Category: Mobile

Smartphone News and Reviews, Latest Cellphones, Accessories, New Launches, Specifications, Details with Image and Video from Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Moto, HTC, Xiaomi, Oneplus, Meizu, Sony, Lava, Micromax Yu Mobile and More.

Samsung Galaxy J8+ Spotted On Geekbench

Geekbench, a cross-platform processor benchmarking platform has a new visitor. This time, it is the Samsung Galaxy J8+. The device is expected to have similar specifications as of the Galaxy J8.

One major difference between the Galaxy J8 and the J8+ is the processor. The Galaxy J8 was powered by Exynos 7870 chipset and the J8+ is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. In fact, the performance of these devices is almost head to head. The Galaxy J8 scores 726 points on single core performance and the J8+ scores 749 points. In terms of multi-core performance, the J8 scores 3643 points and the J8+ scores 3708 points.

Though there is a difference in performance of both devices, these devices will perform identically under day to day usage. However, as Samsung always does the Exynos variant will be highly optimised to get most out of the chipset.

Specifications of Galaxy J8+

The Samsung Galaxy J8+ is expected to have a slightly bigger display, which comes with the model number SM-J805G. Under the hood, the device will have Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset with 1.8 GHz clock speed (could be Snapdragon 450) with 4GB RAM and double the storage of the Galaxy J8.

The device runs on Android 8 Oreo with custom Samsung experience UI.

Going by the model number, the SM-J800FN (Galaxy J8) is expected to launch in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Similarly, the Galaxy J8+ with model number SM-J805G is expected to head towards South America.

March 13, 2018
Here’s A List of Samsung Smartphones To Get Android 8 Oreo Update
Android and iOS are the two mobile operating systems that run on most of the smartphones. They do share a bunch of features, yet, they are unique in their own terms. When it comes to OS adoption rate, iOS has an upper hand over Android. In fact, 71.3% of the iOS devices are running on latest iOS 11.2 and less than 1.5% of Android devices are running on Android 8 Oreo. This is not Google’s fault, as Android smartphone makers customise the OS according to their liking. Not only that, the hardware fragmentation also makes it tough to push timely software updates.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

OEMs like Samsung and Xiaomi launches smartphones with custom UI which sits on the top of the Android OS. These custom skins offer additional features, at a cost of slower OS upgrades. In fact, the flagship Samsung Galaxy Note8 is yet to receive the Android 8 Oreo upgrade.

Starting with 2018, Samsung might have taken the issue seriously, as the company has mentioned the list of smartphones that will receive Oreo update on Samsung Canada website.

Samsung Galaxy A8+

List of Samsung smartphones to Receive Android 8 Oreo
- The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will receive the update by the 18th of March. However, the Beta Android 8 Oreo is available for these models for the past two months
- The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will receive the update by the 28th of March
- Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, A5 (2017), and the Tab S3 9.7 inch will receive Android 8 Oreo update by 2018 Summer
- Galaxy A8 (2018), J3, Tab A (2017), Tab Active 2, and the Tab A (2016) will receive the update by the end of 2018
March 12, 2018
Top Three Photo Editing Apps For Android

Smartphones, nowadays, are judged on their camera capabilities. Devices like the Google Pixel had a lot of shortcomings which were overlooked thanks to its brilliant camera performance. However, there is always scope for a bit more beautification of images that go on our social media accounts.

Here are the top three photo editing apps for Android. All three apps are free to download and offer different sets of features to enhance the photos on your smartphone in no time.

Snapseed

Snapseed is a professional photo editing app developed by Google. The app offers multiple tools, including selective focus, HDR Landscape, changing the tonal contrast. The app also offers Portrait mode, which converts a normal photo into a Portrait photo with a varied depth of field. One can double the exposure, add frames and texts for the images. The app also directly social media sharing.

Photolab Textures

Photolab Textures offers a simpler function compared to Snapseed. In fact, the app can be used to convert your photo into an art piece. The app offers a different selection of textures, including Enamel, Grain and Grit, Hippie, and Landscape Enhance. Each of these textures gives a completely different output, which changes the entire photo into a masterpiece.

PhotoLayers

PhotoLayers is a unique app, which helps to create photomontages. The app has a built-in tool, that converts the un-needed arear into transparent. The app can be used to combine up to 11 pictures to create a collage. One can also play with the colour tone to make the photo more attractive. Import a photo as a background and then import the photo, that you want to highlight, select the edit tool and erase the background. The app even has a tutorial for the first time users, which explain the different functions of the app.

March 12, 2018
Honor 7C Officially Launched

The company has launched the Honor 7C in China. One feature that disguises this device from other Honor smartphones is the chipset. The Honor 7C is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, like the Redmi 5. In fact, the specifications are almost identical to its Xiaomi counterpart.

This seems like an unusual launch for Honor which is known for using its in-house Kirin chipset. The design of the device resembles the Honor 7X with a metallic unibody and thin bezels. Just like the 7X, the bottom bezel houses the Honor branding while the fingerprint sensor is placed on the back. The primary camera setup, however, resembled the Honor 9 Lite.

Honor 7X

Pricing and Availability

The Honor 7C is priced at CNY 899 (Rs 9238) for 3GB RAM and 32GB storage and CNY 1,299 (Rs 13348) for 4GB RAM and 64GB Storage. The smartphone will be available from the 13th of March in Black, Red, Gold and Blue colours. However, as of now, there is no information about the launch of this model in India.

Specifications of Honor 7C

The device has a 5.99 inch HD+ 1440 x 720 px IPS LCD display with a 2.5D curved glass finish. Under the hood, the smartphone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Octa-core chipset with 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using a micro SD card up to 256GB.

The phone has a dual primary camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. There is an 8MP front-facing camera which. In fact, both the cameras support portrait mode with 1080p video recording capability.

The Honor 7C runs on Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI 8 on the top. The smartphone has a fingerprint scanner. Similarly, the device also supports Face Unlock.

Conclusion

The Honor 7C checks all the boxes. In fact, the device outperforms in some aspects like Face Unlock and Dual camera. However, the Redmi 5 is priced at CNY 7,99, which is 100 CNY less than the Honor 7C’s pricing.

March 12, 2018
Nokia 9 Might Have An iPhone X Like Notch And In-Screen Fingerprint Sensor

The Apple iPhone X introduced a new design language to the iPhone lineup. After three generations of very similar looking devices, the iPhone X represented what the future of iPhones would be. And that future includes a notch on the display. Panned at first and appreciated later, the notch on the iPhone X has gained quite the status since September 2017. So much so that the Mobile World Congress 2018 saw plenty of iPhone X clones being unveiled.

Even Google introduced support for a notch in the first developer preview of Android P. This means that the notch is here to stay and Google wants as many apps as possible to be acclimatised with the new aspect ratio. A new report claims that Nokia, too, will launch the Nokia 9 with a notch on top. Apart from that, it might have an in-display fingerprint sensor as well.

Essential Ph-1

The Essential Ph-1, although was the first Android device with a notch, did not really turn heads like the iPhone X did. With companies like Huawei expected to launch their new smartphones with a notch, it looks like Apple’s design decision will shape the industry’s design language as a whole.

Expected Specifications of Nokia 9

Similar to the Nokia 8 Sirocco, the Nokia 9 will have an OLED QHD+ display. An OLED display is a pre-requisite for Clear ID. Under the hood, the device will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with a custom CPU for AI. The device will have premium glass design with support for wireless charging.

Zeiss optics will, in all probability, co-engineer the cameras for the Nokia 9. However, recent reports claim that it might have a Penta-lens setup which will house both the wide angle and telephoto lens.

March 12, 2018
Honor 7X Gets Face Unlock Feature Via New Software Update
Honor launched the Honor 7X in India back in December 2017. The company subsequently announced that the Honor 7X will soon get the revered Face Unlock feature. The company has delivered on the announcement and rolled out the new feature to Honor 7X via an OTA. Priced at Rs 12999, it is one of the best smartphones in the price bracket with its dual-camera setup and 18:9 aspect ratio.

P Sanjeev, Vice-President, Sales, Huawei Consumer Business Group said:

Face Unlock Intelligent feature is usually available in flagship level smartphones, however, Honor in its endeavor to deliver unmatched smartphone innovation to the Indian consumers has introduced this feature in the coveted Honor 7X
The Huawei OTA update will be incrementally rolled out to all Honor 7X devices by mid-March. It is worth noting that the Honor 7X is the third Honor device after the View10 and Honor 9 Lite to receive the Face Unlock feature. In its price bracket, only the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has Face Unlock.

Honor 9 Lite Face Unlock

Face Unlock Features

With Face Unlock, users can unlock their smartphones without reaching for the fingerprint sensor. This comes in even more handy with the Honor 7X since its fingerprint sensor is placed on the back. Hence, it is easier to unlock your device when it’s laying flat on a surface. With the new feature, you can also hide your notifications for other via smart notifications. This basically means that the notification preview will be hidden unless the phone detects the stored face.

Honor 7X Specifications

The Honor 7X has a 5.9 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the Honor 7X has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The onboard storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The device is powered by a 3340 mAh battery which charges via a micro USB slot.

The smartphone has a dual camera setup at the back. The camera setup at the back has PDAF and records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front is an 8MP camera which also records 1080P videos.

5.9 inch IPS LCD

HiSilicon Kirin 659

4GB RAM

32GB/64GB expandable storage

16MP+2MP depth sensor

8MP front camera
March 12, 2018
Android 8.1 Oreo Now Available For OnePlus 5/5T Via Open Beta

When it comes to incremental Android OS upgrades, most of the OEM’s tend to neglect them. However, OnePlus is known for updating its smartphones with the latest OS, at least its new smartphones. The OEM has a track record of pushing incremental updates, and the company continues to do the same.

OnePlus has released the Oxygen OS Open Beta 4 build for the OnePlus 5 and 5T based on Android 8.1 Oreo. Users can install the update by downloading the file from the OnePlus official website. The update weighs at about 1.6GB and the first time Beta testers have to manually download and flash the update. However, if you are already on a Beta build, then the device will receive an OTA update.

Release notes

The update adds new gesture-based auto call pickup by raising the smartphone. Similarly, the company has added more clock styles for the ambient display. The update also optimises full-screen gesture support (only for OnePlus 5T) with updating the device to latest February security patch.

The update introduces a new feature called “Gaming Mode”, which enables immersive gaming experience including power saving and pausing adaptive brightness. The OnePlus switch feature helps to migrate application data, allowing you to switch between devices seamlessly.

March 12, 2018
Possible Xiaomi Mi MIX 2s Spotted On Geekbench
Xiaomi confirmed that the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2s will be launched in China on March 27th. Subsequently, the company has also teased about some of its features and specifications in the past few days. The device will support wireless charging. Also, the device will have AI-powered dual camera setup. Similarly, a new batch of live images has been leaked, which tells a different tale from what we have heard until now.

As per the newly leaked images, the device has a display similar to the Mi MIX 2, with a front-facing camera located on the bottom left corner. However, this goes against most of the leaks, which predicted a completely bezel-less design. Interestingly, the dual-camera setup is similar to the one found on Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Similarly, an unknown Xiaomi smartphone was also listed on Geekbench with the code name Xiaomi Dipper. The Xiaomi Dipper has 6GB RAM and powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. The device scored 2449 points on single-core and 8309 on multi-core performance. Since Xiaomi has already confirmed the presence of the Snapdragon 845 chipset, chances are that this could be it.

Source: Geekbench

Specifications of Xiaomi Mi MIX 2s

The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch 2160 x 1080p display with a notch at the top right corner. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. However, the smartphone will not support memory expansion.

The device will have an AI-powered dual camera setup. However, the dual camera implementation is yet to be known.

The device is expected to have a 3400 mAH Li-ion battery with wireless and fast charging. The phone will run on Android 8 Oreo OS with custom MIUI 9 skin on the top. However, none of the Xiaomi devices, barring the Mi A1, run on Android 8 Oreo as of now.
- 6 inch 18:9 aspect ratio display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
- 6/8GB RAM and 128/256GB Storage
- AI-powered primary camera setup
March 12, 2018
Huawei Y9 2018 Officially Launched
Huawei officially launched the Huawei Y9 2018 in Thailand. The Huawei Y9 2018 is a slightly redesigned version of the Honor 7x with a dual front-facing camera. However, the company is yet brief the pricing and availability of the Huawei Y9 2018.

Specifications

The smartphone has a 5.93 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will be powered by Kirin 659 Octa-core chipset with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.

The phone has a rear dual camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary depth sensor. Similarly, the phone has a dual front-facing camera with a 16MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor, which helps to capture depth effect. In fact, the primary camera setup is similar to the Honor 7x and the front-facing camera setup is similar to the Honor 9 Lite.

The device will run on Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI on the top with face unlock. The device still has a micro USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume rockers and power button are on left side and the SIM tray is on the right side. The smartphone packs in a 4000 mAh battery, which is the largest that we have seen in the recent Huawei/Honor smartphones.

Summary:
- 5.93 inch FHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio
- Kirin 659 Octa-core Chipset
- Dual primary camera setup
- Dual front-facing camera
- Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI skin
March 12, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Vs Redmi Note 5: A Real Upgrade?

Xiaomi India claimed that the Redmi Note 4 was the number one budget-centric smartphone in 2017. The device had almost everything that a user can ask for in a smartphone in that budget. However, by the end of 2017 things changed. Users were looking for a smartphone with features like bezel-less display and dual cameras, and the Redmi Note 4 had none of those.

Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi Note 5, the successor to the Redmi Note 4. Is this the smartphone that users were anticipating from the brand? Is a rebranded Redmi 5 Plus a worthy upgrade over the Redmi Note 4?

Display

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 108px IPS LCD display with prominent bezels. The display is vivid and has great viewing angles. However, it has big bezels and looks dated for today’s standards. However, the Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display. Colours and contrast have been improved over the Redmi Note 4. Finally, the Redmi Note 5 opts for “Full Display” design with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

Under The Hood

The Redmi Note 4 and Note 5 are powered by the Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset. The chipset is based on the 14 nm FinFET architecture with great thermal efficiency and battery life. So, both the devices will offer similar user experience as they use an identical chipset. So, you will not feel a difference in terms of performance.

Design

Except for the display, the smartphones have an identical metal unibody design. However, the design feels old-fashioned in front other smartphones like the Honor 9 Lite.

Left: Redmi Note 4 Right: Redmi Note 5

Camera

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has a 13MP primary camera and the Note 5 has a 12MP primary camera. Though the number of pixels has been decreased, the 1.25-micron pixel size on the Note 5 helps the device to take better photos. Similarly, the Redmi Note 5 also excels in video department with 4K @30fps video recording capability, as the Note 4 maxes out at 1080 @30fps. For the front-facing camera, these phones use an identical 5MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture.

Battery

The Redmi Note 5 has a 4000 mAh battery and the Redmi Note 4 has a slightly bigger 4100 mAh battery. However, the Note 5 does support Quick Charge 2.0 and the Note 4 doesn’t.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Conclusion:

If you have a Redmi Note 4 and happy with the performance but not happy with the display and the camera, then go with the Redmi Note 5. However, if you are not happy with the performance and camera, then better skip the Redmi Note 5, as there are no differences. Similarly, consider the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, which offers better performance with a much better dual camera setup and a front-facing camera with face unlock. It is also powered by the Snapdragon 636 chipset.

March 10, 2018
Huawei P20 Lite Live Images Leaked

Huawei is all set to launch the Huawei P20 Pro, P20, and the P20 Lite on the 27th of March. After skipping a major mobile launch at MWC 2018, the company has been promoting its launch event that will take place in Paris.

After a few leaked renders, a new set of live images have surfaced online of the P20 Lite. The Huawei P20 Lite is expected to be the most affordable one of the three smartphones.

The leaked photo shows the back-side of the upcoming Huawei P20 Lite in Orchid Blue colour. Similarly, the smartphone has a dual primary camera setup with a rear-facing fingerprint sensor with a blurred IMEI information. In fact, this is the only P20 model, which has a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.

Specifications of Huawei P20 Lite

The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Under the hood, it will have the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset along with 4GB or 6GB of RAM. However, as this is a Lite edition, we expect the company to go with a Kirin 600 series chipset, instead of Kirin 970.

While the smartphone will be thin, it is expected to house a big battery that will support SuperCharge. The Huawei P20 Lite is expected to have a 16 MP + 2 MP primary camera setup and a 16 MP front-facing camera.

March 10, 2018
Bose Announces The World’s First Audio-Based Bose AR Glasses

Virtual and Augmented Reality are expected to be the next big thing in the tech industry. In fact, over the past few years, the technology has grown tenfolds. Using these technologies, companies are coming up with products, which completely change the way we interact with our surroundings.

Bose, a well-known audio technology company, has announced a new platform called Bose AR. The idea is to focus on what you hear, rather than what you see. This is similar to Intel’s smart glasses. However, unlike Intel’s visual-based AR, Bose uses sound as the AR element.

What is Bose AR?

Most of the AR-based platform is built on visual elements. However, the Bose AR is a platform which uses sound as the AR medium. Bose demonstrated this platform on a pair of sunglasses. In fact, the Bose AR technology can be implemented into headphones, eyeglasses and helmets with ease.

The company tells that, the glasses will be useful for people who travel a lot. The technology can provide proper information on a place like the Eiffel Tower or a crowded market in London. Similarly, in day to day life, the glasses can come up with basic information like weather details, reading signboards or even translating a food menu.

The Bose AR SDK is now available for the developers. Similarly, the company has fixed a grant of US$ 50 Millions for start-ups.

March 10, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Gets iPhone X Like Gestures For Navigation
The Apple iPhone X has a display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio with almost no chin, which eliminates the space for a home button. So, the company introduced gesture-based navigation, which replaces the home button.

Similarly, Xiaomi has also started testing the gesture-based UI on its “Full-Screen” devices. The list of compatible devices includes the Xiaomi Mi MIX, MIX 2, Redmi Note 5 Pro, and the Redmi Note 5. Similarly, OnePlus is also testing gesture-based navigation for the OnePlus 5T on an open beta ROM.

Xiaomi introduced the gesture-based navigation system in the Mi MIX 2 initially. This comes after Apple introduced similar gestures in the iPhone X. With devices moving toward an all-screen and no bezel design, gestures could be the future. While the transition for iPhone users from the home button to gestures was organic, same can’t be said for Android users.

iOS used gestures before the introduction of the iPhone X as well. Swiping from left to right on the screen to go back in an app was one of them. However, Android has always used three buttons for navigation. Hence, the transition could be a bit more cumbersome. That being said, we expect more smartphone makers to introduce gestures within their UI as time goes by.

It is worth noting that one has to install Global MIUI 9.5 Beta ROM to test out the feature on this smartphone. Similarly, as this is a beta ROM, we do not recommend installing this on a daily driver. To enable gesture control, go to Settings, full-screen display, select full-screen gestures. Go through the tutorial ones to understand basic commands.

Basic Gestures
- Swipe from the middle bottom to go Home from anywhere
- Swipe and hold from the middle to open multi-tasking tray
- To go back swipe from the left edge
March 10, 2018
Fortnite Battle Royale Launching On Mobile Platform
Fortnite Battle Royale, a popular cross-platform game by Epic Games is soon coming to the mobile platform. The company is planning to roll out the title to popular Android and iOS devices.

The Fortnite Battle Royale is already available on different platforms like Play Station, Windows OS, and macOS. By launching the game on iOS and Android, the company is planning for the cross-platform gameplay across the devices.

Epic Games has stated that the gameplay will be identical. In fact, they have mentioned that the 100-player game will have same maps, content, and weekly updates.

iOS users can sign up on the 12th of March for the launch event and the invites will start rolling out at midnight of the same day. Users will receive an e-mail, with an URL to download the game from App store. As the game is in a testing period, everyone may not receive the invite and the company has promised to add more users in the coming days. However, Android OS users have to wait a few more months.

Requirements for Joining invite list
- Active internet connection
- Apple iPhone SE/6S or newer model running on iOS 11
- Apple iPad Mini, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, and, iPad 2017
March 10, 2018
Motorola’s Virtual Reality Headset MotoMod Leaked

Motorola and its high-end Moto Z series are known for their modularity. The Moto Z smartphones are compatible with all the MotoMods that the company has launched. The Mods attach to the back of the smartphones like a lego to add extra functionality. Mods like a JBL speaker, Hasselblad camera Mod also comes with their own battery. In fact, these Moto Mods works fine with both the generations of Moto Z devices.

Virtual Viewer MotoMod

An upcoming MotoMod, which is similar to the Google Day Dream VR headset has been leaked online. This could be the first VR centric mod from the company. However, things are not very clear and there is no information on the specifications.

The round camera cut-out is similar to the one that we have seen in all of the MotoMods. The Mod has an opening on the right and the left side, which should help for the sliding mechanism. The camera cut-out might hint towards the AR capabilities of the Mod. However, the leak does not suggest anything about its functions, capabilities, or even the pricing.

A recent report has claimed that Motorola will only focus on mods that are profitable. This means that niche mods like the gamepad or Polaroid camera might be scraped off. However, virtual reality has recently picked up the pace which means that the Moto Virtual Viewer makes sense for the company. There is a lot of VR content available now. However, the pricing will be key to the success of this MotoMod.

March 10, 2018