Meizu M6S Launch Reportedly Postponed to January Due to Camera Debugging Issue

By

-

Dec 13, 2017

Most of the Chinese smartphone manufacturers have launched smartphones with full screen design this year. Meizu too was expected to launch its first full screen phone, the rumored Meizu M6S before the end of this year. However, fresh information claims that it will be postponing its launch until January as it has encountered some issue with its camera.

Meizu is reportedly facing debugging issue with the camera of Meizu M6S. Previous leaks of the phone have already that revealed it will be coming with an elongated display that will be supporting an aspect ratio of 18:9. It may feature an HD+ resolution supporting display of 5.7 inches.

The Meizu M6S will be equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint reader. It is rumored to be powered by 14nm Exynos 7872 chipset that will be coupled with 3 GB of RAM. It is expected to house a 13-megapixel rear snapper and a selfie camera of 5-megapixel. The M6S would be running on Android Nougat OS and its leaked shots have also shown that it features a round-shaped on-screen button that seems to be available on all the screens of the phone. This on-screen button is rumored to carry the capabilities of mBack.

Latest information has also revealed that the price of the Meizu M6S would be priced around 2,000 Yuan like the recently unveiled Smartisan Nuts Pro 2. However, this information contradicts earlier reports that had claimed that it would be costing around 1,000 Yuan (~$151). Considering the rumors that the Meizu M6S would be arriving as a competitor for Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus, the 2,000 Yuan (~$302) pricing does not seem suitable for it.

In related news, Meizu is also rumored to be working on another full screen smartphone that will be powered by Snapdragon 660 chipset. It is also expected to arrive with round-shaped on-screen button and side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ Reportedly Arriving with Improved Iris Scanner

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 12, 2017

Samsung’s recent Galaxy S flagship phones have gained huge popularity in the recent years. The company is now working on the launch of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Fresh information coming from a South Korean publication has revealed that the firm is working on improving the performance of iris scanner on Galaxy S9 duo.

Iris scanner can identify the user by detecting the complex patterns of each iris. The Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones are equipped with a dedicated 2-megapixel lens for iris scanning. After the launch of Galaxy S8 duo, hackers from Germany had revealed that the iris scanner available on both phones could be easily spoofed by using a photograph of the eyes or contact lens of the user. At that time, Samsung had retorted by saying that the hack is unrealistic as it requires hackers to steal the smartphone and snap a photo of the owner’s iris.

According to The Korea Herald, Samsung will be adding 3-megapixel iris scanning lens on Galaxy S9 and S9+ that will be able to identify users instantly even if they are wearing glasses or when they are in very bright or dim light conditions. A spokesperson from Samsung has said that compared to other biometric recognition feature such as fingerprint and facial authentication, iris scanning is the safest one when it comes to carrying out banking transactions on smartphone.

As of this writing, fingerprint and iris scanning are the only biometric recognition technologies that are available on Samsung Pay for authenticating payments. The South Korean company is reportedly working to bring more mobile banking apps to support the iris scanner feature. The company is also aiming to bring iris recognition feature on budget phones by late 2018 or early 2019.

In related news, Synaptics has recently announced the world’s first in-display fingerprint scanner called Clear ID. It is speculated that the company is mass producing Clear ID in collaboration with Samsung. Since then the rumor mill has been claiming that the new fingerprint scanning technology may be made available on the Galaxy Note 9 that is rumored to debut in the latter half of 2018. There is no confirmation on whether the in-display fingerprint scanner would be arriving on Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+.

(source)

Huami Launches Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 & Amazfit Watch 2S. Starts At 999 Yuan (~$150)

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 12, 2017

Smartwatch maker Huami has announced the much-anticipated second-generation Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 in China via a live webcast. The company this time around sliced the smartwatch into two versions with a higher Smartwatch 2S having a higher price tag and slightly improved features and then the regular Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2.

Huami Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 & Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2S Features

The Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 adopts an entirely changed outlook compared to that of the first generation model. There is a change in the design as this new versions both come with a more sporty and rugged look. This new design is a true representation of the numerous sports features the smartwatch comes with. It features different modes for various sporting activities including swimming. On the display aspect, both the Watch 2 and Watch 2S adorn a 2.5D tempered glass with hand-polished ceramic bezels. The buttons, as well as the charging, are made from 316L stainless steel. The watch body also comes with a 3D laser carbon fibre body as well as a glass-reinforced polycarbonate case. The Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2S, on the other hand, presents with a screen made from Sapphire glass while it has leather straps instead of rubber. The leather strap is made of the same fluoro-elastomer material used on the Apple Watch.

Both smartwatches come with the ability to be used in water to a depth of 50 meters. The watch also comes with two swimming modes; a swimming pool and open water (river) mode. In the swimming mode, swimmers can check the number of laps covered, stroke efficiency index and it also identify the stroke style such as breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly stroke. Apart from swimming mode, there are up to 10 other different modes such as running, walking, outdoor riding, indoor riding, indoor running (treadmill), swimming pool, elliptical machines, mountaineering, cross-country running, open water swimming and others. Huami also announced that it would exhibit the product at CES 2018 and would also unveil three new sports modes of golf, soccer, tennis at the event.

Furthermore, the Huami Amazfit Sorts Smartwatch 2 comes with GPS and a long battery life. The smartwatch can last up to 35 hours even with the GPS-tracking feature turned on. As such, it can easily be used to track athletes during cross-country races. There is also 24-hour heart rate monitoring feature. The watch 2 also supports the new Amazfit Watch app 2.0, Yue Run circle and other third-party APP. It can also be used to control Xiaomi’s smart home devices. It also supports Alipay offline payment and can control the Music player via Bluetooth. Furthermore, you can view call alerts, set alarm, monitor your sleep pattern and check the weather via the app.

Pricing & Availability

As for the prices, the Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 is priced at 999 Yuan (~$150) which is almost similar to the price of the first-gen Amazfit Watch. On the other hand, the Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2S comes with a higher 1,499 Yuan price tag obviously due to its more classic design and leather straps. The Amazfit Sports Smartwatch 2 is presently on pre-sale at Jingdong (JD.com) and Lynx. While the Amazfit smartwatch 2S will go on sale on January 9 via the same channels. No word yet on when it will roll out globally but you can get it from online retailer GearBest presently at a slightly higher price. We expect the device to be launched for the international market in March.

Android Oreo Beta Is Now Available For Nokia 5, Coming Soon To Nokia 6

By

Jeet

-

Dec 12, 2017

Nokia has been among the few smartphone manufacturers who have started rolling out the latest Android Oreo operating system to its devices. After providing Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Nokia 8, the company has now started providing Android Oreo beta update to the Nokia 5 users.

The company’s chief product officer Juho Sarvikas has mentioned that the Nokia 6 is next in line to receive the latest Android version update. Earlier, at the time of rolling out Android Oreo for Nokia 8, the company has revealed that the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will soon get the latest update.

To get started with the Oreo beta version update, you’ll have to sign up for HMD’s beta labs program and enter your device details. Once you are enrolled, you’ll receive beta builds as and when they’re available.

The Nokia 5 smartphone was launched in February this year. It is a mid-range smartphone that features a 5.2-inch HD IPS LCD display and is powered by QualcommSnapdragon 430 processor. The phone packs 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, with support for expanding storage up to 128GB.

The phone features a 13-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and dual tone flash and also has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture. The device runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out-of-the-box and is fueled by a 3,000mAh battery.

The Nokia 3 recently received its monthly update, as promised by the company, in the form of Google’s latest December Android security patch update. We are expecting other phones from Nokia to be updated with the same in the near future.

While the company has started rolling out Android Oreo beta version for the Nokia 5 smartphone, there is no specific time-frame available for the final update. Looking at the past record of the company, we are expecting the final release in about a month.

OnePlus 5T Lava Red Gets Unboxed (Pictures)

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 12, 2017

When OnePlus announced the 5T in its home country – China, it also announced a Lava Red variant that will be sold exclusively in the Asian country. The Lava Red OnePlus 5T, according to OnePlus, is a limited edition model released to mark its 4th anniversary.

The Lava Red variant will go on sale on Sunday 17th of December for ¥3499 (~$528) on the OnePlus China website and JD.com. For those who won’t be able to get their hands on a unit, we have gotten our hands on unboxing pictures for you to feast your eyes on.

The Lava Red OnePlus 5T comes in the same retail box as the Midnight Black variant. Lift up the top of the box and you are greeted by the 6.01-inch full-screen display. The bezels are black and significantly smaller. The longer screen has forced the fingerprint scanner to the back of the phone.

If you are a coming from a phone with a front-mounted scanner, it may take some time to get used to. Though you can also choose to use the face unlock feature which is one of the fastest seen on any device. Just lift up to your face and the phone unlocks.

Flip the phone to the other side and the red coat hits you like a volcanic eruption. See why it is called lava red? Save for the dual cameras (obviously the LED flash too) and the OnePlus logo, every other thing is red. Although the fingerprint scanner is said to change from orange to red depending on the angle you look at it from. The power button, alert slider and volume rocker are also covered in the same red paint.

While the USB cable and charger remain the same color as previous OnePlus phones, the Lava Red OnePlus 5T is the first OnePlus phone to truly match the red charging cable.

[envira-gallery id=”161821″]

(Source)

Vivo X20 Gets A Special Red Christmas Edition, Comes With A Limited Xmas Gift Box & More

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 12, 2017

Vivo has again released another special edition of the Vivo X20 full-screen flagship phone. This new edition is a Special Christmas edition and it comes in an attractive red colour and a couple of other goodies. The new Vivo X20 Special Red Christmas edition joins the recently unveiled King of Glory edition. This brings to seven, the total number of colour variants fans have to choose from.

The Vivo X20 Special Red Christmas edition retains the all-metal body of the other versions but is coated with a bright and attractive red colour at the back. The entire back casing, including the antenna band, Vivo logo and the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, is also covered in red. Vivo also bundles a special limited gift box along with the new edition as well as a customised Scalf and phone case.

Apart from the beautiful red paint job, the Vivo X20 Special Red Christmas edition is scarcely different from the normal edition but is available with 4GB of RAM while there is a 64GB and 128GB storage version. It features a similar 6.01-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 660 chipset, 12MP + 5-MP dual rear cameras, 12MP selfie shooter and a 3,250mAh battery. The new Christmas edition is priced at 3198 Yuan (~$483) and would be available on December 16. The device will go on sale via Vivo’s official mall, Vivo Lynx official flagship shop, Vivo Jingdong official flagship store, Vivo Suning official flagship store and is now open for booking on the above listed online platforms.

Synaptics Announces Clear ID as World’s First In-Display Fingerprint Scanner

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 12, 2017

Synaptics Inc, a company that is well-known for manufacturing touchpads and fingerprint sensors has officially announced Clear ID FS9500 optical in-display fingerprint scanner for smartphones. It is a milestone achievement by the company as it will allow full screen design phones to feature the fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen display.

The arrival of full screen design trend in the mobile phone industry in this year have resulted in relocating the fingerprint scanner to the rear side of smartphones. Even though the fingerprint identification feature is considered very secure, Apple has axed the feature on the newly unveiled iPhone X. Instead of the Touch ID sensor, iPhone X features the all new Face ID facial recognition feature that users can use to unlock it or securely carry out transactions through Apple Pay.

Following Apple, Android smartphone OEMs have reportedly invested on facial recognition technology to bring face scanning features on forthcoming Android phones. However, Synaptics is of the view that the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and facial scanning technology are not very convenient. For instance, if the smartphone is placed on a table, users are required to lift the phone to reach out to the rear-facing fingerprint scanner or the bring the phone near to scan the face.

Clear ID by Synaptics

The Clear ID in-display fingerprint scanner by Synaptics offers the same kind of one-touch authentication that is available through conventional front/rear mounted fingerprint readers found on existing smartphones. Since it is placed under the display, it is a button-free solution. It can be used with wet, dry and cold fingerprints.

Since the Clear ID remains well-protected under the durable glass of the screen, it is a water-resistant and scratch-resistant technology. It is equipped with security features such as adaptive fingerprint template matching and verification as well as anti-spoofing technology. It is also integrated with ECC authentication and AES encryption.

Synaptics has also confirmed that the mass production of Clear ID has already begun in collaboration with a “top five” smartphone manufacturing firm. The press release by Synaptics has couple of references to “infinity display” which is the full screen technology used by Samsung on the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 phones. Hence, it is speculated that Synaptics could be working with the South Korean tech giant to make the feature available on a 2019 Galaxy flagship.

There is no confirmation on whether the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be coming with in-display fingerprint sensor. Previous reports have revealed that the Galaxy Note 9 could be Samsung’s first phone to feature under screen fingerprint scanner.

Synaptics will be demonstrating the Clear ID fingerprint scanner at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2018. Qualcomm is also expected to unveil its under-display fingerprint scanner technology in Q1 2018.

(source)

Meizu Records Significant Jump in Sales of M6 Note Following Price Cut

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 12, 2017

Meizu announced a price cut for the M6 Note last week, slashing up to ¥300 on all variants. It appears the price cut had the desired effect as an official report says combined sales from the Meizu store, JD.com, Lynx, and Suning increased by 1000% on the first day (December 5).

Meizu also released more stats. It said following the launch of the M6 Note, more than 60% of the brand’s new users are owners of the M6 Note, 40% of which are females compared to past figures which was 2 females for every 8 males. Meizu also revealed that Guangdong, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang Provinces have the highest number of purchases.

Continue

Meizu’s New Swarovski Customized Headphones Spotted

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 12, 2017

Meizu‘s upcoming Blue Charm headphone was spotted recently in leaked pictures, with a translucent design. That same headset has been spotted again on the website of world-renowned Austrian luxury crystals designer Swarovski. The flagship looking headset is said to have a price tag of 6,888 Yuan. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the product on our extensive search of Swarovski’s official China website.

That doesn’t in anyway mean the supposed listing isn’t true, as the screenshot looks like Swarovski’s website. The Blue Charm headphone render on the product page points at a headset with crystals on the cone and the chord. Luxury products come with a price and the Blue Charm headset isn’t different as it is listed with a price of 6,888 Yuan. From the look of things, the new Swarovski special edition may be released before the normal version is launched. Another thing to note is that the new Charm Blue logo which is on the product page. This sort of authenticates earlier rumours that Meizu is rebranding its Blue Charm division.

Incidentally, the Meizu Swarovski custom Blue Charm headphones have an identical design with SHURE’s SE846 headphones which is also priced at 6,888 Yuan. However, SHURE’s own headset would likely have a powerful hardware and output capability to hold for the high price tag. There is still no indication as to when Meizu will release the much-anticipated Blue Charm headset.

(source)

Honor 9 Lite Images Appear through TENAA Listing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 12, 2017

Huawei has confirmed that it will be unveiling a new device on Dec. 13. Fresh information suggests that the company may unveil the alleged Honor 9 Lite phone on Tuesday. The Honor 9 was launched in June this year with premium design and Kirin 960 chipset. The rumored Honor 9 Lite is expected to arrive with mid-range specs and full screen design. It has been found that the LLD-AL10, LLD-AL00 and LLD-TL10 mode numbers that were approved by TENAA in the previous month may belong to the upcoming Honor 9 Lite.

The TENAA listings of the aforementioned phones do not contain reveal their specs. However, it can be understood that the LLD-TL10 model is a China Mobile variant for the home country. These models can be seen sporting colors like black, gray and blue. Like the Honor 9, the Lite model seems to be sporting glass rear.

Since the alleged Honor 9 Lite is expected to arrive with 18:9 display, the fingerprint scanner can be seen sitting on the backside of the phone. The rear panel also features a dual camera setup. It is rumored to include a 13-megapixel sensor and a 20-megapixel senor. As far as the screen size is concerned, it is likely to house a 5.65-inch display that may carry support for Full HD+ resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixel

The Kirin 659 SoC may power the 32 GB and 64 GB storage variants model of the alleged Honor 9 Lite. These two models are speculated to respectively feature 3 GB and 4 GB of RAM. The handset is expected to be fueled by 3,000mAh battery. The 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM edition is likely to cost 1,299 Yuan (~$196) and the higher model featuring 64 GB storage + 4 GB RAM may cost 1,599 Yuan (~241). Apart from the Honor 9 Lite, Huawei Enjoy 7S is also expected to get unveiled before the end of 2017.

(source 1, 2, 3)

Nokia TA-1077, TA-1062 Gets 3C Certified in China

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 12, 2017

The rumor mill has recently revealed that HMD Global is working on second generation Nokia 6 smartphone. However, it seems that the company is also prepping up on launching some other Nokia branded phones as Nokia TA-1077 and TA-1062 smartphones have received 3C certification in China.

The 3C certification of Nokia TA-1077 and TA-1062 indicates that these devices may launch soon in China. However, there is no information available on the specifications of these 4G LTE enabled devices. These could be could new feature phones or some variants of the already available Nokia phones.

Recent reports have revealed that the TA-1005, TA-1009 and TA-1042 variants belong to the Nokia 9. Apart from the alleged Nokia 6 (2018), it is also speculated that HMD Global is working on a 4G version of Nokia 3310 for China.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 platform was used by HMD Global to unveil Nokia 3310, Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. Hence, it is speculated that the successor of these phones may be made official at MWC 2018 in February.

(source|via 1,2)

360 N6 and 360 N6 Lite Launched: Snapdragon 630 Processor, Big Batteries & Starts At ¥999 (~$150)

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 12, 2017

360 Mobiles earlier today took the wraps off two new phones – the 360 N6 and 360 N6 Lite. Both phones complete the N6 trio which also includes the 360 N6 Pro launched a few weeks ago.

360 N6 Design

The 360 N6 sits between the Lite and the Pro. It has a metal body but lacks the NCVM coating of the Pro version which gives it a mirror-like finish. The rear of the phone is home to a single camera and a fingerprint scanner. At the top and bottom are antenna lines with a design similar to that of the OPPO R9s but double instead of triple.

Up in front, the 360 N6 packs a full-screen 5.93” display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Even with the bigger screen, the phone feels like a 5.5” phone thanks to the smaller bezels at the top and bottom.

360 N6 Specs

The 360 N6 has a 5.93 display with a FHD+ resolution. It is powered by the Snapdragon 630 mobile platform and comes in two memory/storage variants. There is a 4GB RAM + 32GB variant and a 6GB RAM + 64GB RAM variant.

The N6 packs a single 13MP rear camera with PDAF and fast autofocus. The front camera is an 8MP sensor with an AI beauty mode and a camera assistant.

360 Mobiles have packed a massive 5000mAh battery into the N6. The battery is said to last up to 3 days and supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging (9V/2A). The phone also supports reverse charging allowing, it to be used to charge other devices.

The 360 N6 has dual SIM support (hybrid), a 3.5mm audio jack at the top, and a USB-C port at the bottom.

360 N6 Price and Availability

The 4GB RAM variant of the 360 N6 will sell for ¥1399 (~$210) while the 6GB RAM variant gets a ¥1599 (~$240) price tag. Both variants will be available in black and gold and will be open for pre-order on JD.com starting today.

360 N6 Lite

The 360 N6 Lite has a design different from that of its other two siblings. Rather than sport a full-screen display, it has a traditional 16:9 display with the usual large bezels at the top and bottom.

The rear is also different. The camera is positioned at the top left corner and shares a single housing with the LED flash. The camera area in addition to the rear mounted fingerprint scanner have gold accents that pop out on the black variant compared to the Champagne Gold variant.

360 N6 Lite Specs

The N6 Lite has a 5.5” 1920 x 1080 display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 630 processor just like the N6 but comes in a single 4GB LPDDR4X RAM + 32GB ROM variant.

Rear camera is a 13MP f/2.0 sensor with PDAF and front facing camera is an 8MP sensor with AI beauty mode and camera assistant.

The 360 N6 Lite packs a 4020mAh battery which should be sufficient for more than a day. However, it comes with a 5V/2A charger rather than the 5V/3A charger like the N6.

For connectivity, the N6 Lite has dual SIM support (hybrid, nano only), a 3.5mm audio jack and a micro-USB port.

Continue

Alleged OPPO R13 Specs Leaked: Reveals 4GB of RAM & 64GB Storage

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Dec 12, 2017

The OPPO R13 first leaked a few weeks ago, revealing a design similar to that of the iPhone X. Today, a fresh leak has surfaced online which sheds more light on a few specifications of the phone.

The new leak is a screenshot of the “About Phone” section under the settings menu. The image shows the OPPO R13 is running ColorOS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. At the moment, the latest version of ColorOS is version 3.2 which was announced during the launch of the OPPO R11s and OPPO R11s Plus.

The image also reveals the phone has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with about 45GB available. The processor isn’t listed but is said to be an octa-core chipset. We were also able to deduce that it is a MediaTek processor based on the baseband version which begins with “MOLY”.

Continue

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus vs Redmi Note 4: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Dec 12, 2017

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has been the company’s best-seller smartphone in 2017: thanks to this device and its excellent quality-price ratio, Xiaomi has established various records of sales during this year. The new Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus seems to be the device which will replace it starting from this month. But is it worth buying the new midrange or is it better to stick with the old one due to its price which is dropping a lot in this period? Let’s discover it with a specs comparison between these handsets.

	Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus	Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	158.5 x 75.5 x 8.1 mm, 180 grams	151 x 76 x 8.5 mm, 165 grams
DISPLAY	5,99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD	5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920p (Full HD), 401 ppi, 16:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, octa-core 2.0 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, octa-core 2.0 GHz
MEMORY	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot	3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot
SOFTWARE	Android 7.1.2 Nougat, MIUI 9	Android 6.0 Marshmallow, MIUI 8 (upgradable)
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS
CAMERA	12 MP f/2.2 5 MP front camera	13 MP f/2.0 5 MP front camera
BATTERY	4000 mAh Fast charging 5V / 2A	4100 mAh
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM slot	Hybrid Dual SIM slot

The main difference between the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is in their displays. The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has a great screen to body ratio and this is great considering it’s still a budget device. Even though it has a size of 5.99 inches, the phone stays compact, lightweight and ergonomic thanks to the narrow bezels. The display also has more pixels, so it’s not just an upgrade in the size. The hardware side is exactly the same, but while Redmi Note 4 has been launched with MIUI 8 out of the box, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is equipped with MIUI 9 and it should be optimized better.

The camera should also be slightly improved on the Redmi 5 Plus. In the battery department, we’ll have to wait for an official test as the larger screen size of the new Redmi model may affect the battery life, but it still shouldn’t be significant.

The listing price of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus starts from 151 dollars in China (about 128 euros, but it will be higher outside China), while you can actually buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 at about 151 dollars (128€) all around the world thanks to the online street prices. So, if you are out to purchase both of these devices right now, the Redmi Note 4 will be cheaper for you.

Which one should you buy? In my opinion, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus actually has better value for money, so it is worth spending some extra dollar to buy the model as you will get the latest device that should be supported for a longer period. Plus, there’s the modern full screen design that you get, at a budget price tag.

However, the big drawback right now is getting hold of the Redmi 5 Plus at a decent price. Given that the phone was launched just recently, online stores are still to offer the phone for a good price tag.

PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

PRO

Modern 18:9 Display
Nice and efficient hardware side
Big battery
Improved design
MIUI 9 out of the box

CONS

Average camera

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

PRO

Incredibly affordable price
Great battery life
Excellent hardware for the price
One of the most supported phones by Xiaomi

CONS

Android 6 out of the box

Nokia 6 (2018) Spotted on TENAA, Images Show 18:9 Display

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Dec 12, 2017

In the previous week, a leaked image had revealed a mysterious Nokia phone with model number TA-1054. This smartphone has already received 3C certification and now it has been approved by TENAA in China. Speculations are rife that this smartphone will debuting as the second generation version of Nokia 6. The images of the alleged phone suggest that it will be coming with full screen design.

[envira-gallery id=”161682″]

HMD Global had unveiled the original Nokia 6 globally in January this year and the Finnish firm is said to be working on the launch of its successor phone. The original Nokia 6 features a front-mounted fingerprint reader and a regular 16:9 display. However, the alleged Nokia 6 (2018) does not feature a front-facing fingerprint reader as it seems to be fitted with an 18:9 display. There are no capacitive buttons on the chin of the phone which means that it will be coming with on-screen controls.

Like the Nokia 5, the alleged Nokia 6 (2018) also houses an elongated camera module on the back panel of TA-1054 which appears similar to the Nokia 5 and below the LED flash is the fingerprint sensor. It is speculated that the smartphone could be powered by Snapdragon 630 or 660 chipset. Previous leaks have revealed that it would be available with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage.

There is no confirmation on the launch date of the alleged Nokia 6 (2018). This year, the Finnish firm had used the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 platform to announce the new Nokia phones. Hence, it is speculated that the Nokia 6 (2018) may get unveiled at MWC 2018 in February next year. Some other sources claim that the phone may get announced first in China along with 4G Nokia 3310 in January 2018.

(source)

Apple Confirms Acquisition Of Music Recognition App Shazam

By

Jeet

-

Dec 12, 2017

Apple has officially confirmed that it has acquired music recognition application Shazam. While the company has not revealed the financial terms of the deal, it is reportedly worth around $400 million.

The acquisition of Shazam will now help the Cupertino-based technology giant to fulfil its ambitions in the digital music market. Shazam is one of earliest players in the world of mobile music, which enables users to identify songs from short audio clips.

Confirming this acquisition deal, an Apple spokesperson said:

We are thrilled that Shazam and its talented team will be joining Apple. Since the launch of the App Store, Shazam has consistently ranked as one of the most popular apps for iOS. Today, it’s used by hundreds of millions of people around the world, across multiple platforms. Apple Music and Shazam are a natural fit, sharing a passion for music discovery and delivering great music experiences to our users. We have exciting plans in store, and we look forward to combining with Shazam upon approval of today’s agreement.

In a statement, Shazam said:

We are excited to announce that Shazam has entered into an agreement to become part of Apple. Shazam is one of the highest rated apps in the world and loved by hundreds of millions of users and we can’t imagine a better home for Shazam to enable us to continue innovating and delivering magic for our users.

If the reported valuation of the deal turns out to be true, then the acquisition cost is far less than the $1 billion valuation of Shazam during its last funding round. While the company’s valuation was high during fund-raising, it has been facing issues with a viable business model as the company pulled in just around $54 million in revenue in 2016.

Apple could also be interested in Shazam’s augmented reality technology. The company has developed a visual recognition tech and an AR platform for brands that could help the company improve its ARKit platform.

Shazam’s audio-identification technology has already been integrated as Siri capability. Going forward, there is a possibility that the functionality will now be integrated more seamlessly into the Apple Music experience.

The feature could also be integrated into iTunes and Apple TV. The algorithms from Shazam could also end up proving useful in other areas of iOS or some other application from the company. However, it is not yet known whether the Shazam will continue working independently or its core functionality will be integrated into Apple products.

Honor 9 Lite Possible Details Outed: Full-Screen Design, Kirin 659, Dual Cameras & More

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 12, 2017

Huawei recently revealed that it would hold a launch event on December 13 in China but failed to disclose the model that would be launched on that day. That model is believed to be the Honor 9 Lite, a trimmed down version of the Honor 9. The Honor 9 Lite is expected to keep up with the full-screen design which is presently the trend in the industry. Huawei recently joined the full-screen party with the Mate 10 series and of late, the Honor V10, Nova 2S. The tech giant is expected to out the Honor 9 Lite and Enjoy 7s before the end of the year, both having the full-screen design.

Details of the Honor 9 Lite has been sketchy but some of the likely specs of the Honor smartphone have appeared online. The major highlight is that the smartphone will feature a 5.65-inch 18:9 full-screen display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device is also said to come with the Honor 9’s design. On the driving seat will be a Hisilicon Kirin 659 chipset backed by 4GB of RAM on one version and 3GB of RAM on a second version. Both versions have 64GB and 32GB of storage respectively.

In addition, the Honor 9 Lite is expected to pack a dual camera setup at the rear consisting of a 13MP and 20MP sensors. The launch invitation suggests the device will have four camera so we may likely see a dual camera setup at the front as well. The device will also have a 3,000mAh battery capacity. As for the likely prices, the 3GB version is said to carry a 1,299 Yuan price tag while the 4GB RAM version will go for 1599 Yuan.

(source)

Meizu To Launch 6 New Smartphones In The First Half Of 2018, Ditches MediaTek

By

Jeet

-

Dec 12, 2017

Meizu hasn’t been able to make its mark in the smartphone market this year. Though the company has not launched many devices this year, looking at the sale of its previously launched devices, there is nothing much to talk about.

However, it seems that all that is about to change. According to the reports, the company is gearing up to launch six new smartphones in the first half of 2018.

Also, there are reports which suggests that the China-based smartphone manufacturer is also ditching MediaTek and five of those upcoming six phones from the company will pack Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon processor while one will come with Samsung‘s Exynos processor.

Meizu will be completing 15 years of existence next year and to celebrate its anniversary, the company is said to release a special edition phone. The smartphone, which is named Meizu 15 Plus, is scheduled for Spring launch.

Recently, the phone’s image leaked online, giving us the first look at the upcoming smartphone, as well as revealing the device’s pricing information.

The leaked image reveals that the phone will feature a full-screen display with tri-bezel-less design, similar to that of Xiaomi Mi MIX 2. Apart from the display, the front panel also embeds a camera sensor on the lower bezel.

While most bezel-less designed smartphones features fingerprint scanner at the back of the device, mainly due to spacing issues, Meizu has decided to keep the fingerprint sensor in its usual position — on the front panel, at the centre of the bottom bezel.

The Meizu 15 Plus will come with dual rear cameras positioned vertically in the middle. Below the camera sensors, there is a flash and laser focus module in a ring design, similar to that of Meizu PRO 6. There is also the Meizu branding below the camera setup and an antenna line at the bottom.

The smartphone is expected to come powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9810 processor. However, no more information related to the phone’s specifications is available at this moment.

The leaked image reveals two pricing for the phone, which indicates that there will be be variants of the device based on memory configuration. The top-end variant, which will be more expensive, will be priced at 3,499 Yuan (approximately $528) while the base models is expected to be available for 2,999 Yuan (approximately $453).

Xiaomi Redmi 5 And Redmi 5 Plus To Go On Sale Today, Price Starts At 799 Yuan

By

Jeet

-

Dec 12, 2017

Xiaomi launched its latest smartphones — Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus last week. Today, the phones will go on sale for the first time in China. The phones are the first devices from the China-based smartphone manufacturer to feature a full-screen display.

The first sale will begin today, i.e. December 12 at 10 AM in China. Both the devices will be available through retailers like Xiaomi Mall, Jingdong Mall, Suning Tesco and Lynx.

The smartphone features full metallic design body and will be available in four color options, including Gold, Rose Gold, Blue and Black.

Since the device comes with full-screen display, it lacks capacitive touch buttons. Instead, the company has opted to provide on-screen buttons on Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus.

The Redmi 5 features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels and 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor, clocked at 1.8GHz and coupled with Adreno 506 graphics.

The device will be available in two variants based on memory configuration — 2GB RAM with 16GB internal storage and 3GB RAM with 32GB onboard storage.

The phone features a 12-megapixel rear camera sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 1.25 µm pixel size and soft-LED flash. It comes equipped with phase detection auto-focus (PDAF), dark light enhancement technology, facial recognition, HDR, Panorama and Burst mode.

On the front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie snapper that comes with features like Smart Beauty 5.0, facial recognition, and full HD video recording at 30 fps. The device runs on Android Nougat operating system based MIUI 9.

Connectivity options on the device include hybrid dual SIM slot with support for microSD card, microUSB, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, audio jack and GPS. The phone is fuelled by a 3,300mAh non-removable battery.

On the other hand, the Redmi 5 Plus flaunts a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display with screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor — the same one that powers the Redmi Note 4 and Mi A1.

The phone will be available in two memory configurations — one with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage while the other model packs 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The device carries the usual set of connectivity options, similar to its smaller sibling.

The camera specifications of the Redmi 5 Plus model are same as the Redmi 5. This model also comes with MIUI 9 pre-installed, which is based on Android Nougat operating system. The phone is fuelled by a 4,000mAh battery, which according to Xiaomi, provides battery life of around two days on single charge.

Both smartphones features a fingerprint sensor at the back of the device for added security features. The fingerprint scanner is placed just below the camera module.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 with 2GB RAM will be available for 799 Yuan (approximately $120) while the 3GB RAM will cost 899 Yuan (approximately $135). On the other hand, the pricing for 3GB RAM model of Redmi 5 Plus is 999 Yuan (approximately $151) while the 4GB RAM model is priced at 1,299 Yuan (approximately $196).

Buy Xiaomi Redmi 5 & Redmi 5 Plus from $139 on Giztop

Honor View 10 vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

-

Dec 11, 2017

Honor View 10 by Huawei and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 definitely are high-end phones, but they are a lot cheaper than the best flagships in the market like the iPhone X and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. They are among the cheapest flagships in the market, so they are among the best choices i.e. if you are an advanced user but have a low budget. But obviously, seeing that they have affordable prices, they are not at the same level of some of the costlier flagships: there are some compromises in some areas. In this comparison, we will inform you about them to make you understand which one fits your needs.

	Honor View 10	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	157 x 75 x 7 mm, 172 g	151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7 mm, 185 g
DISPLAY	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 18:9 ratio, LTPS IPS LCD	5.99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 18:9 ratio, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR	HiSilicon Kirin 970, octa-core 2.4 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, octa-core 2.45 GHz
MEMORY	4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB, micro SD slot	6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 8.0 Oreo, EMUI 8.0	Android 7.1 Nougat, MIUI 9
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA	Dual 16 + 20 MP, f/1.8 13 MP f/2.0 front camera	12 MP, f/2.0, OIS 5 MP, f/2.0
BATTERY	3750 mAh, fast charging 4.5A / 5A	3400 mAh, fast charging (Quick Charge 3.0) 9V / 2A
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Hybrid Dual SIM	Dual SIM

The main advantage of these devices is surely the hardware side, as both of them have got two of the best SoCs in the market and 4/6GB of RAM. So, they are both excellent phones if you are searching for performance, and you won’t be disappointed in the power department. Honor View 10 also offers artificial intelligence to do large number of tasks in a smarter way, like adjusting photos depending on the light conditions.

The Mi Mix 2 looks a bit more futuristic because of the higher screen to body ratio. But overall, the displays are pretty similar with narrow bezels, pretty good color accuracy, and high detail. The Honor View 10 has a bigger battery and also a camera which we define as more innovative, even if it is not a top camera phone.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 has a good camera and battery as well, but they are just average. Honor View 10 comes with Android Oreo installed out of the box, while for Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 you would probably have to wait about a year to get the latest Android version. Further, the Honor View 10 has a micro SD slot to expand memory, while the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 does not.

But wait, there is the price which makes a big difference, and here, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is better given that its more affordable. Online, it is actually possible to find the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 at about 450 euros (528 dollars), while Honor View 10 has just been launched with a price tag of 500 euros (about 590 dollars).

If I had to pick one, I would actually choose Honor View 10 because of its better camera department, bigger battery, the micro SD slot and its newer Android version (even though Mi Mix 2 will probably receive more software support on the long-term, thanks to MIUI’s extended support).

PRO and CONS

Honor View 10

PRO

Full Display
Flagship-level hardware
Android Oreo out of the box
Big battery
AI

CONS

Higher price than Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

PRO

Best hardware side
Great aesthetics
Affordable price
High screen-to-body ratio

CONS

No micro SD

Which one would you pick?