We already know that Google’s next flagship phone could be the first device to ship with a custom processor designed by Google with help from Samsung. But now there’s evidence that the Pixel 6 will also have the same graphics processor as some recent Samsung flagships, which could make it a much more powerful option for mobile gaming than Google’s Pixel 5, which has a mid-range CPU and GPU.
Meanwhile, as expected, the Biden administration has undone one of the last foreign policy moves made by the Trump administration – it has taken Xiaomi off a list of Communist Chinese Military Companies, which means that investment restrictions scheduled for later this year will not take effect. And an open source smartphone operating system turns four this year, with postmarketOS celebrating a number of achievements since I first wrote about the operating system in 2017.
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.
- Google’s Pixel 6 will likely use the same GPU as Samsung’s global Galaxy S21 [xda-developers]
While the Google Pixel 6 is expected to feature a new “Whitechapel” or GS101 processor designed by Google and Samsung, it looks like it could have the same ARM Mali-G78 GPU used in Samsung Galaxy S21 phones sold outside the US. - Four years of postmarketOS [postmarketOS]
This Linux-based operating systems for smartphones and other mobile devices was started four years ago as a project to extend the lifespan of consumer devices. It now boots on nearly 289 different devices, and 11 of those devices can use something close to a mainline Linux kernel with support for enough key hardware to let folks use those phones as… well, phones, rather than devices for tinkering. - Xiaomi taken off the US list of Communist Chinese Military Companies [Xiaomi]
The US has removed Xiaomi from a “Communist Chinese Military Company” list, which means that restrictions on investors which would have gone into effect later this year have been lifted. The Trump administration put Xiaomi on the list in January. - ONEXPLAYER handheld gaming PC crowdfunding update – the early bird rewards are gone [Indiegogo]
Up until now, backers could reserve the 8.4 inch handheld gaming computer for as little as $819. But now the pricing options start at $899 for a model with a Core i5-1135G7 processor and a 512GB SSD or $999 for a Core i7-1165G7 model with 1TB of storage. Those are still up to 15-percent lower than the anticipated retail prices. Find more details about the ONEXPLAYER in Liliputing’s review of the handheld computer.Â
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