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.

Xiaomi Mi 7 Might Feature Wireless Charging

It seems like Xiaomi has finally jumped the wireless charging bandwagon and the Mi 7 might be the first Xiaomi phone to feature wireless charging. Xiaomi seems to have joined the Wireless Power Consortium according to their official website.

Wireless Power Consortium was formed back in 2008 and its sole purpose is to promote wide market adoption of the Qi wireless charging technology. In 2012, Google and Nokia released phones that supported inductive charging using the Qi standard. From then on, the consortium started receiving mainstream coverage as more and more companies joined it. Over the years, wireless charging has become a standard parameter for flagship smartphones as the trend and need for wireless charging has increased.

In February 2017, Apple Inc. officially joined the Consortium and rumours of the new iPhone featuring wireless charging started doing the rounds on the internet. Those rumours were confirmed On September 12 when Apple unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the highly anticipated iPhone X with Qi wireless charging capabilities. The fact that even Apple has opted for the Qi wireless charging technology means that this feature will be adopted universally very soon.

And now, Wireless Power Consortium’s official website has listed Xiaomi as a member:

It’s extremely likely that Xiaomi is preparing to launch devices that support the Qi standard although it remains to be seen whether the first Xiaomi-made phone with wireless charging will be the Mi 7.

There is no official word from Xiaomi being listed as a member suggests that it is extremely likely that Xiaomi is preparing to launch devices that support the Qi standard. Whether the Mi 7 will have wireless charging or not is yet to be seen, and chances of next year’s Mi Mix 3 having wireless charging is a possibility as well, since the Mi Mix 3 will be a more globally targeted device, just like the Mi Mix 2.

September 22, 2017
Apple iPhone 8 And iPhone 8 Plus Pre-Orders Begin In India

The newly launched iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have finally reached the Indian shores. Pre-bookings for both the phones have commenced in India via online and offline outlets. Just like the launch of any premium smartphone, the pre-orders for the iPhone 8 and iPone 8 Plus are accompanied by a slew of data and cashback offers through both online and offline retailers. The phone can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Flipkart, authorised Apple Resellers, Redington stores, and Jio Stores.

Jio, in order to lure customers to buy the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus through its channels, has announced a special tariff plan just for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus consumers. If you pre-order any of the phones between September 22 and Seotmber 29 and make the payment through CitiBank credit card, you get cashback of Rs 10000. If you pre-order the phone from Reliance Digital, Jio.com, Jio Store, or MyJio app, you get 70% cashback if you return the handset after a year. This essentially means that if you buy the 256GB variant of iPhone 8 Plus for Rs 86000, and return the phone a year later, you get Rs 60200 cashback. The condition here is that the consumer must use a Jio sim for the period, and while returning it to claim the cashback.

The specifications of both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are top-notch.

iPhone 8

The Apple iPhone 8 has a 4.7 inch 1334 x 750 px True Tone display and thick bezels around it. The smartphone now has a glass back and a metal frame around it for wireless charging. In terms of the display and overall footprint of the phone, not much has changed from the iPhone 7. The display size, resolution and bezels are the same except for the wireless charging capabilities. The new iPhone 8 will run iOS 11 and has the same battery size as the iPhone 7. Under the hood, the Phone 8 has the new A11 Bionic chipset with a neural transmitter. It’s a six-core chip with two high-performance cores that are 25 percent faster than the A10, and four low-performance cores that the company says are 70 percent faster than the old model. There’s also a new Apple-designed GPU that’s 30 percent faster, with the same performance as the A10 at half the power. The phone will be available in Space Gray, Gold and Silver, and have two storage variants, 64GB and 256GB

In terms of optics, the new iPhone 8 has the same 12MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture with a few software upgrades and OIS. Apple claims the new camera is larger and faster than the previous generation. On the front is a 7MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture which records 1920 x 1080 px videos at 30fps.

iPhone 8 Plus

The Apple iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px True Tone display. The display size, resolution and the thick bezels are reminiscent of the iPhone 7 Plus with the exception of the glass back panel, same as the iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 Plus will also run iOS 11 out of the box and shares the same battery size as the iPhone 7 Plus. Under the hood, the iPhone 8 Plus the Apple A11 Bionic chipset with a neural transmitter and the new Apple GPU, same as the iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 Plus will also be available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold, and have two storage variants, 64GB and 256GB.

On the camera front, the iPhone 8 Plus features a 12MP dual-camera setup. The primary wide angle lens has an f/1.7 aperture and the secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.8 aperture. The new “Portrait Lighting” feature allows users to adjust the lighting for portrait shots. On the front is a 7MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture which records 1920 x 1080 px videos at 30fps. The dual-cameras at the back record 4K videos at 60fps.

September 22, 2017
HTC Is Working On U11 Plus, May Launch In November

Google and HTC announced a cooperative agreement on 21st September worth US$1.1 billion. According to the deal, HTC smartphone division personnel will start working for Google, giving it control over the hardware as well for upcoming Pixel devices. The statement released by both the companies revealed that the HTC U11 won;t be the last Android flagship by HTC, and iGyaan reported that a new flagship will be released in 2018. Now, a new report by GSM Arena from France reveals that HTC is working on HTC U11 Plus and may launch it in China on November 11.

There isn’t much known about the phone yet. The upcoming HTC U11 Plus will have a codename, Ocean Master. The device is expected have a 5.99-inch 2880 x 1440 px display translating to an 18:9 aspect ratio. The phone will have minimal bezels and look more like a new-age flagship device. Like the HTC U11, the Plus variant of the phone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. The HTC U11 Plus is expected to come in two variants – one with 4GBR RAM/64GB storage and second variant which will be a top end version will come with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The smartphone is expected to have a 12MP rear-mounted camera. On the front, the U11 Plus is expected to have an 8MP sensor. HTC will not jump the dual-camera bandwagon just yet and continue with a single camera at the back just like the U11. The U11 Plus is also expected to be IP68 certified water and dust resistant. It is also said to support Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 and also include the HTC U11 Active Edge feature.

The new phone, whenever it does get launched, might one of the last few smartphones HTC makes as a complete smartphone division takeover by Google seems inevitable.

September 22, 2017
Despite The Billion-Dollar Deal With Google, There Will Be Another HTC Flagship Device

Google and HTC announced a Cooperative Agreement worth US$1.1 billion wherein HTC’s smartphone engineers will work for Google once the transaction is completed. While more details about the deal will be disclosed in the days to come, the press release promptly answered one question everybody had on their minds – Will there be more HTC Android phones? The answer is, yes there will be.

This agreement also supports HTC’s continued branded smartphone strategy, enabling a more streamlined product portfolio, greater operational efficiency and financial flexibility. HTC will continue to have best-in-class engineering talent, which is currently working on the next flagship phone, following the successful launch of the HTC U11 earlier this year.

What the statement means is that HTC will now focus on its most profitable product, which is the flagship smartphones. The HTC U11, though, not the most successful flagship of 2017, still received great reviews and HTC will benefit a lot if it manages to improve on the U11 and come up with a better flagship in 2018. Greater financial operational efficiency and financial flexibility refer to the deal. HTC has been incurring losses for a long time now and with most of its smartphone department personnel now moving to Google’s payroll and the US$1.1 billion from the deal, the company will definitely have more financial resources now to work with.

Considering HTC’s flailing sales numbers and decreasing popularity in the smartphone market, a full-fledged takeover of its smartphone division by Google might be on the periphery. And giving up on the smartphone market and concentrating all its energies on making the Vive VR platform a global success might be the best way forward for the Taiwan-based tech company, HTC. With Google now taking control over the hardware for its upcoming smartphones and companies like Samsung and Apple miles ahead in the smartphone game, the 2018 flagship device by HTC might as well be their last one.

September 22, 2017
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Launched In India For Rs 24990

Sony unveiled the Xperia XA1 Plus at the IFA 2017 in Berlin and has now launched the smartphone in India. The Xperia XA1 Plus will be available in all Sony Center outlets and major electronic stores across India in Black, Blue, and Gold colour variants for a price of Rs 24990.

In terms of design, the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus inherits the traditional all metal, thick bezel design as seen in its earlier variants. The smartphone’s power button on the right-hand side also houses the fingerprint sensor. The XA1 Plus features a 5.5-inch 1920×1080 px display, whereas the earlier models, the Xperia XA1 and the XA1 Ultra featured a 5-inch display and a 6-inch display, respectively.

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus has the same MediaTek Helio P20 chipset with Mali T-880 GPU used in the XA1 and the XA1 Ultra, 4GB RAM, and 32 GB of onboard storage which is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card. The smartphone runs Android 7.1 Nougat, unlike the newly launched Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 compact, which run the latest Android 8.0 Oreo. The Xperia XA1 Plus is powered by a 3430 mAh battery and comes with Qnovo adaptive charging and Pump Express+ 2.0 quick charging support.

On the camera front, the XA1 Plus features Sony’s 23MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture, same as the one found on its XA1 siblings. On the front, the smartphone has an 8 MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

The Xperia XA1 Plus enters the Indian market were the sub-25K category is dominated by Xiaomi and Motorola. There is no word on it online availability yet, but, the smartphone’s widespread offline presence may play role in its success

September 21, 2017
Nokia 8 To Launch In India On September 26th

HMD Global has sent out press invites for an event on 26th September, stating “there are two sides to every story” in the invite. This might be a reference to the ‘Bothie’ feature on the Nokia 8 and after reports of the flagship launching in India soon, this invite makes it official. The Nokia 8 is the first ever Android OS running flagship smartphone with Nokia’s brand and has a lot of top of the line features to compete with 2017’s other flagship devices.

As far as the specifications are concerned, the Nokia 8 has a 5.3 inch 2560 x 1440 px display and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. A flagship device of 2017, the Nokia 8 does have a very unlike 2017 design with thick bezels around the display. The smartphone has an aluminum unibody design. The Nokia 8, however, has an IP54 rating for splash resistance. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside a physical home button which sits between two navigation touch capacitive buttons below the screen. Powering the device is a 3,090mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0 support via USB Type-C port. The Nokia 8 runs stock Android 7.1.1 OS and the company has promised monthly security updates and yearly Android updates. Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and a 2.45GHz octa-core processor, the Adreno 540 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card.

In terms of optics, the Nokia 8 is the first Nokia Android device to feature Carl Zeiss optics. In a very 2017 move, the Nokia 8 boasts a Zeiss powered dual camera setup at the rear – a primary 13MP RGB (colour) sensor with optical image stabilisation paired with a 13MP secondary monochrome (black and white) sensor and an f/2.0 aperture. The dual-camera setup is capable of recording videos in 4K at 30 FPS and has a portrait mode for bokeh effect. On the front is a 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture which can also record 4K videos at 30FPS.

In order to be different from all the premium smartphones in the market, Nokia has introduced a few new features in the Nokia 8 that the company thinks will be enough to persuade potential buyers. The device has a feature called Bothie. It is the first smartphone in the world which allows ‘Dual-Sight’ video to be live streamed natively and in real-time to social feeds such as YouTube and Facebook. Dual-Sight allows you to use the front and rear camera at the same time in a split screen view. Another feature that the smartphone boasts is called OZO Audio in which the smartphone’s three microphones and Nokia’s acoustic algorithms allow you to capture 360-degree spatial surround sound. You can also share 4K videos with OZO audio with anyone – binaural codecs ensure high fidelity playback even on devices without OZO Audio.

The Nokia 8 is expected to be priced at around Rs 45000, considering the fact that it was launched in Malaysia for a price of RM 2,299 (Rs. 35,000 approx.). At this price, it will compete with the likes of LG G6 and the OnePlus5, although the 45K price tag will be much higher than the price of the LG and OnePlus devices. The price will be revealed come September 26th and iGyaan will bring you all the latest information from the launch event.

September 21, 2017
Google Announces Moto X4 Android One Edition

Earlier in September there as a leak of an Android One branded Moto X4, and now, Google has officially announced the new smartphone. The Moto X4 Android One for Project Fi is available only in the United States as of now and is priced at US$399 (Rs. 25800 approx.). The device can be pre-ordered from the Project Fi website right now and is available in Super Black and Sterling Blue colours.

Android One is Google’s project to provide pure Android OS experience and timely software updates to smartphones. In a blog post, Google said:

Like all Android One phones, Android One Moto X4 runs a pure Android experience, with a clean software design and a carefully curated set of preinstalled apps to give you just what you need. For example, it comes optimized for the Google Assistant to help you get more done, and offers high-quality video calling with Google Duo. You’ll also get access to the latest updates from Android, such as Android Oreo before the end of the year. Android One moto x⁴ will be among the first to receive an upgrade to Android P.

Project Fi is a Google-run network service is a customizable package that switches between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. It eradicates boundaries and gives customers the freedom to use the network in their hometown and during international travels at the same rate.

As far as specifications are concerned, the Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection. The smartphone runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities. Motorola recently announced that the Moto X4 will receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year. The company claims that the 15 mins of charge can give up to 6 hours of talk time. The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The phone has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The new smartphone will also feature Alexa, the Amazon AI voice assistant. This isn’t the first time that Alexa has made its way onto a smartphone, the Huawei Mate 9 was the first smartphone to feature the voice assistant. Since then, we have also seen Alexa make its way to the HTC U11.The 4 in Moto X4 signifies that the new smartphone will be able to share the sound with up to 4 devices, thanks to the presence of Bluetooth 5.0.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The regular variant of the Moto X4 will launch in India on 3rd October and the price is expected to be around Rs 25,000.

September 21, 2017
Great Smartphone And Tech Accessories Deals On Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale

The Amazon Great Indian Festival sale is on and there are some great deals on tech that can help you save some money. From smartphones to headphones to more storage options, let’s take a look at top tech deals that are available right now.

Moto G5 Plus

The Moto G5 Plus was launched in early 2017 and received great reviews for its camera performance. Even today, The Moto G5 Plus’ camera is considered one of the best in its price category. The device has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px display. The Moto G5 Plus has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 2.0 GHz octa-core CPU and 650 MHz Adreno 506 GPU, 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. On the optics front, the smartphone has a 12MP f/1.7 camera with dual-focus pixels and can record 4K video and 5MP front-facing camera.

Nokia 6

Nokia 6 has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection. It runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and is powered by a 3000 mAh battery. Under the hood, the device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset, 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card. On the optics front, the Nokia 6 has a 16MP rear-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and both the cameras record 1920 x 1080 px videos at 30fps.

LG Q6

The LG Q6 was recently launched in India for a price of Rs 14,990. It sports a 5.5 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display. The device is powered by a 3,000mAh non-removable battery and runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with LG’s custom skin on top of it. The LG Q6 packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset with a 1.4GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 505 GPU along with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 2TB. It features a single 13MP rear-facing camera with a single LED flash and on the front is a wide-angle 5MP sensor.

Mi 10,000 mAh Power Bank

The Mi 10,000 mAh power bank is ideal for people who travel a lot or power users who need to charge their phone more often than others. This power bank will charge an average phone at least three times and you can charge this power bank up overnight. It is sturdy and can survive a few drops here or there.

Bose Quiet Comfort 25

The premium noise canceling headphones by Bose are critically acclaimed and available at a great price right now. The wire can be detached for easy carrying and the case for the headphones make it easier to carry the over-the-ear headphones around. The Bose Quiet Comfort retail for around 25000 but, right now are available for a price of Rs 15,100 on Amazon!

JBL Go Speaker

The JBL GO speaker is compact, powerful and provides a great price-to-performance experience. The speaker retails for Rs 3,490 but during the sale, it’s available for Rs 1,899.

TP-Link Wireless Router

The TP-Link Wireless Router is an essential for good internet connection at your home or office. It has a data transfer rate of 300 MB per second and has all the essential ports you might need to setup your internet connection. It usually retails for around Rs 1,499 but is right now available for Rs 849 on Amazon.

September 21, 2017
Motorola Unveils New Oxford Blue Colour Variant Of The Moto E4 Plus

Lenovo-owned Motorola has unveiled a new colour variant of the Moto E4 Plus, which the company launched in July 2017 in India. The Moto E4 Plus in Oxford Blue colour will go on sale from 21st September on Flipkart exclusively during the Big Billion Days Sale at a price of Rs 9999.

The Motorola Moto E4 Plus is powered by 1.4GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6737M processor and has 3GB of RAM with 32GB of internal storage along with microSD card expansion. The Moto E4 plus has a 5.5 inch 1280 x 720px IPS LCD display along with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and an oleophobic coating.The phone also runs Android 7.1.1 out of the box and should be updated to the next generation Android by the company, as the UI is mostly stock with some Moto features including the Moto display, some gestures and One-Key Navigation. The front also has a fingerprint sensor along with notification LED light.

For optics, the front has a 5 MP camera with a front flash while the main camera is a 13 MP with an f/2.0 aperture. The battery on the E4 Plus is a massive 5000 mAh battery and owners will get dual-SIM capability with VOLTE.

The new variant will be availble on Flipkart exclusively as of now, and its availability in Moto Hub retail stores has not been confirmed.

September 20, 2017
LG Q6+ Launched In India At A Price Of Rs. 17990

LG has launched a new variant of the LG Q6, the LG Q6+ in India. The new smartphone looks identical to the LG Q6 and is priced at Rs 17990. The LG Q6+ will be available across retail outlets, while the LG Q6 will remain an Amazon exclusive and retail for a price of Rs 14990.

As far as the specifications go, the LG Q6+ has the same 5.5 inch 2160 x 1080 px display with an 18:9 aspect ratio found on the LG Q6. The device is powered by a 3,000mAh non-removable battery and runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with LG’s custom skin on top of it. The LG Q6+ packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset with a 1.4GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 505 GPU along with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 2TB. The handset lacks a fingerprint sensor but LG has introduced face unlocking feature instead. There is no confirmation on the presence of Corning Gorilla Glass.

The resemblance with the LG Q6 continues, as it also features a single 13MP rear-facing camera with a single LED flash and on the front is a wide-angle 5MP sensor. The rear camera records video at 1920 x 1080 px at 30 FPS. LG also claims that the Q6 has US Military Standard-810G Certified which means that it can survive quite a few drops.

The LG Q6+ brings in an extra 1GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. It will be interesting to see whether the widespread availability will push consumers into splashing an extra Rs 2000 for the LG Q6+ or the LG Q6 will continue being a top seller for LG in this price bracket.

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September 20, 2017
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 To Go On Sale On Amazon At A Price Of Rs 12999

Xiaomi launched its second iteration of the mid-range phablet lineup, the Mi Max 2 in India on July 18th. The smartphone went on sale on Xiaomi’s official website for a price of Rs14999 for the 32GB onboard storage variant. On September 20th, the Mi Max 2 will go on sale on Amazon India for the first time and will be priced at Rs 12999 for the 32GB storage variant.

The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has a 6.4 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for added protection. The smartphone is powered by a massive 5300 mAh with QuickCharge 3.0 and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Xiaomi’s custom skin MIUI 8 on top. The phablet has a one-hand usage mode as well. Under the hood, the phablet has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Cortex-A53 octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB onboard storage options. The fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the device and sits just below the cameras. The Mi Max 2 switches to dual-audio speakers when in landscape mode.

On the optics front, the Mi Max 2 has a 12-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 aperture, equipped with the Sony IMX386 sensor with PDAF and dual-LED flash. On the front, the phablet has a 5MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

The Mi Max 2 has a big screen and a massive battery, ideal for people who primarily consume media on their smartphones. The price cut of Rs 2000 on Amazon makes this phone an interesting deal and is now priced at par with the Lenovo K8 Note which features dual-cameras and a 4000 mAh battery.

September 20, 2017
Google Pixel 2 XL Images Leaked

Google will launch the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL on 4th October. There have been a number of leaks about the specifications of both new Pixel devices and now, new images of the Pixel 2 XL have been leaked by Droid Life. The images reveal that the Pixel 2 XL will come in two colour variants – Black and White, and Just Black.

Along with the images, the website also revealed that the Pixel 2 XL will be priced at US$849 for the 64GB variant and US$949 for the 128GB storage variant. Google, in its teaser for the new phones, hinted at a solution for phones running out of storage, which means that there might be microSD card slot for storage expansion on the new Pixel devices. Google will offer to finance both the phones as well. The 64GB Pixel 2 XL will cost US$35.38 per month over 24 months and the 128GB version will cost US$39.54 per month over 24 months.

The black and white colour variant looks like an interesting choice for the new Pixel 2 XL and will definitely help the phone stand out from the crowd of the same old black and gold coloured phones. The all-black colour variant also has a two-toned shade and with the “glass window” at the back being black and the rest of the back is dark gray.

As far as specifications go, the Pixel 2 XL is expected to have a 5.99 inch QHD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and minimal bezels around the screen. The smaller variant, the Pixel 2 will have a 4.99 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with the same thick bezels around the display like last year’s Pixel and Pixel XL. Under the hood, both the phones will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB RAM. The new Pixel smartphones will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and will be the first devices in line to receive Android P update next year. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will also ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack this time.

There isn’t much known about the cameras on the Pixel 2 devices except the fact that both the phones will have a single-camera setup. If last year’s Pixel cameras are anything to go by, the new phones will have a great camera performance.

In 2016, India was among the first 6 countries to receive the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, and it is expected that this year as well, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be launched in India soon after the global launch.

September 20, 2017
OnePlus And Castelbajac Releases A Limited Edition Variant Of The OnePlus 5

OnePlus, in collaboration with renowned French designer and artist Castelbajac announced a limited edition variant of the OnePlus 5 at an event in Paris. The limited edition device will be launched at a pop-up event on September 22, at the Colette gallery in Paris.

Contrary to popular belief, OnePlus did not launch a OnePlus 5 variant with an overpowering vibrant colour, but, the phone has a unique colour scheme for the hardware buttons, and sports a mantra on the back. The custom wallpapers too, follow the design language inspired by the work of Castelbajac. The wallpapers are vibrant, unique, have loose designs and thick lines. The accessories unveiled along with the phone have a similar colour scheme and continue the trend of being reminiscent of the work Castelbajac. There are two different T-shirts available, a dual-layered tote bag, a Never Settle baseball cap, a red, blue and yellow phone holster that’s worn much like a gun holster, and colorful waist-worn case bag that seems fit to be worn on the front.

As far as what’s inside the phone is concerned, OnePlus did not touch upon that during the event. This means that the OnePlus 5 Castelbajac Limited Edition will have the same 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 px Super AMOLED display. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with OnePlus’ Oxygen OS on top. The 2017 flagship has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with a combination of either 6GB RAM and 64GB of storage or a whopping 8GB RAM and 128 of storage which can not be expanded. The OnePlus 5 also features dual cameras on the back, one of the main cameras is a 20 MP sensor with an f/2.6 aperture, while the other is a 16 MP camera with an aperture of F/1.7.

The limited edition OnePlus 5 will be a hard device to get your hands on and how many pop-up events will be organised for the device is yet to be seen. As far as the price goes, there is no official word on the pricing yet, and the final price will be unveiled at the pop-up event on September 22nd.

September 20, 2017
Sony Xperia XZ1 Set To Launch In India On 25th September

Sony unveiled its new flagship, the Xperia XZ1 along with XZ 1 Compact during the IFA 2017 in Berlin in August. At the time of its unveiling, Sony announced that the smartphone will be available globally in the coming month and it looks like Sony is set to launch the XZ1 in the Indian market on September 25th. Sony has sent out press invites for a launch event in Delhi on 25th September. Whether the compact variant will be launched along with the XZ1 is yet to be seen.

The Sony Xperia XZ1 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection. The design of the phone is reminiscent of a lot of previous Sony flagships, dating back to 2013’s Xperia Z. The display still has thick bezels around it and doesn’t look like a 2017 flagship smartphone. Sony claimed during the launch of the XZ1 that the device will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, whether that will be the case with the Indian variant has not been confirmed yet. The device is powered by a 2,700 mAh battery, which is considerably smaller than a lot of smartphones in the market. Under the hood, the device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, similar to the one found in XZ Premium, 4GB RAM, and 64GB onboard storage.

Sony has used its “Motion Eye” camera system in the XZ1. According to Sony, “Motion Eye” system uses a 1GB memory-stacked camera which has five times faster image processing than other smartphones. Ditching the trend of the dual camera setup, Sony went with a single camera at the back with a 19MP 1/2.3? Sony IMX400 camera lens with an f/2.0 aperture. Sony has pointed out that the phone’s 3D scanning capability is one of its highlights. The camera app includes features like Predictive Capture which will click the picture seconds before you actually hit the shutter button. Sony has used SteadyShot electronic stabilization for video instead of optical image stabilization for images. The primary camera can also record super slow motion 720p video at 960fps in addition to recording 4K videos at 30fps. On the front, the XZ1 has a 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and 22mm wide-angle lens.

The Sony Xperia XZ1 is priced at US$699 (Rs 45000 approx.) in the global market and the price in India could well cross the Rs 50,000 mark.

September 19, 2017
Moto X4 Set For October 3rd Launch In India

Lenovo-owned Motorola launched the Moto X4 at IFA 2017 in Berlin in August. The launch of the Moto X4 will take place in India on October 3rd after the company sent out press invites for an event in New Delhi. The launch of the Moto X4 will be Motorola’s third in quick succession in India after the Moto G5S and G5S Plus were launched in August in the sub 20K category. Motorola has been teasing the launch of the X4 on Twitter and even hosted a giveaway contest.

The Moto X4 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass on top for protection. The smartphone runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery with TurboCharge capabilities. Motorola recently announced that the Moto X4 will receive an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year. The company claims that the 15 mins of charge can give up to 6 hours of talk time. The Moto X4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 2.2 GHz octa-core processor and Adreno 508 GPU, along with 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. The phone has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The new smartphone will also feature Alexa, the Amazon AI voice assistant. This isn’t the first time that Alexa has made its way onto a smartphone, the Huawei Mate 9 was the first smartphone to feature the voice assistant. Since then, we have also seen Alexa make its way to the HTC U11.The 4 in Moto X4 signifies that the new smartphone will be able to share the sound with up to 4 devices, thanks to the presence of Bluetooth 5.0.

The Moto X4 has a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and the 8MP secondary camera with an f/2.2 aperture is equipped with a wide-angle lens. The dual-cameras allow users to have depth effect shots, bokeh effect shots, ultra-wide angle shots, and selective focus shots. On the front of the device is a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The cameras record 4K videos at 30 FPS.

The Moto X4, is expected to be priced at around Rs 25000 even though its European price is higher. The promotional poster doesn’t give away any other information but, the smartphone is expected to go on sale on Amazon and Motorola’s recently launched Moto Hub retail stores.

September 19, 2017