In case you missed events and exciting news from the world of Android this week, check out this roundup of top stories so you’re all caught up with everything Android.
In the first week of the new year, Samsung made its presence felt with the new Galaxy S21 FE featuring flagship-tier specifications on the inside at a modest price. Xiaomi also launched the Xiaomi 11i and 11i HyperCharge models in India with support for 65W and 120W fast charging, respectively, making the latter one of the fastest-charging phones on the market today. Meanwhile, the specifications and design of the upcoming Honor Magic V foldable smartphone leaked ahead of the smartphone’s launch.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Makes Debut with Snapdragon 888 Chip
This week, Samsung launched its much-anticipated Galaxy S21 FE. The phone is marketed as an improved version of the Galaxy S21 at a more affordable price point. It features a flagship-tier Snapdragon 888 SoC, a triple-camera setup on the rear, and a Contour-Cut frame design borrowed from the Galaxy S21. The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to feature an Exynos 2100 processor in some markets.
The phone will offer Samsung’s One UI 4.0 based on Android 12 from the factory, along with IP68 water resistance certification, reverse wireless charging capability, and a 120Hz AMOLED display. However, the phone’s retail packaging will not include a charging brick. The phone starts at $944 for the 6GB/128GB configuration and can be optioned in four colors with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge Launched with Support for 120W Fast Charging
This week, Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 11i 5G and the 11i HyperCharge 5G in India. The latter packs support for 120W fast charging, and a compatible fast charger comes included in the retail box. These smartphones appear to be rebranded Redmi Note 11 Pro+ models that launched in China last year and should not be confused with the Mi 11i models sold as the Mi 11X in India.
The company claims that the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge model can be fully recharged in under 15 minutes. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC mated with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It is available for a starting price of $360. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 11i supports 65W fast charging and can be purchased for a starting price of $335. The only fundamental difference between the models is the supported fast charging wattage, battery capacity, and overall weight.
Honor Magic V Foldable’s Specs Leaked Ahead of Launch
Honor is set to debut its latest flagship foldable smartphone, the Magic V, on January 10. However, the phone’s key specifications and design renders have leaked ahead of its launch. A report claimed that the phone would be available in three color variants with different texture finishes. The design renders also revealed a giant triple-camera setup on the back. All those cameras are said to have 50MP sensors.
In terms of the specifications, the Honor Magic V is rumored to have a 6.45-inch OLED cover display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate and a 7.9-inch foldable screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and include up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Other nice-to-haves include total weight of just 293 grams and speakers that support DTS Audio.
Other Top Android Stories This Week:
- Vivo V23 Launched with Unique Color-Changing Glass Back, Dual Front Cameras
- Patent Suggests Google Pixel Could Eventually Get Under-Display Selfie Camera
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