Xiaomi Redmi 6, 6A Could be Arriving in India with MediaTek Processors

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Jun 13, 2018

Yesterday, Xiaomi had unveiled the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A smartphones fueled by MediaTek SoCs in China. Due to a case filed by Ericsson in 2014, Xiaomi is barred from launching phones powered by MediaTek chipsets in India. After the 2014 verdict, Xiaomi has been launching only Snapdragon chipset powered phones in India. However, now that the companies involved in the legal battle have reached a settlement, India will soon MediaTek powered phones from Xiaomi. Probably, Xiaomi may begin by launching the Redmi 6 and 6A phones in India.

During the recently held Computex 2018 event, David Ku who is the Chief Financial Officer with MediaTek had revealed that the lawsuit filed by Ericsson on Xiaomi has been settled and the latter is allowed to use MediaTek chipsets on phones heading to India. He even added that Xiaomi will be soon launching a MediaTek chipset-based smartphone in India. However, he refrained from revealing the name of the MediaTek SoC powered phone that will be debuting soon in India.

The Redmi Note 4 from 2016 is the last Xiaomi phone featuring a MediaTek chipset. This edition was launched in China. As far as India is concerned, the first-generation Redmi Note that was launched in 2014 with MT6592 SoC onboard is the last MediaTek powered phone for the country.

The recently unveiled Xiaomi Redmi 6 is one of the first smartphones to feature the new 10nm Helio P22 SoC designed for mid-range phones. Also, the Redmi 6A is the first phone ever to be driven by the new Helio A22 SoC. With the lawsuit settled, it appears that Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A arriving in India may not feature Snapdragon SoCs.

As of this writing, there is no information on when the Chinese manufacturer will be bringing Redmi 6 and 6A phones to the Indian market. India had received the Redmi 5A in November 2017 and Redmi 5 in March this year. Hence, the Indian arrival of Redmi 6 and 6A could be few months away.

Would you be interested in buying a Xiaomi phone with MediaTek SoC? Share us your views by adding your comments below.

(source)

Hisense H9E Plus 4K TVs With Android TV And Google Assistant Goes On Sale In The US

By

Jeet

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Jun 13, 2018

Earlier this year in January, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Hisense announced its lineup of smart Android TVs — HiSense H9E Plus 4k TVs, along with a number of other Hisense TVs including H10E TV, H6E-series, and the H8E-series.

Now, the company has announced that the H9E Plus 4K TVs are now available to purchase in the United States directly from the company’s website, as well as from Walmart and Best Buy. Hisense has revealed that two models are currently available for purchase.

One of the two models is the 55-inch model (55H9100E Plus), which is the more affordable option as it carries a price tag of $699.99 MSRP price, while on the other hand, the larger 65-inch model (65H9100E Plus) comes with a price tag of $1,199.99.

As said, these 4K-enabled TV sets come loaded with Android TV as the main interface and also features Google Assistant. This enables users to take advantage of Google TV to browse content and control using Google Assistant. It also syncs seamlessly with Google Home while helping users personalize their entertainment with a huge suite of compatible apps.

Further, it comes with Hisense TV exclusive built-in 2018 FIFA World Cup Edition app which offers five live 4K HDR video feeds, highlights from 32 potential camera angles, on-demand match replays and FOX’s gripping documentary series “Phenoms,” which chronicles the journey of soccer’s biggest rising stars.

Besides 4K and smart features, the H9E Plus line features Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 support (which varies depending on model), along with Motion Rate 240, UHD upscaling, and sound tuned by Harman Kardon, depending on the model.

In terms of design, the TV comes with a bezel-less design and for connectivity, it has four HDMI ports, two USB ports, and Bluetooth audio out. For those who aren’t happy with the Google Assistant smart home ecosystem, both H9E models are also said to support Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant as well.

Huawei vs Samsung Patent Lawsuit Shows The Growing Power of Chinese Courts

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 12, 2018

Huawei and Samsung had locked horns in legal battles since 2016. Huawei filed two separate lawsuits against Samsung, one was filed in the U.S while the second one was filed in China. Both suits bother on Samsung’s alleged use of Huawei’ technology without a license.

The lawsuit raises our consciousness to the emerging leadership of the Chinese justice system in adjudicating patent laws infringement. The leadership role just happens to be the fast and reliable manner in which the case was decided. Huawei alleged that Samsung used its cellular communications technology without authorisation and has unreasonably delayed entering into a licencing agreement. Samsung has denied the allegations and accused Huawei of seeking “grossly” inflated licencing fees. However, a Chinese court found Samsung liable and issued an order blocking Samsung’s Chinese affiliates from manufacturing and selling 4G LTE smartphones in China.

This is the first time this kind of situation is propping up, according to Beijing lawyer, Erick Robinson who was once Qualcomm’s Asia patent director. Since the U.S court in yet to rule on the matter, the enforcement of the law becomes an issue. However, the U.S judge had instructed that Huawei shouldn’t enforce the ruling it won against Samsung in China because it would essentially force Samsung to accept Huawei’s demands for licencing fees. But there are doubts if Huawei has the power to halt the enforcement of the judgement since the court has the powers to enforce it. According to Richard Vary, a lawyer in London and former head of litigation for Nokia, “Chinese courts have risen from being the “fourth or fifth” jurisdiction a global company would consider for patent litigation. Now it is the second after the US and has perhaps even moved up ahead of the US so that now you consider it your key forum.”

Our Earlier Story: Huawei Sues Samsung In China & US for Patent Infringement

The influence the Chinese Communist government may have on the judiciary cannot be ignored. But where there isn’t undue meddlesomeness, China’s courts could be the next destination for filing patent lawsuits since it may take lesser time before justice is served.

(via)

DxOMark Reveals Manufacturers Offered It Money For Camera Reviews

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 12, 2018

Lately, smartphone manufacturers have begun including DxOMark scores in the marketing for their phones. Huawei and Xiaomi are two manufacturers that come to mind. However, some people have come to take the camera rating with a pinch of salt saying the reviews are influenced. Want to know DxoMark’s take on the matter?

Speaking in an interview with AndroidHeadlines, the marketing VP of DxOMark Labs, Nicolas Touchard, revealed that they had received money offers “many times” from both phone and camera makers. However, he was quick to dismiss them as bribes saying that those who offered money were those who had never worked with them before and didn’t understand how they operate.

So, in a nutshell, DxOMark has never accepted money for a review and would likely never do so in future. Mr. Touchard also said in the interview that they have their own schedule for reviews and “are not obliged to do any and don’t want to be obliged in future”. He added that once the manufacturers understood how things were done, they made adjustments.

DxOMark will continue to publish its camera reviews and will not charge for viewing the reviews. Nevertheless, manufacturers can hire them for consulting and seminar services probably like OnePlus did for the OnePlus 5. They can also buy its modular lab configuration tool called the DxO Analyzer to calculate the rating on their own.

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AnTuTu’s Highest Rated Android Phones In May Ranks Xperia XZ Premium On Top!

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 12, 2018

A smartphone is not all about performance. A device can be super fast and reach blazing speeds even with the heaviest apps, but if it provides a poor user experience under other points of view such as camera, display and battery life, then it may still be a poor device. According to a report by AnTuTu, Sony Xperia XZ Premium is the highest-rated Android smartphone in the world in May 2018.

Users rated it high at 96% and, despite it not being among the best-selling smartphones, it has reached the first place in the ranking. The element which contributed the most to this high rating seems to be the Motion Eye technology which allows the Sony Xperia XZ Premium to record in super slow motion. Another positive element is the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 which provides stunning performances in both every day use and heavy apps or multi-tasking.

In the second place of the ranking, there is Meizu Pro 6 Plus with 94%, while at the third and 4th place there are Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and OnePlus 6. The ranking goes ahead with Samsung Galaxy S8+, Xiaomi Mi Max 2 and Huawei Mate 9, and it ends with Meizu X and Huawei Mate 9 Pro.

Do you own one of these devices? If yes, you can leave us a feedback about it by using the comment box below.

(source)

Video: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Screen Repeatedly Cracks Walnut & Survives!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 12, 2018

Remember the promotional video released by Nokia back in January 2017 when the Nokia 6 was launched in China? In case you don’t remember, the video showed the Nokia 6 being used to crack a bag of walnut one after the other. Amazingly, the Nokia 6 display didn’t crack during the entire episode. Xiaomi seems to have adopted the same test to convince her fans that the Redmi 6 display screen is durable.

A short video clip showing the Redmi 6 being used to crack open three walnut seeds was shared by Xiaomi’s president Lin Bin. The test was done by Lin Bin himself and indeed the Redmi 6’s display screen came out of the short episode unscathed.

The Redmi 6 is a budget smartphone and according to the launch details, it features a5.45-inch IPS LCD display. There is no Gorilla Glass on top, neither does the device have a 2.5D glass screen. So, the survival of the screen could be pointing at a more durable display panel. Xiaomi’s phone screens don’t have a reputation for being durable. I own a Redmi 4 and a Redmi Note 4X. It only took a single fall in both cases for the screens to get cracked. There are several users with similar experiences. But then, these are relatively cheap models and we shouldn’t expect so much from them.

In this case, Xiaomi assures of the quality of the phone. It was revealed during the launch that the Redmi model passed a total of 14571 quality tests and is in the same quality standard as the Mi flagship series. Also, there was a strict screening of suppliers with over 70% of them on the same level as Apple (FOXCONN) parts suppliers. You can check out the video from above.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi 6 & Redmi 6A Official Pictures & Camera Samples

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 12, 2018

Xiaomi has finally unveiled the affordable Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A and they didn’t disappointment after all. Recall that we had seen renders alleged to be those of the Redmi 6 Plus and the display had the notch design to the chagrin of “notch haters” who can’t bear to see another smartphone with such design. Thankfully, the Redmi 6 and 6A don’t have any cutout on their display and the notch-bearing Redmi 6 Plus wasn’t announced today. Here are some official pictures of the Redmi models showing the entire design.

The Redmi 6 and 6A are successors to the Redmi 5A and Redmi 5 but their designs are hardly similar. One star difference is that the Redmi 5 presented with a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio but the REdmi 6 comes with a smaller 5.45-inch display. The display isn’t really small but the 18:9 aspect ratio gives it a portable frame. Both models adopt dual camera setups at their rear with the Redmi 6 equally packing a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The Redmi 6 also comes with a metal body while the 6A utilises plastic for its back panel. Both models shun the design where the speaker grills are placed at the bottom edge but instead, their own grills are located at the back.

[envira-gallery slug=”xiaomi-redmi-6-camera-samples”]

The Redmi 6 comes with an AI dual camera comprised of a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP depth of field sensor. The dual camera offers stunning portrait shots and background blur. Xiaomi did share some camera samples captured using the Redmi 6 dual camera and the pictures are pretty impressive for a budget phone. Check out more pictures of the device and the Redmi 6 camera samples from below. You can also get more details of the models from our launch article here.

OceanConnect Is Huawei’s Internet of Vehicles Platform

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 12, 2018

Huawei announced an Internet of Vehicles platform called OceanConnect IoV at CeBIT 2018 Expo yesterday. The platform, according to Huawei, is built on IoT, cloud computing, and Big Data.

Huawei says its OceanConnect IoV platform supports mainstream IoT standards in the smart home and connected car fields such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, Allseen, and its own HiLink home network standard.

OceanConnect’s support for multiple network environments and quick access of all types of smart devices helps partners reduce development cost.

Its ecosystem partners include some of the big names in the industry like Bosch, Philips for smart home; Chainway, TimaNetworks, and Holmer for connected cars; and Innotek, and Neusoft for smart cities.

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Vivo NEX With Ultra FullView Display Launched In China, Pricing Starts At 3,898 Yuan ($609)

By

Jeet

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Jun 12, 2018

Today, at a launch event in China, Vivo has announced its much-anticipated smartphones — Vivo NEX. The Vivo NEX is the production version of the Vivo Apex smartphone that was showcased by the China-based company during the Mobile World Congress.

The smartphone comes with a 6.59-inch Super AMOLED Ultra FullView “Zero Screen” Display with a screen-to-body ratio of 91.24 percent and 2316 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. All the sensors on the device are hidden under the display. Instead of an earpiece, the phone comes with a Screen SoundCasting Technology which promises better bass and softer treble.

Because of the narrow bezels surrounding the display, Vivo had to come up with a unique solution for the front-facing camera. And thus, one of the highlights of the phone is that it comes with a pop-up front-facing camera. The 8-megapixel front-facing snapper automatically rises and hides on opening and closing camera app, and also makes a sound to notify the user. The company says that it uses micro-stepping motors with independent drive ICs and precision control algorithms to precisely control this process.

The device features a third-generation in-display fingerprint scanning technology, which according to the company increases the screen unlock time by 10 percent and increases the overall experience of phone unlocking. On the back side, there’s a dual camera setup which consists of 12-megapixel sensors, primary being a Sony IMX363 sensor with 1.4μm pixels, f/1.8 aperture, and four-axis optical image stabilization and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor with f/2.4 aperture.

The phone also has Vivo Game Engine, which is made in partnership with Tencent Games. It aims to provide an immersive gaming experience based on software and hardware optimization and is also optimized to run games made using Unreal Engine. Further, the Vivo NEX also features 7.1-channel 3D audio, thanks to dtsX partnership. It also has Vivo Hi-Fi V1 System In Package technology for hi-fi quality sound through earphones.

The Vivo NEX smartphone comes in three variants. The high-end model, dubbed as Vivo NEX S, is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor along with Adreno 630 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 256GB internal storage. The mid-end variant has the same specs as that of the highest-end variant except for the internal storage as it packs 128GB storage.

The cheapest variant among the three, which is called Vivo NEX A, comes powered by Qualcomm’s recently launched Snapdragon 710 SoC, along with 6GB RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. All three models are powered by a 4,000mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging support. Connectivity options on the devices include Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz) 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C.

Further, the smartphones come equipped with the company’s own personal voice assistant — Jovi, which works on artificial intelligence technology. It supports several functionalities such as smart map reading, encyclopedia, shopping, translation, scanning, and screen recognition among others.

Vivo says that Jovi will keep learning based on the understanding of the user actions. There’s a dedicated button on the side of the camera that triggers Jovi AI voice assistant on the long-press action. The company says that it has established AI joint laboratories with partners with an aim to provide a brand new user experience through AI intelligence.

The smartphone comes with Vivo’s newly designed custom user interface Energy UI with AI technology, running on top of Android Oreo operating system out of the box. Further, the device also supports engine-level SDK optimization, HPUE technology antenna layout, and a zero-sensor cooling system.

The Vivo NEX will be available in two color options — Diamond Black and Ruby Red. The high-end model with 8GB RAM is priced at 4,998 Yuan, which roughly converts to $780 while the mid-range device costs 4,498 Yuan (approximately $702). On the other hand, the cheapest variant with SD710 costs 3,898 Yuan which roughly converts to $609. Pre-0rders for the smartphone starts from tomorrow in China.

Asus ROG Phone Shines On Geekbench With Best Results Ever For Android

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 12, 2018

On paper, the newly-announced Asus ROG Phones dedicated to gamers is the most powerful Android smartphone ever released. It is the only one to boast an overclocked version of the best Qualcomm’s chipset: the octa-core Snapdragon 845. This overclocked variant is able to reach a peak clock frequency of 2.96 GHz (the standard SD845 goes up to 2.8 GHz — about 6 percent less). The only better chipset by Qualcomm is the Snapdragon 850, but it has just been unveiled and it is dedicated to Windows PCs. Now, the flagship has just been tested on Geekbench, and it has obtained outstanding results. According to the known benchmarking platform, Asus ROG Phone is the best Android smartphone in terms of performance, and not only on paper.

The handset has scored 2547 points in single-core performance and 9534 points in multi-core, over-classing every other Android device out there, including Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and OnePlus 6. The overclocked Snapdragon 845 on the ASUS ROG Phone is paired with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal UFS storage. Its display has a size of 6 inches and it shows images at a Full HD+ resolution. It also has a 90 Hz refresh rate which will be very useful for gamers, even though it does not reach 120 Hz like the Razer Phone.

ASUS ROG Phone is the only handset to be equipped with 3 USB Type-C ports so that you can charge your phone while you are using accessories such as earphones or external gamepads. Given that we are talking about accessories, the Taiwanese company has also launched four gadgets for the ASUS ROG Phones which can enhance your gaming experience. They include the AeroActive Cooler, a clip-on cooling fan which can be controlled through a dedicated app. There is the Gamevice Gamepad with physical buttons, the TwinView Pedestal which adds a secondary 6-inch display such as Nintendo 3DS, and the Mobile Desktop Dock to turn the smartphone into a PC. You can read all about the ASUS ROG Gaming Phone from our launch coverage here!

(Source)

Vodafone Smart N9 and N9 Lite Unveiled With Affordable Prices, Monthly Payment Plans

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 12, 2018

The known European carrier Vodafone has launched a new line-up of affordable phones: Vodafone Smart N9 and N9 Lite. These devices have been launched in the U.K. (Vodafone’s homeland) and several other nations, they belong to the low-end sector and they are available to purchase through various payment solutions to fit the needs of everyone who has a low budget. As you probably understood when you read their names, the first device is the most expensive and it features a 5.5-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The panel has an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. Under the hood, Vodafone N9 Smart sports an entry-level MediaTek MT6739 CPU paired with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage.

The main camera is a 13 MP sensor, and under the camera, there are a LED flash and a circular fingerprint reader. The front snapper has an 8 MP resolution and it is paired with a LED flash as well, while the battery has a sufficient 2900 mAh capacity. The handset has a cheap polycarbonate design, but this does not mean that it’s not attractive. In the U.K. it is available for just £109. Vodafone Smart N9 Lite has a smaller 5.34-inch display but it retains the 18:9 aspect ratio and the HD+ resolution. The SoC is the same, but the amount of RAM is just 1 GB.

The rear camera has an 8 MP resolution, while the secondary one has a 5 MP sensor and ditches the LED flash. Even the battery is smaller with a capacity of 2460 mAh. Note that, despite the fact they are made of plastic, these devices are solid durable, according to the carrier. The N9 Lite is available for just £85; in the U.K. it is also possible to get these handsets for free with a monthly plan which starts from £32/month. Other monthly plans are available in other nations such as Italy, where you can get them for just €3 per month after an initial payment of €60 and €20, respectively.

(via)

Rumour: The Affordable Xiaomi Mi 8SE Will Launch In India As Mi 8i This July

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 12, 2018

Xiaomi took the wraps off the Mi 8 models only recently and the Mi 8SE turned out to be an extremely popular model among the trio. The popularity of the Mi 8SE may not be unconnected with the affordable price tag it adopts. There are indications that the Mi 8SE will launch in India but with a different moniker.

Remember Mi4i? pic.twitter.com/cRc8lQAI6P

— Beebom (@beebomco) June 10, 2018

According to Beebom, the Mi 8SE will be launched in India as Mi 8i and the launch will allegedly take place in July. The tipster didn’t reveal any further details. However, we expect the Mi 8SE or Mi 8i to hit India with an unchanged specs lineup with the Chinese version.

As a reminder, the Mi 8SE is the first smartphone worldwide to launch with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset. The device comes with a 5.88-inch AMOLED display with a notch and an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. The display has a resolution of 2244 x 1080 pixel while the device has an 86.12% screen to body ratio. The design is similar to that of the Mi 8 which includes a notch display design. the screen resolution is 2244 x 1080 pixel while the device has an 86.12% screen to body ratio. The device also packs a glass back panel housing a dual camera setup and a fingerprint scanner at the middle. The device is available in 4GB+ 64GB and 6GB + 64GB versions. The supposed Mi 8i price shouldn’t be too different from that of the Mi 8SE which starts at 1799 yuan (~$280) for the 4GB + 64GB version while the 6GB + 64GB version comes in at 1999 yuan(~$312).

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi S2 Launches in Spain For €179

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 12, 2018

If you live in Spain and have been waiting for the Redmi S2, we have good news for you. Xiaomi’s mid-range selfie king is now available in Spain sort of.

The Redmi S2 first launched in China about a month ago before heading to Indonesia shortly after. Last week, it launched in India as the Redmi Y2.

The Redmi S2 packs a 5.99-inch HD+ display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 625 chipset – the same SoC in the Mi A1, Redmi 5 Plus and lots of other Xiaomi phones. The version available in Spain comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.

The highlights of the phone are its cameras. A 16MP sensor sits above the display with its own LED flash. It can shoot portrait photos and comes with AI features that help your selfies pop. There is a 12MP + 5MP dual camera combo on the rear.

Other features of the Redmi S2 include a 3080mAh battery, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, an IR sensor, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It also has dual-SIM support (nano only) and a dedicated MicroSD card slot. The Spanish version of the Redmi S2 has support for LTE bands 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, and 40.

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Sony Might Make A Bezel-less Phone In Future

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jun 12, 2018

Sony phones are not hard to identify. The brand is synonymous with big bezels. It wasn’t until it announced the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact did it switch to an 18:9 aspect ratio. Despite the new design called Ambient Flow, the screen-to-body ratio is still higher than those of competitors. Will Sony ever make a bezel-less phone? It appears they have given it some thought.

In a self-published interview with its head of product planning, Ichino, we get to understand Sony’s view on the recent design change in the mobile phone industry.

Ichino said the company takes functionality and features into consideration when designing its phones. A phone with much smaller bezels will affect the position and functionality of certain features. If the screen is stretched, they may have to shrink the cameras or trade off features like stereo front-facing cameras.

It may even affect the experience while viewing content which is the reason why the Xperia XZ2 Premium sticks to a 16:9 aspect ratio. Ichino said an 18:9 aspect ratio would have resulted in borders around the content being viewed.

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Again, Xiaomi Mi 8 Gets Sold Out In a Flash During Second Flash sale

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 12, 2018

For the second time running, the Xiaomi Mi 8 has gone on sale in China and the result has remained impressive. The flagship device first went on sale on June 5 and all the units were sold out in less than two minutes. The second flash sale also saw the device getting sold out in a flash.

As always, we don’t know the units made available during the sales but in this case, the blue and gold variants were made available along side the other colour options. The phone was also available in three variants — 6GB RAM + 64GB storage, 6GB + 128GB storage, and 6GB RAM + 256GB storage. While the 6GB RAM + 64GB internal storage model is priced at 2,699 Yuan (approximately $421), the 6GB + 128GB and 6GB + 256GB models are priced at 2,999 Yuan (approximately $468) and 3,299 (approximately $515) Yuan, respectively.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 sales is expected to remain a hot one for sometime especially when we compare the prices with the hardware which it packs. You get a 6.21-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution of 2248 x 1080 pixels and aspect ratio of 18.7:9. The Mi 8 equally features a glass back panel on top a 7000-series aluminum frame. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset while the interface is provided by an Android Oreo-based MIUI 10 custom ROM. The device also dazzles in the camera sensors it packs, dual rear cameras and you get to refill it’s 3400mAh battery with the Quick Charge 4+ fast charging technology. Other amazing features onboard the affordable flagship include dual-frequency GPS, dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and 3.5mm audio jack.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi 6, 6A Goes Official with Full Screen Design, Dual Cameras and Starting Price of 599 Yuan (~$93)

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 12, 2018

Xiaomi had launched the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus smartphones in China in December 2017. Today, the company has unleashed the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A phones as successor phones for Redmi 5 and 5A in the home country. Compared to predecessor, the Redmi 6 comes with improvements in appearance, performance can camera. Both the smartphones sport full screen design and come with affordable pricing.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A Specifications and Features

The Redmi 5 from last year features a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The successor phone has arrived with a smaller screen of 5.45 inches. It also supports the same aspect ratio along with a screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. The metal-bodied Redmi 6 can be bought in colors like Platinum Silver Gray, Rose Gold, Bali Blue and Quicksand Gold. The back panel of the phone features a fingerprint scanner.

The Xiaomi Redmi 6 is powered by the new 12nm Helio P22 chipset that includes an octa-core processor that clocks at 2.0 GHz. The performance of the chipset is similar to that of Snapdragon 625 and is 27 percent better than Redmi 5. Compared to 28nm chipset, the power consumption on the Helio P22 has been reduced by 48 percent. The SoC is coupled with 3 GB of RAM on the Redmi 6. The handset can be availed in 32 GB and 64 GB storage models.

The AI dual camera setup present on the Redmi 6 includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor that has a pixel size of 1.25micron. This allows the sensor to capture photos with more light in dim light conditions. It is assisted by a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. The dual cameras of Redmi 6 offer users with AI features like portrait mode and background blurring effect. The handset is equipped with a front-facing camera of 5-megapixel. The selfie camera also doubles up as face unlock feature. It includes a 3,000mAh battery.

The Redmi 6A is lower phone compared to the Redmi 6. It features the same 18:9 display of 5.45 inches along with HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. The handset will be available in colors like Platinum Silver Gray, Rose Gold, Bali Blue and Quicksand Gold. The handset lacks a fingerprint reader.

Instead of the Helio P22 chipset, the Redmi 6A features a 12nm Helio A22 SoC that includes an octa-core processor of 2 GHz. The 16nm chipset is the first Helio A series SoC from MediaTek. The SoC is assisted by 2 GB of RAM. It includes a native storage of 16 GB.

The Redmi 6A has a rear camera of 13-megapixel and a front-facing shooter of 5-megapixel that can capture images with background blur effect. The handset receives power from 3,000mAh battery that promises a standby time of 19 days.

The Redmi 6 and 6A are preloaded with Android 8.1 Oreo, but the exact version of MIUI was not confirmed at its launch. The optimized MIUI available on the Redmi 6 duo consumes 30 percent less space on the device and it brings along features like AI face unlock, AI voice assistant, price comparison, intelligent translation and more.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A Pricing and Availability

The 32 GB and 64 GB Xiaomi Redmi 6 are respectively priced at 799 Yuan (~$125) and 999 Yuan (~$156). The modest Redmi 6A carries a price tag of 599 Yuan (~93). The Redmi 6 and 6A will be available for buying starting from June 15 at 10 AM in China.

The alleged Redmi 6 Plus that was recently spotted with notched display design was not unveiled today. Probably, the company may unveil it later. What do you think about the specs and features of Redmi 6 and 6A? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

Lenovo Z5 Sold Out In Minutes In Its First Sale, Becomes JD’s Single Product Sales Champion

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 12, 2018

Before launching Lenovo Z5, the Chinese company published several teasers which made people think it was going to be one of the most innovative and powerful flagships ever. But it is just a midrange device and many fans have been left disappointed. Despite this, this handset remains a very interesting phone due to its price tag. It went on sale in China today (12th June) at 10:00 AM local time with a starting price of just 1299 Yuan, which roughly translates into $202/€172. No surprises here as the phone was sold out within minutes in this first sale.

The Lenovo Z5 not only sold out within minutes of its first sale, the company also revealed that it became JD.com single product sales champion. There were many phones on sale today, including the Xiaomi Mi 8, but the Z5 managed to beat them all in sales. The sales ranking reveals that Z5 is above Honor Play and Mi 8 in terms of sales on JD.com.

RELATED: Lenovo Z5: Teasers Vs Reality!

The Lenovo Z5 retails at an excellent price tag, especially when we consider that this smartphone is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 636 chipset by Qualcomm. It is one of the main rivals of the best-selling Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and sports 6 GB of RAM as well as 64 or 128 GB of internal storage depending on the variant you will choose to buy.

Obviously, 1299 Yuan ($202) will be the starting price for the 6/64 GB configuration. The pricing goes up to 1799 Yuan ($280) for the 6GB + 128GB edition. Lenovo Z5 has a design composed of a glass back and a metal frame, as well as a notched and bezel-less display. It is a 6.2-inch panel with a full HD+ resolution and it covers 90 percent of the front surface. On the back there is a 16 + 8 MP dual camera with AI support, the front camera has an 8 MP resolution and the battery has a 3300 mAh capacity.

Xiaomi Redmi Y2 To Go On Sale In India For The First Time Today

By

Jeet

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Jun 12, 2018

Last week, Xiaomi announced its new selfie-centric smartphone in the Indian market — Xiaomi Redmi Y2, which is the rebranded model of the Redmi S2 that was recently launched in India. The Redmi Y2 is also the successor of the Redmi Y1 that was launched in India last year.

The Redmi Y2 is priced at Rs. 9,999 (approximately $148)in India for the 3GB RAM model and Rs. 12,999 (approximately $193) for the 4GB RAM model. It will be available in three color options — Dark Grey, Gold, and Rose Gold.

The smartphone will go on sale in India through online marketplace Amazon India, Mi.com, as well as Mi Home stores from today. It will also be available offline in the coming weeks.

Compared to its predecessor, the Redmi Y2 comes with various improvements, including the 18:9 display, better processor, top quality selfie camera and dual rear cameras. The metal body smartphone comes with a 5.99-inch IPS LCD screen that comes with a Full HD+ resolution.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 625 processor and comes in two configurations — 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage.

On the back side, the smartphone comes with a dual camera setup, consisting of a 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup from the Redmi Note 5 Pro. It is equipped with features like dual-tone LED flash, AI portrait shots, AI low-light photography, and HDR. On the front side, it comes equipped with a 16-megapixel camera with an LED flash that comes with AI capabilities, a large aperture of f/2.0 and offers a field of view of 78 degrees.

For added security, the company has included AI-based facial recognition through the camera as well as a fingerprint scanner. The handset comes pre-installed with Android 8.1 Oreo that is overlaid with a skin of company’s own custom interface MIUI 9.5.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, micro USB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio jack as well as an IR blaster. The smartphone drives power from 3,080mAh battery.

Huawei Aims To Ship Over 200 Million Phones In 2018

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jun 12, 2018

Huawei is currently the third smartphone brand in the world after Samsung and Apple. In 2017, the Chinese company shipped a huge amount of smartphones: 153 million units all around the world. At the Honor Play launch event, the CEO Yu Chengdong has announced that the company is planning to cross the “200 million” milestone in 2018.

For the company, it would mean shipping 30 percent more units as compared with last year. The CEO believes it is possible to achieve this figure as the company has increased its business by 51 times in just seven years, from 2010 to 2017. Besides being the third smartphone manufacturer in the global market, Huawei is also the first smartphone manufacturer in China. In 2017 the Chinese hi-tech giant briefly passed Apple in the ranking, but Apple regained the second spot after the launch of the new iPhones around late 2017.

A big help has been given by the sub-brand Honor which is in the top 10 best smartphones brands as well. Even though the company is on the podium of best smartphone brands, currently there are no Huawei phones in the rankings of top-selling smartphones in the world pertaining to the latest period (Q1 2018). Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s competition is becoming a menace each day as the company, currently at the 4th place of best smartphone brands, is slowly expanding in the global market, especially in the high-end segment. It has just published a report highlighting 28 million smartphones shipped in Q1 2018 (from January to March).

Do you believe the Chinese company will reach the 200 million shipments milestone announced in 2018?

(via)

Exynos 9820’s Mongoose 4 CPU Performance to be Much Better than Snapdragon 855 with Cortex A76

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 12, 2018

Recent reports have revealed that the upcoming Exynos 9820 by Samsung will be built with 7nm FinFET process. Rumors have it that the SoC will be equipped with Samsung’s Mongoose 4 CPU. Popular leakster Ice Universe has today revealed the performance of the Mongoose 4 processor that will be present inside the Exynos 9820 would be more powerful than recently unveiled Cortex A76 by ARM.

The Cortex A76 can deliver a maximum processing speed of 3.30 GHz. However, according to the Chinese leakster, the Mongoose 4 will be far beyond A76 and also it will deliver better energy efficiency.

The upcoming 2018 iPhones will be powered by Apple A12. It is a 7nm chipset designed by the Cupertino company and mass produced by TSMC. The unannounced SoC was spotted last month on Geekbench benchmarking platform with an outstanding multi-core score of 13,000. If the performance of the Mongoose 4 is supposed to be far better than A76, it is likely that the Exynos 9820 chip may end up clocking close to the benchmarking scores of Apple A12. By the way, initial reports of A12 have revealed that it consumes 23 percent more energy than its predecessor. This issue will be fixed before the official unveiling of the new iPhones in September this year.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones that were unveiled earlier this year are powered by the Exynos 9810 SoC. The same chipset is expected to fuel the Galaxy Note 9 that will be arriving in Q3. The Exynos 9820 chipset may get official by the end of 2018 and the first phones to feature it could be the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus.

Rumors have it that Samsung may debut the Galaxy S10 duo at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 in Las Vegas, US. The CES 2019 tech trade show will take placed in January. The S10 phones are expected to debut earlier next year as the company’s first foldable phone may get unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in February.

(source)