We knew it's name, we knew the highlights, and now it's time for the big news on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, the chipset flagship Android phones will be using in 2021. Latest in the SoC-maker's 5G portfolio, the Snapdragon 888 not only integrates a 5G modem but cranks up CPU and GPU performance for up to 144 fps and 4K gaming.
Apple's new iPhones this year might have 5G support as their headlining feature but they might be better remembered for their photography capabilities. At least as far as the biggest and most expensive iPhone 12 Pro Max is concerned, Apple is catching up with the top performers in DxOMark's benchmarks. Not all 2020 iPhones are created equal and not all of them have the same cameras. While the iPhone 12 Pro models are just two points shy of each other, the non-Pro iPhone 12 might leave some mobile photographers a bit wanting.
Although it's difficult to top the waves that Apple made with its M1 Silicon this year, its early 2021 device lineup won't be slouches either. There will be new iPad Pros that will use a new display technology but that might not be its only claim to fame. According to the latest tip, these high-end iPads won't just have 5G support nor just mmWave 5G even. They will, in fact, be the first to test Apple's in-house 5G antenna-in-package or AiP.
If you stand on the street for a random survey – should Apple launch a foldable iPhone – you’ll return with replies in the affirmative more often than expected. The foldable phone market has matured since the niggly launches of Samsung’s first foldable and the Motorola Razr. Phones unveiled in 2020 have less fragile displays, bendable screens do not cringe, hinges are better sealed against dust and water, and the handsets are working their way up to be as durable as our regular smartphones.
Smartphones have evolved a fair bit with regard to screen real estate – the bezels are as thin as they can get, front-facing cameras are no more a hindrance with under-display camera tech, and the display quality has gone through the roof in the last couple of years. Still, there is a lot more to be desired when we see the unique form factor of a foldable device or a rollable phone that’s eye-popping. So, what smartphone will be the most trusted design in terms of its display technology in a couple of years? Let’s find out.
The iPhone 12 mini has no right being the cheapest model in Apple's iPhone 12 family. Sure, on paper you're spending the smallest amount on the smallest display, but - like the most engaging gadgets - the spec comparisons simply don't capture the true charm. It may be mini in your hand, but the iPhone 12 mini maxes out on appeal.
There is still no official confirmation but there have been several reports that key companies have been granted licenses to export their products to Huawei. If true, things could be looking up for the Chinese tech giant, especially if Qualcomm is part of that list. It might have been too early to break out in celebration, though, as more information is surfacing on the terms of that exception. It turns out that while Huawei might not be running out of smartphone processors, it still won't be able to make smartphones that will be able to compete in an increasingly 5G market.
Pictures don't quite prepare you for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple's newest flagship sits at the top of a four phone family for 2020, and you could be forgiven for assuming that distinguishing between them would be tricky. The truth, though, is that the biggest of the iPhone 12 series - and indeed the biggest iPhone ever - stands out clearly, though in the process it forces you to decide just what your priorities are.
Qualcomm may have the lion's share of the mobile AP market but it's hardly the only one. Huawei's HiSilicon is probably out for now because of US bans but MediaTek is making up for lost time by flooding the market with countless chips. Samsung isn't taking this sitting down either, even if rumors about its semiconductor business are less than encouraging. In fact, it has just announced the new Exynos 1080 5G which, at least on paper, could give mid-range phones high-end features without going all out on the costs.
Apple may have come out strong with its new Apple M1, the first notebook chipset of its own design, but there's a conspicuous gap in the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13: 5G connectivity. In a year where Apple didn't just adopt 5G in iPhone, but embrace it wholeheartedly by including on every new iPhone 12 series device, the fact that it's not to be found in its new notebooks despite the ARM family resemblance seems like a missed opportunity.
BMW has revealed its first all-electric SUV headed to the US, with the iNEXT concept becoming the new BMW iX. Set to be officially launched in 2021, and then arrive in dealerships in the US the following year, the iX is still a work-in-progress, BMW says, though it already has some numbers to tease us with.
T-Mobile has announced another expansion of its Home Internet pilot, adding another 130 cities and towns to its roster. The home Internet service is powered by T-Mobile's LTE network, making it particularly appealing for people who live in rural and underserved locations where it's difficult to access high-speed broadband.