smartphones
Gadgets
Plans for an in-person MWC continue as Sony, Nokia and Ericsson out bow
After scuttling one massive international trade show last year, the GSMA is sticking to plans for an in-person Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this June — just without a few marquee names. A handful of companies, including Oracle, smartphone maker Sony, and networking firms Nokia and Ericsson, have all confirmed that they will not be attending the show in the flesh.
This isn’t the first time the GSMA has put on an in-person event during the pandemic — it held a Mobile World Congress in Shanghai in late February, with a spate of virtual panels and addresses supplementing the on-the-ground experience. According to a statement provided to Bloomberg, around 17,000 people attended the Shanghai event and no positive COVID diagnoses have been reported so far, though it’s worth noting that many of the attendees didn’t have to travel internationally to attend.
To help mitigate risk, the show organizer is planning a similar online component to accommodate remote attendees this summer, and plans to host a significantly smaller number of people on-site in Barcelona: think 50,000, down from the more than 100,000 who typically attend.
Compounding the difficulties of running an in-person trade show are the strict travel restrictions still in effect around the world. The website for the US Embassy in Spain and Andorra tells would-be attendees that entry into the country is not allowed unless they meet “very specific requirements or have already obtained special permission from the Government of Spain.” And at time of publication, residents of the UK, Brazil, and South Africa are barred from entering Spain until March 30th. That ban had already been extended, and may well be extended again — at the time, Spanish officials expressed concern over more virulent COVID strains finding a foothold in the country. (Considering the possibility that MWC could be a superspreader event, Engadget will not be attending the show.)
Despite the GSMA’s insistence that a safe, in-person show is possible, some companies that have historically used Mobile World Congress as a launchpad for new products have spent the last year figuring out how to go it alone. Samsung, for instance, staged multiple virtual launch events for its high-profile smartphones in 2020 and plans to host another next week. Huawei ferried reporters to a warehouse in London in luxury cars, where they tested the then-new Mate 40 Pro without ever leaving their vehicles. Factor in a bevy of announcements from MWC mainstays like Oppo and ZTE at the earlier Shanghai event, and we’re left with one big question: even if Mobile World Congress isn’t ultimately canceled this year, will there even be any major announcements to look forward to?
Gadgets
iPhone 12 mini 'production cut' hints demand was less than hoped
Apple is slashing production of the iPhone 12 mini through the first six months of the year, according to Nikkei. The company will reportedly produce at least 70 percent fewer units than it initially planned. That will account for most of a 20 percent drop in overall planned iPhone 12 production until June.
Apple is even said to have told some suppliers to temporarily stop making specific parts for the iPhone 12 mini. Some other components have been reapportioned for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Even with the cuts, Apple is still on track to make more iPhones this year than it did in 2020. Nikkei suggests the company plans to manufacture 75 million units in the first six months and 230 million handsets in total, representing an overall increase of 11.6 percent. This is reportedly to help Apple get ahead of possible parts shortages as well as possible economic recovery (and more people perhaps having enough spare cash to buy a new phone).
The report backs up previous suggestions that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini isn't selling all that well. Although the iPhone 11 is a year older than the 2020 lineup, it offers superior battery life to the iPhone 12 mini and it costs $100 less. That, aligned with the fact many people are opting for phones with larger screens, could be one reason why the iPhone 12 mini seemingly isn't selling as much as Apple would have hoped.
Gadgets
The OnePlus 8 is $100 off before OnePlus 8T launch
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Chris Velazco / Engadget
OnePlus is gearing up to launch its next flagship in October, so it’s no surprise that prices for the existing generation are starting to fall. The OnePlus 8 is currently $100 off on Amazon and the company’s own website, with the 128GB model now going for $599 instead of $699. The 256GB configuration is now $699 instead of $799, and this appears to be the only model available on Amazon at the moment.
The OnePlus 8 Pro, which is one of our favorite Android phones this year, is similarly discounted, though only the 256GB option is available on Amazon and the company’s website. For the original $900 starting price, the OnePlus 8 Pro offers a 6.78-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED screen with a hole punch cutout for its selfie camera. The display refreshes at a speedy 120Hz for smooth scrolling and animations at that higher resolution, compared to Samsung’s version on the S20 Ultra and Note 20s, which only support 120Hz at 1080p.
You’ll also get a capable Snapdragon 865 processor, a triple camera system with a 48-megapixel main sensor and ultrawide lens as well as a less-sharp telephoto option. With specs that rival Samsung’s S-series, the OnePlus 8 line had price tags to match at launch. Now that they’re $100 cheaper, it might be a good time to pick one up if you were put off by the cost before. Those who want the latest and greatest specs might prefer to wait till Oct. 14th to see what the company’s next flagship might bring.
In this article: oneplus, oneplus 8, oneplus 8t, oneplus 8 pro, smartphones, android, thebuyersguide, news, gear
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