Despite missed sales target, Xiaomi was still at top in China last year

Despite falling short of its 2015 sales target, Xiaomi was still the top smartphone manufacturer in China for the year, according to a new Wall Street Journal report which cited "early figures" from market research firms Canalys and Strategy Analytics. According to Canalys, Xiaomi claimed 15.2% of the market in China. Huawei came in second with 14.7%, while Apple was third with 12.5% share. The report cited Chinese analysts as saying that brisk sales of the company's Redmi Note 3 smartphone - which they said comes with "competitive pricing and trendy features" - along with the end-of-year sales season were some of the main reasons that helped Xiaomi claim the spot. They also predicted that in 2016, Xiaomi will have to face a tough fight from competitors like Huawei, which shipped over 100 million smartphones in 2015 - Xiaomi, for comparison, shipped only 70 million. For those who aren't already aware, Xiaomi's next flagship smartphone - the Mi 5 - will be unveiled on February...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/wsj_despite_missed_sales_target_xiaomi_was_still_at_top_in_china_last_year-news-16367.php

Possible next-gen Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablets spotted on Zauba

Two new tablets from Samsung have been spotted listed on Zauba, a website which tracks India's import and export. The listings for these devices reveal that they carry model numbers of SM-T719 and SM-T813, respectively. Another crucial information that the listings reveal is the display sizes. While the SM-T719 sports an 8-inch screen, the SM-T813 has a 9.7 inch display. Given that the Galaxy Tab S2 series from last year has 8-inch and 9.7-inch variants (with model numbers SM-T710/SM-T715 and SM-T810/ SM-T815), these new devices could very well be the next generation tablets in the series. Aside from the specs, the Zauba listings also gives an idea about the price tag the new tablets will carry - the SM-T719 is listed at INR 13,817 (around $215), while the SM-T813 is priced at INR 17,271 (around $255). Keep in mind, however, that pricing information on Zauba is not always precise. Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/a_couple_of_new_samsung_tablets_spotted_on_zauba-news-16366.php

It's official: Samsung to unveil Galaxy S7 on February 21

Turns out the rumors were correct. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship smartphone will be unveiled on Sunday, February 21 (19:00 CET) in Barcelona, just a day before MWC 2016 officially kicks off. The South Korean company has also posted a teaser video on YouTube (embedded below) that confirms the same. The video, however, doesn't reveal much - it just shows a man wearing the company's Gear VR headset. "Get ready to rethink what a phone can do," Samsung said in the text accompanying the video. "#TheNextGalaxy will be revealed at Unpacked on February 21." The Galaxy S7 has already been the subject of endless rumors and leaks. It is expected to be launched in the US and Europe on March...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/its_official_samsung_to_unveil_galaxy_s7_on_february_21-news-16365.php

New update to Samsung's Android browser brings support for ad blocking

Samsung has pushed out a new update to its Web browser on Android that adds a new API using which developers will be able to build ad blocking extensions for the browser. The update will only be available to Samsung devices running Android 5.0 or up. Once you update your Samsung Internet browser, you'll be able to block ads by installing a content blocking software that takes advantage of the new API. One such tool is Adblock Fast, which is claiming to be the first free open-source ad blocker for the browser. The team behind Adblock Fast for Android claims the extension allows webpages to load an average of 51% faster. The ad blocker is also available for Chrome and Opera on desktops and laptops. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_update_to_samsungs_android_browser_brings_adblocking-news-16364.php

Motorola's 'shatterproof' Moto X Force set for India launch today

The Motorola Moto X Force, which is claimed to be the first smartphone in the world to come with a shatterproof display, will be launched in India on February 1 - today. The announcement was made by the company in a tweet yesterday. Are we there yet? Almost! #1DayToXForce, launching on 1st Feb at 3 PM https://t.co/q6VpVxSNrr pic.twitter.com/nPyufpRhv5— Motorola India (@MotorolaIndia) January 31, 2016 The event is set for 3PM (IST) today, and you can catch the device's live unveiling by heading to the YouTube link at the end of this story. The launch comes nearly a couple of weeks after Motorola India started teasing the phone on Twitter, and a couple of days after it was spotted listed as 'coming soon' on Amazon India. There is currently no official information on its India price though - in the US, where it is sold as the Droid Turbo 2, it carries a price tag of $624 for the base model. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorolas_shatterproof_moto_x_force_set_for_india_launch_today-news-16363.php

Best Apps and Games of the Week

These are the best apps and games that came out this week. Guides by Lonely Planet Guides by Lonely Planet is exactly what it sounds like. The app has guides for popular locations, which tell you more about the place, what to see, where to shop, what to do, etc. It also has offline maps for the locations, along with useful tips. and bookmarking for locations. The app currently includes maps for Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Montréal, Moscow, New Orleans, New York City, Paris, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, St. Petersburg, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver, Venice, Vienna, Washington, DC, and more will be added later. iOS • Android Chrooma Keyboard Chrooma is a simple, resizable keyboard for Android that automatically changes color to match the color of the app. There's also a night mode that changes color according to the time of the day. Android Mimicker Alarm Mimicker is an alarm app by Microsoft. The app makes you do certain tasks after the alarm rings, such as snap a selfie or speak a phrase. If you fail to do that the alarm keeps ringing. If you have trouble getting up in the morning then you could give this a try. Android Twofold Twofold is a color matching game, where you have to move around squares and match their colors. You have to match a certain number of colored squares to get to the next level. Use up all your moves and it's game over. Twofold is made by the developers of rymdkapsel and has the same level of polish and finesse in gameplay and presentation. iOS • Android Downwell Downwell is a fast-paced action game, which is now also available on Android. You fall down a well, shoot enemies with your Gunboots, and collect red gems. There is not much else to know nor should you need to. iOS •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/best_apps_and_games_of_the_week-news-16362.php