New smartwatch Redmi and problems with Android 12: the results of the week

The past week has left us with a slight sense of uncertainty. Firstly, there was almost no serious news on it that would bring us new products or great prospects for the future. In fact, the only interesting thing that we were shown was the new cheap Redmi watch. And this week, more details have surfaced about the Google watch, which the company is simply obliged to release. Well, and not without Huawei, which shared information about smartphones that will support the new operating system EMUI 12. All this and other news, including problems with Android 12, in our final news collection.

New Redmi Watch 2

Recently, smartwatches are gaining more and more popularity among users. However, while Yabloko has an Apple Watch, things are not so smooth on Android. Those who use the operating system from Google, for some reason, usually prefer fitness trackers and are skeptical about other devices. However, if you look at the market, you can see that many companies offer really cool solutions worthy of our attention. Recently, a subsidiary of Xiaomi introduced the Redmi Watch 2. This device is perhaps the best solution in terms of price-performance ratio among wearable devices.

The war between smartwatches and fitness bracelets has been going on for years . We have already touched upon the issue of choosing between them many times, but, to be honest, I haven’t decided yet for myself. On the one hand, modern trackers offer all the same functionality, but for less money. On the other hand, a clock is a clock. They both look more solid and are more convenient to use.

 

Just the other day, a presentation of a cool budget employee Redmi took place in China . And even though the smartphone has not yet been presented with us, I am sure that as soon as it arrives in Russia, the model will scatter like hot cakes. Just look at him.

In addition to phones, we were also presented with the second generation of smart watches Redmi Watch, which surprise no less than Redmi Note 11. First of all, this is evidenced by statistics – in two hours, sales of watches exceeded 30,000 pieces. Can you imagine what will happen next?

Later it became known that only a light version of the Redmi Watch 2 Lite will arrive on the global market, which will be deprived of some of the main features. Looking ahead, I will say that my friends and I from the Telegram channel Chest Ali Baba have found a cool way out of the situation for you.

Now to the characteristics. The case of the Redmi Watch 2 is made of plastic. The watch has several colors: black, white and blue. The straps are made of silicone and painted the same way. The front panel flaunts a 1.6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 320×360 pixels, which will allow you to fully appreciate all 100 built-in dials . Lite version has only 1.55-inch IPS-matrix with the same resolution.

I was also pleased with the water resistance with a value of 5 ATM. At the presentation, they said that the watch will be able to track your activity in the pool. So you can swim. Let me remind you that Xiaomi has not been using the abbreviations we are used to for protection against water and dust IPX for a long time. This is due to the fact that for certification it is necessary to go through some procedures that can negatively affect the cost of the gadget.

With regard to training, then swimming is not limited to everything. The manufacturer claims that 117 activity modes will be available for you , some of which the watch will be able to detect automatically using some sensors.

The Chinese have done a very good job with the sensors this year. Basically, the Redmi Watch 2 has everything that a user could possibly need: a heart rate sensor, blood oxygen level, automatic screen brightness adjustment, an accelerometer, a compass and a gyroscope.

It is clear that the pandemic is making adjustments to our lives and oxygen control – a have feature for all devices. Even if the meter does not work as accurately as we would like, at critical values ​​it can definitely help you. Athletes will love the presence of GPS . With a Redmi watch, you don’t have to take your smartphone with you for a run, the device will cope without it, and when you return, it will transfer all the data.

Among other parameters of health control, I would like to note the presence of sleep monitoring, an assessment of the level of stress and tracking the menstrual cycle . You know, I don’t even know what else the user can wish for. In my opinion, everything is fine here.

Along with health tracking, the NFC function was also brought in the new watch from Redmi, which, apparently, will only work in China. This is evidenced by the fact that only a stripped-down version of the Redmi Watch 2 Lite entered the global market, where payment using a sensor was not initially announced.

Plus, as I wrote above, only the Lite version of the device will enter the global market, which once again refers us to the reluctance of the Chinese to provide us with contactless payments.

Autonomy is the main indicator of any wearable device. No matter how cool a watch may seem to you, if you have to charge it every two or three days, sooner or later you will simply stop wearing it. Checked on myself.

The Redmi Watch 2 comes with a 225mAh battery, which should last for about 12 days with average usage. The company says that if you want to overclock the watch to its fullest, its use on a single charge will drop by about half (up to 7 days). Again, I believe this is sufficient.

But in the Redmi Watch 2 Lite with autonomy, things are a little better. The 262 mAh battery provides up to 10 days on a single charge with normal use, or up to 14 hours with GPS.

At the presentation, the cost of only $ 65 was announced for the older version of the watch. I looked at Redmi Watch 2 on Aliexpress and, you know, there is something to look at here. Now they can be found for about 6 thousand rubles. For a device with similar functionality, the price is more than adequate.

If you think that the Lite version will be enough for you, you can take it. Surprisingly, Lite is more expensive than the Classic at this point. And if you are in time for the 11.11 sale , you can take it for nothing. Users of our Telegram chat often say that AMOLED is a chip that shouldn’t be overpayed for. If you think the same, then here you are.

As you’ve probably already noticed, the famous 11.11 sale is coming in China. We will keep an eye on delicious goods along with the Telegram channel Chest Ali Baba , so subscribe and be aware of all the discounts.

Pixel Watch

Google is desperate for a smartwatch of its own. This is not even speculation or leaks, but a real need for the company. We’ve seen a lot of different information that Google is working on the Pixel Watch, but it looks like it will be delayed over and over again. But the watch should go out as soon as possible. There is simply no time to swing. Time goes by, the industry is developing, and there are more and more competitors. But the main one is still Apple. And not only because the Apple Watch is the most popular watch in the world, but also because Google itself often opposes itself precisely to Cupertinos in advertising.

There are currently over 100 million Apple Watch users worldwide . This is a fairly large number. And Apple is single-handedly taking over the smartwatch market. Of course, we have other products from Samsung, Amazfit and others. But none of them really can be that good, and this is also Google’s fault. Google is constantly changing Wear OS and doesn’t know what to do with it.

The company needs to release its Pixel Watch even if it doesn’t go mainstream on the first try. That way Google can get feedback from reviewers and buyers for the product and improve it. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons Google needs to release the Pixel Watch as soon as possible.

Earlier this year, John Prosser released data on the Google Pixel Watch , which was originally supposed to debut this October with the Pixel 6. But it was ultimately delayed again. According to the leak, the watch looks amazing. It can even be assumed that the circulation of this gadget would be much larger than that of any Google Pixel.

If Google could promise that the watch would work even a day without charging, it would already be a victory and would strongly dispose people to buy this device. Such a watch could even force some Apple Watch users to upgrade to the new version. Remember that Wear OS is available for Apple users, but Apple Watch is not available for Android users ?

At the same time, many dedicated Android fans who don’t want to hear anything about the iPhone speak very warmly about the Apple Watch. On the Android side, there really is nothing like that.

 

I use the Apple Watch myself , as I always have my iPhone as a second phone. In addition, I have a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and a Huawei Watch 3 Pro, but my heart still lies with the Apple Watch. Despite the fact that phones, like you, I like Android more.

However, there is also another important distinctive feature. Almost all watches, except for the Apple Watch, are round. Apple watches, on the other hand, are square. I like the square shape more, but as practice shows, users usually prefer round models. This means that the watch from Google will have even more fans than it could have originated.

The main thing is that the watch continues to work with smartphones in all situations. For example, I have repeatedly come across a situation when watches or bracelets of one brand did not work with the phone of another. At first, everything was fine, but then problems began, such as loss of connection.

 

The main task of watches for every day is not even their fitness functions and activity counting, but the ability to place some applications on the wrist. It is very convenient for me that I can not only receive notifications from my phone, but also perform some simple functions, such as deleting obviously unnecessary emails and voice typing responses to messages in instant messengers.

If Google can provide not just another mediocre watch , but fundamentally change the product, there can be no doubt about the commercial success of the device. Surely the company understands this very well, and perhaps that is why it has not yet released its watches. It’s too attractive a device to pass up, but it’s not worth releasing a raw product right now. Especially after the release of the Pixel 6, which should mark a new chapter in the company’s history.

Google is in a tough spot as it simply has nowhere to postpone its launch. She has been making software for wearable devices for about six years, but it’s time to bring her own product. The Pixel Watch is not just desirable, but a pleasant surprise. If the company doesn’t release them, it will be a defeat.

Apple has already consumed a significant chunk of the smartwatch market. But many analysts still say there is room for growth in this market . And Google needs to get a good piece of the pie before it’s too late.

Which phones will receive EMUI 12

With the advent of Harmony OS, I, like many users, immediately got my eyes on it. Well, you see, when the market is dominated by two giant operating systems that are fundamentally different from each other, there can be no talk of any healthy competition. And now a promising new product with a huge PR campaign was born. It became clear to amateurs that the new operating system runs on an Android engine, and interest has slowly died down. Against this background, it seems very interesting that Huawei has not abandoned its own shell.

More recently, at an event for the release of new products, HUAWEI announced a fairly large list of devices that will support EMUI 12. Despite the number in the name, the shell will not be built on top-end Android 12, which we told you about more than once, but on the basis of the previous one. eleventh. We can judge this by the brand new Nova 9.

This is due to the fact that the latest operating system from Google does not apply to Huawei devices. The reason for this is the sanctions, about which, perhaps, only the lazy one has not heard. Among other things, it is possible that in the future the Chinese will be able to transfer their devices to the current version of the operating system. I’ll tell you more: this is likely to happen.

At first glance, there are almost no innovations in EMUI. However, with a detailed analysis, you can find a couple of interesting chips, see for yourself:

• • New design in the spirit of minimalism with three color backgrounds – white, black and blue.
  • There are settings for the weight and size of fonts .
  • Redesigned control panel with quick access to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other devices.
  • Device + : Quick access to gadgets from the Huawei ecosystem.
  • Updated MeeTime video calling app: improved privacy and broadcast to the big screen.

In general, the focus on the development of its own ecosystem is visible. Moreover, this is striking both in Harmony OS, which we have already told you about several times and in EMUI 12, where all the devices of the Chinese company work together just with a bang.

It’s still cool that Huawei does not abandon its users, because now many people think that buying a smartphone without Google services is simply pointless. Half of the software doesn’t work at all. The other half barely starts up. Nevertheless, the list of supported devices is quite large:

• • • Mate 40 Pro, Mate Xs.
    • Mate 30 Pro, Mate 30.
    • Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 RS, Mate 20 X 5G, Mate 20 X, Mate 20.
    • Mate 10 Porsche Design, Mate 10 Pro and Mate 10.
    • P40 Pro +, P40 Pro, P40.
    • P30 Pro, P30.
    • P20 Pro, P20.
    • Nova 7, nova 7 SE, nova 7i.
    • nova 5T.
    • nova 4, nova 4e.
    • Y9 Prime 2019, Y9s, Y8p.

We have previously told you about many Huawei models. The last time the author of AndroidInsider.ru Artem Sutyagin shared his impressions about the smartphone “without a future” Nova 8 , where he said that the smartphone is not at all worse than its “classmates” and in terms of characteristics it may well compete with comrades. And software is the tenth thing. In addition, there is an App Gallery . I highly recommend reading it.

Huawei introduced EMUI 12 back in the summer, in August. However, the update will come to phones much later. During the event, the company announced that the aforementioned smartphones will start receiving updates starting from the first quarter of 2022.

Let’s essentially: from the fact that Huawei was taken away Google services, the company, of course, lost a lot, but certainly not all. It is clear that I would not take top-end models for a lot of money, but as a second phone – quite myself.

Another thing is that Google services are much more than you might imagine. Earlier, we have already talked about all the nuances of Google Mobile Services in a separate article. Just imagine that, for example, you cannot:

• • • Receive push notifications from different apps that are not adapted for Huawei.
    • Launch YouTube and YouTube Music service.
    • Pay for purchases through the phone.

And I listed not even half of all the restrictions imposed on Huawei, but only told about those that blocked my way into the world of this Chinese company for 5 years exactly.

What do you think about this? Owners of Huawei smartphones, unsubscribe in our Telegram chat or in the comments below, your experience is very interesting.

Problems with games in Android 12

For a long time we have been waiting for something new and interesting from Android. This year we finally got the long-awaited update and now it is followed by problems that may not seem the most obvious. And it was difficult to identify them during testing. Due to the small distribution of the 12th version of this operating system, at the moment it is difficult to say that the error found is critical, and it is related to games, but it is still worth talking about such a bug. Moreover, when a couple of days ago this information appeared for the first time, it seemed something ephemeral, but now more and more people are complaining about it. Until Android 12 becomes massively available, this problem needs to be urgently addressed, but first we need to figure it out.

One of the main new elements of Android 12 is the Material You theme engine. Using the wallpaper as a guide, Android automatically changes the color accents on your smartphone to create a cohesive visual experience.

If this is not done, then everything will look very heterogeneous, and the colors of the interface will be a nightmare for the designer. You can read more about what Material Design is, how it works and why you need it in this article, prepared by my colleague Artem Rakhmatullin.

When you combine this new feature with automatic wallpaper changing, you have a really cool and very colorful Android look. Unfortunately, this week’s Android bug 12 is causing serious problems. And the most annoying thing, it seems that this is directly related to the work of the new Material You function. It is she who, apparently, is able to “bring confusion” into the system. This was initially reported by representatives of XDA-Developers , finding a new entry in the bug tracker related to this issue.

The good news is that you need to meet some very specific requirements to encounter such an error. At the moment, we can even say that this error will have to be especially chased because not everyone even has the equipment that allows you to identify it.

First, you must have a Google Pixel phone with Android 12 installed, as the Material You theme engine is still exclusive to this lineup. These are models starting with Google Pixel 3 and newer, including a-versions .

Secondly, you need to activate a system that automatically changes your phone’s wallpaper . This could be the tool that came with your phone or a third-party application.

Thirdly, you will need to run the Android game. Only in this case you will encounter the error itself in the form of a crash of the game every time you change the wallpaper in the background.

 

Obviously, this is a very specific set of circumstances, and now you don’t have to worry about it, but the more common the operating system becomes, the more likely it is that tens and hundreds of thousands of new users will encounter the error.

I would like to believe that the solution to the problem lies on the surface, and Google will not have to rewrite the operating system code for a long time and painfully. So far, from the positive news, we can only say that Google knows about the problem and is already working to ensure that it does not interfere with users playing their favorite games.

Now we can give only one piece of advice to those who have encountered game crashes for a (seemingly) incomprehensible reason. Everything is very simple. You just need to turn off the automatic wallpaper change of your phone. In this case, the games will work stably and will not crash. Of course, if there are no other problems.

Bugs in software products are not out of the ordinary. When dozens of developers create an OS, then hundreds of closed testers test it, and then tens of thousands of open users clean up after them, it still cannot be compared with the millions of naughty pens who start doing whatever they want with the software after it is released.

Sometimes the software even responds, but this is not the case, and Google is already working on a solution to the problem.