Apple confirms it's intentionally slowing down iPhones with old batteries

Last week we saw a report that Apple might be slowing down its iPhones as they batteries age. Rumors suggested Apple intentionally turned down the clock speed in order to prevent the battery life of the phones from decreasing over time.

Today the company confirmed those allegations and said the practice will continue with other products in the future.

In a message to TechCrunch, Apple said it released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to maintain battery life over time and also prevent the phone from shutting down in cold conditions. The company also confirmed that the iPhone 7 got this feature with the iOS 11.2 update with more devices to follow.

Replacing the battery might be a solution for some iPhone users who don’t want to buy a completely new device. The bigger problem stays though - Apple should have been clear about the feature beforehand and probably even let users opt out.

Case renders confirm only the Samsung Galaxy S9+ will have a dual camera

Olixar and MobileFun have a history of leaking Samsung’s designs and a track record of being right. So here are Olixar’s renders of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ - wearing cases, but the “ultra thin, 100% clear” case hardly covers up anything.
The division between the S9 and S9+ is interesting – only the Plus model gets a dual camera. That’s a departure from the S7 and S8 generations that mostly differed in the size of their screens and battery.

This confirms the rumor we heard just yesterday and suggests Samsung wants a three-tier flagship lineup rather than the simple S/Note division. What will the price difference be between Plus and non-Plus model?

Anyway, the rest is as expected - the fingerprint is below the camera now and to the side are the single LED flash and heart rate monitor.

Olixar believes that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S9 duo in mid-February and start selling them on February 28.

Alleged photo of Galaxy S9 backplate suggests a single camera setup

We’ve already seen two leaks of the Samsung Galaxy S9 today. At this point, the 3D-renders left pretty much nothing to the imagination and we pretty much know what to expect with Samsung’s upcoming device.

While we’ve already seen the front glass of the device, we’re just now taking a look at what the back of the device looks like in another form of (arguably) concrete evidence: live photos. Photos can always be photo shopped, so there’s a possibility that the final hardware could differ from what you’re seeing here.
In any case, this new leak along with the leak of the front glass corresponds with the renders from earlier today. Both devices will feature a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, but this time it will be placed below the camera instead of next to it.

Also, we’re looking at two different camera setups for the Galaxy S9 duo. The smaller S9 would get a single sensor setup while the larger S9+ will get a dual-camera system. We’re also looking at the possibility of 6GB of RAM for the larger model while the S9 gets 4GB.

There are conflicting reports as to exactly when the Galaxy S9 couple will be announced. More recent reports have said we can expect to hear from Samsung at MWC which takes place toward the end of February while other rumors have pointed to a possible announcement (or teaser) at CES taking place in the second week of January.

Deal: Buy Razer Phone and get Bluetooth speaker for free

If you are a Razer fan in the US and have plans to purchase the Razer Phone, here's a deal for you: the company is offering a free Bluetooth speaker with each purchase of the $700 handset.

Specifically, the speaker on offer is the Razer Leviathan Mini, which usually costs $180, but is currently going for $100.
To avail the offer, you need to use the PHLVLUP promo code during checkout. It's a limited time deal (ending December 19), so those interested may have to act fast. For more info, head to the Source link below.
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Google Pixel 2 headphone adapter not working for some users

A new problem related to Google's Pixel 2 smartphones has come to light. Over at the company's official Pixel forum, several users have been reporting issues with the included USB-C to 3.5mm headphone adapter for quite some time now.

Specifically, users say the adapter doesn't work as the sound comes from the phone's speakers instead of headphones.
Troubleshooting steps like rebooting the phone or operating it in the safe mode worked for a few users, but as you'd agree, those are not convenient solutions. Some of those who contacted Google support were offered replacements.
Officially, the Mountain View, California-based company hasn't said anything on the matter yet.
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Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) go official with dual selfie cams, Infinity Display

Meet the Galaxy A8 (2018) and Galaxy A8+ (2018) – Samsung’s new naming scheme hides it, but these are the successors to the Galaxy A5 (2017) and A7 (2017). These two sit closer to the S-series than any of their predecessors and even bring something unique.

On the front is Samsung’s first dual selfie camera – a 16MP + 8MP combo. The Live Focus feature lets you chose whether the background is in focus or blurred to a soft bokeh. The phone will seamlessly switch between the two front cameras to get the effect you need.

The main camera has been upgraded with a brighter f/1.7 aperture for the 16MP sensor. Digital stabilization was added for steadier videos while the Hyperlapse mode will help condense things to just the gist.
As expected, the Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) adopt the Infinity Display design of the S-series. This includes the 18.5:9 aspect ratio and curved glass, but not the resolution – the panels are 1080p+. That is still enough to make these the first A-series phones to support Gear VR, however.

The smaller A8 has a 5.6" screen while the A8+ stretches to 6". This puts them on either side of the Galaxy S8 screen in terms of size (5.8"). Again, these are followups to the A5 and A7 from last year rather than sequels to the original Galaxy A8.
The status of premium Galaxy phones further affords these two Samsung Pay support (with MST), IP68 waterproofing and fast charging over USB-C. The battery capacities are 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh for the smaller and larger models respectively (matching the S8 duo).

The phones will come with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, which is slightly disappointing for phones launching in early January 2018. Price-wise, we can expect the Galaxy A8 to go for €499 while the larger model will go for €599. No word on where the phone will be sold outside of Europe - we might expect some more details about possible US availability once CES rolls around.

Huawei and Xiaomi are trying to forge carrier partnerships and enter the US market

Huawei Technologies Co. and Xiaomi Corp. - the number one smartphone manufacturer in China and the up-and-coming value king of the local tech scene are allegedly in talks with US carriers to officially enter the overseas market. The information comes courtesy of industry insiders and is really sensitive and intentionally very low-key at the moment. Still, it was picked up by Bloomberg, so the credibility is certainly there.

As far as particular details go, we know that the intention of both Chinese companies is to market flagship models through the potential new carrier channels, rather than value offers. Naturally, the the pair operate and position themselves differently in most markets, so any potential deals will likely vary quite a bit. Still, both manufacturers do have very competitive high-end devices in their current portfolios, especially when compared to more US-friendly, brand-name competition, like Apple or Samsung. 2017, in particular, saw flagship products pass a potentially crucial financial and psychological threshold - namely the $1,000 retail mark. Plus, carrier phone subsidies have been dropping steadily in the US, so the iron is definitely hot and the scene set for some competitive market manoeuvres.

That being said, however, expecting any major shift in US smartphone market conditions and especially end-user prices in not really plausible. The mature local market is not only extremely saturated at this point, but also run on a very tight shift and completely dominated by carriers. They carve up the users and iron out the offers. Realistically speaking, at this point in time, Xiaomi and Huawei can simply hope to expand their reach and try and tap the new market as best they can. This likely won't involve major price margins and gains for them, nor for consumers.

Still, its not all bad news, as a good US market standing is definitely possible and beneficial for a Chinese company. ZTE, for instance, has been selling its dual-screen Axon model in the US, through an AT&T deal and the reported figures look promising.
The two new potential players will likely have to and want to take slightly different expansion approaches. Xiaomi has been doing really well in India lately and is currently amid an ambitious European expansion. After dismissing the potential for selling through official carrier channels in the US for quite some time, Xiaomi has been steadily building up to idea lately. The whole endeavour will involve directing a lot of finances and manpower to another continent, which is no easy task for the still relatively small, comparatively speaking, company. As far as we know, however, Xiaomi has already started the tedious process of going over device specifications and certifications with carriers - a arduous task that it expects will take up to two years. In the meantime, industry insiders claim it might try to make another interesting move and get some of its other smart smart products to brick and mortar stores in the States. Things like electric scooters and vacuum cleaners, as well as other smart appliances under the Miija brand. These could prove very competitive as well.
Huawei might potentially be negotiating form a better standpoint. The company can arguably spare more resources and get through technical and legal processes faster. Also, it already has some standing on the US market. Not a carrier one, unfortunately, but it is already trying to sell some of its smartphones online with a fair level of success. An aggressive pricing strategy might just be part of the story, with devices like the Mate 9 going for around $400 on Amazon.
Overall, it's hard to say how this development will pan out and whether negotiations will be successful at all. After all, we shouldn't underestimate the importance Apple places on its home turf, as well as the company's influence. A conflict of interest, seems like a loosing battle. Tell us your thoughts on the matter. Would you like to see Xiaomi and Huawei devices in AT&T and Verison's ads, offers and contracts? Do you thinks its a possibility to begin with?

Xiaomi launches Redmi 5A in India, sales start December 7

Right on schedule, Xiaomi has announced the Redmi 5A in India.

The phone starts selling on December 7 at a price of INR 5,999 for the 2GB/16GB model (first 5 million units will sell at a INR 1,000 discount - INR 4,999) and the 3GB/32GB variant will retail for INR 6,999.

Both models come in either Grey or Gold.
The Xiaomi Redmi 5A was marketed as the Desh ka Smartphone - meaning the country's smartphone - and is Made in India.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5A launched in China in October.

Xiaomi to launch Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus on December 7

We already saw the leaked press renders, but now we have official information about the Xiaomi Redmi 5. The manufacturer posted an image on Weibo, revealing the launch date of the Redmi 5 and the Redmi 5 Plus - December 7.

The phone will be introduced by members of the pop band SNH48. Twelve of them are pictured holding the Redmi 5. The front panel is mostly occupied by a FullView screen, while on the back we see one camera and a fingerprint scanner.

The headline of the poster says “A phone for a thousand”, implying the Redmi 5 will cost as low as CNY1,000 or about $150/€130. For comparison, the predecessor Redmi 4X costs around CNY800 in China.

India shipments for Huawei's Honor smartphones doubled this year

Chinese manufacturer Huawei has revealed that India shipments for its Honor-branded smartphones have nearly doubled in 2017. President George Zhao revealed a 98.8% increase for 2017 compared to 2016.
Aside from further ramping up its smartphone manufacturing in the Asian country, Huawei is also planning to launch handsets with AI technology that can sense who is using the unit, and based on that translate messages to suit individual preferences.

"We are looking to time our India launches in tandem with global launch and going by that, we should be seeing the new AI phones in India as soon as they are launched in the overseas market," the company said.

The latest Honor branded phone Huawei unveiled is the V10, and it's already available for pre-orders in China.

Best Buy discounts iPhone 7 and 7 Plus for Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday turned from a sprint into a marathon. Not that we’re complaining. For example, Best Buy has some sweet deals on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus for AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

AT&T

The iPhone 7 can be had for $13.33 a month on a 30 month AT&T Next program. For a 2-year AT&T Next Every Year contract, you’re looking at $16.66. This is for the 32GB model, the 128GB one does not participate in the promo.

The iPhone 7 Plus is $17.33 a month with AT&T Next or $21.66 for Next Every Year. Note that the Red color option is not available.

Verizon

For a Verizon phone, the price is $16.62 a month for the iPhone 7 (32GB), no early update deals.

The iPhone 7 Plus runs $21.62 a month.

Sprint

Moving on to Sprint, the iPhone 7 will cost you $16.66 a month for 2-years or $22.92 a month with the Sprint Flex 18-month lease.

The iPhone 7 Plus is $21.66 a month (24-month contract) or $27.92 a month with Flex 18-month lease.

For more deals, check out our Cyber Monday post, we keep that updated with new deals as they come in.

India pre-orders for Oppo F5 6GB RAM variant are now live

The 6GB RAM variant of the Oppo F5 smartphone is now available in India. The model comes in black and red color options and is already offered by etailer Flipkart.

The 6GB RAM Oppo F5 costs INR 24,990 ($385). For comparison, the 4GB RAM variant, which launched in the country earlier this month, costs INR 19,990 ($308).
Pre-order window closes December 1, with shipments beginning the same day. However, currently only the black model is available. The Chinese company says the red variant will be available through Flipkart around December 9.

Meanwhile, both colors are available to pre-order through offline channels (OPPO showrooms and some partner stores).

Gionee unveils six FullView smartphones, M7 Plus and S11S lead the charge

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Gionee unveiled six new smartphones at an event in its home country. The list includes S11S, S11, S11 lite, M7 Plus, M7 mini, and F205.

Gionee M7 Plus

The M7 Plus is the new Gionee flagship, coming with an ample 6.43 AMOLED screen and featuring the Snapdragon 660 chipset. Here's the list of its highlights:
Gionee S11

The S11 is Gionees's flagship product for overseas markets. It packs in a Mediatek Helio P23 SoC and a 5.99-inch, 18:9 FullView display with 2160x1080 pixel resolution.
Gionee provided much more details about this one:

5.99-inch FHD+ in-cell 18:9 FullView Display
MediaTek Helio P23 chipset with 2.5 GHz octa-core Cortex A53 CPU and 4/6GB RAM
Dual front camera - 16MP+8MP
Dual rear camera - 16MP+5MP; LED flash
64GB storage, expandable via microSD card slot
Gionee Amigo 5.0OS, based on Android 7.1
3,410mAh Li-Po battery
Hybrid second slot - Dual Nano SIM or Nano SIM+microSD
microUSB and 3.5mm jack
Dimensions: 159.5mmx77.7mmx7.8mm，170.5g
Colors：Blue, Gold, Rose Gold
Gionee S11 lite

Next up is the S11 lite - a more affordable device that's also targeted at overseas markets.

5.7" 18:9 FullView display with 1440x720 pixel resolution
Snapdragon SoC with 1.4GHz octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM
32GB storage, expandable via microSD
Dual rear camera - 13MP+2MP
16MP front camera
Amigo 5.0 OS, based on Android 7.1
Hybrid second slot - Dual Nano SIM or Nano SIM+microSD
microUSB and 3.5mm jack
Dimensions: 153.75x72.6x7.85 mm，141g
Colors: Gold, Dark Blue, Black
Gionee S11S

Gionee S11S is the most capable of the new S Series, but it's not leaving China. Full specs weren't detailed, but we still got the highlights.

6.01-inch FullView AMOLED display of FHD+ (2160x1080 pixel) resolution
MediaTek Helio P30 chipset with 6GB RAM
Dual rear camera: 16MP+8MP, autofocus
Dual front camera: 20MP+8MP, fixed-focus
64GB storage, expandable via a microSD card slot
3,600mAh battery with Intelligent Power
NFC support
Gionee M7 mini and F205

Those last two are clearly entry-level devices as also clear from their price tags, but Gionee shared no details about their specifications. So except for the 18:9 screen aspect, there's nothing we know about them.

Pricing and availability
Phone Price Availability
Gionee S11S CNY3,299/$500 December 2017
Gionee S11 CNY1,799/$270 December 2017
Gionee S11 lite CNY1,299/$200 January 2018
Gionee M7 Plus CNY4,399/$665 January 2018
Gionee M7 CNY2,799/$425 December 2017
Gionee M7 Power CNY1,599/$240 December 2017
Gionee M7 Mini CNY1,399/$210 December 2017
Gionee F205 CNY3,299/$150 December 2017

OnePlus 5T Sold Out Within 5 Minutes in Second Early Access Sale on Amazon India

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus on Friday said it sold out its newly-launched OnePlus 5T within five minutes of the special one-hour preview sale on Amazon India, between 12pm and 1pm IST on Friday. The sale was also held on the online store of OnePlus India, and was open to all customers on both e-commerce platforms.

"We have seen unprecedented customer response to the early access sales, in India as well as globally. Hundreds of fans stormed our 'Experience Stores' in Bengaluru and Delhi," Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India, said in a statement.

"We are happy to announce that OnePlus 5T will go on open sale, starting on November 28, across all channels including Amazon.in, oneplusstore.in, select Croma stores and 'Experience Stores' in Bengaluru and Delhi," Agarwal added.

OnePlus 5T also broke the company's launch-day sales record on the first early access sale on November 21, and became the company's fastest-selling device in six hours, the company said. Back in India, at the same first early access sale, Amazon said the OnePlus 5T became the highest grossing product for a single day for Amazon Prime members.


The OnePlus 5T price in India starts at Rs. 32,999 for the 6GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage variant, and goes up to Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB RAM/ 128GB inbuilt storage variant. It is only available in a Midnight Black colour variant.

Supporting dual-SIM cards, the OnePlus 5T runs OxygenOS 4.7 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It sports Face Unlock feature which the company says is based on advanced facial recognition algorithms. There's a fingerprint scanner at the back panel as well. Notably, the OnePlus 5T foregoes the hardware capacitive buttons that have been a staple on the offerings from the Chinese company.

The OnePlus 5T features a 6.01-inch full-HD+ (1080x1920 pixels) Full Optic AMOLED with an 18:9 aspect ratio, 401ppi pixel density, and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The display also supports sRGB and DCI-P3 colour gamuts. Just like the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 835 SoC, clocked at up to 2.45GHz, paired with either 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM.

The OnePlus 5T sports a primary sensor that is almost identical to the OnePlus 5, of 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 with 1.12-micron pixels, and an aperture of f/1.7. The secondary sensor is a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376K which replaces the 20-megapixel Sony IMX350 sensor which came paired with a telephoto lens. Both have the same focal length, of 27.22mm. Unlike OnePlus 5, the company is now targeting low-light conditions more than the portrait mode.

OnePlus also claims that the new 5T features 'Intelligent Pixel Technology' for capturing more light in low-light situations. At the front there's again a 16-megapixel Sony IMX371 sensor, also seen on the OnePlus 5. The OnePlus 5T is backed by a 3300mAh non-removable battery and supports the company's Dash Charge fast charging.

Apple, Samsung Form Virtual Duopoly in UK Smartphone Market: Counterpoint

Apple saw its UK smartphone market share decline sequentially in Q3 2017, while Samsung saw flat growth year on year, as a per a recent market research report. As per Counterpoint Research's Market Pulse service, Apple and Samsung are tied neck to in the market.

The two smartphone behemoths have nearly identical market shares, with Apple at 34.4 percent and Samsung at 34 percent. Huawei takes the third spot (13 percent), Alcatel is fourth (4 percent), while Lenovo's Moto brand captured 3 percent of the market. Other brands made up 11 percent of UK's smartphone market.

The Counterpoint report adds that UK smartphones sales remained flat annually in the third quarter this year, while the overall handset market (including feature phones) declined by 8 percent (year on year).

"The Chinese giant Huawei was the third largest brand, with consistent double-digit market share, leveraging a diverse portfolio across all price-tiers, but still some distance behind Samsung and Apple that represent something approaching a virtual duopoly," said Parv Sharma, Research Associate at Counterpoint Research.


"Like we see in the US market, Apple and Samsung together control more than two thirds of the UK smartphone market in sales volumes and more than 80 percent in sales value," Sharma added.

The Apple iPhone 7 was the bestselling smartphone and contributed to 15 percent of the total smartphones sold in Q3.

"Samsung's Galaxy S8 (9 percent) and Galaxy S8+ (6 percent) were second and third. Samsung also has a strong range across all price bands and it, together with Huawei, provided a strong volume platform that was resilient to attack from most other brands," said Research Director Peter Richardson. The top five smartphone list was rounded off by Samsung Galaxy J3 (6 percent) and Huawei P10 Lite (4 percent).

As for the premium smartphone market, Research Director, Peter Richardson, said, "The UK is one of the strongest markets for Apple globally and this is reflected in the premium segment's share of the market overall. Despite Apple being at the tail-end of a product cycle through most of 3Q, the premium segment (> $500 wholesale) still grew both in terms of volume and value, while the overall market volume fell. Apple dominated the premium segment and was the main contributor to overall market value share - especially as the Average Selling Price (ASP) of the newly launched iPhone 8 was higher than the iPhone 7's launch price. Samsung also enjoyed a strong position, accounting for almost one third of the premium market volume during the quarter. Apple and Samsung together leave very little room for other players."

Apple Files Patent for Foldable iPhone

Apple has filed a patent for an iPhone that may have a flexible portion that may allow the handset to be "opened and closed like a book." This comes soon after a report claiming Apple was working with LG on a foldable iPhone. Apple filed for the patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2014 and was granted this month. Critical to Apple's foldable design are the OLED panel and metallic hinge that will allow the display to be folded like clamshell mobile phones.

"An electronic device may have a flexible portion that allows the device to be folded. The device may have a flexible display. The flexible display may have a bending region that allows the display to bend along a bend axis when the device is folded," says Apple's patent application.

Earlier, reports said Apple has decided to go with LG and not Samsung (the latter's OLED displays are considered the best in the industry) owing to the fear that specifications could be leaked as Samsung is its arch rival.

Samsung is expected to launch a smartphone with foldable design in 2018, likely to be named Galaxy X. The foldable iPhone panel production could start from 2020.


Meanwhile, LG has reportedly completed its own foldable OLED panel prototype and has been upgrading the durability and the yield rate.

The company recently started its first OLED production for phones at its E5 plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

Xiaomi India Cuts Prices of Mi Accessories

Xiaomi on Friday revised the prices of select Mi accessories as a result of the GST (Good and Services Tax) implementation in India. With the new development, the Mi Power Bank, Mi Business Backpack, Mi Charger, 2-in-1 USB fan, and various smartphone cases are now available with revised prices. The new announcement emerges days after the Chinese company announced the establishment of its third manufacturing facility in the country that has been designed to produce power banks.

"GST council announced a GST rate cut and it's time we pass on the benefits to our beloved Mi Fans. Now you can get your favourite accessory at the price you have been dreaming of," Xiaomi wrote in a post on its Mi Community forums.

Among the accessories that received the price cut, the 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 2 is now available for Rs. 1,099 (originally priced at Rs. 1,199), the 10000mAh Mi Power Bank Pro is available for Rs. 1,499 (debuted at Rs. 1,599), and the 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 2 is priced at Rs. 1,999 (previously available for Rs. 2,199). The price drop is also applicable to Mi Business Backpack that arrived in the country at Rs. 1,499. It is now available for Rs. 1,299.

The Mi Charger that comes with 5V/ 2A output is available for Rs. 349 (originally available for Rs. 399), whereas the Mi Car Charger is priced at Rs. 699 (launched at Rs. 799) and the USB Cable is available with a price tag of Rs. 179 (previously priced at Rs. 199). Further, the 2-in-1 USB cable that has a USB Type-C and Micro-USB port on one end and a USB Type A port on the other end is available for Rs. 249 (originally priced at Rs. 299. The Mi USB fan, which was launched back in October 2015 for Rs. 249, is now available for Rs. 229.

In addition to the price cut on Mi accessories, Xiaomi has reduced the prices of cases and screen protectors for its various smartphone models. For instance, you can pick a Redmi 4 Hard Case for Rs. 349 (originally available for Rs. 449), while a Redmi Y1 Perforated Case is available for Rs. 349 (previously launched at Rs. 399). The Smart View Flip Case and Software Case models of the Redmi Note 4 and Mi Max 2 have also received the new prices in the country.

All the accessories, cases, and screen protectors with the new price tags are available on Xiaomi's Mi India store. However, at the time of filing this story, Amazon.in and Flipkart are yet to update the prices of the listed Mi accessories.

Earlier this week, Xiaomi launched its new Mi Power Bank 2i range in India that has been manufactured through its third facility located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, after the two initial factories in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i is priced at Rs. 799, whereas the 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i is available for Rs. 1,499.

Nokia 8 starts getting Android Oreo

The Nokia 8 Oreo beta-testing program wrapped up two weeks ago and today the OS update started arriving to users in Finland and Poland. According to XDA Developers fan forum users, devices with model numbers TA-1004 and TA-1012 are among the lucky that get Android Oreo. HMD executive Juho Sarvikas confirmed the update.

The software upgrade brings new features like Picture-in-picture, detailed Notification dots for every app and Autofill passwords. It also comes with the November Security patch and faster boot times. Users share that YouTube runs seamlessly in the dual app mode, meaning you can watch videos and browse at the same time.

The camera performance was also improved. You still can’t set up the ISO and shutter speed manually, but the shutter can stay open for up to 0.5 seconds. Back in August, when the phone was announced, the AF had some issues, but now they are fixed.

Sarvikas says the update should arrive for everyone in two days, but if any carrier decides to review the upgrade one more time, some users might have to wait a week more.

OnePlus 5 to bring Face Unlock with Oreo update

OnePlus announced Android Oreo for OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T in the beginning of the week. Apparently OnePlus 5 is next in line for the new OS.

Along with the already expected picture-in-picture and notification dots, arriving at all devices with Oreo OnePlus 5 will also gain Face Unlock.

Face Unlock is a familiar feature to OP owners. The latest OnePlus 5T with Nougat 7.1.1 has it and it works seamlessly, as we already established, so it's great to hear that it's coming to the older model.
Source

Verizon is offering Asus Zenfone V for free

Asus Zenfone V was went official as a Verizon-exclusive in the US in September. The phone carried a launch price tag of $240, while the carrier has also been offering it on monthly plans for $10/month.

Now, as a part of the carrier's Black Friday promotions the device is offered for free when purchased on a contract.
You need to active a new line of service and shell out $240 initially. You'll however get promo credits worth that amount applied over the period of 24 months.

It's a limited time deal that ends today. For more info, head to the Source link below.

Source

Oppo R11s Plus is now available

Oppo announced the R11s and R11s Plus in the beginning of the month with the small version going on sale two weeks ago. Now, the Plus variant joins it on the shelves as the company announced the starts of its availability in China.

The Oppo R11s Plus shares plenty of hardware with the regular Oppo R11s. The chipset is the same - Snapdragon 660, as well as the 20 MP + 16 MP dual camera setup on the back.

The Plus in the name indicates bigger 6.43” screen, more RAM and mightier power cell. The memory combo is 6 GB + 64 GB, while the battery capacity is 4,000 mAh.

The price is also different - Oppo R11s Plus costs CNY3,699 (around $560), and is offered in Black or Champagne Gold.

Nokia 2 launched in India

HMD has announced the India launch date for its entry-level Nokia 2 smartphone. The device - which was officially unveiled in the Asian country late last month - will go on sale today, November 24.

The handset will cost INR 6,999 ($108). The phone will be available through offline retailers in Pewter/Black, Pewter/White and Copper/Black color schemes. There are also some launch offers for Reliance Jio and new Kotak bank customers.

Previously, the Nokia 2 launched in Russia, the US, and South Africa.

OnePlus 5T gets first update, KRACK fix and fingerprint/face unlock optimizations included

Just days after it went on sale, the OnePlus 5T has started receiving its first update. Weighing in at 107MB and arriving as Oxygen OS 4.7.2, the update brings along fix for the Wi-Fi WPA2 security issue (a.k.a the KRACK vulnerability).

Multiple other changes are also included, like optimizations related to fingerprint and face unlock and improvements related to EIS during 4K recording as well as accuracy for screen off gestures. Of course, some usual stability and bug fixes are there as well.

Razer Phone arrives in Asia, Singapore gets it first

After the US, UK, and a few other western markets, the Razer Phone is now available in Asia, with Singapore becoming the first market on the continent to get it. Pre-orders for the device are now live in the country through Singtel, with the window closing on November 26.

Razer's CEO had the following to say about it : "while we founded Razer in California, US, I’m a Singaporean still and I’m very excited to make Singapore the first country in Asia to release the Razer Phone."

First 200 pre-orders will get free Razer Hammerhead Bluetooth headset (worth $169). There's no clarity on exactly when the pre-orders will begin shipping. Officially, Razer will begin selling the phone in the country December 1 onwards.

Coming to pricing, the off contract tag is SGD 1,068, ($790). Of course, you'll have to pay less if you purchase the device on a plan.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 visits Geekbench with Snapdragon 617

Xiaomi has always offered great bang for the buck, so it's exciting to see hints of the Redmi Note 5, which combines two current flagship trends – 18:9 bezel-less screen and dual cameras. Better yet, rumors hint at a Snapdragon 660 chipset – a “lite” version of the flagship 835 SoC.

A Geekbench 4 result potentially sours the inflow of rumors – it lists a Qualcomm MSM8952 chipset, aka Snapdragon 617. Well, eight Cortex-A53 cores at a low clock speed are no match for eight Kryo cores. Not to mention the aging GPU...

There’s hope, however, it seems that Geekbench messed up the chipset model number. Compare the scores to those of a Moto G4 (S617), the Redmi Note 5 scores noticeably higher in the single-core test.

There’s more – here are the scores of the vivo X9 Plus, which is also listed with MSM8952. Much closer, right? And a trip to our database reveals that this model uses Snapdragon 653.

So there is still hope, perhaps the early software of the phone tripped up Geekbench. The 3GB of RAM are not ideal, but not bad for a budget device – it starts at just CNY 999 / $150 / €130. Quite the bargain for a 5.5” screen, a 16MP + 5MP dual camera and a chunky 4,000mAh battery.

Source

Nokia 7 launches in China with glass back, Snapdragon 630

The Nokia 7 is the first Android device from the brand to sport a glass back - it's a vacuum molded 3D Corning Gorilla Glass construction no less. The 7's frame is 7000 series aluminum with diamond cut beveled edges.

It sure looks premium (if you can ignore those bezels), and it comes with IP54 certification, which means it's splashproof essentially. Inside, you'll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 running the show, paired with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM. microSD cards are supported for expanding the built-in 64GB of storage.

The screen is a 5.2" 1080p IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 3 on top. The main camera is a 16 MP unit with f/1.8 aperture, 1.12um pixels, and a dual-tone LED flash. For selfies you have a 5 MP f/2.0 snapper with larger 1.4um pixels and an 84-degree field-of-view.

Connectivity-wise you get Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C, a 3.5mm headset jack, NFC, and LTE Cat.6. The system keys are capacitive, and the fingerprint sensor is on the back. The handset runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat (with an Oreo update promised) and has a 3,000 mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

The Nokia 7 comes with "a Zeiss imaging experience" that includes the ability to capture what HMD Global calls "bothies" - a split screen visual for photos as well as videos that harnesses both front and rear cameras simultaneously. Nokia OZO audio is built-in for recording immersive sound too.

The device will be offered in Gloss Black (pictured above) and Matt White. It will be available in China on October 24 for CNY 2,499 (that's around $377 or €320) with 4GB of RAM, and CNY 2,699 ($407 or €345) with 6GB. At the moment we have no information about when (or if) the Nokia 7 will be sold in other countries.

Samsung's Galaxy S8 duo retain top spot in Consumer Reports' chart

In its latest report, US-based magazine Consumer Reports has once again put the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ at the top of its list of best performing smartphones. Apple's iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus claimed the fourth and fifth place, respectively.

The third spot, interestingly, was claimed by last year's Galaxy S7. However, not all is rosy for Samsung, as it's latest Note series offering - Galaxy Note8 - came in at number six. The magazine deducted points for sub-par durability and heavy weight from the latest Note.

Source | Via

ZTE introduces nubia Z17s, specifications, price, availability

Nubia, ZTE's subsidiary branch launched two new pair of flagship devices nubia Z17s and nubia Z17 miniS

ZTE NUBIA Z17 S
It comes with 5.73'' display of 18:9 ratio with full HD+ resolution. The red home button is now embedded in the screen as UI touch

Under the hood, latest Snapdragon 835 processor paired with 6gigs of ram and 64 gigs of storage and 8 gigs of ram with 128 gigs of on board storage. Android nougat with nubia UI 5.1 on the top

Coming to camera department, it's unchanged on the back with 12+24 mp combo but added a extra cam to the front with a pair the 5mp shooters. Gorilla glass on the front and the all aluminium alloy body is covering the specs

Juice comes from 3100 Mah battery with fast charging support. ZTE promises 50 percent in 25 minutes

The phone is sold in either Black or Blue for CNY2,999/$455 for the 6 GB version and CNY3,999/$607 for the 8 GB option. JD.com has the phone available for pre-order until October 19 when the actual sales begin at 10 AM local time.

Source link-(http://m.nubia.com/active/new_phones.html ) 

Huawei confirms the Mate 10 will run Android Oreo

It was always expected, but now we have an official confirmation - the Huawei Mate 10 that is bound to arrive on October 16 will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. This was confirmed by the company on its official Weibo account today.

A short two-second video shows the outline of the new AI-focused chipset that Huawei is promoting for some time. On the inside of the square, the symbol of the company and the logo of the OS are next to each other.

This would’ve been vague, but the video is accompanied by the text: “Equipped with Android 8.0 to give you a better Android experience. With the powerful combination on October 16 #HuaweiMate10 #Munich.”

The Huawei Mate 10 family is expected to follow the trend of 18:9 screens. Leaked renders already most likely confirmed the design of the front and back of the Mate 10 Pro, while the regular Mate 10could be almost the same, but with a home button/fingerprint scanner on the front, as images suggested.

Pure white version of the essential phone goes on sale

Essential announced four colours for its phone i-e stellar grey, ocean depths, black moon and pure white, but only Black moon colour was on sale. Now company has confirmed that white colour variant is on sale.

Essential confirmed that it is available via its official website and other third party retailers like Amazon, sprint and best buy. But only essential website is showing buy now all other retailers are showing coming soon

We hope essential makes it available through all the chain, fingers crossed 

Apple teams up with LG display for foldable iPhone

Apple has reportedly started working on a foldable iPhone with LG Display, not Samsung Display -- the sole OLED supplier -- possibly due to concerns over tech leaks to its archrival Samsung Electronics. 

According to The Bell on Oct. 11, LG Display recently created a task force to develop a foldable OLED screen for the new iPhone model, while its parts-making sister firm LG Innotek has also setup a team dedicated to developing the rigid flexible printed circuit board, more widely called RFPCB.

Citing unnamed industry sources, the report said, the panel production could start from 2020, which means Apple could delay its phone launch compared to Samsung's first foldable phone that is likely to debut next year. 

Apple usually starts a new phone project a year before launch, sharing key features, including the panel, with suppliers. LG reportedly completed its own foldable OLED panel prototype two to three years ago and has been upgrading the durability and the yield rate. 

Currently, Samsung is exclusively supplying panels for the latest iPhone X, the first OLED iPhone. For next year’s new iPhone, the Korean tech giant is also expected to be the sole supplier.

Amid Samsung’s near monopoly in mobile OLED production, Apple has been strengthening its partnership with LG Display, its long-time LCD partner. 

LG has recently started its first OLED production for phones at its E5 plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. The first batch of the production will be shipped to LG Electronics and some Chinese handset makers, while the production for iPhone is expected to start from as early as 2019 when its new plant, called E6, is completed in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. 

Apple is considering investing in the E6 plant in a push for LG to beef up OLED production. Sources say the two firms have tentatively agreed on the investment but details have not yet been finalized.

Source link-http://m.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20171011000678

Apple released IOS 11.0.3 for iPad and iPhone

IPhone and iPad are getting IOS 11.0.3 update which weighs about 285mb

This update fixes two main bug issues, an audio issue on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7plus, and ir-responsible touch input issue of iPhone 6s units which where serviced with non-genuine display parts
Apple has issued a warning to such customer and requested sted not to use such parts,  as it may effect the visual quality of the display 

Leaked - Huawei Mate 10 Lite will be launched in Europe for €349

Dutch retailer Belsimpel has leaked the price of Huawei Mate 10 Lite and listed in its website as €349

Coming to Specifications it has four cameras, a 16+2 mp on the back and 13+2mp on the frond. Screen is of 18:9 ratio and a fingerprint sensor on the back

Black and gold colours are listed and blue will join in future

Source link-https://www.belsimpel.nl/huawei/huawei-mate-lite-zwart/abonnement#popup

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 launched in India today and it will be flipkart exclusive

Xiaomi launched its latest offering in India "Mi Mix 2". It is exclusively available via flipkart.coming to Specifications it has an amazing screen to body ratio which stared the 18:9 ratio trend in the market. 5.99" full HD display, Snapdragon 835 processor coupled with 6 GB ram, 128 GB on board storage, 12mp shooter with Sony IMX386 Sensor on the back and 5mp cam on the front, it fueled by 3400 Mah battery with fast charging support. MIUI 8 is on the top of the regular nougat software

And now coming to the price, it is the most expensive offering from the Xiaomi with price of 35,999 Indian rupees ($551).

The Mi Mix 2 will be available on October 17 in a special preview sale exclusively on Mi.com and Flipkart. Eventually, the phone will be available in Mi Home retail stores and other retail partners across the country in the first week of November.

Nokia 3310 3g with dual sim is now live for pre-order in Europe

Nokia(HMD) 3310 3g version was unveiled last month with dual sim support, and now it's available for pre-order in Europe

Europe retailer digitalo listed the handset for €69.90 which translates to $82. Shipping may take place around 30 November,awaiting more details

No dates are available for United States and Australia, stay tuned
Source link-https://www.digitalo.de/products/887915/Nokia-3310-3G-Dual-SIM-Handy-Azur.html?products_model=X799301

Honor 7X is now official with 18:9 screen and dual camera

Huawei just introduced Honor 7X, meaning its sub-brand has officially entered the world of 18:9 screens (we’re not counting this one, which is sold under four different names).

The LCD measures 5.93” - about as wide as the 5.5” screen of the Honor 6X, but taller. It has 1,080 x 2,160px resolution (407ppi) and it sits below a 2.5D glass. The fingerprint reader on the 6X was already on the back, so no change here.

The camera has been updated, however. We’re now looking at a 16MP main camera with a 2MP secondary one along with an 8MP camera on the front.

The Honor 7X is powered by a Kirin 659 chipset – eight Cortex-A53 cores grouped in two clusters along with Mali-T830 MP2 graphics. The RAM is fixed at 4GB, but the storage ranges from 32GB to 128GB and there’s room for a microSD card on the hybrid dual SIM slot.

The phone will launch with Android 7.0 Nougat + EMUI 5.1. It has a 3,340mAh battery and a microUSB port (sigh). The phone’s metal body measures 7.6mm thick and weighs 165g.

Next year's iPad Pro lineup to come with Face ID on board

The iPhone X is the first Apple device to ship with a TrueDepth front-facing camera that enables Face ID, the new facial recognition unlocking mechanism. But apparently the upcoming smartphone won't be the only Face ID-endowed Apple product for long.

In a note to investors shared today, KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo says he believes Apple will add the TrueDepth camera and Face ID functionality to next year's iPad Pro refresh. This is supposed to boost the competitiveness of the company's premium tablets. Don't expect Face ID to come to non-Pro iPads anytime soon, though. On the other hand, all 2018 iPhones should have Face ID built-in.

The new iPad Pro models could arrive as soon as the first half of 2018, since the last iPad Pro update happened in June this year. Kuo thinks Android device makers will begin researching Face ID-like technology for use in their own products, abandoning under-screen fingerprint recognition in the process. That said, the same analyst also claims Samsung's Galaxy Note9 will actually sport such an under-display sensor - so perhaps the 'Android device makers' referenced here do not include the Korean behemoth.

ZTE Axon M with foldable screen spotted at FCC

The foldable, dual-screened ZTE Axon M is now one step closer to store shelves, since it's been certified by the US FCC. The handset, codenamed Axon Multy, is expected to be unveiled on October 17 at an event in Brooklyn. It will be exclusive to AT&T, at least at first, and has been rumored to retail for $650.

The phone's main claim to fame will clearly be its foldable design, featuring two touchscreens. When it's folded, the Axon M will have a screen both on its front and its back - definitely a novel look. These are said to come with 1080p resolution each. When unfolded, you'll have a 6.8-inch 2,160x1,920 viewing surface.

The FCC listing confirms the Axon M name and tells us that its model number will be Z999. It also reveals that the phone will ship running Android 7.1.2 Nougat, and not the newer Oreo unfortunately. Spec-wise you should expect to get the Snapdragon 820, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a single 20 MP camera, and a 3,120 mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 will be flipkart exclusive in India launching today at 12 noon

We already know that Xiaomi's bezel-less Mi Mix 2smartphone is arriving in India today (October 10), and now it has been confirmed that the device will be exclusive to online retailer Flipkart at launch. The confirmation came in the form of a tweet from Flipkart.

Of course, the Chinese company will also be officially selling the phone in the country - it will be available through Mi.com as well as Xiaomi's Mi Home stores across India.

The Snapdragon 835-powered handset was made official last month, and has only been available so far in China, where it has proven to be quite popular.