In the past couple of years, Oppo spin-off Realme has launched some competitively-priced phones across a wide spectrum, and has really taken the fight to Xiaomi when it comes to offering high-end features on a budget. Now, the company has announced that it will equip the upcoming Realme 8 Pro with a 108MP primary camera, which is quite an achievement considering the price segment it will fall under. In addition to the massive camera resolution bump, the company is also supporting it with neat photography tricks too.\
The 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor performs 9-in-1 Pixel binning
Starting with the hardware, Realme says it is going to use the 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM2 camera sensor with a 1/1.52-inch sensor which was launched in September last year. Armed with 0.7μm-sized pixels, this one employs Nonacell (9-in-1) pixel-binning, merging nine 0.7μm pixels into one large 2.1μm super-pixel to capture a brighter and more detailed image.
This sensor is also capable of combining three images taken at different exposure levels to produce mote detailed HDR images in real-time. It supports 4K video capture at 120FPS and even 8K video recording at a cinematic 24fps. While the camera sensor in itself is quite impressive, Realme is offering more tricks on top of it to make the budget Realme 8 Pro stand out for its photography prowess.
The company says that the Realme 8 Pro will be the first phone in the world to offer what it calls tilt-shift time-lapse photography on smartphones, complete with a 10x faster playback experience. The tilt-shift mode converts real-world scenes into what looks like a miniaturized landscape. The Starry Mode for night-time sky photography has also been upgraded, and it is now said to be capable of brightening the stars as well for a more crisp picture.
Additionally, the 108MP camera on Realme 8 Pro will also introduce three new Portrait mode effects viz. Neo, Dynamic Bokeh, and AI Color portrait. Check out the camera samples in the tweet below to see what these new modes are all about. Looking over at the competition, rival-in-chief Xiaomi has also promised to launch a budget Redmi Note 10 series phone packing a 108MP camera later this week.
Give a new look to your Portrait shots with these new filters of the #realme8Pro: Neon Portrait Dynamic Bokeh Portrait AI Color Portrait
Samsung Galaxy S21 series, Google Pixel 4a 5G and more on sale today
The latest iPad Pro, Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad and more devices are on sale today
Great savings on Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, and more are also available today
As expected, the official news begin with deals of things really do make a difference if you order early. As yes, the Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra and all the products announced last week are still available for pre-orders, giving you some great perks. In the case of the Galaxy S21, you can get it for as low as $99, the Galaxy S21+ for $299 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra for $499, all with either $100, $150 or $200 in store credit respectively, plus a smart tag, and then 4 months of YouTube Premium and 6 months of Spotify Premium. Talk about a way to sweeten the pot. Also, if you’re looking for the best rugged case money can buy for the S21 Series, SUPCASE is our go to! We’ll be sure to have links for their cases both on Amazon, and also SUPCASE.com for you to use code POCKETNOW15 to get a 15% discount. And yes, and those other trade-in deals for devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 2 at just $999 plus others are still available. Moving on to some Apple deals, the latest iPad is currently $30 off, leaving the entry level model for just $299. The iPad Pro is also $100 off, leaving entry level model for $999 on both Amazon and B&H. Finally, if you’re looking for a cheap gaming monitor, Amazon has Samsung’s 24in 144Hz monitor for $20 off, leaving it at $230. We have more deals on monitors, iPads, the Google Pixel and more.
Now, let’s talk about LG on more of a negative note sadly. We thought that the Explorer project meant more innovation for the future, but that’s if there is one. Last year the company was turning a lot of heads with the LG Wing, but it looks like it didn’t turn enough pockets. According to a report from the Korea Herald, “a change is coming”. According to them, LG is set to make a cold judgement, whether that is to sell, withdrawal or downsize their smartphone business. But don’t worry, regardless of the change in direction, the employment will be maintained. It is tipped that about 60% of their staff will be moved and reassigned into other business units within the company or their affiliates but, the future for the other 40% is not clear just yet. Now, this is not the first time we’ve heard this kind of rumors from LG as, the company has reportedly posted operating looses for 23 consecutive quarters which is, pretty crazy. On another note, a report from The Elec also claims that LG has stopped making LCD panels for iPhones as Apple is fully moving on to OLED and because they will reportedly move on from the smartphone market. At the moment, we’re expecting LG’s rollable smartphone which will reportedly bring a 7.4in display as part of their Explorer Project. Just not sure if consumers will want to adopt it if these rumors continue to evolve.
Asus ROG Phone 4 appears in a hands-on video flaunting its secondary rear screen
New ASUS ROG Phone 4 may arrive with a massive battery
Let’s move the spotlight on to ASUS as you can’t deny the company’s disruption in the gaming smartphone market, and the ROG Phone is due for a refresh. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been getting a couple of tidbits on what to expect but now we have some good information. First off, ASUS posted a poster of the phone on Weibo, showing the phone’s silhouette over the Aries constellation. Now, according to a tipster, the ASUS ROG Phone 4 will come in with a crazy, and I mean crazy 6000 mAh battery which will allegedly support 60 or 65W charging speeds. The phone recently went through Geekbench, revealing that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 888, 8GB of RAM and it will run Android 11 out of the box. Finally, a Chinese tipster posted an image of the actual device on to Weibo, showing off the back of the phone. It looks very ROG to say the least, with the camera module resembling its predecessor and a gray color variant with some accents for RGB lights, which were shown on a quick hands on video posted to YouTube. On that video you also get to see the phones display but it doesn’t really show anything. Judging by the poster and the constellation, we should expect this phone between March 21 and April 19 so, let’s see what we get. All that said, I’m seriously curious as to what you think, cause I have noticed a trend in drop in specs lately. Notice those RAM numbers.
Samsung Galaxy Note 21 Ultra might feature an under-display camera
Now let’s talk Samsung Galaxy Note 21 Ultra.. I know, the phone that still doesn’t have a codename. Last year we had a ton of polarizing rumors when it came to the future of this lineup, saying that it would be discontinued in favor of foldables but then Samsung cleared out the air and said that they wouldn’t be discontinuing any products. Well, we have a new trademark application spotted by LetsGoDigital, made by Samsung display for an Under the Display Camera and, it includes a smartphone. According to them, this is a hint of the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra bringing the technology and if you think about it, that should be Samsung’s next major release as, the Z Fold 3 isn’t exactly average consumer friendly for the price. The camera is listed as a “UPC” which was actually showcased by Samsung in a video, showing their Blade Bezel laptop back at CES with the display being just 1mm thick and weighing in at 130 grams, and we’re reportedly getting this technology for the Galaxy Note 21 Ultra. Now, there is a possibility and there have been some rumors that we could get this technology on the Z Fold 3 in the second half of 2021 but, that’s not clear yet. We’ll see what happens as, this is the first thing we hear about the upcoming Note and it’s kinda vague so, let’s see what we get.
Story of the day:
Apple’s TouchID could return with the iPhone 13 lineup
iPhone 12 Pro Max’s sensor-shift stabilization might come to entire iPhone 13 family
And finally for the hottest news today, let’s move on to the iPhone 13 as, rumors keep ramping up but, and it looks like this will be more of an S year than anything. First off, we have even more confirmation on yesterday’s rumors from trusted tipsters. Someone just tweeted “need Touch ID on the iPhone again” with LoveToDream quoting the tweet and saying it’ll “be back soon”. Jon Prosser also replied to the original tweet saying “you’re getting it”. It is still unknown exactly how Apple will be bringing Touch ID back now that the home button is completely gone from the flagship line up, but the company has reportedly been testing under-the-display sensors, probably from Qualcomm. Then again, you have the iPad Air solution by placing it in the power button but we’ll see. Let’s move on to the cameras as, Apple introduced “Sensor-shift stabilization” with the iPhone 12 Pro Max but it looks like they want to expand. According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple’s next generation iPhones will all come with sensor-shift stabilization technology. Another report from ETNews claimed that at least 2 models would bring the technology, with LG InnoTek supplying these components. Following on the IBIS we see in professional cameras, here what’s being stabilized is the sensor and not the lens, for better results, which you can definitely notice when it comes to video. DigiTimes also claims that the LiDAR is expanding to other models and that mmWave 5G will expand to models outside of the US as well. So yeah, it looks like this is a refinement year for the iPhones.
GoPro has announced a slew of new features for its cameras. The company announced that its GoPro Labs special firmware program has released an update. It unlocks new and experimental features for advanced users. The program supports HERO9 Black, HERO8 Black, HERO7 Black and the GoPro MAX. New capabilities include:
Camera Motion Triggers: Leverage the camera’s accelerometer and/or gyroscope to start/stop capture only when the camera is in motion, preserving storage and battery.
USB Power Triggers: Equips GoPro to start/stop capture when USB power is detected, enabling USB-triggered functions like serving as a dash cam.
Motion Detection Enhancements: Motion detection is now supported in all video modes, including 360° motion detection on MAX, with improvements to the sensitivity range.
Simplified Live Streaming QR Code: Program your GoPro got start live streaming within seconds of being connected to a designated Wi-Fi network.
Single-Setting/One-Button Mode: A one-button mode where the operator can only start/stop capture, making it impossible to accidentally change camera modes. Perfect for simplified use and new users.
New Exposure Modes: Set timed exposure lock and minimum shutter speed settings.
New QR Code Controls: QR code controls supported in 5K and HindSight capture for HERO9 Black
GoPro Labs firmware is available to download for HERO9 Black, HERO8 Black, HERO7 Black, and GoPro MAX at GoPro.com/Labs. It includes the current public firmware capabilities appropriate for each model, plus the experimental features listed above. These new features are an addition to previously released functionality including QR-code-controlled options like motion detection, wake-up timers, saving favorite settings, camera personalization and more. Some of these also became official features in HERO9 Black, which launched in fall 2020.
The company is all set to appear on virtual stage at CES 2021. The GoPro founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman will join Engadget for a live interview on its virtual CES stage today, January 13 at 12 PM.
Apple’s M1 MacBook Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20 and more on sale today
You know, it’s post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday and deals have kinda slowed down, but you have to admit that the ones that have remained, are still pretty good. Let’s begin once again with the M1 MacBook Pro which is now $100 off, leaving the Space Gray variant for $1200. Now, this time we also have the Silver variant on a discount but it is just a $50 cut, leaving it at $1250. Now, moving on to your new favorites, the Samsung trade-in deals. The Galaxy Note 20 Series is starting at $450 for the regular Note 20. The S20 Series starts at $240 with the S20 FE and it goes all the way up to $790 for the S20 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Flip is available for $450 and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is still down to a crazy $1000. But then again, all of these deals are trade-ins so you need to have an eligible device but make sure to check them out. Moving on to some cameras, the Panasonic GH5 Mirrorless Camera that I’m using right now is $100 off, leaving it at $1300. We have even more deals on Sony cameras, Sony TVs and Samsung TVs in the links in the description.
Waiting for Apple’s AirTags? Samsung may have you covered with its new Galaxy Smart Tags
Let’s move on to Samsung as it seems that the company has been working simultaneously on a product we’ve only heard for Apple. We’ve all heard the rumors on AirTags, Apple’s Tile-like devices that would work with the Find My app which were rumored to come at their previous event but actually got delayed. Well, it looks like Samsung might beat them to the punch. Back when we got the Note 20, Samsung unveiled a new SmartThings Find feature which kind of works like Apple’s Find My App. Now, according to a new Sam Mobile report, a device named “Galaxy Smart Tag” with a leaked model number was just spotted in Indonesia. And yeah, Samsung has made some poorly implemented trackers in the past which you actually had to pay for, but with all this frenzy of AirTags rumors, it looks like they want to do something similar which actually makes more sense for the consumer. Now let’s see when we should expect them, as hey, we’re technically a month away form the rumored Galaxy Unpacked.
Samsung releases Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update for Galaxy S20 series
Sticking to Samsung, for those of you rocking a Galaxy S20, you might want to check your software updates tab. The company just announced the launch of One UI 3, running Android 11, which is honestly pretty impressive for Samsung,.. I mean, Android 11 launched this year. One UI 3 brings a new refreshed design which they are marketing as more simple and elegant, with visual enhancements to the home screen, lock screen and more. It also brings improved camera capabilities like better autofocus, auto-exposure and more. They’re also teasing extended customization when it comes to sharing images, videos and more. Speaking of the lock screen, the widgets on it are getting a redesign, letting you see more important information without having to unlock the phone. Again, if you have any of the Galaxy S20 devices, it should be rolling out to you at the moment, and it will come to the Note 20 Series in the following weeks. I know, gotta love it when they say weeks, cause that can take a while.
iPhone 12 series plagued with significant battery drain in standby issue
Let’s talk about iPhone 12 issues as, it seems that those LTE and 5G connectivity problems that we reported on yesterday aren’t everything. There’s several complaints of iPhone 12 battery drain during standby going around in the Apple forums. The users reporting this apparently turned 5G off and had little to no background activity going on and noticed from around 10-30% drain charging overnight, something strange for a phone that’s brand new. One of the complaints says that he notices that his “iPhone 12 Pro is draining battery when in idle state, with no background activity at a 4% faster rate when compared to his iPhone 11 Pro. He disabled mobile data to see if it was a 5G thing, but he claims that it didn’t make a difference. He lost 30% battery power in 10 hours overnight, kinda crazy when compared to his iPhone 11 that only lost 5% in the same time.” Apparently he talked to Apple support and the diagnostics revealed no issue, so this could be a software issue. We’ve been using an iPhone 12 and have had no issue, but several other users are having this same problem in the forums.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform details are here
Yesterday was Day 2 of the company’s Tech Summit where we got to learn everything you need to know about the Snapdragon 888 5G, and there’s a huge list of reasons why your next smartphone should be powered by it. This is Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor, which is now built on a more powerful and efficient 5nm process. It implements both flavors of 5G using the new Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X60 Modem, and the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 to give you enhanced mobile experiences. It comes equipped with the company’s new 6th Generation AI engine, which paired with their new Hexagon 780 processor delivers industry-leading power efficiency in performance of up to 26 Tera-operations per second. That’s three times as much as the previous generation. It also brings the new Kryo 680 CPU which generates a 25% boost in CPU performance and the new Adreno 660 GPU which provides 35% faster graphics when compared to last year. There’s also a major push in the camera department, as Qualcomm’s new Spectra 580 ISP jumps to a Triple Image Signal Processor. This means that it is capable of capturing from three different cameras simultaneously at up to 2.7 gigapixels per second, along with a new low light architecture. It supports things like Rec. 2020 color gamut photo and video capture, up to 10-bit color depth for photo and video as well as HDR HEIF. You now have 8K video at 30fps and Slow-mo 720p video at a crazy 960 fps. It also supports Dolby Vision 4K video at 120fps and HDR 4K video with Portrait Mode which is pretty awesome. Yes, Snapdragon Elite Gaming also takes a boost in responsiveness and game rendering at up to a 30% increase thanks to Variable rate shading as well. Again, this is Qualcomm’s most powerful mobile platform to date and 14 OEMs were announced to adopt it soon, with Xiaomi, OPPO and Realme being some the first. Follow the first link in the description to get even more details on what’s new.
Story of the day:
We could get new Apple products next Tuesday according to AppleCare memo
And finally, for the hottest news today let’s talk about Apple again, this time because it seems that One More Thing event we covered, isn’t actually the last thing. The company has been pretty busy this year, they launched 5 iPhones, multiple Macs including the Intel ones we got back in the spring along with iPads and other things. Well, in an internal memo recovered by MacRumors, Apple is informing service providers that they are having AppleCare-related Changes planned for Tuesday, December 8th at approximately 5:30AM PT. To be more specific, Apple has advised their technicians to prepare for new product SKUs, new and updated product descriptions and new and updated product pricing. For some context, Apple has issued nearly identical memos ahead of other *product launches*, the previous one going out after the iPhone 12 event happened. Now, it’s pretty unlikely that Apple is planning an event to happen at 5 in the morning on a Tuesday, please don’t apple, so it looks like this is a silent release. If you think about it, last month L0vetodream tweeted that Apple was giving us a Christmas surprise, but we ignored it because it could’ve been anything. So let’s recap, what leaked products are we missing? AirTags? A new Apple TV? The AirPods Studio? More Macs? Of course this is all speculation but, let us know..
Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 888 – its latest flagship processor – a day ago, but didn’t share details about the performance gains and the new features it brings to the table. Today, the company finally has revealed the numbers, and they are a lot to process (ha!). To start, Snapdragon 888 makes the jump to the 5nm process, you get faster cores, a better graphics engine, an integrated 5G modem this time around, and a massive boost to imaging capabilities. We are going to focus on the last bit here i.e. camera enhancements. But before we do that, let’s take a quick glance at its key specifications:
Based on the 5nm process.
Qualcomm Kryo 680 CPU based on ARM Cortex-X1 core. It promises up to 25% performance boost and higher efficiency.
Adreno 660 GPU that offers a 35% graphics performance uptick.
6th-Gen Qualcomm AI Engine with Hexagon 780 processor that offers 3x improvement in performance per watt output.
Snapdragon X60 5G Modem-RF System.
Support for QHD+ panels at 144Hz refresh rate.
Qualcomm Quick Charge 5
Second generation Qualcomm Sensing Hub
What’s the whole fuss about camera upgrades?
At the heart of all the imaging capability upgrades offered by the Snapdragon 888 SoC is the Qualcomm Spectra 580 image signal processor that now has triple 14-bit CV-ISPs. It takes over the reins from the Qualcomm Spectra 480 image signal processor on the Snapdragon 865 that had dual 14-bit CV ISPs. This new triple CV-ISP design drastically upgrades how Qualcomm’s latest SoC handles multi-camera systems on smartphones, especially triple rear camera setups.
The key advantage of this triple ISP design is achieving triple camera concurrency. As the name suggests, the chip can now handle three different data streams from three separate image sensors at the same time. So essentially, all three rear cameras (primary + ultra-wide + telephoto) cameras can record videos simultaneously. And that too, in 4K HDR format. We are unsure how OEMs will implement it, but one possibility is that users will be able capture a scene with three different lenses and then save (or share) the view they like best -the standard crop, a magnified view or a wider scene.
Simultaneous 4K HDR video capture by all three cameras
And just like videos, the triple ISPs will also let smartphone cameras shoot three images of 28MP size at the same time, one from each sensor. Another advantage of the triple ISP design is that switching between the primary, ultra-wide and telephoto lens will be almost instantaneous. In a dual ISP setup, the chip has to guess if users will now switch to the telephoto lens or they zoom out by reverting to the primary camera. The triple ISP system runs all three cameras simultaneously and speeds up the switching process.
Qualcomm also claims to have made some improvements at the architectural level for the new Spectra 580 ISP that can crunch an astonishing 2.7 Gigapixels of image data per second, compared to the 2 Gigapixel per second output of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC. Thanks to that data crunching enhancement, the chipset will allow smartphones to capture up to 120 shots of 12MP each in a second. A hundred and twenty photos of 12MP each with burst mode!
Qualcomm hasn’t provided further details how this will be executed, but the technique of stacking multiple frames to produce a final image that is brighter and richer in details is something many Android devices already do. But with more frames and extra computing power at their disposal, low-light photography will receive a major boost, theoretically speaking.
Burst capture at 120fps for 12MP stills is very promising
The chipmaker is also touting what it calls staggered HDR that will dramatically boost the dynamic range of images. Again, thanks to the triple ISP approach, three images with different exposure range and details in different regions of a scene are captured simultaneously and merged to create a single image with a much better dynamic range. The technique itself is not new, but the Snapdragon 888 adds 4K HDR with computational HDR capability to the mix.
Another major feature is that Snapdragon 888-powered smartphones can not only capture 4K videos at 120fps, but can also play them natively. This will put the high-refresh-rate 120Hz panels on smartphones to good use. However, it is unclear if the chip can also handle editing such videos, something that the likes of iPhone 12 Pro allow with Dolby Vision HDR videos. The upgraded camera capabilities also include 10-bit HDR HEIF photo capture and 4K HDR video capture with portrait mode. The latter is something I am particularly excited to test out on the 2021 Android flagships.
Capture and play 4K HDR videos natively
Qualcomm has deployed AI to handle autofocus, auto-exposure, and automatic white balance adjustment with its latest chip. The company is relying on new Saliency Auto Focus and Auto Exposure engines to make of this new approach that promises to enhance image accuracy. We are also assured of improved low-light performance, with Qualcomm claiming that the smartphones powered by its latest silicon can evencapture images in dark surroundings with an illuminance as low as 0.1 lux.
It would be too early to pass a verdict without testing out the camera performance of Snapdragon 888-powered phones, since it also depends how well OEMs tune the camera sensors and their algorithms. But with Qualcomm providing a solid foundation with its latest silicon, I am optimistic. It is quite evident that Qualcomm has finally decided to create something that can truly take advantage of multi-camera setups on modern Android flagships.
Qualcomm stepped up, now it's up to OEMs
With enhanced processing firepower at disposal courtesy of the Snapdragon 888 and increased push to computational photography techniques, Qualcomm has done its part to take our smartphone camera experience to the next level. The first wave of Snapdragon 888 flagships will appear in the next couple of months, and I can’t wait to see if Android devices can finally play catch up to what Apple has been doing lately and usher us into a new era of what smartphone cameras can do.
Black Friday is almost here, but the deals have been present since last week. Today we start our deal selection with the latest M1 powered Apple Mac mini. The Mac mini with an M1 processor is also on sale, as you can currently get it for $649 with $50 savings. It comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage space. The same $50 savings are applied to the latest M1 13-inch MacBook Pro with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM, leaving it at $1,250.
If you act fast, you can get the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 256GB storage and LTE connectivity for $829. This deal is only good for today, so you may want to hurry. If you’re in the market for the latest 10.2-inch iPad, you can get it with 32GB storage for just $299 after a $30 discount.
We also find some amazing deals on smartphones. You can currently get the Google Pixel 4 XL for $479, which translates to $420.99 instant savings. This is an unlocked device with 64GB storage in Clearly White. The OnePlus 8 Pro is getting a $200 discount at B&H, which leaves it at $800, but you can also add a coupon to save $50 more, leaving your new 256GB device with Dual-SIM for $750. However, if you can also find this deal over at Amazon, but without the $50 coupon. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with 512GB storage is also on sale, and you can get yours for just $579.
If you’re looking for a new smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 with GPS is currently selling for $299 with $130 savings. The Garmin vivoactive 3 can be yours for $120 with a $130 discount.
Other deals include the 3-gen Google Chromecast for $19 with $11 savings, or you can get a smart kit with a Google Home mini, a Smart Light, and a Chromecast for just $44 with a $41 discount. You can also find a huge selection of Apple, and Nikon Black Friday deals directly from B&H. These deals include MacBooks, iPads, iMacs, DSLR cameras, mirrorless cameras, lenses, and more.
Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, the latest 10.2-inch iPad and more on sale today
The official news today begin with deals, and actually good ones if you’re in the market for some expensive Apple products. Let’s start today with the 16in MacBook Pro which is currently $400 off, leaving the Intel Core i9, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage variant for $2399. If you want the silver variant which I’m rocking, that one has a $350 discount. The new 10.2in iPad is $30 off, leaving the entry level variant for $299 but if you want more storage, the 128GB variant is available for $395. Finally, the Jabra Elite 75T that I currently use for working out are $30 off, leaving them at $150 shipped. We have more deals on BenQ monitors, Nintendo Switch accessories, SSD s and more.
Fossil Gen 5E offers Snapdragon 3100 and Wear OS smarts at a more affordable price point
Sticking to the official news, let’s talk about smartwatches, but not necessarily what we thought we’d receive. I mean, Google sort of invested in Fossil a while back, and we were hoping to see some light on that, but all we got is Fossil to announce the brand new Gen 5E. It brings a lot of the same hardware as the regular Gen 5 but it manages to bring down the price tag. It’s powered by the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage and one-day battery life. It runs on Google’s Wear OS and offers NFC. Variants bring a 1.19in AMOLED Display and it comes ion 42mm and 44mm sizes. It has a weird “tethered” GPS, meaning it uses the GPS from your phone instead of it’s own sensor so, if you’re into running, this one’s not for you… which hey the WearOS algorithm for running is something I wouldn’t recommend anyway. Thing is it’ll begin shipping on the week of November 3rd and it starts for $249.
The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 could be getting closer to launch
This year is finally winding down when it comes to dates, but not when it comes to announcements. One of the things we usually get by the end of the year is Qualcomm’s latest processor and this year won’t be no exception. The company just sent out press invitations for their 2020 Tech Summit which will happen on a digital format. The event will start on December 1st and end the next day. There’s no mention just yet on what we’re getting but, we are expecting the Snapdragon 875 SoC which will reportedly be built on a 5nm process. There’s also some rumors of different lite variants for this SoC, to help lower down the price tag for upcoming flagships. Thing is yes, no Maui trip this year.. Cause I guess we have to make way for the alien landing at some point.
OnePlus 8T 5G to feature an ultra-wide-angle selfie camera?
Now let’s talk OnePlus as you know things are just gearing up to their announcement. We’re less than 10 days away from OnePlus’ Ultra event for the 8T and well, the company keeps giving us bits and pieces of what to expect. This time they tweeted out “Strike a Pose with the 8T’s Ultra Wide Angle Camera” along with a 5 second teaser. It sort of implies that this is the selfie camera, but we doubt it’ll be the case. We will be getting the same punch hole design we got on the 8 Series but not a secondary one. Let’s see what improvements they bring to the standard Ultra Wide. The 8T is tipped to bring a 6.5in display running at 120Hz, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 4500 mAh battery. The rumored price tag so far is $699 so, we’ll keep you posted as the event will be happening on October 14th.
Under display camera could skip the Samsung Galaxy S21, to arrive in the next Z Fold 3
Now let’s talk Samsung and what the company has in store when it comes to innovation. Last we’ve heard, not much if Samsung mobile is planning to work with other companies that are not Samsung for Displays. Anyways, last year Samsung introduced different types displays like the Infinity O which is the one we’re currently getting on their smartphones but, we know that their main goal is to put the camera under the display to give you a truly bezel-less experience. Well, according to a new report from the Elec, Samsung was aiming to put this technology on the Z Fold 2 but, that obviously didn’t happen. And, they claim that due to low production yield of the technology, they won’t be able to put it on the Galaxy S21 but, we would still get it next year. The report claims that the technology would be ready for the second half of 2021 and that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be the first device to bring it. Samsung is currently working on a better solution for the under the display camera that won’t compromise as much image quality than what current solutions do. Let’s just hope the S21 brings Samsung panels, though.
Story of the day:
iPad Air 4 benchmark listing reveals 4GB RAM and impressive performance gain
And finally the hottest news today have to do with Apple, the A14 Bionic, and more details on the new iPad Air. On the first report we have the iPad Air going through some benchmarks and revealing specs. Apparently it’ll bring 4GBs of RAM, running on iOS 14 and the A14 that’ll power it will be a 6-core processor. On a second note, and staying on the iPad topic for a little while, Apple’s VP of Marketing went on iJustine and Jenna’s Same Brain podcast to talk about the new iPad. On it, he mentioned that the Touch ID sensor on the power button was an incredible feat of engineering which is, kinda hilarious, considering how late they are to the power button trend. Still, more was said about the chip, which was then matched with some other benchmarks that emerged on it. He said that when comparing it to the A12Z, the 12Z is optimized for pro workflows and experiences that may be more graphic intensive, but the A14 offers more all-around capabilities. If you look at the separate benchmarks, and to sum it up and not bore you with details: it’s significantly faster than the A13 Bionic, and it still does better than the A12Z in both single core and multicore. Surely not the 40% Apple mentioned cause that’s an A12 Bionic comparison, but still a really big boost. The iPad Air will be available later this month with a starting price of $599.
The Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona, is one of the most important tech events. It usually takes place during the last week of February or in the first week of March. However, the organizers of MWC canceled this year’s event because of the ongoing pandemic. Luckily, its organizers are already preparing for next year’s event, and it seems that it may be scheduled for June.
“The GSMA is committed and investing so that MWC21 Barcelona can go ahead safely and offer the unique, unmissable experience that has made it the world’s most important mobile ecosystem convening platform. MWC21 Barcelona will also have virtual elements to complement the overwhelming demand to convene physically.”
It seems that the next MWC won’t take place in the first quarter of 2021. GSM Association has recently announced that MW C2021 is now scheduled for the last week of June. The Barcelona event will now start on June 28, and it will end on July 1, 2021. Now, that doesn’t mean that we won’t get an interesting event in the last week of February, as MWC Shanghai 2021 would currently be scheduled to take place from February 23 – 25. The Shanghai event is usually focused on targeting the Asia Pacific markets and brands that we don’t usually see at the event in the Spanish city.
CEO of GEM Association, John Hoffman, in a press release that: “We have been overwhelmed by the support of all our partners and clients who remain dedicated to ensuring MWC21 Barcelona is a success. MWC is more than just an event. It’s an experience that brings the whole industry together and provides a platform to unlock the power of connectivity so that people, industry and society thrive.”
MWC Barcelona is celebrated at ‘Fira de Barcelona,’ and the President of its Governing board, Pau Relat, also commented about the event being rescheduled for another date. He said: “We fully support the GSMA’s decision to reschedule the dates for MWC Barcelona and are deeply committed to making the best possible 2021 edition with an extraordinary participation of companies and visitors. The long-standing partnership between the MWC, Fira and the city of Barcelona has been a very successful one for everyone, and I’m sure it will continue to be so in the future.”
We used to believe that Time of Flight sensors in the Samsung Galaxy devices’ cameras would give us awesome cameras and amazing 3D sensing capabilities. Unfortunately, this was not the case. They were only included in this year’s Galaxy S20 series and were later ditched in the Galaxy Note 20 series. A report suggested that next year’s Samsung Galaxy S21 would also ditch the Time of Flight sensor, as phones don’t really have that many uses form them. The current sensors aren’t as powerful as the ones being used by the competition. However, new information would suggest that we may get to see them in a not so distant future.
It seems that Samsung has been working on a new Time of Flight sensor for its phones, one that may finally be more powerful than the 3D sensing sensors found in Apple devices. Samsung has recently filed a document in the European Union Intellectual Property Office, which contains the description of a new ISOCELL Vizion camera, which could fit the description of a 3D ToF sensor.
Rumors suggested that the main reason why the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series didn’t feature ToF sensors was that Sony had its hands full with Apple’s ToF orders, so it is easy to believe that Samsung may have decided to create its own sensors. Rumors suggest that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 would not feature a Time of Flight sensor, but this new information may make us believe otherwise. Still, there is no way to confirm or deny the possibility of getting these sensors in the next Galaxy S series.
Some say that these new Samsung ToF sensors will feature with the Galaxy Note 21 of Galaxy Note 30, but only time will tell. Whatever the case, we just hope that Samsung may deliver great Time of Flight camera sensors for amazing pictures and videos. We may also want to skip out on autofocus issues, like the ones found in this year’s Galaxy S20 lineup.
According to industry sources from Samsung’s home country, the new Samsung Galaxy S21 series will arrive with a quadruple-camera setup, which will pack two telephoto lenses. These sensors would help in delivering a better variety of quality images at higher focal lengths. In other words, there would be fewer reasons to zoom by cropping a 108MP photo and trying to use AI to restore some of the details, just as we saw on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
The new camera in the Galaxy S21 Ultra would use a standard 3x lens and a periscope-style module that would deliver mode than 5X magnification. Then we may find a 108MO wide-angle camera and another 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera to complete the quad-camera setup. A 40MP selfie camera is also expected in the Ultra version of the S21. Yes, only the Galaxy S21 Ultra, as the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+, aren’t expected to feature major mobile photography improvements. However, we can expect them to include better OIS, maybe sharper lenses.
Now, it seems that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will still retain the battery size of its predecessor, as it is expected to include a 5,000mAh battery, according to an inside source quoted by Galaxy Club. They recently posted that the model number and the battery’s capacity inside the future Galaxy S21 Ultra are the same as the one in the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
The model number of the battery in the Galaxy S21 Ultra is EB-BG998ABY, and it comes rated at 4,885 mAh, which would translate to a 5,00mAh battery capacity. The other Galaxy S21 variants are expected to come with larger batteries than their predecessors, which means more battery life from Samsung’s next flagships. Even more, when you consider that these new devices will pack a new 5nm Exynos and Snapdragon processors, that should be more power-efficient.
We start today’s deals with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G. This unlocked version with 128GB is currently selling for $800 after a $200 discount, and it is available in three color options, including Mystic Gray, Mystic Bronze, and Mystic Green. The Samsung Galaxy S20 5G is still on sale, and it comes with the same 128GB storage space. However, you can get a new Samsung Galaxy device for less, as the Galaxy S10 is available for $700 after a $50 discount.
You can also get a new iPhone XR with 64GB in storage for $399, but there is a catch. You would get this price if you activate the device on a select Cricket Wireless pre-paid plan at $55, and the device will also be locked to the aforementioned carrier. Now, there are other Apple products that are also worth mentioning, as the Apple Watch Series 3 is currently available for $169 after a $30 discount. You can also get a new pair of AirPods for $129 or $155 after a $30 and $44 discount, respectively. You would only have to decide whether or not wireless charging is important for you or not.
If you’re looking for a new laptop, the Samsung Galaxy Book S with a 13.3-inch display, an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD is available for $800after a $150 discount. You could also take a look at Apple’s MacBook Air, as it’s still selling for $900 and $1,200 depending on whether you want the 256GB of the 512GB version.
Other deals include the Fujifilm X-T200 mirrorless digital camera, which is now available for $500, $300 less than its regular $800 price tag. Sabrent’s Thunderbolt 3 docking station with power delivery with up to 60W for Windows and MacOS devices is selling for $170, down from $240. Finally, the iHome ISP6X WiFi Smart Plug is available for $21.47, down from $30.
Samsung has today launched four new mobile camera sensors that employ smaller 0.7 micrometer (μm)-pixels, an upgrade over the 0.8μm pixel sensors seen in current Samsung smartphones. The new sensors introduced by Samsung include the 108MP ISOCELL HM2, the 64MP ISOCELL GW3, the 48MP ISOCELL GM5 and the 32MP ISOCELL JD1. The first three will be incorporated in a smartphone’s rear camera hardware, while the 32MP ISOCELL JD1 is targeted at selfie cameras fitted inside hole-punch cutouts or pop-up modules. Samsung also mentions that it plans to bring the ultra-high-resolution camera sensors to mainstream smartphones, which means we can see 64MP or even 108MP cameras on non-flagship phones in the near future.
The new 0.7μm camera sensors are up to 15-percent smaller than the 0.8μm sensors with the same resolution and help reduce the height of the camera module 10%. Additionally, the four new sensors announced by Samsung employ the in-house ISOCELL Plus and Smart-ISO technologies to collect more light and automatically adjusts the ISO level for better exposure controls. More importantly, Samsung is also releasing the new ISOCELL 2.0 technology with its new imaging sensors that boosts the performance despite the reduction in pixel size, something that is achieved by enhancing the light sensitivity by 12%. The 108MP ISOCELL HM2, the 64MP ISOCELL GW3 and the 32MP ISOCELL JD1 camera sensors have already entered mass production, while the 48MP ISOCELL GM5 is currently in the sampling process.
108MP ISOCELL HM2
The new 108MP ISOCELL HM2 sensor is 15% smaller than its predecessors that used 0.8μm pixels. It brings Super PD, a faster and more effective phase detection auto focus (PDAF) solution, 9-in-1 pixel binning (NONACELL) and 3x lossless zoom support.
64MP ISOCELL GW3
It employs Tetracell 4-in-1 pixel binning and Smart-ISO technology. Samsung says this sensor is tailor-made for gyro-based electronic image stabilization (EIS) to let users capture blur-free photos and videos, and supports 4K video capture at up to 60fps.
48MP ISOCELL GM5
Primarily designed telephoto or ultra-wide angle cameras, it can offer up to 5x optical zoom when used in a periscope system. While using it as an ultra-wide angle camera, it supports full-HD slo-mo video capture at 480fps frame rate and also comes with a staggered HDR feature – an improved and more efficient HDR technology to capture sharper and brighter images with less noise.
32MP ISOCELL JD1
Claimed to be the industry’s smallest 32MP camera sensor measuring in at 1/3.14-inches, it also supports the new staggered-HDR feature. Samsung says this one is ideal for pop-up modules or a hole-punch selfie camera for smartphones targeting a bezel-less look.
GoPro seems to be preparing for the launch of its ninth generation Hero camera. The GoPro Hero9 Black images have leaked online, and they reveal a welcome change for vloggers. The action cam seems to be getting a new color display on the front. To recall, GoPro has only used LC displays so far to display the frame rates, resolution, and other details of the selected recording mode.
The latest development comes from WinFuture. As per the report, GoPro Hero9 Black will also get an improved front display. The action cam could also come with support for 5K video recording. As for the small colored screen beside the sensor, it could display the live image from the camera in order to work better with recordings in the vlog style.
Apart from the display, there are very few external changes. Further, there is no information on the technical details of the upcoming action camera. However, the GoPro Hero9 Black will come with fold-out mounting arms on the lower edge, with which it can be attached directly to a mount without an additional housing. There is no leak related to pricing and availability yet.
GoPro has unveiled a live streaming service for its GoPro Plus subscribers. Moreover, the company has also announced that Windows users are getting the webcam update that was recently unveiled for Mac users. Hypersmooth 2.0 on the Hero 8 Black is also getting updated.
As for the live streaming service, it will be supported by three of the company cameras including GoPro Hero 8 Black, Hero 7 Black, and Max. GoPro is yet to details how the streaming service would work. The company has only said that it will be of “high-quality” and that it would be “simplified.”
The livestreams can be shared by sharing a link directly with friends and follower. Notably, you will need to be a GoPro Plus subscriber to take advantage of the development. The service costs $5 per month and includes benefits like unlimited storage of your GoPro videos at native resolution and discounts on accessories.
Webcams fitted on laptops, or most cheap dedicated webcams for that matter, can barely let you have a video call without making your face look like a blurry and shadowy mess. Thankfully, multiple brands have lately released tools that can let you use their digital camera or even an action camera as a webcam. And at long last, Sony has joined that list as well.
Sony has released a software called Imaging Edge Webcam that will let you connect its digital cameras to your PC and use them as a webcam. It is currently compatible with 35 Sony camera models that include the freshly launched Sony ZV-1 vlogging camera, the Alpha a7S III and the RX100 VII among others. You can find the full list of compatible Sony cameras here.
However, it appears that Sony has only launched a Windows 10 version of the Imaging Edge Webcam software, as the press release doesn’t mention a macOS version. In order to set up your Sony digital camera as a webcam, all you need is a USB cable and the software installed on your PC to get crystal clear output during video calls. You can read about the set-up process on this page.
Neon Portrait
