Vivo NEX 2 to launch on Dec 11, will come with two displays
When it came to smartphone innovation the Chinese have somewhat led the way during 2018. Seems like the year is still not over for them. Teasers and leaks indicate that Vivo NEX 2 will launch on December 11 in China. The smartphone is touted to have two display panels on it. How has the company managed to do that is still unclear. Also, what size will the second display be of is also under wraps.
The Vivo Chinese website has started taking pre-orders of the NEX 2 and seems like the stage is set for its launch. Reports and leaks also mention that the rear panel will have 3 cameras. Over that, the smartphone will come with the best in class RAM of 10GB. This will be the first phone by the company to sport that much RAM. There might be an 8GB version also available in some countries, too.
Weibo has also leaked a screenshot of the Vivo Website showing that the NEX 2 will indeed sport dual displays. The leak also puts light on the storage variant, which is kept at 128GB. Other specifications like the chipset have not come to light, but if we go by the past and the trajectory, it is safe to say that the Vivo NEX 2 mobile will also come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. Whether it is the overclocked version like one gets in the Asus ROG phone or the normal version will come to light in a few days’ time.
The Vivo NEX 2 will be the company’s new flagship model and suddenly all eyes have come on it. Before this Xiaomi’s Note 6 was capturing all the headlines (which did not fare well with consumers), but after todays leak Vivo NEX 2 has taken center stage. Some other features of the smartphone will include Bluetooth V5, GPS/A-GPS and Android 9 Pie edition preinstalled on this smartphone (with of course Vivo’s own skin on top of it). This has become a truly exciting launch to look forward to.
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Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, Zenfone Max M2 specifications leaked, launch confirmed
Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer Asus has had a good year in India with its Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Zenfone 5Z smartphones. And this month, the company is all set to launch its Zenfone Max Pro M2 Zenfone Max 2 smartphones in India.
In a tweet from Asus India, the company has confirmed that it will be launching the Zenfone Max Pro M2 smartphone on December 11. It is likely that the two smartphones would be announced by the company on the same day, but that has not been confirmed yet.
The tweet further says that Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 mobile will be a Flipkart exclusive, much like its predecessor Zenfone Max Pro M1. Asus has also confirmed that Zenfone Max Pro M2 will come with the latest Corning Gorilla Glass and the company claims that the smartphone will sport the most durable screen in the segment.The Zenfone Max Pro M2, with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6, survives up to 15 consecutive drops (as tested in the lab when dropped from waist-height) on an average. Get ready to welcome it on 11th December, exclusively on @Flipkart https://t.co/DCeZuDLcuF#UnbeatablePerformer2dot0 pic.twitter.com/bjgs1oJWDg
— ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) December 2, 2018
A teaser of the device revealed that the smartphone will sport a 6-inch display with full-HF resolutions and will come with a notch on its top. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is said to be powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor clubbed with either 6GB or 8GB RAM. The new handset from Asus is expected to come with a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 5MP sensors. The device will run Android 9.0 Pie out of the box and like its predecessor Zenfone Max Pro M1, it will have a stock Android experience. Speaking of Asus Zenfone Max M2, it is said to come with the same processor and display as Zenfone Max Pro M2 smartphone and will be available with 4GB and 8GB of RAM. As of now, there is no word on other specs of the smartphone. It is being said that the battery and camera details will be confirmed on the day of the launch itself, but if it gets reported before that, we’ll let you know. With these two smartphones, it seems like Asus wants to recreate the success that it saw with Zenfone Max Pro M1. When we used the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 (review), we were very happy with it, and with Zenfone Max Pro M2, we are hoping to see a similar or better performance. You can watch a video of the upcoming device here. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.The unrivalled champion of mid-range is ready to begin its dominance with the most durable screen in the segment – Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The Zenfone Max Pro M2 launches on 11th December, exclusively on @Flipkart. Stay tuned for more. @corninggorilla #UnbeatablePerformer2dot0 pic.twitter.com/Kd2vHKN22B
— ASUS India (@ASUSIndia) November 30, 2018
How to use dual Whatsapp accounts in one smartphone
If you are one of those who does not want to mix their professional life with personal, when it comes to your smartphone or rather Whatsapp messages, then you would want to read on. Almost a year back, Android had released a new feature of making dual WhatsApp accounts. If you have two numbers in the same smartphone then you can go ahead and use two Whatsapp messengers as well. Yes, people can have separate WhatsApp accounts on the same mobile, they don’t need to worry about using different phones for separate accounts, which obviously saves cost. With this move, a lot of dual WhatsApp users have increased and they have commended it.
Before we continue it is important for you to know that this feature would only work if you have a Dual SIM smartphone. There is a cloning app the users need to download in order to make two WhatsApp account. Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, VIVO, OPPO etc have mostly made this feature available on their respective smartphones. But now it is also available in Samsung and LG mobiles. Every cloning app is different for different smartphones. This list is as follows:
Xiaomi- Dual Apps
VIVO- App Clone
OPPO- Clone App
Honor- App Twin
Samsung- Dual Messenger
Now let us get to the real deal and understand how to create and operate dual WhatsApp account.
How to use two Whatsapp accounts in one smartphone:
- Go to Play Store and install “WhatsApp Messenger”.
- Register your phone number and create a WhatsApp account.
- Go to settings and select the dual apps/app clone/clone app depending on what cloning app your android has.
- Now you will find a list of apps with which you can clone. Select WhatsApp and click on install.
- Now you’ll finally be able to create a second WhatsApp account.
- Tap on the app, click on ‘Continue’ and register your second mobile number and your work is done.
Fortnite Season 7: Nine things to look forward to
Fortnite’s Season 6 is coming to an end and Season 7 is going to launch soon. And since it is going to be unveiled in December, which marks the Christmas season, Epic Games has been teasing a winter theme for the upcoming season of the game. Here, we have listed down all the leaks about Season 7 of Fortnite so that you know what you can look forward to. Check out our list and stay updated:
Fortnite is currently on Season 6 and Season 6 Battle Pass end on December 6. So, Fortnite Season 7 will either start later on the same day or definitely on December 7. Considering that most seasons of Fortnite have kicked off on Thursdays, we feel that Season 7 will begin on December 6. Moreover, The Game Awards are also scheduled for December 6, where Fornite streamer Ninja nominated for an award and is also presenting the show. So we are hoping to at least see the trailer of the new season there.
Fortnite Season 7 should end around 10 weeks after it starts. So we can expect the last day to be around February 14.
Fortnite Battle Pass can be purchased via V-Bucks. You can buy 1000 V-Bucks for $10 or approximately Rs 704. The Season 7 Battle Pass is expected to be priced at 950 V-Bucks. There is a free Battle Pass too, but if you go for that, you won’t be able to unlock after exclusive skins, emotes, and other cosmetics that are available with the premium Battle Pass.
All signs point towards Season 7 of Fortnite coming with a winter theme. The blizzard that appeared in November, the snowstorm that appeared later and a massive iceberg we saw in Season 6 – all point towards a winter theme.
Reports suggest that Christmas theme will be available on Fornite on for some time. Once Christmas is over, the winter theme will change to a medieval one.
Changes are expected in the map of Fortnite as well. The iceberg we saw in season 6 may collide with an existing area of the map and if this happens, a likely target can be the Tilted Towers. A lot about the game would change if this is set to happen.
A medieval looking castle’s top poking out of the iceberg has been spotted by some avid players of the game. This indicates that the rest of the building will be encased in ice. This is something we are looking forward to in the Season 7 of Fortnite.
Although no teasers have shown any new skins that we will get to see in Fortnite Season 7 Battle Pass, we are sure that new ones would be available in the game.
In order to get all the new things of Season 7, players are required to complete the Free Pass Weekly Challenges and Battle Pass Weekly Challenges. All previous weekly challenges have been available to layers of the game even if a new week begins.
Image courtesy: Reddit
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[td_smart_list_end]
In This Article
When does it start?
Fortnite is currently on Season 6 and Season 6 Battle Pass end on December 6. So, Fortnite Season 7 will either start later on the same day or definitely on December 7. Considering that most seasons of Fortnite have kicked off on Thursdays, we feel that Season 7 will begin on December 6. Moreover, The Game Awards are also scheduled for December 6, where Fornite streamer Ninja nominated for an award and is also presenting the show. So we are hoping to at least see the trailer of the new season there.
Till when will Fortnite Season 7 go on?
Fortnite Season 7 should end around 10 weeks after it starts. So we can expect the last day to be around February 14.
The cost of Fornite Season 7 Battle Pass
Fortnite Battle Pass can be purchased via V-Bucks. You can buy 1000 V-Bucks for $10 or approximately Rs 704. The Season 7 Battle Pass is expected to be priced at 950 V-Bucks. There is a free Battle Pass too, but if you go for that, you won’t be able to unlock after exclusive skins, emotes, and other cosmetics that are available with the premium Battle Pass.
The winter theme
All signs point towards Season 7 of Fortnite coming with a winter theme. The blizzard that appeared in November, the snowstorm that appeared later and a massive iceberg we saw in Season 6 – all point towards a winter theme.
The theme may change
Reports suggest that Christmas theme will be available on Fornite on for some time. Once Christmas is over, the winter theme will change to a medieval one.
Changes in Map
Changes are expected in the map of Fortnite as well. The iceberg we saw in season 6 may collide with an existing area of the map and if this happens, a likely target can be the Tilted Towers. A lot about the game would change if this is set to happen.
The castle
A medieval looking castle’s top poking out of the iceberg has been spotted by some avid players of the game. This indicates that the rest of the building will be encased in ice. This is something we are looking forward to in the Season 7 of Fortnite.
The new skins of Fornite Season 7 Battle Pass
Although no teasers have shown any new skins that we will get to see in Fortnite Season 7 Battle Pass, we are sure that new ones would be available in the game.
Weekly challenges
In order to get all the new things of Season 7, players are required to complete the Free Pass Weekly Challenges and Battle Pass Weekly Challenges. All previous weekly challenges have been available to layers of the game even if a new week begins.
Image courtesy: Reddit
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[td_smart_list_end] Quora says hackers have stolen 100 million user’s data, including private messages
Reports like these send shivers down our spine. We really cannot trust the most trusted of services and apps. Hackers find a loophole to steal data and use it to their benefit. The latest to undergo a dark world web attack is Quora. They have confirmed that last week, hackers broke into their servers and in all probability were able to steal data of 100 million of its users.
The attackers not only steal their names and email addresses, but were able to pick up the encrypted passwords of the users as well. Over that, if the user has imported their contacts or geo location from other social networks onto Quora, chances are that has been stolen too.
This is a huge breach. Much of the user data is now in the grey world and can be used for black marketing in the dark areas of the internet. Our suggestion is you quickly change passwords of any connected accounts and devices linked to Quora.
The official statement from the company says, “On Friday we discovered that some user data was compromised by a third party who gained unauthorized access to one of our systems. We’re still investigating the precise causes and in addition to the work being conducted by our internal security teams, we have retained a leading digital forensics and security firm to assist us. We have also notified law enforcement officials.”
Quora is in the process of notifying users whose data has been compromised and is overall logging out users who may be affected by the breach. Also, they are identifying the root cause of the hack and are trying to plug it, so that it does not happen again.
The official statement also says, “It is our responsibility to make sure things like this don’t happen, and we failed to meet that responsibility. We recognize that in order to maintain user trust, we need to work very hard to make sure this does not happen again. There’s little hope of sharing and growing the world’s knowledge if those doing so cannot feel safe and secure, and cannot trust that their information will remain private. We are continuing to work very hard to remedy the situation, and we hope over time to prove that we are worthy of your trust.”
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Saavn gets rebranded as JioSaavn on App Store as Reliance Jio completes its acquisition
In March this year, Reliance Industries had signed an agreement for merging Saavn and JioMusic. And now, it seems like acquisition has been completed.
If you are an Android smartphone user, you may not have noticed any difference. However, the Saavn app on Apple‘s App Store has now been rebranded to JioSaavn and its icon has also been revamped.
It is worth noticing that the design elements and the rest of the features of the Saavn app remain unchanged. Even Saavn’s music library and playlists are exactly like they were earlier.
But what’s strange is that Jio Music is available for download as a separate app on the App Store even now.
We should mention that JioSaavn is 79MP in size and is compatible with all iOS devices that run iOS 8.0 and above. So if you have an old iPad or an iPod lying around, you can think of putting it to use.
According to the app‘s changelog on App Store, the current version of the app is 6.1 and it is still available for free for all users. Furthermore, even JioMusic users can access playlists and downloads via JioSaavn app. If you have a prepaid or postpaid connection from Reliance Jio, you will be entitled to a 90-day free trial of Saavn Pro.
Speaking of Saavn’s app on Google Play Store, as of now it remains unchanged, but we expect it to get some changes soon. Since the app is more popular on Android than it is on iOS, it is very likely that it will get new features.
Reliance Industries announced in March that it will be investing $100 million in the app. And among this, 20 million was invested immediately for “growth and expansion of the platform into one of the largest streaming services in the world.”
JioSaavn claims that its current library has over 45 million songs, and some of these can exclusively be found on the platform. In India, the main competitors of Saavn are Wynk music app and Gaana. With the acquisition now completed, the rivalry among music apps is set to be more fierce than it ever was before.
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Nokia 8.1 set to launch in India on December 10
Last week, HMD Global had sent ‘Save the Date’ invites to media for an event that it had planned for December 6. However, it now seems that the company has had a change in plans as it has rescheduled its event to December 10. Although the company has not announced which smartphone it is set to launch, Nokia 8.1 is expected to be unveiled.
Earlier, it was speculated that besides Nokia 8.1, the company planned to launch Nokia 7.1 and possibly Nokia 2.1 Plus and Nokia 9. While Nokia 8.1 had been teased on the company’s Twitter handle, Nokia 7.1 was due to launch and the last two were expected because they are reportedly being launched in Dubai on December 6. Since the two launches were so closely scheduled, it was being said that Nokia 2.1 Plus and Nokia 9 will be launched in the country too.
However, it is worth noticing that Nokia 7.1 has already been launched in the country and we would have to wait and see if Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 9 get launched next week or not. Nokia 8.1, which is expected to launch on December 10 now, is said to be the global variant of Nokia X7 smartphone.
According to 91mobiles, Nokia 8.1 will be priced at Rs 23,999. The report says that the price has been disclosed to the website via their sources in retail. However, we would have to wait till we know the official cost of the smartphone. We would update you as and when we get to know about more details of the Nokia 8.1 smartphone.
To recall the specifications of Nokia X7 mobile, which will now be rebranded as Nokia 8.1 and launch in India, the smartphone sports a 6.18-inch full-HD+ display and is powered by Snapdragon 710 processor. Nokia X7 comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. For imaging duties, there is a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 12MP sensors and an LED flash. There is also a 20MP sensor on the front panel for selfies and video calls. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo and houses a 3,500mAh battery.
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Samsung and Verizon team up for Galaxy S10’s 5G variant
5G smartphones are among the most anticipated things for the year 2019. A number of technology companies have talked about their 5G plans for the upcoming year including OnePlus, Motorola, Huawei and Samsung. Speaking of Samsung’s plans for 5G, the connectivity will be featured in the South Korean technology giant’s upcoming flagship mobile Galaxy S10. It is being said that Samsung will launch a ‘special edition’ of Galaxy S10 that will come with support for 5G.
And now, the company along with Verizon has confirmed that the rumoured smartphone will be launched next year. According to reports, the headline of the joint press release sent out is evident enough – ‘Verizon and Samsung to release 5G smartphone in the US in first half of 2019.’ It is worth noticing that Samsung Galaxy S10 is not specifically mentioned in the press release that has been sent by the two companies, but it does mention that the 5G device will be powered by the upcoming flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem. And this rules out the possibility that Samsung is planning to re-release its current flagships – Galaxy S9 or Galaxy Note 9.
Samsung and Verizon have plans to showing off a proof-of-concept device which has the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem. The international version of the smartphone will be powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 5100 5G processor instead of Qualcomm’s. Samsung’s Special Edition Galaxy S10 with 5G will reportedly come with six cameras in total – a four-camera setup at the back and dual selfie cameras. Reports suggest that the smartphone will sport a 6.7-inch display.
Other than the special edition smartphone it is planning to unveil next year; Samsung will launch three other smartphones in its Galaxy S10 lineup. While the three smartphones are expected to launch early next year, the 5G version will be out in H1 2019.
We should mention that 5G is a new technology and it won’t be available everywhere immediately because not all smartphones have support for it. Although we will see some smartphones with 5G connectivity in 2019, we would have to wait before it becomes mainstream like 4G LTE.
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[Video] Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) review
![[Video] Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) review](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/maxresdefault-2-768x432.jpg "[Video] Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) review")
This our video of the Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018), the world’s first smartphone with a quadruple rear camera setup. The smartphone has some excellent features that you should definitely know about. Watch our review to know more. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
Tech Specs of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018):
- 6.3-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display
- Fingerprint sensor
- 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB storage
- 3,800mAh battery
- Android 8.0 Oreo
- MicroSD card support of up to 512GB
Meizu 16TH set to launch in India on December 5: Report
Last week, it was reported that Chinese smartphone maker Meizu is planning to make a comeback in India. And now, the company has confirmed that it will be launching Meizu 16TH. Meizu 16TH is said to be the flagship product of the company. Other than Meizu 16TH, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer also plans to launch other two affordable smartphones in the country at the event.
Meizu India’s Twitter account, which had been dormant since August this year, had tweeted last week that its next product will be launched in India in a week’s time. Since the tweet was posted on November 28, seven days mean December 5.
While it is known that Meizu 16TH is the company’s flagship, the date of the launch has not been confirmed yet. The launch is expected on December 5, but this is just a speculation. However, there are a number teasers about the 16TH smartphone that the company has posted. As per the teasers, the smartphone will come with an in-display fingerprint sensor and dual rear cameras. However, there are no teasers of the other two affordable smartphones that Meizu is planning to launch. The report last week suggested that Meizu will be competing with OnePlus and Xiaomi in India. While its 16TH smartphone will be head to head with OnePlus 6T, the affordable smartphones will be competing against budget smartphones from Xiaomi. The same report also said that the company will be launching two more smartphones in the country in January. The specifications of Meizu 16TG will be powered by a 2.8GHz octa-core Snapdragon 845 SoC and come with a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 20MP sensors. Meizu 16TH smartphone is said to feature a 6-inch full-HD+ display that will have an in-display fingerprint scanner embedded on it. The upcoming offering from Meizu reportedly runs Android Oreo skinned with Flyme 7 OS. For imaging duties, the smartphone is said to come with a 20MP selfie camera and it will house a 3,010mAh battery. It is being said that the smartphone will come with water-cooling for heat dissipation and will sport dual stereo speakers. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.Wait for the superior experience to unfold, as it's truly worth the wait !
— MEIZU India (@Meizu_India) November 28, 2018
Just 7 days to go #MEIZU #India #Smartphones #Superior @Meizu_India @Technologyfever #News #Android #Android pic.twitter.com/9S2S1tvLXe
You can now legally fly drones in India
In August this year, Ministry of Civil Aviation had finalised a new drone policy which said that flying drones in India would become legal starting December 1, 2018. And on Saturday, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced that the registration process for drone operators has begun. You have to visit a portal called ‘Digital Sky’ in order to register yourself.
As a part of the regulations that were decided upon by the ministry in August, drone users are required to do get a one-time registration done for their drones. The pilots of the drones, as well as the owners, have to be registered too.
In a tweet, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said in a tweet, “Happy to announce that we are launching the Online Registration Portal for #Drone Flying Permission, #DigitalSky from TODAY. The platform is now live.”
In another tweet, he added that drones of micro size and above categories need to be registered on the Digital Sky portal.
The minister had also said on Saturday that nano drones could be flown legally starting on that day itself.
While registration of users can be done on Digital Sky portal, payments for Unmanned Aerial Operator’s Permit (UAOP) and Unique Identification Numbers (UIN) can be made via the Bharat Kosh portal.
According to the ministry, a flight plan also has to be filed by drone operators or remote pilots in order to get permission to fly drones. The ministry said, “Flying in the ‘green zones’ will require only intimation of the time and location of the flights via the portal or the app. Permissions will be required for flying in ‘yellow zones’ and flights will not be allowed in the ‘red zones’.”
The ministry added that it will be announcing the locations of these zones soon and also that the permission to fly will be granted on the portal itself.
In order to ensure public safety and prevent flights that are not authorized, any drone that does not have a digital permit will not be able to take off.
Speaking about the move, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said, “Drones are an industry of the future. India will be taking lead in this sector and will be working with countries around the world to develop common, scaleable standards. This industry has a large potential for Make in India and also to export drones and services from India.”
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OnePlus is not willing to enter this segment in India
Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is currently ruling the premium segment of the Indian smartphone market and has even left technology giants like Apple and Samsung behind. In fact, its previous flagship, OnePlus 6 (review), has become the most sold smartphone by the company. OnePlus has mostly stuck to the mid-range segment in India. And if you were expecting the company to launch a smartphone in the budget segment, you may have to face disappointment.
OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has said in an interview with PTI that the company plans to stay only in the premium segment in the country and will only be launching flagships. But he did agree that there is a huge market in the Rs 15,000-20,000 category that can be catered to saying, “It is a temptation but we are not doing that. We have had a mission from the start of building a flagship phone with the best features, we will continue to focus there.”
So, while Lau may find the idea of making smartphones for the said segment, he isn’t losing the vision of only manufacturing flagship smartphones for India.
It is worth noticing that this isn’t the first time that the company has spoken about the affordable segment of smartphones. In 2015, it launched the OnePlus X in the said segment, but the handset did not see much success in India. So OnePlus discontinued the series after launching just one model. and since then, OnePlus has not gone back to making affordable smartphones and instead is only focussing on the premium segment. We should also point out that the company has doubled the number of units that it is making.
According to Counterpoint Research, in Q3 2018, OnePlus captured over 30% of the market share with its flagship OnePlus 6. Speaking of the premium segment of the smartphone market, OnePlus CEO said, “The premium segment is about 4-5% right now but if 3-5 years from now, it were to be 15-20%, the market scenario would be totally different…we are here for the long play. That is what we have told the India team, they need to focus on being healthy and sustainable in the long-term.”
The Chinese smartphone maker has confirmed that it is working on a 5G smartphone, which will cost higher than its current flagships and it is, therefore, expected to be unveiled as a part of a new different series from OnePlus. Besides this, the company is also working a smart TV. Other than OnePlus 7, both these devices will be launched next year in India.
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Google Hangout users will be transitioned to Chat and Meet apps
Google Hangouts, which is the technology giant’s alternative of Slack, has reportedly not been doing very well. And recently, some reports suggested that Google plans to shut down its service by 2020. But now, Google has denied these reports and has said that it does not have any plans to shut down Hangouts.
Google Real Time Communications product lead Scott Johnston has explained in his tweet that people who are currently using Hangouts will be transitioned to Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet. So basically, this confirms that Hangouts would cease to exist as an independent app, but the service would definitely continue. And like Johnston, the current users would be transitioned to Chat and Meet. However, it is worth noticing that both of them are enterprise-focused apps and users would require a G Suite account in order to use them. So this could mean that regular Google account holders may not have access to them.
In a follow-up tweet, Johnston also stated that the technology company has rechristened Google Hangouts as Hangouts Classic, adding that while Hangouts Classic would be shutting down, the company would still support for the product.
He has also clarified that the transition from Google Hangouts Classic would be invisible to existing users. While Johnston has firmly defended the chat platform saying that it is not only used by corporate or enterprise users but individuals too, his claim is not supported by the fact that the company has stopped rolling out essential development updates to Hangouts for some time now.
It is worth noticing that a number of apps from Google support more or less the same function. These include Messages, Hangouts, Allo and more. All of these enable users to chat with other users, and a lot of Android smartphones come with all three of them pre-installed. While Messages is the default message app in all Android smartphones, Google Allo can be used for its AI enhancements and Hangouts combines instant messaging and video calling. A lot of people believe that instead of coming up with similar apps, Google should instead integrate these products under one platform.
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Samsung gets caught promoting its Galaxy Note 9 using an iPhone
South Korean technology giant has trolled Apple time and again with unique and witty marketing stunts. The company has released a number of advertisements mocking Apple’s notched display and other features. However, this time, Samsung’s marketing team is on the receiving end, and what’s worse, they aren’t getting trolled by a rival. Instead, they are getting trolled because of their own mistake. And we have to say, the situation is a very embarrassing one for the company.
In a recent tweet, famous YouTuber Marques Brownlee posted a screenshot of Samsung Nigeria’s tweet that was meant to promote the company’s latest flagship, Galaxy Note 9. While the tweet focussed on Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s Super AMOLED display, beneath it, it stated that it has been sent via ‘Twitter for iPhone’.
This can only mean one thing: Someone at Samsung’s marketing team responsible for promoting the company uses an iPhone. And don’t even get us started on for how long Samsung and Apple have been arch rivals. YouTuber Marques Brownlee tweeted the screenshot yesterday, while the tweet was originally posted on November 25. Samsung’s team has now removed the tweet, but then, by the time company deleted it, screenshots of the post had gone viral. And Apple fans obviously didn’t let go of this opportunity to mock Samsung. However, this isn’t the first time that something like this has happened. Last month, Samsung’s Saudi Arabian Twitter handle had promoted the Galaxy Note 9 smartphone via iPhone’s app too. A few months back in Appel, Samsung had distributed free Galaxy S9s in order to promote its flagship smartphone. Maybe, the company can think of doing the same with its marketing team in order to avoid such embarrassing situations. To recall, Russia’s Kseniya Sobchak, who was hired by Samsung to market their smartphones in her country by using them publically, was spotted using an iPhone X at a public event. It was reported that because of this, Sobchak had to pay Samsung $1.6 million, because when an agreement of this sort is struck, influencers or brand ambassadors are not allowed to use the company’s competitor’s products in public. And Sobchak did exactly that in a television interview. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.Might as well add "Twitter police" to my bio at this point 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/DRlrXl7bak
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) December 2, 2018
Microsoft to launch its foldable smartphone ‘Andromeda’ next year: Report
Software giant Microsoft made news last week when it reclaimed the title of the world’s most valuable listed company after more than 15 years. And right at the start of this week, a report about the company’s foldable Surface device has surfaced.
According to a new book titled ‘Beneath a Surface’, the device has been codenamed ‘Andromeda’ and is likely to be launched in 2019. It is worth noticing that the book has been written by journalist and tech blog Thurrot.com collaborator Brad Sams. The book started shipping on November 29 and talked about how that software giant built the Surface brand and then gives some details about its upcoming surface products.
‘Beneath a Surface’ also sheds light on how Microsoft turned its hardware dreams into reality much like turning “a failure into a fortune.”
Earlier this year, a petition on Change.org was filed by Surface Phone enthusiasts to persuade Microsoft to reverse its ‘decision’ to cancel the dual-screen computing device.
But now, the new book has suggested that ‘Andromeda’, which as we mentioned earlier is a foldable device the company is working on, could reach people next year itself. Microsoft’s foldable device would work as a phone as well as a tablet.
The book also goes on to say that ‘Andromeda’ could be slightly bigger than an average ‘pocketable’ design that has been spotted in patents till now.
Beneath a Surface’s author, Brad Sams wrote in a blog post, “Again, this device will ship when it’s ready and there is justification for it but the company sees it as a visionary device and it is currently slated for a Q4 (of 2019) release.” He went to on add, “And the device that started the entire book, the Surface Pro will get heavily updated in Q4 of 2019 with thinner bezels, new colour options, USB-C, and a few other enhancements.”
To recall, last month South Korean technology giant Samsung unveiled its foldable phone at its Developer Conference. Samsung’s foldable phone is expected to be present at CES 2019 and it will be launched later along with the company’s Galaxy S10 lineup. Other companies that are working on a foldable phone include Huawei, LG, Oppo, Xiaomi and Lenovo. We do expect to see a number of foldable devices next year but we would obviously have to wait to see if they become mainstream or not.
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PUBG Mobile for Android and iOS: Minimum requirements to play the game
Unless you have been living under the rock, you would know about PUBG. The multiplayer game can easily be called the most popular game of the year and it has over 100 million downloads on Android alone.
However, if you have not started playing PUBG and plan to start, you should know about some basic requirements you need to play the game. Also, since Season four of the game is out and the all the players have to start from scratch, there hasn’t been a better time to start playing the game. Take a look at the minimum requirements you need to play PUBG Mobile and start fighting for your chicken dinner:
If you are an iPhone user, you should at least have the iPhone 5S to play PUBG Mobile. Starting from iPhone 5S and going up to iPhone XS Max, all the smartphones from Apple support PUBG Mobile.
If you are an Android smartphone user, your device should have at least run version 4.3 of the operating system and only then can it support PUBG Mobile app. The same applies to tablets that are powered by Android.
RAM and storage are also important factors to keep in mind when you are downloading PUBG Mobile. Your device should have at least 2GB of RAM and 2GB of onboard storage for PUBG Mobile to function properly. This would not only accommodate the game’s download size, but the data collected from gameplay as well.
You can play PUBG Mobile on most iPads. Starting from iPad 2 and going up to the latest iPad Pro (2018), all tablets by Apple support the game.
If you own an Apple device, make sure it has at least been updated to iOS 9 or more, as this is one among the minimum requirements for PUBG Mobile app.
It is worth noticing that PUBG Mobile can run on older iPhones and iPads as well, but then, your experience may not be the best one.
PUBG Mobile Lite, a stripped down version of the app has recently been launched in the Philippines. If this Lite version gets rolled out to other regions globally too, then the requirements of playing the game would be lesser.
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[td_smart_list_end]
In This Article
iPhones that support PUBG
If you are an iPhone user, you should at least have the iPhone 5S to play PUBG Mobile. Starting from iPhone 5S and going up to iPhone XS Max, all the smartphones from Apple support PUBG Mobile.
Android smartphones that support PUBG
If you are an Android smartphone user, your device should have at least run version 4.3 of the operating system and only then can it support PUBG Mobile app. The same applies to tablets that are powered by Android.
RAM and storage
RAM and storage are also important factors to keep in mind when you are downloading PUBG Mobile. Your device should have at least 2GB of RAM and 2GB of onboard storage for PUBG Mobile to function properly. This would not only accommodate the game’s download size, but the data collected from gameplay as well.
iPads that support PUBG
You can play PUBG Mobile on most iPads. Starting from iPad 2 and going up to the latest iPad Pro (2018), all tablets by Apple support the game.
iOS version required
If you own an Apple device, make sure it has at least been updated to iOS 9 or more, as this is one among the minimum requirements for PUBG Mobile app.
Other iPhones and iPads
It is worth noticing that PUBG Mobile can run on older iPhones and iPads as well, but then, your experience may not be the best one.
PUBG Mobile Lite version
PUBG Mobile Lite, a stripped down version of the app has recently been launched in the Philippines. If this Lite version gets rolled out to other regions globally too, then the requirements of playing the game would be lesser.
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[td_smart_list_end] This Week in Tech (November 26-December 2): All that happened
The week was full of important smartphone launches in India. For gamers, Asus launched its ROG Phone in India. HMD Global updated its lineup in the country with Nokia 7.1 smartphone and Huawei’s latest flagship Mate 20 Pro with triple rear cameras was also launched. Oppo’s sub-brand Realme rolled out its selfie-centric U1 smartphone. And Huawei’s sub-brand Honor launched the world’s first smartphone to be powered by Snapdragon 632 processor. Read on to know everything in detail:
In This Article
Nokia 7.1 launched in India this week
Priced at Rs 19,999, Nokia 7.1 comes with a 5.84-inch full-HD+ PureDisplay panel that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, the smartphone comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. For imaging duties, there is a dual rear camera setup of 12MP and 5MP sensors. There is a 3,060mAh battery onboard.Asus ROG Phone aimed at gamers was launched
Priced at Rs 69,999, Asus ROG Phone got launched in India this week. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s ROG Gaming UI. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdrgaon 845 SoC and comes with Qualcomm Adreno 630 GPU. Asus ROG Phone sports an AMOLED display that has support for HDR. Other accessories of the smartphone have to purchased separately.Huawei launched its flagship Mate 20 Pro in India
Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro smartphone, that was launched in London last month, has finally made its way to India. Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with triple rear cameras and houses a 4,200mAh battery. The newly launched smartphone is priced at Rs 69,990.Honor 8C with Snapdragon 632 SoC launched in India
Honor 8C is the first ever smartphone to come with Snapdragon 632 processor. The starting price of the smartphone is Rs 11,999 and it sports a 6.26-inch HD+ TFT IPS LCD display, has 13MP and 2MP dual rear cameras, and a 4,000mAh battery.The selfie-centric Realme U1 was got launched
Oppo’s sub-brand Realme launched its selfie-centric U1 smartphone in India. The smartphone’s price in India begins at Rs 11,999 and it includes features like 15MP selfie camera with AI enhancements, 6.3-inch display and a 3,500mAh battery. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.[Video] This Week In Tech: Episode 6 (November 26 – December 2)
![[Video] This Week In Tech: Episode 6 (November 26 – December 2)](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/maxresdefault-1-768x432.jpg "[Video] This Week In Tech: Episode 6 (November 26 – December 2)")
This week we saw a number of smartphones getting launched in India. To begin with Asus finally launched its gaming-centric ROG Phone in India. Nokia 7.1 smartphone and Huawei’s latest flagship Mate 20 Pro with triple rear cameras also made their way to the country. Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro wasn’t the only photography-centric smartphone that was launched as Oppo’s sub-brand Realme also rolled out its U1 smartphone. And last but not the least, Honor 8C, the world’s first smartphone to be powered by Snapdragon 632 processor was also launched in India. Watch our episode of This Week in Tech to get all the details.
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OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T begin receiving Android 9.0 Pie based HydrogenOS public beta update
Do you own a OnePlus 5 or OnePlus 5T, then we have some news for you. The Chinese smartphone maker has started rolling out the beat update of Android 9 Pie-based HydrogenOS to OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T smartphones. It is worth noticing that the update is limited for users in China as HydrogenOS is a UI that has specifically been designed for OnePlus users in the country. OnePlus smartphones in other parts of the globe run on OxygenOS based on Android.
Earlier this month, reports had emerged from China claiming that the beta update with HydrogenOS 9.0 based on Android Pie has started rolling out to some OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T users. Just a few weeks after that, OnePlus has reportedly released the public beta version of the same update. The company has also mentioned all the details about the update on OnePlus’ HydrogenOS download page. According to the company, the update gets Android 9.0 Pie to the smartphones along with new UI design, upgraded background control solution that enables a lighter and smoother experience, and the Android security patch for November 2018. The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T mobile phones also get the new Do Not Disturb mode, an SMS verification code flash, optimised ID caller, optimised speed dial, improved call interface UI design.
Besides this, the emergency rescue UI of the devices have also been optimised and the update has added the ability for users to set a default card for a single contact or group in dual card mode. The OnePlus Weather app has also got upgraded and it now comes with more accurate positioning and weather data. A number of bug fixes have also come to the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T smartphones. The size of the new update that is being rolled out to OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T smartphones is 2.04GB and 2.05GB respectively.
OnePlus has become quite regular with Android and security updates for its devices off late. If we speak of its last flagship, OnePlus 6 (review), it was one among the first few smartphones to receive the Android 9.0 Pie update in India. In fact, it even received it before OnePlus 6T (review) was launched in the country. With HydrogenOS public beta version being released, we wouldn’t be wrong to assume that OnePlus is planning a similar update for OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T devices running on OxygenOS too.
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Portronics launches Charge Clamp wireless car charger: Price and features
Consumer electronics maker Portronics has launched its new Charge Clamp, which is a dual purpose car accessory. Portronics Charge Clamp is essentially a wireless mobile charger which also acts like a car mobile holder that enables users to keep their smartphones in case they are using them while driving.
The new accessory by Portronics looks like an ordinary car mobile holder that can hold a smartphone that is up to 9-inches in size. Portronics Charge Clamp also charges the device simultaneously. The accessory comes with three movable hinges that allow the smartphone to be held and tilted at whichever angle the user likes it to be in.
There is a latch at the bottom of the Charge Clamp that allows it to securely mount smartphones firmly. This also ensures that the smartphone of the user doesn’t accidentally fall off when the car is being driven on bumpy roads. The charger weighs 245 grams and the company has claimed that it protects the user’s smartphone from a current surge, overvoltage, over-temperature protection as well as summer heat.
Portronics Charge Clamp supports Qi-enabled wireless charging and is compatible with Android as well as iOS devices. The devices that can be charged wirelessly include iPhone 8, iPhone 8Plus, iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S9+, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, and Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
If you wish to charge your device wirelessly, all you have to do is connect the USB cable from any car charger to the Charge Clamp. The company has further said that the Charge Clamp can charge a smartphone at a maximum output of 10 watts and has a maximum distance of wireless charging of up to 8mm.
The new Charge Clamp by Portronics also supports wired charging.
The Portronics Charge Clamp is priced at Rs 2,499 and is available at various online and offline stores in the country. The device comes with a warranty that lasts for 12 months.
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Apple approves TRAI’s DND app to avoid iPhone ban in India
The country’s telecom regulator TRAI had earlier this year issued a warning to Apple saying that if the technology giant didn’t approve the government developed Do Not Disturb app by January 2019, it will lead a to a ban of iPhones in India. Seems like Apple did take the warning seriously as just a month before the deadline, the company has approved the spam filtering app.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the development and further added that the app is now available on App Store starting today.
The name of the app that has been made available to iPhone users today is TRAI DND – Do Not Disturb. As the name suggests, the app basically attempts to help people avoid unwanted phone calls and messages – something that can be a big problem for some. There are reports that claim that an average person receives up to 10 unwanted calls and messages in a single day.
It is worth noticing that the functions of the app are similar to that of Truecaller, which enjoys a lot of popularity in India. However, we should point out that not all the features of Truecaller that run on its Android version are available for the iOS version. This is primarily because Apple places a lot of importance on the privacy of its customers.
Coming back to TRAI’s DND app, it has been available for Android users on Google Play Store since 2016. But Apple denied carrying the initial version of the application on App Store citing privacy concerns. The app by TRAI allegedly shared user’s call and message logs with authorities in India. And we all know that this is something that violates Apple’s rules.
The update that has been kicked in today may be using Apple’s SMS/Call reporting APIs. For those who are unaware, this only allows limited access to call and SMS data of the users. But then, it doesn’t fix any potential privacy issues.
If you have an Apple device and you wish to use the app, you can head to App Store and download it for free.
We are not exactly surprised by Apple’s move as India is an extremely important market for the company and it would do the necessary to avoid an iPhone ban here.
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Samsung Galaxy A8s to not sport a headphone jack, US FCC listing shows Infinity-O display
In the last couple of weeks, a lot has been reported about Samsung Galaxy A8s, which will be the South Korean technology giant’s first ever smartphone to come with a cut-out display panel. Another report has just surfaced online which claims that the upcoming smartphone by Samsung will come without a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The port left the Apple‘s line-up a long time back, and smartphone makers like HTC and OnePlus followed. A Chinese tipster who uses the pseudonym MMDDJ_ on Twitter has suggested that Samsung Galaxy A8s would not sport a 3.5mm jack. However, this has not yet been confirmed by Samsung.
But if the speculation is indeed correct, then Galaxy A8s would be the first ever Samsung smartphone to come without a 3.5mm headphone jack. And we can also expect Samsung Galaxy S10 to follow the footsteps and ditch the headphone jack. What also supports this speculation is the fact that Samsung usually tries new features in its mid-range smartphones and then introduces them in their flagship line-up. So if Samsung is planning to skip the headphone jack in Galaxy S10, it would definitely try it out first in Galaxy A8s smartphone.
As we mentioned earlier, HTC and OnePlus also recently ditched the headphone jack and instead opted for a digital-to-analogue converter, which is claimed to enhance the audio performance of the devices. And Apple abandoned the 3.5mm headphone ages ago when it launched the iPhone 7 in 2017.
Coming back to Samsung Galaxy A8s mobile, a documentation available on the US FCC website has confirmed that the smartphone will sport a cut-out hole on its display. In the documentation, Galaxy A8s has been codenamed as SM-G8870 and it came with a screenshot of the smartphone that has a room for the hole that will house the selfie camera of the handset.
It is placed on the top-left corner of the display of the smartphone, as reported by GalaxyClub. The listed screenshot also shows that the display of Samsung Galaxy A8s will come with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio.
Some reports say that the upcoming handset may have a notch on the left side of the display, we think it wouldn’t have a notch at all. Previous reports also said that the smartphone will have an Infinity-O display, but as Samsung showed at its developer conference, the cut-out hole in Infinity-O display is present in the centre and not the side. Tipster Even Blass also said that Samsung Galaxy S10 will also sport the cut-out selfie camera.
The specifications of Samsung Galaxy A8s include a 6.39-inch full-HD+ display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage and a 3,400mAh battery.
Image courtesy: FCC
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It is placed on the top-left corner of the display of the smartphone, as reported by GalaxyClub. The listed screenshot also shows that the display of Samsung Galaxy A8s will come with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio.
Some reports say that the upcoming handset may have a notch on the left side of the display, we think it wouldn’t have a notch at all. Previous reports also said that the smartphone will have an Infinity-O display, but as Samsung showed at its developer conference, the cut-out hole in Infinity-O display is present in the centre and not the side. Tipster Even Blass also said that Samsung Galaxy S10 will also sport the cut-out selfie camera.
The specifications of Samsung Galaxy A8s include a 6.39-inch full-HD+ display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage and a 3,400mAh battery.
Image courtesy: FCC
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. WhatsApp to get consecutive voice messages, group call shortcut soon: Report
Popular instant messaging app WhatsApp has rolled out a number of updates this year. Facebook is constantly stuffing its app with new features in order to make it more user-friendly. And the latest reports have suggested that WhatsApp has been spotted testing two new features – Consecutive Voice Messages and Group Call Shortcut.
While the former enables users to play multiple voice messages one after the other, the latter gets a shortcut to make video calls. WABetaInfo, a Twitter profile that tracks updates in WhatsApp’s beta version, was the first to spot the two new updates.
Speaking about Consecutive Voice Messages, it is a new feature that enables automatic queuing of voice messages. To use the new feature, you would only have to tap on the play button and the app will begin playing all the voice messages in a row. The Consecutive Voice Messages feature is available on WhatsApp beta for iOS (v 2.18.100) and it is also present in the code of Android Beta version (v 2.18.362).
Group video calls were rolled out for all WhatsApp users in August this year. But since the feature was made available to all, to make video calls, one had to first call a user and then tap on the group calling button that appears on the call screen’s top right corner.
The messaging app is soon going to make this extremely simple as it is getting a standalone button for group calls. However, this button will only be available in group chats. With the new feature, all you have to do is tap on the button, select the friends you wish to call and then choose between voice call or video call. It is worth noticing that the Group Call Shortcut has only been spotted on the iOS beta version of WhatsApp (v2.18.363).
Several new features have been spotted on WhatsApp’s Beta versions off late including the picture-in-picture mode, private reply and dark mode. If you want to get access to WhatsApp’s latest features before anyone else, you should opt for becoming a Beta tester of the app. You can read our step-by-step guide to become a WhatsApp Beta tester here. However, it is worth noticing that on doing this, you will receive updates from WhatsApp a lot more than you do now, and not all updates are bug-free.
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Instagram’s Close Friends feature allows you to share your Stories with a select few
Facebook-owned photo sharing app Instagram has launched a new feature called ‘Close Friends’. If you time and again have to edit your Stories Settings on Instagram because you don’t like sharing some moments with your entire followers list, then ‘Close Friends’ is the feature you need. With Instagram’s ‘Close Friends’ feature, you can share your Stories with a small group of people.
The new feature will be available on your Instagram profile’s side menu and it will enable you to create a smaller group of friends and share your Stories exclusively with them.
Speaking about its new feature, Instagram said to Reuters, “If you’re on someone’s close friends list, you’ll see a green ring around their photo in the Stories tray and a green badge when you’re viewing their stories.”
Instagram has now become Facebook’s fastest-growing revenue generator and that can be the reason why the social networking giant if focussing on it so much. It’s core platform has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism this year with regulators asking for improvement in information safeguards for individual privacy and better ways to stop misinformation or fake news.
The year also saw high-profile exits of Instagram’s co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. After this happened, Facebook appointed long-term insider Adam Mosseri as the head of the popular photo-sharing app.
Instagram close rival Snap, from which it often gets inspired for new features, has been revamping its app in order to lure more users and advertisers. The company has also bagged $250 million as an investment from Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal after it shifted towards a self-serve model for advertisers.
It is worth noticing that Instagram had initially picked up the Stories feature from Snapchat. The feature then wormed its way to WhatsApp, Facebook’s app and Messenger. In June this year, Instagram said that it has 400 million daily users of the Stories feature. Compared to Snapchat’s 191 million daily active users for Q1 2018, Instagram’s number was more than double.
Both the apps are currently in a close competition with each other and as a result, we get to see a slew of new features and updates in them regularly that they roll out in order to get new users onboard.
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[Video] Nokia 7.1 Unboxing, First Look And Camera Shots
![[Video] Nokia 7.1 Unboxing, First Look And Camera Shots](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/maxresdefault-768x432.jpg "[Video] Nokia 7.1 Unboxing, First Look And Camera Shots")
Nokia 7.1 mobile has dual SIM support and runs Android Oreo, which got upgraded to Android 9 as soon as we unboxed it. Since the smartphone is a part of Google’s Android One programme, it will get timely Android updates for two years and security patches for three years. An update for Android 9.0 Pie is also expected to be rolled out for users in India.
Nokia 7.1 has a 5.84-inch full-HD+ PureDisplay that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen of the smartphone comes with support for HDR10 and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
Nokia 7.1 has Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. For more storage, users can install a microSD card of up to 400GB.
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