Realme GT 2 & GT 2 Pro confirmed to launch globally

Last month, the Realme GT 2 series was launched in China as the first-ever flagship smartphone by the company. At that time, Realme confirmed that the devices will soon make way for international markets. Well, the time seems to approach as the Realme GT 2 & GT 2 Pro are confirmed to launch in the global markets soon.

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The Realme GT 2 lineup is approved to hit the global markets in March. To recall, the Indian and global editions of the models were recently spotted at the Google Play Console, hinting at an imminent launch.

Regarding specifications, the Realme GT 2 is built around a 6.62-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5. The panel offers an under-display fingerprint scanner and a 120Hz refresh rate. Underneath, it runs the Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

In addition, the device offers Android 12 OS out of the box paired with Realme UI 3.0 on top. For shooting, the Realme GT 2 carries a 50 MP triple rear camera and a single 16 MP unit on the front. The other lenses on the backside include an 8 MP ultrawide and a 2 MP macro sensor. Also, it ships with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging.



On the other hand, the Realme GT 2 Pro features a 6.78-inch AMOLED QHD+ display with Gorilla Glass Victus protection, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an under-display fingerprint scanner. Otherwise, the device is identical to the standard model in terms of storage, battery, and operating system.

Under the hood, Realme GT 2 Pro powers Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. For optics, the smartphone houses a 32 MP front camera and a triple rear unit led by a 50 MP sensor. Accompanying this is a 50 MP ultrawide and a 3 MP microscope camera.

Read more: [Update: February 2022 Security Patch] Realme C11 Update Tracker

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Poco M4 Pro 5G with Dimensity 810 SoC unveils in India for ₹14,999

Xiaomi's sub-brand Poco just added one more smartphone to its Indian market bucket. The Poco M4 Pro 5G debuted in November 2021 has made an entry in the country today. It is the successor of the Poco M3 Pro 5G launched last year in June.

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Poco M4 Pro 5G specifications

Poco M4 Pro 5G flaunts a 6.6-inch  FullHD+ 90Hz LCD with a layer of Gorilla Glass 3. The panel features a punch-hole design with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 240Hz touch sampling rate, and DCI-P3 wide color gamut. It measures 163.56 x 75.78 x 8.75mm in dimensions and weighs 195 grams.

On the software front, the Poco M4 Pro 5G boosts Android 11 out of the box paired with MIUI 12.5 on top. Under the hood, it draws power from MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC. The device offers up to 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Also, the configuration can be extended up to 1TB via a microSD card and virtual RAM expansion feature.

In the optics, Poco M4 Pro 5G houses a dual rear camera and a single 16 MP front-facing shooter. On the back, an 8 MP ultrawide unit accompanies the 50 MP primary lens. A 5,000mAh battery keeps the system working with the support of 33W Pro fast charging over a USB Type-C port.



In addition, the other specifications include a 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, Infrared (IR) blaster, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Also, it has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor to serve security

Availability and Price

The Poco M4 Pro 5G arrives in Cool Blue, Poco Yellow, and Power Black color options. You can purchase the smartphone from February 22 via Flipkart at the following prices:

• 64GB + 4GB: ₹14,999 ($200/€175)


• 128GB + 6GB: ₹16,999 ($225/€200)


• 128GB + 8GB: ₹18,999 ($250/€220)

Read more: Poco M3 picks up Android 11 MIUI 12.5 Enhanced update in India

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Asus ROG Phone 5s series launched in India starting at ₹49,999

As reported, Asus has finally taken the drapes off from the ROG Phone 5s series in India. The lineup unveiled last year in the home country consisting of two models: ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5s Pro. Let's take a detailed look at the duo here!

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The ROG Phone 5s and ROG Phone 5s Pro share common specifications. However, the Pro variant differs in terms of design and memory configuration. To begin with, the former variant features an RGB light panel on the rear panel. Meanwhile, the Pro version sports a PMOLED display and two additional touch sensors.

ROG Phone 5s series specifications

The Asus ROG Phone 5s and 5s Pro feature a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus. Under the hood, they draw power from Snapdragon 888+ chipset. On the software front, the ROG Phone 5s models will boost Android 11 OS on day one along with ROG UI on top.

In the optics department, the lineup carries a 24 MP front-facing camera. On the other side, there’s a pair of 13 MP and 5 MP additional snappers alongside the 64 MP primary shooter. A 6,000mAh battery will back up the ROG Phone 5s lineup supported by 65W of fast charging.



Further, the phones offer stereo speakers for entertainment. To serve connectivity, they have a 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 x USB Type-C ports,5G connectivity, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and an ultrasonic shoulder triggers onboard.

Availability and Price

The ROG Phone 5s series is selling exclusively on Flipkart. The standard model arrives in 8GB + 128GB storage option costing ₹49,999. Whereas, the ROG Phone 5s Pro is worth  ₹79,999 for its configuration of 18GB + 512GB.

Read more: [Update: January 2022 Security Patch] Asus ROG Phone 2 Updates Tracker

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Google Messages becomes the default SMS app for the Galaxy S22 series in the US

It's been a while since the launch of the Galaxy S22 series. The smartphones pack a bundle of features, but the users in the United States get something extra. The lineup in the country comes pre-installed with Google Messages as the default messaging app.

Make sure to visit: Apply these Galaxy S22 wallpapers on your current smartphone!

Earlier, Samsung offered its own stock messaging app. Anyway, both apps are compatible with Rich Communication Services (RCS). For the unawares, RCS is a next-gen SMS texting version. The element provides features like the ability to share high-quality multimedia files, typing indicators, reading receipts, and a lot more.

Although Google Messages is set as the default app on the latest Galaxy flagships, the Samsung stock app can still be found on the device. That means the user can switch back to the Samsung version of the RCS app anytime. The company has confirmed the news officially.

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“To create the best possible messaging experience for users — with a richer, more engaging communication experience that is consistent across platforms — Samsung is now making Messages the default messaging app for Galaxy S22 series users worldwide, giving them even better capabilities,” said Jordan Guthmann, Samsung's spokesperson.

To recall, the hot-selling Galaxy S21 series also offers Google Messages as a default SMS app in some regions. Also, anyone could just head to the Play Store and download the Google Messages app. But let's be honest, we use whatever ships on our phone out of the box.

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Nokia G11 goes official in Europe with Unisoc T606 SoC, 13 MP triple cameras, and more

Along with Nokia G21, the HMD Global also unveiled the Nokia G11 in Europe. The devices share a similar design with a minor difference in specifications. As the name indicates, Nokia G11 succeeds the last year launched Nokia G10 smartphone.

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The Nokia G11 is built around a 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen holding a teardrop notch at the top center. The panel offers a 90Hz refresh rate, a 180Hz touch sampling rate, an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, and a 20:9 aspect ratio. For security, it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and a face unlock feature that works even when wearing a mask.

For shooting purposes, Nokia G11 carries a triple rear camera island led by a 13 MP primary unit. The other lenses include a couple of 2 MP sensors to measure depth and macro aspects. On the other side, the device houses an 8 MP front snapper to serve selfies and video calls.



Under the helm, the Nokia G11 runs the Unisoc T606 chipset paired with 3 GB RAM. The phone arrives in a single storage variant of 32 GB. Further, it boosts Android 11 OS out of the box. To mention, it is eligible to receive two major Android updates and three years of security updates.

In addition, the Nokia G11 ships with a 5,050 mAh battery and a 10W charger. Though it does support 18W charging as well. The other features include dual SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB-C, a Google Assistant key, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Availability and Price

The Nokia G11 is available in two color options: Charcoal and Ice. It costs £119 (~$161) in the U.K. The smartphone could debut in other markets soon.

Related: Nokia G21 launched with Unisoc T606 SoC in Europe for €170

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Chrome for desktop arrives with 11 security fixes

After a successful rollout of Chrome 98 a couple of weeks ago, Google has released another upgrade over the stable version. Usually, the tech giant follows a four-week cycle to release the next version. However, as this is a minor bump, there is no new feature on the table. More importantly, it brings fixes for various security and privacy-related issues.

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The update started rolling out yesterday for desktop operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Though termed as Chrome 97, the minor upgrade can be identified via version number 98.0.4758.102.

As far as changes are concerned, the build does not carry any significant features. However, it enhances privacy by addressing 11 different security-related issues, out of which 10 are classified as High severity. FYI, this is the second-highest rating after critical. Here is a brief overview:

• High CVE-2022-0603: Use after free in File Manager.


• High CVE-2022-0604: Heap buffer overflow in Tab Groups.


• High CVE-2022-0605: Use after free in Webstore API.


• High CVE-2022-0606: Use after free in ANGLE.


• High CVE-2022-0607: Use after free in GPU.


• High CVE-2022-0608: Integer overflow in Mojo.


• High CVE-2022-0609: Use after free in Animation.


• Medium CVE-2022-0610: Inappropriate implementation in Gamepad API.

Moreover, there are several other fixes that Google has found internally during audits. As always, the server-side update will reach out to the users automatically. Alternatively, you can load the “chrome://settings/help directly” flag and check for any updates.

Read more: Google Play Services gets February 2022 update with several new features

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Infinix Zero 5G unveiled in India with Dimensity 900 SoC for ₹19,999

Infinix Zero 5G is now official in India as the company's first 5G smartphone. The smartphone offers everything we expect from a mid-range device including decent battery life, appreciable camera quality, and standard screen size. Check out the new handset in detail!

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The Infinix Zero 5G features a 6.78-inch full-HD+ IPS LTPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel provides a 1,080x2,460 pixels resolution, a 240Hz touch sampling rate, 500 nits of peak brightness, and an aspect ratio of 20.5:9. It measures 168.73×76.53×8.77mm and weighs 199 grams.

On the software front, the smartphone boosts Android 11 OS out of the box along with XOS 10 on top. Under the helm, the Infinix Zero 5G runs MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. For biometrics, it has a fingerprint sensor onboard.

For shooting purposes, the handset holds a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 48 MP primary sensor. The other lenses include a 13 MP portrait shooter and a 2 MP depth snapper. On the other hand, there's a 16 MP unit for selfies and video calls along with a dual-LED flash.



A 5,000 mAh power cell backs up the Infinix Zero 5G with a 33W fast charging support over a USB Type-C port. For connectivity, it offers 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5, GPS, OTG, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot.

Availability and Price

The Infinix Zero 5G smartphone arrives in two color options Cosmic Black and Skylight Orange. You can grab it via Flipkart from February 18 in a single storage variant of 8GB + 128GB for ₹19,999.

Moreover, you can also get an Infinix Snokor (iRocker) wireless earbuds worth ₹999 for ₹1. In addition, Flipkart is offering no-cost EMIs starting at ₹1,667. Also, you can get an instant discount of ₹750 from Citi Bank cards.

Read more: Nokia G21 launched with Unisoc T606 SoC in Europe for €170

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Xiaomi launches the Redmi 10 2022 with MediaTek Helio G88 SoC

Xiaomi has added a new budget smartphone under its sub-brand Redmi. The device is Redmi 10 2022 and is launched in the global market. As the name indicates, it is an upgrade over the Redmi 10 launched last year. In fact, both smartphones share most of the specifications.

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Specifications

The Redmi 10 2022 features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD hole-punch cutout screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel offers a Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. In addition, it weighs 181 grams and measures 161.95 x 75.53 x 8.92mm in dimensions.

For shooting purposes, the Redmi 10 2022 houses a quad-camera module led by a 50 MP primary sensor. Alongside, it sites with an 8 MP ultrawide camera and a couple of 2 MP sensors for depth and macro photography. On the other side, there's an 8 MP snapper for selfies and video calls.

Under the hood, the Redmi 10 2022 powers the MediaTek Helio G88 chipset. On the software front, it comes with Android 11 pre-installed with MIUI 12.5 on top. To serve security, it supports AI face unlock and has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.



A 5,000 mAh battery keeps the system working. It also supports 9W reverse charging along with 18W fast charging. In addition, you will get a 22.5W fast charger out of the box. For connectivity, it boards 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, IR blaster, 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB Type-C.

Availability and Price

The Redmi 10 2022 is available in two storage variants of 64 GB and 128 GB paired with 4 GB of RAM. However, the pricing details are still under wraps. Anyway, we do know that it arrives in Pebble White, Carbon Grey, and Sea Blue color options.

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Google Play Services gets February 2022 update with several new features

The Play Services app intends to speed up and streamline the update process of Google's stock apps. On that note, the February 2022 update for the platform brings plenty of significant changes including enhancements in Google Pay and more. Let's check out more about the update.

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The latest update for the Google Play Services upgrades the version to 22.06. Concerning changes, the build resolves a plethora of bugs to stabilize the device's connectivity, safety, management, and utilities-related services. Moreover, you get a bundle of modifications as mentioned below.

Changelog

Critical Fixes

• [Phone] Bug fixes for device connectivity, developer services, safety & emergency, system management & diagnostics, and utilities-related services.

Account Management

• [Phone, Tablet] Updates a child’s settings experience on supervised Android devices (under ‘Settings > Google > Parental controls’) to include a read-only view of account settings and content restrictions for Google services such as Google Play, Search, Chrome and Assistant.

Google Play Store

• Improvements to the Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times.


• New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.


• Optimizations allow faster and more reliable download and installation.


• New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs. 


• Enhancements to Google Play Billing.


• Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe.


• Various performance optimizations, bug fixes, and improvements to security, stability, and accessibility.

Utilities

• [Phone] Users can have the ability to back up MMS messages on their devices.

Wallet 

• [Phone] Users can view the Google Pay balance on their card art.


• [Phone] Users can add cards from their mobile bank apps to their wallets for in-store and online payments.


• [Phone, Wear OS] Users can view a step-by-step guide on how to pay contactless with your device.


• [Phone] Users can view digital COVID-19 certificates on a recently unlocked device.

System Management 

• Updates to system management services that improve device connectivity, network usage, stability, security, and updatability. 

Developer Services 

• New developer features for Google and third-party app developers to support ads, accessibility, analytics & diagnostics, and machine learning & AI-related processes in their apps.

This is a server-side update and is rolling out automatically for all Android devices. Accordingly, it may take a while to reach your device. Also, you can confirm the Play system version by heading to Settings > Security > Google Play system update.

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