Top 15 fan favorite phones of Q1

The first three months of 2018 saw announcements from most manufacturers, including powerful flagships and attractive mid-rangers. Winning specs races is one, but the true testament of success is else - it is fan love. So we though we'd go true our database and check which 2018 devices gathered the most fans. One phone prevailed easily and it wasn't even a premium device - the humble Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro got the love of the most people. Samsung's flagship seemingly did the best as the Galaxy S9+, came in second, while its non-plus version got fourth place. The Nokia 7 plus...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/top_15_fan_favorite_phones_of_q1-news-30415.php

Samsung Galaxy S9+ Snapdragon 845 performance and battery test

In keeping with tradition Samsung once again introduced two hardware variants of its flagship Galaxy S9 phones. Most of the world gets units powered by Samsung's own Exynos 9810 chip, while US and China receive Snapdragon 845 chips instead. That's been the case for a few years now and with the previous generation - the Galaxy S8 duo and the Galaxy Note8 - the Exynos chip seemed to have more processing power if not much different real-life performance. Spoiler alert - this time around, however, the Snapdragon 845 flexes a bit more muscle overall, compared to the Exynos 9810...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9_performance_and_battery_standoff_exynos_9810_vs_snapdragon_845-news-30430.php

Weekly poll results: Huawei P20 Pro outstrips the P20 by a huge margin

The Huawei P20 Pro readily outshone its smaller sibling in last week's poll - really, it was like the P20 was invisible. The Mate RS Porsche Design saw a good deal of interest, though we suspect its price tag will prevent widespread adoption. Despite winning the poll, the P20 Pro didn't escape criticism - no headphone jack, no card slot, 1080p+ screen resolution, the price. And, of course, many came out against the notch on the screen. Still, it looks like the Huawei P20 Pro will stand comfortable next to other flagships. It has a strong argument for having the best camera on the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_huawei_p20_pro_outstrips_the_p20_by_a_huge_margin-news-30400.php

Essential promises it will improve the camera on the PH-1 successor

Essential is a unique case in the smartphone world. It was a startup smartphone company started by one of the founders of Android: Andy Rubin. The company went on to become a unicorn startup: a company whose valuation broke $1 billion even before it made any revenue. Initial reception of the company's first phone last summer was mostly positive. The phone's hardware was uniquely made of a titanium frame with a ceramic back plate. It was also the first company to "notch" the display even before Apple's infamous ‘screen horns' on the iPhone X. For the record, Essential's notch was the least...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/essential_promises_it_will_improve_the_camera_on_the_ph1_successor-news-30456.php

Spotify holding a news event on April 24 in NYC

Spotify has sent invitations out to the press for an announcement that's taking place in New York City. The event invitation only says "Spotify invites you to a news announcement. Morning of Tuesday, April 24 New York City". The invitation has a gradient blue background, so there isn't even a hint as to what the "news announcement" is all about. If recent reports are anything to go off of, there are a couple of plausibilities. Not long ago, a small number of users reported a feature that was being tested by Spotify: a voice interface that would make it easier for folks to navigate around...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/spotify_holding_a_news_event_on_april_24_in_nyc-news-30455.php

Motorola releases revamped camera app ahead of G6 launch

Motorola has released a completely redesigned version of its camera app. The update comes out just in time for the impending release of the Moto G6 series but existing Moto users need not worry as the update is also rolling out to them. The first change is in the icon, which matches the look of the new icon theme that will be coming on the upcoming devices and not the current, odd, pizza-shaped creased icons. Hopefully, Motorola will also be updating the launched on the older devices to get the new icon theme that seems to be way less aggressive and more mellow. Inside the app,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_releases_revamped_camera_app_ahead_of_g6_launch-news-30451.php

Nokia 6 (2018) is now available in India

Nokia announced a bunch of smartphones for the Indian market at a special event that took place a couple of days ago. And today the first of those devices has already become available to purchase in the subcontinent. We're talking about the Nokia 6 (2018), a refinement of the original Nokia 6 from last year, which was the first smartphone carrying that brand following its revival by HMD Global. You can buy the new Nokia 6 (2018) from the company's official online store for India. It is priced at INR 16,999, which currently translates into $261 or €213. For that amount of cash...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_6_2018_is_now_available_in_india-news-30449.php

Samsung Gear S3 receives another update that's meant to improve battery life

One of the main problems smartwatches face is their usually lacklustre battery life. So as an owner of such a device you're probably quite happy when it gets a software update that should improve its stamina. That's exactly what's happening today for the Samsung Gear S3. The new release will bring your wearable onto software version R760XXU2CRC3, and its changelog contains only two items as you can see from the screenshot to the left: "Battery Life Improvement" and "Bluetooth Connection Stability Improvement". Both of those are incredibly important for any smartwatch, so we recommend...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gear_s3_receives_another_update_thats_meant_to_improve_battery_life-news-30448.php

Apple confirms new Mac Pro will be arriving in 2019

Last year Apple held a small meeting for select media to basically confirm that it is working on a new Mac Pro. This was brought on by growing complaints with the Mac lineup, especially the Pro line, which constituted the MacBook Pro that had a disappointing launch and the Mac Pro, which, now five years old, is thoroughly outdated. A year after that meeting, Apple once again held a small meeting for media where once again it reaffirmed its commitment to the Pro segment. It was during this meeting that the company confirmed that the new Mac Pro will be coming in 2019. 2012 Mac Pro,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_confirms_new_mac_pro_will_be_arriving_in_2019-news-30450.php

LG G7 ThinQ now leaks from inside a bulky case, shows off its notch

After a bit of a controversy regarding whether it would be launched at all, and if so under what name, LG seems to have decided to call its next flagship G7 ThinQ. This was initially revealed through a leak a few days ago, and is now confirmed through the first shot you can see below. It shows a prototype G7 ThinQ's boot screen, with the name in full display. The phone is inside a non-removable bulky case that's meant to obscure as much of its design as possible. Even so, the screen notch is clearly visible, as is the fact that it has the power button on the right side and an...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g7_thinq_now_leaks_from_inside_a_bulky_case_shows_off_its_notch-news-30447.php

Honor 10's back surfaces in leaked poster, specs outed too

Now that the date has been set for its official unveiling, the Honor 10 just can't seem to stop leaking. The promotional poster you can see below has been outed today in China, and it reveals a very distinct multi-color pattern on the phone's back - reminiscent of the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro's Twilight paint job, but not quite identical. We can also see a dual rear camera setup in the pictures, which isn't at all surprising. Its positioning lines up with what we saw in a leaked picture that portrayed the Honor 10 inside a bulky case. The fingerprint scanner is missing from the glass...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_10_shows_its_back_in_leaked_poster_has_specs_outed_too-news-30446.php

Snapchat finally releases iPhone X exclusive AR lenses

Snapchat has finally released the iPhone X exclusive AR lenses. For those who may have forgotten, these lenses were the ones that were demoed during the iPhone X keynote back in September 2017. There are three AR lenses in total, which are the ones you see above. These are only available on the iPhone X and work with the TrueDepth camera. Compared to the standard lenses within Snapchat, the iPhone X ones use the significantly more advanced front camera and use multiple data points to map the filter precisely to your face that moves even more realistically with your expressions. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/snapchat_finally_releases_iphone_x_exclusive_ar_lenses-news-30445.php

LG expects record-breaking Q1 2018 revenue and operating profit

The first quarter of 2018 is over and companies are starting to release their earnings guidance reports. Earlier today we learned that things are going great for Samsung and now its neighbors from LG also posted some record-breaking numbers. LG expects consolidated revenues of KRW15.1 trillion ($14.1 billion) and operating profit of KRW1.1 trillion ($1.02 billion), making this the best Q1 in the history of the company. Sadly, the mobile phone division is expected to post a fourth straight quarter in the red. The reasons are the tough competition and lack of significant launches...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_expect_record_breaking_q1_2018_revenue_operating_profit-news-30444.php

OnePlus 6 appears in live photo and official teaser

OnePlus 6 is nearing its launch, and we get to know more and more about the phone one leak at a time. The latest information comes from India, where the pricing of OnePlus A6003 is listed. The phone will have three storage options and versions with 6 GB and 8 GB, with the cheapest one being INR33,999 or about $523/€427. According to the source, OnePlus is also preparing to launch wireless Bullets earplugs but has not yet decided on the price of those. Storage Price in INR Price in USD Price in EUR OnePlus 6 64 GB 33,999 - 36,999 ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_6_cost_inr_33999_leak-news-30443.php

Samsung Q1 2018 guidance includes all time record profit

Back in January, Samsung wrapped up its record-breaking Q4 2017. Three months later, the Korean company is expecting to post even higher numbers, according to its earning guidance, released today. Samsung Electronics should rake in KRW60 trillion in consolidated sales (about $56.1 billion) and KRW15.6 trillion in operating profit (which translates into around $14.6 billion), an all-time high. For comparison, Q1 2017 profit was merely KRW9.9 trillion or about 57% less. (in trillion KRW) Q1 2018 (expected) Q4 2017 Q1 2017 Sales 61 65.98 ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_q1_2018_guidance_points_at_alltime_high_financial_results-news-30442.php

Oppo F5 long-term review

F5 refreshes the page in the web browser on your computer. So what's the Oppo F5, then? Is it a refresh of sorts, too? Or maybe it's a refreshing mid-range smartphone that's trying to look like it's more expensive than it actually is. Refreshing, but not niggle-free. Pretty, but not without its faults. Good in most areas, frustrating in others.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_f5_long_term-review-1746.php

Xiaomi plans to ship more than 100M phones in 2018

Earlier this year an IDC report said that Chinese smartphone market declined by 5%, with BKK affiliates Oppo and vivo posting a double-digit decrease in shipments. According to new info, coming from Taiwanese sources, Chinese manufacturers are formulating a very aggressive development plan for 2018. Oppo, Xiaomi, vivo, and Huawei plan to expand globally to make up for the stagnating local market. Xiaomi alone is planning a massive jump in shipments and aims to ship more than 100 million units by December. Official reports stated that the Mi and the Redmi manufacturer is shipping...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_plan_ship_more_100_million_phones_2018-news-30441.php

You can try a Pixel Launcher with Android Go optimizations for low-end phones

XDA-Developers is a large community of developers, many of which enjoy Android development and a hobby and contribute their projects with the public. Since the Google Pixel Launcher isn't available on the app store, both the Pixel and Pixel 2's Launchers were repacked into APKs that can be installed on any Android device and would work without the need to root, appropriately named "Rootless Pixel Launcher" by AmirZ, and "Rootless Pixel 2 Launcher" by paphonb, both members of XDA. The Rootless Pixel Launcher is also optimized for tablets like the Google Pixel C and comes with various...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/you_can_try_a_pixel_launcher_with_android_go_optimizations_for_lowend_phones-news-30439.php

The Sonim XP8 is a $700 rugged smartphone

The Sonim XP8 is a new rugged Android phone that is built to last even in the harshest of conditions. It is the sort of phone that is meant for construction workers, firefighters, first responders and anyone who has to work in tough conditions and needs a phone that can handle them as well. The XP8 is designed to meet MIL-STD-810G US military standards for ruggedness, meaning it can handle a certain amount of water, dust, pressure, temperature, shock, radiation, humidity, and more. On the front are two speakers that can output a combined 100dB+ of sound, making it easy to hear even...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/the_sonim_xp8_is_a_700_rugged_smartphone-news-30436.php

Samsung Galaxy A6 and A6+ have more specs leaked

Samsung will soon launch the Galaxy A6 and A6+. This has been made obvious by the barrage of leaks we've seen regarding them lately. Today a tipster on Twitter has shared even more specs of the two handsets. The Galaxy A6 is said to come with a 5.6-inch Infinity Display with 2,220x1,080 resolution, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and the Exynos 7870 Octa chipset at the helm. The SoC was known ever since a benchmark run surfaced, as was the RAM amount, but the other details are new. Galaxy A8 (2018), the A6 pair's higher-end relative The Galaxy A6+ will keep the screen...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a6_and_a6_have_more_specs_leaked-news-30435.php

Moto G6 series expected to launch in Brazil on April 19

Motorola has sent out invites for an event in Brazil on April 10. The event is expected to introduce the new Moto G6, G6 Plus and G6 Play. We have already seen significant details of all three devices leak in the past. For example, we know all three phones will have an 18:9 display, the G6 and G6 Plus will have dual cameras and the G6 Play will have a 4000mAh battery. At this point we are really just waiting to confirm the specifications and find out about international availability and pricing. Source • Via

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g6_series_expected_to_launch_in_brazil_on_april_19-news-30434.php

Deal: buy the Honor 7X for just $1 in flash sale that starts tomorrow

If you've been eyeing the Honor 7X and haven't yet purchased one, you might want to wait until tomorrow - April 6, at 10 AM PST. That's when the Huawei sub-brand will start a flash sale in the US, during which you'll be able to buy the Honor 7X for just $1. No typo, it's really $1. The caveat is rather obvious. Since this is a flash sale only a limited number of devices will be available at that price. The sale ends on April 8 at 10 AM PST, but you're only likely to actually find a unit in stock for $1 if you act fast tomorrow. Honor 7X If you aren't able to get the Honor 7X at...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deal_buy_the_honor_7x_for_just_1_in_flash_sale_that_starts_tomorrow-news-30433.php

Xiaomi Mi 7 confirmed to have in-display fingerprint reader

The in-display fingerprint senors are clearly going to be one of the trends of 2018. Major players on the mobile scene have yet to adopt it, but at this point, we're pretty sure it's a matter of time more than anything else. Things are lot more dynamic with Chinese OEMs who typically have shorter development cycles and less regulation and certification involved, so it's hardly any surprise that Xiaomi is already jumping on the bandwagon. The company's eagerly-anticipated Mi 7 flagship could have actually been delayed in order to adopt the new technology. Evidence of this was recently...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_7_confirmed_to_have_indisplay_fingerprint_reader-news-30432.php

WhatsApp beta for Android makes audio recording easier

Facebook-owned WhatsApp is rolling out a new beta on Android that includes a much requested feature, an option to record voice notes hands-free within the app. After installing the update, when the user presses and holds on the mic button to record audio, another option appears on screen where they can swipe up to lock the recording. After doing that, the app will continue to record the voice note without you having to press and hold the mic button. You can still cancel the recording and delete the file without sending. The update is out now on Android through the beta channel....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_beta_for_android_now_lets_you_record_audio_without_holding_down_the_button-news-30429.php

BlackBerry Priv receives a software update

BlackBerry devices might not be popular among smartphone users, but still have a loyal fanbase that deserves to receive proper software updates, when necessary. Latest info comes from CrackBerry about an update for BlackBerry Priv owners. The firmware version changed to AAW068, although the security patch level stays the same. The source suggests it is most likely a critical vulnerability fix. Weighing a bit over 100 MB, the patch might have problems with verification, but you can follow the Source link below for instructions how to fix the issue (if it appears at all). Security...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_priv_receives_a_software_update-news-30426.php

BlackBerry Priv receives a software update

BlackBerry devices might not be the most popular these days, but they still have a loyal fanbase that deserves to receive proper software updates, when necessary. Latest info says a new firmware is seeding to the BlackBerry Priv. The version number changed to AAW068, although the security patch level remains unchanged. Given that there are no new visible new features or UI changes we are most likely looking at a critical vulnerability fix. Weighing a bit over 100 MB, the patch might have problems with verification, but you can follow the Source link below for instructions on...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_priv_software_update-news-30426.php

First Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo render appears

Recently we learned the mysterious SM-J720F phone is actually going to be called Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo and is bound to arrive in India. Today, the first press render of the phone popped up, showing a fairly standard standard Galaxy J series design. Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo The front panel of the Galaxy J7 Duo hosts a standard 16:9 screen, a physical home key below and capacitive buttons in the newer Samsung Experience designs. The selfie camera is coming with an LED flash for all the selfies in low-light environment. Looking on the left side there's no Bixby button, with Samsung...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/first_samsung_galaxy_j7_duo_render-news-30425.php

US unlocked Galaxy S8 and S8+ are finally receiving Oreo updates too

Yesterday Samsung finally started rolling out the Android 8.0 Oreo update to Galaxy Note8 units sold unlocked in the US, and today it's done the same for the unlocked Galaxy S8 and S8+. The new software arrives as a 1.3GB download, so maybe grab it via Wi-Fi. After applying it your S8 will be on build number G950U1UEU2CRB9, while the S8+ gets G955U1UEU2CRB9. Both will be running Samsung Experience 9.0 of course. The security patch level will be March 1, 2018. There are many new things in this update aside from the change in Android version. These have been detailed by the Korean company...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/us_unlocked_galaxy_s8_and_s8_are_finally_receiving_oreo_updates_too-news-30421.php

Honor is holding an event in London on May 15, Honor 10 likely to be outed

Huawei sub-brand Honor is holding its next unveiling event in London on May 15. It has started sending out press invites for the occasion, and you can see the associated promo image below. That's obviously the outline of a smartphone, so it's pretty clear what the event will be about. The must-have buzzword of 2018, "AI", is present too, so you know this will be a high-end device of some sort. That's why we assume the Honor 10 is the handset in question, the one making its debut at this May 15 London event. It would complement the Honor View 10 in the company's portfolio, and should...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_is_holding_an_event_in_london_on_may_15_honor_10_likely_to_be_outed-news-30420.php

Huawei P20 Pro: a photo walk around Paris

Huawei's new Leica-branded Triple Camera setup is supposed at the cutting edge of mobile photography. We took it out to the streets of Paris for a quick photo shoot to see how well it holds up.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p20_pro_paris_photo_shoot-review-1744.php

Archos unveils Saphir 50X rugged phone, it's only partially new

French tech company Archos just released a new rugged phone - the Saphir 50X. That sentence does, however, require some clarification. When we say "released", we really mean commissioned from Logos Instrument, since Archos doesn't really manufacture most of its products. That's not the odd bit here - curiously, the Saphir 50X is a new release, but it is actually a downgrade over last year's Archos 50 Saphir. The two phones share the exact same rugged and rough body, measuring 146.6 x 76 x 13 mm. They have the same IP68 ingress certification rating and also share a 5-inch HD LCD,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/archos_has_a_kind_of_new_saphir_50x_rugged_phone-news-30419.php

iPhones with curved screens and touchless gestures coming in 2-3 years

A new report purportedly coming from "people with knowledge of the matter" says Apple is working on bringing curved screens to its smartphones, a move which may happen in around 2-3 years. These panels will curve inward gradually from top to bottom, and not down at the edges like Samsung's recent flagships. It's unclear if Apple sees any additional benefit in ergonomics by going a different direction with its curves, or this is simply a measure meant to preemptively stop people from saying it copied Samsung. Apple iPhone X Although the OLED panel of the iPhone X curves at the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphones_with_curved_screens_and_touchless_gestures_coming_in_23_years_-news-30418.php

Apple Pay now live in Brazil

Apple's expansion efforts for its digital payment platform might have slowed down a bit, but it is still scoring important wins, nonetheless. After Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates joined the Apple Pay ranks, last year, now Brazil is officially on the supported list as well. Cupertino is a bit behind the competition when it comes to the vast Latin American market, since both Google and Samsung already have their solutions up and running in the country. Still, it's all about third-party support, when it comes to the digital payment game and Apple is off to a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_pay_now_live_in_brazil-news-30417.php

OnePlus 6 will let you hide its notch

It should come as no surprise by now that, like many other Android handsets lately, the OnePlus 6 will have a display cut-out near the top of its panel. Ever since sister company Oppo released its R15 pair there has been little doubt about the design of the upcoming OnePlus. If that wasn't proof enough, co-founder Carl Pei, later described the notch in detail as well, stating that it will measure 19.62 x 7.69mm and that it will be "adding more screen real estate instead of taking anything away". That reasoning was apparently insufficient for many anti-notch fans, currently voicing...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_promises_you_will_be_able_to_hide_the_notch_on_the_oneplus_6-news-30416.php

Nokia 8 Sirocco, 7 Plus, 6(2018) launched in India

After officially launching the INR 5,499 ($85), Nokia 1, Android Oreo (Go Edition) in India, late last month, it was only logical for HMD to release the rest of its current lineup at today's event. The Nokia 6 (2018) aluminum-clad, Snapdragon 630 mid-ranger will start selling on April 6 at the Nokia Mobile Shop and select mobile outlets for INR 16,999 ($260). You can read our initial first-hand impressions of the handset here. Up next on the list is the Nokia 7 Plus. It can be picked up at the Nokia shop and select retailers as well, but will also be offered on a special Amazon...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_8_sirocco_7_plus_62018_just_launched_in_india-news-30414.php

Huawei makes its own app store global

Huawei might be one of the biggest smartphone companies in the world right after Samsung and Apple, but unlike its competitors, it was lacking an in-house globally available app store. This changes now as the Chinese company announced the launch of AppGallery, available for download by all Huawei smartphones. Owners P20 and P20 Pro are lucky enough and already have it pre-installed. Huawei AppGallery screenshots AppGallery comes with 5 tabs - Featured, Category, Top, Manager, and the last one being Me where is all the user settings and app preferences. Since Huawei is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_app_store_appgallery-news-30412.php

Exynos 9820 and 5G RF chips already in development

Samsung revealed the Exynos 9810 chipset at the beginning of 2018, but everyone is already talking about 5G development. Qualcomm, as previously reported, will unveil a 5G Snapdragon modem next year and will start employing it into smartphones. According to the latest information, though, Samsung's in-house Exynos platform is heading that way as well with the Exynos 9820. According to the leak, a Samsung Electronics employee is working on the Exynos 9820 project since January 2018 on various tasks like CPU validation, Debug architecture and solving issues. The same worker is also...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/exynos_9820_5g_rf_chips_development-news-30411.php

Xiaomi confirms April 13 as release date for gaming phone in invite

Today, a launch invitation confirms that Black Shark will be launching a new gamer-centric smartphone to compete against the likes of the Razer phone. This invite mentions April 13 as the date that the company will announce such a device in Beijing, China. The company is actually backed by Xiaomi, so the device will likely feature the Black Shark branding and not Xiaomi's. It will definitely be easier to spell and pronounce than "Xiaomi" in western markets. Qualcomm's logo is also on the invite so we will likely see a Snapdragon 845 inside this device. Other expected specs...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_confirms_april_13_as_release_date_for_gaming_phone_in_invite-news-30408.php

US unlocked Galaxy Note8 is now getting Oreo

Recently Samsung promised that the Note8 units sold in the US would be graced with the Oreo update "in the coming weeks", and it has since started to deliver. So far, devices sold by AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint have already tasted the new treat, and starting today the unlocked model is joining in the fun. People who purchased the Note8 in unlocked form in the States are receiving the update notification, which you can check out in all its glory in the screenshots below - they also contain the lengthy changelog. Unlocked US Galaxy Note8 Android Oreo update...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/us_unlocked_galaxy_note8_is_now_getting_oreo-news-30407.php

OnePlus 6 confirmed to have up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage, Snapdragon 845

OnePlus has taken to its forum to confirm that the upcoming OnePlus 6 (whose name was recently confirmed in a tweet to no one's surprise), will be coming in a 256GB variant. Apart from that, the company also confirmed that it will have 8GB RAM (same as the last two models) and run on the new top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Okay, then And that's pretty much it. OnePlus did spend far too many words in its forum post describing this one small feature, going on about the "pursuit of burdenless speed" (whatever that means) and also how it has a FSE Team, which stands...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_6_confirmed_to_have_256gb_storage_variant-news-30406.php

LG Display made the OLED screens of the Huawei Mate RS

LG Display may have scored big time - it sold flexible OLED displays to Huawei for the curved screen of the Mate RS Porsche Design. It's important to note that LG didn't make the OLED screen for the Huawei P20 Pro, so the deal in its current form is pretty low volume. However, Huawei is the third biggest smartphone maker in the world and LG Display is reportedly "paying special attention" to the Huawei contract. If things go well, there's plenty of room for orders to grow. The Mate RS, as you probably know, is one of the first smartphones with a fingerprint reader under its display....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_display_made_the_oled_screens_of_the_huawei_mate_rs-news-30405.php

Galaxy A6+ launch imminent, briefly appears on Samsung website

Samsung Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ are nearing their launch, as seen on a website of the Korean company. The Polish division accidentally uploaded a webpage for a phone with the model number SM-A605FN/DS that is most likely the Galaxy A6+'s dual SIM version. Screengrab from Samsung Poland's website The A605FN moniker already appeared on multiple regulator pages, including the FCC and Wi-Fi certification websites, making it easier to connect the dots. Benchmarks from last month suggested the Galaxy A6+ will have Snapdragon 625, 4 GB RAM and Android Oreo, most likely with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_a6_launch_imminent_briefly_appears_samsung_website-news-30397.php

A leaked manual confirms dual camera and Bixby on Galaxy J7 Duo

The Samsung SM-J720F, which is expected to debut as Galaxy J7 Duo, will pack a dual camera that can do Live Focus bokeh shots. It will also have Bixby and a removable battery. We got this useful information thanks to a leaked official user manual for the device, detailing its many software and hardware features. One of the most interesting additions is the removable battery. The Galaxy J7 and its J-series contemporaries have sealed-in batteries. Next up is the Bixby addition - this will be the first Bixby-enabled midranger by Samsung. Since there is no physical Bixby button it's...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/a_leaked_manual_confirms_dual_camera_and_bixby_on_galaxy_j7_duo-news-30404.php

Motorola celebrates the 45 years since the first mobile phone with a sale

Motorola is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the first mobile phone in the world with a sale. The device happened to be the Motorola DynaTAC - 13-inch tall, weighing 1.75 pounds and with no display of any sort. The company is offering discounts on select phones in the US. The Moto E series gets up to $40 off. The Moto G and X series get up to $100 off. Finally, the Moto Z series gets up to $150 off. These discounts are only available on select models in the series and vary depending upon the variant you choose. So, for example, while the 64GB Moto G5s Plus gets $100 off, the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_celebrates_the_45th_anniversary_of_the_worlds_first_mobile_phone_with_a_sale-news-30403.php

HTC U12+ appears in case renders with 4 cameras

HTC is one of the few companies yet to release a 2018 flagship. Rumored to come in May, the U12+ is still in the rumor mill, although we saw initial leaks of the front and back of the device. We also learned some specs along with the information that the phone should arrive with a Snapdragon 845. The latest information comes from Yahoo! Taiwan where a case render reveals the HTC U12+ from the front and the back. Apparently, the phone is going to have two cameras on the back, lined up horizontally, and two more on the front right next to the earpiece. HTC U12+ live...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u12_plus_case_renders_4_cameras-news-30401.php

Samsung Odyssey Z is a 15.6" gaming laptop with a GTX 1060, 6-core i7

Samsung occasionally dabbles in gaming laptops and here's the latest one - the Samsung Odyssey Z. It's fairly thin and light for a gaming laptop, but will run cool thanks to Z AeroFlow cooling system with a Z Blade Blower. This is a 15.6" laptop (1080p screen) with a 6-core Intel Core i7 (8th gen) and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-P (which is apparently 10% faster than a 1060 Max-Q). The laptop can be configured with up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 1TB NVMe SSD, the GPU has 6 GB of GDDR5 memory. The Samsung Odyssey Z gaming laptop uses a vapor chamber and two blower fans for...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_odyssey_z_is_a_156_gaming_laptop_with_a_gtx_1060_6core_i7-news-30396.php

LG new flagship to be called G7 ThinQ

LG's mobile division is going through a rough patch. The Korean company even went as far as changing the head of Mobile Communications to try and turn things around, which led to postponing the LG G7 launch and instead bringing the refreshed V30S ThinQ to MWC 2018. The ThinQ moniker stands for the new AI features that LG developed, and according to leakster evleaks, the long-awaited flagship will be actually named G7 ThinQ and will come with scene recognition features and detailed Google Assistant commands. LG G7 cases and renders by Olixar Recently another tipster with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_new_flagship_to_be_called_g7_thinq-news-30395.php

Apple releases first betas for iOS 11.4, tvOS 11.4 and watchOS 4.3.1

On Monday, April 3, Apple released the first betas for its upcoming iOS 11.4, tvOS 11.4 and watchOS 4.3.1 releases. These arrive less than a week after the official releases of iOS 11.3, tvOS 11.3 and watchOS 4.3. iOS 11.4 In addition to squashing bugs introduced in iOS 11.3, being a point release, iOS 11.4 introduces some additional functionality. During its March 27 Educational Event Apple announced that iOS 11.4 would launch the ClassKit Framework, used in conjunction with a new iPad app called Schoolwork that helps teachers and students keep track of assignments and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_releases_first_betas_for_ios_114_tvos_114_and_watchos_431-news-30394.php

Android security update for April brings many fixes for Pixel 2, Pixel, and some Nexus

Google releases a monthly security bulletin that contain its newest security updates and sometimes functional updates. Today, Google has released the full list of fixes and changes that will come with the April OTA update. Some of these fixes and updates apply to only Pixel 2(XL) devices while others apply to the HTC-made first-generation Pixel (XL) phones. Here are few updates mentioned in the update. Assisted dialing support for Pixel 2 Improve VoLTE - VoWi-Fi handover during emergency calls for all Pixels Reduce delays upon opening certain apps for Pixel 2 Enable IMS911...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/android_security_update_for_april_brings_many_fixes_for_pixel_2_pixel_and_some_nexus-news-30390.php

Alleged Nokia 9 spec sheet leaks with triple cameras and in-glass fingerprint scanner

Last we've heard of the Nokia 9 was early last month when a report surfaced about a supposed Nokia 9 with a "best in-class" smartphone camera. Today's leak just might support that idea, although, we should still proceed with skepticism. There's a long list of alleged specifications that looks very well put together. There's a lot here but we're only going to take a look at the most significant features. There's a 6.01" AMOLED display with 18:9 aspect ratio: the golden standard in smartphone displays for 2018. Around back is a ceramic back plate with an "18 karat gold finish" which...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_nokia_9_spec_sheet_leaks_with_triple_cameras_and_inglass_fingerprint_scanner-news-30389.php