iPhone SE vs Poco F2 Pro: Sorry Apple! (video)

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.

iphone se vs poco f2 pro

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.

iphone se vs poco f2 pro

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.

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Android 11 public beta is coming to Xiaomi’s Mi 10 series and Poco F2 Pro

Google released Android 11’s first public beta just a day ago, and as expected, it is exclusive to Google’s own smartphones viz. the Pixel 2 and all subsequent devices launched after it, for the time being. Soon after, OPPO confirmed that Android 11 beta is coming to the Find X2 series of flagship phones. And now, Xiaomi and Poco have joined that coveted list as well.

The official MIUI Twitter handle has just announced that Android 11 Beta 1 is coming to the flagship duo of Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. Moreover, the Poco has also confirmed that its latest flagship killer, the Poco F2 Pro, will also get the latest beta version of Android OS soon. But aside from a vague “coming soon” timeline, we don’t know exactly when the Android 11-based beta build of MIUI will be released for Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, and the Poco F2 Pro.

Xiaomi usually follows a closed beta testing schedule for new Android builds of its custom MIUI skins, so we expect to hear an announcement soon on the community forum. In the meanwhile, you can read about the new Android 11 features here. And if you own a compatible Pixel smartphone, our step-by-step guide on how to get Android 11 beta on your phone will certainly come in handy.

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Poco F2 Pro review: the REAL flagship killer? (video)

When Poco introduced the F1 back in 2018, it turned a lot of heads — sure it wasn’t a completely premium device on the outside, but it had all of the trappings of a flagship phone at the time on the inside. Now, Poco is back with a slightly different strategy: put their brand on an existing sibling brand device. Even if the coat of paint looks and even feels very familiar, the company might be looking at a hit with a phone they are actually labeling a flagship killer. This is the Poco F2 Pro review.

Surface level familiarity

I’m sure many of you will bring up this detail, so let’s start off with it — yes, it seems we’ve seen this phone somewhere else before. As Xiaomi continues to grow and have plenty of brands underneath their umbrella, it’s equal parts surprising and understandable that very similar design cues would blend together. The Poco F2 Pro looks pretty much like a carbon copy of the Redmi K30 Pro, but I don’t find that to be a bad thing for one particular reason: Poco will reach some markets that Redmi won’t. Case in point — here at Pocketnow and even over at JV, we don’t have any Redmi phones, do we? So, if this is how I get to try out this smartphone package, I’m happy getting it one way or another.

So let’s talk about the aesthetic. I have the shiny white edition — it’s not glass on the back, but it’s shiny nonetheless. The camera module up top is a point of contention for some, a circle housing four lenses. The tiniest bit of color flourish is found in the red power button, which is appreciated. And I enjoy that there is a clear plastic case included in the box.

Notice, however, that the top of the case has a substantial cutout — this is because the F2 Pro comes with a feature I’ve been dying to see come back in 2020: a pop up camera. I loved how weird phones were getting in 2019 with cameras like this, and in a sea of 2020 hole punch cameras, we finally get a bit of weird back in our smartphone lives. Poco didn’t skimp on making it flashy, as it has LEDs in the actual model to make it light up and grab your attention. There are even sound effects and on screen color effects that add to the experience. And while there is an in-display fingerprint reader, the novelty of the pop-up for face unlock never gets old.

poco f2 pro review

Up top there are a couple of other features I’m sure some of you will be really happy to see: a headphone jack, for one, and an IR blaster. These are two things I don’t use as often these days, but it’s great to see how the Poco F2 Pro basically marries two different worlds together: the flagship daily experience and the features you only really see nowadays in midrange phones. And for that matter, the phone ultimately looks and feels really nice — a bit of a far cry from the intentionally plastic build of the Poco F1, which the company made that way because they figured users would put a case on anyway and just enjoy what’s underneath the surface. This time, the phone’s not shy about showing off.

The right stuff (with a little clutter)

That pop up camera means that the screen is an unencumbered viewing experience. Now, this is a Full HD+ resolution display at 60hz, putting it behind other displays that are either QuadHD resolution, high refresh rate, or both. But as comments in my unboxing video over at JV seem to indicate, many of you are not really affected by this spec. And rightfully so — for the vast majority of people who are looking at this phone as a value prospect, it would have been nice to have the extra features but it doesn’t mean this phone is any less capable. Content does get rendered below the rounded corners sometimes, which is a bit odd but otherwise this is a full screen 6.67 inch AMOLED display. And the fact that it is AMOLED is a further plus, because it gives the F2 Pro a great always on display.

poco f2 pro review

Okay so that pretty much covers everything you get on the outside, so let’s see what powers it all — the story is really familiar and thus pretty easy to enjoy, honestly. The Snapdragon 865 gives this phone the current specs and 5G capabilities, even though I don’t actually get 5G using this on Google Fi. 4G LTE has been fine, but a little slow because there are some bands missing. But in general the daily experience has been on par with the competition, despite regional differences.

My model is the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage option. I mentioned biometrics already with the in-display fingerprint reader and the face unlock via the pop up which I love. And the battery is a sizable 4700mAh unit that definitely got through full days of work and play. Speaking of, there is a liquid cooling system just like from the Poco F1 to keep things from getting too hot during heavy tasks like gaming. Call of Duty Mobile move along swimmingly, for example. That battery can be charged up quickly at 30W or via Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4+ — there is no wireless charging, however, which is a little bit of a bummer.

Another small bummer is MIUI — don’t get me wrong, I like how far this software has come and with the Poco specific launcher, it brings a lot to the table. Customization options are abundant and it’s Google Now by default to the left of the home screens. Like many Asian Android interfaces, however, there are a few too many additions that end up collecting dust. Mi branded apps are an example; not to mention, all of the games that were pre-installed for some reason. And while we all know Xiaomi makes a sizable chunk of money from its services and ads therein, seeing an ad for another app on the very screen used to install an app is always odd.

poco f2 pro review

A snapshot we’ve seen before

Despite some bumps in the road, the Poco F2 Pro is hitting all of the right marks in being a flagship device. In some cases, it is barely reaching the echelon like with the display, but overall there’s no reason to believe this phone is a bad everyday companion. So, is the camera the same story? In a nutshell, yes — but it says more about the current landscape of smartphone cameras than it does this phone’s usability. See, these days flagships have to get really crazy with their 100x zooms and their built-in gimbals to be considered high level. Meanwhile, the quality level that might actually be used on the daily is more easily achievable than ever. And phones at sub-$500 are making it happen — the Poco F2 Pro is a snapshot of that phenomenon: a high powered main sensor with a few friends to back it up.

The 64MP main sensor is a good performer especially at the pixel-binned 16MP results. Colors could use a bit more punch and dynamic range is just fine, but in all but lower light situations pictures are plenty usable for social media and messaging. And in those lower light scenarios, the Night mode is available but doesn’t seem as aggressive as ones we’ve seen in Huawei or Pixel phones. There’s a significant dip in the megapixel counts of the other lenses, but they all put out some good results still. There’s the 13MP ultrawide which can also be used for 4K video recording, and then there is a 5MP macro lens that puts out better quality results than many of its competitors that rock 2MP macros. You can even do macro video, but you tell me if macro is ultimately useful in your daily smartphone life. And finally there’s a 2MP depth sensor for portraits. Speaking of portraits, the 20MP pop up front facing camera does a fine job for stills but only records up to 1080p resolution video.

poco f2 pro review

Speaking of, video is an endeavor the Poco reaches for but doesn’t quite excel at. AI 8K recording is nice to have, but it’s still not a practical format to shoot with for most people. At 8K, it seemed the autofocus was having some issues and the stabilization was far less reliable, leading me to stick to 4K throughout. Some Xiaomi inspired additions are here like Movie Frame which adds the black bars at the top and bottom of any video; also, there’s a Vlog mode that guides you in shot collection and automatically adds in the transitions and music for a stylized end result.

If you’ve been paying attention to phones under the $1000 price point, all of this is going to sound familiar. And that’s not a bad thing because it means good, if not overachieving, camera quality is available to just about anyone. It’s not the best shooter out there, but the value prospect fits the results.

poco f2 pro review

If you can’t kill ’em, join ’em

So, as Poco has decided to co-opt the phrase “Flagship Killer,” I think that the F2 Pro manages to find itself among plenty of flagships in the market today, with great performance and a good camera experience — a sum of parts that easily overshadows the few flaws it has. But as phones like this continue to be released, we have to start asking the question of what a flagship actually is right now, halfway into 2020. If you prioritize the S20 Ultras and the P40 Pros of the world, this phone is no killer. But it does help make available the right stuff in the hands of more people. Carbon copy rebrand or not, Poco is making good on their impression as a maker of affordable flagship devices. It’s a trend we’re happy to see more and more of, and at around $500 hopefully this template continues to redefine the flagship experience for more and more people to enjoy.

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Pocketnow Daily: POCO F2 Pro: They got the Price RIGHT, Here’s Why! (video)

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Today’s B&H deals include the Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air and more

Deals. For those of you looking for MacBooks, B&H has the latest 16in MacBook Pro for $200 off, leaving the Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage variant for $2199. The latest MacBook Air is also $200 off, which means you can get the Core i5 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $900. Finally, B&H has the Sony A6500 mirrorless camera is $600 off, meaning you can get it for $900. We have more deals on LG monitors and more in the links in the description.

HUAWEI P30 Pro New Edition with Google Apps launched in Germany for EUR 749

Huawei just launched a new updated to the P30 Pro… yes, the P30. This new P30 Pro ‘New Edition‘ was just announced for the German market with the same design and specifications as last year’s P30 Pro. However, this one runs the latest Android 10-based EMUI with support for Google Apps. It’s currently up for pre-sale for €749 for the unlocked 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variant and it includes a pair of Huawei Free Buds 3 and a Mini Speaker for free.

Nokia 9.3 PureView could feature 8K video recording, improved Pro and Night Modes

We’ve been getting a good amount of leaks of the upcoming Nokia 9.3 PureView. According to a new report, the 9.3 might be able to capture 8K video at 30fps. The problem is that the source claims that the feature is currently only available on a prototype variant and may not make it to the final product. However, Nokia’s imaging team said that they are hard at work on their Night Mode and Pro Modes. The phone is expected to bring a 64MP or 108MP main sensor and we’re expecting it sometime later this year.

A new, Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite may be coming for less than $1,100

According to a new tweet, Samsung might be working on a Lite and affordable variant of the Galaxy Fold. We’ve been hearing codenames for the longest time including Winner2 and Winner2 5G. According to the tipster, the regular Winner2 might correspond to a Galaxy Fold 2 Lite instead of the actual Galaxy Fold 2. The Fold Lite would aim to go on sale for $1099 by using a mix of components that includes components from 2018, 2019 and 2020 and it also won’t benefit from Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass. This Fold would bring 256GB of storage and it may or may not bring the Snapdragon 865. It would be built out of aluminum and bring a considerably small cover display, kind of like the Z Flips.

Apple’s new AirPods Studio may include head and neck detention

We have a new report with positive rumors for the AirPods Studio. Apparently these will bring Head and Neck detection, similar to the AirPods and AirPods Pro Ear Detection, which pauses a song once you take one of them out. The Studios would know when you have them on your head and will pause whatever you’re playing if you move them over to your neck. Another sensor will also detect your left and right ear to immediately adjust the audio channels, so there is no wrong or right way to put them on. Once you pair them they will apparently also bring a customizable EQ as well. Other rumored features include ANC and those interchangeable bands we discussed yesterday.

Story of the day:

POCO F2 Pro with Snapdragon 865 SoC goes official for €499

After almost two years, the successor to the POCO F1 is finally here. The POCO F2 Pro was announced today and it’s not as bad as we thought. It brings a 6.67in Full HD+ display which achieves a 92.7% screen to body ratio. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 865, either 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of storage, or 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage along with a 4700 mAh battery. It brings a 64MP main sensor at the back, a 7MP ultra wide, a 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP macro lens. It brings an on-display fingerprint scanner, dual Sim capabilities, a headphone jack and more. It will be available in 4 different color variants starting at €499 and going up to €599 for the higher tier variant. It will roll out globally starting today. For comparison, if you try to buy an iPhone SE in Italy, it’ll start at the same €499 with other countries like Germany having it for €479 for an old design with no 5G support. Just like in India where the F2 Pro starts at Rs 40,740 while the SE will cost you Rs 42,500.

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POCO F2 Pro with Snapdragon 865 SoC goes official for €499

POCO F2 Pro is finally official. It comes with a 92.7 percent screen-to-body ratio. The phone is equipped with Super Bluetooth chip + Bluetooth 5.1, which can effectively expand the range of Bluetooth signal up to 400 meters without disconnection and lower latency. Here’s all you need to know about the new phone.

POCO F2 Pro specifications

  • 6.67-inch (2400 × 1080 pixels) Full HD+ E3 AMOLED aspect ratio HDR10 + display with 1200nit (Max brightness) / 800nit (HBM) brightness, 5000000:1 (Min) contrast ratio, 100% DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
  • Snapdragon 865 SoC, paired with Adreno 650 GPU
  • 6GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage / 8GB LPPDDR5 RAM with 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
  • 64MP rear camera with 1/1.7″ Sony IMX686 sensor, 0.8μm pixel size, f/1.69 aperture, 7P lens, 13MP 123° ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP depth of field lens with 1.75 μm, 5MP (50mm equivalent tele) macro lens with 3cm ~ 7cm autofocus macro, 8k at 30fps, 4k 60fps, 960fps slow motion at 1080p
  • 20MP front-facing camera with 120fps slow motion
  • In-display fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor
  • Dual SIM (nano + nano)
  • MIUI 11 based on Android 10
  • 4,700mAh battery with 30W fast charging
  • 3.5mm audio jack, Hi-Res audio, 1216 speaker
  • Dimensions: 163.3 x 75.4 x 8.9 mm; Weight: 218g
  • 5G SA/NSA Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz) MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS (L1 + L5), NFC, USB Type-C
POCO F2 Pro

The POCO F2 Pro will be made available in Neon Blue, Phantom White, Electric Purple, and Cyber Grey colors. It is priced at €499 (~ Rs 40,740) for the base 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model and €599 (~Rs 48,870) for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model.

It will roll out globally starting from today from Aliexpress and Gearbest and will soon be available from POCO.net, Lazada and other online retailers.

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Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Might NOT be so Ultra? (video)

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We start the week off with deals on the 13-inch MacBook Pro and more

Deals. To start the week off, Amazon currently has the 2019 13in MacBook Pro for $400 off, leaving the Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD for $1399. If you want more storage, the 512GB is $150 off as well. Just keep in mind, we’re talking about that lovely butterfly keyboard you might wanna think twice about. The AirPods 2 with the wireless charging case are $30 off, leaving them at $169 shipped. We also have more deals on Beats headphones, Bose soundbars and more.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G announced, offers 15% faster CPU and GPU performance compared to 765G

Qualcomm just announced a successor to their premium mid-ranger SoC line with the 768G. It is based on Samsung 7nm EUV technology and it packs and Adreno 620 GPU, as well as the Snapdragon X52 modem for ‘true 5G speeds’, including mmWave and sub6GHz. It offers a 15% faster CPU and GPU performance when compared to the 765G which was released in December. You can find the full list of specifics in the description and it will reportedly be on the Redmi K30 5G which was actually waiting on this processor to launch.

These could be the color and storage options of the new Poco F2 Pro

The POCO F2 Pro is finally coming tomorrow and we have some final leaks before the release. The renders show the phone with a full display design, no punch hole or notch. The source also claims 4 different color variants: Black or Grey, Blue, Purple and White… pretty much like the K30 Pro.. It will also come in two storage options, 128GB and 256GB. The leaked price tag is still set to cost between €600 and €650 in Europe, depending on the taxes and mainly due to 5G. The report claims that some markets might not even get the 5G variants to bring the price down.

Apple AirPods Studio are the rumored upcoming over-ear headphones

Even with all of the delays Apple is still pushing to release at least some of their products this year. According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple’s over the ear headphones will be called AirPods Studio and they will feature a magnetic design which would make them customizable with interchangeable parts, like a selection of different headband styles. These are expected to come out some time later this year for a price around
$349.

We may have to wait until June for the launch of the Google Pixel 4a

As per usual, we’ve gotten a ton of rumors and leaks of the Google Pixel 4a, including retail boxes, sample images, and billboards. Google I/O was supposed to happen this week, before the pandemic. A leak suggested that the phone might be available for purchase on May 22nd, hinting to a May 15th launch date. According to a German publication and a Vodafone listing, that might not happen and we might have to wait until June 5 to be able to purchase. We know that Google’s Android 11 Event will be happening on June 3rd so Google is apparently waiting to announce it in that event.

Story of the day:

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will get better display, but no Ultra variant

We have some new leaks for the Galaxy Note 20 where the source is stating that we might not get a Note 20 Ultra this year. Aparently we’re still only getting two Galaxy Notes, or only two with a flat slab design. When it comes to the Galaxy Note 20+, the display will grow from 6.8-in to 6.87-in, with the resolution increasing to 3096 x 1444p, resulting in a 497 PPI. It will have a 19.3:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate with LTPO for variable refresh rate. The regular Note 20 will have a 6.42-in display, still at 1080p+ resolution and a 120Hz mode as well. This LTPO tech offers 5-15% in power savings, when compared to a regular panel. Ice Universe also confirmed these leaks, but obviously we’ll have to get back to you on timing.

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These could be the color and storage options of the new Poco F2 Pro

The launch of the new Poco F2 Pro is just around the corner. However, that doesn’t mean that we won’t get more leaks before it becomes official. The latest leak comes from tipster Ishan Agrawal, and he has revealed official renders of the device, as well as its possible color and storage options.

According to Ishan Agrawal, the new Poco F2 Pro will arrive with a design that will be similar to the one found in the Redmi K30 Pro. The new F2 Pro will also offer grey, blue, purple, and white color variants with 128GB or 256GB storage options to choose from. We also know that it will probably cost between €600 or €650 in Europe.

Source GSM Arena

Via Twitter 

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Poco F2 Pro is set to launch globally on May 12

After a torrent of leaks and speculations, Xiaomi’s Poco sub-brand has officially confirmed that its next offering- the Poco F2 Pro – is launching globally on May 12. Just a day earlier, we came across a leaked invite that also mentioned a May 12 debut for Poco’s upcoming smartphone.

Unsurprisingly, this will be an online event that will kick off a 20:00 (GMT+8) and will be live-streamed on the company’s official YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook channels. Not much is known about Poco F2 Pro’s specs or design, but a leaked teaser suggests it will pack a full-screen display, pop-up selfie camera, and a circular camera module at the back.

As per previous leaks, the Poco F2 Pro might just be a rebranded Redmi K30 Pro for markets outside China. It will reportedly rely on the Snapdragon 865 chip and will also bring 5G support to the table. Another leak suggests it will start at €570 for its base variant with 128GB storage.

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POCO F2 Pro price reportedly leaked ahead of May 12 launch

While POCO has sent out invites for the launch event on May 12, the pricing of POCO F2 Pro has reportedly leaked.

The report claims that the upcoming POCO phone could carry a price tag of 570 euros for its 128 GB storage version. More variants of the phone are expected to be launched as well. However, the pricing of other models is still unknown.

Further, the report says POCO F2 Pro could be made available in White, Purple, Gray, and Blue color options. To recall, the Redmi K30 Pro carried the same color variants in China.

Source: 91Mobiles

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Pocketnow Daily: POCO F2 Pro might NOT be the iPhone SE competitor we need? (video)

https://youtu.be/dN1RgGDQYgU

Apple’s previous 13-inch MacBook Pro, LG G8 and more, on sale today

Deals. Yesterday we get a new MacBook Pro, so as expected, Amazon has the previous 13in MacBook Pro for $200 off, leaving the 128GB variant for $1094. I know, too little storage, but buyers beware though, you’ll find the 256GB silver variant for $1299, but don’t buy it. The brand new model starts for the same price and that same storage. We’re also waiting on the LG Velvet so the G8 ThinQ is $200 off as well, which means it is currently starting at $400. Finally, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker, the Garmin vivomore HR Hybrid is $56 off, leaving it for $144 shipped. We also have deals on Roku TVs, Samsung tablets and more. Buy 13-inch MacBook Pro Buy LG G8 ThinQ Buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e 2019 Buy Garmin vivomove HR Buy 65-inch TCL Roku TV

MediaTek announces a its new Helio G85 gaming chipset

MediaTek has announced a total of three gaming focused chips this year. Now we get the MediaTek Helio G85 which is similar to the G80 but it includes a faster GPU. The first phone with this processor was announced last week and it is the Redmi Note 9. The G85 comes with a new 1GHz ARM Mali G52 GPU and a HyperEngine Game Technology enhancements. It also includes two ARM Cortex A75 cores running at 2GHz and 6 Cortex A55 cores running at 1.8GHz, all built on a 12nm process. It also has AI capabilities, better battery life and more features. Expect it on smartphones coming soon, we’ll keep you posted.

Apple’s WWDC 2020 starts on June 22 with an online-only, free-for-all format

We’ve been waiting on Apple to give us the exact way they will be carrying on with WWDC and they finally confirmed it. The Event will start on June 22 and it will last for a week, of course through an online event which according to them will be their biggest one, allowing all of their developer community which includes 23M people to be there in an unpresented way. You can also watch if you want by downloading the Apple’s Developers app.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 GPU details leaked. (Sorry folks, no RTX 20-series here!)

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 recently went through a certification revealing that it will bring an Intel Core i7 processor, 32GB of RAM and two screen sizes: 13in and 15in. Now we got some new info from Twitter disclosing the GPUs. According to the tipster, the 13in variant will bring an Nvidia GTX 1650 (4GB GDDR5) and the 15in variant will bring an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR5). The 15in is also reportedly bringing Quadro graphics but there’s no more info on those, though regardless it still seems that 15-inch seems quite capable. We’ll keep you posted as these are expected to drop some time this year.

The Google Pixel 4a is already being used by top Google executives

Now let’s talk about the Google Pixel 4a. Today we get a leak from the head man himself, Rick Osterloh.. Sort of.. He just tweeted out a new image of his Earth Badge on Fitbit and the UI clearly shows a space for the punch hole on the top left corner which isn’t present on other Pixel phones. Now, one of the biggest deal breakers of the iPhone SE is the battery is good, but not great, and which we’re hoping the Pixel has a better one but his device is at 80% and it’s barely 10am for him, so either he’s a late riser, or it might not be great at all. We’re about 10 days away from the speculated launch.

Story of the day:

POCO F2 Pro Gearbest product page goes live, features teased

And finally for the hottest news today.. Sort of, let’s talk about Poco. I mean, the orignal PocoPhone was a huge deal back in 2018 due to the impressive specs for a very cheap price tag. If there’s one company that can compete with the iPhone SE, it’s this one. Two months ago the company made their first independent launch with the X2 which wasn’t released globally, now the company just put out teasers and published a new product page live on Gearbest, telling us about the launch of the F2 Pro. The teasers hint to the phone looking like the Redmi K30 Pro but being a totally different device and not just a rebranded variant, bringing the Snapdragon 865, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The Problem, well if you’ve been following other rumors, the price might be starting at €649 in Portugal with the higher tier variant going up to €749. Yeah, it seems Poco is joining OnePlus in not offering the best value proposition they’ve been known for. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/pocketnowsub http://pocketnow.com Follow us: http://flipboard.com/@Pocketnow http://facebook.com/pocketnow http://twitter.com/pocketnow http://google.com/+pocketnow

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POCO F2 Pro Gearbest product page goes live, features teased

Xiaomi’s independent POCO brand is all set to be back globally. The POCO Global Twitter account has teased the return of the brand after 256 days. As if that wasn’t enough, the POCO F2 Pro product page is now live on Gearbest.

The listing gives us some teasers of the features of the device. It also indicates that the device is coming soon. As per the teasers, we can expect the POCO F2 Pro to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC.

For reference, the device is said to be a rebranded Redmi K30 Pro. However, the Indian variant (POCO F2) is expected to be a completely different phone.

The teasers also hint at a Redmi K30 Pro-like camera arrangement, a large battery, and fast charging support.

The phone is tipped to start at €649 in Portugal for the base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. On the other hand, the top-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is said to be priced at €749.

Source: Gearbest

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Pocketnow Daily: iPhone 12 5G: New Dog, Old Tricks? (video)

On today's Pocketnow Daily, we talk about the possible features and launch date of the iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 leaks and more

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