Asus has launched its new flagship smartphone, the Asus Zenfone 5Z in India. Astonishingly enough, the smartphone will retail for a starting price of Rs 29999, which is considerably cheaper than the OnePlus 6. The Zenfone 5Z has all the features for a 2018 flagship smartphone and will go on sale in India via Flipkart 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 Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact were launched at Mobile World Congress 2018. The devices are the first from Sony to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio and the new Ambient Flow design. Apart from the Galaxy S9 and Asus 5Z, these are the only two smartphones launched at MWC 2018 to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
HMD Global launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco at MWC 2018. This is the first flagship smartphone from the brand to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio display. The smartphones come with a premium glass finish with a stainless steel mid-frame. In fact, after the iPhone X, this is the only smartphone that has a stainless steel build.
After weeks of multiple leaks, Samsung has launched the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at an event in Barcelona. The design, specifications, and a lot of the features were leaked ahead of the launch. The Galaxy S9 is priced at US$ 719.99 for the unlocked version in the US. However, the starting price of the Galaxy S9+ is US$ 839.99. The smartphones will go on sale on the 16th of March globally. In India, the devices will be launched on the 6th of March and go on sale on the 16th of March along with the rest of the world.
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and its bigger sibling, the Galaxy S9+ succeeds the Galaxy S8 and S8+ as the 2018 flagship phones. Unlike the previous generation smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have more differences than just the display and battery sizes. Samsung has made the Galaxy S9+ a bit more feature-packed to justify the higher price tag.
Subsequently, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ look extremely similar to their predecessors. The bezels are slightly thinner but, it is hard to differentiate between the two generations, at least from the front. To the back of the devices is where you see the difference. While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ were two of the most successful Android smartphones of 2017 and were lauded for their looks, there was an issue with the design.
Due to the decreased bezels, Samsung had to move the fingerprint sensor to the back of the phone. However, the execution left a lot to be desired as the sensor was placed next to the camera module. It looks like Samsung took the criticism into consideration. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ come with a fingerprint sensor placed below the camera module. This is a much more ergonomic placement for a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.
Xiaomi has launched a ‘Pro’ version of the Redmi Note 5 in India at a launch event in Delhi. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will go on sale in India at a starting price of Rs. via Flipkart. The Redmi Note 5 Pro has better hardware and the company claims that the camera performance of the Redmi Note 5 Pro is its highlight. For context, the Redmi Note 5 is priced at Rs 10999.
From the front, the Redmi Note 5 Pro looks very similar to the Redmi Note 5. It has the same display and 18:9 aspect ratio like the Redmi Note 5. Once you flip the device is when you see the difference. In a move that will garner a lot of eyeballs, Xiaomi has gone for a vertically placed dual-camera setup which is positioned uncannily similar to the iPhone X. Even the LED flash is placed between the two sensors, like the iPhone X.
After months of rumours and leaked, Xiaomi has launched the follow up to the Redmi Note 4. The company has launched the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 in India at a starting price of Rs. 9999. It was speculated that Xiaomi will drop the “Note” moniker altogether and launch the Redmi 5 Plus in India. That speculation has turned out to be true as the Redmi 5 Plus has been renamed Redmi Note 5 for the Indian market.
The device will have a lot of expectations from fans after the success of the Redmi Note 4. By the company’s own admission, the Redmi Note 4 is the most successful Xiaomi phone in India. That is no mean feat considering the popularity of Xiaomi smartphones in India. However, launching the Redmi 5 Plus as the Redmi Note 5 in India might be a surprise for many.
Lenovo-owned Motorola launched its flagship in 2017, the Moto Z2 Force with a shatterproof display technology. With a lot of high-end specifications, the 2nd-gen Moto Z phone will be the flag-bearer for Moto this year. The Moto Z2 Force has the typical 2017 flagship hardware with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. It has Android Nougat out-of-the-box with a promised update to Android 8 Oreo.
Samsung has launched its new budget smartphone in India, the Galaxy On7 Prime at a price of Rs 12990 for the 3GB RAM variant and Rs. 14990 for the 4GB RAM variant. The smartphone will be sold exclusively via Amazon and will go on sale on the 20th of January during the Amazon Prime Sale.
[amazon_link asins=’B0756RCTK1′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’igyaan-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’b278aa8a-0031-11e8-8d4d-f92338f82170′] The Samsung Galaxy On7 Prime coincidentally launched the same day as the Honor 9 Lite and both the smartphones have entered the congested budget segment in the Indian market. The Samsung Galaxy On7 Prime is priced on par with the Honor 7X and the Xiaomi Mi A1 as well as the Moto G5s Plus. With the new smartphone, Samsung has extended its budget offering in the Indian market where it already sells devices like the Samsung Galaxy On8 and the Galaxy J7 Prime.
Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor has launched the new Honor 9 Lite in India at a starting price of Rs. 10999. The smartphone will be a Flipkart exclusive will go on sale via the first flash sale on the 21st of January. The 3GB RAM variant is priced at Rs. 10999 while the 4GB RAM variant is priced at Rs. 14999. At this price, the Honor 9 Lite is a great offering by the Chinese smartphone maker.
Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy A8+ in India at a price of Rs. 32990. The device is an Amazon-exclusive and will go on sale in India from the 20th of January. At this price point, the Samsung Galaxy A8+ will compete with the likes of Honor View10 and the OnePlus 5T. It has the same Infinity Display found on the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and Galaxy Note8.
The Honor 7X was launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 12999 which makes it one of the best bang for the buck Android phones in the market right now. Unlike a lot of its competitors, the Honor 7X has a nearly bezel-less display, and a tall 18:9 aspect ratio. The Honor 7X runs Android 7 Nougat with EMUI on top which gives a lot of customisation options to the user.
The Honor View10, launched in early-December at an event in London will go on sale in India on 8th of January at a price of Rs. 29,999. The price of Rs. 29,999 makes this the most affordable budget flagship available in the market right now. The OnePlus 5T and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 are priced at Rs. 32999. Registrations for the device started on the 28th of December and it will be available in two colour variant, Midnight Black and Navy Blue.
Xiaomi has launched two new budget-oriented smartphones Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus at an event in China today. The Redmi 5 is priced at CNY 799 (Rs 7,800 approx) for the 2GB RAM/16GB storage variant and CNY 899 (Rs 8,800 approx.) for the 3GBRAM/ 32GB storage variant and will be available in Black, Blue, Gold and Rose Gold colours.
The Redmi 5 Plus is priced starting at CNY 999 (Rs. 9,800 approx.) for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant and CNY 1299 (Rs. 12,700 approx.) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage option and will be available in the same colours as the Redmi 5. Both the devices run Android 7.0 Nougat with Xiaomi’s custom MIUI 9 on top.
Flipkart, one of India’s largest e-commerce websites has launched the Billion Capture+ smartphone in India. Priced at Rs 10999 for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage and Rs 12999 for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage, the Billion Capture+ phone has been made entirely in India. The smartphone will go on sale from the 15th of November and will be available online exclusively via Flipkart, of course.
HTC has launched the HTC U11 Life in two variants, one variant running Android 7.1 Nougat with Sense UI and an Android One variant running Android 8.0 Oreo. The HTC U11 Life is priced at US $349 (Rs 22500 approx.) for the unlocked version in the US. There is no official word on its availability in India as of now.
