Google Pixel 7 Pro leaked case renders confirm the camera visor is here to stay
Based on Google’s usual release schedule, the Pixel 7 Pro is still quite a ways off, expected to be introduced around October. That however hasn’t prevented the leaks about it to start pouring in – we’ve already seen it in leaked CAD-based renders back in February, and today the looks portrayed in those images are pretty much confirmed by a set of newly outed renders showing the phone in a case.
Generally these “phone in a case” renders originate at the various case makers, which are given the exact dimensions of upcoming devices in advance, along with some important details for the manufacture of a case – like the positions of buttons and camera islands, that sort of thing.
So what we can glean from these new images is that, as the CAD-based renders made clear previously, the camera visor on the back is here to stay. It wasn’t just a one-off for the Pixel 6 family. Actually, the entire design of the Pixel 7 Pro seems eerily reminiscent of its predecessor, down to the curved screen and triple rear camera system and placement of the LED flash.
Despite a front camera not being part of these renders, rumor has it there will be a centered hole-punch affair on the Pixel 7 Pro, just like on the Pixel 6 Pro. According to past rumors, the Pixel 7 Pro will sport a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and embedded fingerprint sensor. A second-generation Google Tensor chipset is likely to power the device.
From Gsmarena
OnePlus Nord 2T quietly listed for Europe, revealing price and specs
We got a look at more apparent OnePlus Nord 2T renders yesterday, showing a phone with a distinctive rear camera housing once again. Now, it looks like the phone has quietly been listed online, complete with specs and purported pricing.
AliExpress recently listed the OnePlus Nord 2T (h/t: Abhishek Yadav and Gizchina), complete with a disclosed price of €399 (~$420) and those aforementioned leaked images. So what do you get for this apparent price tag, then?
Don’t expect the greatest rear camera system here, but the 50MP IMX766 main shooter with OIS should do the job well enough. Otherwise, an 8MP ultrawide shooter and 2MP monochrome lens round out the camera setup. A 32MP camera in a left-aligned punch-hole cutout is responsible for selfies.
You can expect to find the Nord 2T in grey and green colorways, while AliExpress’s listing also says the first 300 orders will get a free pair of “OnePlus Bullets Z” earphones (presumably the Bullets Wireless Z).
From Android Authority
Three Galaxy Watch 5 models could be coming, including a super premium one
If this latest leak is right it sounds like the Heart-S will be the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, while the Heart-L might be the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Classic, and the Heart-Pro could be a completely new entry in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
That suggests the Pro model could be even higher end than the Classic model, which could make it a very pricey device, given that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic already starts at $349 / £349 / AU$549.
So far though we don’t know what it will do to justify the price and name, other than perhaps coming with a big 572mAh battery (up from a maximum of 361mAh in the Galaxy Watch 4 range).
Then again, we’ve elsewhere heard a suggestion that there won’t be a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Classic. That seems unlikely to be the case if there really are three models, but perhaps the lowest end one would instead be the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Active, with the middle one being the standard Watch 5. Or maybe Samsung has a different naming scheme planned altogether.
We should find out in or around August, as that’s when the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 range is likely to land.
From Techradar
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ is postponed for the second half of 2022
Qualcomm was rumored to launch the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chipset this month, but a leakster from China revealed we are more likely to see the platform arrive in the second half of the year. According to Digital Chat Station, who is usually on point with such rumors, the reason is the current epidemic situation in China.
State agency Xinhua quoted political leaders in the Asian country that relaxation of measures will “undoubtedly lead to a massive number of infections,” which will seriously impact the economy and social development of people’s lives and health.
According to Digital Chat Station, Lenovo and Qualcomm have a “good relationship”, suggesting the first phone with the new chip might be the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. After all, the Edge 30 Pro (launched in China as Edge X30) was the first with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
The name “Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+” is still just a suggestion, but expectations are the GPU will receive a boost while the CPU will remain the same as the current flagship – one mighty Cortex-X2 at (almost) 3 GHz, three more Cortex-A710 performance units and four Cortex-A510 cores for efficiency.
From Gsmarena
Motorola Edge 30 India launch date announced
Motorola today announced that the Edge 30 unveiled last week will debut in India on May 12 and will be sold through Flipkart, Reliance Digital, and leading retail stores across the country.
The Motorola Edge 30 is powered by the Snapdragon 778G+ SoC, boots Android 12, and comes in two memory configurations – 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. But it’s unclear whether both will be offered in India or if only one of them will be sold in the Asian country.
From Gsamrena
Galaxy Z Fold 4 processor might fix the Galaxy S22’s overheating problem
If that’s accurate, there’s little Samsung can do about the latest reference ARM design. But Samsung could still improve cooling on future handsets to avoid having to throttle peak performance as often.
Also, let’s not forget that the Exynos 2200 turned the Galaxy S22 throttling issue into a massive PR problem in Korea. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 versions might have had their own throttling issues. But that wasn’t as obvious as the Exynos 2200 issues after the Galaxy S22 launch.
Well-known Samsung leaker Ice Unverse said on Twitter that he can confirm the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 will get the same processor upgrade. That’s the TSMC-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus model. Qualcomm is yet to announce the annoyingly named Gen 1 model. But the processor release isn’t surprising. This wouldn’t be the first time Qualcomm releases an upgraded flagship SoC in the second half of the year.
The leaker has been critical of Samsung’s recent mistakes, including the Exynos overheating blunders. He makes no mention of an Exynos 2200 “Plus” variant that would match the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus. This seems to imply that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 will only come in Snapdragon versions.
From BGR
New iQOO Z5 with a 6,000 mAh battery and 44W fast charging coming soon
The iQOO Z5 arrived back in September 2021, followed by a Z5x a month later. Both devices are available only in China, and while the global market welcomed the iQOO Z6 series, a new Z5-named phone by the vivo brand is heading to the domestic scene.
The information comes from Digital Chat Station, who posted on Weibo that the new iQOO Z5 will have a 6,000 mAh battery with 44W fast-charging capabilities.
The source also claimed the chipset of this new mysterious phone will be competitive to the Dimensity 8000. There aren’t many mid-range platforms that can match the octa-core CPU of the Mediatek SoC with four cores at 2.75 GHz, so we’re expecting the Snapdragon 778G from the original iQOO Z5 to stay.
In other specs, the phone will also have a 6.58” LCD and a thick 9.21 mm body. We are on the lookout for more leaks and teasers for features because apparently, the new iQOO Z5 is just around the corner.
From Gsmarena
Apple Patent Suggests Future iPad Could Transform Into macOS-Like Experience When Attached to a Keyboard
A new Apple patent has suggested that a future iPad or version of iPadOS could include the ability to transform the tablet into a macOS-like user experience when it’s attached to an external keyboard.
The patent, first reported by Patently Apple, is wide-ranging in its potential implementation. Apple regularly patents dozens of ideas, and only very few ever see the light of day. Nonetheless, this patent describes a base device, such as a keyboard that includes keys and a trackpad, that could be coupled with a computing device, such as an iPad, to deliver what seems like a macOS similar experience with an Apple Pencil.
Image from the patent that depicts a macOS-like user experience with an Apple Pencil
Adding credence that the patent depicts an iPad and keyboard combo, other images in the filing reveal how the computing device can be detected from the keyboard and used standalone, similar to how users can currently detach the iPad from the Magic Keyboard.
From Macrumors
WhatsApp Rolls Out Message Reactions, Bigger File Size Limit, New Max Group Size
WhatsApp has announced it is rolling out multiple new features today that have undergone long testing periods, including emoji reactions, bigger file transfers, and larger groups.
WhatsApp has been working on message reactions – or “Tapbacks” in Apple Messages parlance – for some time, with evidence of their development first coming to light last summer.
The feature gives messaging app users a quick and easy way to respond to a message (a thumbs-up or thumbs-down in iMessage, for example) without having to type out a lengthier text-based reply in the chat thread.
Similar to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp users will soon see a row of emoji just above a message. To begin with, only a handful of common reactions are available, but WhatsApp parent company Meta has said that support for “all emojis and skin-tones” will be added in the future.
WhatsApp is also rolling out a much larger 2GB cap for file transfers between users of the instant messaging platform. WhatsApp’s file-sharing capabilities have become a key feature of the service, and the app has included the ability to share media files within conversations since 2017, but its 100MB file size limitation hasn’t changed in that time.
Upping the limit to 2GB should make the platform a lot more amenable to sharing video clips and other large media file types, which would also be securely transferred via WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
Also from today, WhatsApp is expanding the default maximum size of group chats, upping the cap from 256 to 512 users. In its blog post announcing the new features, WhatsApp says the larger group limit is being rolled out “slowly,” while message reactions and larger file size transfer limits are currently rolling out to users globally and should be available in the current version of the app.
From Macrumors
Apple no longer accepts credit and debit cards for subscriptions and app purchases in India
Customers in India are no longer able to use a debit or credit card for subscriptions and app purchases using their Apple ID. This means they can no longer purchase apps from the App Store, subscribe to Apple services, or buy any Apple media with credit or debit.
Customers now have to add money to their Apple funds like they would a prepaid card. According to The News Minute, money will be deducted from their account each month as their subscription renews. Any new Apple users will need to add their bank information while they manually create a new Apple ID during device setup.
From 9to5Mac
