Samsung Display’s New Patents Show Five New Display Designs

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Jun 5, 2017

A fortnight ago, a phone by the name “Xiaomi Jason” was seen on benchmarking site, GFXBench. The device boasts an interesting combination of features that comfortably puts it in the top tier mid-range category. Xiaomi hasn’t said anything about a new mid-range phone but new reports say the phone may launch as the Xiaomi Mi 6X.

Xiaomi Jason or Mi 6X — The Xiaomi Jason May Launch as Mi 6X

Although Xiaomi’s CEO had initially debunked tales of a “Youth Version” of the Mi 6, the appearance of the Snapdragon 660-powered device says otherwise. OPPO is preparing to launch the OPPO R11 this week, the first Snapdragon 660 smartphone in the world, and other manufacturers surely wouldn’t want to be left out of the mid-range race.

The Xiaomi Mi 6X, apart from featuring a Snapdragon 660 chip will have a 4MP front camera and a 12MP shooter on the back. Like the base variant of the Mi 6, it will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage and will be priced around ¥1999 (~$295).

OnePlus 5’s Dual Rear Camera Shows Up in a Leaked Sketch

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Jun 5, 2017

Rumors from the start of this year have been claiming that OnePlus 5 would be arriving with a dual rear camera setup. However, there were no concrete evidence to prove it. The recent leaks have revealed that OnePlus 5 would be indeed featuring the dual rear camera. A leaked sketch of OnePlus 5 that surfaced during the weekend has again shown that it may come with a horizontally arranged twin rear camera system.

The sketch that has appeared on Weibo reveals that the dual camera module is placed on the top-left corner of OnePlus 5’s rear shell. The dual-tone LED flash appears to be placed on the right side of the camera module. It seems that it has the same physical buttons that are available on the OnePlus 3T. Also, as it can be seen in the image, the phone supports a uniquely designed upper and lower antenna lines.

In the previous week, a spy shot of one of the sides of the retail package of OnePlus 5 revealed that it will be coming with a dual rear camera module as it carried a text that read “Dual Camera. Clearer Photos.” There is no confirmation on whether the above images are legitimate or not.

Also, recently spotted camera samples that were reportedly taken from OnePlus 5 hint the inclusion of dual rear camera feature. One of the images is black and white which indicates that OnePlus 5 may come with dual cameras and one of its lenses will be able to capture images in monochrome. The presence of a monochrome sensor in a dual rear camera module can assist in detecting lighting conditions in a better way. Hence, it will be able to shoot accurate photos.

At the end of April, several leaked images that were allegedly shot using OnePlus 5 had surfaced. The source that revealed the photos claimed that one of the lenses of the dual rear camera module will be able to shoot wide angle images for capturing more depth information.

Speculations have it that OnePlus 5 will come with a pair of 16-megapixel sensors with f/1.8 aperture. An official tweet from OnePlus suggests that it will be able to shoot amazing photos in dim light conditions. The company has also confirmed that it is working with DxOLabs for enhanced photography experience on OnePlus 5. A leaked poster revealed that OnePlus 5 may launch on June 15. However, it was found to be fake. Still, the OnePlus 5 is pegged to get announced at some point in this month.

New LG G6 and Galaxy S8 Variants Plan to Take on The iPhone 8

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Jun 4, 2017

Apple is scheduled to launch its next smartphone in September and its arrival is surely going to affect the smartphone market. Samsung and LG are said to be working on new Galaxy S8 and LG G6 variants. Korean media, The Investor says both companies are preparing for the launch of Apple’s iPhone 8 with their new variants.

The new Samsung Galaxy S8 variants are actually new colors. In addition to the existing ones, there will be Lake Blue, Smoked Purple Grey and Quicksand Gold for the Galaxy S8. The S8+ will come in only the last two colors. There is also a mention of a Rose Gold variant, a color that Apple likes very much.

LG on the other hand is rumored to be working on two new phones: the LG G6 Pro and G6 Plus. How it will workout for LG is still a mystery since both phones will still sport the Snapdragon 821 processor.

The LG G6 Pro will come with 32GB of internal storage while the G6 Plus will have 128GB of storage and wireless charging. The former will be priced at 790,000 Won (~$706) and the G6 Plus will sell for 1 million Won (~$894).

Meizu Pro 6S Is An Affordable Option For Smartphone Photography Lovers (Here’s Why!)

By

Joel Joseph

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Jun 4, 2017

This title may surprise a lot of readers but turns out, the Meizu Pro 6S is really a steal for smartphone photography lovers. I, personally, haven’t used the Pro 6S yet to make a claim like this but I did find something to back it up. DxOMark, the popular benchmark for camera performance just recently rated the Meizu Pro 6S as one of the best Chinese smartphone cameras in the market.

DxOMark gave the Meizu Pro 6S a rating of 85, which is quite impressive. Note that there are quite a few smartphones that score all the way up to 90 (HTC U11!) but what makes this score special is that the Pro 6S is only the third Chinese flagship in the list, after Huawei P10 (score: 87) and Huawei Mate 9 (score: 85 – same as Pro 6S). The phone currently retails for anywhere between $300 – $400 which makes it a steal for smartphone photography lovers. Apart from the LG G5, rest of the smartphones in the list are so much costlier than the above price, making it a good option for those who want an affordable camera phone.

DxoMark notes that the Pro 6S’ camera manages to capture excellent details in outdoor photography and keeps the exposure levels ideal in low-light images. The dynamic range is good, there’s high level of detail and the overall impressive performance of the camera in different lighting conditions give the Pro 6S a great score in the benchmark.

The excellent camera score should give the Meizu Pro 6S some attention from affordable smartphone lovers but there are still certain things that cannot be ignored. First up, the phone runs on the Helio X25 deca-core chip, which isn’t nearly as fast as the flagship chipsets of 2016 or 2017. Secondly, despite being a flagship launched near the end of 2016, the phone is still on Android Marshmallow. We expect at least nougat on phones that are just 6-7 months old, but Meizu is still struggling to get a stable Flyme release of Android 7 onto its devices.

Still, if you can live with Android 6 or wait for Android 7 (probably by August), the Pro 6S is a good flagship and at just over $300 (on Aliexpress), it’s definitely a phone that you should check out.

But there’s another option. If you remember, the Meizu Pro 6 Plus, which was released around the same time as the Pro 6S, comes with the exact same setup as the 6S. This would mean the Pro 6 Plus also has an amazing camera and considering it retails for around $370 (again on Aliexpress), it’s a true flagship that you should check out.

To recap, the Pro 6 Plus comes with the powerful Exynos 8890 octa-core chip, 5.7-inch 2K display, and a decent 3400mAh battery. The phone ticks almost all the features that you would expect in a flagship smartphone of 2017 (there’s no 6GB RAM variant though) and at $370, it’s a pretty good find.

Do note that there’s the Xiaomi Mi 6, with a pretty good dual camera setup around this price. It’s a bit costlier at around $400 but the camera performance was impressive according to our review. Also, you get Snapdragon 835 inside. One good reason why you would consider the Pro 6 Plus is because of its beautiful 5.7-inch 2K display. The 5.15-inch 1080p display could be a bit small for some users and the Pro 7 is a decent phablet alternative at this price.

No Android Nougat for The OnePlus 2 As OnePlus Discontinues Software Support

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Jun 4, 2017

The OnePlus 2 was released in August 2015, that means it is still two months shy from its second anniversary. For a flagship device, two years should be the minimum support life you get. However, in the case of the OP2, it won’t get up to that.

OnePlus had earlier promised that it was going to release an Android Nougat update for the OnePlus 2, but it didn’t fulfill that promise and will never will. The manufacturer has confirmed in a statement that there will be no major updates for the OP2. Below is the response given to a OnePlus 2 owner requesting info about the update.

Thank you for reaching OnePlus Customer support. This is Alex from OnePlus. We greatly appreciate your time and effort in reaching out to us. Your concern is of utmost importance, and I will be helping you out with your ticket. As much as we would like to give the latest update on the OnePlus 2, we’ve discontinued updates for dated devices. But we will continue to support the limited warranty for current users and provide updates and support the best way we can even for OnePlus 2 users.

OnePlus 2 owners are not happy about the development, and failing to fulfill its promise casts doubts over the reputation of OnePlus. Some people are even suggesting folks take the announcement of an Android O update for the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T with a pinch of salt. We do hope OnePlus lives up to that promise seeing as both the OP3 and OP3T are more popular than the OP2.

The 6GB RAM ZUK Edge Gets A Huge Price Cut, Down To ¥1799 (~$264)

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Jun 4, 2017

Lenovo’s ZUK may have been a short-lived brand but during that period, it made a name as one of the cheapest flagship brands in the market. The last phone to come out of its factory is the ZUK Edge and there are still a number of stores that have it in stock. Jingdong Mall is an example and there is a huge discount available.

The ZUK Edge has a 5.5-inch FHD Super AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass with an 86.4% screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor, paired with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The rear camera is a 13MP sensor with a f/2.2 aperture and a 1.34 µm pixel size and the front camera is an 8MP f/2.2 aperture and 1.12 µm pixel size. The ZUK Edge run Android 7.0 out of the box and has a fingerprint scanner under its home button. Its 3100mAh battery is non-removable but supports Quick Charge 3.0.

Xiaomi’s Next Crowdfunding Product Looks Like a Huami Sports Wearable, Mi Band 3?

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Jun 4, 2017

Xiaomi is set to launch its 86th crowdfunding product in a couple of days time. More interesting is what the product looks likely to be as the announcement of the 86th crowdfunding product launch schedule was made by Huami, one of Xiaomi’s partners. Huami’s Weibo post was re-posted by Xiaomi’s MIJIA official Weibo account. In case you don’t know, Huami is responsible for the production of the Xiaomi Mi Band and the award-winning Mi Band 2.

The upcoming product is still unknown but they did share a clue that points to a product which has something to do with running and sports. The fact that it is Huami’s product, the product is likely a fitness or sports wearable. Huami is very well known for smart wearables such as the Amazfit range of smart watches and fitness tracker so, it will likely be an interesting product with cool features. While this product will likely be a Huami sports wearable, we are not sure it will be the Mi Band 3 as there is no indication to that effect.

The product will go official on Tuesday, May 6 at 10 AM (CST) in China via the MIJIA crowdfunding platform. Guess we’ll have to wait until the launch date to know for sure what the gadget actually is.

New Camera Samples Suggests The OnePlus 5 Will Have A Monochrome Sensor

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Jun 3, 2017

A few days ago, a image showing the retail box of the OnePlus 5 popped up online, affirming that it will indeed launch with dual rear cameras. Like we have seen in phones with dual cameras, there are two ways to it.

There is the Monochrome + RGB format whereby one sensor shoots in monochrome and the other in color. This format allows for sharper images even under low light conditions. The second configuration is the wide angle camera + telephoto sensor made popular by the iPhone 7 Plus.

Based on new images released on Slashleaks, the OnePlus 5 may likely feature the monochrome + RGB configuration. This is evident from one of the pictures that is shot in just monochrome. Not a lot of phones with this configuration allows you to do so. The Huawei P9 and Huawei P10 are the examples that come to mind. The other images are in color but we can see they have that portrait mode feature that blurs the background.

OnePlus also posted a new image on Weibo similar to the first they teased a week ago. The emphasis is on a clearer image and damn is it sharp. Did you notice the post was actually made with the OnePlus 5?

The OnePlus 5 launches on June 15. It will have a smaller form factor than the OnePlus 3T and is expected to sell for a higher price.

[envira-gallery id=”134469″]

(Sources: 1 via, 2)

Xiaomi Mi Mix Gets A Price Cut On Jingdong’s 6.18 Promotion

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Jun 3, 2017

Jingdong’s 6.18 promotion is still ongoing and this period affords fans of Xiaomi the opportunity to get the scarce Xiaomi Mi Mix from Xiaomi’s official flagship store on JD.com during this period. The Mi Mix is not only in stock but is being offered with a reduction in its price. The 6.18 promo sees the Mi Mix coming in with a 200 Yuan reduction in its price with an additional 50 Yuan off from June 1 – June 3 and again from June 12 – June 18.

During this period, fans can grab the Mi Mix for 3,249 Yuan ($477) instead of the original price of 3,499 yuan ($513). This offer is for the 6GB + 128GB version as the higher 6GB + 256GB version still stood at its 3,999 Yuan (~$587) price tag. In addition to the Mi Mix, the Mi Note 2 is on offer for 300 Yuan less than the normal price of 3299 Yuan ($484). So, you’ll get it at 2,999 Yuan only (~$440) during the sales period running until the 18th of June. Apart from these two models, other Xiaomi models are also up for grab on the 6.18 promotion.

This sale is a clear indication that Xiaomi has improved on the production output of the Mi Mix and there seems to be enough quantity in stock. Another thing, this is the lowest price ever for which the Mi Mix is being offered. Could that also mean that we’ll be seeing more price cuts in the near future? Of course, it getting closer to the time for the Apple of China to release the next-gen Mi Mix 2 and Mi Note 3. So, we could as well brace up for a more stable price cuts on both high-end models.

Snapdragon 660-Powered OPPO R11 Seen on GeekBench

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Jun 3, 2017

It is no longer news that OPPO is skipping the R10 and jumping to the OPPO R11. Scheduled to launch on June 10, the new phone has leaked multiple times. We already know what it will look like and we have seen photo samples taken with its 20MP+16MP dual rear cameras.

The OPPO R11 surfaced on GeekBench yesterday. We get to see how the Snapdragon 660 SoC performs and a few spec details too.

The phone pulls in 1607 points in the single-core test and 5823 points in the multi-core test. There is 4GB of RAM and Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

The Snapdragon 660 mobile platform is clocked at 1.84GHz on the OPPO R11 but can attain a max. clock speed of 2.2GHz. Built using the 14nm process and consisting of eight Kryo 260 cores, the new chip is currently the king of the mid-range category. When the OPPO R11 launches next Saturday, it will be the first phone to sport the processor.

Nokia 9 Appears on AnTuTu with Snapdragon 835, 13MP Front & Rear Cameras

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Jun 3, 2017

The Nokia 9 has been appearing on a number of benchmarking sites lately. Today, we see it make its way to AnTuTu.

Listed as the Nokia TA-1004, the phone runs Android 7.1.1. There is a Snapdragon 835 processor under the hood and an Adreno 540 GPU. The display size isn’t mentioned but previous leaks puts it at 5.3-inches. However, AnTuTu confirms the Quad HD resolution. Now that’s some serious pixel density (554ppi) on the Nokia 9.

The Nokia 9 will come with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. There will also be a 13MP rear camera and another 13MP sensor up front. Although the phone is expected to feature dual rear cameras, we should know by now that AnTuTu lists the front and rear cameras on a phone. It remains to be seen if the Nokia 9 will feature three 13MP sensors.

Rumour: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Will Feature A 6.3-inch Infinity Display

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Jun 2, 2017

Samsung has no doubt rebounded from the Galaxy Note 7 debacle and is even almost set to relaunch the device with a new battery and slightly reduced price in some markets. The recovery was helped a great deal by the positive reviews and the successful outing of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ which were launched in April. In line with precedence, the next big announcement concerning a product launch from Samsung would likely be the Galaxy Note 8.

We have had some strings of rumours relating to the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in the recent past, almost all pointing at a 6.3-inch display. A new leak from the Netherlands has emerged, also towing the line that the Galaxy Note 8 would sport a 6.3-inch display but this leak went further to claim that the Note 8’s display would be the same curved infinity display that was used on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. A recently leaked video had shown us the huge infinity display the Note 8 will feature as well as the front panel.

In other words, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 would have a curved edge display with a high screen-to-body ratio which would likely be the same 18.5:9 aspect ratio featured on the Galaxy S8. The leak source also claims the Galaxy S8 would have a 4K display resolution. We still don’t know if the fingerprint sensor would be a front screen affair or it is going to be embedded at the back. All other features are still obscured but taking a wild guess, the Note 8 would most likely feature a Snapdragon 835 chipset. As for its launch, that is still in the dark as well but it is alleged that the Note 8 is already being tested with Android 7.1.1 which means the device will launch in no distant time. Who knows, Samsung may launch the device during IFA Berlin 2017 coming up this September.

Xiaomi USB-C To Mini Display Port Multi-Function Adapter Launched

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Buy Doogee Mix at $179 on Banggood, limited sale in June 4-12

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Jun 2, 2017

Xiaomi has silently added a new product to its product shelf on Mi mall. The product is the Xiaomi USB-C To Mini Display Port Multi-Function adapter which comes with four different ports. One of the port is a Mini Display Port interface, there’s also a USB Type-C standard interface, and two USB Type-A standard interface, all four in one device. It supports 4K / 60Hz ultra-high definition output as well as a USB PD 3.0 charge.

The Xiaomi USB-C To Mini Display Port Multi-Function Adapter brings a whole lot of functions to the table as it can connect more than one system to a large display at the same time. It has a stable coaxial signal transmission structure which makes it capable of transmitting 4K images. The wires are made from tinned copper (TC) conductor with strong antioxidant capacity and high-speed signal transmission stability.

In terms of design, the adapter continues Xiaomi’s simple but quality design style and is only 12mm thick. It is compact and portable. It supports USB PD 3.0 protocol, can achieve 5-20V / 0mA-3.25A multi-level automatic connection. The power supply for the device supports up to 65W power output and can be used to connect the Mi Notebook Air, Macbook and other devices with Type-C interface. As for the price, it comes at just 149 Yuan ($21) and is presently available for sale on Xiaomi’s Mi Mall.

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win A Free Bezelless Doogee Mix

By

Shine Wong

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Jun 2, 2017

In the past couple of weeks, we have given away lots of new products on Gizmochina, and keeping up with the momentum, we are here yet again to giveaway a coming phone for our readers. Banggood has provided us with this 5.5 inch bezelless screen Doogee Mix to giveaway to one of our readers, which means you have a great chance to be first to hands on this amazing smartphone.

At the same time, Banggood offer us a exclusive coupon code for who want to buy this phone before end of June.

The Doogee Mix features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display, currently making it the smallest full display smartphone in the market. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio P25 processor, either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.

The design of the Doogee Mix obviously takes inspiration from Xiaomi’s Mi MIX including keeping a bottom bezel where the front-facing camera is placed. But Doogee has also made itself different by also including a physical home button and fingerprint sensor on the bottom bezel of the Doogee Mix.

The Doogee Mix also features a dual rear camera system which pairs a 16-megapixel sensor with an 8-megapixel sensor. Putting it in line with the other high-end flagships in the market.

Buy Doogee Mix at $179 on Banggood, limited sale in June 4-12

Like always, we are going to organize this giveaway via the gleam widget. One random winner will be selected in a week’s time and will be given the new Doogee Mix phone.

Good luck!

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win a Free Doogee Mix

Meizu PRO 7, 7 Plus Key Specs, Launch Details Surface Alongside Rear Cover Leaked Shot Showing Second Screen, Dual Cam

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Jun 2, 2017

Few days ago, several renders of Meizu PRO 7 flagship phone had appeared to reveal that its back panel features a second display and a dual camera system. Today, a leaked photo of the back cover of the Meizu PRO 7 has appeared to reveal dedicated areas for a secondary screen and a dual camera setup as seen on leaked renders. Also, a Chinese leakster has spilled some information on its specifications and launch.

The leaked image shows that there is a cutout for dual rear module and on its right side is another cutout for a dual-LED flash arranged in a vertical design. There is a rectangle-shaped cutout below the dual camera module which will probably house a secondary screen.

There have been some devices in the past that have a secondary ink display on the back panel. However, the secondary screen on these devices occupy the entire rear panel. The YotaPhone 2 from 2015 is a phone that has a secondary ink screen on its rear side. As far as Meizu PRO 7 is concerned, we are not sure about the functionality of the small-sized screen. The following are the leaked renders that appeared earlier:

An executive of Meizu has boasted about the appeal of the Meizu PRO 7 by saying that it is appears better than the Samsung Galaxy S8. Since the Chinese company has made such a huge claim, it seems that the Meizu PRO 7 will be one of the aesthetically smartphones this year.

According to well-known leakster, Mocha RQ, the Meizu’s flagship phone would be arriving in Meizu PRO 7 and Meizu PRO 7 Plus versions. The PRO 7 will be coming with a 5.2-inch full HD screen whereas the PRO 7 Plus would be featuring a 5.7-inch QHD screen. Both phones will be using AMOLED panels from Samsung.

He has also speculated that one of them will be powered by a MediaTek chip whereas the other one would be driven by Samsung SoC. It seems that the Meizu PRO 7 would be fueled by MediaTek Helio X30 and the PRO 7 Plus may include an Exynos 8890 chip. He also claims that Meizu may release a Snapdragon 660/630 chipset smartphone by August or September. As far as Meizu PRO 7 and PRO 7 Plus launch is concerned, the leakster speculates that these flagships will be launching in July.

(source 1,2)

OnePlus 5 Latest Rumors: Dual Cameras & A Decent Battery

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Jun 2, 2017

The leaks and rumours keep coming out and when they are pieced together, it becomes easy to understand why the OnePlus 5 is generating so many attention. Two separate leaks pointing at the possible camera type and battery capacity recently appeared online.

One of the leaked photos is that of a retail box for the OnePlus flagship which appeared on Android Authority. The leak shows the OnePlus 5 would come with a dual camera setup and from the look of things, OnePlus will project the device using the dual cameras as one of the main features onboard. It is not as if this is the first time we are getting this leaked detail but this tends to confirm or at least lend more weight to the earlier rumors and renders showing the OP5 with dual cam.

The second leak comes in from China and reveals the OnePlus 5 would come with a 3,300mAh battery. No other detail is visible except that the battery spec is for the OP5. Despite the fact that it is a little lower than the 3400mAH battery on the OnePlus 3T, it is still pretty large and may be due to the fact that the OP5 would be thin. The device will likely also come with OnePlus’ trademark DASH charge fast charging technology.

The OnePlus flagship’s launch date is not known but it is believed to be not too long from now. A couple of leaks about that point at a launch on June 15 but we really can’t say if that will happen. But OnePlus seems to have intensified its efforts towards preparing for the eventual launch. Just recently, the company sought the opinions of fans in China to determine what the box casing would look like and also kickstarted a competition that would see 10 lucky fans get the opportunity to test the OP5’s camera.

(source 1, 2)

First Day Of Xiaomi’s 6.18 Promotion On JD.com Saw Redmi Note 4X & Mi 6 As Top Sellers

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Jun 2, 2017

Popular e-commerce platform Jingdong is currently running its 6.18 mid-year promotion and the Xiaomi flagship store is one of the shops buzzing with lots of interesting activities. The 16.8 promotion started on July 1 and will terminate on July 18 and the period is a time for fans to get their favourite device at awesome discounts. The Jingdong promo is also a time for manufacturers to boost their sales and thus increase their market shares for the year.

On the first day alone, Xiaomi continued its strong showing this year, as the company recorded huge sales on its products lines including mobile phones, Smart TVs, Mi Notebooks, and other smart home appliances. The company has now announced the hot selling products on the first day of the sales. The topmost ranking product which recorded the most sales on the first day is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Jingdong Special Edition. The Redmi Note 4X Jingdong Special Edition was recently added to the family with a slightly reduced price and a lower 3GB + 16GB memory. Apart from the reduced memory version, the Redmi Note 4X Jingdong Special Edition features exactly the same design as the normal version which was released last year. The price tag may likely be the reason why it sold more.

Surprisingly, the Xiaomi Mi 6 is the second highest selling product in Xiaomi’s lineup and this can only be explained by the assumption that there was enough stock of the flagship Mi 6 for the sales. Other products like the super cheap but classy Redmi 4X and Redmi 4A also recorded successes. The Mi TV 4A 55-inch version was also on sale at a 400 Yuan discount price and its performance was impressive. The 59-inch and 65-inch models were also on sale and performed well.

As stated, the sales would run until July 18 and there are lots of Xiaomi products available such as the Mi Air Purifier, Mi Robot Vacuum cleaner, Mi Notebook Air 13.3-inch with a 200 Yuan discount, and much more.

Nokia 9 Appears More than 35 Times on Geekbench with Snapdragon 835, 4 GB RAM

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Jun 2, 2017

Around two weeks ago, an unknown Nokia phone labelled as HMD Global TA-1004 had appeared with insane multi-score of 7770 on Geekbench. The listing revealed that the alleged Nokia 9 features Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4 GB of RAM. In the last week of May, the alleged Nokia 9 named as “Unknown Heart” had appeared on Geekbench with SD 835 and 8 GB of RAM. Several new listings that has appeared recently again reveal that the flagship phone is equipped with Snapdragon 835 and 4 GB of RAM

As it can be seen in the source link, the “Unknown Heart” Nokia 9 flagship has appeared on Geekbench over 35 times. Hence, the listings suggest that the Nokia 9 may arrive in two variants for different markets. The 8 GB RAM variant with dual-SIM support may be aimed towards the Asian markets like China where there is huge competition between smartphone brands on launching phones with higher specs.

The recently announced ZTE Nubia Z17 is one perfect example for it as it is the first Snapdragon 835 chipset fueled smartphone with 8 GB of RAM. It is currently announced only for Chinese markets. The Nokia 9 featuring singe-SIM and 4 GB RAM may arrive to North and South America markets.

Nokia Power User had reported in the previous month that two Nokia devices TA-1004 (spotted on Geekbench) and TA-1012 have received EA Union certification on May 11. The publication speculates that it could be single and dual SIM variants of Nokia 9. Since both the variants have been certified

In the last month, several leaked hands-on photos of the Nokia 9 flagship had appeared. One of the leaked screenshots of the alleged Nokia 9 named as Heart (Unknow) revealed it has Snapdragon 835 and 4 GB of RAM. Other specs revealed through the screenshot shows that it has 5.3-inch QHD display and 64 GB inbuilt storage. It is speculated to come with 13-meagapixel dual rear cameras. it is pegged to cost $699. It is likely that the Nokia 9 may get announced at the end of this month or in Q3 this year.

(source|via)

Quick Charge 4+ Unveiled;15% Faster and 30% Efficient than Quick Charge 4.0

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Jun 2, 2017

One of the salient features of Snapdragon chipsets are that it comes with rapid charging capabilities. Qualcomm had announced Quick Charge 4.0 feature when it introduced the Snapdragon 835 chipset in November last year. It has been only six months since its launch and Qualcomm has now its improved version called Quick Charge 4+.

Compared to its predecessor, the Quick Charge 4 offers 20 percent faster charging speed and is 30 percent more efficient. Even though a couple of Snapdragon 835 smartphones have released this year such as Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Xiaomi Mi 6 and HTC U11, none of them carry support for Quick Charge 4.0. The newly launched ZTE Nubia Z17 is the first smartphone to feature Quick Charge 4+.

The following image explains that Quick Charge 4+ is up to 3 degrees cooler, up to 15 percent faster and up to 30 percent more efficient than its previous version.

The Quick Charge 4+ has all the features that is available on QC 4.0. However, it is available with three additional improvements such as:

Dual Charge: This feature is already present in predecessor versions of Quick Charge. However, it has become more powerful in QC 4+ as it is equipped with a second power management IC. The Dual Charge feature divides the charge current which makes it possible for lower thermal dissipation and decreases the charging time.

Intelligent Thermal Balancing: This feature drives the current through the coolest path of dual charging pathways. This will help in preventing potential hot spot. This also enables optimized power delivery.

Advanced Safety Features: Quick Charge 4 has inbuilt safety protocols and in QC 4+, Qualcomm has added a feature that keeps a track of temperature levels of the case and connector at the same time. This will prevent problems like overheating and damage to the USB-C port.

Since Nubia Z17 has arrived with QC 4+, it is likely that we may soon see more flagship phones with new quick charging standard from Qualcomm. Chargers, USB hubs, power banks enabled with Quick Charge 4+ will be backward compatible with Quick Charge 3.0 and 2.0.