Author: Sandeep Sarkar

iQOO is gearing up to add two new models to its flagship gaming smartphone series. The iQOO 9 and the iQOO 9 Pro are set for an official launch on January 5. Both handsets have now started popping up via leaks aggressively ahead of the upcoming launch. The latest comes in the form of the iQOO 9 and the iQOO 9 Pro’s listing on Geekbench. The processor and benchmark scores have been confirmed with the new benchmark website listing.

iQOO 9, iQOO 9 Pro Leaked Geekbench Specifications

Starting with the vanilla iQOO 9, this model has been listed on Geekbench with the V2171A model number. This variant is mentioned with an octa-core Qualcomm processor that is codenamed ‘taro’ and has a base frequency of 3.0GHz. Notably, this same chipset is also listed for the iQOO 9 Pro which bears the V2172A model number at the benchmark website.

While the names of the processor aren’t specified, it is clear that both units will be using Qualcomm’s new-gen flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. Both vanilla iQOO 9 and the iQOO 9 Pro have been spotted on the benchmark website with the latest Android 12 OS. We will get to see a custom in-house user interface on top.

The iQOO 9 and the iQOO 9 Pro will be announced with 12GB RAM as per the benchmark website. There could be other variants as well. However, the specifics are not known just yet. Likewise is the case with the storage capacity. There is no mention of it on the benchmark website. But, we are expecting a base 128GB storage capacity.

Coming to the benchmark performance, the vanilla iQOO 9 has scored 1,233 points in the single-core and 3,674 points in the multi-core test on Geekbench. On the other hand, the iQOO 9 Pro has achieved 1,277 points in the single-core test. In the multi-core test, the Pro model has logged 3,787 points.

Apart from the processor and benchmark performance, no other detail has been leaked by the Geekbench website. But, the iQOO 9 series is just a few days away from the official launch and the brand would soon start teasing the features via social media platforms.

Realme has scheduled a new launch event on January 4 where it is said to unwrap its most premium Android handset, i.e, the GT 2 Pro. The upcoming GT series handset is currently amongst the most anticipated flagships across the globe. It will be breaking covers initially in China before a global release. Thanks to all the recent mobile certification listings and other credible sources most of the GT 2 Pro specifications are known. Amidst all the leaks and rumors, the company has commenced blind sale. The listings at all the e-commerce portals have also confirmed the GT 2 Pro’s exact configurations.

Realme GT 2 Pro Blind Sale Starts

The Realme GT 2 Pro’s blind sales have commenced in China ahead of the January 4 launch. The device is being made available via online retailers such as JD.com, Tmall, and Suning. The bookings for this flagship GT 2 series handset can also be done via the company’s official online store in China. It is worth mentioning that the listing on these e-commerce portals doesn’t reveal the pricing details.

Rather, the exact configuration details have been confirmed by one of the listings (JD.com). As per the online listing, the Realme GT 2 Pro will be launched in a dual configuration where the base model will be packed with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration. The high-end variant is said to offer 12GB RAM and a 256GB storage option. This information corroborates with what the rumors and the certification websites have suggested earlier.

Another important detail confirmed by the Realme GT 2 Pro’s e-commerce listing is the presence of Master Edition variants. As many as two models by the brand have been tipped in this series. But we are yet to get confirmation from the brand itself related to the Realme GT 2 Pro Master Edition models.

Realme GT 2 Pro Blind Sale For India?

It is worth adding that the GT 2 Pro blind sale has gone live for the Chinese audience only. The company is yet to announce the GT 2 series global launch date including the one for the Indian market. Once the device gets closer to its India launch, the availability details would also surface.

With just a few days remaining for the year 2021, smartphone brands have started wrapping up their last run of product launches. Oppo after introducing its first foldable Android smartphone has now unveiled a new offering for the budget audience. The latest model has been launched in the “A” series and is dubbed A11s. The handset follows the latest trend of pocket-friendly Android phones and has arrived with a triple-rear camera setup and an HD+ LCD display.

Oppo A11s Specifications And Features

The Oppo A11s is driven by the Snapdragon 460 processor. This is an entry-level octa-core Qualcomm chipset that supports standard 4G connectivity and Adreno 610 GPU. The configurations announced are up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage capacity. The handset also supports an external microSD card slot.

The Oppo A11s display is a regular IPS LCD panel. The display size is 6.5-inches which supports an HD+ screen resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. It has an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a traditional waterdrop style notch for the selfie snapper. The sensor used for selfies is an 8MP lens with an f/2.0 aperture.

The rear panel is packed with a 13MP main sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, a 2MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, and another 2MP sensor with the same f/2.4 aperture. The handset runs on Android 11 OS and has a custom ColorOS skin on top. For security, the company has opted for the traditional back-mounted fingerprint scanner instead of the side-mounted fingerprint sensor as found on most of the new affordable Android devices.

The Oppo A11’s connectivity aspects include 4G LTE, single-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Oppo has used a big 5,000 mAh battery to keep the processor ticking. This is aided by 18W fast charging support.

How Much Is The Oppo A11s Priced At?

The Oppo A11s has made its debut in China in two different RAM and storage configurations. The base model which comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration is launched with CNY 999 price tag. This amount roughly translates to Rs. 11,500. The device has also been announced with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration. The price set for this variant is CNY 1,199 which is somewhere around Rs. 14,000.

As of now, the Oppo A11s will only be available in China in Dream White and Matte Black colors. The global availability for this new budget Oppo 4G handset’s availability is uncertain currently. But we should get some details soon.

Smartphone brands have been gradually adopting the latest 5G technology for their smartphones. Be it flagship devices or mid-range and affordable, we get to see one new 5G smartphone almost every other month. Infinix is one such brand that is prepping up for its first 5G handset called the Zero 5G.

However, Tecno which is another Transsion Holdings-backed brand silently joined this bandwagon with the launch of the Pova 5G. The latest offering by the company is packed with mid-tier hardware such as a 1080p FHD+ display and a 50MP triple rear camera setup. Following is where the device has been announced along with the spec-sheet:

Tecno Pova 5G Key Features

The Tecno Pova 5G has been announced with the Dimensity 900 5G processor. The octa-core MediaTek chipset is clubbed with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage capacity. This Tecno handset also has virtual RAM support of 3GB and an expandable microSD card support. The display panel offered is an IPS LCD which is massive at 6.95-inches.

The panel supports 1080 x 2460 pixels screen resolution and a higher 120Hz refresh rate. Speaking of the imaging setup, the Tecno Pova 5G features a triple rear camera setup housing a 50MP main sensor along with a 2MP macro sensor, and an AI lens. The punch-hole camera cutout houses a 12MP snapper for selfies and video calling.

The connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, a USB Type-C port, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The handset features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for security. The software which the Pova 5G pre-installs is Android 11 topped with a custom XOS skin on top. The battery packed inside is 6,000 mAh combined with 18W fast charging support.

Tecno Pova 5G Price, Sale Details

The Tecno Pova 5G has been announced with a price tag of $289 which translates to around Rs. 21,000 in Indian currency. Tecno has only confirmed the pricing and not the availability details. The markets where it will be available first are also not announced as of now.

Nevertheless, since the device has been unveiled it should be available at the stores sometime soon. We will hear the announcements on the same going forward.

It has been a while since the upcoming OnePlus 10 series has been making rattles online. Multiple leaks and teasers have pointed at the vanilla OnePlus 10 and the OnePlus 10 Pro launch. Only the latter is confirmed to be heading to the stores first. The brand itself has now announced the global availability of the OnePlus 10 Pro which is just a few days from now.

OnePlus 10 Pro Official Global Launch Date Announced

The OnePlus 10 Pro upcoming launch announcement for the global market comes via the brand itself on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo. According to the post, the device will be making its debut on January 4 in China. The global launch will soon follow. No exact dates have been announced for India and other regions.

However, we got an exclusive tip from one of the industry sources that suggested a December 11 or December 12 launch in the Indian market. The announcements for the same can be expected soon after the China launch. Also, only the OnePlus 10 Pro would likely break covers as of now in all the regions. We are not yet sure when will the vanilla model be introduced. However, we will keep you posted on the updates.

Additionally, the OnePlus 10 Pro has also gone up for pre-orders in China. It will be available via multiple retail stores including Jingdong, TMall, Oppo Mall, and also via the offline channel. For the Indian market as well, we can expect the brand to partner up with Amazon or Flipkart for the OnePlus 10 Pro sales.

OnePlus 10 Pro Features We Know Of

The OnePlus 10 Pro is also said to be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor-powered smartphone which will be joining the likes of the Moto Edge X30, Realme GT 2 Pro, and the Xiaomi 12. The device is teased with an LTPO 2.0 display which might be 6.7-inches in size with QHD+ and 120Hz rate screen resolution and refresh rate respectively.

For imaging, the OnePlus 10 Pro could offer a triple-lens camera setup with a 48MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle-sensor, and an 8MP additional telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. It is expected to be driven by a 4,500 mAh battery with 65W fast charging.

Tecno seems to be getting aggressive right ahead of the year-end 2021. Just recently the company expanded its budget Camon series in India with the launch of the Camon 18. The Spark series was also refreshed with two new models including the vanilla Spark 8 and the Spark 8T. Now, the company is getting prepped up for the third model in this series called the Spark 8 Pro. The company itself has now teased the upcoming variant’s launch in the country.

Tecno Spark 8 Pro India Launch Officially Teased

The Tecno Spark 8 Pro’s India launch has been tipped by the company itself via its official Twitter handle. The poster image shows the design of the handset along with a “Coming Soon” tag. The exact launch date is not mentioned. But, the handset has been launched outside India and the brand wouldn’t take long before the brand brings this to the Indian shelves. The teaser poster shows a black color variant with vertically-striped textures at the back.

The back panel is also seen with a vertical camera module with three large sensors. The teaser image also confirms a punch-hole display panel. The camera cutout is placed at the center top. We are not aware of the pricing details. However, it might arrive under Rs. 15,000 segment in the country. It will be made available via Amazon. The e-commerce retailer has created a dedicated microsite for the same. As we mentioned above, the handset has gone official in Bangladesh. It will be coming with the same set of features in the country. Below are the details:

Tecno Spark 8 Pro Full Specifications

The Tecno Spark 8 Pro features an LCD display which is a 6.82-inch LCD panel that will support 1080p FHD+ screen resolution. The upcoming budget handset will come with the Helio G85 processor with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage configuration. It boots on Android 11 OS topped with a custom HiOS interface.

The Spark 8 Pro poster has confirmed the 48MP AI triple camera at the back. The additional sensors would be a 2MP sensor and an AI sensor. The device offers an 8MP selfie snapper for selfies and video calling. The handset will accommodate a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for security. The device will be launched with a 5,000 mAh battery which will support 33W quick charging.

Realme is making rattles with its upcoming flagship GT 2 smartphone lineup. Two models are expected in this series are the vanilla GT 2 and the GT 2 Pro. The latter has been leaked several times online and has also cleared multiple certifications ahead of its launch. Now, another variant in this series has been tipped by the company itself called the Realme GT 2 Pro Master Edition. The first look of the handset has been teased in the latest development. Following are the design changes which we will get to see:

Realme GT 2 Pro Master Edition Skin Model Renders Teased Officially

The Realme GT 2 Pro Master Edition leaked renders come directly via the brand itself. The teaser shows a thin bezel profile upfront which is slimmer than most of the recent launches by the company. The punch-hole is also tiny which is placed at the center-top. The overall handset has a slim profile which gives it a premium feel.

The teaser video shows a white shade where the back panel seems to have a plain texture. Just for reference, the first edition Realme GT Master Edition series features a suitcase-inspired design. This wouldn’t be the case with the upcoming Realme GT 2 Pro Master Edition. The company has just shared the first look of this special edition GT 2 Pro and not the hardware.

But one of the possibilities would be the presence of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. This chipset has been tipped for the Realme GT 2 Pro. The primary differences between both these models would only be clear once the brand shares some more features via teasers. We might also get to see a changed design rather than the hardware. But as mentioned above, we will have to wait for Realme to drop some more details via teasers.

Just to recap, the Realme GT 2 Pro recently bagged TENAA certification with a 6.78-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner. The display refresh rate is said to be 120Hz. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor powering the handset is said to be combined with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage options (LPPDR5 and UFS 3.1 respectively). The certification website also hinted at a 5,000 mAh battery combined with 65W fast charging.