Today a set of sizes and colors leaked for the next major Samsung smartphone release. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ will bring a set of standard colors like black and gray - but also green, and copper. It'll be an interesting year, where we're not quite as wacky with the brightness that was the Galaxy Note 9, but not entirely basic, either.
The OnePlus brand made a name for itself with a set of creative endevors in low-cost, high-value smartphones. From the beginning, with the OnePlus One, the company aimed to be a master of the cult classic Android smartphone. In the last couple of years, OnePlus smartphone prices crept upward. In the year 2020, a new OnePlus 8 will cost you around $700 USD off-contract. This price structure may be about to change.
Today a wide variety of Pokemon were added to the game Pokemon GO before a set of events that'll change the Shiny Galar region forever. The regular Galarian Meowth will get a Shiny edition - instead of brown, it's a light dandelion yellow - nearly tan. Also in the mix: Galarian Ponyta, Rapidash, Slowpoke, Farfetch'd, Zigzagoon, Obstagoon, Darumaka, Darmanitan, and Garmanitan ZEN MODE!
There are plenty of reasons to love the Pixel 4 and 4 XL but there is also a lot to not like about it. It seems that its Project Soli-based radar is just as divisive, especially when it comes to its usefulness. Designed primarily for hands-free navigation of a limited number of apps, Google's ATAP research arm is now launching a "sandbox" app that perhaps aims to sell the idea of using that sensor for more things, at least if developers become interested enough.
Before the iPhone, Apple's most iconic mobile device didn't even allow you to communicate. The iPod was, for many years, the gold standard for portable music players. Then along came the iPhone and, later on, the iPod Touch was born to catch up. The two worlds would come together a couple of times but there was a time when the iPod Touch almost went off on its own direction again, putting a camera on the back of the iPod Touch 3 where no iPhone or iPod Touch ever would.
The saying goes that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and it almost seems that the once-proud flagship killer was heading in that direction. OnePlus upset the delicate balance of the old smartphone market but it couldn't stop the bigger powers of the economy from eventually pushing its prices up. Now OnePlus is reportedly going back to its roots and once again offer cheaper phones but its strategy might not be as straightforward as it sounds.
When consumers hear of 5G and its blazing fast speeds, most will probably think about Netflix and downloads. 5G's full potential, however, isn't limited to just that, of course, and it can enable a whole host of new experiences, including everyone's favorite AR/VR/XR. It's no surprise then that Qualcomm is pushing smartphones powered by its 5G technologies to drive the next wave of lightweight XR headsets that it says will finally arrive sometime within the next year.
Today we're taking a look at the next big Pokemon GO event, an event that would've been in-person if it hadn't been for our current global pandemic with COVID-19. This event will be held on June 25 and June 26, and it'll feature some of the world's most beloved and popular Pokemon. Where the 2019 global event was held in Chicago, Dortmund, and Yokohama, this year the events will take place with a "completely reimagined global event in virtual format."
The COVID-19 coronavirus has really changed the world as we know it. From canceled events to permanently closed businesses to new trends, our lives are slowly but surely being transformed to the point that things may never be the same again. This is the "new normal" that will be our world for the next months or even years and it will affect everything, including the mobile industry. We're already seeing some of the immediate effects of that and smartphone makers will have to adapt quickly or risk not only missing out on a new opportunity but also losing out in the market.
The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are about to get a new stack of abilities for both Fortnite and Dolby sound. The Fortnite part is an update thanks to a partnership between OnePlus and the folks at Epic Games. The Dolby bit is an unofficial unlock of full Dolby Atmos equalizer settings on OnePlus 8, OnePlus 7T, and OnePlus 7 series phones.
T-Mobile USA introduced RCS (rich messaging) to T-Mobile users back in the year 2015 for their USA-based network. Here in 2020, T-Mobile USA and Google teamed up to expand T-Mobile users' ability to work with RCS "when texting with Android users on other networks across the globe." This system will be interesting to see expand, as it requires a smartphone that supports RSC Universal Profile 1.0 while the person receiving messages to have the official Google Messages app.
It would seem only a matter of time before the iPhone is released without a Lightning port. Rumors over the past several years suggest that Apple's inclusion of Qi-standard wireless charging abilities in the iPhone point toward a completely port-free collection of handheld communication devices. An insider tip this week says Apple's not quite there yet with the iPhone 12 for 2020, but might be ready to roll in 2021.