Android 8.0 Oreo Stable Update Arrives On Xiaomi Mi A1

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Dec 31, 2017

Real life images of a smartphone identified as an upcoming OPPO model have appeared online. The smartphone is unfortunately covered in a protective shell which hampers the full view of the device’s design. However, the little part that is visible shows the device features a full-screen design.

OPPO isn’t new to full-screen smartphones as it caught up with the trend early on with the launch of the OPPO R11s this year. However, since the trend is still expected to continue in 2018, it is no surprise if OPPO is already set to release its first for 2018. From what we can see, the device will feature a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor obviously due to the full-screen design and it utilises on-screen buttons. A couple of features that are hard to miss include the numerous modules on top of the display screen. Apart from the selfie camera, there is a front flash and three other sensors whose functions we can’t say for now. It is possible OPPO is working on some sort of facial recognition technology different from the one presently featured on its smartphones. In addition, the phone volume rocker keys are located on the left-hand side while the power button and SIM tray will be on the right side.

We should note, though, that the leaked smartphone’s design has some similarities to the OPPO R11S. So this could be the R11s being bandied around with an attractive protective shell but that doesn’t explain the unusual-looking sensors on top of the screen. Also, the rear camera module seems to have a different design from the R11s. Thus, we’ll have to wait for more leaked details to emerge before the actual identity of this OPPO model could be unravelled.

Nokia TA-1054 AKA Nokia 6 (2018) Specs Appear on TENAA

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Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 30, 2017

The Nokia TA-1054 first appeared on TENAA a few weeks ago. But back then, only the images of the phone which is said to be the Nokia 6 (2018) were provided. Now, the full specifications have been made available with the same pictures we first saw. So this is not a different phone.

However, it is important to mention that while the image of the front of the phone does look it has an 18:9 display, thanks to the reduced bezels, TENAA lists the screen as 5.5” with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (16:9 aspect ratio). The dimensions of the phone is also provided as 148.8 x 75.8 x 8.15 mm.

The Nokia 6 (2018) will pack 4GB of RAM with 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. There is also support for storage expansion (128GB max.) The phone is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz.

There is 16MP sensor on the rear and an 8MP up front for selfies. The phone surprisingly runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It also packs the same 3000mAh battery as the first-gen Nokia 6. The TENAA listing adds that the device will be available in white, blue, and black.

As it stands, it appears the Nokia 6 (2018) will be the first HMD phone to be announced in 2018.

Oppo F3 Receives Rs. 2,000 Price Cut India, Now Costs Rs. 16,990

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Jeet

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Dec 30, 2017

Oppo, the China-based smartphone manufacturer has announced a price cut of Rs. 2,000 (around $31) on Oppo F3 phone in India. After the price cut, the device is now available for purchase in at a price of Rs. 16,990 (approximately $266).

To recall, the Oppo F3 was launched in India earlier this year in May for Rs. 19,990, which roughly converts to $313. However, the phone had earlier received a price cut of Rs. 1,000 in September, bringing down its effective price to Rs. 18,990 (approximately $297). Currently, the phone is available in India in two colour options — Gold and Black.

As the name itself suggests, the Oppo F3 is a toned-down and more affordable model compared to its bigger sibling Oppo F3 Plus. The phone features a 5.5-inch Full HD In-Cell 2.5D curved display with 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. The display is protected from the minor scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top.

Under the hood, the device is powered by 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6750T octa-core processor, coupled with Mali-T860 GPU, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. There is also a microSD card slot which allows users to further expand storage capacity up to 128GB.

The highlight of the phone is its dual-selfie camera setup on the front side. The device features a 16-megapixel primary snapper along with an 8-megapixel wide-angle secondary camera. It comes with several software features such as Smart Facial Recognition, Beautify 4.0, Selfie Panorama, Screen Flash, among others.

At the back, the device comes with a single 13-megapixel camera sensor, along with dual-tone LED flash, phase detection autofocus and f/2.2 aperture. The camera is capable enough to shoot videos in Full HD resolution.

Connectivity options include Dual SIM, 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy, GPS with A-GPS. There is also a front-mounted fingerprint sensor for added protection. Running on Android Marshmallow based Color OS 3.0, the device is powered by a 3,200mAh non-removable battery.

Huawei P Smart To Land In Europe In Late January At A Price Of €249: Report

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Dec 30, 2017

Huawei P Smart will be nothing more than a re-branded Huawei Enjoy 7S for the global market. It has been revealed by one of the most famous leaksters online: Evan Blass, and just one day after this leak, a new report revealed the launch date of the handset in Europe, together with its price tag. According to the new report, the midrange will be officially available to purchase in Europe in late January.

The European price will be 249 euros (that is equivalent to about $300) for the base variant with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, the report only mentions the 3/32 GB version of the phone, we still do not know if and when the most powerful version with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM will go on sale outside of China. In case you do not remember, Huawei P Smart has a full metal unibody design and it sports a bezel-less display just like every midrange phone launched by Huawei in the latest months.

The panel has a size of 5.65 inches and it can show images at a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels. On the hardware side, Huawei P Smart is equipped with an octa-core Kirin 659 SoC running at a max frequency of 2.36 GHz. On the rear side, there is a dual camera setup with resolutions of 13 + 2 MP, while the front camera has an 8 MP resolution. The battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh and Android Oreo is installed out of the box. Full specs here!

(Source, Via)

Qualcomm Leads The SoC Market In Q3 2017 By A Significant Margin, Apple In Second Place

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Dec 30, 2017

According to a new Counterpoint research, chipset revenues crossed 8 billion dollars in the global smartphone SoC market in Q3 2017. This is definitely a new record, as we have never seen such revenue figures in the third quarter of a year. Compared to Q3 2016, the market grew 19% annually, which is a significant increase. Qualcomm, with its Snapdragon SoCs, is the company leading the global smartphone SoC maker ranking, with a share of 42%, that is 1 percent more compared to Q3 2016. At the second place of the ranking, there is Apple, which occupies a share of 20%, 1% less than Q3 2016. After Qualcomm and Apple, we got MediaTek with a share of 14%.

But MediaTek registered an important decrease in SoC shippings: 4% less than Q3 2016. Samsung Exynos, HiSilicon, and Spreadtrum are at the last three spots of the ranking with shares of 11, 8, and 5 percent. According to Neil Shah, Counterpoint Research Director: “The focus in the smartphone SoC market has shifted away from the number of processor cores to the integration of newer technologies driving newer experiences. For example: focusing on immersion to unlock new experiences such as AR/VR/Depth Sensing leveraging integrated ISP (Image Signal Processors) and GPUs, to other areas such as Artificial Intelligence engines, dedicated security architecture at chipset level, enhanced connectivity paving the path to 5G and higher performance at lower power consumption levels”.

Indeed, Huawei has recently launched a flagship processor with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit to perform AI tasks (Kirin 970), and the same did Apple with its A11 Fusion. Qualcomm has unveiled its new Snapdragon 845 which features AI as well, and it will be in the market starting from Q1 2018. According to Counterpoint a third of smartphones shipped in 2020 will have a processor supporting AI.

Alleged OnePlus 5T Sandstone Version Might Be Unveiled In January 2018

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Dec 30, 2017

When the metal unibody design and the glass + metal body were not a trend, companies were much more creative at smartphone designs. According to a new official teaser video that was spotted yesterday, OnePlus 5T might break the metal / glass trend of 2017. The video has been published yesterday by the company’s official channel, and it shows some people’s reaction after touching a product inside a box. From what these people say, we can imagine that they touched the sandstone version of the latest flagship by the Chinese company. In case you do not know, OnePlus One and Two (the first phones launched by the company years ago) were also launched in a sandstone version.

This variant had a back cover made of real sandstone providing a special tactile feedback which might match the descriptions given by the people in the teaser video. That is why we think OnePlus 5T might be coming in a special sandstone variant which, unlike the standard version of the phone, would feature a unique design. Until now, OnePlus 5T has just been released in a Midnight Black version and a Star Wars limited edition. Unlike the Star Wars Edition which has limited availability, the sandstone version may be launched worldwide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6NgimX95Rw

The specs of this special OnePlus 5T version should be exactly the same as the normal one. We will get the same 6-inch borderless display with a Full HD+ resolution and Optic AMOLED technology. Under the hood, there will be an octa-core Snapdragon 835 SoC by Qualcomm, running at a max frequency of 2.45 GHz. The camera department will consist of a dual setup on the back with resolutions of 16 + 20 MP, there will be a 16 MP front camera and a 3300mAh battery. We do not know whether the alleged sandstone version will be available in both the RAM/storage configurations or just in the most powerful one (8/128 GB).

Year Of The Bezel-less! Bezel-less Display Panel Shipments Pegged At 230M In 2017

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Dec 30, 2017

The year 2017 is just a few days from being over and so we don’t expect the launch of any smartphone until 2018. One thing that set this year apart from previous years is the emergence of the full-screen, bezel-less smartphone trend that gathered strong momentum in Q2 after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8. In case you are wondering how many full-screen models have been launched this year, we don’t know either but a new research data from China has given us an idea of the now of bezel-less display panels that have been shipped this year alone.

The data collated by SigmaIntell reveals that shipments for bezel-less full-screen smartphones reached 230 million in 2017. The Chinese market intelligence company based its findings on data collected by its analysts and the research includes display panels with 18:9 and 18.5:9 panels utilized by Samsung on its Galaxy flagships. The report also identifies Samsung Display (SDI) as the largest supplier of bezel-less mobile screens in 2017. The Samsung Display arm is said to have delivered 137 million full-screen panels to both its smartphone division and third-party phone makers, accounting for nearly 60 percent of global shipments. Samsung also benefitted from the supply of OLED panels to Apple for use on the iPhone X which had the largest display aspect ratio at 19.5:9.

The claim that the shift to bezel-less display gained momentum in the second half of the year was reflected in the statistics as SigmaIntell reported that 200 million shipments were recorded in the second half of 2017. Samsung also supplied LG bezel-free OLED for the G6 which together with the Galaxy S8 line, accounted for the remaining 30 million shipments recorded by Samsung. Apart from Samsung, Chinese display panel manufacturer Tianma also recorded some shipments pegged at 24 million while BOE technology shipped 12 million tall, bezel-less display panels to phone makers over the course of this year to occupy the number 4 position. AU Optronics (AUO) occupied the third spot with a shipment of 17 million units. There is no doubt that the trend will continue in 2018.

Buy Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer For Just $129.99 On GearBest

The Alcatel 5 Pays A Visit To The FCC, Reveals More Details

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Habeeb Onawole

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Dec 30, 2017

The Alcatel 5 is one of the phones we are looking forward to next year. First seen in public last month at a Chinese conference forum and appearing as the TCL A5, the tri-bezel-less smartphone has now been spotted at the FCC.

There is no doubt that the Alcatel 5 was getting certified ahead of its possible release next month. There are a bunch of photos provided which gives us a closer look at the phone.

From one of the images provided, the phone looks like it has a brushed metal back but on closer look it does seem to be plastic. There is a picture of the bottom of the phone which shows a USB-C port flanked on both sides by speaker grilles. You may be wondering if the Alcatel 5 won’t have an audio jack, but it is actually at the top just like in the Idol 5S.

Another picture provides an important info we haven’t come across before which is the battery capacity. The Alcatel 5 will come with a 3000mAh battery which will power its 5.7” 18:9 display.

The last sighting of the phone already revealed that it will be powered by a MT6750 processor. However, we do not know the memory variants it will be available in.

Some other pictures reveal the front of the Alcatel A5. There are two color variants – black and white and both show clearly the dual front facing cameras the phone will come with. There are also a couple of images that are extracts of the manual. From these images, we know the phone will have a hybrid dual SIM slot.

Continue

Vivo V7 Price In India Slashed By Rs. 2,000, Now Retails For Rs. 16,990

By

Jeet

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Dec 30, 2017

Vivo V7, the smartphone which was launched in India last month at a price of Rs. 18,990 (~$297), has now received a permanent price cut of Rs. 2,000. This brings down the effective price of the device to Rs. 16,990 (approximately $266) in India.

Initially, the smartphone was available exclusively through online retailer Flipkart. But now the phone is available on other e-commerce platforms such as Amazon India and Paytm Mall. Along with that, it is also available through offline retail stores. The phone is available in three colour options — Champagne Gold, Matte Black and the recently introduced Energetic Blue.

Also, the company has announced that the users of Reliance Jio will receive an additional data benefit of 100GB to all those who purchase the Vivo V7. While the company has slashed the pricing of Vivo V7, the pricing of its bigger sibling — Vivo V7 Plus remains unchanged. It is still retailing at a price of Rs. 21,900 in India.

The Vivo V7 features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with a screen resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, which comes coupled with 4GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

There is also a dedicated microSD card slot, enabling users to further expand the phone’s storage capacity up to 256GB. A 24-megapixel front-facing camera is present for taking selfies, which also comes with a Portrait mode and a “Moonlight Glow” LED flash to make the images look better in low-light conditions. At the rear, there is a 16-megapixel camera with an LED flash and f/2.0 aperture.

Connectivity options on the device include Dual SIM, 4G LTE, VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, and micro USB port. The phone runs FunTouch OS 3.2 which is built on top of Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. The device, which comes with Face Unlock mode, is fuelled by a 3,000mAh battery.

Buy Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer On GearBest For Just $139.99

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 30, 2017

Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer is designed to offer unparalleled performance coupled with exceptional quality and usability. Housed in a piano-black laser-cut acrylic frame, the device retains the handmade appeal and garage-built charm.

The EU Plug (Black) version of Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer is currently available at a discounted price of just $139.99 on GearBest. This is a massive 51% reduction in the device’s original asking price.

There were only 333 pieces of EU Plug version left at the time of writing. Moreover, it is imperative for you to bear in mind that the promo comes to an end in two days.

There are two other versions including UK Plug (Black) and US Plug (Black) that you can buy on the website.The UK Plug version is currently up for grabs for $203.76, while the US Plug version is available for just $139.99 as part of a promo that is slated to end in two days. On top of that, only 63 pieces of the US Plug version of Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer were left at the time of writing.

Before checking out, you can use promo code ‘A8KIDA’ to buy the device for only $129.99. Head straight to this link to get your hands on Anet A8 Desktop 3D Printer before the promo ends.

GeekBuying Offers Upto 70% Off On Electronic Items In Celebration Of New Year

By

Vinay Patel

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Dec 30, 2017

2018 is just around the corner and as expected, sellers are offering all sorts of discounts in a bid to draw the attention of buyers who intend to take advantage of the year-end deals. Lining with this, GeekBuying is currently offering up to 70% off on various items that will be shipped from its warehouses located in Germany, Spain, Italy and Hong Kong.

Germany Warehouse

First off, let’s take a gander at the electronic items that will ship from GeekBuying’s Germany-based warehouse.

The very well-received Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 model with 3GB RAM/32GB ROM is available for just $169.99, while 4GB RAM/64GB ROM version is selling for only $195.99 on the website. Alternatively, you can go for Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone and get 14% off on the handset’s original asking price of $289.99.

Similarly, there’s LeTV LeEco Le Max 2, which is available at a discounted price of just $182.99. In addition to mobile phones, GeekBuying’s Germany-based warehouse will be shipping Mecool M8S PRO Plus Android TV Box, Makibes DM98 3G Smart Watch Phone, Megawheels TW02-1 Self Balance Electric Scooter and lots more.

Spain Warehouse

If you’re willing to spend $249.99, you can buy Xiaomi’s Mi A1 smartphone, which packs 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, under the hood.

Among a slew of other items that will be shipped from GeekBuying’s Spain warehouse, there’s R-TV BOX, which carries a 20% discount, and Freesat V7 DVB-S2 1080P FHD Set Top Box, which is selling for a discounted price of just $29.99.

Italy Warehouse

Items that will be shipped from GeekBuying’s Italy warehouse comprises Le Max 2 4G LTE Smartphone, which is currently available for just $185.99 on the website.

Aside from that, there are several other items such as Beelink M1 MINI PC, Original Xiaoyi YI 1080p Dome Camera, and Makibes Talk T1 3G Smartwatch Phone just to name a few.

Hong Kong Warehouse Direct

The Hong Kong-based warehouse ships a myriad of electronic items including Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 smartphone, Mi Motion sensor night light, and HOMTOM ZOJI Z8 smartphone at a discounted price.

It is worth noting that only a few pieces of the aforesaid items were left at the time of writing so if you’re planning to take advantage of GeekBuying’s ‘Farewell 2017, Hello 2018’ promo, head straight to this link without wasting time.

Get 70% Off On Various Electronic Items On GeekBuying

Samsung and LG also confirm they do not slow down phones with older batteries

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Dec 29, 2017

Apple had to admit that it slows down older iPhones to prolong their lives and prevent problems with batteries that may result in unexpected shutdowns. Three class action lawsuits have been opened in the USA for this, with people accusing Apple of fraud, forcing users to buy new devices and more. After this episode, it was asked to Samsung and LG if they do the same. The two Korean companies answered and declared that they do not slow down older smartphones with aging batteries through software updates.

LG said that the company cares about what its customers think, and they never slowed down any phone, neither they will do it in the future. Samsung said that product quality has always been and will always be the company’s priority and that the performances of its smartphones will never be reduced intentionally through software updates. In reverse, Samsung said that it uses multi-layer safety measures including software algorithms that preserve the battery life by governing the charging current and the charging duration.

In the meantime, Apple apologized for slowing down older iPhones in order to preserve batteries. Now it is possible to replace old iPhone batteries for a reduced price thanks to a new battery replacement program which has just been launched. Customers will be able to pay just 29 dollars instead of 50 dollars for the battery replacement. Just to remind you, yesterday HTC and Motorola confirmed that they do not slow down older phones too. Now, we are waiting for an answer by Google which has already been contacted on the matter.

(Via)

Court Rules Italian Duo Can Call Their Clothing Company ‘Steve Jobs’

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Dec 29, 2017

Vincenzo and Giacomo Barbato are the names of two brothers from Naples, Italy, who won a legal battle against Apple and called their company Steve Jobs. Even though the two brothers gave their company the same name of Apple’s founder and a logo which shares many things in common with Apple’s logo, the court decided to uphold the trademark. The brothers decided to give their company this name in 2012, a year after Steve Jobs’ death.

Before creating this company, they kept creating products for other brands for years. At a certain point, they decided to start their own clothing and accessory company, and they noticed that Apple had never trademarked the name of its founder. When Apple realized that the name of the company was Steve Jobs, it decided to start a legal fight.

But according to the court, the brothers did nothing wrong, and even though the logo (which consists of a letter J) contains a bite and a leaf which remind of the Apple logo, it does not represent something edible and it cannot be convicted. Actually, the Steve Jobs company produces clothes and accessories, including bags, t-shirts, and jeans. But in the future, the two brothers from Italy are intentioned to expand in the electronics market, so they may even decide to release a Steve Jobs phone in the attempt to compete with Apple and its iPhones.

(via)

Xiaomi Reveals MIJIA Brand’s 2017 Revenue Has Crossed ¥20 Billion (~$3 Billion)

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Dec 29, 2017

Xiaomi’s growth is not only hinged on its smartphone business but also on the MIJIA brand. MIJIA is Xiaomi’s crowdfunding and IoT smart home gadget platform where all products other than the smartphones fall under. The brand has long been discovered to be Xiaomi’s cash cow and was recent records show Xiaomi has continued to rake in huge revenue from the MIJIA brand. The tech giant has today disclosed that sales under the MIJIA ecological chain have exceeded 20 billion Yuan (around $3 Billion).

This monumental sales figure represents a huge rise in the revenue accrued last year from the MIJIA brand. Xiaomi had revealed around this time last year that the MIJIA brand posted impressive sales figures. Although the total revenue generated wasn’t disclosed, we were made to understand it ran into billions of dollars (estimated at 15billion yuan). Xiaomi dominated the wearables market last year with revenue of up to 1.5 billion Yuan, other brands like the smart camera, IoT gagdets and other products contributed to the revenue.

This year, we have seen over a hundred products launched under the MIJIA brand and most of them are hot-selling products. Thus, sales volume would be high, coupled with Xiaomi’s more robust marketing strategy using multiple channels. We hope to get a breakdown of how the products fared in the market and hopefully, Xiaomi will release details of that later on.

Now you can officially Sue People Using WeChat In China

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Dec 29, 2017

WeChat is the most used messaging app and also the largest social network in China. With 980 million active users a month, the app powers the daily lives of a huge percent of the Chinese population, who use it for everything, from messaging to online payments and many other services. According to a new report, Tencent’s messaging app is now going to be used to allow people to file lawsuits.

It is actually possible to sue people electronically by using this app and do a lot more stuff with regards to the lawsuit directly from the app. For example, with WeChat, Beijing Court allows to submit documents, verify people’s identities, pay legal fees and more. All is performed through a prosecution service platform created by Beijing Haidian court and present inside Tencent’s app. The official website of China’s Supreme People’s Court explains that even though everything in this platform happens via the internet, the system is very safe.

Both facial recognition and ID card verification are used for an accurate identification process which will only allow a single person to access its data. Once the required documents are filed, the parties will receive a notice via WeChat. It seems that the new service available in WeChat will directly reach the official government department, simplifying the process to a great extent. Just to remind you, Tencent’s app is already used as an official virtual ID in a few provinces, so it is able to replace the traditional Chinese government ID card.

(via)

Hong Kong Bankers Expects Xiaomi IPO To Go Up To $100 Billion in 2018

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Dec 29, 2017

According to recent data, Hong Kong raised $32.8 billion in equity capital in 2017, which is the lowest increase since 2008. But Hong Kong remains one the biggest equity capital-raising centers in the world, and now it is trying to recover. One of the plans is allowing dual-class shares just like New York exchange. Chinese tech companies like Xiaomi are attracted by the dual-class share structures and that is why they usually choose New York for their Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

So Hong Kong will adopt dual-class shares, and it is expecting a $100 billion IPO for Xiaomi in 2018. According to bankers’ estimations, Xiaomi could be valued at up to $100 billion and this would make it the best valued Chinese tech company IPO. At the second place next year, there would be Lufax which is valued at $18.5 billion dollars: the difference is huge.

Tucker Highfield, the head of equity capital markets syndicate for the Asia Pacific at Credit Suisse, stated that over the next couple of years there is a good chance of $500+ billion market capitalization in the tech sector in China that could go public. Actually, regarding IPOs, Hong Kong ranks fourth globally, behind New York, Shanghai, and Mumbai’s National Stock Exchanges. Xiaomi, a single company, may contribute to change the situation in 2018. A 100 billion dollars IPO will grant Xiaomi the much-needed inflow of funds to expand further into newer markets.

No End in Sight For LeEco’s Jia Yueting’s Woes As Beijing Court Seizes Assets

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Dec 29, 2017

LeEco‘s former CEO and Chairman Jia Yueting is unarguably an innovative entrepreneur who was an inspiration to many during the hay days of the tech guru. All that seems to be in the past presently as Jia Yueting has since plunged his once bubbling company into financial troubles. The tech mogul has been on the run as authorities in China has ordered him to return back to the country before the end of this year and he was recently blacklisted as a debt defaulter in China. While the dust generated by this unsavoury news is yet to settle down, another report out of China indicates that a Beijing court has seized Mr Yuetings assets.

jiu-yueting-co-founder-leeco — LeEco Founder, Jia Yueting

According to a statement on its website, the Beijing-based First intermediate People’s Court seized more than 1.3 million yuan ($200,000) in bank deposits. The court is also eyeing Jia’s shares in publicly listed Leshi Internet Information & Technology Corp. as well as two Beijing properties targeted in previous cases. No further details were disclosed on the seized properties. The court said it took action after agreeing to enforce a petition from a securities firm in Fujian in a bid to recover more than 200 million yuan it claimed Jia owed.

LeEco was hit with a cash crunch occasioned by Jia Yueting’s decision to expand aggressively its smartphone business into new markets and even veering into the automobile industry with investment in U.S electric car maker Faraday Future. That investment is yet to yield fruits but Jia is said to have disclosed during a staff meeting earlier this month that Faraday had managed to raise more than $1 billion in Series A financing, without naming his investors. We hope Mr Yueting weathers the storm and quickly too as debts and interests continue to pile up. Jia’s exact location is not known as at this moment.

Google Has Discontinued the Pixel C Tablet

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Dec 29, 2017

Google had launched the Pixel C tablet in September 2015. It was introduced in 32 GB and 64 GB storage models. Earlier this year, the search engine giant had stopped selling its 32 GB variant and now it has killed the 64 GB storage model as well. By this the company has finally discontinued the well-received Pixel C tablet.

Now that the Pixel C is unavailable for buying, its webpage on Google Store is now redirecting visitors to the Pixelbook’s page. Even though it is not available on sale, Google has confirmed that it will continue to provide hardware support to its customers.

The Pixel C was launched with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. It has been already updated to the latest Android 8.0 Oreo in August this year. Here is the official statement from Google on the discontinuation of the Pixel C:

As is common when a device has been out for a few years, we’re now retiring Pixel C and it is no longer available for sale. However, we are committed to updating and supporting it, including the recent update to Android 8.0, so customers can continue to get the best out of their device. Our newly launched Google Pixelbook combines the best parts of a laptop and a tablet for those looking for a versatile device.

Read More: GMS Express is a Google, MediaTek Collaborative Effort for Providing Pre-Certified Android Builds to OEMs

The Google Pixel C features a 10.2-inch IPS display that supports a resolution of 2560 x 1800 pixels. It is driven by Nvidia Tegra X1 octa-core processor and 3 GB of RAM. It is packed with a 9,000mAh battery. It has a rear camera of 8-megapixel and a front-facing camera of 2-megapixel.

The 32 GB and 64 GB Pixel C variants were respectively sold for $499 and $599. The search engine giant also sold an optional keyboard for the tablet that came with a pricing of $149.

Since Google has killed the Pixel C, there is no other device from the company that offers Android tablet experience. The 2-in-1 Pixelbook is running on Chrome OS and carries support for Android apps. However, it does not offer a seamless experience. There is no confirmation on whether Google will be releasing another standalone slate in the future.

(via)

QR Codes Are Everywhere In China & Now The Government Wants To Regulate It

By

Joel Joseph

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Dec 29, 2017

QR codes are everywhere in China. From buying groceries to hailing taxies to hiring a bike — there’s a QR code for everything. Even beggars have reportedly started accepting payments via QR codes, shedding light on its popularity in the country. In fact, around one-third of the mobile payments in China are via QR codes and this figure is expected to rise in the coming future. With millions of people living in China relying on QR codes for making payments on a day to day basis, it has become necessary for China’s financial institutions to start to regulate this modern mode of payment. In this regard, Chia’s central bank has announced plans to start regulating payments made by QR codes, barcodes, and other modes of payment via scanning, by keeping an initial payment limit of 500 Yuan ($76.5) per person, per day. Additional daily limits of 1000 Yuan ($153) and 5000 Yuan ($765) apply to payers who haven’t completed certain authentication procedures.

The need for regulations in this sector is important to ensure a solid check on fraudulent transactions. Things like money laundering or making payments in exchange for cash are different tactics used by sellers using QR codes and the Chinese government wants to stop such kind of activity by introducing proper regulations. Another reason is to foster fair competition between the two mobile payment giants in China, Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat. QR code payments are very common among their services, so it becomes necessary to ensure there are enough regulations to keep things in check.

Apart from payment caps, the central bank wants better policies with regards to QR code payments, like expiration dates, encryption, regular updates etc to ensure that QR codes are not being used by sellers for fraudulent transactions. The payment limits are set to come into effect from April 1, 2018.