Benchmark confirms Microsoft Lumia 1330 specs

A GFXBench listing confirmed the previously leaked specs of Microsoft's yet to be announced Lumia 1330 phablet. The successor of Nokia Lumia 1320 is expected to debut during MWC 2015 in Barcelona. Sporting a model number RM-1062, the Lumia 1330 features Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with quad-core CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. A gig of RAM (the screenshot shows the available memory at the time of capture), 32GB of built-in memory, and 5.7" 720p display are also on board. The main camera of Microsoft Lumia 1330 is 14MP PureView unit capable of 1080p video capture. The secondary camera is a 5MP solution, which can also record FullHD video. Microsoft Lumia 1330 may launch with Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2. We will be keeping an eye out for more news about the device going...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/benchmark_confirms_microsoft_lumia_1330_specs-news-10596.php

All four variants of the Nexus 6 available on Motorola's website

The Nexus 6 has been bit elusive ever since it launched. It's difficult to get the phone at all, let alone in the variant of your choice. If you've been waiting to purchase the phone in the US, you should not go check out the Motorola website (link below). All four models, that is the Midnight Blue and Cloud White, in 32GB and 64GB each, are available for purchase. As before, the 32GB model will set you back by $649.99 and the 64GB at $699.99. Source •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/all_four_variants_of_the_nexus_6_available_on_motorolas_website-news-10595.php

Oppo N3 review: Motor head

The formula for the smartphone to top all others is the industry's elusive philosopher stone. Being complete newbies, but keen as a bean, Oppo's take is perhaps the weirdest. Yet it seems to work. The standard ingredients include the latest chipset, a robust screen, and a high-megapixel camera...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_n3-review-1184.php

HTC to launch more entry-level smartphones in Q1, 2015

Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has said that it will focus more on entry-level 4G devices in Q1 2015, adding that the company will promote these as well as specially designed models online. That's a marketing strategy similar to the one followed by China's Xiaomi, which recently became the world's third largest smartphone vendor. According to Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia, the company is also expecting a double digit growth in shipments next year. He also noted that sales of HTC's RE mini camera, which was launched earlier this month, have been strong, with the company expecting over 20,000 units to be sold by the end of the year. "HTC began to market its mid-range HTC Desire 820 dual-sim in cooperation with Chunghaw Telecom (CHT) in November and will release HTC Desire 820 single-SIM in January 2015", Tong said. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_to_focus_more_on_entry_level_smartphones_in_2015-news-10594.php

Samsung Z1 leaks in live photos, launch date confirmed

The Samsung Z1 Tizen-based smartphone leaked almost a week ago with details regarding the phone's availability and specs. A new set of live photos of the phone showed up today however, further giving us reason to believe Samsung won't back out of the Z1's release. The phone is a typical low-end budget device with a 4" display of 800x480 pixel resolution and a still unspecified dual-core 1.2GHz CPU with 768MB RAM. Internal storage is 4GB, expandable via the on-board microSD card slot and under the back cover lies a 1,500mAh batter. The Z1 will have dual-SIM card slots and feature 3G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM radio. Samsung has equipped it with two modest cameras - a 3MP at the back with LED flash and a 0.3MP at the front. Samsung Z1 live images The company aims at January 18 for the phone's launch with India being the first country to welcome the device. Later, the Samsung Z1 will arrive in China and South Korea. Pricing is likely to be under...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_z1_leaks_in_live_photos_launch_date_confirmed-news-10592.php

BlackBerry Passport and Z30 go on sale till December 30

BlackBerry is celebrating Boxing Day in Canada by putting up the Passport and the Z30 for sale starting today, December 26, till December 30. You can get $100 off the price of the BlackBerry Passport on all three colors. The Z30 gets a 50% price cut, bringing it down to $250 and you can get further discounts on accessories such as cases. If you're in the US, you get the same $100 off on the price tag of the Passport and an even better 55% off on the price of the Z30 ($225). You can get the discounted prices from ShopBlackBerry store or...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_passport_and_z30_go_on_sale_till_december_30-news-10593.php

Kodak will unveil a range of Android devices at CES

Kodak will unveil a range of mobile devices with Android OS. The first smartphone from the new product gamily will be unveiled in less than two weeks, during CES in Las Vegas. Kodak's family of smartphones and tablets will be aimed at customers looking for high-end, yet simple user experience. There is no word on specs just yet - all we know is that the devices "will come pre-loaded with bespoke image capture, management and sharing features to offer a rich user experience." The storied imaging brand will partner on the venture with the England-based Bullitt Group. The latter is also behind the rugged CAT smartphones. It has been a while since the Kodak name was associated with a mobile device. We will be covering CES live from Las Vegas, so be sure to tune in for more on the subject. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/kodak_will_unveil_a_range_of_android_devices_at_ces-news-10591.php

Xiaomi has sold 1 million smartphones in India so far

This year Xiaomi ventured outside of its home market, China, and into India. For many months now, it's been holding pretty much weekly flash sales in partnership with Flipkart, the biggest retailer in the subcontinent. And apparently those have been going quite well. Xiaomi's boss for India, Manu Kumar Jain, has announced today via Twitter that the company has already managed to sell more than one million smartphones over there. This has happened at some unnamed point earlier this month. That's certainly impressive given how limited Xiaomi's phone supplies have been for the subcontinent. It definitely looks like the smartphone maker has somewhat underestimated the demand for its products in India, which may mean it will manage to sell even more units next year. On the other hand, companies such as OnePlus and even Micromax (through its Yu sub-brand) are anxious to steal customers away from Xiaomi so 2015 is surely going to be an interesting year over there. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_has_sold_1_million_smartphones_in_india_so_far-news-10590.php

Huawei Ascend P8 metal chassis leaks online

Huawei Ascend P8 has already made the news a few weeks ago. The first rumored specs suggest the company's next flagship will follow the tradition for an impressively thin design built around a metal chassis. It should feature a 5.2" 1080p display and run on the HiSilicon Kirin 930 chipset built on TSMC's 16nm process and packing an octa-core processor within. Today we got some new info on the Huawei Ascend P8 - its alleged metal chassis. A close inspection of the leaked pictures reveal yet another super thin frame, though we are yet to learn its exact measurements. Judging by the carved out holes, the camera will feature a single-LED flash, while the phone will come with two ejectable trays. The first tray will be the primary SIM slot for sure, while the second one may be either for a second SIM or for a microSD memory card. We've seen Huawei combine the SIM and memory slot into a single tray and you choose what to use inside, so this might be the case with the Huawei Ascend P8 as well. Huawei Ascend P8 should be announced in January on CES in Las Vegas or at the MWC expo in early March in Barcelona. Whatever Huawei decides, we'll be there to cover it for...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_p8_metal_chassis_makes_it_online-news-10589.php

Nokia Lumia 635 now available for $39.99 via Radio Shack

If you've missed some of the bargain Lumia deals Microsoft and other retailers have been offering until the Christmas, you can now catch up and make yourself a great, if somewhat late, Christmas present. Radio Shack, which isn't doing great lately, has launched a great deal for the Nokia Lumia 635. It can be yours for $49.99, but if you provide Radio Shack with your valid email address, the price becomes $39.99. The Lumia 635 is AT&T-branded and comes with a AT&T GoPhone pre-paid card inside. Naturally the Lumia 635 is contract-free though it might be locked on AT&T's network. The budget Nokia Lumia 635 comes with a 4.5" IPS display, a quad-core processor, a 5MP camera and LTE Cat.3 connectivity. You can learn more about the Lumia 635 in our in-depth review. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_635_now_available_for_3999_via_radio_shack-news-10588.php

Snapdragon 810 with LTE Cat 9 support now in testing

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 is the top-notch chipset to date, expected to premiere on various flagships early next year on CES and MWC expos. It will offer an octa-core 64-bit processor, new Adreno 430 GPU and brand new Qualcomm modem. The initial announcement specified the LTE support as Cat 6, which translates into 300 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink. The LTE race has been rapidly advancing since and Samsung is already rumored to be prepping an LTE Cat 10-enabled Exynos chipset for the Galaxy S6. Qualcomm has previously confirmed it will be adding LTE Cat 9 capable modem for the Snapdragon 810 chipset and it will eventually make it to all Qualcomm flagships in 2015. The testing process is now happening in the UK, with the help of Huawei and the EE network. This means EE will be among the first carriers to upgrade its network with the latest LTE tech. LTE Cat 9 stands for 450 Mbps download and up to 50 Mbps upload. The alleged Exynos 6 Samsung chipset with Cat 10 will offer the same downlink, but the uplink is doubled at up to 100 Mbps. The CES show is almost here, followed by the MWC in Barcelona. All the cool announcements will happen there, including those on the LTE...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/snapdragon_810_new_lte_cat_9_support_now_testing-news-10586.php

Oppo to reportedly ship around 50 million smartphones in 2015

China-based smartphone manufacturer Oppo, which shipped 25-30 million smartphones this year, is expected to ship nearly double the number of devices - around 50 million - next year, according to a Digitimes report. Out of the total, nearly 35 million smartphones are expected be sold in China, while the remaining will be shipped to international markets. As per the report, the company, which uses Qualcomm's processors for its high-end models, is working to increase the shipments of its entry level smartphones in both domestic and international markets, something which will in-turn boost its purchases of mobile chipsets from MediaTek. The report also notes that Oppo is also exploring the possibility of setting up a handset manufacturing plant in Indonesia, where it already claims around 6.5% market...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_to_reportedly_ship_around_50_million_smartphones_in_2015-news-10584.php

2014 HTC phones to get Sense 7 later next year by May

Android developer @LlabTooFeR said on Twitter that the Android 5.0 update for the HTC One M8 and M7 won't bring Sense 7.0. Both phones will still have essentially the same Sense 6 as on the KitKat ROM. The Sense 7.0 update is said to arrive first on the upcoming HTC "Hima" flagship arriving early next year. The 2014 gen devices are said to get the 7.0 update by the middle of next year, around May or June. He wasn't sure whether the 2013 gen devices will get the Sense 7.0...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/2014_htc_phones_to_get_sense_7_later_next_year_by_may-news-10587.php

Denim update comes to more Lumia devices in Malaysia

After the Nokia Lumia 520, Microsoft has started rolling out its latest Lumia Denim update to some more Lumia devices in Malaysia. According to the availability list, the Nokia Lumia 525, Nokia Lumia 620, and Nokia Lumia 720 are now receiving the update, which carries build number 8.10.14219.341. In addition to bug fixes and performance improvements, the OTA update, which was announced back in September this year, brings along several new features like SMS merging, ability to create live folders, set custom snooze times with the alarm app, and more. Since it's a staged rollout, it may take a few days for the update to hit your device. Meanwhile, you can also check its availability manually by heading to Settings ->Phone update. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/denim_update_comes_to_more_lumia_devices_in_malaysia-news-10583.php

Delhi High Court lifts the ban on the OnePlus One sales in India

Shenzhen OnePlus Technology Co., otherwise simply known as OnePlus, was recently banned from importing and selling the OnePlus One in India due to an injunction granted to Micromax over the use of Cyanogen branding and software on OnePlus devices. The Delhi High Court has now reversed its decision, allowing OnePlus to continue selling phones in India. Micromax had filed for an injunction against OnePlus for use of Cyanogen branding and software on the OnePlus One, despite Micromax having an exclusive licensing agreement with Cyanogen for its YU series of phones. The judge had then banned OnePlus from selling phones in India, allowing only to sell the remaining stock they had through its online partner Amazon. Now judges Pradeep Nandrajog and RK Gauba said in their court order that they have set aside the appeal that banned OnePlus from selling phones in India, and that the case will be heard and decided afresh by a single judge on January 7. Until then OnePlus can continue to sell phones in India. The problem arose with the original verdict being given after hearing only Micromax' plea. OnePlus was never given the opportunity to present its case, which is what is going to happen on January 7. OnePlus' logical argument is that the Yureka phone Micromax sells costs INR 8,000 while the OnePlus One costs INR 22,000 and thus neither competes with each other. On top of that, OnePlus claims to use the Cyanogen 11s version of the OS, while Micromax is using and has rights to only the Cyanogen 11 version on its Yureka phones. Cyanogen is also being asked to file a written statement along with OnePlus, which will be presented in court on January 7. The court even branded Cyanogen as the "villain", which all things considered is not an unfair...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/delhi_high_court_lifts_the_ban_on_the_oneplus_one_sales_in_india-news-10585.php

Merry Christmas to you all from the GSMArena team

Christmas is upon us an as one of the greatest holidays throughout the year, we'd like to extend our warmest regards and to send a big Thank You your way for sticking with us for yet another year. It's because of you we are here today and it's only because of you that our job is so great. We really do hope these holidays will bring you lots of reasons to smile and be happy. May you and your loved ones have the best of times this holiday season and get lots of happy memories to carry over to the upcoming new year. We're sending the warmest Christmas wishes to you and your family. Let Love, Peace and Joy fill your world this Holy season. Thank you for being around! The GSMArena...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/merry_christmas_to_you_all_from_the_gsmarena_team-news-10567.php

BLU outs a trio of affordable Studio smartphones with LTE

A week after the release of Studio 7.0, BLU launched a trio of affordable Studio smartphones with LTE connectivity. BLU Studio 6.0 LTE, Studio 5.0 HD LTE, and Studio Mini LTE are currently available to order contract-free on Amazon for $279, $199, and $119 respectively. As its price tag suggests, the BLU Studio 6.0 LTE is the most capable device from the bunch. It packs Qualcomm 8928 Snapdragon 400 SoC with 1.6GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory, 13MP main camera, and 5MP front-facing unit. The OS on board is Android 4.4 KitKat. Physical measures of BLU Studio 6.0 LTE are 163.5 x 81.4 x 9.15 mm. The handset packs 3,200mAh battery. BLU Studio 5.0 HD LTE features Qualcomm 8926 Snapdragon 400 SoC with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and a gig of RAM. The rest of the device's specs include 5" 720p display, 8GB of expandable memory, 13MP main camera, 5MP front-facing unit, and Android 4.4 KitKat. Measures of BLU Studio 5.0 HD LTE are 145.7 x 72 x 9 mm. The handset is powered by a 2,200mAh battery. BLU Studio Mini LTE is the most affordable member of the trio. It offers Qualcomm 8926 Snapdragon 400 chipset with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM. A 4.5" display with 854 x 480 pixels, 5MP main camera, 0.3MP front-facing unit, and 4GB of expandable memory are also on board. The device boots the seriously old Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. BLU Studio Mini LTE measures 137.1 x 67.4 x 10 mm. It is powered by a 1,850mAh battery. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_outs_a_trio_of_affordable_studio_smartphones_with_lte-news-10582.php

Images and specs of BlackBerry Z20 Rio make the rounds

Images and specs of BlackBerry's upcoming Z20 mid-range smartphone made the rounds. Codenamed Rio, the all-touch handset is expected to debut at by February next year in black or white color scheme. BlackBerry Z20 features Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 with 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU and 2GB of RAM. A 5" 720p touchscreen, 8MP main camera, 2MP front-facing snapper, and 2,800mAh non-removable battery are also tucked into the device's 9.5mm thick body. Connectivity options of the device include penta-band LTE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0 with DLNA and Miracast. The device will pack dual microphones. As its model number suggests, BlackBerry Z20 will slot in between the Z3 and Z30 in the company's product range when available. We'll keep an eye out for more details on the device going forward. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/images_and_specs_of_blackberry_z20_rio_make_the_rounds-news-10581.php

HTC Desire Eye is apparently available in India already

HTC announced the Desire Eye for India back in October, but up until today it hasn't been for sale in the subcontinent. After more than two months since its unveiling over there, however, the Desire Eye is finally advertised as being in stock by at least one mobile phone retailer in Mumbai. Keep in mind though that this is an actual physical store we're talking about. We've yet to see the Desire Eye be in stock at online-based sellers, though perhaps that will happen in the next few days. Where it is up for grabs, the Desire Eye is priced at INR 35,990, which means about $567 or €464. So this isn't dirt cheap, though on the other hand it does come with some pretty impressive specs, ones not previously seen on HTC's Desire sub-brand. The main selling point for the Desire Eye is surely its 13 MP front-facing camera, which even comes with a dual-tone dual-LED flash. The rear cam has the same resolution, while the phone's screen is a 5.2-inch 1080p panel. At the helm we can find the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, with a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPU aided by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable built-in storage. The handset runs Android 4.4 KitKat and has a 2,400 mAh non-removable battery. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_desire_eye_is_apparently_available_in_india_already-news-10580.php

Apple-led Rockstar group to sell its patent portfolio, drop lawsuits

Rockstar Consortium, a patent-holding company jointly owned by Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Ericsson, and Sony among others, has agreed to sell much of its portfolio to patent risk management firm RPX, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The deal will see RPX pay around $900 million for over 4,000 patents. In addition, Rockstar will also put to rest all ongoing litigation, including lawsuits against several tech giants, including LG, HTC, Samsung, and Huawei. RPX plans to license the patents to a separate syndicate of more than 30 companies, including Google, Cisco, and more, which have funded a significant proportion of the $900 million the San Francisco-based firm paid. "This is the biggest syndicate of its kind and its formation proves that companies can actually collaborate in...cooperative licensing at scale," said RPX CEO John Amster. Rockstar was formed back in 2011 with an aim to buy the patent portfolio of bankrupt Nortel Networks. It paid around $4.5 billion for the portfolio of 6,000 patents, of which around 2,000 were distributed among the consortium members. Interestingly, those 2,000 were among some of the "most valuable" ones in the portfolio, and are also not part of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_led_rockstar_group_to_sell_its_patent_portfolio_drop_lawsuits-news-10576.php

Xiaomi MiPad 2 switches to Intel SoC, leaked pictures reveal

Xiaomi could already be working on a successor to its MiPad 7.9 which was unveiled earlier this year. The new tablet has allegedly been made the star of a quick photo session somewhere in China. At this stage there's no way to make sure that these images are really depicting the next MiPad and not some knockoff, so keep that in mind. Alleged Xiaomi MiPad 2 The big news seems to be that Xiaomi will choose an Intel chipset for its next tablet, with a 1.8 GHz CPU, in contrast with the MiPad 7.9 which uses an Nvidia Tegra SoC. The MiPad 2 should have the same screen size as its predecessor, and 2,048x1,536 resolution. 2GB of RAM can be found inside the tablet, along with 16GB of built-in storage. It runs MIUI based on Android 4.4 KitKat. For now it's not clear when the next MiPad will become available, but if this is the real deal then expect to see a lot more leaks about it soon. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mipad_2_switches_to_intel_soc_leaked_pictures_reveal-news-10578.php

Samsung closes one of its flagship store in London

Samsung is shutting down one of its flagship experience stores in London. The store was located in Westfield Stratford shopping center and was one of the ten major stores in UK. Although no reason was given for the closure, one would assume it was due to relatively poor sales in recent times. Samsung says it will do its best to find the employees new jobs and that it's committed to the remaining stores. Still, one has to wonder why Samsung would give up such a prime spot in a key location. Source • Via Thanks, Tim, for sending this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_closes_its_flagship_store_in_london-news-10579.php

NVIDIA Shield Tablet gets Android 5.0.1 update

NVIDIA is rolling out update 2.1 for the Shield Tablet, which updates the Android version from 5.0 to 5.0.1. Along with the newer version of Android (which mostly includes bug fixes), the tablet also gets new effects in the Camera Awesome app, Shield Power Control Menu, OpenGL 4.5 support, localization improvements, memory optimizations, and general UI performance improvements. Check your Shield Tablet to see if the update is available for...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nvidia_shield_tablet_gets_android_501_update-news-10577.php

Samsung launches the Galaxy Note Edge in India

Samsung has launched its unique Galaxy Note Edge smartphone in the Indian market. The phone is priced at 64,900 INR ($1023) and will be available in the first week of January in black and white color options. The Galaxy Note Edge is essentially the Note 4 with a unique curved display. The curve on the side shows additional information, which can be accessed while the main display is switched off or being used for some other content. The price is quite high and a lot more than even the Galaxy Note 4, which itself is quite expensive. Then again, Samsung never intended to sell this device in big numbers and it's more of a showcase for the curved display technology than anything...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_launches_the_galaxy_note_edge_in_india-news-10575.php

Bharti Airtel to charge for VoIP calls over 2G and 3G in India

India's leading cellphone carrier (and second-largest Asia Pacific carrier) will now be charging for voice calls made over its 2G or 3G network. This basically includes calls made using services such as Skype, Viber, and Google Hangouts, among others. The VoIP data will be charged separately and won't be part of your existing data pack. Although there was no official announcement, the change in policy appears as a sneaky fine print on the company website that states "All Internet/data packs or plans (through which customer can avail discounted rate) shall only be valid for internet browsing and will exclude VoIP (Both incoming/ Outgoing). VoIP over data connectivity would be charged at standard data rates of 4p / 10 KB (3G service) and 10p / 10 KB (2G service)." The timing for this change in policy isn't just random. WhatsApp is about to introduce voice calling feature very shortly. With WhatsApp already having replaced SMS in India almost entirely, carriers are afraid VoIP will soon replace regular calling, turning them into dumb data pipes. This move is against the principles of Net Neutrality, which states all data should be treated equally. It remains to be seen if other carriers in India will join Airtel in this move, and what the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has to say about...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/bharti_airtel_to_charge_for_voip_calls_over_2g_and_3g_in_india-news-10574.php

ZTE Speed goes official with $99 contact-free price tag

ZTE took the wraps off the budget-friendly Speed smartphone in the United States. The entry-level LTE handset is available for Boost Mobile and costs $99.99 with no contract. ZTE Speed features Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 chipset with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM. There is no word on the resolution of the device's 4.5" display for the time being. The device packs 8GB of expandable memory, which can be further expanded via microSD card slot. A 5MP main camera, 2MP front-facing unit, and 2,000mAh battery round up the highlights of the device's spec sheet. ZTE Speed boots Android 4.4 KitKat. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_speed_goes_official_with_99_contactfree_price_tag-news-10573.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G goes on sale in India on Dec.30

Last month, Xiaomi announced that both the Redmi Note and the Redmi Note 4G would be headed to India before the end of the year. Yet while the 3G-only model has been a flash sale star already, the same can't be said for its 4G-capable sibling. Now though, the Chinese smartphone maker has thankfully unveiled the release date for the Redmi Note 4G in India. It's December 30, which is next Tuesday. As it's always done in the subcontinent, Xiaomi will be using Flipkart, the biggest online retailer over there, to handle its flash sale. This will start at 2 PM. At the same time, however, you'll be able to purchase a Redmi Note 4G from select stores belonging to Indian carrier Airtel. The Redmi Note 4G is priced at INR 9,999, which equates to approximately $157 or €129. It comes with a 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP front snapper, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable internal storage. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC is running the show, and it sports a 1.6 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 processor. The phone's also got a 3,100 mAh battery, and it only takes one SIM card (unlike the 3G version which is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_4g_goes_on_sale_in_india_on_december_30-news-10572.php

LG Fx0 is a transparent phone running Firefox OS

Mozilla's Firefox OS has made its debut in Japan today, with the announcement of the Fx0. This oddly named smartphone manufactured by LG is designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, and it's transparent. Literally. As you can see from the image below, the Fx0 lets you peek at its internals without ever needing to take off a cover or something like that. And it's also got a home button decorated with a golden version of the Firefox logo. The Fx0 is certainly different from all previous Firefox OS phones, which have so far centered on being as cheap as possible. This one, though, is more of a design statement. That's why it will also be the most expensive Firefox OS device we've seen so far, being priced at JPY 50,000 (that's $414 or €340, by the way). Aside from being transparent and all that, the Fx0 takes its design cues (the shape, mostly) from the LG G3, but it is smaller. It has a 4.7-inch IPS touchscreen, while its resolution hasn't been made public yet. The Fx0 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU, aided by 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage space expandable via microSD cards. It sports an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2.1 MP front camera. It has a 2,370 mAh battery, and it runs Firefox OS 2.0. Its dimensions are 139 x 70 x 10.5 mm and it weighs 148g. In a first for a Firefox OS handset, the Fx0 will have support for both 4G LTE and NFC. It will be offered exclusively by KDDI and only in gold. A limited sale will start on December 25, and the phone will be widely available in Japan starting on January 6. Just don't hold your breath if you're hoping to see it sold elsewhere - smartphones from Japan rarely make it to other places. Source 1 • Source 2 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_fx0_is_a_transparent_smartphone_running_firefox_os-news-10571.php

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge makes it to India in January

At some point, Samsung may have changed its mind about the Galaxy Note Edge merely being a "limited edition concept device". At least when it comes to the number of countries where it will launch, since that number is growing quite rapidly. Today the Korean smartphone maker has announced the Galaxy Note Edge for India. It will become available in the subcontinent in white and black in the first week of January at select retailers, for a recommended price of INR 64,900. That's about $1,023 or €840 right now. So in terms of pricing, the Note Edge sure has kept its niche status. That also means that not many will be sold, so it will be "limited" in that regard. The handset was first unveiled back in September at Samsung's IFA event. Its main selling point is the curved AMOLED touchscreen, which is 5.6 inches in size and comes with 2,560x1,600 resolution. Otherwise, the Note Edge is very similar to the Galaxy Note 4 in terms of specs, except that it has a smaller, 3,000 mAh...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_edge_makes_it_to_india_in_january-news-10570.php

Huawei Ascend GX1 gets official with 6" screen, tiny bezels

A new Huawei phablet, the Ascend GX1, got leaked just a few days ago. And today it became official, as the Chinese company introduced it for its home market. The Ascend GX1 is a midrange offering, but it comes with one obvious differentiating factor compared to its competition - very, very small lateral bezels which make for an 80.5% screen-to-body ratio. That's quite impressive, especially for a device that isn't a flagship. The phablet comes with a 6-inch 720p IPS touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 2 MP front-facing snapper. It's powered by a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU, aided by 1GB of RAM. On board we can find 8GB of expandable storage, as well as support for 4G LTE networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, dual-SIM functionality, and a 3,500 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Huawei's own skin on top. Its dimensions are 161 x 84.5 x 9.2 mm, and it weighs 173g. The Ascend GX1 is already up for grabs in China from Huawei's official online store. The price has been set at CNY 1,590 (that's around $255 or €209). The company hasn't announced whether we'll see the GX1 making its way to other countries or not. Source (in Chinese) | Via 1 • Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_gx1_gets_official_with_6_screen_minimal_bezels-news-10569.php

Asus unveils Pegasus X002, its $128 Redmi 1S competitor

Xiaomi really started something with its extremely affordable Redmi line. Now it looks like every smartphone maker under the sun is trying to deliver a competitor for those devices. The latest company to do so is Asus, which has announced the Pegasus X002 today, thus also introducing a new smartphone brand. This thankfully features neither "fone" nor "zen" in it as Asus' previous offerings. The Pegasus X002 is as affordable as they get, being priced at CNY 799 over in China. That's about $128 or €105 at the current exchange rates. So what do you get for that low amount of cash? A 5-inch 720p touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP front camera, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. At the helm is MediaTek's 64-bit MT6732 SoC, coming with a 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU. Keeping things juiced up is a 2,500 mAh battery, and the Pegasus comes with dual-SIM functionality and support for TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, and GSM networks. That means it's pretty much tailor-made for China Mobile, the world's biggest carrier when it comes to subscriber count. The phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Asus Zen UI on top. Pre-orders will start in China today, but there's been no word on whether we'll ever see it launched in other markets. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_unveils_pegasus_x002_its_128_redmi_1s_competitor-news-10568.php

Samsung confirms Lollipop updates for Galaxy S4, Note 2

A rather interesting page has come to our attention, which reveals new information on Samsung's plan for Android Lollipop rollout. The URL in question comes from the Finnish section of Samsung.com, so it is about as reputable a source as it can get. It holds a table, that details the next planned update for a number of handsets and tablets and surprisingly enough it claims that Android 5.0 will reach quite a few models including a few fairly old smartphones. Going through the list we find the Galaxy Note 4 as well as the Note 3, both of which were previously expected to receive Lollipop. The surprising thing is that the Galaxy Note 2 is also on the list. The phablet first hit consumer markets in September 2012 and as a rule Samsung tends to support its devices through 2 years or 2 major updates, whichever comes first. So to see it is expecting Android 5.0 is surprising to say the least. But good news doesn't stop there. Glancing through the S family and other device lines we see a lot more confusing information. The Galaxy S5 Mini is among the devices listed as waiting for the Lollipop update, but the entry for its bigger brother, the Galaxy S5 states "no information" for next update. Samsung Galaxy Alpha is also on the list and so is the Galaxy S4, which is in pretty much the same shoes as the Note 2 in terms of support. This new piece of information is quite peculiar and begs a lot of questions. If it came from any other source it would be instantly dismissed, but given the circumstances it is either a rather large mistake on Samsung's part or it does truly represent a fundamental shift in support politics at the Korean tech giant. Here's hoping that it's a case of the latter. Thanks, Dali, for the tip! Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_bring_lollipop_to_s4_note_2_and_others-news-10566.php

Samsung Galaxy Alpha gets four exclusive leather backs

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha got four new cool looks thanks to a collaborative project between the company and Free Lance and JB Rautureau. Now, you can grab a limited edition Galaxy Alpha with four different looking handmade leather back covers. Just 100 of each variety will be made and all will have a unique number and a certificate of authenticity. The units will be sold in France exclusively, but we bet if you try hard enough, you can get one even if you're outside the country. The limited edition Galaxy Alpha phones with leather backs will sell for €825. This is a good €250 above its current price in Europe. In terms of specs, nothing is changed. You can check out our review of the phone, but read up quickly, because those 400 Galaxy Alpha with leather backs won't wait for you forever. Lastly, here's a promo video of the campaign showing a bit of the work than went into making the special...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_alpha_gets_four_exclusive_leather_backs-news-10565.php

Oppo R5 review: One to remember

The world's thinnest smartphone record is as fragile as a piece of china. It was broken three times in the last couple of months alone. The Oppo R5 may not be the thinnest smartphone around anymore, but it's pure class - and mind you, it's the second time we meet it in person...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r5-review-1183.php

Project Ara chipsets and form factor confrimed

Google's project Ara has really been gaining momentum the past few months and it seems that everything is moving along nicely with the revolutionary modular smartphone concept. After the fairly recent announcement of the remodeled Spiral 2 circuit board design the guys over at Google ATAP have shared a new portion of info on their progress as a sort of year capstone, before the holidays. On their Google+ page the ATAP team state that they are really working hard on the SoC designs in close partnership with Marvell and NVIDIA. Two separate reference design and form factor AP modules are well under development based on the PXA1928 and Tegra K1 chipsets. These are expected to make their way as reference chips in the upcoming MDK v0.20 release. The aforementioned Spiral 2 board has apparently already seen the light of day, as the team boasts that three functioning prototypes are now available, courtesy of the engineering and manufacturing team. These are more than a proof of concept as they should be complete with shells and connectors bringing them a step closer to the final product design vision and just in time for the Developer Conference in January. This incredible progress on the Spiral 2 design has not stopped the team from pushing forward to a new and even better prototype dubbed Spiral 3. According to the Google+ post a newer version of the integrated circuits in the board should arrive, courtesy of Toshiba any day now. They will be the basis for the next generation Ara prototype and corresponding module development kit. Things really seem to be going in the right direction for the project and with module development kits getting better and better is should be a matter of time before we see functioning prototypes of other vital smartphone hardware (radios, cameras, screens etc.) and hopefully soon after a fully functioning unit in all its glory. So be sure to keep an eye on project Ara in the upcoming months and who knows, perhaps 2015 will be the year we finally get to reap the benefits of the team's work. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/project_ara_with_info_on_new_socs_and_form_factor-news-10564.php

More HTC One (M9) Hima specs have surfaced

During the past month we have been hearing a lot about HTC's upcoming flagship codenamed Hima. A lot of information surrounding the new device has been circulating in the rumor mill, but now it seems that finally we have a full specs sheet leak for the next-gen smartphone. The new HTC One Hima will indeed be powered by a Snapdragon 810 SoC. The octa-core chip will have the following setup - 2.0GHz quad-core Cortex-A57 + 1.5GHz quad-core Cortex-A53. The display on the Hima will be 5 inches, but sadly the leaked specs state that it will be of the FullHD instead of the QHD variety found in some current flagships. As far as physical dimensions go the smartphone will measure 144.3 x 69.4 x 9.56 mm, but no word about its weight. Judging by existing information it is only logical to assume that the Hima will follow in the steps of the One (M8) and have a similar metal body. This, of course adds a little bit of extra weight to the smartphone, but makes a huge difference in terms of design and feel. Furthermore, if the rumors are to be believed, the new HTC flagship will come in the same three colors as the M8 - gray, silver and gold, as well as a fourth, called "Gunmetal Gold" and those all sound like solid color choices for the slick aluminum body. Going further down the list of specs we are happy to see that the HTC Hima will have 3GB of RAM as well as Cat.6 LTE connectivity. Two cameras will adorn the phone - a 20.7MP main camera and a front-facing shooter, which the leaked info ambiguously states as either 4MP or 13MP. This could be due to a lack of information or it could potentially hint that HTC is planning to release more than one variant of the model. Other than that the HTC Hima will unsurprisingly come with Android 5.0 out of the box and a reasonably big 2,840mAh battery. The leak also lists a few official accessories that are expected to be available for the new flagship: Active Headset, DotView, DecoStand Case, Clear Case, Active Case, Premium Screen Protector. A lot more exciting, however is the cited launch date - March 2015. The HTC Hima seems tantalizingly close. All we can do now is wait for more official news on the upcoming smartphone, hopefully early next...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m9_hima_specs_have_surfaced-news-10563.php

Meizu m1 note is official, packs 5.5-inch 1080p display for $160

Meizu has turned a new page in its smartphone portfolio with the official announcement of the m1 note. The phone is the first member of the company's Blue Charm line-up, or at least that's its rough translation from "Meilan" in Chinese. The Meizu m1 note features a 5.5" IGZO display of 1080p resolution making for a pixel density of 400ppi. The phone utilizes the 64-bit MT6752 chipset with an octa-core 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 CPU, a Mali-T760 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The Meizu m1 note measures 75.2 x 150.7 x 8.9mm and weighs 145 grams with a 3,140mAh battery. At the back, there's a 13MP camera made by Samsung and shoots 1080p videos. A 5MP camera takes up the front with a 4-element lens. The Meizu m1 note has a unibody polycarbonate chassis and can take two SIM cards with a tray that's accessed from the side. The phone is available in green, pink, blue, yellow and white. Meizu is pricing the 16GB version of the phone at just $160 (CNY 999), which is an amazing value. We are yet to receive availability information, but here's hoping the company gets this phone to the market as soon as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_m1_note_is_official_packs_55inch_1080p_display_for_160-news-10562.php

Mid-range HTC A12 leaks with Snapdragon 410 chipset

Alleged specs of an upcoming HTC A12 mid-ranger made the rounds online courtesy of @upleaks. The unannounced smartphone is tipped to debut in February 2015. HTC A12 reportedly features 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 chipset with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and 1GB of RAM. With a rumored 4.7" HD display, the yet to be revealed device will slot below the 5" HTC Desire 620 (pictured above) in the company's product range. A gig of RAM, 8MP main camera, and 1.3MP front-facing snapper are also rumored to be on board. The OS on board is said to be Sense-d Android 4.4. Physical measures of the HTC A12 are 139.8 x 69.5 x 9.5 mm. A 2,100mAh battery reportedly powers the device. HTC A12 will allegedly launch on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless in the United States. We will keep an eye out for more details on the handset going forward. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/midrange_htc_a12_leaks_with_snapdragon_410_chipset-news-10561.php

Apple resumes iPhone sales in Russia with increased pricing

Less than a week after it halted online sales in Russia, Apple resumed offering its products in the country. Unsurprisingly, the Cupertino giant increased the prices of its iPhone lineup to counter the drop of the local currency against the U.S. dollar. Apple iPhone 6 with 16GB of on-board memory now costs 53,990 rubles (about $956). The price is up by roughly a third over the 39,990 rubles that the manufacturer previously asked for the smartphone. The latest iPhone 6 price hike, coupled with loss of value of the Russian ruble, means that the smartphone is now almost 70% more expensive than a month ago. Apple previously raised prices in the country at the end of last month. Apple's Russian App Store applications have also gotten more expensive. Basic iOS apps now cost 62 rubles as opposed to 33 rubles before. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_resumes_iphone_sales_in_russia_with_increased_pricing-news-10560.php

Microsoft Lumia 535 gets update to fix touchscreen woes

The touchscreen issues that the Microsoft Lumia 535 has been encountering have been widely documented up until this point. The software giant first confirmed the problems earlier this month, and then promised a fix would come on December 27. Well, it looks like Microsoft was working overtime on that, since a new firmware update for the Lumia 535 is already rolling out "in selected countries". And yes, this new software incorporates the much awaited touchscreen fix, according to the official changelog. That's not the only thing it brings to the table, though. Cortana is now available in more countries, the action center lets you easily turn your mobile data connection on or off, and you can now schedule phone updates. Finally, as you'd expect, some unnamed stability and performance improvements are in too. After applying the update, you'll be running Windows Phone version 8.10.14219.341 and build 02054.00000.14485.370xx. To check if it's available in your country, you can use this tool. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_lumia_535_gets_update_to_fix_touchscreen_woes-news-10559.php

Nokia N1 Android tablet launches in China on January 7

Back in November, Nokia (the part of the company that wasn't sold off to Microsoft) announced its first ever Android-running tablet, the N1. We got specs and pricing information then, along with a very vague release time frame of "Q1 2015". Today though a rumor out of China has that down to an actual launch date - January 7. Because the translation from Chinese isn't perfect, it's not 100% clear right now if that's the day starting on which those in China will be able to purchase the Nokia N1, or just the date of its official introduction for the Chinese market. Regardless of that, however, it looks like the "Q1" estimation is about to turn into a January release for the first ever Nokia tablet to run Android. This still doesn't tell us anything about when (or if) we might see the N1 elsewhere, since during the official announcement Nokia only mentioned China as the initial launch country. Other places are due to get the tablet at some later point in time. Hopefully that will happen soon, perhaps still inside that "Q1 2015" window, otherwise the N1's specs risk getting old soon. And the hype surrounding it may die down somewhat too. An actual price for China hasn't been leaked yet, but the tablet should cost the rough equivalent of $249, which is the official number (sans taxes though). The Nokia N1 comes with a 7.9-inch 2,048x1,536 touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front snapper, an Intel Atom Z3580 chipset with a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a 5,300 mAh battery. It will run Android 5.0 Lollipop with Nokia's Z Launcher on top. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_n1_android_tablet_launches_in_china_on_january_7-news-10558.php

Samsung SM-G430 surfaces with 5.5" 1080p screen

Samsung sure likes to launch a lot of smartphones each year. And while 2014 is almost over, we're clearly going to see a lot of new stuff from Samsung next year. One such handset seems to be the SM-G430. This has surfaced through an import listing from an Indian website specializing in these things. A few units have made it to the subcontinent for R&D purposes already. The import tracker helpfully lists the G430's screen size, which is 5.5 inches. Some other specs can be gleaned from a user agent profile for the phone, which is already present on Samsung's website. This tells us that the display resolution in this case will be 1080p, and the G430's processor will be clocked at up to 2.5 GHz. This last bit of info implies that the device will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, which has that exact clock speed. If so, then this isn't going to be yet another forgettable midranger, but an upper-midrange offering that could be quite interesting. The Snapdragon 801 was, after all, the SoC of choice for top of the line smartphones for most of this year. It has support for Cat.4 LTE (with theoretical peek download speeds of 150Mbps), so the Samsung G430 should too. Finally, the new handset has been revealed to be running Android 4.4 KitKat. Perhaps, given the screen size, this will be some kind of a competitor to Apple's iPhone 6 Plus. We'll have to wait and see. Source 1 • Source 2 | Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_smg430_surfaces_with_55_1080p_screen-news-10557.php

LG G2 Android 5.0 screenshot leaks before rollout

The Lollipop update frenzy is well under way and LG's current flagship - the LG G3 was definitely not left behind with updates rolling out during all of the December, first in South Korea and then in a number of other countries. In the height of all this one question remains unanswered - will last year's LG flagship - the very popular LG G2 receive similar treatment. A screenshot surfaced today that might shed some light on the matter. It appears to show a F320L version of the LG G2 running an Android 5.0.1 build. Even more encouragingly the UI, visible in the picture seems to bear all the design and visual characteristics of LG's new GUI, which first appeared on the G3. So it seems the year-old smartphone will receive the full update package, complete with the fresher interface. This is all but justified, given that the LG G2 still packs quite the punch and can easily compete with current devices. Its more-than adequate Snapdragon 800 SoC, 2GB of RAM and 5.2-inch 1080p display are more than worthy to be adorned by Google's latest OS version. One more important detail needs to be noted about the screenshot, namely that it is obviously taken from a F320L G2 unit, which is the LTE-A model, exclusive to South Korea. This of course comes as no surprise, given LG's track record of beginning update roll-out on the domestic market first. If the rumor is true and the photo real, Lollipop builds for the international LG G2 versions can't be far behind and should grace user's phones pretty soon. Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g2_android_50_screenshot_leaked-news-10556.php

Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Plus possibly spotted in a spy photo

A couple of spy shots of an upcoming Huawei smartphone have appeared. They're believed to portray the upcoming Huawei Ascend Mate 7 Plus, which the company is preparing to be the successor of the Ascend Mate 7. There aren't that many visual differences between the phones. The Ascend Mate 7 Plus comes with the same almost zero-bezel design of the Mate 7, but sports a larger speaker grille at the back. Apart from the visual changes, we hope Huawei will also equip the Ascend Mate 7 Plus with a QHD display. That's a feature the Ascend Mate 7 lacks and it lags behind in the competition as a result. While there aren't any specifications available at this point, we assume Huawei will stick with its Kirin 925 chipset with an octa-core CPU and 2GB/3GB of RAM combo. It's possible for Huawei to release more information once CES 2015 starts in early January, 2015. Until then, stay tuned. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_mate_7_plus_possibly_spotted_in_a_spy_photo-news-10555.php

Oppo R8205 and R8200 make the rounds at TENAA

Oppo will be releasing two new additions to its R smartphone lineup. The devices look promising enough on paper and they just appeared on the TENAA website, which means official announcement isn't far away. The two handsets dubbed, at least for now, R8200 and R8205 are almost identical with one small, but significant difference. Both phones boast 4G LTE support and a glossy back-plate in blue or white with curved edges, resembling the design of the Oppo R1. The only major difference is that the R8205 will support CDMA networks. Other than that the two smartphones are practically identical with a 5-inch capacitive TFT display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Both are powered by an octa-core Cortex A7 CPU, clocked at 1.5GHz and have 16GB of onboard storage and 2GB of RAM, which is always good to see in mid-ranged devices. Physical specs include a 130 gram body, measuring in at 140.6x70.1x6.85 mm and a single SIM card slot. Each of the two models will have a dual camera setup - 13MP main camera with LED flash and 1080p video recording and a 5MP front-facing shooter. The list of features goes on with various connectivity options: 4G, 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth v4.0, as well as a few standard sensors: G-Sensor, Gravity sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor. There is currently no information pertaining to pricing or release dates, but given that the devices have already passed standardization it shouldn't be too long before the two siblings hit consumer markets. Source 1 | Source 2 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r8205_and_r8200_make_the_rounds_at_tenaa-news-10554.php

Xolo Q900s Plus with 4.7-inch HD display goes on sale in India

Just over a week after unveiling it, Xolo has launched the Q900s Plus, a successor to the Q900s, which was released back in July this year. It comes in black color, and is now available for purchase on Infibeam for 7,999 INR ($126). Specification-wise, the device sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (MSM 8212) chipset with 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and Adreno 302 GPU, 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The smartphone has 1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory (which can be expanded by up to 32 GB via microSD card), and a 1,800 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat and sports a 4.7-inch HD display. The Q900s Plus is listed on the company's website with a price tag of 8,299 INR ($133). Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xolo_q900s_plus_with_4_7_inch_hd_display_goes_on_sale_in_india-news-10553.php

Nokia C1 is the company's first post-Microsoft Android phone

Following the announcement of the Nokia N1, the company's first Android tablet after the Microsoft deal, now we hear the Finns are working on a phone running Google's mobile OS. The phone is dubbed simply C1 and an alleged product shot of it popped up. Alongside it, there's also a rumored spec sheet, which includes an Intel-made chipset with 2GB RAM. The Nokia C1 would sport a 5" display, probably of 720p resolution, and have 32GB of storage. At the back, there is believed to be an 8MP camera joined by a 5MP one at the front. The Nokia C1 will launch with Android 5.0 Lollipop garnished with Nokia's Z Launcher, just like the N1 tablet. It will be manufactured by Foxconn, since Nokia is prohibited from manufacturing devices until 2016 as per its acquisition contract with Microsoft. There's no information regarding availability just yet. We suspect Nokia will announce the phone in the first quarter of 2015, but we're yet to see and hear more about the C1. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_c1_is_the_companys_first_postmicrosoft_android_phone-news-10552.php

Motorola Moto X (2nd Gen) 32GB now available in India

After Motorola's initial launch of the Moto X(2014) in India, back in September users were left to wonder as to if and when the 32GB version would be available, along with the wood and leather back covers variants. The larger storage model is now exclusively available through Flipkart for INR 32,999 ($520) in Black and Royal Blue colors. The two aforementioned back cover variants can also be found on the website. In accordance with the new launch, the 16GB Moto X 2014 has received a price cut and will now set you back INR 29,999 ($475). Eager buyers will be also pleased to know that Flipkart also offers an additional discount of up to INR 6000 towards the purchase of any Moto X 2014, 16GB or 32GB in exchange for an old smartphone, but some restrictions do apply. So if you are in the market for a new Moto device, be sure to consider the more spacious variant of this flagship device, you can read our opinion of the Moto X 2014 in the review. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_x_2nd_gen_32gb_now_available_in_india-news-10551.php

Android One coming to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

After launching the Android One brand in India earlier this year, Google is now expanding the devices to other south Asian markets, namely, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The same three devices will be available in these markets for now - Micromax Canvas A1, Karbonn Sparkle V, and Spice Dream UNO. Except for Bangladesh, which along with these three phones will also be getting the Symphony Roar A50 from local brand Symphony. Google will be expanding to more markets with more devices in 2015. Source •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_one_coming_to_bangladesh_nepal_and_sri_lanka-news-10550.php

Xiaomi is now valued at more than $45 billion

The Chinese smartphone and tablet manufacturer Xiaomi is now valued at over $45 billion. The latest estimate tops the $40 billion valuation, which the company received in early November. Xiaomi raised over $1 billion in the latest round of funding. Participants in it included All-Stars Investment, the Russian firm DST Global, and the Singapore sovereign-wealth fund GIC. The last two companies are already shareholders of Xiaomi. Xiaomi has quickly established itself as an industry heavyweight. A recent report puts the company as the third largest smartphone manufacturer globally. The company has ambitious plans for the future. Recently, Xiaomi's CEO said that he wants the company to be the world's No.1 manufacturer within 10 years. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_is_now_valued_at_more_than_45_billion-news-10549.php