Samsung was among the first brands to introduce foldable devices to the market, and since then, it has consistently positioned its foldable in the premium price segment without hesitation. This trend seems likely to continue for a while, as a cheaper foldable from Samsung is not coming anytime soon.
According to a report by SamMobile, a Samsung official said, “Rather than considering it (Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition) a premium product, it’s a product released to expand your options. You can choose according to your taste. As of now, we have no plans to release a separate product with a lower price.”
A cheaper foldable from Samsung was leaked to be in existence since 2021 when it was reported that Samsung is planning FE versions of its foldable phones. However, earlier this year, in May, it was reported that Samsung was reexamining its plans to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE. One of the reasons for the cancellation of the product was that early production units of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE were not thinner than the key competitors from Chinese brands, which made Samsung rethink the product’s existence.
Secondly, the device lacked a stylus digitiser, which means it didn’t support S-Pen input like the standard Galaxy Z Fold 6 would, considering its predecessors also support it. Moreover, the Z Fold 6 FE was in the testing phase before it was scrapped altogether.
In any case, Samsung’s recent announcement of the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition confirms that there are no plans to launch a folding device that costs less than its current portfolio. The new foldable from Samsung starts at KRW 2,789,600 (approx Rs 1,70,000) in South Korea.
India’s smartphone market has witnessed a remarkable surge in budget smartphone launches in 2024, with a growing dominance of 5G devices. From January 1 to October 21, 2024, a total of 250 smartphones priced under ₹30,000 were launched, with 201 of these supporting 5G technology. This shift underscores how 5G is becoming increasingly accessible to consumers in the sub-₹30,000 category.
5G Outpaces Non-5G in Budget Segment
Of the 250 smartphones launched in 2024 so far, in the sub-₹30,000 segment, 201 were 5G-enabled, comprising 80% of the total, according to the ‘Smartphone Research Report of The Mobile Indian (TMI).’ Only 49 devices featured 4G or other non-5G technologies, indicating the market’s clear shift towards 5G. As India’s 5G infrastructure expands, manufacturers are focusing heavily on launching budget-friendly devices equipped with 5G capabilities.
Smartphone Type
Count
Percentage (%)
5G Smartphones
201
80
Non-5G Smartphones
49
20
Total
250
100
Smartphone Research Report of TMI -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
MediaTek Dominates the Chipset Market for 5G Phones
Among the 5G smartphones launched, MediaTek-powered devices LED the market, with 127 out of the 201 smartphones using MediaTek chipsets. Qualcomm, MediaTek’s main competitor, powered 64 5G devices, followed by UNISOC with six and Exynos with four. MediaTek’s dominance highlights its strong presence in budget smartphones, where affordability and efficiency are key considerations for both consumers and manufacturers.
Chipset Provider
5G Smartphone Count
MediaTek
127 (63%)
Qualcomm
64 (32%)
UNISOC
6 (3%)
Exynos
4 (2%)
Smartphone Research Report of TMI -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
MediaTek’s success in this segment is likely driven by its competitive pricing and ability to offer efficient performance, helping manufacturers keep overall device costs lower.
Brand Breakdown: Realme Leads the Pack
Realme emerged as the top brand, launching 20 5G smartphones under ₹30,000 in 2024, reflecting its aggressive strategy in India’s mid-range smartphone market. Vivo, with 12 5G launches, and Samsung, with 11, also maintained strong positions in this segment. Oppo, Motorola, and Poco each contributed between six and eight models, ensuring that a variety of brands provided consumers with 5G choices.
Brand
5G Smartphone Count
Realme
20
Vivo
12
Samsung
11
Oppo
8
Motorola
8
Poco
6
Infinix
6
Xiaomi
3
OnePlus
3
Smartphone Research Report of TMI -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
Most 5G smartphones in this category offer 8 GB of RAM. A total of 111 phones were launched with 8 GB RAM, 33 devices featured 6 GB RAM, 32 devices offered 4 GB RAM, and 25 models boasted 12 GB RAM, showing an increasing availability of higher-performance devices at affordable prices.
RAM Capacity
5G Smartphone Count
8 GB
111
6 GB
33
4 GB
32
12 GB
25
Smartphone Research Report of TMI -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
In terms of internal storage, the 128 GB option was the most common, seen in 117 phones. This was followed by 71 devices with 256 GB storage, eight devices with 64 GB, and five premium devices offering 512 GB of internal storage. The data suggests that 128 GB remains the preferred choice for budget users, while higher-end configurations are gaining traction among power users.
Internal Storage Capacity
Smartphone Count
128 GB
117
256 GB
71
64 GB
8
512 GB
5
TMI Survey -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
A close look at RAM and Internal Memory combinations shows that the majority of smartphones with 128 GB storage featured 8 GB RAM, accounting for 60 devices. Meanwhile, 33 phones with 128 GB storage came with 6 GB RAM, and 24 phones offered a more entry-level 4 GB RAM configuration.
Phones with 256 GB storage typically included higher RAM configurations, with 51 phones featuring 8 GB RAM and 20 devices offering 12 GB RAM. Among the five phones with 512 GB storage, all were equipped with 12 GB RAM, cementing their position as the higher-end models in the budget segment. Conversely, devices with 64 GB storage were all launched with 4 GB RAM, catering to entry-level users.
12 GB RAM Devices Making a Mark
Although 12 GB RAM configurations are not as common in budget devices, several models under ₹30,000 offered this feature, targeting users seeking higher performance. Devices with 12 GB RAM include the Redmi Note 13 5G, Poco X6, Moto G64 5G, Realme P1 Pro 5G, Nothing Phone (2a), and the iQOO Z9s 5G.
Model Name
RAM Capacity
Internal Storage
Redmi Note 13 5G
12 GB
256 GB
Poco X6
12 GB
256 GB
Moto G64 5G
12 GB
256 GB
Realme P1 Pro 5G
12 GB
256 GB
Nothing Phone (2a)
12 GB
512 GB
iQOO Z9s 5G
12 GB
256 GB
TMI Survey -Data Range: From January 1 to October 21, 2024
These devices cater to users looking for more power, especially for gaming or intensive multitasking, without crossing the ₹30,000 price mark.
Market Trends and Future Outlook
The budget smartphone market in India is clearly moving toward 5G, with 80% of the launches under ₹30,000 being 5G-enabled. Realme, Vivo, and Samsung are the frontrunners, with MediaTek dominating the chipset market, providing an affordable yet powerful option for most devices in this category.
In the coming year, with further 5G network expansion, the number of 5G smartphone launches is expected to rise, and consumers may continue to see more affordable options with high RAM and storage capacities. Furthermore, manufacturers like Qualcomm and UNISOC may attempt to close the gap with MediaTek by introducing more competitive chipsets aimed at the budget 5G segment.
With more consumers prioritizing future-ready devices, the budget smartphone market is set to grow, driven by brands offering greater value in terms of performance, connectivity, and features at lower price points.
Google released Android 15 to eligible Pixel devices last week, but it seems like the update has hit a rough patch, specifically for Pixel 6 users. According to reports online, Android 15 on Pixel 6 devices is bricking the smartphones, rendering them useless. Here’s what you should know about the situation.
A few Reddit users have posted that their Pixel 6 phones died as soon as they enabled the Private Space feature. One user, GegoByte, reported that their device became bricked right after launching an App within Private Space. Meanwhile, another user, Homer_95, experienced their device shutting down unexpectedly during regular use despite having plenty of battery left.
Both users described their Pixel 6 devices as “completely dead.” Usual troubleshooting steps, such as holding the Power and Volume Down buttons or connecting the device to a computer, have proven ineffective for the users. If that wasn’t enough, two more users have reported their Pixel 6 devices randomly bricking after the update, leaving the exact cause of issue still uncertain.
This isn’t the first time this is happening, as Pixel 6 devices have been a home to such severe issues in the past as well, that too after updating to a major Android version. Innthe past, the Android 14 update caused some users to lose access to their storage, and earlier this year, factory resets rendered many Pixel 6 devices unresponsive.
While such issues may seem uncommon, they could still affect your device which could be a hassle if you do not have a backup phone with you. As a result, we would suggest you to not install Android 15 on Pixel 6 devices just yet, at least until Google acknowledges the issue and provides an update to resolve it.
Rage Effect: Mobile, the first AAA shooter game of India, developed by Goldon Studios, has officially been launched on both Android and iOS platforms. The shooter title, which crossed 120,000 pre-registrations in open beta, as per the company, “brings a unique blend of high-octane gameplay, Indian-inspired content, and cutting-edge technology.”
The developer says that the game has been developed by a world-class team of gaming veterans with experience from Assassin’s Creed, Sims, Anno, Google Play, and Activision, and known for publishing top 100 iOS games globally. Rage Effect: Mobile players can not only customise weapons and maps, but also create their own communities through Rage Guilds.
The game further gets features like seamless cross-play across Android, iOS, and PC, user-generated maps, and community-driven development that incorporates player feedback. One of the standout elements of Rage Effect: Mobile is also its infusion of Indian culture into the gameplay. The game features Indian-inspired maps based on iconic locations, “providing a unique twist to traditional shooter gameplay,” said the developer.
Additionally, it boasts culturally-relevant, India-based content, with character skins, weapon designs, in-game events, and Easter eggs that celebrate India’s rich heritage, diversity, and festivals.
“Goldon Studios is dedicated to nurturing the eSports ecosystem in India by forming partnerships with major esports events and collaborating with elite athletes,” the company stated in a press release. To support and promote local talent, the studio will be working closely with Team Liquid, an eports organisation, to create a “vibrant competitive scene for Rage Effect: Mobile in India.”
Rage Effect: Mobile is currently available on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store in select regions, including India, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, Iraq, the United States, and China.
The release of the title comes shortly after SuperGaming released its Indus Battle Royale game on mobile which was met with middling reviews by players. It currently has a rating of 3.4 stars based on 38,000 reviews on Google Play Store. Players have mainly complained of poor graphics of the battle royale game.
In a mission to make 5G accessible, Qualcomm announced Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 earlier this year which would bring down the cost of 5G devices to a price tag below $100. The first smartphone to come with the chip is the Redmi A4 5G that was unveiled earlier last week ad its India price has now been tipped.
Redmi A4 5G India Price (Leaked)
According to a Smartprix report, the Redmi A4 5G India price is set at Rs 8,499, including all the launch offers and discounts. This price tag will make the Redmi A4 will the most affordable 5G smartphone in India, which accomplishes Qualcomm’s aim as well, which was to make 5G more accessible and affordable. The leaked price tag is of the base 4GB + 128GB model. The device is expected to debut officially in India and go on sale later in November.
Redmi A4 5G Specifications (Leaked)
As for the leaked specs, the Redmi A4 will sport a 6.7” IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and an HD+ resolution. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset, built on a 4nm process, also making it the first smartphone in India to use this chip.
For optics, the device will employ a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 Aperture and an 8MP front-facing sensor for selfies. The device will run on Android 14-based HyperOS out of the box. Further, it will pack a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a USB Type-C port.
We expect the device to have a single mono speaker, along with Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth, GPS, and a USB-C port serving as connectivity options.
We should know more official details about the handset once it launches in the country next month.
Qualcomm just unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Processor and smartphone OEMs have already begun announcing their launches that will have the Chipset under the hood. Realme has announced that its upcoming Realme GT 7 Pro will be India’s first smartphone that will have the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC under the hood.
As announced by Realme India on X, the Realme GT 7 Pro will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and will be India’s first smartphone to do so. The device is launching in November and will be available exclusively via Amazon India.
The smartphone has already been teased in China along with some of its features, such as a Samsung display with micro curved edges on all sides which will support hardware-level full-brightness DC-like dimming, flicker-free eye protection, and more. The frame of the device appears thin and features a matte finish with a brushed look. As for other leaked specs, the device could feature a 6500mAh battery with 120W fast charging, a triple rear-cam setup, along with an IP69 rated body.
Speaking of the new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, it is based on the second-gen 3nm process from TSMC. It comprises of the eight-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU with a 64-bit Architecture. While efficiency cores have been omitted completely, there are 2x prime cores clocked at 4.32 GHz and six other performance cores running at up to 3.53 GHz clock speed. Qualcomm claims a 45% boost in CPU performance and 44% improved power efficiency over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
The all new Adreno GPU has support for real-time hardware-based ray tracing, Unreal Engine 5.3 running Nanite on smartphones and Chaos Physics engine, HDR gaming, Snapdragon Game Super Resolution, and more. Overall, Qualcomm is promising a respectable 40% increase in GPU performance over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Qualcomm has unveiled its next generation mobile platform called Snapdragon 8 Elite as it once again deviates from its naming scheme where the previous chipsets had numbers in their model name. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC packs Qualcomm’s own and new Oryon CPU which was recently seen in its PC chips. In terms of numbers, Qualcomm is claiming significant gains over the last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.
Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC: Specs
The new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC is based on the second-gen 3nm process from TSMC. It comprises of the eight-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU with a 64-bit Architecture. While efficiency cores have been omitted completely, there are 2x prime cores clocked at 4.32 GHz and six other performance cores running at up to 3.53 GHz clock speed. Qualcomm claims a 45% boost in CPU performance and 44% improved power efficiency over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
The all new Adreno GPU has support for real-time hardware-based ray tracing, Unreal Engine 5.3 running Nanite on smartphones and Chaos Physics engine, HDR gaming, Snapdragon Game Super Resolution, and more. Overall, Qualcomm is promising a respectable 40% increase in GPU performance over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
For wireless connectivity, it gets the Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 system with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v6.0, up to 6Ghz spectral band, and peak speeds of 5.8 Gbps. There’s the X80 5G Modem that supports peak download speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Further, there’s USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port support as well.
The devices equipped with this Chipset can load up to 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. It has 24MB L2 cache. As for cameras, there’s an AI-based triple 18-bit ISP with support for up to 320MP photo capture paired up to 10-bit colour depth video and photo capture, Google Ultra HDR photo capture, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and more.
The enhanced image signal processing (ISP) is now more tightly integrated with the new Hexagon NPU, delivering better HDR, more natural skin tones, improved sky colors, and enhanced Autofocus performance. Qualcomm has also introduced chip-level photo and video semantic segmentation, along with a video object eraser feature.
There’s further support for triple video capture from HDR image Sensors with seamless switching between any HDR mode. The Snapdragon 8 Elite additionally supports 8K Resolution video shooting up to 30 FPS, 4K video shooting up to 120 fps, or 1080p slo-mo video capture at 480fps.
For AI, the new Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU) enables AI tasks to run 45% faster with greater energy efficiency. Qualcomm’s AI Engine now supports multimodal Gen AI, allowing large and small models to operate with enhanced capabilities, including processing up to 70 tokens on SLMs.
For display, it can support up to 4K resolution running at 60Hz or QHD+ at 240Hz. Next, in terms of audio, it gets Qualcomm’s Aqstic codec support with Aqstic smart speaker amplifier and spatial audio with head tracking. In terms of security, the chipset has Trust Management Engine, Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor, 3D Sonic Max and more. Lastly, the chipset supports Quick Charge 5.
Snapdragon 8 Elite is set to power a host of upcoming Android flagships smartphones from OEMs like Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and others. Some of the confirmed models include Xiaomi 15 series, OnePlus 13, and the iQOO 13.
WhatsApp call links shortcut has been released in beta on iOS which allows users to share links of a voice or Video call with individuals as well as in groups. The new feature is aimed at saving time, as users no longer need to navigate to the Calls tab to create a call link, as they have to in WhatsApp for Android.
While WhatsApp for Android has already had the Call links shortcut for a while, it is now time for iOS users to test out the feature in beta (via WABetaInfo). This feature streamlines the creation and sharing of call links by adding a convenient shortcut within the chat attachment menu.
Rolling out to a select set of users in WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.21.10.79 update, the new WhatsApp call links shortcut allows users to generate links for both voice and video calls from within the chat itself, instead of creating it from the “Calls” tab. Once a call link is created, WhatsApp prompts the user to share it directly within the ongoing conversation. “This enhances the process and saving time, as users no longer need to navigate to the Calls tab to create a call link,” read the report by WABetaInfo.
By introducing the Call links shortcut directly within the chat attachment menu, WhatsApp has made the process of creating call links more straightforward and intuitive, enhancing its accessibility and highlighting its visibility as well.
WhatsApp is also rolling out Chat Themes on Android in beta, as spotted a couple of weeks back. With the new WhatsApp Chat themes on Android, users will get an option within the App settings to select a default chat theme that will be applied to all chats. In addition, for users who want more variety, they can choose different themes for specific conversations within the chat info screen, making it easier to differentiate between personal, work, and group chats.
iQOO 13 is going to debut soon in China and teasers for the device are being shared by the brand in the country on a regular basis. Now, a new teaser from iQOO India head has confirmed that the iQOO 13 India launch is also going to take place soon. Here’s everything to know.
As shared by Nipun Marya, iQOO India CEO, on X, the company official is teasing the launch of iQOO 13 in India by asking “Ready for the next?” in an image that shows the Snapdragon processors being used by iQOO flagships since iQOO 9 Pro till last year’s iQOO 12. The next, would be iQOO 13, which will likely draw power from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Processor that will debut tomorrow, October 22.
Last year, the iQOO 12 debuted in December in India and a recent report suggests that its successor, the iQOO 13, will also come to the country around a similar timeline, likely on December 3.
Some of the specifications of the device have also been confirmed, such as a 6.82-inch (3168×1440 pixels) 2K+ 144Hz flat display with narrow bezels, a 6150mAh third-generation silicon carbon battery with 120W fast wired charging, a multi-layer graphene, 7K ultra-large area VC cooling system, and a Proprietary gaming chip Q2.
Aside from that, it could come with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. For optics, the phone could feature a triple cam setup on the back, including a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 50MP 2x telephoto sensor. A 32MP camera could handle selfies and video calls on the device.
Samsung debuted the Galaxy A16 5G earlier last week in India, during which Realme also launched the Realme P1 Speed 5G. Both handsets come at a similar price point and have something unique to offer. However, which one would better suit your needs? Checkout this comparison of the two devices and decide for yourself.
Display
The Galaxy A16 5G sports a 6.7-inch full-HD+ (2,340 x 1,080 pixels) Super AMOLED Display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 800 nits brightness in HBM mode, and 385 ppi. The Realme P1 Speed 5G gets a 6.67-inch (2400 x 1080 pixels) full-HD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2000 nits peak brightness, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and Panda Glass Protection.
Purely on the basis of on-paper specs, the Realme P1 Speed 5G has a much better panel, not only in terms of refresh rate but also when it comes to brightness. Both handsets have decent panels, but Realme’s display is far ahead in terms of how advanced it is.
Performance & Software
The Realme P1 Speed 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, paired with up to 12GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage that supports expansion. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G handset is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip. It has a built-in storage of 128GB, which can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card. There’s support for 8GB RAM.
Realme P1 Speed 5G once again rushes ahead with a better Processor under the hood and more RAM. However, regarding software, the Galaxy A16 5G finally beats the Realme phone because it gets six years of OS updates and security patches. Realme hasn’t specified the number of updates the P1 Speed 5G will get, but considering the Realme P1 5G receives 3 years of OS updates and four years of security patches, the policy should likely remain similar for the Speed model as well, which is half of what the Galaxy A16 5G gets.
The choice of software would remain subjective, as both of them run on Android 14-based software skins that come with an ample number of features.
Cameras & Battery
For optics, the Realme device has a dual rear camera setup, including a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 Aperture and LED flash paired with an additional 2MP f/2.4 portrait sensor. At the front, there’s a 16MP f/2.45 sensor for selfies and video calls. The handset is backed up by a 5000mAh battery with 45W fast wired charging.
The Galaxy A16 5G features a triple camera setup on the back, comprising of a 50-megapixel primary sensor with 10x magnification, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 2-megapixel camera with a macro sensor. The front camera has a 13-megapixel sensor. The device includes a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast charging.
In terms of cameras, the Galaxy A16 5G wins because of the more practical setup which includes an ultra-wide angle sensor on the back. In case of battery, the Realme P1 Speed 5G once again takes the lead due to superior charging speeds.
Other better features in the Realme P1 Speed 5G include a superior IP65 rating over Samaung’s IP54 rating and support for stereo speakers over the Galaxy A16 5G’s single mono speaker.
Conclusion
The Realme P1 Speed 5G starts at Rs 17,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 20,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model. The Galaxy A16 5G comes in two models: 8GB + 128GB priced at Rs 18,999 and 8GB + 256GB priced at Rs 21,999.
For a cheaper price tag by a thousand bucks, along with more RAM, a better display, IP rating and chipset, stereo speakers, and faster charging, the Realme P1 Speed 5G is definitely a superior choice over the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. However, if better cameras and software support are of the utmost importance to you, then you could consider the Galaxy A16 5G as well.
