Category: Apple

Apple iPhone SE 2 Is Coming Early 2018, Manufacturing Begins in India

Apple has had massive success with its budget iPhone SE, especially in markets like India. The iPhone Se is one of the strongest selling phones, and with massive discounts on online sites like Amazon and Flipkart, the iPhone SE continues to be a good seller. However, Apple has plans the retire the raging iPhone SE and replace it with an aptly named iPhone SE 2. The launch of this new iPhone will also kick off Apple’s India manufacturing at Wistron at full swing. The iPhone SE 2 is rumoured to be completely assembled in India to be supplied to the other parts of the world as well.

Specs wise Apple is said to remove some of the highlight features of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Do not expect the iPhone SE 2 to feature wireless charging, an OLED display, Face ID or even an edge to edge display. However, Apple is expected to use a better resolution display than that on the iPhone SE, along with the A10 Fusion processor, and a bigger 1,700 mAh battery. Apple is also expected to improve capacities to 64 GB and 128 GB variants along with the ability to capture 4K at upto 60fps on the new HEVC formats. Apple is also expected to use 2GB RAM and enable fast charging on the iPhone SE 2, features which are relatively cheap to include and are well appreciated by buyers

The Wistron plant in Bengaluru, which was established early this year, has been producing iPhone SEs for India. But production for the iPhone SE 2 is expected to be ramped up as Apple may supple other regions with the India made units.

Price wise Apple is expected to keep in the Rs. 30,000 (US$ 400-500) region for an iPhone SE 2 outright. The iPhone SE may see a Feb-Mar 2018 launch with availability at the same time. Apple is also expected to launch Product RED versions of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the iPhone X early 2018.

You may also like :

November 25, 2017
Apple Is Working On A Foldable Device

Apple might be working on a foldable device similar to what the Samsung Galaxy X would be. After a report claimed that Apple has been working on this new foldable iPhone, a patent application has revealed what Apple might have in store for its foldable iPhone.

Apple has been known to perfect a technology and implement it in their iPhones rather than being the first to implement and under tested technology. Screen embedded fingerprint sensor, which was expected to feature in the iPhone X now seems like a 2018 iPhone feature as Apple will have ample time to test it out first.

The iPhone X has a foldable display as well, which folds at the bottom and can’t be seen while using the phone. This is the trick that makes the edge-to-edge screen design possible, since Apple is able to hide the display controller at the bottom of the panel.

The new patent application describes “Electronic Devices With Flexible Displays.” Apple filed the patent on the 22nd of September, 2016 which means it’s a relatively new invention.

The image reveals that a foldable iPhone would have an all screen design (14, 14E, 14M) that would bend around an axis (16), with a central flexible display area (14M) separating two screen halves that may be flat (14E).

Such a device could bend so that the 14E screen areas would face each other, or away from each other. Should both modes be available to users, then a foldable iPhone may be used as a regular iPhone with displays on both sides, or like a smaller iPad.

The patent application also mentions that micro-LEDs might be used as the potential display technology for this device. This is an interesting piece of information considering that reports already say that Apple is exploring micro-LED display technology as a replacement for LCD and/or OLED display panels.

It will be interesting to see how the first generation foldable iPhone will fare against the Samsung Galaxy X when it does launch in the market for average consumers.

November 24, 2017
Top Accessories For The Apple iPhone X

The iPhone X was launched back in September along with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. However, it was not until the 3rd of November that users in India received their beloved iPhone X. New features like wireless charging, a bezel-less display and the much talked-about Face ID make the iPhone X one of the most interesting iPhones launched in the recent years.

Let’s check out the top accessories that you can buy to compliment your shiny new Apple iPhone X:

Rhinoshield Screen Protector

With wireless charging, comes an all glass design. The glass used on the iPhone X is the hardest glass Apple has ever used on a smartphone but, if you are clumsy and a case doesn’t cut it for you then the Rhinoshield screen protector is just what you need. You can buy a protector for the back of the phone as well and give your new iPhone X an all-round protection from your clumsy hands.

Buy it here

Rhinoshield Mod Case

Rhinoshield is known for making really good cases for the iPhones. The new mod case for the iPhone X takes modularity to a whole new level. Not only can you pick and choose different buttons for the case, you can also customise the back rim and the back panel of the case. But, the reason this case makes its case to be on this list is the modularity it offers in terms of photography. You can add four different lenses to your iPhone X and get the perfect shot you’ve been waiting for. You can choose between wide-angle, fish-eye, super wide and macro lenses depending on the kind of photo or video you’re preparing to shoot.

Coupon Code – iGyaan

Buy it here

Anker PowerTouch 10 Wireless Charger

Apple finally introduced wireless charging in its iPhone lineup this year. This means that if you have bought an iPhone X, you will definitely buy a wireless charger as well. Fret not, because the Anker PowerTouch 10 is the ideal wireless charger in India. It has a nice sturdy built and comes in a nice matte black colour. It supports 10V output so when Apple enables fast wireless charging on the iPhone X, you won’t have to look for another one.

SanDisk iXpand

The iPhones have never had expandable storage. There are people still, who own an iPhone with 16GB of onboard storage and continue to live like that. If you had saved up for the iPhone X but, spending over a lakh on a phone was not ideal and you went for the 64GB variant instead, then the SanDisk iXpand is the best tool you can buy. It connects to your iPhone via the lightning port and you can store images, songs, movies and a host of other things in this little expandable storage tool and keep your iPhone X free for those 4K 60fps videos.

MoArmouz Headphone Adapter

It’s been over a year since Apple decided to kill off the headphone jack. If you are still in love with your headphones and would rather choose the dongle life over bluetooth headphones, then this nifty accessory from MoArmouz makes perfect sense for you. The dongle has a sturdy build and doesn’t add much weight to the iPhone making it portable and comfortable. It comes with a small carrying pouch so that you remember to put the dongle back in it and not forget it elsewhere.

NuAns Cable

This nifty little accessory can be your saviour in dire times. It is a small lightning cable that doubles up as a key chain. You can basically take it along with you as a key chain and use it to charge your iPhone X when you find out that you’ve left your charging cable at home.

Mi Power Bank Pro

One of the best power banks in the market, the Mi Power Bank Pro supports quick charging. This means that you can rapidly charge up your iPhone X while on the go. With a capacity of 10000 mAh, you can easily charge your phone more than twice without wanting to charge it again.

Buy it here

B&O Beoplay H8 Headphones

If you are on the bluetooth side of the spectrum, then you should invest in some of the best bluetooth headphones you can buy. The Beoplay H8 from Bang & Olufsen with active noise cancelation are some of the best bluetooth headphones available in th market. They have a premium built and long hours of music listening should not be an issue with these headphones.

Mujjo Walltet Case

Another case in the list, this one is a simple leather case with one useful feature. It has a card holder at the back for convenience and the built quality of the case is even better than the leather case that Apple makes.

Buy it here

November 23, 2017
Apple AirPods Account For 85% Of The Total Truly Wireless Earphones Sales In The US

The new trend of truly wireless earbuds has been dominated by Apple’s infamous AirPods in the US. According to NPD Group, the Apple AirPods, which launched last year along with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus account for 85% of the total wireless earbuds sale in the American market.

Apple AirPods launched with Apple’s W1 chip which let the users seamlessly interact with their iPhones using the earbuds. People already a part of the Apple ecosystem saw the convenience of having the AirPods and decided to look past the appearance of the earbuds which was heavily panned during the time of its launch. “With a use case centering on frictionless access to Siri and other tasks initiated by voice, AirPods really act as an extension of the iPhone,” Ben Arnold, Industry Analyst wrote in the research note for NPD Group.

Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus last year was met with widespread scepticism as majority of smartphone users still use wired headphones and headphone makers had not yet entered the realm of lightning post or USB C headphones. The AirPods was Apple’s solution to that and an indication that Apple is well and truly on its way to make a port-less iPhone. The ease of connecting the AirPods to your Apple devices proved decisive in its record sales in the past year, even though there are better sounding headphones at a cheaper price available in the market.

Following Apple’s footsteps, a lot of big companies like Samsung and recently, Sony released their versions of the truly wireless earbuds and prolific headphone makers like B&O have also entered the premium earbuds market. A report by Gartner revealed that the sales of truly wireless earbuds will hit the 150 million sales mark in 2017. This suggests that people have definitely formed a liking for these earphones and are confident of not misplacing them within a week!

November 22, 2017
Apple Might Launch The iPhone SE 2 In Early-2018

After launching the highly successful iPhone X in September of 2017, the company has already started setting goals for 2018. A new report suggests that the tech giant is planning a mid-cycle iPhone launch and unveil the successor to the iPhone SE, the iPhone SE in the first half of 2018. The iPhone SE 2 will be the mid-range offering from Apple who still prefer the 4-inch display form factor in the age of 5-inch smartphones being called ‘Mini’.

As was with the iPhone SE, the iPhone SE 2 will have a small form factor as compared to modern-day smartphones and sport a 4-inch display. Even though certain reports have suggested that Apple will adopt the iPhone X design across the board for its 2018 marquee smartphones, the iPhone SE 2 will still have large bezels and a home button with Touch ID.

The iPhone SE 2 is expected to have the upgraded Apple A10 Fusion chipset and 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage variants.

Even though entry-level phones have started coming out with dual-cameras (the implementation can be questioned), the iPhone SE 2 will retain the single camera setup from the original iPhone SE.

The Apple iPhone SE is manufactured in India and retails for a price of Rs 21859 for the 32GB storage variant. The iPhone SE 2 will enter the budget segment around the 25-30K price bracket and essentially replace the iPhone SE 2. It will be interesting to see Apple advertises the new iPhone SE 2 as a ‘Made In India’ product and try to appeal the average consumers that won’t usually buy an iPhone because of its higher price tag.

November 21, 2017
Face ID Has A Useful Feature That You Probably Don’t Know About

The iPhone X has brought back the excitement that used to surround an iPhone for so many years. With a new design and a lot of new features, the iPhone X has been one of the best iPhones ever made. One of the most talked-about feature of the iPhone X however, has been Face ID.
Face ID has a lot of neat tricks up its sleeve, most notably being the infamous ‘Animoji’.

Animoji On iPhone X

If you are not a morning person, you have faced the the annoyance of your iPhone’s loud alarm tone blaring at you early inj the morning. And at such an early time, you tend to struggle to pick up the phone and shut the alarm. And while you are still struggling to get hold of your phone, that alarm tone is at its peak volume still annoying you.

You may also like – I Spent A Day With The iPhone X And I Am Done With The Home Button

Keeping that in mind, a new little nifty feature in the iPhone X was revealed on Reddit.

Woke up this morning to my iPhone alarm and when I looked at my X, I noticed the volume lowered itself. I tried this again to make sure I wasn’t just imagining it after waking up, and it does!

That is such a little thing that didn’t need to be a feature, but the fact that it is, is amazing. Now when I wake up and look at my phone its a softer volume instead of continually blaring the alarm at me. Little things like this are awesome.

When you think about it, this feature won’t sell iPhone Xs in bulk. It will never make it to the advertisements as a “marquee feature.” But, the fact that this feature exists and tackles such a trivialised issue is a great thing.

November 21, 2017
Apple Pushes The Launch Of HomePod Smart Speaker To Early 2018

The holiday season is a time when companies try to push their marquee products into the market to take advantage of an average consumer’s spending spree. Apple Inc however, has decided to evade this season and wait till early next year to launch its much awaited foray into the smart speaker industry. HomePod, the Siri powered smart speaker which was unveiled back in June will start shipping to the US, UK and Australia in only early 2018.

The smart speaker industry has become more competitive this year and launching a first smart speaker at the end of 2017 was already a but late from Apple. Amazon’s Echo lineup and Alphabet Inc’s Google Home speakers have been dominating the market and with a price tag of US $349, the HomePod already have a stiff competition from its own price tag.

Amazon Echo Dot Retails For US $49

Bob O’Donnell, founder of Technalysis Research, said, “Apple has forecast between $84 billion and $87 billion in revenue for the holiday – mostly driven by sales of its $999 iPhone X – so it’s unlikely that missing a few weeks of sales of its $349 speaker will affect its financial results.”

AI Assistants are more used in smart speakers than phones. Even if the majority of Echo or Google Home users own an iPhone, it is highly likely that they’re talking to Alexa or Google Assistant more than Siri.

Google Home Mini retails for US $49 as well

Another big responsibilty on the shoulders of the HomePod is Apple Music. The rival smart speakers play music from Spotify, even though Google and Amazon have their own music streaming services. The HomePod however, will not have this option and will drive more people to subscribe to Apple Music and the rise of rival Spotify.

November 18, 2017
Apple iPad Pro 2018 Will Have A More Powerful Variant Of iPhone X Processor

Apple is one of the few companies still aggressively making tablets. So much so, that in the tablet industry, it is either an iPad or no tablet. Samsung launches a few tablets as well but, nothing comes near the dominance of iPads. The iPad Pro lineup is another successful iteration of powerful tablets with high-end specifications and premium price tag from Apple. It appears that Apple will continue that in 2018 as the next iPad is expected to be powered by an upgraded version of the iPhone X processor.

Chinese website MyDrivers revealed that Apple’s upcoming iPad Pro models will feature octa-core processors that are actually based on Taiwanese company TSMC’s 7nm manufacturing process. Supply chain sources have indicated that the octa-core processor is tentatively named A11X Bionic chip.

A11 bionic on iPhone 8 Plus Vs Snapdragon 835 on Galaxy Note8

The A11 Bionic chip has already surpassed every Snapdragon 835 running Android phone in benchmark and performance tests and that too with just six cores. With eight cores on the A11X bionic chip, it is safe to assume that the A11X might be the fastest chip on a mobile device in 2018. In the A11 Bionic chip, it was noted that the high-performance cores, called “Monsoon,” are 25 percent faster than the ones in last year’s A10 Fusion while the high-efficiency cores, called “Mistral,” are 70 percent faster than those of its predecessor.

According to a report, Apple has decided to make the A11 Bionic chip even more powerful by adding two more cores to it. Hence, the 2018 iPad Pro devices will come with three Monsoon cores and five Mistral cores. The A11X Bionic chip may come with a next-generation M11 coprocessor and neural engine. This would corroborate with previous reports suggesting that the iPad Pro in 2018 will also have Face ID just like the iPhone X.

The 2018 iPad Pros however, won’t have OLED screens like the iPhone X. This means that it is highly unlikely that the iPad Pro will have a design similar to the iPhone X with barely any bezels and a notch. The bezels might be thinner than the ones currently found on iPads but, for the ease of use, there will be some bezels.

November 16, 2017
10-Year Old Unlocks His Mother’s iPhone X Using Face ID

Ever since the iPhone X was launched, the most talked about feature has been Face ID. The near bezel-less design of the iPhone X meant that Apple had to get rid of the iconic home button and Touch ID. At the launch of the iPhone X and over the last few weeks, Apple has said that Face ID is much more secure than Touch ID and the possibility of bypassing it is you have an evil identical twin.

A new video has emerged of a ten-year old unlocking his mother’s iPhone X using Face ID. In the video, the mother explains that despite setting up Face ID for her face, her son is able to unlock the phone using his face.

Wired reports that after the mother reregistered her face under different lighting, her son was not able to unlock her phone. She then reregistered the third time in dimmer lighting to replicate her initial registration, and then, her son was able to unlock the phone again. The son was also able to unlock his father’s phone, but only in one instance.

You may also like – iPhone X Vs The Competition

It is possible that the kid’s age was a factor as Apple has said that the “undeveloped facial features” in those under the age of thirteen could cause issues with Face ID.

This questions Apple’s claims that Face ID is more secure than Touch ID since it is hard to believe that the son would be able to bypass Touch ID on his parents’ other iPhones under any given conditions.

November 15, 2017
2nd Generation Apple HomePod Will Have Face ID

Apple’ first ever HomePod has not even hit the store shelved yet and reports of the second generation of Apple’s smart speaker are already out. A new report from Nikkei suggests that Apple is already working on a next-gen HomePod which might have some head-turning features. In particular, the second generation HomePod could have a camera and Apple’s Face ID technology, which only just made its way into the Apple lineup with the iPhone X.

David Ho, the president of Inventec Appliances, which produces the HomePod and AirPods for Apple said:

We see trends that engineers are designing smart speakers that will not only come with voice recognition but also incorporate features such as facial and image recognition.

Such AI-related features are set to make people’s lives more convenient and to make the product easier to use.

Jeff Pu, an analyst with Yuanta Investment Consulting, also said that, “Apple could roll out HomePods with 3D-sensing cameras in 2019.”

Face ID on iPhone X

Apple has the means and ability to come out with a smart speaker with Face ID. After all, it is one of the biggest tech companies in the world. For someone who has never really been a trendsetter and pursued tried and tested technologies, introducing Face ID on a smart speaker could start a revolution in the smart speaker industry.

Companies like Amazon and Google, who are the two big players in the smart speaker game might just have to do something radical if Apple does release a Face ID HomePod (FacePod?) in 2019.

The question arises here is, what is the use of Face ID on a smart speaker? Face ID on a phone or a tablet makes sense since it is a form of authentication because you lock your device. When do you “lock” your smart speaker? Face ID on a smart speaker could have other implications as well such as personalised response to the face it detects but, what if all members of the apartment are there?

WHatever it may be, Apple may or may not launch a HomePod with Face ID in 2019 but, if it does, it will definitely turn some heads.

November 14, 2017
All Three iPhones In 2018 Will Look Like The iPhone X
2017 has seen a surge in bezel-less phones and tall displays. Apple also joined the race with the launch of the iPhone X in September. Apple also launched the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which were an incremental upgrade over the iPhone 7 an 7 Plus. With the iPhone X, Apple took some bold decisions like ridding the home button and introducing an OLED display for the first time. In 2018, it appears that all iPhones will look like the iPhone X, with thin bezels, a tall display and a notch.

Ming Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI believes that the iPhones launching in 2018 will be similar to the iPhone X and that there will be no home button in any of the phones. Kuo has had a good track record predicting what Apple might do. He released a research note which was obtained by MacRumours.

You may also like – I Spent A Day With The iPhone X And I Am Done With The Home Button

According to the note, the iPhones could come in three different sizes:
- A 5.8-inch phone with an OLED display (similar to the iPhone X).
- A 6.5-inch phone with an OLED display (like an iPhone X Plus).
- A 6.1-inch phone with an LCD display.
The two iPhones with OLED displays will be priced closer to the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X while the 6.1 inch iPhone with LCD display is expected to be priced similar to the iPhone 8 (US$649).

The OLED phones are also expected to have better specifications than the LCD iPhone but, that is how Apple will keep the price down for the 6.1 inch model and try to offer an iPhone for everyone in 2018.

Home Button On The iPhone 8

This means that Face ID is here to stay, for now at least. Many believed that the iPhone X is a test run for Apple and want to ease its consumers into the new future of no home button. It is also possible that the OLED iPhones in 2018 will have in-display fingerprint sensor while the LCD iPhone will only have Face ID. However, Face ID in the next-gen iPhones is expected to be better as Apple will have ample time to iron out the few glitches and errors in the current form of Face ID.

Kuo has also predicted that Apple’s Face ID will come to the iPad Pro and next year’s iPhones.
November 14, 2017
Top Water Resistant Phones In India Right Now

A lot of smartphones nowadays boast of an ‘IP’ rating which indicates the phone’s ability to fight off water and dust damage. Here’s what an ‘IP’ rating mean-

IP- This stands for the International Protection marking, a standard drawn up by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Dust

6- The first digit stands for its resistance to dust, but also general dirt and sand. For example, the Moto X4 earned a ‘6’ rating for “No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact (dust tight).”

Water

The second digit stands for the phone’s resistance to water

•   0 – No protection.
•   1 – Dripping water shall have no harmful effect.
•   2 – Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect with enclosure is tilted at 15°.
•   3 – Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical.
•   4 – Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction.
•   5 – Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction.
•   6 – Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) from any direction.
•   6K – Powerful water jets with increased pressure.
•   7 – Immersion, up to 1m depth for up to 30 minutes.
•   8 – Immersion, 1m or more depth (exact details vary).
•   9K – Powerful high temperature water jets.

This feature has become ever so important nowadays as phones are getting more expensive and every user wants the best features for the price he/she pays. Also, phones are the principal mode of photography for a majority of consumer market and having a phone with an IP68 rating always helps. So, let’s take a look at the top phones with an IP68 rating available in India right now:

Moto X4

The cheapest phone on the list, the Moto X4 starts at a price of Rs 20999 and is the only phone in this price bracket which has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection.

The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the home button which also doubles up as a single navigation button. The Moto X4 is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Priced at Rs 54945, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium became the first phone with a 4K HDR display. The device is also IP68 water and dust resistant.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 5.5 inch 4K HDR Display with TRILUMINOS Display for mobile and X-Reality for mobile picture engine. The 4K display comes into play whenever high res content is available like a 4k video or movie.

Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of Storage with microSD support for 256 GB. Running all the hardware is a 3230 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive charging and Quick Charge 3.0.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 19MP Motion Eye camera which has a 1/ 2.3” Exmor RS for mobile memory stacked sensor with a pixel size of 1.22m and Predictive Hybrid Autofocus.
The XZ Premium also offers 960 fps Super slow motion video and the camera is equipped with a 25 mm wide G Lens with a F2.0 Aperture.
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has SteadyShot 5-axis image stabilization and does 4K recording at 30fps. The front camera is a 13MP 1/ 3.06” Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with a 22mm Wide-angle lens with an F2.0 aperture. The front too has SteadyShot with 5-axis stabilization.

LG G6

The LG G6 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset with quad-core processor and Adreno 530 GPU along with Android 7.0 Nougat. The phone has a 5.7 inch QHD+ FullVision display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution and an awkward 18:9 aspect ratio. The LG G6 is available in two variants – one with 4 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage and the other with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage. Both the variants have an expandable storage of up to 2 TB, when those card become available.

The LG G6 has a dual rear camera setup with two 13 MP sensors. One of the sensors supports wide-angle shots and has a 125 degree lens. The other sensor is for regular shots, with OIS 2.0 and 71 degree lens. The front camera is a 5 MP wide angle lens with a 100 degree field of view.

The LG G6 has a non-removable 3300 mAh Li-ion battery, which supports QuickCharge 3.0, and will work for more than a day according to LG.

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

The 2017 flagship phones from Samsung have an IP68 rating as well for water and dust resistance.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S8 and its bigger sibling, the Galaxy S8+ in April 2017. Apart from the LG G6, there was hardly any mainstream global phone with thin bezels and premium features. Qualcomm made a deal with Samsung and gave the company an exclusive early access to the Snapdragon 835 chipset. This made it possible for Samsung to launch the Galaxy S8 with a 2017 flagship chipset way before any other OEM got their hands on it.

The display is edge-to-edge with minimal upper and bottom bezels. Both the phones run a new 10 nm chipset, The S8 has an Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit chipset while the S8+ will have an Octa core (2.35GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit chipset.

Both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have a 4GB RAM (LPDDR4), 64GB (UFS 2.1) storage, the Galaxy S8 has a 5.8” (146.5mm) Quad HD+ 2960×1440 px display with a 570ppi while the S8+ has a 6.2” (158.1mm) Quad HD+ 2960×1440 px display with a 529ppi density. Both have Samsung’s own super-AMOLED display. For cameras both phones get a main Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7). While the battery on the Galaxy S8 is 3000 man, the S8plus has a 3500 mAh battery. Both support fast charging and wireless charging as well.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ does most of the things right. If you have the budget, there aren’t many phones that look as good and perform as well as these two flagship phones from Samsung.

Buy it here

Samsung Galaxy Note8

Both the Galaxy Note8 and the S Pen are IP68 rated for water and dust resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px 18.5:9 aspect ratio Super AMOLED display with an 83.1% screen-to-body ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back of the device.The Galaxy Note 8 runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat and Samsung has promised an update to 8.0 Oreo in the near future. The phone is powered by a non-removable 3,300 mAh battery with QuickCharge 2.0 through the USB Type C port and because of the glass at the back, the phone also supports wireless charging as well.

Just like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device right next to the dual-cameras. As is with all Samsung flagship devices, the Galaxy Note8 ships with two different chipsets, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 2.45 GHz octa-core processor with Adreno 540 GPU for USA and China, and the Exynos 8895, 2.3GHz Quad-Core (Custom CPU) + 1.7GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) with Mali-G71 MP20 for the remaining markets.

The Galaxy Note 8 is the first phone from Samsung to feature dual-cameras with a 12MP dual-camera setup, the primary camera has a wide-angle 12MP lens with an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary camera has a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens enables a 2X lossless optical zoom and has features such as the Bokeh effect, much like the iPhone 7 Plus. The dual-cameras are capable of capturing 4K videos at 30 FPS On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture and captures 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The Galaxy Note8 is much more than just a “slightly larger Galaxy S8+.” It surely does what Galaxy S8+ does best, and then does a lot more. The integration of the S Pen in Samsung’s UI and the dual-cameras are worth an upgrade to the Galaxy Note8 and the premium price tag.

Buy it here

Apple iPhone X

Although onky IP67 rated, the iPhone X deserves a mention for its superior hardware and software performance.

The iPhone X has a 5.8-inch 2436 x 1125 px OLED True Tone Super Retina display with minimal bezels around it. The phone runs iOS 11 and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery which charges through the Apple signature lightning port placed at the bottom of the phone. Under the hood, the smartphone has the Apple A11 Bionic chipset with a neural engine, a hexacore processor, 3GB of RAM and storage options of 64GB, and 256GB. As is with every iPhone, the onboard storage can not be expanded via a microSD card. The small bezels mean there is no physical home button, which is now replaced with gestures for navigation. Siri is activated by pressing the now larger lock/unlock button. The iPhone X is also IP67 certified for water and dust resistance.

The iPhone X has dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, and it’s equipped with dual optical image stabilization. The sensors are both larger and faster, according to Apple, and the main camera is equipped with a wide angle lens and has an f/1.8 aperture while the secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.4 aperture. In between the two cameras is a quad-LED True Tone flash. Both the front and back cameras have the portrait mode. The rear cameras have the portrait lighting feature, just like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The bottom line is, the iPhone X has all the ingredients of being the best iPhone yet. The design, the new cameras and the AR integration makes the iPhone X even more future-proof than it predecessors. However, the price tag of the iPhone X can make you question how much you love the iPhone and whether its enough to shell out over a thousand dollars on it.

Buy it here

November 13, 2017
Apple iPhone X Display And Speaker Issues Reported Online

The Apple iPhone X has been one of the most successful iPhones of the recent past. Ever since its launch, the iPhone hX has received great reviews and the transition from Touch ID to Face ID has been organic for a lot of consumers. However, with every new phone, there are complaints of something weird happening to it in some units. The iPhone X seems to be no different as issues of an inextinguishable green line appearing on some people’s phones have surfaced online.

The images above are from Twitter users mix0mat0sis, Nate Heagy and Christian Roman, and represent a few of the examples of the “green line of death” as one of them called it. No one seems to know what causes it or how prevalent it actually is.

The iPhone X has a new diamond sub-pixel pattern in its display, and all green sub-pixels appear in lines, while red and blue alternate. It appears that an electrical fault in a these phones is causing the voltage to flow to all the green sub-pixels in a line. The fact that it stretches from top to bottom of the display suggests it is something at the edge of the display that’s sending an incorrect voltage down a few lines of pixels.

There appears to issues with the speaker of some of the iPhoneXs as well. Some users on Reddit, MacRumors and Twitter have reported that their new iPhoneX’s top speaker is crackling at higher volume levels. There in no constancy in its severity but, it happens regardless of what you’re playing and appears to persist with replacement units as well.

Both of these issues have been reported in enough iPhone Xs to not be called as ‘isolated incidents’ and Apple should be fixing these issues especially considering the price the consumers have paid for the new iPhone X.

November 13, 2017
Clips Introduces Selfie Scenes For 360-Degree Selfies On iPhone X

Apple has announced a new update to the iOS app, Clips. Clips is a free app for iOS that makes it easy to create and share fun videos using iPhone or iPad. In the new update, Clips has introduced Selfie Scenes, new artistic transition affects and a redesigned interface.

Clips 2.0 is available as a free update on the App Store and is compatible with the iPhone 5s, iPad Air and iPad mini 2 and later models, running iOS 11.1 and later. Selfie Scenes are only available on the iPhone X and style transfer effects are only available on the iPhone 7 and later models and 2017 iPad Pro.

New update for @Apple #Clips on the App Store is now Live with new features for the #iPhoneX ! pic.twitter.com/wHBztuVztf

— iGyaan (@igyaan) November 10, 2017

Selfie Scenes takes full advantage of iPhone X’s true depth cameras to create a 360-degree immersive scene around the user. Users can choose from 10 scenes, featuring locations, characters, colours and visual styles plus two scenes from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Each scene is a full 360-degree experience, so it surrounds users on all sides as they move the iPhone X around.

To manage storage space in a better way, users can now access and edit their Clips videos across iPhone and iPad via iCloud. Videos are automatically uploaded and backed up to iCloud, so users can start a video on iPhone and finish it later on iPad.

November 10, 2017
Apple To Fix iPhone X Screen’s Unresponsiveness In Cold Weather

Apple has said that it is working on a fix for the iPhone X screen’s unresponsive behaviour in cold weather. Apple has mentioned it before as well that ideally, a user should use their iPhone in temperatures between 32 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Some users on Reddit complained about this issue and also clarified that these issues arose when they used their phones within the said temperature barriers. Darus214, a Reddit user said,

It literally takes 2 seconds from going inside to the cold outdoors and my screen stops being very responsive. I try swiping on websites and it doesn’t register my finger.

He later added that the outside temperature was 50 degrees Fahrenheit when his handset became unresponsive. After more than the usual number of complaints surfaced online, Apple was quick to respond:

We are aware of instances where the iPhone X screen will become temporarily unresponsive to touch after a rapid change to a cold environment. After several seconds the screen will become fully responsive again. This will be addressed in an upcoming software update.

This issue has affected a few users and considering the temperature in India, iPhone X users in India can breathe a sigh of relief as this issue might not affect you anytime soon.

November 10, 2017