Snapdragon 660 Appears on GeekBench Database: Stellar Performance!

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May 18, 2017

Qualcomm officially announced the Snapdragon 660 and 630 processors last week with the SD 660 coming at the top of the pack. Though a mid-range chip, the Snapdragon 660 configuration reveals it is a powerful mid-range SoC, more powerful that the SD 653. According to Qualcomm, the CPU of the SD 660 offers 20 percent better performance and its GPU offers 30 percent better graphics performance than the SD 653 chip. The chip is a 14nm chipset that includes four cores of Kryo 260 working at 2.2 GHz and another four cores of Kryo 260 functioning at 1.8 GHz. It also features an Adreno 512 GPU as well as built-in X12 LTE baseband.

The Snapdragon 660 is reported to have run through benchmark app Geekbench and the result has appeared on Geekbench database. The result shows the performance of its cores in the single core and multi-core tests. On the single core test, the SD 660 running through the test at a 1.84GHz frequency polled a total score of 1599 points. On the multi-core test, the chip scored 5639 points at the same frequency.

When the test is compared to those of the Xiaomi Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus, both featuring the Snapdragon 821 chip, a surprising closeness was observed. The SD 660 score is close to that of the SD 821 in the single-core tests and even triumphs it on the multi-core test.

(source)

OnePlus 5 Image Surfaces with Horizontal Dual Rear Cameras

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 18, 2017

Yesterday, we had reported about an image of OnePlus 5 that appeared like its real prototype. The image revealed that the next OnePlus flagship features a vertically aligned dual rear camera setup.

Kumamoto Technology from China has been consistently stating in his Weibo posts that OnePlus 5 will be coming with a horizontally aligned dual rear cameras. However, he did not provide any evidence to support his claim. Now, a new mage has popped up as a proof on what he has been saying.

The above-leaked image which shows the backside of the OnePlus 5 reveals that it has a dual rear camera setup arranged in a horizontal design. It is positioned on the upper left corner. It features a dual-LED flash on the left side of the camera module. The design of the twin rear cameras is quite similar to the dual camera setup on Xiaomi Mi 6. The upcoming ZTE Nubia Z17 flagship phone has been also spotted with horizontal dual rear cameras on TENAA

The design of the upper and lower antenna bands of OnePlus 5 appears as they do on recent iPhones. In other words, they are placed on the upper and lower edge of the device. The image shows the OnePlus 5 in black color and it seems to sport a metallic chassis.

Since some images show the OnePlus 5 sporting a vertically arranged twin rear cameras and other leaks reveal horizontal design for the main camera, it seems that the company has been testing several prototypes of OnePlus 5 with different rear camera design.

It is interesting to note that a recent report has also suggested that OnePlus 5 would be coming with a single rear camera. It is speculated that OnePlus 5 would be coming with a 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 sensor that features f/1.7 aperture and 1.12-micron pixel size. Rumors have it that the Chinese company was supposed to use Sony IMX398 camera sensor on OnePlus 3T. However, it ended up with Sony IMX298 camera sensor. The specifications of OnePlus 5 were recently spotted on AnTuTu benchmarking site. It revealed that OnePlus 5 has a 16-megapixel rear camera.

There is lot confusion on the rear camera of OnePlus 5. One way we can know correct information on its rear camera before its official launch is when it appears on TENAA. Until then we can expect the rumor mill to build more hype on the upcoming OnePlus flagship. The OnePlus 5 is expected to get announced in June and it is also pegged to come with a costlier price tag.

Apple iPhone SE Now Being Manufactured In India

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 18, 2017

U.S. tech giant, Apple has commenced the production of iPhones in India, the Wall Street Journal reports. This report is coming barely three months after the tech giant was reported to have concluded plans to set up a manufacturing plant in the Indian state of Karnataka, south-western region. According to the report, the company has concluded a test run of its first-ever iPhone assembly plant in India and the model which was the first produced in the plant is the iPhone SE.

The iPhone SE is Apple’s cheapest iPhone model and it is just apt that it comes out as the first to be assembled in India. The plant is run by Apple’s Taiwanese contract manufacturer Winstrop Corp., and it is indeed located in the state of Karnataka. The Wall Street Journal quoted its source to be a state official who is familiar with the matter. However, a Winstron spokeswoman was quoted to have responded to inquiries by saying the company doesn’t comment on “market rumors or speculation.” On its part, Apple said in a statement that it has begun initial production of a small number of iPhone SE handsets in Bangalore and will begin shipping the Indian-made devices to domestic customers this month. An inside source also disclosed that the first devices could hit stores as early as this week or next.

With this latest development, India becomes the third country globally to assemble iPhones after China and Taiwan. Analysts believe it is a right move in the right direction, considering that Apple’s sales in China, one of its largest market, had taken a swift tumble from the top position for the first in a couple of years. India also has a vast market which Apple is obviously eyeing with this latest move. India will be a fitting alternative to China and Taiwan. Also, the siting of a plant in India would likely translate to a cheaper price tag for the iPhone considering that the company will not pay import tax and other charges attached to importation. The company is reported to have sought concessions on the taxes it pays to import some components as the Indian factory is part of the government’s “Make in India” drive.

Also, the siting of a plant in India would likely translate to a cheaper price tag for the iPhone model, considering that the company will not pay import tax and other charges attached to importation. The company is reported to have sought concessions on the taxes it pays to import some components as the Indian factory is part of the government’s “Make in India” drive. This may however not be the case as Apple prefers to keep its price consistent worldwide. But we are encouraged by reports that the iPhone SE is currently on sale in India for around $320, lesser than the $399 price tag it carries in the U.S. Thus, the price could come down to about $100 less if the tech giant starts shipping from the plant in India.

(source)

Sony Xperia XZ Premium Gets Released in China, Brings 4K Display and a ¥5699 ($827) Price Tag

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 18, 2017

Yesterday, Sony officially released its new flagship, the Xperia XZ Premium in China. The phone was originally announced at MWC 2017 where it won the award for best new smartphone. While pre-orders for the phone has already started since March in the UK, the Xperia XZ Premium is just making its appearance in China.

Sony’s new flagship sports a 5.5-inch 4K display, a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB UFS 2.1 storage. There is also a microSD card that supports up to 256GB cards.

For the optics, Sony has gone all out by including an IMX 400 sensor with Motion Eye that can shoot slow motion videos at 960fps. The front camera is a 13MP sensor with a f/2.0 aperture and a 22mm wide-angle lens and impressive low-light performance.

The Xperia XZ Premium runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box; has a front-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and a 3230mAh battery.

All these specs come at a price, a high one for that matter. Sony is charging ¥5699 (∼$827) for the black, silver or gold version. The phone is already available for pre-order on Jingdong, Lynx and Sony’s official website.

There is also a special Spider-Man version that comes in a special box but the price wasn’t revealed. The price Sony is asking for the Xperia XZ Premium is more than double that of phones like the Xiaomi Mi 6 (¥2499/$363) and a lot higher than the price of the base version of the Huawei P10 (¥3788/$550). It remains to be seen if Sony can grab a significant part of the Chinese market with its new phone.

Asus ZenFone AR, 8 GB RAM Smartphone with Tango AR, Daydream VR Arriving in Summer

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 18, 2017

The ASUS ZenFone AR was launched at the start of the year during Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 event in January. Since the time it was launched, there has been no news on its availability. However, Google has now confirmed that the ZenFone AR would be arriving by summer this year.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is the second Google Tango device ever made. The first one was Lenovo PHAB 2 Pro from 2016. The ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone to support both Google Tango AR and Daydream VR. Moreover, the ZenFone AR is also the world’s first smartphone to come with 8 GB of RAM.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is equipped TriCam system meaning it is packed with three rear cameras that perform respective tasks such as motion tracking, measure depth and room mapping. As humans can measure space and motion, even the ZenFone AR can do the same with the help of the sensors.

The ZenFone AR has a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen that offers quad HD display and it delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 79 percent. It is driven by Snapdragon 821 chipset. Apart from 8 GB variant, the smartphone also features a 6 GB RAM model. It will be coming in two storage sizes 64 GB and 128 GB.

The rear camera is of 23-megapixel which is enabled with features like dual-LED flash, OIS and RAW photography. The front-facing selfie snapper of 8-megapixel is also enabled with dual-LED flash. It is preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat and Zen UI 3.0. It features a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint reader. It is packed with a 3,300mAh battery that is enabled with rapid charging feature.

Google actively uses Tango technology in the classroom. Today, Google announced that, “more than two million students have taken virtual field trips with Expeditions using Cardboard.” By fall, the search engine giant wants to begin special programs to make AR lessons available to schools.

There is no information available on the pricing of ASUS ZenFone AR. The smartphone can be expected to be available in the next few months.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 6 Supports USB Power Delivery Fast Charging

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 17, 2017

There are lots of fast charging technologies in the market right now. Some of the popular ones are Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, OPPO’s VOOC Charge, OnePlus’s Dash Charge, and Motorola’s TurboPower. There is also USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) which is used by the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, and MacBooks.

Google wants the charging standard to be unified and is telling Android smartphone manufacturers to ditch Quick Charge (or any other form) and switch to USB-PD instead. To ensure that, Google added a new clause to the Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) that OEM’s must follow. The clause in the Android 7.0 CDD has been extracted below:

Type-C devices are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to not support proprietary charging methods that modify Vbus voltage beyond default levels, or alter sink/source roles as such may result in interoperability issues with the chargers or devices that support the standard USB Power Delivery methods. While this is called out as “STRONGLY RECOMMENDED”, in future Android versions we might REQUIRE all type-C devices to support full interoperability with standard type-C chargers.

It is still strongly recommended for now and not yet a must. But it appears some manufacturers have started adopting the standard. The Xiaomi Mi 6 which supports Quick Charge 3.0 has been found to also support USB-PD.

Continue

Huawei’s Kirin 970 Chip Details Leaked: 10nm Process, Cortex A73

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

Huawei‘s next generation Kirin 970 chip details first emerged in leaks in January this year revealing some details. The leaks tout that the Kirin 970 chip will be built on a 10nm TSMC process and will come with an octa-core CPU as well as a Cat. 12 LTE band. Now, a fresh leak revealing more details of the Kirin 970 chip has emerged on China’s Weibo.

According to the leak source, the Hisilicon Kirin 970 chip will actually be manufactured using TSMC’s 10nm FinFET process. This is a leak from the previous generation of Kirin 960 which was manufactured on a 16nm manufacturing process. The processor is also listed to integrate an ARM Cortex A73 core which would likely be in an octa-core arrangement. The leakster seems to suggest that the Kirin 970 will be the first to come with the ARM Heimdallr MP GPU. Finally, the device will come with full network support, 5 carrier aggregation support as well as support for most of the global frequency band.

An earlier rumor had also tipped the Kirin 970 as packing an octa-core CPU comprised of four ARM Cortex-A73 cores, and four ARM Cortex-A53 cores. The next-gen flagship chipset is also revealed to have a maximum clock frequency of between 2.8GHz – 3.0GHz. The Kirin 970 will be equipped with Cat. 12 LTE baseband and would come as Huawei’s first chip to use the 10nm process. The chip is also expected to bring upgrades in power consumption, heat control and other aspects.

(source)

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Latest Rumor: Dual Cameras with 3X Optical Zoom

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

Samsung left a number of her fans disappointed over the lack of a dual camera setup on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, choosing to use a single camera on its powerful 2017 Galaxy flagships. This is despite the fact that dual-lens camera smartphones are turning out to be the trend for 2017. However seems the company is saving the best for the last.

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 8 later this year and the Galaxy Note series flagship is expected to pack a dual-lens camera setup. This isn’t the first time it would emerge that the Galaxy Note 8 would come with dual rear cameras. More details of the dual camera setup have surfaced from South Korea, Samsung’s home country. The Korea Herald quoted an analyst at Daishin Securities, Park Kang-ho as saying that although Samsung did not adopt dual cameras for the Galaxy S8, the tech giant will most likely feature dual cameras on its smartphone considering how the trending feature stole the spotlight at MWC, 2017.

The Korea Herald further quoted industry watchers as claiming that the dual camera setup aboard the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to feature a 3X optical zoom, a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 13MP telephoto lens. This setup coincides correctly with the patent Samsung submitted earlier this year, which outlines technology that uses the combination of a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens to capture moving images more effectively. Already, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo, all have dual cameras smartphone this year, in keeping up with the trend in China. According to findings by Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint research, most of the top-selling premium smartphones in China in the first quarter were dual-camera phones including the iPhone 7, Huawei Mate 9, Mate 9 Pro and Vivo’s Xplay 6.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi 6 In Depth Camera Review (Video): Dual Cameras Finally Done Right?

By

Joel Joseph

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May 17, 2017

Xiaomi Mi 6 is the company’s third dual camera smartphone and it’s no surprise that the phone is also the company’s best dual camera flagship till date. The two rear cameras on the Redmi Pro were far from impressive but the setup on the Mi 5S Plus turned out to be quite good. The two cameras at the back managed to capture good-looking images especially in broad daylight, but the real difference due to the dual cameras was seen in the low light images. The stereo mode helped take pretty good low light shots, better than previous generations. You can check out our Mi 5S review for camera performance.

Now, with the Xiaomi Mi 6 camera, the company have taken things to another level, using a similar setup as the iPhone 7 Plus, a 12MP wide angle lens, and a 12MP telephone lens. But does this setup perform better than previous generations? Also, how does it compare to top camera flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S8?

These are the questions we answer in the in-depth Xiaomi Mi 6 camera review. Just check out the video below to see how the Mi 6’s camera performs.

The short answer is, yes, the Mi 6 camera is much better than its predecessors and it does a good job in keeping up with flagships like the Xiaomi Mi 6. However, you do see that the camera on the Mi 6 is not quite as refined as the one on the Galaxy S8. Low light performance is also not as good as the S8. But in most areas, the Xiaomi Mi 6’s dual camera setup manages to keep up with flagship phones that cost almost twice its price.

In fact, you should check out the camera sample comparison between Xiaomi Mi 6 and OnePlus 3T, Huawei P10, and Huawei P9 to see how well it performs.

One of the biggest improvements that you would see in Xiaomi’s dual camera implementation is the video quality. There’s no surprise that Xiaomi Mi 6 captures the best videos in the entire Xiaomi smartphone family. The phone supports 4K, 1080p, and slo-mo videos and it does a fine job in all the three departments. The video clarity is amazing, colors come out well (maybe a tad oversaturated) and the overall quality is good. OIS is decent but if you are capturing the video while walking, the resulting video will be shaky.

Another highlight of Mi 6’s dual camera setup is the 2X lossless zoom. We could see that the zoom clarity is much better than traditional digital zoom.

Overall, for its price, the Mi 6 comes with great dual cameras.

Check out the video and let me know your thoughts on the phone’s camera performance.

Refurbished Galaxy Note 7 to Arrive as Galaxy Note FE in June End, Claims Report

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 17, 2017

Samsung is prepping up to launch the refurbished version of Galaxy Note 7. A South Korean publication has claimed that the reincarnated edition of Galaxy Note 7 will be arriving at the end of the next month. And it will be launching as Galaxy Note FE and not as Galaxy Note 7R as recent rumors have revealed.

Why does Samsung want to call the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 as Galaxy Note FE? The “FE” is an abbreviation for “Fandom Edition” that will be targeted towards the loyal fans of Galaxy Note 7. Naming it as Fandom Edition seems to be a better approach rather than launching it as Note 7R as it would remind users about the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.

The original Note 7 had to be discontinued in October 2016 within 3 months of launching it because its faulty battery caused it to explode suddenly. Even though the news about the explosion of Galaxy Note 7 started coming from various parts of the world, it was reported that many loyal fans refused to participate in the global recall of Galaxy Note 7. Hence, Samsung had to finally release mandatory firmware updates which rendered the Note 7 useless by turn it off completely.

The Samsung Galaxy Note FE has received approval from Wi-Fi Alliance, FCC and Bluetooth SIG. These certifications indicate that the arrival of the Galaxy Note FE is close at hand. Even though the phablet is speculated to launch in June end, a recent report has revealed that its launch may get delayed as the refurbished Note 7 is yet to receive certifications two more South Korean agencies in the country.

Samsung is reportedly preparing 300,000 units of Galaxy Note FE that will be sold through leading carriers of South Korea. The Note FE is also expected to launch in China. It is poised to come in color options like Blue Coral, Black, White and Silver. In South Korea, it is pegged to cost around 700,000 won ($625) whereas in China, it may cost around $520.

The Galaxy Note FE is rumored to come with the same specs of the original Note 7. Instead of the 3,500 mAh battery present on the original model, the Note FE is speculated to feature 3,200mAh battery. It will be also running on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS.

(source)

OPPO R11 Spotted on AnTuTu with Snapdragon 660, 20MP Dual Cameras

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

OPPO‘s upcoming smartphone, the R11 has been spotted on the website of benchmark platform AnTuTu, listing some of the key specs of the smartphone. The OPPO R11 has been the subject of various rumours and teasers bordering on the features of the device. Just yesterday, it was reported that OPPO had started advertising the camera flagship in some major cities in China.

According to the AnTuTu listing, the OPPO R11 features Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 660 processor which was announced recently. This confirms rumours that the R11 will feature an SD 660 SoC. In a similar vein, the graphics will be powered by an Adreno 512 GPU. The OPPO R11 is listed with a 20MP rear camera as well as a 20MP selfie camera. The main camera is said to be a dual-lens camera setup. Other listed specifications include 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage and Android 7.1 Nougat OS. While the AnTuTu document only lists the display resolution as a 1920 X 1080 pixels resolution, it had earlier featured in rumours that the R11 will sport a 5.5-inch display.

OPPO has not officially revealed when it would launch the R11 but with the rate at which the company is intensifying arrangement for its arrival via adverts and teasers, the device may launch any moment from now.

(source)

LG Will Return to OLED Displays This Year Starting With The LG V30

By

Habeeb Onawole

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May 17, 2017

Just like Samsung, LG is also in the display business. That arm of the company is even called LG Display and it is the largest LCD panel maker in the world. They also make OLEDs and flexible displays too. Their OLED panels are used in various products including TVs, monitors, watches (Apple Watch) and smartphones (Xiaomi Mi Note 2).

For a company that makes wonderful OLED panels, you’d be surprised to know they have released only a few smartphones with the display technology. The LG G Flex and G Flex 2 are the only ones that come to mind. This year, LG plans to ramp up its OLED display production.

It has been mentioned that most of the OLED panels produced will be used in the LG V30, the company’s premium flagship for the year scheduled for launch in September. Next year’s LG G7 is also expected to get the OLED treatment.

Other manufacturers that require OLED panels for their phones may have to make do with the little remaining, since the top manufacturers (Samsung and Apple) will be releasing OLED phones this year. Some Chinese manufacturers like OPPO, Vivo, and Huawei have invested in smaller OLED manufacturing companies already but it remains to be seen how fast these companies can scale up production to meet demands.

Continue

Meizu Waterproof Travel Bag Launched on Crowdfunding, Starts at 199 Yuan ($28)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

Do you know Meizu has got its own crowdfunding platform? The company has a platform tailored along the line of Xiaomi’s MIJIA brand and it even has a Weibo account. The Meizu crowdfunding platform has got quite a number of gadgets under its kitty and they just launched another one today. The latest product is a waterproof travel bag.

The waterproof Meizu travel bag comes with a minimalistic design manufactured through a one-piece cutting process. So, you won’t actually find lines where the bag was sewn. The bag measures 66.5 x 39.5 x 19 cm with a net weight of only 0.8kg, lighter than a bottle of water. The internal capacity is quite large at 38L.

In addition, the bag is manufactured using Oxford cloth material while the bottom has PVC plastic forming the base. The outer body is covered with a waterproof, scratch-resistant coating. The bag doesn’t fade even when it is cleaned. The bag uses custom metal fastener and has a drawbar box and a handle.

The Meizu travel bag starts at 199 Yuan (~$28)even though the actual price is 269 Yuan. It is available on Jingdong Finance for funding. If the response is able to reach 50.000 Yuan before June 16, the bag will ship within 30 days from that day.

Real OnePlus 5 Prototype Allegedly Appear with Vertical Dual Rear Cameras; May Cost as High as $649

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 17, 2017

A realistic appearing sketch of OnePlus 5 had appeared in the previous week to reveal its design. The sketch reportedly belonged to a prototype of OnePlus 5 and not the final version of the phone. Now, an image showing the backside of a real prototype of OnePlus 5 has surfaced. The design revealed in the image is probably not the final design of OnePlus 5 which will release in the next month or July. However, it does reveal what to expect from the upcoming OnePlus flagship.

There are two noteworthy things that can be seen on the new image. First, it features a vertically stacked dual rear cameras and the second one is that its rear shell resembles the backside of the predecessor phone, the OnePlus 3T.

The camera is one of its most talked about features of the next-generation OnePlus flagship. A leaked photo that appeared couple of weeks ago revealed that it features vertically aligned dual rear cameras. However, the photo was found to be fake. It was allegedly made by looking at the real prototype of OnePlus 5, the image of which is shown below. Another Chinese tipster claimed that the OnePlus 5 would be coming with horizontally arranged dual rear cameras. However, the following image of the backside of OnePlus 5 again shows proof of a vertically stacked twin rear cameras.

There is no information available on the dimensions of the phone. Also, the image of the front panel of the OP5 prototype is unavailable. There is a possibility that the front may feature slimmer bezels as well as house dual front cameras. Since the image does not show the presence of a fingerprint reader on the back panel, it is likely that the OnePlus 5 will be arriving with a front-mounted fingerprint reader. It is not known that whether it will come as solid depression below the display as it can be seen on OnePlus 3T or it will be placed under the glass. It can be seen that the gap between the volume buttons and the alert slider has been increased.

Another piece of new information that has surfaced with the above image is that since OnePlus 5 will be coming with costlier components and improved design featuring metal and ceramic, it may be arriving with higher price tag. The source of this rumors states that the OnePlus has not yet decided the pricing of its upcoming flagship. The OnePlus 5 is likely to be priced higher than the predecessor models in a bid to “signal competitiveness with the biggest brands.” It is speculated that it may cost as high as $649. OnePlus has been generating slim profits through its flagship killer phones. It is likely that the Chinese manufacturer may want to increase its profit margin with the arrival of OnePlus 5.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Special JD.com Edition Starts At Just 799 Yuan ($116)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X has just got a new Jingdong Special Edition which would go on sale as from May 19. The disclosure was made via a set of posters on Xiaomi’s official flagship store on Jingdong (JD.com). From what we can gather, the main difference of this version from the original model is the price tag.

The Redmi Note 4X Jingdong Special edition starts at 799 Yuan (~$116) which is 200 Yuan cheaper than the original price of the mid-range smartphone which sells for 999 Yuan. There are no indication that the device has got a different specs lineup different from the standard version which includes a Snapdragon 625 chip and 3GB RAM and more. The model would go up on sale as from May 19 while reservations commenced today.

Now, we expected the Redmi Note 4X Jingdong Special Edition to come in Red color. At least, that’s what it looked like when we saw the teaser yesterday. But today, there is no mention of the Red color model, so probably this special edition will only differ in the price and storage variants. Note that, unlike the regular edition, that comes in 3GB + 32GB configuration, this cheaper $116 Redmi Note 4X model will come with 3GB + 16GB memory.

With the emergence of the Jingdong Special edition, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X now has four versions. There is the high-end version which packs a MediaTek Helio X20 chip with 4GB + 64GB memory. There is also the standard version, packing a Snapdragon 625 chip backed by 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Special edition is also there and now, a Jingdong Special Edition with a cheaper price and lower memory configuration.

(source)

Apple iPad Mini Series May Get Discontinued Soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 17, 2017

Apple had introduced its first iPad Mini tablet featuring 7.9-inch screen in 2012. It arrived as a smaller edition of 9.7-inch iPad. When the iPad Mini was launched, Apple was selling iPhones with 4-inch screen. However, the iPhones have now grown in size as they feature 5.5-inch screens and even iPad tablets have become more advanced as the new iPad Pro come with powerful specs and keyboard support. Since the launch of iPad Mini 4 in 2015, the Cupertino company has not released a successor device. Speculations have it Apple may be discontinuing the iPad Mini tablet series.

According to BGR, a source that is close to the Cupertino company has revealed that the iPad Mini is being phased out. The reason behind it is that its own products like the larger iPhone and iPhone Plus phones and advanced iPad Pro tablets could have led to cannibalism of iPad Mini. The arrival of these products have reduced the sales of iPad Mini which indicates that its popularity has decreased.

In this year, Apple reduced the listing of iPad Mini 4 on Apple Store. It is now only selling the 128 GB iPad Mini. Its Wi-Fi only model is priced at $399 and its Wi-Fi + LTE variant costs $529. There is no confirmation on whether Apple has halted the production of iPad Mini 4 and there is no information available on when will the Cupertino company stop the sales of iPad Mini 4. If the report about discontinuation of iPad Mini series is true, the company is expected to make an official announcement on it soon.

Apple’s 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will be held between June 5 and 9. As it does annually, new iterations of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS are expected to get unveiled at the upcoming event. Speculations are rife that a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro may get unveiled at the event. According to KGI Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, there is 75 percent possibility that the Cupertino company will announce a 10.5-inch iPad Pro at WWDC 2017.

Apple is rumored to have fitted a 10.5-inch screen on the alleged tablet that has a form factor of 9.7-inch iPad Pro. To make it possible, the company is rumored to have reduced the size of its bezels. Since the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is expected to sport slimmer bezels, there is no information on whether the Touch ID sensor will be placed on the front or at the rear of the tablet.

(source)

First-Gen Working Apple iPad Prototype Surfaces Showing How it All Began

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

Apple is said to be planning the launch of a 10.5-inch iPad Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) holding from June 5 to June 9. While speculations and rumors are centered on the upcoming iPad, images of the prototype of Apple’s first generation iPad (the real stuff) leaked online. Apple discontinued production of the first-gen iPad in 2011, only a year after its first production. That means the first-gen iPad isn’t on the market, except you’ll get someone on eBay who is ready to trade his.

So you see, the iPad 1 which was first launched in 2010 is almost becoming a collector’s item. You’ll then agree that owning a prototype which preceded the actual product is a rare privilege. The prototype is said to date back to three months before the launch of the iPad and is still fully functional. Design wise, the prototype looks exactly like the iPad 1 but there are features to show it’s a prototype and not the actual product. There is a box-like etching around the Apple logo at the back of the device along with four cut-outs in the

Design wise, the prototype looks exactly like the iPad 1 but there are features to show it’s a prototype and not the actual product. There is a box-like etching around the Apple logo at the back of the device along with four cut-outs in the aluminum fuselage (revealing the Wi-Fi antenna connections). It’s a prototype and there are multiple factory engineering asset tags (identifying the manufacturer of each part), as well as Apple Development Team prototype identification stickers, and two anomalous prototype serial numbers. On the front aspect, the iPad prototype’s Development Team ID number is laser engraved into the glass in three places. The prototype’s working display shows it is running a fully functional build of Apple’s internal factory firmware, known as “SwitchBoard.” Every other feature seems to be the same as on the final iPad 1.

The iPad has gotten several successors and a lot of improvements over the previous models and it has proven to be a worthy venture for Apple. It all began with this prototype.

(via)

OnePlus 5 Arriving with Single Rear Camera? May Feature Sony IMX398 16MP Camera Available on OPPO R9s, F3 Plus

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 17, 2017

A leaked information that has surfaced on Reddit reveals that OnePlus 5 would be arriving with a 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 camera sensor with 1.12 micron pixel size. This suggests that OnePlus 5 would not be featuring twin rear cameras but will come with a single rear-facing shooter.

Interestingly, the IMX398 is the same camera sensor that is available on the rear side of the OPPO R9s. Even the newly launched OPPO F3 Plus has a 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 rear camera. The Reddit user does not have any evidence to support his claim. He says that he cannot confirm whether OnePlus 5 would be arriving with dual rear cameras. So, will the OnePlus 5 come with dual rear cameras? There is no way to confirm it now, but a recent listing of OnePlus 5 on AnTuTu had revealed that it features a 16-megapixel rear snapper.

The Sony IMX398 that is rumored to arrive on OnePlus 5 has f/1.7 aperture and supports Dual Pixel AF. Another interesting point to be noted is that the OnePlus 3T from last year was rumored to come with IMX398. The OnePlus 3T has 16-megapixel Sony IMX298 sensor and it also offers 1.12 micro pixel size.

There are plenty of mixed rumors of the number of cameras that will be present on the rear of OnePlus 5. Some rumors claim that it will be coming with a vertically stacked dual rear cameras. Other sources claim that it will be sporting a horizontal design for its twin snappers. Fresh information that has appeared on Reddit says it has a single rear snapper. We need to take these rumors with a pinch of salt as none of the information have been backed up with concrete evidence.

As far as specs of OnePlus 5 are concerned, the flagship will be coming with a full HD screen of 5.5 inches. Recent listing on AnTuTu suggests that its Snapdragon 835 chipset is supported by 6 GB of RAM and it features 64 GB of storage. Since OnePlus 3T came in 128 GB version, speculations are rife that the OnePlus 5 would also come in 128 GB storage model and this variant will feature 8 GB of RAM.

On AnTuTu benchmarks, it has scored a very impressive score of over 176,000 points. It is expected to sport a frontal shooter of 16-megapixel. Rumors have it that it will be equipped with a 3,600 mAh battery. It is rumored to get announced at the end of next month.

(source|via)

Xiaomi Mi Router 3C Launched in India for Rs. 1,199 ($19)

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 17, 2017

Yesterday, Xiaomi unveiled its new budget phone, the Redmi 4 in India. Alongside it, the company also announced the Mi Router 3C. It marks the launch of its first networking device in the country.

The Mi Router 3C is listed under Smart Devices on the official website. It is 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi router that comes with 4-high performance antennas and offers upload and download speeds of up to 300 Mbps. It promises a “wall penetrating range of” 80 meters. In order to use this modem with an internet connection, users need to have a ADSL or cable modem.

It comes with a 16 MB flash storage with dual partition system on which the firmware updates can be safely installed. It is equipped with 64 MB of RAM for smooth browsing and gaming experience. Compared to traditional routers, it offers 8 times more RAM. The rear side of the Mi Router 3C has 2 LAN ports of 10/100Mbps, 1 WAN port of 10/100 Mbps and a reset button. A maximum of 64 devices can be connected to Mi Router 3C.

The installation process of Mi Router 3C is quite simple by using a dedicated app called Mi Wi-Fi app which is available for Android and iOS devices. After turning on the router, the app will detect it. Then, users need to connect the Ethernet cable to the Mi Router 3C. The device is smart enough to import the settings to get it started.

The parental control feature allows the user to whitelist or blacklist specific IP addresses. Another feature called Guest Wi-F sharing makes it possible to create temporary password for allowing guests to connect to the web. It means users will not have to share the master password every time a guest wants to use the internet.

With Quality of Service (QoS), users can boost bandwidth for certain activities and optimize bandwidth for online gaming and video streaming. Wi-Fi Boost automatically detects bandwidth bottlenecks to boost the Wi-Fi connection by selecting the best available channel.

The Mi Router 3C is priced at Rs. 1,199 (around $19) in India. It will be available for buying from May 23 on Mi.com. It will be available on Flipkart and Amazon India from June 8. It will be also available at the new Mi Home retail storage established in Bengaluru.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Dominates as Huawei P10 Sales Gets Affected By Supply Shortage

By

Jed John Ikoba

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May 17, 2017

Samsung‘s release of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is turning out to be a good decision for the company and a not so good one for its rivals. The Galaxy S8 comes with a design that can best be described as spot-on, coupled with the presence of a powerful octa-core Snapdragon 835 chip. The device is proving to be a worthy replacement for the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 which almost threw the company into turmoil last year.

At the last count, Samsung was said to have sold over 5 million units of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus in less than a month. According to a research by Strategy Analytics, the Korean company is also shown to have dominated the global smartphone market with a total shipment of 80 million units. This gives Samsung a 22.7% share of the market while rival tech company, Apple controls 14.4% share of the market for Q1, 2017. This is closely followed by Huawei, OPPO and Vivo completing the top 5 leaders in phone shipment for the first quarter of 2017.

However, there are indications that Samsung’s lead at the top won’t be under threat anytime soon. First, Apple who is Samsung’s number one rival reported to have postponed the launch of its next-generation iPhone 8 which was expected in September. Also, Huawei is having an issue with spare parts supply. Huawei was recently enmeshed in a scandal where it was discovered that the company used eMMC storage on some models of the P10 instead of the faster UFS 2.1 flash memory the device is listed to come with. The company later released several statements, all stating that the eMMC 5.0 storage was used as a result of a shortage in supply of the UFS 2.1 versions.

South Korean analyst Kim Jang-yul, projects that the Galaxy S8 will continue to perform well since Apple has shifted the launch of the iPhone 8. The analyst further disclosed that Huawei is having a supply shortage of its high-end semi-conductor chip and this will limit its shipment. Also, the analyst thinks OPPO and Vivo are showing signs of a slower growth compared to last year. Thus, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus’ soaring sales figures may likely continue for the next couple of months.