This week was filled with a lot of exciting things—from new smartphone launches to a ton of leaks and updates. This is the first wrap of the year. So, here’s everything you need to know about this week’s biggest stories.
Launches
The Redmi Turbo 4 was launched in China on January 2, priced at 1999 Yuan for the 12GB + 256GB variant. This device will be rebranded as the POCO X7 Pro in India.
iQOO has launched a new edition of the iQOO Z9 Turbo Endurance with a 6,400 mAh battery using Silicon Carbide technology. The phone weighs the same despite the larger battery.
The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G was launched in the US along with the Galaxy Fit 3.
The Motorola G05 has been teased in India and will launch on January 7 at 12 PM.
The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R are launching on January 7 at 9 PM IST, featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite and 8 Gen 3 chipsets respectively.
The Redmi 14C will launch on January 6 as a budget 5G phone in three colors.
The POCO X7 series, including the POCO X7 and X7 Pro, will launch in India on January 9 at 5:30 PM IST. The POCO X7 Pro will be the first in India to launch with HyperOS 2.0. Read more here.
The OPPO Reno13 and OPPO Reno13 Pro will launch in India on January 9 at 5 PM IST, powered by Dimensity 8350, OPPO AI, and other premium features.
The Redmi Pad 7 will launch in India on January 10, featuring a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset.
realme 14 Pro and 14 Pro+ to launch by the end of January with a 6,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, and IP ratings up to IP69.
Leaks and Updates
The iPhone SE 2025 is rumored to be priced at $499 and will feature the A18 chipset, 8GB RAM, 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED screen, 48MP primary camera, and 12MP selfie shooter. It might also be named iPhone 16E, as per leaked case designs.
Reports confirm that the entire iPhone 17 series will switch to 120 Hz screens, except for the iPhone SE. Read more here.
The OnePlus 13R’s leaked specifications include a 50MP main camera with OIS, 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. Source.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite globally, ditching Exynos entirely. It is also said to come bundled with Gemini Advanced, for free.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 renders reveal a design similar to the Galaxy A36, with a Full HD+ screen, 120Hz refresh rate, and Exynos 1580 chipset.
The OnePlus 13 Special Edition with 24 GB RAM and 1 TB storage is expected to launch exclusively in India.
Xiaomi’s upcoming Xiaomi 16 is rumored to include a major camera upgrade, featuring a periscope lens instead of a telephoto. Read more here.
The OPPO Find N5 has been certified and will launch globally as the OnePlus Open 2. Read more here.
The vivo X200 Ultra’s leaked specifications reveal a 6.82-inch 2K OLED screen, Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a 50MP 35mm + 200MP 85mm + 50MP rear camera setup.
The vivo X200s has been leaked. It is expected to feature the Dimensity 9400+ SoC, 1.5K LTPS OLED display, same camera setup as X200. Read more here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE: Model SM-F761B in development, expected to feature the Exynos 2400 SoC. Read more here.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Set to make a return this year. Read more here.
OnePlus Watch 3 Pro could be a rebranded OPPO Watch X2 Pro with ECG and BP monitoring features.
HyperOS Bootloader Unlock Restrictions: From January 1, 2025, global users can unlock only one device per account per year.
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 to feature a 2+6 architecture with a max clock speed of 4.0 GHz. Read more here.
Apple is delaying its 2nm chip technology to 2026 due to TSMC’s yield issues.
The EU has officially mandated the use of USB-C charging for all devices sold in the region. Read more here.
Auto Updates
The 2025 Hyundai Creta Electric was revealed, showcasing a design nearly identical to the ICE version. Reports suggest it will come with two battery pack options. Read more here.
Kia has started bookings for the Kia Syros EV, beginning January 3, 2025, at 12 AM IST. The expected price is between ₹9–10 lakhs. Read more here.
Miscellaneous
Samsung’s Good Lock app will now be available on the Google Play Store globally for all Samsung devices. Read more here.
Apple TV+ is free this weekend, so you can still access it if you’re reading this on January 5.
LG has unveiled its Hybrid AI Gram laptops featuring both on-device and cloud-based AI services, as part of its pre-CES 2025 announcements. Read more here.
Air India has introduced complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi services on domestic flights. Read more here.
The CES 2025 event will take place from January 7 to January 11 in Los Angeles, with several pre-announcements already made. Read more about CES 2025 here.
Indian Telecom Tariff Hike: Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL are expected to hike tariffs by 15% in December 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates in the upcoming weekly wrap.
