After last year’s Red Magic 5G and 5S, nubia is looking to build on its success with the upcoming Red Magic 6 series. Last week we got an official teaser for the Red Magic 6 series which alluded to a 4,500 mAh battery with 120W charging and today we have a certification listing that confirms these will be part of the Red Magic 6 Pro’s specs sheet.
NX669J-P and NX669J listings on 3C
The listing on China’s 3C certification agency shows nubia’s NX669J-P believed to be the Red Magic 6 Pro will indeed support charging at up to 120W speeds. In addition, a second model bearing the NX669J model number which should be the regular Red Magic 6 was also spotted with 66W charging capabilities.
Tipster Digital Chat Station chimed in on the listings claiming the Pro model will be able to fully charge its battery between 15 and 20 minutes. Both models are expected to employ dual battery construction to achieve these blazing fast charging speeds.
Digital Chat Station post on Weibo
The Red Magic 6 series is expected to debut with Snapdragon 888 chipsets and one of the high-end models was teased with an electrochromic back that can change its opacity with a single press of a button.
We recently wrote about an interview released by a senior Nikon executive where some views on the market and strategies were explained. Now it’s time for Canon who, through the voice of Takeshi Tokura (Managing Executive Officer of the Global Imaging division), wanted to give his contribution to the discussion.
Despite the CIPA data of November 2020 show a certain stability in the sales of cameras , we certainly cannot speak of a thriving or even recovering market. Companies know this well and even those in top positions cannot let their guard down. Here’s what Tokura said during the interview.
Canon’s strategy and the market that has shrunk by eight in 9 years
The reduction of the camera market , as written above, was significant globally. There is talk of a reduction in volumes of one eighth in the period from 2010 to 2019. And in the 2020 the COVID pandemic was added – 19 to further aggravate the situation.
Tokura wanted to underline however that from July 2020 there was a partial recovery (testified by CIPA data) after the collapse in the previous months. One of the problems that Canon had to face was its delay in entering the mirrorless market, where Sony managed to capture the right timing to overcome two historical brands in the photography sector.
of the new solutions, we cannot fail to underline the success of the sale of Canon EOS R5 which, despite some problems, has proved the potential of the Japanese brand. Despite everything, the company will aim at a reduction and optimization of expenses and production. Tokura did not hide the fact that the new cameras (ed. Not all) must also have advanced video features. We will therefore find ourselves in front of increasingly multifunctional products, with an increase in added value.
We then moved on from an idea of cameras that should be “fast, comfortable, high image quality” to one of “pleasing image quality” as users would seem interested in quality but not necessarily in going beyond certain limits. Probably the influence derives from the means by which the images are viewed (social networks for example).
A product to which this philosophy could be applied is IVY REC, born as a prototype and officially announced at the end of 2019. This is a relatively inexpensive solution, with acceptable image quality but which is shockproof, waterproof and compact. According to Tokura , this kind of product could allow the company to resist the wave of smartphones . Finally, the company will focus on B2B where, also thanks to 5G, there will be an increasing need for optical / vision detection systems, expanding the sales possibilities for producers.
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The product portfolio of the South Korean manufacturer of consumer electronics has expanded to include three new flagship smartphones. Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G is available in Basic, Plus and Ultra options. I had the pleasure to test the S variant 21 5G in the Phantom Violet color, which, in the opinion of me and my friends, is the most attractive. Yes, the model with the note Ultra in the name offers a higher resolution, a larger battery and 108 MP wide-angle photographic unit and 40 MP selfie camera, however S 21 5G absolutely not nothing to be ashamed of. In addition, the basic version of this year’s flagship from the Galaxy S family costs “only” 3899 PLN. Although for many it may seem like a high amount, it is an acceptable amount in relation to other market flagships.
Author: Marcin Karbowiak
Samsung offers two flagship lines of smartphones. The Galaxy Note series, which is distinguished by a more formal character, is addressed to the broadly understood business and creative individuals. The S-Pen stylus support is also important here, as it guarantees access to many useful software solutions in applications. Notes, sketches, and spreadsheet handling with a stylus can convince you. The Galaxy S series is a slightly looser approach. This form can be directed to virtually all customers who expect a complete device that works perfectly and looks the same. Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G, the newest representative of the series, represents it with dignity, as I found out during the tests. Of course, not everything is perfect here, but more on that in a moment.
We tested the latest flagship smartphone Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G. We already know how the Samsung Exynos chip 2100 has proven itself in everyday use and in synthetic tests . Although the set does not include a charger, the manufacturer made sure that we could call the equipment complete.
Samsung Galaxy S smartphone test 20 FE – cheaper, not worse
Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G works under the control of the latest Exynos chip 2100 made in a 5nm technological process. There is also a variant with Snapdragon 888, but it is not available in Europe. The manufacturer ensures that Exynos is equally efficient in terms of efficiency and work on battery and this is largely true. The device is supported by 8 GB RAM and Mali-G graphics 78 MP 14. The “battery” with a relatively low capacity 4000 mAh is responsible for energy efficiency. However, there is no reason to worry – the cell performed great in the tests. Pictures taken with a photo unit of 12 MP wide angle, 12 Ultra Wide Angle MP and 64 Telephoto MP we will write to 128 GB or 256 GB of fast memory UFS 3.1. The second of these variants takes part in the tests.
Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone technical specification 21 5G:
Samsung Galaxy S 21 5G
Samsung Galaxy S 21 + 5G
Samsung Galaxy S 21 Ultra 5G
Display
6.2 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20: 9 2300 x 1080 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
6.7 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20: 9 2300 x 1080 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
6.8 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 20 : 9 3200 x 1440 pix 120 Hz GG Victus
12 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 64 MP f / 2.0 telephoto
12 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 64 MP f / 2.0 telephoto
108 MP f / 1.8 wide angle 12 MP f / 2.2 ultra wide angle 10 MP f / 4.9 telephoto 10 MP f / 2.4 telephoto
Front camera
10 MP f / 2.2
10 MP f / 2.2
40 MP f / 2.2
Dimensions
151, 7 x 71, 2 x 7.9 mm
161, 5 x 75, 6 x 7.8 mm
165, 1x 75, 6 x 8.9 mm
Weight
172 g
202 g
228 g
Colors
Phantom Gray Phantom White Phantom Violet Phantom Pink
Phantom Gray Phantom White Phantom Violet
Phantom Black Phantom Silver
Price
3899 PLN
4799 PLN
5749
For Samsung Galaxy S smartphone 21 5G version with 128 GB of memory you have to pay 3899 PLN for the data. Option with 256 GB of memory is an expense 4099 PLN. The difference is not huge, but the profitability of the surcharge is a highly debatable matter. The cheaper option will be successful for the lion’s share of users. The title device is basically the direct equivalent of the Apple iPhone 12 in the Android world. The equipment, however, is several hundred zlotys cheaper than the product of the Cupertino giant. However, we can get the Samsung Galaxy Note for a similar amount 20 and ASUS ROG Phone 3, which are in some respects more efficient than the aforementioned device. Galaxy S 21 5G wins in terms of design and photographic possibilities.
The S21 gives here and takes there, but ultimately strengthens the Galaxy reputation
For
Rich, smooth display
Solid battery life
Superb all-round camera
Against
No microSD slot, earbuds or charger
Sony rival sounds better
With flagship smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Apple reliably refreshed every year, it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect every handset to make giant strides in terms of performance or specifications. So, it’s little surprise that the new Samsung Galaxy S21 is more of a refinement of its predecessor than a revamp.
Last year’s Galaxy S20 line-up marked a thorough overhaul, bringing in 5G support and 120Hz refresh rate displays for the first time, plus significant camera upgrades. But for the S21 range, the gains are more marginal – the camera software has been enhanced, the design is arguably better and it packs the company’s most advanced processor yet (the 5nm Exynos 2100).
Of the three-strong, 5G-supporting Galaxy S21 range, you’ll want to consider the two more premium models, the S21+ S21 Ultra, if you’re after a large screen, a top-spec camera (offered by the S21 Ultra), or are particularly excited by the prospect of using your phone to unlock your car (both support the UWB tech that makes this possible).
But for those who are happy with a 6.2in screen and relatively affordable price tag, the ‘standard’ S21 offers the bulk of the S21 features in the smallest, most affordable package of the three.
Pricing
For in-range comparison, the S21+ costs £949 and £999 for the same RAM and storage sizes (for the US or Australia, add $200 or AU$200 onto the cost of each S21 model). The S21 Ultra starts at £1149 ($1200, AU$1849) for the 128GB and goes up to £1329 ($1380, AU$2149) for the 512GB variant.
The Galaxy S21 (alongside the S21+ and S21 Ultra) is available from 29th January – its Galaxy S20 predecessor began shipping at the beginning of March 2020. Those who pre-order the handset before this date will get a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live true wireless earbuds, plus a free Galaxy SmartTag.
The Galaxy S21 has 8GB RAM and is available in 128GB and 256GB storage options, priced £769 ($799, AU$1249) and £819 ($850, AU$1349) respectively. That’s considerably less than the price of the 5G, 12GB RAM version of the S20 at launch last year, and slightly less than the 4G, 8GB version of the S20.
That considered, Samsung has priced the S21 pretty nicely, however, the microSD card slot for expanding the devices’ built-in storage is no more for the S21 and S21+.
Screen
(Image credit: Samsung)
In terms of its screen, the series’ biggest evolution is that the S21 Ultra now offers the 120Hz refresh rate at its maximum resolution (3200×1440). That rate alongside the Galaxy S21’s lower resolution (2400×1080) still works wonders for responsiveness and smooth motion performance.
Samsung Galaxy S21 tech specs
(Image credit: Samsung)
Screen 6.2in
Resolution 2400 x 1080
Cameras x3 (12MP, 12MP, 64MP)
Finishes x4
Dimensions (hwd) 7.1 x 15.2 x .8cm
Weight 171g
The S21 Ultra is the only handset in the series to get the S-Pen, as it debuts in the Galaxy S series. However, don’t rule out the accessory coming to smaller phones in the future, as Samsung president TM Roh hinted that the company plans to expand the S Pen “across additional device categories”.
Samsung has stuck with the screen sizes of its S20 line-up, meaning the S21, like its predecessor, has a 6.2in display. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O screen supports HDR10+ and has a Full HD resolution of 2400×1080, rather than 3040×1440. This results in a slightly lower pixel density, but that shouldn’t put you off.
In our review of the S20, we called its screen ‘richly colourful and impressively detailed’, and thankfully it’s more of the same this time around. In fact, the S21’s display is very similar, in character if not in resolution.
We watch the Kilauea volcano erupt in the BBC’s Perfect Planet documentary and find it a great advert for the S21’s punchy colour palette, the yellow and orange hues of the lava eye-dazzlingly bright and saturated. The picture is crisply sharp, and that’s backed up with decent levels of detail in rubble, sea and smoke.
However, in comparison, both Sony’s similarly priced Xperia 5 II and more expensive flagship Xperia 1 II boast better all-round screens. We prefer the Samsung’s enthusiastic colour palette – we play the second episode of WandaVision on Disney+ and as colour floods the house and washes over the screen, reds, greens, yellows and oranges look more solid – but the Sonys are sharper and deliver better overall contrast, their OLED displays doing a particularly great job of producing deep blacks that don’t sacrifice dark detail.
Sound
(Image credit: Samsung)
Similarly, the two Sonys better the Samsung for sound quality. We plug in our wired Sennheiser Momentum earbuds via the Sony’s 3.5mm headphone jack (the Samsung’s USB-C output also requires a dongle adapter) and play coney island by Taylor Swift and The National. The Sonys serve up more space around the acoustic plucks and drum and greater vocal expression. Their dynamic and rhythmic superiority mean they also keep a better musical handle on the composition underneath the vocals.
While the S21 isn’t quite as sophisticated a sound, it’s perfectly listenable. There’s clarity and detail throughout the presentation, but particularly in its open midrange, and the delivery isn’t bereft of punch and solidity. The Samsung performs well for a smartphone, the Sonys simply perform more like a dedicated music player. Note that Samsung has removed the bundled earbuds (as well as the charger plug) from the box, so you’ll need a pair of your own.
Features
(Image credit: Samsung)
The Samsung manages to outperform the Sonys in terms of its camera performance, as the Galaxy S21 proves one of the best camera phones around. Like the S21+, the S21 pairs a triple-lens rear camera comprising ultra-wide 12MP (capable of a 120-degree field of view), wide-angle 12MP and 64MP telephoto lenses with a 10MP front snapper – but Samsung has taken further strides in the AI processing department to get even more out of it.
The S21‘s luscious colour capture makes the Sonys’ seem washed out in comparison, while the Samsung takes the spoils when it comes to sharpness and clarity too. Compared with the S20, shots are a little brighter – sometimes at the expense of some shadow detail and depth – and slightly sharper. It’s a close call though, which shows how well Samsung did with the S20’s shooter.
Thanks to an improved Night Sight mode, our attempts at night-time photography with the S21 surface more brightness and highlights. The S20 might grasp some of the night hues more accurately, but its successor digs up more detail overall.
Samsung has also tweaked its Portrait Mode, which now lets owners adjust the lighting and add background effects to their selfies, while Single Take, which works to create a portfolio of all the ‘best moments’ you capture in one shot, now includes a slow-mo capture and Highlight Video reel. The 30x Space Zoom now has a ‘lock’ to help steady photo capture at its maximum reach, too.
For video recording, not only is there 8K video recording at 24fps (or 4K shooting at 60fps), an all-new Director’s View lets you see and switch between all four lenses during recording – handy for making short movie clips. Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds can also enhance the movie-making experience by allowing you to capture both ambient sounds (through the S21’s mic) and your voice (through the Buds Pro’s mic) at the same time.
The rear camera is the most noteworthy design development of the S21, with its all-new contoured bump in the top left-hand corner blending into the metal frame. Our Phantom Violet sample (a new colourway for Samsung) looks sleek, with the rose gold bump and frame an attractive match for the purple matte-finished rear panel. It looks just as good with the alternative Phantom Grey, Phantom Pink and Phantom White colour options.
The plastic casing – one of the sacrifices for the lower pricing – doesn’t make the device feel as premium as the glass-backed S20, but it is lightweight (171g) and easy to hold in the hand. And its IP68 rating, which is standard for Galaxy S devices in recent years, means it should be well protected from water, dirt and dust. Officially, they should be resistant to submersion up to a depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes.
Verdict
While not offering any notable AV upgrades over the S20, the Samsung Galaxy S21 shuffles the S series along nicely with camera enhancements, aesthetic improvements and some modest functionality boosts. It sacrifices some screen spec, premium build and accessories in order to hit a lower price tag, but there is still an excellent balance between performance and value.
The S21 is far from an overhaul of its predecessor, and certainly not a reason for S20 owners to upgrade, but Android fans with older handsets looking for an all-new shiny device can’t go far wrong here – especially if camera performance and value are high on their priority list. Either of the Sony Xperias are better bets for those who place greater importance on music listening, so that’s one area we would hope Samsung advances for the next generation of Galaxy S phone. For now, though, the line’s reputation as one of the market’s best all-rounders remains intact.
The vivo X60 Pro+ brings an upgraded version of the gimbal stabilization system, better sensors for the cameras and a fast Snapdragon 888 chipset to deliver the new image processing algorithms. There’s a lot to cover, but let’s start with that monstrous camera setup.
Meet the vivo X60 Pro+
The main module is built around a large 1/1.3” ISOCELL GN1. This one has a classic OIS rather than a gimbal. This camera’s large 1.2µm pixels (2.4µm with binning) and the bright f/1.57 aperture are a great foundation for excellent low-light imaging.
Super Night Mode 2.0 builds on that – it can work at just 0.01 lux (that’s the illumination of a quarter moon). It improves light sensitivity by 38.8% and focus accuracy by 22% compared to the previous generation.
50 MP main camera (GN1 sensor) and 48 MP ultra wide (IMX598) with gimbal stabilization
The ultrawide module (114°, 14mm) is the one with the gimbal stabilization system. It can correct ±3° of movement, around three times what a typical OIS system can manage. This camera is based on the IMX598 sensor with 48MP resolution and 0.8µm pixels (this used to be the main sensor in the X50).
Next up is the 8MP periscope camera with 5x optical magnification, which can go up to 60x with digital zoom. There’s a second telephoto camera on board with a 32MP sensor and a 50mm lens (2x magnification) for mid-range zoom and portrait shots.
Check out that ZEISS logo on the back of the phone. The T* anti-reflective coating is applied to both sides of each lens. There’s also a nano-crystaline structure that is the first of its kind on a smartphone.
Now we can move on to the chipset. Snapdragon 888’s GPU is 35% faster and 20% more power efficient than the previous generation. vivo paired the chipset with fast LPDDR5 RAM, which can transfer data at up to 6,400 Mbsp (16% higher than the X50 Pro+ RAM). Storage uses an enhanced version UFS 3.1 that is 14% faster than the storage of the old Pro+.
The curved 6.56” OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It also boasts HDR10+ and very accurate color calibration. It’s properly bright too, topping out at 1,300 nits. Its one weakness is that the resolution is 1080p+ (sounds like perfect for many). The camera can record 4K HDR10+ videos for your enjoyment as well as 8K videos.
What’s left? The battery – 4,200 mAh power pack can be charged at 55W through the USB-C port. There’s no wireless charging though, even though the back is covered with high-grade leather (available in Phantom Blue and Classic Orange).
The vivo X60 Pro+ has a high-quality leather back, available in: Classic Orange • Phantom Blue
And by the way, the phone comes with a charger, cable, USB-C headset and a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box (to use with the Cirrus CS4313 DAC), plus a clear protective case. You know, unlike some phones.
The vivo X60 Pro+ is available in two versions, the base model has 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage and costs CNY 5,000 ($775/€635). If you need more memory, the 12/256 GB version is CNY 6,000.
You can pre-order it, but only in China at this point. You can find it on Tmall, JD, Suning and others. Pre-orders end on January 30.
Here’s a table comparing the Pro+ with the vivo X60 and X60 Pro+. It’s in Chinese, but the relevant numbers should be easy enough to read. All three phones have 5G connectivity and 5 nm chipsets that run OriginOS 1.0 (based on Android 11).
Mediatek introduced two new chipsets yesterday, the Dimensity 1200 and Dimensity 1100, and Redmi has revealed it will launch the first phone with the mightier platform.
The announcement was made by brand CEO Lu Weibing who also confirmed on his Weibo profile that a gaming Redmi phone is also in the works and should arrive this year after the company will focus more on e-sports. While it is logical to assume that the two will coincide, the executive did not confirm that the new handset will come with a Mediatek chip.
Lu revealed that thanks to TSMC’s new 6nm process technology, the new phone can have one super-large core (that goes up to 3 GHz), improved 5G, AI, better video, and photo content – overall a huge win for the industry.
He reminded that the Redmi K40 series will arrive next month, something we already knew. He has repeatedly confirmed the series will bring the Snapdragon 888 chipset. Still, we shouldn’t be surprised to see an Ultra version with the Qualcomm platform and a Pro variant with the Mediatek chip – just like vivo, which introduced an X60 Pro with the 5nm Exynos 1080 and is planning to bring the X60 Pro+ with the SD888.
Remember the Galaxy A80? The phone had a camera that could rise and flip around when you wanted to take a selfie. That kept the front neat with slim bezels and no punch holes. However, this model didn’t get a sequel last year as the device rumored to be the A81 turned out to be the Note10 Lite instead.
So here we go again – rumor has it that Samsung is working on a Galaxy A82 (with alleged model designation SM-A826B, though that isn’t certain yet). Unfortunately, there’s no confirmation that the phone will feature a flip-up camera like the A80. So far we really only know that it will be a 5G phone, but that is hardly surprising.
Samsung Galaxy A80: neat on the front • the flip-up camera • great quality selfies
Currently, that kind of design is available only on Asus’ Zenfones. And until under-display cameras become more common, it remains one of the few options for an uninterrupted screen. Using the main camera for selfies makes for great quality photos too (and you get an ultra wide-angle lens and an LED flash “for free” with this design).
That said, a Galaxy Note20 Lite might not be a bad idea either, so perhaps fans of the stylus won’t mind if history repeats itself.
The Galaxy A81 that wasn’t – the Galaxy Note10 Lite traded the flip-up camera for an S Pen
Whatever it ends up being, the so-called Galaxy A82 is still in the early stages of development, so it will be a while before it hits the market. We should have our answer earlier than that though, smartphone designs don’t stay secret for very long these days.
Three months free in the 5G network: Telekom would like to win new customers with the MagentaMobil Try & Buy advertising offer. Those who book the offer receive the Telecom tariff MagentaMobil S free of charge for three months. The usually 40 euro expensive tariff offers 6 GByte data volume per month as well as a flat rate for telephony and SMS dispatch.
There is no one-time provision fee for MagentaMobil Try & Buy. The subscription also expires automatically after the three free months – so customers do not have to worry about falling into a subscription trap with MagentaMobil Try & Buy. With MagentaMobil S, users can also surf the 5G network, depending on the location and smartphone, otherwise the LTE network is operated with up to 300 Mbit / s in the downstream and 50 MBit / s used in the upstream. Telekom provides an overview map of the network expansion on its website. Roaming is possible with the MagentaMobil tariff in the EU and Switzerland.
Three free months of Disney + Also part of the free version of MagentaMobil S are the StreamOn options Music and Gaming. The data consumption of apps like Spotify is not counted towards the 6 GB of data volume that is available to users each month.
MagentaMobil Try & Buy is also interesting for Users who want to try Disney +. In addition to MagentaMobil S, Deutsche Telekom’s advertising offer also includes three-month free access to Disney’s streaming service, whose regular subscription currently costs 7 euros and from the end of February 9 euros per month. In combination with MagentaMobil, Disney + costs 5 euros a month.
In contrast to the mobile tariff, the Disney + subscription does not automatically expire after the three free months. If you don’t want to pay, you have to cancel in good time. Disney does not currently offer its own option in Germany to try out the streaming service for free.
The Japanese producer of consumer electronics is getting ready to launch the next generation of a recognizable mid-priced smartphone. Sony Xperia 10 III, because this particular model is all about, can be presented at the end of February, at the latest at the beginning of March. Detailed renders revealing the appearance of the device leaked to the network, but that’s not all. The leaks also show a large part of the technical specifications, which allows us to form a preliminary opinion about the device. However, it will not be completely new equipment, but a slightly modernized version of its predecessor. However, there are some differences that will make the hardware more attractive. Here are the details.
Sony Xperia smartphone renders leaked 10 III along with information about the processor, screen and dimensions of the smartphone. Let’s take a look at the differences from its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 10 II.
TOP 10 of the most interesting smartphones 2020 of the year – Noteworthy models that have appeared in the past twelve months
Sony Xperia 10 III will not be significantly different from its predecessor. The device will take a similar form, and the changes concern what is happening “under the hood”. The smartphone should therefore receive a 6-inch CinemaWide display with the aspect ratio 21: 9 and FHD + resolution. Perhaps the manufacturer will use a higher refresh rate here. The predecessor used a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 665, but here we will probably see the Snapdragon chipset 690 5G . Both the battery and the operating memory will be increased, but no specifics here.
Redmi Note 9T 5G smartphone test – Camera 48 MP, MediaTek Dimensity chip 800 U and modem in the 5G standard in practice
On the backs we find a photographic system consisting of 12 MP wide angle, 8 MP ultra wide angle and 8 MP telephoto. There will also be a 3.5 mm jack headphone jack and stereo speakers. The fingerprint reader will hit the side power button again. The whole thing will be closed in a housing with the dimensions 154 x 68 x 8.3 mm. The differences from the Sony Xperia 10 II are therefore insignificant, although the case from last year’s model will certainly not fit the fresh one. Finally, let me just add that Sony Xperia 10 III will be presented during the presentation of the new flagship Sony Xperia 1 III.
New year, new Roman numerals for Sony. In 2021 we’re all anxiously waiting for the company’s IIIrd generation of its smartphones, and today one of these has been uncovered. It’s the Xperia 10 III, successor to the Xperia 10 II from last year, and virtually indistinguishable from it as you can see from the leaked renders below.
The Xperia 10 III will sport a 6-inch screen, and Sony is sticking with huge bezels all-round. The phone’s dimensions are said to be 154.4 x 68.4 x 8.3 mm (9.1mm where the camera bump is), and that makes it quite compact for this day and age. It’s also marginally shorter and narrower than its predecessor, but 0.1mm thicker. So, overall, you’ll be getting a very similar package.
The triple camera setup at the back is said to consist of a 12 MP main unit, an 8 MP ultrawide, and an 8 MP telephoto. Dual front firing speakers are still in, as is the 3.5mm headphone jack. The fingerprint sensor is once again embedded in the power button on the side.
According to a previous find, the Xperia 10 III should be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 690 5G chipset, which makes sense considering the 10 II also used a 6-series SoC – the 665.
That’s all we know for now about the Xperia 10 III, but it should become official in the next few weeks so we’re assuming there are more leaks about it on the way.
MediaTek has two new system-ons with Dimensity 1100 and Dimensity 1200 -Chip (SoC) presented for upcoming 5G smartphones. These chips are being produced for the first time for the Dimensity series using 6 nanometer technology. That lowers your electricity consumption. So far, Dimensity SoC have come from 7 nm production.
New CPU -Cores with old graphics unit Both new mobile phone chips use the currently most powerful ARM Cortex-A 78 – processor cores, but in different forms. The Dimensity 1200 uses a 1-3-4 architecture with four energy-efficient Cortex-A 55 cores, three Cortex-A 78 cores with up to 2.6 GHz and another A 78 core for a maximum of 3.0 GHz and twice the cache. According to the manufacturer, the Dimensity 1200 should be up to 22 percent higher CPU performance with simultaneously 25 percent better energy efficiency than the previous generation.
The Dimensity 1100 uses the conventional 4 + 4 architecture with four energy-efficient Cortex-A 55 – Cores and four Cortex-A 78 – high-end cores. Compared to its direct predecessor, the Dimensity 888 SoC, MediaTek only has the Cortex A 77 exchanged for the new A 78.
Interestingly, MediaTek takes over the integrated Mali G graphics unit 77 instead of the new Mali in both new SoCs G 78. The Mali-G 77, which was introduced in May of last year, is said to be per square millimeter of chip area 15 bring percent more 3D performance than the previous Mali G 77.
Both new chipsets continue to support LPDDR4X main memory with capacities of up to 16 GByte. LPDDR5 is already available and is also supported by high-end chips such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 77, but LPDDR4 components are cheaper and only a little slower.
More megapixels, Chinese cell phones in preparation The Dimensity 1200 Chip enables image recording of up to 168 megapixels, while the dimensity 1100 with only one camera limited to 108 megapixels. This is an upgrade compared to its predecessor Dimensity 1000, the 80 Megapixel delivers. In the dual camera configuration, however, it remains at a maximum of 32 plus 16 Megapixels. In addition, both new SoCs support image recordings with optimization through artificial intelligence, for example for panoramic images at night and for bokeh effects with a blurred background.
Both Dimensity 1200 and Dimensity 1100 smartphone displays with up to 2520 x 1080 control pixels. Dimensity 1200 enables refresh rates of a maximum of 168 Hz and with Dimensity 1100 it is up to 144 Hz. Manufacturers like the According to MediaTek, Chinese companies Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and realme are already interested in Dimensity 1200 and Dimensity 1100 stated. The first smartphones with the new SoC should hit the market in March or April.
In a rather odd turn of events, Samsung might be bringing a 4G variant of its recently released Galaxy S21 5G after all. All three S21 models introduced last week come with 5G connectivity exclusively (mmWave or sub-6Ghz depending on region) but a new Bluetooth SIG certification suggests we’re in for a regular old 4G model too.
Galaxy S21 4G Bluetooth SIG listing
The listing specifies two model numbers (SM-G990F and SM-G990F_DS) which do not match the current SM-G991X model numbers on the S21 5G. These could very well be the 4G variants of the S21 5G meant for markets where 5G infrastructure is still not established. It remains to be seen if and when Samsung will launch 4G variants of its Galaxy S21 series but we will make sure to update you once more info emerges.
Beginning Power Delivery Cable Charger Qi charger Conclusion Comments by Matthias / / 20. 01. 2021 18: 07 Clock
If you want to charge your iPhone and iPad quickly, you need the right combination of power adapter and cable. We show good and cheap alternatives to expensive Apple accessories.
Whoever one of the iPhone – 12 – models, must also invest in a power supply or use an old one. For the first time Apple does not include a charger, allegedly for environmental reasons. However, many suspect that Apple is simply interested in maximizing profits. In order to achieve the maximum loading speed, there are a few points to consider. There are also alternatives to the original Apple accessories, which are technically very good, more compact and even cheaper.
By “fast charging” Apple understands that, for example, an empty iPhone battery in 30 minutes on 50% is charged. To switch to fast charge mode, the iPhone needs – 12 – Row a power supply unit with at least 20 Watt. Older iPhones from iPhone 8 onwards require a power supply unit with at least 18 Watt. The following iPad models charge with a charger with at least 18 Watt fast:
iPad Pro 12, 9 ″ (1st generation and newer) iPad Pro 11″(1. Generation and newer) iPad Pro (10, 5 ″) iPad Air (3rd generation) iPad mini (5th generation) 20 Watts may be a lot in the Apple cosmos. Users of some Android devices can only smile mildly here. For example, from 500 euros available Oppo Reno 4 Pro (review), Oppo Find X2 Pro (review) and Realme X 50 Pro 5G (test report) with up to 65 Watt.
Power Delivery Buyers should definitely pay attention to the free charging standard Power Delivery with their new charger. It is absolutely necessary for Apple devices to switch to fast charging mode. But not only iOS, but also many Android devices support the Power Delivery fast charging standard. Apple itself refers to the fast charging standard simply as “fast charging for iPhone”. Manufacturers of devices with Android operating systems often use the term USB-PD.
Still It gets more complicated with the names of the charger manufacturers. For example, Anker writes about its current PowerIQ 3.0 power supplies. They support the fast charging protocols from Power Delivery, Qualcomm and a few more.
With USB -PD negotiate the power supply unit and the end device the combination of voltage and current. The power pack usually offers various combinations from which the end device picks the right one. This is done via the Control Channel (CC) of the USB-C connector. This is another reason why it is important to choose the right cable. If the chip in the cable does not work correctly, it transmits a maximum of three amps.
USB Power Delivery 3.0 is the first standard, Qualcomms Quick Charge and Apple Lightning can replace. With USB-PD 3.0, the previous power profiles with the fixed assignment of voltage and maximum current are being replaced by flexible power rules. The higher the nominal power, the more combinations are possible.
Whoever is lower wants to get into the matter, we recommend the article on USB-PD: USB Power Delivery.
The correct cable Another requirement for fast charging on the iPhone and iPad is a USB-C to Lightning cable. If you use the cable supplied by Apple, there should be no problems with the energy transfer. However, if you buy a cable, you have to be careful. Because, as we already did in our USB-C cable purchase advice: Not everyone can determine everything, there can be large differences between what are apparently the same. To be on the safe side, we recommend that you have an MFi certification. This is always on ” Made for iPhone / iPad / iPod” – or ” Made for iPhone ” – Imprint on the packaging recognizable.
A problem that apparently mainly Apple users have: The cables break in heavily used areas, for example directly behind the Lightning or USB-C connector, and then no longer work reliably. That is with a cable, which individually already by the 20 euros, especially annoying. We recommend using other brands, especially when it comes to cables. We have had good experiences with anchors in the past. For a long time this has been Anker Powerline II USB-C to Lightning cable in use with us and shows hardly any signs of use.
The Anker Powerline III Flow has a very soft coating and hardly gets tangled. Anker advertises that it is particularly stable. But also with Spigen , Ugreen and Amazon Basic there were few problems in the past.
Charger The original power supply from Apple with a performance of 20 Watt costs about 20 Euro. This is an extremely reasonable price for Apple. Nevertheless, it is worth thinking outside the box. For example, the Anker Powerport III Nano also 20 Euro, sometimes only 17 Euro. It offers 20 Watt with Power Delivery, but also supports other fast charging standards for fast charging of other compatible end devices. It is also significantly more compact than the original Apple charger.
Another corner cheaper and even more powerful is the charger Spigen Steadyboost 27 W PD . However, it is a bit bigger. 27 costs Euro the PD power supply from Aukey and offers two USB-C ports with a total of 30 Watt.
Qi charger Starting with the iPhone 8, Apple smartphones also charge wirelessly using the Qi charging standard. Apple even specifies a maximum charging current of 7.5 watts. As our comparison test: The best Qi chargers shows, with some Qi chargers even a little more is possible. Also the current iPhone – 12 – series supports Qi up to 7.5 watts. However, this also offers the option of connecting the in-house Magsafe adapter. It holds magnetically on the back and then offers a charging current of up to 15 watts, as Apple clarifies. But not the iPhone 12 Mini, that only works 12 Watt. The Magsafe must also be connected to a Power Delivery capable power supply unit with at best 20 watts hang in order to be able to transmit its full power. Who wants the fast wireless charging on the iPhone 11, you currently have to use the original Apple accessories. There are currently no real alternatives from third-party manufacturers. Alternatively, we recommend our large comparison test: The best Qi chargers.
Conclusion If you want to charge your iPhone or iPad quickly, you have to with exception of the wireless Magsafe adapter do not necessarily have to use expensive Apple accessories. Sometimes the third-party power supply and cable are not only cheaper, but also better. We recommend the very compact yet fast power supply Anker Powerport III Nano in combination with the durable and chic Anker Powerline III Flex .
Who is currently buying an iPhone 12 we recommend our posts iPhone 12: This is how quickly the new models become cheaper and cheaper than the iPhone 12: Contract vs financing vs purchase.
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Demand for client PCs, consumer electronics, servers, and other high-tech equipment is driving sales of various processors and in the recent quarters semiconductor supply chain has failed to meet demand for chips. Not only do foundries not have enough capacity to build silicon for their clients, but lead times at packaging houses have also increased significantly. Based on media reports, issues with chip packaging will affect supplies of client CPUs and GPUs as well as various consumer-grade electronics throughout the whole year.
Different chips use different types of packaging. Small integrated circuits (ICs) that do not require a complex power supply and do not need many input/output pins tend to use cheap wirebond packages. More complex devices use leadframe packages (quad flat packages (QFP), quad/dual flat no-lead packages (QFN/DFN), thin small outline profile packages (TSOP), etc.), which are generally wirebond packages encapsulated into plastic or other types of mold for added rigidity and reliability.
Chips that use many power and I/O pins — such as CPUs, GPUs, and SoCs — typically use laminated flip chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) packages that provide fine pitches, low inductance, ease of surface mounting, and excellent reliability among other things. Meanwhile, there are BGAs that continue to rely on wirebonding and there are BGAs that use flip chip packaging.
Insufficient Wirebonding Capacities
Wirebonding packages are used by such popular commodity chips as display driver ICs as well as TDDI (touch with display driver integration) chip solutions. Insufficient supplies of DDICs as well as TDDIs affected shipments of monitors and notebooks last year, as some PC makers complained back in the fourth quarter.
(Image credit: Henkel Adhesives)
By now, OSAT (outsourced assembly and test) houses like ASE Technology (the world’s No. 1 chip packaging company), Greatek Electronics, and Lingsen Precision Industries have stretched their lead times for wirebonding packages to two, three, or even more months because of insufficient capacities, reports DigiTimes. OSAT companies did not comment on the news story.
Adding equipment for wirebonding is a relatively straightforward task, but because of high demand manufacturers of such tools, namely Kulicke & Soffa as well as ASM Pacific Technology, have increased their delivery lead times up to nine months. Meanwhile, Advantest, which makes test equipment for DDICs and TDDIs, has also extended its lead times to over six months.
Without sufficient wirebonding capacities, at least some display and PC makers will continue to suffer from shortages of various crucial components, such as display driver ICs, for at least two quarters. Alternatively, they will have to find additional sources of components, or their suppliers will have to find alternative assemble and test partners. In both cases, the actions will take time.
Not Enough ABF Substrates
(Image credit: ASE Group)
Laminated packages are used by a wide variety of semiconductors ranging from cheap SoCs for client PCs all the way to complex high-end CPUs for servers and 5G equipment. Chips that use laminated packaging often use IC substrates featuring insulating Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF), which are made by only one company, Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co. Apparently, some suppliers of ABF substrates experience yield issues with their products.
Yield rate for ABF substrate production at Taiwan-based suppliers Unimicron Technology, Nan Ya PCB, and Kinsus Interconnect Technology is now about 70% or lower for high-end offerings, according to DigiTimes. The companies are trying to gradually expand production, but they will only be able to boost it by around 10% from 2021 to 2022, the report says.
In particular, Unimicron is reportedly considering repurposing one of its damaged production facilities to make ABF substrates, but the plan has not been finalized, so it unlikely that the new factory will go online earlier that at least a year from now. Neither of the companies has confirmed or denied the story. To a large degree such a small increase is a consequence of the fact that delivery lead time for ABF substrates manufacturing tools are now at now are four to three quarters, the article claims.
Since demand for advanced chips is increasing across the board, processor developers naturally give priority to higher-end products, such as those for supercomputers, datacenters, servers, and advanced client PCs. ABF substrates suppliers have to satisfy demands of their customers, which is why they naturally give priority to higher-end substrates in their production too. As a result of shifting priorities of both chipmakers and substrate suppliers, capacities for entry-level and midrange processors for laptops are shrinking, which creates further shortages on the market.
Not a Catastrophe?
It is not the first time in recent memory when the industry experienced shortages of crucial components.
(Image credit: ASE Group)
In recent years, the industry also faced a tight supply of Intel CPUs as the company could not meet demand for parts produced using its 14 nm fabrication process. The company naturally prioritized supply of its higher-end Xeon Scalable as well as Core i5/i7/i9 processors over entry-level Core i3, Pentium, or SoCs for midrange and low-end PCs. While PC makers were not exactly happy with undersupplies, they did not really struggle. This time around, the situation is different as companies like Dell or HP cannot get enough a variety of components.
Insufficient packaging capacities at some manufacturers and assembly and test services create a tight supply of ABF substrates and an unpleasant situation for the industry. Yet, it is not unfixable.
Increased delivery lead times for equipment makers indicate that there are companies, which have acquired necessary tools and which will obtain them earlier than others. These companies will use this equipment to assemble and test chips, which will reduce load on other OSAT providers. Alternatively, integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) could at least produce chips needed by the industry.
In either case, high demand for PCs, electronics, servers, and other types of equipment means higher prices, so for the next couple of quarters many products will continue to cost more than their MSRP.
The Taiwanese semiconductor company unveiled two new high-end SoCs for smartphones and mobile devices: Dimensity 1100 and 1200 succeed Dimensity 1000. Here are all the technical specifications.
by Lorenzo Tirotta published 20 January 2021 , at 19: 51 in the Telephony channel MediaTek
MediaTek presented the new SoCs high-end Dimensity 1100 and 1200 with connectivity 5G integrated . The new proposals do not differ much from the previous Dimensity 1000 / 1000 Plus, with the Taiwanese company that seems to have chosen the path of evolution rather than that of a real revolution. The Dimensity SoC 1100 maintains an 8 core configuration , characterized by four Cortex-A cores 78 at 2.6 GHz (instead of Cortex-A 77 on previous models) and as many Cortex-A units 55 at 2 GHz. The process production instead passes from 7 to 6 nanometers of TSMC.
No change regarding the GPU , in fact we find a ARM Mali-G 77 consisting of 9 units . Furthermore, the SoCs can be combined with LPDDR4X memory up to 2133 MHz and UFS 3.1 storage . On the camera front, there are major improvements: Dimensity 1100 supports a single sensor up to 108 megapixel or two sensors from 32 + 16 megapixels. As for AI operations, the chip is equipped with a six-core MediaTek APU 3.0 unit for faster and more efficient scheduling. Finally, Dimensity 1100 supports FHD + screens with refresh rates up to 144 Hz.
Il Dimensity 1200 is an even higher range proposal, characterized by a configuration 1 + 3 + 4 also produced at 6 nanometers by TSMC. A core is in fact a Cortex-A 78 capable of operating at 3 GHz and characterized by double the L2 cache memory , i.e. 512 KB. This unit is flanked by three traditional A 78 units, set to 2, 6 GHz and equipped with 256 KB of L2 cache. Also in this case, the four Cortex-A cores complete the picture 55 at 2 GHz. The GPU is the same as the model 1100, while on the photographic front the ISP supports one sensor up to 200 megapixels . Another difference between the two chips is the support from the model 1200 to FHD + screens up to 168 Hz .
Many manufacturers including Xiaomi, OPPO, realme and vivo will adopt the new MediaTek Dimensity in the smartphones that will arrive on the market between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second.
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