Smartphones

❤ iPhone iOs 16.2 some features

Galaxy Expert December 14, 2022 Apple, Apple 5G, Apple iOs, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone 5G, Apple User Guide, Culture, Featured, iOS, iPhone, iPhone 5G, iPhone iOs, iPhone User Guide, Lifestyle, News, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Software, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Apple, Apple iOs 16.2, Apple iOs 16.2 Features, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone iOs 16.2, Apple iPhone iOs 16.2 Features, Apple iPhone repair, Apple iPhone Repair Costs, Apple iPhone Screen Replacement Costs, Apple iPhone Sydney CBD Repairs, Apple Repair, Apple Repair Costs, Apple Screen Replacement Costs, Apple Sydney CBD Repairs, iPhone, iPhone iOs 16.2, iPhone iOs 16.2 Features, iphone repair, iPhone Repair Costs, iPhone Screen Replacement Costs, iPhone Sydney CBD Repairs

How to enable ‘More Frequent Updates’ for Live Activities in iOS 16.2

A neat under-the-radar feature coming to iPhone with iOS 16.2 is the ability to customize Live Activities for “More Frequent Updates.” But even though the capability is valuable, you may not want it turned on for all available apps, more on that below. Here’s how to enable Live Activities more frequent updates on iPhone.

New Live Activities customization when the initial iOS 16.2 beta was released – which was before the feature showed up in Settings.

Now in the iOS 16.2 RC and public release that’s expected this week, you can find the toggle to turn on Live Activities “More Frequent Updates” on iPhone.

Here’s how Apple describes it: “Allowing more frequent updates lets you see more real time information, but can drain your battery faster.”

How to enable Live Activities more frequent updates on iPhone

Make sure you’re running iOS 16.2 (install the free beta if you don’t want to wait)
Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Swipe down and choose an app with Live Activities support (using the TV app below)
- Note: developers need to build support for the feature, so it may take time for the option to show up for third-party apps after the public iOS 16.2 release
Choose Live Activities
Tap the toggle next to More Frequent Updates
- Live Activities will need to be allowed to see the new option
Using the feature will drain your battery faster, so you may want to be careful how many apps you turn it on for

Here’s how it looks to find the feature for Apple’s TV app:

While the “More Frequent Updates” Live Activities option is showing up for Apple’s own TV app, I haven’t seen it show up yet for a third-party app. Expect developers to launch support for it over the coming weeks.

Interestingly, in the iOS 16.2 RC, More Frequent Updates is turned on by default for Apple’s TV app.

How to turn on end-to-end encryption for iMessage, iCloud, iPhone backups in iOS 16.2

Apple is launching a big security enhancement with iOS 16.2 that brings the long-requested feature of full encryption for iMessage in iCloud, iPhone backups, and eight other apps/categories. As part of the process, you’ll need to set up a recovery contact/key – here’s how to turn on iPhone end-to-end encryption for iMessage, iCloud, device backups, Notes, Safari, Photos, and more.

While end-to-end encryption (E2E) has been already present for Apple’s Messages, iCloud Keychain, Health data, and more, the update brings E2E to your Messages Backup (Messages in iCloud) your iPhone iCloud backup, iCloud Drive, Notes, Photos, Reminders, Safari Bookmarks, Siri Shortcuts, Voice Memos, and Wallet Passes. Read more on the fine details in our full coverage and Apple’s support document.

How to turn on iPhone end-to-encryption for iMessage, iCloud backups

Make sure you’re running iOS 16.2 (install the free beta if you don’t want to wait)
- You’ll also need to update your Mac, iPad, HomePods, etc. to the latest update to use the feature
Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Tap your name at the top
Now choose iCloud
Swipe to the bottom and tap Advanced Data Protection
Tap Turn On Advanced Data Protection
- If you don’t have a recovery contact or recovery key set up, you’ll be prompted to do that first
If you just finished setting up a recovery contact/key, head back to Settings app > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection and tap Turn On Advanced Data Protection
Follow the prompts
You may be asked to update your other devices signed into your iCloud account before you can enable the end-to-end encryption (E2E)
- Alternatively, you can remove devices that are on old software to move forward with the process

Here’s how the process looks to turn on iPhone end-to-end encryption with Advanced Data Protection:

If you don’t have a recovery contact or key set up already, you’ll do that first:

After finishing the recovery contact/key setup, head back to the Advanced Data Protection screen and tap “Turn On Advanced Data Protection”.

One more thing to keep in mind, you may need to update your other Apple devices to the newest release to enable end-to-end encryption – or need to remove them from the main Apple ID screen in the Settings app.

What do you think about end-to-end encryption coming to Messages in iCloud, backups, and more? Will you be turning the feature on? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Hands-on: How to use Apple Music Sing karaoke feature in iOS 16.2

After announcing its fun new karaoke feature yesterday, Apple Music Sing is live with the iOS 16.2 RC build. Follow along for a hands-on look at how to use Apple Music Sing karaoke including adjusting vocal volume, seeing the Duet view, and more.

iOS 16.2 is currently finishing its testing as a developer and public beta. The release candidate was made available today, so it won’t be long until it’s released to the public.

However, if you don’t want to wait for Apple Music Sing and other great features like a customizable always-on display for iPhone 14 Pro, major end-to-end encryption update, and more, you can learn how to install the free public beta in our full explainer:

What Apple Music Sing offers

Adjustable vocals: Users now have control over a song’s vocal levels. They can sing with the original artist vocals, take the lead, or mix it up on millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog.
Real-time lyrics: Users can sing along to their favorite songs with animated lyrics that dance to the rhythm of the vocals.
Background vocals: Vocal lines sung simultaneously can animate independently from the main vocals to make it easier for users to follow.
Duet view: Multiple vocalists show on opposite sides of the screen to make duets or multi-singer tracks easy to sing along to.

How to use Apple Music Sing karaoke feature in iOS 16.2

Make sure you’re running the iOS 16.2 RC
On your iPhone, open Apple Music and find a song you want to listen to
- Apple Music Sing is also available on recent iPads and the Apple TV 4K (not on older Apple TV hardware)
- Compatible devices include iPhone 11 and later, iPad 9/10, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 4/5, M1 and M2 iPad Pro
After starting a song, tap the lyrics button (quotation mark icon) in the bottom left corner
Now look for the microphone + stars icon (non-compatible songs won’t show the icon)
After tapping the mic, Apple Sing is turned on
Now you can drag to adjust the vocal volume and sing along with the beat-by-beat lyrics
Tap the Sing icon to turn the feature off

Here’s how it looks to use Apple Music Sing:

For songs that include duets, you’ll see the special view automatically kick in with the different parts on the left and right sides of the screen:

What songs work with Apple Music Sing?

Apple hasn’t shared exactly what songs are compatible with Apple Music Sing
But the feature is launching with support for “tens of millions of songs”
For now, you’ll have to listen to a song and tap the lyrics button to see if it works with the Apple Music Sing karaoke feature
The feature is a bit buggy for some users at the moment with the pre-launch in the iOS 16.2 RC – e.g. the button showing up and disappearing for songs

❤ Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 rolling out to Pixel phones

Galaxy Expert December 13, 2022 Android, Android 13, Android 5G, Android OS, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Google, Lifestyle, News, Pixel, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Software, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Android, Android 13, Android 13 QPR2, Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1, Google Pixel, Google Pixel Repair Costs, Google Pixel Screen Replacement Costs, Google Pixel Sydney CBD Repairs, Google Repair, Google Repair Costs, Google Repair Pixel, Google Screen Replacement Costs, Google Sydney CBD Repairs, Google+, Pixel, Pixel Repair, Pixel Repair Costs, Pixel Screen Replacement Costs, Pixel Sydney CBD Repairs

With QPR1 now stable, Google is rolling out Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 as the next sizable Pixel update that will be released in March.

There should only be two Quarterly Platform Release betas for Android 13 if what Google telegraphed in August stands. Like QPR1, that should mean three QPR2 betas with a stable launch in March 2023 and a relatively bug-free experience for those that sign-up via the Android Beta Program.

If you’re still part of the Beta Program from testing Android 13 QPR1 you can unenroll from google.com/android/beta without a device wipe if you have not yet installed QPR2 Beta 1.

If you have already updated, leaving the program will result in a wipe and your next opportunity to exit without losing data will be in March after the stable launch of Android 13 QPR2.

The Android Beta Feedback app is available on Pixel phones to submit problems. You can access it from the app drawer or via Quick Settings to file bugs in the Google issue tracker, while the Android Beta community is on Reddit.

The following known issues exist:

Android Platform

The list of Recent apps sometimes becomes unresponsive if the screen orientation is changed while the list is open.
In some cases when entering and exiting Picture-in-picture (PiP) mode from an app after changing the screen orientation, the system Settings app crashes with a “Settings keeps stopping” message and then the system Settings app can’t be opened.
An issue with the System UI can sometimes cause the Home screen to become unresponsive.

Google Apps

After switching back to Normal video capture mode from Slow Motion mode in the Google Camera app, the app continues capturing slow-motion video if the capture speed was changed between the 1/8x and 1/4x while in Slow Motion mode.

Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 system images are available for the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. as well as in the Android Emulator.

Most users will be installing Beta 1 (T2B1.221118.006) with the December security patch from the Android Beta Program website. You can expect an OTA update in the coming hours. If you need help, here’s our full guide on installing Android 13.

Pixel 7 Pro: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 7: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 6a: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 6 Pro: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 6: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 5a: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 5: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 4a 5G: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA
Pixel 4a: Android 13 — TP1A — Factory Image — OTA

❤ Apple no longer signing iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.1.1 ahead of iOS 16.2 launch

Galaxy Expert December 12, 2022 Apple, Apple 5G, Apple iOs, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone 5G, Apple User Guide, Culture, Featured, iOS, iPhone, iPhone 5G, iPhone iOs, iPhone User Guide, Lifestyle, News, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Software, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Apple, Apple iOS 16, Apple iOS 16.2 launch, Apple iOS16, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone iOs 16, Apple iPhone iOS 16.2 launch, Apple iPhone iOs16, Apple iPhone repair, Apple iPhone Repair Costs, Apple iPhone Screen Replacement Costs, Apple iPhone Sydney CBD Repairs, Apple no longer signing iOS 16.1, Apple no longer signing iOS 16.1.1, Apple Repair, Apple Repair Costs, Apple Screen Replacement Costs, Apple Sydney CBD Repairs, iOs 16, iOS 16.2 launh, iOs16, iPhone, iPhone iOs 16, iPhone iOS 16.2 launch, iPhone iOs16, iphone repair, iPhone Repair Costs, iPhone Screen Replacement Costs, iPhone Sydney CBD Repairs

Following the release of iOS 16.1.2 on November 30, Apple has now stopped signing both iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.1.1. This means that iPhone and iPad users can no longer downgrade from iOS 16.1.2 or newer versions of the operating system.

iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.1.1 no longer signed by Apple

iOS 16.1 was released in October with multiple new features and enhancements, such as iCloud Shared Photo Library, Fitness+ for iPhone users, Live Activities, and more. iOS 16.1.1 came in November with bug fixes and security improvements.

Then, on November 30, Apple released iOS 16.1.2 to enhance the iPhone 14’s Crash Detection feature and also improve wireless carrier compatibility. This is the latest version of iOS officially available to users at the moment.

At the same time, Apple is about to release iOS 16.2 to the public in the next few days. The update will add the new Freeform app, improvements to the Home app, new Always-on options for iPhone 14 Pro users, Apple Music Sing, and more.

Reverting to older iOS builds is often used by those who jailbreak their iPhones and iPads. However, there are no signs of any jailbreak tools for iOS 16 being developed at this point. Restoring an Apple device to a previous version of iOS can also sometimes be helpful for users who experience significant bugs after upgrading to the latest version of iOS.

Downgrade from iOS 16 to iOS 15

While you can’t easily revert to iOS 16.1, you still have a chance to downgrade from iOS 16.1.2 to iOS 15. That’s because Apple is still providing security updates to users running iOS 15.7.1. Those who want to downgrade an iPhone or iPad must do so using a Mac or PC.

This is not the first time Apple has offered the option to let users stay on an older version of iOS. Last year, once iOS 15 became available, users could choose to stay on iOS 14 longer while Apple was still releasing security updates for it. However, the company removed this option a few months later.

After released iOS 16 to the public after months of beta testing. While some users have waited long for the new lock screen and other new features coming with the update, some may prefer to wait a little longer before installing iOS 16. This is why Apple is letting users stay on iOS 15, while still getting security updates before upgrading to iOS 16.

While iOS 16 is certainly the big news of the day, Apple also released iOS 15.7 for iPhone users today. The update doesn’t bring any major changes, but it does come with bug fixes and security enhancements, and users running iOS 15 now have the option to install iOS 15.7 or iOS 16.

At the time, Apple claimed that the option was always intended to be temporary, so something similar may happen this year. New iOS releases can cause incompatibilities with certain apps, so it’s normal that some users (especially enterprise users) prefer to wait a few weeks before installing the update.

How to stay on iOS 15.7

When you go to the Software Update menu in the Settings app, your iPhone will prominently show the iOS 15.7 update. “Upgrade to iOS 16” appears as an alternative option. Just choose the version you want to install and wait until the update process finishes. If you really don’t want to install iOS 16, you can disable automatic updates on your device.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad
Go to the General menu
Tap Software Update
Tap Automatic Updates
Disable the options to automatically download and install iOS updates

Of course, keep in mind that Apple may keep iOS 15 updated with security enhancements for a limited time. As for iPadOS 16, Apple had already confirmed that the update will be released separately in October.

It’s unclear how long iOS 15.7.1 will remain available as an alternative option to iOS 16.

❤ How to turn on Clear Calling on your Pixel 7, and why you should

Galaxy Expert December 8, 2022 Android, Android 5G, Android OS, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Google, Lifestyle, News, Pixel, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Clear Calling, Clear Calling on Google Pixel 7, Clear Calling on Pixel 7, Google Pixel 7, Google Repair, Google Repair Costs, Google Screen Replacement Costs, Google Sydney CBD Repairs, Google+, Pixel 7

Recently added in the December Pixel Feature Drop for the Pixel 7 series – and eventually for the Pixel 6 – Clear Calling is a feature that ensures people on the other end of your phone call can hear you almost perfectly. This guide will walk you through enabling it on your device, and why it might be a good idea.

In general, phone calls haven’t evolved much between phone numbers. Using basic radio waves, a phone call is a simple back-and-forth transaction with no surprising tech involved. Because of that, it can sometimes be difficult to get a clear and crisp call, no matter what side you’re on.

With Clear Calling, that changes. Using a network or Wi-Fi connection, the Pixel utilizes noise cancellation methods and a little AI and machine learning to determine what sounds need to be involved and what don’t. For instance, calls on busy streets with cars passing and people talking won’t result in your voice being drowned out.

The end product is a call that is free from background noises and interruptions for both callers.

How to enable Clear Calling

To get started, your Pixel 7 or 7 Pro needs to be completely up-to-date. The Clear Calling feature was brought to life in the latest Feature Drop update. Once you’re sure your Pixel 7 is completely updated, you should be able to enable clear calling pretty easily.

On your Pixel 7, head to the settings.
Head to Network & internet.
Tap Calls & SMS.
Under Wi-Fi calling, choose your main network.
Enable Wi-Fi calling.
Head back to the main settings page and tap Sound & vibration.
Find and hit Clear calling.
Toggle on Enable clear calling.

On your end, you won’t notice clear calling working, but as long as you have an internet connection of some sort, you can be confident the feature is working.

Because the feature is internet-dependent, you need to have Wi-Fi calling enabled. With that, you may find that calls fail when leaving an internet connection. This isn’t uncommon with Wi-Fi calling, but it’s something to be aware of.

Overall, Clear Calling is a great feature, especially for those on the other end of your phone calls. While you won’t hear the result of turning the feature on, you can be sure those who you call will be.

❤ Apple introduces Apple Music Sing

Galaxy Expert December 7, 2022 Apple, Apple 5G, Apple Music, Apple User Guide, Culture, Featured, Lifestyle, News, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, World Apple, apple music, Apple Music Sing, Apple Repair, Apple Repair Costs, Apple screen replacement, Apple Screen Replacement Costs, Apple Sydney CBD Repairs

Apple Music Sing will allow fans to sing along to their favorite songs and will be available to subscribers worldwide later this month.

Apple Music expands its world-class lyrics experience with a new feature for fans to easily sing along to tens of millions of songs. Apple announced Apple Music Sing, an exciting new feature that allows users to sing along to their favorite songs with adjustable vocals¹ and real-time lyrics. Apple Music Sing offers multiple lyric views to help fans take the lead, perform duets, sing backup, and more — all integrated within Apple Music’s unparalleled lyrics experience. Coupled with an ever-expanding catalog that features tens of millions of the world’s most singable songs, Apple Music Sing makes it fun and easy for anyone to participate, however and wherever they choose.

Apple Music Sing will be available later this month to Apple Music subscribers worldwide, and can be enjoyed on iPhone, iPad, and the new Apple TV 4K.

“Apple Music’s lyrics experience is consistently one of the most popular features on our service,”

said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “We already know our users all over the world love to follow along to their favorite songs, so we wanted to evolve this offering even further to enable even more engagement around music through singing. It’s really a lot of fun, our customers are going to love it.”

With adjustable vocals and real-time lyrics, Apple Music Sing gives fans more control and even more precise timing while they sing along to their favorite tunes.

Apple Music Sing includes:

Adjustable vocals: Users now have control over a song’s vocal levels. They can sing with the original artist vocals, take the lead, or mix it up on millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog.

Real-time lyrics: Users can sing along to their favorite songs with animated lyrics that dance to the rhythm of the vocals.

Background vocals: Vocal lines sung simultaneously can animate independently from the main vocals to make it easier for users to follow.

Duet view: Multiple vocalists show on opposite sides of the screen to make duets or multi-singer tracks easy to sing along to.

Apple Music will also be launching a suite of more than 50 dedicated companion playlists featuring all of the epic songs, duets, choruses, and anthems that have been compelling people all around the world to sing — fully optimized for the Apple Music Sing experience.

Availability

Apple Music Sing will be available later this month for Apple Music subscribers worldwide.²

Apple Music Sing will be available on all compatible iPhone and iPad models as well as the new Apple TV 4K.

❤ Apple releases iOS 16.2 beta 4 to developers and car key in Apple Wallet with Android users, starting with Google Pixel

Galaxy Expert December 6, 2022 Android, Android 5G, Android App, Android Automotive, Android OS, Android User Guide, Apple, Apple 5G, Apple App, Apple Developer, Apple iOs, Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone 5G, Apple News, Apple User Guide, Apple Wallet, Culture, Featured, Google, iOS, iPhone, iPhone 5G, iPhone iOs, iPhone User Guide, Lifestyle, News, Pixel, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Apple, Apple iOs 16.2, Apple iOs 16.2 beta 4, Apple iPhone iOs 16.2, Apple iPhone iOs 16.2 beta 4, Apple Repair, Apple Repair Costs, Apple Screen Replacement Costs, Apple Sydney CBD Repairs, Apple Wallet, Apple Wallet with Android users, car key, car key in Apple Wallet, car key in Apple Wallet with Android users, Google Pixel, Google Pixel Repair, Google Pixel Repair Costs, Google Pixel Screen Replacement Costs, Google Pixel Sydney CBD Repairs, Google Repair, Google Repair Costs, Google Screen Replacement Costs, Google Sydney CBD Repairs, Google+, iOS 16.2, iOs 16.2 beta 4, iPhone iOs 16.2, iPhone iOs 16.2 beta 4, Pixel, Pixel Repair, Pixel Repair Costs, Pixel Screen Replacement Costs, Pixel Sydney CBD Repairs

You can now share your car key in Apple Wallet with Android users,

starting with Google Pixel

If you happen to be an owner of one of the very few cars on the market with Car Key support, you are now able to share that car key credential with non-iPhone users for the first time.

Apple is working with the IETF and industry members to standardize cross-platform car key sharing. The first implementation of this support has landed today for Google Pixel owners. Google is working on rolling out support for all Android 12+ devices soon.

The Car Key feature allows Apple Wallet to treat unlocking your car in the same manner as you can conduct contactless payments with Apple Pay: Walk up to your car and then present your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock it.

You can share car keys by using the Share button inside the Wallet app. You could previously send the key to other iPhone users. On iOS 16.1 or later, the Wallet app generates keys that also work with other supporting platforms, most notably Android users.

Share using the system share sheet with your favorite app like Messages, Mail, and WhatsApp. You can secure the process using an optional one-time code.

At any later time, you can revoke access to a shared car key. Simply open the Wallet app, select your car key and tap on the People icon to manage the current list of shared keys for that vehicle.

Apple’s partnership with the IETF was first announced at this year’s WWDC. The group is still working on a final specification to make publicly available for adoption by anyone. But for now, only Apple and Google have access to the necessary protocols and are working on the respective implementations privately.

It’s a really cool technology that furthers Apple’s goal to replace the wallet in your pocket, alongside other initiatives like Digital ID and Apple Pay. Hopefully, more Car Key compatible vehicles will be available soon.

Apple releases iOS 16.2 beta 4 to developers ahead of expected launch this month

Following the release of iOS 16.1.2 to iPhone users on Wednesday, Apple released iOS 16.2 beta 4 to developers on Thursday. Along with iOS 16.2, Apple has also been testing new betas for watchOS 9.2, tvOS 16.2, and macOS Ventura 13.1. Read on as we detail what’s new in these updates.

iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 include some notable changes. The Freeform collaboration app is now available to iPad, iPhone, and Mac users. There are also changes to the Home app, updates to the Weather app, and more.

On November 28, Apple also released a “Rapid Security Response” update for users running iOS 16.2 beta. Once the feature becomes available to everyone, Apple will be able to quickly fix security exploits without having to release a new version of iOS just for this.

In addition to iOS 16.2 beta 4, Apple has also made the following updates available to all developer beta testers:

watchOS 9.2 beta 4
tvOS 16.2 beta 4
macOS Ventura 13.1 beta 4
iPadOS 16.2 beta 4

❤ Realme 7i

Galaxy Expert December 5, 2022 Android, Android OS, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Lifestyle, News, Realme, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, World Realme, Realme 7i, Realme 7i repair, Realme 7i Repair Costs, Realme 7i review, Realme 7i Screen Replacement Costs, Realme 7i Sydney CBD Repairs, Realme 7i unboxing, Realme repair, Realme Repair Costs, Realme Screen Replacement Costs, Realme Sydney CBD Repairs

Realme has been churning-out handsets at breakneck pace since its inception with the budget segment its happiest hunting ground. Hot on the heels of the new Narzo 20 trio – 20A, 20 and 20 Pro, Realme also decided to refresh its number series the Realme 7i.

As the “i” suffix suggests, the Realme 7i is a slightly toned-down version of the vanilla Realme 7. In this case, the Asian Realme 7 variant is a closer match than the Global Realme 7 due to the shared 64MP Quad-Bayer camera.

Realme 7i specs at a glance:

Body: 164.1×75.5×8.9mm, 188g; Colors: Aurora Green, Polar Blue.
Display: 6.50″ IPS LCD, 720x1600px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 270ppi; 90Hz.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11 nm): Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver); Adreno 610.
Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
OS/Software: Android 10, Realme UI.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; LED flash, HDR, panorama.
Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.0µm; HDR.
Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 18W.
Misc: Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass.

In order to reduce the price of the Realme 7i, some hardware cut-backs naturally had to be made compared to the vanilla Realme 7. These notably include a slightly slower chipset, though one that does not sacrifice on modern connectivity, like Dual-Band Wi-Fi ac, but does cap video capture resolution at FullHD.

Screen resolution is bumped down to HD+, but the 6.5-inch display diagonal and the trendy 90Hz refresh rate have been preserved. And the last major bit is probably charging speed, which is set at 18W on the Realme 7i, compared to 30W on the Realme 7.

Performance

A chipset swap is a fairly-common cost-saving measure and we see it implemented in the Realme 7i. It uses the 11nm Snapdragon 662 chipset, which has a four by four CPU configuration, as follows: 4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold, 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver and a modest Adreno 610 GPU. That’s paired with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage.

An 8GB RAM version, with 128GB of storage is said to exist as well, but we can’t really find it in the wild. The storage is of the UFS 2.1 variety, though, which provides a boost. In terms of raw performance, this definitely falls behind the MediaTek Helio G95 inside the vanilla Realme 7. Same goes for the Realme Narzo 20 Pro, also based on the G95, as well as the Realme 7 Pro and its Snapdragon 720G and the vanilla Realme Narzo 20, rocking a Helio G85.

OS and UI

Not unlike the recent Narzo 20 family, the Realme 7i runs on the company’s realme UI 1.0 out of the box.

It is built on top of Android 10 and our unit was still rocking the slightly older August 5 security patches.

Realme UI isn’t shy about its AOSP influences. We can’t complain either, since it manages to remain rather clean, despite having more options than most other custom Android skins. The Realme 7i even uses Google’s AOSP Phone and Messages apps.

The default icons are also very AOSP-like. Same goes for the notification shade and quick toggles area, as well as the recent apps interface.

Realme UI uses a conventional app drawer by default. Some of the noteworthy preloaded apps include Realme PaySa and Realme Link.

The app drawer is just an option in Realme UI, though. If it’s not to your liking, you can easily switch to a home-screen only based navigation model instead. Plus, an extra simple mode provides nifty versatility for older folks or remedial Android users, through its use of fewer and bigger UI components. Navigation can also be heavily customized, including quite a few gestures and things like an assistive ball.

Game Space is a nifty portal that has all of the expected distraction-avoidance options well covered. This includes muting calls and notifications. There are also some performance and battery tuning options thrown in the mix, so you can try to either squeeze-out a few extra frames or longer playtime from the modest hardware of the Realme 7i.

Finally, there is the realme Lab menu, where the company tends to offer upcoming features for early beta testing to end users. Realme is constantly working on new things.

Final thoughts

The Realme 7i offers a rather unorthodox set of features and has an interesting position within the company’s current lineup. On the one hand, it is obviously an attempt to bring most of the important features of the vanilla Realme 7 at a lower price point, without really sacrificing too much. With a starting price of INR11,999 ($165/€140) for the 64GB variant and going up to INR12,999 ($175/€150) for the 128GB one, they clearly got the budget part of the equation right. Mind you, you still get a quad main-camera setup on the back, as well as the trendy 90Hz refresh rate on the panel. With a certain demographic the latter might make a a more tangible difference in perceived smoothness and responsiveness than a higher-end chipset, which Realme chose to forego.

❤ Google Pixel 7 Pro

Galaxy Expert December 3, 2022 Android, Android 13, Android 5G, Android OS, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Google, Lifestyle, News, Pixel, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, World Google Pixel 7 Pro, Google Pixel 7 Pro Repair, Google Pixel 7 Pro Repair Costs, Google Pixel 7 Pro Review, Google Pixel 7 Pro Screen Replacement Costs, Google Pixel 7 Pro Sydney CBD Repairs, Google Repair, Google Repair Costs, Google Screen Replacement Costs, Google Sydney CBD Repairs, Google+, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro Repair, Pixel 7 Pro Repair Costs, Pixel 7 Pro Review, Pixel 7 Pro Screen Replacement Costs, Pixel 7 Pro Sydney CBD Repairs

After last year’s Pixel return to the flagship scene, 2022 brings more of an evolutionary upgrade to Google‘s phone lineup. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro come with the usual chipset upgrade, a camera tweak here or there, and a refined design, on top of a handful of software novelties.

Naturally, our eyes are drawn to the Pro more so than the vanilla, so we’re starting our review journey with that one. One of the two key differences this year, looking at the spec sheet, is the new telephoto camera, which trades in the larger sensor size for a longer zoom reach – that doesn’t immediately strike us as an entirely positive development, though the 5x zoom is appreciated.

The other new bit is the chipset. The tailor-made Tensor G2 comes with some new CPU cores and a new GPU, as well as who knows exactly how many under-the-hood improvements, but is still manufactured on a 5nm process, when competitors are at 4nm.

Physically, the handset is the same as last year, but also different. The camera strip on the back is still here and just as prominent, only now it’s part of the aluminum frame and not a separate glass piece as last year.

And that’s more or less what’s changed for the 2022 Pixel Pro. Here are some of the important numbers before we get going.

Google Pixel 7 Pro specs at a glance:

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
		CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900
	3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
		CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
	4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 – GE2AE
		1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 – GP4BC
	5G bands	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – GE2AE
		1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 – GP4BC
	Speed	HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G

LAUNCH	Announced	2022, October 06
LAUNCH	Status	Available. Released 2022, October 13

BODY	Dimensions	162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in)
	Weight	212 g (7.48 oz)
	Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
	SIM	Nano-SIM and eSIM
		IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)

DISPLAY	Type	LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)
	Size	6.7 inches, 110.6 cm² (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density)
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
		Always-on display

PLATFORM	OS	Android 13
	Chipset	Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)
	CPU	Octa-core (2×2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
	GPU	Mali-G710 MP7

MEMORY	Card slot	No
	Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
		UFS 3.1

MAIN CAMERA	Triple	50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (telephoto), 1/2.55″, 0.7µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9″, 1.25µm, AF
	Features	Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
	Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR

SELFIE CAMERA	Single	10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.22µm
	Features	Auto-HDR, panorama
	Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps

SOUND	Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers
	3.5mm jack	No

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
	Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
	Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
	NFC	Yes
	Radio	No
	USB	USB Type-C 3.2

FEATURES	Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
		Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

BATTERY	Type	Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable
	Charging	23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 23W wireless Reverse wireless

MISC	Colors	Obsidian, Snow, Hazel
	Models	GP4BC, GE2AE
	Price	$ 739.89 / € 849.00 / £ 829.99 / ₹ 80,350 / C$ 879.00

TESTS	Performance	AnTuTu: 796369 (v9) GeekBench: 3187 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)
	Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
	Camera	Photo / Video
	Loudspeaker	-24.8 LUFS (Very good)
	Battery life	Endurance rating 83h

Google Pixel 7 Pro unboxing

The unboxing experience has remained the same as last year, when the charger went missing. Inside the white cardboard box, you’re getting a USB-C cable and USB-A-to-C adapter for transferring data from your older phone (maybe an iPhone?).

It’s only at this point that our Obsidian review unit was truly clean of smudges, but more on that on the next page.

Competition

Positioned against the big two – Apple and Samsung, the Google Pixel phones at least make it somewhat easy on us to round up the alternatives. And with a base price of $900/€900/INR 85K, the Pixel 7 Pro is almost universally less expensive than either the iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The Pro Max, for one, is $200 pricier in the US, a whopping €550 more in Europe, and a similar 65% on top of the Pixel 7 Pro‘s asking price in India. The Google phone then doesn’t even have to be better than the iPhone to make a compelling enough case for itself – and in many ways, it’s as good. Sure, the iPhone may be posher and built tougher, but the Pixel is lighter and more compact-feeling. Not quite perfect, the Pixel’s camera system is superior to the iPhone’s in some ways. If anyone can compete with Apple on hardware-software integration, it’s got to be Google. The iPhone’s battery life is a strong advantage, admittedly, but need we reiterate the price difference?

It’s all the more revealing how good of a deal the Pixel 7 Pro is compared to Apple’s offerings when you consider that even the iPhone 14 Pro (non-Max) is $100/€400/INR 45K pricier.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s price isn’t as easy to specify since you can get one at more outlets than you can an iPhone. Still, a quick search at reputable retailers returns $1100/€970/INR 96K numbers, and those are, again, higher prices than what you can get a Pixel 7 Pro for. Now, the Galaxy has some unique selling points of its own, the most prominent one being the stylus. It’s got a battery life advantage over the Pixel, and actually charges faster (not a category where Galaxies often emerge victorious). There’s no clear-cut winner in a camera comparison here, and software can be a divisive subject between these two.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max • Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

It can then be argued that maybe the Pixel 7 Pro‘s main competitor is the Pixel 6 Pro. Taking some of the more contentious considerations out of the way, like software and camera differences (because, let’s face it, the 7 Pro’s camera system is not a giant leap coming from the 6 Pro), and without any of the advantages like the iPhone’s battery life or the Galaxy’s S Pen, the Pixel 6 Pro will do most of what the 7 Pro will, at some $250/€200/INR 20K less. You’ll be missing out on the new chipset, and all the known and unknowable goodies it provides, and also the AF-capable ultrawide, but the core reasons to go #teampixel are there.

Core Pixel defined, this year’s ‘small’ 7 comes in at a similar price as last year’s Pro. It has the latest chipset with all that entails but is missing a telephoto, though you may very well be perfectly okay with the perfectly okay Super Res 2x zoom.

Google Pixel 6 Pro • Google Pixel 7

Verdict

Pixels have historically lacked mainstream appeal, and the lack of truly global availability is no small part of why that is so. This year, the list of countries with official Pixel presence has been expanded to 16, and maybe that will drive sales numbers up, even if a lot of the world will still be missing out.

And there’s quite a lot to be missing out on. The camera system is the single biggest Pixel 7 Pro selling point that comes to mind, and it brings some welcome improvements, even if a bit modest. That, of course, comes on top of what is a hard to quantify character that you simply can’t get on anything that’s not a Pixel.

Similarly challenging to put a number on is the software experience – benchmarks certainly don’t do the 7 Pro any justice. Android, the way Google envisions it, is a rather unique blend of simplicity and feature-richness, and here, it’s delivered to your fingertips with a level of fluidity only Apple can muster.

But it’s when getting to the numbers that the Pixel 7 Pro struggles to compete on quite the same level as a lot of the other big-name rivals. Battery life is markedly worse than on a current iPhone, and a Galaxy will likely get you better longevity too. Neither Apple nor Samsung are industry leaders in charging speed, but Google has become an industry… trailer? Two hours for a full charge can turn into an actual issue in day-to-day use, we reckon. And then, despite all the gushing over Pixel cameras, there’s potential for improvement here or there as well.

Ultimately, though, the Pixel 7 Pro is a compelling package that can easily win over other brand loyalists if given a chance, and the enticing pricing helps a lot. Meanwhile, the folks already on the #teampixel bandwagon will need more convincing, particularly if they’re already rocking the previous generation Pixel. But that’s true for mostly any smartphone sequel these days, ain’t it?

Pros

Lighter than the two main competitors, about as premium too; IP68 dust- and water-resistant.
Sharp, bright, color-accurate, with a high refresh rate, this display is stellar.
Android from the source, exclusive feature set, unrivaled perception of smoothness on this side of the OS divide.
Superb stereo speakers.
Great camera quality overall with an unmatched character that has a loyal following.
Less expensive than major competitors.

Cons

Below average battery life, perhaps partly a consequence of display refresh rate seemingly not as adaptive as advertised.
Very slow charging by today’s standards.
Certain software and hardware features are regionally limited – 5G, VolTE, and much of the on-board AI stuff (though admittedly, so is the phone’s availability, to begin with).
Ultrawide camera is underwhelming in low light.
Selfies rarely come out tack sharp.

❤ Oppo Reno 2F

Galaxy Expert December 1, 2022 Android, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Lifestyle, News, Oppo, Repair Service, Review, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, World Oppo, Oppo RENO 2F, Oppo RENO 2F Repair, Oppo RENO 2F Repair Costs, Oppo RENO 2F Screen Replacement, Oppo RENO 2F Screen Replacement Costs, Oppo RENO 2F Sydney CBD Repairs, Oppo Repair, Oppo Repair Costs, Oppo Screen Replacement, Oppo Screen Replacement Costs, Oppo Sydney CBD Repairs, RENO 2F, RENO 2F Repair, RENO 2F Repair Costs, RENO 2F Screen Replacement, RENO 2F Screen Replacement Costs, RENO 2F Sydney CBD Repairs

At first glance, the Reno 2F looks similar to the Reno 2. It comes in two colors, namely Lake Green and Sky White. The unit we have here takes on the latter colorway, and it changes hues, depending on how the light hits it. Upon closer inspection, there’s a ridge pattern all over the rear. You don’t get to feel its texture, though, as the Reno 2F’s back is protected by Gorilla Glass 5.

Similar to the standard Reno 2, the Reno 2F’s cameras are stacked vertically on the center rear. The ceramic O-Dot is also present, but instead of sitting below the cameras, it’s now located above them.

Upfront, the Reno 2F also has a full-screen, notch-less display. The chin on this device is slightly thicker than that of the Reno 2, however. Despite that, it’s not much of a distraction. Similar to the rear, the display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5.

The Reno 2F also has a pop-up camera module, but it doesn’t adapt to the shark-fin design of the original Reno and the Reno 2. It’s your standard pop-up camera, and it lights upon rising and falling back into place. The light effects can be changed into several colors, or it can also be randomized if you can’t choose a particular hue.

On the left, one can find the volume rocker, while the right side houses the dual SIM tray and the power button. The power button is highlighted with a green strip. Like the Reno 2, the buttons are clicky and easy to reach.

Housed at the bottom of the device are the 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and single downward-firing speaker.

The Reno 2F looks somewhat identical to the Reno 2, especially at first glance. Just like its sibling, the 2F is also sleek, and premium and its curved glass back makes it comfortable to hold.

Oppo Reno 2F Specs :

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
	3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
	4G bands	1, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, 41
	Speed	HSPA, LTE-A

LAUNCH	Announced	2019, August 28
LAUNCH	Status	Available. Released 2019, October

BODY	Dimensions	162.4 x 75.8 x 8.7 mm (6.39 x 2.98 x 0.34 in)
	Weight	195 g (6.88 oz)
	Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
	SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)

DISPLAY	Type	AMOLED
	Size	6.5 inches, 104.8 cm² (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~394 ppi density)
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5

PLATFORM	OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, ColorOS 11
	Chipset	Mediatek MT6771V Helio P70 (12nm)
	CPU	Octa-core (4×2.1 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53)
	GPU	Mali-G72 MP3

MEMORY	Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
	Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM
		UFS 2.1

MAIN CAMERA	Quad	48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.3″, 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm 2 MP B/W, f/2.4, 1/5.0″, 1.75µm 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
	Features	Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
	Video	1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS; video rec. only with main camera

SELFIE CAMERA	Single	Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06″, 1.0µm
	Features	LED flash, HDR
	Video	1080p@30fps

SOUND	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
	Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, LE
	Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS
	NFC	No
	Radio	FM radio
	USB	USB Type-C, USB On-The-Go

FEATURES	Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

BATTERY	Type	Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable
	Charging	20W wired

MISC	Colors	Sky White, Lake Green

	Models	CPH1989

Performance

For hardware, MediaTek Helio P70 runs as the 2F’s chipset, paired up with Mali-G72 GPU and 8GB of RAM. We tested it through our standard benchmarks, and here are the results:

• AnTuTu: 148,130
• Geekbench: 293 (Single-Core), 1,442 (Multi-Core), 5,772 (RenderScript)
• PC Mark: 7,796 (Work 2.0)
• 3D Mark SSE: 1,273 (OpenGL ES 3.1), 1,255 (Vulkan)
• AndroBench: 474.1 MB/s (Read), 190.56 MB/s (Write)

The Reno 2F executed basic tasks well, whether it be taking photos, browsing social media, navigation, messaging, and the like. When it comes to gaming, however, frame drops happened from time to time. Even so, it’s not bad enough to ruin the gaming experience.

An in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock recognition are the 2F’s biometrics options. They’re both quick, but there’s a slight delay with the face unlock. You would need to wait for the camera module to pop-up first before it can scan your face and unlock the device.

Conclusion

Just like any smartphone out there, the Reno 2F has its highs and lows. The 2F has an eye-catching colorway, a notch-less display, pleasant audio, has video stabilization, and pretty good battery life. But as expected, it has its imperfections. The pop-up mechanism looks average, frame drops happen here and there during gaming, selfies come out average-looking, and the photos produced turn out to be modest.

What we liked:

Colorway
Pleaseant audio quality
Video stabilization
Good battery life

What we didn’t:

Average pop-up mechanism
Frame drops during gameplay
Average-looking selfies

❤ ASUS Rog Phone 6

Galaxy Expert November 30, 2022 Android, Android 5G, Android User Guide, Asus, ASUS User Guide, Culture, Featured, Lifestyle, News, Repair Service, Review, ROG, Smartphone, Smartphones, Top Stories, World Asus, ASUS Repair, ASUS Repair Costs, ASUS Rog 6, ASUS Rog 6 Repair, ASUS Rog 6 Repair Costs, ASUS Rog 6 Screen Replacement Costs, ASUS Rog 6 Sydney CBD Repairs, ASUS Rog Phone 6, ASUS Rog Phone 6 Repair, ASUS Rog Phone 6 Repair Costs, ASUS Rog Phone 6 review, ASUS Rog Phone 6 Screen Replacement Costs, ASUS Rog Phone 6 Sydney CBD Repairs, ASUS Screen Replacement Costs, ASUS Sydney CBD Repairs, Rog 6, Rog 6 Repair Costs, Rog 6 review, Rog 6 Screen Replacement Costs, Rog 6 Sydney CBD Repairs, Rog Phone 6, Rog Phone 6 Repair, Rog Phone 6 Repair Costs, Rog Phone 6 review, Rog Phone 6 Screen Replacement Costs, Rog Phone 6 Sydney CBD Repairs

Do you even need a gaming phone when handsets like the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra are such capable pocket powerhouses? Asus thinks so, and the ROG Phone 6 is its latest attempt at giving you a smartphone by daylight, and handheld console by neon lights of your RGB-lit den.

If you’re not a gamer, then the ROG Phone 6 isn’t for you. It’s that simple. Starting with its design, this phone looks like it could transform into a tiny robot and take over the world; you’ll probably either love it or hate it. We love it.

Both the ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro get a color screen around the back, a feature that was previously reserved for the Pro version. Also new, the ROG Phone 6 is available in both black and white – the latter looking particularly sleek when matched with the new selection of off-white accessories.

Given that the phone also sounds good and lasts a full day without a midday charge – thanks to its huge 6000mAh battery – it’s safe to say our general impression of the ROG Phone 6 has been an excellent one. That said, it isn’t perfect.

SPECIFICATIONS

NETWORK	Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
		CDMA 800
	3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 – Version A, Version C
		HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 – Version B
	4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66, 71, – Version A
		1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48 – Version B
		1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48 – Version C
	5G bands	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – Version A
		1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – Version B
		1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 – Version C
	Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (6CA) Cat20 2024/210 Mbps, 5G

LAUNCH	Announced	2022, July 05
LAUNCH	Status	Available. Released 2022, July 13

BODY	Dimensions	173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in)
	Weight	239 g (8.43 oz)
	Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame
	SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
		IPX4 water resistant Illuminated RGB logo (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers)

DISPLAY	Type	AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak)
	Size	6.78 inches, 109.5 cm² (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density)
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

PLATFORM	OS	Android 12
	Chipset	Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
	CPU	Octa-core (1×3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
	GPU	Adreno 730

MEMORY	Card slot	No
	Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM
		UFS 3.1 NTFS support for external storage

MAIN CAMERA	Triple	50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 5 MP, (macro)
	Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama
	Video	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS

SELFIE CAMERA	Single	12 MP, 28mm (wide)
	Features	Panorama, HDR
	Video	1080p@30fps

SOUND	Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers)
	3.5mm jack	Yes
		32-bit/384kHz audio

COMMS	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
	Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
	Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
	NFC	Yes
	Radio	No
	USB	USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), accessory connector, USB On-The-Go

FEATURES	Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

BATTERY	Type	Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable
	Charging	65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min (advertised) 10W reverse wired

MISC	Colors	Phantom Black, Storm White
	Models	AI2201_C, AI2201_F, AI2201-1A030EU
	Price	$ 594.00 / € 1,099.00 / £ 904.99 / C$ 2,249.00

While gaming phone cameras are usually mediocre to bad, the ROG Phone 6‘s is just good enough. This phone is pricey, so it’s natural for us to expect a little more – possibly OIS on the main lens, a bit of telephoto reach or a wide/macro camera with autofocus.

The phone also misses out on wireless charging, which is becoming more ubiquitous, and is something of a must in the ROG Phone 6’s price bracket.

Despite those quibbles, the ROG Phone 6 is still the very best gaming phone you can buy. While it costs more than the Poco F4 GT, it’s more powerful and features a richer accessory suite. The Red Magic 7 and 7 Pro are also cheaper alternatives but lack the polish Asus brings to the table.

Asus ROG Phone 6: price and availability

Starts at £899 (US price TBC)
Available in three versions
Regional availability TBC

The Asus ROG Phone price ranges from high to eye-watering, starting at £899 for the standard version with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM. Alternatively, for £999, you can pick up the phone with 512GB storage and 16GB RAM. If you want to spend even more, the Pro version, which also has 512GB storage, but takes the RAM up to 18GB, – and adds an LED light on the back – costs £1,199. US pricing will be confirmed imminently, so we’ll update this as soon as Asus announces it.

This is the same pricing structure we’ve seen from Asus’s ROG Phone line before – charging more than much of the gaming phone competition but delivering a superior user experience. The Red Magic 7 starts at £529, in contrast, and is a great option for anyone who doesn’t mind a few rough edges. That said, Asus offers more storage at the ROG Phone 6’s starting capacity and a much more refined software experience.

We know the phone’s coming to the UK and will be available from Asus’s online store. Other regions and retailers are yet to be confirmed.

Value score: 4/5

Asus ROG Phone 6: design

Striking gaming phone look
Available in two styles
Excellent accessory support

As far as gaming phones go, the ROG Phone 6 is one of the more elegant options around with its curved, smooth, pearlesque, frosted glass back, and its rounded metal sides. If you close your eyes while holding it, despite being big, it’s still a comfortable, premium smartphone – nothing too standout. Open your eyes though, and you’ll be sucked into a world of RGB lighting, second-screen action, and Stargate-style glyphs.

Measuring 173 x 77 x 10.3mm, the ROG Phone 6 is a tall, relatively narrow thing that’s thicker than most smartphones, but doesn’t quite feel unwieldy. At 239g, it’s one of the heaviest phones on the scene, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max weighing just one gram more at 240g.

The curvy, frosty back and matte sides do make the ROG Phone 6 feel rich and alluring, but it is pretty slippery, so you’ll want to put a case on as soon as you start using it. Luckily, in the box, you get a lightweight, hard plastic shell that protects the corners and adds a little extra grip.

The ROG Phone’s screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, and while the phone doesn’t sport IP68 water or dust resistance, it’s the first gaming phone with IPX4 splash-resistant certification. As for color options, the standard ROG Phone 6 is available in Phantom Black and Storm White, while the 6 Pro is available exclusively in Storm White.

Dotted around the curved metal frame of the ROG Phone 6 are more ports than we’re used to seeing. In addition to the 3.5mm headphone jack – a unicorn by today’s high-end smartphone standards – there’s a second USB port on the side of the phone. This is for accessories, like the dock and fan, but also makes for a comfortable charging option when gaming in landscape orientation.

Asus doesn’t install a pre-fitted screen protector on the phone, but does offer up an official option as a separate purchase. We had no issues with the in-display fingerprint scanner, and also set the phone’s face unlock up to ensure we could get into it quickly.

The most standout design highlight of the ROG Phone 6 is definitely on the back. Sprinkled among a bunch of etchings and visual flourishes – as well as a confident, angular camera bump – is an OLED screen. This is horizontal on the Pro model, pictured above, and pitched at an angle on the standard ROG Phone 6.

More than just a flashy highlight for gamers, Asus adds some utility to the second screen. It can display your notification icons, and battery capacity while charging. Really though, who are we kidding? This thing is totally unnecessary – pure indulgence and we’re more than okay with that.

Asus ROG Phone 6 scorecard

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Love it or hate it, the premium finish and gaming phone highlights make the ROG Phone 6 a standout in its category.	4.5/5
Display	While the ROG Phone 6’s screen isn’t the sharpest around, it’s exactly where it needs to be for a gaming phone, and the image quality and brightness are on point.	4.5/5
Performance	Asus is the first to market with Qualcomm’s latest processor, which, matched with effective cooling ensures performance, whether gaming or simply using your phone is excellent.	5/5
Camera	The ROG Phone’s weakest area is its camera, despite improvements over its predecessor. Nevertheless, the main camera still impresses with good looking photos and videos.	3.5/5
Battery	With a bigger battery than the most smartphones and fast charging, it’s little wonder the ROG Phone 6’s battery impressed us. The only thing missing is wireless charging.	5/5
Software	Asus has finetuned its gaming software to near-perfection over the years, and the latest iteration is stellar. We also like the dialled back theme that feels more stock.	4.5/5
Value	While you can get a better camera phone for less, the ROG Phone 5 is the best gaming phone around, and that helps justify its confident, but not unreasonable price.

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

You love wireless charging
Gaming phones like the ROG Phone 6 don’t tend to pack wireless charging. That said, you can get plenty of very good wireless charging phones that pack stacks of power so look to phones like the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Gaming phones are always powerful, but they’re seldom polished. The ROG Phone 6 is both, matching best-in-class performance with effective cooling and a rich selection of accessories. While we wish Asus went a bit further with the camera and wireless charging, there are enough standout and unique highlights here to make it the best gaming phone available at launch.

Pros

Excellent battery life
Great selection of accessories
Powerful and stays cool
Bold, bright, smooth screen

Cons

No wireless charging
Weak camera mix for the price
Pricier than competition

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Pros

Cons

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Conclusion

Asus ROG Phone 6: price and availability

Asus ROG Phone 6: design

Asus ROG Phone 6 scorecard

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Pros

Cons

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