The HONOR Magic6 series appears in all colors ahead of launch
You will find two galleries below this paragraph. The first one will show you the HONOR Magic6 in all of its colors, and the second one the HONOR Magic6 Pro. These seem to be the official renders of both smartphones.
HONOR Magic6 renders in all colors:
HONOR Magic6 Pro renders in all colors:
The two phones will basically be available in the same color options. They will both launch in Black, Cyan, Green, Purple, and White colors, as you can see above. They will also look very similar, with some notable differences.
In addition to renders that surfaced, four real-life images also appeared, giving us an even better look at the upcoming devices. You can check out those images below. The first image shows the Magic6, and the other three the Magic6 Pro.
HONOR Magic6 & Magic6 Pro real-life images:
The HONOR Magic6 Pro will have a larger camera island on the back. In addition to that, it will have a pill-shaped camera cutout on the front. The HONOR Magic6, on the flip side, will have a single hole on the front.
Both devices will feature curved display, but the ‘Pro’ model will be easy to set apart
Both devices will feature curved displays, and look pretty much the same other than what we’ve mentioned. HONOR is keeping a similar design language to the HONOR Magic5 series, but the new phones will be easy to set apart.
The HONOR Magic6 Pro will deliver 100x zoom, and it will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. Extremely fast wired and wireless charging is also expected, along with a top-of-the-line display and overall specs.
The HONOR Magic6 and Magic6 Pro will become official in the near future. HONOR announced a press event for January 11. That will be the launch event for China, and the initial launch event for the device. The HONOR Magic6 series is expected to see a global launch too, though. We believe that the global launch will happen during MWC 2024, or at some point close to that tradeshow, towards the end of February.
Science and technology never fail to amaze us. Researchers are putting efforts into using transparent wood for phone screens. It’s tougher and lighter than the glass we usually use. And here’s the kicker: it can bend, too, and it doesn’t break into sharp pieces but into tiny bits. Further, it’s cheap to mass produce. While still in its early stages, transparent wood holds immense promise for the future of phone screens.
Transparent wood for phone screens could be the future
Lars Berglund from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology teamed up with researchers at the University of Maryland to explore transparent wood. After many trials, researchers found that it could be used in many areas, not just for screens.
This special wood could be great for things like screens on phones or computers because it’s thin and clear. It can also be used for windows. However, instead of being completely clear like the windows we know, it may resemble frosted glass. Some of these windows can even change from clear to tinted.
The researchers also found that thin sheets of see-through wood let 80% to 90% of light pass through. But, as the sheet becomes thicker, less light goes through. Also, tests showed that this wood is three times tougher than Plexiglass and a whopping 10 times tougher than regular glass.
How are scientists making the wood transparent?
This exact question sparked my mind, too. Well, there’s a wood part called lignin that makes wood strong and gives it that brown color. Scientists figured out that by changing or removing this lignin and adding something called epoxy resin, they can make the wood clear.
But there’s a small catch. Right now, the stuff used to make wood clear, called epoxy resin, isn’t very eco-friendly because it comes from petroleum. However, scientists are already looking for better and greener ways to make this, like using things from citrus fruits.
OPPO has recently shared some portrait camera samples from the upcoming OPPO Find X7 Ultra. Those were 3x photos that we could check out. Well, the company is now back with dual periscopeOPPO Find X7 Ultra camera samples.
As some of you may know, the OPPO Find X7 Ultra is the first smartphone that will feature two periscope telephoto cameras. The company has decided to do that to properly cover everything from 1x to 10x zoom, and beyond that.
OPPO has shared dual periscope OPPO Find X7 Ultra camera samples ahead of launch
Having said that, the camera samples below come from those two cameras. There are 65mm and 135mm shots included in the gallery. Do note that the ones in the gallery below have been compressed. If you’d like to check them out in their full size, click here.
The images that the company shared here look outstanding. Now, it’s worth noting that a professional photographer likely handled these, so… keep that in mind. We’ll get to review this phone once it launches, so you’ll get far more info about it and its cameras.
Another thing worth saying is that OPPO still didn’t share camera samples from the main camera. This will be the very first smartphone to utilize Sony’s LYT-900 camera sensor. That camera sensor will be a part of the ‘LYTIA’ family, and the most powerful mobile camera sensor Sony released thus far.
The company’s new flagship series will launch tomorrow
The OPPO Find X7 Ultra is becoming official tomorrow, January 8. So the company doesn’t really have plenty of info to share camera samples from the main camera, but it may yet happen.
The OPPO Find X7 Ultra will launch alongside the OPPO Find X7. That device will be truly powerful, and it will also have an easily recognizable design. Its design is not exactly a secret anymore.
Sony has finally started rolling out Android 14 update for the Xperia 5 V. Originally introduced with Android 13, the phone was made available for purchase last September. The new update for the Xperia 5 V offers all the new features that Google packed in the Android 14 release.
Xperia 5 V’s Android 14 update brings flash notifications, expanded Nearby Share feature, and more
After upgrading, the Xperia 5 V users can finally set the screen or LED light to flash when receiving notifications. The update brings support for the Find My Device application. It allows the users to remotely lock and locate the Xperia 5 V. Also, there’s also the ability to remotely erase all contents on the device.
Furthermore, the update brings enhanced Nearby Share functionality. This allows the Xperia 5 V users to wirelessly send files to the phone from their Windows computer. Lastly, the update adds the ability to customize the lock screen shortcuts. The users can now show their favorite app shorts right on the lock screen easily. As expected, the update should bring usual performance and stability enhancements.
Just like other updates, Sony is rolling out the Android 14 update for the Xperia 5 V in a gradual manner. So, not everyone will get it right away. The users can also check the availability of the new update by going to the Settings section, in case there’s no notification.
Sony has already updated the Xperia 1 V and Xperia 10 V to the latest version of Android
It’s worth mentioning that Sony already updated the Xperia 1 V flagship and 10 V mid-ranger to Android 14 in November. The phones were updated to the newer Android version barely a month after it was released to the Pixel 8 series. Apart from the usual features, the Sony Xperia 1 V received an improved Bokeh mode in the Android 14 update. The improved version made the Bokeh effect look more natural.
As for the Xperia 10 V, its update brought support for the Find my device app. This finally offered the ability to track lost devices signed in with a Google account. The update also offered an improved version of Game enhancer, Photo Pro, Video app, and External monitor apps.
We’re all anticipating these phones from Samsung. As anyone could guess, they will come with the latest and greatest specs, so they will be powerhouses. One thing about the phones this year is that they may not bring too many hardware innovations. Rather, Samsung is focusing on bringing new AI capabilities. This, of course, is in response to the generative AI boom that’s been going on for the past year.
So, Samsung’s unpacked event, which is scheduled to happen relatively soon, will mostly feature news about generative AI. In any case, we’re going to be introduced to some of the most powerful smartphones that will come out in the year.
A new leak shows the possible colors for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Sometimes, it’s the color that makes the phone. People typically want to have phones that look nice, and Samsung usually launches phones with some nice colors. In the new leak, we see a glimpse of how this phone could look. The leak helps confirm the rumor that Samsung will ditch the curved display in this phone. This would be the first time in nearly a decade that Samsung’s flagship phones all came with flat displays.
In the leaked image, we see the three colors. We see that the top color has a sort of a pastel orange hue. That seems a bit uncharacteristic for a Galaxy phone, but it still looks nice. Under that, we’ve seen a baby blue color. People who like the sky blue color of the Google Pixel 8 Pro may like this one. Lastly, we have sort of an olive green color. It’s similar in nature to the blue color.
Right now, information about these phones is still coming out. According to the latest rumors, the Galaxy S24 Ultra could start at $1,199 for the base model. The base model is rumored to have 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Check out our Galaxy S24 Ultra preview for more information.
The RedMagic 9 Pro is now on sale globally, and can be yours for as low as $649
The 12GB RAM model with 256GB of storage is priced at $649/€649. That model comes in a Sleet color. The 16GB RAM variant with 512GB of storage comes in Cyclone and Snowfall colors, and is priced at $799/€799.
You can also get a $10/€10 discount if you subscribe to the company’s newsletter. RedMagic also offers several accessories via its official website, for the device. You can grab the RedMagic 9 Pro screen protector, protective case, or one of the two ‘Turbo Cooler’ products.
The RedMagic 9 Pro is a rather interesting smartphone. This is a gaming phone that has a clear canvas on the front. RedMagic is using an under-display camera to ditch display camera holes and notches. The phone also has very thin bezels, and it has a squarish design. The sides are completely flat. It’s quite boxy overall.
There is no camera bump on the back
There is no camera bump on the back, as the phone’s cameras are flush with the body, and covered with glass. This phone also offers a rather powerful spec sheet for the price.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 fuels this smartphone, while RedMagic utilizes LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. A 6.8-inch 2480 x 1116 AMOLED display is used here. That display has a 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits.
The phone has a built-in fan for gaming, and also shoulder triggers on the side. A ton of gaming features are baked into the software as well. This phone is made to handle intense gaming sessions.
The device includes a large battery, and supports 80W charging
A large 6,500mAh battery is included here as well, while 80W wired charging is supported. Yes, a charger is included in the box with the phone. An in-display fingerprint scanner is also a part of the package.
There is a 50-megapixel main camera on the back, along with a 50-megapixel ultrawide unit, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. A 16-megapixel under-display camera is also included.
Android 14 comes pre-installed on the RedMagic 9 Pro, along with the company’s RedMagic OS 9. If you’re interested in the device, check out the link below.
Google’s official repair partner iFixit has started selling repair parts and tools for the latest-generation Pixel 8 series. This gives users the chance to fix their own phones. It is also great for the right-to-repair movement with both Samsung and Apple having made it easier for customers to repair their devices. For those unaware, the Google Pixel 8 series are eligible for seven years of OS updates as well as access to genuine spare parts.
iFixit starts selling genuine Pixel 8 series repair parts
Pixel 8 iFixit genuine repair parts
Along with the repair part, iFixit also offers the option to bundle the tools (at an additional price) needed to perform the fix for those who do not have a toolkit. The list of genuine repair parts for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are nearly the same. For the standard variant, the replacement screen, rear case, main camera, and ultra-wide camera are priced at $159.99, $142.99, $142.99, and $62.99 respectively. These same parts for the pro model cost $229.99, $172.99, and $199.99. For the Pixel 8 Pro, iFixit is offering the entire camera setup. The replacement battery and front camera on the Pixel 8 series are priced at $42.99. The cameras on the Google Pixel 8 series are expensive to repair compared to their predecessors.
It’s worth noting that the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are quite difficult to repair as per teardown videos. Additionally, the USB-C port is soldered to the motherboard. Hence, if it gets damaged, it cannot be fixed with an iFixit kit. However, smartphones support wireless charging that could minimize the wear and tear on the USB-C port.
Genuine replacement parts will increase longevity
The smartphone’s hardware needs to last as long as the provided software support. Google’s seven years of access to both is a welcome move. Additionally, self-service repair is a cheaper option than taking the Pixel 8 phones to Google. Technically skilled people can take advantage of the genuine replacement parts and perform the repair themselves. Additionally, degrading components like the battery can be replaced easily making the device last for a few more years. The Pixel 8 Pro has also aced famous YouTuber JerryRigEverything’s durability test.
If you’re into compact smartphones, and you also want a powerful smartphone at the same time, there are not a ton of choices out there. Luckily both Sony and Apple did release such devices in the last year or so. In this article, we’ll compare the Sony Xperia 5 V vs Apple iPhone 15. The Xperia 5 V is Sony’s most powerful compact device, while the iPhone 15 is inferior to the iPhone 15 Pro, but still quite compelling. Also, we’ve already compared the ‘Pro’ model with the Xperia 5 V, in case you’re interested in that.
As per usual, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of other categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. These two devices are quite different, which should make things interesting. Let’s get down to it.
As you can see, these two devices look entirely different. They’re both made out of aluminum and glass, but that’s where their similarities end, basically. The Sony Xperia 5 V doesn’t have a display camera hole or notch, but it has slightly thicker bezels above and below the display. It also has a 21:9 display aspect ratio, so it’s quite tall and narrow. The iPhone 15 has a pill-shaped display camera hole aka Dynamic Island. The display aspect ratio here is 19.5:9.
Both smartphones have two cameras on the back, but they look very different. Sony’s are placed in the top-left corner and are vertically aligned. The iPhone 15 cameras have a diagonal setup, but also sit in the top-left corner. Both smartphones do have flat sides, but they’re different. The Xperia 5 V has chamfered edges, while the ones on the iPhone 15 have a slight curve towards the sides. Both smartphones are fairly comfortable to hold.
The fact these two phones are not heavy definitely has something to do with comfort. The Xperia 5 V weighs 182 grams, while the iPhone 15 weighs 171 grams. The Xperia 5 V is considerably taller, and noticeably narrower, while it’s also a bit thicker than the iPhone 15. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. If you’re looking for a one-handed smartphone, both of these fit the bill. They’re amongst the best compact devices out there.
Sony Xperia 5 V vs Apple iPhone 15: Display
The Sony Xperia 5 V includes a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2520 x 1080) OLED display. That panel is flat, and has a 120Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR10 content and can project up to 1 billion colors. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display. We’re looking at a 21:9 display aspect ratio, which makes the phone narrow and tall. The screen-to-body ratio here is around 83%, in case you were wondering.
The Apple iPhone 15 has a 6.1-inch 2556 x 1179 Super Retina XDR OLED display. This panel is also flat, but it has a 60Hz refresh rate. It doesn’t offer a high refresh rate. HDR10 content is supported, and so is Dolby Vision. This panel goes up to 2,000 nits when it comes to brightness, and has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The screen-to-body ratio is 86.4%. The Ceramic Shield glass is placed on top of the display in order to protect it.
The iPhone 15’s panel does get brighter than Sony’s, but not by that much. Both displays are very much usable outdoors, even in direct sunlight. There are brighter displays out there, though, of course. The Xperia 5 V has the advantage of high refresh rate. If you’re used to high refresh rate displays, you may be underwhelmed with the iPhone 15. Other than that, both displays are quite good. They are vivid, have good viewing angles, and the blacks are deep, as they should be on AMOLED panels.
Sony Xperia 5 V vs Apple iPhone 15: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 fuels the Sony Xperia 5 V. That handset comes with 8GB of RAM, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, includes 6GB of RAM and NVMe flash storage. That handset is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic processor. Neither of these two chips is the latest and greatest at this point, but they’re right next to the most powerful offerings from Qualcomm and Apple.
Truth be said, both smartphones do offer flagship-level performance. We did not notice any performance problems during regular, everyday use. Everything is nice and snappy, ranging from web browsing, to consuming multimedia, and multitasking. The same can actually be said for gaming as well. Both smartphones can handle even the most demanding games that are available for them, in their respective stores.
Do note that both phones do get quite warm during intense use, but neither gets too hot to handle or anything of the sort. There’s really nothing to worry about when it comes to performance, even though neither phone has the bleeding edge spec sheet at this point in time. They’re close enough to that, though.
Sony Xperia 5 V vs Apple iPhone 15: Battery
A 5,000mAh battery sits inside the Sony Xperia 5 V. The iPhone 15, on the flip side, includes a 3,349mAh unit. Apple’s handsets usually have smaller battery packs, but that’s because iOS handles battery consumption differently. You’ll be glad to know that the battery life on both smartphones is good. In fact, the two phones are on the same playing field when it comes to battery life.
Crossing the 7-hour screen-on-time level is possible on both devices. Do note that gaming could impact that number in a negative way, though. Getting over 7 hours of screen-on-time is possible even with more intense usage, both of these smartphones can handle it. That’s not nearly the best we’ve seen when it comes to higher-end phones, but it’s good. Most people will be more than happy with the battery life here. Do note that your mileage may vary, though, of course. You’ll be using different apps, in a different way, with different signal strengths.
The Sony Xperia 5 V supports 30W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, supports 20W wired, 15W wireless (MagSafe & Qi2), 7.5W wireless (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wired charging. Neither of the two phones includes a charger in the box, though. So you’ll have to get one, if you don’t already own it.
Sony Xperia 5 V vs Apple iPhone 15: Cameras
Sony’s handset includes a 48-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit. This handset also comes with Zeiss optics. The Apple iPhone 15, on the flip side, has a 48-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV). So, both smartphones include two cameras on the back. A 12-megapixel unit is included on the front of both phones, while the iPhone 15 also has a sensor for advanced facial scanning.
The camera performance is really good on both phones. It is different, though. During the day, both smartphones do try to keep things closer to real–life and provide detailed images with good exposure and white balance. They also do a good job with HDR content. Images from the Xperia 5 V are usually more contrasty. Images from the iPhone 15 do end up being a bit warmer, though.
In low light, both phones attempt to provide more realistic shots, the same as in the daytime. That’s why they may seem a bit darker than low-light shots on most other flagships, and many people would agree that’s a good thing. Both smartphones are capable of pulling plenty of details from the shadows, though. Those low-light shots end up looking really good, and both devices handle street lights with style.
Ultrawide cameras are very good during the day and manage to keep up with the color science of the main shooters. They are visibly worse than main cameras in low light, but still very usable.
Audio
There are stereo speakers included on both of these phones. Those speakers provide basically the same level of loudness, and both sets are really well-balanced. There’s not much to complain about here, you’re even getting a bit of bass. The thing is, they’re not the best out there, but are more than good enough for most people.
The Xperia 5 V even has a 3.5mm headphone jack. So you can connect your wired headphones. The iPhone 15 does not, but you can always utilize its Type-C port. For wireless connections, both smartphones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3.
Android Auto recently received a significant design refresh, offering more efficient use of a car’s screen with the ability to display multiple apps side by side. This enhancement allowed users to, for example, run YouTube Music alongside Google Maps simultaneously. However, until now, one feature that was missing from Android Auto was the 3D buildings view in Google Maps, which has been a staple in the phone app for more than a decade.
This immersive view, known for helping users navigate and find locations more easily, is finally making its way to Android Auto, offering a more engaging and detailed exploration of cityscapes.
A Reddit user known as u/Seemebreakthis recently discovered that Google Maps on Android Auto has started displaying 3D buildings, marking a notable addition to the in-car navigation experience. Unlike traditional 2D maps, the 3D buildings feature provides users with a more realistic and visually enriched representation of their surroundings.
U/Seemebreakthis shared a screenshot with translucent 3D buildings that add a layer of depth without affecting the visibility of the roads. While this development doesn’t appear to impact navigation in Android Auto directly, it aligns with the trend of enhancing the overall user experience by bringing popular features from mobile devices to in-car systems.
For those who prefer a more traditional map view, the option to disable 3D buildings remains available
Interestingly, the implementation of 3D buildings on Android Auto seems to be a server-side change, as users reported noticing the feature without manually toggling any settings on their end. This suggests that Google is gradually rolling out the update to users rather than requiring individual action. Meanwhile, Google Maps on smartphones is also evolving, as the 3D buildings feature is reportedly starting to appear during navigation.
Previously, this feature was limited to browsing the Maps app and was not accessible during turn-by-turn directions. Users can experiment with the feature by activating the 3D option from the layers menu on the Maps’ home screen and zooming in until the buildings take on a three-dimensional appearance.
Despite the promising developments, the availability of 3D buildings on Android Auto is not yet widespread, leaving room for speculation about whether it is part of a broader public release or a limited test. As more users experience the feature in the coming weeks, it will become clearer whether Google is extending this enhancement to a broader audience.
For those who prefer a more traditional map view, the option to disable 3D buildings remains available in the same layers menu.
Despite the price hikes over the years, you have to give Netflix props for not being super apt about monetizing its content. It took the company years to even consider adding an ad-supported payment tier, and you’re able to play all of the Netflix games without any sort of monetization whatsoever. However, this might change as the economic climate continues to suffer. According to sources, Netflix could be looking to monetize its games.
At this point, it’s really tough to tell what the company is planning on doing. There’s no telling how Netflix plans to monetize its games, so, you’ll want to take this news with a grain of salt. We’ll need to wait for Netflix to make some official announcements.
Netflix could be looking to monetize its games
So far, if you want to play games through Netflix, all you have to do is have an active subscription. When subscribed, you will be able to freely play the games without any ads or in-app purchases. It’s just like playing a regular video game from before the whole monetization boom.
However, a new report from The Wall Street Journal states that it could possibly change in the near future. People close to the matter told the Wall Street Journal that the company is discussing ways to bring money in for its games.
We can’t deny that Netflix spent multiple millions of dollars on its gaming endeavors. However, games are not exactly bringing in a ton of subscriptions. So, the games have been a massive money-losing endeavor, and Netflix knows this. The folks people in the company are starting to brainstorm on how to minimize the losses and bring some more Revenue in.
There were discussions among executives at Netflix, and in-app purchases were brought up. All we know is that they were brought up, so there’s no saying if the company greenlit this plan. Also, offering full-price games that you buy outright and having ads were also presented. The ads were proposed for the $7.99/month ad-supported tier only.
These could be problematic
These are viable options, but that’s not to say that they won’t bring some controversy. For example, the option of offering full price games will rub some people the wrong way. Why what a person pay for a monthly subscription just to be able to then pay for a game? It seems unlikely that the company will do this.
As for adding the advertisements, this could rub people the wrong way because people on the cheapest plan can already play games ad-free. So, introducing ads to a platform that was already at free will definitely frustrate some users.
At this point, we don’t know what Netflix plans to do. We’re going to have to wait for more information on this subject. Whatever the company chooses, you can bet that some people will be upset.
