A lot of new Smartphones are headed to India this month, and with the market going ablaze with all the options, here are some things you should know about the new launches.
While many other phones may launch, These seem to be the peoples choice at the moment.
Moto G4 and G4 Plus
Now Lenovo owned Moto is all set to launch their next gen G4 and G4 Plus on 17th May while a lot is not know about the handsets, it is clear that Moto is pushing its smartphones hard. The G4 is expected to come with a fingerprint scanner and various other improvements on performance display and camera. The G4 Plus is expected to be a big brother of the G4 with possibly a larger display.
Yu 5330
While the actual name of this handset is unknown, the Yu 5330 has leaked and CEO Rahul Sharma was seen breaking “Flag Ships” in a video. If we put it together, the company wants to make a “Flagship Breaker” Smartphone. However the specs and leaks do not pit it as a flagship smartphone.
Lenovo Zuk Z1
Lenovo’s online only brand ZUk is creating some buzz in India, the Zuk Z1. The phone comes with a metal frame with a display of 5.5 inches IPS screen and 1080p resolution, while the phone itself measures 8.9mm thick and comes with a 4,100mAh battery with a 2.5A charger. Its is expected to be launched under Rs. 20000 on 10th May.
OnePlus Three
This year OnePlus decided to keep things on the down low as their #hype campaign last year left a lot of people disappointed. Reports are mentioning two models of the OnePlus 3 one with 4GB of RAM + 32GB of storage and one with 6GB of RAM + 64GB of storage. A price of CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,400) is quoted for the base model of the OnePlus pointing towards a roughly Rs. 24000-25000 launch price in markets like India. While it is expected to launch end May we are not sure when it will come to India. Hopefully, at the same time as the rest of the world.
Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7 2016
Samsung is launching the J5 and the J7 in India, the 2016 variant. While we are working on relevant videos, let us tell you that the handsets will have Snapdragon chipsets and many improvements which were requested by users. Samsung has taken a user centric approach this year and that might be a good thing.Samsung will launch both phones on 9th May.
Micromax Canvas 6
The Indian company which has not been faring well in the market, is trying to regain ground with the launch of several new handsets and a company redesign. Expected to launch sometime next week, the Canvas 6 has a Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10 and a 5.5 inch Full HD display. You will get 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM along with expandability and dual SIM.
Which smartphone will you be waiting for and why? Let us know below.
The OnePlus 3 launch is just around the corner and the phone is highly anticipated. While many have put a lot of faith and trust in OnePlus and expect a fantastic phone, many are waiting for the company to reveal the handset before commenting.
OnePlus has filed a patent for a technology called “Dash Charge” while little is known about the tech, many assume that the name suggests a fast charging technology. Something that was missing in the OnePlus 2 and was considered unacceptable by many.
Other reports are mentioning two models of the OnePlus 3 one with 4GB of RAM + 32GB of storage and one with 6GB of RAM + 64GB of storage. A price of CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,400) is quoted for the base model of the OnePlus pointing towards a roughly Rs. 24000-25000 launch price in markets like India. It was earlier reported that OnePlus 3 will be launched in three variants. Other specs leaked also point towards a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset with the Adreno 530 GPU.
OnePlus’s next flagship’s the OnePlus 3 is becoming everyday news. With its launch a few months away, it seems that a lot is already known for the US $ 354 Smartphone. (including the price)
The OnePlus 3, Codename Rain A3000, according to leaks will sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset with the Adreno 530 GPU, as well as Memory options in the following format : 3GB + 32GB, 6GB + 64GB, and 4GB + 128GB. Strange as it seems the 3GB + 32GB will cost US$ 354 whereas the 6GB + 64GB variant will cost US$ 384, well worth the additional if you ask us.
Leaks are also mentioning a quick charge feature, which details a 5-minute charge capable of giving 2 hours of phone calls. Android 6 with OnePlus’ new OS Hydrogen is expected to come pre loaded.
OnePlus’s is unsure of when it wants to announce the phone, so it’s either May 18th or May 28th for the launch and sales should begin soon after.
The handset, however, will still come with a 5.2-inch 1920x1080p display. Some benchmarks are also showing 5 inch and 5.5 inch displays, which could be model or variant dependent or simply different phones.
UPDATE : The Company has confirmed that it will not be launching the device on 7th April :
The April 7 event is focused on the China market. We will not be launching our next device then.
OnePlus made a big name with the OnePlus One. However, last year’s OnePlus Two launch was very cold, and although the company had their moments, the OnePlus Two was barely as a big a success as the OnePlus One. The company later released the OnePlus X, a cheaper yet power packed phones.
However, this Chinese smartphone company may have new tricks up its sleeve with the OnePlus 3. Leaks of the device from an Antutu benchmark test have revealed the specifications. The leak shows that the next-gen OnePlus handset will have a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The OnePlus three will boast a Snapdragon 820 CPU, an Adreno 530 GPU, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of base storage, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and a customized fork of Oxygen OS based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
OnePlus has an event planned on the 7th of April in Beijing, where they are expected to unveil the handset. If this is the case, OnePlus fans the world over will rejoice to the early arrival of their beloved handset. However, many will comment on the 1080p display.
It has been three months into 2016 and we have heard very little about OnePlus’ next flagship killer. We’ve so far received small hints that the company is working on a OnePlus 3 device, but now we have some more to add to that. According to co-founder and CEO Pete Lau, the OnePlus 3 will be ready and available by June this year. This he said during the SURGE tech conference in Bangalore, India.
Add to this, the other co-founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei has confirmed that the OnePlus 3 will sport a whole new design. Though nothing more has been said on the design front and we’ll just have to wait for leaked images to have a better idea of what OnePlus plans to offer.
What we can definitely take away from this is that the OnePlus 3 will stay away from the OnePlus One and 2. The OnePlus 2, much like its predecessor, received very positive reviews and fans found very few faults with the handset. The OnePlus 2 mainly found criticism regarding overheating issues, thanks to the Snapdragon 810 processor.
OnePlus 3 Render
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch Quad HD display and will come in two variants – one with 3GB of RAM and 16GB storage and the other being 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Rumours also reveal that the handset will arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset as most flagship devices this year.
On the camera front, the OnePlus 3 is said to sport a 13MP rear-facing shooter while its front would be of 5MP. The handset is also rumoured to include a removable battery pack MicroSD card support. Early leaked renders of the OnePlus 3 show that the device could feature front speakers and sport a glass back, like the OnePlus X.
So far, the rumoured specifications don’t really offer anything noteworthy. Some of the rumoured specs are similar to the ones found in the OnePlus 2. Seeing as how some of this year’s flagship devices already unveiled feature, at least, one new technology, OnePlus may just have something special for the OnePlus 3. Of course, it’s still early in the day to know anything for sure.
At a time when flagships phones from big tech companies are alienating themselves from the majority of the crowd due to their high price, flagship killers, such as the phones from OnePlus have carved out a separate market space for themselves with phones that offer market leading specs but for a fraction of the price of the flagships.
to carry this forward, Chinese smartphone maker, OnePlus plans to bring the new OnePlus 3 to take on the S7s and G5s of the world, and this time, it plans to do things just a bit differently
In an interview with Cnet the company’s CEO Carl Pie revealed plans for the upcoming phone. He revealed that the company will make a renewed push for the US market with the OnePlus 3 and will adopt ore traditional forms of marketing hinting at what could possibly be the ditching of the frustrating invite system.
The same invite system which had made the previous OnePlus devices almost impossible to get your hands on for the starting months when demand for them was at its peak.
If it indeed turns out to be true It would mean the company would have to drastically improve things at the manufacturing side of things because a OnePlus 3 without an invite and the kind of specs we expect at a reasonable price point will disrupt the industry like nothing else.
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. In terms of design, Samsung is sticking to the S6 design language only upgrading the specs, which we’re not complaining about. The flagship devices are slated to be unveiled on February 21 at the MWC ‘Unpacked’ event.
HTC One M10
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The One M10 will look a lot more like the One A9 than the One M9. From what recent renders tell us, HTC is ditching the BoomSound front speakers as well as the much-hated logo on the front that was found on the One M10. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner housed inside the home button, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
Recent rumours about the specs of the Mi 5 are contradictory with some claiming the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display and the others pointing to a 5.7-inch with Full HD display. What’s almost confirmed is a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front cameras. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
Some recent rumours have suggested a modular design for the LG G5 where the bottom is detachable so as to easily remove the battery pack. This, however, is still a long shot and nothing has been confirmed on that front.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. LG will launch the G5 flagship smartphone at the MWC next week.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1 Render
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
The mobile phone market is brimming with many smartphone offerings at the moment. Today we take a look at the best smartphones in the congested sub Rs 20,000 market bracket.
LeEco Le 1s
LeEco recently launched the Le 1s along with its flagship, the Le Max. The Le 1s comes equipped with a 5.5-inch 1920x1080p display and is powered by MediaTek’s Helio X10 processor, paired with 3 GB RAM for flawless performance. It features a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. The smartphone will run Android 5.1 out of the box with a custom EUI on top. It is a dual-SIM device with an AnTuTu score of 55844, beating HTC One M9.
It has a type-C USB port which ensures 3.5 hours of usage in 5 minutes of charging, along with a double chamber, symmetrical design, and super-slim, full-metal body with 7.5 mm of thickness. The phone even comes with a fingerprint scanner on the device called LeTouch to sweeten the deal. It is mirror-surfaced with 99.3% accuracy and .15 seconds flash recognisation. Le 1s is available for Rs 10,999.
K4 Note
The device is dual-SIM, has 4G LTE support and has a 5.5-inch display. On the camera front, it packs a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. It comes packing a fingerprint scanner at the back. It comes equipped with a 1.3 Ghz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6753 processor with Mali-T720MP3 GPU, paired with 3GB of DDR3 RAM under the hood for smooth performance.
Storage options on the phone include a single variant of 16GB internal memory which can be expanded to 128 GB using a MicroSD card. The device is priced at Rs. 11,998 on Amazon.
Vibe X3
The device comes packed with a ton of features and improvements over its predecessor including a brand new design language and ergonomics.
The Vibe X3 comes with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is at 32GB which is expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot.
On the photography front, the Vibe X3 will come equipped a 21-megapixel PDAF rear camera featuring Sony IMX230 sensor with 6P lens and f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus and 4K video recording. . On the front is an 8-megapixel camera. The Vibe X3 can be bought from Amazon for a price of Rs 19,999.
Moto X play
The new Moto X Play comes to the market with a 5.5-inch Full HD display which returns a pixel density of 403 ppi. When it comes to the design the phone looks beautiful & has ensures buyers of a solid build. It is run by a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 615 Octa-core CPU coupled with Adreno 405 GPU & 2 GB RAM to deliver good performance. Moto X Play also comes with a whopping 21-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, Phase Detect Auto-Focus (PDAF) and Color Correlated Temperature (CCT) dual LED flash, and a 5-megapixel camera at the front.
The phone also comes with a whopping 21-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, Phase Detect Auto-Focus (PDAF) and Color Correlated Temperature (CCT) dual LED flash, and a 5-megapixel camera at the front. The battery on board is a 3630mAh battery and is available in two storage options, 16GB and 32GB. The phone is available for as low as Rs 16,999 for its 16GB offering.
Asus Zenfone Max
This phone from Asus comes with an enormous 5000 mAh battery.It can also double up as a portable charger for other power hungry devices in their time of need.
On the specifications front, the phone holds out its own in the crowded budget phone segment. ZenFone Max features a 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS display which has 10 finger touch support and comes with anti-fingerprint coating. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor which is paired with 2 GB RAM, Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system and Adreno 306 graphics processor.
It comes with a 13 MP rear and 5 MP front PixelMaster camera with an f/2.0 aperture lens and laser auto-focus. The phone can be yours for a price of Rs 9,999.
Cool Pad Note 3 Lite
There’s only one device currently that can brag about being the cheapest smartphone with a fingerprint scanner, and that’s the Cooldpad Note 3 Lite which comes priced at Rs 7,000. The display on the phone is a 5-inch 720p HD, 320ppi IPS panel. It is run by a 64-bit 1GHz Quad-Core Mediatek MT6735 processor with 3GB Ram, and 16 GB internal storage with MicroSd card support.
The phone is run by a 64-bit 1GHz Quad-Core Mediatek MT6735 processor with 3GB Ram, and 16 GB internal storage with MicroSd card support. The camera on the back is a 13-MP shooter, and at the front it boasts of a 5 MP camera.
Honor 5X
The recently launched Honor 5X sports a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution, and a pixel density of 401 ppi. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC with Adreno 405 GPU. The 5X is available in 2GB of RAM with 16GB onboard storage that is expandable up to 128GB via microSD card slot.
In terms of design, the Honor 5X sports an aircraft-grade metal unibody construction with a fingerprint scanner at the back that can also be used to take photos. The device gives a premium look for a budget-friendly smartphone, keeping it on par with the Le 1s that was launched last week. These devices show us that budget phones are turning out to be the new premium. The device is priced at Rs 12,999 on Amazon India.
Lenovo Vibe P1
The Vibe P1 features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage with expandable storage via microSD card.
The device features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front; dual-SIM with dual 4G LTE support.The Vibe P1 is also equipped with a nice Home Key that houses a fingerprint scanner within it. The Vibe P1 comes with a large 4900 mAh battery on board and is currently priced at Rs 15,999.
Qiku Q Terra
The Qiku Q Terra is a massive phone with a 6 inch FHD display with 1080 X 1920 pixel resolution. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 64-bit processor and comes with a 3 GB RAM. Along with this, it also has 16 GB of internal storage capacity that is expandable up to 128 GB.
What sets the Q Terra apart from the other handsets in the list is that it uses a DuoScopic Camera System that integrates two 13 MP Sony back cameras – an IMX278 color sensor along with a B/W IMX214 sensor. Adding to this, the phone also offers an 8 MP front camera with f/2.4 aperture. It falls just under the Rs 20,000 mark at Rs.19,999.
Chinese smartphone maker, OnePlus, launched the OnePlus 2 in July last year in only a 64GB storage option. The handset was launched for a price tag of Rs 24,999, and back then the company promised a more affordable 16GB variant of the phone for Indian users in the future.
OnePlus 2
Flash forward to today, and the company has finally lived up to its promise and come to the market with a new more affordable variant. The One Plus 2-16GB variant launched in India will be available exclusively via Amazon India for Rs 22, 999, and what will come as welcome news for customers waiting to buy the phone, the new variant will be invite free.
The new variant of OnePlus 2 will come equipped with similar specs to the 64GB model, but will sport a16GB eMMC v5.0 inbuilt storage instead of 64GB, and also cut down on the RAM from 4GB to 3GB.
The phone will feature the same 5.5-inch 1080p display as the 64GB variant. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 v2.1 SoC clocked at 1.8GHz and Adreno 430 GPU. The smartphone will also come equipped with Dual 4G Nano-SIM cards slots, as well as the popular USB Type-C.
The OnePlus 2 16GB variant will share the same 13MP rear and 5MP front camera. The rear camera comes with a 1.3-micron sensor, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, 4K video recording. Powering the phone will be a 3300mAh battery pack. It will also come equipped with a fingerprint sensor.
OnePlus X goes invite-free and is now on open sale…forever. A video of an incredibly excited Bobba Fett (pay attention, Star Wars fans) doing a happiness-jig is here to convey the same.
The announcement was made on OnePlus’s official forum. The post also announced free standard shipping for orders above $100 (about Rs. 6,800).
“…we hope that this development will make the process of purchasing your very own OnePlus X as smooth and effortless as it can possibly be,” says the company..
OnePlus also announced a slight hike in the price of its power banks. After seven calendar days from the day of the announcement, the OnePlus Power Bank would be priced at $19, instead of the previous $14.99. Additionally, shipping regulations inhibit the order of more than two Power Banks. If the order includes 4 units, it would automatically be split into two separate orders.
Coming back to OnePlus X, find below our hands-on video and the complete specifications of the device.
Specification
OnePlus X
Display
5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Once again, a OnePlus device is going to be made available in an invite-free way. On 8th of January, consumers can buy the OnePlus X limited edition Ceramic variant minus an invite. However it will be available only in selected locations.The phone will be available at some French Connection stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad between 7 to 9 PM. Additionally, there will be a 10% discount on the smartphone. The first 50 buyers would also get a gift bag that includes a voucher of Rs. 500 by the retailer.
Starting 9th January, OnePlus X Ceramic variant will exclusively be available on Amazon.in using invites. It’s currently priced at Rs. 22,999. More details can be found on the official OnePlus blog.
Specification
OnePlus X
Display
5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it comes a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
Samsung S7 Render
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. As for the S7 Edge, very little is known as to how the curved screen device is going to look. Whether Samsung is going for a different curved design or rather just tweak the previous S6 design is still a mystery. The flagship devices are slated for a February launch at the MWC.
HTC One M10
HTC One M10 Render
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi Mi 4
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
On the specs front, the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display, Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front camers. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. No word yet on when LG plans to launch the device.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
There’s some exciting news in store for OnePlus fans in India. The company has announced the launch of a colour variant for OnePlus X. It’s called the Champagne and is a beautiful white and gold version of the handset.
OnePlus X Champagne goes on sale starting at midnight tonight on Amazon. This new variant joins OnePlus X Onyx. It can be bought by using existing OnePlus X invites which can be redeemed both for the Onyx and the Champagne versions.
Specification
OnePlus X
Display
5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
OnePlus fans pay attention. The OnePlus X will be available today without invite on Amazon India. Those who have been waiting for the company’s newest handset can go ahead and add it to their cart right now. The invite-free OnePlus X goes on sale for the whole day until midnight tonight.
We are glad to announce that the OnePlus X will be available without an invite today on Amazon. One of the most sought after phones can now be yours invite-free, just in time for the holiday season!
The OnePlus X is priced at Rs. 16, 999 for the 16 GB Onyx variant. It sports a 5-inch AMOLED display (1920×1080), with a primary camera of 13 MP and a 8 MP front. The device runs on a 2.1 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset. It features a 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 128 via MicroSD card slot. The phone includes an alert slider, like the one found on OnePlus 2. The OnePlus X weighs around 138 gm for the Onyx variant. Check out our review of the OnePlus X here to know all you need to know about the device before you buy it.
You can have a quick look at the specs table below as well.
Specification
OnePlus X
Display
5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
In this list, we pick our favourite smartphones that fall between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000. Be sure to let us know your favourite in the comments below.
Lenovo Vibe P1
The Vibe P1 features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage with expandable storage via microSD card. The device features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front; dual-SIM with dual 4G LTE support.
The Vibe P1 is available at a price of Rs. 15,999 exclusively on Flipkart.
OnePlus X
The OnePlus X sports a 5-inch AMOLED display (1920×1080), with a primary camera of 13 MP and a 8 MP front. The device runs on a 2.1 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset. It features a 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 128 via MicroSD card slot. The phone includes an alert slider, like the one found on OnePlus 2. The OnePlus X weighs around 138 gm for the onyx variant and a heavier 160 gm for the ceramic variant.
The Onyx variant of the OnePlus X is priced at Rs. 16,999 and as is available via invite system only. Check out our review of the OnePlus X here.
Moto X Play
The Moto X Play boasts of features that are sure to excite the masses. With a 21 MP camera, 3630 mAh battery, and expandable memory up to 128 GB, the Moto X Play is definitely worth its price. Other features include a 5.5 inch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Snapdragon 615, and an Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU.
The Moto X Play starts at a price of Rs 18,499, and offers a variety of changeable colored back covers. You can check out our hands on with the Moto X Play to know more about the device.
Asus Zenfone 2
The 32 GB Zenfone 2 is priced at Rs. 17,999 and comes with a 5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by an Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor with 2.3 GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM. The juice is supplied by an adequate 3000mAh non-removable battery and the smartphone comes pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Asus Zenfone 2 has a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. The dual LED flash paired with the rear camera, comes in two colours, to help you get the right white balance. Both the microphones consist of the noise cancellation feature, thus enabling you to talk with least hassle. Check out our exclusive unboxing and hands on of the Vibe P1 for more.
HTC Desire 828
The HTC Desire 828 arrived in India on the 14th of December. Priced at Rs. 19,990, the model comes with a 5.5 inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and is powered by the Mediatek MT6753. It is run on the Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop) and has a dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) connectivity.
It also comes with a storage of 16GB that is expandable up to 2 TB along with 2GB of RAM. On the camera front, the Desire 828 features a 13 MP rear camera and HTC UltraPixel front. The Desire 828 is the first model in the Desire lineup to. The device is packed with a Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery and supports a micro USB v2.0.
OnePlus One
Even though OnePlus’ debut handset came to India towards the end of 2014, the OnePlus One with 64 GB storage is still a great option today. The device sports a 5.5-inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 3. On the hardware front the device features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB of RAM and 64 GB storage.
The OnePlus One also features a 13 MP primary camera with 4K video, a 5 MP front-facing shooter, and 3,100mAh battery. All in all the once touted ‘flagship killer’ is still worth your money. The device is available for Rs. 19,999 on Amazon India. Check out our review of the OnePlus One for more.
The phone will be available at some French Connection stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad between 7 to 9 PM. Additionally, there will be a 10% discount on the smartphone. The first 50 buyers would also get a gift bag that includes a voucher of Rs. 500 by the retailer.
