Meizu Pro 7 rumored to sport titanium alloy, 5.7-inch 4K display and 8GB of RAM

Now, the latest information we have at hand talks about the device’s form factor and the metal used in it. An Android Headlines report shows off some leaked images of the purported Meizu Pro 7, and suggests that the device would be made out of titanium alloy. Which means, the new metal would replace the aluminum in the smartphone’s build, and contribute to the strength and sturdiness of the device.

Moving on to the leaked images, they are not exactly in line with what was expected after the previous leaks. These images rather show off a device, which looks quite a lot like the Meizu Pro 6 and Pro 6s, sans the Galaxy S7 edge-like dual-curve display. Additionally, if the leak is to be believed, the Meizu Pro 7 will feature a 5.7-inch 4K display, and a 12-megapixel camera sensor on the rear. Also, the rear camera unit will be powered by Sony’s IMX362 sensor, which comes with a 1.4um pixel size.

Also, the leak reveals that the Meizu Pro 7 will come in three variants based on their RAM, which means there will be 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB RAM variants, all of which will feature 128GB of internal storage. Under the hood, the Meizu Pro 7 is expected to be powered with MediaTek’s Helio X30 64-bit deca-core processor.

Additionally, from what the publication believes, these images leaked on Anzhou could be a leak of Meizu’s official marketing material, as these images resemble the company’s usual promo shots for their devices. However, since Meizu hasn’t officially announced anything, we recommend the essential pinch of salt.

The leak also reveals the expected price point of the 8GB RAM variant of the Meizu Pro 7, which is 3,799 Yuan (about Rs 38,000). On the other hand, earlier leaks have hinted that the Meizu Pro 7 would come with 6GB of RAM and storage options of 64GB and 128GB, in which case, 6GB + 64GB variant was expected to be priced at RMB 2,699 (Rs 26,700 approximately) and the 6GB + 128GB variant was estimated to be priced at RMB 3,099 (Rs 30,700 approximately). 

Samsung to reveal new Level headphones during Galaxy S8 launch

Samsung recently confirmed that it would not be launching the Galaxy S8 at MWC 2017. A launch date of March 29 is being rumored, and sales are suspected to begin by April 21. Samsung usually unveils a bunch of new accessories with its smartphone launches, and this year won’t be any different. The company is said to be planning on launching next-generation Level in ANC headphones alongside its flagship smartphone.

Samsung’s next-gen Level in ANC headphones will be an update to the existing headphones, which are available for £49, which rounds off to Rs 4,200. This bit of information comes from Roland Quandt, who posted it on Twitter. According to the leakster, these new headphones would be priced at €100 (Rs 7,300 approximately). These new headphones are expected to be available in red, green, black and silver colors, as opposed to the currently available black and white colors.

This is not the first that we’ve heard of Samsung planning to launch headphones with the Galaxy S8, as we had encountered a similar rumor back in December. It was said that Samsung would be launching in-ear headphones along with the Galaxy S8, which would compete with Apple’s AirPods.
Talking about the Level in ANC headphones, Samsung says that these headphones can minimize surrounding noise levels by up to 20db. These Samsung headphones also come with a feature called Talk-in-Mode that allows one to listen to music, but at the same time keep them aware of what’s happening around them, thereby managing sound inside and outside the headphones. Samsung’s Level in ANC headphones are shaped in canal-type and features a three-button slim remote with a metal finish.

Samsung may also introduce another accessory for the Galaxy S8 and this could be a Stylus. With a variant of the upcoming smartphone featuring a 6.2-inch display, it is not surprising why there are rumors of S Pen support. Unlike the Galaxy Note 7 though, the stylus for the Galaxy S8 would be offered as an external accessory.

Speaking about the Galaxy S8, the smartphone has been rumored in numerous occasions so far, which gives us the expectation that it would be launched in two display variants of 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch. The processor in the Galaxy S8 would vary depending upon the region, with one running the company’s own Exynos 8895 chipset and the other running Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC. In terms of RAM and storage, the Galaxy S8 could come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage with an option to expand the storage up to 256GB via microSD card.

In the photography department, the Galaxy S8 could feature a dual-camera setup at the back. However, some reports suggest that the smartphone will stick with the 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. Up front, the smartphone is said to house an 8-megapixel selfie camera which would be complemented with auto-focus and iris scanner.

The Galaxy S8 is said to use a a 3,000mAh battery and a 3,500mAh battery each for the two expected variants. For connectivity, the Galaxy S8 could opt for a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Google releases public beta version of Android 7.1.2 Nougat for Compatible Pixel, Nexus devices

Google has released public beta builds of the Android 7.1.2 Nougat update to compatible devices. The update is an incremental maintenance release that brings system optimizations, and a number of bug fixes in tow. It is being rolled out over-the-air (OTA) to compatible Pixel and Nexus devices. These include the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 5X and Nexus Player, while the company has confirmed that an update for Nexus 6P can be expected to be released soon.

"Android 7.1.2 is an incremental maintenance release focused on refinements, so it includes a number of bug fixes and optimisations, along with a small number of enhancements for carriers and users," said Dave Burke, VP of Engineering, in a blog post. Interested users with compatible devices can try the public beta for Android 7.1.2 through the Android Beta Program.

How to get Android 7.1.2 Nougat on your compatible Pixel or Nexus device

There are two ways to get the update. If you have already registered for Android Beta program, the update should be available via OTA. You can head over to Settings > About > System Updates. If the update is available, hit download and install it. Do note, as it is a phased rollout, it may take a few days till the update hits your region.

For those who haven’t enrolled for Android Beta program can head over to android.com/beta and sign-in with your Google account that you used to sign-in on your Android smartphone. Alternatively, you can also beta factory images from here and follow the install instructions from one of our previous posts here. The procedure from flashing Android 7.1.2 factory images remain the same as the one for Android 7.1.1.

Unfortunately, Google doesn't seem to include Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices in the eligible devices for the latest Android 7.1.2 which Android Police points out may mean that Android 7.1.1 was the end of the line for both the devices. On checking Google's Nexus Help page, the company has listed October 2016 as the last official update from Google for the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices.

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 4 running on Android Nougat granted Wi-Fi certification, could be announced soon

After the last Samsung Xcover was launched in 2015, we barely heard anything about the company’s plans to bring in its successor. But if you track Samsung’s pattern, Galaxy Xcover is its biennial series, which means it is launched once every two years. Since the Galaxy Xcover 3 came out in 2015, this would be the year to see its successor, and it’s here right on time.

A Samsung Galaxy Xcover 4 has made an appearance on Wi-Fi Alliance, which hints that the smartphone may just be released very soon. According to a report by gsmarena, an unknown Samsung handset with model number SM-G390F was granted Wi-Fi certification recently, which is believed to be the Xcover 4, considering, it carries a model number in the same class, as its predecessor, SM-G388F.

The only thing known about the device is that it will run on Android Nougat 7.0, which is revealed in the Wi-Fi listing. Additionally, considering the release of Samsung Galaxy S8 has been delayed to April, the company might unveil this smartphone before that.

LG Watch Style, Watch Sport: Photos, specifications, pricing leaked

While all eyes are on LG launching its flagship G6 smartphone at MWC 2017 next month, the company is believed to be hosting an event on February 9. If reports are to be believed, LG could launch the next-generation Android Wear smartwatches, called LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style. Interestingly, February 9 is also the day Google’s latest Android Wear 2.0 goes live, and LG’s latest smartwatches are said to be the first devices to run on the new operating system.

We have been treated to leaks and rumors about the LG Watch Sport and the LG Watch Style. Leaked images reveal what the upcoming smartwatches could look like. Leakster Evan Blass recently shared the image of one of the smartwatches, the LG Watch Style on Twitter. The LG Watch Style is shown in two different colors — silver and rose gold. If we recall, the LG Watch Style had been leaked earlier and the image is akin to the one shared by Evan Blass. The LG Watch Style as seen in the image sports a circular dial, with the date and fitness information displayed on the screen. Another display looks like a lockscreen with the step count as well. The digital crown is seen located on the right side of the smartwatch.

LG Watch Style specifications

The LG Watch Style which is the smaller of the two smartwatches already has its details leaked. The smartwatch is expected to feature a 1.2-inch 360×360 pixels circular P-OLED display. The LG Watch Style is said to come with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard storage. For power, LG could opt for a 240mAh battery on the smartwatch. Additional features include an IP67-certification for the LG Watch Style, making the smartwatch dust resistant and also water resistant up to a certain extent.

LG Watch Sport specifications

The LG Watch Sport will be the larger smartwatch, and will essentially also be the expensive one. It was seen in a black color with a circular dial and various fitness details displayed on the screen. Like the LG Watch Style, this smartwatch also features the digital crown on the right side and also has two additional buttons.

The LG Watch Sport is expected to feature a bigger 1.38-inch 480×480 pixels display. The smartwatch could come with 768MB of RAM, while its storage details are still unknown. The LG Watch Sport is said to come with IP68 certification, making it resistant to water and dust. The smartwatch could be powered by a 430mAh battery. 

If the above stated rumors do turn out to be true, then it will surely be one event to look forward to. Google’s Android Wear 2.0 is updated with a bunch of interesting features such as a dedicated app store, handwriting recognition and a full QWERTY keyboard. Android Wear 2.0 will also feature Google’s AI-powered Assistant. 

As per reports, the LG Watch Style is expected to be priced around $249 which rounds off to approximately Rs 17,000. There’s however no word on what the Watch Sport could cost.

Vodafone confirms it is in merger talks with Idea Cellular

Ending months of speculation, Vodafone on Monday confirmed it is in talks with the Aditya Vikram Birla group for the merger of its Indian entity and Idea Cellular in what will be the largest such deal in the country’s telecom space once it materializes.

India's three leading mobile operators, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea, have all been hammered by the arrival of Jio Infocomm, a new operator owned by the billionaire Mukesh Ambani which has shaken up the market by offering free voice and data to customers.

“Vodafone confirms that it is in discussions with the Aditya Birla Group about an all share merger of Vodafone India — excluding Vodafone’s 42 percent stake in Indus Towers — and Idea,” the Indian entity’s parent company said in a statement. ”Any merger would be effected through the issue of new shares in Idea to Vodafone and would result in Vodafone deconsolidating Vodafone India.”

READ : Vodafone To Invest Over Rs 500 Crore In Gujarat To Expand 4G Services

Vodafone's stock jumped 3 percent after it said a deal would enable it to deconsolidate the asset, or take it off its books, and receive a dividend from the combined group.

Sony to launch 5 smartphones at MWC 2017, including flagship with 4K display, Snapdragon 835 SoC

Sony is hosting its MWC 2017 event in Barcelona on Februry 27. Up until now, it was rumored that Sony will launch two smartphones, one of which is suspected to be the successor to the Xperia XA. But the latest report claims that the Japanese tech giant will now launch as many as five smartphones. All five smartphones are currently recognized by Japanese codenames, and the leak reveals key specifications as well.

Considering how the news comes from a leak, it is best advised to take the following information with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the five smartphones expected to be launched by Sony are codenamed Yoshino, BlancBright, Keyaki, Hinoki and Mineo.

Sony’s upcoming flagship, which could include a 5.5-inch 4K display, has the codename Yoshino. It will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB or even 6GB of RAM along with the new Sony IMX400 camera sensor. This would be the newest image sensor for smartphone cameras, with the likes of the Google Pixel smartphones using IMX378 sensor.

Then there is the Sony BlancBright which will have the same display, only with a QHD resolution. It could be powered by a Snapdragon 653 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and the same IMX400 camera sensor.

Moving down the line, the Sony Keyaki (Zelkova) will have a 5.2-inch Full HD display, MediaTek’s Helio P20 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage and a 23MP rear and 16MP front camera setup.

Lastly there are a couple of budget offerings, the Sony Hinoki (Cypress), with a 5-inch HD display, MediaTek Helio P20 chip, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 16MP rear and 8MP front cameras. 
As for the smartphone codenamed ‘Mineo’ there is no information except for its pricing which is placed around $350 (approximately Rs 23,900). 

There’s currently no word on when Sony’s smartphones would hit the market. But considering the report about Samsung hoarding all the Snapdragon 835 processors, chances are that the ‘Yoshino’ and ‘BlancBright’ will only launch sometime around April. 

Huawei P10 green and purple color variants with Harman Kardon and Yamaha audio system leaked ahead of unveiling at MWC 2017

Huawei is gearing up to launch its next generation Huawei P10 smartphone, which will be the successor to the Huawei P9. While rumors and leaks of the P10 have started to pour in, according to a new leak spotted by gsmarena the smartphone will launch in green and purple color variants apart from the standard black, gold and pink colors.

The images leaked also show that the P10 would have high-end audio system from Yamaha and Harman Kardon. The hint was dropped by the images comprising of the logos and names of both companies. Huawei is expected to launch the smartphones at MWC 2017. There are also rumors about another smartphone variant, dubbed P10 Plus. However some rumors suggest that the smartphone is expected to launch later this year. The two smartphones is also said to come preloaded with Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, and will be Google DayDream ready.

Huawei P10 specifications and features

The smartphone is expected to feature a 5.5-inch dual-curved edge display with Quad HD resolution. Under the hood the smartphone is said to be powered by a Kirin 960 chipset paired with 4GB/6GB of RAM. On the camera front, the Huawei P10 is said to continue using two sensors for its rear camera. It will also be able to take photos with DSLR-like bokeh effect.

The battery capacity is not known at the moment, the Huawei P10 is rumored to come with wireless charging support. If this stands true, the Huawei P10 will be the first Huawei smartphone to boast wireless charging capability. On the software front, the Huawei P10 is expected to run on Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. 

Moto G5, G5 Plus leaked renders show off design ahead of MWC 2017

The upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 event at Barcelona is going to witness the launch of much-awaited flagship smartphones. Among those is going to be Motorola, which is widely expected to launch the rumored Moto G5 and the Moto G5 Plus. As the names suggest, they will be the successors to last year’s Moto G4 and G4 Plus. 

The leaked case renders are claimed to be from a case maker, and they reiterate Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus design rumours that have been making rounds on the Internet. Both the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus are widely expected to sport fingerprint scanner at the front which will be embedded in the physical home button of the handsets. Further, both smartphones are said to have circular camera panel at the back. The iconic Moto "M" logo is expected to be present right below to the circular Moto G5 and G5 Plus camera panels at the back.

The new case renders also hint that the Moto G5 and G5 Plus will be available in Gold colour as well apart from Silver version which was leaked previously. Spotted by Techdroider, the Moto G5 Plus seen here is sporting a gold color, and wrapped in a flip cover. 

There have been reports suggesting the likely price for the Moto G5 Plus, which could fall around $300 in international markets (approximately Rs 20,400). In India, the smartphone is said to make its debut in March, soon after MWC 2017 concludes, and it is suspected to be priced slightly lesser at $230 (approximately Rs 15,600). 

Moto G5 specifications and features 

The lower variant of the two, the Moto G5 has been recently certified by the US regulatory agency FCC, which revealed that the smartphone will be powered by a 3,000mAh battery accompanied by Turbo Charging support. The FCC listing also revealed NFC support for the Moto G5 smartphone. Other than that, the G5 is expected to come with 3GB of RAM and onboard storage of 16GB. More leaks suggest that the G5 will sport a 13-megapixel rear camera.

Rounding off the leaks and rumors of the G5 Plus, the smartphone will most likely feature a 5.5-inch full HD Super AMOLED display along with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. At the core of the smartphone, will most likely be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 processor clocked at 2GHz and paired with Adreno 506 GPU. In terms of RAM and storage, the Moto G5 Plus could come with 4GB of RAM, and onboard storage of 32GB which would be further expandable via a microSD card.

In the photography department, the Moto G5 Plus could sport a 16-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash. Up front, the smartphone could house a 5-megapixel selfie camera. For power, the smartphone could use a 3,080mAh battery. On the software front, the Moto G5 Plus could run on Android Nougat out-of-the-box.

Samsung starts rolling out Nougat for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in India, Germany and Russia:Samsung Pay teased coming to India

After rolling out Android 7.0 to its current flagship smartphones in China, France, Malaysia, South Korea, UAE, and the UK, Samsung has started the rollout of Nougat update for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in Russia, Germany and India.

Users in Germany are receiving the Nougat as build number G935FXXU1DQAO. Although, Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge devices in Russia have also started receiving the update, the build number for the same wasn’t available at the time of filing this story.

Users in Indian are receiving the Galaxy S7  Nougat as build number G930FXXU1DQAZ has a file size of 1285.64MB. The Android 7.0 update for the Galaxy S7 edge, which has a file size of 1290.74MB, flaunts the build number G935FXXU1DQAZ.

In case you are yet to receive the OTA update, you can manually check for it by heading to Settings » About device » System updates.

The update brings with it many new features, bug fixes, quick settings controls, an improved battery saver mode, security updates, 70 plus new Emoji and the multi-window support.

You’ll be able to switch between apps more easily and do more without opening apps at all. New settings also let you block apps from eating up cellular data in the background, improvements to TouchWiz, Always-On-Display.

There is one more surprise for the Samsung fans in India - Samsung Pay app comes as part of the Nougat update. There is an official teaser included, which says "The future of payments is coming soon!". This could only mean Samsung is getting ready to expand the Samsung Pay service to India soon. you will be able to use Samsung Pay in upcoming weeks or months.

Official Google I/O 2017 dates announced: May 17-19, in Shoreline Amphitheatre

Google has officially announced I/O 2017 date. According to Google's CEO Sundar Pichai tweet Yep, it's true: I/O'17 will be at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA on May 17-19. See you in 110 days :) #io17

What can you expect from Google I/O 2017?

• Next Version of Android O

• Android Wear 2.0

We're now expecting it to launch in early February, followed by a few new Android Wear devices, including two LG-made watches from Google. We think Google might take time to discuss the roll out of Android Wear 2.0 at this year's show, or it might even announce new features. Either way, it'll at least mention its OS for wearables.

We're hoping to see more hardware and software announcements like Google Daydream, Google Home.

Hugo Barra leaves Xiaomi to join Facebook’s Oculus VR team

“I’m excited that Hugo Barra is joining Facebook to lead all of our virtual reality efforts, including our Oculus team. Hugo’s in China right now, so here we are together in VR. It seems fitting,” Mark Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post, as he announced Barra’s next big step. As Hugo Barra exited from his position as VP of China’s Apple, Xiaomi, he decided to go back to Silicon Valley and be closer to his family. But little did we know that Barra would be joining forces with what is turning out to be one of the biggest developments in the future.

Hugo Barra before joining Xiaomi, was the Vice President of Android at Google. He then moved to China to build something big out of Xiaomi, which was only a startup back then in 2013. During Hugo’s stay in Xiaomi, he helped launch the company in Asian markets like Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and made its way to India, which is among its biggest markets so far.

Zuckerberg, in his Facebook post, said that he has known Hugo ever since his position at Android for Google, and further highlights the excitement of Hugo joining by saying. “Hugo shares my belief that virtual and augmented reality will be the next major computing platform. They’ll enable us to experience completely new things and be more creative than ever before. Hugo is going to help build that future, and I’m looking forward to having him on our team,” Zuck wrote. Below Zuckerberg’s Facebook post is a picture shared which shows him and Hugo in VR which is a pretty cool way to make an announcement.

Hugo also took to Twitter to announce his next move, as he said, Joining Facebook as VP of virtual reality (VPVR!) to lead Team @Oculus. So excited! 

Facebook had been looking for a new head since December, after it moved Oculus’ chief executive officer into the company’s PC-focused VR solutions. Hugo Barra himself helped Xiaomi in churning out its own Mi VR headset and he also believes that this technology will create big waves in the year 2017. Facebook is also believed to be ready to spend over $3 billion in the next 10 years to make VR popular.

Looking back at Hugo’s journey in Xiaomi, he joined the company back in 2013 and slowly developed it into one of the fastest growing smartphone companies. Xiaomi even crossed the $1billion revenue mark in India, but despite its growing popularity, its popularity did not exceed beyond the Asian borders. Xiaomi in its own home market, failed to top the charts with rivals like Huawei, OPPO and Vivo beating it using its own design and model. Xiaomi is yet to see an international launch in markets like western Europe and North America. Hugo’s role is now taken over by Xiang Wang, Xiaomi’s present Senior VP for strategic cooperation. 

Unstoppable Nokia 6 gets 1.4 million registrations ahead of second flash sale

Interest in the Nokia 6 smartphone seems to be going strong at the moment, as the registration numbers for the smartphone, ahead of its second flash sale in China, have now touched the 1.4 million mark. Just last week, the available Nokia 6 units were sold out and the smartphone went out of stock within a minute in its first flash sale in China on e-commerce portal JD.com.

To recall, two days ahead of the first Nokia 6 flash sale in China, the registrations crossed the mark of 1 million.

For those who are unaware, registrations are not the same as pre-orders and don't require any monetary exchange. Anybody who is interested in buying Nokia 6 can register over here on JD.com. You are required to have an account on the website to make a registration. At this point, we would like to remind our readers that the smartphone will be made available exclusively for China. Nokia 6 is priced at CNY 1,700 (roughly Rs. 16,800) on the website.

To be clear, unlike pre-orders, the number of registrations might not necessarily give a fair indication of actual sales of a smartphone.

Notably, these Nokia 6 registration numbers are just for the black colour variant of the smartphone and don't include the silver variant, which was spotted earlier this month on a certification site.

Google I/O 2017 will be held at Shoreline Amphitheatre May 17-19

Google hasn’t made this news official yet, but Google’s Developers have been having fun teasing us today with a save-the-date disguised as a puzzle.

Google Developer Tweet :- Around the world, from here to there, to the most clever minds, the secret will share. 

There’s no way I would have figured out this puzzle, but others already have, and the resulting outcome is that Google will hold its I/O developers’ conference on May 17 – May 19 this year in the same place it was held last year: The Shoreline Amphitheater.

Like last year, this year’s Google I/O will be held in the great outdoors. It’s still pretty early to know what will be announced at this year’s conference aside from the usual announcement of the next version of Android. As well, just like every year, information tends to leak closer to their announcement dates.

Google I/O 2017 official website here.

Honor 6X with 5.5-inch full HD display, dual rear cameras launched in India, prices start at Rs 12,999: Specifications and features

Smartphones with dual rear camera setups are slowly getting mainstream. Last year, we saw the setup on flagship smartphones, and now the technology is making its way on affordable smartphones too. After Coolpad Cool 1 Dual, the Honor 6X is the second affordable smartphone under Rs 15,000 price bracket to get dual cameras at the back. The Honor 6X will be offered in two variants – 32GB storage + 3GB RAM priced at Rs 12,999 and 64GB storage + 4GB RAM variant priced at Rs 15,999. It will be available exclusively via Amazon India.

As the name suggests, the Honor 6X, is the successor to the last year’s Honor 5X. While new smartphone retains the metal unibody design, the USP of the smartphone is its dual-camera setup at the back, which includes a 12-megapixel module with PDAF for clicking photos, paired with a secondary 2-megapixel snapper for capturing depth information. The working of the camera is similar to HTC’s One M8, it lets you add DSLR-like bokeh effect, and refocus on the subject even after clicking the photos.

Honor 6X specifications and features

The smartphone flaunts a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080p) IPS display covered with 2.5D curved glass on top. It is powered by Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 655 octa-core SoC (eight Cortex A53 cores) paired with Mali T830-MP2 GPU paired with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, depending on the variant you choose. On the storage front, you can get the one with 32GB or 64GB storage, which can be further expanded using a microSD card. 

Besides the dual rear cameras, the Honor 6X also features an 8-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video calling. It also includes an on-screen flash mode to help you capture better selfies in low-light conditions. Fuelled with a 3,340mAh battery and fast charging support, connectivity options on the smartphone include dual-SIM card slots (hybrid setup), 4G LTE with VoLTE HD voice calling support, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0-based EMUI 4.1 skin on top. The Honor 6X also features a fingerprint sensor at the back, which the company claims to unlock the device in just 0.3 seconds. 

Vivo V5 Plus with dual-selfie cameras launched in India, priced at Rs 27,980: Specifications, features

After launching the V5 in India a couple of months back, Vivo has today launched the selfie-centric V5 Plus at an event today in India. The smartphone is priced at Rs 27,980, and will start selling from February 1. Pre-booking for the smartphone however kicks off tomorrow (January 24). 

The Vivo V5 Plus was unveiled in Malaysia earlier this month, and the highlight of the smartphone is the dual-camera setup. Unlike many of the smartphones though, the dual-camera setup on the V5 Plus is up front. The Vivo V5 Plus takes the dual-camera module, and places it in the front to achieve bokeh effects in self-portraits.

Vivo V5 Plus specifications and features

The Vivo V5 Plus boasts a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) display with 2.5D curved glass protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 on top. At its heart is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 octa-core chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage.

It consists of a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376 1/2.78-inch sensor, with f/2.0 aperture and 5P lens system. There is a secondary 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture that captures depth information in an image. The two sensors work in combination and add depth-of-field to selfies. One can also change the focus of the selfies, after the photo is clicked. Similar to the V5, the Vivo V5 Plus also gets a ‘moonlight glow’ flash. The LED flash basically brightens up the scene by acting like a lamp or torch, rather than firing like a flash. The front cameras also come with support for Face Beauty 6.0. This is just another term for Beauty mode, wherein the smartphone uses a few software tricks to tweak your selfies to look better.

In addition to the dual-camera module in the front, the Vivo V5 Plus features a 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, and 4K video recording capability. Fuelling the smartphone is a 3,160 mAh battery, which comes with Vivo’s dual-charging engine technology.

The Vivo V5 Plus runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Funtouch OS 3.0 layered above. The UI comes with features like Smart Split 2.0, which essentially allows users to use two apps simultaneously side-by-side. There’s also an eye protection mode, which “filters out blue light to protect your vision and prevent eye strain.” Other features include a fingerprint sensor on the front, which is placed beneath the home button. Connectivity options include, dual-SIM card slots (nano SIMs), 4G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and USB OTG.

Samsung confirms batteries faults as cause of Galaxy Note 7 fires

After months of investigation, Samsung has finally concluded its probe into the Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco. Samsung has also published results of its findings to reveal the culprit that caused the smartphone batteries to overheat and catch fire. According to Samsung’s own investigation and three independent industry organizations, the overheating problem in was caused by two separate problems in batteries that were sourced from two different suppliers.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 7 in August last year, and soon after its release, multiple reports about the smartphone catching fire and exploding started to emerge. In September 2016, the company had to halt the production and replace the faulty batteries. Even when that didn’t work, Samsung had to take a tough decision to withdraw the Galaxy Note 7 completely to avoid further damage. The company has mentioned that 96 percent of all Galaxy Note 7 units that were shipped have already been returned.

Internal and independent investigations "concluded that batteries were found to be the cause of the Galaxy Note 7 incidents," Samsung said in a statement.

"We sincerely apologise for the discomfort and concern we have caused to our customers," Koh Dong-Jin, the head of its mobile business, told reporters in Seoul.

Samsung has mentioned that around 700 engineers tested more than 20,000 devices and over 30,000 batteries to get to the root of the problem. Indeed, short circuit in a battery caused the issue. The damage to the separator allowed the positive and negative electrodes to meet within the jellyroll and cause short circuit. However, there were separate factors that caused the issue in the initial lot and replaced batteries.

It did not identify the battery makers on Monday, but independent investigators UL and Exponent agreed with the findings.

Battery A had a design issue that pushed down the right corner of the battery, while Battery B had defective internal welds, said Kevin White, principal scientist at Exponent.

But Koh dismissed the possibility of suing the manufacturers. "Whatever parts we use, the overall responsibility falls to us for failing to verify its safety and quality," he said. "At this point, I don't think it's right to seek legal action.

Around 1,000 different parts from some 450 suppliers were needed for each Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung acknowledged that it provided the specifications for the batteries, adding in its statement: "We have taken several corrective actions to ensure this never happens again. The lessons of the past several months are now deeply reflected in our processes and in our culture."

In the first lot of batteries, it was a design error that caused the batteries to overheat and explode. There wasn’t enough room between the internals and protective pouch around the batteries. The negative electrodes in the upper­-right corner of the battery were deflected. Also, the tips of negative electrodes were incorrectly located in the curve, and not in the planar area where they were supposed to be. 

In the second lot, the high welding burrs on the positive electrodes inflated, resulting in penetration of separator and insulation tape which caused direct contact between the positive and negative electrode. To make matters worse, Samsung found that a number of batteries were missing the insulation tape, which made it easier to cause short circuit, catch fire and explode.

Learning from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco and withcommitment to safety, Samsung has developed strict quality assurance protocols to ensure the same isn’t repeated. The first is an 8-point battery safety check which will addresssafety of batteries right from component level to their assembly and shipment of devices.

The company will be conducting a durability test, which includes overcharging test, nail puncture test and extreme temperature stress test. Next is a visual inspection to ensure each battery is manufactured as per the guidelines and objective criteria. Then comes the X-Ray test to look for abnormalities inside the batteries. Samsung will also be conducting a large scale charge and discharge test.

Next is a Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) test to ensure that there is not even a slightest possibility of leakage of volatile organic compounds. Then there is Delta Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) test to look for changes in voltage throughout the manufacturing process. There is also accelerated usage test to replicate multiple customer usage scenarios. And lastly, there is disassembling test to access the battery quality. This test will involve checking of insulation tape and battery tab welding.

Samsung has also enhanced its multi-layer safety measures protocol to strictly check for safety standards of every element of the company’s devices. This includes the design and hardware strength capabilities, overall product design and materials used in the manufacturing. For safer battery charging temperature, duration and ensuring apt current, Samsung has also improved its software algorithms.

With all these measures in place, we hope the Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco doesn’t repeat again. Also, it’s not just about Samsung, but we hope all manufacturers take similar safety measure protocols to avoid such problems.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Won't Launch at MWC, Company Executive Confirms

Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Monday it will not unveil its Galaxy S8 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show this year, suggesting the flagship model's launch may be later in the year than its 2016 version.

Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin said the phone would not get a launch event at the MWC event in Barcelona, which begins on February 27, unlike the previous Galaxy S smartphones.

Koh did not comment on when the company planned to launch the new handset, the first premium model Samsung is due to release since the failure of its Galaxy Note 7 flagship device in October over safety issues.

The firm showed off the Galaxy S7 on the sidelines of MWC in February 2016, and started selling the phones in March.

Apple iPhone 8 leak hints at wireless charging and facial recognition capabilities confirmed by a new report

There’s a lot of excitement and buzz around Apple’s next generation iPhone, which coincides with 10th anniversary of the phone this year. Ahead of an official launch, as has become a norm, there are plenty of leaks, rumors and speculations about the upcoming iPhone, also dubbed as the iPhone 8. Besides improvements in design and performance, one of the most talked about expected features of the iPhone 8 has been the wireless charging. Adding more fuel to fire, a new report from a Chinese publication Commercial Times has ‘confirmed’ the feature.

Citing “industry sources”, the publication claims Apple has signed Lite-On Semi, a semiconductor company, to supply the required GPP bridge rectifiers, which are believed to be needed to make wireless charging work. The Taiwanese company is reportedly providing only half of the components. There’s no information on which other partner is providing these components.

It’s not the first time that the iPhone 8 is being rumored to support wireless charging. Back in October last year, Nikkei Asian Review had reported that Apple’s main manufacturing partner, Foxconn, was building wireless charging modules for 2017 iPhones. Though the report cautioned the release of the technology will “depend on whether Foxconn can boost the yield rate to a satisfactory level later on.”

READ : Apple To Hike Price Of IOS Apps In UK, India, And Turkey

The latest leak about iPhone 8 wireless charging feature also adds weight to rumors about this year’s iPhone having glass back, considering brands haven’t evolved a technique to wireless charging through metal. Apple is likely to implement a wireless technology from Wattup that uses radio frequencies to charge devices from up to 15 feet away. Energous, the company behind Wattup, had also hinted at its technology being used in Apple devices.

“One of the largest consumer electronic companies in the world. I cannot tell you who it is, but I can virtual guarantee that you have products from this company on your person, sitting on your desk, or at home,” CEO Steve Rizzone had said.

Apart from wireless charging, one of the most exciting features expected on iPhone 8 is inclusion of a facial recognition feature. The company is expected to include a new laser sensor, which will allow the iPhone to do AR-VR based tasks. A research note by Cowen and Company, which it supplied to its clients, claims Apple is going to include gesture or facial recognition using the front camera module on iPhones.

So far, Apple has been rumored to be prepping three variants of the iPhone 2017, including one with a curved AMOLED touchscreen. There will be two LCD models at 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch and a third OLED model (with curved screen) at 5.8-inch. The OLED model is expected to have a smaller active display area between 5.1 and 5.2-inches. It is also likely to come with IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. 

Samsung to announce cause of Galaxy Note 7 fire on January 23, how to watch live press conference

Samsung Electronics said today it will announce on January 23 the reason why its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones overheated and caught fire. The announcement will be live streamed in Chinese, English and Korean on its websites. Koh Dong-jin, Samsung’s mobile president, will give details of the probe. The Galaxy Note 7 was a fiasco for the world’s largest smartphone maker. Samsung recalled and eventually discontinued it after numerous reports of it overheating and bursting into flames.

Samsung executives will announce the cause of the Galaxy Note7 incidents and quality enhancement plan during a press conference (India) in Seoul, South Korea, on January 23, 2017 at 10 am KST (6.30 am IST).

Initially, Samsung said it found a small error in the manufacturing process for some of the batteries in the phones was to blame. It replaced the phones with a new battery but those replaced phones also overheated and caught fire, prompting Samsung to pull the phones from the market. That cost Samsung at least USD 5 billion.

The announcement comes after a South Korean court dismissed yesterday a request by prosecutors to arrest Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong heir. Lee, the conglomerate’s heir and de facto head, is under investigation for alleged bribery in connection with an influence-peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro 'World's First Google Tango Smartphone' launched in India, priced at Rs 29,990: Specifications, features

The wait for Lenovo PHAB2 Pro in India is finally over. World’s first Google Project Tango smartphone has been launched at a price of Rs 29,990 exclusively on Flipkart. The smartphone is available only in Champagne Gold color in India, and there are a handful of offers on the device which could bring down the cost in case you are mulling a purchase. Flipkart is offering no cost EMI plans starting from Rs 2,500 per month. There is also an exchange offer up to Rs 20,000 which could bring down the value to as low as just Rs 9,990. Additionally, Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card holders can avail an extra five percent off on the purchase.

Lenovo PHAB2 Pro is the first Google Project Tango smartphone in the world, and was first launched in November last year. The USP of the smartphone is its camera technology that blends augmented reality with virtual reality using motion sensing, depth sensing and 3D tracking, thus allowing the device to create 3D maps of the users’ surroundings in real-time. This can be best understood with the example of AR-based gaming app Pokémon GO along with the technology behind Google Glass. Combining the two, you have a smartphone that is ready to showcase real environment with virtual information in an immersive form.

Lenovo PHAB2 Pro specifications and features

Lenovo PHAB2 Pro features a full-metal unibody design, and boasts a 6.4-inch quad HD IPS display. At its heart, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 652 SoC comes paired with 4GB of RAM. It further includes 64GB of internal storage that can be further expanded via microSD card.

At the core of the smartphone’s AR+VR technology is a 16-megapixel RGB camera with PDAF fast focus, motion sensor, and a depth sensor. The Tango set of sensors and software further include fisheye camera and fixed focus. There is also an 8-megapixel front camera for selfie lovers.

Other features on the smartphone include a rear fingerprint scanner and audio technologies such as Dolby ATMOS. It is the first smartphone to come with Dolby 5.1 Audio capture. Connectivity options include 4G LTE support, dual SIM support, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.0, and microUSB. 

Keeping the smartphone ticking is a 4,050mAh battery with fast charging capabilities. Lenovo claims that it can last up to 15 hours on a single charge. The Lenovo PHAB2 Pro runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

Honor 6X with dual rear camera to launch in India on January 24, will be Amazon exclusive: here’s everything you need to know

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor is set to finally launch its Honor 6X smartphone in India on January 24. Highlight of the smartphone is its dual rear camera setup. However, at a price point of around Rs 13,999, the Honor 6X is touted to be one of the most affordable smartphones in India to offer dual rear-camera setup.

Although the smartphone has been already launched in home-country China where it retails at Yuan 999 for the base model (Rs 9,880 approximately) and goes up to 1599 Yuan for the most premium model (Rs 15,800 approximately). In October last year, the Honor 6X had been previewed in India without details about its pricing and availability. However, the company has now started sending out media invites for new information which will revealed on January 24, 2017 about what it calls the ‘Swag Phone’.

The Honor 6X has exclusively on Amazon India and participated in Honor 6X Quiz answering all the 10 questions right! This Contest will commence from January 19, 2017 at 12:00:01 a.m. (IST) and end on January 19, 2017 at 11:59:59 p.m. (IST) 

The Honor 6X has also been announced at the ongoing CES 2017 where the company launched the smartphone for international markets.

ALSO READ : Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 launched in India, price starting at Rs 9,999: specifications and features 

Honor 6X specifications and features

The Honor 6X boasts a range of improvements over its predecessor Honor 5X. It features a metallic finish and sports a 5.5-inch full HD display with 2.5D curved glass on top. Under its hood is Huawei’s own Kirin 655 octa-core chipset clocked at 4 X 2.1GHz + 4 X 1.7GHz speeds and coupled with Mali T830-MP2 GPU and 3GB/4GB of RAM which is further paired with 32GB of internal storage or 64GB of internal storage respectively.

Camera being the highlight of the smartphone, the camera setup on the Honor 6X includes a 12-megapixel auto-focus snapper with PDAF support and a secondary 2-megapixel snapper for achieving depth of field and DSLR-like bokeh effect. For selfie lovers, there is an 8-megapixel camera up front. The company proudly claims that the smartphone has been designed with youngsters in mind, who love photo filters.

The smartphone is powered by a 3,340mAh battery with support for fast charging and Type-C. Other features include a rear fingerprint sensor that is claimed to unlock the device in 0.3 seconds. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots (hybrid setup), 4G with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0-based EMUI 4.1, which will soon be updated to EMUI 5.0.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 launched in India, price starting at Rs 9,999: specifications and features

Xiaomi has finally brought the Redmi Note 4 to India. Priced from Rs 9,999, the phone sticks to the competitive price position of its predecessor, offering a similar set of features and specifications, and an all-round approach to the smartphone. The Redmi Note 4 will go on sale exclusively on 23rd January at 12PM on Flipkart and mi.com/in, with three variants available. The most affordable 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage variant will be priced at Rs 9,999, while the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant will cost Rs 10,999, and the 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage variant will retail at Rs 12,999. The phone will be available in three color variants: gold, dark grey and matte black. The matte black variant wont’ be available at launch, and will be made available at a later stage.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 specifications and features

The phone comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD display. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor clubbed with Adreno 506GPU. The company is touting the 14nm FinFET architecture of the SoC and its benefits for battery life. The smartphone is also part of the company's Make in India programme. All the versions of the Redmi Note 4 support expandable storage of up to 128GB via a hybrid microSD card slot. 

On the photography front, the smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture and PDAF support. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and 85-degree wide-angle lens. The phone has a large 4100mAh battery, which is a marginal upgrade from the 4050mAh unit on the Redmi Note 3.

On the connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots (hybrid setup), 4G with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, fingerprint sensor on the rear panel. On the software front, the Redmi Note 4 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow wrapped under MIUI 8. 

Qualcomm to invest $8.5 million for expanding its design initiatives and help for Aadhaar-enabled chip in India

Global chip maker Qualcomm on Monday announced investment of $8.5 million for expansion of its design initiatives in India, which would primarily include funding its Innovation Labs at Hyderabad and Bangalore. A portion of the investment earmarked for design initiatives will also be utilized for its Design in India Challenge 2017, a program that nurtures promising start-ups in the country. The Qualcomm Design in India Challenge II will support companies in the areas of Rural technology, Biometric Devices, Payment Terminals, Agri-Technology, Medical Technology and Smart Infrastructure.

Digital payments are picking up in the country after demonetization, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here on Tuesday, adding that this has led to transparency in transactions. There was a need to empower people in rural India by developing technology products that could facilitate and accelerate health and education, the minister added. Prasad was speaking at an event where chip manufacturer Qualcomm announced investment of $8.5 million to expand their design initiatives in India that will support companies in the areas of rural technology, biometric devices, payment terminals and others.

The minister asked Qualcomm if they “can come up with an innovation of a chip that can become integral to Aadhaar”. “With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society, Qualcomm is committed to offering support to help India’s ecosystem to grow and cater to increasing consumer choices,” John Han, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Qualcomm Technology Licensing, told reporters here. 

“After seeing the response during the 2016 edition of the Design in India challenge, we decided to go ahead with a second year, as well as expanding the number of participants Qualcomm nurtures through this program from 10 to 16 participants in 2017,” Jim Cathey, senior vice-president and president, Asia Pacific & India, Qualcomm Technologies Inc said at a conference. The San Diego-based maker of mobile phone chips is sharpening its focus on growing mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem in India with R&D and localization support.

Accordingly, it expects to enable mobile and IoT vendors by providing advanced camera, audio, and RF design support with the launch of a new Innovation Lab at Hyderabad and expansion of current Innovation Lab in Bangalore. Cathey, however, declined to divulge the exact quantum of investment or the hirings for expansion of the innovation labs. The company today announced that three start-ups — Carnot Technologies, iFuture Robotics and Uncanny Vision — had won the first edition of Qualcomm Design in India Challenge (QDIC) launched in 2015 in association with software body Nasscom.

Over the last 12 months, ten shortlisted companies were incubated with initial prize money of $10,000 each and engineering support at Qualcomm India’s Innovation Lab in Bangalore where they could transform their ideas into prototypes. In the final round, the companies were judged by the jury members consisting of industry, Government and Qualcomm executives. In addition, the selected winners were awarded $100,000 each as part of the challenge.