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Photographer calls out Samsung for using her stock photo as the Galaxy A8 Star camera sample

One of the key marketing features most buyers look out for on a new smartphone is usually the camera prowess of the model. Phone manufacturers are very much aware of this and that could be the reason why a number of the major OEMs have been caught passing off enhanced photos as camera samples shot with their smartphone’s camera. Interestingly, even tech giants Samsung and Huawei have at one time or the other been embroiled in this sort of controversy. Right now, Samsung is looked in one of such deception as the company has been called out by a photographer for passing off her stock photo as the Galaxy A8 Star’s camera sample.

Origi
Original stock image

The controversial photograph was initially captured by Dunja Djudjic and is a selfie portrait of herself. In all fairness, Samsung may have acquired the photo legally since it was up for sale on Getty. However, the photo was then photoshopped and even transported to a new background. The photograph was then posted on Samsung Hong Kong Galaxy A8 Star landing page creating the impression that it was shot with A8 Star’s camera even though it was not categorically stated as such.

Photoshopped ohoto passed off as Galaxy A8 Star

There is no doubt the image is deceptive with one showing a clear background and the second one promoting the camera’s Bokeh capability. Whereas in reality, the original photo was captured with a DSLR camera. We recall Huawei’s controversial P9 camera sample which turned out to have been captured by a DSLR camera. With such scenario, it is just appropriate that we take these camera samples that usually accompany new phones with a pinch of salt. That doesn’t in anyway downplay the fact that smartphone cameras are getting better by the day.

(source, via)

Sony Xperia XZ4 key specifications leaked well ahead of launch

The Sony Xperia XZ3 is expected to be succeeded by Xperia XZ4 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in February 2019. The 360-degree renders of the Xperia XZ4 had surfaced in the previous month. Today, reliable tipster from China has shared the key specifications of the upcoming Sony flagship phone well ahead of its launch.

Sony Xperia XZ4 Specifications

The upcoming Sony Xperia XZ4 is expected to offer an aspect ratio of 21:9 through its massive display of 6.55 inches. The display of the XZ4 could be supplied by LG.

The Xperia XZ4 could be one of the first smartphones to be fueled by the 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset. The SoC is rumored to be coupled with 6 GB of LPDDRX RAM. It may arrive in 64 GB and 256 GB storage choices.

A super wide-angle lens will be available on the frontside of the Xperia XZ4 for capturing selfie shots. The backside of the XZ4 is rumored to be equipped with a triple camera module. It will include 1/2.3 inch main sensor that will be enabled with support for Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Accurate details on the camera specs are not yet available. The presence of triple rear cameras suggests that the Sony Xperia XZ4 will deliver superior photography experience.

Sony Xperia XZ4 renders

The Xperia XZ4 renders had revealed it will be lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, fresh information shared by the Chinese tipster reveals that it will be featuring a 3.5mm audio jack.  The handset may sport glass and metal combination build like the Xperia XZ3. The XZ4 is expected to sport a slim profile of 8mm. Also, it is rumored to arrive with a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

(source)

OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 launched in India; Specifications, features and pricing

By announcing the OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 today, OPPO has launched its first ever R-series phones in India. Both smartphones are the first smartphones to come equipped with Gorilla Glass 6 protection. These phones are also blessed with other impressive features such as in-display fingerprint scanner and fast charging technology.

OPPO R17 Pro Specifications and Features

The glass-bodied OPPO R17 Pro that features a metallic frame around its edges is fitted with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. The waterdrop notch screen offers an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display of the R17 Pro is equipped with an under-screen fingerprint reader. Its dimensions are 157.6 x 74.6 x 7.9mm and it weighs 183 grams.

The Snapdragon 710 chipset powers the OPPO R17 Pro along with 8 GB of RAM. The native storage of the phone is 128 GB and it has a microSD card slot for additional storage through the second SIM slot. The Android 8.1 Oreo OS customized with ColorOS 5.2 is available on the device. The R17 Pro is backed by 3,700mAh battery that carries support for 50W fast charging through SuperVOOC Flash Charge technology.

Oppo R17 Pro Image

The small notch at the frontside of the OPPO R17 Pro is the home for f/2.0 aperture 25-megapixel ultrawide camera. The back panel of the smartphone features vertically arranged triple camera unit.

The small notch at the frontside of the OPPO R17 Pro is the home for f/2.0 aperture 25-megapixel ultrawide camera. The back panel of the smartphone features vertically arranged triple camera unit. The third sensor is a ToF (Time of Flight) camera that can used for accurately map objects at up to 3 meters. The triple camera system includes a 12-megapixel main sensor with variable aperture ranging from f/1.5 to f/2.4 and a 20-megapixel secondary sensor with f/2.6 aperture. The smartphone lacks support for 3.5mm audio jack. The other features of the phone include dual-SIM slot, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS and USB-C.

OPPO R17 Specifications and Features

The OPPO R17 has the same display as the Pro variant. The display of the phone also features an in-screen fingerprint reader. It is fueled by Snapdragon 670 chipset and 8 GB of RAM. For photography, it features 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual rear camera and 25-megapixel selfie shooter.

OPPO R17 header

It is also loaded with Android 8.1 Oreo OS along with ColorOS 5.2 UI. Instead of the USB-C port, it features a microUSB 2.0 port. It is also fitted with a 3.5mm audio jack. The 3,500mAh battery of the OPPO R17 supports 5V/4A VOOC flash charging.

OPPO R17 Pro and OPPO R17 Price and Availability

The OPPO R17 Pro has landed in India with a price tag of Rs. 45,990 It can be availed in colors like Radiant Mist and Emerald Green. The pre-orders of the R17 Pro have started on Amazon India, OPPO’s online stores and partnered offline stores across India. The sales of the phone will begin on Dec. 7.

The OPPO R17 is priced at Rs. 34,990 and its four color editions are Streamer Blue, Neon Purple, Fog Gradient and Foggy Gold. The Chinese manufacturer is yet to share information on its availability.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus front panels confirm pill-shaped hole-in-display for dual selfie cameras

It is no news that Samsung‘s next Galaxy S phones will have a hole in their displays. A new leak has confirmed that the holes will differ in the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus.

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The leak is an image of the front display panel of the Galaxy S10 Plus and it shows the display will have not one circular hole but two holes joined together to form a pill-shaped cut-out in the display. The two holes will each be home to a camera which means the Galaxy S10 Plus will have dual front-facing cameras.

Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus

The pill-shaped hole is located at the top right corner of the display. The bezels are pretty thin and there is a slit at the top for the speaker. There is also a render of what the phone might look like. There is also a concept image that shows the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10 Plus.

READ MORE: Samsung develops 4K OLED panel for notebooks, will debut at CES 2019

Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus: Fastest Charging Phones Comparison

Getting an affordable phone which provides the highest performance or a high-end camera quality is always very hard, even in 2018. But there are three phones which we can define champions of quality-price ratio: Oppo R17 Pro, Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus. They are outstanding and they are able to boast flagship-level performances as well as incredibly fast charging times. Here is a complete specs comparison.

Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus

Oppo R17 Pro Honor Magic 2 Meizu 16 Plus
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT  157.6 x 74.6x 7.9 mm, 183 g 157.3 x 75.1 x 8.3 mm, 206 g 160.4 x 78.2 x 7.3 mm, 182 g
DISPLAY  6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz
MEMORY  8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE  Android 8.1 Oreo, Color OS  Android 9 Pie, EMUI Android 8.0 Oreo, Flyme OS
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 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA  Triple 12 + 20 MP + TOF 3D camera, f/1.5-2.4 and f/2.6
25 MP f/2.0 front camera
Triple 16 + 16 + 24 MP, f/1.7, f/2.2 and f/1.8
Triple 16 + 2 + 2 MP f/2.0, f/2.4 and f/2.4 front camera
Dual 12 + 20 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.6
20 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY  3700 mAh, fast charging with Super VOOC Flash Charge 3500 mAh, fast charging with Magic Charge 40W 3500 mAh, fast charging with mCharge 4.0
ADDITIONAL FEATURES  Hybrid Dual SIM slot Hybrid Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot

Design

Honor Magic 2 has the most innovative and surprising design of 2018. It is a slider phone: in order to reach a screen-to-body ratio close to 100 percent without a notch, Huawei decided to put the front cameras and sensors on a slider which the user can manually open and close. There is an under-display fingerprint scanner as well, so the back side looks almost totally clean too. Oppo R17 Pro has a stunning design as well with its waterdrop notch and gradient colors, but Honor Magic 2 is definitely one step forward.

 

Display

The display is the weakest point of Oppo R17 Pro, Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus, as they all feature a midrange-class panel. The one providing the best display quality is Honor Magic 2 with the AMOLED technology, 100 percent of DCI-P3 coverage and almost no bezels. But note that Oppo R17 Pro has the most resistant one because it is protected by Gorilla Glass 6. At last, Meizu 16 Plus has the widest panel and it does not feature a notch, so it is perfect for you if you want a comfortable device for productivity.

 

Hardware & Software

Huawei Honor Magic 2 has a more powerful chipset: a Kirin 980 running at a max frequency of 2.6 GHz. It is very impressive when it comes to speed and multi-tasking performance. It is followed by Meizu 16 Plus and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, while Oppo R17 Pro has just an upper-midrange SoC: the Snapdragon 710. Honor Magic 2 comes with Android Pie out of the box, while Oppo R17 Pro and Meizu 16 Plus are still based on Oreo.

 

Camera

The most surprising rear camera is undoubtedly the one found on the Oppo R17 Pro. It sports a triple camera setup with variable aperture just like the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and Note 9, in order to adapt in a much better way to every light condition. On the other hand, Honor Magic 2 has a definitely more interesting front setup as it features a triple camera on the front with two depth sensors.

 

Battery

Oppo R17 Pro has one of the most interesting battery sides in the market, not only because it has a big lithium unit with a 3700 mAh capacity, but also because it is the last-generation smartphone with the fastest charging times. It takes just 30 minutes to charge it up to 92 percent. Honor Magic 2 and Meizu 16 Plus are among the fastest as well as they reach 82 percent and 60 percent respectively (in 30 minutes of charge). But they have a smaller battery and they last less time on a single charge.

 

Price

Oppo R17 Pro debuted in the global market under the name RX17 Pro with a price tag of €600, Honor Magic 2 was launched with a €550 price tag in China and Meizu 16 Plus carries a €480 starting price in China. Even though it does not have a flagship chipset, I would prefer Oppo R17 Pro to the Meizu 16 Plus because of its amazing camera and its quick charging times. But overall, I would personally pick Honor Magic 2 to award its innovation, good camera setup and performance, as well as its very balanced specifications.

 

 

Oppo R17 Pro vs Honor Magic 2 vs Meizu 16 Plus: PRO and CONS

Oppo R17 Pro

PROS

  • Amazing camera
  • Great design
  • Big battery
  • Gorilla Glass 6

CONS

  • Expensive

Honor Magic 2

PROS

  • Slider design
  • Amazing performance
  • Good cameras
  • Nice display
  • Android Pie

CONS

  • Nothing particular

Meizu 16 Plus

PROS

  • Great performance
  • Good cameras
  • More affordable price
  • Wide display

CONS

  • No micro SD

AnTuTu compares Snapdragon 855 with other flagship mobile SoCs

Qualcomm’s mobile CPUs are held in high regard in the mobile smartphone segment and each year dozens upon dozens of flagship use the SoCs from the US-based chip maker. We’re a few hours away from the unveiling of Qualcomm’s next-gen CPU – the Snapdragon 855, and AnTuTu has just revealed some juicy scores with the Galaxy S10 Plus toting the said CPU. Earlier today, quite a lot of info got out before launch as an online portal published its report of the upcoming CPU prematurely. But let’s take a look at those official scores quickly.

snapdragon 855

Currently, all other chip makers that make mobile CPUs have already rolled out their next-gen CPUs. Samsung released the Exynos 9820, Huawei announced the HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC a while back and these two have been pitted against Qualcomm’s latest 7nm beast. As you can see the image, the results speak for itself. When the Snapdragon 855 releases tomorrow, it will be the strongest chipset around. The device being tested on the benchmark here is none other than the Galaxy S10+ and it records a score of 343,051. This is close to a previously leaked benchmark involving the same CPU that resulted in an all-time high score of above 360,000. The Exynos 9820 which is also based on the 7nm process and boasts a dedicated AI core recorded a score of 325,067. Lastly, the Kirin 980 from the house of Huawei comes third with 309,425 score. Obviously, the Snapdragon 845 is the last on the list with the lowest score.

 

 

It was previously thought that the unannounced CPU would be named Snapdragon 8150. However, it is now clear that SM8150 is its internal name. Aside from flaunting its own dedicated NPU, the System-on-Chip will also support Multi-Gigabit 5G connectivity.

(Source)

Vivo NEX 2 appears in a new poster, flaunts triple rear cameras and dual displays

Vivo is on the final stage to announce the NEX 2 with triple rear cameras and dual displays. It has already leaked in various rumours and leaks, flaunting its most of specs and features. As like yesterday, today also Vivo has teased its upcoming Nex 2 device teasing its features. As per official announcement, the Chinese company will announce the Vivo Nex 2 on December 11th.

vivo nex 2

As per new poster, we can see dual displays on the device, one on the front and another on the rear side. On the back, there’s a triple camera module with an LED flash. Apart from these, we can see the roundness around the edges and premium finish to the Nex 2 design. Also, there’s a circular module on the upper back panel of the device, probably looking like an LED circle.

Already, in various leaks and rumours, we have got to know about the upcoming device but still many things are still unknown. Though as per the certifications, it will be powered with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and will have an option of 10 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.

It will feature dual massive screen-to-body AMOLED screen on the front and the rear sides. As like of its predecessor, it will feature an under-display fingerprint scanner along with modified FunTouch OS. Vivo Nex 2 dual screen may not feature front camera as its rear cameras and multiple displays will solve the purpose of selfies and video calling with ease.

Looking at the teasers of Vivo Nex 2, the device appears to be quite productive. Its dual displays and triple rear cameras have opened doors for many potential features. The new device might give another chance to Vivo to gain some good sales as like of Vivo Nex. Now it’s upto Vivo how they make the dual display more productive and churn some more profits out of it.

Do you have any idea to productively use the dual display device?

(Via)

OPPO’s Realme C1 launching December 5 in the Philippines via Lazada

OPPO’s Realme brand unveiled the Realme C1 during the launch of the Realme 2 Pro in India last month. The device is an entry-level model and has been released in Indonesia apart from India. So, it is no surprise that the company is now set to unveil the device in the Philippines. According to details released by popular retailer Lazada, the Realme C1 will be launched exclusively on its platform on December 5.Realme C1

The device will be launched with a starting price tag of PHP5,490 ($105)and this is for a device with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage which is the only variant available. This price is slightly higher than the price it was launched bearing in India and Indonesia (less than $100) and this slight increase is attributed to the poor performance of the Indian currency. The Realme C1 price will later berth at PHP5,990 ($113) after the opening sales.Realme C1

Read Also: Realme announces ColorOS 5.2 and monthly updates for Realme 1, 2, 2 Pro, and C1

The Realme C1 shares a couple of features with the Realme 2, including the chipset and the 6.2-inch notched screen. The difference comes from the memory, and a front-facing camera – the C1 has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage, while the selfie shooter is 5 MP. It also lacks a fingerprint scanner and has a plain back panel. The flash sale is scheduled to begin at 12noon tomorrow and buyers will get the option of choosing between the Black and the Blue colour variants. There are also several perks to encourage buyers like a 12-month warranty, free 15-day return, and instalment payment options.

(source)

MIUI 10.1 stable update brings Android Pie, 960fps slow motion to Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer Edition

Xiaomi promised that it would update more of its phones o Android Pie this month and it has kept its promise. The Mi 8 and Mi 8 Explorer have begun receiving a new stable update that brings Android Pie along with some other features.

The update comes as MIUI 10.1 and weighs in at 2.1GB. The key change is the upgrade to Android Pie but it also brings the Mi MIX 3‘s 960fps slow-motion recording and Night Mode camera features to both devices. The changelog also says there are a number of bug fixes including screen flickering and screen blackouts.

MIUI 10.1 Android 9 Pie Mi 8

The update is rolling out to the Chinese variants of these phones for now. A global stable version will definitely be announced in future.

READ MORE: Xiaomi announces Mi MIX 3 Forbidden City Edition will go on sale in December

Vivo NEX crosses 2 million sales in just 6 months

Remember Vivo Nex which was launched a few months ago as a first on-screen fingerprint device for the global market with a pop up camera? Well, it has achieved a milestone of 2 million sales in a span of just six months. Today, Vivo vice president, Hu Baishan revealed the sale figures and estimated sales worth 8 billion yuan in the last six months.

vivo nex s

Unlike the other fullscreen smartphones in the market, Vivo took a different approach and added a front camera on the top with a slider like technology. Its on-screen fingerprint sensor has allowed it to maintain 91.24% body-screen-ratio. The high-end Vivo Nex device carries a 6.59-inch touchscreen display having a resolution of 1080 x 2316 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 on board with 6/8 GB RAM coupled with Adreno 616 GPU.

The new sales milestone has once again proved that people still look for innovative devices. If companies are first to cross the innovative barrier, then they will surely benefit from the initial market burst. Vivo Nex series also proved the same, as it was the first device to give us a look on a full-view display having an on-screen fingerprint scanner.

Additionally, the stats have appeared just a day before the launch of its successor, Vivo Nex dual screen version in Shanghai. It will come with dual displays and a fingerprint on-screen sensor. Vivo is also making its camera experience more immersive with the introduction of triple cameras.

 

 

As an overview, Vivo Nex is available with a 6.59-inch touchscreen having a resolution of 1080×2316 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and comes with different RAM versions of 6/8GB. Further, Vivo Nex is powered by a 4000 mAh non-removable battery. It measures 162.00 x 77.00 x 7.98 (height x width x thickness) and weighs 199.00 grams.

In connectivity, it features Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, USB OTG, USB Type-C, 3G and 4G. In terms of sensors, there’s a compass, magnetometer, proximity sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and gyroscope.

Let’s see what the new Vivo Nex dual display device brings to the table. Are you waiting for it?

UMIDIGI One Max Hands-on video appears: Looks impressive!

UMIDIGI recently launched its UMIDIGI One Max with a bunch of extraordinary features. It carries various advancements than its predecessor, Umidigi One Pro. Moreover, it is the first Umidigi phone which carries 6.3-inch waterdrop full view display. The new useful yet elegant device has now appeared in an early hands-on video, allowing us to peek into its design and let us know some more details about it.

Umidigi One Max’s full-screen display with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and 91.5% screen ratio is making it look more useful and beautiful. The display also gives it an immersive video watching and gaming experience. Even though, it’s a high-end Helio P23 SoC with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM makes the experience even more richer by giving the smooth gaming experience.

It always feels good to get hands-on such a beautiful device that too with gradient colour option. Besides giving the full view experience with its powerful hardware, One Max also carries a big 4150 mAh battery powerhouse to sustain heavy gaming usage. Even though, Umidigi has added the ability to charge the massive battery with 18W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Overall, you need not to worry about its battery life, and your experience won’t be affected due to sudden power drops.

Umidigi One Max carries a dual 12 megapixel + 5-megapixel shooter on the rear side, giving you the excellent bokeh effect and many other enriched features. There’s another 16-megapixel selfie camera which provides you with a clearer yet beautiful selfies. It will also help you to experience better video calls.

Umidigi One Max side fingerprint sensor makes it more comfortable to use without hotching your fingers on the front or the rear side. Umidigi has placed the fingerprint at such a place that your fingers get the hold on it naturally.

umidigi

It carries Android 8.1 Oreo on board, making the experience smoother and enriched with additional features.

This new feature enriched Umidigi One Max will be yours for the pre-order price of $179.9 from December 10. Umidigi is even pouring in more efforts to maintain the users’ experience. The Chinese company is recruiting ten trial users, and you can enter the giveaway on their official website.

(Source)

Qualcomm Could Re-open Negotiations with NXP, says a Senior Analyst

Popular US-based mobile chip maker Qualcomm could still reconsider a move to buy NXP after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement at the G20 Summit that the matter could be revisited, suggests an analyst for TrendForce based out of Taipei. Qualcomm gave up all hopes for the deal recently when China blocked the move amidst escalating tensions between the US-China Trade war back in July this year. The saga started back in October 2016 when Qualcomm made a successful $38 billion bid for the semiconductor maker. However, in the months that followed, unforeseen issues such as shareholder backing arose prolonging the deal to be completed successfully. In July 2018, the deal finally fell apart when China disapproved the deal. Since Qualcomm has significant ties with Chinese OEMs, the chip maker had no choice but to agree with China’s decision.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Qualcomm chip with logo

Now, Yao, senior analyst at TrendForce says that Qualcomm could be forced to reconsider the move even after backing out because of unimpressive mobile chip sales this year. Most big smartphone markets like the US, China, and India are almost fully saturated and the world number one chip maker will be forced to look into new avenues for the coming decade. Unlike smartphones, the automotive chip industry has a huge amount of untapped potential. With NXP being the biggest supplier to the industry, Qualcomm could be forced to reopen the deal amidst a grim outlook for the mobile chip industry in the coming months.

A recent study by Allied Market Research forecasted the autonomous vehicle industry could grow to US$54.23 billion by 2019 and potentially to US$556.67 billion by 2026 with a 40 percent compound annual growth rate. On the other hand, the global smartphone shipments shrunk by 6 percent Y-o-Y in the Q3, 2018.

(Via)

OnePlus announces its first Research and Development facility in India

China-based smartphone maker OnePlus has announced its plans to open its first Research and Development (R&D) facility in India, which will be located at Hyderabad.

According to the company, the said facility will play a critical role in the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning software for its products as well as drive local innovations.

OnePlus

Vikas Agarwal, who is heading OnePlus India, had earlier revealed the company’s plan to set up a dedicated R&D team in the country that will focus on India-specific developments, alongside plans to open its second global headquarters in the country.

OnePlus said that it chose Hyderabad for the R&D facility because the city offers a sizeable talent pool, especially in the area of emerging technologies. Hyderabad is also one of their fastest growing markets in the country.

The company also announced that it will soon initiate campus hiring program at a number of universities including the IIT Delhi, and IIT Mumbai this year. While discussing the company’s plans in India, Pete Lau, Founder and CEO, OnePlus, said:

In three years, we plan to grow the new R&D center in Hyderabad into our biggest globally. We plan to re-focus our R&D efforts on a large scale and drive innovations in India for the global product, especially on the software side with a special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

OnePlus said it is committed to long-term growth in India, and with the commencement of operations at the new R&D center, it is seeking to integrate and dive deeper into the ‘Make in India’ strategy.

 

Read More: OnePlus will announce OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition at its 5th anniversary on December 14 in China

 

India is currently one of the biggest markets for OnePlus. According to IDC report, OnePlus held a 37 percent share in the Indian market for Q3 2018, outperforming majors brands like Apple and Samsung.

HTC Taiwan will let you customize the U12+ before buying

HTC Taiwan has announced a limited time program that will let new buyers of the HTC U12+ customize their phones. There is a dedicated page where you can create custom templates or use pre-designed ones by HTC.

HTC U12+ Customization

The HTC U12+ comes in Translucent Blue, Ceramic Black, and Flame Red but the customizable version is Translucent Black. So not only do you get to customize the phone but the color of the phone itself is different from the other variants.

Customizing your phone is easy. Just click on the version you want to buy (64GB or 128GB) and you get taken to the customization page. There are lots of stickers, shapes, and templates to choose from. You can also add custom texts if that’s what you prefer. Once you are done, make payment and your phone will be shipped to you in two weeks.HTC U12+ Customization

The customized HTC U12+ sells for a tiny bit more than the regular variants. The 64GB version is priced at NT$24,200 (~$790) as against the NT$23,900 (~$780) price of the non-customized version while the 128GB version is NT$25,200 (~$823), NT$300 (~$10) more than the regular version. So you are literally paying $10 more for a new color variant custom-made for you or a loved one. Do note that the program runs until December 31, 2018.

READ MORE: HTC debunks rumor about it not launching a HTC U13, reveals focus is on 5G

Huawei Nova 4 posters teaser in-display camera design ahead of December 17 launch

Yesterday, Huawei confirmed that it will be launching the Nova 4 smartphone on Dec. 17 in Changsha, China. The smartphone will be sporting an in-display camera design. Today, Huawei’s different channels on Shenzhen Satellite TV, Hunan Satellite TV, Palm Reader, Weibo TV, Souho News and Youko have carried Nova 4 posters to tease its design.

Huawei had launched the Nova 3 smartphone with dual front-facing cameras placed inside the large-sized display notch. The smartphone offers around 84 percent screen-to-body ratio. The in-screen camera design of the upcoming Nova 4 suggests that it will deliver more than 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. It is speculated that the smartphone could be equipped with an impressive front-facing camera.

[envira-gallery id=”225959″]

The specifications of the Huawei Nova 4 are still under the wraps. There is no confirmation on whether the Kirin 710 chipset or Kirin 980 SoC will be present under the hood of the device. On the basis of the predecessor model, it can be guessed that the Nova 4 will come with up to 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of native storage. The Android 9 Pie OS flavored EMUI 9.0 is expected to be available preinstalled on the device.

The smartphone will be arriving to rival with Samsung Galaxy A8s that is confirmed to go official with Infinity-O display design on Dec. 10. The Snapdragon 710 chipset powered smartphone will also feature an in-screen camera. The handset will be also blessed with triple rear cameras. Hence, it is being speculated that the Nova 4 could be also arriving with triple camera system. On Dec. 6, Lenovo will be announcing the Lenovo Z5s. Instead of camera cutout at the top-left corner, it will be featuring it at the center at the notification bar area.

(via)

Lenovo Moto Z is an insane value smartphone for $169.99!

Lenovo Moto Z was released quite some time ago and now the prices have dropped significantly. We think this is an insane value smartphone for $169.99 considering the specs, design and the fact that it is made by a respectable manufacturer.

The Moto Z has a good old Snapdragon 820 which is still much powerful than most of low-end or midrange Mediatek chipsets out there. In addition, the phone has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The display is another highlight of the phone. You get a 5.5″ panel with 2560 x 1440 pixels.

Other key features include the ability to customize the phone with moto mods. In addition, the phone is incredibly thin measuring at just 5.5mm. Other key specs: 13MP camera on the back, 5MP shooter on the front, SD card slot, a fingerprint scanner and last but not least, excellent build quality as the phone is made of metal and glass.

You can now get the Moto Z for $169.99 which is an incredible value for the price.

Buy Moto Z

Nubia says no Android Pie for Nubia Z17

If you own the Nubia Z17, then you will definitely be pretty pissed at Nubia by the time you are done reading this post.

The Nubia Z17 was one of the flagship phones released by Nubia last year and an impressive one due to its combination of flagship specs and an affordable price. When it was announced in June, it ran Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box which is understandable since Android Oreo wasn’t out yet.

Nubia later updated the phone to Nubia UI 6.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo, making that its first major OS update and as it has turned out now, its last.

Nubia Z17

Nubia has announced that its 2017 flagship will not get any major OS upgrade anymore. According to the manufacturer, the software development team has to focus on other devices and won’t be working on the Nubia Z17 anymore. Which means it will not get Android Pie and other future Android versions. However, the phone will still get Nubia UI updates.

While Nubia hasn’t said anything about the Nubia Z17s, its second flagship of 2017, we will advise you not to raise your hopes. The phone got an update last month and it still didn’t bring Android 8.1 Oreo, so users are still stuck on Android Nougat. The update to Oreo may come later but there is a high chance that will also be its last major OS update.

READ MORE: Nubia Red Magic Mars goes official with 10 GB RAM and trigger buttons for gaming

Huami Partners with Jiutian MSI Aerospace Company

Today, Huami Technology made an official announcement on its cooperation with Jiutian MSI. Huami has released the following teaser which confirms the cooperation between the two Chinese companies. However, there is no information available on why both firms have partnered with each other.

Jiutian MSI is a private commercial aerospace enterprise that was established in Jun 2015 in China. The company plans to launch 72 satellites worldwide to become the first Chinese commercial low-bit IoT constellation system for global data collection and heavy asset monitoring. It will be serving multiple IoT applications such as global material monitoring, intelligent logistics and environmental monitoring.

Jiutian MSI had successfully launched its first independent satellite on Feb. 2 this year. It is the first education shared satellite in China that is aimed towards schools and educational institutions with satellite monitoring and control stations.

On the other side, Huami is a popular brand that sells smart wearables. It is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of wearable devices. In Q3 2018, the shipments of Huawei wearables reached 8.2 million units. It has a large number of users across the globe. Huami is also known for the developing Huangshan No. 1 which is the world’s first smart wearable artificial intelligence chip. Also, it is the sole partner of Xiaomi wearable like Mi Band series.

The partnership between Huami and Jiutian MSI have left fans of the wearable manufacturer to speculate what these companies could planning to launch in the near future. Some are speculating that Huami’s partnership with Jiutian MSI may give birth to a smartwatch with robust location tracking capabilities or a wearable that allow users to view heavenly bodies.

What do you think the partnership of Huami and Jiutian MSI will bring forth? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

HMD Global to soon launch Nokia 5.1 Plus in Europe for €259 (~$295)

After launching Nokia X5 in China, HMD Global had launched the Nokia 5.1 Plus smartphone in the Indian market a few months ago. Now, the Finnish company is all set to launch the Nokia 5.1 Plus in the Europian market.

The company has been reportedly teasing the launch of the phone in Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine. Now, a report from MSP suggests that the Nokia 5.1 Plus will soon launch in Europe, carrying a price tag of €259, which roughly converts to $295.

Nokia 5.1 Plus

For comparison, the phone is priced at Rs. 10,999 in the Indian market, which roughly converts to $151. With a price tag of €259, the European pricing is almost double compared to the Indian pricing, placing the smartphone from a budget device to mid-range offering.

To recall the specifications, the phone comes with a 5.86-inch display with 2.5D curved glass that produces HD+ screen resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. Under the hood, it is powered by MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core chipset, along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

For photography, the Nokia 5.1 Plus features f/2.0 aperture 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup on the back panel and a front-facing selfie shooter of 8-megapixel with f/2.2 aperture. Other features on the device include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock support.

As for connectivity, it supports 4G VoLTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack and USB Type-C port. Being a part of Android One program, the phone is running a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo operating system and is powered by a 3,060mAh battery.

 

Read More: Nokia 7.1 with 5.84-inch ‘PureDisplay’ and Snapdragon 636 chipset launched in India for Rs. 19,990 ($287)

 

Meanwhile, the company has promised that the phone will start receiving the Android 9 Pie update by the end of this year. However, it has already received the November security patch update.

(Source)

Pre-Order Bakeey F64HR Smart Watch For Just $13.99 On Banggood

Fitness purists usually resort to using steeply priced fitness gadgets that not only keeps a track of their health but also monitors their activities.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective smart bracelet, you might want to take a gander at the Bakeey F64HR. This feature-laden watch from Bakeey has gone up for pre-order bearing a heavily discounted price tag on Banggood.

While you’d normally expect a smart bracelet that boasts an impressive array of features to carry a steep price tag, the Bakeey F64HR will set you back just $13.99 on Banggood. It is imperative for you to bear in mind this 53% discount will be limited to the first 100 pieces only.

The next 300 pieces will sell for $15.99, while the remaining 500 pieces will be available bearing a $21.99 price sticker, which is still a noteworthy reduction in the device’s original asking price of $29.99. You can choose between 5 color versions including black, blue, red, pink and purple.
The Bakeey-branded F64HR sports smart bracelet comes with sports monitoring, sleep monitoring and swimming monitoring features. Aside from that, it can track various other activities like cycling and swimming.

On top of that, the F64HR smart bracelet is capable of monitoring the wearer’s heart rate. You can connect it to the mobile app in order to view your heart rate data and health status analysis. Moreover, it comes with an IP68 level protection against water and dust.

The F64HR smart bracelet is made using skin-friendly, soft and comfortable material. Sporting an eye-catching ergonomic design, the device is designed to encourage you to lead a healthier lifestyle. It gives the wearer access to calories at any time and can quantify daily work out on the basis of accumulated data.

You can head straight to this link to check out more details about the Bakeey F64HR smartwatch and grab the discount.