Google Buys Relay Media’s AMP Converter Tech For an Undisclosed Sum

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Oct 10, 2017

Tech giant Google has added to its growing portfolio with the acquisition of Relay Media which is known for its AMP Converter technology. This was announced by Relay Media in a short post on their official website. The AMP Converter is targeted at Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and helps web owners convert their mobile-friendly website to a faster-loading one. No major change is coming to the service for publishers currently using its services, at least for now but they’ll be placing a hold on registration of new publishers who intend to join the platform.

AMP has become an important tool for e-commerce retailers who basically depend on visitors for their sales. This is because faster-loading mobile pages convert browsers into buyers but when the page loads slower, some may abandon the page and head somewhere else. Relay Media refers to its converter technology as “bare-bones implementation” of AMP. When web publishers utilize the Relay Media Platform, it enables them to convert web-based content to AMP content easily without altering the publisher’s general branding and features of the web page.

Google is yet to make an official announcement or issue any statement regarding the acquisition but we expect a statement to be issued in the coming days. As for the reason for the acquisition, we can guess that Google is trying to get more involved in improving AMP at a core level in order to offer a richer all-round AMP experience. Google was noticed to have effected a change in AMP results in Google Search a few days ago.

(source)

Nokia 9, Nokia 7 and Nokia 2 Arriving at MWC 2018?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 10, 2017

HMD Global has released Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and Nokia 8 smartphones so far this year. Rumors have it that the Finnish company is working on new smartphones like Nokia 2, Nokia 7 and Nokia 9. Recent reports have claimed that the Nokia 2 and Nokia 9 may debut in the last quarter of 2018. However, new information claims that the company may unleash new phones in early 2018.

Nokia 2 is speculated as an entry-level phone whereas the Nokia 9 is rumored to arrive with flagship specs. The specifications of both the smartphones have been leaked by the rumor mill. However, the company is now speculated to be working on a mid-range phone called Nokia 7. An individual who is an alleged employee of a BPO company that carries out logistics for HMD Global claims that new Nokia phones will not be launching this year.

The individual claims that the Nokia 2, Nokia 7 and Nokia 9 would be arriving as second batch of Android smartphones that will be unveiled in early 2018. The person has spilled this information on Facebook and to prove that he is associated with HMD Global, he has even uploaded an image of a lanyard from the company in the post that reveals the launch time of new Nokia phones.

It appears that the person is not afraid of revealing leaked information on upcoming Nokia phones directly on a group conversation on Facebook. However, there is no way to confirm whether the information shared by the employee is true or false.

The Finnish firm has just recently announced the Nokia 8 flagship phone and it is not even available in many markets. Announcing Nokia 9 flagship in this year can disturb the sales of Nokia 8.

HMD Global had resurrected the Nokia brand by introducing new phones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 event this year. Hence, it is speculated that the Nokia 2, Nokia 7 and Nokia 9 may get unveiled at MWC 2018.

There is no information available on the specs of Nokia 7. The Nokia 2 is pegged to arrive with 5-inch HD display, Snapdragon 212 chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage and 4,000mAh battery. The Nokia 9 is speculated to arrive with bezel-less and curved edge-to-edge deign. The Snapdragon 835 powered flagship is speculated to come with dual rear cameras. It may come in 6 GB or 8 GB RAM models.

(source|via)

Huawei Mate 10 Specifications Leaked, To Feature 6.2-Inch Display And 4,000mAh Battery

By

Jeet

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Oct 10, 2017

Huawei Mate 10 series is launching on October 16, at an event in Germany. After the press renders and the specs of Mate 10 Pro, we now have the specifications of the upcoming Mate 10.

As per the latest information, the Huawei Mate 10 will feature a 6.2-inch display with a screen resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels, and display ratio of 18:9. The leaked designs suggest that the display will cover most area on the front side. It will be powered by the company’s own Kirin 970 processor — the same processor that will be on Mate 10 Pro.

Interestingly, the Mate 10 won’t have a bezel-less display or full-screen design. Instead, it appears from the previously leaked images that the bezel-less, full-screen model would be the Mate 10 Pro.

Coming to the camera department, the smartphone will boast a dual camera setup consisting of the next-generation Leica lens. While one lens will be of 20-megapixel, another lens will be of 23-megapixel. The 20 MP lens is the main sensor while the 23 MP lens is the monochrome sensor — the same setup that we saw on the Mate 9 and Huawei P10.

The phone will have a 4,000mAh battery, same capacity as of its predecessor. However, given the battery optimization of Kirin 970, we expect Mate 10’s battery performance to be better than Mate 9. The device is expected to come with Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box.

It is expected come in three different variants based on the memory. It will have two RAM options — 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM. The variant having a 4GB + 64GB storage combo will carry a price tag of 4299 Yuan. The 6GB RAM + 128GB storage is expected to be priced at 4899 Yuan ($744) while the topmost model with 6GB + 256GB combo would cost 5599 Yuan.

The Huawei Mate 10 has already passed the 3C certification with model number ALP-AL00. The charger model with HW-050450C00 has also been passed, which supports 5V/2A, 4.5V/5A and 5V/4.5A charge output. It will also support fast charging.

(Source)

Alleged Xiaomi Redmi 5 Models Receive 3C Certification; Redmi 5 Plus with 18:9 Display May Cost 999 Yuan

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 10, 2017

Yesterday, we had seen leaked images of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. The images revealed that the budget phablet is likely to arrive with an 18:9 display and dual rear cameras. However, fresh information suggests that Xiaomi may announce the alleged Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus before the Redmi Note 5. The alleged Redmi 5 duo have also received 3C certification in China.

The below render of the alleged Redmi 5 Plus suggests that it will be arriving with an impressive display, but it is unlikely to be as stunning as the screen of Xiaomi Mi MIX 2. Previous reports have revealed that the Redmi 5 Plus may feature a 5.7-inch display that will support a resolution of 720 x 1,440 pixels. The Redmi series of phones from Xiaomi have always featured smartphones with 5-inch display. Hence, it is strange to see the upcoming Redmi 5 Plus with a 5.7-inch display.

Rumors have it that the Snapdragon 450 chipset will be powering the Redmi 5 Plus. it is also speculated that it will be coming with a pair of 13-megapixel dual rear cameras. It is also expected to carry support for Quick Charge 3.0.

The 3C certification of the alleged Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus have revealed that these devices could be codenamed as MET7 and MEE7. The Redmi 5 may cost around 699 to 899 Yuan and the Redmi 5 Plus may carry a costlier price tag of 999 Yuan. These models may arrive in 3 GB and 4 GB RAM options.

The alleged Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is speculated to get introduced in November. However, the Chinese manufacturer may unveil the Redmi 5 series as early as Oct. 16 or 17. Xiaomi is known for teasing the features of its upcoming device before its official launch. However, as of this writing, the Chinese firm has not revealed any information on the alleged Redmi 5 phones. Hence, we advise our readers to digest this report with a pinch of salt.

What do you think about the design of the Redmi 5 Plus and its alleged specs? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source)

Pixel 2 Camera Samples Include Portrait Photos & Low-Light Images

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 9, 2017

Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are the smartphones with the highest DxO mark. While some people think DxO Mark isn’t a good judge of camera performance, at least we all can agree that the new Pixel smartphones take impressive pictures.

After the launch, I am sure a number of us saw sample photos shared online by early reviewers and those at the event. Google has released official sample pictures taken with the Pixel 2 which includes portrait mode photos, motion images, and landscape images. Sadly, there are no photos with the AR filters

This year again, Google has shown that it has no reason to join the dual camera train. The Pixel 2 ( and 2 XL) has a single 12.2MP camera with a F/1.8 aperture and a 1.4μm pixel size. There is laser autofocus and dual pixel phase detection for images, and optical and electronic image stabilization for videos.

You can record in 1080p at 30fps, 60fps and 120fps; 720p at 30fps, 60fps, and 240fps; and 4K at 30fps. The Pixel 2 performs well in low light with its HDR+ technology.

Continue

Foldable Smartphone, ZTE Axon Multy Appears on Geekbench

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 9, 2017

ZTE is working on a foldable smartphone called the Axon Multy. It will have two displays that can be unfolded into a single 6.8-inch screen. The device has been seen on Geekbench but under the name ZTE Z999.

The ZTE Z999 was benchmarked back in August. It runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat and has 4GB of RAM. There is a Qualcomm chip with 4 cores clocked at 2.0GHz powering the device and the identifier is similar to that of the Snapdragon 821. So this will probably be the chip in the Axon Multy.

The ZTE Z999 scored 1677 points in the single core test and 4130 points in the multi-core test. The scores are similar to those of other Snapdragon 821-powered phones.

Popular leaker Roland Quandt shared the link to the benchmark, along with a User Agent Profile link that confirms the device has having a 1080 x 1920 FHD resolution.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Reportedly Arriving with Under-Display Fingerprint Scanner

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 9, 2017

Samsung has recently released the Galaxy Note 8 in various markets and the rumor mill has already started speculating on the features that will be coming on Galaxy Note 9. Fresh information coming from Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable analyst from KGI Securities states that Samsung will embed an optical fingerprint scanner under the display of the Galaxy Note 9 that will be probably unveiled in Q3 2018.

The introduction of elongated Infinity Display on Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ resulted in the repositioning of the fingerprint scanner to their back. Since the fingerprint reader was placed very close to the rear camera, the users of Galaxy S8 duo end up smudging the camera lens whenever they unlock their phone.

Samsung had reportedly planned to incorporate the fingerprint reader under the display of Galaxy Note 8. However, since it could not ready the technology in time, it was not made available on the Note 8. Samsung has placed the LED flash unit and heart rate sensor between the dual camera system and the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Note 8.

There is no information available on whether the under-display fingerprint scanner will be arriving on the Galaxy S9 and S9+. These phones may feature the same positioning for the fingerprint reader as the Galaxy Note 8.

The information revealed by Kuo suggests that the South Korean company will make it possible for Galaxy Note 9 users to unlock their phone by just placing their finger on the portion of the screen that is integrated with an optical fingerprint sensor. The analyst claims that there are three companies that are attempting to strike a deal with Samsung to supply it with the component that will enable under-display fingerprint reader. Beyond Eyes and Samsung LSI (subsidiary of Samsung) have already provided their samples to Samsung.

So, Samsung seems to be working on introducing under-display fingerprint reader on the Galaxy Note 9. Will Apple too introduce such a feature on its future iPhones? Share us your thoughts by adding your comments below.

(source)

Huawei Mate 10 Pro Design Confirmed By Latest Renders

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 9, 2017

Huawei Mate 10 Pro’s renders have been a regular in leaks of late and one thing they all have in common is a similarity in the design. We have even seen leaked real photos of the Mate 10 Pro with a design similar to the first Mate 10 Pro renders which were shared by Twitter tipster Evan Blass recently. Now, a new set of renders have appeared online, shared by Weibo user iChangezone who is well known for accurate renders of Huawei’s flagships right from last year’s Mate 9.

The new renders are replicas of those shared by Twitter tipster Evan Blass recently and with the pedigree of the Weibo source, we could as well take it that this is the Mate 10 Pro’s final design. The Mate 10 Pro features a curved edge design at the rear just like the Mate 9 Pro. We could be looking at a glass back on the device. At the front, the device will have almost bezel-less, full-screen display with ultra-slim bezels on the chin. The top and bottom bezels are also much reduced. The renders also show the presence of dual cameras at the rear with the Leica badge which is turning into a regular on Huawei’s flagship products. Of course, the dual cameras co-engineered by Leica have turned out to be one of the prominent features on Huawei phones. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor onboard the smartphone.

The Mate 10 Pro seems to be Huawei’s main product to take on the likes of Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi et al who have got a full-screen flagship model already in their kitty. The Mate 10 Pro’s design seems to overshadow that of the Mate 10 especially since the Mate 10’s design is said to be no much different from the Mate 9. The Mate 10 is expected to feature a Quad HD (1440 x 2880 pixels) display and a more classic 18:9 screen aspect ratio. Of course, we won’t forget the AI-capable Kirin 970 chip both models are expected to pack.

(source)

There Are Now At Least Seven Cases Of iPhone 8 and 8 Plus With Swollen Batteries

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 9, 2017

Apple’s latest iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have been repeatedly plagued by one major problem (call it minor if you like) and it is related to the battery. There have been a couple of reported cases of iPhone 8 and 8 Plus units with swollen batteries which usually result in the display popping out of the chassis. Some of the cases occurred while the phones were charging for the first time and there was a case of the defect occurring while the new iPhone is yet to be unboxed.

Although Apple has indicated that they are looking into the issue, the number of cases seems to swell by the day. We have had a case reported in Japan and Taiwan. There have also been reports from Canada, China Greece and Hong Kong. A case has also been reported in the Formosa region in Argentina. So, we may well be looking at least seven cases which are randomly shared between the iPhone 8 and its bigger variant iPhone 8 Plus.

We are not quick to compare this with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 because there has been no reported case of battery explosion. Besides, millions of iPhones come off the production line overseas, and thereby millions of lithium-ion batteries are being manufactured, so it’s common in the industry for there to be a very low percentage of defective units. But it may interest you to know that Samsung SDI is one of the two suppliers of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus batteries. Samsung SDI is also responsible for the defective batteries which resulted in the Galaxy Note 7’s recall. LG Chem also produces the batteries for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Until Apple releases its findings, we can’t tell the root cause of the issue. Until they do, we do hope the number of cases won’t continue to rise.

(source)

LunaR is A Solar-Powered Analog Smartwatch Inspired By The Moon

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 9, 2017

There are tons of smartwatches in the market at the moment. While some have a LCD/AMOLED display, others look no different from your average analog watch. LunaR falls under the second category.

LunaR has some unique features that makes it stand out from other watches. First, inspiration for the name comes from the moon but the watch recharges via solar. The face (dial) is actually a transparent solar panel that recharges the built-in 110mAh battery. Apart from charging via light rays from the sun, LunaR will also recharge via indoor lighting or the bundled charger.

With respect to functions, the LunaR is no slouch either. While it can’t show you stats of your physical activities on its display (only via the app), it can display two different time zones – one with the aid of LEDs and the other using the analog hands. It also has sunrise and sunset tracking and is waterproof too (5 ATM).

Activity tracking such as running and steps taken can be viewed on the app as well as sleep tracking details. Using LEDs and vibrations, LunaR will inform you if you have reached your daily goal. The multi-color LED light can also be customized for individual app notifications.

The LunaR app which is available for both iOS and Android can also be used to monitor charging time, set alarms, and modify time zones. There is Bluetooth 4.0 LE for connectivity and its compatible with iOS 10+ and Android 4.3+ devices.

LunaR has a steel design that is simple yet classy. By default, it comes with a nylon strap but you can pick up a leather strap for $17.50 or a colorful knit strap for $13.50. The LunaR watch has a diameter of 41mm and a thickness of 13.3mm. The glass is either Sapphire coated or Sapphire crystal (latter version will ship in 2018).

The watch has already surpassed its $50,000 goal three times over. It is expected to ship to the first 3,000 backers by December.

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IHS Markit Research: Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus are the Bestselling Phones in First Half of 2017

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 9, 2017

IHS Markit, a London-based research firm has confirmed the list of top 10 bestselling smartphones for the first half of 2017. It has revealed that the Apple iPhone 7 is present at the number one spot followed by the iPhone 7 Plus. The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Plus midrange phone from 2016 is on the third position.

The fourth position is occupied by iPhone 6S and the sixth and seventh places have been reserved by Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The research firm claims that flagship phones from Apple and Samsung have met with sluggish sales in the first half of this year.

The 4.7-inch iPhone models have been ranking at number one position consecutively for the last three years. The iPhone 6, iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 were bestselling phones in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively. However, the market share of these iPhones has been consistently falling from 10 percent to 7 percent and now it has come down to 5 percent this year.

The reason why Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ models are not ranking higher in the list is that these phones were made available for buying in April. Hence, compared to the other better ranking phones on the list, Samsung has shipped lesser units of the Galaxy S8 duo in first half of 2017.

The list includes five smartphones from Samsung and four from Apple and one from OPPO. However, the name of the OPPO phone that has made it to the list has not been revealed by the research firm.

IHS Markit has also stated that compared to 2016, the number of smartphones with shipments of more than 1 million units per month has increased 22 from 17 in this year. Samsung and Apple respectively have 10 and 4 phones that have shipped over 1 million units per month.

The popularity of smartphones from Chinese OEMs have also increased as they started shipping smartphones outside of China. There are five OPPO phones, two Xiaomi phones and one Huawei phone that have shipped over 6 million units in the first half of 2017.

(source)

Google Responds on Why it Decided to Axe 3.5mm Audio Jack on Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 9, 2017

The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones feature 3.5mm audio jack. However, the recently unveiled Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones do not feature it. Soon after the unveiling of the Pixel 2 duo, the removal of the 3.5mm audio jack on the Pixel 2 duo was met heavy criticism on Google’s Product Forums. Orrin Hancock, the official Community Manager of Google for Nexus/Pixel products responded to the criticism by saying that the USB-C port is a headphone jack and the company decided to remove the 3.5mm audio jack in order to deliver superior audio and digital experience.

According to Hancock, the axing of 3.5mm audio jack is a move towards bezel-less future and it is becoming a common feature on some of the best phones and laptops available today. The USB-C port on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is the only port available for connecting a wired earphone and a charger. In other words, users can’t charge the Pixel 2 or 2 XL and listen to music simultaneously.

When forum users cited the above issue, Google’s staff advised Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users to either avail dongles or Bluetooth headphones or ear buds. Hancock has even provided a list of Google branded and Made for Google headsets for Pixel 2 and 2 XL. He has also suggested users to purchase USB-C headphones that support digital audio. Hence, both the Pixel 2 phones do not support analog audio.

The box package of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL include an adapter that can be used on a 3.5mm headphone to connect it to a USB-C port. When Apple had axed 3.5mm audio jack on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus last year, Google mocked at it by using a tagline “3.5mm audio jack – satisfyingly not new” for the original Pixel and Pixel XL phones. And now, Google has taken the same path as it has removed the 3.5mm audio jack on Pixel 2 phones.

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones are currently available on pre-orders. In the U.S., both the smartphones will start shipping from Oct. 19.

(source|via)

Vernee MIX 2 Promo Sees Price Drop To $169.99 On Gearbest

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 9, 2017

The Vernee MIX 2 is a bezel-less smartphone with a 6-inch 18:9 display. It was unveiled last week as the world’s first full-screen phone with a Helio P25 processor.

When it launched last week, Vernee announced a campaign that would allow select 100 buyers get the phone for just $99.99 instead of its normal price of $229.

In addition to that, Gearbest is running a promo that brings the price down to $169.99 from today till October 15. Afterwards, it’ll return to $219.99 which is $10 less than the official price.

The Vernee MIX 2 has a 6.01” 2160 x 1080 display. There is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Under the glass back is a Helio P25 SoC and a 4200mAh battery.

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Can You Find The Mi Mix 2 In These Pictures?

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 9, 2017

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is expected to be launched in India on October 10 and ahead of that launch, Xiaomi has sent out press invitation and also has been releasing some teasers for the event. The Mi Mix 2 will be the second flagship model since the Mi 5 which will be hitting India. India missed out on the Mi 6 and so the launch is an important one for the tech giant as they’d be testing to see if their flagship models would fare as good as its mid-range and budget models that are doing well in India. The latest teaser was shared by Xiaomi’s international product director, Togo Donovan Sung.

The teaser is more of a brain teaser where you’ll have to spot the Mi Mix 2’s design on four different photos. Perhaps, you can try your wits to see how fast you can pick out the Mi Mix 2. Now, here is a guide, don’t go looking for the real photo of the Mix 2 else you’ll search until you get tired of searching. The brain teaser is meant to tease the Mi Mix 2 full-screen design which is embedded in the photos, fused with some of the objects captured in the photos. For instance, in one of the photo, it is fused onto the roof of a car and in another, the design is incorporated onto the wall tiles.

The Mi Mix 2’s biggest feature is the full-screen 2.0 design which the device is expected to feature. Apart from the near bezel-less design, the Mix 2 packs a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080p and is powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip with an Adreno 540 GPU. The Mi MIX 2 packs a single 12MP Sony IM386 sensor at the rear as well as a 5MP selfie camera. There is a 3,400mAH non-removable battery under the hood with QC 3.0 as well as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. There is also dual WiFi band support and it supports 43 bands, 22 of which are LTE bands, including band 20. The Mi MIX 2 runs on MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out the retail price in India. Meanwhile, see if you can find the Mix 2 anywhere on the four photos and share the screenshot in the comment section.

(source)

Samsung To Exclusively Get Initial Batch Of Snapdragon 845 For Galaxy S9?

By

Jeet

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Oct 9, 2017

For Galaxy S8, Samsung had a deal with Qualcomm which allowed the South Korean company to keep the initial batch of Snapdragon 835 processor to itself. Now, a new report suggests that Samsung will have a similar deal for the Snapdragon 845 as well.

Samsung got to keep the initial batch of Snapdragon 835 as it worked out a deal with Qualcomm for the manufacturing of Snapdragon 835 processor. If Qualcomm again resorts to Samsung for manufacturing Snapdragon 845, the South Korean giant could get a similar deal this time also.

On the other hand, some reports indicate that Qualcomm has ditched Samsung and is giving the contract to manufacture its next-generation chipset to its rival TSMC, while other reports suggest LG as the manufacturer.

Samsung will be launching its new flagship smartphones next year, and if Samsung manufactures the upcoming chipset, it could retain the first batch of Snapdragon 845 exclusively for the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.

The same report also suggests that the Galaxy S9 and its bigger sibling, Galaxy S9 Plus are likely to launch a month earlier than usual.

However, this report contradicts earlier reports which suggest that Xiaomi Mi 7 will be the first device to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 process. Xiaomi is said to be working with Qualcomm to optimize the chipset Snapdragon 845 v2 for Mi 7.

The Snapdragon 845 is expected to get manufactured through 10nm Low Power Early (LPE) FinFET process. It is said to come with a combination of Cortex A75 cores, Adreno 630 graphics and X20 LTE modem.

The Galaxy S9 is expected to arrive in two models according to a leaked listing of firmware codes – G965FXXU0AQI5 and G960FXXU0AQI5. These two models are said to be the SM-G965 and the SM-G960.

Some report suggests that the phone could probably have the same display size and shape as the S8. We are expecting more information about Samsung’s next flagship smartphones to surface in the coming weeks.

(Source)

Photos of Redmi Phone With 18:9 Display Leaked, Is This The Redmi Note 5?

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 9, 2017

Fresh images leaked on the internet today reveal that Xiaomi is bringing the trending 18:9 display to its Redmi line. The photos show the front and rear of a phone which we think may be the Redmi Note 5.

The Redmi line is known for maxing out at 5.5-inches but this device has a larger screen, thanks to the significantly reduced bezels at the top and bottom of the phone. Our guess is that the display is about 6.0” in size.

The bezels are actually pretty thin. The bottom one even appears to be thinner than that of the Mi MIX 2. The top bezel is slightly bigger because it holds the front camera, earpiece, and sensor. We can also make out the volume rocker and power button on the right of the device.

The back of the phone is what gives this away as a Redmi phone. The design reminds us of the Redmi Pro, the only dual camera phone released under the Redmi line. Due to the screen taking up much of the front, the phone has the fingerprint scanner at the back. It sits below the LED flash and seems to have the same diameter as the cameras.

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Project Loon Gets FCC Approval For Wireless Connectivity In Puerto Rico

By

Jeet

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Oct 9, 2017

Project Loon, a product of Google‘s parent Alphabet, had expressed interest to help restore wireless connectivity in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Both islands, after being hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, are left without cellphone coverage in more than 90 percent area.

In the development of this matter, within just seven days, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given an experimental license for 30 Project Loon balloons to fly over Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The license is applicable from October 6th until April 4th, 2018. It was granted to Ben Wojtowicz, a software engineer and member of Alphabet’s X lab who is working on Project Loon.

In the license, FCC stated that “the purpose of the [Special Temporary Authority] is to support licensed mobile carriers’ restoration of limited communications capability in areas of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.”

If everything goes as per the company’s plans, then the balloons will temporarily replace thousands of mobile towers and provide voice and data services to users.

The 30 Loon balloons will float 20 kilometers above the earth in the stratosphere and will relay communications between ground stations connected to the surviving wireless networks, and the devices of users.

Each balloon can serve 5,000 square kilometers. Hence, 30 balloons are expected to provide service over all of Puerto Rico and some parts of the US Virgin Islands.

The spokesperson of the X division explained in a press statement that the next step is to integrate Project Loon with a telco partner’s network. The spokesperson further added that things are a little more complicated as they are starting from scratch.

In the application submitted to FCC, Alphabet showed that it has permission for Loon to use frequencies of eight wireless carriers in Puerto Rico for disaster relief and to restore limited communications.

Notably, this isn’t the first time Project Loon is coming to rescue in the time of emergency. Earlier this year, Project Loon was deployed with the help of Telefonica in Peru after a series of devastating floods.

Project Loon was started with the aim of serving the population that is still without internet access. It has launched several successful pilot projects, but the project is yet to be deployed commercially on a large scale.

(Source)

Honor 7X TENAA Listings Reveal 4 GB RAM, 64 GB & 128 GB Storage Options, 18:9 Display

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 9, 2017

Previous reports have revealed that the BND-AL10 and BND-TL10 are the variants of the upcoming of the Honor 7X smartphone. Since both the variants have now received TENAA certification, the entire specifications of the Honor 7X have been revealed.

The Honor 7X measures 156.5x 75.3 x 7.6mm and its weight is 165 grams. The BND-AL10 and BND-TL10 variants of the Honor 7X have identical specs. However, the listings suggest that the latter will be a China Mobile carrier variant whereas the former will be a regular edition. The Honor 7X will be coming in three color choices such as black, blue and gold. The images of the smartphone that have surfaced on TENAA show that it features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.

Previous rumors have revealed that the Honor 7X would be coming in two models such as 3 GB of RAM + 32 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM + 64 GB of storage. However, the TENAA listing for the BND-AL10 model has been modified. It states that the model featuring 4 GB RAM + 32 GB of storage has been replaced by 4 GB of RAM + 128 GB storage. Hence, there is a possibility that that the Honor 7X may not be available in 3 GB RAM option. The smartphone will also feature an external storage slot that will support up to 256 GB of microSD card.

[envira-gallery id=”152315″]

The TENAA listings have revealed that the Honor 7X will be featuring a 5.93-inch display that will support a FHD+ resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels. This suggests that the handset will feature an elongated display like the recently unveiled Honor 9i and it will offer an aspect ratio of 18:9.

The Geekbench listing of the Honor 7X as well as some of its recent reports have revealed that the handset is powered by 2.36 GHz Kirin 659 chipset. It will be fueled by 3,240mAh battery. The handset will come preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat that will be customized with Emotion UI skin. For photography, it is expected to house a dual camera system on its rear panel that will include a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. It will be arriving with an 8-megapixel selfie snapper.

The Honor 7X is scheduled to get announced on Oct. 11. Its 4 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM model is expected to be priced around 2,099 Yuan (~$315).

(source 1, 2)

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Already Selling At A Discount Price Online

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 9, 2017

Xiaomi phones have always been plagued by a shortage of stock in the past which has worked against the growth of the innovative tech company. But recently, there has been a change which has seen more units coming out of the production line. This has ensured that the supply chain is efficient such that third-party retailers now get enough units of Xiaomi phones, including the Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3 launched on September 11.

That is perhaps one reason for the reduction in price which the Mi Note 3 currently enjoys on a third-party retail website named Sundan. The 6GB + 128GB version of the Mi Note 3 is presently on sale for 2,699 Yuan, which is 200 Yuan lower than the price listed on Xiaomi’s official website as well as other retail websites like JD and Suning, where it sells for 2,899 Yuan. The price reduction is for the Bright Black version and also apply to the Blue variant. The Blue variant is presently available for 2,799 Yuan which is still 200 Yuan lower than the official price. This reduction doesn’t apply to the 64GB version of the Note 3.

We don’t know exactly why this sudden reduction or discount in the Mi Note 3’s price but it is likely a temporary reduction aimed at ramping up sales on their retail channel. As a reminder, the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 comes with the upper mid-range Snapdragon 660 chipset with 6GB + 64GB /128GB memory options. There’s a 5.5-inch 1080p display on board. The 12MP camera module is the same as the Mi 6, but the algorithms have been improved to provide better bokeh tracking. Mi 6’s portrait focus wasn’t very accurate, so it would be interesting to see how the new algorithms improve the tracking. On the front, the phone features a large 16 MP 2μm sensor for noise-free selfies. You can check out a few bokeh samples down below. There’s a large 3500mAh battery as well.

(source)

Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore Says Windows Phone Is No Longer Company’s Focus

By

Jeet

-

Oct 9, 2017

There have been a lot of speculations regarding the future of Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. Now, it seems that the company’s executive Joe Belfiore has put the matter to rest.

Joe Belfiore, former Windows Phone program manager and current Corporate VP for Windows, has tweeted that new features and hardware for Windows 10 Mobile “aren’t the focus anymore” for the company.

However, if you are the one who is still using Windows Phone, you’ll still get fixes and security patches, but don’t expect anything more than that. The fixes and patches will keep coming mainly due to the adoption of Windows 10 Mobile for Work in the enterprise market.

One of the major reason he pointed out for dropping the platform is to get developers to develop apps for the platform. He even said that Microsoft tried paying companies to make apps, but the lack of users became another problem as for most companies, the userbase was too low to invest.

Of course, there were more reasons behind the failure of Windows Phone. While the company failed to keep up with Android and iOS, it also had no specific hardware strategy, or so it appeared.

The tweets clearing the air regarding Windows Phone comes from Belfiore after talks about him switching to iPhone and Android devices as his daily drivers.

While it is clear that Microsoft is no longer focusing on the platform, at least not for the near future, the company seems to be more focused on developing and improving applications for Android, macOS and iOS.

Microsoft is encouraging employees to create cross-platform apps in their spare time with Microsoft Garage. Apart from that, it has also launched a few apps for other platforms, including Microsoft Launcher, Edge, Kaizala, Cortana, Next Lock Screen, among others.

As per the rumours, Microsoft is working on a new “mobile” device codenamed Andromeda, which is expected to launch next year. The device will run on the new “Windows Core OS” platform.

(Source)