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...

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...

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...

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....

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....

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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:...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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.p...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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)...

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...