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Vivo V29 Pro Review: A Good-Looking Mid-Ranger

By
hitesh
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Vivo V29 Pro Review: A Good-Looking Mid-Ranger

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Vivo’s V-series targets camera enthusiasts and people looking for a solid package in sub-Rs. 40,000 price segment. The brand launched its successor to the Vivo V27 Pro, Vivo V29 Pro, sometime back in India with MediaTek’s Dimensity 8200 SoC. It is said to have a camera system that the brand claims is great at low-light portrait photography. But is the all-new Vivo V29 Pro good enough for its Rs. 39,999 starting price, and does the new flagship from Vivo deliver? Let’s find out in this detailed Vivo V29 Pro review.

Vivo V29 Pro price in India

I’ve been using the top-end variant for the Vivo V29 Pro with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the Himalayan Blue colour option, priced at Rs. 42,999. The Vivo V29 Pro has another 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, priced at Rs. 39,999 in India. It can be bought in another Space Black colour option.

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Design

Most things have stayed the same on the outside since the Vivo V27 Pro here. The smartphone still comes in a glass sandwich design with a glossy finish with the Vivo branding at the bottom and sports the rectangular camera module raised a little from the glass back panel. You see some changes on the camera module itself; instead of the three camera lenses placed in a row, we now have two camera lenses and the aura-light flash in a row with the primary flash and a camera lens on the right.

V29 Pro Camera Module V29 Pro Camera Module

Vivo V29 Pro can shoot videos at up to 4K 60fps

 

The camera module now uses the same finish as the rest of the back panel. I particularly liked the Himalayan Blue colour variant quite a lot; it shimmers when placed under light, which is pleasing to the eyes. But you will need a case to carry it as the glossy finished smartphone catches many fingerprints. The smartphone sports a metal chassis with a glossy finish with the power key and the volume buttons on the right, and at the bottom, it gets the USB 2.0 Type-C port, dual-sim slot and a speaker grille.

V29 Pro Body V29 Pro Body

Vivo V29 Pro sports a glass back panel

 

The brand does not mention whether the smartphone gets Corning’s Gorilla Glass protection. Vivo V29 Pro is a large phone with a 6.78-inch curved display, which is difficult to hold sometimes. One-hand use is not very comfortable with the device. The buttons of this smartphone are pretty responsive and sometimes make them prone to accidental presses as well.

At 7.5mm, this is a very slim smartphone that feels very delicate to use without a case. It weighs just 188g, which puts it on the lighter side. The smartphone does not come with an official rating for water and dust resistance, which is a bummer. Overall, the look and feel of this smartphone is quite premium, and I felt like I was using a smartphone that justified its price.

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Display

Vivo V29 Pro uses a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 1,260 x 2,800 pixels. It is pretty impressive with the colours that it produces. I watched a couple of Marvel movies, and the experience was quite good. Sharpness was on point, and the viewing angles were also good despite this being a curved display.

V29 Pro Display V29 Pro Display

The display has a refresh rate of 120Hz and a touch sampling rate of 1000Hz

 

Colours did not bleed on the edges like you would notice on most curved display phones. The bezels on this smartphone are very thin; you barely see them while watching anything on the display. This smartphone performs pretty well in outdoor conditions as well. There is no word on its official peak brightness levels, but I did not feel like the smartphone fell short on brightness in direct sunlight either.

The display is HDR10 certified, and the HDR videos look crisp and have plenty of dynamic range when viewed on this display.

V29 Pro Display 2 V29 Pro Display 2

It sports a 3D curved display that produces up to 1.07 billion colours

 

The smartphone supports a 120Hz refresh rate, and you can choose between the standard 60Hz refresh rate or the ‘Smart Switch’ refresh rate that selects the appropriate refresh rate by learning your usage to preserve the battery. It works fine for most day-to-day tasks like scrolling through the internet, UI, apps, etc., and the user experience with 120Hz is pretty good across the board.

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Camera

This is one of the strong suits of this smartphone. Vivo V29 Pro sports a triple-rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary camera with f/1.88 and OIS, a 12-megapixel portrait camera with 2x optical zoom and f/1.98 and an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with f/2.2.

The primary camera performs very well in daylight, clicking images with plenty of details. The photos are not over-processed and have just the right amount of dynamic range in them; I did find them to be a little oversharpened for my taste. To click full-resolution 50-megapixel images, you will have to dig deep into the camera UI and select the high-res option, which restricts you from clicking those quite a bit. Bokeh straight out of the camera is quite pleasing and focuses on the close-up subjects pretty well.

Vivo V29 Pro daylight primary camera samples (tap to see full size)

 

 

The portrait camera performs well in daylight; it does not over-sharpen like the primary camera and maintains the colour scheme. 2x optical zoom helps you take shots that are a little difficult for the primary camera, and it still manages to take pretty detailed images. Portrait mode images out of this one are quite good; they are processed quite a bit, and you will notice the colour shift instantly. But the result sometimes looks better than the primary camera. I shot multiple human portraits with this one, and I was impressed by the background effect and subject isolation. It keeps the original skin tone intact and recognises the edges pretty well.

Vivo V29 Pro telephoto camera samples (tap to see full size)

 

The ultrawide camera on the Vivo V29 Pro is a mixed bag; the 8-megapixel resolution sometimes produces very soft images, and the processor tries to sharpen those, which produces a worse-looking image. It works well in daylight, maintains good sharpness levels across the frame, and has good colours. But the distortion on the edges is noticeable.

Vivo V29 Pro ultra-wide angle camera samples (tap to see full size)

 

 

The smartphone performs well in low light. I recently took some really good shots at an event with the primary camera. It tends to ramp up the saturation levels, but the pictures have good details. You will sometimes find yourself with flat-looking images, but mostly, the nighttime shots clicked with the primary camera will look great. The portrait camera works just fine in low light; in portrait mode, the bokeh looks excellent, and the colours are pleasing to the eyes, too. They’re not true-to-life but do not look cartoony as you might expect. It does not hunt for focus at night, either. The ultrawide camera lacks quite a bit in low light; you will see a lot of grains in your shots if they’re clicked in less-than-ideal situations. If you need great-looking ultrawide shots, you should be able to hold the camera still for quite some time and shoot at longer shutter speeds.

Vivo V29 Pro nighttime camera samples. Top to bottom: primary camera, ultra-wide-angle camera (tap to see full size)

 

 

Vivo has emphasised its Aura-light flash quite a bit and does a decent job at separating the subject from the background, but it isn’t perfect. I found myself with shots that were not lit enough most of the time. But it is a good addition for whenever you do not want to use the main flash and need a different-looking portrait.

Vivo V29 Pro Smart Aura Light camera sample. Without Smart Aura Light (Left), With Smart Aura Light (Right)

 

The smartphone can record videos at up to 4K 60fps without any stabilisation. Video capturing resolution drops as you select one of the stabilisation levels. The videos look good in general but are a little over-sharpened. Videos at night come out softer than usual.

For selfies, the smartphone uses a 50-megapixel camera with autofocus. It clicks images with good details in daylight and nighttime shots. But the default setting where the smartphone thinks I need to click a portrait with the front camera each time I open the selfie camera is annoying. The front camera can shoot videos up to 4K 60fps that look good in daylight but lack details in low light.

Vivo V29 Pro Selfie camera samples

 

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Battery and Charging

The Vivo V29 Pro sports a 4600mAh battery, which is impressive considering how slim this smartphone is. The smartphone does a pretty good job of handling day-to-day tasks like playing music at 50 percent volume through TWS for a couple of hours, browsing the internet, playing videos online, some gaming and using productivity apps with 120Hz refresh rate enabled with around 50 percent screen brightness throughout the day. The Vivo V29 Pro lasted for 17 hours and 15 minutes in our battery loop test, which is quite impressive.

The smartphone comes with the 80W adaptor inside the retail packaging, which is a plus, considering most smartphones do not come with it nowadays. It charges very fast with the bundled charging adaptor; in our testing, the smartphone charged 66 percent in just 30 minutes and 100 percent in less than an hour, which is excellent. Surprisingly, the smartphone did not overheat while charging at such speeds either.

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Performance

It ships with MediaTek’s Dimensity 8200 5G SoC at heart, which is a good processor when it comes to handling graphic-intensive tasks. We ran all the required benchmarks on the Vivo V29 Pro, and the results were quite good for this price. It scored 9,19,960 on AnTuTu v.10.1.0, 1,213 single core and 3,931 for multi-core for Geekbench 6.

I played a couple of graphic-intensive games, including Call of Duty: Mobile, in which I did not see a lot of frames dropping during the gameplay. The gaming session was smooth, and I could play with high graphic settings enabled. Real Racing 3 was smooth, and the animations did not lag during my entire session. The smartphone did get a little warm after each session, but it was negligible. The Vivo V29 Pro comes loaded with Funtouch 13, based on Android 13. It has many pre-loaded apps, but they can be deleted at will, which is a plus. The overall user experience of the smartphone is lag-free, and it does feel like a premium smartphone.

Vivo V29 Pro Review: Verdict

The Vivo V29 Pro is a good smartphone with a starting price of Rs. 39,999 that checks all the necessary boxes, including a good display, a great set of cameras, a premium build quality and a good battery life with insanely fast charging speeds. It offers most of the premium features that a consumer looks for in this price range. The smartphone offers a premium in-hand feel, and the Himalayan Blue colour stands out.

It justifies the starting price, and the 12GB RAM variant is priced decently well, too. The smartphone does fall short with average ultrawide camera performance, and no IP rating. If the latter matters to you more, I suggest you go with the Google Pixel 7a (Review), which has a better ultrawide camera performance, is IP67-rated water and dust resistant and is protected with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, at a slightly higher price of Rs. 43,999.

 

The Vivo X90 Pro has finally made its debut in India, but is the company’s flagship smartphone for 2023 equipped with enough upgrades over its predecessor? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

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OnePlus Open Review: Raising the Bar

By
hitesh
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0
OnePlus Open Review: Raising the Bar

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Samsung is the current and undisputed leader in foldables when it comes to sales in India. Whether it’s the features that Samsung’s foldables offer or the brand’s identity as a premium smartphone brand, there’s no ignoring the fact that Samsung has been consistent when it came to launching every single foldable offering, it brought to the world in India. Indeed, this also speaks volumes about Samsung’s commitment to the finer details that matter when it comes to foldables, like software support and after-sales service.

OnePlus has been chasing Samsung in the premium segment for the past few years. What started out as a brand that was out to make a change (when it came to software and hardware) with affordable “flagship killers” has now matured into a swan of sorts with proper premium devices that rival big brands like Samsung, Motorola and more. Apart from offering great value, OnePlus’ products also focus on a well-optimised software experience. Over the years, the Chinese smartphone brand has even managed to develop its own ecosystem of devices, be it audio accessories, tablets, TVs and more, which kind of brings it on par with Samsung, if not Apple.

So, what happens when a brand as competitive as OnePlus decides to take on the one area that’s been Samsung’s speciality for the past four years? Can it outdo Samsung’s experience with foldables? Will fans or customers be interested in risking their money in the smartphone segment, which has been dominated by Apple and Samsung? Read on to find out!

OnePlus Open price in India

The OnePlus Open is priced at Rs. 1,39,999 in India and has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The device is available in two finishes – Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black. I received the Voyager Black unit for review. In the box, OnePlus provides an 80W charger, a two-piece polymer protective case and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable for charging and data transfers.

OnePlus Open Review: Design

OnePlus smartphones are usually known for their premium and rounded designs. It’s only OnePlus’ affordable Nord series of devices, which have off-late been given chiselled designs with flat sides and sharp edges to appeal to its younger customers. The Open is a big departure from the regular design language we have come to expect from premium OnePlus smartphones.

OnePlus Open back design ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open’s Voyager Black finish gets a faux leather back

 

I absolutely love the camera-like appearance of the Voyager Black finish, which will instantly remind anyone of a retro camera. There’s a nice faux leather texture around the back of the phone, which, apart from giving it a distinct and unique appearance, also adds loads of grip. The soft-finish metal frame in grey also reminds me of high-end professional cameras, while the large, raised camera module at the back completes the look. The placement of the flash unit outside the camera module is also very unique. All in all, the OnePlus Open feels very special and premium, which is quite unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, which mostly appears like a regular smartphone.

Like with most foldables, when folded, the hinge sits on the left side of the phone when closed. While Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 does a fine job of concealing it because of its largely rounded design, the hinge on the OnePlus Open (although polished to perfection) does poke into my hand, which does feel a bit uncomfortable. This happens when the phone is in my left hand as I did not end up making contact with the hinge when held in my right hand.

Another detail that requires a bit of learning is the placement of the buttons. When folded, the top half of the device has the iconic Alert slider switch, while the bottom half has the power button and the volume controls. OnePlus smartphones typically have the Alert slider and power button on the right side, while the volume rocker is found on the left.

OnePlus Open side buttons ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has an odd button layout which is very different from a typical OnePlus smartphone

 

After using this smartphone for several weeks, I still struggle to find the volume button, which is placed a bit too high up on the right side. And once you “open” the Open, your Alert slider changes position to the left side of the phone. OnePlus should have gone with its typical layout for all three buttons instead of something different, even though I understand that Open is not a typical OnePlus smartphone.

Another topic that frequently comes to mind when choosing a foldable is weight. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold’s aren’t shy about this, as they have often weighed over a quarter of a kilo (253g, to be precise). Google’s Pixel Fold is heftier at 283g, which means you will notice the bulk in your pocket even if they have slimmer designs (which they don’t). OnePlus has done a fine job in this regard. It weighs between 239 – 245g (depending on which finish you choose), is a lot slimmer when unfolded and weighs as much as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max (240g), all of which is almost unbelievable given what we have been used to from Samsung’s heavier foldables over the past couple of years.

OnePlus Open bottom hinge ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has a unique hinge which makes the phone very slim and compact

 

However, a point to keep in mind when comparing these foldables is that OnePlus has skipped the wireless charging feature, which both Samsung and Google’s foldables offer. And this is probably one of the reasons for the Open’s slimmer and lighter-than-usual design.

Lastly, for a phone that costs as much as the Open and given how slim they have managed to make it, I’m glad that OnePlus has included the bare minimum when it comes to IP ratings. The OnePlus Open has an IPX4 rating which is good for splashes of rain and offers basic water resistance. Samsung offers better in this regard with an IPX8 rating.

OnePlus Open Review: Specifications and software

It’s nice to see OnePlus go all out when it comes to hardware with its Open foldable. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which is paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There’s no expandable storage slot in the SIM card tray, but you do get space for two SIM cards, which a lot of power users will find appealing.

There’s a 7.82-inch main 2,268 x 2,440 pixels, AMOLED display with a 1.0758:1 (almost 1:1) aspect ratio and 120Hz screen refresh rate with LTPO 3.0 support. It is protected by an ultra-thin glass (UTG) solution. The cover display measures 6.31-inches, has a resolution of 1,116 x 2,484 pixels and a 20:09 aspect ratio, is also of the AMOLED variety and also has a 120Hz refresh rate with LTPO 3.0. What is also impressive about these displays is that OnePlus offers a 240Hz touch sampling rate, which is useful when playing demanding games.

The fingerprint reader is embedded into the power button, and it worked reliably during the review period. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and support for various global positioning systems. Last but not least is a USB Type-C port with USB 3.1 support and an infrared port at the top for controlling other devices or appliances.

OnePlus Open front triple split ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Thanks to Open Canvas, the Open can run three apps in a triple-split layout plus a fourth app in a floating window

 

Being OnePlus’ first foldable, I was quite excited to try out OxygenOS 13, which has been optimised for this foldable. OnePlus has yet to officially roll out OxygenOS 14, which is based on Android 14, this is a bit disappointing given that Samsung has already begun its Android 14 rollout for its Galaxy Z Fold 5 and other recently launched devices.

Surprisingly, the customisations are very similar to what I experienced with its recently launched premium tablet, the OnePlus Pad (Review). The app layouts are similar as well, but OnePlus offers a new Open Canvas software feature which lets me open up to three apps side by side in a split-screen-like format.

While Samsung also lets me do the same, Samsung’s One UI usually lets the first app take up one-half of the main display while the other two apps share a quarter of the remaining half. Open Canvas lets one open two apps side by side in a dual-split layout with both apps taking up one-half of the main display and then makes space for a third app which can run at the side with a tiny portion of it visible when in this triple-split layout. I just have to tap on that strip, and the entire screen shifts to one side to reveal the second and third apps completely.

I can even do a four-finger pinch to view all three apps (four if you are using an additional windowed app) at the same time and perform a four-finger spread-out gesture to exit Full View mode. Indeed, Open Canvas sure makes for a hassle-free way to run three apps at a time, making good use of the main folding display, despite its odd 1:1 display aspect ratio.

OnePlus Open front Recent Folder ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The Recent Folder lets you drag and drop files into supported apps

 

Another handy software addition is the Recent Folder in the taskbar, which sits at the bottom. Tapping on it brings up recent photos, screenshots, files and other items which can simply be dragged and dropped into apps which support this functionality. The triple-split app layouts combined with the Recent folder make for a very desktop-like layout and make good utilisation of the main display.

OnePlus Open Review: Performance

The impressive part about the OnePlus Open’s multitasking capabilities is that it all works buttery smooth. I experienced no lag and no hiccups or stuttering while operating the device.

OnePlus Open front tablet mode ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Some apps like Google’s Keep will need the device to be rotated horizontally to get into tablet mode

 

One detail that I was not too happy about is mainly to do with how Android works. A majority of apps which support a tablet-like layout (like Google’s Keep) will often display an app in that mode, only when rotated in landscape mode. With Google Pixel Fold, the foldable opens into its landscape model directly thanks to its passport-like wider cover display and main display. With the Open, it gets harder to tell which orientation one is in, you will have to re-orient the device to figure that out and get apps to run in the tablet or foldable mode, which offers a split-screen or multi-instance interface. Thankfully most messaging apps support a split screen layout even when held vertically, with chat threads visible on one side and a chat open on the other.

OnePlus Open front aspect ratio ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Movies shot in widescreen for theatres have a lot of letterboxing on the Open’s squarish main display

 

When viewing Netflix shows (which are typically shot in 16:9 widescreen), there is an advantage to opening up the main display as the content does appear bigger than on the cover display. However, this can’t be said about apps like YouTube or other OTT apps, which host content or movies that have been produced in wider formats (for theatres) with varying aspect ratios. These appear quite odd with plenty of letterboxing and indeed appear better on the cover display or a regular 19.3:9-19:5:9 aspect ratio display, which are available on most regular flagship smartphones. I was glad to see a Samsung Flex-mode-like support on some video apps, which lets one half of the main display stand up while the other half supports the phone, letting me watch the video at ease without the need for a kick-stand cover or case.

As for the cover display, it is broad enough (20:9) and almost functions like a regular smartphone compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s low-resolution cover display, which appears more like a TV remote (23.1:9). However, it still isn’t as broad as a regular smartphone (19.5:9), so the typing experience may feel a bit cramped for some. However, I did find the Open’s cover display sufficiently large and comfortable while playing games.

OnePlus Open front cover display ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The cover display on the OnePlus Open is sufficiently wide and can be used as a regular phone

 

While the phone performed as expected in our regular benchmarking tests with scores on par with other devices which had the same processor, gaming performance was quite impressive. The 240Hz touch sampling rate is leagues better in terms of response than what Samsung has to offer on its Galaxy Z Fold 5. The phone also comes with various optimisations and a slide-out gaming console which has a Pro Gamer mode (for unthrottled display and processor performance) and even a Championship mode, which cuts out any distractions. Indeed, the OnePlus Open is the first foldable I have come across which actually caters to mobile gamers and it all worked well, no matter which game I ran on it.

OnePlus Open front display crease ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The light display crease created by the hinge is barely noticeable

 

Both displays also support, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, which makes it more than ideal for Netflix and other OTT apps that offer supported content. The odd three-speaker setup is quite impressive in terms of audio quality, it manages to provide a good spatial sound accompanied by decent bass, which is impressive coming from a device with an overall thickness of a USB-C port. Another detail about its display is that it does actually come with stylus support (Oppo Pen), it’s just that OnePlus has not released its official accessory.

Foldables have always given us a bit of battery anxiety, but Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 did take things up a notch, delivering more than a day’s battery life on a single charge. The OnePlus Open raises the bar when it comes to battery life and charging.

With casual usage, I could easily manage over a day and a half on a single charge. With heavy usage, which also included half an hour of gaming, an hour of video streaming, and 15 minutes of video recording and photos, I often ended up with around 40 percent battery life before I hit the sack. This, on most days, was not enough to convince me to charge the phone overnight as I was confident that the phone would easily last me till noon the next day. Indeed, the OnePlus Open is the first foldable I have used that literally behaves like a regular phablet-sized flagship when it comes to battery life.

OnePlus Open side charging ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open only offers wired charging

 

As mentioned earlier in this review, the phone does lack wireless charging like on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. But it makes up for it with 80W wired charging which is leagues faster than what its competitor is capable of. The charger managed to charge the device to 67 percent in 30 minutes and complete the charge in just 53 minutes, which is a lot faster than the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

OnePlus Open Review: Cameras

The OnePlus Open packs an impressive set of cameras for a foldable device. There’s a 48-megapixel primary camera (with OIS), a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom (with OIS) and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 114-degree field of view. As with every horizontal foldable, there are two selfie cameras, a 32-megapixel camera embedded into the cover display and a 20-megapixel camera embedded into the main folding display. The sensor behind the primary camera is a special one as it is a part of Sony’s new LYTIA series, which is the long-awaited upgrade to its ExmorRS sensors. It has larger photodiodes which basically collect twice as much light. Its stacked architecture also means that it’s compact enough to fit into this foldable’s skinny frame while being able to deliver the performance of larger sensors.

OnePlus Open back cameras ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has a very capable rear camera layout

 

Video recordings max out at 4K 60fps, but the phone also offers Dolby Vision video recording, which is limited to 4K 30fps. The camera interface is typically OnePlus, which means it comes with customisable shooting modes, and thanks to the brand’s collaboration with camera maker Hasselblad, photos get a very unique colour treatment. Also present is the XPan mode for snapping photos in a wider-than-usual 35mm panoramic format. And because you can shoot with the main display open, one can also preview photos in a split screen-like view (instead of tiny thumbnails) while shooting.

OnePlus Open daylight camera samples. Top to bottom: Primary camera, telephoto camera, macro mode (tap images to expand)

 

Image quality across the board is quite impressive, especially after some recent software updates which brought big improvements to the portrait mode and the telephoto camera. The primary camera snaps quality photos with good contrast and plenty of resolved detail in all types of lighting conditions. These images show slightly saturated colours and have a slightly contrasted appearance thanks to Hasselblad’s colour inputs. While I usually prefer more natural-looking colours, I really appreciated Hasselblad’s input with this camera system.

OnePlus Open daylight zoom camera samples. (tap image to expand)

 

The telephoto camera is definitely the highlight of this new camera system. It shoots photos at 3X optical zoom and can even shoot 6X in-sensor zoom, which is said to offer lossless quality. Images shot at the native 3X zoom appear quite sharp and pack in plenty of detail in all types of lighting conditions. It struggles a bit with fast-moving subjects like a pet or kids, but when they do manage to stay remotely still, the results look brilliant with a natural bokeh. Photos captured using the 6X in-sensor zoom also appeared quite good, with image quality holding up to 10X and deteriorating beyond that.

OnePlus Open low light camera samples. Top: Primary camera (night mode) bottom: Ultra-wide-angle camera (night mode)

 

Ultra-wide angle photos come out with good detail and dynamic range, but I noticed plenty of purple fringing in the brighter areas of the image. In low light, I found the images captured from this camera to be a bit soft.

Since you can use the rear cameras for snapping selfies (using the cover display as the viewfinder), I managed to take tack-sharp selfies in all kinds of lighting conditions. Results from the cover display and main display selfie cameras were decent.

OnePlus Open low-light selfie camera sample (using primary camera)

 

Videos come out sharp with no noise in daylight, but low-light video sees some noise even when captured under good indoor lighting. Dolby Vision recording, when enabled, sees a noticeable drop in video quality and is far from what’s possible on an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. Low light video captured in 4K at 30fps or 60fps is still usable, just that I have seen regular premium smartphones perform a lot better at this price point when recording in the same scenarios. The telephoto camera also does a good job of shooting video with noise-free and well-stabilised output in daylight.

OnePlus Open Review: Verdict

With the Open, OnePlus has really changed my perspective about foldables. Horizontal foldables no longer have average cameras, decent battery life, charge slowly, and weigh over a quarter of a kilo. There’s finally a foldable that lets you leave behind these shortcomings we have gotten used to or consider to be the norm over the past few years.

OnePlus has raised the bar indeed. The Open has little to no compromises made when compared to regular premium flagship smartphones. And that itself speaks volumes about how much OnePlus has distanced itself from Samsung. The OnePlus Open offers a high-resolution cover display which can be used like a regular smartphone, a large foldable display with well-optimised software, the same level of performance that’s expected from an ultra-premium flagship and for once quality cameras on a foldable.

Apart from offering better displays, better cameras (on paper), faster charging and better battery life, it’s also priced lower than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Review). What’s not to like?

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OnePlus Open Review: Raising the Bar

By
hitesh
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0
OnePlus Open Review: Raising the Bar

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Samsung is the current and undisputed leader in foldables when it comes to sales in India. Whether it’s the features that Samsung’s foldables offer or the brand’s identity as a premium smartphone brand, there’s no ignoring the fact that Samsung has been consistent when it came to launching every single foldable offering, it brought to the world in India. Indeed, this also speaks volumes about Samsung’s commitment to the finer details that matter when it comes to foldables, like software support and after-sales service.

OnePlus has been chasing Samsung in the premium segment for the past few years. What started out as a brand that was out to make a change (when it came to software and hardware) with affordable “flagship killers” has now matured into a swan of sorts with proper premium devices that rival big brands like Samsung, Motorola and more. Apart from offering great value, OnePlus’ products also focus on a well-optimised software experience. Over the years, the Chinese smartphone brand has even managed to develop its own ecosystem of devices, be it audio accessories, tablets, TVs and more, which kind of brings it on par with Samsung, if not Apple.

So, what happens when a brand as competitive as OnePlus decides to take on the one area that’s been Samsung’s speciality for the past four years? Can it outdo Samsung’s experience with foldables? Will fans or customers be interested in risking their money in the smartphone segment, which has been dominated by Apple and Samsung? Read on to find out!

OnePlus Open price in India

The OnePlus Open is priced at Rs. 1,39,999 in India and has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The device is available in two finishes – Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black. I received the Voyager Black unit for review. In the box, OnePlus provides an 80W charger, a two-piece polymer protective case and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable for charging and data transfers.

OnePlus Open Review: Design

OnePlus smartphones are usually known for their premium and rounded designs. It’s only OnePlus’ affordable Nord series of devices, which have off-late been given chiselled designs with flat sides and sharp edges to appeal to its younger customers. The Open is a big departure from the regular design language we have come to expect from premium OnePlus smartphones.

OnePlus Open back design ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open’s Voyager Black finish gets a faux leather back

 

I absolutely love the camera-like appearance of the Voyager Black finish, which will instantly remind anyone of a retro camera. There’s a nice faux leather texture around the back of the phone, which, apart from giving it a distinct and unique appearance, also adds loads of grip. The soft-finish metal frame in grey also reminds me of high-end professional cameras, while the large, raised camera module at the back completes the look. The placement of the flash unit outside the camera module is also very unique. All in all, the OnePlus Open feels very special and premium, which is quite unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5, which mostly appears like a regular smartphone.

Like with most foldables, when folded, the hinge sits on the left side of the phone when closed. While Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 does a fine job of concealing it because of its largely rounded design, the hinge on the OnePlus Open (although polished to perfection) does poke into my hand, which does feel a bit uncomfortable. This happens when the phone is in my left hand as I did not end up making contact with the hinge when held in my right hand.

Another detail that requires a bit of learning is the placement of the buttons. When folded, the top half of the device has the iconic Alert slider switch, while the bottom half has the power button and the volume controls. OnePlus smartphones typically have the Alert slider and power button on the right side, while the volume rocker is found on the left.

OnePlus Open side buttons ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has an odd button layout which is very different from a typical OnePlus smartphone

 

After using this smartphone for several weeks, I still struggle to find the volume button, which is placed a bit too high up on the right side. And once you “open” the Open, your Alert slider changes position to the left side of the phone. OnePlus should have gone with its typical layout for all three buttons instead of something different, even though I understand that Open is not a typical OnePlus smartphone.

Another topic that frequently comes to mind when choosing a foldable is weight. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold’s aren’t shy about this, as they have often weighed over a quarter of a kilo (253g, to be precise). Google’s Pixel Fold is heftier at 283g, which means you will notice the bulk in your pocket even if they have slimmer designs (which they don’t). OnePlus has done a fine job in this regard. It weighs between 239 – 245g (depending on which finish you choose), is a lot slimmer when unfolded and weighs as much as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max (240g), all of which is almost unbelievable given what we have been used to from Samsung’s heavier foldables over the past couple of years.

OnePlus Open bottom hinge ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has a unique hinge which makes the phone very slim and compact

 

However, a point to keep in mind when comparing these foldables is that OnePlus has skipped the wireless charging feature, which both Samsung and Google’s foldables offer. And this is probably one of the reasons for the Open’s slimmer and lighter-than-usual design.

Lastly, for a phone that costs as much as the Open and given how slim they have managed to make it, I’m glad that OnePlus has included the bare minimum when it comes to IP ratings. The OnePlus Open has an IPX4 rating which is good for splashes of rain and offers basic water resistance. Samsung offers better in this regard with an IPX8 rating.

OnePlus Open Review: Specifications and software

It’s nice to see OnePlus go all out when it comes to hardware with its Open foldable. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which is paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There’s no expandable storage slot in the SIM card tray, but you do get space for two SIM cards, which a lot of power users will find appealing.

There’s a 7.82-inch main 2,268 x 2,440 pixels, AMOLED display with a 1.0758:1 (almost 1:1) aspect ratio and 120Hz screen refresh rate with LTPO 3.0 support. It is protected by an ultra-thin glass (UTG) solution. The cover display measures 6.31-inches, has a resolution of 1,116 x 2,484 pixels and a 20:09 aspect ratio, is also of the AMOLED variety and also has a 120Hz refresh rate with LTPO 3.0. What is also impressive about these displays is that OnePlus offers a 240Hz touch sampling rate, which is useful when playing demanding games.

The fingerprint reader is embedded into the power button, and it worked reliably during the review period. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and support for various global positioning systems. Last but not least is a USB Type-C port with USB 3.1 support and an infrared port at the top for controlling other devices or appliances.

OnePlus Open front triple split ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Thanks to Open Canvas, the Open can run three apps in a triple-split layout plus a fourth app in a floating window

 

Being OnePlus’ first foldable, I was quite excited to try out OxygenOS 13, which has been optimised for this foldable. OnePlus has yet to officially roll out OxygenOS 14, which is based on Android 14, this is a bit disappointing given that Samsung has already begun its Android 14 rollout for its Galaxy Z Fold 5 and other recently launched devices.

Surprisingly, the customisations are very similar to what I experienced with its recently launched premium tablet, the OnePlus Pad (Review). The app layouts are similar as well, but OnePlus offers a new Open Canvas software feature which lets me open up to three apps side by side in a split-screen-like format.

While Samsung also lets me do the same, Samsung’s One UI usually lets the first app take up one-half of the main display while the other two apps share a quarter of the remaining half. Open Canvas lets one open two apps side by side in a dual-split layout with both apps taking up one-half of the main display and then makes space for a third app which can run at the side with a tiny portion of it visible when in this triple-split layout. I just have to tap on that strip, and the entire screen shifts to one side to reveal the second and third apps completely.

I can even do a four-finger pinch to view all three apps (four if you are using an additional windowed app) at the same time and perform a four-finger spread-out gesture to exit Full View mode. Indeed, Open Canvas sure makes for a hassle-free way to run three apps at a time, making good use of the main folding display, despite its odd 1:1 display aspect ratio.

OnePlus Open front Recent Folder ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The Recent Folder lets you drag and drop files into supported apps

 

Another handy software addition is the Recent Folder in the taskbar, which sits at the bottom. Tapping on it brings up recent photos, screenshots, files and other items which can simply be dragged and dropped into apps which support this functionality. The triple-split app layouts combined with the Recent folder make for a very desktop-like layout and make good utilisation of the main display.

OnePlus Open Review: Performance

The impressive part about the OnePlus Open’s multitasking capabilities is that it all works buttery smooth. I experienced no lag and no hiccups or stuttering while operating the device.

OnePlus Open front tablet mode ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Some apps like Google’s Keep will need the device to be rotated horizontally to get into tablet mode

 

One detail that I was not too happy about is mainly to do with how Android works. A majority of apps which support a tablet-like layout (like Google’s Keep) will often display an app in that mode, only when rotated in landscape mode. With Google Pixel Fold, the foldable opens into its landscape model directly thanks to its passport-like wider cover display and main display. With the Open, it gets harder to tell which orientation one is in, you will have to re-orient the device to figure that out and get apps to run in the tablet or foldable mode, which offers a split-screen or multi-instance interface. Thankfully most messaging apps support a split screen layout even when held vertically, with chat threads visible on one side and a chat open on the other.

OnePlus Open front aspect ratio ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

Movies shot in widescreen for theatres have a lot of letterboxing on the Open’s squarish main display

 

When viewing Netflix shows (which are typically shot in 16:9 widescreen), there is an advantage to opening up the main display as the content does appear bigger than on the cover display. However, this can’t be said about apps like YouTube or other OTT apps, which host content or movies that have been produced in wider formats (for theatres) with varying aspect ratios. These appear quite odd with plenty of letterboxing and indeed appear better on the cover display or a regular 19.3:9-19:5:9 aspect ratio display, which are available on most regular flagship smartphones. I was glad to see a Samsung Flex-mode-like support on some video apps, which lets one half of the main display stand up while the other half supports the phone, letting me watch the video at ease without the need for a kick-stand cover or case.

As for the cover display, it is broad enough (20:9) and almost functions like a regular smartphone compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s low-resolution cover display, which appears more like a TV remote (23.1:9). However, it still isn’t as broad as a regular smartphone (19.5:9), so the typing experience may feel a bit cramped for some. However, I did find the Open’s cover display sufficiently large and comfortable while playing games.

OnePlus Open front cover display ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The cover display on the OnePlus Open is sufficiently wide and can be used as a regular phone

 

While the phone performed as expected in our regular benchmarking tests with scores on par with other devices which had the same processor, gaming performance was quite impressive. The 240Hz touch sampling rate is leagues better in terms of response than what Samsung has to offer on its Galaxy Z Fold 5. The phone also comes with various optimisations and a slide-out gaming console which has a Pro Gamer mode (for unthrottled display and processor performance) and even a Championship mode, which cuts out any distractions. Indeed, the OnePlus Open is the first foldable I have come across which actually caters to mobile gamers and it all worked well, no matter which game I ran on it.

OnePlus Open front display crease ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The light display crease created by the hinge is barely noticeable

 

Both displays also support, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision formats, which makes it more than ideal for Netflix and other OTT apps that offer supported content. The odd three-speaker setup is quite impressive in terms of audio quality, it manages to provide a good spatial sound accompanied by decent bass, which is impressive coming from a device with an overall thickness of a USB-C port. Another detail about its display is that it does actually come with stylus support (Oppo Pen), it’s just that OnePlus has not released its official accessory.

Foldables have always given us a bit of battery anxiety, but Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 did take things up a notch, delivering more than a day’s battery life on a single charge. The OnePlus Open raises the bar when it comes to battery life and charging.

With casual usage, I could easily manage over a day and a half on a single charge. With heavy usage, which also included half an hour of gaming, an hour of video streaming, and 15 minutes of video recording and photos, I often ended up with around 40 percent battery life before I hit the sack. This, on most days, was not enough to convince me to charge the phone overnight as I was confident that the phone would easily last me till noon the next day. Indeed, the OnePlus Open is the first foldable I have used that literally behaves like a regular phablet-sized flagship when it comes to battery life.

OnePlus Open side charging ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open only offers wired charging

 

As mentioned earlier in this review, the phone does lack wireless charging like on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. But it makes up for it with 80W wired charging which is leagues faster than what its competitor is capable of. The charger managed to charge the device to 67 percent in 30 minutes and complete the charge in just 53 minutes, which is a lot faster than the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

OnePlus Open Review: Cameras

The OnePlus Open packs an impressive set of cameras for a foldable device. There’s a 48-megapixel primary camera (with OIS), a 64-megapixel telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom (with OIS) and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 114-degree field of view. As with every horizontal foldable, there are two selfie cameras, a 32-megapixel camera embedded into the cover display and a 20-megapixel camera embedded into the main folding display. The sensor behind the primary camera is a special one as it is a part of Sony’s new LYTIA series, which is the long-awaited upgrade to its ExmorRS sensors. It has larger photodiodes which basically collect twice as much light. Its stacked architecture also means that it’s compact enough to fit into this foldable’s skinny frame while being able to deliver the performance of larger sensors.

OnePlus Open back cameras ndtv OnePlusOpen OnePlus

The OnePlus Open has a very capable rear camera layout

 

Video recordings max out at 4K 60fps, but the phone also offers Dolby Vision video recording, which is limited to 4K 30fps. The camera interface is typically OnePlus, which means it comes with customisable shooting modes, and thanks to the brand’s collaboration with camera maker Hasselblad, photos get a very unique colour treatment. Also present is the XPan mode for snapping photos in a wider-than-usual 35mm panoramic format. And because you can shoot with the main display open, one can also preview photos in a split screen-like view (instead of tiny thumbnails) while shooting.

OnePlus Open daylight camera samples. Top to bottom: Primary camera, telephoto camera, macro mode (tap images to expand)

 

Image quality across the board is quite impressive, especially after some recent software updates which brought big improvements to the portrait mode and the telephoto camera. The primary camera snaps quality photos with good contrast and plenty of resolved detail in all types of lighting conditions. These images show slightly saturated colours and have a slightly contrasted appearance thanks to Hasselblad’s colour inputs. While I usually prefer more natural-looking colours, I really appreciated Hasselblad’s input with this camera system.

OnePlus Open daylight zoom camera samples. (tap image to expand)

 

The telephoto camera is definitely the highlight of this new camera system. It shoots photos at 3X optical zoom and can even shoot 6X in-sensor zoom, which is said to offer lossless quality. Images shot at the native 3X zoom appear quite sharp and pack in plenty of detail in all types of lighting conditions. It struggles a bit with fast-moving subjects like a pet or kids, but when they do manage to stay remotely still, the results look brilliant with a natural bokeh. Photos captured using the 6X in-sensor zoom also appeared quite good, with image quality holding up to 10X and deteriorating beyond that.

OnePlus Open low light camera samples. Top: Primary camera (night mode) bottom: Ultra-wide-angle camera (night mode)

 

Ultra-wide angle photos come out with good detail and dynamic range, but I noticed plenty of purple fringing in the brighter areas of the image. In low light, I found the images captured from this camera to be a bit soft.

Since you can use the rear cameras for snapping selfies (using the cover display as the viewfinder), I managed to take tack-sharp selfies in all kinds of lighting conditions. Results from the cover display and main display selfie cameras were decent.

OnePlus Open low-light selfie camera sample (using primary camera)

 

Videos come out sharp with no noise in daylight, but low-light video sees some noise even when captured under good indoor lighting. Dolby Vision recording, when enabled, sees a noticeable drop in video quality and is far from what’s possible on an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. Low light video captured in 4K at 30fps or 60fps is still usable, just that I have seen regular premium smartphones perform a lot better at this price point when recording in the same scenarios. The telephoto camera also does a good job of shooting video with noise-free and well-stabilised output in daylight.

OnePlus Open Review: Verdict

With the Open, OnePlus has really changed my perspective about foldables. Horizontal foldables no longer have average cameras, decent battery life, charge slowly, and weigh over a quarter of a kilo. There’s finally a foldable that lets you leave behind these shortcomings we have gotten used to or consider to be the norm over the past few years.

OnePlus has raised the bar indeed. The Open has little to no compromises made when compared to regular premium flagship smartphones. And that itself speaks volumes about how much OnePlus has distanced itself from Samsung. The OnePlus Open offers a high-resolution cover display which can be used like a regular smartphone, a large foldable display with well-optimised software, the same level of performance that’s expected from an ultra-premium flagship and for once quality cameras on a foldable.

Apart from offering better displays, better cameras (on paper), faster charging and better battery life, it’s also priced lower than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Review). What’s not to like?

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Infinix Hot 40i With 32-Megapixel Selfie Camera, Up to 16GB of RAM Launched: Price, Specifications

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Infinix Hot 40i With 32-Megapixel Selfie Camera, Up to 16GB of RAM Launched: Price, Specifications

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Infinix Hot 40i has been launched in Saudi Arabia. The company confirmed that the phone supports NFC connectivity in the region and is available in two storage variants. Though not listed yet on the official site, the handset is available for purchase on Amazon and Noon. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 SoC paired with up to 16GB of RAM. The newly launched handset is equipped with a 50-megapixel dual camera unit and carries a 32-megapixel front camera.

Infinix Hot 40i price, availability

As per a post by the company’s Saudi Arabia unit, the Infinix Hot 40i is available with NFC connectivity. It is being offered in two variants – 4GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB priced at SAR 375 (roughly Rs. 8,300) and SAR 465 (roughly Rs. 10,300), respectively.

Although the post says that the Infinix Hot 40i is “available now,” at the time of writing this, the phone was still not listed on the Infinix Saudi Arabia website. However, it is listed on the Amazon and Noon websites in the country. It is available in Horizon Gold, Palm Blue, Starfall Green, and Starlit Black colour options.

Infinix Hot 40i specifications, features

Infinix Hot 40i features a 6.56-inch HD+ display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 SoC paired with up to 16GB of RAM including vRAM and up to 256GB of inbuilt storage. It also ships with Android 13 out-of-the-box.

For optics, the Infinix Hot 40i features a 50-megapixel primary sensor and an unspecified secondary sensor at the back alongside a ring LED flashlight. These three units are arranged in three separate circular slots within a slightly raised rectangular camera module on the top left corner of the back panel. The front camera is placed within a centred hole-punch cutout at the top of the display. It comes with a 32-megapixel sensor.

The Infinix Hot 40i packs a 5,000mAh battery with 18W wired charging support. For security, the phone comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is likely placed on the power button on the right edge of the handset.

Since the model unveiled in Saudi Arabia carries ‘NFC’ with its name, as seen in the post shared by the company, it is speculated that there may be other Infinix Hot 40i models without NFC support. NFC allows short-range contactless data transfer and also allows contactless payments via apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro the best smartphone you can buy under Rs. 40,000 in India? We discuss the company’s recently launched handset and what it has to offer on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G Receives Price Cut in India: Here’s How Much It Costs Now



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Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K50 Series, More to Get HyperOS Update in December; Rollout Schedule Revealed

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Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K50 Series, More to Get HyperOS Update in December; Rollout Schedule Revealed

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Xiaomi announced its brand-new operating system called HyperOS last month to replace MIUI. The Xiaomi 14 series shipped with the new Android UI skin and following that Xiaomi started rolling out the in-house operating system to more flagship handsets including the Xiaomi 13 series and Redmi K60 series. Now, the Chinese tech brand has shared the second batch of smartphones set to receive the HyperOS developer version in China in December. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Redmi K50 series, and the Xiaomi 12 lineup will start receiving the operating system next week. Xiaomi HyperOS boasts refined scheduling capabilities and is said to offer a more stable frame rate along with lower power consumption.

Xiaomi has scheduled the HyperOS developer version update for — Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Xiaomi 13, Redmi K60 Pro, and Redmi K60 — next month. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Xiaomi 12S Pro, Xiaomi 12S, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity Edition, Redmi K50 Extreme Edition, Redmi K50 E-Sports Edition, Redmi K50 Pro, Redmi K50, and the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4 will also get the developer version upgrade to HyperOS in December. The update will be initially only available in China. It is expected to expand to other key markets soon after.

Xiaomi introduced HyperOS during the launch event for the Xiaomi 14 series in China. HyperOS is marketed as a human-centric operating system designed and tailored to connect personal devices, cars, and smart home products in a smart ecosystem. It incorporates an AI subsystem supporting advanced AI technologies and adds cross-device connectivity. It brings improvements to the Xiaomi AI Assistant enabling tasks like speech generation and article summarisation. The real-time subtitle feature has been enhanced to transcribe video conference conversations into notes and meeting summaries. Users can utilise spoken phrases to search for images in their photo albums and create AI images based on existing portraits.

The HyperOS includes an updated Mi Canvas app. Further, the operating system adds scheduling capabilities and it allows for a more stable frame rate and lower power consumption.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Alleged Hands-on Images Suggest Flat Display and Rear Panel

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Alleged Hands-on Images Suggest Flat Display and Rear Panel

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Samsung’s Galaxy S series of smartphones has been quite popular since its inception. The anticipation for this year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra is high, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra being one of the best Android smartphones of 2023 (Review). Most recently, we got our first look at the Galaxy S24 Ultra through leaked renders. Now, alleged hands-on images have surfaced online that appear to show a silver colour variant of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It looks exactly like its predecessor but with a flat screen and back.

Tipster David Martin (@DavidMa05368498) posted alleged live images of the Galaxy S24 Ultra on X offering us a good look at what to expect from the flagship handset. It is seen with the flat back panel and a flat display. It appears to have a quad camera setup on the rear with all four cameras housed inside separate metal rings. The physical buttons are all located on the right-hand side of the handset, and there’s also a center-hole punch selfie camera in the display. For the most part, it looks exactly like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The S Pen is arranged at the bottom of the handset and protrudes slightly.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra recently appeared on the BIS website with model number SM-S928B/DS. It was also spotted on the Geekbench benchmarking platform with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. Samsung is expected to use a tweaked version of the chip on the upcoming phone with overclocked GPU and CPU cores. It is said to come in 12GB RAM + 256GB and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage configurations.

Samsung is expected to pack a quad rear camera unit on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, comprising a 200-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel periscope camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle shooter, and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor. It is likely to be backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. The handset might also feature a titanium frame.

As per past leaks, Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event will take place in San Jose, US on January 17, 2024. The brand will reportedly start taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra on the same day and general sales could begin on January 30.

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Apple’s Journal App Review: A Simple Journaling App With Some Smarts

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Apple’s Journal App Review: A Simple Journaling App With Some Smarts

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Apple announced its brand new Journal app during WWDC in June this year. The app is said to help users to write down their thoughts, keep a daily log, and as Apple says, a “new way to reflect on and relive special moments”. It can also give you suggestions on what to write about, and that’s done by using data from your phone. Now, that sounds scary, but it’s actually not. The Journal app is currently available in iOS 17.2 Public beta 2 and will be available to all compatible iPhone users when iOS 17.2 is released.

I’ve been using Apple’s Journal app for a couple of weeks now, and here’s what I think of it.

Journal app features

I’ve never been one to write down my thoughts, but the Journal app made me want to. It has been proven that journaling or writing down your thoughts is good for your mental health. To me, writing things down was and is mostly associated with remembering things. And I’ve mostly used the good old Notes app for all note-taking endeavors. I’ve got notes going all the way back to my iPhone 4, which is when I first started using the Notes app.

Journaling is different though, and if you’re looking to start, but don’t want to use a pen and notebook, you could give the Journal app a try. You will have it with you almost all the time, since it’s on your phone, and all you need to do is pick up your phone and type. But why not just use the Notes app, and why Journal?

The Journal app has a simple user interface that shows your entries and suggestions

Well, Apple’s Journal app, apart from being a simple journaling app, also features some AI and machine-learning tech that make it a little bit smarter than the Notes app. When you first open the app, there’s not much happening. In fact, you’ll only see a ‘+’ button at the bottom of the app. Tap on this button and you have three options here. You can start writing a new journal by tapping ‘New Entry’ or you can choose to write using a topic suggested by Apple. These suggestions are sorted under ‘Recommended’ and ‘Recent’.

Apple lets you add photos, videos, voice memos, and location tags to an entry. There’s a filter that lets you choose between all your entries, entries with photos, or bookmarked entries. And that’s about it.

Journal app Suggestions

Let’s talk about the Suggestions feature in Journal because this is what makes it different from all the other journaling apps. When you want to write a new entry, Suggestions can help you. Your iPhone comes up with these suggestions using on-device machine learning. It uses your photos, videos, music, health data from your Apple Watch, and more to offer journaling ideas.

In ‘Recommended’, you’ll see some suggestions for what you can write about, along with something called ‘Reflections’. This lets you reflect on your day or life and includes questions such as ‘Write about something great in your life that you don’t always think about’.

On the other hand, the ‘Recent’ section, as the name suggests, simply shows you your recent activities, which may include a visit to a park nearby or a walk that you went on recently.

There’s also something called Moments, which Apple says your iPhone can learn to recognise over time. After using the Journal app for a while, you will be shown these special moments or memories from your life. It will include photos or videos from one of those romantic dates, a fun outing with friends, a bike ride, a marathon, a family get-together, and so on.

Memories are what we humans live for, but to go back isn’t realistically possible unless someone invents a time machine. The Journal app can give you a look back at those memories or moments and even let you write down things related to the memory. Using all the data that you allow Apple’s Journal app to tap into, it can figure out memories by itself and help you write them down.

Apple is also making this available to third-party journaling apps in the form of Suggestions API. Third-party apps can also tap into the API and show you suggestions, but they only get access to what you agree to share. The processing and machine learning will happen on your phone, which means that your data will be safe. Your Journals are only uploaded to iCloud for backup, but that is also end-to-end encrypted.

You can also share from other apps currently and write in Journal. For example, I was listening to a song on Apple Music, and I wanted to write down something related to the song. I simply opened the Share sheet and was able to add the track as an entry in the Journal app. I was also able to share a web page from Safari and add it as an entry in the app.

Journal app Settings

Since the Journal app has access to all your data, it may be concerning to some. What if it suggests you write about something that you don’t want to write about? Well, there are plenty of Settings that can help the app avoid such instances.

Journal app offers users plenty of control over their data

To access all the settings, you’ll need to open the Settings app and scroll down to Journal. Here, you can choose what Photos the app can access and whether to include Location and Captions. You have the option to Lock the app using Face ID, which is recommended, and you can also have the app help you keep a schedule. In Journaling Suggestions, you can choose what data can be accessed by the Journal app. There are toggles for Activity, Media, Contacts, Photos, and Locations. You can turn off all these, but I wish Apple had given even more granular control over things here.

Journal app – Should you use it?

Yes, if you’re someone who already keeps a journal. The Journal app lets you add media to your moments, and that’s great. If you’re new to journaling, you should still give the Journal app a try. The suggestions feature is really powerful, the app is easy to use thanks to the simple user interface, your data is safe, and you can protect everything with Face ID. However, it’s currently only available on the iPhone and on the iOS 17.2 Public beta 2. Apple did not mention if it’s coming to iPad or Mac, but who knows, it might. There’s also no search option to find an entry.

Overall though, I’d totally recommend using the Journal app on your iPhone app to journal. It’s been great!

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Maison Margiela Edition Unveiled: See Price, Availability

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Maison Margiela Edition Unveiled: See Price, Availability

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 was launched in July this year alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The phones are powered by custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoCs and come with an IPX8 rating for dust and water resistance. The South Korean tech giant previously introduced the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in an additional colour option in addition to the variants it was initially launched with. The company also unveiled a Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition model which launched as a homage to the Samsung E700. Now, in their second collaboration with the French luxury fashion house, after the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the firm has recently unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Maison Margiela Edition.

Samsung announced that the Maison Margiela Edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be available for purchase in select regions. Available in a 512GB storage variant, the handset will be offered at KRW 2,497,000 (roughly Rs. 1,59,500) through a lottery on the official Samsung site.

To participate in the lottery, interested users can apply through the Samsung site from 9am to 5pm local time (5:30am to 1:30pm IST) on November 30. The winners of the draw will be announced on December 1, at 9am local time (5:30am IST). The model is being showcased in South Korea at Samsung Gangnam and Samsung Hongdae stores starting November 23. A limited number of this Maison Margiela version of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be sold to buyers in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s Maison Margiela edition claims to take inspiration from its deconstructive yet refined design style in the fashion world. The phone comes in a big box resembling archival storage containers used in atelier stores to preserve various fabric samples and threads. The box is wrapped in a woven book cloth fabric and features Maison Margiela’s signature jacket on the back. It comes bundled with two cases — a Flap Leather Case and a Flipsuit Case.

This clamshell foldable version also comes with two exclusive wallpapers — Stitches and Trompe-L’oeil. The Stitches wallpaper features handwoven stitches on the cover and inner screens, while the Trompe-L’oeil wallpaper depicts the inner workings of a garment. A 25W charger and a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable are also included in the three-tiered packaging box.

The company has not yet confirmed the arrival of this model in India. The base Galaxy Z Flip 5 model starts in India at Rs. 1,54,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant. It is offered in Cream, Graphite, Mint, Lavender and Yellow colour options. It comes with a 6.7-inch full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex primary display with an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz, while the outer screen comes with a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED folder-shaped panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz. The camera unit at the back includes a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens and a secondary 12-megapixel wide-angle shooter with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support. The phone also has a 10-megapixel front camera sensor.

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iQoo Neo 9 Schematics Tip Design, Might Feature 6.78-Inch Display, Dual Rear Cameras

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hitesh
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iQoo Neo 9 Schematics Tip Design, Might Feature 6.78-Inch Display, Dual Rear Cameras

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iQoo Neo 8 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC was launched in China in May. The new model is yet to debut in other global markets including India, but rumours of the purported iQoo Neo 9 are already surfacing on the Web. In a new update, the schematics of the iQoo Neo 9 have surfaced online, offering a brief look at the possible rear design of the upcoming handset. The image suggests a dual rear camera module on the rear. It is tipped to come with a 6.78-inch display.

Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated) posted schematics of the iQoo Neo 9 on Weibo. It suggests a hole-punch cutout at the top centre of the display and narrow bezels. The handset appears to have a dual rear camera unit. The primary and secondary sensors are seen arranged in separate small circular cutouts on the top left corner alongside a dual-LED flash unit. Volume buttons and power button are seen arranged on the left spine.

iqoo neo 9 weibo dcs iQoo Neo 9

iQoo Neo 9
Photo Credit: Weibo/ DCS

Furthermore, the tipster claims that iQoo Neo 9 will feature a 6.78-inch display. The iQoo Neo 8 and iQoo Neo 8 Pro also sport a similar display with 1.5K resolution.

iQoo is expected to announce the iQoo Neo 9 and iQoo Neo 9 Pro in the first quarter of next year. The iQoo Neo 9 is tipped to run on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of inbuilt storage. It is expected to ship with Android 14-based FunTouchOS 14 or OriginOS 4 depending upon the region. It might get a 50-megapixel Sony IMX920 1.49-inch sensor as well.

The iQoo Neo 9 Pro is expected to be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage.

The iQoo Neo 8 was unveiled with a starting price tag of CNY 2,499 (roughly Rs. 29,300).

Is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro the best smartphone you can buy under Rs. 40,000 in India? We discuss the company’s recently launched handset and what it has to offer on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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OnePlus 12 Leak Suggests Phone May Offer Wood Texture Back Panel Resembling OnePlus One

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hitesh
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OnePlus 12 Leak Suggests Phone May Offer Wood Texture Back Panel Resembling OnePlus One

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OnePlus is known for offering different textured panels on its flagship smartphones and this year’s OnePlus 12 with a wood texture finish might have already leaked online, giving us an early look. The leaked render indicates a design similar to the OnePlus One Walnut Wood edition. OnePlus 12 will launch on December 4 during the company’s 10th-anniversary celebration in China. It is already up for pre-reservations in the country. The upcoming smartphone is confirmed to run on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.

Well-known tipster Digital Chat Station posted an alleged image of the OnePlus 12 with a wood finish rear panel on Weibo. His post says “OnePlus 12 this time has a classic wood grain shell” (translated from Chinese) hinting it will be available in a new version that will have a wood texture back. The materials used for this special edition are unknown at this moment. It could also be a wood textured case. The leaked image suggests an almost identical design to that of the OnePlus One’s Walnut Wood Edition.

oneplus 12 weibo dcs OnePlus 12

OnePlus 12
Photo Credit: Weibo/ Digital Chat Station

 

However, OnePlus has not verified any of the details to the public and there is always a chance that the source could be wrong. So it is recommended to take these details with a grain of salt.

The launch of the OnePlus 12 will take place in China during the company’s anniversary celebrations on December 4 at 7:00pm local time (4:30am IST). OnePlus has started accepting pre-reservations for the phone via its official online store and major e-commerce websites in China. The global release might happen in January next year.

OnePlus 12 is already teased to run on ColorOS 14 based on Android 14 and is claimed to be the first handset in China with a 2K resolution display to obtain DisplayMate’s A+ certification. Its ProXDR display is rated to deliver a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. It will pack a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC under the hood and use a Sony LYTIA LYT808 for its primary rear camera. The handset will also include a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto lens.

The OnePlus 12 is tipped to come with a 6.82-inch QHD+ (1,440 x 3,168 pixels) curved low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) display. It could pack a triple rear camera unit, led by a 50-megapixel primary sensor and might include a 32-megapixel selfie sensor. It is said to be backed by a 5,400mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging support.

OnePlus 11 5G, its predecessor, was introduced in China in January for an initial price tag of CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 48,000). The handset arrived in India later in February with a starting price tag of Rs. 56,999.

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