Qualcomm has a new partner to build its chips: Intel [Update: Maybe not]

Next year, Qualcomm is set to introduce a new custom ARM architecture that’s going to compete with Intel’s processors. But a couple of years later than that, Intel might be building Qualcomm’s chips. Today, Intel laid out its roadmap through 2025, renaming its process nodes and showing what each generation will look like. One of those, called Intel 20A, is something that Qualcomm is going to make use of.

Intel 20A is promised to be revolutionary. The firm says that it will bring us into the angstrom era, so process nodes are going to be measured in angstroms, rather than nanometers (an angstrom is a tenth of a nanometer). It’s going to be about 20 angstroms at first, so these are going to be smaller process nodes than we’ve ever seen before, and it should arrive in 2024. Intel 20A also promises an all-new transistor architecture, using the new RibbonFet technology, along with the new PowerVia backside power delivery network.

The move might seem surprising, given that Qualcomm and Intel are such staunch competitors. Indeed, it appears that in many areas, Qualcomm is either winning or gaining ground. Intel attempted to make mobile chips and failed, and later, it had to give up its attempts at making 5G modems for smartphones. In the PC space, Windows on ARM hasn’t really taken off, but with Qualcomm’s acquisition of NUVIA, it has big things planned.

However, it’s not as surprising as you’d think. Rivals partner with each other all the time, even if the divisions partnering aren’t necessarily competitors. In the heated days of Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy, Samsung used to manufacture Apple’s custom ARM processors. We’ve seen Qualcomm partner with Samsung on its Snapdragon chips in recent years, so partnering with Intel is logical if Intel indeed has the better technology.

And one of the key things that new Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger set out to do was to build out the firm’s foundry business. Indeed, this is a deal that works out for everyone involved.

Other than that Qualcomm will be using Intel 20A, there really weren’t any other details provided. Obviously, we’ll find out more between now and 2024.

It would seem that at best, Intel’s boasts about Qualcomm as a foundry customer are premature. Qualcomm’s President and CEO Cristiano Amon was asked about the deal and said the following, according to SemiAnalysis:

Thanks for the question. Look, it’s actually very simple. Qualcomm, we’re probably one of the few companies that, given our scale, is able to have multi-sourcing at the leading node. We have two strategic partners today, which is TSMC and Samsung.

And we’re very excited and happy about Intel deciding to become a foundry and investing in leading node technology to become a foundry. I think that’s great news for the United States fabless industry. We are engaged. We are evaluating their technology.

We don’t yet have a specific product plan at this point, but we’re pretty excited about Intel entering the space. I think we all determined that semiconductors are important and resilient supply chain is only going to benefit our business.

So, as for whether or not Intel will actually be building Qualcomm chips on the 20A node in 2025, the answer is maybe. And if it does happen, it’s not something that’s set in silicon right now.

That’s not entirely surprising either. Intel’s 10nm nodes were supposed to ship years before they actually did, getting delayed time and time again. It’s 7nm process is already delayed as well. If Qualcomm had actually tied itself to Intel’s promise of a 2nm (or 20 angstrom) node in 2025, that would be more surprising.

The post Qualcomm has a new partner to build its chips: Intel [Update: Maybe not] appeared first on xda-developers.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Rumor Roundup: Everything we know about the upcoming Wear OS Watch!

At Google I/O 2021, Google announced that it would be partnering with Samsung to breathe life back into a platform that hadn’t seen any notable updates in the longest time – Wear OS. Samsung then announced that all future smartwatches launched by the brand would run Wear OS instead of their proprietary Tizen OS which is found on their previous and current-gen smartwatches. This is a big move since users will now get the app support and ecosystem of Android and Wear OS along with the performance, stability, and battery life gains from Samsung’s expertise with Tizen on the Galaxy Watch.

Reserve your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3/Z Flip 3

The first product of this partnership between Google and Samsung is all set to be unveiled on August 11, 2021, at Samsung’s Unpacked event. Samsung confirmed that they’re launching the new generation of their foldable phones – Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 early next month and if leaks and rumors are anything to go by, this event will also have a segment for the new Galaxy Watch 4 as well as the Galaxy Buds 2.

If you’re excited about the new wearable from Samsung, here’s everything that we know about it so far and what you can expect from the watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Release Date

The Galaxy Watch 4 is expected to launch at Samsung’s Unpacked event on August 11, 2021. Of course, the major highlight of the show is going to be the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung’s third-gen foldable flagship, followed by the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for all the clamshell fans out there. While there’s no official confirmation about the Galaxy Watch 4 launching alongside the two foldables, there are numerous leaks from accurate sources like Evan Blass or @evleaks which claim that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Watch 4. Even the Galaxy Buds 2 are expected to launch with these devices.

pic.twitter.com/meaguSn6TR

— Evan (@evleaks) July 10, 2021

Evan also showed off a GIF that reveals how the Galaxy Watch 4 is supposedly going to look like from all angles.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Variants and Pricing

While there were expectations of just a single variant of the Galaxy Watch initially, there seems to be another variant of the Galaxy Watch 4 that may exist called the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. This means that there could be two different versions of the Galaxy Watch 4 that you can expect to be launched:

• Galaxy Watch 4
• Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

It’s possible that the regular Galaxy Watch 4 is a replacement for the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Classic version is a successor to the Galaxy Watch 3. We’ll get better clarity on this pretty soon but at this point, it’s safe to say that you can expect more than one wearable to launch.

In terms of size, the Galaxy Watch 4 might come in two variants – 42mm and 44mm. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is expected to come in two sizes as well – 44mm and 46mm. Users can pick the one that best suits the size and nature of their wrists.

As far as pricing is concerned, we don’t have any concrete information yet but just a couple of weeks back, the Galaxy Watch 4 was spotted on Amazon Canada and the listing mentioned a price of CAD 309.85 for the 42mm variant, which translates to about $249 in the US. Meanwhile, the 44mm Classic variant was listed for CAD 427.73 or approximately $350. There’s no way to tell if the listing prices were accurate, so take this with a pinch of salt.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design

As mentioned earlier, the watch is expected to come in two variants – a standard version and a Classic version. While the renders of both watches look similar at first glance, there would be some subtle differences between the two watches not just in terms of features or specs but even in terms of design. Both watches are expected to come with IP68 water resistance.

The standard Galaxy Watch in this generation is expected to have a 1.19-inch circular dial with an OLED display just like all Samsung Watches from the past few years. Samsung is expected to launch the watch in multiple color variants to appeal to a larger audience. They might also introduce funky and colorful options apart from the usual black and white to attract a younger audience as well. The Galaxy Watch 4 might come with an aluminum chassis and a touch-capacitive bezel surrounding the display, just like the Galaxy Watch Active.

The Classic edition, on the other hand, is expected to be a slightly more premium smartwatch with a stainless steel body flanked by two buttons on the right edge, something that can be seen in the renders of the standard variant as well. Unlike the touch-capacitive bezel on the normal version, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classis is rumored to get a rotating bezel around the circular dial. This has been a marquee feature on the Galaxy Watch series and is quite reminiscent of some mechanical watches.

Specifications and Features

A recent report from SamMobile suggested that the new Galaxy Watch could feature the best hardware that we’ve ever seen on a smartwatch. This can be attributed to the new Exynos W920 chipset that is supposedly going to be used on the Galaxy Watch 4. The new chipset can apparently achieve up to 1.25 times faster processing speeds and 8.8 times better graphics performance compared to the Exynos 9110 found on previous Galaxy Watches.

The Galaxy Watch series will reportedly have 16GB of internal storage and 1.5GB of RAM which is comparatively higher than what’s found on some other watches. The higher RAM will allow smoother operation of the watch especially given that Wear OS is a heavier platform compared to Tizen. The increased internal storage will allow users to install more apps and games on the watch since the library of apps on the Play Store is much larger.

If we have to mention some new features that are expected, Max Weinbach, a renowned tipster claimed that the Galaxy Watch Active 4 would come with a BIA sensor which stands for Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis. This would allow for body composition readings, something that’s usually seen on body scales. The Galaxy Watch 4 might allow users to track the water content, fat levels, muscle mass, etc. in their body which will be a huge benefit for fitness enthusiasts.

Galaxy Watch4. BIA sensor.

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) June 25, 2021

There were some rumors about Blood Glucose monitoring coming to the Galaxy Watch 4 series, but more recent reports say that it might not be happening this year. We’ll have to wait to see if it actually makes its way and Samsung one-ups Apple. Blood pressure monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, and ECG are features that we might see in the Galaxy Watch 4.

Battery life is another thing to look out for on the Galaxy Watch 4. Wear OS has traditionally been terrible with battery consumption whereas previous Galaxy Watches have faired quite well due to the fact that Tizen wasn’t as power-hungry. It would be interesting to see what improvements Samsung has made to Wear OS to make sure it doesn’t drain the watch by evening.

Software: OneUI Watch

The biggest highlight of the new Galaxy Watch is going to be the software the watch will run on. As mentioned earlier, Samsung is going to be using a build of WearOS combined with their own set of features that Tizen and Samsung, in general, have been known for. At MWC recently, Samsung announced that it’s going to be calling this platform OneUI Watch to maintain the branding uniformity with their custom UI on Android.

OneUI Watch will aim to provide a consistent user experience and look with other Galaxy devices. There are some features that Samsung showed off that make using the watch easier. Auto app installation will install the Wear OS version of any app that you install on your phone, provided it’s available. The Settings menu on OneUI Watch looks similar to what we see on OneUI on Samsung’s phones.

The biggest advantage of OneUI Watch being based on Wear OS would be that users will now have access to the Google Play Store to download their favorite apps and games. The collection of apps on the Play Store and the number of developers making apps for Wear OS are much higher compared to Samsung’s own Tizen app store. Even in terms of customization and watch faces, users will now have a larger variety to choose from.

A recent leak from SamMobile shows the user interface of OneUI Watch supposedly running on the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.

And the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic… pic.twitter.com/Hc4bC2Lhrj

— SamMobile (@SamMobiles) July 27, 2021

By these clips, you can probably figure out that the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic goes for a traditional, mechanical watch look with subdued colors and icons. The watch faces also look a lot more formal than the ones you can see on the regular Galaxy Watch 4.

---

This is everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 so far. We’re less than two weeks away from the launch and all the speculations will turn into confirmed information on the 11th of August. Are you excited about the Galaxy Watch 4? This seems like the best Android smartwatch in a while going by the leaks and rumors, and it’s finally looking like the Apple Watch could have a worthy competitor on the Android side of things.

The post Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Rumor Roundup: Everything we know about the upcoming Wear OS Watch! appeared first on xda-developers.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Rumor Roundup: Everything we know about the upcoming Wear OS Watch!

At Google I/O 2021, Google announced that it would be partnering with Samsung to breathe life back into a platform that hadn’t seen any notable updates in the longest time – Wear OS. Samsung then announced that all future smartwatches launched by the brand would run Wear OS instead of their proprietary Tizen OS which is found on their previous and current-gen smartwatches. This is a big move since users will now get the app support and ecosystem of Android and Wear OS along with the performance, stability, and battery life gains from Samsung’s expertise with Tizen on the Galaxy Watch.

Reserve your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3/Z Flip 3

The first product of this partnership between Google and Samsung is all set to be unveiled on August 11, 2021, at Samsung’s Unpacked event. Samsung confirmed that they’re launching the new generation of their foldable phones – Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 early next month and if leaks and rumors are anything to go by, this event will also have a segment for the new Galaxy Watch 4 as well as the Galaxy Buds 2.

If you’re excited about the new wearable from Samsung, here’s everything that we know about it so far and what you can expect from the watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Release Date

The Galaxy Watch 4 is expected to launch at Samsung’s Unpacked event on August 11, 2021. Of course, the major highlight of the show is going to be the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung’s third-gen foldable flagship, followed by the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for all the clamshell fans out there. While there’s no official confirmation about the Galaxy Watch 4 launching alongside the two foldables, there are numerous leaks from accurate sources like Evan Blass or @evleaks which claim that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Watch 4. Even the Galaxy Buds 2 are expected to launch with these devices.

pic.twitter.com/meaguSn6TR

— Evan (@evleaks) July 10, 2021

Evan also showed off a GIF that reveals how the Galaxy Watch 4 is supposedly going to look like from all angles.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Variants and Pricing

While there were expectations of just a single variant of the Galaxy Watch initially, there seems to be another variant of the Galaxy Watch 4 that may exist called the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. This means that there could be two different versions of the Galaxy Watch 4 that you can expect to be launched:

• Galaxy Watch 4
• Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

It’s possible that the regular Galaxy Watch 4 is a replacement for the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Classic version is a successor to the Galaxy Watch 3. We’ll get better clarity on this pretty soon but at this point, it’s safe to say that you can expect more than one wearable to launch.

In terms of size, the Galaxy Watch 4 might come in two variants – 42mm and 44mm. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is expected to come in two sizes as well – 44mm and 46mm. Users can pick the one that best suits the size and nature of their wrists.

As far as pricing is concerned, we don’t have any concrete information yet but just a couple of weeks back, the Galaxy Watch 4 was spotted on Amazon Canada and the listing mentioned a price of CAD 309.85 for the 42mm variant, which translates to about $249 in the US. Meanwhile, the 44mm Classic variant was listed for CAD 427.73 or approximately $350. There’s no way to tell if the listing prices were accurate, so take this with a pinch of salt.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design

As mentioned earlier, the watch is expected to come in two variants – a standard version and a Classic version. While the renders of both watches look similar at first glance, there would be some subtle differences between the two watches not just in terms of features or specs but even in terms of design. Both watches are expected to come with IP68 water resistance.

The standard Galaxy Watch in this generation is expected to have a 1.19-inch circular dial with an OLED display just like all Samsung Watches from the past few years. Samsung is expected to launch the watch in multiple color variants to appeal to a larger audience. They might also introduce funky and colorful options apart from the usual black and white to attract a younger audience as well. The Galaxy Watch 4 might come with an aluminum chassis and a touch-capacitive bezel surrounding the display, just like the Galaxy Watch Active.

The Classic edition, on the other hand, is expected to be a slightly more premium smartwatch with a stainless steel body flanked by two buttons on the right edge, something that can be seen in the renders of the standard variant as well. Unlike the touch-capacitive bezel on the normal version, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classis is rumored to get a rotating bezel around the circular dial. This has been a marquee feature on the Galaxy Watch series and is quite reminiscent of some mechanical watches.

Specifications and Features

A recent report from SamMobile suggested that the new Galaxy Watch could feature the best hardware that we’ve ever seen on a smartwatch. This can be attributed to the new Exynos W920 chipset that is supposedly going to be used on the Galaxy Watch 4. The new chipset can apparently achieve up to 1.25 times faster processing speeds and 8.8 times better graphics performance compared to the Exynos 9110 found on previous Galaxy Watches.

The Galaxy Watch series will reportedly have 16GB of internal storage and 1.5GB of RAM which is comparatively higher than what’s found on some other watches. The higher RAM will allow smoother operation of the watch especially given that Wear OS is a heavier platform compared to Tizen. The increased internal storage will allow users to install more apps and games on the watch since the library of apps on the Play Store is much larger.

If we have to mention some new features that are expected, Max Weinbach, a renowned tipster claimed that the Galaxy Watch Active 4 would come with a BIA sensor which stands for Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis. This would allow for body composition readings, something that’s usually seen on body scales. The Galaxy Watch 4 might allow users to track the water content, fat levels, muscle mass, etc. in their body which will be a huge benefit for fitness enthusiasts.

Galaxy Watch4. BIA sensor.

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) June 25, 2021

There were some rumors about Blood Glucose monitoring coming to the Galaxy Watch 4 series, but more recent reports say that it might not be happening this year. We’ll have to wait to see if it actually makes its way and Samsung one-ups Apple. Blood pressure monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, and ECG are features that we might see in the Galaxy Watch 4.

Battery life is another thing to look out for on the Galaxy Watch 4. Wear OS has traditionally been terrible with battery consumption whereas previous Galaxy Watches have faired quite well due to the fact that Tizen wasn’t as power-hungry. It would be interesting to see what improvements Samsung has made to Wear OS to make sure it doesn’t drain the watch by evening.

Software: OneUI Watch

The biggest highlight of the new Galaxy Watch is going to be the software the watch will run on. As mentioned earlier, Samsung is going to be using a build of WearOS combined with their own set of features that Tizen and Samsung, in general, have been known for. At MWC recently, Samsung announced that it’s going to be calling this platform OneUI Watch to maintain the branding uniformity with their custom UI on Android.

OneUI Watch will aim to provide a consistent user experience and look with other Galaxy devices. There are some features that Samsung showed off that make using the watch easier. Auto app installation will install the Wear OS version of any app that you install on your phone, provided it’s available. The Settings menu on OneUI Watch looks similar to what we see on OneUI on Samsung’s phones.

The biggest advantage of OneUI Watch being based on Wear OS would be that users will now have access to the Google Play Store to download their favorite apps and games. The collection of apps on the Play Store and the number of developers making apps for Wear OS are much higher compared to Samsung’s own Tizen app store. Even in terms of customization and watch faces, users will now have a larger variety to choose from.

A recent leak from SamMobile shows the user interface of OneUI Watch supposedly running on the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.

And the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic… pic.twitter.com/Hc4bC2Lhrj

— SamMobile (@SamMobiles) July 27, 2021

By these clips, you can probably figure out that the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic goes for a traditional, mechanical watch look with subdued colors and icons. The watch faces also look a lot more formal than the ones you can see on the regular Galaxy Watch 4.

---

This is everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 so far. We’re less than two weeks away from the launch and all the speculations will turn into confirmed information on the 11th of August. Are you excited about the Galaxy Watch 4? This seems like the best Android smartwatch in a while going by the leaks and rumors, and it’s finally looking like the Apple Watch could have a worthy competitor on the Android side of things.

The post Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Rumor Roundup: Everything we know about the upcoming Wear OS Watch! appeared first on xda-developers.

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You can now pre-order the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders from ASUS

Qualcomm recently made headlines when it unveiled a phone called “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders,” a powerhouse of a phone made in collocation with ASUS. As Qualcomm pointed out at launch, it’s not aimed at average consumers. Rather the phone caters to Snapdragon Insiders, a community of Snapdragon fans and enthusiasts that Qualcomm announced in March. If you consider yourself a Snapdragon fan and wanted to get your hands on the new phone, you can now place your pre-order.

Pre-orders for the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders are now open in the US from ASUS’s eShop website. The phone comes in a single 16GB/512GB variant priced at $1,499 and also bundles a free pair of MW08SI earbuds from Master & Dynamic. For context, the phone costs more than the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Sony’s Xperia 1 III. But we have to keep in mind that it’s not aimed at average consumers.

Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders XDA Forums

The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders will also be making its way to other markets such as the UK, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, China, and India, though Qualcomm or ASUS hasn’t shared an exact date.

Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders: Specifications

Specification	Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
Dimensions and Weight	173.15 x 77.25 x 9.5mm 210g
Display	6.78″ 20.4:9 (2448 x 1080) Samsung AMOLED 144Hz refresh rate Delta-E < 1 800 nits outdoor-readable brightness 1,200 nits peak brightness HDR10 and HDR10+ certified 111.23% DCI-P3, 106.87% NTSC, 150.89% sRGB color gamut coverage Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888: 1x Kryo 680 Prime Core @ 2.84GHz 3x Kryo 680 Performance Cores @ 2.4GHz 4x Kryo 680 Efficiency Cores @ 1.8GHz Adreno 660 Snapdragon Elite Gaming features
RAM and Storage	16GB LPDDR5 512GB UFS 3.1 (non-expandable)
Battery & Charging	4,000mAh battery 65W fast charger Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 support
Rear Camera	Primary: Sony IMX686 64 MP image sensor 1/1.73” large sensor size 0.8 µm pixel size f/1.8 aperture 26.6 mm equivalent focal length 6P lens 78.3° field of view 2×1 On-chip-lens phase detection autofocus 4-axis, optical image stabilization Dual LED flash Instant cameras switching Secondary: (Ultra-wide) Sony IMX363 12 MP dual pixel image sensor 1/2.55” sensor size 1.4 µm pixel size f/2.2 aperture Real-time distortion correction 4.3 mm equivalent focal length Supports 4 cm Macro shots Tertiary: (Telephoto) 8MP 3x optical zoom 12x digital zoom 8K video recording at 30fps 4K video recording at 60fps/30fps
Front Camera	24MP
Ports	USB Type-C port
Connectivity	3rd Gen Snapdragon X60 5G modem 5G: Sub-6GHz mmWave NFC Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 Wi-Fi 6/Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Snapdragon Sound Navigation: GPS (L1/L5) GLONASS (L1) BDS(B1/B2a) GALILEO (E1/E5a) QZSS (L1/L5) NavIC (L5)
Audio & Security	Audio Dual stereo speakers Four HDR microphones with 111dB dynamic range Snapdragon Sound Technology with multiple listening profiles including music, videos, games, and voice enhancements No 3.5mm headphone jack Security Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 (rear-mounted)
Software	Android 11

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How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone to give it a fresh new look!

Every smartphone comes with a default ROM or UI pre-installed. It can be AOSP-based with not a lot of added features, more commonly referred to as Stock Android, or it can be a custom skin from a particular brand. Samsung phones, for example, use a custom UX based on Android called OneUI. Xiaomi phones use MIUI, Oppo uses ColorOS, OnePlus uses OxygenOS, etc. Every UI looks different and has a different set of features.

While some may like a certain UI or skin, others may not. Some users prefer a feature-rich interface with the ability to install themes and modify system elements while some may want a clean, simple experience with no frills. This is where installing a custom Android ROM comes into the picture.

A custom ROM essentially replaces the stock ROM or skin on your phone with the one you choose to install. For example, if you have a Xiaomi or Redmi phone running on MIUI but you don’t like the interface, you can install a custom ROM that will change the UI to stock Android or something else you like.

There are multiple benefits to installing a custom Android ROM. If the UI you’re currently using has a lot of ads or bloatware, you can install a custom ROM to get rid of them. If your phone’s OEM has stopped updating your device and you’re stuck on an older Android version, you can use a custom ROM based on a newer version of Android. If you like a different OEM’s UI and want to try it on your phone, you can install a custom ROM.

Now that you know what a custom ROM can do, let’s tell you how you can install it on your Android phone. Note that there’s no universal custom ROM, although Project Treble somewhat materialized it by introducing the concept of the Generic System Image (GSI). While it is possible to install a GSI sprinkled with all the goodies from your favorite custom ROM, keep in mind that it may not offer you the same level of stability and performance that you can get from a fine-tuned dedicated custom ROM for your device. So with all of this being said, you’ll have to install a ROM that’s specifically made for your phone. Failing to do so may result in bricking your phone. You’ll then have to find ways to recover it or take it to the service center.

Note: Installing a custom ROM can void the warranty on some devices since it involves unlocking the bootloader. Proceed with caution as you can cause temporary/permanent damage to your device if you don’t follow all the steps correctly.

Sometimes, installation instructions can have some variations depending on your device. These are generic instructions. Please double-check with your device forums for variations.

Pre-requisites to Install a Custom ROM

There are certain things you need before you can start installing a custom Android ROM on your phone. Let’s go over all of them so your device is ready for the installation process.

• An Android device.
• An unlocked bootloader (if you don’t know how to unlock the bootloader of your phone, head over to the XDA Forums and search for your device name followed by “unlock bootloader” and you’ll find a guide. The process is different for every phone so make sure you follow the one specifically meant for your device.)
• A custom recovery: TWRP is a good option, you can follow our detailed guide to install TWRP on your phone. However, some custom ROMs have specific recommendations on the recovery you need to use, so please follow that if such instructions are present.
• A custom ROM zip file that you want to install (again, head over to the XDA Forums and search for your device, go through all the available ROMs, and choose the one you want to install.)
  • Please note again that custom ROM installation instructions can and do vary by device and ROM. If your ROM of choice comes with its own instructions, please follow them instead of this guide. This guide is a general list of instructions and does not take into account any special device instructions.
• GApps or Google Apps.
• A little bit of patience.

How to Install a Custom ROM

Now you have everything ready to install a custom ROM, we can begin the process.

Step 0: Back up your data

There’s one more thing you need to do before starting the installation though, and that’s to make a backup of all your data. We have a detailed guide to help you back up every aspect of your phone’s data so make sure you do that so it’s easy to restore your data once you install a new ROM.

Step 1: Downloading the correct ROM

As we mentioned earlier, the best way to do this is to head over to the XDA Forums for your device and look for a ROM that best suits your needs. Custom ROMs are device-specific so download a ROM that’s made specifically for your device. Also, there can be multiple variants of the same device based on carrier, region, etc. so keep this in mind too. Locate the appropriate custom ROM for your exact device. If you’re not sure, ask about compatibility in the XDA Forums.

Once you’ve found the ROM you want to install, download the zip file either on your computer or on your phone. Note that you will need to data wipe your phone in some of the later steps, so it is advisable to do the file transfer later on, after the data wipe — but ensure that your phone can connect to your computer and can receive files, just to be clear that your device drivers are in place. Later on, you will need to copy the ROM file to the root of your phone’s internal storage. Don’t extract the zip file.

Step 2: Downloading GApps or Google Apps

Custom ROMs do not come with Google’s apps and services pre-installed (with the exception of a few). So if you want to be able to sign in with your Google account and use Google’s services like Sync, Play Store, Gmail, Drive, etc., you’ll need to install a separate GApps package. There are multiple variants of GApps you can install. You can refer to our guide on finding the right Gapps package for you and download one that’s appropriate for you. This will also be in the form of a zip file. Download and transfer it to your phone’s internal storage. You can also install them right from your PC/Mac if you opt for the adb sideload method.

Note: Some custom ROMs like Pixel Experience come with GApps pre-installed. In such cases, you don’t have to flash the GApps file separately.

Step 3: Booting into TWRP

Once you’ve copied the ROM and GApps files to your phone’s internal memory, it’s time to boot into TWRP to flash the files. If you’re not familiar with booting into recovery mode on your phone, we have a guide telling you how to boot into recovery on your phone so you can follow that to boot into TWRP. Once you’re in TWRP, there are a few things you need to do before installing the ROM which we’ll go over in the next step.

Step 4: Installing the Custom ROM

Once you’re in TWRP, it’s a good idea to take a nandroid backup of your entire system before proceeding further. This can be useful in case you end up with a failed installation. You’ll be able to boot into TWRP and restore the backup to go back to the previous state of your device.

• To do this, select the Backup option in TWRP and select Boot, System Image, Data, Modem, and EFS, and then Swipe to backup. Wait till it’s done.

• This step will wipe your entire phone: Go back to the main menu of TWRP and select Wipe. Then, Swipe to Factory Reset. Select the Format Data option and type in ‘yes’ and select the tick mark to format your phone. Note that formatting the /data partition will need you to reboot once so that TWRP can properly identify the newly created file system.

• Moreover, since the internal memory of the device is wiped during formatting, you must copy the ROM and GApps files once again to your phone’s storage.
  • You can do this from within TWRP itself. Head over to the Mount section and select the Enable MTP option.
  • Now, connect your phone to your PC and it should be detected as a storage device. Transfer the ROM and gapps files.

• Once done, go back to the main menu on TWRP and select Install. Browse to the location where you saved the ROM and GApps files. First, select the ROM and Swipe to Install it.
  • Head back to the previous menu and select the GApps file. Install that as well. Once the installation is complete, select Reboot to System.
  • If your installation does not boot with this sequence of steps, you may need to flash/install the ROM, reboot back into recovery, and then flash the GApps file. This additional reboot is needed in some cases.

You now have a custom Android ROM installed on your phone! Wait for your phone to boot up. It may take a while for the initial boot process so don’t panic, your phone will boot into the setup process.

That’s how you can install a custom Android ROM on your phone. It’s a fairly simple process and with a little bit of time and patience, you can enjoy a fresh new ROM on your phone with added features, customization, theming, and more. If you installed a custom ROM and you don’t like it or it has issues, just download a new ROM and repeat the installation process.

The post How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone to give it a fresh new look! appeared first on xda-developers.

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You can now pre-order the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders from ASUS

Qualcomm recently made headlines when it unveiled a phone called “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders,” a powerhouse of a phone made in collocation with ASUS. As Qualcomm pointed out at launch, it’s not aimed at average consumers. Rather the phone caters to Snapdragon Insiders, a community of Snapdragon fans and enthusiasts that Qualcomm announced in March. If you consider yourself a Snapdragon fan and wanted to get your hands on the new phone, you can now place your pre-order.

Pre-orders for the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders are now open in the US from ASUS’s eShop website. The phone comes in a single 16GB/512GB variant priced at $1,499 and also bundles a free pair of MW08SI earbuds from Master & Dynamic. For context, the phone costs more than the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Sony’s Xperia 1 III. But we have to keep in mind that it’s not aimed at average consumers.

Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders XDA Forums

The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders will also be making its way to other markets such as the UK, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, China, and India, though Qualcomm or ASUS hasn’t shared an exact date.

Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders: Specifications

Specification	Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
Dimensions and Weight	173.15 x 77.25 x 9.5mm 210g
Display	6.78″ 20.4:9 (2448 x 1080) Samsung AMOLED 144Hz refresh rate Delta-E < 1 800 nits outdoor-readable brightness 1,200 nits peak brightness HDR10 and HDR10+ certified 111.23% DCI-P3, 106.87% NTSC, 150.89% sRGB color gamut coverage Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888: 1x Kryo 680 Prime Core @ 2.84GHz 3x Kryo 680 Performance Cores @ 2.4GHz 4x Kryo 680 Efficiency Cores @ 1.8GHz Adreno 660 Snapdragon Elite Gaming features
RAM and Storage	16GB LPDDR5 512GB UFS 3.1 (non-expandable)
Battery & Charging	4,000mAh battery 65W fast charger Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 support
Rear Camera	Primary: Sony IMX686 64 MP image sensor 1/1.73” large sensor size 0.8 µm pixel size f/1.8 aperture 26.6 mm equivalent focal length 6P lens 78.3° field of view 2×1 On-chip-lens phase detection autofocus 4-axis, optical image stabilization Dual LED flash Instant cameras switching Secondary: (Ultra-wide) Sony IMX363 12 MP dual pixel image sensor 1/2.55” sensor size 1.4 µm pixel size f/2.2 aperture Real-time distortion correction 4.3 mm equivalent focal length Supports 4 cm Macro shots Tertiary: (Telephoto) 8MP 3x optical zoom 12x digital zoom 8K video recording at 30fps 4K video recording at 60fps/30fps
Front Camera	24MP
Ports	USB Type-C port
Connectivity	3rd Gen Snapdragon X60 5G modem 5G: Sub-6GHz mmWave NFC Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 Wi-Fi 6/Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Snapdragon Sound Navigation: GPS (L1/L5) GLONASS (L1) BDS(B1/B2a) GALILEO (E1/E5a) QZSS (L1/L5) NavIC (L5)
Audio & Security	Audio Dual stereo speakers Four HDR microphones with 111dB dynamic range Snapdragon Sound Technology with multiple listening profiles including music, videos, games, and voice enhancements No 3.5mm headphone jack Security Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 (rear-mounted)
Software	Android 11

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How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone to give it a fresh new look!

Every smartphone comes with a default ROM or UI pre-installed. It can be AOSP-based with not a lot of added features, more commonly referred to as Stock Android, or it can be a custom skin from a particular brand. Samsung phones, for example, use a custom UX based on Android called OneUI. Xiaomi phones use MIUI, Oppo uses ColorOS, OnePlus uses OxygenOS, etc. Every UI looks different and has a different set of features.

While some may like a certain UI or skin, others may not. Some users prefer a feature-rich interface with the ability to install themes and modify system elements while some may want a clean, simple experience with no frills. This is where installing a custom Android ROM comes into the picture.

A custom ROM essentially replaces the stock ROM or skin on your phone with the one you choose to install. For example, if you have a Xiaomi or Redmi phone running on MIUI but you don’t like the interface, you can install a custom ROM that will change the UI to stock Android or something else you like.

There are multiple benefits to installing a custom Android ROM. If the UI you’re currently using has a lot of ads or bloatware, you can install a custom ROM to get rid of them. If your phone’s OEM has stopped updating your device and you’re stuck on an older Android version, you can use a custom ROM based on a newer version of Android. If you like a different OEM’s UI and want to try it on your phone, you can install a custom ROM.

Now that you know what a custom ROM can do, let’s tell you how you can install it on your Android phone. Note that there’s no universal custom ROM, although Project Treble somewhat materialized it by introducing the concept of the Generic System Image (GSI). While it is possible to install a GSI sprinkled with all the goodies from your favorite custom ROM, keep in mind that it may not offer you the same level of stability and performance that you can get from a fine-tuned dedicated custom ROM for your device. So with all of this being said, you’ll have to install a ROM that’s specifically made for your phone. Failing to do so may result in bricking your phone. You’ll then have to find ways to recover it or take it to the service center.

Note: Installing a custom ROM can void the warranty on some devices since it involves unlocking the bootloader. Proceed with caution as you can cause temporary/permanent damage to your device if you don’t follow all the steps correctly.

Sometimes, installation instructions can have some variations depending on your device. These are generic instructions. Please double-check with your device forums for variations.

Pre-requisites to Install a Custom ROM

There are certain things you need before you can start installing a custom Android ROM on your phone. Let’s go over all of them so your device is ready for the installation process.

• An Android device.
• An unlocked bootloader (if you don’t know how to unlock the bootloader of your phone, head over to the XDA Forums and search for your device name followed by “unlock bootloader” and you’ll find a guide. The process is different for every phone so make sure you follow the one specifically meant for your device.)
• A custom recovery: TWRP is a good option, you can follow our detailed guide to install TWRP on your phone. However, some custom ROMs have specific recommendations on the recovery you need to use, so please follow that if such instructions are present.
• A custom ROM zip file that you want to install (again, head over to the XDA Forums and search for your device, go through all the available ROMs, and choose the one you want to install.)
  • Please note again that custom ROM installation instructions can and do vary by device and ROM. If your ROM of choice comes with its own instructions, please follow them instead of this guide. This guide is a general list of instructions and does not take into account any special device instructions.
• GApps or Google Apps.
• A little bit of patience.

How to Install a Custom ROM

Now you have everything ready to install a custom ROM, we can begin the process.

Step 0: Back up your data

There’s one more thing you need to do before starting the installation though, and that’s to make a backup of all your data. We have a detailed guide to help you back up every aspect of your phone’s data so make sure you do that so it’s easy to restore your data once you install a new ROM.

Step 1: Downloading the correct ROM

As we mentioned earlier, the best way to do this is to head over to the XDA Forums for your device and look for a ROM that best suits your needs. Custom ROMs are device-specific so download a ROM that’s made specifically for your device. Also, there can be multiple variants of the same device based on carrier, region, etc. so keep this in mind too. Locate the appropriate custom ROM for your exact device. If you’re not sure, ask about compatibility in the XDA Forums.

Once you’ve found the ROM you want to install, download the zip file either on your computer or on your phone. Note that you will need to data wipe your phone in some of the later steps, so it is advisable to do the file transfer later on, after the data wipe — but ensure that your phone can connect to your computer and can receive files, just to be clear that your device drivers are in place. Later on, you will need to copy the ROM file to the root of your phone’s internal storage. Don’t extract the zip file.

Step 2: Downloading GApps or Google Apps

Custom ROMs do not come with Google’s apps and services pre-installed (with the exception of a few). So if you want to be able to sign in with your Google account and use Google’s services like Sync, Play Store, Gmail, Drive, etc., you’ll need to install a separate GApps package. There are multiple variants of GApps you can install. You can refer to our guide on finding the right Gapps package for you and download one that’s appropriate for you. This will also be in the form of a zip file. Download and transfer it to your phone’s internal storage. You can also install them right from your PC/Mac if you opt for the adb sideload method.

Note: Some custom ROMs like Pixel Experience come with GApps pre-installed. In such cases, you don’t have to flash the GApps file separately.

Step 3: Booting into TWRP

Once you’ve copied the ROM and GApps files to your phone’s internal memory, it’s time to boot into TWRP to flash the files. If you’re not familiar with booting into recovery mode on your phone, we have a guide telling you how to boot into recovery on your phone so you can follow that to boot into TWRP. Once you’re in TWRP, there are a few things you need to do before installing the ROM which we’ll go over in the next step.

Step 4: Installing the Custom ROM

Once you’re in TWRP, it’s a good idea to take a nandroid backup of your entire system before proceeding further. This can be useful in case you end up with a failed installation. You’ll be able to boot into TWRP and restore the backup to go back to the previous state of your device.

• To do this, select the Backup option in TWRP and select Boot, System Image, Data, Modem, and EFS, and then Swipe to backup. Wait till it’s done.

• This step will wipe your entire phone: Go back to the main menu of TWRP and select Wipe. Then, Swipe to Factory Reset. Select the Format Data option and type in ‘yes’ and select the tick mark to format your phone. Note that formatting the /data partition will need you to reboot once so that TWRP can properly identify the newly created file system.

• Moreover, since the internal memory of the device is wiped during formatting, you must copy the ROM and GApps files once again to your phone’s storage.
  • You can do this from within TWRP itself. Head over to the Mount section and select the Enable MTP option.
  • Now, connect your phone to your PC and it should be detected as a storage device. Transfer the ROM and gapps files.

• Once done, go back to the main menu on TWRP and select Install. Browse to the location where you saved the ROM and GApps files. First, select the ROM and Swipe to Install it.
  • Head back to the previous menu and select the GApps file. Install that as well. Once the installation is complete, select Reboot to System.
  • If your installation does not boot with this sequence of steps, you may need to flash/install the ROM, reboot back into recovery, and then flash the GApps file. This additional reboot is needed in some cases.

You now have a custom Android ROM installed on your phone! Wait for your phone to boot up. It may take a while for the initial boot process so don’t panic, your phone will boot into the setup process.

That’s how you can install a custom Android ROM on your phone. It’s a fairly simple process and with a little bit of time and patience, you can enjoy a fresh new ROM on your phone with added features, customization, theming, and more. If you installed a custom ROM and you don’t like it or it has issues, just download a new ROM and repeat the installation process.

The post How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone to give it a fresh new look! appeared first on xda-developers.

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