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.

Huawei Nova 3 Set To Release On July 18th

Huawei is all set to release a new smartphone in the month of July according to a poster released by the company on Weibo. This news comes after Huawei dubbed the P20 Lite as the Nova 3e in Europe and select Asian markets so it is still to be seen what the device would be called. The company is calling it the Huawei Nova 3.

The overall look and feel of the device, at least from the pictures, is much similar to that of the P20 Lite. With that said, Huawei has teased a couple of interesting colour variants for the Nova 3. While nothing is confirmed, we believe that the Huawei Nova 3 may come in Light Blue, Gold, and Aurora colour variants.

Must Read: Unboxing The Huawei P20 Pro

The Huawei Nova 3 also sports that notch seen on other Huawei devices released this year. What is worth noting is that the notch is somewhat elongated and now houses a dual camera setup. This is the company’s first phone to feature a front-facing dual camera setup with 24MP and 2MP sensor. The rear camera setup will have 16 and 24MP sensors. It will be intriguing to see how Huawei plans on using the camera setup.

The Huawei Nova 3 will have a 6.3 inch 2340 x 1080 pixels display with the 2018 aspect ratio of 19:9. According to TENAA, the Nova 3 will run on the octa-core Kirin 710 chipset. This chipset will be paired with 6GB RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. The post on TENAA also reveals the dimensions of the device; 157 × 73.7× 7.3 mm with the weight at around 166 grams. All of this will be backed by a 3,650 mAh battery and the smartphone is expected to have fast charging capabilities which the company calls Super Charge.

Huawei has managed to turn a lot of heads with its flagship P20 Pro with its triple camera setup and now the company is all set to launch a dual front-facing camera smartphone. We will be covering this story closely and will also take a look at how fast Super Charge is when the Huawei Nova 3 is released so stay tuned for further details.

July 11, 2018
Microsoft Surface Phone Code-Named Andromeda Leaked

Microsoft while a primary software and OS developer, has in the past forayed into hardware. And while the company has played with many smartphone ideas, no real “Microsoft Made” hardware for a smartphone has yet been launched. However, according to some internal email leaks from Microsoft, the company may be working on a Microsoft Surface Phone allegedly code-named Andromeda, aimed at being “pocketable”. Microsoft released its Surface line of devices to allow the users to have both portable and stationary workstations. While the Surface Pro and the Surface RT caters to the users who demand a portable workstation, the Surface Studio works more or less like iMac.

The Microsoft Surface Phone is code-named “Andromeda” which allegedly will be running on a new Operating System for the device with the same name. Microsoft has reportedly been working on a project under the code name of Andromeda for the past two years.

Must Read: 7.3-Inch Foldable Smartphone From Samsung Coming In December 2018

The concept designs by a Twitter user David Breyer suggest that the device may be a dual-screen smartphone.

@zacbowden @h0x0d @windowscentral #Surface Andromeda Render according to the latest patents pic.twitter.com/CmbvlfETtU

— David Breyer (@D_Breyer) December 18, 2017

As suggested by the leak, the device which Microsoft is allegedly working on, will not be a tablet, laptop, or a PC. This means that the only viable option left is a smartphone.

For the Microsoft, the Surface Phone could be a smart move as many manufacturers have already started producing foldable smartphones. The ZTE Axon M was released last year and is among the latest foldable smartphones featuring dual 5.2 inch 1080p LCD panel. These dual screens combine to form a 6.75 inch single screen display.

The leaked email intercepted by The Verge says,

“It’s a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience”

This email provides a little insight on what Microsoft has in mind with the Surface Phone aka Andromeda. The phone may feature an entirely new software experience and a set of hardware which Microsoft is claiming to be innovative.

Microsoft had previously been working on a portable Surface device which was allegedly canceled almost a week before its release date. So we cannot say for sure when and if the Surface Phone or the Andromeda will be released but stay tuned on iGyaan as we will keep looking further into this story and keep you posted with the latest updates.

July 10, 2018
Unboxing The Moto E5 Plus
Motorola has launched another device in the E series of its smartphone lineup. The Moto E5 Plus is priced at Rs. 11,999and is expected to go on sale via Amazon on 11th July at midnight. This smartphone will be competing against the likes of Asus Zenfone Max Pro and the Realme 1.

After releasing the Moto G6 Play, the Moto E5 Plus also targets the same price segment. The factors setting the E5 Plus apart are a bigger battery and a slightly bigger screen at 6 inch display compared to the 5.7 inch display of the G6 Play.

[section label=”Unboxing”]

Inside the box of the Moto E5 Plus
- Moto E5 Plus
- Documentation
- Sim Ejector Tool
- Wall Charger
- Micro USB Cable
- Earphones
- Clear Case
Must Read: Moto Z3 Play Running On Snapdragon 636 Officially Launched

[section label=”First Impressions”]

The Moto E5 Plus looks a lot like the G6 when you take the device out of the box for the first time. Even with a plastic built, the E5 Plus gives off a subtle shimmer when put under a direct light source giving it a premium feel. The smartphone is expected to release in two color variants namely, Black and Fine Gold.

The E5 Plus has a plastic body with a mirror-like finish for the rear panel. Surprisingly enough, Motorola still hasn’t opted for the notch trend. Regardless the phone maintains the 2018 display aspect ratio. The Moto E5 Plus has a 6 inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The aspect ratio of the display is set to be 18:9 given that the phone has no notch.

On the right side of the phone, you will find the volume rockers and a textured power button which sets it apart from the volume rockers. To the left is where you will find the SIM tray. The bottom panel houses the Micro USB charging slot and the primary microphone. The top of the phone has the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the secondary microphone.

The E5 Plus runs on a Snapdragon 430 SoC under the hood which is an octa-core processor running at 1.4 GHz. The smartphone will be available in one variant only, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage with a dedicated microSD card slot for memory expansion. The fingerprint sensor on the Moto E5 Plus is rear-mounted and has the Motorola logo embossed into it giving the sensor a unique look.

The Moto E5 Plus has a single primary 12 MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture which allows you to shoot 1080p videos at 30fps. The secondary camera will be a 5MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture with a front-facing LED flash. The US version of the device will have an 8 MP secondary sensor.

[section label=”Conclusion”]

The Moto E5 Plus has a lot going for it. It has an impressive battery and it looks premium. However, at a price of Rs 11999, the Indian market already offers devices like the Realme 1 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro. The Zenfone Max Pro, in fact, also has a 5000 mAh battery all the while running on the Snapdragon 636 chipset. The E5 Plus, without a doubt, has stiff competition in its price category. We will be putting the E5 Plus through its paces for the full review so stay tuned to iGyaan for that.
July 10, 2018
Moto E5 Plus Launched In India For Rs 11999

Motorola has launched the new Moto E5 Plus in India for Rs 11999. The device will be sold via Amazon and goes on sale on 11th July at midnight.

Must Read: Unboxing The Moto G6

The E5 Plus has a plastic body with a glass finish for the rear panel. Surprisingly enough, Motorola still hasn’t opted for the notch trend. Regardless the phone maintains the 2018 display aspect ratio. The Moto E5 Plus has a 6 inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The aspect ratio of the display is set to be 18:9, given that the phone has no notch.

The E5 Plus runs on a Snapdragon 430 SoC under the hood which is a quad-core processor running at 1.4 GHz. The smartphone will be available in one variant only, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage with a dedicated microSD card slot for memory expansion.

The fingerprint sensor on the Moto E5 Plus is rear-mounted and has the Motorola logo embossed into it which gives the sensor a unique look.

The Moto E5 Plus has a single primary 12 MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture which allows you to shoot 1080p videos at 30fps. The secondary camera will be a 5MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture with a front-facing LED flash. The US version of the device will have an 8 MP secondary sensor.

The Moto E5 Plus enters a market segment where smartphones like the Asus Zenfone Max Pro and the Realme 1 are already available, while the E5 Plus has a glass finish over a plastic body. Considering the price segment for which the device is being launched, the smartphone sure packs a lot of punches all the while cutting necessary corners. We already have an unboxing video for the device and will give a final verdict in the full review.

July 10, 2018

Xiaomi PocoPhone Flagship Headed For India

Xiaomi is ready to unveil yet another smartphone globally and the rumor is, that the launch will be for India first. Xiaomi is currently one of the leading smartphone brands in India, this new flagship, according to the leaks, is code-named Beryllium. This phone is expected to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, making it the third phone from the Chinese manufacturer to feature this chipset. The FCC filing of a similar device reveals that Xiaomi may call this the “Xiaomi Pocophone”.

Xiaomi is known for using code-names for its devices, for instance, the Xiaomi Mix 2s was code-named “Polaris” and the Mi 8 launched on 5th June in China, was code-named “dipper”.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Retail Box Revealed By Xiaomi CEO Before Official Launch

Since Xiaomi has kept the device under wraps, not much is known about it but, the speculations suggest that the smartphone may have a notch display. Not unlike the current smartphone trend. The notch would give the phone at least an 18:9 aspect ratio. The specifications of this Xiaomi device were extracted from the firmware files of the MIUI Global ROM. There is a high likelihood, however, that the specifications may vary when the device is officially launched. Regardless, the following are the alleged specifications of Beryllium as found on a post on XDA Developers.

Specs	Details
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630 GPU
Display	18:9 LCD Display with notch
Battery	4,000 mAh
Finger Print	Dedicated Finger Print Sensor
Camera	Dual Rear Camera, Optical Zoom

After the launch of a flagship under the Black Shark name, the Chinese manufacturer has trademarked yet another brand by the name “POCOPHONE”. This could mean that Beryllium may launch under this brand name.

For the Indian customers looking forward to a new flagship from Xiaomi, there is another piece of information which was extracted from the firmware code which may be found only in the Indian variant of the device. The following is a snippet which shows the same. This code checks certain build properties and would return a true value only if it is “India”.

Most of the information about the smartphone is speculated and there has been no official word from the company about its global or even Indian release date for that matter. But we will be keeping an eye out for any further details for the device so stay tuned.

July 10, 2018

Apple iPhone 9 Renders Reveal An iPhone X Like Notch

A smartphone case maker out of New York, Ghostek has leaked a design render of a smartphone case which shows an iPhone with a single rear-mounted camera and a display panel with a notch which looks same as the one found on the iPhone X. Apart from the beautiful case, what is also worth noting is that the phone follows the iPhone X design pattern yet it is rumored to be relatively cheaper. While there is no word on what the device will be called, we speculate that it could be the iPhone 9.

iPhone 9 Case Renders

Apple may have finally decided to bring up to speed the entire iPhone lineup, as suggested by image of the Ghostek case. The new device will be priced similar to the iPhone 8 while still retaining features from the iPhone X, primarily the notch.

Must Read: iOS 12: Everything You Need To Know

This is exciting news for the people who wanted the iPhone X experience, but were not willing to spend the high price of the flagship. The iPhone 9 ( as we call it) will still miss out on a few features of Apple’s 2018 flagship, like the decision to stick with a single camera and other features like the portrait mode. It is also rumored that the iPhone 9 will have FaceID but it won’t be the same as the one found on the more expensive 2018 devices.

A few schematics of the phone show that the notch is a little more highlighted on this new iPhone and it will also sport a larger 6.1 inch display in comparison to the iPhone 8’s 4.7 inch display. The dimensions of the phone are said to be about 147.12 x 71.52 mm. To no surprise, the render does not show a headphone jack on this iPhone either.

It should be kept in mind that the device will be released alongside the new flagship iPhone. Nonetheless, we will be closely covering this story till both the phones are released in September this year.

July 10, 2018

New Open Beta Updates Pushed For OnePlus 3 & 3T

OnePlus has released OxygenOS Open Beta 39 and Open Beta 40 for the OnePlus 3 and the 3T, respectively. These new updates bring a few significant changes to the devices’ software. The users who have opted for the Open Beta will receive an OTA update which requires a standard installation procedure. While the users running the stable build may have to follow certain steps to sign up for the beta program.

OnePlus 3T Open Beta Program — OnePlus 3T

With their latest flagship, the company has yet again taken the smartphone industry by storm. The number of OnePlus 6 sold in India in the first 10 minutes is proof enough that OnePlus has become one of the top smartphone sellers in the nation. However, the brand is not only known for the new devices that it launches but also for the software support it provides for its older devices.

The latest build for both the OnePlus 3 & 3T bring few handy features for those devices. The following is the release note for the updates as posted on the OnePlus forum by a staff member.

Launcher

Improved search tags in App drawer

Added “New installs” category tag in App drawer

Improved app list for hidden space and toolbox

Camera

Optimized switching between front and rear camera

Multimedia

Added capability to scrub/seek through AAC audio file timelines

The app drawer will now have improved search tags and a separate category for newly installed apps along with an improved list for apps in hidden space. The software was also optimized to quickly switch between the front and the rear camera. Apart from these features, under the hood bug fixes were also implemented with these Open Beta updates.

One thing users need to consider is that the Open Beta program is meant to test certain features so it is natural to come across bugs and bottlenecks throughout the operating system. With that said, this program is an efficient way for the company to test out new features and for OnePlus to embrace this idea, will make the usage experience better for its buyers.

Consider This : OnePlus 5, 5T Get Support For Project Treble With The Latest OxygenOS

July 10, 2018

Nokia 5.1 Plus Global Unveiling in China On July 11th

The fresh line of Nokia smartphones launching under the HMD Global umbrella has a new addition, the Nokia 5.1 Plus. Nokia fans witnessed smartphones in the flagship as well as the mid-range section which turned a lot of heads. Smartphones like the Nokia 7, 7 Plus, and the Nokia 8 Sirroco which launched in the month of April this year, have become a benchmark for what the company has to offer. To that list, HMD Global is expected to add a couple more smartphones this month and one of them will be the Nokia 5.1 Plus. The company has teased its launch for the 11th of July in China.

Nokia X6

The phone could also launch under the alias of Nokia X5. Leaks for the smartphone started when a poster was released on Baidu. This leak was followed by an official post from Nokia on Weibo which suggests that the Nokia 5.1 Plus is all set to launch in China at 8 PM (IST: 5.30 PM) as the Nokia X5. Nokia 5.1 Plus will cater to the budget-oriented audience as per the leaks, starting at approximately CNY 799 (Rs. 8,300 approx.). Although the phone will sport a notch and an almost bezel-less display, it is still expected to keep the chin which many other Android smartphone manufacturers haven’t been able to get rid of yet.

Nokia 5.1 Plus

We expect that the Nokia 5.1 Plus will launch in 3, 4, and 6GB RAM variants coupled with either 32GB or a 64GB internal storage. The onboard chipset will be an octa-core processor however the chip manufacturer is not yet specified. With that said, if Qualcomm provides the SoC then the phone may have a Snapdragon 600 series processor.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 Will Launch With Up To 6GB Of RAM, 128GB Onboard Storage

The specifications of the Nokia 5.1 Plus suggest that it might be a mid-range smartphone. The phone is expected to have a 5.86-inch display and a 19:9 aspect ratio. This is rumored to be an HD+ TFT panel which puts the resolution at 1520 x 720 pixels. The smartphone is expected to have a rear-facing dual camera setup consisting of a 13 MP primary and an 8MP secondary sensor. There is no word on whether these cameras will have any sort of image stabilisation technology but, given the price range of the device, we speculate that there won’t be any.

In the budget-oriented line of smartphones, the competition for manufacturers is a tough nut to crack. Especially with Xiaomi leading the Indian market in the mid-range sector, it will be interesting to see how the Nokia 5.1 Plus fairs against the competition and whether the company decides to launch it in India in the first place.

July 9, 2018
Asus Zenfone 5Z Available To Buy Via Open Sale Starting Rs 29999

On 4th July, Asus launched its latest flagship device, the Asus Zenfone 5Z in India. The smartphone retails for a starting price of Rs 29999 and is available in three variants. With a competitive price and flagship specifications, the Zenfone 5Z has a lot going on for it, especially when compared to the OnePlus 6. The device has gone on sale via Flipkart and to everyone’s satisfaction, the smartphone is available via an open sale.

Flash sale has peeved a lot of Indian consumers over the past couple of years. Xiaomi still does it with most of its smartphones and OnePlus used to do it till not very long ago. The Asus Zenfone 5Z will be available at all times for consumers to buy. This essentially means that the OnePlus 6 has no advantage over the 5Z, in terms of accessibility at least. At this price, it was expected that Asus would go the Zenfone Max Pro route and sell the latest flagship smartphone via flash sales.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro

The Asus Zenfone 5Z has a 6.2 inch Super IPS+ display with a 2246 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio, just like the OnePlus 6 which also has a 19:9 aspect ratio.

Buy The Zenfone 5Z Here

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The flagship chipset is coupled with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. In India, the Zenfone 5Z will retail in three models, one with 64GB of storage, the second one with 128GB storage coupled with 6GB of RAM. The third variant has 256GB of onboard storage and 8GB of RAM. The onboard storage will be expandable up to 2TB via a microSD card which will use up the second SIM slot.

The Zenfone 5Z has all the features of a flagship smartphone. Moreover, it severely undercuts the OnePlus 6 and Honor 10 in terms of pricing. The OnePlus 6 retails for Rs 34999 while the Honor 10 is priced at Rs 32999. At a starting price of Rs 29999, the Zenfone 5Z gives consumers a lot to think about before buying their next flagship smartphone.

July 9, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A2 Will Launch With Up To 6GB Of RAM, 128GB Onboard Storage

The Xiaomi Mi A2 has been subject to a lot of speculations over the past few weeks. With the Mi 8 launch in the past, the Mi A2 is the next big smartphone to launch in global markets, especially India. The successor to the Mi A1 has been highly anticipated in India and will be one of the most sought-after budget devices. A new leak has revealed the colour and storage variants of the Mi A2 which will be available in India and other countries.

According to the leak, the Xiaomi Mi A2 will be available in four variants. The most affordable one will have 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, the second on the list will have 64GB storage and the same RAM. The third variant on the list will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage while the most premium variant will have 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 Could Launch In India In July

It is worth noting that the Mi A2 will essentially be the recently launched Mi 6X but, with stock Android. It does appear that Xiaomi has tweaked things for the global variant since, in China, the Mi 6X did not launch in a 32GB storage variant. This also means that we might see the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack make an appearance on the Mi A2. The Xiaomi Mi 6X does not have a headphone jack and in India, this might not go down well with the consumers.

Mi 6X Pink Variant

Another aspect of the Xiaomi Mi A2 revealed in the leak is the colour options. The smartphone will be available in Gold, Blue and Black colour variants in India. In China, the Mi 6X also available in a Red and Pink colour variant which might not make their way to the Indian market. However, looking at the marketing strategy of many smartphone makers, Xiaomi could launch a special red colour edition a couple of months after the Mi A2 launch.

While the company has not officially confirmed the launch of the Xiaomi Mi A2, a July 25th launch is scheduled in Spain. The Mi A2 is expected to be the star of the show while the Mi Band 3 could also see its global unveiling.

July 9, 2018
OPPO Find X To Launch In India On July 12th

A truly bezel-less smartphone is the dream we all have. We have seen smartphones mimicking the look of a bezel-less smartphone but, we are still quite a distance away from that sweet 100% screen-to-body ratio. But, that doesn’t mean smartphone makers aren’t making advancements toward that future. OPPO, the popular Chinese smartphone maker is the new entrant to the race for the highest screen-to-body ratio with the OPPO Find X. The unique smartphone was recently launched in China and is set to launch in India on July 12th.

The highlight of the OPPO Find X is its design. To achieve a high screen-to-body ratio, the company decided to move the front camera behind the display. However, we still don’t have the technology to embed a camera under the display. To counter that, the company took a page from the Vivo NEX S handbook and went for a pop-up camera. However, unlike the NEX S, the pop-up mechanism houses both the front camera and a rear facing dual camera setup.

Face Unlock Mechanism

Interestingly, the OPPO Find X misses out on a fingerprint sensor. It instead uses Face Unlock which is a bit more advanced than the software-based Face Unlock found on modern day devices. This means that the camera would pop-up a lot more than the NEX S. Hence, the durability of the mechanism can be questioned. OPPO conceded that the pop-up mechanism was tested to 300,000 slides, and the company says that the average person unlocks their phone 100-150 times a day. This means that durability won’t be an issue for at least 5 years.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 With Pop-Up Front Camera Revealed In Promotional Poster

With the slider doing the bulk of the heavy lifting usually dedicated to the bezels, the front of the smartphone is almost entirely made of a 6.4 inch OLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The company claims that the screen-to-body ratio stands at 92.5%.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Powering the smartphone is a 3730 mAh battery with support for VOOC fast charging. Out of the box, the smartphone will run Android 8.1 Oreo with ColorOS 5.1 on top of it.

The sliding module houses a 16MP and a 20MP rear facing dual camera setup. The smartphone is capable of recording 4K videos at 30fps but, we know that the chipset can handle 4K videos at 60fps. The camera on the front is a 25MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.

The OPPO Find X retails in Europe for 999 Euros which translates to about Rs 80000. However, that is not how the pricing of smartphones is done and the device could launch at a lower price in India. The pricing will be announced at the launch event is just a few days.

July 6, 2018

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Vs Huawei P20 Lite- Specs Comparison

Xiaomi recently launched the Mi 8 and the Mi 8 Explorer Edition at an event in China. While the two flagship devices grabbed deserved headlines, the Mi 8 SEwas also unveiled at the same event. The new budget smartphone from Xiaomi is likely to launch in India in the coming months as the company prepares the Mi 8 launch for India as well. If launched in India, the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE will compete with the Huawei P20 Lite for the best smartphone for Rs 20,000.

The Huawei P20 Lite was launched in India along with the Huawei P20 Pro. Just like the Mi 8 SE, the P20 Lite was overshadowed by its bigger sibling. However, the P20 Lite continues to be one of the best smartphones for the price range. The P20 Lite is priced at Rs 19999 in India. The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is priced at CNY 1,799 (Rs 19000 approx.) for the 4GB RAM variant and CNY 1999 (Rs 21000) for the 6GB RAM variant.

Buy The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Here

The Mi 8 SE has a 5.88 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2248 x 1080 px resolution. The aspect ratio is 18.7:9, which is the same as the Mi 8. The P20 Lite, on the other hand, has a 5.84 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. Both the smartphones have glass on the front and back with an aluminium frame.

The P20 Lite runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset which is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The Mi 8 SE, however, runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset. It is worth noting that the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is the first-ever smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s new mid-range chipset. The Mi 8 SE is available in two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and the other one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Both the smartphones stray away from the popular stock Android interface. The P20 Lite runs EMUI 8.0 on top of Android 8 Oreo while the Mi 8 SE runs MIUI 9.5 on top of Android 8 Oreo. The P20 Lite is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with support for SuperCharge. The Mi 8 SE is powered by a 3120 mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0. Both the devices have a USB-C port which is great in budget phones, especially. The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE does miss out on a headphone jack.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE has a 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.9 aperture mated with a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. To the front is a 20MP camera with a 2-micron pixel size and f/2.0 aperture. The P20 Lite has a 16MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture coupled with a 2MP depth sensor. On the front is a 24MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Both the front and back cameras record 1080P videos while the front camera also has 3D Portrait Lighting, similar iPhone’s Portrait Lighting.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is a popular choice in India. Its pricing and specifications suit the Indian market as well, something Xiaomi would be aware of. The P20 Lite offers a great design and specifications and is readily available in India. Huawei would hope that Xiaomi doesn’t launch the Mi 8 SE in India and the P20 Lit continues to have a free run at the 20K category.

Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Mi 8 SE	Huawei P20 Lite
Price	CNY 1,799 (Rs 19000 approx.) 4GB RAM CNY 1999 (Rs 21000) 6GB RAM	Rs 19999 (4GB RAM)
Display	5.88 inch Super AMOLED	5.84 inch LTPS IPS LCD
Display Resolution	2248 x 1080 px 18.7:9 aspect ratio	2280 x 1080 px 19:9 aspect ratio
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710	HiSilicon Kirin 659
Processor	Octa-core 4 x 2.36 GHz Cortex-A53 4 x 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53	Octa-core 2 x 2.2 GHz Cortex-A75 6 x 1.7 GHz Cortex-A55
RAM	4GB/6GB	4GB
Storage	64GB/128GB Not expandable	64GB Hybrid microSD card slot, expandable up to 256GB
Battery	3120 mAh QuickCharge 3.0	3000 mAh SuperCharge
Primary Camera	12MP RGB f/1.9 5MP depth sensor f/2.0	16MP RGB f/2.2 2MP Depth Sensor
Primary Camera Video	4K @ 30fps	1080P @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP f/2.0 1080P @ 30fps	24MP f/2.0 1080P @ 30fps
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

July 5, 2018

Reliance JioPhone 2 Launched In India For Rs 2999

Almost a year after announcing its first-ever feature phone, Reliance Industries Limited has unveiled the JioPhone 2. The new smart feature phone will retail for Rs 2999 from August 15th and is an upgrade over the JioPhone. In 2017, the JioPhone grabbed the headlines for being “effectively” free of cost. The JioPhone 2, however, will be marketed as a smarter alternative to the JioPhone.

One of the highlights of the JioPhone 2 will be its support for popular applications like YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook. The JioPhone will get a FOTA update on August 15th which will also bring in support for these applications. RIL has also made it clear that the JioPhone won’t be phased out now that its successor has launched. The JioPhone will co-exist and continue to be the effectively free phone.

JioPhone

Must Read: Spotify Lite Being Tested For Emerging Markets Like India

One of the key changes in the JioPhone successor is the keyboard layout. The JioPhone 2 features a QWERTY keyboard, made popular by BlackBerry and Nokia phones in the pre-Android and iPhone days. RIL says that this decision stemmed from the customer feedback which also called for a horizontal viewing display. The JioPhone 2 serves both the purposes and is powered by a 2000 mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the JioPhone 2 has 4G, VoLTE, VoWiFi, 3.5G, 2G, WiFi, LTE Cat4 DL, Radio, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC.

Out of the box, the JioPhone 2 will run KaiOS, based on Firefox OS. Google recently invested US$22 million in the platform and the OS should benefit from that. Google apps might be coming to the platform as well in the future. Apart from that, Google had announced that the JioPhone will soon get Google Assistant, and the same can be expected for the JioPhone 2.

Must Read: YouTube Will Remind Users To ‘Take A Break’ With New Update

The JioPhone 2, at a price of Rs 2999 and all the benefits of Jio should be a great deal for people still in the feature phone ecosystem. The presence of apps like YouTube should benefit the consumer and the platform as well since there are millions of feature phone users in India still.

July 5, 2018
Samsung Galaxy Note9 Might Get A Huge Upgrade After All

In the second half of 2018, Samsung will host one of the three most anticipated global launch events. On August 9th in New York, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 will be unveiled. By the leaks of it, the Galaxy Note9 doesn’t look like much of an upgrade over the Galaxy Note8. The design is expected to remain similar while the specifications will get the usual upgrade. However, it appears that the S Pen will get a huge upgrade over its previous version.

The documentation filed by Samsung with the FCC reveals that the S Pen will have Bluetooth connectivity. This is a feature we haven’t seen in the stylus before and should open a huge prospect for the S Pen and its usage. A popular Samsung leaker, Ice Universe also delved into the possible feature of the S Pen.

The Galaxy Note9 SPen can be used to control long-range self-timer, control music playback, because it is a Bluetooth device, it will do something unrelated to the pen. pic.twitter.com/WPS83xUskq

— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) July 1, 2018

As mentioned in the tweet, the S Pen for the Galaxy Note9 will do much more than editing or writing notes. Thanks to Bluetooth, it can be used to control music playback and timers, among other things. The S Pen could also be paired with third-party devices that can use a stylus, or have features that can be controlled with a button. The button could also be used to trigger Bixby. And maybe, Samsung will get rid of the Bixby button although, renders suggest otherwise.

Must Read: Samsung Galaxy Note9 Leaked Specifications Reveal A Disappointing Upgrade Over Note8

Apart from the S Pen upgrade, the Galaxy Note9 will follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy S9. The Galaxy S9 for a mere incremental upgrade over the Galaxy S8 and similarly, the Galaxy Note9 will also be an incremental upgrade. That is if the leaks so far turn out to be true. Nothing is official until Samsung’s launch event kicks off in just over a month’s time.

July 5, 2018
OnePlus Considered Ditching The Headphone Jack, OnePlus 6 Prototype Suggests

The OnePlus 6 was launched in India on 17th May at a starting price of Rs 34999. Apart from its specifications and design, one thing a lot of consumers were satisfied with, was the presence of the headphone jack. OnePlus continues to be one of the last few smartphone makers to stick with the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack as the industry, at large, prepares us for a wireless future. However, OnePlus did consider removing the headphone from the OnePlus 6.

OnePlus recently showed off a slew OnePlus 6 prototypes to PCMag. Apart from the range of colour variants on display, an interesting aspect was that some prototypes did not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Considering that OnePlus also launched its first-ever pair of Bluetooth earphones, it isn’t a giant leap to assume that removal of the headphone jack was discussed. And this poll might have helped tip the decision in favour of the headphone jack.

https://twitter.com/getpeid/status/973745407208468485

With the Bullets Wireless earphones being praised for their price to performance ratio, it does seem like the company is preparing its loyal users for a headphone jack-less OnePlus device. However, it is anybody’s guess for now when that will happen. The OnePlus 6T is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2018 but, it is not likely that the company will pull the plug on the headphone jack so soon.

Must Read: OnePlus 6 Red Edition Launched For Rs. 39,999

OnePlus Bullets Wireless

The colour variants on display also give us an insight on how many prototypes a company goes through before choosing one variant. OnePlus even had a colour shifting variant like the Huawei P20 Pro on display. However, one of the engineers conceded that it was never a part of the discussion about the OnePlus 6 colour variants. It was merely a representation of what the engineering team was capable of producing.

Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack in 2016 was not a very popular one. However, two years on and the industry, more or less, has complied. OnePlus will also soon get rid of the port as it increases its Bluetooth accessories portfolio.

July 5, 2018

Category: Mobile

Inside the box of the Moto E5 Plus

Specs