The SoC or Processor is the core component of every smartphone. Qualcomm is the leading smartphone chipmaker but a lot of other companies also develop and manufacture these tiny modern marvels. Apple has their A series processors, Huawei makes Kirin processors and Samsung has their Exynos range of chipsets. Recently, Samsung has shared a teaser of an upcoming flagship Exynos processor. The new processor will be seen on the upcoming Galaxy S10.
The poster shows a smartphone with the upcoming Samsung Exynos processor. It will be the successor to the Exynos 9810 which is present on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9. The processor might be called Exynos 9820, but that is not officially confirmed. It will be the first 7 nm chip from Samsung. However, competitors Huawei and Apple have already launched their Kirin 980 & A12 bionic, 7nm processors. Samsung claims the 7 nm manufacturing technology will boost performance by up to 20% while reducing power consumption by up to 50%.
The poster reveals that the processor is set to launch on November 14. It also reads ‘Intelligence from within’ which hints that the new chipset will feature a dedicated AI (Artificial Intelligence) Chip. The new SoC will likely have a neural processing unit that will enable the Galaxy S10 to perform complex AI & machine learning tasks.
The Next Exynos SoC which will be present on the Galaxy S10 will also support 5G. No precise details about the clock speed or architecture of the processor are available. But, we won’t have to wait for long as the launch of the processor is right around the corner.
High-end smartphones this year are facing a lot of issues. Something, a high end smartphone is least expected to have. The iPhones faced the Beauty Gate and Charge Gate and now the Pixel 3 is apparently also facing major charging issues. Some users in a discussion forum as well as the Google product forum have complained that their new Pixel 3 is overheating while charging. Some have also reported the Pixel devices to auto shut down due to the over heating issue.
A user reportedly was on a video call on WhatsApp once and on Zoom, both times facing an auto shut down. This was when the phone was plugged in to charge. The device is also reportedly shutting down automatically when the camera is on for a long time (15-20 minutes) due to overheating. Before it shuts down the phone is showing a message “Your phone is shutting off due to heat”. Some users also reported that Google is giving them a replacement phone.
Some have tried to hard reset the phone but the issue still persists. If Google is replacing the phones they might be acknowledging the issue. Some are speculating that it can be fixed with software updates but the act of replacement seems to suggest otherwise. One user has reported that the replacement Pixel 3 is also overheating. The Pixel 3 saw its launch early in October this year along with the Pixel 3 XL.
The Pixel 3 offers a P-OLED capacitive touchscreen and has 64 GB and 128 GB options with 4 GB of RAM. It has a Li-Po 2,915 mAh battery with fast charging. It has a 12.2 MP, f/1.8 main camera and a 8 MP, f/1.8 + 8 MP, f/2.2 selfie camera.The phone also offers QI wireless charging and runs Android 9.0 out of the box. The price of the base model of the Pixel 3 is Rs 69,850 on Amazon at the moment.
Samsung is gearing up for a major reshuffling of their phone lineup. The company wishes to eliminate the J series phones entirely and create an M series of phones. It is also reported on a Korean news website that Samsung plans to put an LCD screen on their 2019 version of the J Series of phones. This comes in the wake of Apple making it’s cheapest iPhone XR feature an LCD panel. Samsung reportedly wants to divide the A series models into two segments with OLED as well as LCD options in different price brackets. The Galaxy A8 Star, A8 Plus, A6 Plus all have AMOLED panels at the moment. The A series models will also reportedly see a change of nomenclature.
What is Samsung Planning?
Samsung is reportedly reshuffling their phones to get the maximum number of customers as well as to create a price differentiation. Their strategy seems to be to raise the price range of their A9, which has a quad camera setup. This will enable them to capture the lower end of the market with the J series as the company looks to sell more in terms of volume. Samsung will reportedly take Galaxy A series OLED and LCD models to Korean, North American and European markets. The A series will have a quad camera setup. Since these markets have a greater purchasing power, it will be easier to sell the OLED phones there. On the other hand, LCD models will be introduced only in India and Southeast Asia. These markets have a lower purchasing power and has a chance to sell more in terms of volume.
The company is also said to be reorganising its lineup by integrating Galaxy J, Galaxy ON and Galaxy C series into ‘Galaxy M’ next year. This is also one of the major reason’s for the reshuffling plan. There are also speculations that Samsung may be taking this drastic step due to the stiff competition from Chinese manufacturers. Specially in markets like India and parts of South East Asia.
Once we buy a new smartphone, the first thing we do is get a mobile cover and a screen protector for it. But there are other useful accessories as well that can increase the usefulness of your phone. In this article we will discuss little known accessories that you can buy on Amazon for a throwaway price!
AmazonBasics Mobile Phone Repair Kit
This is an extremely handy tool if you like to repair your own phones. The repair kit for smartphones can be used for mobile devices, game systems, wristwatches, and eyeglasses. It consists of a precision aluminium screwdriver with telescopic handle for extended reach. It allows for easy one-handed operation due to screwdriver’s free-spinning end-cap. The repair kit includes two mini pry bars, an opening pick, a SIM card ejector tool and suction cup. It also has 3/4-inch S2 screwdriver bits which can fit into tight spots. iPhones are known for their custom screws and this kit includes pentagonal size for iPhones and iPads. The kit comes in a zippered case for safe storage and convenient portability.
Posterguy Waterproof Mobile Pouch
Ever wish you could take your phone when you go for a swim or use your phone in the rain? This waterproof mobile pouch cover for smartphones protects your phone from water damage. The case can store a 6 inch smartphone. It can be submersed under water as well once locked properly. The case is an IPX8 certified waterproof cover with fingerprint sensor and is suitable for phones up to 6.5 inches of diagonal screen size. One can also use it to store credit cards or money.
It also includes a17 inch neck strap for easy carry and access. It is perfect for using in rain, beach or any other kind of adventure. The pouch is best suited for adventure trips where moisture, water, dust or snow can be an issue. Putting your small valuables or expensive or inexpensive smartphone in this phone bag will leave your items bone dry and dust proof.
Sports Arm Band Protective
If you are a fitness freak then this accessory may be a life-saver! Early morning jogs can be tedious as well as fun but storing your phone and protecting it from rain or sweat and keeping your house keys can be a difficult task. Using this, you won’t have to worry about losing your keys and credit cards at the gym or at the park. It has a touchable protective screen and can activate iPhone 7 home button and can be used freely when your phone is in the armband during sports.
Its headphone cutouts allows for music playback or taking calls while walking or running. Another great feature is the armband’s reflective strip which allows for safe running in low light conditions. It fits Apple iPhone 6 6S 4.7 inch, iPhone 6 Plus, 6S Plus, 5.5 inch or other below 5.5 inch cell phones. The armband is made of high-quality nylon premium material which reduces the chances of pungent smell from sweat accumulation.
Water Resistant Waist Phone Bag
Another mobile carrying pouch, this is a multi-purpose tool for storage and ease to carry. The pouch is water resistant, but it is not waterproof. The straps can be threaded through the loops on the back for a tight fit on the belt or any combination of wear options and belt sizes. There’s a loop on top as well. It is made with 1000 denier waterproof cordura nylon, with MOLLE attachments, double webbing molle belts behind, and extra strong buckles. It can be a great bag for people who like outdoor adventures as well as trekkers. It can fit a charger, passport, key, credit card, cigarette lighter, sun glass, cellphones, digital cameras etc.
Selfie Beauty Ring Light
If you use your front camera more than the back camera of your phone, this is the perfect accessory for you. This selfie ring light attaches to your phone and it gives a great light throw for selfies. The light has 3 different levels of brightness and provides supplemental or side lighting for creative photography and videography. It provides continuous LED light and does not heat up too much. It works with all phones as well as tablets. This selfie ring light is built from high quality plastic and is durable and shockproof. It works on 2 AAA batteries but the batteries are not in the package.
12X Zoom Mobile Phone Telescope Lens
This tele lens is a great accessory for the photographers who use their phone a lot. We all have wished the phone camera had a tele lens and not just digital zoom. Even though many phones nowadays are equipped with two or more lenses which range from wide to tele, if your phone does not have that then this accessory is great for you. The lens screws into the clip that comes with it. This ensures that the lens perfectly aligns with your camera. It can be great for using in concerts, tourist destinations, zoos and any other long-distance shooting. The lens is a 12X zoom lens and is portable and detachable. It is compatible with all mobile phones.
Charging Stand & Station Dock Platform Holder
A lovely and neat addition for your home, this eco-friendly bamboo charging stand bracket can help you avoid clutter in your house. It is a 100% natural bamboo charging stand that is taken from sustainable forest harvest and is quite durable. The charging dock looks very fashionable and the stand has a solid build for better stabilisation. It can hold your phone as well as your smartwatch for charging. The dock is suitable for all kinds of mobile phones and smartwatches. It has a cutout for your Apple watch charger. The cutout can be of use for other smartwatch chargers as well.
Portable Mini 16 Led Light
Another great value for money product, this is a portable light that can be directly plugs into your phone’s adapter and works as a light to take photographs and videos. The light provides the same daylight colour temperature as popular professional xenon flashes. So you get natural-looking skin tones, the right depth and soft shadows. It does not have a great throw and can illuminate subjects that are close by. The light can also be used as a simple flashlight or a small emergency lamp. It works with all smartphones and can be easily carried in pocket or a small bag The light comes with the light itself and a USB to 3.5mm charging cable.
Amazon has officially announced that it will be selling more Apple products on its website. This will be done when the holiday season starts. The move reflects on how important e-commerce platforms like Amazon are becoming, even for brands such as Apple.
Earlier, Amazon only sold limited items from Apple’s inventory such as Mac computers and Beats headphones. Since Apple offers direct competition to the e-commerce giant with some consumer products, the companies always has their differences. Some issues also rose over Apple not adopting Amazon apps into its devices, which saw its resolution later. Now, the e-commerce giant will sell the latest iPhones, iPads and the Apple Watch 4 in select regions. These include the United States, Europe, Japan and most importantly, India. The company is already stocking up the devices, so that they are available in plenty in the coming weeks. The Apple products will now be available exclusively on the Apple Amazon page.
It’s Not All Additive
The move also resulted in the elimination of third-party and unauthorised sellers who sell Apple products on Amazon. However, third party accessories supporting Apple devices will be found on the website. Only third- party sellers retailing Apple products will no longer be present .
The list of products will however not include the Apple HomePod, as it is a direct competition to the Alexa Powered Speakers offered by Amazon. The reasons for a stand-off between these tech giants are never-ending, but this seems to be a promising move towards a better future for consumers. As most of the consumers prefer to buy products from e-commerce websites, this is a welcome step.
Apple has said that they will continue to work to improve the experience for Apple customers on Amazon and are looking forward to customers having ‘another great way’ to buy their products. A notable statistic is the fact that about 71% of Apple’s sales in 2018 came through distribution channels such as Amazon.
Technology is evolving rapidly and companies are bound to update products every year to keep up with their competition. But, this fast-paced development can often lead to hardware issues which arise after the products have reached the customers. One such infamous case was the ‘exploding batteries’ on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. And recently, Apple has announced that the iPhone X and 13-inch MacBook Pro have some issues. This causes the hardware to fail or not respond for no apparent reason.
The Issues
The iPhone X’s screen or part of the screen randomly stops recognising the user’s touch. Sometimes, it even reacts when the user has not touched it.
The 13 inch MacBook Pro (non-touch bar) that was sold between June 2017 & June 2018 might have an issue that leads to hard disk failure or data loss.
The Good
Apple has admitted to the issues with their products and is offering a free replacement to solve the issues. The users with eligible iPhone Xs can get a free screen replacement from Apple’s Authorised Service Providers or retail stores. Similarly, the MacBooks that face the disk failure issue can get a free service at an Apple retail store or an Authorised Service Provider. To check if your MacBook has such an issue, you can simply type the serial number on the company’s support page.
The iPhone X users have been complaining about the screen issue for almost a year now. And the company’s delayed response definitely made the customers suffer all this while. Also, Apple being one of the leaders in the tech industry, is not expected to ship products that have such issues.
Samsung has finally announced its flagship flip phone, the W2019. The smartphone has two AMOLED displays. The second screen features navigation keys as well, so that you can use the phone without having to open it. Though it is a flip phone, it has flagship specifications. It runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and has 6 GB of RAM. The phone will only retail in China as of now.
Specifications
The W2019 is the latest in the line of flagship flip phones launched in China by Samsung. While it may be a flip phone, it is crafted with premium materials. It is made from anodised diamond-cut aluminium and glass. Although the build of the phone shows off a retro design, the internals surely set it apart. The W2019 has two 4.2 inch Super AMOLED displays with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The phone runs on the Snapdragon 845 SoC with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB storage options.
On the back, it houses a camera setup which is the same as the Galaxy S9+. This consists of a 12 MP sensor with dual f/1.5- f/2.4 aperture and a second, telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The front camera is a 8 MP sensor with f/2.0.
Under the hood, it packs a 3,070 mAh battery with a USB Type-C connector for charging. It has a side-mounted finger print sensor, seen on most Samsung phones these days, and is pretty convenient. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. The W2019 also has a dedicated Bixby button to activate the Virtual Assistant directly.
What’s More
Another huge aspect of the phone, quite literally, is the thickness, which is 17.3 mm when the phone is closed. While this is unheard of in smartphones these days, one must keep in mind the fact that this is a clamshell flip phone and not your every day device.
That being said, the smartphone does have a huge fan following in China, despite its high price bracket. While nothing has been mentioned about the price and availability of the device, we can expect it to be somewhere upwards of the $ 2000 mark, considering the price of its predecessors.
The Kirin 980 was unveiled by Huawei earlier this year. It is the only Android Chipset made using the 7nm manufacturing process in the market right now. The chipset is seen on the flagship devices like the Mate 20 series and the Honor Magic 2. Now, new reports suggest that a successor to the processor is set to launch soon, named the Kirin 990. The Kirin 990 will most probably have the same 7nm manufacturing process as the 980. But will have 5G support as well.
What’s New
While the manufacturing process remains the same, this does not mean that the 990 can’t be any better than the 980. Sources say that the Kirin 990 will consume upto 10% lesser battery and offer more than 10% improvements in performance. The chipset is reportedly under testing already and the company will make it official in Q1 of 2019.
In terms of 5G connectivity, the chipset might arrive with the Balong 5000 modem. 5G is the next big thing in the smartphone industry with almost all major manufacturers rushing towards it. Xiaomi and OnePlus have already announced their 5G compatible phones which will be out next year. Other manufacturers are also jumping on to the bandwagon with Qualcomm already having developed modems for the same. However, Apple only plans to launch 5G devices in 2020. As they are waiting for the proper infrastructure for the same to be developed soon.
Additionally, other industry sources claim that the testing of the Kirin 990 chipset is already under way. According to them, the cost of testing the chipset is also very high, with each test costing around 200 million Yuan. While the chipset maybe announced soon, it is highly unlikely that it will enter production at the time. The Kirin 980 was recently announced and has made its way to only a handful of phones. Huawei will make sure that the Kirin 980 is present in a good number of devices, before pushing out the Kirin 990.
Smartphone components are evolving at a rapid pace but, the lithium-ion batteries that power them are not able to keep up with the latest hardware specifications. Hence, in an effort to prolong battery life, companies are trying to make software and hardware more power efficient. Recently, at the Android Dev Summit, Google revealed some key findings that can boost battery life on smartphones. Display and screen brightness are the biggest battery drainers on any smartphone. Google’s findings reveal using darker colours and the dark mode can extend battery upto 63%.
Google’s Findings
The most interesting piece of information from the summit was, more brightness draws more power in an almost linear manner. Next, the developers shared their studies performed using the Google Pixel 1 smartphone. The study points out the power consumption on max brightness between normal mode and ‘dark Mode’ on the AMOLED screen on the Pixel 1. The study reveals that the Pixel 1 consumed 250 mA of battery on max brightness in Normal mode whereas max brightness on dark mode consumed only 92 mA . The power consumption on dark Mode is 63% less than the Normal Mode. While, Google also conducted a similar test on the iPhone 7 with LCD display and it showed no difference in power consumtion between two different modes.
Google also studied the impact that different screen colours have on power consumption. They found different colours draw different amounts of power from the source. For instance, Red consumes 600 miliWatts of power and Green consumes 580 miliWatts of power. While, Blue draws the highest power at 800 miliWatts out of the RGB colour gamut. The most important finding is that Black consumes the least power out of all the 65k colours that a display can produce. On the other hand, White draws max power out of the battery.
Google Admits Their Mistake
Google has admitted that they made a mistake in the past with their material design scheme. The company heavily encouraged developers to use white as their primary color for all applications and interfaces which apparently takes a jab at battery backup.
Fortunately, Google explained how ‘Dark Mode’ can prolong the battery backup on a smartphone. Additionally, the latest YouTube with dark mode is an example that Google is learning from its mistakes and continue to bring this support to other apps as well. The company also demonstrated the comparison results that YouTube with dark mode has over normal mode. The YouTube video was paused on both the smartphones to pin point effects dark mode has on power drain. At 50% brightness, dark mode consumed 80 mA of power while normal mode consumes 93 mA of power from the battery. The biggest highlight in this study was the amount of power drawn on 100% screen brightness. YouTube in Dark Mode consumed 96 mA of max brightness which is higher than 50% at Normal Mode. But, Normal Mode on 100% brightness drew significantly higher power at 239 mA.
Dell is well known for its Alienware gaming laptops. However, Dell is also pushing out machines that aren’t dedicated gaming machines, but deliver great gaming performance along with all-round usability. The Dell G3 is a part of this series of laptops and while it does not look like a traditional gaming laptop, it does pack some impressive specs on paper.
[section label=”Design & Build”]
Design & Build
The design of the Dell G3 is sober for a gaming laptop, to say the least. It does not have any flashy lights, heavy accents, nor does it feel like a gaming laptop. On the outside, it carries the Dell logo and a few ports. The laptop has an SD Card port, 2 SuperSpeed USB 3.1 ports, 1 USB 3.1 port, 1 HDMI port, 1 ethernet port, a headphone hack and the charging port. Relatively thin for a gaming laptop at 22.7 mm, the Dell G3 weighs in at just 2.5 Kg.
The subtle design is good in other environments or for users who do not perform heavy gaming. The design of the laptop ensures that it offers the perfect balance, appearing like a regular laptop.
[section label=”Display”]
Display
The Dell G3 has a 15.6 inch 1920 x 1080 IPS LED display. Being an IPS display, it has good viewing angles.The display has an anti-glare coating on it as well. The anti-glare coating is great as it protects your eyes from strain caused by continuous exposure to the display. However, the anti-glare coating is probably one of the most ‘glaring’ problems of the laptop. The coating seems to dim down the brightness of the display, and also makes it appear more dull. This is clearly visible while gaming as one feels like the laptop is not on full brightness.
Not only does this affect the gaming experience on the laptop, the issue spreads out to other utilities as well. If you are in a brightly-lit environment, or even outdoors, the display will be hard to view. Another drawback of the coating is that it does not produce an accurate representation of the colours. So if you’re a designer or an editor, using softwares such as Photoshop or Illustrator would be an issue.
[section label=”Keyboard”]
Keyboard
The Dell G3 has a full-sized keyboard which adds to your convenience. The keyboard is well spread out and the keys have good travel in between them. The feedback from the keys is also good, fit for both intense gaming and every day business affairs. The keyboard is also equipped with a num pad which is extremely helpful for both gaming as well as day-to-day office activities. The trackpad could have been a bit bigger, considering it needs to be used for gaming and the buttons on the trackpad are a little mushy. So fi you’re using the trackpad, we recommend using touch rather than the physical buttons on it.
The keyboard also has a blue backlight which gives that ‘gaming machine’ feel to the laptop. Again, the colour on the keyboard backlight is not very flashy and is good enough to be used in all environments.
[section label=”Gaming”]
Gaming
On paper, the Dell G3 has top of the line specifications. It has an 8th gen, Intel i7 processor which reaches upto 4.1 GHz with Turbo Boost. It runs on 8 GB of DDR4 RAM and has 128 GB of SSD storage, with an additional 1 TB HDD. For graphics, it is supported by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with a 4 GB GDDR5 graphics memory. All of this should make the G3 a gaming beast, but unfortunately, it isn’t.
While games such as PUBG run pretty smoothly at a high graphics configuration, the laptop does struggle with heavier games. For example, it could run Wolfenstein II and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey at mid graphics and at 30 fps. Also considering the fact that Wolfenstein II is relatively old. Adding to this is the average display which really took away the pleasure of a good gaming experience .
You can solve this issue by swapping out the 1 TB HDD for a faster and more efficient SSD. On the other hand, you can just run your games out of the existing 128 GB SSD on the laptop, or even upgrade that SSD to a higher storage capacity.
[section label=”Performance”]
Perfromance
The battery life on the laptop is decent, with it providing around an hour and a half with intense gaming and around 5-6 hours of light use. You can also disable the graphics card while not in use, which will add on its battery life.
The G3 also has a dedicated webcam, with a 720p resolution. While the camera quality is not brilliant, it is enough for basic video calling and Skype sessions. The laptop also has two microphones out front, which capture good sound and can be helpful if you forget to carry your gaming headsets around. The G3 also has 2 front firing speakers, which are tuned by Waves MaxxAudio, giving out good quality of sound, which makes for an immersive experience while gaming or viewing content.
[section label=”Serviceability”]
Serviceability
A huge advantage that the laptop does offer is the ability to swap out and upgrade components in case you want to upgrade something or simply change out faulty or worn out parts. The bottom has all the components laid out in a very accessible fashion. You can easily swap out your HDD for an SSD, for example.
[section label=”Verdict”]
Verdict
While the Dell G3 is not a hardcore gaming laptop, it fulfils what it sets out to do. It is an all-round performer with the ability to be used for day-to-day operations as well as a higher level of gaming. However, if you are someone who is looking for something that will exclusively be used as a gaming machine, the Dell G3 is not for you. But if you’re in the market for a feature packed, overall well performing laptop, this is probably the machine for you. At a price of Rs 84,990, this is a pretty good deal for its price.
Samsung recently announced that their flagship phones; the S9 and S9+ will get the new Android Pie update that is based on the new One UI, in January. The announcement was made at the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC 2018) in San Francisco, California. There have been several complaints from consumers stating that Samsung’s UI has a lot of clutter and is confusing. Apple on the other hand has always kept their user interface simple and made it very user friendly. This is one of the many reasons that consumers have accepted Apple so readily in the past.
What’s New?
Samsung’s new UI is clean, simple and looks very much like stock Android with a personal touch from Samsung. The landing page is very clean, the home screen is clutter free and the icons looks quite good as well. We also expect this lighter UI to make the phone perform better. But our guess in that department is as good as yours. At least until we get our hands on the UI. The new UI will make one- handed use better. This is easily visible in their Settings page, Dialler, Clock, Albums and more, which starts from the lower half of the screen.
They are calling the top part the ‘viewing area’ and the bottom part the ‘interacting area’. Apart from this, the gallery has been completely redesigned as well, with bigger icons making it easier to identify the image you are looking for. The overall design cue seems to find a lot of influence from Stock Android, infusing their old TouchWiz UI.
Samsung’s S8 which saw it’s release early in 2017 will reportedly not get the new user interface. The open beta program for Android 9 Pie will reportedly start to roll out in the US, Germany and South Korea later this month. Other Asian and European countries will receive the beta at a later stage but no date has been mentioned as of now.
The Nokia 8.1 was spotted on Geekbench a few weeks back. It has now popped up on the list of Google’s ARCore supported devices. With these listings already out, it is said that HMD will launch the smartphone soon. Other specifications of the device include the Snapdragon 710 SoC, 4 GB of RAM and Android 9 Pie. There are some speculations that this could be the Nokia X7 which was launched in China last month, as its specifications match that of the alleged Nokia 8.1.
Nokia 8.1 Or X7
However, it is possible that this could another device. Since the Nokia X7 has a 6.18 inch display, it will most probably carry the ‘Plus’ title after its name. As Nokia usually does with larger screen devices. Therefore, the X7 might be the Nokia 7.1 Plus while the Nokia 8.1 will sport a slightly smaller 5.9 inch display. ARCore is a kit developed by Google to allow augmented reality applications for a certain smartphone to be built. Therefore, the inclusion of ARCore support in the 8.1 could mean that we would see more AR integration in the camera. This could include elements such as stickers and even interactive animations.
Earlier, the Geekbench listing of the Nokia 8.1 had given us some more specifications about the device. The geek bench listing showed that the phone has a single-core score of 1841 and a multi-core score of 5807. Considering the current design language being used by Nokia, we can expect the device to have a Zeiss dual rear camera setup. It might have a glass body, with an aluminium frame. Running on the Snapdragon 710, the phone is most probably a mid-ranger and will be priced accordingly. Pricing will be the key as the mid-range segment is home to a lot of competition. This can make it difficult for even some of the best smartphones.
With a lot of upcoming launches coming our way from HMD Global, including the Nokia 9 and the Nokia 7.1, we can expect the Nokia 8.1 to launch soon as well.
Everyone thought the future had arrived when Apple showcased the iPhone X with the notch and the almost bezel-less display. But there lies the beauty of technology, as it never remains stagnant. After the launch of the iPhone X, and it’s huge demand, other phone manufacturers understood that bezel-less and notch-less screens are the way forward. But all these companies faced two major issues in making a 100% screen-to-body-ratio phone; the front camera and the connector that attaches the screen component to the motherboard. Apple patented a technology where they could solve the issue of the screen connector by folding the screen underneath itself. But the front camera issue still prevailed.
The Way Around
Many manufacturers made the notch smaller, a U-shaped notch, a V-shaped teardrop notch and more. Many decided to make mechanical and physical moving parts so that the camera could slide out when needed. But the latest trend in hiding the small front camera has been patenting phones with the cameras hidden underneath the display. Samsung was rumoured to have been working on such a phone. But now it seems LG has patented a phone with a similar technology as well.
According to a news website, the patent has been filed in South Korea and has two different designs. One of the designs has a curved edge and the other one has a straight edge. The notch placements also vary on the patent. It can be in the middle or the top left or top right of the screen. While LG has already worked extensively on curved displays, this may be new territory for the company. Even through they have patented the designs, it is not clear when we will get to see these phones. But we look forward to technologies like this in the years to come as we truly move into the future of smartphones.
Just as we thought that all the major launches for the year were done and dusted, reports about the Nokia 9’s imminent launch surface. The Nokia 9 is exciting and highly anticipated, for 5 reasons; It’s penta camera setup. Jokes aside, this is one of the biggest design changes in a year full of big design changes. 2018 saw the adoption of in-display fingerprint sensors, sliding camera modules, and the addition of more lenses to the camera setup. But how many lenses are too many lenses, and does a smartphone need them at all?
Nokia 9
The Nokia 9 made headlines a few months ago when a hands-on image of the device leaked, showing off its penta camera setup. While the setup is impressive, it is equally peculiar as well. The setup features three vertically aligned lenses, likes of which we’ve seen before, however they are a bit spaced out. Accompanying these are two more lenses placed to the sides of the vertical setup. These are placed adjacent to what appears to be two flash modules. This setup does look like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the fact that it is a patented design by Zeiss, adds to the legitimacy of the leak.
Specifications
The patented design by Zeiss is called ‘Miniature Zoom Camera’. This uses an array of multiple smaller lenses in a circle instead of singular or dual, larger sensors. The setup is said to consist of an image sensor and a normal lens. Along with a secondary group of ‘rotating lenses’ with varying focal lengths. Apart from the unique camera setup, the Nokia 9 is said to have a 6 inch AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner. The device will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC with 8 GB of RAM. It is also said to have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Apart from this, it will have 256 GB of inbuilt storage and a 3,900 mAh battery.
Apart from the aforementioned features, it is also said to run on the Android One OS. The device is also exciting as it will be one of the first devices to carry the PureView trademark after HMD Global reacquired the same. It is well known that a smartphone with a PureView trademark never disappoints in the camera department. And with a Nokia-Zeiss collaboration, we can expect something great.
The device had gone underground for a while, but sources say that HMD had done so to ensure that there were no further leaks about the device. The Nokia 9 is the next flagship from HMD and is highly anticipated due to its long list of features. According to sources, the device can be expected to launch 3-4 weeks from now.
Remember Samsung’s advertisement mocking Apple when the iPhone X came out? Well, it seems that Samsung has finally given in to the notch and has decided to go with the general flow of the industry. Albeit, the notches are not as big as the iPhones’ but they are notches nonetheless. Samsung was one of the very few companies that did not have notches on their phones but now it seems the company has changed it’s stance as they revealed three different notch designs at a developer conference recently.
Notch Specifications
The fact that Samsung is looking into notch designs was in the rumour mill since a long time and the event confirms that truth. In the conference, they showed three different types of notches – the V-notch, the O- notch and the U- notch. The V- notch is in the shape of a V. It is located in the middle of the screen on top. The U- notch aptly looks like a U and is located on the middle top. It is similar to what we have seen in the Essential phone and a few other phones. The most interesting of the three is the O- notch that is in the shape of a circle. This notch is on the top left side of the screen. It looks like a hole, a cutout inside the screen.
Screengrab of Samsung’s advertisement mocking Apple’s notch
It is still unclear as to how Samsung is going to utilise this notch if the consumer is going to accept the weird position of the camera or not. We really like this position as it provides an unobstructed view when it comes to watching videos or consuming other content. The New Infinity panel is the most interesting thing showed by the company. It is a notch-less, bezel less design that everyone was waiting for! If rumours are to be believed it might even have an under display camera and will be seen on the upcoming Galaxy S10!
