Tag: leak

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Mobile Syrup

Galaxy Z Flip 5 renders show ‘tabbed’ outer screen

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 was rumoured to have a ‘tabbed’ external display — new renders give us a better idea of how this tabbed display will look.

The renders come from a partnership between leaker @OnLeaks and MediaPeanut and show off outer and inner displays. The Z Flip 5 is rumoured to sport a larger external display than the Z Flip 4 (though it’s not as big as the rumoured Motorola Razr 40 Ultra screen). The rumours clearly show the larger outer screen, with the rumoured ‘tab’ to make room for the cameras.

Along with the renders, MediaPeanut detailed some specs of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The publication reports Samsung’s upcoming foldable will include a 6.7-inch main display, a 3.4-inch cover display, dual rear cameras, and measure 165 x 71.8 x 6.7mm when unfolded.

Beyond that, MediaPeanut suggests the phone could run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, feature battery improvements and launch in late July with a $999 USD (roughly $1,353.73 CAD) price tag. We could also see faster UFS 4.0 storage, at least in the models with 256GB of storage.

Overall, the Z Flip 5 seems to be shaping up well. However, I’m not entirely sold on the tabbed external display, especially after seeing the Razr 40 Ultra leaks. Motorola’s foldable will have a slightly larger 3.5-inch cover display that extends almost to the edge. Interestingly, the cameras are placed inside the display, similar to the hole-punch selfie camera popularized on many devices. To me, that looks a lot better than the tab, but I’ll reserve judgment until I see the phones in person — in my experience, controversial design choices tend to look better in person than in renders and photos.

Images credit: MediaPeanut

Source: @OnLeaks, MediaPeanut

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Mobile Syrup

Upcoming Motorola Razr’s massive cover screen revealed in leak

Source: Evan Blass

Following a leak that claimed an upcoming Razr-branded foldable from Motorola would sport a huge cover display, leaker Evan Blass shared images of the device on Twitter.

Blass, whose account is currently private, shared four images of what he says will be called the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra. The images mostly highlight the cover display, though a couple also showcase some personalization options.

The images show a cover display that takes up almost the entirety of the lid of the flip phone. It’s a stark difference from previous Razr foldables and even Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip line, which have offered — by comparison — minuscule cover screens.

Perhaps the most interesting part is that the cover display extends down around the dual camera lenses and the flash, creating a little area for notifications and weather information and leaving a larger portion to show the time and presumably for interacting with notifications — such as reading incoming messages or for call display.

Beyond the images, Blass didn’t share much else about the device. He did, however, note that Motorola plans to launch a second, “down market” flip phone in 2023. The device, codenamed ‘Venus,’ reportedly won’t sport the name Razr Lite has some have reported. Instead, Blass says it will be called the Razr 40.

Previous leaks said the Razr 40 Ultra’s cover display would measure 3.5-inches, beating out the rumoured 3.4-inch cover screen that will reportedly ship on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5.

It’s also worth noting that Motorola’s previous foldables haven’t had great Canadian availability. The first Razr foldable launched in the U.S. in February 2020 but didn’t arrive in Canada until April — when it did show up, it was only available at Telus and its subsidiaries, and Freedom Mobile. Motorola’s subsequent foldables haven’t come north of the border.

Images credit: Evan Blass

Source: Evan Blass

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Mobile Syrup

Alleged Pixel Fold shown off in short clip

Much like the years, the leaks start comin’ and they don’t stop comin’ — a video of an alleged Pixel Fold has now emerged, capping off a week’s worth of wild leaks.

Reliable leaker Kuba Wojciechowski shared a short clip on what is supposedly the Pixel Fold. The clip shows the phone’s internal, foldable display, but the content is blurred out. Then the person holding the phone closes it, briefly showing the external front display, before opening the phone again.

Unfortunately, that’s the extent of what we see in the clip and there’s not much to visually identify the device as the Pixel Fold. The clip could just as easily show some prototype foldable from Samsung. But Wojciechowski says it’s the Fold and he told The Verge that the only information he can say on the record is that the clip he posted is over a month old.

That said, the device in Wojciechowski’s clip closely resembles many of the Pixel Fold renders we’ve seen over the last few days and weeks. Plus, after watching the clip more times than I’d like to admit, I think I can see the edge of the rear camera bump.

Is that a camera bar I see?

We’ve recently learned a ton about the Pixel Fold ahead of its rumoured reveal at Google’s I/O conference next month. Rumour has it Google plans to launch the Pixel Fold at I/O on May 10th and open pre-orders that day, with availability in late June. The Pixel Fold’s potential specs leaked and a report based on internal Google communications revealed the company thinks the Pixel Fold has the “most durable hinge on a foldable.”

Header image credit: Kuba Wojciechowski (screenshots)

Source: Kuba Wojciechowski Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft rumoured to be developing a smaller Surface Pro

Microsoft is reportedly working on developing a smaller Surface Pro that would feature an 11-inch display as well as a Surface Go 4 model that would be powered by an Arm processor.

As reported by Windows Central, the smaller Surface Pro is codenamed ‘Luxor’ and would have a similar shape and size to the Surface Go, a budget-friendly 10.5-inch tablet.

The tech giant currently only has a 13-inch screen for its Surface Pro 9, regardless of whether it’s an Intel or an Arm-powered model. The rumoured 11-inch model would allegedly include a 120Hz display, the same as the 13-inch.

The gossip didn’t stop at the Surface Pro, with talk circulating about an Arm-powered Surface Go 4 model. The model has been codenamed ‘Tanta’ and is said to ship with a chip based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c. The Qualcomm-powered model may be the first time we see the Surface Go line feature 5G support.

Window’s Central is claiming that these new models are unlikely to ship before the Fall of 2023, making early 2024 a more accurate prediction for their premiere. Microsoft and Intel are also both hinting at a new Windows 12 operating system, making both companies’ near future something to keep an eye on.

Source: Window’s Central Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Latest Pixel Tablet leak shows possible privacy switch… or does it?

We’ve known that Google has been working on a Pixel Tablet for some time, basically since Google I/O 2022 when the company first teased the device. At this point, it seems like we’ve learned everything there is to learn from leaks and teases from Google, but a new leak points to something we haven’t seen before; a privacy switch.

Well. It might be a privacy switch. It’s definitely a button and we haven’t seen it before.

Leaker SnoopyTech posted two images showing the front and back of the Pixel Tablet and questioned whether Google chose the “best design.” While at first glance, there’s nothing we haven’t seen before, Android Police says it looks like there’s a privacy switch on the edge of the tablet.

In the picture of the back of the Pixel Tablet, Android Police says, “you can see a switch on the top left above what we believe to be the volume controls.” Frankly, I don’t see it.

What I do see are two buttons on the left side of the top edge of the tablet, near the camera. I also see what looks like a button on the top end of the left edge (technically the right edge since we’re viewing it from the back) near the camera. The only other things I see on the edges of the tablet in this picture are what appear to be speakers and a USB-C charging port.

So, I count three buttons total, which likely will be volume up/down and power.

Image credit: SnoopyTech

Android Police does go on to say that the buttons on the edge of the tablet haven’t appeared in previous Google imagery of the Pixel Tablet, and I do agree there.

Looking back over the various images shared by Google in teasers and that corner of the Pixle Tablet isn’t prominently featured in most. When it is, it’s not clear enough to make out details like buttons. Similarly, most Pixel Tablet leaks don’t offer a clear view of the top edge of the tablet. And the button on the side of the tablet definitely hasn’t appeared in previous leaks and teases.

However, I did come across a leak we covered from leaker Kuba Wojciechowski, who shared photos of a Pixel Tablet that they received. Two of the images show the top edge clearly enough that you can see two buttons up there near the camera, just like in the SnoopyTech image. My guess is those are the volume buttons. However, Wojciechowski’s pictures don’t clearly show the right edge of the tablet where the other mystery button resides.

Of course, the pictures from Wojciechowski are likely a pre-release unit of some kind, and therefore, it’s possible Google could have added to the hardware. But I have some serious doubts about the claim of a privacy switch.

That said, adding a privacy switch would be a really good idea for the Pixel Tablet, especially since Google is positioning it as a hybrid smart home device. Google’s Nest Hubs have privacy switches to disable the camera and microphone when users want some privacy — with the Pixel Tablet set to replace the Nest Hub, it would only make sense for it to have a privacy switch as well.

We likely won’t have to wait longer to find out whether the Pixel Tablet has a privacy switch. Google will likely reveal the tablet at I/O in May.

Image credit: Google, Kuba Wojciechowski

Source: SnoopyTech Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel 7a images show off stylish blue colour option

Google I/O is just around the corner, which means so is the Pixel 7a. Google typically reveals its A-series Pixel phone at the annual developer conference, and this year likely will be no different. Also like in past years, we’ve learned a lot about the Pixel 7a through various leaks. The latest, however, is a series of images showing off the three colour options for the 7a.

The images (which appear to be Google marketing renders, but it’s not entirely clear) come from MySmartPrice and leaker OnLeaks and show the Pixel 7a in white, grey and blue. MySmartPrice notes it isn’t yet aware of the official marketing names for each colour.

If you’ve been following Pixel 7a leaks so far, there’s very little in the renders that should be new or surprising, aside from the blue colour. The 7a looks very similar to its predecessor and the Pixel 7, borrowing the metal camera visor design that differentiated the Pixel 7 series from the Pixel 6 series.

MySmartPrice also details the rumoured specs, claiming the 7a will sport a 64-megapixel Sony IMX787 main sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera sensor, 256GB of internal storage (up from 128GB on the 6a) and a bump to 8GB of RAM. The 7a will reportedly have a 10.8-megapixel front camera.

Beyond that, the phone will have a 6.1-inch OLED display, apparently with a 90Hz refresh rate. It will run on Google’s Tensor G2 chip, just like the Pixel 7 and 7 pro, and sport 5W wireless charging. The wireless charging and refresh rate bumps will address two of the biggest issues I had with the Pixel 6a and significantly close the gap between the 7a and Pixel 7, with the only major difference between them being the camera.

Of course, with all the deals available on the Pixel 7 recently, it’s tough to say if it makes sense to wait for the 7a given how similar the devices are. Currently, the Pixel 6a goes for $599 in Canada, and the 7a will presumably be around the same price. The Pixel 7 costs $799 but has been repeatedly discounted down to $599 in recent months. If it goes on sale again, it might make sense to grab the Pixel 7 and forget the 7a — but we’ll see what happens when the 7a launches.

Source: MySmartPrice

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Mobile Syrup

Details about Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset leak

Details regarding Qualcomm’s upcoming flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, have leaked online. It looks like the chip will use new cores from Arm and potentially drop 32-bit support entirely.

The information comes from leaker Kuba Wojciechowski, who shared the details in a Twitter thread. Wojciechowski has previously leaked details of Pixel hardware.

According to Wojciechowski, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is codenamed either ‘Lanai’ or ‘Pineapple.’ The chip will reportedly adopt a 2+3+2+1 layout, differing from the 8 Gen 2’s 1+4+3 layout.

The new configuration breaks down as follows, according to Wojciechowski:

  • 2x Arm codename Hayes (A5xx) “silver” cores
    3x Arm codename Hunter (A7xx) “gold” cores
    2x Arm codename Hunter (A7xx) “titanium” cores
    1x Arm codename Hunter ELP (Xn) “gold+” core

Wojciechowski goes on to note the 8 Gen 3 is the first Qualcomm chip to introduce a ‘titanium’ cluster, but he doesn’t have information on what’s different with the cores. Wojciechowski suggests the cores could have different configurations, like higher cache, or different clock speeds.

He says that the Hunter and Hayes chips are brand new, unannounced CPU cores and that they drop support for 32-bit entirely. That means the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will be 64-bit only — a significant shift, but one that’s been a long-time coming. Previous leaks suggested Google’s upcoming Pixel Tablet would be 64-bit only, and Google has required apps on the Play Store to use 64-bit architecture for a while.

Finally, Wojciechowski said the 8 Gen 3 will sport an Adreno 750 GPU, which currently has a maximum frequency of 770MHz. The 8 Gen 3 will also support Linux kernel 6.1 and Android 14.

We’ll likely learn more about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 when Qualcomm unveils it later this year. In the past, Qualcomm held a tech summit in December to unveil its new chips, but last year the event was in November, and rumour has it Qualcomm could reveal the Gen 3 in October this year.

Header credit: Shutterstock

Source: Wojciechowski Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Google’s Pixel Fold could land on store shelves sooner than expected

According to a bunch of new information about the Google Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a scrounged from retail sources, the devices could arrive after Google I/O in mid-June.

The information comes from WinFuture and 9to5Google (via Android Police). The two publications reported on leaked retail listings for the phones that include information about colourways, storage options and, importantly, the launch window.

For the Pixel Fold, it will reportedly land on store shelves in mid-June. That’s a surprising departure from previous leaks that pegged the foldable for a fall launch alongside the Pixel 8 series (speaking of which, renders of the 8 Pro surfaced online, check ’em out here).

However, it makes sense when you think about it. The Pixel Fold will reportedly rock the Tensor G2, so it might seem odd launching alongside the Pixel 8 with its Tensor G3 chip. Plus, launching the foldable in the summer means it won’t overshadow Google’s fall flagships.

Beyond the June release, the retail listing revealed there will be a 256GB Pixel Fold, though it’s unclear if there will be other storage options. The Fold will also have cases in ‘Haze Midtone,’ ‘Porcelain’ and ‘Sky’ colours.

As for the Pixel 7a — which also just had a massive leak — it will also be available in mid-June. However, it’s less surprising than the Fold since Google typically launches the A-series Pixel in the summer following a reveal at I/O.

The Pixel 7a will reportedly have three colour options, ‘Carbon,’ ‘Cotton’ and ‘Artic Blue.’ The first two are your typical run-of-the-mill black and white options, while Artic Blue sounds more interesting.

WinFuture reportedly saw a Jade-coloured case for the Pixel 7a, though it’s unclear if there will be a matching Jade-coloured phone. The Pixel 7a will reportedly offer one storage option at 128GB — the same as previous leaks.

All this points to an exciting Google I/O in May. We’ll likely learn lots more about the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a at the event (assuming it doesn’t all leak before then).

Image credit: Howtoisolve

Source: WinFuture, 9to5Google Via: Android Police

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Mobile Syrup

Hands-on with prototype Pixel 7a reveals specs, detailed photos

Over the weekend, a hands-on leak of Google’s upcoming Pixel 7a surfaced online, giving us specs and a detailed look at the smartphone.

Vietnamese news site Zing News published the Pixel 7a hands-on, noting that the phone was remotely locked and isn’t able to fully turn on. However, Zing was able to learn several details about the phone and some specs from the fastboot screen, which reveals the 7a has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. That’s up from 6GB of RAM on the Pixel 6a. The Pixel 7a as reportedly has a 90Hz display, another big upgrade for the A-series.

Other specs include the use of Google’s Tensor G2 chip — the same one used in the current Pixel 7 and 7 Pro — as well as support for 5W wireless charging, a first for the A-series Pixel line. Zing News also reported that the Pixel 7a sports two 12-megapixel rear cameras, which goes against previous rumours that the 7a would sport an upgraded camera sensor matching the primary sensor used in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

Beyond the specs, the Zing News hands-on gives us our best look at the Pixel 7a yet. Unsurprisingly, the design is very similar to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 series, sporting a glossy back panel with a ‘G’ logo and a camera bar, though this time around, Google used a metal bar instead of glass like on the 6a. This brings the 7a in line with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro design.

Aside from the camera bar, there doesn’t appear to be any other significant changes in design with the Pixel 7a. Like with the move from the Pixel 6 series to the 7 series, the Pixel 7a will likely offer minor polish and quality improvements compared to last year’s 6a.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the Pixel 7a photographed by Zing News is reportedly a software prototype and isn’t an official model. That could mean certain things will change or may not be accurate to the final product. Interestingly, some of the images of the phone show a pattern on the back panel, which is likely intended to mark the phone as a prototype and won’t be featured on the launch product.

Google will likely unveil the Pixel 7a at its upcoming I/O developer conference in May, followed by a possible summer release window.

You can check out all the leaked hands-on images here.

Source: Zing News Via: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

Upcoming Sonos Era speakers revealed in new leak

Sonos has two new speakers on the way, one set to replace the existing Sonos One and the other slated to showcase spatial audio capabilities.

The Verge detailed the new Era 100 and Era 300 Sonos speakers and shared marketing images it obtained of both speakers. According to the publication, Sonos plans for a March release of both speakers.

The Era 100 will reportedly cost about $250 USD (roughly $337.42 CAD), which The Verge notes is a slight increase over the $219 cost of the Sonos One speaker in the U.S. In Canada, the Sonos One costs $269 CAD — if Sonos follows a similar pricing scheme in Canada, the Era 100 could be $30 to $40 more, putting it in the low $300 range.

On the other hand, the Era 300 speaker will likely cost $450 USD (about $607.37 CAD), coming in under the cost of the Sonos Five speaker. The Verge suggests Sonos will keep the Five in the lineup rather than replace it with the Era 300.

Sonos Era 300 in white

Sonos Era 300 in white | Image credit: The Verge

Both speakers will offer Bluetooth audio playback and USB-C line-in, offering more choice and flexibility for using the speakers. The USB-C line-in will be particularly helpful, allowing people to plug in external sources like a turntable, something that’s not possible with the Sonos One. (One of the marketing images published by The Verge shows a Sonos Era 100 speaker with an extra cable going into it, likely the USB-C line-in.)

Additionally, both speakers will offer Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5.0 and AirPlay 2. Sonos also plans to sell a “combo adapter” for plugging in the speakers over ethernet.

Sonos Era 100 with turntable

Two Sonos Era 100 speakers with a turntable | Image credit: The Verge

Interestingly, the Era speakers may be the first to support Trueplay on Android… sort of. Trueplay is Sonos’ tech for tuning speakers for the room they’re in. Currently, users need an iPhone or iPad to tune their speakers, but the Era 100 and 300 will support “quick tuning,” which uses the built-in microphones on the speakers to optimize for the room. The old tuning style, which involves walking around the room holding an iPhone or iPad, will still be available as well, and it will continue to not support Android.

All about spatial audio, but not with Apple

The Verge notes that the Era 100 speaker isn’t geared for spatial audio. It reportedly doesn’t include upward-firing drivers. Instead, it has two tweeters for true stereo sound and an enlarged mid-woofer for more powerful bass. The Verge stresses that the speaker is an evolved Sonos One with better performance.

The Era 300, on the other hand, is all about spatial audio. The size falls between the Sonos One and Five speakers, and the 300 offers six total drivers that push sound forward, left, right and up. When paired with either a Sonos Arc or Beam (Gen 2) as rear surrounds, a stereo pair of Era 300s will deliver immersive Atmos surround sound.

Sonos Era 100 white

Sonos Era 100 speaker in white | Image credit: The Verge

However, it sounds like customers might have some trouble getting access to spatial audio. The Verge reports that spatial audio tracks will be available from Amazon Music Unlimited, but Sonos hasn’t reached an agreement with Apple to use its Apple Music Dolby Atmos library (for now, that functionality remains exclusive to the HomePod, though you can play spatial audio through an Apple TV 4K connected to an Atmos speaker system, such as the Arc or Beam). Of course, this could change before the March release.

Apple isn’t the only tech company giving Sonos trouble, though. Thanks to an ongoing legal battle between Sonos and Google, The Verge reports that Google Assistant might not be on the new Era speakers. The company’s internal marketing specifically mentions Amazon Alexa, but not Assistant.

There will also be sustainability improvements built off previous announcements from Sonos.

Those interested can read the full report here.

Header image credit: The Verge

Source: The Verge