of features for the Xiaomi 12 is based on the Mi 11 series (including the Ultra) as well as other Xiaomi phones, and what the company's competitors are doing.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

(Image credit: Future)

1. Lower prices

When it burst onto the Western phone markets, Xiaomi made a name for itself with its 'flagship killer' phones, that had similar specs to top offerings from Samsung and OnePlus (itself the original flagship killer), but with much lower prices.

With the Mi 11 that's no longer the case - the vanilla phone and Ultra model both match rivals in terms of prices. The Mi 11 wasn't too expensive as such, but the competitive edge that put Xiaomi ahead has gone.

We'd like to see the Mi 12 undercut its contemporaries, so it can put itself ahead of them in a more palpable way. If there's another Ultra model, we'd like to see that much more affordable, as the Mi 11 Ultra arguably wasn't worth its cost.

2. A cleaner user interface

MIUI, the Android fork Xiaomi uses on its phones, has some really great features and some absolutely horrible ones. The company needs to sort it out.

It's true that MIUI presents loads of customization options, more so than some other Android forks, and the interface has solid security.

But on the other hand MIUI comes with loads of bloatware, has an annoying security scan pop-up every time you install an app, and is really, really buggy. These issues need fixing before we can wholeheartedly love Xiaomi phones.

3. New photography modes

Xiaomi Mi 11

(Image credit: Future)

We're listing something here that we almost definitely will see - but this is a list of what we want to see, and Xiaomi's new camera modes are often a treat to play with.

For photography and videography in the camera app, Xiaomi often brings new modes that rivals don't have. There are loads of effects-heavy video modes called Movie Effects, automatic color editing for photography (more in-depth than just filters), and the sky editing mode that lets you completely change the skyline and weather effects for photos.

We're already excited to see what the Mi 12 brings, as the fun modes will likely make using the camera a treat.

4. Better battery life

The Xiaomi Mi 11 series was plagued by a consistent problem, in that the phones just didn't have very good battery lives.

While each phone had a huge battery, it doesn't seem like the software or features were optimized very well, causing the power to drain quickly. In particular the Mi 11 Ultra had an overheating problem which caused the charge to plummet.

Clearly bigger isn't better in this case - we'd like Xiaomi to roll out more battery optimizations that save the phones from dying so quickly.

5. Improved fingerprint scanner

Not all Xiaomi phones have in-screen fingerprint scanners, but the ones that do often mess up this feature a little bit.

Some in-screen scanners can be temperamental, meaning your finger sometimes gets rejected even if it should work. This can sometimes be a software issue, other times just an issue with the sensor being too small.

Xiaomi needs to figure out a fix for these fingerprint sensors, because they're pretty annoying to use otherwise.



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Xiaomi 12 will be 'available soon' with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset

The Xiaomi 12 is coming soon, and the company's CEO has confirmed it'll be the first smartphone announced that will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Lei Jun, Founder and CEO of Xiaomi, appeared in a video during Qualcomm's Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 event where he confirmed the phone's name and the fact it'd feature the new chipset.

Jun also said the phone "will be available soon". He didn't confirm a launch date for the Xiaomi 12, but a recent leak has suggested the company will be revealing its new phone in China on December 16.

The first with Qualcomm's latest

Previously, Xiaomi has introduced its flagship phones in China first and then brought them to other markets (including the UK) at a later date. We expect it to be a similar sitatuon here, although that has yet to be confirmed.

This is the first phone manufacturer that has confirmed it'll be using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in its next flagship phone. We expect to see more manufacturers confirm over the coming days and weeks.



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AWS CEO: Why the cloud isn’t just another tech revolution

The CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) has heralded a new generation of cloud computing-enabled businesses that have the power to change how the world around us operates.

Speaking at his opening keynote address for AWS re:Invent 2021 in Las Vegas, Adam Selipsky noted the seismic effect of cloud computing on almost every company operating today.

"The cloud has become not just another tech revolution, but an enabler of fundamental shift in the way that businesses actually function,” he noted. “There's no industry that hasn't been touched and no business that can't be radically disrupted, and every one of us here today is part of that movement."

Come a long way

Selipsky started his keynote with a look back, as AWS celebrates not just 10 years of its re:Invent conference, but 15 years as a separate entity.

“We sure have come a long way together in the past 15 years,” he noted. “It's hard to believe that when we first started, the concept of cloud computing barely existed.”

“Back then IT and infrastructure just weren't working. It was expensive. It was slow. It was inflexible. It suffocated innovation. And of course it was dominated by old guard vendors who loved the expense and the lock-in - but we knew there had to be a better path forward for all of us."

"I do remember perplexed looks and people's faces when I tried to explain AWS and the cloud - it was barely a concept yet and it was really hard to put into context. I can't tell you how many times I was asked, 'But what does this have to do with selling books?'”

Now, Selipsky notes that Amazon S3 stores more than three trillion objects and AWS offers over 200 fully-featured services to millions of customers around the world.

This year’s event is the first since former leader Andy Jassey moved to take over the top job at parent company Amazon following Jeff Bezos’ retirement, with Selipsky shifting into the leading cloud role with anticipation that further growth is assured.

"We're just getting started,” he said, noting that between only five and 15% of IT spending has moved to the cloud, and technologies such as 5G and IoT offering huge possibilities for the likes of AWS.

And with a customer list spanning the likes of Netflix to NASA, few would bet against AWS continuing that growth going forward, especially with hardware launches such as the newly-revealed Graviton3.

"Sometimes the work we do together can be hard,” Selipsky concluded. “But we love challenges...Ultimately what the cloud and AWS offer is the ability to transform.”



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Why Qualcomm's next flagship chip isn't called the Snapdragon 898

The silicon brain that may be powering your next smartphone has just been unveiled, and unlike rumors had previously suggested it won't be called the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898.

This is a new chipset that we expect to see in upcoming top-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22, OnePlus 10, Xiaomi 12 and more. It'll be called the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and you can read everything you need to know about it here.

Flights and accommodation for this launch event were funded by Qualcomm, but the views reflect the writer's own honest opinion.

But why has it been given a new name? The different naming structure may confuse people, especially as this isn't a first-gen product. In fact, Qualcomm has been making the chipsets powering some of the most popular phones since 2012.

We spoke to Qualcomm about the new name, and here's why the company decided to change it for 2021... and beyond.

First, how does this new name work? The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the name of the new chipset, and future generations of lower-tier Qualcomm series will follow that convention – for example, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, or Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.

This change in naming structure will be used across all variants of the company's technology going forward from this release. It just so happens that it's introduced on the Snapdragon 8 series first.

It's still a sequel to the Snapdragon 888 Plus that was introduced earlier this year, and therefore it'll be the company's flagship product for 2022.

Ziad Asghar, VP of Product Management at Qualcomm, told TechRadar, “People know that 8 is basically the highest tier that we have. So we thought let’s simplify this – let’s call it the Snapdragon 8.

“This one will be called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and then as we go further we’ll call it Gen 2, Gen 3 and so on. I think it really simplifies it, and you don’t have to remember three numbers.”

Or, conceivably, four numbers, assuming they'd have to go higher after the Snapdragon 898.

Consumers prefer it, apparently

According to Qualcomm's research, the general public prefers this new naming structure by a ratio of 5 to 1. It may take some getting used to for phone fans, but the idea is that it'll make it easier for the average consumer to understand which silicon is running on their device.

Debra Marich, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Qualcomm, told TechRadar during a briefing for the new chipset, "We're strengthening our Snapdragon brand as a standalone product brand for consumers, and we'll be leveraging the equity we've built in the last Snapdragon brand for the past 10 years."

It isn’t just the overall name for the Snapdragon platforms that are changing. Asghar confirmed to TechRadar that the company is also changing the names of its other elements that make up the platform.

Asghar said, “Underneath, we used to have technologies like the Hexagon 780 processor. So we’ve taken away those [names] too, just such that they’re now associated with each generation of Snapdragon 8. It just makes it very simple.”

Expect to see this new naming structure across Qualcomm's products for the foreseeable future. We won’t be getting a Snapdragon 898, but this is the same chipset in all but name and we’ll be looking for a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 come the end of 2022.



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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features, news, compatible phones and what it can do

If you’re a fan of Android phones then the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is a big deal, as this upcoming chipset will almost certainly power many of the best Android phones of 2022.

The latest innovation from Qualcomm is now here after the company introduced its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform at its annual Tech Summit event. This is the new chipset that we expect to see powering a lot of the top-end phones in 2022 and beyond. 

Flights and accommodation for this launch event were funded by Qualcomm, but the views reflect the writer's own honest opinion.

It's the sequel to the Snapdragon 888 (and its sibling the Snapdragon 888 Plus) that was introduced in 2020 and featured on smartphones like the Galaxy S21, OnePlus 9 Pro, Oppo Find X3 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 11.

That means we'll likely see it included in the next iterations of those phones, so we expect manufacturers like Samsung, Oppo, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola, Realme and many more to include this chipset in their absolute best smartphones.

This is top-end power, so it's reserved for the most expensive devices. If you're a smartphone fan, you've likely noticed that the new chipset also has a new naming structure, too. We expected this to be called the Snapdragon 898, but Qualcomm moved to what it believes is a more "simplified" naming structure.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next top-end Android chipset from Qualcomm
  • When is it out? Expect it in phones in January 2022

Which phones will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1?

A lot of phones are likely to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and many of them have already been rumored. These include the Samsung Galaxy S22 range, which will reportedly use this chipset in either most or all parts of the world.

That’s a change, as typically Samsung splits its Galaxy S models between the latest Snapdragon and the latest Exynos.

So far, no manufacturers have confirmed compatibility with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. However, we can almost guarantee you'll see this chipset on a lot of top-end smartphones in 2021.

We'll include confirmed models here when we hear more, but we've yet to see any manufacturers state whether they'll be using the new chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 range is likely to land in February, but before that we could see the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Xiaomi 12 in December (though that launch will probably only be for China, with the rest of the world getting it later).

Xiaomi Mi 11

The successor to the Xiaomi Mi 11 could be one of the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones (Image credit: Future)

A leak suggests a Motorola phone could join the Xiaomi 12 as one of the first with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, possibly also launching before the end of 2021. That leak didn’t name the phone, but more recently another source claimed that the high-end Motorola Edge 30 Ultra will land this year with that chipset.

Leaks also suggest that the Huawei P60 range could use this chipset. That’s slightly surprising as Huawei usually makes its own, but the US trade ban has complicated things there. Finally, there’s also evidence of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 being used in at least one Vivo phone.

Beyond the leaks and rumors, we also expect the OnePlus 10 and Sony Xperia 1 IV to use this chipset, based on past form, as probably will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, and many other phones.

Don't expect Pixel phones in 2022 to be using this as it's likely Google will continue using its own Tensor chipset. One oddity is a rumor that Samsung won't be using its Exynos chipsets in certain models of the Galaxy S22.

Basically, if you buy a high-end Android smartphone in 2022, there’s a good chance the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be at its heart.

What does it do?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is designed to offer a top-end flagship experience. Be aware though, not every manufacturer will use each of the features below.

A lot of the new features we talk about are now are an option for manufacturers to implement, but not every phone maker in 2022 will decide to introduce each of the below features. So don't expect these features to be guaranteed in your smartphone when you unpackage it in 2022.

How powerful is it?

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

(Image credit: Qualcomm)

Ziad Asghar, VP of Product Management at Qualcomm, told TechRadar during a briefing that the new chipset introduces, "The biggest changes that we've ever brought about in a product." 

That's a big claim (and one we'd expect Qualcomm to make) so we'll be breaking down every feature we've learned about so far.

First off, the CPU has been improved by being 20% faster than the last generation; it also offers 30% power savings. That should hopefully result in better overall performance on your smartphone, and perhaps longer battery life.

The CPU (central processing unit) is the brains of your phone for everyday tasks such as booting up and running apps, or navigating around your phone's operating system. Improvements to the CPU performance should mean your phone is slicker and speedier than previous generations.

Those stats aren't the biggest jump in numbers we've seen from a new Qualcomm platform, but the Snapdragon 888 Plus was already one of the most powerful chips on the market so we didn't expect a huge improvement here.

Artificial intelligence features also remain a focus for Qualcomm, and the company is partnering with Google Cloud to introduce its Cloud Vertex AI Neural Architecture Search features into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform.

A Qualcomm spokesperson said, "It allows [manufacturers] to apply Neural Architecture Search techniques, and would let [manufacturers] be able to optimize the model to the fullest extent to be able to get the most optimal models for best accuracy".

Essentially, you should expect the best possible artifical intelligence features from this latest Snapdragon platform. Plugging in Google Cloud's features should only offer improvements here, but it's currently unclear what exactly this will offer.

New camera features

Most of the exciting improvements for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1are in the camera, which opens up a whole new variety of features for manufacturers to introduce to your smartphone's snapper.

The image signal processor (ISP) has been improved on this chip with it introducing 4,096 times more camera data than previous models. It was previously a 14-bit ISP on the Snapdragon 888, and this features an 18-bit one.

Those four extra bits allow for improved dynamic range, which should mean you'll be able to take photos with brighter bright areas and darker dark areas.

Faster shooting in burst mode is now possible, and Qualcomm has doubled the number of photos you can take in quick succession. For example, in one second you can now take 240 12MP photos using the burst mode features.

Wide-angle photography may also be improved on your next phone. A new de-warp technology and Chromatic Aberration Correction have been introduced here, and they're designed to improve wide-angle shots.

Facial recognition technology has been improved on the latest Snapdragon with the company saying it's faster and more accurate than ever. We've yet to get any hard data specifically on that claim, though.

The company says it will better track the position of your nose, mouth, eyes, eyebrows, jawline and more. There are more than 300 facial landmarks now being used by the platform, but we're not clear on how many were used on previous generations.

The platform allows for you to shoot in 8K HDR for the very first time, and that's both HDR 10 and HDR 10 Plus. Not many smartphones currently offer 8K video recording – and it's rare you'll find a screen that is capable of making use of the footage – but it's a useful feature for future smartphones.

Sticking on video recording, and a new feature called Video Super-Resolution for Extreme Zoom should mean that your phone's telephoto camera can record better video. It's rare you'd want to shoot video at long distances, but this could be better on future smartphones.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

(Image credit: Qualcomm)

The final video feature is a new bokeh engine that will allow for the blurred effect on the rear of your portrait shots. This will be like how it works on Portrait mode on many top-end smartphones, but the capability here is up to 4K video.

We've seen this introduced on the iPhone 13 series previously, although it was called Cinematic Mode. It'll be interesting to see which Android manufacturer includes this feature first.

Another big camera feature is the fact you can record video, but also take photos at the same time. This is up to 8K HDR video, while the camera also takes 64MP shots. It's not entirely clear how this would be implemented yet, but it's a feature you may find helpful when shooting certain moments that you also want photographs of.

Finally, you'll also be able to shoot in 18-bit RAW for the first time. This is likely a feature that will appeal to true camera enthusiasts who want to export raw images for editing.

What does it change for gaming?

Another big improvement is in gaming, which introduces an AI engine that offers 4x faster artificial intelligence performance than the Snapdragon 888. It'll be interesting to see how this works in real life.

The Adreno GPU is 30% faster than the last-gen chipset, while the Vulkan is 60% faster. That essentially means you'll be getting into your games quicker, and they should run better than your previous smartphones.

A new feature called Adreno Frame Motion Engine will allow you to double the frame rate in the games you're playing while maintaining the same power levels. Qualcomm also confirmed the feature would allow you to keep playing at the same frame rate, but you'd be using half the power.

There are further gaming features to be introduced on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but we haven't heard about them in full yet. Expect to see more in this article at a later date.

Every other feature we've heard about so far

A new always-on camera is an impressive introduction with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The idea here is your phone's camera would be able to constantly be running, and then software developers can introduce new features to make use of that.

As an example, Qualcomm suggested you could unlock your phone without having to press a button to start a facial recognition process.

Another example, and perhaps a more interesting implementation, would be for security purposes. The camera would be able to monitor if anyone is looking over your shoulder while you're using certain apps. If you're looking at confidential files, it would then be able to lock your phone to ensure no one else is able to peek over your shoulder.

That would only be possible for certain uses (for example, someone looking at an angle would likely not be picked up by the camera) but it's an interesting feature that could be useful.

There are improvements for audio, too. For example, Qualcomm is introduced CD lossless audio and Bluetooth LE audio into the platform for the first time.

Plus, a new feature called Android Ready SE is designed to allow you to include identification documents on your smartphone. This would allow for this process to be done securely, but there is little detail on how that would look for the average person.

The platform also includes the most advanced Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, so you may be able to experience a slightly faster Wi-Fi connection on your next smartphone.

Finally, 5G is improving on the Gen 1, but we've yet to hear many specifics about the features. Qualcomm has said this platform supports up to 10Gbps, which is likely to keep you connected without any concerns.



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Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC With 4x Faster AI Performance, Better Graphics Rendering

Qualcomm at Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 on Wednesday unveiled Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 as its latest 5G mobile platform for flagship Android phones. The new chip is claimed to deliver four times faster AI performance over last year’s Snapdragon 888.

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China set to further restrict cross-border data flow

In a recently published five-year plan, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has called for improving the cross-border security management of big data till 2025, according to reports.

Reuters reports that strengthening the management of data flows across its borders, and more support for open source initiatives, are among the six key tasks outlined in the plan.

As part of the plan, MIIT reportedly estimates the scale of China's big data industry to exceed three trillion yuan (about $470.79 billion) by the end of 2025.

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The plan also called for improving the "marketization" of data, improving computing power, and playing a leading role in developing global technology standards.

Exercising control

Reuters says the plan, which builds off of China's 14th five-year plan published earlier this year, doubles down on the country’s stance of strengthening its regulatory framework for ferrying and storage of data. 

The new plan helps confirm China’s view of data as a "factor of production," and a "national strategic resource.”

Notably, the new plan comes on the heels of two key data-centric legislations the country has brought into force this year, namely the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and the Data Security Law, which, in essence, list a comprehensive set of rules that govern the collection, processing, storage, and protection of data. 

On the face of it, the laws help detail compliance requirements for companies operating outside the mainland to help ensure users’ data is protected when it’s ferried outside of China. However, they are generally seen as a bid by the country to exercise control over how companies and organizations store and move data across the mainland.

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Microsoft Teams meeting are about to become a whole lot more cinematic

Microsoft is working on a new update for its video conferencing software that will allow organizations with supported devices to use multiple cameras in Microsoft Teams.

There is a catch though as this new multiple camera feature will only work on select Microsoft Teams Rooms devices.

For those unfamiliar, Microsoft Teams Rooms is a dedicated hardware and software solution for video conferencing that was previously called Skype Rooms. Microsoft Teams Rooms devices include headsets, speakerphones, desk phones and Teams displays, collaboration bars, webcams and more.

According to a new post on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, this feature is currently in development and is slated to roll out to Microsoft Teams Rooms devices like the Surface Hub 2S in January of next year.

Switching between multiple cameras

Once this new feature is available, organizations that have a meeting or conference room with more than one video camera connected to Microsoft Teams Rooms will be able to switch between them while in a video call.

To do so, they'll need to click on the icon that depicts an arrow going through a rectangle at the bottom of a Teams meeting to see a list of available cameras. From here, they'll be able to switch between cameras seamlessly without interrupting their meeting.

As more devices have built-in cameras than ever before, this new update to Microsoft Teams Rooms will allow organizations to take advantage of them. Some possible use cases include being able to switch between a wide group shot and having one individual on camera as well as being able to give attendees a close up view of a product or design.

Now that Microsoft is adding multiple camera support to Microsoft Teams Rooms, the company could eventually add this same functionality to regular Teams meetings so that individuals can also give their meetings more of a cinematic feel.

Looking to improve your video calls? Check out our roundups of the best video conferencing softwarebest business webcams and best headsets for conference calls

Via ONMSFT



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WhatsApp comes to Windows 11 and 10 as an app - here's how to try it out

With WhatsApp bringing out many new features this year, such as disappearing messages, an updated look and more, users had been wondering what else could be coming from the company

They didn't have long to wait, as a beta version of a native app on the Microsoft Store has been released for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

You can try it right now and decide whether you'll prefer to use WhatsApp on your laptop or tablet device instead. But so far the app has a lot of features that you most likely use on your smartphone each day anyway, so you may prefer to keep using the app.

However, the question will be, whether a dedicated app on Windows is necessary, when your phone is an arms-length away, alongside being able to use WhatsApp on your web browser.

Analysis: Turning the WhatsApp dial to 11

While we ironically use our web browsers for more than just browsing the web, having a dedicated app for WhatsApp can enable more features compared to using a web page.

The app in testing showcases this, with handwriting features and notifications that work with Windows 10 and 11, alongside Focus Assist.

There's plenty of apps coming to the Microsoft Store, and that's not forgetting about Android apps coming to it soon thanks to Amazon.

It could be very helpful if you use WhatsApp more than others, saving you to use your smartphone, and instead replying to a message through your laptop.

However, time will tell if users will be more comfortable in using an app on the desktop, rather than through a web browser, or again, through their phone.



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Intel is secretly stockpiling masses of its old technology for security research

Computing giant Intel reportedly operates a warehouse somewhere in Costa Rica where it stockpiles its older chips, and makes them available remotely to internal cybersecurity researchers.

Sharing details about Intel’s Long-Term Retention Lab, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) notes that Intel had the idea of having one in mid-2018, and had it up and running before the end of 2019. 

Explaining the need for the facility, WSJ says that it helps Intel ensure that its older silicon, which might still be in use in the real-world, isn’t vulnerable to attacks.

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Anders Fogh, a Germany-based senior principal engineer at Intel, told WSJ that the lab has become an integral part of his work, and helps him replicate security flaws reported to Intel by outside researchers through its bug-bounty program. 

Indispensable resource

According to WSJ, the warehouse stores around 3,000 pieces of hardware and software, going back about a decade. 

Fogh shares that the facility can help him create an exact replica of the system that a security researcher used to find and report a vulnerability. 

“I can make an exact replica of the submitting researcher’s system. Same CPU, same operating system version, microcode, BIOS,” said Fogh.

However, sourcing some components was a challenge when Intel originally planned the lab. One such hard to get platform were the Sandy Bridge microprocessors, discontinued in 2013. 

“We had to actually go on eBay and start looking for these platforms,” Mohsen Fazlian, general manager of Intel’s product assurance and security unit told the WSJ.

The facility has now become a fundamental part of Intel’s product development, with technical documentation boldly announcing decade-long support for new Intel chips owing to the lab. In fact, Fazlian claims that new chips are sent to the lab even before they are released.

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AWS wants to let all businesses build their own 5G networks

Getting your business up to speed with 5G could soon be easier than ever thanks to a new announcement from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The company has revealed AWS Private 5G, a new managed service that allows enterprises set up and scale private 5G mobile networks in their facilities in days instead of months. 

AWS says that with just a few clicks, customers can specify where the network will be, what kind of capacity they need, and then get everything they need, with the process taking just days rather than months as it may have done previously.

"Shockingly easy"

"There's nothing like AWS Private 5G network out there," noted AWS CEO Adam Selipsky as he unveiled the new offering at the company's re:Invent 2021 event in Las Vegas.

“You get all the goodness of mobile technology without the pain of long planning cycles, complex integrations and the high upfront costs,” he added. 

Once all the demands are in, AWS will deliver everything needed, whether that's hardware or software-based - even right down to SIM cards for mobile devices.

AWS notes that there are no upfront fees or per-device costs involved with the new platform, with customers only paying for the network capacity and throughput they ask for.

All network set-up and deployment is automated, with the platform able to scale capacity when needed, such as if a customer needs to support additional devices and increased network traffic.

AWS Private 5G is only available in preview to customers based in the US for the time being, but will likely expand to other markets soon.

“Many of our customers want to leverage the power of 5G to establish their own private networks on premises, but they tell us that the current approaches make it time-consuming, difficult, and expensive to set up and deploy private networks,” noted David Brown, Vice President, EC2 at AWS.

“With AWS Private 5G, we’re extending hybrid infrastructure to customers’ 5G networks to make it simple, quick, and inexpensive to set up a private 5G network. Customers can start small and scale on-demand, pay as they go, and monitor and manage their network from the AWS console.”



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OneDrive update will makes sharing files much less of a pain

Sharing files from OneDrive will soon be both easier and faster as Microsoft is currently working on a new update for its cloud storage service.

According to a post on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, the software giant will soon allow users to pin and reorder shared libraries. When this new functionality becomes available next month, it will be easier for users to manage the list of places they've recently accessed or opened a file from.

OneDrive users will also have a simpler time picking up where they left off as they will be able to pin their frequently used shared libraries to the menu on the left side.

While this isn't a major update, it could prove especially useful for those that depend on Microsoft's online collaboration tools and office software as part of their daily workflow as they won't have to waste time trying to find a particular file or shared library.

Add to OneDrive shortcuts

In a separate post, Microsoft announced that users of its cloud storage service will also soon be able to organize their “Add to OneDrive” shortcuts.

Just like with the ability to pin and reorder shared libraries, this new file management feature will be available next month and with it, users will be able move their “Add to OneDrive” folder shortcuts into any private folder they create in OneDrive.

Microsoft has spent a good part of this year adding new features and functionality to OneDrive and it will be interesting to see what improvements the company has in store for its cloud storage service next year as more people begin upgrading to Windows 11.

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All the new smartphones we still expect will launch this year

Some tech companies aren't letting the last few weeks of 2021 go to waste, even launching new smartphones in the run-up to Christmas.

While some new phone releases are confirmed events, others are rumors that may or may not happen in the next few weeks. Accordingly, we've created a list of new smartphone launches based on the likelihood they'll actually happen in December of 2021.

Of course, none of these releases will be as big as what we'll see in the first few months of 2022. The giant tech conferences, CES in January and MWC in late February/early March, will likely coincide with massive phone launches like the releases of Samsung Galaxy S22, OnePlus 10 and Oppo Find X4. It's hard not to get excited by those!

Still, there are phones in our December 2021 list that are intriguing enough to entice more than a few tech fans.

Phones we'll almost definitely see

Honor 50

The Honor 50, the predecessor to the Honor 60 (Image credit: Future)

Honor 60

We know the Honor 60 is launching, and it's happening very soon: December 1, to be exact.

This China-only launch of the phone will likely be followed by a global release in a few weeks' time. That means we'll soon see the phone in all of its technical glory, but might not know its price until the global launch.

The Honor 60 is the brand's next mid-range phone, following in the footsteps of the recently unveiled Honor 50. We don't expect the 60 to come with too many upgrades since it has only been six months since the last iteration was first released.

The Sony Xperia Pro-I smartphone with its Vlog Monitor accessory

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony Xperia Pro-I

This is another confirmed December release, but we already saw the official launch of Sony's Xperia Pro-I earlier in 2021.

The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a super-premium mobile designed specifically for photographers. This phone has fantastic cameras and also works as a second display for many of Sony's cameras. The Xperia Pro-I is launching on December 2 in the UK and December 10 in the US.

The phone will be expensive, at $1,799 / £1,599 (around AU$2,400), but keep in mind that it's designed for professional photographers, and not your average phone fan.

Motorola Edge 20 Pro

The Motorola Edge 20 Pro is currently Moto's top-end smartphone (Image credit: Future)

Motorola's next smartphone

While this launch hasn't technically been confirmed, we've heard so many rumors about Motorola's plan to release a top-end smartphone by the end of 2021 that we had to include it in this section.

Top chipset maker Qualcomm is expected to soon launch its new premium processor, and we've heard rumors that Motorola is eager to release the first phone using it. This means they might release a new phone by the end of this year, in close competition with Xiaomi, who also has a phone on this list.

We don't know if the new device is the Moto G200 or the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, both of which are rumored to launch in the next few months. Either way, we'd be very shocked if Motorola didn't release another smartphone by the end of the year.


Phones we'll possibly see:

Xiaomi Mi 11

The Xiaomi Mi 11, the company's flagship for 2021. (Image credit: Future)

Xiaomi 12

The Xiaomi Mi 11 was launched in the last days of 2020 at a China-only event before getting a global unveiling in February of this year. We think it's possible Xiaomi will repeat that timing with their Xiaomi 12, but there are others who think the mobile might launch in January. For this reason, we've put this device in the 'possibly' section.

This is Xiaomi's next flagship phone, and the first main-series device since it dropped its 'Mi' branding. We're expecting top specs and a premium design, but we don't actually know all that much about the device yet.

Either way, of all the phones on this list, the Xiaomi 12 will likely end up as one of the biggest releases of the year — regardless of which year it launches. When it does show up, it's definitely a phone we'll be reporting on so stay tuned.

Oppo X 2021

The Oppo X 2021, a rollable smartphone from Oppo. (Image credit: Future)

Oppo foldable phone

There was a rumor that Oppo would launch its first foldable phone in November 2021. Clearly, that didn't happen, but it's possible the launch was just delayed by a few weeks.

A December Oppo release would line up with the company's annual Inno Day, where it shows off new tech innovations that later feature on its devices. Inno Day was in December in 2019, November in 2020, and we still have yet to hear about 2021's Inno Day.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Oppo foldable phone at Inno Day 2021, but we have low expectations the release will happen before the end of the year.  

Nokia X20

The Nokia X20 is one example of HMD Global's X line. (Image credit: Future)

The Nokia X50

Early in 2021, we heard about a flagship phone from HMD Global called the Nokia X50, which was likely to follow 2019's Nokia 9 PureView in place of the rumored Nokia 10. According to the rumors we heard, this X50 would launch by the end of 2021.

Rumors about top-end phones from HMD Global rarely pan out, which means this whisper alone isn't enough to keep an X50 launch on the 'possibly' list. But, we also know that at some point during 2021, HMD Global changed the way it named its phones.

Currently, there are Nokia C, G and X phones, with entries at each level being respectively more premium. Taking this into consideration, a mid-range Nokia X50 is far more likely than a premium one. So if there is another Nokia phone out this year, there's a good chance it's an X50 with mid-range specs and a low price.

Admittedly, that's not a lot to go on, but a Nokia X50 launch is still more likely than releases for some of the other devices on this list.


Phones we probably won't see:

The Samsung Galaxy S21 face down on a table.

The Samsung Galaxy S21, the predecessor to the S22. (Image credit: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S22

Earlier in 2021, a few rumors suggested we could see the Samsung Galaxy S22 in late December, which would buck the usual trend of Samsung's phones launching in January or February of each year.

A December release might have made sense as a response to the cancellation of the Galaxy S21 FE, while positioning the S22 as a more formidable rival of both the iPhone 13 and the Xiaomi 12. But scrapping the Galaxy S21 FE was also only a rumor, and it seems likely that handset will launch after all.

We don't think the S22 will launch in December, but because of some talk in the domain, we had to include it on this list.

Google Pixel 6 event

The Google Pixel 6 was expected to launch with a foldable equivalent. (Image credit: Google)

Google Pixel Fold

We heard quite a few rumors about the Google Pixel Fold in the build-up to the Pixel 6 launch, and we were excited about the possible coming of Google's first foldable smartphone. But, that sadly never came to be.

Still, it's impossible to totally rule out the existence of this phone since several big-profile leakers said the device was coming. One of those leakers also expected other companies, like Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo, to launch foldable phones by the end of 2021, but with the ongoing chipset shortage affecting the tech world, we're not holding our breath.

Vivo X60 Pro

The Vivo X60 Pro, one of the brand's only globally-released smartphones. (Image credit: Future)

Vivo foldable phone

As mentioned above, Vivo is another smartphone maker that was expected to release a foldable phone in 2021, but of all the new phone rumors we've heard, we'd say this launch is the least likely to happen. The primary reason is that Vivo is not an established enough smartphone company to start working on a flashy foldable.

Still, we won't rule this potential phone release out completely since Vivo is owned by BBK Electronics, which also owns Oppo, OnePlus and Realme, companies we've seen share tech developments. It's possible that through collaborative work, Vivo might just surprise us with a foldable smartphone earlier than expected. But over the next few weeks? Hardly likely.



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Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2021 live blog: the next big phone chip and more

Snapdragon 888 reference design

A press image for the Snapdragon 888 (Image credit: Qualcomm)

Some of the biggest upcoming phones of 2022 are likely to feature the next-gen chipset from Qualcomm, and we're set to hear about it today during the company's Tech Summit 2021 event.

Qualcomm has confirmed its next-gen chipset won't be called the Snapdragon 898, as some had previously expected. The company is changing up its name for its flagship platform, but we've yet to find out what it'll be called.

Flights and accommodation for this launch event were funded by Qualcomm, but the views reflect the writer's own honest opinion.

That's one of the announcements we expect to hear today, but we're also anticipating news on the new chipset. We might even get some confirmations from phone manufacturers on whether each plans to use the new platform.

We're reporting live from the Tech Summit 2021 event in Hawaii, and we'll be bringing you all the latest news throughout the day. The keynote kicks off at 3PM PST / 6PM EST / 11PM GMT (or 10AM AEDT on Wednesday, December 1).

Before the keynote, we'll be talking you through some of the rumored features for the next-gen chipset and everything else we've heard about it so far.

Welcome to our Tech Summit 2021 coverage where you'll be among the first to hear about everything that happens at today's keynote. 

If you're interested in what features may debut on 2022 Android smartphones, this is the place to be. We expect this next chipset to feature in flagship handsets from a variety of top-end phone makers.

Qualcomm has confirmed it will reveal its new premium tier mobile platform today, although we don't know its name. Qualcomm says we can also expect announcements in "AI, gaming, and connectivity".

You can watch along with the big keynote using the YouTube embed below. The event is set to start at 3PM PST / 6PM EST / 11PM GMT (or 10AM AEDT on Wednesday, December 1).

Expect this live blog to fully kick into gear when we start to hear announcements on stage from Qualcomm. We'll be typing as fast as we can to give you the latest from the show.



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Cambridge Quantum merges with Honeywell to form quantum computing supergiant

Two leading quantum computing companies, Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum, have combined to create Quantinuum, which is billed as the first full-stack quantum company.

By leveraging the quantum expertise of both its parents, Quantinuum plans to offer a comprehensive suite of quantum hardware and software, including the industry’s first quantum operating system. 

“We are science led and enterprise driven, and our scale and global presence in this most critical of technologies will provide leadership in each of the key areas that constitute the ‘must haves’ for quantum computing to deliver real-world solutions to all our customers and partners,” remarked Ilyas Khan, founder of Cambridge Quantum, who will head Quantinuum as its CEO.

Quantum reality

Honeywell explains that Quantinuum’s products and solutions will help support a multitude of high-priority tasks such as cybersecurity and encryption, drug discovery and delivery, and more.

Quantinuum hopes to deliver the solutions in such a manner that they are compatible with a variety of quantum hardware processors, such as the Honeywell-powered system Model H1, as well as IBM’s suite of quantum computers.

To that end Quantinuum has said that it’ll provide all quantum software developers open access to “tket,” an independent quantum software development kit.

“Quantinuum customers will now have access to the world’s first quantum operating system, applications, and hardware-agnostic software, all of which will be used to address extremely challenging business needs with which conventional computing systems struggle,” said Darius Adamczyk, chairman and CEO of Honeywell, who joins Quantinuum as its chairman.



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Redmi K50 Series Tipped to Feature Both MediaTek Dimensity and Snapdragon SoCs

Redmi K50 series is said to be in the works. A tipster has suggested that it will feature different chipsets including MediaTek Dimensity 7000 SoC, MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC, as well as Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The Qualcomm-powered models are said to be faster than the MediaTek Dimensity-powered models. The Redmi K50 series is al...

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MIUI 13 Tipped to Release With Xiaomi 12 Series, Xiaomi 12X and Redmi K50 to Get Android 11-Based Update

A fresh report suggests that Xiaomi 12 range will be the first to get MIUI 13. The series is expected to be unveiled next month and is likely to include two models – Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12X. The latter is said to come with Android 11-based MIUI 13.

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Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021: 32 Top Teams to Battle It Out in ‘The Grind’ From December 2

Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021 is set to kick off on December 16, and Krafton has announced that it has invited 32 of the top-flight teams to participate in The Grind, a two-week tournament that takes place starting December 2 before the main tournament. These teams will battle it out before participating in the upcoming Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021,...

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Samsung Galaxy A23 Tipped to Launch in 4G and 5G Versions, Feature 50-Megapixel Main Camera

Samsung Galaxy A23 phone's camera specifications have leaked online suggesting that the phone could be launching soon. Samsung is said to unveil both 4G and 5G models of the handset. As per the latest leak, the upcoming Galaxy A-series smartphone will have a 50-megapixel main sensor.

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Google Play Store Apps That Stole Bank Credentials Were Downloaded 300,000 Times: Report

Android users downloaded malignant applications from the Google Play store that were designed to steal their banking details. The apps were downloaded 300,000 times.

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Samsung unveils three new chips for use in cars - and it isn't about riding comfort

South Korean electronics major Samsung, which is eyeing the automotive sector with keen interest, has unveiled three semiconductor chips for in-vehicle use. These will help operate 5G connectivity, infotainment services and power management in cars. 

Samsung has already started supplying its infotainment chip to Volkswagen, and is taking on the likes of Qualcomm that is servicing auto majors like BMW and Renault, among others.  

The three automotive chips unveiled by Samsung are: the Exynos Auto T5123 for 5G connectivity, the Exynos Auto V7 for in-vehicle infotainment systems and  S2VPS01 power management IC (PMIC) for the Auto V series. The company noted that there was rising demand for "high-tech" automotive chips handling more entertainment consumption and increased electrical components in cars.

“Smarter and more connected automotive technologies for enriched in-vehicle experiences including entertainment, safety and comfort are becoming critical features on the road,” Jaehong Park, Executive Vice President of System LSI Custom SOC Business at Samsung Electronics says in a statement.

The chips are for more safety and fun in cars

Sasmung said the Exynos Auto T5123 will help provide essential information to a vehicle in real-time via high-speed download speeds of up to 5.1 gigabits per second. The new auto chip will also allow passengers to enjoy high-definition content streaming services and video calls through the 5G-based vehicle communication.

The new chip comes with two Cortex-A55 central processing unit cores from semiconductor design firm Arm and a built-in global navigation satellite system, enabling an enhanced telematics applications to track and monitor cars remotely.

The Exynos Auto V7, the new processor for in-vehicle infotainment systems, is said to be mounted on mid and high-end vehicles.

It supports up to four displays and 12 camera inputs that provide information to assist drivers and passengers. The V7’s imaging system provides bad pixel correction, dynamic range compression and geometric distortion correction to provide noiseless and distortion-free images for features like surround view and parking assistance.

For immersive in-car entertainment, the chip comes with three HiFi 4 audio processors that deliver excellent audio quality for songs, movies and even games on the go.

Automotive chips market to be worth $67.6 billion soon

Samsung said the Exynos Auto V7 is being used in Volkswagen’s latest in-car application-server 3.1 that was developed by LG Electronics’ vehicle component solutions division.

The S2VPS01, Samsung‘s new power management integrated circuit, will regulate and rectify the flow of electrical power for more reliable performance of in-vehicle infotainment system

The global market for automotive semiconductors is expected to reach $67.6 billion by 2026.

New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) and High Performance Computing (HPC) are enabling new automotive applications and services – such as simple use cases to communicate road conditions, to more complex edge-enabled uses cases for Autonomous Driving (ADAS). 

It is said that modern-day self-driving cars would need about 2,000 semiconductor chips on an average by next year.



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AirPods with IR cameras are rumored to be on the way – but we'll have to wait a while for them

Apple is rumored to be planning to add a new model to its line-up of the best AirPods : specifically, AirPods with infrared cameras install...