ZTE Refutes Allegation Of Espionage As US Security Agencies Recommend Boycott

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Feb 16, 2018

Chinese OEMs are usually keen to enter the U.S market with their products due to the lucrative outlook of the market. Huawei and ZTE are arguably the two Chinese companies that have found success in the U.S market. Huawei’s success is hinged on its telecom equipment business while ZTE supplies telecommunication equipment and also does well in its smartphone business. Huawei’s effort to launch its smartphones in the U.S has faced several hurdles especially bothering on security. U.S authorities believe the Chinese government could compel both companies to disclose sensitive data collected from consumers in the U.S.

That mistrust took a different dimension on Tuesday when the directors of six top U.S intelligence organizations, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National Security Agency, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that they would not recommend private citizens to use products, including smartphones) from ZTE and Huawei. The U.S security chiefs made this known while testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Earlier this year, two Senators proposed a bill that would effectively prevent government agencies from using any telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE. Both the intelligence chiefs and Senators cited spying concerns as the reason for the recommended boycott.

However, ZTE has responded by dismissing all espionage allegations raised against the company. The Chinese firm reiterated its earlier stance that all such accusations are baseless and vowing to continue focusing on improving the overall security of its products offered in the United States. In a statement provided to Xinhua, a ZTE spokesperson said the firm is fully committed to justify the trust of its customers and is entirely compliant with any applicable laws and regulations in all foreign markets in which it operates, including the U.S. Besides doing business in a law-abiding manner, ZTE is also subjecting its hardware and technologies to “strict testing protocols” and is always aiming to operate in accordance with “the highest business standards,” the company concluded.

(source)

Google Shipped 3.9 Million Pixel Phones in 2017

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 16, 2018

Research firm, IDC, has released the sales figure for Google’s Pixel phones. According to a tweet by one of its directors, Google recorded double the sales of 2016 last year.

The exact figure is put at 3.9 million units and includes sale of the first gen Pixel phones too. However, Google’s figures pales in comparison to that of several other manufacturers.

In 2016, Google cancelled the Nexus line in favor of the Pixel line. It also got more involved with the hardware manufacturing process. Gone is the branding of the manufacturer that handles the production, and in its place is Google’s own logo.

For the 2nd generation Pixel, Google went further by designing a special imaging processor called the Pixel Visual Core.

Continue

Galaxy S9 Trumps Galaxy S8 in Early Photo Shootout

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 16, 2018

Samsung will launch the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ on February 25 at MWC 2018. The new flagships don’t look very different from their predecessors except on the rear but greatly differ with respect to internals. So how is Samsung going to get you to buy its new phones?

The cameras. The cameras on the Galaxy S9 will be the best ever on a Samsung phone and on many other devices. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ both have fantastic cameras but the S9 and S9+ are said to push the boundaries further than imagined.

Photo by S8 VS the "9" pic.twitter.com/nhtm7AlOTY

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) February 13, 2018

Ahead of the launch, a leaker has shared photos comparing the camera of the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S8 to give us a glimpse of the former’s performance. Though we should warn you that these are probably the worst comparison photos you may have come across.

The photos were shared on Twitter by @MMDDJ_, a popular leaker.

[envira-gallery id=”173891″]

The pictures are daytime photos of some skyscrapers and apparently with the cameras at maximum zoom. The Galaxy S8 took the shot on the left while the one on the right is from the Galaxy S9.

Continue

Nokia 7 Plus Live Photo Appears; India is Likely to Receive it Soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

Yesterday, well-known tipster Evan Blass had revealed first renders of the upcoming Nokia 7 Plus Android One smartphone. Today, a Chinese publication has revealed a leaked photo of what appears to be the real Nokia 7 Plus smartphone.

The screenshot shows that the Nokia 7 Plus could be the first Nokia phone to arrive with full screen design. The corners of the phone are rounded. Its 18:9 aspect ratio display is said to be placed under a 2.5D curved display.

“Namaste” mentioned on the top-left corner of the screen is an Indian word which means a respectful greeting. Also, an Indian name “Raj Sharma” is mentioned below the date on the screen. These things suggest that the smartphone could be heading to India soon.

At the top-right corner of the phone is the rumored 16-megapixel selfie camera. It also seems to be sporting the same stock UI from HMD Global that was first seen on the original Nokia 6.

The above renders that were leaked by Blass show that the Nokia 7 Plus will be arriving in the market as an Android One phone. The renders have also revealed that the Pearl White and Black color variants of the phone will be sporting orange accents. It is speculated that the handset could be sporting a metal unibody design and its finish will have a ceramic appeal.

Its Geekbench listing has revealed that it could be the first phone from the company to feature Snapdragon 660 chipset. The SoC will be coupled by 4 GB of RAM. The backside of the phone features Carl Zeiss certified dual camera setup that may include 12-megapixel and 13-megapixel sensors. The rear panel also features a fingerprint scanner.

It is likely to house a 6-inch display that will support Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It may come preinstalled with Android 8.0 Oreo and since it is an Android One phone, it may be soon treated with Android 8.1 Oreo. As of this writing, there is no information available on its pricing.

HMD Global is expected to announce the Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 1 Android Go phone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech exhibition on Feb. 25. Rumors have it that some other phones like Nokia 8 Sirocco (could be Nokia 9) and global variants of Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 3310 4G may also get unveiled at MWC 2018.

What do you think about the newly leaked photo of Nokia 7 Plus? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source|via)

ZTE Axon 7’s Android Oreo Update To Offer Near-Stock UI And Improved Battery Performance

By

Jeet

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Feb 16, 2018

Earlier, ZTE had revealed that the Axon 7 will be receiving the Android Oreo update. Now, the China-based company has announced that the users of ZTE Axon 7 in the United States can now register to be the part of the its Android Oreo beta program.

The company says that following “a request voiced by consumers”, the Android 8 Oreo update will bring a near-stock Android experience to the Axon 7. Further, the Android Oreo update will also offer improved battery life, faster boot speeds, picture-in-picture (PiP) mode, and more enhancements.

However, the company has not yet announced the exact date of release for the public update. The phone was originally announced with Android Marshmallow out-of-the-box. Later, the Axon 7 was upgraded to Android Nougat and now its slated to receive Android Oreo update.

The ZTE Axon 7 features a 5.5-inch display with 2K resolution, 2.5D curved glass and a layer of Gorilla Glass 4 protection on top. The phone is fuelled by a 3,250mAh battery, which also supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology.

Under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. It comes with a 20MP f/1.8 aperture camera with OIS and EIS on the rear side, while up front, there is an 8MP f/2.2 88-degree wide angle shooter.

Recently, ZTE CEO Cheng Lixin announced that the company’s next flagship phone will be called ZTE Axon 9 and not Axon 8 as the rumor mill has been speculating. It will be the company’s weapon to rival with the flagship phones from Samsung and Apple in the United States.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 And Redmi Note 5 Pro Will Be Manufactured In India

By

Jeet

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Feb 16, 2018

A couple of days back, Xiaomi announced its latest devices in the Indian market — Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro. Now, the company has announced the both the phones will be manufactured locally at its manufacturing units in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh.

According to the company, it manufactures over 95 percent of phones locally that it sells in India. Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi India MD and Global VP said that Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro will be 100 percent manufactured locally and will share more details soon.

He also said that the company is also planning to gear up its manufacturing efforts in India under the government’s “Make In India” initiative. The company is looking forward to setup more manufacturing units in the country for other category of products as well.

Recently, the company had announced its third manufacturing facility in the country, located in Noida, in partnership with China-based Hipad Technology. The manufacturing unit is currently used to manufacture its recently launched power banks.

Giving more information about Xiaomi’s performance in the Indian market, Manu Kumar Jain said:

Among the top 10 smartphones in India in 2017, six were Xiaomi phones. We have 57 percent market share online and nearly 11 percent share offline in the country. The challenge is now to defend the online territory and ramp up our offline presence for a strong year-long growth period.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, which is the successor to the Redmi Note 4 — is priced at Rs 9,999 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant and Rs 11,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB variant. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 Pro costs Rs 13,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB variant and Rs 16,999 for the 6GB RAM and 64GB ROM option.

The Redmi Note 5 is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 625 processor and features a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture along with an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is packs Snapdragon 636 processor and features dual camera setup of a 12-megapixel Sony IMX486 sensor and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. On the front side, it features a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 camera sensor.

Both the devices features the trends full-screen display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The devices are running on the latest MIUI 9, based on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system out-of-the-box. The phones will go on sale on Flipkart and Mi.com on 22nd February.

Celkon UniQ Launched in India for Rs. 8,999 with 3 GB RAM, 8MP Selfie Camera with Moonlight Flash

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

Celkon Mobiles has unveiled a new budget-friendly smartphone called Celkon UniQ in India. It has been launched with a price tag of Rs. 8,999 (~$140).

Celkon UniQ Specifications and Features

Celkon UniQ sports a metal body that houses a 5-inch IPS OnCell display that supports HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The screen is placed under 2.5D curved glass. The side bezels are slim, but the upper and lower bezels are quite thick. The bottom bezel features a home button that is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

It is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor that is supported by 3 GB of RAM. It has a native storage of 32 GB. It also features a microSD card slot. A 2,700mah battery is available to keep the lights on. It comes preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat.

The rear side of the phone features a 16-megapixel camera along with its LED flash. The front panel houses an 8-megapixel camera that is coupled with Moonlight flash. It is equipped with connectivity features like 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB, 3.5mm audio jack and GPS.

Celkon Mobile has only disclosed the pricing of the UniQ phone. It is yet to reveal information on its availability.

Do you think that Rs. 8,999 pricing is suitable for the Celkon UniQ smartphone? Share us your thoughts by commenting below.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Meizu M6s vs Nokia 6 (2018): 2018 Mid-Ranger Comparison!

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 16, 2018

When it comes to mid-range smartphones, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Meizu M6s and Nokia 6 (2018) are among the best options for people who have a low budget. They can offer a user experience which is not incredibly distant from flagships as they are well-balanced in all of their specs. They can take decent photos and provide decent performances along with good battery life, even though the price is very affordable. Seeing that their launch prices do not differ so much, we decided to make a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Meizu M6s vs Nokia 6 (2018) comparison to help you understand which one has the best value for money.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Meizu M6s vs Nokia 6 (2018)

	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro	Meizu M6s	Nokia 6 (2018)
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm, 181 grams	152 x 72.5 x 8 mm, 160 grams	148.8 x 75.8 x 8.2 mm, 172 grams
DISPLAY	5,99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.7 inches, 720 x 1440p (HD+), 282 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, 403 ppi, 16:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, octa-core 1.8 GHz	Samsung Exynos 7872, hexa-core 2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, octa-core 2.2 GHz
MEMORY	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot	4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 7.1.2 Nougat, MIUI 9	Android 7.0 Nougat, Flyme UI 6.2	Android 7.1.1 Nougat
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 12 + 5 MP f/2.2 + f/2.0 20 MP front camera	16 MP f/2.0 8 MP front camera	16 MP f/2.0 8 MP front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh Fast charging 5V / 2A	3000 mAh 18W Fast Charging	3000 mAh, Fast Charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

Each of these handsets has a full metal unibody design with Nokia 6 (2018) looking a bit more elegant and stylish, even though it still has a 16:9 display (the bezels are still optimized!). Besides similar designs, these devices also have similar dimensions, with Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro being slightly bigger due to its bigger 5.99-inch display. When it comes to displays, each one is different from each other and Meizu M6s loses the battle due to its lower resolution. Nokia 6 has a Full HD display with the 16:9 aspect ratio, while the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a Full HD+ panel with 18:9 aspect ratio which makes it better to hold. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has also a slightly better hardware with its Snapdragon 636 SoC and up to 6 GB RAM, while Meizu M6s and Nokia 6 are similar in terms of performances, even though Nokia 6 is more suitable for multi-tasking because it has 1 GB RAM more.

There are still not enough camera samples to make a decent comparison, but we believe that Nokia 6 may have some value in this sector. In terms of battery life, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro wins with its monster 4000 mAh unit and a power-efficient Snapdragon 636. If you care about always having the latest Android version, you should choose Nokia 6 (2018) as it will probably the first to get the updates (it is already upgradeable to Oreo unlike the other twos).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has been launched in India with a price of €176/$218, Meizu M6s can be found at about €152/$185, Nokia 6 (2018) starts from €184/$230 in China. I would personally pick Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro especially for its longer battery life which is one of the most important feature on a mid-ranger. The difference between prices is minimal and in my opinion, it is not worth saving a bunch of dollars to purchase the lower-end Meizu M6s. But you may like the Nokia 6 (2018) if aesthetics are really important for you, as well as software updates and camera performance.

Which one would you pick?

[yop_poll id=”16″]

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Meizu M6s vs Nokia 6 (2018): PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

PRO

Affordable price
Greatest hardware side
Big battery
Big display

CONS

Average camera (?)

Meizu M6s

PRO

Good SoC
Affordable price
Compact design
Nice power efficiency

CONS

720p display

Nokia 6 (2018)

PRO

Stunning design
Interesting camera
Nice hardware
Power-efficient

CONS

Higher price

Alcatel 5, Alcatel 3v and Alcatel 1x to be Showcased at MWC 2018

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

TCL-owned Alcatel has confirmed that it will be present at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 at Barcelona, Spain to unveil the new Alcatel 5, Alcatel 3V and Alcatel 1X smartphones. The specifications of these smartphones have been revealed in the recent past. They will be showcased at MWC 2018 for global exposure.

Except for the thick upper bezel, the Alcatel 5 sports super-slim bezels. It features a 5.7-inch display that offers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels and aspect ratio of 18:9. The MediaTek MT6750 chipset featuring a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and Mali-T860 MP2 graphics will be present under the hood of the phone. The SoC will be coupled with 3 GB of RAM.

The Alcatel has a native storage of 32 GB and it also features a microSD card slot. It features a 12-megapixel rear snapper and the frontside features dual selfie snappers. It will be fueled by a 3,000mAh battery. It will come preloaded with Android 8.0 Oreo. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. It may arrive with a pricing of 189 euros (~$237).

The Alcatel 3v will be sporting a 6-inch display that will be supporting a Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and 18:9 aspect ratio. It features a MediaTek chipset that includes a quad-core processor. The SoC is accompanied by 2 GB of RAM. The native storage available on the phone is 16 GB.

The dual camera setup present on the back of the phone includes a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megpaixel sensor. It is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner. It will be arriving with Android 8.0 Oreo preinstalled and it will be equipped with a 3,000mAh battery. It is expected to launch with a pricing of 230 euros (~$288)

In terms of specs, there is nothing much known about the Alcatel 1x. It seems to be an entry-level phone with full screen design. It features a single rear camera and a fingerprint reader. It is likely to cost less than $200 at launch.

(source)

Android Wear Oreo Update Now Available for These Six Smartwatches

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

In December 2017, Google had confirmed the list of smartwatches that will be treated with Android Wear Oreo update. Today, the search engine giant has confirmed the six smartwatches that are now receiving the major Android update.

The Huawei watch 2, Casio PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20, Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch, Polar M600, ZTE Quartz and Mobvoi Ticwatch S & E. Even though these devices belong to the list of the devices that will be upgrade to the latest Android version, they were not included in the first batch of smartwatches that were updated to Android Wear Oreo.

As of this writing, several smartwatches have received the Oreo update such as Fossil Q Venture, LG Watch Sport, Louis Vuitton Tambour, Michael Kors Sofie, and Montblanc Summit, LG Watch Style, Misfit Vapor, Nixon Mission, TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45, Fossil Q Founder 2.0, Fossil Q Marshal, Fossil Q Wander, Michael Kors Access Bradshaw, and Michael Kors Access Dylan.

The other smartwatches that will be also receiving the Android Wear Oreo update include: Diesel Full Guard, Emporio Armani Connected, Fossil Q Control, Fossil Q Explorist, Gc Connect, Guess Connect, Hugo BOSS BOSS Touch, Michael Kors Access Grayson, Movado Connect and Tommy Hilfiger 24/7 You. Users who own any of these smartwatches are advised to check for arrival of the update. One should be aware of the fact that Android Wear Oreo is being made available in phases. Hence, it may take some time for all the smartwatches to receive the Android Wear Oreo update.

(source|via)

Alcatel POP4 10 4G Tablet Launched In India For Rs 10,990 ($172)

By

Jeet

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Feb 16, 2018

Alcatel, the brand which is now licensed by TCL, has announced a new tablet in the Indian market — Alcatel POP4 10. The 4G tablet comes with voice-calling support. The tablet will be available in India from today onwards, exclusively through online retailer Flipkart for Rs. 10,990, which roughly converts to $172.

The tablet comes pre-installed with a learning app with NCERT books for all grades. The content of the pre-installed app is available in English, Hindi, and Urdu which will be accessible offline.

The Alcatel POP4 10 comes with a 10.1-inch Full HD display with 1920 x 1200 pixels screen resolution and is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 430 processor along with 2GB RAM. It packs 16GB of internal storage and supports microSD card up to 32GB for expanding storage.

There’s an 8-megapixel rear facing camera as well as a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Unfortunately, the device runs on years old Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system out-of-the-box and we doubt if the tablet will ever receive the Android version update.

Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, A-GPS, Wi-Fi Direct, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The device is powered by a 5,830mAh battery that is rated to provide up to 30 hours of talk time. The company is also offering 5GB Onetouch Cloud storage.

As said, priced at Rs. 10,900 (approximately $172), the tablet will be exclusively available through Flipkart from today onwards in two color variants — Dark Grey and Silver. As a part of the company’s special launch offer, first 200 customers of the Alcatel POP4 10 can purchase the Alcatel KB9030 Bluetooth keyboard for just Re. 1.

Alleged Huawei P20 Lite Real Images Leaked Through FCC Listing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

The schematics of the Huawei P20 Lite was revealed around a week ago when it had appeared at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. Today, couple of real images of the same Huawei phone have appeared through its FCC listing.

The front view of the alleged P20 Lite shows that it features a notch that could be housing the selfie camera and earpiece. The notch is not as big as the one seen on the iPhone X. This could be because the Huawei device may not be featuring a complex facial recognition feature that is available on the iPhone X.

The Huawei branding is not seen on the device. Instead, the device features “Shirley” branding on its chin and rear side. This could be a strategy to hide the actual brand name of the phone. The back panel features a vertically aligned dual camera setup at the top-left corner. Below the camera module is the LED flash and “DUAL LENS hybrid zoom” text which can be also seen on the recently leaked photos of P20 Lite.

[envira-gallery id="173807"]

The right side of the handset seems to feature the volume rocker and power key. The bottom side appears to feature a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port and an external speaker.

The P20 Lite is slated to get unveiled alongside the P20 and P20 Plus flagship phones. It is likely to feature a 5.8-inch IPS LCD display with FHD+ resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels, Kirin chipset, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of native storage, Android 8.0 Oreo and 3,000mAh battery. It is speculated that the P20 Lite would be launching as Huawei Nova 3e in certain markets.

What do you think of the design of the P20 Lite? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source|via)

Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro or Xperia XZ2 Reportedly Redesigned Ahead of MWC 2018 Launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2018

Recent reports have revealed that the Sony will be announcing the Xperia XZ2 Pro and Xperia XZ2 smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 later this month. It is also speculated to announce a small-sized Xperia XZ2 Compact smartphone with flagship specs. A new filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. shows that the company has sought permission to redesign one of its upcoming Android phones.

On Feb. 7, Sony had approached FCC to dismiss its grants for an upcoming device that has an FCC ID of PY7-00718V in order to change its design. However, there is no information available on what sort of design change Sony wants to do on its upcoming phone. The device has already bagged FCC certification, but since it hasn’t been launched yet, the telecom regulatory is likely to fulfil the request of dismissing the grant.

Since the Japanese tech giant has requested FCC quite recently, it seems that it won’t be making any major change to the design as its Feb. 26 launch event is drawing near. However, the change seems to be urgent enough that the company decided to approach FCC for it few weeks before its launch.

Recent reports have revealed that the upcoming Sony flagships won’t be sporting the OmniBalance design that it has been using on its smartphones since 2013. The Xperia XZ2 Pro and Xperia XZ2 are likely speculated to arrive with the trendy full screen design.

(source|via)

Meizu Pro 7 Wins The German iF Design Award 2018 For Its Stunning Design

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 16, 2018

It’s Spring Festival already in China and tech giant Meizu apparently ended the year on a high note. The company has disclosed that its flagship Meizu Pro 7 has won the popular German iF Product Design award for its innovative design. What a marvellous way to usher in the Chinese New year!

The iF Product Design Award was introduced in 1954 and is annually conferred by the iF International Forum Design. The award, which spans multiple disciplines, has more than 5,500 entries from around 59 nations every year. The Pro 7 stood out among the pack of over 6,400 entries submitted by contestants from 54 countries around the world to claim the award in the smartphone design category.

The award really doesn’t come as a surprise because the Pro 7 is known for its spectacular design style which looks absolutely different from Meizu’s past works. The Meizu Pro 7 design was done by Frog design, a multinational design company with its roots being Germany. The design saw the flagship Pro 7 packing a dual-screen setup both at the front and rear aspects. The main display is a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED screen with a FullHD resolution of 1920 x 1080pixels while the Pro 7 Plus packs a 5.7-inch display. The device also comes with a secondary screen at the back which is a 1.9-inch AMOLED display located on the left side of the rear panel and which displays some notifications as well as run a few apps. The Meizu Pro 7 features a MediaTek Helio X30 chip as well as Helio P25 on some models.

Another superb feature is the rear dual camera setup which the device packs and it is fused into the secondary display in a unique manner. In addition, the device runs on the Flyme 6 OS based on Android 7.0 Nougat and is fueled by a 3000mAh battery with mCharge 3.0. The Pro 7 is competitively priced, as it starts at 2880 Yuan (∼$426) for the base variant powered by Helio P25 and 3380 Yuan (∼$500) for the Helio X30 version. These prices have obviously seen some reduction since its first launch. The Pro 7’s special New Year edition which was unveiled in January came in at just 1,999 Yuan (~$312).

The All-New Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Dazzles In Hands On Photos

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 15, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro still commands lots of attention even after its official launch. That is because of the spectacular full-screen design with a dual rear camera setup the Note 5 Pro packs. We’ve brought you the camera samples of the premium device which showed the presence of a powerful dual camera setup that is capable of capturing stunning shots with vivid clarity. Here are a couple of hands-on photos of the mid-ranger which highlights the beautiful design as well as other features.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro looks very much like the Redmi Note 5 when viewed from the front. It features a similar 5.99-inch FHD+ display packing a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The display is placed under a layer of 2.5D curved glass to provide some bit of protection and aesthetics.

At the rear, the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with an aluminium unibody. One unique feature of the device is the dual rear camera arrangement. The Note 5 Pro packs a camera design which is a replica of the iPhone X rear camera. The camera is stacked vertically with the LED flash sitting between both rear shooters. The main camera is a 13MP sensor which teams up with a 5MP depth of field sensor. While at the front, there is a 20MP Sony IMX376 camera sensor as well as a selfie flashlight. The selfie camera comes with an AI-driven Beautify 4.0.

Another beautiful thing about the device is that it comes with a thin build, just 8.05mm and that makes it the thinnest Redmi series smartphone for now. As a result of the high screen-to-body ratio, the device packs a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and lacks a physical home button under the display. There is also the Face ID technology which brings face unlock to the device.

The device will also be hitting the market in colour options like Black, Gold, Rose Gold and Blue. The device is also competitively priced; starting at Rs. 13,999 ($218) for the 4GB + 64GB variant and Rs. 16,999 ($265) for the 6GB RAM variant. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will be available exclusively on Flipkart, Mi.com and Mi Home stores from on February 22. Check out more dazzling hands-on photos of the Redmi Note 5 Pro from below.

(Image source 1, 2)

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 Will Be A 7nm Chipset

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 15, 2018

Qualcomm’s current top chip is the Snapdragon 845 and like the one before it, the Snapdragon 835, it is also built on a 10nm process. While Qualcomm itself hasn’t confirmed if its next flagship chip will be a 7nm chip, a new leak has revealed it will be.

The leak comes as a sort of job description of one of the contractors working on the chipset and it reveals that Qualcomm’s next chip is the Snapdragon 855 which is built on the 7nm process. The leak was shared by Roland Quandt (@rquandt) on Twitter.

Qualcomm won't say it, but their contractors do. Snapdragon 855 (SDM855) is the first 7nm SoC. (probably the one the X24 modem ends up in) pic.twitter.com/Ot1J34fQoG

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 15, 2018

Samsung is the one handling production for the Snapdragon 845 but there are rumors that the SDM855 will be manufactured by TSMC.

Continue

Essential PH-1 Gets Three New Limited Edition Color Variants

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 15, 2018

A few days ago, Essential announced that it had a launch scheduled for today, February 15. While the teaser image did point to a “new” color variant of the Essential PH-1, Essential has actually announced three new colors for the phone.

The three new colors are Ocean Depths, Stellar Gray, and Copper Black. The first two are actually not new as they were announced back when the phone launched. Essential says all three colors will be limited edition variants.

Surprisingly, Essential is charging an extra $100 for these new color variants, bringing the price to $599 instead of $499. This is unusual as other manufacturers usually keep the price uniform irrespective of color.

In an official blog post, Essential said its engineers spent months designing these custom ceramic colors as it is more difficult to change colors of ceramic compared to other materials like plastic. It also mentioned the difficulty associated with production, hence the reason for it being available in limited quantities.

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Xiaomi Set To Storm India With Its Fully-Owned Mi Home Stores This Year

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 15, 2018

Xiaomi has had a highly successful run in India especially last year where it went on to emerge as the number one smartphone brand in the country ahead of Samsung in the third and fourth quarter of the year. The tech giant was able to achieve this feat using online sales via Mi.com, Flipkart and Amazon India together with offline sales using the numerous franchise partner stores it has in various cities of the country. The Chinese company is now reported to be planning to open its own Mi Home stores in various cities which would stock its products exclusively.

Xiaomi presently has 23 Mi Home stores and over 1500 Mi preferred stores across several cities in India but the Mi Home stores are owned by Franchisees and managed by Xiaomi. Prevailing regulations in India had prevented foreign companies from solely owning single-brand retail stores in the country. The regulation allows for 49 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail channels. That law has now been relaxed by the Indian government as from January this year, thus paving the way for OEMs to run fully-owned branded stores.

According to a recent disclosure by Manu Jain, CEO of Xiaomi India, the company is set to catch in on this latest development by establishing self-owned Mi Home retail stores across major cities and towns in India. In a recent interview with Times of India, Mr Jain stated that the move will begin as the year progresses. Good thing is, the company does not need to go through government approvals before doing so. A recent report by IDC estimated that Xiaomi sold more than 2 million units through its offline channels last year. The offline sale is mainly driven by the offline expansion of its Mi stores and preferred retail partners. With this development, Xiaomi can now replicate the success achieved by its Mi Home stores in China and could help it further shore up sales via the offline sales channel. The move will mainly favour other products like the recently launched Mi LED TV 4 Smart TV which ordinarily sells mainly via offline retail stores.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Honor 7X: Close Mid-Range Competitors

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 15, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is finally here, and it represents a big menace to every smartphone manufacturer in the mid-range sector. With its greatly balanced hardware side and its affordable price, it may become the most sold mid-range phone in many regions. In comparison, the Huawei Honor 7X is actually one of the best devices for quality-price ratio, so, considering that the price is also similar, we decided to compare the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Honor 7X to establish which one has the best value for money among them.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Honor 7X

	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro	Huawei Honor 7X
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm, 181 grams	156.5 x 75.3 x 7.6 mm, 165 grams
DISPLAY	5,99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.93 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 407 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, octa-core 1.8 GHz	HiSilicon Kirin 659, octa-core 2.36 GHz
MEMORY	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 7.1.2 Nougat, MIUI 9	Android 7.0 Nougat, EMUI 5.1
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 12 + 5 MP f/2.2 + f/2.0 20 MP front camera	Dual 16 + 2 MP 8 MP front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh Fast charging 5V / 2A	3340 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

At a first glance, the bigger display of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is the first noticeable difference between the two handsets. This represents an advantage in case you are looking for larger screen real estate, but it is a disadvantage if you like compact phones. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a SoC which we define better than the Kirin 659 on the Honor 7X. We are referring to the Snapdragon 636, even though there aren’t enough tests to establish this superiority. On paper, it seems more powerful and also more power-efficient. There is also a configuration of the Redmi Note 5 Pro with more RAM than its opponent: 6/64 GB.

There shouldn’t be much difference between the dual rear cameras of these handsets. Both are good setups, but these devices are far from the top camera phones. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro will offer a better selfie experience with its 20 MP front snapper paired with a LED flash, and also longer battery life due to its 4000 mAh capacity and the power-efficient Snapdragon 636 SoC. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has just been announced in India with a price tag of €176/$218 (expect an increase when it will launch in the global market), while Honor 7X can actually be found at about €215/$265. We prefer the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro for its bigger battery and its better hardware side, as well as a great selfie camera.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Honor 7 X: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

PRO

Big display
Huge battery
Nice hardware
Great selfie camera
Affordable price

CONS

Limited availability at the moment

Honor 7X

PRO

Good price
Interesting camera
More compact design
Available globally

CONS

Smaller battery

HTC’s President of Smartphone & Connected Devices Business Resigns, Shake-up?

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 15, 2018

Is HTC presently shaking up its smartphone business division? That is what it looks like as the company has officially announced that Chialin Chang who is the company’s president of smartphone and connected devices business has resigned the position with effect from February 14.This is coming on the heels of the recent loss of its Pixel team to Google in a deal which brought some much-needed revenue to the company.

Chialin Chang used to be the face of the company during smartphone launch as that fell under his purview. He joined the company as CFO back in April 2012 and rose to the position of president of HTC’s smartphone business with his portfolio also extending to the smart connected devices business. The company’s press release didn’t give details of the reason for the sudden resignation but only cited “personal career plan”.

Interesting Topic: Xiaomi’s New Subsidiary Reportedly Working On Gaming Smartphones

There are indications that Mr Chang plans to set up an AI start up later this year. However, we cannot rule out a connection between HTC’s struggling smartphone business and the resignation. HTC has had a dismal performance especially in China where it is struggling to stage a comeback. The latest quarterly results released by HTC shows that the company faced a net loss of $103 million in Q3 2017, which also happened to be its tenth consecutive quarterly loss. So, the resignation could, in fact, be a shakeup that isn’t made to look like one. No word yet on who replaces Mr Chang.

(source)