HTC Ocean Note Smartphone To Top Google Pixel Camera With Highest DxOMark Score And More Details

Back in September, reports surfaced claiming HTC was planning a new series of smartphones, which were codenamed "Ocean." A new report claims the upcoming Ocean Note will have a rear camera with the highest DxOMark score of any smartphone camera and ditch the standard 3.5mm headphone port.

HTC Gives Google A Hand With The Pixel And Pixel XL

HTC has been trying to regain its place in the smartphone world, which has been dominated by two major companies in the last couple of years, Apple and Samsung. One area where HTC has been able to maintain its status has been through the design of the smartphones it builds for itself and others.

Most recently, Google hired HTC to build its new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones but unlike its Nexus program, which allowed the handset manufacturer to be credited on the device, Google instead credits itself with a "G" logo and "Made by Google" stamp and advertises the devices are the first smartphones made by Google.

When Google unveiled the Pixel and Pixel XL, it boasted that the smartphones received a DxOMark score of 89, making it the highest-rated smartphone camera ever tested. Now, a new report reveals that HTC' s upcoming Ocean Note smartphone will top the DxOMark score of the Pixel to become the highest rated camera on a smartphone when the handset is unveiled.

HTC Ocean Note To Top Pixel DxOMark Camera Score

The report claims HTC is planning to release three new smartphones in Q1 2017, which backs up a late September story, which suggested that HTC would launch an "Ocean Master," "Ocean Note," and "Ocean Smart" handsets.

The Ocean Note is believed to feature a 5.5-inch screen and will join the HTC Bolt and iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus by ditching the standard 3.5mm headphone port. The smartphone will use a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer and that claim of its having the highest DxOMark score will reportedly come from a 13-megapixel rear camera.

HTC will apparently offer the HTC Ocean in choice of black, white, or blue color options and the handset will feature dual SIM slots. It's unclear if the Ocean Note will include "Sense Touch," which was created by an HTC designer as a concept to show off a new way of interacting with the device.

Users would be able to access controls, including volume and scrolling by touching the outer frame of the handset instead of touching the display.

HTC Ocean Note Expected To Launch In January

HTC is expected to launch new smartphones on Jan. 12 and the Ocean Note is believed to be one of those devices. We'll keep you posted on any new information as it becomes available.

© 2016 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: HTC Ocean Note Smartphone To Top Google Pixel Camera With Highest DxOMark Score And More Details

Xiaomi Mi 6 Release Date Rumored to be February 6

A delay in the release of the Xiaomi Mi 6 could be the result of the Snapdragon chipset that is widely-expected in the device. As previously stated, the device will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor that's going to be coupled with the whopping amount of 6GB of RAM. However, many tech experts believe that the short supply of the Snapdragon 835 chips is not that bad after all and the issue has been exaggerated. Reports have been showing that Apple isn't going to be the only major tech company to rush the launch of its flagship device Xiaomi is following in Apple's footsteps meaning that the Chinese giant will launch its upcoming flagship Xiaomi Mi 6 device. News about the smartphone's release date has also been making rounds and it is still expected in February 2017, though certain reports have claimed an April release. The other feature which makes it impressive is the price. As a mid range mobile, the high specs from Xiaomi will be the most talking aspects of the m arket.

According to a report in GSMArena, the Xiaomi Mi 6 could be made available in two storage variants, 128GB and 256GB and three colour variants, blue, white and black. The reason being is that the phone has been receiving a handful of leaks as of the recent, and the latest one, so far, suggests that its design might not entirely be different than the Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The leaked photo showed a rather fresh design for the Xiaomi Mi 6 from its current-generation model, the Xiaomi Mi 5, particularly in the camera lens placement.

Earnings on Deck For McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC)The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . A number of investment brokers have recently updated their price targets on shares of Meadwestvaco Corporation (NYSE:MWV).

A tipster from a Chinese micro-blogging website has just recently tipped that the Xiaomi Mi 6 will come out with a design similar to the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 handset but in a smaller size.

Source: Xiaomi Mi 6 Release Date Rumored to be February 6

HTC's new Ocean could be a range of three phones

We all know that HTC has a tough road back to the top. But something else is also missing and this is big - the 3.5 mm audio jack is gone.

The headline-grabbing flagship offering among these will reportedly be the HTC Ocean Note, an oversized handset that will pair its headphone jack-bereft finish with an all new, curved design. Apple started that trend, and now Android manufacturers are doing away with the old port in favor of the Type-C USB.

The other two devices mentioned in the article are the HTC One X10, which is rumoured to feature MediaTek's Helio P10 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera with a 5.5-inch 1080p display and the potential successor to the Desire 828. That said, they many introduce three variants which could mean three sizes.

The year 2016 hasn't been the best for Taiwanese tech giant HTC even though the company still launched quite a number of great devices in the shape of HTC 10 and the recent HTC Bolt or rather HTC 10 Evo.

Last but not least, HTC is also said to improve the camera dramatically, although color us skeptical given what we've seen in the past.

According to sources the company claims the title "highest ranking from DxOMark" which is now a title held by Google Pixel with 89. For reference, the HTC 10, Xperia X Performance and S7 Edge sit at 88 points while the iPhone 6S and BlackBerry Priv come in at around 82.

HTC is expected to unveil a trio of HTC Ocean devices during the firm's eagerly awaited "For U" event on January 12. CES 2017 should tell the tale as well, especially if the Ocean Note is absent.

Source: HTC's new Ocean could be a range of three phones

Fold-Up Smartphone Screens Could Finally Make Their Big Debut

Photo-illustration: Edmon de Haro

The rumors have been swirling for months. Though they couldn't be confirmed, their persistence suggests that something significant may be coming from ­Samsung, possibly as early as this year: a foldable mobile.

Today, the world of mobiles consists of two major realms—tablets and smartphones. Tablets are good for reading magazines and books, typing long messages on a linked keyboard, looking at pictures, and surfing the Web. Smartphones are good for texting and ­talking. Engineers have long dreamed of merging the two.

Such a device would morph from one to the other by folding: Open, it's a tablet, but by bending or folding it in half you'd transform it into a phone. "You can expect to open up your phone and double the screen real estate," says Roel Vertegaal, a computer scientist at Queen's ­University in Ontario. Besides the versatility, you'd have interesting new ­possibilities—imagine bending your phone to flip ahead in an e-book, just as you would flex a novel's covers to jump ahead a few pages.

Gadgets Galore Shipments of smartphones were expected to outnumber those of tablets by an order of magnitude in 2016. Source: International Data Corp.

Samsung has pursued flexible designs for at least four years, going so far as to develop "artificial muscles" that push and pull a smartphone's components into new positions to prevent damage as it bends. Now, according to media reports, the company may finally be ready to share those technologies with the world and save users the hassle of carrying both a phone and a tablet.

"Having that bimodality in a device would, I think, be really game changing," says mobile analyst Wayne Lam at IHS Markit. "You're not only creating a new form factor for the phone, but you're also cannibalizing other product categories."

Competitors are thinking along similar elastic lines. At a trade show last summer, Lenovo showed off a concept product for a smartphone that folded around a user's wrist into a wearable device. Throughout 2016, a Chinese manufacturer named Moxi Group promised a limited release of its own high-end flexible smartphone. But Samsung would be the first of any major company to debut a device with a truly flexible screen.

If Samsung does release such a phone, it would signal the first major departure from the flat, rectangular form that has defined smartphone designs since Apple released the first iPhone in 2007. Manufacturers have experimented with curved glass and adopted larger screens, but essentially all smartphones today are design descendants of that original iPhone.

The simple, rigid smartphone has endured partly because the challenges of building a foldable screen that is rugged and dependable are great. Stiff components such as the battery must be made to either bend along with the screen or be situated away from the fold.

Vertegaal himself built a flexible smartphone in his lab last year and tested hundreds of screens before settling on one that worked—a high-­definition organic light-emitting-diode screen produced by LG Display. OLED screens contain a thin film of organic compounds that produce light from an electric current right at the surface of the device. They are a favorite of designers working on flexible TV and mobile units because they do not require the bulky backlight and filters found in LCD screens.

Samsung happens to be the largest global supplier of OLED panels. In 2013, the company showed off a concept product with a bendable OLED screen at the CES electronics show. It set off a frenzy in the tech blogosphere and led to speculation that the company would release a smartphone based on it.

Illustration: Moxi Group Flexible Devices: This smartphone designed by Chinese manufacturer Moxi Group can wrap around a user's wrist.

Vertegaal says the biggest challenge in ­building his own flexible phone was powering all the ­pixels in his LG display with connectors that could ­withstand repeated bendings. To keep it simple, he used a relatively primitive screen that had only 720 pixels. He realized that the rigid materials found in conventional smartphones are, unfortunately, quite delicate. "Circuits are made out of metals, and these metals break under stress," he says. "While it's ­possible to make these bendable screens, it's difficult to make them in a way that they don't break."

One solution may be to use printed ­electronics to integrate razor-thin ­circuits and flattened antennas along the surfaces of a smartphone. In theory, this technique could make phones more flexible by reducing the number of large components and fragile attachments within the device. However, the easiest way to create such products is with injection molding, a process that is seldom used in smartphone manufacturing.

Right now, only two companies in the world have the expertise and production chops to manufacture a smartphone with a bendable display for the mass market: ­Samsung and LG, says William Stofega, a mobile analyst at International Data Corp. Just last year, at CES, LG exhibited an OLED screen, less than 1 millimeter thick, that could roll up like a newspaper. But Stofega says the time, complexity, and expense of manufacturing means that any flexible products that debut this year will likely be pricey, high-end devices.

Samsung needs a hit to regain momentum after last year's Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, in which it coped with reports of dozens of the smartphones catching fire. Ultimately, the problems prompted a recall that slashed profits by 17 percent, or US $4 billion, in that quarter. A flashy line of foldable phones could help the company rebuild its reputation. However, it would be a high-risk strategy, Stofega notes. "No one wants to risk coming out with a device that looks pretty cool and then, after about 2,000 bends, just cracks right in half," he says.

Samsung wouldn't comment on its plans for 2017. So we'll all have to wait and see if the company dazzles us this year with a couple of flexible smartphones—or leaves the many design headaches and teething pains for its rivals to endure.

This article appears in the January 2016 print issue as "Fold-Up Screens Could Make Their Big Debut."

Source: Fold-Up Smartphone Screens Could Finally Make Their Big Debut

LYF unveils two budget 4G smartphones- Water 3 & Wind 7S at Rs 6,599 and Rs 5,699 respectively

The new smartphones are an addition to the Wind and Water series of the LYF four series brand. Released in the budget bracket, these are 4G enabled dual-SIM supported devices that come with Jio Happy New Year Offer. LYF Water 3 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop sporting a 5.5-inch HD (720 x 1280 pixels) display with pixel density of 267 ppi. It is powered by a 1.5 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939 SoC paired with 2 GB of RAM. Fired up by an 3000 mAh battery there is an inbuilt storage of 16 GB, which is expandable via microSD card- up to 32 GB.

LYF Wind 7S features as a successor to the company's Wind 7 smartphone. It comes with a 5-inch HD 1280 × 720 resolution display. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 1.3GHz quad-core processor, it houses 2 GB of RAM. It further offers 16 GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD card of up to 128 GB). The device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and comes with a feature called 'Multiple gestures' which facilitates waking up of the handset device, start of the camera, controlling of the music player, muting of incoming calls and access of apps from the locked screen using gestures.

On optics front LYF Wind 7S includes an 8 MP rear camera with an LED flash while on the front there is a 5 MP snapper for clicking selfies. LYF Water 3 on the other hand houses a 13-megapixel rear camera with flash and autofocus feature and a 5-megapixel camera on front. LYF Water 3 would be available online exclusively through Flipkart in Silver variant, while LYF Wind 7S would be available for sale via company's own platform.

Source: LYF

Source: LYF unveils two budget 4G smartphones- Water 3 & Wind 7S at Rs 6,599 and Rs 5,699 respectively

Surface Phone rumors: Microsoft not ready to release its alleged smartphone

#Microsoft #SurfacePhone – Surface Phone rumors: Microsoft not ready to release its alleged smartphone : Although there have been a lot of talks about Microsoft releasing the Surface Phone, the latest in the rumor mill claims that the alleged Microsoft device may not be in existence yet as the company is not yet ready to release the Surface Phone in the nearest future.

There is no denying that the Surface Phone is one of the most-talked-about products despite the absence of any confirmation from Microsoft on its existence. In fact, Microsoft had been alleged to release the product in several occasions already, which, obviously, turned out to be a false alarm.

While there were rumors earlier this month claiming that Microsoft would finally unveil the Surface Phone in the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) happening in Barcelona, Spain from Feb. 27 to Mar. 2, 2017, the latest reports claim that the alleged Microsoft handset meant to replace the Lumia line may not be in existence after all.

Sources opine that Microsoft may need to polish the Surface Phone before releasing it to the market. Hence, fans cannot expect the company to release it anytime soon. As it is also expected that the Surface Phone will be an innovative product that will not be patterned after the current smartphones, it is also suspected that Microsoft may feel that it's the right time to launch the device in the market. After all, with the Lumia Windows Phone Microsoft acquired from Nokia failing to get the nod of the consumers, it is but understandable for Microsoft to release its alleged Surface Phone at the perfect time.

As of this writing, Microsoft has yet to release an official statement regarding the Surface Phone. However, despite the lack of any official word from the company, it is heavily speculated that the device is already in Microsoft's pipeline. After all, it was no less than Microsoft's director for engineering Laura Butler who hinted the existence of the device when she said on her tweet a few months ago that the "Surface Phone is not NOT confirmed."

As double negative means affirmative, either in grammar or math, it is heavily believed that the Surface Phone is a part of Microsoft's armory that is just waiting to be unleashed.

Source :ecumenicalnews

Source: Surface Phone rumors: Microsoft not ready to release its alleged smartphone

New information arises surrounding Meizu’s next flagship smartphone

Meizu is one of the lesser known companies on this side of the world, but it is steadily growing and is looking to expand to more markets. The company focuses on budget devices, and we are now getting our first look at what may be the next Meizu flagship.

Sketches of the Meizu Legent have appeared, which show that the device may feature a dual-curved display, USB Type-C charging port, and the 3.5mm headphone jack that everyone seems to be worried about nowadays. The sketches also show a new camera module which can be pulled out of place and turned to the front to act as a selfie camera.

In addition to the sketches showing off the new device, some of the specs for the Legent have also been revealed. The device is expected to feature the following specs:

5.7-inch QHD Display

Samsung Exynos 8893 Processor

6GB RAM

3,400mAh Battery

16MP Sony IMX438 Camera

Flyme 6 based on Android 7.0 Nougat

Since these are just sketches, we'll take this set of leaks with a grain of salt, but if this is the Meizu Legent, 2017 may hold a bright future for the company. Would you purchase a Meizu device if the company ever made its devices available here in the States? Sound off in the comments below.

[AndroidPure]

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Source: New information arises surrounding Meizu's next flagship smartphone

Nokia reveal comeback after cringeworthy smartphone flops in the hope it will knock Apple iPhones off the top spot

WE'RE NOT FINNISH-ED

Finnish firm launches second attempt to get back into the market, two years after the flop of its Windows 10 powered phones

NOKIA will release FIVE new smartphones in a comeback for 2017, it has confirmed.

The Android phones will have 5" and 5.7" displays and the first set will be unveiled at the annual Mobile World Congress tech show in February.

Getty Images

Nokia said two new phones – which come with classic games Snake and Nitro Racing – will be rolled out early next year

The former market leader fell from grace after the iPhone hit the market in the late noughties.

And while older Nokia models are worth an absolute fortune at auction, a return using the much-loathed Windows 10 operating system  was a massive flop.

But it's hoped that with the introduction of an Android operating system (and a new design team behind the scenes), the phones will be a hit with nostalgic gadget lovers.

Nokia Lumia 900 takes a beating

HMD GLOBAL

Soon-to-be-released Nokia 150 will be "affordable and durable" according the Finnish manufacturers

Rex Features

Nokia said two new phones – which come with classic games Snake and Nitro Racing - will be rolled out early next year

Much likes its predecessors, the new devices will be cheap but durable.

It said the Nokia 150 and Nokia 150 Dual are "built to last" and promise the same battery power from the good old Nokia 3310 days.

They offer up to 22 hours talk time and 31 days standby.

It said the two phones – which come with classic games Snake and Nitro Racing - will be rolled out early next year.

And there are rumours they will be followed by three more smartphones, according to Gadget 360.

Ringing in the cash! Nine classic mobile phones that could net YOU a fortune... including the Nokia worth £500

very old timer More shame for billionaire businessman Sir Philip Green as he is spotted using old Nokia phone

IPHONE BLAST Woman's terror as her iPhone EXPLODES in her pocket and bursts into a fireball

BERRY BAD NEWS Blackberry to stop making phones after 14 years as Apple and Samsung dominate the industry

APPLE-GEDDON Apple fans claim iPhone 7 Plus cameras have been broken by 'black screen of death'

SUPERCAR PHONE Apple planning to unveil high-end 'Ferrari' version of iPhone 8, rumours suggest

The announcement is hot on the heels of BlackBerry – another phone company trying to claw back lost custom for 2017.

It will release a top secret "evolutionary first" at upcoming CES conference in Las Vegas in January.

A leak of a handset dubbed "Mercury" with a Qwerty keyboard along with a touchscreen have been doing the rounds online.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368

Source: Nokia reveal comeback after cringeworthy smartphone flops in the hope it will knock Apple iPhones off the top spot

New tech gifts? Here’s what to do with your old phones

Got a new smartphone or tablet for Christmas? Maybe it's a replacement for the old one, which means it's time to clear out some space. More than likely, your old phone is still serviceable, just a bit out of date if you like the latest and greatest technology.

Before you get rid of smartphones or tablets, make sure all your data has been wiped from it (for more on that, see here) and your accounts removed.

So what can you do with the old stuff? We have a few suggestions for you.

Pass it on:

This is what usually happens with older tech: you buy a new smartphone and your old one gets donated to a family member. It saves cluttering up your space with unwanted and unused tech items, and your child/parent/sibling gets a new(to them) handset. It solves a few problems in one move, and it means no new electronic devices are needed.

Donate it:

If you are feeling charitable, there are plenty of charities that will take your unwanted smartphones as part of their fundraising campaigns. Here are a few that you can send them on to:

Irish Autism Action

The charity will take any smartphones for recycling, giving families iPads and Android tablets in exchange for a certain number of smartphones donated. But you can also hand over unwanted iPhones and iPads for use by children with autism. Check out Autism Ireland Phones.

Bee for Battens

Set up to help children with a rare neurological disorder, Bee for Battens will accept any mobile phone regardless of make or condition. See Bee for Battens

Camara Education

Camara recycles old technology to contribute to the education of disadvantaged students around the world. The charity takes everything from your smartphones and tablets to old computer equipment and peripherals. If it can't reuse the donations, Camara will recycle it a WEEE facility. More here.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dogs Trust

Old mobile phones, printer cartridges..the Dogs Trust can turn them into cash to help provide vital veterinary equipment. For more information, see here.

Trade it in:

You might have noticed the CEX stores springing up here and there. The company will buy your old tech - smartphones, games consoles, tablets etc - and either give you vouchers that you can spend in their shops or cash. Typically you get more if you accept vouchers, for obvious reasons.

Three and Vodafone also offer you cash or credit when you trade in your old phones and tech with them, and there are also companies that specialise in giving your cash for your old mobile phone, as long as they are working - Envirofone, for example.

Sell it:

You might have noticed that when you trade in your old equipment, the company you sell it to often offers it for sale at a higher price. Ebay, Adverts.ie, DoneDeal - there are plenty of places you can sell on your old tech directly to other consumers without having a middleman taking a large cut. But beware when selling online - look at minimising the risk of being scammed with fake sales by using PayPal to accept payments rather than other methods, and look at a buyer's feedback if available before agreeing to sales. PayPal's protection for sellers requires you to meet certain conditions to be eligible, but it's worth it if you are selling high value goods.

Recycle it:

If you feel it's more hassle than the device is worth to sell or pass on to charity, you can always send it in for recycling - either at a WEEE facility or at a charity bin. Don't just bin it; there are components inside phones, including lithium ion batteries, that shouldn't be put into landfill.

Source: New tech gifts? Here's what to do with your old phones

iPhone 8 vs. Samsung Galaxy S8: One Wins With 5.7-inch Display, OLED Screen, 8 GB RAM

(Photo : Getty Images/Drew Angerer) Justin Denison, senior vice president of product strategy at Samsung, speaks during a launch event for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, August 2, 2016 in New York City. The stylus equipped smartphone will be available starting August 19, with preorders starting August 3.

Apple iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy S8 are two of the most anticipated phones, slated for release in 2017. While both these flagships are still months away from their actual launch, several anticipations related to their features, design and display have already been made.

According to a report published by Forbes, a great deal of anticipation about flagship features are made based on the regular release of patents, which provides an insight into specific features that smartphone manufacturers are currently working on.

Information about recently-released patent dubbed 'Electronic Devices with Display and Touch Sensor Structures' concerned Apple, indicating that the engineers at the firm must be trying to develop a new touch feature for its upcoming flagship, iPhone 8.

The patent in question describes the technique that makes it possible to use touch sensors around any side of the phone. As a result, the touch is able to get information input from a new location. This paves way for creation of special embedded touch sensors, and eliminates the use of physical buttons for certain actions, such as those for volume control, power and home.

In addition, the publication reports that more effort will be put in developing the rear and the side of flagship killer. However, fully-functional touch-enabled rear panel as primary source of input is not yet anticipated for iPhone 8.

Meanwhile, it is rumored that Samsung Galaxy S8 will come with 8 GB RAM, instead of 6 GB. According to GSM Arena, the flagship smartphone would feature AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 5.7 inches display.

Samsung Galaxy S8 also pays attention to some of the most advanced features such as iris and fingerprint scanner, compass, gyro, heart rate meter, barometer and accelerometer. The smartphone is expected to run on the latest version of Android and will be based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 chipset.

There will be a tough competition between iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy S8. However, the leaked details about the latter flagship puts it on the stronger side so far.

© 2016 Mstars News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Source: iPhone 8 vs. Samsung Galaxy S8: One Wins With 5.7-inch Display, OLED Screen, 8 GB RAM

XTOUCH R3, the Big Screen LTE Smartphone Hits the Market

December 26, 2016 -- DMN Newswire--2016-12-26--

XTOUCH, the leading new age consumer electronics brand has today announced the launch of its 6-inches HD display screen smartphone, R3.  The XTOUCH R3 is designed with sleek and smart look that is so premium with its full-metal body and the 2.5D diamond-cut glass perfectly meets 8.4mm slim edges at the corner.

The new big screen smartphone is equipped with a 4000mAh long-life battery which can last over two days on normal usage and 19 hours phone call time with a single charge.

Fitted with high-powered auto-focus dual cameras of 13MP at the back and 8MP in front that offers multiple modes, the R3 delivers the best in class picture quality. And, the device takes only 0.35 seconds to unlock using the advance touch sensor lightning fast speed technology.

The XTOUCH R3 is powered by MediaTek Quad-core processor MT6735 which delivers powerful performance while consumes little energy. The 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM, expandable to 128GB, with dual SIM cards, will make it a highly efficient smartphone.

Farhad Khan, Vice President-commercial at XTOUCH, said ??We are sure with its big screen size, sleek design, smart features, state-of-the-art functionalities and highly competitive price, the R3 LTE will be a big hit in the market. We always endeavour to introduce products that can provide users an ultimate experience as well as value for money??.

Priced at 499 AED, the XTOUCH R3 is available in Gold and Grey shades across the leading stores in UAE.

About XTOUCH:XTOUCH is a leading smartphone brand in EMEA region, providing high-quality and innovative products at affordable prices. XTOUCH proudly presents itself as a Dubai-based brand, with its headquarters in Dubai and sales operations across Europe, Middle East & Africa. XTOUCH is focused on building a win-win solution with our partners, and providing cost-efficient products that go beyond expectations of its end-users.

Related Keywords:Farhad Khan, XTOUCH, R3, LTE, Smartphone, UAE, Souq.com

Source:Digital Media Online. All Rights Reserved

Source: XTOUCH R3, the Big Screen LTE Smartphone Hits the Market

Karbonn launches four new budget 4G smartphones in India

Karbonn Mobiles - the Bangalore headquartered telecommunication company has rolled out 4G variants of of its four smartphones.

Targeted at entry level users, the new 4G enabled smartphones by Karbonn have been especially developed to suit the varied digital and language proficiency of the country's diverse consumer spectrum, claims the company via a recent press release.

The newly launched devices include the Karbonn Aura Note 4G and K9 Viraat 4G with 5.5-inch HD displays are priced at Rs 6,490 and Rs 5,790 respectively. The device comes with a price tag of Rs 6,490.

The other two smartphones, K9 Smart 4G and the Karbonn Titanium Vista 4G pack in 5-inche displays and are priced at Rs 5,090 and Rs 5,790 respectively. This device also runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Karbonn K9 Smart 4G packs a 3.2-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 1.3-megapixel front shooter for selfies. K9 Viraat 4G is powered 1.25 GHz quad core Mediatek MT6737 processor. The phone runs on Android v6.0 Marshmallow and gets a 2,800mAh battery.

Karbonn Titanium Vista 4G fits a 5-inch screen, it has a 1.25 GHz quad core Mediatek MT6737 processor with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory. On the camera front, it has 5-megapixel camera on both the rear and front.

The device comes with a 5.5-inch HD IPS display and a 1.25 GHz quad-core processor that runs on a Mediatek MT6737 chipset. The device is available on eCommerce portals and retail stores at Rs 5,090 and comes in two colours-Black and Grey with sandstone back finish. This device comes with an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera. The company has partnered with Saavn, Voot and dailyhunt to enrich the multimedia experience for users on the device. Titanium Vista comes in two colours? Champagne White and Black. The phone is power backed by a 2800 mAh battery and has a fingerprint scanner at its back.

For optics the phone has - 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. It is available in White Champagne and Black colour variants.

Source: Karbonn launches four new budget 4G smartphones in India

Santa bring you a new smartphone for Christmas? Download the FOX 8 app!

Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas — maybe a new smartphone or tablet was under the tree?

While you're adding all the apps to your new device, you'll want to add the FOX 8 News and the FOX 8 Weather app to your list.

That way, you'll always get the latest news around Northeast Ohio, the latest weather alerts, along with all the stories that you'll want to share with family and friends.

HERE IS HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE APP:

There are a lot of new features to tell you about.

SIMPLE MENU:

All the app features are now located in a simple menu, so you can see FOX 8 News live streaming, along with our top stories; you can also change your push settings, check the weather, or find other stories with ease.

LATEST NEWS:

You'll see the most updated stories front and center as soon as you open the app. You can now easily navigate to more content by swiping left and right inside the story.

MORE NEWS:

Under the dropdown menu, you'll see an option for 'More News;' when you select that option, you will have access to categories such as 'Closings,' 'Sports,' 'Morning Show,' and much more.

PUSH SETTINGS:

If you already receive push notifications for breaking news, weather and sports, there's another option for you: Now you can get notified about important stories on FOX 8 News. Just select 'On-air Alerts.'

Source: Santa bring you a new smartphone for Christmas? Download the FOX 8 app!

Samsung Galaxy S8 release date - surprise release expected for next flagship phone

SAMSUNG

COMING SOON: Samsung looks set to reveal its Galaxy S8 early next year

Samsung will be hoping their new Galaxy S8 smartphone will put them back on the top spot.

The Korean tech firm has had a mixed year launching the award-winning Galaxy S7 and the disastrous Note 7, which has now been pulled from sale after the exploding battery saga.

Now all eyes will be the next device, likely to be called the Galaxy S8, which could arrive in April.

Samsung usually releases its flagship Galaxy smartphones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but things look set to be different next year.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in pictures – everything you need to know Sunday, 21st February 2016

Samsung's next flagship smartphones are here and they're looking good

1 / 9

Reports from South Korea have claimed that the company might be planning to break with tradition and reveal its latest and greatest flagship smartphone at a standalone event in New York in April 2017.

The news was apparently revealed at a recent Samsung global strategy meeting.

The company has unveiled several of its most recent devices at MWC, including the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones last year.

However, Samsung did reveal the Galaxy S4 device at an event in New York back in 2013.

If their previous phones are anything to go by, the Samsung Galaxy S8 could be one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2017.

Rumours are suggesting the S8 will feature an upgraded display, improved camera and all-new design.

Sadly, if you're looking forward to getting your hands of the S8 you might have to wait slightly longer than expected.

The delay is reportedly partly down to Samsung's need for extra-stringent testing following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.

The company is keen to avoid a repeat of the problems that affected its ill-fated device, which was found to overheat and even catch fire.

This latest news comes as the firm has just slashed the price of its older Galaxy S7 phone.

US consumers can currently get $120 off the S7 and S7 Edge - there's no word if the price drop will arrive in the UK.

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Source: Samsung Galaxy S8 release date - surprise release expected for next flagship phone

LYF Wind 7S 4G Smartphone with 5″ HD Display & Android Marshmallow OS Launched

Reliance's 4G smartphone brand LYF has added one more device to its portfolio of affordable devices under the Wind series. The LYF Wind 7S is the latest smartphone to come from the company and as usually includes the benefits of the Jio Happy New Offer. With this Jio HNY Offer, the user gets unlimited usage of 4G data (FUP@1GB), voice calls, and SMS for free till March 31st, 2017. Based on few rumors, the company might even extend the same offer after that date with a new name. Earlier to the LYF Wind 7S, the company also launched the LYF Wind 7 and Wind 7i smartphones priced at Rs. 5,699 and Rs. 4,999 respectively. Now this new device is also priced at Rs. 5,699; same as Wind 7.

It sports a 5-inch IPS display with HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution and is protected by Asahi Dragontrail Glass on the top. At this price the company, the company is offering year's old Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor clocked at 1.13GHz and coupled with Adreno 304 GPU. There is 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage that can be further expanded via MicroSD card slot. As seen with the recently launched LYF Wind 7i, this device also runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box. It is backed by a 2,250mAh removable battery which is rated to deliver 9 hours of 4G talk time and lasts upto 180 hours on standby mode.

In the camera department, there is an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera. The rear camera on this device comes with Pro Mode where the user can control the White Balance, Exposure, and ISO levels. It even supports HDR, Face Detection, and Creative Filters. As seen with the earlier launched LYF smartphones, the Wind 7S also comes with two years of manufacturers. It supports dual SIM dual standby and offers VoLTE for making HD voice calls. Connectivity options include 4G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, USB OTG, and MicroUSB 2.0 port. The Wind 7S measures 143.5 x 72 x 8.7 mm and weighs 156 grams.

It will be available in Black and Blue, and might soon be sold through Jio.com. However, the device can be purchased from the Reliance Digital and Digital Xpress Stores. These are same specifications as on the LYF Wind 7, and the only difference is that the Wind 7S comes with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box instead of  Android 5.1 Lollipop. Even the Wind 7i also came with the same display, cameras, battery, and processor. With a slightly lower price tag, the Wind 7i is limited to just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. Stay tuned on Phone Radar for more updates!

Related

Source: LYF Wind 7S 4G Smartphone with 5″ HD Display & Android Marshmallow OS Launched

5 Smartphone manufacturers who update their Android devices most frequently

Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the word which is followed by the iOS from Apple, Windows for Mobile from Microsoft, Ubuntu for mobile, and more. Due to the openness (open source) of Android system, meaning the source code can be used and modified by anyone to create a Custom ROM, Android can run on almost any piece of hardware. It can even support the Rasberry Pi. Moreover, AOSP releases new sources every month in support of the Android operating system. These sources are then used by third-party manufacturers to compile and roll out Android updates for their particular Android phones in the form of stock firmware OTA.

We keep track of most of the updates and have listed the manufacturers who frequently release Android updates. We have taken into consideration the latest Android version like Nougat, Marshmallow as well as the minor security patches and bug fix OTAs.

Usually, the software update support from most of the smartphone manufacturers lasts not more than 2-3 years. Meaning a smartphone company would release Android updates only for 2-3 years for a particular smartphone. Later they are abandoned and support their new devices. Taking this into consideration we have created a list of top five mobile phone manufacturers who release Android OTA updates regularly.

Of course, this is our first and obvious choice. Google owns Android. All the company's  directly supported mobile phones including the new Google Pixel (XL) and the Nexus range receive the latest Android updates before any other phone in the market. Google phones receive monthly security patch updates over-the-air and hence, the customers experience the latest Android firmware on their devices. Not just security updates, but the Nexus and Pixel phones experience the latest Android versions like 7.1.1 Nougat before any phone.

The most recent update released by Google is the December 1, 2016, security patch update based on latest Android 7.1.1 Nougat for Google Pixel (XL), Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, 6, 9, Pixel C, Player, and much more. The Nexus 5 and 4 have been abandoned. Moreover, January 1, 2017, update is on its way and will be available on the third of next year.

Google actually doesn't have any hardware manufacturing unit. All the hardware is contracted to third-party manufacturers like HTC, LG, Motorola. However, it does own the Android OS and that's what matters.

The only problem with Samsung smartphones is that there are too many of them and releasing an update for each and every Android phone has become unbearable to their development team. Mostly, the recent flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S7, Note 5, S6, etc receive the latest Android upgrades like Android 7.0 Nougat or Marshmallow. Other mid-range smartphones like the Galaxy J5 and the A8/A9 series smartphone has no new for the Nougat update any soon.

One of the marketing tricks Samsung Mobile uses is that they launch mid-range smartphones like J5 & J7 with the latest Android versions currently available at the time of their launch and later these devices see no further updates for years.

However, the Samsung phones do receive some minor bug fixes and security patches on a regular basis. But its more frequent with the top Galaxy range. Some of the regularly updated phones include Samsung Galaxy S7, Note 5, Note 4, Galaxy S6 (Edge), S5.

Moreover, Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is already running the Android 7.0 Nougat. Although beta, but it's something. Once the beta gets stable, we shall receive the full stock firmware file.

Lately, Samsung has been working hard on releasing the latest security updates every month to many of its phones.

Unlike Xiaomi and Samsung, OnePlus has a very limited range of Android phones. Hence, it gets quite easy for their software development team to compile and release the latest Android firmware upgrades for all their phones. All their devices are running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow or later, while some of them on Nougat Beta.

OnePlus has proved to be a tough competitor to other smartphone manufacturers, especially those manufacturing Android phones. The China-based company has been able to gather a lot of customers/community due to its "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" quality hardware specifications and not to forget, the breath taking sweet Oxygen OS.

Moreover, their current flagship phones OnePlus 3 has already received the Android 7.0 Nougat with Open Beta 9 (Oxygen OS 4.0+). The OnePlus 3T shall directly receive the stable version Nougat once the Oxygen OS is out of Beta for the OnePlus 3.

Meanwhile, OnePlus has not abandoned the support for OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X. The OP 2 now runs on Oxygen OS 3.5.5 with VOLTE support and the OPX shall soon see another update.

Also read: Best custom ROMS for OnePlus 3

Most of the manufacturers are now getting into releasing the Beta version of Android 7.0 Nougat OS. Just like Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Huawei has also released a Beta Android 7.0 Nougat for the flagship phone Huawei P9 (Plus), P8, P8 Lite, P9 Lite, Honor 8 with a new EMUI 5.0 firmware build.

Huawei has a plethora of smartphone range just like Samsung. However, the manufacturer manages to keep its customers happy by pushing frequent OTA updates for almost all of its currently supported devices. Even the older smartphones like Huawei P8, P8 Lite, Honor 6, 4X, Mate 8, etc. have seen many updates.

Motorola

Motorola firmware is very close to the stock AOSP. Hence, it gets quite easy for the company to release the latest Android versions for their phones. Motorola mostly launches budget smartphones like Moto G4 (Plus), Moto Z, etc. Now, the manufacturer has released the Nougat update for Moto X and Moto G4 under soak test.

For a major electronic company, Motorola also maintains a limited range of smartphones.

Other manufacturers who are struggling at rolling out Android updates

All the credit for the Xiaomi's popularity goes to the astounding MIUI ROM. MIUI, just like CyanogenMod, is one of the most popular third-party custom ROM that support many Android devices. Most importantly, the Xiaomi smartphones as MIUI ROM comes in stock with all the manufacturer's devices. The MIUI 8 has become quite popular lately due to its colorful UX. However, the ROM has not yet seen the latest Android 7.1 Nougat update. It is still based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

LG keeps the tradition of launching new smartphones with the latest Android version very first in line. For instance, LG G3 was released with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, the LG G5 was launched with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, etc. However, LG has failed to keep up with the updates. The G5, G4, G3 has not seen any update since long. They are still stuck on Marshmallow. Now, the manufacturer is looking forward to releasing LG G6 with latest Nougat version.

Verdict

If you are into modifying, customizing or tinkering with your Android phone then the official updates should not bother you as you can try new custom ROMS like CyanogenMod 14.1, Resurrection Remix easily and get your device to latest updates unofficially. There are TWRP and root methods available for most of the Android phones. The only thing we recommend taking into consideration while buying an Android phone is to check the unofficial or developer support for the device. That way, developers can compile and release latest Android firmware with many customization options. You can also find many custom ROMS and mods for your Android device.

However, different manufacturers build their own user interface on top of stock Android system. So if you like all the official updates then you might as well stick with any manufacturer listed above or to be on save side go with Google phones to receive monthly updates and also stable ones.

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Source: 5 Smartphone manufacturers who update their Android devices most frequently

Microsoft Surface Phone Latest News: 2017 Launch Still Not Confirmed! Check Out Complete Specs, Price & Features Here!

After the launch of the Microsoft Surface Pro laptops, the launch of the Microsoft Surface Phone is pretty much inevitable. The tech giant has already rolled out its tablets, laptops, and Smart-watches.

But the users are waiting for the Surface Phone to hit the market. While the company's latest acquired Nokia is also set to launch its Smartphone next year, it is still unclear when the company will release its own Surface Smartphone.

Earlier rumors stated that the Microsoft Surface Phone will be released sometime in 2017, however, if the recent reports are to be believed the tech giant may delay the launch much further. Here's everything you should know about the Surface Phone:

Microsoft Surface Phone 2017: Complete Specs & Features

According to Wired, Microsoft has been working on a prototype of its latest Surface Phone. Earlier rumors state that the upcoming smartphone would resemble the Surface tablet in many ways, including a square metallic design. The Smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processor and will run on a 4 GB RAM.

Microsoft Surface Phone 2017 will also reportedly feature a 5.5 AMOLED display, offering support for a 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution. The phone have an internal storage of 128 GB, however, recent reports also state that the Phone may have a 512 GB internal storage.

The smartphone will feature a 21MP primary camera and an 8 MP camera for taking selfies. Recent reports also state that the 2017 Surface Phone will have a smaller Surface Pen version, and also a USB-C port.

Microsoft Surface Phone 2017: Release Date & Price

Microsoft has not yet officially announced the existence of the Surface Phone 2017. Whether it's a marketing tactic or the tech company still has much work to do, will only be known next year. As Microsoft will also roll out its Windows 10 Creators Update in April 2017, the Surface Phone may be released at the same event.

Earlier in November, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, stated in an interview to the Australia Financial Review that the company is working on an ultimate mobile device. While the company hasn't yet announced any official launch date for the device, but it's likely that the major reveal will be made at the CES 2017 tradeshow in Las Vegas next year.

The smartphone will be available in a number of models. While the base model will cost $700, the other models may hit the market at $1,100 price. Stay tuned to SWR for more news and updates on the Microsoft Surface Phone 2017 release date, specs and price details. Source: Scienceworldreport

Source: Microsoft Surface Phone Latest News: 2017 Launch Still Not Confirmed! Check Out Complete Specs, Price & Features Here!

Would Samsung Galaxy S8 Mark the Biggest Smartphone Release in 2017?

Published By: Ken Bock on December 23, 2016 10:43 am EST

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) might have walked away from the unfortunate demise of the Galaxy Note 7, you can be certain that the Korean tech giant will go all out for its upcoming smartphone projects in order to redeem its lost reputation and financial losses. Here's a quick review of why the upcoming Galaxy S8 could represent the biggest smartphone launch during the upcoming year.

As you could guess, the tech giant has continued to remain secretive regarding its upcoming smartphone projects, but recent rumors and leaks have assisted in developing a clear picture of the highly-anticipated Galaxy S8. Recently, it was unveiled that Samsung has been secretly developing its very own virtual reality software which would allow the company to take on the likes of Apple Siri and Google Assistant.

Although Samsung is yet to reveal details of its upcoming virtual reality software, there are strong rumors that the company could introduce such a capable feature in its upcoming Galaxy S8. With Apple and Google accelerating the development of their own VR bots, it is about time the smartphone world experienced such a desirable feature in the upcoming Galaxy flagship smartphones as well.

Also, there is speculation regarding Samsung working on reducing the bezels in its upcoming Galaxy S8 which would allow the device to sport an edge-to-edge look. If this is true, then there is a very high chance that the next flagship Galaxy smartphone could incorporate a touch-sensitive home button within its display screen. Hence, the upcoming Galaxy S8 could look significantly different from its predecessor models.

Furthermore, recent rumors are certain that the smartphone giant will deliver a significantly upgraded display for its next flagship smartphone device in order to harness the true potential of its Virtual Reality capabilities. Samsung already leads the way when it comes to smartphone displays, but the company could be set to outperform itself when it finally launches the Galaxy S8.

The Galaxy S8 is tipped to be unveiled at the upcoming MWC 2017 conference. Stay tuned to The Country Caller for more news and updates regarding Samsung's upcoming smartphones.

Source: Would Samsung Galaxy S8 Mark the Biggest Smartphone Release in 2017?

New Xiaomi Mi S Brings Snapdragon 821 SoC, 4K Display To 4.6-Inch Smartphone; Integrates Top Specs, Updates [VIDEO]

A leaked information in Weibo reveals new Xiaomi Mi S's attempt to bring some latest technology to compact smartphone range including Snapdragon 821SoC and 4K Display.

The news broke out like wild fire, as the Chinese mobile developer enters the under-5-inch range recently abandoned by Sony. This range is a mid-range arena where no other competitors have shown interest to venture. If proven true, Xiaomi Mi S will cater to users who prefer smaller smartphone size.

Information about the upcoming Xiaomi Mi S has been determined through images of some reported "promotional materials". No reports have been made to confirm the said information, GSM Arena reported.

But looking back at the images, details of the Xiaomi Mi S tells a lot of solid specs and update to the device. Most prominent is Xiaomi's attempt to fit Snapdragon 821SoC and 4K Display in a 4.6-Inch Smartphone.

The Snapdragon 821SoC processor will be paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. While the 4K Display comes with a Full HD 1080p display including a 600-nit brightness. There will be 2.5D curved glass on top of the unit.

The camera department houses a 12MP rear camera integrated with a Sony IMX378 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, face detection autofocus and dual-LED flash. The front camera captures with 4MP with a f/2.0 aperture. The 4K video capture goes with 1080p video recording.

The battery will have a 2,600 mAh capacity that fits the unit's size. It is supported by Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 via the USB Type-C port. Xiaomi Mi S's battery will fit in the 128.3 x 64.2 x 8.2 mm dimension and will weigh 138 grams, Android Pure added.

It also goes with the current trend of putting a fingerprint scanner which will be placed at the home button at the front phase.

Xiaomi Mi S could be the second Xiamoi phone to follow Mi 4i in the compact range. This means Xiaomi has the idea on how things work in that area.

Meanwhile, check out this Xiaomi review below:

Source: New Xiaomi Mi S Brings Snapdragon 821 SoC, 4K Display To 4.6-Inch Smartphone; Integrates Top Specs, Updates [VIDEO]

LG announces five new phones you probably won't care about

Get ready for the K10, K8, K4, K3, and the Stylus 3.

Ahead of CES, LG has announced four new phones in the K series — the K10, K8, K4, and K3 — that will make their debut at the trade show. LG will also showcase the Stylus 3, which offers an "improved writing experience" that mimics the "feel and feedback of an actual pen."

The Stylus 3 is the most interesting handset of the lot, offering a 5.7-inch 720p display, MediaTek MT6750 octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD slot, 13MP camera, 8MP front shooter, and a 3200mAh battery.

The K10 features a 5.3-inch 720p display, the same MT6750 SoC as the Stylus 3, 2GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB storage based on the market, microSD slot, 13MP camera, 5MP front camera, and a 2800mAh battery. The K8, meanwhile, has a 5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 425, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD slot, the same camera setup as the K10, and a 2500mAh battery.

As for the K4 and K3, they come sporting FWVGA displays, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB storage. The K10, K8, and the Stylus 3 will run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, while the K4 and K3 are based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. All phones come with removable batteries. The spec sheet for each handset is included at the end of the press release.

LG'S MASS-TIER SMARTPHONE OFFERINGS FOR 2017 TO BE UNVEILED AT CES

Four New K Series and Stylus 3 Get Early Debut as Mid-range Segment Heats Up

SEOUL, Dec. 22, 2016 — LG Electronics (LG) will unveil four new mass-tier K Series smartphones and a new Stylus 3 at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, as the mid-range segment continues its strong growth as the market matures. The new mid-range devices are designed to bring popular, best-in-class technologies from LG's more premium flagship smartphones, such as the 120-degree wide angle front camera lens and the rear fingerprint scanner.

LG's updated K Series carries over the original philosophy that all customers do not want the same things in a smartphone. Rather than offering one main smartphone model and expecting customers to adapt, the K Series was designed with the diverse needs of consumers in mind.

The K10 delivers a best-in-class 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch Display that delivers a superb viewing experience indoors or out. Its 5MP front camera with 120-degree wide angle selfie lens complements a premium, 13MP rear camera that has been employed in LG flagship G series devices. Other advanced features not usually available in smartphones in this category include a fingerprint scanner, a metallic U-frame for a sturdy but slim 7.9mm profile and 2.5D Arc Glass design.

The K8 features a 5-inch HD In-cell Touch display and delivers high-quality camera performance with 5MP in the front and 13M on the rear enhanced by LG's intelligent UX features such as Auto Shot and Gesture Shot for selfies. Auto Shot automatically triggers the front camera's shutter when a face is detected. Gesture Shot takes a selfie in response to a hand signal, eliminating the need to press the shutter button and shaking the phone at the most critical moment.

The K4 is equipped with a sensitive 5-inch In-cell Touch display, 5MP front and rear cameras as well as the popular Auto Shot and Gesture Shot features found in the K8. The attractive K4 offers a slim 7.9mm profile and removable 2,500mAh battery as well as a microSD slot for additional storage.

The smallest in the series, the K3 comes with a 4.5-inch On-cell Touch display, a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP lens in the front supported by Gesture Shot. With a microSD slot and 2,100mAh removable battery, the K3 offers many features unavailable on other competing smartphones in this category.

LG will also debut the third generation Stylus 3, the latest version of its mid-range Stylus smartphone (Stylo in the United States). The Stylus 3 delivers an improved writing experience with a 1.8mm diameter fiber-tip stylus to provide the feel and feedback of an actual pen when writing on the screen. The Stylus 3 also features a fingerprint scanner and enhanced UX with Pen Pop 2.0 as well as the popular Pen Keeper and Screen-off Memo. With Pen Pop 2.0, your memos are never out of sight and can be set to display on the screen whenever the stylus is removed. Pen Keeper displays a warning when the stylus strays too far from the phone, and Screen-off Memo enables note-taking directly on the screen even when the display is off.

"Our 2017 mass-tier, mid-range smartphones focus on giving our customers a wide variety of options and choices for their smartphone lifestyles," said Juno Cho, president of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "What's consistent in all our K Series and Stylus 3 devices is that they look and feel premium, offer replaceable batteries and all come with expandable memory slots, what customers consider key factors when buying smartphones in this category."

K10 Key Specifications:

Chipset: MT6750 1.5 GHz Octa-Core

Display: 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 277ppi)

Memory: 2GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16 or 32GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)

Camera: Front 5MP (Wide) / Rear 13MP (Standard)

Battery: 2,800mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat

Size: 148.7 x 75.3 x 7.9mm

Weight: 142g

Network: LTE / 3G / 2G

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 / NFC

Color: Black / Titan / Gold

Other: Fingerprint Scanner

K8 Key Specifications:

Chipset: MSM8917 1.4 Quad-Core

Display: 5.0-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 294ppi)

Memory: 1.5GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 32GB)

Camera: Front 5MP / Rear 13MP

Battery: 2,500mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat

Size: 144.8 x 72.1 x 8.09mm

Weight: 142g

Network: LTE / 3G / 2G

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0 / NFC

Color: Silver / Titan / Dark Blue / Gold

K4 Key Specifications:

Chipset: MSM8909 1.1GHz Quad-Core

Display: 5.0-inch FWVGA In-cell Touch (854 x 480 / 196ppi)

Memory: 1GB LPDDR3 RAM / 8GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 32GB)

Camera: Front 5MP / Rear 5MP

Battery: 2,500mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

Size: 144.76 x 72.6 x 7.9mm

Weight: 135g

Network: LTE / 3G / 2G

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.1 / USB 2.0

Color: Titan / Black

K3 Key Specifications:

Chipset: MSM8909 1.1GHz Quad-Core

Display: 4.5-inch FWVGA On-cell Touch (854 x 480 / 218ppi)

Memory: 1GB LPDDR3 RAM / 8GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 32GB)

Camera: Front 2MP / Rear 5MP

Battery: 2,100mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

Size: 133.9 x 69.75 x 9.44mm

Weight: 132g

Network: LTE / 3G / 2G

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.1 / USB 2.0

Color: Black

Stylus 3 Key Specifications:

Chipset: MT6750 1.5GHz Octa-Core

Display: 5.7-inch HD In-cell Touch (1280 x 720 / 258ppi)

Memory: 3GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)

Camera: Front 8MP / Rear 13MP

Battery: 3,200mAh (removable)

Operating System: Android 7.0 Nougat

Size: 155.6 x 79.8 x 7.4mm

Weight: 149g

Network: LTE / 3G / 2G

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n) / Bluetooth 4.2 / USB 2.0

Color: Metallic Titan / Pink Gold

Other: Stylus Pen / FM Radio / Fingerprint Scanner

Source: LG announces five new phones you probably won't care about

Will Apple, Smartphone Makers Drive Lumentum, Finisar Sales?

Apple (AAPL) and other smartphone makers could emerge as new customers of optical device makers if they build 3D sensors into mobile phones, but a William Blair analyst cautions that the business opportunity "remains difficult to nail down."

Finisar (FNSR) recently joined Lumentum Holdings (LITE) in developing 3D sensors. The biggest traditional customers of fiber-optic parts makers have been phone companies, like AT&T (T) and Verizon Communications (VZ), and more recently internet firms like Facebook (FB) and Amazon.com (AMZN), which need faster communications in data centers.

"While 3D sensing opportunity appears very real, we caution investors not to get ahead of themselves," William Blair analyst Dmitry Netis said in a mid-December report. "The opportunity could serve as a catalyst in late 2017 and into 2018, but the whole ecosystem (lasers, optical filters, consumer electronics contract manufacturers, 3D cameras) must first come together."

"With top smartphone manufacturers such as Apple likely behind this initiative, we see a good chance of it coming together, though quantities and dollar per content remains difficult to nail down at the initial lunch."

There's speculation that Apple could build 3D photography into the iPhone 8, expected out in late 2017, but laser-based 3D sensor devices would likely have other applications, analysts say.

"In broad strokes, we could see roughly $1 to $1.50 per laser and 25 cents to 40 cents per optical filter spanning hundred millions of smartphone units," Netis said in the report.

IBD'S TAKE: While the Trump presidential victory unleashed a torrent of dollars into commodity and cyclical companies (think banking, building materials, and heavy construction), the IBD 50 roster of growth companies is carrying another important message: Don't forget about technology.

TDK on Wednesday agreed to buy Apple supplier InvenSense (INVN), a maker of gyroscopes, in a $1.3 billion deal. In smartphones, 3D gyroscopes are used to tell if a phone is being held horizontally or vertically, being shaken, or pointing in a specific direction.

Lumentum Holdings is developing a 3D-sensing device for an unnamed smartphone maker, Piper Jaffray said in September. Lumentum's forerunner, JDS Uniphase, developed 3D sensor technology for Microsoft's (MSFT) Kinect motion-gaming system, released in 2010 as part of the Xbox 360 gaming box.

Finisar discussed its push into 3D sensors on its Dec. 8 earnings call.

Lumentum stock was down a fraction, near 40, in morning trading on the stock market today. Finisar shares were up 1.3%, near 31.50. Oclaro (OCLR) stock rose 5%, near 9.50, after a fund manager commented on the stock on CNBC. Lumentum stock has shot up 83% in 2016, while shares in Finisar have soared 116%. Oclaro stock has jumped 170%.

IBD's Telecom-Fiber Optics group is ranked No. 33 out of 197 industry groups.

RELATED:

Finisar Pushes 3D Sensors And Ciena PT Hiked, But Fiber Falls

Ciena Started At Buy, A Winner In Data Center Upgrades

Finisar Could Target Oclaro, Lumentum Too Big To Acquire?

Source: Will Apple, Smartphone Makers Drive Lumentum, Finisar Sales?

Report: Mobile game revenue tops $41B in 2016, VR makes 'sobering' debut

Smartphone owners spent $41 billion dollars on mobile games in 2016, according to analytics group SuperData's annual Year in Review. 

The free report reveals that, collectively, mobile games engaged 2.6 billion monthly active users (MAU), while the platform's single biggest earner was Monster Strike with revenues of $1.3 billion. 

That was followed up by Clash of Clans ($1.2B), Clash Royale, ($1.1B), Game of War: Fire Age ($0.91B), and Mobile Strike ($0.9B). 

Another notable release, Pokemon Go, fell just outside those top 5 titles with revenues of $788 million. During its best month (August), Pokemon Go peaked with earnings of $203 million and 290 MAU.

As shown below, SuperData expects mobile game revenue to hit $44.8 billion by the end of 2017, and $54.5 billion by the end of 2019. As it stands, Asia continues to pull in the most mobile revenue by a country mile. 

The report also contains some interesting takes on the debut of consumer VR, and suggests the first year for virtual reality was "sobering."

Digging into the data, this year the VR market generated revenues of $2.7 billion. Focusing specifically on headset shipments, Google Cardboard led the way with 88.4 million units shipped.

Making up the top five were the Samsung Gear VR (2.3M units), PlayStation VR (745K units), HTC Vive (420K units), and the Oculus Rift (355K units). 

"Now that the numbers are out and the industry realizes its still a long way from mass adoption, investors are looking toward the promise of enterprise applications, with HTC Vive being a lead evangelist for design, educational and medical applications," reads the report. 

"The hope for more HoloLens and Magic Leap demos in 2017 has gotten investors excited about what's next on the horizon for virtuality."

As shown below, SuperData expects the virtual reality market alone to be pulling in yearly revenues of $17.8 billion by 2019, and anticipates that the augmented and mixed reality markets will also grow significantly in the next three years. 

You can find out more about the current state of the video game industry by downloading the full report.

Source: Report: Mobile game revenue tops $41B in 2016, VR makes 'sobering' debut

Nokia P series Smartphone photos leakes; could have Snapdragon 835 SoC; Ring bells?

Earlier in the month, Nokia launched Nokia 150 in collaboration with OEM partner HMD Global. And now, another one Nokia-branded smartphone have surfaced online. A Chinese user leaked 2 images of Nokia P series smartphone on social media site Weibo.

The device is lot looks like Lumia. In the picture, the phone is shown to have a candy-bar shaped body with curved corners similar to Nokia Lumia series. In addition the device is covered with plastic-based shield with matte finish. This sounds a lot similar to Lumia. There is a circular camera module with single LED flash on top of it.

The second image shows the front display panel with Nokia branding on the top. Though the photos look real. One big thing in these photos is that there is no sign of fingerprint sensor on the front or in back side of it.

In addition the website also claim that Nokia P packs Qualcomm upcoming Snapdragon 835 processor and also 23MP camera. Yes, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. Ring bells? Yep, Microsoft recently partnered with Qualcomm and announced that the entire Windows 10 PC experience coming on mobile chip and they also mentioned that A Snapdragon 835-powered Windows 10 device is not far away.

Well, I am not saying this Nokia P could be the one which feature Windows 10. Of course it will launch with Android Nougat, but things could change any minute.

The internal hardware specifications and the design language just don't add up. We believe the leaked image might be a prototype model of Nokia P and the company is still evaluating design and hardware specs for the new phone.

More details on Nokia phones are expected to announce at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017, Barcelona in February.

Source: Nokia P series Smartphone photos leakes; could have Snapdragon 835 SoC; Ring bells?

Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro release date nears with FCC's approval: What we know so far

Samsung has lined up several smartphone launches and we are getting a hint of them right now. Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro is one of the many launches the company has planned and has been leaked more than once, giving us a peek of what's coming.

In the latest news, as reported by Android Headlines, the Galaxy C7 Pro passed FCC's certification, hinting at an official launch sooner than later. While details of the handset's key specs weren't mentioned in the FCC listing, it confirmed that the phone will pack a 3,300mAh battery.

The Galaxy C series is primarily targeted towards the Chinese market, and judging by Samsung's past actions, the Galaxy C7 Pro will see its first launch in China and that could be it. The latest certification follows TENAA's approval, which is essential before getting any product released in China.

Speaking of the specs, the handset is rumoured to come with a 5.7-inch Full HD display, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, a Snapdragon 626 octa-core chipset and Adreno 506 GPU. On the camera side of things, Samsung will use a 16MP sensor for the rear and the same on the front. Selfie lovers are going to admire this phone.

The Galaxy C7 Pro was also spotted on Geekbench benchmarking site and AnTuTu, where it was confirmed that it would run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out-of-the-box. The device was also spotted on Zauba, an import and export tracking site in India, hinting at the possibility of the handset's release outside China.

Samsung hasn't confirmed the existence of the new Galaxy C7 Pro or the C5 Pro, which reports suggest will be launched together on January 21, 2017. But we are hoping to see some promotional posters hinting at the impending launches.

Source: Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro release date nears with FCC's approval: What we know so far

Samsung may push back the Galaxy S8 smartphone launch to April 2017

The Galaxy Note 7 Fiasco just ended for Samsung and now that people are eagerly waiting for the launch of Galaxy S8 smartphone, it looks like the company has some different plans. The Galaxy S8 smartphone launch which was scheduled for February 26th could be pushed back April 2017. According to the new reports, it looks like the company will launch the new handset at a dedicated event in New York in April. Not much info as to why the company pushed the launch is unknown at this point but looks like we will not be seeing the new Galaxy this time in Barcelona.

According to the reports, it is believed that the firm has taken this decision in order to work with some external agencies to clear out the air. After the explosion incident with the Note 7 phablet, it is necessary that the company comes up with some plans in order to recover the confidence from consumers before releasing a new product on the market. Although it might not look like a huge deal the company ended up with a huge loss. So the last thing they want is that the people are not buying their new smartphones due to safety concerns.

Also talking about the delay of this smartphone, one thing to make sure is that the news of the smartphone being delayed is not confirmed officially by the company. According to the reports, this news comes from a few participants at the global strategy meeting that the company is currently holding in its home headquarters in South Korea. Hence although it looks like a trusted source, we suggest you wait until we hear any news otherwise from the company about the launch of this smartphone. And considering the fact that the company unveils the smartphone every at an unpacked event in Barcelona, they could very well take the wraps off this smartphone at the same time itself.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to come with a major design overhaul with a bezel-less display like Xiaomi Mi MIX, etc. And while talking about this smartphone, it is also worth noting that the company is borrowing the display tech used in the Note 7 as well. And now with all this, we just hope that the Galaxy S8 smartphone holds quite well and regains people's trust with the brand. We suggest you stay tuned to PhoneRadar for more details on this as we will update once we have more info.

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Source: Samsung may push back the Galaxy S8 smartphone launch to April 2017

‘iPhone 8’ Release Date, News & Update: Apple Likely To Adopt Curved, OLED Display On Next Flagship Device?

Apple may likely depart from the classic aluminum and glass covered iPhones. This after news surfaced that the Cupertino tech giant will showcase the next generation iPhone 8 in a plastic, curved, and OLED display. The company has already tested the curved glass architecture on iPhone 7 series and Apple Watch.

A report from the Korean Herald, citing sources familiar with the development, revealed that all of the upcoming iPhone 8 series will sport curved plastic OLEDs. The US-based company has already ordered around 100 million plastic OLEDs from Samsung Display, the report added.

Apple will likely follow Samsung in curved technology as plastic OLED panel are already being used in Galaxy S7 Edge. A report from 9to5Mac said that this development affirms speculations that Apple will introduce three smartphones in 2017, a flagship OLED display and two less radical models of iPhone 7 series.

"The OLED version of the new iPhone will all be curved as Apple ordered all plastic OLED — not glass — from Samsung Display. Samsung is capable of supplying a little less than 100 million units of curved OLED displays to Apple," the Korean Herald quoted the source as saying.

While the outside features may present striking similarity with Samsung Galaxy Edge, the upcoming iPhone 8 smartphone will set itself apart on hardware architecture. The iPhone may likely use new sensing technology that enables the device to respond when users touch any side of the gadget.

On the race to the top of smartphone technology, Apple will likely depart from ordering panels from Samsung Display starting next year to prevent leakage of information.

Apple is currently working with LG Display and Google to developed foldable panels for its upcoming smartphones. Samsung has already announced that it is moving toward foldable phones technology and may likely release a flagship product in 2018. Watch the trailer teaser of iPhone 8 here: Source: gamenguide

Source: 'iPhone 8' Release Date, News & Update: Apple Likely To Adopt Curved, OLED Display On Next Flagship Device?

Top 10 Most Anticipated Smartphones In 2017

Nowadays smartphones are turning into more and more powerful, as time goes they increased a lot in the maxim of everything. So, today we will discuss about the most anticipated smartphones for 2017.

If next year is just what speculation and rumors are waiting for the smartphone market, we will have 2017 full of very exciting news. For starters, it is expected that Samsung will launch its flagship device the Galaxy S8 and "exotic" with digital player built-in screen and display virtually borderless.

The Apple, in turn, should come with an iPhone anniversary edition. There's still little concrete about Apple's new smartphone, but as the company usually cares about birthdays for its products, we may have something special on the part of the company.

Outside the specific expectations for the two market leaders, there are also some trends that everyone should start to follow in the top-line category. For example, with Apple finally abandoning the 16 GB for its most basic smartphones, other brands are likely to move to at least 64 GB of storage at their top of the line. The Lenovo already does this with its premium handsets in India, and the other manufacturers should follow the same line already in 2017 or at the latest in 2018.

2K screens are already standard on every top of the line today, but some manufacturers are still insisting on keeping Full HD on their most expensive handsets. Sony and Asus are among them, as well as Apple. With the popularization of virtual reality accessories beginning, the premium segment should no longer have powerful smartphones without 2K screens. It is also expected that more manufacturers will think of cell phones with smaller and smaller edges around the screen.

Now, let's have a look at the most anticipated handsets for next year (2017):-

1. Galaxy S8

Galaxy S8

The next top of the line Samsung is the most anticipated for a number of reasons. There is already a lot of rumors about the new Korean handset, and it looks like it should be something very innovative and futuristic. The front face should be almost completely occupied by the screen, with minimal edges around it. It is also expected that all versions of the S8 will have curved edges.

In hardware, there is no doubt that it will be one of the most powerful on the market. The camera should be even faster with PDAF Dual-Pixel focus technology. It has also been speculated the possiblity of an optical digital reader embedded in the screen.

2. iPhone 8 or 7s

iPhone 8 or 7s

Although 2017 marks the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, Apple should only launch that smartphone from the third to the fourth quarter of next year. So the more concrete rumors and leaks are still very rare. What we have speculation at the moment are very bold things, which do not fit very well with Apple's approach to smartphones.

There is the talk of a device with screen pretty much borders, as well as the S8 and Xiaomi Mi MIX, and no home button on the front. Something similar has already been commented on the S8 as well. In addition, as Apple managed to leave all the competition behind in question of hardware and performance this year with the iPhone 7, it is possible that this will be repeated next year as well. Finally, rumors about the possibility of the next iPhone having wireless charging are getting more intense, since Apple is supposed to swap the metal casing for a type of super-tough ceramic.

3. Google Pixel 2

Google Pixel 2

Despite the releases of the major brands have generated millions of dollars in sales, the smartphone on which most talked in 2016 (within the sphere of technology) was certainly the Google Pixel. The tech giant Google came to put an end to its Nexus line which really has a great appeal for the markets where it's being sold, and was compared by the international media as the only Android capable of surpassing the iPhone in quality in every aspect.

Though we still have no rumors about the next generation of this smartphone that has just been released, but we have some guesses about what to expect next year. As, it is very likely that the next Pixel will also has the best camera ever seen on a mobile phone.

4. Nokia's first Android Top-Of-The-Line

Nokia's first Android Top-Of-The-Line

Rumors about Nokia's return to the smartphone market have been popping up for years on the web. The brand has finally confirmed that it will do so in 2017, but the leaks that have hit the web so far seem to reveal that the brand only has one or two intermediate devices to launch soon.

But we believe that by the end of the year, the company will decide to launch a real top of the line Android. This device must have a very powerful hardware, in line with competitors of the year, and an optimized system. As it is a return of a brand dear enough by the fans of technology and by the general public, the supposed cell phone deserves a place in our list.

5. Moto Z2

Moto Z2

Lenovo has reset the line that tops the catalog of the old Motorola with the launch of Moto Z and Z Play and all the modular concept of these devices. The manufacturer even promised that the modules that serve today in these phones will also serve in the next generations. It means, who enters this "platform" in 2016 will not have to buy new accessories in 2017.

So there is a lot of curiosity about how the manufacturer will handle this design limitation. In any case, the Moto Z2 should bring cutting-edge hardware, bold design and about 20 new modules for customers to buy.

6. LG G6

LG G6

LG screwed up with the launch of G5, especially in Latin America, where the company has put on sale a version which is known as G5 SE. The smartphone sold poorly in India and abroad because its modular capabilities were very limited and well below what Lenovo presented.

That's why LG, as a large and very capable smartphone maker, is expected to be able to rethink its top-of-the-line concept and launch a more "secure" and more understandable product next year. The top of the line 2017 brand should also have great hardware, but the company may abandon the removable batteries and stop focusing on modular capabilities.

7. Moto G5

Moto G5

The MotoG line built by Motorola and inherited by Lenovo is expected to gain continuity in 2017. We still have no rumors about the device, but as it will be an intermediary device, this information only begins to appear closer to the launch, expected for the second half of the year.

As the current Moto G4 design is not being highly praised, Lenovo is expected to try to invest in some improvement in that direction to make its handsets compete better with the Samsung Galaxy A, which have virtually reigned alone in the intermediaries segment with Premium construction.

8. Galaxy Note 8

Galaxy Note 8

No rumors about the next smartphone "Note" the line of Samsung, and no doubt that the brand will have the courage to launch a model to succeed Note 7, the smartphone with the largest historical explosions recorded ever heard. More than 100 units went into self-combustion shortly after the device hit the market. At the end of this whole drama, Samsung ended up picking up all the handsets and reimbursed the customers. The estimated loss reaches the billions.

Because of this whole story, there is the great expectation for the possible launch of the Galaxy Note 8 that will replace Note 7. Recent rumors say that Samsung is making its testing and design processes very rigorous for Avoid such a new disaster. Otherwise, as is traditional in this category, such a device would have a better hardware like the upcoming Galaxy S8 and will also bring innovative features to users who are more hardcore.

9. OnePlus 4 or 5

OnePlus 4 or 5

OnePlus has made its name in recent years delivering smartphones with good performance, good quality and prices "fair" more than the competition. We also do not know more specific details about the next device of the mark, but it seems that it can be called OnePlus 5, leaving the 4 aside.

As the company often delivers the most current hardware and large amounts of RAM on its smartphones, we can expect the same approach in 2017 as well. Therefore, the next device of the brand should be as impressive as the current 3T.

10. Xperia XZ 2017

Xperia XZ 2017

Sony introduced the Xperia XZ in the market a few months ago, and the phone was of great quality in almost from all the subject, but its price was much above the reality, without expectation of lowering too much.

However, as Sony apparently has a downward trend in prices, having lowered the value of some of its models here, we can expect the company to continue this way in 2016. If this happens, the Japanese can again win the hearts of Indian with good appliances for good prices. It may be that this does not materialize already with the successor of Xperia ZX in 2017, but who said that the attorney can not dream, right?

What did you think of our list? So, Leave your opinion in the comment section below.

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Source: Top 10 Most Anticipated Smartphones In 2017