Xiaomi Mi Max 2 Price Slashed In China & Gets Bundled With a Free Gift

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Nov 23, 2017

Xiaomi launched the Mi Max 2 on May 25 in China with a sturdy specs lineup yet cheap price tag. The Mi Max was later unveiled in India in July. The device even got a permanent price reduction recently. The phablet size device has now taken a 200 Yuan price cut on its topmost 128GB storage version while the 64GB storage version has a 100 Yuan reduction in its price. We are also seeing for the first time, a cheaper 32GB storage version priced at 1399 Yuan. Apart from that, Xiaomi is also offering a free gift along with the 64GB and 128GB storage versions. Buyers will get the Mi Weighing scale valued at 99 Yuan free of charge.

The price cut brings the price of the Mi Max 2 4GB + 64GB version down to 1599 yuan while the top-end model with 4GB RAM + 128GB storage goes for 1799 Yuan. As a comparison, the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 was launched with a price tag of 1699 Yuan (~$248) for the 4GB + 64GB version and 1999 yuan (~$291) for the 4GB + 128GB version.

No reason was given for this price cut but it seems it is all part of the Thanksgiving offers from Xiaomi, perhaps to appreciate its fans. Since there has been a similar price cut in India which is said to be permanent, the price cut may likely be a permanent one. The price cut and free gift offer could also be a sign the smartphone has performed very well in sales. The device was expected to pack a Snapdragon 660 chip but instead came with an old SD 625 SoC to the disappointment of fans.

As a reminder, the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is the company’s biggest smartphone till date. The device features a 6.44-inch 1080p full HD screen. The phablet device is powered by a Snapdragon 625 chipset chip and paired with 4GB of RAM across all models. The Mi Max 2 comes with the same 12MP IMX386 sensor as the Xiaomi Mi 6. The pixel size has been increased to 1.25um for better quality pictures along with a night mode enhancement feature. Other camera specs include PDAF, dual-tone LED flash, and dynamic range adjustment.The device comes with a mammoth 5300mAh battery inside that promises up to 18 hours of video playback. You can get up to 9 hours of continuous gaming or 21 hours of continuous navigation or 57 hours of continuous talk time or even 10 days of continuous music playback with this huge battery on board. Further, charging it won’t be an issue since the phone supports QC 3.0 and charges up to 68% in an hour. The package also includes stereo speakers, giving you a robust sound experience.

(source)

Possible 360 N6 Pro Designs Leaked

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 23, 2017

The 360 N6 Pro is confirmed to arrive on the 28th of November. One of its key features is its 18:9 full-screen display which is highlighted in the official invite sent out a few days ago.

The only images we have seen of the N6 Pro are those provided on TENA’s official site. Though there is no confirmation that the phone with model number 1712-A01 is actually the N6 Pro, but since it is the only 360 mobile phone with a full-screen display on TENAA’s database, it might as well be it.

Notwithstanding, some sketched designs of a phone said to be that of the N6 Pro have surfaced online. They look entirely different from the device on TENAA but do pack some interesting features.

One of the images shows a phone with a full-screen display but with an unconventional design. Rather than have reduced bezels at the top and bottom, the display extends to the top and has cut-outs to house sensors and cameras.

The top of the display has cut-outs on both sides. The right cut-out has the front facing camera and a sensor and the left cut-out packs more sensors. The bottom end of the display is not left out too as it has a cut-out to make way for a fingerprint scanner.

Another sketch is of the phone’s rear. It is shown to have dual rear cameras positioned in the middle but in a horizontal fashion. A few centimeters below the cameras are what appears to be dual fingerprint scanners! Weird, right?

The design doesn’t end there. The right side of the phone is home to a secondary display that runs from the top to the bottom. From the sketch, it can be deduced that the display will show the time and most likely notifications too.

The last sketch shows the back of a phone with an unusual design just like the two above. This one doesn’t have dual cameras but a single sensor positioned at the top left corner. However, the lower half of the phone is occupied by what appears to be a screen and a physical keyboard.

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Sony Xperia ZG Compact Pops Again with Snapdragon 810, 2 GB RAM on Geekbench

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

The Sony Xperia ZG Compact had appeared on Geekbench in August with Snapdragon 810 chipset. Today, the smartphone has once again appeared on the benchmarking site with new benchmarking scores.

The fresh listing of Xperia ZG Compact on Geekbench also shows that it is fueled by Snapdragon 810 chipset. Since the device has Compact” in its moniker, it is speculated to house a screen of around 4.6 inches.

However, the existence of the Xperia ZG Compact phone seems to be very doubtful as no other smartphone OEM has used the SD 810 this year not only because it is an obsolete chipset, but also various smartphones powered by it have suffered from overheating issues.

The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact that was launched in 2015 was driven by Snapdragon 810 chipset. The Geekbench scores of the Xperia ZG Compact is lower than that of Xperia Z5 Compact. As far as other specs of Xperia ZG Compact is concerned, its Geekbench listing reveals that it features only 2 GB of RAM and is running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

Sony is known for launching “Compact” branded phones with flagship specifications. Hence, it seems to be a fake listing as the Japanese tech giant is unlikely to release a phone with an older chipset.

(source|via)

Honor 8 Lite Gets Rs. 2,000 Price Cut India, Now Costs Rs. 15,999

By

Jeet

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Nov 23, 2017

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has today announced a price cut for its Honor 8 Lite smartphone in India. The company is cutting down the price of Honor 8 Lite in India by Rs. 2,000, making the effective price of the smartphone Rs. 15,999.

The smartphone, which is a watered-down model of the Honor 8, was originally launched in India in May this year at a price of Rs. 17,999. It is available in two colour options — Black and Blue, at all major retail stores as well as online stores across the country.

The Honor 8 Lite smartphone features a 5.2-inch full-HD display with screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a 2.5D curved glass. Under the hood, it is powered by the company’s in-house Kirin 655 octa-core processor.

The processor packs 4 cores clocked at 2.1GHz and other four cores clocked at 1.7GHz. It is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is also an option to expand the storage capacity up to 128GB using a microSD card.

As of the camera, the device comes with a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture and autofocus. There is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with a 77-degree wide-angle lens. The back camera has a 1.25μm large pixel size and a BSI CMOS sensor for low light photography.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, USB OTG, Bluetooth v4.1 and GPS. The Honor 8 Lite runs Android 7.0 Nougat based EMUI 5.0 on top. It is fueled by a 3,000mAh battery which the company claims can offer 90 hours of juice.

At this price point, the Honor 8 Lite will compete against the likes of Xiaomi Mi A1, which is priced at Rs. 14,999 in India. Mi A1 also packs 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. However, it featurs a 5.5-inch FHD display and is powered by Snapdragon 625 processor.

Xiaomi India Teases New Redmi Smartphone Launch On November 30

By

Jeet

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Nov 23, 2017

Xiaomi has been launching a lot of devices in the Indian market and it seems that the company is not done yet. After launching Xiaomi Mi A1, Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite, the company is now gearing up to launch yet another smartphone in the Indian market on November 30.

Today, Redmi India Twitter handle has teased a new smartphone launch. The Tweet reads: “A new Redmi smartphone is coming your way on Nov 30! Aa raha hai #DeshKaSmartphone.”

The company is calling it a “Desh Ka Smartphone”, which roughly translates to “Nation’s Smartphone”, implying that the device is targeted at masses. Thus, there are speculations that it will be a budget smartphone. It could also mean that the device is being manufactured in India under the country’s ‘Make In India’ initiative.

While the company has not revealed the name of the smartphone, it could be the Redmi 5A smartphone that was launched in China last month. Recently, the company introduced Lake Blue colour option for the Redmi 5A in China

The Redmi 5A smartphone features a 5-inch HD IPS display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. It is powered by a 1.4GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 425 processor with 500MHz Adreno 308 GPU. The phone packs 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage with an option to expand storage up to 128GB with microSD.

The smartphone runs Android 7.1 Nougat operating system based MIUI 9. It features a 13MP rear camera with PDAF, LED Flash, f/2.2 aperture, 1080p video recording and a 5MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture.

Connectivity options on the device include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS + GLONASS and IR blaster. It is powered by a 3,000mAh battery. The smartphone is priced at 599 yuan in China, which is around $90 or Rs. 5,880.

The Redmi 5A that was launched in China last month is a successor to last year’s Redmi 4A. However, there is a possibility that the Redmi 5A could launch in India under a different name. On the other hand, it is also possible that the company might introduce entirely different smartphone. We’ll have to just wait and see what the company has under its sleeves this time.

(Source)

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 Gets Global Stable MIUI 9 Update

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 23, 2017

Xiaomi’s second flagship phone of the year – the Mi MIX 2 has begun receiving its MIUI 9 update. This is the global stable version with version number V9.1.1.0.NDEMIEI.

The OTA is said to be 1.4GB large but if you can’t wait, you can download the full ROM from here. It is 1.6GB though. All you have to do is copy the file when you are done downloading into the ‘downloaded_rom’ folder of your phone’s internal storage. Open the updater app, tap the icon at the top right corner and select “choose update package”. Select the file from the folder and you should be fine from there.

MIUI 9 brings a number of new features to Xiaomi phones. There is now split-screen multi-tasking support, new icons and animations, and a redesigned notification shade. However, the biggest changes are not visual. The overall user experience is now faster thanks to a number of optimizations such as dynamic resource allocation, automatic cache cleaning, and real-time defragmentation to name a few.

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Meizu’s Blue Charm Website Renamed as mBlu

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 23, 2017

Meizu in May this year established the Blue Charm division, splitting it from the Meizu division which houses its flagship models. The Blue Charm division is headed by Li Nan who used to be Meizu’s VP. There are indications that the Blue Charm division has been rebranded as mBlu division. This is evident with the change of the name of the Charm Blue website to “www.mblu.com”.

Statistics have shown that Meizu has sold up to 45 million units of its Charm Blue models which the Meizu E2 and Meizu M6 belong to. The Note series spearheaded by the Meizu M6 Note has also seen shipments exceeding 20 million units and that goes to show the splitting has been a success. The Charm Blue division also includes accessories like the Meizu Flow headphone and others.

Signs that Meizu was going to rebrand the Charm Blue division first surfaced a few months back when a new logo for the division was spotted online. We also saw a bezel-less device leaked identified as the Meizu mBlu Zero. We can’t say when Meizu will launch a new model under the Blue Charm division but we expect the new name to reflect in future releases from the division and perhaps, a lot more smartphone accessories. Meizu is yet to officially announces the new name.

(source)

Nokia 2 With 5-Inch Display And 4,100mAh Battery Launched In India At Rs. 6,999

By

Jeet

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Nov 23, 2017

Last month, HMD Global held an event in India where it unveiled the company’s cheapest smartphone so far — Nokia 2. While the smartphone went on sale in the US as well as in Russia, the phone was not available for purchase in India.

Today, HMD Global has finally launched the Nokia 2 smartphone in the Indian market. The smartphone will be available in Pewter Black, Pewter White and Copper Black colours from tomorrow, i.e. November 24.

Nokia 2 features a 5-inch HD LTPS display with a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a standard 16:9 aspect ratio. On top of the display, there is a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to protect it from minor scratches.

Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor — the first smartphone to run on Snapdragon 212. The processor is coupled with Adreno 304 GPU. It packs just 1GB of RAM and only 8GB of internal storage.

There is a microSD card slot which allows expanding storage up to 128GB. On the camera front, the smartphone comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing autofocus camera with an LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Nokia has also included “Bothie” feature that enables users to use both front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Connectivity features on the device include Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS / GLONASS. The phone drives power from a massive 4,100mAh battery. According to the company, the battery is rated to provide two days of battery life on a single charge.

The smartphone also comes with IP52 certification, meaning that the device is splash proof. The Nokia 2 smartphone runs on the stock version of Android 7.0 Nougat operating system out-of-the-box and comes with Google Assistant. The company has promised to soon update the device with Android 8.0 Oreo.

In India, the Nokia 2 is priced at Rs. 6,999 (approx. $108). As of introductory offer, the company is offering 45GB of additional 4G data on Reliance Jio and a12-month Accidental Damage Insurance by Servify. However, to get the insurance, one needs to open Kotak 811 savings account and activate it with an initial deposit of Rs. 1,000, that too during the introductory period.

In the US, where the smartphone is currently up for pre-order, it is priced at $99. In Russia, the Nokia 2 costs RUB 7,990 (approx. $115). At the time of announcing the smartphone, the company priced the device at 99 Euros.

Singapore is First Asian Country To Get The Razer Phone

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 23, 2017

The Razer phone is currently the buzz of the smartphone world. Since its release early this month, it has gotten mainly positive reviews which is impressive considering this is Razer’s first smartphone.

The Razer Phone is already on sale in the US, Canada, and the UK. However, Razer fans in Asia will be receiving it a little later. The smartphone just launched in Singapore – the home country of its CEO and co-founder Min-Liang Tan.

An official bulletin released by the manufacturer says pre-orders begin today and run till November 26. Sales will then commence on December 1. Pre-ordered units should probably ship before then.

The Razer Phone will sell for SGD 1,068 (~$793) in the Asian country via Singtel but will sell for less if you buy it with a plan. That price gets you a 5.7” QHD IGZO display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and a Snapdragon 835 processor. You also get 64GB of storage, dual 12MP rear cameras, an 8MP front-facing camera and a 4,000mAh battery.

Razer has not announced when its phone will be available in other Asian markets.

(Source, Via)

Xiaomi MIUI 9 is the Last Major Update for Six Smartphones

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

Xiaomi has rolled out stable global ROM of MIUI 9 to various smartphones like Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, Mi 6, Mi 5s Plus, Mi 5, Mi Max 2, Redmi 4 and the newly unveiled Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite smartphones. At the unveil event of MIUI 9, the company had confirmed that the MIUI 9 will be made available to even older phones that were launched in 2012. Fresh information shared on the official forum site states that the MIUI 9 will be the last major update software update for some smartphones. The company has also confirmed the names of the devices for which it will be discontinuing support.

Xiaomi will be discontinuing support for smartphones such as Mi Note, Mi 2/2S, 4i, Redmi Note 4G, Redmi 2 and Redmi 2 Prime. It means that the company won’t be releasing closed or open beta after rolling out MIUI 9 update for these phones. The MIUI 9 global stable ROM for these six Xiaomi phones as well as Redmi 1S will be made available gradually between December 2017 and January 2018.

These six smartphones were launched in India in 2015 or earlier. Interestingly, the company will be continuing support for Xiaomi Mi 3 phone which happens to be the first smartphone from the company to debut in India.

According to Xiaomi, the MIUI 9 works like stock version of Android when it comes to speed and functionality. It is a customized version of Android Nougat that includes various new features such as split screen mode, smart app launcher, image search, search for apps in the settings for Dual apps, support for popular video formats in Mi Video app, and more. Here is the entire list of Xiaomi phones that will be upgrade to MIUI 9.

(source)

The Little Pepper S11 Brings The iPhone X’s Design To Android

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 23, 2017

Little Pepper is a Chinese brand that does know how to get people’s attention by imitating popular designs. One of its phones, the Little Pepper V9, shares a striking resemblance to the Xiaomi Mi 6 but packs less specs. For its new phone, the S11, Little Pepper takes its inspiration from the iPhone X.

The first thing you will notice about the Little Pepper S11 at first look is the notch at the upper part of the display just like that of the iPhone X. However, upon looking closer, you’d realize Little pepper was “smart” about the display. Rather than the screen itself having a notch, it is the upper bezel that has the notch. So this is actually a regular 16:9 display.

The Little Pepper S11 also differs from the iPhone X by having a physical home button/fingerprint scanner below the screen.

The similarities between both phones continue at the back. The S11 packs dual cameras arranged in the same vertical arrangement but these are definitely not the same sensors.

Little Pepper finishes off the design with a shell that looks like glass but which is actually glossy plastic.

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Giveaway – Win 3 BlitzWolf Earphones from Banggood

By

Shine Wong

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Nov 23, 2017

Gizmochina along with Banggood is conducting 3 BlitzWolf Earphones as Giveaway gift to one of our lucky readers. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing phone.

Banggood being one of the largest online retailers besides Amazon and AliExpress is offering some of the best deals you’ll have the chance to get all year. The main event will begin in a few hours, but there are multiple warm-up deals available right now.

Visit Banggood’s Black Friday Promotion Now

How to entry this giveaway? Just follow these steps and Gleam widget:

Visit the Banggood’s Black Friday promotion.
Sign up and leave comments on Gizmochina’s forum. (We will only pick the winner from who has signed up).

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a week when the giveaway end.

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, good luck.

Giveaway – Win 3 BlitzWolf Earphones from Banggood.com

OnePlus 5T Teardown Reveals Unannounced Likely Waterproof Build

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 23, 2017

OnePlus 5T was recently subjected to a durability test by JerryRigEverything and the flagship model came out triumphant. As a follow-up, the same YouTuber has now released a second video which is a rundown of the step by step process to dismantle the device.

The teardown video shows the entire internals and one surprising feature is a build that looks like what is waterproof. OnePlus did not announce any water resistance rating for the flagship but there are few features on the body that suggest the Chinese company was perhaps thinking of including that. The speakers appear to have some splash resistance. The USB port also comes with a rubber sealant which could prevent water from passing through. There is also a foam-like material on the area where the back cover joins with the frame. But on the whole, we can’t trust the device is waterproof.

The teardown also shows a lack of a cooling pipe on the device just as we have seen on recent flagship models like the Nokia 8. However, Zach Jerry speculates that the absence of a cooling system may not have an impact on the daily performance of the smartphone. APat from that, the OnePlus 5T has a well-arranged internals that shouldn’t pose any problem if there is the need for a repair.

(source)

Honor V10 Appears in Real in the Latest Leaked Image

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

The Nov. 28 launch date for Honor V10 flagship phone is drawing near. A fresh image of a real-looking Honor V10 has emerged on Weibo. The image reveals the stunning full screen design of the upcoming Honor phone.

The Honor V10 has been recently certified by TENAA, China’s telecommunication regulatory body. The latest leaked photo seems to match well with the images of Honor V10 that have surfaced on TENAA.

The V10 is expected to arrive with a full screen design. Its 5.99-inch FHD+ display is expected to deliver an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Kirin 970 chipset that powers the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro will be present under the hood of the V10. The handset is expected to be available in 64 GB and 128 GB storage options. Both the models are expected to feature 6 GB of RAM.

A dual camera system featuring a 16-megapixel sensor and a 20-megapixel sensor will be available on the backside of the phone. Its front is pegged to feature a 13-megapixel selfie snapper. It will arrive preinstalled with Android 8.0 Oreo that will be skinned with EMUI 8.0. A 3,750mAh battery coupled with 22.5W fast charging support is rumored to be available inside the V10.

Since the Honor V10 has borrowed most of its specs from the Mate 10 Pro, the V10 is expected to launch as its stripped-down version. Instead of glass chassis available on the Mate 10 Pro, the V10 is speculated to feature metal unibody design like its predecessor phones.

After unveiling the V10 flagship on Nov. 28 in China, Honor will be also holding a launch event in London on Dec. 5 to unveil the phone. The Chinese firm is also expected to announce Honor 7X mid-range phone at the upcoming event in London. As far as Honor V10’s cost is concerned, it is expected to arrive in China with a price tag of 2,999 Yuan (~$452).

(source)

Samsung Galaxy S9 And S9 Plus Could Make Appearance At CES 2018

By

Jeet

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Nov 23, 2017

Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphones — Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus have already been subject to lots of leaks. Previously, it was reported that the company is looking to jump the gun for unveiling the S9 smartphone series. Now, it seems that the report could turn out to be true.

According to the reliable leakster Even Blass, based on “a source briefed on the company’s plans”, Samsung is expected to hold a preview event for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 in Las Vegas.

It is not yet known how much information about the upcoming devices will be revealed at the CES. Apparently, Samsung is still going to hold an official launch event in March, just like it did last year for the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

The smartphones are likely to feature same design language as the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. It is expected to come with the same 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch curved-edge Super AMOLED “Infinity” display for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus respectively. While the latest report does not give any information related to the processor, previous reports have suggested a 10nm-process chipset, which is likely to be Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.

While the Samsung Galaxy S9 is reported to pack 4GB of RAM, the S9 Plus is said to come with 6GB of RAM. The Galaxy S9 Plus will also come with a secondary rear camera. Both the smartphones will pack 64GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded through a microSD slot.

The smartphones are codenamed Star 1 and Star 2 and goes by model numbers SM-G960 and SM-G965. The phone is expected to the retain the 3.5mm audio jack, just like the recently launched OnePlus 5T. As per the report, the device will come with AKG stereo speakers.

Recently, during the Bixby Voice launch event that was held in China, Samsung announced that the Galaxy S9 UX has been rebranded as Galaxy Ai UX. This indicates that the South Korean giant’s Samsung Galaxy S9 series will arrive with AI features. It is expected to come with a dedicated chip for AI that will allow the main processor to handle all the other tasks apart from AI, thus improving the performance of the device.

If this report turns out to be true, it will be interesting to see how much information Samsung is willing to share while showing off its flagship smartphones at CES 2018 and how much information it intends to reveal as a surprise during official launch in March.

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2018) Infinity Display Design Appears in Case Renders

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

The 2018 models of the Samsung Galaxy A5 and A7 have already received FCC and Wi-Fi certifications. Hence, the 2018 Galaxy A smartphones are expected to launch soon either before the end of the year or early 2018. Plenty of details of both the smartphones have already surfaced in the past months. Today, fresh renders of Galaxy A5 (2018)’s case has surfaced to showcase its design.

[envira-gallery id=”159037″]

The case renders show that the Galaxy A5 (2018) will be sporting an Infinity Display. Since it sports a full screen design, the fingerprint reader has been moved to the backside of the phone and it can be seen lying below the camera. Some rumors have claimed that it will be sporting dual selfie snappers. Since the entire front panel of the handset is not visible in the new photos, it cannot be confirmed whether it features dual front-facing cameras.

The Galaxy A7 (2018) is expected to sport the same design as the Galaxy A5 (2018). Hence, these phones are expected to arrive as smaller versions of the Galaxy S8 flagship phone. The Galaxy A7 (2018) is expected to arrive with a larger display than the Galaxy A5. Both smartphones are expected to feature a dedicated key for launching Bixby virtual assistant.

Rumors have it that the Exynos 7885 chipset will be powering the 2018 Galaxy A5 and A7 smartphones. Some markets are speculated to receive Snapdragon 660 chipset version of both phones. The A5 and A7 smartphones are speculated to respectively feature 4 GB and 6 GB of RAM. These phones are expected to arrive with Android 7.1.1 Nougat preinstalled.

🙄🙄🙄 pic.twitter.com/LQsPOlkxrw

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) November 15, 2017

Samsung GALAXY A8/A8 Plus (SM-A530/730)

— 萌萌的电教 (@MMDDJ_) November 15, 2017

Interestingly, a Chinese leakster had claimed in the previous week that Samsung may rebrand the upcoming Galaxy A5 and A7 smartphones as Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8 Plus (2018). Previous reports have revealed that the SM-A530 and SM-A730 model numbers respectively belong to 2018 Galaxy A5 and A7 phones. However, the leakster has also claimed through another tweet that these model numbers may belong to Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8 Plus (2018).

Hence, it seems that Samsung may debut upcoming Galaxy A (2018) phones as mid-range versions of Galaxy S8 and S8+.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Starck Edition Launched, Priced At 4,999 Yuan

By

Jeet

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Nov 23, 2017

Earlier this month, Xiaomi launched the ceramic version of its Mi Mix 2 smartphone. However, the company had launched the device in just white color and now, the company is introducing the black color variant as well.

The Mi Mix 2 Ceramic Black edition will go on sale from November 28. Along with that, the company is also releasing a limited edition version — Mi Mix 2 Stark Edition. It is designed by Philippe Starck and comes with “Starck” inscribed at the back panel.

When the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 smartphone was launched, the company had said that it will be available in two variants — a ceramic version with an aluminium alloy frame and a fully ceramic version. Unlike the aluminium alloy frame model which comes with 6GB RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage, the fully ceramic model comes in just one configuration — 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.

According to Xiaomi, the body of the fully ceramic version goes through a number of tests to ensure that the device meets the desired standard. First, it is put through a temperature test of up to 1400°C and then a strength test of up to 240 tons.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 comes with a 5.9-inch Full HD display, which the company says has a feel and grip of a 5.5-inch device. Unlike most smartphones which come with narrow bezels, this one is a truly bezel-less smartphone.

Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 835 processor, along with an Adreno 540 GPU. As mentioned, the ceramic edition comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The smartphone features a single camera sensor at the back, which is equipped with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 lens — the same sensor that was used in Xiaomi Mi 6. It has a 1.25μm pixel size, a f/2.0 aperture and 4-axis optical image stabilization, along with a dual LED flash. The phone also has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera that also supports facial recognition.

Just below the camera module on the back panel, there is a fingerprint scanner for added security features. The smartphone is powered by a 3,400mAh battery which also supports Quick Charge 3.0 technology. Connectivity options on the device include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. It runs MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat operating system.

The pricing for the Mi Mix 2 Ceramic Black version remains unchanged. It will be available at a price of 4,699 Yuan (approx. $713), while the Mi Mix 2 Starck Edition costs 4,999 Yuan (approx. $758).

OnePlus 5 Won’t be Receiving Face Unlock Feature

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

One of the newest features of the OnePlus 5T that sets it apart from its predecessor phones is Face Unlock. Instead of using a PIN code or using fingerprint scanner, OnePlus 5T users can simply let the device scan their face to unlock it. During a recent Ask Me Anything session on OnePlus forums, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei confirmed that the OnePlus 5 smartphone will not be receiving Face Unlock feature.

Pei has not given any concrete reason on why the company won’t be bringing the Face Unlock feature on OnePlus 5. OnePlus Product Manager Louis S said that the OP5 won’t benefit from the Face Unlock feature as the device already has a fingerprint sensor that delivers a great user experience. This reply seems to be confusing as it could mean that the reason behind adding Face Unlock is that the rear-mounted fingerprint reader does not offer a good user experience.

OnePlus is known for selling flagship phones that offer topnotch specs at unbeatable prices. Since OnePlus is competing with brands like Samsung and Apple in the premium smartphone segment, it strives to offer features that are available on the recent flagship phones by its competitors.

Apple and Samsung have both introduced face scanning on their recent flagships. Hence, this could be one of the reasons why OnePlus has also included the facial identification feature on OP5T. During the AMA session on OnePlus forums, the company revealed some more information on the Face Unlock by saying that it has been calibrated with the front-facing camera to deliver accurate and reliable results. Hence, it is faster than Android’s Trusted Face feature. Also, it does not consume affect the battery life of the device.

Do you think that OnePlus should bring Face Unlock feature to its older smartphones? Let us know your views by commenting below.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars Edition Could be In The Works

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 23, 2017

The Star Wars franchise’s popularity has often being a rallying point for smartphone manufacturers who create special editions with customization based on Star Wars’ characters and settings. The present series, The Last Jedi will get a new episode in less than a month. So too will fans of the franchise in China be treated to a new edition of the Galaxy Note 8 flagship phablet based on the popular movie. This was revealed on Twitter by a Chinese blogger.

Samsung will launch Galaxy Note8 Star Wars customized version, deep customization. pic.twitter.com/azYQlEWDza

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) November 22, 2017

The blogger who has a good track record also shared an image of the said edition with nothing but a wallpaper having BB-8, the cutesy droid character which was introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The image was captured during a Samsung event in China where the Korean giant teased a new AI-based User interface for the Galaxy S9. In another light, the BB-8 wallpaper could just be used to showcase the Bixby AI UX but that isn’t likely the case because of the possibility of intellectual rights violation.

With only a customised wallpaper, that won’t be very much interesting for the huge Star Wars fans in China and around the globe. The company recently launched the Galaxy S8 Pirates of the Caribbeans special edition and just the box casing had an appreciable degree of customization. The phone itself was without any, except for customized Pirates of the Caribbeans theme installed inside. So, in this case, you likely not be getting a customization like the 2015 Galaxy S6 Edge Iron Man Edition that sports the Iron Man red and gold colours, as well as an Iron Man headshot on the back. Perhaps, the customization may also be on the packaging box and a theme based on the latest Star Wars edition.

There is no guarantee Samsung will indeed release the Galaxy Note 8 Star Wars edition but if it does eventually, we still can’t tell for now if it will be available outside China.

(source)

Mysterious Meizu m1712 Phone with Full Screen Design, Side-Mounted Fingerprint Sensor Appear

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 23, 2017

According to the official statement released by Meizu, it will be launching its first full screen design smartphone in the first half of 2018. Earlier in this week, a rear shell of an unidentified Meizu phone with dual rear cameras and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner had surfaced. However, the fresh images that show the frontal and rear view of Meizu m1712 indicates that it could be a different phone.

The mysterious full screeen Meizu smartphone that has surfaced in new images show that it has rounded corners. It does not feature a front-mounted fingerprint scanner. The presence of a small circle on the screen shows that the smartphone would be featuring on-screen buttons. It may possess the capabilities of mBack home button.

The rear side of the smartphone features a camera and its large-sized LED flash. Interestingly, the fingerprint scanner is not present on the backside of the phone. There is a recess on the right edge of the Meizu phone which indicates that the fingerprint sensor is placed on its right side. Rumors have it that HTC is also working on a full screen smartphone that will feature a fingerprint sensor on of its edges.

The only information available about this mysterious phone is that it has a model number of m1712 and it is running on Android 7.0 Nougat OS. Li-Nan who is the Vice-President of Meizu’s Blue Charm lineup had said in a recent interview that a full screen Blue Charm smartphone will be arriving next year with a pricing of 3,000 Yuan (~$450). As of this writing, there is no way to confirm whether the Meizu m1712 will be launching as a full screen Blue Charm phone.

What do you think about the design of the Meizu m1712? Is it a good idea to place the fingerprint reader on the edge of the phone? Share us your views by adding your comments below.

(via)