Xiaomi leads wearable market in Q3 as growth hits double digits, all thanks to new products

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Dec 5, 2018

Latest data released by IDC indicates that the global shipments of wearable devices reached 32 million units in the third quarter of 2018, up 21.7% from the previous year. The data shows that the astronomical rise in shipments YoY is due to a sporadic increase in the number of new wearable devices OEMs introduced during the quarter. Specifically, new products from the likes of Fitbit, Garmin, and Huawei were shown to have helped the basic wearables category return to growth during the quarter.

The data also showed that growing demand in markets like Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) was another driving factor and this accounted for more than half of all shipments. The growth in these markets was up to 21.4% higher than the previous year, according to IDC. The US market transitioning from one driven by new users to one that relies on replacement devices and upgrades and so, the market declines 0.4% Year on Year.

In the third quarter under review, Xiaomi grabbed the top position, thanks to the success of the Mi Band 3 and its significant expansion beyond its home country of China. Though typically China accounts for well over 80% of Xiaomi’s shipment volume, this quarter that share fell to 61% as the company managed to grow its presence in other markets such as India, Europe, and Middle East and Africa.

Closely following, is Apple which managed to launch its Series 4 Watch, its first watch approved for medical use, towards the end of the quarter. The new design and sizes along with the latest version of Watch OS were welcome changes although the latest series only accounted for less than 20% of all Apple Watch shipments. The reduced price on the still affable Series 3 accounted for the majority of Apple’s shipments during the quarter.

On the third spot is Fitbit whose latest devices, including the Versa, Charge 3, and the Ace, helped the company slow its decline compared to previous quarters. The success of the Versa catapulted the company back into reckoning as the second largest smartwatch vendor. IDC expects this to continue in the near term. Furthermore, Huawei edged Samsung to maintain its number four position worldwide but the majority of the firm’s wearable devices were sold in China. On the other hand, the Honor sub-brand introduced a new set of earphones that tracks heart rate during workouts.

The fifth spot is occupied by Samsung which stretched its lead past other contenders. Samsung’s product arsenal isn’t too broad and it relies on the Gear S3 and Fear Fit wristbands to drive sales volumes. The company also launched its next-generation smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch, marking the first time that a wearable device moved away from its traditional “Gear” moniker to the “Galaxy” sub-brand, alongside its smartphones and tablets.

(source)

Korea’s 3D Avatar Creator App Zepeto is Currently Trending in China

By

Andrew

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Dec 5, 2018

A relatively lesser known 3D avatar app from Korea, Zepeto, recently became a hot trend in some regions of Asia and even in the US. Following that, the app is also now getting a lot of attention in China. According to Tech Node, the hashtag #玩zepeto停不下来# (“can’t stop playing Zepeto”) is being hit hundreds of millions of times on Weibo. Moreover, Baidu searches for the term “Zepeto” have grown exponentially in the last few days. The app has no Chinese version and the recent surge in popularity is also causing trouble for the platform servers, said Zepeto’s official Weibo account.

Zepeto was previously in the news after suspicions and rumors that it was tracking user location. The 3D avatar creator developed by Snow Corporation lets users make 3D avatars of themselves allowing them to meet randomly or through chat rooms and even take virtual selfies. Avatars can be given many different facial features and can be dressed in all sorts of attire. The app itself is free, but like many others, serves ads to keep itself sustainable.

The Korean version isn’t quite Chinese-friendly but it is still in trend right now. After the new surge in popularity, Snow Corporation has agreed to launch a China-specific app called Zaizai by the end of this year. After that happens, Chinese users with the global version will be given the option to migrate to the new app. Zepeto’s creator, Snow Corporation is also behind popular messaging app Line that is used widely in certain Asian countries.

(via)

Honor to launch new phone with hole-in display on January 22; might be Honor View 20

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 5, 2018

Huawei is set to announce the Nova 4, its first phone with a hole in its display on December 17. Its sub-brand, Honor, has now announced it will launch its own about a month later in Paris, France.

According to AndroidHeadlines, Honor has confirmed that it will hold a global product launch on January 22 in France. It also revealed the phone will be powered by the Kirin 980 processor, the same chipset inside the Magic 2.

The poster for the event shows the silhouette of the upper part of a phone with a camera hole in the top left corner. The poster also has the tagline “See The Unseen”.

Honor already confirmed that it is working on successors to the Honor V10 (View 10) and Honor 10, so there is a high chance it is one of these devices. The Honor View 20 should launch this month but Honor confirmed it is being delayed. We believe that delay has led to it being pushed to January.

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OnePlus 6T McLaren Editon Pre-Registrations Now Live in India

By

Andrew

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Dec 5, 2018

Soon after OnePlus introduced the Thunder Purple variant of the OnePlus 6T, the Chinese smartphone maker announced that it would be releasing a special OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The handset is the result of a collaboration between OnePlus and popular automotive maker McLaren. The OnePlus announcement follows OPPO’s recent move to release a special Lamborghini Editon Find X as well as Huawei’s Porsche Editon Mate devices being released for a few years. Now, pre-registration for the handset has kicked off in India and potential buyers can visit Amazon India to get notified about future updates regarding the upcoming device.

The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is arriving in India on December 12 when the company also celebrates its fifth-anniversary ‘Salute to Speed’ event will be held at Richardson and Cruddas Limited and passes for the venue can be purchased from OnePlus at a cost or Rs 799 via Oneplus.in starting December 6 at 10 am IST. The special edition OnePlus 6T will go on sale the very same day in the country and those present at launch will be able to get hands-on at the experience zones set up at the venue.

The brand will also be making the special edition debut in China on December 14. As for what extra the special edition will offer, it should come with a new paint job like previous OnePlus special edition phones. It is also expected to house 10GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. This also warrants an expensive price tag and there could likely be McLaren branded accessories as well with the device. Head over to the source link below to register for the device.

(source, via)

Kirin 980 devices head the list of AnTuTu’s top 10 devices for November

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 5, 2018

November ended a few days ago and as it has become a norm, AnTuTu has released the list of its top 10 most powerful devices (Android) for the month. And just like the list for October, the Kirin 980-powered phones are at the top of the list.

The Mate 20 is at the top of the list with 309,425 points though it is lower than its score in October. Second on the list is the Mate 20 X with 304,087 points. In October’s list, the Mate 20 Pro was second but it has now been overtaken by the Mate 20 X. The Honor Magic 2 grabs the fourth spot with 300,886 making it the fourth Kirin 980-powered device on the list.

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Xiaomi President hints 48MP camera smartphone launch in January; Could it be the Xiaomi Mi 9?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 5, 2018

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 smartphone was announced in October. However, well ahead of its launch, Xiaomi President Lin Bin had shared a full-frontal image of the phone to reveal the full screen display and slider design of the phone. Over an hour ago, Bin shared a teaser image of a new smartphone that will be released in January. What’s astonishing about the mysterious phone is that it is equipped with a 48-megapixel camera.

It is too early to guess on the identity of the mysterious smartphone that has been shown in the image below. The back panel of the phone appears made out of glass. The “48MP Camera” text seems to be present below a vertical camera setup.

It is unclear whether the phone features triple or dual cameras. There is a dual-tone LED flash for the 48-megapixel camera. The volume buttons placed on the left edge of the phone are also visible in the image.

The mysterious Xiaomi phone could be featuring either the Sony IMX586 48-megapixel sensor that was announced in July this year or the Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 48-megapixel sensor that was announced in October. Sony has reportedly begun shipping the samples of IMX586 in September whereas the South Korean company has commenced the mass production of ISOCELL GM1. Compared to its rival, Xiaomi has been a bit inferior in the camera department. It seems that the Chinese manufacturer is all set to raise competition bar high in the camera department by releasing a 48-megapixel camera smartphone.

Read More: Huawei sets 200 million shipments for 2019, Xiaomi settles for 160 million

The next major phone that Xiaomi is expected to unleash in the coming year is the 5G version of Mi MIX 3. The Chinese manufacturer has already confirmed that it will be arriving in Q1 2019. The 48-megapixel camera phone shown in the above image does not seem to be the Mi MIX 3 5G since it won’t be a major upgrade over the Mi MIX 3.

Could it be the Xiaomi Mi 9 or an entirely new smartphone from the company? There is a possibility that this phone could be featuring the newly announced Snapdragon 855 chipset and 10 GB of RAM. It is advisable to wait for further reports to confirm on the identity of the smartphone.

(source)

New live photos show the Huawei Nova 4’s triple rear cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 5, 2018

The Huawei Nova 4 will launch in roughly two weeks as one of the first phones to adopt the hole-in-display technology. The phone has appeared in public but we only got to see its front. New photos have now appeared online that not only show us the phone’s rear but also a closer look at its display.

From the photos, one can tell the Nova 4 is pretty big even with the shaved off bezels. It is also a bit wider than the average phone. The display practically stretches to the top part of the phone’s frame but on the bottom, there is still a bit of bezel. Sadly, none of the photos show the phone during media playback so we can see if the area where the camera is gets blacked out.

The photos reveal the Huawei Nova 4 will come in a gradient finish similar to the Iris Purple color variant of the Nova 3 though there is more of blue than purple in this case. We also get to see the phone’s triple camera setup which is the same design as that of the Huawei P20 Pro.

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The display is said to be LCD so it is no surprise that the fingerprint scanner is on the rear of the phone. There is no photo of the ports but there is definitely a USB-C port and very likely an audio jack on the device.

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Huami’s Amazfit Verge smartwatch debuts in the US, brings Voice Assistance and more

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 5, 2018

When the Amazfit Verge was announced in China a couple of months back with features such as voice assistance, we had wondered how Huami intends to adapt the smartwatch features for the global market considering most of the features were tailored to suit Chinese users. Apparently, the Xiaomi-backed company has been busy working on localization of the device. Indeed, the Amazfit Verge has been launched in the US and is now available to pre-order on the company’s official US online store with a $159.99 price tag. This a tard higher than the 799 yuan (~$116) price tag it was launched packing in China. The device will ship for the first time on December 18.

The Amazfit Verge packs a 1.3-inch circular display with a diameter of 43mm. This is similar in size with the higher variant of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch. Well, except that the Amazfit Verge is made from reinforced plastic, giving it a sporty outlook rather than the looks of a traditional watch which Samsung’s models adapt. The Verge is equipped with an AMOLED display with a resolution of 360x360pixels as well as Gorilla Glass 3 on top. Huami says there is a coating on top of the screen which prevents fingerprint smudges from accumulating on the screen during use. The smartwatch is equipped with a silicone strap that can be removed in the same manner as those of the Amazfit Pace and Stratos. More importantly, it is lightweight, weighing just 46 grams. The build is IP68 certified but you still can’t take the watch swimming or when going under the shower.

The device comes with support for 11 different sports mode including Golfing, Riding, Running, hiking, Gym training, Soccer and Boat riding. It also has GPS+GLONASS support. In addition, the smartwatch is equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0+BLE. Sadly, there is no LTE connectivity but we believe that could come on subsequent versions. The watch is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor with 512MB RAM and 4 GB ROM. Along with the usual sensors, there are additional geomagnetic, and air pressure sensors on board. Also onboard, is a 390mAh battery which Huami claims can last up to 5 days, depending on the usage.

The icing on the cake is definitely the voice assistance technology with smart home integration. the Verge is focused on the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home controls, voice assistant and with NFC for contactless payment. The smartwatch will also come with Amazon Alexa support at the end of the year.

Poco F1 new update to bring super low-light mode, 960fps slow-motion video shooting

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 5, 2018

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Pocophone has released the MIUI 10.8.12.4 beta update for the users of Poco F1. It includes two major camera features such as super slow-motion video shooting mode support and super low-light photography.

The Xiaomi Poco F1 already supports slow-motion video shooting at 120fps and 240fps. The MIUI 10.8.12.4 beta update brings super slow-motion video shooting at 960 fps.

Also, for improved low-light photography experience, the beta update includes Super low-light mode. This feature is all about taking at capturing 8 photos with different exposures and combining them into a single brightly-lit image. The other improvement that is included in the new beta update is structural revamp for the Apps category in Settings.

Only those Poco F1 users who have enrolled in the beta testing program will be able to install and try the new features that are available through the latest software update. The size of the update is 184 MB. Now that the new camera features have been released for Poco F1 beta testers, it is very likely that Xiaomi may make it available for general users in the near future after ironing out any bugs.

Xiaomi is yet to release some promised features of such as support for 4K video shooting at 60fps and Widevine F1 support for viewing streaming content from Amazon Prime Videos and Netflix. Hopefully, the company will release it for the Poco F1 users before the end of 2018.

Read More: Poco F1 price to be discounted by up to Rs. 5,000 from December 6

The Poco F1 is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 SoC powered smartphone. The handset features a notched IPS LCD display of 6.18 inches which carries support for Full HD+ resolution. It come with up to 8 GB of RAM and an inbuilt storage of up to 256 GB. The MUI 10 update has been already rolled out for the smartphone.

The Poco F1 features 12-megapixe + 5-megapixel dual camera setup on its rear. The notch of the phone houses a 20-megapixel selfie camera and IR sensor for face recognition in dim-light conditions. The other features of the Poco F1 include microSD through hybrid SIM slot and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. In India, it is selling with an amazingly low starting price of Rs. 20,999 (~$298) for the base model.

(via)

Meizu M6T with 5.7-inch HD+ display and dual rear cameras launched in India for Rs. 7,999 ($113)

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

Along with the Meizu 16th and Meizu C9 entry-level smartphone, the company has also launched another budget smartphone in the Indian market — Meizu M6T. It comes in two color options — Black and Red for a price tag of Rs. 7,999 which roughly converts to $113. The phone comes with Reliance Jio cashback offer worth Rs. 2,200 and 50GB additional 4G data.

The smartphone features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with 1440 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 2.5D curved glass screen, and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by a 1.5GHz Octa-Core 64-bit MediaTek MT6750 processor, coupled with Mali T860 GPU.

It packs 3GB RAM and comes with 32GB internal storage. There’s also a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 128GB. The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security.

As for the camera, it comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX278 RGBW sensor, LED flash, along with a 2-megapixel secondary rear camera to capture depth information for portrait shots. On the front side, it is equipped with an 8-megapixel front-facing snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

Connectivity options on the Meizu M6T include Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.1 LE, and GPS + GLONASS. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with Flyme OS and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.

Meizu 16th with 6-inch FHD+ display and SD845 SoC launched in India for Rs. 39,999 ($567)

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

As expected, Meizu has today made a re-entry in the Indian market with the launch its Meizu 16th, Meizu M6T, and Meizu C9 smartphones. The Meizu 16th carries a price tag of Rs. 39,999 which roughly converts to $567. It will be available for purchase in India exclusive through Amazon from today in two color options — Midnight Black and Moonlight White.

The Meizu 16th was originally launched in China back in August. The phone features a 6-inch Full HD+ display offering 1080 × 2160 pixels screen resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio and 91.18 percent screen-to-body ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor along with 8GB of RAM.

It also comes with a custom copper cooling tube. The phone features an in-display fingerprint sensor, which the company claims has a 99.12 percent high recognition rate that can unlock the phone in 0.25 seconds. The phone comes with 128GB of internal storage, without support for storage expansion.

Coming to the camera department, the smartphone comes with a 12-megapixel primary camera with Sony IMX380 sensor, 1.55μm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture along with a 20-megapixel secondary telephoto lens with Sony IMX350 sensor for portrait shots and lossless zoom. There’s even a 6-LED ring flash and four-axis Optical Image Stabilization. On the front side, there’s a 20-megapixel front facing camera with AI beauty recognition and Face unlock feature.

The Meizu 16th runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Flyme OS on top. Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 2 x 2 MIMO, Bluetooth v5, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C port. The phone is powered by a 3,010mAh battery with 24W mCharge flash charge that is claimed to charge the phone from 0 to 67 percent in 30 minutes.

Qualcomm debuts world’s first 3D Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 5, 2018

Today, at the launch event of Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, the chipset maker also introduced the world’s first 3D Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner. The new chipset is now officially unveiled and it will take place in the flagship device coming in 2019. In order to tackle the increasing competition from the Chinese manufacturers, Qualcomm has introduced its own 3D Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner for major manufacturers.

Made in partnership with Katouzian, Qualcomm has priced it little heftily due to its ability to work in different environments. It can perform perfectly with various conditions like oily or wet fingers. It will work accurately unlike the present optical sensors which are unable to read the fingerprint if you have wet or oily hands.

The new 3D Ultrasonic fingerprint reader will work with the help of sound waves. The fingerprint mapping will take place with the sound waves. The sound waves will measure valleys and peaks on the finger and will match it with the preset. The new ultrasonic sensor has made a way for the wider functional area for an on-screen fingerprint. In the optical sensor, a user has to touch a specific part on the display, but in the latest technology, a user will have a bigger surface area.

Read More: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 7nm SoC unveiled with support for 5G connectivity

Explaining the working, Qualcomm said in a blog post that “This is the only mobile solution that can accurately detect fingerprints through numerous contaminants. Furthermore, this technology enables sleek, cutting-edge form factors while distinguishing itself from alternatives with higher levels of security and accuracy.”

It is an astonishing invention in the fingerprint scanner market. It can be used in smartphones, tablets, other gadgets as the primary mode of authentication. Its full working is currently not out, but we will let you know how it works in the future.

Currently, it is not clear on which devices 3D Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor will debut. Some more details will surface soon until then stay connected with us.

(Via)

Meizu C9 launched with 18:9 HD+ display, 13MP Camera and Rs. 5,999 (~85) pricing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 5, 2018

Apart from launching the Meizu 16th and Meizu M6T smartphones in India, Meizu had announced the Meizu C9 entry-level phone in the country. The Meizu C9 features the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio display and a decent rear camera. The handset has landed in India with an affordable price tag of Rs. 7,999 (~$114)

Meizu C9 Specifications and Features

The Meizu C9 smartphone features a polycarbonate rear shell. The dimensions of the C9 are 146.2x 71.2 x 9.7mm and weighs 150 grams. The handset houses a 5.45-inch IGZO LCD display that produces HD+ resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The display of the C9 offers an aspect ratio of 18:9, a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a pixel density of 282 ppi.

The Spreadtrum SC9832E octa-core processor that works at 1.3 GHz is present under the hood of the Meizu C9. The modest smartphone features 2 GB of RAM and an inbuilt storage of 16 GB. It is equipped with a dedicated microSD card for expanding its storage. The Android Oreo OS customized with Flyme 7 UI.

The Meizu C9 houses an autofocus enabled 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture. For selfies, it is fitted with an 8-megapixel front camera. A 3,000mAh battery carries support for 5V/1A charging. The phone carries support for usual features such as dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB 2.0 and 3.5mm headphone jack. The back panel of the phone features a fingerprint reader.

Read More: Meizu 16 vs Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro vs Huawei Nova 3: Specs Comparison

Meizu C9 Pricing and Release Date

The Meizu C9 smartphone carries a price tag of Rs. 5,999 (~$85). The Amazon India exclusive smartphone will be available from today in color variants like Black and Rose Gold. For a limited period, the handset will be available for a lower pricing of Rs. 4,999 (~$70).

What’s your opinion on the specifications and features of the Meizu C9? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 starts receiving Android Pie/One UI Beta in the US, Germany and India

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 5, 2018

The Korean giant has started testing Android 9.0 Pie/One UI in the global market. Recently, Samsung has started the Android Pie beta registration in the US, Germany and India. The new update carries refreshed One UI with many new refinements and optimizations.

Today, Samsung has started pushing the beta firmware OTA for Galaxy Note 9 in India and Germany. A similar update is rolling out to users in the US. The update weighs around 1,532 MB for Germany and similar size update is available for the US-based Note 9 users.

There are many changes and enhancements that have been added to the new firmware. Particularly, Samsung has introduced the update of One UI with exciting features and a whole new look and feel. Samsung has added features based on the feedback from users. Its functionality has also improved, as it carries new versions of apps like Calculator, Samsung Internet, Samsung Health, Samsung Notes and Members. The Korean giant has focused on content rather than any other information in the UI. In order to safeguard your eyes, Samsung has also added a night mode option.

Now you can directly reply to messages from the notification panel. It also carries the support for Unicode 11.0 emojis with new clock styles and general tweaks. Further, there are general bug fixes, to improve the overall performance of the device. Along with all these features, the update is also packed with November security patch.

Also Read: Galaxy Note 9 makes a mark on DxOMark but Huawei P20 Pro still tops

The update comes with the firmware version N960FXXU2ZRKQ and it’s currently rolling out in the US, Germany and India. You can manually check for the update if have signed up for the beta upgrade. Before installing the update, your device should be charged at least 60% to avoid any inconvenience. Also, make sure your device is connected to a stable WiFi network to avoid data charges.

Well, how many of you have received the update?

Via

Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 7nm SoC unveiled with support for 5G connectivity

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

As expected, during the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2018, US-based chipset manufacturer has announced its latest flagship mobile chipset — Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. The Snapdragon 855, which is the successor of the current-generation Snapdragon 845, comes with support for 5G connectivity and a few other features, aimed at improving the user experience.

The smartphone industry is moving towards the 5G-era and Qualcomm being the dominant mobile chipset manufacturer, is leaving no stones unturned when it comes to 5G connectivity. The newly announced Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is the world’s first commercial 5G mobile platform.

The chipset is offering 5G connectivity using the company’s own Snapdragon X50 5G modem. The 5G modem is combined with Qualcomm QTM052 mmWave antenna modules with integrated RF trans-receiver, RF front-end antenna, and antenna elements.

The octa-core processor features four power-saving cores clocked at 1.78GHz, three performance cores clocked at 2.42GHz and another special “gold” core for performance boost which is clocked at 2.84GHz. It is coupled with Adreno 640 graphics processor, which is expected to bring performance improvement.

Just like the Apple A12 Bionic chipset and Huawei’s Kirin 980 processor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is also manufactured using the 7nm process by TSMC. The Snapdragon 855 also comes with the company’s fourth-generation, multi-core AI Engine that is claimed to offer up to 3 times the AI performance compared to the Snapdragon 845.

The newly unveiled chipset also features the world’s first Computer Vision Image Signal Processor (CV-ISP) to deliver new photo and video capture features. For the gaming, the company unveiled Snapdragon Elite Gaming, a set of features in the mobile platform to enhance mobile gaming experiences.

The company has also announced the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor—an under-display fingerprint sensor solution that uses ultrasonic waves, unlike optical under-display fingerprint sensors which use light. According to the company, 3D Sonic Sensor is more secure and accurate than the alternative.

Most of the high-end smartphone coming in 2019 will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core chipset. We’ll be seeing devices from manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, HTC, Motorola, Google, Sony, OnePlus, Oppo, and Vivo from early next year.

Qualcomm will reveal more details about the Snapdragon 855 mobile platform as the Snapdragon Tech Summit 2018 continues in Hawaii, USA. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the Summit.

Pre-Order The First 600 Pieces Of BlitzWolf BW-LT12 Smart Night Light For Only $13.99 On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 5, 2018

It is no secret that lighting is an important aspect of interior design as it can create a perfect ambiance to suit your fancy.

While there’s no dearth of lighting fixtures that can work wonders by striking a perfect balance between color and luminosity, these devices don’t come cheap. Taking this into consideration, BlitzWolf has teamed up with Banggood to offer a smart night light and other useful lighting accessories at an unbeatable price.

BlitzWolf BW-LT12 Portable Bluetooth 4.1 Smart Night Light

Designed to create a perfect blend of modern and elegant visual experience, BlitzWolf customized Roome smart night light sport a classic, yet cute style. The BW-LT12 adopts ROOME’s patent HEP technology to let you create scenes that match your mood.

Furthermore, the BW-LT12 employs neutral colors so that it can match various interiors and it comes with soft curves that add warmth to the surrounding. While a top-branded smart night light would normally set you back a pretty penny, you can now pre-order the BW-LT12 at a considerably lowered price of $13.99 on Banggood.

This is a noteworthy 22% reduction in the device’s original asking price of $17.99. On the downside, this discount will only be valid for the first 600 pieces, while the next 700 pieces will carry a slightly steeper $15.59 price tag. The remaining 1000 pieces will carry a $16.69 price tag.

The promo has further been divided into multiple categories. The ‘Cool Add-On’ section features various products that you can buy as a bundle and save up to 30% on your grand total. For instance, you can buy the BW-PL2 38W QC3.0 3 Ports USB Charger for a heavily discounted price of $12.99 along with BW-LT9 Touch Switch Color Night Light, which is now available for a lowered price of only $8.99.

In order to get the package price, all you need to do is to click the ‘Add to Cart’ button. You can click here to visit the promotion page and take full advantage of this unmissable event that will be valid only for a limited period of time.

Get 22% Off On BlitzWolf BW-LT12 Portable Smart Night Light

Nubia Z17 confirmed to get Android 9.0 Pie

By

Simranpal Singh

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Dec 5, 2018

We had reported earlier that the Android Pie update for Nubia Z17 won’t roll out, we reckon most of you ought to be dejected. Nonetheless, as a relief for the Nubia Z17 owners, the company has now confirmed its plan to give Android Pie 9.0 for the 2017 flagship. Isn’t it a good news? Of course, yes.

ZTE Nubia Z17

Finally, it’s an end of the misconception that arouses as a result of small communication gap that made all of us think the company would make the Nubia Z flagship to end its life cycle with just Android Oreo. In fact, the confirmation came out late on the night of December 4, when a Nubian officially posted a post in the Nubian Forum clarifying the whole situation; “Small surprises” and “small misunderstandings” about Z17. In this post, Nubia said that Z17 will upgrade to Android 9.0 system. Well, sometimes bad things have to happen before good things.

As an icing on the cake, the Nubian official stated that the Nubian engineers have even prepared a surprise for the Z17 users in the form of Android 9.0 (P) update. That too based on Android 9.0 Nubia UI official version. It’ll mark as the second major update coming after the Nubia 6.0 update which bought Android Oreo early this year. So, Nubia Z17 users don’t be done with your device as one more major update is coming soon to rejuvenate your device.

Read More: Nubia says no Android Pie for Nubia Z17

Although Nubia has cleared the air about Nubia Z17 update, the fate of Nubia Z17s isn’t. There was no official word regarding the Nubia’s second flagship for the year 2017. However, our gut feeling says the device too will get Android Pie update in the near future. Let’s wait and see what the Nubia development team has up its sleeve for the Nubia Z17s.

That said, what you guys have to say about the update regime of Nubia. If they’re willing to seed two major updates for their flagship devices it’s something which is not bad, isn’t it? Let’s know your views in the comment section below.

(Via)

Get Big Discounts On Two Variants Of OnePlus 6T Smartphone On Giztop

By

Vinay Patel

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Updated Dec 16, 2018

After floating around the rumor mill and making several appearances online in the form of leaks, the long-awaited OnePlus 6 successor dubbed, OnePlus 6T was finally launched in October this year.

The Oneplus 6T boasts an impressive array of features and top-end specs that made it an instant hit among OnePlus fans. Sporting a unique waterdrop display design, the OnePlus 6T smartphone sports an extra large 6.41-inch AMOLED display that houses a fingerprint reader.

Moreover, the Oneplus 6T is powered by a 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and it packs a competent Adreno 630 GPU, under the hood. It ships with 8GB of RAM and offers 128GB/256GB of hearty onboard storage for you to save your favorite content.

On the photography front, the OnePlus 6T smartphone houses a 20MP+16MP dual camera module and a 25MP selfie shooter. Furthermore, the phone runs Oxygen OS-based Android Pie operating system and draws its juices from a robust 3700mAh battery that uses Ultra Power Saving mode to keep your phone powered for a longer duration.
While the aforesaid features completely justify the steep price tag the 6T usually carries, OnePlus has teamed up with Giztop to offer two top variants of the smartphone at unbeatable prices. The 6GB RAM+128GB ROM model of the 6T would normally set you back $529, but you can now buy it for just $529 on Giztop.

Alternatively, you can go for the slightly larger variant of the OnePlus 6T smartphone that offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage if you’re willing to shell out just $649 on Giztop. This is a noteworthy reduction in the variant’s original asking price of $669.
The 6GB RAM+128GB ROM model comes in mirror black, purple and midnight black color versions, but the 8GB RAM+256GB ROM model is available only in midnight black color option. You can head straight to this link to avail the discount.

Buy OnePlus 6T Smartphone For A Lowered Price

Vivo NEX 2 Official Renders released showing triple cameras and dual screens

By

Jeet

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Dec 5, 2018

Vivo is continuing to produce experimental smartphones under the company’s NEX lineup. After launching the world’s first smartphone with an elevating front-facing camera, the company is now working on its successor.

The upcoming smartphone, Vivo NEX 2, will come with dual screens and triple camera setup, confirmed by the official renders of the smartphone. The Chinese company has already announced that the Vivo Nex 2 will be launched on December 11th.

The Vivo NEX 2, featuring a dual display design, won’t be the first smartphone to feature such design as ZTE has already launched Nubia X having dual screens. However, it’ll be interesting to see Vivo’s approach to this design.

Further, the device will be featuring three camera sensors on the back along with an LED flash, enhancing the overall photography experience. The triple rear camera sensor will be used for taking selfies as well. The rear-facing display serves as a viewfinder while shooting selfie images. Since there are no front-facing camera sensors, we are expecting a higher screen-to-body ratio with extremely narrow bezels.

The Vivo NEX 2 carries a slogan “extraordinary dual screen breakthrough in the future” as the dual screen design is a major feature of the device. The phone is expected to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor, making it the first dual-screen phone with an in-display fingerprint scanner.

While not much is known about the phone’s specifications, certifications reveal that the device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 octa-core flagship chipset and will have up to 10GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

As for the software, the phone is claimed to offer a new OS experience. Vivo has developed a new version of its mobile operating system based on Android that has been tailored for dual-screen phones. It is also said to come with support for AI-based features.

The company has already started registrations for those who are interested in buying the Vivo NEX 2 smartphone. It appears that the phone will be up for pre-orders from 11th December to 6th January.

Get Up To 50% Off On Top-Branded Smartphones On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 5, 2018

GeekBuying is offering smartphone lovers a lot to cheer about this Christmas. The Chinese online store is doling out up to 50% off on a wide selection of well-received handsets that would normally set you back a pretty penny on online as well as offline stores.

Dubbed as ‘Xmas Smartphone Sale,’ this event is split into multiple categories including a ’48 Hour Flash Sale’ section that features top-branded smartphone at unbeatable prices.

Here are a few smartphones that you can now get your hands on without emptying your pocket. Moreover, we’ll show how you extend the discounts GeekBuying is currently offering on top-branded smartphones.

Huawei Mate 20 X (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

Huawei’s long-awaited Mate 20 X smartphone was unveiled this year in October. Sporting a mammoth7.2-inch FHD+ (2244×1080) display, it became an instant hit among smartphone lovers who fancy watching their favorite videos on a big-screen mobile device.

Huawei has collaborated with GeekBuying to bring the coveted Mate 20 X smartphone to cost-conscious at a lowered price of $835.99. This is a significant 11% drop in the device’s original asking price of $943.99.
On top of that, you can get an extra $36 off by applying coupon code GIZ_YTGCKDLH at the time of checking out. The aforesaid coupon helps you reduce your grand total to only $799.99. You can visit this link to grab this discount before the promo ends.

Huawei Honor 9 (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

Even more than a year after hitting the store shelves, the Honor 9 smartphone continues to garner popularity among Huawei fans. This is hardly surprising given that the phone is loaded with impressive features and has top-end specs.

While its high-end features and specs completely justify the $594.99 price tag the Honor 9 smartphone normally carries, you can now buy it for only $409.99 on GeekBuying. This 31% drop in the device’s original asking price can be extended with the help of coupon code GIZ_VIJGFBCV.
The aforesaid coupon helps you save an extra $110 by bringing your cart total down to only $399.99 before you proceed to checkout. Regrettably, the promo is slated to end in just 3 days. You can follow this link to avail the discount without wasting time.

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

The Mi Mix 2S smartphone was launched in April this year and there are no prizes for guessing that the phone was well-received by smartphone enthusiasts. Taking its popularity into consideration, Xiaomi is now offering the Mi Mix 2S smartphone for a slashed price of just $399.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a 33% reduction in the phone’s retail price of $599.99. Aside from taking full advantage of the aforesaid discount, you can use coupon code GIZ_XXSENXHQ and bring your grand total down to only $395.99. In other words, you can use the coupon to save an extra $126 before checking out.
The Mi Mix 2S is an irresistible smartphone that sports a 5.99 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display and is powered by a Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 processor. Moreover, it packs an Adreno 630 GPU for unmatched gaming and video watching experience.

You can head straight to this link to check out the phone’s full specifications and get the discount before the promotion comes to an end in 1 day.

Vargo VX3 (6GB RAM+128GB ROM)

Vargo launched the VX3 smartphone earlier this month and the device is expected to sweep smartphone lovers off their feet with its awe-inspiring features and appealing design. This recently launched smartphone has now gone up for sale carrying a lowered price tag of $149.99 on GeekBuying.

This is a 34% reduction in the handset’s original selling price of $225.99. Those interested in saving an extra $16 can use coupon code GIZ_TNPFERYK and bring the already reduced grand total further down to only $149.99.
Housed in a sturdy case made using metal material, the VX3 sports plastic wire lines that bear a striking resemblance to lines found on the Meizu Pro 6 and iPhone 7 smartphones. Moreover, the device comes with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage and has a curved glass screen incorporated into the body.

You can follow this link to check out more details about the Vargo VX3 and avail the discount. Note that the promo will be valid only for 1 day.

Check Out GeekBuying’s Xmas Smartphone Sale