The upcoming Oppo Find X5 Pro (previously thought to be the Oppo Find X4 Pro) sounds a lot like a OnePlus 10 Pro on paper, and the latest leak of real-life photos of the phone suggest it'll also adopt that phone's camera branding too.
OnePlus phones have sported Hassleblad branding since the OnePlus 9 in 2021, and this would mark the first time that the company's sister brand would also include the markings.
OnePlus has now become a sub-brand of the larger Oppo, so we're seeing both of these phones combine similar features meaning a lot of the specs on each handset seem to be the same.
This latest leak comes from real-world photos posted by CoolAPK member Andy001231. The source doesn't have a history of leaking handsets, but the photos provided by him of a real device look very similar to renders provided previously by trusted source OnLeaks.
The specs here are also remarkably similar to what we've heard in other leaks from other sources as well including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, a 2K 120Hz refresh rate display (previous leaks said it'd be 6.7-inches) and a 5000mAh battery with 80W wired charging.
It's unclear if this latest leak means that the next Oppo phone will get all the same tweaks from Hassleblad on its rear camera. If the branding is there, we'd expect it to be a similar deal as to what we saw with OnePlus last year.
We've yet to learn when the next Oppo Find X series will make its debut, but if the company follows a similar strategy to OnePlus we may see these phones appear in China before the rest of the world.
Previously we had expected this to be called the Oppo Find X4 series, but recent leaks have called it the Oppo Find X5 instead. The number four is commonly thought of as unlucky in China, so it may be because of that it'll change its name.
Analysis: What's the difference here, Oppo?
The OnePlus 10 Pro and the Oppo Find X5 Pro are looking remarkably similar. We've always seen crossover between these two brands, but this is looking like arguably the same smartphone tech in both handsets.
One crucial difference, according to the leaks, is the camera. The OnePlus 10 Pro has a 48MP main, 50MP ultra-wide and 8MP telephoto. The Oppo Find X5 Pro is rumored to get a 50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide and another undisclosed 13MP camera.
That's all subject to change for the Oppo Find X5 Pro, but it's hardly a reason to opt directly for this smartphone over the OnePlus choice. Or vice-versa.
If both of these phones are as similar as they appear on paper, it'll only make the decision of which handset to buy harder for consumers. It also gives those upgrading their phones fewer choices that actually work differently.
We're hoping to hear some defining features for the Oppo Find X5 Pro in the near future, but if the two brands are now even sharing camera partnerships it may be a lost cause.
Some iPhone 13s are suffering from pink screens, but there might be a simple fix
The iPhone 13 and its siblings are excellent phones – when they work, but a growing number of users seem to be encountering a concerning problem with the range, namely that the screen will sometimes turn pink.
As 9to5Mac notes, this issue was first reported back in October, with an iPhone 13 Pro user posting on an Apple Discussions forum thread that their two-day-old phone was unusable as its screen would keep turning pink for a few seconds before reloading.
Apple replaced that device, but since then numerous similar reports have rolled in across the web, and not every user has been fortunate enough to get a free replacement phone.
The specifics do vary though. In some cases the whole screen goes pink, while in others the status bar icons remain white. In some cases the issue happens repeatedly or continuously, in others it’s happened once of twice and then the user’s phone has so far seemed fine.
However, the issue seems to be limited to the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro , iPhone 13 Pro Max , and iPhone 13 mini , with older Apple phones unaffected.
It’s not clear how widespread this problem actually is, but MyDrivers presents a possible solution, apparently sourced from Apple’s customer service.
According to Apple customer service, this is a software problem rather than a hardware problem, which would explain why in some cases the status bar icons don’t change color (since it’s not the display panel itself failing). If it is a software issue, then that means Apple can potentially also push out a bug fix for it.
For now though, the company advises backing up your data and upgrading to the latest version of iOS.
From the machine translated comment on MyDrivers it’s not totally clear from that whether Apple means the latest released version ( iOS 15.2 ), or the beta version ( iOS 15.3 ). But we’d recommend starting with iOS 15.2 if you don’t already have that, and only then considering iOS 15.3 if the problem continues, since being beta software it might in itself be unstable.
For what it’s worth there’s currently no official mention of this bug fix in either software version, but then so far there aren’t any release notes for iOS 15.3, despite the software presumably including some new features or bug fixes.
Apple support also recommends making sure all the apps on your phone are up to date, in case there’s some incompatibility between an app version and your iOS version.
Opinion: Apple needs to provide more clarity, and a proper fix
While the advice above may well work for some people, it’s not clear whether this bug has actually been fixed in the latest iOS release or if Apple’s just hoping that will resolve the problem.
So it would be good if Apple could provide more clarity on that – and some actual release notes for iOS 15.3 would be nice on that front.
Hopefully now that this issue is getting media attention Apple will be more forthcoming, and take it more seriously, but that remains to be seen.
Can't get a PS5? Sony may try to sell you a PS4 instead
Sony has allegedly increased PS4 production to help offset the ongoing demand for PS5 consoles and to “keep gamers within the PlayStation ecosystem.”
According to Bloomberg , Sony has informed its assembly partners to produce more PlayStation 4 consoles throughout 2022, despite initially planning to “discontinue assembly at the end of 2021.”
The decision will see about a million PS4 consoles hit shelves this year, and will hopefully give consumers an alternative if they’re new to PlayStation and can’t find a PS5 to purchase. As the PS4 uses older hardware, it’s easier for Sony to produce and could provide a budget-friendly option for those who can’t wait any longer to experience Sony’s marquee titles.
Although Sony never planned on ending PS4 production, which has sold more than 116 million units to date, it apparently foresaw an opportunity to transition to its latest hardware quickly – something which a Sony spokesperson denied to Bloomberg.
However, due to the global semiconductor shortage, disruption from the pandemic, and extremely high demand, Sony has found getting PS5 consoles into retailers’ hands a challenge. Despite being on sale for over a year, finding a PlayStation 5 on sale is still a bit of a lottery.
The PS5 stock shortage has also meant that Sony’s proposed budget option, the PS5 Digital Edition , hasn’t been a viable option for consumers – and is often even harder to find than the disc version. At $399 / £359 / AU$549, the digital-only model of Sony’s PlayStation 5 is $100 cheaper than the disc version.
Analysis: is it still worth buying a PS4 today?
If you’ve been searching for a PS5 but haven’t been able to find one yet, the PS4 is still a great option if you simply want to play Sony-exclusive games like Uncharted 4 , God of War , The Last of Us 2 , and Horizon: Zero Dawn .
The console continues to receive countless new games, too, as many of the best PS5 games like Resident Evil Village , Assassin’s Creed Valhalla , and FIFA 22 are cross-gen titles, so there’s a breadth of titles to jump into from day one.
However, if you’re sold on Sony’s lineup of current-gen titles, the new DualSense controller , or simply want to experience significantly better performance at higher resolutions, the PS4 probably won’t be an attractive proposition.
The PS4 Pro , which is at least capable of 4K , has also been discontinued by Sony, which means you’ll have trouble finding Sony’s mid-gen refresh console. If you want the best possible experience, then, a PS5 is the way to go.
Sony’s inability to offer a genuine alternative to the PS5 does make Microsoft’s decision to sell the Xbox Series S seem extremely savvy in hindsight. The more affordable Xbox, which has proven itself to be a true next-gen console despite its caveats, is now readily available at a number of retailers. The cheaper console has helped make the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Microsoft’s fastest-selling consoles of all time , something which simply wouldn’t have been possible if Microsoft only offered its flagship console.
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has previously warned that supply issues could persist until 2023 , which would mean that the PS4 and Xbox Series S are the only realistic options for the foreseeable future.