- 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
[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):
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.
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.
[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.
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.
[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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Microsoft beats Apple to become the world’s most valuable listed company
Technology giant Microsoft has unseated Apple as the world’s most valuable listed company. The software giant has reclaimed the number one spot after more than 15 years. On Friday, the company’s market value crossed $851 billion and Apple’s market value stood at $847 billion.
Both the technology companies were competing for the top spot all week and Apple remained ahead of Microsoft at the end of each trading day. But the Cupertino-based technology company lost its lead on Friday.
Microsoft shares gained more than 0.6% to close at $110.89, while Apple’s finished at $178.60, which is around 0.5% down.
It is worth noticing that Apple’s shares have fallen by almost 25% since October because of concerns about slowing demand of the iPhone and additional US tariffs on products that are made in China.
The sell-off erased more than $200 billion from Apple’s market value. However, we should point out that Apple still remains bigger among the two companies by many measures such as annual revenue and profit.
But for now, investors are placing their bets on Microsoft’s prospects. The software giant’s growth in recent years have been driven by the firm’s cloud services unit which sells to other businesses.
If we speak of Apple, it is dependent on consumer spending, and investors feel that it is an aspect that could slow down.
Daniel Ives, managing director of equity research, Wedbush Securities was quoted saying that Microsoft will surely see significant growth, as more and more companies are expected to sign up for the company’s cloud products.
He also spoke about Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and said that he is well-positioned to “further transform (Microsoft) into a cloud behemoth over the coming years.”
Microsoft was the world’s most valuable company in the early 2000s, but took a hit after an anti-trust case. After mobile phones started challenging desktops, the company fell further out of the race. Apple took over the company as the most valuable technology firm in 2010. The iPhone maker also became the first trillion-dollar company in US earlier this year. But things changed recently as its share price plunged.
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Boat Stone 230 Bluetooth speaker launched in India: Price and specifications
Audio accessories brand Boat today expanded its lineup in India with the launch of Stone 230 Bluetooth speaker. The Boat Stone 230 Bluetooth speaker is powered by JL AC6905B chipset and can connect to devices that are up to 10 metres far from it. You can also take it with you to your next pool party, as the Bluetooth speaker is water proof. Here are the pricing details and the specifications of the device:
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Boat Stone 230 price in India
The new speaker by Boat is available in Charcoal Black and Midnight Blue colour options. It can be purchased for Rs 1,299 from Amazon India’s website. The speaker comes with a warranty that lasts a year.Boat Stone 230 specifications
Speaking of the features of the newly launched Bluetooth speaker by Boat, the device comes with Bluetooth version 4.2 that enables it to connect wirelessly to other devices that are up to 10 meters away from it. The speakers are powered by JL AC6905B chipset. Its driver is said to be 1.5-inch in size and can produce power output of 3W. Boat Stone 230 Bluetooth speaker house a 1200mAh lithium-ion battery which, according to the company, can offer up to 10 hours of playback time. It is also said that the battery of the speaker takes 3.5 hours to be charged. Boat Stone 230’s response frequency starts from 2.4GHz and goes up to 2.480GHz. There is a built-in microphone on the speaker and it comes with a microUSB port that can be used for charging the device. Users can also install a microSD card in the Bluetooth speaker. As we mentioned earlier, Boat’s Stone 230 Bluetooth speaker comes with IPX4 rating. This makes it water resistant, so it should not be a problem for you to carry it with you while you are travelling. The dimensions of the newly launched Bluetooth speaker is 92x92x40mm and it weighs 245 grams. Speaking on the launch of the product, Saurabh Goswami, Marketing Head of Boat said “Our products aren’t just magnets and bolts with some specs on a sheet of paper. Uncompromised enthusiasm is what drives us, and it reflects in the epicness in the being of our products.” 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.Top 9 smartphones that were launched in India this month
November saw a slew of launches in India including the new coloured OnePlus 6T and the world’s first smartphone with quadruple rear camera setup. Just in the last week, the Indian smartphone markets saw three key entries in the budget segment. Here, we have curated a list of top smartphones that were launched in India in November 2018:
Samsung Galaxy A9 is the world’s first smartphone to come with four rear cameras. The smartphone has a 24MP primary sensor, a 10MP telephoto sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. The smartphone houses a 24MP selfie camera on its front panel. Other key specifications of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) are 6.3-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display, 3,800mAh of battery, and the presence of Bixby, Samsung Pay and the Face Unlock feature. The starting price of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is Rs 36,990.
OnePlus fans who were disappointed with just Midnight Black and Mirror Black colour options of OnePlus 6T, this month got more choice with the Thunder Purple variant of the device. There is no change in the specifications of the smartphone. It is only available with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage and is priced at Rs 41,999.
Asus ROG Phone is aimed towards gamers in India. Priced at Rs 69,999, Asus ROG Phone comes with features like ultrasonic AirTrigger touch sensors, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and Qualcomm Adreno 630 GPU. It also has an AMOLED display that has support for HDR. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s ROG Gaming UI.
This is another photography centric smartphone that has been launched in India. Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with a triple rear camera setup with a 40MP primary wide-angle sensor, a 20MP ultra wide angle sensor and an 8MP 3X telephoto sensor. For selfies and video calls, there is a 24MP RGB front facing snapper. The smartphone houses a 4,200mAh battery that supports 40W SuperCharge technology and is priced at Rs 69,990.
Realme launched its selfie centric smartphone Realme U1 in India this month. The smartphone’s starting price is Rs 11,999 and it comes with features like a 25MP selfie camera with AI enhancements, MediaTek Helio P70 processor, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras and a 6.3-inch FHD+ Dewdrop LCD panel.
Honor expanded its budget lineup in India this month with Honor 8C smartphone. The newly launched Honor smartphone comes with a 6.26-inch HD+ TFT IPS LCD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras, an 8MP selfie camera and a 4,000mAh battery. The starting price of Honor 8C is Rs 11,999.
The Oppo A7 comes with a 6.2-inch HD+ display and a 16MP front facing camera. The smartphone is priced at Rs 16,990 and it has specifications like Snapdragon 450 processor, Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with ColorOS 5.2, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras and a 4,230mAh battery.
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo launched its Y95 smartphone in India this month. It is the successor of the company’s Y93 smartphone and comes with a Halo Fullview Display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor. Like all other Vivo smartphones, Y95 is selfie-focussed. So, on its front panel, the smartphone comes with 20MP selfie camera that has AI capabilities. Vivo Y95 costs Rs 16,990.
Xiaomi just changed a few features of Redmi Note 5 Pro and launched a fancier version as Redmi Note 6 Pro this month. The starting price of Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is Rs 13,999, and it comes with the same processor, dual rear cameras, battery capacity and RAM and storage options as its predecessor. The display and design are different and the company has touted the smartphone to have some AI enhancements.
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In This Article
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A9 is the world’s first smartphone to come with four rear cameras. The smartphone has a 24MP primary sensor, a 10MP telephoto sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. The smartphone houses a 24MP selfie camera on its front panel. Other key specifications of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) are 6.3-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display, 3,800mAh of battery, and the presence of Bixby, Samsung Pay and the Face Unlock feature. The starting price of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is Rs 36,990.
OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple
OnePlus fans who were disappointed with just Midnight Black and Mirror Black colour options of OnePlus 6T, this month got more choice with the Thunder Purple variant of the device. There is no change in the specifications of the smartphone. It is only available with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage and is priced at Rs 41,999.
Asus ROG Phone
Asus ROG Phone is aimed towards gamers in India. Priced at Rs 69,999, Asus ROG Phone comes with features like ultrasonic AirTrigger touch sensors, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and Qualcomm Adreno 630 GPU. It also has an AMOLED display that has support for HDR. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s ROG Gaming UI.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
This is another photography centric smartphone that has been launched in India. Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with a triple rear camera setup with a 40MP primary wide-angle sensor, a 20MP ultra wide angle sensor and an 8MP 3X telephoto sensor. For selfies and video calls, there is a 24MP RGB front facing snapper. The smartphone houses a 4,200mAh battery that supports 40W SuperCharge technology and is priced at Rs 69,990.
Realme U1
Realme launched its selfie centric smartphone Realme U1 in India this month. The smartphone’s starting price is Rs 11,999 and it comes with features like a 25MP selfie camera with AI enhancements, MediaTek Helio P70 processor, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras and a 6.3-inch FHD+ Dewdrop LCD panel.
Honor 8C
Honor expanded its budget lineup in India this month with Honor 8C smartphone. The newly launched Honor smartphone comes with a 6.26-inch HD+ TFT IPS LCD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras, an 8MP selfie camera and a 4,000mAh battery. The starting price of Honor 8C is Rs 11,999.
Oppo A7
The Oppo A7 comes with a 6.2-inch HD+ display and a 16MP front facing camera. The smartphone is priced at Rs 16,990 and it has specifications like Snapdragon 450 processor, Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with ColorOS 5.2, 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras and a 4,230mAh battery.
Vivo Y95
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo launched its Y95 smartphone in India this month. It is the successor of the company’s Y93 smartphone and comes with a Halo Fullview Display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor. Like all other Vivo smartphones, Y95 is selfie-focussed. So, on its front panel, the smartphone comes with 20MP selfie camera that has AI capabilities. Vivo Y95 costs Rs 16,990.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro
Xiaomi just changed a few features of Redmi Note 5 Pro and launched a fancier version as Redmi Note 6 Pro this month. The starting price of Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is Rs 13,999, and it comes with the same processor, dual rear cameras, battery capacity and RAM and storage options as its predecessor. The display and design are different and the company has touted the smartphone to have some AI enhancements.
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[td_smart_list_end] Nokia 7.1 with PureDisplay panel, Zeiss optics launched in India: Price and specifications
HMD Global has today launched its Nokia 7.1 smartphone in India. The newly launched smartphone comes with PureDisplay panel that supports HDR 10. Other key features of the smartphone include its dual rear cameras which come with Zeiss optics and 3,060mAh battery. The smartphone was launched in London last month and at that time, the company had said that it would later announce Nokia 7.1’s India pricing and availability details. Here’s a look at the specifications and pricing details of Nokia 7.1 smartphone:
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Nokia 7.1 price in India
In India, Nokia 7.1 is available only with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage and is priced at Rs 19,999. The smartphone is set to go on sale in India starting December 7. If you are an interested buyer, you can head to either Nokia India’s online store or top mobile retailers to get the device. It is worth noticing that the smartphone has not been launched in the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant in the country. HMD Global has partnered with Airtel to offer prepaid subscribers 1TB of 4G on plans that cost Rs 199. On the other hand, postpaid Airtel subscribers get an additional 120GB of data, a three-month Netflix subscription and a 1-year long subscription of Amazon Prime on buying plans that are worth Rs 499 and higher. If you buy the Nokia 7.1 using an HDFC credit or debit card, you will get a 10% cashback on eligible office stores.Nokia 7.1 specifications
To recall, Nokia 7.1 mobile has dual SIM functionality and runs Android Oreo. 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 features a 5.84-inch full-HD+ PureDisplay panel that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen of the smartphone also comes with support for HDR10 and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Nokia 7.1 is powered by 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. For imaging duties, Nokia 7.1 sports a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 5MP sensors. While the primary rear camera comes with autofocus and an f/1.8 aperture, the secondary rear camera has fixed focus and f/2.4 aperture. HMD Global has touted the presence of Zeiss optics, EIS and two-phase detection in the dual rear cameras of the device. The smartphone features an 8MP fixed focus sensor that has an f/2.0 aperture and a 84-degree field-of-view. Nokia 7.1 houses a 3,060mAh non-removable battery that has support of 18W fast charging. On the connectivity front, the smartphone supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack 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.This smartphone company is reportedly on the verge of bankruptcy after its chairman lost $144 million at a casino
Gionee, which was previously in the same race as Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and Huawei, did not manage to gain the same amount popularity in international markets. A number of smartphones from the company were aimed at audience which loved clicking selfies, but Oppo and Vivo manage to do much better in that space. But seems like that situation wasn’t as bad as the smartphone maker is facing now. It has been reported that the Chinese smartphone brand is on the verge of bankruptcy.
According to a report in Securities Times, Gionee has failed to pay its suppliers and has had a meeting with them to work out a deal. It is worth noticing that the meeting only happened when 20 of its suppliers filed an application for bankruptcy reorganization with the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court. The application was filed by suppliers on November 20.
But that’s just the problem. A reason behind this dire financial situation of the company has also surfaced.
Chinese website Jiemian reported last week that Gionee’s chairman Liu Lirong lost over 10 billion yuan, which equals to $1.4-billion, while gambling at a casino in Saipan. While Lirong did admit to Securities Times that he lost money at the casino, he clarified that the amount he lost was One billion yuan or, which equals $144 million.
Gionee’s chairman also said that he didn’t misappropriate the company’s cash to gamble, but then went on to say that he may have been “borrowing company funds.” This marks as a massive shift in the fortunes for one among China’s renowned mobile phone brands. The company initially also did well in India, but it has been inactive for quite some time now.
According to Counterpoint Research, in Q1 2017, Gionee accounted for 4.6% market share in the Indian smartphone market when it came to smartphone brands that focussed on being selfie-centric. For the same period, the company was also listed as one among the top five fastest growing brands in the Rs 15k-30k price segment.
However, the smartphone maker saw a sharp decline in worldwide shipments in Q2 2018. It wasn’t the only smartphone maker to see this fall, as Lenovo, Micromax and Sony saw a decline too.
To add to the company’s woes, in Q3 2018, 87% of China’s market share was captured by the top five brands in the region. With all this combined, times do seem really tough for Gionee.
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Oppo’s foldable phone to be showcased at MWC 2019
After Samsung showed off its foldable phone at its developer conference earlier this month, Huawei confirmed that it is also working on a foldable device. And now, Chinese smartphone maker Oppo has also confirmed that it will have its own foldable phone too.
The confirmation comes from Oppo‘s product manager Chuck Wang who has also said that the smartphone maker will showcase its foldable phone at the Mobile World Congress that is scheduled to happen in February 2019 in Barcelona.
However, he did not give any other details or specifications about the upcoming phone.
Wang also disclosed that Oppo is working on a 5G smartphone that will be released in 2020 and the company is also eyeing to launch its first smartphone with a display cut-out in the same year. It is worth noticing that Samsung also spoke about cut-out displays or Infinity O screen at its developer conference. The South Korean technology giant will be incorporating the feature in its upcoming Galaxy A8S smartphone. A report also suggests that Huawei will also be launching a smartphone with a cut-out display.
The 5G race has also begun among technology companies. One smartphone in Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10 lineup will reportedly come with 5G connectivity. OnePlus too has confirmed that it is working on a 5G smartphone, but it may launch it as a part of a separate range altogether. Even Xiaomi and Lenovo are said to be working on 5G devices that are expected to launch in 2019.
Coming back to foldable phones, we definitely expect to see them grab some spotlight next year. As we mentioned earlier, Samsung Galaxy F foldable phone is expected to make a presence at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2019. Besides that, we will also get to see Huawei’s foldable device at the event.
Consumer electronics maker LG will also be showcasing its foldable phone at CES 2019, which will be held Las Vegas in January next year. Other than this, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is also said to be working on a phone that has a folding display, although not much is known about it.
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Be careful, you might get soaps instead of OnePlus 6T if you order from Amazon
Although we have heard plenty of instances when the customer ordered something from an e-commerce website and received something entirely different, the latest one involving Amazon India and OnePlus does raise some eyebrows. According to a LinkedIn user, he had ordered the newly launched OnePlus 6T (review) from Amazon India, and what he received instead were soaps inside the OnePlus 6T box.
What adds credibility to his claim is the fact that he filmed the entire unboxing. While it’s not exactly common to see people record the unboxing of the products they receive from the likes of Amazon and Flipkart, the Linked user – Bikramjit Singh – said in his post that the delivery boy asked him to do so. That is rather unusual too, but what we cannot deny is the fact that Singh was indeed delivered with soaps inside the OnePlus 6T box instead of the smartphone itself.
The video shows the closed package in which he ‘smartphone’ was delivered. It goes on to show Singh opening the package using a pair of scissors and then taking out a laminated and sealed OnePlus box. Singh tears open the lamination and then opens the box, only to see packs of soaps inside it. The video ends with Singh emptying the entire box, which only had four soaps in it.
Singh went on to say in his post that he had paid for the smartphone in advance and that till now, he doesn’t know if it is the company’s mistake or the seller’s. According to Singh, the seller on Amazon India he purchased the smartphone from is E-Mobile.
In his LinkedIn post, Singh has also said that he still hasn’t heard from Amazon India on the matter.
At the time when this article was being written, the video shared by Singh had been viewed 99,148 times, and his post had 1045 likes and 375 comments.
We should point out that these frauds are not unheard of and e-commerce websites are not always responsible for these misses, as it can be the seller’s fault also. After this year’s festive season sales, we reported about a number of instances where customers received counterfeit products or products that they hadn’t ordered for. This included a man who got fake Apple Airpods, a customer who received an Oppo smartphone instead of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, a guy who was given a plastic fan in place of an iPhone X among others.
A lot of these customers complained about e-commerce websites blaming the seller for the fault and vice versa. Some even said that the e-commerce players were not very helpful while resolving these issues. We hope for Singh it is easier, as he has recorded evidence of what he claims has happened to him.
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Syska Smart Plug and Wi-Fi Spike Buster launched in India: Price and key features
After entering the smart home segment recently, Syska Group has today announced the launch of two new products – Syska Smart Plug with Power Meter and Syska Wi-Fi Spike Buster. The company has said that both the products it has launched today can be used to convert connected simple or regular devices into smart devices.
Syska says that it has tried to design the smart plug and spike buster in a way that they are aesthetically appealing and can be used to give users’ homes or offices “a makeover with their fine and classy look.”
According to the company, both the products have been made to make user’s life more comfortable. Syska Smart Plug and Syska Wi-Fi Spike Buster can be controlled by your smartphone via the Syska Smart Home App. Once you connect your app and the devices, you can switch them on or off with just one tap on your smartphone. Users can also schedule the duration for which the connected device will remain on using the timer feature on the app.
Furthermore, in case your connected device gets overheated, you would receive a notification on your smartphone informing you about it. The power meter is enabled in order to monitor the voltage consumption of devices that are connected with Syska Smart Plug. The data collected by the power meter can then be accessed via Syska Smart Home App. The Syska Smart Plug with Power Meter is priced at Rs 2,599 and it is available for purchase via Amazon India and Flipkart.
Speaking of Syska Wi-Fi enabled Spike Buster, the company claims that the device can take automation and safety to “a whole new level.” The device is supposed to protect your sensitive devices from voltage spikes. All your electronic devices plugged into this spike guard can be controlled with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Syska Smart Home App. You can turn them on and off using just by using your smartphone. The spike buster supports devices ranging from smartphones to laptops and come with three universal power sockets and four USB charging ports. The company claims that the spike buster has the ability to protect electronic devices from short circuits, voltage spikes and overheating. The product is priced at Rs 4,999 and like Syska Smart Plug with Power Meter, it is available on Amazon India and Flipkart.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Gurumukh Uttamchandani, Director of Syska Group said, “Smart home automation industry in India is booming and consumers are looking for products that make their life smart and convenient at the same time. We at Syska believe in providing a better experience to consumers through continuous innovation. We have launched new and innovative product like Syska Smart Plug with Power Meter and Syska WiFi Spike Buster to enable the consumers convert their simple homes into smart homes. Syska aims to launch a range of smart products to drive urbanisation and provide a superior standard of living to the consumers.”
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