Redmi Note 8 Pro Starts Receiving MIUI 12 Update in India

Redmi Note 8 Pro users in India will now be able to experience the latest software, MIUI 12, as the company has started its rollout. The development has been shared by MIUI India's social media handles. The Redmi Note 8 series including the Pro and the vanilla variant are part of the first wave of phones to start receiving MIUI 12 and the company seems to have delivered on its promise of rolling out the update this month. The MIUI 12 update for the Redmi Note 8 Pro brings all the features that were announced with the new Android-based operating system back in April.

MIUI India shared the development on its Facebook and Twitter handles, letting Redmi Note 8 Pro users know they can now download the update. It comes with version MIUI12 V12.0.1.0 and Redmi Note 8 Pro users can head to Settings > About phone > System updates, and tap on Download to start the updating process. Xiaomi has not shared if it is a phased rollout so, we have reached out to the company for the same and will update this space when we get a response.

Redmi Note 8 Pro users in India will get the new and updated UI experience with MIUI 12 with reworked system-wide animations. The latest OS iteration also brings enhanced privacy protection, better multi-tasking experience, and an app drawer. The Dark Mode has been improved as well and Xiaomi has added an ultra-battery saver option to prolong the phone's battery life. As per the changelog shared by a Twitter user, the update comes with build number V12.0.1.0 QGGINXM and is 641MB in size.

The MIUI 12 update for the Redmi Note 8 Pro follows the Mi 10, Redmi Note 9, and Poco X2, all of which have received the update this month itself. The Redmi Note 8 Pro was launched in India in October last year with MIUI 10, based on Android 9 Pie. It was updated to MIUI 11 in November and now, about nine months later, it gets the latest OS iteration, MIUI 12.

As of now, there is no information on the MIUI 12 update for the Redmi Note 8 but it is said to receive the same this month itself.

Oppo Reno 5 Series Rumoured to Use Unannounced Snapdragon 775G, Snapdragon 860 SoCs

Oppo Reno 5 series seems to be in development and may come with Snapdragon 775G and Snapdragon 860 SoCs, a tipster claimed on the Chinese micro-blogging website Weibo. The series is said to include the Oppo Reno 5, Oppo Reno 5 Pro, and the Oppo Reno 5 Pro+ phones. Notably, Qualcomm has neither announced the Snapdragon 775G nor Snapdragon 860 SoC. Oppo has also not shared any information about the Reno 5 series. The Chinese company recently brought the Oppo Reno 4 Pro to the India.

A tipster who goes by the pseudonym Really Asen Jun (translated) posted on Weibo the names of the rumoured Oppo Reno 5 series phones and the processors that they will come with. The Oppo Reno 5 is said to come with the currently unannounced Qualcomm Snapdragon 775G SoC while the Oppo Reno 5 Pro and Reno 5 Pro+ are said to come with the unannounced Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC. Beyond this, the Weibo post does not give any more information on the rumoured phones.

From the nomenclature of the processors, the Snapdragon 775G SoC seems to be an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 765G while the Snapdragon 860 seems to be a toned down version of the Snapdragon 865 SoC. Notably, rumours of the Snapdragon 860 surfaced earlier this month when a known Chinese tipster with the pseudonym Digital Chat Station (translated) shared that this processor was mentioned in an Oppo meeting.

Oppo brought the Oppo Reno 4 Pro to India at the end of July. The phone is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC. It comes with a 6.5-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) Super AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and up to 180Hz touch sampling rate. The phone sports a quad rear camera setup and a single selfie camera housed within the hole-punch cut out. The Oppo Reno 4 Pro has a 4,000mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging support.

Vivo Y20, Vivo Y20i specifications Leaked, Snapdragon 460 SoC and 5,000mAh Battery Tipped

Vivo Y20 and Vivo Y20i alleged specifications have leaked through marketing material, shared by a known tipster on Twitter. The two phones seem to be powered by the Snapdragon 460 SoC and carry mostly the same specifications, except for the RAM, colour options, and charging speed. Recently, a Vivo phone with model number V2027 was spotted on the Indonesian certification database and Geekbench website, also suggesting the Snapdragon 460 SoC. As of now, Vivo has not shared any official information on the Vivo Y20 series.

Vivo Y20, Vivo Y20i specifications (expected)

From the image of the alleged marketing material shared on Twitter by known tipster Mukul Sharma, it can be seen that the Vivo Y20 and Vivo Y20i will run on Funtouch OS 10.5, based on Android 10. The phones are said to feature 6.51-inch Halo FullView displays. The processor, as mentioned earlier, is listed as the Snapdragon 460 and while the Vivo Y20 specifications show 4GB RAM, the Vivo Y20i is listed with 3GB of RAM.

In terms of optics, the two phones are said to come with triple rear camera setups that will include a 13-megapixel primary shooter, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel portrait camera. On the front, the phones are rumoured to come with an 8-megapixel shooter that is housed in a notch.

The Vivo Y20 and the Vivo Y20i are expected to come with 5,000mAh batteries. The charging speed is different on the two phones with the Vivo Y20 supporting 18W fast charging and the Vivo Y20 supporting “Normal Charging.” Both phones are said to come with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Lastly, while the Vivo Y20 is listed with Obsidian Black and Dawn White colour options, the Vivo Y20i replaces the Obsidian Black with Nebula Blue and retains the Dawn White option.

Vivo is yet to confirm these specifications, so take these with a pinch of salt. Also, there is no mention of a release date or pricing for the two phones.

Moto G9 Launching in India on August 24, Motorola Accidentally Reveals

Moto G9 is coming and the phone will be making its debut in India. Both e-retailer Flipkart and Motorola have been teasing the launch of “something big” for days now and while neither has officially revealed exactly which phone is going to be unveiled, the Lenovo-owned company itself has let it slip that we will see Moto G9 on Monday, August 24. It remains unclear whether Motorola will just unveil Moto G9 or other rumoured Moto G9-series phones like Moto G9 Plus and Moto G9 Play as well.

Motorola India is teasing the fans on Twitter about the new launch and sharing link of a Flipkart teaser page for the phone. This URL that the company is sharing clearly mentions Moto G9 name, thus revealing what we are going to see next week.

Moto G9 launch

Motorola is teasing that it will launch the new phone at 12pm (noon) on August 24; however, the company isn't hosting a virtual launch to unveil the new phone and it will simply announce the phone on social media and Flipkart at 12pm.

 

Moto G9 features, specifications (expected)

Surprisingly, Motorola has been able to keep a tight lid of Moto G9 leaks and rumours and we are yet to hear anything credible about this upcoming phone. If Motorola's previous Moto G series record is any indication, we will likely see a mid-range smartphone.

As per a teaser page on Flipkart, Moto G9 will offer “spectacular performance” and will carry “stunning camera” and a “massive battery.” While most of these adjectives don't really mean anything, considering every smartphone by every company does everything “spectacularly,” the “massive battery” does suggest the presence of at least 5,000mAh battery or more on the phone.

Further, the teaser page mentions the presence of Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC on the phone, the exact model isn't clear though. Flipkart is also teasing that the phone will be able to take good photos in low light.

In other titbits present on the Flipkart page, we see an outline of the phone that indicates the presence of a waterdrop-style notch on the phone as well as a slightly thicker chin. Other bezels are noticeable thinner.

Moto G9 and any other Moto G9 series phone launched on August 24 will succeed the Moto G8 series in the country that includes phones like Moto G8 Plus and Moto G8 Power Lite.

Apple Days Sale: iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone XR Get Price Cuts on Flipkart

iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone XR are currently on sale on Flipkart as part of the Apple Days sale. The sale began today, August 22, and will continue through August 25. The iPhone SE (2020) is going for its cheapest price since it was launched in India in April. The phone brings Apple's flagship processor to a more budget friendly offering. The iPhone XR was launched in September of 2018, while the iPhone 11 made its debut last year in September.

Apple Days sale offers

The Apple Days sale is live on Flipkart and brings three of Apple's popular iPhone modes at discounted prices. The iPhone SE (2020) is listed at Rs. 35,999 for the 64GB storage variant that is lowest pricing yet since its launch in April. The 128GB storage mode is going for Rs. 40,999, while the 256GB variant is listed at Rs. 50,999. The launch price for the three variants in India was Rs. 42,500, Rs. 47,800, and Rs. 58,300, respectively. Flipkart is also offering up to Rs. 13,450 off on exchange and no cost EMI options starting at Rs. 5,667 per month.

The iPhone XR is currently going for Rs. 45,999 for the 64 GB variant on Flipkart and Rs. 51,999 for the 128GB variant as a part of the Apple Days sale. It is available in six colour options, including red, black, blue, coral, white, and yellow. You can avail the same discount as the iPhone SE (2020) with the exchange offer. No cost EMI plans start from Rs. 5,111 per month.

The iPhone 11 can also be purchased for as low as Rs. 63,300 for the 64GB variant with HDFC Bank credit card and debit card Rs. 5,000 instant discount offer. Before the discount, the phone is listed for Rs. 68,300 and you get the same exchange offer as well. No cost EMI plans start from Rs. 7,589 per month. The 128GB variant can be purchased at Rs. 68,600 with the Rs. 5,000 discount and the phone comes in five colour options.

The Apple Days sale on Flipkart will continue through August 25 so if you're interested in getting any of the three phones, this would be the right time.

Google Pixel 5 release date, price, news and leaks

The Google Pixel 5 is the next top-end phone we're expecting from Google after the Pixel 4a, a more mid-ranged offering, was officially unveiled in August. Compared to lots of other big phones coming soon, like the iPhone 12, we haven't been hearing too many leaks and rumors on the Pixel 5.

The Google Pixel 5 is the anticipated follow-up to 2019's Pixel 4, a great camera phone running stock Android with some top features, but also one or two big issues too. There will likely be a larger version called the Pixel 5 XL in the spirit of the Pixel 4 XL.

If precedent holds true, we'd expect to see the Google Pixel 5 around October 2020 - that being said, it's possible we might see it later, as the Pixel 4a was delayed due to the coronavirus' impact on the supply chain. But given Google has officially announced the Pixel 5 (called the Pixel 5G) would be coming in 2020, we're at least expecting it this year.

When the Google Pixel 4 phones launched in late 2019, we unsurprisingly loved their photo capabilities, but found they fell short in some other areas.

The shortfalls we saw in the Pixel 4 phones give us ideas for what we'd like to see in the Google Pixel 5, and since there aren't many real leaks or rumors about the upcoming Pixel 5 devices just yet, we've taken this opportunity to make a wish list for Google's next flagship smartphone.

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were popular devices, but didn't get quite the enthusiastic welcome that the Pixel 3 phones did, so the upcoming handsets could be Google's opportunity to wow buyers who may enjoy what Google does best. Read on to discover where we think the Google Pixel 5 could succeed.

Latest story: Google has officially announced the 5G-enabled Pixel 5 and stated it will come sometime in 2020, though we didn't get much more detail about what's coming in the tech giant's next flagship phone.