Oppo R11 to be available outside China starting next week

The Oppo R11 - which was made official last week, and is currently only available in China - will soon be available outside of its home country. According to a Weibo post, the device will go on sale in Taiwan next week. Specifically, the post notes the launch is set for June 21. As for pricing, the phone will carry a tag of NTD 15,990, which translates into around $525. For comparison, the R11's price in China is CNY2,999, or around $440. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r11_to_be_available_outside_china_starting_next_week-news-25672.php

YotaPhone 3 will start at $350, company confirms

Pricing information for the yet to be unveiled YotaPhone 3 has been revealed. Yota Devices, the Russian company behind the dual-screen YotaPhone and YotaPhone 2 smartphones, has confirmed that the upcoming device will start at $350. Specifically, the company said the 64GB variant will carry the $350 price tag, while the 128GB model will set you back $450. Sadly, nothing else is officially confirmed about the device at the moment, including when it will be available. Reports, however, say the handset will start shipping in China this September. It will also be available to pre-order...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/yotaphone_3_will_start_at_350_company_confirms-news-25671.php

Nokia 3 goes on sale in India, available through offline channels

As promised, the Nokia 3 Android smartphone is now available for purchase in India. It's priced at INR 9,499 ($147), and is only available through offline channels in the Asian country. Nokia 3 The device was made official for India earlier this week, along with the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. The latter two aren't yet available in the country - pre-orders for the Nokia 5 will begin July 7 onwards, while the Nokia 6 will be up for pre-order starting July 14. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_3_goes_on_sale_in_india_available_through_offline_channels-news-25670.php

Nougat-powered Sharp FS8016 spotted in benchmark listing

A new Sharp smartphone has been spotted in a listing on Geekbench. Listed as FS8016, the device is powered by Snapdragon 660 SoC with octa-core, 1.84 GHz processor, and packs in 4GB RAM. The listing also reveals the handset runs Android Nougat (version 7.1.1 to be specific). Sadly, nothing else is currently known about the FS8016. However, given that it has started appearing in benchmark listings, we expect to hear more about it sooner than later. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nougatpowered_sharp_fs8016_spotted_in_benchmark_listing-news-25669.php

Gionee P7 updated with ViLTE compatibility

Gionee has started pushing out a new update to its P7 smartphone. As per the official change-log posted on the Chinese company's official India website, the update brings along ViLTE (Video over LTE) compatibility. In addition, the update includes Urdu language support, a new BeautyPlus application, and ability to easily access favorite apps using Suspend button. Aside from this, Mood Wallpapers, Theme Parks, and improved GStore have been updated, as are apps like UC Browser, Xender, Saavn, and True caller. Finally, the update also brings along latest Android security patch. For...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_p7_updated_with_vilte_compatibility-news-25668.php

BlackBerry KEYone launched in Austria as European roll out continues

After the UK and the Netherlands, the BlackBerry KEYone has been launched in another European market: Austria. Carrier A1 has the phone listed on its website, selling it on contract for as low as €0 down followed by monthly payments of €56.90 each. Aside from Europe, the KEYone is also available in the US and Canada, where it launched late last month. The phone's demand has been high in the US where it quickly went out of stock online initially. For those who care, the device didn't fare well in comprehensive durability test. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_keyone_launched_in_austria_as_european_roll_out_continues-news-25667.php

New OnePlus 3/3T OxygenOS Open Beta updates Community App, fixes several bugs

The OnePlus 3 and 3T have started receiving a new OxygenOS Open Beta update. Weighing in at around 75MB, and arriving as version 18 and 9, respectively, the update bumps the OnePlus Community App to V 1.9. In addition, it brings along several bug fixes, including those related to duplicate notifications, app locker, battery percentage, camera, and sending files with 3rd party apps via hotspot. Certain display issues with OnePlus Font and the weather app have also been fixed. For detailed change-log, head to the Source link below. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_oneplus_3_3t_oxygenos_open_beta_updates_community_app_fixes_several_bugs-news-25666.php

Now AT&T is updating its Galaxy Tab S2 to Android Nougat

T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint have all issued the update to Android 7.0 Nougat for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 from 2016. So today it's time for AT&T to do the same and complete the circle: four out of four 'Big Four' carriers have the new software available at this point. That's not to say that it isn't a late rollout - after all, Nougat first came out in August of last year. But at least one thing is clear now: if you own a Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 purchased from one of the leading US carriers, that software version is definitely on its way to you. The AT&T update arrives over-the-air as a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/now_at_t_is_updating_its_galaxy_tab_s2_to_android_nougat-news-25665.php

Moto G4 Plus is just $149.99 unlocked for one more day

Motorola has already launched the fifth generation of the G series this year at MWC. However, the Moto G4 Plus from last year is still on sale. Not only that, but it's now cheaper than it's ever been. You can buy an unlocked unit from B&H for only $149.99. That's $100 less than the phone's initial price in 2016, $90 compared to B&H's previous price, and $50 less than what Amazon is asking for. It's also $80 less than what the Moto G5 Plus goes for. If this deal sounds interesting to you, note that it will only be available until Saturday, June 17, at 11:59 PM ET. While already a year...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g4_plus_is_just_14999_unlocked_for_another_day-news-25664.php

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2017) spotted in benchmark, Wi-Fi certified too

Samsung may be prepping to introduce a new entry-level tablet soon. It's going to have the model number SM-T380 (for the Wi-Fi only version) or SM-T385 (with LTE connectivity), and since the Galaxy Tab A 7.0 from last year used SM-T280 and SM-T285 we assume the new device is going to be part of the A series as well. That said, it has an 8-inch 1,280x800 touchscreen, as revealed by the GFXBench database. Hence, this will probably launch as the Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2017). Through the same benchmark's info listing we also found out that it's fitted with an 8 MP rear camera and a 5 MP...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_a_80_2017_spotted_in_benchmark_wifi_certified_too-news-25663.php

You can now grab Sprint's LG G6 for the insanely low amount of $120

Since its launch a few months ago, we've seen a fair share of good LG G6 deals, but this one clearly takes the cake. Sure, you can get a G6 for free when you buy two of them at T-Mobile - yet that still means you have to shell out $500, so $250 per unit essentially. But what if you could only pay $120 for a brand-spanking new LG G6? It's not a typo. And there are just two caveats worth mentioning. First, you need to be a Sprint customer or you shouldn't mind having the Now Network as your carrier. Second, you will need to use its installment plan to pay for the device. So you won't...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/you_can_now_grab_sprints_lg_g6_for_the_insanely_low_amount_of_120-news-25662.php

T-Mobile launches Buy One, Get One free deal for Galaxy S8 and S8+, LG G6 and V20

US carriers sure do love their Buy One, Get One free (BOGO) deals. The latest such offer comes from T-Mobile, and is a limited time Father's Day thing, so make sure you act fast if you find it interesting. The Galaxy S8 and S8+, the LG G6 and V20 are all involved. If you snag any two of these devices, the one which is cheaper will be free. If you're already a T-Mobile customer, you'll need to add a line with unlimited data for this to work. If you aren't with the magenta carrier, then you'll need to open two new lines (on the One plan). In both cases, the handsets need to be purchased...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_launches_buy_one_get_one_free_deal_for_galaxy_s8_and_s8_lg_g6_and_v20-news-25661.php

Samsung is testing Bixby Voice in the US through an early access program

Bixby Voice, Samsung's much-hyped Siri-like (or Google Assistant-like) virtual helper that lives inside your phone and can be talked to, is now in the final stretch before it becomes officially available in the US. This was initially supposed to happen in late May, but that internal aim was way too ambitious. The rollout then reportedly got delayed to late June, which is now fast approaching. So today the Korean company has started an early access program for Bixby in the US. This basically means that, if you want, you can sign up to beta test the virtual assistant before it goes live for...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_testing_bixby_voice_in_the_us_through_an_early_access_program-news-25660.php

Samsung is reportedly working on a rugged Galaxy Tab Active 2

You may not remember this, but Samsung made a rugged tablet back in 2014. It was called Galaxy Tab Active, and it was unveiled in September of that year. And now, three years later, it could be getting a successor, believe it or not. A new report claims that Samsung is busy working on the Galaxy Tab Active 2. Apparently it will come in two versions - the Wi-Fi-only SM-T390, and the Wi-Fi + LTE SM-T395. Original Samsung Galaxy Tab Active from 2014 These devices will be available for purchase throughout Europe and Latin America, and we obviously expect them to be rugged. The original...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_reportedly_working_on_a_rugged_galaxy_tab_active_2-news-25659.php

Sony Xperia XA receives Android 7.0 Nougat update too

Just yesterday Sony's Xperia XA Ultra finally started receiving the update to Android 7.0 Nougat, almost ten months after Google released that version of the OS. Today the same good news spreads to that handset's smaller sibling, the Xperia XA. Unlike the rollout for the XA Ultra, which has only reached two of the phone's versions so far, the Nougat update for the XA is currently out for all five variations of this device. We're talking about units bearing the model numbers F3111, F3113, F3115 (all single-SIM), as well as F3112 and F3116 (these being dual-SIM iterations). As you can...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xa_receives_android_70_nougat_update_too-news-25658.php

Microsoft starts selling the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro

Microsoft announced the entirely new Surface Laptop, along with an updated Surface Pro. The new laptop is the Windows 10S flagship device and is now on sale along with its Pro sibling. The Surface Laptop is available in 20 countries, but the Core i5 version is the only one on offer right now. Microsoft says that the Core i7 variant won't be coming out until this summer. All the countries get the Platinum color, but US buyers may also choose between Cobalt Sea, Graphite Gold and Burgundy. The price of the Surface Laptop starts from $999 in the US or £979 in the UK and may go as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_starts_selling_the_surface_laptop_and_surface_pro-news-25657.php

HTC U11 announced in India

HTC has launched the U11 in India. Only one variant is being launched in India, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, and it is priced at INR 51,990 ($807). The HTC U11 is the current HTC flagship and uses the brilliant liquid glass surface design as well as the new squeeze gesture that lets you press on the side of the phone to activate certain functions. It also has a 5.5-inch QHD display, the latest Snapdragon 835 processor and a 12 megapixel UltraPixel camera on the back, which is currently the highest rated among smartphones by DxOMark. The phone also comes with a pair of active...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u11_announced_in_india-news-25656.php

Vodafone launches the affordable Smart Tab N8

Vodafone launched a new tablet, named Smart Tab N8. The entry level device packs a MediaTek MT8735B chipset with octa-core CPU, clocked at 1.1 GHz. The LCD of the Smart Tab N8 is 10.1" in diagonal with 1200 x 800 pixel resolution. The tablet has a 5 MP primary camera on the back and a 2 MP front snapper. The Vodafone Smart Tab N8 has LTE Cat4, theoretically giving the option of reaching 150 Mbps download speed and 50 Mbps upload. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi b/g/n. The storage available is 16 GB, and there is a microSD slot if you need some extra...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vodafone_launches_the_affordable_smart_tab_n8-news-25655.php

Honor 9 pre-sale starts in Finland, to cost €499

Huawei announced the Honor 9 in China on Monday. A separate European event will take place in Berlin, Germany on June 27 and sales will start three days after. Yet pre-orders have already started in Finland, where the 4 GB RAM version with 64 GB internal storage can be booked €499. The mightier 6 GB RAM + 128 GB internal storage option goes for €599. Mika Engblom, Consumer Unit Director at Huawei Finland, says the phone lands so early in the country because of Honor's popularity among Finns. The new flagship comes with a better chipset, greater cameras, and larger battery...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/honor_9_presale_starts_in_finland_to_cost_499-news-25654.php

OnePlus 5 surpasses 300,000 registrations in just two days

The launch of OnePlus 5 will take place on June 20. An event is planned in China on June 21 and in India the day after, but the yet unannounced phone is already gaining interest with over 300,000 registrations on JD.com. This number includes only the registrations on the Chinese retailer's web site. The actual interest is much higher if we consider that most purchases will go through the official OnePlus site anyway. OnePlus is teasing the "flagship killer" bit by bit, already revealing the back design. Pete Lau showed off how the OnePlus 5 will shoot in the dark and how good the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_5_surpasses_300000_registrations_in_just_two_days-news-25653.php

LG Exalt LTE debuts as Verizon's first 4G LTE featurephone

In a surprising twist, LG has launched a new featurephone in the United States. Dubbed Exalt LTE, the device is powered by a Snapdragon SoC with quad-core, 1.1GHz processor, and sports a 3-inch display of 400 x 240 pixel resolution. The flip-phone comes with 8GB storage and features a 5MP camera. Weighing in at around 130g, the handset packs in a 1,470mAh removable battery. Verizon is selling the Exalt LTE as its first 4G LTE-capable feature phone. In fact, it's an LTE-only phone as it doesn't work with the carrier's 3G CDMA network. Price tag is $168. Source 1 2 | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_exalt_lte_debuts_as_verizons__first_4g_ltecapable_feature_phone-news-25647.php

Moto Z2 Play preview: Sharp and ready

The Moto Z2 Play is the successor to last year's Moto Z Play, the phone that won praises from critics and was quite possibly the highlight of Motorola's lineup last year. Like the last phone, the new one focuses on providing good performance and great battery life without blowing a hole in your wallet.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_z2_play-review-1622.php

Sony Xperia L1 gets new security update

Sony has started pushing out a new update to its Xperia L1 smartphone. Weighing in at around 85MB and arriving as version 43.0.A.4.46, it's a security update that brings along the May fixes. No new features or UI changes are seem to be included in the update, although the official changelog for it isn't yet available. Currently, European units are getting the update, but other regions should follow soon. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_l1_gets_a_new_update-news-25648.php

Motorola Moto C Plus India unveiling set for next week

The Motorola Moto C Plus will arrive in India next week. The company sent out media invites for a June 19 event where the device is expected to be unveiled. Not only this, through its social media channels, Motorola has also confirmed that the phone will be a Flipkart-exclusive in the country. Yes, it's a cool place to be at! The #MotoCPlus will come to you, exclusively on @Flipkart. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/29lsSpWqic— Moto India (@Moto_IND) June 15, 2017 The Moto C and Moto C Plus were made official by the company last month. The former arrived in India earlier this month,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_c_plus_india_unveiling_set_for_june_19_to_be_flipkartexclusive-news-25650.php

Deal: $0.99 Play Store movie rental for Google Chromecast/Chromecast Ultra users

A cool new Google Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra promo in the US, gives you movie rentals for $0.99. There's, however, a caveat. The promo doesn't cover all titles - you only have a list of eligible movies to choose from. The offer ends July 31, and the last date to redeem the discount is August 31. For more information, head to the Source link below. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_offering_099_play_store_movie_rental_to_chromecast_chromecast_ultra_users-news-25644.php

Motorola Moto Z2 Play now available for purchase in India

The Motorola Moto Z2 Play - which was made official earlier this month, and arrived in India last week, is now available for purchase in the Asian country. Online, the phone is only available through Flipkart, which has it listed for INR 27,999 (around $435). The retailer has both gray and gold color options in stock. The handset is also available through offline channels in the country. Aside from India, the device is also available in Brazil, where it went on sale the day it was officially unveiled. Source

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_z2_play_now_available_for_purchase_in_india-news-25645.php

Google Play Store support comes to more Chrome OS devices

The list of Chrome OS systems that offer support for Google Play Store and Android apps has grown longer. A total of 16 more devices have made it to the list including Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731, C731T), Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532), Asus Chromebook C202SA, and Asus Chromebook C300SA/C301SA. Other names include CTL NL61 Chromebook, Dell Chromebook 11 (3180), Dell Chromebook 11 Convertible (3189), Dell Chromebook 13 (3380), HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE, HP Chromebook 13 G1, Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook, Lenovo N23 Yoga Chromebook, Lenovo N22 Chromebook, Lenovo N23 Chromebook, Samsung Chromebook...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_play_store_support_comes_to_more_chrome_os_devices-news-25643.php

Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus rear panel leaks showing a familiar design

What ever happened to the Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus? Before the Mi 6 got official in April, many rumors claimed the duo would be launching together. However, even as the Mi 6 has now been on the market for many weeks, the Mi 6 Plus still hasn't been announced. That could change soon, and a new leak out of China is showing us what its back is going to look like. What you see below is the purported rear panel of the Mi 6 Plus smiling for the camera next to the Mi 6's. So let's file this one in the not at all unexpected category: the Mi 6 and Mi 6 Plus share their design language. In fact, the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_6_plus_rear_panel_leaks_showing_a_familiar_design-news-25642.php

US only: LG is giving you a free extra year of warranty for the G6 if you register

Bootloops? What bootloops? LG would definitely like you to forget all about that messy affair from previous years. And it's willing to make things easier in this regard, at least in the US. The company is now offering an additional year of warranty for the G6 stateside at no extra cost to you. All that's required is for G6 owners to register their devices at this website. And although this offer went live today, you qualify even if you've bought a G6 at some point in the past. Again, you just need to register. After you've done that, the standard one year limited warranty will be...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/us_only_lg_is_giving_you_a_free_extra_year_of_warranty_for_the_g6_if_you_register-news-25641.php

Spotify reaches 140 million users

Spotify is still the world's biggest online music streaming service. Today it announced crossing the 140 million users mark, up from 126 million late last year and 100 million one year ago. So in one year it's managed to add at least 40 million users. The company hasn't updated the figure for how many paying subscribers it has, but as of March those were north of 50 million. That makes Spotify also the world's largest paid music streaming service, with competitors such as Apple Music lingering behind with just 27 million subscribers (as of this month). Unlike most competing services,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/spotify_reaches_140_million_users-news-25640.php

HTC U11 is off to a good start, selling more than the 10 and M9 in previous years

We can't tell you if it has anything to do with the fact that its frame is squeezable, but it looks like the HTC U11 is off to a good start, sales-wise. The handset hasn't been available for long at this point (since late May essentially), yet in the short time it has been on the market it's managed to outsell both the HTC 10 and the One M9, its predecessors from years past. This information comes straight from an executive at the Taiwanese company - Chang Chia-lin, president of HTC's smartphone and connected device division. So it doesn't get more official than that. However,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u11_is_off_to_a_good_start_selling_more_than_the_10_or_m9_in_previous_years-news-25639.php

vivo may be first to out a smartphone with fingerprint sensor embedded in the screen

For many months now rumors have claimed that Samsung, Apple, or both companies will come out with devices sporting a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display this year. When that didn't happen for the Galaxy S8 and S8+, the speculation switched its focus onto the upcoming Note8. And for Apple this has always been claimed with regard to the tenth anniversary iPhone, the one that will be called either iPhone 8 or iPhone X. But if a new report from China is accurate, vivo is set to one-up both Samsung and Apple from this point of view. The company already has a working prototype for such a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_may_be_first_to_out_a_smartphone_with_fingerprint_sensor_embedded_in_the_screen-news-25638.php

Sony Xperia XA Ultra is getting updated to Android Nougat

The latest smartphone to be on the receiving end of an update to Android Nougat is Sony's Xperia XA Ultra from last year. The handset launched in July with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and now the time has finally come for it to get a taste of last year's Android release. At the moment, only two versions of the XA Ultra have been lucky enough to receive the update, namely the ones bearing the model numbers F3211 and F3212. That said, we expect the over-the-air rollout to make its way to all of the different XA Ultra variations in due course. After applying the update (once your phone...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xa_ultra_is_getting_updated_to_android_nougat-news-25637.php

Samsung is testing the Galaxy Note8 with Android 7.1.1 Nougat on board

Samsung is currently testing Galaxy Note8 prototypes running Android 7.1.1 Nougat. This has been revealed through the HTML5Test database, where a Samsung SM-N950F is now featured. This is widely believed to be the Note8's model number. A prototype ran the test and its browser, Samsung Internet 5.2, managed to score 488 points out of a total 555. This being a prototype, of course that's not really indicative of any real-world performance. It's interesting however that the Note8 in question is running Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and not a newer O build. Then again, Android O is still in beta and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_testing_the_galaxy_note8_with_android_711_nougat_on_board-news-25636.php

Essential PH-1 will be a TELUS exclusive in Canada

It's official - the Essential PH-1 will be a one carrier exclusive in Canada as well as the US. The confirmation comes from the carrier itself via a tweet and its subscribers can expect pre-orders for the new smartphone to begin at the end of July. We're excited to announce that the new @Essential Phone will be available only from TELUS! https://t.co/ZyKn2SSNQn https://t.co/xgERv3U5Xe pic.twitter.com/NTaGFyWVyz— TELUS (@TELUS) June 15, 2017 The Essential PH-1 is a Sprint exclusive in the US where it's "expected" to begin shipping to those who pre-ordered in the next 30...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/essential_phone_will_be_a_telus_exclusive_in_canada-news-25635.php

Amazon Dash Wand lets you add items to your cart by scanning or saying their name

As if the Amazon Dash Buttons weren't cool enough or the fact that you could just tell your Echo to buy things for you, Amazon now has a Dash Wand that lets you tell things you want or scan them before adding them to your cart. The Dash Wand is a tiny handheld device with a microphone and a barcode scanner. When you want to purchase any of the household items, say, shampoo, you can just say "shampoo" or a particular brand name into the Dash Wand or use the barcode scanner on it to scan the barcode on the back of your shampoo bottle. Amazon will use that information to add the item to your...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_dash_wand_lets_you_add_items_to_your_cart_by_scanning_or_saying_their_name-news-25629.php

Deal: Grab a refurbished Huawei Mate 9 for $380

Huawei Mate 9 was launched six months ago but is still an amazing device, thanks to its flagship chipset Kirin 960 and the dual camera by Leica. And now you can get a refurbished unit for $379.99 from Best Buy that makes it amazing value for money. Choosing this option, you save $220 off the original price of $599.99, but with a catch. The phone is refurbished, so it may have some minor scratches, but should work like new. Its warranty is limited to 90 days though. The listing reveals the phone is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as some small carriers. There is no mention...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/deal_refurbished_huawei_mate_9_drops_to_380_on_best_buy-news-25634.php

More than 5B people use mobile devices

We Are Social and Hootsuite compiled a report on digital usage across the globe and revealed that 67%, or 5 billion people, are using a mobile device of some sort. 80% of handsets used are smartphones. The amount of social media users is going up proportionally to the numbers of global digital users. Facebook is used by over 230 million people in the US. Another notable growth comes from Indonesia where the active users reached 117 million. Interestingly enough, the total number of Facebook monthly active users stood at 1.938 billion, representing a 2.5% decline. Still, there's no...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/more_than_5b_people_use_mobile_devices-news-25631.php

Slide shows iPhone 8 with 5.8" OLED display and Touch ID

There's a mobile conference going on in Shenzhen and one of the presentations held an interesting slide - one relating to the iPhone 8. The slide features an image of the device, though this could be just a placeholder. Still, the slide lists the salient specs: 5.8" OLED display with 2.5D glass and 3D Touch. Touch ID is still around, however the chart doesn't point out its exact location. Apple has some ideas where that might go. Some designs indicated that the earpiece will be cut out of the screen, similar to the Essential phone, but this isn't reflected in the slide (again, it's...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/slide_shows_iphone_8_with_58_oled_display_and_touch_id-news-25630.php

GSMArena.com turns 17, happy birthday to us!

How the time flies, GSMArena.com just turned 17 years old! Teen years not yet behind us, we are nevertheless a year older and wiser. With that comes increased focus - we merged our news and blog sections since smartphones are no longer alone. Smart watches, smart speakers, smart appliances have joined the party, picking a phone is just the start! These last few months we've been working on growing our YouTube channel. Video reviews are a great way to show phones in action and we think they are an excellent complement to our in-depth reviews. We have also improved the site in various...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gsmarenacom_turns_17_happy_birthday_to_us-news-25633.php

Geekbench reveals both new iPad Pro tablets have 4 GB RAM

Apple announced the entirely new iPad Pro 10.5 and the updated iPad Pro 12.9 at the WWDC earlier this month. The company as usual did not reveal the RAM, but benchmarks filled that the new slates have 4 GB RAM. Both tablets unsurprisingly scored similar results on the Geekbench tests. iPad Pro 10.5 • iPad Pro 12.9 Both iPads come with latest Apple A10X Fusion chipset, which offers up to 30% better performance than the last generation. It has six-core CPU, three cores are high-powered, and the other three are power-saving. The results also confirm monstrous performance -...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/geekbench_reveals_both_new_ipad_pro_tablets_have_4_gb_ram-news-25628.php

Report says LG G7 and V30 may arrive earlier than usual

According to a new report out of South Korea, LG may launch its next G and V series flagships earlier than usual. The V30 is said to arrive in August this year, while the G7 may be launched in January 2018. Officially, however, LG isn't committing to anything as of now. "Nothing has been decided on the launch schedule of the upcoming phones," a company spokesperson said. The report also notes that both phones will sport an OLED screen. The V30 is expected to be powered by Snapdragon 836 SoC, while the G7 is said to come with Snapdragon 845. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/report_says_lg_g7_launch_may_happen_earlier_than_usual-news-25627.php

New Xiaomi Mi 6 update brings support for Mi Pay

The Xiaomi Mi 6 has started receiving a new update. Weighing in at around 125MB, the update brings support for Mi Pay, company's own mobile payments service that was launched last year. For the uninitiated, Mi Pay is a NFC-based mobile payments solution, just like Apple Pay. It supports most credit/debit cards, and can also be used to make public transport payments. The update - which arrives as MIUI version v8.2.26.0 - also includes some system improvements. Given that it's an OTA roll out, it might take some time for the update to hit your device. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_xiaomi_mi_6_update_brings_support_for_mi_pay-news-25626.php

Sony Xperia G34XX series uncovered through user agent profiles

After the Sony Xperia G8341 and G8342, more Xperia phones have been uncovered through user agent profiles. Specifically, the G34XX series - which consists of the G3412, G3416, G3426, G3421, and G3423 - has been revealed. While the first three are reportedly single-SIM models, the last two offer dual-SIM support. As for specs, the listings only reveal Full HD display and Android 7.0 Nougat. Sadly, nothing else is currently known about these handsets, but we'll be on the lookout for more info and keep you updated when it comes up. Source 1 2 3 4 5 | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/more_sony_xperia_phones_g34xx_series_uncovered_through_user_agent_profiles-news-25622.php

Gionee A1 lite unveiled with 20MP selfie shooter, 4,000mAh battery

Chinese manufacturer Gionee has introduced a new member of its A series. Dubbed A1 lite, the mid-ranger is powered by MediaTek MT6753 chipset and sports a 5.3-inch HD display. RAM is 3GB, while storage is 32GB. The phone features a 13MP main camera and a 20MP front shooter. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box (with Amigo 4.0 UI on top). A large, 4,000mAh battery powers the whole setup. The handset will be available to pre-order starting June 18. It's expected to carry a price tag of NPR 26,999 (around $260). No word on which other markets (if any) will get it. Via 1 2

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_a1_lite_unveiled_with_20mp_selfie_shooter_4000mah_battery-news-25624.php

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 on Sprint starts getting Nougat

Sprint has started rolling out a new update to Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 units on its network. The update arrives as version T817PVPU2CQE7 and brings along Android Nougat (version 7.0). Sadly, latest security patch isn't included in the update - Android security patch level is still at May 1. This comes shortly after Verizon started pushing out the Nougat update to the tablet. Aside from the Big Red carrier, T-Mobile has also already rolled out Nougat to Galaxy Tab S2 units on its network. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_s2_on_sprint_starts_getting_nougat-news-25623.php

EU drops roaming charges

Citizens of the European Union, rejoice! The EU decision to abolish roaming charges comes in effect today and now calls, texts, and data on mobile devices cost the same regardless if you are at home or in any other country in the EU. The European Commission said the termination of roaming charges is "true European success story." Until now connection charges have been added when you were calling, texting or using data in a different EU member-state. The actual charges were dropping progressively, but now finally they are completely removed. The new legislation means travelers...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/eu_drops_roaming_charges-news-25625.php

Nextbit Robin drops to $118 in US

The cloud focused Nextbit Robin has received yet another price cut in the United States. The device is currently going for $117.99. Amazon has the phone (midnight and mint color variants) listed on its website for this price. For those who aren't in the know, Nextbit has been acquired by Razor - the announcement was made in January. While official sales of the Robin and its accessories have stopped, Nextbit promised that it will honor warranties for six more months (that period ends this month). Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nextbit_robin_drops_to_118_in_us-news-25620.php

Verizon may carry Moto E4, according to leaked renders

We've already seen the Moto E4 and E4 Plus launch just a couple of days ago, but what we haven't seen was these press renders of the Moto E4 with Verizon's branding on them. While neither Moto nor Verizon have confirmed availability with the carrier, these renders are pretty strong proof that Big Red might, in fact, be selling the Moto E4 alongside the Moto Z4 Play and the Moto Z2 Force, expected later this summer. The renders show the Moto E4 in black and gold color options. Though, so far we've only caught word of the Moto E4 and not the E4 Plus. While the E4 Plus will make it to Amazon...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_may_carry_moto_e4_according_to_leaked_renders-news-25618.php

Supplier reportedly confirms new iPhone will have wireless charging

We've already heard many rumors about Apple's next iPhone and whether it will support some kind of wireless charging. Today's report comes from Nikkei Asian Review who says that the CEO of Wistron, Robert Hwang, said: Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit. This is why we still need to be skeptical with reports like these. If we wanted to speculate on exactly what Hwang said, it's a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/supplier_reportedly_confirms_new_iphone_will_have_wireless_charging-news-25617.php