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Samsung Dealers Unhappy About E-Pricing, Threaten Boycott

As if Samsung wasn’t facing enough heat from the market and the users, the dealers of Samsung are taking them on the retail and e-tail price gap. The representatives of Samsung Retail dealers have told Samsung if the massive discrepancies in prices are not stabilized, they may have to boycott the brand.

Samsung has not had a good time against the competition in the past couple years. The phones are seen as identical replicas of each other and their features are unable to compete with the likes of Motorola, LG and the latest entrants, Xiaomi and Asus. In fact, Samsung, which boasted of holding the throne of the biggest smartphone company in the top two populous countries in the world saw itself dip to 2^nd spot. Micromax toppled Samsung’s majority in India and Xiaomi stole its spot in China.

The center issue is that Samsung offers its dealers a margin of 5.5% while the phones can be bought online for 20-25% discounts. The dealers say that they are not able to meet their sales targets as consumers are scared the prices might keep dropping. Times of India reports that some of the dealers have been selling the phones in wholesale markets to achieve their sales goals. These phones too make their way on the internet and are sold at discounted rates.

The dealers have threatened the company with a boycott that includes blacking out Samsung’s branding. Samsung executives have asked the dealers to not take any drastic steps as of yet. The dealer body has given the South Korean electronics giant time till the 15^th of August to resolve the pricing issue. Samsung needs a strategy reanalysis if it wants to prevent a certain dip in sales numbers which includes focus on mobile innovation. Or else it won’t be long before they follow Nokia’s path.

August 6, 2014
The Next Moto G Might Go Big with a 5-Inch Screen

Motorola has gathered a lot of goodwill this year. The company has been a star in the developing markets where its low-priced-high-speced products have found a massive fan following. Motorola’s upcoming products are their flagship Moto X+1 and their much awaited smartwatch, the Moto 360. Both their products have found takers in the rumor mills and they are generating a good amount of steam. Now it is being reported that one of their super hits, Moto G is apparently going to get a makeover too.

The specifications of what is touted to be the next Moto G offering is listed under the model no. XT1063 on GFXBench. One spec that catches the eyes is the 1280x720p, 4.5 inch screen of the Moto G has expanded to a 5-inch screen. This maybe an issue with some enthusiast who appreciated the size neutral 4.5 inch screen of the Moto G, but for multimedia enthusiast, this is welcoming news.

The rest of the features in terms of hardware appear to be constant. The phone’s processing power comes from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SOC with an Adreno 305 GPU. The RAM listed is at 0.8 GB and internal storage is 4 GB, these maybe rudimentary figures to keep sniffers away or maybe Motorola will finally offer expandable storage. The only prominent complaint users had with the phone was the lack of expandable storage.

The camera department might see some upgrades too. The main camera will supposedly feature a 7 MP which might be bumped to 8MP and the front camera goes from 1.3MP to 2MP.

We will keep an eye on the happenings in the Moto department and will bring you the latest. Keep checking this spot.

August 6, 2014
LG G3 Review

LG has remained an underdog in the Android smartphone race for quite a while. In 2012 when Google formed a liaison with the Korean manufacturer for the Nexus 4, LG was suddenly back on the map. LG simultaneously launched global versions of the Nexus devices known as the “G” phones. The first one aka Optimus G was very well received and appreciated for its performance and looks, and the G2 which was the Nexus 5 version of LG’s flagship lineup won several accolades.

The LG G3 was not something most were looking forward to, in fact no one was really waiting for the G3. With Samsung launching one of the most disappointing flagship Galaxy S phones in many years, the HTC One M8 more or less stole the thunder in the top tier of the Android Market.

Does LG’s late arrival of the G3 slow down its acceptance in the market, lets find out!

Overview

The LG G3 took the market by storm at launch, the G3 is the first commercially available phone from a big manufacturer to feature a brilliant 2K resolution display. But LG also improved a lot of other things with the phone, a removable back panel, laser autofocus and more, making it possibly the right kind of eye candy and by pricing it well a superior and rounded phone.

Hardware and Innards

The LG G3 is more or less up there with specs and internal hardware, a Snapdragon 801 chipset and Adreno 330 GPU. You also have two easy memory options, one with 16 GB storage and 2GB RAM and the other with 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM. The removable battery and memory card slot are a major boon to everyone who is planning to buy this phone.

The Pièce de résistance of the LG G3 is the marvellous 5.5 inch 2K resolution display, aka 1440 x 2560 pixels, which makes it a crazy 534 ppi on the display. LG has also bumped up the optics with a 13 MP camera and laser autofocus which will also capture 2160p video at 30 fps and 1080p video at the same 30 fps.

All of this for a good under Rs. 50k price bracket for the higher GB variant.

Build Quality and Design

Even though the phone is completely made from plastic and has a removable back panel, it has a far superior build quality when compared to the Galaxy S5. It’s almost like a impressive plastic version of the HTC One M8, also very identical to the HTC One E8 in terms of the build.

Design wise the LG G3 is beautiful to our eyes, the front of the handset is absolutely stunning with thin bezels and that gorgeous display. The brushed finish of the back panel replicates a metallic look quite a lot, and we are really happy that LG improved on the G Flex’s design to get this finish.

Rear Buttons

Just like the G2 the buttons on the G3 are at the back and have been improved to become easier to use, they look much better too. The edges of the G3 are also more rounded and the phone feels fantastic in the hands. The front is laden with Gorilla Glass 3 for added strength and usability.

Design wise LG has improved quite a lot and really built a better G2 which in itself was pretty good-looking.

August 6, 2014
Oppo Teases the Indian Market With the Hint Of N1 Mini

Remember the Oppo N1? Announced way back in September last year, the device featured a unique rotating camera at the top, giving you the capability of taking your selfies in ultra-sharp 13 megapixel quality.

Now, Oppo is teasing the launch of it’s younger sibling, the Oppo N1 Mini, in India. The company on Sunday tweeted an image of the Mini with the text “Revolutionary 24 Mega Pixels Ultra HD Camera, Coming Soon!”. The picture carries the caption “Mini in size, Max on fun”.

If you missed the official launch of the N1 Mini back in June, we don’t blame you. It was a silent affair, with no extravagant event or hype. However, it did manage to tell us the official launch specs that the device will carry.

The N1 Mini sports a 5” HD (1280×720) display. Under the hood, it comes with a 1.6GHz quad-core processor and Adreno 305 GPU paired with a healthy 2GB of RAM. There is 16GB of non-expandable storage available. Similar to its bigger brother, it features a 13-megapixel ‘swivel’ camera with LED flash.

The battery capacity is 2140mAh. The body is 9.2mm thick, and weighs 150 grams. It comes in White, Blue and Yellow colour options. The Oppo N1 recently received a price cut in India, bringing it down from Rs. 39,999 to 32,990. So if Oppo learn from their mistakes and price the N1 Mini competitively, they could have a winner on their hands.

By Pranav Arora

August 6, 2014
iPhone 6 Release Date Officially Confirmed!

Finally we have a number, a date that will put an end to months’ worth of speculations and rumors. The next edition of Apple’s famed iPhone series will be unveiled on the 9th of September this year. The news was shared by John Paczkowski of re/code.

The new phone will see a major departure from Apple’s usual phone design philosophy that has remained constant ever since the first iPhone was released. The next generation iPhone 6 is expected to come in two variants, a 4.7 inch model and a 5.5 inch phablet.

Historically Apple has brought out its flagship phones in the month of September and the phones are released in the market 10 days after the launch. This year is expected to be in line with that, because Apple is all about continuity.

Apart from the iPhone 6 launch, Apple is also expected to bring out its own Smartwatch to enter into a growing market of wearables. Tech industry is impatiently waiting for what could be Apple’s take of a Smartwatch and it is getting a full Apple rumor mill treatment with regular leaks about specs and designs. But nothing is sure of as yet and there has been no official word from the Cupertino based tech giant as yet.

After a long wait, and getting entertained with leaks and rumors, it will be a big relief to finally have a date to set on their calendars. With the smartphone market having radically evolved since the first iPhone release back in 2007, Apple needs to have something phenomenal in store to impress the enthusiast and the market. What is interesting is the Apple’s arch rival Samsung will release its Flagship phablet, the Note 4 at IFA Berlin on September 3. The battle of giants will always be good for the consumers. So Apple, Samsung, Fight !

August 6, 2014
Console Hit ‘Bioshock’ Comes to the iOS App Store Soon

Game Publishers 2K Games today announced that they would be releasing the original BioShock game in the iOS App Store before the end of this summer. The franchise has gained worldwide acclaim on its console version ever since video game developers Irrational Games released it for the PlayStation and Xbox platforms way back in 2007.

Bioshock will be available on select iOS devices

Irrational and 2K confirmed that this mobile version will feature all of the first-person shooter action found in the original title. Gamers will play through the game in the underwater city of Rapture, and the story will be the same as the original. BioShock’s mobile implementation will sport an iOS-tuned control scheme, and the graphics have been tweaked to run smoothly on iOS devices, according to Polygon.

BioShock isn’t the first video game franchise that is porting their game to mobile devices. The likes of EA Sports, Rockstar Games and other famed developers have also released mobile version of their popular titles like FIFA, Madden, GTA and others.

As with other recent console ports, the shooter will ship with support for iOS-connected game controllers that support Apple’s “Made for iPhone” scheme.

BioShock will be available in Apple’s App Store this summer. 2K Games did not give an exact price for the title but said it will be a “premium priced mobile game.” It will be compatible with the iPad Air, iPad Mini with Retina Display, iPad 4th generation, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, and iPhone 5. The game will not work on earlier Apple devices.

By Pranav Arora

August 6, 2014
Samsung Sends Out Press Invites For Galaxy Note 4 Unpacked Event

It’s that time of the year again. September is fast approaching, and it is bringing with it Samsung’s latest flagship phablet. Yes, Samsung is once again ready to release the next-generation Galaxy Note, and they have sent out invites for the launch event scheduled to take place on the 3rd of September.

Although Samsung hasn’t officially mentioned that the event will feature the launch of the Galaxy Note 4, it’s a pretty safe bet, considering how it’s been Samsung’s tradition to release their latest Note flagship at IFA in Berlin every September.

The Galaxy Alpha, Samsung’s supposed ‘premium built’ phone, may also feature in the event seeing that it’s been making rounds at the rumour mill since a long time. Along with the above two phones, it is also possible that Samsung may also announce some smartwatches which have also had their fair share of rumours and leaks. Another wearable that may be announced is a Samsung virtual reality headset, which will be very similar to the uber-cool Oculus Rift.

Samsung will have to catch up to competition with the next edition of the Note phablet

However, it is very likely that none of these devices are announced at that event, as Samsung would want to keep the spotlight towards the Galaxy Note 4 and nothing else.

If you haven’t heard the rumours, the Note 4 is believed to revolve around the following specs – a 5.7” Quad HD (2560×1440) display, a Snapdragon 805 (Exynos 5433 for some markets, including India) chipset, 3GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel camera with Optical Image Stabilization, a so-called ‘ultraviolet’ sensor, and Android 4.4 KitKat. The remaining specs should be similar to the Note’s smaller sized sibling, the Galaxy S5. The phone might also come with a biometric sensor in the form of an eye sensor

The event will take place on September 3 at 2 p.m. Berlin time. That’s almost a month away, and we should see many more rumours and leaks confirming those specifications. As has been with every flagship these days, we’ll probably know each and every detail about the phablet before the announcement actually takes place. Boy, August is going to be an exciting month.

By Pranav Arora

August 5, 2014
Microsoft Might Give Out Windows 9 for Free for Previous OS Users

Now this is surprising coming from Microsoft. The company will try to consolidate all the systems currently running on previous versions of Windows by offering an incredible deal. The next operating system release, Windows 9 might come as a free upgrade for Windows XP, Vista and 7 users.

The thought must have dawned on Windows executives when they saw the WWDC this year when Tim Cook incorrectly stated a low Windows 8 adoption rate (about 14% in comparison to Maverick’s 51%). It did get called out on the internet by Windows enthusiasts who found the figures to be wrong (Windows 8 to Mavericks ratio is about 5 to 1), but the Windows guys must have seen an opportunity here.

Windows 9 leaks present a refreshing new look while keeping the classic Windows appeal.

There is a huge number of corporates and personal systems users who still work on and prefer Windows XP, one of Microsoft’s most profitable products. The biggest hindrance in upgrading to a new Windows system has always been the cost of buying the softwares. But by offering their software as a free upgrade, apart from making it appealing, functional and hence upgrade worthy, Windows can easily win a lot of hearts. Also Windows 9 needs to be compatible with the previous generation machines.

A large number of people are used to the Windows ecosystem and are quite comfortable. Lately folks have started looking for alternatives such as Ubuntu and Google Chrome. By offering a free update, Microsoft might not only be able to keep the old faithful but might also win some folks over from the Google and Linux ecosystems.

Microsoft is releasing a small update for the present OS called the Windows 8.1 update 2 on the 12th of August. They have set the ball rolling for the next major release, currently codenamed Windows Threshold. The new Windows version might release around Spring next year. The new version has been rumored to have an updated start menu that, if the leaked versions are to be trusted, is quite functional.

It is joked that every alternative release of Windows is better than its predecessor. So people who were impressed by Windows 7 and disappointed by Windows 8 are keeping their hopes up for the next one. Come on Microsoft, show us what you got!

August 5, 2014
Xiaomi Mi3 Sold Out Within Seconds; Flipkart Crashes

Chinese handset maker Xiaomi sold all its 15,000 Mi3 devices in its third flash sale online within a matter of seconds. The company made available 15,000 units of the Mi3 smartphone today, as against 1,50,000 registrations for the device. With these units, Xiaomi through Flipkart has sold 35,000 Mi3 smartphones till date in the country.

The Flipkart website crashed seconds after Xiaomi’s Mi3 went on sale today. At 2 pm, when sales began, the site showed a server related 502 error. A few minutes later it showed an out-of-stock message on the page promoting the device. The website had also crashed temporarily on July 22, minutes after the Mi3 first went on sale on Flipkart. In the second flash sale, on July 29 the Xiaomi sold out the entire stock in five seconds.

Today, it has been four hours and Flipkart is still dead..

Now, the Flipkart site says that registrations for the phone will restart at 6pm today with the next sale on August 12.

The price of Rs 13,999 pits Mi 3 against mid-segment devices such as the Moto G and BlackBerry’s new Z3 device. With the latest software and immaculate specifications at its price it will be interesting to observe whether Xiaomi can match the hype with a robust supply chain and service network.

August 5, 2014
Moto X Confirmed to Receive Google’s Android L Update

Ever since Google announced the amazing Android L back at Google I/O, everyone is keen to know which handsets will get this update first. While Google pointed out that Motorola handsets will be one of the first ones to get the update, now it seems like Moto X will be the first phone to get the Android L update.

Since the Moto X is more or less a year old in the smartphone market, it goes without saying that the Moto X will be taking the Android L route, where Android L is tipped for an October or November roll out later this year.

Google+ user Josh B. sent out a feeler question to the Moto X community on G+, asking whether the Android L update will be arriving, and VP of Product Management at Motorola, Punit Soni, confirmed the impending arrival of Android L on the Moto X.

Soni did not reveal any other details about Android L for Motorola devices, but considering that the company has updated many of its 2013 handsets to Google’s latest Android OS versions almost immediately after their respective launches, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Moto X gets the Android L soon.

August 5, 2014
Xiaomi Dethrones Samsung from the Top Spot in China

Seems like a bad day for Samsung, earlier we reported that their No. 1 position in India slipped away, and sounds like they’re headed towards trouble in China as well. Xiaomi is just four years old but the way the company has taken over the market in the last quarter is remarkable.

Just last year, Xiaomi was just another dubious Chinese handset maker. Well, things certainly have changed and according to the report by research firm Canalys, Samsung is no longer the top phone manufacturer in China.

Xiaomi distributed around 15 million phones in early 2014 while Samsung is lagging behind at 13.2 million. The report published on Monday by Canalys, revealed that Xiaomi’s remarkable growth, surpassing giants like Samsung and Lenovo to become the top player in China. Because of its huge growth in China, Xiaomi became the fifth largest smartphone maker in the world.

Xiaomi is little known in Europe or in North America because it sells nearly all of its smartphones in mainland China. But strong growth in China and Indian-subcontinent (recently) was enough to get Xiaomi to a top five position among the world’s smartphone makers from nowhere the previous year.

“Over all, Xiaomi grew 240 per cent, compared with the second quarter last year, to take 14 percent of the Chinese smartphone market. Undoubtedly, this was helped by an under-strength Samsung performance during the quarter,” Canalys research analyst Jingwen Wang wrote in a statement, “But that is only half the story — Xiaomi has also executed on its strategy to grow volume shipments. It has delivered compelling products at aggressive price points, backed by effectively targeted marketing.”

To increase customer base, Xiaomi offered special software that customers cannot get with other Android devices. The company offers a customized version of Android, called MIUI, which customers can help design by giving feedback online; the company releases a new version of the operating system every Friday to keep fans excited.

Samsung reported last week its lowest quarterly profit in two years for the second quarter, partly blaming a slowdown of cheap smartphone sales in China. Samsung said it faced higher competition from local brands and weaker demand for its 3G handsets as Chinese consumers shifted to 4G smartphones.

China has highest percentage of mobile users than any other country and makes up 37% of the global phone market. Encouraged by its success at home, Xiaomi is looking to expand into other countries in the next year, including Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia and Turkey.

August 5, 2014
Apple Releases iOS 8 Beta 5 to Developers

Apple today released the iOS 8 Beta 5 to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta update and two months since introducing the new mobile operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference. The update, build 12A4345d, is available through Apple’s over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released a new Apple TV software beta update.

iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages. Each beta update thus far has brought refinements and additional features to iOS 8, with beta 4, for example, bringing a new Tips app and a redesigned Control Center, among other improvements.

Currently, iOS 8 is only available to registered developers, but the operating system is expected to be released to the public this fall after several beta iterations. We may be getting close to the end of the beta testing period, however, as one rumor has suggested iOS 8 beta 5 may be the final beta version while another indicates it’s the second-to-last beta before a golden master.

The 269 MB download, which can be accessed via the iOS Developer Center, is just the latest in a string of developer updates for iOS 8 since it was first released a couple of months ago.

What are you looking forward to most in the final Beta version of iOS 8?

August 5, 2014
Micromax Outsells Samsung to Become India’s No.1 Mobile Vendor

Micromax has overtaken Samsung to become the largest mobile phone supplier in India in Q2 2014, according to independent market research and consulting firm, CounterPoint Research.

As per the report, Micromax’s handset shipments share was 16.6% in the quarter while Samsung’s share was 14.4%. This is the first time that Samsung has been usurped from the pole position. Nokia was at the third position with a 10.9% shipments share, followed by domestic brands Karbonn and Lava which had a 9.5% and 5.6% share, respectively.

Rank India Handset Shipment Share(%) Q2 2014(%age)

1 Micromax 16.6%

2 Samsung 14.4%

3 Nokia 10.9%

4 Karbonn 9.5%

5 Lava 5.6%

6 Others 43%

Total 100%

Micromax also became the leading feature phone supplier overtaking Nokia for the first time. Micromax became the 10th largest handset brand globally in terms of mobile phone shipment volumes in the quarter and has 2.3% market share. This is the first time Micromax enters into the top 10 rankings.

After a highly disappointing launch of the Samsung S5, things continue to get from bad to worse for Samsung as Micromax overtook Samsung to become leading mobile phone supplier brand in India in Q2 2014 . It will be interesting to observe how Samsung will retaliate and what stratergy they will employ to regain the Number 1 position they have held so proudly in the past.

At the same time Micromax through its rigorous publicity and successful launch of the Canvas Series have taken this throne from Samsung. KUDOS to Micromax!

August 5, 2014
Samsung Slashes Note 3 Prices

Samsung’s much awaited Note 4 which is expected to release next month will be again Samsung’s high shelf device. Samsung which has recently faced some serious consumer bashing for not innovating in accordance with the competition and its identical looking devices might want to bring back those users back to its side. The Note 4 would be a good opportunity for Samsung to show off its innovation muscle, especially when the competition is getting really tough with LG’s G3 and Apple’s new iPhone 6 being under constant limelight.

The 5.7 inch Super AMOLED display laced Galaxy Note 3 came with a 1.9GHz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa chipset with 3GB of RAM was released at Rs. 49,990. The device is now available on Flipkart for to Rs 37,983.

Besides the Note 3, its mini version, the Note 3 Neo also saw a major price cut. The device was launched in the market in February this year for a price of Rs 40,900. It features a 5.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display with Exynos hexacore processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The price of the device after the cut stands at Rs 27,249, talk about a massive cut.

There is though not a lot known about the Samsung’s big release, the Note 4. It is expected to help Samsung gain back some lost trust and prove to competitors of Samsung’s formidability in the smartphone market. The new Note 4 might have a 5.7-inch Quad HD display keeping in line with 2K flagship displays with 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. According to the various rumors, the device might also feature an eye-scanner and might also be powered by a new 64-bit processor. Hopefully Samsung will take a departure from Exynos Chipset for this one and bring in something which will let the Note 4 access its full capabilities.

August 4, 2014
Images of the Upcoming Samsung Galaxy Alpha Leaked

The new Samsung Galaxy Alpha will soon be officially unveiled. The metal-clad phone has been taking rounds on internet and now photos of the white version of the Galaxy Alpha have leaked from the micro-blogging website Weibo.

The metallic side looks more polished on this model. According to various reports, the Galaxy Alpha might be segmented as a high-end device. It is expected to sport a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED 720p display (same as Galaxy S III), Exynos 5433 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 13-megapixel camera, a fingerprint and heart rate sensor, 32 GB of non-expandable storage and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

The Galaxy Alpha will be a step above the Galaxy S5 mini and will actually be sold as another watered-down variant of the Galaxy S5. There will also be an LTE-A variant, which is affirmed by an image leaked on a Vietnamese tech blog showing the device in the powered on state, and we’re guessing the LTE-A variant could be powered by Samsung’s recently announced Exynos ModAP processor, which brings support for 150 Mbps LTE-A speeds.

Unfortunately, there are no more details on other features and hardware, but more info should start popping up as we approach the rumored launch of the Galaxy Alpha. As rumors have suggested, the Galaxy Alpha could see a limited release.

Earlier, some pictures of black version of Samsung Galaxy Alpha were also released by Sammobile. The images confirm earlier reports that the Galaxy Alpha will sport a 4.7-inch screen and a metallic construction, though Samsung has opted to use aluminium on the sides while keeping the faux leather back that we’ve seen on the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 3. This should help in offering both a solid grip and a premium feel.

August 4, 2014