Advertisement

Nokia X6 Global Edition Likely to Debut Soon, TA-1083, TA-1116 Models Gets Bluetooth SIG Approval

Last month, HMD Global had launched the Nokia X6 smartphone, but it did not confirm whether it will be making the phone available outside of China. However, recent reports have claimed that the company could be working on global variants of Nokia X6.

Before the launch of the Nokia X6, its TA-1099 and TA-1103 models were certified by Bluetooth SIG. The same certification body has also approved TA-1083 and TA-1116 Nokia phones. Among these, the TA-1116 was also certified before the recently held unveil event in Russia. The Finnish company had unleashed Nokia 5.1, Nokia 3.1 and Nokia 2.1 smartphones at the event and the TA-1116 model number does not belong to them.

Interestingly, Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) has recently certified TA-1103 model. Hence, it is now being speculated that the TA-1083 and TA-1116 are the global variants of the Nokia X6.

The Nokia X6 is the first notched display smartphone from the company. It houses a 5.8-inch IPS LCD display that supports 2280 x 1080 pixels. The Snapdragon 636 SoC is present under the hood of the phone. It has RAM variants like 3 GB, 4 GB and 6 GB and storage models like 32 GB and 64 GB. The X6 houses 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual camera setup and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. It receives power from 3,060mAh battery. Since it is an Android One phone, it features stock edition of Android 8.1 Oreo.

Read More: Nokia X6 Latest Software Update Brings Along An Option To Hide The Notch

After the launch of Nokia X6 in China, Nokia’s Chief Product Officer (CPO) Juno Sarvikas had carried a poll on the official Twitter account of the company to find out whether people outside of China are interested in the smartphone. Over 90 percent people had answered “yes” which indicated that the company may consider launching its global variant.

The Nokia X6 is speculated to hit the international markets with a price tag of around $300 starting from July. The certification of TA-1083 and TA-1116 models suggest that Taiwan and Russia among other markets will be receiving the smartphone.

(source|via)

Motorola Releases Kernel Source Code For Moto G6 And Moto G6 Plus

Lenovo-owned Motorola has now officially released the kernel source code for the Moto G6 and Moto G6 smartphones. The kernel source code for the third model of the Moto G6-series, Moto G6 Play was released in April earlier this year.

With this, developers will now be able to use the source code and create some custom kernels as well as custom ROMs that the customer can flash onto their Moto G6 or Moto G6 Plus smartphones. The Android 8.0 Oreo kernel source code for both the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus can be found on GitHub.

Moto G6 series

The Moto G6 comes with a 5.7-inch display with Full HD+ display along with Gorilla Glass 3 on both sides. Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 450 processor, 3GB/4GB of RAM, and 32GB/64GB of expandable storage.

There is a fingerprint scanner below the display that can be used to control the device using gestures. There’s a 12MP f/1.8 primary camera sensor and a 5MP secondary camera for capturing the depth of field information. On the front side, there’s an 8MP snapper with its own LED flash.

It runs Android 8.0 Oreo operating system out of the box and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery with support for TurboPower fast charging.

Moto-G6-Plus

On the other hand, the Moto G6 Plus features a 5.9-inch MAX Vision Full HD+ display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Under the hood, it is powered by Snapdragon 630 processor and comes in 4GB/6GB RAM variants with 64GB/128GB of storage.

There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to further expand the phone’s storage up to 128GB. This one too comes with dual camera setup at back, boasting a 12MP f/1.7 rear camera and a 5MP secondary camera.

Read More: Motorola Patents a Foldable Design That Fixes OLED Deformities Arising From Constant Opening

It comes with an 8MP front-facing snapper with an LED flash for taking selfies and video calling. Running on Android Oreo operating system out of the box, the smartphone is powered by a 3,200mAh battery.

(Sources – 1, 2)

LG X5 (2018) Goes Official in South Korea With Massive 4,500mAh Battery

LG has unveiled a new entry-level smartphone called LG X5 (2018) in South Korea. The handset is available through major carriers such as SKT, KT and LG U+.

The LG X5 (LM-X510K model number) that is packed in a polycarbonate chassis measures 154.7 x 78.1 x 8.9mm and weighs 177 grams. The handset comes in a single-color option of Moroccan Blue.

The phone houses a 5.5-inch display that supports HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. Instead of 18:9 aspect ratio that LG uses on its mid-range and high-end phones, the low-end LG X5 has a 16:9 IPS LCD screen. The MediaTek MT6750 chipset that includes a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor along 2 GB of RAM is present under the hood of the phone. It has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB out of which 24.31 GB is available to the user. There is a microSD card slot.

At the rear side of the phone is 13-megapixel camera. For snapping selfies, it has a soft-LED flash equipped super wide-angle frontal shooter of 5-megapixel. The LG X5 houses a massive battery of 4,500mAh capacity. The same-sized battery is found inside the LG X500 phone that was released last year The LG X5 (2018) is loaded with Android 8.0 Oreo.

Read More: LG Q7 Android One Edition in Works for the U.S.

For connectivity, it features a Cat. 4 LTE modem. The fingerprint scanner that resides on the backside of the phone can be also used for snapping photos apart from unlocking the phone. It can be also used for authenticating payments through LG Pay.

In South Korea, the LG X5 (2018) will be available through the three major mobile operators with a price tag of 3,63,000 KRW (~$330). As of this writing, there are no details available on the other markets that will be receiving the smartphone

Motorola Patents a Foldable Design That Fixes OLED Deformities Arising From Constant Opening

We are gradually losing count of the number of foldable phone patents that have popped up online. Digitimes recently speculated that we may likely see a couple of foldable phones launching this year with Samsung, Huawei and LG at the forefront of the innovation. Motorola has just joined the race with its latest patent. The tech giant has just been granted a patent that could fix any potential deformities.motorola

The patent is that of a heat-based technology that allows the immediate repair of the flexible area when damaged. Despite OLED panels being flexible, the constant folding of the panel severally could ultimately lead to deformities in the flexible area of the panel. This deformity isn’t necessarily permanent and only occur after regular folding of the display, but would ultimately affect the user experience. That is thus the reason for the adoption of the heat-based technology by Motorola. The patent was filed way back in 2016 but seems to have just been revealed. The schematics of the patented design details the presence of a hinge that would include a temperature sensor and a heating element that can be activated in order to increase the temperature of the OLED panel around that area and allow the display to return to its usual position whenever a deformity is registered.

The design also includes a special module that tracks if the display is folded or not. There is also a backup battery which powers the module so that it can keep the record of how long the panel has been in the folded position even when the device is switched off. Once it surpasses the predefined time limit, the smartphone display will then automatically enter recovery mode as soon as its unfolded.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S10 Likely to Launch in Jan 2019; Foldable Phone May Get Showcased at MWC 2019

We are yet to see a working prototype of a foldable phone by Motorola. The company is also yet to disclose if it has any plans to release a foldable phone like Samsung next year. With this patent, though, we should be looking forward to one in the near future

(source)

OPPO Find X Specs Rumor Roundup: A True Flagship In Focus Before Launch

A few years back, little did we know that OPPO would turn out to be such a big smartphone company. Very few knew of its existence and the company’s phones were popular mainly in China. Fast forward to 2018 and OPPO is one of the biggest smartphone companies in the industry! The company has been very smart in its strategies and its rise to glory is nothing short of impressive.

All this while, OPPO has focused on mid-rangers. This focus has helped it grow pretty quickly but everyone knows that the real money and respect is in the flagship market. For this purpose, OPPO is bringing back the Find series from the ashes. What was once thought to be dead is alive again and the OPPO Find X is here to lead the company’s flagship series. The timing of its launch couldn’t be more perfect — Vivo Nex just made its debut earlier this month and the Find series could directly compete with this new flagship from its rival brand.

 

OPPO Find X Specs

OPPO is not playing around with the Find X. The phone is going to feature top end 2018 hardware and is going to be placed with the likes of the Huawei P20 Pro, Vivo Nex S, and even the Galaxy S9.

Here are the likely specs of the OPPO Find X according to its TENAA listing.

  • 6.4-inch dual curved AMOLED 2360 x 1080p display
  • 19.5:9 aspect ratio with a notch on top
  • 156 x 74.2 x 9.6mm
  • 186 grams
  • SD845 AIE chipset
  • 6GB/8GB RAM
  • 128GB/256GB
  • Android 8.1 + ColorOS 5.1
  • 20MP+16MP f/2.0 Rear Dual Cameras
  • 25MP f/2.0 Front Camera
  • 3730mAh battery

Some of these specs are already confirmed via an earlier teaser. So we know for sure that there’s Snapdragon 845 inside with a variant featuring 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. Other specs mentioned above have been compiled from its TENAA listing and might change at launch.

Some of the specs are a bit confusing. For example, the thickness is mentioned as 9.6mm on TENAA. OPPO is not known to release such thick phones, so it remains to be seen if the OPPO Find X will really be a thick flagship. Another issue is about its display. The phone is said to feature a dual curved display according to a recent teaser, but there’s a leak that shows a notch up front as well. So, it may be possible that the OPPO Find X is the first smartphone with a dual curved display and a notch.

If this is really the case, the notch could be present for a very good reason — one possible explanation being 3D face recognition like Apple. Also, the screen to body ratio could go as high as 93.8% but we still haven’t got a confirmation about this specific ratio.

Expect a lot of high-end tech on the device, including the company’s Super VOOC fast charging that can charge a 2500mAh battery to 100% in 15 minutes, 5X lossless zoom (with a periscope like arrangement revealed last year), and in screen fingerprint sensor.

 

 

OPPO Find X Design

Like I mentioned above, we are not quite sure about the phone’s design. A full screen front (like the Vivo Nex) could be possible but we can’t be sure until we see the phone officially.

OPPO Find X Renders 1

What could be really interesting on the Find X is its back design. There are two designs we have seen of the Find X’s back — one has a vertically arranged dual cameras and fancy looking back design with breathing light down below and there’s the other one which has a much more unique design featuring the cameras in an M shaped band at the back. The latter was actually seen in a leaked TV Ad on China’s CCTV.

 

OPPO Find X Launch Event

Pricing and availability details of the Find X is still unknown but we’ll get all these details tomorrow (June 19) at the official launch event at 8:45PM in Paris, France at The Louvre. Watch the live stream from here!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=733adiq7N0g

 

 

Xiaomi Announces Mi Router 4Q For ¥99 (~$15)

Xiaomi has a plethora of routers already but it never stops launching more. Its latest one is the Mi Router 4Q, a cheaper version of the Mi Router 4 announced about a month ago.

Mi Router 4Q

The Mi Router 4Q has a bright blue body that will make it stand out in your home or office. It measures 200 x 134.86 x 178.98 mm and has three omnidirectional high-gain antennas. It has a 775MHz QCA9561 processor with 64MB of RAM and 16MB of built-in storage.

Unlike the Mi Router 4, the 4Q only supports single-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) and 3×3 MIMO with a maximum speed of 450mbps. For security, it supports WPA-PSK and WPA-PSK2 encryption, and SSID hiding. It also has a MiNET button for easy and fast one-click connection for Xiaomi and Mijia smart devices.

Mi Router 4Q

READ MORE: Xiaomi Launches Mijia Smartphone Gimbal With A 5000mAh Battery For Less Than $100

Xiaomi Releases Cheap Compact Backpack In 8 Different Colors

Xiaomi has launched a new backpack under the Youpin platform. The backpack is manufactured by the Shanghai Runmi Technology company also known as 90 points but has the Mi branding. For clarity, 90 Points is Xiaomi’ line for lifestyle products. Some of the products released under the line include suitcasessmart running shoesbackpacks, and t-shirts.Mi Backpack

The new Mi Backpack is available in a range of colourful options, eight (8) different colours in total. The backpack comes with a 10L capacity which is enough to hold a tablet computer, cameras, cups, even small umbrellas and other items. The compact size ensures it doesn’t take enough space and is easy to carry. The size also ensures it can be carried inside a large backpack or suitcase.XIaomi backpack

In terms of dimension, the new Mi backpack measures 34 x 22.5 x 13cm and weighs just 165g. The fabric is made of 100% polyester material. The fabric is treated with a water-repellent coating which makes the bag suitable for use in the rains. The backpack is available in Black, Pink, Yellow, Navy Blue, Orange, Mint Green, Red and Bright Blue.

Read More: Xiaomi’s 90 Points Launching Jacket Next Week, Priced Under ¥300

The Mi backpack comes with a 29 yuan ($4) price tag and is presently available on the Youpin website. The backpack will also be available outside China from online retailers like GearBest and Banggood.

Google To Invest $550 Million In Chinese E-Commerce Site JD.com

Aiming to expand its presence in fast-growing Asian markets, search engine giant Google announced that it is investing $550 million in Chinese e-commerce powerhouse JD.com. As a part of this transaction, Google will receive 27.1 million newly issued JD.com Class A ordinary shares at an issue price of $20.29 per share.

With this investment, Google will have less than a 1 percent stake in JD.com, said a spokesman for JD. The companies have described the investment as one piece of a broader partnership that will include the promotion of JD.com products on Google’s shopping service.

google-office

This move is expected to help JD.com to expand beyond its base in China and Southeast Asia in order to establish a meaningful presence in U.S. and European markets. Both companies also said that they would work together to develop retail infrastructure that can better personalize the shopping experience and reduce friction in a number of markets.

Commenting on this development, Philipp Schindler, Google chief business officer, said in the statement:

We are excited to partner with JD.com and explore new solutions for retail ecosystems around the world to enable helpful, personalized and frictionless shopping experiences that give consumers the power to shop wherever and however they want.

JD.com is competing with giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which has been more focused on forging domestic retail tie-ups. Jianwen Liao, JD.com’s chief strategy officer, in a statement, “This partnership with Google opens up a broad range of possibilities to offer a superior retail experience to consumers throughout the world.”

Read More: Upcoming Pixel 3 XL’s Concept Renders Shows Phone’s Design With Single Rear Camera

Google seems to be focused on stepping up its investments across Asia, which has become a battleground for the US and China-based giants because of rapidly growing middle class and a lack of infrastructure. Google recently took a stake in Indonesian ride-hailing firm Go-Jek and is reportedly going to invest in Indian e-commerce startup Flipkart which was recently acquired by Walmart.

iPhone SE 2 Cancelled and Rumors Debunked

The iPhone SE 2 was rumored to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) event that was held at the beginning of this month. However, Apple did announce the highly anticipated successor device for the iPhone SE from 2016. Popular case maker Olixar had claimed in the recent past that the iPhone SE 2 will be arriving with iPhone X-like design. However, citing information coming from its sources, the accessory manufacturer has now claimed that since Apple is concentrating on the large-sized iPhones arriving later this year, it won’t be launching the iPhone SE 2 this year.

In the recent months, accessory makers and CAD renders had revealed that Apple would be launching the iPhone SE 2 as a successor for the iPhone SE. However, the Cupertino company has always been silent on its existence.

In the previous month, Olixar had reportedly started the official line of accessories for the iPhone S2. However, now that the device is said to be cancelled, the case maker has halted the production. This suggests that the original iPhone SE was a one-off device from the company to check the market response.

iPhone SE 2

Rumors had claimed that the iPhone SE 2 would be having a size similar to the predecessor. However, it would still be housing a larger display because of the slim-sized bezels. The display of the phone was also expected to feature a notch like the iPhone X. It was speculated to borrow specs from the iPhone 8. Some reports had even claimed that the smartphone would be called iPhone X Mini.

Read More: Xiaomi’s Supply Chain Is Still Far Behind Apple, Samsung & Huawei – Analyst

Do you think that Apple should launch the iPhone SE 2? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

LG Q7 Android One Edition in Works for the U.S.

The Motorola Moto X4 available on Project Fi from 2017 and the newly unveiled Nokia 6.1 smartphones are few Android devices are available in the U.S. Fresh information reveals that LG is prepping an Android One variant of the Q7 smartphone for the U.S.

According to XDA Developers, the LG Q7 Android One edition would be exclusively available through T-Mobile in the U.S. The evidence of an unidentified LG Android One phone along with its model number was found through the kernel source code of the LG Stylo 4 that will be launching in the U.S. tomorrow.

The source code of the device includes terms like “mcv5a”, “tmo”, “us” and “sprout.”. It has been confirmed through the Google’s list of Play certified devices that “cv5a” is the model number of LG Q7 that was launched recently and terms “tmo” and “us” suggest that it is a T-Mobile device heading to U.S.

Lastly, “sprout” codename is always used for an Android One device. Hence, the newly spotted LG device seems to be Android One edition of LG Q7.

The source code has also revealed some of the key specs of the alleged LG Q7 Android One phone. It has been found that the handset features a 5.5-inch 18:9 LCD display that supports FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The Snapdragon 450 is present under the hood of the phone. Other specs of the phone include Android 8.1 Oreo, NFC, USB-C, Hi-Fi ES9218P audio DAC borrowed from LG V30 and 3,000mAh battery. The handset lacks a fingerprint reader.

LG Q7

Read More: LG Q8+ Appears On A KCC Listing In Two Variants

As of this writing, there is no information on the pricing and availability of the LG Q7 Android One smartphone.

(source)

Unidentified Xiaomi Phone Receive FCC Approval

Xiaomi has recently released the Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, Mi 8 SE, Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A smartphones in China and it is slated to unleash the Mi Max 3 phone in July. A recent report has revealed that the company may debut Redmi 6 Pro and Mi Pad 4 alongside the Mi Max 3. Apart from these devices, two new Xiaomi models have been certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. The listings reveal that these devices are running on MIUI 9.

The model numbers of the two Xiaomi devices that have been certified by FCC agency are M1804C3DG and M1804C3CG. It appears these could be the two variants of an upcoming Xiaomi phone.

The listing reveals that the device is loaded with MIUI 9 and carries support for Bluetooth 4.2 LE and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. FCC documents also suggest that the device may arrive in 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM and 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM variants. This indicates that the M1804C3DG/M1804C3CG could be a mid-range phone. As of this writing, there is no information available on the identity of the newly spotted Xiaomi devices.

Read More: Xiaomi Removes Key Feature From Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A

The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 that is expected to debut soon has a model number of M1807E8S. A recent report has revealed that the model number of the forthcoming Mi Pad 4 tablet is M1806D9W. Also, the rumored Redmi 6 Pro phone has a model number of M1805D1SE. Since the M1804C3DG/M1804C3CG model numbers does not seem to belong to Mi Max 3, Mi Pad 4 or Redmi 6 Pro, there is a possibility that those devices could be the two variants of the upcoming Xiaomi Mi A2 Android One phone or some other Xiaomi device.

(source 1, 2|via)

8848 M5 Titanium Luxury Phone Certified By TENAA With Dual Displays

8848 is a Chinese company known for releasing very expensive and original luxury phones. The latest handset released by the Chinese company is the M4 Titanium, one of the most refined smartphones in terms of aesthetics. It features a titanium alloy, head layer cowhide, a sapphire glass for the display, ceramic and more.

8848 m5 titanium

Now it looks like this device released in 2017 has a successor. A new handset dubbed 8848 M5 Titanium has just been certified by TENAA. The Chinese regulatory handset has published the images and the main specs of the upcoming flagship. It is not so different from its predecessor as it retains its hexagonal form factor as well as a leather back and a dual display. The main display is a TFT panel with a size of 5.65 inches and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2016 pixels, while the secondary display is placed on the back — it is circular and it resembles a watch.

 

RELATED: The 8848 Titanium is a Phone for The One Percenters

 

Indeed, the M4 is able to show time and the most important notifications on the back. 8845 M5 comes with a quad-core SoC running at a frequency of 2 GHz, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal storage depending on the configuration. It also packs a 16 MP main camera, a 12 MP camera, Android 8.1 Oreo and a 3450 mAh battery.

 

LG Q8+ Appears On A KCC Listing In Two Variants

The Q-series of LG is composed of devices which can be defined as affordable variants of its major flagships. The first devices of the line-up are Q6 and Q8 which are, respectively, cheap versions of the G6 and V20. Recently, the South Korean company launched the Q7 trio to offer cheap alternatives to people who can not afford its latest flagship G7. Now, it seems that it is readying the LG Q8+, which is expected to come as an affordable version of the V30. Earlier this month, the handset surfaced on a KCC listing (the Korean equivalent of the American FCC) in two variant identified by the codenames LM-Q815S and LM-Q815L.

Now the name of the handset has popped up again on a list of devices which support Google Play confirming its existence. The listing mentions LG Q8+ and its codename cv7an in the modding community. The first of the two variants has also been certified by Wi-Fi Alliance. However, despite these sightings, specs of the handset hasn’t been revealed. So, at the moment, the only thing we can do is recap the main specs of the original Q8 which is a high-end handset even though it is more affordable than devices from the G and V-series.

 

RELATED: Samsung Galaxy S10, LG G8 Could be Equipped with Sound-Emitting Screen

 

The original LG Q8 has a full metal unibody design and an IP67 certification making it dustproof and water-resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins). It has a main display with a size of 5.2 inches and a Quad HD resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, as well as a secondary Always On display to show notifications with a 1.8-inch size and a resolution of 160 x 1040 pixels. Under the hood, it has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. It even sports a wide-angle dual camera with a 16 MP resolution.

(source, via)

Latest Vivo X21 Update Improves In Display Fingerprint Recognition

After the X20 Plus UD, the Vivo X21 is the second Vivo’s smartphone to feature an in-display fingerprint reader. Thanks to a very innovative chip released by Synaptics, if you own this phone you can unlock it through fingerprint recognition by simply touching the display. So, the sensor is embedded right into the display as there is no space for a Home key due to the full bezel-less design. However, in-display fingerprint readers are slower and less efficient than the traditional fingerprint readers which often put them at an operational disadvantage.

vivo x21

A new update which has just been rolled out on the Vivo X21 is now improving the fingerprint reader experience by making it safer and more efficient. According to the official changelog released, the new update will improve the fingerprint reader processing logic, improving the security and efficiency of the authentication process. The improvements to the fingerprint reader are not the only ones implemented through this new update of Funtouch OS (the customized Android fork made by Vivo). With this update, the company has added sticky notes and made some optimizations to the driving mode making it more user friendly.

 

RELATED: OPPO Find X to Rival Vivo NEX with a Full Screen Design, Teaser Confirms!

 

Further, the update brings Funmoji, a set of customized emojis working through AR. In a similar way to Apple’s Animoji, the user can create emojis based on its facial expressions. The update rolled out on Vivo X21 also contains optimizations to the system layout and to the icons’ priority in the status bar. There are also some improvements with regards to the system resource scheduling mechanism and the system stability and efficiency. Given its size, we suggest you to download the update while you are connected to a Wi-Fi network.

(via)

Samsung Will Launch Galaxy Note 9 512GB Storage Variant In Select Markets

Samsung, after launching Galaxy S9 series flagship smartphone earlier this year, is now gearing up to launch the next-generation Note series flagship — Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Earlier, there were reports claiming that the company could launch a 512GB internal storage model of the Galaxy Note 9.

Now, the latest report suggests that the 512GB internal storage model will be exclusive to the South Korean and Chinese markets only in the initial phase. However, the report adds that the company could launch the variant in other regions at a later date.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Render

Currently, it’s not known if the company plans to make any other change in the phone’s specs apart from the storage capacity. If not, then the Galaxy Note 9’s top-end model with 512GB onboard storage could come with 6GB or 8GB RAM, powered by the company’s own Exynos 9810 octa-core processor.

According to the reports, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will come with a 6.3-inch display having QHD+ screen resolution and 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone will be powered by the latest and Samsung Exynos 9810 or upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, depending on the region.

Concept renders of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 suggests that there won’t be a major difference in terms of design compared to its S-series siblings. The front side of the phone will be dominated by the Infinity Display, with thin bezels on the top and bottom. The volume rocker, as well as the power button, has been placed on the left side and towards the right, there’s the dedicated Bixby button.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Render

The company has also decided to retain the 3.5mm headphone jack, which sits beside the USB Type-C port on the bottom. On the back, one of the major change is the placement of the fingerprint scanner. According to these renders, the fingerprint sensor has now been moved below the camera module, which should make it more convenient to use.

The flagship smartphone is also expected to come with an upgraded camera system, though we believe that the phone will continue to offer the same dual-aperture primary camera, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus.

In the software department, the device is expected to come with a redesigned interface from Samsung, which is dubbed as Crown UX and will be based on Android Oreo operating system out of the box. Further, the phone is also expected to come powered by a larger battery rated at 3,850mAh.

Read More: Prototype Of Canceled Foldable Samsung Phone Surfaces, Sports A Familiar Design

As for the phone’s availability, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is expected to be announced on 9th August at an event in New York and is expected to be available on pre-order shortly after that. The reports indicate that the shipments could start from two weeks after the phone’s launch.

(Source)

Meizu 16 To Pack In-Display Fingerprint Sensor And Up To 8GB RAM, Launching In August

Recently, Meizu launched its Meizu 15 series smartphones and now the China-based company is preparing to launch its successor — Meizu 16. Earlier, Meizu’s founder Jack Wong (Huang Chang) had claimed that the Meizu 15 series is just a test product and the upcoming Meizu 16 series will be more powerful and futuristic.

He had also revealed that the Meizu 16 series smartphones will be launched in August this year but the launch date is not yet known. Now, more details about the upcoming smartphone from the company has surfaced online.

Meizu 16 Render

According to the report, the Meizu 16 will be launched in two variants. While one variant will be powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor, the other variant will be powered by Qualcomm’s recently launched Snapdragon 710 processor.

The variant with Snapdragon 845 SoC will pack up to 8GB of RAM and will also have an under-display fingerprint sensor, similar to what we saw on Vivo NEX and Xiaomi’s Mi 8. The smartphone is expected to come with Full HD screen resolution. It is speculated that both Meizu 16 series smartphones will feature notch-less OLED screens with 3D Press and mEngine.

A recent leak suggested that the phones will be equipped with 12-megapixel + 20-megapixel dual camera setup. However, a contradictory leak reveals that the dual camera setup will be available only on the Meizu 16 while the Meizu 16 Plus may come equipped with 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 20-megapixel triple camera system. Both the phones are rumored to arrive with 20-megapixel front-facing snapper.

In terms of software, the upcoming smartphones are expected to be running an improved version of Flyme OS and OneMind 2.5, but the exact version of the Android operating system is not yet known. The Flyme OS 7.5 comes with support for full-screen gestures, 3D Press, NFC, AI capabilities and more.

The Meizu 16 is likely to house a 3,080mAh battery with 24W charging (8V/3A). On the other side, the Meizu 16 Plus is expected to not only house a bigger battery of 3,600mAh capacity along with faster 32W charging (8V/4A), but also it is expected arrive with 10W wireless charging.

Based on the previous leaks, the Meizu 16 will have two variants — 64GB storage + 6GB RAM and 128GB storage + 6GB RAM. New information reveals that the phone will be available in 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM with 128GB storage for 3,398 Yuan ($528) and 3,598 Yuan ($559) respectively.

 

Read More: Meizu VP Li Nan Reveals Blue Charm Division Has Sold Over 50 Million Smartphones Since Inception

 

On the other hand, the Meizu 16 Plus model was reported to have 128GB storage + 6GB RAM and 256GB storage + 8GB RAM. According to the new reports, it will have three models — 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage priced at 3,598 Yuan ($559), 3,798 Yuan ($591) and 4,288 Yuan ($667) respectively.

 

(Via)

The Moto C2 May Launch As An Android Go Phone

Motorola has not yet announced the second-generation Moto C series but renders of the Moto C2 and C2 Plus leaked last month. Now, there are reports that the Moto C2 may launch as an Android Go phone.

There is no proof to back up the report but seeing as the phone will come with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage according to FCC documents, it may as well just launch with Android Oreo (Go Edition) instead of the regular Android Oreo.

Moto C2 Gold

The Moto C2 has the model number XT1920 and already received approval in Europe and Asia a while back. Now that it has been seen at the FCC, we expect it to launch in North America too. The documents also reveal it will have a battery of between 2000mAh and 2100mAh and should have a screen size between 5 and 5.2-inches judging from its 147.88 x 71.22 dimensions.

[envira-gallery id=”196593″]

READ MORE: Motorola One Power New Specs Leak: 4 GB RAM and 12 MP dual Camera

Xiaomi Removes Key Feature From Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A

The infrared sensor is a feature Xiaomi has included in all its phones for a couple of years now. The small but useful addition allows users to control a wide range of electronics with their phone. Sadly, Xiaomi has decided not to include it in the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A.

We first noticed the IR sensor was missing in hands-on photos of the Redmi 6 posted on ITHome. Then we decided to confirm on the official website and found out that Xiaomi didn’t include it in the Redmi 6A too.

Redmi 6 No IR sensor

It is sad to see Xiaomi has removed a feature that has sort of become associated with the brand. We do not know if this will continue with future devices or if it is just the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A. If this is a feature you find you can’t live without, you may want to overlook these two phones and settle for Xiaomi’s older models.

Apart from the missing sensor, the Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 offer great value for money. Both devices come with a 5.45-inch screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio and HD+ resolution. The Redmi 6 is powered by MediaTek’s new Helio P22 SoC which should offer slightly more performance and power management when compared to the Snapdragon 625. It also has dual cameras, face unlock, and a fingerprint scanner.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Starts Rolling Out MIUI 10 Global Beta ROM To Compatible Smartphones

All variants Of The OnePlus 6 Wil Be Available On June 18 (China Only)

The OnePlus 6 went on sale in China last month but availability has been limited to just the 6GB RAM + 64GB ROM Mirror Black model. Starting tomorrow, buyers will be able to purchase any model and color variant including the limited Avengers edition.

All the variants will be available on JD.com and the official OnePlus China website. The Avengers edition OnePlus 6 which has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will sell for ¥4199  (~$652) while the 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM variant which is available in Silk White, Mirror Black, and Midnight Black will sell for ¥3599 (~$559).

OnePlus 6 Jingdong

The 8GB + 256GB Midnight Black model will sell for ¥3999 (~$621). OnePlus will also have its new Bullet wireless earphones available for ¥399 (~$62). You should be able to grab the phones for a lesser price on JD.com since tomorrow is 618 shopping festival.

The OnePlus 6 has a 6.28-inch AMOLED display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution. It is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor and packs a 3300mAh battery. A 20MP+16MP dual camera combo sits on its back. There is also another 16MP camera positioned inside the notch.

READ MORE: Win A OnePlus 6 & Over $7000 In The OnePlus Asphalt Cup Competition

Prototype Of Canceled Foldable Samsung Phone Surfaces, Sports A Familiar Design

One of the trends we expect to see in the phone industry in the coming years is the foldable smartphone. There are a number of top manufacturers like Samsung and Apple that have been developing one for years. However, ZTE, another top manufacturer beat them to it with its Axon M dual-screen foldable phone released last year.

For Samsung, there have been lots of patents and leaks giving us a glimpse of what they are working on, but for the first time, we get to see a live photo, albeit a canceled version of one Samsung’s early prototypes.

[envira-gallery id=”196568″]

While in development, the device was referred to as Project V and its model number was SM-G929F. What is striking about Project V is its design. It is the same type ZTE used for its Axon M. I think we can cut ZTE some slack now.

The device has two screens joined together by a hinge in the middle. The screen on the right is home to the old front-mounted fingerprint scanner pre-Galaxy S8. It also has capacitive navigational and multi-tasking buttons flanking it. At the top is the earpiece, a LED flash, and a camera. This is the only camera on the device.

A picture of the phone from another angle shows us the ports are attached to the screen on the right and it is also home to the device’s battery judging from its thickness. There is a speaker grille, a MicroUSB port, and a 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom. The SIM tray (and probably microSD slot) sits at the top.

There is no info on the specs of the device but some sources have said the phone was in development between 2015 and 2016, so its internals should be similar to Samsung flagships released in those years.

READ MORE: Samsung To Begin LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 Storage Mass Production This Year