Xiaomi Mi 6X Renders Show Full Screen Design, Sleek Appeal, Dual Camera Like iPhone X

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Jan 26, 2018

Earlier this week, leaked images showing the front and rear sides of a prototype of Xiaomi Mi 6X was spotted on Weibo. Today, concept renders of the Mi 6X have surfaced based on the leaked information that have surfaced in the recent weeks.

Since the past month, leaked photos have revealed that the Xiaomi Mi 6X will be coming with an iPhone X-like vertically aligned dual camera setup. The dual sensors are speculated to be separated by a LED flash. The concept renders claim that the handset would be sporting a premium appeal as it features glass rear and stainless frame. However, recent images have suggested that the metallic rear with matte finish.

The fingerprint scanner can be also seen on the rear side of the phone. The right edge of the phone features the volume buttons and Power key.

Coming to the frontside of the Xiaomi Mi 6X concept model, it features a full screen design. Its display will be supports full HD resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The handset will come preinstalled with MIUI 9 flavored OS. The device can be seen sporting a USB-C port.

The Mi 6X is expected to debut as a mid-range phone. However, the concept model of Mi 6X features Snapdragon 845, 6 GB/8 GB RAM, and Android 8.0 which seems too good to be true for Mi 6X. Recent leaks have suggested that the Mi 6X may feature the Surge S2 in-house chipset from Xiaomi. It is most likely to run on Android Nougat flavored MIUI 9. The concept model features a 5.5-inch display. Since the predecessor Mi 5X has a 5.5-inch display, its successor model is speculated to arrive with a larger screen.

There is no information available on the pricing of the Xiaomi Mi 6X. However, it is speculated that the Mi 6X may get unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 in the next month along with the Surge S2 processor. The device may launch outside of China as Xiaomi Mi A2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch0QFL5W3VA

What do you think about the above renders? Share us your views by posting your comments below.

(source)

More Nokia 9 Protective Cases Spotted Online, Design In Tow As Launch Draws Near

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 26, 2018

HMD Global’s Nokia has already dished out invitation for the MWC 2018 launch of its products one of which is believed to be the Nokia 9. A couple of renders have made the rounds since rumors of the much-anticipated flagship emerged last year. We had even spotted a couple of protective cases of the device on Amazon. if you think the protective casing we had seen were flukes, you may have to have a rethink as more cases have appeared on Amazon, adopting similar design.

The Nokia 9 cases we first saw on Amazon were manufactured by case-maker HualuBro and was sold by more than one seller on Amazon. But now, a couple of other cases by different case manufacturers have been listed. Popular case maker Terrapin even has the Nokia 9 protective cases on its website with the same design. What makes this special is that the protective case also revealed the purported render of the flagship 9. Most of the listings are accompanied by some 3D renders of the Nokia 9 revealing the design to a large extent both the front as well as the back.

The renders confirm some details contained in previous leaks like the presence of an edge-to-edge display and a dual camera setup. The display wraps around the long edges of the case while the dual camera is aligned in the vertical direction with the LED flash at the right side. The device also features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor as captured in all the renders and it is located just beneath the rear camera.

According to a recent FCC listing, the Nokia 9 is expected to sport a 5.5-inch OLED screen with 2K resolution supplied by LG Display. The device packs a dual rear camera setup made up of a 12MP + 13MP sensor. There is a 5MP sensor at the front for selfies. In addition the device will pack a Snapdragon 835 processor while a 3250mAH battery will keep the lights on.

Get Up To 40% Off On RC Toys And Other Accessories On Banggood

By

Vinay Patel

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Jan 26, 2018

As part of its Happy New Year promotion for RC toys, Banggood is offering up to 40% discount on selected remote control toys. Let’s check out the details.

Hot Sale

In this segment of Banggood’s latest promotion, you can buy 1:43 Four Channel RC car at a discounted price of $8.19. This is a significant 18% reduction in the item’s original selling price of $9.99. This discount is valid for 4 more days.

The site is also selling Flytec 989-393 2.4G high-speed RC tank at a dropped price of just $53.99. The original asking price of this item is $67.07, and you can take advantage of the 20% discount before the promotion sale ends on January 26.Likewise, Banggood is also offering 9% off on WPL WPLB-1 1/16 2.4G 4WD RC crawler off-road car, bringing it’s $42.99 selling price down to just $38.99. This item is up for grabs in army green and khaki color versions.

RC Car

Some of the RC cars featured in this section are up for grabs at a discounted price. For instance, the WLtoys A979B 4WD 1/18 Monster Truck RC Car which sells for $88.99 is available for just $74.99 on Banggood.
Similarly, Subotech Brave BG1511 1/22 RC desert buggy car which carries a price tag of $69.99 is available at a discounted price of just $60.99 on Banggood. Among a slew of other RC cars, the site is also offering 16% off on the $69.99 selling price of Orlandoo-Hunter OH35A01 1/35 DIY kit RC crawler, bringing it down to just $58.99.

RC Car and Boat Parts

There are various items in this section including 10A ESC brushed speed controller for RC car and boat, which is available at a discounted price of $5.99, thanks to a 13% discount on its $6.85 selling price by Banggood.Other items in this division include Wheel Rim & Tires HSP 1:10 Monster Truck RC Car (4PCS), B2040 4000KV/3000KV Inrunner Water Cooled Brushless Motor, and Stainless Steel 8mm/4mm Marine Prop Shafts for RC boat, just to name a few.

Transmitter For RC Car Or Boat

This section features 4 items including HG P401 P402 P601 1/10 RC Car 2.4G 2CH Transmitter HG-TX1, HBX 2098B 1/24 4WD mini RC vlimber/crawler transmitter E773, JLB racing CHEETAH 1/10 Brushless RC Car Transmitter with receiver and Dasmikro Customized 8 Channel Flysky GT3C Transmitter Toogle.

WLtoys RC Car Parts

You can purchase WLtoys 12428 12423 FY-03 02 01 Upgrade Metal Wheel Rims and save 18% on its original $15.91 selling price on Banggood. You only need to shell out $12.99 for this item.
There is a myriad of other similar items such as WLtoys Upgrade Metal Base With 380 390 Adjustable Motor Seat 1/18 A949 A959 A969 A979 RC Car part, WLtoys Upgrade Metal C Seat A959-B A959 A969 A979 K929 RC Car Parts 2PCS and lots more.

RC Car Kit

You can buy Feiyue FY-03 12428 Desert Falcon universal vendor kit full upgrade accessories for $85.60. You can earn 85 Banggood points when you buy this item on Banggood.

Magnetic Toys

You can buy 5mm Sliver DIY Neo Cube Magic beads magnetic balls puzzle with a box for just $11.99. This is a 20% decrease in the device’s primary selling price of $14.99. Alternatively, you can go for 3/4/5mm magnetic cube magnet balls magic square 3D puzzle ball sphere at a discounted price of $6.99 ~ $11.49. This is a noteworthy reduction in its original price of $13.59.

There’s a massive 40% discount on Magnetic Rubber Mud plasticine clay, which reduces its $4.99 selling price to only $2.99. You can also save 29% on magnetic mud plasticine putty ferrofluid dense ferrofluid magnet toys’ original selling price of $4.19.

WOR KER Toys for Nerf

This category features multiple items bearing up to 29% discount. You can buy WORKER decoration modify set for Nerf N-strike Stryfe Elite toys accessory at a discounted price of $64.99.
Likewise, you can go for WORKER Decoration Set FN SCAR for Nerf N-stryfe Elite toys modify accessory and save 27% on its original price of $91.99. It’s worth noting that Banggood’s Happy New Year Promotion for RC Toys is slated to end soon.

You can head straight to this link in order to get up to 40% discount and capitalize on the promotion before it comes to an end.

Get Up To 40% Discount On RC Toys On Banggood

OPPO Will Be Among The First Manufacturers To Release A 5G Smartphone: CEO

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Updated Feb 27, 2018

Qualcomm held a technology summit in Beijing, China yesterday aimed at strengthening ties with its business partners. Among those in attendance was OPPO’s CEO Tony Chen who spoke on his company’s plans for the next-generation 5G network standard.

According to the CEO, OPPO had begun its 5G research and development three years ago in close cooperation with Qualcomm. Thus, the company will be among the first batch of OEMs to launch 5G mobile phones. Te CEO specified that OPPO isn’t likely going to be the first to adopt the 5G network standard but will be among the first two phone makers to manufacture 5G products. Oppo also announced during the event that it has joined Qualcomm’s “5G Pilot” program to jointly explore innovations in mobile technology in the era of 5G era.

5G is the next big thing in the telecommunications world and all the big players from infrastructure builders, to component and consumer product manufacturers to network operators are already laying out plans and even executing them all ready for the new network standard. A couple of months back, Qualcomm released its royalty terms for 5G technology for OEMs and also recently successfully tested the world’s first 5G new radio system which would usher in the next-gen technology.

(source)

Xiaomi Quietly Releases Redmi 5 With 4GB RAM For ¥1099

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

When Xiaomi announced the Redmi 5 last month it was available in two variants – 2GB + 16GB and 3GB + 32GB. A visit to the official website shows that there is a new variant.

The official website shows Xiaomi has quietly launched a 4GB RAM model of the Redmi 5 Plus. Surprisingly, it comes with 32GB of storage like the 3GB model. The new variant is available in black, gold, and light blue with a ¥1099 (~$174) price tag.

If you believe the 3GB RAM variant isn’t powerful enough for you, then paying ¥200 (~$32) more for an extra 1GB of RAM shouldn’t be too much to ask. To be honest, ~$30 is a lot for just an extra 1GB of RAM.

The rest of the specs remain the same as the other two variants. There is a 5.7” 1440 x 720 display, a Snapdragon 450 processor, and a 3300mAh battery.

Continue

LG Says G7 Is On Schedule, Will Launch “When The Time Is Right”

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

A Korean publication reported earlier that LG’s CEO ordered the mobile division to begin work on the LG G7 from scratch. This development is said to be the reason why the G7 won’t launch at MWC. Though there are also rumors it may not even be called the LG G7. Fresh details about the phone have surfaced clearing the matter.

According to Android Central, a LG representative told them that “The successor to the G6 is on schedule and the official name will be announced when the time is right. Until then, reports of a decision being made on the timing and name are all speculative”.

While there is no direct confirmation, it appears that development of the successor to the G6 is still on and they aren’t starting from scratch. However, there is a high chance it is still not launching at MWC and may also not come as the LG G7.

Continue

Xiaomi Launches Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus in Taiwan

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

Xiaomi’s latest devices – the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus have made their way out of China to neighboring country, Taiwan. This is the first market outside China to sell both phones.

The Redmi 5 launched in Taiwan is the 3GB RAM + 32GB variant and is priced at NT$3,999 (~¥870/$138). On the other hand, the larger Redmi 5 Plus that will be available in Taiwan is the high-end 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM model. It is priced at NT$5,999 (~¥1305/$207).

Sales will commence at 12 noon on January 30. Interested buyers will be able to purchase a unit on the official Mi website, Mi Home stores, and PCHome stores. All color variants will be available for both phones on the Mi store.

On February 1, Taiwanese carriers Chungwa Telecom, Far EasTern, and Taiwan Star will begin selling the Redmi 5 while the Redmi 5 Plus will be exclusive to Far EasTern.

Continue

There Will Be No HTC U12 At MWC 2018

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 25, 2018

According to an insider mentioned by our colleagues from Android Headlines, HTC will not release any flagship at MWC 2018. We expected it, as the Taiwanese company usually doesn’t announce any flagship phones at the most important trade show of the year related to mobile devices in the past few years. The company is used to make its own events to announce its flagships, and it seems it will be so in 2018 as well.

HTC is another of the many brands which decided to skip the Mobile World Congress to launch their most important flagships for 2018. We learned that even Huawei P11 will not be showcased at the trade show, and the same will happen with LG G7. Instead of this one, we will see an improved version of the LG V30 with AI.

This means that there won’t be much competition for Samsung and its Galaxy S9 which has been scheduled to release on February 25. Together with the Samsung Galaxy S9, there should be HMD Global and Sony to present their flagships. HMD is expected to announce the Nokia 9, while Sony should unveil its Xperia XZ Pro that is rumored to come with a 4K display and an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC.

(Source)

Honor Devices Are The Most Sold Chinese Phones Online, Huawei Beaten As Well

By

Michele Ingelido

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Jan 25, 2018

According to famous research firm Counterpoint, a third-party market research company called Sino and one of the biggest e-commerce companies in China (Jingdong), Honor devices are the strongest phones in online sales. Let’s start with the first report, which has been made by Counterpoint in cooperation with Jingdong, and it refers to the Jingdong e-commerce website. A top ten list has been published, and it shows Honor at the first place among the best-selling smartphones brand.

At the second and third place, there are Xiaomi and Apple, respectively. The 4th and the 5th spot are occupied by Huawei and Meizu. 360 Mobile, Oppo, Vivo, Nokia, and Angelcare (ZTE‘s sub-brand) occupy the second half of the ranking. Honor is also incredibly strong with single models: Honor 8 Youth Edition and Honor 6X are at the second and third place in the ranking of the most sold phones on Jingdong Mall. But the most sold Chinese phone on Jingdong is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X: the variant of the Redmi Note 4 with Snapdragon 625. According to Sino, Honor smartphones are the most sold Chinese smartphones on the internet with 54.5 million units shipped and sales of 78.9 billion Yuan.

Huawei is not only the best smartphone brand in China, but it is also the best Chinese brand in the global market. And the Honor line has registered a growth of 160% during Black Friday. This Chinese giant is becoming a serious menace to Samsung and Apple: note that the company has already confirmed that they are going to increase its global market share from 15 to 50% by 2020. When the company will reach the U.S. shores, it will grow even more.

Do you think Huawei will become the best smartphone brand in the world in the near future or Samsung will be able to keep its first place?

(Via)

Samsung Galaxy S9 Dummy Spotted In Leaked Video With Vivid Clarity

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2018

Samsung today officially revealed that it would launch the Galaxy S9 and S9+ on February 25 just before the official kickoff of MWC 2018. The tech giant has done the expected as invitations have been sent out to the media for the Galaxy Unpacked 2018 holding in Barcelona. Now, we have got what is likely the first leaked photo of the Galaxy S9 since the announcement was made. We look forward to seeing more before the official launch.

The leaked video appeared on China’s Weibo and is far clearer than the first video which appeared on Weibo a couple of days back. It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S9 will feature much-thinner bezels than the Galaxy S8. The short dummy video shows us not just the rear view but also the front view of the device. It also reaffirms earlier rumors of a single rear camera on the Galaxy S9. The rear camera is followed by a fingerprint sensor at the bottom and LED flash on the right side of the camera. Samsung disclosed on the launch invitation that the Galaxy S9 would pack a reimagined camera. The poster seems to also hint at the presence of a single rear shooter. As you can see on the poster above, the word “Reimagined” was written inside the circle created by number 9 which could be a reference to a single rear shooter. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S9+ is expected to come with dual rear cameras.

As a reminder, Samsung Galaxy S9 is expected to feature a 5.77-inch Quad HD+ dual-curved Super AMOLED display while the Galaxy S9+ will come with a bigger 6.22-inch Quad HD+ dual-curved Super AMOLED display. The models are expected to pack either a Snapdragon 845 or an Exynos 9810 chipset and would be fueled by a 3,000mAh battery. Further, the Galaxy S9 will present with a 12MP rear camera with f/1.5 aperture and OIS and an 8MP selfie camera with f/1.7 aperture.

(source, via)

Xiaomi Again Suspends Android Oreo Roll-Out For Mi A1

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

We all love it when manufacturers are quick to release updates for devices, but when they come filled with bugs, its a different story entirely. Xiaomi has been trying to get the Android One Mi A1 updated to Oreo but anytime it does there seems to be an issue.

The stable Oreo update first began rolling out on New Year’s eve after being in beta. A few weeks later it was stopped due to bugs. Last week, the roll-out resumed only for a moderator on the official Xiaomi forum to announce yesterday that the roll-out has been stopped again due to bugs.

The moderator says the update will resume in a few days. However, we suggest you wait till some users have installed it before doing so if you haven’t updated it before. This is to save you from ending up with a buggy and unusable device.

Continue

OPPO Planning To Enter Japan and Europe Says CEO

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

Qualcomm held a summit in China today where it had top executives from its partner companies in attendance. OPPO’s CEO Tony Chen was present and he revealed some info about the company.

Speaking at a roundtable forum which included Xiaomi’s President and Co-Founder Bin Lin; Vivo’s CEO Wei Shen; and Lenovo Chairman Aymar de Lencuesaing, amongst others,; Mr. Chen revealed that his company is planning an entry into the Japanese and European markets.

According to him, he doesn’t believe that there is a clear distinction between China and overseas markets. OPPO already has a strong presence in China and in the past year has extended its arms into more markets.

The company’s plan is to enter into developing as well as developed markets hence its decision to launch in Japan and Europe. At the moment, OPPO phones are sold in Egypt, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam to name a few.

Continue

OnePlus’ Latest 5T Advert Involves Cacti Being Hurled At Stupid Men

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

OnePlus is back with another video ad for its latest smartphone – the OnePlus 5T. Titled “The Cactus Test”, the video isn’t your conventional advert which appears to be a recurring them for OnePlus.

The video has two stupid men dressed in their underpants with bulls eye marks drawn over their bodies. One man is given a OnePlus 5T while the other gets a Samsung Galaxy Note8. Two other men are in charge of hurling cacti at the men. Whoever gets to open “20 everyday apps” first wins.

Continue

Giveaway – Win A Parblo Coast 13 Graphic Monitor

By

Shine Wong

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Updated Jan 29, 2018

Gizmochina along with Parblo official is conducting 1 unit Parblo Coast 13 Update Version as giveaway gift to a lucky reader. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing gift.

Parblo Coast 13 (Updated Version) offers a natural and seamless experience for creating and enhancing your painting potential. Compared with Parblo Coast 13, it improves its color gamut to 72% NTSC. Combined with the HD 1920*1080 high resolution screen, it presents you with a more clear and bright interface.

To learn more about this Parblo drawing pen display, please visit this video:

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

Visit and Like Parblo on Facebook;
Visit and Like Parblo on Instagram;
Share this giveaway contest to your friends on social sites;

Terms & Conditions:

1. The giveaway is an international giveaway.
2. We are not responsible for lost shipments.
3. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
4. We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
5. The prize will be shipped in a month when the giveaway end (Because the Chinese new year is coming, the shipping probably will be delayed. Thanks for your understanding).

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

Once again, good luck.

Giveaway – Win A Parblo Coast 13 Graphic Monitor

Lenovo ZUK Z2 Pro Android Oreo-based ZUI 3.5 Update Released In China

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2018

Lenovo may have finally rested the short-lived but popular ZUK lineup but the company isn’t forgetting the current ZUK smartphones just yet. ZUK CEO Chang Cheng has revealed via his Weibo handle, the release of the ZUI 3.5 UI for the ZUK Z2 Pro flagship smartphone.

Lenovo’s custom ZUK 3.5 is the latest version and it is based on Android 8.0 Oreo operating system. The CEO shared an image containing some details of the new update, although it is written in Chinese. The details include a new UI design, including for calls and text messages, a new Security Center with built-in Blacklist feature, a new U Health app, and a “Personal calendar” function. In addition, the new update brings many bug fixes such as the bug which affected the volume adjustment, loudspeaker, mobile data, media sharing and battery power saving optimization with apps.

The ZUK Z2 Pro was first launched in 2016 running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The smartphone’s OS was upgraded last year to a new ZUI version, bringing in Android Nougat and now, it is getting the latest Android OS. Presently, this ZUI 3.5 update is only available to ZUK Z2 Pro users in China but hopefully, the official ROM will become available to Z2 Pro owners outside of China soon. For now, you may be lucky to find an unofficial ROM on XDA Forum but that may likely have bugs in it.

(source)

Smartisan BS2000 Bluetooth Sports Earphones Launched For ¥299

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 25, 2018

Smartisan’s first launch of the year is not a smartphone but a bluetooth headset. It is not even a new model but a new black variant of its BS2000 Bluetooth Sports Earphones.

The bluetooth headset was originally available in red which looks gorgeous by the way, but Smartisan has decided to release a black variant for those who want a less flashy headset.

The Smartisan BS2000 Bluetooth Sports Earphones has a number of nice features. First, it has a battery life of 8 hours and a standby time of 200 hours which is quite impressive. Charge time is said to take 1.2 hours.

It also has an IPX5 rating, so you don’t have to worry about your sweat or rain ruining it. Smartisan adds that it will also survive in harsh environments.

Continue

Xiaomi Aims To Bolster Its Mobile Phone Arm With New R&D Complex In Shenzhen

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2018

Xiaomi has opened a new R&D complex in Shenzhen, Mainland China. The new complex would be devoted to research and development (R&D) for its mobile phone business. Xiaomi’s president Lin Bin recently visited the new R&D complex at Shenzhen and shed some light on the company’s plans for the centre.

Lin Bin hinted that the R&D centre would be tailored towards conducting research and developing innovative and high-quality products for Xiaomi’s smartphone division. The smartphone arm is unarguably the most successful aspect of Xiaomi’s growing business concerns so, the tech giant strives to boost the quality of its products in order to attract more patronage. Lin Bin also disclosed that his company would recruit 1000 technical experts this year ad some of them would be deployed to the Shenzhen R&D centre which it hoped to build into one of its strongest R&D centre, second only to the Beijing Headquarters.

It could be recalled that Xiaomi recently invested hugely in the building of a new complex in Wuhan which would no doubt also house an R&D centre among others. The company recently went global with its IPO listing which would attract more investors. If this pace is sustained, we could be looking at Xiaomi emerging as one of the world’s top 500 companies very soon.

(source)

Vivo X20 Plus UD’s In-Screen Fingerprint Sensor Won’t Work with Some Screen Protectors

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 25, 2018

Vivo had showcased the world’s first smartphone with under-display fingerprint scanner supplied by Synaptics at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 earlier in this month. However, at that time, the company had not disclosed the official name of the device. Yesterday, Vivo had a launch event to unleash the X20 Plus In-Screen Fingerprint version that is also known as Vivo X20 Plus UD. Customers who are interested in buying the smartphone should be aware of the fact that its in-screen fingerprint sensor will not work with screen protectors of certain thickness.

The fingerprint sensor is placed beneath the outer glass and OLED panel of the phone. Hence, a scratch to the display area can cause the fingerprint reader to malfunction. Hence, users will have to make use of a screen protector on the X20 Plus UD. However, it should be noted that a thick screen protector will not allow the fingerprint scanner to function properly.

To deliver seamless experience with under-display fingerprint sensor on the new X20 Plus, the company is providing a thin screen protector in the box package of the phone. The thin screen protector will not only safeguard the screen but also to unlock it by pressing the fingerprint icon. If the customer wants to replace the screen protector that is provided with the phone, Vivo will be selling the right kind of screen protectors for the X20 Plus UD.

Vivo X20 Plus UD is now available for reservations in China. The company will begin the pre-sales of the phone from Jan. 29 in the home country followed by the market release on Feb. 1. Currently, the handset that is currently priced at 3,598 Yuan (~$565) is exclusively available in China. The company did not confirm any information on making the phone available outside of China.

In the near future, the smartphone industry is likely to see more phones with under-display fingerprint scanner. Multiple reports have claimed that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 that will be launching later this year may come with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

(source|via)

Xiaomi Dethrones Samsung to Become the Number One Smartphone Brand in India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 25, 2018

Samsung had been rolling the Indian smartphone market for the past six years. However, from the beginning of 2017 Xiaomi became a real threat for the South Korean company. A market survey of International Data Corporation (IDC) for the third quarter of 2017 had revealed Xiaomi and Samsung respectively accounted a market share of 23.5 percent. Since then, market analysts have been predicting that Xiaomi will pip Samsung in the coming months. Two research firms such as Counterpoint Research and Canalys have separately revealed that Xiaomi has finally dethroned Samsung to gain the number uno position in the country.

According to Counterpoint Research’s survey for Q4 2017, Xiaomi now holds a market share of 25 percent in India and Samsung is on the second spot with a market share of 23 percent. Lenovo, OPPO and Vivo are holding on to the third, fourth and fifth position with respective market share of 6 percent.

The research firm’s survey for Q4 2016 reveals that Samsung had a market share of 24 percent while Xiaomi and Lenovo that respectively held a market share of 9 percent. Interestingly, Counterpoint has rated Samsung as the top seller in 2017 as the company was ahead of Xiaomi in the first half of the year.

According to Canalys, Xiaomi and Samsung respectively shipped 8.2 million and 7.3 million smartphones in Q4 2017. The market analysis by Canalys states that Xiaomi has a market share of 27 percent while Samsung is on 25 percent. It claims that the South Korean tech giant has been unable to win over cost-conscious consumers and it has lost to Xiaomi because of its inability to transform its low-cost portfolio.

Responding to the report, a Samsung’s spokesperson claimed, “the company is still the number 1 smartphone company by a distance.” By citing GfK’s market research that is known for tracking sales to end users, he claimed that Samsung has 45 percent value market share and 40 percent volume market share. He added that Samsung is the market leader in different price segments in India and is also the country “Most Trusted” brand.

Xiaomi had entered India three years ago. Since then the Chinese firm has been aggressively selling smartphones with high specifications at very affordable prices. Its strategy of selling smartphones through flash sales famous retailers like Amazon India and Flipkart have also help the company to gain a good market share in a relatively short period. Its entry-level Redmi 5A is available with a pricing of only Rs. 4,999 (~$79) whereas the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 flagship is selling for Rs. 32,999 (~$519).

(source 1, 2)

Meizu’s Flyme 7 Said To Be Coming On Feb 24, Details Leaked

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2018

Meizu present custom OS is the Flyme 6 which has been in the open for more tan a year now. Expectedly, the company’s Flyme division has long started working on a next-gen Flyme 7 OS and a couple of details of the next Flyme version has appeared online.

The leaked details stipulate that Meizu will officially unveil the Flyme 7 and its new features on February 24 barely a month from today. Apart from the release date, some of the added features that would be on the new Custom ROM were also leaked. The leak comes in form of a screenshot of a device running Flyme 7v982 Beta and it shows a readjustment of the system architecture. The new OS is also said to optimize power performance but wasn’t stated if it would be based on Android 8.0. In addition, the Flyme 7 User Interface was also adjusted and it looks more colourful. Another addition is a mQuick button and a new OneMind 2.0 AI. There is also support for Cloud backup and other new features which would be made known as time goes on.

Overall, the upgrades over the Flyme 6 coming to the Flyme 7 doesn’t look large but it is worth looking forward to. Meizu is known to have one of the most intuitive and creative OS in the Flyme of all the Android-based custom UI. No word yet on if a beta program is already underway but we’ll find that out soon.

(source)