Android Skit

The prominent changes from the iPhone XS are that the models feature a new triple-lens rear camera system and the new A13 Bionic chip. The iPhone 11 Pro is Apple's first iPhone to feature a "pro" designation, which was previously reserved for larger Apple products. The model is the first iPhone to include an 18W fast charger in the box and a Lightning to USB-C cable allowing connection to current Mac computers.

Design

The iPhone 11 Pro is available in Gold, Space Gray, Silver, and Midnight Green, a new color previously not available on iPhones.  Similar to the iPhone XS, there is a display cutout at the front that includes the 12MP TrueDepth camera system and speaker. There is also a new rear camera design with three cameras and a flash in a larger, square-shaped bump, which is the most visible difference compared to the iPhone XS. The Apple logo is now centered on the back of the device with no text, and the glass has a frosted matte finish, unlike the glossy finish found on the 8/8+, X, XR, XS/XS Max and 11.

Hardware

The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max both have an A13 Bionic processor. Both phones have three internal storage options: 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB. They also both have 4 GB of RAM. Both models are rated IP68 water and dust resistant and are resistant for 30 minutes in a depth of 4 meters. The warranty does not cover any water damage to the phone. Also, like previous iPhones, both phones do not have a headphone jack and come with wired EarPods with a Lightning connector. The iPhone 11 Pro is the first iPhone to be sold with an 18-watt fast charger in the box as opposed to the 5-watt charger in the iPhone 10 and previous iPhones 

Display

The iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8 inch OLED display with a resolution of 2436x1125 pixels (458 ppi), while the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5 inch OLED display with a resolution of 2688x1242 pixels (458 ppi). Both models feature a Super Retina XDR Display with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a notch at the top for the TrueDepth camera system and speaker. Apple describes the display as having a "mini Apple Pro Display XDR" on a phone. They also have a True Tone and wide color display supporting HDR with 1200 nits of brightness. The screen has an oleophobic coating that is fingerprint-resistant. 

Camera

The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max both include a triple-lens 12MP rear camera array. There is one f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle lens with a 120-degree field of view and 2x optical zoom out, one f/1.8 wide-angle lens, and one f/2.0 telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom in. The iPhone 11 Pro supports 4K video up to 60 fps and 1080p slow motion at up to 240 fps. The phone also features an audio zoom feature which focuses audio on the area that is being zoomed in on. All of the cameras support video although only the wide and telephoto come with Optical Image Stabilization. It supports a Portrait Mode supporting depth control and an advanced bokeh effect. The phone also has an automatic Night Mode allowing the camera to take brighter pictures with reduced noise in low light environments. There is also a redesigned camera app that adds new features such as a scroll wheel for choosing between the different lenses and long-pressing the shutter button to take a video. Apple has also announced a new Deep Fusion feature which will take advantage of AI and machine learning for image processing. Both models also have a 12MP TrueDepth front camera with an f/2.0 aperture. There is a burst mode, image stabilization, HDR and a portrait mode with supporting an advanced bokeh effect. The frontal camera also supports stabilized 4K video recording up to 60fps. Apple has added slow-motion video recording to the front camera in 1080p at up to 120 fps, a feature which Apple refers to as "selfies". Similar to previous iPhone models, the TrueDepth system is also used for Face ID and Animoji. Media says iPhone 11 cameras open up possibilities for shooting that have not been on iPhone before, especially when it came to taking wide-angle portraits and improved portrait-mode shots.  The front and back camera can be used simultaneously, allowing the taking of two photos at the same time.

Software

The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max are initially shipped with the iOS 13 operating system. The phone also comes with Siri, Face ID (through the TrueDepth camera), Apple Pay, and supports Apple Card. 

Smartphone photography has come a long way in the last decade. Nowadays, almost every flagship has a camera with multiple lenses, which allow you to take creative and impressive shots. But even if you don’t have the latest and greatest smartphone, you can up your photography game with a phone tripod.  In this article, we’ll explain what they are, how to use them and which ones are the best depending on your needs. 

What are phone tripods? 

Tripods are stands with three collapsible legs designed to hold your photography equipment. They are braced around a center post for maximum stability and feature a smartphone or camera mount on top, as well as several joints which allow you to rotate and tilt your device. The biggest difference between smartphone and DSLR tripods is that the latter are usually bigger and sturdier since the weight of the camera and additional lenses is usually much higher than that of a smartphone. However, the main functions they perform remain the same: stabilizing your device and allowing you to take well-framed shots from a variety of angles. 

There are several types of phone tripods: 

The most common and versatile one is the traditional tripod with a smartphone mount. It has collapsible legs and can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, plastic, carbon fiber or aluminum. This smartphone tripod is also the most versatile but is often the most expensive and heaviest of the bunch.  The second type is smartphone tripods with flexible/foldable legs. They are smaller, lighter and easier to carry around. We will discuss which shots they can be best utilized for in a later section of the article.  Finally, we have tabletop tripods, sometimes called tablepods. They are the smallest smartphone tripods around – they often don’t even have legs because they are meant to be placed on a flat surface as their name suggests. However, tabletop smartphone tripods can be great for vlogging and certain shots, which we’ll discuss more later. 

Why you should use a smartphone tripod 

If you are just getting into smartphone photography as a hobby, you might be asking yourself how a smartphone tripod will help you. Maybe you have a steady hand and the stabilization alone does not seem worth it. Yet, the truth is that a tripod can take your photography game to the next level with beautiful shots and video you would never be able to take hand-held. Let’s break the main reasons down. 

Long exposure 

We have all seen these stunning photographs in which the lights of passing cars are transformed into streams of light flowing down the street. This is achieved with the help of long exposure. Taking such shots is possible via your smartphone’s Manual or pro mode, but for truly great results you need a smartphone tripod. Why is that? Most photos are taken with a shutter speed of between 1/600th of a second and 1/4000th of a second, though in lower light photos may go down to about 1/200. Long exposure shots, on the other hand, need the shutter to be open for at least a couple of seconds, while the phone is completely steady. This is usually impossible when holding your smartphone in your hand. Even the steadiest hands will move slightly, which in turn could result in a blurry shot. With a tripod and a bit of practice, you too can wow your friends with beautiful long-exposure photographs. 

Night or low-light shots 

Similar to long exposure shots, one of the best ways to capture great photos in low light conditions or at night is to use lower shutter speeds. Even if you don’t use manual mode for night shots, but rather the Night mode, which can be found on your manufacturer camera app on most devices, it is by no means perfect. This is why, once again, a smartphone tripod is your best companion if you want to take breathtaking night photos outside of the bright lights of the city. It will help reduce noise and blurriness. Even a Pixel 3 or 3 XL with its amazing Night Sight, which uses powerful onboard software and mixed exposure, can benefit from using a phone tripod. Moving objects are one of the few things (if not the only) Night Sight struggles with, but with a phone tripod, you can elevate your Pixel night photos from great to amazing. 

Zoomed photos or videos 

If there is one area that has immensely improved in smartphone photography in the last couple of years, that’s zooming. We now have amazing technology like OPPO’s 10x hybrid zoom and Huawei P30 Pro‘s jaw-dropping 50x digital zoom. However, in videos that demonstrate the awe-inspiring abilities of such tech, you can clearly see that at great distances even the slightest movement sends the framed shot flying. To avoid this, if you want to take a picture of every gargoyle on a gothic cathedral, for example, a smartphone tripod with a rotatable ball head is a must. 

For better framing & panoramas 

Panoramas also greatly benefit from being shot on a tripod-mounted smartphone – your shots will be much steadier with fewer cut off areas. However, a tripod for your smartphone can also make you think more creatively. With it, you can take shots from a wide variety of angles that would be impossible or impractical when holding your device in your hand. Some allow you to take photos at ground level without having to roll around in the dirt, for example. Setting up the tripod also gives you time to think about your shot and what you want to frame – giving you the opportunity to capture the precise mood and atmosphere you want.  A smartphone tripod can make you think more creatively and enable you to take better-framed shots. 

Video 

Probably one of the best use cases for tripods is shooting any kind of video. There is nothing worse than shaky shots that prevent you from concentrating on anything that is being shown and said in a video. If you opt for a lighter phone tripod, it can not only be used for shooting timelapse videos but used for vlogging on the go and much more. 

Which smartphone tripod is best for you? 

As previously mentioned, there are different types of phone tripods that suit different needs. We will look at the three most common ones, explain what they are best for and recommend some of the best we’ve found from each type. 

Tabletop tripods 

These tripods are the smallest of the bunch, and as their name suggests, are best suited for use on a flat surface. Some of them are designed for smartphones, while for others you will need to purchase a separate smartphone tripod mount. They usually are light and easy to carry around, but they shine best when used at home. Are you an aspiring influencer or streamer? Do you want to take great selfies without your arm in the shot? Then tabletop tripods are your best choice. They can also be used for filming time-lapses. If you have a great view from your window or balcony, just place your smartphone in your tripod and film away – be it the autumn leaves turning red and yellow or winter snows slowly covering the landscape. Tabletop tripods are also great for vlogging, so if you want to start your YouTube career on a budget, you can’t go wrong with one. 

But which tabletop tripod should you buy? We recommend checking out the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod Kit. It weighs only 7.8 ounces and has a max height of 16.5 cm or 6.4 inches. It also comes with a universal smartphone clamp. It’s sturdy, portable and can be used as a selfie stick when folded. The best part? It only costs $24.99. And if you already have a smartphone clamp or mount, you can get it for $18.48.

Octopus-type tripod with flexible legs 

These tripods, often called octopus tripods, get their nickname from their flexible legs. They can be folded and adjusted in multiple ways and used to wrap around objects. They are the middle ground between tabletop and more traditional tripods. They are light and portable, but usually, have a lower maximum height than traditional tripods. Nevertheless, they are much more versatile than their tabletop cousins. You can use them at home to vlog or take selfies, but you can also take them with you traveling. You can wrap them around tree branches, fences, poles, and other objects to get the perfect holiday group photo and much more. 

The tripod with flexible legs we would recommend is the JOBY GorillaPod 1K Kit. It can be used with both cameras and smartphones, and the stand and ball head are both included (although you can purchase only the stand). It’s incredibly durable, but also portable with a weight of 0.43 lbs. Its load capacity, on the other hand, is 2.2 lbs, which means you can use it with a variety of devices, including tablets if you so choose. The JOBY GorillaPod 1K Kit usually costs around $50, but at the time of writing, you can find it on sale for only $38.74, which is a total steal. However, it has one downside – it does not come with a smartphone tripod mount. You will have to purchase one separately, but there are many budget versions like the Manfrotto Universal Smartphone Clamp, which costs around $10.  We also recommend checking out Square Jellyfish’s Metal Smartphone Spring Tripod Mount. It’s a bit pricier than most at $16.95, but it’s very durable and flexible – thanks to a dial on the back you can position your phone in a variety of angles. 

Traditional tripods 

When it comes to photography you can’t go wrong with a traditional tripod. They offer the most stability and height and can be used to film or take photos in almost any situation. They are the best for time-lapses, landscape photographs, and group portraits. However, they usually are more expensive than their tabletop or octopus counterparts and often don’t come with a smartphone mount or clamp. Therefore, you shouldn’t shell out a lot of cash if all you plan on taking are standard holiday photos. Traditional tripods can also be heavier unless they are made from light materials such as carbon fiber, which will further increase their price. Nevertheless, if photography – smartphone or otherwise – is a serious hobby of yours, they are hard to beat. 

OnePlus 7 Pro 12GB RAM smartphone runs on Android v9.0 (Pie) operating system. The phone is powered by Octa-core (2.84 GHz, Single core, Kryo 485 + 2.42 GHz, Tri core, Kryo 485 + 1.8 GHz, Quad-core, Kryo 485) processor. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Chipset. It has 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage.    OnePlus 7 Pro 12GB RAM smartphone has a Fluid AMOLED display. It measures 162.6 mm x 75.9 mm x 8.8 mm and weighs 206 grams. The screen has a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels and 515 ppi pixel density. It has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 88.3 %. On the camera front, the buyers get a 16 MP Front Camera and on the rear, there's a 48MP + 16MP + 8MP camera with features like Fixed Focus. It is backed by a 4000 mAh battery. Connectivity features in the smartphone include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Volte, NFC and more.

Design 

As delicate as it looks, OnePlus 7 Pro is indeed a heavy smartphone once you pick it up. We did find it heavier than Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones. That may primarily be because of the larger battery, use of denser metal construction and even a separate retractable camera module. Nonetheless, the device feels balanced and it indeed is easy to use. It’s definitely sleeker than before and taller as well with 6.7-inch screen size. The ‘premium’ feel comes largely because of the all-glass front with curved sides and zero distractions in the form of notches or punch holes.

Display 

If there’s one thing that OnePlus has proclaimed is a massive improvement over the last year’s flagship OnePlus 6, it’s the near bezel-less screen. And by saying near bezel-less we mean seriously thinner bezels than what’s present in Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, something which by default makes the 7 Pro’s screen impressively immersive. The company has already adopted OLED screens with older smartphones and the 7 Pro just creates a new benchmark with a QHD+ Fluid AMOLED display that has HDR support, all clubbed with 90Hz refresh rate. Yes, we have seen 90Hz AMOLED screen in the past with Asus ROG Phone but this one has an elegance of its own with near-zero top and bottom bezels with curved sides, making the viewing experience nothing less than ‘eye-popping’.

Performance 

Over the years OnePlus has made such an impression of its smartphones that one is bound to expect the top of the line processors. Keeping the tradition, OnePlus 7 Pro harnesses the power from Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. This also makes the device first in the country with this processor. Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones also come with the same processor but not in India. The processor is clubbed with Adreno 640 and up to 12GB RAM, the variants which we received. You can also get it in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, which should be equally powerful. Needless to say, playing games, working on multiple apps, streaming videos and music, the experience iOS as smooth as it gets. The big question, however, to ask is if the smartphone really takes advantage of 12GB or even 8GB RAM capacity or just shows-off with no real use. 

Camera 

With OnePlus 7 Pro, the company has finally joined two new bandwagons - triple rear cameras and a front-facing pop-up camera. The center camera placement design is retained from the OnePlus 6 and 6T except that there’s a third lens in the mix. The camera sensors have been upgraded this time along with the specifications and the overall quality. You get a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera with 1.6 um pixel size, 7P lens glass, OIS, EIS, and f/1.6 aperture. This comes with an 8MP telephoto camera (3XL optical zoom) with 1um pixel size, OIS and f/2.4 aperture and a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens with f/2.2 aperture and 117-degree FoV.   

Battery

OnePlus smartphones were already a champion in the battery department and OnePlus 7 Pro just carries forward the torch. The 4000mAh battery is one of the longest-running ones (in a single charge) we’ve seen in an Android smartphone. We used the device as our primary driver, making it perform tasks like checking multiple email accounts, browsing social media for hours, playing games non-stop for 3-4 hours in a stretch, streaming audio, videos, all while keeping auto-brightness activated and the display on 90Hz refresh rate. All of this gave us an impressive 14+ hours worth of juice on an average. The screen on-time performance was consistent at 6 hours and above, which is good given the powerful specs and display features. The main counteracting element here is the screen and reducing the animation to 60Hz could give you slightly more battery life. We didn’t feel the need to play around with the refresh rate options as the overall performance was good.

OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone has a Fluid AMOLED display. It measures 162.6 mm x 75.9 mm x 8.8 mm and weighs 206 grams. The screen has a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels and 515 ppi pixel density. It has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and a screen-to-body ratio of 88.3 %. On the camera front, the buyers get a 16 MP Front Camera and on the rear, there's a 48MP + 16MP + 8MP camera with features like Fixed Focus. It is backed by a 4000 mAh battery. Connectivity features in the smartphone include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Volte, NFC and more. Once in a while, we see flagships that are competitive, affordable yet beefed-up. They are powerful enough to get your attention. We’re talking about OnePlus 7 Pro, a smartphone that is often called upon with ‘flagship’ in one breath. The smartphone, which has just been launched by the company, once again seems to have zoomed-past rivals like Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, Google Pixel 3 XL or even the Huawei P30 Pro when it comes to price and specifications. It reclaims the ‘flagship killer’ banner but now bears a higher price tag of Rs 48,999 (base price) going up to Rs 57,999. And what you get for that much? Not just a powerful smartphone but the ‘premium-ness’ that was a long time coming.  In what has been a short yet momentous journey, OnePlus has indeed come a long way. Till now it was following a tried and tested path — launch two phones every year with tweaks here and there — but for the first time, the company has changed its strategy. It has launched not one but two smartphones — OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 — at the same time to give multiple offerings. OnePlus seems to have taken a leaf out of Apple, Samsung and Google’s book to have an ‘affordable’ premium device.

What makes this even more interesting in OnePlus’ case is that the whole premise on which OnePlus has been built is ‘offering a flagship experience at not-so-flagship prices’. The OnePlus 7 Pro is new territory for OnePlus as it is the most expensive phone ever launched by the company. Will that be an albatross around OnePlus’ neck or has the company delivered a phone that will not only strengthen its position in the market and worry competition? We used the OnePlus 7 Pro for a while to find out the answers to all these questions and more. Here’s our review: 

Design 

As delicate as it looks, OnePlus 7 Pro is indeed a heavy smartphone once you pick it up. We did find it heavier than Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones. That may primarily be because of the larger battery, use of denser metal construction and even a separate retractable camera module. Nonetheless, the device feels balanced and it indeed is easy to use. It’s definitely sleeker than before and taller as well with 6.7-inch screen size. The ‘premium’ feel comes largely because of the all-glass front with curved sides and zero distractions in the form of notches or punch holes.  We had the Nebula Blue color variant, which is also the most marketed variant by the company this year. It’s not your typical gradient Blue look at the back but a mix of two shades that change based on the light reflection. It’s not as flashy as it may sound and looks good mainly because of the multi-layered glass back design which is not glossy but more of a frosted glass look, which was introduced with OnePlus 6’s Silk White color variant. The material also does a good job in hiding the fingerprints and smudges.

That said, we found the power button, volume buttons, and the alert slider slightly towards the upper side, for which we often found ourselves shifting the smartphone to access them. But that’s the only single nagging point here. The vertical camera setup at the center, stereo speaker placement and everything else was just fine.  OnePlus 7 Pro also comes in Mirror Gray and Almond colors. While the Mirror Gray is not as dark as the Midnight Black color variant seen in older OnePlus phones, it surely looks more stealthy. However, it has a glossy back which makes it a fingerprint magnet. Many may find the Almond color version better as it looks similar to Silk White but with a more beige color tone. It also does a very good job of hiding smudges and fingerprints. It doesn’t use the frosted glass look but still manages to look elegant. The sides, however, are in Gold, which brings the premium-spin to the device. 

Display 

If there’s one thing that OnePlus has proclaimed is a massive improvement over the last year’s flagship OnePlus 6, it’s the near bezel-less screen. And by saying near bezel-less we mean seriously thinner bezels than what’s present in Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, something which by default makes the 7 Pro’s screen impressively immersive. The company has already adopted OLED screens with older smartphones and the 7 Pro just creates a new benchmark with a QHD+ Fluid AMOLED display that has HDR support, all clubbed with 90Hz refresh rate. Yes, we have seen 90Hz AMOLED screen in the past with Asus ROG Phone but this one has an elegance of its own with near-zero top and bottom bezels with curved sides, making the viewing experience nothing less than ‘eye-popping’.  As a regular user or a gamer, the screen won’t disappoint you at any time of the day. It’s wider than the panels used in Huawei Mate 20 and is just the screen without any distractions in the form of punch holes or a notch. Where it does disappoint is when it comes to the Blue-ish color tint on the left and right edges, something Samsung has perfected over the years and has pretty much nailed it. We noticed it while looking at the screen from an angle.

It is understandable that for the price and the ‘premium’ label of the handset, one would expect the best of the best but unfortunately, the color tint somewhere pulls down the entire viewing experience to some extent. It’s definitely not a deciding factor but is something that could’ve been worked upon. Nonetheless, you win some and you lose some at the end of the day. That said, the 90Hz refresh rate is a major win for OnePlus and really makes the entire UI look smoother. Many probably won’t notice it as increased refresh rates are more noticeable on larger screens such as tablets or TVs. But nonetheless, this looks good. From scrolling down the notification panel to pulling up the app drawer and browsing the Settings app, everything looks ‘fluid’. You do get the option to switch back to 60Hz, which is a ‘normal’ in smartphones. And since you have HDR10+ support now, streaming HDR content looks way better. The cherry on top comes in the form of high 516ppi that gives sharper visual experience and a bright screen, but not enough to compete with the Galaxy S10, as we found it’s screen a bit better.

Like every other smartphone these days, OnePlus 7 Pro also has a Blue Light filter in the form of Night Mode. And with Night Mode 2.0, the screen now has the ability to go dimmer than before. OnePlus claims the screen can go dim up to 0.27 nits, which we definitely found more comfortable to use in low light situations. A part of the credit also goes to the AMOLED screen.

Performance 

Over the years OnePlus has made such an impression of its smartphones that one is bound to expect the top of the line processors. Keeping the tradition, OnePlus 7 Pro harnesses the power from Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. This also makes the device first in the country with this processor. Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones also come with the same processor but not in India. The processor is clubbed with Adreno 640 and up to 12GB RAM, the variants which we received. You can also get it in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, which should be equally powerful. Needless to say, playing games, working on multiple apps, streaming videos and music, the experience iOS as smooth as it gets. The big question, however, to ask is if the smartphone really takes advantage of 12GB or even 8GB RAM capacity or just shows-off with no real use.  There’s no heating issue as such and the apps are quick enough to open or close. We didn’t find any kind of hiccups while unlocking the smartphone as well, something where many end up delaying by a few seconds. It’s definitely consistent. The interface is snappy and the smooth animations just add to the overall experience.

Talking about the interface, OnePlus has given special attention to its OxygenOS 9.5 this time. The OS based on Android 9 Pie not only boasts of improvements but also some new features that are particularly good. For starters, you finally get the screenshot editor, which is a nifty yet long overdue addition. It doesn’t have many features but whatever is there, it's useful and exactly what most users would need to quickly edit them and share.  Another feature introduced this time is the Zen Mode, which is OnePlus’ aim to let you achieve your work-life balance. You won’t find it in the Settings app though but it is possible to activate it from the notification dropdown. Take it as a kind of a challenge. When you activate Zen Mode, the smartphone mutes phone calls, notifications and locks all the apps except for the camera, for 20 minutes. You can still receive phone calls and make emergency calls though. It’s just OnePlus giving the users an option to not stay glued to your smartphone.  This comes in addition to some Digital Wellbeing features including Wind Down and Grayscale feature in Wind Down. For those unaware, Wind Down aims to keep you cut off from your smartphone while sleeping. It’s nothing new in the world of smartphones but is definitely a value addition in OnePlus smartphones, provided how addictive these powerful devices can become.

As for gamers, they get an improved Gaming Mode this time that takes care of graphics on light and dark colors in a game and delivers better haptic feedback, something we did find impressive and better than most of the Android smartphones. Major credit for improved haptic feedback goes to the new vibration motor inside the OnePlus 7 Pro. As confirmed by the CEO Pete Lau, there’s an ‘industry-leading’ X-axis motor that we found really well balanced in ringtones and alerts besides gaming. Activating the mode also gives you the option to experience the Fnatic mode as well. This mode not just blocks all notifications and calls but also restricts background to boost the game and stop secondary SIM to enhance the network. Gaming mode is slightly less strict and shows call notifications, choose how the notifications should be shown on screen, enhances the display and more.  Some other additions that may go unnoticed by users are the 10-layer liquid cooling system. This, in addition to ample RAM, UFS 3.0 storage and Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, didn’t heat-up the smartphone even for once. There’s also a 10-layer liquid cooling inside so even playing graphic-intensive games for hours shouldn’t be something to worry about. So that’s a thumbs up right there.  While the bezel-less QHD+ 6.7-inch screen with HDR10 support is enough to make content immersive, OnePlus has gone ahead and included stereo speakers for the first time in the smartphone. And yes they are two different speakers instead of just one main speaker and the secondary resonating speaker. Add, 4000mAh battery on top of this and you may have a winner.

Camera 

With OnePlus 7 Pro, the company has finally joined two new bandwagons - triple rear cameras and a front-facing pop-up camera. The center camera placement design is retained from the OnePlus 6 and 6T except that there’s a third lens in the mix. The camera sensors have been upgraded this time along with the specifications and the overall quality. You get a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary camera with 1.6 um pixel size, 7P lens glass, OIS, EIS, and f/1.6 aperture. This comes with an 8MP telephoto camera (3XL optical zoom) with 1um pixel size, OIS and f/2.4 aperture and a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens with f/2.2 aperture and 117-degree FoV.  Before we talk about the camera performance of OnePlus 7 Pro, it is not difficult to decipher that OnePlus smartphones are not particularly known for their cameras. However, with OnePlus 7 Pro, the company has tried its best to bring a beefed-up and over-capable cameras that do deliver better shots than what the predecessor delivered but are still strides behind when we compared it with Samsung Galaxy S10 or Google Pixel 3 cameras.  When you talk about the overall image quality, the OnePlus 7 Pro is a good proposition but it's only the specifics that make you think twice. The daylight shots were really good to look at with bright colors and balanced brightness/contrast mix. However, we did notice the primary camera offering sharp and crisp shots as compared to the images shot using ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. At times we noticed OnePlus 7 Pro’s primary camera blowing up the highlights in order to light up the shadows in the auto mode while keeping both balanced in some cases. The colors are, however, retained so the overall image doesn’t look as bad as it sounds.

The portrait shots have definitely improved and should be good enough for most people. However, it’s yet to catch up with the likes of Pixel 3 or even the 3a series which you get for a lesser price.  As for the 16MP ultra wide shots, we noticed the smartphone often offering a cooler colour tone for daylight shots. This is not bad per se but slightly steers away from the ‘natural’ shot. The quality is also pushed down when you zoom into the image but still, better than others. However, the lower the ambient light gets, the smoother the overall image becomes. That’s probably to hide the noise but you do lose the sharpness. This also applies for the primary camera. Nonetheless, including a wide-angle camera is something that we don’t see in many smartphones these days and it's good to see OnePlus finally featuring it.  The telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom works impressively well in daylight. Slightly moving objects can also be captured with enough sharpness that you can post without editing much. Like we said above, the resulting images are not as sharp as what you get from the 48MP primary camera but it manages to capture colours well without making it appear fake. We did find the camera struggling in reproducing the Blues at times like what you see in real life but that’s just a minor issue and most likely be fixed with a simple software upgrade.  Low light capabilities of the OnePlus 7 Pro have been improved drastically, thanks to Nightscape and the improved hardware with a larger pixel size. The images captured in the Nightscape mode are sharp and better than most others we’ve seen in the sub Rs-50000 price bracket. The shadows, highlights and the colours are intact for the most part but don’t expect the night sky to go all black like what you get with Huawei P30 Pro. It’s still gray but the overall image is really good to look at. Nightscape does take a second to start processing the image after you click the shutter, but that shouldn’t be a point of worry here. 

The video recording section is not the best that we have seen off lately but is also not bad at all. If you really want a good video-recording smartphone, you can go for LG G series or probably the Pixel because of its video ‘stabilization’ feature. The slow-motion videos are good to look at but one can make out the difference in the quality, which is somewhat the same situation with most upper-midrange smartphones. OnePlus 7 Pro has the ability to shoot 4K videos in 60fps, going down to 720p video recording at 480fps. There’s a Time-lapse feature as well alongside a video editor.  One of the highlights of the smartphone, the pop-up selfie camera, takes crisp images in daylight and artificial light conditions. In low light, the sensor unsurprisingly tends to make images soft. The portrait mode does work in low light selfies but is ready for a smooth face and a lighter skin tone. The 16MP Sony IMX471 is a step up from 16MP Sony IMX371 used in OnePlus 6T and it shows. The shutter is fast and so is the focus. We wish Nightscape worked in the front-facing camera. 

Battery

OnePlus smartphones were already a champion in the battery department and OnePlus 7 Pro just carries forward the torch. The 4000mAh battery is one of the longest-running ones (in a single charge) we’ve seen in an Android smartphone. We used the device as our primary driver, making it perform tasks like checking multiple email accounts, browsing social media for hours, playing games non-stop for 3-4 hours in a stretch, streaming audio, videos, all while keeping auto-brightness activated and the display on 90Hz refresh rate. All of this gave us an impressive 14+ hours worth of juice on an average. The screen on-time performance was consistent at 6 hours and above, which is good given the powerful specs and display features. The main counteracting element here is the screen and reducing the animation to 60Hz could give you slightly more battery life. We didn’t feel the need to play around with the refresh rate options as the overall performance was good.

This time you get Warp Charge 30 fast charging tech, which makes use of 5V/6A or 30 Watts charging speed to go from 0% to 47% in around 30 minutes of charge, which is one of the fastest around. And that’s without generating heat.  What’s unfortunate here is there although OnePlus aims to bring its ‘best’ smartphone to the market and is aiming at those who want a no-compromise device, it still doesn’t provide wireless charging with OnePlus 7 Pro. Sure, no wireless charging tech is as fast as Warp Charge but for someone who is paying Rs 50,000 on a smartphone, it’s natural to expect all the major features in a device. Seems like OnePlus still doesn’t consider it as a ‘flagship’ feature. It available in Galaxy S10 smartphones, Huawei P30 series and even the iPhones now.  Nonetheless, we found the overall battery performance good with the Game Mode and Fnatic Mode adding to the performance optimization and making the device more efficient than before. You also get the usual battery saving modes in the Settings page that cut down on background processing and animations.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite name first surfaced earlier this year, followed by Google certification in August. Thankfully, the Chinese brand has confirmed the device and a launch date.  The company posted an image showing the Mi 9 Lite name and September 16 launch date on its Spanish Facebook page, confirming a European launch for the device. Check it out below. 

Recent Google Pixel 4 leaks primarily focused on hardware and software. However, today’s leaks from XDA-Developers mainly discusses an upcoming version of the Google Camera app and the Pixel 4’s camera features.  Starting with the camera interface, the camera switcher, shutter, and gallery buttons float above the viewfinder. The camera modes move from above the aforementioned to below them, though you can still swipe left or right on the viewfinder to change modes.  Looking at the top, the timer, motion, and flash options have been replaced with a contextual pop-up box. What you see in the box depends on the camera mode you’re in. For example, the portrait camera mode includes options for face retouching, timer, selfie illumination, and ratio. 

Google has been steadily adding nocturnal themes to its apps. In a span of two days, the dark mode has been spotted on Gmail for Android and the Google Play Store. Now, multiple users on Reddit report they are receiving the dark theme on the Google app and Assistant on Android.  The Google Assistant is baked into the Google app, which includes the Discover feed and Searches tabs. The dark theme is rolling out to all those sections of the app.  Images posted by users show a dark gray take over the background of the app. The cards in the Search carousel stand out against the background in a lighter shade of gray. 

a It’s not all black and white though. Colors in the Search carousel appear to be well adjusted (via 9to5Google) to the dark theme. The lighter font is also pretty legible.  The whole thing looks much easier on the eyes and we’re all for Google’s new wave of darkness. 

Where’s my dark mode update? 

Once again, the dark theme on the Google app and Assistant seems to be a server-side update. This means you will get it without having to update the app through the Google Play Store.  Reddit users from U.K., U.S., Australia, and some other parts of the world are reporting that they are now seeing the update. Just like previous dark mode roll-outs, this one too could be a phased release from Google.  The company is racing to make dark mode available to all of its apps, given that it promised to do so by the time Android 10 becomes officially available. It has been 10 days since the stable Android 10 update rolled out and that puts more pressure on Google to speed up the process. 

Google’s kingdom of darkness 

Microsoft’s Your Phone app is getting smarter by the day. The app allows you to connect your Android smartphone to your Windows 10 PC to access notifications, SMS, photos, and more. Samsung users can do even more with it as a result of the company’s partnership with Microsoft.  Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 comes with a Link to Windows 10 button (you can also use the Your Phone app alternatively) which enables users to interact with their phone’s screen on their Windows 10 PCs. This gives Galaxy Note 10 users access to all their Android apps and content on their Windows 10 devices.  Later this year, Note 10 users will also get the ability to receive and place phone calls through their Windows 10 PCs. It now looks like Microsoft might be planning to extend these exclusive benefits to other Android phones as well. Twitter user Ajith recently posted a screenshot of the Your Phone app’s calling feature working in sync with a Realme 3 Pro smartphone. https://twitter.com/4j17h/status/1170427625640087552 The Windows 10 app in the screenshot shows the Calls and Phone Screen tabs in the menu. The words “in preview” are mentioned next to the Calls tab, indicating that this might be restricted to select users right now. There’s a dialler to immediately dial a number if you remember it by heart, but there’s also a way to search contacts and place a call.  Microsoft’s official Your Phone help page, however, does not currently list Phone Screen support for any other phone except for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. It also does not mention calling support for any Android smartphone.   It’s possible that Microsoft is rolling out these features in batches or in preview builds.   Next up, the Your Phone app is also gaining the ability to display the battery status of your Android phone on your Windows 10 device. Unlike the calling and screen sharing features, this one is a confirmed roll-out.  A Microsoft representative has tweeted that the battery indicator feature is now available on the Windows 10 Your Phone app. The feature is accessible to Windows Insiders as of now, but we expect a wider roll-out for all Windows 10 users soon.  https://twitter.com/AnalyMsft/status/1171082122079195143 If you haven’t tried out the Your Phone app, you can download it by clicking the button below.

Your Phone Companion

TECNO has launched a new device under its camera-centric flagship, the Camon smartphone series. The new device, which is a testament of the brand’s improvement and development of smartphone photography comes with a number of enhanced features that in many ways validates the brand’s ability to always raise the bar with every device it releases into the Nigerian mobile market.  The Camon 12 spots a lot of upgraded features, one of which is the inclusion of an AI Triple Camera as against the dual rear-camera spotted on the Camon 11 Series, which was launched last year.  Speaking at the launch held in Lagos, PR and Strategic Partnership Manager Jesse Oguntimehin stated that:  The Camon 12 is more than just any device, it is the device. It comes with a lot of physical and inbuilt upgrades from the Camon 11 launched last year, ranging from its look and feel, to its camera, to its security feature upgrade, the brand has it all covered. 

He further added that: 

This is the 7th generation of the Camon Series and with this device, we are unlocking a new era of smartphone photography. This time around, we at TECNO have worked round the clock to make it possible for our users, to see the world through our device. 

NEBULA GRADIENT INSPIRED LOOK 

Coming a few months after revealing its new philosophy for users to Expect More in terms of creativity and quality, the Camon 12, comes with a nebula gradient glossy back that gives it an extraordinary look and feel unlike other devices in its flagship line and would be available in three colour options a Bordeaux Red variant, an Aqua Blue variant and a Midnight Black variant, which gives users a line of choices to pick from when making a device choice. 

MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MORE 

The Camon 12 Pro gives users more in terms of smartphone photography with its 32 MP and dual front flash, which solves the problem of lowlight selfies.  The device also comes with an upgraded Beauty mode, which has an advanced 3D stereoscopic facial beauty to make your selfie more natural and charming. The beauty mode also expands its scope to body beauty and video beauty.  Far from the usual Selfie DNA of the Camon Series, the Camon 12 spots an AI Triple Rear Camera set of 16MP+2MP+8MP, which is a total upgrade from last year’s Camon 11 experience.   Users can now enjoy, up to 120° super-wide-angle shots and 2cm extreme macro photography experience, making it possible for the camera’s output to capture the littlest of details when taking pictures with the device’s camera.  Other features include Bluetooth 5.0 which makes connecting one device to another easier and transferring files faster; 4G LTE capacity for smooth high-speed browsing; and a sizeable 3,500mAh Battery.  The new device comes in three size variants the CAMON 12 with a 64GB ROM+ 4GB RAM (16 MP selfie camera), the CAMON 12 Pro with a 64GB ROM + 6GB RAM (32 MP selfie camera), the CAMON 12 Air with a 32GB ROM + 3GB RAM (8 MP selfie camera).  The Camon 12 Series is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22 chipset which makes possible Smart AI imaging, AI Camera, reliable connectivity and power efficiency—with all the power-packed in the Camon 12 Series, it won’t get hot while performing powerful functions. 

. The Camon 12 will start selling for NGN47,500 from 6th of September 2019. Camon 12 Air and Camon 12 Pro will be available soon.  Every consumer who purchases the TECNO Camon 12 Series will have a chance to win a trip to Europe as they will be given a raffle ticket once they make a purchase. At TECNO, our drive is to keep our customers winning. 

About TECNO Nigeria 

TCL is the number one selling TV brand in North America, according to research firm IHS Markit, and the company plans to bank on its success in new ways.  Last week at the IFA trade show in Berlin, the company announced the TCL Plex, the first smartphone to bear the company’s own brand. This represents a significant shift for the company, as it looks to expand its other business units. TCL also happens to own the Alcatel, BlackBerry Mobile, and Palm brands.  Can “TCL” outshine those other names that have lost their luster? 

What’s in a name 

Recognition is key. If your brand doesn’t register with consumers, chances are it won’t sell. Avi Greengart, the lead analyst at Techsponential, believes TCL is on solid ground.  “Of all the brands in it's stable, TCL itself is the strongest, especially in North America where the company has invested in marketing efforts for its TVs,” said Greengart to Android SKIT via email. In televisions, TCL isn’t really a cheap brand — it’s high value.” 

Consumers already have at least some idea that TCL exists. 

The company has surpassed long-time TV superpowers Samsung and Sony, at least in North America. Interestingly, both the Korean and Japanese firms are large conglomerates that house multiple businesses — television and mobile among them.  In other words, consumers already have at least some idea that TCL exists and that it makes reasonably good gear. 

Why should TCL flex the Plex now? 

“The time was right for us,” said Jason Gordon, head of global communication and strategy at TCL. “TCL Plex is the first device in what will be an entirely new portfolio of TCL mobile devices. While our Alcatel devices are focused on the entry-tier of the market and our BlackBerry and Palm devices are providing niche options, our TCL portfolio devices are meant to address the more mainstream smartphone market. More importantly, they also serve as the hub for our larger TCL ecosystem of consumer electronic products, including our branded TVs, audio devices, home appliances and more.”  The Plex, which Android Skit named one of IFA’s best smartphones, features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ LCD display made by TCL Display. The glass sandwich is powered by a Snapdragon 675 with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a 3,820mAh battery. Other features include a triple-camera array on the back USB-C with rapid charging, a headphone jack, and a fingerprint sensor. It’ll sell for 329 euros when it goes on sale later this year.   “The Plex is a strong debut for the TCL brand in phones,” said Greengart. “It is not alone: Xiaomi offers similar specs in some markets and TCL will need to market it effectively. But the TCL Plex certainly looks competitive, providing a lot of value at a relatively low price.” 

TCL insists Alcatel and BlackBerry are not dead. 

However, in the U.S. mid-range phones occupy something of a no-man’s land. Consumers who can’t afford iPhones and Galaxies tend to purchase cheap phones with cash. Meanwhile, those who can afford flagships often obtain them on payment plans with carriers.  This doesn’t mean that Alcatel and BlackBerry are dead. “Alcatel and BlackBerry remain part of the larger TCL Communication product portfolio,” said Gerdon. “The addition of the TCL brand is in complement to those devices we already have in our portfolio, not a replacement of them.” 

Bending to the display bandwagon 

TCL had more than the Plex on display at IFA in Berlin. The company had a number of folding display concepts to show off. These interesting takes on the tablet-phone combo may someday compete with the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X.  The company would not say if or when its foldable displays will reach the market, but the TCL Plex is setting the stage.  TCL Display is behind the concepts. Once the company has a chance to establish its brand as a player in the mobile space, it stands a better chance to bring the folding phones, er, into the fold. As a result, such devices will fare better under the TCL brand than they might under Alcatel or BlackBerry. 

The Pixel 4 leaks are happening nearly every day now. Just a few days ago we got our first glimpse at a pretty coral colored Pixel 4, and today, thanks to the YouTube channel Gadget Leaks, we’re getting our first look at the device in a hands-on video. Check it out above! We’re a few hours away from the launch of the new iPhones, but it’s raining Pixel 4 leaks right now. So much so, that we’re not sure if Google will have any surprises left up its sleeve for the October launch event. This time around, in-hand images of the alleged Pixel 4 XL in both white and black colorways have leaked online. The pictures have been making the rounds on Reddit, and you can also see all the leaked images in the linked Imgur post here.  What you see are two Pixel 4 XL units, or at least that’s what the leaker claims. The phones in question have a large display (so possibly the XL variant) and resemble previous leaks of the Pixel 4 series. We recently came across apparent images of the Pixel 4 in a new “Coral” orange hue. This new leak of the white and black variants shows off the contrasting looks of the two colorways.  We can see that the white Pixel 4 XL variant is less shiny compared to the glossy black variant. The dual-tone back from Pixel 3 is missing from both colorways. Black colored top and bottom bezels can also be seen on the front of the devices, skipping the polarising notch. 

Samsung Galaxy Fold is the first foldable smartphone from the stables of South Korean manufacturer, Samsung. As the name implies, the smartphone can fold and open to become smaller and bigger respectively. Literally, it puts together the portability of smartphones and utility of tablets in one piece. In its foldable state, it’s a smartphone, upon unfolding, it becomes an attractive tablet.

Design 

You must be wondering the technology that makes this premium smartphone fold in and out. I mean, foldable smartphones seem to be like the stuff of legends but here’s Samsung delivering it fresh.  Let’s cut to the chase, here’s what makes it click: Samsung implemented a powerful hinge mechanism with multiple interlocking gears that makes it open smoothly like a book, and close similarly with a convenient click. However, the hinges are not visible as they have been enclosed with an aluminium frame, thus, giving a classy look.  A total of six cameras got integrated into this smartphone – three at the back, one at the front and two inside. That is, while folded, there’s a single camera at the front of the phone and three at the back. When it gets opened to its full-screen tablet size, there are two cameras located at the top right. Still, in its full scale, the volume rocker and fingerprint scanner are placed on the right side while the SIM tray stays at the left.  It’s hard to take your eyes away from the thick bezels on the smartphone’s screen when folded. In a world of thin bezels and almost bezel-less designs, it’s hard not to notice them. In its topmost bezel, you’ll find the camera and earpiece. The bottom region possesses bezels without any occupants. Unfolding the phone presents the ritzy display with limited bezels. 

The Foldable Displays

Following the flow of this article, you must have gotten the idea that there are two displays. The first, otherwise known as the cover display, has a 4.6-inch Super AMOLED panel with HD+ resolution. This display is what you operate when the smartphone is in the folded state.  However, there’s a larger Dynamic AMOLED screen of 7.3 inches that delivers the main visuals. It works with 1536 x 2152 pixels resolution. Here’s what you get when the phone is unfolded and converted to a tablet. 

Battery and Camera

Two batteries on the device combined to churn out 4,380mAh capacity as the sole power supply on the device. Both cells are found on either side of the sophisticated hinge, and they are non-removable. Using the USB-C cable, the phone can rapidly charge with an input of 18W power. Also, you can charge other devices wirelessly with the phone thanks to Wireless Powershare.  As discussed in the design segment, there are six cameras on this device. Starting with the cover display, there’s a 10MP cover camera with an f/2.2 aperture for cute selfies. The primary display packs 10MP (f/2.2) camera and 8MP (f/1.9) depth sensor for similar purposes.  Similar to the rear camera setup of Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Fold bags three cameras. Interesting enough, the camera qualities are even the same. A 12MP primary camera with variable apertures of f/1.5 – f/2.4 aperture is supported by a 12MP telephoto lens and 16MP ultra-wide sensor. 

Hardware and Software 

The top-tier 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC tagged with 12GB RAM carries the smartphone’s workload. Meanwhile, there’s a mammoth 512GB UFS 3.0 storage available for saving of files. The UFS storage allows it to load data faster and boot quicker. Sadly, no expansion is permitted on the device.  Samsung Galaxy Fold operates with the latest Android 9.0 Pie OS. However, it isn’t the pure form of Android Pie, which is good news for most Samsung lovers. Some nifty features made its way into the device; App continuity and 3-way multitasking being chief of them. 

App Continuity & 3-way Multitasking 

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is back, and promising better behavior. After design flaws began causing reviewers' phone screens to break, Samsung postponed the Fold's release date and went back to the drawing board to fix the problem. Now, a new and improved Galaxy Fold will go on sale in September, starting in Korea and branching out throughout Asia and Europe before heading to the US. (Here's what we know about preordering the fixed Fold.)  I got a chance to go hands-on with the redesigned model, which Samsung says will avoid incurring the kind of damage that caused some reviewers' screens to break. (Androidskit review unit never broke, but the screen did sustain scratches.)  Samsung's fixes correct the Galaxy Fold's early problems, but it also marks a shift in the phone maker's strategy for selling the device. The $1,980 Galaxy Fold was supposed to be a smash hit that secured Samsung's place as an innovator.  Early adopters would clamor for it. It would become the ultimate symbol of status and luxury. But now these changes represent Samsung's mistakes, and the company seems less enthusiastic that it the Fold will sell. 

This new design looks mostly the same as before, with subtle changes that make it harder to damage the Galaxy Fold's delicate plastic screen. For example, Samsung has completely removed the question of whether the protective layer on top of the original design was an optional screen protector or an essential part of the display's integrity -- it was actually the latter, as some reviewers learned the hard way earlier this year.   Unfolding the Fold also feels different. Smoother, perhaps. Sturdier. I always loved opening and closing the original design during my time with the phone: The sensation of resistance as you closed the screen and felt the magnetic sides snap shut.   Now it feels more complete somehow. It's hard to say why exactly, with the original Galaxy Fold so far in the rearview mirror and just my memory for comparison. Before this week, the last time I held the Fold was in mid-April. Here's every way the Galaxy Fold has changed.

No visible screen protector 

 If you peel this off, it immediately makes the Fold's screen unusable. Now, this polymer layer extends beneath the plastic bezel. It's still there but you can't see it, and that's how it should be. 

Screen caps at the ends of the phone 

New T-shaped plastic "caps" plug up air gaps that existed before when you fold the phone's screen -- this is the slack that's created as part of the kinetic process. I tried jamming my fingernails around this part to see if I could create any openings, but wasn't able to. That's reassuring. 

Reinforced screen 

The previous Galaxy Fold design had a layer of metal supporting a cushiony layer and then the top portion of the display. Samsung says this caused the screen crease that runs down the phone's center to look more prominent. Now it's reinforced the screen by adding a second layer of metal on top of that cushion. We'll see if that reduces the crease's appearance and also keeps damage by pressing too hard on the display at bay.   

No more Astro Blue or Martian Green colors 

The blue and green colors really took the Fold over the top, but Samsung told us that it'll only sell the Fold in silver and black now. It's a shame, but I'm not really surprised. Samsung might be preparing for fewer sales as a result of waning enthusiasm, and therefore keeping its production counts in check.  

No Galaxy Fold 5G in the US 

The Tecno Camon 11 Pro (briefly called the Camon C11 Pro) is the better and upgraded variant of the recently launched Camon 11 duo. The Camon 11 Pro shares a lot of similarities with the Camon 11 but it also comes with a number of improvements in the aspect of chipset, storage configurations, and camera setup… all of which makes it the better and more expensive model of the Camon 11 duo.

Design

In terms of aesthetical and architectural makeup, the Camon 11 Pro is a twin of the Camon 11. The device sports the same dimension and also the same aspect ratio as the Camon 11.  Body is glossy and reflective,  volume adjustment buttons and lock/power button are on the right-hand side, SIM card and micro SD card slots on the left-hand side while the micro USB port, loudspeaker grills, and 3.5mm headphone jack are at the bottom.  The only feature that can easily help differentiate between the Camon 11 Pro and Camon C11 is the colour. While the later launched in three different colours (Bordeaux Red, Aqua Blue, and Midnight Black), the Camon 11 Pro is available in only a special ‘Nebula Black” color. 

Display

The Camon 11 Pro comes with a colossal 6.2-inch Super FullView IPS LCD panel with an HD+ (1,500 x 720 pixels) resolution. Also, it shares the same (87.5%) screen-to-body ratio as its younger sibling and sports a rectangular notch at the top of the display.  You’d get the best of colours out of the 19:9 aspect ratio display and with 500 nits brightness, users would be able to use their devices outdoor under direct sunlight. 

Internal Configuration

This is another category where the Tecno Camon 11 Pro trumps the standard Camon 11. It uses a better processor (MediaTek MT6762) with a clock speed of 2.0GHz and twice the number of cores than its sibling.  The Octa-core processor is paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory. This makes the Camon 11 Pro the first Tecno-branded smartphone to come with 6GB of RAM after the Phantom 8. There is a micro SD card slot in the left side of the device for expanding the internal storage up to 512GB.  The Tecno Camon 11 Pro runs the latest HiOS v4.1 which is based on the Android 8 1 Oreo. The new interface is s.oother and more convenient for users as it brings on features like fingerprint gestures, system navigation gestures, and accelerated gaming. If you are a heavy smartphone user, the Tecno Camon 11 Pro will handle multitasking smoothly without hassles or loss of data. 

Camera

On the rear, a 16MP primary camera together with the 5MP secondary lens and quad LED flash will deliver high-quality images under bright or poorly lit environment. On the software side of the camera, the Tecno Camon 11 Pro uses Artificial Intelligence to get the best image possible for uses.  The device comes with AI-powered HDR, AI Beautification, AI Portrait etc. It also features what Tecno calls AI Automatic Scene Detection which switches to any of the following mode depending on scene or environment a photo is being taken or the nature of the subject to be captured: night scene, portrait mode, backlighting portrait, sports mode, document mode, sky mode etc.

  On the front, a 24-megapixels AI selfie camera also with AI Portrait mode, AI Beauty and AI HDR is embedded in the notch next to the front-facing LED flash. The selfie camera also supports Face Unlock and Tecno’s newly introduced AR Emoji.  

Battery

The MTN 3G smart feature phone (Smart M561M3) runs on KaiOS 2.5 Operating system and accepts dual SIMs. (Only MTN SIMs can be used in the SIM 1 slot). It is pre-installed with various apps such WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google Maps, MyMTNApp, FM Radio, Google Assistant .e.tc. and also offers Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS connectivity  The phone has two basic cameras, 1.3MP Rear Camera and Front Camera and a long battery life of 2000mAh battery. It is powered by the SC7731EF processor, has 2.4-inch screen, 256MB RAM and 512MB of storage. 

Yes, the phone boasts an internal memory of 512MB but this is too low for its users to derive satisfaction, thus bringing on some issues during usage. Below are some of the common problems that erupts when using the phone.

MTN Smart T M561M3 Feature Phone Issue And Solution

And due to its relatively low internal memory, here are some of the issues experienced by its users:  Phone freezes  Key Pad freezes  Inability to download Apps  Phone suddenly power off and restart 

Solutions 

To address the issues identified above, please note the following  It is advisable to use an external SD card and set as default storage.  You can delete some pre-loaded files in order to create space in the phone memory. If you cannot do this. Simply walk in to the nearest MTN customer shop for assistance.  If issue persists, the device should be book-in at the shop with all accessories. It would be sent to MTN regional technical office and would be contacted for collection when issue is resolved. 

Other Issues and Resolutions 

Issues With Your Free 500MB Monthly For 6 Months 

If you buy your Smart Feature phone from any of the MTN Walk-In Center or Office, you are entitled to 500MB for six 6 months. You can also read on How to activate the 500MB and resolve all issues with the activation here.  If you buy your Smart Feature phone from any of the MTN Walk-In Center or Office, you are entitled to 500MB for six 6 months. So, is you have any issue relating to the free 500MB monthly data for six- months, simply dial 180 (MTN customer care service number) or walk in to any of their offices.

How To Installing WhatsApp On The MTN 3G Smart Feature Phone (Smart M561M3) 

For Smart Feature Phone that do not have WhatsApp pre-installed, please download from Kai Store using internet connectivity – no account creation or user ID is required.  How To Factory Reset The MTN 3G Smart Feature Phone (Smart M561M3)  How to reset the MTN smart feature phone (Smart M561M3) when it freezes on MTN or KaiOS logo: 

We’ve touched on Google Pixel 4 camera leaks in recent days, including the presence of 8x zoom (likely hybrid or digital), a telephoto secondary camera, and a so-called Motion Mode.  The leaks aren’t stopping here though, as XDA-Developers forum member cstark27 has uncovered numerous references to upcoming features in version 6.3 of the Google Camera app. It’s also noted that these features are all marked as “experimental2019,” which suggests they’re limited to the upcoming Pixel flagships for now.  For starters, the app contains references to so-called AudioZoom technology, presumably allowing users to focus on audio from a specific subject (e.g. one person talking in the distance or a musical performance on a crowded street).  Google wouldn’t be the first manufacturer to adopt this feature, as we previously saw it on HTC’s 2017 and 2018 flagships, followed by the Galaxy Note 10 series. We’ve also seen similar audio recording functionality on LG’s high-end phones. But Google will likely take advantage of Android 10’s native support for directional, zoomable microphones to enable this feature. 

What else is coming?