7 Most Beautiful Chinese Smartphones of 2017

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Jan 4, 2018

Smartphone manufacturers have put a lot of efforts into the design of their phones in 2017. Since Xiaomi Mi Mix was released back in 2016, the bezel-less trend kicked off and the increased screen to body ratio made the phones taller, narrower, and much more comfortable to hold. Metal unibody designs and back covers made of glass have completely invaded the smartphone market, and smartphones became very attractive for both men and women lately. In this guide, we will show you our selection of the most beautiful Chinese smartphones released in 2017. Beauty is often a subjective parameter and we know it, but we made this selection considering many objective factors, like the innovation brought by these phones, the materials used, and the feedback given by the public for the handsets’ designs.

Let us know with a comment if you agree with us or not. Which is the most beautiful Chinese phone in your opinion?

Most beautiful Chinese phones of 2017

Honor 9

Display: 5.15 in Full HD LTPS IPS LCD
Hardware: HiSilicon Kirin 960, 4/6 GB RAM, 64/128 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, EMUI 5.1
Camera: Dual 12 + 20 MP f/2.2
Battery: 3200 mAh

Honor 9 is a phone with one of the most attractive back covers ever. The frame is made of aluminum, while its rear side is made of glass and it creates impressive light wave design with colors changing based on the angle from where you see the phone. The price of this device is very affordable, but inside it, you will find great hardware: the same SoC as Huawei P10 and also the same quantity of RAM (even more if you choose the most advanced version). A powerful dual camera setup completes the beautiful body of the Honor 9.

PRO: Great hardware, nice dual camera, affordable price, compact

CONS: Bezels

Gionee M7 Power

Display: 6 in HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, EMUI 5.1
Camera: 13 MP f/2.0
Battery: 5000 mAh

The back cover of this phone shares many things in common with the Honor 9. It is simple, yet original. It is made of glass and it reflects light just like Honor 9, creating suggestive light waves. The frame is made of aluminum and, even though there is a monstrous battery with a capacity of 5000mAh inside this device, the profile remains quite thin (8.6 mm). The price is affordable enough, but the SoC is entry-level and the phone is sold only in Asia and cannot be purchased elsewhere. On the other hand, besides an incredible battery life this handset also offers ample RAM and storage, which are perfect for multi-tasking.

PRO: Monster battery, good price, wide display, ample RAM and storage

CONS: Entry-level SoC

Smartisan Nut 2 Pro

Display: 5.99 in Full HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, 4/6 GB RAM, 32/64/128/256 GB ROM
Camera: Dual 12 + 5 MP f/1.8
Battery: 3500 mAh

Smartisan Nut 2 Pro is a phone with a unique look. It has a glass back and a metal frame with round keys on the sides, and it has been released in very interesting colors that is hard to find in the market. The phone’s design is highlighted by its symmetry, which includes a front facing camera aligned in the center as well as a hidden ear piece. In terms of hardware, this is a high-end device but not a flagship. It has a Snapdragon 660 SoC paired with 4 or 6 GB of RAM, and it is possible to choose an internal storage up to 256 GB. On the rear side, there is a dual camera setup which has proved to provide high-quality photos, especially in low light conditions. A 3500 mAh allows to achieve one day of stressed use in every scenario.

PRO: Outstanding camera, nice battery, great hardware side, wide display

CONS: No availability outside China

Nubia Z17s

Display: 5.73 in Full HD+ LTPS IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 6/8 GB RAM, 64/128 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, Nubia UI 5.1
Camera: Dual 12 + 23 MP f/1.8
Battery: 3100 mAh

Nubia Z17s is one of the most affordable flagship phones of 2017. It has the best hardware that you can expect from the most powerful phones on the market, yet its price remain incredibly affordable. The Snapdragon 835 SoC is paired with 6 or 8 GB of RAM depending on the configuration chosen, and this makes the phone one of the fastest and smoothest devices in the market. The display is bezel-less and its size is not large, so you get a compact phone with a wide display too. On the rear side, there is a pretty nice dual camera with a high resolution which can shoot very detailed photos. We expected a slightly bigger battery, but it is still a sufficient unit. Its design is composed of a suggestive glass back and a metal frame in a eye pleasing design.

PRO: Good display, Flagship level hardware, nice dual camera, affordable price

CONS: Battery could be bigger

Huawei Nova 2S

Display: 6-in Full HD+ LTPS IPS LCD
Hardware: HiSilicon Kirin 960, 4/6 GB RAM, 64/128 GB ROM
Software: Android Oreo, EMUI 8.0
Camera: Dual 16 + 20 MP f/1.8
Battery: 3340 mAh

Huawei Nova 2s is a better, but also a more expensive version of Honor 9. It shares a similar glass back which is very beautiful, and in addition, it has an 18:9 display with narrow bezels which is not present on the Honor 9. The display is wide and comfortable and we like its quality. Another important advantage is the high-level hardware side, with a very powerful SoC and a large quantity of RAM. Android is updated to the latest version available and the battery is above-average. There is also a nice dual camera with a bright aperture.

PRO: High-end hardware, wide display, good camera, Android Oreo

CONS: Limited availability

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Display: 5.99 in Full HD+ IPS LCD
Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 6/8 GB RAM, 64/128/256 GB ROM
Software: Android Nougat, MIUI 9
Camera: 12 MP f/2.0
Battery: 3400 mAh

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is the successor of the bezel-less device which launched the trend of such displays late last year. Its screen-to-body ratio is very high, one of the highest in the market. This makes the phone good to hold even though its display is big (6 inches). The materials are among the best that you can ever find in a beautiful phone. Its back cover is made of ceramic, its frame is made of metal and there is a 18K gold rim around the camera. There is also a limited version entirely made of ceramic, but it is not easy to buy it. This phone is a real flagship with the best SoC of 2017 in the Android market: Snapdragon 835, supported by a huge quantity of RAM (6 or 8 GB depending on the variant).

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

CONS: Average camera

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Display: 6 in Full HD+ AMOLED
Hardware: HiSilicon Kirin 970, 4/6 GB RAM, 64/128 GB ROM
Software: Android Oreo, EMUI 8.0
Camera: Dual 12 + 20 MP f/1.6
Battery: 4000 mAh

Huawei Mate 10 Pro is not only one of the best beautiful phones, but also the perfect flagship: it is beautiful, powerful and innovative. It is composed of a glass back with a very original look and a metal frame, and it is a waterproof phone thanks to its IP68 certification. It has a 6-inch AMOLED display with an outstanding viewing quality, and one of the best processors in the market which integrates a dedicated chip for artificial intelligence. Its software its updated to the latest version available (Android Oreo), it has one of the best cameras ever seen on a phone (the phone is in DxOMark’s top 3 of best camera phones), and we also got the biggest battery in a 2017 flagship with a 4000mAh capacity.

PRO: Incredible display, perfect hardware, big battery, excellent camera

CONS: Price

Another phone that we will not include in our ranking but deserves a mention is the ZTE Axon M because of its innovative display. It may not be a great looking smartphone of 2017, but it definitely deserves a mention for its innovative design.

It’s also worth noting that flagships like OnePlus 5T, OPPO R11S are all good looking devices, but given that their design has been replicated by multiple devices, we thought it was best not to include them in this list. For example, OPPO R11S, OP5T, Vivo X20 all have similar designs and they look good too, but they are too similar to each other.

So these were the best looking Chinese smartphones of 2017. Which one would you pick as the best looking phone? Or do you think there’s a different model that should make it to this list?

360 N6 Smartphone To Soon Get Blue Colour Variant

By

Jeet

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Jan 4, 2018

Last month, 360 Mobiles launched two mobiles — 360 N6, which sits somewhere in between 360 N6 Lite and 360 N6 Pro. When launched, it was available in two colour options — Black and Gold.

However, the company is now gearing up to soon offer another colour option — Blue. This was confirmed by Kai-Xin Lee, President of 360 Mobiles, in response to a user’s question on the microblogging platform.

The user inquired if there will be a blue coloured model of the 360 N6 phone and Kai-Xin Lee said that they started working on the same after tackling some difficulties. While he didn’t provide any timeline for the launch of the blue colour variant, he said that it will be launched soon.

The 360N6 comes with a metal-clad body. The phone features a 5.93-inch Full-Screen Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. According to the company, even with the bigger screen, the phone feels like a 5.5-inch phone due to the smaller bezels.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor. It is available in two models based on memory and storage configuration — one with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage while the other one with 6GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage.

The devices come with a single 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and dual LED flash. There is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture, an AI beauty mode and a camera assistant.

It runs on Android 7.1 Nougat with a layer of company’s own skin on top. The phone packs a massive 5,000mAh battery, which is rated to provide up to 3 days of battery life on single charge. It also supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging (9V/2A) technology as well as reverse charging.

Meizu Sends Out Large Blue Blocks Inside M6S Invites

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 4, 2018

Meizu was thought to launch its first full-screen smartphone on January 4 but it turns out the company only announced the launch date for the full-screen phone. We will now see the much-anticipated Meizu M6s on January 17, 2018. Apart from revealing the launch date, Meizu has also started sending out invitations to the launch event.

Meizu is known for sending out uniquely packaged invitations and this is no different. The Meizu M6s launch invitation contains a large blue brick with the words in Chinese translated as “Young good” embossed unto one of the surfaces. We can’t say what that means, anyway. The brick is similar to a real brick and is event also weighty as one.

It is as good as confirmed that the device that would be launched on that day is a full-screen Meizu M6s with the 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will not feature the mBack button as it utilises a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Further, the M6s is said to feature a 5.7-inch display and would be powered by a Samsung Exynos 7872 processor among other features. This is looking like a great device to look forward to.

(source)

Google Pixel 2’s Portrait Mode Gets Ported To Non-Google Devices

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 4, 2018

Only a few phones can measure up to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL‘ s camera performance. And even at that most of them need two sensors to do that. Google showed us with its new phones that one sensor can still do a lot of work when combined with the right software.

One of the key camera features of the 2nd gen Pixel phones is the portrait mode which is unrivaled. Following the release of the Pixel 2 and its siblings, XDA developers have been hard at work to port the features to other devices.

A senior member at XDA, Charles_1 was able to get portrait mode to work on the first-gen Pixel phones, the Nexus 6P, and Nexus 5X. A few days ago, another senior member Arnova8G2 who helped port the Google camera app from the first gen Pixel to Snapdragon devices was able to bring the feature to non-Google devices.

If you own the OnePlus 3/3T (OxygenOS 5), Xiaomi Mi 5/5s (LineageOS 15), Moto G5s Plus, Galaxy S8/S8+, and Galaxy Note 8 (leaked Oreo beta ROM), you can now get portrait mode on your phone(s)……without rooting.

When it was first released, the portrait mode feature only worked with the rear camera, but an updated version has been released that also works with the front camera.

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Lenovo Introduces New ThinkPad Laptops Along With Tablet And Monitors

By

Jeet

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Jan 4, 2018

Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018, Lenovo has announced a slew of new devices. The newly updated laptop lineup from Lenovo includes ThinkPad X, T, and L Series, along with a new docking station and monitors. All the new laptop models come powered by Intel‘s 8th-generation processors.

The new ThinkPad X series consists of X280 and X380 Yoga. The Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga convertible comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen display and a 360-degree hinge. It is powered by up to Core i7 processor with vPro tech, 16GB RAM and up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage. It has a battery life of up to 13.6 hours, claims that company. The device also supports rapid-charge which can top up the battery to around 80% in an hour.

On the other hand, the ThinkPad X280 has almost similar core specifications as the X380 Yoga. However, the SSD isn’t of the NVMe variety. It offers a battery life of up to 13 hours. According to the company, the device is 20% lighter and 15% thinner than its predecessor. It weighs 1.16kg and measures 17.4mm in thickness.

Lenovo has also upgraded its T series with new ThinkPad T480, T480s and T580 devices. The company described this series as the “corporate workhorse.” It features an IR camera, a fingerprint reader, and the ThinkShutter Camera Privacy.

All of these models packs up to 8th-gen Core i7 processors with vPro. The T580 model also has an option to include a 4K UHD display. According to the company, some models in the series can also be equipped with dual batteries (32Wh and 72Wh) for up to 27 hours of battery life.

The pricing for the ThinkPad T480 starts at $989, the T480s starts at $1,269, and the T580 starts at $1,079. All these models will be available for purchase from January.

The Lenovo ThinkPad L series is also getting four new models — ThinkPad L380, ThinkPad L380 Yoga, ThinkPad L480, and the ThinkPad L580. They feature a lighter form factor and thinner bodies, along with optional multi-touch displays and docking solutions.

The L-series devices won’t be available until February. In terms of pricing, they’re less expensive compared to the ThinkPad T series. The ThinkPad L380 Yoga starts at $549, the L380 starting at $449, the L480 starting at $779, and the L580 starting at $769.

The Lenovo ThinkPad L380 comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD screen and can be specified with up to Core i7 processor, 32GB of RAM, and up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. The ThinkPad L380 Yoga is a convertible with similar specifications to the L380. It is claimed to come with 12 hours of battery life.

On the other hand, the ThinkPad L480 and L580 models come with a 14-inch and 15-inch display respectively. They pack same core specifications as L380 but there is an option to add a second drive – a hard disk of up to 1TB or 2TB capacity, respectively.

Lenovo also unveiled a new tablet — the Lenovo Tablet 10. It packs an Intel Celeron N Series processor, a fingerprint reader, and a battery that can last for about nine hours on single charge. It comes with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to better protect business assets, according to the company.

The company has also shown some new monitors. The ThinkVision P32u is a 32-inch IPS monitor with a 4K resolution that delivers 99.5% coverage of the AdobeRGB colour gamut. Another one is ThinkVision X24 that has a 23.8-inch screen with a Full HD resolution. It is super-sleek in terms of an ‘infinity screen’ with a 1.1mm bezel, while the display itself is just 4mm thick.

Nokia 6 (2018) Teasers Appear as Official Launch Nears

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

With the official unveiling just one day away, HMD Global is busy teasing the upcoming Nokia 6 (2018). The new teasers states that the smartphone will be offering delivering more refined performance. The teaser also states that the Nokia 6 (2018) will be coming with 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM and it will be exclusively available through Suning.

Some rumors had claimed that the Nokia 6 (2018) could be company’s first phone with 18:9 aspect ratio display. However, the TENAA listing of the phone as well as the newly leaked photos indicates that the Nokia 6 (2018) will be coming with a 16:9 display like the original model.

The new images have revealed that the smartphone will be coming with reduced bezel and a camera module that is similar to the Nokia 5. Unlike the original Nokia 6, the newer model will be coming with a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. It is expected to deliver refined performance through the Snapdragon 630 chipset. The prowess of the smartphone has been revealed through its listing on Geekbench benchmarking site. Apart from 32 GB storage + 4 GB RAM variant, it is also expected to come in 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM option.

Via

OnePlus Release A New Teaser Video Of OnePlus 5T Sandstone Variant

By

Jeet

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Jan 4, 2018

After releasing a video on its YouTube page, which teases the upcoming Sandstone Edition of its flagship smartphone OnePlus 5T, the China-based OnePlus has now again teased the device by releasing a new video on Twitter.

The video released on its Twitter account shows comments from various OnePlus phone owners praising sandstone back panel, which the company used to offer on the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2.

Some users claim that the sandstone finish is the reason they opted to buy the OnePlus phone, while others claim that it is the best experience for anyone with butterfingers. However, the teaser video has not revealed any details regarding the launch or announcement of this variant.

Recently, the company posted a photo on its official OnePlus Weibo account, announcing a launch event on Friday, 5th of January. The poster suggests that the company will release the Sandstone White version of the OnePlus 5T. The company has been promoting the launch with phrases like ‘three days left’, ‘the Classic returns’ mentioned on it.

The OnePlus 5T was originally launched in November last year. The phone features a 6.01-inch Full-HD+ Optic AMOLED display with 1080 x 2160 pixels screen resolution. It comes powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor along with 6GB/ 8GB RAM and 64GB / 128GB of internal storage. The phone sports a dual rear camera setup at the back, packing a 16-megapixel primary sensor and a 20-megapixel secondary sensor. There is also a 16-megapixel front sensor for taking selfies and video calling.

We believe that the new Sandstone Edition of the OnePlus 5T will initially be available in China only. The Sandstone White Edition of the phone has already been listed on Chinese online retailer JD.com for 3,499 Yuan, which roughly converts to $539.

OnePlus has been offering a new variant of its flagship smartphone at regular intervals. Recently, OnePlus introduced a special Star Wars Limited Edition variant of the OnePlus 5T. Prior to that, it launched a Lava Red colour variant in its home country, which is now reported to get launched in India later this month.

(Source)

LeEco Le Max 2 Users Can Update to Android 7.0 Nougat through EUI 6 Alpha ROM

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

As LeEco is going through a financial crisis for more than a year, it hasn’t released a major software update for many of its smartphones since quite some time. However, a senior member at XDA Forums was able to find an EMUI 6.0 Alpha ROM based on Android 7.0 Nougat for the LeEco Le Max 2.

The Le Max 2 smartphone was launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS in May 2016. The EUI 6.0 Alpha ROM or the smartphone is now openly available on the forum site. The Alpha version ROM is an under-development product that contains a number of bugs. It is available for X820, X821, X822 and X829 models of the Le Max 2.

Flashing a ROM manually is not a very easy process and it avoid the warranty of the device. In order to flash the ROM, Le Max 2 users are required to root it by using Magisk. Some of the known bugs of the EUI 6.0 Alpha ROM are associated with fingerprint and biometric sensors. Some users who tried the ROM have claimed that they have encountered issues while installing APKs from USB sources.

The official Nougat update for Le Max 2 was expected to arrive in summer of 2017 when a leaked image had revealed that the LeEco is testing EUI 6.0.28 flavored Android 7.1 Nougat for it as well as other smartphones. However, since then there is no trace of the official Android update for any of the LeEco phones. Hence, the only way to try the latest Android version on LeEco handsets is to make use of third-party ROMs.

The Le Max 2 features a 5.7-inch QHD display and is driven by Snapdragon 820 chipset. It comes in 4 GB and 6 GB RAM options and 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB storage models. It has a rear camera of 21-megapixel and a frontal shooter of 8-megapixel. It houses a 3,500mAh battery. The last phone released by LeEco is the Le Pro 2 AI Edition. It was released in April 2017.

(source|via)

Nokia 6 (2018) Photos Confirm 16:9 Display

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 4, 2018

The Nokia 6 (2018) has been the focus of attention in recent times. The successor to HMD’s first smartphone under the Nokia brand will come with upgraded specs and a new design but not in the way we expected.

When the Nokia 6 (2018) first appeared on TENAA, the images showed the device with what appeared to be thinner top and bottom bezels. That could only mean one thing – a full screen display or one with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

However, when the specs were eventually made public, quite a number of people were shocked to learn that HMD Global has stuck to the same 5.5” display with a 16:9 aspect ratio for the 2nd gen model. For those that are still not convinced and believe TENAA probably made a mistake, we have got our hands on photos of the Nokia 6 (2018).

As you can see, the bezels are still there and that screen sure doesn’t look like it has an 18:9 aspect ratio. Why then did they decide to move the fingerprint scanner to the back? It has to look different from its predecessor, right?

The display is covered by 2.5D glass which is most likely supplied by Corning. Front camera position is still on the right and there is the Nokia branding beside it. It also features on-screen buttons now.

The rear of the phone has also received a major change in design. The camera housing is significantly longer with the sensor at the top and the LED flash at the bottom. The setup is still raised and has an orange accent around it just like the fingerprint scanner beneath it and the aluminium frame around the body.

The Nokia 6 (2018) is not only different on the outside. Gone is the Snapdragon 430 of last year as it is now powered by the Snapdragon 630. Camera still remains 16MP on the rear and 8MP in front but they may have a different aperture and pixel size. Nevertheless, battery capacity has been kept at 3000mAh.

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Meizu M6S New Leak Reveals Key Specs of Exynos 7872 Chipset

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

Meizu has confirmed that it will be debuting the Meizu M6S as its first full smartphone with 18:9 aspect ratio display on Jan. 17. Since several years, the Chinese manufacturer has been using MediaTek chipsets to power its mid-range and low-budget phones. However, the upcoming mid-range Meizu M6S is rumored to be powered by the Exynos 7872 chipset by Samsung. Some of the key specs of the new SoC have surfaced today.

The Exynos 7882 is 14nmm chipset that is designed for low-budget phones. It is hexa-core SoC that comprises of four cores of Cortex A53 and two cores of Cortex A73 and Mali G71-MP3 graphics. It includes a Cat. 7 LTE modem that offers a maximum download speed of up to 300 Mbps and upload speed of up to 100 Mbps. The fully integrated modem offers full network support. The Bluetooth SIG certification of the Exynos 7882 chipset had revealed that it carries support for Bluetooth 4.2.

Some of the recently leaked photos of the Meizu M6S reaffirm that it will be coming with an 18:9 display. It won’t be featuring the trademark mBack physical button, but its capabilities are expected to be made available through virtual keys. Unlike other full screen phones that have rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, the Meizu M6S is speculated to arrive with a side-mounted fingerprint reader.

The Meizu M6S is expected to arrive with HD+ resolution supporting screen of 5.7 inches. It is likely to available in variants like 32 GB of storage + 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage + 4 GB of RAM. It will be fueled by a 2,930mAh battery. For shooting photos, it is expected to be fitted with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel selfie snapper. It will be running on Android 7.0 Nougat that will be overlaid with the latest Flyme OS skin. It is expected to be priced around 1,299 Yuan (~$199).

(source)

OnePlus 5T Sandstone White Listed On JD.com For ¥3499 (~$539)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 4, 2018

The Sandstone White variant of the OnePlus 5T isn’t due for launch until tomorrow but Chinese retailer, JD.com already had it listed on its site. The new color variant was first teased in a video last week before an official launch poster was released a few days ago.

According to the JD.com listing, the Sandstone OnePlus 5T shares a similar design to the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition. The only visual difference is the lack of the Star Wars engraving on the lower back. The OnePlus logo and the alert slider have been kept black and red respectively.

It appears the new color variant will be limited to the 8GB RAM + 128GB model. It will sell for the same ¥3499 (~$539) price as the Lava Red variant and Midnight Black variant of the same configuration.

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Meizu Confirms January 17 Launch Date for Meizu M6S

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

A promotional poster that was released by Meizu earlier this week suggested that its first 18:9 aspect ratio supporting smartphone would be launching today. However, the company has confirmed today that it will be launching the Meizu M6S (Blue Charm S6) smartphone on Jan. 17.

The above image only confirms the launch date of Meizu M6S. The rumor mill has revealed that the Meizu M6S will be equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It won’t be featuring physical mBack button, instead its features will be made available through a virtual key.

Rumors have it that the Meizu M6S is powered by the Exynos 7872 chipset that includes a hexa-core processor. The TENAA listing of the smartphone has revealed that it will be coming with a 5.7-inch display. It is speculated to arrive two variants such as 32 GB of storage + 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage + 4 GB of RAM. It is packed with a 2,930mAh battery. For photography, it will be equipped with a rear camera of 13-megapixel and a selfie camera of 5-megapixel.

The Chinese manufacturer is also rumored to be working on Meizu 15 and Meizu 15 Plus. These phones are speculated to launched in March this year.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi 4A For $99.99, Redmi Note 4 For $174.99 And Doogee S60 For Just $249.98 On Lightinthebox

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 4, 2018

Lightinthebox is currently offering jaw-dropping discounts on two Xiaomi-branded smartphones. Let’s delve straight into the details.

Xiaomi Redmi 4A

First off, the Redmi 4A 4G smartphone, which comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of 16GB of massive internal storage, is up for grabs on the website bearing a heavily-discounted price tag.

The very well-received Redmi 4A is now available on Lightinthebox for just $99.99, thanks to a massive 53% discount on the handset’s original asking price of $212.33. The device comes in three color options including blushing pink, gold and gray.

You can head straight to this link and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

Alternatively, you can get a 65% discount when you buy the Redmi Note 4 smartphone on Lightinthebox. The device’s original asking price is $494.43, but the site is currently offering it for only $174.99.

The device is available in two color options including black and gray. If you go for the black version of the Redmi Note 4, you’d pay an extra $2.

As far as specs are concerned, this 4G smartphone comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM, and sports a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. You can click here to buy the Redmi Note 4 at a discounted price of $174.99 and check out rest of the specifications.

Doogee S60

You can also buy Doogee S60 4G smartphone on Lightinthebox by shelling out just $249.98. The site is currently offering a 56% off on the handset which is available in three color choices including gold, silver, and black.

The S60 comes with 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and sports a 21MP camera on the back. It has a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. Click here to buy the Doogee S60 at the discounted price before the promo ends.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi 4A For Just $99.99 On Lightinthebox

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 For Just $174.99 On Lightinthebox

Buy Doogee S60 For Just $249.98 On Lightinthebox

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2018) Appears on Official Website, Launch Imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

The Galaxy J2 (2018) is an upcoming entry-level phone from Samsung. Even though it is yet to be introduced, the South Korean has listed a jelly case cover of the phone on its official mobile accessories page. This indicates that the company will be launching it very soon.

The official listing neither includes its specifications nor pricing of the upcoming Galaxy J2 (2018) that has a model number of SM-AJ520. However, the mobile accessories page contains some information of the phone such as its dimensions and weight. The handset will be measuring 74.4 x 146.3 x 10.3 mm and it will be weighing 173 grams. The jelly case for the Galaxy J2 (2018) will be coming in multiple colors like Black, Blue, Gold and Pink.

Previous reports have revealed that the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2018) will be arriving with a 5-inch Super AMOLED screen that will be supporting qHD resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. The Snapdragon 425 chipset and 1.5 GB of RAM will be fueling it. It will be featuring a native storage of 16 GB and a microSD card slot will be present on it for additional storage. It will come pre-installed with Android 7.1 Nougat OS.

For photography, the Galaxy J2 (2018) will be equipped with an 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. Both the camera sensors will be equipped with LED flash. Its connectivity features include 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB, Bluetooth 4.2, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. The handset will be powered by 2,600mAh battery and it will be coming in color choices like Black and Gold. It has been recently found listed on a Russian retailer site with a price tag of 7,990 Rubles (~$138).

(source)

Pre-Order OnePlus 5T And Lava Red OnePlus 5T For Just $474.29 And $565.24 Respectively On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 4, 2018

Smartphone enthusiasts who have restlessly been waiting to get their hands on a large-screen smartphone without burning a big hole in their pocket can now pre-order OnePlus 5T smartphone for just $557.99 on Banggood.

OnePlus 5T

Sporting a massive 6.01-inch display, the OnePlus 5T smartphone bears a steep price tag of $640.94 without this 13% discount offered by Banggood.

Under the hood, the 5T packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa Core processor, paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. On the photography front, the smartphone sports a 20MP secondary camera and 16MP dual camera on the back. The OnePlus 5T’s camera takes relatively better low-light photos than its precursor, the OnePlus 5.

You can click here to pre-order the OnePlus 5T smartphone and use coupon code ‘2018BG5T’ to get a discount of $83.70. In other words, you end up paying just $474.29 for the handset.

OnePlus 5T (Lava Red)

The OnePlus 5T in Lava Red color is also up for pre-order on Banggood and you need to shell out just $664.99 to get your hands on the 4G smartphone. This is a considerable 11% discount on the device’s original asking price of $749.99.

In terms of specs, the Lava Red OnePlus 5T is powered by SD835 with octa-core CPU. It sports rear-mounted dual camera with a 16MP+20MP setup. The Lava Red color was exclusively launched for the Chinese market.

You can apply coupon code ‘BGRED5T’ before proceeding to check out and get $99.75 off on the already-discounted price of $664.99. You only pay $565.24 after using this coupon code so click here and take advantage of the promo before it comes to an end.

Pre-Order OnePlus 5T Smartphone For Just $474.29 on Banggood

Pre-Order The Lava Red Color Variant Of OnePlus 5T Smartphone For Just $565.24 on Banggood

Samsung Exynos 9810 is Officially Announced, Carries Support for AI and Enhanced Multimedia Content

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 4, 2018

Samsung has finally announced the Exynos 9810 as its next-generation Exynos 9 series chipset. It is the second generation 10nm chipset from the company designed for smartphones and smart devices. It is packed with third-generation custom processor, enhanced LTE modem that delivers faster gigabit connectivity, topnotch image processing and deep learning capabilities.

The Exynos 9810 is an octa-core processor that includes four third-generation custom cores and four cores that are optimized for delivering efficient performance. The octa-core processor can produce a maximum clocking speed of 2.9 GHz. Compared to its predecessor, the Exynos 9810 is capable of delivering twofold single-core performance and it also offers 40 percent better multi-core performance.

The neural network-based deep learning and robust security offered by the Exynos 9810 allow smartphones powered by this chipset to easily identify people and objects in photos for depth sensing or for quickly performing image search. It supports hybrid facial detection by scanning a user’s face in 3D. Hybrid face detection that relies on both hardware and software offers realistic face-racking filters and also a very secure way to unlock a device by scanning the user’s face. The Exynos 9810 also supports iris and fingerprint identification for protecting personal data.

The LTE modem made available in the new Exynos chipset will allow users to stream or broadcast content with up to 4K resolution and newer media like 360-degree video. The Cat.18 LTE modem supports a maximum download speed of 1.2 Gbps. It the industry Cat. 18 LTE modem to support 6x carrier aggregation for 1.2 Gbps download and 200 Mbps upload speeds. It also supports 4×4 MIMIO and 256-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation scheme.

With a dedicated image processing and upgraded multi-format codec (MFC) available on the Exynos 9810, users will be able to enjoy immersive multimedia experience. Hence, smartphones powered with the Exynos 9810 will be able to shoot highly stable videos of up to 4K resolution, brighter photos in dim light conditions and real-time out-of focus photography. It also supports playback of 4K videos at 120fps.

Samsung has begun the mass production of the Exynos 9810 chipset. Through its press release, the South Korean company proudly boasts that the Exynos 9810 has been selected as a CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2018 Innovation Awards HONOREE in the category for Embedded Technologies product. The Exynos 9810 will be showcased at CES 2018 between Jan. 9 to 12 in Las Vegas, US.

The upcoming Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ models heading to the U.S. and China are rumored to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. However, the rest of the world is heavily rumored to receive the Exynos 9810 powered variants of the Galaxy S9 duo.

2018 YI Brand Sale On GeekBuying Offers Latest Arrivals At A Discounted Price

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 4, 2018

Geekbuying is offering 30% discount as part of its latest promo that kicked off on January 2. The promo features a slew of newly-arrived cameras and other YI-branded items. Let’s take a look at some of them.

New Arrivals

This section features YI-manufactured cameras that are available at a discounted price. First off, the site is offering a 38% discount on YI Lite Hi3556 Action Camera, which sells for $159.99 without the discount.

The YI Lite Hi3556 offers professional 4K/20fps, 1080p/30fps, 1080p/60fps video recording quality and 16MP still image capture thanks to Sony IMX206 image sensor natively. Click here to buy YI Lite Hi3556 Action Camera.
The site is also offering a 25% discount on YI Ultra Dash camera, which brings down its original asking price to $89.99. The Ultra Dash camera comes with a high efficient H.264 video encoding, and up to 30/60 fps (frames per second). You also get 16 TF card with this product. Click here to buy YI Ultra Dash Camera.

Capable of delivering in wind, shine or even rain, YI Outdoor Camera is currently available on GeekBuying at a discounted price of just $79.99, which is a big 31% discount on the device’s original asking price of $115.36. You can click here to buy it at a discounted price.

Cameras

Apart from that, the promo offers various other cameras including the international version of YI 4K+ Action Camera with a 38% discount, the international version of Xiaoyi YI 4K Action Camera with a 40% discount and EU Edition of YI Home Camera which is up for grabs for just 36.99. This is a considerable 56% reduction from its original asking price of $83.87.
Local Warehouse

Under this section of the promo, GeekBuying is offering various items at discounted price. It features Xiaoyi YI 4K+ / YI 4K-compatible charging dock for just $12.99, and XiaoYi Aluminium Alloy Self-Timer Monopod Selfie Stick which bears a 53% discount on its original asking price of $85.15.

In addition to that, the category has some amazing items including the international version Xiaoyi YI 4K Action Camera, Xiaoyi Yi Smart Car DVR at a discounted price.Accessories

You can get your hands on a slew of accessories at a discounted price. There’s a stylish portable flexible leg Mini Tripod that you can buy for just $1.99, which is a mammoth 81% discount on its original $10.45 asking price. You can also buy Xiaoyi YI wrist strap mount for Xiaoyi YI Action Camera by shelling out only $12.99 and save 48%.
It’s worth noting that this promo is slated to end on January 15th so if you want to take advantage of 2018 YI Brand Sale on GeekBuying, head straight to this link.

Take Advantage Of 2018 YI Brand Sale On GeekBuying Before It Ends On January 15th

Next-gen iPhones To Feature Improved Face ID & Screen-to-body Ratio, TrendForce Predicts

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 4, 2018

U.S-based tech giant Apple stunned the industry when it released its 2017 flagship models with several innovative features. One of such features is the Face ID technology. There are indications that Apple will continue with the design language but would increase the screen ratio aboard the 2018 flagship. Technology analysts TrendForce predicted that iPhone sales will increase significantly this year, while those of Samsung smartphones will fall.

The tech analysts estimated that total smartphone production for 2017 reached 1.46 Billion units, marking a 6.5% increase from the previous year’s sales. The firm also sees a slightly slower growth in 2018 for smartphone companies, triggered by rising component costs.

Despite a predicted slump in sales, TrendForce predicts that iPhone production will grow by 7.5% this year. The company noted that iPhone production for 2017 increased by 3% over the previous year and even stated that the figure could be higher but for early yield rate constraints on the iPhone X. The sales for the major part of this year will be spearheaded by the iPhone X at the top end of the market. This would be supplemented by a new iPhone SE for the mid-range segment.

On the design and features of the 2018 iPhone models, TrendForce says Apple will improve on its Face ID technology as well as on the design as a higher screen-to-body ratio is expected. The Face ID technology may be a long time coming to other Android phones as technical barriers are fingered as forces that would make other OEMs stick to fingerprint recognition for now. Instead, we could see a rise in under-display technology which it predicts will enter mass production in the second half of the year. Apple is also said to be planning to increase the memory content and embed AMOLED display in two of its models.

Further, the TrendForce report revealed that Samsung recorded a boost in its sales by 3% last year but may likely see a drop in sales by the same margin this year. This will be due to great challenges and fierce competition brought by its rivals, including Apple in the high-end market and a number of Chinese brands with Android OS.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ (2018) To Land In India Next Week | Report

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 3, 2018

Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ (2018) should be officially launched in the Indian market on Wednesday, January 10. This is what a new report by PhoneRadar is hinting at. The availability of the new handsets in India has still not been confirmed, but the source is reliable, so the chances that we will see the devices in India on Wednesday are high. Unfortunately, there is still no info about the listing price of the handsets in India.

Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ are the latest midrange smartphones launched by the Korean giant and they offer premium specs at a reduced price compared to flagships like Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8. Their bodies are composed of a glass back and a metal frame and they are IP68-certified. A8 and A8+ (2018) are the first mid-ranges by Samsung to sport an Infinity Display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

The standard version has a 5.6-inch FHD+ panel, while the Plus variant has a 6-inch screen: both the panels have the Super AMOLED technology, just like most Samsung Galaxy phones from the last generations. Under the hood, both the devices sport a Samsung Exynos 7885 SoC paired with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM. Note that the two phones have different dimensions, on the Plus variant there is space for a bigger battery with a 3500 mAh capacity, while the standard version has an average 3000 mAh unit.

(Source)

Huawei P20 Might Launch At MWC 2018 On February 26: Rumor

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 3, 2018

A new report from China suggests that the Huawei P20 will be officially announced on February 26, at MWC 2018 (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona. In the past few years, the Chinese company, which is actually in the top 3 smartphones brand in the world, has always showcased its flagship phones from the P series at Mobile World Congress, and according to ChinaZ this year it will happen again. From what rumors suggest, the new flagship will be launched in at least four variant: P20, P20 Plus, P20 Pro and P20 Lite.

Some alleged mockups have already shown the design of the upcoming flagship. The Huawei P20 and its brothers are expected to come with a full borderless display with very narrow bezels. On the standard version, the size might be 6 inches. P20 Pro and Lite could be released with an iPhone X-like notch on the superior part, so the screen-to-body ratio will be even higher. Every version except the P20 Lite should have a triple camera setup, but the sensors should be placed in a different way: we expect a vertical configuration on P20 Pro and Plus and a horizontal configuration on the standard variant.

Huawei P20 will be powered by the most powerful SoC by Huawei: the Kirin 970, which also has a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) dedicated to artificial intelligence. There should be 6 or even more GB of RAM and an internal storage of 64 GB, at least. With a capacity of 4000mAh and fast charging, the battery should be one of the biggest ones in the flagships market. The operating system will probably be Android 8.1 Oreo customized with EMUI 8.0. According to recent rumors, Huawei P20 should be priced around 4000 Yuan in China, which roughly translates into ($615) 599 Euros.

(Source)