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Unboxing The Star Wars Limited Edition OnePlus 5T
Everything that is limited edition is special, and when it signifies one of the most famous movie franchise ever, it becomes even more special. To celebrate its third anniversary in India, OnePlus has launched the Star Wars limited edition OnePlus 5T in India at a price of Rs. 38999. It will be sold via Amazon and various OnePlus experience stores in Bengaluru and Noida from the 15th of December.

With a limited edition box in our studio, let’s unbox the Star Wars OnePlus 5T and see what we get inside:
- Star Wars OnePlus 5T
- Kylo Ren Case
- Documentation
- Dach charger
- USB Type C Cable
- Sim ejector tool
Initial impressions

Right off the bat, the thing that shines is the colour combination and attention to detail on this special limited edition OnePlus 5T. It has a white coloured back panel with a sandstone finish as a homage to the Planet Crait and a red Star Wars logo. The interesting thing here is that the alert slider is also red in colour. Just like the OnePlus 5T, the device has a nice build quality and fits well in the hand. The buttons are well-placed for an easy reach.

Kylo Ren Case

Specifications

The limited edition Star Wars OnePlus 5T will be available only in the 8GB RAM variant with 128GB of onboard storage. Apart from the colour scheme and the Star Wars logo, there is nothing different in terms of hardware.

The OnePlus 5T has a 6-inch Full Optic AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution and an 80.5% screen to body ratio.

OnePlus 5T and Star Wars OnePlus 5T

Under the hood, the OnePlus 5T has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which cannot be expanded. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which supports OnePlus’ DashCharge technology.

The OnePlus 5T runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with customisability options thanks to the Oxygen OS on top.

One big change in the OnePlus 5T is in the camera department. Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T no longer has a secondary telephoto lens at the back. Instead, OnePlus has decided to focus on the device’s low-light photography capabilities. The cameras do not have OIS and OnePlus has decided to go for EIS on the dual camera setup at the back. The device has a 16MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture coupled with a 20MP sensor with the same f/1.7 aperture and field of view, ie no optical zoom. On the front is a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

Buy it here

Watch Our Full Unboxing Video Here-
December 14, 2017
Star Wars Limited Edition OnePlus 5T Launched In India At A Price Of Rs. 38999

Star Wars Limited Edition OnePlus 5T has been launched in India at a price of Rs. 38999. The new iteration of the recently launched OnePlus 5T will be sold via Amazon and various OnePlus experience stores in Bengaluru and Noida from the 15th of December.

The main difference between the regular OnePlus 5T and the limited edition Star Wars OnePlus 5T is the colour combination. The new OnePlus 5T has a white back panel with a sandstone finish as a homage to the Planet Crait and the alert slider is now red in colour. There is also a Star Wars logo at the back of the phone which is red in colour.

The limited edition Star Wars OnePlus 5T will be available only in the 8GB RAM variant with 128GB of onboard storage. Apart from the colour scheme and the Star Wars logo, there is nothing different in terms of hardware.

The OnePlus 5T has a 6-inch Full Optic AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution and an 80.5% screen to body ratio.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 5T has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which cannot be expanded. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which supports OnePlus’ DashCharge technology.

The OnePlus 5T runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with customisability options thanks to the Oxygen OS on top.

One big change in the OnePlus 5T is in the camera department. Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T no longer has a secondary telephoto lens at the back. Instead, OnePlus has decided to focus on the device’s low-light photography capabilities. The cameras do not have OIS and OnePlus has decided to go for EIS on the dual camera setup at the back. The device has a 16MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture coupled with a 20MP sensor with the same f/1.7 aperture and field of view, ie no optical zoom. On the front is a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

Buy it here

December 14, 2017
OnePlus To Launch The Star Wars Limited Edition OnePlus 5T In India Today

The OnePlus 5T was launched in November with a tall display and thin bezels, something that was missing in the OnePlus 5. A few days ago, the company confirmed that it will be launching a Star Wars limited edition OnePlus 5T at an event in Mumbai on the 14th of December. Along with this limited edition smartphone launch, the company also announced that it will be giving away 10,000 Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie tickets across a few cities.

While not a lot is known about the phone, it is expected to come pre-loaded with custom Star Wars themes and a few design changes that will pay homage to the upcoming Star Wars movie and the franchise. Other than that, there won’t be any hardware changes from the OnePlus 5T which was launched in November.

What will be interesting is the price of the Star Wars OnePlus 5T. If the Chinese smartphone maker keeps the price similar to the regular OnePlus 5T, then quite a few people might be persuaded into paying the extra cash for something that will be an exclusive and limited edition. The OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition will go on sale from the 15th of December.

The OnePlus 5T has a 6-inch Full Optic AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution and an 80.5% screen to body ratio.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 5T has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which cannot be expanded. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which supports OnePlus’ DashCharge technology.

The OnePlus 5T runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with customisability options thanks to the Oxygen OS on top.

One big change in the OnePlus 5T is in the camera department. Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T no longer has a secondary telephoto lens at the back. Instead, OnePlus has decided to focus on the device’s low-light photography capabilities. The cameras do not have OIS and OnePlus has decided to go for EIS on the dual camera setup at the back. The device has a 16MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture coupled with a 20MP sensor with the same f/1.7 aperture and field of view, ie no optical zoom. On the front is a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

December 14, 2017
Apple Confirms Face ID Is The Future

The iPhone X had a lot of changes that iPhone loyalists had been asking for. The beautiful edge-to-edge OLED display and wireless charging are some of the new features introduced. However, due to the reduced size of bezels, Apple had to remove the home button which also housed the iconic Touch ID. Apple replaced that with Face ID, its own version of facial recognition which has been prevalent in Android phones since the time Android 4.0 ICS.

Now, Apple has confirmed that it will just concentrate on Face ID for all its upcoming devices. It has announced a US $390 million investment in Finisar, a facial recognition technology company. Apple announced that it would invest $390 million (Rs. 2,513 crores approx.) in Finisar that it will use to build a plant in Sherman, Texas to make chips that will enhance many iPhone features such as Face ID, Animojis, and Portrait-mode selfies.

Jeff Williams, CEO at Apple said:

VCSELs power some of the most sophisticated technology we’ve ever developed and we’re thrilled to partner with Finisar over the next several years to push the boundaries of VCSEL technology and the applications they enable.

Finisar will use the funds to build a 700,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Texas to develop vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chips.

Jeff Williams continued:

One hundred percent of the VCSELs sold to Apple from Finisar will be made in Texas. Consistent with Apple’s commitment to the environment, the company intends to procure enough renewable energy to cover all of its Apple manufacturing in the US.

This is Apple’s second major investment this week after it acquired the song recognition app, Shazam.

December 14, 2017
The Samsung Galaxy X Might Have Some Competition

AI and foldable phones are touted to be the new rage in the smartphone industry. The Samsung Galaxy X has long been rumoured to be the first consumer-friendly foldable smartphone. But, if a new report is to be believed, the Galaxy X might have some competition from an unlikely source. Microsoft might be working on a foldable Surface phone that will compete directly against the iPhone, the Pixel, and the Galaxy S series.

This news is surprising since Microsoft recently shut its mobile business. However, a blog has kept a track of Microsoft’s activity and recently came across a few patents which might suggest that the mythical Surface phone might be real after all. As seen in the image below, the design of the foldable phone looks awfully similar to a Samsung patent recently unearthed and the ZTE Axon M.

However, there is another patent to go with it which looks far more convincing and futuristic. The image below describes how a foldable Surface phone should function.

Now, here’s what that patent design would look like after a screen on it:

In addition to these images, the same source claims that the Surface Phone will be Microsoft’s revival of the Courier foldable tablet. The device will run an “Andromeda” OS or a custom version of Windows 10. It’ll also be stylus-friendly and may be built on top of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 platform. As for the overall size, each screen will apparently be slightly larger than 6 inches.

December 14, 2017

The LG V30+ Vs The Competition

LG finally launched the LG V30+ in India after globally unveiling it back in August. To many’s surprise, LG competitively priced the LG V30+ at Rs. 44990 and it will go on sale in India via Amazon on the 18th of December. But, as we move closer to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 which will, in all probability feature the new Snapdragon 845, has LG missed a trick and launched the V30+ a little too late?

let’s peg the LG V30+ against its competition and see which phone comes out on point:

Specifications	LG V30+	OnePlus 5T	Samsung Galaxy S8	Samsung Galaxy Note8
Price	Rs. 44990	Rs. 32999 (6GB RAM) Rs. 37999 (8GB RAM)	Rs. 53900 (4GB RAM)	Rs. 67900
Display	6 inch POLED display	6-inch AMOLED	5.8 inch Super AMOLED	6.3inch Super AMOLED
Design	Glass front and back Metal frame	Aluminium unibody	Glass front and back Metal frame	Glass front and back Metal frame
Resolution	2880 x 1440 px 537 ppi	2160 x 1080 px 401 ppi	2960×1440 px 570ppi	2960×1440 px 521ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Exynos 8895	Exynos 8895
RAM	4GB	6GB/8GB	4GB	6GB
Storage	128GB, Expandable up to 2TB	64GB/128GB non-expandable	64GB, expandable up to 256GB	64GB, expandable up to 256GB
Battery	3300 mAh	3300 mAh	3000 mAh	3300 mAh
Primary Camera	16MP f/1.6 Primary + 13MP f/1.9 wide-angle	16MP f/1.7 + 20MP f/1.7	Dual Pixel 12MP f/1.7 aperture	12MP wide angle lens with an f/1.7 aperture 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture
Secondary Camera	5MP f/2.2 aperture	16MP f/2.0	8MP f/1.7	8MP f/1.7
Other Features	HiFi Quad DAC Fingerprint Sensor Facial and Voice Recognition Wireless charging	Face Unlock Fingerprint Sensor	Fingerprint Sensor Iris Scanner Wireless Charging	S Pen Iris Scanner Wireless Charging

In terms of specifications, there is very little separating the three phones, with the OnePlus 5T the clear winner if you’re looking for more RAM. The LG V30+ and Galaxy S8 provide the option of expandable storage while the OnePlus 5T runs close to pure Android OS. If you are an audiophile, then the LG V30+ should be your choice considering the presence of the HiFi Quad DAC. The OnePlus 5T loses out in the display department and thanks to a higher ppi count, the Galaxy S8 should have the most vivid display out of the three with the LG V30+ not far behind. If you are a creator and believe that the S Pen can genuinely contribute to the productivity of your day, then the extra cash for the Samsung Galaxy Note8 is justified.

At the end of the day, it boils down to what features you prefer over the other. If price is your main criteria, then the OnePlus 5T wins by a long shot but, if you can’t compromise on your wide-angle shots, then the Galaxy Note8 and LG V30+ should be the two phones you should consider.

Watch Our LG V30+ unboxing-

Watch our full review of the OnePlus 5T

Watch our Galaxy Note8 Unboxing-

Watch our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note8

December 13, 2017

Unboxing The LG V30+
The LG V30+ has been launched in India at a price of Rs. 44990. The LG V30+ marks the end of 2017 flagship smartphones launch in India and faces steep competition from the likes of the Galaxy S8+, Galaxy Note8 and the Apple iPhone X. Does the last true flagship of 2017 live up to the hype and expectations? Let’s unbox the device and find out.
- LG V30+
- Documentation
- Sim ejector tool
- Wall charger
- USB Type C cable
- LG earphones
Initial Impressions

The global variant of the LG V30+ retails with a pair of Bang & Olufsen earphones but, the Indian variant has the LG branded earphones which might be disappointing for some people. The LG v30+ feels like a flagship device with an ergonomic fit and the built quality. It has a glass sandwich design with a metal frame around it. The display goes almost edge-to-edge and the corners of the display are curved which is extremely pleasing to the eye.

It has a tall display and despite the slimmed down bezels, it might not be ideal for one-handed usage. The fingerprint sensor is quick and accurate although a rear-mounted lock/unlock button doesn’t seem like the ideal position.

Specifications

The LG V30+ has a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px OLED FullVision display, LG’s first, with an 18:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. LG’s nearly edge-to-edge OLED display has HDR 10 format for a high level of colour contrast and as announced, the smartphone is Daydream compatible.

A big omission from the V30+ is the secondary display, which was a signature in the previous V series devices. Instead, LG has introduced a Floating Bar which displays shortcuts and can be disabled when not required.

The LG V30+ has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via a microSD card. The LG V30+ has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance and MIL-STD 810G rating for durability.

The LG V30+ is powered by a 3300mAh battery with wireless fast charging which supports 3.0 quick charge. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.2 with LG’s UX 6.0+ on top which offers a few customisation options.

The LG V30+ incorporates a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC powered by Bang & Olufsen with few sound presets like enhanced, detailed, bass and live. The smartphone also has support for Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) technology for high-resolution audio streaming.

Aside from the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner which also doubles as a home button, LG has introduced few new security features in the LG V30+ such as facial and voice recognition. The voice recognition will even work along with the music playback.

The LG V30+ features a dual-camera setup at the back. As LG had announced, this smartphone has the first ever inbuilt camera unit to feature a 16MP crystal clear lens made of glass with an f/1.6 aperture and another 13MP wide angle lens with an f/1.9 aperture. The camera features laser detection AF, optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation. On the front side, the LG V30+ sports a 5MP wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

Pre-order here

Watch Our Full Unboxing Here-
December 13, 2017
LG V30+ Launched In India At A Price Of Rs. 44990

LG V30+ was first unveiled at IFA 2017 in Berlin on the 31st of August. After slowly entering the US and European markets, it has finally been launched in India at a price of Rs. 44990. Pre-bookings for the LG V30+ will start from the 18th of December and will be sold via Amazon exclusively.

The LG V30+ has a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px OLED FullVision display, LG’s first, with an 18:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. LG’s nearly edge-to-edge OLED display has HDR 10 format for a high level of colour contrast and as announced, the smartphone is Daydream compatible.

A big omission from the V30+ is the secondary display, which was a signature in the previous V series devices. Instead, LG has introduced a Floating Bar which displays shortcuts and can be disabled when not required.

The LG V30+ has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via a microSD card. The LG V30+ has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance and MIL-STD 810G rating for durability.

The LG V30+ is powered by a 3300mAh battery with wireless fast charging which supports 3.0 quick charge. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.2 with LG’s UX 6.0+ on top which offers a few customisation options.

The LG V30+ incorporates a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC powered by Bang & Olufsen with few sound presets like enhanced, detailed, bass and live. The smartphone also has support for Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) technology for high-resolution audio streaming.

Aside from the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner which also doubles as a home button, LG has introduced few new security features in the LG V30+ such as facial and voice recognition. The voice recognition will even work along with the music playback.

The LG V30+ features a dual-camera setup at the back. As LG had announced, this smartphone has the first ever inbuilt camera unit to feature a 16MP crystal clear lens made of glass with an f/1.6 aperture and another 13MP wide angle lens with an f/1.9 aperture. The camera features laser detection AF, optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation. On the front side, the LG V30+ sports a 5MP wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

Pre-order here

December 13, 2017
Samsung Galaxy S9 Will Be The First Phone Ever To Have An In-Display Fingerprint Sensor

The Samsung Galaxy S9, the next iteration in Samsung’s flagship ‘S’ lineup is expected to be launched in late February at MWC or at a special event in March. While there have been multiple rumours and renders suggesting that the Galaxy S9 will have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, this new announcement puts everything else to rest. Fingerprint sensor manufacturer Synaptics just announced that it has begun mass production with a top-five original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to produce its new Clear ID FS9500 in-display fingerprint sensor.

While the announcement did not specify the specific OEM, it could be Samsung since it is preparing to launch the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ early next year. Considering that the company mentioned top 5 OEMs, it could be Samsung, Apple and Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei, Xiaomi and OPPO. There are high chances that it isn’t Apple since it is working hard on making Face ID the next big thing and is preparing to make it better on the iPhone X and other upcoming iPhones. Introducing Touch ID under the display will make Face ID almost redundant.

Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S8

Samsung and Synaptics have a history of working together dating back to 2005 with the Samsung B310. Synaptics is a known Samsung manufacturing partner, and when it announced the FS9100 optical fingerprint sensor, there were rumours that it could come to the Galaxy S8 however, that did not happen.

Another giveaway is the mention of “infinity display” in the announcement statements. In the Synaptics press release, it mentions that the Clear ID fingerprint scanner was designed for phones with “infinity displays,” mentioning that term three times. Samsung uses the term “infinity display” to describe its bezel-less edge-to-edge display on the Galaxy S8, S8+ and Galaxy Note8.

Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy Note8

After so many rumours, it appears that Samsung will finally be able to embed the fingerprint sensor in the display and beat the existing industry leaders to it.

December 13, 2017
Xiaomi Mi A1 Oreo Update Is Coming Soon

Last week, it was reported that Xiaomi was looking for beta testers for Android 8.0 Oreo on the Xiaomi Mi A1. Now, the Android 8.0 Oreo beta update has started seeding to the beta testers and should be available to everyone by the end of 2017, as promised by the company.

The update is 1104.1 MB in size and right now is only available for beta testers. During the launch of the Xiaomi Mi A1, the company promised an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of 2017, and it appears that the company might deliver on the promise.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 recently received a permanent price cut and is now available for Rs. 13999 on Flipkart and mi.com.

The smartphone has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px LTPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection along with an aluminium unibody build.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. Handling the graphics under the hood is the Adreno 505 GPU. The pyrolytic graphite sheet will help in heat management as well, Xiaomi claims. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has an IR blaster to control appliances in your home or office. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device below the camera. Xiaomi has also included a dedicated headphone amplifier for better music listening experience.

Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery and 2A charging through the Type C port.

Even though the phone has stock Android 7.1.2 Nougat, Xiaomi has retained a few apps, such as the Mi camera app since the Google Camera app doesn’t support dual-camera functions right now.

The smartphone features dual sensors at the back, a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.2 aperture (26mm) and 12MP wide-angle lens with an f/2.6 aperture (50mm) setup with 1.25-micron pixel size. The telephoto lens allows the user to take bokeh effect shots with blurred background and a 2X optical lossless zoom. For landscape shots, Xiaomi has introduced a wide angle lens while on the front is a 5MP camera.

Watch our full review of the Xiaomi Mi A1-

December 13, 2017
Huawei Honor 6X And Honor 8 Pro Available On Discount On Amazon

Huawei sub-brand Honor has recently launched the Honor 7X in India. While the 18:9 aspect ratio and dual cameras on the back at such a price point are a great proposition, the Honor 6X is still a solid phone, and it is now available at a discount. The Honor 8 Pro is also on discount right now. The Honor 6X, which is usually priced at Rs. 11999 for the 32GB variant and 13999 for the 64Gb variant and the Honor 8 Pro is priced at Rs. 29,999. After the discount, the Honor 6X will be priced at Rs 9999 and 11999 respectively while the Honor 8 Pro will be available for Rs. 25999 after a Rs 4000 discount.

Honor 6X

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor’s budget offering, the Honor 6X is a budget-friendly smartphone in the sub-15K category and offers a dual-camera set up as well. It features a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 px display along with the Kirin 655 chipset and an octa-core processor. It sports a 12Mp + 2MP dual camera setup at the back and an 8MP front-facing camera.

Honor 8 Pro

Competitively priced, great performance, big battery, and a dual-camera setup, the Honor 8 Pro was launched as a competitor of the OnePlus 5. The Honor 8 Pro has 5.7 inch 2560 x 1440 px display which is ideal for media consumption via VR. The Honor 8 Pro has 128 GB of storage along with 6GB of RAM. The Honor 8 Pro runs on the Kirin 960 chipset which is an octa-core chip – four high-performance Cortex A73 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and four low-power Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.8Ghz.

The phone also has a large 4000 mAh battery and fast charge capabilities, with long battery modes built into Honor’s user interface. The camera setup consists of two cameras, 12+12 MP shooters, where one is a monochrome camera while the other is RGB. The front camera is an 8 MP shooter with an f/2.0 aperture.

December 12, 2017
This iPhone X Clone Might Have One Thing That iPhone X Doesn’t

The Apple iPhone X was launched in September after months of anticipation and speculation. The iPhone X was a huge departure in terms of design from all the previous iPhones launched over the course of 10 years. While the design of the phone is extremely modern with thin bezels and a tall display, it has a notch on the top of the display which people love to hate.

iPhone X

However, as is with every iPhone, the iPhone X and its notch is well on its way to start the trend of notches on smartphone displays even though the Essential Ph-1 was launched way before and had a cyborg-like cutout on the display to house the front camera. A few days ago, we reported that the OPPO R13 phone might be the iPhone X clone you were looking for but, this new leak of a smartphone from LEAGOO might be the closest thing to an iPhone X yet. And, it has one thing that even the iPhone X doesn’t have.

The images reveal the design of what could be the LEAGOO S9. It is uncannily similar to the iPhone X and even has a fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the phone. While the bezels are thicker than the ones found on the iPhone X, the notch and the vertically placed dual camera resemble the iPhone X.

Unlike the OPPO R13, the LEAGOO S9 (tentatively named) has a fingerprint sensor, something which a lot of iPhone loyalists asked for from Apple. So, is this the ultimate iPhone X you were looking for? Let us know in the comments!

December 12, 2017
This Could Be The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

In 2016, Xiaomi grabbed a lot of eyeballs with its then-futuristic tri bezel-less design of the Mi Mix. in 2017, it followed that up with a more polished and flagship phone worthy Mi Mix 2 and it appears that the Mi Mix 3 which will launch in 2018 might have a different design altogether. A new leak has revealed that unlike the previous two iterations, the new Mi Mix 3 will have rounded corners and a dual-camera setup.

In the image above, the most noticeable aspect of the back panel is the vertically placed dual-camera setup. Unsurprisingly, it looks uncannily similar to the iPhone X. The fingerprint sensor cutout appears to be at its normal spot and the ‘Mix Design’ text also reinstates that this could indeed be the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Mix 3.

Mi Mix 2

This is not the first time that Xiaomi will opt for vertically placed dual cameras as it was previously found on the Mi 5s Plus as well. However, the design implementation on the Mi 5s Plus was completely different from what we see in this leaked image.

Mi Mix

It is still early days for the Mi Mix 3 rumours and this image might as well be a prototype of the Mi Mix 3.

December 12, 2017
Samsung Galaxy S9 Iris Scanner Will Work In The Dark

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is expected to be a revision to the Popular Samsung Galaxy S8 which was launched in early 2017. We have seen several leaks so far, including one which mentions a record-breaking screen-to-body ratio. Samsung Galaxy S9 may be an incremental upgrade as far as design is concerned but, there might be a few monumental upgrades as far as hardware and software are concerned. A new report claims that Samsung will upgrade the iris scanner on Galaxy S9 to 3MP from the 2Mp scanner found on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note8.

An industry source familiar with the matter told the publication that the iris scanner in the Galaxy S9 will have an improved camera lens and functions to help it better recognise users’ eyes. This move, as much as it is an upgrade, can be attributed to the rise in popularity of Apple’s Face ID and Huawei’s unveiling of its own facial recognition technology.

The source said:

The iris lens will be improved to 3-megapixels from 2-megapixels of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 to capture clearer images. The scanner will better recognize users’ irises even when they wear eyeglasses, move their eyeballs or are in a too dark or too light environment.

Samsung is expected to introduce the iris scanning feature in its upcoming mid-range phones as well, such as the Galaxy A8+. A leak revealed that the Galaxy S8+ will have an infinity display, which was exclusive to Samsung’s flagship phones so far. Introduction of iris scanner in the Galaxy A series might not be far-fetched.

Samsung Galaxy S8+

“Iris scanner is the safest biometric authentication (among iris, fingerprint and face recognition) and we will continue to improve the system for upcoming smartphones for safer banking transactions,” a Samsung spokesperson told the publication, without making any reference to the Galaxy S9.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are expected to be launched at either MWC in February or at a separate event in March (similar to the Galaxy S8 and S8+).

December 11, 2017
Samsung Galaxy A8+ Specs Leaked

Samsung introduced the first infinity display in 2017 with the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ and also used it with the Galaxy Note8. In 2018, it is expected that the infinity display feature will trickle down to Samsung’s mid-range smartphones as well, and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A8+ appears to be one of them. A new video reveals what the Galaxy A8+ will look like and the user in the video also goes through the specifications of the phone.

In the video, the user goes through the camera app and clicks a sample photo. There is a dual-camera setup at the front of the phone, which is a first for a Samsung device. At the front is a 16MP+8MP camera setup, the 8MP camera will allow for live focus portrait shots similar to the Galaxy Note8.

According to the video, the Galaxy A8+ will have a 6-inch 2220 x 1080 px display. We can expect it to be a Super AMOLED display similar to the previous generation Galaxy A phones.

Under the hood, the device will have the Exynos 7885 SoC, an octa-core processor with two 2.2GHz high-performance cores and six 1.6GHz low power cores, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which will be expandable via microSD card, presumably up top 256GB. The Galaxy A8+ will also have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Powering the device will be a 3500 mAh battery which will charge via USB Type C which suggests that it will support fast charging.

Another major change in the design will be the fingerprint sensor placement. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note8, the fingerprint sensor on Galaxy A8+ is placed below the rear-mounted camera and it might hint at a major design change for the upcoming flagship ‘S’ and ‘Note’ lineup as well.

The back of the phone also houses a 16MP camera. Detailed specifications of the camera were not listed in the video.

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ is expected to be launched in January 2018 with the prices ranging from US $300 – US $350 (Rs. 21000 – Rs. 26000 in India)

You can watch the entire video here.

December 11, 2017