Intel, MediaTek and Qualcomm key players in 5G modem chips supply

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Jan 25, 2019

As the major smartphone manufacturers are looking forward to incorporating 5G technology into their devices. Currently, to serve the demand, only three chipmaker companies are leading the way to provide 5G technology solutions. Namingly Intel, MediaTek, and Qualcomm are willing to provide 5G IPs, patents and modem chips to the manufacturers.

On the other hand, manufacturers are also keeping a watch and still waiting for the technologies to get mature enough before trying. Huawei, Samsung, and Apple seem reluctant of jumping into the bandwagon of 5G modem chipsets. The source claims that “Huawei, Samsung Electronics and Apple are reportedly still taking a wait-and-see attitude toward whether to jump on the bandwagon of 5G modem chipsets”.

Due to various barriers, whether they are related to finance, marketing or development, these three companies will lead the path to 5G mobile communication technologies. Moreover, during the first phase of 5G evolution, these companies will endeavour the growth.

In monetary terms, the new solutions are not providing any extra financial advantages. As per Taiwan IC designers, the development processes are not posing any bigger economic challenges but AI chips are affecting the overall spending. Even though the complications, performance improvements need an advanced Research and Development effort which needs more funds. The fund crunch is keeping the newcomers at a bay of developing the 5G modem chipsets.

“But more complicated tests, performance improvements and yield rate adjustments for modem chips require much more support, requiring chipmakers to drastically expand the scale of R&D teams.”

As far as the MediaTek is concerned, then it would leverage the high price/performance ratios to generate momentum in the growth. Even though, they are figuring out a new marketing strategy to make the most from the upcoming 5G wave.

Read More: LG 5G smartphone to launch next month; packs Snapdragon 855 SoC and 4,000mAh battery

Additionally, Samsung is preparing to launch a 5G supported smartphone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset later this year. Huawei is also making efforts to launch 5G supported handset this year. There’s a lot of gossip going on in the market related to the 5G supported smartphones, but nothing is confirmed as of now.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro 2019 with Infinity-O display and SD710 SoC announced

By

Jeet

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Jan 25, 2019

Samsung has today announced a new smartphone in the South Korean market — Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro (2019). This is the same smartphone that was launched as Galaxy A8s in China last month.

The phone comes in three color options — Blue, Gray, and Green and is priced at 599,500 Korean Won, which roughly converts to $533. The device will go on sale in Korea from 28th February.

As for the specifications, most of the phone’s specs are same as the Galaxy A8s. It features a 6.4-inch display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. There’s an Infinity-O punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 10nm octa-core upper mid-range processor, paired with either 6GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.

For photography, the device is equipped with three cameras on its back — a 10MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, a 24MP f/1.7 main sensor, and a 5MP f/2.2 sensor for real-time portrait effect. It also features a 24MP front-facing snapper for taking selfies.

The Samsung Galaxy A8s comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security. There’s also a dedicated Bixby button on the side. The device runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own custom interface and is powered by a 3,300mAh battery.

Meanwhile, the company is also set to launch the Galaxy A8s FE in China on 14th February, which will be available in gradient colors. While one model will come with a gradient of yellow and pink while the other model will gradient of light-blue and light-pink.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G smartphone to be first available in Korea, color options leaked

By

Jeet

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Jan 25, 2019

Samsung has been working on its foldable smartphone since past few years and while it may not be the first one to launch the foldable smartphone, it is the most-awaited smartphone. The company is expected to launch its foldable smartphone later this year and whenever it launches, reports indicate that there will be a 5G variant as well.

The upcoming foldable smartphone from Samsung is expected to be named Samsung Galaxy Fold and the 5G Galaxy Fold is also speculated to makes its debut along with the standard version. While the company had previously said that the phone will be launched globally, it seems that the 5G model will be limited to South Korean initially as most markets won’t have live commercial 5G connectivity solutions.

According to the reports, the Samsung Galaxy Fold (SM-F907N) will be offered in South Korean and the network carriers have already completed deployment and are waiting on manufacturers to release compatible smartphones. Samsung will most likely be the first with the 5G Galaxy S10. It has already started working on this variant’s firmware for South Korea.

The report further adds that the Samsung Galaxy Fold will be offered in four color options — Blue, Green, Silver, and Black. However, do note that the marketing terms for these color options may differ and there may also be additional color options.

The South Korean company has not yet revealed the launch date for the Samsung Galaxy Fold but there’s a possibility that we’ll get to see the company’s foldable smartphone in February alongside the company’s flagship Galaxy S10-series phones.

Samsung is also expected to launch a 5G variant of the Galaxy S10 smartphone as well, which could be unveiled at the company’s upcoming Samsung Unboxed event on 20th February. As per the rumors, the 5G Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Fold will come with larger capacity batteries. We’ll have to wait for a few more weeks to know for sure.

(Source)

Buy YI Compact Dash Camera At A Lowered Price Of Only $35.99 On AliExpress

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

AliExpress is doling out up to a considerably 50 percent off on a wide range of tools and accessories as part of its latest promotion.

Dubbed as ‘Automotive Essentials Sale,’ the promo features various items that have been separated into Car Electronics, Car Decorations, Motorcycle Accessories & Parts, Other Vehicle Parts, and Tools & Maintenance categories.

More importantly, all products featured on the promotion page will be up for grabs carrying unbeatable prices.

We’ll be taking a gander at the discount available on the YI compact dash camera, which is included under ‘The Bestsellers’ section of the promo.

YI Compact Dash Camera

Touted as a highly reliable, yet an easy-to-use dash camera, the YI Compact is loaded with essential functions that make your drive safe.

The dash camera is capable of recording fast-moving scenes and efficiently capturing intense movements. Moreover, it provides emergency recordings as well.

The YI Compact dash camera adopts a highly efficient H.264 video encoding for crystal clear images in high resolution while making more room for footages by optimizing the storage space.

The system empowers the camera to save footages automatically in the case that there’s a collision. These footages can come in handy for insurance disputes and other purposes.

Owing to several reasons like poor lighting, intrusive headlights or driver fatigue, accidents are more likely to take place at night.

This makes night vision one of the most important indicators of a dash camera’s performance.

Keeping in line with that, the YI Compact is equipped with an all-glass high-resolution lens, an F2.0 large aperture and a high sensitivity image sensor that warrants enhanced night vision.

While there’s no dearth of top-branded dash cameras in the market today, they aren’t necessarily easy on the pocketbook.

The YI Compact, on the other hand, has gone up for sale carrying a lowered price tag of just $35.99 on AliExpress. This is a 55 percent drop in the feature-laden dash camera’s original asking price.

You can follow this link to take full advantage of this discount before the promotion sale comes to an end.

Get 55% Off On YI Compact Dash Camera

Get Up To 50% Off On Tools And Accessories On AliExpress

Samsung Galaxy A50 launch date could be approaching fast

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 25, 2019

Around a week ago, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A50 with model number SM-A505F was spotted on the database of Wi-Fi Alliance. Now, the smartphone has received approval from Bluetooth SIG body. Since devices are known to go official around a month after appearing on Bluetooth SIG website, it appears the arrival of the Galaxy A50 could be approaching fast.

As it can be seen in the screenshot taken from the Bluetooth SIG site, the SM-A505FN model number belongs to the upcoming Galaxy A50 smartphone. Apart from Bluetooth 5.0 LE support, the listing doe not include any details on its specifications.

Previous leaks have revealed that the Galaxy A50 will be equipped with Infinity-V display. The display type could be AMOLED since the handset is rumored to come equipped with an in-screen fingerprint reader. There is no information available on the exact size of the display of Galaxy A50.

The smartphone was spotted with Exynos 9610 chipset on Geekbench benchmarking platform in the recent past along with 4 GB of RAM. there is a possibility that the handset could be equipped with an internal storage of 64 GB or 128 GB. The latest Android 9 Pie OS will come preinstalled on the device. It is likely to receive power from 4,000mAh battery. The WFA certification of the phone revealed that it supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus surface in new live photos

The Galaxy A50 is expected to arrive with a triple camera setup. Its camera sensors could be similar to that Galaxy A7 (2018). Hence, it is expected to feature a 24-megapixel main sensor, a wide-angle lens and a depth sensor. It is expected to be available in multiple colors like blue, pink, black, silver and white.

The South Korean company is yet to confirm on the existence of the Galaxy A50 smartphone. On Feb. 20, the Galaxy S10 series will be made official through the Unpacked event. Few days later at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019, the company may announce the Galaxy A50 smartphone.

(source|via)

Get Up To A 30% Off On MECOOL-Branded TV Boxes On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

Established back in 2015, MECOOL is a popular brand that focuses primarily on making high-end smartphones, tablets and TV boxes.

As part of its latest promotion, Banggood has collaborated with MECOOL to offer a wide selection of their top-end TV boxes at lowered prices.

Dubbed as ‘Top Sale TV Box Brand MECOOL,’ the recently kicked-off promo offers up to a considerable 30 percent off TV boxes featured on the promotion page.

In order to simplify and expedite the search process, these heavily discounted TV boxes have been split into three categories – Hot Sale, Voice Control and DVB Signal.

The first section dubbed, ‘Hot Sale’ features MECOOL’s M8S Pro W and KM9 Android TV boxes. More importantly, you can now get your hands on the aforesaid TV boxes at lowered prices.

For the sake of an instance, the M8S PRO W would normally set you back $39.99, but you can now buy it for a dropped price of just $26.99 on Banggood.

This is a 33 percent drop in the device’s retail price.
Likewise, you can get a 27 percent off on the KM9 TV box that usually retails for $72.99. As a result, the feature-laden TV box can now be yours at a reduced price of just $52.99.

The ‘Voice Control’ section is brimming with all sorts of top-end TV boxes that you can buy without emptying your pockets.

The category features the M8S Pro W, KM8, M8S Pro Plus and M8S Pro L TV boxes carrying slashed price tags.

The ‘DVB Signal’ section is where you can buy the KI Pro, KII Pro, KIII Pro as well as the M8S Plus TV boxes without breaking the bank.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and take full advantage of the discount. It is worth noting that the promo is slated to end soon.

Check Out Banggood’s Top Sale TV Box Band MECOOL Promotion

Buy A95X MAX S905X2 And Tanix TX5 Max TV Boxes At Unbeatable Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

Looking for a cost-effective TV box that doesn’t compromise on quality? GeekBuying’s got your back!
Known as one of China’s best online stores for electronic items, GeekBuying is offering cost-conscious cinephiles who fancy watching their favorite series or playing popular games on a big-screen without leaving the comfort of their rooms something to cheer about.

As part of its latest promotion, GeekBuying is doling out significant discounts on a wide selection of TV boxes and mini PCs that usually carry steep price tags.

Dubbed as ‘Top 10 TV Boxes,’ the recently kicked-off promo has been split into multiple categories like Top 10, More Savings, New Arrivals, Mini PCs etc.

Aside from grabbing big discounts on select items included in the aforesaid categories, buyers will be able to use promo code TOP10TV to save a considerable amount of extra money at check out.

We’ll take a gander at two top-branded TV boxes that you can now buy on GeekBuying without emptying your pocket. We’ll even show how you can get extra discounts on these devices without breaking a sweat.

A95X MAX S905X2 TV Box

Touted as one of the first TV boxes to run Android 8.1 Oreo OS, the A95X MAX delivers a superior user experience, coupled with steady performance.

Under the hood, the device packs the long-awaited Amlogic S905X successor dubbed the S905X2 chip.

It uses an ARM Dvalin MP2 GPU and features the VP9 hardware decoding, which is a globally popular mainstream decoding formats.
Carrying a $110.05 price tag, this variant of the A95X MAX comes with 4GB of RAM with 64GB of internal storage capacity, but you can now buy it for just $74.88 on GeekBuying.

Moreover, you can extend this 32 percent discount by using coupon code GIZ_FEVMJNDO at checkout.

The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $22.30 off by bringing the already lowered asking price of the TV box further down to just $68.69.

Alternatively, you can go for the 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM variant that usually sells for $94.25, but can now be yours if you are willing to shell out just $68.99.

You can follow this link to grab the discount. Note that the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

Get 32% Off On A95X MAX TV Box

Tanix TX5 Max TV Box

The TX5 Max runs Android 8.1 Oreo OS that ensures better speed and uninterrupted performance.

The Tanix TX5 Max can efficiently transform your regular television into a smart TV. It is powered by an Amlogic S905X2, which is an upgrade to the S905X chip.

Equipped with the same quad-core Cortex A53 cores, the TX5 Max features an ARM Dvalin MP2, while adding VP9 hardware decoding, which is globally considered as a mainstream decoding format.
This model of the Tanix-branded TV box that retails for $97.90, ships with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and offers 32GB of onboard storage space.

As part of its latest promo, GeekBuying is now offering this feature-laden Tanix TX5 Max TV box at a dropped price of just $59.88.

Aside from taking full advantage of this 39 percent discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_ IVEBISOI to reduce the TV box’s original selling price to only $54.99.

In other words, you can get an extra $4.89 off simply by applying the coupon before placing your order.

You can follow this link to avail the discount which will be valid only for a limited period of time.

Get 39% Off On Tanix TX5 Max TV Box

OPPO PCDM00 / PCDT00 full specifications and images leaked on TENAA

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 25, 2019

A new OPPO smartphone that has a model number of PCDM00 has appeared on TENAA with full specs. A variant of the same phone having a model number of PCDT00 has also appeared alongside it. The specifications and appearance of the smartphone suggests that it could be an upcoming mid-range phone from the Chinese manufacturer.

OPPO PCDM00 / PCDT00 Specifications

The PCDM00 / PCDT00 handset measures 155.9 x 75.4 x 8.3mm and it weighs 170 grams. It houses a 6.2-inch display that produces 1520 x 720 pixels HD+ resolution. The display of the phone features a waterdrop notch.

The PCDM00 / PCDT00 is powered by an octa-core processor that works at 2.3 GHz. The clocking speed suggests that it could be fueled by MediaTek Helio P35 chipset. The SoC is supported by 4 GB of RAM. The handset offers 64 GB of native storage and it is equipped with a microSD card slot. It is fueled by 4,100mAh battery.

When it comes to photography, the OPPO PCDM00 / PCDT00 offers 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel rear-mounted dual camera setup and a frontal camera of 16-megapixel. The device is preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo OS.

Even the PCDM00 model has been shown in red variant above, its TENAA listing claims it will be available in Blue color as well. The PCDT00 model can be seen in black color in the below shown images. However, its listing also claims that it will be available in Black color.

Read More: OPPO F11 Pro certified in three countries; Coming soon with 10x optical zoom camera?

The OPPO PCDM00 / PCDT00 smartphone seems to be wearing a glossy polycarbonate rear panel. It features golden accents around the fingerprint canner and horizontal dual camera setup on the rear. The left edge of the phone has volume buttons and its power button is located on the right.

The newly spotted OPPO phone has also been approved by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (CMIIT) in the recent past. The exact product name of the phone is still under the wraps.

(source 1, 2)

Buy The Huawei Honor 10 Smartphone For Just $369.99 On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

While the Huawei continues to garner skyrocketing popularity even months after hitting the store shelves, it doesn’t come cheap.
In a bid to make the Honor 10 available to those living on a tight budget, the Chinese handset maker is now offering the global version of its coveted smartphone at a considerably lowered price on Banggood.

The Huawei Honor 10 boasts an array of awe-inspiring features and top-end specs that completely justify the $479.99 price tag it normally carries.

Much to the relief of cost-conscious buyers, the Honor 10 smartphone has now gone up for sale carrying a dropped price tag of just $369.99 on Banggood.

An absolute steal at this price, the Honor 10 sports an eye-catching I5.84 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels. The phone comes with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for added protection.

Under the hood, the Honor 10 packs the powerful Huawei Kirin 970 Octa-core processor along with a highly competent Mali-G72 MP12 GPU.
It ships with 4GB of RAM and offers a non-expandable 128GB of onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite content.

On the photography front, the Huawei-branded smartphone houses a 20.0MP MONO + 16.0MP RGB dual-camera module on the back. Up front, there’s a 24.0MP front shooter for selfies and face-to-face video chatting.

Furthermore, the Honor 10 runs EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo OS and draws its juices from a robust 3400mAh battery.

Aside from a front-mounted fingerprint scanner, the Huawei Honor 10 features a slew of other useful sensors including accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass.

You can follow this link to check out the full specification of the Honor 10 and take advantage of the discount.

Note that the aforesaid discount will be valid for the blue and black color versions of the smartphone for a limited period of time.

Get 23% Off On Huawei Honor 10 Smartphone

Check Out Banggood’s $0.01 Snatch

Buy Alfawise EKEN H6S Action Camera For Just $99.99 On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

The Alfawise EKEN H6S action camera is a great choice for thrill seekers who fancy capturing their adventurous outdoor activities in the form of high-quality photos and videos.

While the market is brimming with all sorts of action cameras that claim to produce high-end output, these devices are either not easy on the pocketbook or fail to meet your expectations.

The Alfawise EKEN H6S packs the powerful Ambarella A12S75 chip, coupled with a highly competent Panasonic 34112 image sensor to deliver 14MP photos and 4K UHD videos.

Moreover, it features the 170-degree fisheye lens, giving the world a more spherical and fascinating appearance.

Despite being loaded with an impressive array of features, the EKEN H6S doesn’t cost a bomb.

In fact, the Alfawise-branded action camera has now gone up for sale carrying a dropped price of just $99.99 on GearBest.

This is a significant 20 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $125.75.

On top of that, GearBest users who end up spending $20 or more will qualify to get an add-on item for just $2.29.
An absolute bargain at this price, the Alfawise EKEN H6S can be controlled remotely by downloading the “EZ iCam” APP (iOS and Android) on phone and connecting it with the action camera.

The user has full camera control that includes live preview, photo playback, and sharing of content and lots more. Moreover, the action camera comes with an HDMI port so that you can easily connect it to your TV.

Moreover, the Alfawise EKEN H6S comes with built-in EIS with 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope that identifies changes in the position and motion of the action camera.

If the action camera moves from its original position, tilts, shakes or even experiences an impact, the aforesaid sensors employ image cross-border compensation algorithm atone for the change and deliver stable videos.

You can head straight to this link to check out more details about the Alfawise EKEN H6S and take advantage of the discount, which will be valid for the black color version of the action camera.

With only 199 pieces remaining, the promo is slated to end in just four days.

Get 20% Off On Alfawise EKEN H6S Action Camera

Check Out GeekBuying’s 2019 Valentine’s Day

BOE technology edges past LG as it coasts closer to Samsung in AMOLED panel supply

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2019

One of the leading names in display technology is Chinese firm – BOE display technology. The company has built a reputation for itself in the aspect of LCD screens using its proprietary Advanced Super Dimension Switch (ADSDS) technology for liquid-crystal (LCD) panels. But when it comes to OLED panels, the Chinese firm is behind Samsung and LG.

The company has now surpassed LG in the aspect of OLED supply and is closing in on Samsung. The company has seen its yield for AMOLED panels increase tremendously. The company’s yield for 6.39” QHD+ AMOLED panels increase from 10% in Q3 2018 to 30% in Q4 and may get as high as 50% before the end of the year. It’s biggest AMOLED display supply yet is for the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

This result has been a long time coming. We recall sometime in 2017 when the Chinese company unveiled its sixth generation of flexible AMOLED production line in a ceremony held in Chengdu, China. The production line is the wold’s second production line for flexible AMOLED panels and China’s first. The line was targeted at breaking the monopoly enjoyed by Korean companies Samsung, LG and others and that it is doing. BOE technology is reportedly planning a massive $6.85 million investment into a third production line for 6G flexible AMOLED panels.

The company has to improve on its yield rates and other factors in order to mount any serious threat on Samsung’s dominance of the market, according to the Display Supply Chain Consultants. In Q4 2018, while BOE spent an estimated $80 to manufacture the 6.39-inch AMOLED panel, it cost Samsung only $60 per panel.

(source)

Buy OnePlus 6 And The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition At Lowered Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 25, 2019

The OnePlus 6 and the Oneplus 6T McLaren Edition took the mobile phone realm by storm after hitting the store shelves last year.

Even about a year after its launch, the two phones continue to garner huge popularity among OnePlus fans and smartphone lovers.

Taking this unceasing demand into consideration, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is now offering the OnePlus 6 and the 6T McLaren Edition at lowered prices on GeekBuying.

Aside from shedding light on the aforesaid discount, we’ll show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout.

OnePlus 6

Deemed as one of last year’s most awaited smartphones, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t come cheap. In fact, the phone would normally set you back a pretty penny on both online as well as offline stores.

In a bid to make the OnePlus 6 available to those living on a tight budget, OnePlus is now offering the coveted phone at a lowered price of just $539.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a noteworthy 50 percent reduction in the phone’s original asking price of $1089.99. But there’s more for you to cheer about.
You can get an extra $351 off by applying coupon code GIZ_CGLEMWJX before placing your order.

In other words, you can bring the already reduced retail price of the OnePlus 6 smartphone further down to $525.99 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon.

The aforesaid discount will be valid for the midnight black-tinted variant of the OnePlus 6 that ships with 8GB of RAM and offers a hearty 256GB of internal storage capacity.

Alternatively, you can get a 38 percent discount on the 8GB RAM, 128GB ROM variant that usually sells for $725.99. Thanks to the discount, you can now buy this model for $446.99.

You can follow this link to grab the discount. Note that the promo is slated to end in just one day.

Get 50% Off On OnePlus 6 Smartphone

Oneplus 6T McLaren Edition

Sporting an extra large 6.41-inch Optic AMOLED display with a screen resolution of FHD+ 2340 x 1080 pixels, the 6T McLaren Edition became an instant hit among those who fancy watching their favorite videos or playing popular games on a big-screen mobile device.

Much to the chagrin of cost-conscious buyers, the phone isn’t easy on the pocketbook.

The 6T McLaren Edition was made available to the public in December last year carrying a steep $1076.99 price tag.

OnePlus has now teamed up with GeekBuying to offer its 6T McLaren Edition smartphone at a considerably lowered price of only $849.99.

This is a 21 percent drop in the phone’s 10GB RAM, 256GB ROM variant. On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_BRFNARZL and save $86 more during the checkout process.

The aforesaid coupon helps you reduce the original asking price of the phone to just $839.99 without breaking a sweat.

You can visit this link in order to take advantage of the discount, which will be valid for the orange color version of the phone.

It is worth noting that the promo will come to an end in one day.

Get 21% Off On Oneplus 6T McLaren Edition Smartphone

Check Out GeekBuying’s 2019 Valentine’s Day

Lenovo device believed to be the Phab 3 hits the FCC, packs large battery and single rear camera

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2019

The Lenovo Phab series hasn’t gotten a new member since the Phab 2 Pro back in November 2016. That might change soon as a device believed to be the Phab 3 has been spotted at the FCC.

The Lenovo device has model numbers PB-6505M and PB-6505MC. The latter is for the version launching in India while the second is the version for the rest of the world.

The model number(s) is similar to that of older Phab models. The original Phab’s model number is PB1-750M and the Phab 2 Pro’s model number is PB2-690M.

The FCC documents show the device has a single rear camera, LED flash and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. There is also a Dolby Digital logo at the bottom of the device.

[envira-gallery id=”233763″]

The Lenovo PB-6505M measures 198 mm diagonally and also has dimensions 178 x 86 mm which roughly translates to a screen size of more than 7-inches. It also has a 5,180mAh battery and support for dual-band Wi-Fi.

Continue

Vivo Apex 2019 vs Meizu Zero: holeless phones comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jan 24, 2019

Yesterday and today, Meizu and Vivo pushed the minimalism concept to the top by unveiling the world’s first smartphone with no ports, no hole, no speakers and no physical keys: Meizu Zero and Vivo Apex 2019. The latter is just a concept phone for now, but it is believed to hit the shelves later this year with some changes and a different name. Both the phones come with the cleanest design ever seen on a mobile device and the absence of ports, keys and so on is always replaced by more innovative technologies. Here is a comparison between the first holeless devices in the smartphone market.

Vivo Apex 2019 vs Meizu Zero

	Vivo Apex 2019	Meizu Zero
DISPLAY	6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY	12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 9 Pie	Android 9 Pie
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 12 + 13 MP	Dual 12 + 20 MP, f/1.8 20 MP front camera
BATTERY	Fast charging	Fast charging 18W, Qi wireless charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	no ports/speakers/keys, Full-Display fingerprint scanning	eSIM, no ports/speakers/keys, IP68 certification

Design

I liked more the design of the Vivo Apex 2019 because it looks cleaner and more minimalist. Indeed, it has narrower bezels around the display, even though, on the other hand, it does not seem to have a front camera (Vivo did not confirm whether or not there is a pop-up camera). Further, the cameras on the back of the Vivo Apex 2019 are not included on a single protruding module like the Meizu Zero but they are separated, and the LED flash is barely visible unlike the one of the Meizu Zero. But if we talk about build quality, then maybe Meizu Zero is way better. Vivo did not mention whether or not the Apex 2019 is waterproof, but we know that Meizu Zero has an IP68 certification as well as a ceramic back. In both cases, the physical keys are replaced by touch control at the sides.

Display

We still have not enough info to establish which device has the best display. Both are AMOLED panels and both integrate an in-display fingerprint reader as well as a piezoelectric transductor which makes it double as a speaker. The differences we can notice are narrower bezels and the full-display fingerprint scanner on the Vivo Apex 2019, while Meizu Zero has thicker bezels on the upper and lower parts and a traditional in-display fingerprint reader that only works on a specific zone.

Hardware/Software

Vivo Apex 2019 features a way more advanced hardware, so it surely delivers a faster user experience and it is more suitable for productivity and heavy usage patterns. It comes with the most powerful chipset in the Android world: the octa-core Snapdragon 855 by Qualcomm, paired with 12 GB of RAM. Meizu Zero still has a Snapdragon 845 from 2018, so there is no way it can compete with its rival. But it will probably come with a more affordable price.

Camera

After announcing these handsets, the companies did not release all the details about their specs sheets, so we do not know everything. Among the things we do not know there are several camera specs. We just know the resolutions of Vivo Apex 2019’s rear cameras, while we do not even know whether or not it will feature a front camera. So we can not express a judgment on this.

Battery

Vivo and Meizu did not reveal the battery capacities of these phones, so we have no idea about how much they can last on a single charge. Given that they do not feature any port, they use alternative methods to charge the battery. Meizu Zero has Qi wireless charging that is more practical but slower, while Vivo Apex 2019 has the MagPort, a magnetic connector placed on the rear side for charging and data transfer.

Conclusion

At a first glance, I would choose the Vivo Apex 2019 because of its more futuristic design and its better hardware department. But it would be just a temporary decision because we still do not know the complete specs sheets of these phones, neither their price once they will be in the shelves (Apex 2019 is just a concept phone, so it will not even be released under this name and with those exact specifications). Do you like holeless phones or you think they are too limiting for the final user? Which one would you pick between Meizu Zero and Vivo Apex 2019?

Read More: Meizu Zero holeless phone with 18W wireless charging announced with key specifications

Vivo Apex 2019 vs Meizu Zero: PRO and CONS

Meizu Zero

PROS

Great ceramic design
Wireless charging
Holeless design
Waterproof

CONS

eSIM

Vivo Apex 2019

PROS

Holeless and borderless design
Outstanding hardware
MagPort
Full-Display fingerprint scanner

CONS

Still a concept

Honor grew 170% YoY internationally, ranked 1st E-Brand in China for 9 consecutive quarters

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 24, 2019

Huawei today held an MWC 2019 sensitization and 5G conference in Beijing. The company announced the industry’s first 5G base station core chip – Huawei Tianyi as well as the industry’s first single-chip multi-mode 5G Modem – Balong5000. The Chinese giant also announced that it will unveil the world’s first commercial 5G product during the MWC2019 period, a 5G foldable phone.

During the conference, Huawei’s consumer business CEO Yu Chengdong also talked about the development of the Honor brand. Yu Chengdong, who is also known as Richard Yu, hinted that in the face of a dwindling global phone market, the Honor brand not only saw some upgrade but also achieved strong growth. The Honor brand achieved a lofty growth of 170% year-on-year in the international market. While on the domestic scene, the brand ranked first in terms of online sales for the ninth consecutive quarter.

Honor recently launched the Honor View 20 for the global market in Paris, France. During the event, Honor’s president George Zhao had announced some statistical data of the company’s progress in some countries where it has a strong presence such as France, Britain, Germany, Russia and India. The Honor president hinted that GfK data shows that Honor is ranked among the top 2 brands in the Russian market, and is in six countries in Europe and the Middle East including Germany, Finland and other countries. In addition, he hinted that Honor’s overseas sale accounted for more than 25% of the brand’s entire revenue.

(via)

Xiaomi Redmi Go official render and full specs leaked, will launch soon

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2019

If you have been waiting for Xiaomi’s own Android Go phone, then you are in luck as it seems a launch is happening very soon. The phone already got certified in a number of markets and now it appears it is ready to launch with The Philippines being the first market to get it.

The official Facebook account for Xiaomi Philippines shared a post a few hours ago teasing the launch of a new phone. The post also has the hashtag #GoSmartDoMore.

Ready. We're about to introduce something very special just for you! Here's a first hint of what's coming. 😁#GoSmartDoMore

Posted by Mi Philippines on Thursday, January 24, 2019

Philippino blog Revu.com.ph got a tip that the phone is already listed on online store Lazada and the listing includes a poster with the full specs of the Redmi Go. The poster also has the tag line Go Smart, Do More which means it is the same device teased by Xiaomi on Facebook.

The Redmi Go can be said to be a redesigned Redmi 4A/Redmi 5A with a few changes and of course less RAM and storage. We are glad it doesn’t have the rear-facing speaker of both phones.

It has a 5.0-inch 1280 x 720 display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 380 nits of brightness. There is a Snapdragon 425 processor under the hood and it is paired with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. A dedicated MicroSD card slot will allow you to add up to 128GB of extra storage.

The Redmi Go has an 8MP f/2.0 camera with HDR and an LED flash on its back. The camera is positioned at the top left corner of the phone. It also has a 5MP f/2.2 front-facing camera.

There is Bluetooth 4.1, single band Wi-Fi, a MicroUSB port, and dual-SIM support. It also has support for 4G LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, and 28. Availability of these bands including dual VoLTE and dual 4G will vary between markets.

The Redmi Go packs a 3,000mAh battery and will come with a 5V/1A charger in the box. Unfortunately, it runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) and not the latest Android 9 Pie (Go Edition). It will be available in black and blue when it launches.

There is no info on price yet. The one on Lazada is just a placeholder until the phone launches.

(Source, Via)

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus surface in new live photos

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2019

Samsung’s Galaxy S10 unpacked event draws nearer with each passing day. As expected, more details confirming new features of the phones have surfaced online and we expect it to continue this way right up until the launch. Today, live photos have been released on the web and they show the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus side by side.

These photos leave nothing to the imagination with respect to the design of both phones. They confirm the design of the displays as well as the rear of both phones.

The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus will both come with punch hole displays which Samsung has named Infinity-O Display. To be honest only the Galaxy S10’s display should be called Infinity-O as the hole in the Galaxy S10 Plus is shaped like a pill and not an “O”.

The holes in both phones are at the top right corner of the screen. The Galaxy S10 Plus has a bigger hole because it has dual front-facing cameras. Both the S10 and S10 Plus have their bezels shaved off but their chins are a bit thicker.

On the rear, the Galaxy S10 duo sport triple rear cameras arranged horizontally. They share the same housing along with an LED flash and what we believe is a blood pressure monitor. There is no fingerprint scanner visible which means they do have in-display fingerprint sensors as reported in earlier leaks.

[envira-gallery id=”233718″]

The Galaxy S10 in the photo is black while the Galaxy S10 Plus has a silver finish. The latter has slightly more curved edges and even its display appears to be more curved too.

The Galaxy A8s and Samsung W2019 have ditched the audio jack but Samsung is not yet ready to remove it from its S-series flagships. The audio port sits on the left of the USB-C port on both phones while the speaker grille is positioned on the right.

The live photos also show the phones powered on and we get to see the homescreen and what Samsung’s One UI looks like. The icons are large and there is a Google search bar sitting above them.

Continue

Honor View 20 price for India leaked with color variants

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 24, 2019

The Honor View 20 will be arriving as a worthy rival for the OnePlus 6T in India. The smartphone will be made official on Jan. 29 and it will be available for purchase exclusively through Amazon India. The specifications of the smartphone s already known through its launch in China. The price tag of the base model of the Honor View 20 has been leaked today.

Honor View 20 Price in India

Fresh leak reveals that the Honor View 20 will be costing Rs. 35,999 (~$506) for the variant featuring 6 GB of RAM and an inbuilt storage of 128 GB. The smartphone will be hitting the market in color such as Midnight Black and Blue Sapphire.

The 6 GB RAM + 128 GB OnePlus 6T with in-display fingerprint reader is priced at Rs. 37,999 (~$534). In China, the company is also selling a higher edition of the phone with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage which is priced at 3,499 Yuan (~$515). There is no confirmation on whether India will be receiving the 8 GB RAM + 128 GB Honor View 20 edition.

Read More: Honor Play 8A gets a new Flame Red colour variant

Honor View 20 Specifications

The Honor View 20 has a 6.4-inch punch-hole display that produces full HD+ resolution. The Kirin 980 chipset powers the phone. The rear shell of the phone features 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor and 3D ToF stereo camera.

Placed on the front is a selfie shooter of 25-megapixel. The Magic UI 2.0 based Android 9 Pie OS is preinstalled on the View 20. It receives power from 4,000mAh battery that carries support for rapid charging.

Huawei P30, P30 Pro juicy leak reveals OLED displays, Sony IMX600, periscope optical zoom, 3.5mm jack

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 24, 2019

The Huawei P20 and P20 Pro phones from last year came with notched displays. Since then Huawei has launched a couple of phones with waterdrop notch screens. Hence, it is speculated that the upcoming Huawei P30 and P30 Pro phones will be equipped with waterdrop notch displays. Juicy details on the upcoming P30 series have been leaked by people who have tried the engineering samples.

The Huawei P20 series feature LCD panels, but the P30 and P30 Pro will be adopting OLED panels with waterdrop notch to offer bigger screen space. Both phones are expected to arrive with in-display fingerprint scanners. The P30 is expected to arrive with a 6.1-inch display whereas the P30 Pro may come with a 6.5-inch screen.

The Huawei P30 may come with triple cameras with Sony IMX600 as the primary sensor. The P30 Pro may come with quad camera setup with periscope module for achieving higher optical zoom. The quad camera module is also expected to feature a new Sony IMX 6-series sensor. Probably, it could be featuring the all new Sony IMX607 38-megapixel sensor.

Read More: Huawei P30 360° renders show the phone will have three rear cameras and a dewdrop notch

The Kirin 980 chipset will be powering the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro handsets. The P30 will come with 8 GB of RAM whereas the P30 Pro will be arriving with 12 GB of RAM. Huawei had 40W charging available on the Mate 20 Pro smartphone. Instead of using 40W charging, the P30 series is expected to support 22.5W rapid charging. The P30 won’t be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack, but there is no information on whether the P30 Pro will also feature it. The P30 series is expected to come equipped with EMUI 9.1 based Android 9 Pie OS.

(via 1, 2)

Vivo APEX 2019 hands on pictures take us into the future; Check ’em out!

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 24, 2019

Vivo first took us on a beautiful journey last year when it unveiled the Vivo APEX concept smartphone in China. The flagship took the concept of full-screen display design to another level entirely as it comes with an amazing screen-to-body ratio. The company has taken things to an all new level with the APEX 2019 that has just been unveiled. We bring you some hands-on pictures of the APEX 2019, thanks to Chinese website Anzhou.

The Vivo APEX 2019 continues to explore new technology, heading into the next generation while featuring a minimalist design. It doesn’t feature a charging port instead, it has some metal grooves at the back which can be used to charge the phone wirelessly.

The design utilises a fully CNC-integrated glass body with a range of cutouts which provides a super integrated visual experience. The edges are well chamfered in order to provide a comfortable grip.

Despite the sleek build, Vivo also worked on providing the APEX 2019 with waterproof and dustproof properties. The device lacks physical buttons but instead, it features touch-sensitive ones. There is also a “high-definition” linear motor to provide haptic feedback when using the buttons. It also comes with a screen fingerprint technology that works on any part of the screen. Read Also: Vivo Y89 with Snapdragon 626, dual cameras and 1,598 Yuan (~$235) announced

On the specification, the Vivo APEX 2019 packs the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset which pairs with 12GB of RAM. The device will also be available in 512GB storage option. Since this is a concept phone, we may never see it launched officially. However, since the NEX was basically the Vivo APEX with a different name, the same pathway may be followed with the APEX 2019. Before then, do feast your eyes on more of the hands-on pictures from below.

(source)