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ZTE Axon 7 mini Review – Premium Hi-Fi Midranger!

ZTE’s Axon lineup has been quite successful as these phones bring a lot of value for the price. Back in September of 2016, I was at IFA Berlin when the Axon 7 mini was launched but I managed to get the phone for the review just now. I think it’s a pretty solid phone for the price but if you want to learn more, check out our full review.

VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqGo_BrL_hY[/embedyt]

UNBOXING

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The phone ships with all the usual stuff and some extras include a soft TPU case and a pair of earphones.

DESIGN and DISPLAY

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If you have ever held the ZTE Axon 7 in your hand, you will notice that the mini version looks almost exactly the same with just a few minor differences.

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It has the same premium look and feel thanks to the all-metal design and tactile metal buttons. Also, the Axon 7 mini has dual front-facing speakers that are just fantastic and they are easily the best in this price range.

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If you plug in the earphones, things get even better. The built-in Hi-Fi audio chip delivers a crisp, clear and rich sound, and there are no distortions at the highest volume settings, just like on the loudspeaker.

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Obviously, the mini is a bit smaller than the Axon 7 due to its 5.2” 1080p Amoled display, which is sharp and vibrant both for indoor and outdoor use and it is covered with the Gorilla Glass 4.

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Just above the display, we have an 8MP selfie shooter and a multi-color LED notification light.

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On the bottom, you can find customizable on-screen navigation keys.

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When it comes to optics, there is a 16MP camera with f/1.9 aperture and a single LED flash. The fingerprint scanner is fast, accurate and it unlocks the phone straight from the standby mode.

HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

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The ZTE Axon 7 mini is midrange phone as it has an octa-core Snapdragon 617 chip, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.

These specs don’t look impressive at all but in reality, I have no complaints with the phone’s performance. It handles even the most demanding 3D games without any issues, with just a few skipped frames but I can’t really complain about that.

USER INTERFACE

When it comes to user interface, the phone runs on the MiFavor 4.0, which is built on top of Android 6.0.

As usual to the ZTE phones, there is no app tray and there are quite a few design touches. I mean the icons look kind of cartoonish to me. Also, you can customize the phone in a lot of different ways. Just to name a few, you can select from different themes, use the Mi Pop button or tweak the display settings.

You can also play with different motion and gesture controls or use the fingerprint scanner to open up apps or take pictures. Even though I’m not a huge fan of the redesigned icons and I don’t really use all those extra features, I have no complaints with the phone’s daily performance.

CAMERA

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The built-in camera app allows you to take pictures quite fast. Also, you can select from a few shooting modes like a pro mode if you want to adjust the image settings manually.

IMAGE QUALITY

IT IS HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED TO DOWNLOAD FULL RESOLUTION CAMERA SAMPLES TO SEE THE ACTUAL IMAGE QUALITY. THE PICTURES UPLOADED ON THE WEBSITE ARE 50% SMALLER IN RESOLUTION.

I could only test the camera on the cloudy day and we may see a bit better results under better lighting conditions. In general, the image quality is decent but I expected to see a bit more detail and sharpness. Also, some shots came out underexposed, meaning that the auto dynamic range adjustment is mediocre.

The night images look okay but not really impressive. As usual, the level of detail is much lower and there is quite a bit of noise.

The 1080p video looks pretty good but there could be more detail and the auto-focus is jumping quite a lot.

The selfies could look a bit sharper but they will do the trick for social media.

Download full resolution camera samples

CONNECTIVITY

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When it comes to connectivity, the phone supports 4G and it can take either 2 SIM cards or a combo of 1 SIM and the microSD card.

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I’ve used the Axon 7 mini in various locations to thoroughly test all the connectivity options. The phone performed well all the time whether I needed to make a call or use the GPS to find my way home.

BATTERY LIFE

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2705 mAh battery will usually get you through the day if you are a moderate user. I was able to get about 4-5 hours of SOT when using the phone mainly for social media, web browsing, a bit of gaming and taking some pictures.

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The supplied charger can fully charge the phone in about 1h and 15 mins, thanks to the Quick Charge tech.

CONCLUSIONS

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The ZTE Axon 7 mini may not be the most powerful smartphone for the price of about $300 if you only care about the sheer specs but it is a pretty solid midrange smartphone nevertheless.

It is definitely a looker thanks to the excellent all-metal build, the Amoled display is really sharp and vibrant and the Hi-Fi audio quality is one of the best you can find on any phone. Also, the front-facing speakers simply blow any other phone out of the water in this price category.

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Even though the specs may not impress you, the phone performs well when it comes to daily performance and even gaming.

However, the camera can definitely take good pictures for the price of the phone but I would love to see more detail in some of the shots. Also, there is no 4k video recording. Finally, the MiFavor UI may not be for everyone’s taste due to a bit cartoonish look.

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Other than that, the ZTE Axon 7 mini is a pretty solid mid-ranger. Even though it is not the most powerful phone on paper (if you are a specshead), it performs great in real life and most importantly, it has Hi-Fi audio setup that is not only the best in class but also one of the best on any phone.

13% OFF Coupon for Phones @ GearBest.com. COUPON Code: GBMBP

Huawei P10 Visits Geekbench, Posts not so amazing figures

It is almost certain now that Huawei will be taking the wraps off the much-touted P10 flagship this month. Already, what could be taken as an official teaser announcing the coming of the Huawei P10 at MWC 2017 in Barcelona has been outed by the company. Also, the company has sent press invite for the launch of a couple of smartphones on February 21.

huawei p10 geekbench

Ahead of the P10’s launch, the device has appeared n benchmarking outfit – Geekbench’s database and the appearance reveal not just the key specs of the flagship P-series smartphone but also the capabilities of the gadget. The device appears as Huawei VTR-L09 but is said to be the P10 and it is listed as running Android 7.0 Nougat. The device is also listed with an Octa-core 1.84GHz chipset which is the Kirin 960 SoC.

Huawei P10 price

Read Also: Huawei P10 Plus to Come With 8GB of RAM

The Huawei P10 is listed to have achieved a single core test score of 1884 points while on the multi-core test, it scored 5964 points. The test score is somewhat on the low side especially in the multi-core test, perhaps due to the underclocked 1.8GHz Kirin 960 in use. Even the Kirin 955 chip onboard the Huawei P9 performed better with a Geekbench score of  6415 points. The P10 is expected to powered by an Hisilicon Kirin 960 chipset with an octa-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz, as well as a Mali G71 GPU powering the graphics. The device will sport a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display and have two memory variants of which the lower 4GB RAM version is listed on Geekbench. There is said to be a version of the P10 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.  Also, the Huawei P10 is said to have a higher variant, the Huawei P10 Plus which was recently leaked as packing a 5.5-inch display as well as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The monstrous RAM size may be inaccurate, though.

(source)

Xiaomi Teases Launch of a Mysterious Device with Military Grade Material

Xiaomi has teased the launch of its 62nd crowdfunded product and the product is likely a blue eye protective glasses. This launch is coming on the heels of the recent launch of the Xiaomi Smart Ukelele and children smart wristwatch.

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Xiaomi first teased the launch yesterday, the post teasing the launch talked about the damage UV rays does to the eyes and further hinted that the product comes with harmful ray filters. The date for the launch is set for February 16 at 10am via Xiaomi mall.

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Related: New Meizu Smart Home Products Page Appears: Taking on Xiaomi’s MIJIA Brand?

Further teasers by Xiaomi show the expected eye protective glasses was produced using military grade materials and that ensures the device won’t break even under strong impact. Using a photo of a man wearing a military helmet further shows the strength and durability of the device. The protective glasses also protect against harmful rays. The full details of the upcoming product would be unleashed tomorrow, so we’ll wait for that.

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In the end what will bring new surprises? We will wait and see.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, 630 & 635 Chips Rumored, Details Leaked

In a bid to maintain its stronghold on the mid-range and low-end smartphone market, Qualcomm isn’t only setting its eyes on flagship chips but also on mid-range and low-level chips. The company is now rumored to be working on a couple of new chipsets identified as Snapdragon 630 and Snapdragon 635 SoCs.

 Snapdragon 630 and Snapdragon 635

Both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 and Snapdragon 635 chips are said to be enhanced versions of the highly efficient Snapdragon 625 chipset which Xiaomi recently announced would feature on its Redmi Note 4X smartphone. The SD 625 is known to have very efficient power management and heat reduction such that battery life is extended. Thus, the  Snapdragon 630 and Snapdragon 635 are expected to have such features and even more.

According to the leak, both mid-range chips would use eight Cortex-A53 cores in an octa-core arrangement. Some would have preferred the superior Cortex-A73 cores but then, it’s just a rumor until Qualcomm goes official with it. We don’t have further details of both rumored SoCs but since they are upgrades of the SD 625, we expect them to come with features such as support for LPDDR3 memory, LTE Cat. 7 baseband and a clock frequency of 2.0 – 2.2GHz as well as the Adreno 506 GPU or higher. The SD 625 came with these features, so an upgraded version would pack a more strengthened lineup.

Snapdragon 635

Related: Qualcomm & Leadcore Said To Join Forces To Make Low-End Chips: MediaTek in trouble?

In addition, Qualcomm is also said to be working on a Snapdragon 660 chip which would be manufactured using Samsung 14nm LPP process and have an octa-core arrangement which may be a combination of the Cortex-A73 and A53 cores. The SD 660 is said to come with the Adreno 512 GPU and support dual-channel LPDDR4X-1866 memory, UFS 2.1 storage, up to 24MP camera, LTE Cat. 10 and three carrier aggregation. The rumor added that OPPO, Vivo and Xiaomi will feature the chip in their upcoming smartphones. The Snapdragon 660 is expected to be available in September.

(source)

Nokia 3 Specs Leaked: Android Nougat, Snapdragon 425, 2GB RAM & More

We reported earlier on that there are rumors that Nokia has plans to release three new budget smartphones at MWC 2017 in addition to the Nokia 8 flagship that has kept the rumor mills active for a while now. The smartphones were said to be Nokia 5, Nokia 3 and the classic Nokia 3310 feature phone.

Nokia P1 concept

The leak, however, failed to give details of the Nokia 3 features except that it would be an entry level smartphone running Android 7.0 Nougat and having a price tag around 149 Euro. Other details were sketchy but some have been revealed right now. According to the latest leak, the Nokia 3 will come with  a 5.2 / 5.3-inch display with an HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixel). The entry-level phone is said to be powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset and that will be backed by 2GB of RAM. There is also 16GB of storage space on the device which will also run Android Nougat, as stated earlier on. The graphics is taken care of by an Adreno 308 GPU while on the camera end, the Nokia 3 packs a 13MP rear camera as well as a 5MP front-facing camera.

Read Also: New Nokia Phones Coming at MWC 2017, including the Legendary Nokia 3310

We expect the smartphone to drop at MWC 2017 in Barcelona as earlier rumored. Already, Nokia has a launch event lined up for on February 26 and hopefully we’ll get to meet a couple of beautiful looking Nokia smartphones.

(via)

The Huawei P10 will Be Coming in New Bold Colors

Huawei is preparing for the launch of its next flagship, the Huawei P10. Scheduled to be announced on the 26th of February at Barcelona, the company has been posting teasers of what to expect.

Yesterday, the official Huawei Mobile Twitter account posted a short video hinting at the possible colors the Huawei P10 will launch in. A follow up tweet says the colors of the phone were “inspired by the bold colors on the New York streets during the fashion week”. Judging from the colors in the video, the Huawei P10 should be available in blue, aquatic green, and gold.

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Last month, a Weibo user @ichangezone had posted images of the possible color variants of the Huawei Mate 10. Comparing those images with Huawei’s teaser now confirms his leak was genuine.

READ MORE: Honor V9 official Press Invite Reveals February 21 Launch Date

Sony Pikachu Model Hits GFXbench: 21MP Camera, Octa-core Chip & Android 7.0

A high-end Sony smartphone that goes by the name Sony Pikachu has been spotted on benchmark website GFXbench. The name is perhaps a code name which is perhaps different from the one the device would launch with. Even at that, what readily comes to mind when Pikachu is mentioned is Pokemon.

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The Sony Pikachu packs high-end specifications which include Android 7.0 Nougat OS said to be Android Sony Edition. The Pikachu is listed with a 5-inch display but HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). The device is also listed as packing an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz and is powered by a MediaTek MT6757 chip, while the graphic renditions are taken care of by a Mali-T880 MP2 GPU. There is also 3GB of RAM onboard the device as well as 32GB of storage.

Read Also: Sony Xperia XZ 2 and Many Mysterious Devices Revealed In Leaked Photos

On the camera end, the Sony Pikachu is listed as featuring a 21MP rear camera with autofocus, face detection and LED flash. The Pikachu is also coming with a 7MP front-facing camera. Curiously, the Pikachu is listed to come with just one SIM card but it comes with lots of connectivity features including GPS and NFC.

(source)

Instant Apps Surfacing on Some Android Devices Already

At last year’s edition of Google I/O, one of the new features Google announced will be coming to Android soon is Instant Apps. Instant Apps are apps that you can use without installing on your phone. If you come across an instant app while searching on Google, all you have to do is tap on the icon and you are ready to use the app. The app can be as simple as a ticket booking app, a shopping app, or a weather app. Once you are done with it, that’s the end.

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Image Credit: liliputing.com

Instant Apps are actually not new. In China, popular messaging app WeChat has what is called Mini Programs within its app. Mini Programs work in a similar fashion as instant apps. They are embedded within the app you are using and don’t show up in your main app list. You can install a mini program by scanning a QR code or installing one friend shares. While the apps remain within the WeChat app, a simple swipe is all you need to remove them.

A number of the mini-programs available on WeChat include a photo editing app like Prisma that applies filters faster than Prisma, a movie ticket booking app, and a McDonalds app for coupons. WeChat rolled out the service early January.

Some Android devices have started getting the service and the first app is shopping app, Wish. Instant Apps are going to be available to devices running Android 4.1 and up.

Instant Apps are built just the way your regular android app is. It uses the same APIs, the same package, and source code. The difference is that you do not need to head to the Play Store to install it. You also do not get features associated with regular apps such as background services, background notifications, or access unique device identifiers.

READ MORE: Google Play Store Censored Edition Coming to China?

OnePlus 3T, ZTE Axon 7 and Three Others Get LineageOS

Last year popular open-source operating system for android devices, CyanogenMod announced it was shutting down. Following that, the company started afresh and became LineageOS. Over the past couple of weeks, they have announced builds for a number of devices. Today, they have added six new custom ROMs for  the OnePlus 3T, OnePlus 3, ZTE Axon 7 and three other devices.

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The ROMs all have build number 14.1, a continuation from CyanogenMod’s 14.0, and are based on Android Nougat 7.1. The company has merged the files of the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T, so you will see it as one device. Alongside the ZTE Axon 7, the LG G3, Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, Galaxy Tab S2 9.7, HTC One M7 (GSM) and HTC One M7 (Verizon) have also gotten LineageOS 14.1.

LineageOS stats shows that the ROM for the OnePlus One (Bacon) is currently the most downloaded with a total of 35959. It is followed by Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 3 (Snapdragon Variant) with 18835 downloads and Samsung’s Galaxy S5 with 17100 downloads.

READ MORE: DBS Designing’ Renders of the OnePlus 4 is a Dream: Runs LineageOS, Has 8GB RAM and Waterproofing

Here’s Our First Real Look At The Green Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Edition

Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Edition a couple of days back and since then the device has been hitting the airwaves in series of press renders. Until now, we were yet to see an hands-on image of the limited edition of the Redmi Note 4X  but that is now in the past. Real live/ hands-on images of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Edition have come out, giving us a glimpse of the green beauty.

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On first sight, the Hatsune Miku Limited edition might be confused with a flagship device but the Redmi series are known to have cheap mid-range price tags. That doesn’t take away the fact that the design is premium and sleek. The customized version comes in green paint job only and has a fused antenna band design that is coated in silver. The camera and fingerprint sensor has a silver coated thin ring surrounding them.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Green

The sleek design alone doesn’t account for the 1,299 Yuan ($189) price tag the Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku edition has got. In addition to a great looking smartphone, buyers also get a limited edition mobile power bank, a customized casing for the phone as well as the opportunity to download Hatsune theme in the future.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Edition

Related: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4x is available for pre-order on Giztop

The Hatsune Miku Edition shares the same specs lineup with the regular Redmi Note 4X which includes a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 625 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a large 4,100mAh battery. The Redmi Note 4X also come with dual SIM card / dual standby, and full Network support.  The Redmi Note 4X, including the Hatsune Miku Edition went on sale in China today February 14 via Xiaomi Mall, Mi Home, Suning Tesco, Lynx official, and Jingdong.

Xiaomi Releases Populele: A Smart Ukulele for ¥399 ($58)

Yesterday we reported that Xiaomi has two new products launching today via its Mijia crowdfunding platform. The first of the product is a smart ukulele called the Populele. For those who don’t know what a Ukulele (yoo-kə-lay-lee) is; it is a musical instrument resembling a small guitar but smaller and usually with less strings. It is of Hawaiian origin but has now spread all over the globe.

Populele

Now that we have put the history class behind us, let’s dive into what Xiaomi’s Populele does. Say you want to start playing the ukulele, you might need to get a teacher who will have to sit you through hours of boring classes that are pretty difficult. However with the Populele, what you need is your smartphone and the companion app.

The app which works with devices running Android 4.3 and above or iOS 8.0 and above teaches you how to play the Populele. All you have to do is follow the LED lights in-laid on the fingerboard of the Populele as it lights up. Once you push a key on the app, the corresponding LED lights up on your Populele. After learning the basics, you can go ahead and  learn any of the over 100 songs that comes with the app, with regular practice you should be able to give a performance worthy of a standing ovation when next your friends come around or win the heart of your crush with a serenade. The product page even says 5 minutes is all you need to start playing.

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Technical Specifications of the Populele

The Populele is made from high quality Indonesian rosewood and Italian Aquila nylon strings. It weighs just 500 grams and has a total of 72 LED lights in-laid on the fingerboard. It has a built-in 800mAh battery that charges via micro USB and Bluetooth 4.0 LE for easy pairing with your device. It also comes with a carrying bag.

Populele Price and Release Date

It costs just ¥399 (~$58). At the moment it has reached 397% of its crowdfunding goal which is quite impressive. Info on the crowdfunding page says shipping should start on the 28th of March.

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Latest Video Teaser Confirms Dual Camera-sporting Huawei P10 will be Unveiled at MWC 2017

Huawei has invariably confirmed that the P10 flagship with dual Leica cameras would be officially unveiled at MWC 2017. The confirmation comes in form of a video teaser which they released earlier today.

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The video teaser has the hashtag “#HuaweiP10 is Coming!” ascribed at the top and the video itself projects the Huawei launch event billed for February 26 with the inscription Barcelona 26.02.17 embedded within the teaser. The company did not leave anyone in doubt as to whether the video teaser is meant for the P10 by inscribing the words “Huawei P10” at the end of the video. What the video seems to tease is even the fact that the P10 would feature a dual-lens camera setup at the rear. The dual cameras are expected to be similar to those on the Huawei P9, co-engineered with acclaimed German camera maker Leica.

Huawei P10 and Huawei P10 Plus pricing

Related: Huawei P10 Might Come With Dual-Curved Display

The video accompanies several social media posts with the statement “Huawei P10 is coming”, so there is no doubt that the launch of the P10 flagship will hold at MWC 2017.  This has been the subject of earlier rumors and these rumors also tipped the P10 to come with a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display. The P10 will be powered by an Hisilicon Kirin 960 chipset with an octa-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz, as well as a Mali G71 GPU for the graphics. Also listed as coming with the P10 is 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There may likely be more than one storage versions, with this one being the topmost. The P10 is also said to have a higher variant, the Huawei P10 Plus which was recently leaked on a Spanish retailer’s website as packing a 5.5-inch display as well as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You can check out the video teaser from down below.

https://youtu.be/X4OsqrK3oXk

New Nokia Phones Coming at MWC 2017, including the Legendary Nokia 3310

There are reports that Finnish company HMD Global Oy is planning to release some new Nokia smartphones which will likely go by the names Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 at MWC 2017. The company is also said to be planning to use the springboard to launch the Nokia 6, which had been China-exclusive before now, in the European market and also to launch a modern version of the legendary classic Nokia 3310.

Nokia 6

Already, HMD Global has confirmed its impending presence at MWC 2017 where it was tipped as planning to unveil a device with flagship specs. But according to a source familiar with the matter, the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 are a pair of budget smartphones which would be powered by Android 7.0 Nougat.

Read Also: Nokia Nseries Phone Likely Called N95, Details Surface

On the specs table, while the Nokia 6 came with a 5.5-inch Full HD display (1080p), SD 430, 4GB of RAM and a 16MP rear camera, the Nokia 5 is rumored with a 5.2-inch HD display (720p) but powered by the same SD 430 chip but with just 2GB of RAM, and a reduced 12MP rear camera. The reduced specs will, in turn, lead to a reduction in the Nokia 5’s price tag from that of the Nokia 6. Also, the Nokia 3 is expected with entry level specifications and also a far cheaper price tag than those of the Nokia 6 and the expected Nokia 5.

nokia 3310

 

One interesting news emerging from this rumor is the existence of a modern version of the Nokia 3310 which is said to be in the works. Though only a feature phone, the Nokia 3310 is one of Nokia’s most iconic devices till date. Launched around 2000, the Nokia 3310 came with a durable build, cheap price tag, strong and long lasting battery and several features that made it stand out. It is, however, not clear how Nokia hopes to reinvent the 3310 without messing up the reputation of such a legendary device. We’ll wait till MWC 2017 to find out more about that.

(source)

Meizu M5S Parts Cost Leaked: Two Versions have Significantly Different Costs

Meizu has already indicated that it would launch the M5S, its first smartphone release for the year, on February 15 which is just two days away. Ahead of the launch event, a leaked screenshot of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet has revealed what it likely a part of the cost for Meizu to produce the M5S.

meizu m5s

As would be recalled, the Meizu M5S is said to come with fast charging technology and the fast charge would be in two distinct versions. One of the versions would have a power rating of 5V / 2A / 10 W while there is a higher version with 9V / 2A / 18W charging specification. The higher version is in the real sense the one with the fast charge technology.

meizu m5s

Related: Meizu M5S Pricing Leaks Ahead of February 15 Launch

According to the leaked document, a part of the cost (a few things mentioned in the excel sheet include PCB, a bunch of transistors, diodes, and regulators — total components in the sheet adding up to 46 items) for the lower version with 5V / 2A / 10W charging specs goes up to 48.6320 Yuan, while the part cost for the higher version with 9V / 2A / 18W charging specification goes up to 77.7920 Yuan.

We can’t say for sure if these excel documents are authentic and even if they were to be, this cost should ideally contribute to just a small part of the price tag. 48.63 Yuan comes to just around $6 and his document most likely does not consider other significant hardware components as well as things like royalty, tax, patent rights etc. They have to be factored in the long run to determine the cost of production.

meizu m5s

Read Also: Meizu 2017 Product Lineup, SoC & Schedule Leaked, Snapdragon Chip Listed

Earlier leaks had tipped the Meizu M5S with 10W fast charge, 2GB RAM + 16GB as price around 999 Yuan while the 18W fast charge version with 3GB + 32GB storage is said to have a higher price of 1,199 Yuan. Both versions are also expected with a 5.2-inch display, a MediaTek MT6753 octa-core chip, 13MP rear camera, 5MP camera up front, 2,930mAh, entire network support and Meizu custom mTouch fingerprint sensor.

Xiaomi Mi 6 To Feature 5.2-inch Flat Display; No Curved-Screen Variant

Xiaomi’s first phone for the year is the Redmi Note 4X but the Xiaomi Mi 6 is actually the one fans are looking forward to. Rumors have been flying round as to what features the Mi 6 will have and which ones it won’t.

One feature most people are eager to know about is the display of the Mi 6. Last year there were speculations that the phone will look like a smaller version of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 which we all know has a dual-curved AMOLED display. Today, Weibo user @Mocha Socialist Workers has disproved the statement.

According to his post on the micro-blogging site, the Xiaomi Mi 6 will have a flat 5.2-inch 1080p TFT LCD display and not an OLED display with dual-curved edges.

Xiaomi Mi 6 screen and processor

Now we will advise not to rush and swallow this statement as Xiaomi hasn’t confirmed the display type of the Mi 6. The Xiaomi Mi 6 might have a flat IPS display but there is no assurance that the “Mi 6 Pro” or “Mi 6 Plus” won’t have an OLED display that is curved.

Judging from what Xiaomi did with the Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus, and the differences between the two phones and even differences between storage variants of each of the phones, You will understand why we are not quick to dismiss earlier reports.

@Mocha Socialist Workers doesn’t stop there. He also clears the air on the rumor that the Xiaomi Mi 6 will feature a Pinecone processor. His post says the Mi 6 will indeed feature a Snapdragon 835 chip.

There is indeed mention of a higher-end Pinecone chip (Pinecone V970) built on the 10nm node. The chip is said to be made up of  8 cores (4x A73 cores clocked at 2.7GHz and 4x A53 cores clocked at 2.0GHz) and sports a Mali-G71MP12 GPU clocked at 900MHz. Sounds powerful but it won’t be making it into the Mi 6 but might be used in the Xiaomi Mi 6s or Mi Note 3.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Phones Costlier in Indonesia: Redmi 4A is $113

Huawei Honor V9 Official Press Invite Reveals Feb 21 Launch Date

Huawei‘s elite brand Honor has confirmed that it would hold a launch event on February 21 in Beijing where it would launch the Honor V9. The official press invite for the launch event has been outed and it shows that the Honor V9 would launch along with the Honor 8 Youth Edition.

huawei honor v9

From the press invite, it can be gathered that while the Honor 8 Youth Edition would come with a lower price tag than its senior sibling, the Honor 8. Also, the Honor V9 is tipped as coming with a super fast camera which had earlier been leaked as a dual camera setup.

huawei-honor-v9-2

Related: Dual Camera Equipped Honor V9 Coming On February 21

Earlier leaks reveal the Honor V9 would sport a 5.7-inch 2K display and would be powered by a 2.4GHz octa-core processor believed to be the Kirin 960 chipset. The device comes with two memory variants, one with 4GB of RAM and another with 6GB of RAM. Both versions pack 64GB of expandable storages. The dual camera setup at the rear is said to be a 12MP + 12MP setup with f/2.2 aperture, while there is an 8MP front-facing camera as well. Keeping the lights on will be a generous 3,900mAh battery with fast charging support and providing the interface would be the Android 7.0 Nougat-based EMUI 5.0.

 

 

 

Huawei Watch 2 Launching at MWC 2017?

There have been rumors of Huawei launching the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus on February 26 at MWC 2017 but those rumors have so far been unsubstantiated officially. Well, not until now. Huawei’s VP has indeed hinted that the company will be having a launch event at MWC 2017 but the device he tips as launching at the event isn’t the P10 or P10 Plus but the Huawei Watch 2. 

huawei watch 2The VP in his Weibo post used some hashtags to tease the impending product, some of which are #HUAWEIWATCH2. #MADE FOR FREE SPIRITS, #Huawei MWC2017. We don’t need a soothesayer to tell us that the product is most likely coming at the Mobile World Congress. The teaser also suggests that the Watch 2 would likely be for sports persons.

huawei watch 2

Related: Huawei Watch 2 With Cellular Connectivity Pegged to Unleash at MWC 2017

 

Not much is known about the Huawei Watch 2 but it is definitely the next gen version of the Huawei Watch released last year. The Watch 2 is rumored to come equipped with Android Wear 2.0 operating system and a 1.4-inch display. The Watch 2 is also expected with a rubber and a leather strap, two distinct types to choose from. There is said to be a 42mm diameter dial on the device and perhaps the mst spectacular is that the device would come with SIM card compatibility, enabling users to make and receive calls. In addition, the VP also hinted that Huawei will be releasing a couple of large capacity mobile power bank which would have fast charging support.

The LG G6 Also Gets Treated to Colorful Cases

The LG G6 is another flagship device that is greatly anticipated. It is scheduled to launch early so as to get ahead in sales before Samsung releases the Galaxy S8.

The LG G6 is launching later this month, February 26 to be precise according to latest rumors. That’s still two weeks from now. However we have images of the device rocking some pretty nice cases. The pictures don’t reveal much but at least we are sure of the dual-rear cameras and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

lgg6-case04

LG’s new flagship is taking things differently this year. Following the failure of the LG G5 and its modularity design. LG has gone back to the drawing board for the G6. The new flagship will no longer use modules and will no longer have a removable battery. The latter feature will allow LG slap in dust and water resistance, a feature likely to be present in virtually all flagships for 2017.

LG has also redesigned the body of the LG G6. A promotional image released weeks ago hints at the device having a larger screen but a smaller body. The new screen is said to be a 5.7-inch display with a unique 2880 x 1440 resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio.

One thing the LG G6 is sadly not getting is the Snapdragon 835 processor. The reason for that is because available stock of the new chip which is manufactured by Samsung is going to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Other manufacturers will have to wait till they get stock before they release their device. LG will rather not wait, so its settling for the Snapdragon 821 instead. That way it can release the LG G6 weeks ahead of Samsung and get enough sales in.

The Snapdragon 821 processor is the most powerful chip you will find in a phone at the moment. Combine it with the new features in the LG G6 such as Quad DAC for better audio quality, dual rear cameras, a larger display and waterproofing and the LG G6 still looks like a winner.

READ MORE: LG Records First Quarterly Loss in 6 Years: Blames LG G5

New Images Shows The Galaxy S8 Wrapped Up in Colorful Cases

Samsung’s next flagship is the Galaxy S8. It will be available in two variants: a 5.8-inch variant called the Galaxy S8 and a 6.2-inch variant called the Galaxy S8+. Both devices will feature a similar design but one that is different from their previous flagships.

Today we have a new set of images showing the Galaxy S8 in colorful cases. The cases makes the device look a bit bulky though but should offer enough protection in case of an accidental drop. The images confirms some of the details we have mentioned in the past such as the position of the fingerprint scanner.

galaxy-s8-case

The Galaxy S8’s biggest change is the removal of the physical home button, allowing for the bezels to be thinner and a higher body-to-screen ratio. The fingerprint scanner has been moved to the back and now flanks the rear camera on the right. While fans of front-mounted fingerprint scanners might not be happy about this change, others say the position is a good one as the index finger naturally rests at that spot when holding your phone.

The Galaxy S8 will also be getting a new personal assistant called Bixby. Bixby is said to be more accurate than S-Voice and even has a dedicated physical button.

READ MORE: Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone Could Enter production as soon as Q4 2017

Redmi Note 4X High-End Variant May Have a Different Processor

In the early hours of today, Xiaomi revealed the price for the Redmi Note 4X. The prices announced are for the basic version and Hatsune Miku variant which both have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. There is, however, a third variant, a 4GB RAM + 64GB model whose price is unknown and has a specification that differs from the 3GB variant.

The Redmi Note 4X has a 5.5-inch display, a Snapdragon 625 SoC, a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. There is dual-SIM support and a 4100mAh non-removable battery. Those are the specs on Xiaomi’s website. But for the 4GB RAM variant, there are no specifications listed. Xiaomi is keeping the specifications as a surprise probably until tomorrow’s launch.

Redmi Note 4X 4b Redmi Note 4X 4c

Some people have speculated that apart from the memory upgrade, the 4GB RAM variant is likely to feature a different processor too, probably the Snapdragon 653 processor which is more powerful than the Snapdragon 625.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Reported to Be Working on A Snapdragon 660 Phone

The snapdragon 653 was released last year as a successor to the Snapdragon 652. It is an octa-core processor built on the 28nm node unlike the 14nm node used for the Snapdragon 625. The major difference is in the CPU Cores. The Snapdragon 653 uses a combination of 4x ARM Cortex A72 cores and 4x ARM Cortex A53 cores compared to the Snapdragon 625’s 8x ARM Cortex A53 cores. So while the Snapdragon 625 is focused on power management, the Snapdragon 653 focuses on performance as a result of the A72 cores it has.

The high-end Redmi Note 4X is expected to be priced at around ¥1300 (~$189) when it is released.