Tag: official launch

Nokia X5 Officially Launched In China On 18th July

The Nokia X series was first introduced in February 2014 as Microsoft Mobile was marketing the Nokia X series at the time. The OS for these smartphones were based on Linux and had Android as its backbone. Now, HMD Global has reimagined the Nokia X series and after the Nokia X6 was released in China earlier this year, the Nokia X5 is the latest smartphone to launch in the Nokia X series. The smartphone launched on the 18th of July in China.

The Nokia X5 will feature Android 8.1 (Oreo) out of the box and HMD claims that it will receive an Android P update as soon as it is available. The smartphone features a 5.86-inch notch-display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels. The aspect ratio of the device is 19:9 with a screen to body ratio of 79.6%. The smartphone has a 2.5D curved display which gives it an elegant and sleek look. The phone is covered with glass panels on both the front and rear. Complementing the glass panels is a plastic frame as well.

Also Read: BlackBerry Athena With Physical Keyboard Leaked

The Nokia X5 runs on a MediaTek MT6771 Helio P60 SoC. This is an octa-core chipset with four Cortex-A73 and four Cortex-A53 cores running at 2.0 GHz. The GPU for the device is the MaliG72 MP3. The device will be available in two storage variants. The 32GB storage variant will have 3GB RAM and the 64GB variant will have 4GB RAM.

There is a dual rear-facing and a single front-facing camera setup on the Nokia X5 as well. The rear camera has a 13 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a 5MP depth sensor. The primary camera is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30fps. The front-facing camera is an 8MP sensor with a f/2.2 aperture.

Powering the smartphone is a 3,060 mAh Li-Ion battery.

The price for the Nokia X5 in China starts from CNY 999 (Rs. 10200.26 approx). If HMD Global releases the smartphone in India then we can expect the price to be close to its Chinese counterpart.

Clearly, the Nokia X5 offers a lot of features for its price. However, we still believe that the Nokia X5 will face tough competition in this price segment. How it fairs against other smartphone is something we will keep an eye out for.

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July 19, 2018
Moto E5 Plus Launched In India For Rs 11999

Motorola has launched the new Moto E5 Plus in India for Rs 11999. The device will be sold via Amazon and goes on sale on 11th July at midnight.

Must Read: Unboxing The Moto G6

The E5 Plus has a plastic body with a glass finish for the rear panel. Surprisingly enough, Motorola still hasn’t opted for the notch trend. Regardless the phone maintains the 2018 display aspect ratio. The Moto E5 Plus has a 6 inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. The aspect ratio of the display is set to be 18:9, given that the phone has no notch.

The E5 Plus runs on a Snapdragon 430 SoC under the hood which is a quad-core processor running at 1.4 GHz. The smartphone will be available in one variant only, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage with a dedicated microSD card slot for memory expansion.

The fingerprint sensor on the Moto E5 Plus is rear-mounted and has the Motorola logo embossed into it which gives the sensor a unique look.

The Moto E5 Plus has a single primary 12 MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture which allows you to shoot 1080p videos at 30fps. The secondary camera will be a 5MP camera with a f/2.0 aperture with a front-facing LED flash. The US version of the device will have an 8 MP secondary sensor.

The Moto E5 Plus enters a market segment where smartphones like the Asus Zenfone Max Pro and the Realme 1 are already available, while the E5 Plus has a glass finish over a plastic body. Considering the price segment for which the device is being launched, the smartphone sure packs a lot of punches all the while cutting necessary corners. We already have an unboxing video for the device and will give a final verdict in the full review.

July 10, 2018
Nokia 5.1 Plus Global Unveiling in China On July 11th

The fresh line of Nokia smartphones launching under the HMD Global umbrella has a new addition, the Nokia 5.1 Plus. Nokia fans witnessed smartphones in the flagship as well as the mid-range section which turned a lot of heads. Smartphones like the Nokia 7, 7 Plus, and the Nokia 8 Sirroco which launched in the month of April this year, have become a benchmark for what the company has to offer. To that list, HMD Global is expected to add a couple more smartphones this month and one of them will be the Nokia 5.1 Plus. The company has teased its launch for the 11th of July in China.

Nokia X6

The phone could also launch under the alias of Nokia X5. Leaks for the smartphone started when a poster was released on Baidu. This leak was followed by an official post from Nokia on Weibo which suggests that the Nokia 5.1 Plus is all set to launch in China at 8 PM (IST: 5.30 PM) as the Nokia X5. Nokia 5.1 Plus will cater to the budget-oriented audience as per the leaks, starting at approximately CNY 799 (Rs. 8,300 approx.). Although the phone will sport a notch and an almost bezel-less display, it is still expected to keep the chin which many other Android smartphone manufacturers haven’t been able to get rid of yet.

Nokia 5.1 Plus

We expect that the Nokia 5.1 Plus will launch in 3, 4, and 6GB RAM variants coupled with either 32GB or a 64GB internal storage. The onboard chipset will be an octa-core processor however the chip manufacturer is not yet specified. With that said, if Qualcomm provides the SoC then the phone may have a Snapdragon 600 series processor.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 Will Launch With Up To 6GB Of RAM, 128GB Onboard Storage

The specifications of the Nokia 5.1 Plus suggest that it might be a mid-range smartphone. The phone is expected to have a 5.86-inch display and a 19:9 aspect ratio. This is rumored to be an HD+ TFT panel which puts the resolution at 1520 x 720 pixels. The smartphone is expected to have a rear-facing dual camera setup consisting of a 13 MP primary and an 8MP secondary sensor. There is no word on whether these cameras will have any sort of image stabilisation technology but, given the price range of the device, we speculate that there won’t be any.

In the budget-oriented line of smartphones, the competition for manufacturers is a tough nut to crack. Especially with Xiaomi leading the Indian market in the mid-range sector, it will be interesting to see how the Nokia 5.1 Plus fairs against the competition and whether the company decides to launch it in India in the first place.

July 9, 2018
Asus Zenfone 5Z With A Notch, Running On Snapdragon 845 Launched In India Starting Rs 29,999

Asus has launched the Zenfone 5Z in India at a starting price of Rs 29999. The new affordable flagship smartphone will be sold via Flipkart exclusively and go on sale on 9th July. It is worth noting that there is a flat Rs 3000 discount upon using an ICICI Credit/Debit card, bringing the price down to Rs 26999 for the base model. The Asus Zenfone 5Z enters India’s affordable flagship segment and will be up against the likes of OnePlus 6 and Honor 10.

The Zenfone 5Z has all the makings of a flagship smartphone of 2018. The infamous notch also makes an appearance on the device. The notch, unlike the Xiaomi Mi 8, does not have any special sensors housed inside. The notch, however, allows the company to use a bigger display without drastically increasing the overall footprint of the smartphone.

The Asus Zenfone 5Z has a 6.2 inch Super IPS+ display with a 2246 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio, just like the OnePlus 6 which also has a 19:9 aspect ratio. With so many different aspect ratios prevalent in the market, it will become harder for content creators to cater to everyone’s needs.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. The flagship chipset is coupled with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. In India, the Zenfone 5Z will retail in three models, one with 64GB of storage, the second one with 128GB storage coupled with 6GB of RAM. The third variant has 256GB of onboard storage and 8GB of RAM. The onboard storage will be expandable up to 2TB via a microSD card which will use up the second SIM slot.

The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the device in a central location. The company also spoke about the ZenEar Pro earphones which will be included in the retail box. This is something most affordable flagship devices don’t include in their packaging and Asus has in fact, claimed that its earphones are of premium quality.

As is with a flagship device these days, the Asus Zenfone 5Z has a dual-camera setup on the back. It consists of a 12MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 4-axis OIS. The secondary 8MP sensor has a wide-angle lens with a 120º field of view. This implementation is different from a lot of other flagship devices which usually have a telephoto or a monochrome lens. The OnePlus 6, for example, has two RGB sensors. The notch houses an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an 84º field of view.

The Zenfone 5Z has all the features of a flagship smartphone. Moreover, it severely undercuts the OnePlus 6 and Honor 10 in terms of pricing. The OnePlus 6 retails for Rs 34999 while the Honor 10 is priced at Rs 32999. At a starting price of Rs 29999, the Zenfone 5Z gives consumers a lot to think about before buying their next flagship smartphone.

July 4, 2018
OnePlus 6 Red To Launch On July 2nd

The OnePlus 6 was launched in India on May 17th. Even at the launch, the smartphone was unveiled in three colours, the most for any OnePlus smartphone. In India, the company went a step further and launched the OnePlus 6 Avengers Limited Edition. Keeping up with the trend of launching special edition colour variants, the OnePlus 6 Red will launch on July 2nd.

Now initiating: C61422. Do you wish to continue? https://t.co/QTDxIcWP5N #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/mTyjqk5FZZ

— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 29, 2018

OnePlus posted a teaser on Twitter seemingly confirming the existence of a red coloured OnePlus 6. The smartphone is expected to have the same all-glass design along with a notched display. Since its launch, the build quality and design (despite the notch) have been praised by critics and consumers alike. The OnePlus 6 is already available in Midnight Black, Mirror Black, and Silk White.

OnePlus 6 Avengers

It’ll be interesting to see if the OnePlus 6 Red will be available in both the variants or just the higher-end model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The OnePlus 6 Silk White is only available in the 128GB storage model while the Midnight Black and Mirror Black are available in both the variants. Apart from the new colour, all other specifications will remain the same for the new variant.

The OnePlus 6 has a 6.28 inch Optic AMOLED display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. The aspect ratio is 19:9 which means it is slightly taller than the OnePlus 5T.

Must Read: Unboxing The OnePlus 6

The 6 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset which has an octa-core processor clocked at 2.8GHz. Coupled with the flagship chipset is either 6GB or 8GB of RAM with three storage options of 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. The storage is still not user-expandable just like every other OnePlus device. The fingerprint sensor is still placed on the rear but, it has a more oval shape this time around.

Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery with Dash Charge support. Dash Charge continues to be one of the fastest charging technologies and could be the reason why OnePlus did not think that wireless charging was necessary here. Out of the box, the OnePlus 6 runs Android 8.1 Oreo with OxygenOS on top. The smartphone has gesture support. The company has announced that users will be able to download Android P Developer’s Preview from the OnePlus website soon.

The dual-camera on the OnePlus 6 includes a 16MP Sony IMX 519 sensor and a 20MP Sony IMX 376K sensor. Both are RGB sensors and have an f/1.7 aperture with OIS, another first for a OnePlus device. The cameras also record 4K videos at 60fps which is a great feature for content creators. To the front of the smartphone is a 16MP Sony IMX 371 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and EIS which records 1080P videos.

The OnePlus 6 Red will give consumers another option to choose from. With the Xiaomi Mi 8 possibly launching in India in July and undercutting the OnePlus 6, OnePlus would want to play its cards right to maintain the dominance in the affordable flagship segment.

June 30, 2018
Samsung Galaxy S9+ Sunrise Gold Limited Edition Launched In India For Rs 68900

Samsung has carried on its trend of launching special edition variants of flagship devices. A few months after launching the Galaxy S9 and S9+ in India, the company has unveiled the new Galaxy S9+ Sunrise Gold edition. As the name suggests, the new variant has a gold colour back with a satin gloss finish. The new variant will be available in the 128GB storage variant only and retail for Rs 68900.

Samsung is offering a special one-time screen replacement offer and Rs.9000 cashback when customers pay using Paytm Mall or ICICI Bank credit cards. The Galaxy S9+ Sunrise Gold edition can be bought across selected retail stores from June 20th, 2018. Customers looking to buy this variant online will have the option to pre-book the device starting June 15th, 2018 on Samsung Shop and Flipkart.

Samsung Galaxy S9+

As is with its smaller sibling, the Galaxy S9+ has the same screen size as the Galaxy S8+. It sports a 6.2 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2960 x 1440 px resolution. The smartphone has an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Exynos 9810 chipset. The Galaxy S9+ Sunrise Gold will only be available in 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant in India. Out of the box, the Galaxy S9+ runs Android 8 Oreo with Experience 9.0 on top. Powering the smartphone is a 3500 mAh battery, just like the Galaxy S8+. The smartphone will support wireless charging as well. Similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S9+ also has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

The Galaxy S9+ has a dual-camera setup on the back. It has one wide-angle 12MP camera with an f/1.5 aperture and the other is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens is the same one found on the Galaxy Note8, which means it has OIS. On the front of the smartphone is an 8MP camera with an f/1.6 aperture and it records 4K videos.

The new Galaxy S9+ Sunrise Gold edition gives consumers another option to choose from. Since it is a limited edition model, we expect it go out of stock soon. Hence, make sure you either pre-order it online or head to one of the authorised stores to pick up the new and shiny gold colour variant of the Galaxy S9+.

Buy The Galaxy S9+ Here

June 15, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi 6, Redmi 6A Running On MediaTek Chipsets Launched

Xiaomi has launched two new budget smartphones in China today. The Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A succeed the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5A which were launched in 2017. The Redmi 5 and Redmi 5A both have been launched in India at different times but, it’s unlikely that Xiaomi would launch the new budget devices in India. The Redmi 6A is priced at CNY 599 (Rs 6,500 approx.). The Redmi 6, on the other hand, will retail for CNY 799 (Rs 8,500 approx.) for the base model, and the higher end variant will cost CNY 999 (Rs 10,500 approx.).

Both the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A sport a 5.54 inch IPS display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. It was rumoured that Xiaomi would launch a Redmi device with a notch but, that turned out to be a hoax. The smartphones have an 18:9 aspect ratio and it’ll be tough to find going forward that will have the age-old 16:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the Redmi 6 runs on the MediaTek Helio P22 chipset. The smartphone will be available in two configurations – one with 3GB and 32GB onboard storage and the other with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The storage will be expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The Redmi 6A, on the other hand, runs on the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC. The device will only be available in one variant with 2GB RAM and 16GB onboard storage.

Powering both the smartphones is a 3000 mAh battery which charges via a Micro USB port. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the Redmi 6 while the Redmi 6A misses out on one. For convenience, Xiaomi has also added Face Unlock, which is not as secure, but, is an easier way to unlock your phone.

Another differentiating factor between the two smartphones in optics. To the back of the Redmi 6 is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture paired with a 5MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. The Redmi 6A, meanwhile, has a single 13MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Both the devices feature a 5MP front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

The Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A are another entrants to China’s ever-growing budget segment. It seems unlikely that these devices will launch elsewhere.

June 12, 2018
BlackBerry KEY2 With Dual Cameras And Running On Snapdragon 660 Officially Launched

BlackBerry, one of the most mobile phone brands of yesteryears has launched a new Android smartphone. The company continues to believe that there are enough smartphone users in this world that crave for a physical keyboard. The BlackBerry KEYone was built on that notion and the BlackBerry KEY2 continues from where the KEYone left off. The new smartphone is priced at US$ 649 (Rs 43700 approx.) for the base model and goes on sale globally in markets like the US later this month.

The BlackBerry KEY2 is one of the few smartphones that will offer a full-fledged physical keyboard. This time around, the length of the keyboard has been increased by 20%, which BlackBerry claims will increase comfort and typing accuracy. The leys have also been arranged in a new fret pattern to optimise spacing. The keys have a matte finish as well this time and the new speed key can launch an app, or call a favourite contact or access functions from anywhere in the UI.

The BlackBerry KEY2 has a 4.5 inch IPS LCD display with a 1620 x 1080 px resolution. The 3:2 aspect ratio is mainly because the smartphone will have a physical keyboard making it a large device to hold. The bezels aren’t very thin either and it retains the three touch capacitive buttons from the KEYone.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 660 chipset. The SoC will be coupled with 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage. The storage will be expandable up to 256GB using a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the space bar just like its predecessor. Powering the smartphone is a 3500 mAh battery with support for Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0. The headphone jack is present as well, which has become a rare sight in 2018.

The dual-camera setup on the back consists of a 12MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. The secondary sensor is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.6 aperture. The smartphone has an 8MP front-facing camera with the display acting as a flash for low-light selfies. The dual camera at the back can record 4K videos at 30fps while the front camera will record 1080P videos.

The BlackBerry KEY2 has a very specific target audience. At a price of US$649, you can easily get the high-end OnePlus 6 running on Snapdragon 845. However, only the KEY2 has a physical keyboard. It’ll be interesting to see BlackBerry’s pricing strategy in India if and when it launches the KEY2 here.

June 8, 2018
Xiaomi Redmi Y2 Launched In India Starting Rs 9999

Xiaomi has launched yet another budget smartphone in the Indian market. This time around, it is a part of Xiaomi’s selfie-centric Redmi Y lineup. The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 succeeds the Redmi Y1 which was launched in late-2017 along with the Redmi Y1 Lite. The Redmi Y1 Lite won’t see a successor right now. The Redmi Y2 will retail for Rs 9999 for the base model with 3GB of RAM. It goes on sale via offline retailers on June 12th.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 is targeted at the selfie-loving consumers in India. At a price of Rs 9999, the smartphone has an identical price as the Redmi Note 5 which offers a FullHD+ display and the same chipset.

The Redmi Y2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The circular fingerprint sensor is also placed on the back of the smartphone.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.

Under the hood, the Redmi Y2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 on top. With MIUI 9.5, the Redmi Y2 will have features like Face Unlock and gestures for navigation. Xiaomi’s implementation of gestures has been impressive and they feel quite natural compared to other Android OEMs implementation of the same.

To the back of the smartphone is a 12MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software. There is also a front-facing LED flash for better low-light images which has a 4500K brightness.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 has a peculiar price. Xiaomi believes that there are people who would prefer the Redmi Y2’s camera capabilities over the Redmi Note 5’s bigger battery and better display. One thing in favour of the Redmi Y2 is its accessibility. Since it will be available offline, people won’t have to wait for flash sales in order to purchase it.

June 7, 2018
Moto Z3 Play Running On Snapdragon 636 Officially Launched

After weeks of leaks, Lenovo-owned Motorola has launched the next iteration of Motorola’s budget modular series, the Moto Z3 Play in Brazil. The smartphone will retail for US$ 499 (Rs 33000 approx.) and come bundled with the Battery Mod. There are no details about the smartphone’s availability in India as of now.

All smartphones in the Moto Z series are compatible with the Moto Mods and so is the Moto Z3 Play. This, despite the smartphone having a 6 inch display. The company retained the dimensions of the previous Moto Z devices and managed to fit in a sizeably larger display. The Moto Z3 Play is the first smartphone in the lineup to have an 18:9 aspect ratio.

The Moto Z3 Play has a 6 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. Just like the G and E series, Motorola has stayed away from the notch trend, which many people would appreciate. The device has an 18:9 aspect ratio, which has become the norm these days.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset. The new budget chipset has been well-received in devices like the Redmi Note 5 Pro and Zenfone Max Pro. The smartphone will be available in two variants, one with 32GB storage and the other with 64GB storage which will be expandable via a microSD card. Both the variants will have 4GB of RAM which should be enough for almost everybody.

The fingerprint sensor is no longer on the front of the device thanks to thinner bezels. The sensor has now been moved to the right-hand side of the device, similar to Xperia smartphones from back in the day. powering the smartphone is a 3000 man battery which will charge via a USB-C port. Out of the box the Z3 Play will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with very little customisations done by Motorola.

The smartphone has a dual-camera setup on the back. It has a 12MP primary sensor with an f/1.7 aperture which is paired with a 5MP sensor which will collect all the depth information. To the front is an 8MP with an f/2.0 aperture.

The Moto Z3 Play appears like a sizeable upgrade over its predecessor with the new design and the Snapdragon 636 SoC. The pricing in India will be crucial for Motorola and the Z3 Play. More details to follow.

June 6, 2018
Honor Play Gaming Smartphone Running On Kirin 970 Launched

Gaming smartphones are gaining popularity by the day. After Razer, Nubia, Black Shark and Asus, Honor has launched its own gaming smartphone. After weeks of leaks, the Honor Play is now official and will be available in China exclusively for now. One of the highlights of this gaming smartphone is its pricing and should give other gaming Android devices a run for their money. The base model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage is priced at CNY 1999 (Rs 21000 approx.) and the 6GB RAM model will retail for CNY 2399 (Rs 25000 approx.).

The Honor Play takes design cues from the likes of Honor 10. It follows the notch trend but, unlike the Mi 8, it has a narrower notch which can be hidden using software. The all-glass design with an aluminium frame is something we have seen already in devices like the Honor 10 and Huawei P20 Pro. The Honor Play is no different here. There is a special edition Honor Play with a textured back and two colour options which will be retail for CNY 2499 (Rs 26100 approx.).

The Honor Play has a 6.3 inch IPS LCD display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. Like the Honor 10, this translates into a 19:9 aspect ratio which will come in handy when users hide the notch. Once the notch is hidden, the display will revert to a more traditional 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the device runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 970 SoC with a dedicated NPU for AI capabilities. This is the same SoC that powers the Huawei P20 Pro, which is priced at Rs 64999 in India. Honor claims that its new GPU Turbo technology not only improves the performance of the device but, runs games twice as stable as the Xiaomi Mi 8. This can only be tested once we get our hands on the device. Coupled with the flagship chipset is either 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The storage is expandable via microSD card.

The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the smartphone at a central and ergonomic location. Powering the Honor Play is a 3750 mAh battery which, according to Honor, will last up to 1.5 days even after heavy usage. Again, we will test this once we get our hands on the device and won’t vouch for any claims the company makes. The Lenovo Z5 has taught us an important lesson here.

To the back is a 16MP primary RGB sensor mated with a 2MP depth sensor. The depth sensor will enable bokeh effect and portrait mode shots. The notch houses a 16MP camera with AI capabilities such as portrait lighting, like the iPhone X and Huawei P20 Pro.

At this price point, the Honor Play, at least on paper, looks like an impressive device. There is no information about whether Honor will make the Honor Play available in other markets like India.

June 6, 2018
Lenovo Z5 Running On Snapdragon 636, With An iPhone X Like Notch Launched

Lenovo started teasing its revolutionary “all-screen” Lenovo Z5 a few weeks ago. The teaser images posted by Lenovo’s Vice President Chang Cheng painted a very rosy image of what the Lenovo Z5 might look like. However, the launch of the Lenovo Z5 revealed that the new smartphone doesn’t look all too different from many Android smartphones of 2018.

The Chinese smartphone maker claims that the Lenovo Z5 has thinner bezels compared to the Mi 8 and the iPhone X. The notch, as well, is smaller on the Z5 compared to the two smartphones. This is true but, it is also worth noting that both the Mi 8 and iPhone X have 3D facial recognition system. This means that the notch on these smartphones solves a purpose, while the notch on the Z5 only houses the necessary sensors and the front camera. The company claims that the Z5 has a 90% screen-to-body which is impressive.

The Lenovo Z5 is priced at CNY 1399 (Rs 14700 approx.) for 64GB storage variant and CNY 1799 (Rs 18,900 approx.) for the 128GB storage model. It goes on sale in China on 12th June at 10 am.

The Lenovo Z5 has a 6.2 inch IPS LCD display with a 2246 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into an 18.7:9 aspect ratio which is mainly because of the notch. The display has the DCI-P3 colour gamut and has a brightness of up to 700 nits.

Teaser Sketch Didn’t Reveal A Notch

Under the hood, the Lenovo Z5 runs on the Snapdragon 636 chipset. This chipset made its global debut with the Redmi Note 5 Pro and has since been used in devices like the Zenfone Max Pro as well. Coupled with the Snapdragon 636 will be 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the smartphone and not under the display. This is another feature which was anticipated in the device.

Powering the smartphone is a 3300 mAh battery which will charge via a USB-C port and 18W fast charging support. The 45 days standby time is a software feature, just like we anticipated. Out of the box, the device will run Android 8.1 Oreo with ZenUI 3.9 on top. Lenovo did adopt stock Android last year for devices like the K8 Note but, has stuck to its custom skin for the Z5.

The back of the smartphone houses a vertically-placed dual-camera setup which is uncannily similar to the iPhone X and many other Android devices. Back when the iPhone X was launched, it was mocked for “lack of imagination” as the company barely changed the orientation of the dual-camera. However, here we are with almost every Android device now launching with a vertically-placed dual camera setup. It has a 16MP primary sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and an 8MP secondary sensor. To the front is an 8MP camera with f/2.0 aperture.

The Lenovo Z5 is, without a doubt, far from the promised land. It has features that every other Android device in 2018 possesses and the design as well, is no different from the likes of OnePlus 6 and Mi 8. There are no details about the smartphone launching in India yet, but, we do expect Lenovo to launch the Z5 in other markets as well.

June 5, 2018
Moto G6 Play Launched In India For 11999

Motorola has launched a “Play” variant in the Moto G series since the Moto G4 Play was unveiled in early-2016. The more affordable of the two smartphones launched today, the Moto G6 Play does not have the same all-glass design and features an HD+ display. The G6 Play will be available in India in two variants at a starting price of Rs 11999 and will go on sale via Flipkart exclusively at midnight on 5th May.

The USP of Motorola’s “Play” models has been the battery performance and the G6 Play is no different. It features a massive 4000 mAh battery which when coupled with an HD+ display means that in theory, should result in a great battery performance. Like the G6, the G6 Play also has an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels.

The smartphone has a 5.7 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. Motorola chose not to give in to the notch trend and many people would appreciate that. The 18:9 aspect ratio means that it has a 75.2% screen-to-body ratio which, interestingly, is slightly higher than Moto G6’s.

Under the hood, the G6 Play runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 427 chipset with four 1.4GHz Cortex A53 Cores (28nm). This chipset is coupled with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage. This storage is also expandable via microSD card which will use the second SIM slot. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the Moto logo on the back while G6 has a front-facing fingerprint sensor.

Moto G6 Play With Water Repellent Coating

Powering the smartphone is a 4000 mAh battery which charges via micro USB port. The micro USB port means that it also gets a slower 10W charging.

To the back is a 13MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The camera is capable of recording 1080P video at 30fps. The front of the device is a 5MP camera with an LED flash,

The G6 Play will be up against the likes of the Redmi Note 5 and Honor 9 Lite which offer, at least on paper, much more at this price range in terms of specifications. The G6 Play’s battery is also matched by the Redmi Note 5 which has the Snapdragon 625. The smartphone goes on sale at midnight tonight at a price of Rs 11999.

June 4, 2018
Moto G6 Launched In India Starting Rs 13999

Motorola has launched the sixth generation of its highly successful Moto G series in India. The Moto G6 was globally launched on 19th April in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Over the past few days, Motorola India had been teasing the launch of the Moto G6 on social media. The new Moto G6 succeeds the Moto G5s which was launched in India in August 2017. At a starting price of Rs 13999, the Moto G6 will go on sale on 5th May midnight via Amazon exclusively.

Buy The Moto G6 Here

The Moto G6 is a significant upgrade over the Moto G5s in terms of design and build quality. During the Moto G5s launch, there were premium smartphones with the 18:9 aspect ratio but, not many budget devices had adopted the feature. Since then, however, the 18:9 aspect ratio has become the norm across the board. The Moto G6 follows the norm as well and has thin bezels around a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Motorola has also moved on from metal unibody build quality. The Moto G series came to the fore for providing quality products at an affordable price. The Moto G6 follows the same philosophy with the new all-glass design. The Honor 9 Lite did it first and the Moto G6 has followed suit. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back for added protection.

The G6 has a 5.7 inch LCD display with a 2160×1080. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio and thankfully for many, it doesn’t have a notch.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 450 chipset which has eight 1.8GHz Cortex A53 Cores (14nm) and is basically the rebranded Snapdragon 625. The Adreno 506 GPU adds the graphical prowess with either 3GB or 4GB RAM option bundled with a 32GB or 64GB storage option.

The Moto G6 does get the USB C charging capabilities along with a 15W charger, which is bundled with a 3000mAh battery. The G6 will run close to stock Android 8 Oreo out of the box in typical Motorola fashion. There were talks of Motorola adopting Lenovo’s custom skin for the G and E series in 2018 but, it turned out to be a hoax.

At the back is a dual camera setup, consisting of a primary 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.8 aperture along with a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Much like previous smartphones from the company, users can apply a depth-of-field effect to a photo after it is shot, thanks to the saved depth information. Users will also get effects like a selective black-and-white mode, a time-lapse feature, face filters, motion photos and visual search for objects and landmarks. The front houses a 16MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture and an LED flash.

The Moto G6 goes on sale at midnight on 5th June and at a price of Rs 13999, it competes with the likes of Redmi Note 5 Pro, Zenfone Max Pro and Realme 1. Although the G6 will be the most accessible thanks to no flash sales but, with a Snapdragon 450 up against the likes of Snapdragon 636, it’ll be interesting to see how many people go for the Moto G6.

June 4, 2018
Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Running On Snapdragon 710 Officially Launched

Xiaomi launched the Mi 8 to celebrate its 8th anniversary at an event in China. At the same event, the company also unveiled a special edition of the Mi 8, the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE. Up until a few days ago, there was hardly any chatter of Xiaomi launching two version of the Mi 8. However, the leaks started pouring just few days before the launch and the company confirmed all the rumours at its May 31st launch.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE resembles the nomenclature Apple went with when it launched smaller version of a flagship iPhone. Apple launched the iPhone SE and just like the iPhone SE, the Mi 8 SE is a smaller version of the flagship Mi 8. This hardly comes as a surprise as Xiaomi has historically taken “inspiration” from Apple in terms of design, nomenclature and software as well. Shades of iOS are still are evident in MIUI.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is priced at CNY 1,799 (Rs 19000 approx.) for the 4GB RAM variant and CNY 1999 (Rs 21000) for the 6GB RAM variant. The design of the Mi 8 SE remains similar to the Mi 8. It has a big notch on the display, similar to the iPhone X and a vertically placed dual-camera setup on the back. The notch on the Mi 8 SE is disappointing to say the least. Unlike the Mi 8, the SE does not have the technology for 3D facial recognition. This means that the company could have done away with the notch for this ‘Special Edition’ variant.

The Mi 8 SE has a 5.88 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2248 x 1080 px resolution. The aspect ratio is 18.7:9, which is the same as the Mi 8. The Mi 8 SE retains the glass back panel and the aluminium frame, which means that even though it has downgraded hardware, the design and build quality is as good as the flagship Mi 8.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset. It is worth noting that the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is the first-ever smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s new mid-range chipset. The Mi 8 SE will be available in two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and the other one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Powering the smartphone will be a 3120 mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0.

To the back of the smartphone is a 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.9 aperture mated with a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. To the front is a 20MP camera with a 2-micron pixel size and and f/2.0 aperture. Just like the Mi 8, the Mi 8 SE also has AI features like scene detection for better photography in the auto mode.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE has a great price and design. It is to be seen, however, how the Snapdragon 710 performs in the real world since no other smartphone has been launched with this SoC before. Will it make its way to other countries like India? Only time will tell. c

May 31, 2018