Google rolls out March 2022 update for Pixel smartphones with Android 12.1

Google is seeding out the new March 2022 update for the supported Pixel smartphones. Besides the latest security maintenance, it bumps the version to Android 12.1. Scroll down to check out more details.

Make sure to visit: Download Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro Factory Images

The March 2022 update is live globally for supported Pixel devices. Talking about the compatible phones, it covers Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5a. Unfortunately, the Pixel 6 series is not a part of the upgrade yet, It is expected to receive it later this month.

With this release, Android 12L is officially Android 12.1. March 2022 update will be released incrementally via OTA to all compatible models. To install the fresh update, watch out for the following firmware versions for your respective smartphone.

• Pixel 5a: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 5: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 4a 5G: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 4a: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 4 XL: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 4: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 3a XL: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12


• Pixel 3a: Android 12.1 — SP2A.220305.12

For changes, the latest patch dated 2022-03-01 and 22 resolves 19 and 22 issues respectively. This includes all vulnerabilities ranging from high to critical. The most severe of them is related to the media framework and a remote attacker possibly executing arbitrary code through a crafted file.

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Galaxy A13 & Galaxy A23 announced alongside the Galaxy M33 & Galaxy M23

Recently, Samsung has announced four new smartphones dubbed Galaxy A13, Galaxy A23, Galaxy M33, and Galaxy M23. All of these smartphones are mid-range offerings. The pricing details are not yet revealed though. Also, the processor of the new devices is still under wrap. Anyway, let's check out the new handsets in detail.

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Galaxy A13 specifications

The Galaxy A13 is built around a 6.6-inch TFT Infinity-V full-HD+ display which is protected with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Underneath, it is expected to power Exynos 850 SoC paired with 4 GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Also, it boosts Android 12 OS out of the box along with One UI 4.1 on top.

For optics, the Galaxy A13 houses an 8 MP front-facing camera. In addition, the phone carries a quad rear camera setup led by a 50 MP primary unit. The other lenses include a 5 MP ultra-wide camera and a couple of 2 MP macro and depth sensors.



Lastly, the Galaxy A 13 ships with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging. For security, it offers Samsung Knox security and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The phone will be available in Black, Blue, Peach, and White color variants. It may cost around Є190 (~ ₹15,800) for the base model (4GB + 64GB), while the price for the higher model (4GB + 128GB) is expected to be Є210 (~ ₹17,500).

Galaxy A23 specifications

Samsung Galaxy A23 shares all of its specifications with Galaxy A13, including display, camera, battery, and color options. However, the storage configuration it offers is different. Although the processor is not yet revealed, it will arrive in 64GB and 128GB storage options coupled with 8GB of RAM.

Galaxy M33 specifications

Samsung Galaxy M33 is also similar to the above-mentioned A-series handsets in terms of display, camera, and more. However, it ships with a 6,000 mAh power cell. Moreover, the unknown processor of the device is said to be paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage. It will be available in Blue, Brown, and Green colorways.

Galaxy M23 specifications

Samsung Galaxy M23 holds the same display and powers the same software as the Galaxy M33. Furthermore, it equips an unidentified octa-core SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB storage. A 5,000 mAh battery keeps the system working.



For photography, the Galaxy M33 carries a 50 MP triple rear camera setup. Accompanying this is an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, it offers an 8 MP snapper.

The Samsung Knox security and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor will serve as security. It will arrive in two color options of Deep Green and Light Blue.

Related: Galaxy A03 launched in India with UNISOC Tiger T606 SoC for ₹10,499

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Google Pixel 6A appears on Geekbench with Tensor chipset

Google is preparing the much-awaited Pixel 6a smartphone which is expected to launch later this year. In the meantime, the affordable offering by the tech giant has appeared on the Geekbench benchmarking website, shedding light on some of its key specifications.

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The arrival of Google Pixel 6a on Geekbench reveals some key details, including the processor, memory, operating system, and others. As for the scores, the smartphone has scored 1050 points in the single-core test and 2883 in the multi-core test. Now, let's dive into the features and details of the upcoming affordable device.

For starters, just like the Pixel 6 series phones, the Pixel 6a will be powered by Google’s in-house Tensor GS101 chipset along with Mali-G78 GPU. The processor will come with 2 Arm Cortex-X1 cores that clocks at 2.80GHz. Also, it will feature two Arm Cortex-A76 cores running at 2.25GHz and four power-efficient cores clocked at 1.8GHz.

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On the upfront, the Pixel 6a will sport a 6.2-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution. Moreover, the listing mentions that it will boost Android 12 OS out of the box paired with 6 GB RAM onboard.

For optics, the device is tipped to house an 8MP Sony IMX355 front-facing camera. On the other side, it is expected to carry a 12MP Sony IMX396 ultrawide lens alongside a 12.2MP Sony IMX363 primary sensor.

To mention, the Pixel 6a will be a downgraded version of the Pixel 6 handset launched last year. Now that the device has made it to the Geekbench database, it could hit the market soon. Although there is no official date by the company. Also, unlike the Pixel 6 series, the Pixel 6a is likely to go official in India as well.

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Xiaomi 11X Pro receives Android 12 based MIUI 13 update in India

Xiaomi is kicking off its Android 12 based MIUI 13 skin iteration for the eligible devices since January. The latest smartphone to get the refreshed version of mobile software is Xiaomi 11X Pro.

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As of now, the latest software is rolling out to the Mi 11X Pro users in India. Also, it is currently limited to the Mi Pilot testers via firmware version V13.0.1.0.SKKINXM weighing 3.5 GB in size. It will take a few days to be available for the general public. Other markets are expected to get the package in the next few weeks.

Concerning changes, the package carries all new features of Android 12 tossed with the modifications of MIUI 13. The changelog further mentions that the apps can now open as floating windows directly from the sidebar. In addition, it enhances privacy by integrating the February 2022 security patch. Refer to the changelog below for precise details.

Changelog

[System]

• Stable MIUI based on Android 12


• Updated Android Security Patch to February 2022. Increased system security.

[More features and improvements]

• New: Apps can be opened as floating windows directly from the sidebar


• Optimization: Enhanced accessibility support for Phone, Clock, and Weather


• Optimization: Mind map nodes are more convenient and intuitive now

As mentioned, the software is currently a Mi Pilot Tester-exclusive. Accordingly, only the users who are a part of the testing program will get the update. Anyway, it will be accessible to the general public after making sure that there are no critical bugs onboard.

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Mysterious Poco & Redmi devices receive BIS certification

The Redmi K50 series is the next big release from the company. Meanwhile, Xiaomi's sub-brand Poco and Redmi are also expected to introduce new budget offerings. On that note, two mysterious smartphones recently made an appearance on the Indian BIS certification website.

[caption id="attachment_123696" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Representative image[/caption]

Make sure to visit: Guide to install Android 12 Emojis on any Rooted Android Smartphone

Although there are three smartphones certified by BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards), indicating an approaching launch. The devices bear the model numbers 22021211RI, 22041219PI, and 22011119I. However, the phone carrying model number 22021211RI was already listed on the website last month. To mention, a similar model may go official as Redmi K50  in China.

In that case, the Redmi K50 (if it is) is tipped to power the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC under the hood. In addition, the TENAA listing reveals that the phone will be available in three memory configurations of 128GB and 256GB paired with 6 GB RAM and 8 GB RAM respectively.

Furthermore, some leaks suggest that the smartphone will launch in India under the Poco sub-brand, probably Poco F4. On the other side, the devices with model numbers 22041219PI and 22011119I were also spotted on the IMEI database a couple of months ago.

The former model is said to have a Poco tag as well. In fact, it could be the Poco M4 G. While the latter model might launch under Redmi.

Read more: Redmi Book Pro 14 2022 & Book Pro 15 2022 hits Bluetooth SIG ahead of launch

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WhatsApp beta brings new Communities Tab and tweaks Voice Recordings

WhatsApp is trying to make the platform more comfortable for the users. In the latest news, the company is bringing a new tab dedicated to its upcoming Communities feature. In addition, the beta will play around with the voice recording feature as well.

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The changes are a part of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.6.9. Although the features will not be accessible for users running the latest beta as it’s still under development. Talking about the community tab, it will replace the camera tab at the top of the app. The admins of the group can add specific groups to a ‘Community’ which will be listed under the section.

FYI, communities space will allow group admins to manage their groups better. Also, they'll be end-to-end encrypted. However, a piece of official information from WhatsApp is still awaited. Here's what the feature might look like.



Moreover, the WhatsApp beta for Android is bringing in the ability to pause and resume voice recordings. That means you don't need to discard the voice note in case of any distraction. In addition, the version will show voice waveforms while recording a message.

As mentioned, WhatsApp is yet to test these features on Android or iOS. The options will initially be available on beta versions. While it can take several weeks to make way for the stable channel once beta testing is complete.

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Motorola Moto G22 debuts with Helio G37 SoC for €169.99

The Lenovo-owned company has added one more smartphone to its G-series flagship. The Moto G22 was recently leaked in all its glory. The device is finally official in Europe, and it will be soon available in other markets, including Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia.

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The Moto G22 is an affordable offering featuring a punch hole cut out with thin bezels and a thicker chin. The smartphone is built around a 6.5-inch Max Vision LCD screen that offers a 90Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels.

Under the hood, the Moto G22 powers the MediaTek Helio G37 chipset paired with 4GB RAM. The device will arrive in 64GB of storage variant, which is expandable via a dedicated microSD card slot. For software, it boosts Android 12 out of the box.

Further, the Moto G22 carries a 50 MP quad-rear camera. Accompanying this is an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a couple of 2 MP image sensors. On the front, there is a 1 MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

A 5,000 mAh battery backs up the device with 15W charging support. Although it ships with a 10W charger. For security, there's a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Also, it measures 163.95 x 74.94 x 8.49 mm in dimensions and weighs 185g.

Price and Availability

The Moto G22 cost €169.99 (~₹14,000) for its sole 64 GB + 4 GB storage variant. The phone is available in Cosmic Black, Pearl White, and Iceberg Blue colorways.

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Samsung Galaxy F23 5G specifications tipped ahead of imminent launch

The successor of last year's launched Galaxy F22 is in the making. Samsung Galaxy F23 5G could launch anytime soon as it is a part of leaks and rumors for a couple of months. Ahead of its official announcement, the key specifications of the budget smartphone have been revealed.

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Although Samsung has not mentioned any official launch date, we expect Galaxy F23 5G to debut later this month. In the meantime, let's dive into the specs of the upcoming smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is likely to feature a waterdrop notch display around a 6.4-inch screen. The panel will offer a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Further, the right edge of the device houses a fingerprint scanner.

For optics, the Galaxy F23 5G is suggested to carry a 50 MP triple rear camera. The leaks say that there's an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP tertiary sensor as well. Also, the connectivity options will remain standard, including a 3.5mm headphone jack.

To recall, the smartphone was listed on the Geekbench database a couple of months ago. The listing revealed the presence of a Snapdragon 750G processor under the hood paired with 6GB / 8GB of RAM. Moreover, it mentions the Android 12 operating system onboard tossed with One UI skin on top. Besides, Galaxy F23 5G can offer a default storage capacity of 128 GB.

As the device's launch is approaching, the rest of the details will hopefully surface online in a few days.

Related: Samsung Galaxy M23 5G arrives on Google Play Console with Snapdragon 750G SoC

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Poco X3 Pro is the latest device to get Android 12 based MIUI 13 update

Xiaomi has finally started kicking off its latest version of custom Android skin to budget smartphones. The MIUI 13 update based on Android 12 is now reaching out to Poco’s best-selling device Poco X3 Pro.

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The new software update for Poco X3 Pro is rolling out globally. The build is designated with firmware version V13.0.3.0.SJUMIXM weighs around 3.1 GB to download. However, the package is only available for the pilot testers, while it will take a few days to roll out for the public.

Concerning changes, the package carries all new features of Android 12 tossed with the modifications of MIUI 13. Along with the new user interface, the build brings some improvements and optimizations as well. Moreover, it enhances privacy by integrating the February 2022 security patch. Below is the official changelog for the update.

Changelog

[System]

• Stable MIUI based on Android 12


• Updated Android Security Patch to February 2022. Increased system security.

[More features and improvements]

• New: Apps can be opened as floating windows directly from the sidebar


• Optimization: Enhanced accessibility support for Phone, Clock, and Weather


• Optimization: Mind map nodes are more convenient and intuitive now

As mentioned, the software is rolling out only for the Mi Pilots testers. After making sure that there are no critical bugs onboard, it will be accessible to the general public.

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

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