Leaked iOS 11 GM shows Face ID, iPhone 8 features, new wallpapers and animated emoji

We are just three days away from the announcement of the new iPhone as well as the official release of iOS 11. But someone leaked the GM (Gold Master, or the final version) of iOS 11 this morning and we suddenly have a whole bunch of things coming out of it. First of all, the OS itself comes with a handful of new wallpapers. This might not sound like much but Apple rarely new wallpapers to iOS so it's kind of a big deal. Meet the Apple Face ID™ setup video (gif sequence). It grows on ya. pic.twitter.com/QYCRsFuISA— Brian Roemmele (@BrianRoemmele) September 9, 2017 More...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_ios_11_gm_shows_face_id_iphone_8_features_new_wallpapers_and_animated_emoji-news-27188.php

New Asus Zenfone 4 update enables low light HDR, HTC U11 gets updated as well

Asus has started pushing out a new update to its Zenfone 4 (ZE554KL) smartphone. Arriving as version 14.1050.1708.45, the update brings along a couple of camera-related changes and some bug fixes. Basically, the update includes improvements to camera quality. Not only that, it also enables low light HDR. As for bug fixes, the update fixes Contact app crash that happened "after having a call with hiding phone number." Another fix is related to receiver, which went "silent when turn on the touch sound." Meanwhile, there's some update-related news for Sprint HTC U11 users as well. The...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_asus_zenfone_4_update_enables_low_light_hdr-news-27185.php

Essential Phone is now available to purchase in US and Canada

Late last month, we told you that the Essential Phone will reach pre-order customers' hands in the US by the end of the month. And now, it has come to light that the device is available on open sale in the country. The company has the Black Moon color listed on its website for immediate shipping, and is asking $699 for it. Aside from Essential, the device is also being offered by third-party several retailers. While Amazon, Best Buy, and Sprint have the phone listed on their websites, immediate shipment isn't being offered by any of them at the moment. Sprint, however, mentions that...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/essential_phone_is_now_available_to_purchase_in_us_and_canada-news-27184.php

Specs leak for Huawei Mate 10 'Alps' and 'Blanc' variants

Huawei has already confirmed that the Mate 10 series of smartphones will be made official on October 16. So far, we know the standard Mate 10 is internally codenamed as Marcel, while the Pro variant is Blanc. Now, thanks to new information leaked by @evleaks, we can tell you that there's another model in the series that carries the code-name Alps. Huawei Mate 10 'Alps' and 'Blanc' variants detailed https://t.co/NojruBIzIB pic.twitter.com/1MrF13MKVS— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 8, 2017 Specs for Blanc and Alps have leaked as well. Starting with the former, it's powered by the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/specs_leak_for_huawei_mate_10_alps_and_blanc_variants-news-27186.php

Samsung begins working on Galaxy S8 Oreo update

According to a new report, Samsung has started working on the Oreo update for its Galaxy S8 series of smartphones. The update could carry firmware version of G955FXXU1BQI1 and G950FXXU1BQI1 for the S8 and S8+, respectively. While there's no information on the roll out time-frame, the report notes the South Korean company will likely kick off a beta testing program before pushing out the update to all. It also says the firm might not implement all Android 8.0 features in the update. Recently, OnePlus started pushing the Oreo update to the OnePlus 3 closed beta channel. Among other...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_begins_working_on_galaxy_s8_oreo_update-news-27182.php

Galaxy Note8 pre-orders top all of its predecessors' in the US, 400,000 logged in one day in Korea

Today Samsung has proudly announced that it's received more pre-orders for the Galaxy Note8 in the US than for any of its six predecessors. This means it's already shaping up to be the best selling Note ever, and it's not even in stores yet - it will make its debut on physical retail shelves on September 15. The company is obviously pretty happy with this accomplishment, as you'd imagine. Over in its home country of South Korea, 395,000 pre-orders for the phone have been logged after just one day. The ill-fated Note7 managed to net 380,000 pre-orders over the entire 13-day pre-sale...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note8_preorders_top_all_of_its_predecessors_in_the_us_400000_logged_in_one_day_in_korea-news-27181.php

YouTube rolls out HDR support for Pixels, Galaxy S8 and Note8, LG V30, and Sony Xperia XZ Premium

The YouTube app for Android is starting to support HDR videos on select devices. Google is currently rolling out the new feature. You'll be able to see videos shot in HDR displayed with HDR in the app if you own a Google Pixel (or Pixel XL), Samsung Galaxy S8 (or S8+) or Note8, LG V30, or Sony's Xperia XZ Premium. That's the entire list at the moment. As usual with Google's rollouts of new functions inside its mobile apps or services, not everyone who has one of those handsets is currently seeing the HDR support added. In order to tell if you're one of the lucky ones, you need to play a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/youtube_rolls_out_hdr_support_for_pixels_galaxy_s8_and_note8_lg_v30_and_sony_xperia_xz_premium-news-27180.php

Galaxy Note8 teardown reveals modular but tough to get to components

The latest handset to go through the teardown procedures performed by the folks at iFixit is Samsung's new flagship, the Galaxy Note8. It's managed to fare much better in the repairability department than the recently torn down Essential Phone, but that doesn't mean the Note8 is easy to get into - at all, unfortunately. Any repair you may want to make requires you to remove the glass rear panel, which is a challenging task to accomplish because of how much adhesive is holding it in place. If you want to replace the screen, you'll need to remove both the display assembly and the rear panel...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note8_teardown_reveals_modular_but_tough_to_get_to_components_inside-news-27179.php

LG Q6 preview: A closer look

The Q6 is LG's latest crack at the budget smartphone market. But instead of making yet another cookie cutter device, LG has decided to shape it in the mold of its flagship device, the LG G6.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_q6-review-1655.php

vivo X20 to come with Snapdragon 660, blazing fast Face Unlock

The upcoming vivo X20 will be powered by a Snapdragon 660 chipset and offer facial recognition that will be able to unlock the device within 0.1s. vivo itself confirmed the Face Wake (as it calls it) feature officially through a teaser on its Weibo account while the chipset comes by way of a leaked image showing the phone in the wild. vivo X20 Face Unlock and Snapdragon 660 This clears the air as to the differences between the vivo V7+, which was officially announced yesterday, and the X20. The V7+ uses a Snapdragon 450 chipset with 4GB of RAM (or 3GB depending on the model)...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_x20_will_use_a_snapdragon_660_and_feature_01s_face_unlock-news-27178.php

Snapdragon 836 delayed until next year, Pixel 2 will use 835

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will likely be powered by a Snapdragon 835, instead of a Snapdragon 836. Apparently Qualcomm has been forced to delay the upgraded chipset until the beginning of next year. Snapdragon 836 is still likely coming, despite some other rumors. So, 836: QCT had told GOOG to expect it, but then delayed it until early next year (tho perhaps under diff branding), forcing Pixels to 835.— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 8, 2017 The Pixel duo is expected to become official on October 5. If the differences between the Snapdragon 820 and 821 are anything to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/snapdragon_836_delayed_until_next_year_pixel_2_will_use_835-news-27177.php

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 gets official teaser, will be the bigger Mi 6

Xiaomi's co-founder Lin Bin is at it again, teasing the maker's upcoming smartphones. In his latest post on Weibo he asks if we want the Mi Mix 2 or a larger version of the Mi 6. The teaser comes accompanied by an image of the Mi Note 3. So the Mi Note 3 may be the other device Xiaomi will launch at the September 11 event for the next Mi Mix 2. And it looks like there will not be a Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus but rather the Xiaomi Mi Note 3. We've already heard whispers that the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 could turn up earlier than its predecessor. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_note_3_gets_official_teaser_will_be_the_bigger_mi_6-news-27175.php

WhatsApp adds picture-in-picture support for video calls

WhatsApp has updated the stable version of the app with a couple of features that it added to the beta version a while back. Users can now enjoy PiP video calls and have text-only Status messages. We have already discussed the text-only status message feature before so we will just talk about PiP here. PiP or picture-in-picture mode is a feature of Android Oreo that lets a video element continue to run in a small window even if the main app is minimized. WhatsApp takes advantage of this feature by letting you minimize your video call to a small window if you leave the main app and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_adds_pictureinpicture_support_for_video_calls-news-27174.php

Samsung SM-G892U gets WiFi certified, could be global Galaxy S8 Active

A new Samsung smartphone has been certified by the WiFi Alliance (WFA). The listing reveals the device carries a model number of SM-G892U, and runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. The model number (SM-G892U) is similar to the one that the existing Samsung Galaxy S8 Active carries (SM-G892A). So it's quite possible Samsung is preparing to launch a new variant of the S8 Active. The 'U' towards the end of the model number further hints that the SM-G892U could possibly be the unlocked global Galaxy S8 Active model - the initial S8 Active, as has always been the case with Galaxy S...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_smg892u_gets_wifi_certified_could_be_unlocked_galaxy_s8_active-news-27171.php

US won't be getting BlackBerry Keyone Black Edition

At the start of August BlackBerry launched the Keyone Black Edition model, with India becoming the first market to get it. Besides being all black, the variant also has better memory configuration (4GB/64GB) compared to the standard Keyone. The Black Edition went global at the recently concluded IFA conference in Berlin, where the company revealed the variant will arrive in key markets across Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia. While BlackBerry didn't officially mention the United States anywhere, a new report is now confirming that the US won't be getting the Black...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/us_wont_be_getting_blackberry_keyone_black_edition-news-27170.php

BLU S1 leaks with octa-core CPU and 13MP camera, coming to Sprint

A new BLU smartphone has leaked. Dubbed S1, the device is listed on Sprint's coverage website, strongly indicating it will be made official soon. This would also make the S1 the first BLU device to work on Sprint. While Sprint doesn't reveal anything about the S1 at the moment, the phone's listing on Best Cellular's website gives away almost everything, including images, specifications, and pricing. Specs-wise, the handset is powered by Mediatek's MTK6750 SoC, and sports a 5.2-inch HD display. RAM is 2GB, while internal memory is 16GB. The camera department is handled by a 13MP rear...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_s1_leaks_with_octacore_cpu_and_13mp_camera_coming_to_sprint-news-27167.php

Galaxy Note8 undergoes scratch, burn, and bend test

Now that Samsung's Galaxy Note8 is starting to ship to eager customers who've pre-ordered it, it's time for the JerryRigEverything YouTube channel to give us the results of its traditional scratch, burn and bend test. The Note8 is the latest device to fall victim to this torture test, and the full ordeal is embedded below for your viewing pleasure. In case you can't watch that, here's a short summary. The Note8 comes off as sturdy. The glass scratches at exactly the hardness level you'd expect it to, and the handset is impossible to bend when normal levels of force are applied. The...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note8_undergoes_scratch_burn_and_bend_test-news-27166.php

T-Mobile has the fastest mobile data speeds in the US, Ookla report reveals

Wondering which of the big four US carriers has the top mobile data speeds? Wonder no more, for Ookla, the company behind the Speedtest.net service has published a new report today telling us just that. According to the speed tests performed on its website and through its mobile apps, T-Mobile leads the pack in the States when it comes to speed. Its average speed score was 23.17Mbps nationwide, followed by Verizon with 21.13Mbps, AT&T with 20.05Mbps, and Sprint with 15.39Mbps. The rankings don't change when only the 100 most populated Cellular Market Areas are taken into account,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_has_the_fastest_mobile_data_speeds_in_the_us_ookla_report_reveals-news-27165.php

First image of Huawei Mate 10 leaks, show no home button

Only yesterday we saw an array of renders of the expected Huawei Mate 10 made with factory CAD and dimensions data and today we see the first alleged live picture of the device. The picture, shown below, reportedly contains the Huawei Mate 10 with its edge-to-edge display and button-less front. Interestingly the renders showed a button, but that's not to be seen here. Given that the Huawei Mate 9 had no physical controls on the front this image may very well be genuine. We've also heard talk of regular and Pro versions of the Mate 10, so we might have seen two different devices....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/first_image_of_huawei_mate_10_leaks_show_no_home_button-news-27163.php

Video shows vivo X20 operational in the wild

Here's the first video of the vivo X20. It doesn't divulge much in terms of specs or features but does show the phone from both sides (we have seen it in stationary form). Meanwhile a slide seems to confirm that the phone will have 24MP cameras on the front and on the back. What the resolution of the second camera on the back will be is unknown. What we do know so far is that the vivo X20 will have an 18:9 5.8-inch display with a 1080x2160px resolution, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a Snapdragon chip (likely a 660). Thanks for the tips, everyone! Source 1 | 2

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/video_shows_vivo_x20_operational_in_the_wild-news-27162.php

Google in talks to buy HTC's smartphone business

HTC hasn't been financially successful for awhile now and it seems it's now fully in danger of being consumed by a bigger company. In this case the rumors point to Google as the interested party. Apparently talks are being held between Google and HTC about a possible acquisition of HTC's smartphone business (leaving the Vive VR business) but the information is strictly unofficial and there are no specific ammounts mentioned. The news is made plausible for two reasons - Google needs a hardware manufacturing arm for its Pixel smartphones and HTC has just suffered its worst financial...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_could_buy_htcs_smartphone_business-news-27161.php

Apple issues iOS 11 developer beta 10

Apple has just issued the 10th developer beta (15A5372a) for iOS 11 and you can download it right now (if you're enrolled for it). Apple doesn't specify if this is the final beta or not. You can download the beta at Apple's Developer site if you're a registered, paying dev or check out Apple's Public Beta site for the 9th public beta released earlier this week. Apple will announce its upcoming iPhone hardware at next week's event (on the 12th) and should release iOS 11 for all users a week after that. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_issues_ios_11_developer_beta_10-news-27164.php

Official Galaxy C8 pics leak, looks like a China-bound J7+

The Samsung Galaxy C8 is edging closer to an official unveiling as the leaks involving it are intensifying. A set of very official-looking press images has surfaced showing the device from all sides and solidifying the information that it will pack a dual camera on the back. The phone in the leaked set of pics looks just like the recently announced Galaxy J7+ (previously rumored to be called the Galaxy C7 - yeah, it's complicated). The Galaxy J7+ was announced for the Taiwanese market and the Galaxy C8 will likely be its counterpart for China. What the Galaxy C7 will turn out to be is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/official_galaxy_c8_pics_leak_is_it_just_a_chinabound_j7-news-27160.php

Xiaomi to unveil one more device alongside Mi Mix 2

Xiaomi may unveil more than one device at its September 11 event. As you might already know, one of the devices is already confirmed to be the Mi Mix 2, but there's no information about the second one. The Chinese company's president Lin Bin who dropped hints about a second product unveiling in a recent Weibo post. The first-gen Mi Mix went official last October. Alongside it, the company also unveiled the Mi Note 2. So it's reasonable to assume that the second device that Xiaomi president is talking about could well be the Mi Note 3. Adding weight to this assumption are recent...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_may_unveil_one_more_device_at_mi_mix_2_unveiling_latter_stars_in_new_teaser_video-news-27158.php

Motorola Moto XT1799-2 appears on TENAA with 4GB RAM and Android Nougat

A new Motorola smartphone has been certified by China's TENAA. Listed as Moto XT1799-2, the device sports a 5.2-inch Full HD display, and comes in 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB memory configurations. The listing also reveals an SoC with dual-core, 1.5GHz processor. That probably is a typo, though, as there are no dual-core chipsets for Android handsets these days. It could be a reference to the number of clusters or to the big cores in some 6-core or 10-core setup. Anyway, there's an 8MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. Measuring 150×73.5×8.2mm and weighing in at 157g, the handset...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_xt17992_appears_on_tenaa_with_4gb_ram_and_android_nougat-news-27155.php

BlackBerry releases September security update for its Android phones

After Nokia, Google, and most recently Sony, it's BlackBerry's turn to push out the latest security update to its Android smartphones. The update bumps the security patch level to September 5. Usually, BlackBerry's vulnerability management team BBSIRT announces the roll out of monthly security updates through their Twitter account, but this time the news comes courtesy of a new post on the company's online Knowledge Base. As is usually the case, units purchased through Shop BlackBerry will be getting the September update first, followed by the carrier variants, that usually receive...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_releases_september_security_update_for_its_android_phones-news-27157.php

vivo V7+ is official with FullView display

Today vivo announced the V7+ - a budget smartphone with an 18:9 "Fullview" display, 24MP front-facing camera and a triple slot for two SIMs and a microSD card. The display on the front is a 5.99-inch 720x1440px IPS panel with an aspect ratio of 18:9 and nearly no bezels. There's a Snapdragon 450 chipset with an octa-core 1.8GHz processor, Adreno 506 graphics and 4GB of RAM. The storage is 64GB but it can be expanded through the microSD card slot. The vivo V7+ is equipped with a 3,250mAh battery. Vivo V7+ The cameras on the vivo V7+ are the phone's key attractions. We're...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_v7_is_official_for_india_shipping_on_september_15-news-27159.php

Apple iPhone X (or Edition) sized up to all previous iPhones

It's only a few days until Apple finally shows off its next generation iPhones and we're becoming fervent. So it's only natural that we'll be all over any leaks and rumors and best of all - images of the upcoming device. Apple is expected to show off the incremental upgrades iPhone 7s and 7s Plus with the same screen size and general design as sidekicks to the 10 anniversary iPhone 8 with a edge-to-edge OLED display. Courtesy of RedmondPie, which managed to obtain a mockup of the iPhone 8 (or X, or Editon) based on rumored blueprints and schematics, we get to see how the next-gen iPhone...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_x_or_edition_sized_up_to_other_iphones-news-27156.php

ZTE nubia NX907J's GFXBench outing reveals 3GB/32GB variant running Nougat

The ZTE nubia NX907J first came to light back in June this year, when it was spotted on TENAA, revealing an 1.4GHz octa-core processor, 5.5-inch HD display, 2GB/16GB memory, and 13MP/5MP camera combo. Now, the phone has appeared in a benchmark listing. The GFXBench reveals the SoC is from Qualcomm, and suggests there'll likely be a 3GB/32GB variant that runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. If you're wondering about that 9.2-inch display in the GFXBench listing - benchmarks are getting display size estimates wrong all the time, so we'd still trust TENAA and assume screen size is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_nubia_nx907js_gfxbench_outing_reveals_3gb_32gb_variant_running_nougat-news-27154.php

Nokia 8 goes on sale in Germany and Australia

HMD's flagship smartphone - the Nokia 8 - was launched late last month, but has only been available in the company's home country of Finland so far. Well, that changes now, as the device is now on sale in a two more markets: Germany and Australia. Price tag is €579 ($690) and AUD899 ($719), respectively. While those in Germany can head to Amazon to purchase the device, in Australia retailers JB HiFi and Harvey Norman have the phone listed on their websites. The handset is currently available to pre-order in the UK, with launch set for September 13. Cost is £500, with...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_8_flagship_smartphone_now_available_to_purchase_germany_australia-news-27153.php

Oreo update starts rolling out to OnePlus 3 closed beta channel

OnePlus has started pushing out a new update to the OnePlus 3 closed beta group. Weighing in at around 800MB, the update in question brings Android 8.0 Oreo. The update, unsurprisingly, isn't stable - NFC isn't functional yet, WiFi is buggy, hotspot and Bluetooth is unstable, and so on. The Chinese company is aiming to roll out the stable build by mid-September. It's worth mentioning that the OnePlus 3T and 5 closed beta groups are also expected to get the Oreo update soon. Time-frame for their respective stable builds is same as that of the OnePlus 3, which is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oreo_update_starts_rolling_out_to_oneplus_3_closed_beta_channel-news-27150.php

Panasonic announces entry-level P9

Panasonic has launched the entry-level P9 smartphone in India. Priced at INR 6290 ($98), the phone is now available at retail outlets across the country. Panasonic P9 Being an entry-level device the specifications aren't all that exciting. The 5-inch IPS display is protected by Asahi Dragonglass but has a resolution of just 854x480. The phone is powered by a quad-core 1.1GHz MediaTek MT6737M processor and has 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage, which is likely not going to be particularly fun to use. The phone also has a basic 8 megapixel camera on the back with autofocus...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/panasonic_announces_entrylevel_p9-news-27149.php

T-Mobile will give you free Netflix from September 12

T-Mobile has announced its latest 'Un-carrier' move today, following many such unveilings of new perks and features for its customers - some of which have changed the mobile space in the US. This time around it's nothing earth-shattering, but something that will surely be considered a welcome addition by many T-Mobile subscribers. Starting on September 12, if you have two or more lines on the magenta carrier's One plan, you will receive a free subscription to Netflix. Not for a limited time, mind you, but for as long as you have those TMo lines of service. This will be available for new...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_will_give_you_free_netflix_from_september_12-news-27148.php

Android 8.1 is the next version of the OS, Google app reveals

Android 8.0 Oreo has only been out for a couple of weeks at this point, and hasn't actually made it to every single supported Nexus and Pixel device out there yet. Not to mention how long it's going to take for it to land on any other phone or tablet. Even so, maybe you'd like to know what the next version of the OS will be? It's Android 8.1, by the way. This has been revealed by a teardown of the latest iteration of the beta Google app. The SDK used internally by the company to build said app outright says so. As for the name, it makes most sense for Google to keep using Oreo - it...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_81_is_the_next_version_of_the_os_google_app_reveals-news-27147.php

Deal: ZTE Quartz smartwatch with Android Wear 2.0 can be yours for only $48

ZTE launched the Quartz, its first Android Wear smartwatch, back in April, with a $199 price tag on T-Mobile all-in or $192 if you bought it with the Equipment Installment Plan (EIP). Those definitely aren't bad prices for this device, especially considering that it's running the latest Android Wear 2.0. Now though T-Mobile wants you to have the ZTE Quartz for the amazingly low price of $48. That's not a typo. You're saving around $150 indeed. The catch? You need to grab the watch on EIP. If you go this route, instead of shelling out $0 down then $8 per month for two years for the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/deal_zte_quartz_smartwatch_with_android_wear_20_can_be_yours_for_only_48-news-27146.php

Meizu Pro 7 Plus review: Two-Face

Meizu is back with a bang! After the flagship-grade Pro 5, the company released a rather unimpressive Pro 6, and later on, an improved Pro 6 Plus. Just when we thought Meizu might be out of ideas, the Chinese are ready to wow us with the Meizu Pro 7 Plus: a dual-AMOLED dual-camera flagship that could innovate how we see notifications and how we take selfies.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_pro_7_plus-review-1654.php

Samsung Galaxy Note8 supports Google's Daydream VR from day one

Now that some pre-ordered Galaxy Note8 units have already started shipping, you may be wondering about the state of Daydream VR support on the new phablet. And you'd be right to wonder, for despite having all the necessary hardware for use with Google's VR platform, Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+ weren't actually compatible at launch. Instead, their owners had to wait a pretty long time for Daydream support to finally land on the S8 and S8+, and this only happened last month. The good news is that Samsung has apparently learned from that debacle, and is in fact shipping the Note8 with...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note8_supports_googles_daydream_vr_from_day_one-news-27145.php

Microsoft is announcing a new Surface in late October

Microsoft's next Surface-branded device will become official on October 31 in London. On that day the company's Panos Panay will hold a keynote speech, as part of the annual Future Decoded event in London. Note that Panos Panay is usually the guy in charge of introducing new Surface devices to the world, and Microsoft likes to launch new Surface products in October. That a new Surface is coming on that occasion has been confirmed to The Verge by "sources familiar with the company's plans". This could be the already promised Surface Pro with LTE, but that tablet may be joined by a possible...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_is_announcing_a_new_surface_in_late_october-news-27144.php

vivo X20 with "full screen" display leaks in live images

At the moment, vivo is busy working on a "full screen" phone of its own. The Chinese smartphone maker has already shown us the outline of the vivo X20 in an official teaser last month, and in the meantime it's even been certified for sale by TENAA. This means its launch may be imminent. Today a couple of live shots of the vivo X20 caught in the wild have been leaked. The handset these portray lines up perfectly with the images TENAA provided, as well as vivo's own teasers. So now that we know exactly what it looks like, we're hoping vivo will make it official sooner, rather than...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_x20_with_full_screen_display_leaks_in_live_images-news-27143.php

Affordable Honor V9 Play launches alongside even cheaper Honor 6 Play

Just as expected, Huawei's online-only sub-brand Honor unveiled its latest smartphone today. The Honor V9 Play is a budget device that's meant to appeal to price-conscious consumers, but it didn't arrive alone - it brought along an even cheaper Honor 6 Play. Honor V9 Play This model is fitted with a 5.2-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP f/2.2 rear camera with phase detection autofocus, an 8 MP selfie shooter, and a 3,000 mAh battery. It's powered by the MediaTek MT6750 chipset, which boasts a 1.5 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-T860MP2 GPU. The 32GB of built-in storage is...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/affordable_honor_v9_play_launches_alongside_even_cheaper_honor_6_play-news-27142.php

Huawei Mate 10 shown off in leaked renders, video

Huawei chose to skip IFA for the grand unveiling of its next flagship phablet, which it will announce at a special event of its own on October 16 instead. As we get closer to that day, we're starting to see more of the Mate 10, be that in official teasers or leaks. Today we have the now-traditional CAD-based renders coming out, both in image and video form. These are created from leaked schematics and, judging by past occurrences, should pretty accurately represent what you can expect from the Mate 10, design-wise. The biggest change compared to past Mates seems to be the use of a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_10_shown_off_in_leaked_renders_video-news-27141.php

Xiaomi MCT3B clears TENAA with 13MP camera, Android 7.1.2 OS

A new Xiaomi smartphone has been spotted on the website of China's TENAA. Listed as MCT3B, the device is powered by an SoC with quad-core, 1.4GHz processor, and sports a 5-inch HD display. RAM is 3GB, while internal memory is 32GB. The camera department is handled by a 13MP main unit and a 5MP selfie shooter. Measuring 140.44×70.14×8.35mm and weighing in at 137g, the handset runs Android Nougat (version 7.1.2) and packs in a 3,000mAh battery. Color options include black, rose gold, gold, white, blue, red, pink, gray, and silver. There's currently no information on the phone's...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mct3b_clears_tenaa_with_13mp_camera_android_712_os-news-27138.php

Nougat for Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) arrives in India

Samsung has started pushing out a new update to Galaxy J7 (2016) units in India. Arriving as version J710FXXU3BQHC and weighing in at around 1,030MB, the update brings along Android 7.0 Nougat OS. As clear from the change-log, the update includes changes like Samsung Experience UX, improved notifications and Quick settings button, and Multi-window mode. Given the fact that it's an OTA roll out, it might take time for the update notification to pop up, so be patient. For what it's worth, the update has already been made available in Russia, something which happened last week. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nougat_for_samsung_galaxy_j7_2016_arrives_in_india-news-27137.php

Lenovo announces K8 and K8 Plus

Lenovo has announced the K8 and K8 Plus smartphones in India. Lenovo K8 Plus The K8 Plus is the cheapest Lenovo phone to have a dual camera system on the back. The main 13 megapixel camera is complemented by a 5 megapixel depth sensor, which provides shallow depth of field effect for your subjects. The phone has a 5.2-inch 1080p with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and is powered by MediaTek Helio P25 processor with 3/4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. The battery is a large 4000mAh but there doesn't seem to be any fast charging. Lenovo K8 The K8 is an even more...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_announces_k8_and_k8_plus-news-27140.php

Samsung reportedly confirms Tizen 3.0 update for Gear S3

According to a recent report, Samsung has confirmed that the Gear S3 smartwatch will get the Tizen 3.0 update. This comes shortly after the South Korean company unveiled the Gear Sport, which runs Tizen 3.0 out of the box. Sadly, there's currently no information on exactly when the roll out will begin, although reports say it should happen by the time the Gear Sport is made available for purchase. The report also notes the tech giant didn't confirm Tizen 3.0 for the Gear Fit2, possibly indicating that it won't get the update. Via 1 2

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_reportedly_confirms_tizen_30_update_for_gear_s3-news-27136.php

Motorola Moto Z currently going for $400 in US

If you are a Motorola fan in the US, and are planning to purchase the Moto Z, you'll be glad to know the device is currently available at discounted rates in the country. Specifically, Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H all have the 64GB model listed for $399.99. That, if you compare, is a whopping $300 less than what the device usually goes for at these retailers. A quick look at Motorola's official website, however, reveals a price tag of $450, which means purchasing from Amazon, Best Buy, or B&H will save you at-least $50. While Amazon and Best Buy don't reveal when the promo ends, the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_z_currently_going_for_400_in_us-news-27135.php

Huawei overtakes Apple to become world's second-largest smartphone company

According to a new report from market research firm Counterpoint, Huawei has surpassed Apple to become the second largest smartphone company in the world. The Chinese firm achieved the feat consistently for the month of June and July. The first spot was retained by Samsung. The report also notes that August sales for Huawei are looking strong as well, so it won't be a surprise if the company completes a hat-trick. The report also revealed the best selling models in the month of July. While the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus captured the first two spots, Oppo's R11 and A57 came in third and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_overtakes_apple_to_become_worlds_secondlargest_smartphone_company-news-27139.php

Nougat update starts hitting Verizon Asus ZenPad Z10

Verizon has started pushing out a new update to Asus ZenPad Z10 units on its network. Arriving as software version 5.4.4, the update bumps the OS to Android Nougat (version 7.0), bringing features like multi-window mode and refreshed quick settings. Aside from the new OS version, the update also includes Android security fixes for the month of August - post update, the security patch level should be 2017-08-01. For more details regarding the update, head to the Source link below. Source | Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nougat_update_starts_hitting_verizon_asus_zenpad_z10-news-27134.php

Huawei Nexus 6P will get Oreo on September 11, according to Rogers

Android Oreo 8.0 has already hit the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL. There is still question as to when Nexus devices will start to see the major Android update. After all, the last generation of Nexus devices (Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P) are on the top of Google's priority for Oreo. Canadian carrier Rogers has its firmware schedule up and it shows that the Nexus 6P is expected to receive Android 8.0 Oreo on September 11. Keep in mind that it's entirely possible the schedule is inaccurate. It's entirely possible that we can see the 6P get Oreo before, or, or after the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_nexus_6p_will_get_oreo_on_september_11_according_to_rogers-news-27133.php

Nokia 5 gets September security patch before Google Pixels

One of the Google Pixel's main selling points is the prompt arrival of Android updates, including monthly maintenance updates for security. However, the first device to be updated to Google's security bulletin for the month of September is not a Pixel or Nexus device. Instead, the first to get the security patch is a midrange smartphone from HMD, the Nokia 5. The OTA update will occupy about 140MB of storage, though the Nokia 5 remains on 7.1.1. In addition to the Nokia 5 being updated very promptly, there's a high likelihood that Google will take a bit more time with the Pixel...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_5_gets_september_security_patch_before_pixels-news-27132.php