According to a new report, Dish Network will finally debut its 5G network, Project Genesis, giving consumers a new option for cellular service. While there are expansion plans, the service will be first made available in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ahead of its launch, the service and network were getting tested by early adopters in beta. With the service going live, we know it will cost $30 a month. This pricing is extremely competitive and will include unlimited data, talk, and text. As mentioned previously, the coverage will be nearly all of Las Vegas, extending to parts of the neighboring city called Henderson. As for handset options, the carrier will only launch with one — the Motorola 5G Edge+. The wireless carrier will look to expand the lineup in the near future.
Dish Network’s Project Genesis 5G service will cost $30 a month for unlimited talk, text, and web.
Nearly two years in the making, the creation of a new network has been anything but smooth. Towards the beginning of the year, Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen addressed delays, citing unexpected technical issues. At the time, Ergen stated that the company was six months behind, mainly due to the complexity of integrating software from different suppliers. The delay creates problems for the fledgling carrier, as it has deadlines with the U.S. government, requiring it to provide coverage to 20 percent of the country by June 14. The company expects to meet this deadline.
The U.S. will once again have another large wireless carrier in the mix
As part of its merger deal with Sprint, T-Mobile was required to sell off the former’s prepaid wireless services, Boost and Virgin Mobile. With Dish Network finally getting its wireless carrier underway, the U.S. will once again have another large wireless carrier in the mix. It will be interesting to see how Dish Network’s coverage and reliability will differ from its competitors. If curious, you can sign up to get informed when the service will be available in your area. Although initially only available in Las Vegas, the service will be expanded to over 120 cities by the end of the year.
Earlier this year at CES, Lenovo launched its 2022 Yoga convertibles. Now, it’s time for the premium clamshell lineup, which is going to be called Slim in the United States, while still being called Yoga Slim elsewhere. Basically, Lenovo is dropping IdeaPad branding from premium. Specifically, there are four laptops and an all-in-one, including the Lenovo Slim 9i, Slim 7i/7 Pro X, Slim 7i Carbon, Slim 7/7i, and Yoga AIO 7.
“Hybrid life is the new norm that’s inspired the development of this new generation of Lenovo Slim devices. Our goal is to empower more people to ‘just be you’ – to consume, create, and collaborate on their own terms,” said Ouyang Jun, Lenovo’s vice president and general manager of the Consumer Business Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. “We’ve designed and engineered the new PCs with smarter features and an even more premium user experience to help people pursue their ambitions, relax, and get things done in their own way.”
The Lenovo Slim 9i
First of all, the whole lineup is being redesigned. They’re using Lenovo’s new comfort edge design with rounded edges. On the Slim 9i, the edges have the same mirrored surface that we’ve already seen on the Lenovo Yoga 9i. Indeed, while the premium clamshell and convertible laptops have had different designs in the past, they’re a lot more similar now.
The lid is made of glass, giving it a sleek look, and as you can see from the image above, you’ll get regular Lenovo branding in the U.S., or Yoga branding outside of the U.S. The color that it comes in is called Oatmeal, which is a sort of pale gold.
Lenovo Slim 9i
For the display, OLED is standard, and you’ll have your choice of 2,880×1,800 at 90Hz or 3,840×2,400 at 60Hz. It has all of the other perks you’d expect too, such as Intel’s 28W P-series processors, a 1080p webcam, a minimum of 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, and three full Thunderbolt 4 ports. It even has a big old 75WHr battery while still weighing in at 3.02 pounds. Audio is getting elevated as well, something that we’ve seen on the convertible version with the rotating soundbar. Now, the clamshell Slim 9i will have two 2W speakers and two 3W speakers, for powerful audio tuned by Bowers and Wilkins.
It also includes Lenovo A.I. Core 2.0, which will do things like adjust fan speed for better performance. The Lenovo Slim 9i will arrive in June, starting at $1,799.
The Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X
Next up is the Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X, which the company says uses Lenovo X Power, which is a set of features including better thermals, and optizing the CPU and GPU for different use cases.
Lenovo Slim 7i Pro
It has powerful internals too, just as you’d expect from something called Pro X. You can get it with Intel’s 12th-gen processors in the Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X, or AMD’s Ryzen 6000 HS Creator Edition chips in the 7 Pro X. For graphics, it comes with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050.
Notably, it comes with a 14-inch 3,072×1,920 display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Other notable specs include two 2W Harman speakers with Dolby Atmos, LPDDR5 memory at 6,000MHz in the Intel model and 6,400MHz in the AMD model, and a 1080p webcam.
Arriving in June, the Slim 7i Pro X will start at $1,699 while the Slim 7 Pro X will start at $1,499.
The Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon, Slim 7, and Slim 7i
Another cool one is the Slim 7i Carbon, which weighs in at just 2.13 pounds while still packing Intel’s 28W P-series processors. At its thinnest point, it comes in at 14.8mmm abd it comes in colors like Moon White, Cloud Grey, and Storm Grey. For the display, you’ll get a 13.3-inch screen with a 2,560×1,600 resolution and 90Hz refresh rate.
Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon
And then we’ve got the rest of the Lenovo Slim 7 and 7i series. They come in 14- and 16-inch sizes, packing Intel P-series, H-series, and AMD HS Creator Edition chips. Graphics go up to a GeForce RTX 2050 in the 14-inch model, and for the 16-inch version, you can get Intel Arc A370M graphics in the Intel variant, and up to an RTX 3050 Ti in the Slim 7.
Display options look pretty sweet. On the 14-inch model, it goes up to 2,880×1,800 OLED with a 90Hz refresh rate or 2,880×1,800 IPS with a 120Hz refresh rate. Or, on the 16-inch model, it comes with a 2,560×1,600 resolution, along with either a 120Hz or 165Hz refresh rate, depending on if you get the Intel or AMD model, respectively.
The Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon is coming in June, starting at $1,299. The 16-inch Slim 7 is also coming in June, starting at $1,499, although unfortunately the 14-inch Slim 7 will not be coming to the U.S. The Intel-based 14-inch Slim 7i will arrive in May, starting at $1,199, while the 16-inch Intel variant will arrive in June, starting at $1,599.
The Lenovo Yoga AIO 7
Finally, we have the Lenovo Yoga AIO 7, which as the name suggest, is an all-in-one PC.
Lenovo Yoga AIO 7
It comes with a 27-inch 4K display, and as you can see from the image, you can rotate that display by 90 degrees. Also, the webcam that you see on the side there can by pulled off.
It comes with AMD Ryzen 6000 processors, Radeon RX 6600M graphics, and dual 5W JBL speakers. Unfortunately, the Lenovo Yoga AIO 7 is not coming to the United States.
Every new foldable phone that gets released should and will be compared against Samsung’s latest foldables. Samsung is the pioneer and originator of the product category, and for most of the world, Samsung’s foldables are still the only foldables they have access to. The latest challenger is the Vivo X Fold, which brings much of the same foldable hardware breakthroughs first introduced by Huawei’s Mate X2, plus it gets Vivo’s out-of-nowhere impressive camera system and Google Mobile Services support. How does Vivo’s foldable foray measure up against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3?
As the most accessible large screen foldable phone, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a built-in advantage many of its competitors do not -- but despite this, Samsung mostly earns its status as the default option, as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still the most polished all-around foldable in the world.
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner (two, one on each screen), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor (analog), Proximity sensor, Light sensor
OS
Android 12
Colors
Phantom Black, Phantom Green, Phantom Silver
Blue, grey (vegan leather)
Price
Starts at $1,799
Starts at 8,999 yuan (around $1,360)
About this comparison: This comparison was written after testing a Galaxy Z Fold 3 provided by Samsung Hong Kong for the past eight months, and a self-purchased Vivo X Fold I’ve been using for the past week. Neither company had any input in this article.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Vivo X Fold: Design and Hardware
The Vivo X Fold follows the same inner fold design philosophy first established by the original Galaxy Fold (before Samsung decided to add a random Z in the branding), and fundamentally both the Vivo X Fold and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 work the same way: both are mini-tablets that fold like a book to become a phone-like form factor. The brands differ in screen sizes and aspect ratios. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 uses a 7.6-inch screen with an 11.2:9 aspect ratio, meaning the screen is an upright rectangle — taller than it is wide. Vivo’s main screen is a larger 8-inch panel that, while still slightly taller than it is wide, comes closer to a square shape. Samsung’s larger screen is technically uninterrupted, as Samsung adopted under-screen camera technology that sees the selfie camera placed underneath the screen. Vivo’s X Fold uses a traditional hole-punch, so you can see the hole at all times
When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is unusually narrow from left to right, taking on a form factor similar to a TV remote or a candy bar. The Vivo X Fold, meanwhile, has a shape closely resembling a normal slab smartphone in folded form. Because the Vivo X Fold has a larger form factor and a more advanced camera system, it is quite a bit heavier at 311g to 271g. I must say I have gotten used to X Fold’s weight after several days, but the first 24 hours or so were a bit of a shocker, as my wrist felt the extra weight when holding the phone. Samsung’s foldable uses a traditional Gorilla Glass 5 back, while Vivo’s X Fold comes in a vegan leather finish. I will talk about the camera system in a dedicated camera system further down the article.
Personally, I prefer Vivo’s aspect ratios, because I find Samsung’s narrower outside screen a bit cramped to type on. However, I have heard peers say they prefer Samsung’s approach because the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a much easier “one-hand phone” when folded. I can see that point too, so it comes down to preferences.
The phones do trade objective clear-cut wins. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has an official IP water resistance rating, and the screen supports Samsung’s S-Pen stylus. On the other hand, Vivo’s display has a significantly less noticeable crease (both by sight and touch) and the hinge folds completely flat instead of leaving a gap.
Vivo's in-display fingerprint scanner is a flex more than anything, as I don't see much real-world benefits over a side-mounted scanner
The Vivo X Fold also houses an in-display fingerprint scanner — the first foldable to do so — while the Galaxy Z Fold 3 uses a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that’s embedded into the power button. To be honest, this is a flex more than anything, as I don’t feel the actual real-world benefits of having an in-display scanner compared to having a capacitive side-mounted scanner. What does annoy me more and more, is the crease in Samsung’s display. It’s not noticeable if I look at the display straight on, but I can always feel it, particularly when I’m using the S-Pen.
Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 came out in H2 2021, it is using an older chip — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 — compared to the Vivo X Fold’s newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. But other than benchmark numbers, it’s very hard to tell the difference between the two SoCs in real-world usage.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Vivo X Fold: Cameras
As someone who likes to take a lot of street photography, my biggest complaint about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has been its camera system: the triple 12MP system used by Samsung is dated hardware that doesn’t come close to matching the optics Samsung uses in its slab flagships. Every hallmark feature of the last two Galaxy Ultra cameras — a large image sensor for the wide lens and a Periscope zoom lens that can grab 10x optical shots — are missing from Samsung’s foldable phones. In fact, going by hardware, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s camera system is just about on par with the two-year-old standard (non-Ultra) version of the Galaxy S20.
Vivo's X Fold, meanwhile, brings a camera system that is almost on par with its flagship X70 Pro Plus
Vivo’s X Fold, meanwhile, brings a camera system that is almost on par with its flagship X70 Pro Plus, consisting of a quad lens system with two zoom lenses, including a 5x Periscope zoom lens.
Main camera
In good lighting conditions, and if you are just taking photos to be uploaded to social media, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s main camera actually keeps up well against Vivo’s main camera.
But if you move to challenging conditions like low light or against harsh backlight, then Vivo’s superior camera hardware and excellent HDR come into play.
Ultra-wide
The quality gap widens here. The Galaxy Z Fold 3’s ultra-wide is just not flagship quality in 2022 — it has a tiny sensor, producing images that are noticeably soft on details at the edges, with slight barrel distortion to boot. Vivo’s ultra-wide also handles HDR much better.
If you look at the pavement in the above set of photos, you can see Samsung’s image has lost most of the texture of the cement floor. The building at the left edge of the frame is also a smudgy mess.
If you zoom into the photos, you can see Samsung’s ultra-wide images are very soft on details.
100% crops, Galaxy Z Fold 3 (left) and X Fold (right).
Zoom
This is only a contest at the 2x zoom range, as both phones have a dedicated 2x telephoto lens; anything beyond, 5x or 10x (which is the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s maximum zoom distance), it’s a clear win for Vivo due to the X Fold having a Periscope zoom camera.
Both phones do some post-shot editing: Samsung applies a lot of digital sharpening, while Vivo punches up the contrast, so reds are deeper.
Samsung’s 5x shot above has lost all texture of the grass, and you can actually read the carved words on the pedestal in Vivo’s 5x shot.
Selfie cameras
Both phones have two selfie cameras — one on each screen. Samsung takes an unusual approach with the inside selfie camera (on the main screen) by putting it underneath the display. Under-screen technology is still in its infancy right now, and Samsung’s offering is clearly gen-one. The under-screen selfie camera in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a measly 4MP shooter, and the part of the screen that covers the camera actually doesn’t look seamless. This means the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s inner selfie camera produces very soft, blurry images.
To be honest, this is not an issue for me at all. One, because I personally don’t care for selfies, and two, there’s a more conventional selfie camera on the outside screen. Samsung’s idea seems to be prioritizing main screen immersion over selfie camera — and I agree with this.
Moving to the outside main selfie cameras, both cameras pump out equal quality images. My skin tone is more accurate in Vivo’s selfies, for what it’s worth.
Videos
Video performance is, in my opinion, a virtual tie. Both phones’ main and ultra-wide cameras can shoot 4K/30fps videos with excellent exposure and electronic image stabilization. During the day, walk-and-talk footage is smooth; at night, EIS takes a hit obviously, but both are still pretty good and close enough to flagship Android video stabilization standards. I notice Samsung applies a noticeable noise cancellation to audio, which works in my favor in Hong Kong as the city is full of unhealthy levels of street noise. Still, my voice can sound a bit faint in Samsung’s footage. Ultra-wide footage at night has soft details for both phones, but Vivo’s X Fold fares a bit better.
Vivo’s X Fold can also shoot 8K video footage with the main camera, but I don’t care about shooting in 8K in 2022, and to be honest, neither should most of you.
I think despite the fact the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3’s main camera and 2x zoom held up surprisingly well against Vivo’s cameras, the overall better camera system is obviously the Vivo X Fold. The difference in quality between the ultra-wide camera and any zoom photos beyond 5x is jarring.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Vivo X Fold: Software
Both phones run Android 12 with each brand’s Android skin on top — One UI for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, OriginOS for the X Fold. Most readers should be familiar with One UI. In case you don’t, OneUI is a relatively clean and minimal Android skin that doesn’t get in the way of Google’s plain version of Android much. In terms of navigating through the UI, the only thing Samsung does that really deviates from stock Android is that One UI’s app tray cycles horizontally instead of vertically, and the occasional reminders to use Bixby or Samsung Pay (both of which can be disabled so they stay out of the way forever, unlike Apple, whose iOS nudges you to sign up for Apple Pay every week or so).
Vivo’s OriginOS, on the other hand, is a major departure from Android. It’s a bombastic UI, filled with heavy animations, giant widgets of varying sizes (that look a bit similar to iOS’ widgets), and a bunch of things that deviate from the Android most western users are used to. For example, by default there is no app tray; a swipe up instead brings a tray that houses OriginOS’ giant, interactive widgets, which Vivo calls Nano-kits. Also by default, the notification panel is separated from the control toggles. The good news is that you can cancel both of these changes if you like and revert back to a more Android-like setup.
There are gestures galore, like swiping from one side of the screen to quickly launch an app; swiping from the bottom corner of the screen to quickly launch AliPay or WeChat Pay’s QR code scanner (in China, you pay for almost everything with either of those apps); using three-finger swipes to grab screenshots or launch split-screen mode.
Samsung's One UI is just much more well optimized for a foldable phone right now than Vivo's OriginOS
While I personally enjoy colorful, animation-heavy UI like OriginOS (and to a lesser extent, MIUI) and find OneUI’s animations a bit generic and boring, there’s no question Samsung’s Android skin is superior for me, and I think most western users. My biggest gripe with Vivo’s OriginOS is that it doesn’t handle multitasking well. For example, while OriginOS can launch some apps in a small floating window, it seems only Vivo’s first-party apps or some popular Chinese apps can do this. Chrome, Slack, Twitter, YouTube, and WhatsApp all cannot be shrunken in floating form. For the record, these same apps can be shrunken into floating windows in Samsung’s OneUI.
So on the Vivo X Fold, the only multi-tasking I can do with apps like Slack, YouTube, Chrome, etc, is to split-screen. Even this is compromised: the Vivo X Fold will only split apps vertically (a line down the middle). For video apps like YouTube, splitting vertically doesn’t make sense, as splitting horizontally is better for videos. Samsung’s Z Fold 3 gives me the option to choose between vertical or horizontal split-screen; Vivo’s X Fold does not.
Some readers may think I’m being unfair, expecting a China-only phone to have full support for apps not widely used in China, like WhatsApp, YouTube, or Chrome. But OPPO’s Find N, which was also released just for China, has no such problems launching those same apps in floating window mode. ColorOS also lets me choose which method to split-screen, just like OneUI. The problem here is not region, but Vivo, whose software has always been heavy-handed to the point it breaks basic Android functionality. This was the case with FunTouch (Vivo’s global Android skin) for years up until 2020 or so, when FunTouch finally got polished enough for me not to hate it.
There are a myriad of other little things, like more apps supporting Samsung’s Flex Mode than Vivo’s version, or Vivo’s OriginOS breaking push notifications for many apps unless you dive deep into settings to whitelist the app. At this current stage, Samsung’s One UI is just much more optimized for a phone, especially a foldable one, than Vivo’s OriginOS.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Vivo X Fold: Performance and Battery Life
Despite the difference in SoC, I saw no real performance difference between the two devices in terms of speed or mobile gaming — I am, however, not a hardcore mobile gamer. In folded form, I much prefer using the Vivo X Fold over the Galaxy Z Fold 3, as the wider screen just makes for a more natural experience. But in unfolded form, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s upright rectangle shape is easier to hold with one hand, and displays apps better.
And despite the X Fold having a larger screen, most videos will show roughly the same size on both phones — the X Fold just has larger letterboxing. I do think the X Fold has louder, fuller speakers, however.
Battery life is about equal for both devices too, meaning neither phone are endurance beasts but can last me a full 12- or 13-hour day out — albeit just barely. On lighter usage days like a weekday when I’m mostly seated staring at a laptop, the phones will make it to the end of the day with more than 30-40% left to spare.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Vivo X Fold: Conclusion
Since the Vivo X Fold is only on sale in China and thus requires importing for most readers, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is clearly the safer choice for those on the market for a new foldable. But Vivo’s lower starting retail price means that, even with the usual markups that come with importing a phone, the Vivo X Fold is still a bit cheaper than the Galaxy Z Fold 3, so importing isn’t entirely unrealistic, especially for enthusiasts.
And while I like the Vivo X Fold’s hardware better than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 — I like the wider outside screen, superior camera system, and crease-less main screen — Samsung’s software is just way ahead right now. OriginOS’ multi-tasking issues in particular really frustrate me. What good is having a large 8-inch screen if I can’t even multitask properly?
Still, much credit should be given to Vivo for creating a foldable that pulls off several hardware feats that Samsung has been unable to unwilling (more likely the latter) to do: give us a near-flagship camera system including a Periscope zoom lens, a crease-free display, and a price point that is barely more expensive than a premium slab flagship. Now if only Vivo would get its software right — and sell this thing outside of China.
As the most accessible large screen foldable phone, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a built-in advantage many of its competitors do not -- but despite this, Samsung mostly earns its status as the default option, as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still the most polished all-around foldable in the world.
At its I/O developer conference last year, Google announced a new Assistant-powered feature for Chrome to help users easily change compromised passwords. The feature is now finally rolling out to users in Chrome for Android.
The new Assistant-powered feature displays a pop-up notification as soon as you log in with a password found in a data breach. As shown in the attached screenshots (via Max Weinbach), the notification states: “Chrome found the password you just used in a data breach. Your Google Assistant can change your password automatically.”
The notification also includes two buttons — one to close the pop-up and another to change the password automatically. Tapping on the latter takes you to a new page with a confirmation sheet that states: “To help you complete tasks, Google will receive the URLs and contents of sites on which you use Assistant, as well as information you submit through Assistant. This information may be stored in your Google account. You can turn off Assistant in Chrome settings.”
Tapping on the ‘I agree’ button on the confirmation sheet will take you to the change password page for the service in question. The page also includes a sheet at the bottom to track progress as the Google Assistant generates a new password. After the Assistant generates a new password, you can accept it and save it to Chrome’s password manager. If you face any issues during the process, you can take over at any moment to change your password manually.
It’s worth noting that this feature first rolled out to a handful of users last November. It now appears to be rolling out more widely. If you’ve not received it already, it should reach your device in the next couple of days.
What do you think of this new Assistant-powered feature in Chrome for Android? Do you think it’s useful, or would you rather change your compromised passwords manually? Let us know in the comments section below.
Samsung has started rolling out a fresh software update for the Galaxy Watch 4. While you’d expect the update to finally bring Google Assistant support to the Wear OS smartwatches, sadly, that’s not the case. Instead, the update only packs some system stability improvements and the latest security patches.
According to user reports on Reddit, the latest software update for the Galaxy Watch 4 (firmware version R8x0XXU1FVD4) has already started reaching users. It measures around 100MB and brings system stability and reliability improvements. As shown in the attached screenshot, the changelog also states that the update applies stabilization codes for watch operation. But we’re not sure what that means.
In addition, Samsung’s website states that the software update bumps the Galaxy Watch 4 to the May 2022 security patch level. Unfortunately, the changelog makes no mention of Google Assistant support, and users who have installed the update confirm that the feature is nowhere to be seen. Therefore, we’ll likely have to wait a few more weeks for Samsung to finally roll out Google Assistant support to its Wear OS smartwatches.
If you’re not in the loop, the changelog for the previous software update for the Verizon variants of the Galaxy Watch 4 included mentions of Google Assistant support. However, the update did not enable the feature when it reached users. Verizon promptly removed all mentions of Google Assistant from the changelog soon after it was first spotted. A few days later, Samsung published a new ad highlighting Google Assistant on its Wear OS smartwatches, leading many to believe that Google Assistant support would finally go live with the following update. But, it’s still not live in the latest software release.
Currently, the latest Galaxy Watch 4 update appears to be rolling out to users in the US. But it should reach users in other regions over the coming days.
Have you received the update on your Galaxy Watch 4? Let us know in the comments section below.
Universal Flash Storage has become hugely popular among Android smartphones. Not too long ago, UFS was only found in flagships and higher-end mid-range phones. But as the technology has become cheaper, it has largely replaced eMMC across budget and affordable mid-range smartphones as the flash storage of choice. UFS 3.1 was announced in 2020 and is the fastest storage solution currently available to Android smartphones. But now it’s time for an upgrade.
On Tuesday, Samsung Semiconductor officially announced UFS 4.0, the next iteration of Universal Flash Storage. UFS 4.0 promises big performance improvements over its predecessors, UFS 3.0/3.1. For one, the new standard offers a speed of up to 23.2Gbps per lane. That’s twice as fast compared to UFS 3.1’s 11.6Gbps speed.
BREAKING: Samsung has developed the industry’s highest performing Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.0 storage solution, which has received JEDEC® board of director approval. What is UFS 4.0 and what does it mean for the future of storage? Read on to learn more. pic.twitter.com/4Wxdu0J2PD
— Samsung Semiconductor (@SamsungDSGlobal) May 3, 2022
Read and write performance also see a big boost, with Samsung promising sequential read speeds of up to 4,200 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 2,800 MB/s. This is made possible thanks to Samsung’s 7th Gen V-NAND and a proprietary controller. At the same time, UFS 4.0 is also much more power-efficient, offering 46% improved power efficiency over the previous standard.
UFS 4.0 is based on the newest JEDEC standard specification, and while it’s primarily aimed at smartphones, it’s also expected to be adopted by AR, VR, and automotive applications.
UFS 4.0 chips will come in even compact packages and will be available in multiple storage capacities up to 1TB. Samsung says UFS 4.0 will enter mass production in Q3 2022. That means we can expect the first batch of smartphones with UFS 4.0 storage to hit the market later this year or early 2023.
iQOO recently unveiled two new smartphones in India: the iQOO Z6 44W and iQOO Z6 Pro. Both phones give you a bang for your buck, offering impressive specs at affordable prices. The iQOO Z6 44W is an affordable, budget-friendly offering, while the iQOO Z6 Pro is more premium and caters to the mid-range segment. Both models are now on sale on Amazon India with some exciting launch offers.
The iQOO Z6 44W sports a 6.44-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 680 SoC, 4GB/6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage, a 50MP + 2MP + 2MP camera setup, and a 5,000mAh battery with 44W fast charging support. It comes equipped with an in-display fingerprint scanner and runs Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box.
iQOO Z6 Pro
The iQOO Z6 Pro is a premium mid-ranger, packing a 6.44-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, coupled with 6GB/8GB/12GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage.
On the back, the phone flaunts a triple camera setup, featuring a 64MP main shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro lens. The iQOO Z6 Pro also packs a VC liquid cooling system that claims to reduce the CPU temperature by 12 degrees. And it also has a Z-axis linear motor for a more immersive haptic feedback in games. Rounding up the spec sheet is a 4,700mAh battery with 66W fast charging support, an in-display fingerprint scanner, Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5.2, and 5G connectivity.
iQOO Z6 44W and iQOO Z6 Pro pricing & availability
The iQOO Z6 44W is now available for purchase on Amazon India at an introductory price of ₹13,999. The 6GB/128GB model is priced at ₹15,499, while the 8GB/128GB variant will set you back ₹16,999. To make the deal even sweeter, Amazon is offering a ₹1000 discount coupon which you can apply at the checkout, while ICICI credit card owners can avail an additional ₹1000 discount. The iQOO Z6 Pro, on the other hand, will go on sale at an introductory price of ₹23,999 for the base model and ₹24,999 for the 8GB/128GB model. ICICI credit card owners get a ₹3000 instant discount, while Amazon is offering a ₹1000 discount coupon as well.
