OxygenOS 5.1.4 for OnePlus 5/5T brings new features and July security patch

Strangely enough, the OnePlus 3 and 3T got their July security patch before the OnePlus 5 and 5T but the wait is worth it because the last two handsets are now equipped with some brand new features. The OxygenOS 5.1.4 OTA update bumps up the security patch of both devices to July 2018 but more importantly, it introduces a cool new battery-related feature. It's called "Sleep Standby Mode," which reduces the amount of power drained while the device is not used. In the OnePlus forum post, the company explains that the device intelligently tracks your usage patterns and when you are...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oxygenos_514_for_oneplus_5_5t_brings_new_features_and_july_security_patch-news-32490.php

Rumor: 2018 iPad Pros will have smaller footprint and no headphone jack

There's not much info on this year's upcoming iPad Pro lineup except that it should be equipped with the iPhone X's advanced face recognition tech. The latest report confirms that and contributes to the whole story. According to the Japanese website Macotakara, both the 10.5-inch and the 12.9-inch iPad Pros will have reduced dimensions overall. The 10.5-inch model will go from 250.6 x 174.1 x 6.1mm down to 247.5 x 178.7 x 6mm while the 12.9-inch one will get an even more extreme side cut - from 305.7 x 220.6 x 6.9mm down to 280 x 215 x 6.4. Obviously, Apple will shave off the bezels...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/rumor_2018_ipad_pros_will_have_smaller_footprint_and_no_headphone_jack-news-32489.php

Deal: Samsung Gear S3 Classic and Frontier for $280 with free $100 gift card

Samsung's Gear S3 Classic and Frontier have aged but they are still pretty capable watches and Best Buy's latest offer makes them irresistible. If it wasn't for the huge price cut, we would have suggested that you keep your hard-earned money and wait for the upcoming Galaxy Watch that's supposed to come with the Galaxy Note9. But in this case, if you are in the market for smart wearables, look no further than those two. Best Buy's offer is $279.99 for both variants - down from $349. And that's not all. The deal includes a Best Buy E-Gift card for $100. You can find them in the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deal_samsung_gear_s3_classic_and_frontier_for_280_with_free_100_gift_card-news-32488.php

Here's a render of Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo for the Note9 and the Galaxy Watch

Roland Quandt just tweeted some revealing renders of Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo we showed you last week, which is supposed to come alongside the Galaxy Note9 and the Galaxy Watch. This is how the charger with model number EP-N6100 looks outside the box - it has room for the phone and the smartwatch. But there's more. Another pad with different model number EP-P3100 looks a lot like the pad for the smartwatch on the big charger. The EP-P3100 charger We can't be sure for now whether this is an entirely separate device or we are looking at a modular dual wireless...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/heres_a_render_of_samsungs_wireless_charger_duo_for_the_note9_and_the_galaxy_watch-news-32487.php

Nokia 5.1 up for pre-order in Germany

HMD Global announced a number of new smartphones coming to Europe back in May and Nokia 5's successor was one of them. Nokia 5.1 pre-order listings Now, the Nokia 5.1 popped up on a German online retail store claiming that the 2GB/16GB memory variant will be here 3 days from now. The price tag is €210 while the more powerful version with 3GB/32GB memory configuration will set you back €238. You can pre-order the latter too but it will arrive in two to four weeks time. Source 1 | Source 2 (both in German)

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_51_up_for_preorder_in_germany-news-32486.php

Xiaomi Pocophone F1's Bluetooth certification reveals spicy hardware

We've been hearing stuff about Xiaomi's sub-brand Pocophone for some time now, but only this week we got something that's really worth noting. The upcoming smartphone called F1 will boast Snapdragon 845 and it's touted to be the cheapest SD845-powered smartphone on the market. It's expected to hit Eastern Europe and then become available in India under a different name. More importantly, though, the chipset won't be the only key selling point of the device, at least according to the Bluetooth certification document. In it, we find plenty of details about the specs and features of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_pocophone_f1s_bluetooth_certification_reveals_spicy_hardware-news-32485.php

Galaxy J5 (2017) variants will receive Android Oreo, WiFi certification document shows

Samsung isn't famous for its timely updates, especially when it comes to its low-end and mid-range devices. They often need to wait several months to a whole year to receive a major Android OS update, but the latest news about some of the Galaxy J5 models is a breath of fresh air for many owners of the handsets - Android 8.0 Oreo is definitely coming. It became clear after the WiFi Alliance certified a total of 13 Galaxy J5 variants as Oreo-ready, which means that Samsung is almost done with the update. But don't get too excited, though, as not all J5 handsets will get the biscuit -...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_j5_variants_will_receive_android_oreo_wifi_certification_document_shows-news-32484.php

Oppo Find X in for review - watch the unboxing video

The Oppo Find X is one of this year's (almost) totally bezel-less smartphones with a motorized module that pops up out of the top of the phone. This module contains both the front and rear cameras so that the phone's body can be free of any camera holes for a uniquely sleek look. There's a huge 6.42-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 px, which comes out to an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, just like Samsung's infinity display. There's something about seeing such thin bezels on a smartphone that really gets us going. The idea of a fully bezel-less smartphone is becoming more and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_x_in_for_review__watch_our_unboxing_video-news-32483.php

Samsung Galaxy Tab A2 XL specs leak revealing a 10.5-inch display and Snapdragon 450

Not long ago, we saw a Samsung tablet with the name Galaxy Tab A2 XL have its images leak and today's report from SamMobile breaks down the alleged specs of the mid-range tablet. According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Tab A2 XL is a mid-range tablet with a large 10.5-inch display using a 1920x1200px resolution. Powering the device is a 7,300 mAh battery and a Snapdragon 450 CPU paired with 3GB of RAM. Leaked image of the Galaxy Tab A2 XL There will be 32GB of storage and a microSD slot to fill with pictures taken with the 8MP main camera or the 5MP front-facing one. There's also 5GHz...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_a2_xl_specs_leak_revealing_a_105inch_display_and_snapdragon_450-news-32482.php

Moto E5 Play and E5 Plus becomes available from T-Mobile

Earlier this month, Motorola launched the Moto E5 Play and Moto E5 Plus in India and the two handsets are now hitting the US. T-Mobile is now selling the two entry-level handsets, according to the devices' respective support pages. The Moto E5 Play is available for $150 outright or $6 down and $6 per month for 24 months. The Moto E5 Plus is a bit more at $255 outright or $9 down and $9 per month. The E5 Play is one tier below the E5 while the Plus is above the E5. The E5 Play has a smaller 5.2-inch 16:9 display, 8MP camera, and a 2,800 mAh battery. Memory-wise is a combination of 2GB+16GB...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e5_and_e5_plus_becomes_available_from_tmobile-news-32481.php

Honor Play Special Edition goes on sale on August 1 with laser engraved lines on the back

Huawei's sub-brand is releasing a Special Edition of the Honor Play next week - on August 1, to be precise. This will be offered in two color versions, black and red. Whichever you choose, you'll get a smartphone with an attractive back design that features laser engraved lines. Additionally, there are red accents for the rear camera setup and fingerprint scanner on both hues, as you can see from the promo image below. The camera has an added AI photography algorithm that provides five kinds of portrait lighting effects, for both front and rear shooters. And naturally GPU Turbo is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_play_special_edition_goes_on_sale_on_august_1_with_laser_engraved_lines_on_the_back-news-32480.php

BlackBerry KEY2 LE is the name of the upcoming Lite version of the phone

BlackBerry is working on a toned down version of the KEY2 smartphone it launched back in June, and so far we've been referring to this one as the KEY2 Lite. Thanks to the FCC having certified a bunch of different regional versions of it already, we now know what name it will actually be sold under. It's going to be the BlackBerry KEY2 LE. "LE" might as well stand for "Lite Edition" or something similar, but that bit isn't certain yet. The handset has the model number BBE100 followed by a dash and then a digit that reveals which region a version is intended for. Thankfully, the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_key2_le_is_the_name_of_the_upcoming_lite_version_of_the_phone-news-32479.php

Google Play bans crypto mining apps, repetitive aps

Google just updated its app developer policy regarding its content for children, adults, violence, discrimination, cryptocurrency mining and also clears out the repetitive apps. Apps that "appeal to children but contain adult themes" are no longer allowed. Apps that contain adult content of any sort are banned. Applications containing hatred against individuals or groups based on race or other characteristics are now explicitly banned too. More interestingly, the Play Store doesn't allow cryptocurrency mining apps anymore. There were plenty out there like MinerGate, Crypto Miner or...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_play_bans_cryptocurrency_mining_apps_updates_its_app_developer_policy-news-32475.php

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3's design might have been leaked by MIUI 10

Xiaomi's Mi Mix 3 is probably coming this September, as past rumors and leaks have told us. It is expected to push the screen-to-body ratio even further than its predecessors, which is useful for the company in a world where the vivo NEX S and Oppo Find X exist. The Chinese smartphone maker may have accidentally leaked the design outline of the upcoming Mi Mix 3 itself, through the MIUI 10 release that went out to other phones. There used to be a screenshot inside the software that shows a Xiaomi device with a dedicated AI button on the left side. Such a product hasn't been launched...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_mix_3s_design_might_have_been_leaked_by_miui_10-news-32473.php

Nokia 3.1 review

Last year we saw Nokia rise from the ashes and launch a few successful Android series. Its confidence grew even stronger with the surprising sequels to the iconic Nokia 3310 and 8110 bar phones. HMD has done right by the name so far and now it's time to refresh those original Android lineups. And today we'll be checking out the Nokia 3.1 - a sequel to the very affordable Nokia 3.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_3_1-review-1795.php

Galaxy Note9 to shoot 960fps video footage for twice as long as the S9

According to a new rumor out of Twitter, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Note9 will be capable of shooting 960fps video for 0.4 seconds. That's twice as long as the Galaxy S9 and S9+ can do it for, namely 0.2 seconds. Don't take this for granted just yet, but if it pans out then there's the potential for even more interesting super slow-mo videos to be created by owners of the Note9. The phone has been leaking extensively in the past few days, ahead of its announcement which is taking place on August 9. It will pack a big 4,000 mAh battery, an S Pen that's Bluetooth enabled for the first...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note9_to_shoot_960fps_video_footage_for_twice_as_long_as_the_s9-news-32472.php

Telegram introduces Passport, a way to store and upload personal information online

Telegram has introduced a new feature in its mobile app. Called Passport, it's a way for you to store your personal information within the app and then share it easily when another app or website requires it. Meet Telegram Passport pic.twitter.com/N4MnVNi1mY— 📱 🖥️ 👶 🔍 🇮🇩 (@bang_gogo_) July 27, 2018 For a service to request information, it will have to integrate Telegram Passport in its app or website. You'll then see an option to Login with Telegram. Then, just like Facebook, Twitter or Google login, you will be able to login to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/telegram_introduces_passport_a_way_to_store_and_upload_personal_information_online-news-32474.php

Oppo R17 surfaces on TENAA, fingerprint reader nowhere to be seen

News about Oppo R15's successor broke yesterday with information coming straight from Oppo itself. At an event, the company teased the Oppo R17 name. In any case, today's leaked TENAA document further confirms the existence of the device with an exciting color scheme and dual camera setup on the back. The renders don't show much on the front, but it's clear that the standard fingerprint reader is missing. There's nothing on the back either. This could mean an in-screen fingerprint or that phone will rely only on face recognition tech like the Find X. Full-screen panel on the front...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r17_surfaces_on_tenaa_fingerprint_reader_nowhere_to_be_found-news-32471.php

Fortnite's Android version may be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note9 for a month

There are two battle royale games that dominate the PC and console market - PUBG and Fortnite. Fortnite already launched on iOS and Epic Games announced that it will reach Android in the summer, but what the developer didn't say is that there may be an exclusivity deal in place. Rumor has it that the game will be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note9 for a month. The phone will be unveiled on August 9 and sales should start on the August 24, so that's when Fortnite will launch. There's more - pre-ordering the Samsung flagship will reportedly net you $100-$150 worth of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/fortnites_android_version_may_be_exclusive_to_the_samsung_galaxy_note9_for_a_month-news-32469.php

LG V35 Signature Edition is coming soon with $1,790 price tag

LG is readying yet another high-end Android smartphone to be released in the coming weeks. Unlike the V30S ThinQ, the G7 ThinQ, and the V35 ThinQ, this one will be a limited edition type of product. It's called LG V35 Signature Edition and it will arrive in Korea as the successor to the V30 Signature Edition, which launched in December of last year. It's expected to carry a similar price tag (about $1,800). That's pricing territory where we're used to seeing Huawei's Porsche Design and, more recently, Oppo's Lamborghini co-branded phones. So what do you get for all that cash?...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_v35_signature_edition_is_coming_soon_with_1790_price_tag-news-32468.php

Apple shipped 3.5 million Watches in Q2, but still lost market share

Canalys published its quarterly on the smartwatch market. Q2 of 2018 saw great Apple Watch performance with 3.5 million shipped units, but it didn't manage to match the market growth rate and lost some share as a result. The research shows that in Q2 2018, users around the world bought 10 million smart watches in total and compared to last year's Q2, which meant that despite Apple's growth of 30%, its share shrunk from 43% to 34%. Apple's growth is primarily fueled by the LTE model's popularity in Asia, which sold 250,000 units - 60% of all Asian Apple Watch sales. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apples_q2_2018_smartwatch_shipments_are_strong_competitors_even_stronger-news-32466.php

A treasure trove of cases for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 surfaces

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 will launch in five colors and we've seen them in various leaks, including the accompanying S Pens. Here's another look at the stylus (note that the yellow one will be paired with the blue Note9). S Pens for the Galaxy Note9 Now check out some of the cases that will be available for the upcoming flagship. There are two flavors of flip covers - Clear View and LED View. Clear View covers for the Galaxy Note9 LED View covers for the Galaxy Note9 Next up are the rugged MIL-STD-810G covers, which can protect the phone from drops...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/a_treasure_trove_of_cases_for_the_samsung_galaxy_note9_surfaces-news-32467.php

Meizu 16 and 16 Plus fully revealed before launch

Meizu is set to launch its Meizu 16-series on Monday, July 30, and just a day before the invites were sent in, a TENAA listing revealed a good chunk of the the duo's specs. Meizu 16 Plus Now the listings has been extended to include the complete specs of the Meizu 16 and Meizu 16 Plus. We finally know everything about the devices, except for some software features that might wow us at the launch event. The true flagship, Meizu 16 Plus, boasts a Snapdragon 845 chipset with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The display is a 6.5" Super AMOLED unit with 1080 x 2160 pixel...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_16_and_16_plus_fully_revealed_before_launch-news-32463.php

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 reveals tiny bezels in hands-on video

Samsung is having an Unpacked event next month where the company is expected to announce Galaxy Tab S4 along with the Galaxy Note9 smartphone. With the launch nearing, the slate started appearing in more and more leaked photos, and now we have video of the tablet. The short 10-second clip reveals there is no home button on the front and all four bezels are thinner than its predecessor. There is a single camera with an LED flash on the back, so Samsung is not planning to use fingerprint scanning in the Galaxy Tab S4. The 10.5" device has a glass back and will arrive in at least two...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_s4_tiny_bezels_live_video-news-32462.php

Huawei could beat Samsung to launch first foldable smartphone

According to market analysts and industry sources, Huawei is making a lot of effort right now to be the first manufacturer to bring a fully functional foldable smartphone with a flexible display. The sources claim that the Chinese vendor is looking to beat Samsung to the finish line by a small margin. For now, we know that Samsung is preparing to launch its foldable Galaxy smartphone in early 2019, probably even before MWC 2019 so if Huawei wants to have the bragging rights of being first, we are looking at a late 2018 launch. But don't get too excited. Just like the upcoming...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_could_beat_samsung_to_the_punch_in_the_race_of_foldable_smartphones-news-32461.php

Samsung Galaxy Note9 leaked case confirms Bixby button and 3.5 mm audio jack

Samsung is announcing the Galaxy Note9 in less than two weeks but the phone design is pretty much revealed already. According to a leaked image of a rugged phone case, the new phablet will be identical to the Galaxy Note8, at least from the front, left and right sides. It will keep the Bixby button and the 3.5 mm audio jack too. The image says the Bixby button goes above the Volume rocker, but this seems like an honest mistake, especially when you look at the actual pictured device and if you count the space between all three keys. The bottom has the audio jack, USB-C port,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note9_leaked_case_bixby_button_audio_jack-news-32460.php

Honor Note 10's 5,000mAh battery officially confirmed

The Honor Note 10 will sport a spacious 5,000mAh battery when it becomes official on July 31. The news was confirmed through Honor's official Weibo page in a teaser that also references some COOL tech that will be featured in the behemoth phone. Honor Note 10 will have a 5,000mAh battery This could be a reference for some sort of cooling but will that make the Honor Note 10 a gaming device? We'll find out soon once the phone officially launches, or when another teaser rolls aound to fill us in. We already had a good idea of the Honor Note 10's specs thanks to a detailed TENAA...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/confirmed_honor_note_10_will_have_a_portly_5000mah_battery-news-32459.php

Lenovo launches Smart Display with Google Assistant

Smart speakers are increasing in popularity, but home assistants with displays are still a rare sight. Amazon's exploring the niche with the Echo Show and now Lenovo wants a piece of the market with its Smart Display and Google Assistant. The device visualizes all your questions and answers and offers step-by-step directions for cooking. Lenovo Smart Display is essentially Google Assistant with a screen. It has Qualcomm Home Hub Platform, based on Snapdragon 624 with octa-core CPU, 4 GB storage and 2 GB RAM. It also supports video calls via Google Duo and supports Wi-Fi 802.11 ac...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_launches_smart_display_with_google_assistant-news-32457.php

Samsung releases three more Ingenius videos to mock the iPhone X

Samsung's ad game has always been strong and quite frankly, it has to be given all the budget the company spends on marketing. The best part is that we get entertaining ads like the Ingenius series of short clips mocking Apple's shortcomings (in relation to the Galaxy S9/S9+) with the 2017 iPhones. They are rarely more than 30 seconds long but are pretty fun to watch. The first video mocked the iPhone's lack of Gigabit LTE and later Samsung mocked the iPhone X's lack of fast charging, lesser DxO Mark score and its necessity of dongles in three new videos. Now we have three more fresh...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_spits_out_three_more_ingenius_ads_mocking_at_iphones-news-32458.php

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE now available with 128 GB storage

Xiaomi announced the Mi 8 SE back in May and later the phone was launched with 64 GB storage and two RAM options - 4 GB or 6 GB. Now the company adds a third version to its Mi Store - one with 128 GB storage. The phone does not differ in any other way from the Mi 8 SE that we just reviewed. It runs on Snapdragon 710 with octa-core CPU and boots Android Oreo. The screen is a 5.88" AMOLED panel with a notch on top that houses all the traditional sensors and comes with the basic Android Face Unlock feature (the high-end face-scanning tech is reserved for the Mi 8 Explorer). Initially,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_8_se_now_available_with_128_gb_storage-news-32456.php

Alto's Odyssey now available on Android

Popular game Alto's Odyssey is finally on Android. The game is available to download worldwide for free on the Google Play Store unlike the iOS version, which is paid. However, the Android version has ads, which you have to pay to remove. Alto's Odyssey is the successor to Alto's Adventure by Noodlecake Studios, who also make other awesome games like Chameleon Run, FRAMED 1 and 2, Lumino City, and more. Like Alto's Adventure, Alto's Odyssey is an 'endless runner‘ style of game, where you ski down a slope and perform jumps and wall slides, while collecting coins, completing...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/altos_odyssey_now_available_on_android-news-32453.php

Samsung to announce Galaxy Tab S4 at next month's Unpacked event

For a while, we've been saying that we'll likely see the heavily leaked Samsung Galaxy Watch launch alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note9 at Samsung's Unpacked event in NYC. However, sources told TechnoBuffalo that the Galaxy Tab S4 will debut in NYC and the Watch's fate is still undecided. So it's not known if it will wait until IFA or launch in New York. Both the Tab S4 and Note9 solidly surrounds the S Pen focusing on productivity, so launching them together would certainly create more noise for Samsung and the S Pen. Before this, it was generally speculated that the Galaxy Tab S4 would...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_announce_galaxy_tab_s4_at_next_months_unpacked_event-news-32455.php

Apple patents a way to wirelessly transfer power between devices

Today, a patent was published at the USPTO from Apple that describes an interesting way to charge Apple devices. The patent describes a wireless charging coil that could transmit current bi-directionally. Thus, a theoretical iPad or MacBook with the same wireless could transfer a charge to an iPhone X or iPhone 8 with a depleted battery. We know that there is currently no such thing as an iPad or MacBook with induction coils for the purpose of wireless charging. However, should Apple put the idea into fruition, it could be an interesting last-alternative to charge a dead iPhone...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_patents_a_way_to_wirelessly_transfer_power_between_devices-news-32454.php

HMD is hiring a team to expand presence of Nokia phones in the US

HMD's Nokia phones have a limited presence in the US - a few mid-range to entry-level phones - but LinkedIn postings reveal that the company wants to hire a new team to help it grow. It needs an e-commerce lead to deal with HMD's online distribution partners like Amazon and Best Buy. It needs a product lead, too, to talk to carriers and decide on a roadmap, anticipating trends in the market. And it needs a technical account manager to handle customer requirements (both consumers and operators). HMD's job postings on LinkedIn The US market can be a tough nut to crack for phone...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/hmd_is_hiring_a_team_to_expand_presence_of_nokia_phones_in_the_us-news-32449.php

Moto E5 Plus and Moto Z3 Play specs and design revealed by TENAA

A number of Motorola devices surfaced on TENAA hinting at nearing Chinese launch. The devices in question are the already introduced Moto Z3 Play and Moto E5 Play. Moto Z3 Play In a plot twist, the Moto Z3 Play for the Chinese market might come with better hardware. According to the listing, the device will sport a Snapdragon 660 instead of Snapdragon 636 and also receives a slight bump in the battery department - from 3,000 mAh on the original model to 3,300 mAh on the Chinese version. The rest of the hardware remains pretty much the same with the available memory configurations...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e5_plus_and_moto_z3_play_spotted_on_tenaa_faster_chips_and_more_memory-news-32448.php

Oppo Find X fails bend test

The Oppo Find X with its innovative motorized top section that houses the cameras took the world by storm since it was announced, but there have been concerns about the durability of at least the sliding mechanism itself, if not the entire phone. These concerns are definitely not going to be put to rest by the video below, in which Zack from JerryRigEverything performs his usual battery of tests on the Find X. The motorized top section, when out, does wiggle a bit, moving all over. This means there's space for dust and other particles to be caught down inside the moving...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_x_fails_bend_test-news-32450.php

Nokia Q2 profit misses analysts' predictions, pins its hopes on 5G

Nokia's operating profits for Q2 missed estimates - they were €334 million (42% down from Q2 last year) while analysts were predicting €373 million. The company is banking on money from 5G to improve the second half of 2018. Nokia's largest business, Networks, brought in €4.7 billion in sales but only a tiny €69 million in operating profit. Most of the total profit came from Nokia Technologies, the patent licensing division, which made €292 operating profit on net sales of €361. That's a 27% year-on-year increase. US carriers are preparing to launch their 5G networks and Nokia...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_q2_profit_misses_analysts_predictions_pins_its_hopes_on_5g-news-32451.php

Huawei will spend $15 to $20 billion on R&D in 2018, up from $13 billion last year

In 2017 Huawei spent $13.23 billion on Research & Development, 14.9% of its revenue. That made it one of the biggest spenders on R&D behind the likes of Amazon ($22.6B) and Alphabet ($16.6B). A huge portion of the company's workforce - 45% - is dedicated to research. Going forward it will put even more into R&D - Huawei has pledged to spend between $15 and $20 billion. Of that, 20% to 30% will go to basic science research (even though the original expectation was for 10%). Beijing Research Center • Shanghai Research Center Huawei believes it owns 10% of the essential patents...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_will_spend_15_to_20_billion_on_r_d_up_from_13_billion_last_year-news-32447.php

Oppo R17 is coming soon, might pack 10GB of RAM

Oppo's R15 and R15 Pro premium mid-rangers only went official this March, but the company is already working on a successor for at least one of them. It is unsurprisingly going to be called Oppo R17. That has been revealed today by a Chinese leakster who shared the image below on Weibo, the Chinese Twitter equivalent. It was captured at an Oppo-sponsored media event, and as you can see the company has already started to tease the R17. No other details about the phone have come out of that event, but the same leakster has previously said that the handset will have up to 10GB of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r17_is_coming_soon_might_pack_10gb_of_ram-news-32445.php

Xiaomi exec says "no" to S710-powered Mi Max 3

Xiaomi's Director of Product Marketing has busted the rumor that there's a Snapdragon 710-powered version of the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 on the way. This info was posted on Weibo and fans weren't too happy about it. The Mi Max 3 Pro rumor started with info spotted on Qualcomm's website and promised to upgrade the mid-range Snapdragon 636 with the more premium 710 chip (which in our testing is pretty close to the S835). The non-Pro Xiaomi Mi Max 3 The Max's key feature is its huge 6.9" screen and that was enough for some people in the comment section. Others who wanted a large screen but...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_exec_says_no_to_s710powered_mi_max_3-news-32442.php

Huawei phones can no longer install VLC player from Google Play store

The Android OS is so diverse and stretches to so many devices manufactured by different OEMs that at some point, it becomes almost impossible for developers to keep track of all the bugs that may occur when installed on different handsets. The latest drastic and somehow controversial decision from VideoLAN's developers' team lead to blacklisting Huawei phones and not allowing them to find the app on Google Play. This is due to a growing number of Huawei users complaining about specific features not working on their devices and giving the app low ratings. More specifically, background...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_phones_can_no_longer_install_vlc_player_from_google_play_store-news-32444.php

LG Q2 reports show record profit, phones still struggling

The end of July is filled with Q2 reports and now its time for LG Electronics. The Korean company achieved its highest ever global revenues, highest operating profits and its first KRW30 trillion of sales in 6 months. The black mark on the report is the Mobile Communications division which posted an operating loss and a decline in quarterly sales "due to slowing growth of the global smartphone market". Speaking in absolute numbers, sales between March and June were KRW2.07 trillion ($1.92 billion). The operating loss was KRW185.4 billion, which is equal to $171.95 million. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_q2_2018_report_record_profit_phones_struggling-news-32443.php

Samsung teases Galaxy Note9's battery life, fast performance, and ample storage in new video series

Today Samsung officially started a video teaser campaign for the upcoming Galaxy Note9 smartphone, that it will unveil at a special event on August 9. Three videos are out already, and each one focuses on a specific strength of the Note9. Let's start with what will probably be most important to most people - battery life. Leaks and rumors have talked ad nauseam about a 4,000 mAh cell being built-in, and recently an official certification of the phone has confirmed that. Next up, performance. The Galaxy Note9 is implied to be very fast, which is unsurprising considering the fact that...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_teases_galaxy_note9s_battery_life_fast_performance_and_ample_storage_in_new_video_series-news-32446.php

Meizu sends out invites for July 30, Meizu 16 incoming

It was previously thought that Meizu is planning to release its new flagship smartphones on August 8 but the invite Meizu sent out to Chinese media clearly says July 30. And it doesn't get more official than this. Meizu invite We are also pretty certain that the Meizu is scheduling the event for the Meizu 16 and 16 Plus smartphones judging by the write-up on the box. However, we don't know what the Head & Shoulders shampoo has to do with anything. Probably there's a collaboration of some sort. Also, the previously leaked date, August 8, might refer to the devices' market...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_sends_out_invites_for_july_30_meizu_16series_incoming-news-32441.php

vivo NEX durability test shown in awesome video

The second vivo announced its NEX smartphone, many were wondering how the periscope-like camera will fare in the long run. How much beating can it take before it snaps? Well, vivo was fast to assure that the design has gone through some extensive testing and it can withstand 45 kg of load on top and about 50,000 times of opening and closing. But what about the durability when pushed from the side? The latest durability test video addresses that. They put eight devices in a circle and place a 40 kg glass on the cameras then a 50 kg ballet dancer goes on top of the glass. That makes a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/check_out_this_awesome_video_of_vivo_nexs_popup_camera_durability_test-news-32439.php

Samsung unveils second-gen LPDDR4X chips with 16 gigabit capacity

Samsung introduced its LPDDR5 RAM, but there's still room in the market for the older standard - LPDDR4X. Today the company unveils the second generation of 4X chips, which deliver 4,266 megabits per second. These are 16 gigabit chips - that's 2GB per chip, compared to 1GB for the LPDDR5. This means only four of them are needed for the 8GB package that Samsung created, which saves on price (LPDDR5 needs eight chips for that capacity). Also, second-gen LPDDR4X uses 10% less power than the first-gen and the new 8GB package and is 20% thinner than one using the older 4X chips. This is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_unveils_secondgen_lpddr4x_chips_with_16_gigabit_capacity-news-32440.php

Qualcomm announces growth in latest quarter, pulls out of NXP acquisition

Qualcomm announced its results for the three-month period, ending on June 24. Both revenue and operating income have grown on a quarterly and yearly basis, but another announcement also grabbed our attention - the San Diego company is pulling out of the NXP acquisition after failing to obtain agreement from Chinese regulators. Qualcomm wanted to purchase the Eindhoven-based NXP back in February for $44 billion. The San Diego chipset manufacturer got approval from 8 key regulatory bodies, but the 9th and last one - the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation with the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_growth_latest_quarter_pull_out_nxp_acquisition-news-32437.php

Huawei's nova and nova 3i reach India as Amazon exclusives, launch on August 7

After launching in China, Huawei has brought the two nova 3 phones to the world's only other market with over a billion people - India. Both devices are exclusive to Amazon and will be available on August 7 (pre-bookings start later today). The Huawei nova 3 is a flagship in disguise. It has a 6.3" screen with 1080p+ resolution and a notch. The chipset is the Kirin 970 paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. So this is like a P20 with a bigger screen and more RAM. For INR 35,000 ($510/€435) you're not getting the Leica-branded rear camera, but you do get a better selfie camera than...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huaweis_nova_and_nova_3i_reach_india_as_amazon_exclusives_launch_on_august_7-news-32438.php

Bluetooth vulnerability found on Apple and Android smartphones

According to specialists at CERT, a wide range of Bluetooth-enabled devices have a serious security vulnerability and it's not limited to just smartphones either - PCs, tablets and other devices need a fix ASAP. The issue resides within the data encryption process when information is transferred from one device to another. There's a missing check in the keys (Diffie-Hellman key exchange), so a hacker who's within Bluetooth range can intercept basically all the data that's being transferred. That includes not only notifications but also security codes for two-factor...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_and_android_smartphones_are_found_to_have_serious_bluetooth_vulnerability-news-32436.php

Google Drive reaches 1 billion users

Google is ready to add an eighth platform with over 1 billion users to its portfolio. The cloud service Drive is joining the elite team of Gmail, Chrome, Maps, YouTube, Android, and Play Store. The company announced at the Google Cloud Next conference in San Francisco that the milestone would be reached "later this week," without clarifying which day exactly, but nevertheless the news is impressive. Google usually keeps it quiet about the cloud service. Last year at the Google I/O conference it was announced there are more than 2 trillion files and over 800 million active users....

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_drive_reach_1_billion_users-news-32435.php