Instagram introduces new AR-powered ‘Try On’ Ads

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Oct 4, 2019

Beginning today, a handful of brands that sell their products directly on Instagram will be able to add a new AR try-on feature to product pages. Initially, the new AR feature will be limited to cosmetics (Mac and Nars are early partners) and eyewear (Warby Parker and Ray-Ban), but Instagram plans to make it available for more products over time.

The feature is essentially an extension of Facebook’s version of the same, which was also launched with selected brands last year. Instagram’s version, built on Facebook’s Spark AR platform, looks a bit more refined, which likely comes from the extra time in development, but is also probably more of a requirement to fit into Instagram’s aesthetic focus.

There’s a few ways Instagram users might encounter the new shopping feature. The first is while checking out specific products a brand has tagged in a post. You’ll have the option to try out the product via an augmented reality filter before adding it to your cart, but Instagram is also hoping users will be inspired to share these AR experiences in Stories, which will also link back to the original product.

It’s an interesting addition, particularly on Instagram, given the audience’s interest in Stories and the heavier focus on visual tools. That could make it a great option for Instagram campaigns. It will require additional platform expertise to create such experiences, but they’re quite interesting and brimming with potential.

“Instagram is such an important platform for product discovery, particularly in beauty,” says Dina Fierro, VP of Global Digital Strategy at Nars Cosmetics, one of Instagram’s initial shopping partners. “It is very clear that Instagram impacts purchases whether that’s happening online or offline.”

(Via)

Huawei P30 Pro units are failing SafetyNet, Huawei confirms

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Oct 4, 2019

Here’s some big news, some units of the Huawei P30 Pro are now failing SafetyNet, the Google service that ensures whether devices are running genuine, certified software. Failing SafetyNet essentially means your device can’t use Google services like Google Pay, as well as other apps like Netflix, so yeah, it’s pretty bad.

Android Authority reached out to Huawei to find out what’s going on, and according to Huawei, this problem only applies to Huawei P30 Pro units that are running EMUI 10 beta software. The company also claims that the issue doesn’t actually affect all beta testers, but just a small number of them and that the issue appears to be on Google’s side.

In response to the issues, Huawei claims that “usually for the sake of beta testing, Google allows vendors’ beta OS version on specific models to appear and behave as certified version/device even if this version/device combination is still in the process of being certified.”

After some investigation, we found out that the global EMUI 10 beta version released on P30 and P30 Pro in early August does not appear and behave as certified device anymore where they should be, as explained above.

It’s important to note however that this only effects devices running on EMUI 10 Beta. According to the company, “Huawei’s various devices (including the P30 and P30 Pro), running on EMUI 9.X version, can successfully pass the SafetyNet test without any problems”.

EMUI10 on P30/P30 pro had been certified recently and the certified version will be available to global users in the future. In the meantime, we’re reaching out to Google to identify the cause of this issue for the current beta users and try to solve it as soon as possible.”

It seems like Huawei’s troubles continue to pile on top of each other, though it’s at least nice that the company is officially acknowledging the problem. Between this and the recent LZplay Mate 30 series debacle, this has been one of the most interesting years for the company, though at least there are some silver linings here and there.

(Source)

Yeelight Star Smart Floor Lamp with app control, 900 lumen brightness launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 4, 2019

Xiaomi‘s ecological chain company Yeelight lives up to its name with several assortments of smart lamps and bulbs on its catalogue. The company has just launched a new one; Yeelight Star Smart Floor Lamp and it comes with several innovative features like a new touch interaction, MIJIA app and Apple HomeKit support. The lamp comes with a modest price of 699 yuan ($97).

The Yeelight Star Smart Floor Lamp features a dual light source design with a 120° curved wall on the back. The light is scattered twice to form a uniform 120% arc angle. It utilises a professional-grade PC diffuser making the light-emitting surface to be even and soft. The lamp has a maximum brightness of 900 lumens which is bright enough to read at night. The lamp bar can be adjusted to any desired level as it is flexible.

The smart lamp comes with support for Apple Homekit and MIJIA app and can be controlled via voice prompt using Siri or XiaoAI voice assistant. The lamp also has three control buttons at the back. The first button is the main control button in which a short press switches on or off the lamp, long press is used to change the light mode. The second and third buttons are used to adjust the brightness level.

There is no word yet on the availability.

Realme X2 Pro, the brand’s first flagship will have a slightly different quad-camera setup

By

Joel Joseph

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Oct 4, 2019

Realme is the only brand in the affordable smartphone segment that has managed to shake up the industry leader, Xiaomi. After taking on the budget and lower mid-range segments of the market with phones like the Realme 5 Pro and Realme XT, the brand is finally unveiling its flagship smartphone, the Realme X2 Pro in China and Europe soon. The company has been religiously teasing new features of the device over the past few days and today it confirms the design of its quad-camera setup.

The Realme Europe website has been updated to reveal that the Realme X2 Pro will feature a 64MP quad-camera setup at the back. The teaser image further confirms that the setup will be arranged vertically at the center, unlike its other four-camera devices which have the setup placed on the top left corner.

Also, apart from featuring a 64MP high-resolution camera, the X2 Pro will distinguish itself from phones like the Realme XT by bringing in a 20X zoom telephoto shooter as well as an ultra-wide-angle 115° field of view. It should also bring in a dedicated macro lens for super close up shots.

Editor’s Pick: Realme X2 with 64MP quad cameras and Snapdragon 730G launched in China for 1,599 Yuan (~$224)

Realme 5 Pro quad camera featured — Realme 5 Pro also has four cameras at the back

Apart from this, we know that the Realme X2 Pro will feature the Snapdragon 855 Plus processor with a 90Hz display. It will also support the ultra-fast 50W charging standard.

The X2 Pro is shaping up to be a powerful competitor to the K20 Pro. We don’t have a release date yet but expect more details pretty soon.

(Source)

Watch the “Galaxy Fold” fold nearly 120K times until it’s damaged

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 4, 2019

Guess we are all familiar with the drama that engulfed the initial plans by Samsung to release the innovative Galaxy Fold foldable smartphone earlier this year. As a reminder, the Galaxy Fold was first unveiled in February this year with the release set for April. However, the release was put off by Samsung following a number of issues that were encountered by early users.

The foldable smartphone was officially relaunched last month and is presently available in several markets across the world. Samsung effected some improvements in its design and construction even though the design remained the same as the first model. Samsung says the flexible display can withstand up to 200,000 folds. This was put to test recently by the guys at CNET who deployed a Foldbot that folds and opens the device severally times at an unusual speed. The machine known as FoldBot was built by SquareTrade and it automatically opens and closes the Galaxy Fold several times per second. The test lasted for over 4 hours and even though the device didn’t last up to 200k times, it stood its ground up to 119,380 times before the screen got broken. Watch the video from below.

Of course, there is no chance you’ll bend the screen up to 120,000 times all through its life cycle. The FoldBot also seems to move at a speed which is unusually faster than how we all will open the phone. So, the flexible display can be said to be relatively durable. Of course, this test isn’t a guarantee that if the phone falls down or gets in contact with hard objects like a bunch of keys in the pocket the display won’t get damaged.

Samsung says it has fixed the hinge and the protective layer of the flexible screen. The foldable mechanism is now hidden behind a rubbery protective layer in order to protect it from dust and other particles getting in the mechanism through the foldable part. Samsung also extended the layer on top that protects the digitizer from scratches beyond the edges, so that it can’t be peeled accidentally.

The Galaxy Fold may be a good buy after all. We await feedback from users who’ll subject it to the rigours of daily use to see how it fares.

Microsoft CPO says “Android’s the obvious choice” for Surface Duo, Windows Phone dreams still dead

By

Airyl Jaszly

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Oct 4, 2019

If you haven’t been keeping up with the news, Microsoft is back to making phones again — and now the company’s basing them on Android. The Surface Duo is still in development, but the device’s announcement has still managed to brush up quite the discussion. One of the things a lot of people want to know is, could we have seen Windows Phone come back?

Well, according to Microsoft’s Panay Panos, the device was always going to use Android, and Windows Phone was never in consideration. He said that for mobile devices, “Android’s the obvious choice” followed by Windows for anything beyond smartphones. He said the company is looking to give customers what they want in the form factor that they want. This means putting the right operating system in the appropriate form factor.

Does this mean that Microsoft won’t be making Windows phones anymore? Unfortunately, it seems like Windows Phone is still utterly and completely dead to Microsoft. In a recent interview between Panay and CNet, he claimed that Microsoft has no plans to make a Windows-based phone anytime soon. He even reaffirms this in other interviews later.

Microsoft’s reluctance to build a Windows phone makes sense on multiple levels. From a practical standpoint, it might be easier to leave the practicalities to Google, a company that’s far ahead with supporting a wide range of apps on foldable devices, and which may have a better software package for developers to start with.

Perhaps the bigger reason for them not even attempting with Windows Phone, however, is their previous failure to challenge Google and Apple. The two tech giants have completely trounced Microsoft’s efforts in the past, and it seems like Microsoft isn’t exactly raring to rush into another pointless endeavor when there’s a more beneficial solution available.

(Source)

iPhone 11 sales perform better than expected, Apple increases production by 10%

By

Sahil

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Oct 4, 2019

In the month of September, Apple launched its latest smartphone lineup which consists of the standard iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. For the first time in its history, Apple has reduced the starting price of a model upgrade. Even with the introduction of a secondary rear camera and newer chipset, Apple priced the iPhone 11 for $699 which is considerably lower than its predecessor, iPhone XR that started at $749.

According to a Nikkei report, the reduction in price has resulted in better than expected demand of the new smarpthone. Subsequently, Apple has asked its suppliers to ramp up production of iPhone 11 lineup by upto 8 million units. Although irrelevant, this figure is equivalent to what Google’s annual smartphone shipment for the current year looks like.

After the report was published, the share price fo Apple’s component manufacturers rose in Japan. Japan’s Minebea Mitsumi closed up 3%, Japan Display rose by almost 2%, while Murata Manufacturing and Alps Alpine also gained.

Having said that, suppliers are maintaining a cautious stance as they are unsure whether Apple can sustain the surge in demand for an extended period or not. Another factor that could hinder iPhone sales in future is the China tariff that Washington is supposed put into effect from the 15th of December. Due to this, Apple will have to pay a 10% tariff on products that are imported from China.

Reports in the past have claimed that if such a tariff is put into place, Apple plans to absorb them until it can negotiate a deal with its government or move the iPhone production to another country which is easier said than done. But Apple is yet to make a statement and if it passes on the tariff hike on to consumers by increasing price, the sales could plummet. Therefore, the cautious stance of Chinese suppliers makes sense.

Yasuo Nakane, head of global tech research at Mizuho Securities, said his company has revised up 2019 iPhone production estimates to 194 million units from 178 million. But they are still less than the 208.8 million iPhones sold in 2018.

While Apple seems optimistic about the demand of the iPhone 11, only time will tell, if it is able to beat sales of the iPhone X lineup from yesteryear.

(via)

ZTE files Design Patent for a Smartphone with Rotating Display Module

By

Sahil

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Oct 4, 2019

In order to make its offerings stand apart from the crowd, ZTE usually tends to make smartphones that have a distinguishing factor. One such example of this statement could be the gaming-centric Nubia Red Magic 3 which is the world’s first handset with a cooling fan.

Falling in line with the same strategy, ZTE has filed a design patent for yet another unique smartphone that has a rotating module on top. The concept of a swivel module is similar to previously launched smartphones (1, 2) from companies like Oppo and Gionee. However, the module on those smartphones had a camera setup on one side and earpiece on the other.

Whereas, the ZTE smartphone from the patent has both the camera setup and earpiece on one side while its other side houses a small rectangular display panel. The mechanical operation of the module is comparable to the Asus 6Z which has a motor-driven flip camera.

Clearly, the purpose of implementing such a design is to maximise the screen to body ratio. Besides, the patent suggests that the swivel module is equipped with sensors that are capable of locating the ear of the user. This allows the earpiece to be manoeuvred in a manner so that the audio output from the earpiece can be clearly heard regardless of the angle the smartphone is held by the user.

Unfortunately, the images of the smartphone’s backside are not shared by the source. However, it can be assumed that the selfie camera mounted in the swivel system will also double up as the rear camera.

Only time will tell, whether the ZTE handset from the patent turns into a reality or not. Having said that, the concept seems viable and ZTE could consider launching it in the near future. We will update you in that case, so stay tuned.

(via)

Samsung is gifting employees with Galaxy S10+, other goodies after closing its last Chinese factory

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 4, 2019

A report from South Korea emerged a few days back stating that Samsung will close down its last factory in China later this month. Samsung went on to confirm that it was indeed shutting down its last factory in China.

With the closure of the factory, employees have been given their severance benefits and it includes a free Galaxy S10+, a wristwatch and some cash for staff that have stayed for up to 10 years. Some employees who had stayed for a lesser period got the Galaxy A80. The entire winding down process was captured in a short video which you can watch from here.

Samsung once operated three mobile phone manufacturing plants in China, one in Shenzhen, Tianjin and this last one in Huizhou. The factories in Shenzhen and Tianjin were both closed in 2018. The Huizhou plant located in the Guangdong province of China was opened in December 1992 and started production in 1993. It is presently the only functional Samsung production plant in China and around June this year, the company scaled down production at the plant with reports of workers getting laid off.

Redesigned AirPods 3 with active Noise cancellation discovered in source code of iOS 13.2

By

Sahil

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Oct 4, 2019

Several reports in the past have claimed that Apple will introduce a new design with the second generation of AirPods. However, all of them turned out false after their official unveiling, as the company retained the original design while adding support for wireless charging and incorporating the faster H1 chip.

With that being said, the long-anticipated AirPods with an overhauled design may launch soon. Steve Moser, a contributing writer for MacRumours who also happens to be an iOS developer has shared a Tweet which shows new AirPods design in the beta version of the latest iOS 13.2.

iOS 13.2 Beta Includes Icon Depicting New AirPods Design https://t.co/BHuJjaZAAC by @SteveMoser pic.twitter.com/ed7j93ixxQ

— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) October 2, 2019

Right of the bat, the new logo for AirPods is significantly different than both the first and second generation of totally wireless earphones from Apple. Instead of a plastic acoustic outlet that sits in the outer ear, they seem to have an in-ear style design with a silicone cap that extends into the ear canal.

Noteworthy, alleged outer casing of the redesigned AirPods was previously leaked by a Chinese supplier and they surprisingly they look exactly like the Icon from iOS 13.2. For reference, the image has been listed below.

If the images are to be believed, not only will the future AirPods have a compact design, the case in which they rest will also shrink in size drastically.

Talking about their design, both the logo and leaked images exhibit a slit on top which is believed to play a crucial role in active noise cancellation that the AirPods have been long rumoured to attain with an updated model.

For readers who don’t know, the active noise cancellation feature allows a pair of earphones or headphones to neutralise unwanted ambient noises so the user can enjoy their audio content without interruptions. Devices equipped with active noise cancellation are capable of analyzing the outside noise and with the help of complex software algorithms, they generate an inverted sound which can cancel the unwanted sound coming from an external source.

Another intriguing finding that can be derived from the image shared by the developer is an Apple device with a top-mounted power button. Even though the power button on Apple iPads is also located on the top, this could be the successor of the iPhone SE which is reported to launch early next year.

To wrap things up, the launch of redesigned AirPods looks imminent. However, in order to verify the claims, we will have to until Apple officially announces them or sends out a statement addressing them.

Stay tuned for future updates.

Chinese Telecom providers gear up for 5G Launch, open Pre-orders for Consumer Plans

By

Sahil

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Oct 4, 2019

While South Korea and the UK are one of the early adopters of 5G, three telecom companies in China are now following suit. Earlier this month, China Unicom and China Telecom announced a joint partnership to build and share a nationwide 5G network, and now they have launched pre-orders for 5G data plans.

The two Chinese companies have designated a combined investment of 24 billion yuan ($3.37 billion) for building 5G-related infrastructure this year alone, while the investment figures for the following year are yet to be revealed.

According to the detailed wording or small print, both carriers will notify their customers once the services are rolled out, though a specific date of the same is yet to be provided.

Going by the promotion page on China Telecom’s website, close to 7,00,000 netizens have signed up to pre-order 5G plans which proves that users are eagerly waiting to avail high-speed services that the next generation of telecommunication technology has on offer.

China Telecom has also announced that it will offer tiered discounts for existing customers which will vary depending on the duration they have been with the carrier. Reports suggest similar discounts will also be offered by China Unicom, however, to boost adoption it is offering additional discounts on 5G-enabled smartphones.

According to local media, the third major Chinese telecom operator, China mobile will also reveal 5G plans in the month of October and they are expected to come out soon.

(via)

TCL has no plans to launch Blackberry 5G phone anytime soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 4, 2019

Once considered among the flag-bearers of technology in the smartphone industry, Blackberry was on the verge of going out-of-business before the brand was purchased by TCL back in 2016. With the lack of any new models in the past year, Blackberry devices are likely to remain as midrange budget offerings in the near future. If you are holding on to hopes of seeing a 5G Blackberry, TCL has made a formal announcement confirming that there are no such plans as of now.

In an announcement made during a CCS Insight event in London, Stefan Streit, TCL’s General Manager of Marketing said, “There is no point of 5G on a Blackberry. The device is not for entertainment and emails are already quite fast”. Having shown great enthusiasm for a major part of 2018, Blackberry devices have been largely missing in action since the beginning of 2019.

Editor’s Pick: Blackberry partners Jaguar Land Rover on autonomous vehicles development

It is not that TCL is not investing in 5G. They are exploring other opportunities where the 5G technology can be useful, like an 8K TV or a Smart fridge. TCL is focused on introducing their own lineup of 5G smartphones under the Plex brand name. While also introducing the technology to Alcatel, the second smartphone brand under their banner. The company plans on introducing affordable smartphones by the middle of 2020.

According to CCS Insights, the prices of 5G smartphones will plummet in 2020 due to oversupply. The analytics firm reasons that there are so many devices available across the globe that supply will overpower demand shortly causing widespread price cuts. At the onset of 2022 alone the adoption of 5G will outpace that of 4G in the first three years!

TCL Plex 5G Specifications and Features

In related news, TCL unveiled their first 5G smartphone named TCL Plex 5G at the IFA 2019 in September. The device features a 6.53-inch display with a dedicated chipset that converts standard dynamic range content to high dynamic range, presenting additional true colors tones. The smartphone draws power from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of native storage. It has a triple camera layout starting with a 48-megapixel sensor, along with a 16-megapixel lens and a 2-megapixel sensor. The device sports a 3,820 mAh battery. TCL aims at pricing the 5G variant below the $1000 mark, although there is no official announcement yet.

Xiaomi India creates history by selling 43 TVs per minute during the festive sales

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 4, 2019

Xiaomi claims to have sold over 250,000 units of the Mi TV during the recently-concluded festive sale on Amazon, Flipkart and MI.com. The Mi TV is a huge hit with the Indian customers and that is evident from the sales charts, which roughly translates to 43 devices sold every minute. This is a huge milestone for the brand that had previously shattered sales records in the smartphone category. Xiaomi offered huge discounts on the Mi TV range during the Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival. According to Xiaomi, the two best-selling TVs on Amazon India during the event were the 43-inch Mi TV 4A Pro and the 32-inch Mi TV 4C Pro.

Mi fans, we're on a record-breaking streak this #DiwaliWithMi.@MiTVIndia has sold 2.5 lakh #MiTVs across https://t.co/D3b3QtmvaT, @amazonIN & @Flipkart.

Interesting fact: We've sold 43 #MiTVs every minute.
This calls for a celebration. 🥳

Get yours: https://t.co/UbiCgFG8xp pic.twitter.com/k37nemLN4i

— Mi India for #MiFans (@XiaomiIndia) October 3, 2019

Editor’s Pick: Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha is listed for purchase in China but no one will buy it

The 32-inch Mi TV 4C Pro is currently listed on the online retail platforms at a discounted price of Rs. 11,499 (~$162). While the 43-inch 4A Pro is listed at Rs. 19,999 (~$282). Xiaomi recenly unveiled a range of TVs in India, including the 65-inch Mi TV 4X, which is their largest offering in India, the 50-inch and 43-inch Mi TV 4X, and the 40-inch Mi TV 4A. These options were also available during sale.

In a statement, Eshwar Nilakanta, the Category Lead at Mi TV for Xiaomi India said, “Our smart TV business commenced in 2018 and has flourished in India ever since. Within just three months of inception the Mi TV reached the top spot in overall sales and has continued to remain on top for the past five consecutive quarters. We crossed the one million mark in India within the first eight months and two million in the next five months. We announced a three million milestone in September but the additional milestone only took us four months to reach. We are humbled and thrilled by the love and appreciation received from our customers and Mi fans in the subcontinent. We hope the Mi TV ushers in the festive cheer for everyone”.

Apple reportedly acquired motion capture firm IKinema

By

Jeet

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Oct 4, 2019

Apple has reportedly acquired motion capture company named IKinema. The report comes from MacRumors which is based on evidence from company filings and information shared with the website by its reader.

A document filed with the UK government, Peter Deanwood, who is Apple‘s lawyer and responsible for the company’s international dealings, has been named as a Director of IKinema and the company’s service address has been listed as One Apple Park Way.

For the uninitiated, IKenima is a motion capture company based out of the United Kingdom that captures animation technology which are used for games, virtual reality and more. It also developed technology that captures real-time motion animation of virtual characters.

Currently, the IKinema website is not operational and shows a support email address and a link to documentation covering the company’s various motion capture technologies. Also, the company’s Facebook and Twitter profiles haven’t been updated since 19th August.

The report indicates that customers of the company were not warned of a possible shutdown or sale and have been kept in the dark since early August. A person with inside information revealed that the acquisition was confirmed in Facebook Motion Capture group.

A few months ago, in July, the company had announced a partnership to provide Ubisoft access to its RunTime middleware. That same press release noted some existing collaborations of the company with Bandai Namco, Koch Media, NetEase Network, Rare, and 343 Industries.

With the acquisition of IKinema, Apple could use the technology in its various AR and VR projects as well as the company could enlist its help for improving True Depth camera technology which captures movements of the face.

(Source)

Samsung patents a unique smartphone with a flexible sliding display

By

Sahil

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Oct 4, 2019

In the Q1 of 2019, Samsung launched the Galaxy Fold which could be titled ‘one of the most innovative smartphones of the year’. However, the company is not stopping there, based upon freshly granted patents, it is working on yet another distinctive handset that features a sliding touch screen display which can conceal the top bezel.

To put it simply, the smartphone has a flexible display which is attached to a complex rack and pinion mechanism that allows it to slide upwards or downwards. Due to which, it can either hide or reveal the bezel above the display that accommodates the selfie camera and the earpiece for receiving phone calls.

Even though this is not that first time we are coming across a smartphone with a sliding display, the previously launched Mi Mix 3 is a prime example of this idea; but instead of the whole display assembly sliding upwards or downwards on Xiaomi‘s offering, Samsung’s device has a movable flexible display which is a completely different implementation.

According to the illustrations, whenever the user receives an audio or video call, they can slide the display downwards which will reveal the earpiece, front camera while simultaneously accepting the incoming call. Similarly sliding the display back upward will result in ending the call.

It is currently unknown, whether or not this fancy sliding display provides for any other function except for answering calls. With that being said, it does provide the smartphone with a high screen-to-body ratio that gives it an elegant look.

To wrap things up, the concept behind the patent definitely looks intriguing, however, it cannot be confirmed whether this particular device will see the light of the day or not. Presumably, the technology could make its way to future offerings from the company for which we will have to wait patiently.

Readers interested in checking out the patent can do so by clicking here.

Save Up to $100 on Xiaomi Flagship Products on Banggood [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Oct 4, 2019

A flagship product essentially refers to a company’s core product or service which is most appreciable among its loyal users. In other words, the best product of the company can be touted as its flagship product.

A flagship smartphone boasts an impressive array of features, paired with top-end specifications, which makes it stand out from the rest of the products made by the company. There are no prizes for guessing that these mobile phones aren’t easy on the pocketbook.

To make these steeply-priced flagship products available to those living on a tight budget, Banggood has launched a new promo called Xiaomi Flagship Products. If you have restlessly been waiting to get your tech greedy hands on one of Xiaomi’s flagship handsets without emptying your pocket, this is your chance.

As part of the promo, the Chinese online store is offering a wide range of Xioami-branded mobile devices for considerably lowered prices. You can save up to $100 on these smartphones that have carefully been split into multiple categories.

Realme R5 is the first mobile phone available on the promotion page. More importantly, you can pre-order it for a lowered price.

While the Realme R5 4GB RAM+128GB ROM variant usually retails for $269.99, you can pre-order for just $256.19 from the promotion page. As if that weren’t enough, you can reduce its retail price to just $169.99 by applying coupon code BGREALMER54 at checkout.

Likewise, you can bring the original asking price of the 2GB RAM+16GB ROM Redmi 7A variant down to just $69.99 by applying coupon code BG7AECL at checkout. Note that the phone usually sells for $109.99.

The 2GB RAM+32GB ROM Redmi 7A model usually carries a $119.99 price tag, by using coupon code BG7AE32EU you can reduce its selling price to just $79.99. Moreover, you get free shipping on orders over $19.99.

The rest of the smartphones have been divided into three categories including New Arrivals, Brand Zone, and More Recommended.

The first section on the activity page called New Arrival features a slew of well-received mobile phones that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket. While some of these phones carry heavily discounted price tags, some have been assigned dedicated coupons that you can use to save money at checkout.

For example, the ZTE Nubia Red Magic 3 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage capacity would set you back $899.99, but you can now buy it for a lowered price of just $707.59 under the New Arrival category on the activity page.

Aside from this 21 percent discount, you can get free shipping if your cart value exceeds $19.99.

If you are a brand-conscious buyer, you can head straight to the next category called Brand Zone. The section features well-received mobile phones from Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Ulefone bearing considerably lowered prices.

The concluding section dubbed More Recommended is worth checking out as well. It features the Oppo Realme X and Oppo Realme 3 Pro smartphones. You can avail noteworthy discounts on these devices for a limited period of time.

To take full advantage of the discounts and use the coupons before they expire, all you need to do is to follow this link without wasting time.

Xiaomi Flagship Products on Banggood

Samsung wants to put Ads on your phone

By

Joel Joseph

-

Oct 4, 2019

If you thought ads on MIUI were bad, know that there’s another manufacturer who is looking to join Xiaomi to show ads on its smartphones. And it could be worse since we are talking about Samsung, who is currently the world’s largest smartphone maker.

Samsung Mobile Ads trademark application

According to a trademark application submitted to the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) on October 1, 2019, Samsung has applied for a trademark ‘Samsung Mobile Ads’ that applies to smartphones and tablets and pertains to advertising services. From the application, it’s clear that Samsung is looking to try out its luck in mobile advertising.

The South Korean smartphone maker isn’t really new to advertising. The company currently has the Samsung Ads program for its smart TVs. While there’s an option to disable these Smart TV ads, it’s hidden well inside the TV’s ‘terms and conditions’ menu. In short, Samsung has ensured that it won’t be easy to find this option and disable it. It would be really annoying if Samsung tries to reproduce this strategy for its mobile ads as well.

Change in Samsung’s Mobile Strategy?

With the ever-increasing competition from the Chinese giants, Samsung’s strategy has changed over the past few months. The company is churning out at least one mid-range device in Asia and Europe. Even the recently launched Galaxy M30s is likely to land in Europe very soon. With so many devices in the market, Samsung could be contemplating the idea of mobile ads on its devices.

Galaxy M30s — Samsung launched the Galaxy M30S with 6000mAh battery in India recently

However, note that this was just a trademark application and Samsung has in no way confirmed that it will start showing ads on its smartphones. So we’ll have to wait for more information from the company.

(Source, Via)

Buy So White ES3 3D Smart Floating Blade Head Razor for Just $20.99 from Gearbest [Coupon]

By

Vinay Patel

-

Oct 4, 2019

Xiaomi offers a wide range of electronic appliances that meet the varied needs of the consumers. The So White ES3 3D Smart Floating Blade Head Razor from Xiaomi Youpin is within the aforesaid criterion.

Sporting an elegant design that grabs everyone’s attention, the So White ES3 3D features three independent blades that are three directions floating. Designed to suit all types of facial contour and hair growth direction, the device can effortlessly change angles, giving you the smoothest and least painful shave possible.

With the So White ES3 3D, shaving the corners of the mouth, jaw, neck and other hard to reach places becomes easy. Its double-ring knife net design increases the contact area between the blade and the face for an enhanced shaving efficiency, leaving no stubble behind.

The market is crammed with all sorts of electric shavers that claim to offer a superior shaving experience, but they don’t come cheap. The So White ES3, on the other hand, can now be yours for a lowered price of only $21.99 from Gearbest. This is a 25 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $29.37.

Moreover, you can use coupon code GB-HBZSCXSM and save $1 more before placing your order. In other words, you can reduce the original asking price of the So White ES3 3D Smart Floating Blade Head Razor to just $20.99 simply by applying the above-mentioned coupon at checkout.

With over a hundred pieces sold at the time of writing, the promo is slated to end in just seven days. You can follow this link to grab the discount, which will be valid for the silver color option.

So White ES3 3D Smart Floating Blade Head Razor from Xiaomi youpin

Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha is listed for purchase in China but no one will buy it

By

Jeet

-

Oct 4, 2019

Last month, Xiaomi unveiled its new concept smartphone named Mi MIX Alpha which comes with features that are not seen on any other smartphone in the market and are currently unique to Mi MIX Alpha.

With features like wraparound display and 108MP primary camera sensor, the smartphone was expected to carry higher pricing. The Mi MIX 4 has been announced for a price of 19,999 Yuan, which roughly converts to $2,814.

The smartphone, which will go into mass production by the end of this year in a limited quality, isn’t going on sale anytime soon. However, the smartphone has been found listed on Tmall.com for a price of 999,999 Yuan (~$139,889).

While the pricing listed for the smartphone seems to be a placeholder, the “Buy Now” and “Add to Cart” buttons are active, which means that you can purchase the smartphone with the mentioned pricing.

The official pricing of the Mi MIX Alpha is already on the higher side and no one is going to purchase the device at 50 times more cost than the official pricing. And that indeed is the case since no one has purchased the device yet, which is evident from the purchase counter for the listing shown on the website.

Coming to the smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha is the world’s first smartphone with a curved display that wraps around almost the entire device. Except for the tiny vertical strip that houses the camera at the back, the display surrounds the entire smartphone, including the sides and the back.

This is a single display panel of 7.92-inch that wraps around the entire body bringing the screen to body ratio to a staggering 180.6%! This is made possible also because of the extremely narrow 2.15mm bezels on the top and the bottom.

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha featured — Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha is like a permanently folded phone

It is also the world’s first smartphone to feature a 100MP+ resolution camera sensor. This is made possible by using the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX 108MP camera sensor at the back of the device. The sensor was developed in close collaboration with Xiaomi, hence it’s no surprise that we are seeing it first on the Mi Mix Alpha 5G.

The 108MP primary sensor on the Mi Mix Alpha is ultra-large with a 1/1.33″ sensor which is capable of outputting 12032 x 9024-pixel resolution images. It is coupled with a 12MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and a 20MP ultra-wide-angle camera lens.

The device is confirmed to be powered by the Snapdragon 855+ processor with 5G dual SIM support. There will be at least one version with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage. The battery isn’t very large at 4,050mAh but it does support 40W fast charging just like the Mi 9 Pro 5G.

Xiaomi has now started selling Mineral Water bottles in China

By

Jeet

-

Oct 4, 2019

Xiaomi, which is well-known for its smartphones, has its presence in a wide range of product categories. Almost all products launched by the company so far can be clubbed in the electronics category.

Now, in a surprising move, the company has now started selling mineral water bottles in its home country China. The company has revealed that the water for this mineral water bottles is sourced from a cold water spring in Mohe city, a northernmost city in China.

The company is selling 300ml water bottles in a box that consists of 24 bottles, for a price of 59.9 Yuan which roughly converts to $8.3. By that calculation, each water bottle from the company costs 2.5 Yuan, which is roughly $0.35.

Xiaomi’s Arctic Spring Natural Mineral Water comes with a Green-colored bottle with a flexible line. It measures about 20.8 centimetre in height and 6 centimetre in diameter.

As per the report, for natural mineral water in China, the company needs to obtain “Mining License” issued by the National Land and Resources Management Department. Also, the water must been filled without any artificial addition of other ingredients. It says that the mineral water content of the spring water is balanced, and contains calcium, potassium and magnesium which are essential minerals for the human body.

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