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mardi 7 juillet 2020

LG plans a comeback in India with cheap smartphones under ₹15,000

It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the Indian smartphone market has been shaped by the likes of Chinese OEMs in the last half-decade. OEMs like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo have established themselves as household names. While OPPO and Vivo have managed to ride upon high marketing and visibility, Xiaomi takes pride in its high-value proposition which has allowed it to dominate the sub-₹15,000 (sub-$200) segment in the Indian market. Now, LG is planning to capitalize on the prevailing anti-China sentiments in India and make a comeback in the sub-₹15,000 market.

To provide some context, there are political tensions between India and China emerging due to activities at the border between the two countries. While attempts are being made to de-escalate the situation, the Government of India did ban access to 59 popular Chinese apps like TikTok and Mi Community in the country by way of an interim order. There has been a wave of anti-China sentiment in the country, especially on platforms that allow vocal discussions, with calls to boycott Chinese brands across all product segments in favor of alternatives from India or other regions.

In an interview with Economic Times, Mr. Advait Vaidya, Business Head of Mobile Communications at LG Electronics mentions that LG is sensing a “window of opportunity” in the Indian market, and plans to utilize it to make a comeback in the smartphone market by focussing on the popular <₹15,000 segment. Not just this, LG is also hoping to scale up local manufacturing and assembly by almost 15 times by the festival of Diwali and expand its distribution. It also plans to apply for the production-linked incentive scheme to help it scale up local production. The company has already seen a ten times increase in sales of smartphones in the past two months, so the renewed focus comes from this newfound success.

LG iterates that this strategy is not merely based on short-term anti-China sentiments. But it certainly feels that this is a good opportunity to “level up”. The company had released its W-series smartphones last year — these smartphones were made exclusively for India in the country itself and were said to not be sold outside — and these smartphones continue to see good reception (but in the report, LG does concede that these smartphones were exported to Middle East and Africa)

For 2020 in India, LG plans to launch six smartphones starting from ₹10,000 all the way up to the flagship segment — though most of the demand is said to be concentrated in the initial segments because of COVID-19’s impact on consumer spending. Apart from ramping up distribution across online and offline channels, LG will also be partnering with enterprise mobility partners to offer their phones to the enterprise segment as well. The company also plans to enter the tablet market in India by the end of the year to serve the e-learning needs of the consumers.

Competition is certainly appreciated in all forms, and LG does have a strong background to be a decent contender. Only time will tell how their bets in the Indian market pay off.


Source: Economic Times

The post LG plans a comeback in India with cheap smartphones under ₹15,000 appeared first on xda-developers.



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POCO M2 Pro launched in India with Snapdragon 720G, 5000mAh battery and 33W fast charger

POCO, an independent offshoot from Xiaomi, has just announced a new smartphone in India. Dubbed the POCO M2 Pro, the latest entry in the POCO lineup is geared towards the budget segment. The phone is priced very competitively and offers a premium design, a quad-camera setup, a sizeable battery, and a 33W fast charger.

POCO M2 Pro: Specifications

Specification POCO M2 Pro
Dimensions and Weight
  • 165.7 x 76.6 x 8.8 mm
  • Gorilla Glass 5 front & back
  • Plastic frame
  • 209g
Display
  • 6.67″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) IPS LCD;
  • Center-weighted punch-hole display
  • HDR10 support
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G:
  • 2x Kryo 465 Gold (Cortex-A76-based) cores @ 2.3GHz
  • 6x Kryo 465 Silver Cortex-A76-based cores @ 1.8GHz

Adreno 618

RAM and Storage
  • 6GB RAM LPDDR4
  • 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1
Battery & Charging
  • 5,000 mAh battery
  • 33W fast charger (inside the box)
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 48, f/1.8, 0.8μ
  • Secondary: 8MP wide-angle, f/2.2, 119°
  • Tertiary: 5MP Super Macro with autofocus
  • Quaternary: 2MP Depth Sensor, f/2.4
Front Camera
  • 16MP selfie shooter
Other Features
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)
  • Dual-frequency GPS
  • Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  • USB Type-C, USB 2.0
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • IR blaster
Android Version Android 10 with MIUI 11 for POCO

The POCO M2 Pro features a 6.67-inch full HD+ LCD with a centered hole-punch to house front camera. The display supports HDR10 content. The back and front are protected by Gorilla Glass 5 while the frame is made out of plastic, which also harbors a fingerprint scanner. Unlike the POCO X2, the display here doesn’t offer a higher screen refresh rate.

Powering the POCO M2 Pro is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G octa-core SoC, featuring 2x ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.3GHz and 6x ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8GHz, coupled with Adreno 618 GPU, up to 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Coming to the cameras, the device features a quad-camera array comprised of a 48MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 5MP depth sensor, and 2MP macro lens. The front camera, meanwhile, is a 16MP shooter.

The POCO M2 Pro packs a 5,000 mAh battery and supports fast charging via a 33W fast charger that comes inside the box. On the software front, this phone ships with MIUI 11 for POCO based on Android 10. Other notable highlights of the POCO M2 Pro include IR blaster, a 3.5-mm audio jack, bottom-firing speaker, Bluetooth 5.0, dual VoLTE with VoWiFi support, and support for Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

POCO M2 Pro XDA Forums

If the POCO M2 Pro does sound familiar to you, that’s because it is. All of POCO’s devices have been rebrands of a Xiaomi device, and this is the same. The POCO M2 Pro is a very close relative of the global Redmi Note 9 Pro, which was launched in India as the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max — the difference coming in the form of a 48MP camera vs. the 64MP camera. To put it into perspective better, the POCO M2 Pro sits between the Indian Redmi Note 9 Pro and Indian Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, two devices that were very similar to each other to begin with. Curiously, this is the first time that POCO has launched a device in India that already exists in some form. So what does separate POCO from Xiaomi? In previous interviews and interactions, POCO General Manager Mr. C. Manmohan had accepted that POCO does share a centralized product R&D with Xiaomi. It is the other legs of the business, such as the go-to-market strategy and sales that are independent and differentiated from Xiaomi. POCO’s strength apparently lies in the community and its feedback, which is where the team can work and build upon. It remains to be seen how POCO will capitalize on its strengths with the POCO M2 Pro.

Pricing & Availability

The POCO M2 Pro will go on sale starting 14th July via Flipkart for a starting price of ₹13,999 ($187) for the 4GB + 64GB variant. The 6GB + 64GB variant will cost you ₹14,999 ($200), while the top model with 6GB + 128GB will cost ₹16,999 ($227). The device will be made available in three colors.

The post POCO M2 Pro launched in India with Snapdragon 720G, 5000mAh battery and 33W fast charger appeared first on xda-developers.



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POCO M2 Pro launched in India with Snapdragon 720G, 5000mAh battery and 33W fast charger

POCO, an independent offshoot from Xiaomi, has just announced a new smartphone in India. Dubbed the POCO M2 Pro, the latest entry in the POCO lineup is geared towards the budget segment. The phone is priced very competitively and offers a premium design, a quad-camera setup, a sizeable battery, and a 33W fast charger.

POCO M2 Pro: Specifications

Specification POCO M2 Pro
Dimensions and Weight
  • 165.7 x 76.6 x 8.8 mm
  • Gorilla Glass 5 front & back
  • Plastic frame
  • 209g
Display
  • 6.67″ FHD+ (2400 x 1080) IPS LCD;
  • Center-weighted punch-hole display
  • HDR10 support
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G:
  • 2x Kryo 465 Gold (Cortex-A76-based) cores @ 2.3GHz
  • 6x Kryo 465 Silver Cortex-A76-based cores @ 1.8GHz

Adreno 618

RAM and Storage
  • 6GB RAM LPDDR4
  • 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1
Battery & Charging
  • 5,000 mAh battery
  • 33W fast charger (inside the box)
Rear Camera
  • Primary: 48, f/1.8, 0.8μ
  • Secondary: 8MP wide-angle, f/2.2, 119°
  • Tertiary: 5MP Super Macro with autofocus
  • Quaternary: 2MP Depth Sensor, f/2.4
Front Camera
  • 16MP selfie shooter
Other Features
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)
  • Dual-frequency GPS
  • Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  • USB Type-C, USB 2.0
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • IR blaster
Android Version Android 10 with MIUI 11 for POCO

The POCO M2 Pro features a 6.67-inch full HD+ LCD with a centered hole-punch to house front camera. The display supports HDR10 content. The back and front are protected by Gorilla Glass 5 while the frame is made out of plastic, which also harbors a fingerprint scanner. Unlike the POCO X2, the display here doesn’t offer a higher screen refresh rate.

Powering the POCO M2 Pro is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G octa-core SoC, featuring 2x ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.3GHz and 6x ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8GHz, coupled with Adreno 618 GPU, up to 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. Coming to the cameras, the device features a quad-camera array comprised of a 48MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 5MP depth sensor, and 2MP macro lens. The front camera, meanwhile, is a 16MP shooter.

The POCO M2 Pro packs a 5,000 mAh battery and supports fast charging via a 33W fast charger that comes inside the box. On the software front, this phone ships with MIUI 11 for POCO based on Android 10. Other notable highlights of the POCO M2 Pro include IR blaster, a 3.5-mm audio jack, bottom-firing speaker, Bluetooth 5.0, dual VoLTE with VoWiFi support, and support for Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).

POCO M2 Pro XDA Forums

If the POCO M2 Pro does sound familiar to you, that’s because it is. All of POCO’s devices have been rebrands of a Xiaomi device, and this is the same. The POCO M2 Pro is a very close relative of the global Redmi Note 9 Pro, which was launched in India as the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max — the difference coming in the form of a 48MP camera vs. the 64MP camera. To put it into perspective better, the POCO M2 Pro sits between the Indian Redmi Note 9 Pro and Indian Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, two devices that were very similar to each other to begin with. Curiously, this is the first time that POCO has launched a device in India that already exists in some form. So what does separate POCO from Xiaomi? In previous interviews and interactions, POCO General Manager Mr. C. Manmohan had accepted that POCO does share a centralized product R&D with Xiaomi. It is the other legs of the business, such as the go-to-market strategy and sales that are independent and differentiated from Xiaomi. POCO’s strength apparently lies in the community and its feedback, which is where the team can work and build upon. It remains to be seen how POCO will capitalize on its strengths with the POCO M2 Pro.

Pricing & Availability

The POCO M2 Pro will go on sale starting 14th July via Flipkart for a starting price of ₹13,999 ($187) for the 4GB + 64GB variant. The 6GB + 64GB variant will cost you ₹14,999 ($200), while the top model with 6GB + 128GB will cost ₹16,999 ($227). The device will be made available in three colors.

The post POCO M2 Pro launched in India with Snapdragon 720G, 5000mAh battery and 33W fast charger appeared first on xda-developers.



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Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 adds many new flavors to the UX on Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones. Although the Android skin has already started rolling out to some devices globally, that doesn’t prevent Xiaomi from experimenting with and constantly adding new features. When it comes to cameras, Xiaomi has already added a bunch of nifty features such as “Magic Clone” and full-screen gesture support to the Camera app in MIUI 12 beta in China and has also been testing another feature similar to Google’s Top Shot. Now, we learn that Xiaomi may be testing another feature similar to Google Camera’s Astrophotography mode.

XDA tipsters kacskrz and @Deiki recently informed us that Xiaomi is working on a long exposure mode in the MIUI 12 Camera app. The feature will allow users to take images of a starry sky, moving crowds, light paintings, silky water, etc. by capturing trails of moving objects.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

These options for the Long Exposure feature were discovered by an APK teardown of the MIUI Camera app from the latest MIUI 12 China beta ROM. The following strings found in the Camera app’s code describe the different options in the long exposure mode:

<string name="ambilight_description_title">About long exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part1">When shooting on a crowded street, ask your subject to stand still. Other people will appear as blurry trails.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part2">You can also take pictures of busy traffic and moving crowds. Long exposure will keep the buildings crisp, but all moving objects will be blurry.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_light_track">Use a light source to \"paint\" over a dark scene to bring all the lit pieces together in one image.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_magic_star">Use this mode in places with low light pollution. The exposure will be set to %d seconds, so using a tripod is a great idea.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part1">Use this mode when shooting moving clouds. It will give the sky an \"oil painting\" effect.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part2">This mode makes moving water (rivers, waterfalls, and lakes) look like satin.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track">Shooting the starry sky for a long time can capture the trajectories of stars. Don\'t forget to use a tripod and shoot continuously for at least %d minutes.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track_2">对星空进行长时间的拍摄,可将星星的移动路径完整保留在画面中,请使用三脚架。拍摄%d分钟以上时,可同时获得星轨视频与照片。</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_traffic_light">At night, you can capture the trajectory of bright moving lights (on cars and ships, for example). This mode allows to preview the final result on your screen in real time.</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_crowd_moving">Moving crowd</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_light_track">Light painting</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_magic_star">Starry sky</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_silky_water">Silky water</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_star_track">Star trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_traffic_light">Neon trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_longtime_using_tripod">Use a tripod to capture a longer exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_suggest_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>

Interestingly, the feature is already live for MIUI 12 beta build for the POCO F2 Pro (Redmi K30 Pro). From the screenshot shared by Polish Telegram user @hardziol, we can see the feature can be used for light painting, silky water, starry sky using automated slow shutter speed. We can expect the feature to be available on other devices – unless Xiaomi is only selectively rolling it out for phones with specific camera sensors.

MIUI 12 camera long exposure starry night

Thanks to Telegram user @hardziol for the screenshot

We’ll share more updates when the feature is more widely available.

The post Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app appeared first on xda-developers.



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lundi 6 juillet 2020

Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 adds many new flavors to the UX on Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones. Although the Android skin has already started rolling out to some devices globally, that doesn’t prevent Xiaomi from experimenting with and constantly adding new features. When it comes to cameras, Xiaomi has already added a bunch of nifty features such as “Magic Clone” and full-screen gesture support to the Camera app in MIUI 12 beta in China and has also been testing another feature similar to Google’s Top Shot. Now, we learn that Xiaomi may be testing another feature similar to Google Camera’s Astrophotography mode.

XDA tipsters kacskrz and @Deiki recently informed us that Xiaomi is working on a long exposure mode in the MIUI 12 Camera app. The feature will allow users to take images of a starry sky, moving crowds, light paintings, silky water, etc. by capturing trails of moving objects.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

These options for the Long Exposure feature were discovered by an APK teardown of the MIUI Camera app from the latest MIUI 12 China beta ROM. The following strings found in the Camera app’s code describe the different options in the long exposure mode:

<string name="ambilight_description_title">About long exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part1">When shooting on a crowded street, ask your subject to stand still. Other people will appear as blurry trails.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part2">You can also take pictures of busy traffic and moving crowds. Long exposure will keep the buildings crisp, but all moving objects will be blurry.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_light_track">Use a light source to \"paint\" over a dark scene to bring all the lit pieces together in one image.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_magic_star">Use this mode in places with low light pollution. The exposure will be set to %d seconds, so using a tripod is a great idea.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part1">Use this mode when shooting moving clouds. It will give the sky an \"oil painting\" effect.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part2">This mode makes moving water (rivers, waterfalls, and lakes) look like satin.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track">Shooting the starry sky for a long time can capture the trajectories of stars. Don\'t forget to use a tripod and shoot continuously for at least %d minutes.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track_2">对星空进行长时间的拍摄,可将星星的移动路径完整保留在画面中,请使用三脚架。拍摄%d分钟以上时,可同时获得星轨视频与照片。</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_traffic_light">At night, you can capture the trajectory of bright moving lights (on cars and ships, for example). This mode allows to preview the final result on your screen in real time.</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_crowd_moving">Moving crowd</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_light_track">Light painting</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_magic_star">Starry sky</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_silky_water">Silky water</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_star_track">Star trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_traffic_light">Neon trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_longtime_using_tripod">Use a tripod to capture a longer exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_suggest_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>

Interestingly, the feature is already live for MIUI 12 beta build for the POCO F2 Pro (Redmi K30 Pro). From the screenshot shared by Polish Telegram user @hardziol, we can see the feature can be used for light painting, silky water, starry sky using automated slow shutter speed. We can expect the feature to be available on other devices – unless Xiaomi is only selectively rolling it out for phones with specific camera sensors.

MIUI 12 camera long exposure starry night

Thanks to Telegram user @hardziol for the screenshot

We’ll share more updates when the feature is more widely available.

The post Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app appeared first on xda-developers.



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Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 20 series later this year in August. However, we’ve already seen quite a few leaks about the upcoming flagship series that not only highlight their design but also give us a good look at their specifications. Earlier this month, we saw yet another leak of the top-of-the-line Galaxy Note 20 Ultra which showcased the mystic bronze color variant of the device but all the leaked images so far have been digital renders. Now, YouTuber Jimmy Is Promo (@jimmyispromo) has managed to procure a working unit of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra almost a month ahead of the launch and has shared live images that give us a clear look at the black color variant of the device.

As you can see in the attached images, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra packs in a triple-camera setup on the back enclosed within a rectangular camera module that we’ve seen in previous leaks.

The device features slim bezels around the display, with a slight curve on either side and a single hole-punch cutout in the center for the selfie camera. Both the power button and the volume rocker can be found on the right edge of the device.

Much like the mystic bronze variant, the black Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with a color matching stylus that has a silver accent on the click button at the top. Jimmy Is Promo has also shared a screenshot of the software information of the device and it reveals that Samsung will ship the Galaxy Note 20 series with One UI version 2.5 based on Android 10.

While the YouTuber has shared no information about the hardware specifications of the device, rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will feature a 108MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 13MP periscope zoom camera on the back, along with a laser autofocus module. The device is expected to feature a 6.9-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and it might be powered by Samsung’s new Exynos 992 chipset.

The post Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh appeared first on xda-developers.



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Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 20 series later this year in August. However, we’ve already seen quite a few leaks about the upcoming flagship series that not only highlight their design but also give us a good look at their specifications. Earlier this month, we saw yet another leak of the top-of-the-line Galaxy Note 20 Ultra which showcased the mystic bronze color variant of the device but all the leaked images so far have been digital renders. Now, YouTuber Jimmy Is Promo (@jimmyispromo) has managed to procure a working unit of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra almost a month ahead of the launch and has shared live images that give us a clear look at the black color variant of the device.

As you can see in the attached images, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra packs in a triple-camera setup on the back enclosed within a rectangular camera module that we’ve seen in previous leaks.

The device features slim bezels around the display, with a slight curve on either side and a single hole-punch cutout in the center for the selfie camera. Both the power button and the volume rocker can be found on the right edge of the device.

Much like the mystic bronze variant, the black Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with a color matching stylus that has a silver accent on the click button at the top. Jimmy Is Promo has also shared a screenshot of the software information of the device and it reveals that Samsung will ship the Galaxy Note 20 series with One UI version 2.5 based on Android 10.

While the YouTuber has shared no information about the hardware specifications of the device, rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will feature a 108MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 13MP periscope zoom camera on the back, along with a laser autofocus module. The device is expected to feature a 6.9-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and it might be powered by Samsung’s new Exynos 992 chipset.

The post Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh appeared first on xda-developers.



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