Samsung Posts Record Figures in Q4 2016 & Full Year Earnings

By

-

Jan 24, 2017

Samsung had one of its worst incidence relating to the Galaxy Note 7 battery issue during the fourth quarter of last year but that did not affect the company’s showing during the period, the company’s financial report has shown. The Korean tech giant recently published its financial report for Q4 2016 as well as its full year report revealing its earnings last year.

One spectacular showing on the report is the record figure achieved in Q4 last year, which is said to be the company’s best when compared to results of the past three years. The results were boosted by sales from its display and memory chip divisions.

A profit of $7.92 billion was made in the fourth quarter of 2016, while a total of $45.4 billion in revenue was recording in the entire year, indicating an increase of up to 50% year-on-year. The huge demands for its OLED display panels and memory chip was enough to offset the loss made from the Note 7 debacle. The company even projects an increase in demand for value-added flexible display panel this year as a result of innovations in the industry.

The mobile division wasn’t left out, as it is reported to have posted a year-on-year profit increase to $2 billion, and is expected to do even better in the next few months as sales of the new A and J series commence. The results reveal that the company no longer relies on the flagship Galaxy S-series for its profit as other arms of its business actually accounts for two thirds of its profits now.

(source)

Xiaomi Sells A Quarter Million Redmi Note 4 in 10 Minutes

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2017

Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi released the Redmi Note 4 in India last week. It went on sale yesterday and in just 10 minutes it had sold 250,000 units on Flipkart and the company’s official site Mi.com.

According to Xiaomi, the flash sale of the Redmi Note 4 is said to be the biggest-ever online only smartphone launch in the country. In 2016, an IDC report said Xiaomi also set a record with the Redmi Note 3 as the most shipped smartphone sold online in a given quarter.

The Redmi Note 4 launched in India is different from the one released in China last year as this model features a Snapdragon 625 processor and not a Helio X20 chip. It also varies in the memory configuration. There is a 2GB RAM+32GB ROM variant alongside a 3GB+32GB model and a 4GB+64GB model.

The Redmi Note 4 has a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, dual LED flash, and PDAF. Up front is a 5MP camera with the same aperture as the rear camera. There is a 4100mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner on the rear, and it comes bundled with MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Continue

Xiaomi Mi 6 Should Feature Ceramic Body Says Analyst

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 24, 2017

The rumors surrounding the Xiaomi Mi 6 keep pilling up and the mill will remain agog until Xiaomi finally unveils the device. The latest is from popular analyst and IHS director Kevin Wang who hinted that the Mi 6 may come with ceramic body.

The Mi 6 had earlier been tipped to launch with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 chipset as well as pack an OLED display. A ceramic glass body is the latest high-end feature the device is being tipped to come with. Its predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi 5 had a version with ceramic body but Xiaomi did pull the plug off the production of that version last year because of its low yield and high production cost.

This would probably be on one version, perhaps the high-end version of the flagship in order for the device not to be flagued with issues of slow production. The Mi Mix which is the latest Xiaomi flagship with ceramic body is being bedeviled by low availability due to slow production output. Peradventure the rumored ceramic version of the Mi 6 also comes with an OLED display and the SD 835 onboard, it promises to be nothing short of a sleek beast. Do recall that there is said to be a lower version with 4GB RAM and Helio X30 chip in the works as well.

In a related news, the analyst also hinted that Xiaomi may announce its 2016 sales results this week.There are suggestions that Xiaomi did record up to 50 million units in sales last year which was a decline from the previous year. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun did acknowledge, though, that the worst time has passed and the company holds high expectations for this year 2017.

(source)

Immediate Shipping for OnePlus 3T in North America and Europe starting Today

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2017

The team at OnePlus wants to make this year better as they have announced that starting today all new batches of the OnePlus 3T Gunmetal 64GB variant in Europe and North America will be shipped immediately.

The message which was posted on the official OnePlus forum goes on to state that they cannot guarantee for now if the new shipping arrangement will be permanent, though it is one of their goals.

OnePlus 3T immediate shipping

The decision is part of an improvement plan to make up for what happened last year with shipment delays caused by insufficient stock.

OnePlus recorded massive success with it’s flagship the OnePlus 3, a couple of months later, it released a newer model with the more powerful Snapdragon 821 processor, an upgraded front camera, a bigger battery and a new color and storage variant.

Continue

Samsung is Partnering with Imint on Video Stabilization found in Mate 9

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 24, 2017

Samsung just signed an agreement with Imint, an organisation that develops real-time video enhancements that is used in defense, aeronautics and industries. In 2012, the company decided to get into the mobile industry after a new CEO was appointed.

The agreement borders on a software called Vidhance which is present in the Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design and whose codes are present in Huawei’s own EMUI 5.0 in case the company plans on enabling it in any other device.

What is surprising is that Samsung’s agreement doesn’t include its use in smartphones which begs the question “what products will have the feature?”. Possible answers include a new Samsung Gear 360 camera, or maybe a new product like an action camera or a drone. So sadly, this enhancement won’t be coming to the Galaxy S8.

Continue

Galaxy Note 8 to be Better, Safer, and Innovative, Confirms Samsung

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 24, 2017

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 rumors have started swirling after Koh Dong-jin, President of Mobile at Samsung Electronics confirmed that the company would be releasing a better, safer and innovative Note 8 in this year.

The Galaxy Note 7 was unveiled to the world with much hype in August 2016. However, Samsung had to discontinue the phablet in October because its faulty batteries caused it to explode.

When Samsung discontinued the Note 7, reports started swirling that the company may axe the Note lineup. However, Koh seems to have debunked these rumors as he revealed in a recent interview to CNET that, “I will bring back a better, safer and very innovative Note 8.”

He further added that, “we found through the investigative process, we knew there are lots and lots of loyal Note customers.” Moreover, Tim Baxter, President and COO of Samsung Electronics America has also stated that there are many Galaxy Note 4 and Note 5 customers that are waiting for Samsung to release an upgraded Note phablet.

A press release dated Jan. 23 reveals that the root of cause of Galaxy Note 7 explosion were the two kinds of faulty batteries the phablet featured. In the future devices like the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung will be incorporating 8-point battery safety check system that includes various kinds of inspections such as durability test, visual examination, x-ray inspection, charging and discharging tests and more.

There is not many information available on the features that will arrive on Galaxy Note 8. However, Samsung is expected to release it in the second half of the year. At present, the South Korean company is concentrating on announcing on the release of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus smartphones.

Fresh speculations suggest that the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus would be launched on March 29 in the U.S. and Europe. It is expected to available for buying in the week that starts from April 24 in these markets. However, it would be coming to South Korean markets on April 14.

(Source)

LG G6 to Feature Snapdragon 821 as the Galaxy S8 Requires Entire Snapdragon 835 Initial Supply

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 23, 2017

The rumor mill has consistently stated that the Snapdragon 835 will be powering the LG G6 flagship smartphone. However, fresh information indicates that since Galaxy S8 needs the entire initial supply of Snapdragon 835, the LG G6 won’t be featuring the SD 835 chip. Instead, it will be powered by the Snapdragon 821 SoC.

The LG G6 is slated to get announced in the next month at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017 exhibition. However, unlike previous rumors, the SD 835 chip will not be powering it. According to Forbes, the Snapdragon 835 will be available in large quantities quite later after April and the Galaxy S8 smartphones will be hitting the South Korean markets on April 14.

Since Samsung Galaxy S8 will be running on Snapdragon 835, Qualcomm would be driving the entire initial supply to Samsung to ensure that the company does not encounter supply shortages for its upcoming S8 and S8 Plus flagships.

However, this move by the U.S. chip maker will make the Snapdragon 835 unavailable to flagship phones from other manufacturers. Like the LG G6, all the other high-end smartphones that are expected to release before April will come powered by other processors.

Rumors have it that HTC may have encountered the same problem because of which the recently announced HTC U Ultra arrived with Snapdragon 821 chipset. The SD 821 is a very potent SoC, but it is no competition to its successor. The SD 835 is so powerful that it can run a full version of Windows 10.

Even though LG G6 is unlikely to feature Snapdragon 835, LG has claimed that the LG G6 would be an “ideal smartphone” that will come with desirable features like a larger display that offers a resolution of 1,440 x 2,880 pixels and a water-resistant chassis. It is expected to feature a battery that can withstand very high temperatures. The LG G5 failed because of its modular design as customers were not spending huge amounts of money on the smartphone and additional accessories.

What do you think will be the fate of LG G6? Do share us your thoughts by posting your comments.

(Source)

LG G6 Real Live Render Revealed Showing Large Display with Less Bezels

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

LG is expected to launch its next-generation LG G6 flagship at the Mobile World Congress next month. Already, the Korean company has sent out invitations to a launch event holding on February 26. Ahead of the official unveiling, a real live render purported to be that of LG G6 has been spotted online and it reveals a device with a top-notch design. It looks sleeker than the one leaked earlier by a case manufacturer.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix premiered a new era of smartphones with an exceptional screen to body ratio and recently Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun hinted that the competition this year would be in the aspect of displays. Seems like we’ll really be seeing a fierce competition in that aspect because the LG G6 features a design with minimal bezels around the sides. Recall that Samsung is rumored to be towing on the same line with its Galaxy S8. The screen to bezel ratio on the G6 is said to be more than 90%.

The LG G6 flagship is also expected with an all-metal body as well as a 5.7-inch display with 2:1 aspect ratio. Only the front of the device is shown and it is markedly noticed to be without a front screen button. That is an indication that the device might use onscreen buttons. The volume rockers are located on the left side of the device and it can be noticed that the G6 will use the fused antenna band design.

Earlier rumors had tipped the G6 as coming with a headphone jack and would be water resistant. The device was also said to be powered by a Snapdragon 835 chipset but a recent rumor appeared on Weibo suggesting that the G6 (later confirmed by Forbes in a new report) would be powered by a Snapdragon 821 chipset. We are not sure about the authenticity of the source but if it turns out to be true, LG would leave a large number of its fans disappointed.

(source)

Nokia 6 Next Flash Sale Holds on January 26

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

Nokia 6 was finally up for its first flash sale last week and the results reported was monumental. The device was said to have sold out in one minute but we never got to find out the number of units that were up for grabs. It has now emerged that only 10,000 units were available during its first flash sale, thus explaining why it was all sold out in 60 seconds.

The budget smartphone has been scheduled to go on another round of flash sale on January 26 which is just two days away. This would be its second flash sale and we would likely see more and more flash sales. Already, reports have it that up to 1.37 million persons have so far registered for the flash sale. Apparently, this figure should comprise those who registered but couldn’t grab one during the first round of sales.

Nokia 6 is still sold exclusively on Jingdong and the price is yet to change, hanging on to 1,699 yuan. For this price, you get a device with a 5.5-inch 1080p display which is fired up by a Snapdragon 430 chipset, backed by a huge 4GB of RAM. There is also 64GB of storage onboard with the option of expanding it further via microSD. On the camera end, the device packs a 16MP rear camera with a single LED flash lying just underneath it, as well as an 8MP front-facing camera for sleek selfies. There is an ample 3,000mAh battery crammed inside the smartphone as well.

(via)

Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumors: Official Launch Date in the U.S., Europe is March 29?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 23, 2017

Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin has recently said that the Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone won’t be announced at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017 event that will be held in February. Fresh rumors indicate that Samsung has decided to carry out official launch of Galaxy S8 on March 29 in the U.S. and Europe.

On Jan. 16, a leakster with Twitter account @Ricciolo1 revealed that the Galaxy S8 will be present at MWC 2017, but it won’t be showcased to the public or press. He stated that the smartphone would be revealed to partners and investors.

@Ricciolo1 also stated that the Samsung would be officially unveiling the Galaxy S8 on March 29 and it would be available for purchase with a pricing of $849 in the 17^th week of the year. It means that people would be able to buy it the week that runs from April 24 to 30. Now, the leakster has tweeted new information on the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch date.

https://twitter.com/Ricciolo1/status/823514126857236480

As the tweet suggests, the South Korean tech giant will be organizing multiple-city unveil events in the U.S. and Europe. Speculations suggest as Samsung has done it before, the Galaxy S8 launch events will be held in cities like New York, U.S. and London, U.K. The Galaxy S8 will be unveiled through a mega launch event as the leakster says Samsung will carry out a “record breaking marketing campaign.”

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are expected to house dual-edge curved screens. The S8 is rumored to feature a 5-inch screen whereas the Galaxy S8 Plus is speculated to be fitted with a 6-inch screen.

Both the devices are pegged to be powered by Snapdragon 835 SoC and 6 or 8 GB of RAM. The Galaxy S8 models would be coming with a fingerprint sensor that will be embedded under the screen. The S8 phones are rumored to feature autofocus enabled selfie cameras and they will be featuring non-protruding rear cameras.

Nokia Heart, A Cheaper Edition of Nokia 6 Arriving Soon?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Jan 23, 2017

A new Nokia phone has appeared on GFXBench benchmarking platform with midrange specs. It indicates that Nokia may be prepping a lower end version of the recently announced Nokia 6 smartphone.

Nokia 6 is immensely popular in China as it went out of stock within a minute in its first flash sale. Recent rumors have suggested that Nokia will be releasing 6-7 smartphones in this year. One of them seems to have appeared on GFXBench with a codename of Nokia Heart.

According to GFXBench listing, the Nokia Heart will be coming with a 5.2-inch display. It supports an HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The Nokia 6 is powered by Snapdragon 430 SoC. The Nokia Heart is expected to include the same chipset. It features a 1.4 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 505 graphics.

Its SoC will be supported by 2 GB of RAM and it will include a native storage of 16 GB. These specs indicate that it may be a low-end version of Nokia 6 that comes with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native storage.

Nokia Heart will come preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat OS. The listing on GFXBench says that Android HMD Edition will be running on the device which indicates that a customized version of Nougat OS will be preloaded on the device.

GFXBench listing shows that it will feature a 12-megpixel rear camera and a front-facing camera of 7-megapixel. However, the smartphone may feature 13-megapixel rear snapper and an 8-megapixel selfie camera.

Apart from aforementioned details, no other information is available on the device. The Nokia 6 is available with a pricing of $245 in China. Hence, the Nokia Heart is pegged to be priced around $150 to $200.

Nokia will be present at the upcoming MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017 in the next month. As of this writing, there is no confirmation on whether it will be announcing the Nokia Heart smartphone or any other device. Speculations hint that the company may announce a flagship device.

(Source)

Huawei P10 Could End Up Being Much More Costlier Than The P9 (Rumor)

By

Joel Joseph

-

Jan 23, 2017

Up until last year, Huawei’s Mate series was considered to be the flagship phone lineup and its sibling, the Huawei P-series hardly received any attention. That was not surprising, given that the Huawei P8 models were decent but nothing out of the ordinary. But things have changed with the Huawei P9, and it is heard that the phone is selling very well, thanks to the powerful Kirin processor inside as well as the Leica certified dual 12MP cameras at the back.

Naturally, the next generation model in the P-series, most likely called as the Huawei P10 should come with better specs. Even the dual Leica branded cameras on the phone is expected to be upgraded. The upgraded specs would probably call for an increase in the price tag, but as of now, we are clueless about any exact figures.

In case you are preparing to get hold of the Huawei P10 when it launches at MWC 2017, then it’s worth mentioning that a new rumor states that the P10 will be quite costly. In fact, Ricciolo, who leaked this information says that the Huawei P10 will be the most expensive P-series phone till date. But he adds that it would be cheaper than the exorbitantly priced Huawei Porsche Design model (~$1500). Well, that was kind of obvious, wasn’t it? Even after hearing this, I still hope that the base model starts at less than $800. In case you are wondering, the current Huawei P9 32GB model starts at around $650.

https://twitter.com/Ricciolo1/status/823527800451858432

Specs wise, the Huawei P10 is expected to come with a 5.5-inch display with 2K resolution. The phone’s design is reported to be similar to the existing P9 and we did see a couple of new renders of the upcoming flagship a couple of days back (added at the end of this article).

Since the Huawei P10 is expected to be unveiled at MWC 2017, more info about the phone should be on its way soon.

ZTE Hawkeye Disappointing Specs: ZTE Apologizes for Mistake

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

ZTE embarked on its latest Project CSX from which the Hawkeye smartphone was born, in an attempt to get input from the public on a crowdfunded smartphone. Unfortunately the company seem not to have done the analysis of the public’s opinion thoroughly hence the innovative smartphone with a somewhat disappointing specs lineup unveiled at CES 2017.

No doubt the ZTE Hawkeye came with some cool innovative features like the adhesive back panel which allows the device to stick to any surface, and then there is the eye-tracking software which lets users operate the phone by eye movement. As innovative as these two features may be, putting them on a mid-range smartphone met with lots of disapproval from pundits and many of its fans. Some had expressed hope that such features would have been on a high-end smartphone, which is what they actually yearn for.

Since the ZTE Hawkeye was showcased at CES 2017, it had been up for pre-order via Kickstarter but unfortunately, the response has been very disappointing. Presently, ZTE has been able to amass less than 7% of its projected goal on the crowd-sourcing platform. The project has barely gotten the backing of just 182 persons, and it is just 26 days left before the product was supposed to ship.

So, in order to get more support for the project, ZTE has once again gone public, apologizing for its mistake and asking for input and suggestions on ways to salvage the device from becoming a failed project. The Hawkeye already has a $199 price tag of Kickstarter and that cannot be changed. So it is impossible to transform the specs on the device to a flagship one. The only option is to ramp up one or two of the specs and to this end, the company has opened a poll on its Z-Community to get the opinion of the public on the preferred specs that should be beefed up.

As should be expected majority of respondent so far prefers a change to Snapdragon 835 from the current Snapdragon 625 onboard. Some others prefer that the operating system should be Stock Android with added software for eye tracking. There are also those who prefer a ramped up battery capacity and also a increase in the RAM size. Unfortunately, the response has been poor signifying a likely bleak future for the Hawkeye. At most, ZTE might decide to scrap the project and refund those who have contributed so far.

(source)

The uArm Swift and Swift Pro Wants to Be Your Robotic Assistant

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 23, 2017

A technology startup called UFACTORY based in Shenzhen, China wants to put miniature robotic arms in your homes. Their product called the uArm Swift is not just a regular robotic arm that is already pre-programmed from the UFACTORY but one that can learn new tasks.

The uArm Swift is not the company’s first product actually, some of you might have heard of them back in 2014 when they launched the uArm Acrylic. Their new product has been in the works since 2015 and is expected to ship this year.

What is the uArm Swift and what can it do?

The uArm Swift is an open sourced Arduino-based desktop robotic arm “whose capabilities depends on your creativity”. Available in two variants: the uArm swift and uArm Swift Pro, both versions are made from square aluminum alloys and have a 4-axis parallel-mechanism structure. The uArm Swift can be programmed to do a number of tasks from light painting to laser engraving to 3D printing and even to pick up drinks and serve to guests.

You can also teach the robots new tasks in a different number of ways:

There is an offline mode where you guide the robot’s arm to do what you want and it records it to memory. Or the gesture mode where the robot mimics your hand movements to perform tasks.

There is also the uArm Studio, a Blocky-based graphical program that you can use to control the robot.

If you are wondering what the differences between the Swift and Swift Pro are, you should take a look at the images below:

Continue

Did Nokia kind of confirm a Snapdragon 835 Flagship in the works?

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

Nokia China seems to have confirmed via its official Weibo page that a Snapdragon 835-powered flagship is in the works. The company was responding to inquiries from fans as to when we’d be seeing a Nokia flagship but the response did not clarify when the flagship will arrive.

Nokia had earlier been rumored as preparing a flagship smartphone that would be launched at MWC 2017 powered by Qualcomm’s latest SoC. A teaser during the closing part of the Nokia 6 launch in China gave the impression that there would likely be a flagship of such sort at MWC. Also, a smartphone exhibited at the Qualcomm booth at the just concluded CES 2017 was alleged to be the Nokia flagship but Qualcomm did deny that rumor, leaving us in the lurch.

It seems the company is intent on concentrating on the Nokia 6 which was launched recently and went on its first flash sales few days back. The Nokia 6 was sold out in just a minute, an indication that the reception it is getting is cordial. Before it went up for sale, the reservations did make it up to one million persons and no doubt a lot of that number is still waiting in the side line to get their unit of the device. There is no doubt, though, that Nokia needs a true flagship if it hopes to compete with existing brand in the highly competitive mobile phone market. We hope we’d get to see the Nokia flagship at MWC, 2017.

(via)

Renders of New Nubia Smartphone Leak

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

ZTE‘s elite brand Nubia has got a new smartphone in the works and the renditions of the phone have surfaced online in leaked image. The renders show the details on the design of the rear casing which the smartphone is expected to come with.

Although only the rear view is revealed, there is no doubt this is a high-end smartphone as it resembles the Nubia Z11 which was released last year. The device has the same fused antenna band design as the Z11 but there is no rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Perhaps there will be a front-facing fingerprint sensor onboard the device when it launch.

Also, from the photo, the Nubia smartphone is expected to have a metal body with the custom Nubia logo crested at the back. The device isn’t coming with a dual camera setup but is a single camera packing smartphone. The rear camera is located at the upper left edge of the phone with the LED flash by its side.

The name it would launch with isn’t known yet but we expect to get more details on the device as time goes on.

(source)

Samsung Says Galaxy S8 Won’t Be Announced at MWC 2017

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 23, 2017

There have been quite a lot of leaks this month alone relating to Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S8. Today what we have comes from Samsung itself and it has to do with the launch of the phone.

The company’s mobile chief DJ Koh told Reuters today that the Galaxy S8 will not be announced during Mobile World Congress which is slated to hold between February 27 and March 2. While not giving a launch date, chances are that earlier rumors about the device being unveiled in late March might be true since MWC will have been wrapped up by then.

The Galaxy S8 is said to have two variants this year: the regular 5-inch version and a larger 6-inch variant. Both are expected to have dual-curved displays, 8GB of RAM, 8MP front facing cameras with autofocus, and stereo speakers.

Continue

LG G5’s Production Could be In Trouble, Part Supplier Files For Bankruptcy

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 23, 2017

The LG G5 was launched in February 2016 at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona and it became available shortly after in the market. The phone marks a change in design from its predecessor as LG did away with the cheap plastic and confusing leather finishes of the G4 in favor of a full metal body, while keeping fan-favorite features like a removable battery and microSD card.

Reports from South Korea indicate that the LG G5 may face production issues as a result of one of the parts supplier getting into financial troubles. The LG G5 back casing is supplied exclusively by Hallacast but the part supplier is said to have filed for bankruptcy. The company is said to have applied for statutory management on December 29, 2016.

Curiously, LG G5 back casing was initially supplied by Hallacast as well as Fine Technix and BYD. But just this year, LG gave Hallacast the sole franchise to supply the back casing. Now that the company has filed for bankruptcy, the G5 production could be affected. The LG G5 is already set to get a successor, though, as the company is billed to release the G6 this February at MWC, 2017.

However, LG wasn’t planning to halt the production of the G5 until June 2017 and was said to be planning to produce additional 220,000 units of the LG G5. The company was also planning to cut down the price of the G5 and to continue selling it with the G6. All that may hit the rock if the report is actually true. Perhaps LG may quickly revert back to the other two suppliers of the back casing in order to avert any production hitch.

(via)

Hugo Barra Announces His Exit From Xiaomi

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 22, 2017

Xiaomi’s Vice President of International, Hugo Barra has announced his exit from the company. When Mr Barra left Google a little less than four years ago to join the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, his move generated a lot of positive buzz for Xiaomi which was then referred to as the Apple of China.

Three and a half years down the line and he believes he has had enough. The announcement which was made on his Facebook page also explains the reason for his exit.

What I’ve realized is that the last few years of living in such a singular environment have taken a huge toll on my life and started affecting my health. My friends, what I consider to be my home, and my life are back in Silicon Valley, which is also much closer to my family. Seeing how much I’ve left behind these past few years, it is clear to me that the time has come to return.

The Brazilian’s tenure at the company has seen it expand from a Chinese company into a global brand with footprints in more than 20 countries including India where it announced it made $1 Billion in revenue in 2016. Another of the company’s major achievement last year was its partnership with Google on the Android TV powered Mi Box 3.

Continue

Apple to Kill the Home Button on iPhone 8?

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Jan 22, 2017

While the list of features Apple is rumored to be adding on the iPhone 8 keeps growing, there is another list of features that would likely be missing on the next generation Apple smartphone whenever it debuts later this year. The latest rumor has it that the iPhone 8 would not feature a home button up front.

KGI Security analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, released a research report which contained details of plans by Apple to remove the physical home button on the iPhone 8. The analyst further hinted that there would be a thumb-print sensor embedded in the screen instead.

Before this recent disclosure, it had earlier been rumored that the next gen iPhone would come with a bezel-less, edge-to-edge screen design which would make the presence of a physical home button impossible. This has been known before now but the analyst went further to give details of how the new home button will look like.

Also, recall that Apple shifted to an underglass touch ID on the iPhone 7 but according to Kuo, Apple’s current “under glass” capacitive fingerprint recognition tech won’t cut it if the phone has the full-screen, button-free design. Instead, the ID reader will need to shift to an “under panel” setup, which would require optical ID tech. In this case, the optical sensors will need to be compatible with flexible OLED panels.

In addition, there might also be facial tracking sensor to verify users’ faces as a way of identification. This rumored feature is said to likely replace the fingerprint ID technology that was supposed to sit on the home button. But the analyst did not leave out the possibility that both technologies could be used on the device.

Whatever it is going to be, the iPhone 8 is still a long way from going official, so we’ll definitely get more details on this.

(source)