OnePlus CEO Pete Lau joins OPLUS as Senior VP, will oversee brand synergy between OnePlus, OPPO, Realme

OnePlus was co-founded by Pete Lau and Carl Pei back in 2013. Prior to this event, both Pete and Carl worked at OPPO as the Vice President and as the International Markets Manager respectively. As of now, both Pete and Carl hold key positions within OnePlus, as CEO of OnePlus and as Director of OnePlus Global respectively. However, a recent news report suggests that OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has taken on an additional role as Senior Vice President of OPLUS.

According to a report from Android Authority, Pete Lau has taken on additional responsibilities as the Senior VP and Chief Product Experience Officer at OPLUS. This new role involves duties around the brand synergy between the major OPLUS investment properties, namely OPPO, Realme, and OnePlus.

Pete Lau will retain the CEO tag with OnePlus, as per the statement offered by the company in the report:

Pete remains committed to his role as CEO of OnePlus. At the same time, he has also taken on the role of SVP and chief product experience officer for OPLUS, contributing to product and planning development.

If you’re wondering what OPLUS is, the report suggests that this is the investor company that oversees OnePlus, OPPO, and Realme. OPLUS’s mere existence is not really a mystery, as the holding company has different country-specific subsidiaries, such as OPLUS Mobitech India Pvt. Ltd. which counts OnePlus India’s General Manager Vikas Agarwal as its Director. You can look up OPLUS Mobitech on the Government of India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs website to verify the same.

And now if you’re wondering what happened to BBK Electronics, the parent company that is widely presumed to oversee the three brands (OnePlus, OPPO, Realme) alongside Vivo, iQOO, and others — well that makes two of us that are a little confused. OnePlus has steadfastly denied associations with OPPO in the past, and now, Pete Lau denies that OPLUS is connected to BBK. As the original report notes, the background funding and corporate hierarchy of OnePlus and its sister brands remain shrouded in mystery.

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Source: Android Authority

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Walmart+ is the subscription alternative to Amazon Prime, will cost $98 per year

Walmart is insanely popular in the USA, proudly wearing the tag of being one of the biggest supermarket chains in the country. Now, Walmart is looking to take on Amazon Prime with its own subscription program, Walmart+, offering free deliveries and discounted gas to members who subscribe.

Walmart+ goes live for users in the USA on September 15, 2020. According to a report from The Washington Post, Walmart+ is the most direct attempt from the supermarket chain to compete against the popularity of Amazon’s Prime membership program. Walmart+ will reportedly cost $12.95 per month, or $98 if you opt for the annual subscription. In comparison, Amazon Prime costs $12.99 per month or $119 annually.

With Walmart+, members will receive unlimited free deliveries on orders from any of the retailer’s 4,700 stores across the USA, and up to 5 cents of discount per gallon of gasoline at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express fuel stations. The membership also enables the “Scan & Go” feature in the company app, allowing customers to scan items as they shop and then check out using Walmart Pay.

Walmart will initially be offering around 160,000 items with free delivery eligibility, ranging across toys, electronics, and groceries. In comparison, Amazon Prime offered more than 10 million items for free one-day delivery, which explains why Prime boasts of 100 million subscribers. Amazon Prime also offers a bunch of other perks under its membership program, including Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Gaming. Walmart’s USP, on the other hand, is its wide network of stores, which could help the company scale up timely deliveries despite the COVID-19 disruptions. Walmart also has a better focus on groceries and essentials, two segments that have perennially received attention but have seen an increased influx during the pandemic. If the program does take off, we can expect to see more perks added along the way.

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Source: The Washington Post

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Google’s Android TV dongle could cost as low as $49 in the U.S.

In June, we brought you an exclusive first look at what could be Google’s upcoming Android TV dongle. We shared images that showed off the possible design, the dedicated remote, and the revamped Android TV user interface. However, what we were unable to reveal were the pricing and launch date. Fortunately, a new retail leak for the dongle, code-named “Sabrina,” may have just revealed its pricing in the U.S.

9to5Google is reporting that the “Sabrina” dongle has appeared in Home Depot’s internal system at a price of $49, making it one of the more affordable media streaming devices on the market. In fact, that prices it at exactly the same as the Roku Streaming Stick+ and Amazon Fire TV Stick and right around the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick. Earlier reports suggested the dongle would be “around or below $80,” so today’s report places the price much lower than anticipated.

As we previously reported, the “Sabrina” Android TV dongle will reportedly launch with Android TV on board and come with a dedicated remote that will offer a programmable button. Meanwhile, the debut of “Sabrina” is expected to concur alongside a revamped Android TV UI that’s more focused on content.

Possible remote

“Sabrina” may also feature integration with Nest doorbells and video cameras, making it easy for users to see alerts right from their TV. Additionally, we previously reported “Sabrina” would usher in a new Google Assistant response UI as well as YouTube TV integration into the “Live” tab.

9to5Google notes that the internal system at Home Depot lists “Sabrina” as coming in three colors: “Rock Candy”, “Como Blue”, and “Summer Melon”.

Google is expected to hold its next Made by Google event at the end of September or early October, where the company might unveil this mystery Android TV dongle alongside the Pixel 4A 5G, Pixel 5, and a new Nest speaker.

With so many details coming out over the past few months, it doesn’t seem like “Sabrina” will be a mystery for much longer.

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OnePlus Buds are now available in Gray in the U.S.

When the OnePlus Buds launched in the U.S., they were only available in a glossy white color. Now, OnePlus has opened up sales for a version in gray, giving consumers a sleek, stealthy option for the back to school season.

The OnePlus Buds in gray come with a case to match and also feature a red accent around the chrome touchpad, a nice attention to detail. Whereas the OnePlus Buds in white look a little too much like Apple’s AirPods, the version in gray is uniquely its own. The beautiful Nord Blue color option is not available in the U.S., though.

We reviewed the OnePlus Buds last month, praising their sound, design, and affordable price. The earbuds also feature support for Google’s latest Fast Pair features, which makes pairing the OnePlus Buds quick and easy with an Android device.

If you decide to pick up the OnePlus Buds in gray, you won’t have to pay a premium; the wireless earbuds are available for just $79. The OnePlus Buds are thus more affordable than the more premium wireless earbuds on the market, including the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and Apple AirPods Pro, but they lack some features like Active Noise Cancellation and wireless charging. The app also only supports OnePlus phones, so you won’t be able to update the firmware or remap the double-tap gestures if you pair them with a smartphone from another manufacturer. They’re otherwise a great option if you own or plan to own a OnePlus device.

OnePlus Buds

Fast charging TWS earbuds

Free yourself from wires with a pair of truly wireless earbuds from OnePlus.

$79 at OnePlus.com

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The OnePlus 8T could have a flat display with a hole-punch cutout

It’s been a busy year for OnePlus. The company has already released 3 smartphones this year (the 8, 8 Pro, and Nord), its first-ever truly wireless earbuds (the OnePlus Buds), and plans on releasing possibly 2 more mid-range smartphones (code-named “clover” and “Billie“). As usual, though, OnePlus is gearing up to launch another flagship smartphone in the fall, and it’s expected to be the OnePlus 8T. Thanks to a teardown of the latest OxygenOS 11 Beta 4 release, we may have just caught our first glimpse at the upcoming phone, which is expected to be code-named “kebab.”

XDA Member and frequent OnePlus tipster Some_Random_Username did a teardown of OxygenOS 11 Beta 4 for the Oxygen Updater blog, and he found a few interesting tidbits that may pertain to the upcoming OnePlus 8T. First, a teardown of the new OnePlus Camera application suggests OnePlus is working on 8K video recording support, which currently isn’t available on any OnePlus device and is thus thought to be for the OnePlus 8T. We previously discovered evidence an upcoming OnePlus device may come equipped with a 64MP camera sensor, which can capture more than enough pixels to record at 8K resolution.

Here is the code mentioning 8K resolution support:

More importantly is a file found in the latest OnePlus Settings app called “oneplus_8t.webp.” This is an image file that is shown in the About Phone page in OxygenOS. Presumably, this render will be shown if the OS detects that the device is a OnePlus 8T, though we can’t confirm if this render is of the actual device or merely a placeholder.

From the render, we can see that the device has a flat display and a single hole-punch cutout in the top left. The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, in contrast, have curved displays, while the OnePlus Nord has a dual hole-punch cutout. We can’t really see anything else, though, including the back, but we can see the earpiece speaker, the volume buttons on the left, the power button on the right, and the Alert Slider on the right.

OnePlus typically releases its T-series of devices in the fall, which is right around the corner. With hints of a OnePlus 8T already trickling out, we’ll likely get more concrete details in the coming days and weeks.

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Lenovo announces the mid-range Tab P11 Pro and 2nd-gen Tab M10 HD Android tablets

Depending on who you ask, you might hear that Android tablets are dead. They’re not exactly dead, but Windows-powered alternatives and iPads are objectively better products overall. Android, with all its good and bad bits, is not as good as it used to be on tablets. But that doesn’t stop OEMs from trying to make them. Samsung is one of the few manufacturers that is deeply invested in the tablet ecosystem with its Galaxy Tab lineup. Now, Lenovo is launching a couple of new Android tablets of its own: the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro and the second-generation Lenovo Tab M10 HD. And they’re wildly different devices.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is the most powerful device of the two, and it’s being touted as the premium option. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G which, while not the highest-end mid-range processor out there, is powerful enough to handle most games and apps, as well as daily usage. There’s an 11.5-inch 2560×1600 resolution, HDR10/Dolby Vision-certified OLED panel to allow for amazing media consumption capabilities, four JBL speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning, an optional keyboard attachment with a trackpad that connects via the 4-point pogo-pin connector, and support for the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 for getting work done on-the-go. The tablet is quite thin at 5.8mm and weighs 485g. It runs Android 10 and features 4/6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, an 8,600mAh battery, a dual 13 MP main + 5 MP wide-angle rear camera array, a dual 8MP + 8MP front camera array, a ToF sensor, and optional LTE support for the international SKU.

 

The Lenovo Tab M10 HD 2nd Gen series, which is comprised of the regular Tab M10 HD, the Tab M10 HD with Google Assistant, and the Tab M10 HD with Amazon Alexa, on the other hand, are much more modest tablets. Not only spec-wise but also to the public they’re aimed towards. They’re powered by the MediaTek Helio P22T, which is much weaker than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G found in the Tab P11 Pro. They have 10.1-inch IPS LCDs at 1280×800 resolution, 2/4GB of RAM, 32/64GB of internal storage expandable via a microSD card slot, a 5,000mAh battery, an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing camera, run Android 10 out of the box, and feature optional LTE support for the international SKU.

Where these 3 tablets’ hardware differ from one another are in audio and microphones; the regular Tab M10 HD features dual microphone and dual speakers, the Tab M10 HD with Google Assistant features a single microphone with a low-power DSP and dual speakers, and the Tab M10 HD with Amazon Alexa has dual microphones and speakers but supports a Smart Dock with dual 3W speakers and 3 far-field microphones.

Clearly, these devices aren’t catering towards enthusiasts but rather kids and families. In fact, Lenovo partnered with Google to introduce a new mode called Kids Space, which features apps, books, and videos curated for children.

The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro will start at €699 including VAT, which is definitely quite a bit more expensive than we’d expect from a device with those specs. The Lenovo Tab M10 HD though, on the other hand, starts at a much more modest price point of €159 including VAT. The Tab M10 HD with Google Assistant starts at €179 including VAT while the Tab M10 HD with Amazon Alexa starts at €199 including VAT. The regular Tab M10 HD is expected to become available starting September 2020, the Tab M10 HD with Google Assistant is expected to be available starting October 2020, and the Tab P11 Pro and Tab M10 HD with Amazon Alexa are expected to be available starting November 2020,

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OnePlus explains how they optimized OxygenOS 11 for better one-handed use

It won’t be long after Google rolls out the stable Android 11 release for Pixel phones that OnePlus rolls out the final version of OxygenOS 11 for its devices. Earlier this month, the company unveiled the latest version of its Android-based software and rolled out a beta for the OnePlus 8 series. Alongside a new beta release today, OnePlus took to its forums to explain how they came up with the new design language for OxygenOS 11.

In the post, OxygenOS Product Lead Gary C. explained how OnePlus analyzed data to design a system that’s more comfortable for one-handed use. The company says they conducted A/B testing and found that 65% of users prefer slightly smaller headlines while 80% of users prefer titles with subtitles rather than without. In accordance with these metrics, OnePlus designed a new “headline-body hierarchy that streamlines information delivery in OxygenOS 11.” Furthermore, the company looked at anthropometric data to determine the general regions of the screen where people can easily reach or struggle to reach, as shown below.

As a result, OxygenOS 11 moves touch controls closer to your thumbs for easier access. When you open a menu, settings will now be pushed to the lower half of the display. “We also wanted to add even more features to make one-handed use quicker and easier,” OnePlus said in a forum post. “So, for example, we added a new Quick Share button in the Camera app. Now you can long press the thumbnail of the last photo you took to quickly share the photo with just one motion.” The company also redesigned its Weather app based on these principles, with the new UI currently rolling out in beta.

 

The changes to OxygenOS 11 come in response to the current mobile landscape, which is flooded with devices that feature tall screens. While big displays are great for content consumption, they do present usability issues with people who have smaller hands.

Samsung made similar design changes in its One UI software, which made the company’s taller phones much easier to use by placing key interaction areas near the bottom of the screen. Even if OxygenOS 11 does take inspiration from Samsung, it’s still nice to see that better one-handed use is becoming more of a priority.

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Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is a $49 multipurpose clock with Google Assistant

If you’re having trouble waking up for work or the new school year, then Lenovo’s new Smart Clock Essential can help. The company on Monday introduced the new Google Assistant-powered digital alarm clock, which is a cheaper version of the Lenovo Smart Clock from 2019. The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential introduces a handful of new features, including a night light and USB port for charging devices.

The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential features what looks like an LED display that shows information such as time, day, temperature, and whether you have an alarm set. Speaking of alarms, users can now use buttons to set an alarm, in addition to voice. There’s a mic mute switch and buttons for play/pause, volume up/down, and night light, a previously mentioned.

You can also use the Smart Clock Essential to control your smart home network using Google Assistant. That includes turning off/on smart lights and streaming music through the device’s 3W 1.5-inch speaker. You can also group the Smart Clock Essential with other compatible smart speakers for a more immersive listening experience.

The original Lenovo Smart Clock was more of a tiny smart display, similar to the Nest Hub, than an actual bedside clock. The latest Smart Clock Essential appears to function more like an old school alarm clock, complete with old school alarm clock looks, but with Google Assistant smarts. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential retails for $49, which is about the price of a Google Nest Home Mini ($59). If you want the extra clock functionality, Lenovo’s new device might be the way to go. You can pick up the Smart Clock Essential in September. It’ll be available in the U.S., Europe, and several other regions, including Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2020 leaked renders show off Gold and Gray colors

The Android tablet market stands in no competition against Apple’s iPad lineup. But still, there’s ground to be covered at price points which Apple does not serve, and options to provide at the points where Apple continues to exist. Samsung’s premier tablets for this year are of course the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, but there’s definitely room for many more tablets to be spread across the price spectrum. Samsung appears to be working on a new tablet, as leaked renders now show off the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2020 in its Gold and Gray colors.

These leaked renders come to us courtesy of Evan ‘evleaks’ Blass and his Patreon, and they show off the upcoming tablet from Samsung in two colors:

The render shows off a surprisingly basic looking tablet with a single rear camera and a front with decently-sized bezels. The Samsung branding can be seen on the back. Evan does not mention anything else, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (SM-T505) had earlier appeared in its 10.4″ avatar in a Google Play Console listing. From the listing, we know that the device will come with a 10.4″ display with a resolution of 1200 x 2000 pixels. The tablet will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 SoC, and at least one variant will have 3GB of RAM.

From the looks and preliminary specifications, one can expect the Galaxy Tab A7 2020 to be targeting some of the early segments of the market. We can expect Samsung to offer multiple storage variants and possible options for Wi-Fi-only and LTE models. It isn’t immediately clear if the tablet would officially support the new S Pen just like the Galaxy Tab S7 series. But even if it does, it is unlikely that an S Pen would be included in the box as the target pricing is expected to be humble. There is currently no information on the existence of a smaller sized variant.

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Google Maps now shows traffic lights on Android in the U.S.

Update 1 (08/31/2020 @ 12:11 PM ET): Google Maps is now showing traffic lights on Android for many people in the U.S. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on July 8, 2020, is preserved below.

Google Maps is undoubtedly one of the most popular apps in Google’s portfolio, and the company often releases updates to make the service even better. Since its 15th birthday earlier this year in February, the app has received a ton of new features like Live View AR navigation, integrated menu scanning, a new real-time location sharing UI, YouTube Music integration, and much more. Now, according to a recent report from Droid-Life, Google has started testing a new feature that will show traffic lights in Google Maps on Android.

The report cites screenshots taken by a reader who lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, which show traffic lights in several intersections around the city. The traffic lights are visible both while using the traditional map view and while navigating, however, they do appear slightly bigger and more noticeable while navigating. The feature is expected to give users a heads up when they’re about to reach a traffic light and even help them plan their route ahead of time to avoid any unnecessary delay.

As of now, the feature is limited to just showing the traffic lights on the map and Google hasn’t included any additional functionality for users. However, that might change by the time the feature is released to more users. The feature currently appears to be in its early stages of development as it’s only available for a small number of users in certain regions on version 10.44.3 of the app. It’s also worth noting that Apple Maps has had a similar feature since last year which offers additional functionality like using Siri to alert users when they’re about to reach a traffic light.

Maps - Navigate & Explore (Free, Google Play) →

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Update 1: Rolling Out Widely

Traffic light icons are now showing up for many people on Google Maps, at least in the United States (via AndroidPolice). You don’t need to turn the feature on manually nor do you need to activate traffic layers. The icons look the same when this feature was first spotted back in July, and they also automatically adapt to the map size. The icons appear when browsing the map or navigating.

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The Motorola One 5G is coming to the U.S. on AT&T and Verizon for under-$500

Motorola burst back into the flagship scene earlier this year with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865-powered, 5G-enabled Motorola Edge+. Alongside the Edge+, Motorola also unveiled the slightly cheaper Edge with the upper mid-range (but still 5G-enabled) Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G. And about a month ago, Motorola had announced an even more affordable 5G-enabled smartphone in the form of the Moto G 5G Plus. Now, Motorola is bringing over this smartphone to the USA in the form of the Motorola One 5G.

Motorola One 5G: Specifications

Specification	Motorola Moto G 5G Plus / Motorola One 5G
Dimensions & Weight	168 x 74 x 9 mm 207g
Display	6.7″ FHD+ LTPS LCD 21:9 aspect ratio, 2520 x 1080 90Hz refresh rate HDR10 Dual hole-punch display
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G: 1x Kryo 475 (ARM Cortex-A76-based) Prime core @ 2.4GHz 1x Kryo 475 (ARM Cortex-A76-based) Performance core @ 2.2GHz 6x (ARM Cortex-A55-based) Efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz 7nm EUV process Adreno 620
RAM & Storage	4GB + 64GB 4GB + 128GB 6GB + 128GB
Battery & Charging	5000 mAh battery 20W TurboPower charging
Fingerprint sensor	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera	Primary: 48MP, f/1.7 Secondary: 8MP, wide-angle, f/2.2 Tertiary: 5MP, macro, f/2.2 Quarternary: 2MP, depth, f/2.2
Front Camera	Primary: 16MP, wide-angle, f/2.0 Secondary: 8MP, f/2.2
Other Features	3.5mm headphone jack Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.1 NFC 5G: 1/3/7/8/28/38/41/77/78
Android Version	Android 10

The Motorola One 5G is a rebranded Moto G 5G Plus, but we’re okay with the rebranding because that was a terrible name in the first place. One of the highlights of this device is its 21:9 aspect ratio display. Motorola mentions that 87% of its users preferred a 21:9 aspect ratio, so that is what it adopted on this smartphone. You do get a 90Hz refresh rate, though the panel is LCD — but since this phone is not aiming to be a flagship, this specification isn’t judged as harshly. The smartphone itself has a humble design made largely out of polycarbonate, so most of the 207g weight is coming from the beefy 5,000 mAh battery.

Moto G 5G Plus / Motorola One 5G XDA Forums

On the inside, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, which should help keep things running smoothly despite not being an 8-series flagship SoC.

The Motorola One 5G comes with Android 10 out of the box. The OS is largely left unadulterated, but you get a few Motorola touches like the “chop to launch flashlight” feature and the Moto Power Touch feature that lets you reassign the double-power-button press. The power button also integrates the fingerprint sensor.

Motorola is only committing to one year of Android OS updates and two years of security updates at this moment.

Pricing and Availability

The Motorola One 5G will be a sub-$500 device in the USA and will be available through AT&T (sub-6GHz) and Verizon (with mmWave) in 4GB + 128GB configuration. Motorola has not shared the exact date of availability and pricing yet, and we also presume that the mmWave variant will cost some more. There will not be any unlocked versions of this phone in the USA. It remains to be seen how this phone stacks up against cheaper devices like the recent Google Pixel 4a.

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Samsung Galaxy M51 with massive 7,000 mAh battery quietly launched in Europe

Samsung has quietly launched the long-rumored Galaxy M51 in Germany. As a brand new entry in Samsung’s popular Galaxy M series, the Galaxy M51 exists as a higher-placed alternative to the Galaxy M31s, which was launched earlier in July. The Galaxy M51 brings along several notable improvements, including a behemoth battery, a (possible) switch over to a Snapdragon processor, and a slightly bigger display.

Samsung Galaxy M51 XDA Forums

Samsung Galaxy M51: Specifications

Specification	Samsung Galaxy M51
Dimensions & Weight	<information not available>
Display	6.7-inch (16.95cm) Super AMOLED Centered hole-punch Full HD+
SoC	Octa-core processor
RAM & Storage	6GB RAM + 128GB storage
Battery & Charging	7,000 mAh battery 25W fast charging 25W fast charger inside the box
Fingerprint sensor	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera	Primary: 64MP, f/1.8 Secondary: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 Tertiary: 5MP depth sensor Quarternary: 5MP macro sesnsor
Front Camera	32MP
Android Version	Android 10 with One UI 2.1

The Samsung Galaxy M51 sports a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a centered hole-punch and full HD+ resolution. Although Samsung’s official listing doesn’t make it clear which processor the phone is using, it’s likely powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC, as previously rumored.

The phone offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage with support for SD card expansion. In terms of optics, the Galaxy M51 continues to use the same setup as the Galaxy M31s, packing a 64MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 5MP macro lens. Even the 32MP selfie camera appears to be unchanged.

The insane 7,000 mAh battery is what gives the Galaxy M51 its headline. The 6000 mAh battery fitted on previous Galaxy M series phones was the largest in its segment. And the fact that Samsung managed to beef up the capacity even further is nothing short of brilliant. Samsung also includes a 25W fast charger inside the box, the same one that comes with the Galaxy M31s and some of Samsung’s flagships.

On the software front, the Galaxy M51 comes running One UI 2.1 based on Android 10. Other specs of the phone include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a USB Type C port, a single bottom-firing speaker, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Bluetooth 5.

Available in Black and White colors, the Galaxy M51 is priced at €360 ($429) and can be pre-ordered through Samsung’s German website. The preorders will start shipping out starting September 11. Samsung hasn’t yet detailed when it will bring the device to other markets such as India, but we hope to see it launch in the country.

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Source: Samsung Germany

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Google Pay tests NFC-based contactless payments in India

Google will soon let Indian Google Pay users make contactless payments using their debit or credit card. Currently, Google Pay only offers Unified Payment Interface (UPI) payments that let users send or receive money directly to their bank accounts either by entering a mobile number or scanning a QR code. But that’s set to change as Google has begun testing tokenized card payments for a small batch of users in India.

As spotted by Android Police, some Google Pay users have started seeing the option to add a credit or debit card as a supported payment option in the Google Pay app. The option isn’t available for everyone as of now, but Google has slowly been expanding its A/B testing to more users over the last couple of weeks. The feature is most probably a server-side switch and doesn’t seem to require to be on the most recent version of the app. The option was unavailable for me on both my phones running the Google Pay version 65.0.001_RC06.

Google already has a support page up, which describes how users can set up their cards to use with Google Pay. Basically, users will have to fill in their card details (card number, expiry date, CVV, etc.) and authenticate it using the One Time Password.

Once activated and verified, users will be able to make tokenized card payments at NFC-enabled POS terminals, QR-based payments at vendors, and online payments on 3rd-party merchants where Google Pay is accepted. We first learned about Google’s plans to add support for tokenized cards in September last year. However, it’s only now that the company has finally begun to roll out the functionality to Google Pay users in India.

For now, Google only supports Axis debit/credit cards and SBI credit cards issued by Visa, but it’s likely it will bring support for more banks and issuers once the feature becomes available for all users.

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Google Pay: Pay with your phone and send cash (Free, Google Play) →

Via: Android Police

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OxygenOS 10.5.6 for the OnePlus Nord improves Bluetooth connectivity and optimizes image stabilization

Another day, another round of software updates! This time OnePlus is back with a new build of OxygenOS for the OnePlus Nord. Tagged as OxygenOS 10.5.6, the latest update comes with a comparatively tiny changelog, but it does contain optimizations and fixes for the camera, system, and Bluetooth. However, there is no change in the Android security patch level (SPL) with this OTA.

OnePlus Nord XDA Forums

The previous update for the OnePlus Nord brought macro camera quality improvements. The OEM continues to push camera-related fixes, as the latest build specifically targets the domain of image stabilization performance. OnePlus also highlights a few improvements related to general power consumption and Bluetooth connectivity in the new firmware.

OnePlus Nord Review: Great Performance at a Great Price

The full changelog for the OxygenOS 10.5.6 update can be found below:

• System
  • Improved system stability
• Camera
  • Optimized image stabilization performance
• Power
  • Improved general power consumption
• Bluetooth
  • Improved Bluetooth connection stability

Thanks to OnePlus Community member Sagar366 for the screenshot!

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Download OxygenOS 10.5.6 for the OnePlus Nord

As always, OnePlus is following a gradual rollout model. The company is rolling out the new update to a handful of users first. If no critical issue pops up during the initial phase, the rollout will be expanding to more devices over the coming days. In case you haven’t received the OTA update yet and you don’t want to wait for it, you can grab the appropriate update package for your model from the index below and freely sideload it right away. We have provided links to both incremental OTA and full OTA zips.

• Global: OxygenOS 10.5.6.AC01AA​
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from OxygenOS 10.5.5
• India: OxygenOS 10.5.6.AC01DA
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from OxygenOS 10.5.5
• Europe: OxygenOS 10.5.6.AC01BA
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from OxygenOS 10.5.5

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Thanks to XDA Senior Member Some_Random_Username for the download links!

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Samsung starts mass producing its third-gen 16Gb LPDDR5 RAM modules

LPDDR5 RAM has now become the standard on flagships, and we are seeing new flagships in 2020 regularly reach the insane 16GB capacity. This jump up implies an increase in demand, and consequently, an increase in supply. Back in February 2020, Samsung had begun its first mass production line for the 16GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package utilizing the 1y process node (second-generation 10nm class process). Now, Samsung has begun mass production for the 1z process node for 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM.

Samsung Electronics has been pushing the envelope for high-capacity RAM adoption. The company had announced the development of 8Gb (gigabit) LPDDR5 RAM in back in July 2018, following up with mass production of 12GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package in July 2019 and 16GB LPDDR5 mobile DRAM package in February 2020. This new announcement is for the second production line in Pyeongtaek, Korea, which has now commenced mass production of the industry’s first 16-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR5 DRAM using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology and built on Samsung’s third-generation 10nm-class (1z) process.

“The 1z-based 16Gb LPDDR5 elevates the industry to a new threshold, overcoming a major developmental hurdle in DRAM scaling at advanced nodes. We will continue to expand our premium DRAM lineup and exceed customer demands, as we lead in growing the overall memory market.”

Jung-bae Lee, Executive Vice President of DRAM Product & Technology, Samsung Electronics

Samsung’s Pyeongtaek Line 2 is the largest-scale semiconductor production line to date, spanning more than 128,900 square meters/1.3 million square feet, which is the equivalent of about 16 soccer fields. Samsung says that the new Pyeongtaek line will “serve as the key manufacturing hub for the industry’s most advanced semiconductor technologies, delivering cutting-edge DRAM followed by next-generation V-NAND and foundry solutions, while reinforcing the company’s leadership in the Industry 4.0 era“.

The new 16Gb LPDDR5 is the first memory based on currently most advanced 1z process node and which is being mass-produced using EUV tech, making it the highest speed and largest capacity available in mobile DRAM. The 1z process also makes this LPDDR5 package about 30% thinner than its predecessor (referring to the 12Gb LPDDR5 package), and about 16% faster. The 16Gb LPDDR5 can build a 16GB package with only eight chips, whereas the 1y-based 16GB LPDDR5 package required 12 chips (eight 12Gb chips and four 8Gb chips) to provide the same capacity.

Samsung is also planning to expand the use of its LPDDR5 offerings into automotive applications, offering an extended temperature range to meet strict safety and reliability standards in extreme environments.

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Source: Samsung Newsroom

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[Update: Wider Rollout] Google is rolling out Nearby Share, its file-sharing AirDrop clone for Android 6.0+

Update 1 (08/31/2020 @ 01:20AM ET): Google Nearby Share is rolling out widely. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on August 4, 2020, is preserved below.

Last year, we learned that Google was preparing a new file-sharing service for Android. This file-sharing service was originally called “Fast Share” during early iterations, but Google eventually rebranded it to “Nearby Share” during the course of development. We got an early glimpse of the feature in January, and in late June, Google started testing the service with a handful of users on the latest Google Play Services beta release. Today, Google has announced that they are finally rolling out Nearby Share to millions of Android smartphones running Android 6.0 and above.

For those unaware, Android has never had a simple, fast, and unified way to share files between devices. Until Android 10, most Android devices did have access to Android Beam, a file-sharing service that required users to tap their phones together to initiate a handshake over NFC followed by a file transfer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. Android Beam is, however, deprecated, clunkier, and slower than AirDrop, the file-sharing service on iOS that’s been around for years and is used by millions of iPhone and iPad users. AirDrop lets you quickly share files with any fellow iPhone or iPad users that are nearby. There are file-sharing services on Android that are arguably as simple and fast as AirDrop, but they all either require users to either download a third-party app or own a device from a specific smartphone manufacturer. Google is uniquely equipped to roll out a simple, fast, and unified file-sharing service thanks to its control over Google Play Services, which is installed on the vast majority of Android devices sold outside of China regardless of the manufacturer. That’s exactly what Nearby Share is—a simple, fast, and unified file-sharing service for Android.

With Nearby Share, Android users can quickly share files to nearby users with the tap of a button. After tapping the “share” button in an app, users can share file(s) by selecting the “Nearby Share” option. Nearby users will then get a notification that someone wants to share content with them. Users will always have the option to “accept” or “decline” the file, so files are never transferred without explicit confirmation. After tapping “accept”, the file(s) are transferred using the best available communication protocol: Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, WebRTC, or peer-to-peer WiFi. Thus, files can be shared even when the sender and recipient devices are both fully offline.

Google designed this feature with privacy in mind. You can send and receive files anonymously, for example. You can also choose which contacts (all, some, or none) are able to immediately see you when you turn on Nearby Share.

Perhaps the best part of Nearby Share is that Google is making it cross-platform. While we don’t know about iOS compatibility, Google confirmed they’re working to expand the feature to additional platforms. The company confirmed that feature will work with Chromebooks in the coming months. In fact, it’s already available on Chrome OS if you enable a few feature flags. More general OS support, such as Windows, will be available via Google Chrome.

Starting today, select Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Android 6.0 or later will start getting Nearby Share. Since this feature is baked into Google Play Services, it’ll eventually become available for more Android smartphones. Check out this support page for more information on how the feature works.

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Update: Google Nearby Share now rolling out widely

It appears that Google is rolling out Nearby Share more widely. We’ve spotted the feature on several devices now, like the ASUS ZenFone 7 Pro, OnePlus Nord, Nubia Red Magic 5S, and LG Velvet. All of these devices are running Google Play Services 20.30.19 stable. Other users with OnePlus, Xiaomi, Honor, Realme, and Nokia phones have also mentioned that they have received the feature.

To access Nearby Share, go to Settings > Google > Device Connections > Nearby Share, or Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Nearby Share (this menu isn’t available on all OS versions and/or OEM skins). If this setting is visible to you, you can also edit your Quick Settings to add the Nearby Share tile.

As the screenshot indicates, number verification appears to be a newly added feature.

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T-Mobile OnePlus 7T, 7T Pro McLaren Edition can now be bootloader unlocked without waiting, 7T rebranding also possible

The bootloader unlocking experience on a T-Mobile-branded OnePlus smartphone is very much different from the unlocked variants. Once you pay off the contract and use the device on the network for at least 40 days, you’re eligible to perform a SIM unlock. After SIM unlocking, you need to generate a unique unlock token to be able to unlock the bootloader. Besides the added complexity of bootloader unlocking, the slower update frequency and the inability to participate in the OxygenOS Open Beta and Developer Preview programs are some of the main reasons why people prefer to “rebrand” their T-Mobile OnePlus phones to international (i.e. non-T-Mobile) firmware. If you have the T-Mobile OnePlus 7T and want to get rid of the carrier firmware, then you’ll be interested in learning that XDA Senior Member Superboy58 has managed to find a way to convert this variant to international without a traditionally unlocked bootloader/SIM unlock.

OnePlus 7T Forums

The trick is to patch the OPS file from the official unbrick package in such a way that the bootloader ignores the token generation part and allows users to unlock it with a standard Fastboot command. As soon as you unlock the bootloader, pick the Fastboot-flashable global firmware for the OnePlus 7T and do a clean flash to complete the rebranding process. Head over to the thread linked below for more instructions.

Rebrand T-Mobile OnePlus 7T to international firmware — XDA Thread

In case you have the T-Mobile OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, there’s a similar mod to unlock the bootloader without waiting. The only catch is, you can’t rebrand it like the other model. The T-Mobile variant is 5G capable, whereas an international variant of the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G simply does not exist. There is no way you can replace the stock T-Mobile McLaren Edition firmware with another official OxygenOS ROM. You can, however, opt for custom ROMs that are specifically built for this model.

Bootloader unlock T-Mobile OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition without waiting

T-Mobile OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition Forums

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Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy M51, and Nubia Red Magic 5S forums are open

It’s been a busy month for smartphone releases, and there are no signs of that slowing down. After opening up forums for the ZenFone 7, Moto G9, and two new Realme devices, we’re opening up the floodgates for more devices for people to chat about. Our forums for the Google Pixel 5, Google Pixel 4a 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, Samsung Galaxy M51, and Nubia Red Magic 5S are all open.

Google Pixel 5

Not long after Google teased the Pixel 5, some big leaks hit the web. In addition to a series of renders, nearly all of the specs of the Google Pixel 5 were revealed, including the battery size, RAM, and more. In other words, there’s not much we don’t know about the Pixel 5, except maybe the price. Google is expected to officially unveil the Pixel 5 towards the beginning of October.

Google Pixel 5 Forums

Alleged Google Pixel 5 CAD render. Source: @OnLeaks/Pricebaba.

Google Pixel 4a 5G

In addition to the Google Pixel 5, Google is also gearing up to introduce the Pixel 4a 5G. The device is expected to be a step up from the Pixel 4a and includes support for 5G which, as you’d expect, will demand a higher price tag. Some of the device’s specs were already unveiled, and there’s even been a leaked picture, so there’s not much else to do but wait for Google to unveil it alongside the Google Pixel 5 in October.

Google Pixel 4a 5G Forums

Alleged Google Pixel 4a 5G CAD render. Source: @OnLeaks/91Mobiles

Samsung Galaxy 20 FE

Samsung has announced the new Galaxy Note 20 series, but the company isn’t done yet with the Galaxy S20 series. The company is allegedly prepping the Galaxy S20 “Fan Edition,” which is expected to feature a tweaked design and support 5G when it launches in the U.S. There are a number of other leaks and rumors about this device, which you can discuss freely in the forums.

Samsung Galaxy 20 FE Forums

Alleged Samsung Galaxy S20 FE press render. Source: Evan Blass

Samsung Galaxy M51

Big batteries have become commonplace in today’s smartphone market, but the Samsung Galaxy M51 will allegedly take it to the next level. Recent reports claim the device, which may include Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 730 chip, will feature a massive 7,000mAh battery, which should be plenty of juice to last through a day or two.

Samsung Galaxy M51 Forums

Alleged Samsung Galaxy M51 press render. Source: @Sudhanshu1414

Nubia Red Magic 5S

Looking to get your game on? Look no further than the Nubia Red Magic 5S. The gaming smartphone comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip, 144Hz OLED display, and a triple-camera setup, rounding out what should be a pretty impressive flagship device. And it costs a respectable $579, making it an affordable yet powerful experience all around.

Nubia Red Magic 5S Forums

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Are you looking forward to the Google Pixel 5, Google Pixel 4a 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, or Samsung Galaxy M51? Thinking of picking up the Nubia Red Magic 5S? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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BraveDNS is an open-source DNS-over-HTTPS client, firewall, and adblocker for Android

Replacing the factory-installed OS with an aftermarket ROM isn’t just limited to the Android ecosystem. People started modding Linux-powered wireless routers and access points long before the rise of Android smartphones in order to enable functionalities such as packet filtering, firewalls, or adblocking that aren’t otherwise present in the stock firmware. Unsurprisingly, such features are much requested in the world of Android as well. While it is possible to configure Private DNS (or DNS-over-HTTPS) and subsequently block ads on an Android device since Android Pie, end-users still need to rely on third-party apps to set up a proper firewall. If you are looking for an all-in-one app that can act as a firewall, adblocker, and even a DNS-over-HTTPS client, BraveDNS might interest you.

The name “BraveDNS” might sound like yet another DNS resolver service, but it is certainly more than that. This free and open-source app describes itself as “an OpenSnitch-inspired firewall and network monitor + a pi-hole-inspired DNS over HTTPS client with blocklists”. The DoH client module, which is mostly based on another popular open-source project named Intra, uses AdGuard DNS as the default endpoint with built-in adblocking support. The developer team also offers their own DNS resolver service as a paid option for those who need features like custom blocklists, allowlists, the ability to store DNS logs for later analysis, etc.

Below you can find a list of features that are currently offered by the app:

1. DNS over HTTPS (circumvent censorship and prevent surveillance of DNS logs by ISPs and everyone else).
2. View DNS logs.
3. Ad-block through Adguard DNS.
4. Firewall by app categories.
5. Firewall individual apps.
6. Firewall when apps are in the background (not-in-active-use).
7. Firewall when device is locked.

The initial version of BraveDNS requires at least Android Oreo, but the developers have plans to make it compatible all the way down to Android Marshmallow in the near future. Moreover, support for dual-mode DNS and firewall execution is promised to be backported to legacy Android versions.

You can download the BraveDNS app on your device from the Play Store link below, or grab the APK from their official site.

BraveDNS: GitHub Repo ||| XDA Forum Thread

BraveDNS: Fast, private, and safe DNS + Firewall (Free, Google Play) →

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This app uses root access to let you control the ASUS ROG Phone II’s RGB logo

The ASUS ROG Phone II already has a successor for this year, but the 2019 gaming flagship still packs some serious punch. Its powerhouse specifications include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, up to a whopping 1TB of internal storage, a behemoth 6,000 mAh battery, and a buttery smooth 120Hz AMOLED display. The ROG Phone II also has a developer-friendly OEM, which means you can try out plenty of mods and custom ROMs on this smartphone. If you’re running a custom ROM, though, you may have noticed the lack of RGB controls for the ROG Phone II’s “Republic of Gamers” logo. Thankfully, there’s a new app in town with which you can control the RGB illumination, even when you’re running a custom ROM.

ASUS ROG Phone II XDA Forums

XDA Junior Member Terminal_Heat_Sink has developed this app that not only allows you to customize the illumination pattern on the ROG logo on a per-app basis but also gives you the ability to utilize the second LED for notifications. Named “Asus ROG Phone 2 RGB”, the app internally hooks into the RGB driver, which is why root access is a prerequisite for using it. According to the developer, the app does work on the stock ROM as well, but you must upgrade to the official Android 10 firmware to ensure full compatibility.

Below you can find the list of custom animations supported by the app. Note that the color wheel doesn’t work with all of them.

1. None
2. Solid one color
3. Breathing one color
4. Blink
5. Rainbow 1
6. Rainbow 2
7. Rainbow breathe
8. Thunder
9. Thunder rainbow
10. Quick two flashes
11. Quick two flashes rainbow
12. Breathe rainbow 1
13. Breathe rainbow 2
14. Slow glitchy rainbow
15. Yellow light

ASUS ROG Phone II RGB: Download ||| Source Code ||| XDA Discussion Thread

The app is coded in such a way that you don’t have to set up all of the settings for custom notifications each time you reinstall it. There is an option to export all the settings to a file named .terminal_heat_sink.asusrogphone2rgb.xml which you can find at the root of the internal storage. To import, just place the XML file in the same location and use the “Import Settings” wizard inside the app.

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Ground Zero ROMs mourns the loss of one of its own

It was the year Motorola upended the Android world with the introduction of the first Moto X and Moto G, and it was the year that XDA Recognized Developer Martin Coulon (martinusbe) joined the Ground Zero ROMs team and began to establish a legacy that will last long after his recent passing due to cancer. Martin is remembered not only as a truly talented developer and maintainer but also as a kind and down-to-earth person who never hesitated to take the time to help others.

His introduction to Ground Zero ROMs came in 2013 when he helped XDA Recognized Contributor Char_G (currently the publicist for GZR) test a build of GZR’s Validus ROM for the first-generation Moto G (Falcon). From there he caught the attention of XDA Senior Member and founder of Ground Zero ROMs John Brewer (TheRingMaster_GzR), who brought him aboard the team as a maintainer but quickly recognized his talent and promoted him to a lead developer. It was John’s Validus build that Martin had helped Char with testing. He was a strong advocate for keeping code neat and clean, observing proper formatting and spacing, which is extremely important especially for team projects like most custom ROMs. He also insisted on a clean commit history and maintaining proper authorship. In the years following, he became instrumental in bringing GZR’s popular custom ROMs to OnePlus and OPPO devices and became a mentor to many other developers on the GZR team. In John’s words,

“The man made OPPO dev[elopment] what it is. They sent him devices because he knew what to do. Plus he made CAF devices possible on an AOSP system without a separate CAF manifest.”

Despite his ties to OPPO and OnePlus, he remained humble, never bragging about the devices he was sent but rather patiently lending a helping hand to anyone who asked. I can personally say that his help wasn’t limited to other developers. When I was having some problems getting “OK Google” to work on my OnePlus 5T back in late 2017, he took the time to help me through it, and he again helped me track down why the Amazon Appstore kept crashing (I was running Validus at the time).

Martin’s mentoring chops weren’t limited to coding, maintaining, or troubleshooting. Another member of the team known in Telegram as “Scoobyjenkins” mentioned that Martin had encouraged him to grow in graphic design skills, including making icons, wallpapers, and boot animations for the various ROMs developed by the team.

Martin was the one who started the popular GZR ROM Tipsy, naming each version after a popular Belgian beer in alphabetical order. Additionally, he helped John start GZOSP, which was envisioned as an alternative codebase to LineageOS for building custom ROMs. Incidentally, GZOSP was the subject of my very first article here, so Martin’s work was instrumental even to my own contributions to XDA.

Even in his later years, as he valiantly fought against the progression of his cancer, he refused to bend or break. He once told his GZR family the following:

“I’m like Churchill, never surrender.”

While he was a valued member of the Ground Zero ROMs family, he was also widely known in the larger Android development community and was highly respected by developers, as demonstrated by a touching tweet from the Dirty Unicorns team that was retweeted by the AquariOS and CarbonROM teams:

Today we lost a pillar of our community!

A man who was always willing to help and teach others. He had a passion for tech, like many of us, but what separated him from the rest was that as knowledgeable as he was, was even more humble!

R.I.P @martincoulon, we miss you already! pic.twitter.com/JZApJGyG6Z

— Dirty Unicrns (@_DirtyUnicorns_) August 27, 2020

Perhaps the most stirring tribute I’ve seen yet to Martin’s legacy comes from an XDA Senior Member who is more commonly known to the Ground Zero ROMs family in their Telegram chats as “CR45H 0V3RR1D3”:

“I’m not even really sure where to start. Trying to grapple with the fact that I will never speak to my brother (from another mother) again, has left me in tears since he said goodbye. To be affected so greatly by the loss of someone I have never even gotten the fortune of meeting in real life, should give everyone an idea of how incredible of a human being you really were. Even though we met through the Android community, you allowed so many people into your personal life, that it would be an injustice to think of you in any other fashion than family. The immense amount of knowledge that you held, balanced by your incredible humility, makes you a true one of a kind person and one that this world will never see the likes of again. It was a true honor to be your tester for so many years, along with your friend. You fought this disease head on, on your terms, and without fear, never once asking for anyone’s sympathy. You stayed strong, with your head held high, right to the end. I can only hope to emulate a fraction of the courage that you have displayed these past couple years, in any facet of my life. Sadly, I fear this is where many of us will falter and just one more example of one of the many qualities of your life that drew so many into orbit around you. Thank you for everything that you have taught me over the years, from an Android standpoint, but also from a life’s experiences viewpoint as well. I love you, brother. May you rest well til[l] our energies meet again.”

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