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Sixty percent of smartphones will have glass backs by 2020

Prepare for fragile fingerprint magnets

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What is your phone made of? Until recently, the smartphone market was synonymous with the aluminum market. Everyone loved metal on their phones. Coming from a tacky plastic binge, phones desperately needed the premium vibe that metal exuded. Spearheaded by Apple, makers attached the material to their entire lineups.

As we know now, 2018 popularized an entirely different beast — the glass back. At the time of this writing, the vast majority of smartphone makers already offer a form of glass architecture: Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, OnePlus, and OPPO. Pioneered by Samsung’s Galaxy S6, the trend sputtered to life slowly. Now, the glass revolution is well underway.

According to analysts at Counterpoint, the glass smartphone will take over 60 percent of the entire market by 2020. As of 2018, the material pervades only 26 percent of the market. By next year, the number will jump up to 41 percent.

The escalation is a marked surprise. Previously, the trend’s beginnings were only at 7 percent and 13 percent from 2016 to 2017, respectively. In just four years, the material skyrocketed from minority to market domination. By 2018, more than half of smartphones will rock glass backs.

Leading the pack, Apple already uses glass backs for 64 percent of its lineup. Additionally, Samsung, despite pioneering the trend, uses glass for only 36 percent of its lineup. (Although, the brand’s more vertical product structure might have contributed to that.)

Despite the trend’s exponential growth, glass has had its fair share of controversies. Currently, OnePlus 6 users are constantly reporting glass breakages, despite not dropping their phones. Moreover, glass is a notorious fingerprint magnet without a protective case.

Logistically, manufacturing glass backs costs less than metal ones. Theoretically, the material also helps with better connectivity and optimized wireless charging. However, since the trend is still in its early stages, additional developments will have to wait.

Of course, if you want to cash in on this trend, buy yourself a good protective case.

SEE ALSO: Corning promises stronger cover glass with Gorilla Glass 6

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iPhone 17 Pro Max is somehow the most traded-in phone today

All of the recent Pro Max models are sitting at the top, too.

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For a lot of people, reselling or trading-in is the natural end of their time with an iPhone. After all, an iPhone is too expensive to leave lying stagnant in a drawer. Now, this usually happens years after a phone fully lives out its usefulness. However, the new iPhone 17 Pro Max has somehow claimed the top spot as the most traded-in phone today.

According to reports organized by SellCell, a surprising number of people are reselling their iPhone 17 Pro Max. Today, 11.5 percent of trade-ins are of the current generation’s most premium model. The next models, the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, all sit between 7.2 percent and 7.3 percent apiece. This is a staggering growth, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max was sitting at only 5.1 percent of trade-ins in late November.

There’s no confirmed reason as to why people are trading their premium models so early into the model’s lifecycle. However, if it’s any indication, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has the lowest depreciation for a premium iPhone model, when compared to its predecessors in the same time frame.

Given that the resale value of a new iPhone 17 Pro Max is still pretty high today, it’s possible that users aren’t completely satisfied with the model and opted to trade in their new phones for something more manageable. After all, the new phone is as premium as they come. It’s also as large as they come.

That said, it’s certainly an odd tidbit that the most premium iPhone is the one that people are dumping the most.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi 17 Pro Max takes a jab at Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max

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vivo V70 launched globally, introduces 4K 60fps, OriginOS 6, more

Comes with powerful ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

The vivo V70 has officially been launched globally, and will soon roll out gradually across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and other markets.

The company’s latest V series mid-ranger features helpful tools for travel, concerts, and other occasions, with its familiar 50MP ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera, AI Stage Mode, 4K 60fps video, and AI-powered editing tools.

A refined design also features aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame, rounded corners, and a flat 6.59-inch 1.5K OLED display in front. The back, meanwhile, has AG glass for scratch resistance.

Available colors are Golden Hour, Alpine Gray, Sandalwood Brown, Canary Yellow, and Authentic Black.

In addition, the vivo V70 debuts the new OriginOS 6 out of the box for enhanced performance and security.

Pro-grade telephoto camera

The vivo V70’s 50MP ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera has a pro-grade, 1/1.95-inch sensor and OIS for sharper shots in low-light and challenging conditions.

Its advanced periscope design also allows for higher zoom levels without adding bulk.

This shooter is coupled with a 1/1.56-inch 50MP ZEISS main camera. There is also an 8MP ZEISS ultra-wide angle camera and a 50MP ZEISS Group Selfie Camera.

The new device comes with a new AI Stage Mode, tuned for stage photography.

Shots are enhanced by AI Image Portrait Enhancement Algorithm and AI Style Portrait Technology.

This way, users can achieve 10x zoom for crisp stage photos.

As with previous iterations of the V series, the latest handset is also equipped with ZEISS Multifocal Portrait, along with options like 85mm ZEISS Sonnar Style Bokeh or 100mm Close-Up Portrait in ZEISS Planar Style.

And for the first time in the V series, the phone introduces 4K 60fps video for cinematic and smooth captures.

AI Audio Noise Eraser, meanwhile, offers an additional layer of creative control fo post-editing.

Other AI-powered editing tools include AI Magic Weather, AI Magic Landscape, AI Retouch, AI Erase, AI Magic Move, AI Image Expander, and AI Color Adjustment.

The cameras are arranged in a flagship metallic camera module for a smooth, clean, and understated look.

Smarter, more intuitive

Powered by OriginOS 6, the V70 brings a smarter performance through deep AI integration.

Along with a fully rebuilt infrastructure and Origin Smooth Engine, the system looks, feels, and stays smooth while allowing multi-scenario connectivity.

The OS also introduces Origin Island, a dynamic capsule at the top of the screen.

The phone also supports cross-device transfer, including with supported iPhone models.

Inside is a 6,500mAh BlueVolt battery with 90W FlashCharge. Other features include Dual-Bridge Signal Concurrency for optimized network even in congested environments.

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Osmo Pocket 4 makes a surprising appearance in public

Is the built-in light real?

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The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 might be the most popular camera in recent history. The tiny action camera constantly sells out, thanks to creators and would-be vloggers. Because of the current generation’s popularity, everyone is looking forward to the next-generation Osmo Pocket 4. Though it’s still unannounced, the new camera has suddenly made a surprising appearance out in the wild.

The leak shockingly comes from an authorized DJI retailer in Kuala Lumpur. Supposedly, a customer entered the store with what they claimed was an Osmo Pocket 4. The store, DronesKaki, even shot a now-deleted video of the unannounced camera, rescued by New Camera.

Based solely on the short video, the Osmo Pocket 4 looks and feels very familiar to those who’ve already used the Pocket 3. The three-axis gimbal system still keeps shots in place for taking videos while on the move. The 2-inch rotating screen looks identical to the current one, especially because of intuitive settings and controls.

However, the biggest standout is the built-in LED light sitting atop the camera. Despite how convenient and easy to use it is, the Pocket 3 doesn’t exactly shine in low-light conditions, prompting users to always bring an external flash. If the leak is true, the Osmo Pocket 4 cures this issue to some extent. (Built-in flashes aren’t usually standout solutions, but they can work in a pinch.)

Still, take the leak with a grain of salt. Though the store could have deleted the video because of a request from DJI, they could have also deleted it because it’s not the Osmo Pocket 4. At this point, we won’t know, but current rumors speculate that the camera is launching soon.

SEE ALSO: DJI Osmo Action 6 review: An adventurer’s best friend

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