Huawei's GPU Turbo tech arrives on Honor 10, currently in beta

Huawei unveiled new GPU Turbo tech (along with the Honor Play) earlier this month. The technology increases performance of a device by 60% while reducing its power usage by 30%. During unveiling, the company said the tech - which can be enabled on a device via a software update - will be made available to the company's other phones as well, from mid-range to flagship (even a schedule was shared). And now, it's coming to light that Huawei has started testing the feature on Honor 10. Those interested in being part of this beta test can head to the Chinese company's Huawei Pollen...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huaweis_gpu_turbo_tech_arrives_on_honor_10_currently_in_beta-news-31830.php

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro poses for official product photo shoot

The Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro that's supposed to be announced officially in two days already feels like it's been out on the market for a while now. We know almost everything about the device except its exact pricing. Redmi 6 Pro in blue The last two leaks brought two batches of real-life pictures and press renders, showcasing the Redmi 6 Pro's design. Well, the latest one is yet another official photo shoot of the handset, confirming what we've already seen - a micro USB connector on the bottom accompanied by the loudspeaker, aluminum body, notched 19:9 display with thick-ish bezels,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_6_pro_poses_for_official_product_photo_shoot-news-31831.php

Latest update for some OnePlus phones ruins battery life, OP6 included

OnePlus has recently pushed an OTA update for a number of its devices - OnePlus 3/3T, OnePlus 5/5T and the first one to get it was, of course, the latest OnePlus 6. But while the latest update to Oxygen OS aims to fix some issues and deliver small features, it seems that it has also caused some headaches to a significant portion of the user base. Guys over at the OnePlus forums complain about severe battery drain on the OnePlus 6 after the Oxygen OS 5.1.6 and Oxygen 5.1.8 updates. Without changing their daily routine, the device now gets half the screen on time from before. There's...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/latest_update_for_some_oneplus_phones_ruins_battery_life_op6_included-news-31835.php

Chrome for Android gets ability to download news articles for offline access

Google has added a new and useful feature to its Chrome browser on Android. The functionality lets the browser save stuff like news articles when your device is connected to the Internet, so that they can be made available for offline viewing. Here's how the company explained the new feature in a recent blog post: When you're connected to free, unmetered WiFi, Chrome will automatically download relevant articles, based on what content is most popular in your location. If you're signed into Chrome, you'll also get articles that are relevant to you, based on your browsing history....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/chrome_for_android_gets_ability_to_download_news_articles_for_offline_access-news-31828.php

Hacker bypasses iOS passcode and it's surprisingly easy

Passcodes have pretty much become the standard security measure of choice for most iPhone users. Even in the presence of more advanced biometric solutions, like Face ID, the sheer convenience and approachability of a four, six or even longer digit number, makes it the ideal fallback security measure. The way it works on iOS is simple, yet efficient - you get a total of 10 attempts to enter the code. Fail all of them and the data will get automatically wiped, for security. The number of input attempts is tracked by a hardware module, called the Secure Enclave, making it pretty impossible to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/hacker_bypasses_ios_passcode_and_its_surprisingly_easy-news-31832.php

HTC issues statement on U12+ shipment problems

The HTC U12+ pre-orders may have started shipping, but things aren't rosy for everyone who pre-ordered the phone. While those who placed their orders directly through HTC are reporting shipments have begun, those who went the Amazon route were recently being told the phone is on back order, and shipments won't begin until August. Now, HTC has come up with an official statement on the matter, saying there's nothing to worry about, as the mess was caused by a system error. Here's the exact statement from the company: We're aware a small number of U12+ orders were affected by a system...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_issues_statement_on_u12_shipment_problems-news-31827.php

Samsung is reportedly testing Android Go-powered handset in multiple of countries

Samsung and Android Go? Yep, the initial rumors of Samsung trying out the stock Android experience on a low-end phone might turn out to be true after all. We've already heard about the device being prepared for the Indian market, but the latest piece of info coming from SamMobile suggests that the device will be coming in several other markets as well. The SM-J260G device model number, which is believed to be the Android Go device, has already been confirmed through leaked benchmark score sheet but the source names a few others as well. The SM-J260F is a device aimed at the United...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_is_reportedly_testing_android_gopowered_handset_in_multiple_of_countries-news-31818.php

Xiaomi Redmi S2 (Y2) review

Every new Redmi has a seemingly impossible task - be a better bang for your buck than the previous one. And cheaper, or worst-case scenario - same price. If it were any other maker, it would have been a hard no can do. But not Xiaomi. It keeps doing it against the odds and here is the Redmi S2 to prove it.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_s2_y2-review-1781.php

Chinese MIUI 10 beta enables 1080p60 recording on the Redmi Note 5 Pro

The Chinese version of the MIUI 10 beta ROM for the Redmi Note 5 Pro includes an option to record 1080p video in 60fps, as confirmed by XDA Developers. It's entirely possible that this feature will make its way to global beta and eventually the final release. Ever since the phone was launched earlier this year, the Redmi Note 5 Pro video recording has maxed out at 1080p at 30fps. Users have managed to enable 4K video recording by rooting the device but there has been no official support from Xiaomi. The 60fps option gives more choice to users but we would have liked to see a 4K30...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/chinese_miui_10_beta_enables_1080p60_recording_on_the_redmi_note_5_pro-news-31816.php

Google releases Measure app for all ARCore devices

Google has released its Measure app for all devices supporting the ARCore technology. The app is now available for download for free on the Google Play Store but you should first install the ARCore app to make it work. The Measure app is pretty simple and uses the camera on your ARCore compatible smartphone to measure the length or height of objects. It needs a textured surface and good amount of light to work but once it detects a plane you can drag the measuring bar on the screen and place it along the edges of the object you want to measure. After that you can choose to save an image...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_releases_measure_app_to_all_arcore_devices-news-31815.php

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 "handheld" costs $1,600, has warm-swappable battery

Panasonic's Toughbook computers look more like suitcases than laptops - they are not pretty, they are not cheap, but they are so rugged that they are advertised for military use. A few years ago the company unveiled Toughpad tablets and now there's a phone. Well, the Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 isn't necessarily a phone, the press release calls it a "handheld". That's because there's a Wi-Fi only version as well as a Wi-Fi/4G vesrsion (with voice capabilities). Either way it runs Android 8.1 Oreo with Panasonic's COMPASS 2.0 (Complete Android Security and Services), which enables flexible...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/panasonic_toughbook_fzt1_handheld_costs_1600_has_warmswappable_battery-news-31814.php

Moto Z3 Play with 6GB/128GB memory configuration and Onyx color outed in Brazil

Shortly after the announcement of the Moto Z3 Play held in Brazil, the company has decided to add a special edition Z3 Play to the portfolio and it's already available in Brazil. Moto Z3 Play Onyx color The device is essentially the same but with better memory configuration and comes in new Onyx color scheme. While the standard versions come with either 3ЖФ or 4GB of RAM paired with 64GB of expandable storage, the Onyx version comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of flash memory. It's priced at BRL 2,699 ($716) while the regular Deep Indigo version's asking price is BRL...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/moto_z3_play_with_6gb_128gb_memory_configuration_and_onyx_color_outed_in_brazil-news-31810.php

Garmin Forerunner 645 smartwatch launched in India

Garmin has launched the Forerunner 645 smartwatch in India. The watch is priced at INR 39,990 ($589), which is quite a bit more than the $450 US price tag. The Forerunner 645's main feature is that you can store up to 500 songs on the watch itself. These songs can then be streamed to your Bluetooth headphones, so you can leave your phone behind when you go for a run. The watch also feature's Garmin's contactless payment system, although I'm not sure if it works in India. Apart from that this is more of a fitness tracker than a true smartwatch, seeing as it doesn't exactly run...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/garmin_forerunner_645_smartwatch_launched_in_india-news-31817.php

Oppo A3 makes it out of China, available in Taiwan starting June 23rd

Back in April this year, Oppo announced a notch-totting mid-range smartphone dubbed A3. The device has only been available in China so far. But that changes now, as Oppo has confirmed the Taiwanese launch of the phone. The handset will go on sale in the country starting tomorrow (June 23), and it will be available through both online and offline channels, including Oppo's local e-store, major online shopping platforms, Oppo Experience stores as well as partner outlets. As for pricing, the phone will carry a price tag of NTD 10,990 in the country, which currently translates into...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_a3_escapes_china_now_available_in_taiwan-news-31808.php

Galaxy S10 to ditch the iris scanner for an in-display fingerprint and facial recognition

Even though the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus are far from being released and will likely hit the market sometime in Q1 2019, the Korean media, The Bell has some interesting info regarding Samsung's future flagship devices. According to sources, Samsung is going to ditch the iris scanner leaving the rumored Note9 to be the last Galaxy device to offer the tech. We guess that not many tears will be shed over this fresh information as the Samsung's current implementation of the iris scanner isn't exactly the most efficient way to unlock your phone. Apple's Face ID is far more accurate and faster...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s10_to_ditch_the_iris_scanner_for_an_indisplay_fingerprint_and_facial_recognition-news-31820.php

Mi Pad 4's advertising images leak along with its pricing

The Mi Pad 4 has been leaking like crazy for the past few weeks, which is rather normal since the announcement should be held next week. The latest leak reveals the Mi Pad 4's design featuring fairly thin bezels and its price. Mi Pad 4 images You can see from the advertising images that the Mi Pad 4 will be a reasonably compact tablet with 8-inch screen and 16:10 aspect ratio. However, the enclosure strongly resembles the one from the previous generation and if the initial rumors are anything to go by, the device should bring plenty of under the hood changes. Reportedly, the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/mi_pad_4s_advertising_images_leak_along_with_its_pricing-news-31805.php

Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ on T-Mobile finally getting new security update

Back in April, T-Mobile temporarily put on hold the roll out of a Galaxy S9/S9+ security update over bootloops. Sadly, neither the roll out resumed, nor a new update arrived. However, there's good news for users now: the carrier has started pushing out a new update. As you can see in the screenshots above, it's a security update that brings along Android fixes for the month of June. The roll out has just begun, so it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your device's screen. Aside from T-Mobile, there are reports that Sprint and AT&T have also started pushing out...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9_s9_on_tmobile_getting_new_update-news-31807.php

Weekly poll results: vivo NEX S and A are a hit with fans

The vivo NEX S and NEX A struck a chord with fans - the "both are great" option in last week's poll topped 51%. Even so the favorite is clear - the S by itself got 30% of the vote while the A alone got only 2%. Still, that's as positive a result as vivo could have possibly hoped for. The phones were commended for getting many things right. There are a lot of vocal opponents of the notch and they came to support the NEX phones, though there were also people who just thought that the pop-up camera is cool. The under display fingerprint reader was also seen like a plus (although there...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_vivo_nex_s_and_a_are_a_hit_with_fans-news-31812.php

Qualcomm going back to TSMC for its 7nm chips, production starts later this year

According to people familiar with the matter, Qualcomm is reportedly going back to TSMC for the production of its 7nm Snapdragon 800-series chipsets, instead of Samsung. This is actually the second time we hear about that, so there's a strong reason to believe the rumors. TSMC has been a partner with the American fabless firm for many years until Samsung won over the Taiwanese company for the production of the 14nm and 10nm chips. TSMC and Qualcomm have been partners ever since the first production of 65nm SoCs back in 2006 and it seems that this time around, the Taiwanese tech giant...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_going_back_to_tsmc_for_its_7nm_chips_production_starts_later_this_year-news-31804.php

FCC filing reveals seven Fossil Group smartwatches running Wear OS

This piece of news is a good indication that Wear OS is alive and well. Watchmaker Fossil has submitted an FCC filing for seven new smartwatches equipped with NFC radios. Although the filing does not have any images, there are still a couple of things we can point out. We've Fossil sell Android Wear (now Wear OS) in the past but this filing is proof that the Fossil Group has no plans to put Wear OS on the back burner. There are six unique models and one test model. Each model has a different number but their internals are all identical. What's different across models is the watch body...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/fcc_filing_reveals_seven_fossil_smartwatches_running_wear_os-news-31809.php

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 with 6GB RAM and 16MP selfie shooter spotted on Flipkart

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 was unveiled back in April this year as a Flipkart exclusive in India. It comes in three variants: 3GB RAM, 4GB RAM (both with 13MP+5MP back and 8MP front cameras), as well as 6GB RAM model (with 16MP+5MP main and 16MP selfie snappers). While the 3GB and 4GB RAM variants went on sale in May, the 6GB model has remained unavailable all this while. But the variant has been spotted in Flipkart's website. As you can see, the listing isn't up yet, and doesn't reveal the RAM. However, the source code for the page confirms it is indeed the 6GB RAM...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_max_pro_m1_with_6gb_ram_and16mp_selfie_shooter_spotted_on_flipkart-news-31803.php

New Sony Xperia (H8616) spotted with 18:9 display, Android P

A new Sony Xperia smartphone has been spotted. The device - model number H8616 - has been revealed in a user-agent profile listing. A couple of other key details revealed by the UAProf listing include 3840x1920 screen resolution and Android 9.0 OS. There's no confirmation on exactly which Xperia model the H8616 is. Reports say it could be the XZ3 Premium, but in that case, the screen resolution should have been at-least 4K (as on the XZ2 Premium). A downgrade in that regard would be surprising. Recently, another Xperia (H8416) - likely the Xperia XZ3 - was spotted in benchmarks. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_sony_xperia_h8616_spotted_with_189_display_android_p-news-31802.php

Asus ROG Phone US arrival confirmed as listing pops up on company's US site

Asus announced its gaming-focused ROG Phone earlier this month, without revealing the launch markets or pricing info. Cut to this week, and there were reports that India will be getting the phone. But what about the US? Well, good news. The US launch looks almost confirmed as the Taiwanese company's US website now has a dedicated page for the device. Sadly, the exact launch time frame isn't yet known. At the unveiling, the company said the device will go on sale some time in the third quarter. So it's reasonable to expect the US will get the phone around that time. Source

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_rog_phone_us_arrival_confirmed_as_listing_pops_up_on_companys_us_site-news-31801.php

BlackBerry KEY2 comes mid-July to the US, pre-orders start on June 29

BlackBerry KEY2 is what old school physical keyboard fans have been waiting for. The device combines modern hardware with a physical keyboard offering expanded functionality allowing for a full-fledged 2018 experience. Pre-orders in Canada, China, UAE, the UK have already started and the US market is soon to follow. The handset will be available in Silver and Black starting July 13 and could be bought on Amazon and BestBuy. However, these stores will have limited stock and if you really want a Key2, we suggest that you reserve one on June 29 when pre-orders start. Via

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_key2_comes_midjuly_to_the_us_preorders_start_on_june_29-news-31795.php

vivo Y81 launched in Taiwan with Helio P22 chipset and 3,260 mAh battery

The vivo Y81 has been popping up in some certification websites for the last couple of weeks until it finally launched today in Taiwan. The mid-range device from vivo features almost the same hardware as the launched in May vivo Y83 but with slightly different memory configuration. The Y81 comes with the well-known Helio P22 SoC with an octa-core CPU clocked at 2.0 GHz paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage whereas the Y83 boasts 4GB of RAM and 64GB of flash storage. Both phones support microSD expansion, though. The handset comes with 6.22-inch, 19:9 HD+ display...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_y81_launched_in_taiwan_with_helio_p22_chipset_and_3260_mah_battery-news-31793.php

Meizu launches the M6 in India without any announcements

The Meizu M6 isn't a new phone by any means as it was launched eight months ago in China but every now and then, the company outs a device in India as well. Today, the M6 arrives via Amazon India without any press release or launch event. If this is the same model as the Chinese one, the device features the low-end MediaTek MT6750 chipset featuring 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The camera on the back is 13MP while the front-facing one is 8MP. The display is 5.2-inch with an old school 16:9 aspect ratio and 720 x 1280 resolution. The home button on the chin doubles as a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_launches_the_m6_in_india_without_any_announcements-news-31784.php

Car and phone makers get together to define an NFC standard for unlocking cars

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), the organization behind MirrorLink, has published the first specification of Digital Key. This would allow you to unlock supported cars with your phone over NFC and start the engine. Work on version 2.0 is already underway with Apple, Samsung and LG on board, as well as chip makers Qualcomm and NXP and a number of car makers like Audi, VW, BMW, GM and Hyundai. The next-gen standard should be completed in the first three months of next year. With Digital Key your phone (or smartwatch) can make remote car key fobs unnecessary. But there's more...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/car_and_phone_makers_get_together_to_define_an_nfc_standard_for_unlocking_cars-news-31792.php

Another semi-modular bezel-less smartphone design surfaces, this time from Samsung

Some users may say that we don't need thinner bezels than we already have on the vivo NEX or Oppo's new Find X, for example, but most of us will never get enough of that sweet screen space. Samsung belongs to the latter and has a way of tackling the technical issues that may arise with ultra-thin bezels. We had already done a piece on Huawei's approach the other day and it seems that Samsung has a similar solution to the problem with some notable differences. While Huawei is using only two metal strips on the sides, the Korean giant is betting on all four and instead of adhesive, the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/another_semimodular_bezelless_smartphone_design_surfaces_this_time_from_samsung-news-31791.php

JD's 618 Shopping Festival in China breaks records, Honor phones ride on top

JD.com just ended its country-wide 618 Shopping Festival in China, which ran from June 1 to June 18 and took in a record-breaking CNY 127.5 billion (that's about $20 billion). A big chunk of that was Huawei's Honor phones. The sub-brand was the top earner in terms of single day sales on June 18. Honor was also #1 in sales for the whole period of the 618 festival. Honor has been doing great at the world stage too. It's available in over 74 countries and the company expects to see a 150% growth outside of China. The Huawei Honor 10 has over 1 million sales under its belt, over...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/jds_618_shopping_festival_in_china_breaks_records_honor_phones_ride_on_top-news-31790.php

Bose noise-masking sleepbuds now on sale for $250

After going through an Indiegogo campaign, the Bose soundbuds are now on sale across major retailers for $250. The Bose soundbuds are a unique sort of product and a departure from the usual audio equipment that the company is known for. Despite the fact that they look like wireless Bluetooth earphones, the soundbuds don't actually play music. What they do instead is sit in your ears and play specifically designed sounds that help mask ambient noises. Bose is very clear on the fact that this isn't their usual active noise isolation that is present on their noise canceling headphones....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/bose_noisemasking_sleepbuds_now_on_sale_for_250-news-31789.php

IGTV is a vertical video platform from Instagram to go against YouTube

Instagram is trying to bring a whole new concept to the world of video sharing platforms with its so-called IGTV network. It aims to work just like regular TV but with vertical videos. The Android app is already available on Google Play and it's gaining traction while Instagram has already reached 1 billion users, so we can assume it's going to be a hit very soon. The difference between Instagram and IGTV, however, is that the latter pushes vertical videos only and can last up to an hour. This is probably because it's going to be used only on smartphones. The UI is very streamlined...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/igtv_is_a_vertical_video_platform_from_instagram_to_go_against_youtube-news-31787.php

Nokia X6 India launch confirmed as support page goes live on company's local website

The Nokia X6 - company's first notch-totting smartphone - has managed to generate a lot of user-interest, not only in China (the only region where the device is currently available) but in other markets around the world as well. This resulted in HMD effectively confirming that the device will get a global launch. However, since then, the company has been mum on the topic. But silent developments have been taking place. For example, a couple of global models recently received Bluetooth certification, and the device was also briefly spotted listed on Nokia's international website. Now, a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_x6_india_launch_confirmed_as_support_pages_goes_live_on_companys_india_website-news-31785.php

LG Stylo 4 launched with 6.2-inch display, Android 8.1 Oreo

LG has launched a new smartphone in the US. Dubbed Stylo 4, the device is powered by Snapdragon 450 SoC with octa-core, 1.8GHz processor, and sports a 6.2-inch display of 2160 × 1080 pixel resolution. RAM is 2GB, while internal memory is 32GB. The handset features a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front shooter. The phone comes with Stylus Pen (as the name suggests), rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and Android 8.1 Oreo OS. A 3,300mAh battery is there to keep the lights on. Software features like Screen off Memo (just pull out the Stylus and begin writing on the screen - no need to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_stylo_4_launched_with_62inch_display_android_81_oreo-news-31783.php

HTC U12+ review

In this industry, trends tend to be the determining factor for smartphone companies who aren't sure which direction to take. Of course, in this case, the trend we're referring to in the controversial notch that Apple has blessed the smartphone industry with. Not HTC though, although it hasn't brought a notched display onto its flagship this year, it has followed a couple of other trends in the past couple of years.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_u12_plus_review-review-1783.php

Xiaomi confirms Snapdragon 660 chipset for Mi Pad 4

Turns out the rumors were true, as Xiaomi has confirmed that the upcoming Mi Pad 4 tablet will indeed be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 SoC. The confirmation came in the form of a teaser image shared by the company's official Weibo account. The Weibo post also mentions "smart game acceleration," which likely suggests the device will also feature optimizations aimed at providing better gaming experience. As for other specs, they tablet is currently rumored to feature a 13MP/5MP camera combo, and pack in a 6,000mAh battery. Sadly, nothing else is known at the moment, but the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_confirms_snapdragon_660_chipset_for_mi_pad_4-news-31781.php

Smartphone World Cup: Groups G and H

These are the last two groups, the group stage will end this weekend and we'll kick off the Round of 16. As a reminder, you can vote once per day, the top two phones of each group move forward (but it's single elimination from then on). Group G This group sees two rival neighbors face off. The LG V30S ThinQ is looking good after its sibling, the G7 ThinQ, scored a surprise victory in Group A. The two share most of their hardware, but the older V30S appeals more to fans of OLED screens - especially ones without notches. The Snapdragon 835 chipset is last year's best, but the two phones...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/smartphone_world_cup_groups_g_and_h-news-31786.php

Meizu launches the M6 in India without any warning

The Meizu M6 isn't a new phone by any means as it was launched eight months ago in China but every now and then, the company outs a device in India as well. Today, the M6 arrives via Amazon India without any press release or launch event. If this is the same model as the Chinese one, the device features the low-end MediaTek MT6750 chipset featuring 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The camera on the back is 13MP while the front-facing one is 8MP. The display is 5.2-inch with an old school 16:9 aspect ratio and 720 x 1280 resolution. The home button on the chin doubles as a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_launches_the_m6_in_india_without_any_warning-news-31784.php

Sony effectively asking Xperia XZ2/XZ1 users facing display issues to just deal with problem

There have been a significant number of reports from users of Sony Xperia XZ1 series of smartphones about a display-related issue where horizontal lines and white dots show up when touching or rubbing the screen with a finger. Similar complaints have been put forward by some Xperia XZ2 series users as well. The Japanese company has come out with an official statement on the matter saying the behavior is due to electrostatic (stationary electric charges) in some models. Here's the complete statement: Sony Mobile is committed to providing the highest standard of product quality and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_effectively_asking_xperia_xz2_xz1_users_facing_display_issues_to_just_deal_with_problem-news-31780.php

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro appears in press renders, notch included

Just a few days left until the official Redmi 6 Pro launch and we already know most of the specs and the overall appearance, but the latest batch of renders gives us a nice image to go along with the specs. Redmi 6 Pro in different colors The colorful press renders reveal more about the design and show the handset from every possible angle. Unfortunately, they confirm the existence of the notch and the rather thick bezels, but at this price range, we can't be too picky. Still, it's an improvement over the Redmi 5 as it boasts a trendy 19:9 aspect ratio and a big 5.84-inch...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_6_pro_appears_in_press_renders_notch_included-news-31782.php

ZTE nubia Z18 real-life picture shows no notch, impressive screen-to-body ratio

nubia's upcoming flagship, the Z18, has leaked over the past few months showing an impressive screen-to-body ratio and a small notch housing the front camera, just like the Essential Phone. However, the latest real-life photos suggest otherwise. The ultra-thin side bezels are nothing new to the smartphone world but when a company achieves a slim upper bezel and a small chin, the Internet just loses it. Well, the Z18 won't be a record breaker in this regard but it does seem to offer slimmer bezels than its predecessor, the nubia Z17s. And as you can see, the upper bezel isn't big...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_nubia_z18_reallife_picture_shows_no_notch_impressive_screentobody_ratio-news-31775.php

Alexa is coming to Spain and Italy later this year

Amazon's Alexa will launch in Italy and Spain by the end of year. Amazon has released the Alexa Skills Kit to developers to build voice experiences in Italian and Spanish. The move aims to build up a number of Alexa skills and voice commands for the Italians and Spanish before the Echo smart speakers launch in the two countries later this year. The Alexa Skills Kit is a collection of APIs and tools that let developers create voice-driven abilities. And Alexa will automatically add natural voice understanding to those skills so that developers won't need to worry about that. If a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/alexa_coming_to_spain_and_italy_later_this_year-news-31772.php

Smartphone World Cup: Groups E and F

We have two more groups from our Smartphone World Cup today and we'll publish the final two groups tomorrow. Also, we've closed voting on Groups A and B, the results from them are below (A in particular was quite a surprise). Group E The Apple iPhone 8 Plus has many improvements under the hood, but the shell dates back to 2014's iPhone 6 Plus with small changes here and there like the switch to a dual camera. Looks can be deceptive, however. Since 2014, the iPhone has gained stereo speakers, IP67 water resistance, triple the RAM and, triple the CPU cores. And the dual camera, of course,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/smartphone_world_cup_groups_e_and_f-news-31773.php

TouchPal keyboard now with AI for more interactive typing experience

TouchPal has been a pioneer when it comes to features in the Android keyboard world that are now available on most touch keyboards. But along with the usual stuff, TouchPal Pro now has an AI assistant that helps with typing, making plans and stay on top of your meme game. The assistant is called "Talia" and delivers suggestions in the form of a bubble as you type without getting in your way. The AI is capable of basic calculations, currency conversion, one-tap paste, smart replies, GIF predictions, weather forecast and even dining recommendations, although the last one strongly depends...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/touchpal_keyboard_now_has_an_ai_personal_assistant_for_more_interactive_typing_experience-news-31774.php

Google Home products now available for Austria, Ireland, and Spain

Google Home products are making a new home in three European markets: Austria, Ireland, and Spain. The Google Home, Home Mini, and Google Wi-Fi are all available from the Google Store. Back in May, a Spanish retailer briefly listed all three of the products just mentioned before quickly taking down both Google Home speakers. This "leak" meant that the Google Home launch for Spain was imminent. Even the pricing that was listed is still accurate. For these new markets, the Google Home Mini will go for €59 while the regular sized Google Home can be had for €149. Meanwhile, a single...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_home_products_now_available_for_austria_ireland_and_spain-news-31771.php

Huawei may be preparing a Kirin 1020 chip, twice as powerful as the Kirin 970

Huawei is one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world and thus needs to become less reliant hardware produced outside the company. The in-house production should help bring the cost of devices down and maybe try to compete with Qualcomm's dominance in the mobile market. The latest news about an upcoming Kirin SoC might change all that. And no, we are not talking about the Kirin 980. With its newest HiSilicon 970 chipset, the company gets closer to Qualcomm's top-shelf chips, but still, the Kirin 970 isn't on par with the Snapdragon 845 in terms of raw performance, although...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_is_readying_a_kirin_1020_chip_twice_as_powerful_as_the_kirin_970-news-31769.php

Moto One Power first live images surface

Lenovo jumped the notch hype train with the Z5 flagship, announced earlier this month, but its more prominent brand Motorola is still lacking the infamous feature. This might change with the arrival of the Android One phone, supposedly called Moto One Power. The phone just appeared in hands-on photos with a dual camera setup, similar to what Apple did to the iPhone X, followed by numerous Xiaomi devices. It also has a logo on the fingerprint scanner on the back and a notch on the front. Moto One Power sides The cutout houses the selfie camera and the proximity...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/moto_one_power_first_live_images_surface-news-31770.php

Fortnite passes $100 million mark in just 90 days on iOS

Even though Fortnite has been criticized by a lot of gamers for being a PUBG copycat, but it is increasingly popular on PC surpassing Player Unknown's Battlegrounds and it appears that it's becoming an iOS sensation as well. In just three months after its launch, Fortnite reached another important milestone on Apple's App Store of $100 million in revenue. The result puts the game in second position right after Clash Royale, which earned staggering $154 million in 90 days and $100 million in 51 days. It's important to note, though, that Fortnite was only available to users with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/fortnite_passes_100_million_mark_in_just_90_days_on_ios-news-31768.php

ZTE future still unclear after Congress disapproval

The Chinese telecommunications gear manufacturer ZTE might be in trouble after all. The company assumed it is in the clear after an initial deal to pay fines, replace its board of directors and hire a contractor to oversee company operations, but the US Congress thought otherwise. US Senators voted on Monday in favor of a sweeping defense policy bill that includes killing the agreement between US President Donald Trump and the ZTE administration. Reuters reported that both Republicans and Democrats expressed security concerns about two Chinese companies - ZTE and Huawei. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_future_unclear_congress_disapproval-news-31767.php

Oppo Find X hands-on review

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, notches spread like an infection from one phone to another. Now there's a cure - pop-up cameras. The Oppo Find X is the second phone in as many weeks to feature one and it's even more elaborate than what we saw on the vivo NEX S.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_x_hands_on-review-1782.php

Apple releases beta 2 for iOS 12, tvOS 12, macOS 10.14 and watchOS 5 for developers

Apple has released beta 2 to developers of its flagship operating systems for iOS 12, tvOS 12, macOS 10.14 and watchOS two weeks after its World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) where it released the first beta's to developers. It's hard to predict when we'll see a public beta of the various OS's this early in the release cycle. It's more likely that these will appear later in the beta lifecycle as stability increases and Apple lock down features and its UI. As expected, Beta 2 introduces a number of changes and refinements to the features introduced in the beta 1...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_releases_beta_2_for_ios_12_tvos_12_macos_1014_and_watchos_5_for_developers-news-31766.php