The Essential phone from the Android co-founder Andy Rubin was launched last year with a lot of expectations. Those expectations were largely not met as the phone struggled for space in the market, but the company was able to deliver new Android OS updates on time. However, in the face of a stuttering sales, the company has now announced that it has sold out all units in stock and is discontinuing production of the Essential Phone 1.
The announcement is, however, laced with some cheering news as the company equally confirmed something that has been in the rumour mills for a while. That is, that it has got a second phone in the works. The statement actually labelled it “mobile product”. This second device might possibly be the leaked tiny phone that employs AI (artificial intelligence) to answer text messages and e-mails.
Here is the statement released by an Essential representative – “We are sold out of Essential Phone” on essential.com and won’t be adding any new inventory. We are now hard at work on our next mobile product and will continue to sell accessories and provide speedy software updates and customer support to our existing community.” So it looks like another Essential phone will soon be on sales despite the company putting itself up for sale. The company has promised to deliver fast software updates for the Essential phones and this may be one reason the company still has some loyal fans awaiting the release of the supposed “mobile product”.
Just a week after the Zenfone 5 got the Android Pie update, ASUS has begun rolling it out too to its 2018 flagship, the Zenfone 5z in Taiwan.
The update is 1GB in size and updates the software version of the phone to version 90.10.138.157. Other than bringing a slice of pie, the update also brings a new security patch but unfortunately, it’s November’s and not the latest. The changelog also says the speed of entering burst mode has been improved, Face Unlock is now faster and the performance of the headphone jack has also been improved.
If you don’t want to wait for the OTA, there is a page on XDA that has a link to the file and also explains how to manually install it.
Sony has newly introduced the first PD (powerful delivery) fast-charge charger for all USB-PD compatible devices. The charger has an intelligent power controller to maintain safe and reliable performance when used repeatedly. The charger with model number CP-ADRM2, features dual output port; the first USB-C port has the capacity of producing 5V/3.0A, 9V/3.0A, 12V/3.0A, and 15V/2.6A delivering up to 39W to compatible devices by safely increasing the voltage to the USB-C port. It produces 5 times the output compared to the normal charger. Meanwhile, the second USB-A port can deliver 7.5W 5V/1.5A. Combined they give an output of 46.5W power synchronously.
The charger uses a standard C7 (coupler-7) or figure 8 connector to plug into an extension outlet which differs with different markets. The AC adapter features a heat resistant design and 100V-200V compatibility to charge your device wherever you are in the world. The special treatment used on the matte surface helps to prevent scratches. Enabling it to be carried in the bag without the worries of wear and tear initiated by general use.
With the aid of the USB-PD technology, larger devices such as the notebook computers can be charged at the same speed with the specified AC adapter. It can also be useful in charging a wide range of smartphones, iPad, cameras, tablets and more using the conventional USB-A port with the micro or mini USB cables. The availability of this charger in the market is yet unknown, but it is currently available in Asia.
ColorOS 6 is the latest version of OPPO’s Android-based operating system. Announced last month, ColorOS 6 brings a redesigned user interface and new features. Today, OPPO has released its very first beta version and it is available for the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition.
The announcement was made by the official ColorOS Weibo account. According to the post, ColorOS brings a new UI designed for bezel-less phones (read full-screen displays).
Owners of the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition can now install the public beta by going to Settings > Software update. The update is being pushed out in batches so you may have to check multiple times.
The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition is still yet to get the update to ColorOS 5.2, the latest stable version, so it is a big surprise that a more recent update albeit beta is already available.
There is no changelog yet, so we can’t list the features that are bundled with the update. We also cannot confirm if it is based on Android 9 Pie. If you own the OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition and have received the update, you can send the changelog to us.
The OPPO R15 Dream Mirror Edition was launched back in April of this year. It has a 6.28-inch FHD+ display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top. It has a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage.
Next year, Xiaomi is expected to release at least two new flagships. The two main ones are the Mi 9 and the Mi MIX 4 and details about some of their features have surfaced online.
The info comes from a research note from GF Securities of Hong Kong. According to the firm, Xiaomi will launch its first phone with triple rear cameras next year and it will be the Mi 9.
Seeing as the Mi 8 comes in multiple variants, we do not know if the Mi 9 will follow the same tradition and if it does which of them will have three cameras on its back. If there are indeed multiple variants of the phone, we believe the Pro version should at least have three cameras.
The Mi 9 won’t be the only phone with triple rear cameras as the research note says the Mi MIX 4 will also have three rear cameras, one of which will have an optical zoom lens that doesn’t increase the thickness of the device.
Other than having three rear cameras, both phones will also be powered by a Snapdragon 855 processor. Not like we expected any less. There are rumors the Mi MIX 4 may even have a foldable display but there is no confirmation yet.
Today, Samsung announced a new feature for it 2019 TVs which will give users an advantage to control various devices like tablets, PCs and even their smartphones right from their TVs. The company states that the Remote Access will let people connect to different accessories such the mouse or keyboard to their TV, giving users the access to play games off their TV or broadcast web-based office service on a more larger screen.
It is, however, not clearly understood how this process or connection will work, since enough information is not available. But it seems users will have to install various apps on their devices to get them to connect to each other. Samsung revealed also that the Remote Access feature will function “anywhere in the world” because of their partnership and collaboration with the VMware and its virtual desktop infrastructure.
VMware, Inc. is a subsidiary of Dell Technologies that provides cloud computing and platform virtualization software and services. This technology enables people to be able to access a certain desktop that is saved on a centralized server. The scope is to allow people to access their desktop anywhere they are, and it will automatically reset once users are logged out. Also, this Samsung’s solutions could prove useful for people willing to play games on their TV without using an HDMI cable. Similarly, it’s handy for anyone who wants to do seminar presentations for groups. The Remote Access seems to cover the gap for Samsung’s long-term vision of blurring lines between different gadgets.
A case study is the Dex and the Dex Pad, which turns Samsung Galaxy phones into what essentially amounts to a desktop computer. Probably after Samsung launches its next set of TVs, we might hear more about the Remote Access technology.
Waiting for electronic items prices to drop ahead of the New Year? We got good news for you.
AliExpress is set to kick off its latest promotion dubbed ‘Star Deals of the Week’ wherein you can get noteworthy discounts on smartphones, RC drones, audio accessories, wireless chargers and a wide selection of other well-received electronic items. The impending promo features the VIVO Z3 smartphone that would normally set you back a pretty penny on online as well as offline stores.
As part of the upcoming deal, AliExpress is now offering the VIVO Z3 for a considerably dropped price of just $241.72. This is a noteworthy reduction in the phone’s original asking price of $287.76. Moreover, lucky buyers will be eligible to receive a free gift while new users can get a $3 off coupon. Likewise, you can get a 12% discount on the LENOVO A5 mobile phone’s original selling price of $99.99. In other words, you can buy the A5 for an unbeatable price of just $79.99 on AliExpress. On the downside, the discounts will be valid only for limited pieces.
Buyers will be able to get their hands on the DJI Mavic Air, Anker SoundCore 2, Xiaomi Wireless Charger, KERUI G18, AIGO+KL01, 70mai Dash Cam Pro, Kingbolen Multi-Function Tester Pen and lots more for shocking prices. In addition to that, the other popular products like the Launch CR3008, KastKing Spartacus, and SNDWAY Laser Distance Meter will also go up for sale carrying heavily discounted prices.
You can click here to visit the promotion page and check out more details about the deal that is slated to start in just one day.
Xiaomi took the wraps off the hotly-anticipated Mi MIX 2 SE (Special Edition) smartphone in September last year. Following in the footsteps of its well-received predecessors, the phone garnered huge popularity among Xiaomi fans. On the downside, the Mi Mix 2 SE failed to grab the attention of those living on a tight budget, thanks to the steep price tag it carried. In a bid to make the Mi Mix 2 SE available even to cost-conscious buyers, the Chinese electronics giant is now offering the coveted phone for a dropped price on GeekBuying.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 SE would normally set you back $399.99 on both online as well as offline stores but much to the delight of Xiaomi fans, the phone has now gone up for sale carrying a heavily discounted price sticker of just $319.99 on GeekBuying.
If this 20 percent reduction in the handset’s original selling price doesn’t seem good enough, you can use coupon code GIZ_GWLGQSVG and get an extra $50 off. In other words, you can apply the aforesaid coupon to bring the phone’s already reduced retail price further down to just $309.99 before placing your order.
An absolute bargain at this price, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 SE sports an eye-catching 5.99-inch touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels at a pixel density of 403 PPI. On the photography front, the dual-SIM phone houses a 12.0MP rear-mounted camera and a 5.0MP front shooter for selfies and video chatting.
Furthermore, the Mi Mix 2 SE smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835, Octa-core, 2.45GHz processor and it packs a competent Adreno 540 GPU, under the hood. The phone ships with 8GB of RAM and offers a non-expandable 128GB of onboard storage space for you to save your favorite multimedia content.
The Mi Mix 2 SE runs MIUI 9 based Android operating system and draws its juices from a robust 3400mAh non-removable battery that delivers standby time of about 2-3 days. Moreover, it is packed with a slew of useful sensors including an ultrasonic distance sensor, gyroscope, acceleration sensor, electronic compass, an ambient light sensor, vibration motor, barometer, and Hall sensor.
You can visit this link to check out the rest of the specifications and grab the discount. It is worth noting that the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.
While smartphones have become an inseparable part of our fast-paced lives, these devices keep getting more and more expensive with time. If you are looking for a cost-effective smartphone that won’t let you down on the specifications front, GeekBuying’s got your back.
As part of its year-end ‘Smartphone Sale’ promo, the Chinese online store is doling out up to a noteworthy 60 % off on a wide selection of well-received smartphones. The recently kicked-off promo has been split into Bestselling, APP Exclusive, Clearance and Top Brands categories.
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro (8GB RAM+128GB ROM)
Xiaomi made the long-awaited Mi 8 Pro smartphone available to the public this year in September. It is an irresistible smartphone that sports an eye-catching 6.21 inches Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1080 x 2248 pixels resolution for immersive user experience.
This feature-laden smartphone from the Chinese electronics giant usually sells for $827.99 but much to the delight of smartphone lovers, it is now up for grabs for just $569.99 on GeekBuying. This 31 percent discount can be expanded with the help of coupon code GIZ_NYJEQOLW. The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $125 off by reducing the phone’s already lowered the retail price further down to just $539.99 at the time of checking out. Regrettably, the promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing. You can visit this link to grab the discount before the promo ends.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)
Equipped with a Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 845, Octa core, 2.8GHz processor, the Mi Mix 3 is a feature-rich smartphone that Xiaomi launched earlier this year. The phone packs a competent Adreno 630 with a hearty 128GB of onboard storage with an unmatched screen-to-body ratio of 93.4 percent.
While the Mi Mix 3 smartphone’s exceptional features justify the steep $826.99 price tag it normally carries, the phone has now gone up for sale bearing a lowered price sticker of $594.99 on GeekBuying. But there’s more for you to cheer about. In addition to taking advantage of this 28 percent discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_NKXDKCSP and save $126 more while checking out. After applying the coupon the Mi Mix 3 smartphone’s original asking price reduces to only $529.99.
If the Mi Mix 3 has stirred your interest, you can follow this link to buy the coveted smartphone for an unbeatable price on GeekBuying. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the promotion sale is slated to end today.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 (6GB RAM+256GB ROM)
Even over a year after hitting the store shelves, the Mi Mix 2 smartphone continues to garner popularity among Xiaomi fans. Its skyrocketing demand can be attributed to the fact that it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 process, an Adreno 540 GPU, MIUI 8-based Android 7.1 Nougat OS and other top-end specifications that we normally associated with a steeply priced smartphone.
Taking the Mi Mix 2’s popularity into consideration, Xiaomi is now offering the phone for a significantly lowered price of $539.99 on GeekBuying. It is worth noting that this is a noteworthy 26 percent drop in the device’s original selling price of $729.99. On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_KOAYDIKP and get an extra $219 off before placing your order. The coupon helps you bring the phone’s retail price down to only $499.99 without breaking a sweat. On the downside, the promo will only be valid for just five days.
You can visit this link if you are interested in checking out the full specifications of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 smartphone and taking advantage of the discount before the promo ends.
Known as one of China’s most popular online electronics stores, GearBest is now doling out big discounts on a wide selection of projectors.
If you are a cinephile waiting to buy a feature-rich projector that doesn’t cost a fortune, it might interest you to know that we will show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money, aside from taking advantage of the aforesaid discount at checkout. So without further ado, let’s head straight to the details.
JMGO J6S 4K Projector
As part of its latest Flash Sale, GearBest is offering the well-received J6S projector from JMGO for an unbeatable price of just $649.99. This is a noteworthy 24 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $860.49, and there’s more for you to cheer about.
You can use coupon code QY2X068M960B5 in order to get an extra $50 off. In other words, you can bring the already lowered retail price of the J65 projector further down to only $627.31 simply by applying the aforesaid coupon at the time of checking out.
An absolute bargain at this price, the J65 packs a 4-core Amlogic chip along with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, under the hood. It offers a hearty 16GB onboard storage space and has a Mali-450MP graphics processing unit for a superior video watching and gaming experience.
You can visit this link to check out more details about the JMGO J6S 4K projector and take advantage of the discount, which will be valid for the remaining 26 silver-tinted pieces of the projector. Note that the promo is slated to end in three days.
XGIMI CC Mini Portable Projector
The XGIMI CC is a wireless projector that took home entertainment by storm by unifying deeply engaging audio and video performance in a compact frame. It offers 4K support with 720P HD quality video views and up to a maximum of 180-inches screen with 350 ANSI lumens.
Moreover, it is compatible with nearly all phones, laptops, and tablets. While you’d normally end up spending a lot of money on a portable projector offering comparable features, the XGIMI CC can now be yours if you are willing to shell out only $499.99 on GearBest.
This is an 11 percent discount on the device’s retail price of $559.97 and you can extend it further by applying coupon code QY2Q6H9G652V5 before proceeding to checkout. The coupon gets you an extra $100 off and reduces the projector’s lowered selling price to only $418.89.
You can visit this link to avail the discount, which will be limited to the remaining 18 crystal cream color version pieces of the projector for two days. Alternatively, you can get a 7% off on the black color version of the XGIMI CC mini projector.
WOWOTO H8 Home Theater Video DLP Projector
The WOWOTO H8 is a top-notch home theater video DLP projector and it has now gone up for sale bearing a considerably lowered price tag of just $399.99 on GearBest. This is a 20 percent drop in the device’s original selling price of $499.99.
But if that doesn’t impress you much, you can use coupon code QY2S82604195J and save $40 more without breaking a sweat. By applying the above-mentioned coupon during the checkout process, you can reduce the retail price of the WOWOTO H8 to just $372.38.
The WOWOTO H8 offers multiple interfaces that make it highly compatible with various devices connection. Moreover, it offers up to a whopping 3000 hours of lamps lifespan. In other words, you can use it for five hours daily, and over ten years without any sort of problem.
In order to get the WOWOTO H8 home theater video DLP projector at this lowered price, you just need to follow this link and the grab the discount, which is limited to the white color version of the projector.
JMGO SA Ultra Short Throw 2500 ANSI Lumens Laser Projector
Marketed as a high brightness laser TV, the JMGO SA effectively merges the capacity of various devices like an FHD TV box, HiFi Bluetooth speaker and durable projector with low power consumption all-in-one. It guarantees reliable performance with an Amlogic quad-core chip packed under the hood.
Moreover, the JMGO SA ships with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and offers 16GB of internal storage space for you to save your favorite content. While a high-end projector offering comparable features would normally set you back a pretty penny on online and offline stores, the JMGO SA can now be yours for a lowered price of just $2299.99 on GearBest.
This is an 11 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $2580.80. Aside from that, you can apply coupon code QY2C804336356 and get an extra $40 off. As a result, the projector’s already reduced retail price comes down to just $2259.99.
You can even get JMGO J3D 3D glasses for the projector as a free gift and earn 2259 GB points. Regrettably, this discount will be valid only for the remaining 14 pieces of the deep brown color version of the JMGO SA projector and the promo will end in five days.
You can visit this link to receive the discount before the promo wraps up!
Contemporary wearables are designed keeping fitness enthusiasts who get a kick out of looking at the progress and results of their workout and other daily activities in mind.
Although there is no dearth of smart wearables available in the market today, these fitness gadgets don’t come cheap. If you have restlessly been looking for a feature-rich smartwatch that doesn’t cost a bomb, the Bakeey F1 might just fill the bill.
The F1 is an irresistible smartwatch that sports an eye-catching 1.3-inch IPS display with a high resolution of 240×240 pixels. Operated through a touchscreen as well as press buttons, the Bakeey F1 lets you choose from six equally appealing clock faces to suit your fancy.
Moreover, this stunning smartwatch for women offers a wide selection of useful functions such as heart rate monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, and sleep monitoring. Aside from that, it supports multi-sport modes that let the wearer track her workouts in real time via the Lefun Health app. The Bakeey F1 comes with a pedometer that counts each step you take. Its other features include the ability to dial and answer calls via Bluetooth, call or message reminder, the option to reject calls, and it even updates the wearer about social media notifications and other popular apps like Wechat, WhatsApp, SNS info, SMS etc.
While you’d normally associate a steep price tag with a top-branded smartwatch that offers comparable features, the Bakeey F1 has gone up for pre-order bearing a heavily discounted price tag of just $49.99 on Banggood. This is a significant 24 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $65.99.
You can head straight to this link to avail the discount, which will be valid for the two color versions of the smartwatch for a limited period of time.
A wireless charger can accommodate nearly all cell phones regardless of the shape, and size of their charging socket. With wireless charging garnering huge popularity, leading manufacturers are now making wireless chargers that usually carry steep price tags. If you are in the market for a top-branded wireless charger that offers an impressive array of features without emptying your pocket, you might want to take a look at Blitzwolf’s BW-FWC5 wireless charger. It features three modes fast outputs including 10W & 7.5W and 5W to cater to different devices.
While its 5W/Normal is compatible with all QI wireless charge devices, the 7.5W/1.5X faster mode is ideal for iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 8. The 10W/2X faster mode works with a slew of Samsung branded smartphones including the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7, and Galaxy S7 edge just to name a few.
The feature-laden BW-FWC5 wireless charger would normally set you back a pretty penny on online as well as offline stores but you can now buy it for just $13.99 on Banggood. This is a noteworthy 18 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $16.99.
You can extend this discount by applying coupon code 11FWC5 at the time of checking out. The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $2 off by bringing the device’s already lowered the retail price further down to just $11.99.
You can head straight to this link to check out more details about the BlitzWolf BW-FWC5 wireless charger and take advantage of the discount before the promo comes to an end. Note that the coupon is also likely to expire in a short time.
According to Reuters, the White House is considering a formal order that would stop American wireless carriers from procuring from the Chinese companies. This order would have significant effect on both (Huawei and ZTE) Chinese companies which are the two largest producers of Telecom equipment, this order would also affect the on-going release of the 5G network infrastructure.
The executive order would allow the commerce department to stop the purchase of the Chinese Telecom equipment on national security basis, which is an action that does not require the Congress approval before its enforcement because the order will be majorly on purchase made by the American carriers.
Both companies have encountered critical challenges in the US market. Huawei and ZTE were prohibited from the US government use as part of a defense bill earlier this year. ZTE encountered severe sanctions from the government over the summer, though the sanctions were later removed.
In a general statement on 5G concerns published on Thursday by Reuters, Huawei had placed the issue in a simpler term stating that “Barring Huawei from participating in various 5G markets is like an NBA game without all-stars”. The rotating chairman of Huawei (Guo Ping) highlighted on the company’s official Wechat page.
ASUS has released some significant phones this year; undoubtedly the Taiwanese producer has been able to make it to the front paper of the news headlines. One of the newly released from Asus is the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 which is an upgraded version of the Zenfone Max Pro M1. From the latest news, the M1 successor has received the newly rolled out Firmware Over the Air (FOTA) update.
The version of this model is the IN-15.2016.1811.177. There was a release of new update days after the company rolled out a new update for its Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Zenfone 5. This is the first update the device is getting after it launch two weeks back in India.
The company has however, stated that the new package update will come with better camera effect optimization along with updated audio performance, upgraded fingerprint sensor. Also the upgraded touch firmware is an improved step towards making it more accurate and fast, thereby resolving any glitches that must have been found. The update has also improved the display edge on this device. Lastly, there has been an update on the Google security patch from October Security patch to November.
It’s assured that Asus will roll out this update in batches; invariably the update will be released to a minimal number of users before it get to others, so as to avoid system bugs associated with updates. As a reminder, Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 features a 6.2-inch Full HD+ screen giving a resolution of 2280×1080 pixels on 19:9 aspect ratio screen and 450 nits brightness. Its powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform which works together with 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage. Another major feature is the 5000mAH battery capacity. You can download it from the link below and then transfer it to the root directory of your phone. Here’s the Download link
Earlier in this month, the Huawei P Smart (2019) was found listed on a French retailer site before it went official. The entire specifications of the handset were shared into the public arena before its listing was taken down. The P Smart (2019) bears resemblance in specs and design with the Honor 10 Lite that is currently only available for purchase in China. The smartphone will be available for buying from Jan. 2 in European markets with a price tag of 249 euros (~$285).
Huawei P Smart (2019) Specifications and Features
The Huawei P Smart (2019) measures 155.2 x 73.4 x 8mm and it houses a 6.21-inch waterdrop notch screen. The handset supports full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and 19.5:9 aspect ratio.
The Kirin 710 chipset that powers the Huawei P Smart (2019) is accompanied by 3 GB of RAM. For storage, the handset is equipped with an inbuilt storage of 64 GB and a microSD card slot.
A vertical dual camera that includes an f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel and a 2-megapixel depth sensor is placed on the rear shell of the handset. There is a fingerprint scanner available on the back panel of the phone. The front notch houses an 8-megapixel selfie camera. It is packed with a 3,400mAh battery. The EMUI 9.0 based Android 9 Pie OS comes preinstalled on the Huawei P Smart (2019).
Most of the specifications of the Huawei P Smart (2019) resembles with Honor 10 Lite. The latter comes with 24-megapixel selfie camera, up to 6 GB of RAM, up to 128 GB of native storage and more color options.
The shipments of the Huawei P Smart (2019) will begin in select European markets with a price tag of 249 euros (~$285) from Jan. 2. In the U.K., the shipments of the smartphone will begin through various retailer sites such as EE, Carphone Warehouse and O2 from Jan. 11. It can be availed in Black and gradient color Aurora Blue.
Handsets that belong to Android One program from Google come preloaded with stock version of the latest Android OS. The Android One program was launched in 2014 and in this year, it was revived with the introduction of newer smartphones. In February, search engine tech giant confirmed that Android One devices will enjoy faster access to Android OS for two years and regular security updates for three years. However, a Reddit user recently noticed that the text which guaranteed two years of OS updates was removed from the official website of Android One. The removal of the text caused an uproar among Android enthusiasts since the search engine giant did not release an official statement on it. After multiple websites reported on it, a Google spokesperson spoke with India Today Tech publication to confirm that it will continue to keep its promise of promising OS updates for 2 years for Android One devices.
The original text on the Android One website read as follows: With Android One, your phone will receive at least two years of OS upgrades to the latest version of Android. That means access to the latest innovations and a phone that always runs as smoothly as the day you bought it. However, the website now only states that Google will be releasing three years of regular security updates for Android One devices.
Here is the official statement from the Google spokesperson, “We confirm that our promise to provide 2 years of updates on Android One devices still stands and our website design does not impact the promise of this program.”
The Nokia 7.1, Motorola One Power, Xiaomi Mi A2 and Infinix Note 5 are some of the recently introduced Android One phones. Most smartphone OEMs are known for placing proprietary UI on top of the Android OS to provide exclusive features, visual customizations and pre-installed apps. The Android One platform is devoid of any bloatware which allow devices running on it to deliver stock Android experience. The Pixel devices run on stock version of Android. Through the Android One program, Google has made available stock Android experience on devices manufactured by other brands.
Since Huawei announced its new flagship SoC Kirin 980 for the second half of 2018, it already launched three affordable flagships phones with the new 7 nm chipset inside. In this article, we compared them in order to establish which is actually the best phone to purchase and which one is really worth the money asked. We are talking about the Huawei Mate 20 that is the first phone with Kirin 980, the Honor Magic 2 that is the first full borderless slider phone and the new Honor V20, the second Huawei phone with a punch hole display.
Huawei Honor V20 vs Honor Magic 2 vs Huawei Mate 20
Dual 48 MP + TOF 3D camera, f/1.8
25 MP f/2.0 front camera
Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP, f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/1.8
Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP f/2.0, f/2.4 and f/2.4 front camera
Triple 12 + 16 + 8 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
24 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY
4000 mAh, fast charging 22.5W
3500 mAh, fast charging with Magic Charge
4000 mAh, fast charging 4.5V / 5A
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, in-display camera
Dual SIM slot, slider design
Dual SIM slot, splashproof (IP53)
Design
Huawei Mate 20 has an anonymous and not so brilliant design compared to other flagships. But it has the best build quality: its display is protected by Gorilla Glass and the phone is dust resistant and splash resistant with the IP53 certification. Honor Magic 2 is a very innovative slider phone which comes with a screen-to-body ratio close to 100 percent without needing a notch and with front cameras and sensors embedded in a slide that users can manually open. Honor V20 is the one I love because of its in-display camera allowing a high screen-to-body ratio without sliders and notches, as well as its glass back with awesome light effects which changes its colors depending from the angle from which you look at it.
Display
While Honor V20 is equipped with a midrange-class IPS display, Honor Magic 2 and Huawei Mate 20 offer something more. The former has the AMOLED technology, an in-display fingerprint reader and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage, while the latter comes with DCI-P3 and HDR technology for outstanding color reproduction, but it has a waterdrop notch.
Hardware/Software
We got an excellent hardware side on each of these devices and their performances are more or less equivalent. They have the new Kirin 980 SoC, a chipset that is considered superior to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845, and they come with up to 8 GB of RAM (except Huawei Mate 20 offering up to 6 GB RAM). Honor V20 and Huawei Mate 20 feature an expandable storage, but only Honor V20 has a dedicated micro SD slot to use it without renouncing to the dual SIM capability. All of them come with Android Pie out of the box customized by EMUI 9.
Camera
We still had no chance to try it as it is not on sale yet, but Huawei Honor V20 offers the best rear camera department on the paper. It sports the new 48 MP sensor by Sony paired with a secondary 3D stereo camera able to capture depth info. Honor Magic 2 offers the most interesting front setup with a triple front camera including two depth sensors. Huawei Mate 20 is an excellent camera phone as well and it is the lonely device with an ultrawide lens in its triple camera.
Battery
With Honor V20 and Huawei Mate 20 having exactly the same battery capacity (4000 mAh), the software optimization will surely make the difference. Usually, Mate devices are optimized better than Honor phones, but we can not say the same for these devices until we test Honor V20.
Price
These devices belong to three near but different price ranges. Honor V20 will hit the shelves with a starting price of €460/$526, Honor Magic 2 costs €550/$630 and Huawei Mate 20 is available for €640/$732. With the actual prices, Honor V20 is surely the most interesting and it has the best value for money, even though, excluding the design, the best handset overall is the Huawei Mate 20.
According to Reuter’s reports, Apple is ready to start assembling its high-end premium iPhone X series models in India at Foxconn’s facility in Sriperumbudur town, in Chennai commencing from early next year. Apple is said to be working on a collaborative effort with the local branch of Foxconn Chennai plant in assembling the premium flagship iPhones for the local market, but it’s unknown if the production will be limited to just assembly or will further involve component production in the country.
While Apple has been assembling the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S models in India through Whistron Corps plant in Bengaluru. Foxconn partnership will now receive the recently launched and more expensive iPhones, like the iPhone X. From a report, The Taiwanese Company is ready to invest an equivalent of $356 million in the project, which is expected to create more than 25,000 jobs for the populace.
This is a great move for Apple, because, in recent years, the government of India has placed an exorbitant charge on any imported smartphones, while charging lower import rates on smartphone parts, so as to ensure that producers build their devices in India and boost country’s manufacturing business.
To avoid these expensive charges, Apple has however thought it wise to start building the iPhone SE and the 6S devices in India. So far, the tech giant has been devising means of boosting its sales in the India market, but it expensive iPhones is not giving this company an opportunity to compete with lower-priced and fast-growing brands like the Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and others which have dominated the market.
Alldocube stepped up its game with the launch of the Helio X27-powered M8 tablet. The tablet which has 20% bigger battery capacity than other same 8-inch tablets in the market. The tablet initially came with a price tag of $134.99 but you can now get it for $129.90 on AliExpress. The device will also become available on Amazon in January 2019 for those who’d prefer the US online retailer.
The Alldocube M8 tablet has as its main selling point the MediaTek Helio X27 flagship SoC which is said to bring 20% more firepower to the device. The company has released several videos showcasing the features the M8 will pack and possibly some of its fans are eagerly waiting to see what it really offers.
Further, the M8 tablet features an 8-inch display and is the first of the company’s products to sport the Helio X27 10-core SoC. Of course, all cores support 64bit while the Mali T880 MP4 GPU is powerful enough for almost every game out there. The device also runs on Android 8.1 Oreo OS out-of-the-box. In addition, the M8 packs a big 5500mAh battery which certainly makes it stand out among other affordable 8-inch tablets in the market. The battery power is 20% more than its predecessor and could take you through a day’s usage. Also, the tablet supports phone calls as well as dual SIM and 4G/LTE. In terms of storage, there are 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. You can pick up the tablet on AliExpress from here. To find out more legitimate stores to buy the M8, keep an eye on Alldocube’s official site.
You can also join ALLDOCUBE’s New Year Giveaway and stand a chance to win freebies. Follow the brand on Facebook to find out how you can be one of the lucky winners.
During a Xinhua News Agency media conference, a prototype of the Vivo NEX 5G was kept on display at the Qualcomm booth. As expected, the handset is fueled by Snapdragon 855chipset which includes the X50 LTE modem which enables 5G connectivity on it.
During the recently held 2018 China Mobile Global Partner Conference, various smartphone manufacturer such as OPPO, Xiaomi and Vivo had showcased their 5G enabled smartphones. At that time too, Vivo had shown the 5G version of the Vivo NEX flagship phone. Now the same prototype has been showcased at the aforementioned media event.
In August, Vivo had confirmed that it had finished the development of the Vivo NEX 5G edition. Since it is a modified version of the original Snapdragon 845 powered Vivo NEX phone, engineers at Vivo have worked on architecture planning, motherboard stacking, RG and antenna design, and optimizing battery space to make it 5G ready.
Vivo is one of the earliest smartphone OEMs to develop 5G R&D in China. The 5G R&D layout was launched by the company soon after it was proposed International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In 2016, it established a 5G R&D center in Beijing and in 2017 it became one of the companies to contribute in 3GPP technology. Also in 2017, the Chinese manufacture launched a pre-research on 5G antennas and RF key technologies.
The company is now aiming to launch pre-commercial smartphone terminals in 2019. Now that some of other Chinese companies such as Huawei, Xiaomi and OPPO have already announced their 5G prototype products, it appears that these firms will publicly display their 5G smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 tech expo that will be held at Barcelona, Spain in February.
There is no information available on whether the Vivo NEX 5G edition features updated specifications. The recently announced Vivo NEX Dual Display smartphone has 10 GB of RAM. It remains to be seen whether Vivo will be selling the NEX 5G phone with 10 GB of RAM.
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