Google expands its Google Pay support with 30 more banks in the US

To better compete with Cupertino's Apple Pay contact-less payment platform, Google is looking to expand its support for more banks worldwide and especially on US soil. Of course, that doesn't mean that Apple is just sitting nearby and watching. Today Google updated its list of supporting banks and added 30 new names. You can see all of them below, or if you want to check the complete list of supported banks in the US, visit the source link below. BlueOX Credit Union City Credit Union Community First Credit Union (CA) Community Trust Bank Cortland Savings and Banking Desert...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_expands_its_google_pay_support_with_30_more_banks_in_the_us-news-32945.php

Samsung's new VR headset will launch very soon, Bluetooth support confirmed

Samsung's upcoming VR headse,t dubbed HMD Odyssey+ made its first appearance on the FCC's database, along with key specs and features. It aims to be a successor to last year's HMD Odyssey and will be company's second stand-alone VR headset. Although previous leaks revealed almost everything we would like to know about Samsung's future VR headset, the latest report is here to add more to the story. The device appeared on the Bluetooth certification website, revealing yet another feature. The document doesn't disclose much except that two models have gone under the certification...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_new_vr_headset_will_launch_very_soon_bluetooth_support_confirmed-news-32944.php

Xiaomi Mi Max 3

Remember when people made fun of the original Samsung Galaxy Note and its "humungous" 5.3-inch display? Oh, how the times have changed. Still, have we really come to a point where a 6.9 inch diagonal behemoth is able to avoid the "tablet" category and stretch the already confusing phablet category even further?

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_max_3-review-1809.php

BlackBerry releases a teaser for the KEY2 LE, confirms IFA 2018 launch

BlackBerry's latest KEY2 smartphone is a great niche device, but can't get away from the fact that it's a little on the expensive side. The upcoming KEY2 LE aims to right the wrongs of its more expensive sibling by offering pretty much the same hardware, similar features, but for a much lower price (hopefully). Almost time for a new introduction. #IFA18 pic.twitter.com/9KPX5GrgvY— BlackBerry Mobile (@BBMobile) August 24, 2018 We've heard a lot about the device and now BlackBerry has confirmed that it's preparing to release the slightly toned-down version of the original KEY2 during...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_releases_a_teaser_for_the_key2_le_confirms_ifa_2018_launch-news-32943.php

First solid OnePlus 6T information surfaces from the EEC

It's that time again - OnePlus is prepping to launch the successor to this year's OnePlus 6. Historically, the refresh usually comes sometime in November, so there's still plenty of time until the release. But that doesn't mean that the smartphone isn't ready to begin its worldwide certification and testing. First stop - EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission). A leaked document names a device with model number A6013. It has been certified yesterday and the guys from PhoneCorridor were fast to pick it up. Unfortunately, there's nothing else we can gather from the report, except the model...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/first_oneplus_6t_information_surfaces_from_the_eec-news-32942.php

Realme 2 full specs sheet leaks

Oppo made quite a splash on the mobile scene with the original Realme 1, mainly for its extremely budget price tag. Now, just a few months later, it is already clear that the Chinese OEM intends to ride the PR wave and release a Realme 2 successor, of sorts. The handset will launch as a Flipkart exclusive on August 28 and some specs have already been confirmed by Oppo: Snapdragon SoC, 6.2-inch display and a 88.8% screen-to-body ratio, a notch and a large 4,230 mAh battery. Today brings a fresh new leak, in the form of a full specs sheet for the device. We can't vouch for its...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_2_full_specs_sheet_leaks-news-32941.php

Best Buy's top selling Apple product this quarter was the AirPods

When the news broke that Apple was the first company to break a $1 trillion valuation, we saw an influx (on various social media) of people making fun of how often its Lightning cables were snapping, leaving customers with no choice but to go out and buy a new one with photos of badly damaged Lightning cables (LOL). A new report from Ceros charted the most popular Apple products sold at Best Buy on a per-quarter basis over the last couple of years. The results over time are quite interesting. All of 2016, the most popular item was a 3.3 foot Lightning cable, which folks often lose or...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/best_buys_top_selling_apple_product_this_quarter_was_the_airpods-news-32940.php

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) is now receiving the update to Android 8.1 Oreo

Today Samsung has started sending out the update to Android 8.1 Oreo for the Galaxy J5 (2017). Although the Korean company's Oreo releases have so far been based on Android 8.0, the fact that the J5 (2017) is jumping straight to 8.1 isn't that much of a surprise - the move was hinted at by a benchmark result from May. The new software is currently rolling out in Poland, but if no show-stopping bugs are reported then expect it to spread across the world very soon. Once you get the update notification and install it, you'll be on software version J530FXXU2BRH5. If you are in Poland and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_j5_2017_is_now_receiving_the_update_to_android_81_oreo-news-32939.php

Samsung Galaxy A8 Star is official in India, available on August 27

As hinted at by Amazon's teasers from yesterday, the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star has now become official for the Indian market. This follows its initial launch in China, where for some reason it's known as the Galaxy A9 Star. The handset will become available at Amazon India on August 27. It's priced at INR 34,990, which right now translates into $501 or €431. So what do you get for all that cash? A 6.3-inch 1080x2220 Super AMOLED Infinity Display with 80% screen-to-body ratio, the Snapdragon 660 chipset at the helm, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable storage. It has a 16 MP + 24 MP rear...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a8_star_is_official_in_india_available_on_august_27-news-32938.php

Sony Xperia XZ3 render leaks in silver, aligns with previous leaks

We've previously seen visual leaks surrounding the Sony Xperia XZ3 that date back as far as July. Today, a new leak comes from MySmartPrice of the Xperia XZ3 in silver. The previous leaks we saw were case renders and CAD 360-degree views, both of which align with the leak from today. Judging by the pixelated shading of the silver side of the phone, we'd proceed reading the rest of this post with skepticism. Of course, there have been conflicting rumors that the Xperia XZ3 is going to have a dual rear camera like the Xperia XZ2 Premium, but the other rumors that line up with this one only...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xz3_render_leaks_in_silver_aligns_with_previous_leaks-news-32937.php

Samsung's latest infographic of the evolution of the Note skips over the Note7

Today, Samsung released an infographic, showing the evolution of its Samsung Galaxy Note series over the years in celebration of the market launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note9. However, Samsung's discontinued Note7, which quite literally went up in flames, was apparently not "History Worth Noting". The original Galaxy Note had a huge 5.3-inch screen with S Pen, dual-core CPU, 2,500 mAh battery, and an 8MP main camera. This would be the beginning of the phablet-era, whose massive sizes blurred into mainstream phones of 2018. After all, it's been a while since we've heard the term...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_latest_infographic_of_the_evolution_of_the_note_skips_over_the_note7-news-32934.php

Asus ZenFone 5z receives another major update

It seems that Asus' developers' team is working extra shifts this month because in early August, the ZenFone 5z got a huge update and now the device is receiving another one that adds a plethora of new features. The face unlock is now further enhanced to supports "Lift-to-Wake". It does exactly what it says - once the phone is lifted off the table or taken out of your pocket, it triggers the face unlock. The software also adds new gestures and supports dual SIM 4G + 3G connectivity. But more importantly, the new OTA update delivers cool new camera features. The complete changelog...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_5z_receives_another_important_update_adding_a_slew_of_new_features-news-32935.php

Moto Z3 review

Motorola has launched a new member of the Moto Z series - the Moto Z3. However, its actual announcement has raised many eyebrows and has us wondering if the Moto Z3 is more of a refresh of the Z2 than a real successor.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_z3-review-1806.php

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus goes on sale today

Xiaomi's plus-sized version of the Mi Pad 4 was released about two weeks ago and the second sale is currently happening. As you already know, the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus comes in two storage variants - 64GB and 128GB (both with LTE connectivity). Xiaomi's web store currently has the 64GB configuration for CNY 1,899 ($275), but the 128GB model is out of stock. Maybe some customers were really fast. In any case, once the 128GB variant is available, it can be yours for CNY 2,099 ($305). Both memory configurations are offered in Black and Gold. Source (in Chinese)

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_pad_4_plus_goes_on_sale_today-news-32932.php

Honor 8X launching in China on September 5, confirms the two variants theory

We've been seeing some rumors about Huawei's upcoming Honor 8X smartphone for some time now, so finally, Honor broke the silence and released a teaser poster on Weibo announcing September 5 as the official launch date. It even went ahead and told us that the handset will come in two variants named 8X and 8X Max. The latter will offer bigger screen, course. Rumor has it the Honor 8X Max will boast a 7.12-inch screen. The TENAA listing revealed the salient specs and we've seen some photos of the rumored device touting its massive screen and also the retail boxes. The Honor 8X duo...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/honor_8x_launching_in_china_on_september_5_confirms_the_two_variants_theory-news-32931.php

Meizu CEO says that the Meizu 16X will be the same as Meizu 16 with different SoC

Meizu CEO Jack Wong has proven to be very open about the company's future products. For example, most of the hardware that the Meizu 16 and 16 Plus offer was already known prior to their release. And almost all of the info came straight from the CEO himself. In a recent community discussion the CEO, gave away some important details about the upcoming Meizu 16X smartphone - a mid-range alternative to the recently released flagships from the same lineup. He said that the 16X would offer pretty much the same hardware as the standard Meizu 16 with the main difference being the SoC. And...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_ceo_says_that_the_meizu_16x_will_be_the_same_as_meizu_16_with_different_soc-news-32929.php

Realme 2 launching as a Flipkart exclusive for just $140

Realme made it clear that it's going to launch a successor to the Realme 1 and even teased some of the features like the notch, the dual camera setup and the big 4,230 mAh battery. Later on, an official confirmation of the August 28 release date came out. We are happy to announce that the new #Realme2 is exclusively available on @Flipkart. Here's to a partnership that is certainly #ANotchAbove. Get your wishlist ready at https://t.co/VsTfmdbsNl pic.twitter.com/L5cGDjx5Ds— Realme (@realmemobiles) August 24, 2018 Now, Flipkart has confirmed that it will have dibs on the smartphone and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_2_to_be_flipkarts_exclusive_launching_on_august_28-news-32927.php

Samsung's first Android Go Edition phone unveiled: the Galaxy J2 Core

Samsung's first Android Oreo Go Edition phone is a reality - the Galaxy J2 Core is now available in India and Malaysia starting today, but will expand to more markets "in the near future." The phone is built with an affordable price in mind and is meant to appeal to first time smartphone owners. It starts with a 5" qHD screen and a 2,600mAh battery that promises all-day use. Go Edition's Ultra Data Saving feature will make life easier on a low-cost data plan. The J2 Core features LTE connectivity (Cat. 4 150Mbps), which is a must-have these days. There's also Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) if you want to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_first_android_go_edition_phone_unveiled_the_galaxy_j2_core-news-32926.php

TSMC to be the sole supplier of Apple's chips until 2020

This year's iPhones and iPads will use chips made by TSMC. Back in 2014, TSMC invested $9 billion and hired 6,000 workers in just 11 months to meet the demand from Apple and this year, the Taiwanese company will depend on the Cupertino-based firm to fill up 80% of its capacity for the 7nm chips. It's a double-edged sword any way you look at it. If TSMC can keep up with the wield and demand, Apple will continue to choose TSMC as an exclusive provider of its processors. And let's be real for a second here - there aren't many direct rivals to TSMC when it comes to ARM chip...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/tsmc_to_be_the_sole_supplier_of_apples_chips_until_2020-news-32925.php

Motorola One Power (P30 Note) official renders, specs and features surface

We've already established that the constantly leaking Motorola One Power is actually going to be called Moto P30 Note when it launches in China market, but the latest leak confirms that it will also be available outside of the world's largest smartphone market. It's a massive one this time - we've got an official render showcasing the all-aluminum design, dual camera setup and a fingerprint reader on the back and the notched 6.18-inch screen on the front. Nothing all that impressive, right? Well, the hardware by itself hints at yet another mid-ranger, but Motorola has battery life as...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_one_power_p30_note_official_renders_specs_and_features_surface-news-32924.php

T-Mobile says customer data was exposed in the latest security breach

T-Mobile and Metro PCS customers have begun receiving notifications about a potential security breach where some personal information could have been compromised. T-Mobile starts by saying that out of "an abundance of caution" it is notifying the customers that are potentially affected. On August 20, our cyber-security team discovered and shut down an unauthorized access to certain information, including yours, and we promptly reported it to authorities. Fortunately, there is no financial data involved in the breach. Credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and social security numbers...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_says_customer_data_was_exposed_in_the_latest_security_breach-news-32923.php

Survey reveals that Android users switch to iOS for a "better user experience"

PC Mag held an interesting survey surrounding the question: Why did you switch platforms (between iOS and Android)? There are countless discussions of people passionately defending one platform over the other and while we sometimes do hear about those who switch and don't look back, this survey gives us an insight into the reasoning behind users' switch to the other platform. The survey covers 2,500 participants over three days via a Google Survey. 18 percent of participants switched from Android to iOS while 11 percent went vice-versa. This significantly decreases the sample size of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/survey_reveals_that_android_users_switch_to_ios_mainly_for_a_better_user_experience-news-32922.php

Verizon offers BOGO on the Galaxy Note9

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is officially becoming available for sale tomorrow and Verizon has a couple of promotions going on. For those looking for a good deal, Verizon will be offering a free Galaxy Note9, Galaxy S9, or Galaxy S9+ when you purchase on Galaxy Note9 on a Verizon device payment plan and add at least one new line of service. The Note9 is retailing for $999 or $41.66 a month for the 128 GB variant while the 512GB version will retail for $1,249 or $52.08 per month. There's no down payment, but the devices' full sales tax amounts will be due at signup. In addition,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_offers_bogo_on_the_galaxy_note9-news-32921.php

Google's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL to shoot Super Selfies, boast updated Visual Core chip

Google's Pixel 3 XL has been breaking leak records these past few days, and we hope you're ready for some newly outed details. Both it and the smaller Pixel 3 are going to feature dual front cameras, and one of them will be wide-angle, according to the usual unnamed sources, this time talking to 9to5Google. The devices will be able to shoot 'Super Selfies', which will feature the now very prevalent faux bokeh for Portrait Mode. However, the new Pixels will reportedly stand out from the competition in the quality of those shots - which is not surprising at all given the company's history...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/googles_pixel_3_and_pixel_3_xl_to_shoot_super_selfies_come_with_updated_visual_core_chip-news-32920.php

Samsung Galaxy A8 Star's price in India revealed

A couple of days ago Amazon India started teasing the upcoming launch of Samsung's Galaxy A8 Star in the subcontinent. This phone is already official in China, where it goes by the name Galaxy A9 Star, as well as A8 Star in the Philippines. The teasers hinted that the device would be priced at INR 3x,xxx, and now a new rumor comes in to fill those blanks. According to "a trusted source" talking to MySmartPrice, the phone will set you back INR 34,990 ($498 or €431) when it finally becomes available. Its exact release date is still a mystery, but the launch seems imminent. The Galaxy...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a8_stars_price_in_india_revealed-news-32919.php

Motorola One Power is actually the Moto P30 Note

We've known for months now that Motorola is preparing to launch new smartphones. It was previously thought that they would be named Motorola One and Motorola One Power but the latest piece of information comes to debunk those myths as the latter will be called P30 Note. The P30-series started about two weeks ago on Motorola's Chinese website and the P30 has since been officially announced. And according to the new report, the P30 Note is actually the rumored Power One device with model number X51942-1. For now, the P30 branding is for the Chinese market and since the Power One name...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_one_power_is_actually_the_moto_p30_note-news-32915.php

Deal: Buy two Galaxy S9, S9+ or Note8 and get $680 in rebate

T-Mobile and Costco have an ongoing deal in the US that offers a $680 rebate if you buy two Galaxy S9, S9+ or Galaxy Note8 units. The requirements are that you purchase the two phones at their full retail price, connect 1 new line if you're an existing T-Mobile customer (2 if you're not) and then submit a rebate claim using a promo code with T-Mobile. The money will be received in the form of a Prepaid MasterCard within 6 to 8 weeks. Currently the Samsung Galaxy S9 is $720, while the Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note8 share the price of $840. Source | Via

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deal_buy_two_galaxy_s9_s9_or_note8_and_get_680_in_rebate-news-32913.php

Huawei Mate 10 series is getting the P20's Night mode with an update

Huawei is seeding its Night Shot camera mode to the Huawei Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and Porsche Design Mate 10 through a software update. The firmware BLA-L29C 8.0.0.145 is based on Android 8.0 under EMUI 8.0 and should gradually roll out to the phones. The firmware likely carries some bug fixes and optimizations as well. Night Shot on the Huawei Mate 10 Huawei's Night Shot mode premiered on the P20 and P20 Pro and offers a clever way to capture night scenes. It snaps a number of photos and then combines them into a single image with less noise and a brighter exposure. Night...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_10_series_is_getting_the_p20s_night_shot_with_update-news-32916.php

Lenovo unveils five affordable tablets, starting with a $70 Android Go Edition tab

Lenovo unveiled a roster of five new tablets. They start with a super-affordable $70 slab and move up by building up multimedia prowess. The price of the top tow models hasn't been revealed yet, but we can't imagine it's anything scary. Lenovo Tab P10 and Tab M10 These two are 10.1" tablets with a solid 1,920 x 1,200px screen, an IPS panel no less. And they are driven by a Snapdragon 450 chipset, which with its octa-core CPU is significantly faster that what the other three tabs have. The Lenovo Tab P10 is the top model and as such it has four loudspeakers around the screen (complete...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_unveils_five_affordable_tablets_starting_with_a_70_android_go_edition_tab-news-32914.php

Australia bans Huawei and ZTE from supplying equipment for its 5G project

The Australian government has just banned Huawei and ZTE from supplying equipment for the development of its 5G mobile network. The news came out of the blue while Australia officials gave the same reasons as the USA - risks of foreign interference and hacking. If you remember, the US did the same thing with the Chinese firms (Huawei and ZTE) a while ago. The government even prohibited the use of ZTE and Huawei devices from US officials not long ago. Huawei's Australian arm responded with a tweet that this is a really bad decision by the Australian government that will negatively...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/australia_bans_huawei_and_zte_from_supplying_equipment_for_its_5g_project-news-32912.php

Oppo R17 Pro is official with SuperVOOC, triple camera and in-display fingerprint

The Oppo R17 Pro is finally official with slew of high-end features and industry firsts. It's basically an alternative to the Find X, coming with a lesser chipset, but more cameras and SuperVOOC support on all units. The Oppo R17 Pro packs a Snapdragon 710 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and no microSD card support. The 6.4" AMOLED display features the waterdrop-style notch introduced with the F9/F9 Pro and a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. It's protected by Corning's latest Gorilla Glass 6 and according to Oppo, the screen-to-body ratio stands at...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r17_pro_is_official_with_supervooc_triple_camera_and_indisplay_fingerprint-news-32918.php

DJI unveils 1" sensor Mavic 2 Pro and 2x zoom Mavic 2 Zoom

DJI's Mavic strikes a great balance between pro and enthusiast needs and it just got a lot better. The DJI Mavic 2 brings a major split: a big sensor or optical zoom. Mavic 2 Pro This drone boasts a Hasselblad co-designed 1" sensor - that's the same size as the sensors in the Phantom 4 Pro drone or the Sony RX100 point and shoot. The imager has 20MP resolution and an adjustable f/2.8 to f/11 aperture. It can shoot 10-bit HDR and 10-bit Dlog-M video natively. In short, can handle any lighting condition and come up with incredible video quality. It boasts Hasselblad Natural Color...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/dji_unveils_mavic_2_pro_and_mavic_2_zoom_one_has_1_sensor_the_other_does_2x_zoom-news-32917.php

Benchmark confirms the vivo X23 will have a Snapdragon 670 chipset

There is a vivo X23 and a vivo V11 Pro that are teased and leaked around the Internet, but externally they appear the same. The chipset may be (some of) what divides them - the vivo X23 packs a Snapdragon 670, unlike the 660 chip in its lookalike. vivo X23 details confirm a Snapdragon 670 chipset This is the same vivo X23 V1809A model that we saw go through Geekbench, which claimed Snapdragon 710, but this latest and more detailed benchmark pretty much confirms that it is indeed a 670 chip. Everything matches, starting with the 2.0GHz clock speed of the Kryo 360 cores. The S710...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/benchmark_confirms_the_vivo_x23_will_have_a_snapdragon_670_chipset-news-32911.php

The birth of a Galaxy Note9: behind the scenes video from Samsung's factory

Samsung Galaxy Note9 units are getting ready to ship out to their lucky owners tomorrow, but in the meantime Samsung offers a view of their birthplace - the factory in Gumi, South Korea. It's an interesting video - you have to watch the background carefully to spot any humans. Most of the work, it seems, is done by machines. They even boot up the new Note9 units to check if everything is okay. If you're still on the fence about the Galaxy Note9, you can check our review for our likes and dislikes. Or if you're in the mood to watch more Note9 manufacturing videos, here's how the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/the_birth_of_a_galaxy_note9_behind_the_scenes_video_from_samsungs_factory-news-32910.php

Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro will launch with Android 9.0 Pie, says the EEC

When Huawei unveiled its Android P update schedule, it was a bit vague on the Mate series. We wondered if the plans included the Mate 9 generation, but at the back of our minds we also wondered if the upcoming Mate 20 phones will launch on Oreo or Pie. Now we have our answer. The Eurasian Economic Comission (EEC) has certified the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Huawei Mate 20 with Android 9.0 Pie (those also go by LYA-L29 and HMA-L29 respectively). EEC certification that shows Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro will launch with Android 9.0 Pie The Hawei Mate 20 Lite (which is yet to be...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_20_and_mate_20_pro_will_launch_with_android_90_pie_says_the_eec-news-32909.php

vivo V11 Pro coming on September 5, gets landing pages on Amazon.in and Flipkart

The public profile of the vivo V11 Pro keeps growing by the day - it now has official landing pages on Amazon India and Flipkart. Just like the teasers on Twitter, these give away a few things but are keeping the details for the September 5 reveal. So here's what we've got. The phone will have an in-display fingerprint reader, a Snapdragon chipset (unnamed, rumors say S660), a Halo FullView display (rumors: 6.41", 1080p+), a dual camera with Dual Pixel AF tech (and AI) and fast charging tech (rumors: 3,400mAh battery). vivo V11 Pro teasers from its Amazon.in landing...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/vivo_v11_pro_gets_landing_pages_on_amazonin_and_flipkart-news-32907.php

HTC teases the U12 life, coming in August 30

It's confirmed - the HTC U12 Life is really happening. We've been hearing some stories about the device since late July, but only now we are getting official confirmation from HTC's Twitter page. Beauty and power meet on August 30th 2018. pic.twitter.com/pOVKlEzSGY— HTC (@htc) August 23, 2018 According to the post, there's something new in store for us coming on August 30. Even though most of you won't be necessarily excited about the new mid-range release, the initial rumors say that the U12 Life will not be made by HTC itself and will be an ODM device instead. Anyway, if the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/htc_teases_the_u12_life_coming_in_august_30-news-32908.php

Pixel 3 XL review appears - pricing, features, camera samples

After yesterday's massive Pixel 3 XL leak, we thought the rumor mill will take a breather, but boy, were we wrong. A Russian website now went forward and posted an extensive review of the handset showcasing the design, features and the camera capabilities. We even got some details about future Google products and pricing. But there's a big disclaimer in the beginning - the author says it's a pre-production unit so the chassis is a bit rough around the edges and some features might not be fully developed. He assures, however, that the phone has the final software build and the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/pixel_3_xl_detailed_in_extensive_handson_review__pricing_features_camera_samples-news-32905.php

Nikon unveils full-frame mirrorless Z7 and Z6 cameras

After a couple of weeks of teasers, Nikon has finally entered the full-frame mirrorless market with the Nikon Z6 and Z7 cameras. This is a huge step for Nikon - it announced its first new mount since 1958, the Nikon Z mount, and a new line of lenses. The Z mount is the largest full-frame mirrorless mount on the market with a diameter of 55mm. It has a 17% larger diameter than the Nikon F DSLR mount and a 65% smaller flange distance. Nikon's first full-frame mirrorless cameras are the Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z6 and they are largely based on the Nikon D850 and Nikon D750 DSLRs. The Nikon...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nikon_enters_fullframe_mirrorless_market_with_z7_and_z6-news-32904.php

Someone is selling early Pixel 3 XL units for $2000 on the black market

Earlier today, we saw full high-res leaks of the Google Pixel 3 XL including a full unboxing video, camera samples, and proof that the phone has wireless charging capabilities. A new report from 9to5Google pinpoints the source of these leaks: a Ukranian Telegram user that is selling these (possibly stolen) near-final Google Pixel devices. Apparently, the Ukranian man's name is Luchkov and he's a blogger associated with an entity called Wyslacom Media - who happened to be one of the sources of the massive leaks from earlier today. A Telegram account watermarked on the leaked videos has been...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/someone_is_selling_early_pixel_3_xl_units_for_2000_on_the_black_market-news-32903.php

Google Assistant integration may be coming to Android Messages

As per a report from XDA-Developers, Android Messages is testing Google Assistant integration so more people will use it. With the general public's dwindling interest in using Allo, Google promised to turn its focus away from Allo and put the energy towards improving the experience on Android Messages, Android's default SMS app. In its current testing state, you can only summon Google within conversations and there is no way to Chat directly with Google Assistant like you can on Allo. XDA was able to get Google Assistant to only respond with recommended restaurants and the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_assistant_integration_may_be_coming_to_android_messages-news-32902.php

Flipkart survey: people love notches, want high-performance chipsets

Flipkart partnered with First Post to conduct "India's biggest smartphone survey" and here's what they found regarding user's feature preferences and the difference between Gen X and millennials. Be warned that there's a non-zero chance this is a promotion for the upcoming Realme 2. Flipkart's survey shows people want fast chipsets above all It seems like Indians young and old love the notch. And performance is the most important factor by far. This is where they diverge - millennials (18-30) want a good camera, Gen X (30-45) wants long battery life. But looking at the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/flipkart_survey_people_love_notches_want_highperformance_chipsets-news-32899.php

LG V40 ThinQ leaks in press renders, showing off its five cameras, display notch, and tiny bezels

LG's already outed not one, but two V-series smartphones this year, breaking with tradition. We're talking about the V30S ThinQ and the V35 ThinQ, though both of those borrow the looks from last year's V30. The first truly new V-series handset of 2018 is yet to come, and this is the V40 ThinQ. Press renders depicting it have been leaked today. Take a glance below. While at first blush the renders seem to show a phone with no notch, if you look closer you'll notice that it's just 'turned off' in software. The side bezels are almost not there, while the chin is pretty tiny for today's...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_v40_thinq_leaks_in_press_renders_showing_off_its_five_cameras_display_notch_and_tiny_bezels-news-32900.php

Possible RAZR drawings spotted in latest Motorola hardware patent

First spotted by Mobielkopen, a new patent has been posted in the US Trademark Patent Office's website reveals what Motorola's foldable phone could look like. The US patent filing is titled as: Electronic device with hinge and corresponding systems and methods and is authored by Motorola Mobility LLC from Chicago, IL. This filing was first submitted to the USTPO on May 31 and was just posted yesterday. The hardware diagrams very interestingly show how Motorola plans to make the foldable phone work. The front of the unfolded device has very tall foldable touch display with a hinge in the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/foldable_phone_drawings_spotted_in_a_motorola_hardware_patent-news-32901.php

Huawei P20 Pro receives the GPU Turbo update

Huawei has started gradually rolling out its GPU Turbo update to the P20 Pro and presumably, the standard P20 too. This means that the company intends to keep its promise and stick to the tight schedule it announced last month. Well, the update comes right on time for the P20 series. The changelog says that it will provide smoother gaming experience - as we found in the extensive review - and can be turned on by switching on the game acceleration in the Game Suite app. The Game Suite app unlocks some other useful features like Uninterrupted gaming. In addition, the OTA update...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p20_pro_receives_the_gpu_turbo_update-news-32898.php

Google Pixel 3 XL mega leak - live images, camera samples and specs

Welcome to your best look yet at the upcoming Google Pixel 3 XL. The leak encompasses a lot of what the phone will be - its design and looks, its specs, its retail package and even shares the first camera samples, captured with the Google Pixel 3 XL. Let's break it down. The first batch of photos show Google's next flagship from the front and the back, giving us a good look at the huge unsightly notch on the top and the components it's housing. You have an infrared sensor for face scanning, an earpiece that will double as one of two stereo speakers and the selfie camera. The back of the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_pixel_3_xl_mega_leak__pictures_unboxing_camera_samples-news-32896.php

Qualcomm confirms Snapdragon 855 will be built on a 7nm process

Qualcomm has confirmed the rumors that the Snapdragon 855 chipset will be built on a 7nm process at the TSMC foundries. Low-volume manufacturing is already underway and Qualcomm's customer companies have already received samples. Previously, the X24 and X50 modems were also confirmed to be built on the 7nm node. The X50 will be among the first 5G modems to hit the market. The Snapdragon 855 chipset will provide better performance, improved battery efficiency and (of course) on-board AI processing. Expect to see S855-powered devices in the first quarter of 2019 at the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_confirms_snapdragon_855_will_be_built_on_a_7nm_process-news-32893.php

Amazon launches 10.or D2 in India, here's a quick hands-on

Amazon has launched the 10.or D2 in India. 10.or (pronounced Tenor) is Amazon's own brand of budget smartphones for India. The D2 is priced at INR 6,999 ($100) for the 2+16GB model and INR 7,999 ($114) for the 3+32GB model. The 10.or D2 has a 5.45-inch 18:9IPS display of 1440x720px resolution. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset with 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of storage. It's powered by a 3200mAh battery and comes with stock Android 8.1 Oreo. We got to spend some time with the device before launch. Our gold colored unit has a plasticky feel to it but is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_launches_10or_d2_in_india_heres_a_quick_handson-news-32894.php

Xiaomi ships 32 million smartphones in Q2 2018

The second quarter of 2018 is behind our backs and companies keep publishing their financial results for the three-month period. The latest smartphone manufacturer to do so is Xiaomi which reported $2.1 billion profit in its first quarter as a public company. The company managed to ship 32 million smartphones between April and June, bringing CNY30,5 billion (about $4.5 billion) in revenue. Two-thirds of the company revenue came from smartphones. More than CNY10 billion came from the smart products division, which includes smart TV, fitness bands and other home appliances. The net...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_32_million_smartphones_q2_2018-news-32892.php

New blurry images of Honor 8X surface showing the slab in the wild

A fresh batch of blurry photos has surfaced, depicting what looks to be the upcoming Honor 8X being handled in the wild. The photos show the front of the device in detail, but very little of the back. The images also give a good idea of just how big the Honor 8X will be - it looks like the use of two hands is absolutely essential. On the front, the Honor 8X offers a small water drop-like notch for the front camera, quite similar to the one on the Oppo F9 and, rumor has it, similar to what the Mate 20 will use. Honor 8X in the wild, Image Source: Weibo The bottom bezel has...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_blurry_images_of_honor_8x_surface_showing_the_slab_in_the_wild-news-32889.php