Alcatel’s 2018 Lineup Revealed, Includes Alcatel 5 and 3 Series

By

-

Oct 14, 2017

TCL has its hands full this year. The Chinese company has been pushing out phones under the Alcatel brand that it owns, as well as the BlackBerry brand licensed to it. It also signed a deal with luxury smartphone manufacturer, Vertu in June to build 30,000 handcrafted smartphones. However, that may no longer happen following Vertu’s shutdown of its UK manufacturing operation the following month.

Last month, TCL launched four new Alcatel phones – Idol 5S, Idol 5, A7 XL, and A7 at IFA Berlin. All these phones in addition to the ones released earlier this year all fall under the entry level and mid-range category.

Famous leaker Evan Blass took to Twitter yesterday to reveal some of Alcatel’s lineup for 2018. While there is no mention of the specs, we do hope one of them is a flagship.

First, there is the Alcatel 5 which looks like a high-end phone. It is shown to have a thin bottom bezel but a thicker top bezel packed with a bunch of sensors. We presume it will probably have dual front facing cameras. The back of the phone has a single camera and below it sits a fingerprint scanner.

Next is the Alcatel 3 series which includes the Alcatel 3V and 3X with their Idol 4S-like glass rear and vertically arranged dual rear cameras. Then there is the Alcatel 3 itself with a single rear camera but similar rear plate design. We can also see an Alcatel 3C which we presume is an entry level phone judging from its lack of a fingerprint scanner.

Last but not the least is the Alcatel 1X, another entry-level looking smartphone.

Continue

Huawei Mate 10 Lite Render Surfaces In Blue Color Showing Phone’s Front And Back

By

Jeet

-

Oct 14, 2017

Ahead of the official launch of Huawei’s Mate 10 smartphone series, renders and specifications of most of the models in the lineup have been leaked online.

After a series of leaks related to Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, we now have more leaks related to the Huawei Mate 10 Lite. Evan Blass has posted a render of Mate 10 Lite in Blue color, showing the front as well as the back panel of the device.

From the leaked render, it appears that the device will follow the on-going trend of a bezel-less display. On the back, there are two vertically-stacked cameras just above the fingerprint sensor.

Previously, the device was accidentally listed on Dutch retailer Belsimpel. The listing revealed that the phone will be offered in November, at a price at €349 in Europe (approx. $412.66).

Apart from the dual camera configuration at the back, the Huawei Mate 10 Lite also features a dual camera setup for the front-facing camera. The rear camera is said to feature a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor, while on the front, it is expected to pack a 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors.

The smartphone will feature a 5.9-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It is expected to come with HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC, clocked at 2.36GHz along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There will a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand storage up to 256GB.

While the recent listing on the online retailer Belsimpel showed that the phone comes with Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, the company had said that the Mate 10 series will run on Android Oreo with EMUI 5.1 on top. The Mate 10 Lite will be powered by a 3,340mAh battery.

The Huawei Mate 10 Lite is all set to be unveiled on October 16, along with the rest of the models in the Mate 10 lineup, which includes Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and the Mate 10 Porsche Edition.

(Source)

Qualcomm Files Another Lawsuit Seeking To Ban iPhones In China

By

Jeet

-

Oct 14, 2017

The legal war between two technology giants — Qualcomm and Apple, which started in the US, has now expanded globally. In the latest strike, Qualcomm has filed a new lawsuit against Apple in a Chinese court to block the sale and manufacturing of iPhones in the country.

As per the reports, Qualcomm has filed the suits in a Beijing intellectual property court. It is claiming patent infringement and is seeking injunctive relief. The chipmaker is claiming that Apple is in violation of three patents, none of which are essential to any industry standards. Thus, arguing that it is not obligated to license them.

The Qualcomm spokesperson says that Apple employs technologies that are invented by Qualcomm and is not paying for those technologies. The technologies in question are related to the power management and Force Touch feature on the iPhone.

However, in a statement, Apple said:

Apple believes deeply in the value of innovation, and we have always been willing to pay fair and reasonable rates for patents we use. In our many years of ongoing negotiations with Qualcomm, these patents have never been discussed and in fact were only granted in the last few months. Regulators around the world have found Qualcomm guilty of abusing their position for years. This claim is meritless and, like their other courtroom manoeuvres, we believe this latest legal effort will fail.

Notably, this is the second time Qualcomm is trying to get iPhones banned in China. Previously, in July, it filed a similar claim in the US, pointing to six patents that Apple was allegedly violating.

The legal battle between the two companies started in January when Apple filed a lawsuit claiming that Qualcomm was holding payments for ransom. Federal Trade Commission also claimed that Qualcomm was abusing its market position to get more money.

It seems that things are not going well for Qualcomm. A couple of days ago, Qualcomm was fined a record NT$23.4 billion ($774 million) by Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission.

The company has also been fined $854 million in South Korea and $975 million in China. European regulators have also expressed antitrust concerns over its $38 billion bid to buy NXP Semiconductors.

Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) Launches In Europe For €179

By

Jeet

-

Oct 14, 2017

Huawei has officially launched its new smartphone — Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) in Europe. As the name suggests, it is an upgraded version of the Huawei Y6 (2017).

The smartphone comes with many notable changes, including the build material and the processor that powers the device. Unlike the original model, the Y6 Pro (2017) comes with a metal body.

Another major improvement comes in the form of the chipset. For this one, the company has opted for Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 425 processor. The Y6 (2017) was powered by the MediaTek chipset.

The phone also features a fingerprint sensor at the back. As per the company, the sensor can unlock the device in 0.5 seconds. The fingerprint sensor can also be used to control alarm clock, answer a call, control the notification bar or take a snapshot.

Apart from the above-mentioned changes, most of the remaining specifications of the device remain same. It features a 5-inch IPS LCD display with screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

It packs 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. There is also a microSD card slot, allowing users to further expand the storage capacity. Coming to the camera, it features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

The smartphone, running on Android 7.0 Nougat OS with EMUI 5.1 on top, is powered by a 3,020mAh battery that is rated to last for more than 2 continuous days of listening to music, 15 hours to watch HD videos or 12 hours of 4G navigation.

The Huawei Y6 Pro (2017) is available in three colour options — Black, Silver and Gold. It is available for purchase in Germany, Italy and France for a price of around €179. It will be rolled out to other European markets in the coming weeks.

LeEco Le Max 3 Rear Image Leaks Sporting A Glass Back & Dual Camera Setup

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Oct 13, 2017

While LeEco continues to battle its financial quagmire and is yet to officially reveal it has any smartphone in the works, the rumour mill has continued to stay abuzz with talks of one LeEco model or the other in the works. The latest rumour surrounds the Le Max 3 phablet which has been in the mills for over six months now but is still yet to drop. A newly leaked real live image said to be that of the Le Max 3 has appeared online. The image shows only the rear view of the device but reveals some interesting features.

On close scrutiny of the leaked image, it can be noticed quite explicitly that it features a glass back and in this case, a silver coloured glass covering. The silver glazing gives the glass back a reflecting mirror finish. This is perhaps one of the variants the model would come in. Another important feature worthy of note on the leaked image is the presence of a dual camera setup on board the Le Max 3. The camera setup adopts an all too familiar design which resembles the face of the biscuit man character with the LED flash design as the mouth while the two sensors are like two eyes. This design has also featured on the Le Pro 3 AI Edition launched early this year. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor under the rear camera while LeEco’s logo is engraved at the lower half of the back cover.

The LeEco Le Max 3 is expected to take the reins from the Le Max 2 that was released in 2016 but we are yet to get any tangible detail as to when it will be launched. We can only rely on rumours for its specs which is said to include a 5.7-inch QHD display. The device is said to be powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset backed by 6GB of RAM while there will be 128GB storage onboard. There are talks of a 4GB RAM + 64GB storage version. Further, the LeEco Le Max 3 will come with a 16MP selfie camera while the dual camera at the rear is said to have a 13MP main sensor. We’ll have to wait for an official disclosure to take this leak seriously, else we might as well wait for this until this year runs out.

(via)

Finland Gets The Nokia 8 With 6GB of RAM and 128GB of Storage

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Oct 13, 2017

HMD Global has launched a new variant of the Nokia 8 in its home country Finland. Unlike the first model that has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, this variant adds an extra 2GB of RAM and doubles the storage.

The launch of the new model provides an option for those who want the Nokia 8 but with more storage and RAM. There is no mention of when the model will be released outside of Finland though it was first seen last month getting certified by the FCC.

The 6GB Nokia 8 is available on DNA and Verkkokauppa for €648.72 and €649.90 (~$769) respectively. Both retailers also offer payment in monthly installments. Though the phone is only available in blue at the moment.

The Nokia 8 has a 5.3-inch QHD screen and is powered by the Snapdragon 853 processor. While it doesn’t have thin bezels like some of its competitors, it does feature dual rear cameras – two 13MP sensors in the monochrome + RGB format. There is also a 13MP in front for selfies.

Continue

Vkworld S8 Coming With Titanium Frame & Tempered Glass Body This October

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Oct 13, 2017

Vkworld S8 is yet another affordable smartphone with a full-screen design which would be released at the end of this October. The phone is the latest flagship model from Vkworld and it crams a large 5500mAh battery under its hood. In case you still don’t know, the phone comes with a glass covered body at the front and rear aspects just like most flagships we have seen this year. But instead of metal, the Vkworld S8 features a frame made of titanium alloy. It is the second titanium phone from Vkworld after T2 Plus. Flagship models having a titanium frame are not too common but one good example is the Essential phone.

However, the Vkworld S8 comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio which makes it the first 18:9 phone with a titanium frame. When compared with aluminium, titanium has the advantages of being more durable, more resistance, harder and more resilient. Also, titanium is much more expensive and difficult to process. Even if you drop it to the ground, the frame will not easily get a dent. In addition, the VKworld S8 comes with a tempered glass at the back which ensures that it doesn’t get damaged when it is dropped accidentally. That would depend on the extent of the fall but the Vkworld S8 looks much more resistant and durable than normal glass phone. Vkworld has lots of phones that are hard enough to crack walnuts. So Vkworld S8 may be able to do that too.

So, let’s go over the key specs of the Vkworld S8 once again. It sports a 5.99-inch LG in-cell display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2160 x 1080p. It packs a mammoth 5,500mAH Samsung high-density battery which should be capable of providing an adequate usage. The device also features a 4GB RAM as well as 64GB of onboard storage. The device doesn’t only come with the trending full-screen design but also has a dual camera setup at the rear which is a 16MP main sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. The device also packs a 13MP selfie camera up front. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, USB-C port and providing the interface is Android 7.0 Nougat.

As stated earlier, the Vkworld S8 would be launched before the end of October and will be priced under $200. Th number of full-screen models priced under $200 are sure swelling.

Apple Likely to Introduce Stylus for 6.46-inch iPhone

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

The iPhone X is the most advanced Apple smartphone ever. It will be up for pre-orders starting from Oct. 27. However, the rumor mill has also started to speculate on the features that will be arriving on its successor. Fresh information suggests that the Cupertino company has started working on a new iPhone that will be supporting a digital pen.

An industry insider has revealed to The Investor that Apple is considering releasing the stylus enabled iPhone as early as 2019. The source has revealed that company is talking with a couple of stylus manufacturing companies to find a suitable partner.

Since Apple has filed several patents related to stylus in the past years, the rumor mill has been speculating that Apple may launch a stylus for its iPhones. The Cupertino company had introduced Apple Pencil stylus for iPad Pro devices in 2016. Also, it has added new handwriting related features for the iOS such as Notes and Makeup tools.

The S-Pen for Samsung Galaxy Note smartphones are based on electro-magnetic resonance technology which requires the South Korean company to add extra panels under the screen to work. Speculations are rife that the Apple will be adopting a supercapacitor enabled stylus that is not only cheap to manufacture but also delivers a real pen-like experience. The Cupertino company will also need to modify its mobile chipset drastically to support handwriting functions. Apple may also introduce plenty stylus friendly apps.

There is no information on whether the planned stylus will come integrated with the iPhone or may be available as an optional accessory. Previous reports have revealed that Apple is preparing a 6.46-inch iPhone. It is likely that the company is prepping a stylus for this rumored iPhone.

(source|via)

The Archos Diamond Omega is A Re-branded Nubia Z17S for Europe

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Oct 13, 2017

French smartphone company, Archos, is not new to rebranding phones and offering it in markets where it has a presence. For example, the Archos Diamond Alpha is a rebranded Nubia M2. If you like Nubia’s latest smartphone, the Z17S, but live in Europe, you should check out the Archos Diamond Omega.

Save for the Archos name that replaces the Nubia branding on the back of the phone, both devices are the same. Archos doesn’t do anything to even change the user experience.

On the official site, the Diamond Omega is said to run Android 7.1 based on NUBIA UI 5.0. It is also said to feature Nubia’s NeoPower 3.0 battery saving technology.

The Archos Diamond Omega has a 5.73-inch FHD display with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top. There is a Snapdragon 835 processor on board paired with 8GB of RAM. You also get 128GB of storage. These are the specs of the high end version of the Nubia Z17S.

There are dual cameras on both sides. You have a 12MP f/1.8 sensor paired with a 23MP f/2.0 sensor with 2X lossless zoom on the rear. The front cameras are two 5MP sensors with support for background blur effect.

The phone has dual SIM support (nano only), Bluetooth 4.1, dual band Wi-Fi, and a FM Radio. Supported LTE bands are 800/900/1800/2100/2600. Battery capacity is 3,100mAh and it comes with a 9V/2A fast charger.

Continue

Bezel-less Cubot X18 Limited Flash Sale For $115 On Cafago

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Oct 13, 2017

Even though 2017 is still a few month from its end, the year is already crowned as the year of bezel-less, full-screen models. We have seen them in all shades, from flagship to budget models. Cubot X18 is one of such budget device with a premium body that could pass for a flagship model. The X18 is presently on flash sale on Cafago for just $115 and this is for a limited period.

The Cubot X18 is as close as it could get to a bezel-less model. It packs a 5.7-inch display with 18:9 screen aspect ratio and an impressive 83 percent screen to body ratio. The X18 is fired up by a quad-core 1.5GHz MT6737T chip backed by 3GB RAM and there is 32GB of expandable internal storage on board.

In the camera aspect, the Cubot bezel-less phone sports a 13MP rear sensor with LED flash while at the front, there is an 8MP selfie shooter also with LED flash. There’s 3200mAh battery on board and for software, the phone sheds all bloatware for a pure Android 7 Nougat experience. What the Cubot X18 lacks in specs, it gains in design and for just $115, this is no doubt a decent buy.

Buy Cubot X18 For $115 On Cafago

Continue Your Reading in The Shower With The New Amazon Kindle Oasis

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Oct 13, 2017

Amazon announced a new Kindle Oasis a few days ago. The e-reader brings a number of new features, key being an IPX8 rating and a larger screen.

Last year, Amazon launched the Kindle Oasis, one of its lightest readers so far and one of the most expensive. Its successor adds more features and gets a lower price. Sweet, right?

The new Amazon Kindle Oasis has a 7-inch screen but thinner bezels and a metal body. The resolution is 300ppi and it has 12 LEDs and an adaptive light sensor that adjusts brightness based on your surroundings. Its IPX8 rating means that it can survive immersion in 2 meters of water for up to 60 minutes.

The Kindle Oasis will come in 8GB and 32GB models as well as Wi-Fi only or WiFi + cellular connectivity. Amazon has also added Audible support – allowing you to listen to the audio versions of your favorite books via your Bluetooth speakers or headphones. Though you still have to buy each version of the book separately. Amazon says the device won’t pair to bluetooth devices that require PIN codes for pairing.

The battery is also bigger and will last 6 weeks on a single charge. Charge time is 3 hours if you connect to your PC or less than 2 hours with the 5W charger. However, unlike the last model, there is no leather case that adds extra battery life.

The new Kindle Oasis is bigger too measuring 159 x 141 x 3.4/8.3 mm (it’s thin on one side and thick at the other end). It is also heavier at 194g.

Continue

Details of Upcoming Xiaomi Redmi 5 Phones Released

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Oct 13, 2017

The Redmi Note 5A is the only phone from the 5th generation Redmi line that has been released. However, we have seen a couple more models get certified at the FCC and TENAA. Popular leaker, Roland Quandt whose previous leaks have turned out to be genuine took to Twitter to release details of some new models.

According to him, there will be a Redmi 5A with 16GB of built-in storage. The device will be available in rose gold, gold, black. and grey. The Redmi 5A already appeared on TENAA and specs revealed does confirm a 16GB model with 2GB of RAM in addition to a 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM model.

Roland Quandt also mentions a Redmi 5 which will come in 16GB and 32GB storage variants. It will be available in gold and black.

Another model mentioned is the Redmi 5 Plus which will come in 32GB and 64GB variants. Available colors will be gold, black, and grey.

Continue

Cyanogen Rebrands As Cyngn, Pivots From Mobile OS To Self-Driving Cars

By

Jeet

-

Oct 13, 2017

Cyanogen, which was making a custom operating system for smartphones based on Android a couple of years ago, has now been rebranded as Cyngn. With changing its name, the company has also changed its business.

Cyngn, which had previously raised $115 million, has now pivoted from being a custom Android mobile operating system developer to self-driving cars. It is now working on the autonomous driving technology.

As per the reports, the company is developing self-driving car software and possibly hardware too. This was revealed through its website and job listings. The company has also recently got approval from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles to test self-driving cars on public roadways.

The reason behind the course change for the company is believed that executives and board members at Cyngn see automated vehicles sector as disruptive in the next five years.

The company currently has around 30 staff members, including autonomous automotive engineers from Mercedes Benz and Udacity. It appears that the company is still looking to hire more people.

Job listings posted by the company reveals that Cyngn is working with radar, camera, ultrasonic, and lidar sensors, and is using ROS — an open-source operating system for robots.

Earlier, the company, which was formerly known as Cyanogen, had raised about $115 million in various funding rounds from Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Foxconn, Tencent and others.

It is now looking to raise additional funding of around $200 million in its Series D round. Some reports suggest that it is also open to being purchased outright.

Cyanogen was one of the largest company developing an operating system for smartphones. At its peak, the company’s software was running on over 50 million devices and was on track to hit half a billion handsets by 2020.

But, due to bad business practices, deals, and disagreements about the future of Cyanogen Mod operating system, the company started going downwards. It fired most of its staff and closed its Seattle office at the end of last year.

It will be interesting to track Cyngn’s journey as it explores a totally different territory. It faces competition from automakers as well as giant tech firms, including Apple, Waymo, Drive.ai, among others.

(Via)

Honor 6C Pro Unveiled with 5.2-inch HD Display, MediaTek MT6750, 3 GB RAM, 3,000mAh Battery

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

The Honor 6C smartphone was unveiled in April 2017 and the company has now announced its upgraded version called Honor 6C Pro in Russia. The specifications of the smartphone suggest that it is a rebranded Honor V9 Play smartphone was unveiled in the previous month in China. The Honor 6C Pro is still not listed on the official site for Europe, but the Honor France Twitter has revealed the details of the phone.

The Honor 6C Pro has a 5.2-inch display that produces an HD resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. There are no physical buttons present below the display as it features on-screen buttons.

The smartphone is driven by MediaTek MT6750 chipset. The SoC is coupled by 3 GB of RAM. The native storage available on the smartphone is 32 GB. It also features a microSD card slot. The handset includes a 3,000mAh battery.

On the rear side of the Honor 6C Pro is a 13-megapixel camera and a fingerprint scanner. The frontside features a selfie snapper of 8-megapixel. The handset is preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat and customized with Emotion UI 5.1.

The entire body of the Honor 6C Pro is made up of metal. It measures 147.9 x 73.2 x 7.65mm and weights 145 grams. The bottom side of the phone features a USB-C port along with the speaker grills.

The official pricing of the Honor 6C Pro is not known yet. In Europe, it is expected to carry a price tag of 179 euros (~$212).

(source|via)

Google Pixel 2 & Pixel 2 XL Land Geekbench

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Oct 13, 2017

Google announced the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL last week and one thing that stood out is the powerful camera the flagship models are said to pack. The Pixel 2 camera is presently DXOMark’s highest rated smartphone camera, a fact that was only revealed after the launch. But one question still unanswered is how the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL fare in benchmark tests.

That has now come out to the open because the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have been spotted on the database of Geekbench. Obviously, both smartphones are powerful terminals with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor piloting the affairs in both models. The Pixel 2 Geekbench score shows it scored 1918 points on the single core test and expectedly, the Pixel 2 XL also recorded the same score.

On the other hand, on the multi-core score, the Google Pixel 2 scores 6,282 points while the Pixel 2 XL polled a slightly higher 6,316 points. Comparing the scores to that of other Snapdragon 835 phones benchmarked already like the Galaxy S8 (single-core: 1929, multi-core: 6084), OnePlus 5 (single-core: 1963) (multi-core: 6687) and the Xperia XZ Premium (single-core: 1943, multi-core: 5824), the Pixel phones didn’t perform badly. Even the HTC U11 from the same manufacturer of the Pixel phones also scored points hovering around the same range on the single and multi-core tests.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy J2 (2017) with Modest Specs and Rs. 7,390 (~$114) Pricing is Official

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

Samsung has discreetly introduced a new budget phone called Samsung Galaxy J2 (2017). The new phone with model number SM-J200G is now listed on the Indian edition of Samsung’s official site.

The Galaxy J2 (2017) is fitted with a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display that supports qHD resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. The smartphone receives power from a 1.3 GHz quad-core Exynos chipset. The exact model number of the Exynos chip is not known. It is fueled by a 2,000mAh removable battery that offers talk time of up to 12 hours.

The SoC is coupled with 1 GB of RAM and the phone includes an internal storage of 8 GB. It provides users with a usage space of 4.3 GB as the remaining is used by preloaded apps and Android OS. It also includes an external storage slot for adding up to 128 GB of microSD card.

For photography, the Galaxy J2 (2017) includes a 5-megpaixel CMOS sensor on the rear panel. It is enabled with features like LED flash and autofocus. The front side features a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor. The handset is running on Android OS. The exact version is not listed on Samsung’s site. It includes some handy software features like Smart Manager that can be used for cleaning memory automatically and it also comes with Ultra Data Saving Mod that can allow users to save up to 50 percent of 4G/3G data.

The Galaxy J2 (2017) is a dual-SIM phone that comes with usual connectivity features like USB OTG, 4G, 3G, Wi-Fi 802 b/g/n, v4.1 Bluetooth, GPS and 3.5mm audio jack. It sports a polycarbonate botty that features a textured rear cover. It measures 136.5 x 69.4 x 8.4mm and it weight is 130 grams. Apart from Absolute Black, there are no color choices available for Galaxy J2 (2017). There is no information available on which other markets will be receiving the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2017).

(source)

2018 iPhones Unlikely to Feature Touch ID Sensors

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

The Apple iPhone X is the only smartphone from the company that features the all new Face ID biometric recognition feature. The Touch ID sensor is still available on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus that were unveiled alongside the iPhone X. Fresh information revealed by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states that the 2018 iPhones will arrive with TrueDepth Camera and Face ID. This indicates that iPhones arriving next year are unlikely to feature Touch ID sensors.

The TrueDepth camera system that includes multiple sensors enables facial recognition feature on the iPhone X. Soon after the announcement of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X, Kuo had predicted that all the 2018 iPhones will feature Face ID. His new statement confirms the same information. Earlier this week, he had claimed that the 2018 iPad Pro models will also feature TrueDepth Camera and Face ID.

The rumor mill has claimed that Apple wanted to incorporate fingerprint scanner under the display of its premium iPhone X that features an OLED panel. However, since it could not ready the technology on time, it had to ditch the feature.

The newly introduced Face ID not only users to unlock smartphone by simply looking at the iPhone X, but also it can be used for authenticating payments on Apple Pay. The Cupertino company has claimed that the Face ID security feature is extremely accurate and the possibility of someone bypassing it is considerably lesser than fingerprint recognition.

One should be aware of the fact that Face ID on iPhone X currently supports only one face per device. Hence, the feature is not very convenient for users who like to share their iPhones with family members. However, family members can still use the same device by entering a pin code when it fails to recognize a face. There is no such problem with Touch ID as users can register up to 10 individual fingerprints.

Various Android phone makers are also expected to introduce facial recognition feature on their smartphones through a system like TrueDepth Camera from Apple. Hence, we may soon see Android phones in future with facial recognition feature.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy S9 May Feature Front Camera With 3D Sensor

By

Jeet

-

Oct 13, 2017

Rumors related to Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphone — Galaxy S9 have already started coming in. As per the latest rumour, the Galaxy S9 may feature a 3D sensor equipped front-facing camera.

With the addition of the new 3D sensor, the South Korean giant is aiming to improve facial recognition functionality. Apart from the accuracy, also expect improved safety features and better speed.

Notably, Samsung has been offering facial recognition feature since it launched Galaxy Note 7. The company has also introduced Iris scanner to Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8’s Face Unlock feature.

However, the facial recognition feature by Samsung has often been criticized for not being the safest. With the introduction of Apple’s Face ID — released with iPhone X, the battle for better recognition and safety has moved a step forward.

It seems like Samsung is now headed towards Apple’s Face ID path. The company is working on its own 3D image mapping sensors. The camera takes a 3D scan of user’s face from all angles and then it is securely saved in the smartphone.

The technology will likely be similar to the TrueDepth system that Apple uses. If this rumour turns out to be true, then the future of the iris and fingerprint sensor seems to be in jeopardy.

Other rumours related to the Galaxy S9 suggests that the phone could come with a rear-mounted dual camera system with its 3-layer image sensor.

Samsung’s recent patent filing indicates that there’s a possibility that the upcoming flagship smartphone from the company may come with an environmental sensor that measures the quality of air by detecting various particles in the air.

Previous reports have revealed that the Galaxy S9, carrying a model number of SM-G960, will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset along with 6GB of RAM.

It is expected to feature an Infinity display that we saw on the Galaxy S8, with QHD+ resolution. It is pegged to come pre-installed with Android 8.0 Oreo operating system.

A recent report suggests that Samsung could exclusively get the initial bath of Snapdragon 845 processor for the Galaxy S9. It had worked out a similar deal with Qualcomm for the initial batch of Snapdragon 835.

(Source)

Huawei Mate 10 Porsche Design Firmware Files Hints its Existence

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

When Huawei had unveiled the Mate 9 smartphone last year, it had also unveiled the premium Mate 9 Porsche Design that carried a hefty price tag of $1,500 on Amazon. A firmware file that is named as BLA-AL00-porsche-cn has surfaced to confirm the existence of the Mate 10 Porsche Design. Hence, it appears that the Chinese manufacturer will debut the Mate 10 Porsche Design alongside the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro on Oct. 16.

The firmware file could belong to the Chinese variant of the Mate 10 Porsche Design. Actually, BLA-AL00 is rumored as the model number of Mate 10 Pro. Hence, it appears that the Mate 10 Porsche Design could be based on Mate 10 Pro. The Mate 9 Porsche Design was based on Mate 9 Pro.

[envira-gallery id=”153107″]

The firmware file does not contain any information on the specifications and features of the Mate 10 Porsche Design. However, it includes some signature item such as wallpapers, boot animation and sound files. The firmware file may include some new items for Mate 10 Porsche Design among the files for its predecessor.

By far, the firmware file is the strongest evidence to believe that the Mate 10 Porsche Design does exist, claims XDA Developers. However, some of the images also indicate a Porsche Design smartwatch.

In the previous month, reliable leakster Evan Blass had claimed that the Mate 10 series includes three devices such as Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and Mate 10 Lite. However, the Mate 10 Porsche Design may exist as a fourth device in the family. Blass too had hinted the existence of Mate 10 Porsche Design through a recent tweet.

From Mate 10 Pro, Porsche Design edition [firmware courtesy of FunkyHuawei – https://t.co/BkFQa8LsON] pic.twitter.com/j3tZrwy819

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 1, 2017

Since the Porsche Design model is expected to be based on Mate 10 Pro, it is rumored to arrive with an 18:9 ratio display that produces QHD+ resolution. It could be powered the Kirin 970 chipset and may house the same Leica branded dual rear cameras. One thing that is likely to differentiate the Mate 10 Porsche Design from Mate 10 Pro is design. The Mate 10 Porsche Design will be housing a premium body and it will be also sporting a Porsche Design logo.

(source|via)

OnePlus 5T Design Revealed in Fresh Render

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Oct 13, 2017

Even though OnePlus had released its second flagship for 2016 just before the end of the year, the rumor mill speculated that the Chinese manufacturer may not release a new smartphone after OnePlus 5. However, recent reports suggest that the company is working on an improved flagship phone that may debut in the next month. A render of the alleged OnePlus 5T smartphone has appeared on Slash Leaks

Earlier in this week, Gizmo China had exclusively revealed a render of the rumored OnePlus 5T. The design of the alleged OP5T in the new render looks like the render we had shared this week.

The above render shows that the OnePlus 5T will be arriving with a full-screen design. The presence of an elongated display suggests that it may support an aspect ratio of 18:9. Since the birth of the company’s first phone – OnePlus One, all the smartphones from it have featured 5.5-inch screens. However, the OnePlus 5T is speculated to arrive with a 6-inch display. It is rumored to produce a Full HD+ resolution of 2,060 x 1,080 pixels.

Why should OnePlus launch OP5T? OnePlus is known for releasing “flagship killer” smartphones. Hence, its smartphones are known to carry flagship specs at unbeatable price. OnePlus 5 has pretty decent features like Snapdragon 835, 8 GB of RAM and dual cameras, but it does not sport a full screen design like recent flagships like Apple iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy Not 8 and LG V30. Hence, the OP5T is expected to arrive with a full screen to rival with these phones.

The new render shows that the alleged OnePlus 5T will have rounded corners. The usual buttons like Mute Switch, volume controllers and Power key can be seen on the edges. The render has received a low trust score of 13 percent on Slash Leaks which indicates it could be a fake. The rumors of OnePlus 5T have surfaced because OnePlus 5 has gone out of stock in various markets. If the device really exists, we may soon see some teaser from the company.

The OP5T may not feature improved specs as there is no better processor available. Hence, it is speculated to arrive with the same hardware specs. The Chinese manufacturer may add a new face scanning feature on the rumored smartphone. Also, like the OnePlus 5, the alleged 5T is speculated to arrive in 64 GB and 128 GB storage models. Rumors have it that these models will be respectively available with a pricing of $519 and $579.

Do you think that OnePlus 5T exist and will be unveiled soon? Add comments below to express your views on it.

(source)