Smartphones

iPhone 12’s 5G feature is useless for most users, analysts say

At least for the next few years

Published

October 13, 2020

Luigi Leonardo

It’s been a long time coming. Finally, Apple is unveiling the much-awaited, much-delayed iPhone 12 series tomorrow. Besides a flurry of new specs, the upcoming flagships will tout the first 5G compatibility for the long-running series. However, according to analysts, the iPhone 12’s 5G feature is useless for most users.

Reported by Reuters, a few analysts have already weighed in on the unannounced smartphones, particularly about the aforementioned 5G connectivity. Ever since the first rumors popped up, the iPhone 12 series has consistently drummed up hype for Apple’s 5G hardware. Today, a lot of smartphones have already included “5G readiness” as a selling point. Naturally, Apple wants to join the fight.

However, according to Strategy Analytics’s Boris Metodiev, owning the 5G-ready iPhone 12 is “like having a Ferrari… but using it in your local village and you can’t drive to up to 200 miles per hour, simply because the roads cannot maintain those speeds.”

Though the analyst is focusing on American telcos, the same holds true for most countries today wherein true 5G connectivity remains a dream. Except outliers like South Korea, most people cannot enjoy the new 5G feature yet. (In fact, a few countries don’t even get consistent 4G connectivity.) According to other analysts, it will likely take years before the promise of blazing-fast 5G becomes a reality.

Additionally, countries with adequate 5G — like South Korea and China — are already saturated with competing brands — like Samsung and Huawei, respectively.

The message is clear. 5G just isn’t that important of a smartphone feature yet. It’s too early to become enamored with a smartphone maker’s promise of 5G connectivity.

Of course, owning the latest 5G-ready smartphone has one specific draw: futureproofing. If you’re keeping the iPhone 12 (or any other 5G-ready smartphone) for several years, the 5G feature might be worth it. However, if you’re the type to change smartphones every one or two years, 5G connectivity isn’t vital yet.

Reviews

OnePlus 11 Review: Flagship Killer is Back!

Premium, but not overpriced

Published

February 9, 2023

GadgetMatch

After frustrations and disappointment from its solid fanbase, it seems like OnePlus has finally addressed it by going back to their roots.

The new OnePlus 11 may look just like any other Android flagship out there, but they finally brought the price below the US$ 700 mark.

Even without the “Pro” branding, you get “Pro-grade” hardware such as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and a super fast 80W SuperVOOC charging.

Alongside the Hasselblad partnership, you still get that specially-made color processing algorithm for your photos.

But with all the good stuff, there are also compromises.

Are you willing to sacrifice those for the newest OnePlus flagship experience?

Watch our in-depth OnePlus 11 review to find out more!

News

Galaxy S23 series has a secret feature for gamers

Might not be widely available

Published

February 8, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Mobile gaming has a natural setback: battery life. Though mobile games easily entice users to spend hours and hours playing, a smartphone’s battery can just as easily cut a long gaming session short. One way to get past this limitation is to play while charging. However, another unintended drawback is the additional heat from charging the battery. Giving gamers a convenient reprieve, the Galaxy S23 has a secret feature to do away with battery heat.

First spotted by NL Tech (via 9to5Google), the new Galaxy S23 series can reportedly redirect power from the charger to bypass the battery entirely. Instead, the power will fuel the power directly. Though the feature (called “Pause USB Power Delivery” and found through the Game Booster menu) won’t necessarily improve performance for gaming, it will stop the battery from heating up, ensuring comfort for long sessions while in bed. Since the phone stops using power to charge the battery, the charger will use up less electricity.

Naturally, using the feature will halt charging entirely, so if you desperately need juice, it won’t do anything. Additionally, the feature will not turn on if your smartphone’s battery is below 20 percent.

Of note, Samsung has not officially announced such a feature. It is reportedly unavailable in some regions including the United States. It might be in its early stages, on a staggered rollout, or a regional exclusive. Still, it’s a useful feature for gamers who want more comfort for their gaming sessions.

Accessories

OnePlus 11 series launches internationally

With OnePlus Pad and OnePlus Buds Pro 2

Published

February 7, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Last month, OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus 11 series in China. A China-exclusive launch usually means a global launch is on the horizon. That’s just what OnePlus did today in New York. While the surprise was already spoiled last month, the brand still had a good share of surprises. Besides the international launch of the OnePlus 11 series, take a look at the new OnePlus Pad and the OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro.

OnePlus 11 5G

As revealed last month, the OnePlus 11 5G is one of the first smartphones this year to tout the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The smartphone comes with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. Plus, everything is made even better with a 6.7-inch LTPO 3.0 2K AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.

Behind everything, the OnePlus 11 touts its black-hole-inspired camera bump. The setup features three shooters: a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 32-megapixel telephoto shooter, and a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera. It also has a 16-megapixel selfie shooter.

Underneath everything is a 5000mAh battery, capable of 100W wired charging.

OnePlus Buds Pro 2

Touting the MelodyBoost Dual Drivers co-created with Dynaudio, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 expands its capabilities in the lower frequencies to deliver richer bass. Plus, it also has an equalizer crafted by award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.

It is also the first TWS earbuds to adopt Android 13’s spatial audio, making the pair a perfect device for YouTube and Disney+. With TUV-certified Smart Adaptive Noise Cancelling, the wearable can filter up to 48dB of noise from your environment — which users can customize with a transparency mode.

Finally, OnePlus says that a single charge can last up to 39 hours with the case.

OnePlus Pad

One of the new surprises for this event, the OnePlus Pad is the brand’s first flagship foray into the tablet market. The new tablet sports the Dimensity 9000 chipset, featuring the Cortex-X2 core clocking in at 3.05GHz of performance. It also comes with 12GB of RAM.

Outside the tablet’s impressive hardware, the OnePlus Pad comes with an 11.61-inch screen with 144Hz refresh rate. With a large 9510mAh battery, the tablet can reportedly last up to 12 hours while watching videos and up to a month on standby.

OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81

Finally, rounding out the brand’s efforts to expand its ecosystem, the OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 is the brand’s first mechanical keyboard. Built with Keychron technology, users can fully customize the keyboard according to their needs.

Price and availability

Both the OnePlus 11 5G and the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 will start accepting preorders today. The devices will start shipping out on February 16.

The OnePlus 11 5G comes in Titan Black and Eternal Green. The smartphone will start at US$ 699 for the 8GB/128GB variant and will go up to US$ 799 for the 16GB/256GB variant.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro will come in Obsidian Black and Arbor Green. It will sell for US$ 179.