Motorola has announced three new Moto Mods this year. They are the Livermorium Slider Keyboard, the Lenovo Vital Moto Mod, and the Moto Folio Case, though only the case is available for purchase at the moment. A new mod called the Virtual Viewer has been leaked and may be the next mod that hits the market.
Official renders of the Virtual Viewer VR was posted on Twitter by Evan Blass (@evleaks) yesterday and it shows the mod beside its retail box.
The Virtual Viewer looks like your regular VR glasses. It has a polycarbonate body with a cut-out at the front for the cameras. It also has a strap that goes behind the head and a dial at the top, most likely for adjusting the distance between the lens.
It doesn’t have a remote, so we can’t really say this is Motorola’s answer to the Google Daydream View. Plus it does look like it should work with any phone or at least one with a 5.5” display like the Moto Z series.
Nevertheless, we won’t rule out the fact that it may have a special feature that makes it only compatible with the Moto Z series.
As Moto X4 was well received, Motorola was said to be working on its successor named Moto X5. Details of this upcoming smartphone surfaced online earlier this year in January. However, if the latest reports are to be believed, then the Lenovo-owned company has canceled the Moto X5.
According to the report, the cancellation of the Moto X5 smartphone is the part of company’s layoff exercise. Recently, Motorola confirmed the layoffs in its Chicago office but announced that the Moto Z-series of modular phones is emerging unscathed.
Further, the report adds that the company is also changing its approach towards the Moto Mods — modular accessories for its Moto Z series phones. Instead of releasing Moto Mods that appeal to niche markets, Motorola will now focus on that ones that it “believes can actually turn a profit.”
After canceling the Moto X5, the Lenovo-owned company is now shifting its focus on three of its popular smartphone series — Moto G, Moto E and Moto Z. While highly unlikely, the Motorola’s X-series could make a come back in the future.
In an official statement to various publications, Motorola said, “In late 2017, Lenovo announced a worldwide resource action that would occur over the next several quarters, and impacting less than two percent of its global workforce. This week’s employment reductions are a continuation of that process. We are reducing our Motorola operations in Chicago; however, this did not impact half of our workforce there and our Moto Z family will continue.”
Currently, Motorola is gearing up to launch its next-generation Moto G-series smartphones. The company will be launching three models in the G-series — Moto G6, G6 Plus, and G6 Play. Similarly, Motorola will be launching three models in the E-series as well, which includes Moto E5, E5 Plus, and E5 Play.
As of now, there is no information available regarding the launch date and pricing of the upcoming E5 and G6 series. However, given that the Moto E4 series was unveiled in June last year, we are expecting this new E5-series to make its debut at some point in the second quarter later this year. On the other hand, the G-series devices from Motorola are also expected to launch in the Q2 2018.
Oppo is all set to launch its new flagship smartphone in the Indian market. The company has revealed that it is going to launch Oppo F7 — the successor of the selfie-focused Oppo F5 that was launched in India last year.
Oppo India posted a teaser of the phone on Twitter with a caption that reads, “Make way for the all-new #OPPOF now with an awesome notch screen. Can you guess who the Indian cricketer is behind the phone?”
The image teased by the company shows a phone with the trendy full-screen display and an iPhone X-like notch with minimal bezels around the display. It looks similar to the Oppo R15 which is expected to launch in China later this month.
Along with the phone, Oppo India is also teasing its brand ambassador for the phone and asks to guess the cricketer, who is likely to be Hardik Pandya.
While the company has not yet revealed any specifications of the phone, an earlier report suggests that the phone could feature a 6.2-inch Full HD+ 19:9 display with 89.09 percent screen-to- body-ratio.
Another report suggests that the Oppo F7 might come with a whopping 25-megapixel front-facing camera. It further adds that the front-facing camera could also feature inbuilt Artificial Intelligence features similar to the Oppo F5. The phone is said to feature enhanced real-time HDR, enhanced beauty mode and AR stickers.
The Oppo R15, which is similar to the Oppo F7, was spotted on TENAA, revealing the phone’s key specifications. It features a 6.28-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with screen resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels. There’s speculation that the new R15 models will feature the upcoming Snapdragon 670 chipset, while a recent rumor suggests that the device could pack MediaTek Helio P60 chipset.
The phone is expected to pack 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage, with support for a microSD card up to 256GB. It will come with vertically stacked dual rear cameras. The phone will be running on Color OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo operating system.
Samsung, which is the world’s leading TV manufacturer, has announced its new flagship range of 4K QLED TVs at an event in New York. At the event, the company demonstrated new and improved features that the company claims enhances the TV-viewing experience like never before.
While these new models come with modest improvements in terms of quality, the major highlight is the smart home control. The new QLEDs from Samsung comes with Bixby and offer voice assistant capabilities right out-of-the-box. Further, they can also act as a centralized dashboard for Samsung’s SmartThings smart home platform.
The Samsung’s new 2018 QLED lineup includes the Q9, Q8, Q7, and Q6. The company has also announced that each model will be sold in both flat-screen and curved-screen versions. Here is the screen sizes each series will be available in — Q9 Series: 75-inch, 65-inch; Q8 Series: 75-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch; Q7 Series: 75-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch; and Q6 Series: 82-inch, 75-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch, 49-inch.
The company says that these new TV models come with groundbreaking design elements, enhanced picture quality, and smart, intuitive capabilities. The new QLED TV features Direct Full Array, Bixby and Ambient Mode for an immersive viewing experience.
The Q9 and Q8 both feature full-array local dimming, FALD — a first for Samsung’s QLEDs, which should result in deeper black levels and greater contrast. The Q9 also has the best HDR output compared to other models, which Samsung calls “Q HDR EliteMax.” However, all four models come with support for HDR10+.
All these TV models feature an “Ambient Mode” that uses the phone to capture a photo of the wall behind it and then creates a matching look on screen. This feature also displays temperature, news headlines, personal photos, and other information.
They also feature a new One Invisible Connection, which is basically a slim cable that combines both user’s power and AV data to the TV. It is available up to 15 meters and eliminates the needs of placing the TV near data or power outlets. With Bixby support, users can now use voice commands to bring up their favorite shows and control compatible devices.
Currently, pricing details aren’t being disclosed but the company has announced that they are scheduled to begin shipping within the next few weeks in the United States.
The China Mobile A3S 4G smartphone was launched in February, earlier this year. The phone sports a 5.2 inches HD display with a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
The A3S normally sells for $110.03 on LightInTheBox. But much to the delight of cost-conscious buyers the Chinese online retail company is currently giving a considerable 45% discount on the phone’s original selling price, as part of its latest Lightning Sale.
As a result, you can now get your hands on the China Mobile A3S smartphone by shelling out just $59.99. The discount is valid for both golden and silver color version of the smartphone.
Despite paying a lowered price for the A3S smartphone, you get a power-packed device that is crammed with an array of awe-inspiring specs and features. Here’s what the recently-released smartphone has to offer.
The A3S comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage capacity. Under the hood, the phone packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 MSM8917 processor along with Qualcomm Adreno 308 graphics processing unit.
The phone runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and it draws its juices from a built-in 2,800 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery. On the photography front, the China Mobile A3S sports an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera and a 5-megapixel front snapper for selfies.
You can click here to check out the full specification and take advantage of the discount. Its worth noting that the promo is slated to end soon and there were only 45 pieces remaining for Lightning Sale.
The HomTom S8 4G smartphone was launched in September 2017. As expected, the S8 garnered huge popularity among smartphone users.
You can now buy the well-received HomTom S8 smartphone on Amazon by shelling out EUR 189.99 (about $233.83). The phone is up for grabs in three color choices including Schwarz, Blau, and Silber.
But if you’re not willing to spend that kind of money for a smartphone, we have good news for you. You can get a considerable discount on the phone’s original selling price on Amazon. Here’s how.
You can bring your grand total down to just EUR 122.99 (about $151.37) simply by using claim code, ‘TW2GT4ON’ at the time of checking out. The promo kicked off on March 9 at 8:00 AM CET (3:00 PM, China time).
Despite considerably reducing the phone’s original asking price by using the aforesaid claim code, you still get a power-packed device that boasts an array of jaw-dropping specifications and features. Let’s check out what the HomTom S8 has to offer in terms of specs,
The S8 sports a 5.7 inches IPS, Sharp HD+ display with a screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. It offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
Under the hood, the phone packs a powerful MediaTek MT6750T, 64-bit processor, along with an equally robust MTK6750T Octa Core graphics processing unit. It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system.
On the photography front, the S8 smartphone sports a 16MP + 5.0MP dual camera setup and a 13-megapixel camera in the front. Moreover, it is backed by a built-in 3,400mAh 5V/2A Lithium-Polymer battery which supports Fast Charging feature.
You can head straight to this link in order to check out the full specification and apply the claim code to get a significant discount before it expires.
Electric scooters are light, agile and can be run without worrying about spending a lot of money. The market is brimming with all sorts of electric scooters that suit various purposes, from everyday commuter to delivery units.
As part of its latest ‘Greet the Spring’ promo, GearBest is giving a heavy discount on a broad range of top-branded scooters, hoverboards, and even wheels. Let’s delve straight into the details.
The site is selling the EUNI ES808 folding electric scooter at a Flash Sale price of $329.99. This is a massive 42% reduction in the ES808’s original selling price of $511.48.
The discount is valid for the white color version of the electric scooter. However, the promo is slated to end in 2 days and there were only 24 pieces left.
Similarly, you can get 21% off on the original $189.19 selling price of the scrawl pattern variant of the Rcharlance Smart Self Balancing Scooter. This reduces your grand total to only $148.89.
Alternatively, you can go for the red color version which carries a Flash Sale price of $148.99. With 81 pieces still left, the promo for the scrawl pattern version will end in 2 days, but the promo for the red color model of the Rcharlance Smart Self Balancing Scooter is scheduled to wrap up in 3 days with only 44 pieces left.
The products have further been divided into multiple categories in a bid to simplify the search process. Here’s a brief glimpse of what each category has to offer.
Buy 1 Get 1 Free
When you buy one discounted item featured in this category, you’d be eligible to get a discount on another related item. For instance, the Xiaomi M365 Folding Electric Scooter is currently up for grabs for just $418.99, thanks to a 15% discount offered by GearBest.
You can buy 8.5-inch rubber inner tube tire for Xiaomi Electric Scooter as a combo by shelling out an additional $3.99. It’s worth noting that this item sells for $5.89 separately. Your final price comes down to just $422.98 and you end up saving $74.80.
Electric Bikes
This category features a lot of electric bikes and wheels that you can buy without worrying about emptying your pocket. In addition to including a slew of other electric bikes, the category also features the Coswheel A-One electric bike.
With just 1 piece left at the time of writing, this A-One electric bike which is powered by a 350W motor will be available for a lowered price of $589.99 for 3 days. You can choose from golden, gray and silver color option.
Similarly, the F – wheel DYU electric bike which normally sells for $609.18 on GearBest is currently up for grabs for a Flash Sale price of $379.79. This reduced price is valid for the remaining 25 pieces of the black-tinted F – wheel DYU electric bike and the promo is scheduled to end in 3 days.
Electric Scooter
In this category, you can buy the perfect electric scooter to suit your needs without spending a fortune. GearBest is giving considerable discounts on all electric scooters that have been included in this category.
In line with this, the site is giving 15% off on the original $491.89 selling price of the Xiaomi M365 folding electric scooter. But that’s not all. You can choose from a broad range of color options including black, green, white and yellow.
Hoverboard
This category features a myriad of hoverboards that not only sport awe-inspiring cosmetic appearance but also carry affordable price tags. For example, you can buy the Hiwheel Q3 Hoverboard for only $139.99 on GearBest. The Q3 sells for $168.44 without the aforesaid discount, which will come to an end in 3 days. Moreover, there were only 33 pieces left for the Flash Sale. You can click here to check out all the products and take advantage of the promo before it winds up.
The picture of a customised Meizu E3 Kumamon Bear edition has surfaced online. As shown in the image below, the upcoming customised version comes with the drawing of the Kumamon bear and its name at the back. The device also comes with a black paint job.
Kumamon Mascot
Kumamon is a mascot created by the government of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 2010 for a campaign kickstarted to draw tourists to the region after the opening of a new rail line. Kumamon subsequently became nationally popular, and in late 2011, was voted top in a nationwide survey of mascots, collectively known as yuru-chara. The mascot has also been a money spinner as a result of merchandising revenue. Meizu is perhaps hoping to join the numerous retailers who have benefited from the mascot’s popularity in attracting sales of Kumamon-branded products. The customised Kumamon edition may also be launched on March 21 alongside the regular model.
In addition to the Kumamon version, Meizu is expected to also launch an Operation Red Sea version of the device, going by the content of the invitation letter the company sent out.
The Meizu E3 will pack a 5.99-inch display with a 1080p resolution which should be an FHD+ resolution. The device will be available in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants while there will be 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage versions. Further, the Meizu E3 will be powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 chip and will get its juice from a 3300mAh battery. The E3 packs a dual 12MP + 20MP dual rear camera setup while for selfies, there is an 8MP sensor. Li Nan recently shared the camera sample of the E3 which revealed the presence of a better CMOS sensor than the M6 Note. So, the E3 camera imaging quality is expected to be higher than that of the impressive Meizu M6 Note.
A huge 6” display is definitely one of the highlights of the phone. It not only has 18:9 aspect ratio but it also sports tiny bezels making the X18 Plus one of the better-looking phones in this price range.
That display is really good too as I found it to be pretty sharp for everyday use.
The overall build quality and aesthetics are great. Even though the glossy backplate is prone to fingerprints, the phone looks really nice. I’m not sure what the phone is made of but it seems that Cubot used either glass or quality plastic on the back and a metal frame on the sides. I also found the buttons to be pretty nice.
We have a dual camera system on the back with the powerful 20MP shooter, a pretty accurate fingerprint scanner, a 13MP selfie snapper and a bright notification LED light.
We do have a headset jack that provides decent sound quality but the phone still uses the micro USB port.
The loudspeaker is kind of average, just like on most of the cheap phones.
HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE
As far as specs go, we don’t have anything special going on. In fact, the phone uses the same chipset many cheap phones have. Specs: MTK6750T chip, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM.
In terms of gaming, the phone could perform better but that’s expected considering the type of chipset inside. 3D games are playable but you should expect to see quite a few skipped frames. Also, the phone gets quite hot even after 5 mins of gaming but does not overheat to uncomfortable levels.
BENCHMARKS
USER INTERFACE
Where you won’t see any skipped frames is the user interface that is based on Android 8. As usual, I praise Cubot for making budget phones with stock Android and the X18 Plus is no exception. Apart from fingerprint gestures, you are not getting any extra features to play with and I’m glad about that since I would not use them anyway. The phone is fast and responsive all the time and this is what impresses me the most with the Cubot X18 Plus.
IMAGE QUALITY
Keep in mind that I tested the camera on a cloudy day because it’s still dark winter. Anyway, you can get some pretty good-looking shots with this camera for a cheap phone. Also, even night image quality is pretty good for a budget device thanks to the 20MP sensor. The portrait shots are not the best but they will look quite nice on social media.
Selfies look pretty good for social media needs.
1080p video looks surprisingly decent. Also, I like that the continuous auto-focus works well. 720p selfie video looks pretty good too, way better than most of the phones in this price range.
I found the call quality to be decent and signal reception is great. Also, other connectivity options work just fine.
However, there aren’t too many sensors on board, which is quite frustrating.
BATTERY LIFE
Battery life has been great. I could get over 6 hours of screen-on time while using the phone mostly for the basic stuff, social media and taking pictures.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the Cubot X18 Plus shapes up to be a pretty good budget phone. My main concern remains 3D gaming performance but that’s expected due to the chip inside and the fact that the phone was not designed for gamers anyway. Also, I’m sad that there is no gyroscope sensor onboard.
On the other hand, I love the design of the phone, display, fast and clean Android 8 UI, good battery life and even pretty decent camera. Therefore, I could say that the Cubot X18 Plus is a pretty good phone for the price, despite a few flaws.
Next week will see the launch of the China version of the Redmi Note 5 which is billed to launch on March 16. China’s Redmi Note 5 is said to be the same as the Snapdragon 636-powered Redmi Note 5 Pro which was launched in India last month. A recent Weibo message by Lei confirmed the presence of a Snapdragon 636 processor on the device and even went further to hint that the device will have a 6GB RAM version. Xiaomi’s President Lin Bin had earlier hinted of a camera surprise on the device.
One major question that would be bugging the minds of fans is what price point the device would adopt considering the improved features touted to be onboard. A leaked document has revealed the likely price of the Redmi Note 5 China Edition and it is cheap! The Redmi Note 5 is quoted with a 1,499 Yuan (~$236) price tag which is very close to the RS 13,999 (1,400 Yuan) price tag its contemporary, the Redmi Note 5 Pro (4GB + 64GB) adopted when it launched in India. But the surprise here is that this price is for the 6GB + 64GB version! Isn’t that amazing if it turns out to be true?
Apart from the price, the sheet also contains the specs of the device which includes a 5.99-inch display with 2160 x 1080p (FHD+) resolution. The device packs a dual camera setup at the back and the configuration is given as a 12MP + 20MP sensors while at the front there is a 16MP selfie shooter. The Redmi Note 5’s dual cameras are AI dual cameras while the front camera equally supports AI Beauty feature. This will be the first Redmi series model with such AI capabilities. Other specs include an SD 636 chip, 6GB of RAM, 64GB storage and a massive 4000mAh battery capacity.
In addition, the leaked sheet also contains the price of the Meizu E3 as well as its key specs. The Meizu E3 isn’t in the thousand Yuan category if we are to believe the leaked document. The device is listed with a 2,299 Yuan (~$363) price tag. It comes with a 5.99-inch display with a 1080p resolution which should be an FHD+ resolution. The device will be available in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants while there will be 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage versions. We believe the listed price would be for the topmost 6GB + 128GB variant. Further, the Meizu E3 will be powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 chip and will get its juice from a 3300mAh battery. The E3 is equally a dual-camera phone configured as 12MP + 20MP while for selfies, there is an 8MP sensor.
After launching the Galaxy S9 series last month at Mobile World Congress 2018, the next flagship device from Samsung will be the next-gen Note series phone, which is expected to be called the Galaxy Note 9. While earlier reports suggested that it could pack under-display fingerprint sensor, that no longer seems to be the case.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities, South Korean tech giant Samsung is unlikely to introduce under display fingerprint sensor in the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9 smartphone. The reason being cited is that the ultrasonic and optical solutions don’t meet the company’s standards of employing a biometric technology.
In a note to investors, Ming-Chi Kuo said, “According to our understanding of the technologies, under-display fingerprint solutions may currently have many technical issues (e.g. screen protectors and different environments affecting recognition rates and power-consumption).”
He further casts doubts over the technology’s commercialization because of the supposed cancellation of Samsung’s under-display solution. He adds that he does not expect to see the mass market adoption of the technology until the first half of 2019. Several experts say that the newly introduced in-screen fingerprint sensors have poor accuracy and durability compared to the traditional ones.
Even Apple was reported to be working on some kind of under display fingerprint sensor technology for the iPhone X, but the company nixed those attempts and instead chose to move forward with the Face ID after seeing its potential.
Now, instead of the under display fingerprint sensor, the upcoming flagship smartphone from Samsung under its Note-series is expected to feature the traditional fingerprint sensor on the back panel, just below the camera module — similar to what we saw on the recently launched Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.
The phone is also expected to have some kind of facial recognition feature along with artificial intelligence. While no information is available about the upcoming phone, it is expected to have a full-screen display and a dual camera setup at the back.
While Samsung is not opting for the under display fingerprint reader as of now, China-based Vivo has already launched a phone with this technology. Dubbed as Vivo X20 Plus UD, the phone went on sale in China last month.
Recently, Vivo launched its latest smartphone — Vivo Apex, which was unveiled at Mobile World Congress. Unlike the under-display fingerprint sensor on the Vivo X20 Plus UD, the half part of the display of the Vivo APEX is integrated with the in-screen fingerprint reader.
The U.S government’s push to stop Huawei from gaining grounds in the U.S market has again reared its ugly head. Huawei recently launched the Honor 7X as Mate SE in the U.S and the midrange smartphone is presently available on Amazon and Best Buy for $229. But according to a report by CNBC, the device is “from a company that the U.S. government has warned consumers against purchasing products from”.
There isn’t an indication of a fresh report that specifically warns against the Mate SE but the news report seems to re-echo the warning issued last month by leaders of the CIA, FBI and NSA, as well as the director of national intelligence, which stated that private citizens in the U.S. shouldn’t buy phones from two major Chinese smartphone and telecommunication equipment manufacturers, Huawei and ZTE.
Huawei Mate SE
The FBI Director Chris Wray while testifying during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in February had stated among other things that; “We’re deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don’t share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks.” The FBI director also expressed concerns that such products gives Chinese smartphone makers access or even “control” over the U.S. telecommunications system and “provides the capacity to maliciously modify or steal information” and “conduct undetected espionage.”
AT&T pulled out of a deal to sell the Mate 10 Pro in the U.S
There has been no established evidence that this is the case with Huawei. The company, as well as ZTE denied any malicious activities over their operations in the U.S or elsewhere. Huawei in a statement released to CNBC last month stated that; “Huawei is aware of a range of U.S. government activities seemingly aimed at inhibiting Huawei’s business in the U.S. market”. The statement continued, “Huawei is trusted by governments and customers in 170 countries worldwide and poses no greater cybersecurity risk than any ICT vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities.” While we are not in a position to speak on such security concerns, it is possible this is just a ploy to prevent the company from edging out Apple from its stronghold. The Mate 10 Pro was a formidable device that could have shaken the U.S market but at the last minute, AT&T backed down from an agreement to sell the model in the U.S. Of course, the U.S market is carrier-dependent and so it is difficult to break into the market without the support of the major carriers. Huawei is now shifting its focus to the UK and India.
Xiaomi, which has been aggressively launching devices in the Indian market since past few months, is now gearing up to launch yet another smartphone in India. While the company has not yet revealed which phone it plans to launch, it is believed to be the Redmi 5.
During the launch of 32-inch and 43-inch models of the Mi TV4A in India a couple of days ago, Xiaomi India teased a new smartphone launch. Now, Amazon India has put on a teaser image on its website revealing that the upcoming smartphone from Xiaomi will be an Amazon Exclusive device. The phone will be launched in India on 14th March.
Recently, Manu Kumar Jain, Global VP, and MD of Xiaomi India posted a teaser on Twitter with the caption, “#CompactPowerhouse is launching on 14th March! Slim, sleek and compact! Yet a true super powerhouse! Guess what this is?”
The Redmi 5 was launched in China in December 2017 along with Redmi 5 Plus, making them the first smartphones from the China-based company to feature a full-screen display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The Redmi 5 features a 5.7-inch IPS HD+ display with 1440 x 720 pixels resolution and Gorilla Glass protection on top.
Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz along with Adreno 506 GPU. It comes in two variants based on the memory configuration — 2GB RAM with 16GB internal storage and 3GB RAM with 32GB onboard storage. There’s also a microSD card slot, which enables users to expand the storage capacity up to 128GB.
The phone comes with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera sensor with an individual pixel size of 1.25µm, phase-detection autofocus, ƒ/2.2 aperture, LED flash, HDR, and Full HD video recording support. On the front side, there’s a 5-megapixel camera sensor with a fixed-focus lens and 1080p video recording support.
It also comes with a fingerprint sensor placed on the back panel, for added security. The dual SIM smartphone’s connectivity options include 4G LTE, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, FM Radio, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, IR blaster, micro USB 2.0 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The phone runs on Android Nougat-based company’s own MIUI 9 operating system. The phone is powered by a 3,300mAh battery which supports 5V/2A charging.
In China, the device is available in four color options — Black, Gold, Light Blue, Rose Gold. At this time, it is not known which color variants will be available in India. Also, there is no information available regarding the phone’s availability and pricing.
Sony has recently launched the Xperia XA2 Ultra with a pricing of 2,999 Yuan (~$475) in China. Fresh information from the same country has revealed that the Japanese tech giant is prepping up for the launch of Xperia XZ2 flagship in China. The handset has recently certified 3C certification body in China. Also, its pricing for the Chinese market has been leaked.
Sony had unleashed the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact flagship smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech expo in the previous month. The model number of the Xperia XZ2 is Sony H8296. The same model number was recently certified in China which indicates that the arrival of the handset is close at hand. Latest news reveals that Sony will be keeping a press event in Hong Kong, China later this month. It is speculated that the company would be using the platform to launch Xperia XZ2 in the country. Unfortunately, the Xperia XZ2 Compact will not be arriving in the country.
Recent reports have revealed that the standard international edition of the Sony Xperia XZ2 has 4 GB of RAM. However, the U.S., U.K., Canada, China and Taiwan will all receive 6 GB RAM version of the smartphone. The 6 GB RAM variant was also spotted on a couple of times recently on the Geekbench benchmarking platform.
The Xperia XZ2 features a IP68 certified dual glass chassis and a metallic frame. It is fitted with a 5.7-inch display that produces 18:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution. The Snapdragon 845 chipset is present under the hood of the phone. The rear-facing 19-megapixel camera supports 4K HDR video shooting and 960 fps slow motion video shooting. It is equipped with a 5-megapixel selfie camera. Its 3,180mAh battery carries support for wireless charging. The XZ2 is also equipped with a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. It is preloaded with Android 8.0 Oreo OS.
In Europe, the Xperia XZ2 is available with a price tag of 799 euros (~$938; ~6,225 Yuan). The handset is expected to come with a lower price tag of around 5,599 Yuan (~$885) in China.
Huawei’s Honor brand is expected to launch the Honor Play 7C on March 12. It is just three days to the launch event and the company has intensified its efforts to promote the device. A new teaser video is the latest medium for such promotion.
The video which was posted on Honor’s official Weibo page basically teases the already confirmed features of a dual camera setup and facial recognition technology which would be onboard the device. You can check out the video from below.
The specification and design of the Honor Play 7C have already been revealed when the device received certification from the Chinese Telecoms regulatory agency TENAA. From the TENAA listing, we can grab that the Honor Play 7C will pack a 5.99-inch full-screen display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels. The midrange model will be available in a 3GBRAM and 4GB RAM variant and both versions will be fueled by a 1.8GHz Octa-core processor believed to be a Kirin chipset. The device will also come with dual-SIM card slots as well as a separate microSD slot. On the design angle, the rear cameras will be located at the top left corner, aligned in a horizontal plane and will be a 13MP + 20MP combo with LED flash. While the selfie camera will be an 8MP sensor which seems to also have an LED flash. There is also going to be a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The device will get its juice from a disappointed 2900mAh battery. Honor Play 7C will run Android Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 out of the box.
Meizu will be launching the Meizu E3 mid-range phone on March 21. The company is also expected to launch Meizu 15 series soon after the launch of Meizu E3. The Meizu 15 lineup that includes Meizu 15, Meizu 15 Plus and Meizu 15 Lite will be unveiled in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the company. All the family members of the Meizu 15 have received 3C certification and their key specs have also surfaced.
The three family members of the Meizu 15 series with model numbers M891, M881 and M712 has received certification from China Compulsory Certification (3C) in China. The 3C certification is a mandatory product approval system in China that supervises over charger rates for smartphones.
The 3C certification of Meizu M881 and M891 reveals that they carry support for 24W fast charging and a new UP1220S charger. It is speculated that the Meizu M891 and M881 model numbers respectively belong to Meizu 15 and Meizu 15 Plus. The M712 that is enabled with 18W fast charging could be arriving in the market as Meizu 15 Lite.
The Chinese manufacturer has officially confirmed that the Meizu 15 will be powered by Snapdragon 660 and the Meizu 15 Plus will be arriving with Samsung’s Exynos 8895 chipset. The Samsung SoC can be found under the hood of flagship phones like the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S8. It is speculated that the Snapdragon 636 chipset will be powering the Meizu 15 Lite.
The Meizu 15 series will be arriving with 18:9 aspect ratio supporting display. Like the Meizu M6s and the upcoming Meizu E3, the Meizu 15 family members will be equipped with side-mounted fingerprint reader.
According to a Japanese publication, the Meizu 15, 15 Plus and 15 Lite phones have appeared on official Android site. It has revealed that the Meizu 15 will be coming with 5.5-inch display (probably AMOLED), 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB and 128 GB internal storage options and Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS.
The Meizu 15 Plus will be featuring 6-inch AMOLED display, 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB and 128 GB storage options and Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS. The Meizu 15 Lite will be arriving with a 5.5-inch display, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB and 64 GB storage and Android 7.1.2 Nougat. The source claims that none of the Meizu 15 series support NFC. Previous reports have suggested speculated that the Meizu 15 series will be unveiled in China in April.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s will be officially launched on March 27 and ahead of the launch, we have had a couple of teasers from the tech giant centred on the features the device will pack. The latest teaser from Xiaomi seems to be the presence of wireless charging technology on the flagship device.
This isn’t the first time we are getting the rumour that the Mi Mix 2s will support wireless charging technology but this seems to officially confirm the presence of wireless charging. Although it isn’t explicitly stated that the device will come with wireless charging, the presence of what looks like a charging pad and the battery charging sign diagrams on the poster. The poster also contains the text “Not just” with a sign that resembles Qualcomm’s quick charge and we believe this implies that the device will not only have fast charging support but will also support wireless charging. We won’t be needing any text to decipher this one. It is, no doubt, wireless charging technology. The question which would then arise is if the company will launch the smartphone bundled with the charging pad. That is the likely scenario and so we may not just see the Mi Mix 2s on March 27 but also a new wireless charging pad, Xiaomi’s first.
It should be noted that to the best of our knowledge, Xiaomi is yet to release a smartphone with wireless charging support. So, the Mix 2s is likely going to be the first. The flagship Mix series phone will also score another first on the processor aspect. It will be Xiaomi’s first model to utilize Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 845 chipset. Other features of the Mi Mix 2s include a premium full-screen, bezel-less display design with 18:9 aspect ratio, up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage as well as under-display fingerprint technology. Further, the Mi Mix 2s is expected to feature a dual camera setup which is another first for the Mix series model and will be supporting Google ARCore AR software solution at launch. A recent teaser suggests the dual camera sensors may have the ability to function independently. That is in addition to the AI camera feature also teased to be onboard the flagship device.
Huawei Y9 (2018) is an upcoming budget-phone that it expected to launch soon. A recent report has claimed that it will be launching in Thailand on March 15. However, there is no official confirmation on it yet. The teaser that was leaked by popular leakster Evan Blass claims that the Huawei Y9 is the best 4G smartphone. Fresh renders of the Huawei Y9 has appeared in blue, gold and black to reveal its design.
The rear view of the Huawei Y9 shows that it will be arriving with dual camera setup. The back panel of the phone is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner. The antenna bands are placed on the upper and lower edges of the rear panel. The front view of the phone shows it that it will be sporting a full screen design. The chin of the device features Huawei branding and the upper bezel seems to house dual front-facing cameras.
The handset has been certified by TENAA in China, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. and The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand in the recent weeks. The source of this leak has also revealed the entire specifications of the Huawei Y9. The handset will be housing FullView Display of 5.93 inches. It will be supporting Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The mid-range Kirin 659 chipset will be powering the smartphone along with 3 GB of RAM. It has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB and it also carries support for microSD storage.
The Y9 will be release in the market with Android 8.0 Oreo OS and EMUI 8.0 skin. Its dual selfie snapper includes a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. The 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual camera setup resides on the rear of the phone. It will be featuring a 3,900mAh battery to keep the lights on. The Huawei Y9’s metal unibody chassis measures 157.2 x 75.3 x 7.89 mm and it weighs around 170 grams. As of this writing, there is no information available on the pricing of the phone.
Touted as the world’s first ultra-short projector, the Xiaomi Mi Laser Projector adopts the advanced laser display (ALPD) technology. As a result, it can deliver an impressive 150 inches of full HD quality images in 50cm. As if that weren’t enough, the estimated product life is up to a staggering 20,000 hours.
While the Mi Laser Projector is without an iota of doubt capable of delivering an unparalleled TV experience, it doesn’t come cheap. In fact, the device’s steep price tag stops budget-conscious buyers who aren’t willing to shell out a lot of money for a laser projector from buying it.
If you’ve restlessly been waiting to get your hands on the Mi Ultra Short Laser Projector without emptying your pocket, we have good news for you. GearBest is currently offering a considerable 27% discount on the Xiaomi-branded projector’s original sale price.
The discount is valid for the white color version of the Mi Laser Projector which is currently up for grabs for a discounted price of $1959 on GearBest. On top of that, you can save even more money apart from getting the aforesaid discount. Here’s how.
GearBest is allowing buyers to use coupon code ‘XMLPP’ at the time of checking out to get a supplementary discount that further reduces your subtotal to only $1839. It’s worth noting that the device’s original selling price is $2671.24 and it is likely to retain this price as soon as the promo is over.
That being said, you can head straight to this link in order to take advantage of the discount before it ends and apply the coupon code, which is likely to expire soon.
Oppo and Vivo, the two Chinese smartphone brands took over the Indian smartphone market with its aggressive spending on marketing in order to reach more people through offline channels.
However, that is no longer the case. As per the reports, both companies are changing their strategy of reaching more places within India. Instead, the companies are now focusing on generating revenue.
Both the companies have even cut their spendings. Recently, Oppo and Vivo slashed margins for the retailers by about 40 percent. The move led to a backlash which resulted in the company losing about 10,000 sales outlets each.
According to various reports, both the companies had about 70,000 outlets each in the country before the margin cuts. And now, the number of stores selling their phones have fallen. Navkendar Singh of International Data Corporation says that Oppo and Vivo have rationalized distribution and are choosing to be available on fewer counters where they have strong visibility and sales.
As a result, Oppo has moved out of the top five rankings in the smartphone segment with a 4 percent share in January from 9 percent a year ago. In the same time, Vivo’s market share halved to 7 percent.
Vivo has already confirmed this change of strategy. The company’s spokesperson said, “regarding Vivo’s trade channel strategy, we have redeployed our distribution strategy with a focus on providing varied choices and experience for consumers.” The spokesperson also added that the company will focus more on online sales following the launch of its own e-store in India.
Some experts believe that Oppo and Vivo are now following the path of Xiaomi, another Chinese smartphone brand, which managed to dethrone Samsung from the pole position in the last two quarters of 2017. Xioami has a strong online presence and sells its devices offline through select retail partners along with its Mi Store.
Vivo has recently launched its official online store in India to sell its phones and accessories, marking the company’s entry in the e-commerce space. For the year 2016-17, Vivo India posted a loss of Rs. 111.66 crore while its sales grew six-fold to Rs. 6,173 crore. On the other hand, Oppo’s sales also surged seven-fold to Rs. 7,974 crore.
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The Q3 sells for $168.44 without the aforesaid discount, which will come to an end in 3 days. Moreover, there were only 33 pieces left for the Flash Sale. You can 
