In March 2017, Apple launched the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (Product) RED. The new colour variants kicked off another smartphone trend of OEMs launching special edition red variants of their popular devices. It now looks like that Apple will continue its Product RED series with the launch of the iPhone 8 (Product) RED.
According to a report by MacRumors, it has viewed a memo from Virgin Mobile, which says that Apple will announce the new iPhones on the 9th of April. While the memo confirms the new variants will be available for preorders, it doesn’t specify whether the iPhone X (Product) RED will be included or not.
The new colour variant launch is a part of Apple’s partnership with (RED), an advocacy group dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS in Africa. It was founded in 2006 by Bono, frontman of the iconic band, U2 and ONE Campaign activist Bobby Shriver. Over the years, Apple has launched a number of special RED iPads, iPods, cases and for the first time, in 2017, launched the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in the special edition colour.
Just like 2017, the difference between a regular iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone 8 (Product) RED will just be the colour. The specifications will remain the same.
There won’t be any launch event as Apple has not publicised or sent invites to an event yet. Similarly to last year, Apple will send out a press release to announce the new colour variant. It also appears that AirPower will be a part of the announcement. AirPower was announced along with the iPhone X launch and is a wireless charger for the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. Interestingly, all the mentioned devices can be charged simultaneously using the AirPower.
The Xiaomi-backed Black Shark gaming smartphone has gained importance over the last few weeks. There were several leaks and rumours about the device which might launch in China on the 13th of April. And now, a Weibo user has posted a new real-life image of the Black Shark Smartphone. The device in the leaked has the name ‘Black Shark’, written on the back in green colour which is similar to the green-coloured branding of the Razer Phone.
The post has an alleged rear view of the Xiaomi’s Black Shark smartphone. This does not look anything like a typical smartphone at all with a rugged design. In fact, the smartphone has a Samsung Galaxy S7 Active style built quality, which is expected to be made out of plastic. Additionally, the leaked image also reveals that the smartphone has a dual rear-camera setup with an LED flash. Up, on the top of the smartphone looks like add-on accessories, which should offer Nintendo Switch like joystick experience.
Unlike most of the latest smartphones, the Black Shark will not be slim. Instead, it has a rugged shell, which might house a big battery, with at least 4000 mAh capacity. Considering the build, the smartphone is expected to have an IP68 certification with water and dust resistance. Finally, the Xiaomi’s Black Shark might challenge the likes of the Razer Phone. Finally, the smartphone looks narrower and taller, which hints that the device is likely to have a taller 18:9 aspect ratio display.
We have seen numerous leaks and official teasers of the OnePlus 6 this week. The smartphone is expected to go live by the end of April 2018. Additionally, we also learned that there will be a limited edition Avengers OnePlus 6 model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. OnePlus 6 is also expected have an all-glass design with a taller 19:9 aspect ratio display with a notch. The smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 6/8GB RAM and 64/128/256GB storage.
Nokia
HDM Global launched three new smartphones in India, including the Nokia 6 2018, Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 8 Sirocco. The Nokia 6 2018 is the successor to the Nokia 6 2017, which is priced at Rs 16,999.Unlike the Nokia 1 and the Nokia 6 2018, the Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 8 Sirocco are the two premium smartphone priced at Rs 25,999 and Rs 49,999, respectively.
Google Home
Google India is all set to launch the Google Home and Google Home Mini Smart Speakers in India. The Google Home Mini is expected to retail for Rs 4,499 and the Google Home is expected to retail for Rs 9,999. These Smart Speakers are expected to launch exclusively on Flipkart.
Xiaomi Black Shark
The Black Shark is an upcoming gaming smartphone from the Xiaomi-backed company Black Shark. The smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with gaming-centric features. Lastly, the smartphone is expected to launch in China on the 13th of April 2018. After weeks of leaks, the company finally released an official teaser of the device on Weibo.
Samsung Galaxy A6, Galaxy A6+
The Samsung Galaxy A6 and the A6+ could be the upcoming mid-tier smartphones from Samsung with a taller display. The Galaxy A6 is expected to be powered by the Exynos 7870 Octa-core chipset, whereas the A6+ moniker runs on the Snapdragon 625 Octa-core processor. These smartphones are expected to have 5.6 inch and a 6.0 inch Super AMOLED display with 2220 x 1080 px resolution.
Xiaomi Mi 7
The Xiaomi Mi 7 will be the upcoming flagship smartphone from Xiaomi, with an In-Screen Fingerprint sensor. The smartphone is also expected to have an iPhone X style notch. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and this could be the first flagship Xiaomi smartphone to have OLED display.
Google Pixel 3
Google recently released Android P developers beta. According to a traces found in the firmware package, Google is also preparing for the launch of the Google Pixel 3. The Google Pixel 3 is also expected to have a display with an iPhone X style notch.
Honor 10
Honor is expected to launch the Honor 10 smartphone in London on 15th of May. The smartphone is also expected to have similar specifications as of the recently launched Huawei P20. However, unlike Huawei P20, the Honor 10 will be an affordable model with an expected price tag of RS 35,000 (US$ 500).
Moto G6 Series
Motorola is all set to launch the Moto G6 series of smartphones in Brazil on the 19th of April. The company is expected to launch the Moto G6, G6 Play and the G6 Plus with 18:9 aspect ratio display. However, the Moto G6 and the G6 Plus are expected to have an FHD+ 2160 x 1080 px resolution screen, whereas the G6 Play will have an HD+ 1440 x 720p resolution display.
LG G7 ThinQ
The LG G7 ThinQ is the upcoming flagship smartphone from Korean smartphone maker. The smartphone is also expected to have a glass back with a dual camera setup. Similarly, the smartphone will also have an iPhone X style notch. The LG G7 ThinQ is speculated to use an one of a kind M+ LCD display to offer better brightness.
In March 2016, Apple launched the iPhone SE along with Apple Watch Series 1 and the 9.7 inch iPad Pro. The iPhone SE was considered as the successor of the iPhone 5s and reverted to a 4 inch screen after Apple had moved on to bigger smartphones with the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Even two years since its launch, the iPhone SE continues to be a strong seller because of its update software, better hardware and a compact form factor. In the world of 6 inch phablets now being called smartphones, a powerful 4 inch smartphone is a great option.
iPhone X
The iPhone SE, at the time of its launch, was priced at Rs. 39000 in India which was much less than the introductory price of the older gen iPhones in India. In a price-sensitive market like India, the availability of an iOS device that did not compromise on hardware and also offered a compact flagship design helped Apple penetrate further into the Indian market. The Indian market had a certain section of society that thrived to buy a new iPhone while the rest of the population resorted to Android devices thanks to its wider availability and cheaper price tag.
The iPhone SE allowed people to enter the Apple ecosystem. Not just in terms of sale, the iPhone SE was groundbreaking for Apple because it was the first (and so far the only) iPhone that was manufactured in India. This helped Apple keep the price of the iPhone SE much lower than its predecessors. Apple began manufacturing the iPhone SE in India in May of 2017 and since then the price of the iPhone SE has significantly lowered. Currently, the iPhone SE retails for Rs. 18499 for the 32GB storage variant.
The iPhone SE lineup was not refreshed in 2017 and instead, Apple launched three new iPhones later in the year in September. The iPhone X being the most significant of the three. Ever since the launch event in September, there have been rumours that the ‘SE’ lineup will see a new iteration in 2018. So far, we have seen conflicting reports about the design of the iPhone SE 2 while it is quite clear that the specifications will resemble that of the iPhone 7.
Launch
Soon after the September launch event hosted by Apple, there were rumours that the iPhone SE 2 would launch in March, just like the iPhone SE. However, the March 27th event focussed primarily on education and Apple launched a refreshed entry-level iPad. The next big Apple event is the World Wide Developer’s Conference that will commence on the 1st of June. Again, WWDC is not known for product launches as it focusses on software and app developers. The HomePod is the only notable unveiling that happened at WWDC 2017. It doesn’t seem likely that Apple would launch the iPhone SE 2 at WWDC 2018.
There have been reports that the iPhone SE 2 will be an India-exclusive device which means that the company could launch it a few months before the September launch event. However, there is no fixed date for the launch of the iPhone SE 2 so far.
Name
This is probably the most straightforward aspect of the iPhone SE 2 we know of. Apple has followed a set naming pattern for its iPhone lineup so far and will, in all probability, continue to do so with the ‘SE’ lineup. The iPhone SE 2 will succeed the iPhone SE, hence, it would make sense for Apple to name its the “iPhone SE 2.”
Design
The design of the iPhone SE 2 is where most of the contradictions appear. Soon after the iPhone X was launched, reports claimed that Apple will unify the design of all the future iPhones including the iPhone SE 2. If so, we could see a major design overhaul with the SE 2 and might be one of the best-looking budget smartphones in India. An iPhone X design would also mean the introduction of Face ID and the departure of the Home Button.
iPhone SE 2 Concept
Apple would be able to fit in a larger display in the same compact form factor which would be appreciated by many. However, implementing Face ID will increase the cost of production which would, in turn, increase the final price of the smartphone. An increase in price would take away one of the most exciting factors of the iPhone SE 2, its affordability. Hence, it is fair to assume that Apple could retain the design of the original SE and just upgrade the specifications and cameras.
Display
The size of the display of the iPhone SE 2 will largely depend on what design language Apple decides to follow. Recent reports suggest that the iPhone SE 2 will have a design very similar to the iPhone SE, which means the SE 2 will retain the 4 inch display. In such a case, we expect Apple to bump up the resolution a bit from iPhone SE’s 1136 x 640 px resolution.
With the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, Apple also introduced the True Tone display technology for iPhones. With True Tone, the display adjusts to the environment, in theory, reproducing better colours. Apple is expected to do the same with the iPhone SE 2 to maintain some sort of commonality with its current line of iPhones.
Under The Hood
When the iPhone SE was launched in March 2016, it was powered by the Apple A9 chipset. This was the same chipset that also powered the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus which were launched in September 2015. If Apple follows the same pattern with the iPhone SE 2 could have the Apple A11 Bionic chipset that is also found on the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and the iPhone X.
However, it is more likely that the SE 2 will have the Apple A10 Fusion chipset under the hood. This is the same chip that powers the new 9.7 inch iPad and the iPhone 7 lineup. Coupled with the A10 chip will be 2GB of RAM and a minimum of 32GB of storage. The iPhone SE 2 will also retain in other storage variants, possibly 64GB and 128GB.
Camera
With the iPhone SE, users got the same primary camera found on the iPhone 6s, which was launched a few months before the iPhone SE. This means that the iPhone SE 2 could have the same camera setup found on the iPhone 8. So far, there are no reports claiming that the iPhone SE 2 will have a dual-camera setup hence, we don’t expect the iPhone 8 Plus camera setup to make its way to the SE 2.
iPhone 8
On the front, the iPhone SE 2 will have an improved version of the front-camera found on the iPhone SE. Even though the iPhone SE was launched two years ago, ist front camera still holds up pretty well. This means that the iPhone SE 2 is expected to have a good camera performance if and when it is launched.
Conclusion
The Apple iPhone SE 2 appears to be ready for a launch in 2018. It is yet to be confirmed whether Apple will launch the smartphone at a separate event or at one of it upcoming launch events. Irrespective of the date of launch, the iPhone SE 2 is highly anticipated all over the world. Especially in price-sensitive markets like India, to be able to buy an iOS device at an affordable price is a great prospect for consumers.
HMD Global recently launched their flagship smartphone, the Nokia 8 Sirocco in India for Rs 49,999. Nokia 8 Sirocco is a successor to the Nokia 8, which comes with a premium all-glass design. Samsung’s last year flagship, the Galaxy S8 currently retails in India for Rs 49,990, which is a head to head competitor to the Nokia 8 Sirocco.
The Nokia 8 Sirocco is the first smartphone from HMD Global to have a curved display with wireless charging capability. The smartphone is also IP67 rated for water and dust resistance. However, the Nokia 8 sirocco does have some shortcomings. The smartphone is powered by the last generation processor, the Snapdragon 835. Also, for a 2018 flagship, the smartphone still sports a 16:9 aspect ratio, even though the Nokia 7 Plus, priced at Rs 25999, has an 18:9 aspect ratio. We can only imagine its popularity had it been powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Despite the 16:9 aspect ratio, it has a great build and design.
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Though the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a year old flagship, it still makes sense to compare it with the latest flagship offering from Nokia. The Galaxy S8 and the Nokia 8 Sirocco are equally powerful. The Galaxy S8 and S9 have a similar design with common features like IP68 certification, wireless charging and the same Infinity Display. In fact, the difference between the Galaxy S8 and the S9 is limited to camera and processor.
The Nokia 8 Sirocco might have an edge over the Galaxy S8 in terms of camera. The Nokia 8 Sirocco has a Zeiss branded dual camera setup with a 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.75 aperture and a 13MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The smartphone supports bokeh effect and 2X lossless zoom, whereas the Galaxy S8 misses out on both the features.
The OnePlus 6 is following the pattern of its predecessors. Up until a few weeks ago, there was barely any chatter about the OnePlus and now, we appear to be close to its official launch. As of now, the company has confirmed that the OnePlus 6 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and also support gestures for navigation. And now, OnePlus has released a new teaser hinting towards advanced functionalities of its infamous Alert Slider. According to the teaser, the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 6 will let users focus on a subject while using the camera app.
The alert slider on the OnePlus 6 is expected to have dual click support similar to the one found on the Sony Xperia XZ2. However, unlike the Xperia XZ2’s dedicated shutter button, the alert slider may not double as a shutter button. It is worth noting that OnePlus is the only Android smartphone maker to consistently use an alert slider since the OnePlus 2. It is one of the features that has been appreciated by many OnePlus users. With more functionalities being added to the slider, it appears the Alert Slider will gain more popularity with the OnePlus 6. It will also be interesting to see if the slide to focus feature will work with third-party apps like Snapchat, VSCO etc.
Lately, we have learned that the OnePlus 6 Premium could cost up to Rs 48,999. The Premium version is expected to have 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. In fact, this is expected to be the OnePlus 6 limited Avengers Edition. Unlike every year, the company is might launch three flagship models with different storage and RAM combinations. The 6GB RAM and 64GB storage will be priced between Rs 33,999-36,999, and the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will be priced between Rs Rs 38,999-42,999, respectively.
With the OnePlus 6, the company will re-introduce an all-glass design. In fact, the smartphone is also expected to support wireless charging as it has a glass back panel. Apart from the OnePlus 6, the company might also launch a pair of Bluetooth earphones. Huawei also introduced its own pair of truly wireless earbuds, the Freebuds at the P20 Pro launch. In fact, the leaked document does speak about these earphones, but no pricing has been mentioned.
Sony and Microsoft right now, dominate the gaming console industry, with Nintendo recently joining the fore. The Nintendo Switch with its portability and power has become extremely popular in some markets. Now, it appears that Sony might launch its next-generation of the gaming console, the PlayStation 5 in late-2018.
Sony PlayStation 4
The PS 5 could launch in late-2018 and will be powered by an AMD chipset. This chip will have a lot of deeper VR advantages. Interestingly, these will be custom-made AMD Zen chipset on the Navi architecture. It is worth noting that the source of this report has had decent success in similar leaks about the PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
However, a contradicting a report by an industry analyst appears to have quashed this rumour. According to Michael Pachter, a release later this year for the PS5 is very unlikely. In fact, Pachter believes that Sony PS5 will most likely ship sometime in 2020. However, he also doesn’t rule out the possibility that it could release in 2019. He says:
25% [probability] next year and 75% in 2020.
Sony is known for waiting a long time between generational launches. The gap between the first PlayStation and the PlayStation 2 was notably a little over five years. Meanwhile, the gap between the between the PS2 and PlayStation 3 was roughly six years. And then the gap between the PS3 and the PlayStation 4 was seven years. This means that a 2018 launch of the PlayStation 5 would create a gap of 5 years, which seems highly unlikely.
The OnePlus 6 has been in the news a lot lately. We have all the key specifications of the smartphone and even the design of the phone is not a mystery. And now, a newly leaked document talks about the pricing of the upcoming flagship smartphone from OnePlus. According to the document, the OnePlus 6 could cost up to Rs 48,999 for the most premium version.
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.
OnePlus might have reasons to hike the prices of their upcoming smartphone as this is its first flagship phone with an all-glass design. However, the company might lose a large chunk of the fanbase, if the pricing is anything near the leaked prices.
Considering these price points, the OnePlus 6 will be the costliest OnePlus smartphone ever. OnePlus is known for launching flagship smartphones at an affordable price. However, these prices suggest, it will not be the same from 2018. Having said that, the OnePlus 6 will still be more affordable than most of the Snapdragon 845-powered flagship devices in India.
Apart from the OnePlus 6, the company might also launch a pair of Bluetooth earphones. Huawei also introduced its own pair of truly wireless earbuds, the Freebuds at the P20 Pro launch. It will be interesting to see what the OnePlus wireless earbuds will look like. Considering OnePlus’s history of getting inspired by Apple’s design, we won’t be surprised if the earphones look like AirPods. In fact, the leaked document does speak about these earphones, but no pricing has been mentioned.
OnePlus appears to be gearing up for the launch of the OnePlus 6. The company has started teasing the upcoming smartphone on social media and the leaks have been aplenty. A few days ago, we got a confirmation from OnePlus itself that the OnePlus 6 will sport an iPhone X like notch. Now, a new image of the smartphone out in the wild has re-affirmed the same. The notchy OnePlus 6 is seen running the AIDA64 app with all the information in the background blurred out.
While the image doesn’t shed any light on something we don’t already know, it does give us a glimpse of what the OnePlus 6 might look like. Carl Pei has already stated the reasons why the smartphone will have a chin and this image shows us the possible size of the chin. It appears to be thinner than the one found on the Huawei P20 Pro or the Asus ZenFone 5Z. However, unlike the P20 Pro, which has a front-facing fingerprint sensor, the chin on the 6 won’t solve a purpose.
OnePlus, on their Facebook page, also released a teaser hinting at gestures for navigation on the OnePlus 6. The company has already introduced this feature for the OnePlus 5T via the Open Beta build 3 and it appears that the feature will be available out of the box.
OnePlus 6 Leaked Image
Apart from the OnePlus 6, the company might also launch a pair of Bluetooth earphones. Huawei also introduced its own pair of truly wireless earbuds, the Freebuds at the P20 Pro launch. It will be interesting to see what the OnePlus wireless earbuds will look like. Considering OnePlus’ history of getting inspired by Apple’s design, we won’t be surprised if the earphones look like AirPods.
Honor has sent out an invitation for a launch event on the 15th of May in London, where the company could launch the Honor 10. The Honor 10 could be the successor to the Honor View10, which was launched in India in January 2018. Now, a new poster image and a mall billboard confirm some significant specifications of the Honor 10. According to the poster, the smartphone will have a glass back panel, which is reminiscent the Huawei P20 Lite’s design. However, the Huawei P20 Lite has a vertically placed camera while the Honor 10 has a horizontal camera setup.
A Billboard found in a Chinese mall hint that the Honor 10 might have a 5.8 inch display. Considering the Huawei P20‘s display, the Honor 10 is likely to have a 2280 x 1080 px resolution screen. As no Honor smartphone has an OLED display, the Honor 10 is expected to have an IPS LCD display. The Billboard also suggests that the smartphone will run on the HiSilicon Kirin 970 Octa-core chipset. According to leak, the device will have 6GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage.
One thing, which is beyond belief is the fact that the poster says that the smartphone has a 100% screen-to-body ratio. Considering the previous leak, where the smartphone has a visible amount of chin with a front-facing fingerprint sensor, there is no reason to justify this information what so ever. The previous leak also hints that the smartphone might have a Huawei P20 style notch.
The device is expected to have an AI-powered dual camera setup, similar to the Huawei P20 with a 12MP with an f/1.8 sensor and a 20MP with an f/1.6 sensor. Additionally, the device will have a bigger battery with SuperCharge capability. Since Huawei removed the headphone jack with the Mate 1o Pro and now the P20 series, Honor might follow suit, starting with the Honor 10.
Black Sharkis a Xiaomi-backed smartphone company that has been teasing its upcoming gaming smartphone for the past few weeks. The newly released teaser from the company has a Fencing theme, which hints towards the gaming capabilities of the smartphone. The teaser also hints that the smartphone will have a metal unibody design. Having a metal body does have some advantages in a gaming smartphone, as metal is a good conductor of heat, which helps to dissipate the heat of the smartphone.
The teaser shows half a side of the Black Shark smartphone with a power button and a SIM tray. The teaser also reveals a single antenna band on the top of the smartphone. The teaser also has a sentence, which roughly translates to ‘Born to Compete’, which means the device could have flagship level specifications at an affordable price.
Black Shark Render
Xiaomi Black Shark Specs
The Black Shark is expected to have a 6 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Having a higher refresh rate display will help the gaming performance by reducing the visible lag. The display with 120Hz refresh rate comes with a lag of 8.33ms, whereas a typical smartphone display with 60Hz refresh rate has a lag of 16.67ms. Under the hood, the smartphone might be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset with 8GB RAM and 32GB storage. However, the company might also launch the Xiaomi BlackShark with either 64GB or 128GB storage.
Out of the box, the smartphone might run on Android 8.0 Oreo. However, whether it will run MIUI or some other custom skin on top is unclear. There are rumours that the Black Shark will feature one of a kind aviation class cooling system with additional tweaks to keep the device cool at all the time. The smartphone scores an impressive 270680 points on Antutu benchmark leak. In fact, it is more than that of the Galaxy S9’s 265267 points.
LG was expected to launch the LG G7 at Mobile World Congress 2018. However, days before the event, LG CEO conceded that the company will rework on its next flagship device. It was also revealed that the LG G7 was showcased behind closed doors at MWC 2018 when an Israeli publication leaked its images. Now, live images of the LG G7 have been leaked and they reveal a couple of important aspects. The LG G7 will be launched as the LG G7 ThinQ and also sport an iPhone X-like notch.
The company launched the LG V30S ThinQ at MWC 2018, a standard LG V30+ with the new software-based AI features. Similarly, the LG G7 ThinQ is also expected to have a wide array of software-based AI capabilities, which explains the ThinQ moniker.
There has been an industry-wide discussion about Android smartphone makers adopting the notch. OnePlus has already conceded that the OnePlus 6 will have a notch and the conversation is bound to be fueled once the LG G7 ThinQ is launched. Unfortunately, the leaked images do not reveal the bottom part of the smartphone, which means we can’t say for certain whether the G7 ThinQ will also have a chin. However, recent renders have imagined the device to sport a chin, just like the OnePlus 6 will.
LG G7 ThinQ Specs
The LG G7 ThinQ with model number LG-G710TM is expected to have a 6.2 inch QHD+ 2880 x 1440 px M+ LCD display with 19:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the device will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa-core chipset with 4/6GB RAM. The smartphone will have 64GB or 128GB internal storage with a dedicated micro SD card slot. The smartphone is also likely to have an IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. A CAD-based 3D render has also confirmed that the smartphone will retain the 3.5mm headphone jack.
The smartphone will have a dual primary camera setup with a 16MP RGB sensor and a 16MP wide angle sensor with an f/1.5 aperture. However, after the Galaxy S9 was launched with a variable feature, we could see the LG G7 ThinQ sporting something similar. So far, we do not know much about the front-facing camera. It is, however, expected to have the Face Unlock feature which has slowly become a norm for all smartphones.
Samsung seems to be working towards an imminent launch of the 2018 Galaxy A6 and A6+ . The smartphones have been spotted on different certification boards in the past few weeks, unravelling most of their specifications. Now, a new leak has surfaced online which confirms the display size and type of these devices. The Samsung Galaxy A6 is expected to have a 5.6 inch display with 2220 x 1080 px resolution. However, the larger Samsung Galaxy A6+ has a 6.0 inch display with the same 2220 x 1080 px resolution. Additionally, the leak also re-affirms the Exynos 7870 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipsets used on these devices, which are in line with the previous leaks. However, take this information with a pinch of salt, as the benchmark mentions, that the phones, both have a pixel density of 441 ppi.
Considering previous Galaxy A series devices, these too, are likely to have a Super AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution. In fact, the screen resolution does match with the Samsung Galaxy A8+, which was launched in India in 2017 and had a 6 inch 2220 x 1080 px resolution. The Samsung Galaxy A8+ currently retails in India for a price of Rs 28,990 and the A6+ and A6 are expected to be launched and priced in the same price range. These smartphones are expected to have an 18.5:9 aspect ratio display with a 2.5D curved glass protection.
Samsung Galaxy A6 Specs
The Samsung Galaxy A6 with a model number SM-A600FN is expected to have the Exynos 7870 Octa-core chipset. Packed with 3GB RAM the Galaxy A6 is expected to have Android 8 Oreo out of the box. The device scores 723 points on the single core and 3605 points on the multi-core performance on the Geeekbench benchmark leak. However, there is no information on the display resolution or aspect ratio of both models.
Model Number
Samsung Galaxy A6
SM-A600FN
Display
5.6 inch
2220 x 1080 px (expected)
Processor
Exynos 7870 Octa-core
RAM
3GB
Storage
32GB
Samsung Galaxy A6+ Specs
The Samsung Galaxy A6+ with a model number SM-A605G will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset. The device gets a boost in RAM to 4GB RAM and the same storage at 32GB storage. The larger sibling is also expected to run on the latest Android 8 Oreo out of the box. The Galaxy A6+ scores marginally higher score on single core performance (739) and scores lower in the multi-core performance(3469). In fact, the phone scores 739 points on the single core and 3469 points on the multicore performance.
Xiaomi was earlier expected to launch the Mi 7 at an event during the Mobile World Congress 2018. The delay in the launch of the Mi 7 was initially attributed to just the timing of the Mi MIX 2s launch. However, it now appears that the company delayed the launch to incorporate within the Mi 7 new biometric technology. Xiaomi CEO has confirmed via an online post that the MI 7 will indeed have an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun commented on a Weibo post confirming the feature. The exchange happened on a post containing official Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s disassembly photos. In the image, it appears that a user jokingly mentions that the Mi 7 will have an in-screen fingerprint sensor. Lei Jun then replied to that comment confirming the presence of an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
In-display Sensor demo
It is worth noting that the nature of the exchange is not serious and the following comment sort of dismisses the claim. However, there has been a lot of chatter of the Xiaomi Mi 7 sporting the Clear ID technology. If so, the Mi 7 is confirmed to also have an OLED display which is required to embed this type of fingerprint sensor.
The fingerprint sensor sits between the mainboard and the OLED panel where the OLED panel illuminates the finger and then processes the fingerprint scan. Hence, this technology will not work on an LCD panel, at least for now. Synaptics claims that it has a failure rate of 1 in 50,000. So far, the consensus on the use of Clear ID tech has been positive. However, many have pointed out that it is still much slower than traditional fingerprint sensors. With Xiaomi taking its time to launch the Mi 7, we expect the phone will launch with a more refined version of this Clear ID tech.
HMD Global has officially launched the Nokia 7 Plus in India at a price of Rs 25999. The smartphone will be up for preorders from the 20th of April via Amazon exclusively. Subsequently, the Nokia 7 Plus will go on sale on the 30th of April. Unlike a lot of other smartphones, the Nokia 7 Plus is only available in 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant. However, it will retail in two colours, Black with Copper and White with Copper, both of these look extremely premium and well built.
Nokia has had a rocky start ever since making its return to the smartphone industry under a new management. In 2017, the company launched quite a few but, pricey budget smartphones in India. The brand Nokia picked up momentum when the Nokia 8 was launched in India at a very competitive price.
With the launch of the Nokia 7 Plus, the once celebrated phone brand has entered untested waters. At a price of Rs 25999, the Nokia 7 Plus will try to fill the gaping hole in a segment where the Moto X4 is a lone warrior. The company has moved on from an older-looking design and refreshed its highly successful (in China) Nokia 7 for the global market.
[section label=”Unboxing”]
Inside the box of the Nokia 7 Plus :
Nokia 7 Plus
Clear Case
Documentation
Sim Ejector Tool
Earphones
Wall Charger (Fast Charging compatible)
USB Type C Cable
[section label=”Initial Impressions”]
The Nokia 7 Plus is a welcome refresh from HMD Global and that is visible the moment you hold the device. It has a metallic unibody design with a matte finish to the back which does not look cheap at all. On the contrary, it looks extremely premium and should give others in this range a run for their money.
Another significant change in the Nokia 7 Plus is the placement of the fingerprint sensor. Up until now, HMD Global either placed the fingerprint sensor on the front or decided to have a phone sans fingerprint sensor. However, with the bezels considerably shrunken on the 7 Plus, the fingerprint sensor resides on the back. However, it is very centrally positioned which means it is easy to reach and is distinguishable.
While the 7 plus sports a taller display with thin bezels, they aren’t the thinnest by any stretch, in fact, the phone has a significant forehead and chin. The Nokia 7 Plus has a 6 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The bezels are visible on all the sides of the device but, after a few minutes of usage, your eyes and mind get used to the black space around the display. Thanks to its taller 18:9 aspect ratio the 7 Plus, even with its 6 inch display is easy to use and unless you have tiny hands, the one-handed usage should not be an issue.
The Full HD+ IPS LCD display is bright and vibrant. It has great viewing angles and the 18:9 aspect ratio means the display can fit more content while the overall size of the smartphone has not changed drastically. The single bottom firing speaker is a let down hence, we suggest using external speakers or headphones for any sort of media consumption.
The Nokia 7 Plus runs stock Android 8 Oreo OS and also supports the Android One program. This means the smartphone will receive timely software and security updates for at least a couple of years. Just like the previous Nokia devices, it runs stock OS which means no bloatware. However, there are a few people who prefer a custom skin like MIUI over stock OS. For them, apps like the Nova Launcher is the only way to heavily customise their UI.
Under the hood, the Nokia 7 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset. In fact, it is the first ever smartphone launched in India that is powered by the chipset. The 2.2 GHz octa-core processor handles day-to-day tasks extremely well. The stock OS and lack of any sort of bloatware also help its cause. The smartphone feels snappy to use and handles gaming quite well.
The Nokia 7 Plus has a dual-camera setup on the back. The primary wide-angle sensor is a 12MP camera with an f/1.75 aperture coupled with a 13MP telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture. In our brief testing, we found the camera app to be a bit laggy and even while recording videos, the app stutters a bit.
With an impressive build and stock Android out of the box, the Nokia 7 plus promises to be an exciting seller in the market. However, India being extremely price sensitive, sales might change that opinion. Stay tuned for our full review!
