Sony apparently can’t keep up with demand for its image sensors

If there’s one common denominator among most devices this year is that they all have multiple cameras. And we’re not just talking about just dual cameras: OEMs ranging from OnePlus, Nokia, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and even Apple have come out with phones that have triple, quad, or even penta camera setups. More cameras don’t necessarily correlate to a better camera experience, but it does unlock more features and versatility that is normally impossible for one single camera to pull off correctly. This versatility is what has prompted OEMs to pack in multiple cameras, increasing the demand for different image sensors. Because of this, Sony’s semiconductor division is quite literally hot on their heels — so much that they can’t seem to keep up with the ever-rising demand.

Mr. Terushi Shimizu, head of Sony’s semiconductor division, says that “judging by the way things are going, even after all that investment in expanding capacity, it might still not be enough” when it comes to manufacturing capacity for their camera sensors, and that “we are having to apologize to customers because we just can’t make enough”, as reported by Bloomberg. The reason? The demand for their cameras as well as the number of smartphones being manufactured in mass with multiple sensor arrays. Sony is the main camera sensor provider for most smartphone manufacturers, and most devices we use nowadays have at least one Sony-made sensor. So even though the demand for smartphones has plateaued on a global scale, the demand for image sensors has steadily increased. Sony is even working around the clock to manufacture its in-demand image sensors, running its chip factories constantly through the holidays to keep up with the demand. But even 24-hour operations are said to be insufficient. The demand has grown so much that semiconductors are now Sony’s second most profitable business, only surpassed by PlayStation.

Sony is the manufacturer behind the 48MP IMX586 sensor which was, very easily, the most popular flagship camera sensor this year, featuring on several devices including several Xiaomi phones (Redmi Note 7/7 Pro, Redmi Note 8, Xiaomi Mi 9 line, Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro, Xiaomi Mi A3), the OnePlus 7/7T lineup, as well as on devices from Huawei, Oppo, Realme, Asus, Vivo, Motorola, et al. Its successor, the IMX686, will compete with Samsung’s 108MP behemoth head-on featuring a 64MP resolution and will be featured on 2020 phones such as the Redmi K30. Sony claims to have a 51% market share as of May 2019, and its share is expected to have increased by a few percentage points in the intervening months.

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Source: Bloomberg

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Download the Motorola Razr’s Retro App, Live Wallpapers, and more

Foldable phones were a big story in 2019 but one brand stole the show with a heavy dose of nostalgia. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold may be a bigger, more powerful foldable, but it doesn’t have the same name recognition as the iconic razr. Motorola is well aware of this and they included several goodies to amp it up.

The foldable Motorola Razer comes with a Quick Setting to enable a “retro” mode. This is essentially a launcher (though it can’t be set as the default launcher) that mimics the look of the old Razr flip phones. That means the top half of the screen doesn’t react to touch and the bottom half is number keys and shortcut buttons.

If you’re interested in trying the retro razr app as well as the live wallpapers, stock wallpapers, boot animation, and stock audio, you can download them thanks to XDA Recognized Contributor acervenky. As mentioned, the retro mode is a Quick Setting toggle, so you’ll have to add it to your Quick Settings to use it. The download links and thread are listed below.

Retro Razr App | Stock Live Wallpaper | Blue Mod Live Wallpaper
Stock Static Wallpapers | Boot Animation | Stock Audio

Moto Razr Retro App, Live Wallpaper & More in the Apps and Games forum

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LG V60 ThinQ with dual screen and 5G likely to launch at MWC 2020

The year is coming to an end, and so is this current generation of smartphones. In just a few days, we expect to begin hearing more and more about upcoming smartphones, some of which might get teased at the CES 2020, and some others which we know will make an appearance closer to MWC 2020 which takes place in late February. LG marks its presence at MWC every year by announcing a flagship that goes neck-to-neck against Samsung’s flagship announcement. At MWC 2019, LG had announced the LG G8 ThinQ and the LG V50 ThinQ, and now, it appears that the company is gearing up for the launch of its successor, the LG V60.

According to a report from Korea Herald citing industry sources, LG will showcase its newest flagship, the LG V60 TinQ in Barcelona, during MWC 2020. This flagship will not only come along with a dual-screen, it will also come with 5G connectivity, much like its predecessor.

LG Electronics is planning to showcase V60 ThinQ as next year’s first smartphone to expand its presence in the 5G market. The company is expected to increase its shipments in South Korea, the United States and Japan.

The dual-screen experience on the V60 is expected to be handled through an accompanying second-screen accessory, which is a practical way of handling a dual-screen experience. It may not be as seamless as a foldable like the Samsung Galaxy Fold, but as seen on the LG G8X, it does effectively double your screen real estate along with adding more battery capacity. According to the report, the phone will be “equipped with an upgraded folding structure“.

It isn’t immediately clear if LG is looking to release any more flagships at MWC 2020. LG usually launches a G-series device at MWC every year, but they broke their tradition by launching the LG V50 alongside the LG G8. Then, the LG G8X saw its release half a year later at IFA 2019. It remains unclear if there is an LG G9 coming too.

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Source: Korea Herald

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ASUS is sending the ROG Phone II to custom ROM and kernel developers

Even though some manufacturers, including ASUS, have done a great job of refining their Android skins, there’s still plenty of interest in custom ROM and kernel development for plenty of devices. However, two of the biggest barriers that hold back custom ROM development for new devices are cost and availability. It isn’t feasible for developers to go out and buy every new phone out there, which is why some manufacturers send out a few units to developers to kickstart development. ASUS, for instance, sent out several units of its flagship ZenFone 6 to developers earlier this year in June. And now, the company is sending out units of the ASUS ROG Phone II to custom ROM and kernel developers.

ASUS ROG Phone II XDA Forums

The ASUS ROG Phone II is undoubtedly one of the best premium flagships in the market today, offering top-of-the-line specifications in a gamer-centric chassis. The device packs in Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855+ chip, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and an impressive 120Hz high refresh rate display. Not only does the ROG Phone II offer great hardware, but it also offers a more polished software experience that’s frankly close to stock Android. All these factors combined together make it one of the best flagship smartphones out there. But what makes it even better is that ASUS has already released a bootloader unlock tool and kernel source code for the device. And now, with the company shipping devices to developers, we expect the development to switch to high gear on our forums.

Currently, ASUS is sending units of the ROG Phone II to 4 developers from the list of 10 who were selected for the ZenFone 6 program as they expressed interest in working on the device. More developers may receive devices in the future, but that’s not set in stone yet. Here are the 4 developers who are initially getting the ROG Phone II:

• luca020400
• OrdenKrieger
• Freak07
• micky387

As of now, both OrdenKriger and luca020400 have already confirmed that they’ve received their units and the other units are on their way to freak07 and micky387.

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Discord adds easy PC logins via QR code and prepares to add “Friend Sync” for contacts

Discord is one of the most popular instant messengers out there. While the platform started off as an IM exclusively for gamers, it has evolved quite a bit over the years and now it’s quite popular among professionals as well. One of the main reasons behind its Discord’s popularity is the sheer number of features it offers. And what makes it even better is that it gets even more features with each successive update. Most recently, an update for Discord on Android introduced a new timed muting feature, support for slash commands, and a mark as unread option. Now, the company is rolling out another update on Android which brings a new feature that aims to simplify PC logins.

The latest update for Discord on Android brings a new QR code login feature which can be found in the User Settings. The option, called “Scan QR code” opens up a QR code scanner within the app and allows you to scan the QR code displayed during the setup process on any desktop version of Discord for faster logins. It works pretty much like the QR code scanner on WhatsApp that allows you to easily log into the web version of the messenger.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

While the update doesn’t include any other major user-facing feature, it does contain new strings of code that hint at an upcoming feature called “Friend Sync.” We discovered these strings in a teardown of Discord v10.1.3 and they reveal quite a bit of information about how the upcoming feature might work upon release. As you can see in the strings below, the Friend Sync feature will allow you to verify your phone number with the platform which will help you easily connect with other users in your contact list.

<string name="contact_sync_cta_button_subtitle">Add friends from your contacts automatically</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_cta_button_title">Sync your contacts</string>
     <string name="contact_sync_enabled_without_contacts_permissions_message">You have enabled contact sync but have disabled access to your contacts. To continue syncing your contacts, please enable the permission from your settings</string>
     <string name="contact_sync_enabled_without_contacts_permissions_title">We need your permission to access your contacts</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_enter_phone_number_description">We need to first verify your phone number so your contacts that also have your number can find you</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_enter_phone_number_title">Verify your phone number</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_failed_alert_message">Something went wrong while syncing your contacts. Please wait a moment and try again.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_failed_alert_title">Uh oh something went wrong.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_landing_screen_button">"Let's do it"</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_landing_screen_description">"By turning on Friend Sync, Discord will keep your friends list up to date with your contacts if: 
     1. You’re both on Discord 
     2. You both have each other's phone numbers 
     3. You both have Friend Sync turned on"</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_landing_screen_title">Discord is more fun with friends</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_no_results_description">None of your friends have synced their contacts on Discord yet, but we’ll let you know when they do.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_no_results_got_it">Got It</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_no_results_title">"We didn't find anyone!"</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_permission_denied_alert_message">You can manage your app permissions from settings</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_permission_denied_alert_title">We need your permission to access your contacts</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_submit_phone_number">Submit</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_syncing_description">Did you know all people are 6 or fewer social connections away from each other?</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_syncing_title">Your contacts are syncing…</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_toggle_label">Automatically sync your phone contacts.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_toggle_sub_label">By syncing your contacts, Discord can find your friends and help them find you. Any of your contacts that also have your phone number on their contacts will be added as your friend on Discord.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_we_found_your_friends_body">You are now friends with them on Discord. Talk to them, invite them to your server, have fun! We’ll let you know when new friends join Discord.</string>
    <string name="contact_sync_we_found_your_friends_title">We found your friends!</string>

Discord will also notify you whenever someone in your contact list joins Discord and verifies their phone number so that you can connect with them with just a single tap. In order for the feature to work, both the participants will need to have a Discord account, have each other’s phone numbers saved in your contact list, and have the Friend Sync option turned on. As of now, we have no information on when this feature will make it to the stable version of the app.

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Thanks to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

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[Update 2: Launching in China on Jan 7] Realme X50 will be Realme’s first smartphone with 5G

Update 2 (12/24/19 @ 3:50 AM ET): The Realme X50 5G will be launched at an event in Beijing, China on January 7, 2020.

Update (12/10/19 @ 00:30 AM ET): The Realme X50 will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G SoC. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on November 25, 2019, is preserved as below.

Following the recent launch of its first true flagship — the Realme X2 Pro — Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme is prepping up to launch its first 5G enabled handset. As per a recent teaser shared by the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Xu Qi Chase, the upcoming device will be called the Realme X50. The teaser image shared on Weibo further reveals that the Realme X50 will offer support for dual-mode 5G, which means that the device will support both 5G Standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) networks, just like the upcoming Redmi K30 5G. However, it isn’t clear whether the Realme X50 will make use of a MediaTek SoC or a Qualcomm SoC to offer 5G support.

The image also gives us our first glimpse at the device, highlighting its pill-shaped punch-hole display which will house dual selfie cameras. This is another feature that the device shares with the Redmi K30, which will also feature a punch-hole display with a similar design. However, the cutout on the Redmi K30 is on the opposite end of the display. It’s worth noting that back in September this year, Realme released a statement confirming an upcoming 5G smartphone based on the Snapdragon 7 series, so the Realme X50 could feature a Snapdragon 7 series chip. While we don’t have any further information on the specifications or release timeline for the device, Realme India’s CEO Madhav Sheth has previously confirmed that the company will launch its first 5G device this year. This, along with the recent teaser, leads us to believe that the Realme X50 might be launched in China in the next few weeks.

Source: Weibo

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Update: Realme X50 5G confirmed with Snapdragon 765G

Earlier this month at the Snapdragon Tech Summit, we learned that the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi K30 and OPPO Reno3 Pro will be powered by the all-new Snapdragon 765G processor. Now, the Realme X50 is joining the lineup of upcoming 5G phones to features the Snapdragon 765G chip. The chip brings support for 5G connectivity, high refresh rate displays, and high-quality imaging to the mid-range price tier.

The Snapdragon 765G boasts of slightly higher single-core CPU performance  (Prime core clock speed increased from 2.3GHz to 2.4GHz) over the regular Snapdragon 765. It also offers slightly faster GPU performance (15% speed-binned) and select Snapdragon Elite Gaming features including Game Smoother, Game Fast Loader, Game Network Latency Manager, Jank Reducer 2.0, and Predictive Game Auto Tuner. For 5G connectivity, the Snapdragon 765G features the Snapdragon X52 5G Modem-RF System which supports dual-mode 5G.

Source: Weibo

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Update 2: Realme X50 5G launches in China on January 7

Through its official Weibo account, Realme has announced that the Realme X50 5G will be launching at an event in Beijing, China on January 7, 2020.

Source: Weibo

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Realme working on a 108MP camera smartphone and IoT products

Ever since it started its journey back in May 2018, Realme has done a tremendous job in the Indian market. The company has swiftly grown to become the fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer in the country and has launched a slew of compelling devices in the market. On top of that, the company has done a great job of releasing timely updates and kernel sources for its devices making them an even more attractive option for Indian buyers. The company recently launched the Realme X2 in India, along with its first truly wireless earbuds, the Realme Buds Air. The company also announced a 10-watt wireless charging pad and, to the surprise of Realme fans, a new finance solution called Realme PaySa. In its short stint of just over one and a half years, Realme has expanded its portfolio like no other manufacturer and the brand doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.

In a recent interview with The Mobile Indian, Realme India’s CEO Madhav Sheth has revealed that the company plans to launch an even wider variety of devices in the market. When asked about the ongoing 108MP camera trend adopted by Xiaomi and Samsung, Sheth revealed that the company was also working on a smartphone with a 108MP camera, however, he clarified that he didn’t believe that the ‘megapixel war’ was beneficial for end-users.

Sheth further revealed that the company plans to launch several IoT products in India next year as he wants Realme to become a tech lifestyle brand and not just a smartphone brand. Additionally, Sheth talked about Realme’s offline presence in the country and highlighted that the company has big plans to expand into the offline market next year by “reaching 30,000 to 35,000 retail stores by the end of December 2020.” Currently, Realme devices are available in around 10,000 stores around the country.

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Source: The Mobile Indian

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