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Samsung is working on making the next Galaxy Note phone, after the tragic end of possibly the best phone of the year. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is said to be rocking the big comeback in 2017 with a 4k Super AMOLED display apparently to improve VR capabilities with a new Gear VR they are expected to launch alongside the Note 8.
Samsung has always considered the Note series it’s flagship and it appears that the company will not let go of it easily. The Note 7 had serious battery issues that caused consumers to doubt the reliability of Samsung products in general. Samsung will launch the Note 8 in Summer of 2017 in a bad up before the Apple iPhone gets a rumoured OLED overhaul.
Reports of the new assistant Bixby, launching with the Galaxy S8 expected in coming months will be another highlight of the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone.
Samsung will also reveal investigations into the Galaxy Note 7 fires and why they happened by the end of January, finally and hopefully putting an end to the whole scenario.
The Lenovo P2 sports a massive battery capacity of 5100 mAh and still stays at only 8.3 mm in terms of thickness. The P2 also sports a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080p Super AMOLED display along with a full metal unibody design. The Lenovo P2 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset with either 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM and storage options of 32GB or 64GB.
The phone is expected to launch between the Rs. 15000 to Rs. 20000 price mark. The phone has a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. Lenovo has cleaned up the UI in the past phones and we expect the same with the P2. The phone does support dual-SIM capability with 4G and VoLTE and a microSD of upto 256 GB.
The massive 5100 mAh battery provides two days of un-interupted use, and the P2 will ship with a fast charger that will challenge the Dash Charge claiming to get a full charge on the large battery quickly.
The rumours are heating up about Samsung’s next flagship. Apart, from launching a larger variant of the S8 with Pen capabilities, Samsung is trying to recover from the Note 7 fiasco by bundling wireless earphones in the box of the next flagship.
Since Samsung is removing the headphone jack in the Samsung Galaxy S8, it would only make sense to include these wireless earphones, as Samsung fans may not be as forgiving as Apple fans.
This move could also lead to a possible trend of wireless earphones in boxes from other manufacturers. The earphones are expected to the similar to the Gear Icon X earphones, but with more battery power.
Samsung is said to increase the screen to body ratio in the Samsung Galaxy S8 making it closer to what we say with the Mi Mix phones from Xiaomi. Samsung Galaxy S8 will also feature hardware enhancements like more RAM , bumping it up to 6 GB and storage options all the way to 256 GB.
Samsung is also said to be focusing on Cameras and optics, and the Samsung Galaxy S8 will feature some new enhanced optics according to reports.
Apple inc. will start manufacturing iPhones in Bangalore (Bengaluru) starting April of 2017 to expedite their promise of Make in India and to ensure their ability to open self owned and maintained stores in India. Apple earlier had planned to open their own flagship stores in several cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, but due to the government compliance of requiring manufacturing in India, the process was delayed. Tim Cook’s recent visit to India was a positive sign on the efforts of the Cupertino based tech giant, to fully initiate and integrate it’s services in the Indian market.
The manufacture of iPhones will considerably bring down costs of duties and taxes and will allow Apple to sell at competitive prices and at par with US price which is usually Rs. 10,000-15,000 cheaper. Apple will also bring their full suite of in store experiences, like training and Genius bars, to improve service and warranty standards in India, which have usually had mixed reviews.
Apple is selling large volumes of phones in India, and iPhone sales hit 2.5 million from Oct 2015-September 2016 raking in 9,997 Crore in revenue for the tech company here in India.
Xiaomi’s successor to the Mi 5, the Mi 6 will arrive on 6th feb if sources are to be believed. The company will be redesigning the phone to resemble the Mi Note 2 and will include features like IP68 waterproofing. Xiaomi is using the Snapdragon 835 chipset and will use upto 6GB of RAM in the base variant of the phone.
The Chinese smartphone maker will launch several variants of the Mi 6, including a Mi 6 Pro which will feature 236 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM.
According to reports the company has already started receiving shipments of the Snapdragon 835 chipset that it will install in its phones, making Xiaomi one of the first in this effort only after Samsung.
Xiaomi is expected to keep the same size dimensions as last year however, will now offer a QHD display with a 2560 x 1440 px resolution. Leaked photos of the Mi 6 show a metal cased back panel more close in design to HTC phones or the smaller iPhone SE. However, analysts and leaks on weibo have pointed towards a device that resembles the mi note 2 in look and feel including the dual edge display seen on the recently launched Note 2.
Samsung will launch a new CH711 curved Quantum Dot monitor at CES 2017, aimed at the growing gamers market. the Monitor will be available in 27- and 31.5-inch variations, and is scheduled for an early 2017 commercial release. The CH711 monitor has a 1,800R curvature and an ultrawide 178-degree viewing angle.
The design allows for the monitor’s horizontal and vertical positioning adjustment. The CH711 has 125 percent sRGB color coverage and 2,560 x 1,440 WQHD resolution. The monitor also features a “Gaming UX” allowing for precise corrections of colour brightness and picture along with presets for FPS, RTS, RPG and AOS game genres.
Today’s multimedia consumers, quite rightly, have high expectations and demand a truly cutting edge, totally immersive experience that realizes the full potential of whatever they are playing or watching, This year’s line-up of curved Quantum Dot monitors offers brilliant design, richer color and deeper contrast than ever before. We can’t wait to share them with the world at CES 2017 in Las Vegas.” – said Seoggi Kim, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business.
LG may have had a fantastic idea for modular phones in 2016. But, in failing to execute it well, it seems that the Sort Korean electronics giant is ready to drop it’s modular design for the next generation of LG flagship the G6. New leaked renders of the LG G6 show an all new design of the smartphone. taking design hues from the LG V20 and keeping a lot of the design of the LG G5.
The renders show off a unibody design with a color scheme to match the new iPhone jet black color, with a glossy black finish. LG has played with self healing paint in the past and the company might implement this on the LG G6 as well, to take care of the notorious scratches that the iPhone Jet Black color is known for.
The LG G6 is also expected to be water resistant and offer a 5.3 in QHD display mixed with newer chipsets like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and 6 GB of RAM. LG will also launch the phone early March to stand against the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.
A lot of phones were launched in 2016, in all sizes and at different prices. However only a few made an impact on the market and one the consumer like the ones in our list.
Redmi Note 3
2016 started with the budget market getting a big hit with the Redmi Note 3, top specs for the price it was available at, the phone shook up the market, and made people want more for their money. Our full review of the Redmi Note 3 is here.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The flagship market then got what is possibly the most good looking phone of 2016, with the S7 Edge and its IP68 water resistance set a high benchmark for many phones to come. Still considered the best looking phone of 2016, and the best phone Samsung ever made.
LG G5
LG hit the market with the LG G5, making a crazy impact on the way we were looking at phones in 2016, Modular phones, like the concept prototype Project Ara were far from reality, LG however teased us with the LG G5 and showed us that Modular phones were possible today. While LG’s idea with the LG G5 was excellent the execution was far from flawless. However, the idea tickled us and we were hooked.
HTC 10
HTC’s return to fame, the HTC 10 gave the Taiwanese smartphone maker a new lease on life making the company relevant again. One of the best build qualities and spec set, along with features like AirPlay and the new BoomSound speakers mixed with great cameras. This was just the phone HTC needed. Our Review is here.
OnePlus 3
The Hype this year was more than ever, the OnePlus 3 lived up to expectations of hardware and price as the company launched a spec’d out phone with excellent performance and brilliant cameras. The OnePlus 3 made 6GB RAM an everyday thing as other companies are hoping to catch up. OnePlus also topped up the feature set with the OnePlus 3T sort-of filling up the tank with a little difference to spare.
Moto Z & Z Play
The Project Ara phone from Motorola may not have seen fruition, But, Lenovo owned Moto did launch a modular phone that was much more usable than the LG G5. With tons of mods and an open development platform funded by 1 Million dollars, the possibility of more 3rd party accessories joining the mix made this design a successful execution. The Moto Z is incredibly slim and well built offering great looks and specifications.
iPhone 7 & 7 Plus
Apple makes an impact on the market each year, either with a new form of gate (Antennagate, BendGate or Hissgate) or with an interesting new feature that has buyers scrambling for iPhones. in 2016 Apple made a comeback Black colour of the iPhone in two finishes, both were loved by the market and made the idea of a black coloured phone popular again. Apple also added a dual camera setup on the iPhone 7 plus and overall excellent optics on both the new phones bundled with excellent performance.
Google Pixel and Pixel Xl
The Google Pixel and Pixel XL replaced the Nexus phones, and also the philosophy of Nexus devices. the Pixel phones are built entirely by Google and offer up the best Android experience to boot. The Pixel phones also have the best cameras in 2016, pegging them against Apple and the iPhones. Google also made the Pixel phones more expensive, leaving a lot of consumers angry.
Note 7 : DONT BUY THIS ?
This would have been the phone of the year in all possibly ways, but Samsung jumped the gun a bit. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was the Smoking gun for Samsung, the company even launched it a whole mont before the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Due to the disastrous battery issues, the Note 7 was recalled leading up to the largest tech recall in history. The Note 7 was globally recalled, and cost Samsung a lot more than money.
Mi Mix
Sure Xiaomi was supposed to launch the Mi Note 2 , but they also announced another phone, a non leaked smartphone with excellent features. A bezel less Mi Mix was launched late 2016, making all smartphone manufacturers scramble to the draw board. With a premium design and spec set, Xiaomi made a lasting impression in the tech community.
Buy it here : http://igy.me/2izuBCq
Missing the stealthy black Note 7? Looks like Samsung is missing it too, as they launch the black pearl Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in India for Rs. 56900 with a 4GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.
The upgrade in storage comes in replacement of the ill fated Note 7 smartphone which was recalled by Samsung, and the iPhone 7 which is selling really well in the 128 GB model. This is also a take on the OnePlus 3T which now offers up 128 GB of storage for a lesser Rs. 34900, however, seems to be missing from sales.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge remains one of the best phones of 2016, with the addition of this new variant it makes the deal even more sweeter. However, with 2017 just around the corner and rumors of that brilliant edgeless S8 surfacing in the tech industry, will it make sense buying this phone?
Samsung s trying to sweeten the deal by adding things like discounts on the New Gear VR which will be sold for Rs 1990 with the S7 edge and the Korean company is also offering one time Screen Replacement for Rs. 990.
Apple has pulled all products on sale by French company Withings, which is now a owned subsidiary of Nokia, following the recent patent suit by Nokia.
The new suit comes five years after the initial case against Apple by Nokia, which was settled, following a series of hearings. The new suit filed by Patent asserting entities or PAEs on behalf of Nokia, has caused a stirrup in the tech community. Following the news Nokia’s shares fell by 5% the next day, as investors feared a long expensive legal battle that Nokia does not have the power or finances to fight.
The new lawsuit covers covers 32 patents, including display, user interface, software and video-coding technology, alleged to be used by Apple without payment of fees to Nokia.
The Lawsuit has lead to Apple removing all products on sale by Nokia owned Withings, a company that sold heat equipment and connected hardware. Apple has removed all withings products including the “Body Cardio Scale’ and ‘Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor, from all retail and Online Apple Stores globally.
In a post issued on 24th December the the CyanogenMod team announced in a blog post that they will be shutting down the 8 year old custom ROM community that CyanogenMod was known for. The name that made custom ROMs and modding of Android phones safe and mainstream now shuts down as Cyanogen Inc (Cyngn) and Kondik the name behind the CyanogenMod shuts down the infrastructure backing the community.
The post labelled “A Fork in the Road” explains how some recent changes made the whole team expect an outcome similar to this and that in no way will the development of Custom ROMs stop. The debs involved will move on to make ROMs under a new name, still possibly held together by their development past.
Embracing that spirit, we the community of developers, designers, device maintainers and translators have taken the steps necessary to produce a fork of the CM source code and pending patches. This is more than just a ‘rebrand’. This fork will return to the grassroots community effort that used to define CM while maintaining the professional quality and reliability you have come to expect more recently.
The future of this highly popular and community based ROM may simply shift to a new name. But, for now an 8 year old legend comes to a rest and a lot of users of the ROM are left with a bad taste in their mouth.
The CyanogenMod team will be moving on to form what they are calling the new LineageOS :
So, yes, this is us. LineageOS will be a continuation of what CyanogenMod was. To quote Andy Rubin, this is the definition of open. A company pulling their support out of an open source project does not mean it has to die.
Nokia may not be officially back, but, it has made sure you take notice, as the company files a suit over several patent infringements against Apple inc. over technologies that Apple’s been using in heir devices.
The suit was filed in Regional Courts in Dusseldorf, Mannheim and Munich in Germany and the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Through our sustained investment in research and development, Nokia has created or contributed to many of the fundamental technologies used in today’s mobile devices, including Apple products,” said Ilkka Rahnasto, Nokia’s head of Patent Business
The suit covers 32 patents for a range of technologies that include things like the display and user interface to chipsets and video encoding for video captured.
According to Apple, the patents belong to PAEs, which include Acacia Research and Conversant Property Management. They are “conspiring with Nokia in a scheme to diffuse and abuse and, as the PAEs and Nokia fully intended, monetise those false promises by extracting exorbitant non-FRAND royalties in way Nokia could not.” Apple claims that this is “anticompetitive and abusive” to the Apple inc and other technology firms.
Apple has a long history of lawsuits with the largest one with Samsung, and several others where the company has paid out over 650 Million US$ in settlements. If the suit goes to court, the hearings will be held in 2017 and will definitely make things exciting as Nokia returns to the ring with it’s smartphones.
With no real indicators on what the future handsets the brand name “Nokia” will have in stock for us. HMD global, the manufacturer of said return of brand Nokia is apparently planning a flagship device with the top notch Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and 6 GB of RAM for the Nokia re-launch lineup.
The news, not verified, but carried by publications throughout the technology space, claims that the flagship phone will also feature Nokia’s iconic Pure view camera, albeit in a 23 MP variant, and not the original 41 MP seen on the 808 . The camera will sport Zeiss lenses just like previous generations Nokia devices.
The Nokia powerhouse will also pack up-to 256 GB of storage and feature all the quirks, including NFC payments, wireless charging and OIS equipped front camera. The Nokia flagship phone will be launched at MWC 2017 in Barcelona , and will come with a 5.2/5.5 inch QHD display with an AMOLED screen.
For those confused there are few things to remember, this will not be a OnePlus competitor but rather a flagship competitor to take on the likes of the Galaxy S8 and dare we say even the iPhone.
The phone will come with a single sim capability and will not have expandable storage a lot of other features that flagships of next year are expected to have. To say the least, the Galaxy S8 is rumoured to have an all glass front with a near bezel less display with an embedded fingerprint sensor and waterproofing that is expected to be better than last years Galaxy S7. Nokia may fall behind these flagships with the lack of lead up time for the tech that other companies are starting to stuff into their phones.
With that in mind, Nokia may have a better chance making a flagship killer and not a flagship competitor, considering some of the biggest Nokia users, exist in the developing nations, where price is a major factor. The people waiting for Nokia phones, have a lot of expectations, and the comeback for the smartphone maker will be nothing short of legendary.
The thing here is that HMD Global, is not Nokia, not the essence but just the name, and will that live up to expectations. If it does live up to the expectations, will it last is the question? We, and most of our readers sure hope it does.
Flipkart has officially dropped the price to Rs. 18,999 and the sale will happen on 18th of December at 4PM.
OnePlus has issued an official statement :
OnePlus is focused on creating premium flagship smartphones. We have an exclusive partnership with Amazon in India. We advice customers to purchase OnePlus products only through official channels as we cannot guarantee the authenticity of the products sold elsewher
The OnePlus 3 will be sold for Rs. 18,999 according to folks at Flipkart.com (Clickable Link)from 18th to 21st Dec in their sale. The OnePlus 3, which launched in the summer of 2016 features a 6GB RAM which set it apart from the competition along with top of the line specifications including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, and 64 GB storage.The OnePlus 3 will be available in limited quantities in India, as the phone has officially been discontinued and the company has stopped manufacturing the smartphone, with stocks still selling strong in countries like India.
Is the sale is a method of clearing stocks? Irrespective, this is obviously a fantastic deal for those looking to buy the phone and saving a good Rs. 9000 in the process. This will make the OnePlus 3 at Rs. 18,999 only for a few day. Post that only the OnePlus 3T will be available to purchase in either the 64 GB variant for Rs. 29,999 or the 128 GB variant for Rs. 34,999.
