Huawei Focuses On India In Its Bid To Displace Apple & Samsung

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Oct 6, 2017

Huawei considers India a strategic market for its growth, according to a statement from Jay Chen, CEO of Huawei India wh also disclosed that the company was looking to expand its growth in the local market. The Huawei Exec was speaking on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit held in New Delhi within the week. He disclosed that the company has made a sizeable level of investments and formed key partnerships in the telecommunications sector in its near two decades of existence in India.

Despite Huawei’s deep ties in the telecoms business where it provides hardware for mobile telecom outfits, the Chinese tech giant is still struggling to carve a niche for itself in the massive Indian smartphone market. A recent report by Counterpoint Research places Samsung as the market leader by smartphone shipment in India for the second quarter of 2017. Samsung is closely followed by Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO and Lenovo (which includes its Motorola business). Huawei is not in the top five key vendors in India despite being the third-largest smartphone maker in terms of shipment globally with an ambition to catch up with Samsung and Apple, the top two global leaders.

Huawei may finally have realized the role India could play in getting it up the chart globally and has recently shifted attention to India. Within the last couple of months, the tech giant has launched a number of smartphones including models by the Honor brand in India. The company recently introduced the Honor 9i with a massive 5.9-inch display, dual cameras at the front and rear, 4GB RAM and slammed a subtle price tag on the device- just 17,999 rupees ($275.91)! With such deal breakers, Huawei may be on the way to knocking its way into the top three vendors in India in the next few years. Who knows, the Chinese phone maker may even give Samsung a run for their money in India and with a strong growth in Inda, it could catch up with Apple and maybe Sammy. Don’t forget Huawei did disclose last year that it would start manufacturing smartphones locally in India and that could help it sell at affordable price points just like the Honor 9i’s price.

(source)

Google Engineer Confirms Both Pixel 2 & Pixel 2 XL Work With 27W Chargers

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 6, 2017

You might not remember Benson Leung, the Google engineer that tasked himself with examining USB Type-C cables and who did uncover tons of sub-standard USB-C cables. Leung is actually an Engineer on the Pixel team and has just revealed a stunning feature of the Pixel 2 and bigger Pixel 2 XL. Both flagship models have now been tested and confirmed to be capable of receiving a charge of up to 27-watts from third-party compatible chargers.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are known to have fast charging onboard, Leung says the two phones come with 18W Type-C + PD power adapters in the box. What Leung’s latest disclosure means is that the charger with which the second-gen Pixel phones ship with do not actually offer up to the full capacity of what the devices can handle. This is perhaps done intentionally as an additional safety precaution. But if you own a Pixel 2 or plan to buy one in the near future, just know you can get even faster charge speeds by picking up a compliant charger.

Given Benson Leung’s antecedents, the phones must be able to withstand a faster 27 W charger in a safe manner to warrant the recommendation. But if you choose to stick to the 18 W fast charge the phone ships with, you get an efficient charger that delivers up to 7 hours of battery on 15 minutes of charging.

(source)

Nokia 3310 4G Releasing to Rival JioPhone?

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

HMD Global has recently launched a 3G edition of Nokia 3310 (2017) for some markets like Australia, Singapore, Canada and the U.S. However, it seems India that has already received the 2G version of Nokia 3310 (2017) will not be getting its 3G version. Instead, the Finnish firm may debut a new 4G feature phone for Indian markets. Hence, the rumor mill is speculating that the 4G edition of Nokia 3310 will arrive to rival with JioPhone feature phone in India.

In a recent interview, Ajey Mehta, the Vice President of HMD Global has strongly suggested that the company is considering launching a 4G feature phone in India. However, he has not confirmed whether the 4G feature phone would be another variant of Nokia 3310 (2017).

Reliance Jio has recently launched JioPhone 4G feature phone with a pricing of Rs. 1,500 (~$23) in India. Since the JioPhone is expected to impact the market for feature phones, HMD Global is monitoring is its market response. If it is received well, it will also consider releasing a feature phone with 4G connectivity. Initial reports have revealed that the Reliance Jio will be shipping 6 million JioPhone units by December 2017.

Micromax is already working on a competitor phone for JioPhone. Micromax will be teaming up with BSNL service provider to launch a handset called Bharat One that will carry support for 4G VoLTE. Another Indian carrier Airtel, is also getting ready to debut a 4G smartphone with a price tag of Rs. 2,000 (~$30). This shows that competitor phones for JioPhone will be also available in the market soon. As far as HMD Global is concerned, it also seems to be very keen on taking on the JioPhone with its own 4G phone.

The recently launched Nokia 3310 3G edition is heading to those markets where its 2G variant is unusable. It has already launched in Australia and it is coming to Singapore in this month. Canada and the U.S. are the other markets that are rumored to get the 3G Nokia 3310.

Do you think that Nokia’s upcoming 4G feature phone will disturb sales of JioPhone? Share us your views by commenting below.

(source)

Microsoft Edge’s iOS and Android Version Arriving Soon, Preview Version Now Available

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

Microsoft has released a preview version of its Edge browser for iOS and Android smartphones. The preview version is now available as a beta testing program for users who have subscribed as Windows Insiders.

Microsoft Edge has a cleaner interface and works fast with HTML5 content. It includes a Reading View mode which presents an uncluttered version of a webpage. The Hub View contains a collection of all the bookmarks, reading list, history and downloads. It can sync favorites and reading list between devices. Microsoft will be soon adding support for syncing passwords and purchases on Microsoft Store.

In order to try the preview version of the Microsoft Edge on an iOS or Android device, users need to join Windows Insider Program. It is only available for the users in the U.S. In order to install the preview edition of Microsoft Edge on an iOS device, users will have to undergo an intricate process.

It requires users to link their smartphone to PC which involves a Microsoft account, a phone number and an installation of at least one app. The iOS version of Microsoft Edge is based on WebKit rendering engine by Apple whereas the Android version is based on Chromium. The Edge browser for these operating systems simply feature Edge skin over their respective default web browser. Hence, it is unlikely to deliver better browsing speed. However, Microsoft aims to offer a different browsing experience on Edge.

In related news, Microsoft has renamed its Arrow Launcher as Microsoft Launcher. The updated app has been redesigned slightly and sports a cleaner appeal. The Redmond giant has added “Continue on PC” feature to it which will allow users to conveniently send an image or link from their phone to Windows 10 PC.

Have you tried the Microsoft Edge on your iOS or Android device? How about the new Microsoft Launcher? Share us your experience by adding your comments below.

(source|via 1, 2)

BlackBerry Motion Render Leaked; AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Likely to Carry it

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

The rumor mill has been talking about the upcoming BlackBerry Krypton phone since the past few weeks. Fresh information that has been leaked by well-known tipster Evan Blass reveals that the upcoming Krypton phone may debut as BlackBerry Motion. He has also shared an image of the BlackBerry Motion. Another leakster Roland Quandt, has revealed the U.S. carriers that will be selling the BlackBerry Motion.

During the IFA 2017, TCL that owns BlackBerry Mobile confirmed that it would be releasing a new all-touch phone with a large-sized battery and a durable body in October. Since then the rumors are claiming that the BlackBerry Krypton would be the phone that will be arriving in this month.

Around two weeks ago, BlackBerry Krypton was also seen in leaked images which revealed that the phone features a brushed metal bar that houses the rear camera. The images did not show the frontside of the phone. However, the following tweet from Blass shows what to expect on the design of the BlackBerry Motion.

Goodbye, Krypton.

Hello, BlackBerry Motion pic.twitter.com/lBsdpORHW4

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 5, 2017

The above tweet suggests that Krypton could be the codename of BlackBerry Motion phone. The image shows that the smartphone that is designed and built by TCL will indeed feature an all-touch design at the front. The smartphone is unlikely to feature a physical keyboard. Speculations have it that the BlackBerry Motion would be coming with an IP67 rated chassis.

The BlackBerry Motion seems to feature a metallic frame. Below the large display is the physical Home button that may be embedded with a fingerprint sensor. It also includes a 3.5mm audio jack.

Previous reports have revealed that it may feature a huge 4,000 mAh battery that will deliver an impressive battery life of 26 hours. It is also pegged to arrive with BlackBerry’s enterprise-friendly software and security features that will make it an ideal phone for business-centric consumers.

Another reason why it seems that the BlackBerry Motion’s arrival could to be close at hand is that has been certified by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Wi-Fi Alliance. The device is expected to feature a 5.2-inch or a 5.5-inch FHD display. The Snapdragon 625 chipset along with 4 GB of RAM is pegged to power the BlackBerry Motion. It is expected to arrive preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat OS.

TCL is also rumored to be working on another smartphone is allegedly codenamed as BlackBerry Juno. This phone is likely to arrive with a physical QWERTY keyboard.

BlackBerry Motion’s Launch

The launch date of BlackBerry Motion is not known. However, Quandt has revealed that it will be available through AT&T, Verizon and Sprint are likely to carry it in the U.S. In some markets like China, TCL will be selling its dual-SIM variant.

(source 1, 2)

Yet Another Case of iPhone 8 Plus Swollen Battery Reported

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 6, 2017

Cases of iPhone 8 Plus which burst open possibly due to battery failures are piling up by the day. Not too long ago, we only reported two cases but not, there has been a total of six different cases reported with pictures showing the damaged devices. The latest report comes from a MacRumors reader, Anthony Wu based in Toronto, Canada who claimed to have bought his units on Sunday but had to return it after the display burst open. The burst up is fingered to be as a result of a defective battery inside the iPhone that swelled and placed pressure on the assembly.

The burst up is fingered to be as a result of a defective battery inside the iPhone that swelled and subsequently placed pressure on the assembly. Another report was logged in by iRepair, an Apple products repair shop based in Greece. The unit (pictured below) was left to charge overnight on the night after purchase and by the morning, the deed was done, iPhone was gone. What makes this case spectacular is that the owner was supposedly using only an official Apple power adapter and Lightning to USB cable.

These latest reports bring the total number of cases of iPhone 8 Plus battery failures to six, following reports in Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong last week. Apple had earlier reacted to the reports that it was aware and that an investigation was underway to determine the possible cause. But since then, there has been no update.

However, with millions of iPhones coming off the production line overseas, and thereby millions of lithium-ion batteries being manufactured, it’s common in the industry for there to be a very low percentage of defective units. So far, there have been no case of exploding battery to warrant comparing this to the Galaxy Note 7. Moreover, we are still in the early days, six cases of suspected iPhone 8 Plus battery failure out of millions of devices probably isn’t much cause for full-blown concern at this point. We’ll keep you updated if more cases are reported.

(Source)

Samsung Galaxy X Foldable Phone Rumors: Limited Edition Smartphone that May Release Only in South Korea

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

Samsung is rumored to be working on a foldable smartphone called Galaxy X. The handset has been certified by Bluetooth SIG as well as National Radio Agency from South Korea. These certifications have revealed that the Galaxy X has a model number of SM-G888N0. Fresh information suggest that it could be a limited phone as the South Korean company is speculated to manufacture only 10,000 units.

If the Galaxy X is a limited edition, it may not receive a worldwide release and may be only made available in the home country of South Korea. In 2014, the Galaxy Note Edge that features a single edge curved display was only launched in South Korea and India. Hence, the first Galaxy X could be a test device because of which it may be available in limited edition in South Korea. There is a possibility it may receive a global launch in 2019.

Interestingly, Samsung has confirmed in the previous month that if it is able to overcome the technical glitches, it may launch a foldable Galaxy Note in 2018. However, there is no confirmation that this smartphone will launch as Galaxy X.

According to Forbes, Samsung may showcase the Galaxy X foldable phone at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that will be held between Jan. 9 to Jan. 12 in January 2018. The company is unlikely to launch the Galaxy X at Mobile World Congress (MWC) that is usually held in February. The reason behind it is that Samsung is known for launching its new S-series flagship just before MWC.

Next year’s MWC 2018 will be held between Feb. 26 and March 1. Hence, the South Korean company is expected to debut the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ on Feb. 25. There is a possibility that the Galaxy X may get unveiled alongside the Galaxy Note 9 in August next year or during the IFA 2018 that will be held in between Aug. 31 to Sept. 5.

The Galaxy X is expected to arrive with flagship specification and it goes without saying that its foldable design will be its USP. The South Korean company will not want the Galaxy X to cannibalize the sales of its next generation Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series smartphones.

When do you think will Samsung release the Galaxy X foldable phone next year? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source)

Google Pixel 2 Price Slashed by $100 on Best Buy

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

On Wednesday, Google had unveiled the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL flagship smartphones. It’s been only a day since the launch of the Pixel 2 and Best Buy is already selling it with a discount of $100 for customers who buy it through monthly installments. The price of the Pixel 2 XL is also discounted by $25.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are exclusively available through Verizon in the U.S. The unlocked Pixel 2 and 2 XL can be availed through Google Store in the U.S. These unlocked models that come with e-SIM for Project Fi subscribers will allow users to seamlessly switch between multiple networks like Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular.

The $100 discount for Google Pixel 2 is only available on its Verizon variant, not for its unlocked model. Hence, in order to take advantage of $100 price cut on Pixel 2, buyers will have to subscribe for Verizon’s installment plan.

Best Buy is offering the 64 GB Pixel 2 with monthly installments of $22.91 and its 128 GB model with monthly payments of $27.08 for 24 months. These two models are currently available with a respective pricing of $649 and $749. However, Best Buy’s installment plan for Verizon Pixel 2 will allow users to pay a grand total of $549.84 for the 64 GB model and $649.92 for the 128 GB variant.

As far as Pixel 2 XL is concerned, its 64 GB model is available with monthly payments of $34.36 for 24 months which brings its total cost to $824.64. The 128 GB variant can be bought with $38.53 monthly installments for 24 months which brings its total price to $924.72. Hence, these installment plans bring a mere discount of $25 on the original pricing of $849 and $949 for the two storage models of Pixel 2 XL.

Buyers of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be provided with a Google Home Mini smart speaker for free. The shipments of the Pixel 2 will start on Oct. 19. However, the exact release date of Pixel 2 XL has not been revealed yet.

What do you think about $100 discount offer for Pixel 2 on Best Buy? Are you interested in availing it? share us your thoughts by adding your comments below.

(source 1, 2| via)

Honor 6C Pro’s Manual Reveal Appears Before its Official Announcement

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Oct 6, 2017

The Honor 6C smartphone was launched in April this year. It seems that the company will be soon unleashing its enhanced edition called Honor 6C Pro. However, some of the key information of the smartphone have been already revealed as the German and Italian wings of Honor have published its user manual on their websites. The Honor 6C Pro was also spotted at the website of Eurasian Economic Union certification body in the previous month which suggested that it may get unveiled soon.

The user manual of the Honor 6C Pro does not contain much information on its specs. It only reveals that it is preinstalled with Android Nougat that is skinned with Emotion UI 5 from Huawei. It has also revealed that the Honor 6C Pro variant that is heading to Germany, Italy and other European regions carries a model number of JMM-L22. The manual also includes a render of the Honor 6C Pro alongside a TV. It shows that the smartphone feature does not feature very narrow bezels and it lacks a physical Home button. It also suggests that the smartphone could be featuring a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The presence of a TV in the above render indicates that the Honor 6C Pro’s display can be mirrored on a larger screen.

The above image shows that one of the variants of the Honor 6C Pro would be coming with a hybrid SIM slot that will allow users to use two nano-sized SIM cards or one nano-SIM along with a microSD card simultaneously.

Previous reports have revealed that the Honor 6C Pro would be a mid-range phone that will be driven by Snapdragon 425 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. It is rumored to arrive with an internal storage of 32 GB. It is tipped to feature a rear camera of 13-megapixel and a front-facing shooter of 5-megapixel. The smartphone is likely to house a 5.2-inch display that will support full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.

There is no official information on the launch date of Honor 6C Pro. Honor’s parent company named Huawei will be launching the Mate 10 series smartphones on Oct. 16. Huawei is unlikely to introduce the budget-friendly Honor 6C Pro at the launch event of Mate 10. However, the rumor mill suggests that the Honor 6C Pro may get unveiled in this month.

(source|via)

Apple iPhone X First 1 Million Shipment May be Delayed Till December

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

A new report has emerged to the effect that the first batch of Apple‘s latest iPhone X may not all be shipped this November. The iPhone X is expected to ship on November 3 when Apple will make 1 million units available to those that have successfully pre-ordered for the sleek iPhone model. Brightwire Inc shared a tweet on their Twitter page stating that Apple may delay shipment of the first 1 million iPhone X units until December. This is attributed to the yield rate which purportedly plunged below 10%.

Apple may delay shipment of first 1 million iPhone X handsets to December as yield rate dips below 10%, sources say

— Brightwire (@BrightwireInc) October 4, 2017

The iPhone X was the deal breaker among the three models announced by Apple. It features a full-screen design with near bezel-less display and several other features which makes it the favourite model that many fans want to grab despite the steep price tag. Brightwire Inc didn’t specify which of the production phase was causing the reduction in the yield rate but over the last few months, iPhone X production has been bugged by issues such as low yields for the OLED panels and problems with the 3D sensors.

Except this report isn’t true or Apple speed things up, the delay in the first shipment could have a ripple effect on the subsequent shipments. That would mean a whole lot of prospective iPhone X buyers are going to be left disappointed. The good thing about a protracted delay which this could cause is that some prospective buyers may then decide to get the other new iPhone models instead of continuously waiting for the premium model.

(source)

The Nokia 9 Looks Good With Its Coat of Polished Blue

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 5, 2017

We have seen a bunch of renders of the Nokia 9 surface online but it has always been the same color – Polished Copper. The maker of those renders decided to make fresh ones but in a blue shade similar to that of the Nokia 8.

The Polished Blue Nokia 9 keeps the design of the Polished Copper variant. Personally, I do not like the copper color but Nokia is not new to using it. The Lumia 930 released in 2014 has a similar color but it is called Bright Orange.

The Nokia 9 is curvy. The glass covering the screen curves towards the back and the glass on the rear curves to the front. Both of them meet at the aluminium frame. The top and bottom bezels are thinner but not super thin.

The Nokia 9 has dual rear cameras in a vertical setup with a LED flash flanking it on the right. Right under the sensors sit a circular fingerprint scanner.

Beneath the glass and metal body, the Nokia 9 is expected to come with the Snapdragon 835 mobile platform, 6GB/8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. It is also expected to come with an IP68 rating and wireless charging support.

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Huawei Mate 10 Pro First Real Photos Leaked Unmasking Front & Rear Designs

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

It is no longer news that Huawei will launch the Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and a couple of other models in the Mate series on October 16. The launch date is still some days away but the Mate 10 devices continue to simmer in and out of leaks. From the leaked renders we have seen so far, we can gather that the Mate 10 Pro will be the deal breaker with a full-screen, bezel-less design. The Mate 10 Pro’s first renders were shared by Twitter tipster Evan Blass recently. Habeeb thinks the render looks gorgeous and he isn’t alone with that thought. Well, if you are in doubt if that is really the Mate 10 Pro’s render, here are a couple of real photos said to be those of the Mte 10 Pro and what better word apart from gorgeous can we use to describe the device?

The Mate 10 Pro seems to continue from where the Mate 9 Pro left off, with its stunning and exceptional design. This time around, instead of a curved edge design like the Mate 9 Pro, the Mate 10 Pro follows the latest flagship trend which is a full-screen design that is nearly bezel-less. It is noteworthy that the leaked photos looked very much similar to the renders leaked by Evan Blass. Just that the back panel on the real photo looks like it is glossier, perhaps made of glass just like the Huawei P10.

Huawei’s numerous teasers had always focused on the AI capable Kirin 970 chip which the Mate 10 series would pack which the tech giant claims turns the smartphone into being more than a smartphone. That seems to overshadow the other specs of the Mate 10 pro which is expected to pack a Quad HD (1440 x 2880 pixels) display and a more classic 16:9 screen aspect ratio. The Mate 10 Pro is also expected to feature a dual-camera setup comprising of a 20MP and 12MP sensors, probably in an RGB and monochrome arrangement.

(source)

Honor Play Pad 2 Launches As MediaPad T3 and MediaPad T3 10 in India

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 5, 2017

Earlier today, Huawei Honor announced the Honor 9i for the Indian market. It also launched two new tablets – the MediaPad T3 and the MediaPad T3 10. If you have been following Honor’s tablet launches this year, then you should know that these tablets are a rebranded Honor Play Pad 2.

The MediaPad T3 has an 8-inch 1280 x 800 display. There is a Snapdragon 425 and an Adreno 308 GPU powering it. Unlike the 8-inch version of the Play Pad 2, the MediaPad T3 comes in only a 2GB RAM + 16GB model. There is a MicroSD card slot for expansion.

The T3 has a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front facing camera. There is no LED on both sides, so don’t expect to take decent pictures in a dark environment.

The MediaPad T3 comes with EMUI 5.1 based on Android Nougat. There is a 4,800mAh battery under the hood and a micro USB port for charging. You also get a 3.5mm audio jack.

The MediaPad T3 10 only differs in two ways – it has a 9.6-inch 1280 x 800 display and comes in 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM and 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM models. The rest of the features are the same as the smaller model.

The MediaPad T3 and MediaPad T3 10 both have a single nano SIM slot that supports LTE networks and voice calling. The PlayPad 2 they are based on has a Wi-Fi only version in addition to a 4G model.

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Nokia 8 Isn’t All About Sleek Looks, Latest Durability Test Reveals Its Strong Build

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

Nokia‘s longstanding reputation lies in the durability of its smartphone over the years, a feature which endeared the tech brand to many phone users. The return of the Nokia brand under HMD Global meant HMD had a herculean task trying to convince fans that it could retain the rugged and durable feature Nokia is known for while transitioning to sleek Android phone designs. The Nokia 6 was the first product released by HMD and the mid-range phone was pretty impressive. Nokia recently released its flagship Nokia 8 which it touts to be its most powerful Android smartphone so far.

You might want to think that tag is because the Nokia 9 packs the powerful Snapdragon 835 chipset and other sturdy specs but that may not be the only aspects the Nokia 8 is powerful as we can gather from this durability test video created by JerryRigEverything. The video shows the Nokia 8 being subjected to burn, bend and scratch tests to determine how it would fare, compared to other flagships. The Nokia 8 uses a 6000 series aluminium. It also packs an LCD IPS display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top of the display. The Gorilla Glass 5 does a good job of protecting the display from scratch to a reasonable extent which shows that stuff like coins or keys won’t leak a mark on the screen. But it is still advisable to use a screen protector. The aluminium back also withstood normal scratch levels but caves in when strong pressure was applied.

The Nokia 8 was also subjected to a burn test and it holds out pretty well, with the LCD display ink which gathered as a result of the heat clearing up in about 10 seconds. The bend test also showed a solid build despite using a 6000 series aluminium which Apple purportedly abandoned because their iPhones bend easily. Zack Jerry’s verdict is that the Nokia 8 is a solidly built and durable smartphone. You can check out the YouTube video above.

India Gets The Honor 9i: Brings Quad Cameras, Kirin 659 Processor, and an 18:9 Display

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 5, 2017

Huawei’s Honor sub-brand has launched a new smartphone in India as it marks its third year anniversary in the country. The Honor 9i is a mid-range device with some pretty impressive features. First, it has dual cameras on both sides, not a first, but still a cool feature. It also has a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

The Honor 9i packs a 5.99-inch 2160 x 1080 FullView display with a 2.5D glass on top. It is powered by the Kirin 659, an octa-core processor clocked at 2.36GHz. There is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

The Honor 9i is one of the few smartphones with four cameras. The rear camera is a 16MP + 2MP combination and up front is a 13MP + 2MP front facing camera with its own LED flash. Both the rear and front cameras allow you to adjust the focus for portrait images.

There is a dual hybrid SIM slot which means you either throw in two nano SIM cards or swap out one SIM for a MicroSD card (128GB max). The Honor 9i has a non-removable 3340mAh battery. There is a micro USB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The Honor 9i comes with EMUI 5.1 based on Android Nougat and is available in Prestige Gold, Aurora Blue, and graphite Black. It will be available on Flipkart for INR 17,999 (~$276) starting October 14.

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Amazon Takes Alexa To India, Launches Echo, Echo Plus & Echo Dot

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Oct 5, 2017

Amazon’s Alexa AI assistant has become very popular since its launch but is available in a few markets. It is available on a bunch of devices including Amazon’s own Echo line. In order to expand its reach, the retail giant has launched three of its Echo devices in India, its first Asian market.

The Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and the just released Echo Plus will be available in India. They will provide a user experience that is customized for the Indian market. Alexa will speak in English but with an Indian accent.

Amazon says there are up to 10,000 skills available already including support for popular services like ride booking platform Ola, food delivery service Zomato, and even professional services request from UrbanClap. It can also play songs from Saavn, Amazon Prime Music, and Tunein. Amazon’s Alexa app has also gained support for Indian names, places, music and local knowledge.

Users will also be able to set reminders, update shopping lists, and control smart appliances using their Echo device.

To purchase any of the Echo devices, you will have to request for an invitation first. After a few weeks, you will receive an email confirming your invitation, after which you can then purchase your Echo device.

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Japan Display Bets Big on Supplying Apple OLED Panels with $900 Million Investment Plan

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

Apple had traditional stuck with LCD panels over the years since the debut of the iPhone. That tradition was abandoned with the announcement of the iPhone X which features an OLED display. The LCD panels used on previous iPhones, including the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus is supplied by Japan Display Inc (JDI) but with a shift to OLED on the bezel-less iPhone X, Samsung became the supplier of the display panels used. A recent report carried by the Wall Street Journal shows that Samsung Display, a subsidiary of the conglomerate, earns around $110 for each iPhone X unit sold. With an estimated gross sale of 130 million units of iPhone X until the summer of 2019, the Korean tech giant is said to potentially earn more from the Apple flagship than from its own flagships. Counterpoint Market Research estimates that Sammy could make up to $14.3 billion from iPhone X sales in the first 20 months of sales alone.

Apple happens to be JDI’s largest cash cow, especially in an era when LCD displays are giving way to OLED on most flagships. Thus, JDI is reportedly looking to secure a $900 million investment for a new method for producing OLED which perhaps will be faster and more efficient. In an era where the market demand for OLED screens is continuing to skyrocket, this might be the right move to make in order for the company to maintain its profitability. According to a report on Reuters, JDI’s affiliate JOLED has already approached a number of investors in a bid to raise $900 million to develop new technology for OLED mass-production. Further details are still sketchy as at this moment.

Apart from Japan Display, LG is also mapping out a similar strategy to manufacture smaller -sized OLED panels. Presently, Samsung seems to enjoy a near monopoly in the aspect of small- and mid-sized OLED panels right now. Samsung Displays supplies OLEDs for its Galaxy models as well as its LED TVs. The company also suppliers the panels to other companies, of which Apple recently joined its client base. Mass producing OLED panels comes with its high costs, especially at the initial stage. Initial costs are said to be high to implement the necessary technologies for high yield rates and colour-accurate panels but demand for OLED is expected to continue to rise right through to the near future. It may take a couple of years, and huge investments for JDI or LG to catch up with Samsung. But if Japan Display succeeds eventually, it may not be difficult snatching Apple from Samsung considering their fierce rivalry.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Hitting India on October 10, Press Invite Out

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

Xiaomi has released a poster which teases the launch of what is definitely the Mi Mix 2 in India on October 10. The poster doesn’t specifically state the venue for the launch but states it would hold in New Delhi and it also contains a render of the Mix 2 and the October 10 date. In case you are still at a loss how this concerns India, the invite was sent out to the media in India.

This is coming as a bit of a surprise, considering that this would be the first flagship Xiaomi would be launching in India for a while. The last flagship model to hit the world’s third-largest smartphone market was the Mi 5. Xiaomi specifically hinted that it won’t be launching the Mi 6 in India after the phone was launched earlier this year.

Xiaomi has had a pretty successful run in India thus far, but the success is mainly in the mid-range/ budget categories. The company’s Redmi Note 4 emerged as the fastest-selling smartphone in India when it went on sale earlier this year, with the company selling 1 million units in 45 minutes. Xiaomi is likely using the MIX 2 to test the waters in India in order to see how its flagship models would fare. The Mi Mix 2 is well suited for such test, considering its bezel-less full screen design and sleek look. As a reminder, the Mi Mix 2 sports a 5.99-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 and is powered by a Snapdragon 835 chip. The Mi MIX 2 packs a single 12MP Sony IM386 sensor at the rear as well as a 5MP selfie camera. There is also a 4,400mAH battery under the hood with QC 3.0 and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The flagship also cones with 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 don’t know what price Xiaomi will slam on the Mix 2 but it sure won’t be cheaper than China’s.

OPPO Gets Nod To Open Its Own Branded Brick & Mortar Stores In India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 5, 2017

Reports emanating from India indicates that Chinese smartphone maker and one of BBK Holding’s subsidiary, OPPO has been granted the license to start operating its own single-brand retail stores in the country. This makes OPPO the first pure-play smartphone brand to get such clearance in India. This development, however, portends well for contenders like Apple and Xiaomi who also jostle for such approvals.

India is the world’s third-largest smartphone market after the U.S and China and as such, the major players in the industry are keenly contesting for a share of the market. It is not as if India totally blocks foreign firms from opening up single-branded retail outlets in the country but to do so, the companies must source 30 percent of the products locally. The law was relaxed in 2016 in a bid to attract more investors, exempting foreign retailers from local sourcing for three years, after which it applies.

Apart from OPPO, other firms like Apple, Xiaomi and Vivo are reportedly also seeking to get such approvals.Apple made a similar application for store licenses last year, shortly after its Chief Executive Tim Cook made his first visit to India, where it has only about three percent market share. OPPO plans to retain its license with plans in top gear to start making phones at a plant near the capital New Delhi by the end of 2017 in partnership with Taiwanese firm, Foxconn. The phones would be meant for the Indian market and the tech giant also plans to export the phones manufactured in India in the next two to three years.

(source)

Google Pixel 2 Camera Now DXOMark’s Best Camera With A Score of 98

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Oct 4, 2017

Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note 8 may probably have acquired a new title as the device to have stayed the shortest time on top of the DXOMark chart as having the best camera. Just a few hours ago, we brought you the news that the Galaxy Note 8 garnered a lofty score of 94 on the DXOmark test. That score has been trumped by Google’s latest offering – Pixel 2 which has polled a higher score of 98, earning the title as the best smartphone camera around presently.

The Google Pixel 2 also trumps the iPhone 8 Plus which held the title for a few days until it was dethroned by the Galaxy Note8. The Pixel 2 features a 1/2.6-inch 12.2MP sensor with a f/1.8 aperture. Apart from the hardware, the Pixel 2 comes with Google’s electronic image stabilization (EIS) as well as an optical image stabilization technology (OIS) and both work together. What this means is that the Pixel 2 camera should be able to stabilize even the shakiest of video, as well as helping you get better static shots. With such features, the Pixel 2 camera will be hard to beat, at least for now.

According to the DXOMark team, the spectacular features which earned the Pixel 2 this lofty score include the wide dynamic range in all lighting conditions, a high level of detail preservation, strong flash performance, and pleasing foreground and background blur for portraits. DXO also rates the video shooting capabilities high, stating that the camera had very good stabilization, fast and accurate autofocus, good noise reduction and detail preservation, and decent white balance. On the whole, the Google Pixel 2 received a score of 99 for photos and 96 for videos, which is what gives the average score of 98. It must be noted that the Pixel scored 89 on DXOMark last year, showing the big upgrade the latest Pixel 2 and the higher Pixel 2 XL come with. Both Pixel 2 flagships utilize the same camera, by the way.

(source)