OnePlus One will receive MaxxAudio software in next OTA

Although fairly new in the smartphone market OnePlus is already standing out from the crowd with its product - the OnePlus One gaining increasing interest. The Chinese manufacturer seems dedicated to bringing what it sees as a better Android experience, that the one offered by big market leaders. Its device is not only an impressive piece of hardware, but is also breaking new ground by delivering a Cyanogen build of Android out of the box. The team behind the smartphone has actively been working to improve their product as much as they can. Their previous OTA update brought about an enhanced camera experience by adding Clear Image technology as well as the ability to capture RAW photos. Now the guys at OnePlus have revealed that the February update will concentrate on delivering improved audio quality to One users. The manufacturer recently struck a deal and partnered with Waves Audio, the team behind the innovative MaxxAudio technology. You might remember their work from the Oppo Find 7, which also received their flavor of audio software. The MaxxAudio suit is an advanced piece of software that enables the production of deeper bass, clearer highs and a generally improved sound quality all around. Tomer Elbaz, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Waves Consumer Division had this to say about the new partnership: Waves is thrilled to be a part of the latest device and updates from OnePlus as we share their passion to provide the highest quality of performance to improve end-user experiences in the mobile arena The new software will be directly integrated within the smartphone's AudioFX for easy access. Even more importantly it will be fine-tuned to OnePlus One's specific speaker hardware, as well as the company's own Silver Bullet headset and the JBL E1+ headphones. The application itself will offer 10 different equalizer presets as well as full manual user control for bass, treble and headphone spaciousness. So if you own a OnePlus One or are on the lookout to buy one be sure to check the audio quality when the update hits February 2015 and report back with any interesting...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_will_receive_maxxaudio_software_in_next_ota-news-10500.php

Lumia 638 launched in India, priced at $130

Nearly six months after launching it in China, Microsoft has launched the Lumia 638 in India. Priced at INR8,299 ($130), the budget 4G smartphone will retail exclusively on the newly-launched Microsoft Store on Amazon India. It is currently available for pre-booking, and will start shipping on December 18. "It builds on the success of the Lumia range in the fast growing affordable smartphone segment and aims to address the consumers' demand for a device that lets them enjoy uninterrupted video content," said Raghuvesh Sarup, Director - Marketing, Nokia India (a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy), during the launch of the device. The device runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Cyan, and sports a 4.5-inch LCD ClearBlack display with Gorilla Glass 3 and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC. It packs in 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage (which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card), and a 1,830mAh battery. The smartphone has a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera, but no front-facing snapper, and comes with Cat 4 LTE/4G support for bands 3, 7, 38, 39, 40, and 41. The Redmond, Washington-based company has also bundled the new Nokia Lumia 638 with an exclusive offer on Airtel 4G. The carrier's postpaid customers in Bengaluru will get up to 5GB of free 4G data for 2 months post activation of their Airtel connection on the device. The offer lasts until March 31, 2015. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_638_launched_in_india_priced_at_8299_inr-news-10499.php

Possible 5" OnePlus One Mini surfaces in China

The OnePlus One, dubbed "The Flagship Killer" is definitely one of the more interesting smartphones that hit the market this year. Ever since it was announced back in April it has been turning heads and exciting Android fans all around the globe. The Cyanogen-powered device is so successful, that apparently the Chinese manufacturer has opted to listen to user feedback and create a more affordable mini version of the OnePlus One, or at least that is what the leaked photos imply. The shots that surfaced on the Chinese social network Weibo seem to show a prototype of a smaller version of the OnePlus One. If the accompanying story is to be believed the handset is already undergoing testing. It will apparently feature a smaller 5" display and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC. Looking closely at one of the photos, we can clearly recognize the Antutu interface and can't help but notice that both cameras on the device are listed as being only 8MP. This strikes as kind of odd especially for a potential new device that is intended to follow in the steps of the OnePlus One, which is a veritable powerhouse. Of course, there is a high likelihood that the phone in question is indeed a Chinese knockoff, which would definitely not be uncommon. Whether or not a smaller OnePlus One exists or is in the works is pretty much open to speculation. If the rumor does turn out to be true we could be looking at a very successful potential continuation to the OnePlus device lineup. Source (in Chinese, requires login) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/possible_5_inch_oneplus_one_mini_surfaces_in_china-news-10498.php

HTC Hima to miss MWC2015, premiere at a standalone event

HTC Hima, which is the codename for the HTC One (M8) successor, may not be announced at the upcoming CES and MWC events in January and March. According to @upleaks, the HTC Hima might get its own event after the MWC. The HTC One (M8) also missed the two big forums in early 2014 and got a separate premiere later in March. Maybe HTC will be doing the same thing with its successor - the HTC Hima. In case you've missed the news, HTC Hima will be succeeding the HTC One (M8) in early 2015. The new flagship is rumored to pack a 5" 1080p display, Snapdragon 810 chip with an octa-core processor, a rear 20.7MP cam and a front 13MP or UltraPixel selfie snapper. Naturally, Android 5 Lollipop and HTC Sense UI 7.0 should be in charge of operations. Recent news has also revealed the HTC Hima will be launched in gray, silver and gold flavors, quite similar to HTC One (M8) paintjobs. We'll be keeping you in the loop as more info comes...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hima_may_miss_mwc2015_to_premiere_at_standalone_event-news-10497.php

Galaxy S5 in Poland getting a refined Lollipop update

For one reason or another Poland has been chosen as the Lollipop testing ground and the Galaxy S5 is receiving a second update in as many weeks. This one patches up issues found in the first version and includes stability and performance enhancements for the most part. New Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Galaxy S5 You can update over the air (Settings > About > Software update) or you can use Samsung Kies. Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) owners can also download the firmware and flash it themselves, though at this point it will probably be smarter to wait for the official rollout. The new update weighs in at 371MB and has the following PDA number G900FXXU1BNL7. An official changelog is not...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s5_in_poland_getting_a_refined_lollipop_update-news-10496.php

Delhi High Court allows Xiaomi to sell phones till January 8 in India

We recently reported that Xiaomi was banned from importing, selling, and marketing its smartphones in India due to an injunction from Ericsson, claiming Xiaomi infringed upon its patents. The Delhi High Court has now granted Xiaomi permission to import and sell its phones in India till January 8, but only those devices running on Qualcomm processors. This includes the Mi 3, Redmi 1S, and Redmi Note 4G, where the first two aren't being sold anymore and the third one being some time away from launch. The Redmi Note that the company was selling prior to the ban cannot be sold since it runs on a MediaTek processor. Xiaomi will now have to launch the Redmi Note 4G earlier than the expected or resume sales of the 1S till January 8. What happens after that date remains to be seen but we will keep you...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/delhi_high_court_allows_xiaomi_to_sell_phones_till_january_8_in_india-news-10495.php