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

Sony has already confirmed that it will be present at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 to unleash new devices. Previous rumors have hinted that Sony Xperia XA 2 may get unveiled at MWC 2017. Now, a leaked shot containing the alleged Sony Xperia XZ 2 and many mysterious devices have surfaced just ahead of the upcoming launch event.

The leaked photos that appeared on Weibo shows couple of unknown Sony smartphones. However, the photos appear blurry and their authenticity have not been confirmed. The first photo contains four Sony smartphones. According to the source, the phone seen at the bottom right is the Sony Xperia XZ 2.

Are-these-some-of-Sonys-upcoming-Xperia-phones

Related: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium 2017 Edition Codenamed as Yoshino to be Unveiled at MWC 2017

The device that can be seen just above the purported Xperia XZ 2 seems to be its predecessor model, the Sony Xperia XZ from 2016. Because of the angle used in shooting the photo, it is not easy to guess the size of the Sony Xperia XZ’s display. The predecessor model is fitted with a 5.2-inch screen.

The large device present on the left side of the alleged Xperia XZ 2 seems to sport an older design. Speculations suggest it may be the Sony Xperia Z Ultra that features a 6.4-inch display that has a metallic frame accentuated with silver elements and less rounded corners. Since the speculated Xperia XZ 2 is kept alongside it, it is assumed that the upcoming flagship may arrive a larger display than Xperia XZ from 2016.

Alleged Sony Xperia XZ 2

Are-these-some-of-Sonys-upcoming-Xperia-phones (2)

Another image suggests that the Xperia XZ 2 would be arriving with 4 GB of RAM. Its predecessor has 3 GB of RAM. It seems to house an LED enabled front-facing shooter. In the third image, there is a tablet that features large bezels on all sides. There is no confirmation on whether the tablet seen here is a new or old one. However, considering the fact that Sony has used large bezels on the tablets it has released so far, the leaked image may be showcasing a new tablet.

Sony has not confirmed the devices that it will announce at MWC 2017 and also it has not released any teaser. However, the rumor mill has revealed that the Japanese tech giant may announce as many as five smartphones at the upcoming event that will be held on Feb. 27 at Barcelona, Spain. The event will start at 8:30 AM CET.

(source)

Two Huawei Phones with Physical Keyboard, Entry-Level Specs Hit TENAA

Two Huawei phones with physical numeric keyboards have appeared on the website of the Chinese Telecoms regulatory agency TENAA where they have received certification. The two phones are simply identified as Huawei R952 and Huawei R662. Both models feature low-end features and are almost similar in design except for some few minor differences in look.

huawei R952 TENAA

A glance at the specs listed with both phones reveals that they both come with the same specs lineup. Among the specifications listed is a 2.4-inch TFT display with 320 x 240 pixel resolution. The R952 cram a 3,000mAh battery and the R662 feature a 2000mAh battery under its hood. Both models, however, come with 2GB of RAM onboard and 16GB of storage which seems to be expandable up to 32GB via microSD.

huawei R662 TENAA

Read AlsoNew Huawei Phone Spotted on GeekBench, Said to Be Huawei Maya

In addition, the Huawei R952 and R662 are listed with an octa-core 1.2GHz processor but doesn’t seem to have an Android operating system onboard because it is listed as “not supported”. Their dimensions are also different as the R952 comes with a dimension of 141.4 x 62.8 x 25.9 mm while the R662 has a dimension of 130.8 x 60 x 21mm.

Huawei R952 TENAA

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Huawei R662 TENAA

huawei-r952-tenaa-2huawei-r662-tenaa-2

 

Honor 8 Android 7.0 Nougat EMUI 5.0 Update Arriving Tomorrow

In December 2016, Honor had confirmed that it will be releasing Android 7.0 Nougat update for Huawei Honor 8 in February. Honor has now also confirmed through a tweet that the rollout of the update would begin starting Feb. 11.

It had released the beta edition of Android 7.0 Nougat update for the users of Honor 8 in the U.K. in November 2016, but now the update is confirmed to release by tomorrow. Since it is a global release, the software rollout will be a gradual process which means all the Honor 8 users will not receive the update at the same time.

The rollout of the update would last the entire month and all the Honor 8 users across the world are expected to get the update by the end of February. Since the Honor 8 users in the U.K. were the first ones to get the beta build of Nougat, it is likely that it may be the first country to get the finished update as well. Honor 8 users in the U.S. are also expected to get the update from Feb. 11 as the tweet originates from Honor USA Twitter handle.

The Honor 8 Android 7.0 Nougat also brings along the latest EMUI 5.0 skin that not only responds well but also delivers optimized performance along with improvements to the battery performance. It also carries a neat appeal. The firmware update also installs the new features of Android Nougat such as split-screen multitasking, access to app drawer through home screen and Doze on the Go.

Related: Honor 8 Lite Pre-orders Begin; Photos, Full Specs, Pricing Revealed

Here is an image by Honor to know the features and improvements that Honor 8’s EMUI 5.0 update would include:

Honor 8 Android 7.0 EMUI 5.0 Update

The update will show up automatically through a notification on Honor 8 from tomorrow. Alternatively, users can manually check its arrival by navigating to Settings > System Update > Check for Updates.

The other Honor phone that is expected to get the Android 7.0 Nougat EMUI 5.0 update soon is the Honor 6X. It is expected to get the update by the second quarter of this year.

Meizu Patents a New Shopping Method using Picture Recognition

Meizu is one innovative company that has got quite a substantial amount of patent rights and still, the company is adding more. The latest of Meizu’s patent is a new shopping method which is based on picture recognition.

meizu-patent-2

The innovative technology was sighted on China’s trademark office and it involves a new shopping method that lets users sit in the comfort of their homes and shop directly via picture recognition. How this seems to work is that all you need do is scan the goods you want to buy with some little details and then send to where it would be processed. Thus, users may not need to enter the product name physically.

Read Also: Meizu patents new flagship design with All glass covering, metal fuselage

This patent isn’t entirely new as image recognition features is already in use but we don’t have the full details of the patent on our hands right now. Be rest assured, though, that we’d bring you more details as they emerge.

 

Xiaomi Mi Mix Running Android Nougat Spotted on GeekBench

There are indications that the Xiaomi Mi Mix will soon get the Android Nougat treatment as an Android 7.0 running Mi Mix was spotted recently on benchmark website Geekbench.

xiaomi mi mix geekbench

We won’t be surprised about this, though, because Xiaomi had hinted of its intention to start rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat upgrade to some of its smartphones soon. Top on the list to get the official upgrade is the Mi Mix. There is no specific date when the upgrade would roll out but the GeekBench listing is an indication that it would likely be sooner than later.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S8 Real Image Leaks, See How it Compares with Xiaomi Mi Mix

The Geekbench score is in line with the one posted on its previous showing on Geekbench attaining an average score of 1737 points on the single core test and 4117 on the multi-core test. The specs obviously didn’t change as the device is listed with a 6GB RAM.

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Will You Pay Twice The Original Price for A Xiaomi Mi MIX? Apparently, A Japanese Second-Hand Store thinks So!

The Xiaomi Mi MIX is priced at ¥3499 ($509) for the 4GB RAM + 128GB version and ¥3999 ($581) for the 6GB+256GB variant irrespective of the color. If you head to Japan, try not to be shocked if you see it being sold for double the price.

In a second-hand store in Tokyo that specializes in importation of devices, the 6GB RAM variant of the Xiaomi Mi MIX was seen selling for 109,800 Yen which is roughly ¥6700 ($974)!

Xiaomi Mi MIX Japan

Xiaomi Mi MIX Japan 2

For that amount, you could purchase the 6GB variant and still have enough to buy a Xiaomi Mi 5S or Mi 5s Plus if you buy from Mi.com. However, if you will be buying from third party re-sellers, you might be paying more or less the same amount as the store in Japan. A quick search on one of the major online stores shows that the 4GB RAM variant sells for about $740 (¥5100). That shows how much re-sellers jack up prices for phones like this.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Redmi 4A Review: Light, Compact and Super Affordable

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win A Dodocool Gift Pack (10 gadgets)

dodocool giveaway

Gizmochina along with Dodocool official is conducting a Dodocool gift pack(10 gadgets, more than $200) as Giveaway gift to one of our lucky readers. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing gift pack.

First of all, Dodocool wants to express their gratitude to their customers for their support for the last year,and they say it’s your support that make them stronger and better day by day and they want to share the journey with you in the future.

To win this dodocool gift pack, you must visit dodocool Facebook page and like it.

And now, the geek club of dodocool.com is available right now and we accept any users register and apply free review samples.

Geek Club link: http://www.dodocool.com/geekclub/

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Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, happy new year everyone and good luck.

dodocool giveaway

Helio P20 Vs Helio P25: What are the Differences?

Mediatek announced a new chip yesterday, the Helio P25, an upgrade to last year’s Helio P20 processor. Mediatek is selling the Helio P25 as the right processor for phones with dual-cameras which is one of the selling points they used for the P20.

The new chip is built on the same 16nm process as the Helio P20 and has the same number of cores. So what’s the big difference? Should you be on the lookout for Helio P25 phones and discard your current Helio P20 phone? We’ll advice you shouldn’t.

Chip manufacturers want to make money and in other to do so, they release new chips with small improvements in performance over the old ones.Mediatek Helio P25

Take the Snapdragon 820 and Snapdragon 821 processor for example. The Snapdragon 821 is better but only offers a 10% increase in performance over the Snapdragon 820. There is an increase in CPU and GPU clock speed, as well as a Snapdragon VR SDK which makes it compatible with Google Daydream. Though we have seen the latter can be pushed out in form of updates. An example is the ZTE Axon 7 which uses a Snapdragon 820 chip and is Daydream compatible when you upgrade to Nougat.

Helio P20 Description on Official Website
Helio P20 Description on Official Website

The Helio P25 on the other hand is not a flagship chip but it doesn’t bring much changes either. There is an upgraded CPU clock speed (2.5GHz as against the 2.3GHz in the P20) but there is no upgrade for the GPU. The support for dual-cameras is a feature that they advertised for the Helio P20 but decided not to ‘enable’.

READ MORE: Helio X20 vs Snapdragon 625: Chips Inside the Redmi Note 4 Versions Compared

Profitability of Chinese Smartphone Manufacturers have improved greatly in 2016

Wondering why the US market is regarded as one of the most lucrative markets in the world, ask Apple. Perhaps having a stronghold in one of the world’s most lucrative markets has helped the tech company gain so much growth globally.

A new report by Canaccord Genuity reveals the US company grabbed a large chunk of the smartphone market last year.Specifically, the report claims Apple captured 92% of the profits accruing to the smartphone industry in Q4 2016. This is even when the company phone sales accounted for only 18% of sales in the market. It may surprise you to know that this is the seventh straight quarter during Apple is raking in over 91% of the entire smartphone industry’s profit. Even in some quarters, the market leader had accrued more than 100% in some cases.

apple

Unfortunately, we cannot understand the parameters used by the analytic firm to draw up their analysis because the report only captured six major smartphone manufacturers and of the six, only four were profitable. Samsung was only able to grab a small piece of the pie (9%) while Sony and Blackberry only got less than 1%. LG and Microsoft completed the list.

Curiously, there are no Chinese phone manufacturers on the list. There is no disputing tht China is one of the largest, fastest growing smartphone markets in the world. Brands such as Huawei, OPPO, Vivo and even Gionee has been making solid performance in phone shipments globally and should perhaps have been on the list.

Leading Brands Of Smart Phones...A collection of smartphones, from left, a Samsung Galaxy S, an Apple Inc. iPhone 4, a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, a Blackberry 9700, and an HTC Desire, are arranged for a photograph in London, U.K., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Global smartphone sales will rise 36 percent to 247 million in 2010, ISuppli Corp. said in April. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Read More: Average Selling Price Of Chinese Smartphones Now Closer To Samsung

According to the Secretary General of the Chinese Mobile phone league, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo achieved profitability in 2016 greatly improved over the result of the previous year. Others such as Meizu are expected to achieve profit this year also. But while we accuse the report of being biased, it is instructive to note that despite the growth of the Chinese brand, their profitability is uncomparable to the sort of figure Apple posts due to the pricey nature of their iPhones.

Images of Meizu M5S Leaked Before Launch, Has 10W Charger

Meizu has a new phone set to launch on the 15th of February. Sources say the phone is the Meizu M5S, a new addition to the Blue Charm series. While the launch is still about a week away, the device has already been leaked online.

The images of the Meizu M5S which were posted on Weibo corresponds to those already available on a retailer’s site a few days ago.

Meizu M5S

Meizu’s new mid-range phone has an all-metal body, a 5.2-inch display, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage. Up front there is a 5MP camera and a fingerprint scanner embedded under the mBack button. The rear camera is a 13MP sensor with a LED flash below it. Inside the Meizu M5S is a 1.3GHz MT6753 octa-core processor and a 2930mAh battery said to have support for fast charging.

Since the Meizu M5S is said to have fast charging, you might be expecting it to come with an 18W charger. Sorry to burst your bubble, but according to the person who posted the images, the M5S comes with a 5V 2A charger. This means it will provide up to 10W maximum charging power which is practically the same as a Quick Charge 1.0 charger. It is still fast but not as fast as an 18W charger.

READ MORE: Meizu Pro 7 Leaked Shot Reveals Dual Edge Curved Display

Dual Camera Equipped Honor V9 Coming On February 21

Huawei‘s elite brand Honor is set to release a new smartphone dubbed Honor V9 on February 21 in China. This is contained in an official poster released on Weibo announcing the conference which would hold in Beijing on February 21.

Honor V9

From the poster, it could be noticed that the Honor V9 has got the endorsement of Chinese Olympic Swimming champion Sun Yang and also the device would be equipped with dual cameras at the rear. The Huawei Honor V9 had appeared on TENAA earlier on, giving us a peek into what its specs look like. The V9 which appeared on TENAA with the model number DUK-TL30 is listed with a 5.5-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.

Read Also: New Huawei Device Shows Up on TENAA

On the camera aspect, the Honor V9 will sport a 12MP + 12MP dual-lens camera at the rear while up front there is an 8MP selfie shooter. Keeping the lights on will be a mammoth 4,000mAh battery with fast charging support and providing the interface would be the Android 7.0 Nougat possibly with a touch of EMUI 5.0. The V9 is expected with a price tag in the region of 3,000 yuan.

(source)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Hatsune Version Imagined

Xiaomi recently unveiled Japanese cartoon character Hatsune Miku as one of its brand ambassadors a couple of days back and just recently the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Edition was unveiled in China. The device starts selling on Valentine’s day when the price has been pegged.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

While we are yet to fully digest the news, a new set of images said to be a fan-designed concept of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Hatsune Edition. Xiaomi has said nothing about a Redmi Note 5, perhaps due to the poor outing of the Redmi Note 4. The Redmi Note 4 has been relaunched in a Snapdragon version and now a Redmi Note 4X variant with touched up features.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Related: Battle for Middle-Range: Meizu M5 Note vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

However, that doesn’t mean we aren’t expecting to see a Redmi Note 5 anytime soon. But before then, we’ll just have a look at the concept images which looks more like the Sony Xperia in its design style than a Xiaomi smartphone. In the end, it is just some concept design that we should just have fun watching and nothing more. Check out more images down below.

Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

 

Xiaomi Mi Mix Wins Big Time in AnTuTu’s Top 10 Phones With the Most Positive Reviews

AnTuTu has compiled a list of its top 10 smartphones for January 2017 based on user’s preference and in continuation of its monumental exploits, the Xiaomi Mi Mix came top in the list.

antutu

According to AnTuTu, the criteria for selection seems to be based on the number of favorable reviews and comments by individuals. But in the overall, the positive review rate is said to be very strong with the top 10 devices scoring above 80% in the rating, higher than the average of 60%.

xiaomi mi mix

The Xiaomi Mi Mix which had the highest rating scored 94.4%, while the OnePlus 3 came second with 89.93%. The OnePlus 3T came in at third, closely followed by the Meizu Pro 6Plus and then Huawei Mate 9 at fifth.The Vivo XPlay 6 sits at the sixth position while the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 continues to occupy a place in the top 10 chart despite having a successor. The Redmi Note 3 is at number seven position. 360 Q5 Plus, Meizu Pro 6s and 360 N4S completes the list.

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Read Also: Antutu’s Top 10 Smartphones in Each Region

Despite its huge popularity, Mi Mix topping the chart for January 2017 is still surprising. The device is quite hard to come by, with production slowed down by the ceramic glass body it features. Just in case you are wondering how come Samsung’s devices are not on the list, only the Galaxy S7 Edge made it into the list, situated within the 11th to 20th positions where you also get smartphones such as ZUK Z2 Pro, Honor 8, Honor V8, Xiaomi Max, Xiaomi Mi 5.

(source)

Huawei P8 lite (2017) Releasing as Nova Lite in Some Markets

The Huawei P8 lite (2017) mid-range smartphone was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017. Fresh information suggests that the smartphone would be releasing in some markets as Huawei Nova Lite.

Noted leakster, Evan Blass has tweeted that with two images of the same smartphone. One of them is called Huawei P8 lite 2017 and the other one is called Huawei Nova Lite. Both the smartphones carry the same tagline, “Power Without Pause.”

The Huawei P8 Lite (2017) is already available for purchase in the U.K. and some regions of Europe with a pricing of €239 ($255). The leakster has not revealed the exact names of the regions where the device will be arriving as Huawei Nova Lite. Since the smartphone is also expected to release in some Latin America in the near future, it is likely to launch as Huawei Nova Lite in these markets.

Huawei P8 Lite (2017)

The Huawei P8 Lite (2017) was launched as a successor model for the original P8 Lite (2015) smartphone. The device features a 5.2-inch IPS screen that delivers a full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. It is powered by Kirin 655 chipset, the same SoC that powers the Honor 6X smartphone. Its processor is coupled with 3 GB of RAM and it comes with a native storage of 16 GB. It also features a microSD card slot.

Related: Huawei P10 and P10 Plus Pricing, Variants Leaked Before MWC 2017 Launch

Huawei Nova Lite

For photography, the smartphone includes a LED flash enabled 12-megapixel rear snapper with f/2.0 aperture. It also includes a selfie shooter of 8-megapixel. The rear side of the phone also features a fingerprint reader. It comes preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat OS customized with EMUI 5.0. A non-removable 3,000 mAh battery is present inside it to keep the lights on.

The Huawei P8 Lite (2017) is currently available in black color variant and it is expected to arrive in colors like white and gold in the near future. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on when the P8 Lite (2017) would be landing in the U.S. markets. As mentioned above, it is poised to arrive soon in Latin American regions.

(source)

Android Wear 2.0: Top 8 Features and Complete List of Smartwatches to Get New Update

Google’s has officially introduced Android Wear 2.0 with the launch of LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport smartwatches.

The base Android version of Android Wear 2.0 is Android 7.0 Nougat and it brings plenty of new features. Its previous version, Android Wear 1.5 that released in June 2016 was based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Here are the 8 new features that has arrived on Android Wear 2.0:

Easier Navigation

It is easier to navigate on Android Wear 2.0 as users can switch between watchfaces by simply swiping left or right. By swiping upwards, uses can see all the notifications and swiping downwards gives access to some settings. The app list can be accessed by pressing the main button. Long pressing on it starts the Google Assistant. For smartwatches with crown, it carries support for rotational input.

Smarter Complications

The watchfaces that are already available with Android Wear 2.0 can be easily customized. Users can modify colors, backgrounds and add personalized items such as calendars, fitness apps, contacts and so on to the watchface. In short, watchfaces will function like homescreens that can be customized with third-party widgets.

Android Wear 2.0

Standalone Connectivity

With inbuilt support for Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, a Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch can connect to the internet. It makes it possible to install apps on the smartwatch without pairing with a smartphone.

Google Play Store Brings Standalone Apps

The Google Play Store is now present inside Android Wear 2.0. Users can now search and install the desired apps directly from their smartwatch. Most apps are compatible with Android and iPhones.

Related: Google Play Store Censored Edition Coming to China?

Google Assistant

The smart Google Assistant is preloaded on Android Wear 2.0. Available only in English and German, the Google Assistant can predict answers. Google Assistant can be also activated by long pressing on the main button.

Improved Google Fit

Since smartwatches are also used for tracking health and fitness, Android Wear 2.0 comes with an improved version of Google Fit. It now comes with three kinds of guided challenges such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats.

Android Wear 2.0 Google Fit

Enhanced Messaging

It is now easier to reply messages on apps that are compatible with Android Wear 2.0. Users can tap and swipe to reply a message and with ‘Smart Reply’ onboard, it can predict possible replies. Apart from the usual ways like voice input and emoji for creating new message, Android Wear 2.0 allows users to add text by swiping on the new small-sized QWERTY keyboard and also through handwriting recognition.

Android Wear 2.0 messaging

Mobile Payments

Smartwatches with NFC chip onboard can support mobile payments on Android Wear 2.0 through Android Pay feature. Users can make payments by simply holding the smartwatch at the payment terminal to approve the transaction. Android Pay will not work on if the smartphone’s bootloader has been unlocked.

Which Smartwatches Will Get Android Wear 2.0?

The existing smartwatches are expected to receive Android Wear 2.0 from Feb. 15. Here is a list of smartwatches that can be upgraded to Android Wear 2.0:

  • Asus ZenWatch 2
  • Asus ZenWatch 3
  • Casio Smart Outdoor Watch
  • Casio PRO TREK Smart
  • Fossil Q Founder
  • Fossil Q Marshal
  • Fossil Q Wander
  • Huawei Watch
  • LG G Watch R
  • LG Watch Urbane
  • LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE
  • Michael Kors Access
  • Moto 360 2nd Gen
  • Moto 360 for Women
  • Moto 360 Sport
  • New Balance RunIQ
  • Nixon Mission
  • Polar M600
  • TAG Heuer Connected

HMD Global Says Enough Nokia 6 Units will be Available in Coming Weeks

The Nokia 6 was released last month as the first android smartphone under the Nokia brand since HMD Global took over. The device first went on sale on the 19th of January and sold out in about a minute. Another sale was scheduled for the 26th. Although we didn’t hear anything about how that went, it appears quite a number of people still couldn’t buy before it went out of stock.

HMD has released a statement addressing the issue of insufficient stock. According to them, they had replenished the stock on JD.com more than three times but it still wasn’t enough. Now that the Chinese New Year holiday is over and factories have reopened, HMD says there should be more units available in the coming weeks.

Nokia 6 JD

READ MORE: Nokia Heart, A Cheaper Edition of Nokia 6 Arriving Soon? 

Beautiful Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Concept Images Appear: Stunning But Patently Not Xiaomi

While we are yet to get enough of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, someone is already thinking of a  Xiaomi Mi Note 3 in his mind’s eyes which actually came out in some cool concept images. A set of cool images said to be of the Mi Note 3 has been outed by concept designer Kingway Lee. The renders look very beautiful but don’t feature any design identity that could give a hint that it is a Xiaomi smartphone. It is unlikely Xiaomi would chat that course in the final design of the Mi Note 3, whenever they choose to commence production of a next-gen Mi Note device, something we don’t expect to happen very soon.

xiaomi-mi-note-3

The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 hit the market late last year but production hasn’t been able to meet up the demand for the flagship Mi-series smartphone. Just like the Mi Mix, the Mi Note 2 came with a design language different from all what Xiaomi had done in the past. The device made its debut as Xiaomi’s first smartphone with a dual-curved display looking more like a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge than the first gen Mi Note.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 concept

Read More: Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Review – Another Beast from Xiaomi

Overall, the images take the Mi Note 2 design to a next level, coming with more visual effect, overall sleekness and a display using the under glass ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The best you could do with these images is to feast your eyes on them and nothing more. We might never see the Mi note 3 adorning this design.

(source)

Xiaomi Mi Note 3Xiaomi Mi Note 3 conceptXiaomi Mi Note 3Xiaomi Mi Note 3

Expect to Pay More for The Huawei P10 and Xiaomi Mi 6: Blame High Cost of Components

The Huawei P10 and Xiaomi Mi 6 are two of the major flagships set to come out of China this year. Sadly, unlike their predecessors they will sell for a higher price.

Industry sources have cited an increase in the cost of certain phone components, some which have seen a 100% increase in price. This coupled with the current exchange rate will affect the prices of devices this year. Mobile phone manufacturers are therefore under pressure to increase the price of their devices, so as not to make losses.

huawei-p10-mi-6

Industry analyst @Kevin king diary took to Weibo today to express his views on the matter. According to him, in the last couple of months we have seen phones priced at 1000 yuan increase by 100 Yuan. Price of mobile components such as memories and displays have also increased due to the exchange rate. Manufacturers might not have increased the price of their devices in years due to the high profit margins recorded with flagship devices but since the price of components have increased, they have no choice but to do so now.

Huawei P10 price

READ MORE: New Huawei Phone Spotted on Geekbench, Said to Be Huawei Maya

Nokia Could Revive The Legendary ‘N’ Series Lineup in China

Nokia has refiled a trademark application for the legendary “Nseries”, perhaps an indication that the HMD Global controlled company is trying to re-introduce the highly successful multimedia smartphone series with likely a different outlook. The trademark filing was spotted on the website of the Trademark office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) in China.

nokia-nseries

The record did not mention if the application was done by HMD Global or not but it is very likely that HMD will be looking to tap into the successful era of the Nokia brand, which the Nseries was a huge part of, in order to help revive the brand. The Nokia Nseries was perhaps one of the successful lines during the glory days of the Nokia brand. First released in 2005, the Nokia Nseries went on to produce sleek smartphones like the  N70, N90 and N91, N71, N80 and N92, N72, N73, N93, N75, N95, N76, N77 and many other before the series was replaced by the Nokia Lumia line when Microsoft came into the scene. In its hay days, the Nseries running on Symbian OS and at a time MeeGo OS commonly supported multiple high-speed wireless technologies, such as 3G, or Wireless LAN. Digital multimedia services, such as music playback, photo/video capture or viewing, gaming or internet services were also supported. The line was replaced by the Nokia Lumia line as the company’s flagship smartphone portfolio.

nokia-nseries-2

Read Also: Nokia’s Next Smartphone Should Be Announced on Feb 26 According to Leaked Invite

In its hay days, the Nseries running on Symbian OS and at a time MeeGo OS commonly supported multiple high-speed wireless technologies, such as 3G, or Wireless LAN. Digital multimedia services, such as music playback, photo/video capture or viewing, gaming or internet services were also supported. The line was replaced by the Nokia Lumia line as the company’s flagship smartphone portfolio. If it turns out the Nseries is returning, it sure would have features that reflect the modern trend, like Android OS instead of Symbian, large RAM size, and powerful processor.

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LG Watch Sport Leaks Ahead of Tomorrow’s Launch

The first set of Android Wear 2.0 watches are launching tomorrow. The watches made by LG are called the LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport. A few weeks ago a high-res render of the lower-priced Watch Style leaked. Today, it has been followed by that of the Watch Sport.

The image which was posted by @evleaks on twitter earlier today, shows the LG Watch Style in two color variants. There is a blue variant with black straps and black buttons, and a titanium variant with taupe-colored straps.

LG Watch Sport

The LG Watch Sport is 14.2mm thick, has a 1.38-inches 480 x 480 display and 768MB RAM. It has the same 4GB of storage as the LG Watch Style but has nearly double the battery (430mAh compared to the 240mAh battery in the Style).

Since the Watch Sport will sell for a higher price, LG has added cellular connectivity (3G and LTE), GPS, and NFC; which means in addition to making calls, it will also support Android Pay. It also has a heart rate sensor.

READ MORE: Huawei Watch 2 with Cellular Connectivity Pegged to Unleash at MWC 2017