OPPO’s ColorOS 5.2 features include an audio to text converter, smart assistant and more

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Aug 14, 2018

OPPO unveiled its latest smartphone, the OPPO R17 yesterday in China and the model will be opened for reservation on August 18. In addition to the smartphone, OPPO also announced a new Color OS version. The new Color OS 5.2 version brings a couple of new features to the custom Android ROM. The R17 was only listed as running Color OS 5.2 without any details of the features of the new version.

Color OS 5.0 was announced in March this year during the launch of the R11 and R11 Plus. The company only rolled out a new Color OS 5.1 version last month. The new Color OS 5.2 details have now been revealed by a Weibo user. According to the leak, the new version which is still based on Android 8.1 Oreo comes with a new feature which is tagged “Inspirational Shorthand”. This feature is a voice recorder which allows users to record their plans and perhaps inspirational ideas at any time while the software converts the voice recording to text format.

The Color OS 5.2 also comes with most of the key features of Color OS 5.1, some of which are listed below;

Smart Assistant – The smart assistant helps with a lot of things from object recognition to code scanning, app prediction, and even payment and a smart driving mode.
Security – OPPO retained most of the new security features on ColorOS 5.1 aimed at keeping our phone more secure. App installations and app purchases now scan for face recognition. There is also a safer and more convenient way to retrieve passwords.
Split Screen Multitasking – Users can now enter/exit split screen mode by using a three-finger gesture.
Game Mode – new game optimization features with the ability to customize as you wish.

We believe the new ColorOS 5.2 will begin rolling out on other OPPO models in no distant time. For now, it is only available on the R17.

(source)

360 N7 Pro powered by Snapdragon 710 SoC and 6GB RAM to launch on August 21

By

Jeet

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Aug 13, 2018

360 Mobiles, after launching 360 N7 mobile phone a few months ago, is now all set to launch the 360 N7 Pro in the Chinese market. The company is holding a launch event in Beijing, China on August 21 and the teaser poster of the event reads “PRO”, hinting at the Pro variant of the 360 N7.

According to Li Kaixin, President of 360 Mobiles, the upcoming 360 N7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s recently launched Snapdragon 710 processor and will pack 6GB LPDDR4X RAM. We are also expecting a bump in the battery capacity for the Pro variant.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset includes two cores of Kryo 360 Cortex A75 that clocks at 2.2 GHz and six cores of Kryo 360 Cortex A55 that offers a processing speed of 1.7 GHz. The octa-core processor is coupled with Adreno 616 graphics that promises 35 percent better rendering of graphics.

Compared to the Snapdragon 660 SoC, the SD710 offers 25 percent faster performance. Also, it has been designed to consume less while enjoying videos and games. The app launch time has also been improved by 15 percent compared to its predecessor model.

To recall, the 360 N7 launched in May this year features a 5.99-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio, 2.5D curved glass, and 2160 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. The device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with Adreno 512 GPU.

Initially, the phone was launched with 6GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. Later, the company launched a cheaper variant of the phone which packs 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. It has a microSD card slot, enabling users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 128GB.

Coming to the camera department, the phone boasts a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 16-megapixel primary sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. It comes with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and an LED flash. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel snapper with face beauty optimizations.

The device comes with some additional features like Hybrid Engine 2.0, Game Accelerator 2.0, encryption and locking features. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own custom interface and is powered by a massive 5,030mAh battery that also has support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology (9V/2A fast charging).

Xiaomi or Samsung, which company is leading the Indian smartphone market?

By

Jeet

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Aug 13, 2018

Samsung and Xiaomi are two of the leading smartphone vendors in India. While Samsung has been dominating in India in terms of the smartphone market share, Xiaomi recently overtook Samsung to be at the pole position.

However, the recent reports regarding the smartphone market share in India have created confusion. While Counterpoint Research and Canalys ranked Samsung as the leading brand in India in Q2 2018, the IDC report places Xiaomi at the top.

Today, market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) has crowned Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi as the leading smartphone brand in India with a market share of 29.7 percent. Samsung stands second with a market share of 23.9 percent while Vivo and Oppo grab the third and fourth position, respectively.

Earlier, Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research suggested that South Korean giant Samsung had reclaimed the top spot in the second quarter of 2018 in India with 29 percent share against Xiaomi’s 28 percent market share.

Canalys, a Singapore-based market research firm revealed that Samsung shipped 9.9 million smartphones in India in the second quarter of 2018, registering almost a 50 percent annual growth rate. The same report said that Xiaomi shipped 9.9 million smartphones — the best quarter it had in the country so far.

Now, according to IDC’s latest Quarterly Smartphone Tracker, approximately one out of three smartphones sold in India in the second quarter was a Xiaomi device. In the online market, it continued to be the number one vendor with 55.6 percent market share, for the seventh consecutive quarter.

xiaomi redmi note 5 pro — Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Commenting on this development, Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, said:

Our mission to deliver amazing products at honest pricing has changed people’s lives and started a new chapter in the mobile Internet era in India and I believe we will become an even bigger part of people’s lives.

The IDC report also added that four out of the top five smartphones in Q2 2018 were Xiaomi smartphones – Redmi 5A, Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Note 5, and Redmi 5, which accounted for 26 percent of overall smartphone shipments.

Apart from Xiaomi, Huawei is the other Chinese phone manufacturer that is also climbing the ladder in the Indian market. In the online segment, Huawei registered strong shipments of its Honor-branded phones and grabbed the second spot with an all-time high of 8 percent share in Q2 2018.

According to IDC, the Indian smartphone market saw an overall healthy growth of 20 percent in the second quarter with a total of 33.5 million units being shipped. The strong growth is being attributed to the slew of online-exclusive launches and strong shipments by offline-heavy vendors.

(Source)

Details of Samsung Galaxy S10′ triple cameras surface

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 13, 2018

For its next S-series flagship phones, It has been reported that Samsung will equip them with triple rear cameras just like the Huawei P20 Pro.

Details of the camera configuration were revealed today by the Korean media and it is safe to say, the Galaxy S10 will be a camera beast.

Galaxy S10+ render — Render of the Galaxy S10+ (Image Source: Waqar Khan)

According to the source, the Galaxy S10 will have a combination of a 12MP wide-angle camera, a 16MP super wide-angle sensor, and a 13MP telephoto camera for up to at least 3x zoom. The Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note9 which both have dual cameras use a wide-angle + telephoto combination.

Unlike this year where the Galaxy S9 and S9+ differ with respect to their number of cameras, the Galaxy S10 and S10+ won’t follow that pattern. Both will have triple rear cameras while the S10 Lite which is said to have a flat display will have just two.

There is good news for those who prefer Samsung’s A-series. It has been reported that Samsung will also equip them with triple rear cameras and they may even get it first since they usually launch earlier than the S-series. Do note that the triple-camera feature will be for the high-end A-series. One of the A-series smartphones is said to sport a 32MP + 8MP + 5MP configuration.

Samsung is not the only Korean company working on a triple camera phone. The upcoming LG V40 is said to also have but a device recently spotted online which seems to be the V40 based on a number of reasons has dual cameras.

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RED Hydrogen One smartphone final release date and price revealed

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 13, 2018

For a while now, RED has set several timelines for the release of its much-anticipated Hydrogen One smartphone but that has remained elusive. Initially, the device was expected to launch in the first quarter of the year but that was later shifted to sometime in the Summer, around August but the company has come out to indicate that an August launch isn’t going to happen.

The company did not leave us entirely disappointed as it did reveal that the Red Hydrogen One smartphone will be launched on November 2 on major carriers in the U.S and Mexico. The U.S carriers that will get the device on November 2 include AT&T and Verizon as well as Telcel for Mexico. Only the aluminium version will ship in Black and Shadow colours. These models will be priced at $1295. The Titanium-clad version will not be available from the carriers until 2019. Even when it becomes available next year, the stock will be extremely small.

For those who have already made pre-orders for the smartphone, theirs will start shipping on October 9. The aluminium-built models will ship first while the Titanium variants will follow shortly. Meanwhile, RED will release limited units to developers as part of a programme dubbed Houdini from August 31st and September 11. The Houdini Developer’s Models will be available in black aluminium while the Titanium models will come later on. The idea around the programme is for developers to help detect bugs in the firmware/software and apps so that they will be fixed before the final release in November. You can check RED’s official website for more details if you are interested to join the programme.

RED did also acknowledge that the project isn’t an easy one hence the prolonged delay. It also cited certification for a critical part that needed to be retooled as one of the reasons for the delay in the final release. Despite locking down this new dates, RED did state that anything could happen along the line to disrupt the launch. So, don’t get your hopes too high.

As a reminder, the Hydrogen One is expected to have a modular design with a set of pogo pins at the back similar to that of the Moto Z series. The pins will be used to connect modules (mods) that adds an additional battery or cinema-grade camera amongst others to the phone. The phone also comes with a unique5.7-inch 2560×1440 hi-res display that is capable of running in the regular 2D mode like most smartphones as well as run in a 4View mode (holographic). Other specs include a Snapdragon 835 mobile platform, Dual SIM slot (hybrid), a 4500mAh battery, USB-C port, 3.5mm audio jack and Stereo speakers

(source)

Alcatel 7 Launches as a MetroPCS exclusive, packs 18:9 screen and dual cameras

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 13, 2018

TCL has announced a new smartphone under the Alcatel brand. Though, availability may be limited since the new smartphone, called the Alcatel 7, is a MetroPCS exclusive.

The Alcatel 7 shares some specs with the Alcatel 5V announced last month. It has dual rear cameras in the same configuration, packs the same battery size, and even the same front-facing camera.

The Alcatel 7 has a 6-inch display with a full HD+ resolution and Dragontrail Glass for protection. It is powered by an Helio P23 processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage (128GB max.).

On its rear sits a primary 12MP sensor and a secondary 2MP sensor for capturing portrait images. There is an 8MP front-facing camera with its own LED flash. The Alcatel 7 even supports face unlock but Alcatel has termed it FACEKEY. A fingerprint scanner sits below the dual camera on the back.

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OnePlus 6T renders reveal drop-like notch, triple rear cameras and in-screen fingerprint scanner

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 13, 2018

In May, OnePlus had launched the OnePlus 6 smartphone. The design of the smartphone is similar to sibling brand OPPO’s R15 phone that was unveiled in March this year. Now that the OPPO R15 phone is official, it is speculated that the rumored OnePlus 6T may borrow its water drop display design. Waqar Khan who is known for making impressive renders of upcoming smartphones has shared a video that speculates on its design.

The OnePlus 6T renders reveal that it will continue to sport glass rear like OnePlus 6. The rear view of the phone reveals that it will be featuring a vertical triple camera unit. As it can be seen in the below image, the third camera sensor is separated from dual camera module. There is a capsule-like dual-tone LED flash below the triple rear cameras which is followed by the logo of the company.

A closer view of the top portion of the display shows that it is fitted with a water drop notch like the OPPO R17. Above it is a slim-sized earpiece that appears to be placed on the top edge of the phone. Like the R17, the OnePlus 6T could be equipped with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display

The side bezels of the OnePlus 6T are slim, but its chin is slightly thick. The volume rocker is placed on the left edge of the phone whereas the Alert slider and power key are on the right edge. There is an impression on the bottom portion of the display which suggests that it is equipped with in-display fingerprint reader.

The renders of the OnePlus 6T show that it will be arriving in colors like red, black and white. The video does not reveal any information on the specifications of the OnePlus 6T. It is likely that like the OP6, its enhanced version will be featuring Snapdragon 845 SoC. The OnePlus 5T was announced in November 2017. Hence, it is likely that the OP6T may go official by the same month.

What do you think about the renders of the OnePlus 6T? Will the real handset arrive with the same design? Share us your views by adding your comments below.

GPU Turbo beta testing for Huawei P10 and Mate 9 begins

By

Michele Ingelido

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Aug 13, 2018

After debuting on the latest Huawei flagships, the new GPU Turbo technology is making its way even to older flagships released by Huawei. Today (August 13), the company has officially started the beta testing of GPU Turbo for the Huawei P10 series and for the Huawei Mate 9 series, excluding the Lite variants of each line-up. It is a closed beta testing phase, so the firmware will be available only for a limited amount of users (200 users with the log version and 2000 users without log version, according to the official Huawei Club forum).

The models eligible for the beta update are Mate 9 Netcom version identified by the model number MHA-AL00, Mate 9 MHA-TL00, Mate 9 Pro Netcom version LON-AL00 (including Porsche Design limited edition), P10 Netcom version VTR-AL00, P10 Netcom Mobile Edition VTR-TL00, P10 Plus Netcom Edition VKY-AL00 and P10 Plus Netcom Mobile Edition VKY-TL00. If you want to take part in the beta testing phase, you must have one of the phones without root permissions. Further, you must have the version 8.0.0.359 version of the firmware.

In order to check it, you can head to the Settings, then choose System, About phone section, Version number, Member Service Registration. If you take part in the beta testing phase, you will not be able to remove the firmware and roll back to the previous version. The only chance you have to get rid of the beta firmware is updating your device to the next version, as soon as the beta testing finishes and it will be released. Check the source links below to find the links to adhere to the beta testing phase. Thanks to GPU Turbo, the GPU in your phone will be able to increase its performance by up to 60 percent while reducing energy consumption by up to 30 percent.

(source1, source2)

Samsung tipped to shut down a Chinese smartphone factory

By

Michele Ingelido

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Aug 13, 2018

2018 does not seem to be the best year for Samsung China in terms of sales in the smartphones market. The company may soon shut down one of its two smartphone factories established in China, according to the latest report from ETNews and The Investor. From what an anonymous company executive has just declared, the production in this facility, which is located in Tainjin, Northern China, has already been reduced. The Korean giant is expected to suspend its operation in the factory within a year before shutting it down forever. Identified as Tianjin Samsung Telecommunication, this manufacturing plant was established in 2001 and big profits came from its production.

The facility kept growing up until 2013 when it registered more than 15 trillion won sales, which roughly translates into $13.2 billion at the actual exchange rate. But after 2013, it started to decline with 11.41 trillion won (about $10 billion) in 2014 and just 6.93 trillion won ($6.1 billion) in 2015. Given this big decline, it is easy to understand the reasons why Samsung has decided to close it, even after seventeen years of activity. Currently, the company is not performing well in the Chinese market due to the strong presence of Chinese brands. At the moment China is dominated by Huawei, which has recently passed Apple and reached the second place in the global smartphones market.

Rising labor costs and the shift of Samsung’s manufacturing base to other Asian countries (such as Vietnam and India) should also have contributed to this hard decision. After shutting down this manufacturing plant, there will be only one Samsung smartphone factory left in China, which is based in Huizhou (south-eastern China).

What do you think about the future of the Korean giant in the Chinese market? Will it ever recover the lost ground or Huawei and other Chinese company will gain even more popularity?

(via)

Smartisan Nut Pro 2S now on reservations at JD.com ahead of August 20 launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 13, 2018

Chinese premium smartphone maker Smartisan announced earlier today that it would be launching its first Snapdragon 710-powered smartphone called Nut Pro 2s on August 20 in China. Ahead of its official launch, the Smartisan Nut Pro 2S has now been opened for reservation on popular Chinese e-commerce website Jingdong (JD.com).

The reservation is listed on the official Smartisan flagship store on Jingdong. As indicated on the page, it commenced today (August 13) and will end on August 20 when the smartphone will be launched. Unfortunately, the price of the smartphone wasn’t listed on the page. That means we’ll have to wait until itis launched to know what it costs. However, the model isn’t expected to cost more than 1,999 yuan (~$290).

The Nut Pro 2s is expected to be an upgrade of the premium mid-range king – Smartisan Nut Pro 2 which was launched last year. One of the outstanding features of the Nut Pro 2 , apart from its premium build, is the price tag. The Nut Pro 2 came with a 1,799 yuan (~$281) price tag, so a 1,999 yuan (~$290) price tag looks feasible.

In terms of specification, the Smartisan Nut Pro 2S is expected to feature a 5.99-inch notch-less display with the 18:9 aspect ratio. The device is also expected to retain the camera configuration of the Nut Pro 2 which is a single 16MP front shooter as well as a 12MP+5MP dual camera setup at the rear. The phone will run on Android 8.1 Oreo with a touch of Smartisan’s own custom skin. Other expected specs include 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage as well as support for 18W fast charging.

(source)

Vivo X23 with 10 GB RAM to debut on August 20; Jovi voice assistant confirms date

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 13, 2018

A well-known tech blogger from China has shared a screenshot of a conversation with Jovi voice assistant on Vivo NEX smartphone. The conversation reveals that the Vivo will be debuting the Vivo X23 smartphone on Aug. 20.

In the below image, the Chinese tipster has asked two questions to Jovi. The first one is whether it knows anything about the new Vivo products. Jovi replied to it by saying that whether he was asking about Vivo X23. The tech blogger then asked about the release date of Vivo X23 and Jovi answered by saying. “8.20 will happen big.”

Even though Vivo has not released any information about the upcoming Vivo X23, its Jovi assistant has spilled the beans on it by not only confirming on its existence but also revealing its release date. It seems that the company could be skipping the X22 moniker for its next X series phone as it now seems to be working on the launch of X23.

Vivo’s sibling brand OPPO has already announced the OPPO R17 smartphone. Hence, there is a high possibility that the announcement of the Vivo X23 may not be far away.

As of this writing, the specifications of the Vivo X23 phone are under the wraps. The phone may sport a design similar to R17 which means it may come with a water drop notched display. Another reliable leakster has supported this claim by sharing a leaked image. The image seems to show two Vivo X23 handsets stacked on top of each other. According to him, the Vivo X23 will be arriving in two models featuring Snapdragon 670 and Snapdragon 710.

It could be the first smartphone ever to arrive with 10 GB of RAM that will be employed through 6 GB RAM + 4 GB RAM dual channel technology. Chinese leaksters have been claiming that Vivo could become the first company to launch 10 GB RAM smartphone.

Since the predecessor smartphones have featured in-display fingerprint scanner, it is very likely that the upcoming X23 smartphone will also feature it. In the recent past, two new Vivo phones with model numbers V1809A and V1809T were certified by 3C authority in China. The 3C certification of these phones have revealed that they will carry support for 22.5W fast charging. It is speculated that these two devices could be the variants of the upcoming Vivo X23 phone. If the handset is really launching on Aug. 20, the company soon release an official confirmation on in the next few days.

(source 1, 2)

Pocophone F1 detailed unboxing video emerges out of the blue

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 13, 2018

Xiaomi India recently announced the launch of its new Pocophone line with the first model in the lineup dubbed Pocophone F1 dropping on August 22 in India. Ahead of the launch, even before the launch date was announced, we have been bombarded with several leaks surrounding the new model. It gets pretty confusing determining whether the model has been launched or not, as almost all the details about the model have come out except the price. Perhaps, this latest unboxing video is a clear evidence of how generous Xiaomi has been in releasing details of the smartphone even before its launch.

The unboxing video shows off the POCO F1 in its entirety. This is a proper unboxing done by a professional and it begins with showing us the retail box with the name “Pocophone by Xiaomi” and “Pocophone F1” inscribed on it. It is also marked as “Global version” thus eliciting suspicion that Xiaomi may launch the model in China. The “Global version” marking also clearly shows that the model is targeted at the global market and will be sold across different countries especially in Europe. The bottom of the retail box contains the key specs of the phone which includes a Snapdragon 845 chipset.

The retail box contains the phone itself as well as a SIM tray ejector, protective casing and charging adapter with USB cable. The video also shows us the phone while powered on and put to use. The interface is clearly the MIUI theme. The camera interface is also to put to use, showing the Portrait mode and the features available for still photography and video shooting.

For the specs, the Poco F1 packs a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with Xiaomi’s Face scanning tech inside the notch on the front. The device packs a vertically aligned, dual rear camera setup placed in the middle. The rear camera is a 12MP + 5MP combo while the selfie shooter is a 20MP sensor. The body is said to be made of plastic despite packing an SD 845 chipset and 6GB of RAM. The F1 will also have a 4,000mAh battery. Apart from the powerful chipset, the main selling point of the F1 will be its price tag which is said to be very affordable.

(source)

OPPO R17 Pro with triple cameras could be launching soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 13, 2018

In March, OPPO had launched the R15 and R15 Pro smartphones with notched display design. The OPPO R17 that was unveiled earlier today is the successor of the R15 phone. The R17 is now listed on OPPO”s official online store. Its reservations have started from today in China and its pre-orders are slated to begin on Aug. 18. However, the OPPO R17 Pro is not yet listed on the official site. A screenshot of the R17 Pro is doing rounds on Weibo. There is a possibility that the screenshot of the R17 Pro may have surfaced through one of the official platforms of company. What’s interesting about the R17 Pro screenshot is that it is fitted with triple rear cameras.

OPPO had recently launched the Find X flagship phone. Before its launch, the handset was rumored to arrive with triple camera system. However, it is equipped with a dual camera setup. The screenshot suggests that the R17 Pro could be the first smartphone from the company to feature triple rear cameras. The snapshot states that Super Night Mode and Smart Aperture are some of the features of the R17 Pro.

The three cameras present on the rear side of the OPPO R17 Pro are arranged vertically followed by an LED flash. As of this writing, there is no information on the specs of the R17 Pro. However, it is likely that the smartphone could be coming with identical specs as the R17 phone.

The Snapdragon 670 that powers the R17 phone could be present under the hood of the R17 Pro. The other rumored features of the R17 Pro include 6.4-inch water drop display, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, 25-megapixel front-facing camera, 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera, ColorOS 5.2 flavored Android 8.1 Oreo and 3,500mAh battery.

The R17 Pro could be the world’s first phone to be equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection. There are some contradictory rumors about the R17 Pro that claim that it may feature Snapdragon 845 and 10 GB of RAM which sounds too good to be true.

It is unclear when OPPO will be announcing the R17 Pro. The company may soon hold an unveil event for R17. Probably, it may use the same platform to announce the R17 Pro.

Hands-on photos of the Emerald Green Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Aug 13, 2018

Xiaomi released a new color variant of the Mi MIX 2S last week. The new variant is called Emerald Green and joins the already existing white and black variants.

The Emerald Green Mi MIX 2S is supposed to go on sale tomorrow but a Chinese blog already got their hands on a unit and have provided hands-on photos of the device.

The new color variant is inspired by the Dunhuang Murals. It also has a similar color to the ornamental mineral Jade, which is popular in Asian culture. There are two variants of the Emerald Green Mi MIX 2S. There is the regular variant (above) and there is the Jade Art Gift Box Edition (below).

The only difference we can see between both is that the latter seems to have reproduced versions of the Dunhuang Murals as wallpapers. The Jade Art Edition may also come in a special box. If you can get your hands on a unit, we advise purchasing the gift box edition. It won’t cost you more as both are sold for the same price.

The version in these hands-on images are the regular emerald green edition and it sure looks good. There are not a lot of green phones on the market, so this will definitely turn heads. If you decide to slap a case on it, there is no worry as Xiaomi has included a jade-colored case in the box too.

The bezels on the front of the device are black and on the back, there are gold accents around the dual cameras and fingerprint scanner. There is also an engraving that reads “Mi MIX Designed By Xiaomi”.

The Emerald Green (and Jade Gift Box Edition) Mi MIX 2S comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It is priced at ¥3999 (~$580) and is available on Mi.com.

[envira-gallery id=”205791″]

(Source)

No more Flash sale: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro now available 24/7 in India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Aug 13, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was India’s own version of the popular Redmi Note 5 even though both models were not only different in names. The camera sensors also different, a development that left some Xiaomi India fans furious. Notwithstanding that, the model has been one of Xiaomi’s most successful model in India. Despite many persons clamouring to buy the smartphone, the device has remained elusive since it is only available via online flash sales for the past six months. All that is now a thing of the past as the device is finally on sale in the open online via Flipkart and Xiaomi’s Mi.com website.

The duration of the weekly flash sale highlights the popularity of the Redmi Note 5 Pro since it first went on flash sale in February. For now, only the 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM models are available. On Flipkart, the 4GB RAM version is available in Black, Blue, Gold and Rose Gold colours while the 6GB RAM variant is only available in Blue.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro came with a base price tag of Rs. 13,999 ($200) in India but it got an Rs. 1000 price hike after the passage of Budget 2018. Thus, the base variant is available for Rs. 14,999 ($214) while the 6GB RAM variant is offered for Rs. 16,999 ($243). Flipkart is offering customers a 5% discount on purchases made using Axis Bank Buzz credit cards. Recall that the Redmi Note 5 Pro was the first smartphone to launch packing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset. The device sports a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display that offers FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. Both the 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM versions are bundled with 64 GB of storage. On the camera end, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is equipped with a LED flash-enabled selfie camera of 20-megapixel while at the rear is a 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. Under the hood is a generous 4,000mAh battery among other features.

(source)

Smartisan Nut Pro 2S with Snapdragon 710 to launch on August 20

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 13, 2018

Smartisan has today confirmed that it will be holding a launch event on Aug. 20 at 7:30 PM. Since the recent rumors have revealed that Smartisan Nut Pro 2S is the upcoming smartphone from the company, it is likely that the Chinese manufacturer may announce it through next week’s launch event.

Plenty of details of the Smartisan Nut Pro 2S have surfaced in the recent past. It is speculated to arrive as an enhanced version of Nut Pro 2 that was launched in November last year. Recent reports have revealed that the handset will be borrowing its design and some specs from Nut Pro 2. The handset is expected to debut as the first Snapdragon 710 smartphone from Smartisan.

The Smartisan Nut Pro 2S is expected to be equipped with 5.99-inch screen that supports an aspect ratio of 18:9. Like the Nut Pro 2, the upcoming phone from the company is expected to feature a front camera of 16-megapixel and 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup. The handset is expected to be driven by Android 8.1 Oreo. The SoC of the smartphone is rumored to be coupled with 6 GB of RAM. It may arrive with an internal storage of 64 GB The exact size of the battery of this phone is not known, but it is rumored to carry support for 18W fast charging.

The Nut Pro 2 has a price tag of 1,799 Yuan (~$281). Since the only major change that is expected to arrive on the Nut Pro 2S is the inclusion of Snapdragon 710, the handset may not cost more than 1,999 Yuan (~$290).

Huawei Mate 20 display assembly leaked images reveal notch screen with 3D facial recognition support

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Aug 13, 2018

Apple had introduced the iPhone X with notched display design last year. Since then various smartphone brands from China have launched phones with notched display design. A recent report had revealed that since Huawei had launched many budget-friendly and high-end phones with notched display design, it shipped maximum smartphones with display notch this year. With couple of months remaining for the year 2018 to end, the company will be launching more phones with the same design. Freshly leaked images of the display assembly of Huawei Mate 20 smartphone have surfaced today. The new images reveal that the Mate 20 will be also arriving with a notched display design.

It is speculated that the Huawei Mate 20 will be arriving with a 6.3-nch AMOLED display that seems to be curved towards the edges. At the top of the display is a notch that will be housing 3D structured light module. This suggests that the handset will carry support for 3D facial recognition. Rumors have it that Huawei will be self-developing the 3D structured light module.

The Huawei Mate 20 is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner. It is speculated that the more advanced Mate 20 Pro will be coming with an in-display fingerprint scanner. On the other side, the Mate 20 could be featuring a regular rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Contradictory rumors have also claimed that Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro phones will both feature under-screen fingerprint scanner. The rumor mill has already revealed the leaked photos of the Mate 20 Lite. Very soon, the renders of the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro to reveal their exact design which will come confirm whether Mate 20 will have a front-mounted or rear-facing fingerprint sensor.

The Kirin 980 is expected to power the Mate 20 handset. It could be fueled by a 4,200mAh battery. For photography, it may feature 12-megapixel + 16-megapxiel + 8-megapixel triple camera system. The smartphone is also rumored to arrive with an IP67 rated waterproof and dustproof glass body. The handset will be loaded with EMUI 9.0 flavored Android P.

Recent reports have revealed that the Huawei Mate 20 is codenamed as Hima and its variants that have model numbers such as HMA-AL00 and HMA-TL00 have been certified by 3C body in China. The Chinese manufacturer may announce Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro smartphones in October.

(source|via)

Samsung wants to be the first to launch foldable smartphone

By

Jeet

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Aug 13, 2018

Samsung has been working on a foldable smartphone since 2013. The South Korean giant was expected to become the first smartphone manufacturer to launch a foldable phone. However, that changed earlier this year when China-based Huawei announced that it plans to launch a foldable smartphone ahead of Samsung.

Huawei revealed that it plans to launch a foldable smartphone by the end of this year while Samsung is expected to launch its foldable phone in Q1 2019, most probably at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January.

But the latest information suggests that Samsung still wishes to be the first manufacturer to launch a foldable phone. Koh Dong-jin, who heads Samsung Electronics IT and Mobile division, said, “We are focused on bringing innovations favored by consumers, rather than just becoming the world’s first. In terms of the foldable phone, however, we do not want to miss the first spot.”

After his remark, industry watchers are suggesting that Samsung could announce its foldable phone as early as this year, even though Koh Dong-jin has not provided any specific schedule or timeline for its upcoming foldable device.

Till now, it was believed that the upcoming Samsung foldable smartphone will be called Galaxy X but that might not be the case. Recent developments suggest that the phone could be the part of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy F series.

The Samsung Galaxy F-series is said to be “super” high-end, which fits the price range for the upcoming foldable smartphone. According to the previous reports, the Samsung’s foldable smartphone will be priced somewhere between $1500 and $2000.

Apart from Samsung and Huawei, a few other Chinese manufacturers are also planning to launch a foldable device next year, including Xiaomi and Oppo. The foldable phones from Samsung and Huawei are expected to sport fold-in design while Xiaomi’s foldable smartphone may feature fold-out design. There’s no information on the design Oppo may use for its foldable smartphone.

(Source)

Gearbest Is Giving An Unparalleled Home Cinema Experience Starting From $36.99

By

Vinay Patel

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Aug 13, 2018

If you’re a cinephile who likes to watch the latest movies without moving out of the comfort of your home, setting up a projector could prove to be the best solution. While there’s a broad range of projectors available in the market today, they usually carry steep price tags.

As a result, cost-conscious buyers are left with very few options when it comes to buying high-quality projectors. Taking that into consideration, GearBest is giving big discounts on select projectors. Dubbed as ‘Enjoy Home Cinema From $36.99,’ the promo has been split into multiple categories.

First off, you can get an 18% off on the Xiaomi FMWS01C Ultra Short Throw 7000 ANSI Lumens Laser Projector, which would normally set you back a pretty penny on online stores. The FMWS01C laser carries a steep price tag of $2348.33, but thanks to the discount, you can now buy it at a dropped price of just $1949.

The XGIMI Z6 Smart Projector is currently available at a heavily discounted price of $549.99. This is a noteworthy 19% reduction in the projector’s original asking price of $678.56. This Flash Sale price will be valid for the remaining 39 pieces for 6 days.

Likewise, the Original XGIMI H1 DLP Projector is available at a lowered price of $759.99 and the wowoto A5 Pro DLP Portable Projector is available at a discounted price of $259.99. You can check out the rest of the categories by heading straight to this link and avail the discount before the promo ends.

Get Big Discounts On High-End Projectors

Huawei says it’ll abide by FRAND principle for 5G patent licensing fees

By

Jeet

-

Aug 13, 2018

Huawei is currently working on the roll-out of 5G technology in infrastructure, similar to many other companies such as Samsung, ZTE, Lenovo, etc. The industry seems enthusiastic about the 5G technology, which is expected to have a worldwide commercial launch in 2020.

With the development and deployment of 5G technology going on, the next step for these companies is to decide their pricing. Among three major patent holders for 5G technology — Huawei, Qualcomm, and Erricson, two of them — Qualcomm and Erricson have already announced their patent licensing fees.

Huawei has not yet officially announced its 5G patent license fees. Recently, there were reports suggesting that Huawei will charge 4 percent patent fees for each device to the manufacturers. However, the company denied the reports and said that the company’s officially pricing is not yet revealed and reported 4 percent fees are too expensive and unreasonable.

Now, He Gang, President of Huawei for terminal mobile phone product line revealed that the company will strictly abide by the FRAND principle for the patent licensing activities and will not blackmail the industry in paying higher fees. He further added that the company is committed to promoting the implementation of 5G technology.

FRAND, which stands for Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory, was created by a standard-setting organization (SSO). It facilitates widespread use of the standard and ensures that each SEP owner benefits from the use of the patent without gaining an unfair bargaining advantage.

It’s noteworthy that there’s no statute or regulation imposing a FRAND obligation. It was created in response to SSO members asserting infringement claims against other SSO members practicing their standard-essential patents (SEPs).

As for the Qualcomm‘s SEP fees, it’ll charge 2.275% for mobile phones that only support 5G, 3.25% for devices with 5G/4G/3G support. On the other hand, Erricson’s 5G patent license fee is set at $5/part for high-end handheld devices and $2.5/part for low-end handheld devices.

Huawei is also working on a 5G smartphone, which is expected to get launched in June next year. According to the reports, the 5G smartphone from Huawei consumes twice as much power as 4G chips. The phone will have the Balong 5G01 5G chip that the company showcased at MWC Barcelona this year.