Asus ZenFone 2 launched in Malaysia

Asus has launched its ZenFone 2 smartphone - which was released in its home country of Taiwan back in March this year - in Malaysia, making available all four variants of the device in the country. The top variant, carrying model number ZE551ML is powered by an an Intel Atom Z3580 chipset with 2.3GHz quad-core processor, and sports a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 display. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 32/64GB internal memory options, and packs in a 3,000mAh battery. The second variant also carries the same model number as the top variant, but features an Intel Atom SoC with a slower 1.8GHz processor and comes with only 2GB of RAM. The third variant carries a model number of ZE550ML. It is also powered by an Intel Atom chipset with 1.8GHz processor, but sports a 5.5-inch display with 720p resolution. The device comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Finally, the fourth variant, carrying model number ZE500CL, is powered by an Intel Atom SoC with 1.6GHz processor, and sports a 5-inch 720p display. It comes with 2GB of RAM and only 8GB of internal storage. While the top three models feature a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front shooter, and pack in a 3,000mAh battery, the fourth variant sports an 8MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing snapper, and comes with a 2,500mAh battery. All the four variants support LTE connectivity. As for the price, the top of the line ZE551ML carries a price tag of RM1,299 ($362) for the 64GB model and RM1,099 ($306) for the 32GB one. The second variant, which also carries model number ZE551ML, is priced at RM899 ($250), while the last two will set you back RM749 ($209) and RM599 ($167),...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_2_launched_in_malaysia-news-12211.php

Verizon and Sprint variants of LG G4 said to be approved by FCC

The Verizon and Sprint variants of the LG G4 smartphone, which was made official late last month, seem to have cleared the FCC hurdle. While the FCC listings doesn't explicitly mention the G4, the confirmation comes from the fact that the devices carry the model numbers VS986 and LS991, respectively, which are sequential to the G3 variants released on Verizon (VS985) and Sprint (LS990) last year. So far, there is no official word on pricing or an exact launch date for the US...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_and_sprint_variants_of_lg_g4_said_to_be_approved_by_fcc-news-12210.php

Google set to announce Android M later this month

The latest iteration of Google's mobile operating system, currently codenamed Android M, will be announced this month. It will be be unveiled at the company's annual I/O developer conference, which kicks off May 28. The info is based on the description of an I/O session in the conference agenda, mentioning the word "Android M". That session has since been removed from from Google's I/O website. Although the details are scarce, it was revealed that the mobile OS will be enterprise-focused, and will provide a service - dubbed Voice Access - that Google claims "gives anyone access to their Android device through voice...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_set_to_announce_android_m_later_this_month-news-12209.php

Firefox OS smartphones now shipping in Africa

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/firefox_os_smartphones_now_shipping_in_africa-news-12207.php

Huawei launches Honor 4C and Honor Bee in India

Huawei has launched two new Honor devices in India - the Honor 4C and the Honor Bee. Both phones slot in below the current Honor 4X and are the company's second cheapest and cheapest phone, respectively, on the Indian market. The Honor 4C has a 5.0-inch, 1280x720 resolution IPS LCD, 13 megapixel rear camera, 5 megapixel front camera, 64-bit Kirin 620 SoC with octa-core CPU clocked at 1.2GHz and Mali-T450 MP4 GPU, 2GB RAM, dual SIM support, 2550mAh battery, and Android 4.4 KitKat with EMUI 3.0. The Honor Bee has a 4.5-inch, 854x480 resolution display, 8 megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash, 2 megapixel front camera, quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage with microSD support, 1730mAh battery, and Android 4.4 KitKat. The Honor 4C is priced at Rs. 8,999 ($141) while the Honor Bee is priced at Rs. 4,999 ($78). Both phones are available exclusively through...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_launches_honor_4c_and_honor_bee_in_india-news-12208.php

Samsung Denmark confirms Lollipop for Galaxy Note II

Just days after Samsung Gulf said that the Galaxy Note II won't be getting the Lollipop update, the company's Denmark subsidiary has confirmed that the update is coming, at least in their region. It was also revealed that both the Galaxy Note II (GT-N7100) and Galaxy Note II 4G (GT-N7105) will be getting the update, although it isn't yet clear which one will receive it first. It's worth mentioning that Samsung's Spanish division had also earlier confirmed that a Galaxy Note II Lollipop update in the works, but said it will only be released it if it turns out...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_denmark_confirms_lollipop_for_galaxy_note_ii-news-12206.php

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S4 models are getting Lollipop

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sprints_samsung_galaxy_s4_models_are_now_receiving_lollipop-news-12205.php

Meizu MX5 and M1 Note 2 might become official in June

If this rumor turns out to be true, then June will be a full month for Meizu. According to a new report out of China, the company is planning to hold two separate events next month, during which it will unveil two new smartphones. The first one should happen on June 2, which is when we're supposedly going to see a new version of the M1 Note become official. This will awkwardly be called M1 Note 2, and it will come with a Full HD touchscreen just like its predecessor. However, the new M1 Note will also get a fingerprint sensor embedded in its Home key. Because of this, production costs will go up, so expect the M1 Note 2 to be more expensive than the original (which will probably stick around, since it's barely six months old at this point). Next up, at a dedicated gathering on June 30 Meizu is said to announce the MX5, its next flagship offering. This will come with a unibody construction (sans removable back cover), and an oval Home button also housing a fingerprint scanner. The lower front side of the MX5 may actually be portrayed by the image you can see above. The MX5 could be powered by MediaTek's MT6795 chipset, which comes with an octa-core CPU clocked at up to 2.2 GHz. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx5_and_m1_note_2_might_become_official_in_june-news-12204.php

Oppo R7 Plus is pictured for the first time, has fingerprint sensor

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r7_plus_gets_pictured_for_the_first_time_has_fingerprint_sensor-news-12203.php

Rumored Huawei Nexus has some specs outed

A couple of months ago, rumors started to show up saying Huawei would be making a Nexus smartphone this year. It may not be the only company doing so (LG will apparently launch a Nexus too), but it will. Today these rumors have seemingly been confirmed by yet another report from China, where an analyst claims he knows a few specs of the first Huawei Nexus phone. According to him, the handset will sport a 5.7-inch QHD (2,560x1,440) touchscreen, and it will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 SoC. Last we heard anything about this matter, Huawei was apparently still deciding whether to use one of its own chipsets or go with Qualcomm's best. So it looks like the Chinese smartphone maker chose the latter route in the end. The Huawei Nexus is expected to launch in the second half of the year, as per the same source. Although we're talking about a pretty well known analyst in China, hopefully you've had a standard issue grain of salt nearby for this one. If this turns out to be true, then Huawei will be the first ever Chinese OEM to build a Nexus device. Thanks for the tip, Somesh! Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/rumored_huawei_nexus_has_some_specs_outed_-news-12202.php

OnePlus One will continue getting Cyanogen OS OTAs in India

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_will_continue_getting_cyanogen_os_otas_in_india-news-12201.php

NVIDIA stops the development of LTE modems for smartphones

In the era of 4G connectivity it emerging markets, the presence of LTE modems is very crucial in the new generation smartphones. Qualcomm is clearly leading the segment with Intel and MediaTek ramping up their development plans to compete with it. On the other hand, NVIDIA has announced to quit the development of the LTE modems for smartphones. Back in late 2013, NVIDIA announced the next generation Tegra 5 System-on-Chip will tag along the Icera i500 modem which is also present in the Tegra 4i. So that means, Tegra 5 will indeed arrive with the Icera 4G LTE model next year and the one after but there will not be a successor to the Icera i500. After its next chipset, NVIDIA will partner with third-party modem suppliers for the 4G LTE modems in its lineup. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nvidia_stops_the_development_of_lte_modems_for_smartphones-news-12200.php

Gionee launches Elife S7 Maldives blue version in China

Gionee has quietly introduced the Elife S7 Maldives blue version for CNY 2,499 ($402) in China. The Elife S7 was already introduced in India last month for the same price. The new Maldives blue version is just another color variant of the Elife S7. Stylish and slim form factor defining Elife S series has the new Elife S7 features a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080p resolution and protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 layer. The Elife S7 powered by an octa-core 1.7 GHz Mediatek MT6752 SoC coupled with Mali-T760MP2 GPU and armed with 2GB of RAM. It features only 16GB of onboard storage and no memory card slot. Camera setup includes a 13MP rear snapper with LED flash and a 8MP front-facing shooter. It supports dual SIM setup with dual standby feature and supports 4G LTE in both the slots. By default, it runs Amigo OS 3.0 based on the Android 5.0 Lollipop. Gionee has packed 2,750 mAh battery inside its latest flagship. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_launches_elife_s7_maldives_blue_version_in_china_-news-12198.php

Dell pushes Android 5.0.2 update for the Venue 8 7840

Dell has started pushing out the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Dell Venue 8 7840. You can check if the update is available for download from the Settings app. Like the KitKat version before it, Lollipop on the Venue 8 seems to be unadulterated and close to stock Android. According to Android Police, it does enable encryption by default, which we have seen in the past causes some drop in performance, but it remains to be seen if that holds true for the Venue 8 as well. If you have the device, check if the update is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/dell_pushes_android_502_update_for_the_venue_8_7840-news-12196.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 is receiving a new firmware update

One of our European Galaxy S6 units has just received a small software update. The OTA has an Android version 5.0.2, which the device already received last month, but now comes with noticeable improvement to the phone's performance. As some of you might remember, a lot of Galaxy S6 users have been reporting some severe memory issues and drops in performance. Samsung recognized the problem and promised to remedy it in future micro updates. Judging from the improved stability and speed of the unit, we can fairly safely state that the memory leak was handled after the update. The package itself has a build number of G920FXXU1AODG and weighs precisely 138.32 MB. Its change log is quite vague, so we can't say for sure what improvements and fixes it brings, but, like we said, the Galaxy S6 is now a lot snappier. If you have any more info on the OTA in question and the alleged S6 memory leak, be sure to let us know in the comment...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_is_receiving_a_new_502_ota_in_europe-news-12195.php

Moto X (2014) Android 5.1 soak test begins

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_x_2014_android_51_soak_test_begins-news-12194.php

Leaked info reveals Oppo R7 to come with a $483 price tag

Earlier this week, we learned from a source that the Oppo R7 will be aiming to compete with the Galaxy A7. However, if a latest report (which cites leaked images from an internal Oppo presentation) is to be believed, the Chinese company is actually targeting the Huawei P8 with its upcoming smartphone. As clear from the image above, the R7 will carry a price tag of 2,999 Yuan ($483). This compares to the P8, which was released last month, and is priced at 2,888 Yuan ($465) in China. The news comes just days after there were reports that two versions of the Oppo's upcoming smartphone (which are for China Telecom and China Mobile, respectively) have received network certification in China. The device is likely to be unveiled on May...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_info_reveals_oppo_r7_to_come_with_a_483_price_tag-news-12193.php

Blackberry Leap launched in India, to go on sale next week

The BlackBerry Leap smartphone, which was announced at the company's MWC 2015 press conference in Barcelona, has been launched in India. While its price was not revealed, it will be available for purchase in the country starting next week. "The device will be an entry phone for these professionals who can then further subscribe to BlackBerry's other services," said BlackBerry India MD Sunil Lalvani. "It's not a low-cost device and is positioned in the mid-tier segment. We expect a good uptake of this device in the Indian market." The global roll-out of the handset began in the UK last month, following which it was also made available for purchase in the US, France, and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_leap_launched_in_india_to_go_on_sale_next_week-news-12192.php

Latest comScore numbers reveal slight dip in Android's US share

Research firm ComScore has released its latest numbers for the US smartphone market revealing that Android is still the top smartphone platform in the country, although it witnessed a slight decrease in its market share last quarter. Google's mobile OS claimed 52.4% market share in March, down from 53.1% it had claimed in December last year. Apple's iOS held on to its second position with 42.6% share, up from 41.6% it had in the previous quarter. Microsoft, BlackBerry, and Symbian rounded up the top five with 3.3, 1.6 and 0.1% market share, respectively. As for smartphone manufacturers, Apple claimed the top spot with 42.6% market share, up 1% compared to last quarter. It was followed by Samsung, which claimed 28.3% share, down from 29.7% it had in December last year. LG, Motorola, and HTC rounded up the top five with 8.4, 5.0, and 3.8% market share, respectively. Among smartphone apps, Facebook came in at the top spot, reaching 69.5% of the app audience, followed by YouTube (55.9%), Google Play (51.5%), Google Search (50.6%), and Facebook Messenger...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/latest_comscore_numbers_reveal_slight_dip_in_androids_us_share-news-12191.php

Blackberry CEO comments on company's return to T-Mobile

Over an year after Blackberry announced that it will not renew the T-Mobile license to sell its products, the two companies are back together, with the Canadian company's Classic smartphone landing on the magenta carrier on May 13. Following the news, BlackBerry CEO John Chen wrote an editorial about the company's new partnership with T-Mobile, saying that it "is an important step that does the right thing for both of our customers and shareholders." While he said that the decision to part ways with T-Mobile was in the best interests of both companies at that time, he agreed that a lot has changed over the last year. "So, a year ago, I couldn't have imagined this. But if being at the helm of BlackBerry has taught me anything, it's that a lot can change in a year," he said. "And that two strong-willed executives who say what we think, as we lead companies that are successfully doing things differently, can meet on common ground, especially when there is so much potential benefit for our shared customers." He termed the new partnership as "an exciting one", although he confessed that "we may not always see eye-to-eye". He concluded by saying, "let's not forget what they say: the bigger the break-up, the better the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_ceo_comments_on_companys_return_to_tmobile-news-12190.php

Sony Xperia Z series to get Android 5.1 Lollipop in August

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z_series_to_get_android_51_lollipop_in_august-news-12185.php

ZTE is taking its Nubia brand to India starting with the Z9 Mini

ZTE's Nubia sub-brand has mostly been confined to China so far, but that's about to change. The company is now busy establishing an online presence for itself in India, which signifies that Nubia's entry into the subcontinent is very close. Recently Nubia has launched a few interesting smartphones, perhaps the most intriguing of all being the Z9 with its zero lateral bezels. This has only been official for a day or so, but apparently it's not the first handset that will launch in India. According to some unnamed sources, that honor will go to the Nubia Z9 Mini, a device which was unveiled alongside the Z9 Max. While that will probably be sold in India too, the Z9 Mini should be the first Nubia phone on that market. Pricing for the Nubia Z9 Mini in India is still a mystery, but keeping in mind that it costs CNY 1,499 in China ($241), it can't be much more expensive in the subcontinent when it does land. A price tag of around INR 16,000 seems plausible. The Nubia Z9 Mini has a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 16 MP main camera with LED flash, an 8 MP selfie snapper, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a 2,900 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop underneath ZTE's Nubia UI 2.8, and it's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615 SoC, which comes with an octa-core Cortex-A53...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_is_taking_its_nubia_brand_to_india_starting_with_the_z9_mini-news-12189.php

LG G4 preview: A closer look

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_preview-review-1248.php

BlackBerry Classic lands at T-Mobile on May 13

The BlackBerry Classic will be sold by T-Mobile starting on May 13, which is next Wednesday. This comes as a consequence of the new partnership that was established between the two companies today. The Classic has been offered by both AT&T and Verizon for a few months now, but it's time for the magenta carrier to join them. If you want to buy the smartphone from T-Mobile, you can get it for $0 down, then followed by 24 monthly installments of $18.33. That adds up to a full price of $439.92, which is what you'll have to pay if you don't want to go the installment route. The BlackBerry Classic will be up for grabs online on T-Mobile's website on May 13, as well as in "participating stores" starting on May 15. The phone comes with a 3.5-inch 720x720 touchscreen, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, a 2MP selfie snapper, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a 2,500 mAh battery. Powering it up is a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, and it obviously runs BlackBerry...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_classic_lands_at_tmobile_on_may_13-news-12188.php

HTC Nexus 9 will receive Android 5.1.1 update starting today

A couple of days ago Google started rolling out the update to Android 5.0.2 for the HTC Nexus 9 tablet, marking the first new software release for this device in almost half a year. And now, Google has announced that the update to Android 5.1.1 for the Nexus 9 will go out later today. This is great news for owners of the beleaguered tablet, since it means the Nexus 9 will finally be running the latest version of the OS, just like all the other Nexus devices out there. Undoubtedly the fact that this particular device is the only Nexus to sport a 64-bit chipset had something to do with the delay in updates for it, but hopefully all the issues that were responsible for that have been fixed and this won't happen again in the future. As for the Android 5.1.1 OTA, do expect this to slowly make its way to Nexus 9 units out there within the next few...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_nexus_9_will_receive_android_51_update_starting_today-news-12187.php

Rumor details Galaxy Note 5 as well as Note Edge's successor

We're clearly many months away from the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 at this point, yet today a rumor surfaced claiming to shed some light on the next high-end phablet. Apparently Samsung will only release one version of the Note 5. This will come with either a QHD or 4K Super AMOLED screen (both resolutions are currently in testing), and no 'edge' curve. The phablet will be powered by Samsung's upcoming Exynos 7422 chipset, though some units are being tested with an entirely new Exynos 7430 chip as well. That said, the latter is unlikely to be ready in time for the Note 5's launch, so it looks like we'll have to make do with the 7422, which will be a slightly improved version of the 7420 that's featured in the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. In fact, the Exynos 7422 is said to be Samsung's first ever all-in-one solution, coming with integrated CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and modem on the same chip. The Galaxy Note Edge from last year will get a successor, but this won't be identical in hardware to the Galaxy Note 5, it turns out. The handset is codenamed Project Zen, and it's apparently going to come with a 5.4" or 5.5" Super AMOLED dual-edge curve touchscreen (like the one on the S6 edge), an S Pen like the Note series, but the chipset choice will be lower-end. Project Zen is said to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 808, the same SoC that's inside LG's recently revealed G4. This device should also have a 16 MP rear camera with optical image stabilization, an 8 MP front snapper, and 16GB of internal storage. Don't forget to keep in mind that all of this information comes from a yet-unconfirmed rumor. Additionally, even if it is 100% true, we're at a pretty early stage in the development of these phones, so things may change in the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/rumor_details_galaxy_note_5_as_well_as_note_edges_successor-news-12186.php

Vivo X5Pro will be officially announced on May 13

As we told you a few hours ago, Chinese smartphone maker Vivo had something to announce today. Unfortunately though, it turns out all of that was just about a date - May 13, actually. That's when the oft-leaked and much-teased Vivo X5Pro is finally going to become official. The company has scheduled a special event on that day at 8 PM Beijing time. During that, we should find out all there is to know about the X5Pro - or rather the things that haven't been leaked or teased already. The X5Pro has so far been revealed to come with eye recognition technology for easy and secure unlocking and app locking, 2.5D glass on top of its screen, and maybe even a huge 4,150 mAh battery. Spec-wise, rumors had it coming with a 5.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP selfie shooter, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, and a 64-bit chipset with 1.7 GHz octa-core CPU (which is probably going to be Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615). The Vivo X5Pro is reportedly going to run Android 5.0 Lollipop from day one. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_x5pro_will_be_officially_announced_on_may_13-news-12181.php

Legend gives the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus a royal luxury treatment

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/legend_gives_the_iphone_6_and_6_plus_a_royal_luxury_treatment-news-12184.php

Leaked Xiaomi product roadmap reveals four new Mi phones

Xiaomi has recently announced the new Mi 4i smartphone in India, meant for global roll out. And yesterday, the Chinese startup announced the Mi Note Pro in China. While we race through the mid year, the company has handful of devices set for release for rest of the year. A leaked product roadmap acquired reveals that Xiaomi will introduce four new Mi devices later this year. The Xiaomi Mi 4S is expected to launch in June with 5-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 mobile chipset, 13MP rear snapper with OIS and 5MP front camera. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 will follow with a 5.5-inch HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8919 chipset, 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. Also, there will be Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro with a 5-inch 1080p display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 mobile chipset while rest things will remain the same. The Xiaomi Mi 5 will see a daylight in November with 5.2-inch QHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset, and 20.2MP camera. Apparently, this could be the release schedule for the China region and may not apply to the rest of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_xiaomi_product_roadmap_hints_four_new_mi_phones-news-12183.php

Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) getting Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nexus_7_wifi_getting_android_511_lollipop_update-news-12182.php

LG G4c expected to hit Europe early June for $318

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4c_expected_to_hit_europe_early_june_for_318-news-12180.php

Snapdragon 810-powered OnePlus Two to be priced at $400

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_two_could_be_powered_by_snapdragon_810_priced_at_403-news-12179.php

Vivo set to announce something important today

Vivo has revealed that it will make an important announcement today. The revelation was made via the Chinese company's official Weibo page. While there was no official word on what the announcement will be, it would be safe to assume that it will be related to Vivo's upcoming X5Pro smartphone - speculations are rife that the company will reveal the launch date of the device, which was recently spotted in a listing at TENAA (China's FCC) and had its specifications revealed. This, interestingly, comes just over a week after there were reports that the smartphone, which is expected to come with 2.5D glass screen and eye recognition technology, will launch on May 7...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_set_to_announce_something_important_today-news-12178.php

Huawei said to launch Honor 4C and Honor Bee in India tomorrow

Looks like Huawei's Honor 4C smartphone, which was launched in China last week, will make its way to other markets as well. According to a report from FoneArena, the budget smartphone will be launched in India tomorrow (May 8). It is expected to set you back INR 8,999 ($141). As for the specs, the handset is powered by a HiSilicon Kirin 620 chipset with 1.2 GHz octa-core processor, and features a 5-inch 720p display. It has 2GB RAM and 8GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 2550mAh battery. Camera-wise, the device sports a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat with EM UI 3.0 skin on top. Aside from the Honor 4C, Huawei will also launch another budget device, the Honor Bee, at the event, the report notes. It is expected to carry a price tag of INR 4,999 ($78). Via 1 | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_to_launch_honor_4c_and_honor_bee_in_india_tomorrow-news-12177.php

Sony Xperia Z4 Compact rumoured to be announced next week

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z4_compact_rumoured_to_be_announced_next_week-news-12176.php

Android M will debut during Google I/O on May 28

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_m_will_debut_during_google_i_o_on_may_28-news-12175.php

Lenovo P70 makes it to India with its 4,000 mAh battery

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_p70_makes_it_to_india_with_its_4000_mah_battery-news-12174.php

ZTE Nubia Z9 is official with bezelless display

Just as promised, the ZTE Nubia Z9 is officially here. The handset was made official today in Beijing and, from the looks of it, it definitely lives up to expectations. The definitive feature we were all hoping and waiting for is very much present. The ZTE Nubia Z9 features a 1080p, 5.2-inch 2.5D panel, surrounded by a very thin reflective bezel, which creates the illusion of an edge-to-edge screen. The bezel in question is only 0.8mm and uses clever optics to reflect the screen image. This is very similar to what we expected to see an upcoming Oppo handset, but the Nubia Z9 is a true ambassador of the new technology and visual style. The bezel in question is more than just eye-candy. ZTE has taken the technology one step further and has developed a whole new touch-based interactive gesture system for the frame. The function is called FIT and allows for different user gestures. The animations below showcase some of them, like squeezing the phone twice to take a screenshot, adjusting brightness and activating the camera. The system definitely shows potential and we can't wait to see how developers manage to leverage the new input control. As far as the rest of the specs sheet goes, it is pretty impressive. The Nubia Z9 measures 147.38 x 68.34 x 8.94mm, with a flat back and no protruding camera. Its body is made of metal, making for an exquisite look. Under the hood, there is a Snapdragon 810 SoC. As for RAM and memory, there are actually three version of the device. The Classic model has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard memory. It the Elite and Exclusive versions, this is bumped up to 4GB and 64GB respectively. Inside the Nubia Z9 we also find Bluetooth 4.1, MHL 3.0 and NFC and it is all powered by a 2900 mAh battery. The camera setup consists of a 16MP main shooter with f/2.0 lens and optical stabilization. The selfie camera uses an 8MP Sony sensor and an 80 degree lens. The latest version of Nubia UI 3.0 also promises rich camera features, like NeoVision 5.1, which is meant to ensure exquisite image quality. The phone is also equipped with an impressive AKM4961 Hi-Fi processor and spouts Doubly 7.1 surround. Another interesting feature of the Nubia Z9 definitely worth noting is the company's new proprietary fingerprint reading technology. It is dubbed TIO and will be included in the higher-end Exclusive edition of the handset only. The interesting thing about it is that it should incorporate sensors on both the power key and volume rockers, so touching either can unlock the device. Preorders of all three version of the ZTE Nubia Z9 have already started in China. The three models go for CNY3,499, CNY3,999 and CNY4,499 respectively. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_nubia_z9_is_official_with_bezelless_display-news-12173.php

Xiaomi boats faster Snapdragon 810 chip inside the MiNote Pro

As most of you have surely heard, the Xiaomi MiNote Pro is official. It was launched just a few hours ago. The handset boasts a pretty impressive specs sheet, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and a 5.7-inch QHD 2.5D display. But the phone might just have another trick up its sleeve. According to Xiaomi, the MiNote Pro uses a newer version of Qualcomm's top-of-the-line chip. The SoC it has is a v2.1 model, which the manufacturer claims gives it a slight edge in performance over other phones with the same Snapdragon chip. To back this up, Xiaomi published some benchmark results, from CFBench and Antutu, to be exact, which seem to show that the MiNote Pro outperforms both the HTC One M9 and the LG G Flex 2. This all sounds quite intriguing and we definitely can't wait to get our hands on the handset to verify the results for ourselves. As for the heat-management problems that the Snapdragon 810 has been battling with, Xiaomi claims to have found a remedy for that as well, by using what it describes as clever heat management. We'll just have to see about that as well. Source 1 (in Chinese) | Source 2 (in Chinese) | Source 3 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_boats_faster_snapdragon_810_chip_inside_the_minote_pro-news-12172.php

Galaxy S6 and S6 edge update said to bring RAW photo capture

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_update_said_to_bring_raw_photo_capture-news-12171.php

Mi 4i to be available in Hong Kong and Singapore starting May 12

The Xiaomi Mi 4i smartphone, which was announced a couple of weeks ago and is currently only available in India, will soon be available in more Asian countries. The Chinese company has announced that the device will go on sale in Hong Kong and Singapore starting May 12, and will also soon be available in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. As for the price, it will carry a price tag of $210 in Singapore and will cost $205 in Hong Kong. The Mi 4i was available for purchase in India last week, where its first flash sale saw 40,000 units going out of stock in just 4.2...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/mi4i_to_be_available_in_hongkong_and_singapore_starting_may_12-news-12169.php

Kantar numbers show significant Windows Phone growth in Europe

Kantar has finished tallying up the market numbers for Q1 of 2015 and Microsoft seems to be doing quite well in Europe. Its Windows Phone mobile OS has shown an average overall growth of 1.8 points across EU markets. The number might not seem like much, but, considering that Apple's iOS boats the exact same increase, puts the achievement into perspective. The analysis shows that the extra Windows Phone users come at the expense of the Android, which drops 3.1 points in the same markets. And, like we already mentioned, this is a trend across most of Europe. In France, for instance, Windows Phone has shown a staggering improvement of 5.8 points, whereas all other contenders have significantly declining market shares, over the same period last year. On the vast Chinese market there are even greater fluctuations. According to Kantar, Android is down by as much as 8 points and, consequently iOS is up by a whopping 9.2 points. The trend is pretty much the same in Australia. In Japan, however, the score is reversed, with a 10.2 points growth for Android at the expense of a 12.5 points decline for iOS. It is interesting to note that the increased popularity of Windows Phone seems to be confined to European markets. In the USA, for example, the OS in declining in market share, but Kantar does note that: If we dig a little deeper, it is easy to see the strong value proposition that the Lumia portfolio offers, as Windows phone sales in the U.S. skew towards the prepay market (20%) and instalment plans (51%). Microsoft is betting that new Windows 10 functions and the ability for developers to easily port Android apps to Windows will make the Windows ecosystem more appealing. And this is a very valid point, indeed. Microsoft's recently announced tactic to bring easier app porting from Android and iOS to its own ecosystem could reel in new developers and help increase the popularity of Windows Phone even further. Microsoft has also revealed that it has sold 8.6 million Windows Phone devices in Q1 2015, which is an 18% increase over the same period in 2014. Still, the company lost $4 million during the quarter, so there is still a lot of room for improvement. Also, before the obligatory platform flame war starts up again in the comments, bear in mind, that while Kantar's results are generally quite accurate, statistics are often far from indicative of real world market trends, popularity and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/kantar_numbers_show_significant_windows_phone_growth_in_europe-news-12168.php

Sony announces Xperia C4, the company's latest selfie phone

Sony has launched the new Xperia C4 and the Xperia C4 Dual smartphones, which they are calling a "selfie smartphone". Both phones have a 5.5-inch, 1920x1080 resolution IPS display, 64-bit MediaTek MTK6752 SoC with 1.7GHz octa-core CPU and Mali 760 MP2 GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory with microSD support, LTE, 13 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 5 megapixel front camera also with an LED flash, 2,600mAh battery, and Android 5.0 Lollipop. Xperia C4 and C4 Dual will be available in white, black, and green in select markets from the beginning of June...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_announces_xperia_c4_the_companys_latest_selfie_phone-news-12170.php

Xiaomi finally launches Mi Note Pro in China for $483

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_launches_mi_note_pro_in_china_for_482-news-12166.php

Motorola rolling out special update for some of its devices

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_rolling_out_special_update_for_some_of_its_devices-news-12167.php

Alleged specs of the next generation Moto X leak out

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_specs_of_the_next_generation_moto_x_leak_out-news-12164.php

Vodafone UK launches three new own-brand devices

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vodafone_uk_launches_two_new_ownbrand_smartphones_a_tablet-news-12163.php

LG kicks off G4 trial program in the US prior to official launch

Last month, LG had announced a special G4 trial campaign for 15 countries. Under this campaign, about 4000 individuals will be given a free G4 to explore and share the experience over social media. After rolling out this campaign in select Asian regions, LG has now formally kicked off the G4 test drive for US citizens. Interested folks can register at a special LG G4 page along with the necessary details in order to join the queue. LG will select a few lucky folks and deliver a G4 unit for free to them. In return, the lucky users are expected to share the experience of using the G4 over social media channels. Do check our LG G4 hands-on experience. So far, there is no word on pricing or an exact launch date for the US region. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_kicks_off_g4_trial_program_in_the_us_prior_official_launch-news-12162.php

Vivo X5Pro has its innards detailed, 4,150 mAh battery in tow

The upcoming Vivo X5Pro has been leaking a lot lately, and its maker has even started teasing its 2.5D glass screen and eye recognition technology. Today though a handset that could very well be the X5Pro has been spotted in a listing at TENAA, the Chinese authority that certifies smartphones for sale in the country. This reveals quite a few details about the X5Pro's specs, thankfully. The next Vivo device should therefore sport a 5.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 13 MP f/2.0 rear camera, a 5 MP f/2.4 front snapper, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of built-in storage space. A 64-bit chipset with 1.7 GHz octa-core CPU shall be in charge of performance, and this has in the past been rumored to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615. It surely fits the bill spec-wise. The Vivo X5Pro will run Funtouch OS 2.1, based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, which isn't something we've seen a lot so far from Chinese manufacturers. But clearly the headline feature for this device is going to be its absolutely huge 4,150 mAh battery. There's a chance that we'll see two versions of the X5Pro, one bearing this massive cell, and the other with a smaller one. In that case, the model with the bigger battery should obviously be thicker. According to a past rumor on the matter, the Vivo X5Pro is going to become official on May 7, which is this Thursday. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_x5pro_has_more_of_its_specs_outed_4150_mah_battery_in_tow-news-12161.php

More specs surface for the Huawei Honor 7 Plus

We first told you about the Huawei Honor 7 Plus last month, when word got out that this phablet is in the works at the Chinese company. Back then we also got a purported leaked hands-on photo showing the handset, which you can feast your eyes upon once more if you look to the left. Today a new rumor out of China comes to complete the spec list for the upcoming Honor 7 Plus. As you can see from the picture showing it, there will be a fingerprint sensor on the back, underneath the camera - in an arrangement that's similar to Huawei's Ascend Mate 7. The Honor 7 Plus will come with a 5.5-inch QHD (2,560x1,440) touchscreen, a 16 MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, a 13 MP front-facing unit for selfies, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage space. A big 4,000 mAh battery should be in too, while at the helm we shall find the HiSilicon Kirin 930 chipset, also made by Huawei. Even with all these details outed, it's still unclear when the Honor 7 Plus is going to be made official, or when it will become available to buy. Pricing is also a mystery at this point, but with its high-end specs you probably shouldn't expect it to be dirt cheap. Whenever it does make its debut, the Honor 7 Plus should be joined by the Honor 7, a smaller option for people who don't love phablets. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/more_specs_surface_for_the_huawei_honor_7_plus-news-12160.php