Spotify is testing personalized entries in its curated playlists

Spotify is definitely no stranger to statistical analysis, pattern recognition and meaningful recommendations. In fact, the "Discover" algorithms are what most really value in the vast platform that does a surprisingly good job of introducing users to potentially interesting artist. Leveraging that, Spotify is apparently experimenting with inserting personalized songs into its official playlists. A company spokesperson has confirmed that a test is being carried out on a limited number of users and on "mid-tier" playlists. Typically, these curated playlists tend to get updated by...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/spotify_is_testing_personalized_entries_in_its_curated_playlists-news-33410.php

Here's another set of Pixel 3 and 3XL renders, with plenty of resolution to go around

It almost feels like Google decided to switch over to an open development cycle for the third iteration of its Pixel phones, seeing how there's hardly any hardware mystery left to uncover. The Pixel 3 XL arguably got the brunt of the whole nasty situation, with things even going as far as actual production units being sold off on the black market and reviews coming out. Also, a Twitter user is still hard at work, posting away details from a unit, apparently in his possession, as we speak. Since you guys keep asking... pic.twitter.com/DpRqzsyRem— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 21,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/heres_another_set_of_pixel_3_and_3xl_renders_with_plenty_of_resolution_to_go_around-news-33408.php

Dual display Nubia Z18S pops up on TENAA

Nubia has a pretty solid experimental track record on the mobile scene. The gaming-inspired Red Magic and the special van Gogh edition Z18 prove that point pretty well. Still, the Nubia Z18S, which popped up in a recent video could take the experimental spirit to a whole new level. Its headlining feature, being a secondary display on the back, quite reminiscent of the YotaPhone design, which kind of slipped into obscurity. Only Nubia will, apparently, be using a full-color OLED panel, instead of an E-Ink solution. We know this with a fair bit of confidence thanks to a recent TENAA...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/dual_display_nubia_z18s_pops_up_on_tenaa-news-33406.php

Google Family Link app split into parent and child/teen versions

Google's Family Link app is a service that lets you monitor your child's or teen's location and smartphone usage remotely from your own handset. The app was originally designed to monitor children ages 13 and younger but a recent update now includes teens older than 13. Today, the Family Link app has a parent and child/teen version of the app. Monitoring activity, setting limits, and locking a device works pretty much the same with children. For teens, the parent and teen accounts must both agree to monitor the teen. The Family Link app can be disabled from the teen's end but the parent...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_family_link_app_split_into_parent_and_child_teen_versions-news-33401.php

Major Huawei Mate 20 Pro leak features high quality case renders

Huawei's next phablet flagship is right around the corner. If all the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro rumors didn't already make that abundantly clear, we also have an official launch date, set for October 16. Huawei Mate 20 Pro in its Silicone Cover Sorting through the sea of conflicting rumors and leaks has been a rather daunting task, but today's fresh batch of high quality case renders does re-affirm at least a few bits about the Mate 20 Pro. One, of courser, being the rectangular camera module design, which Huawei has already teased themselves on at least a couple of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/major_huawei_mate_20_pro_leak_features_high_quality_case_renders-news-33405.php

Google provides free Pixel repairs for areas affected by Hurricane Florence

Google is partnering with uBreakiFix to provide assistance to those in the areas affected by Hurricane Florence. If you are in the Coastal areas of Virginia, North or South Carolina, you are eligible to get a Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL if it has undergone damage during or after the storm. The repairs are being performed for free and all you have to do to receive one is walk into any uBreakiFix store in any of the three states mentioned: Virginia, North Carolina, or South Carolina. Following the devastation of Hurricane Florence, uBreakiFix and Google are once again offering...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_provides_free_pixel_repairs_for_areas_affected_by_hurricane_florence-news-33404.php

Apple releases how-to videos for the Apple Watch Series 4

Today, the Apple Watch Series 4 has officially gone on sale in many parts of the world alongside the new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. To compliment today's launch of the new Apple Watch, Apple has released several quick how-to videos showing users how to use the new Apple Watch to take your heart rate, call someone, start a workout, or how to use the Emergency SOS feature. Each video is 30 seconds long with easy to follow directions on how to perform these tasks. We anticipate Apple releasing more of these how-to's in the near future. Have any of you purchased the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_releases_howto_videos_for_the_apple_watch_series_4-news-33403.php

More photos of the Pixel 3 XL leak in white with mint-colored power key

Google's Pixel 3 XL was this year's worst kept secret. A few weeks ago, a man was selling production Pixel 3 XL devices on the black market, far ahead of the phone's official launch, so we've already got a good look at the huge notch, the big chin, and the refined glass-window design on the back. Today, the Pixel 3 XL poses for a few more high-resolution photos thanks to @IshanAgarwal24 on Twitter. This is the while model, which we see had the green mint-colored accent key on the power button. Likewise, we again see the massive size of the notch at the top of the display and the rather...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/more_photos_of_the_pixel_3_xl_leak_in_white_with_mintcolored_power_key-news-33402.php

Red Hydrogen One Titanium version passes through the FCC

Red will start shipping its Hydrogen One smartphone on October 9 for those who pre-ordered. So we're finally very close to that point, and this was a perfect time for the FCC to certify it. The agency gives us some new pictures of the Titanium model of the phone, which you can see below. There aren't any new revelations from the certification process. The Red Hydrogen One in Titanium is priced at $1,595 and has the model number H1T1000 (with a nice Terminator reference thrown in there). It sports two cameras on the back and two on the front, as well as a 4,510 mAh battery. There's a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/red_hydrogen_one_titanium_version_passes_through_the_fcc_-news-33400.php

Galaxy S10 model numbers revealed, three versions coming

While a few days ago Android Pie firmware seemingly revealed that there would be four separate Galaxy S10 versions, new information today tells us there will only be three model numbers. The international models will go by SM-G970F, SM-G973F, and SM-G975F. G970 will sport a 5.8" flat display, G973 will have the same size edge display, while the G975 will come with a 6.44-inch curved panel. Interestingly, the flat paneled flagship will make a return after two generations without such an option (the Galaxy S7 was the last of the flat ones). Also, the S10+ (G975) will have an even...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s10_model_numbers_revealed_three_versions_coming-news-33399.php

Google app reveals Pixel Stand wireless charger

The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL have featured in extensive leaks and we know all about them. We even got a glimpse of the upcoming Pixelbook earlier today so this leaves only the accessories as an unknown from the upcomingGoogle event. Now, thanks to a Google APK v8.22 teardown, we know that the duo of Pixel phones will come with a wireless charging dock called "Pixel Stand". Buried deep in the code there's a short animation showcasing how the device works with the dock. It mentions extended functionality including slideshow and a different Google Assistant interface too. Even though...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_apk_teardown_reveals_the_pixel_stand__a_wireless_charging_accessory-news-33397.php

Nokia 7.1 Plus shines in new rumor-based renders, back panel leaks from factory

The first Nokia X7 reports that came in suggested a display without a notch but the last two leaks imply otherwise. Besides, the Nokia X5 and X6 are all notched phones so it makes sense to continue the trend with the X7 as well. Nokia X7 renders First, there are a couple of rumor-based renders from @OnLeaks give us a better idea of the design minimal side bezels and a rather small notch. The back is pictured with a glass panel and, of course, a dual camera setup and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. More Nokia X7 renders However, this leaked photo of an alleged...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_71_plus_shines_in_new_rumorbased_renders_back_panel_leaks_from_factory-news-33394.php

Huawei Mate 20 lite review

A Mate 20 before the real Mate 20s are out that's lighter on your wallet but not light on features - it's the Huawei Mate 20 lite. While waiting for the big boys, we figured we'd give this midranger a go.

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_20_lite-review-1826.php

OnePlus 6 getting Android 9.0 Pie final update

The beta testing is over - the OnePlus 6 is getting a stable Android 9.0 Pie release. It comes in the form of OxygenOS 9.0 and it brings several improvements (note that the previous OxygenOS version was 5.x). For starters, OnePlus adopted the Android Pie user interface and gestures, support for custom accent colors has been added as well. The new Adaptive Battery feature will learn when you use each app and prevent it from draining your battery when you're unlikely to need it. Some luck users are already downloading Android Pie on their OnePlus 6 Do Not Disturb now supports...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_6_getting_stable_android_90_pie-news-33396.php

Deals: Samsung Galaxy Note9 down to €700, Note8 to €474

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 hasn't been on the market that long (less than a month, in fact), but we already have the first price drop - eBay France is selling New condition units at €700. The Galaxy Note8 does not have a 4,000mAh battery or stereo speakers, but is still a flagship device. Cheaper too, at €474 (Exynos model, 64GB storage). There's also a Galaxy S9 for €490 (dual SIM) and Galaxy S9+ at €560. You can find a lot more offers over here, including the Pocophone F1 for €300. Via (in French) window._epn = {campaign:5338110667};

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deals_samsung_galaxy_note9_down_to__euro700_note8_to__euro474-news-33393.php

Apple working with Health Canada to bring the Watch 4 ECG across the border

The Apple Watch Series 4 went on sale today, but one of its best new features will not be available - the ECG. It received FDA clearance just in time (at very last moment, actually), but it will be enabled later on via a software update. But that's for the USA. Apparently, Apple is also in talks with Health Canada to enable the ECG feature in the future. The Canadian authority is seen as more cautious than the FDA, so it's not certain that the feature will be approved. But that's how it's going to be. The Apple Watch Series 4 is the first over the counter device to offer ECG and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_is_talking_to_health_canada_to_enable_ecg_on_the_apple_watch_4-news-33391.php

Huawei gave away free power banks to people queuing for iPhones

Like every year, the new iPhones generate so much hype that there are thousands of fans queuing in front of the Apple stores worldwide. This time around Huawei seized the opportunity to do some old-fashioned trolling. In front of the Apple store on Orchard Road in Singapore, a few Huawei employees gave away about 200 power banks for the people waiting on the queue the whole night. The packaged power banks had a message: "Here's a power bank, You'll need it." It's been years now that the Android community, including the OEMs, is mocking Apple for the iPhone's unsatisfactory...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_gave_away_free_power_banks_to_people_queuing_for_iphones-news-33388.php

Sunday Debate: iPhone XS Max vs a used car

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/sunday_debate_iphone_xs_max_vs_a_used_car-news-33392.php

Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max go on sale

The time has come - Apple started shipping its new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max yesterday and today they are available for purchase to everyone. If you order now, though, the phones will take at least until October 1 to arrive. If you want to reserve a unit at an Apple Store and go pick it up you are in no luck - the option is listed as currently unavailable. Country iPhone XS iPhone XS Max US $999 $1,099 Canada CAD 1,379 CAD 1,519 Germany €1,149 €1,249 Italy €1,189 €1,289 UK £999 £1,099 Today's launch date applies only for 30...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_xs_and_iphone_xs_max_go_on_sale-news-33389.php

Music streaming is now 75% of all industry revenue in H1 2018

The first half of the year is behind us, and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has just issued its 6-month report about the music industry market. Revenue grew 10% on a yearly basis and from $4.2 billion it is now $4.6 billion, mostly driven by the expanding streaming services and their paying subscribers. According to the RIAA, 1 million new users subscribe for streaming services per month, which is massive growth, compared to any other category of the music business. Unsurprisingly, digital download and physical sales revenue continued to plummet - from $765...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/music_streaming_industry_revenue_h1_2018-news-33386.php

Revealing renders of the upcoming Google Pixelbook tablet surface

We are expecting Google to announce its next Chrome OS-powered device, called Nocturne, alongside the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones this October and if you are wondering what it will look like, here are some revealing images. It appears that this time around, Google is looking to announce a convertible solution - tablet + keyboard dock. The tablet has a thin body with rounded corners and a USB-C connector on the left. The report says it will feature a second USB-C port on the other side, but it can't be seen from the renders The keyboard dock is nothing special but the keys...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/revealing_renders_of_the_upcoming_google_pixelbook_tablet_surface-news-33384.php

Apple mentions AirPower charging mat in iPhone manual, should someone tell them?

Remember the unified AirPower wireless charger for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods that was supposed to be released this year? That's clearly not happening since Apple has completely removed it from its website, but apparently it didn't manage to get rid of all traces. The iPhone XS Max manual contains instructions on how to use the AirPower Qi-certified charger. The only problem is that you can't really buy it. But they definitely mention it in the new iPhone XS Max manual pic.twitter.com/qJO7kVc8bi— Gavin Stephens (@ccgavind) September 20, 2018 So was it a case of Apple...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_might_have_not_completely_forgotten_about_the_airpower_charging_mat-news-33382.php

Xiaomi Redmi Y2 arrives in Blue and Black

Xiaomi announced the Redmi S2 in May and later the phone arrived in India under the name Redmi Y2 in Gold, Rose Gold, and Dark Grey colors. Today Xiaomi India announced that on September 22 two more options will be available - Mesmerising Blue and Stunning Black. The Redmi Y2 an entry level handset costing INR9,999 (€117/$138) for the variant with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. The more powerful version is 4/64 GB and goes for INR12,999 (€150/$180). Although it is advertised as Amazon Exclusive, the phone is also available at Xiaomi's online store. Source

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_y2_arrive_blue_black-news-33381.php

Huawei Mate 20 Pro's third teaser hints at the underwater mode

Just two days ago, an APK teardown of the upcoming EMUI 9 software based on Android 9.0 Pie revealed some neat Mate 20 Pro features. One that stood out was the underwater feature that lets you shoot clearer photos when you submerge the device. That's, of course, with the help of an additional plastic bag. That's a pretty cool idea and the feature is further confirmed by the latest teaser posted on Weibo, which was uploaded by someone on YouTube too. Then again, it might just be about the water-resistance of the phone but it's not a new feature since the Mate 10 Pro had it as well, so we...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_20_pros_third_teaser_hints_at_the_underwater_mode-news-33380.php

Realme 2 Pro appears on Geekbench with 8 GB RAM

Realme 2 Pro will arrive next week and the company CEO already teased the device, saying it will have Snapdragon 660 chipset. Today the device, codenamed OPPO RMX1807, arrived on Geekbench, revealing it will also have 8 GB RAM, living to its Pro moniker. The results from the CPU benchmark are in line with other Oppo smartphones that run the same chipset - Oppo R15, Oppo R11, Oppo R11s. The single-core score is 1452, while the multi-core number is 5511, which is pretty normal for a Snapdragon 660. The phone is said to run Android 8.1, but we expect Oppo's Color OS 5.1 on top. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_2_pro_geekbench_8_gb_ram-news-33379.php

Instagram adds GIF support to its direct message platform

There are fully fledged communication apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger that have a wide variety of functions and features like games, location sharing, stickers, and even sending payments. Then there's the "direct message" category, which is more of a supplementary messaging platform to compliment social networks like Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. Direct message isn't really something you'd want to use exclusively due to a lack of features, but Instagram is making it somewhat bearable by introducing GIF support on Instagram DMs. The Instagram app is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/instagram_adds_gif_support_to_its_direct_message_platform-news-33378.php

Here's a video walkthrough of Android Pie on the Galaxy S9

Just a couple of days ago, an early build of Android Pie was running on the Galaxy S9+ and XDA-Developers shared screenshots outlining some of the changes. Today, XDA-Developers shared a slightly newer build running on the Galaxy S9 and is showing the changes in a video walkthrough. The build is running on an AT&T Galaxy S9 variant and the video has the presenter walking us through the interface and going through the apps, many of which have a dark theme. The notification shade is also different with the same dark theme and rounded corners of the cards. Quick Toggles look different...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/heres_a_video_walkthrough_of_android_pie_on_the_galaxy_s9-news-33377.php

HMD Global is holding an event in London on October 4, announcing a new smartphone

HMD Global has started sending out invites for an event it's holding on October 4 in London. As you can see from the invite below, a new smartphone will be announced on that occasion. No other clues are available in the invite, but it's easy to assume that we'll be seeing the oft-leaked Nokia 7.1 Plus make its global debut. Sure, this could also be when the much anticipated but still not real Nokia 9 sees the light of day, especially after Samsung's already revealed its storage options earlier this month. We'll have to wait and see. Although HMD Global has launched the Nokia 8...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/hmd_global_is_holding_an_event_in_london_on_october_4_announcing_a_new_smartphone-news-33375.php

Amazon announces new range of Echo Companion Devices

Along with four new Echo devices, Amazon has also launched five new Echo Companion Devices. These are the Echo Sub, Echo Input, Echo Link, Echo Link Amp and Echo Wall Clock. Echo Sub is a subwoofer that is designed to work with your existing Echo devices. The Sub features a down-firing 6-inch subwoofer with 100W of power and pairs wirelessly with any existing Echo or Echo Plus. You can either pair a single Echo/Echo Plus with the Sub or two of them for a 2.1 speaker set where each of the Echo/Echo Plus become individual stereo speakers. The Echo Sub is priced at $129.99. Echo...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_announces_new_range_of_echo_companion_devices-news-33376.php

Amazon announces new Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Show and Echo Auto

Amazon has announced a slew of new Echo devices, including a new Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Show and Echo Auto. The new Echo Dot moves away from the plasticky design of the previous model to a new fabric design that comes in three colors. The new model also includes a new speaker that is claimed to sound louder and richer. Rest of the functionality remains the same, as does the price at $49.99. New Echo Dot The new Echo Plus features similar upgrades, with a new fabric design and an upgraded 3-inch speaker with stronger bass and clearer mids and highs. The new model will be...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_announces_new_echo_dot_echo_plus_echo_show_and_echo_auto-news-33374.php

Huawei's first foldable phone will also be its first 5G smartphone

Huawei and Samsung are in a competition to release the first foldable smartphone and Huawei's Ken Hu just upped the ante - Huawei's first foldable phone will also be its first 5G-capable phone. And it will arrive earlier than expected with a mid-2019 launch (at a previous event Huawei promised its first 5G phone for the second half of 2019). Sub-brand Honor also has a 5G phone in the works. Anyway, Hu highlighted the three major use cases for 5G: faster mobile broadband, lower latency and the Internet of Things. Samsung's CEO confirmed that a foldable phone will launch before the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huaweis_first_foldable_phone_will_also_be_its_first_5g_smartphone-news-33373.php

Counterpoint: Apple earned 62% of the global phone profits in Q2

Apple recently hit the trillion dollar valuation (slightly behind schedule) and you may be wondering why. Counterpoint Research has two charts that will quickly explain it - Apple took in 62% of the global profits from phones during the second quarter of this year. That's $6 billion in profits on $30 billion of revenue. The Q2 profits of chief rival Samsung have been falling for the last three years and it took home 17% of the global profits, less than a third of what Apple made fro its phones. Meanwhile Chinese brands have been growing steadily with Huawei and Xiaomi getting a huge...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_earned_62_of_the_global_phone_profits_in_q2-news-33371.php

Samsung Internet Beta Browser gets a UI overhaul

Samsung's own Internet Browser is a popular alternative to Google's Chrome on Android, especially since the company made it available for non-Samsung devices as well. Currently, the Play Store offers the app in two variants - stable and beta but the latter still appears to be a step behind the v.9.0 found on APK Mirror. The latest release brings a bunch of visual changes and appear to be more in line with the upcoming Samsung Experience 10 aesthetics. The first thing you will notice is the simplified navigation bar that now has a new menu button replacing the bookmarks...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_internet_beta_browser_gets_revamped-news-33370.php

Apple starts shipping iPhone XS and XS Max, the Apple Watch Series 4 too

People in the US have started receiving notifications that their iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max is on the way, the same goes for the Apple Watch Series 4. That means they should arrive on schedule - September 21. But the initial supply seems all but exhausted. Apple.com says that if you order now, the phone will ship in 1-2 weeks. AT&T it can deliver units between September 26 and 28, T-Mobile between September 26 and October 2 (even later for the XS Max). Only Verizon seems ready to deliver new pre-orders tomorrow. The situation in other 29 countries that are part of the first wave...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_starts_shipping_iphone_xs_and_xs_max_the_apple_watch_series_4_too-news-33369.php

Asus ROG Phone late-October shipping date listed

The Asus ROG Phone was announced way back in early June and nearly four months later you still can't buy one. That may finally change, if a GearBest listing is to be believed. The site prices the phone at $1,320/€1,140 and claims that the shipping date will be between October 22 and 24. That's the 8/128GB version, the 8/512GB model will cost $1,620/€1,400. Those prices are higher than the €1,000 asked by Finland's Telia (that was a pre-order with a free ROG Delta headphones, but it has since disappeared). The carrier claimed that shipments will start in mid-September, but that...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_rog_phone_pops_up_on_gearbest_with_a_lateoctober_shipping_date-news-33368.php

Cat announces the B35 - a rugged 4G feature phone

Cat briefly showcased the B35 rugged featurephone during this year's IFA and now the company is ready to reveal its complete details along with a launch time frame. It is IP68 water and dust protected meaning it can go up to 1.2 m under water for 35 minutes. The chassis is also shock-proof and Cat has says it can survive 1.8m drops on concrete. Additionally, the handset is MIL-810G compliant so it can handle extreme cold, heat, salt mist, humidity and vibration. The internals are hardly impressive, but then you wouldn't expect that from a featurephone anyway. You get a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/cat_announces_the_b35__a_rugged_4g_feature_phone-news-33367.php

Deal: Huawei P20 Pro gets a price cut to GBP 599

Huawei is about to launch the Mate 20 and the Mate 20 Pro on October 16 in London and the UK market is already seeing discounts on older smartphones. The unlocked Huawei P20 Pro with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage is now down to £599 both in the plain Black and the flashy Twilight colors. The triple-cam P20 Pro was launched back in March for £800 in the UK by various retailers and carriers. Price went slightly south in the past few months, but even today some stores such as Carphone Warehouse are selling it for £679, while carriers are asking for £799 if you don't sign a...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deal_huawei_p20_pro_gbp_599-news-33366.php

iPhone XS teardown reveals L-shaped battery and more watertight seals

The new iPhones are hitting the shelves tomorrow, but we already get to take a peek inside thanks to FixjeiPhone's teardown. The iPhone XS and XS Max are both subjected to it and we now know more about their internals. Right off the bat, the guy disassembling the device said the screen is now much harder to pop out compared to the previous generation iPhone X due to the additional watertight seals. The new seals ensure that the device can be submerged in 2 meters of fresh water for 30 minutes without any issues - that's what the IP68 rating gives you. The IP67-rated phones like the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_xs_teardown_reveals_lshaped_battery_and_more_watertight_seals-news-33363.php

Three GoPro Hero7 cams announced, the Black model has HyperSmooth stabilization

B&H jumped the gun and revealed GoPro's three new cameras. The company is back to a three tier scheme marked by colors. The GoPro Hero7 Black is the top model with 4K at 60fps video capture. The most important addition here is HyperSmooth video stabilization, which promises "gimbal-like" smoothness. The camera's 12MP sensor can capture 30fps photo bursts and RAW photos. There's a SuperPhoto Auto HDR feature as well. The Black model offers high bandwidth video capture - up to 78Mbps in 4K/60 - and is the only one here that has an external mic input and a removable battery. Live streaming...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/three_gopro_hero7_cams_announced_the_black_model_has_hypersmooth_stabilization-news-33365.php

Leaked Nokia 7.1 Plus (X7) renders show a notch, dual Zeiss camera

We've seen purported screen panels of the Nokia 7.1 Plus (aka Nokia X7) twice now and both times without a notch. However, the first renders of the device show a mid-sized notch - not iPhone wide, but not teardrop either. Which leak is correct? These images claim to be official renders and the other two X-series phones do have notches. Anyway, the screen in the image has a 19:9 aspect ratio (not accounting for the rounded corners) and the likely resolution is 1,080 x 2,280px. The size is unknown as the earlier reports of a 5.9" diagonal are now suspect. Nokia 7.1 Plus (aka Nokia X7)...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_nokia_71_plus_x7_renders_show_a_notch_dual_zeiss_camera-news-33362.php

Apple iPhone XS benchmarks confirm chart-topping performance

The colleagues over at Tom's Guide were able to get their hands on the new iPhone XS and XS Max and put them both through extensive testing. They even put Apple's new flagships against Android's current best smartphones sporting Snapdragon 845 chipsets and last year's iPhone X. As expected, multi-core performance isn't a big leap over the A11 Bionic from 2017 but single core performance is vastly improved. And when put against Android's current flagships, it's a clean sweep for the A12. The available synthetic benchmarks are Geekbench 4, 3DMark Slingshot Extreme and GFXBench...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_xsseries_tested_with_synthetic_and_realworld_benchmarks-news-33360.php

Meizu X8 joins the notch squad with a SD710 and а $235 price

Meizu unveiled the 16X yesterday, along with the affordable duo V8 and V8 Pro. A fourth smartphone called Meizu X8 is a mixture of neat specs and low cost and somehow went under the radar. One of the reasons is probably it is the first phone of the company with the infamous notch, even if the cutout was skipped in two previous flagship series from earlier this year. Meizu X8 in Black, Blue, White The phone has a 6.2" screen with Full HD+ resolution (2,220 x 1,080 pixels). There is a Snapdragon 710 chipset on the inside with an octa-core CPU up to 2.2 GHz. The memory...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_x8_arrival_sd710_notch_squad-news-33361.php

Strategy Analytics: Google Home Mini leads the smart speaker market in Q2

Strategy Analytics has just released its report on the Q2 shipments of smart speakers across the globe. The numbers revealed that over 50% of the speakers are either by Google or Amazon, with Google Home Mini grabbing the lion share with a 20% of the market. Volume in million Market share Google Home Mini 2.3 20% Amazon Echo Dot 2.2 18% Amazon Echo 1.4 12% Alibaba Tmall Genie 0.8 7% Google Home 0.8 7% The numbers reveal that although the market is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_home_mini_lead_smart_speaker_market_q2-news-33358.php

Official OnePlus 6T video surfaces, teases the in-display scanner

The first official OnePlus 6T promo video has surfaced, featuring Indian legend Amitabh Bachchan and the upcoming phone. The video is a short clip that teases the in-display fingerprint inside the OnePlus 6T and shows the actor handling the phone for a second. The video was reportedly planned to air during the India vs Pakistan cricket match during the Asian Cup 2018. The OnePlus 6T will have an in-display fingerprint scanner, a dual camera on the back, most likely an AI-powered variant of the current 16MP + 20MP main cameras, a slightly larger 6.4-inch 1080x2340px Optic AMOLED...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/official_oneplus_6t_video_leaks_teases_the_indisplay_scanner-news-33359.php

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) announced - triple camera and Super AMOLED display

We knew that Samsung is prepping to launch its first ever triple camera smartphone but we didn't expect it to be so soon. Behold the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) - a smartphone with three cameras on the back that should only cost a fraction of the Huawei P20 Pro's price. The Galaxy A7 (2018) in black, blue, gold and pink The Galaxy A7 (2018) accommodates a 6-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080 x 2220 pixel resolution and no notch. The phone uses an octa-core 2.2GHz CPU paired on an unnamed chipset and comes in three different memory configurations - 4GB/64GB, 4GB/128GB or...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a7_2018_announced__triple_camera_and_super_amoled_display-news-33357.php

Huawei 40W SuperCharger leaks in the wild

The Honor CEO George Zhao revealed at IFA 2018 that the company is planning to introduce the smartphone Honor Magic 2 with almost 100% screen-to-body ratio and sliding back panel that exposes the front camera. Zhao also said the new device would support up to 40W charging speeds and now sources from China revealed the first look of the actual charger. The guys from Chongdian Tou reported an exclusive leaked photo of the Huawei SuperCharge device that is expected to top the battery of the Honor Magic 2 in virtually no time. While the input is standard - 100-240V~50/60Hz, the output...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_40w_supercharger_leaks_in_the_wild-news-33356.php

Samsung turns Zootopia characters into AR emoji

Samsung's AR Emoji family grew by three more characters - Zootopia favorites Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps and Flash. They are available in the Galaxy App store - just launch the camera app in AR Emoji mode, hit the + button and download the new emoji pack. Once that's done, you can create short GIFs you can send to your friends on your favorite messaging app or even pin the image to your Always On Display to give your phone a bit of extra personality. And in case you missed it, the characters from Frozen, The Incredibles and the Disney classics (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Daisy) are also...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_turns_zootopia_characters_into_ar_emoji-news-33348.php

Our Honor Play video review is up

Gaming phones have recently made themselves a niche with the Razer Phone being the first gamer-oriented smartphone. Since then, there have been at least three more gamer-centric phones: the Xiaomi Black Shark, the Asus ROG phone, and the Nubia Red Magic, just to name a few. Honor decided to take on these gaming phones by releasing a similar kind of device: the Honor Play. Honor packed Huawei's Kirin 970 CPU along with Huawei's GPU Turbo (which reallocates computing resources on the software level) for improving gaming and graphics performance. Of course, the Honor Play doesn't have...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/our_honor_play_video_review_is_up-news-33353.php

Huawei Mate 20 Pro's AI camera features leak in APK teardown

Here's another Huawei Mate 20 Pro leak to add to today's tally. XDA-Developers uncovered some new features we might expect in the Mate 20 Pro based on information uncovered in an APK teardown of the camera app from a leaked build of EMUI 9 that surfaced last week. Of course, any of the features mentioned in the teardown won't reflect what users will see in final retail software. Features can always be removed and replaced before a phone ships. With that said, let's take a look at some of these features. The Mate 20 Pro is believed to be able to record video with the artificial bokeh...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_20_pros_ai_camera_features_leak_in_apk_teardown-news-33355.php

Samsung Galaxy Note9 updated to disable Bixby button (kind of)

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is now receiving an update to the Bixby app that would let users change the way that the Bixby button behaves. We expected an update earlier this month and its now here. The default behavior of this extra button is that a single press will interrupt whatever you're doing on open Samsung's in-house assistant app. With the Bixby app update, a new option allows you to set the Bixby button to require a double-press to open the Bixby app. This is unlike the Galaxy S9+, which lets you disable the button from doing anything when pressing it. In either device, pressing and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note9_updated_to_disable_bixby_button__kind_of-news-33352.php