"Stamp" could be Google's take on the popular "Stories" format

Whether it's your particular cup of tea or not, the "Stories" format appears to be working well and thus here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future, that is. Especially now that Google is reportedly gearing up to release its own take on the polarizing social media format. "Stamp", as per a Wall Street Journal report is Google's name of choice and a clever play on its Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) technology and an "St" prefix, for "Stories". Similar to Snapchat's "Discover" and Instagram's and Facebook's respective takes on the format, "Stamp" will be composed of swipeable slides,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/stamp_could_be_googles_take_on_the_popular_stories_format-news-26608.php

Nokia 2 FCC report surfaces, complete with photos and dimensions

The Nokia 2 has been frequenting the rumor mill for quite some time now. Crude drawings, renders, benchmark leaks and even live photos - the budget handset has pretty much gone through the entire leakster agenda at this point. Still, there are a few pieces left in this particular HMD puzzle - even fewer now that the handset officially cleared the FCC. Nokia 2 FCC report Naturally, the documents detailing the HMD Global TA-1029 offers a wide range of SAR values and radio test reports, of little practical use to end users. What we can get out of it all is that the Nokia 2 is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_2_fcc_report_surfaces_complete_with_photos_and_dimensions-news-26609.php

iPhone 8 display assembly spotted in the wild, no Touch ID in sight

Last we heard, the highly anticipated anniversary iPhone 8 is still on track for a September announcement and a very limited November-December initial release. That hopeful report was quickly followed up by reputable industry insider tips that production of the Apple crown jewel has indeed started, meaning part leaks are inbound as well! iPhone 8 screen assembly Enter the first couple of live shots of what is said to be a complete iPhone 8 display assembly. It's hard to make out and not attached anything, so no confirmation is possible on either the alleged OLED technology of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_8_display_assembly_spotted_in_the_wild_no_touch_id_in_sight-news-26610.php

New Philips S310X pops up on TENAA

Philips has been keeping a rather low profile on the smartphone scene lately. In fact, to the best of our knowledge, the Dutch company's last Android handset release dates back to the end on 2015. This might change soon, as a mysterious Philips S310X recently passed through the TENAA Chinese certification authority. Typically, this is indicative of an imminent release, however, the published information has a few confusing points. For one, it appears the device or devices that TENAA received run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow - a rather unorthodox and outdated choice for a still unannounced...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_philips_s310x_pops_up_on_tenaa-news-26607.php

Now T-Mobile Alchemy leaks: dual-rear camera setup and stock Android

Looks like the REVVL T1 isn't the only smartphone T-Mobile is currently working on. A new leak reveals the magenta carrier is also working on another phone, dubbed Alchemy. The leaked image for the device shows a textured back, dual rear-camera setup, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, as well as speaker and carrier logo towards the bottom on the back. Other known details for the handset include microSD card slot, stock Android, MicroUSB connectivity, and headphone jack. The Alchemy will likely be a budget offering, although pricing is currently not known. There's no word on...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/now_tmobile_alchemy_leaks_dualrear_camera_setup_and_stock_android-news-26606.php

Leaked image shows 3,300mAh Galaxy Note8 batteries

Earlier this week, the usually reliable tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks on Twitter) shared detailed spec-sheet for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note8 smartphone. The leak revealed a 3,300mAh battery for the phone. Now, an image which is claimed to show a couple of Note8 batteries has surfaced online, confirming the 3,300mAh capacity. Here's a closer look: For comparison, the Galaxy S8 packs in a 3,000mAh battery, while the S8+ comes with a 3,500mAh battery. The ill-fated Note7, on the other hand, also had a 3,500mAh battery powering it, while a the Note FE has a 3,200mAh battery...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_image_shows_3300mah_galaxy_note8_batteries-news-26605.php

Grab Huawei Honor 8 for as low as $259 ($140 off)

If you are a Huawei fan in the US, and are in the market for a new smartphone, you might want to checkout the deal Amazon is offering on the Honor 8 smartphone. The carrier is selling the device for as low as $259. Specifically, white and blue color models that have 32GB storage are being offered for $259, which - if you compare - translates into a discount of $140 given the fact that the Chinese company is officially selling these variants for $399.99. Aside from this, the gold model with 64GB storage, which usually goes for $449.99, is currently listed on Amazon for $349.82. So...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/grab_huawei_honor_8_for_as_low_as_259_140_off-news-26604.php

SHARP AQUOS S2 officially coming on August 14, will be announced Aug 8

Do you remember the SHARP AQUOS Crystal? It was a smartphone made by the Japanese electronics maker in 2014 which incorporated a display that cut really close to the edges of the phone itself. The phone would make it to Sprint and Boost Mobile in the US with mid-range specs. Since 2013, Sharp has made a total of 28 full-screen smartphones, mostly in markets outside of the US. SHARP AQUOS Crystal for Sprint Sharp's newest full-screen smartphone is going to be officially unveiled on August 8 for a release to the Chinese market on August 14. The upcoming phone is called the SHARP AQUOS...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sharp_aquos_s2_officially_coming_on_august_14_will_be_announced_aug_8-news-26603.php

LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 said to debut by the end of the year

A report from Bloomberg cited "person/persons familiar with the matter" four times, so we will approach this story with the deserved amount of skepticism. According to the report, Apple could be releasing an LTE-enabled Apple Watch alongside the iPhone 8 or toward the end of the year. But according to "another person familiar with the matter" (from the same report, mind you) it could be delayed well into 2018". Do you see where the skepticism comes in? Anyhow, Apple had reportedly delayed an LTE-enabled version of the Watch before the Series 2 launched but had to put it off because it...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lteenabled_apple_watch_series_3_said_to_debut_by_the_end_of_the_year-news-26602.php

Netflix adds support for HDR on Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Netflix has added support for HDR streaming on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. The device has now been listed on Netflix support page for HD enabled mobile devices, alongside LG G6. The Xperia XZ Premium was launched earlier this year with a 4K HDR display. At launch, it only had support for Amazon Prime Video HDR support but Netflix support was absent. That is, until now. The XZ Premium is the only mobile device on the market now that has HDR support on both services as all the other devices only support one or the other. The LG G6 was previously the only mobile device with HDR...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/netflix_adds_support_for_hdr_on_sony_xperia_xz_premium-news-26601.php

T-Mobile REVVL T1 leaks again, this time courtesy of the carrier itself

Back in May a leak told us to expect a new line of own-brand Android smartphones from T-Mobile to land at some point this year. It would be called REVVL, and the first device in the series was going to be the REVVL T1. Today the existence of this upcoming handset was confirmed by T-Mobile itself, because someone working for the carrier uploaded the relevant support documents already, even if the REVVL isn't official yet. This gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect. Although the documents simply call the phone REVVL, every detail they reveal lines up perfectly with what we had heard...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_revvl_t1_leaks_again_this_time_courtesy_of_the_carrier_itself-news-26600.php

LG's rugged X venture is now out in the US unlocked too

LG announced the rugged X venture in May, and a few days after its unveiling it became available at AT&T. So far that's been your only option for purchasing the X venture in the US, but that's finally changed. The handset can now also be grabbed from Amazon in unlocked form, with official US warranty, the likes. If you're interested you'll need to pay $297.05 for one - that's the current price but the list price is said to be $349.99, so it may go back up to that level at some point. For reference, AT&T is charging $330 outright for the device. The X venture comes with mid-range specs,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lgs_rugged_x_venture_is_now_out_in_the_us_unlocked_too-news-26599.php

YouTube Music finally allows offline saving of songs, albums, and playlists

YouTube Music has added an incredibly useful feature today, one that amazingly hasn't been in all this time. We're talking about proper support for saving stuff offline. Up until this point, YouTube Music's only option in this realm was an auto-generated "offline mixtape", which was created "based on your previous listening history". In other words, you had no control over what went into it. From now on, though, if you're a YouTube Red subscriber, YouTube music finally lets you choose what to save for offline listening or viewing - you can pick any song, album, or playlist to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/youtube_music_finally_allows_offline_saving_of_songs_albums_and_playlists-news-26598.php

New iPhone SE is coming in early 2018, rumor says

The iPhone SE was launched in March of last year, so by now it's gotten pretty old. Thankfully though, Apple hasn't forgotten the smallest of its smartphones and is preparing a refresh of the model. According to the latest rumor on the matter, the new iPhone SE will hit the streets in the first quarter of next year (so before the end of March) - nearly two years after its predecessor. The revamped model is said to keep the affordability of the original, but add the A10 chipset from the iPhone 7 to the mix. The screen size should be in the 4" to 4.2" neighborhood, while storage options...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_iphone_se_is_coming_in_early_2018_rumor_says-news-26597.php

Huawei Mate 10 or P11 will be sold by AT&T next year

Back in March we heard that Huawei could be in talks with AT&T about the carrier offering the Chinese company's top of the line mobile devices. And today a new report confirms those talks did in fact take place. Furthermore, it claims that "AT&T has tentatively agreed to sell Huawei's upcoming flagship smartphone in the US in the first half of next year". This allegedly comes from "people familiar with the matter". It's not a 100% done deal yet, however. That will only happen when "the phone clears all the technical hurdles and the companies agree on the commercial terms of the release"....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_10_or_p11_will_be_sold_by_at_t_next_year-news-26596.php

ASUS ZenPad 3S 8.0 arrives on Verizon with a new name

In the end of the May, ASUS held an event at Computex in Taipei and the new ZenPad 3S 8.0 tablet appeared at the booth. Fast forward two months and the slate arrives in the United States on Verizon with a new name - ASUS ZenPad Z8s. The retail price is $249.99, but there are cheaper ways to have it tied to a contract with the carrier. The ZenPad Z8s has a 7.9" IPS display with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. The tablet runs on Snapdragon 652, paired with 3 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. There is also a microSD slot that can hold a card with up to 128 GB more. There are two cameras on...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenpad_3s_80_arrives_on_verizon_with_a_new_name-news-26594.php

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) review: Just the job

Segmentation at its finest in the Samsung smartphone lineup. That's how we have the entire alphabet of series with a handful of models in each of them. Near the bottom of the food chain, which is in no way sorted alphabetically the hugely successful J series is the place to get good value for money and the Galaxy J5 (2017) is ready to oblige.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_j5_2017-review-1637.php

Google Pixel 2 leaks in blurry image, shows its big top and bottom bezels

If you love bezels, you surely liked what Google did with the original Pixel and Pixel XL last year. And, it turns out, you'll also very much enjoy the 2017 edition of the Pixel - let's call it the Pixel 2. Like in 2016, this will be the smaller of the duo. As you can see from the newly leaked image below (blurry as it may be), the top and bottom bezels are still very noticeable. From this point of view, Google's flagship for this year clearly bucks the trend of near-bezelless screens. But, unlike last year, at least there's a speaker housed in the bottom bezel. This will work in tandem...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_2_leaks_in_blurry_image_shows_its_big_top_and_bottom_bezels-news-26595.php

You can now buy the Essential phone at BestBuy

The Essential is finally available for purchase, sort of. The phone has popped up on BestBuy in both Unlocked and Sprint flavors. Interestingly the unlocked is cheaper than the supposedly subsidized Sprint one ($699.99 vs $749.99). You can get the phone in either Black Moon or Pure White. Essential PH-1 on BestBuy As for when it will start shipping to buyers - BestBuy only states that it's coming soon. The Essential has been plagued by delays ever since it missed its first shipping target back in June. Source 1 | 2 | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/you_can_buy_the_essential_phone_at_bestbuy-news-26592.php

Lenovo is dropping the Vibe Pure UI for stock Android

In five days the K8 Note will arrive in India and it will be the first Lenovo smartphone without the Vibe Pure user interface and will ship with stock Android instead. The company is dropping the custom UI for all its future phones as well, head of product marketing at Lenovo confirmed. According to Anuj Sharma, the move is following customers demand. In the last 11 months, the company looked carefully what it had regarding software perspective. Cutting the Vibe Pure interface was the decision Lenovo had to take to stay relevant to its fans. A few enhancements still will be present...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_is_dropping_the_vibe_pure_ui_for_stock_android-news-26591.php

LG V30 prototype caught in the wild

Someone had hands-on time with an engineering sample of the LG V30 and managed to take a photo. It's a photo of the front, but there's not much to see - the 6" P-OLED display is surrounded by very little in the way of bezels. Note the 2:1 "FullVision" aspect ratio. The screen is behind Gorilla Glass 5 and promises 148% sRGB coverage and 109% DCI-P3, plus HDR support. LG took precautions to minimize burn-in. On the other side, there's a dual camera with an f/1.6 aperture (the brightest phone aperture yet) and a fingerprint reader. The LG V30 will be waterproof and feature a hi-fi...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_v30_prototype_caught_in_the_wild-news-26590.php

Meizu Pro 7 shows up on Geekbench with a Snapdragon 835

Meizu announced the Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus just last week, making them the first MediaTek Helio X30 smartphones globally. The Pro 7 comes with either the Helio X30 or the Helio P25 and the Plus sports only 10nm Helio X30 chips. But a new leak raises eyebrows - is Meizu planning a Snapdragon 835 model? A Meizu Pro 7 has gone through Geekbench running on a Snapdragon 835 with 6GB of RAM, posting a single-core score of 1969 and a multi-core one of 6536 - around the same as a competitive Snapdragon 835 smartphones. Perhaps Mediatek has issues producing the Helio X30 chipsets due to the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_pro_7_shows_up_on_geekbench_with_a_snapdragon_835-news-26589.php

Huawei names Mate 10 slim bezel screen EntireView Display

The latest trend of naming screen technologies reached Huawei. The company trademarked the name EntireView Display for the Mate 10 screen that is going to be launched on October 16. This is the third major manufacturer that patents a nickname for its screens after LG with FullVision and Samsung with Infinity Display. The Huawei Mate 10 is coming with a bezel-free display similarly to the LG G6 and the Galaxy S8 duo. It was confirmed by Richard Yu, chief of Huawei consumer division and the patent listing at the EU Intellectual Property Office backs the affirmation. The new...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_names_mate_10_screen_entireview_display-news-26587.php

OnePlus puts a hold on OxygenOS 4.5.7 for the OnePlus 5

Three days after releasing the update, OnePlus has put a hold on the rollout of the OxygenOS 4.5.7 for the OnePlus 5. The rollout was stopped after several early adopters complained about stuttering issue in games. The company confirmed this in a reddit thread as well as on its original forum post for the update announcement. The company will be directly pushing 4.5.8 update to those on 4.5.7 and older versions of the OS that will include all changes in 4.5.7 and fix for the stuttering issue. Source 1 • Source 2

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_puts_a_hold_on_oxygenos_457_for_the_oneplus_5-news-26588.php

Latest OnePlus 3/3T Open Beta brings 'parallel apps' feature

A new OxygenOS Open Beta update has started hitting the OnePlus 3 and 3T smartphones. Aside from improvements and optimizations, the update brings along an interesting new feature: support for "parallel apps". It lets you run a parallel version of the same app using a separate account. The feature supports Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Instagram as well as other popular apps. As for other changes, home screen folder icon has been optimized, folder UI has been redesigned, and support for light theme and opening RAW images has been added to Gallery. The update also adds double...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/latest_oneplus_3_3t_open_beta_brings_parallel_apps_feature-news-26584.php

Xiaomi Mi 6 and Redmi Note 4X to get MIUI 9 on August 11

MIUI 9 was announced along with the Xiaomi Mi 5X last week and its official rollout is starting in a week. The first two phones to get it are the Xiaomi Mi 6 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X and they will only have to wait until August 11. Two weeks after the first dispatch, on August 25, 12 other phones will get MIUI 9. They are the Mi Mix, the Mi Note 2, the Mi 5, the Mi 5s, the Mi 5s Plus, the Mi 5c, the Mi Max and its newer sibling the Mi Max 2, the Mi 4s, the Mi 4c and the Redmi 4X. There will be a third wave of updates come September. That will include some entry level...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_6_and_redmi_note_4x_to_get_miui_9_on_august_11-news-26583.php

Huawei BG2-U01 (MediaPad T3 7) 3g-tablet gets TENAA certified

Looks like Huawei is all set to launch a new variant of the MediaPad T3 7.0 tablet (that was launched back in May this year). Carrying a model number of BG2-U01, the tablet is powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz CPU, and sports a 7-inch display of 1024 × 600 pixel resolution. RAM is 2GB, while storage is 16GB. The device features a 2MP rear and 2MP front camera. Measuring 187.6 x 103.7 x 8.6mm and weighing in at 275g, the tablet runs Android 7.0 Nougat and packs in a 4,000mAh battery. It's worth mentioning that unlike the existing MediaPad T3 7.0, the BG2-U01 offers cellular connectivity...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_bg2u01_mediapad_t3_7_3gtablet_gets_tenaa_certified-news-26581.php

Sony G8441 spotted in benchmark listings, could well be Xperia Z1 Compact

A new Sony smartphone has surfaced on Geekbench. Listed as Sony G8441, the device is powered by Snapdragon 835 SoC, packs in 4GB RAM, and runs Android 8.0. The handset was also spotted in a AnTuTu listing a few weeks ago, revealing 32GB storage, 720p display resolution, and 8MP/8MP camera combo. Now, the Xperia XZ1 also features Snapdragon 835 SoC and 4GB RAM, but has a Full HD resolution (display size is 5.2-inch). Moreover, it is identified as G8341, so the G8441 is likely a different device. Digging deeper, a rumor from May this year said the Xperia XZ1 Compact will also...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_g8441_spotted_in_benchmark_listings_could_well_be_xperia_z1_compact-news-26578.php

Nokia 8 camera interface leaks, second rear cam will have monocrhome sensor

Nokia 8 still has around two weeks until the official launch on August 16, but after a leak on Baidu, we know a bit more about the ZEISS camera setup from the UI. There will be two cameras, one with a monochrome sensor and the other with a conventional RGB one. As seen on the images, the interfacehas a sandwich menu in the top left corner from which a camera setup can be chosen. Three options are available - RGB, dual-lens or Monochrome sensor. The photo also reveals there will be a dual camera mode, where you use the rear and the front cameras to create a collage in real...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_8_camera_interface_leaks_the_dual_setup_will_be_rgb__mono_sensors-news-26579.php

New Samsung Galaxy Note8 image leaks

The usually reliable tipster Evan Blass (who goes by the handle @evleaks on Twitter) has shared a new image of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note8 smartphone. The image is similar to the one Samsung shared as part of press invites for the device's unveiling, except that it gives a better look at the design as well as confirms the Galaxy Note8 moniker. Following is the tweet from Evan: (specs: https://t.co/Q0BWXVac72) pic.twitter.com/dA0tU8WHIf— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 3, 2017 Being a flagship from Samsung, the Note8 has already been the subject of several leaks and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_samsung_galaxy_note8_image_leaks-news-26576.php

iPhone 8 might record 4K in 60fps

As we get closer to September, iPhone leaks are pouring our more and more. The most significant leak so far has been from Apple itself when unreleased HomePod firmware was leaked and later torn apart. Another new piece of information uncovered by iHelp suggests the iPhone 8's main camera could record 4K video at 60 fps. A screenshot of the code uncovered can be seen below. The defining piece of code is: [CAMCaptureCapabilities isBack4k60VideoSupported]. There's another identical piece of code that says Front instead of Back, which suggests the front camera might even be capable of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_8_might_record_4k_in_60fps-news-26575.php

Google reportedly wanted to buy Snapchat for $30 billion

Snapchat, officially called Snap Inc., filed for IPO early on in March of this year. The company went public and would now has the capital of the public to lend financial support. However, a report from Business Insider says that Google verbally discussed the acquisition of Snapchat with Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel. The offer was for $30 billion and the discussions happened far before the company filed for IPO: early 2016. Google's offer was apparently still on the table even after Snap Inc. went public. Of course, Spiegel did not budge, he did not want to sell out. In fact, only he and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_reportedly_wanted_to_buy_snapchat_for_30_billion_-news-26574.php

LastPass doubles the price of its Premium tier, reveals how much Families will cost

In July, LastPass announced its upcoming family plan, detailing the features it would include but staying mum on pricing details. Today those have thankfully been revealed, although the LastPass Families plan still isn't available. When it goes live "later this summer", it will be up for grabs for $48 per year. That amount includes licenses for up to 6 users. It offers unlimited shared folders for flexible sharing options with family members and close ones. Once Families becomes available, LastPass Premium customers will be able to try it for 6 months free of charge. Speaking of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lastpass_doubles_the_price_of_its_premium_tier_reveals_how_much_families_will_cost-news-26573.php

Skype for Android gets themes, activity indicators, and chat sorting options

Less than 24 hours after it announced PayPal integration for its mobile apps, Skype has released a new version of its Android app. This is currently rolling out through the Play Store, and it's Skype 8.3. Once you get it, you'll notice three new features. First off, Skype now (finally) has two different themes you can pick from - they're descriptively called Light and Dark, and yes, one is almost all-white, while the other has a dark grey background to ease eye strain. The first time you run Skype after updating to the latest version you'll be asked to pick which theme you...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/skype_for_android_gets_themes_activity_indicators_and_chat_sorting_options-news-26572.php

Facebook Stories are ready to invade your desktop

Facebook Stories are like Instagram Stories, in that Snapchat's inspired them. But unlike Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories haven't been very successful since the launch in March. Almost no one is using Stories on Facebook, which is in stark contrast to the 250 million users of the feature on Instagram. So what do you think Facebook decided to do in this situation? Scrap Stories? Bring in Stories from Instagram? No. The social network is now busy testing showing Stories on your computer as well, when you go to its website. Unlike in its mobile apps, where Stories appear above the News...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/facebook_stories_are_ready_to_invade_your_desktop-news-26571.php

Moto E4 Plus is now available at Verizon, up for pre-order unlocked elsewhere

Right on the previously announced schedule, today the Moto E4 Plus became available to order in the US. The phone is currently only actually in stock at Verizon, where you can have one for a prepaid plan if you shell out $129.99. That's the cheapest price right now. At the same time, big third party retailers have started pre-orders for the unlocked Moto E4 Plus, which will be released on August 11. If you don't mind seeing Amazon's ads and offers on your phone and you are a Prime subscriber, you can buy the device for $139.99 (with 16GB of storage), or $159.99 (with 32GB of space). On...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e4_plus_is_now_available_at_verizon_up_for_preorder_unlocked_elsewhere-news-26570.php

The new OnePlus 5 color will be Gold

OnePlus 5 is about to get a new color, a teaser suggested yesterday. It was always likely that the third option will be gold, since the color was mentioned in a TENAA listing before the phone was even announced, but today brought actual proof of this. We got a clue in the source code of the page for the Amazon India listing of the handset. The OnePlus 5 is currently sold in India through various retailers, one of them being the local division of Amazon. It has the "5omething New. Coming Soon" banner on top that suggests a new color. But when you look at the code, you see the promo...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_new_oneplus_5_color_will_be_gold-news-26567.php

Unlocked Asus Zenfone AR is now in stock in the US

Less than 24 hours ago, the Asus Zenfone AR finally made its much anticipated debut in the US, when pre-orders started for the smartphone at Verizon. While Big Red will be the only US carrier to sell the Zenfone AR, there's also an unlocked version of the phone for the country - and this one has become available today. If you don't mind grabbing the iteration that has 'only' 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage, then know that it's currently in stock at Amazon. You'll have to pay $599 for the privilege of owning the first handset that's compatible with both Google's Tango AR and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/unlocked_asus_zenfone_ar_is_now_in_stock_in_the_us-news-26568.php

FC Barcelona Oppo R11 coming next week

Oppo is all set to announce a new variant of the R11 smartphone. The company has started sending out invites for an August 8 event, hinting that the phone's FC Barcelona Edition will be the star of the event. The new model is expected to carry same specs as the standard R11 phone, but the UI is likely to be FCB-themed and some club logos will likely appear on the back. A different color scheme might also be on the cards. Pricing will likely be higher as with most limited edition handsets. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/fc_barcelona_oppo_r11_coming_next_week-news-26553.php

Motorola launches Moto Hubs, exclusive chain of retail outlets in India

Motorola has announced that it will be opening a chain of retail stores across India. Called Moto Hubs, these stores will let customers do something they haven't for a while with Motorola devices in India: try them out before buying. Check out the #motohub now at:GIP Mall & Logix Mall at NoidaShipra Mall at IndirapuramXperia Mall, Korum Mall & Viviana Mall at Mumbai pic.twitter.com/amUmgQ1cQq— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) August 3, 2017 Six of the stores are launching today, including two in NOIDA (Great India Place, Logix Mall), one in Indirapuram (Shipra Mall), and three near...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_launches_moto_hubs_exclusive_chain_of_retail_outlets_in_india-news-26566.php

Nokia 8 may run Android 8.0.0 from day one

We've already seen plenty of benchmarks of the upcoming Nokia 8, which will finally become official on August 16. Some were even outed while there was still some confusion about the name of Nokia's first Android-powered flagship, namely whether HMD Global would go for 8 or 9. Now that the Nokia 8 moniker is pretty much set in stone, we may have uncovered the reason for the Finns preferring it to Nokia 9. A new Geekbench run by a device referred to as "Unknown Heart", which has a Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB of RAM, sees it running Android 8.0.0. This is a first, but keep in mind that...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_8_may_run_android_800_from_day_one-news-26569.php

Nokia 2 photo shows front and back, but no specs

Artist renderings sure are pretty, but some take artistic license. Photographs are better, so here's a spy shot of the Nokia 2, which seems to live up to the leaked illustration from a couple of weeks ago. Nokia 2 (leaked photo) Photo or not, this leak does little to fill in the blanks in the baby Nokia's spec sheet. We're expecting a 5" 720p screen and a Snapdragon 210/212 chipset with 1GB of RAM. The selfie cam on the left should take 5MP photos, the rear cam should do 8MP (the video is bound to be 720p, it's the best the chipset can do). Source

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_2_photo_shows_front_and_back_but_no_specs-news-26565.php

iPhone 8 reportedly goes into mass production

The iPhone 8 has allegedly gone into production, which means the slew of component leaks should go up in plausibility. How many components could Apple's partners make before the launch in September? Analyst are fairly confident that the answer is "few". Even so, Apple was quite confident that Q4 will be a strong quarter and provided a high guidance when it published its last financial report. We shudder to think how long the lines will be if supplies are limited. Right on time! As expected, #iPhone8 mass production just started what means first genuine components should therefore start...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_8_reportedly_goes_into_mass_production-news-26564.php

alcatel Idol 5 images appear on FCC

The alcatel Idol 5S is now official, which made us suspect that the company might be skipping number 5, but the phone is apparently still being developed. The phone appeared on the FCC website, and its design was leaked in full glory. We also know this is the actual name since the manual was also updated. Looking at the device, we see some differences from the alcatel Idol 5S. It does not have the front-facing speakers, while on the back the dual-LED flash is positioned on the right side of the camera instead of being below it. The FCC listing also...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_idol_5_images_appear_on_fcc-news-26563.php

Samsung Galaxy Note8 to go on sale on September 15, Korean carriers execs claim

You know the what, how about the when? The Samsung Galaxy Note8 will be unveiled on August 23 but sales will start later - on September 15, a new rumor claims. That's for the South Korean market, which traditionally is among the first to get Samsung's latest flagships (the US launch will likely be at the same time). There will be a pre-order period first, lasting 10-14 days. Analysts are glancing at the calendar, wondering if the Galaxy Note8 launch will coincide with the LG V30 (set to be unveiled at IFA, August 31). Chances are that the two releases will be close and it will be a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note8_to_go_on_sale_on_september_15_korean_carriers_execs_claim-news-26562.php

iPhone 8 will have Smart Camera scenes, will support fast and wireless charging

Apple is helping developers get ready for the launch of iOS 11 and inadvertently revealed details of the iPhone 8. Devs already uncovered the design of the phone, now they dug up something cool for the camear too - smart scenes. Called "Smart Camera", the feature will automatically adjust the settings for a variety of scenarios: photographing babies, pets, fast motion, low-light scenes, sunset/sunrise, even printed documents. Smart Camera scene types • Apple Pay + FaceID It seems that the infrared facial recognition (aka Pearl ID) will be used in Apple Pay too. Wireless...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_8_will_have_smart_camera_scenes_will_support_fast_and_wireless_charging-news-26561.php

Android O could come out next week

Developer Preview 4 of Android O was released last Monday (July 24), and it was a release candidate. Unless any major bugs are uncovered, the final version will come out soon - perhaps as soon as next week. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL are first in line to get the new major OS version. It will bring Project Trebble, Autofill, Blob emoji and more. Perhaps we'll even get to learn what desert it is named after - the current front runner seems to be oatmeal cookie. Note that there's a chance the the O release will be pushed back. Last year, Android 7.0 Nougat started to roll out to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_o_could_come_out_next_week-news-26560.php

Samsung Galaxy J7 Max preview: A closer look

The J7 Max is one of Samsung's continued attempts to compete in the mid-range market against the onslaught of Chinese devices. While previous attempts weren't particularly impressive, perhaps this time the company has managed to get the price to performance ratio right. We're about to see.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_j7_max-review-1636.php

Moto G5 Plus deal (US): 32GB model is $30 off, 64GB model is $50 off

The G5S may be official, but the Moto G5 Plus got a price cut that makes them worth another look. The G5 Plus offers a 5.2" 1080p screen, Snapdragon 625 chipset with a 3,000mAh battery and a 13MP/2160p main camera. Compared to the G5S Plus, you get the same chipset and battery, but a smaller screen (vs. 5.5") and you miss out on the dual camera. The 2GB/32GB model is $200 on B&H Photo Video and on Amazon.com. It's probably worthwhile to upgrade to the 4GB/64GB model for $250 from B&H Photo Video (Amazon has it for $300). Note that the B&H deal ends today (at 3 AM ET). Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g5_plus_deal_us_32gb_model_is_30_off_64gb_model_is_50_off-news-26559.php

Samsung Galaxy S8 shipments exceed 20 million

Samsung has managed to ship over 20 million units of its Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagships, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics. The milestone was achieved in July. The research firm notes that the per day shipments of the flagship duo stood at 278,800 following its launch on April 21. So in total, the tech giant shipped 19.8 million units in the April-June period. Likely because of that, even the average selling price (ASP) of Samsung phones in that period shot up. There were reports last month that Galaxy S8 sales are slowing down, but Samsung quickly refuted them,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/shipments_figure_for_samsung_galaxy_s8_stands_north_of_20_million-news-26558.php