vivo Y28 4G is on the way, FCC certification reveals huge battery

vivo is working on the third Y28 smartphone to be launched soon. This will follow the Y28 from 2014, as well as the Y28 launched back in January.

The new model will be 4G-only, unlike that one. The Y28 4G has been certified by the FCC, which means an international launch is happening. The certification has revealed the fact that the phone sports a huge 6,000 mAh typical capacity battery (implied by the certified rated capacity of 5,870 mAh).

vivo Y28 5G

The battery will charge at up to 44W, and the phone will ship with a 44W charger in the box. The device will run Android 14 with vivo’s Funtouch OS 14 on top from the day it arrives.

The Y28 4G has the model number V2352, and it has already received the go-ahead from the Bluetooth SIG and the Indonesia Telecom certification website.

It should be getting even more certifications soon, ahead of its launch that could happen in the next few weeks. We’ll keep you posted.

Samsung Galaxy F55’s launch date in India revealed along with price range

Samsung is launching the Galaxy F55 in India on May 17 at 12 noon local time. The phone will be priced at INR 2x,999, so anywhere between 20,000 and 29,999.

This is expected to be a rebranded Galaxy C55, which made its debut in China last month. The F55 is billed as its segment’s thinnest vegan leather smartphone of 2024, since by the way, it has a vegan leather back, complete with fake stitching too as you can see below.

For what it’s worth, Samsung also says it’s going to be its segment’s lightest vegan leather smartphone launched in 2024. You’ll be able to pick it up in two colors: Apricot Crush and Raisin Black.

If it is just a Galaxy C55 by another name, then expect it to sport a 6.7-inch 1080×2400 120 Hz Super AMOLED touchscreen, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC, 8/12GB of RAM, 256GB of expandable storage, a 50 MP main camera with OIS, an 8 MP ultrawide, a 2 MP macro cam, a 50 MP selfie snapper, and a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 45W wired charging. It will run Android 14 with One UI 6.1 on top from day one.

WhatsApp gets a new, fresher look and a darker dark mode

Today WhatsApp has made its latest design official. This has been rolling out in stages already, adding a native bottom navigation bar on Android. The app has also received a fresh coat of paint, with the new color palette being chosen after 35 different options were considered.

WhatsApp says it focused on deeper tones to reduce eye strain in low-light conditions, which is also why the app’s dark mode is now one shade darker to make it easier to read messages.

Over on iOS, it’s easier to send photos and videos thanks to a new attachment layout – instead of a full screen menu, you get an expandable tray that lets you see options more easily when sending media and documents.

The icons inside the app are getting an update too, with a more rounded, outlined style, and the default background in chats is new as well.

Counterpoint: US smartphone sales keep declining, Apple still comfortably on top

Counterpoint Research posted its analysis of the smartphone market in the United States for the first three months of 2024. According to the report, shipments declined 8% on a yearly basis, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of YoY decline.

Apple’s market share remained flat, with 52% of all sales going to Cupertino, while Samsung slightly increased its share from 27% to 31%.

Americans do not want to upgrade their phones yet, revealed Jeff Fieldhack, Research Director for North America. Shipments are down, compared with Q1 2023 mostly because of high iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max shipments back then that the 15 series couldn’t replicate. Android shipments in the sub-$300 segments saw declines as well.

The low-end market continues to see consolidation and new product launches keep decreasing as makers are phasing out LTE phones for 5G models in carrier channels. The added costs of 5G connectivity makes it challenging for OEMs to compete, said Maurice Klaehne, Senior Analyst.

Counterpoints predicts we’ll see signs of a recovery in Q3. That’s when new launches can stimulate demand, and there will also be seasonal growth driven by holidays and new phones with generative AI features, such as the iPhone 16 devices.

Apple issues apology statement over new iPad Pro ad, will not air it on TV

Apple makes some of the most memorable video ads but it got a lot of bad rep for its latest iPad Pro ad. The video shows a plethora of creative tools and instruments being crushed by a hydraulic press with an iPad Pro emerging at the end. The ad caused backlash on social media which led Apple issue an official statement response.

Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry. – Tor Myhren, Apple VP of Marketing Communications

The “Crush!” ad is still available on Apple’s official YouTube channel but Apple confirmed it will not air on TV.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro arrives with Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1, AMOLED display, and Wear OS

Mobvoi launched the TicWatch Pro 5 last May, and a year later, the brand has announced the Enduro version as the newest addition to its TicWatch Pro lineup.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is powered by the 4nm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 SoC and a 22nm co-processor. It runs Wear OS 3.5 out of the box with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage onboard.

The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro packs a 1.43″ circular Always-On color AMOLED display with a 466×466-pixel resolution and 326 ppi pixel density. It’s protected by Sapphire Crystal Glass and supports over 7,000 watch faces through the TimeShow app and Google Play.

Mobvoi also advertises the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro’s screen as an “Ultra-low-power Display,” which it says is “designed to ensure uninterrupted access to essential features including daily step count, calories burned, blood oxygen level, heart rate, battery life status, and a compass to aid navigation in outdoor environments.”

The Ultra-low-power Display gives you 18 color options for the backlight for easy readability in low-light conditions. The smartwatch also has seamless integration with some popular fitness apps, allowing users to view their workout data directly on the Ultra-low-power Display.

 
Ultra-low-power Display

The Mobvoi TicWatch 5 Pro 5 Enduro’s watch case is made of 7000-series aluminum and high-strength nylon with fiberglass, while the 24mm interchangeable straps are made of fluororubber. It’s also 5ATM water-resistant and has MIL-STD-810H certification. Moreover, the smartwatch features a rotating crown with haptic feedback and a customizable side button.

The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro comes with the usual slew of health and fitness features, including heart rate monitoring (with AFib), sleep tracking, and stress and blood oxygen level measurement. It also has snore detection and supports VO2 Max.

Additionally, the smartwatch supports 110+ indoor and outdoor professional workout modes and comes with a feature called TicExercise that lets you monitor your heart rate through interchanging backlight colors, enabling you to check your heart rate zone with a quick glance at the screen.

Keeping the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro up and running is a 628 mAh battery, advertised to offer up to 90 hours of endurance in Smart Mode and up to 45 days of autonomy in Essential Mode. The smartwatch also supports fast charging, and it is advertised to offer two days of usage with a 30-minute charge.

 
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro comes with Smart Mode and Essential Mode

The rest of the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro’s highlights include one-tap measurement for five health metrics, phone call and message notifications, compass, skin temperature sensor, Bluetooth 5.2, and Wi-Fi (2.4GHz). It also has NFC for payments through Google Wallet, a speaker, a microphone, and support for GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS.

    
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro weighs 44.7 g without the band and comes in a single Obsidian color. It’s sold through Mobvoi’s official website for INR34,999 ($420/€390) in India and $349.99 (INR29,220/€325) in the US.

Motorola X50 Ultra launch date revealed

Motorola set a launch event date in China, where it will introduce the X50 Ultra. The phone will debut on Thursday, May 16 and will have a big focus on AI features, the company revealed on Weibo. The event will also see some new laptops powered by AI.

The Moto X50 Ultra will mostly likely be the local name for the Edge 50 Ultra with its wood-like panel on the back and an oval camera lens for the periscope telephoto shooter. The phones may or may not be entirely the same – Motorola usually launches Chinese phones with minor differences.

Some examples of same-body handsets include the Moto X40 and Edge 40 Pro which have different lenses in front of the same camera sensors; Edge 30 Ultra came with reverse wireless charging, which was disabled in the Moto X30 Pro, while the Edge X30 came with an under-display camera which was omitted in the Edge 30 Pro.