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Vivo APEX With Pop-Up Camera Could Go On Sale In Late-2018

Vivo became the first-ever company to embed a fingerprint sensor under the display of a consumer-ready smartphone. However, at MWC 2018, the company unveiled an even more exciting product. At its unveiling, Vivo conceded that the Vivo APEX was just a concept phone. However, the response to the device and excitement around it has convinced Vivo to change its plans.

Subsequently, Vivo has officially unveiled the APEX in China and announced that its mass production will begin in mid-2018. However, the company has not spilt the beans on all the specifications of the Vivo APEX as of now.

Vivo APEX Specifications

The APEX has a 5.99 inch OLED display with COF technology. The smartphone has the thinnest bezels yet on a smartphone. In fact, the company claims it has a record screen-to-body ratio of 98%. The thickest bezel on the phone is its chin, which is about 4.3mm thin. The size bezels measure at 1.8mm.

Vivo has confirmed that the APEX will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset. This is a great step by Vivo considering the X20 Plus UD skimmed out on a lot of specifications to accommodate the Clear ID technology. For a price close to US$ 700, it was powered by the Snapdragon 660 chipset. While the X20 Plus UD had an impressive fingerprint sensor, albeit a few limitations, the APEX takes it a notch further.

The Vivo APEX has a fingerprint sensor which covers almost half the display. This simply means that a user has a larger area to access Clear ID rather than a tiny space found on the X20 Plus UD. The company has also placed the ambient and proximity sensors under the display. The whole display will work as an earpiece, similar to the Xiaomi Mi MIX from 2016. According to Vivo, the new SoundCasting Technology essentially transports the sound across the glass of the display.

The most talked-about feature of the Vivo APEX is its front-camera. The APEX features a pop-up front camera which takes about 0.8 seconds to be completely out of the device. It is an 8MP camera with HDR and a dynamic range of up to 14 EV.

Conclusion

While the APEX comes across as a futuristic smartphone with a seemingly great solution for bezel-less devices, it has its caveats. It will be interesting to see how so many moving parts inside a smartphone will age. Accidental drops might also have much more severe implications now. However, all of that is secondary as the company prepares to mass produce the APEX from mid-2018. It might subsequently go on sale in late-2018.

March 6, 2018
Huawei P20 Pro, P20, And P20 Prices Leaked

Huawei has confirmed the launch event of the Huawei P20 series of smartphones on March 27th. Similarly, the event will be held in France, where the company will launch the Huawei P20 Pro, P20, and the P20 Lite. Here are the detailed Europian pricing details of the Huawei P20 Pro, P20, and the P20 Lite. However, the Indian prices will not be the result of a direct currency exchange.

Model Price in Euros Price in Indian Rupees

Huawei P20 Pro 899 72,129

Huawei P20 679 54,483

Huawei P20 Lite 369 29,602

Huawei P20 Lite

Specifications of Huawei P20 Pro

The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px OLED display with a notch on the top. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the Kirin 970 chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. In fact, the smartphone is expected to support native face unlock algorithm similar to the iPhone X.

The device is also expected to offer a wide range of AI capabilities, which is expected to improve the smartphone photography.

The smartphone is likely to house a triple lens primary camera setup with RGB + wide angle + telephoto lens combination. On to the front, the smartphone is likely to have dual camera setup. In fact, the dual front-facing camera can aid the facial recognition system as well.

P20 Renders

Specifications of Huawei P20

The phone is expected to have a 6 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with a notch on the top. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the Kirin 970 chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, we might also see a plus version with OLED display and 8GB RAM.

The smartphone is likely to house a dual lens primary camera setup with RGB + wide angle lens combination. On to the front, the smartphone is likely to have dual camera setup. In fact, the dual front-facing camera can aid the facial recognition system as well.

Huawei P20 Renders

Specifications of Huawei P20 Lite

The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Under the hood, it will have the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset along with 4GB or 6GB of RAM. However, as this is a Lite edition, we the company might go with the Kirin 600 series chipset, instead of Kirin 970.

While the smartphone is expected to be thin, it is expected to house a big battery that will support SuperCharge. The Huawei P20 Lite is expected to have a 16 MP + 2 MP primary camera setup and a 16 MP front-facing camera.

March 6, 2018
Nokia 8 Pro Specifications Leaked

HMD Global launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco at MWC 2018. The smartphone has a premium design, dual Zeiss branded cameras and a stainless steel mid-frame. In fact, the smartphone has everything to be called as a 2018 flagship smartphone. However, the smartphone was based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, which is a bit of a disappointment.

A leak suggests that the company might launch the Nokia 8 Pro with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Expected specifications of Nokia 8 Pro

The device is expected to have a 6 inch 2160 x 1080px display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the smartphone is likely to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage.

Nokia 8 Pro

The phone is expected to have a dual 16 MP camera setup, similar to the one found on the Nokia 8 Sirocco. Similarly, the device is likely to have a 13 MP front-facing camera.

The smartphone is expected to have a 4000 mAh Li-ion battery with wireless charging capability with a USB type C port, which doubles as the headphone jack. In fact, the smartphone has a bigger battery than the Nokia 8 Sirocco.

The Nokia 8 Pro will run on Android 8 Oreo OS. However, unlike the Nokia 8 Sirocco, we are unsure about the support for Android One Programme.

Conclusion

The Nokia 8 Sirocco has a QHD+ display while the Nokia 8 Pro has an FHD+ display. In fact, we might see a display similar to the one found on the Nokia 7 Plus.

The Nokia 8 Pro is expected to launch in Q3 of 2018. In fact, at least on paper, the Nokia 8 Pro has better hardware, with a bigger battery and a newer chipset. As of now, there is no official statement from HMD Global regarding the Nokia 8 Pro or a possible launch.

March 5, 2018
Renders Of Huawei P20 Pro With Triple Camera Setup Leaked

Huawei is all set to launch the Huawei P20 Pro, P20, and the P20 Lite on 27th of March. The Huawei P20 lineup will be the successor to the Huawei P10 lineup, which was launched in 2017. Huawei has been focusing on camera on its Honor P series of smartphones. In fact, the company works closely with Leica to improve the smartphone photography.

As per the reports, the Huawei P20 Pro is expected to have a triple camera setup with Leica branding. In fact, a Huawei smartphone render has leaked with a triple camera setup.

The render has a triple camera setup with Leica branding with a glass back, glass front, and an aluminium frame. Similarly, the phone does have an iPhone X like notch, which is expected house the front-facing camera. In fact, this might be the first Android smartphone to offer iPhone X’s Face ID-like facial recognition hardware.

Expected specifications of Huawei P20 Pro

The smartphone is expected to have a 6 inch 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with a notch on the top. Under the hood, the smartphone will be powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 970 Octa-core chipset with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. However, we might also see a plus version with OLED display and 8GB RAM.

The smartphone is also expected to offer a wide range of AI capabilities, which is expected to improve the smartphone photography.

The smartphone is likely to house a triple lens primary camera setup with RGB + wide angle + telephoto lens combination. On to the front, the smartphone is likely to have dual camera setup. In fact, the dual front-facing camera can aid the facial recognition system as well.

Huawei P20 With A Notch

Conclusion

The Huawei P20 Pro looks like a right successor to the Huawei P10 with improvements like the modern taller display with a notch, triple primary camera setup, and an AI-based chipset. Considering the aggressive pricing by Huawei and Honor in the recent past, it will interesting to see the price of the Huawei P20 Pro.

March 5, 2018
Samsung Galaxy A8+ Available At An Effective Price Of Rs. 28990 On Amazon

Amazon is offering a limited-time price cut on various Samsung smartphones from the 5th to 8th of March. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 is now available for Rs 59,900 instead of Rs 67,900 and the Samsung Galaxy A8+ is available for Rs 28,990 instead of Rs 32,990. Amazon will credit the cashback of Rs 8,000 for the Note8 buyers and Rs 4,000 for the Galaxy A8+ buyers via Amazon Pay balance.

Note:

The offer is applicable for those, who make the payment via Amazon Pay. At the time of purchase, one has to make the complete payment, then Amazon will credit the cashback within 10 days.

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Note8

Galaxy Note8

The smartphone has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px Super AMOLED infinity display with minimal bezels on the top and bottom of the phone. The device has the Exynos 8895 chipset with 6GB of RAM and 128GB onboard storage.

The Note8 has a 12MP dual-camera setup, one of which has a wide lens and the other a telephoto. The telephoto lens allows a user to zoom in losslessly for an up to 2x magnification.

Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which is smaller than the 3500 mAh battery found on the Galaxy Note7 with wireless charging capabilities, and runs Android Nougat 7.1.1 with Samsung’s custom skin on top. The Galaxy Note8 and the S Pen are both IP68 certified water and dust resistant.

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy A8+

Samsung Galaxy A8+

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ has a 6-inch Super AMOLED display with a 2220 x 1080 px resolution which translates to an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it has an Exynos 7885 chipset, an octa-core processor and Mali-G71 GPU.

The Galaxy A8+ will run Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with Samsung’s own custom skin on top. Powering the Galaxy A8+ is a 3500 mAh battery which is charged via USB Type-C port.

he Galaxy A8+ is also the first of Samsung phone to have a dual-camera setup on the front. The Galaxy A8+ has a 16MP + 8MP camera setup with an f/1.9 aperture on the front.

March 5, 2018
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Will Have Enhanced AI Camera Capabilities

Xiaomi will launch the Mi MIX 2S on the 27th of March. Apart from a few sketchy renders, we don’t really have a lot of information about the upcoming device. However, Xiaomi has taken the onus to build up the launch of its new flagship smartphone. A couple of days ago, a teaser video was released which confirmed that the Mi MIX 2S will be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.

The company has now released a teaser image that talks about the camera of the Mi MIX 2S. What started with the Pixel 2 devices, the trend of implementing AI and machine learning in the camera has caught on. The Mi MIX 2S will have enhanced AI capabilities for, in theory, a better image capture. The teaser image was accompanied with a question for all the users.

Xiaomi asked users to guess whether the teaser image was clicked solely via the camera or has AI been implemented for the background effect. The answer, logically, will be yes. Since the company is promoting the AI feature in the post already.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S Specs

Most of the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S are already known. In fact, the company announced that the Mi MIX 2S will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. The smartphone will be launched in China on 27th March. Similarly, the smartphone will have a notch on the right corner, which houses the front-facing camera.

Mi MIX 2s Leaked Specs

As this is a premium smartphone, we are anticipating 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. This time around, the MIX 2S is expected to offer superior camera performance compared to the Mi MIX. The company has also confirmed enhanced AI capabilities of the upcoming flagship smartphone.

Unlike the Xiaomi Mi 7, the MIX 2S has a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. The device will have a massive 4400 mAH Li-ion battery with fast charging. However, we are unsure about the wireless charging, as the last two Mi MIX models featured ceramic panel, which doesn’t support wireless charging.

March 5, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 6GB RAM To Go On Sale On March 7th

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro along with the Redmi Note 5 on the 14th of February. Up until now, the company has had two flash sales. However, only the 4GB RAM and two colour variants of the Redmi Note 5 Pro were available to buy via the flash sales.

Redmi Note 5 Pro

According to a report, all four colours of the Redmi Note 5 and the Note 5 Pro will be available for the next flash-sale. Similarly, the sale will also include the 6GB RAM variant of the Note 5 Pro. However, only the Black colour will be available in the 6GB RAM variant. The price of the Redmi Note 5 Pro starts at Rs 13,999 and goes up to Rs 16,999 for the 6GB RAM model.

Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch 2160 x 1080p IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass protection. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 636 Octa-core chipset with either 4GB or 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. In fact, this is the first smartphone in the world to feature this chipset.

The smartphone has a dual primary camera setup with a 12 MP primary camera and secondary 5 MP depth sensing sensor. For the first time, the company has used a 20 MP front-facing camera with soft selfie-light.

In terms of operating system, the smartphone runs on Android 7 Nougat with custom MIUI skin on the top. Finally, the smartphone features a 4000 mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick charge 2.0 capability.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution. Under the hood, the Redmi 5 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, Adreno 506 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using micro SD card slot.

The Redmi Note 5 is powered by a massive 4000 mAh battery which, according to Xiaomi, has a standby time of up to 17 days. The device has a micro USB port for charging and data syncing along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The device has a 12MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary camera with beautify 3.0 software. In fact, the camera sensor is identical to the primary camera on the Note 5 Pro.

Buy the Redmi Note 5 here

Buy the Redmi Note 5 Pro here

March 5, 2018
Sony Will Launch A Bezel-Less Smartphone With 4K Display In 2018

Up until MWC 2018, Sony had a portfolio of extremely similar looking flagship smartphones. Despite the industry largely moving to an 18:9 aspect ratio, the company launched its smartphones with a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, all of that changed at MWC 2018 with the launch of the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact.

However, a heavily anticipated feature was missing in the two phones. Prior to the launch, it was widely expected that Sony would launch a smartphone with a 4K display and 18L9 aspect ratio. That, however, did not happen since the Xz2 and XZ2 Compact have a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. But, a new report by ITHome claims that Sony will indeed launch a 4K display smartphone in 2018.

Xperia XZ2

The smartphone could be launched with the Xperia XZ2 Pro moniker. The device will be based on the new “Ambient Flow” design language that Sony unveiled at MWC 2018. The smartphone will have very thin bezels, an 18:9 aspect ratio and a 4K+ resolution of 4320 x 2180 px. The last Android smartphone Sony launched with a 4K resolution was the Xperia XZ Premium.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium, which went on sale in June 2017, still had the age-old OmniBalance design. In fact, Sony was the first company to launch an Android smartphone with a 4K resolution. In 2015, the company unveiled the Xperia XZ5 with a 4K resolution. Since then, however, Sony has worked on the technology to make it better. Maybe, with the Xperia XZ2 Pro, the company will finally implement better VR experience as well.

Expected Specifications

The smartphone is expected to be launched in the latter part of 2018. It is expected to have a 5.5 inch IPS LCD display with a 4320 x 2180 px resolution. This will translate into an 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, it is expected to have the Snapdragon 845 chipset, like many other 2018 flagship smartphones.

While these are still speculations, the company is expected to launch a premium Android smartphone later this year. However, the price, again, will be of utmost importance for it to succeed in global markets.

March 5, 2018
Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 40 Inch Officially Launched In China

Xiaomi launched yet another smart TV in China. This time the company has launched the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 40 inch with FHD 1920 x 1080px resolution LCD display. The features and specifications are similar to the 43 inch model. Additionally, the TV also supports voice control.

The voice control is the one feature that differentiates the Mi TV 4A 40 inch from the other Mi TVs. The TV can be controlled using the remote, which has a built-in microphone. It accepts commands like “shut down after five minutes” or “fast-forward the movie by 9 minutes 9 seconds” etc.

Pricing and availability

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 40 inch is priced at CNY 1699 (Rs 17,500). Interestingly, the TV will be available in China from next week in a typical Xiaomi “flash sale” mode.

Mi Bluetooth Remote

Specifications

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4C 40 inch has a Full HD 1920 x 1080px LCD display. Under the hood, the TV is powered by Amlogic Quad-core chipset with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. In fact, this is the same chipset that is used in the Xiaomi Mi TV 4, which launched in India for Rs 39,999.

The smart TV has a selective set of ports, including a dual HDMI port, AV ports, analogue signal DTMB, and an ethernet port. Similarly, the TV also supports Bluetooth 4.2 LE and dual-channel Wifi.

The TV is based on Android TV OS with the custom PatchWall User interface. The PatchWall is a unique user interface, which displays curated shows based on the user’s interest. Similarly, the company has partnered with the online streaming service providers to offer free content.

Conclusion

This is a bang for your buck smart TV with a price tag of Rs 17,500. However, there is no confirmation if the voice command feature will trickle down to Xiaomi’s other markets like India. In fact, Xiaomi is expected to launch the Mi TV 4C or the Mi TV 4A in India with a similar set of specifications on 7th of March. But, whether the voice command feature will make its way to the TV is yet to be seen.

March 5, 2018
Apple To Launch A Cheaper MacBook Air In 2018

The MacBook Air was originally launched in early 2008, which was highly appreciated for the design and a longer-lasting battery. In fact, the 2017 MacBook Air still resembles the original model, which was designed to fit inside an office-folder.

A report suggests that Apple might launch a more affordable MacBook Air in Q2 of 2018. The company will be able to improve MacBook shipments by 10 to 15%. In fact, Apple is expected to launch the newer model at the WWDC 2018.

The entry-level MacBook Air is priced at $999, which is the choice of notebook for the most of the college-going students. However, there were no major improvements in the last few iteration, as Apple is focusing on the 12-inch MacBook and the MacBook Pro. The report also claims that Apple is also expected to launch three new iPhones with Face ID. Similarly, the company is also expected to launch a new version of AirPods.

12 inch MacBook

Specifications

As suggested, the MacBook Air is expected to have a 1440 x 900 px 13 inch display. Under the hood, the notebook is expected to be powered by the Intel 8th Gen Core i5 chipset with 8GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB PCIe SSD storage. However, the report doesn’t say anything in particular about the hardware specifications.

The notebook is expected to retain all the ports, including 2x USB-A, SD card reader, and a mini display port. However, Apple might also go with the latest trend to offer a complete USB type C solution like the MacBook Pro lineup.

The notebook is expected to have a similar battery life as of the current MacBook Air with support for MagSafe 2. The device will be based on macOS High Sierra operating system.

Conclusion

The MacBook Air is a great notebook for the first time MacBook buyers. The notebook comes with an highly-optimised operating system with a premium user experience.

March 5, 2018
Huawei P20 Lite Live Images Leaked

Huawei is all set to launch the Huawei P20 Pro, P20, and the P20 Lite on the 27th of March. After skipping a major mobile launch at MWC 2018, the company has been promoting its launch event that will take in Paris. The Huawei P20 Pro with a triple camera setup is expected to be the highlight of the event.

However, the Huawei P20 Lite has been in the news for a while now. After a few leaked renders, a new set of live images have been leaked online of the smartphone. The Huawei P20 Lite is expected to be the most affordable version of the three smartphones.

Honor 9 Lite

The leaked images, however, do not reveal anything we don’t know about the device already. Subsequently, the P20 Lite is expected to sport an iPhone X-like notch and a dual-camera setup on the back. From the images, the build quality reminds us of the Honor 9 Lite with a shiny back panel, possibly made of glass. The vertically-placed dual cameras also remind us of the iPhone X although, the LED flash is placed below the module.

Expected Specifications

With bezels getting thinner, the standard size of a smartphone has increased from 5.5 inches to 6 inches. The Huawei P11 Lite is expected to have a 6 inch display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution. Just like the Mate 10, Huawei could use an OLED panel as well. However, nothing can be said for certain as of now.

Under the hood, it will have the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset along with 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the phone. While the smartphone is expected to be thin, it is expected to house a big battery that will support SuperCharge

March 5, 2018
Moto G6 Play Live Images Leaked

Lenovo-owned Motorola is expected to launch quite a few smartphones in the coming weeks. Three smartphones each in the Moto E and Moto G series have been leaked so far. Recently, live images of a possible Moto E5 Play were leaked. However, new images of the Moto G6 Play have now surfaced online.

The leaked images reinstate a few details we already knew about the upcoming lineup of Moto smartphones. The Moto G6 Play is expected to have an 18:9 aspect ratio. The bezels thinner than previous gen Moto phones. However, it will by no means, be the thinnest we will ever see. A lot like the Redmi Note 5 or Note 5 Pro. The “Moto” branding will be replaced by “Motorola” on the front.

On the back of the smartphone will be a single camera and an LED flash. The fingerprint sensor appears to be housed in the Moto logo, which is an interesting implementation. Probably something Apple could have done with the iPhone X? The Moto G6 Play was recently listed on GeekBench with the complete specifications.

Specifications:

The Moto G6 Play has a 5.7-inch IPS LCD 1440 x 720 px resolution, protected by 2.5D curved glass. Under the hood, the smartphone sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-core chipset with 3GB RAM. The device scores 472 points on a single-core and 1801 points on multi-core on Geekbench.

The device might run on Android 8 Oreo out of the box. However, instead of stock Android, the Moto G6 Play comes with Lenovo’s custom ZUK skin. However, that is hard to believe since Motorola has had success with its close to stock Android OS devices. Finally, the smartphone packs in a massive 4000 mAh battery with no mention of fast charging what so ever.

March 5, 2018
Xiaomi Mi TV 4C 43 Inch Pricing Leaked

Xiaomi India launched the Xiaomi MI TV 4 in India for a price tag of Rs 39,999. The smart TV had a great set of features, including 4K display, support for HDR and a smart TV functionality. Similarly, the company might launch the Mi TV 4C in India, for a price tag of Rs 27,999. Flipkart has started teasing a new Xiaomi product with a hast tag #SwitchToSmart. Similar to the Mi TV 4, the Mi TV 4C is expected to go on flash sale via Flipkart.

The company is expected to launch Mi TV 4 variations on 7th March. In fact, the company might launch two variants of Mi TV 4 with a 43 inch and a 32inch display. As per the new listing on the Xiaomi India website, the Xiaomi Mi TV 4C with a 43 inch display will be priced at Rs 27,999. Though the pricing is very competitive, the value for money proposition will be questioned, especially when compared to the Mi TV 4.

A previous leak claimed that the Mi TV 4C 43 inch will be priced at Rs 21,999 and the 32 inch will retail for Rs 12,999.

Specifications

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4C will have a 43 inch 1920 x 1080px IPS LCD display with HDR 10 capability. Under the hood, the TV is powered by Amlogic Quad-core chipset with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. Similarly, we might see a model with 2GB RAM and 8GB storage, which will be priced at Rs 21,999.

However, do note that the Mi TV 4 came with 2GB RAM and 8GB storage and the Mi TV 4C listing says 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.

The smart TV will also support dual-band Wifi b/g/n/ac with Bluetooth 4.2. In terms of audio capability, the TV will support Dolby audio with DTS HD surround sound.

March 5, 2018
HTC U12 Specifications Leaked Ahead Of April Launch

HTC, unlike a few smartphone makers, decided to skip any MWC 2018 launches. Instead, the company displayed its current flagship devices in its booth. However, that means the launch of the HTC U12, its next flagship device, is nigh. A few days ago, it was believed that the HTC U12 was leaked at a 5G convention where HTC was present. Subsequently, a new leak has revealed some important details about the device.

HTC Imagine
CPU SD845
Display 5.99 QHD+
RAM up to 6GB
ROM up to 256GB
Dual Main Camera 12mp + 16mp (Sony IMX3xx)
Front Camera 8mp
Battery 3420mah
IP68
HTC Face Unlock
Edge Sense 2.0
Android 8.0 + Sense 10
Full treble support and A/B (Seamless) Updates
Single and Dual SIM version

— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) March 4, 2018

Leaked Specifications

A leaker on Twitter ousted a few key specifications about the HTC U12. Evan Blass, a very popular and often accurate leaker, agreed with this leak as well. According to this tweet, the HTC U12 will have a 5.99 inch display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution. This means that the company will continue launching 18:9 smartphones, like the HTC U11+.

Under the hood, it will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The new flagship chipset is no longer Samsung-exclusive and is already present in smartphones from Asus and Sony as well. Coupled with this chipset will be up to 6GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. However, details about other variants have not been revealed. It will be IP68 rated for water and dust resistance, a staple for modern-day flagship phones.

True. https://t.co/uC9cpz47MR
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 4, 2018

Interestingly, the leak mentions HTC Face Unlock as well. Now, it is a known fact that Face Unlock is the new trend of the industry. However, it will be interesting to see how HTC implements this feature and how secure it’ll be. On the back of the smartphone will be a dual camera setup of a 12MP sensor coupled with a 16MP Sony IMX3xx sensor. No details about the nature of these sensors has been revealed so far.

The HTC U12 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with HTC Sense UI on top. Powering the device will be a 3420 mAh battery which will support QuickCharge 4.0. It will be interesting to see if the smartphone will support wireless charging.

Conclusion

The HTC U12 promises to be an interesting flagship phone. If priced intelligently, the HTC U12 could pose as a potent competitor to the likes of Galaxy S9 and soon-to-be-launched Mi MIX 2S. The leaker also claims that the HTC U12 will be launched in April.

March 5, 2018
Android P To Support Strict Call Blocking
Android P will be the next iteration of its Android OS from Google. Android P will add additional native features like support for the notch, Dark mode, and strict privacy controls. According to a new report, Android P might support native strict call blocking capability. In fact, these set of commands were noticed on an AOSP package.

This feature will let a user block any call from an unknown number. By enabling this feature, one will not receive a phone call from that number. In fact, this will eliminate those telemarketing calls altogether. Similarly, this will also work in the following situations as well.
- If the number is not in the contact list
- The number not disclosed by the caller (private)
- If the number is from a Payphone
- If the number does not have a caller information (unidentified)
  Credits: XDA Developers
The report also clarifies that this feature will not interrupt in the event of emergency calls.

There is a catch in this process, the strict call blocking can be enabled or disabled by the service provider. Similarly, your service provider might incur additional charges to enable this feature.

Conclusion

This feature will give the freedom to the user regarding the call they like to receive. However, this feature might backfire if your friend/family tries to call you in an emergency situation.
March 5, 2018