Author: Meenakshi Rawat

OnePlus Co-Founder : Lollipop-Based CM12S to Roll Out in the Next Few Days

The long overdue CyanogenMod12s based on Android Lollipop will soon arrive on Indian OnePlus One handsets. The Chinese consumer electronics company had earlier promised its release before March 31, but it failed to keep its word and blamed certification for the delay. The firm has now assured OnePlus fans with a statement on Twitter that CM12s will release “in the next few days”.

The co-founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei, took to Twitter to announce –

.@jorgepenteado CM12s just passed certification today. Thanks for the patience, expect rollout in the next few days.

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) April 10, 2015

While there will be a short delay in the roll out of CM12s, users can install the all-new custom ROM by the company. OxygenOS was recently made public a couple of days back. The new OS based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop is built based on the “back to basics” approach. The interface is clean, bloat-free and is built to provide maximum performance and battery life.

Here’s a quick look at the cool features of OnePlus’ OxygenOS.

April 11, 2015
Google is Reportedly Working on a Mysterious Battery Project

Google has joined forces to develop a more productive battery technology for its line of consumer devices and other hardware projects. The search behemoth reportedly has a small team of researchers who are working on future batteries and is devising measures to advance present batteries for better outcomes.

The report by Wall Street Journal suggests that the team working on future battery technology is headed by Apple’s former battery expert Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj. The four-member team is a part of Google X research lab, a facility dedicated to making major technological advancements like Project Loon and driver-less cars. Meanwhile, the battery research wing is working on enhancing lithium-ion and the advanced solid-state batteries for a range of consumer products like Google Glass and the contact lens that helps measure glucose level in blood.

Google is not a confined body limiting to consumer manufacturing electronics and offers its services to various industries like transportation, robotics, healthcare, and communications. Being in the hardware business, Google needs efficient batteries that can power their devices for a longer span of time.

Dr. Bhardwaj disclosed ideas in a February presentation of a new-age battery technology that can be equipped to wearables, and smartphones and can also be implanted in the human body. The internet supreme requires such a revolutionary technology that can give new life to its projects that got overshadowed because of shorter battery life, e.g. Google Glass.

The report said that other research teams are working in conjunction with the Chicago-based technology firm that can bring more potent batteries for four bigger projects including Project Loon. The internet-broadcasting plan to beam Internet down the earth is presently using traditional batteries and has to suffer high-temperature issues. The latest innovation is likely to resolve the current complexities along with being cost effective.

Several companies are coming with battery prototypes that can charge mobile devices within half a minute, but there is no certainty if they will be inexpensive if produced in large numbers. If the report turns out to be true and Google succeeds in developing a super slim battery for flexible displays, it will be a landmark of the threshold of a new era. The batteries will make room for a new line of products that will be more compact and powerful.

April 11, 2015
After Selling its Mobile Unit, Nokia is Now Seeking Buyers for its Maps Business

Nokia, the Finnish equipment maker who recently sold its mobile business unit to Microsoft, is reportedly considering selling its maps business HERE. The move reflects its plan to boost the company’s core wireless network unit and push up the shares rating.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the company is in talks with potential buyers such as Uber Technologies and a number of private-equity firms, as stated by people familiar with the matter. The source revealed that some German carmakers have reached Nokia for the same and will bid for its maps service, expected to take place as soon as this month.

As per the source, Nokia has hired a finance adviser to explore the sale of the maps business. The official financial reports suggest that HERE (Nokia’s Map Business) is 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) worth, while Inderes Equity Research made different estimations about its current price. “We have estimated that HERE’s value is around EUR 3.3-4.8 billion, and in a possible deal the price should be more than that,” stated the research firm on Twitter.

If we evaluate Nokia’s mapping assets with the official report as a base, its value has seen a steep fall since its buyout in 2008, which cost the company a hefty $8.1 billion. The company might drop the plan to sell out its unit if they don’t get a price deemed sufficient.

Nokia’s HERE unit provides data to many tech and e-commerce giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, along with some renowned names in the car manufacturing business. The maps division reported a net sale of 970 million euros and an operating loss of 1.24 billion euros, as per the report. In January, the company made public the Q4 results of its net income and sale, which were 443 million euros and 3.8 billion euros respectively.

Nokia presently holds three divisions; first one is the maps units, the other is research and development that licenses its patents, and the third one is the networks division that makes 90 percent of the total revenue.

Meanwhile, Nokia spokesperson has declined to comment on the report and there is no official word on the news. But it would be interesting to see if Nokia sells out its second major unit and becomes an entity focusing solely on network services.

April 11, 2015
Xiaomi’s New Teaser Hints at an All-New Product Line

Xiaomi is setting up new benchmarks for its contenders to follow now and then; whether it’s about record sales figures or being the no. 1 smartphone vendor. Lately, the Chinese electronics firm has set a world record by selling over 2 million smartphones in just 12 hours across the globe. It has restlessly expanded its product portfolio in its 5 years of existence and it now offers devices such as air purifier, power banks, TV’s and more. Xiaomi is now set to expand its portfolio again by stepping into yet another segment.

The company sent out a teaser image that speaks of a completely new product. The image reads April 15 as the launch date of the unknown forthcoming product.

The teaser image disseminates the information that Xiaomi is talking about two different poles. The ‘N’ and ‘S’ characters at the extreme sides likely represent North Pole and South Pole. Below mentioned is the name of a famous personal electric vehicle manufacturer Ninebot. The firm is known for making self-balancing electric robot.

The teaser seems to point out to a product that is entirely different from its current product portfolio. Since it has something to do with Ninebot, the next product is anticipated to be a smart vehicle, or it may be a GPS related product; since there is pole concept.

Xiaomi’s poster has raised our curiosity, and we are excited to see the next smart product in its kitty on April 15. Keep checking back for updates on iGyaan.

April 11, 2015
Xiaomi Announces ‘Global Mi Phone Premier’ to be Held in India

Unlike Apple, Xiaomi understands the potential the Indian market holds. In a first, Xiaomi announced it is all set to introduce its next smartphone to the world – by holding its premier in India. The Chinese startup has sent out invites for the premier of the global Mi Phone in India, which will be held in New Delhi on April 23. The company has updated its Mi India page with the launch information and also notified about the forthcoming product via its Twitter account –

i IS COMING. Register for our global Mi phone premiere in New Delhi on 23 April. http://t.co/H8GdKvulca #MiLaunch2015 pic.twitter.com/0pxgSe4Mu0

— Mi India (@MiIndiaOfficial) April 10, 2015

The media invite reveals that the premier event of the undisclosed smartphone will mark the presence of top managements of the company. Lei Jun (CEO & Founder), President & Co-Founder of the company Bin Lin, and Hugo Barra (VP Xiaomi Global) will be addressing the conference, where both the press and fans are cordially invited. Xiaomi fans can register for the premier on official Mi page here. The show will commence at 2pm.

Xiaomi has proved its remarks that India is an important marketplace for the electronics giant. It’s the first time the firm has announced a global product premier in India. This clearly signifies that the forthcoming device is entirely new, and we are anticipating that it can be the Mi 5. Lately, it came to light through Android Open Kang Project (popularly known as AOKP) that Xiaomi is working on the successor of Mi 4, and it is titled Mi 5. According to the AOKP blog post, the Mi 5 will debut with a new user interface MIUI 7 based on Android Lollipop.

However, things are uncertain, and we can only guess what it could be. For now, all the Mi fans need to underline the date and wait for the official unveiling of the next Mi Phone.

April 11, 2015
Xiaomi to Open Warehouse in Bengaluru To Strengthen its Retail Might in India

Xiaomi is stressing on building a firm ground for itself in the Indian sub-continent. After planning to set up an India-centric Research and Development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru, the Chinese electronics giant is gearing up to open its warehouse in the country. Xiaomi is setting up its storage base in south Indian city’s industrial hub, Bommasandra.

Xiaomi’s India Operations Head, Manu Jain spoke on the news –

We are building the warehouse for the Mi Store (Xiaomi’s e-commerce store) that we will launch this year. We would not like to comment more about something that is not operational yet.

This step by China’s Apple is expected to give a push to its online retail business in India, conducted through the Mi.com website. It may also be considered as a move to boost its offline presence in the country by opening up a physical store.

The new warehouse will stuff all the products launched in India, and will gradually build to include more devices from Xioami’s global cataogue. Meanwhile, the devices present in its India product portfolio include Redmi 2, Mi 4, Redmi Note 4G, and Mi Pad. While the Mi Note is set to join the already existing offerings soon, the 49-inch 4K TV may arrive later this year. Other equipments expected to be launched in India include a range of connected devices, fitness band and air purifier.

According to Cyber Media Research, Xioami recorded a steep fall in sales in Q1 2015. OnePlus and Micromax’s YU gave tough competition to the Chinese brand, which lead to decline in sale units from nine lakh to six lakh units. Xiaomi has planned to recover the declined business and has reworked on its business proposals.

The company has made some alterations in its business plan and finished its exclusive partnership with Flipkart. The company will now sell its products through Snapdeal and Amazon, together with its old partner Flipkart. The company has also adopted the offline sale policy by selling its smartphones in collaboration with The Mobile Store.

April 10, 2015
Samsung Confesses Galaxy S6 Edge to Face Supply Shortage

The most recent offering of Samsung, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, will be open from today for public across the globe. The South Korean smartphone behemoth expects record shipment of Galaxy S6 handsets, but it has to struggle to meet the demands of the curved screen smartphone. The news surfaced the day before when the company’s Mobile Chief J.K. Shin explained the problem in manufacturing Galaxy S6 Edge screens could lead to the limited supply of the curved edge version.

The statement by Shin about the S6 Edge reads, “We’re working hard to resolve the difficulty in supply” and that the problem could persist “for a while.” This is clearly not a good message by the company at a time when the curvy S6 Edge is ready to retail in different markets across the globe. The company might have to face the frenzy of the audience for not accomplishing its promise on time.

Samsung reported a record pre-order of 20 million Galaxy S6 series smartphones, out of which 15 million were for the standard Galaxy S6 and 5 million orders were placed for its edgier counterpart. The company might be facing a challenge to deliver the 5 million S6 Edge handsets that have already been pre-ordered.

The revolutionary design of the smartphone gave an ‘edge’ to the device. There have been reports by various analysts that potential hiccups in supply could prove to be a roadblock to the success of Samsung.

It would be interesting to observe how Samsung cope up with the manufacturing complexities. Meanwhile, you can watch our hands-on video below:

April 10, 2015
Activision Releases The Teaser For ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’

One of the biggest first person shooting franchise of all times, Call of Duty is all set to make a comeback this month with some incredibly thrilling operations. Activision has teased a video for the third instalment of intense spy thriller adventure. This new sequel is titled “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3”.

The one minute seven seconds teaser depicts random numbers and codes moving around to give a blurred impression of a man. An important detail is imparted through the teaser that the modern combaters don’t need any weapons; looks like the game is going to be far more interesting. The video ends up with a quote, “How far are we willing to go?” The teaser doesn’t give away much about the game but it does builds up the excitement. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will release on April 26 this year.

Check out the ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’ teaser titled “Back in Black” below:

April 10, 2015

Hands On | Lava Icon

Yesterday, Indian smartphone vendor Lava expanded its smartphone portfolio with the release of a new device – the Icon. With a price tag of Rs. 11,990, the device stands against some current offerings in the market like Micromax Canvas Nitro and Huawei Ascend P6. Meanwhile, we got an opportunity to get our hands on the latest device and here is our experience with the new smartphone.

The Icon is 7.7 mm thick and has a sleek finish. It touts a silver metal frame, while its back panel is a shiny black with a glass finish. The glass back does add to the aesthetic of the device, though we have to admit it seemed prone to scratches. The handset feels nice in hand, though we won’t vouch for its overall sturdiness.

The device features a 5-inch HD IPS 720p display with 550 Cd/m2 brightness, which the company claims is one of the highest in the industry. The display of the handset is protected with Asahi Dragon-Trail glass that offers resistance against scratches. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The onboard storage space is 16GB, which can be expanded via a MicroSD card slot up to 32GB.

The front of the phone has an earpiece at the top, along with a 5MP camera. The front camera comes with Omni vision sensor and BSI-II sensor with blue glass filter, which is said to protect the image sensor against overexposure in the infrared wavelength range.

Lava Icon runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and has the company’s Star UI on top. The user interface provides a variety of customizable gesture controls. The back of the phone has 2500mAh battery, which is decent for a phone of this size and resolution. The primary camera is 13 MP with dual-LED flash and Sony Exmor sensor. We tried our hand at the camera, and were left unimpressed.

The dual-SIM handset offers connectivity options like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Micro-USB. Overall, we’d say it has a premium design, however it feels extremely delicate. Lava Icon is available at select retails stores in India and will also be available online via exclusive online partner Snapdeal.com. The e-commerce website is making the deal sweeter by offering a free selfie stick with Lava Icon.

Here’s a brief at its specs:

specs	lava icon
Display	5-inch HD IPS 720p
Processor	1.3GHz quad-core
RAM	2GB
Memory	16GB/32GB
Rear/Front Camera	13MP/5MP
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat
Battery	2500mAh
Price	Rs. 11,990

Have anything to add? Tweet to @igyaan

April 10, 2015

LAVA Launches the ‘Icon’ with 5-inch HD Display and 13MP Camera

Today, LAVA introduced a new smartphone in the Indian market. The latest offering, ‘Icon’ packs specifications to rival many present high-end handsets and comes at a price of Rs. 11,990.

LAVA Icon sports a premium metal look and holds a thickness of 7.7 mm. The homegrown smartphone firm says that it has been designed to provide comfortable handling, which makes it less prone to damage.

The device features a 5-inch HD IPS display with 550 Cd/m2 brightness, which the company claims is one of the highest in the industry. The display of the handset is protected with Asahi Dragon-Trail glass that offers resistance against scratches. A 1.3GHz quad-core processor powers the device along with 2GB RAM. It offers 16GB internal memory storage which can be expanded up to 32GB.

The Icon runs on LAVA’s Star OS built on Android platform, which provides users with a variety of customizable gesture controls. A 13MP rear camera with Sony Exmor sensor is installed on the handset that features a F2.0 aperture and 5P lens for low light photography. The front has a 5MP shooter with Omni vision sensor. A 2500mAh battery is equipped with the phone to keep it running all day long. Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB and Bluetooth.

The phone is available at select retails stores in India and will also be available online via exclusive online partner Snapdeal.com. The e-commerce website is making the deal sweeter by offering a free selfie stick with LAVA Icon. The sale starts today from 1 pm onwards.

April 9, 2015
Micromax YU Announces the Name of its Next Smartphone

Since YU threw the decision ball to name its next device in the consumers’ court, the company generated a lot of fanfare across social media platforms. Over 1,00,000 entries made it to the first crowd-sourcing campaign #YUNameIt and out of those, one entry has been chosen as the moniker of the second YU smartphone. Recognized till date as Project Caesar, the phone will now be known as “Yuphoria”.

According to YU, “Yuphoria represents zeal, enthusiasm and passion which reflects what YU is committed to bringing to the consumers through innovating and reinventing technology.”

From more than 1,00,000 entries, the five submissions that reached the voting stage were Yuphoria, Yuknight, Yunicorn, Yunity, and Youth. Consumers’ votes favoured Yuphoria, which was then chosen as the identity for Project Caesar. As promised, five randomly selected lucky winners from the entries for Yuphoria will win the next YU smartphone. The company claims that participants have also won Amazon Gift Cards worth Rs. 1 lakh.

Recalling the scarce details we’ve heard about the device, Yuphoria will be equipped with a 64-bit processor along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage support. The handset will boast Cyanogen OS 12 based on Android Lollipop. The upcoming handset is also expected to cost higher than the first phone.

Micromax-owned subsidiary YU hasn’t disclosed the release date of its next device. Precise details will be made available at its launch. Keep checking back for more updates on Yu Yuphoria.

April 9, 2015
ASUS ZenFone 2 with 4GB RAM to Arrive in India on 23rd April

Finally, ASUS has put an end to all the speculations about the release of its next flagship in India. The Taiwanese electronics manufacturer has sent out media invites for the launch of ZenFone 2, that will take place on April 23 in New Delhi. The smartphone was first showcased at the extravagant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year.

As notified before, the device will launch in three variants in India. The dual-SIM handset stuffs 4G RAM, and unlike other handsets, ZenFone 2 offers an additional memory card support in spite of coming in three storage variants, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB.

The device flaunts an original ergonomic design and features a 5.5-inch Full HD (1280x1920p) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 coating. A 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor Z3580 with PowerVR G6430 GPU is fitted to the device to give it a faster processing speed. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom Zen UI on top. The smartphone features a 13MP “Pixelmaster” rear camera along with a 5MP selfie snapper.

On the connectivity side, ZenFone 2 comes with 4G/LTE support that offers faster data speed, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The device comes with Dual Active mode that allows users to have two active phone lines at the same time.

ZenFone 2 equips a powerful battery of 3000mAh and comes in five different colour options: Osmium Black, Sheer Gold, Glacier Gray, Glamor Red and Ceramic White. Meanwhile, there is no information about its pricing. More details will be unveiled at the launch event itself. And as always, we’ll be bringing you the latest updates.

April 8, 2015
Yu Yureka Successor Might Not be as Affordable as the First Phone

Earlier we confirmed that Micromax Yu’s next smartphone, codenamed Project Caesar, will launch in April. Now, we’ve uncovered an important pricing detail about the Yureka successor. We have learnt that the next Yu device might not be as cheap as Yureka and will most likely cost higher than Yu’s present offering. This may be an unfortunate news for many, as Yu’s aggressive price point was considered a major reason for its success.

It is still unknown if the upcoming handset will see a slight price bump or will come with a hefty price tag, but one will need to pay extra bucks to own the currently-untitled ‘Yu 2’.

Meanwhile, recent disclosures reveal ‘Project Caesar’ will boast the Android Lollipop version of Cyanogen OS, making use of its exclusive partnership with Cyanogen. The company has made official some standard features that would be equipped onto the next device such as a 64-bit processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB onboard memory. Recently, the firm also announced the first ever crowdsourcing campaign #YUNameIt where users were invited to name their device.

The first Yu smartphone has managed to gather a large fan base among the customers. On the March 5 flash sale, 30,000 Yureka units swiped off in just 7 seconds. If the India-based smartphone maker continues to offer high specs at attractive rates, the company could have the chance to beat international companies in its homeground.

April 8, 2015
OnePlus One Retains Original Price Point in India Despite Increased Custom Duty

With the unveiling of Union Budget 2015-2016, the Indian government made clear that importing mobile devices is not going to remain cheap anymore. The Government of India increased the exercise duty to double and made it 12.5 percent on imported mobile devices; raising the prices of popular phones. However, the flagship killer of 2014 will continue to sell at the same price as OnePlus sent us a message which reads “No Price Hike” for the One devices in India.

Users can still buy OnePlus One at the original cost of Rs. 21,999 for 64GB model and Rs. 18,999 for the 16GB variant. The General Manager of OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, commented on this development –

In line with our #NeverSettle philosophy and long term commitment to the Indian market, we assure our users that we are constantly evaluating what works best for them; part of that is to continue to make the One available at an attractive price point.

He further added to his comments, “It is an ambitious step for a young startup, but for us, it’s about returning maximum value to our users by offering them great products and unique experiences.”

OnePlus One has seen a price hike in Europe, but it seems like the tough competition in the Indian market with homegrown makers (such as Micromax) has forced the Chinese firm to stick to the initial rates. The device is available in Sandstone Black and Silk White colour options and can be ordered online via Amazon India, that is if you have an invite. Both the 64GB and 16GB variants hold similar specification and differ only in internal storage space.

Watch our review here:

April 8, 2015
Apple Registers 40% Increase in India Revenue, Hits $1 Billion Mark in FY 2015

We’re sure Apple wouldn’t have thought that the Indian market, which was at the bottom of their priority list, could help increase the revenue of the company to such an extent. The Cupertino-based tech giant has recorded a whopping revenue of $1 billion in India in the fiscal year 2015. The present earning of the firm is 40 percent more than Rs. 4,500 crore of returns registered last year, and is three folds of the what was reported in 2011-12.

Apple hasn’t filed its final revenue details until now, but according to a source at Times of India, the firm can log the same with Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) anytime soon. Experts unfolded that the latest devices, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, have contributed largely to the sales income. With access to unit sales figures over the year and experts remark, Apple’s India revenue is computable. As per an analysis by Cybermedia Research, Apple has sold 1.3 million phones in the fiscal year 2015. Considering the high price of the latest models, it is evident that the company has made a total revenue of over $1 billion in the India market.

At a time when Apple is witnessing increased sales, Samsung is steadily losing its hold over different markets. The Korean electronics giant released a performance report of the last three months, which shows 30.5 percent dip in the profits. This was Samsung’s sixth consecutive year-over-year fall in quarterly profit, where it registered 60% fall in profits over the last quarter.

India is emerging as one of the fastest growing tech markets and a battleground for many top smartphone leaders. Such examples will only encourage tech enterprises to conquer our nation’s market and establish themselves on the Indian soil. Meanwhile, many Chinese firms spread over US and UK are now citing the Indian sub-continent as profitable marketplace for investment, and plan to enter the country soon.

April 8, 2015