Sony brings its Xperia XZ flagship to India, sales begin October 10

The Sony Xperia XZ flagship smartphone has been officially unveiled for India. The device will go on sale in the country starting October 10, with pre-bookings opening October 1. It will be available through both online (Amazon) and offline channels. The model being launched is the dual SIM one that comes with 64GB internal memory. As for price, the phone carries an MRP of INR 51,990 (around $780) and a "best buy" tag of INR 49,990 (around $750). Those pre-booking the handset will also get a free Sony SWR30 SmartBand worth INR 8,990 (around $135). Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_brings_it_xperia_xz_flagship_to_india_sales_begin_october_10-news-20780.php

ZTE Zmax 2 with 5.5-inch display currently going for just $50 in US

The ZTE Zmax 2 from last year has received a price cut in the US, where Best Buy is currently selling the device for $49.99, down from its usual price of $99.99. That's a solid 50% discount on a handset that sports a 5.5-inch display, features an 8 MP rear camera, and packs in a 3,000mAh battery. A quick looks at ZTE's official US website reveals that the handset is being officially sold for around $120 in the country, and other retailers like Amazon also have it listed for over $100. So, the Best Buy deal seems worth availing especially if you're looking for a decent back up...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_zmax_with_55inch_display_currently_going_for_just_50_in_us-news-20774.php

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 lauch event rumored for October

Following the Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus launch, Xiaomi is gearing up to unveil the Mi Note 2 and Mi Note 2 Pro in October. According to analyst Pan Jiutang, the company will introduce the two phones at the end of next month. On top of that, Jiutang says Xiaomi will also offer the phones in more than a few color choices. While there's no information on what exactly the color choices are, the Mi Note 2 and Mi Note 2 have been circling the rumor mill in the last few months. As a result, we have a good idea what we should expect. The Mi Note 2 Pro should have a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_note_2_lauch_event_rumored_for_october-news-20777.php

Google Allo hits 5 million downloads on Android in a week

Google's smart messaging app Allo, which started rolling out last week, has surpassed the 5 million downloads milestone on the company's Play Store. The app hit the 1 million downloads mark four days ago, and was the top free Android app in the US this past weekend. Allo seems to be following the footsteps of Google's new video calling app Duo that saw enjoyed similar popularity at launch. However, the excitement around Duo quickly faded - now it's not even in the top 50 apps in the Play Store's free list. So, it will be interesting to see how the future shapes up for Allo. Source

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_allo_also_hits_5_million_downloads_on_android_in_a_week-news-20773.php

Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 600E and 410E for embedded computing, IoT

Qualcomm has announced two new Snapdragon models, the 600E and 410E, where the E stands for Embedded. These two models have been designed specifically for embedded computing and Internet of Things applications. This includes devices such as set-top boxes, medical images, point of sale systems, digital signage, televisions, media players, interactive kiosks, robotics, high-end toys, thermostats, surveillance systems, and more. The two chipsets are designed to be efficient with sufficient performance. They support 32-bit and 64-bit applications and can run Android, Linux, as well as Windows...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_announces_snapdragon_600e_and_410e_for_embedded_computing_iot-news-20778.php

Yet another MediaTek executive mentions partnership with Samsung

Word of a possible partnership between Samsung and MediaTek has been popping up periodically for some time now. There is still no official confirmation, but all clues seem to point squarely to one conclusion - the Korean giant is planning to start buying chips from MediaTek. This is clearly a big step and potentially huge deal especially for the Chinese chip manufacturer, so it makes sense that we first heard rumors about it as far back as March last year. Fast forward to last week, when a MediaTek executive mentioned Samsung as a partner, without giving any extra details. Today,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/yet_another_mediatek_executive_mentions_partnership_with_samsung-news-20776.php