Google revealed a statue for the release of Android 11 this week, complete with an augmented reality experience for your phone. Google used to make a slightly bigger deal of revealing a special statue at the launch of each new version of Android, each with their own unique desert. The donut, the Oreo, the Nougat, and so forth. The latest statue is... the number 11.
LG doesn't yet have a flagship phone that could go head to head with the Galaxy Note 20 or even the upcoming iPhone 12. If rumors are correct, its new LG Wing and its swiveling screens won't be either. Doesn't mean that its current contender is in anyway forgettable, even if the spec sheet is. Except for one or two optional gimmicks, the LG Velvet could prove to be refreshing in being normal, including in being one thin but solid phone.
The walls are seemingly closing in on Huawei as the beleaguered Chinese company continues to lose suppliers and potential reprieves in light of the US' increasing export restrictions against it. Next week will see the implementation of new rules that would prevent Huawei from having access even to semiconductors and materials needed to manufacture its products and it seems that South Korean companies Samsung and SK Hynix are among those withdrawing their products from a lucrative customer.
For the longest time, smartphones from Chinese brands have been regarded as nothing more than iPhone copycats, both in hardware design and in software user experience. That is mostly history by now, with almost all the major brands like OPPO and Xiaomi moving away from that stereotype and developing their own distinct identities and features. This year, OPPO is taking things further by doing what few of its peers usually do to become one of the first smartphone makers to make the shiny new Android 11 available to users, at least in beta form.
A lot more people are spending their time online these days but those are probably done on their desktops and laptops. There will come a time, however, when they will have to leave the comfort and safety of their homes but moving their information from computer to mobile isn't always as seamless as moving from your desk to your car. Sure, Google Chrome can sync your tabs but what about that meticulously planned driving route you made? You can now transfer that to your phone, too, provided you were using Waze in the first place.
ZTE claims to have successfully pulled off what other companies like Samsung are taking forever to do. Of course, we're still waiting for hard, real-world evidence that the Axon 20 5G's under-display camera is all that it's advertised to be. ZTE is wasting no time trying to prove that it's theory is sound but one pair of photos may reveal just exactly what the ZTE Axon 20 5G's under-display camera looks like, up-close, personal, and with a flat color background.
With Android 11, Google created a halfway point between the user and a variety of "control apps." The first major control app that'll utilize this most powerful Android 11 feature is Google Home. The feature's formal name is "Quick Access Device Controls" and it may change the way you use your smartphone, in a big way, from this point forward.
With the release of Android 11, Google revealed a set of features that they delivered to Pixel phones that won't appear on phones from other manufacturers. This set of features is largely focused on allowing you to "focus on connecting with those close to you." Features also include smart routine learning and suggestions editing as well as a new UI and controls for handling screenshots!
Today you're going to get Android 11 on your smartphone, provided you own one of a select list of devices from Google (Pixel), OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, or realme. This new version of Android includes built-in screen recording, "bubbles", and new media controls. This update includes easy access for all connected smart devices from your phone, wireless Android Auto, and a collection of features that are exclusive to Google Pixel smartphones.
This week the folks at Google published an update on their "Verified Calls" system for smartphones. This system was in the works for some time, coming to fruition here in the year 2020 for what should be a long-term feature on smartphones of many sorts. This new "Verified Calls by Google" feature may be on your phone in the very near future.
Today we've got a no-nonsense leaked look at the Motorola RAZR 5G, the next high-end smartphone from Motorola. This device has an old-school flip-phone look on the outside and a foldable display inside with Android. This device and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G are the biggest competitors of one-another in late 2020 - so let's take a peek.
It seems that this will be a year of many changes for OnePlus and not just because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has finally given what fans have been asking for in the form of a more affordable but mid-range OnePlus Nord. It is also revamping its OxygenOS user experience in a major way that seems to be ruffling its own fans' feathers. Now the latest word is that it won't be launching a Pro model to accompany the OnePlus 8T next month.