The iPhone X’s A11 Bionic Trumps Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 Phones on Geekbench

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Sep 16, 2017

Google will go official with the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL on October 4 and they have shared a teaser to that effect on its Made By Google page. The page usually contains all Google’s products and the upcoming models have got their own page. A clever fan was able to dig up some clues by checking up the page and it is an image in the new event site. The image shows two cookies, which are both half black and half white, both on napkins covered with dots. While we cannot say what the image depicts, it could be that the device will only be available in white and black. This suggestion doesn’t look like the right one, though.

The image’s EXIF data was looked up before it was removed and it is shown below. The EXIF data shows Google added some bit of mischief to the beat. The data shows the image was shot with a Google phone but the model is listed as “Not that easy” with a winking smiley. What readily comes to mind is that the photo was shot using either the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL. Of course, both models will likely pack similar camera sensors. The image isn’t too spectacular but you never can tell, it could just be the first of many camera samples from the Pixel 2 that we’ll be seeing in due course. In addition, the image’s geotagging coordinates leads to Google’s Mountain View, California headquarters.

Google Pixel 2 XL is expected sport a 5.99-inch 1440p OLED display which will have a taller, bezel-less screen, while the Pixel 2 is expected to come in at 4.97-inch 1080p display with a lesser but equally good 1080p resolution and the display will have larger bezels. Both models are also expected to feature dual front speakers on both phones, squeezable displays similar to what we have on the HTC U11 as well as an always-on display mode. If rumors are anything to go by, then the second generation Pixel phones will not pack the 3.5mm audio jack.

Xiaomi Offers 249 Yuan One Year Insurance For Mi Mix 2 & Mi Note 3, Covers Screen Damage!

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Sep 16, 2017

Just as it was done for the Mi Mix last year, Xiaomi is offering a 249 Yuan ($38) damaged screen insurance for Mi Mix 2 and the Mi Note 3. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 comes with a large screen without bezels and a ceramic body which are recipes for damage if the phone accidentally drops. The Mi Note 3 also comes with a glass-covered metal body which makes it also fragile.

It is very likely that many who would buy either of the two devices would buy a protective case as well as a screen protector along with it. But previously, some who did the same thing for the Mi Mix had the bitter experience of realizing the protective case wasn’t enough to keep it safe from damage. This sure does underscore the importance of getting an insurance for the phone which costs just 249 Yuan (~$38). That seems like a bargain for a phone with so much glass on it. The insurance covers the screen, water damage, and drops.

The insurance is available when buying the Mix 2 or Note 3 on Xiaomi Mall. The option to add the screen insurance appears when you’re checking out after adding the product to cart. It is also available when buying via Mi App and Official Xiaomi store on Lynx. If you’re snagging up the device from Mi Store, you’d have to ask a staff to add the insurance. Of course, both the Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3 are not yet readily available but whenever they are available, do ensure to add an insurance when buying. We don’t know if this cover will extend to units shipped by third-party retailers out of China. It is vital, though, with the proliferation of full-screen models to look for offers with an insurance package against screen damage.

It’s Official: Near Bezel-less Gionee M7 Will Be Launched on September 25

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Sep 15, 2017

Gionee has officially confirmed via its Weibo page that its near bezel-less Gionee M7 will be launched on September 25 at 3PM (UTC+8). The company released a teaser poster to that effect which not only discloses the launch date but also that the device will first go official in China. Recall that Gionee had earlier released a poster which shows they would be launching an equally near bezel-less M7 and M7 Power in Thailand on September 28.

The Gionee M7 has featured in a couple of leaks so, it is pretty obvious it would pack a full-screen display with ultra-thin bezels at the sides and reduced bezels at the top and bottom. The display panel for the M7 leaked recently revealing in details how it would look like. This would be Gionee’s first device with such small bezels.

The Gionee M7 is expected to sport a 6.0-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080pixels giving it an 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will be powered by a MediaTek Helio P30 chip backed by 6GB of RAM and there is 64Gb of storage onboard. Talking about the cameras, Gionee has put a 16MP rear camera as well as an 8MP front camera n the M7. Providing the interface will be Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Top-End Version With 4GB+64GB Goes On Sale

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Sep 15, 2017

Xiaomi launched the budget Redmi Note 5A last month with a build quality which it touts to be of flagship quality. The mobile phone was made available in two versions; a standard version which is powered by a Snapdragon 425 and has 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. There was also a higher variant with Snapdragon 435 and a variant with 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and another variant with 4GB + 64GB storage. All versions come with dedicated microSD slots and dual SIM slot unlike in the past when the second SIM slot double as a microSD slot.

The Redmi Note 5A immediately went on sale the same day it was launched but the top-most variant packing a Snapdragon 435 chip, 4GB + 64GB memory was not made available for purchase. But all that has changed as Xiaomi put up the 4GB + 64GB variant up on sale and it is priced at just 1199 Yuan (~$180). Xiaomi disclosed that the high-end version would be available for sale on September 15 at 0.00 hours. The sales apparently was a flash sale as the variant is no longer available on Mi Mall.

The tech giant is yet to disclose when next the variant would be available to buy but it obviously would be a while before this variant can be snapped up from online retailers outside of China. But as time goes on, Xiaomi will surely make it available in large quantity as it will be a hot selling product considering the price tag. For now, only the 2GB + 16GB and the 3Gb + 32GB variants are readily available.

InFocus Snap 4, Turbo 5 Plus Camera-Centric Mid-Range Phones Unveiled

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Sep 15, 2017

On Wednesday, InFocus unveiled two new camera-centric smartphones with budget pricing. The Global CEO of InFocus boasted about the Snap 4 as the first Indian smartphone to come with quad cameras. The Turbo 5 Plus is designed to shoot impressive photos with its rear-mounted dual-rear cameras.

InFocus Snap 4

The InFocus Snap 4 has a 5.2-inch IPS display that supports HD resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. The MediaTek MT6750N chipset and 4 GB of RAM is present under the hood of the device. It comes with a native storage of 64 GB and it also features a microSD card slot. It houses a 3,000mAh battery.

Undoubtedly, the front-facing and rear-mounted dual rear cameras are the USPs of the InFocus Snap 4. The frontal dual camera setup includes an 8-megapixel sensor and another 8-megapixel sensor. The rear side features a f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel sensor and a f/2.2 aperture 8-megapixel sensor. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

It is preinstalled with Android Nougat and comes with other features like v4.0 Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and 4G VoLTE. The handset measures 147.6 x 72.7 x 7.99 mm and sports a metal unibody design.

The handset will be go on sale on Amazon India with a pricing of Rs. 11,999 from Sept. 26 starting at 12 PM. Buyers will be provided with up to 30 GB extra Jio 4G data.

InFocus Turbo 5 Plus

The InFocus Turbo 5 Plus is fitted with a 5.5-inch IPS screen that produces a resolution of 720 x 1,280 with is coupled with a 2.5D curved glass. It is powered by MediaTek MT6750N chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. The native storage available on the handset is 32 GB and comes with a microSD card slot.

The rear side of the Turbo 5 Plus features a f/2.2 aperture 13-megapixel and a 5-megapixel dual rear camera system. The frontside features a selfie snapper. It is packed with a massive 4,850mAh battery. The other features of the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, v4.0 Bluetooth and Android Nougat OS and front-mounted fingerprint scanner. It measures 154 x 76.8 x 8.96 mm and weighs 176 grams.

Amazon India will begin the sales of Turbo 5 Plus from Sept. 21 from 12 AM with a price tag of Rs. 8,999. The buyers of the smartphone will receive up to 30 GB additional Jio 4G data.

(source 1, 2)

Vivo X20A Appears On Geekbench Packing Snapdragon 660 SoC & 4GB RAM

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Sep 15, 2017

Vivo is expected to launch its latest bezel-less smartphone dubbed Vivo X20 on September 21. Already the Vivo X20 has been certified by TENAA alongside a Vivio X20A. The X20A which is believed to be the Vivo X20 Plus has now appeared on benchmark platform GeekBench.

Geekbench usually provides scanty details of the device so all we can grab is the presence of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The SD 660 chip is reputed to be a premium mid-range chip and it first appeared on the OPPO R11 earlier this year. The listing also reveals the handset runs Android Nougat (version 7.1.1) out of the box.

Since these specs are similar to those of the X20, there is the possibility that the X20 Plus will only be different in the display size it utilises. The Vivo X20 is tipped to pack a 5.2-inch display while the X20 Plus will come with a 5.5-inch display. It could be bigger than that though, Vivo may stretch things up to 5.8 inches for the X20 Plus. The device is also expected to pack a 24MP camera at the front and rear while a 3,500mAh battery will provide the juice.

Meizu M6 Note Dual Cameras Impresses With Amazing Bokeh & Saturation (Samples)

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Joel Joseph

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Sep 15, 2017

Meizu’s latest mid-ranger turned out to be one hell of a surprise, checking almost all of the features that we would have expected in a smartphone that cost less than $200. It manages to outclass most of the competitors in this price range, especially with its camera specifications. While the phone looks great on paper, it’s important to test out the device in real life as well, so here are a few camera samples that we got from the Meizu M6 Note.

Before I go on to show the camera samples, here’s what I feel about its overall quality.

The Meizu M6 Note manages to capture bright and saturated photos, which helps the images to pop out nicely.
The dynamic range is good, which is evident in a couple of samples below.
The portrait / bokeh / background blur mode is actually pretty good. The object tracking algorithms seem to be quite accurate, resulting in impressive bokeh images.
Low light photos are bright, but could be a bit noisy at times. Still the Arcsoft algorithms seem to do the job well, keeping the photos bright and clear.

Overall, for a smartphone that costs around $165, the camera definitely impresses in our initial test. We’ll get a full Meizu M6 Note review article out very soon.

Meanwhile, check out the samples down below and let us know what do you think about the M6 Note’s camera quality.

Interested in buying this device? Get the Meizu M6 Note from our official shop at just $185.

Meizu M6 Note Cam Sample 20 — bokeh sample

Meizu M6 Note Cam Sample 19 — bokeh effect

MediaTek May Not Release 10nm or 7nm Processors In 2018, Instead Focus Will Be On Mid-Range Segment

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Sep 15, 2017

MediaTek is shifting its focus to mid-range chipsets, a report on DigiTimes has revealed. The report tips MediaTek an unlikely to roll out mobile chips built on the more advanced and smaller 10nm and 7nm manufacturing process in 2018, quoting industry sources that the tech giant is now shifting its focus to the mid-range smartphone segment.

The sources also hint that the Taiwanese fabless chip maker has shifted R&D resources away from flagship chips to the Helio P series mobile chips. The tech giant will be putting its high-end Helio X series on hold in the mean time. MediaTek has so far released three chips under the P series. The Helio P25 was first launched and was dubbed as premium and thereafter the Helio P23 and P30 joined the P25 a couple of months back.

We can’t confirm the authenticity of the information but if it is true, the lag in the race to develop advanced-node solutions could be a warning sign that Taiwan’s IC design industry growth could be constrained. Presently, there is a stiff competition to develop chips using more compact wafer. The latest mobile chips are built using 10nm technology with MediaTek having its own 10nm Helio X30 chip. But the race is on to develop chips using 7nm wafers with Qualcomm said to be working on the next-gen Snapdragon 845 chip using the 7nm manufacturing process. MediaTek may likely not be joining the race anytime soon if this news is anything to go by.

MediaTek has seen a rapid decline in its mobile chip shipments since last year, recording an all-time low gross margin of 35.6%. The company is striving to improve its gross margin by 1-2pp every quarter over the next 2-3 quarters and anticipates its gross margin would return to the 37-39% level as early as the second half of 2018. According to MediaTek’s CEO, Rick Tsai, the Helio P-series mobile phone processors will be a major product focus of the company, and 12nm will be the main process technology MediaTek’s mobile chips will be made using during the first half of 2018.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Sold Out In Just 58 Seconds, Next Sale On Sept. 19

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Joel Joseph

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Sep 15, 2017

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is one of the cheapest full screen bezel-less smartphones in the market today, starting at an affordable price tag of just $506. Naturally, the phone turned out to be a hot pick among premium smartphone buyers, raking in more than 1 million registrations for its first sale.

Xiaomi CEO had promised that the company has enough stock to satisfy the demand from its fans in China, however, like tradition, the quantity of stock offered in the first Mi Mix 2 sale held today wasn’t enough. According to an official statement, the Mi Mix 2 sold out in just 58 seconds.

It’s actually not surprising to see the phone sell out so quickly in the first sale. The next sale is on September 19, which is just a few days away. So, let’s wait and watch whether the phone manages to last longer in the second sale.

Meanwhile, you can pre-order the Mi Mix 2 from Giztop right now. You can also check out our hands on article as well as comparison with the Mi Mix here.

Qualcomm’s 3D Facial Recognition To Power Samsung, Xiaomi Flagships Next Year

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Sep 15, 2017

Apple’s latest iPhone X stood out for many reasons, one of them being that the device utilizes a full-screen bezel-less design. Another spectacular feature on iPhone X is the 3D facial recognition technology it features. Before the launch of the Apple flagship phone, the rumor mills were agog concerning the feature it would pack. It was also rumored that Xiaomi would feature the technology in its next flagship model. Looks like the 3D facial recognition technology will find its way into more smartphones than we thought next year.

News emanating from the Taiwan industry chain hint that Qualcomm is accelerating it SLiM 3D camera technology and would begin mass production in January next year as the technology is expected to debut right on schedule in Q1 2018. The report also reveals that the technology will be used on Samsung and Xiaomi who are tipped as already working rapidly on the phones that would utilize the technology. Xiaomi will be launching a successor to its Mi 6 flagship which would likely be known as Mi 7. The device is expected to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 System-on-chips and would also come with the required hardware to power the 3D Facial technology.

Qualcomm officially announced the Structured Light Module (SLiM) 3D solution which it developed in partnership with Himax on August 30. The SLiM technology is a turn-key 3D camera module that delivers real-time depth sensing and 3D point cloud generation with high resolution and high accuracy performance for indoor and outdoor environments. The module is engineered for very low power consumption in a compact, low profile form factor, making the solution ideal for embedded and mobile device integration. Apart from mobile phones, the 3D technology is expected to be used in cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, monitors and other fields.

Apart from the 3D Face ID, the Xiaomi Mi 7 will also come with a full-screen design and would see an upgrade to its dual cameras, among other features. Samsung had also been in the news lately, as the tech giant is fingered to be planning an early release for the Galaxy S9 next year. The next-gen flagship is expected to debut in January 2018 with Snapdragon 845, a repositioned fingerprint sensor, Android Oreo and more.

Two LeEco Subsidiaries Blacklisted for Unpaid Debts by Supreme Court in China

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Sep 15, 2017

LeEco that appeared like a major competitor to companies like Apple, Tesla and Amazon, has now become a debt-ridden company. Fresh information reveals that the Supreme Court of China has blacklisted two subsidiaries of LeEco, as they have defaulted in clearing payments to their suppliers.

The blacklisting of LeEco’s subsidiaries have brought certain restrictions on company executives, including a ban on traveling by plane in China. The blacklisting clearly reveals the financial crisis LeEco is going through.

The website of Supreme People’s Court has documents that state that Beijing-based Leishi Holding, managed by Jia Yueting and Leishi Yidong, a mobile affiliate of the LeEco group have together failed to clear a debt of $16.38 million. It is interesting to note that the reason behind blacklisting these companies is that they do not want to clear the debt even though they are in a position to do so.

An analyst has claimed that the company is yet to make a decision on whether it will be paying back the debts or investing on expanding its business. An executive from Leishi Holding has said that debt amount is smaller the asset value of the firm. He affirmed that the company is in a position of clearing its debts and is working on getting rid of non-listed assets.

Jia Yueting had earlier stated that its company would be able to rival with American tech titans in various departments like smartphones, smart TVs and electric cars. However, in November last year, Yueting officially confirmed that his firm is in a financial crisis. He realized earlier this year that the company is in a bigger trouble even when an investment of 16.8 billion Yuan from a property tycoon could not help in resolving financial issues.

Yeuting has resigned from the position of Chariman and CEO of LeEco around two months ago. Earlier in this month, it was reported that LeEco has slashed nearly 85 percent of its workforce in the U.S. The official LeEco U.S. has been shut down and the Vizio’s acquisition for $2 billion by LeEco has been cancelled.

Analysts are of the view that the downfall of LeEco happened because it tried to expand too fast in multiple departments. This resulted in finishing its cash flow, which made it debt-ridden. It seems that the future is very bleak for LeEco.

Essential Phone Android 8.0 Update and 3.5mm Port Accessory with High Quality DAC Officially Confirmed

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Sep 15, 2017

Essential Phone that has recently released in the market comes preloaded with Android 7.1 Nougat. During a recent AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit, Essential Products Vice-President of Software, Rebecca Zavin, confirmed that the Android 8.0 Oreo update would coming soon to Essential Phone. Moreover, he has also confirmed on the 3.5mm audio jack accessory for Essential Phone users.

Essential Phone Android 8.0 Oreo Update and 3.5mm Audio Accessory

Zavin said that the company would be releasing their kernel and factory images of Android 8.0 Oreo update in the next few days. As far as official Android 8.0 Oreo OTA update is concerned, it has been confirmed to arrive within next month or two.

During the AMA session, the company gave out a statement on why it did not include a 3.5mm audio jack on the Essential Phone. The reason why the feature was axed is that it is a big component and does not go well with full screen design of the smartphone. Including it could have resulted in a bigger chin on the device and reduction of battery capacity by 10 percent. Moreover, the presence of a headphone jack would have created a big bump. Since the company was not ready for such tradeoffs, it decided to build the Essential Phone without a 3.5mm audio jack.

The company has confirmed that it will be soon releasing a high-end audio accessory that will feature a 3.5mm audio jack as well as a topnotch DAC. This accessory can be connected on the rear-facing magnetic pins of the Essential Phone. A charging dock is already in works and it will be rolling out as the second accessory for the phone. A 360-degree camera module was unveiled during the launch of the phone.

Camera Improvements and Ocean Depth, Stellar Grey Color Models.

Essential Products CEO Andy Rubin has said that the company is working on improving the performance of the camera as they are not satisfied with computational photography software for fusing monochrome and color sensors. Users can also expect camera improvements in the near future through software updates.

As far the white ceramic version of the Essential Phone is concerned, the company is working on its trail builds and retail units would begin shipping in the next few weeks. As far as Ocean Depths and Stellar Grey color variants of the smartphone is concerned, the company claimed that it is less to produce non-white or non-black color variants. Hence, it won’t be releasing these color models soon.

(source|via)

Nubia Z17 Mini Limited Edition With 6GB Of RAM, Aurora Blue Color Launched

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Sep 15, 2017

ZTE’s Nubia has introduced a new edition of the Nubia Z17 Mini in India and it comes with 6GB of RAM. The Z17 Mini was launched in India about three month back but before then, it made headlines in April when it was first unveiled in China due to its amazing design and powerful dual cameras. The dual cameras was the major selling point which Nubia projected in the Indian market when it was first introduced.

However, the new version is equipped with a Snapdragon 653 processor, backed by 6GB of RAM and there is 128GB of storage available. This is a familiar specs for the Z17 Mini as it was launched in China initially with the 4GB variant. But Nubia is introducing it into the Indian market for the first time. In addition, the new edition comes with a new Aurora Blue color.

The Nubia Z17 Mini still sports a 5.2-inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920x1080p. Perhaps, the most stand-out feature on the Nubia Z17 Mini is the dual camera setup at the rear, as well as the large pixel selfie shooter. The main camera is a powerful 13MP Sony IMX258 sensor and the secondary sensor is a depth of field camera. The dual camera supports 0.1s mixed focus and also 4K ultra-high definition video recording. It can also capture in slow motion and has time lapse feature. While there is a 16MP selfie camera at the front. The device runs on Nubia UI 4.0 based on Android Marshmallow. There is also a 2950mAh battery crammed inside the device.

As for the price, the Nubia Z17 Mini Limited Edition is priced at Rs. 21,499 ($335) and will be available exclusively from Amazon.in starting from today, September 15th.

Android 8.0 Oreo Update for 12 Motorola Smartphones Confirmed

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Sep 15, 2017

In the past weeks, several smartphone OEMs such as BlackBerry, HTC, Nokia, Huawei and Sony have confirmed on the smartphones that will be upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo. Today, Motorola has also confirmed on the list of smartphones that will be getting the Oreo upgrade.

Motorola has released several smartphones in this year and 2016. However, the Android 8.0 Oreo will not be coming to a couple of handsets. Below mentioned Motorola smartphones would be upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo:

Moto Z
Moto Z Droid
Moto Z Force Droid
Moto Z Play
Moto Z Play Droid
Moto Z2 Play
Moto Z2 Force Edition
Moto X4
Moto G5
Moto G5 Plus
Moto G5S
Moto G5S Plus

Motorola has mentioned on its official blog that the software rollout will begin this fall. The Moto E4, E4 Plus, Moto C and Moto C Plus smartphones that were released this year are not present on the above list which indicates that these phones may not receive Android 8.0 Oreo update.

Moto G4, Moto G4 Play and Moto G4 Plus were launched in May last year with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. These handsets have already Nougat update. However, it seems that even though they are over 1-year old devices, they may not be upgraded to Android 8.0. Hence, they are not listed above.

Motorola is rumored to be working on an Android One version of the Moto X4 smartphone and it is rumored to be aimed towards the U.S. markets. This smartphone is also expected to get the Oreo upgrade. In the U.S. Verizon is confirmed to release Android 8.0 Oreo update for Moto Z2 Force, Moto Z2 Play, Moto Z Force, Moto Z and Moto Z Play. Their unlocked versions are also confirmed to receive Android 8 update.

AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are also going to release Oreo update for Moto Z2 Force. AT&T and T-Mobile will also release Android 8.0 firmware to Moto Z. Lastly, the unlocked versions Moo G5, Moto G5 Plus, Moto G5S and Moto GS5 Plus are also going to receive the software update.

(source 1, 2)

Nokia 2 Renders Reveals Design; Launching on October 5?

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Sep 15, 2017

Nokia 2 is an entry-level smartphone from HMD Global that is expected to soon in the near future. The design of the smartphone has already been revealed through previously seen renders. However, well-known leakster has shared fresh renders of the smartphone in two color variants. The renders hint that the smartphone may get unveiled on Oct. 5.

Nokia 2 pic.twitter.com/IPp6Qvxp8o

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 14, 2017

As it can be seen in the above renders, the Nokia 2 would be probably coming in Black and Silver models. It does not feature a fingerprint reader and has a simplistic design with thick bezels around the display. The handset seems to be graced with polycarbonate chassis with rounded corners. Nokia 2 seems to be the first smartphone from the company to sport on-screen navigation buttons. The rear side of the smartphone has a camera, an LED flash and an external speaker.

Previous reports have revealed that the Nokia 2’s dimensions are similar to Nokia 3. The upcoming entry-level phone from the Finnish firm is expected to house a 5-inch HD display. It is likely to come in Snapdragon 212 (or 210) and MediaTek chipset versions for different markets. The chipset of the Nokia 2 is speculated to be accompanied by 1 GB of RAM. Moreover, the handset is also rumored to arrive in single-SIM and dual-SIM editions.

It is expected to arrive loaded with near-stock edition of Android 7.0 Nougat. The rear side of the phone may feature an 8-megapixel camera and it is tipped to house a 5-megapixel frontal shooter. A 4,000mAh mammoth battery is expected to power the Nokia 2.

In the previous month, HMD Global had unveiled the Nokia 8 flagship phone on Aug. 16. Since the Nokia 2 had already acquired FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification before the launch of Nokia 8, the rumor mill had speculated that both smartphones would be unveiled on the same date.

HMD Global is still silent on the launch date of the Nokia 2. However, looking on the date mentioned on the above renders, it appears that Nokia 5 may get unveiled on Oct. 5. As far as pricing is concerned, it is expected to be cheaper than Nokia 3 that is available for about $160. The Finnish firm is expected to make an official statement on its arrival very soon. The company is also rumored to be prepping on the launch of bezel-less Nokia 9 flagship that is expected to break cover before the end of 2017.

Research Data Shows Samsung Impacted On Huawei’s EU Growth In Mid-2017

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Sep 15, 2017

Chinese tech giant Huawei is likely having quite a good run in the smartphone market presently. A recent report by Counterpoint research showed Huawei beat Apple to clinch the second spot in overall global cellphone shipments in the month of June and July 2017 with a treble looking possible in the month of August 2017. The report shows that Samsung, Apple, and Huawei are still the top three smartphone vendors in the world with Samsung still retaining its position as the global leader with a stronger showing in the month of June.

While the feat isn’t expected to last long, Huawei seems to have the potential to continue its drive for the top. A recent research data compiled by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech reveals that Huawei’s progress in July was almost scuttled by strong showing by Samsung and Sony but the Chinese market leader rallied round and emerged alongside Sony as the best performers in the five largest markets in Europe during this period. While Sony held a market share of 4.8%, Huawei recorded a market share of 14.6%. Despite this, Huawei’s share in Great Britain and Germany fell over those three months, primarily due to Samsung and Sony’s new entry-level and mid-range offerings which are extremely value-oriented. The Chinese tech giant still managed to maintain its dominant position by increasing its performance in Italy and Germany, which led to an increase in its EU5 market share by 2.2 percentage compared to the same period last year.

Samsung continued dominating the U.S. market during the period under consideration with a market share of 36.2 percent, closely followed by Apple with over 34 percent of the market share. The iPhone 7 was still the most successful smartphone in mid-2017, accounting for 12.6 percent sales in the U.S., with the Galaxy S8 lineup placing second with 8.8 percentage points of all sales in the country.

The final quarter of the year is traditionally the most lucrative period for consumer electronics manufacturers, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 and Apple’s new flagship lineup which is made up of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the bezel-free iPhone X will likely surpass Huawei’s models in terms of sales. The release of Apple’s latest offerings is also expected to challenge Samsung’s overall position in the U.S. market, Apple’s stronghold. But Huawei is expected to continue its push for the top with the Mate 10 and other products coming out before the end of the year.

(source, via)

Pixel 2, Pixel XL 2 Launching on October 4, Google Releases Press Invitations

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Sep 15, 2017

Google has started teasing the launch event date for the upcoming Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones. It was reported yesterday that a huge billboard has hinted that the search engine giant would be holding a launch event on Oct. 4. According to The Verge, the company has sent out press invitations for the Oct. 4 launch event that will be held at San Francisco starting at 9 AM PT and 12 PM ET.

A new teaser video has appeared on Google’s official YouTube channel as well as on its Twitter account to hint the arrival of new Pixel phones on Oct. 4. By watching the video, it can be understood that Google is trying to suggest that the next-generation Pixel phones would be offering a longer battery life, abundant storage space, impressive cameras, smarter Google Assistant, faster updates, and snappy performance without getting.

After asking a couple of questions, the video shows the “Funny you should ask” text which is followed by Oct. 4 date. Google seems to have timed the launch teasers with the pre-orders of iPhone 8 and 8 Plus that’s scheduled to begin today. Google has also created a landing page that says, “Stay tuned for more on October 4.” The landing page requires users to enter their email address and country name to get the latest update and tips from Google.

In 2016, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones that were made by HTC were unveiled on Oct. 4. It appears that the search engine is prepping to announce the successor phones on the very same date this year.

Google’s upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones have already been approved by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the U.S. This is indication that these smartphones are almost ready for launch. Rumors have revealed that the Pixel 2 is being assembled by HTC whereas the Pixel XL 2 is being manufactured by LG. Like the predecessor phones, Google will be selling them as “madebyGoogle” devices.

Recent reports have revealed that the upcoming Google Pixel phones will have the best features from flagship phones like HTC U11 and LG V30. The squeezable frame present on HTC U11 is expected to be available on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL as Active Edge. The LG V30’s FullVision OLED panel is pegged to be present on the Pixel XL 2.