Samsung has released its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and the entire fiscal year for 2020. The company reported net annual revenue of KRW 236.81 trillion (~ $211.5 billion) and a profit of KRW 35.99 trillion (~ $32.1 billion). The annual profit rose by 26.4%, but on a quarterly basis, Samsung witnessed the net profits decline by 26.7%. As for the IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung recorded revenue of KRW 22.34 trillion (~ $20 billion) and had a profitable quarter. However, the company saw smartphone shipments decline.
Samsung expects to bounce back propelled by Galaxy S21 and expansion of its 5G portfolio
The South Korean electronics giant is expected to bounce back, riding on the new Galaxy S21 series flagships and other mass-market smartphones, alongside the debut of more premium products in 2021 across the foldable portfolio. Samsung also plans to boost the shipment figures by launching more 5G devices across all price brackets, and is also looking to strengthen its tablet and wearable device portfolio. The company is not overly enthusiastic about a quick return to pre-pandemic numbers, but expects profitable quarters ahead by tweaking the pricing structure and boosting the operational efficiency.
As per an IDC report, Samsung shipped a total of 73.9 million phones in Q4 2020, capturing 19.1% market share. On a yearly basis, Samsung’s net phone shipments stood at 266.7 million, helping it capture the number 1 spot by market share at 20.6 %, followed by Apple at the second spot with 206.1 million shipments in 2020. However, the net phone shipments dropped by 9.8% on a YoY basis for Samsung, while Apple grew by 7.9% in the same span of time.
Samsung took the top spot in 2020 with a net shipment figure of 266.7 million
“Looking ahead to the first quarter, market demand for smartphones and tablets is expected to decline QoQ amid weak seasonality. However, both revenue and profit for the Mobile Communications Business are expected to rise, driven by flagship model sales on the launch of the Galaxy S21 series and product mix improvement. Upcoming release of new mass-market products will also contribute to the growth in the first quarter,” Samsung mentioned in its press release.
OnePlus recently rolled out the Android 11 update in beta for the OnePlus 7 and 7T recently. Now, it has started rolling out a new OxygenOS update for its OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. The smartphones are receiving the OxygenOS 10.3.8 update that brings the latest Android security patch and a couple of other improvements. These devices were released back in 2018 with Android 8.1 and Android 9, respectively. However, the new update doesn’t bring Android 11. The phones are still running Android 10.
The development comes from the OnePlus forum post that states the OnePlus 6 and 6T have started receiving OxygenOS 10.3.8 over-the-air (OTA) update that brings some minor improvements to the phones. The update brings Red Cable Club membership to 1.2.0.2. Further, the GMS package has been updated to 2020.09, and the Android security patch has been updated to January 2021.
The new OxygenOS update for the OnePlus 6 and 6T also comes with the OnePlus Store app that allows users to manage their OnePlus account. It also allows them to shop for OnePlus products, get easy-to-access support, and discover members-only benefits. However, it is not mandatory as it can be uninstalled as well.
As of now, the update is rolling out to a limited umber of devices. It is a staged rollout. A limited number of OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T users will get the update initially. It will be rolled out to all users once the company makes sure there are no critical bugs. The rollout is region-based. Hence, if you try to download the update using VPN, it may not work.
Changelog–
System updates
Updated MemberShip to 1.2.0.2
Updated Android Security Patch to 2021.01
Updated GMS package to 2020.09
OnePlus Store
An intuitive and convenient way to manage your OnePlus account, get easy-to-access support, discover exciting members-only benefits, and shop for OnePlus products. (Please note that it can be uninstalled)
Xiaomi has teased the arrival of Mi 11 Pro. And, rumors surrounding the device have started appearing online. The smartphone was expected to go official alongside the Mi 11 but that didn’t happen. Now, renders of the rear of the Mi 11 Pro have surfaced online. These hint at the presence of a quad rear camera setup. It is tipped to include a periscope camera as well. Plus, it is once again tipped to feature 120x zoom capabilities.
The image was shared by a tipster on Chinese microblogging website Weibo and it shows the phone may come with a quad rear camera setup. It also has 120x branding below what seems to be a periscope lens. Plus, as per a report by GSMArena, the 120x zoom will be digital and optical combined where the optical zoom would be 10x. The device has previously been rumored to support 120x zoom through its rear camera. If so, it will directly compete against the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra that features an improved Space Zoom of up to 100x. Initial impressions of the zooming capabilities of the Samsung flagship have been positive. Hence, the MI 11 Pro needs to pack some power to back that 120x zoom number and rival against the best.
The Mi 11 Pro is said to sport a quad-camera setup instead of the three rear cameras found on the Mi 11. Further, it is likely to feature the same display as the Mi 11. For the unaware, the Mi 11 features a 6.81-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a 515ppi pixel density. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, while the touch response rate goes up to 480Hz. It comes with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Moreover, it is claimed to go up to 1500 nits brightness and supports HDR10+ standard.
There is a 108MP primary rear camera with an f/1.85 aperture and OIS. It packs a 4,600mAh battery that supports 55W wired fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging as well as 10W reverse wireless charging. The device also comes equipped with an IR Blaster and stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon. The Mi 11 Pro is tipped to pack a 4,500mAh battery with similar numbers for fast charging capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy S21 is now out in the market. And given its flagship status, it’s no surprise that this phone rocks an appealing design, a fire breathing processor, and powerful imaging hardware with a ton of camera tricks among other perks. But one aspect that truly shines on Samsung flagships is their gorgeous display. This time too, it’s no exception with the Galaxy S21+. And did I tell you that it’s flat, and not curved? HallelujahI But hey, a shattered screen or one with a hairline crack is never a good sight. And that’s why we recommend slapping a screen protector on it. Convinced yet, but don’t know where to start looking? We got you covered. Choose from these best Galaxy S21 Plus screen protectors, and thank us later!
With the renowned D30 technology and glass fusion process handling the strength part, ZAGG InvisibleShield GlassFusion VisionGuard also has a layer of blue light filter to cut down on their harmful effect.
Spigen needs no introduction when it comes to accessories, and the NeoFlex screen protector is no exception. It offers high material clarity, bubble-free application, and a promise of zero screen glare occurrence.
The ZAGG InvisibleShield screen protector for the Galaxy S21 Plus is among the more affordable protective solutions from the brand, but with exception of a blue light filter, it has the best of everything the brand has to offer.
Ranking 9H on the Moh hardness scale, the IVSO is among the strongest screen protectors out there. This scratch and abrasion-resistant tempered glass also has an oleophobic layer and bundles a camera protector in the package.
Alright, you get three screen protectors for less than five dollars. Need I say more? Okay, this one is just 0.1mm thick, has an oleophobic coating, and comes with a smart healing film that can handle minor scratches and bubbles.
Used it, loved it. If you’re considering it, let me tell you that it has a self-healing coating that automatically gets rid of minor scratches and bubbles. It also ranks high when it comes to clarity, thinness, and material strength.
Made out of the glass with 9H hardness, this protective solution from Letang offers high transparency, has a 2.5D edge curve, and smudge resistance too. Plus, you also get a set of three lens protective films in the bundle.
This one is also made out 9H tempered glass, which is as strong as this class of products get. It has a fingerprint and dust protection layer, rocks a 3D edge arc, offers high glass clarity, and comes with three equally durable lens protectors.
One of the most affordable tempered glass screen protectors with an antimicrobial coating on top, the MagGlass offering is also extremely durable with a 9H hardness rating on Moh’s scale. In my experience, it’s been a terrific choice.
Yes, Otterbox makes great protective solutions for your gadgets, and the Alpha Flex tempered glass carries that legacy forward. This precision-cut screen protector for the Samsung flagship offers high clarity and material strength as well.
For just around thirteen dollars, you get a bundle of three laser-cut screen protectors with a 9H hardness scale, high transparency, oleophobic layer, and two camera lens protectors to keep those snappers protected against damage.
The 3-pack bundle of QHOHQ screen protector offers a light transmission of 99.99%, a thickness of just 0.15mm, rounded arc around edges, an oleophobic coating, and lens protection too. Now, try and beat that on value proposition!
That brings an end to our list of the best Galaxy S21 Plus screen protector across various price brackets and feature sets. As for personal picks, I’d naturally want the maximum bucks for my benjamins. And searching with that approach, I would get the IVSO tempered glass screen protector that offers a satisfyingly high 9H hardness output and costs less than fifteen dollars for a pack of six glass sheets. And as a sweet bonus, you also get camera lens protectors in the bundle as well.
But if your priority is the best screen protector that can be found out there, your search should ideally end with the ZAGG InvisibleShield GlassFusion VisionGuard+ Antimicrobial screen protector for the Galaxy S21 Plus. It is extremely durable and comes with benefits such as an antimicrobial coating on top and a blue filter to maximize eye protection as you consume content on the Samsung flagship’s AMOLED display.
We recently reported that the foldable smartphone market is all set to expand next year. While Samsung and HUAWEI have been in the segment for a couple of years now, Google could try its hands at the foldable market. Plus, Chinese OEMs like OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi are also said to introduce their folding phones in 2021. Now, it is being reported that these Chinese manufacturers could get their foldable phone displays from Samsung.
The latest development comes from ITHome. It reports that Samsung is planning to offer its foldable display panels to other companies. It goes on to say that the South Korean company could provide one million foldable display panels. These include both designs – horizontal foldable displays as well as the vertical ones. As per the report, multiple China-based smartphone makers have been in talks with Samsung Display to receive foldable screen panels. Samsung has reportedly agreed to it.
Further, Xiaomi is said to be working on bringing three foldable phones next year. It is expected to unveil an outfolding phone, an in-folding device as well as a clamshell. While we don’t know what type of display technology the devices are going to use, these devices could house Samsung’s display. There is no word on when we could the devices in action. That said, OPPO, on the other hand, is also reportedly prepping to launch its foldable in the market this year.
Samsung itself is working on several foldable phones. It could announce a new Z Flip Lite in late 2021. The South Korean giant is likely already working on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, which are tipped to be announced in the third quarter of 2021. As per previous reports, the Galaxy Z Flip Lite will have a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Instagram has been on an update streak. While it has been updating the design and overall look of the mobile app, the desktop version isn’t being ignored. The latter received support for DMs last year. Recently, it was reported that Instagram is testing a new interface to view its Stories on desktop. Now, the feature has allegedly gone live. When you get the update, the navigation will remain the same, but you will start seeing a new look for Stories that as of now, appear in a single tile.
As per The Verge, Instagram is updating its Stories feature on desktop so that it opens up to show a carousel of videos. It previews what’s cued up next and the content that just played. Here, viewers can click on whatever story they want to watch. This might be a minor change but it would be particularly beneficial for those who use Instagram on a desktop on a regular basis.
Up until now, browsing Stories from your desktop hasn’t been ideal. The Stories appear in a single tile that takes up the entire page. However, it is now changing. Instagram has started rolling out a new interface for Stories on a desktop. With the new look, Stories appear in a carousel rather than a single tile. The navigation remains the same – you can let the Stories play automatically or manually click through them. There is no option to swipe to the next person’s story.
That said, it is now easier to keep track of where you are in your Stories queue. You can now view the last few people’s stories and the next few in a queue, while a single story appears in front of you. The new interface of Instagram on the desktop makes it a cleaner user experience. We hope Instagram is also working on its iPad app.
Apple has announced the App Tracking Transparency privacy measure. It will be required starting with the next beta versions of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14. As per Apple, the software update will be publicly released in the early spring. To recall, the feature was said to go live a few months back, in September. However, Apple delayed the requirement to give developers more time to prepare.
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature will require all iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV app developers to receive a user’s permission to track their activity across other apps and websites. It will also require the developers to ask users’ approval to access their device’s random advertising identifier, known as the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), for targeted advertising purposes.
On each app’s product page, users will be able to learn about some of the data types an app may collect, and whether the information is used to track them or is linked to their identity or device.
Developers will be required to provide information about your privacy practices in App Store Connect. If you use third-party code — such as advertising or analytics SDKs — you’ll also need to describe what data the third-party code collects, how the data may be used, and whether the data is used to track users.
Tracking also refers to sharing user or device data with data brokers. Hence, the developers will have to tell users if they are tracking them for displaying targeted advertisements, sharing list of emails, advertising IDs, or other IDs with a third-party advertising network or placing a third-party SDK in their app.
When it goes live, users will get a prompt with options to “Allow Tracking” or “Ask App not to Track” when opening apps that wish to track their activity.
When it comes to physical hard drives, it’s not a matter of if they will fail, but when. That’s why redundancy is important when it comes to backing up your work, and cloud storage makes this easier than ever, especially with so many affordable options out there.
However, if you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or creative who works with digital assets like video and graphics, you know just how crucial reliable cloud storage can be. Unfortunately, today’s most popular cloud storage solutions just aren’t tailored towards creative workloads, but Starchive is, and it’s currently offering 1TB of storage capacity for just $96.99.
Starchive is the digital asset manager of choice for creative work. It comes with everything you would expect from mainstream cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, such as easy file sharing and fast uploads, but the similarities end there. One notable difference is the ability to preview or playback any file type. There are no limits to the types of files you can upload, so you can save and share large RAW video files, graphic design project files, creative briefs, and much more.
File management is handled with creativity in mind as well. You can tag files and group files so that they’re easy to search for, which is handy if you want to locate a previously used asset that you want to reuse for a current project. This also means you won’t have to duplicate the same file and place them into different folders for separate files, which can add up to hundreds of gigabytes of saved storage.
Where Starchive truly shines, however, is its AI-powered search engine. It recognizes the objects in your photos and video thumbnails and sorts them into curated collections. For example, if you have a lot of project files involving flowers, they’ll be added to a custom collection. With this, you can draw inspiration from similar assets you’ve worked with in the past.
Starchive is even trusted by artists and organizations like Bob Dylan, the New York Philharmonic, and Volvo. Despite its enterprise-level features, Starchive comes in at a consumer price. Sign up today and get 1TB of storage, automated file curation, and robust asset management features for just $96.99.
The Samsung Galaxy S21, OnePlus 8 and more devices are on sale today
Apple Watch Series 6, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 and more are on sale
More Apple deals feature Apple’s latest 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro and more
And you know the way it goes, the official news begin with deals but you better hurry. You pretty much have just one day left to enjoy some of these. Yes, the Galaxy S21, S21+, the Ultra and every product we got at Unpacked is still available for pre-orders with huge savings but you have to move quick. So, if you get the Galaxy S21, it is available for just $99 and the S21+ for $299, if you have an eligible device for trade-in and you also get $100 or $150 respectively in instant credit for accessories and 6 months of Spotify Premium. The S21 Ultra, is still available for just $499, with up to $200 in instant credit, a smart tag, and yes, the 4 months of YouTube Premium are still there. Also, don’t forget that we have deals on the Award Winning UB Pro rouged case from SUPCASE. Use promo code 10POCKETNOW on Amazon to get 10% off, or use promo code POCKETNOW15 on SUPCASE.com to get your cases . Now the deals that I’m shocked are still here since Black Friday are for every other great Samsung device. The Galaxy Z Flip is available for just $299, while the Z Fold 2 is still available for $1000 if you have an eligible device for trade-in. Moving on to some Apple deals, the Apple Watch Series 6 is available for $40 off on Amazon, leaving the 44mm, GPS variant for $409. The Series 5 is also on sale, with the Gold variant being a crazy $300 basically leaving at the regular price for the other variants at $449. Finally, the Google Pixel 4a 5G is still $40 off, leaving the entry level variant for $459 shipped. We have more deals on headphones, Samsung smartwatches and more.
iOS 14.4 arrives with a fix for security bugs that may have been actively exploited
Now let’s continue with official news, but let’s switch gears into Apple, as I don’t know about you but my Apple Watch was acting funky in calorie counting, so I was waiting for an update. Yesterday, the company released iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4 and watchOS 7.3, which I highly recommend you download. See, iOS 14.4 includes improvements like, smaller QR codes being recognized by the camera, the option to classify your Bluetooth devices in Settings for the phone to correctly identify headphones or another devices. Apple is also now warning you, that with iOS 14.4 your iPhone can recognize if the camera on it had a third party repair for the iPhone 12 Series, which is handy if you buy second hand I guess. iOS 14.4 also brings a ton of bug fixes, like the artifacts that appear in HDR photos in the 12 Pro, some widgets that wouldn’t show your activity data, and delayed typing in the keyboard. Probably one of the biggest changes is with the HomePod mini as Apple is now introducing the functionality of the U1 Ultra Wideband chip for the iPhone 11 and 12 Series. This improves the handoff feature, as well as visual, audible and haptic effects while doing so. watchOS 7.3 that brings some new Unity faces, ECG support for more countries, enhancements to Fitness+, but what I really cared about was the bug fixes. So yeah, make sure to download it if you’re having issues with some bugs, not so much if you have a third party camera. And we also have a full list of the updates in the links below.
Carl Pei is now the CEO and co-founder of Nothing
Now let’s move on to Nothing, and no this is not one of Diego’s bad jokes. I guess Carl Pei decided that the best way to name his new company is to call it Nothing. A few months ago he made headlines after leaving OnePlus to start his own venture and now, he’s announcing his new company, “Nothing”. This comes shortly after the $7M he got in financing was announced back in December with funding from his friends like Kevin Lin and even Casey Neistat. Carl issued out a statement saying, “it’s been a while since anything interesting has happened in tech. It’s time for a breeze of fresh change”. He claims that Nothing’s mission is to “remove barriers between people and technology to create a seamless digital future. He believes that the best technology is beautiful and intuitive to use, and once it is sufficiently advanced, it should fade into the background, and feel like “nothing”. The company will be releasing their first products in the first half of this year but, we have no information on what kind of products or how many we should expect. We don’t even know what field they’re going into but, we really do hope this is not another “Essential” case as, we all know how that went down. Let us know if you like the name Nothing, cause I understand the idea, but I debate the negative nature of the name, though hey, he’s someone I admire as a marketing genius so I’m excited.
More OnePlus 9 images surface online
And yes, we’re getting closer to the OnePlus 9 Series as 2021 is kind of the year of earlier releases like we saw with the S21. A couple of weeks ago we got some high definition renders of the phone from Ben Geskin and now we get to see the real deal. This is apparently the OnePlus 9 Pro and these pictures were taken somewhere in the Chinese subway. From the back we get to see the new camera module which brings 2 large sensors for the 48MP primary, the wide angle and of course, a smaller lens for the macro. This looks like a silver color variant with the OnePlus Logo in the center as you could expect. From the front, remember this is the Pro so it is rocking a curved display with very small bezels and that punch hole looks so small it kind of looks photoshopped. On the display you also get to see the specs, like the Snapdragon 888, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. We’re also expecting this phone to bring a 32MP selfie shooter, a 4500 mAh battery with 40W wireless charging. We’re expecting this phone along with the OnePlus 9 and the 9 Lite some time in March, along with maybe the OnePlus Watch which was recently certified.
Story of the day:
AirPods Pro 2 rumor again points to 1H 2021 launch
iPhone 13 series could support faster Wi-Fi 6E
Spigen’s AirTags case listed online, hints at imminent debut of Apple’s object tracker
And finally, for the hottest news today, let’s move back on to Apple but for 3 different reports of things we should expect this year, so bear with me. Let’s start with the next generation AirPods Pro which should be launched very soon. According to a new report from DigiTimes, a company called Winbond is expected to be one of the suppliers for the next generation AirPods Pro which are “slated for a launch later in the first half of the year”. And actually, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this as a previous report claimed that we should get these in April with the iPhone SE+… I know, you heard that right, SE+. Moving on to another unreleased wearable, let’s talk AirTags. We have some new, high resolution images of another leather keychain carrier for the AirTags from a company called Cyrill which is actually a sub-brand for Spigen. The keychain is listed at $20 along with its features like being wireless charging compatible. The thing about is, this keychain is listed for “Late October” but these have been delayed so much, this could probably be late October for 2020 so, we’ll see. Finally, let’s talk iPhone 13 as, a new report from a Barclays Analyst claims that the iPhone 13 Series will bring Wi-Fi 6E amplifiers with suppliers like Broadcom benefiting from Apple and Samsung adopting the technology. Wi-Fi 6E is the new technology which offers higher performance, lower latency and faster data rates at up to 6GHz.. You know, stuff the Galaxy S21 Ultra has. We’ll see what else we get as, is it just me or are the iPhone leaks getting kinda slow?
In the past few weeks, Telegram’s user base has skyrocketed, thanks to the backlash over a WhatsApp privacy policy update that catalyzed a user exodus to ‘more secure’ platforms such as Telegram and Signal. Telegram, in particular, has recorded massive growth lately, and it now appears that the company wants to make the process of switching platforms even easier with a chat migration tool.
Earlier today, Telegram rolled out an update (v7.4.0) on iOS whose changelog mentioned the presence of a chat migration tool. Titled ‘Moving Chat History from Other Apps and More Privacy’ on the App Store. The listing described it as a tool that will let users move their message history from other apps such as WhatsApp to Telegram.
Telegram quickly pulled the chat migration feature with a new update
Interestingly, Telegram pushed a new update minutes later that removed any mention of the chat migration tool in the changelog. Plus, it also withdrew the mention of another feature that would allow users to delete messages, groups that they created, secret chats, and call history on both ends (sender as well as recipient) without leaving a trace.
Now, the folks over at 9to5Mac managed to try Telegram’s short-lived chat migration feature and detailed the relatively simple process of exporting chats from WhatsApp to Telegram. Here’s how 9to5Mac described the feature in action:
“Using WhatsApp as an example, it doesn’t take much effort to migrate conversations from one app to another. Once you’re in WhatsApp, you just have to enter the “More” menu in a chat and then choose the “Export Chat” option. WhatsApp will generate a ZIP file with the entire conversation that can be exported to Telegram through the iOS Share Sheet. Telegram will ask which contact or group you want to associate that chat to, and then the messages will be synchronized there for both you and the other person. All imported messages are labeled as such.”
You still have the chance to score a new Samsung Galaxy S21 for just $100. Samsung’s latest Galaxy S series is getting up to $700 off when you trade-in an eligible device. You can get the Galaxy S21 Plus for $300 or the Galaxy S21 Ultra for $500. These phones start with 128GB storage space, but 256GB and 512GB storage options are available. Remember that your pre-order will also score you a free Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag, four free months of YouTube Premium, and up to $200 on Samsung credit to spend toward accessories.
Other Samsung deals include the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series is still a great option if you don’t want to get the Galaxy S21 Ultra and an S Pen. The entry-level variant starts at $450, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is available for $750 after getting up to $600 off with eligible trade-in.
If you’re looking for foldable options, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip with 5G support is available for $450, or get the LTE-only version for $300. These devices come equipped with 256GB storage space, 8GB RAM, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ or the Snapdragon 855+ depending on whether you get 5G connectivity or not. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is getting the biggest discount, as you can get up to $1,000, leaving it at just $999.99, but as we said before, you need to trade in an eligible device to get this discount.
Now, you may not be a Samsung fan, and you may want other options. If that’s your situation, you can also grab a new OnePlus 8 with 128GB storage for just $460 with $330 savings. It also features 8GB RAM, a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rates, a 16MP selfie camera, and a triple camera setup with 48MP, 16MP, and 2MP sensors.
The Google Pixel 3 XL is also up for grams, and you can get yours for $300. You get an impressive $500 discount and 64GB storage. This device may be a couple of years old, but it will still manage to deliver some of the best pictures you can get thanks to Google’s image software.
And to complete the package, you can also grab a new pair of earphones. Sennheiser has its CX 400BT option available for just $100 with $100 savings. These earbuds will give you amazing sound and up to 20 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser CX 350BT are another option you can consider, and you can get them for as low as $70.26 with almost $30 savings. Or check out yesterday’s headphone listing that features some very compelling alternatives.
The saga of Apple’s upcoming object tracker – the AirTags – has been an interesting one, and also one that is riddled with delays. But as per multiple reliable sources, the Apple accessory could finally launch this year. Now, ahead of their official debut though, multiple Amazon listings of a Spigen leather case under its Cyrill sub-brand have gone live. The product images show the Apple-branded object tracker too, rocking a silver finish and the Apple branding at the center. Nothing too surprising, as leaks have already shown us a similar disc-like profile of the AirTags.
The Amazon listing of Spigen’s (and Cyrill’s) leather case for the AirTags has been spotted in the US, Netherlands, and Italy so far. Interestingly. Amazon.com shows a delivery date of February’s first week for its accessory that comes in two color options – black and silver – both made out of vegan leather. Earlier this week, images of more AirTags accessories by Nomad were leaked online.
Image: Amazon
Additionally, users discovered a new hidden ‘Items’ tab in the Find My companion app for managing the AirTags via an iPhone or iPad. If rumors making rounds of the leak arena are to be believed, the AirTags could come in two sizes. Apple will reportedly equip them with the in-house U1 chip and they will likely rely on UltraWideband (UWB) technology for precise location tracking compared to what Bluetooth-based object trackers can achieve. Unfortunately, we don’t have a tentative launch date yet.
As for how they will work, the AirTags will be accessible via the Find My app for tracking lost items, and will show up on the map view alongside an address designating their current location. In case you lose an object with an AirTag on it, you’ll be notified about the same on your phone. Users can then choose to make the AirTags produce a chime so that they can be found. The code of iOS also suggests that Apple will bake in some AR features in the Find My app to make AirTags discovery easier.
B&H Photo video has tons of devices on sale right now. We have found some attractive deals on Apple devices that include the latest M1 MacBook Pro, which’s now available for $1,219. It doesn’t matter if you choose the Silver or Space Gray color variant, as they are both getting the same $80 discount. You get the base model with 256GB SSD storage space, 8GB RAM, and one of the most powerful laptops available.
However, you can also go for the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro powered by an Intel Core i5 processor. The Space Gray version is currently getting a $200 discount, which leaves it at $1,299, and you get 8GB RAM and 512GB storage with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. If you go for the Silver option, you can save yourself $50 more. Still, the more affordable version is the one that features 256GB storage. It is currently selling for $1,099 with the same $200 savings.
Now, there are more options for those looking for a new Mac. The latest M1 powered Mac mini is currently $50 off, which leaves it at $649. This is the 8GB version with 256GB storage space. But you can get twice as much storage space for $849, and you still get to save $50.
The 21.5-inch iMac is also on sale, and you can get yours for $1,349 after a $150 discount. This version comes with a 4K Retina display, a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB SSD storage, 8GB RAM, and you can also add an AMD Radeon Pro 560X graphics card to the package. Finally, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is also on sale, and you can get one for as low as $2,199. This gives you $200 savings, a 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage space, and more. You can find other models with up to $300 off, but that also means that they will arrive with more power under the hood and a more expensive price tag.
Now, moving on to Smart TVs, we find Samsung RU8000 65-inch Class HDR 4K UHD Smart LED TV with an awesome $600 discount, making it go for just under $800. If that’s still too much for your budget, you can also get yourself a new Sony X800H 43-inch Class HDR 4K UHD Smart LED TV for $448 with instant $150 savings. Just remember that this TV is getting discounts in almost every one of its different sizes, so you may want to check all of them put before deciding to buy. And last but not least, we have Lenovo’s Smart Display 7 in Blizzard White selling for $80 after a $50 discount.
Google Lens, a feature unveiled back in 2017, which was initially reserved for Pixel phones, is now getting an update that will allow it to translate text in offline mode. Up until now, the translation feature of it was only available online with an offline feature being under development for a while. Now, Google is rolling out the ability to translate text on Lens for Android in offline mode.
The information was first reported by 9to5Google(via XDA). The Offline Translation support of Google Lens is rolling out to Android users. It is a server-side one, which means it could take a few days to reach everyone. Once you receive the update, you should see a new “Tap to download” prompt highlighting a new button next to most languages in the “Select language” screen. One you tap on this button, it will download the respective language pack for offline translations.
After the language is downloaded, you’ll get a checkmark next to the language to indicate that it’s ready for offline translations. Don’t tap on the checkmark again as it will remove the language pack from your device. Once downloaded, your Google Lens app on Android will be able to translate text from the downloaded language to the target language even without an internet connection. It works like “Instant” feature in Google Translate. This means, it automatically translates the identified text as soon as you point your camera at it. You don’t need to tap on the shutter button to capture a still shot.
Once done, you’ll get a preview window with the translation overlaid on the live preview. The preview will also include a “Copy all” button to help you quickly copy the translated text onto the clipboard.
OnePlus is tipped to be prepping to launch its next flagship earlier than usual. The company is tipped to launch three smartphones: the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Lite and the OnPlus 9 Pro. Rumors regarding the devices have already started surfacing online. Now, the latest one reveals both front and back of the OnePlus 9 in live images.
The latest development comes from a report from ITHome that showed live images of the alleged OnePlus 9. It shows the phone from both front and back. The phone appears to have a rectangular camera module on the back that has three vertically-aligned camera sensors. There is a separate cutout next to the secondary camera that could be of the laser autofocus sensor. It lines up with the previously leaked live images. It consists of two larger sensors, a small third camera, and an LED flash.
OnePlus 9 is tipped to feature a 6.55-inch display, which resembles that of the OnePlus 8T. Moreover, it is a flat design instead of the curved one that was seen on the OnePlus 8 5G. It could have a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR ready and a 2400 x 1080p (Full-HD+) pixel resolution on its 20:9 panel. It will run Android 11 out of the box. The device is rumored to sport two 48MP sensors and a 16MP selfie shooter.
In contrast, the OnePlus 9 Lite is tipped to be powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC, which is a flagship processor from last year. It could end up with Snapdragon 870 chipset under the hood. The device is said to carry a price tag of around $600. It is likely to have an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and run Android 11 out of the box. It might have support for 30W fast charging.
A recent leak also revealed that OnePlus’s upcoming flagship phones, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro will not have a periscope camera.
