Yotaphone 3 Brings AMOLED & E-ink Displays To China for ¥3699 (~$563)

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Sep 20, 2017

Nearly 3 years after the release of the Yotaphone 2, its successor the Yotaphone 3, was unveiled in China yesterday. The third generation dual screen smartphone brings upgraded specs and a higher price tag.

Yotaphone 3

Yotaphone 3 Design

The Yotaphone 3 has the same design language as its predecessors – a color display on one side and an e-ink display on the other side. But the dimensions and appearance have changed so you can say it is the same but different. In a nutshell, the Yotaphone 3 has ditched the small curvy form factor for a flatter and bigger body.

Yotaphone 3 Specifications

The AMOLED display is now bigger at 5.5-inches and is covered with Gorilla Glass 4. The secondary e-ink display has received some upgrades too. It’s now bigger at 5.2-inches and has a 720 x 1080 resolution. The bigger e-ink display should make reading a bit more comfortable.

The Yotaphone 3 comes with 4GB RAM standard and is paired with the Snapdragon 625 mobile platform. There is 64GB/128GB of storage with no expansion slot.

There is a single 12MP f/1.9 1.2um camera on the back of the phone positioned at the top left corner. The front camera is a 13MP sensor which is a huge upgrade from the 2.1MP camera in the Yotaphone 2.

The Yotaphone 3 runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat and packs a 3300mAh battery that supports fast charging via a USB Type-C port. It also has a home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner. There is support for dual SIM slots (nano only) and it has NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 but no audio jack.

Yotaphone 3 Price

The Yotaphone 3 is pricey but we are sure the manufacturer will have reasons for the price. It starts at ¥3699 (~$563) for the 64GB model and jumps to ¥4299 (~$654) for the 128GB version or a 64GB special edition which has a stainless steel frame instead of aluminium and comes with some gifts in the box.

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The Huawei Mate 10 Lite Is The Maimang 6/Huawei G10

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 20, 2017

As October 16 draws nearer with each passing day, more news have been surfacing about the Huawei Mate 10 series. VentureBeat has gotten some exclusive info that sheds light on of the devices, the Mate 10 Lite.

Earlier today, Evan Blass tweeted the codenames of the Mate 10 devices and a new but familiar name popped up – Rhone. Rhone is the device we now know as Maimang 6 A.K.A Huawei G10, and according to the tweet A.K.A Mate 10 Lite. A follow up post on VentureBeat is where Evan explains it all.

For those of you keeping track, here's the updated list of codenames:

Mate 10 Pro – Blanc
Mate 10 – Alps
Mate 10 Lite – Rhone
? – Marcel

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 20, 2017

Giving source to an unnamed individual who has info on the company’s plans, the Huawei Mate 10 Lite (Rhone) will have a 5.9-inch screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio and an 83% screen-to-body ratio. The phone will have a FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2160 which will be higher than that of the regular Mate 10 (Alps).

The Mate 10 Lite will be powered by the Kirin 659, an octa-core processor clocked at 2.36GHz. RAM will be 4GB, storage will be 64GB and battery capacity will be 3340mAh.

The Mate 10 Lite will have a 16MP + 2MP combo on the back and a 13MP + 2MP combo up in front with both sides having LED flash. The selfie cameras are said to feature a two-person bokeh effect.

Huawei Mate 10 Lite — Live Image of Mate 10 Lite

If those specs sound familiar that is because they are the same as that of the Maimang 6/G10 as it appeared on TENAA. The only difference is that the Maimang 6 will be launched on Friday in China but the Mate 10 Lite won’t arrive till October 16 and will also be a global release.

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Xiaomi’s MIJIA Partner Launches Aqara Smart Bedroom Set, A Smart IoT Kit For ¥749 (~$114)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 20, 2017

Xiaomi’s crowdfunding platform partner Aqara has announced a new product which adopts the moniker- Aqara Smart Bedroom Set. The product is a smart home connectivity kit which enables users to control the home’s smart gadgets such as air conditioner and others inside the room right from their bed. In other words, users may not need to get out of the bed if there is need to switch on a light or adjust the room temperature.

The device no doubt is an Internet-of-Things (IoT) gadget and the set is a collection of different gadgets which includes an automatic air conditioning system switch, a gadget that lets you turn off the lights while already in bed and turn it on later. There is also a temperature and humidity sensor, body sensor, smart wall sockets, and switches.

The temperature and humidity sensor measures the conditions inside the rooms and then prompt the smart socket to start the air conditioner or humidifier as the case may be. The smart bedroom set also lets users monitor other home appliances via an app on your smartphone.

The Aqara Smart Bedroom set is presently on sale on TMall and it comes with a price tag of 749 yuan (~$114).

HTC Shares Suspended on Taiwanese Stock Exchange Over Google Takeover Rumors

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 20, 2017

About two weeks ago, we brought you a report which emerged from China and alleges that Google was in talks with HTC to buy the ailing smartphone manufacturing company. Looks like it is not just a mere rumor as reports emanating from Taiwan indicates that HTC’s shares are set to be suspended from trading on the Taiwanese Stock Exchange with effect from Thursday and the planned take over by Googl’s parent company Alphabet is fingered to be the cause of this suspension.

While no oficial statement has been issued either by Google or HTC or even the authorities of the Taiwanese Stock Exchange where the company is listed. HTC in a recent statement issued in response to an earlier report in the China Times, and a request from the Taiwanese Stock Exchange stated among other things that it “does not comment on market rumour or speculation”. It is unknown if the once bubble smartphone giant officially responded to the request by the TSE and if they did, what their response was. But the decision to suspend trading on HTC’s stock may be an affirmation that the deal is about to be sealed between both parties.

HTC has recently been struggling to grab a piece of the market share. The company happened to occupyy a lofty position a few years back. As a matter of fact, HTC was the world’s fifth highest grossing smartphone manufacturer just five years ago with a market share of about 9%. Now, the company’s shares stands at 1% of the entire market and no doubt debts would be mounting.

Apar from the smartphone arm, there is also the Vive business. The VR arm had earlier featured in rumors speculating that HTC would sell the Vive business or the entire business soon. It is likely Alphabet would get the entire portfolio if the deal sails through. However, what remains unclear is why Google wants to buy an ailing company even though the U.S giant worth $100 billion is well capable of inheriting HTC’s liabilities in addition to its assets. It remains tobe seen if Google will turn the company around or if it would be a repreat of the Motorola Mobility deal which Google bought for $12.5billion but sold the company to Lenovo three years later. But in this case, since HTC manufacture’s Google’s Pixel phones, Google may be looking to set up its own full-fledge smartphoe manufacturing arm which would no doubt be a wise move considering the software aspect is already taken care of with Google’s Android OS.

HTC’s shares closed at 2.5% higher on Wednesday, a pointer to speculatin that an official announcement could have seen a rapid surge in the share prices of the company as more persons ould have attempted to buy the company’s shares.

(source)

2018 iPhones May Feature Face ID; Apple is Still Reportedly Working on In-Screen Touch ID

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared fresh information on 2018 Apple iPhones. He has revealed that since the Cupertino company is still working on resolving the obstacles of in-screen fingerprint scanner, it will continue to invest more in Face ID.

The upcoming iPhone X is the first smartphone from Apple to arrive with Face ID biometric recognition feature. Kuo claims that if the Face ID feature is received well by the consumers, all the 2018 iPhones is likely to feature TrueDepth camera and face ID.

This suggests that Apple may not have yet decided to completely axe the Touch ID feature in favor of the newly introduced Face ID. The new biometric identification feature not only allows iPhone X users to unlock it but also make secure payments through Apple Pay. Apple claims that Face ID is very secure as the face data is encrypted and it never leaves the device. However, recent reports have revealed that Face ID can recognize only one face. On the contrary, Touch ID can recognize 5 different fingerprints which makes it easier to share the iPhone with family members.

Apple is still struggling to incorporate Touch ID sensor under the display of iPhones. The display panels of iPhones are equipped with 3D Touch module which increases the thickness of the whole display. This reduces the accuracy of the in-screen fingerprint scanner. Since Android phones are not equipped with pressure-sensitive display like the recent iPhones, other smartphone OEMs might be able to incorporate fingerprint sensor under the display of their devices.

A lot depends on the market response of the Face ID. If it fails to impress the users, the company may focus its attention on developing in-screen Touch ID. Nevertheless, Apple has to find ways to resolve the technical problems to make the in-screen fingerprint sensor workable.

Kuo has also added that if Face ID is appreciated by consumers, Apple’s Android rivals may also introduce smartphones with facial recognition feature. Hence, facial recognition component suppliers are likely to see a high growth in the forthcoming years.

Should forthcoming Apple iPhones feature Face ID as well as Touch ID? Share us your views by commenting below.

(source)

Meizu M6 Note One Piece Limited Edition Arriving On September 25

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 20, 2017

One Piece is one of the most popular manga series in the world. It appears we have some fans at Meizu as the manufacturer has announced a Meizu M6 Note One Piece limited edition model. The M6 Note is a fantastic device on its own, making a One Piece special edition is going to make fans go crazy!!

The M6 Note One Piece edition has a red back with yellow antenna lines. At the bottom is the logo of the Straw Hat Pirates in the same yellow color. The front of the phone is black but Meizu added a red accent to the mBack button.

The special edition device is also different on the inside. There is a wallpaper of Monkey D. Luffy and the icons are pirate-themed as well. There is a pocket watch icon for the clock, a chest for file manager, and a pirate map as the maps icon to name a few.

The Meizu M6 Note One Piece Limited Edition also has a special packaging. The box is black and has a picture of the entire Straw Hat Pirates. There is a branded protective case alongside a red cable and red wall charger.

The specs of the special edition is the same as the other variants. There is a 5.5-inch display, a Snapdragon 625 processor and a 4000mAh battery. It has dual rear cameras (12MP + 5MP), a 16MP front facing camera, and runs Android 7.1.2 out of the box

The Meizu M6 Note One Piece Limited Edition will sell for ¥1699 (~$258), the same price as the regular 4GB RAM + 64GB model but will instead have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. If you want the version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, that will cost you ¥2399 (~$365). It will be available for purchase on September 25.

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Huawei Mate 10 & Mate 10 Pro Prices, Display Panels & Specs Leaked

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 20, 2017

Huawei’s upcoming Mate 10 flagship was leaked yesterday showing us the design it would adorn on launch day billed for October 16. The design showed the Mate 10 would have a full-screen design but with a considerable amount of bezels and a physical home button. The Mate 10 Pro was said to be the bezel-less model between the duo and would be launched alongside the Mate 10.

It might interest you to know that a couple of fresh leaks bothering on the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro’s display panels, specifications and price tag have appeared online. The screen for the two smartphones is pictured above and shows the Mate 10 will have the same height as the Mate 10 Pro but the Mate 10 Pro will be slightly wider. A front home key on the Mate 10 and wider bezels at the top and bottom edges differentiate the two from each other.

The leaker who leaked the display also shared the specifications and prices of the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. The Mate 10 is expected with a 5.99-inch 2k EntireView display with 18:9 aspect ratio and is listed with a 4200mAh battery with fast charging support. The Mate 10 will come in three variants with 4GB RAM and 6GB RAM. The variant having a 4GB + 64GB storage combo will clutch a price tag of 4299 Yuan ($650). Secondly, the version with 6GB RAM + 128GB storage will go up for 4899 Yuan ($744) while the topmost model will have a 6GB + 256GB combo and would retail for 5599 Yuan ($850).

On the other hand, the Mate 10 Pro will feature a 6.0-inch 2K display with a similar 18:9 aspect ratio. Just like the Mate 10, it will have an IP67 certification and of course would be powered by a Kirin 970 chip, same as the Mate 10. It would pack a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, curved edges and almost 90% screen-to-body ratio. The Mate 10 Pro will also get its juice from a 4,200mAH battery. Talking about the prices, the leaked data shows the Mate 10 Pro will come in four variants: 6 GB + 64 GB priced at 5,499 Yuan ($835), 6 GB + 128 GB with a price tag of 6,199 Yuan ($941), 6 GB + 256 GB for 6,899 Yuan ($1,042) and a topmost version having a monstrous 8 GB + 256 GB combo which would retail for 7,499 Yuan ($1,138). So, Huawei will be joining Apple and Samsung on the list of OEMs with smartphones priced above $1,000. With these price tags, do you think they stand a chance of grabbing some market shares from the two market leaders, especially in Europe? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

(source)

Motorola Moto X4 Launching in India on October 3

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

Motorola had unveiled the Moto X4 earlier this month during the IFA 2017 tech trade show in Berlin, Germany. It seems that the company is planning to launch the smartphone in India as Motorola India has released a tweet to confirm that Moto X4 will be arriving in the country on Oct. 3.

There is no information available on the Indian pricing of the smartphone. The following teasers have been released by Motorola India to confirm on the arrival of Moto X4:

Get ready for an #xperience unlike any other with the #MotoX4. Unveiling on 3rd October. pic.twitter.com/6ZNeOXBuXJ

— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) September 19, 2017

With the arrival of a new Motorola phone, comes an #Xperience unlike any other. Guess which one’s being shown here and stand to win! pic.twitter.com/9mP1f9twRP

— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) September 18, 2017

A luxurious #xperience like no other! Guess them all correctly to win exciting things in store for you! pic.twitter.com/3VDY8NDbBp

— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) September 18, 2017

The Moto X4 that was unveiled on Sept. 2 and it is now available in Europe with a pricing of 399 euros (~$479). Lenovo had confirmed that the smartphone would be releasing in other markets like the U.S. in October. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on the Moto X4 launch date for the U.S

The Moto X4 that is driven by Snapdragon 630 sports a premium appeal with its metal unibody design. It comes in impressive colors like Sterling Blue and Super Black. The SoC of the smartphone is coupled with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. It also includes a microSD. The handset is powered by 3,000mAh battery.

The handset features a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display that supports full HD display which is shielded by Gorilla Glass 4. The rear side of the phone features dual camera sensors that include 12-megapixel + 8-megapixel lenses. The frontside of the smartphone features a 16-megapixel selfie snapper. It is preinstalled with Android 7.1 Nougat.

Well-known leakster Evan Blass has recently claimed that Motorola is working on an Android One edition of the Moto X4. He has also stated that the handset won’t be having X4 in its moniker. It is speculated as the first Android One phone for the U.S.

Meizu M20 Power Bank Launches With Two-Way Fast Charging

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 20, 2017

A few years ago Meizu released its first set of power banks – the M10 and M8. Both have a 10,000mAh battery capacity with a beautiful two-tone design. However, only the M10 has support for fast charging. A few months ago the company released a Minion Yellow special edition of the power bank to mark the release of the Despicable Me 3 movie in China. Today it has announced the Meizu M20 Power Bank which has a similar design to the original with a few changes in addition to two-way fast charging.

Meizu M20 Design

The Meizu M20 has the same dual color design – a white half that is unique to all variants with the other part being red, green, gray or navy blue. It measures 148.5 x 75.7 x 17.5 mm.

There is still only one output port. Beside it is a micro USB input port and 4 LEDs that indicate the charge remaining. A new addition to the Meizu M20 is a power button which wasn’t present on the M8 and M10.

Meizu M20 Specs

The Meizu M20 keeps the battery capacity at 10,000mAh (Lithium-ion polymer) and supports two way fast charging. The output port can deliver up to 24W of power (5-6V/3A, 6-9V/2.6A, 9-12V/2A) while the input port supports 18W fast charge (5-9V/2A and 9-12V/1.5A). Meizu says you should be able to recharge the power bank in 3.5 hours using an 18W charger.

It also has a number of safety measures such protections against overcharging, high current and high voltage, extreme temperature and short circuiting.

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The New Pi Wireless Charger Is A Contactless Charger That Works From Up To 12 Inches Away

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 20, 2017

As mobile devices continue to proliferate and newer products join the basket, it becomes a cumbersome task keeping all the batteries charged when they run down. Moving about with three or more chargers often times pose some problems with finding enough charging points for all the gadgets especially when you need to charge all of them at the same time. Moreover, you’ll have to deal with the problem of wires getting entangled with each other. This type of situation and others similar to this no doubt gave rise to wireless charging technology. The current crop of wireless technology is mostly based on the Qi standard and this requires placing the devices on the charging pad.

A new innovative tech is in town, developed by Pi and is said to be a truly contactless charging which can charge compatible gadgets that are some distance away. The charging device is compatible with phones, tablets, and upcoming devices from a variety of brands. It doesn’t require any cable and you do not need to put the gadget that is to be charged in contact with the Pi charging device. No more searching for the right type of cable for the right type of device.

The device comes with a cone shape and is based on the resonant induction technology present in the Qi standard, but it eliminates the need for a charging pad. The new innovative tech is able to achieve this using a beam-forming algorithm which allows the station to control and shape the direction of magnetic fields. All that needs to b done is to place the smartphone and other compatible gadgets within 30cm of the Pi station. It can charge up to four devices at the same time delivering a maximum speed of 10W. However, more gadgets can be added to the charging station but the overall charging speed will slow down as a result.

Another good thing about this technology is that it is compatible with smartphones that don’t even support wireless charging in the first place. Smartphones like the Galaxy S8, S8+, iPhone X, iPhone 8, Mate 9 and others which already support Qi-based wireless technology can be charged using the Pi charging station by placing them within range. All other smartphones that are not Qi-enabled will require a special Pi-compatible charging case.

The Pi charging station will be going on sale earlier than you might think. Pi is already accepting pre-orders for the device and it should be available sometime next year. The price isn’t certain but should fall around $200.

(source)

Galaxy Note 8 is Receiving Heavy Criticism in China for Poor Pre-order Numbers, Expensive Pricing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

Samsung’s market share has been plummeting consistently in China which is the world’s largest smartphone market. After the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, the company has been trying its best to reinstate its reputation across the world. The stupendous response for Galaxy Note 8 in South Korea and the U.S. clearly show that the customers in these countries are satisfied by the new phablet. However, the situation is quite different in China as the Chinese media is heavily criticizing the phablet.

According to a Business Korea report, the Chinese media is criticizing the Samsung’s latest flagship every day. The Chinese publications are comparing the pre-order numbers of the Galaxy Note 8 with that of iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 has received more than 4 million pre-orders in China. However, the Galaxy Note 8 has managed to receive only 20,000 pre-orders.

For pre-ordering an iPhone, customers in China do not need to make any payment. On the other side, Galaxy Note 8 customers are required to pay 100 Yuan (~$15) to pre-order it. Samsung has used this deposit system for Galaxy Note 8 pre-orders as it increases the chances of making actual purchase, claimed a representative from the South Korean company. He has also stated that the pre-orders of the Galaxy Note 8 are higher than the Note 7.

One of the major reasons behind the low pre-orders of the Note 8 could be its very high pricing. The phablet is priced at 6,988 Yuan (~$1,060) in the country. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 that features a bezel-less design and is powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset carries a low pricing of 3,299 Yuan (~$501).

The implementation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) has reportedly created an anti-South Korean sentiment among the Chinese citizens. Many consumers in the country are refraining from buying products from South Korean company such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai. This could be another reason that is affecting the sales of the Galaxy Note 8 in China.

A recent IDC research has revealed that Samsung has a market share of only 3 percent in China. In the previous year, it had a market share of 7 percent. The total market share of leading Chinese brands like Huawei, OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi is 87 percent. Apple has a market share of 8 percent in China.

What do you think should Samsung do to become famous in China? Share us your thoughts by adding comments below.

(source)

Meizu M6 is Official: New Design But Mostly The Same Internals

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 20, 2017

The Meizu M series (non-Note) is Meizu’s affordable line of smartphones. The Meizu M6 is the sixth generation model and Meizu says its “Back to Basic” for the line. Judging from the specs, it is obvious that the Chinese manufacturer is going with the “don’t fix it if it is not broken” ideology.

Meizu M6 Design

The Meizu M6’s biggest upgrade over its predecessor is its design. At first look, it appears to be made of metal, don’t let your eyes fool you, the body is still polycarbonate. To achieve the metallic look, Meizu said they used a process called Non-Conductive Vacuum Metallization (NCVM) technology. Those pseudo-antenna lines are handcrafted to give the phone a premium appearance. To finish off the design, the Meizu logo is laser-engraved.

The front has also received some slight changes. The sensor is now pilled shaped and on the left, while the camera is on the right. Meizu has also switched to white fronts for some color variants and black for others instead of black for all.

Meizu M6 Specs

The Meizu M6 as previously reported features the same 5.2-inch HD display present in the Meizu M5. It is powered by an unspecified 1.5GHz octa-core processor paired with 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of built-in storage.

The M6 has a hybrid dual SIM slot, so you can throw in two SIM cards or swap out a SIM for up to 128GB of MicroSD storage.

Meizu has beefed up the front camera in the M6. The front facing camera is now an 8MP f/2.0 sensor, up from the 5MP sensor in the M5 series. On the rear is still a 13MP camera with a RGBW color sensor. Meziu has again worked with ArcSoft on image optimization algorithms to improve features like noise reduction and HDR photography.

The signature mTouch fingerprint technology is buried beneath the home button and Meizu claims it unlocks the device in just 0.2s. At the top of the device is an audio jack and at the bottom is a micro USB port flanked by speaker grilles. It comes with Flyme 6 based on Android Nougat out of the box in addition to Meizu’s One Mind AI Engine.

The Meizu M6 packs a 3070mAh battery like the M5 which should not come as a surprise seeing as it has the same display size and resolution.

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Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL Pricing, Images, Color Variants Have Been Leaked

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

Google will be unveiling Pixel 2 made by HTC and Pixel 2 XL manufactured by LG on Oct. 4. The pricing and color variants of the Pixel 2 duo smartphones have been leaked.

Google Pixel 2 Pricing and Images

The Google Pixel 2 will be coming in two storage sizes of 64 GB and 128 GB. They will be respectively priced at $649 and $749. The 32 GB and 128 GB storage models of the original Pixel phone had launched with the same pricing.

The Pixel 2 will be available in three color variants such as Kinda blue, Just Black and Clearly White. The 64 GB Pixel will be also available with $27.04 monthly payments for 24 months. The 128 GB Pixel 2 will be costing $31.21 per month for 24 months.

Google Pixel 2 XL Pricing and Images

There has been a confusion regarding the exact name of the larger Pixel 2 phone. The source claims that it will be called Pixel 2 XL (not Pixel XL 2). The handset will be coming in two color choices such as Black & White and Just Black.

The 64 GB Google Pixel 2 XL will be priced at $849 and the 128 GB model will be selling for $949. Last year’s 32 GB and 128 GB Pixel XL models were respectively priced at $769 and $869.

Through financing, the 64 GB Pixel 2 XL will be available for $34.38 for 24 months and the 128 GB model will be costing $39.54 for the same period.

With the arrival of the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones, Google is expected to slash the pricing of the original Pixel phones. As it can be seen above, all the variants of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL sport two-tone design for the back panel like the original Pixel phones. The top portion of the rear panel only houses the camera and its LED flash and the remaining portion that is rumored to be made up of metal includes a fingerprint scanner. The original Pixel phones have the fingerprint scanner positioned in the glass portion of the back panel.

Both the Snapdragon 835 chipset driven Pixel 2 phones are expected to come with identical specs. However, the Pixel 2 is pegged to house a 4.97-inch FHD display and the Pixel 2 XL is rumored to arrive with a full screen design 5.99-inch OLED display with QHD resolution. These phones are unlikely to feature 3.5mm audio jack, but will be coming with some new features like Android 8.1 Oreo, pressure-sensitive frame, Always-on Display and dual front-facing speakers.

The search engine giant has created a landing page for Google Pixel 2. It is expected to become active once Pixel 2 duo smartphones are officially unveiled.

(source 1, 2)

OnePlus 5 JCC+ Limited Edition Unveiling on September 22, Will Go on Sale on October 2

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

OnePlus has collaborated with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (aka JC/DC), a fashion designer from France to create a limited version of the OnePlus 5 called “the Callection.” OnePlus will be holding a pop-up event on Sept. 22 at the fashion boutique Colette in Paris to sell the OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition smartphone. The event will start at 10 AM CEST (4 AM ET in the U.S.). In the coming weeks, the Chinese firm will be holding pop-up events for OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition in other regions in Europe.

The limited edition OnePlus 5 will be sporting a trendy design featuring a blue colored power button and a yellow colored mute button. It will be also sporting a red volume rocker and the back panel will be inscripted with some writing.

The OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition will go on sale from Oct. 2 and it will be sold exclusively in Europe through OnePlus.net. The handset that is powered by Snapdragon 835 chipset is accompanied by 8 GB of RAM. It features 128 GB of storage. The OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition will carry a pricing of 559 euros / £499 GBP (`$672).

Earlier this year, OnePlus had sold 250 units of OnePlus 3T Colette Edition through Colette retail outlets in Paris. There is no information on the exact number of units of OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition that will be available for buying. Here is an image of the retail box of the special edition OnePlus 5:

OnePlus 5 is the first smartphone from the company to come with dual rear cameras that includes a 20-megapixel sensor and a 16-megapixel sensor. The dual cam setup is equipped with various features like PDAF, EIS, dual-LED flash and 1.6x optical zoom. Its frontside features a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The handset is fitted with a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display that supports full HD resolution and is packed with a 3,300mAh battery.

OnePlus will be also selling other JC/DC-designed limited edition items such as t-shirts, tote bags, caps, and holsters. These items will be also available in other markets like North America, China and India, but the OnePlus 5 JCC+ limited edition will remain exclusive to Europe.

The t-shirts will be priced at 29.95 euros / 27.95 pounds (`$38) and the tote bags will be available for 24.95 euros / 21.95 pounds (~$30). Other items will be made available for buying later this year through limited sales drops.

(source)

Google Pixelbook Image, Pricing Leaked, Reportedly Launching on October 4

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Sep 20, 2017

Google is holding a launch event on Oct. 4 to unveil the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones. The search engine giant is also speculated to unveil some other new devices such as Google Home Mini smart speaker, new Daydream View VR and one more thing… Google Pixelbook convertible laptop.

Google Pixelbook

According to Droid-Life, the next Chromebook from Google will be called Pixelbook. It will be a convertible device that will can be used as a laptop and also a tablet. The specifications of the Pixelbook is still under the wraps. Shown below is the first image of the Pixelbook.

The Pixelbook will be coming in three storage sizes such as 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB. These models will be respectively priced at $1,199, $1,399 and $1,749, claims the publication. The device will be available in Silver color only.

The Pixelbook would be supporting the Pixelbook Pen that will be sold separately with a pricing of $99. It will be a pressure-sensitive stylus that will carry tilt support and offer lag-free experience. More information on the specifications of the Google Pixelbook is expected to surface in the coming weeks.

Google Home Mini

The same publication claims that a smaller version of Google Home smart speaker will be also unveiling on Oct. 4. The device is expected to arrive in colors like Chalk, Charcoal and Coral and it would be priced at $49.

The leaked press renders of the Google Home Mini suggest that it won’t be a wireless device. It can be used for scheduling, setting reminders. grabbing news and more. The four dots that can be seen above the device will provide feedback when the user interacts with it.

Google Daydream View VR

Google is also expected to announce a new VR device that will be called Daydream View VR. It will be an improved edition of the predecessor model. It is expected to carry a pricing of $99 and is expected to come in colors like Charcoal, Fog and Coral.

Google’s upcoming event will be held at 9 AM PT | 12 PM PT on Oct. 4. It will be held at the SF Jazz Center that is located San Francisco.

What do you think about the Google Pixelbook? Will it be able to give tough competition to the new iPad Pro? Share us your thoughts by posting your comments below.

(source 1, 2, 3)

HMD Working on Android Oreo For The Nokia 8, Shows off Screenshots

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 20, 2017

HMD Global is putting lots of efforts to ensure that the Nokia brand returns to its glory days. The company released its latest product and first flagship model since this era, not too long ago. The Nokia 8 may not have met the expectations of a number of ardent followers of the brand but it sure does feature a powerful specs lineup and a cool design. Nokia 8 runs on Android 7.0 Nougat but users of the phone may not wait for too long before Android Oreo hits their devices.

A Nokia Exec, who is actually HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas recently shared two images on Twitter which practically teases that the company is working on updates to ANdroid Oreo for the flagship. The images were those of the Nokia 8 with a prompt to download Android 8.0 Oreo, the latest version of Google’s popular operating system. For now, no smartphone has featured Android Oreo but Google is expected to launch the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL running its latest OS. So, we may not be seeing the update for Nokia 8 very soon.

The Nokia Exec hinted that his company was working on perfecting the Android 8 OS for the Nokia 8 and when that has been achieved, it would roll out. For now, the company is still testing the ROM as could be seen in the screenshots. Curiously, the new ROM comes with a size of almost 1.3GB. Perhaps, the size could be compressed further as HMD had earlier hinted that all its models released so far will get Android 8 updates.

To refresh your memory, Nokia 8 boasts of a 5.3-inch QHD panel and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM. The Nokia 8 also packs 64GB of internal flash memory expandable with a microSD card. On the camera end, the device features a 13MP front-facing camera, while it sports a dual camera setup at the rear comprised of two 13MP modules with laser and phase detection autofocus support and a dual-LED flash. The device also features a USB-C port, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC, among others.

(source)

Huawei Mate 10 Real Photo Leaks Ahead Of Launch

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Sep 19, 2017

Ahead of the October 16 official launch of the Huawei Mate 10, we have had the opportunity of seeing what is said to be the Mate 10’s real photo. The single photo was leaked by popular Twitter leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks). Considering Evan Blass’ track record, we have absolutely no reason to doubt this is actually the Mate 10.

The Mate 10 is traditionally a big smartphone, so no surprise about the large size of the photo. It is a flagship device and from the photo, we can gather that it won’t be too different from the Mate 9 and other preceding Mate series models. Previous rumors had tipped the Mate 10 as coming with a bezel-less, full-screen design but that may not be the case. In fact, a Twitter user expressed this concern and Blass was quick to respond that the bezel-less, full-screen model would be the Mate 10 Pro. Recall that Huawei unveiled the Mate 9 last year along with the Mate 9 Pro which adopted a curved edge display. This time around, the screen will see a change to the trendy bezel-less design.

The leaked Mate 10 photo, however, shows that the phone will come with a design that’ll see it have a small chin and forehead. The side bezels are also ultra-thin with a high screen-to-body ratio. The Mate 10 is expected to have a 5.9-inch display with 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution and would be powered by a Kirin 970 chip, which is Huawei’s first 10nm chip and one with AI capabilities. The Mate 10 is also expected to feature a Leica-branded camera setup which may still be a 12MP main sensor teaming up with a 20MP monochrome sensor just like it was featured on the Mate 9 and Huawei P10. The flagship device is also expected to pack the latest EMUI interface based on Android Oreo among others.

(source)

Just A Month After The X1, Gionee X1s Arrives With Bigger Display, Larger RAM & 16MP Selfie Camera

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 19, 2017

Gionee released the X1 as an entry-level phone last month. Today it has announced the Gionee X1s which features slight changes in physical appearance but an overall haul in specs.

Gionee X1s Specs

The Gionee X1s has a larger 5.2-inch HD screen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It is now powered by the MT6737T – a more powerful variant of the MT6737. RAM has also been bumped up to 3GB but storage remains 16GB with option for up to an additional 256GB via a MicroSD card slot.

The X1s also features big upgrades in the camera department. The rear camera is a 13MP sensor and the front camera has been bumped up to 16MP with features like Face Beauty 2.0 and Beautified Video.

There is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner below the camera. One of the design changes is the addition of a speaker grille at the back. There is also a 3.5mm audio jack at the top and a micro USB port at the bottom. The Gionee X1s runs Android Nougat with Amigo 4.0 UI overlay and has a 4000mAh battery.

Gionee X1s Availability and Price

The Gionee X1s comes in black and gold. It is priced at INR 12,999 (~$202) and will go on sale on various platforms starting Thursday, September 21.

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These Nokia 9 Mockup and Renders Gives Us A First Glimpse At The Flagship

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 19, 2017

The Nokia 2 is the next Android smartphone we are expecting from HMD Global but the Nokia 9 has also been in the news in recent times.

The Nokia 9 is expected to launch as a premium flagship device like the Nokia 8 but with major design changes. A mock-up of the phone was leaked online and according to Nokia Power User, the source is known for genuine Nokia and Lumia device leaks.

The Nokia 9 is seen beside the Nokia 2 in the mock-up. The back is curved allowing for a better grip and report says it is made of glass to allow for wireless charging.

It features a vertical dual camera setup like the Nokia 8 but that is the only thing they have in common. The housing for the sensors is shorter. The LED flash is also flanking it on the right.

Another major difference is the position of the fingerprint scanner. Unlike the Nokia 8, Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 which all have their fingerprint sensors in front, the Nokia 9 is seen here with its own at the back. The reason for this is because the bezels in front will be minimal to allow for a greater screen-to-body ratio just like we have seen in lots of phones this year.

Renders of the Nokia 9 were made by YouTuber Waqar Khan based on the mock-up.

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HTC Has Three New Smartphones Launching Q4 2017, Standalone VR Headset Details Revealed

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Sep 19, 2017

After the release of the U Ultra and U Play at the beginning of the year, Chialin Chang, President of Smartphones and Connected Devices Business at HTC, said the company will release 6-7 phones this year. So far, it has released four devices – the One X10 and U11 are the other two.

A member of the HTC community, Corn Chen has revealed the codenames and features of three other devices set to be released before the end of 2017. The three phones are Ocean Master, Ocean Harmony, and Ocean Lite.

https://twitter.com/corn_chen_/status/909792878498476035

Ocean Master is said to be a 6-inch device with 12MP and 8MP cameras. It will also come in two configurations – a 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM variant and a 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM model.

Ocean Lite and Ocean Harmony on the other hand will both have 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. However, Lite will have a 5.2-inch display and Harmony will keep the 6-inch screen size.

According to him, Ocean Master and Ocean Lite may be announced in November and Ocean Harmony will be announced in December.

That’s not all Corn Chen revealed. A few days ago, he also posted a picture on Twitter that revealed the design and name of HTC’s standalone VR headset.

The VR headset will launch as the HTC Vive Focus and will be powered by Google’s Daydream. The VR headset is shown to be slightly bulky with two straps – one that goes behind the head and another one that sits on top of the head. It also has a controller identical to that of the Daydream View.

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