News on Smartphones, March 2022

iPhone 

iPhone 14 Pro depicted in renders with a pill and hole design & iPhone 15 Pro to get UD camera with FaceID next year

CAD-based renders of the iPhone 14 Pro show off just that design and there is talk that the Face ID system will be moved under the display. However, some analysts don’t think this design will be ready for this year. According to a new report from TheElec, Samsung Display and OTI Lumionics are developing a new generation of UD camera which will debut first on the Galaxy Z Fold5 next year and will later make its way to Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro (tentative name) models in the fall of 2023.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena, GSMArena

Geekbench confirms iPhone SE (2022) packs 4GB RAM

Apple’s fresh new iPhone SE (2022) comes with 4GB of RAM as confirmed by benchmarking platform Geekebench. That amount is just as much as the iPhone 13 and 13 mini which also use the A15 Bionic chipset. 

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Apple to Buy Its First Large Batch of Carbon-Free Aluminium for iPhone SE

Apple said it will buy its first industrial-size batch of carbon-free aluminum tio use in its low-cost iPhone SE, as it steps up efforts to reduce carbon footprint from the metal it uses heavily in product casings that emits direct greenhouse gasses from the smelting process.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Kuo: iPhone 14 Pro will have A16, 14 and 14 Max to use A15 Bionic

According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will reserve the A16 chip for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, while the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will feature the same A15 Bionic as this year's iPhone 13 lineup. Another difference will be the RAM - all four devices will have 6GB, but the Pro's will have the faster LPDDR5, while the other two will have LPDDR 4X. Apple is readying a shift to a duopoly of display sizes: this marks a move away from a small iPhone, making the current, second-gen iPhone 13 mini the last of its kind.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Apple rumored to bring iPhone subscription service

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports Apple is readying a new way to purchase iPhones and other Apple hardware with a new subscription-based service. This service will be a set fee paid each month and it will be tied to users' existing Apple ID accounts and may also bundle free Apple Care and even Apple One services.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Samsung 

Samsung Galaxy M53 5G listed on Geekbench with Dimensity 900

The Galaxy M53 5G is out thanks to a Geekbench listing flaunting MediaTek’s Dimensity 900 chipset and 6GB RAM. The phone is also running on Android 12 presumably with One UI 4 on top.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Samsung Galaxy F23 5G India Sale Begins Today: Price, Specifications, Launch Offers

Samsung Galaxy F23 5G goes on sale in India for the first time today at 12pm. The handset sports triple rear cameras and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC. It also comes preloaded with a feature called Voice Focus that is claimed to help cut down ambient noise and amplify voice when making calls.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Samsung may use a harder "Super UTG" for the Galaxy Z Fold4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 can work with an S Pen, but support is limited – the foldable display is just too fragile and you’ll need to use a stylus with a retractable tip. Rumor has it that Samsung is working on a more durable solution.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

New Galaxy A53 and A33 promo videos

Samsung announced its new Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A33 5G as well as the Galaxy A73 5G yesterday and there are a bunch of promo videos on the brand’s YouTube page that highlight their key features. 

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Samsung Galaxy M33 5G India Launch Date Confirmed for April 2, to Be Available via Amazon

The handset will be powered by a 5nm octa-core processor and pack a 6,000mAh battery with support for 25W charging. The Samsung Galaxy M33 5G is tipped to sport a 6.6-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a quad rear camera setup.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets, GSMArena

Samsung Galaxy A13, Galaxy A23 With Quad Rear Cameras Launched in India: Price, Specifications

Samsung Galaxy A13 and Samsung Galaxy A23 were launched in India. The 4G-enabled smartphones are equipped with octa-core processors as well as 6.6-inch displays. Both pack 5,000mAh batteries, feature 50-megapixel quad rear camera setups, and run on Android 12 with the company's One UI 4.1 skin on top.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Huawei 

Huawei debuts P50E

Huawei P50E is a less fancy version of the Huawei P50. The phone matches its more premium brother through all key specs and down to the size. The back has the dual circle camera island design with a 50MP main snapper, a 13MP ultrawide and a 12MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Huawei’s 5G phone case appears in live image

The Huawei 5G phone case has appeared in live images that show its design and a little insight into how it works. The cover suggested having a 5G logo printed on it along with a thick body.

Full content and details (external sources): HuaweiCentral

Huawei Mate X3 Specifications Leak; Kirin 9000 4G, 4,500mAh Battery Tipped

Huawei Mate X3 foldable smartphone is said to be in the works and its key specifications have been leaked online. The handset is expected to be powered by a Kirin 9000 4G SoC, tipped to pack a 4,500mAh battery, and is said to run on the latest HarmonyOS 2.0.1 edition.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Huawei nova 9 SE (sort of) goes official with 108MP camera, 66W fast charging

Huawei’s first phone with a 108MP camera is here. The Huawei nova 9 SE went live on the company’s Malaysian site and you can pre-order one already. It sports the 108 MP sensor in the main camera on the back, with an 8 MP ultra wide camera, a 2 MP macro cam and a 2 MP depth sensor. Super Night Shot is a key selling point, which takes multiple exposures and fuses them into one. The last camera is on the front, a 16 MP shooter.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets, GSMArena

Oppo

Oppo F21 Pro's design revealed in leaked poster

A leaked poster revealed the F21 Pro. On the poster you can see the new island on the rear with an LED flash and two big circles for the cameras. The image also reveals that the Oppo F21 Pro's tagline is "Fantastic Selfie," suggesting Oppo's marketing campaign will revolve around camera features.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Oppo introduces Ice-Skin cooling case for Find X5 Pro

Oppo announced the Find X5 Pro a month ago. The company introduced a special Ice-Skin cooling case that helps keep the temperature further 2-3 degrees C lower. 

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Oppo K10 With Snapdragon 680, Oppo Enco Air 2 TWS Earphones Launched in India: Price, Specifications

The company's latest addition to its K-series portfolio is powered by a Snapdragon 680 SoC, paired with up to 8GB of RAM. The handset sports a 6.59-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Oppo K10 runs on a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. Alongside the Oppo K10, the company also launched the Oppo Enco Air 2 true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds in India. The Oppo Enco Air 2 TWS features 13.4mm drivers, an IPX4 rating, Bluetooth v5.2 connectivity, and offers up to 24 hours of playback, according to the company.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Oppo A96, Oppo A76 With Dual Rear Cameras, Snapdragon 680 SoC Launched in India: Price, Specifications

Oppo A96 and Oppo A76 were launched in India. Both Oppo phones come with a hole-punch display design and are equipped with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC. The phones also have 33W fast charging support and carry dual rear cameras. While Oppo A96 comes with 8GB of RAM, Oppo A76 has 6GB RAM. 

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Xiaomi 

Xiaomi Mix 5 Specifications Tipped via Alleged Geekbench Listing; Said to Sport Flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC

Xiaomi Mix 5 specifications were spotted on benchmarking website Geekbench: the listing says that the phone has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. 

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Redmi K50 Pro debuts with Dimensity 9000, K50 has a Dimensity 8100

Xiaomi finally announced its Redmi K50 and K50 Pro phones. The Pro has more impressive cameras, faster charging and a better chipset as well as up to 512GB of built-in storage, boasts MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000 chipset fabbed on TSMC’s 4nm process and ARM’s Cortex-X2 core clocked at up to 3.05Ghz. The phone has a seven-layer vapor chamber cooling system to keep thermals in check.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Xiaomi 12X With Triple Rear Cameras Launched Globally: Price, Specifications

Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and Xiaomi 12X have been launched globally. Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, while Xiaomi 12X is powered by the Snapdragon 870 SoC. All three smartphones get triple rear camera setups headlined by a 50-megapixel primary sensor.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Xiaomi launches new Redmi 10 in India with SD680 and 6,000mAh battery

Xiaomi released an updated version of the global Redmi 10 for the Indian market. The new Redmi 10 brings a 6.7-inch HD+ LCD, Snapdragon 680 and a 6,000 mAh battery. Redmi 10’s display refreshes at a standard 60Hz and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. You get a 5MP selfie cam tucked in the waterdrop notch up top. The back houses a 50MP primary camera alongside a 2MP depth helper.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Redmi K40S With Snapdragon 870 SoC, 48-Megapixel Triple Cameras Launched: Price, Specifications

Redmi K40S was launched at an event in China. It features a Snapdragon 870 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM, a 6.67-inch E4 AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, and it is equipped with a 48-megapixel triple camera setup along with a 20-megapixel selfie camera.

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets