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’s Project Zero 2 is Similar to Galaxy S6 Edge, New Details Emerge

Samsung is reportedly working on a new phone, SM-G928, code-named Project Zero 2. What makes it interesting is that the phone will be similar to Galaxy S6 Edge, save for the display and processor. The phone will reportedly sport a 5.4-inch or 5.7-inch Super AMOLED dual-edge curved screen.

According to the report, the SM-G928 will run on a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor. In addition to that, the phone will have a 32GB internal storage space, a 16-megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilizer and 4K video recording, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

As far as physical dimensions are concerned, the phone is around 151 mm tall and around 73 mm wide, which makes it taller and wider than Galaxy S6 Edge. The report speculates that the display will be larger than 5.1 inch, which is currently the display size in Galaxy S6. An increase in physical dimensions should allow the phone to create space for a larger battery, which is rumored to be a 3,000 mAh battery.

The Project Zero 2 is being called Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. However, Samsung has not confirmed anything yet. The report states that an official announcement will be made by the company shortly.

July 1, 2015

Xiaomi Lowers Price of Redmi Note 4G by Rs 2,000

Great news for Xiaomi fans. The company has announced a price cut for Redmi Note 4G in an official tweet.

From today, people can buy the Redmi Note 4G at a discounted price of Rs. 7,999 from Xiaomi’s website as well as various leading websites and retail stores. The news is not only exciting for existing Xiaomi fans, but should also excite those who have been looking for a new phone.+

https://twitter.com/MiIndiaOfficial/status/615740349068152832/photo/1

It seems Xiaomi has reduced the price to take on the K3 Note, which was recently launched by Lenovo and has similar specifications. The new price cut makes the Redmi Note 4G more affordable than the K3 Note.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is a 4G LTE ready device. It is powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU coupled with 2GB of RAM. The Redmi Note 4G sports a 5.5 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, a 13 MP front camera and has a storage capacity of up to 64 GB. The phone runs on a 3,100 mAh battery, which is often counted as one of the phone’s strongest features. If the price drop doesn’t convince you to buy the phone, maybe these specifications will.

Specs	Redmi Note 4G
Display	5.5 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen (720×1280 pixels)
Processor	1.6 GHz Qualcomm MSM8928 Snapdragon 400
RAM	2 GB
Storage	8 GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	3100 mAh
Operating System	Android 4.2 upgradable to v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Price	Rs.7,999

The Redmi Note 4G was launched in December last year at a price of Rs. 9,999 through a flash sale on Flipkart.

June 30, 2015

First Back Photo Of The OnePlus Two Leaked

OnePlus, the company that rose to fame with the release of the OnePlus One, will be releasing One’s successor, Two this month. OnePlus has been releasing regular teasers to keep its fans occupied ahead of its official launch on 28th July.

Unfortunately for OnePlus, PhoneArena seems to have got hold of the device way ahead of its launch and posted some photos on their site.

From the above images , we see that the back appears to sport wood, which would be a very nice touch (but could also be a premium wooden cover that won’t come stock with the device). There’s some sort of dimple on the back cover. The OnePlus logo is clearly visible beneath it, so one could surmise that the dimple is the fingerprint scanner rumored to be part of the kit.

We know that OnePlus Two will run on Snapdragon 810 chipset along with 4GB ram. The phone will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD 1920 x1080p display that will improve the viewing experience of the user. The OnePlus Two will also have a USB C-Type, the first in a flagship device by a major manufacturer. Just a few days back, the company revealed that the phone will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

The company has confirmed its price will not cross more than Rs 28,500. OnePlus ruled out all the rumors of the temporarily titled OnePlus Two and stated that the much-awaited device will make a debut in the third quarter of this year. Let’s wait and watch!

Specification	OnePlus Two
Display	5.5 inches LTPS LCD Capacitive touch screen
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels (401 ppi)
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 v2.1 SoC
Processor	Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A57
GPU	Adreno 430
RAM	4 LPDDR4 RAM
Storage	16/64 GB
Expandability	N/A
Rear Camera	13 MP
Rear Camera Video	2160p@30fps, 2160p(DCI)@24fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.
Front Camera	8 MP (Not confirmed)
Front Camera Video	1080p@30fps
Battery	Non-removable Li-Po 3300 mAh battery
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Oxygen OS
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Bluetooth v4.1, A2DPGPS with A-GPS, GLONASS NFC, Radio FM,microUSB v2.0, Type-C reversible connector
Miscellaneous	Fingerprint sensor
Price	Not more than Rs, 28000

Click here to know everything we know about the OnePlus Two.

June 28, 2015

Apple Begins Manufacturing the New iPhone With ‘Force Touch’

According to a new report, Apple has started the manufacturing process for the new iPhone. We’re talking about the iPhone 6s which will be arriving this September. The Force Touch feature, first introduced in the Apple Watch and the new 13-inch MacBook, has been expected to be included in the new iPhone for a few months now.

‘Force Touch’ is a feature that detects the level of force in a tap and responds accordingly. For example, a light tap on the screen will perform another task than a hard tap. Tiny electrodes surrounding the Retina display sense the difference in the amount of pressure applied on screen. Thus, a user can perform simple tasks such as fast-forwarding a movie or using pressure to zoom in on a map with ease.

Apple begins production from the first of July. The company expects the production to go smoothly due to the similarities in design between the new and existing iPhone 6. Apple has spent more than two years trying to perfect ‘Force Touch’, which will enhance the user experience when using pressure-sensitive displays.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the next-gen iPhone would be thicker than the existing iPhone due to the integration of ‘Force Touch’ feature. Also, Apple is reportedly integrating support for the feature in the beta versions of iOS 9, which will allow developers to make use of ‘Force Touch’ in navigation and media controls.

Source : [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-26/apple-suppliers-said-to-start-making-iphones-with-force-touch”]Bloomberg[/tw-button]

June 27, 2015
4 Simple Tips to Help Safeguard Your Smartphone this Monsoon

While we’re relieved the rain is washing away the scorching summer, monsoon can be tedious. Clothes don’t dry, the roads are mucky, and you’re perpetually losing your umbrella. More than anything, our precious smartphones need protection. Now, unless your phone comes with an inbuilt mechanism that expels water as it comes, it is most likely that it need protection.

To make sure you have a happy monsoon, we bring some easy hacks to protect your phone:

1. Use a spare phone

In this case, the saying ‘better to be safe than sorry’ should be implemented. You can just leave aside your smartphone at home and use a spare phone for a while, maybe a Nokia 1100 or a reliable oldie that has what it takes to withstand the season. But remember to cover up your old device with a safe plastic casing.

2. Zip Lock

Normally, Ziplock pouches are used to store food or medicines. But it is also one of the cheapest ways to protect your phone from getting drenched.

If this option is not available, any plastic bag would work out just fine. These are the most basic methods to protect your smartphone, and it always works out.

3. Use Cling-film or Balloons

Another low-cost method, cling film can help save your smartphone from the damage. Cling-film is a plastic foil with which our mothers used to pack us our tiffins. Tight and air-locking, this is yet another cheap method to protect your smartphone.

Wondering how you can use a balloon? Take an inflated balloon and place the phone on it, screen side facing towards the balloon. Now slowly, start deflating the balloon till the end. You will see the mobile completely wrapped up with the rubber around it. The cover is water-tight and will protect your phone from the water-induced damage. Just for more protection, you can repeat the procedure again on the other side of the handset, thus gaining a double layer.

4. Conceal the openings on your phone

Try to conceal the open areas of your phone like the micro-USB port, headphone jacks, speakers, etc with a tape. Be warned! Though this method is not a foolproof solution, it may help reducing the risk of water entering the device.

June 27, 2015
Apple Plans to Include a Dual-Lens Camera in the iPhone 7 : Report

Apple is famously known for the strict quality measures it employs in all of its products, thanks to the company’s late co-founder Steve Jobs’ desire for top-notch products. Despite all the fun Samsung may make of Apple, one thing it cannot make fun of is the camera quality of the iPhone. The camera is recognized for capturing professional-like photographs and has even been employed as the main camera in some films.

So, how do you improve a cell phone camera famous for being close to a professional camera? By adding another lens. Recently, a report has emerged from Taiwan which claims that Apple is planning to include a dual-lens front camera in the iPhone 7. No, we’re not talking about the iPhone 6s, which is expected to be out in September. The iPhone 7 will be revealed next year, in 2016.

Apple reportedly faced problems, such as blurred images and other performance issues, while testing the dual-lens camera system. It seems the company has found solution with the help of LinX Imaging, an Israeli company specialising in camera-technology, which was bought by Apple in April this year.

The report also mentions that Apple faced manufacturing problems regarding dual-lens camera, which have been solved in a deal with Largan, one of the major suppliers of camera lens modules for smartphones and tablets. Apple has recently placed more orders for the same lens with Largan. It seems that Largan may manufacture the lens required for the iPhone 7.

HTC was the first company to introduce the dual-lens system in the One M8, which received mixed reception from the users. If the report is true, then iPhone 7 may turn out to be a game-changer by setting the standard higher for cameras in smartphones.

June 26, 2015
Watch Samsung Take a Dig at Apple in its Latest Galaxy S6 Ad

It seems Samsung will never be tired of poking fun at Apple, whether it is live streaming, bigger displays, or suggesting iPhone users are gradually become “wall-huggers”. In a latest ad to promote the new Galaxy S6, Samsung understands the frustrations a user goes through when the charger has to be untangled to charge a phone.

The ad makes note of the lengths people will go through to connect their phones to a white cable. And as seen in one frame, a bundle of white wires. Samsung points out that they are the source of head-banging, back-ache and anger issues. Then, it shows its wireless charger, which makes the ordinary task of charging a phone, well, ordinary.

So how does Apple figure in this ad? The white cables represent the white charger that comes with every Apple product. To make the point more clear, one frame shows a woman frustratingly trying to connect her phone to a deck.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have buit-in wireless charging. Samsung may have made fun of Apple users, but S6 users will also have to take their charger everywhere they go.

After watching the ad, Taylor Swift will probably write an open letter, asking Apple to include wireless charging in the next iPhone.

June 26, 2015

HTC Rolls Out the New Desire 826, Priced at Rs. 26,900

Today, HTC launched Desire 826 in India. This is the 20^th addition to the HTC Desire series, which was first launched in 2010. The Desire 826 runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core 1.7GHz 64-bit processor and uses Android Lollipop with HTC Sense. The phone comes with 2 GB of RAM and has a storage capacity of 16 GB, which can expand upto an additional 128 GB.

A dual SIM phone, it supports 2G, 3G, CDMA and 4G LTE, which will lure the Indian users towards it. The battery capacity is 2600 mAh, which seems a little less since the phone is supporting four different types of network.

HTC claims that the 5.5-inch display with 1080p resolution will bring “cinematic quality to your mobile world”. To enhance the audio, HTC has used HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio, just like in the One ME phone, which was launched yesterday.

The Desire 826 sports a 13 MP rear camera and an UltraPixel front camera, both capable of recording video in 1080p resolution.

The phone is available in a variety of colors such as White Birch, Blue Lagoon and Purple Fire. The phone can also be customised with HTC Dot View Case.

HTC Desire 826 will be made available in India by the end of June 2015 and is priced at Rs. 26,900.

Specifications	HTC Desire 826
Display	5.5-inch Full HD 1080p
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core 1.7GHz
RAM	2GB
Storage	16 GB expandable Upto 128GB
Rear Camera	13MP, f2.2, BSI Sensor, 1080p Video Recording
Front Camera	HTC Ultrapixel, f2.0
Battery	2,600mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop with HTC Sense
Price	Rs. 26,900

June 25, 2015

Lenovo Launches its Affordable Phablet, the K3 Note in India

The wait is over. Today, Lenovo has finally launched the long awaited K3 Note Phablet in India. Priced at Rs. 9,999, the K3 Note competes against the likes of budget contenders – Yu Yuphoria and Xiaomi Redmi Note. This smartphone will be sold exclusively on Flipkart; registrations for the first sale begin today at 2 p.m.

K3 Note joins a long list of affordable 4G handsets provided by Lenovo, such as A6000, A7000 Plus and S60.

“We are truly overwhelmed with the positive response from consumers for our 4G portfolio. The K3 Note is certainly a disruptive offering with its future-proof features, superior multi-media experience and extraordinary performance,” said Sudhin Mathur, Director, Smartphones, Lenovo India.

The specifications for the phone are reminiscent of the Xiaomi Mi4i, which is currently in demand and has a dedicated fan base. Like Mi4i, the K3 Note boasts a 5.5-inch full HD display. In addition to that, the K3 Note costs less than the Mi4i.

The K3 Note runs on 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core 64-bit processor with 2GB of RAM. The phone has an internal storage capacity of 16GB which can be expanded upto 32 GB through MicroSD card. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop which has been combined with Lenovo’s Vibe UI.

As far as connectivity is concerned, the phone has Dual SIM card slots and supports both LTE bands in India. The phone sports a 3,000 mAh battery, which is replaceable. The K3 Note sports a 13 MP rear camera with Dual LED flash and a 5 MP front camera.

Here’s a quick look at its specification:

Specs	Lenovo K3 Note
Display	5.5 inches IPS capacitive touchscreen (1080 x 1920 pixels)
Processor	1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core 64-bit processor
RAM	2 GB
Storage	16 GB
Expandable Upto	32 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	3,000 mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop 5.0 out-of-the-box, wrapped under Lenovo Vibe 2.5 UI
Price	Rs. 9,999

June 25, 2015

HTC Brings Out the One ME in India, Priced at Rs. 40,500

HTC had added a new one to its One series – the One ME, a dual SIM phone which the company describes as “a stunning device which reinterprets the HTC way that people can relate to.”

Weighing at 155 grams, the body is a lightweight polycarbonate with metallic effects on the front and mirror-polished sides to match the black matte panel. The stain-resistant body has integrated multi-directional fingerprint reader that allows the user swift and secure access to the phone. It comes in two colours – Classic Rose Gold and Meteor Grey.

The phone runs on MediaTek Helio X-10 Octa-core processor and uses Android Lollipop with HTC Sense on top. The One ME has 3 GB of RAM and has a storage capacity of 32 GB, expandable upto 2TB, which is more than the One E9+. Also, the battery capacity is 2840 mAh, which is slightly more than E9+.

Like the previous One series phone E9, the One ME boasts a 5.2 inch display with 2K resolution. As far as audio is concerned, the One ME uses HTC BoomSound with Dolby Audio to deliver the Dolby 5.1 surround sound effect.

The One ME will include HTC Connect, which will allow the user to switch music and movies on the phone to the home system seamlessly. HTC Connect lets the user wirelessly stream content on the phone to a compatible TV or stereo with a simple three finger swipe.

The One ME comes with the 20 MP rear camera with LED flash while the front boasts a 4 Ultra Pixel camera. HTC claims that this will allow the user to take photos even in low-light situations.

HTC One ME will be available with select partners from the end of June 2015 and is priced at Rs. 40,500.

Specifications	HTC One ME
Display	5.2-inch WQHD (1440×2560)
Processor	MediaTek helio X10 Octa-Cora 2.2 GHz
RAM	3GB
Storage	32GB expandable Upto 2TB
Rear Camera	20MP, f2.2, BSI Sensor, 4K Video Recording
Front Camera	HTC Ultrapixel, f2.0
Battery	2,840mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop with HTC Sense
Price	Rs. 40,500

June 24, 2015

Everything in the Lenovo K3 Note Makes it Better Than the Rest

Lenovo‘s offerings have been doing fairly well in the smartphone sector of the Indian market. The company recently claimed that it has sold more than 1 million 4G enabled smartphones in 2015 via Flipkart. Now, it is planning to launch their newest phablet in India later this month. Lenovo India has started sending out press releases for the launch of a new device on 25^th June and it is highly possible that the device might turn out to be the 4G-capable Lenovo K3 Note, which was launched in China earlier this year.

The Lenovo K3 Note flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1920×1080) IPS display and is powered by a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core 64-bit processor paired with 2GB of RAM. It offers 16GB internal memory, which can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card. The phablet also stars a 13MP snapper at the back with a LED flash, 5MP front camera and a 3,000mAh battery, which the company claims is good enough for 36 hours of talk time on 3G, and up to 750 hours in standby mode.

Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G support on both SIMs, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The phablet runs on Android Lollipop 5.0 out-of-the-box, wrapped under Lenovo Vibe 2.5 UI.

The device was launched in China earlier this year for a price tag of Rs 9,000 approximately. Hence, it is safe to say that the device will come well within the Rs 10,000 range. The K3 Note will go against the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G and the Yu Yureka. The device may also come in a variety of colour options.

Check out the spec table below:

Specs	Lenovo K3 Note
Display	5.5 inches IPS capacitive touchscreen (1080 x 1920 pixels)
Processor	1.7GHz MediaTek MT6752 octa-core 64-bit processor
RAM	2 GB
Storage	16 GB
Expandable Upto	32 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	3,000 mAh
Operating System	Android Lollipop 5.0 out-of-the-box, wrapped under Lenovo Vibe 2.5 UI
Price	Below Rs. 10,000 range

June 24, 2015

OnePlus Embraces the Future, Announces OnePlus 2 Will Use USB Type-C

OnePlus has been building anticipation about its new smartphone, OnePlus Two, for quite a few weeks. Earlier this week, we reported that OnePlus Two will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 processor, allowing the phone to function faster. Today, the company announced in a tweet that OnePlus Two will use Type-C USB port.

The #OnePlus2 will be the first flagship to use Type C USB. We want to lead the way in power connectivity. pic.twitter.com/lef5ylR7Rr

— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 22, 2015

OnePlus Two will become the first flagship phone from a mainstream company to use Type-C USB port. However, OnePlus is not the first company to incorporate the Type-C USB port in its phone – the title goes to LeTV’s One Max. We were expecting Apple, which is currently working on the iPhone 6s, to incorporate it in its next smartphone.

In March, Apple announced that the MacBook will use a single Type-C USB port. Google also accommodated the support for Type-C in the second Chrombook Pixel.

The latest Apple MacBook incorporates only a USB Type C Port

The USB-C connector is one reversible port that takes care of power, data transfers, and display output. It is slim and compatible with almost every device with standard USB ports. This relieves customers of four or six connecting ports that demand your system’s space and gives manufacturers freedom to trim down the size of machines and, hence, weight. A USB-C connector is the one standard solution to asymmetrical USB jacks, except for audio. It’s convenient to use and has the potential to replace all jacks.

This announcement by OnePlus is a latest addition to what we already know about OnePlus Two – that it is priced at around Rs. 25, 000 and will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 processor, making the phone capable of streaming 4K Ultra HD videos and more. The company is expected to announce the launch date for the phone soon.

June 23, 2015
Rumours Suggest, Apple Plans to Remove the Home Button on its iPhone

Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone design that will remove the iconic home button. A recent post on the website, AppleInsider, claims that the company is planning to replace the home button with a virtual one. The website also claims that the redesign wouldn’t take place for at least two years and may not be seen in the next version of the iPhone.

Apple has made Touch ID, its fingerprint recognition feature, available on every device launched since iPhone 5s. The company has integrated Touch ID onto many of its services and is developing more uses for it. As a result, it will not ditch the feature in favour of a virtual home button, just yet.

To make the virtual home button possible, Apple is working on integrating Touch ID into the iPhone’s display. According to AppleInsider, patents have been filed which would allow people to scan their fingerprints on the display itself. If the company is successful in integrating Touch ID onto the display, the home button could be replaced by an on-screen button. Until then, Apple’s plan of having a virtual home button remains long-term.

June 23, 2015
Massive Moto G (Gen 3) Leak Reveals a 13MP Rear Camera

Moto G is one of the most recognizable phones Motorola has ever made. The affordable smartphone relaunched the company and drew huge sales in India, making Motorola a household name. Today, a set of images and a video has been posted which provides more details about the upcoming Moto G, the 3rd generation.

The images, which were posted by a Google+ user, Nao Lee, have been said to come from “a Chinese digital forum.” The images show the front and the back of the device, which looks similar to the previous versions of Moto G. The phone identifies itself as “XT1453” and runs on Android 5.1.1.

The video, which has since been removed, showed the specifications of the phone. According to the video, Moto G3 is similar to Moto G (2nd Generation). Moto G3 will run on Snapdragon 410 processor, an improvement from the Snapdragon 400 processor. The camera has also been upgraded. Moto G3 will now sport a 13 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera, a vast improvement from 8 and 2 megapixel rear and front camera. As for the rest, the new phone will sport a 5-inch display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, LTE, and a microSD slot, same as Moto G (2nd Gen). This contradicts the early rumours about Moto G3 running on a 64-bit 1.7GHz Snapdragon 610 SoC along with 2GB of RAM.While the Moto G (Gen 2) was a vast improvement over its predecessor, that might not be the case with Moto G (Gen 3). It is to be noted that Motorola is yet to officially announce the specifications and the phone may turn out to a be a far superior product than expected.

June 22, 2015
Force Touch and New Casing Material to Make iPhone 6s Wider, Taller, Stronger

Earlier this year, Apple’s next-generation iPhone was reported to come with the ‘Force Touch’ feature, which made a debut with the Apple Watch and the new 13-inch MacBook. The inclusion was widely expected and now, a new report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has affirmed its existence stating that the enforcement of Force Touch on iPhone 6s might even add to the thickness of the device.

Force Touch is a brainy touch feature which senses the level of force applied on the screen. It uses tiny electrodes around the flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press, which trigger instant access to a range of contextually specific controls. This feature adds the possibility of embedding more gestures onto the device.

Kuo argued that Force Touch will lead to the forthcoming iDevice (tentatively titled iPhone 6s) being wider, taller, and thicker. It is speculated to increase the dimensions of the phone by 0.15 millimetres crosswise as well as in length, and 0.2mm in thickness.

As per Kuo, Apple will employ Series 7000 Aluminium, introduced with Apple Watch, on the next-generation iPhones. The custom metal is 60 percent stronger than the regular aluminium and has just one-third the density of stainless steel.

Along with presenting fact about the redesigned casing material, Ming-Chi reiterates that the iPhone 6s will be coming in a rose gold colour option. He also believes that few more colour options available with the phone will be yellow gold and dark space grey.

June 19, 2015