Here Are The Top Smartphone Launches Of January 2018

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Feb 3, 2018

January 2018 has been an interesting month for smartphone enthusiasts. While we’ll see a lot more flagships being announced in the next couple of months, January 2018 wasn’t a month without action. It has been the month of Consumer Electronics Show, a trade show in which many important tech products have been showcased. Even though no important flagships were launched, quite a few midrange handsets have been announced and are hitting the shelves. So, let’s discover which are the top smartphone launches in January 2018.

Sony Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and Xperia L2

Display: 5.2 in Full HD IPS LCD / 6 in Full HD IPS LCD / 5.5 in HD IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM / Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 4 GB RAM, 32 or 64 GB ROM / MediaTek MT6737T, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM
Software: Android Oreo / Android Oreo / Android Nougat
Camera: 23 MP f/2.0 / 23 MP f/2.0 / 13 MP f/2.0
Battery: 3300 mAh / 3580 mAh / 3300 mAh

The Sony Xperia trio unveiled at CES 2018 and composed of Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra and Xperia L2 is surely the most important smartphone launch of January 2018 by a big brand. The first two handsets represent an incredible improvement over the previous generation. Sony has switched from MediaTek SoCs to Qualcomm SoCs for its most important midrangers: both XA2 and XA2 Ultra are powered by the powerful and power-efficient octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset which has a max frequency of 2.2 GHz. The two handsets also have much narrower bezels compared to the previous generation, 23 MP rear cameras, and the Ultra variant (the one with a monster 6-inch display) has a dual selfie camera with 16 and 8 MP resolution featuring optical stabilization. Sony Xperia L2 still has a MediaTek SoC, but even though it is an entry-level phone it has 3 GB of RAM and a big battery (3300 mAh) paired with very efficient components (the MT6737T chipset and an HD display). The only weak point of these models is that they are pricey.

PRO: Great hardware (XA2 and XA2 Ultra), wide displays (XA2 Ultra and L2), big batteries, good design

CONS: High price

Nokia 6 (2018)

Display: 5.5 in Full HD IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 4 GB RAM, 32/64 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat
Camera: 16 MP f/2.0
Battery: 3000 mAh

Nokia 6 (2018) has turned out to be a very stylish device. The phone has been released in very attractive color schemes (black/gold and white/red) and it features a solid aluminum 6000 series unibody design. Bezels are very narrow, even though the Full HD display has a classic 16:9 aspect ratio. HMD Global has made great choices in terms of hardware by putting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 SoC paired with 4 GB of RAM in this phone. For its price (about €220 / $272), this hardware side is very good, especially if we think that Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra with the same SoC are sold at a much higher price. Check out our hands on with the new Nokia 6 here!

PRO: Stunning design, great hardware, affordable price, interesting camera

CONS: Nothing special (Availability?)

Vivo X20 Plus UD

Display: 6.43 in Full HD+ Super AMOLED
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, EMUI 5.1
Camera: 13 MP f/2.0
Battery: 5000 mAh

At the end of 2017, Synaptics has announced the first fingerprint reader which can be embedded inside a display, and it announced that the first handset with this chip would arrive in Q1 2018. It is Vivo X20 Plus UD: the first smartphone with an under-display fingerprint reader. To unlock the phone, the user just needs to touch the display at the location of the fingerprint icon: the OLED panel will illuminate the finger and the reader will recognize the fingerprint. It is a slightly slower authentication method compared with the traditional fingerprint readers, but it allows the presence of a fingerprint reader on the front side even though the display is bezel-less. The rest of the specs (with the exception of the internal storage of 128 GB) remains exactly the same as the Vivo X20 Plus already in the market, but the aesthetics are a bit more attractive thanks to gold borders. Besides the in-display fingerprint reader, the other key features of the device include a huge AMOLED display, a big battery, and a powerful SoC: the Snapdragon 660.

PRO: Big display, good hardware side, big battery, nice cameras

CONS: Not a compact device

Meizu M6s

Display: 5.7 in HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: Samsung Exynos 7872, 3 GB RAM, 32/64 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, Flyme OS 6.2
Camera: 16 MP f/2.0
Battery: 3000 mAh

With Meizu M6s, the Chinese company has decided to innovate more even with an affordable device. The borderless display and the side-mounted fingerprint reader with a revamped mBack technology that provides more comfortable gestures make this phone much more interesting than its predecessor. It has an Exynos SoC that according to benchmark is much better than Snapdragon 625, so it should provide above-average performance. If the company will continue in this way and release a Meizu M7 Note with similar features, we might soon see one of the best value for money mid-range phones ever.

PRO: Good hardware, bezel-less display, comfortable gestures and fingerprint reader

CONS: Still features an HD display

Elephone U and U Pro

Display: 5.99 in Full HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: MediaTek Helio P23, 4-6 GB RAM, 64-128 GB ROM / Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, 4-6 GB RAM, 64-128 GB ROM
Software: Android Oreo
Camera: Dual 13 + 13 MP
Battery: 3620 mAh

Elephone may not be as established as other brands like Xiaomi to come out of China but its phones are still quite popular among a niche crowd. However, it is managing to release very interesting midranges which have a lower price tag than the midrangers from the best brands. Elephone U and U Pro are two borderless phones with powerful SoCs and a big amount of RAM sold at an affordable price. It is actually possible to order them at less than €300 thanks to online street prices. They also have a stunning design with a curved display and a big battery. And the Pro version is among the most affordable phones with the powerful Snapdragon 660 SoC.

PRO: Big display, nice hardware, big battery, affordable price

CONS: Nothing Specific

Infocus M7s

Display: 5.7 in HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: MediaTek MT6737H, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat
Camera: 13 + 5 MP f/2.0
Battery: 4000 mAh

Unfortunately, Infocus M7s is a phone limited to the Asian market, but it is definitely one of the most attractive midrangers to buy right now. It has been launched in the market with a price tag of just $147 (more or less), but it features 3 GB of RAM and a huge 4000 mAh battery. A big battery paired with very efficient components like the HD display and the low-end MediaTek SoC will provide outstanding battery life. The dual camera is surely another interesting thing as the secondary snapper is a wide-angle sensor. This phone also offers a cool 18:9 display with narrow bezels, so even though the size is 5.7 inches, the handset remains quite compact.

PRO: Very affordable, big battery, nice dual camera for the price

CONS: Limited availability

HTC U11 EYEs

Display: 6 in Full HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 652, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM
Software: Android Oreo
Camera: 12 MP f/1.7
Battery: 3930 mAh

With the U11 EYEs, HTC has decided to follow the example of Chinese companies like Oppo and Vivo which are launching midrange phones focused on the camera and the quality-price ratio. With its f/1.7 aperture, the rear camera of this phone not only should be one of the best in its price range, but it should also be able to shoot flagship-level photos. Agreed, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 is an outdated SoC but it still performs fine when compared with the current cheap SoCs in the midrange sector, and the large 3930 mAh battery is the biggest lithium unit ever seen on a last-generation HTC phone.

PRO: Big battery, Great camera, big display

CONS: Price, SoC

Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018)

Display: 5 in 540 x 960 Super AMOLED
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, 1.5 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat
Camera: 8 MP f/2.2
Battery: 2600 mAh

Price is the main focus of Samsung Galaxy J2 Pro (2018), the latest entry-level device from the Korean giant. If you have a very low budget but you still want a smartphone from a reputable brand, this is the perfect handset for you. You cannot expect much from this device: its display has low resolution and the amount of RAM is also not great. In fact, we wonder why Samsung is still releasing phones with 1.5 GB of RAM. But on the other hand, it will be possible to purchase this phone at a very affordable price, which should be less than $120 dollars thanks to online street prices. Further, it seems that Asian customers will receive 15 GB of Samsung Cloud storage for free after purchasing the Galaxy J2 Pro (2018).

PRO: Very affordable price, Super AMOLED display, expandable until 256 GB

CONS: Entry-level hardware and cameras

Nokia 3310 4G

Display: 2.4 in 320 x 240 TFT LCD
Hardware: 16 MB RAM, 256 or 512 MB ROM
Software: Yun OS
Camera: 2 MP
Battery: 1200 mAh

HMD Global has just unveiled a revamped Nokia 3310 which appears as a perfect compromise between a feature phone and a smartphone. Unlike the previous 3310 unveiled the last year, this one features 4G LTE and WiFi. This means that you can insert a SIM Card and navigate the internet at high speeds, you can connect to a router and can also use the phone as Wi-Fi hotspot to connect other devices. Inside Nokia 3310 4G there is YunOS, an Android fork operating system created by the Alibaba Group. The new handset has the same design as the previous model, it is just a bit taller and thicker. Its battery is able to last up to 12 days on standby. The phone has no touchscreen and it can be used with a physical 3×4 keyboard. Unfortunately, this phone is a China Mobile exclusive, but HMD Global may decide to unveil an international version at MWC 2018.

So which one is your favorite launch of Jan 2018?

ASUS Zenfone 5 X00PD Specs & Photos Leaked Ahead of Launch

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 3, 2018

Back in 2014, ASUS released the Zenfone 5. It was powered by an Intel processor and had a PowerVR GPU. Thanks to ASUS’s messed up naming scheme, the Zenfone 5 will be returning this year.

The Zenfone 5 series will likely be announced at MWC 2018 unlike last year’s Zenfone 4 series that was announced much later in Q3 2017.

A few specification details in addition to photos of one of the Zenfone 5 series has leaked online ahead of the late February/early March launch.

According to Winfuture.de who first reported the news, their source is a manufacturer’s manual and it only lists the phone’s model number as ASUS X00PD.

The ASUS Zenfone 5 X00PD is said to have a 5.7” display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The smaller bezels have led to the removal of the home button/fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint scanner now resides at the back. The top bezel houses the usual arrangement of notification LED, camera, earpiece and sensors.

Moving the fingerprint scanner to the back is not the only big change in the phone. ASUS has also changed the design of the dual rear cameras.

Rather than its former top left horizontal position, the cameras are positioned vertically in a style that reminds you of the iPhone X. However, the LED flash is below the camera setup and not in the same housing.

ASUS has also employed the U-antenna line design for this phone and its quite visible at the top and bottom. Power button and volume rocker line the right side of the phone while the SIM tray and secondary microphone are on the left.

The ASUS Zenfone 5 X00PD has a micro USB port at the bottom flanked on both sides by speaker grilles while a 3.5mm audio jack sits at the top.

Continue

Xiaomi Mi 6X Case Spotted In a Shop in China & It Aligns With Previous Leaks

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 3, 2018

The Xiaomi Mi 6X is in the news again as another case purported to be that of the device has been spotted in a phone shop in China. The source claims that he walked into a shop to pick up a case for his Mi Note 2 and stumbled upon a stack of new Mi 6X protective cases.

The newly leaked Mi 6X protective case aligns with the one we saw recently in a leak. It has two modules, one at the centre of the case which would likely house the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. There is equally a larger module t the top left corner which would house the rear cameras. As stated in previous leaks, the Mi 6X would come with iPhone X-styled dual cameras at the rear which would be aligned in a vertical direction.

We have no idea what specs the Xiaomi Mi 6X would pack or when it would be launched. However, the device is expected to feature similar specs to the Mi 5X. Recall that the Mi 5X was launched last year as a trimmed down version of the flagship Mi 5. The device was later launched for the international market as Mi A1, Xiaomi’s first model to run stock Android. The Mi 5X was launched around July last year but from the look of things, we may not have to wait that long before meeting the Mi 6X.

(source)

Honor 9 Lite Grey Color Variant To Go On Sale In India Next Week

By

Jeet

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Feb 3, 2018

Honor has announced that the Grey color variant of its Honor 9 Lite will now be available in India from next week. The phone, which was launched in India last month, is already available in Midnight Blue and Black Sapphire colors.

The first flash sale for the ‘Glacier Grey’ color variant of the Honor 9 Lite will take place on the e-commerce website Flipkart on 6th February, alongside Midnight Black and Sapphire Blue color variants.

Commenting on the introduction of this new grey color variant, P Sanjeev, Vice President, Sales, Huawei Consumer Business Group, said in a statement:

Honor registered a 3X growth in Q4 of 2017 as compared to Q4 of 2016 owing to our best seller devices and we are confident to continue to momentum with best in class products like Honor 9 Lite. With this grey variant in the market, we hope to not only expand the Honor 9 Lite portfolio but also continue the winning streak.

The phone features a 5.65-inch Full-HD+ IPS display with 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device is powered by an octa-core Huawei HiSilicon Kiri 659 processor. It is available in two variants based on the memory configuration — 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB onboard storage.

As of the camera department, the phone comes with four camera sensors. It has a dual camera setup both on the front and back sides, with 13-megapixel primary and 2-megapixel secondary camera sensors alongside a rear-facing LED flash and PDAF autofocus system.

The storage capacity of the device is expandable through microSD card up to 256GB. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB with OTG support, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The phone runs EMUI 8.0, which is based on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system. With an over-the-air update, the company will be adding Honor Ride Mode as well as one-touch payment integration through Paytm. It is powered by a 3,000mAh battery that is equipped with an intelligent power saving feature and promises to last full day on a single charge.

Buy Elephone U 4G Phablet For Just $349.99 And Elephone U Pro 4G Phablet For Only $419.99 On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 3, 2018

GearBest is gearing up to sweep smartphone lovers off their feet. The site will be offering considerable discounts on Elephone-branded smartphones along with a slew of gifts. Let’s delve straight into the details.

Elephone U 4G Phablet

You can buy the Elephone U phablet by shelling out only $349.99. This is a considerable reduction in the device’s original selling price of $349.99. However, it’s worth noting the discount will only be valid for the first 1000 units.

As a phablet, the Elephone U sports a massive 5.99-inch AMOLED, FHD+ curved edge display with a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It runs on Android 7.1 Nougat operating system.

On the photography front, the Elephone U sports a 13MP+13MP dual camera setup at the back and an 8MP front camera. Under the hood, the phablet packs a powerful MediaTek MT6763 (Helio P23), 64-bit Processor along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB ROM.

GearBest is also offering extra coupons that will be valid from February 5 to February 12. These coupons can be used for receiving discounts on a slew of Elephone U/U Pro accessories including flash charger, the 3D protection film, and a protector case.

For the first 1000 pieces, GearBest is giving a 3D protection film absolutely free. You can click here to check out the full specification and get your hands on Elephone U 4G phablet at a discounted price.

Elephone U Pro 4G Phablet

Alternatively, you can buy the Elephone U Pro 4G phablet for only $419.99 on GearBest. The U Pro 4G phablet bears an original selling price of $439. Let’s check out the details.

The site is offering the discount on black and blue color versions of the U Pro 4G phablet. The discount is valid for the first 800 units of the black color version and for only 400 units of the blue color version of the phablet.

The Elephone U Pro offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal memory. Moreover, it is powered by a robust Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, 64-bit processor.

The U Pro runs on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system that provides an exceptional user experience. Aside from that, the phablet is brimming with useful apps such as Google Maps, Google Apps, Chrome, Gmail, Calculator, Calendar, Security, Setting, Google Play and lots more.

You can click here to buy this sturdy Elephone U Pro 4G at a discounted price, and click here to check out the promotion.

Buy Elephone U 4G Phablet For Only $349.99 On GearBest

Buy Elephone U Pro 4G Phablet For Only $419.99 On GearBest

Check Out GearBest’s Elephone U Promotion

Buy HUAWEI Honor 6X Smartphone For Only $137.99 On LightInTheBox

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 3, 2018

Huawei’s immensely popular mid-range smartphone dubbed, Honor 6X was launched in October 2016. As expected, the phone garnered huge popularity among smartphone lovers.

If you have restlessly been waiting to get your hands on the very well-received phone without spending a lot of money, we have good news for you. You can now buy the Honor 6X smartphone by shelling out only $137.99.

As part of its Lighting Sale, LightInTheBox is currently offering a massive 66% discount on the Honor 6X’s original selling price of $404.53. Apart from that, the Beijing-based online retail company is also giving additional 1% cash rewards on all orders.

In terms of specs, the Huawei Honor 6X smartphone sports a 5.5 inches LTPS IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. It offers a 12MP+2MP dual camera setup at the back and an 8MP front shooter.

It runs on EMUI 5.0-based Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). The Honor 6X packs a powerful Octa-core (4×2.1 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53) processor along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, under the hood.

It is imperative for you to bear in mind that the Lighting Sale is slated to end soon. Moreover, only 20 pieces were remaining at the time of writing. You can head straight to this link and take advantage of the discount and save $266.54 on HUAWEI Honor 6x smartphone.

Buy Huawei Honor 6X Smartphone For Just $137.99 On LightInTheBox

Save Up To 30% On Select Flashlights On Banggood [Coupon Code]

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 3, 2018

A flashlight is an essential piece of everyday carry gear for a lot of people, especially for those who love camping or travel to places without electricity. Banggood is currently offering heavy discount on this useful tool so let’s check out the details.

As part of its ‘Hello 2018 Flashlight Promotion,’ Banggood is giving up to 30% off on a few selected flashlights. On top of that, you can also use the coupon code, ‘FLSTNE’ at the time of checking out to get additional discounts.

Astrolux

You can purchase Astrolux MF02 XHP35 HI LED flashlight and use the ‘FLSTNE’ coupon code to save $25.19 on its original selling price of $125.95. This brings your grand total down to just $100.76.

Similarly, Banggood is offering a 35% discount on Astrolux K1 XP-G3+365nm Mini LED keychain. This drags its real selling price of $26.05 down to only $15.99. You can choose from multicolor, stone, black, blue, and silver color options.

Fitorch

The section of the Banggood promo features a myriad of Fitorch-made flashlights that you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket. Here’s how.

You can buy the Fitorch P26R XHP70.2 portable LED flashlight, which carries a price tag of $103.69 for only $82.95 simply by applying the coupon code ‘FLSTNE’ at the time of checking out. Aside from that, you earn 103 Banggood points.

The same coupon code can be used to get discounts on the selling price of a few other flashlights featured in this category.

Nitecore

Nitecore is one of the biggest manufacturers of LED illumination and electronic tools. The Guangdong-based firm has also been on top of the hierarchy in flashlight markets.

Banggood is offering you an opportunity to get your hands on a few selected Nitecore-made flashlights at a discounted price. Let’s take a gander at the details.

First off, we have the T Series Tube LED Light Keychain, which bears a price tag of $9.90. But you can bring its original asking price down to just $7.92 by applying coupon code ‘FLSTNE’ at the time of checking out.

Likewise, you can use the aforesaid coupon code to bring the $54.95 original price of Nitecore HC30 XM-L2 U2 headlamp flashlight down to only $43.96 and save $10.99 at the time of checking out.

Klarus

Shenzhen-based Klarus offers a broad selection of innovative flashlights and you can now buy some of the company’s best flashlights at a discounted price on Banggood.

Lining with this, Banggood is offering a 16% discount on the original $113.46 selling price of Klarus XT12GT XHP35 HI D4 1600LM LED flashlight. This brings its original price down to just $94.95.You can use coupon code ‘FLSTNE’ at the time of checking out to get an additional $18.99 discount. This makes your grand total drop down to just $75.96.

The above-mentioned coupon code can also be used to reduce the original $99.95 asking price of Klarus Titanium H1A XP-L V6 550Lumens LED headlamp with two side lights. After applying the coupon code, your grand total decreases to only $79.96.

JETBeam

JETBeam was founded back in 2004 to manufacture LED lighting tools. The Shenzhen-based company is also known for making some top-notch flashlights.

You can now get JETBeam-branded flashlight without spending a lot of money on Banggood. Here’s how.

The Jetbeam E40R SST-40 N4 BC 1150LM Rechargeable EDC LED Flashlight 18650/CR123A carries a price tag of $64.00 on Banggood, but you can apply the coupon code ‘FLSTNE’ while checking out and save $12.80.

The coupon code can be applied to a slew of other flashlights manufactured by JETBeam before Banggood’s promo ends.

IMALENT

You can choose from various IMALENT-branded flashlights in this segment of Banggood’s newest promo. Buyers can also use coupon code ‘FLSTNE’ at the time of checking out and save a considerable amount of money.

For instance, IMALENT DX80 8x XHP70.2 32000LM Super-Bright Outdoor Searching LED flashlight is currently up for grabs for 379.95 on Banggood. You can use the aforesaid coupon code and save $75.99.

By using coupon code ‘FLSTNE,’ you can get up to 30% discount on selected flashlights. You can head straight to this link before this promo comes to an end and take advantage of the coupon code before it expires.

Get Up To 30% Off On Top-Notch Flashlights On Banggood

Razer Phone Launched In A Limited Gold Edition For Spring Festival

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 3, 2018

Razer has decided to celebrate the Spring Festival for the Chinese New Year by releasing a Gold limited edition of its Razer Phone. The new variant will be available in a limited stock and it distinguishes from the standard version with the presence of a gold logo. The box is also different: it is a special red box which contains gold stickers with the logo of the company.

If we exclude the gold logo, the rest of the design is exactly the same as the version already in the market. Razer Phone Gold Edition for 2018 was launched in the International Razer Store and it is also available to purchase through three retail stores in Hong Kong. It is possible to buy it at a price tag of $699.99. The rest of the specs remains the same just like the design.

Razer Phone has a 5.7-inch display which is the only smartphone screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It shows images at a Quad HD resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. Under the hood, there is an octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor by Qualcomm running at a max frequency of 2.35 GHz, paired with 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. There is also a dual camera setup on the back (12 MP), and a huge 4000 mAh battery.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S9 Active Reportedly In Development, Code Name Revealed

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 3, 2018

According to a list of code names surfaced on XDA Developers, Samsung Galaxy S9 Active is in the making. The list comes from some XML files found in a beta firmware of Android Oreo for Samsung Galaxy Note 8, and it contains three models which confirm that the Active version of the S9 exists. The models in question are identified by the code names star, star2 and astarqlte. According to previous rumors, star and star2 are the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: so, if these rumors have to be believed, astarqlte must be another variant of the S9.

We are not completely sure that we are talking about the Active version of the S9, it might even be a brand new version of the device, but seeing that the only variant of the S series released in the past few years is the Active variant, it is the most reliable hypothesis. The alleged code name of the phone contains an initial letter “a” which is not present in the code names of S9 and S9 Plus. The letter A might stand for Active, while the letter Q after “star” might stand for Qualcomm.

This means that it is the Samsung Galaxy S9 Active with the Snapdragon 845 SoC, so the one for the U.S. market. Every year Samsung releases an Active version of its main flagship, and probably this year will not be different. But Samsung Galaxy S9 Active might be announced months after the standard version which will be showcased at MWC 2018 (the official event will be held on February 25). Besides this device, the list also shows other upcoming Samsung devices: Galaxy C10, Galaxy C10 Plus, Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Tab A 10.1 2018, Galaxy Tab E 2018, Galaxy Tab S4, Galaxy J2 2018, Galaxy J3 Neo, another unknown version of the J3, Galaxy J6, Galaxy J7, another variant of the J7, Galaxy J8 and other unknown code names.

(Via)

Honor 7X Red Limited Edition Gets Listed On Amazon India For Rs. 12,999

By

Jeet

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Feb 3, 2018

Honor, the sub-brand of China-based Huawei has launched a new variant of its Honor 7X phone in the Indian market that comes in Red color. The Honor 7X Red Limited Edition has been listed on online retailer Amazon India for Rs. 12,999.

While the phone has been listed online, the company has not yet revealed availability information. The red color variant was announced last month and only 20,000 units are slated to ship across all markets where it will be released.

Apart from India, the Honor 7X Red Limited Edition will also be available in the United States, Russia, and Western European markets such as United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Honor 7X was originally launched in India in December 2017. It’s priced at Rs. 12,999 for the 32GB storage model while the 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 15,999.

Apart from the red-colored body, everything else on the phone remains same as the standard edition. The phone features a 5.93-inch Full-HD+ IPS display with 2160 x 1080 pixels screen resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the company’s own HiSilicon Kirin 659 octa-core processor, coupled with Mali T830 MP2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and comes in three options in two variants based on internal storage — 32GB and 64GB. It also supports storage expansion through microSD card up to 256GB.

The phone comes with dual-camera setup, featuring a 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors on the rear and an 8-megapixel camera sensor on the front. The smartphone packs a 3,340mAh battery and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system based company’s own EMUI 5.1 custom skin.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS/GLONASS. There is also a fingerprint sensor on the back panel. Currently, the phone is available in three color options — Gold, Aurora Blue, and Black.

At the time of announcing the Honor 7X Red Limited Edition, the company had said that it will be giving away Honor Monster AM15 headphones as a special gift for the first 100 buyers. It is not known if the offer will be applicable in India. However, the product page mentions that buyers might be entitled to 90GB free data on Airtel, and 80 percent off on Kindle eBooks up to Rs. 300.

Buy Xiaomi MI A1 4G Smartphone For Just $219.99 On LightInTheBox

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 3, 2018

The re-branded Xiaomi Mi 5X phone dubbed, Xiaomi Mi A1 garnered huge popularity among smartphone lovers after hitting the store shelves in September 2017. LightInTheBox is currently selling the Android-powered 4G smartphone at a discounted. Here are the details.

The international online retail company, LightInTheBox is offering a considerable 27% off on the original $299.99 selling price of the Xiaomi MI A1. As a result, you can now get your hands on the well-received smartphone by shelling out only $219.99.

The discount is valid for both gold and black color versions of the phone. Let’s check out what the handset has to offer in terms of specification.

The Mi A1 smartphone sports a 5.5 inches display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels at a pixel density of 403 PPI (pixels per inch). There’s Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for added protection.

The phone runs MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) operating system and is powered by Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 processor. Moreover, it offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage, which can further be expanded up to 128 GB.

On the photography front, the Mi A1 sports a 12 MP+12 MP dual camera setup at the back and a 5MP front camera for selfies and video chatting. You can check out the full specification and take advantage of the promo simply by heading straight to this link.

Get 27% Off On The Original Selling Price Of Xiaomi MI A1 4G Smartphone On LightInTheBox

Get Heavy Discounts On The Original Selling Price Of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G Phablet On GearBest

By

Vinay Patel

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Feb 3, 2018

If you’ve been waiting with bated breath to get your hands on Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G phablet without burning a hole in your pocket, we have good news for you. GearBest is offering considerable discounts on two versions of the well-received phablet.

GearBest is selling the 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM version of the Mi Note 2 for only $319.14. This is a considerable 30% reduction in the device’s original asking price.

Likewise, the site is offering 18% off on the international version of the Mi Note 2, which offers 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. This brings the phablet’s selling price down to only $309.99.

Housed in a 7-series aluminum frame, the Mi Note 2 sports a 5.7-inch flexible OLED display. It offers a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

On the photography front, the phablet features a 22.56MP high-resolution camera on the back and an 8MP autofocus front camera for selfies. Moreover, the Mi Note 2 is backed by a robust 4070mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0.

In order to check out the full specification and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end, head straight to this link.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Note 2 4G Phablet At Discounted Price On GearBest

Samsung Android 8.0 Oreo Update Will be Arriving to These Galaxy Smartphones, Tablets

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 2, 2018

Samsung Galaxy Note 8’s leaked build of Android 8.0 Oreo has revealed the list of the forthcoming Galaxy smartphones and tablets that may launch this year. Also, it contains the names of Samsung’s smartphones and tablets that will be treated with Android 8.0 Oreo.

Various smartphone manufactures such as HTC, Motorola, Nokia and so on have started the rollout of Android 8.0 for their smartphones. Samsung is one of the smartphone companies that are quite slow at rolling out new Android version. It is yet to release to Android 8.0 Oreo update for its 2017 flagship phones like Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8. Here is the list of smartphones that will be receiving the Android 8.0 Oreo:

Galaxy Smartphones

Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy Note FE, Galaxy W2018, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Active, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

Galaxy A8 (2018), Galaxy A8+ (2018), Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy A5 (2017), Galaxy A7 (2017) and Galaxy A8 (2016).

Galaxy J7 (2017), Galaxy J7 Prime (2017), Galaxy J7+ (2017), Galaxy J7 Duos (2017), Galaxy J7 Max (2017), Galaxy J7 Neo (2017), Galaxy J5 (2017) and Galaxy J3 (2017).

Galaxy Tablets

Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825 (2017), Galaxy Tab A 8.0 SM-T380/T385 (2017), Galaxy Tab Active 2 (2017), Galaxy Tab A 10.1 SM-T580 (2016), Galaxy Tab E 8.0 (2016), and Galaxy Tab A 8.0 SM-T355 (2015) are the tablets that are likely to receive Oreo update.. The presence of the 2015 Galaxy Tab A tablet in the list seems out of place as it was launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Hence, it is unlikely to receive Oreo upgrade.

The following phones that are not listed above are expected to receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update since they were launched within the last two years: Galaxy C9 Pro, Galaxy C7 Pro, Galaxy J7 Pro, Galaxy J5 Pro and Galaxy S7 Active.

Some of the mid-range and low-end phones may not receive the Android 8.0 Oreo update this year. Samsung is yet to release an official statement on the Galaxy smartphones and tablets that are eligible to receive Oreo update. Since the Galaxy S8 and S8+ phones are going to receive the Oreo update in the near future, the company may release the official list of Oreo upgradeable devices soon.

(source)

Samsung Surpasses Intel As The World’s Largest Chipmaker

By

Jeet

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Feb 2, 2018

Intel, which has been dominating the chip manufacturing market for about 25 years, has now lost its crown to South Korean giant Samsung. According to the new reports coming in, Samsung Electronics has surpassed Intel in 2017 to become the world’s biggest chipmaker.

While Intel reported $62.8 billion in annual revenue, Samsung surpassed by the $69.1 billion generated by the company’s semiconductor division. However, it is not a straightforward comparison given that Intel mainly focuses on x86 processors and Samsung’s strength is in producing memory and flash storage.

In the x86 processors market, Intel still remains the leader by a great distance. Intel’s chips may be used in about 90 percent of the world’s computers, but it missed the mobile boom. Samsung saw high demand for high-performance products like DRAM memory and NAND flash as well as for chipsets designed for “automotive electronics and AI.”

Currently, Samsung is among the top TV, home appliance, smartphone display, and smartphone vendors in the world. According to the company, one of the biggest contributing factor to its fourth-quarter earnings was “driven by the components business, with the largest contribution coming from the Memory business that manufactures DRAM and NAND.”

Overall, Samsung’s entire business reported a full-year profit of KRW 53.65 trillion (approximately $50.7 billion) on revenue of KRW 239.58 trillion (about $225 billion). For the final quarter of 2017, revenue was KRW 65.98 trillion (~$62 billion) with KRW 15.15 trillion (about $14 billion) in operating profit.

Now, the South Korean giant is trying to expand its business into areas such as cloud services, AI, and automotive technology. The company has also confirmed that it is now making hardware designed to mine cryptocurrencies.

The company has also said that it plans to adopt “cutting-edge technologies” like foldable displays for its smartphones. Samsung said also that it would continue to develop its smart services with a focus on its Bixby smart assistant and the upcoming 5G technologies.

Codenames of 21 Upcoming Samsung Galaxy Smartphones, Tablets Leaked

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 2, 2018

At the beginning of this year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) smartphone. In the next month, the Galaxy Unpacked event will be held on Feb. 25 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 tech expo to unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones. Like every year, the South Korean company will be launching multiple smartphones this year. XDA Developers has unearthed a list of codenames for the Samsung smartphones that will be releasing this year. through the leaked Android 8.0 Oreo beta build for Galaxy Note 8.

The leaked build has codenames of numerous Samsung devices. Most of those devices are already available in the market. However, following is the list of codenames for 26 upcoming Samsung Galaxy smartphones ant tablets:

Codenames	Actual Names (Speculated)
star	Galaxy S9
star 2	Galaxy S9+
astarqlte	Galaxy S9 Active (Snapdragon)
crown	Galaxy Note 9
j2y18lte	Galaxy J2 (2018)
j3topelte	Galaxy J3 (2018)
j3neolte	Galaxy J3 Neo
j4lte	Galaxy J4
J6lte	Galaxy J6
j7topelte	Galaxy J7 (2018)
j7toplte	Galaxy J7 variant
j8lte	Galaxy J8
c10lte	Galaxy C10
c10plte	Galaxy C10 Plus
gtaxlad	Unknown
lugelte	Unknown
degasy18wifi	Unknown
grandppirislte	Unknown
gts4llte	Galaxy Tab S4
gta2xl	Galaxy Tab A10.1 (2018)
gtesy18lte	Galaxy Tab E (2018)

Just as Samsung had released the Galaxy S7 Active in 2016 and Galaxy S8 Active in 2017, it appears that the company may launch the S9 Active phone this year. As it can be seen in the above list, there are some unknown devices. Samsung is rumored to debut a new line of smartphones that will be exclusively made available online. Hence, one of the unidentified devices could be a smartphone from the new series.

Previous reports have revealed that the “crown” codename belongs to the upcoming Galaxy Note 9. The same codename has been also found listed in the leaked Android 8.0 Oreo beta build for Note 8. Samsung China was rumored to debut Galaxy C10 and Galaxy C10 Plus smartphones in the previous year. The C10 series may debut this year with Snapdragon 660 chipset inside. The list contains multiple Galaxy J series phones, but Galaxy J5 (2018) seems to be missing. The unidentified smartphones could include the heavily rumored foldable smartphone from the company.

Update: The post has been updated according to the revisions found on the source link.

(source)

Xiaomi Is Back In The Top 5 Manufacturers List Thanks To The Incredible Growth In Q4 2017!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2018

Popular research firm IDC has released its survey data which showed the fourth quarter 2017 global smartphone shipments. The global smartphone shipments peaked at 403.5 million which represents a 6.3% decrease YoY. In the fourth quarter, the data showed that Apple, Samsung Huawei, Xiaomi and OPPO emerged as the top 5 smartphone manufacturers in terms of market shares.

Apple emerged as the over leader with a total shipment of 77.3 million units and this was no doubt buoyed by the release of its 2017 flagships; iPhone 8, 8Plus and iPhone X. Samsung followed closely with a gross shipment of 74.1 million. Chinese smartphone maker maintained its third position, shipping an estimated 41 million phones in Q4 2017.

Xiaomi displaced OPPO to emerge at the number 4 spot with a gross shipment of 28.1 million units. It is interesting to note that of all the OEMs on the list, only Xiaomi saw significant growth in its shipment when compared to the same period the previous year. Xiaomi recorded just 14.4 million Q4 shipments in a turbulent 2016 outing. However, the new figure means the Chinese innovative company’s global shipments grew by 96.9%. Other OEMs in the top 5 recorded an average of 6.3% reduction in their shipment volumes YoY. Even the cumulative shipment figures of Chinese phone makers like Vivo, Gionee who didn’t make it up into the top 5 in the fourth quarter of last year saw its shipment volumes drop from 183.7 million in Q4 2016 to 151.3 million.

With this encouraging results, Xiaomi will be spurred to continue ramping up sales with the release of new products this year and also expand its presence globally through online and offline stores. Last year, the company made inroads into Europe with launches in Russia and Spain and now Xiaomi will soon make an entry into Italy.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Concept Renders Show An Amazing Screen To Body Ratio

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 2, 2018

Every Xiaomi fan is looking forward to the release of the Redmi Note 5. One may even say Xiaomi enjoys keeping us waiting. While there has been no official confirmation of its release, there have been a number of leaks in addition to an alleged 3C certification.

Some of the leaks we have seen show a device with bezels much thinner than what is on the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. We have also seen photos that reveal a dual-camera setup on the rear with a fingerprint scanner beneath.

YouTube channel – Science and Knowledge has released a video of a concept Redmi Note 5 based on these details in addition to a few of their own expectations, and it is worth the watch.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqpyWJyK2QY[/embedyt]

The concept Redmi Note 5 is expected to come with a 5.99” 2160 x 1080 display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen-to-body ratio in the video is amazing and the Redmi Note 5 will surely be a head-turner if it launches looking like this.

They also list a Snapdragon 636 processor with 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of expandable storage. For cameras, this concept Redmi Note 5 has a 16MP + 5MP combo on the rear and an 8MP front camera.

Continue

Nokia 8 Sirocco: HMD Global Trademarks A New Smartphone Name

By

Michele Ingelido

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Feb 2, 2018

HMD Global has trademarked a new name for an alleged flagship: Nokia 8 Sirocco, identified by the code name TA-1005. Until now, TA-1005 was rumored to be the Nokia 9, but after this trademark, there is a chance that this device will not be the next flagship launched by HMD Global. Sirocco is a name which reminds of Nokia 8800 Sirocco, so the variant of the model 8 might be a tribute to this old feature phone. In case you do not know, the 8800 has been one of the costliest phones ever released by Nokia. Build quality was one of its strong points as it had a sapphire glass, steel panels, and even a leather case.

This makes us think that Nokia 8 Sirocco might focus on the build quality, besides being a high-end phone. The device might be announced at the most important trade show of the year dedicated to mobile devices. We are talking about Mobile World Congress 2018 which will be held in Barcelona starting on February 26. HMD Global has already confirmed its presence to the event through an official teaser published on social networks, and the company has invited fans to prepare for the next chapter of the Nokia story.

Nokia TA-1005, that is the alleged Nokia 8 Sirocco, is expected to come with an OLED display provided by LG, unlike the LCD panel found on the standard version of the model 8. On the hardware side, it might sport an octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor by Qualcomm, running at a max frequency of 2.45 GHz. The flagship is rumored to spot four cameras: a dual camera setup on its back with resolutions of 12 and 13 MP, and a dual camera on the front side for selfies. The battery should have a bigger capacity than its predecessor with 3250 mAh. The rest of the specs should remain the same as the standard version of the phone.

(Via)

New HTC 2Q5W1 Phone Powered By Snapdragon 625 Seen on Geekbench

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Feb 2, 2018

It appears HTC is prepping to launch another new mid-range phone soon. And just like the HTC U11 Eyes, this one won’t be using any of the new chips from Qualcomm but the two-year old tried and trusted Snapdragon 625.

The device which has been seen on Geekbench as the HTC 2Q5W1 runs Android 8.0.0. As mentioned above, it is powered by the msm8953 a.k.a Snapdragon 625. It also packs 3GB of RAM.

The HTC 2QW51 will be the brand’s first Snapdragon 625 phone. We have seen the chipset appear in a lot of devices most especially from Xiaomi. It is also the chipset in the Blackberry KEYOne and Blackberry Motion.

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Huawei MediaPad M5 Spotted On Geekbench With Kirin 960, 4GB RAM & Android 8.0

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 2, 2018

Huawei is expected to upgrade its tablet series with a new MediaPad M5. The MediaPad M5 would be a successor to the MediaPad M3 which was first launched in 2016. The device recently got the nod at FCC indicating a launch in the US is imminent. We have also seen the schematics of the device in a recent leak which suggests there would be a change in design. The Huawei MediaPad M5 has now been spotted on Geekbench and it pulls an impressive result.

The Mediapad M5 appeared on the benchmark platform with the model number Huawei SHT-AL09. The Geekbench listing reveals that the device will pack a Kirin 960 chipset, a detail which is already known. Also listed is an Android 8.0 Oreo operating system while the processor is backed by 4GB of RAM. The benchmark result shows that the device pulling a score of 6617 on the multicore test and a single core test score of 1905 points.

The MediaPad M5 is expected to feature an 8.4-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels just like the M3. The tablet would be powered by the last year’s flagship Kirin 960 chipset. The device will also feature a fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C port, stereo speakers, and Cat. 4 LTE modem. Providing the interface would be EMUI 6.0 based on Android Oreo. The device is expected to be launched anytime soon and was even tipped to drop at the recently held CES 2018. Thus, we cannot rule out an MWC 2018 unveiling even though Huawei is yet to officially disclose if that would happen.

(source, via)