HTC will launch a new smartphone on May 23. The phone is expected to be called the HTC U12+. If you are wondering what the new flagship will cost, then you should read to the end.
The pricing details for the HTC U12+ have been leaked ahead of the phone’s release. Although these prices are for HTC’s own country – Taiwan, they should provide an idea of what it will sell for in other markets.
The HTC U12+ will come in 64GB and 128GB versions. The 64GB version will be priced between NTD21,900 (~$736) and NTD22,900 ($769). If you want double the storage, it will cost you between NTD23,900 ($803) to NTD24,900 ($837).
The HTC U12 will have a 6” QHD+ screen, A Snapdragon 845 processor and 6GB of RAM. It will also have dual front and rear cameras, run Android Oreo out of the box and be IP68-certified.
LG has a new smartwatch coming soon. The new watch will run Wear OS and has model number LM-W315. Earlier this week it was seen at the FCC, now it has also been spotted on the Korean equivalent of the FCC.
It is still not known if this is the hybrid smartwatch LG is said to be working on or an entirely different watch. Nevertheless, we hope we’ll find out soon.
The LG LM-W315 is said to have a 1.2-inch screen, a Snapdragon 2100 processor, 768MB RAM and 4GB of internal storage. It will also have an IP-68 rating which means you will be able to swim or shower with the watch strapped on.
Sirin Labs is working on a Blockchain phone called Finney. Yesterday, it released the specifications of its phone which is unusual for most manufacturers. But Sirin Labs is not your conventional phone maker, so it is understandable as to why they’ll do this.
The Finney will have a 6” display with the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio. A promo video shows the phone will have a notch at the top. Sirin also says the display will have an oleophobic coating.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 will power the device along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. It will have a single 12MP f/1.8 sensor on the rear with focus on low-light imaging. The front camera will be an 8MP f/2.2 85° wide-angle sensor.
The phone will run Sirin Labs’ own SIRIN OS which will be based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The secure open source OS will also be licensed to interested OEMs.
The battery will be bigger than 3000mAh with fast charging support. It will also have an ultra-secure fingerprint sensor, high-quality speaker, and “side-fire audio design”. Other features include Bluetooth 5.0, NFC A and NFC B, dual-band Wi-Fi, and support for 22 LTE bands.
The Finney will have glass on the rear (Corning Gorilla Glass), a metal frame, and an IP52 rating. It will sell for as much as $999.
Nubia‘s next-generation flagship which would be known as Nubia Z18 has been pretty regular in leaks lately. The device was teased recently by Nubia CEO Ni Fei on his Weibo account. The teaser poster confirmed that the Z18 will be equipped with Full Screen 3.0 design. The Nubia Z18 real machine has now appeared in a leaked picture, showing the device comes with a truly bezel-less display design. The top bezels and those at the sides are almost non-existent. However, we can’t see the bottom bezel but from the leaked schematics, we can tell that there is a considerable amount at the chin.
Recent reports have revealed that the model number of the upcoming Nubia Z18 is NX606J. The same model number was recently found benchmarked on Master Lu through which some of its key specs have been revealed in addition to its TENAA listing.
The Nubia Z18 is expected to feature a notch design on its display similar to the Essential Phone. The device, however, offers a higher screen-to-body ratio than what we have seen so far on recent notched display smartphones and even on previous Nubia models. The Z18 is also expected to feature a 5.99-inch display with an FHD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM and 64 GB storage on one model. There will be a higher model with 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM. It features a 3,350mAh battery and runs on Android 8.0 Oreo. The Z18 is also expected to feature a dual camera setup at the rear comprised of a 24-megapixel main sensor and it has a selfie snapper of 8-megapixel. The phone also packs a rear fingerprint scanner.
Sharp launched a new flagship model dubbed AQUOS R2 in Japan yesterday. Sharp AQUOS R2 comes with a beautiful full-screen design with a tiny notch at the top that looks like that of the Essential Phone. The notch houses the front-facing camera. There haven’t been many pictures of the AQUOS R2 since after it was launched. But we have been able to scoop up some cool hands-on pictures of the flagship that shows the device in all its glory.
The AQUOS R2 is no doubt a beautiful smartphone. We are not surprised because Sharp is working in a familiar terrain. The Japanese company is known for its sleek smartphones and the AQUOS R2 is a manifestation of that. The phone features a body made up of a metal fuselage and glass. The device comes with IPX5, IPX8 and IP6X ratings and measures 156 x 74 x 9mm, and weighing in at 181 grams. It comes in five colors such as Premium Black, Premium White, Aquamarine, Coral Pink and Rose Red.
The device sports a 6.0-inch IGZO display with a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 3040 pixels along with an aspect ratio of 19:9. There is an oblong-shaped physical home button at the tiny bezel on the chin. The home button also doubles as the fingerprint scanner.
The AQUOS R2 packs dual cameras at its rear aspect. The cameras are stacked vertically aligned in the left corner just like as we saw on the iPhone X, the Mi Mix 2s and other new smartphones. The dual camera setup includes a 16.3-megapixel super wide-angle camera with a 135-degree field of view for video shooting and a 22.6-megapixel camera for still images. It is the first phone in the world that makes it possible to shoot videos and still images simultaneously through their respective image sensors.
The LED flash is placed at the side of the main camera sensor. Apart from the cameras and flash, the other thing on the rear panel is the “AQUOS” inscription. The back panel is made entirely of glass while the sides are made from metal with well-chamfered edges.
The main specifications of the AQUOS R2 include a Snapdragon 845 mobile platform along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage which can be expanded via a microSD slot. The device gets its interface from the Android 8.0 Oreo OS while a 3,130mAh battery keeps the light on. For enhanced multimedia experience on the AQUOS R2, it features Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
There is still no word on its price tag and when it will go on sale. But we do hope this gets launched for the international market soon. The AQUOS R2 was among the leaked Sharp product lineup for Europe so there is no doubt it will launch abroad someday.
Blackberry isn’t a major player in the smartphone market anymore but the company still has some strong followership and of course, every now and then one or two models get released. The company released the KEYone last year and the smartphone enjoyed some bit of success in the market. That successful run may have prompted the company to commence work on a successor. Blackberry KEY2 is adjudged to be its successor going by the spate at which we see new leaks regarding a new BlackBerry-branded smartphone. Although the name of the device is yet to be officially disclosed, it is rumoured that it would be called KEY2.
Recently a live picture of the KEY2 surfaced online showing it would have the same physical QWERTY keyboard as well as square-shaped design as the KEYone. The phone was recently spotted on GeekBench bearing the model number BBF100-1. The KEY2 also got certified by China’s TENAA recently bearing the model number BBF100-4. And now, the Blackberry KEY2 has been listed at Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG. The model listed at Wi-Fi Alliance clutches the model number BBF100-6 while the Bluetooth SIG listing comes with model numbers BBF100-1, BBF100-2 and BBF100-6.
In case you don’t know, Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG are two regulatory agencies that provide new devices with the required certifications -Wi-Fi and Bluetooth certificates. Since the device is listed on their website, it is safe to say that it received both of them. This, no doubt, puts the KEY2 one step closer to launch. The KEY2 is a mid-range model and is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal memory.
Xiaomi’s best selfie Redmi smartphone is here and it’s called the Redmi S2. The company has explained that the ‘S’ in the name stands for the ‘Selfie Series’ which kicks off yet another new sub-lineup in the company’s long list of smartphone releases. Xiaomi made it quite clear that the S2 is made for selfie lovers and it was no surprise that the initial half of the event was spent talking about its capable front shooter. It looks like the phone will compete directly with OPPO’s A3 and Vivo’s Y85 as the company compared these two with its new model multiple times during the event.
Usually, I would start the article with the design and other departments, but in this case, it’s best to talk about its front camera first.
Xiaomi Redmi S2 Front Camera & AI
If you are a selfie lover, Xiaomi has got you covered. The Redmi S2 is all about its front facing shooter. There’s a very good reason why Xiaomi is highlighting its front camera. It’s not just because of the hardware inside, but also the AI algorithms that ensure that your selfies turn out to be perfect.
On the hardware side, the Redmi S2 comes with a 16MP front shooter, which isn’t very big as compared to selfie centric phones of 2018 like the OPPO F7’s 25MP shooter. However, the front camera features large 2μm pixels which should deliver pretty good low light selfies. Well, to further aid its front camera in low light, you get a soft front flash as well, which Xiaomi claims mimics natural light.
Redmi S2’s AI Portrait Mode
On the software department, the Redmi S2 uses AI to perfect your selfies. There are two major AI modes, the AI portrait and AI beauty (makeup) mode which will ensure that you have beautiful selfies from its front camera. For example, the AI portrait mode can detect different aspects of a selfie to blur out the right areas. So, even if you are waving at the camera, the AI is smart enough to ensure that your hands aren’t blurred in the photo. Further, the AI makeup beauty mode will make sure that your lipstick, eye shadow and a lot of other features are given due highlight in your selfie, making it pop out well. And guess what, you get HDR on the front as well!
OPPO A3 vs Vivo Y85 vs Redmi S2
Now that we’ve talked about the ‘Selfie’ features of the Redmi S2, let’s move on to other departments.
Xiaomi Redmi S2 Design:
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 adopts the tall stature found on recent smartphones, thanks to its 18:9 5.99-inch display. The design is reminiscent of the recent Redmi phones, but the antenna lines are a bit different. The phone uses a 2 string U shaped antenna design, which could be inspired from OPPO’s R9S. If you remember, it had a three string design and was quite unique in its time. The back is made out metal and features a fingerprint sensor too. The bottom features a MicroUSB port and speakers, while the top has a headphone jack and infrared. There are three color options available, rose gold, platinum silver, and champagne gold.
Hoping to see a Red Redmi S2? Maybe we’ll get one later in the year.
Xiaomi Redmi S2 Hardware Specs:
Xiaomi Redmi S2 doesn’t have any surprises in this department. The phone features the tried and tested, kind of old, Snapdragon 625. Even in 2018, this particular Qualcomm chip manages to stand on its own as a capable processor for low-end mid-rangers. There are two storage variants available: 3+32GB and 4+64GB. If you find the ROM to be a bit low, just expand it using the dedicated MicroSD card slot (up to 256GB). The slot is similar to what we saw on the Redmi Note 5A, so you can use two SIM cards and a MicroSD card slot at the same time.
The display is of 5.99-inches with 18:9 aspect and 1440 x 720p HD+ resolution. To be honest, the display isn’t the phone’s biggest highlight. Coming to the rear camera, you get a 12MP + 5MP rear camera. The primary camera is said to be the same one used inside the Xiaomi Mi 6. The setup consists of a f/2.2 lens, PDAF, LED flash, facial recognition, AI portrait mode, and HDR.
Other features of the Redmi S2 include a 5V 2A 3080mAh battery, a rear placed fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock, Bluetooth 4.2, Infrared, and Wi-Fi n.
Xiaomi Redmi S2 Price:
The 3+32GB version of the phone will go on sale for 999 Yuan ($157) while the 4+64GB version will retail for 1299 Yuan ($204). The company will be throwing in a free TPU case with your purchase. The Redmi S2 will go on sale on May 17 on major online stores like mi store, Suning Tesco, Tmall, and even via offline stores in China.
The Redmi S2 by itself looks like a pretty good selfie focused phone. But if you are not a selfie fanatic, there are plenty of better options out there, even from Xiaomi. Redmi 5 Plus, Redmi Note 5 are all priced around the sub-1500 Yuan segment, so it looks like the S2 should cater to a niche audience in China.
OnePlus is currently gearing up to launch its upcoming flagship smartphone OnePlus 6 at a launch event in Mumbai on 17th May. Today, the company has announced that the customers can reserve the OnePlus 6 ahead of the phone’s official launch, giving users a chance to be among the first globally to purchase the OnePlus 6.
In partnership with Amazon India, the company has announced “Fast AF (Fast & First)” sale, aiming to provide a unique customer experience ahead of OnePlus 6 launch in India. The sale gives Amazon India gift card for the exclusive purchase of the OnePlus 6 smartphone before it goes up for sale.
Customers will be able to purchase Amazon.in e-Gift card worth Rs. 1,000 from 13th May to 16th May, which can be used to buy the OnePlus 6 smartphone on 21st May and 22nd May.
While redeeming the gift card for the purchase of OnePlus 6 on May 21st and May 22nd, users will receive complimentary cashback of Rs. 1,000 in the form of Amazon Pay balance, effectively giving OnePlus 6 buyers a value of Rs. 2,000 with the purchase of a Rs. 1,000 Gift Card. Further, the buyers will also get an extended manufacturer warranty of 3 months on top of the existing warranty of 1 year on the smartphone.
Commenting on this, Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India said, “In a yet another community first initiative, we are excited to introduce our first ever ‘Fast AF’ Sale that offers unparalleled benefits and an assured opportunity to be among the first few to own our latest flagship globally.”
Noor Patel, Director, Category Management, Amazon India said, “Both, Amazon and OnePlus have always maintained a customer-first approach. With this unique, one-of-a-kind sale, customers are in for a special treat on the much awaited OnePlus 6 exclusively on Amazon.in.”
The OnePlus 6 will feature a 6.28-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED display with screen resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels, having 19:9 aspect ratio and a notch. However, the company has already confirmed that the users will have an option to hide the notch. Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor, coupled with Adreno 630 graphics processor.
The phone is expected to be available in 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage or 256GB onboard storage, based on the variant. It will feature a dual camera setup on the back, packing a 20-megapixel sensor and a 16-megapixel camera lens, while the front-facing camera sensor will be of 16-megapixel.
The smartphone will be running Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box with the company’s own OxygenOS user interface on top. It is expected to be fueled by a 3,300mAh battery with support for the company’s own fast charging technology — Dash Charge 2.0.
Apart from this ‘Fast AF” sale from OnePlus in partnership with Amazon India, the company has also planned popup-events in several cities on May 21 where it will allow the fans to purchase the OnePlus 6 before its official release date.
A new smartphone from Asus carrying codename Z01RD has appeared on benchmarking portal GeekBench. The smartphone is believed to be the Asus Zenfone 5Z, which has not been released yet. With the smartphone appearing on GeekBench, it seems that the launch of the Asus Zenfone 5Z is imminent.
The Asus Zenfone 5Z — the flagship smartphone from the Taiwan-based manufacturer was first unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year. However, the company has not yet made it available for purchase.
The smartphone features a 6.2-inch Full HD display with screen resolution of 2246 x 1080 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm‘s flagship processor — Snapdragon 845, which also powers majority of the flagship smartphones launched this year so far.
The Snapdragon 845 chipset is based on the advanced 10nm LPP process technology and adopts the Kryo 385 architecture. The CPU clock speed of the SoC reaches 2.8GHz, and comes equipped with Adreno 630 GPU.
The device packs 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It comes equipped with dual camera setup at the back, consisting of a 12-megapixel lens and an 8-megapixel sensor. The primary lens uses a 1.4-micron Sony IMX363 sensor module with an f/1.8 aperture.
It runs on Android Oreo operating system out of the box with the company’s own ZenUI on top. The phone also comes with its own version of Apple‘s Animoji called ZeniMoji. It comes with stereo speakers and each has a NXP smart amplifier. There is also NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, FM radio, an audio jack, and support for Hi-Res audio and DTS.
The phone is powered by a 3,300mAh battery and comes with a new feature called AI Charging which helps double the lifespan of the battery. According to Asus, the phone studies your sleep pattern, so when you plug in before going to bed, it charges the battery up to 80% and leaves it there. Just before you wake up, it then resumes charging so you can wake up to a full battery.
Recently, the smartphone appeared on AnTuTu, revealing a score of 274499 points that is consistent with that of other Snapdragon 845-powered device. However, it’s interesting that the score surpasses the 273741 points scored by Xiaomi’s latest Mi Mix 2s.
Just a month ago, Meizu celebrated its 15th anniversary by releasing Meizu 15, 15 Plus and M15. But, even though its new flagships have just been made official, the company is already developing their successor: Meizu 16. The handset has just shown up on a leaked photo published on Weibo. The live photo shows its back side: after releasing all of its most recent flagships with a full metal unibody design, it seems that the Chinese company is finally switching to a more elegant glass back. In the photo, Meizu 16 has a glossy curved back in Blue color and it also features an aluminum frame as it is possible to see an antenna band on the lower part.
Given how tall the phone is, we suppose that it will sport a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. There is just a volume rocker on the left side, so the power key is probably placed on the right. We cannot see a fingerprint reader on the back side, but we can see a dual camera setup in a vertical configuration, together with a circular LED flash and a laser autofocus mechanism. According to the founder, Meizu 16 will be officially unveiled in August. The new photo confirms the design of a previous leak showing the backplate.
According to another leaked sketch, the phone will boast an Infinity Display which will be similar to the one of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. This means that there will be no notch and neither a fingerprint reader on the front side. From what all the leaks are showing, there are only two positions left for the biometric sensor: there may be either a side-mounted fingerprint reader or an in-display fingerprint reader like the latest Vivo flagships. Meizu 16 is said to come with a Snapdragon 845 chipset and a price of about $471 in China.
OnePlus is all set to launch its new “flagship killer” smartphone at a launch event in London on 16th May. The device is slated to launch in India and China on 17th May. Now, ahead of the smartphone’s launch, CAD renders of the OnePlus 6 have surfaced online, giving us a clear look into the phone’s design.
The renders shows that on the back side, there’s a dual camera setup at the top-center, with sensors stacked vertically. Below the camera sensors, there’s an LED flash and a fingerprint sensor. Below all these modules, there’s a OnePlus logo. There’s nothing else on the back side apart from these sensors and branding.
On the front side, majority of the portion has been covered by the display. The phone will come with an edge-to-edge display which will also have the trendy notch on the top side, housing the front-facing camera module as well as other sensors.
Based on the earlier leaks and company’s confirmations, the OnePlus will feature a 6.28-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED display with screen resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels, having 19:9 aspect ratio. The company has already confirmed that the users will have an option to hide the notch.
Under the hood, it is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 845 processor, coupled with Adreno 630 graphics processor. The phone is expected to be available in 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage or 256GB onboard storage, based on the variant.
On the back side, the dual camera setup will consist of a 20-megapixel sensor and a 16-megapixel camera lens, while the front-facing camera sensor will be of 16-megapixel. The smartphone will be running Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out of the box with the company’s own OxygenOS interface on top.
Connectivity-wise, the device is expected to support Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy, NFC, USB Type-C port, 4G VoLTE, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou. The phone will be fueled by a 3,300mAh battery with support for the company’s own fast charging technology — Dash Charge 2.0.
Previously, it was reported that the smartphone will be the first from the China-based company to feature IP67 certification for water and dust resistance. Further, the phone is also expected to support wireless charging.
While the OnePlus will be announced on 16th May, the company has also planned popup-events in several cities on May 21 where it will allow the fans to purchase the OnePlus 6 before its official release date. Along with the regular variant, the company is also gearing up to launch the OnePlus 6 Avengers Infinity War Limited Edition smartphone.
GearBest is offering a broad range of electronics and other items at a heavily discounted price as part of its latest clearance sale. Dubbed as the ‘Epic Markdown Zone,’ the promotion sale has been divided into multiple categories in a bid to simplify the search process.
$20 Off Over $100
This category comprises multiple products including a smartphone, smartphone accessory, a vacuum cleaner, and an air purifier to name a few. More importantly, the items featured in this section carry considerable discounts that you can avail for a limited period of time.
For instance, you can buy the ALLDOCUBE Thinker Notebook by shelling out only $674.26 on GearBest. While the laptop would normally set you back $732.30, the site is giving an 8% off on its original asking price.Aside from that, you can save an additional $20 simply by using coupon code ‘GB100-$20off’ at the time of checking out. This brings your grand total down to just $654.26. The aforesaid discount code will be valid for those who make a purchase of more than $100.
$15 Off Over $50
GearBest is doling out discounts on select items featured in this category. On top of that, the site is also giving buyers a chance to save an additional $15 in the form of a discount coupon. But, the extra discount is valid only for buyers whose grand total exceeds $50.
For example, you can get 35% off on the CHUWI A 100 QC 3.0 power dock, which normally sells for $16.06 on GearBest. Thanks to the aforesaid discount, the CHUWI-branded base dock charger is currently up for grabs for only $10.40 on the site.
You can use coupon code ‘GB50-$15off’ in order to save an additional $15 at the time of checking out provided your grand total exceeds $50. For the sake of an example, if you buy 5 pieces of the CHUWI A 100 QC 3.0 power dock you’d ideally spend $52, but you can reduce your grand total to just $40.17 by applying the aforesaid discount coupon.
$10 Off Over $50
This section is crammed with all sorts of items that you can buy without emptying your pocket. Moreover, GearBest is allowing buyers to save an extra $10 if their grand total is more than $50 while checking out.
You can buy the black color version of the MGCOOL Explorer Pro sports camera at a slashed price of just $48.04. This is an 8% reduction in the device’s original selling price of $52.16. But if you’re interested in taking advantage of the extra $10 discount coupon ‘GB50-$10off’ before it expires, you have to ensure your grand total is more than $50 by purchasing another product bearing about a $10 price tag.
Likewise, GearBest is handing out $10 discount coupons for those spending more than $100, and a $5 discount coupon to buyers who spend more than $50 in the remaining two categories. You can check out the rest of the products and grab the deal before it wraps up by heading straight to this link.
The Redmi S2 is being touted as having impressive cameras. For a phone priced at about $150 (3GB variant), it is alright to have doubts about the camera performance, but you may want to reconsider based on these camera samples.
Two new photos have surfaced online that show off the bokeh effect of the Redmi S2. The first image is when the focus is on the object in the foreground. It is a close-up shot and it is impressive. The object really pops out against the blurred background.
However, we got blown away when focus was shifted to the objects in the background, leaving the coffee cup blurred. Pretty neat, right?
The photos were shared on Weibo by Xiaomi’s co-founder Lin Bin ahead of the phone’s release later today.
The Redmi S2 has dual cameras on its back. The primary camera is a 12MP sensor and it is paired with a second 5MP sensor. The camera is said to have AI features baked into it for AI portrait mode. The 16MP front-facing camera also has an AI beauty mode.
When Samsung first unveiled the Galaxy S9 and S9+ flagships, they were only available in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, and Lilac Purple. However, only the black, purple, and blue colours were made available in China. But a couple of days back, the Korean giant unveiled a Burgundy Red variant of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ for the Chinese market. We now have better and clearer photos of the Galaxy S9 Red variants and indeed, they look radiant in the new paint job.
This isn’t the first time Sammy is adding a sleek red variant to its lineup. Last year’s Galaxy S8 had a Burgundy Red variant which was released just about 6 months back. But this one is coming in quite early, perhaps due to the not so impressive sales record of the pricy flagship models especially in China that ranks as the world’s largest smartphone market. The Burgundy Red variants of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ add more glamour to the already glamorous flagships. The entire body is coated in red, except for the display.
The new color variant is not yet on sale although it is listed on Samsung China website already. We don’t expect the pricing to be different from those of other colour options. We can’t say when Samsung will introduce the new variant in other markets but we expect that to happen someday. Check out more of the Galaxy S9/S9+ Burgundy Red variant photos from down below.
360 Mobiles unveiled the 360 N7 in China on May 8 with the device packing a specs lineup that gives the Xiaomi Mi 6X a run for its money. The device features at its heart a Snapdragon 660 chipset despite being a low midrange model in terms of pricing just like the Mi 6X. As if the device is tailored specifically to take on the Mi 6X, the AnTuTu score of both models have now been released and it comes with a bit of a surprise.
The Mi 6X is shown to have scored 131,512 points on AnTuTu while the 360 N7 polled a much higher 142,431 score. Both scores are within the range of the AnTuTu score of Snapdragon 660-powered model but obviously, the 360 N7 performs better than the Mi 6X with a difference of over 10k. There are factors that could result in the Mi 6X’s lower AnTuTu score. One of such factors is that the Mi 6X could have had a number of apps installed considering it may have been put to use for a while now since it was launched.
From experience, AnTuTu scores usually drop after some apps have been installed on the smartphone but that shouldn’t be up to a 10K. Another thing, the clock frequency of the processors onboard both models could be different. The SD 660 SoC on the N7 may be running at a higher clock speed since its CPU score is considerably higher at 66,079 to 57,139 for the Mi 6X.
In terms of other specifications, both smartphones sport a 5.99-inch 2160×1080 full-view display. The 360 N7 comes in 6GB RAM + 64GB/128GB storage versions while the Mi 6X also includes a 4GB + 64GB storage variant as its base version.
HMD Global’s upcoming smartphone, the Nokia X has made its way to China’s TENAA. Virtually all the specs of the phone have been revealed ahead of its release next week.
The Nokia X is listed as the Nokia TA-1099. This is the same model number as one of the Nokia phones we saw on 3C a few weeks ago. The phone has a 5.8” screen with a 2280 x 1080 resolution. It measures 147.2 x 70.98 x 7.99 millimeters and weighs 151 grams.
There is a 1.8GHz octa-core processor powering the device. This is most likely to be the Snapdragon 636. And it is paired with 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM along with 32GB/64GB of expandable storage.
The Nokia X has dual rear cameras but TENAA only mentions one and it is a 16MP sensor. There is another 16MP sensor in front for selfies and video calls. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo, has a 3,000mAh battery, and will be available in blue, black, silver, and white.
Internet of Things is becoming part of our everyday life. In a few years, every kind of hi-tech device and domestic appliances will be connected to the network and it is time to give them a nice and complete operating system. Google has just announced the final and stable version of Android Things 1.0, its operating system for IoT devices. The OS has been in development since 2016, but until now it was only available as a Developer Preview. Now the final version of the OS went finally official and soon we will see the first devices running it in the market.
According to Google, Android Things 1.0 will offer a free three year support for each of its long-term releases. The software support will include updates with stability fixes and security patches. Note that security will be very important in the IoT sector as it will include objects interacting with our everyday lives and external attacks may be more dangerous than expected. After the three-year support for each major version of the operating system, there will be additional options for extended support and products manufacturers will be able to release updates on their own.
Besides announcing the operating system, Google has also introduced the compatibility with new System-on-Modules which will power Internet of Things devices. The new hardware modules supported are NXP i.MX8M, Qualcomm SDA212, Qualcomm SDA624 and MediaTek MT8516. The Developer Preview of the operating system already supported Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, NXP i.MX7D and NXP i.MX6UL. The compatibility with the first two modules will remain, while the NXP i.MX6UL will not be supported anymore with the 1.0 version. The Mountain View giant has confirmed that the first IoT devices with Android Things 1.0 will be made official by the end of summer. Among these, there will be smart speakers and smart displays.
Taiwanese smartphone maker ASUS has launched a new red-coloured variant of the Zenfone 5Q in Taiwan. ASUS Zenfone 5Q was first unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 alongside the Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 5Z. The midrange smartphone was available in Starry Black and Moonlight White and both have since gone on sale. The addition of this new colour option is apparently to rejig sales.
ASUS ZenFone 5Q Red Edition is only different from the black and white variant in its colour but is fitted with a similar software and hardware configuration as both variants. The Zenfone 5 Red Edition will go on sale on May 11, just two days before Mother’s day. The Red edition looks really sexy in pictures and is well suited for female folks. The device comes with a price tag of NT$9990 (~$333) which is nearly the same price with the Black/white variants which have a RRP of NT$9,900 (~$330).
As a reminder, the Zenfone 5Q packs a 6-inch full-screen display with an FHD+ resolution as well as an 18:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and there is 64GB of expandable storage onboard.
The device equally comes with dual cameras at the front and back. The dual front-facing cameras include a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 main sensor that offers an 85.5-degree field of view. The secondary sensor that accompanies it offers a 120-degree field of view. The dual rear cameras of the ZenFone 5Q consist of a 16-megapixel primary sensor with an 80-degree field of view and the same secondary sensor that resides at the front. The handset gets its juice from a 3,300mAH battery and proving the interface is a ZenUI 5.0-flavored Android 8.0 Oreo OS. Other features of the Zenfone 5Q include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, facial recognition, micro USB, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi and dual-SIM support.
Xiaomi reportedly filed for an IPO in Hong Kong a couple of days back. The company is said to be expecting to raise up to $10 billion which places its valuation at $100 billion. The offer is tipped to be the largest in four years since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd raised $25 billion in its 2014 debut in New York. However, there are reports that the company’s valuation has been scaled down.
According to the report first carried by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Chinese smartphone firm is now looking to IPO at a valuation of somewhere between $80 billion and $90 billion. This is coming as a surprise because it is happening even before the company gets listed. The reason for the devaluation isn’t known but there are some possible reasons for this.
In the first place, Xiaomi’s initial targets may have been overestimated especially since the company is basically a smartphone company as about 90% of its revenue from selling hardware. Although the company is trying to brand itself as an internet company with a large chunk of its revenue coming from adverts on its MIUI software, it still needs to do more to convince investors that it can translate its phone sales into big profits from associated services, Apple-style.
Another possible reason for the reduction in Xiaomi’s valuation could be the slump in the stock of tech companies since the beginning of this year. According to Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Mark Newman, the new reported valuation target is “more in line with Internet valuations… and still significantly higher than hardware valuations.” There isn’t still a date for the IPO listing but it is expected to go live in the next few months.
Tomorrow, Xiaomi will be launching the Redmi S2 selfie-centric smartphone through an unveil event at headquarters of Suning Tesco in Nanjing, China. Recent teasers released by Xiaomi have suggested that the Redmi S2 may introduce the all new Redmi S series of selfie-focused smartphones. Xiaomi has also claimed that the Redmi S2 will be the best ever selfie phone from the company. The Chinese manufacturer will be livestreaming the launch event of S2 on the official website of the company (Chinese edition) starting at 2 PM local time.
Xiaomi Redmi S2 Specifications and Features
The entire specs of the Redmi S2 have appeared through its TENAA listing. Also, the Chinese manufacturer also teased some of the key features of the phone in the recent past. The Redmi S2 features a full metallic chassis that measures 160.73 x 77.26 x 8.1mm weighs 170 grams. It is expected to be available in colors like in colors like Grey, Pink and Gold. The rear panel has u-shaped antenna design like the Xiaomi Mi 6X and Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphones. The Redmi S2 will be arriving with 5.99-inch display that supports HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9.
The Snapdragon 625 SoC will be powering the phone. It is speculated to arrive in multiple RAM and storage options such as 2 GB RAM + 16 GB storage, 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage. For more storage, users can make use of a microSD card on its dedicated slot on the phone. It is speculated that only the 32 GB and 64 GB variants of the Redmi S2 will be available in China. The handset is expected to arrive preloaded with Android 8.1 Oreo and the latest MIUI 9 skin. The Redmi S2 will be receiving power from a 3,080mAh capacity battery.
For photography, the Redmi S2’s vertical dual camera setup features a 12-megapixel primary sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. It is expected to come with features like dual-tone LED flash, Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) and Portrait Mode.
The selfie-focused Redmi S2 is equipped with a soft-LED flash enabled 16-megapixel Samsung S5K3P8SP sensor with a pixel size of 2µm. The AI Portrait mode makes it possible to capture impressive bokeh shots by effectively blurring the background. The AI Beauty can shoot enhanced selfies by amplify the facial features. The front-facing camera also supports AI face recognition.
Redmi S2 Pricing and Availability
In China, the Redmi S2 is expected to be priced under 999 Yuan (~$159). Some reports have claimed that the handset may launch as an Android One phone in markets outside of China.
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