Google Assistant SDK released for third-party developers, allowing anyone to make AI-based smart gadgets

After introducing the Google Assistant exclusively on the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones last year, Google widely rolled out the assistant on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Android 7.0 Nougat based smartphones, and on Android Wear OS. Now, Google has announced a developer preview SDK (software development kit) that will allow developers to build Google Assistant into third-party devices.

By releasing the SDK, Google is looking to encourage third-parties to create their own Google Assistant hardware. The SDK will offer ‘full Google Assistant experience,’ Google mentioned in a blog post. Using the SDK, developers can build anything from robots to smart devices such as connected fans, bulbs, voice-enabled smart mirrors and more. Using ‘Actions on Google’ API that was released last year, developers have the liberty to create their own voice commands and response to control local device. All these commands are sent to the developer software in the form of text, allowing them to see what’s going on, and react accordingly.

ALSO READ: Google to launch 3 Pixel smartphones powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 SoC: Report

To begin with, the SDK supports both, ‘OK Google’ hotword and ‘button, same as you invoke the Assistant by pressing and holding the home button on Android smartphones. Being a developer preview, a lot of features are still under development. The SDK includes Python open source client, gRCP API, to handle access and authentication to the API, documentation and samples.

The kit also allows developers to capture spoken query, such as ‘what’s on my calendar,’ ‘do I have any appointments tomorrow,’ and more. Developers can pass these commands to Google Assistant service and receive audio response for the same.

ALSO READ: Google adds support for more Indian languages to Gboard, Maps, Translate; to leverage neural machine learning

How to get started with Google Assistant developer preview SDK

As it is still in the prototyping phase, Google recommends using Raspberry Pi devices to get started with. The SDK also supports other platforms, but Google did not shed light on it. Developers who are interested in building their Google Assistant based hardware can head over to Google Assistant SDK website, and sign up for the same. 

There is a ‘learn more’ section where Google has mentioned about the requirements such as Raspberry Pi 3 model B with NOOBS OS installed, a USB microphone, and a speaker. Next, Google also has a guide on the process — how to setup hardware along with network access, configuring developer project, testing audio and running the sample code.

Sure, making the Google Assistant SDK available for developer sounds interesting. It opens up whole new possibilities as one can easily build a Google Home like smart device of their own. It now remains to be seen how developers can make the most of this opportunity.

Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro, Galaxy On7 Pro Available at a Discount on Amazon India

Samsung is now offering its Galaxy On5 Pro and Galaxy On7 Pro smartphones at discounted prices on Amazon India as part of a special sale. Both Gold and Black colour variants of the smartphones are available at same price as part of the sale. While Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro is currently available on the website at Rs. 7,490 (a discount of Rs. 1,700), the Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro is available at Rs. 8,990 (a discount of Rs. 2,200) as part of the sale. The smartphones were both released in July last year. Further, the company is offering an additional discount of up to Rs. 7,069 and Rs. 5,831 on Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro and Galaxy On5 Pro respectively as part of an exchange offer.

Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro specifications and features

The smartphone sports a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display, and is powered by a 1.3GHz Exynos 3475 quad-core processor paired with Mali-T720 GPU and 2GB of RAM. Also on offer is 16GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 128GB using a microSD card.

The Galaxy On5 Pro is also equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture, 5-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture, and a 2,600mAh battery. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. On the software front, the new smartphones run on Android Marshmallow 6.0.

Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro, the dual-SIM smartphone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-box and sports a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display. The smartphone is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. The Samsung On7 Pro comes with 16GB of built-in storage, which is expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.

In terms of optics, the Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro packs a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera for selfies. 

Galaxy On5 Pro / Galaxy On7 Pro 

Moto E4, Moto E4 Plus price, specifications, photos leaked ahead of launch

For the past few weeks, we’ve been spotting Motorola’s upcoming Moto E4 and Moto E4 Plus quite frequently on the rumor mills. While Lenovo or Motorola are yet to confirm a launch date for these smartphones, there’s no stopping the trickle of leaks. The full specifications, image and price of the upcoming Moto E4 and Moto E4 Plus have now been leaked. The Moto E4, as the name suggests, is the successor to last year’s Moto E3 series.

Speaking about the image shared by German website Winfuture, it shows the Moto E4’s front and back panels. Needless to say, the latest leaked image is in line with earlier leaks. On the front, we have the selfie camera, earpiece and the Moto logo placed above the display. The home button has a rectangular shape, and is said to double up as a fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint sensor would be available on the Moto E4 Plus as well. At the back, we can see two antenna bands running on top and bottom, as well as the large circular rear camera module with the Motorola logo placed below it.

The Moto E4 is said to be priced around €150 which is Rs 10,500 approximately. While the Moto E4 Plus will be priced around €190 which comes to Rs 13,300 approximately. This pricing is however restricted to the European market.

ALSO READ: Moto X Pure Edition aka Moto X Style gets Android 7.0 Nougat update

Moto E4 specifications, features

According to this report, the Moto E4 will feature a 5-inch HD (720p) LCD display, a MediaTek MT6737M quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz, and 2GB of RAM. There is also 16GB of internal storage that is expandable via a microSD card. In the photography department, the Moto E4 is said to sport an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. 

At par with the FCC listing, the Moto E4 will be backed by a 2,800mAh battery. Connectivity options available on the smartphone include 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11n, GPS and NFC. On the software front, the Moto E4 runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The smartphone will be available in three colors of gray, gold and blue.

Moto E4 Plus specifications, features

The bigger variant of the two, the Moto E4 Plus will feature a 5.5-inch HD IPS display. Most of the specifications remain the same except for three major upgrades. To start with, the rear camera on the Moto E4 Plus will carry 13-megapixel sensors while the selfie camera remains the same. In line with past rumors, the Moto E4 Plus will be backed by a massive 5,000mAh battery. This factor will surely keep it above other entry-level smartphones in the market. The memory differs as well as the Moto E4 Plus will also come with 3GB of RAM. The Moto E4 Plus will be available in two colors of gray and gold. 

Moto X Pure Edition aka Moto X Style gets Android 7.0 Nougat update

Motorola has announced the roll out of Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Moto X Pure Edition. The smartphone, which launched in 2015, is known as the Moto X Style in the markets outside the US. The announcement comes shortly after Motorola began a soak test for the Android 7.0 Nougat for the smartphone.

While the update is being rolled out gradually, you can always check for the new update by visiting Settings on your phone. Then tap on About Phone and then on System updates. If there’s an update, you are good to go. Motorola has an important disclaimer if you are planning on updating your phone — “you cannot downgrade to a previous software version after installing this update.”

That being said, the Android 7.0 Nougat update brings in a slew of features and improvements. This includes an improved multi-tasking, split-screen, Doze mode, data saving, improved quick settings menu, and native call blocking among others. You can check out the complete log of the new features that the Android 7.0 update will bring here.

Motorola had released a comprehensive list of the smartphones that will receive the update in January this year. The list did include the Moto X Pure Edition as well. Even though the smartphone is two-year-old, it’s good to see Motorola fulfilling promising of providing the update to the phone. Though Google will be soon unveiling Android O this year. It will be interesting to see if Motorola is able to bring its older phones onboard with the latest software update. 

Lenovo to shut down Zuk Mobile in coming weeks, combine it with Moto brand: Report

Lenovo is reportedly set to draw the curtains on its sub-brand Zuk Mobile. This comes after Lenovo recently embraced the Motorola brand to re-introduce ‘Moto by Lenovo’ identity. Launched in 2015, the online-only Zuk brand has a handful of smartphones under its name however they fizzled out without making an impression in the crowded market. If the rumors are to be believed, Lenovo would combine Zuk with Moto to create a new brand in the coming future.

A Weibo user named Old Cool posted that Lenovo will not be launching the Zuk Z3 to which, an analyst Pan Jiutang replied saying that the Zuk Mobile is shutting down in the next few weeks. It is speculated that the brand will be absorbed in the previously one-brand strategy as well. Interestingly, this contradicts recent leaks where renders of what’s believed to be a special edition of the ZUK Edge 2 emerged online.

In its two years’ of existence, Zuk Mobile tried to catch on the flourishing online-only sales market where other players such as Xiaomi and OnePlus have long ruled. However, the brand managed to launch only five smartphones in its short-lived existence. The first smartphone was launched in May last year. Called the Zuk Z1 – the USP of the smartphone is that it runs Cyanogen OS 12.1 based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The last smartphone by Zuk was launched in December 2016, called Zuk Edge. 

It is worth mentioning that the use of Cyanogen OS has its own share of controversies. The company which offered a more user-friendly and customizable version of Android, claimed better than Google, embraced instant success by powering popular smartphones such as the OnePlus One. In India, the company initially partnered exclusively with Micromax for its Yu-branded smartphones. However, soon the Indian manufacturer also ditched the Cyanogen OS thereby opening up the channel for other like Lenovo’s Zuk.

Although there is no official statement, but if the reports are to be believed, Lenovo might retain the ZUI custom Android skin. This falls in line with the recent comments made by Lenovo Vice President Alex Chen Yu who said that the upcoming Moto smartphones will feature Zuk’s ZUI interface. 

As the competition grows in the crowding smartphone market where each day we witness a new feature launching, it has become difficult for manufacturers to stay innovative and relevant. In India, where the Chinese manufacturers are enjoying their new found popularity, thanks to millennials opting for affordable yet feature-rich smartphones; established brands such as Apple and Samsung are scrambling for the market share. Amidst all this, a brand like Lenovo is keeping up in the game, especially after it included Motorola under its umbrella.

In a recent report by IDC, Lenovo recorded 14.8 percent year-on-year growth and ranked second in terms of value and volume in India last year. Emerging as the second-biggest smartphone vendor, Lenovo had a market share of 8.9 percent in calendar year 2016 and 9.9 percent in the fourth quarter alone. The growth is attributed to Lenovo’s aggressive launches in mid-tier and premium segment in the given period.

Vivo V5s with 20-megapixel front camera launched in India, Priced at Rs 18,990: Specifications and features

After the dual-selfie camera totting V5 Plus, Vivo is back with another selfie-focused smartphone called the V5s. The Vivo V5s is priced at Rs 18,990 , and is available in color choices of Crown Gold and Matte Black . As is the case with the company’s V5 series, the USP of the Vivo V5s is the 20-megapixel front-facing camera. Pre-booking of the smartphone starts today with the first sales starting May 6. The Matte Black variant will be available on May 6 while the Crown Gold model will be available on May 20. Buyers also get two months of Saavn subscription for free on purchase of Vivo V5s.

One of the talking points of Vivo’s smartphones from the V5 series is their front camera capabilities, and the V5s is no exception. It boasts a 20-megapixel front camera with Vivo’s signature Moonlight flash, Facebeauty 3.0, and Group Selfie mode.The smartphone also packs a 13-megapixel rear camera with PDAF support and LED flash. The camera is capable of recording in 1080p and includes a range of filters and modes. 

Vivo V5s features, specifications

The Vivo V5s boasts similar specifications as its predecessor — Vivo V5. So what you get is a unibody design with the new U-type antenna design at the top and bottom. There is also a capacitive fingerprint sensor on the front which is water resistant.

As far as specifications are concerned, the V5s boasts a 5.5-inch HD (720p) display, and under the hood is the same MediaTek MT6750 SoC, which also powers the V5. The processor is paired with 4GB of RAM, and there is 64GB of onboard storage that can be further expandable up to 256GB using a microSD card. Now, this makes the Vivo V5s stand out more like an upgraded variant of the V5, with minimal design change and slight bump in the hardware.

Fuelling the Vivo V5s is a 3,000mAh battery. On the software front, it runs on Android Marshmallow-based FunTouch 3.0 OS that includes a feature called ‘App Cloning’ which allows users to operate two different WhatsApp accounts on the same device. Connectivity options include dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G LTE, and Hi-Fi AK4376 support. 

Vivo V5s

Samsung Galaxy S9 could be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC

Samsung’s latest Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are only just reaching the hands of buyers in some countries, with sales in India set to kick off on May 5. But that’s not stopping the first rumors about next year’s Galaxy S9 to surface online. The Galaxy S8 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 and Samsung’s Exynos 8895 chipsets. It is now learnt that Samsung and Qualcomm have started working on a new chipset for the Galaxy S9, believed to be the Snapdragon 845.

This comes from a report by The Investor, which states that once the development for the Snapdragon 845 chipset is complete, either Samsung or Taiwan’s TSMC will start manufacturing it. The new Snapdragon 845 chipset is said to provide 15 percent reduction in power consumption, and 10 percent increase in performance as compared to the Snapdragon 835 SoC. Samsung is currently building the Snapdragon 835 chipset and its own Exynos chipsets based on 10mn fabrication process. In a recent report, it was learnt that both Samsung and TSMC is battling it out to build chipsets on the 7nm process.

It was also reported that Samsung is looking to begin mass producing chipsets on the 7nm by early 2018. This hinted on the possibility of the Galaxy S9’s chipset to be built on the 7nm fabrication process. TSMC, which is currently making Apple A11 chipsets based on 10nm process, is said to risk production of 7nm chipsets and begin manufacturing by 2018. Coming to today’s report, it remains to be seen whether Samsung or TSMC would get the rights to producing the Snapdragon 845 chipset. 

Speaking about the rumored Galaxy S9, it was last known that the screens of the smartphone have entered manufacturing stage. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is expected to launch in two variants with the bigger sized variant called Galaxy S9+. The Galaxy S9 is said to feature a 5.7-inch display, while the Galaxy S9+ would flaunt a 6.2-inch display. Samsung is said to have divided the manufacturing of the Galaxy S9 in stages with the display being first. After Samsung supplies samples for the display of the Galaxy S9, the company is said to begin working on other parts like modules in phases. 

There have been speculations about the Galaxy S9’s water resistant capabilities which will be on another level. After having inked a deal with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Samsung is now the exclusive licencor to an advanced screen coating technology that not only resists water but even repels it. This advanced screen coating system repels water, carries away dust and dirt, reduces light reflection and also resists fingerprints and smudges. Considering how it is still early stages, it is advised that the information be taken with a grain of salt. We would be learning more about the Galaxy S9’s development in the coming days.

Google to launch 3 Pixel smartphones powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 SoC: Report

While the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG have launched their 2017- flagship devices, one will have to wait till the end of this year for Google to launch its own. The search giant is also said to be working on not two, but three Pixel devices. However, the latest rumors to hit the rumor mills is that all the three Pixel devices will be equipped with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 chipset. The flagship chipset now powers the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and even the recently launched Xiaomi Mi 6.

The smartphones have been spotted by winfuture.de on the Android Open Source Project, and it also confirms the codenames for the upcoming Pixel smartphones – Walleye, Muskie, and Taimen. While Walleye and Muskie are not new to the rumor mill, a new device codenamed Muskie has now been spotted. The Muskie is said to be the successor to the original Pixel, while Walleye will be the 2017 iteration of the Pixel XL. Interestingly, the third device codenamed Taimen is speculated to be the successor to the Nexus 6. It goes without saying that these upcoming smartphones will come with many notable changes. If reports are to be believed, the Nexus 6 successor will come with a display that is even bigger than the Pixel XL.

ALSO READ: Google adds support for more Indian languages to Gboard, Maps, Translate; to leverage neural machine learning 

Apart from that, previous rumors suggest that Google would be ditching the 3.5mm audio jack in the Pixel 2 series following the footsteps of Apple iPhone 7 and the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. A report claims that we won’t see a big megapixel bump from last year’s 12.3-megapixel. With the Pixel replacing the old Nexus line, the devices will be the first phones that will no doubt run on Android O 8.0 out-of-the-box.

While Google is yet to launch the Pixel 2, reports claim that the likes of HTC, LG, TCL and Coolpad are lobbying to get the rights to manufacture the devices. At MWC 2017 earlier this year, Google’s head of hardware Rick Osterloh made it official that the next Pixel line-up will be launched sometime later this year. He further mentioned that Google will not be doing away with the premium pricing strategy.  To put that into perspective, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL were launched in India with prices starting from Rs 57,000.

Google adds support for more Indian languages to Gboard, Maps, Translate; to leverage neural machine learning

India is a multilingual nation. Over 300 million Indians use smartphones, however, there is a significant number of users which are still wary of adopting the web world owing to the gap between how the services are offered and the way they are consumed. Having a smartphone is a boon in the digital age, but is the language becoming a barrier for the majority of Indians from tapping the fullest potential of a smart device or internet in general?

Internet giant Google sees an opportunity of growth in the vernacular segment. While it has already added Indian language support to some of its services, the company today announced further expansion to the number of Indian languages supported. It also revealed plans to leverage machine learning to further improve its services with the Indian languages. Starting today, Google‘s products including Maps, Translate, Chrome, and Gboard will support over 30 Indian languages.

To help make web more inclusive for the Indian users, Google conducted a study in collaboration with KPMG. As of now, there are 234 million Indian language internet users as compared to 175 million English internet users. It is estimated that by 2021, Hindi speaking users will overtake English speaking Internet users. Furthermore, 9 out of 10 users in the next four years are likely to be Indian language users.

With the tremendous opportunity to make Google a more household name, the company already has a slew of products catering the Indian users. From Internet Saathi, GStation to YouTube Go; Google has lanched a slew of services and products customized for the Indian users.

It has been found that about 60 percent of users believe the lack of support for Indian language keeps them away from exploring the buzzing world of internet. Hence, improving on its support for Indian languages, Google also extended its neural machine translation system for as many as nine Indian languages.

Using the neural machine translation system, Google tools such as Gboard, Maps, Chrome are able to better translate the input as per user’s requirement. As Melvin Johnson, Google engineer, puts it, “…over 90 percent of Google Translate traffic comes from outside the US and India is seen as one of the largest and fastest growing Google Translate countries.” 

At the heart of the neural machine translation system is a multilingual model which helps in scaling up the system. It basically allows one to put an input in local language and get results in a different language seamlessly. So for an example, the system can do translations from English- Hindi and English- Spanish; so the improved system basically suggests a possible translation from Spanish to Hindi or vice versa through learning.

The time involved in training these language models requires between two to three weeks per model. Google has also been crowdsourcing ‘human quality’ translations. The translation community was launched first in 2014 and addresses the challenges of translation for 44 languages.

With these systems at the core, Google’s multilingual products like Gboard, Chrome, Maps, etc can now support translations from Hindi to English, or English to Tamil in a better fashion. Going forward, Google aims to not only to bring more support for the Indian languages but also build an ecosystem where Indian language users are able to chat, shop, advertise, pay, search, and connect in the language of their choice.

Samsung Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition with 64GB storage launched in India, priced at Rs 16,900: Specifications, features

Samsung today launched the Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition in India today. Priced at Rs 16,900, the smartphone is available in black and gold color variants. The On Nxt 2017 Edition will be available for purchase starting midnight today exclusively via Flipkart.

The Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition and the last year’s on NXT come with a common set of specifications but has one main difference — the latest handset has 64GB onboard storage as compared to 32GB storage. Interestingly, the predecessor had launched in India for Rs Rs 18,490 and is currently selling for Rs 15,000 approximately.

The Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition also supports expandable storage up to 256GB via microSD. The handset retains the metal unibody design and houses a 3,300mAh battery, which comes with several power management features. It has a Power Planning mode to let users manage the battery with features like Reserve Battery, Extend Battery and Call Forwarding on zero battery.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy On Nxt (2016) Launched In India, Priced At Rs 18,490: Specifications, Features

Samsung Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition Specifications

It features a 5.5-inch Full HD display (1080p) with a 2.5D curved glass for protection. It is powered by an octa-core Exynos 7870 SoC clocked at 1.6 GHz and is paired with 3GB of RAM and ARM Mali T830 MP1 GPU for graphics. 

In terms of optics, the Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition has a 13-megapixel primary camera with LED flash, Auto-Focus and f/1.9 aperture. It has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture. The handset runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0 with TouchWiz UI on top. It also has a fingerprint scanner integrated into to the home button on front panel.

Connectivity features include dual-SIM (dual-standby), 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, and a MicroUSB port.

Apple is welcome to make in India, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

India would welcome Apple to make its iconic iPhones in the country where a lot of big firms were already making mobile phones, said Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. “A lot of big mobile phone manufacturing companies have come, and if Apple comes fine, they are welcome,” he told reporters at the margins of an IT event.

Noting that he would soon be meeting top officials of the US-based firm to discuss its plans to make its mobile phones in India, Prasad said as India was a huge market, making in India for the domestic and export markets was important. “They (Apple) are very keen. Its executives are going to meet me in a couple of days though I need not share with you what they are going to discuss with me,” quipped Prasad after an interactive meet with captains of the IT industry, organised by the state-run Software Technology Parks of India.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Price slashed on Amazon India

Noting that 72 global telecom firms have started production in the country over the last two years, the Minister said 42 of them were making handsets while others (30) were manufacturing components like batteries and other parts. 

LG G6 with 5.7-inch 18:9 QHD+ FullVision display, dual camera launched in India, priced at Rs 51,990: Specifications, features

One of the Samsung Galaxy S8 competitors has finally made its way to India. Unveiled first at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, the LG G6 is priced at Rs 51,990. The flagship smartphone will be available exclusively on Amazon India, starting April 25. Buyers get color choices of Mystic White, Astro Black, and Ice Platinum. LG is also offering the LG Tone Active+ wireless headset at 50 percent discount. It is originally priced at Rs 9,990.

There are many launch day offers on the LG G6, especially for those who pre-registered for the device. LG G6 buyers will get a cash back of Rs 5,000 when using HDFC and SBI cards. There is also an additional Rs 2,000 cash back offer on pre-booking of the LG G6. The company is also offering special rewards worth Rs 14,100 on six smartphone games upon the purchase of the G6. These games include Cookie Jam, Temple Run 2, Simcity Buildit, Spiderman Unlimited, Genies, Gems and Crossy Road.

The LG G6, as the name suggests, is the successor to last year’s G5 but doesn’t boast a modular design. Among the many highlights of the new smartphone is the Full Vision Display, dual-camera setup at the back, support for Dolby Vision high dynamic range video technology, and IP68-level water and dust resistance capabilities. As you would expect from a flagship device, the LG G6 flaunts a unibody metal design with rounded corners and chamfered edges.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ launched in India, prices start at Rs 57,900: Specifications, features

LG G6 specifications and features

The LG G6 flaunts a 5.7-inch QHD display (2880x1440p) with a near bezel-less design. The talking point, however, is the display, which LG calls ‘Full Vision Display’. It comes with an aspect ratio of 18:9 — which essentially means it is exactly twice as tall as it is wide. It also comes with 80.7% screen-to-body ratio. To put this into context, the G6 is actually narrower and shorter than the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. The LG G6 features Corning Gorilla Glass both in the front and back for more durability. It also comes with a added ‘Always On’ display technology — a feature we have seen on a range of LG smartphones in the past. The LG G6 is equipped with Dolby Vision which is said to offer more true to life color reproduction along with optimising battery consumption.

At the heart of the LG G6 is an year-old Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC. This is a sort of disappointment, when you consider that the likes of Samsung Galaxy S8 and Xiaomi Mi 6 are powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC. The LG G6′s processor is paired with 4GB of RAM, and there’s 32GB and 64GB storage options on offer, which can be further expanded using a microSD card.

Apart from the display, another talking point of the LG G6 is the dual-camera setup at the back. This setup includes a pair of 13-megapixel lenses, out of which one is a wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture, while the other is a standard lens with f/1.8 aperture. The rear camera allows support for 4K video recording and is equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Up front, the smartphone is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture. There are four shots enabled by the camera which includes the Snap Shot, Match Shot, Grid Shot and Guide Shot. LG claims that the 18:9 ratio allows the G6 to be the world’s first square camera. This essentially makes it easier to post the images on social media without the need for resizing.

Keeping the LG G6 ticking is its 3,300mAh battery, which supports Quick Charge 3.0 through a USB Type-C port. The LG G6 also comes with Google Assistant. For connectivity, the smartphone packs 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.1 and GPS. On the software front, it runs on Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box with UX 6.0 running on top.

Samsung starts rolling Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge Android 7.0 Nougat Update in India

While Samsung provided the official Nougat treatment to Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge back in January this year, it has now reportedly started rolling out the Android 7.0 Nougat update to its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones as well - including to users in India. While the update took long enough to roll out widely, it does bring a host of changes to the platform and carries along April 2017 security patch as well.

Users from India are reporting that Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones have started receiving the update, with build versions G920IDVU3FQD1 and G925IDVU3FQD1 respectively. While the Android 7.0 Nougat update for Galaxy S6 is reported to be 1235.04MB in size, the update size for Galaxy S6 Edge has been reported to be 1247.36MB.

ALSO READ: Samsung Starts Rolling Galaxy S6 Edge+ Nougat Update In India And Sri Lanka

The update brings along improvements to notifications as well as Quick settings button. As per the changelog, it further brings improvements to multi-window and improves space management efficiency for installation of downloaded apps. The company claims that the update improves the speed of system upgrade and app installation as well. Update also brings along performance improvements, bug fixes, and a Game Launcher app. With the update, just like on Galaxy S7, users also get a blue light filter and a high performance mode that increases the display brightness. The rollout was first reported by FoneArena.

Galaxy S6

Sharp Aquos R with Snapdragon 835 SoC, Emop AI assistant, 22.6-megapixel camera launched: Specifications, features

At the moment there aren’t many devices in the market with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor. While Xiaomi and Samsung have launched their respective flagship smartphones with 835 SoC, Sharp has launched the Aquos R smartphone with the top-end processor. Sharp has also joined the league of growing smartphone companies with their own AIs as the Aquos R comes with an Emop AI. The smartphone is currently available in Japan. Other key details such as availability of the device outside Japan and price haven’t been revealed as yet.

Besides the top-end processor and built-in AI, the Aquos R boasts of a ‘mirror finished’ all-metal body with an aluminum frame and comes in a Black color variant. The device also comes with an HDR 10 compatible display among other high-end specifications.

Aquos R Features and Specifications

The Aquos R sports a 5.3 inch IGZO or WQHD display offering 2K resolution and is touted to be a display as good as on a modern television. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset paired with Adreno 540 GPU.

The device has 4GB of RAM and offers 64GB of storage onboard. The Aquos R also features a fingerprint scanner on the front-panel. The smartphone runs on Android Nougat 7.1. Also, the Japanese smartphone maker has introduced their AI based digital assistant called Emop which can be accessed via voice command. The digital assistant on Aquos R activates over saying ‘Hello Emop’.

In the camera department, the device offers a 22.6-megapixel camera sensor on the rear with LED flash, OIS, high-speed autofocus and f/1.9 aperture. For the selfie lovers, it has a 16.3-megapixel wide-angle snapper on the front. 

The Aquos R packs a 3,160mAh battery underneath with Quick Charge 3.0 support. The handset also comes with a charging dock called ROBOKOKU. Much like the name, ROBOKOKU boasts of few futuristic features like a robot. The charging dock when connected to the smartphone, it rotates itself and scan for owner’s face to alert of notification and answer incoming calls.

Amazon Fire TV Stick launched in India at Rs 3,999; takes on Google Chromecast

As expected, Amazon today launched its Google Chromecast rival, Fire TV Stick, in India for a price of Rs 3,999. The device will be available on Amazon India and select retailers including Reliance Digital and Croma starting tomorrow. The package includes a USB drive which can be plugged into an HD TV and a remote to access content via Wi-Fi connection. In addition to this, Amazon has also announced the availability of the animated version of Bahubali: The Lost Legends, Suicide Squad and stand-up comedy by Kenny Sebastian in Prime Video as well.

Amazon has an introductory offer for people who purchase the Fire TV Stick before May 31 and subscribe to an annual membership for Prime Video. Amazon will credit Rs 499 back to their Amazon Pay balance, and users who already have Prime membership are also eligible for this offer for a limited period of time. In addition to content available from eligible platforms like Hotstar, Voot, Airtel Movies along with Amazon Prime Video, users get access to 3,000 apps, games, and services. On purchasing the Fire Stick TV via Amazon India, the device will come pre-registered and users can begin using it automatically.

While demonstrating the Fire Stick TV, it was noticeable how Amazon has focused on making content available in the best possible way. For example, searching for a particular actor would show results of the different movies they have acted in, all in one platform. Whilst watching a movie, one can also search for different movies of that particular actor.

In terms of specifications, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is powered by a quad-core processor and paired with 1GB of RAM. It also comes with 8GB of internal storage and is equipped with Wi-Fi802.11ac MIMO for connectivity. The Amazon Fire TV Stick also comes with voice control-enabled remote which eases the pain of typing into the search bar. Amazon has also included Hindi language into the voice control which Marc Whitten demonstrated by reading out some Hindi movie titles. The Fire TV Stick comes with an Advanced Streaming and Prediction (ASAP) which monitors a user’s content streaming habits and predicts the movies and TV shows accordingly.

ALSO READ: Airtel Internet TV Power by Android TV Platform launched in India, Price start from Rs 4,999

The Fire Stick TV also comes with data monitoring feature where people can choose the video quality according to their preference. Users can configure the device to alert them about their data usage as well. However, when asked about the data connectivity problems in India, Amazon was unable to give a definite response as to whether it would work on low internet speed. The Fire TV Stick also comes with parental control through which parents can set a PIN to restrict access to mature content. In terms of the video quality, the Fire TV Stick is equipped with High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) which allows streaming in full HD. Whitten said that almost all the content are available in HEVC format. 

A couple of more introductory offers include up to 100GB of free data on Airtel Broadband and 4G home Wi-Fi devices with validity for three months since the time of activation. Users also get up to 240GB of free data from YOU Broadband, six months of ad-free unlimited music streaming from Gaana, three months free premium video membership on Eros Now and one month of free ad-free streaming from Voot and Voot Kids.

Amazon seems to be relying heavily on the ‘content’ for its growth in India. When asked about the competition from its rivals like Netflix, Amazon simply said that it’s focusing on content generation rather than ways to outdo their rivals. 

Amazon Fire TV

Apple iPhone 8 with dual-selfie camera reportedly being tested by Apple

The ‘Galaxy’ is likely to visit Apple’s Fall event when the iPhone maker will be showcasing its most expensive and most aesthetically pleasing smartphone ever. As 2017 marks 10 years since Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone to the world, it is widely speculated that the company has an overhauled iPhone model up its sleeve along with upgraded versions of the current iPhone 7 lineup. Called the iPhone 8, the top-of-the-line model will have such a redesigned architecture that people might have to actually wait for months to get their hands on the design marvel.

Speculations are rife that Apple will be announcing not one, but three new iPhones including the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and the redesigned iPhone 8. While the iPhone 7 upgrades will have a few changes here and there, the iPhone 8 is what is keeping fans and investors hooked. So far, we have seen plenty of leaks surrounding the iPhone 8, suggesting the premium materials which will go into the mix to make it the ‘most expensive iPhone ever’. Now, according to the latest report on Bloomberg, Apple will be using an all-screen front panel for the purported model along with a curved glass.

The latest report falls in line with the schematics which were leaked earlier this week and hinted at an all-screen display with narrow bezels. Apple is reportedly testing a new type of screen, curved glass and stainless steel materials to build the iPhone 8. The report notes that because there will be supply constraints; the purported device is unlikely to be available until one or two months after the official announcement.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Price slashed on Amazon India

Although the iPhone 8 will be closer to the iPhone 7 in terms of overall size, the size of its display will be slightly larger than that of the iPhone 7 Plus. To bring down the overall size of the smartphone, Apple is reportedly also aiming to embed the home button into the screen through software, similar to what Samsung has done to its Galaxy S8 which has a pressure sensitive home button built right under the lower panel of the screen.

The glass and steel sandwich design is something that Apple has earlier experimented with in the past with its iPhone 4. The company is also testing a variant without the curved screens. This particular model is said to feature aluminum back and slightly larger dimensions. 

In addition to a slight tweak in the screen’s size, Apple is speculated to use an OLED display for the premium model. It is expected that Samsung Display will be supplying the OLED panels for the redesigned iPhone 8. Apple has ordered around 100 million such panels from Samsung.

As for the upgraded models of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple will continue to use LCDs. In terms of display size, the upgrades will feature the same 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes as the current lineup while the iPhone 8 is speculated to feature a 5.7-inch display. If one takes into consideration the latest report, some variants of the iPhone 8 might feature a curved glass and stainless steel framing.

In terms of photography, it is expected that Apple will extend the dual camera module to the newer iPhones, with the exception of the iPhone 8. Interestingly, it is also reported that Apple is testing a dual-lens setup for the front camera on the iPhone 8. Now this falls in line with earlier rumors about the company exploring augmented reality technology with 3D face mapping. All the new iPhones are expected to run the iOS 11 and run faster processors which will be built using the newer 10nm fabrication process for efficiency and better battery performance. 

Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ launched in India, prices start at Rs 57,900: Specifications, features

Samsung has launched its latest Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ flagship smartphones in India. The smartphones are priced at Rs 57,900 and Rs 64,900 respectively. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will be available online through Flipkart and Samsung Shop starting May 5, while pre-booking begins today. Along with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Samsung has also introduced Gear VR with a motion controller, Gear 360 and Samsung DeX station.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 lineup comes as a major upgrade over the previous Galaxy S7 series and also borrows some elements from the Galaxy Note 7, which never launched in India. From the design point of view, there are a few changes such as fingerprint sensor has moved to the rear whereas the front has an on-screen home button sorts with haptic technology. Some of the highlights of the Galaxy S8 include digital assistant Bixby, which has been integrated with a slew of Samsung applications on the flagship smartphone. 

The Samsung Galaxy S8 series also comes preloaded with Samsung Pay. The feature allows you to store your debit/credit card data on the device, and make payments at the traditional PoS terminals without carrying the actual card. The smartphone comes bundled with AKG headphones. Samsung has also tied up with Reliance Jio to offer a double data offer.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ pre-orders cross 1 million mark: Report

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ specifications, features

The Samsung Galaxy S8 features a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED Display with QHD resolution and 586ppi. The Samsung Galaxy S8+, as the name suggests, is bigger and comes with a larger 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display with same QHD resolution but 531ppi. The two smartphones come with Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 phones are powered by the company’s Exynos processor and Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 835 SoC. Samsung has launched the Qualcomm version in India. The smartphones also come with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage, and support 256GB expandable storage through a microSD card. The Galaxy S8 series comes with a hybrid SIM slot allowing users to use two SIMs or one microSD and one SIM card. The two smartphones run on Android 7.0 Nougat-based TouchWiz UI. The Galaxy S8 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, whereas the Galaxy S8+ gets a 3,500mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ share same camera specifications as they come with an 8-megapixel smart auto-focus front camera, and a 12-megapixel dual-pixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture. Other key features of the Galaxy S8 series include an Always On display and IP68 water and dust resistance capabilities.

Xiaomi Mi 6 with Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6GB RAM, dual camera launched in China: Price, specifications, features

Xiaomi took wraps off its anticipated Mi 6 flagship smartphone today at an event in China. The home country has not been very kind to the manufacturer, which saw its shares crumbling owing to strong competition from other Chinese players such as Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo. 

Among the talking points of the Xiaomi Mi 6 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC – the same chipset that powers the Samsung Galaxy S8 — along with a new design and dual-camera setup. Built using the newer 10nm fabrication process, the chipset is said to offer higher performance and a better battery life. As rumored, the smartphone further packs in 6GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and Adreno 540 GPU. For those immediately looking out to see if the Mi 6 is at par with the Galaxy S8 with same configuration, Xiaomi revealed the AnTuTu benchmark scores of the smartphone, which places it notches above the Samsung’s flagship device. The Mi 6 achieves a score of 184,292, while the Galaxy S8 stands at 164,095.

What helped Xiaomi taste immediate success was the premium experience it offered at a much lesser price when compared to incumbent players. While Xiaomi tried to aim for success, it had larger-than-achievable targets. The company not only missed these targets, but also lost one of its key executives Hugo Barra on its way. Xiaomi Mi 6, being the first flagship smartphone after Barra’s exit, also serves as an important case study for analysts to gauge how much of a value Barra’s presence brought to the company. It exceptionally well, not only in China, but also achieved the trust factor in countries such as India where it is counted as one of the leading smartphone brands.

Xiaomi Mi 6 features and specifications

In terms of design, the Xiaomi Mi 6 features a stainless steel border running on the edges with a curved glass body. With the reflective mirror-like finish and the curved panel, the Mi 6 looks similar to the recently launched Honor 8. The placement of the dual camera module is also similar to what we have seen on the Honor 8. The Mi 6 features a home button on the front panel that doubles up as a fingerprint sensor and is said to be ‘non-porous’. This essentially makes the structure of the home button more durable and resistant to soiling.

In a bid to thin down their devices, manufacturers are increasingly choosing to ditch the headphone jack. The Xiaomi Mi 6 also opts out of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack for a USB Type-C port for charging, data transfer, as well as audio. Speaking about audio, the smartphone comes with dual-speakers that help in getting a stereo sound effect. In terms of physical buttons, the volume rockers and power button are placed on the right side while the left features the SIM tray. Xiaomi says that not only is the smartphone splash-resistant, but the SIM tray is also sealed to protect internal components from damage.

With a strong focus on its 3D glass design, Xiaomi has put equal emphasis on the display of the Mi 6. It packs a 5.15-inch screen, and is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 SoC.

The USP of the otherwise familiar looking smartphone is its camera. The Xiaomi Mi 6 features a pair of (12-megapixel) rear camera along with an 8-megapixel front camera. The camera packs 4K recording capabilities. Fuelling the Mi 6 is a 3,350mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 4.0. On the software front, the smartphone runs Android Nougat out-of-the-box with MIUI layered above.

Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ pre-orders cross 1 million mark: Report

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are believed to have together crossed the 1 million pre-order mark. There has been no confirmation from Samsung regarding the same, and the numbers are essentially industry estimates. Samsung did confirm that the 2017 flagship devices crossed 700,000 pre-orders in Korea. 

The numbers suggested are only for South Korea, and the global numbers are still unknown. DJ Koh, Head of Samsung’s Mobile Business said while addressing a Press Meet, “The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ reached 728,000 units, as of Wednesday, in Korea. We are aiming to sell 1 million units before officially launching the smartphone.”

Samsung Galaxy S8 pre-orders figures are much higher than its predecessor, Samsung Galaxy S7, according to Samsung. The 1 million mark target was set by Samsung and the company seems to have achieved the mark, despite initial hesitations. After the Galaxy Note 7 disaster, the pressure on Samsung intensified, and the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ were touted as the ‘make-it-or-break-it’ devices for the brand. Samsung is also offering a free DeX station with pre-orders of 128GB/6GB version in certain markets.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will be launching in India tomorrow, but the pricing and availability details are not known yet. In the US, the smartphones are priced at $720 (Rs 47,000 approximately), and $840 (Rs 54,500 approximately) respectively. The actual pricing after launch though is expected to be higher.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ will be Flipkart exclusive, Pre-Orders open April 19

Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ specifications, features

The Samsung Galaxy S8 features a 5.8-inch display with pixel densinty of 570ppi, while the Galaxy S8+ comes in a 6.2-inch display with 529ppi pixel density. Both the displays flaunt Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology, QHD resolution along with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 protection and an unusual aspect ratio of 18:5:9. Samsung calls it ‘Infinite Display’ and although it makes the screen taller, it fits well in one’s palms. In terms of memory, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ both come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, which can be further expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. 

For photography, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ sport a 12-megapixel dual-pixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, optical image stabilization (OIS), electronic image stabilization (EIS), phase detection and auto-focus. Up front, the smartphones house an 8-megapixel selfie camera with auto-focus.

The Galaxy S8 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S8+ is fuelled by a bigger 3,500mAh battery. The connectivity options available on the Galaxy S8 smartphones are dual-SIM support, 4G with VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi and USB Type-C port. The smartphone also comes with a fingerprint sensor, which is placed on the back panel just beside the rear camera lens. On the software front, the Galaxy S8 series runs on Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. Additional features on the Galaxy S8 series include Always On Display, IP68 water and dust resistance, and Samsung’s first AI-based assistant Bixby. 

Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ will be Flipkart exclusive, Pre-Orders open April 19

Samsung will be launching its flagship Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones in India tomorrow. Samsung has sent out media invites for the launch event, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi. Pre-registrations for the Galaxy S8 smartphones have begun via Samsung India’s official website, and Flipkart is teasing the launch of upcoming smartphones under a tab called ‘Samsung S8 Store’.

The teaser is seen on Flipkart’s homepage itself. The page opens with the ‘Unbox your phone’ title for the launch event of the Galaxy S8 series in India. Below this are the features and specifications of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+. What can only be confirmed is that the Galaxy S8 smartphones would be available on Flipkart, and it could even hint on an e-commerce exclusivity partnership. What we also know is that Samsung would be launching the Exynos 8895 processor instead of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 variants in India. Also, according to Samsung India’s official website, the color options for the Galaxy S8 series would be Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Maple Gold. Tomorrow Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ launched in India but today Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus price slashed on Amazon India.

Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ specifications, features

The Samsung Galaxy S8 features a 5.8-inch display with pixel densinty of 570ppi, while the Galaxy S8+ comes in a 6.2-inch display with 529ppi pixel density. Both the displays flaunt Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology, QHD resolution along with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 protection and an unusual aspect ratio of 18:5:9. Samsung calls it ‘Infinite Display’ and although it makes the screen taller, it fits well in one’s palms. In terms of memory, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ both come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, which can be further expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. 

For photography, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ sport a 12-megapixel dual-pixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, optical image stabilization (OIS), electronic image stabilization (EIS), phase detection and auto-focus. Up front, the smartphones house an 8-megapixel selfie camera with auto-focus.

The Galaxy S8 is powered by a 3,000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S8+ is fuelled by a bigger 3,500mAh battery. The connectivity options available on the Galaxy S8 smartphones are dual-SIM support, 4G with VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi and USB Type-C port. The smartphone also comes with a fingerprint sensor, which is placed on the back panel just beside the rear camera lens. On the software front, the Galaxy S8 series runs on Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. Additional features on the Galaxy S8 series include Always On Display, IP68 water and dust resistance, and Samsung’s first AI-based assistant Bixby. 

Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Price slashed on Amazon India

Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus have received a significant minimum Rs. 11,000 price cut on all its variants and all colours but not in a PRODUCT RED iPhones. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus new Price listed on Amazon India. The iPhone 7 which was originally selling for Rs. 60,000 for the 32GB variant is now available for Rs. 48999 means you save Rs. 11,000. The iPhone 7 which was originally selling for Rs. 70,000 for the 128GB variant is now available for Rs. 57999 means you save Rs. 12,000.  

The iPhone 7 Plus which was originally selling for Rs. 72,000 for the 32GB variant is now available for Rs. 60,990 means you save Rs. 11,000. The iPhone 7 Plus which was originally selling for Rs. 82,000 for the 128GB variant is now available for Rs. 67,990 means you save Rs. 14,000. 

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Specifications and features

The Apple iPhone 7 comes with 4.7-inch Retina HD display whereas the iPhone 7 Plus has a 5.5-inch Retina HD display. Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are powered by the A10 Fusion processor, which is a 64-bit quad-core processor, and is said to be 40 percent faster than A9 processor. It  is also said to deliver better graphics than previous processors on the older iPhones. Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone Plus run iOS 10 out of the box. Also, the base variant starts at 32GB onboard storage. The other two variants come with 128GB and 256GB onboard storages.

Apple has updated the Home button. The revamped button also allows users to customize. As rumored, the Home button is now Force sensitive, and works with a new taptic engine, which is said to deliver a smoother experience. Also, the smartphones are water and dust resistance with IP67 certification.

Both Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come with Optical Image Stabilization and six element lens. The iPhone 7 comes with 12-megapixel sensor with TrueTone Flash. It has f/1.8 aperture to deliver more brightness. The camera comes with a new image signal processor. The front camera on the iPhone 7 and iPhone Plus have been upgraded from 5-megapixel to 7-megapixel resolution. Live photos can also be customized now.

Rumors were true.The iPhone 7 Plus comes with two 12-megapixel lenses. The first one is wide-angle lens while the second one is telephoto. It comes with Optical Zoom feature, a rarity for smartphone cameras. The dual camera setup helps deliver bokeh effect, giving DSLR-like depth. Users can get bokeh effect by tapping on portrait mode within the camera app. 

iPhone 7/ iPhone 7 Plus