According to a report from El Economista, Foxconn may be planning to invest in a new factory in Mexico. The company already has five factories in the country, but these are used to manufacture TVs and servers. This new factory would focus on introducing some iPhone manufacturing to Mexico, but the final decision may arrive at the end of the year.
“According to two of the sources, Foxconn plans to use the facility to manufacture Apple’s iPhone. However, there were still no signs of Apple’s direct participation in the plan, according to one source.
“Plans arise as the idea of “close relocation” gains ground in Washington. The Trump administration is exploring financial incentives to encourage companies to move their production facilities from Asia to the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Apple has started assembling the latest iPhone SE in India. The phone was launched back in April. It is now being assembled at a Wistron facility in Karnataka. The development is likely to help Apple avoid an import duty of 20 percent that mobile phone manufacturers need to pay for importing their models from global markets.
In a statement emailed to Gadgets 360, Apple said, “iPhone SE packs our most powerful chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price and we’re excited to be making it in India for our local customers.”
These days, the iPhone SE is selling for Rs 35,999 on Flipkart amid the Apple Days sale. We can expect a price cut to take place soon. To recall, the company has already started assembling the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR in the country. Further,it plans to begin manufacturing the upcoming iPhone 12 in India starting mid-2021.
We start today’s deals with Best Buy’s 3-day Anniversary sale. You will find some great deals, which will be available throughout the weekend. We find up to $50 off select MacBook Air models, $300 off the MacBook Pro, $100 off the iPad Air, and $50 discounts on the iPhone SE. You can also save between $350 and $700 on the iPhone XS or XS Max. Check out the complete listing of Best Buy deals by clicking on the link below.
We now move to B&H Photo Video, where the previous generation iPad Pro is getting up to $530 off. You can get the 12.9-inch Space Gray version with Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity and 64GB storage space for $799 after a $350 discount. Check out the complete iPad Pro sale by clicking on the link below.
Sony’s WF-SP800N sports in-ear headphones with Alexa voice control are getting a $51.99 discount, which leaves them at $148 in every one of its color options. You get up to 9 hours/18 hours with your carrying case, or 13/26 hours with noise-canceling disabled.
Finally, the Razer BlackWidow Elite mechanical gaming keyboard is getting a $56.85 discount, meaning you can get one for just $113.14, and you get free shipping. This gaming keyboard also includes a magnetic wrist rest for added comfort and hours of intense gaming.
We have received some interesting Q2 reports in the last couple of days. Said reports show us that Apple has increased its sales in China, and Huawei has finally surpassed Samsung’s sales. Now, we have new data shared by Canalys and the IDC that show everything that happened in the Q2 of 2020.
The global smartphone market suffered a 14 to 16 percent decline in Q2 2020, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it was all bad. Apple managed to increase its iPhone sales by 25 percent when compared to the same period last year. According to Canalys, Apple’s smartphone shipments reached 45.1 million, while IDC suggests it was a total of 37.6 million. Whatever the case, Apple saw its sales boosted thanks to the iPhone 11 and the 2020 iPhone SE launch.
“iPhone SE will remain crucial to prop up volume this year, amid delays to Apple’s next flagship release,” commented Canalys Analyst, Vincent Thielke. “In China, it had blockbuster results, growing 35% to reach 7.7 million units. It is unusual for Apple’s Q2 shipments to increase sequentially. As well as the new iPhone SE, Apple is also demonstrating skills in new user acquisition. It adapted quickly to the pandemic, doubling down on the digital customer experience as stay-at-home measures drive more customers to online channels.
“Senior Canalys Analyst Ben Stanton stated that going forwards “geopolitical uncertainty also hangs over the global smartphone market. Countries are becoming polarized between the interests of the US and China. In India, for example, Chinese companies now face a wave of negative sentiment. Smartphone vendors need to act, and many are already directing funds to brand marketing to highlight their positive impact in a local region.”
Now, Samsung lost its crown against Huawei, at least during the second quarter of 2020, and we still have to wait and see how things evolve as we will soon see the launch of new Galaxy flagships.
According to recent data, iPhone sales have skyrocketed in China. The last report from Shanghai’s CINNO Research claims that Apple’s Q2 sales have seen a huge leap when compared to the previous quarter.
It seems that Apple’s presence in the Chinese market is growing steadily. Apple started this year a bit slow, as Apple reported that it had only sold 500,000 phones. However, things have improved thanks to the iPhone 11 and the new iPhone SE, and it seems that Apple has managed to sell 7.4 million units. In other words, Apple has managed to see a 225 percent increase in iPhone sales, which also results in a 62 percent yearly increase. We also see a 32 percent increase when we compare Q2 2020 to Q2 2019. Still, this isn’t enough for Apple to take the crown of phone sales in the Chinese market since Huawei still holds first place with 36.6 million sales, followed by OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi.
There are tons of cases available for your 2020 iPhone SE in today’s market, but this time, we have decided to focus on the best cases for those who live a lifestyle that often beats up their phones. These cases have been selected thinking on those users who love to hit the gym, for athletes, for construction workers, and more.
We have selected five of the best cases available right now, and we have placed them in this small selection, just in case you feel the need to give your device top-notch protection. These are some of the best rugged cases that will keep your 2020 iPhone SE safe under extreme conditions.
This is a dual-layer case made with a polycarbonate shell and TPU core, which will easily absorb shock and deflect blows away from your device. It also includes a built-in screen protector that will keep scratches and cracks away from your device’s screen. You also get to choose between five color options, including Black, Blue, Pink, Green, and White, and it is also compatible with your iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.
The UAG Case Monarch is a rugged shockproof military drop-tested case that will definitely keep your device safe. This case features handcrafted, feather-light construction with five layers of protection with top grain leather & metal hardware with a soft impact-resistant core and honeycomb traction grip. Unfortunately, it’s quite a bit expensive, and you only get two color options to choose from Black and Red.
The OtterBox Defender Series Rugged Case for iPhone SE 2020 may not look as tough as the first and second options in this list, but it is also a great option. It features clean lines and a rugged grip, a built-in screen protector, and the OtterArmor Microbial Defense, which protects your OtterBox case from many common germs, we repeat, it protects your case, not you.
This rugged case also includes UAG’s patented hard outer shell and impact resistant core. It is also wireless charging compatible, and its soft raised rubber screen-lip and rear skid pads provide 360-degree protection. You can get this case in five color options including Ice, Black, Olive, Midnight Camo and Ash
protection and Air Cushion” con1=”Not as tough as the other cases” buttontext=”View at Amazon” ]
Finally, the Spigen Tough Armor makes this list thanks to its all-new foam technology that provides an extra layer of shock resistance. It also includes a combination of TPU and polycarbonate for dual protection from drops and scratches, and you will also get a reinforced kickstand with raised lips to protect your screen and camera.
We start this week with an Apple shopping event and tons of great deals
Deals. Best Buy is currently having an Apple Sale and it’s actually pretty compelling. The only requisite is to be a Best Buy Member which is free and you can get $100 off the iPhone 11, up to $500 off on the XS and the XS Max. $50 off several iPad Models and up to $300 off for the MacBook Pro. The first link in the deals will take you straight to the sale. Amazon and B&H are actually matching some of these deals like in the case of the MacBook Pro which is $300 off, leaving it at $2499 for the 16in variant. The Galaxy A51 is $50 off, leaving that at $280 shipped and, we have more deals on Beats headphones, Mobvoi watches and more in the links in the description.
Google is toying with the idea of a dual-screen Chromebook
We know that Google rarely, and I mean rarely, experiment with Chromebooks but, there’s a possibility that, that might change. According to 9to5Google, new code submissions show that Google might be working on a dual-screen Chromebook. The device is codenamed “Palkia” and the code clearly mentions a second touchscreen on the device. The code also mentions tablet mode so, we aren’t sure if this will be a clamshell form factor with two inner displays kind of like what we get from ASUS, or a flat out foldable with a touchscreen on the inside and one on the outside. However, a developer’s comment suggests that this device is not an OEM device and is only a prototype, so it looks like Google is testing the waters here.
It seems that Apple could be ‘ready to ship’ a new iMac refresh
We have a new vague leak from Twitter for upcoming Apple products. According to the tipster, products are ready to ship, the problem is, he didn’t specify which products. Some of the strong candidates include that re-designed iMac with the new bezels, as Ming Chi Kuo also predicted that Apple would refresh the Intel-based iMac in Q3. We’re also expecting those AirPods Studio, which were supposed to come at WWDC but, we didn’t get any hardware. Another candidate is the AirTags which were leaked by Apple back in April and are designed to compete with Tiles. We could also be getting a new iPad or a new Apple TV but, all we know as of right now is that they’re ready to ship. So yeah Tipster.. How about you be more specific next time.
The 2020 iPhone SE has boosted iPhone sales, and helped users upgrade
It looks like Apple’s plan with the iPhone SE is working. The CIRP just released the numbers for this last quarter and, the iPhone 11 and the Pros still take about 65% of purchases, but the iPhone SE did make a dent. It covered about 19% of sales this past quarter meaning, people are still more likely to go for the newer, higher-specked iPhones but, it is taking sales from the older models. By comparison, last year the XS/XS Max and Xr took the same 65% but, the iPhone 8 and 7 took the rest of the sales, with no iPhone SE to take that extra 19%. According to CIRP’s data, a user with a phone that’s over three years old has a 73% likelihood to upgrade to the SE so, it looks like Apple’s strategy is working just fine.
Here’s your first official look at the upcoming OnePlus Buds in all three colors
OnePlus Nord will feature a 90Hz display and a generous 12GB of RAM
And, we’ve gotten a ton of official leaks from OnePlus, including the Buds. Now, Evan Blass and 9to5Google have recovered some pictures of the Buds from the latest Oxygen OS update. We get to see the Buds in their three different color variants, Black, White and of course, Dave2D teal. The pictures show off the case from the front and back, and we get to see the Buds from behind. We’re able to see the touch controls and, the only time we’ve seen the front is from Evan’s leaks but, they look kinda weird. Moving back to official territory, OnePlus teased that these will bring Noise Cancellation for calls and ta new teaser on Instagram hints to the price tag being lower than $100. They also confirmed that the Nord will bring a 90Hz display. We’ll keep you posted as, the event is tomorrow.
Story of the day:
This leaked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 render is almost too good to be true
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 leaked hands-on video reveals key camera features
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 confirmed to debut alongside Galaxy Note 20 on August 5
Second display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will include an essential feature
We have a lot of leaks for Unpacked today so, let’s start with the Z Fold 2. Samsung UK pretty much confirmed that we will be getting this phone at Unpacked with a new teaser that says, “A new look Unfolds“. After that, Ice Universe posted a very blurry press render of the device. It shows off the new camera array which looks pretty similar to the Note, it shows the USB-C port and the speaker grill and, we can’t really see anything else from this image. According to a new Max Weinbach tweet, the Z Fold 2 will be able to use the new 6.23-inch outer display as a viewfinder, so you’ll be able to take selfies with the primary camera, instead of having to use the selfie shooter. And on that Note, pun intended, seems we also have some new leaked camera features. It looks like Pro Video will now allow you to select which microphone you want to use,.. I know, something LG came up with a while ago, but this one is even allowing form Bluetooth or USB, adding more flexibility for streamers or vloggers. It will also be able to record video in 21:9 at up to 8K. Finally, they will also be adding 50x to this phone and to the S20 Ultra as it currently just jumps from 30x to 100x.
Apple’s sales and upgrades. This report comes from no other than Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, and its data claims that this device has become an extremely popular device.
According to the latest data from CIRP, we see that the iPhone SE has had great sales success since it was launched back in April. CIPR made an analysis of iPhone sales over the April to June quarter, and it shows that the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max sold about 65 percent of Apple’s iPhone sales. However, the iPhone SE managed to deliver 19 percent in sales during this period, and it has also made up for the sales of older models.
“At the end of this past quarter, Apple has a simpler lineup than in the past, with just the XR, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and new SE,” suggests CIRP partner and co-founder Josh Lowitz. “At $399 for the base model, SE comes in priced well below the year-old XR, and very successfully replaces the almost three-year-old iPhone 8 models at the entry price point.”
CIRP has also stated that the new iPhone SE has made it more likely for users with older models to upgrade, up to 73 percent.
“These are users who evidently resisted upgrading to newer phones at more attractive price points, such as iPhone 11, last year’s iPhone XR, and even the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, which launched in 2017, as its prices declined over the years.”
Great deals include a new iPhone SE for $120, and more
Deals. We have a killer deal to start today but, it comes with a huge catch. You can get the brand new iPhone SE for as low as $120 at Best Buy but, you have to get it on a 24 month installment plan on Sprint which will be merging with T-Mobile soon, it also has to be on a new line. It’s a huge catch but it’s kind of a huge deal. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ is still $200 off, leaving the entry level variant for $999 shipped but, it comes with the US warranty. The regular S20 is also $150 off, leaving it at $850 shipped. Finally, the Garmin vivomore S3 is $50 off, leaving it at $200 shipped. We have more deals on Apple keyboards, Belkin charging docks for those of you considering the iPhone 12 and more in the links in the description.
Alright, can I just say Dear Canon, welcome back. For those of you that didn’t know this show started with a Canon T3i back in 2012, and let’s just say the company really dropped the ball after. Took forever to adopt 4K, and when they did it was a horrible crop even at full frame. Like we had to move to Sony and then Panasonic, but we might just wanna go back. Hear this.. They just launched a new flagship 45MP EOS R5 camera. Yes, it costs $3899 but, this thing is capable of recording 8K 12-bit RAW video with new in-body stabilization with their class-leading Dual Pixel autofocus. Oh, and did I also mention that it records 4K at 120fps, and that it brings an articulate LCD display? So, to my buddy David Cogen who said that Blackmagic was a poor man’s RED, this just took the title.
Android 11 set to go official on September 8?
Android 11 Beta 1 was released about a month ago and yesterday we got the second version. Now, we don’t have an exact launch date for the final software but, Mountain View may have just leaked it. Google released a video titled “Works with “Hey G” Smart Home Summit – APAC” and it revealed through a check list that Android 11 would be officially released on September 8. However, Android Authority reports that Google reached out and said that the date was an error but it still gives us at least an idea of when to expect the official Android 11.
iOS 14 public beta is now available, here’s how to get it
And speaking of Betas, the first Public Beta for iOS 14 is finally live and you can bet we’re already downloading it. iOS 14 brings a bunch of improvements like widgets, picture in picture, the new Apple translate app, new privacy features like showing you when an app is using your microphone and your camera and more, you can check our WWDC video which we’ll link for more specific details on it. If you want to sign up, we’ll have some instructions in our post at Pocketnow.com on how to set it up and download it. iPad OS 14 and WatchOS are also available bringing a handful of tweaks as well and it brings similar instructions so, make sure you check them out.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds X have been certified by the FCC
Let’s talk about certifications which just keep on coming, specifically for the products we’re expecting from Samsung’s Unpacked. Now we have the specs for the Galaxy Tab S7+ which, according to the report, will bring the new Snapdragon 865+ SoC, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage along with a 10090 mAh battery which supports 45W fast charging. It’ll also bring 5G connectivity but, it will only support sub-6GHz bands. Apparently it will also pack dual cameras at the back and a 120Hz display. Moving on to another certification, the Galaxy Buds X or Buds Live just went through the FCC as well, revealing the dimensions and the fact that they will weigh around 5g. They have this bean shape as they’re meant to go inside your ear unlike the Buds+ and will reportedly cost $140 to undercut the AirPods Pro while still bring Noise Cancellation. Some leaks hint to these launching along the Galaxy Watch 3 on July 22nd instead of Unpacked but, we’ll have to wait and see.
Story of the day:
We get more OnePlus Nord leaks
OnePlus Nord leaked in full glory ahead of July 21 launch
We’re getting closer and closer to the OnePlus Nord and now we have some leaks that actually don’t come from OnePlus. The first one is a couple of pictures posted by Evan Blass, showing the phone off in a black color variant. We get to see the quad camera array at the back along with the dual punch hole at the front, pretty much confirming the leaks and teasers we saw earlier. The second image also comes from Evan, now showing off the cases which will apparently be made by three different artists. The first two come from Swedish artists called Camilla Ermstrong and Finsta, while the third one will be a teardown case by our buddy Zack at JerryRigEverything. You gotta admit this is the most epic OnePlus launch ever and probably at the right time considering, right now what we need is more affordable phones.
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We start today with a killer deal from Best Buy. You can currently get a new 2020 iPhone SE for as low as $120, but with a catch. You can get a new iPhone SE paying just $5 for 24 months with Sprint Monthly Installments. However, this has to be a new line or account, and remember that T-Mobile will completely absorb sprint, but you can’t say that this is not a great deal.
Next up, we have the Garmin vivomove 3S hybrid smartwatch, which is getting a $50 discount. You can get this watch with real watch hands and a hidden touchscreen for just under $200 in its Rose Gold with Navy Blue case and band or in its Silver with Granite Blue case and band color options.
You can also get a new Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad for $130 after a $19 discount. This is a wireless and rechargeable Magic Keyboard to use with your favorite Apple devices.
Get a pair of new Panasonic noise-canceling headphones for $109.63 after a $29.69 discount. You also get Alexa voice control and other assistants, but you can only get this price in the black color variant.
You can also get a new wireless charging dock for your Apple devices. The Belkin Boost Up wireless charging dock is currently $52 off, leaving it at just under $88.
Apple launched the iPhone SE in India for Rs 42,500 (~$558) which is pretty expensive as compared to US’ $399 price tag. However, the price might change soon and it could be made available for a cheaper price tag in India. A new report claims that Apple will soon start assembling iPhone SE in India to avoid 20% import tax.
The latest development comes from Apple Insider, which says that Apple has told at least one of its suppliers in China to start shipping components for the 2020 iPhone SE to India manufacturing partners. It could allow the Cupertino giant to work around hefty import taxes.
The report comes two weeks after an initiative by the Indian government to increase manufacturing in the country. Apple is reportedly looking to shift roughly a fifth of existing China-based output to India. It might equate to $40 billion in local manufacturing revenues over the next five years making Apple India’s largest exporter in the process.
If Apple manages to assemble the iPhone SE in India, the smartphone could see a price drop in the country. The price gap between the Indian and the US pricing might be minimized soon.
It’s no secret that the iPhone SE has brought the mid-range and more affordable smartphone segment to more people’s attention. But in plenty of markets outside of the US, there are contenders that are attempting their own takes on this low-compromise package. And depending on where you are, the returning Poco brand might be the smartphone that is best equipped to challenge the iPhone SE. This is Pocketnow and this is the iPhone SE vs Poco F2 Pro.
The way back machine
One of the fun parallels that these phones have is that they are both drawing on particular parts of smartphone history. The iPhone SE’s inspirations are really obvious — this is the return of the all metal design that a ton of people missed from the days before iPhone X. It’s got all of the old-school tropes: the tactile home button, the Touch ID scanner that it provides, the huge bezels as a result, and — perhaps most importantly — the smaller size. Don’t get me wrong, a smaller phone is always a refreshing prospect because high end smartphones are all about the latest and the greatest and biggest screen specs. But some out there won’t appreciate how the viewing experience shrinks accordingly. Now, thanks to the Bionic A13 processor this phone can still handle any game you throw at it, but handling might feel a little cramped. The screen is still high quality, at least in terms of what Apple has been putting out for years since this old design last made it into our hands. The 4.7 inch Retina IPS display is still great with colors, detail, and contrast.
But the very things that the iPhone might lack are addressed in one way or another in the Poco F2 Pro. Let’s start off with the design — Poco went to the glass on glass design that most flagships utilize by default, so it’s not like there is a radically different look or feel. In fact, this phone will look virtually identical to the Redmi K30 Pro, which kind of makes sense since both brands are under the Xiaomi umbrella. In any case, Poco sports some other significant extras like a headphone jack, an IR blaster, and — most notably — a pop-up camera. This is where Poco’s blast from the past design derives from: 2019’s unique trend of hiding front facing cameras so that the dream of an all-screen front can be realized. And I have to say, it’s great to see it back.
Think for a second about how 2020 has been all about the punch hole, and then in the context of this comparison, Apple has never gotten close to this kind of screen experience. So it’s already dope that the Poco F2 Pro is all display all the time — 6.67inch AMOLED display that includes even more features Apple haven’t attempted yet: an in-display fingerprint reader and an Always on Display. Yes, the phone might be a little unwieldy for some, but compared to some other behemoth phones we’ve used this year, Poco put the F2 Pro in a pretty good middle ground. All games and media look great on here with nothing notching or hole punching into the content. And honestly the pop up camera is just a design flourish that I’ll always appreciate, especially in this case because it makes face unlock a little more fun with extra bits of customization — oh and face unlock is yet another feature missing in the iPhone SE.
Having the right priorities
It might sound like I’m harping on what the iPhone SE lacks compared to its Android competitor, but it’s not to say that the general experience is bad. Most of what makes an iPhone an iPhone is still here — it’s just that most of the features the Android competitor might have are things Apple have yet to attempt at all. Where it truly counts in the iPhone SE is in the internals, tuned specifically to bring a great quality of life to the masses of general users who aren’t trying to be cutting edge or, as we’ll explore later, those who aren’t looking for the best creative tool. The Bionic A13 and 3GB of RAM are perfectly suited for everything you might install from the App Store and everything you might do in a typical work-life balance.
I keep using the ‘quality of life’ phrasing because Apple didn’t skimp on certain features from the flagship iPhone lineup — water and dust resistance, fast charging, and wireless charging all illicit the same response: damn, back in 2016 I would have killed to have these features in the iPhone 6 or 7. Granted, that’s because the iPhone SE’s battery life is a little too much like it was back then — users will probably end up searching for a cord or a charging mat well before bedtime.
So there’s no doubting that Apple have done right by prioritizing the right stuff right now. The difference here, however, is that Android OEMs like Xiaomi and thus their sub-brand Poco have been doing this for years. We love the iPhone SE for bringing a fresh and affordable version of iOS, but in plenty of markets around the world Android has been easily accessible in so many affordable ways. Sure, the Poco F2 Pro might be more expensive in most markets and it’s certainly more expensive compared to the original F1, but it still achieves the same everyday flagship experience for a price that undercuts many top of the line offerings. In that way, Apple and Poco have really similar missions.
So, it’s great that Poco got the Snapdragon 865 and at least 6GB of RAM in here, with a 4700mAh battery that can last a day and a half until needing a charge via 30W fast charging. The pop up camera does mean that the F2 Pro loses any IP certifications, but the thing that stings me a bit more is the loss of convenient wireless charging.
The discussion of Android vs iOS is always a bit weird and futile — if you’re considering the iPhone SE, know that iOS is pretty much completely how you’d expect it. The overdone answer to the question is that Android is far more customizable, which is underlined by the fact that the Poco Launcher in this version of MIUI is one of dozens of takes on Google’s operating system. Poco does add in a dedicated theme engine and app as well as the Game Turbo mode that stops notifications from interrupting your enhanced Snapdragon 865 gameplay. Can Android operating systems get a little too far into the weeds with their feature sets? Absolutely. That’s one of the reasons why iOS is the champion of — use it because it’s simple and it works. But that just points to another truth about Android vs iOS: if you’re already into it, you’ll probably stick with it anyway. And in either case, these two phones are good representations of their respective daily software experiences.
One VS Many
The camera discussions that include the iPhone SE are always interesting. After all, the iPhone SE just has one camera on the front and back without any extra bells or whistles. Granted, the Bionic A13 provides some software backup for things like portrait mode and better HDR processing, but ultimately you get one good shooter for times when your day to day companion needs to capture some memories. The iPhone SE sticks with a single 12MP rear shooter and a 7MP front facing camera. With a little bit of creativity, features like 4K 60 video recording and Apple’s portrait mode will give you enough extra room for fun. But putting this camera system up against the Poco F2 Pro shows the obvious holes in either camp.
The Poco’s pixel binning 64MP main sensor brings in some good looking results that sometimes look like a toss-up against the iPhone. The other sensors include depth for portraits, a 13MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro. See, I meant it when I said you can get fancy or you can get weird. Actually, the 5MP macro lens is a bit of a surprise because it gets some great shots. And at 5MP it’s over twice the quality of the common 2MP offerings.
The front facing cameras are more of a disparity, as the Poco F2 Pro hides a 20MP shooter with more beauty mode options. Both selfie shooters can only go up to 1080p video capture, however. Speaking of video, Poco takes pages out of Xiaomi’s book by included little additions like a Movie Frame mode and a Vlog mode that guides you through filming and creates a stylish highlight reel. This is all on top of the phone’s own 4K 60 and, actually, 8K video recording. I don’t think I would really call 8K a true win in the Poco column, though, just from a practicality standpoint.
Speaking of practicality, the one thing missing from the iPhone SE camera is a night mode — this is still a bit of a head-scratcher, but in comparing this phone’s low light shooting to the Poco’s night mode was interesting. It seems that Poco is able to make something useful compared to the iPhone in only the darkest of situations. If there is even a little bit of light, the iPhone is still able to eek out something visible. I attribute this to two things — the iPhone has a sensor capable enough of flooding in enough light while the Poco just doesn’t have a good enough night mode compared to some high performers we’ve seen in other phones.
The best way for me to put it is this: Apple’s quality in photo and especially video is hard to match, but it’s unfortunately limited because of the iPhone SE’s singular approach. Meanwhile, the Poco F2 Pro has good enough quality across the board but provides you with some more choices to get fancy or get weird while you’re snapping away.
Good enough?
The philosophy behind the iPhone SE is kind of simple — find the aspects that can be dialed back without sacrificing, in particular, the day to day experience. It’s for that reason that the iPhone SE is so compelling, because most other phones in the same price range have to actually skimp on some of the key internals. Meanwhile, here comes Poco with a similarly priced phone that still has the top specs that you might expect from an Android device. Some parts of the phone are either minimized or stripped out altogether, like wireless charging and overachieving camera software. It seems to me that Poco has the Price is Right mentality — have a price in mind and try to mash as much in the phone as possible without going over. Meanwhile, Apple honed in on minting the basics — this is a phone that just works, with a little bit of nostalgia sprinkled in.
I know I’m supposed to have a personal pick here, but honestly, it’s hard because these phones manage to hit pretty much every note they’re aiming for. So I’ll put it this way — in 2020 it is rare for a phone to prioritize the most basic aspect of a smartphone: the viewing experience. Notches and hole punches are small annoyances that are amplified when screens like the one on this Poco F2 Pro arrive. It just so happens that nearly every other essential in this phone, minus the camera, have been met. So, because I want some good viewing time, I would take the cameras for their ‘good enough’ quality and enjoy myself on one of the few large and totally in charge screens we’ve gotten so far this year.
You won’t believe all the deals that are available today from Apple, Samsung, LG and more
Deals. We have a bunch of deals to start the month of the June. Let’s start off with the latest 13in MacBook Pro which is $200 off on Amazon and Best Buy. This means you can get it for as low as $1099 for the 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage variant. You can get other prices depending on the configuration. Amazon also has the Samsung Galaxy S10, bundled with the 44mm Galaxy Watch Active 2 for $999, you can also get it for $850 if you go for the 40mm variant. The LG G8 ThinQ is $350 off, leaving it at $400 shipped. We have more deals on the Google Pixel Slate, iPads, Apple Watches, Sony headphones and more in the links in the description.
Sony postpones PlayStation 5 event on June 4 due to ongoing unrest
Last week we covered how Sony would be hosting an event on June 4th to showcase their newest game titles for the upcoming PS5 but it looks like that won’t be the case. The company just announced that they will be postponing their event as they feel that right now is not a time to celebrate and that more important voices should be heard at the moment. The company hasn’t revealed when the event will happen but, we’ll keep you posted. Bravo Sony. Thank you for taking a stand.
Android 11 leak shows a redesigned power button menu, controls for smart devices
Google delays Android 11 Beta Launch Show event scheduled for June 3
Now, even if Google just postponed their Android 11 Developers Preview Event that was happening on June 3rd, we have some Android 11 leaks. The event was postponed indefinitely due to the protests and the situation in the US but they claim the full Android 11 launch won’t be delayed. These new leaks come from Twitter and they basically show us the Power Button menu where we see 5 controls like Emergency, Power Off, Restart, Screenshot as well as a new Quick Controls menu which shows your smart devices and wallet access. The leak also shows that we will be getting a UI redesign at least in things like these. Google, also thank you for taking a stand.
if your iPhone runs on iOS 13, it could also get the new iOS 14 update
For those of you battling a tough economy, holding on to your device a bit longer is always a welcome relief, and you know Apple does that best. We have a new leak of which devices will be getting iOS 14 this year. We should take this with a grain of salt as this source doesn’t have the greatest track record but, according to them some inside sources claim that all devices running iOS 13 will be able to run iOS 14. This means that if you still have an iPhone 6s or iPod Touch7th gen or later, you’ll be able to get the update. They didn’t provide any information on iPads but we’re hoping it’ll be the same case if this actually happens.
Galaxy Note 20 might be able to pack a battery as big as the Galaxy Note 20+
I think one of the biggest deterrents of the small Galaxy Note 20 was that you weren’t getting a Galaxy Note Quality battery, and it looks like Samsung noticed. Apparently the company doesn’t want to cheap out on the batteries for the Galaxy Note 20 line. It just went through China’s 3C Certification and it shows that the regular Galaxy Note 20 will bring a 4300 mAh battery that’s rated at 4170 mAh. As a reference, last year’s Note 10 brought a 3500 mAh battery while the Note 10+ brought a 4300 mAh battery. According to another leak we got last week, the Note 20+ will bring a 4500 mAh battery so Samsung is closing that gap between the two variants.
Story of the day:
New images of alleged iPhone 12 dummy units suggest some changes
iPhone 12 allegedly begins mass production in 3Q20 with October launch in sight
And finally the hottest news today has to do with iPhones, and the fact that things might not be so bad for the launch timing, nor components. According to a new DigiTimes report, this year’s iPhones won’t get the regular September launch and we’ll have to wait until October, which switches things from the November we had heard. Due to the travel bans Apple hasn’t been able to send enough engineers to China which has delayed the production. DigiTimes also claims that the 6.1in iPhone will start production earlier than the rest. This is the iPhone that will allegedly bring the LG and BOE displays. The report suggests that this may happen to make sure that these panels meet the quality standards as LG display has had issues in the past. The Samsung displays on the other 3 are also easier to manufacture as they eliminate a separate touch layer. We also have some dummies of the iPhone 12 line up from MacOtakara which show the 4 designs but these don’t show the smaller notch that we’re expecting.
Every time we get a new software update, we wonder just which devices will get it. Apple has done a great job in updating some of its older iPhone models, even though it had to throttle some processors to preserve the batteries in its devices, something it will eventually have to pay for. Now, a new iOS 14 update is on the horizon, and it seems that it could be available for any iPhone and iPod that currently runs iOS 13.
According to the information posted by The Verifier, you will be able to install iOS 14 in your device if it’s running iOS 13. This information allegedly comes from a trusted source from the system development process, meaning that the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XR, XS Max, XS, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, SE 2020, and the 7th generation iPod Touch would get the new software. iOS 14 is expected to be presented in the next all-digital WWDC event, which is supposed to take place on June 22. As for iPad OS 14, there is still no information that tells us if this new software will be available for every iPad model that runs iPadOS 13.
It’s been a bit over a month since Apple launched the latest version of the iPhone SE. This new budget-friendly device arrived with an aggressive price tag, and it would definitely be one of the best options for anyone looking for a new iPhone. However, you could also go for the iPhone XR, since Apple has begun selling certified refurbished devices for a great price.
You can now get a refurbished iPhone XR on Apple’s website for the first time in the United States. Prices will vary depending on the amount of storage you choose. The 64GB option will cost you $499, the 128GB version is $539, and the version with 256GB storage can be yours for $629. The base model lets you save $100 from its regular price, while the 128GB and 256GB versions are $110 and $120 down, respectively. Keep in mind that this device is still more expensive and less powerful than the iPhone SE, but at least you get Face ID.
