Vivo iQOO smartphone confirmed to pack Snapdragon 855 SoC, 12GB RAM and triple rear cameras

Get 17% Off On Teclast F7 Plus Laptop

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Feb 19, 2019

Touted as one of China’s best online stores for electronic items, GeekBuying has teamed up with Teclast to offer the F7 Plus laptop and the Teclast 98 phablet at lowered prices.
Moreover, we’ll reveal specific coupon codes that you can use to get extra discounts during the checkout process. So without further ado, let us delve straight into the details.

Teclast F7 Plus Laptop

The F7 Plus is a budget laptop that boasts an impressive array of features. Manufactured by the popular Chinese brand that makes tablet PCs, smart bands, power banks, USB flash etc., the F7 Plus laptop usually retails for $434.99.

But much to the relief of budget-conscious buyers, the coveted laptop has gone up for sale carrying a reduced price tag of just $359.99 on GeekBuying.
You can even extend this 17 percent discount by using coupon code GIZ_YFXHALMW and get an extra $14 off.

In other words, you can reduce the original asking price of the F7 Plus laptop further down to only $355.99 simply by applying the above-mentioned coupon.

You can follow this link to avail the discount and check out more details about the Teclast F7 Plus laptop. Note that the promo is slated to end in just three days.

Teclast 98 Phablet

The market is brimming with low-priced phablets that may not meet your daily needs.

Moreover, those who refrain from spending a lot of money on a high-end phablet, usually end up compromising on quality.

If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on a feature-laden phablet that doesn’t cost a bomb, the Teclast 98 might just fill the bill. This feature-laden phablet was launched in March 2017.
Sporting a 10.1 inch full HD IPS display with a screen resolution of 1920×1200 pixels, the Teclast 98 continues to garner popularity among those who fancy watching their favorite videos on a big screen.

Under the hood, the phablet packs MT6753 processor along with Mali-T720 MPS GPU that supports H.265 format video decoders as well as offline 1080P offline playback.

Moreover, the Teclast 98 comes with 2GB of RAM that ensures that games and APKs run without any sort of lag. It offers 32GB of onboard storage capacity for you to save your favorite content.

The dual-SIM phablet houses a 5.0MP rear-mounted camera and a 2.0MP front shooter. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow and is backed by a 4900mAh Li-ion battery.

While the aforesaid features justify the $222.99 price tag the Teclast 98 usually carries, you can now buy it for just $139.99 on GeekBuying.

On top of that, you can use coupon code GIZ_LZLQNNCQ and get an extra $26 off before placing your order.

In other words, you can reduce the asking price of the Teclast 98 to just $135.99 with the help of the coupon, which is likely to expire soon.

You can click here to visit the promotion page and avail the discount, which is specifically valid for the white color version of the Teclast 98 phablet. Note that the promo will come to an end in just three days.

Get 37% Off On Teclast 98 Phablet

Check Out Super Deals On GeekBuying

Vivo U1 with 6.2-inch FullView display, SD439 SoC and dual rear cameras launched in China

By

Jeet

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Feb 19, 2019

Vivo has today officially announced its latest smartphone under its all-new U-series — Vivo U1. Launched in China, the smartphone is currently limited to the company’s home market and it’s not yet known if it will make it to other markets anytime soon.

The Vivo U1 comes in three color options — Midnight Black, Purple, and Aurora Red colors. It comes in two variants — 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM. While the 3GB RAM model is priced at 799 Yuan, the 4GB RAM costs 1,199 Yuan. The smartphone is already available for purchase in China through Vivo’s online store.

The smartphone features a 6.2-inch FullView display with 1520 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 19:9 aspect ratio, and 2.5D curved glass on top. Thanks to the waterdrop notch, the phone comes with 88.6 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 439 mid-range octa-core processor, which is coupled with Adreno 505 GPU and either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. The 3GB RAM model packs 32GB internal storage while the 4GB RAM model comes with 64GB internal storage.

There’s also a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB. As for the camera department, the handset features an AI Smart Dual camera setup on the back, consisting of a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor, along with an LED flash. The camera module is placed in the top-left corner, in a vertical position.

On the front side, the phone comes with an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. It also supports facial recognition-based face unlock feature. There’s also a fingerprint sensor placed on the phone’s back panel for added security.

Connectivity options on the device include Dual SIM, Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system with the company’s own FunTouch OS 4.5 on top. The device drives power from a 4,030mAh battery. The phone measures 155.1 × 75.09 × 8.28 mm and weighs 163.5 grams.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Go Smartphone For Just $69.99 On Banggood

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Feb 19, 2019

The hotly-anticipated Redmi Go smartphone has been subject to all sorts of speculations and leaks.

While the Redmi Go is slated to hit the Indian store shelves today, February 19th, the global version of the recently unveiled smartphone has already gone up for sale on Banggood.

Normally expected to set you back $89.99, the Xiaomi Redmi Go can now be yours if you are willing to shell out just $69.99 on Banggood.

The Chinese online store known for offering the best bang for your buck has teamed up with Xiaomi to offer a 22 percent discount on the Redmi Go smartphone.
An absolute steal at this price, the Redmi Go sports an eye-catching 5.0 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution and an aspect ratio of 16:9.

The phone packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Processor, Quad core, up to 1.4GHz processor along with a highly competent Adreno 308, up to 500MHz GPU, under the hood.

It ships with 1GB of RAM and offers 8GB of onboard storage capacity that can be extended up to 128GB using a microSD card.

On the photography front, the Redmi Go houses an 8.0MP camera on the back with Single LED flash, Auto-focus, HDR and a slew of other features.

Up front, there’s a 5.0MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture, 3-element lens, selfie timer, and HDR for superior self-portraits and video chatting experience.

The phone runs Android Go (8.x) OS and draws its juices from a built-in 3000mAh battery. In terms of sensors, the Redmi Go features an ambient light sensor, vibration motor, proximity sensor, and an accelerometer.

While you can buy both the black and the blue color version of the Redmi Go smartphone at a lowered price, it is worth noting that there were only 498 pieces of each color version left for this promo at the time of writing.

You can follow this link to take full advantage of the discount and check out more details about the global version of the Xiaomi Redmi Go smartphone. Note that the promo is slated to end on February 25th.

Get 22% Off On Xiaomi Redmi Go Smartphone

Two Variants Of The Xiaomi Mi 9 Smartphone Have Gone Up For Pre-Order On Giztop

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Feb 19, 2019

Xiaomi’s hotly-anticipated Mi 9 smartphone is yet to hit the store shelves. The phone has been floating around the rumor mill and making several appearances online in the form of leaks.

As if that weren’t enough, the Chinese electronics company known for making top-end mobile devices has been teasing key details about the Mi 9.

In fact, Xiaomi gave its loyal fanbase a brief glimpse of the upcoming device’s colors while spilling the beans on the triple camera setup, wireless charging, screen, fingerprint scanner etc.

Much to the delight of those who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on the long-rumored smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi 9 has finally gone up for pre-order on Giztop.

There are two variants of the phone that you can pre-order on Giztop. You can go for the black-tinted variant that ships with 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage capacity and will set you back $599.

Alternatively, you can buy the slightly larger variant of the Xiaomi Mi 9 that features 8GB of RAM and offers a hearty 128GB of onboard storage capacity. This variant carries a $699 price tag on Giztop.

The Xiaomi Mi 9 is quite an irresistible smartphone. It boasts an impressive array of features including a mammoth 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, FHD+ display with 2280×1080 pixels resolution.

Under the hood, the phone packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor along with a highly competent Adreno 640 GPU for an immersive video watching and casual gaming experience.

On the optics front, the Mi 9 houses a 48MP+12MP+16MP triple camera setup on the back. Up front, there’s a 24MP AI selfie camera.

Moreover, the device runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie operating system and draws its juices from a 3500mAh battery that supports 32W Fast Charge, and 20W fast wireless charging.

Aside from featuring a 5th generation In-Display Fingerprint Scanner, the Mi 9 comes with a slew of useful sensors like accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, and compass.

You can visit this link to check out more details about the feature-laden Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone and buy a variant of the phone that suits your fancy. Note that the estimated delivery for the phone is by the end of next month.

Pre-Order Xiaomi Mi 9 Smartphone

Baidu unveils its AI cat shelter with facial recognition to cater for stray cats

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Feb 19, 2019

China’s Baidu as unveiled a cat shelter that it built to care for stray cats and the shelter incorporates two innovative technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and facial recognition. The internet giant says the project was instigated by one of its employees Wan Xi who discovered a small cat sheltering under his car last winter. The employee took the cat to a vet and then resolved to deploy his technological know-how to help improve the situation for other stray cats.

The shelter is equipped with several facilities such as regular dispatches of food and water, a warm space to sleep and even toys to keep the cat company. The standout feature is the technological add-ons which ensure only cats can get in. One of such is the facial recognition to grant the cat access to the shelter. The shelter has a glass door which slides open when a cat is t the front. The facial recognition also checks if the cat has any disease and assess whether or not they’ve been neutered. Where it is identified to be a sick cat, a message is sent to a nearby volunteer organization that looks after stray animals to come and administer the required help. There was no mention of the number of cats the shelter can hold at a time.

This is likely a pilot project and the innovation could be of immense usefulness in China were cats are popular pets. It is also common to see stray cats with such a large population of cat lovers.

Buy Logitech MX ERGO Trackball Wireless Mouse And G413 SWITCH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard At Slashed Prices On GearBest [Coupons Inside]

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Get 27% Off On Logitech MX ERGO Wireless Trackball Mouse

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Feb 19, 2019

Mouse and keyboard are important computer accessories since almost all interactions with a PC involve using them.

There’s no dearth of top-end mouse and keyboards in the market today, but this device can set you back a pretty penny.

In other words, if you aren’t willing to shell out a lot of money on a feature-rich mouse, you are highly likely to end up compromising on quality. But it looks like GearBest is bent on changing that.

In a bid to make top-branded mouse available to those living on a tight budget, GearBest has teamed up with Logitech to offer the MX ERGO trackball wireless mouse and Logitech G413 SWITCH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard at lowered prices.

Moreover, we will show how you can use specific coupons to save a considerable amount of extra money at checkout. So without further ado, let’s delve into the details.

Logitech MX ERGO Trackball Wireless Mouse

Made using a superior quality ABS material, the Logitech MX ERGO is easy to grip and does not slip from the palm.

Moreover, it adopts Logitech’s optical tracking technology to guarantee accurate location every time.

In a bid to deliver an unparalleled comfortable experience, the Logitech MX ERGO is equipped with the trajectory ball, which ensures complete control.

The user can select an ideal angle anywhere between 0 and 20 degrees simply by adjusting the one-of-a-kind shaft available on the mouse.

Designed for a PC laptop, the Logitech MX ERGO is compatible with multiple operating systems including Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

While you’d expect a wireless mouse offering comparable features to cost a bomb, the MX ERGO wireless trackball mouse can be yours for a dropped price of just $142.99 on GearBest.

This is a 27 percent reduction in the device’s original asking price of $195.39.

By applying coupon code GB-CN32LME during the checkout process, you can get an extra $13 off.

As a result, the already reduced retail price of the MX ERGO wireless trackball mouse drops down to just $129.99.

You can follow this link to grab the discount, which is valid for the black color version of the mouse. With only 50 pieces remaining, the promo is slated to end in just six days.

Logitech G413 SWITCH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The carefully designed G413 provides superior performance and is loaded with an impressive array of functions that meet the needs of avid gamers.

The device features a slim chassis, which is made from lightweight, yet durable 5052 aluminum alloy. You can use FN + F8 to effortlessly switch to game mode and customize settings.

Aside from that, the G413 features a USB connector that delivers a full speed USB2.0 port.

It sports a suspension key design that ensures dirt and other impurities get automatically removed.

The G413 mechanical gaming keyboard usually carries a $125.61 price tag, but as part of its latest Flash Sale, GearBest is now offering it for a considerably reduced price of just $109.99.

You can extend this 12 percent discount by using coupon code GB-CN413G. The coupon helps you save $10 more by reducing the original asking price of the G413 keyboard to just $99.99.

In order to grab this discount which is valid for the platinum and black color versions of the keyboard, all you need to do is to follow this link.

Note that there were only fifty pieces of both color versions remaining at the time of writing. It is also worth noting that the promo will come to an end in just six days.

Get 12% Off On Logitech G413 SWITCH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

January 2019 Smartphone Sales Figures in China: Huawei on top

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Feb 19, 2019

A leaked screenshot of China’s Sino Market Research data for the month of January 2019 has afforded an early insight into how the various Chinese OEMs fared in January. Sino Research has released a disclaimer that the data credited to it was false and that it will release its official data on February 21. That could just be a way of diffusing the leak, though.

The chart ranks the smartphone companies based on their sales volumes as well as market share. Huawei maintains a clear lead, having a head start which saw it ship up to 7.8 million units. This represents a 23% market share. Huawei’s Honor brand came in second with 6.13 million units shipped and 18% market share. If we’ll combine the market share of Huawei and Honor, it means Huawei commands roughly 41% of the market which is almost half of the entire market.

On the third and fourth spots are BBK subsidiaries OPPO and Vivo with shipments of 6.1 million and 6.01 million units respectively. This represents 18% and 17.5% market share respectively. Interestingly, US tech company Apple shipping 3.1 million iPhones in China this January, giving it a 9% share of the market. Apple came well ahead of Xiaomi which shipped an estimated 2.8 million units (8% market share). The data also showed Meizu shipped a measerly 3.4 nillion units to claima 1% share of the market.

Sony invites you to “Embrace a new perspective” on February 25

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Feb 18, 2019

Sony has dropped a new video that teases its new 21:9 display which will appear in its upcoming phones such as the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus.

The fifteen-second video which was posted on Twitter earlier today with the caption“Embrace a new perspective with #Xperia at #SonyMWC” shows the wide display which a trademark application document revealed is called “CinemaWide Display”. It also reveals the details of Sony’s launch event.

Embrace a new perspective with #Xperia at #SonyMWC pic.twitter.com/RrWJFShpGR

— Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 18, 2019

Sony will take the wraps off its new phones on Monday, February 25 at 8:45 AM CET. The Japanese phone manufacturer is expected to announce the Xperia 10 duo, the Xperia L3, and the flagship Xperia XZ4.

TCL developing five foldable devices, one folds into a large bracelet

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Feb 18, 2019

Samsung, Huawei, and Nubia are set to announce foldable devices over the next few days. LG says it is sitting it out for now and Xiaomi has shown off a prototype. A report says China’s TCL is also joining the party with not one but five foldable devices.

TCL is known as the licensee for BlackBerry and Alcatel brands. It owns the Palm brand too but has licensed it to another company which made the Palm phone released back in November. A report by CNET says the company has joined the foldable train and is developing two foldable smartphones, two foldable tablets, and a fifth foldable device that wraps around your wrist like a large bracelet.

According to patents and renderings, one of the tablets folds inwards while another folds outwards. The same applies to the phones too but are said to bend on the horizontal line like a flip phone. The fifth device, which sounds more exciting, can wrap around the wrist. CNET says a TCL executive told them back at CES 2019 that their first foldable phone will launch in 2020.

Motorola 5G Moto Mod appears at FCC with additional details

By

Simranpal Singh

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Updated Feb 21, 2019

While launching Moto Z3 in August last year, Motorola promised to bring 5G compatibility with a Moto Mod. Well, it seems that the Lenovo owned company is quietly working on it and is now in the certification phase. Recently, Motorola 5G Moto Mod has appeared at FCC in the US. Its several details have been uncovered in the recent listing at the US certification agency.

As per the Motorola’s description, the new 5G Moto Mod would bring 5G compatibility across Motorola devices such as Moto Z3. It will feature proximity sensors to shut off any of its four mm-wave 5G antennas. It will use any of the four available mm-wave antennas having the best signal reception. The documentation also reveals that the mm-wave antennae will disable the transmission when a user may be located in the proximity.

Motorola in description has adequately described the mechanism of the 5G Moto Mod working. It reads:

As mentioned in the device description, capacitive and proximity sensors are used to disable transmission from a given mm-wave antenna array module when a user may be located in close proximity to the module and in a direction in which the module may transmit. The control mechanism is a simple one in which, if proximity detectors indicate the potential presence of the user within a roughly conical region in front of the module where power density may approach the MPE limit, that module is disabled from use by the modem. This terminates and prevents transmission from the module in question until the condition is cleared.

Now, most of the users would be curious to know about the new mm -meter waves, its effects and other things. Well, the millimetre waves are non-ionizing waves which don’t have enough energy to make any changes to living cells. Further, similar waves are also present at the airport body scanners, which are marked as safe and causing no adverse effect on your body. Further, the new Moto Mod will be following the exposure limits set by the FCC. Overall, you need not to worry about mm-waves as these are marked as purely safe by concerned agencies.

Earlier reports claim that Motorola 5G Moto Mod will carry its own Snapdragon 855 chipset fitted with X50 5G modem. In order to boost the signal strength, the Mod will host 10 antennas and a 2000 mAh battery to sustain on its own. It will help the 5G motherboard compatible Motorola devices to get 5G support with it.

Moving ahead, the new Moto Mod is 7mm thick which will make your Moto Z3 look bulkier. Although, Motorola is now claiming to end up on 200-500 Mbps speed against 5Gbps with the new 5G Moto Mod.

Its pricing, compatibility and availability details are not yet available. Although, it is believed that the 5G Moto Mod will be made available on upcoming Verizon’s 5G network. We expect some more details to surface at MWC 2019.

(Via)

Flipkart slashes POCO F1 price for Mobile Bonanza sales, starts at Rs. 17,999 (~$250)

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Feb 18, 2019

Starting tomorrow, the POCO F1 will be available at one of its lowest prices since it launched. Flipkart is running a sales – Mobile Bonanza – from the 19th of February till the 23rd of February and the Xiaomi flagship killer will be selling for less than its normal price.

The POCO F1 comes in three variants – 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB. During the duration of the sales, you will be able to purchase the 6GB RAM + 64GB version for Rs. 17,999 (~$252) instead of Rs. 19,999 (~$280). For double the storage, you pay Rs. 20,999 (~$294) instead of Rs. 24,999 (~$350). If you want more RAM and more storage, the 8GB version starts at Rs. 24,999 (~$350) down from Rs. 27,999 (~$392).

Incredible offers coming your way tomorrow at @Flipkart Mobiles Bonanza!

Check out the effective prices on exchange below! pic.twitter.com/imVhcvahAz

— POCO India (@IndiaPOCO) February 18, 2019

The POCO F1 has a 6.18-inch FHD+ display with Gorilla Glass on top. It is powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor and packs a 4,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0. It has LiquidCool technology to keep the CPU cool while playing games or performing other CPU-intensive tasks.

Samsung Galaxy A50 new real image confirms Triple Rear Camera module

By

Simranpal Singh

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Feb 18, 2019

Amid numerous rumors and leaks, Samsung Galaxy A50 is here with another image leak. A new real image is showcasing its triple rear camera module. The image is verifying the old rumors that the Galaxy A50 will be equipped with three cameras on its back. Further, the device seems to carry an in-screen fingerprint sensor as the newly leaked image also confirms it. Moreover, Galaxy A50 will come with a glossy plastic back along with gradient finish. The new device is also reported to feature in Black and White color options.

Already, it has been certified by WiFi Alliance with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi b/g/n and Wi-Fi Direct and Android 9.0 Pie onboard. As per the old leaks, Galaxy A50 is coming to India along with A30 and A10 devices. It is expected to feature 6.4-inch FHD+ display with a screen resolution of 1080X2340 pixels. It’s 19.5:9 aspect ratio will give you a broader viewing experience. Samsung is reported to power it with Exynos 9610 Chipset packing an Octa Core CPU.

As per the spec sheet leaked a few days ago, the Korean giant will add a triple rear camera module comprising 25 megapixels + 5 megapixels + 8 megapixels sensors. Similarly, on the front side, there will be a single 25-megapixel camera for beautiful selfies. In order to sustain for a longer period upon a full charge, the company seems to have added 4000 mAh battery. It also supports 15 W fast charging via Type-C port.

Read More: Samsung announces Galaxy Tab S5e and Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) ahead of Unpacked event

Samsung wants to attract whole mid-range market with its all-new Galaxy A series. It’s an expansion to endeavor the lost market in developing nations. As revealed last week, Samsung India wants to reclaim the lost crown as the largest smartphone maker in India. They have already announced the Galaxy M series which is earning many positive reviews. The new Galaxy A series will extend the efforts of Samsung to take back number one spot as the largest smartphone manufacturer.

(Source)

LG monitoring the upcoming Galaxy foldable phone and others; will release one if the response is positive

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Feb 18, 2019

Tech giant LG Electronics was recently reported to have changed its marketing strategy in order to make a meaningful push for a slice of the market share in the mobile phone industry post-4G. The Korean company is said to be planning to launch its flagship G8 ThinQ alongside the V50ThinQ 5G at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month. This is a deviation from its itinerary which involves launching the G series flagship first in the spring, followed by the V-series in the fall.

This change of strategy is to enable LG to get on the 5G train early enough to grab a slice of the pie. Apart from 5G, another technology that will headline this year is foldable phones. Samsung has been repeatedly touted to be planning the launch of its foldable phone in a couple of days time. Unfortunately, LG will not be getting on this train anytime soon as the company feels it is “too early” to release its own foldable phone. This was disclosed by Kwon Bong-seok the newly appointed head of LG’s mobile division, as reported by The Korea Times. LG has been known to have got a foldable phone in the works but may have “decided not to produce” it just yet after “reviewing” the possibility.

The decision not to produce a foldable phone may not be unconnected with the school of thought which LG shares that there isn’t a lot of demand at the moment for foldable mobile devices. However, the company is in the lookout for reactions to the launch of te Galaxy F and others. If the reaction is positive, the company says it is “fully ready to respond.”

Xiaomi’s product manager says more mid-range phones will have in-display fingerprint scanners this year

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Feb 18, 2019

The Mi 8 Pro and the Mi 8 Explorer Edition were the first Xiaomi phones to launch with an in-display fingerprint scanner. They will be joined by the Mi 9 and the Mi 9 Explorer Edition in a few days but it seems the feature might make its way to mid-range Xiaomi phones this year.

The info comes from Xiaomi’s product manager, Wang Teng Thomas, who disclosed in a Weibo post yesterday that their goal for 2019 is to bring the “Fingerprint on Display” feature to more mid-range models.

There is no info on which of Xiaomi’s upcoming mid-range phones will have it. The Redmi 7 Pro expected to launch soon has its fingerprint scanner on the rear. The devices we can think of right now include the Mi MAX 4, the Mi 9 SE, Mi 9 Lite (if there is one in development), and maybe even the successor to the Mi 6X.

The post also revealed why the Mi MIX 3 which was released back in November doesn’t have an in-display fingerprint scanner while the Honor Magic 2 which is also a slider phone has it. The reason according to Mr. Thomas is due to the differences in the design and structure of the slider in both phones. He said he will provide a proper explanation next week.

MWC 2019: What to expect from the biggest smartphone trade show of the year

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 18, 2019

If you are a mobile-addict, you are currently in the most exciting month of the year. A lot of the most important smartphones of 2019 will be officially announced in February thanks to the MWC 2019. Mobile World Congress is the world’s biggest trade show related to mobile devices and it will kick off on February 25, then it will last until February 28. Several important smartphone manufacturers will be announcing their new smartphones, including flagships and affordable devices, in Barcelona, starting from February 24. Some companies decided to launch their device even before the event, on February 20. Here, you will find all the important smartphones that are expected to launch this month and at MWC 2019.

Smartphones launching on February 20

Samsung

Instead of launching its main 2019 line-up at MWC 2019, Samsung will hold a separate Unpacked event in San Francisco. In this event, the company will officially unveil the Samsung Galaxy S10 series and its first foldable phone that is supposed to be called Galaxy F. The Galaxy S10 line-up will be composed of the vanilla S10, Galaxy S10+ and an affordable variant called Galaxy S10e (previously known as S10 Lite). The S10 Plus will also come in a very advanced variant with 12 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage which may carry the support to 5G networks. Besides these devices, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy M30 mid-ranger with a mammoth 5000 mAh battery in India on February 27.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi will try to steal Samsung’s audience on February 20 by officially announcing its 2019 flagship: the Mi 9. It will have a notched display and it will be equipped with a 48 MP triple camera and a Snapdragon 855 chipset. Besides the standard version, we expect Xiaomi to release two additional variants that will distinguish from the vanilla one for their see-through rear cover. There will be an Explorer Edition of the Mi 9 with 10 GB of RAM and, according to the latest rumors, there will also be another version with 12 GB of RAM with a transparent back.

Vivo

Vivo recently introduced its first sub-brand iQOO, but there is still no confirmation about the launch date of the first device from this brand. Instead, the company is set to announce an upper-midrange phone called Vivo V15 Pro on February 20. The phone will boast a triple camera setup on its back and a pop-up front camera, so it will come with a very high screen-to-body ratio and a notch-less display. Tomorrow, Vivo will also launch the U1, which will be the first device from the new U series, and it will be an affordable phone with a big 4030 mAh battery.

Smartphones launching at Mobile World Congress 2019

Huawei and Honor

It is still too early for the Huawei P30 line-up that will be officially unveiled in Paris in March, but Huawei will showcase something that looks even more interesting at MWC 2019: its first foldable phone. The company officially teased it, but we do not know whether it is still a concept phone or it is ready to go in mass production and hit the shelves. There is no confirmation about the launch of new Honor phones at MWC 2019, but Huawei’s sub-brand usually makes important announcements at the trade show, so expect something.

Sony

Sony is expected to unveil a full line-up of devices ranging from the midrange to the flagship segment. The Japanese giant will come up at MWC 2019 with the new Xperia XZ4 that will sport the world’s first (and tallest) 21:9 display called CinemaWide display. Alongside the XZ4, the company will also unveil the Xperia XA3 and XA3 Plus that should be rebranded in Xperia 10 and 10 Plus. Last but not least, we expect even the low-end Xperia L3 to show up at MWC 2019 with a similar design to the Xperia 10 line-up.

Nokia

After a year from its latest flagship, HMD Global will finally launch a new one at MWC 2019: the Nokia 9 PureView. One of its highlights will be the penta-camera setup on the back that will surely come with Carl Zeiss lenses. The handset will debut on February 24 alongside the Nokia 6.2 and the Nokia 8.1 Plus. The former will be a mid-ranger and it is said to be equipped with a Snapdragon 632 chipset, up to 6 GB of RAM and a 16 MP dual rear camera. The latter will be an advanced variant of the Nokia 8.1, also known in China as Nokia X7, which boasts the Snapdragon 710 SoC.

LG

For the first time ever, LG is expected to unveil the main flagships of the year from both the G and V series at MWC 2019. We are talking about the LG G8 ThinQ and the LG V50 ThinQ. Among their highlights, there will be a new technology that will allow the sound to come from the display (CrystalSound) and a touchless gesture control technology. Besides LG G8 and V50, the Korean company will also unveil its first smartphone with the support to 5G. LG was previously rumored to unveil its first folding phone at MWC 2019, but now it seems unlikely.

Read More: Sony Xperia 10, Xperia 10 Plus specifications and price leaked

Oppo

The rumor mill suggests that Oppo may launch one or max two devices at MWC 2019. First of all, the company might unveil its first 5G device, just like LG. But we do not have any official confirmation on this. What is confirmed is that the company will show up its 10x lossless zoom technology, and it is expected to debut on a first device that will be official at MWC 2019. The 10x zoom technology seems the most important Oppo’s technology ever unveiled at Mobile World Congress alongside the Super VOOC fast charging technology.

Motorola

Last but not least, Motorola is rumored to attend the MWC 2019 with a revival of the best-selling Motorola RAZR. According to recent concepts, the phone will have a foldable display but it will look totally different from Samsung and Huawei’s foldable phones. It should be a cross-over between a clamshell phone and a smartphone, with a tall foldable display inside and an external traditional screen. The handset is said to launch through the U.S. carrier Verizon with a listing price of about $1500.

Which phone are you most excited at the event this year?

Xiaomi and Honor VP in verbal war over Honor V20’s 3D Slimming feature

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Feb 18, 2019

Xiaomi and Honor are unarguably two of t biggest online smartphone brands in China. So, there is that unspoken rivalry, more like a cold war. But the relationship between both companies went further south recently when Xiaomi’s Lu Weibin, President of the Redmi brand raised some questions that are more of criticism on a promotional post by Honor about the Honor V20’s 3D Smart slimming feature.

In the response, Lu Weibin who was recently employed to head the newly created Redmi brand asked what the 3D body function was and question its credibility. In response, an Honor executive suggested the Xiaomi exec should buy a V20 to get the first-hand experience. Later on, Honor’s VP in charge of Honor consumer business hinted that the 3D slimming feature is achieved using the TOF sensor. The feature combines software and hardware deep sensing technology and it works just with the click of a button with unbeatable natural beauty effect. He also assured that the technology research and development threshold is extremely high. He then recommended the Honor V20.

Lu Weibin had in a previous remark asserted that Xiaomi considers the ToF technology as a gimmick which is being used to hoodwink users to spend money. However, we must point out that the principle of the 3D Beauty function Honor is promoting is similar to the AI Beauty feature on Xiaomi’s phones. So, it is hard to see any basis for the criticism. By the war, the original Weibo post by Weibin on Honor’s promotional poster has been deleted.

[Updated] Vivo U1 specs and price leak ahead of tomorrow’s launch, far from a flagship

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Feb 18, 2019

Updated: camera specs

Vivo will announce a new smartphone line tomorrow. The new U-series will join its V-series, X-series, the Y-series, Z-series and the NEX-series of smartphones. Ahead of tomorrow’s announcement, the full specifications, price, and renders of the first phone called the Vivo U1 have leaked.

The teaser poster shared by Vivo earlier today showed the phone will have a waterdrop notch and these renders confirm it. On its back, the U1 has vertically stacked dual cameras and a fingerprint scanner.

With respect to its specs, the Vivo U1 (model number V1818GA) has a 6.2-inch LCD display with a 1520 x 720 resolution and a 270ppi. It is powered by the Snapdragon 439 processor, a 12nm processor with 8x Cortex A53 cores clocked at 2.0GHz. The processor has an Adreno 505 GPU and supports Quick Charge 3.0 and Bluetooth 5.0.

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The Vivo U1 will be available in three variants – 3GB RAM + 32GB, 3GB RAM + 64GB, and 4GB RAM + 64GB. There is support for storage expansion via a MicroSD card slot for up to an additional 256GB of storage.

The spec sheet says the primary rear camera is a 13MP sensor with AI features. The secondary camera is a 2MP sensor and up in front is an 8MP sensor. The U1 packs a 4,030mAh battery and has support for fac unlock too. We can also see there is an audio jack at the bottom of the phone.

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Xiaomi Mi 9’s new Beauty skills include Age Detection, Smart slimming and more

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Feb 18, 2019

Xiaomi did reveal last week that the flagship Mi 9 will be launched on February 20. Interestingly, this is the same date Samsung has scheduled to announce the Galaxy S10 series but Samsung isn’t the one grabbing the headline in the buildup to that date. Instead, Xiaomi is grabbing all attention with the barrage of official details that are being released by the Chinese giant since last week. To confirm that the Mi 9 will be available globally, Xiaomi has been releasing the details on Weibo and on its official Twitter page. The details continue to stream out, the latest coming out from Xiaomi’s co-founder and President Lin Bin. The detail is Mi 9’s new beauty features or capabilities.

According to the details, Xiaomi has added a new algorithm to the Mi 9’s beauty feature. This algorithm will bring several innovative beauty features such as age detection especially the ability to identify babies and to customize the baby’s light beauty so that the skin looks exactly like that of a baby when a group photo of parent and children are taken. Further, the Mi 9 beauty feature will pan out based on different genders. So, male and females can take pictures together without any party getting over-exposed.

In addition, Lin Bin disclosed that the Mi 9 will come with a smart slimming feature specially designed for girls. Now, girls can enhance their photos to bring out that figure 8 shape even when they don’t have one. The feature incorporates smart face-lifting, waist, breast enhancement, hip lifting, stovepipe, calf pulling, and different skinny and posture according to different leg types and postures.

(via)

Xiaomi Mi 9: Another price leak, base model (6GB+64GB) starts at ¥3299

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Feb 18, 2019

In less than 24 hours more details about the Mi 9 have surfaced. We now know the Mi 9 will get a transparent edition just like the Mi 8 Pro. This version will have 12GB of RAM and a modified 48MP rear camera but it’s still different from the Mi 9 Explorer Edition which has four rear cams.

Following the price leak from yesterday, the same source has released another one and this includes all the memory variants of the Mi 9. According to the images shared on his (@New Technology) Weibo page, the Mi 9 will come in four variants. Below are the variants and their respective prices:

Base model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage – ¥3299 (~$487)
8GB RAM + 128GB version – ¥3499 (~$517)
8GB RAM + 256GB version – ¥3699 (~$547)
8GB RAM + 256GB version transparent edition – ¥4999 (~$739)

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The pricing for the variants is pretty unusual which puts holes in the authenticity of these prices. If for only ¥200 more, you get an extra 2GB of RAM and double the storage of the base model, I don’t see anyone purchasing the base model. If you want even more storage, you can add another ¥200 and you get the 256GB version.