Sources claim Xiaomi won't unveil the Mi 7 at MWC 2018

As we inch towards MWC 2018, tensions within the industry are mounting, as per usual. With rumors flying left and right, it's incredibly hard to paint a good picture of company inner-working and relations, especially around this time of year. However, there has been an undeniable serge in scheduling and timing reports and issues as of late and Xiaomi is now part of that list as well. Unlike last year, Xiaomi will definitely be present at the Barcelona venue this time around. However, a high-ranking company employee has allegedly stated in anonymity that there will be no major announcements...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/sources_claim_xiaomi_wont_unveil_the_mi_7_at_mwc_2018-news-29352.php

Another Nokia 10 sketch hints at penta-camera setup

The plot thickens regarding the eagerly-anticipated Nokia 10 and its alleged penta-camera setup. To be clear, beyond a leaked Snapdragon 845 future device list and a few crude schematics, at this point, no concrete evidence has been brought forward to prove HMD is even working on a Nokia 10, let alone one with a revolutionary camera. That being said, however, the various bits and pieces do seem to be aligning suspiciously well, forming an overall picture. The latest development comes in the form of a rather detailed sketch of the back side of the alleged Nokia 10. Its source is an...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/another_nokia_10_sketch_hints_at_pentacamera_setup-news-29351.php

Meizu's Flyme 7 UI rumoured to debut on February 24

It's been a little over a year since Meizu officially took the wrapper off Flyme OS 6, so the timing is right for the next major iteration of the company's custom Android UI. In fact, Flyme 7 appears to be right around the corner, as teased by a freshly leaked banner. It cites a February 24 release date and is more or less the first credible piece of info we have seen on the ROM. While a month, or so, is plenty of time for new information to surface, thankfully, the leak also features what appears to be a screen grab from the change highlights on a Flyme7v982.BETA281 update. Our...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizus_flyme_7_ui_rumoured_to_debut_on_february_24-news-29349.php

Mysterious Nokia 7 Plus spotted in GeekBench listing

HMD Global's ambitious revival of the Nokia smartphone brand has been going strong at an impressive pace these past few months. Nokia has already promised an "awesome" MWC 2018 press event and leaks are flying left and right, so there are no real signs of slowdown either. In a new potential development, a rather interesting GeekBench listing has popped up online, originating from what appears to be a Nokia 7 Plus. Now, it is important to note that spoofing data for GeekBench and other benchmarks to pick up is not a difficult or uncommon process. Still, given the benefit of the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/mysterious_nokia_7_plus_spotted_in_geekbench_listing-news-29348.php

New Honor V10 update brings Party Mode

The Honor V10 has started receiving a new update that brings along a handful of changes. Prime among them is a new Party Mode feature - available through an app of the same name - that lets you play same song simultaneously at parties. Basically, the feature allows you to connect several Honor V10 phones using NFC to play a song simultaneously, "producing a multi-channel sound effect for a supreme audio experience," the company says. In addition, the update also adds a third-party provided Network optimization feature in the Game Suite app (it's a paid service), and includes...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_honor_v10_update_brings_party_mode-news-29347.php

New Dell XPS 13 will 4K now available in the US

At CES, Dell announced a new update version of its popular ultra-portable clamshell laptop: the XPS 13. Along with a new higher-res 4K display, the new XPS 13 will also come with the latest 8th generation Intel processors to offer a bump in performance and efficiency with up to 11 hours of advertised battery life. There will be two colors available: Silver and Rose Gold. The silver model has a darker gray-colored palm rest and keyboard while the outer shell is, well, silver. Meanwhile, the Rose Gold option has a goldish-pinkish lid and the rest of the laptop is white. The new XPS 13...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_dell_xps_13_will_4k_now_available_from_microsoft_in_the_us-news-29345.php

OnePlus releases statement about clipboard data accusation

We've learned in the past few years how much of a double-edged sword the internet could be with how quickly stories can go viral or be blown out of proportion. Last time, a particular Twitter user thought he found information that proved OnePlus was sending usage stats to a server in China. While he did find the framework for a system app to send this information. It was actually disabled and inactive. The same Twitter user uncovers similar information when (seemingly) messing with a decompiled version of the clipboard app. Unfortunately, the OP only provided the framework and code but was...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_releases_statement_about_another_clipboard_data_accusation-news-29344.php

Sony Xperia XA2 review

Sony may be looking beyond smartphones but the Xperia line is still standing its ground. The recently unveiled Xperia XA2 series is not only a statement of persistence, but also shows intent for expansion. And the Xperia XA2 bodes well for Sony's new generation of smartphones this season.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xa2-review-1714.php

Verizon starts Buy one, get one $699 off deal on iPhone X and iPhone 8 on Monday

A couple of weeks or so ago, T-Mobile started a new promotion for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus, whereas if you buy two of them, the second unit will be $700 off. Today Verizon has announced that it's going to have basically the same deal up for grabs starting on Monday, January 29, "for a limited time". You get $699 off a second iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X. In order to be eligible, you will need to purchase both devices on device payment, activate a new line on Verizon's unlimited plan, and trade in an old phone within 30 days. The $699 discount will be provided as a bill credit...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_starts_buy_one_get_one_699_off_deal_on_iphone_x_and_iphone_8_on_monday-news-29343.php

Galaxy S9 and S9+ press images leak, look largely familiar

The Galaxy S9 duo have leaked again, this time in a press image, courtesy Evan Blass aka evleaks writing for VentureBeat. From the image, you wouldn't really be able to tell these are new devices at first glance until someone told you otherwise. The phones feature largely the same design as last year's S8 and S8+ but have slightly thinner bezels, especially at the bottom. Although the back of the phones aren't visible in this image, Blass confirmed that it will be different from the current S8, wherein the cameras will be mounted vertically and the fingerprint sensor placed...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s9_and_s9_press_images_leak_look_largely_familiar-news-29342.php

Concept: How we hope battery management in iOS 11.3 will look like

Apple has officially confirmed what Tim Cook announced in a speech earlier this month. "iOS 11.3 adds new features to show battery health and recommend if a battery needs to be serviced. These can be found in Settings -> Battery and are available for iPhone 6 and later. Additionally, users can now see if the power management feature that dynamically manages maximum performance to prevent unexpected shutdowns, first introduced in iOS 10.2.1, is on and can choose to turn it off". Apple is still working on these features, so they didn't make the cut for the first iOS 11.3 beta. Before...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/ios_113_battery_concepts-news-29322.php

Deal: Get a Galaxy S7 Edge for $240, Galaxy Note5 for $145

Fancy getting yourself a capable smartphone at a bargain price to start the weekend right? A few deals from Daily Steals let you have last year's flagships for fractions of their prices if you can live with a minor scratch or two. Starting with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge - you can get it in two versions - "Scratch and dent" for $260 and B Grade for $290. The first of those is said to have some obvious signs of wear and tear, but no cracks on the screen, while the B grade items will only have minor blemishes here and there. The phone is available in both GSM only and GSM&CDMA...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deal_get_a_refurbished_samsung_galaxy_s7_edge_for_240_galaxy_note5_for_145-news-29341.php

Chrome 64 on Android prevents ads from opening new tabs

Google has also updated the Android version of the Chrome app to version 64. The major change in this version is that the browser will now prevent ads from opening new tabs without your permission. This is slightly different from pop-up blocking, where usually an ad will break out of its iframe, called frame busting, and take hold of the browser navigation and redirect the user to sites where you usually see messages like your device has virus or some other call to action. This new change should prevent ads from taking hold of the browser navigation unless the redirect matches the URL of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/chrome_64_on_android_prevents_ads_from_opening_new_tabs-news-29340.php

Xiaomi Mi 7 price to start from $475

Xiaomi is famous for its policy of building fabulous value for price phones. Its 2017 flagship, the Xiaomi Mi 6 was launched at prices between $360 and $435. Sources from China suggest the Mi 7's price will start at CNY3,000 or around $475 with inflation and conversion rates are taken into account. Xiaomi's current flagship - the Mi 6 Pricing its phone in the three-thousands of the Chinese currency will be a first for Xiaomi. The price is expected to be justified with Snapdragon 845 chipset, 8 GB RAM and 5.65" display with FullHD+ resolution. There is also a rumor about a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_7_price_start_from_475-news-29339.php

Poor iPhone X sales slow down Samsung OLED business

Just days after the report that Apple sold 29 million iPhone X units, industry insiders from South Korea reported Samsung is lowering the production rate of one OLED factory by 10%. The Korean manufacturer is also postponing expansion plans in Vietnam amid growing uncertainties regarding the Apple flagship future. A source reportedly told that "the A3 plant is specifically designed to supply panels to Apple only. Unless supplies to Apple do not recover, it is unavoidable for Samsung to see weaker earning this year". The factory produces 135,000 OLEDs per month of which more than 100,000 go...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/poor_iphone_x_sales_slow_down_samsung_oled_business-news-29337.php

NOW TV launches TV Smart Stick With Voice Commands

Look what we've got here, another way to watch our very own Angie's and Will's phone reviews on GSMArena's YouTube channel. Available towards the end of February, NOW TV has announced the NOW TV Smart Stick for £14.99. The NOW TV Smart Stick is Roku powered and will give you access to some of the UK's catch-up services, including BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub and All 4, and you can download over 50 apps including YouTube, Sky Store and Vevo. For a full list of apps see here. The Smart Stick is also the first NOW TV box that supports voice commands, allowing you to open apps or search...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/now_tv_launches_tv_smart_stick_with_voice_commands-news-29333.php

Meizu 15 appears in renders, to have dual-curved display

After renders of Meizu 15 Plus appeared earlier this week, now a smaller version called Meizu 15 popped up. It seems to be similar to what the images suggested - vertical dual-cam setup on the back with phase detection and laser autofocus and a 10-LED flash, first implemented in the Meizu Pro 6 Plus. On the front, we see a display, curved on both edges like the Galaxy S7 edge and the Galaxy S8 duo. There is also an Apple-like circular fingerprint scanner in the bottom bezel which might bring back the mBack button that got scrapped for a touch-screen Super mBack in the Meizu...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_15_renders_dual_curved_display-news-29335.php

LG claims the LG G7 development is on track

LG has decided to set the record straight - the LG G7 has not been delayed and its design is not being reevaluated. A representative has stated that everything is progressing on schedule, but that's LG's schedule. The exact release date of the G7 is still under consideration. The company will make a decision based on tradition or industry expectations, but will launch its new flagship "when the time is right". LG's statement doesn't say whether the LG G7 will be at the MWC or not. However, the Congress is only a month away so a launch at a separate event is more likely. Nothing...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_claims_the_lg_g7_development_is_on_track-news-29336.php

vivo X30 display panel leaks with a tiny notch on top

Apple introduced the iPhone X with a notch and despite the controversial reception that got, some smartphone makers seemingly plan on following suit. After the Cupertino flagship, the Essential PH-1 and the Sharp Aquos S2, vivo is also planning to introduce the new front panel design with the upcoming X30, as shown by a leaked image. The photos suggest that the new phone will have a tiny notch on top, thin bezel on the bottom and practically non-existent ones on the left and right sides. vivo X30 alleged display There is no information about an upcoming launch or eventual...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/first_image_of_vivo_x30_display_panel_leaks_to_come_with_a_tiny_notch_on_top-news-29331.php

Xiaomi Redmi 5 with 4GB of RAM now available

Ever since it was unveiled in December, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 has been available to purchase in China with either 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, or 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Perhaps responding to market demand, Xiaomi has now quietly launched a third variation of this model, one that comes with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It's already up for grabs from Xiaomi's Chinese online store. That extra 1GB of RAM will cost you CNY 200, though, which means around $31 or €25. That's quite the premium considering that the new 4GB model's price is CNY 1,099 ($173 or €139). Then again,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_5_with_4gb_of_ram_now_available-news-29328.php

Smartphone sales in China fall in 2017 for the first time ever

Canalys has issued its report on the Chinese smartphone market's performance in 2017 today. For the first time ever, there was a year-on-year decline in sales, with 4% less devices sold last year compared to 2016. 459 million smartphones were shipped in China in 2017. The drop in overall yearly sales was heavily influenced by the fourth quarter, when shipments plummeted by over 14% compared to Q4 2016. Huawei is the top dog in its home market, managing to ship 90 million handsets last year, followed by Oppo, vivo, Apple, and Xiaomi. In Q4 Huawei sold 24 million units, Oppo managed...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/smartphone_sales_in_china_fall_for_the_first_time_in_2017-news-29327.php

HTC U12 not coming at MWC 2018

HTC will not announce a new flagship at the Mobile World Congress next month. The Taiwanese manufacturer will hold a separate event after the event in Barcelona where the HTC U12 will be introduced, Android Headlines reports. First alleged render of HTC U12 suggested massive display with even thinner bezels. When announced, the phone is expected to come with Snapdragon 845 and Edge Sense squeeze features. HTC is joining Huawei and LG in withholding its flagship in order to avoid a clash with the expected Samsung Galaxy S9. The Taiwanese company is having a booth at the Gran Via...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u12_not_coming_mwc_2018-news-29326.php

Chrome adds option to mute entire websites

Google is rolling out Chrome 64 for all platforms, which comes with a very useful new feature. You can now mute entire websites that autoplay video so you never have to fumble with the audio controls the next time you open the site. Just right click on the tab and and select 'Mute site' to permanently mute it. Another change is that Chrome is now also better protected against Meltdown and Spectre attacks. The browser has disabled the SharedArrayBuffer feature to prevent further attacks. Lastly, the Windows version also gets HDR support. If you have a Windows 10 PC running the latest...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/chrome_adds_option_to_mute_entire_websites-news-29325.php

GfK: average selling price of smartphones increased at record pace

The average price of smartphones rose at record pace in Q3 last year and then again in Q4. Data by GfK shows that consumers were paying $363 on average, a 10% increase year on year. This also represents the fastest quarterly rise. The number of smartphones sold in Q4 was almost flat - just 1% up. But the revenue from those sales rose significantly, 11% globally. This increase was the biggest in Central and Eastern Europe where unit sales went up 7% but revenues are up 28%. In Western Europe and China, unit sales are down 3% but revenues still increased by a solid 17%. 4Q...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/gfk_average_selling_price_of_smartphones_increased_at_record_pace-news-29323.php

OnePlus stays weird with new 5T video

OnePlus has a history of weird ads. The latest promo, posted on YouTube, proves that the company is no stranger to the cringe, but at least knows how to make a memorable video. The 5T is put against the Samsung Galaxy Note8 to test the processing speed in the most unusual way - winner is the first half-naked guy who opens 20 apps while being bombarded with various cacti species. Both the OnePlus 5T and the Galaxy Note8 are running the Snapdragon 835 chipset in the US market where the ad is expected to air on TV. If the video magically made you crave the 5T, the sexy Lava Red...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_weird_new_5t_video-news-29324.php

Oreo update for Xiaomi Mi A1 suspended again

Android One is supposed to have a better than usual update experience but sometimes things don't go smoothly. Xiaomi has suspended the Oreo update for the Mi A1 for a second time. A new crop of bugs have been discovered and should be patched in the next few days. The most recently released version - build 8.1.10 - fixed a host of bugs but it clearly didn't get them all. EIS isn't enabled yet either. You can check out this thread in the MIUI forum where people are sharing their experience with the Oreo update. Some report issues, which is likely why the rollout was paused yet...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oreo_update_for_xiaomi_mi_a1_suspended_again-news-29321.php

Qualcomm signs $2B MoU with Lenovo, Xiaomi, vivo, Oppo, and ZTE

Qualcomm has signed memorandums of understanding for sales with Lenovo, Oppo, vivo, ZTE, Watech and Xiaomi. The Chinese companies expressed interest in purchasing $2 billion worth of components in the next three years. The companies also agreed to work together in developing 5G-compliant commercial devices by 2019. Steven Mollenkopf, Qualcomm CEO The announcement happened at a special Qualcomm-hosted event in Beijing, where the non-binding agreement was revealed. Reuters reports that it was attended by Cristiano Amon and Steven Mollenkopf, senior executives at the San Diego...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_sales_deal_lenovo_xiaomi_vivo_oppo_zte-news-29320.php

Counterpoint: Redmi Note 4 and JioPhone are top phones in India for Q4 2017

Jio is an affordable LTE carrier, but last year it decided to launch its own featurephone. And it has been a rousing success, based on Counterpoint data the JioPhone went from zero to 26% in less than a year. It knocked Samsung off its top position, the company went from 25% to 15%. This is just for the final quarter of 2017, the Korean company is still on top for the full year. The JioPhone started shipping only in Q4 and took a respectable 11% share for the full 2017. Note that this is based on shipment numbers, which isn't Samsung's favorite metric. Nokia/HMD is another...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/counterpoint_redmi_note_4_and_jiophone_are_top_phones_in_india_for_q4_2017-news-29319.php

Apple updates pricing in the App Store for selected countries

Apple started contacting developers regarding tax and foreign exchange rate changes that will affect pricing on the App Store in addition to adjusting developer proceeds within selected countries. The countries that will see their App Store prices change are: Czech Republic: Prices will decrease for apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable subscriptions) India: Prices will decrease for apps and in-app purchases (including auto-renewable subscriptions) Turkey, Nigeria, Belarus, Armenia: Prices will increase for apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_updates_pricing_in_the_app_store_for_selected_countries-news-29317.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 specs leak from China's 3C

Xiaomi released the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus back in December, and since then suspicions are the company is going to sell the bigger version as Redmi Note 5 in its global markets. Latest leaks from China suggest the contrary - Xiaomi is actually preparing two entirely new versions of the Redmi Note 5 that will come with a dual camera. According to a 3C listing, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 will have a Snapdragon 636, paired with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. The screen is expected to have a 5.99" diagonal and 18:9 ratio. The dual camera will have 16 MP + 5 MP sensors, while the front one...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_xiaomi_redmi_note_5_specs_leak-news-29318.php

Samsung says it's still leading India market

Samsung is disputing the Canalys' conclusion that Xiaomi has overtaken the Korean company in India. Based on data by GfK (a German research firm), Samsung says it has 45% of the value market share and 40% of the volume share. Canalys analyzed shipment numbers, while GfK tracked sales instead. By that measurement, Samsung is still ahead. Samsung claims it doesn't need to do large shipments because its supply chain is lean and efficient. A Samsung spokesperson added that the company was India's Most Trusted Brand in 2017, making a quick recovery after the Galaxy Note7 incident pushed...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_disputes_claims_it_was_overtaken_by_xiaomi_in_india-news-29316.php

LG Mobile decline continues in Q4 2017

LG Electronics released its Q4 and full 2017 financial results. The company posted record full-year revenues of KRW61.4 trillion ($55.4 billion), almost 11% more than 2016. Profit also was impressive - KRW2.47 trillion ($2.24 billion) which is an 85% increase over the previous 12 months. The Mobile Communications division still couldn't turn a profit but narrowing the operating loss to KRW213.2 billion ($192.33 million) from KRW375.3 billion ($331.37 million) in the previous three-month period. LG appointed new mobile chief after Q3 2017. Now, according to the company, an...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_mobile_again_decline_q4_2017-news-29314.php

Talk Talk shutting down its mobile business

Talk Talk Mobile is currently in the process of withdrawing as a mobile operator in the UK. With almost 1 million subscribers, Talk Talk is informing its customers that it will not be renewing their contracts at the end of their term. Meanwhile customers on its SIM Only Monthly rolling plans are being contacted now asking if they would like to be connected to O2. All customers are being offered up to 25% discount on certain O2 Mobile plans. Why O2? Just in case you didn't realize, Talk Talk is known as a 'quad-play' provider in the UK, offering its customer's TV, Broadband, Landline...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/talk_talk_shuttering_its_mobile_business-news-29313.php

Samsung Galaxy S9+ leaks in case renders

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in one month on February 25 but we already have a pretty good idea what the phones will looks like thanks to recent case renders. Now, thanks to a fresh case leak we get to see even more of the bigger Galaxy S9+. The Galaxy S9+ is seen fitted in Poetic cases in two color variants - Grey and what looks like Orchid Silver. The phone's front looks indistinguishable from the current-gen Galaxy S8+ but the back features the new dual camera and the properly-placed fingerprint scanner. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus The bigger Galaxy S9+ will...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9_plus_leaks_in_case_renders-news-29312.php

US-bound Huawei Mate 10 Pro will support VoLTE on T-Mobile and AT&T

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro was recently announced for the US market at CES. However, it wasn't the news that we were expecting as AT&T, the carrier that was supposed to launch the phone in the US, dropped out of the deal. Senior XDA-Developers member duraaraa confirms that the Huawei Mate 10 Pro (and Porsche Design Mate 10 Pro) specific to the United States will support VoLTE on T-Mobile and AT&T, both major GSM carriers in the States. The models coming to the US have a model number of BLA-A09, which matched the unreleased AT&T firmware for the Mate 10 Pro. This suggests that the incoming...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/usbound_huawei_mate_10_pro_will_support_volte_on_tmobile_and_at_t-news-29309.php

Samsung will officially unveil the Galaxy S9 on February 25

Well, here we are. Another year later and another Samsung flagship to be announced. If we're honest, we really thought for a second that Samsung was going to push the Galaxy S9 announcement up to CES. These were nothing more than swirling rumors. Invitations were sent to the media to attend Samsung's Press event in Barcelona, where the South Korean phone maker will announce its newest flagship: the Samsung Galaxy S9 (and S9+). The invitation itself offers only a number 9 and the words: "The Camera. Reimagined". So it's safe to say we'll be expecting some serious upping of Samsung's...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_will_officially_unveil_the_galaxy_s9_on_february_25-news-29308.php

As iPhone X demand declines, J.P. Morgan holds back forecasts

A new report from CNBC outlines some new information from J.P. Morgan about expected iPhone sales in 2018. An analyst from the firm, Bill Peterson, explains that its research partners in Asia have reduced their estimates for iPhones being built in Q1 and Q2. Taking in account our new expectations for smartphone demand, we take down our March quarter, June quarter and full year estimates for wireless companies under coverage. As a result, the Asian supply chain analysts lowered their iPhone X production forecasts to 55 million from 60 million for Q1, and 45 million from 50 million in Q2....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/jp_morgan_analyst_reduces_iphone_x_forecasts_for_suppliers-news-29307.php

ZUK Z2 Pro receives Android Oreo update in China

Lenovo's ZUK experiment may be over, but the company's once thriving online-only arm hasn't forgotten about the people who have purchased its devices. Case in point: the update to Android Oreo is now available for the ZUK Z2 Pro. This is a smartphone that launched in 2016 running Marshmallow, and was updated to Nougat last year. And now it starts 2018 with the latest tasty treat from Google, though modified by ZUK and infused with ZUI 3.5, the newest version of its overlay. The Oreo update is only available in China at the moment, and the stable release follows a beta testing phase...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/zuk_z2_pro_receives_android_oreo_update_in_china-news-29306.php

Pink (Raspberry Rose) LG G6 gets pictured

Just a few hours ago we let you know that LG dropped a hint that it might be working on a Raspberry Rose color version for the G6 as well, after having recently launched the V30 clad in that paint job. And now we have a few images of a pink LG G6 to look at, though it's unclear if these are leaked press renders or simply concepts drawn up by fans eagerly awaiting the new color to look at. LG G6 in pink As you can see, the front of the phone is black, while everything else is, well, pink-ish. The source of these shots isn't sure whether the hue will be named Raspberry Rose as...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/pink_raspberry_rose_lg_g6_gets_pictured-news-29305.php

Xiaomi Mi 6X allegedly leaks in hands-on photos

Xiaomi is apparently working on a successor to last year's Mi 5X, which will unsurprisingly be called Mi 6X. This model is allegedly pictured in the hands-on images you can see below, which come from two different sources. Although overall the design seems similar between the gold and black units depicted, don't take any of this for granted just yet. The Mi 6X is going with an iPhone X lookalike vertical dual rear camera arrangement, whereas its predecessor 'emulated' the design of the iPhone 7 Plus in this regard. The phone obviously sports an 18:9 touchscreen, possibly a 5.99"...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_6x_allegedly_leaks_in_handson_photos-news-29304.php

Non-Android One Moto X4 starts receiving Oreo update in the US

Motorola pushed Oreo update to Moto X4 last month - both the Android One version and the standard model got the system update. According to support specialist from Lenovo forums, the new Android should be already be hitting retail units in the US that are not part of the Android One program. The deployment to retail Moto X4 units may have started, but owners should be patient. According to the Senior MotoAgent, OTA updates depend on model, country, and carrier. Still, keep an eye on your notification area in case the update prompt appears. Source

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/non_android_moto_x4_oreo_update_us-news-29303.php

iOS 11.3 will let you disable battery-related throttling

This spring iPhone 6 (and later) users will regain control over the performance of their phone. iOS 11.3 will add more detailed info on the battery's health and whether or not the chipset is throttled. If it is, there will be an option to return it to full speed. This new version of iOS came out in beta today, but the battery toggle has not been implemented yet. It will be added in a later beta release. Some of the other additions in iOS 11.3 are available, though. New animojis for one: dragon, bear, skull and lion bring the total of available characters to 16. Business Chat will...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/ios_113_will_let_you_disable_batteryrelated_throttling-news-29301.php

Vivo X20 Plus UD with under-display fingerprint scanner is official

After numerous leaks and demoing the phone at CES 2018, vivo finally officially announced the X20 Plus UD. The launch marks the arrival of the first smartphone with fingerprint scanner under the display. The phone has an AMOLED display that allows the Clear ID 9500 sensor to work, while the rest of the specs match the already available vivo X20 Plus. The phone arrives with a 6.43" screen of 18:9 ratio and FullHD+ resolution (2160 x 1080 pixels). The RAM on board is 4 GB, while the storage is 128 GB and it can be expanded through the hybrid slot if you don't need a second...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_x20_plus_ud_underdisplay_fingerprint_scanner_official-news-29302.php

Instagram now supports GIF stickers in story

Instagram has added support for GIF stickers for the story mode. Users will now be able to add animated GIF stickers to their photos and videos. You can select one from the available options or search for something new. All the stickers have their background cropped out so they blend in better with your image or video. You can add as many stickers as you like on one image. On a more important note, Instagram will soon allow uploading images in any aspect ratio to your story. While uploading, just pinch out so you upload the entire image and not just a vertical crop and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/instagram_now_supports_gif_stickers_in_story-news-29300.php

Canalys: Xiaomi pips Samsung for first place in India

There has been a change in leadership in the smartphone market in India - Xiaomi is now on top with a 27% share. This means it toppled Samsung, which shipped 25% of smartphones in India during the final quarter of 2017. In concrete numbers, Xiaomi shipped 8.2 million units while Samsung managed 7.3 million. That represents a solid 17% year on year growth for Samsung, but it wasn't enough (the market in general grew 6%). Canalys attributes Xiaomi's success to the autonomy of its Indian branch, which determines its own strategy, marketing and product lineup. 2018 won't be smooth sailing...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/canalys_xiaomi_pips_samsung_for_first_place_in_india-news-29299.php

Qualcomm fined €1 billion by the EU for paying off Apple

Qualcomm was slapped with a €997 million ($1.2 billion) fine by the EU. The chipset company paid Apple to shun competitors between 2011 and 2016. According to the European Court, "billions of dollars" were involved in the deal for the 4G chips in iPhones and iPads. Margrethe Vestager, EU Competition Commissioner, said the deal meant that "no rival could effectively challenge Qualcomm in this market, no matter how good their products were". The agreement between Qualcomm and Apple shut out mostly Intel, who supply iDevices since the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Vestager...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_fine1_billion_eu_apple-news-29298.php

Google I/O to be held in early May, but you have to solve a puzzle for the specifics

Every year Google announces the dates for its I/O developer conference with a puzzle. This year, you get to go on an adventure, Street View style. You roam around Google Building 1300 in Mountain View and quickly run into a locked door. You need to answer a riddle to unlock this door, gather additional clues and unlock more doors. If you're feeling up to the task, go here to start exploring. It's dangerous to go alone, so here's a Discord group dedicated to solving the puzzles. Spoiler warning: Google I/O 2018 will start on May 8 and last until the 10th. The conference will be held at...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_io_to_be_held_in_early_may-news-29297.php

Helio P70 chipset arrives on AnTuTu, scores 156,906

MediaTek is preparing to launch the Helio P40 and Helio P70 midrange chipsets in the upcoming weeks, and the latter just popped on AnTuTu. The SoC scored 156,906, which is higher than the Helio X30, Snapdragon 660 and Exynos 7872. The chipset that is expected to be unveiled at MWC 2018 scored 73,969 in CPU, which is above its upper mid-range competitors, but GPU result was 30,737, which is falling behind both the SD660 and Helio X30. UX score of the upcoming midranger is 41,089, outperformed only by the flagship Helio X30 but at least it is leading the SoC race in RAM with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/helio_p70_chipset_antutu_score_156909-news-29296.php

ZTE Axon 9 coming this year, CEO confirms

The Axon 7 and Axon 7s were a lot of phone for not a lot of money and ZTE's pivot to a close to stock Android made us wish for a successor. Well, in an interview ZTE CEO Cheng Lixin talked about the foldable Axon M, but also announced that the company will launch a new device in the line. It will be called ZTE Axon 9. The number 8 is getting skipped over, reportedly because of how it sounds in Chinese - "axon" sounds like "sky machine", but add the 8 and it starts sounding like "mess up". Whatever the name, ZTE wants to boost its market presence - mostly in China as the company is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_axon_9_coming_this_year_ceo_confirms-news-29295.php

Huawei will unveil the P11 after the MWC, insiders claim

About a year ago, Huawei unveiled the P10 at the MWC - a popular venue to debut flagship phones. Not so much this year, however. Anonymous sources claim that the company will push back the launch of the Huawei P11 from the MWC to a dedicated European event in April. Polishing the hardware (like the triple camera) and ensuring steady supply of chipsets are quoted as further reasons to delay. Huawei's difficulties in entering the US market allegedly also played a role in this decision. LG will not be unveiling its next flagship at the MWC either - instead, we're getting a revamped LG...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_will_unveil_the_p11_after_the_mwc_insiders_claim-news-29294.php