Oppo is expected to announce the Oppo Find X9 Ultra soon in its home market, China, as a new leak has surfaced showcasing an alleged design of the upcoming flagship.

Leaked renders suggest a dual-tone design and multiple colour options

The publication Smartprix, in collaboration with tipster Yogesh Barar, has shared leaked renders that showcase a dual-tone design. These renders suggest that the device will have a premium look with multiple colour options, including an all-black variant, a vibrant orange model, and an earthy brown dual-tone version.

Looking specifically at the dual-tone variant with the faux leather finish, there could be practical concerns if the design turns out to be true, such as possible dust accumulation around the edges of the leather section. The camera module appears to feature a circular housing with four smaller circular cutouts for the camera sensors, along with an LED flash positioned at the top-left corner next to the circular module.

As with most leaks, there is room for doubt. However, OPPO’s Product Manager, Zhou Yibao, responded to a Weibo post regarding these renders and stated (translated from Chinese): “the blogger is fake, wait for the official announcement later.” This response suggests that either the entire design is inaccurate or certain elements shown in the renders may not reflect the final product. That said, companies often deny early leaks even when some details are close to reality, so the situation remains unclear.

Speaking more, early rumours from tipster Yogesh Barar suggest that the Oppo Find X9 Ultra could debut globally in the first quarter of 2026, with a launch in China expected to happen first. It is expected that the China launch could take place after the Chinese Spring Festival period, which is expected to conclude in the first week of March.

The device is also expected to feature Sony’s LYT-901 image sensor, and it’s speculated that either the Find X9 Ultra or the Vivo X300 Ultra could be among the first to adopt this new sensor, though no additional major leaks have surfaced yet. We can expect more information to emerge as certification listings become available in the coming days.

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Recently, the tech world was amused to find the Galaxy A77 5G smartphone listed on the Geekbench database, believing that Samsung is preparing a successor to its March 2022-released Galaxy A73 5G device. However, it has now been reported that the Geekbench-listed device is not the real device, and no Galaxy A77 5G model is coming to the market.

Here’s more about it.

Samsung Galaxy A77 5G – Not Really in Works, May Not be Launched

A few days back, a Samsung smartphone carrying the model number of ‘SM-A776B’ was spotted on the Geekbench database, and based on the model number, it was suggested to be the upcoming Galaxy A77 5G device. The ‘B’ in the model number also suggested that this is a possible Indian/International variant. Specifications like a 2.78 GHz-clocked 10-core chip, Samsung Xclipse 940 GPU, Android 16 OS, and 8GB RAM were also pointed out for the device. But in reality, Samsung has no plans in launching such a device, and as mentioned above, this wasn’t actually the real Galaxy A77 5G, but simply a rooted Galaxy S24 FE.

Other Recent Updates

Speaking of a few other related updates, Samsung officially unveiled its next generation Bespoke Airdresser recently in the Indian market, and this latest device came with the Dual AirWash and Dual JetSteam technologies. The One UI Tizen OS 9.0 (Version 6500) upgrade was also rolled out to Indian users of the Samsung CU8000 4K Smart TV. In the UK market, Samsung’s Galaxy Book 5 Edge 5G laptop was brought out around the mid-half of this month. Next month on the 5th of December 2025, Samsung is also expected to launch its Galaxy Z Tri-Fold smartphone too.

Stay tuned for more updates.

The post No Galaxy A77 5G Coming: Recently Geekbench-Listed Device was Simply a Rooted Galaxy S24 FE appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

A few recent reports had claimed that a critical security flaw on WhatsApp led to a data leak, exposing the contact numbers of many users from around the world. This is now revealed to be a false information as the details that are being shared online are simply results of an academic research.

Here’s more about it in detail below.

Phone Numbers of WhatsApp Users Exposed – A False Information!

As mentioned above, recently the internet was filled with reports that were all pointing to an alleged WhatsApp vulnerability which caused 3.5 billion phone numbers of WhatsApp users to be exposed, and it was due to a critical security flaw. The revealed details also pointed out that the exposed phone numbers were from users of different countries, making it one of the largest data leaks. However, things are not what it looks like.

These reports concerning the alleged WhatsApp vulnerability are actually misleading and false, and Meta via its Meta Bug Bounty X handle stated that there was no WhatsApp data leak or security flaw. All the details that are being shared are results from an academic research that was conducted by WhatsApp through Meta’s Bug Bounty program, and its goal was to identify and mitigate the gaps against novel enumeration or scraping methods.

Meta assures that no non-public data was accessible by the researchers that were part of the academic research, and the data that was collected has already been deleted securely, leaving no evidence that can lead to an adversarial abuse. Moreover, the personal data of WhatsApp users still remain protected with the end-to-end encryption system.

In related news, a new safety tool was introduced by WhatsApp last week, and it is designed to alert users when sharing the device screen with an unknown contact. Do check it out here.

The post Alleged WhatsApp Vulnerability Never Caused a Data Leak nor Exposed Any Phone Numbers: Revealed Details are Results of an Academic Research appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Very recently, we came across more details concerning the launch of the XChat standalone messaging app and as part of it, Elon Musk made the statement that WhatsApp uses message contents to generate advertisements. This is simply not true as all the messages being shared on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, and are not scanned or analyzed by any means.

Read more about it in detail below.

Elon Musk’s Claim Regarding WhatsApp Scanning Messages is Wrong!

It is with the goal to further expand the capabilities of X that the standalone messaging app – XChat is being brought out and the app will be taking its competition directly with WhatsApp (as well as other similar apps). Features like Bitcoin-similar peer-to-peer-based encryption system, no hooks for advertising, zero ads, zero data proofing, and more are projected to be a few of its key aspects. During his podcast session with Joe Rogan, Elon Musk made the statement – “Apps like WhatsApp have advertising hooks and know what you are texting to decide which ads to show you, which is a massive security vulnerability,” and this has sparked a lot of discussion regarding the authenticity of Elon Musk’s claim.

First thing’s first, this claim was made without actually sharing any proofs regarding it and on top this, all WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted – meaning WhatsApp nor any other third parties can access and read them. Furthermore, WhatsApp has also already clarified that the ads shown in the Updates tab are being displayed based on certain limited information (like general location, device language, and channels being followed). Speaking more, adding an extra layer of protection, WhatsApp also offers its users encrypted backups too, and recently the new passkey-encrypted chat backups feature was also introduced.

To sum up, WhatsApp as noted above does not rely on its users’ private message or contents to generate ads, and Elon Musk has just simply shared misinformation so as to promote his new product.

The post WhatsApp Messages are End-to-End Encrypted and Not Scanned to Generate Ads: Elon Musk’s Claim is Wrong appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Just recently, social media platforms started to get filled with reports concerning the revealed design of the OPPO Find X9 smartphone and turns out this won’t be the actual design and the real machine is different. OPPO’s Product Manager/Director for the flagship Find series has clarified the matter himself. In addition to this, he has also shared a few more other details concerning the upcoming Find X9 series.

Read more about it below.

OPPO Find X9 – Recently-Shared Design Image Not Correct

Based on the original update which came from the Weibo tipster – Digital Chat Station, reports pointing out the possible design that has been adopted on the next and upcoming Find X9 smartphone were shared online and following which, it has been revealed that this is not the actual design for the flagship device. The tipster who had initially shared the update has already deleted his post and on top of this, Zhou Yibao who is the product manager or director of the brand’s flagship line has confirmed the fact.

In his Weibo post, Zhou Yibao notes that the design of the OPPO Find X9 revealed in the shared image ‘is not a picture of the real machine’, however this generation of the flagship smartphone indeed has a Titanium color choice. Furthermore, he adds that the brand has used a more expensive cold carving process this time and in comparison to its predecessor, the overall design of the successor has been refined. The texture has also been ‘greatly upgraded’ as mentioned by Zhou Yibao, and the thickness and lens bulge of the entire series is controlled to maintain a thin and light form factor design – thanks to the ‘unique super-large glacier battery’. Speaking more, flat displays with symmetrical thin bezels have also been revealed for the whole Find X9 series, and the pro model is claimed to feature even thinner bezels than the standard model.

To sum up, upgraded appearance, upgraded texture, upgrade feel, upgraded thin bezels, and upgrade colors are what will define the upcoming OPPO Find X9 series.

Looking into other updates, reportedly, four smartphones models can be expected under OPPO’s Find X9 series this time and these will include the OPPO Find X9, OPPO Find X9 Plus, OPPO Find X9 Pro, and OPPO Find X9 Ultra. Among the four, the upcoming OPPO Find X9 is claimed to be a compact-sized device and it is expected to feature specs like a 6.59″ 1.5K LTPO display, 50MP periscope telephoto camera, 7,000 mAh, 50W wireless charging, and metal middle frame. Also, the device may probably offer the Android 16 based ColorOS 16 out of the box. Also, we spotted this device (its global variant*) on the Geekbench (revealed Dimensity 9500 chip), TKDN, and Import & Export (NBT Data) databases. Following this, the device also got certified by the TUV SUD authority – which confirmed the 80W wired fast charging capability just like the Find X9 Pro.

With future updates that can be expected soon, we will be able to confirm more specs and features about the OPPO Find X9 series smartphones. Stay tuned and don’t miss out on them.

The post OPPO Find X9 Design That was Shared Online Not the Actual Design, Confirms OPPO Find Series Product Manager Along With Other Details appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Via an X post, the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has dismissed all speculations concerning MDR or Merchant Discount Rate charges on UPI transactions. The update also adds that the Government of India encourages its citizens to make digital payments via UPI.

Read more about it in detail below.

No MDR Charge on UPI Transactions

As per an ANI report, it was claimed that the Central Government of India has been thinking of reintroducing MDR on UPI transactions that are over INR 3,000 and the report states that this for supporting payment service providers as well as banks. Additionally, it was also reported that instead of merchant turnover, MDR as per transaction value was also being talked about.

The Ministry of Finance on the 11th of June 2025 has dismissed all these as not more than speculations and that no MDR will be charged on UPI transactions. On X, it was revealed that these speculations are ‘completely false, baseless, and misleading’.

Furthermore, the X post notes that it is natural that such speculations could ’cause needless uncertainty, fear, and suspicion among citizens’, however unlike what was said via these speculations, the Government of India is still committed to promote digital payments in the country and encourages its citizens to make payments and transactions via UPI.

Just to add, according to available official data, in the month of January 2025 alone, 16.99+ billion UPI transactions were made in the country and it amounted to INR 23.48 lakh crore. This is recorded to be the highest number till date. Also, during FY 2023 ~ 24, UPI payments itself contributed 80% of the retail payments and it numbered to 131+ billion with a value of INR 200 lakh crore.

The post MDR Charges on UPI Transactions Deemed ‘Completely False, Baseless, and Misleading’ by the Finance Ministry appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

The smartphone brand Honor left the Indian market in 2021 and made its comeback in the country in 2023 under the leadership of Madhav Sheth. Recently the HTech CEO announced that he has joined Nxtcell to lead the launch of Alcatel smartphones in India.

Well, yesterday a shocker came for the Honor India fans when they received a sudden announcement that Explore Honor has officially ceased operations and support in India. This message was circulated from the Explore Honor Telegram group. In the message it was also mentioned that the group will be renamed to Alcatel Indian Community, hinting towards a merger as well.

This message caused chaos in the tech industry, leading HTech CEO, Madhav Sheth, to issue a clarification on the X platform.

HONOR isn’t going anywhere or merging with any other brand. pic.twitter.com/PT97LZ5H0c

— Madhav Sheth (@MadhavSheth1) May 16, 2025

As officially announced by the CEO, the message circulating online is fake. Honor is neither leaving India nor it will be merging with any other brand. Well, this seems to be a relief for the Honor fans in the country.

Now coming to the upcoming Alcatel device, the Alcatel V3 Ultra 5G smartphone is officially confirmed to make its debut in the Indian market on 27th May, 12 PM. The device will be made available via Flipkart in the country. Stay tuned for all the updates.

The post Honor isn’t going anywhere or merging with any other brand; confirms HTech CEO appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

The tech world recently saw a lot of reports being shared pointing out that a new 24GB software update is being rolled out for the latest Galaxy S25 series flagships. However, it has now been reported that this isn’t really an update and is the full firmware.

Read more about it below.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series – 24GB Software Update Fake?

The South Korean smartphone makers, Samsung, unveiled its much-awaited Galaxy S25 series flagships last month in January 2025 and a few global buyers in the United States, United Kingdom, and in the Middle East have already received them. However, while still many are yet to get their hands on the newly-released Galaxy smartphones, it was being said that the brand is rolling out an update with a size of 24GB to these devices.

When compared with the first update that was rolled out to the previous Galaxy S24 series models of last year, the 24GB software update is 10GB larger in size. But is this really an update? The answer is ‘No!’

As per what has been shared by the tipster @tarunvats33 in an X post, the 24GB file is the full firmware with the firmware version of ‘S938BXXU1AYA1’ (~ Galaxy S25 Ultra), and it is not a software update.

Speaking more, the latest Galaxy S25 series is packed with AI features and to further enhance it, Samsung has also collaborated with Google too. Additionally, a new Google Maps update has brought features like Live Navigation and Live Activities to the One UI 7 devices, as well as an Identity Check feature. Moreover, in South Korea, Naver Maps has also started supporting Now Bar and Live Activities on One UI 7.

The post Samsung Galaxy S25 Series 24GB Software Update Reportedly Fake: Not an Update but the Full Firmware appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

While the tech world is coming across a lot of updates and reports concerning Vivo’s fourth and upcoming X200 Ultra iterative camera flagship, alleged render images of this smartphone have been circulating online, claiming to be true. Turns out it isn’t, and the device in the render images is just an already unveiled Vivo X200 series model.

Here’s more about it.

Vivo X200 Ultra Render Images Now Circulating are INCORRECT!

A recent update from an online tech news publisher had pointed out that Vivo’s next X200 Ultra smartphone had made it to China’s TENAA certification database, via which the render images of this upcoming device were also revealed. However, it has now turned out that the images are in fact wrong and not of the X200 Ultra’s, but of the already-launched Vivo X200 Pro Satellite Communication Version’s (model number – ‘V2405DA’, White Moonlight color).

While some may still argue stating that the placement of ZEISS branding is different, it is because of the fact that the model that was mass produced and the one that was uploaded on the MIIT certification are slightly different. The Vivo X200 Pro Satellite Version’s listing on the MIIT database further clarifies it, ruling out the now circulating Vivo X200 Ultra renders as incorrect.

Speaking more, Vivo’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered X200 Ultra model is believed to have its launch a little earlier this year, and is suggested to debut in either March or April of 2025. The device is also tipped to sport a 50MP (1/1.3) ultra-large bottom main camera, a 50MP (1/1.3) ultra-large bottom ultra-wide angle camera, a 200MP large bottom periscope telephoto camera with custom optics, along with a super telephoto macro lens. Moreover, this smartphone is also now revealed to first feature the brand’s next generation imaging chip, which will be focusing more on providing better telephoto and video capturing capabilities.

Stay tuned for more updates.

The post Vivo’s X200 Ultra Images Now Circulating Online is Actually X200 Pro Satellite Version’s and NOT OF THE UPCOMING DEVICE’S appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Motorola recently launched the Edge 50 Neo from the Edge 50 Series both globally and in the Indian market just a few months back. However, fake leaks have already started to emerge for the next Edge 60 series, and this time they’re quite easy to spot. A user on YouTube shared a video claiming it to be of the Edge 60 Ultra.

I won’t get into what features this person discusses in the video, because once you see it below, you’ll find it rather amusing. Starting with the box itself, there’s a big red flag with an unusual bump visible at the Motorola logo. Even the alignment of the word “ULTRA” is incorrect.

If you missed the signs on the box, there’s more evidence. The person opens the box to reveal packaging that appears torn and damaged, with what looks like an old charger placed inside.

Following this, he shows a smartphone that is indeed from Motorola. However, he never shows the back of the device. The entire video is in Hindi (an Indian language), so you may need to enable subtitles to understand the content, which is also questionable.

What’s more concerning is that he’s using a thumbnail from TrakinTech, a reputable tech YouTuber, presumably to attract more views. I urge everyone not to circulate this as the Edge 60 Ultra, as it would only spread misinformation about the smartphone.

Here is the complete video and you be the judge:

The post Fake Motorola Edge 60 Ultra ‘Leak’ Surfaces: Here’s Why It’s Obviously Not Real appeared first on The Tech Outlook.