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Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

  • Xiaomi Mi 6X Launched With Snapdragon 660 SoC

    Xiaomi Mi 6X Launched With Snapdragon 660 SoC

    Xiaomi has launched the follow up of its highly popular Mi 5X, the Xiaomi Mi 6X at an event in China. The Mi 6X will be available in three variants, the base model will have 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, the second will have the same storage and 6GB of RAM and the priciest version of the Mi 6X will have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

    The pricing will start at CNY 1599 (Rs 16800 approx.) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant. The 6GB RAM/64GB storage variant will be priced at CNY 1799 (Rs 19,000 approx.), while the 128GB storage model will retail for CNY 1999 (Rs 21,200 approx.). As was evident from previous teasers of the smartphone, the Mi 6X will be available in Cherry Pink, Flame Red, Sand Gold, Glacier Blue, and Black colour variants.

    The Xiaomi Mi 6X has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This is the same display found on the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India and the size of the bezels is also identical.

    Redmi Note 5 Pro

    Under the hood, the Xiaomi Mi 6X runs on the Snapdragon 660 chipset, coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which won’t be expandable. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the smartphone which has been the case with almost every Xiaomi smartphone.

    Powering the smartphone 3010 mAh battery. Interestingly, the smartphone supports QuickCharge 3.0 which means it also has a USB type C port, something that a lot of Xiaomi fans wanted on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Out of the box, the Mi 6X will run on Android 8 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 on top. This means that the Mi 6X will also have Face Unlock feature, like the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The Mi 6X will also support Project Treble for faster software updates.

    The AI-powered dual-camera setup was teased a lot leading up to the launch. Out of the two cameras on the back, the main sensor is a 20MP Sony IMX486 with an f/1.75 aperture and 2-micron pixel size. The secondary sensor is 12MP Sony IMX486 telephoto lens with an f/1.75 aperture and 1.25-micron pixel size. The AI is used to identify over 206 scenes in the camera app which includes food mode, text, greenery, sky, beach, snow, cats, dogs and many more. Once a scene is detected, the camera automatically tweaks its settings for, in theory, a better image. On the front of the Mi 6X is a 20MP Sony IMX376 sensor with soft light LED flash.

    The Mi 5X was launched in India as the Mi A1 with stock Android OS. The Mi A1 turned out to be a smash hit for Xiaomi and the company would want to build on the Mi A1’s popularity in India. The Mi 6X, if launched as the Mi A2 or Mi A1 (2018) would be a sizeable upgrade over the Mi A1, provided Xiaomi keeps the pricing of the device competitive.

  • Apple AirPower, AirPods Wireless Charging Case To Launch Alongside iPhone SE 2 In May

    Apple AirPower, AirPods Wireless Charging Case To Launch Alongside iPhone SE 2 In May

    Apple will host an event in May before the World Wide Developer’s Conference commences in June where the iPhone SE 2 will be launched. The Apple iPhone SE 2, after initial scepticism, seems more real than ever after recent reports. The renders of the iPhone SE 2 have revealed a glass back which means that there is a high possibility of it being wireless charging-compliant. The AirPower mat, which was unveiled at the iPhone X launch event and was supposed to launch in January 2018. However, after many delays, it appears that Apple will finally launch the AirPower along with the iPhone SE 2 in May. It makes sense for Apple to finally launch the AirPower along with the iPhone SE 2 since the SE 2 will also have wireless charging.

     

    There is also a good chance that Apple will launch a few accessories for the Apple Watch Series 3 as well at the event. So far we know that the AirPower mat will connect via a USB type C cable and charge via a minimum of 25W Apple charger. The wireless charging mat will have a charging speed of up to 10W. Another interesting feature is that it will help devices communicate with each other to manage power consumption. In the demo video, the iPhone screen is shown tracking all the devices currently on the charger, and their battery status.

    Apple users will be able to charge their wireless charging enabled iPhone, Apple Watch and the AirPods at the same time. However, Apple has still not launched the AirPods wireless charging case. This is another accessory that Apple will launch along with the iPhone SE 2. Since the AirPower will be able to charge 3 devices simultaneously, it is possible that users will be able to charge at least two iPhones simultaneously.

    Apple has just announced the launch of the Apple Watch Series 3 in India. At the event in May, the company will also launch accessories like new watch bands for the Apple Watch. There have also been rumours of the Apple Watch soon supporting third-party watchfaces. This feature will likely be unveiled at the World Wide Developer’s Conference that will commence on the 4th of June.

    The AirPower, in the future, might also be compatible with non-iPhone smartphones that support wireless charging. Apple said that it was working on the AirPower to be Qi-compliant and when that happens, the AirPower will become compatible with non-Apple Qi-compliant products like Galaxy S9, LG V30 and more.

    The AirPower wireless charging mat, unlike the HomePod, will be globally available post its launch. Since the Apple Watch Series 3 has been announced in India and AirPods being popular among iPhone owners, we expect the AirPods wireless charging case and AirPower to launch in India soon after its global launch.

  • LG G7 ThinQ Will Have A ‘Super Bright’ 6.1 inch LCD Display

    LG G7 ThinQ Will Have A ‘Super Bright’ 6.1 inch LCD Display

    Last year, leading up to the LG V30 launch, the company teased a few features of the smartphone. The company has resumed its practices with the LG G7 ThinQ launch just a few days away. LG has confirmed what was being rumoured for a long time regarding the display. The LG G7 ThinQ will have an LCD display, just like the LG G6 did.

    The company has confirmed that the LG G7 ThinQ will have a 6.1 inch LCD display with a resolution of 3210 x 1440 px. The highlight of the LG G7 ThinQ, according to the company, will be the brightness of the display. The ‘Super Bright Display’ goes up to 1000 nits while consuming up to 30% less power than the LG G6’s. Apparently, the screen also covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The specifications mentioned are not the best in class or nothing we haven’t  seen before. However, if LG is talking up the display of the G7 ThinQ so much, then there has to be something in the execution that LG has done differently. Nothing is certain until the smartphone launches on May 2nd.

    The LG G7 ThinQ will have a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, same as the iPhone X and taller than the 18:9 G6. This taller aspect ratio is the result of a notch on the display which has become quite common for Android smartphones in 2018. LG has also claimed that the chin of the G7 ThinQ is about 50% smaller than the chin on the G6. However, it still won’t be as thin as the iPhone X and would be comparable to the OnePlus 6 (which also has a notch).

    Before the LG V30 launch, LG talked a lot about its shift to an OLED display. However, the display failed to compare with the likes of Galaxy S8 and iPhone X. Furthermore, LG’s OLED technology was scrutinised on the Pixel 2 XL which has suffered a lot of display issues since its launch. Using an LCD panel for the G7 ThinQ also meant that LG could not curve the display from the bottom to remove the chin like Apple did. However, LG does talk about using curved tempered glass on the G7 ThinQ, though it doesn’t sound like the screen itself will curve, thanks to the use of an LCD panel instead of OLED.

    The LG G7 ThinQ is just a few days away from its official launch and LG would be banking on the new flagship smartphone to help revive the flailing smartphone business of LG. The availability and pricing of the G7 ThinQ in India will be revealed soon after its global launch.

  • Amazon Echo Spot With Circular Display And Touchscreen Launched in India

    Amazon Echo Spot With Circular Display And Touchscreen Launched in India

    Amazon has added another Alexa-powered smart home speaker to its repertoire in India. After launching it in the US in September 2017, the company has now launched the Echo Spot in India. The smart speaker with a display is on sale in India for Rs 12999. However, it is available for Rs 10999 for now, as an introductory offer.

    The Amazon Echo Spot is a mix of the Echo Dot and the Echo Spot. The Spot has a 2.5 inch circular display with a resolution of 480 x 480 px. The Echo Spot is like a smart alarm clock powered by Alexa which can also be connected to external speakers via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm headphone jack. This means that users can retail the smart functionality of an Echo Spot and add better sound quality to the system using their own speakers.

    Other than a display, the Spot does what a smart speaker powered by Alexa would do. It can make calls, call an Ola, order food on Zomato, play music and more. However, thanks to its display and a camera, the Spot can also make video calls by just asking it do it. Users can also watch news from NDTV, Times Now, ESPN Cricinfo, Aaj Tak, and more.

    Amazon Echo Spot Specs
    Specifications Amazon Echo Spot
    Display 2.5 inch
    Resolution 480 x 480 px
    Dimensions 104 x 96 x 91 mm
    Weight 419 grams
    Speaker Size 1.4? speaker
  • OnePlus 6 Launch Confirmed For May 17th

    OnePlus 6 Launch Confirmed For May 17th

    Update: The OnePlus 6 will be launched in India on the 17th of May at an event in Mumbai. The event will be live streamed on oneplus.in/launch-6 at 3 pm IST. The smartphone will subsequently go on sale on the 21st of May via Amazon at 12:00 IST.

    The OnePlus 6 will officially launch in China on the 17th of May. The company has posted an official invite on its China website for the launch. Interestingly, OnePlus fans can buy tickets to the launch event, similar to what OnePlus did with the OnePlus 5T launch in India. After its official launch in China, the OnePlus 6 could launch on the 18th of May in India.

    OnePlus has been slowly creating a hype around the OnePlus 6 by teasing a few interesting features on social media. So far, the company has already confirmed that the smartphone will have a notch, an all-glass build and design and run on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. We also know that the OnePlus 6 will be water resistant, although the exact certification is still not clear.

    Apart from the pricing and specifications of the cameras, we pretty much know everything else about the OnePlus 6. Renders of the OnePlus 6 reveal that this time around, the dual-camera setup on the back will be placed vertically, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S9+. WIth the notch, we expect the screen-to-body ratio of the nePlus 6 to be superior to that of the 5T.

    The smartphone has also been confirmed to be an Amazon exclusive smartphone in India, like its predecessors. However, like it did with the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T, the 6 will also, eventually, make its way to offline stores as OnePlus is now trying to capture a market that strays away from shopping online.

    OnePlus 6

    In terms of pricing, there was a leak that suggested the OnePlus 6 could cost up to Rs 48999. This year, the company will launch the OnePlus 6 in three different variants. Two variants will be similar to the OnePlus 5T with 6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage. These models will be priced between Rs 33,999- 36,999 and Rs 38,999-42,999, respectively. There will also be a special edition called the OnePlus 6 Premium, which will have 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and is expected to be priced between Rs 44,999- 48,999.

     

    With the launch date now confirmed, the only thing left to do is wait. However, we expect more leaks and renders to surface online before the launch date arrives.

  • YouTube Removed 8.3 Million Videos For Violating Guidelines In Q3 Of 2017

    YouTube Removed 8.3 Million Videos For Violating Guidelines In Q3 Of 2017

    YouTube has published its first-ever community guidelines enforcement report. According to the report, YouTube removed 8.3 million videos between October and December 2017. Along with the report, it also launched a Reporting Dashboard that lets users see the status of videos they’ve flagged for review.

    This report comes after the video streaming company promised more transparency in terms of how it handles abuse and decides what videos will be removed. In a blog post, the video-streaming giant said:

    This regular update will help show the progress we’re making in removing violative content from our platform. By the end of the year, we plan to refine our reporting systems and add additional data, including data on comments, speed or removal and policy removal reasons.

    Google-owned YouTube came under the cosh last year when it was reported that a lot of disturbing videos were masquerading as kid-friendly content. Advertisers, in turn, were upset that their commercials had played before videos with violent extremist content. The report also mentions the competence of its bots as 6.7 million of the 8.3 million videos were flagged for review by machines without anyone even viewing them for the first time.

    The company’s AI method of flagging off videos has been criticised time and again as many content creators have complained that they are unable to monetize their videos despite abiding the guidelines set by the company. The report by YouTube, however, differs from these claims. In 2017, about 8% videos were removed from the platform before anyone viewed them. After YouTube implemented machine learning, that number has increased to more than 50%.

    The report seems like YouTube’s way of appeasing the upset advertisers after the controversy broke out regarding child-exploiting videos. It is, however, an insight of sorts into how YouTube handles offensive content and it should be useful in the long run for everyone.

  • Most Apple iPhone X Users Love Their iPhone But Not Siri

    Most Apple iPhone X Users Love Their iPhone But Not Siri

    The Apple iPhone X, even before its launch, garnered a lot of attention for its possible design. On 12th September, Apple confirmed those rumours and unveiled the iPhone X with a notch and nearly bezel-less design. Face ID, introduced with the iPhone X as a replacement for Touch ID was met with scepticism at first but, has since been praised for accuracy and ease of use. This was further reaffirmed by a recent survey conducted by Creative Strategies which concluded that 97% of early adopters of iPhone X are satisfied by their new iPhone.

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    According to the survey, 85% of the participants said that they were “very satisfied” with the iPhone X. Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin has said that this is among the highest he has ever seen in all the customer satisfaction studies they have conducted across a range of technology products. 12% respondents said they were “satisfied” with the iPhone X. The remaining 3% were unsatisfied to various degrees.

    Apple conducted a similar survey of 451 people and said that 99% respondents were satisfied with their iPhone X. However, Creative Strategies has 1746 people which meant there was more room for slight variance. According to the research firm, the respondents were profiled as early adopters based on a series of questions about their purchasing habits. Also, early adopters tend to be more critical than mainstream consumers of technology, according to the research firm.

    Coming down to the nitty-gritty of the survey, Face ID and battery life saw satisfaction rates of above 90%. Other features were also very well accepted by early adopters of the iPhone X, apart from Siri. The Apple voice assistant scored only a 20% satisfaction rate among the 1746 respondents.

    Siri has been under the cosh recently after details about the dwindling HomePod sales were released. It is believed that HomePod has had an underwhelming start mainly because of its price and Siri. Its competitors like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are considered to be far superior in smartphones as well as smart speakers. With WWDC 2018 coming up, we expect Apple to unveil new Siri features which will make the user experience much better than what it is right now.

  • Huawei P20 Lite, Huawei P20 Pro Launched In India Starting Rs 19999

    Huawei P20 Lite, Huawei P20 Pro Launched In India Starting Rs 19999

    Three weeks after launching the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro in Paris, Huawei has launched the Huawei P20 Lite and P20 Pro in India. The P20 Lite is priced at Rs 19999 and the Huawei P20 Pro will retail for Rs 64999. Both the smartphones will be exclusively available online via Amazon from the 3rd of May.

    The Huawei P20 Pro is the flagship smartphone from Huawei that has grabbed a lot of headlines recently. Apart from the striking design of the device, it is also the first-ever smartphone with a triple-camera setup on the back. The Huawei P20 Pro will also be available in the new Twilight colour which, so far, is one of the most interesting colour variants of a smartphone.

    The Huawei P20 Pro has a 6.1 inch RGBW full-colour OLED display with a 2244 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio which has its advantages. The Huawei P20 Pro also has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.

    The Huawei P20 Lite has a smaller 5.84 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. The 19:9 aspect ratio will come in handy when users decide to hide the notch. Once hidden, the device moves to a more conventional 18:9 aspect ratio as the screen real estate on either side of the notch is blackened out.

    The Huawei P20 Lite runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 659 Octa-core chipset while the P20 Pro runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset with NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Huawei has talked a lot about the integration of AI within the Huawei software. A lot of AI features can be found in the camera app like scene detection, portrait lighting etc. The Huawei P20 Lite has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage while the P20 Pro has 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

    On the back of the smartphones is where the two differentiate the most. The Huawei P20 Pro has a 40MP primary sensor, which supports 5x hybrid zoom. There is a secondary 8MP sensor, which offers 3x optical zoom, which also helps to create portrait mode. Similarly, there is a third sensor with 20MP resolution. Unlike the other two sensors, this is a monochrome sensor which helps to capture contrast and sharpness. Another mindboggling feature of this camera setup is a maximum ISO of 102,400.

    The Huawei P20 Lite has a 16MP RGB sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. In fact, this dual camera setup is similar to the one found on the Honor 7X. The Huawei P20 Lite and P20 Pro have a 24MP front-facing camera with 3D Portrait Lighting effect. This is very similar to the Portrait Lighting effect found on the iPhone X.

    At a price of Rs 19999, the Huawei P20 Lite is a solid offering. The Huawei P20 Pro, on the other hand, will go toe-to-toe with the likes of Galaxy S9+ and iPhone 8 Plus. The registrations for both the smartphones have started and the smartphones will go on sale on the 3rd of May via Amazon.

    Register for the Huawei P20 Lite and P20 Pro here

  • LG G7 ThinQ Renders Leaked Again

    LG G7 ThinQ Renders Leaked Again

    LG will be banking on its upcoming flagship smartphone to kickstart a flailing smartphone business. LG’s flagship smartphones, over the year, have got most of the things right but, always failed to impress against the likes of Galaxy S series and Apple iPhones. With the LG G7 ThinQ, LG would want to change that perception.

    Evan Blass, who recently posted a render of the G7 ThinQ, hs not posted a new image that shows off the upcoming flagship device from all angles. Interestingly, the renders also confirm that the LG G7 ThinQ will indeed have a Google Assistant button, similar to the Bixby Button found on recent Samsung flagship smartphones. As has been the case with other LG smartphones, the company has retained the 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom of the device. We expect the G7 ThinQ to also have a high-quality DAC for better sound production via the headphone jack.

    Other than that, the render just reaffirms a few aspects of the G7 ThinQ that we already knew of. The LG G7 ThinQ will have an iPhone X like notch at the top but, also have a chin at the bottom. While Apple was able to maintain uniform bezels across the three sides of the iPhone X by curving the OLED display from the bottom, LG might not go that route. As the CEO of OnePlus explained, while that is an effective way to get rid of the chin, it is also a very expensive way. Keeping that in mind, LG would want to make sure the G7 ThinQ is priced close to the Galaxy S9 to make it competitive.

    The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the device, just below a vertically dual-camera setup. Unlike previous LG phones, the fingerprint sensor won’t double up as a power button. Instead, this time around, LG has taken a more conventional route by placing the power button on the side.

    The launch of the LG G7 ThinQ is scheduled for May 2nd where we will get all the details about the pricing and availability of the device. With so much of chopping and changing leading up to this launch, let’s see how the LG G7 ThinQ performs in the real world.

  • Apple Watch Series 3 With LTE Launches With Airtel in India On 11th May

    Apple Watch Series 3 With LTE Launches With Airtel in India On 11th May

    Apple and Airtel have announced that the Apple Watch Series 3 will be available to buy in India from the 11th of May. The 3rd generation of Apple Watch has cellular support, which means that users can leave their iPhones behind and still be able to make calls, send texts and surf the web. The pre-registration for Apple Watch Series 3 begins on the 4th of May and it goes on sale on the 14th of May via all the major Apple authorised sellers across the country. Cellular services on the watch will be free for Airtel postpaid customers on an Airtel My Plan or Infinity Plan.

    Apple Watch

    It is worth noting that to activate cellular service with Apple Watch Series 3, a user’s iPhone has to be updated to iOS 11.3. Once updated, tap Settings on iPhone > General > About and follow the prompt to update to the latest carrier settings.

    The new Apple Watch Series 3 has an improved heart rate sensor and a SIM card slot. This has resulted in a 0.2mm thickness increment which is commendable. Apple also claims that the new Watch Series 3 is swim-proof, which means athletes can track their activities even when they’re swimming.

    With the new and advanced heart rate sensor, the watch will notify an increased heart rate if you’re not active. Interestingly, in the new Apple Watch, the cellular number will remain the same as your iPhone and users can perform tasks such as iMessage directly from their watch without having their smartphone connected to it. The Apple Watch Series 3 will also stream 40 million songs from the iTunes and the Music App. The Siri on the smartwatch is also be voice-enabled for communication with the watch without looking at the screen. The display of the watch acts as an antenna and an electronic SIM card which is smaller than a nano-SIM card is used in the smartwatch.

    The smartwatch has a dual-core processor to carry out all the tasks. The smartwatch will run Apple Watch OS 4 out of the box and has a battery life of up to 18 hours, Apple claims. The new W2 chip inside delivers 85 percent faster Wi-Fi while also being 50 percent more power efficient, which will be crucial because of the cellular connectivity feature using up more battery than usual.

    Apple has not confirmed the pricing of the Apple Watch Series 3 in India right now. However, we expect to learn more about the pricing details before the pre-registrations begin on the 4th of May.

  • OnePlus Confirms That The OnePlus 6 Will Have A Glass Back

    OnePlus Confirms That The OnePlus 6 Will Have A Glass Back

    The launch of the OnePlus 6 seems closer than ever despite the company keeping the launch date under wraps. OnePlus has, slowly, unveiled a few key details about the OnePlus 6 over the past few weeks. OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei started it off by confirming the OnePlus 6 will have an iPhone X like notch. Now, Pete Lau, the other co-founder of OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 6 will have a glass back.

    This will be a departure from previous OnePlus devices which have had an aluminium unibody build and design. The OnePlus X being the only exception which also had an all-glass design. According to OnePlus, its team design team tested over 70 glass prototypes before selecting the best one.

    OnePlus 6’s glass back contains five printed layers of Nanotech Coating, a first in the smartphone industry. The phone has five layers of Nanotech Coating instead of three, even though the degree of separation between each layer is extremely subtle and tough to discern as the additional layers give the back of the device a stronger impression of depth.

    In the statement, however, OnePlus did not confirm whether a glass back also means the presence of wireless charging. Last year, OnePlus conceded that it believed DashCharge technology was superior to wireless charging. However, with such a drastic design shift, it appears that OnePlus would want to justify that by adding such a crowd favourite feature.

    The OnePlus 6, so far, seems like a sizeable upgrade over the OnePlus 5/5T. OnePlus has also confirmed that 6 will be water resistant. This is another feature that a lot of consumers have asked for but, so far, OnePlus has maintained that its DashCharge technology is superior to the current wireless charging technology.

    OnePlus 6

    The smartphone has also been confirmed to be an Amazon exclusive smartphone in India, like its predecessors. However, like it did with the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T, the 6 will also, eventually, make its way to offline stores as OnePlus is now trying to capture a market that strays away from shopping online.

    We expect OnePlus to unravel a few more details about the upcoming smartphone before its official launch. Stay tuned for more updates.

  • Apple iPhone 5s Might Receive The iOS 12 Update

    Apple iPhone 5s Might Receive The iOS 12 Update

    Launched back in September 2013, the iPhone 5s was one of the many iPhones to receive an update to iOS 11. Since the iPhone 5 was left out of the lot, it appeared that iOS 11 would be the last major update for the 5s. However, that might not be completely true as Apple might be planning to update the 5s to iOS 12 this year.

    In a test on WebKit (an open source browser engine that’s used within Safari), iPhone 5s was shown running on iOS 12 software. While this does not guarantee an update for the iPhone 5s, it certainly means that Apple has fiddled around with the idea. If Apple does update the iPhone 5s to iOS 12, it will mean that a five-year-old iPhone would be running the official version of the latest iOS.

    An update to iOS 12 will hinge upon how the iPhone 5s’ hardware handles the new update. Our iPhone 5s became considerably laggy after the update to iOS 11 which means that another update might be asking too much from its A7 chipset. However, Apple has conceded that iOS 12 will focus on reliability and improved battery life on all devices, instead of adding new features to change the usability of iOS. This could mean that iOS 12 might not be as big an upgrade as iOS 11 was from iOS 10.

    Apple’s annual World Wide Developer’s Conference is scheduled to begin on June 4th, 2018 where we will learn more about iOS 12 and its new features. The official update will start seeding in mid-September after the launch of the 2018 iPhone lineup. We expect to learn about the fate of iPhone 5s and iOS 12 during the conference.

  • Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 Vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

    Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 Vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

    Asus has launched its latest budget offering for the India market, the Zenfone Max Pro. The newly launched smartphone will go on sale via Flipkart on the 3rd of May at a starting price of Rs 10999. The Zenfone Max Pro, in the beginning, will be available two variants, one with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage and the other one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The company also announced that a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant with improved camera capabilities will also launch soon in India.

    At such a price range, the Zenfone Max Pro directly competes with the Redmi Note 5. However, in terms of features and hardware, it stacks up against the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in February of this year and has garnered great reviews so far. The only caveat being its annoying flash sales which is still the only way to buy the smartphone. It starts at a price of Rs 13999 for the 4GB RAM and the 6GB RAM model costs Rs 16999.

    In a price sensitive market like India, such a price gap between two smartphones can be telling. But, does the Asus Zenfone Max Pro hold up against highly successful Redmi Note 5 Pro? Let’s find out!

    Design

    The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro look identical in more than one way. On the front, the bezels have a similar size around the displays of both the phones. On the back, both the devices have a vertically placed dual camera setup with very similar placements as well. However, the LED flash on the Note 5 Pro is placed between the two cameras while on Zenfone Max Pro, it is placed beneath the dual camera setup. The brushed metal finish on both the phones means that the devices can be a bit slippery, especially if you have smaller hands and cannot get a proper grip.

    It is also worth noting here that the Redmi Note 5 Pro has a camera bump on the back while the cameras on the Zenfone Max Pro are flush along the body.

    Display

    The display on both the smartphones is identical. It is a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio. The corners of the displays are curved giving the smartphones a bit more premium look compared to sharp corners found on something like the Honor 7X.

    The viewing angles are great and the colour reproduction is exactly what you would expect from an HD+ LCD panel. Considering how smartphones are the primary source of media consumption for a lot of users, both the devices do a great job with their respective displays. Another advantage of a tall display and thin bezels is the ability to fit a larger display in a relatively smaller body.

    Hardware

    When the Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched, its chipset was one of the highlights. It was the only smartphone to run on the Snapdragon 636 chipset before the Zenfone Max Pro’s launch. The Zenfone Max Pro is available in three different RAM and storage options, while the Note 5 Pro is only available in two RAM and one storage options.

    A department where the Zenfone Max Pro hands down one-ups the Note 5 Pro is the battery. The Zenfone Max Pro has a 5000 mAh battery compared to Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 4000 mAh battery. Also, Asus has managed to keep the weight of the Zenfone Max Pro at 180 grams, identical to that of the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

    If you are someone who swears by the benchmark scores, here they are for both the devices:

    Antutu Benchmark
    Geekbench
    Camera

    The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 20MP Sony IMX376 camera on the front with an LED light. To the back of the smartphone is a vertically placed dual-camera setup. It is a 12MP colour sensor with an f/2.2 and a 5MPcolour sensor with an f/2.0 aperture setup. The smartphone clicks portrait mode photos from the front and rear cameras.

    The Asus Zenfone Max Pro has a 13MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and the depth sensor is a 5MP camera. The front of the device houses an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The Zenfone Max Pro records 4K videos at 30fps while the Redmi Note 5 Pro can only record 1080P videos. Both the smartphones have EIS (electronic image stabilisation) when recording 1080P videos.

    Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Samples:

     

    Asus Zenfone Max Pro Samples

    Specifications
    Specifications Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Asus Zenfone Max Pro
    Price Rs 13999 (4GB RAM)
    Rs 16999 (6GB RAM)    		 Rs 10999 (3GB RAM)
    Rs 12999 (4GB RAM)
    Rs 14999 (6GB RAM)
    Display 5.99 inch
    IPS LCD    		 5.99 inch
    IPS LCD
    Resolution 2160 x 1080 px
    403 ppi    		 2160 x 1080 px
    403 ppi
    Battery 4000 mAh 5000 mAh
    Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
    RAM 4GB/6GB 3GB/4GB/6GB
    Storage 64GB
    Expandable up to 256GB
    Hybrid slot    		 32GB/64GB/128GB
    Expandable up to 256GB
    Dedicated microSD card slot
    Primary Camera 12MP f/2.2
    5MP f/2.0
    1.25-micron    		 13MP
    f/2.2
    5MP Depth Sensor
    Primary Camera Video 1080P @ 30fps 4K @ 30fps
    Secondary Camera 20MP Sony IMX376
    Beautify 4.0
    LED flash
    Bokeh Effect    		 8MP
    f/2.0
    LED Flash
    Bokeh Effect
    Add-Ons Fingerprint Sensor
    Face Unlock    		 Fingerprint Sensor
    Face Unlock

  • Meizu 15 Smartphones Launched Sans Notch Or 18:9 Display

    Meizu 15 Smartphones Launched Sans Notch Or 18:9 Display

    The herd behaviour of the smartphone industry is at showcase every year. This year and a better part of 2017 was all about 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. However, a dubious trend has also caught on this year, and that is of the notch. Ever since the iPhone X was launched, a lot of smartphone makers have embraced the notch, without actually implementing it the way Apple did. Meizu, on the other hand, has gone a completely different route with its trio of Meizu 15 smartphones.

    Meizu, the Chinese smartphone maker celebrated its 15th anniversary by launching the Meizu 15 lineup of smartphones. The new Android devices follow an old formula to stand out from the crowd. The Meizu 15 Plus, Meizu 15 and Meizu 15 Lite have a 16:9 aspect ratio and no notch. This is not a very common sight  for new smartphone launches from Chinese smartphone makers, especially in 2018.

    Meizu 15 Plus

    The most high-end of the three smartphones, the Meizu 15 Plus has a 5.95 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2560 x 1440 px resolution. Under the hood, the Meizu 15 Plus runs on the Samsung-made Exynos 8890 chipset. This is the same chipset found on the Galaxy S8 in India. This chipset is coupled with 6GB of RAM. Powering the smartphone is a 3500 mAh battery which charges via a USB Type C port. Interestingly, the round fingerprint sensor sits below the display in the bottom bezel. The fingerprint sensor looks a lot of like a smaller version of Touch ID.

    To the back of the smartphone is a dual-camera setup placed vertically. Both the sensors are produced by Sony and have 20 megapixels and 12 megapixels, with 3X lossless zoom, a 1.55nm pixel size, OIS, an f/1.8 aperture, and a six-LED dual-tone flash. The front of the smartphone houses a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

    Meizu 15

    The Meizu 15 sits right between the Meizu 15 Plus and 15 Lite. It has a 5.46 inch Super AMOLED display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution. The Meizu 15 runs on the Snapdragon 660 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB onboard storage. Powering the device is a 3000 mAh battery which charges via a USB C port. The proprietary mCharge wall charger takes the cell to 54% capacity in 30 minutes.

    The camera setup is identical to that on the Meizu 15 Plus, with a 20 megapixels and 12 megapixels, with 3X lossless zoom, a 1.55nm pixel size, OIS, an f/1.8 aperture, and a six-LED dual-tone flash. The front of the smartphone houses a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

    Meizu 15 Lite

    The Meizu 15 Lite has a 5.46 inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution. It runs on the Snapdragon 626 chipset which is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The Meizu 15 Lite also gets rid of the dual-camera setup and replaces it with a 12MP with an f/1.9 aperture. The front has the same 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

    Starting 1,699 Yuan, roughly Rs. 17000, the range of the Meizu 15 goes all the way to 2,999 Yuan ( or Rs. 32000) for the basic variant of the Meizu 15 plus. When and if we should expect these phones in India, but if they do launch, the company might be in some serious need for price checks, and may be able to create some stiff competition in the Under Rs. 20,000 price bracket.

  • Asus Zenfone Max Pro

    Asus Zenfone Max Pro

    Asus launched the Zenfone Max Pro in India on the 23rd of April. The Zenfone Max Pro will be available online via Flipkart exclusively. The smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset, which makes it only the 2nd smartphone in India to run on this particular chipset. The Zenfone Max Pro will directly compete with the Redmi Note 5 Pro which also runs on the Snapdragon 636 chipset in India.

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