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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Starts Receiving Android 8.1 Oreo-Based MIUI 9.5.14 Update

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in February along with the Redmi Note 5. At that time, it was the only smartphone on the market to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636. Since then, the smartphone has received a host of software updates and the latest update is the biggest till date. The new update brings MIUI 9.5.14 to the Redmi Note 5 Pro which is based on Android 8 Oreo.

While the company has made an official statement about the rollout, it is yet to publish the changelog. The most notable change with the new update is the upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi smartphones are not known for the regular Android updates. However, thanks to Project Treble, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will be one of the faster Xiaomi devices to receive software updates.

What is Project Treble?

Project Treble is a feature that is included as a part of Android 8 Oreo OS. This enables OEMs to make software updates faster and easier. A few months ago Android gained a “Vendor Interface” (VI), largely due to a new development effort from Google. The VI’s aim is to separate the “Vendor Implementation” (that is, “the device-specific, lower-level software written in large part by the silicon manufacturers”), from the Android OS framework.

The new VI is supposed to sit between the Android OS framework and Vendor Implementation. And the new VI will be validated by a Vendor Test Suite (VTS), which is analogous to the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) that Google has been using for API testing of apps. The VTS ensures forward-compatibility of the VI. Before, the VI needed to be reworked after every single Android OS framework update, while with Project Treble, that won’t be the case anymore.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Price	Starting Rs 14999
Display	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 403 ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 1.8GHz Octa-core
RAM	4GB 6GB
Storage	64GB
Battery	4000 mAh
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.2 5MP f/2.0 1.25-micron
Primary Camera Video	1920 x 1080 px @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP Sony IMX376 Beautify 4.0 LED flash
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

June 30, 2018

Honor 7C Vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: The Ultimate Smartphone Under Rs 10,000

India’s budget smartphone segment has been congested for some time now. Companies like Xiaomi, Honor, Motorola consistently launch Android devices at a price of under Rs 15000, giving consumers a plethora of options. At a price point of Rs 10000, Xiaomi and Honor have two very good offerings. The Redmi Note 5 is priced at Rs 9999 for the base variant while the Honor 7C also retails for Rs 9999 for the base model.

The Honor 7C has an aluminium unibody build. The Redmi Note 5, on the other hand, has a plastic back which makes it feel much cheaper than the Honor 7C. Both the smartphones have an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The Honor 7C, on the other hand, has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. The Redmi Note 5 has a 77.4% screen-to-body ratio while the Honor 7C has a 76.3% screen-to-body ratio.

When the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro were launched, many people wanted the Note 5 Pro to be the Note 5. One of the main reasons for that was the cameras. The Redmi Note 5, just like the Redmi Note 4, has a single camera on the back. The Honor 7C, on the other hand, has a dual-camera setup on the back at the same price.

The Honor 7C has a 13MP primary sensor which is coupled with a 2MP depth sensor. The primary sensor has an f/2.2 aperture. The presence of a depth sensor means that the Honor 7C can take portrait and bokeh shots. The Redmi Note 5 has a 12MP single sensor on the back with an f/2.2 aperture. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 records 4K videos at 30fps while the Honor 7C records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front, the Honor 7C houses an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture while the Redmi Note 5 has a 5MP sensor.

Out of the box, the Honor 7C runs on Android 8 Oreo with EMUI 8.0 on top. The Redmi Note 5 runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and with MIUI 9 on top. There is no specific timeline for when the Redmi Note 5 will be updated to Android 8 Oreo. It is, however, scheduled to be updated to MIUI 10 in the near future.

Under the hood, the Honor 7C runs on the Snapdragon 450 octa-core chipset with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. The storage is expandable using a micro SD card up to 256GB. The Redmi Note 5, on the other hand, runs on the Snapdragon 625 SoC, the same chipset found on the Redmi Note 4.

The Honor 7C offers a dual-camera setup, a dedicated microSD card slot and a better build quality when compared to the Redmi Note 5. How do the two smartphones stack up when their specifications are compared? Let’s find out!

Specs

Specifications	Honor 7C	Redmi Note 5
Price	Rs 9999 (3GB RAM)	Rs 9999 (3GB RAM)
Display	5.99 inch IPS LCD	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	1440 x 720 px 18:9 aspect ratio	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 aspect ratio
Primary Camera	13MP f/2.2 RBG sensor 2MP depth sensor	12MP f/2.2
Primary Camera Video	1080P @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	8MP f/2.0	5MP f/2.0
Chipset	Snapdragon 450	Snapdragon 625
Processor	Octa-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53	Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
RAM	3GB	3GB
Storage	32GB Dedicated microSD card slot	32GB Hybrid microSD card slot
Battery	3000 mAh	4000 mAh
Add-Ons	Fingerprint sensor Face Unlock	Fingerprint sensor Face Unlock

June 28, 2018

New Facebook Patent Reveals Tech That Will Turn On Your Smartphone Microphone

Facebook, over the past few months, has been in muddy waters when it comes to user data privacy. Ever since the Cambridge Analytica controversy broke out, Facebook has been in the middle of a heated debate surrounding the internet and how brands use data of users. Since then, Facebook has come out and defended its stance while claiming that it doesn’t spy on its users. While that might be true for now, the future might be different.

A new patent owned by Facebook has been discovered by Metro. The patent essentially details technology that triggers the microphone of a smartphone to start recording ambient audio. Some form of data based on that recording is then sent back to the company. This sure sounds creepy and straight out of a Black Mirror episode.

The notion of Facebook spying on its users is not new. There have been theories doing rounds on the internet that claim Facebook already records ambient audio. Many people claim that they have deleted the Facebook and Messenger apps from their smartphones after coming across targeted ads for products they had recently discussed on calls. With this patent, Facebook is just proving these theories right.

Must Read: Baba Ramdev’s Kimbho Messaging App Disappears From Google Play Store Within 24 Hours Of Its Launch

The patent application was published on 14th June and details how Facebook plans on remotely triggering the microphone of smartphones. According to the patent, Facebook would embed high-pitched audio signals in “broadcast content” that would be inaudible to humans. While the human ears won’t be able to discern it, a client device as a smartphone would be able to hear it. This signal would essentially instruct the phone to start recording ambient audio and send “ambient audio fingerprint” back to Facebook for analysis.

While this patent sounds a lot like something Facebook, especially after recent events, the company doesn’t intend on ever implying it. In fact, Facebook applied for this patent to protect users from other companies. At least that is what Facebook VP and Deputy General Counsel Allen Lo told Mashable:

It is common practice to file patents to prevent aggression from other companies. Because of this, patents tend to focus on future-looking technology that is often speculative in nature and could be commercialized by other companies.

Surely, Facebook would never use methods to gain insights into its users’ habits to earn money from advertisers.

June 28, 2018
Samsung Galaxy Note9 To Launch On August 9th

On August 9th, Samsung will fittingly unveil the Galaxy Note9. The company has confirmed that the next ‘Galaxy Note’ smartphone will launch in New York and will be streamed worldwide via Samsung.com. The invite has an image of the S Pen button which hints at improved S Pen functionalities to be the star of the show.

The invite image also led many people to believe that the Samsung Galaxy Note9 could launch in this yellow-ish gold colour. However, this seems unlikely, although the company recently launched a Sunrise Gold variant of the Galaxy S9 and S9+. It seems unlikely that Samsung would opt for such a colour for its flagship smartphone.

In terms of specifications of the Galaxy Note9, leaks so far hint at a bare-minimum upgrade over its predecessor. The display would remain the same as the previous gen. It would have a 6.3 inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 px resolution. This translates into an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Must Read: Samsung Galaxy Note9 Renders Reveal Rear-Facing Fingerprint Sensor And Thin Bezels

Under the hood, the smartphone will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset for the US and South Korea markets. For the rest of the markets, the smartphone will run on the Exynos 9810 chipset which is a Samsung SoC. The respective chipset will be coupled with 6GB of RAM along with either 64GB/128GB/256GB storage which will be expandable via microSD card.

Powering the smartphone will be a 3300 mAh battery with QuickCharge 4.0 support. Out of the box, the device will run Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung’s Experience 9.0 on top.

The Galaxy Note8 was the first Samsung smartphone to be sport a dual-camera setup. This time around as well, the Galaxy Note9 will have a 12MP wide-angle camera along with a 12MP telephoto lens which will record 4K videos at 60fps. The Galaxy Note9 will also record 720P videos at 960 fps, just like the Galaxy S9 devices.

Must Read: Samsung Galaxy Note9 To Launch In An 8GB RAM/512GB Storage Variant

While the specifications might not be very exciting, the Galaxy Note series has a loyal fanbase. With improved S Pen functionalities, the smartphone will have a lot of suitors.

June 28, 2018
Nokia A1 Plus With In-Display Fingerprint Sensor, Snapdragon 845 To Launch At IFA 2018

Commencing on the 31st of August, the IFA Berlin conference is expected to see the launch of a few exciting smartphones. One such smartphone could be the Nokia A1 Plus. A report claims that HMD Global is gearing up to launch its first-ever smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor at IFA Berlin this year.

The flagship smartphone will run on the latest high-end chipset, the Snapdragon 845. It is worth noting that a Snapdragon 845-running Nokia device, the Nokia 9, has been heavily leaked over the past few months. There are chances that the Nokia A1 Plus could be nothing but a rebranded Nokia 9, which will serve as a successor to the Nokia 8 Sirocco. The Nokia 8 Sirocco was launched at MWC 2018 which runs on the Snapdragon 835 chipset.

Nokia 8 Sirocco

HMD Global will use the same in-display fingerprint sensor found on the Vivo X21 Plus UD. The fingerprint sensor was developed by Synaptics and goes by the moniker ‘Clear ID’. The in-display fingerprint sensor sits between the mainboard and the OLED panel where it illuminates the finger and then processes the beams of light. Hence, this technology will not work on LCD panels as the sensor looks through the dots of an OLED panel, and then recognises the fingerprint.

Reportedly, HMD Global is working with its manufacturing partner Foxconn to release the smartphone in the European market.

The moniker of the smartphone is also interesting. HMD Global has so far stuck to using numbers for its Android smartphone lineup. The ‘A1 Plus’ here could signify a software difference between this smartphone and other Nokia-branded Android smartphones. The Nokia A1 Plus could be an Android One device. It is, however, worth noting that so far, Nokia smartphones have shipped with near stock Android OS. With Android One, the A1 Plus will receive faster software updates.

While the Nokia A1 Plus seems like an exciting prospect, these are still rumours. With the IFA 2018 conference more than a month away, we are expected to get official announcements from brands in the coming days.

June 28, 2018
iRobot Roomba 966 Smart Vacuum Cleaner First Look

The world of technology is constantly evolving. We have smartphones that have replaced computers and Elon Musk recently launched a Roadster into space. Fair to say that we live in a time where we’re lucky enough to have our chores made easier thanks to technology. Cleaning your house or personal workspace is tasking, and with so much going on, not many people have the time to constantly clean their houses. That’s where the iRobot Roomba 966 Smart Vacuum Cleaner comes into play. This robotic vacuum cleaner sets about to clean pretty much everything in its way and it looks pretty futuristic while doing it.

When you first look at it, the iRobot Roomba 966 looks like a giant saucer. And like every modern smart gadget, it has an accompanying app. The previous gen Roomba’s had a remote to control the direction of the vacuum cleaner and now, it is done via an app. The app s available for Android and iOS devices and is free to download. The Roomba 966 works exactly like a regular vacuum cleaner, except users don’t have to physically get up and move as the Roomba 966 does that all by itself.

It has sensors underneath to recognise its surroundings and move around the room. These sensors help the Roomba to navigate the room and not constantly bump into sofa legs or tables. If you’re cleaning a floor near the stairs, these sensors make sure that the vacuum cleaner doesn’t fall off the stairs. There is also a sensor on top of the 966 which looks like a camera. It essentially measures tall obstacles and figures out whether there is enough space at the bottom for it to enter and clean. This comes in handy in living rooms where there are plenty of sofas and the floor underneath them has to be cleaned. The virtual wall acts as a boundary for the Roomba 966. If you don’t want the Roomba 966 to move out of a particular room, simply place this virtual wall at the door and the vacuum cleaner won’t cross it.

The Roomba 966 also intelligently finds its charging dock for charging. Once the room is clean, the iRobot Roomba 966 will automatically go back to its dock and start charging. It looks very futuristic. In India, it is priced at Rs 54900 and is available via iRobot’s official website.

You can buy the iRobot Roomba 966 Vacuum Cleaner here

June 23, 2018
ASUS Zenfone Max Pro With 6GB RAM, 16MP Front Camera Spotted On Flipkart

Update: At the Zenfone 5Z launch event, the company confirmed that the Zenfone Max Pro 6GB RAM variant will go on sale sometime in July.

ASUS launched the Zenfone Max Pro in India on April 23rd in India. The budget smartphone was launched at a starting price of Rs 10999, severely undercutting the Redmi Note 5 Pro, which runs on the same Snapdragon 636 chipset. The company also announced that it will launch a 6GB RAM variant soon, with improved cameras. That launch might be on the horizon as its listing has gone live on Flipkart.

As seen in the screenshot above, the listing doesn’t mention the 6GB of RAM. However, the source code for the page confirms it is indeed the 6GB RAM variant. It is, however, worth noting that the listing reveals 64GB onboard storage while it is supposed to have 128G of onboard storage. The 6GB RAM variant will have a 16MP front-facing camera compared to the 8MP sensor found on the 3GB and 4GB RAM variants. Even the rear-facing dual camera setup gets an upgrade. The 6GB RAM model will have a 16MP primary sensor coupled with the same 5MP secondary sensor. The rest of the specifications will remain the same.

The ASUS Zenfone Max Pro has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The smartphone has an 18:9 aspect ratio similar to devices like the Redmi Note 5 Pro, Realme 1 and more.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset coupled with 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB/128G B of onboard storage. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the device below the vertically placed dual-camera setup. The dual-camera setup looks similar to the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

One advantage the Zenfone Max Pro has over the Redmi Note 5 Pro is in the battery department. It is powered by a 5000 mAh battery while the size and weight of the smartphone are almost equivalent to that of the Redmi Note 5 Pro. For context, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is powered by a 4000 mAh battery. However, the Zenfone Max Pro will charge via a micro USB port which means it could take a while to fully charge from 0%.

The launch of the 6GB RAM variant seems imminent. With more RAM and storage at Rs 14999 when compared to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, it should give the Xiaomi budget smartphone a run for its money.

June 22, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Will Have A Notch And Thick Bezels

Xiaomi launched the Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 in China on June 12th. Up until the launch, there were rumours that Xiaomi would launch three smartphones, with the Redmi 6 Pro being the third device. However, that did not happen as Xiaomi confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will launch on June 25th. The company has released official renders of the soon to be launched smartphone on its Weibo page, revealing the design of the device.

The renders are not accompanied by any other information about the display. They do, however, confirm that the Redmi 6 Pro will have a notch. Thankfully, it appears that the leaked photo of the smartphone was of an early prototype and Xiaomi would not go for white-coloured bezels. The bezels are black in colour which means that users might be able to hide the notch if the software allows them to.

While the notch is nothing new, the presence of thick bezels despite the notch is a bit disappointing. The back of the smartphone is similar to every other 2018 Xiaomi smartphone with a dual-camera setup. The two cameras are laid down vertically on the top-left corner which is eerily similar to the iPhone X. The design is a definite upgrade over the Redmi 5 even though the notch seems a bit unnecessary.

According to a listing on TENNA, the Redmi 6 Pro will have a 5.84 inch display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. This will be the first Redmi smartphone to sport a 19:9 aspect ratio.

In its promotional poster, the company confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Snapdragon 625 SoC is Xiaomi’s favourite when it comes to budget smartphones and the Redmiu 6 Pro is no different. Powering the device will be a 4000 mAh battery which was also confirmed in the promotional poster.

With every Xiaomi launch in China, there are question marks around its launch in India. With the Redmi 6 Pro as well, it appears that the smartphone will remain a China-exclusive. With the Indian budget smartphone packed to the rafters, a Xiaomi Android One smartphone is what it needs.

June 22, 2018
Nokia X6 India Launch Confirmed As Its Support Page Goes Live On Nokia India Website

HMD Global launched the Nokia X6 in May in China. At the time of its launch, the smartphone garnered some interest for its design and price point. The Nokia X6 is the first Nokia branded smartphone to sport a notched display, much like the majority of 2018 Android smartphones. The Nokia X6 has been rumoured to launch in other countries for a while and now, Nokia India’s website has seemingly confirmed that it’ll launch in India by making its support page live.

Interestingly, the Nokia X6 is also a throwback to the Nokia X6 which was a Symbian OS running mobile launched in 2009. The support page is still live and has not been taken down by the company yet. This could be an indication of HMD Global’s plans of creating a hype around its budget smartphone. The X6 is expected to launch in India to compete with the likes of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, Zenfone Max Pro and even Huawei P20 Lite.

The X6 has a 5.8 inch TFT display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio, the same as the P20 Lite. There is also a notch on the display, which is the reason why the smartphone has a taller aspect ratio.

The smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset along with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM coupled with either 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage. The onboard storage will be expandable via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back which has a glossy finish thanks to an all-glass design.

Powering the device is a 3060 mAh battery which charges via a USB C port. We are still a couple of years away from budget smartphones adopting the USB C port altogether but, this is a great step by HMD Global. Out of the box, the Nokia X6 will run stock-ish Android 8.1 Oreo with little customisations done by HMD Global.

The vertically placed dual-camera setup is in the usual Nokia position but, the “Carl Zeiss” branding is missing. The back has a 16MP primary sensor along with a 5MP secondary sensor. The dual-camera setup will be able to take portrait shots, a feature that has become very popular recently. The front houses as a 16MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

The Nokia X6, if priced correctly, should be a great smartphone for Indian consumers. At a price of about Rs 16999, it’ll offer a premium all-glass design and the popular Snapdragon 636 chipset as well.

June 22, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 To Launch On June 25th

After a few days of speculations and leaks, Xiaomi has officially confirmed that the Mi Pad 4 is coming. The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 will launch in China on June 25th. The poster was posted on the company’s official Weibo page. The fourth-gen Mi Pad will succeed the Mi Pad 3 which was launched in April 2017.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 has so far flown under the radar of internet leaks. We barely know anything about the upcoming tablet apart from a few vague details. Recent leaks suggest the Mi Pad 4 will run on Snapdragon 660 chipset and sport an 18:9 aspect ratio. If true, this will be a headline-grabber as well since no other tablets with this aspect ratio have launched so far.

It is also rumoured to have a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. The Mi Pad 3 did not feature a fingerprint sensor. With the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4, there are chances of the company introducing the feature that has become the norm in all sorts of mobile devices. However, Xiaomi usually placed the fingerprint sensor on the back of its devices which might be cumbersome on a tablet.

Xiaomi is one of the few Android smartphone makers to still push tablets into the market. After a few years of competing with Apple’s iPad lineup, Android tablets have slowly faded into oblivion. It’ll be interesting to see how the Mi Pad 4 performs in the market considering the 6th-gen Apple iPad is also very affordable. The Mi Pad 4, however, will definitely undercut the cheapest iPad in terms of pricing when it is launched.

6th-Gen iPad

The launch of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 isn’t too far away. Its launched in India, however, is indefinite. It is to be seen whether the company decides to bring its latest tablet offering to India or not.

June 20, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 With 5400 mAh Battery And 6.9 Inch Display Listed On TENNA

Xiaomi recently launched the eagerly anticipated Mi 8 in China along with the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE. There have been rumours of Xiaomi maybe launching the Mi 8 SE in India while the Mi 8 will be a China-exclusive for now. Apart from the Mi 8 SE, Xiami could launch another budget Mi device in India, the Mi Max 3. A new listing on TENNA essentially confirms that the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will indeed launch soon.

According to the listing, the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will sport a 6.9 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This resolution confirms that the Mi Max 3 will have thinner bezels than its predecessor and also that it won’t have a notch. While many smartphones in 2018 sport a notch, users in general, aren’t very stoked about a notched display.

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Despite the larger display, the Mi Max 3 won’t be much larger than its predecessor. According to the listing, the Mi Max 3 measures 176.15 x 87.4 x 7.99 mm and weighs in at 221 grams. The Mi Max 2, on the other hand, measures 174.1 x 88.7 x 7.6mm and weighs in at 211 grams. For context, the Mi Max 2 had a 6.4 inch display and a 5300 mAh battery.

The Mi Max 3 will run on a 1.8GHz octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Xiaomi will launch multiple variants and the one with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will be the priciest. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the device just like almost all the Xiaomi devices off late. Powering the smartphone is a 5400 mAh battery which isn’t a significant upgrade over the 5300 mAh battery found on the Mi Max 2.

The details about the camera department are scarce for now. The listing reveals that it will have a dual-camera setup on the back with a 12MP primary sensor. The dual-camera setup will be capable of shooting videos at up to 4K resolution. To the front is an 8MP front-facing sensor. The Mi Max 3 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 10 on top.

The Mi Max 3 is expected to launch sometime in July this year. Unlike recent Xiaomi offerings, the Mi Max 3 is expected to launch in India as well.

June 20, 2018
WhatsApp Group Voice And Video Calling Feature Rolling Out: Here’s How To Get It

At Facebook’s F8 Conference, the company focussed a lot on data privacy and essentially showing how much it cares for every user’s data. While all of these features are essential for a safer space on the internet, the company also unveiled a few interesting features for Instagram and WhatsApp. One of those features was group voice and video calling. Now, the new feature is rolling out to WhatsApp Beta users.

First and foremost, only users who have signed up for WhatsApp Beta will be able to use this feature for now. It is worth noting that the WhatsApp Beta program on Play Store is already full. This means that WhatsApp is not signing up any new Beta testers. While the group voice and video calling feature rolled out to a few testers last month, the new beta version is now available to all WhatsApp Beta users.

Must Read: Apple’s Memoji Feature Will Let Users Create Personalised Animojis

In order to initiate a group voice call, a WhatsApp Beta user must first call a contact. Then, hit the ‘add new members’ button at the top right corner to add more contacts into the conversation. The same process works for group video calling as well. It is worth noting that for now, maximum of four people can participate in a group call. FaceTime will soon get a feature wherein users will be able to add up to 32 members to a single call.

Also, users can only add one contact at a time. This means that the process has to be repeated everytime you need to add a new member to the conversation. Users on a stable build of WhatsApp can participate in group voice and video calls. However, they cannot add or remove members from the call.

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app and this feature will only make it better. Skype, one of the mainstays of video calling platforms has its work cut out.

June 20, 2018
Sony Xperia XZ3 With 18:9 Aspect Ratio And Running Android 9 P Spotted On Geekbench

In February 2018 at the Mobile World Congress, Sony finally unveiled a smartphone with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Since then, the company has launched a few budget devices and even announced another flagship device, the Xperia XZ2 Premium. The next in line will be the Sony Xperia XZ3 and it has been leaked a couple of times in past few days. A new Geekbench listing reveals the possible specifications of the upcoming flagship device.

According to the listing, the Sony Xperia XZ3 will carry the model number H8416. Under the hood, the smartphone will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 since it is the latest flagship chipset on the market right now. This claim is further solidified by the listing according to which, the Adreno 630 will handle the graphics for Xperia XZ3.

Interestingly, this will be the first Sony smartphone with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution. The listing reveals a 5.9 inch display which has become increasingly common among smartphones these days. The resolution also indicates that the device will have a top and bottom bezel and Sony would not go the notch route. This will be a good news for the notch haters.

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As has been with Sony smartphones in the past, the Xperia XZ3 also appears to be running the latest version of Android. The smartphone will launch later this year which means it could be one of the first few smartphones to run Android 9 P out of the box. This will be a great move by Sony especially considering how Android smartphones are criticised for running on older software, unlike Apple iPhones.

Most of the details in the Geekbench listing corroborate with previous leaks except in the optics department. The listing reveals a 19MP rear-facing camera. It is possible that the software didn’t recognise the secondary sensor, which is believed to be 12MP. Another possible reason could be that the software was run on an early pre-production unit that skips the secondary sensor.

It is still early days for the Sony Xperia XZ3 but, the leaks appear to be inline with each other. These are usually telltale signs of accuracy, however, it is still adviced to take this information with a pinch of scepticism.

June 20, 2018
Here’s What Samsung’s Foldable Smartphone Could’ve Looked Like

Samsung has been in the news for working on a foldable smartphone for a long time now. The alleged Samsung Galaxy X is expected to have a bendable display which means a user has a smartphone and a tablet at the same time. However, as is with every device, the final Galaxy X that will launch to the public will be different from the numerous prototypes that Samsung built on the way to its final product. One such prototype has made its way to the realm of the internet and gives us an insight into Samsung’s process.

A Chinese Twitter user claims that this Samsung device was known by the name of Project V or Project Valley. The rumours of Project Valley came about in 2015 and claimed that Samsung would indeed launch this device in 2016. However, that did not happen. While the design now seems dated, if it were to launch in 2016, the Project V would have surely grabbed a headline or two. The user claims that this cancelled smartphone carried the model number SM-G929F

A few months ago, ZTE, a Chinese smartphone maker launched the ZTE Axon M. A foldable smartphone with bezels all around it and a very uninspiring design, to say the least. The design is very similar to the Samsung Project V only ZTE ended up launching the device while Samsung has continued to work on the technology and plans on launching the smartphone in early-2019.

ZTE Axon M

It is worth noting that it is not confirmed whether these images do belong to a Samsung smartphone. However, it is plausible that Samsung would go through a plethora of design and technology changes before eventually coming up with a consumer-ready foldable smartphone that does not have a shambolic design. The Samsung Galaxy X is expected to launch in early-2019 and cost about US$ 2000 (Rs 1,36,000 approx.). We expect more leaks pertaining to the device in the future.

June 18, 2018
OPPO Find X Will Have A Record Breaking 93.8% Screen-To-Body Ratio

Smartphone marketing, as we have come to realise, can often be misleading. The Lenovo Z5 is the latest example of that. We expected a truly bezel-less device and instead got a notched smartphone with a mediocre design. The next smartphone to create waves of interest is the OPPO Find X. The new flagship smartphone from the Chinese smartphone maker is set to launch on June 19th in Paris.

The screen area ratio of OPPO Find X is 93.8% pic.twitter.com/PMnppvACRu

— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) June 16, 2018

Like the Lenovo Z5, the company has been teasing the design and features of the OPPO Find X on social media. In its latest post, the company claims that the smartphone will have a whopping 93.8% screen-to-body ratio. The current record holder is the newly Vivo NEX with a 91.2% screen-to-body ratio. OPPO will attain this ratio with a notch while the Vivo NEX, as we all know, doesn’t have a notch. With this screen-to-body ratio, OPPO’s record might not be broken for a while since the industry is still limited in the way an AMOLED display connects to a motherboard. So far, only the iPhone X has managed to not have a chin by curving the display inwards. It’ll be interesting to see OPPO executes its design for the Find X.

Vivo NEX

Even the notch on the OPPO Find X is expected to be different from what we’ve seen on any device so far. A recent teaser shows that the notch will be much more curved than devices like the iPhone X or Mi 8. This should result, at least on paper, in a much less asymmetrical design compared to other notched smartphones. However, this is just an educated guess from the teaser and the end result could be completely different, as we have seen on the Z5.

The OPPO Find X is expected to feature a 6.4 inch AMOLED display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution.

https://twitter.com/bang_gogo_/status/1007504825930506240

The device could run on the Snapdragon 845 coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The storage will be expandable via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the device which also houses a 16MP dual-camera setup. The notch will house a 25MP sensor for selfies.

The launch of the Find X is just a day away and the specifications, coupled with the ambitious design surely makes this the most anticipated OPPO device yet.

June 18, 2018