Next Huawei phone will sport QHD display, says CEO

If you recall, last year, Huawei CEO Richard Yu effectively said that he's not in favor of QHD displays on smartphone as he thinks it's difficult for humans to distinguish between Full HD and QHD displays. However now, he seems to have changed his mind. Huawei's latest P9 - comes with full HD display And the reason is VR. "Last year I would certainly not buy a 2K device as the power consumption was high and the difference to my eyes non-existent. But now I have changed my mind and my next phone will be 2K as I like VR!," he noted in a post on Weibo. It's worth mentioning that by...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/next_huawei_phone_will_sport_qhd_display_says_ceo-news-17920.php

Silver Galaxy S7/S7 edge to be available in Netherlands starting May

Samsung's latest flagship smartphones - the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge - were launched globally last month on March 11. Although the devices come in several color options, the complete range is not yet available in several markets. One such market is the Netherlands, where the Silver color option wasn't available. However, that was until now, as the variant is now listed on the websites of several Dutch retailers, including Cool Blue, Mobile, and Belsimpel. Interested users can place their orders right now, and the phone should be delivered in the first week of May - a delivery date of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/silver_galaxy_s7_s7_edge_to_be_available_in_netherlands_starting_may-news-17921.php

Telus announces Marshmallow rollout dates for Galaxy S5 and Note 4

If you are a Samsung Galaxy S5 or Galaxy Note 4 user on Telus, you'll be glad to know that the carrier has announced Marshmallow rollout dates for the devices. As always, the announcement came in the form of a revision to the company's software update schedule. As per the information revealed, the Galaxy S5 will start getting the update on May 2, while the Note 4 will be getting it beginning May 16. In addition to Marshmallow, the update will also include monthly Android security patch. Keep in mind that the dates mentioned in the update schedule are approximate and subject to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/telus_announces_marshmallow_rollout_dates_for_galaxy_s5_and_note_4-news-17919.php

Report says HTC 10 Australian launch set for early next month

If you are in Australia, and are waiting for HTC's latest flagship 10, here is some good news: the device will reportedly land there in less than a couple of weeks from now - May 3 to be precise. As for the price, the report says the device will carry a tag of AUD 1,080, "which puts it approximately AUD 100 less than Samsung's Galaxy S7, and almost AUD 200 less than the Galaxy S7 Edge." There was, however, no word on carrier deals. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/report_says_htc_10_australian_launch_set_for_early_next_month-news-17918.php

The National Traffic Safety Administration is tweeting people to stop texting and driving

Let's face it, texting and driving is really dangerous no matter how good you think you might be at "multitasking". Would you juggle knives while texting? Well, you get the point. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA is attacking the problem the best way it possibly can. By targeting those who openly admit to texting and driving on Twitter, and there seems to be a lot of drivers who do! The NHTSA is actually tweeting directly at these drivers and putting them on the spot. Um, agreed @Domie_D23. Please realize you're putting yourself and others in danger, and a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_national_traffic_safety_administration_is_tweeting_people_to_stop_texting_and_driving-news-17917.php

This modder got 64GB of internal storage on his Nexus 5 by replacing the eMMC chip

XDA member KApetz2 decided he loved every bit of his Nexus 5 so much, but hated that he didn't have more than 32GB of internal storage. So he did what every modder does, he took matters into his own hands and bought a 64GB eMMC chip and changed the damn memory himself. KApetz2 bought a 64GB chip online and figured he could swap out the memory chip in the logic board and gain double the internal storage space. This, however, is not the case. While it is not physically impossible to swap such a chip, it is, however, not as simple as it sounds. The firmware in the device needs to know...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/this_modder_got_64gb_of_internal_storage_on_his_nexus_5_by_replacing_the_emmc_chip-news-17916.php

HTC 10 gets its first UK operator partner in Three pre-orders are up

The HTC 10 has gone up for pre-order in many markets (including the UK) from the moment it was announced on April 12. However, no operator partners have been announced for the UK, and over there the phone was only offered SIM-free and unlocked up until today. Now Three has stepped forward and officially became the first operator partner for the HTC 10. The network is already taking pre-orders for the device. You'll pay £49 for the 10 upfront if you get it with a plan that costs £38 per month (the price goes up by £5 if you don't use a recurring method for paying, keep that in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_10_gets_its_first_uk_operator_partner_in_three_preorders_are_up-news-17915.php

Microsoft will reduce OneDrive free storage to 5GB starting on July 27

Last year there was a bit of a kerfuffle involving Microsoft's cloud storage service, OneDrive. The company announced plans to cut free storage from 15GB to 5GB, and also get rid of the additional 15GB camera roll bonus altogether. A big backlash followed, and just a few weeks later Microsoft backtracked somewhat. It allowed users to keep their 15GB + 15GB free allotment if they went to a special page and clicked on a big blue "Keep your free storage" button by January 31, 2016. But what if you've had a OneDrive free account since at least last year and didn't bother to go through the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_will_reduce_onedrive_free_storage_to_5gb_starting_on_july_27-news-17914.php

BlackBerry Priv is now $100 cheaper when bought sans contract from AT&T

Here's some good news for fans of the BlackBerry Priv who use AT&T as their carrier. The company has decided to make BlackBerry's first Android smartphone cheaper than it was before, and not by an insignificant amount. If you purchase the handset outright, you now need to pay only $639.99, whereas before the price was $739.99. So that's a nice $100 saved. And the situation is the same overall if you choose to employ the AT&T Next installment plans. Using this method, you pay nothing upfront then followed by 30 monthly payments of $21.34, 24 monthly installments of $26.67, or 20 monthly...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_priv_is_now_100_cheaper_when_bought_sans_contract_from_at_t-news-17913.php

Oppo F1 Plus review: Selfie Expert

It has only been a few short months since Oppo released the original Oppo F1, the self-proclaimed "Selfie Expert". Now, if the F1 Plus is not the fastest upgrade this industry has seen, it must at least be in the running.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_f1_plus-review-1430.php

Best Buy offers $200 off the Apple Watch $70 off iPad mini 2 and $75 off iPad Pro

If you've been meaning to buy an Apple Watch but so far haven't for whatever reason, you may be happy to find out that Best Buy is currently running a promotion on Apple's first wearable. This weekend only you can save $200 on certain Apple Watch models. For example, the stainless steel Apple Watch with Milanese Loop band now costs $449 (for the 38mm wearable), or $499 (if you go with the bigger 42mm unit). Or you can get the stainless steel watch with a black sport band for $349 (38mm) or $399 (42mm). The smartwatch isn't the only Apple product that receives a discount through this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/best_buy_offers_200_off_the_apple_watch_70_off_ipad_mini_2_and_75_off_ipad_pro-news-17912.php

Sony Xperia X will be available in the UK on May 20 XA on June 10

Sony announced the Xperia X, XA, and X Performance back at MWC in February. We then saw the first two of the devices going up for pre-order at one UK retailer last month, though unfortunately actual release dates for them weren't available then. Well, they are now. Amazon has also started taking pre-orders for the Xperia X and Xperia XA, and while the prices are a tad higher than those we told you about in March, what's important here is that both phones have a release date attached. The Sony Xperia X will be out in the UK on May 20, while the lower-end XA will debut on June 10. Amazon...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_x_will_be_available_in_the_uk_on_may_20_xa_on_june_10-news-17909.php

Huawei P9 ad stars Henry Cavill and Scarlett Johansson seems to be all about the camera

Huawei has now uploaded the first official TV ad for the P9 to its YouTube channel. The good news? It stars Henry Cavill (think Superman) and Scarlett Johansson. The not so good news? Well, it's pretty hard to understand what the whole thing is about. Or what the point is. Anyway, the P9 is shown in the ad, and basically it's taking pictures most of the time. And with the text at the end prominently saying "co-engineered with Leica", it's clear that Huawei wants to tout the P9's superior photographic abilities. We also expect the Chinese smartphone maker to keep talking about the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p9_ad_stars_henry_cavill_and_scarlett_johansson_seems_to_be_all_about_the_camera-news-17911.php

Samsung is testing two Galaxy Note 6 versions one has a curved screen

Since Samsung is going to launch the Galaxy Note 6 this year, perhaps in August or even earlier, it's understandable that the Korean company would already be testing prototypes. Interestingly though, a report that allegedly comes from a reliable source claims Samsung has created two different Note 6 versions, yet will decide upon one of them before the unveiling, and the other model will not be launched. The Galaxy S6 edge+ from last year will not get a successor in 2016, so basically the Note 6 will serve double duty, both as the follow-up to the Note5 but also the S6 edge+. Hence it...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_testing_two_galaxy_note_6_versions_one_has_a_curved_screen-news-17908.php

JXD S192 "retro" gaming tablet is powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chipset

Android gaming tablets have been struggling for relevance for ages. Remember when the Wikipad got a PlayStation certification in 2012? Probably not, but Nvidia isn't giving up and it has gotten several manufacturers to believe in the Tegra dream. JXD S192 "retro" gaming tablet playing some classic games JXD unveiled the S192 tablet and put it up on pre-order as a "retro" gaming console. As a side note: JXD S192, really? Acer at least called gaming tablet "Predator." Nvidia calls its own tablet "Shield." Archos went with the obvious "GamePad." The S192 name sounds boring and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/jxd_s192_retro_gaming_tablet_is_powered_by_nvidias_tegra_k1_chipset-news-17904.php

April security update starts hitting Galaxy Note5 units in India

Samsung has started rolling out the latest Android security update to Galaxy Note5 units in India. As per the change-log, the update also includes some performance and stability-related improvements as well as generic bug fixes. Weighing in at around 19MB, the update bumps the firmware version to N920GDDS2BPD2, and brings up the device's Android security patch level to April 2, 2016. Reportedly, Galaxy Note5 model SM-N920G is receiving the same firmware in Nepal and Sri Lanka as well. Given that software updates are usually rolled out in phases, it may take time for this one as well...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/april_security_update_starts_hitting_galaxy_note5_units_in_india-news-17905.php

Xiaomi teases Mi Max

Yesterday, we reported on a render of the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Max phablet, after revealing that the phone indeed exists a few days prior to that. Xiaomi today released a teaser image of the phone revealing just a small portion of it. The point of the image is to show that the phone can fit comfortably into jeans pocket, but considering the rumors of a 6.4-inch display, we find that somewhat hard to believe. Other things worth noting is the missing Mi logo up front, something that has been around on Xiaomi phones since the beginning, and the new Baymax-style design of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_teases_mi_max-news-17903.php

Apple drops the iPhone prices in Japan by 10%

Apple has lowered the prices of all iPhones sold officially in Japan by 10%. There is no official statement on the reason for the price cut, but it should be most probably due to exchange rate changes. The iPhone models currently in circulation are iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and the iPhone 6s Plus. If you are interested in their new and old prices in Japan, here they come. iPhone 6s 16GB: JPY 78,800 (previously JPY 86,800) iPhone 6s 64GB: JPY 89,800 (previously JPY 98,800) iPhone 6s 128GB: JPY 101,800 (previously JPY 110,800) iPhone 6s Plus 16GB: JPY 89,800...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_drops_the_iphone_prices_in_japan_by_10-news-17901.php

Crossy Road gets four player local multiplayer

Crossy Road on Android has got a fun little update that a lot of you should appreciate. The game now supports local multiplayer. Now, up to four people can join in the same game over a local Wi-Fi network and play against each other. The one who goes the farthest wins. The gameplay is similar to that on the Apple TV version, where you can push other players into traffic or water, and even block them from moving, which makes this a bit more fun than just moving forward. The multiplayer is only available on Android for now. Unfortunately, it does not work over Bluetooth, so you have...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/crossy_road_gets_four_player_local_multiplayer-news-17900.php

Motorola Affinity in testing could be the next Moto E

First details regarding of the upcoming 3rd generation Moto E have surfaced thanks to import documents on Zauba. Codenamed "Affinity", the phone is listed to have a 5" display and a price of just $78. While it's clear that this price isn't the device's retail one, it's an indication that the "Affinity" is a low-budget device. The current Moto E (2nd gen) sports a 4.5" display, so the upcoming model will presumably grow in size. Presumably, the Moto E (3rd gen) will be larger in order to accommodate a fingerprint scanner. As a Lenovo exec said earlier in January, all 2016 Moto...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_affinity_goes_under_testing_could_be_the_3rd_gen_moto_e-news-17899.php

Xiaomi to launch its own mobile payments service in China

Xiaomi has announced that it will launch its own mobile payments service. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer - which is the biggest player in its home market - will partner with the country's national bank card association China UnionPay for the service. According to the company's CEO Lei Jun, Xiaomi Pay - or whatever it will be called - will be a Near Field Communication (NFC)-based mobile payments solution, just like Apple Pay. Currently, the Chinese mobile payments market is dominated by local players such as Alibaba and Tencent. Another well known Chinese smartphone vendor...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_to_launch_its_own_mobile_payments_service_in_china-news-17898.php

Microsoft sold only 2.3 million Lumia devices in fiscal Q3 down 73% year-on-year

Microsoft has released its Q3 fiscal 2016 earnings report, revealing that it sold only 2.3 million Lumia phones in the quarter. The figure is down 73% compared to the same quarter last year, when the Redmond, Washington-based company sold a total of 8.6 million Lumias. Compared to last quarter, when the company sold 4.5 million Lumia units, the number is down around 50%. Microsoft also revealed that the sales of non-Lumia units stood at 15.7 million units, down from the 24.7 million figure it reported the same time last year. Talking of phone revenue, it was down $662 million, which...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_sold_only_23_million_lumia_devices_in_fiscal_q3-news-17897.php

Honor 5X to get Marshmallow update soon

Huawei's sub-brand Honor has announced that its 5X smartphone will start getting the Android Marshmallow update soon, although no specific date was revealed. The announcement came in the form of a tweet from the brand's US Twitter handle. It's sweet. It's fluffy. And it's coming soon to Honor 5x. #YouReady? pic.twitter.com/uUI06QlMAm— Honor USA (@Honor_USA) April 22, 2016 Running Android 5.1 Lollipop, the Honor 5X launched in the United States back in January this year, carrying a $200 price tag. It has been available in gold, silver, and grey color options from HiHonor, Amazon and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/honor_5x_to_get_marshmallow_update_soon-news-17896.php

Facebook will now also take account of time users spend reading stuff clicked from News Feed

In an effort to further improve its service, Facebook has yet again updated it News Feed ranking algorithm. The social networking company says that the algorithm will now also take into account the amount of time users spend reading/watching stuff they click from their News Feeds. "We are adding another factor to News Feed ranking so that we will now predict how long you spend looking at an article in the Facebook mobile browser or an Instant Article after you have clicked through from News Feed," Facebook said in a press release. "We will not be counting loading time towards this —...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/facebook_will_now_also_take_account_of_time_users_spend_reading_watching_stuff_clicked_from_news_fee-news-17895.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 to go on open sale in India next week

Xiaomi has announced that its Redmi Note 3 smartphone will be available for purchase in India without any registrations next week - the open sale will kick start on April 27 at 2PM. The announcement came in the form of tweet from the Chinese company's India unit. The tweet contains a link to mi.com/in, suggesting that the open sale will only be hosted on Xiaomi's India website. https://t.co/S0qbbVlM73 - More #RedmiNote3 stocked, no registrations required for next sale! Get it 27 April, at 2pm pic.twitter.com/zXVoWNNsCG— Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) April 21, 2016 As for the device,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_3_to_go_on_open_sale_in_india_next_week-news-17894.php

Samsung rolls out minor bug-fixing update to Galaxy S7/S7 edge units in India

Samsung has started pushing out a minor update to its latest flagship smartphones - the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge - in India. Weighing in at 1.06MB, the update includes some bug-fixes as well as stability and performance-related improvements. This update to the latest Galaxy phones follows the one that the South Korean company started pushing out earlier last week, bringing touch and stability-related improvements as well as shape correction for skewed photos and latest Android security patch. Given that this new bug-fixing update has just started rolling out, it may take sometime...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_rolls_out_minor_bugfixing_update_to_galaxy_s7_s7_edge_units_in_india-news-17893.php

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and S5 Sport start getting Marshmallow

Sprint has started rolling out Marshmallow update to Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy S5 Sport units on its network. The update brings Android version 6.0 to both devices. The Note Edge update also includes latest Android security patches as well as some other bug fixes. The updates are being rolled out in phases, with the Note Edge process completing on May 2 and the S5 Sport process wrapping up on May 11. In case you haven't received the update notification yet, you can also manually check for the update by heading to the Settings menu on your handset. Source 1 2

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sprints_samsung_galaxy_note_edge_and_s5_sport_start_getting_marshmallow-news-17892.php

Huawei Honor V8 to cost $308 more details uncovered

Yesterday Huawei started teasing the launch of its next Honor-branded device. The Honor V8 will become official at an event on May 10, and it will emulate the dual-camera setup of the recently unveiled P9. This will consist of two 12 MP units. The Honor V8 has also been rumored to come with the Kirin 950 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a fingerprint sensor. Today rumors out of China paint a clearer picture. The handset will apparently have a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, an 8 MP selfie camera, a 3,000 mAh battery, and a USB Type-C port. Its price in China should be around CNY 2,000, which at the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_v8_to_cost_308_more_details_uncovered-news-17891.php

Moto G4 and G4 Plus may get announced on June 9

The upcoming fourth generation of Motorola's Moto G smartphone has been leaking a lot lately, which could mean it's getting ever closer to being officially introduced. It turns out that may actually be the case. At the launch of the ZUK Z2 Pro today, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said Motorola will be outing a new and exciting device on June 9. Unfortunately he didn't go into more detail, but given the increasing number of leaks about the Moto G4, we assume it can only be this model that will be announced. That said, do keep in mind that we might see two G-branded models this year - a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g4_and_g4_plus_may_get_announced_on_june_9-news-17890.php

Amazon Kindle Fire 7 gets three new colors 16GB version for $69.99

Amazon is upgrading its most basic Kindle Fire tablet today, if ever so slightly. The 7-inch device now gets three additional color versions you can pick from when buying one. Aside from the existing black model, it's now also being offered in blue, magenta, and tangerine hues. What's more, a new iteration with 16GB of built-in storage has been revealed. The 8GB model will stay on sale for $49.99, while the new SKU with double the storage is priced at $69.99. Everything else about the tablet has remained the same. This is still one of the cheapest slates out there, but do keep in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_kindle_fire_gets_three_new_colors_16gb_version_for_6999-news-17888.php

AT&T's LG V10 is now being updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow

So far, the LG V10 has received its update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow internationally, but also for units sold by both Verizon and T-Mobile. And now it's finally time for those V10 handsets sold by AT&T to taste the latest version of Android too. According to a report, the rollout of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for AT&T's V10 has already commenced. As this is a staged over-the-air outing, it may be a few days before every AT&T V10 out there receives that coveted update notification. If you're impatient, you can of course manually check for the update by going to the About phone area...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/at_ts_lg_v10_is_now_being_updated_to_android_60_marshmallow-news-17889.php

Acer outs Predator 17X gaming laptop Predator G1 gaming desktop

Gamers haven't been forgotten at Acer's event today. Specially for them, the Taiwanese company unveiled two new computers. First off, the Predator 17X laptop, one that can be used with both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive VR headsets. It comes with a 17.3-inch screen that can go up to 4K resolution. If you go nuts with the configuration options, you can also choose an Intel Core i7-6820HK processor, 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and three SSDs in RAID 0. You get customizable RGB lighting for the keyboard, and the device has the full Nvidia GTX 980 graphics card, and not the 980M as you'd expect to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_outs_predator_17x_gaming_laptop_predator_g1_gaming_desktop-news-17887.php

Acer says its new Chromebook 14 for Work is the fastest ever

New Windows-powered 2-in-1s and laptops aren't everything that Acer has announced at its event today. Also present was the new Acer Chromebook 14 for Work, a device which the Taiwanese company claims is the fastest Chromebook on the market. That's seriously doubtful given the specs of Google's newest Chromebook Pixel, but Acer seems to believe in what it says. The odd thing is that the company hasn't actually revealed the detailed spec list for the new Chromebook, so we can't really assess these claims. All Acer's willing to disclose about the Chromebook 14 for Work is that it...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_says_its_new_chromebook_14_for_work_is_the_fastest_ever-news-17886.php

Acer Aspire S 13 wants to take on the MacBook Air and Dell's XPS 13

At its grand event today, Acer has announced the Aspire S 13, a new laptop that wants to compete with the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air, but also Dell's XPS 13. And it wants to do all that while being significantly cheaper than its competitors. The Aspire S 13 will have a 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display, which can optionally be touch-enabled. You can configure it with up to 8GB of RAM as well as up to a 512GB SSD, and an optional battery will make it allegedly last a whopping 13 hours on a charge (the default power pack only nets you 9 hours of usage). Powering the thing are Intel's 6th...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_aspire_s_13_looks_to_take_on_the_macbook_air_and_dells_xps_13-news-17885.php

Acer unveils Switch Alpha 12 detachable PC with liquid cooling

Acer is holding a pretty big event today, and one of the things it's announced is the Switch Alpha 12, a "detachable PC" as the Taiwanese company calls it. It's a 2-in-1 device that can be used either as a tablet or as a laptop, and it runs Windows 10 as you'd expect. The Switch Alpha 12 has a 12-inch 2,160x1,440 touchscreen, and it's powered by 6th generation Intel Core processors (a choice of i3, i5, or i7). You can configure it with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, as well as Intel's RealSense 3D camera. The device is fanless despite using proper i-series chips from Intel, and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_unveils_switch_alpha_12_detachable_pc_with_liquid_cooling-news-17884.php

Acer Liquid Zest Plus is official with a 5.5-inch display and a 5000mAh battery

Acer held a press event today in New York and announced a couple of laptops and a smartphone - the Acer Liquid Zest Plus. Acer shared with us only the key specs of the Liquid Zest Plus - a 5.5" HD display, a 13MP camera with something they call tri-focus, and a massive 5,000 mAh battery capable of quick charging. Tri-focus means the snapper relies on all types of AF used today - laser, contrast and phase detection. The Liquid Zest Plus will be available in the USA soon for $250, which is a nice price for such a device. Photo Credit

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_liquid_zest_plus_is_official_with_a_55inch_display_and_a_5000_mah_battery-news-17883.php

Android N Developer Preview now available on Sony Xperia Z3

Android N is yet to be officially named later this year, but it was already detailed last month. It offers multi-window (split-screen) multitasking, improved Doze mode, better notification handling among others. The Android N Developer Preview was seeded to Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and Pixel C in early March. The Preview even saw its first firmware update in mid-March. Surprisingly, Sony made the Android N Preview available to the Xperia Z3 model earlier today. If you own the D6603 or D6653 flavors of the Xperia Z3, then you can easily install and run Android...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_n_developer_preview_now_available_on_sony_xperia_z3-news-17881.php

Watch Xiaomi Mi 5 crack and pop under pressure

JerryRigEverything has come up with somewhat a standardized durability test for smartphones and he does it quite often. He first tests the scratch endurance of the shell, then the flame resistance of the screen, and finally - the bend test. Xiaomi Mi 5 uses two Gorilla Glass 4 pieces on its front and rear side and their scratch resistance is on par with the rest if the flagship crop. Its camera is protected by a sapphire piece, which is resistant to scratches, too. The aluminum is rather easy to scratch - that's for sure. But as it turns out the Mi 5 lacks a secondary metal chassis to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/watch_xiaomi_mi_5_crack_and_pop_under_pressure-news-17882.php

Oppo F1 Plus now available for purchase in India

The Oppo F1 Plus - which is the international version of the company's recently-launched R9 smartphone - is now available for purchase in India. The device carries a price tag of INR 26,990, which translates to around $407 at current exchange rates. As for availability, the handset can be purchased in stores across several regions in the country, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. The device is also available for purchase online (Amazon.in), but at INR 27,790, it's slightly pricey there. The global roll-out of the F1 Plus started earlier this month. The Chinese variant...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_f1_plus_now_available_for_purchase_in_india-news-17879.php

Samsung plans to produce 2nd-generation 10nm chips this year

Samsung Semiconductor executives have held a special invite-only meet-up with potential new customers in Silicon Valley. The reason behind the event is the announcement of plans for a new and cheaper 14-nanometer manufacturing process. Re/Code cited Kelvin Low, Samsung Semiconductor senior director, who also said that a second-gen 10-nanometer chipmaking technology will be operational later this year. The new 10nm process will offer 10% better performance than the one before it. The battle for the top spot in the mobile semiconductor sector is heating up. TMSC is rumored to have the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_plans_to_produce_2ndgeneration_10nm_chips_this_year-news-17878.php

Samsung Gear 360 goes on pre-order in South Korea and Europe costs 350

Samsung Gear 360 camera was introduced back at the MWC in Barcelona as part of the Galaxy S7 lineup of accessories. The exact pricing and availability was left out of the announcement, but it seems the sales of the round fella will be kicking off very soon. The Gear 360 camera is now available on pre-order in South Korea, Samsung's homeland. It costs KRW 399,300 (€320) and will be released on April 29. Those who pre-order the VR camera will also receive a 5,100 mAh battery pack for free. Samsung Gear 360 is already available on pre-order in the Netherlands, too. A retailer there has...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gear_360_goes_on_preorder_in_south_korea_and_europe_costs_350-news-17880.php

ZUK Z2 Pro is official: Snapdragon 820 and 6GB of RAM for $420

Lenovo subsidiary ZUK just pulled the wraps off the Z2 Pro smartphone, oft-rumored over the past weeks. What sounds like a second model, rather than a successor to the existing Z1, was unveiled at a dedicated event in China. For starters, the ZUK Z2 Pro comes with a smaller 5.2-inch display, as opposed to the 5.5-inch Z1. It also makes a switch from IPS LCD to AMOLED, but resolution remains FullHD. On the inside we find the latest Snapdragon 820 chipset - while ZUK settled with the aging S801 for the Z1, the Z2 Pro gets the proper flagship treatment. And in line with this concept,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zuk_z2_pro_is_official_snapdragon_820_and_6gb_of_ram_for_420-news-17877.php

Samsung ships twice as many smartphones as Apple in Q1

Smartphone adoption is reaching a saturation point and global shipments fell 1.3% year on year and 18.6% down quarter on quarter, for a total of 292 million units. The info comes from global market research firm TrendForce. Leader Samsung moved up the ladder, going up 5.7 percentage points in market share compared to Q1 last year. It shipped 81 million units, which is actually up quarter on quarter (usually, the holiday quarter, Q4, is the strongest). Launching the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge earlier than competing flagships helped sales. The affordable J-series has found success in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_ships_double_the_smartphones_as_apple_in_q1-news-17876.php

Samsung Z3 is 20% off in India going for $105

The best Tizen phone and, uh, also the third one ever (not counting watches), the Samsung Z3, is currently 20% off in India on the Big Three etailers - Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart. The phone goes for a hair under INR 7,000 ($105), having launched at INR 8,500 ($130) in October last year. Snapdeal has the Black, Silver and Gold versions, so does Flipkart (but the silver one is a smidgen pricier). Amazon is running low on Gold units, which are the only ones under INR 7,000, Silver and Black cost a couple of hundred INR more. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_z3_is_20_off_in_india_going_for_inr_7000-news-17875.php

Samsung Galaxy A (2016) promo videos are out - A for You

Samsung has just posted a set of videos on YouTube promoting this year's Galaxy A-series under the tagline "A for you" (A4U, millennials?). From the A3 (2016) to the A9 (2016) they all share the same glass/metal build, and that's the first thing the PR team has highlighted. Almost the entire range has the same camera too - they all rock the 13MP f/1.9 unit with OIS, save for the A3, which has been denied stabilization. That won't stop you from photographing kittens, though. And they all have the fingerprint sensor in their home buttons, allowing them to support Samsung Pay -...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a_2016_promo_videos_are_out__a_for_you-news-17874.php

Opera integrates free VPN in its developer channel

Opera has baked a free VPN service into the browser's developer channel and you can take advantage of it right away. The VPN is unlimited and you won't have to pay a dime to use it. Virtual Private Networks are used to add a layer of privacy to web browsing and allow you to bypass geolocation restrictions on popular websites. Opera cites the Global Web Index, according to which 38% of users online use VPNs to access entertainment content, and 30% to keep their anonymity while browsing. Check out Opera's promo video for its new VPN feature. The Opera preview version gives you...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/opera_integrates_free_vpn_in_its_developer_channel-news-17873.php

First Xiaomi Max render leaks

Last week, we told you about the existence of a Xiaomi phablet dubbed Max. Shortly thereafter, another leak surfaced online allegedly showing off the front panel of the device. And now, the first render of the handset has been leaked. The image shows a device with thin bezels, a hardware home button (which wasn't there in the front panel leak, and might house a fingerprint sensor), and volume and power buttons on the right side. Design-wise the phone looks quite similar to the Chinese company's Mi 5 flagship. As for the specs, nothing much is known at the moment, except the rumored...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/first_xiaomi_max_render_leaks-news-17872.php

Facebook Messenger gains group calling feature

Facebook has announced that it's rolling out a new feature to its Messenger app that'll allow users to connect with their group through a VoIP-based group call. The announcement came in the form of a Facebook post from Messenger chief David Marcus, who also noted that the update is expected to hit the app's iOS and Android clients in the next 24 hours. "From any group conversations, just tap on the phone icon to initiate a group call. You can then manage individual participants on the next screen," he explained in the post. The new feature allows you to talk to up to 50 of your...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/facebook_messenger_gains_group_calling_feature-news-17870.php

Huawei P9 Lite now spotted at TENAA

The Huawei P9 Lite - which is yet to be announced by the company, but is already available for purchase in some European markets - has now been spotted on the website of Chinese telecommunication authority TENAA, suggesting an imminent launch in the Asian country. The listing reveals that the device is powered by an octa-core 2.0Ghz chipset, and sports a 5.2-inch 1080p display. It comes with 3GB RAM and 16GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 2,900mAh battery. In terms of camera, the P9 Lite features a 13MP rear unit and an 8MP front shooter. Measuring 146.8×72.6×7.5 and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p9_lite_now_spotted_at_tenaa-news-17871.php

Google will soon start displaying live TV listings in search results

Google has announced that it will soon start showing live TV listings in search results. This means, in future, when you'll search for a TV show on Google, the results will also contain a list of channels on which the show will be aired along with the date and time information. "So now when you're looking for The Big Bang Theory, we'll not only show you the apps and sites where you can find the latest episode, but also show which channel you can turn your tv to later in the evening or week to catch it live," Google said in a blog post. Aside from this, the Mountain View,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_will_soon_start_displaying_live_tv_listings_in_search_results-news-17869.php