🌅 Hi there! I’m pretty keen to see what Sony and Nintendo show off in their streamed events today. I’ve been eyeing the PSVR 2 while my Nintendo Switch definitely needs some more love.

OnePlus 11 Pro renders leak online

OnePlus is only expected to launch the OnePlus 11 Pro in early 2023 (or December 2022 if one leak is anything to go on). But that hasn’t stopped a dependable leaker from revealing unofficial renders of the device.

So what should we know?

• Steve ‘OnLeaks’ Hemmerstoffer and Smartprix posted renders of the OnePlus 11 Pro yesterday.
• Hemmerstoffer has an almost impeccable track record for leaks, although the two sources cautioned that these renders were based on an early prototype.
• Nevertheless, the images show a circular rear camera housing with triple rear cameras and Hasselblad branding.
• But the big feature spotted here is the return of the alert slider.
• The slider was present on the OnePlus 10 Pro but missing on the OnePlus 10T.
• Otherwise, there’s no word on other details such as specs. But a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset seems like a given.

A follow-up to a disappointing release

• We described the OnePlus 10 Pro as a ‘lukewarm’ response to rival devices in our review earlier this year.
• OnePlus downgraded the ultrawide camera, while locking the IP rating to the T-Mobile version.
• You’re also getting poor sustained performance due to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
• Toss in poorly balanced speakers and mediocre build quality and you’ve got a ‘generic’ release.
• It wasn’t all bad though, as the screen, battery life, and charging speeds were great.
• But we thought you were better off with the likes of the Pixel 6 series, Galaxy S22 range, or even the OnePlus 9 Pro.

OnePlus really needs to do better

• The company really needs to bounce back and make a statement with this next phone.
• After all, there are several examples of brands that released one high-profile, mediocre phone and never quite recovered.
• See LG with the G5 and HTCwith the One M9.
• At least OnePlus has the resources of OPPO behind it, but even this association has its drawbacks.
• The OnePlus/OPPO merger has seen OnePlus lose its identity in some ways. For example, the alert slider was dropped from some phones and Oxygen OS 13 is basically ColorOS 13 with a few tweaks. There’s also been a flood of budget Nord devices.
• There’s no doubt that OPPO is seeking more control over OnePlus’ destiny, but the 11 Pro needs to stand out on its own merit, or the flagship risks being devalued as yet another phone by OPPO.

Roundup

📱 Google’s preview program will give early access to new Home app features (Android Authority).

💾 Pixel 7 may have limited storage options, but it’s not all bad news: US consumers might have more options though (Android Authority).

💻 The next Pixelbook (and the Pixelbook team) are no more: Google has apparently canceled the Pixelbook 2 and split up the team as part of cost-cutting measures (Android Authority).

🖥️ Intel teases 6GHz Raptor Lake at stock, 8GHz overclocking world record: One of the company’s 13th gen CPUs will run at 6GHz out of the box, coming shortly after AMD promised a 5.7GHz Ryzen 7000 series CPU. Are we going back to the clock-speed wars? (Tom’s Hardware).

🔭 How an enormous project attempted to map the sky without computers: A fascinating look at the first international collaboration to make a ‘map of the sky’ in the late 19th century (Ars Technica).

🔋 Five year update pledges don’t mean much without removable batteries: Now that lengthy update pledges are more common, it’s time for OEMs to tackle battery degradation. If not by directly addressing degradation, then by offering removable batteries (Android Authority).

📸 It’s time to bring contrast back to our smartphone photos: A great piece by The Verge‘s Allison Johnson. HDR is the backbone of smartphone photography today and that’s mostly fantastic. But it’s also dialed out contrast in pictures, and that’s not necessarily a good thing (The Verge).

🔎 You told us: You’re split over your phones’ camera zoom quality (Android Authority).

🛰️ Interested in launching a satellite? Three space companies have put together a ‘best practices’ guide: SpaceX, Iridium, and OneWeb have cooperated on a guide for companies wanting to launch a satellite. This covers everything from pre-launch to collision avoidance and more (Popular Science).

🎨 Get the iPhone 14 wallpapers on your Android phone right here (Android Authority).

🤳 Leaked report from Instagram shows ‘most Reels users have no engagement whatsoever’: Another blow for Instagram in its fight against TikTok (Gizmodo).

Tuesday Thing

How cool is this? A company in Japan has announced that it will sell spoons and bowls that can make food taste saltier. According to SoraNews24 and Yomiuri Shimbun, the new bowls and spoons by Kirin Holdings are capable of making food taste 1.5 times saltier without having to add more salt.

The tech works by using a mild electrical current that flows from the spoon/bowl to the food itself. There are also four levels to play with, so you can presumably dial things down if the food tastes too salty. The company says this current doesn’t affect the human body.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this tech either, as the company and researchers previously developed a pair of chopsticks in this regard. However, the chopsticks required a battery strapped to the user’s wrist. Thankfully, we’ve got an internal battery for the spoon and bowl.

Have a great day!
Hadlee Simons, Editor