Xiaomi is expected to announce the Redmi Note 5A later today via a live broadcast which would be hosted by Xiaomi’s president Lin Bin. The Redmi Note 5A falls into the tech giant’s budget offering except that it is touted to come with a build quality whose standard is of flagship category. This assertion was made by Lin Bin himself on his official Weibo account who also shared a list of the quality tests the Redmi Note 5A was subjected to.
Among the quality tests listed include dust test, temperature impact test, SIM card plug test and a host of others which ordinarily are tests conducted on its Mi flagship models. The device is also revealed to be coming with a Corning Gorilla Glass protection. Lin Bin had also earlier revealed that the budget device will come with a front flash. In addition, the Xiaomi president also shared a list of suppliers of the different parts used on the Redmi Note 5A and on the list we can see top companies like Qualcomm, Samsung, Texas instruments, Bosch, Corning, and others.
As a reminder, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A is expected to feature a 5.5-inch HD display and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset. The device also features 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. There may be another variant with a Snapdragon 625 chipset as well as 3GB+ 32GB memory and 4GB + 64GB storage. It is expected to pack a 13-megapixel rear camera and a front-facing camera of 5-megapixels as well as a 3,000mAh battery. We’ll keep you updated here on Gizmochina as soon as the device is launched.
The first time the Sharp Aquos S2 leaked, it was hard to unsee the striking resemblance it shared with the Essential Phone. The teaser was even the same as that of the Essential Phone when Andy Rubin first teased it. While Sharp may use the “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” excuse, Andy Rubin isn’t happy about it.
In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg, the founder of Essential shed some light on the matter. He revealed that Foxconn Industries manufactured the Essential Phone. The manufacturing giant which is also an investor and partner in Essential, also manufactured the Sharp Aquos S2. So while there are advantages in the partnership, there are also disadvantages.
Andy Rubin said in the interview “You should have seen that email!”, referring to the mail he sent to Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, when he saw the Sharp phone. The details of the mail were not disclosed but we can assume that he gave Mr. Gou a piece of his mind.
In China it isn’t unusual to see phones from different brands look exactly alike. Take the bezel-less display craze that started with the Xiaomi Mi MIX for example. Quite a number of manufacturers made similar looking devices with some even having “MIX” in their name.
Another example is the jump on the 18:9 aspect ratio train started by Samsung and LG. There are phones that share the same look as the Galaxy S8 and also called the S8 ( see the Bluboo S8).
So Mr Rubin, if Sharp didn’t copy your design, someone else would have done so eventually. However, while Sharp has been making bezel-less devices for years now, they can even be referred to as the pioneers, it will be unfair to pretend we can’t see that the Essential Phone greatly influences the design of the Aquos S2. Sharp does try to make the display look a bit different by making the top corners diagonal instead of curved.
Moving on from there, Mr Rubin also revealed two new modules for the Essential Phone. The Essential phone has two magnetic pins at the back where you can clip on the accessories that give your phone new features. Right now, the only one available for purchase is the 360° cam which will retail for $199 but can be gotten for $50 when you buy it with the phone.
Essential Camera Accessory Prototype
The new modules he mentioned are a device that allows you send high quality audio to your car stereo while your phone charges via its main port. If you have forgotten, the Essential Phone doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack that you can plug an auxiliary cable into.
The second gadget is said to be the world’s smallest 3D laser scanner. he didn’t disclose the function of the scanner though. Another device he revealed is a standalone product called Home.
Home will work like Google Home or Amazon Echo but will have support for Google Assistant and Alexa. It will also run a special OS called AmbientOS which focuses on privacy.
A prototype unit shown reveals it has a circular display. We can make out a music widget, a widget that shows a list of smart devices (there is Nest and Chromecast on the list) and a third widget that has Spotify and AT&T icons.
Official images on the website reveals it will have a black body with a gold chrome base. The display is inclined so you don’t have to stand directly over it to see what is on the screen.
The official website describes Home as a device “that plays well with others”. You can activate it by asking a question, tapping it or even glancing at it. Some of the functions shown include asking it to play song, set a reminder or even dim the light. It will remind you about your appointments too.
There was no mention of when any of these products will hit the market.
Motorola has released a phone for nearly all its series save for two, the X and the M series. Although the Moto M series was created just last year and has only device, folks are more excited about the Moto X series. Up until 2015, the Moto X was Motorola’s flagship line and has now been replaced by the Moto Z. After a one year break, Lenovo is bringing back the series with the Moto X4.
The Moto X4 will launch as an upper mid-range smartphone, boasting features found in flagships. It will have a metal and glass body, dual rear cameras and even an IP68 rating. The release date for the Moto X4 is put at August 24. Just a few days before that, live photos of the device have been posted online.
The variant in the images is navy blue and looks pretty good. The first image shows the front of the device. The Moto X4 has a pill-shaped home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner. It also has on-screen buttons. The UI is nearly stock Android like other Moto phones.
The back is a little more exciting as we can see the dual rear cameras. The camera housing is similar to that of the other Moto phones released this year with its circular but raised design. The sensors are positioned side by side and the LED flash is at the top.
Beneath the cameras lie the Moto logo under a layer of glass that is curved at the sides.
Meizu will be launching the M6 Note on August 23, just two days away and ahead of that event, we have got what is likely Note 6’s real photos showing the mid-ranger from different angles. This is the first time the M6 Note’s real photos are making the rounds and quite aptly, it doesn’t look too spectacular but there are some interesting features coming on the mid-range smartphone.
One major thing we can take out of the leaked photos is the dual camera setup at the rear which makes the M6 Note only the second Meizu device to have such after the Pro 7. We have already seen the sample photo shot by the Note 6’s rear cameras and it shows potentials of a setup with a fast focus. Another unique design is the LED flash at the rear which is a similar quad-LED flash as used on the Meizu E2. The LED flash is located directly on top the antenna band line. This sort of confirms an earlier leak that the device would feature the same flash as the E2.
The leaked photos only capture the rear view of the device but we have already seen the front view of the device in an earlier leak and it looks very much like the M5 Note and previous Meizu model. Another thing we can take out of the leaked shots is the presence of the 3.5mm audio jack, a non-removable back cover and the USB port which isn’t a USB-C port.
The M6 Note is expected to feature a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD resolution and will be powered by MediaTek’s latest mid-range Helio P25 chip with the Mali-T880 GPU firing up the graphics. The processor will be backed by 3GB of RAM on some models while others will have 4GB of RAM coupled with either be a 32GB and 64GB storage variant respectively. A device purported to be the M6 Note was spotted on Geekbench recently with a Snapdragon 625 processor. We can’t say for sure if the device is real or not but if that is launched, it would be an interesting addition.
Behold, the Nokia 8 is here — Nokia’s first flagship grade smartphone in 3 years and 10 months (considering Lumia 1520, the last flagship model under Nokia branding, launched in 2013). But this phone marks an even bigger milestone — it’s the brand’s first-ever Android flagship, making it one of the most anticipated launches of 2017. Well, not just of 2017, it probably has been the most anticipated product of the decade. And now, the phone we’ve waited for so long is here and before our fanboyism takes over, let’s take a look at how the Nokia 8 stands against its nearest competitors.
Considering its placement as a premium flagship, top rated phones like Galaxy S8, LG G6, Moto Z2 Force, Xiaomi Mi 6, and even the Nubia Z17 are direct rivals to the device. However, before we check out the competition, let’s first see where the phone stands as a flagship grade smartphone in 2017.
Nokia 8: How Does It Look As A Premium 2017 Flagship
On first glance, the Nokia 8 feels like a well-built flagship. The phone has all the bells and whistles that you would expect in a top-end smartphone, including the powerful Snapdragon 835 chipset. It’s a bit low in the RAM department (that is, if you are a power hungry user), with just 4GB available on the base €599 version. Many cheaper models lure you in with a 6GB of RAM base variant but do note that there are still a few flagships that start (and even end) with just 4GB RAM, like the Galaxy S8 and the Huawei P10, so the Nokia 8 isn’t alone.
In the camera department, Sony’s IMX258 (unconfirmed) is most likely inside the 12MP+12MP setup, which is a pretty good sensor. This may not be the best Sony sensor we have seen in a smartphone (like the IMX362 inside the HTC U11 with its large 1.4µm pixel size), but experience tells us that camera optimization plays a large part in the quality of images and videos captured than the sensor model. The setup is impressive with Carl Zeiss lens, Laser Focus, and OIS but the phone lacks any kind of lossless zoom. Even phones which are way cheaper than the Nokia 8 come with optical zoom, so it was probably a bad decision to skip this feature. But I’m sure Nokia could be forgiven for excluding it, provided the camera quality with Carl Zeiss lens is exceptional.
Coming to the pricing, the Nokia 8 isn’t cheap. It starts at €599, which comes to over $700. That’s Galaxy S8, HTC U11 territory, which isn’t going to help its chances for success. Nokia OZO Audio and Dual Sight does try to give it an edge, but is it enough for consumers to choose the Nokia 8 instead of some of the best-rated phones in the market today?
Let’s find out.
Please note that choosing a phone has, and always will be a personal choice. I understand for some users 2K screen will matter more than say water proofing and vice versa. So the conclusions drawn from the comparison below doesn’t aim to be definitive. It’s just to show which phone we would personally pick and why. So, don’t be offended or alarmed just because we picked one phone over the other.
Another thing, we still don’t have a very good idea about Nokia 8’s camera quality. So, I won’t be commenting about the phone’s camera quality in detail in the comparison. But you’ll get camera specs, sensor models, and other details right in the specs comparison table.
So, let’s get on with it.
Nokia 8 vs Competition: Which One’s Better?
Let’s start with the industry leader — Samsung Galaxy S8.
Nokia 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S8
The Nokia 8 vs Galaxy S8 comparison is a pretty easy one on the basis of plain specifications and features. Both have Snapdragon 835 (or equivalent) processors on board but the S8 beats the Nokia 8 in multiple departments like the display, dimensions, special add on features as well as the pricing. Right now, the S8 can be bought at a cheaper price tag than the Nokia 8, at just around €559 on sites like Amazon in Europe. It offers much more value for its cheaper price tag, making the comparison rather straight forward. So, unless you dislike the infinity display, you would get more value with the S8.
Single Camera
12MP f/1.7, 1.4um,
OIS, PDAF, LED Flash
Sony IMX333
FRONT: 8MP 2K
COMMS
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
IP68
Iris Scanner
S-Voice
Wireless Charging
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
559 Euros (41 Euro Cheaper!)
Our Pick: Galaxy S8
Nokia 8 vs LG G6
Nokia 8 vs LG G6
While the LG G6 is a pretty decent smartphone, you already know which phone you’d pick in this comparison on the basis of specifications alone. The processor inside the G6 is old now, and so are the connectivity standards used. The display might be the only key feature that’ll lure in customers along with its cheaper €414 price tag. But if you are willing to shell out more, Nokia 8 is likely a better buy.
Nokia 8
LG G6
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Larger body profile
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Smaller body profile
148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm
155 grams
Dual Cameras
13MP + 13MP f/2.0 (1.12um pixel)
OIS, Laser + PDAF
Carl Zeiss Optics
(Sony IMX258?)
dual LED flash
FRONT: 13MP 4K
Dual Cameras
13MP f/1.8 (1.12um) + 13MP f/2.4
OIS, PDAF, LED Flash
Sony IMX258
FRONT: 5MP 1080p
COMMS
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
Bluetooth 4.2
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
IP68
AOD
Wireless Charging
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3300mAh QC 3.0
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
414 Euros (185 Euros Cheaper)
Our Pick: Nokia 8
Nokia 8 vs HTC U11
Nokia 8 vs HTC U11
It’s much harder to pick a winner in the Nokia 8 vs HTC 11 comparison. Both are equally good, with great 2K displays and similar body profiles. In fact, I couldn’t pick one model as a clear winner in any department. Note that there’s no headphone jack on the HTC U11, which might be unacceptable for some, but with the superior audio that you get via the USB Type-C connector (thanks to a dedicated DAC), most shouldn’t mind its absence.
Nokia OZO Audio and Dual Sight does give Nokia 8 a slight edge but with HTC’s unique Edge Sense gestures, it becomes a matter of preference rather than whose tech is simply better. So, it really comes down to the camera department and the quality of Nokia 8’s dual sensors over HTC U11’s single 12MP shooter. We already know the U11 has an amazing camera but without any knowledge of Nokia’s camera prowess, it’s hard to pick a winner. Still, I would personally pick HTC for its unique Edge Sense that I would use on a daily basis, rather than Dual Sight or Nokia OZO that would probably be rarely used.
Nokia 8
HTC U11
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Similar body profile
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Similar body profile
153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm
169 grams
Dual Cameras
13MP + 13MP f/2.0 (1.12um pixel)
OIS, Laser + PDAF
Carl Zeiss Optics
(Sony IMX258?)
dual LED flash
FRONT: 13MP 4K
Single Camera
12MP f/1.7
OIS, PDAF, LED Flash
Sony IMX362
FRONT: 16MP 1080p
COMMS
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Bluetooth 4.2 (~5.0 after Android O)
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
No 3.5mm headphone jack
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
IP67
HTC Edge Sense
Wireless Charging
Exceptional Audio
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3000mAh QC 3.0
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros (20 Euros Cheaper)
620 Euros
Our Pick: HTC U11
Nokia 8 vs Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Nokia 8 vs Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Barring the amazing 4K resolution screen and the 960 fps super slo-mo video recording feature, the Xperia XZ Premium fails to impress. Its bulky profile doesn’t help to get a comfortable grip and neither does its 195g weight. The camera is just above average, not up to Sony’s exceptional standards. So, unless you are a huge fan of 4K smartphone displays, the Nokia 8 should be good enough of a flagship for most customers.
Nokia 8
Xperia XZ Premium
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Smaller body profile & Lighter
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Larger Body Profile & Way Heavier
156 x 77 x 7.9 mm
195 grams
Dual Cameras
13MP + 13MP f/2.0 (1.12um pixel)
OIS, Laser + PDAF, dual LED flash
Carl Zeiss Optics
(Sony IMX258?)
FRONT: 13MP 4K
Dual Cameras
19MP f/2.0 (1.22um)
Laser + PDAF, EIS, dual LED Flash
Sony IMX400
FRONT: 13MP 1080p
COMMS
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
IP68
960 fps slo-mo video recording
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3230mAh QC 3.0
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros (50 Euros Cheaper)
650 Euros
Our Pick: Nokia 8
Nokia 8 vs Moto Z2 Force
Nokia 8 vs Moto Z2 Force
Love to get your hands on a super slim device? Then the Moto Z2 Force should be your pick with a razor-thin 6mm body. It weighs just 143 grams, making it lighter than most 5.5-inch phones out there. At what cost though? There’s no headphone jack and the battery is smaller than other models, measuring 2730mAh. Not that bad, right? The Z2 Force does feature Moto’s unique ShatterShield technology but it does come at a cost — scratch prone front. But once again, the front’s replaceable, so don’t panic yet. Moto Style Shells are definitely an added plus, especially when you can add features such as Wireless charging.
So, this was all about why you would pick the Z2 Force. Moving on to Nokia 8, the camera has to be its biggest asset. If the camera is really amazing, your choice becomes easier, with features like dedicated Nokia OZO Audio, Dual Sight tech, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a slightly larger battery, further tempting you to pick the Nokia 8 over Z2 Force. Pricing doesn’t help in the choice as it’s too close.
If I had to make a choice, the camera would be a big deciding factor. Without that information, I would pick the Moto Z2 Force for its slimmer profile and Moto Style Shells.
Nokia 8
Moto Z2 Force
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Larger body profile
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Super Slim & Lightweight
155.8 x 76 x 6.1 mm
143 grams
Now, let’s bring in the flagships from China. Should make the comparison really interesting and probably one sided.
Nokia 8 vs Xiaomi Mi 6
Nokia 8 vs Xiaomi Mi 6
The Xiaomi Mi 6 is an embodiment of the perfect 2017 flagship, at least on the basis of specs. The phone has SD835, 6GB RAM, large memory option variants, splash resistance, good dual cameras with 2x Optical zoom, and a sufficiently large battery — all inside a compact body profile and affordable price tag.
The Nokia 8 is aiming for a similar place in the market, perhaps, a level higher than the Mi 6. So, you get a 2K display, special features like Nokia OZO Audio and Dual Sight as well as the latest connectivity standards (including a 3.5mm dedicated headphone jack which the Mi 6 lacks). On paper, the Nokia 8 is better but it’s significantly costlier than the Mi 6. Now, all you have to decide is whether a €255 difference is worth the upgrade.
If I had to make a choice, I would personally go with the Nokia 8. Yes, it’s costlier, but the camera is probably going to be better and Dual Sight tech seems like a feature that I would check out every once in a while. Despite doing everything right, I feel, the Mi 6 is a bit too safe for a 2017 flagship.
Nokia 8
Xiaomi Mi 6
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Smaller body profile & Lighter
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 2.0
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
IR Port
No 3.5mm headphone jack
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
Splash Resistant
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3350mAh QC 3.0
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
344 Euros (255 Euros Cheaper!)
Our Pick: Nokia 8
Nokia 8 vs Nubia Z17
Nokia 8 vs Nubia Z17
Unlike the Xiaomi Mi 6, the Nubia Z17 brings a couple of features to spice up its comparison with the Nokia 8. It features a bezel-less aRC 3.0 screen — which looks beautiful, Quick Charge 4.0 support, Dolby Atmos, 6GB RAM with an 8GB RAM option, an IR port, and even 2x lossless zoom while being a good €245 cheaper! Apart from the connectivity department, the Nokia 8 does not have a significant edge over the Z17. Yes, the Nokia 8 gives a tough fight with Dual Sight and Nokia OZO. Also, the screen resolution is higher at 2K, but are these features enough to ignore a €245 price difference? For the additional €245, you do get a faster upgrade promise to Android O as compared to the Z17.
But personally, I like the Z17 and the Nokia 8 does not have enough punch to make me switch over to the model, at least not yet.
Nokia 8
Nubia Z17
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Similar body profile but Lighter
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Dual Cameras
13MP + 13MP f/2.0 (1.12um pixel)
OIS, Laser + PDAF, dual LED flash
Carl Zeiss Optics
(Sony IMX258?)
FRONT: 13MP 4K
Dual Cameras
12MP + 23MP f/1.8 + f/2.0 (1.4um+1.0um)
PDAF, 2x lossless Zoom, dual LED Flash
Sony IMX362 + IMX318
FRONT: 16MP
COMMS
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Bluetooth 4.1
USB Type-C 2.0 (unconfirmed)
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
IR Port
No 3.5mm headphone jack
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
IP68
FiT (Interactive Edges)
8GB RAM variant
Dolby Atmos
Quick Charge 4.0 support
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3200mAh QC 3.0
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
350 Euros (249 Euros Cheaper!)
Our Pick: Nubia Z17
Nokia 8 vs Huawei P10
Nokia 8 vs Huawei P10
P10 is known for its Leica dual cameras and that’s definitely going to be a deciding factor. It will all boil down to Leica vs Carl Zeiss and whose dual camera implementation is better. The Huawei P10 has a thinner and lighter body, but in rest of the departments, like display and connectivity, the Nokia 8 has an edge. Add splash resistance, OZO Audio, and Dual Sight tech, and things get harder for the P10. We could bring the larger Huawei P10 Plus into the picture to make things interesting. The Nokia 8 lies in between these two siblings in terms of pricing. Add €40 to Nokia 8’s price for a Huawei P10 Plus and you get a larger 3750mAh battery as well as an IR port. But then you lose on the latest connectivity standards, splash resistance and Nokia’s proprietary OZO Audio and Dual Sight technologies.
So, on paper, for €40 less than the P10 Plus, the Nokia 8 looks better.
Nokia 8
Huawei P10
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Larger
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Super Compact & Lightweight
145.3 x 69.3 x 7 mm
145g
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Bluetooth 4.2
USB Type-C 2.0
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
Not Splash Proof
Leica Optics
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3200mAh Fast Charging
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
554 Euros (45 Euros Cheaper)
Our Pick: Nokia 8
Nokia 8 vs OnePlus 5
Nokia 8 vs OnePlus 5
The OnePlus 5 is a solid contender to the Nokia 8, featuring similar specs but priced nearly €100 cheaper. In fact, you get 2GB of additional RAM at a cheaper price. But if you are happy with 4GB RAM, and are ready to spend €100 more, the Nokia 8 is also a good option. For the additional price, you get a 2K display, Nokia OZO Audio, and Dual Sight technology. If ‘bothies’ are your thing, then the Nokia 8 is your choice. But given that OnePlus 5 is a solid flagship by itself, even when it comes to the dual camera performance, the quality of Nokia 8’s rear camera would make all the difference. If it’s better than the OnePlus 5, which could easily be possible, then paying €100 extra would probably be worth it. But without the camera performance in the picture, OnePlus 5 seems to be the better pick here.
Nokia 8
OnePlus 5
DIMENSIONS | WT.
Larger profile
151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9mm
160g
Smaller body profile & Lighter 154.2 x 74.1 x 7.3 mm
153 g
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 3.1
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C 2.0
Wi-Fi ac
NFC
3.5mm headphone jack
SPECIAL FEATURES
IP54
Nokia OZO Audio
Carl Zeiss Lens
Dual Sight
Dirac HD sound
BATTERY FEATURES
3090mAh QC 3.0
3300mAh Dash Charge
PRICE DIFFERENCE
599 Euros
499 Euros (100 Euros Cheaper!)
Our Pick: OnePlus 5
So, that was Nokia 8 vs competition. The comparison tables should give you a good idea as to where each phone stands in different departments and hopefully, it’ll help you in your buying decision.
Just as was hinted last week, Coolpad has launched the Cool Play 6 in India. The device is being projected as the company’s flagship device in the markets where it is being launched viz a viz India and Dubai. But in the real sense, the Cool play 6 isn’t a flagship product when compared to the Galaxy S8 and others in that league but based on some innovative hardware it packs.
One of the unique features is that it comes with 6GB RAM onboard which makes the Play 6 the only smartphone that would be having such large RAM in the price segment it falls under. The Cool Play 6 has its price pegged at 14,999 Rupees (~$234) which is pretty good for a 6GB RAM phone. Moreso, there is a dual camera setup at the rear, a powerful one at that, made up of a 13MP main sensor and a 13MP secondary sensor. The sleek metal body design is also another spectacular thing about the Cool Play 6.
In addition, the Cool Play 6 features a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 64-bit Octa-core Snapdragon 653 processor with 64GB of storage space. The mid-range device also comes with an 8MP f2.2 sensor for selfies. A large non-removable 4,060mAh battery also joins the mix, promising hours of usage. The phone comes with Coolpad’s Journey UI based on Android Nougat out of the box and apart from that Coolpad has announced that it will provide the Android 8.0 OTA update by December 2017 for the smartphone.
It is these kinds of hardware which have made Coolpad a popular brand in India, reputed to have a 25% market share on Amazon in the sub-8000 Rupees category. Coolpad is planning to even expand more in India, both offline and online in order to gain more market share and the Cool Play 6 may just be a game-changer for the company. The Coolpad Cool Play 6 comes in Gold and Black colors and will go on sale exclusively on Amazon.in from September 4.
Samsung has started teasing the prowess of the Galaxy Note 8. It has released two new videos to show what to expect from the cameras and S Pen stylus of the upcoming Galaxy Note 8. The videos are in Korean language, but it can be understood what Samsung is trying to show about the upcoming Note 8.
The first video shows how the Note 8 could be used to focus on the subject while blurring the background. By this Samsung could be teasing the bokeh effect capabilities of the dual rear cameras of the Galaxy Note 8.
Some rumors have claimed that it would be coming with 3x optical zoom. Few weeks ago, Samsung had also revealed the dual rear camera features that may arrive on the Galaxy Note 8.
The other video shows how easy it could be use the S Pen for drawing and writing. Even though the Samsung improves the S Pen with every Galaxy Note phablet that it releases, the stylus accompanying the Galaxy Note 8 is may not come with new features. Still the Note 8’s S Pen is speculated to deliver a writing and drawing experience that similar to a real pen. The messages composed using the stylus can be shared with others as GIF. Also, the S Pen created messages can be made to appear on the screen through the Always On Display feature without turning on the entire display.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is debuting on Aug. 23 and its pre-orders are expected to begin in the U.S. from the very next day and its rumored to release on Sept. 15. It is rumored to be themost expensive Note series smartphone from Samsung. The U.S., the U.K and South Korea are rumored to receive the Note 8 in September whereas other regions are pegged to get it in October. The rumor mill has also revealed the GalaxyNote 8 pricing for Chinese markets.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A is confirmed to debut today in China at 7:30 PM local time. It will be budget phone with modest specs and cheap pricing. The company is expected to hold a live webcast event to showcase the launch of Note 5A. Here is a rumor roundup of the Redmi Note 5A.
Design and Display
The Redmi Note 5A is unlikely to come with a full metallic body. It is expected to come with a plastic body with a metallic finish. It is expected to come in color options like gold, pink, and silver as shown in an official image. However, the TENAA listing of the budget phablet has suggested that tit would be also coming in additional colors like red, blue, rose gold, and gray. The Redmi Note 5A measures 153.3 x 76.3 x 7.31 grams and it is expected to weigh around 150 grams.
The smartphone is expected to arrive in two variants. The lower configuration model could be called Redmi Note 5A and there will be a higher model called Redmi Note 5A Pro or Prime or it may be simply called Redmi Note 5. The Note 5A is expected to arrive with a 5.5-inch HD display whereas the Note 5A Pro may feature a 5.5-inch full HD screen.
Chipset, RAM and Storage
According to the TENAA listing, the Redmi Note A is powered by Snapdragon 425 chipset and it features 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of native storage. The higher model may be powered by Snapdragon 430 chipset or a more powerful Snapdragon chip. It is expected to feature 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of inbuilt storage. The highest configuration model may come with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. It is also expected to come with a microSD card slot.
The Redmi Note 5A is expected to come with 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. Xiaomi has confirmed that the Redmi Note 5A will be arriving with a selfie LED flash. Hence, it will be the first phone from the company to feature a frontal flash. The higher variant may feature a 16-megapixel rear snapper.
The Redmi Note 5A may come with Android 7.1.1 Nougat overlaid with MIUI 8 and may get updated to MIUI 9 soon after its launch. According to TENAA, the Redmi Note 5A has a 3,000 mAh battery. Its higher variant may feature a larger battery. Like the Redmi 4A that lacks a fingerprint reader, the Note 5A is also speculated to arrive without a fingerprint scanner. The higher variant is likely to feature it.
As far as pricing is concerned, the Redmi Note 5A would be priced at 999 Yuan (~$149). The higher model is expected to sell for 1,199 Yuan (~$179).
The Nokia 8 was launched in London on Aug. 16 by HMD Global. It will be hitting the European markets with a pricing of about 599 euros (~$705). The Finnish firm did not confirm on the specific markets that will be receiving the Nokia 8. The major markets to receive it are Europe, Middle East and Asia. In an interview with CNBC, Florian Sieche, the acting chief executive of the company said that the Nokia 8 will not be coming to the U.S. or China. However, the rumor mill has now revealed that the Nokia 8 will be coming to China soon and that too with a cheaper pricing.
Sieche had revealed that the company is building a strategy to sell its smartphones in China, the world’s biggest smartphone market. It aims to release certain devices that are tailored for the Chinese audience. He added that the company would be making announcements on the devices tailored for China in the future. Since the Nokia 6 had first released in China and was met with tremendous response from the Chinese users, tech enthusiasts were of the view that the Nokia 8 would be also debuting soon in China. However, Sieche made it quite clear that the Nokia 8 won’t be coming to China.
It seems that the company has decided to launch the Nokia 8 in China. Fresh information suggests that the Nokia 8 will be coming to China with a cheaper price tag of 3,699 Yuan (~$555) which is much cheaper than the European pricing of the phone. Readers are advised to take this report with a pinch of salt as there is no official backing for it.
The Nokia 8 may be sporting internals that match with the flagship phones from other brands, but its design is not that impressive as it does not feature slim bezels or full-screen display. This could be the probable reason why HMD Global had not considered launching Nokia 8 in China. In order to compete well with rivaling Chinese flagships like OnePlus 5, Xiaomi Mi 6 and ZTE Nubia Z17, the Finnish firm may have planned to debut it with a lower pricing.
HMD Global is also expected to debut in Nokia 9 flagship before the end of this year. It is rumored to feature a full-screen display, 8 GB of RAM, Snapdragon 835 chipset, dual rear cameras, an iris scanner and a larger battery.
Richard Yu, the CEO of Huawei Technologies Consumer Business Group has said that the Huawei Mate 10 would be worthy competitor for the upcoming Apple iPhone 8. It seems that the company is working on the launch of the Mate 10 as it expected to debut in October. The Huawei Mate 9 from last year is now selling with discounted pricing which seems to be another indication that the Mate 10’s arrival is fast approaching.
The Huawei Mate 9 Pro with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage-e was previously selling for 4,699 Yuan (~$704) on Dangdang.com in China. However, now its price has been reduced to 3,780 Yuan (~$565). The Huawei Mate 9 with 4 GB of RAM + 32 GB of storage is now selling at a low pricing of 3,099 Yuan (~$465). This recent price cuts on the Huawei Mate 9 is probably an indication that the Chinese firm is finishing the remaining stock of the Mate 9 available with its retailing partners in preparation for the launch of Mate 10.
Brue Lee, the Vice President of Handset Business at Huawei Consumer Business Group has recently confirmed that the company Huawei Mate 10 will be a power efficient phablet that will deliver topnotch performance. The Mate 10 will come with an improved system software and it will be offer optimized 4G performance and will carry the ability to support 5G. Lastly, it will offer improved camera performance.
Even though Huawei has not made an official announcement on the launch date of Mate 10, a real-looking launch invitation has revealed that the flagship phablet will be debuting on Oct. 16 in Munich, Germany. Speculations are rife that that it will be arriving in two flavors such as Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. Rumors also hint that there will be a lower-end model called Huawei Mate 10 Lite.
The Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro are rumored to come with differing aspect ratio. This suggests that the Mate 10 Pro could be sporting a bezel-less display whereas the Mate 10 may come with a regular display. Also, the Mate 10 may feature a front-mounted fingerprint reader whereas its Pro edition may arrive with a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. Both the models are rumored to be powered by the upcoming AI driven Kirin 970 chipset.
In 2018, most of the flagship phones from various smartphone OEMs are expected to feature the Snapdragon 845 chipset. Also, the 2018 flagship phones like Samsung Galaxy S9 and Xiaomi Mi 7 are expected to come with features like full-screen design and 3D face recognition. A Chinese leakster has revealed that the initial stock of the Snapdragon 845 will be reserved by Samsung for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ flagship phones.
In July, when Qualcomm had filed a complaint with International Trade Commission against Apple, the documents submitted by U.S. based chip maker contained some references of the forthcoming Snapdragon 845 chipset. The alleged successor of the Snapdragon 835, the Snapdragon 845 is expected to be a 7nm chipset that is likely to feature an octa-core processor and Adreno 630 chipset. It may get announced later this year or early next year. The mass production of the Snapdragon is pegged to begin in 2018.
Since the Samsung had struck a deal with Qualcomm this year to get the initial stock of the Snapdragon 835 chipset for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones, other Snapdragon 835 powered smartphones to could not release the Galaxy S8. Rumors from previous year had claimed that the LG G6 would be flagship phone featuring Snapdragon 835. However, since it had released before the Galaxy S8, it came with Snapdragon 821 chipset.
A Chinese leaker has claimed that Samsung has entered a deal with the U.S. based chip maker to get the starting stock of the Snapdragon 845 for the Galaxy S9 duo. This indicates that other flagship phones from other brands are unlikely to release in the market with Snapdragon 845 before the official announcement of the Galaxy S9 and S9+. The alleged Samsung Galaxy S9 has already appeared on Geekbench with Snapdragon 845. The Xiaomi Mi 7 could become the first Chinese flagship to arrive with Snapdragon 845 chipset.
In related news, a report that had surfaced in June had claimed that the LG V30 may get announced at the end of August which has become true as the South Korean company has confirmed to debut the LG V30 on Aug. 31. The report had also claimed that the LG G7 may get announced in January 2018 possibly through the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) or Mobile World Congress (MWC) that will be held within the first quarter of the coming year. It indicates that the LG G7 may debut well before the Galaxy S9 duo, but may not feature the Snapdragon 845. However, there are some contradicting rumors that claim LG and Qualcomm too have partnered make sure that the LG G7 also gets the starting stock of the SD 845 and launch as the ultimate flagship of 2018.
Meizu will release the M6 Note come August 23. Specification details leaked in recent weeks show that it will be powered by the Mediatek Helio P25 and possibly even have a Helio P20 variant. It appears we may get a third one, as a Snapdragon 625 version has been seen on Geekbench.
This variant of the Meizu M6 Note was benchmarked on August 17. It is listed as running Android 7.1.2 and has 4GB of RAM. The octa-core chip clocked at 2.0 GHz, though not explicitly stated, is the Snapdragon 625.
The device scores 848 points in the single-core test and 4215 points in the multi-core test. The single-core test is a low for a Snapdragon 625 device but since this is a test unit, there is a possibility performance hasn’t been fine tuned.
Everyone already knows that the iPhone 8 will have a bezel-less design similar to that of the Essential Phone and the Sharp S2 but with a different cut-out design at the top. Reports say mass production has commenced and a Weibo user has provided images of the phone’s display assembly.
There are a bunch of images but the most interesting one is the one above which shows the digitizer and the connecting cables. If you look at the top, there are four circular cut-outs and a slit for the earpiece.
We believe the two on the right are for the front facing camera and iris scanner, while the smaller circle on the right is a sensor. The bigger one on the left appears to have a different shade, giving it a look similar a LED flash. Does it mean the iPhone 8 will have a front LED flash? Most likely not.
While previous leaks have also shown four circular cut-outs, the explanation is different. Instead of a LED flash, the left most circle is said to be a second iris scanner.
Moving on, there is another image that shows the display beside that of the iPhone 7. Since the iPhone 8 won’t have bezels and has ditched the Touch ID below the display, they will have a nearly identical form factor.
Update: Blass has released an updated tweet. The new tweet says that during Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders in the U.S., users can either avail a 256 GB microSD card and a wireless charger or a 360 cam.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is launching this week on Wednesday and a report from the previous week, a Best Buy employee had claimed that the Galaxy Note 8 would be launching in the U.S. on Aug. 24, a day after its official launch event. Since Samsung is known for running a pre-order window for certain days for its flagship phones before beginning its official sales, the leaked information from the Best Buy employee could be indicating that the South Korean company would begin the pre-orders of Galaxy Note 8 from Aug. 24. Well-known leakster, Evan Blass has now tweeted that Samsung would be starting the Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders from Aug. 24
Note8 pre-orders from Samsung (starting 8/24) come with a 256GB microSD card plus choice of convertible wireless charger or 360 cam.
Blass has claimed during the Note 8 pre-orders that is expected to begin on Aug. 24, Samsung may be providing a giving away a 256 GB microSD card for free along with a convertible wireless charger or a 360 cam. He has also claimed that the Galaxy Note 8 would be releasing in the U.S. from Sept. 15.
Samsung had debut the Galaxy 8 and Galaxy S8+ phones on March 29. However, the shipments of these phones had started on April 21. Hence, the Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders may run for a few weeks and it shipments may start from Sept. 15. In South Korea, the pre-orders of the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to run from Sept. 1 to 10 and its shipping is expected to run between Sept. 11 and 14 in the home country.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 sales are expected to first begin in the U.S., the U.K. and South Korea in the next month. The Note 8 would be coming to other markets in October. It is expected to arrive in color options such as Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Gray and Deep Sea Blue. The U.S. is speculated to receive Snapdragon 835 edition of the Note 8 whereas other markets are likely to receive its Exynos 8895 edition.
In China, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to come in three storage models such as 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. All the variants are pegged to come with 6 GB of RAM. These variants are rumored to come with respective price tags of 6,288 Yuan (~$941), 7,088 Yuan (~$1,08) and 7,988 Yuan (~$1,195).
The Huawei P10 is just about 6 months old in the market but attention is already shifting gradually to the next-gen model in the P-series expected to be called P11. The Huawei P11 isn’t expected anytime soon, at least not this year, but we have a concept video which gives an idea of how the P11 may look like.
The video suggests the P11 will come with a titanium body which would be tougher and stronger than aluminum. The next-gen flagship will also come with a water resistant body and a full-screen display with a high screen to body ratio. The device is also listed as having an 18:9 aspect ratio. There is no physical home button but the device is said to come with an under-glass fingerprint sensor. The display is expected to be a QHD display and the P11 will come with a deca-core processor which from precedence, will be the Kirin 970 chip.
In addition, the device is listed as coming with a dual camera setup consisting of two 24MP sensors. The P11 will also come with support for Google Daydream, feature a USB Type-C port, 128GB storage and a 3,500mAh battery with fast charge support.The device will run on Android 8.0. You can check out the concept video from below.
Google had introduced the Android One project in 2014 to bring stock Android experience and budget-friendly smartphones for developing markets. At the beginning, Android One phones gained some popularity, but all the fizz out around died out. The Redmi 3S, Redmi 4, Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4 smartphones from Xiaomi are quite famous in developing markets. Fresh information suggest that Google may be working with Xiaomi to launch a new Android One smartphone.
In the previous month, Xiaomi had launch the Xiaomi Mi 5X smartphone. Currently, it is only available in China. However, the rumor mill has been speculating that it would be coming to other markets. The Xiaomi Mi 5X has been allegedly spotted at POSTEL, an agency for Indonesia that certifies telecom products. It has been found that this Xiaomi phone is not running on MIUI skin.
Also, the description of the smartphone mention that it is a dual-SIM phone and its software is developed by Google. It further states that Android One gives access to premium security features and apps from Google. This is a clear indication that Google may soon launch a Xiaomi Android One smartphone in the near future.
A mysterious Xiaomi smartphone named Xiaomi Mi A1 has been recently spotted on RF certification page of Xiaomi. It is likely that this Xiaomi Mi A1 could be the upcoming Android One smartphone from the Chinese firm. And, it appears that this phone could be inspired from the recent Xiaomi Mi 5X smartphone. POSTEL listing has revealed that the smartphone has a 5.5-inch full HD screen and its model number is MDG2. The RF certification had revealed that the model number of Xiaomi MI A1 is MDG2.
There is no confirmation on when the alleged phone would be unveiled. The Android O is slated to get announced on Aug. 21. More information on the launch of Android O or in the coming weeks.
At the start of this year, a report had surfaced that stated that Google would be bringing its Android One project to the U.S. The report had also revealed that the U.S. bound Android One smartphone would be coming around the middle of this year and it would be priced around $200 to $300. There is a possibility that the Android One Xiaomi smartphone could be the first phone from the company to land in the U.S. markets.
It seems every new device that we get comes with a USB charger. Phones, tablets, speakers and more and all charged using USB. When you start to load up on devices and they come with their own power brick and after a while you run out of places to plug them in! That is where USB charging stations come in. They make it easy to charge multiple devices at once and typically you are only taking up a single power outlet. Chuwi’s Hi-Dock gives you 4 powered USB ports for your devices. If you have multiple devices that need charged via USB then this is definitely a product you want to look at. Let’s take a look and see what it’s all about.
Chuwi Hi-Dock Features
– Charge 4 smartphones, tablets or iPad simultaneously
– Space-saving design for your countertop
– Input: 100-240 V AC
– Output: 12 watts (5 volts DC @ 2.4 amps) for 3 ports, and 17 watts (5 volts DC @ 3.4 amps max) for the rest
– Qualcomm quick charge 3.0
I’ve been using the Chuwi Hi-Dock to charge my phones and tablets for over a month now and I don’t have anything terribly profound to say about it. It works. It works well. It charges 4 devices including iPads and tablets as quickly as possible. The output for 3 USB port is 12 watts (5 volts DC @ 2.4 amps) and 1 USB port is 17watts max (5 vlots DC @ 3.4 amps) for each charging bay.
Chuwi Hi-Dock is a multi-device charger that will charge four of your devices (or any USB mobile device) at once, it had no problem during my testing charging multiple smartphones at once, or adding tablets and iPad to the mix.
The Chuwi Hi-Dock does what it says it does and it does it brilliantly. It charged all of my devices without issue and it did it fairly quickly. The Hi-Dock is a solid product, though, and I feel good giving it 4 out of 5 stars. Hit the links below to check out the charging dock and to pick up your Chuwi Hi-Dock.
Check here to find details of Chuwi Hi-Dock: Official
Just a few days after the launch of the Zenfone 4 family in Taiwan, ASUS has released updates for 2 out of the 6 devices released. The devices are the Zenfone 4 (ZE554KL) and the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro (ZD552KL).
The update for the Zenfone 4 pushes the software version to 14.1050.1708.36 and brings some fixes and optimization. It will improve WiFi connectivity, fix the Facebook dual app function and fix a bug that affects the function to add Twitter followers via QR code.
For the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro, the software version moves to 11.40.208.44 after the update. The change-log mentions image quality improvement and an overall camera quality enhancement.
ASUS adds that the update may take a week before it reaches all devices. Do note that this update is for the WW/TW version.
The Zenfone 4 is already available for purchase in Taiwan, ASUS’ home country for NT$13,990 (∼$461) for the Snapdragon 660-powered 6GB RAM + 64GB model. The 4GB + 64GB model with a Snapdragon 630 processor is priced at NT$10,990 (∼$362). They are available in only black and white for now.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be unveiled on Wednesday, August 23. Just a few days before the launch, it appeared on Samsung’s US web store with the same image we saw in the recently leaked renders.
It has been pulled off the site already but a screenshot of the page was saved. The image shows the Note 8 in black but without a price tag. Those who viewed the page before it was pulled down say the black variant was the only one listed. It could mean that only that variant will be available for purchase at first. It could also be that the other color variants had not just been added as at that time.
The Galaxy Note 8 will come in Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Gray and Deep Sea Blue.
The page doesn’t list the full spec details but mentions a few features such as the S-Pen, an infinity display, and Bixby Assistant. Storage is also listed as 64GB.
French designer Philippe Starck recently shared a video on his official Facebook page which contains the render of a bezel-less concept phone actually tagged as the Mi Mix 2. The video turned out to be an extremely popular one which has seen over 59k views already. This is unconnected to the high screen ratio and completely bezel-less design which the concept model projects.It is believed that the render provides a hint of how the Mi Mix 2 would look like and that has really called to question the possibility of creating such a stunning design.
There is no question as to if Starck will design the Mix 2 as his visit to Xiaomi’s headquarters a few months back already revealed that aspect. Before now, the Mix 2 was said to have a screen to body ratio of 95% but we didn’t know how that would pan out. However, Starck’s video reveals that the flagship would likely slight bezels at the bottom edge where the selfies camera will also be located.
However, the screen ratio looks even higher than 95% and this has called to question the possibility of this concept design becoming a reality by some and one of those is a popular tech blogger who seems to have worked as a Samsung engineer in China. The engineer thinks the supply chain presently doesn’t have the capacity to deliver such a large screen. He mentioned news filtering in from the supply chain that the Mix 2 will have a reduced chin, but with similar bezel pattern as the first gen Mix. The body will not be ceramics but it will also use a similar cantilever piezoelectric technology for the audio receiver. The aspect ratio will also change from 17:9 according to the disclosure, and earlier rumor points to a 18:9 aspect ratio for the Mix 2.
It is absolutely expected for divergent opinions and rumors to appear concerning the Mix 2 but one thing is certain, Xiaomi is working on a device that would come out as a stunner in its design. We’ll have to wait until the real machine appears for us to see if it theis the same with the render Starck shared. It should be noted, though, that Xiaomi launched the Mi Mix when such a design was thought to still be impossible to mass produce, so we just may see the bar going higher with the Mix 2.
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