Oppo to soon launch a new smartphone in India via Flipkart, could be Oppo K1

Buy Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Smartphone At A Lowered Price

-

Jan 29, 2019

Even months after hitting the store shelves, the Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 2S smartphone continues to garner popularity.
The Chinese tech company made its long-awaited Mi Mix 2S smartphone available to its loyal fanbase last year in April. While it became an instant hit, the phone failed to grab the attention of those living on a tight budget.

In order to ensure that budget-conscious buyers can get their tech greedy hands on the coveted smartphone, Xiaomi has teamed up with GeekMaxi. Thanks to this collaboration, you can now buy the Mi Mix 2S without breaking the bank.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S (6GB RAM+64GB ROM)

The aforesaid variant of the Mi Mix 2S smartphone would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can now buy it at a dropped price of just 359,00 € (about $450) on GeekMaxi.

This is a noteworthy reduction in the device’s original asking price of 384,00 € (about $439). This discount will be valid for the black color version of the smartphone.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

If you fancy having more space for storing your favorite photos, videos, and other multimedia content, you can go for the slightly larger variant of the Mi Mix 2S that comes with 125GB of internal storage capacity.

While this variant usually sells for 424,00 € (about $485), you can now buy it on GeeKmaxi for just 399,00 €, which translates roughly to about $456. You can choose between black and white color versions of this model.

Sporting an eye-catching curved ceramic design, the Mi Mix 2S is an irresistible smartphone that features a 5.99 inches full-screen display. The phone is housed in a sturdy curved aluminum frame.
Under the hood, the global version of the phone packs a powerful Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 processor and a highly competent Adreno 630 GPU.

As far as the optics are concerned, it houses a 12MP + 12MP dual camera setup with dual PD and flashlight on the back.

Up front, there’s a 5MP camera with AI Beautify, Selfie countdown, Face recognition, Mirror, HDR for self-portraits and 1080p video call with real-time Beautify.

The phone MIUI 9 based on Android 8.0 Oreo OS and is backed by a non-removable Li-Ion 3400 mAh battery. The Mi Mix 2S also features a slew of useful sensors such as a fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass.

You can visit this link in order to check out the rest of the specifications on the Mi Mix 2S and avail the discount, which will be valid only for a limited period of time.

Lenovo Z5 Pro GT sold out in 32 seconds in its first sale

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 29, 2019

Lenovo Z5 Pro GT, the world’s first smartphone with Snapdragon 855 chipset went on sale for the first time today at 10AM (local time) in China today. The smartphone was made available for purchase through Jingdong Mall. A screenshot shared by MyDrivers shows that the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT was sold in less than in a minute in its first sale. Moreover, Lenovo has released an official poster which states that Z5 Pro GT was sold out in just 32 seconds.

The publication claims that the popularity of the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT is such that it had received 220,000 reservations before it went on sale at 10 AM (local time). Hence, it is no surprise to see the phone to get sold out so quickly. Even though the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT comes in a 12 GB RAM variant, the company is currently selling only three variants of the smartphone such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These models are respectively priced at 2,698 Yuan (~$400), 2,998 Yuan (~$445) and 3,398 Yuan (~$504).

The smartphone was also made available for purchase through Lenovo China’s online store and Lynx. Customers who managed to place an order will be receiving their shipments from Feb. 1. Lenovo and JD.com are yet to confirm on the date of the second sale of the Lenovo Z5 Pro GT.

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

The Lenovo Z5 Pro GT is an advanced version of the Snapdragon 710 chipset powered Lenovo Z5 Pro slider phone. The Z5 Pro GT features a 6.39-inch S-AMOLED display with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The slide of the phone features 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera setup. The back panel of the smartphone features 24-megapixel + 16-megapixel dual camera setup. It is fueled by a 3,500mAh battery and comes loaded with ZUI 10 based Android 9 Pie OS. The smartphone is available in Black color only. There is no word on the international availability of the Z5 Pro GT.

Redmi Note 7 sold out within 10 minutes and 56 seconds in yet another sale in China

By

Jeet

-

Jan 29, 2019

Earlier this month, Redmi Note 7 smartphone was launched in China — the first device from Redmi after it split from the parent company Xiaomi to work independently. The phone was available for purchase through flash sale three times in China in which the device sold out within minutes.

Today, the Redmi Note 7 went on sale in China for the fourth time and this time too, the smartphone sold out in 10 minutes and 56 seconds. However, the company has not disclosed how many units were available for purchase in this recent flash sale.

In the first sale, the device sold out in 8 minutes and 36 seconds while it sold out in 2 minutes and 50 seconds in its third flash sale in China. The 3GB RAM + 32GB storage costs 999 Yuan (approx. $147), 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model costs 1,199 Yuan (approx. $177) while the top-end model with 6GB RAM + 64GB storage is priced at 1,399 Yuan (approx. $206).

The Redmi Note 7 comes with a premium glass body and a massive screen-to-body ratio thanks to the waterdrop notch display. It features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with 2340 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The display carries support for 450-nits brightness, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, sun legibility, and eye protection mode.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core chipset with 3GB/4GB/6GB RAM and 32GB/64GB internal storage. It also comes with a dedicated microSD card slot allowing users to expand the storage capacity.

Redmi has focused on offering a premium photography experience with this budget smartphone. The device comes with an f/1.8 aperture 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary camera with artificial intelligence technology.

On the front side, there’s a 13-megapixel camera housed in the display notch. It is also equipped with features like AI Smart Beauty and AI face unlock. The Redmi Note 7 is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack and features an infrared blaster which makes it possible to use it as a remote control. A fingerprint scanner resides of the backside of the smartphone.

As for the software, the smartphone is running Android 9 Pie-based MIUI 10 out-of-the-box. The phone is powered by a 4,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging technology. With an 18W fast charger, which needs to be purchased separately, the phone can be fully charged in just 1 hour and 43 minutes.

Recently, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun started a survey to know which is the most popular Redmi Note 7 variant. The poll also includes two unreleased models with 128GB internal storage — 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM. While the 4GB + 128GB model has been approved by TENAA, the 6GB + 128GB model emerged as a fan favorite. Now, either of the two models is expected to launch in China this week.

Buy MY001CN Portable AI Translator And boeleo W1 AI Touch Control Voice Translator At Lowered Prices On GearBest

By

Check Out GearBest’s 2019 Chinese New Year Sale

-

Jan 29, 2019

As part of its latest promo dubbed, ‘2019 Chinese New Year Sale,’ GearBest is doling out up to a whopping 80 percent off on a wide selection of electronic items and products that come in handy in day to day life.

The products featured in this recently kicked-off promo have been added to separate categories so that users can find exactly what they’re looking for without breaking a sweat.

For instance, the ‘Top Electronics’ has been divided into five sub-categories including smartphones, consumer electronics, tablet PC, computer accessories and 3D printers & supplies.

More importantly, all items included in this promo are now up for grabs bearing considerably lowered price tags.

Staying true to its reputation for offering China’s best electronic items at unbeatable prices, GearBest is now doling out noteworthy discounts on the MY001CN Portable AI Translator and boeleo W1 AI Touch Control Voice Translator.

MY001CN Portable AI Translator

Designed to deliver the most professional translation than any other translator available in the market today, the MY001CN boasts a multifunction design.

Aside from translation, the MY001CN can efficiently play music, check the currency, play the news and perform a slew of other useful tasks.

Moreover, the MY001CN supports fourteen types of languages, assuring professional translation. In other words, you can travel around 170 countries and regions without worrying about the language barrier.

Moreover, the device draws its juices from a robust 900mAh Li-polymer battery that delivers standby time of 7 days and 8 hours of continuous translation. It is a great choice for frequent travelers.

While the market is brimming with all sorts of steeply-priced translators, the dark gray color version of the MY001CN portable AI translator will set you back just $89.99 on GearBest.

You can visit this link to buy the MY001CN. With just 19 pieces remaining, this promo was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

You can follow this link to buy the silver color version of the MY001CN, which has gone up for sale carrying a price tag of $71.04.

boeleo W1 AI Touch Control Voice Translator

Marketed as the smart business travel AI translator, the boeleo W1 efficiently translates 45 languages, allowing you to travel to more than 200 countries.

Moreover, it boasts a multi-person translation function that enables the user to connect to 500 people via chat. The device supports multi-language chat to ensure users do not face any sort of communication problems.

On top of that, the boeleo W1 supports eight system languages including Chinese, English, Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Japanese and Russian.
While a top-branded translator offering comparable features will most probably burn a hole in your pocket, you can buy the boeleo W1 at a dropped price of just $99.99 on GearBest.

This is a noteworthy 51 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $204.88. Moreover, you can use a 20% off to save more money if your grand total exceeds $100.

You can follow this link to grab the discount, which will be valid for the platinum color version of the boeleo W1 voice translator. There were 68 pieces remaining for this promo, which will end in fourteen days.

You can get a 46 percent off on the blue-tinted boeleo W1 that usually retails for $183.57, but is currently available for just $99.99 on GearBest.

There were only 24 pieces of this color version remaining with the promo scheduled to end in one day.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Smartphone For Just $199.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Inside]

By

Get 13% Off On Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Smartphone

-

Jan 29, 2019

After floating around the rumor mill and making several appearances online in the form of leaks, Xiaomi’s long-awaited Redmi Note 7 smartphone was finally made available to the public earlier this month.
Following in the footsteps of its well-received predecessors, the Redmi Note 7 became an instant hit among Xiaomi fans. Regrettably, it failed to grab the attention of cost-conscious smartphone lovers.

In a bid to ensure even those living on a tight budget can get their hands on the coveted smartphone, the Chinese tech company is now offering the Redmi Note 7 at a lowered price on GeekBuying.

On top of that, we’ll show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money during the checkout process in just a bit. So without further ado, let’s check out the details.

The 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM variant of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 smartphone would normally set you back $258.99, but you can now buy it for just $225.99 on GeekBuying.

Moreover, you can even extend this 13 percent discount by using coupon code GIZ_KEIAAWWA.
The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $26 off without breaking a sweat. In other words, you can bring the already lowered asking price of the phone further down to just $199.99 simply by applying the coupon.

An absolute steal at this price, the Redmi Note 7 sports a mammoth 6.3 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a high resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for added protection.

Under the hood, it packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor along with a highly competent Adreno 512 graphics processing unit for superior gaming and video watching and an uninterrupted advance multitasking experience.

On the photography front, it houses a 48.0MP+5.0MP dual-camera setup on the back and a 13.0MP front shooter for selfies and video chatting.

The phone runs MIUI 9 based on Android 8.1 Oreo OS and draws its juices from a built-in 4000mAh battery that delivers standby time of up to 2-3 days.

Aside from that, the Redmi Note 7 features various useful sensors like gyroscopes, acceleration sensors, distance sensors, ambient light sensors, and electronic compass.

You can visit this link to check out the full specification of the Redmi Note 7 and avail the aforesaid discount, which will be valid for the black color version of the smartphone.

Alternatively, you can go for the 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM gold-tinted model, a 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM variant and a slew of other variants.

Check Out GeekBuying’s Valentine’s Day EU Stock

Mysterious Xiaomi phone with 27W fast charging passes 3C certification; Could it be the Xiaomi Mi 9?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 29, 2019

A new Xiaomi phone that has a model number of M1902F1A / M1902F1T has been approved by China’s Compulsory Certificate (3C) authority in China. The charger that has been surfaced on the listing of the smartphone in the 3C database suggests that it is a high-end smartphone from the company.

The 3C listing reveals that the MDY-08-ES charger that is provided with M1902F1A / M1902F1T Xiaomi phone carries support for up to 27W fast charging. The 3C certification of the phone has not revealed any other information on it. The exact identity of the smartphone is not known. Hence, it is difficult to conclude whether it is an upcoming Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone.

The M1902F1A/T model number is a bit similar to that of Xiaomi 8’s M1803E1A/T model number. Hence, there is a possibility that the newly spotted Xiaomi phone could be the Xiaomi Mi 9. Earlier this month, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had claimed that the Xiaomi Mi 9 will arrive with better fast charging technology.

Xiaomi’s President Lin Bin, CEO Lei Jun and Product Director Tang Weng Thomas seem to be teasing the Feb. 19 date. Even though the company has not confirmed any information on whether it will be holding a launch event on the said date, the rumor mill is speculating that the Xiaomi Mi 9 may arrive early this year and debut on that date.

Read More: Redmi X leaked poster hints February 15 launch

Unofficial leaked posters of the Xiaomi Mi 9 are now doing rounds on Weibo. The leaked posters show that the Mi 9 will be equipped with an in-screen fingerprint reader and it will be featuring a triple camera setup on its rear.

Previous reports have revealed the Mi 9 will be arriving with a 6.4-inh AMOLED screen and it will be powered by Snapdragon 855 and up to 6 GB of RAM. For photography, it may feature 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 3D ToF lens in its triple camera setup and a front-facing shooter of 24-megapixel. It may receive power from a 3,500mAh battery.

Buy TicWatch C2 Smartwatch At A Lowered Price Of $199.99 On GeekBuying [Coupon Inside]

By

Get 26% Off On TicWatch C2 Smartwatch

-

Jan 29, 2019

While those looking for fitness gadgets like smartwatches, and fitness bands are highly unlikely to run out of choices, these devices aren’t necessarily easy on your pocketbook.
In a bid to ensure even the cost-conscious buyers can get their tech greedy hands on top-end smartwatches, GeekBuying has launched the ‘Smartwatches of HUAWEI New Arrivals’ promotion.

As part of the aforesaid promo, the Chinese online store will be offering a wide selection of HUAWEI-branded smartwatches at considerably lowered prices.

Moreover, fitness purists can grab a chance to save a considerable amount of extra money by using specific coupons at the time of checking out.

Keeping in line with that, first lucky fifty buyers will qualify for an extra $10 off on the Huawei Honor Magic smartwatch, which can be achieved by applying coupon code CLGIERYD.

Hundred other buyers can get an extra $5 off on the Honor Magic smartwatch when they apply coupon code MHZYWCOP before placing their order. Regrettably, the coupons are slated to expire on February 15th.

Aside from that, the promo features a slew of other well-received smartwatches; however, we’ll be taking a gander at the TicWatch C2 smartwatch which has gone up for sale carrying a dropped price on GeekBuying.

We’ll even show how you can save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout in just a bit. So without further ado, let’s head straight to the details.

TicWatch C2 Smartwatch

The TicWatch C2 sports an easily readable 1.3 Inch AMOLED screen with a high resolution of 360 x 360 pixels for a more vivid viewing experience.

The device comes with a dynamic heart rate monitor that’s capable of accurately monitoring pulses as well as the changes in the active and resting heart rate and even generates a professional heart rate report.

Designed to keep a track of your health and monitor your various activities, the TicWatch C2 comes with a built-in GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope.

You can make contactless payments using just the smartwatch via Google Pay. In other words, you do not need your wallet or your phone in order to make a payment at the cashier.

It packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon W2100 processor, paired with a 512MB of RAM. The smartwatch offers a hearty 4GB of internal storage capacity so that you can download and access your favorite apps through Google Play.

Since it is backed by an international standard rating of IP68, the TicWatch C2 can be carefully worn even while swimming. However, it is imperative for you to bear in mind that it ideal only for the normal cold water environment.

The smartwatch draws its juices from a 400mah battery that delivers standby time of up to 36 hours. The watch is compatible with Android 4.4 (or above) and IOS 9.3 (or above).

While you’d normally expect a top-branded smartwatch offering comparable features to carry a steep price tag, the TicWatch C2 can now be yours for an unbeatable price of just $221.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a 26 percent drop in the device’s original asking price of $299.99, and you can extend it further by applying coupon code GIZ_GGBUZKXP during the checkout process.

The aforesaid coupon helps you get an extra $22 off by bringing the already lowered retail price of the smartwatch further down to just $199.99 before you click the ‘Place Your Order’ button.

You can visit this link to avail the discount, which will be valid for the rose gold, platinum and black color versions of the TicWatch C2 smartwatch for a limited period of time.

Check Out GeekBuying’s Smartwatches of HUAWEI New Arrivals

Check Out GeekBuying’s Valentine’s Day EU Stock

Get Up To 50% Off On ISUDAR Branded Products, Big Coupons And Free Gifts On AliExpress

By

Check Out AliExpress’ ISUDAR Drive Smarter Promo

-

Jan 29, 2019

Isudar has teamed up with AliExpress to offer up to a whopping 50 percent off on a wide selection of its products that include car DVD players, car GPS, car multimedia systems and car DVR cameras.

In addition to doling out the noteworthy discount, the company is offering its loyal fanbase a chance to save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout.

Keeping in line with that, those who end up purchasing items worth $120 or more can apply a $3 off coupon, while buyers whose cart value is $168 or more can use a $6 off coupon.

On top of that, everyone buying a DVD player will qualify to get a free gift. You can win an 8GB TF card, a touch pen, installation tools or a non-slip mat.

The recently kicked-off promo features the Isudar Car Receiver with Touch 7 Inch Screen For Cars, the H80 Car Multimedia Player, the Universal Original Car Navigation, the 1 Din Car Radio and a slew of other Isudar-branded products that you can buy without emptying your pocket.
For the sake of an instance, the Isudar H80 Car Multimedia Player would normally set you back $415.94, but you can now buy it for just $278.87 on AliExpress. You can avail a bigger discount via AliExpress application.

Likewise, the Isudar Car Touch Screen 7-Inch screen that usually sells for $225.68 can now be yours if you are willing to shell out only $162.49 on AliExpress.

Aside from grabbing this 28 percent discount, new users can apply a $3 off coupon before placing their order.

There’s a 29 percent off on the Isudar Head Unit for Android 8.0. This 7-inch touchscreen which is a great choice for FORD cars including Focus, Mondeo, S-MAX, C-MAX and the FORD Galaxy is now up for grabs for just $248.49 on AliExpress, while it usually retails for $349.99.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and check out the rest of the products that you can buy at lowered prices. Note that the promotion was on the verge of wrapping up at the time of writing.

Banggood’s 7 Days Only Home Appliances Festival Kicks Off With Great Snap Up Deals, Big Discounts And Coupons!

By

Check Out Banggood’s Home Appliances Festival

-

Jan 29, 2019

Given that home appliances have become an inseparable part of our fast-paced society, we hardly shy away from spending a lot of money on devices that simplify and expedite time-consuming daily chores.

Much to the delight of those who aren’t willing to spend a fortune on these steeply-priced devices that come in handy in day to day life, Banggood has launched a new promo wherein the Chinese online store will be offering a wide selection of home appliances at lowered prices.

The recently kicked-off promo is dubbed as ‘Home Appliances Festival’ and it is split into five categories including Brand Goods Flash Deal, The Best Selling Area, New Arrive & Free Gift, Exclusive Coupon and Featured Brands.

You can find three well-received items from Digoo in the first section dubbed, ‘Brand Goods Flash Deal.’

The section features the DG-FR200 smart alarm clock, DG-YS22 3 electric toothbrush, DG-FCR-1 Garden Porch Patio LED Lamp along with PUPPYOO WP511 vacuum cleaner.

The aforesaid items would normally set you back a pretty penny, but you can now buy them lowered prices on Banggood.

For example, you can win a Digoo DG-FR200 snap-up and get a chance to get this smart LED digital display alarm clock for just $0.01. This is a noteworthy reduction in the device’s original asking price of $15.99.
There are more top-branded items included in ‘The Best Selling Area’ category. More importantly, all products featured in the aforesaid section are currently up for grabs for heavily discounted prices.

Keeping in line with that, there’s a thirty percent off on the Xiaomi Circle Joy CJ – EKPQ02 USB Charging Automatic Electric Bottle.

This item usually carries a $28.66 price tag, but you can now pre-order it for just $19.99.

Under the same section, you can get the BlitzWolf BW-AS2 wireless speaker and the Xiaomi Sothing Mini Heater at lowered prices.

Moreover, the two items carry specific coupon codes that you can use to save a significant amount of extra money during the checkout process.

Banggood users who buy a product from the ‘New Arrive & Free Gift’ category before January 31^st, will be eligible to get a Digoo fan worth $10.99 for free.

Those who purchase two items from the above-mentioned category will qualify to get two fans, while buyers who go for a single item will receive only one fan.

You can get extra discounts on items featured in the next category called ‘Exclusive Coupon.’ Each product has been associated with a specific coupon that you can use to save more money, provided your cart value exceeds a specific amount.

For the sake of an instance, you can apply a $10 off coupon if you spend $50 or more. If you spend $100 or more, you can use a bigger coupon and get an extra $20 off before placing your order.

If you are a brand-conscious buyer, you can head straight to the ‘Featured Brands’ category, which is packed with products from popular brands.

In this section, you can find products from Xiaomi, BlitzWolf, JIMMY, and Dibea. These brands have collaborated with Banggood in a bid to give their loyal fanbase a chance to buy their items at lowered prices.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and take a gander at the rest of the products. It is imperative for you to bear in mind that this is a 7-days only promotion and will come to an end soon.

Xiaomi trumps Samsung to emerge as India’s top smartphone brand – Counterpoint

By

-

Jan 29, 2019

Since its foray into the Indian market in 2014, Xiaomi has made tremendous progress in that terrain. The rise of the company known as the “Apple” of China, underscores the business model it operates, in terms of offering premium models at an affordable price, fits the needs of the middle class and low-income earners. The growth was so dramatic that by 2017, Xiaomi was already contending with Samsung who sat at the helm of the market for quite a while. Xiaomi even succeeded in shipping more phones in one of the quarters but that wasn’t enough to equal Samsung’s 24% market share.

However, data from market research firm Counterpoint shows that Xiaomi may have finally beaten Samsung to the crown as the number one smartphone vendor in India for 2018. Counterpoint’s data showed that Xiaomi has an estimated 28% market share, a leap from the 19% recorded in 2017. On the other hand, Samsung experienced some stagnation in its growth as its market share remained at 24% just like the previous year. The rest of the top 5 smartphone vendors also saw their growth stagnated YoY. On the other hand, other smartphone makers not on the top 5 equally had a reduction in their shipment from 34% in 2017 to 25% market share in 2018. Considering the stagnant growth of Samsung and the other three brands of Vivo, OPPO and Micromax, it is safe to say that the smaller OEMs are hit the most by Xiaomi’s rising market share.

In total, 330 million smartphones were shipped in India last year and smartphones only accounted for 44% of this figure. The rest of the shipments were feature phones which still sells hot in India. In the feature phone segment, Jio maintained a wide lead with a tremendous 38% market share as against 11% in 2017. Samsung slumped fro 21% share of the market to 12%. Other brands in the top 5 include iTel, Nokia (with a slight 2% growth YoY) and Lava.

Xiaomi is expected to consolidate on this lead in India with its Pocophone and Redmi brands alongside the Mi brand. In the same vein, Samsung will be looking to reclaim lost ground with the launch of several powerful and affordable midrange models such as the new Galaxy A series models.

(source)

Samsung planning to acquire company behind OPPO’s zoom technology

By

-

Jan 29, 2019

You may not have heard of the company called Corephotonics before but they are the guys behind OPPO‘s 5X zoom technology. The company is based in Israel and has big-name investors which include Samsung Ventures, MediaTek, SanDisk, and CK Telecom. New reports say Samsung wants to acquire the company.

Corephotonics works with all of the large smartphone companies, so it is no surprise that they worked with OPPO on its “lossless” zoom technology. The company designs cameras which are then built by their partner companies.

Samsung is planning to pay between $150 – $160 million for the company which has developed a triple camera technology that has up to 25x zoom. If the deal goes through, we may see Samsung phones with much better zoom technology hit the market in the near future. Corephotonics is also said to be planning to venture into drones, vehicles, and security cameras segments.

While we’re still waiting for 5G, LG commences plans for 6G technology

By

-

Jan 28, 2019

The year 2019 is already pencilled down to be a year for 5G technology. We’ll soon start seeing the commercial roll-out of 5G phones from major smartphone vendors. LG is one of the front-runners who will launch a 5G phone early this year. But that isn’t why the tech giant is in the news. Apparently, the company has started putting plans in motion to prepare for 6G! No, that wasn’t a mistake.

LG, this week, announced the opening of a dedicated research center located in the Yuseong District of Daejeon, South Korea. The new research centre isn’t for development of 6G products. Rather, the Korean giant is aiming to “lead global standardization and secure new business creation opportunities.” The research institute is established in partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

LG estimates that it will take up to 10 years before a transition from 5G to 6G could happen but it wants to “prepare for the future industry”. The company has bet big on 5G technology which it believes could help it ailing smartphone arm. Korea’s three major wireless service providers, including LG Electronics sister company LG U Plus, have already deployed their 4G LTE replacements.

(source)

Redmi GM: Honor V20 has sold less than one-third that of the Redmi Note 7

By

-

Jan 28, 2019

The Honor V20/View20 and Redmi Note 7 are two very different phones. The former is a flagship while the latter is a mid-range phone but they both have 48MP rear cameras. The V20 launched last year in China and the Redmi Note 7 launched earlier this month but sales stats on online retail sites have revealed the Redmi has sold many more units than the Honor.

Redmi’s General Manager took to Weibo to brag about the sales of its latest phone. He shared screenshots of the number of units of each phone that has been sold on the online store, Tmall. As at the time he made the post, the Redmi Note 7 had sold 97,994 units while the Honor V20 had sold just 3,765 units. When you take into consideration the fact that the Honor V20 went on sale earlier than the Redmi Note 7, then you understand why the Redmi executive is bragging about the figures.

As stated above, both phones belong to different categories and Mr. Weibing does acknowledge in his post that the Redmi Note 7 has sold more units because of its price. The base model of the Redmi Note 7 sells for a third of the price of the base model of the Honor V20.

[envira-gallery id=”234191″]

Redmi Go will be available in Europe in February, will sell for under €80

By

-

Jan 28, 2019

The Redmi Go is Xiaomi‘s first Android Go smartphone which is expected to launch very soon. Last week, specs and an official render surfaced online. Xiaomi Philippines also teased the device’s arrival. More details have surfaced about the phone and its availability outside Asia.

A post from Winfuture.de has revealed that the Redmi Go will be available “right from the very beginning” in Europe which is around February. This means there wouldn’t be a gap between its launch in Asia and in Europe.

The post also says the Redmi Go sold in Europe will have support for LTE band 20. This isn’t new info as the official spec sheet already revealed the supported LTE bands and the above band was listed among.

With respect to price, the Redmi Go will have its price tag under €80 (~$90/¥616). That is significantly lesser than the Nokia 2.1 which is currently priced between €110 and €120. However, the Nokia 2.1 packs a larger screen, bigger battery capacity, and stereo front-facing speakers.

The Redmi Go will pack a 5-inch HD display, Qualcomm’s 28nm Snapdragon 425 processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. It will have an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing camera, and a 3,000mAh battery. Pre-installed on the phone is Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition).

Realme C1 (2019) vs Honor Play 8A vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Jan 28, 2019

If Android Go phones are too entry-level for you, but you still need a very cheap handset, then you can go for the new Realme C1 (2019). It is the new low-end handset from Oppo’s new sub-brand focused on affordable phones, and it comes with better memory configurations compared to the original C1 released in 2018. But besides this new device that just debuted in the Indian peninsula, there are some more interesting entry-level phones sold at ridiculous prices that may intrigue you: the Honor Play 8A and the Xiaomi Redmi 6A. They are among the most important entry-level phones in the last months and here we will compare them with the new Realme C1 in order to establish whether or not Oppo’s sub-brand did a better job.

Realme C1 (2019) vs Honor Play 8A vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A

	Oppo Realme C1 2019	Huawei Honor Play 8A	Xiaomi Redmi 6A
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	156.2 x 75.6 x 8.2 mm, 168 grams	156.28 x 73.5 x 8 mm, 150 grams	147.5 x 71.5 x 8.3 mm, 145 grams
DISPLAY	6.2 inches, 720 x 1520p (HD+), 271 ppi, IPS LCD	6.09 inches, 720 x 1560p (HD+), 290 ppi, IPS LCD	5.45 inches, 720 x 1440p (HD+), 295 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, octa-core 1.8 GHz	MediaTek Helio P35, octa-core 2.3 GHz	MediaTek Helio A22, quad-core 2 GHz
MEMORY	2 GB RAM, 16 GB – micro SD dedicated slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot	2 GB RAM, 16 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE	Android 8.1 Oreo, Color OS	Android 9 Pie, EMUI	Android 8.1 Oreo, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 5 MP f/2.2 front camera	13 MP f/1.8 8 MP f/2.0 front camera	13 MP f/2.2 5 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY	4230 mAh	3000 mAh	3000 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Dual SIM slot

Design

The design I personally like more is the one of the Honor Play 8A. It is cleaner on both the rear and the front side, with a very small waterdrop notch and very narrow bezels around the display. It is a feature that is mostly present on high-end devices and not entry-level ones. Realme C1 2019 has very thin bezels as well, but I like the Honor Play 8A more because of its smaller notch. I do not like the Xiaomi Redmi 6A at all because of its thick bezels, but note that it comes with a more compact and lightweight body. So it will fit better in pockets and it is also easier to use with one hand.

Display

All the displays of these handsets are sufficient IPS panels, but their resolution is only HD, so do not expect a huge level of detail. My favorite display is the one of the Realme C1 2019 because it is slightly wider and it is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, so it is harder to crack and scratch. But when it comes to viewing quality, I cannot find noticeable differences between all the displays of these phones. So we suggest you choose only by basing on the dimensions and the build quality. In case you hate notches, note that Xiaomi Redmi 6A is notchless.

Specs & Software

Under this point of view, the chipset makes the difference. And the most powerful chipset is the one found on the Honor Play 8A. The new entry-level phone from Huawei’s sub-brand is one of the very first to be equipped with a MediaTek Helio P35 SoC, that is more or less at the same level as the Snapdragon 632 by Qualcomm. Unlike its rivals, this device also comes with up to 64 GB of internal storage and it supports a dedicated micro SD slot, so you do not have to renounce to the dual SIM functionality in order to expand the internal storage. The second place when it comes to hardware and performances goes to the Realme C1 2019 and its Snapdragon 450 chipset. Honor Play 8A is the only device to run Android 9 Pie out of the box, while its opponents are still based on Android Oreo, even though Realme C1 was released months after.

Camera

Honor Play 8A features a much better rear camera than Realme C1 2019 and Xiaomi Redmi 6A. Realme C1 2019 should be only better at calculating depth info with its secondary sensor, but Honor Play 8A shots brighter and more detailed photos. Even the front camera, with its 8 MP resolution, is a lot better on the Honor Play 8A. The worst camera phone is the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, but it still delivers a sufficient camera quality if we consider that it is an entry-level phone sold for less than €100.

Battery

Realme C1 2019 is one of the best phones in the whole market for battery life. It has a huge 4230 mAh battery and its hardware components are not energy-demanding. The HD display and the Snapdragon 450 chipset are very efficient and do not require a lot of energy even for the most demanding tasks. Realme C1 wins the battery comparison, while between Honor Play 8A and Xiaomi Redmi 6A there are just marginal differences in battery life, in every scenario.

Price

Realme C1 is definitely a great experiment. I would personally pick it from this trio because it has a much longer battery life, a better build quality, and decent performances. But I think that the Honor Play 8A would be better for a lot of people due to its better camera capabilities and its higher performances. If you care more about camera and performances, go for the Honor Play 8A, but if you want above-average battery life, that I define the most important thing for entry-level phones, choose the Realme C1 (2019). Honor Play 8A costs about €100/$115, Realme C1 debuted in India with a price tag slightly superior to €90/$102 and Xiaomi Redmi 6A costs about €90/$102.

Read More: Honor 8A is official with waterdrop notch screen, Helio P35 and 799 Yuan (~$116) price

Realme C1 (2019) vs Honor Play 8A vs Xiaomi Redmi 6A: PROs and CONS

Oppo Realme C1 2019

PROs

Bigger battery
Micro SD dedicated slot
Good build quality
Affordable

CONS

Limited availability

Xiaomi Redmi 6A

PROs

Very affordable price
Compact design
Micro SD Dedicated slot
Wide availability

CONS

Low-end hardware

Huawei Honor Play 8A

PROs

Very affordable
Good cameras
Nice hardware
Android Pie

CONS

Slightly more expensive

Going green: Samsung products to feature packaging made from sustainable materials

By

-

Jan 28, 2019

South Korean electronics giant and global smartphone leader Samsung has announced that it will start utilising materials that are environmentally friendly on its future products. The company has put structures in place to start replacing plastic packaging materials with paper and other environmentally sustainable elements.

According to details released by the tech company, its products and accessories, including mobile phones, tablet and home appliances will start using packaging made from sustainable materials. The materials will range from recycled and bio-based plastics to paper. Specifically, the company hinted that phones, tablets, and wearables will be packaged in pulp moulds instead of holder trays made of plastic. In addition, bags wrapping accessories will be made of eco-friendly materials. The tech giant says it also plans to redesign the charger of its phones and will also replace the glossy exterior with a matte finish, thus removing completely any plastic protection films to reduce the use of plastic.

For the box packaging, the paper that will now be used will be made of fibre materials certified by environmental organizations. The new arrangement will go into force from the first half of 2019 and a special task force is saddled with the implementation. The task force will see to the design and development, marketing and quality control for packaging.

Samsung Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 with Infinity-V display launched in India

By

Jeet

-

Jan 28, 2019

As expected, Samsung has today launched its two new budget smartphones under the all-new Galaxy M series — Samsung Galaxy M10 and Samsung Galaxy M20.

Both the smartphones will be available for purchase exclusively through Amazon.in and Samsung India e-Store. It will go on sale from 5th February and both the phones will be available in two color options — Charcoal Black and Ocean Blue.

As for the pricing, the 2GB RAM model of Galaxy M10 is priced at Rs. 7,990 (approximately $112) while the 3GB RAM model costs Rs. 8,990 (approximately $126). The 3GB RAM model of Galaxy M20 costs Rs. 10,990 (approximately $155) and the 4GB RAM model is priced at Rs. 12,990, which roughly converts to $183.

Coming to the specifications, the Galaxy M10 features a 6.2-inch HD+ Infinity-V display with 720 x 1520 pixels screen resolution and 19:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by Exynos 7870 chipset, along with 2GB/3GB RAM.

It comes with 16GB/32GB of internal storage and comes with a microSD card slot for expanding the phone’s storage capacity up to 512GB. As for the camera configuration, the device features a 13-megapixel primary sensor along with an f/1.9 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary, ultra-wide sensor. For selfies, there’s a 5-megapixel front-facing sensor. It has an ultra-wide mode to support landscapes, cityscapes, and group photos.

The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Samsung Experience 9.5 UX. Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C port. It is powered by a 3,400mAh battery that supports three times faster-charging.

On the other hand, the Galaxy M20 comes with a 6.3-inch Full-HD+ Infinity-V display with 1080 x 2340 pixels screen resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is powered by the company’s own Exynos 7904 chipset, paired with Mali-G71 MP2 GPU and 3GB/4GB RAM.

The 3GB RAM model packs 32GB of internal storage while the 4GB RAM model comes with 64GB of internal storage. The phone also comes with a microSD card slot which enables users to further expand the storage capacity up to 512GB. There’s a fingerprint sensor on the back and the phone also supports Face Unlock feature.

For imaging, the Galaxy M20 comes with a dual rear camera setup along with a 13-megapixel primary sensor that has an f/1.9 aperture and a 5-megapixel ultra-wide secondary sensor. On the front side, it comes equipped with an 8-megapixel sensor along with an f/2.0 aperture.

Connectivity options on the device include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, 3.5mm audio jack, and FM Radio. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with Samsung Experience 9.5 UX on top and is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with fast charging support.

Honor 7X to get Android Pie, beta build released for China version

By

-

Jan 28, 2019

The Honor 7X launched in 2017 with Android Nougat out of the box. It later got an update that brought Android Oreo. Now Honor seems to be working on releasing EMUI 9.0 based on Android Pie for it.

The Chinese variants of the phone recently received a beta build of EMUI 9 which means a stable update should arrive in the near future. The Chinese variants that have gotten the beta build have model numbers BND-AL00, BND-TL10, and BND-AL10. Below are the build numbers for each of them:

BND-AL00C00E42R2P2B43-log (9.0.1.43)
BND-TL10C01E42R1P2B43-log (9.0.1.43)
BND-AL10C01E42R1P2B43-log (9.0.1.43)

Huawei still hasn’t issued an official statement about Android Pie coming to the Honor 7X but we do not think they would go through the stress of releasing a beta build if there isn’t a plan to release a stable version.

Canalys Chinese smartphone market data for 2018 shows significant decline

By