Samsung unveiled its brand new UI when it introduced the world to its much talked about foldable phone. Although Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note 9 will be getting updated to Android Pie based One UI next year, reports have suggested that the company has no plans of rolling out the update to Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8.
The South Korean technology giant’s flagships from last year are running Samsung Experience UX and don’t have support for one-handed features that will come to devices with One UI.
According to a report in Tom Guide, it has been confirmed by Samsung that its Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note 8 will “miss out” on the One UI experience. However, at Samsung Developer Conference 2018, the company announced that Android Pie-based One UI would come to Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9 smartphones. It also said that users should expect to get the update by January next year.
An open beta programme for the update would begin this month itself in the United States, Germany and Samsung’s home country South Korea. These will be followed by countries in Europe and Asia.
One UI by Samsung is supposed to deliver a “more natural and comfortable” one-handed user experience than the one that is currently available on Samsung Experience UX. With One UI, Samsung has transformed the upper part of the display for viewing and the lower part of it has been dedicated to touch interaction. One UI has also rearranged the options in Settings to provide relative functions together and tabs on pre-installed apps have been made more accessible by moving them from top to bottom.
According to Samsung, the main aim of the new interface is to provide a less cluttered experience than the one available right now. As of now, there is no clarity on whether Samsung’s last year flagship smartphones — Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 — would receive an Android 9.0 Pie update with Samsung Experience UX. They were initially launched with Android Nougat with Samsung Experience UX baked on top and all three have got an update for Android Oreo.
Technology giant Google is reportedly planning to add two more smartphones to its Pixel lineup. And this time, the smartphones will not be in the high-end range. Instead, Google will be releasing these devices in the mid-range segment.
But then, this is not the first time that reports of such a phone by Google have surfaced online. It was earlier reported in June this year that Google is working on a mid-range Pixel smartphone, when a phone codenamed Bonito powered by Snapdragon 710 got spotted. Although we are yet to hear from Google regarding its mid-range Pixel phone, a report has surfaced online which points towards the technology giant working on a device in the said range.
The codename Bonito that we mentioned earlier has been spotted again. And this time, it was found in the code of the latest ARCore APK. There was no other information about the device that was available.
However, it is worth noticing that the codename Bonito was found alongside another codename, Sargo.
Although there is no guarantee on the fact that these devices are made by Google, the fish related names do suggest that they are.
Google usually launches its smartphones every year in two sizes, and that further points towards Bonito and Sargo being devices made by the technology company. It is being speculated that Sargo is the smaller version of the two and Bonito will be the high-end one. However, we can’t agree or disagree with that till more details about the upcoming smartphones surface.
Since we don’t know much about the devices, we obviously don’t know about their release date too. But a recent rumour claimed that Google will unveil its mid-range smartphones in early 2019.
To recall, before Google’s Pixels series came into being, the company sold smartphones from the Nexus series that were comparatively affordable. The devices in the Nexus series offers the same clutter-free Android experience that Google Pixel smartphones do.
But with Pixel series, an entirely new market was targeted by Google, as their pricing and specifications made them compete with flagships from Apple and Google.
Now, with Bonito and Sargo, it seems like technology giant is planning to capture the Nexus audience, which it lost when it launched more high-end smartphones.
If you use an iPhone, you may soon be able to unsend messages on Facebook Messenger. Till now, the unsend feature of Facebook Messenger was only available for a selected few, but soon, it will be rolling out to all.
But then, there is a catch. You must delete the message within 10 minutes of sending it. The sort time span that Facebook is giving its users makes WhatsApp’s 1-hour time span for deleting messages look so much better in comparison.
The change was first spotted by The Verge and it is reportedly listed as ‘coming soon’ in the release notes of Messenger for iOS version 1919.0.
Earlier this year in April, TechCrunch had reported that the social networking giant had secretly been deleting messages sent by Mark Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives from inboxes belonging to other people.
Facebook had said that it had taken certain steps to enhance corporate security post the Sony Pictures hack of 2014. But during the Cambridge Analytica scandal that happened this year, this admission only dented the company’s reputation further. After the demand for this feature grew, Facebook promised to roll it out to all.
However, there are still some questions that remain. For instance, will the company inform the recipient that a message sent to them has been retracted? We will have to wait for the feature to roll out to find out.
Popular messaging app WhatsApp, which is also owned by Facebook, got the feature to recall messages in October 2017. While earlier the time-limit to retract messages on WhatsApp was limited to 7 mins, it was later extended to 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds.
Post the update, a message sent on WhatsApp will only get deleted if revoke request reaches the recipient within 13 hours, 8 minutes and 16 seconds. So in case it doesn’t within the said period, maybe because the recipient’s phone is off or in no-network area, the sender would not be able to recall the message.
However, senders wouldn’t have to do anything extra for it and the entire process will happen at the back-end.
OnePlus has started rolling out the OxygenOS 9.0.5 update for its latest device OnePlus 6T. The update for OnePlus 6T is under 100MB and is stated to get two changes to the smartphone. The first is ‘General bug fixes and improvements’ and the second is ‘Improvements for Screen Unlock’.
We did download the update and we do think that it has made a difference to the screen unlock of OnePlus 6T. Earlier, we did face a lag at times before the smartphone would unlock with the in-display fingerprint sensor. But post the update, it is much quicker and it reads fingers of both our hands accurately. For us, the smartphone’s unlock started working better immediately.
It is worth noticing that OnePlus 6T uses the same in-display fingerprint scanner as Vivo and Oppo smartphones. This isn’t surprising as all three have the same parent company, BBK Electronics.
There are two kinds of in-display fingerprint scanners — ultrasonic and optical. OnePlus 6T, and devices from Oppo and Vivo, use the optical on-screen fingerprint sensor. Optical in-display fingerprint sensors are usually cheaper and less secure than ultrasonic on-screen fingerprint scanners. This is because they capture the fingerprint in the form of a 2D image, which is later used to analyse the prints on the finger. Ultrasonic fingerprint sensors, on the other hand, use ultrasound to create a 3D image of the user’s finger(s).
But then, on the upside, optical fingerprint sensors are supposed to be quicker than ultrasonic. Besides an in-display fingerprint sensor, OnePlus 6T mobile also comes with face unlock technology.
The update is now rolling out to all OnePlus 6T devices and users should have received a notification for the same.
Speaking of in-display fingerprint sensors, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10 smartphone will also reportedly sport one. However, the South Korean technology giant has opted for an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner rather than an optical one.
According to reports, Samsung has dedicated 30% of Galaxy S10’s screen’s area for the fingerprint sensor, meaning that the user can place his finger anywhere in that area to unlock the device.
We already like the idea of so much screen being dedicated to the fingerprint scanner and we are looking forward to seeing how it actually works.
Oppo RX17 Pro and RX17 Neo smartphones have been launched in Europe. Both the smartphones sport a waterdrop-shaped notch, have a gradient shiny back and come with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Smartphones by Oppo and Vivo are known for their selfie cameras, and RX17 Pro and RX17 Neo are not exceptions. Both the smartphones house a 25MP AI front facing camera. Other specifications that are common between them include ColorOS 5.2 based on Android and a 6.4-inch display. The smartphones are rebranded versions of Oppo R17 Pro and R17 Neo that have been launched earlier in China and Japan. Let’s take a look at the specifctaions and the price of the device:
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Oppo RX17 Pro, Oppo RX17 Neo price and availability
While Oppo RX17 Pro comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, Oppo RX17 Neo is available with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The former is priced at EUR 599, the latter costs EUR 349. The smartphones will be available in Italy, France, Spain, and the Netherlands starting November 16. Oppo RX17 Pro comes in Radiant Mist and Emerald Green colour options and the RX17 Neo is available in Mocha Red, and Astral Blue colours.
Oppo RX17 Pro, Oppo RX17 Neo specifications
Now let’s talk about the specifications of the two devices. We’ll begin with Oppo Rx17 Pro that features a 6.4-inch full HD+ display that comes with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The display of the smartphone houses an on-screen fingerprint sensor and sports a waterdrop-shaped notch on the top.
The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with ColorOS 5.2 and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 710 processor paired with adreno 616 GPU. The smartphone comes with 6GB of RAM and 128 of onboard storage.
Oppo RX17 Pro sports a triple rear camera setup with a 12MP primary camera with f/1.5-2.4 variable aperture and optical image stabilization, a 20MP sensor with f/1.6 aperture and a Time of Flight 3D sensing camera. The rear cameras come with an LED flash.
For selfies, there is a 25MP front facing snapper that comes with Sony IMX576 sensor and has an f/2.0 aperture. The selfie camera of the smartphone also has AI features.
Oppo RX17 Pro mobile houses a 3,700mAh battery that supports SuperVOOC Flash Charge. With the said technology, the smartphone is claimed to charge from zero to 40% in 10 minutes. Connectivity options of the smartphone include Dual 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth v5, Wi-Fi, GPS, USB OTG, USB Type-C, NFC, and more.
Speaking of Oppo RX17 Neo, it is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 660 processor that is paired with Adreno 512 GPU. The smartphone comes with 4GB of RAMa= and has the same storage as Oppo RX17 Pro. The smartphone comes with 16MP+2MP rear cameras that come with f/1.75 aperture and f/2.4 aperture respectively. The smartphone packs a 3,600mAh battery.
Among the most awaited phones from HMD Global is Nokia 9. And the company is just making fans longer for it as according to reports, Nokia 9 will not be unveiled this year. If you are waiting for it to launch, you will have to wait till MWC 2019.
But the rumour mill about the upcoming Nokia smartphone is still on. Although we did have an idea about what the device will look like thanks to images that have been leaked in the past, some new renders of Nokia 9 have leaked online. And the new renders, which come courtesy OnLeaks in collaboration with 91Mobiles, show the design of Nokia 9 from all angles.
You can see the edge-to-edge display with thin bezels and no notch on top. According to reports, the upcoming Nokia device will sport a 5.9-inch QHD+ display that has an aspect ratio of 18:9.
Like Nokia 8 Sirocco (review), Nokia 9 smartphone will also come with a glass back panel. The glass on the back of Nokia 9 will curve around the edges of the device and since there is no physical fingerprint sensor on the device, the company may have replaced it with an in-display fingerprint scanner.
But the key feature of Nokia 9 mobile is the penta-lens setup on the back panel. The upcoming device will be the first ever smartphone to come with five rear cameras, unless some other technology company launches a device with penta-lens setup before Nokia 9’s launch.
The renders show the cameras arranged in a hexagonal pattern at the back panel of Nokia 9 smartphone. However, there are seven cut-outs and not six, as one lies right in the centre of all the other lenses. Out of these seven, five are camera sensors, one is LED flash, and the last one is expected to be used for proximity detection.
It is being said that HMD Global will be using Zeiss lenses and go for a Pureview branding. There are also reports that say that the phone will be called Nokia 9 PureView, but there are no official reports on it.
Nokia 9 will come with Android 9 Pie out of the box and will be powered by either Snapdragon 845 or 855 processor. Like most other Nokia smartphones that we have seen recently, Nokia 9 will be a part of Google’s Android One program. It is also rumoured to come with up to 8GB RAM, 128GB onboard storage and house a 4,150mAh battery.
After weeks of rumours and leaks, South Korean technology giant Samsung finally unveiled its foldable phone. The Samsung Developer Conference started yesterday, while there were reports that the company will only be showing the UI of the upcoming phone, it instead showcased the foldable tablet-sized device on the very first day itself.
Samsung’s tablet-sized device can be folded into a phone and the company calls it the Infinity Flex Display. Although the company did not talk too much about it, we now at least what actually Samsung’s foldable phone is like and that it will be made available to the masses.
Rumours suggest that Samsung plans to call its device as Galaxy F, but then, there is no official word on it yet. Samsung is being extremely careful about the information that it is disclosing about the device so far. It even went to the extent of dimming the lights and hiding the phone’s design during the presentation so that the audience could only see the display.
Speaking of the display, Samsung’s foldable phone has a 7.3-inch AMOLED screen that can be folded in the middle. The tablet then turns into a candybar phone. That’s not all. The device also has a 4.6-inch AMOLED secondary display that is placed on the outer cover and is visible when the device is folded. It comes handy when the device is being used as a phone and not a tablet.
Samsung said that the device has been designed to offer users a tablet and a smartphone in one device and further went on to say that the phone’s Infinity Flex Display is thin and can be folded “hundreds of thousands of times.”
Samsung has also come with a new interface called One UI, which can work when the device is being used as a tablet as well as when it is being used as a phone. According to the company, the minimalistic user interface of the phone is based on Android, and will show only useful content at the bottom of the screen. On unfolding the device, users get a lot of scope for multitasking as they can simultaneously run three apps on the tablet’s screen.
There is no official launch date of the device, but the new foldable device by Samsung is expected to be there at CES 2019.
Samsung’s developer conference is all set to begin today and the South Korean technology giant will be showcasing its foldable smartphone for the first time there. The company considers it important to get a feedback from developers on what can be the best way for apps to behave when the tablet unfolds. Or, in simpler words, how they should go from smartphone sized screen to a tablet sized screen.
Samsung’s VP of mobile communication has confirmed that the company will be showcasing the smartphone’s user interface at its developer conference. And another official from the company said that the images of the device will be revealed.
However, we may not get to the device at Samsung Developer Conference, as the company seems to be working on finalizing the design.
A source from Samsung who did not wish to be named, told Reuters, “Unlike our flagship products, the foldable phone is a completely new concept in terms of design and user experience, which requires a different approach.”
He further said, “Before we take it to the market, we want to share with developers what we’ve done so far and see what they think of it.”
The foldable smartphone by the company is currently being called Samsung Galaxy F and it is expected to launch early next year along with Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup. According to a report that surfaced earlier in The Wall Street Journal, Samsung’s foldable phone is around 7-inches diagonal when unfolded. The same report also disclosed that the upcoming smartphone has been codenamed ‘Winner’.
In an interview with Cnet, Samsung’s mobile division CEO DJ Koh said that the company’s foldable smartphone is not a “gimmick product” that disappears just six to nine months after being launched. He explained how it can work as a tablet as well as a smartphone.
He also said that unlike Samsung Galaxy Round that was only sold in its home country, the foldable phone by Samsung will be made available in globally.
CEO Koh also addressed the fact that not everyone would want their phone to come with a screen as big as Samsung is planning for its foldable device. He was quoted saying, “Possibly when we start selling the foldable phone, it may be a niche market, but definitely, it will expand. I’m positive that we do need a foldable phone.”
Emojis, GIFs and stickers are definitely one among the factors that make conversations on instant messengers better than what they when the world was dependent on SMSes. Today, we are here to talk about Stickers, which have been available for a while on apps like Snapchat and Telegram, but just recently made their to WhatsApp. Till now, only Beta testers had access to the Sticker Store on WhatsApp, but the feature has now been rolled out to all. If you are someone who wishes to use these Stickers to make your everyday conversations better, here is how you can get started:
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For Android
1. Update your WhatsApp Android app to version 2.18 or above.
2. Open WhatsApp and open the chat of the contact whom you wish to send the sticker.
3. Click on Smiley icon on top left of the chat bar and then select then the Sticker icon on the bottom bar. The Sticker icon is the square shaped button that has rounded corners. It will be placed right next to GIF button.
4. Once you click the Sticker icon, you will see that ‘Cuppy’ stocker is already available for you to use.
5. Just click on the sticker to send it on chat.
6. WhatsApp is offering 12 sticker packs for free to its users. You can download them by going to ‘All Stickers’ by pressing the ‘+’ icon. Besides Cuppy, you have the option of using Salty by Alisa Keyzhanovaska, Komo by Sanat Rath, Bibimbap Friends by Pete Ellison, Unchi & Rollie by nu1t, Shiba Inu by Aiko Kuninoi, The Maladroits by Cole Ott, Koko by Hanasake Pictures Inc, Hatch by Hatch, Fearless and Fabulous by Ann Shen, Banan by Jayde Fish and Biscuit by Ghostbot.
7. Tap on the download icon next to the sticker packs you like to use them in chats.
8. If these aren’t enough for you, you can scroll all the way down on ‘All Stickers’ page and select ‘Get More Stickers’.
9. You would be taken to the Play Store where you can download Stickers of various themes like Game of Thrones, Diwali, Meme stickers, Donald Trump, etc.
For iOS
If you are an Apple user, you can access the Stickers icon by from the right corner of chat box. Rest of the instructions are the same.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has unveiled its Redmi Note 6 Pro smartphone is Indonesia today. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro’s launch was expected to be held in China because a report that had earlier surfaced online said so. Among the key features of the smartphone are its bigger display and its quad cameras. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is available in three colour options. Here are the specifications and the pricing details of the newly launched smartphone by Xiaomi:
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro price
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is available in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants. While the base model has 32GB onboard storage, the 4GB RAM version is clubbed with 64GB internal storage. Both the models are priced at IDR 28,99,000 and IDR 32,99,000 respectively. On doing currency conversion, the price of the base variant becomes around Rs 14,500 and that of 4GB RAM model becomes approximately Rs 16,500. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is available in Black, Rose Gold and Blue colour options and reports claim that it will be launched in India by the end of this month. Earlier it was speculated that the smartphone will be available in four colour options, but that hasn’t turned out to be the case.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro specifications
Before we begin to talk about the specifications of the smartphone, we should mention that some of the key specs remain the same as its predecessor Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro’s. This includes the dual rear cameras, the battery and the processor of the smartphone. Also note that if you compare the base models of the two phones, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro packs lesser RAM and storage.
The smartphone features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9 aspect ratio and comes with 2.5D curved glass. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 14nm processor, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro comes in 3GB and 4GB RAM options. While the 3GB RAM model comes with 32GB onboard storage, the 4GB RAM variant has 64GB internal storage. It is worth noticing that Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro came in 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage options. So, users got more RAM and storage on buying the base model. Coming back to Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, if you feel short of storage, you can add a microSD card of up to 128GB.
For imaging duties, the smartphone by Xiaomi sports two cameras on its back and two on its front panel. Speaking of the dual rear camera setup, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro sports 12MP and 5MP sensors, that are the same as Redmi Note 5 Pro’s. And as far as selfie cameras go, there is the same 20MP with Sony IMX376 sensor, however, it is clubbed with an additional 2MP camera. According to Xiaomi, the secondary selfie camera has an AI portrait selfie mode.
Redmi Note 6 Pro runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with MIUI 10 and houses a 4,000mAh battery. It comes with a fingerprint sensor as well as face unlock. On connectivity front, there is support for dual 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, and GPS + GLONASS.
Many expected iPhone XR to be the best selling smartphone in Apple’s this year’s lineup, considering that it has been touted as the ‘affordable’ one among the three in the range. But it looks like that’s not how things are turning out.
According to a report in Nikkei Asian Review, sales-wise, iPhone XR is not doing well in spite of being the most affordable iPhone of 2018. And because the sales aren’t as good as the Cupertino based technology giant expected them to be, Apple has cancelled a ‘production boost’ for iPhone XR.
Apple has told Foxconn and Pegatron to hault all plans for additional production lines dedicated to iPhone XR. And this move by the company clearly indicates a disappointing demand for the ‘affordable’ iPhone. For those unaware, Foxconn and Pegatron assemble smartphones for Apple, alongside Wistron.
According to source who has been quoted, “for the Foxconn side, it first prepared nearly 60 assembly lines for Apple’s XR model, but recently uses only around 45 production lines as its top customer said it does not need to manufacture that many by now”.
In practice, this basically means that Foxconn will be making around 1,00,000 fewer iPhone XR units per day. Compared to what Apple had forecasted, this is 20% to 25% less.
The situation is not very different at Pegatron and plans of ramping up iPhone XR’s production have been suspended. The firm currently wait for further instructions from Apple. Another source confirmed this by saying that the utilization for the XR production is not reaching its maximum capacity now.
And according to supply chain sources, Wistron, which has smaller iPhone assembler for rush orders, may not receive any for iPhone XR smartphone this holiday season.
On the other hand, Apple has been ordering more of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models. Going by this, it’s easy to assume that customers are opting to buy the previous generation iPhones more than the current generation. Considering that iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus prices are lower than that of iPhone XR, maybe for customers they are the true affordable option. Another reason can be that some Apple fans may not have adapted to the all-screen experience that is being offered by the company in its entire lineup.
While Apple had earlier planned to sell around 20 million of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in these two quarters, it has already order 5 million extra. So it really does look like the ‘affordable’ iPhone of 2018 is not so affordable after all.
Rumours and leaks about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 are not coming to and now we know what processor the South Korean technology giant plans to use in the upcoming smartphone.
According to tipster Ice Universe, Samsung is working on a dual core NPU, which is an AI-specific co-processor, for the upcoming 7nm chipsets. He further said that we can expect to see a dual core design and a smooth performance in AI specific tasks. The NPU will be used in image processing for Samsung Galaxy S10’s camera and give a boost to video recording and voice recognition.
Samsung Galaxy S10 will use Samsung's self-developed world's first 7nm EUV dual-core NPU chip on Exynos 9820. One of the features of the AI chip is to enhance the camera and work with the ISP for the Galaxy S10 camera.
It is worth noticing that smartphones that are Samsung Galaxy S10’s rivals like iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and Huawei Mate 20 Pro, are all powered by 7nm chips. Furthermore, these smartphones have chip cores that are particularly dedicated for neural engines that handle artificial intelligence and machine learning features. It would have been easy to achieve this for both the companies as both Apple and Huawei manufacture their chips in-house. And Google Pixel 3 mobile, which has been touted for its photography comes with the company’s own Pixel Visual Core processor.
However, do keep in mind that not all smartphones that are said to have AI features come with processors of their own. Samsung had unveiled the Exynos 7 9610 processor this year, which is the first to come with an NPU and uses artificial intelligence for automatic scene recognition and bokeh rendering.
That’s not all. The Ice Universe has also tweeted the Android Pie beta for Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 9, and it does happen to drop a hint about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10’s design.
The latest version of Android beta for the current flagships of Samsung shows an outline of a smartphone with extremely thin bezels at least on the top and the right and left sides of the smartphone. The bottom edge is not visible. This can a hint towards the design of Samsung Galaxy S10.
Also, the reason why we are not dismissing it as just an outline is the fact that Android Oreo beta for Samsung Galaxy S8 gave us a glimpse of S9’s design and Android Nougat’s beta predicted S8’s look. So it’s safe to assume that Android Pie beta update for Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 9 is giving away the design of S10.
Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone would only get unveiled early next year, but rumours about it have been circulating on the internet for a few weeks now. And we have some news about it again. Going by a report that has surfaced online, Samsung Galaxy S10 wouldn’t come with the iris scanner, but instead would sport an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.
According to Gizbot, tipster Ice Universe has suggested on his Twitter account that Samsung is planning to completely let go of the iris scanner that has been present in its all flagship smartphones since it launched the Galaxy S8. Instead the South Korean technology giant is going for an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner which will cover at least 30% display of the upcoming galaxy S10 smartphone. So, there will be a much larger area on display where users can place their finger to unlock the device.
Yes, the S10 cancels the iris sensor and the ultrasonic fingerprint is enough to replace it.
To highlight the difference between the two, ultrasonic fingerprint scanners use ultrasonic pulse against the finger to map its pores and ridges and then uses it to detect the fingerprint. An optical fingerprint sensor, on the other hand, uses light to illuminate the pores and ridges on your finger and then maps it.
On being compared, ultrasonic fingerprint scanners are more accurate and work faster. This is because sound is able to create an in-depth 3D map of the user’s fingerprint and the technology used by optical fingerprint sensors can only make a 2D scan of the fingerprint.
This is the reason why optical fingerprint sensors don’t work well when your fingers are dirty or moist.
We are really looking forward to see how the fingerprint sensor of Samsung Galaxy S10 performs and we already like the fact that the technology company is dedicating 30% of the screen to the fingerprint scanner alone. We would have to wait till the launch next year to know more about it and till then, we’ll keep you updated with whatever we know.
As suggested by reports a few days back, OnePlus has launched a new colour variant of its flagship OnePlus 6T. And it’s none other than Thunder Purple colour that was reported about earlier.
However, as of now, the new colour variant of OnePlus 6T is only available in China. If you can’t wait to but the newly launched OnePlus 6T device, then you must settle for Midnight Black and Mirror Black colour options that the smartphone was initially launched in.
It is worth noticing that the gradient Thunder Purple colour variant of OnePlus 6T would only be available in 8GB RAM/128GB storage option. If one goes by Google Translate, the option listed on OnePlus’ China website is ‘Electro-optic Violet’. It will be made available for sale in China on November 6 and is priced at CNY 3,599. As of now, there is no word on the new colour variant’s India availability or pricing.
Last month, OnePlus 6T’s Thunder Purple colour variant was spotted on the company’s support page and also got listed briefly on Amazon’s Germany website. Like its predecessor, OnePlus may also launch a Lava Red or a Silk White variant of the OnePlus 6T. However, as of now, there is no word about it.
To recall the specifications of the recently launched smartphone, OnePlus 6T comes with a 6.41-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display that has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and sport a waterdrop-shaped notch on top. OnePlus 6T mobile is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM options. The smartphone is available in 128GB and 256GB storage variants and does not support microSD cards.
The new offering by OnePlus runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with the company’s own OxygenOS. For imaging duties, there is a dual rear camera setup that comes with a 16MP Sony IMX519 sensor and a 20MP Sony IMX376K sensor. The cameras come with a dual LED flash and has OIS and EIS.
If you love taking selfies, OnePlus 6T’s camera comes with a 16MP Sony IMX371 sensor. Although the cameras are same as OnePlus 6, there are new modes that have been added including Nightscape and Studio Lights. OnePlus 6T smartphone houses a 3,700mAh battery that supports fast charging (5V, 4A).
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is all set to launch its A7 smartphone. A report has surfaced online which claims that the upcoming smartphone is all set to launch in China on November 13.
And just days ahead of Oppo A7’s launch, its renders and promotional images have been leaked, and looking at them, we can guess a number of things about Oppo’s next smartphone.
These renders were first spotted by AndroidPure and they reveal the basic design of the upcoming Oppo A7 smartphone.
Oppo A7 is available in Glaring Gold and Glaze Blue colour options and come with gold-coloured rims and frames.
When it comes to the design of the smartphone, it does look a lot like Oppo’s Realme 2 smartphone. However, there is one key difference: Oppo A7 has a water-drop shaped notch on the top of its display.
Coming to the specifications of the smartphone, a report in MySmartPrice claims that Oppo A7 will be powered by an octa-core 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 processor that will be coupled with Adreno 506 GPU. Oppo A7 mobile will come in 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM options. While the base model will have 32GB internal storage, the 4GB RAM variant will come with 64GB onboard storage.
It is likely the Oppo A7 will sport a 6.2-inch 18:9 FullView 2.5D curved glass display that will be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Oppo A7 will run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box that will be skinned with Color OS 5.2.
For imaging duties, there will be a dual rear camera setup with a 13MP sensor that has LED flash and a 2MP depth sensor. Oppo A7 will reportedly sports a 16MP selfie camera and houses a 4,230mAh battery. We will have to wait for a few more days to know what the specifications and features of the device are and till then, we will keep you updated with all that we know.
We wouldn’t be wrong to assume that Oppo A7 is a rebranded version of the company’s Realme 2 smartphone that was launched in India sometime back. The smartphones not only look similar to each other, but they have a similar set of specifications too. Speaking of the differences of the two devices, they come in different colour options, and Oppo A7 sports a bigger selfie camera and has a waterdrop shaped notch.
A good way to splurge on yourself or a loved one during festive season is by gifting gold. It is a gift that only becomes more valuable as years go by. And if you do want to buy gold for yourself or to gift someone you know this Diwali, and you are planning to shop online, then you must be extra careful. Only go for recognized websites and apps and don’t just shop from anywhere.
A few must-knows before you buy gold online are checking if the gold used is 24k or not, whether or not does the product carry any Hallmark certification, what the making charges are, if there is a return or a buyback policy being offered, and whether the website is ready to provide you with a bill and a proper packaging.
There is a lot that you must keep in mind. And that is why, you must choose a website that is reliable. Here, we list down some websites that you can trust enough to buy gold from:
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Tanishq (Titan)
Tanishq is among the most trusted brands for buying gold in India. And that is why, one can have complete faith while shopping for gold at titan.co.in – which is Tanishq’s website that is meant for online shopping. It doesn’t matter what you are planning to buy – gold coins or jewellery – you would not have to worry yourself about it being adulterated.
Caratlane
Caratlane is both a website and an app. ‘A Tanishq partnership’, Caratlane was the website that started online shopping for jewellery in India. Tanishq’s association definitely makes us trust the app enough to shop from it and its ‘Try at home’ option is something we really like. In order for you to see the jewellery in person before buying, officials from the company visit your home at a time when it is convenient for you with the items that you have selected. So you can try it before you pay for it.
BlueStone
BlueStone is a website and an app too, and it is one among those startups that have managed to secure a funding from that former chairman of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata. You can buy jewellery as well as gold coins on the app and like Caratlane, there is an option of trying at home too.
PC Jeweller
You can head to the website of PC Jewellers, which is a very popular jewellery brand in India to shop for gold. This website is particularly helpful if you need the piece of jewellery or gold coins delivered to you on the same day. You can go to the website’s ‘Same Day delivery’ section and choose from the items on which it is applicable.
Paytm
Paytm also offers its users the option of buying gold from its app. However, you can only buy for gold coins on the app, so don’t go looking for jewellery. Paytm further gives its users a cashback on most of these gold coins so it’s easy to call it a good place to shop for gold if you are looking for deals too. But no matter where you buy gold from, do keep in mid the points we told you to consider to make the purchase.
While most companies are in a race to launch a smartphone that comes with 5G connectivity, Apple seems to be a little laid back about it. Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 3 will get a 5G upgrade in sometime, and the likes of Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus have promised to release their devices with 5G connectivity in 2019 too.
However, according to a report in Fast Company, Apple would be relying on Intel to supply 5G modems, however, they don’t seem to meet the technology giant’s requirements.
Apple’s partnership with Intel is now new. The companies have had a tie-up since 2015 now. And the recently launched iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR were the first smartphone line-up where the Cupertino-based technology giant used Intel modems exclusively for its smartphones.
The report in Fast Company further said that Apple will be launching an iPhone with 5GB connectivity in 2020 and the smartphone would have Intel’s 8161 5G modem chip. Till the said chip remains under development, Apple will be using Intel’s 8060 modem chip to test 5G compliance.
Currently, AT&T and Verizon provide 5G in the United States and their bandwidth allocation lies in the millimeter-wave spectrum. To work with them, Intel’s modems would have to provide high performance over long durations. According to Fast Company, the Intel modems generate ‘higher than normal’ levels of heat and because of this, the iPhone’ battery may not last long. Apple is said to have had talks with MediaTek, but then, it is highly unlikely that it will break its tie-up with Intel for launch a 5G-enabled iPhone sooner. MediaTek can possibly be a ‘Plan B’ for Apple right now.
It is worth noticing that Intel is not the only one working in 5G modems for smartphones. Chipmakers including Qualcomms and MediaTek are developing their own processors with support for 5G too. And the issues we spoke about earlier aren’t exclusive to iPhone’s battery. Even Android smartphone manufacturers that have used Qualcomm’s X50 chip have also faced heating issues with the millimeter wave 5G network.
Last month, it was announced by OnePlus and Huawei that both of them are working on their respective 5G enabled smartphones. Xiaomi will also be launching a 5G version of Mi Mix 3 and Samsung is said to be a part of 5G race too.
There is no denying the fact that India is an extremely important market for Apple. However, this year in India is not proving to be as good for Apple as the last few were. According to Counterpoint, iPhone sales are set to dip by around a quarter in Q4. And this puts Apple on the course of its first full year fall in four years.
The fact that Apple is struggling to break through with India’s 1.3 billion consumers came into better focus last week. According to Counterpoint, the Cupertino based technology giant has blamed big emerging markets for its disappointing set of sales forecasts.
After publishing its third quarter results, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that sales in India were flat in the fourth quarter. It is worth noticing that the fourth quarter in India is usually a great time for sales of technology companies, given that an entire month is dedicated to festive season sales.
According to Neil Shah, a research director at Counterpoint Research, that its channel checks point towards numbers in the range of 7,00,000 to 8,00,000 units in this quarter, while a year ago it was a million.
He further said that for the entire 2018, Apple would be sell around 2 million iPhones, which is a drop of around a million from last year. The reasons for this can be the that iPhones are not priced higher, and the cost further increases because of trade tariffs and the decline in the value of Rupee.
Shah also said, “Sales are set to drop for the first time in four years. If you look at Q3 – it was 900k last year and this (year) is almost 450k. iPhones have gone costlier and the features and specs aren’t that compelling. The install base of Android has grown vastly; the new customer base (for Apple) is not coming.”
But then, not all is lost. Speaking further on the matter, Shah added that more than half the smartphones that were sold this year were older iPhone models and because they too, are priced high, Apple should at least be able to maintain a flat revenue or attain a value that is slightly higher than last year.
CEO Tim Cook has addressed the problems that the company is facing in India as “speed bumps along a very long journey”. Most analysts agree that the prestige that is attached to Apple’s brand should let the company take back its lost ground.
Homegrown consumer electronics maker Micromax has launched two new 4K Ultra-HD smart televisions in India. The 49-inch and 55-inch screen variants of 4K Micromax Android TVs bear a price tag of Rs 51,000 and Rs 61,990 respectively and both the televisions will be available in Indi this month itself.
The televisions are promised to showcase an enhanced picture and sound quality and are being touted as Eco Energy efficient. With this, the company means that they would utilize less power without having any effect on their performance.
It is worth noticing that these televisions are the first ever by the company that are Google certified. According to Micromax, the two come with Google’s Play Store, games, movies, music and more. The Android televisions also come with Google Assistant, voice enabled search and have a built-in Chromecast.
The new offerings by Micromax come with high-dynamic range technology, which is said to result in crisper image quality.
Besides this, the new televisions also come with Pure Sound Technology that is certified by DOLBY and DTS. Micromax’s newly launched smart TV comes with two 12 watts speakers and are claimed to be Eco Energy efficient, meaning that they consume less power. They are powered by Cortex-A53 processor clubbed with 2.5GB RAM and 16GB flash storage. For connectivity options, there is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on board.
Micromax has said that its latest televisions run the latest Android version, however, it has not specified the operating system version.
Speaking about the launch, Rohan Agarwal, Director, Micromax Informatics said, “It is our constant endeavour to bring alive the best experience and connectivity through our multiple screens. Today, with the launch of our first ever Google-certified television, we have taken a step further in providing our consumers with memorable and stunning picture-quality experience and a wide array of options with Google’s PlayStore. The new range targets the consumers who want a larger than life experience and desire to access smart android content on a bigger, sharper, crystal clear screen. We are committed to grow this category further and consolidate our position in the television segment in India.”
It has been three months since Android 9.0 Pie’s stable update has been rolled out. And a number of technology companies have promised the update for their smartphones. However, in the latest numbers that were revealed by Google last month, Android Pie is not even visible on the distribution charts, meaning that it is currently available on less than 0.1% devices.
So, while a number of consumer electronics manufacturers have said that their flagships or other smartphones would receive the Android 9.0 Pie update, a few have actually rolled it out to their devices. And sadly, these include big players like Xiaomi and Samsung.
Overlooking these promises, we have curated a list of smartphones that have already received the Android 9.0 Pie update, or even better, have been launched with the latest Android update out of the box. While some are already available in India, some are awaited. And on some of these smartphones, the update is rolling out in a phased manner. So if your friend in a different country has received it and you haven’t, don’t fret over it because it wouldn’t take too long to reach you too.
So check out our list now, so you know which smartphone to go for if you don’t wish to wait for Android Pie update to come to your device and are willing to buy a new device that has it already:
Are you looking for the perfect gift for your loved ones this Diwali? If the answer is yes, then we are here to help you with it. Yesterday, we had listed all the smartphones that would make a good gift, and today we have curated a list of televisions, laptops, cameras, tablets and smartwatches for you. Read on and pick the perfect Diwali gift right here:
In This Article
Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TVs
The BRAVIA series from Sony has always been a popular one. And if you do want to gift your loved ones a television this Diwali, then you can get them on from Sony’s Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TV range. The televisions are based on Android 8.0 Oreo and are available in 55-inch and 65-inch screen options that cost Rs 3,99,000 and Rs 5,59,990 respectively. Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TVs come with X1 Ultimate image processor and come equipped pixel contrast booster. The new range of televisions can support 11 Indian and 14 international languages.
Haier Quantum Dot 4K LED Slim and Curved TVs
The recently launched Quantum Dot 4K Slim LED and Quantum Dot 4K Curved LED televisions from Haier are also good options to consider. The televisions come with features like 4K UHD and HDR display and are available in 55-inch and 65-inch screen varaints. If you want a nearly bezel-less experience, you should opt for the Slim model, but you should choose the Curved model if you are looking for a greater sense of immersion. The price of the televisions starts at Rs 2,09,990 and goes up to Rs 2,69,990.
Blaupunkt Smart Sound Full HD TV
If you want a more affordable option, you can go for the Blaupunkt Smart Sound Full HD TV, which is available in 32-inch, 43-inch and 50-inch screen sizes. The televisions are priced at Rs 16,999, Rs 28,999 and Rs 34,999 respectively. The televisions run Android 5.1 out of the box and come with a 30W in-built speaker and a detachable 60W speaker.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Samsung’s flagship tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 features a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display, has narrow bezels and houses a 7,300mAh battery. The new tablet is compatible with the S-Pen and supports the Samsung Dex functionality too. You can pick it for Rs 57,900.
iPad Pros (2017)
Although we know about the price of new the newly launched iPad Pros, Apple has said they will be available in India ‘later this year’. So if you want to buy yourself an iPad Pro, you can go for the ones launched last year. Apple did increase the price of its older products post the iPad Pro 2018 launch, but the previous generation iPad Pros remain unaffected by it. While the Wi-Fi version of the 10.5 inch iPad Pro starts at Rs 57,900, the cost of the LTE version begins at Rs 69,900.
Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface book 2
If you are considering to gift someone a laptop this Diwali, then Microsoft’s Surface Laptop and Surface book 2 are excellent options. The Surface laptop by Microsoft sports a full HD 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen and has a Alcantara fabric keyboard. It comes in 5 combinations of specs including the Intel Core i5 with 128GB SSD and 8GB RAM and Intel Core i7 with 1TB SSD and 16 GB RAM. Speaking of Microsoft Surface Book 2, it is available in 13-inches as well as 15-inches. The pricing of Microsoft Surface laptop starts at Rs 86,999 and the cost of Microsoft Surface book 2 begins at Rs 1,37,999.
Asus VivoBook S15 (S530) and VivoBook S14 (S430)
Asus recently launched its VivoBook S15 and VivoBook S14 in India. While the price of Asus VivoBook S14 starts at Rs 54,990, the cost of VivoBook S15 begins at Rs 69,990. The two laptops are the first in the VivoBook Series to come with three-sided NanoEdge design.
HP ENVY x360 convertible laptop
HP ENVY x360 convertible laptop is powered by AMD Ryzen processor, comes with thin bezels and an edge-to-edge backlit keyboard. The price of the HP ENVY x360 laptop starts at Rs 60,990 and the 256GB variant is available at Rs 74,990.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 compact high-zoom camera
If you know someone who loves photography, then there is no better gift than a good camera for them on Diwali. You can consider giving them the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 compact high-zoom camera that is touted by the company to have the “world’s smallest body” for its type. The camera’s range begins from 24mm and goes up to 720mm. Priced at Rs 34,990, the camera comes with 4K video recording capabilities and has Bionz X image processing.
Nikon Z7 mirror-less camera
You can barely ever go wrong with a camera from Nikon. And the company recently launched Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera in India. But if you do consider this, you will have to pay a rather big price too. The Nikon Z7 body-only is priced at Rs 2,69,950, the cost of Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S + Mount Adapter FTZ Kit is Rs 3,26,950, the Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S Kit comes with a price tag of Rs 3,14,950, and the price of Nikon Z7 + Mount Adapter FTZ Kit is Rs 2,81,950.
Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 instant camera
Another good option to consider is the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 instant camera. In the age of digital cameras, Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 is an analogue camera that will give you image prints instantly. The camera is priced at Rs 9,999 and its USP is its ability to print photos on the spot
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple’s latest smartwatch is a very good buy with slew of features that have been included in it this year. It comes with a 30% bigger display and 50% louder speaker than its predecessor. It can detect hard falls and can be used to record an ECG. The pricing of the GPS version starts at Rs 40,900, and the cost of cellular version begins at Rs 49,900.
Fitbit Versa
The Fitbit Versa is priced at Rs 19,999 and comes with a 1.34-inch Touchscreen Color LCD display, and offers water resistant for up to 50 meters. It is compatible with iPhone 4S and higher and devices supporting Android 4.3 or later versions. You can gift this to the fitness freak you know.
Samsung Galaxy Watch
The Samsung Galaxy Watch comes in 46mm and 42mm variants that come with 1.3-inch or 1.2-inch Super AMOLED touch display sizes respectively. The smartwatch offers 5 ATM water resistance and IP68 dust resistance. The 42mm variant of Samsung Galaxy Watch is Rs 24,990 while the cost of 46mm model begins at Rs 29,990.
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is hosting an event on November 6 where it is expected to launch the Redmi Note 6 Pro. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, which is the successor to Redmi Note 5 Pro has already been launched in certain markets like Thailand, where it is priced at 6,990 Baht.
The event scheduled for November 6 will be held in China at 2:00 PM and it is being said that the smartphone will be called Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 there. What further adds to this is the fact that Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched under the name of Redmi Note 5 in China.
It has also been reported that Xiaomi is planning to launch the smartphone in China before the 11/11 Singles Day shopping festival, which further hints that the company has plans of launching the Redmi Note 6 Pro on November 6.
Coming to the specifications, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro mobile features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ display with a pixel resolution of 1080×2280 and has an aspect ratio of 19:9. The smartphone’s display is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is available in 3GB and 4GB RAM. The smartphone comes with either 32GB internal storage or 64GB of onboard storage.
On the camera front, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro sports a dual rear camera setup with 12MP primary sensor with f/1.9 aperture and an 5MO secondary sensor with f/2.2 aperture. The cameras have support for EIS and Dual Pixel Autofocus.
For selfies, the smartphone comes with a 20MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a 2MP secondary sensor with f/2.2 aperture. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 6 Pro runs Android Oreo with MIUI 9.6 baked on top.
The smartphone houses a 4,000mAh battery and comes with Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi for connectivity. The smartphone is available in four colour options including Blue, Black, Rose Gold and Red.
It seems to be the year of data breaches at Facebook. The social networking website is back in news once again because of an alleged data breach. And this time, your personal messages on the platform are said to be targeted.
According to a report in BBC, almost 81,000 users’ personal messages on Facebook are published and compromised on the internet. Furthermore, the hackers are looking to make money from it.
In fact, the hackers have said that they have personal data of over 120 million people who have their accounts on Facebook and they plan to sell it $0.10 per account. However, if Facebook is to be believed, the social networking giant claims that its service has not suffered any breach. It further went on to say that the data that the hackers have been obtained by malicious extensions.
But even if that was true, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of the hackers indeed having access to users’ personal data and messages.
The report further says that most of the accounts whose personal messages and data has been compromised are based in Ukraine and Russia. However, some from UK, the US and Brazil have also been compromised.
The advertisement listed by hackers online says that if one pays $0.10 per account, they can get a complete access to personal messages. As a sample 81,000 profiles have been listed for potential buyers. However, this advertisement has now been removed.
According to BBC, who posed as potential buyers, the hackers are not linked to the Russian state or to the Internet Research Agency.
However, according to Digital Shadows, hackers’ claim to having access to 120 million users’ data could be false as Facebook would have known about such a large breach. But it did confirm that the 81,000 profiles did contain personal messages. Five of the victims were even contacted to confirm if the posts were really theirs.
According to Facebook executive Guy Rosen, “We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores. We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts.”
The social media giant maintains that this breach did not happen because of their fault.
Samsung fans have been looking forward to Galaxy S10 for quite some time now and as the date of the launch approaches, the rumours around the smartphone have been surfacing on the internet every other day. Samsung Galaxy S10 is expected to launch at the MWC 2019 next year.
The latest in these leaks is a live image of the smartphone that has surfaced online. The image shows that Samsung Galaxy S10 will come with a hole on the top of its display to house the selfie camera and the sensors. And also, the bezels surrounding the display of the device will be consistently thin.
The live image of Samsung Galaxy S10 was posted by concept designer Ben Geskin on Twitter. It shows that the upcoming Android smartphone has a tall display that has a small cut-out at the top. Speaking of the bezels, they are of the same width on all the four sides including the smartphone’s chin. The image also shows the power, volume rocker and Bixby buttons.
The camera hole on the top does have the potential to be a hindrance for those who love watching videos on their smartphones. When we think about it, we wouldn’t find it pleasing to have a hole on one side of the video. It can be assumed that the leaked image is of that particular variant of S10 range which has been reported to come without curved sides. It is the same variant which, unlike the other two S10 models, will come without an in-display fingerprint sensor and instead would have it placed on its side edge.
Another report that had surfaced online a few days back said that Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus will feature curved OLED screens and will sport in-display fingerprint scanners. The smartphones are also said to come with a triple rear camera setup. Samsung is also said to have made some prototypes of its S10 smartphone without headphone jacks.
The three S10 models will reportedly launch with Samsung’s foldable smartphone, which is likely to be showcased first at Samsung’s developer conference that is scheduled for this month.
![[Video] This week in Tech: Episode 2 (October 29 – November 4)](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/maxresdefault-768x432.jpg "[Video] This week in Tech: Episode 2 (October 29 – November 4)")
