Xbox has 'never been in a better position', according to Microsoft

Xbox has “never been in a better position than we are right now”, according to Microsoft’s Phil Spencer.

Speaking on the 500th episode of IGN’s Unlocked podcast, which also served as a celebration of Xbox’s 20 year anniversary, head of Xbox Phil Spencer candidly answered a number of questions, including what his favorite year in Xbox history was, what the team’s plans are for the future, as well as whether Xbox Game Pass is actually economically viable. 

When asked to pick his favorite year in Xbox’s 20 year history, Spencer told Unlocked: “I’m always going to pick this year, because I’m always looking forward. When I think about the vision that the team has – we just came out of an amazing Xbox Bethesda Showcase – I just really love how the brand is showing up right now.

“...I honestly can’t remember a time when I think we’ve been in a better position than we are now, with the studio capability that we have right now, where our hardware sits – with the two great consoles [Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S] – and our services continue to grow. I honestly believe we’ve never been in a better position with Xbox than we are right now.”

However, Spencer also touched on how the Xbox One launch was a key moment in Xbox history. As challenging as it was for Microsoft, it helped pave the way for where the team is now.

“It was such a seminal moment for the team in checking, ‘what did we stand for? What did we want to be as we went forward?’” Spencer said. “For the brand, it was a challenging year, there was a lot for us to learn.”

The Xbox One launch was seen as disastrous by many gamers and analysts. Not only was the console more expensive than the PlayStation 4, it was also technologically inferior and shrouded in controversy due to the way it handled game ownership. Sony infamously made a video showing how to share used games, which only made Microsoft’s stance look all the more foolish.

Microsoft also focused on positioning the Xbox One as an entertainment hub first and foremost instead of a gaming focused machine. Thankfully, those missteps helped the company learn, the fruits of which we’re seeing today. 

“So much of what we are today is from that first year of the Xbox One where we got a real cold dose of reality in focusing on not what the customers wanted but what we thought we needed,” Spencer said.

An insight into Xbox Game Pass 

Spencer was also pressed on whether Xbox Game Pass is economically viable, and how Microsoft sees its subscription service moving forward. 

“First of all, the goal around Game Pass has always been to make more games more accessible to more people. That is the goal,” Spencer said. “It’s not to turn everyone into a subscriber. We wanted to be an option to people on our platform. We think a content-based subscription has a place in our industry, and I’m proud of the work the team has done.”

But is Xbox Game Pass profitable for Microsoft? According to Spencer, it's not as simple as that. 

“When we look at the economics of Game Pass, it’s not just ‘How many games is this subscriber playing in this subscription, and if they would have purchased these games, what’s the trade off in purchase versus subscriber revenue?’” Spencer said. “We never really look at it that way. What we do is say ‘are we growing the number of players on our platform, and are they playing more often. From that activity we see the business grow.”

According to Spencer, engagement is the most important metric for judging success on Xbox platforms. 

“The number one metric that we can look at to see if our business is actually growing is, 'are people playing more on the platform?' There’s nothing about review scores, there’s nothing about retail sales of consoles, or retail sale of games; the number one sign that our platform is healthy and growing is actually engagement on the platform,” Spencer says.

Here come the games

While it's hard to deny that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S aren't appealing consoles, the biggest criticism Microsoft has faced since the systems launched on November 10 is a lack of games.

That's set to change, however, as six titles are arriving on Microsoft's platforms in the next six months, all of which launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one. Flight Simulator, Psychonauts 2, Back 4 Blood, Age of Empires 4, Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite all launch this year, and should give Xbox owners plenty to play for the rest of the year. 



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Why private cloud is among the elite

Cloud computing is the delivery of computer system resources over the internet. There is no active management of these resources by the user or storing the resources on the computer’s hard drive. Through cloud computing, users can access online servers for computing purposes. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melanie Purkis is the Director of Managed Hosting Products & Services at Liquid Web

The computer resources availed by cloud computing include data storage, processing, networking, servers, and database management. Cloud computing allows users to access data centers spread out across the globe via an internet connection. This phenomenon involves various models that enable flexible access to resources and provide scalable solutions. 

Types of clouds 

Let’s first address the different types of clouds before we dive into the features of private cloud. There are various cloud types based on the deployment, who has access, and how they are hosted. 

Public Cloud

This cloud platform is managed by third parties responsible for providing the infrastructure and cloud services. Public clouds offer significant storage space and other services to the public over the internet. Public clouds offer scalability through the pay-as-you-go model, where users can pay for more cloud capacity based on their needs.

Public clouds provide the virtual infrastructure that provides processing power for app and software deployment. It also allocated storage space for the application database with data security and backup options.

Private Cloud

This platform is managed by a single organization and works on private cloud infrastructure. It has grown in popularity, especially for businesses looking to comply with various regulations. Each user gets allocated multiple resources that are different from other organizations. Users with authorized access will utilize these computer resources. Private Cloud delivers many of the key benefits of a traditional public cloud server with the power, capabilities, and security of an isolated infrastructure on dedicated hardware.

Hybrid Cloud

This platform combines infrastructure from public and private cloud platforms. The hybrid cloud platform allows application deployment.  These applications’ technical and business needs can drive their placement on either the public or private cloud. Businesses may, for example, put production workloads on the private cloud but burst into the public cloud when more capacity is needed.  Another model is to deploy applications on the private cloud with disaster recovery on their public cloud. 

Benefits of private cloud 

Control

Private cloud platforms give users as much control over security, access, and apps as the business needs. This flexibility allows the IT department to make changes to the cloud when needed or allow and restrict access to various apps or data. 

Private cloud also gives businesses the option to maintain control while using a third party for managing and maintaining infrastructure changes. This type of managed service can be highly beneficial to grow firms that need support to scale. With this, the IT team can allocate computing resources according to business needs while maximum flexibility in resource management.

Customization

Private cloud services from Liquid Web allow you to tune your platform based on your business needs. You can make configurations based on your business security and feasibility needs. You can allocate resources such as computing power and data storage based on your application deployment needs.

Stability

With private cloud services from Liquid Web, you don’t have to deal with downtime from a public system. You don’t have to store your data on physical drives, as you can keep the information on various remote servers that are accessible online. This way, you can provide sufficient security for your data and ensure the platform is up and running.

Security

Private cloud is an ideal solution to protect a company’s sensitive data as it allows an organization exclusive access to configure the cloud to fit its unique security needs. A private cloud runs on certain physical machines, making its physical security easier to ensure. Cloud access is also more secure with a private cloud environment because it is accessed through private and secure network links, rather than the public internet. 

Cost

Managed private cloud hosting is more cost-efficient as the hosting partner sets up and manages the entire hosting infrastructure, including hardware and the cloud platform itself. This management level still allows business owners to access VMs and applications so the cost savings exist without limiting access to the essential elements. According to a recent 451 Research survey, 41% of IT professionals stated private cloud hosting is cheaper than public cloud hosting. Another cost benefit is having just one price to pay that covers all needs from setting up to management to fixing errors and issues. This allows businesses to better project costs and not endure unexpected expenses as problems arise.

Performance

Private cloud is said to provide enterprise-level performance capabilities within reach for small and medium sized businesses. DevOps provides businesses with flexibility and control Introducing new apps is a lot easier with private cloud and it does not require an IT professional to do so. Because of this flexibility with changes your own infrastructure does not hem you in.

Scalability

Because of the virtualization makeup of private cloud hosting, users can scale performance capabilities as the business grows and needs it. Increased necessary CPU, RAM, and storage can easily be added to the private cloud without a full dedicated server.

Private cloud use cases

Any business looking for flexible and cost-effective cloud services can work with a private cloud infrastructure. If the business is experiencing or may experience spikes in resource needs or the business handles sensitive data that requires compliance measures, then private cloud is a great option.

Private cloud can be used by anyone looking to deploy front-end and back-end applications, websites, virtual desktops, and database management, but is also beneficial for the business that needs to offload some of the backend management of hosting systems. The private cloud allows businesses to run their software, handle big data, and run machine learning models or applications and grow with outsourced support.



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Best camera phone 2021: our picks for the best smartphone cameras right now

When looking for the best camera phone, there are plenty of options out there with cameras in smartphones continuing to get better and better. From new handsets like the Oppo Find X3 Pro with its microlens camera and the OnePlus 9 Pro with its Hasselblad tuning, to the impressive zoom of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the great general photo performance of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, there are loads of top choices.

There’s a lot to consider though – not just the types of lenses but also how many lenses a phone has, how many megapixels it has, how it holds up in low light, and what the software’s like, among other things. 

Picking the best camera phone involves more than just looking at a specs list, and depending on what your photographic priorities are, the best one for you might not be the best for everyone. Between different lenses and performance variance in daytime and night, there's a lot to consider – and we've laid out what we believe are the phones with the best cameras.

That means that while the list below is ranked in our order of preference for overall camera capability, your own particular preferences might differ. Either way, any one of these phones will make an excellent choice for anyone who wants to take great photos with their handset, and by reading through our entries for each you’ll be armed with the knowledge necessary to make the right call.

If nothing seems right just yet, make sure to check back soon. New phones are being unveiled and added to the list all the time. For example, the iPhone 13 is expected later in 2021 and the Huawei P50 range is rumored to have the biggest camera sensor found in a phone.

Best camera phone 2021

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

(Image credit: Samsung)

1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The absolute best camera phone

Release date: January 2021 | Weight: 227g | Dimensions: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.8-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 | RAM: 12GB / 16GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 10MP + 10MP + 12MP | Front camera: 40MP

The best camera zoom
Mesmerizing design
Expensive at any level
No microSD card slot

While the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s camera didn’t quite deliver on its promise, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s very much does.

As with everything in the S21 Ultra, the camera is top-end, with a 108MP f/1.8 main snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one, and – in a move that’s pretty much unheard of on phones – two telephoto cameras. These are both 10MP, but one has an f/2.4 aperture and allows for 3x optical zoom, while the other has an f/4.9 aperture and allows for a massive 10x optical zoom.

And the results are as impressive as the numbers – so much so that we labeled this the best camera zoom on a phone in our Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review.

Non-zoomed shots look great too, though sometimes not as good as the best rivals. But coupled with a wealth of camera modes, including new additions like Director’s View (which lets you shoot video with both the front and rear cameras at the same time), along with a highly capable 40MP front-facing camera, this makes for a smartphone photographer’s dream.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

(Image credit: Huawei)

2. Huawei Mate 40 Pro

Almost the best camera phone money can buy

Release date: November 2020 | Weight: 212g | Dimensions: 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.76-inch | CPU: Kirin 9000 5G | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 4,400mAh | Rear camera: 50MP + 12MP + 20MP | Front camera: 13MP

Great camera
Excellent design
Limited apps
Expensive

You might be surprised to see the Huawei Mate 40 Pro here – after all, it’s a phone that we only gave 3.5 stars to, and it’s nowhere near our best smartphone list. But the reason we can’t rank it higher in general is everything to do with its limited app situation (due to not having access to the Google Play Store) and nothing to do with its cameras.

In fact, its cameras are exceptional. It has a 50MP f/1.9 main camera, a 12MP f/3.4 periscope one (with 5x optical zoom), and a 20MP f/1.8 ultra-wide one.

While that’s not quite as many lenses as some rivals, it’s got all the most important kinds accounted for, and they all perform very well.

From portrait shots to wide landscapes, zoomed photos, and close up subjects, we found in our review that the Huawei Mate 40 Pro could cope brilliantly with just about every kind of photo. It even does a great job in low-light conditions.

And while our focus is the rear snappers, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro also has a decent setup on the front, with a 13MP f/2.4 camera joined by a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor for sensing depth.

There are loads of photography modes and tools available on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro as well, from a light painting feature to a dedicated moon photography mode.

Read our full Huawei Mate 40 Pro review

iPhone 12 Pro Max

(Image credit: Apple)

3. iPhone 12 Pro Max

The best iPhone camera around

Weight: 228g | Dimensions: 160.8mm x 78.1mm x 7.4mm | OS: iOS 14 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1284 x 2778 | CPU: A14 Bionic | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: Unknown | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 12MP

Long battery life
Powerful rear camera
Feels too large
Very, very expensive

The iPhone 12 Pro Max isn’t the best smartphone, but it is very close to being the best camera phone. It includes a 12MP f/1.6 main snapper, a 12MP f/2.2 telephoto one (with 2.5x optical zoom), a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide one, and even a LiDAR scanner, which enables Night Mode portraits.

In fact night – and low light in general – is something the iPhone 12 Pro Max has far less issue with than most smartphones, thanks in part to a large sensor that can take in a lot of light. Night Mode is also usable with both the main and ultra-wide sensor, so you’re not limited in the types of photos you can take at night.

Smart HDR 3 meanwhile is a new feature for the range which combines multiple exposures to create the best picture possible – which is something that can benefit your shots no matter what the light is like.

The onboard editing options are great too, and with Dolby Vision supported for videos it’s not just stills that the iPhone 12 Pro Max excels at.

All in all it’s an excellent setup, with every lens performing well. This is only a slightly better camera phone than the iPhone 12 Pro, but it still has the edge, making it the best iPhone for photography.

Read our full iPhone 12 Pro Max review

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

(Image credit: Samsung)

4. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

A great camera phone with an excellent zoom lens

Release date: August 2020 | Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128/256/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP, 12MP, 12MP | Front camera: 10MP

Useful S Pen features
Great-looking screen
Slow charging
Ultra-expensive

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a high-spec camera, but it’s the telephoto camera that really stands out. This is a 12MP f/3.0 snapper with 5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom.

Both of those specs are impressive, and while the S20 Ultra offers 100x digital zoom, that was little more than a gimmick, with the Note 20 Ultra actually bettering that snapper thanks to a wider aperture and larger pixels.

And while the telephoto camera is the highlight, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s 108MP f/1.8 main camera and 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one also perform well.

The Note 20 Ultra’s camera is also incredibly easy and fun to use, and it benefits from extras like 8K video and Single Take mode, which takes a bunch of photos and videos at the same time using the various lenses and modes, to increase the chance of you capturing something good.

Low-light photos aren’t quite as detailed as some of the competition, such as the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but otherwise this is an exceptional camera setup.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review

OnePlus 9 Pro

(Image credit: OnePlus)

5. OnePlus 9 Pro

A giant leap for OnePlus photography

Release date: March 2021 | Weight: 197g | Dimensions: 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3216 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 50MP + 8MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP

The best OnePlus camera phone
Great power
High price
No microSD support

OnePlus phones aren’t often included on this list, and while the OnePlus 9 Pro still doesn’t threaten the top spot, it’s by far the best camera phone the company has put out at the time of its launch.

It has a 48MP f/1.8 main camera, an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto one (with 3.3x optical zoom), a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one, and a 2MP monochrome one, for boosting black and white shots. Of those, the ultra-wide is arguably the most notable, as it has a freeform lens design that reduces the ‘barrel’ distortion often found at the edges of ultra-wide shots taken on other phones.

The cameras on the OnePlus 9 Pro were also developed in collaboration with Hasselblad, though that collaboration mostly only extended to color calibration and the design of the camera app. We expect more from this partnership on future OnePlus phones, but even here the results are noticeable, with accurate colors in photos.

And while the OnePlus 9 Pro has powerful manual controls, it also works well when taking photos in auto, so this is a strong point-and-shoot choice. With video recording at up to 8K quality too, and a capable 16MP front-facing camera, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a good all-rounder as far as photography goes – and in most other ways.

Read our full OnePlus 9 Pro review

Huawei P40 Pro

(Image credit: Huawei)

6. Huawei P40 Pro

The P40 Pro has superb cameras, but it’s not the best phone

Release date: April 2020 | Main camera: 50MP (f/1.9) | Telephoto: 12MP (f/3.4) | Ultra-wide: 40MP (f/1.8) | OIS: Yes | Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 209g | Dimensions: 158.2 x 72.6 x 9mm | Battery size: 4,200mAh | Max video quality: 4K 60fps | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Memory card slot: Yes

Phenomenal battery life
Brilliant cameras
Frustratingly limited software
Big camera bump

The Huawei P40 Pro is one of the best camera phones you can buy for under $1,000 / £900, it’s that simple. In fact, for a certain type of photographer - one who values a telephoto camera - it’s just the best camera phone around, period. 

Recommending it comes with its own set of caveats given the Huawei/Google situation though. That’s why despite its extensive list of stellar features, you definitely need to read our P40 Pro review before picking one up. Irrespective of its software limitations though, its camera will knock your socks off.

The P40 Pro’s Leica-branded imaging system is spearheaded by a brand new 50MP sensor, which uses RYYB (red yellow yellow blue) sub-pixel formation, like the 40MP P30 Pro before it. Huawei claims this makes its cameras better able to handle dark scenes like a champion, and we can attest to the fact the P40 Pro absolutely can. 

The main camera’s lens is a pretty standard f/1.9 aperture on paper, but with a huge sensor size (for a smartphone) and OIS, combined with Huawei’s mighty electronic image stabilization, it’s still a low light star. This phone can pretty much see in the dark, even in automatic mode - something no other non-Huawei phones can do.

There’s also a 40MP f/1.8 ultra-wide camera, a 12MP telephoto camera that’s capable of 5x optical zoom or 50x digital zoom, and a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor for creating bokeh effects.

Photos taken on the P40 Pro are high on detail and low on noise. Unlike Samsung, Huawei’s photos don’t look overly sharpened, and while they aren’t as natural and neutral as those taken on the Oppo Find X2 Pro, many will prefer Huawei’s comparatively punchy style.

As far as zoom goes, while the P40 Pro may not get quite as close as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the phone costs a lot less, and more importantly, delivers more consistent image quality across its cameras. 

The rest of the phone’s hardware is top-tier, it looks a treat and has plenty of power, so if (and only if) you’re comfortable with the Google-free software experience, the P40 Pro packs plenty to love.

Read our full Huawei P40 Pro review

iPhone 12 Pro

(Image credit: Apple)

7. iPhone 12 Pro

Almost as good for photography as the iPhone 12 Pro Max

Weight: 189g | Dimensions: 146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.4 mm | OS: iOS 14 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1170 x 2532 | CPU: A14 Bionic | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: Unknown | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 12MP

Varied color choices 
Clear and vibrant screen 
No charging block in box 
5G still an expensive luxury 

At first glance the cameras on the iPhone 12 Pro look much the same as those on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and it’s true that they’re not much different, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max does have the edge, thanks to a larger sensor on the main snapper, and improved zoom on the telephoto.

Still, the iPhone 12 Pro comes very close to matching it, and at a lower price. It has a 12MP f/1.6 main snapper with OIS, a 12MP f/2.0 telephoto camera with OIS and 2x optical zoom, and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera. Like its larger sibling it also has a LiDAR scanner, which can be used to power augmented reality experiences and take Night Mode portrait shots.

As with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, Night Mode in general is really impressive here, allowing you to take bright, detailed shots where other phones would struggle, and you can use Night Mode with both the main and ultra-wide lenses.

The 12MP selfie camera also performs well, and there are handy features like Dolby Vision for video, and Smart HDR 3 for improved image processing.

Read our full iPhone 12 Pro review

Google Pixel 5

(Image credit: Google)

8. Google Pixel 5

A great mix of cameras and editing tools

Release date: October 2020 | Weight: 151g | Dimensions: 144.7mm x 70.4mm x 8mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6-inch | Resolution: 2340 x 1080 | CPU: Snapdragon 765G | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 4000mAh | Rear camera: 16MP + 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

Camera software is better than ever 
Metal case is refreshing change from glass 
No telephoto 
Middling night photography 

The Google Pixel 5 isn’t a camera phone that wows with numbers. There are only two rear lenses for a start, giving you the choice of a 12.2MP f/1.7 main camera and a 16MP f.2.2 ultra-wide one. That also notably leaves the Pixel 5 without a dedicated telephoto lens.

However, we found that – particularly in good light – the Pixel 5 was capable of capturing crisp images with a strong color palette, and while low light performance is a step down, it still manages to capture accurate colors.

The ultra-wide lens also creates less distortion at the edge of images than many other ultra-wide options, and the Google Pixel 5 has a decent range of photo editing tools built in. Software features like Portrait Light also help the phone – letting you convincingly brighten faces and other subjects.

Read our full Google Pixel 5 review

Samsung Galaxy S21

(Image credit: Samsung)

9. Samsung Galaxy S21 / S21 Plus

Not the best of the S series, but nevertheless great

Release date: January 2021 | Weight: 169g/200g | Dimensions: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm / 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.2-inch / 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB | Battery: 4,000mAh / 4,800mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP

Fantastic, versatile camera
Cheaper than the Galaxy S20
No microSD support
Screen isn’t the best

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus have a different camera configuration to the S21 Ultra, hence these phones ranking lower in our best camera phone list, but it’s still a very impressive setup on each handset.

There’s a 12MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one, and a 64MP f/2.0 telephoto, making for a setup that’s basically the same as the Samsung Galaxy S20's – but that phone’s cameras still impress, and there are software improvements here.

Those improvements include things like new modes for Single Take. This mode lets the phone take a variety of photos and videos using all three cameras with a single button press, and now it includes a slow-mo option.

There’s also now a Director’s View mode, which lets you shoot with the front and rear cameras at the same time.

So you have a lot more options for your photographer’s toolkit, and away from the new features the core camera experience is still great, whichever lens you’re using – though the 3x hybrid optical zoom here is no match for the 10x offered by the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 review and Galaxy S21 Plus review

iPhone 12

(Image credit: Future)

10. iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 mini

The best Apple iPhone bang for your buck

Weight: 164g / 135g | Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm / 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.4mm | OS: iOS 14 | Screen size: 6.1-inch / 5.4-inch | Resolution: 1170 x 2532 / 1080 x 2340 | CPU: A14 Bionic | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB | Battery: 2,815mAh / 2,227mAh | Rear camera: 12MP+12MP | Front camera: 12MP

Colorful OLED display 
Future-proofed with 5G  
Cameras are similar to last year 
Battery life only okay 

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini offer identical camera experiences, and are both a significant step down on that front from the Pro models. They aren't the absolute best iPhones for taking photos, but they're still fantastic.

These two lose the telephoto lens and LiDAR scanner, offering just a 12MP f/1.6 main camera and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one on the back, with a 12MP f/2.2 snapper on the front as well.

All three cameras perform well and - as with the rest of the iPhone 12 range - these two outperform most handsets in low light environments too – and that’s true no matter which lens you’re using, as Night Mode works across all of them.

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini also benefit from Smart HDR 3, which uses AI to optimize images, while for video you can take advantage of Dolby Vision, which should give your clips more pop.

Read our full iPhone 12 review and iPhone 12 mini review

  • Turn your snaps into a beautiful photo book - we've picked out the best


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TCL C-Series gaming-focused 4K smart TVs launched in India

TCL has announced the availability of three new 4H smart LED TVs under its C-series lineup in India. The company claims that these new TVs will be able to offer a “superior home entertainment experience” and are focused on offering unique gaming features that are not common in other TVs in this segment.

The company has unveiled the - QLED4K C825, QLED 4K C728 and QLED 4K C725 that comes with features like 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos, Game Master and more. All these new QLED TVs run on the latest Android 11 out of the box.

Price and availability of TCL C825, C728 and C725 

The TCL C825 and TCL C725 will be available starting July 7 while the availability of TCL C728 has not been announced. The TCL C825 will retail via Amazon and Reliance Digital while TCL C728 and TCL C725 will be exclusive to TCL’s online store and Amazon India respectively. 

Size TCL C825 TCL C728 TCL C725
50-inch NA NA Rs. 64,990
55-inch Rs 1,14,990 Rs. 79,990 Rs. 72,990
65-inch Rs. 1,49,990 Rs. 1,02,990 Rs. 99,999
75-inch NA Rs. 1,59,990 NA

Check out the TCL Mini QLED TVs on Amazon

Price starting at Rs. Rs. 64,990

TCL C825 features and specifications 

The TCL C825 comes with a Mini LED QLED 4K display and supports a 120Hz variable refresh rate for smooth graphics and animation. Among the key highlights of this TV are Dolby Vision IQ support, Full Array Local Dimming, 1,000 nits of peak brightness and more. It comes with a 1080p wide-angle video calling Magic Camera that is equipped with gesture control.

It comes with its games via AirConsole that brings social games to the TV without any additional hardware. The TV also has TCL’s AiPQ Engine with AI Super Resolution offering a far more immersive experience and is IMAX Enhanced certified.

For connectivity, it comes with HDMI 2.1 ports and has an ONKYO soundbar built-in offering premium immersive sound output.

TCL C728 features and specifications 

According to TCL, this TV has been made keeping gamers in mind. Like the C825, this smart 4K LED TV also comes with a QLED panel offering 100 percent DCI-P3 colour volume and it also supports Dolby Vision IQ. It also comes with a 120 Hz variable refresh rate, HDMI 2.1 for connectivity and also has FreeSync support.

Other features include Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and HDMI eARC support. The TCL C728 also runs on Android 11 out of the box and comes with its games via AirConsole that can be played without needing any additional hardware.

TCL C725 features and specifications 

Offered as a value for money proposition, the TCL C725 is yet another 4K QLED TV that comes with support for HDR 10+ and MEMC that offers smoother multimedia content. It also comes with a multimedia camera built-in for your Zoom calls and has support for Dolby Atmos. Like the other two TVs, the C715 also offers gaming via AirConsole and supports hands-free Voice Control. 

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The Elder Scrolls 6 release date, trailer, news and rumors

Will we ever get to see The Elder Scrolls 6 in action? The follow up to classic RPG Skyrim remains shrouded in secrecy, after once again failing to appear at the annual E3 games show. We know it's in development – that much has been confirmed. But when will we get to see a real reveal for the game, let alone an Elder Scrolls 6 release date?

The game is long overdue – it's been close to 10 years since the previous Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim, first released, and now three years even since Elder Scrolls 6's 2018 announcement. Since then we've been left longing for more news on the game – despite knowing that developer Bethesda Game Studios is currently focussing on its sci-fi RPG epic, Starfield.

The game exists in a very different era for its developers Bethesda Game Studios, too. Not only has a new console generation started with the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but Bethesda has also been acquired by Microsoft, leaving fans wondering whether or not the game is going to be a platform exclusive - especially given Xbox boss Phil Spencer's remarks that future Bethesda games will be exclusive to platforms "where Game Pass exists".

We're hoping that this will be the year we hear more about the future of The Elder Scrolls 6 and get some solid answers on Bethesda and Microsoft's plans for its release.

In our excitement, we've scoured the web to find and assess all the latest news and rumors about The Elder Scrolls 6 and collected it all here in this handy guide so that you can stay up to date. We'll be updating regularly as news comes in so make sure you keep checking back.

The Elder Scrolls 6: Everything you need to know

The Elder Scrolls 6: key info

  • What is it? The long-awaited sequel to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  • When can I play it? No-one knows yet, but it's looking beyond 2022 at this point
  • What can I play it on? PC is a safe bet, and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are a certainty, but PlayStation 5 may not happen

The Elder Scrolls 6 release date

The Elder Scrolls 6

Don't hold your breath for The Elder Scrolls 6 release date – you won't be exploring its dungeons any time soon.

Despite being announced at Bethesda's E3 2018 conference, little more than a logo was revealed. We don't even have a subtitle or a release year. Todd Howard said that the game will be coming after Starfield, the company's next big IP. But given Starfield isn't releasing November 2022, the wait for Elder Scrolls 6 is set to be a very long one.

Bethesda Games Studios director Todd Howard supported this in an interview with The Telegraph, stating: "It’s good to think of The Elder Scrolls 6 as still being in a design [phase]… but we’re checking the tech: 'Is this going to handle the things we want to do in that game?' Every game will have some new suites of technology so Elder Scrolls 6 will have some additions on to Creation Engine 2 that that game is going to require."

As such, tentatively expect The Elder Scrolls 6 to release in 2024 at the earliest, after Bethesda has given Starfield at least a couple of years in the spotlight.

The Elder Scrolls 6 trailer

The only footage we have of Elder Scrolls 6 is a very short clip of the game's logo. Other than that, you might be waiting a while to see more. 

Here's the announcement trailer:

The Elder Scrolls 6 news and rumors

The Elder Scrolls 6

E3 2021 no-show
E3 2021 was a blast, and went with the Microsoft/Xbox show being one of the event's highlights.

But sadly, it didn't bring with it any new news on The Elder Scrolls 6, apart from the fact that it was still in development. Instead, Bethesda's main focus during the show was on revealing in-engine footage of the alluring Starfield. We'll have to wait a bit longer to find out more on that key franchise then.

The Elder Scrolls 6 may not come to PS5
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that future Bethesda games will be exclusive to "platforms where Game Pass exists", meaning PS5 players will miss out.

During the "Bethesda Joins Xbox" roundtable on March 11, Spencer addressed speculation around whether the acquisition will see future Bethesda titles, such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, becoming Xbox exclusives following Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media.

"If you’re an Xbox customer, the thing I want you to know is that this is about delivering great exclusive games for you that ship on platforms where Game Pass exists," Spencer explained. "That’s our goal, that’s why we’re doing this, that’s the root of this partnership that we’re building.

However, games under contractual obligations from before the acquisition, such as Deathloop, will still land on PS5 – while games that currently exist on other platforms will continue to be supported.

"Obviously I can’t sit here and say every Bethesda game is exclusive, because we know that’s not true," Spencer said. "There are contractual obligations that we’re going to see through, as we always do in every one of these instances. We have games that exist on other platforms, and we’re gonna go support those games on the platforms they’re on. There are communities of players and we love those communities and we’ll continue to invest in them. And even in the future, there might be things that have contractual things or legacy on different platforms that we’ll go do."

Though it's worth noting that The Elder Scrolls 6 may not fall under this Xbox Game Pass exclusivity umbrella if Sony has already secured the games on its platform, it is entirely possible that a big hitter like this will only be available on Xbox and PC – for a time, at least – especially given platforms haven't been confirmed for either yet. That's certainly the case with Starfield, now a confirmed Xbox-only exclusive.

Leaked footage seems likely fake
A video claiming to be early test footage from The Elder Scrolls 6 has appeared online but its authenticity is suspect. Posted to Reddit (via GamesRadar) , the footage is extremely short (a grand total of 10 seconds) and only gives a first-person view of a figure running across grass and past rocks. 

Video taken from 4chan leak, could be map testing of Elder Scrolls 6 from r/ElderScrolls

There’s very little to indicate that the footage is the genuine article and there’s also very little to the footage full stop, even if it was the real thing. It seems to us that, as much as we wish we were getting a look at The Elder Scrolls 6 in action, the safest thing to do is take this with a pinch of salt and assume it’s fake.

An Xbox Game Pass day one title
According to Todd Howard, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get access to The Elder Scrolls 6 from day one as part of their subscription . 

New Indiana Jones game won't delay Elder Scrolls 6 development
Bethesda has recently announced that it’s working with MachineGames on a new Indiana Jones game, with Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard taking on an executive producer role for the game. 

Those worried, however, that this additional work might have an impact on The Elder Scrolls 6, on which he’s also working, need not fret. 

Responding to a tweet about Todd Howard’s involvement in multiple projects, Bethesda’s Pete Hines said “Todd is currently EP on many BGS and other projects, such as the Fallout TV show. His main focus remains directing the upcoming Starfield and TES6 games, which aren’t affected by today’s news.”

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Is it Hammerfell?
2021 looks set to be a better year for Elder Scrolls 6 news than 2020 after the official Elder Scrolls account tweeted something that may or may not be a tease for The Elder Scrolls 6. The tweet, which reads “Transcribe the past and map the future. Here’s to a Happy New Year!”, includes a picture of a map with three lights on it. 

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The lights are placed on different areas of Tamriel, with one on a box above the map, another on Skyrim and another, interestingly, on an unmapped area below Skyrim: Hammerfell. It’s long been rumored that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be set in Hammerfell, home of the Redguard, but nothing has actually been confirmed yet. Naturally, many fans are taking this image as a hint that the rumors about the setting are true. 

Another point of interest, picked up on by PCGamer, is the date on the map: 4E 182. This is actually only a few years before the events of Skyrim in around 4E 201 and hints that the 5th and 6th games in the series could be closely connected. 

We can’t know for sure that any of this is accurate or even related to Elder Scrolls 6 (and not Elder Scrolls Online) until official word comes from Bethesda but given the phrase “map the future” and the fact that Hammerfell on the map in the photo is yet to be mapped and explored, this is certainly a very leading Tweet. 

Even PlayStation isn’t sure about The Elder Scrolls' PS5 future
Last we heard, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said that even he’s still unsure whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will come to PS5, following Microsoft’s acquisition of the publisher’s parent company ZeniMax.

In an interview with Russian publication TASS  (via GamesRadar) in November 2020, Ryan said that it’s still uncertain as to whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will come to PlayStation or whether it’ll be a Microsoft exclusive.

“That’s a decision that is out of our hands,” Ryan said. “We’ll wait and see what happens. I look forward to learning about that.” 

Ryan also explained that Sony approaches things differently to Microsoft when it comes to making studio acquisitions.

“We just take a different approach,” Ryan said. “Our emphasis has been to focus on really steady, slow, but constant organic growth of our studios, selectively bolstered by acquisitions. We respect the steps taken by our competition, they seem logical and sensible. But we’re equally happy and confident, we’ve got a better launch lineup than we’ve ever had at any of our console launches.”

It appears, then, that the ball is in Microsoft’s court when it comes to The Elder Scrolls 6's release. At the very least, Todd Howard has said in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz that he finds it “hard to imagine” a title like The Elder Scrolls 6 not coming to multiple platforms. Though he also made it clear that, at the time, these kinds of decisions had not been made just yet.

The Elder Scrolls 6 will use a brand new engine
Bethesda has confirmed it is overhauling its current engine specifically for Elder Scrolls 6.

Imagine if Elder Scrolls 6 looked and ran like Skyrim. This is a thought which belongs somewhere firmly shut behind the Gates of Oblivion.

According to GamesRadar, the engine reportedly has the same name, but it will bring new renders, lighting, animations (hallelujah), landscape system and photogrammetry.

Todd Howard spoke about the engine after the announcement of the Microsoft merger, saying "it's led to our largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, with all new technologies powering our first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, as well as The Elder Scrolls 6."

Speaking at the Develop: Brighton conference, Howard gave more information on the overhauled Creation Engine, saying that it’s been “a significant overhaul,” adding that “It’s taken us longer than we would have liked, but it’s going to power everything we’re doing with Starfield and Elder Scrolls 6. When people see the results, they’ll hopefully be as happy as we are with what’s on the screen and also how we can go about making our games.”

The Elder Scrolls 6

Skyrim (Image credit: Bethesda)

The Elder Scrolls 6 will be coming after Starfield
There's no release date for Starfield at the moment and it is Bethesda's next big game to come out and it seems to be prioritised ahead of The Elder Scrolls 6. 

“Starfield is a game that we have spent years thinking about and working on,” Todd Howard told the crowd at Bethesda’s E3 2018 conference

Even now, in 2020, we have no inkling as to when the game will be released, but we would expect it to be in 2021, simply because the next-generation consoles will be home to the game.

Todd Howard again explained in 2019 that Bethesda is “still hard at work” on both The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield. He said that “Starfield is playable, Elder Scrolls VI not in that way yet.”

The prime focus for Bethesda is Starfield. In an interview with Bethesda Game Studios, executive producer Tom Howard spoke to IGN, who warned "I think everyone should be very patient."

"The gap in between [Elder Scrolls games] is going to be long, It already is," continued Howard.

Job listings
Some job listings for Bethesda Game Studios have led to rumors that work on Starfield could be wrapping up and that The Elder Scrolls 6 could be heading into full production soon. As of October 23, 2020, it seems like the position is still taking applicants.

First spotted by a Reddit user, a job listing for Gameplay Programmers at the studio calls for "talented programmers to join our team that is pushing the bleeding-edge of RPG development for the PC and consoles". As part of the team, they'll "Collaborate on the implementation of new gameplay features: player and characters’ behaviors, combat and powers mechanics, user interface, etc."

While there's no mention of The Elder Scrolls in this listing, it does seem to be a recruitment call for something in its early stages, rather than a project that's been underway for a while like Starfield. 

Adding fuel to the fire, there's also a listing for a Video Editor on the Bethesda site which some have taken as a sign that work on Starfield is in its final stages and that the developer will soon be looking to create video marketing material such as trailers. 

Skyrim Grandma
We already know that Skyrim Grandma, also known as Shirley Curry, will be coming to The Elder Scrolls 6 as an NPC. But it looks like she'll be brought into The Elder Scrolls V, her namesake game, first thanks to a new mod. The mod, due early this year, will make Shirley a follower in Skyrim with unique commentary and interactions and the plan is that down the line she'll have her very own quest. It'll even have Shirley's voice as she worked with the creators of the mod. You can get a look at the mod itself in its teaser trailer. The creators are aiming for an Xbox release for both the classic and special editions of Skyrim. 

The Redfall trademark dispute has been resolved - and explained
ZeniMax Media's dispute with Bookbreeze over the trademark of Redfall has now been resolved. Bethesda's parent company had attempted to trademark the name back in 2018 leading fans to believe that The Elder Scrolls 6 could finally have a name. Redfall is also, however, the name of a science fiction series published by Bookbreeze so the claim was naturally contested in February 2019.

However, we now know that Bethesda was hunting the trademark not for Elder Scrolls 6 purposes, but instead as the title for Arkane Studio's upcoming vampire-themed team shooter.

The resolution is reported (via Gamasutra) as being amicable and "mutually beneficial" for both parties but it remains confidential.

The Elder Scrolls 6

Skyrim (Image credit: The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim)

Photogrammetry technology will be used
In that 25th anniversary panel which dashed the E3 dreams of so many, Bethesda did at the very least give fans a glimpse of some of the technology that will be used in the development of The Elder Scrolls 6. We got a peek at the use of photogrammetry which involves scanning real-life objects and environments to bring them into the game in detailed 3D. The technology will make its first outing in Starfield before the latest iteration is used for Elder Scrolls. 

Elder Scrolls 6 goes official
Bethesda is a busy studio: not only is it working on Starfield, it's also continuing to develop for Elder Scrolls Online and it's taking on the long commitment of Fallout 76. And that's only in its main RPG franchises. It's still got plenty going on elsewhere with mobile games, Dishonored, Prey and others.

Thanks to Todd Howard, we know Bethesda is working on two huge new titles simultaneously, though their developments are staggered. 

Having returned to Skyrim after some time away, Howard compared it to seeing an old friend from high school, adding that the time away had given him the chance to see Skyrim as a gamer for the first time. 

This, to us, would be the perfect time to start applying this new perspective to the next title in the series. 

At the very least we can say we know it won’t just be called Elder Scrolls 6. There’s going to be a colon and another word to round the title off if previous releases are anything to go by. 

Elder Scrolls 6: where will it be set?

The Elder Scrolls 6

We’re willing to bet that like all the other games in the series The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be set in the continent of Tamriel, the map of which is above.

Previous games have taken us to High Rock, Hammerfell, Morrowind, Cyrodil, and Skyrim. Valenwood, Elsweyr and Black Marsh are the biggest places left to explore. However, even though these areas are prime spots for exploration, that's not to say that Bethesda won't return to areas from previous games. 

Rumors online have previously heavily pointed towards Black Marsh, the home of the world’s reptilian Argonian race but there wasn't actually any solid reason for this rumor. Black Marsh's swampy marshlands and network of islands would make for an interesting geographic change for the series, though it’s a geography that would leave itself open to comparison with the Witcher 3.  It’s probably the region of Tamriel that we know the least about so Bethesda would have plenty of room to be creative.

That said, if we're just going by where might be interesting to explore, Elsweyr would also be a candidate with its dry plains and harsh badlands that the Khajit call home. 

It would certainly be nice to find out more about the culture of either the Khajit or the Argonians so both of these extremely different settings have an understandable appeal to fans.

There was also a strong rumor that the Elder Scrolls 6 could be set in Valenwood, the home of the Bosmer and it’s an area of Tamriel that Bethesda hasn’t explored much. 

The rumor that the game will be set here is based on a reported internal Bethesda memo from all the way back in 2014. In this memo, Bethesda employees were reportedly warned against using the terms Fallout: Nuka World, Elder Scrolls VI or Project Greenheart.

Though it was initially believed to be a fake, Fallout: Nuka World ended up being a big DLC release for Fallout 4 which gave slightly more weight to rumor that Project Greenheart is in fact the codename for the next Elder Scrolls title. The fact that Greenheart is a city in the verdant region of Valenwood made this even more interesting. 

However, after the brief announcement trailer for Elder Scrolls 6 was released during E3 2018, many fans began to move away from the idea of a Valenwood setting as the landscape shown in the trailer didn't reflect Valenwood all that much. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

It's hard to tell from the short E3 clip we have of the game but since it was shown general opinion has started to move towards the idea that the Elder Scrolls 6 will be set in either Hammerfell or High Rock.

Adding credence to the Hammerfell rumor is a post from the official Elder Scrolls Twitter account at the end of 2020 which says "transcribe the past and map the future" and shows an image with an unmapped Hammerfell region. There is, however, a chance that this teaser doesn't relate to Elder Scrolls 6 at all.

In an interview with Eurogamer, Todd Howard confirmed the team has settled on the location - but he won't tell us where yet. 

Details are, of course, exceptionally sparse at the moment. All we have are rumors to go off of, which doesn't form the basis of, well, anything really.

Obviously, those of us who know the world of Tamriel thanks to Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim and yes, even Elder Scrolls Online, the entire world is a veritable expanse of different lands and settings where the game could be set.

We do know one thing for certain; wherever it does end up being set, we can expect to be fulfilling a great many side quests.

The Elder Scrolls 6: what we want to see

The Elder Scrolls 6

Homebuilding
A feature that we’re fairly certain will be included in the game to some degree is house building or town creation. Skyrim introduced the idea of designing and maintaining a homestead with its Hearthfire DLC, which Fallout 4 expanded upon with the introduction of its settlement mechanic and the Elder Scrolls online built upon again with its Homestead DLC. This leads neatly into a further expansion of such features in the next Elder Scrolls title as it felt not-quite-finished in Fallout. 

It would be a feature that would actually fit in particularly well with the rumored Valenwood setting, if it involved the player adapting to the wilderness in the way the resident Bosmer have with their treetop cities. In a similar way the player used debris and junk to craft their settlement in Fallout, they could use their natural environment to do so in Elder Scrolls in a nice contrast. 

A whole new story
In an interview with Gamespot, Todd Howard said that Bethesda is looking into how exactly it tells stories in its games.

Howard noted that Skyrim and Fallout 4 take slightly different approaches to stories, with Skyrim leaving things more open to the player’s vision and Fallout guiding them more firmly through a story

Now he says the studio is looking at how to “tell a better story in an open world.”  He said “each of our games we've had successes and failures and if you ask us internally, we have new ideas that we want to explore in the future because we feel like we haven't really cracked it yet the way we think it could be.”

Being aware of the differences between Skyrim and Fallout’s approaches to storytelling and the fact that both have positives and negatives suggests that the next Elder Scrolls title could strike some kind of balance between giving the player completely free reign and telling a story around their character. 

It’s hard to deny that The Witcher 3 has had a massive impact on what players expect in terms of including an engaging story in an open-world game. 

Though we don’t in any way want Bethesda to just churn out a Witcher copy (we’re not sure it’d be possible anyway) it does put a certain amount of pressure on Bethesda when it comes to achieving high-quality environmental and quest-based storytelling. 

No multiplayer
Something we don’t expect to see, though, is multiplayer. Skyrim certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of multiplayer and it wouldn’t really make all that much sense to incorporate any online multiplayer gameplay with the Elder Scrolls Online still rolling along. 

The Elder Scrolls 6

Virtual reality
It's not a certainty by any means but the fact that Bethesda released a full VR experience for Skyrim means it's not out of the question down the line if not immediately.

Improved graphics and reduced bugginess
The remastered version of Skyrim showed just how far things have come visually since the game’s first release so we fully expect any title following on from it to be of that standard if not much higher, depending on how far away the game is.

We know that the new engine will be used, thankfully, giving Bethesda's games a much-needed boost in its delivery.

More fluid combat - taking advantage of new consoles
Everyone knows and loves the animations delivered from Oblivion, Skyrim and Fallout, but seeing them on an Xbox Series X or PS5 or high-end PCs would be nothing short of embarrassing. To this end, we expect to see a far more fluid combat experience and, considering how powerful the new consoles are purporting to be, a richly detailed open world to explore.

Replayability
During an interview with IGN Howard gave a small update on what people can expect from the game.

He said: "I think when they eventually see the game and what we have in mind, they'll understand the gap more in terms of technology and what we want it to do... We're eight years post-Skyrim. It lets us know going into Elder Scrolls 6 that this is a game we need to design for people to play for a decade at least."

From this, we know that Elder Scrolls 6 is being developed with longevity in mind. Of course, games like Skyrim and Oblivion are kept alive to this day purely by fans who make mods or those who simply can't get enough of it.

If this means there's more emphasis on replayability with branching and far-reaching consequences from certain decisions remains to be seen, but this could be one of the ways to keep the game interesting overtime.



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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE listing reveals faster charging than the Galaxy S21 Ultra

In many ways the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will probably be a lower end phone than the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S21 range, but when it comes to charging speed it looks like this upcoming handset could have all of them – including the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – beat.

That’s the indication we get from an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing for a phone believed to be the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. Rather than a name, the model number SM-G990U is listed, but that’s been linked to the S21 FE in the past.

The listing mentions support for both a 25W charger (which is the most the rest of the S21 range can muster) and a 45W one, which Samsung previously supported with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, but hasn’t given much love to lately.

Sold separately

It’s worth noting that there’s no guarantee either of these chargers will come in the box, and indeed MyFixGuide, which found the listing, suggests they won’t – though it’s not clear where it got that information. Still, given that the rest of the Galaxy S21 range doesn’t ship with chargers, we’d think that would likely be the case here too.

But 45W – even if you have to buy the charger separately – would be a big win for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, as Samsung’s phones have started trailing rival devices when it comes to charging speeds. The OnePlus 9 for example supports 65W charging, and the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra can get all the way up to 120W.

The rest of this FCC listing is less illuminating, but it includes a few additional details. The Snapdragon 888 chipset is mentioned for one – that’s the same one as you’ll find in the rest of the range (at least in the US) and was always likely to be included.

The listing also mentions support for USB-C earphones, which might mean there’s no 3.5mm headphone port. We can’t be certain of that, but the rest of the range lacks a 3.5mm port, so it’s likely to be absent here too.

We can at least be fairly confident that the details in this listing are accurate, as data on the FCC’s database usually is. The phone’s presence there also suggests it’s probably launching soon, which lines up with rumors of an August 3 announcement date – though we’ve elsewhere heard that it might have been delayed until October.

Via GSMArena



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The Elder Scrolls 6 release date could be years away

The Elder Scrolls 6 could still be a few years away, according to Bethesda Games Studios director Todd Howard, who has confirmed that the next chapter in the open-world fantasy saga is still in the early stages of development.

Howard told the Telegraph that: "It’s good to think of The Elder Scrolls 6 as still being in a design [phase]… but we’re checking the tech: 'Is this going to handle the things we want to do in that game?' Every game will have some new suites of technology so Elder Scrolls 6 will have some additions on to Creation Engine 2 that that game is going to require.”

It’s likely that we won’t get to play The Elder Scrolls 6 for at least a few more years, then, if Howard’s statement is to be taken at face value, with the game still being in the conceptual stages, and the team at Bethesda Game Studios still getting to grips with the new Creation Engine 2, the same engine powering Starfield which is due to release late next year.

The Eldest Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls 6 was first announced all the way back in 2018, during Bethesda’s E3 press conference that year. Outside of the sparse announcement trailer, little to nothing has been revealed about the game since. We now know why: The Elder Scrolls 6’s development cycle is still very much in some of its earliest stages.

Don’t expect any substantial info on The Elder Scrolls 6 – such as CG trailers or gameplay showcases – to be revealed before the launch of Bethesda’s next big adventure, Starfield, which releases on November 11, 2022. Fun fact: that’s 11 years to the day since The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim originally launched.

At the very least, it’s pleasing to hear that Bethesda is seemingly taking its time with The Elder Scrolls 6. While that initial teaser trailer for the game may have been a touch premature, we’re happy to wait as long as is needed for Bethesda to ensure its high quality – and hopefully stomp out the litany of bugs that plagued the likes of Skyrim and Fallout 76 before it.



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