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 Rumour: The S7 Could Feature ‘BRITECELL’ Camera Sensor

Over the past couple of days there have been tons of rumours regarding the camera of the upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship. Samsung is keen to be the best in the camera department.The S6 received a lot of praise for its camera and the Korean manufacturers now want to make it better.

The initial rumour that was going around was that Samsung might bump up the megapixels to around 20 or 23. The company was looking to Sony’s Xperia Z5, specifically the IMX300 sensor that the device’s camera boasts of. Having Sony’s sensor would certainly give the S7 that edge. Sony would also like to finalise a deal with Samsung so that it can push out its sensors to a wider market. So a 20MP ISOCELL camera could be on the cards.

Galaxy S6

However, the second rumour debunks the first in that Samsung is not looking to enter the megapixel race and will likely go with a 12MP primary camera. However, the sensors will be a large 1/2-inch size. In this case, the camera would have larger pixels and would also improve the camera’s low-light performance.

Finally, the third and certainly not the last rumour of the day is that Samsung has filed a trademark application in which the company has trademarked BRITECELL, which, as of now, confirms rumours that Samsung is indeed going for a large sensor. The name doesn’t suggest much except that the sensor will somehow capture more light than Samsung’s previous attempts. Sony has been leading in the sensor department especially with the recently launched Nexus 6P which features Sony’s ExmorR IMX 377 sensor with 1.55 micron pixels.

Samsung is expected to have a January unveiling of the Galaxy S7. You can expect a lot more rumours about the device as we get closer to the date. We’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more dope.

November 5, 2015
YU Rolls Out Cyanogen 12.1 Update for Yureka and Yureka Plus

The official Cyanogen 12.1 update for Yureka and Yureka Plus has begun rolling out. Some of the highlights include a Live Display feature which adjusts the screen based on environmental conditions. This would ensure better readability in sunlight and a softer, dimmer screen during the night. Your eyes will definitely be happier about this update.

Another feature of this update is the calendar which is integrated with the email. This allows you to sync emails from different sources like Gmail and Exchange in the calendar, making sifting through appointments and reminders easier and more convenient. It also allows scheduling of appointments directly from an email.

The redesigned UI for the folders and app drawer allows one-handed-use of the device to the user, while also reducing visual clutter. YU also promises better performance and an over-all improved sound experience with an updated audio FX UI.

It is time to get your YU devices updated, folks, and tell us about your experience in the comments below.

November 4, 2015
Google’s New Smartphone App Will Answer Emails For You

Allowing you to take laziness to the next level, Google’s new email app will come up with responses for emails and thereby saving your brain cells the extra effort. The Smart Reply feature of the Inbox by Gmail app was unveiled on Tuesday and offers three responses that can be customised by the user.

Smart Reply, Google’s smartphone app, uses deep learning, a modified version of Artificial intelligence to make the appropriate replies. Over time, the app would study the pattern of responses to emails, and suggest responses based on the most and least often used ones.

The president of the Google for Work program, Amit Singh commented on this, “The possibilities of machine learning are endless.”

Users tend to keep replies short on mobile phones and it was precisely this style of emailing on phones which led to the development of Google’s newest app. Google has also made sure to include or exclude responses which are more commonly used or steered cleared of. This ensures no private replies get mixed with business emails and vice versa. Smart Reply is expected to be available by the end of this week as part of the Inbox app that is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://gmailblog.blogspot.in/2015/11/computer-respond-to-this-email.html”]Official Gmail Blog[/tw-button]

November 4, 2015
Modular PuzzlePhone Launches Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo

There are smartphones and then there are modular phones. We hear something new about smartphones everyday, but even modular phones need their day in the sun. Last year, the PuzzlePhone was introduced to the masses. The modular phone is made up with multiple pieces that can be upgraded, swapped or replaced as needed. The PuzzlePhone has three pieces: the Brain, the Spine, and the heart.

The ‘brain’ contains the processor, camera, RAM, and storage; the ‘spine’ provides the structure and screen; and the ‘heart’ holds the battery and secondary electronics. Finnish company Circular Devices initially offered multiple size options for the PuzzlePhone, but had to streamline their offer for its initial crowdfunded release.

The team behind the PuzzlePhone has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo seeking to raise $250,000 to kickstart production. So far the site has received $40,234 with 41 days left. The Indiegogo money will be used for manufacturing, shipping, and the product itself.

In terms of features, the PuzzlePhone features a 5-inch 1080p display, an unspecified 64-bit octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, a 2,800mAh battery pack, a 12-megapixel back camera, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow (or higher depending on the release date). The PuzzlePhone will have 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options for various backers of the campaign.

We’ll know in a few weeks whether the team behind the PuzzlePhone has everything to go ahead with the production. If you want to be a part of the campaign then head on over to Indiegogo and do your part.

November 4, 2015
Vodafone’s Free 100 MB Data Has Got to Be the Lamest Diwali Freebie Ever

Just when you thought things in the country couldn’t get any stranger (to use a safer word), we have been proved wrong one more time as Vodafone chooses to take randomness (once again, playing it safe) to a whole new level. In a very unusual turn of events, the company is offering a 100 MB of data for free to all its users all over India.

Vodafone says in an official statement, “At Vodafone, we are driven with the singular objective of delivering superior experience to our customers.”

Sorry, what? Next time if there’s a brainstorming session for ideas of Diwali free gifts at Vodafone, hopefully somebody comes up with something probably just a tiny bit more useful like – better customer service where the company representatives actually manage to solve the user’s problem for a change, or better network coverage which doesn’t require the user to perform all sorts of acrobats to get a single bar of reception in their device, and what’s up on the 4G front, folks? How about offering something that truly helps your 188 million ‘valued’ customers in the country? Take a look at re-volt to get a better picture of what we’re trying to say.

Vodafone Diwali freebies got us excited like.

Unfortunately, Vodafone is already glorying in the extra 100 MB of data they are going to be handing out to their customers to realise how badly they have missed the mark. The “special” offer, as Vodafone fondly calls its problem child, will be available to all Vodafone customers on Wednesday, November 11, 2015. They can avail it by SMS-ing ‘DIWALI’ to 199. Do let us know how many extra selfies you manage to exchange with all this free data.

November 4, 2015

Spec Battle: Canvas 5 vs OnePlus X vs Moto G (3rd Gen) vs Xiaomi Mi 4i

In the past one week we have seen a number of smartphone launches under the 20K range. The OnePlus X that was officially launched on the 29th of October gave fans many reasons to cheer for the company. Today, it was Micromax’s turn to please the crowd with the launch of the Canvas 5.

Both OnePlus X and the Canvas 5 have been designed to please the eyes. Two other phones that come under the same banner are the Moto Gen (3rd Gen) device that was launched in July this year and the Xiaomi Mi4i that came out in April.

Starting from the earliest then, the Xiaomi Mi4i has a 5-inch Full HD OGS IPS display with 441ppi pixel density. The phone is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Cortex-A53 processor. It features 2GB of RAM and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with the company’s MIUI 6. The two cameras include a 13MP in the rear and a 5MP in the front. The dual-SIM device is powered by a 3120mAh battery. Connectivity options include Micro-USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi.

The Moto G (3rd Gen) with the rounded design and silver accents has a premium look and feel to the device. The device has a 5-inch 720p display with 1280×720-pixel resolution and 294ppi. It is powered by a 1.4GHz Quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 2,470 mAh battery that can last roughly up to a day. The handset is available in two variants- 8GB storage with 1GB RAM and 16GB storage with 2GB RAM.

The OnePlus X is a mid-range phone that aesthetically looks high-end with ceramic-glass and onyx variants for the back. The device sports a 5-inch AMOLED display (1920×1080), with a primary camera of 13 MP and a 8 MP front. The device runs on a 2.1 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset. It features a 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 128 via MicroSD card slot.

Finally, the Canvas 5 also wins in the design department with curved metallic edges, a plastic back panel that has a leather-like feel to it, and at 8.5mm thickness the device is pretty slim. The flagship sports a 5.2-inch FHD screen with 480ppi. It is powered by a 1.3GHz octa core MediaTek MT6753 ARM Cortex-A53 chipset. It also features 3GB RAM and 11GB internal storage expandable up to 128 GB via MicroSD card slot.

Here’s how the four devices stand in comparison. Have a look and post your winner in the comments below.

Specs	Micromax Canvas 5	OnePlus X	Moto G (3rd Gen)	Xiaomi Mi 4i
Display	5.2-inch full HD screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5-inch full HD AMOLED screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5-inch, 720p HD, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	5-inch IPS LCD capacitive with Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels, 423ppi	1920×1080 pixels, 441ppi	1280x720p pixels, 294ppi	1080×1920 pixels, 441ppi
Chipset	Media Tek MT6753, ARM Cortex-A53	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615
CPU	1.3 GHz octa-core processor	2.3 GHz Quad-core processor	1.4GHz Quad core	1.7 GHz quad-core
GPU	Mali-T720 MP2	Adreno 330	Adreno 306	Adreno 405
RAM	3 GB	3 GB	1 GB/ 2 GB	2 GB
Front Camera	5 MP	8 MP	5 MP	5 MP
Rear Camera	13 MP	13 MP	13 MP	13 MP
Storage	11 GB	16 GB	8 GB/ 16 GB	16 GB
Expandability	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot	Up to 128 GB via MicoSD	Up to 32 GB	NA
Battery	2,900 mAh	2,525 mAh	2,470 mAh	3,120mAh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/AGPS	Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz b/g/n WCN3680 / Bluetooth 4.0	MicroUSB, 3.5mm headset jack, Bluetooth 4.0WiFi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz)	MicroUSB, 3.5mm headset jack, Bluetooth 4.1WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
OS	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Oxygen OS based on Android 5.1.1	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 11,999	Rs. 16,999	Rs. 12,999 (16 GB)	Rs. 12,999

November 4, 2015

Micromax Canvas 5 Hands On Review : Unboxing Video

Micromax Canvas is a name that popularised Micromax with the new market of India. The latest Canvas from the company is the Canvas 5 and comes at a time where Micromax needs it the most.

The device is a big improvement from the build quality standards of the company and has a lot to offer for a consumer at a price of Rs. 11999. The phone goes on sale today online and offline.

The handset has decent specifications, however only to be burrowed by the likes of its own YU Yureka Plus. The new Canvas has a fantastic 2.5 D curved glass that not only looks good and feels great to use, the aesthetic makes the device look a lot more premium.

The handset also features Gorilla Glass 3 on the front glass and a front facing flash. Running everything is a MT6753 chip with eight cores at 1.3 GHz. Owners will get 3 GB of RAM which comes in real handy especially if you do a lot of gaming. The phone has an fast and fluid UI and runs Android 5.1 with sober customizations from Micromax not affecting usability a lot.

The handset has a metal frame that adds rigidity and polish along with rounded edges and a matte finish that feels excellent. The back panel is plastic and has a faux leather finish that is soft to touch and easy to grip onto.

The camera app is appreciated with lots of modes and pro features like those found on flagship Samsung Galaxy phones. You also get apps to re touch images and mostly do makeup etc.

The phone scored over 32000 on benchmarks and has been found to be 95% better than devices in the range. Gaming experience on the handset is good and feels like the 3 GB of RAM helps in leveraging that. We managed to play his end games on the handset with graphs turned to max without issues.

November 4, 2015

Micromax Canvas 5 Launched in India Today

Micromax launched the much awaited Canvas 5 smartphone in India today. The newest flagship from Micromax promises improvements on the Canvas 4 that saw some negativity regarding build quality and camera performance.

While some of the specs are similar to its predecessor, the Canvas 5 has improved where it needed to. The Canvas 5 has a powerful processor and larger battery. The display of the phone has improved quite a lot and so has the overall design that feels good in your hand. The handset has a removable plastic back panel that has a leather feel to it. The front glass joins the curved edge that has a matt finish which gives the phone a sleek look; and at 8.5mm thickness, the device is quite slim.

The Canvas 5 does offer is a full-HD display that fans were expecting for a long time. The handset has also bumped up the RAM to 3GB, which is great for a phone under Rs. 12,000. The camera remains the same as the Canvas 4 and a hands on will tell us whether the low-light images come out better with the Canvas 5.

The flagship sports a 5.2-inch FHD screen with 480ppi. It is powered by a 1.3GHz octa core MediaTek MT6753 ARM Cortex-A53 chipset. It also features 3GB RAM and 11GB internal storage expandable up to 128 GB via MicroSD card slot.

The Canvas 5 is priced at Rs. 11,999 and is available starting today. Airtel also has a double data offer going on if you purchase the device from an Airtel showroom. We’ll have a detailed hands-on with the Canvas 5 soon so stay tuned. Till then check out the specs of the device below. We’ll fill the blanks as we know more.

Specification	Micromax Canvas 5
Display	5.2-inch full HD screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D Curve Touch Panel
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels with 480ppi
Chipset	Media Tek MT6753, ARM Cortex-A53
CPU	1.3 GHz octa-core processor
GPU	Mali-T720 MP2
RAM	3 GB
Front Camera	5 MP with flash (2560×1920)
Rear Camera	13 MP AF (4160×3120)
Storage	11 GB (7.5GB available)
Expandability	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot
Battery	2,900 mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/AGPS, 4G LTE (LTE FDD 850MHz/1800MHz and TDD 2300MHz)
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 11,999

November 4, 2015

Chinese Investors Buy Swedish Luxury Smartphone Maker, Vertu

Vertu is a well known UK-based manufacturer of coutour, handcrafted luxury smartphones. The company, previously owned by Nokia, who had created it in order to form a niche in the luxury trade market, has now been sold to Chinese investors.

Vertu phones are well known for features that include precious metals, leather casings and sapphire screens. Its chief executive, Massimiliano Pogliani says that it is now “an appropriate time to pass on the baton of leadership to a new team”. And with Chinese investors, occupying a large portion of the smartphone market, they do seem like the obvious successors.

What we know about the company’s timeline is that it was founded by Nokia in 1998 and then bought by a Swedish private equity group called EQT from Nokia back in 2012 for more than 200 million euros. Vertu had shipped its first phone in 2002 and had sold around 450,000 devices by 2015. The company will continue to conduct its business via its headquarters in Hampshire, England.

Vertu was created to provide premium handsets for those who were willing to pay for it. For example, its latest handset costs almost 7,000 pounds or Rs.70,8074 for a basic version and up to 17,000 pounds or Rs.17,19,609 if you want a rose gold frame! It’s most expensive handset is priced at almost 200,000 pounds which is approximately Rs.2,02,30,696 and this comes signed with the name of the craftsman who made it. Yes, that’s a lot of dough indeed.

However, with smartphone companies like Apple providing consumers with a smartphone that bettered Vertu in technology and also came with some sort of a status symbol attached to it, the Swedish company began to struggle in its own niche. Therefore, Vertu has in the recent past tried to improve the technology in its latest phones while also lowering its prices, so as to create a slightly larger customer base.

So, hopefully with the new ownership of Vertu will be able to maintain its position in the luxury phone department while catering to the need for high end specs as well.

November 4, 2015
Micromax Canvas 5 to Take On Devices by Motorola and OnePlus

With only a few hours left for the launch of the Micromax Canvas 5, speculations are high about the device. We expect it to fall under Rs. 20,000 and therefore take on handsets by Motorola and OnePlus that fall under a similar bracket.

The OnePlus X, launched on the 29th of October is priced at Rs. 16,999 for its entry level variant. Motorola’s Moto X Play, which was launched earlier this year in July, costs Rs. 18, 499 for its 16 GB variant and thus also falls within the same price bracket. Another Motorola device to provide competition to Canvas 5 is Moto G (3rd Gen) whose price starts at Rs. 11,999 for the 8 GB variant.

On the specs front, we expect Canvas 5 to have a 5.2-inch full HD screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and a 3GB RAM. While some of the specs are similar to its predecessor, the Canvas 5 is expected to have improved where it needed to. The device is also likely to sport a slim and sleek design.

We’ll soon have all the specs and a detailed hands-on with the Canvas 5. Watch this space for more.

November 4, 2015
Rumour: Apple to Launch a 4-inch iPhone Early Next Year

Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst has shared a note today which suggests the launch of a 4-inch iPhone early next year. Kuo says the company is working on a 4-inch handset likely to make an appearance in the first half of 2016.

Unofficial render of the iPhone 7

The phone, the analyst says,“resembles an upgraded iPhone 5s”. The new device is going to be different from its predecessors in many ways. Unlike the plastic body of iPhone 5c, Apple is likely to opt for an all-metal body this time, while also ditching 3D Touch. However, the iPhone will also feature an A9 processor. Post a launch early in 2016, about 20-30 million units will be ready for shipment by the end of next year.

When it comes to iPhone 7, Kuo believes that Apple will pretty much remain consistent with its pattern of the third quarter release of the iPhone. Both the 4.7 inch and the 5.5 inch iPhone 7 variants are expected to come equipped with the A10 chip, along 2 GB and 3 GB of RAM respectively.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://9to5mac.com/2015/11/03/iphone-7-4-inch-iphone/”]9to5Mac[/tw-button]

November 4, 2015
Facebook Wants Some Employees to Switch from iPhone to Android

According to reports, Facebook employees simply have too much love for the iPhone. So much so that the company’s chief product officer Chris Cox is forcing some employees to shift to Android. The reason behind this is that Facebook needs to know how its social networking site is doing across all platforms and not just on high-end iOS devices.

According to Cox, Facebook workers need to be “reporting bugs and living in the same experience that most Facebook users experience today,”

Facebook’s primary goal is to enter as many markets as it can. This means that the company has to tailor its software for every platform emerging across devices both advanced and old. Facebook is also keen on entering markets in developing nations where internet speeds are slow and older devices are still commonplace.

“I am mandating a switch of a whole bunch of my team over to Android, just because people, when left up to their own devices, will often prefer an iPhone.”

iPhone might be popular in some countries like the U.S., U.K .,and China but Android still dominates globally with around 82% of smartphones on Android’s operating system. Furthermore, the Android devices range from low-end to high-end. Thus, in order to study how Facebook functions in Android, employees will need to have a hand-on experience with it.

The seriousness of Facebook’s aspirations is also understood when this news is clubbed with last week’s decision to have ‘2G Tuesdays’. The new initiative will see employees work for one hour ever Tuesday on 2G connections. This will give employees an “opportunity to experience for themselves the slow mobile Internet speeds found in developing countries.”

November 3, 2015
Daniel Craig Refused $50 Million Android Product Placement in ‘Spectre’

A James Bond movie is a hotbed for product placements. That’s because Bond himself has a rich taste when it comes to cars, watches and everything else and only prefers the luxurious side of life. Bond films are characterized by Aston Martin cars, Rolex and Omega watches and the latest in Q technology. So, there is no way that Bond would be caught with a phone that does not keep with his image.

However, too much product placement can damage the image of the character as well. Which is why the latest James Bond flick, Spectre, has cut down on endorsing products. This also included not giving Bond a smartphone. Both Bond star Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes refused offers by Sony and Samsung to have Bond stylishly carry their smartphone.

The offers that started with $5 million escalated to $50 million (Samsung’s offer). Samsung was additionally ready to pay $5 million to Craig for being seen using an Android phone in the movie with Samsung’s logo. However, both offers were rejected after judging the phones to be too lackluster for Bond.

“Beyond the $$ factor, there is, as you may know, a creative factor whereby Sam and Daniel don’t like the Sony phone for the film (the thinking, subjectively/objectively is that James Bond only uses the ‘best,’ and in their minds, the Sony phone is not the ‘best’),” wrote Andrew Gumpert, President of Worldwide Business Affairs and Operations for Columbia Pictures.

Another reason behind shunning Android could be because of its cheap image and notoriety for suffering security vulnerabilities like Stagefright that happened only a few months ago. This surely does not keep with the image of an international super-spy.

Spectre has surpassed Skyfall, the previous Bond film, in the opening week at the box office. The film has grossed $80.4 million in UK alone. The movie will hit theaters in India on 20th November.

November 3, 2015

Samsung Launches Galaxy On5 and On7 in India

Samsung’s newest mid-range ‘On’ series has officially launched in India. The On5 and On7 are the first set of devices in this group. We have been talking about it for a while and now we have all specifics and particulars for you.

Looking at the On5 first, the device sports a 5-inch (126.7mm) HD touchscreen display and is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad core processor under the hood. It features a 1.5GB RAM and an 8GB storage, a portion of which is occupied by the OS. On the camera front, the On5 has an 8MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.

Samsung Galaxy On5 iGyaan 1 — Samsung Galaxy On5

Moving on to the On7 and you see a slightly bigger screen at 5.5-inch (138.6mm) HD display. The On7 runs on a 1.2GHz quad core Sanpdragon 410 processor and a 1.5GB RAM. The storage is the same as the On5 at 8GB and both are expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot. Bith the devices are dual SIM. The On7 houses a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.

Samsung Galaxy On7 iGyaan 0 — Samsung Galaxy On7

Now, given that the On7 is the bigger of the two phones in terms of pricing, one would expect the processor to be better as well. But surprisingly that’s not the case. Furthermore, the specs and price of the On7 is quite similar to the Galaxy J5 except for a bigger battery in the On7 at 3,000mAh. This begs one to question why exactly Samsung felt the need to introduce a new series when it already had one that covered the price range.

The devices are touted as youth friendly and come an Ultra Data Saving mode that compresses data and saves up to 50% data charges for greater networking and browsing. The devices also come with RadioMix which is an Apple Music-like streaming service that lets you stream millions of songs and also offers curated music based on your preference.

The On5 is priced at Rs. 8990 while the On7 costs Rs. 10,990. The devices will be sold exclusively on Flipkart starting midnight tonight. Stay tuned for a detailed hands-on with both the devices. Till then, have a look at the specs table below.

Specs	Galaxy On5	Galaxy On7
Display	5.0-inch HD TFT	5.5-inch HD TFT
Resolution	1280 x 720 pixels	1280 x 720 pixels
Chipset	Exynos 3475	Snapdragon 410 MSM8916
CPU	1.3GHz Quad Core	1.2Ghz Quad A53
GPU
RAM	1.5GB	1.5GB
Primary Camera	8MP(F/2.2) w/ LED Flash	13MP(F/2.1) w/ LED Flash
Front Camera	5MP(F/2.2)	5MP(F/2.2)
Storage	8GB	8GB
Expandability	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot
Battery	2,600mAh	3,000mAh
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, Glonass	Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, NFC O (option)
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 8,990	Rs. 10,990

November 3, 2015

Unboxing and Hands On : Samsung Galaxy On 5 and Galaxy On 7

Samsung has today launched two new handsets the On5 and the On7 in their ongoing efforts to take over the budget market. The handsets are not a lot different from their previous edition J series phones and appear to be identical in terms of design to last year’s design lineage for Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy On5

The new Galaxy On5 is priced at Rs 7999 and is a younger sibling to the On7. While both handsets appear to be identical, there are a few major differences.

The On5 has a Exynos heart with 1.3 GHz on the clock, along with 1.5 GB of RAM. The display has a resolution of 1280x720px on the 5 inch glass. The main camera is 8 MP and the front camera is a 5 MP both with f2.2 lenses and 1920 x 1080p video capture.

The back has a soft touch plastic that mimics leather in look. The phone is capable of taking two 4G enabled sim cards along with expandability of upto 128 GB. The inbuilt storage on the phone is 8GB.

Samsung Galaxy On5

The UI is snappy and quick and not much more than you can expect from an Rs. 8000 phone. The camera app is also custom Samsung and offers many of the new app features, including PRO mode and quick launch.

The Samsung Galaxy On7

The On7 on the other hand has a larger 5.5 inch display albeit the same resolution at 1280 x 720p.

The chipset is completely different as the On 7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 which is clocked at 1.2 GHz on 4 cores. 1.5 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage complete in internals. A 3000 mAh battery powers the On 7 vs the 2600 mAh on the On 5.

The camera on the back gets a bump up to 13 MP ( actually 12.8 MP) along with a slightly improved f2.1 lens. The front captures 5 MP stills and both cameras capture 1080p video.

The On 5 and On 7 are identical in design and looks and are completely made from plastic parts. The extensive use of plastic makes them lightweight, however, cheapish looking.

With Micromax set to launch the next canvas tomorrow, waiting might be a good decision.

November 3, 2015