OPPO announces ColorOS 7 based on Android 10

Chinese smartphone manufacturer OPPO has finally launched ColorOS 7 at a recent event in Beijing, China. The latest Android skin from the company offers a completely redesigned UI that draws heavily from the changes introduced in Android 10 in order to offer users a better user experience compared to previous versions of ColorOS.

ColorOS 7 packs in a new visual design concept that is expected to reduce visual fatigue and offer users a more comfortable color system. Icons in ColorOS 7 are completely customizable and will allow users to change the shape and size of the icons on their home screen. On top of that, the company has added new Art+ wallpapers to the software to offer a high-quality desktop experience. OPPO has partnered with Episound, a renowned Danish sound company, to completely redesign the sound effects included in the software. Much like the sound changes introduced in MIUI 11, OPPO’s ColorOS 7 aims to emulate the sound of the physical world around you to provide users with a more soothing experience.

While the audio-visual design change is quite impressive by itself, ColorOS 7 also packs in some background optimizations to improve system performance. OPPO claims that with ColorOS 7, devices will get better RAM optimization capabilities and reduce app startup time by up to 40%, with a system resource efficiency of 30%. On top of that, the software includes improvements for the in-game frame rates and touch response to enhance the overall gaming experience. ColorOS 7 also includes improvements to the camera app, with Portrait Mode 2.0, an enhanced night mode and a super-steady mode for video capture. There are changes to the gallery app as well to allow for faster capture, editing, and sharing.

At the event, OPPO also shared the release timeline for ColorOS 7, with phase 1 of the rollout to begin on November 25. During phase 1 the software will be released for the OPPO Reno, Reno Inspiration Edition, Reno 10x Zoom, Reno Barcelona Custom Edition, Reno Ace, and Reno Ace Gundam Edition. Phase 2 is expected to begin later this year in December, pushing the software to the OPPO Reno 2. Here’s a list of the remaining OPPO devices that are scheduled to receive the update next year:

• Phase 3 (Q1, 2020)
  • OPPO Reno 2 Z
  • OPPO Reno Z
  • OPPO Find X (including special editions)
  • OPPO R17 (including special editions)
  • OPPO R17 Pro (including special editions)
  • OPPO K5
• Phase 4 (Q2, 2020)
  • OPPO R15 (including special editions)
  • OPPO K3
  • OPPO A9
  • OPPO A9x
  • OPPO A11
  • OPPO A11x

A slightly modified version of ColorOS 7 will be rolled out to Realme devices, with the Realme X and Realme X Youth Edition expected to receive the update in February next year. The Realme Q will follow suit and is expected to receive the update in March 2020, while the Realme X2 and Realme X2 Pro are expected to receive ColorOS 7 in April 2020. It’s also worth noting that the company is expected to release ColorOS 7 in India at an event on November 26.

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Google Camera and Samsung Camera apps exposed camera and video intents to third-party apps

When compared to iOS, Android provides applications a lot of ways to interact with each other, enabling developers to build some of the more common Android features we have come to expect and love. This is made possible thanks to Android’s Intent system, which allows any app to send any intent it wants, and allows receiver apps to handle these intents in creative manners. But as it turns out, the Google Camera app and the Samsung Camera app have left their camera and video intents exposed to third-party apps, which leaves the door open for potential misuse by bypassing critical permissions, as demonstrated by the security researchers at Checkmarx.

Intents on Android are described as “messaging objects that facilitate communication between app components“, which in simpler terms means that Intent allows apps to send data to each other. For example, when you attempt to share a file from within a file manager to an app like WhatsApp, you are sending an intent to WhatsApp with the files as the data. Any app can send any intent it wants, and it is up to the receiving app to decide which intents it wants to listen for, by defining the same in its Manifest file. The receiving app also decides how to react to those intents. Further, the receiving app can also ensure that actions are performed only when an intent is sent from specific whitelisted apps (explicit intents) or from apps that hold certain permissions (protected intents). As it turns out, unprotected intents in the aforementioned camera apps can be exploited by bad actors.

Checkmarx found that the Google Camera app and the Samsung Camera app had unprotected intents to trigger actions like taking a photo and recording a video. An unprotected intent in this context means that the receiving app is not checking if the app sending the intent has the requisite permission to undertake the action itself — android.permission.CAMERA in this case. The camera activity, com.google.android.GoogleCamera/com.android.camera.CameraActivity, was also an exported activity, meaning that other apps could call for it. The unprotected intent and the exported activity thus lead to a permission bypass vulnerability.

A malicious app could thus be constructed which would not have the CAMERA permission, yet would still be able to operate certain camera functions by routing them through these camera apps and taking advantage of their unprotected intents and exported activity.

As a proof-of-concept, Checkmarx created a dummy weather application that did not have the CAMERA permission, but it did come with a single STORAGE permission, one that did not appear out of order for a weather app. Without the camera permission, the weather app was able to trigger Google Camera and Samsung Camera to take photos and record videos. The STORAGE permission comes into play in accessing this and as well as all other photos and videos saved at /DCIM — it isn’t needed for the actions of clicking photos and recording videos.

In a worst-case scenario, this vulnerability can be exploited to do things like record the user’s video during a call, scrape location information from GPS metadata of photos if the location tagging is enabled in the camera app (and effectively get the phone’s current location), and more.

Granted, the UI does indicate that the camera is being accessed, but this can also be worked around by making use of the proximity sensor to gauge when the phone’s display is switched off, and thus, escape the user’s attention. A malicious app could also mute the volume of the phone and effectively silence the device when it is taking a photo or recording a video.

Checkmarx claims that the vulnerability, labeled CVE-2019-2234, also exists in camera apps from other smartphone vendors. But the researchers did not name which vendors and devices were affected, outside of Google and Samsung’s. If other Camera apps have exported activities to start photo capture and video recording, and have unprotected intents that do not check for the permission available to the calling app, they are also affected.

Since this is not a vulnerability within the Android platform or the Linux kernel, it cannot be included and rolled out as a part of the Android Security Bulletin. The vulnerability was fixed in the Google Camera app through an app update in July 2019, and the same has also been fixed in the Samsung Camera app, though there is no specific information on when this update was rolled out.

On unpatched versions of Google Camera, you can force a video to be taken through this vulnerability by running the following ADB command:

adb shell am start-activity -n
com.google.android.GoogleCamera/com.android.camera.CameraActivity --ez
extra_turn_screen_on true -a android.media.action.VIDEO_CAMERA --ez
android.intent.extra.USE_FRONT_CAMERA true

If you use Google Camera or Samsung Camera, ensure that you update to the latest camera app version on your device, rolled out through the Play Store, or through an OTA, as the case may be.

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Realme X2 Pro with insane 50W fast charging and flagship specs gets a jaw-dropping price in India

Realme has grown at an astonishing rate over the last year and this controverts the globally declining demand for smartphones. Starting its journey with entry-level smartphones, Realme has rapidly evolved to grab a major chunk of the mid-range segment and is now vying for a share in the segment of flagships – or rather, flagship killers. Last month, Realme launched the Realme X2 Pro, their first true flagship smartphone, in China and Europe and today they’re launching the smartphone in India for an insane price of ₹29,999 ($417).

The Realme X2 Pro has kept the Indian consumers intrigued since the first announcement from Realme about their entry in the flagship segment. It is undeniably the most well-equipped flagship killer device available outside of China and has a lot of alluring features including many firsts for the sub-₹30,000 category. The list includes Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC, up to 12GB of RAM, a Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 64MP quad-camera, 50W fast charging but it does not end there.

The Realme X2 Pro embraces a glass sandwich design with layers of Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both sides. The frame surrounding the edges of the phone is made of metal. The back panel has a reflective design with color options between Lunar White and Neptune Blue. Underneath the Gorilla Glass 5 on the front is a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution. A key highlight of the display is that it supports a maximum refresh rate of up to 90Hz, resulting in a smooth scrolling experience – even though the support for a higher refresh rate may be limited to certain apps. The display also features an optical in-display fingerprint scanner from Goodix.

A Snapdragon 855 Plus, currently the most powerful SoC for smartphones, powers the Realme X2 Pro. This is paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. While a 6GB RAM variant was also announced during the launch events in China and Europe, it will not be a part of Realme’s catalog in India. The Realme X2 Pro also gets an upgrade in terms of the storage technology and it comes with a UFS 3.0 storage. The 8GB RAM model gets 128GB while the 12GB variant gets 256GB as the onboard storage. Notably, there’s no option to expand the storage.

The camera on the Realme X2 Pro gets another major upgrade over the previous models. The X2 Pro borrows the Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 64MP primary sensor from the Realme XT but the aperture of the attached lens is slightly smaller. Besides the 64MP camera, the X2 Pro features a 13MP telephoto camera with  2X optical, 5X hybrid, and up to 20X digital zoom. Then, there’s an 8MP wide-angle camera – which also facilitates super macro shots – alongside a 2MP portrait camera for improved bokeh. In terms of video, the rear camera supports 4K recording at 6ofps using the primary camera along with EIS. Additionally, there’s Full HD video recording on the wide-angle camera and other features like 960fps slow-motion video, bokeh video, and more. On the front, the Realme X2 Pro gets a 16MP selfie camera, which is most likely to be the same as the Realme XT.

Another major advantage of the Realme X2 Pro is the 50W SuperVOOC fast charging technology it borrows from the parent company OPPO. As per the company’s claims, the smartphone should take around 35 minutes to charge the 4,000mAh battery completely. That’s certainly impressive, especially taking the price into consideration. The 50W charger is bundled in the box and users will not have to buy it separately.

The Realme X2 Pro gets a stereo speaker setup with the earpiece doubling as the left loudspeaker and there’s Dolby Audio for sound enhancements. Additionally, there’s a new haptic engine on the smartphone for improved feedback and enhanced gaming experience. Further, there’s a vapor cooling chamber to help keep the temperatures low while gaming.

In terms of software, the smartphone comes with ColorOS 6.1 based on Android 9 Pie. Realme will soon be launching a customized version of ColorOS 7 with a near-stock appearance as well as the Android 10 update for the X2 Pro in the second quarter of next year.

Realme X2 Pro XDA Forums

Realme X2 Pro Specifications

Specifications	Realme X2 Pro
Dimensions & Weight	161×75.7 × 8.7  mm 199g
Display	6.5-inch Super AMOLED 1080 x 2400 Gorilla Glass 5
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus Adreno 640 GPU
RAM	8GB/12GB
Storage	128GB/256GB UFS 3.0 No microSD slot
Battery	4000mAh, 50W SuperVOOC fast charging
Fingerprint Sensor	In-display fingerprint
Rear Camera	64MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1, f/1.8 8MP 115° wide-angle sensor, f/2.2 13MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom, f/2.5 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 4K video recording at 60fps
Front Camera	16MP, f/2.0 Full HD video recording @ 30fps
Android Version	ColorOS 6.1 based on Android 9 Pie
Colors	Standard: Lunar White and Neptune Blue Master Edition: Red Brick and Concrete

Realme X2 Pro Master Edition

Realme has once again partnered with the Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa, who helped design the Realme X’s onion and garlic variants. This time, Fukasawa borrowed inspiration from construction materials and helped Realme create the concrete and red brick editions of the smartphone. These variants come with a frosted glass back design similar to the OnePlus 7T and give the impression of a sandstone-live surface.

The Realme X2 Pro Master Edition comes only in the 12GB/256GB variant, which comes at a higher price compared to the similarly specced variant of the standard edition. The concrete and red brick variants will be available in a limited quantity.

Price and Availability

The Realme X2 Pro will be available in India exclusively via Flipkart starting November 26, 2019, which will be its first invite-only early access sale. The 8GB/128GB variant will come for ₹29,999 ($417) while the 12GB/256GB variant is priced at ₹33,999 ($473). Realme is also including the Realme Wireless Buds costing ₹1,799 ($25) for free for the first sale. Invites for the first sale will be distributed through Realme’s social media channels.

The first 10,000 realme.com buyers can return the phone with no questions asked, if they do not like it.

The Master Edition of the Realme X2 Pro will be priced at ₹34,999 ($487) and will have its first sale in late December 2019.

Realme has also collaborated with DJI to introduce the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 handheld gimbal as a recommended accessory for the Realme X2 Pro. The DJI Osmo Mobile 3 will have to be purchased separately, though Realme did not reveal pricing and availability information.

Realme also teased the Realme Earpods at the event, though this will be launched later on.

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Xiaomi tests Categories in the app drawer of MIUI Launcher

Xiaomi is making some much-needed changes to the stock launcher in MIUI 11. Earlier this month, we learned that the company was adding an app drawer and app shortcuts to the MIUI Launcher. The feature was carried forward from the POCO Launcher, which was released as the default launcher on last year’s POCO F1. Now, Xiaomi is bringing over the custom app categories feature from the POCO Launcher that was introduced earlier this year in July.

The upcoming app categories feature has already been spotted in an alpha release of the MIUI Launcher. With the feature, you’ll be able to organize all your apps into different categories within the app drawer, allowing you to quickly find any app just by tapping on the category. The feature can be found within the MIUI Launcher settings under the App drawer section and, once it’s turned on, it can automatically categorize all your apps. You’ll also get the option to remove or add new app categories from within the same menu so that you can easily get rid of any unnecessary categories that aren’t being utilized on your phone. Do note that in order to use the new feature you’ll first need to enable the app drawer.

We already have confirmation from Xiaomi that the app drawer will be making its way to MIUI 11 China Stable builds sometime in the near future. But there’s no word from the company regarding the release of the new Categories feature. However, since the Categories feature is a part of the app drawer, we expect it to be released alongside the app drawer in an upcoming version of MIUI 11. As of now, there’s no information on the release of either of these two features on the MIUI 11 Global Stable build.

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Thanks to XDA Member kacskrz for the screenshots!

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Realme 5s is a Realme 5 but with a 48MP quad camera setup and a new red color

Realme and Xiaomi’s sub-brand have a lot in common. Both of the brands offer impressively specced smartphones at fiercely competitive pricing. Of the two, Realme has witnessed a much more staggering growth over the past several months and that is probably because of their relentless launches new phones every month. But today, Realme is following Redmi’s footsteps and revitalizing a few months old smartphone with a new camera setup. Alongside their first true flagship – Realme X2 Pro, Realme is launching the Realme 5s which comes with a 48MP primary camera.

In August this year, Realme launched its first set of quad-camera smartphones viz. the Realme 5 and the Realme 5 Pro. While the Pro variant comes with a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, the non-Pro features a 12MP primary camera. To bridge this gap, Realme has announced the Realme 5s, which features a 48MP primary camera while the rest of the specs remain the same. Notably, Realme is using a 48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 sensor here instead of the Sony sensor we saw on the previous 48MP phones from the company.

Additionally, Realme has also introduced a new Crystal Red color with the same design as the previous generations. Another slight change on the new smartphone is the Gorilla Glass 3+ protection on the front compared to the Gorilla Glass 3 on the Realme 5. Additionally, the Realme 5s comes only with 4GB of RAM but no 3GB/32GB variant. All of the other aspects, including the 6.5-inch HD+ display, Snapdragon 665 SoC, 5,000mAh battery, etc. remain unchanged.

Realme 5s Specifications

Specifications	Realme 5s
Dimensions & Weight	164.4 x 75.6 x 9.3 mm 198g
Display	6.51-inch IPS LCD 720 x 1600 89% screen-to-body ratio Gorilla Glass 3+
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 Adreno 610 GPU
RAM	4GB
Storage	64GB/128GB Dedicated microSD slot
Battery	5,000mAh
Fingerprint Sensor	Rear-mounted fingerprint
Rear Camera	48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 primary sensor, f/1.8 8MP 119° wide-angle sensor, f/2.25 2MP macro lens, f/2.4 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 4K video recording at 30fps
Front Camera	13MP, f/2.2 Full HD video recording @ 30fps
Android Version	ColorOS 6 based on Android 9 Pie
Colors	Crystal Red, Crystal Blue, Crystal Purple

Price & Availability

The Realme 5s goes on sale as a Flipkart exclusive device starting November 29, 2019. The 64GB storage variant will be priced at ₹9,999 ($139) whereas the 128GB version will be priced at ₹10,999 ($153). Realme will continue to sell the Realme 5 in the country.

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Samsung opens a One UI 2.0 (Android 10) beta for the Galaxy Note 9 in Korea

Samsung kicked off the One UI 2.0 beta program for the Galaxy S10 series early last month. Shortly thereafter, the program was extended to the Galaxy Note 10 series in Korea. While the stable version of the update is yet to land on any of these devices, the company has now added another device to the beta program in its home country.

As per a recent post on Samsung’s community forums, the One UI 2.0 beta program is now available for the Galaxy Note 9. The update brings all of the new features included in Android 10, along with minor improvements to Samsung’s own Android skin. For instance, the caller notification and volume bar have been decreased in size so that they aren’t as intrusive as before. Additionally, Samsung has extended the dark mode to the home screen, ensuring that users don’t face any eye fatigue while using their devices at night. The new dark mode can now also adjust the brightness of images, text, and colors on the display.

On top of that, the One UI 2.0 update includes minor changes to the Smart Lock screen which now automatically adjusts the color of the text on the lock screen. There are some new tools for digital well and the Device Care menu has also received some new features. However, Live Transcribe is one of the coolest new features added to One UI 2.0 which will allow devices to automatically convert speech to text. You can check out our previous coverage of One UI 2.0 for an overview of all the new features making their way to Samsung’s updated Android skin.

The One UI 2.0 beta will be available for the Galaxy Note 9 in Korea this week, while the Galaxy S9 series is expected to join the beta program next week. The beta program will also be extended to a few other regions, including the US, Germany, Spain, France, the UK, and India. However, we don’t have any information on the release timeline for the same.

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Source: Samsung Community 

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Xiaomi tests a new “Sunlight Mode” display setting in MIUI 11

The maximum display brightness is usually not something most consumers are worried about on a smartphone, but there are cases where the display might not be capable of getting bright enough to be used outdoors. In such cases, many OEMs employ a special “high brightness mode” that is automatically triggered when the ambient lighting is sufficiently bright. In the latest MIUI 11 nightly build for the Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro, we found a new setting called “Sunlight Mode.” This new setting will bump the display brightness to its highest level when you’re using your phone in direct sunlight.

Specifically, the description for Sunlight Mode says the feature “[adjusts] brightness to strong ambient light when automatic brightness is off.” We dug into the framework code and found that this new mode activates when the ambient lighting surpasses 12,000 lux for 5 seconds. The display brightness is presumably increased to the maximum level when the mode activates. When the ambient lighting drops below 12,000 lux for 2 seconds, the display brightness is restored to the value it was set to before entering Sunlight Mode.

Credits: XDA Member kacskrz

This setting doesn’t seem to be tied to any special “high brightness mode,” but it’ll be useful for those of you who keep automatic brightness off. With this mode enabled, you won’t have to manually adjust the brightness to 100% every time you step outside. This feature seems to just use the ambient light sensor, so it’ll likely be available on most Xiaomi devices running MIUI 11.

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