You may be aware that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and Snapdragon 810 processors were announced last year. Since then the processors have been slowly making its way into smartphones, with LG G4 being the first smartphone to use the Snapdragon 808. The recent China-only Xiaomi Mi 4c also sports the 808 as its SoC and the upcoming Nexus 5X will feature the same.
But what exactly does the Snapdragon 808 deliver? We’ve decided to provide a deeper understanding into the specs of the processor to show just what it is capable of delivering.
Right off the bat, the Snapdragon 808 features a high performing CPU that clocks in around 2000 MHz, with 6 cores that result in faster mutli-tasking. The processor is also able to reduce energy consumption as it couples slower, low power processor cores with faster, high-power processor cores. The big or faster cores are used for computation-intensive tasks such as gaming.
The GPU is a significant upgrade from the previous 801 processor. While the 801 had an Adreno 330 GPU, the 808 features an Adreno 418 GPU, which delivers better graphics by creating larger blocks of data. Some of the devices that feature the Snapdragon 808 are LG G4, LG Nexus 5X, Xiaomi Mi Edge, and Xiaomi Mi 4c to name a few. Here’s a spec table that will tell you all you need to know about the Snapdragon 808 processor.
CPU
Dual-core ARM Cortex A57 up to 2 GHz and quad-core A53 with 64-bit support
GPU
Adreno 418 GPU
DSP
Hexagon V56 DSP (up to 800MHz)
RAM Interface
933 MHz 64-bit LP-DDR3 SDRAM interface
Connectivity
USB 3.0/2.0, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi Qualcomm VIVE™ 2-stream 802.11n/ac with MU-MIMO
A few days ago, we did a post on how Google’s Nexus 6 is back on Flipkart and has undergone a massive price cut for its 32GB and 64GB variants. Yes, the earlier Flipkart pricing for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants of the Nexus 6 were at Rs. 44,000 and Rs. 49,000 respectively. Now, both of them received a cut of Rs 10,000, thus lowering down the price of the 32GB variant to Rs 34,999 and 64GB to Rs 39,999. Now, new reports have emerged that after months of speculation about with whom will Google team up with for its next Nexus device, it seems that LG could be the one to build the next, temporarily named, Nexus 5 2015.
According to Android Pit, rather than basing the Nexus 5 2015 on the LG G4, LG will be creating the new handset from the scratch. The device would sport a 5.2-inch screen display, six-core Snapdragon 808 processor by Qualcomm, and 2,700 mAh battery pack, according to the rumours. It may also come in 64 GB and 128 GB variants and have a 16-megapixel rear camera and a five-megapixel wide-angle camera in front.
It is likely that Google teamed up with LG to make the next Nexus device because Nexus 5 made by LG was quite popular in comparison to the Nexus 6 made by Motorola. However, for now, neither Google nor LG has confirmed the news. Also, Google’s next mobile OS, Android M is set for an August release date. Hence, details regarding how many Nexus devices are going to be released and who would be building them will be out really soon.
The company’s flagship tablet Nexus 9 will continue to run for another cycle which implies that there will be no new addition to the tablet series, as of now.
The upcoming phone by the Korean electronics manufacturer LG is the current hot topic. The smartphone is expected to compete with Apple’s iPhone 6 and Samsung’s Galaxy S6. While the company officially unveils the LG G4 on 28th of this month, let’s walk you through the speculations about the next LG flagship.
The new G4 by LG is said to feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) display. This was officially stated by the display manufacturing unit of the company. The phone will come with a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor along with 2GB and 3GB RAM options. The 2GB variant will have 16GB storage space, while the 3GB RAM model will come with 32GB onboard storage capacity, both expandable up to 128GB. The phone will have Android 4.4.4 KitKat installed with the company’s UX 4.0 UI.
A video released by LG narrates that UX 4.0 sports a lot of features like Quick Shot, Smart Board and Smart Notice 2.0 along with Smart Calendar app and Super Fast Gallery.
The camera specifications include a 13MP rear shooter with Optical Image Stabilization and Laser Auto Focus Dual Flash. The front will boast a 2.1MP snapper. The company recently teased the camera specification of the device which confirms that the G4 will feature a camera of aperture f/1.8. A sufficient 3000mAh battery will fuel the device.
LG G4 will come in nine different back panels, out of which three are standard, and six are crafted back panels made of real leather. The colour options include yellow, brown, silver and more.
Over a week back, LG accidently opened the LG G4 website that uncovered the above-mentioned details. Though, we can’t consider them as final until LG officially brings out the device. Let’s wait and watch if this device finds a niche in the over-flooded smartphone marketplace, where many affordable phones are ready to take on the high-end flagships.
Amid all the speculations about the upcoming LG flagship, the Korean electronics titan has made public a new teaser video. The 42 second video clip doesn’t let slip much about the device, however it reveals one important detail. The LG G4 will feature a standalone f/1.8 camera aperture, giving it a (very) slight edge over the Samsung Galaxy S6. The firm has yet again used the video to reiterate the launch date of LG G4 as April 28.
This time, LG is not relying on leakers and the company itself is teasing LG G4’s features bit by bit. Before this, LG announced that the device will boast a Quad HD display and few days later, a video sharing little details of the fresh user interface UX 4.0. The latter one gave a fair idea of the upcoming elements and its smartness.
As the video announces, the LG G4 features an aperture of f/1.8, which means that aperture opening is wide enough for more light to reach the sensor. The teased aperture puts back many high-end smartphones like Galaxy S6, HTC One M9, iPhone 6 and Sony Xperia Z3, whose camera aperture size is smaller than the G4. Along with that, the video demonstrates the same camera module as found on the previous iteration.
The smartphone is expected to sport a 5.5-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage space. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the device flaunts a new interface, UX 4.0, that gives an all new appeal to the handset. It is said to pack a 15MP rear shooter and a 7MP camera upfront.
It’s likely that the tech giant will tease more features of the smartphone ahead of the official launch. Keep checking back for updates on the LG G4.
LG’s last year’s releases LG G3 and G Pro 2 were received well by both the users and critics. The company is now apparently gearing up to unveil its next flagship LG G4. But as the launch date approaches, speculations are rife about the phone boasting some top-notch specs.
If we believe the rumours to be true, then the next LG G4 would be one beast of a device. Packing a display of 5.3 inches, the device will be powered by the latest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor paired with impressive 4 GB of RAM. The G4 will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and will sport a 16MP wide-angle camera.
According to GSMArena, LG G4 might pack a 3K display of 1620×2880 resolution. If this turns out to be true, the G4 will be the first ever phone to feature such a high-quality screen. There are also talks that the next flagship from LG will not come with a stylus. The South Korean giant has recently filed a patent for another handset called LG G4 Stylus, which would be the successor to the mid range LG G3 Stylus handset.
All the rumoured specs seem top notch, but if the phone houses a 3K display, 4 GB RAM and the speedy Qualcomm 810 processor, it would definitely not be pocket-friendly.
The much-awaited phone is expected to arrive in the second quarter of this year.
LG had a string of hits in 2014 including LG G3 and G Pro 2 which have been received really well by consumers and critics alike. The smartphone maker’s next flagship, G4, is expected to launched at this year’s Mobile World Conference (March 2-March 5) in Barcelona.
Recently, the system dump for LG’s next G series flagship smartphone has been leaked revealing a few of the hardware specifications of the smartphone. The leak confirms the Android 5.0 as well as 3GB of RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810.
LG G Flex 2 was launched at CES 2015 with Snapdragon 810
According to the past rumors, LG also working on its own ODIN processor for a bit now, and we heard that it’d be coming in one of their flagships. It was expected the G Flex 2 would launch with this processor, however, that didn’t happen.
While there is a fresh rumour suggesting that Samsung Electronics will dump the Snapdragon 810 processor for use in its upcoming Galaxy S6 smartphone in favour of its own Exynos chip, LG may follow the suit and launch their own processor too.
In addition to that, the purported forthcoming handset, the G4, could pack a wide angle 16-megapixel rear-facing shooter on the back. The LG G3 had a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera on the back side. After the release of the G Flex 2 at CES it will be interesting to observe the type of hardware and software specifications their next flagship will pack.
The smartphone market is getting more and more competitive every passing day. Few months back, Samsung brought out the edgy new Galaxy Note Edge that was a class apart from the other handsets available in the market. Its unique feature was the sloping display on the right-hand side. However, LG seems to take over the Note Edge market with its 6-inch device with bending OLED display on both sides.
Well, LG moved a step ahead and presented an example of supreme leadership at the ongoing CES 2015. The smartphone stole the audience of the Note Edge and acquired a huge crowd gathering at the show. Although the futuristic device has a 6-inch display which is difficult to manage as the edge display presses accidently at times, but its extra peril on the side screen will help users navigate their way through the phone.
Another known feature about the device is its 1280x720p screen resolution, which could have been better. No other specifications about the phone have yet been disclosed, other than the fact that it’s 0.7 mm thick. The P-OLED technology was first used by LG itself on its G Flex smartphone, which was then carried by G Flex2 as well, showcased at the event.
The LG Director of Corporate Communications Ken Hong hinted at the successor of LG G3, tentatively titled G4. Hong commented about the same –
I think we will [experiment with our high-end phones]. I think we have to. If you look at the specs only, there are other competitors with similar-spec phones. How do you stand out in that pile if you’re not doing something different? I don’t think we are going to be able to sit back and expect people are just going to fawn over the G4, or whatever the name will be, just because they liked the G3. I don’t think it works that way anymore. I don’t think people are as loyal on the Android side as they are on the iOS side, so you really have to win every customer with your products.
It’s true that LG has disclosed a surprise which it was preserving for the big day, but if it would be able to hold a strong position in the market with contenders around, only time will tell!
The Google Branded Nexus 4 was launched in the US, last year and was expected to reach India early December 2012. LG gave word today that it has officially launched the Google Nexus 4 Smartphone in India for a Price of Rs. 25,999 /-., talk about delayed Indian Standard Time. The Nexus 4 has been launched and is available through online as well as offline vendors.
Most of us are already familiar with the Specs and Features of the Nexus 4, and the fact that the latest version of Android is instantly seeded to owners. The roundup for the Nexus 4 includes, a Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait, with Android 4.2 .2. The Display is a 4.7 inch 1280 x 768 px IPS LCD display with Gorilla® Glass 2. Read full Specs and PR below.
In either case the Nexus 4 seems like a better proposition than another Android 4.2 Smartphone launched today.
Nexus 4 Specification:
CPU Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait
Network Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+
GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
HSPA+ 42
Dimension 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm
Operating System Android 4.2 .2
Weight 139g
Display
Type LCD/True HD IPS+
Size 4.7” diagonal
Resolution WXGA (1280 x 768) pixel resolution (320ppi)
GPS/HDMI/NFC Yes with GLONASS Support / Yes (Slimport)/ Yes (Android Beam)
Memory
Internal RAM/ROM 2GB/16GB
Processor
Quad Core 1.5GHz
Advance Features
Wireless Charging Yes
Wireless Display Yes
[toggle title=”Press Release”]New Delhi, 16th May, 2013:– Designed collaboratively by LG and Google, Nexus 4, the newest smartphone in the Nexus line-up from Google, was announced today for availability in India. With a sophisticated hardware design from LG, your favourite Google Apps, and the latest version of Android™, Nexus 4 puts the best of Google in the palm of your hand.
“LG Electronics is pleased to partner Google on the release of the Nexus 4 in India,” shared Mr. Soon Kwon, Managing Director, LG Electronics India. “We added the best of our talent to our strength, and the result is a feature- packed smartphone that packs superb hardware under a slim hood. With LG Nexus 4, consumers would be delighted by the perfectly balanced combination of style, function and power. The smartphone encourages consumers to explore a world of possibilities and also helps them balance between business and entertainment”
Built for speed Nexus 4 comes with a cutting edge Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor, so you’ve got speed and power to spare. Zip around the web, experience rich 3D graphics and gameplay, and effortlessly switch between multiple apps without ever missing a beat. With 2GB of RAM and the fastest version of Android ever, Nexus 4 is the snappiest Nexus smartphone yet.
Capture and share your world Nexus 4 comes with a high performance 8MP camera and takes stunning Photo Sphere images, letting you capture every detail of the world around you. Up, down and all around you, it’s like no camera you’ve ever seen; with Nexus 4, you can snap pictures in every direction that come together into incredible, immersive Photo Spheres that put you right inside the scene. Plus, photos upload themselves with Instant Upload so you’ll never lose a shot. All of this comes to life with stunning clarity and crisp, natural color on the vibrant 1280by768 4.7inch True HD IPS Plus display supported by Zerogap Touch technology. Gently curved glass edges allow your finger to slide smoothly on and off the 320ppi screen, while cutting edge display technology means you feel like you’re touching every pixel, protected by scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2.
Information at your fingertips Nexus 4 comes with the latest Google apps, putting the best of Google in the palm of your hand. The latest version of Google Now is built in, which keeps you even more organized – get reminders about upcoming flights, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations and even nearby photo opportunities – when and where you need them. Get to the places you care about quickly and easily with Google Maps™ for Android. With turn by turn GPS navigation, live traffic info, and integrated driving, walking and public transit directions, getting from A to B has never been easier. 3D Maps and rich satellite imagery give you a more realistic sense of what’s around you while features like Street View and Indoor Maps make sure you always know what’s in front of you.
With this and a host of other new features, LG Nexus 4 is bound to transform and elevate a consumer’s smartphone experience. LG’s Nexus 4 is priced at Rs 25, 999 and will be available at selected LG exclusive brand shops, Multi brand outlets and speciality stores ( modern trade ) across India.
Specification: CPU Qualcomm SnapdragonTM S4 Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait Network Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+ GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz) HSPA+ 42 Dimension 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm Operating System Android 4.2 .2 Weight 139g
Display Type LCD/True HD IPS+ Size 4.7” diagonal Resolution WXGA (1280 x 768) pixel resolution (320ppi) Etc Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2
Touch Type/Handwriting Zerogap/Yes
Camera Main Camera 8MP Flash LED 1EA Front Camera 1.3MP HD
Battery Capacity/Type 2,100mAh/Lipolymer (Embedded) Talk Time 11.9 hours (Tx power 10dm) Standby Time 564.5 hours (DRX 8)
Audio/Video Audio Codec MP3/AAC/AA+/eAAC+/AMR NB/ WAV/WMA/MIDI Video Codec MPEG4/H.263/H.264 Audio Jack 3.5mm 2nd Microphone Yes
Data Connectivity Bluetooth/USB/WiFI 3.0/2.0HS/802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band) GPS/HDMI/NFC Yes with GLONASS Support / Yes (Slimport)/ Yes (Android Beam)
Memory Internal RAM/ROM 2GB/16GB
Processor Quad Core 1.5GHz
Advance Features Wireless Charging Yes Wireless Display Yes
About LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry. LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture GSM Phones, Colour Televisions, Air Conditioners, LCD TVs, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Monitors and Optical Disc Drives.
About Google Inc. Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Google’s innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world.[/toggle]
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. In terms of design, Samsung is sticking to the S6 design language only upgrading the specs, which we’re not complaining about. The flagship devices are slated to be unveiled on February 21 at the MWC ‘Unpacked’ event.
HTC One M10
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The One M10 will look a lot more like the One A9 than the One M9. From what recent renders tell us, HTC is ditching the BoomSound front speakers as well as the much-hated logo on the front that was found on the One M10. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner housed inside the home button, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
Recent rumours about the specs of the Mi 5 are contradictory with some claiming the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display and the others pointing to a 5.7-inch with Full HD display. What’s almost confirmed is a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front cameras. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
Some recent rumours have suggested a modular design for the LG G5 where the bottom is detachable so as to easily remove the battery pack. This, however, is still a long shot and nothing has been confirmed on that front.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. LG will launch the G5 flagship smartphone at the MWC next week.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1 Render
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
The new kid on the block, Moto X Force which has been in the news for bullying its way out of drop tests without a scratch will today be put to task in our extremely strenuous benchmark, gaming and heat test. Let’s find out how it fares when it comes to handling the most demanding games available on the Play Store.
When it comes to gaming the Moto X Force promises to handle anything and everything you throw at it. Backed by some serious under the hood power in the form of an Adreno 430 GPU coupled with a Snapdragon 810 Quad Core rocking at 2GHz the Moto X Force gives users great gaming performance.
The Moto X Force does not show any signs of stutter, and we noticed little or lag with seamless animations while gaming. 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM on board works in overdrive to provide users Graphics as smooth as butter, and with the help of the sturdy Quad HD AMOLED display gaming on the Moto X Force turns into a visual treat.
Speakers at the front provide great surround audio which adds to the overall gaming experience. The device also does not seem to heat too much, with the temperature staying around 35 degrees. Motorola’s use of ballistic nylon to the back of the phone helps keep the hands from feeling any rise in temperature.
The Moto X Force clocked impressive benchmark scores. The device scored 70839 on AnTuTu while still on Android Lollipop OS. The switch to Marshmallow OS is expected to offer better results.
Meanwhile, the device scored 7288 on Vellamo’s Chrome browser benchmark, beating the Galaxy S6 and LG G4. The Moto X Force’s multicore performance was also good, scoring 2437, though not as impressive as many other flagships currently out there.
To round it off, the Moto X Force not only promises a strong build with its shatterproof display, but does exceedingly well in benchmarks scores and real-world performance.
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it comes a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
Samsung S7 Render
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. As for the S7 Edge, very little is known as to how the curved screen device is going to look. Whether Samsung is going for a different curved design or rather just tweak the previous S6 design is still a mystery. The flagship devices are slated for a February launch at the MWC.
HTC One M10
HTC One M10 Render
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi Mi 4
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
On the specs front, the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display, Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front camers. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. No word yet on when LG plans to launch the device.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
If you’re looking for a phone priced between 30-40K, here are our recommendations. Let us know about your favourite smartphones in this price bracket in the comments below.
HTC One M9 Plus
The HTC One M9 Plus packs a 20 MP primary camera with sapphire cover lens, auto focus, BSI sensor and ultrapixel front facing camera. It has a5.2-inch (13.2 centimeters) display with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal memory expandable up to 2 TB, and it supports only a single SIM. The battery is marked at 2840 mAh.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Galaxy Note 4 comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display and a 3,220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. It is powered by Snapdragon 805 chipset which is clocked at 2.7 gHz quadcore, coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64 GB. Note 4 packs a 16 MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7 MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. Samsung also added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back of the device. You can find our hands on of the Galaxy Note 4 here.
Huawei Nexus 6PThe 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3 MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone runs on the latest Marshmallow operating system. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. Click here for a detailed hands on of the device.
Nokia Lumia 1520
Even though Nokia Lumia 1520 was launched as early as 2013, this list wouldn’t be complete without it.The device features a 6-inch Full HD with 1080p display resolution. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor, sports a 20 MP PureView camera and has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB expandable upto 64 GB. Nokia has included a big 3400 mAh battery, the device is packed with a 2 GB of RAM. The polycarbonate build supports wireless charging. The price of the phone has now dropped to 39K after the initial price tag of about 47K during the time of its release.
LG G4: The LG G4 is an iconic design from LG, while many companies have attempted to make leather looking handsets (Note 3 and Galaxy S5), LG actually made a smartphone with a genuine leather back panel. The phone packs a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD with 2560 x 1440 PX resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with 1.8 GHz hexa-core processor. The LG G4 also has dual sim (certain regions) and a removable and replaceable battery marked at 3,000 mAh, along with micro-SD expansion all of which is lacking in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Find the complete review of the smartphone here.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The S6 is equipped with 64-bit Exynos octa-core, a premium metal and glass based design. Additionally, the S6 has the most pixel intensive Quad HD display with 577 ppi for a unique, eye-popping multimedia experience, along with wireless charging and ultra power saving mode for improved convenience. For the complete specs and a hands on of the device, click here.
iPhone 6The iPhone 6 is available at an all time low of Rs. 41,000, falling pretty much in the 30-40K price bracket. The phone is a good buy at this price -it offers almost all features of the iPhone 6s (except for Force Touch) minus the hefty price tag. If there was ever a right time to buy an iPhone in India, it is now. iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 ppi, and is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera. Find here the complete review of the iPhone 6.
Xiaomi unveiled the China-only Mi 4c today and the mid-range phone packs serious specs that can take on some big names. The Mi 4c boasts of an improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and a Type-C USB support.
The phone features a 5-inch 1080p display and the ‘Sunlight Display’ is said to offer “excellent visibility in bright conditions”. The phone comes with a 13-megapixel primary camera with face detection autofocus – like the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 – for quicker autofocusing. The smartphone will be available in two variants – 16 GB internal with 2 GB RAM and 64 GB internal with 3 GB RAM.
The Mi 4c, though priced at a very low Rs. 13,500 (approx.), can hold its own when compared to the OnePlus 2. In the camera department, the Mi 4c and OnePlus 2 stand on even grounds, at least on paper. However, the Mi 4c boasts of a better camera quality using the same autofocus technology as the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6. For a low budget phone, the Mi 4c also packs a powerful 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor.
The highlight of the Mi 4c is no doubt a powerful SoC, which is usually seen in high-end phones like LG G4. The Mi 4c will be available in white, grey, pink, yellow, and blue colours. No word yet on when the phone will come to India.
Now that iPhone 6s has hit the markets, it’s time to pit the newest Apple wonder against the best of the smartphone industry. Apple has never failed to woo its users with its fluidity and smoothness in the past. One wonders if it’s likely to happen now as well in the face of tough competition from equally snazzy and up to date tech names like Samsung, Sony, LG and HTC.
Specs
LG G4
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung S6 Edge+
HTC One M9
Sony Experia Premium Z5
iPhone 6s
Display
5.5-inch Quad HD LCD
5.66 inch Quad HD
5.7 inches
5.5 inch HD
5.5 inch 4K
4.7 Retina HD display with 3D Touch, LED-backlit widescreen
Despite not being able to match its competitors in terms of specs and numbers on paper, Apple has always managed to fulfil the demands of the tech world so far. On the launch of the very first iPhone eight years ago in 2007, Steve Jobs had promised to “reinvent the phone”. This promise has indeed been taken care of if statistics are to be believed which suggest that 53% of the smartphone market is dominated by Apple.
On the occasion of Independence Day this weekend, Flipkart and Amazon have launched their Great Indian Freedom Sales, where many smartphones, smartphone accessories like headphones, kitchen set, clothes etc are available on a huge discount.
For customers shopping from Amazon, they will have to use the mobile app to avail these discounts. The company is also giving 15% cashback on HDFC and Axis Bank debit cards when the purchase is done by the app. Otherwise, for desktop users, they are eligible for 10% cashback.
For Flipkart, the purchase has to be done on your mobile app, again. Let us look at some more offers below:
YU Yureka Plus- Alabaster White
Yu Televentures announced the Yu Yureka Plus, originally priced at Rs. 9,999, back in July, it now costs Rs. 8,999. It does have some minor, yet significant, upgrades.The Yureka Plus comes with a Full High Definition (FHD) display, an Octa core Snapdragon 615 processor, Lollipop Cyanogen OS 12, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and a 13 MP AF rear camera with a Sony Sensor among other features.
Talking about the specifications, the Lenovo A7000 sports a 5.5 inch HD display. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek True8Core processor with 4G LTE. It flaunts 2 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage which is expandable through MicroSD. The device is 7.9 mm thick and weighs just 140g. The smartphone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop. While it previously costed Rs. 10,499, it will be Rs. 1200 cheaper.
This is one of the best deals you could get in terms of discount, while this phone costed 51,500, it will be available on Amazon for Rs. 38,990 only! That means you can save Rs. 12,510.
It features a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS LCD display (2560x1440p resolution) that uses quantum dot technology. The screen is protected by a Gorilla Glass 3. The processor fitted on the device is a 1.8GHz Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with an Adreno 418 GPU. The device also comes with a 3GB RAM, an internal storage space of 32GB, which can be expanded via a MicroSD card up to 2TB. The smartphone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. It boasts a 16MP camera with f/1.8 aperture (widest aperture on any smartphone camera) equipped with Optical Image Stabilization 2.0, color spectrum sensor, and Laser Auto Focus functionality.
Cited as one of the best phones of 2014, the OnePlus One runs on a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocking at 2.5GHz . It comes with 3 GB RAM. The device is available in a 64 GB variant. The device gets its juice from a 3100 mAh battery. The 5.5 inch Full HD display will make it a multimedia enthusiast’s delight. The device offers a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP Selfie shooter on the front.
While there is no discount on the OnePlus One and it continues to cost Rs. 21,998, it does come to half the price if you choose to exchange your old phone and purchase this one instead. Therefore, on exchanging your old phone, the OnePlus One will cost you Rs. 11,998, instead of the market price. That seems like a good deal, doesn’t it?
The Nexus 6 boasts a 5.96-inch QHD (2560×1440p) AMOLED display. It is powered by 2.7 GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor coupled with 3 GB of RAM. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. The screen of the device is protected by Corning Glass 3.
On the camera front, it sports a 13MP rear and 2MP front snapper. The device gets its juice from a 3,220mAh battery. It comes in two colour options in the country – midnight blue and cloud white.
While the selling price was Rs. 34,999, Flipkart has anyway dropped the price to Rs.29,999, for you. However, if you exchange your old phone, you can purchase your very own Nexus 6 for Rs. 14,999 only. Seems very reasonable, indeed.
The second-gen Moto X handset boasts of a 5.2-inch (1080x1920pl) AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Inside is a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor bundled with 2GB of RAM. Running on Android 4.4 KitKat, the phone can be upgraded to Lollipop.
The back of the phone sports a 13MP camera with autofocus, dual-LED flash, and the front has a 2MP shooter. The device gets fuelled up by a 2300mAh battery. The 16GB and 32GB variants come with identical specs and differ only in memory storage, which can’t be expanded.
The Moto X (Gen 2) had a market price of Rs. 21,999 that was slashed by Flipkart to Rs. 19,999. However, if you exchange your old phone, once again, you will get this Moto X for just Rs. 9,999.
The 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3 MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone runs on the latest Marshmallow operating system. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. 
The LG G4 is an iconic design from LG, while many companies have attempted to make leather looking handsets (Note 3 and Galaxy S5), LG actually made a smartphone with a genuine leather back panel. The phone packs a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD with 2560 x 1440 PX resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with 1.8 GHz hexa-core processor. The LG G4 also has dual sim (certain regions) and a removable and replaceable battery marked at 3,000 mAh, along with micro-SD expansion all of which is lacking in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Find the complete review of the smartphone 
The iPhone 6 is available at an all time low of Rs. 41,000, falling pretty much in the 30-40K price bracket. The phone is a good buy at this price -it offers almost all features of the iPhone 6s (except for Force Touch) minus the hefty price tag. If there was ever a right time to buy an iPhone in India, it is now. iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 ppi, and is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera. Find here the 
