OnePlus 2: One MILLION people signed-up to buy the 'Flagship Killer' in 72 hours

ONEPLUS

In just 72 hours, OnePlus 2 sold almost a third MORE units than its predecessor

OnePlus this week unveiled the successor to its hugely popular OnePlus One smartphone.

The OnePlus 2 – dubbed Flagship Killer, by the Chinese firm – boasts a new Android operating system, brighter display and vastly improved 4K camera.

It also sports a phablet-sized 5.5inch IPS 1080p display, up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and a larger 3300mAh battery.

And it appears the upgraded handset, which starts from £239, has resonated with fans.

OnePlus has today revealed it has received 1.5 million invitation requests from those eager to buy the firm's new flagship smartphone.

ONEPLUS

OnePlus 2 boasts a number of improvements over its predecessor

ONEPLUS

The Flagship Killer also sports interchangeable rear shells for the first time

That's a staggering 500 million MORE than the OnePlus One ever sold.

It's clearly resonated with consumers as they've been quick to snap up a place in line

OnePlus spokesperson

Like its predecessor, OnePlus is using an invite system to sell its latest handset, which only allows those who have already bought the phone to invite someone else to do so.

Invites can also be obtained through a waiting list, or by entering a number of competitions offered by the company.

A spokesperson for OnePlus told Express.co.uk: "The launch of the OnePlus 2 reaffirms the brand's commitment to the highest level of craftsmanship in the industry today.

"The OnePlus 2 boasts top of the line specs, one of the best cameras on the market, beautiful design and the adoption of state of the art technology. 

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"It's clearly resonated with consumers as they've been quick to snap up a place in line for a reservation to purchase one for themselves."

Pop-up events in New York, San Francisco, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, New Delhi, Bangalore and Jakarta will allow OnePlus fans to go hands-on with the device for the first time.

Team members from OnePlus will be on hand to demo the OnePlus 2 to fans in person; those users will have an opportunity to receive invites and other exclusive gifts.

Additional information on the pop-up events is available on oneplus.net.

Source: OnePlus 2: One MILLION people signed-up to buy the 'Flagship Killer' in 72 hours

Samsung Profits Hurt by Smartphone Price Declines

Updated July 29, 2015 9:36 p.m. ET

SEOUL— Samsung Electronics Co. SSNHZ 0.00 % said net profit for the second quarter fell 8% from a year earlier as sales of the company's flagship Galaxy S6 smartphone fell short of expectations.

The decline was the fifth straight year-over-year profit drop, as low-cost rivals from China and India continued to weigh on Samsung's market share and profit margins, particularly for midrange smartphone models.

Samsung's net income for the three months ended June 30 was 5.75 trillion Korean won ($4.9 billion), down from 6.25 trillion won in the year-earlier period, the company said Thursday.

As in previous quarters, most of the pain came in the company's once-highflying mobile unit. The mobile division's operating profit slid 37.6% to 2.76 trillion won in the second quarter from a year earlier.

In April, the company released its flagship Galaxy S6 and its curved-screen variant, the Galaxy S6 Edge. While the new phones were met by praise from analysts and reviewers, Samsung appears to have badly miscalculated how many Galaxy S6 Edge devices consumers wanted, leading to shortages of that device and unsold stock of the flat-screen Galaxy S6 smartphone.

Overall, the division's closely watched operating profit margin came in at 10.6%—down sharply from a margin of 15.5% in the second quarter last year, and roughly unchanged from the first quarter of the year.

Analysts estimate the average selling price for Samsung's smartphones to have dropped by more than 10% to below $300 in the latest quarter compared with a year ago, amid heightened cost competition from low-cost rivals in the region.

Rival Apple Inc., AAPL -0.32 % meanwhile, managed to keep a high price tag on its popular iPhones during the same period, with the average selling price of iPhones rising by more than $100 to $662.

Samsung's smartphones are expected to stay prone to further price cuts as the South Korean electronics giant struggles to differentiate its products from the growing pool of competing smartphone models.

In an attempt to cushion the continued slide in earnings, Samsung has advanced the timing for the launch of its flagship smartphone-tablet hybrid device, likely called the Galaxy Note 5 and focused on business users, by about three weeks to Aug. 13 from its usual launch period.

It is also releasing a larger version of the Galaxy S6 Edge at the event, according to people familiar with the matter, giving the company another chance to try to parlay the popularity of the curved-screen smartphone into profit.

Samsung's overall profit picture would have been even worse, but for another strong showing from the company's components business, which includes memory chips, application processors and display panels.

Semiconductors, in particular, saw operating profit surge in the second quarter by 83% from a year earlier to 3.4 trillion won.

A chunk of those profits came from memory chips, where Samsung has long dominated as the world's No. 1 manufacturer by sales. The unit got another leg up from its non-memory chip business, thanks to sales of its application processors—the brains of smartphones—to outside customers, and which it used to power its own line of new premium smartphones.

Analysts estimate that the non-memory chip business logged its first quarterly profit in more than a year, though Samsung doesn't break out details for the business unit.

Semiconductors have solidified their place as the main profit driver for the Suwon, South Korea-based company, accounting for 49% of overall profit in the second quarter, ahead of the mobile division's 40% contribution.

Overall, revenue for the technology giant in the second quarter fell 7.3% from a year earlier to 48.54 trillion won.

The company's cash position remained mostly the same, with about 61.8 trillion won of cash and short-term assets on its books.

Write to Min-Jeong Lee at min-jeong.lee@wsj.com

Source: Samsung Profits Hurt by Smartphone Price Declines

Moto fires BROADSIDE into the flagship phone's waterline with X Play and Style

Hands On The traditional flagship Android smartphone concept, as offered for instance by Samsung, may be feeling a little wobblier today after Motorola shelled it fore and aft with its new, actual-value X handsets.

Apple is currently hoovering up 92 per cent of the profits to be made in the smartphone business, by some counts, and what's left goes to Chinese manufacturers buoyed by strong domestic demand.

Red ink pours out of Japan and Taiwan; Sony, HTC, and Samsung, are all seeing their big marketing budgets and lavish margin model under pressure. Lenovo's proposition with the Motos is simple: get what decent components you can in for half of the flagship price.

Two new top-range X models from the Lenovo-owned phone company offer stock Android, no frills, and a £200-£300 saving over flagship rivals from Samsung, Sony and HTC. The budget Moto G, so far the only Android phone worth buying in the sub-£200 category, was also refreshed, with waterproofing, a much better camera, and Moto Maker build-to-order customisation.

The two new Moto X models, the Moto X Style (£359 SIM free) and in particular the Moto X Play (£279) are aggressively priced: Motorola has stopped trying to match Samsung feature for feature. Instead it's focussing on everyday basics such as battery life (two days in the Play thanks to a 3,630mAh battery), rapid charging, and greatly improved 21MP main cameras. (The G receives the camera from the Nexus 6).

With the G getting bigger over successive iterations, the devices now bear a stronger family resemblance.

After the specs, some impressions:

from £359 SIM free: Moto X Style

5.7" Quad HD (1440 X 2560) display

21MP and 5MP cameras

3,000 mAh battery ("30 hours mixed use")

3G RAM

16/32/64GB of storage plus MicroSD up to 128GB

Snapdragon 808 6-core

(available September)

from £279 SIM free: Moto X Play

5.5" Full HD (1080 x 1920) display

21MP and 5MP cameras

3,3630 mAh battery ("48 hours mixed use")

2GB RAM

16/32GB of storage plus MicroSD up to 128GB

Snapdragon 615 8-core

(available August)

from £159 SIM free: Moto G (Third Generation)

13MP and 5MP cameras

2,470 mAh battery ("24 hours mixed use")

8/16GB of storage plus MicroSD up to 32GB

Snapdragon 510 4-core

IPX7 water resistance

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Source: Moto fires BROADSIDE into the flagship phone's waterline with X Play and Style

OnePlus 2 hopes to be a new flagship killer to rival iPhone, Galaxy

Eli Blumenthal, Special for USA TODAY 6:14 a.m. CDT July 28, 2015

The new OnePlus 2 smartphone(Photo: OnePlus)

NEW YORK— On the heels of last year's sleeper hit, Chinese start-up OnePlus has announced a new phone that promises iPhone-type specs at half the price.

Late Monday the company unveiled the the OnePlus 2, its successor to last year's OnePlus One. As with last year's device, the OnePlus 2 looks to adhere to the same core idea as its predecessor by offering impressive Android smartphone specs at a low cost.

Priced at $389 without a contract for the 64GB version, this year's model includes a new aluminum and magnesium frame with customizable backs, an improved 5.5-inch full HD display that the company claims will be better in direct sunlight, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with 4GB of RAM for zippy performance as well as a larger 3300mAh battery.

Similar to the One, the device will support AT&T and T-Mobile's LTE networks in the U.S. and will be sold "unlocked" to allow users to freely switch between the networks or easily use the phone outside the U.S.. As with other unlocked phones, it will not work with Verizon or Sprint.

The display puts the OnePlus in the phablet category and in direct competition with phones like Apple's iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy Note line, which boast similarly sized screens (though Samsung's is at a higher resolution). Both of those phones, however, are several hundred dollars more expensive than the OnePlus 2, with a 64GB unlocked iPhone 6 Plus running $849. Full retail price for an unlocked Galaxy Note 4 with 32GB of storage is approximately $525 on Amazon.

The new OnePlus device also boasts an upgraded 13-megapixel rear camera with a sharper sensor and laser-enhanced focus for better low-light shots. A 5-megpaixel camera remains on the front for selfies and video chat.

While the above specs are to be expected in the growing trend of high-quality, low-cost phones from China, the OnePlus 2 will additionally feature a fingerprint scanner for unlocking the device as well as be among the first phones to offer a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, replacing the microUSB port found on the OnePlus One and most Android devices. USB Type-C is the next generation of the USB standard and is best known for its versatility in allowing the USB plug to be reversible.

Another notable difference in the OnePlus 2 is that it runs on OxygenOS, the company's own customized version of Android 5.1 Lollipop, as opposed to software created by popular Android startup Cyanogen. While similar in design to Google's own Android interface, OnePlus' software includes a few custom tweaks including new Camera and Audio Tuner apps as well support for gestures.

The swappable back covers for the OnePlus 2 include Bamboo, Black Apricot, Rosewood as well as Kevlar (Photo: OnePlus)

The $389 64GB version will be available to those in the US on August 11, while a cheaper 16GB version with 3GB of RAM will be available later on for $329 without a contract. As with the intial orders for the One, OnePlus will be bringing back the invite system for those who wish to order the phone.

The company says that those who purchased the One will be given a priority in invites to buy the OnePlus 2, but it will also be offering invites at nine "pop up experience centers" located around the world on July 31 as well as on its social media pages beginning on August 1. Those who purchase a OnePlus 2 will also be able to share three invites with friends.

While the invite system may disappoint fans, in an interview with USA TODAY earlier this year, OnePlus founder Carl Pei justified the system as way to better manage inventory. Said Pei, "we don't want users to wait a long time after a pre-order and we don't want users to rush to the website and find it sold out."

OnePlus surprised many in the tech world last year with its OnePlus One smartphone, which started at $299 unlocked for a 16GB version. After selling over 1 million One phones since April of last year, the company hopes to sell between 3-5 million phones this year. While that's tiny compared to Apple's yearly iphone sales, the volume was seen as impressive for a startup, and the company quickly grew popular amongst the tech and social-media savvy.

It embraced those fans again on Monday, launching the OnePlus 2 using a virtual reality Android app as opposed to the traditional press conference or webcast.

The strategy seems to be working. The #OnePlus2 was trending worldwide on Twitter late Monday night.

Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @eliblumenthal

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Source: OnePlus 2 hopes to be a new flagship killer to rival iPhone, Galaxy

Xiaomi Mi 4 anniversary price cut now permanent

New Delhi: While OnePlus is busy gearing up for the launch of its OnePlus 2, Xiaomi was busy slashing rates on its products during its anniversary celebrations. The celebrations are still on, but Mi fans who were looking forward to buying a flagship smartphone from the company are in for some good news.

The Xiaomi Mi 4 64 GB had received a price cut last week as a part of its anniversary celebrations. But Xiaomi seemed so happy with the success of this smartphone, that it announced that price cut is now permanent.

Yes, Mi fans and buyers looking out for a great flagship smartphone, can now look at the Mi 4 64 GB as a great choice at Rs 17,999. The price drop is by Rs 2000, but it will go a long way for sales, since OnePlus also plans on keeping its OnePlus One on the shelves even after the 2 gets launched.

Indeed, this will put buyers in a tizzy about which smartphone to go in for, as both come with impressive hardware and the software chops to match.

On one side of the ring we have the Xiaomi Mi 4 that comes with a metal and glass construction, that stands out in a crowded mid-range market. It offers a smooth software experience with little or no hardware hiccups along with a MIUI V6 that makes it easier to use for those buying an Android smartphone for the first time.

That leaves the OnePlus One to those who know Android and are willing to work with some bugs, but also need a big screen and want to run the latest custom ROMs. Clearly, the OnePlus caters more to tweakers, but again it also makes for a great alternative to those coming from the Nexus camp, thanks to the vanilla experience that the ROM offers.

Coming to the pricing, Xiaomi Mi 4 is a clear winner, with its all new price tag. The OnePlus One still retails for Rs 18,998, but that is for the 16 GB version. The 64 GB Sandstone Black version is still priced a lot higher at Rs 21,998.

So which one will you buy? Sound off in the comments below.

SOURCE: www.techtree.com

Source: Xiaomi Mi 4 anniversary price cut now permanent

Rumor: Meizu MX5 Pro Might Launch This September

Meizu has released two really compelling devices lately, the Meizu M2 Note and Meizu MX5. The M2 Note is Meizu's mid-ranger which happens to be really affordable, and yet its specifications are more than solid. The Meizu MX5, on the other hand, is the company's current flagship handset. This smartphone is made out of metal, and its specifications are definitely nothing to scoff at. We've already reviewed both of these devices, and both devices are really strong competitors, the M2 Note in the mid-range category, and the MX5 in the premium, high-end space.

That being said, you might recall there was some talk about the Meizu MX5 Pro a while back. Our source at the company has confirmed that the device exists, and that it will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year. Well, a new report surfaced in China which only confirms that fact, and it seems like the MX5 Pro will be a true beast of a smartphone, at least in the spec department. According to the report, the MX5 Pro will launch in September, and it will feature a 6-inch QHD display along with 4GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery. MediaTek's Helio X20 64-bit deca-core SoC is said to sport this smartphone, and you can expect this phone to be made out of metal as well. The 20.7-megapixel OIS camera (Sony's IMX230 sensor) will almost certainly going to be available on the back of this device, just like it is on the MX5. The physical home button will be available here as well, and it will double as a fingerprint scanner, much like it does on the MX5. You can also expect the MX5 Pro to pack in Hi-Fi acoustics, and to sport a really competitive price tag.

The Meizu MX5 Pro will be a direct successor to the MX4 Pro which was announced at the end of last year. This will essentially be phablet variant of the MX5 which will reportedly offer a more powerful hardware as well. We still don't know how much will it cost in the end, but you can expect it to be somewhat more expensive than the regular MX5.

Source: Rumor: Meizu MX5 Pro Might Launch This September

New Windows 10 Lumia smartphones to include iris scanner, surface pen support, USB Type-C

Posted on: 04:07 PM IST Jul 25, 2015 | Updated on: 4:08 pm,Jul 25,2015 IST

New Delhi: With Windows 10, Microsoft's Lumia range of flagship smartphones are also set for a makeover.

The software giant is said to release two new Lumia smartphones this year. The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL (codenamed Cityman and Talkman) are rumoured to come with the new USB Type-C port, wireless charging capability, and iris scanner, along with a host of new features.

The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL (codenamed Cityman and Talkman) are rumoured to come with the new USB Type-C port, wireless charging capability, and iris scanner, along with a host of new features.

Windows Central reports that the Lumia 950 will come with a 5.2-inch OLED display and run a 64-bit hexa core Snapdragon 808 chipset clubbed with a 3GB RAM.

It is further said to include a 20 megapixel PureView rear camera combined with a 5 megapixel wide-angle front snapper. It will be powered by a 3000mAh removable battery.

The larger 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL is said to be powered by a 64-bit octa core Snapdragon 810 chipset combined with 3GB RAM. While the camera specifications remain the same as the smaller Lumia 950, the one in 950 XL will come with triple LED flash. It will come packed with a 3300mAh battery. It will include aluminum side buttons and feature a 1mm silver ring inside the circumference of the black camera pod.

Both the phones will come with the new USB Type C port for charging, an Iris scanner for Windows Hello, and 32GB of internal storage.

The new Lumia phones are also said to optionally have a surface pen and smart cover as added accessories.

Source: New Windows 10 Lumia smartphones to include iris scanner, surface pen support, USB Type-C

ZUK CEO: Here’s A First Render Of The ZUK Z1 Flagship

ZUK is a new Chinese smartphone OEM backed by both Qihoo 360 and Lenovo. This is a new company which has been all over the media for the last couple of weeks. ZUK has announced a while back that they intend to announce the Cyanogen OS-powered ZUK Z1 smartphone soon, and they've recently announced the exact date of the event, August 11th. The company has already confirmed that the device will pack in a big battery, and that it will be equipped with a Type-C USB 3.0 port. We've also seen quite a few leaks and rumors pop up lately. What we haven't seen though, is the device itself, well, until now.

The company's CEO, Chang Cheng, has released an image of the device on his official Weibo (Chinese social network) account. Mr. Cheng has released a render of the ZUK Z1, but unfortunately we don't get to see the whole device, only its bottom back portion. If you take a look at the provided image, you'll notice that the device sports a metallic trim all around, while chamfered edges are also there. The aforementioned Type-C USB 3.0 port is also there, and you also get to see the speaker and the microphone holes.

This handset is also said to sport a fingerprint scanner, it will probably feature a front-facing physical home button which will double as a fingerprint scanner. Anyhow, according to previous leaks, this smartphone will feature a 5.5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) display, 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core processor will reportedly power this handset, while a dual-SIM connectivity will also be a part of this package. You can also expect the ZUK Z1 to offer 4G LTE connectivity, and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop will probably come pre-installed here, at least according to various rumors we've seen thus far. Cyanogen OS will come installed on top of Google's operating system, which was already confirmed.

That's more or less it, this is the first time that we actually get to see a part of this device. The event is about two weeks away at this point, so we'll almost certainly going to see more leaked material by then. Stay tuned for more info.

Source: ZUK CEO: Here's A First Render Of The ZUK Z1 Flagship

Moto X 2015 leak: This is Motorola’s new flagship phone

Motorola will supposedly announce new Android smartphones next week, including a third-generation Moto X flagship handset, as well as a new Moto G version. Motorola's new devices haven't exactly been well-kept secrets, with various reports offering numerous details about them, including unofficial pictures.

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The Moto X (2015) edition will probably be one of the Android handsets you should consider buying this year, and the following images offer us a first look at the phone's design.

It's immediately clear that the handset will have a front-facing camera with flash, a rarity for smartphones, which suggests Motorola is betting big on selfies this year.

In addition to a flash on the front side, the new Moto X might also sport a fingerprint sensor in the bottom speaker although this rumor is yet to be confirmed.

Finally, the phone will be available in different color options, including gold and white.

Considering that various sources have posted images that show the same device, on Weibo, Google+ and Facebook, chances are the handset in these pictures is real — see it below.

Older StoryPrevious Newer StoryNext
Source: Moto X 2015 leak: This is Motorola's new flagship phone

OnePlus 2 leaked images show new design

NEW DELHI: Less than a week is left for the launch of OnePlus 2, but the smartphone's specifications and images have been leaked by Chinese certification agency TENAA.

The images show that the upcoming OnePlus flagship will look quite similar to its predecessor complete with the sandstone back panel, but feature a metal frame on the sides. On the back, the camera setup now includes a laser-focus system, which we have seen previously in LG G4 smartphone.

ALSO READ: Here's how you can get OnePlus 2 invites

Additionally, the design is a little tweaked, as the smartphone will have a hardware Home button, which was missing in the first model. This Home button has likely been added to accommodate the fingerprint sensor, which the company says will be faster than Apple's TouchID.

ALSO READ: CEO hints at OnePlus 2 pricing

On the left side the sim card slot, wherea s the volume rocker and power buttons are placed on the right.

OnePlus has already announced a few features of its upcoming smartphone, including 4GB RAM, 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset, 4G support, and 3,300mAh battery. The company has also confirmed that it will be smaller in size than OnePlus One.

ALSO READ: OnePlus 2 to come with next-gen USB connector

Other rumoured features of OnePlus 2 are 13MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, 5MP front camera, and 32GB internal storage.

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Source: OnePlus 2 leaked images show new design

OnePlus 2 Camera Samples Compared With Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6

OnePlus has again teased its soon-to-be-announced OnePlus 2 smartphone, comparing the camera samples of the '2016 flagship killer' with the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6. In other news, OnePlus 2 has been spotted on AnTuTu benchmarks with impressive score.

OnePlus compared the macro shots taken with the OnePlus 2 to the ones taken with Samsung Galaxy S6 while comparing night shots taken with the OnePlus 2 to the Apple iPhone 6. The company in its Forum post stressed that the OnePlus 2's camera will offer more details than the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6.

While we won't be commenting on the quality of the images teased by the OnePlus, and will recommend readers to wait for our extensive review of the OnePlus 2 smartphone, you can head over to Forums and make up your own mind until then.

In other news, a variant of the OnePlus 2 smartphone was spotted in AnTuTu benchmark results (via Gizmo China) with a score of over 63,000. Based on earlier leaks, the company is rumoured to may have more than one variant of its next OnePlus 2 flagship smartphone under works.

According to the AnTuTu benchmark results, the OnePlus 2 A2001 scores higher than Meizu MX4, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Asus ZenFone 2, HTC One M8, and Xiaomi Mi 4 among others. Notably, the OnePlus 2 A2001 was also spotted in GeekBench results last month.

Last week, OnePlus branded its upcoming OnePlus 2 smartphone as the '2016 flagship killer.' The OnePlus 2 title given means that the company believes its smartphone would be better than the flagships launching next year. An "improved and new" invite system for the OnePlus 2 smartphone has already been announced.

OnePlus is set to launch its OnePlus 2 smartphone at a virtual reality event on July 27. A number of specifications and details of the OnePlus 2 smartphone have been revealed by the company, including dual-SIM support; a 3300mAh battery; Oxygen OS (likely to be as close to stock Android); a fingerprint sensor; a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 SoC; a USB Type-C port; 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and possibly a metal build. The company has tipped the pricing of the smartphone to be between $322 (roughly Rs. 20,500) and $450 (roughly Rs. 28,500).

Source: OnePlus 2 Camera Samples Compared With Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6

TrendForce Reports Q2 Global Smartphone Shipments at 304M and Revises Annual Shipment Growth Downwards to 8.2%

  (July 20, 2015)

TAIPEI, July 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest analysis from the global market research firm TrendForce finds smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2015 grew 1.9% over the previous quarter to 304M units. Shipment growth in the second quarter slowed as vendors prepared to launch their flagship devices in this year's second half. However, shipments of branded Chinese smartphones benefited from the Chinese Labor Day sales and their entries into the overseas markets. TrendForce reports the second quarter shipments of Chinese branded smartphones had an above global average growth of 15.6% with 126M units shipped.

TrendForce has also made downward revision to smartphone shipment growth for the entire 2015 from 11.6% to 8.2%. According to Avril Wu, TrendForce's smartphone analyst, this revision is attributed to the negative global economic outlook for the second half of this year and weakening demands.

"Compared with the high 26.5% growth of 2014, this year's smartphone shipment growth is entering a plateau period," said Wu. "Therefore, vendors are likely to face serious challenges when shipping their products in the near future."

Samsung tops global shipments while Apple is expected to maintain its high sales record with the next-generation iPhone in the second half of 2015

Samsung has led in smartphone shipments with a second-quarter growth of 26.8%. However, Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge's annual shipment forecast has been marked down repeatedly. TrendForce has also revised Samsung's annual smartphone shipments downwards to 45M units this year. As Chinese vendors are taking more shares of the low- to mid-range product market, Samsung's ability to reverse its fortune may hinge on the success of its Galaxy Note 5. If this device is able to attract consumers with upgraded specs and new features, then Samsung will avoid the high possibility of negative shipment growth for this year.

Apple rode on the popularity of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in this year's first half and achieved a remarkably strong shipment result in the off-peak season. The next-generation iPhone due to be launched this year offers no major changes in appearance, but Apple has given the device a new A9 processor and upgraded its memory to 2GB LPDDR4 for the first time. These improvements along with the Force Touch module and a camera featuring a possible resolution of 12MP will give the next iPhone a huge boost. Thus, TrendForce's iPhone shipment forecast for this year continues to be very positive with a high growth of 15% upwards.

LG's flagship model G4 officially entered the market in the second quarter, but its sales have fallen below expectations. G4's hardware improvements are not as exciting to the consumers compared with the upgrades made on its predecessor G3, which features a 2K display and 3GB memory. TrendForce has also revised LG's annual shipment growth downwards to 8%.

Huawei has become No. 1 Chinese smartphone brand with projected shipments reaching 100M this year

Huawei is the No. 1 Chinese smartphone brand because of its decent sales record in the overseas market and stable relations with telecom operators. With an estimated annual shipment growth of near 40%, Huawei is expected to become the first Chinese smartphone vendor to reach 100M units shipped this year.

Lenovo by contrast has fallen to No. 6 in the global shipment ranking and is expected to see a 20~30% decline in this year's shipments. Lenovo's market share did not double as anticipated after its takeover of Motorola in 2014. Moreover, Lenovo did not have a well-defined product positioning strategy and the brand faced strong competition from challengers offering lower-priced smartphone models.

Earlier this year, the closely watched Chinese vendor Xiaomi released Mi Note, the brand's first premium smartphone. However, Mi Note products suffered from an overheating problem caused by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, and competitors with low-priced smartphones havereduced Xiaomi's market share. Xiaomi shipped 34M units in this year's first half and is currently far from its annual shipment target of 100M. Nonetheless, it overtook LG in the second quarter's global shipment ranking and is at No. 4. TrendForce estimates Xiaomi's global smartphone shipments in 2015 to grow by around 15% year on year to 70M units.

Two other Chinese smartphone vendors that are also being closely watched are OPPO and VIVO, as the former specializes in camera smartphones and the latter develops smartphones featuring the best music listening experience. Both vendors have made significant gains in the overseas market owing to their distinct product positioning strategies, and both will maintain steady and high shipment growth this year. TrendForce estimates both OPPO and VIVO will post year-on-year shipment increase of 30% or more in 2015.

Figures: http://press.trendforce.com/press/20150720-1998.htmlSource: TrendForce

ContactMs. Lilia Huang+886-2-7702-6888 ext 640LiliaHuang@TrendForce.com

Ms. Sharon Yang+886-2-7702-6888 ext 660SharonYang@TrendForce.com

About TrendForce (www.trendforce.com)

TrendForce is a global provider of the latest development, insight, and analysis of the technology industry. Having served businesses for over a decade, the company has built up a strong base membership base of 175,000 subscribers. TrendForce has established a reputation as an organization that offers insightful and accurate analysis of the technology industry through five major research divisions: DRAMeXchange, WitsView, LEDinside, EnergyTrend and Avanti. Founded in Taipei, Taiwan in 2000, TrendForce has extended its presence in Mainland China since 2004 with offices in Shenzhen, and Shanghai.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trendforce-reports-q2-global-smartphone-shipments-at-304m-and-revises-annual-shipment-growth-downwards-to-82-300115414.html

SOURCE TrendForce Corp.

Copyright 2014 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

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Source: TrendForce Reports Q2 Global Smartphone Shipments at 304M and Revises Annual Shipment Growth Downwards to 8.2%

Samsung Galaxy S7: Galaxy S6 successor will probably be launched at next year's Mobile World Congress

Reuters

Samsung is without a doubt one of the most popular smart phone brands in the world, its dominance secured when the company came out with the Galaxy S line. The Galaxy S6 is currently the line's flagship phone but it has not stopped rumors from swirling about its successor, the Galaxy S7.

As expected, Samsung is keeping mum about the Galaxy S7 but it is inevitable that some information will be leaked and lapped up eagerly by Samsung aficionados.

The Internet is rife with reports that the Galaxy S7 will follow in the same design aesthetics as the S6 as Samsung's use of glass and metal has been universally praised and appreciated by millions of users. There are also rumors that the company is testing high resolution 4K displays for the Galaxy Note 5 so it is highly probable that the Galaxy S7 will also be utilizing these new ultra high resolution displays.

But what everyone is waiting for is news on what can be found underneath the S7's pretty packaging. One comment made by a Samsung insider hinted that the company is going back to Qualcomm for their next flagship smartphone; and there have been reports that Qualcomm and Samsung are working together on the Snapdragon 820. It has also been reported that the S7 will also be running on a 64 bit Exynos processor, 4 GB RAM and will have up to 128 GB memory.  The Galaxy S7 is also rumored to support the new USB Type C connector as well as the embedded SIM (e-Sim).

Of course, the S7 is also expected to carry new features that will blow their competitors out of the water. Some features that it will reportedly have are a 30 megapixel rear camera at the rear and a 10MP front camera as well as a GigaPixel feature for clearer pictures. The S7 is allegedly also waterproof, dustproof and will come with infrared sensors.

Samsung is quite famous for its punctual and reliable launch schedules that speak of the company's confidence regarding their devices. So if the company does stick to its schedule, the Galaxy S7 will probably be launched during next year's Mobile World Congress which will be held from Feb. 22 to 25 at Barcelona, Spain.

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Source: Samsung Galaxy S7: Galaxy S6 successor will probably be launched at next year's Mobile World Congress

iPhone 6S: Everything You Want To Know

There are few bigger events in consumer electronics than the release of a new iPhone, and the iPhone 6S is now only a couple of months away from release. So here ValueWalk runs down all that we know and expect about the flagship Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone thus far.

Release date

iPhones are always far from predictable, as Apple plays its cards extremely close to its chest at all times. But the flagship smartphone has settled into a relatively regular release schedule recently, which involves new iterations appearing each September. Next generation versions of the iPhone are generally given a new number, whereas more incremental improvements carry a C or S monicker.

There is no indication at the time of writing that we should expect anything other than the iPhone 6s to launch in September of this year.

Branding

There has been some debate as to whether the next generation iPhone will carry the iPhone 6s label, or if Apple will instead designate it to be a next generation iPhone 7. There is no definitive answer to this question, but the general consensus of opinion seems to be that the device will ultimately be named the iPhone 6s.

It is also notable that rumors of a third model in the series to complement the smartphone and tablet have been rife. This supposed 4-inch version of the iPhone will reportedly receive the iPhone 6c label, and be aimed at the more affordable end of the market.

Operating system

There is no doubt that the next iPhone release will run the recently announce iOS 9 operating system, the newest version of Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch software that was unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Force Touch

iPhone enthusiasts always both desire and predict that Apple will bombard consumers with a raft of exciting new features when the next generation iPhone is released. But in reality, Apple has actually been pretty conservative with recent iPhone releases, ensuring that everything that appears in its flagship device is executed superbly before it enters the public domain.

So some of the more outlandish suggestions related to the iPhone 6s doubtless will not come to fruition. But what can be said with some certainty is that the Taptic Engine and Force Touch from the new MacBook and Apple Watch will be included in the iPhone 6s when it is released. Concept designs of the iPhone imagine a Home button-less device that is largely operated by this touch sensitive technology.

Sizes

Aside from the aforementioned 4-inch iPhone, it is almost a certainty that Apple will freeze the size of the iPhone at 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches in terms of display size. Whether Apple will be redesigning the actual unit to make it slender or smaller has not been established yet, but there are rumors that Apple would like to include a larger battery in the device. This could necessitate changes to the design of the device, but other sources suggest that Apple will instead rely on power saving functionality in iOS 9 in order to achieve this, while changing very little about the physical design of the unit.

iPhone 6s camera

The camera included in the iPhone 6s has been one of the most prominent areas of conjecture. It has been suggested that Apple will include a professional standard DSLR unit in the iPhone 6s, and also that it may even experiment with a unique form of periscope-like technology.

But the short amount of time until the iPhone 6s is released suggests that we will not see anything quite so revolutionary in this smartphone. A more likely outcome, as suggested by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, is that Apple will concentrate on increasing the megapixel rating of the iPhone this time out. This could result in an iPhone 6s that features a 12-megapixel snapper, with the front camera capable of recording 1080p video at 60fps, 240fps in slow motion mode and flash support.

Resolution

There has been a significant amount of debate regarding the screen resolution included in the iPhone 6s, and the fact that Apple has as usual refused to reveal any information has only served to intensify this discussion.

But it is generally expected that Apple will significantly improve the resolution of the iPhone 6s when it is released. Even the most ardent fans of apple must concede that it has fallen a little behind the pack in this department, and it is expected to be addressed with the release of the iPhone 6s.

Some early murmurings had suggested that Apple could include 4K resolution in the next generation iPhone, but this now looks extremely unlikely. It is much more plausible that Apple will instead bump up the phablet version of the iPhone 6s to quad HD, while ensuring that the smartphone-sized model of the iPhone 6s will feature full HD for the first time.

Physical construction

It is expected that Apple will include sapphire glass in the iPhone 6s, after this particularly durable material was introduced in the Apple Watch range. It was largely expected that Apple would utilize this material in the construction of the iPhone 6, yet despite considerable rumors and Apple buying up industrial quantities of sapphire glass, this did not ultimately materialize.

Another aspect of the Apple Watch that Apple may include in the iPhone 6s is the revolutionary Series 7000 aluminium alloy used for the Apple Watch Sport. Apple was forced to field some unpleasant headlines related to the by now infamous Bendgate scandal, and much of the physical construction of the iPhone 6s will focus on ensuring that this is not repeated.

Apple is also likely to include a new A9 processor, which will be produced as usual by its rival Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930). This will be faster and use less power, ensuring that Apple can improve the battery life of the iPhone 6s by roughly 50 percent. Leaks have also suggested that the iPhone 6s will be a thicker unit in order to accommodate a larger battery pack.

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Source: iPhone 6S: Everything You Want To Know

OnePlus 2: Company calls it ‘2016 Flagship Killer’, even before its launch

OnePlus is just one smartphone down, but has already addressed their upcoming successor – OnePlus 2 – as the '2016 flagship killer'. The company took to Facebook and Twitter, and thanked its partners, who worked with them to develop the new device.

The new smartphone will be unveiled on 27 July via the world's first VR product launch. This is yet another way for the company to try and market its next flagship – the OnePlus 2.

The title given by the company to the new phone, which hasn't even launched, proves that it is confident that the OnePlus 2 will be better than the flagships launching next year. Will it somehow trump next year's OnePlus 3 as well? According to the post, some of the partnered companies to help the OnePlus were Samsung, Qualcomm, Toshiba, Japan Display, Texas Instruments, Everlight and many others.

Image: OnePlus blog

This week, OnePlus made an another announcement as well, stating that its OnePlus 2 smartphone will get a 'new and improved' invite system. The company said on the blog that, "some people thought it was too difficult and time consuming to obtain an invite or thought it was all some big marketing stunt." For this reason, a few key improvements to the purchase experience has been made.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed on Twitter that the new smartphone won't cost more than $450. This works out to approximately Rs 28,500. Majority of the specifications have either been leaked by the company.

The most recent leak by the company suggests that the OnePlus 2 will have dual-SIM support. Also, 9to5google mentioned key specifications of the device from the discussion on Reddit. "According to various OnePlus team members (who did indeed verify themselves), the phone will have a slightly larger 3,300 mAh battery (up from 3,100 mAh of the OnePlus One), while the physical size of the phone will actually be moderately smaller than that of its predecessor."

According to TheNextWeb, "The device will also get multiple StyleSwap back covers to customize its look. In addition, there will be different versions for Europe/Asia, North America and China versions with "much better band support than last time."

In terms of specifications, at this price, the smartphone is rumoured to feature a metal build. According to a new leak, the smartphone will offer 4GB LPDDR4 RAM. In other features, the company has already confirmed the presence of a Snapdragon 810 v2.1 SoC with a USB Type-C port too. In a recent post, OnePlus also claims that the fingerprint sensor will be better than Apple's implementation of TouchID.

Along with a few leaks, an image of the OnePlus 2 has surfaced with some notable details. The OnePlus 2 will purportedly feature a metal frame with black matte finish. Also, the smartphone's display is rumoured to be between 5.5-inches and 5.7-inches along with a 1080p resolution. It will be offered in 16GB and 64GB storage variants as well.

In other leak, a few live images of the OnePlus 2 have been spotted. According to a report by GSM Arena, the upcoming smartphone's front panel is similar to the OnePlus One while the back panel offers a wooden finish. The report also points out that the back of the phone seemingly shows the rumoured fingerprint scanner on a vertical bar, under the camera and flash.

Tags: Buy OnePlus 2, OnePlus, OnePlus 2, OnePlus 2 details, OnePlus 2 features, OnePlus 2 India, OnePlus 2 invite, OnePlus 2 launch, OnePlus 2 price, OnePlus 2 specifications, OnePlus One, OnePlus smartphones

Source: OnePlus 2: Company calls it '2016 Flagship Killer', even before its launch

OnePlus 2 will have up to 50x more inventory than the OnePlus One at launch, and a reservation list for invites

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As OnePlus prepares to launch its second flagship smartphone, the China-based mobile phone manufacturer has revealed how consumers will be able to procure one of the handsets when they launch on July 27.

As with the OnePlus One, the OnePlus 2 will follow an invite-based system, which the company claims is so that it can better manage supply-and-demand and ensure it isn't left with excess inventory. But OnePlus promises things will be far more streamlined this time around.

To recap, OnePlus emerged as one of the hottest smartphones over the last year for the One, a premium-spec low-price Android device costing $299/$349 (16GB/64GB). While it generally got rave reviews, it wasn't always easy to acquire — users could only buy one if they had an invite. Invites were given out through competitions and social media promotions, while those who had already bought a OnePlus One were allocated invites to give to friends.

However, the company received an increasing amount of criticism for its system, which frustrated would-be customers and gave no easy route to getting hold of one of the devices. The invite system was removed in stages, and it finally came down altogether back in April — presumably so the company could get rid of excess stock ahead of the upcoming OnePlus 2 launch.

Hopes that OnePlus would ditch its invite system for the OnePlus 2 were dashed a while back when the company revealed it would still be in place, though details of how it would work this time around have remained unclear.

We now know, however, that OnePlus is increasing its launch inventory by "30 – 50″ times, according to the company, which means more invites will be available.

Moreover, there will be a reservation list in place, meaning all you have to do is submit your email address, and wait. This is definitely a good move by OnePlus, as it means customers will no longer have to monitor the OnePlus Twitter feed, Facebook Page, or forum for details on how to obtain an invite from any new batch that are released. Additionally, the company also says that those who buy a OnePlus 2 will receive sharable invites much quicker this time around.

Interestingly, while most invites will remain digital, OnePlus will be making some available in physical format for special scenarios, though it doesn't detail what these will be.

While the invite system has clearly frustrated consumers in the past, with some accusing the company of attempting to create hype, OnePlus's argument that it was intended to manage inventory and reduce risk does stack up.

"More hardware companies have died from having too much inventory than from having too few sales," explains co-founder Carl Pei. "We're in this for the long run, and we firmly believe that the long-term health of our business is far more important than growth."

Earlier this year, Russia-based smartphone maker Yota opened up pre-orders for the YotaPhone 2 on Indiegogo. It was a curious move for an established company, given Indiegogo is traditionally used by individuals or emerging startups with little cash at their disposal. However, crowdfunding campaigns are increasingly being used by bigger companies to establish demand for a product — this helps reduce their financial risk before a product goes to market.

While OnePlus is continuing its invite system for the aforementioned reasons, this time around it's anticipating a greater demand for the product, so hopefully will be better prepared to deal with an influx of orders.

Meanwhile, if you want to watch the OnePlus 2 launch event on July 27, the company is broadcasting in virutal reality (VR), and you can order a OnePlus Cardboard VR headset for the occasion.

VB's research team is studying mobile user acquisition... Chime in here, and we'll share the results.
Source: OnePlus 2 will have up to 50x more inventory than the OnePlus One at launch, and a reservation list for invites

Ramos Unveils Mos1: Its First Flagship Smartphone, Coming This August

Ramos, a well-known Chinese tablet maker, has launched its first flagship smartphone called Mos1. The smartphone will be available starting August in China for CNY 1,999 about $320.

Click Here For The Latest Smartphone Gallery

The company claims that the Mos1 features a layered side that sports a 158 degree angle curve. It comes with a large 5.5 inch full HD display featuring a Corning Gorilla Glass coating and 2.5D glass design.

SEE ALSO: Lenovo Sold 49,800 Units Of K3 Note During Second Flash Sale On Flipkart

The smartphone is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, paired with 2GB of RAM and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop along with basic Ramos MOUI interface skin on top.

It comes with 32GB of internal storage, 13MP rear camera that features autofocus, LED and a secondary 5MP selfie shooter in the front. It packs a 3050mAh battery and is said to feature 1.9mm side bezel and 6.6mm thickness.

SEE ALSO: MWC Shanghai 2015: Intex iRist smartwatch with 1.5 Inch Display, Voice Assistance Launched

The company has also announced the oversize version of Mos1, called as Mos1 Max that sports a 6 inch display and comes with bigger 6000mAh battery. Both smartphone shares same specification, except the display and battery size.

Source

Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!

Story first published: Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 17:17 [IST]

Source: Ramos Unveils Mos1: Its First Flagship Smartphone, Coming This August

YU Yuphoria Golden Ticket sale tomorrow on Amazon at 2PM

YU along with Amazon has announced a Golden Ticket Sale for the second time to ensure that the Yuphoria fans are able to successfully purchase the product. It will give a second opportunity to Yuphoria fans, who had earlier registered for the sale but could not buy Yuphoria in multiple attempts.

The exclusive sale will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 between 2 – 5PM on Amazon.in. The exclusive ones will receive an email from Amazon which will direct them to this sale through another link for participation.

Yuphoria will go on sale on July 16 at 2PM for the registered users and this time the much awaited Champagne Gold variant will also be available along with the Buffed steel variant.

(Also read: YU Yuphoria review: Cyanogen OS on a budget, but comes with its flaws)

There will not be any fresh registrations for Yuphoria after the sale as the company plans a 'new announcement' for Yu fans.

Priced at Rs 6,999, it's the company's second Cyanogen-based smartphone after Yureka and claims to bring features seen in a flagship device at an affordable price. The smartphone sports a 5-inch IPS display with 720 x 1080 pixels resolution with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It runs Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12.

The device is 8.25mm in thickness and weighs 143 grams. Under the hood, it gets a true 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 clocked at 1.2GHz coupled with 2GB RAM. It also gets 16GB onboard storage. The dual SIM smartphone supports most sensors found in flagship devices. It also supports Bluetooth and 4G LTE.

Tags: flash sale, Micromax Yu Yuphoria, YU Yuphoria, YU Yuphoria flash sale, YU Yuphoria review, Yu Yuphoria sale

Source: YU Yuphoria Golden Ticket sale tomorrow on Amazon at 2PM

HTC Second Quarter Sales Plummet Despite HTC One M9!

Taiwan-based technology company HTC has released on July 6 its initial sales results for the 2nd quarter of the year and the numbers aren't pretty. Tech Times reports that HTC, along with American mobile phone maker Motorola, had their Q2 sales figures down, while the numbers for Samsung and LG soared.

The sales results of the three-month period also reflected good figures for Android smartphones and other devices in general. This means that Android is the more favored mobile operating system compared to Apple's iOS.

The latest data of Kantar Worldpanel Comtech Phones shows that a whopping 64.9% of all smartphone sales during the period were running on Android mobile operating system, an increment of 3% from the year-ago figure.

Second quarter can be considered as the best quarter for Korean tech giant Samsung to date as their latest offerings, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, accounted for 55% sales, an increase of 3% from last quarter's 52% sales results.

Tech Times details that the same goes for the other Korean tech company LG. The manufacturer saw its sales go twice as much compared to last year. What's interesting for LG is that their sales growth still does not cover the numbers for the sensational LG G4, which was released only towards the end of the quarter so the company already projects a rise in their revenue growth for the third quarter.

While all is well for some Android smartphone brands, it doesn't seem to be the case for HTC. In a report from Tech Crunch, the smartphone manufacturer says it already expected to make revenues of about $1 billion with an operating loss of $166 million more or less for the second quarter. Motorola also had a difficult time maintaining sales growth.

Chief researcher Carolina Milanesi says if the trend for HTC and Motorola will continue, other valuable competitors such as Sony and Huawei may just take their places in the market and get into the consumers mindset. This is not the first time HTC succumbed to declining sales. The company recorded its first market loss in October 2013 when its smartphones and devices then were ultimately overmatched by Samsung's gadgets and its massive marketing strategies.

Despite its groundbreaking new features, the brand's latest flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9, was apparently not well-received during its release in the market in April compared to other's flagship devices.

As a result, HTC's chief of design Jonah Becker has stepped down from his post after six long years with the company. In his Twitter account, Becker confirmed his resignation, stating it is time for a new adventure. Becker's departure comes less than a year from former design leader Scott Croyle's departure from the company.

Earlier this year, the smartphone company has also replaced long-time CEO Peter Chou with Chairwoman Cher Wang as their head of product development. This replacement has been the company's biggest shake-up to date and their bold move to align better profits in the future.

Techno Buffalo reports that the Taiwanese manufacturer has since then pledge to its users and loyal consumers a revamp in their models and an ultimate overhaul with their smartphones and tablets. Although this may be a fact, it's always easier said than done as HTC may have to double or even triple their efforts to uplift volume sales especially now that China's Xiaomi is taking over its spot in the list of competitive brands.

As part of their rebuilding, Yibada reports that the company's HTC One M9 and Desire series contenders Desire Eye and Desire 816 will  be equipped with the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware. The latest mobile operating system from Google became available for high-end smartphones and other gadgets of HTC on July 1.

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Source: HTC Second Quarter Sales Plummet Despite HTC One M9!

Sony Xperia Z3+ review: This flagship smartphone is too hot, literally

Sony's new flagship smartphone makes all the right noises. A new Qualcomm processor, thinner and lighter, water-resistant, and that famed 20MP camera. Does that make this the best Android you can buy?

Specs: 5.2-inch 1920×1080 pixels touchscreen, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A57 Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB RAM 32GB internal store, microSD up to 128GB 20.7MP rear camera with 4K video recording, 5.1MP front camera,Wi-Fi ac, 2390mAh Lithium Ion battery.

Price: Rs 55,990

The Heat Is On

This is the screen you see when you start 4K recording video in the Xperia Z3+. So Sony is saying that it's aware the phone has a problem where it overheats, but someone decided, "Oh let's just put up a warning saying that your phone can overheat and your video recording will crash, but we'll save everything." Thanks Sony. Having the camera crash on me in the middle of recording my kid's first steps is obviously okay with me now, since you have warned me about it. All is forgiven, let's make fraandship.

The phone's heating issues are actually bad enough that it gets uncomfortable to hold the device when you are playing a graphics-intensive game or using the camera continuously. Sony probably decided to make the Z3+ waterproof because dunking it in an ice bath seems to be the only way to use it.

Also Sony did know about this problem, since it clearly tested the device enough to put up that specific warning for 4K videos. It's conceited that the company would choose to then release the phone and ask people to spend Rs 56,000 for it. Ridiculous, Sony, just ridiculous.

The Non-Heat Stuff 

The 20MP camera is great, but not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S6 or iPhone 6. In general, the performance of the phone is good enough for anything you throw at it. And the battery life is good enough unless you're a power user with lots of 3G usage.

The best part, of course, is the water resistance. We took it in the shower and could use it perfectly. We took it out in the rain and could use it perfectly. Water is not a problem for the phone.

Sony has also outfitted a few shock-resistant caps on the four corners. While the gesture is great, it makes the handset look cheap. Everyone we showed the Z3+ to commented on how those caps stood out against an otherwise good-looking phone. On two separate occasions, people said the exact same words: "That looks ugly for 56 grand!"

There's a lot of bloatware on the Android Lollipop handset, most of which are Sony's proprietary apps and apps of their TV channels in India. Most of these can be uninstalled, so it's not a big deal. In fact, Google apps are the ones you can't uninstall here, along with Asphalt 8.

The only other quibble anyone could have is that the screen isn't QHD—Sony has stuck with a Full HD 1920×1080 pixels screen. Honestly, that difference in a 5-inch screen isn't noticeable enough for it to matter, so don't bother about it.

Should you buy it?

Sometimes, you don't need to read a long, 2,000-word review to know whether you should buy a phone. The Xperia Z3+ asks a high price (Rs 55,990) but won't give you state-of-the-art hardware. It isn't a default winner in any one aspect compared to competitors. The heating problems are annoying, especially when you realise Sony is well aware of them. The Z3+ is just not worth it. Don't buy it.

If you actually want a decent water-resistant phone, you might want to consider the Samsung Galaxy S5 instead, which is one of the featured picks in our round-up of phones with a great price drop.

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First Published on July 10, 2015 11:47 am

Source: Sony Xperia Z3+ review: This flagship smartphone is too hot, literally

OnePlus reveals battery size of forthcoming OnePlus Two in a Reddit AMAA

In a traditional OnePlus fashion, OnePlus executives – Michael, Emmanuel, Carl Pei (co-founder) and David – took to Reddit AMAA (Ask Me Almost Anything) to talk about their second flagship device, scheduled to launch on 27th July, which will also be the World's first VR launch.

OnePlus 2 under OnePlusOne (Souce: Michael/OnePlus)

David posted a picture (see above) to show how OnePlus 2 fits under an OnePlus One, suggesting a compact form factor. It'll be interesting to see how they achieve it, possibly by trimming the bezels. David further added, "Although the OnePlus 2 is smaller than the OnePlus One we've managed to pack almost 10% more juice: the OnePlus 2 will have a whooping 3300mAh battery. Camera-wise, we have a bunch of things that we believe will set the OnePlus 2 apart, but we'll leave the details for the launch."

For the software part, OnePlus 2 will run OxygenOS with slew of added features. OnePlus' Michael wrote "it's quite barebones for now, but I've been happy with the performance. Honestly, really a lot of good stuff, and a lot of thinking (and heated debating – one of the really sweet things about this company is that you actually do get to have an opinion and argue for it) has gone into it. Like we've said before, we're looking to keep it clean, close to stock with some added customization options and a few of our own little tweaks."

Michael also emphasized about the OTA update released to fix the touchscreen issues of OnePlus One and later remarked that OnePlus 2 has undergone extensive testing, hardware and software guys have put out top of things.

OnePlus AMAA (Source: Reddit)

OnePlus Co-Founder Carl Pei insisted that Camera is indeed a top priority for Oneplus. He wrote "Hardware has been locked for a while. We're just about to exit design verification stage, still tweaking the last few fit & finish details but no major design changes."

Michael later revealed that Oxygen OS team is working to bring WiFi calling and OnePlus 2 will support following network bands:US GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/8 FDD-LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17Europe GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/5/8 FDD-LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20

The emphasis around the AMAA was how keen these guys are to deliver another flagship killer. OnePlus 2 will be launched on 27th July and is likely to feature a physical fingerprint sensor, Qualcomm Snapgradon 801SOC, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, USB Type-C port and to be priced under $450.

Source: OnePlus reveals battery size of forthcoming OnePlus Two in a Reddit AMAA

OnePlus 2 to feature 3,300mAh battery in a smaller size than OnePlus One

OnePlus in a Reddit AMA session on late Thursday revealed the key specifications and features of the upcoming OnePlus 2. The smartphone will pack a large, 3,300mAh battery and come in a smaller size than the last year launched OnePlus One.

The OnePlus 2 will have a smaller built than its predecessor but will feature an improved design. This has been confirmed through a live image that OnePlus' David S posted during the AMA session. The image shows the OnePlus One, but there is the OnePlus 2 underneath it.

The OnePlus One on top of the OnePlus 2

Despite its smaller built, the OnePlus 2 will have a 3,300mAh battery which is larger in capacity than the 3,100mAh battery of the OnePlus One. The battery pack is claimed to deliver about 10 percent more juice than what on its predecessor.

OnePlus team also revealed in the AMA session that the OnePlus 2 will feature faster 4G LTE with more number of frequency bands.

The OnePlus 2 in the US will support GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz, WCDMA bands 1/2/4/5/8 and FDD-LTE bands 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17. In the European and Asian markets, it will have GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz, WCDMA bands 1/2/5/8 and FDD-LTE bands 1/3/5/7/8/20.

OnePlus already revealed the presence of an advanced fingerprint sensor on the OnePlus 2. But during the AMA session, the team mentioned that the technology to recognise fingerprints will be available through a separate physical sensor. Also, the team confirmed that the smartphone will not have a heart rate sensor that some companies, such as Samsung, are providing on their offerings.

David said that the a separate software team at OnePlus is working to provide its OxygenOS custom ROM on the OnePlus 2. However, the smartphone is expected to run on Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12S in the initial stage.

The OnePlus 2 will be available through an invite-only system. A OnePlus staff member said that it will be an improved version of the invite system that the company introduced last year.

Shenzhen-based OnePlus has scheduled a special VR launch for the OnePlus 2 that will be held in China on July 27. The launch will be livestreamed through an app on mobile devices and the company already started giving away the OnePlus Cardboard units to its fans.

The OnePlus 2 is one of the most anticipated smartphones are launching this year. The smartphone will be powered by a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset along with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and will sport a USB Type-C connector for rapid charging and fast data syncing support.

Some initial reports suggested that it will come in a metal built and will have a 5.5-inch 1080p display. The smartphone is rumoured to have a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera.

OnePlus has not yet revealed any details about the price and local availability of the OnePlus 2. But CEO Pete Lau earlier this week teased that the smartphone will be priced under $450 to compete against most of the flagship smartphones.

Source: OnePlus 2 to feature 3,300mAh battery in a smaller size than OnePlus One

Lumia 940 Leak Suggests Windows 10 Flagship Phone Will Have Metal Body

The new Microsoft Lumia 940 may sport a metal build, according to the latest leak seen on Twitter. The upcoming flagship will also be slim, strong, and fast.(Photo : Microsoft)

As Microsoft gears up for the launch of Windows 10, it's but natural to expect that the company will also come up with a new flagship that will authentically showcase the new OS' features and capabilities.

Microsoft is currently on the final development phase of Windows 10 Mobile which is rumored to be released sometime in September. As the month draws nearer, several leaks have been appearing over the Internet involving the company's next flagship smartphone, the Lumia 940.

According to leaker Ricciolo, the new Lumia handset will be slim, strong and fast. There's also the mention of Windows 10 along with the words "hot Autumn," which could mean that the device might be launched at IFA in September.

The message comes with a purported image of the new Lumia, which shows a metal casing, which may explain why the device will be slim and strong at the same time.

This is not the first time that details of the new Lumia has been leaked. Earlier in June, Tech Times reported that the Lumia 940 will sport a rear camera with triple-LED flash. A different leak was also reported in the same month, saying that the handset's bigger version, the Lumia 940XL, will sport an iris scanner instead of a fingerprint reader. The latter is rumored to be included as one of the features in the Lumia 940.

Both the Lumia 940 and the Lumia 940XL are expected to come with high-end specs and features and will be the company's model devices to initially run the latest Windows 10 Mobile OS. Both devices are also rumored to launch in September, but there's no confirmation yet from Microsoft on whether the leaked information has truth in it.

A few days ago, the Lumia 940 XL reportedly made an appearance on GFXBench, which gave some light on the handset's complete specs list. It listed the device as a 5.7-inch phablet with a Quad HD display and a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. Camera specs include a 17-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front shooter. As for the processor, the Lumia 940XL will reportedly run on an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip and Adreno 430 GPU.

If the latest leak is true, it would be an interesting change for the Lumia smartphones, which have always been known for their slightly bulky build. Microsoft may also be launching the new Lumias as contenders against the upcoming Apple iPhone 6s and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

© 2015 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Lumia 940 Leak Suggests Windows 10 Flagship Phone Will Have Metal Body

Everything we know about OnePlus 2 so far

Even though it is nowhere near as popular as Apple, LG, HTC or Samsung, up and coming Chinese maker OnePlus has managed to capture the public's attention with the One flagship, and is likely to do so again with its successor. Known as OnePlus 2, it will be officially unveiled towards the end of the month.

In the meantime, OnePlus has revealed some interesting things about its upcoming Android flagship smartphone, including a pricing estimate. Here is everything we know about OnePlus 2 so far.

First off, OnePlus is set to debut on July 27 at 7 pm PT. The unveiling will be done rather differently, with the company turning to Cardboard VR headsets for the event. In fact, it has given them away for free to anyone willing to pay for shipping.

Now, on to the juicy bits. OnePlus 2 will be powered by Qualcomm's top-of-the-line mobile processor, Snapdragon 810. It will be a new revision, which is likely to have none of the overheating issues frequently associated with the product and is also faster than prior revisions.

The Snapdragon 810 processor, which is an octa-core solution, used on OnePlus 2 will be backed by a whopping 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM which should translate into excellent multitasking performance, among other things. This was revealed by the company's CEO, Pete Lau. The choice of LPDDR4 RAM is done to lower power consumption, according to Lau, and increase performance.

Another thing that Lau has said about its upcoming flagship is that it will feature a fingerprint sensor that is better than Apple's Touch ID. That is a bold claim, as the latter is pretty good in normal conditions. My only beef, after using an iPhone 6 Plus since late last year, is that Touch ID tens to be unreliable with sweaty fingers, which is a common problem during the summer. If OnePlus' solution can fix this, it will be truly impressive.

So far, so good. But, wait, it gets better. OnePlus 2 will also come with a USB Type-C connector, which is cutting-edge at the moment given that very few devices utilize one. This should make charging the device less frustrating, as users will be able to plug the charging cable in without paying as much attention to its orientation.

And, finally, let us talk about the price. As you may know, OnePlus One debuted with a $299 starting price, which has allowed it to seriously undercut competing flagships. OnePlus 2 will repeat this, albeit at a different price point. Lau says that it will cost under $450, which, in this day and age, is still a fantastic price for a flagship smartphone.

OnePlus 2 is shaping up to be the flagship smartphone to beat when it comes to value for money. It remains to be seen whether OnePlus can manage to woo consumers once again, as specs alone and an interesting price tag are not enough to sway millions of consumers.

Source: Everything we know about OnePlus 2 so far

Does Microsoft Need A Flagship Lumia Smartphone?

In all the talk of Windows 10′s upcoming arrival, the demotion of Microsoft's hardware in the recent reorganisation, the focus on cloud computing and clients for iOS and Android, what is the future for a new flagship Lumia smartphone coming out of Redmond during 2015?

There has been talk of a Lumia 1030 for many months. A natural follow-up to the Lumia 1020 in terms of numbering, parts have been spotted in the supply chain and by online tech sites in small numbers since early 2014. Is it time for Microsoft, in all the renewed focus, to have its own flagship smartphone hardware?

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (picture: Microsoft.com)

Both Apple and Google have created hardware to show off what their smartphone software can do. Apple might be taking the commercial approach with the iPhone, but Google's Nexus program is much more about providing a baseline demonstrator for manufacturers and a reference device for developers around the world to use.

I would expect the Nexus' role in demonstrating best practices to be the path chosen by Microsoft. Just as Google's Nexus devices are customer-facing, so Microsoft would still be 'selling' a smartphone, but it wouldn't necessarily have to go all to sell a significant volume of the devices. It could take the best hardware of the day, match it up with the Windows 10 OS, and show its partners and the public an undiluted version of Windows 10 on a mobile device.

The use of a reference design will help engage manufacturers, but there is another benefit. If Microsoft open up the taps and use all the latest hardware it can make a device that will also engage the public interest. The Lumia 1020 might not have sold in huge numbers but the extensive technology used in the camera helped it to stand out. Speccing a high-end Windows 10 smartphone will get the geekerati talking about Microsoft and mobile once more.

That chatter, coupled with marketing around OneDrive and Microsoft's cloud computing vision should be able to create a halo effect around Windows 10 as a whole, benefiting all of Microsoft's software efforts. Of course every user of one of these phones will also be signing up to Microsoft's cloud services.

And then there's the simple matter of pride. Being able to stand up and show a device that showcases the benefits of Windows 10 in the mobile form factor would mean something. While the Lumia 830 was a nice phone when it was launched (and it still is), it wasn't really a flagship handset. It was the second string lieutenant that had no choice but to lead the troops. That it performed so well is testament to the strength of the device and the OS.

But Microsoft can do better.

Next page: What are the issues in going ahead with a flagship strategy?

Any product is designed to sell, but Microsoft's focus should not be restricted to selling this flagship smartphone – Microsoft's current key product is software, not hardware, and products should be geared towards getting people using Microsoft's cloud services.  The advantage of a flagship smartphone with Microsoft's software running is not to rack up enough sales to grab a few percentage points in the market share charts, it's to bring people into the Microsoft family.

Lumia 830 and Wireless Charger (image: Ewan Spence)

Just as the Surface tablets, the Xbox gaming ecosystem, and countless installations of Windows, all act as on-ramps into the cloud, so a Windows 10 flagship mobile would ultimately be a route to an on-ramp. Be it a direct sale, inspiring someone to buy other devices in the Lumia portfolio, or to inspire a manufacturer to work on a device that acts as its own on-ramp, a flagship's job is to generate not income, but inspiration.

Yes, that would mean that the device would be a loss leader. The R&D costs would be high, and without a huge commitment to manufacturing multiple millions the economies of scale on offer to the likes of Samsung or Apple would not be available. There would be a financial hit and the easily measured cost of manufacturing and distribution would have to be balanced against the longer term benefits of brand building and customer acquisition.

What's the alternative, a slow and painfully visible running down of the purchase of Nokia's devices and services division, with the last Lumia devices following the last corporate plan of 'focus on low-cast for market share to the exclusion of all else?' If the decision is to get out of the hardware game completely, then Microsoft should have the courage to do a hard stop, distribute the employees to other projects, and hand the Lumia brand a quick death so everyone can move on.

If that is not the case, then Microsoft should keep the Lumia team busy with something more than another iteration of low- to mid-range handsets. A flagship could energize the team into delivering a handset that pushes current hardware and software to the limit, it could show Microsoft 'gets' mobile in 2015, and it would be a clear illustration of 'cloud first, mobile first' in action.

You can find more of my work at ewanspence.co.uk. I'm on Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In. You should subscribe to my weekly newsletter of 'Trivial Posts'.

Source: Does Microsoft Need A Flagship Lumia Smartphone?

CAD File Released Claiming To Show Galaxy Note 5

Samsung have two flagship families in their Android product family. The mainstream flagship family, the Galaxy S, is typically updated and released before the summer. The Galaxy S device is considered to be at the top of its game by Samsung, that is, to be an ordinary – but flagship – smartphone. The 2015 Galaxy S6 introduced a new Samsung Exynos System-on-Chip to the industry together with a high performance, low power memory unit and an all-new glass and metal design. The Galaxy Note family is typically released in the fall and is a different product to the Galaxy S family in a few ways. Firstly, the Note series contains an S Pen, that is, a style-like design designed to improve productivity. It often contains similar, but improved, hardware compared with the Galaxy S cousin such as a slightly higher performance processor, a larger screen and in the past, some improvement to the camera optics.

Since we are approximately mid-way through the time period between Samsung unveiling their mainstream flagship device, the latest in the Galaxy S line up, and Samsung revealing their flagship phablet device, the Galaxy Note. This means that the rumors are coming in thick and fast and over the last few days we have been alleged cases appearing and a few renders of what the next Galaxy Note may look like. Today, I am bringing you the story that the source website has received a CAD, computer aided design, file that claims to detail the new Galaxy Note 5 design. The source website author claims that the provider of the CAD file has been reliable throughout the years but nevertheless, considers the leak to be "80% reliable."

As for the new Galaxy Note 5 itself, the design shows that the phablet is assembled in a metal case with what looks like a layer of glass with curved side edges. It is around 153mm long, 77mm wide and as thin as 7.7mm, depending on the S Pen and camera assembly bulge. As with previous generation Galaxy Note / Galaxy S devices, the Note 5 is larger and thicker than the Galaxy S6, which measures in at 143mm long, 71mm wide and 6.8mm thick. The specification is set to include a 1440p resolution AMOLED screen, that is with a resolution of 1,440 by 2,560 pixels. The processor is likely to be the Samsung Exynos 7422, which is a polished version of the Exynos 7420 used in the Galaxy S6, backed up by either 3 GB or perhaps 4 GB of RAM. The Note 5 is said to include a 4,100 mAh battery but uses a USB 2.0 port rather than the new USB C standard. Still; take a look at the video clip embedded below and as soon as we hear any new information we will let you know.

David SteeleStaff Writer

I grew up with 8-bit computers and my first PDA was a Philips Velo 500 in the late 1990s, moving through almost all of the Palm handheld devices ever sold. I've found my home with Android and I love my technology grounded in the real world. I currently tote the HTC One (M8) and the Nexus 7. You'll also see me carrying my much-battered Samsung Chromebook.

Author Archive Page | Latest Post: CAD File Released Claiming To Show Galaxy Note 5

Source: CAD File Released Claiming To Show Galaxy Note 5

Install Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Custom ROM on Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE via SlimLP [How to Update]

Samsung Galaxy S4Reuters

Galaxy S4 got Android 5.0.2 Lollipop early in the year, but there is no word the company would release the incremental update to Samsung's 2013 flagship smartphone.

However, there is good news for tech savvy Galaxy S5 LTE owners from SlimLP team. They have released custom Rom based on the latest AOSP (Android Open Source Project) v5.1.1 Lollipop. It brings numerous bug-fixes, performance improvements and personalisation options to enhance the user experience.

Prerequisites (things to remember before installing Custom ROM)

This new SlimLP Android 5.1.1 Lollipop firmware has to be installed on the Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 4G-LTE (with Snapdragon Chipset) models only; if tried on other devices, it might get bricked [To check your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> model number]

Make sure the device is rooted before going forward for custom ROM installation.

Users make sure they have installed USB drivers on the PC, or else your smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505) will not be recognised by the computer.

Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the smartphone, so make sure to back all the data by installing Clockwork Mod (CWM) Recovery/ TWRP in the smartphone.

Also make sure your device has more than 80% battery, or else there is chance of smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation process is interrupted midway.

Though installing custom ROM improves the device's performance and UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and they will no longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].

[Disclaimer:This procedure is very technical and should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.]

Tutorial: Step-by-step installation procedure for SlimLP Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Custom ROM on Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE (GT-I9505)-

Step 1: Download SlimLP Android 5.1.1 Lollipop custom ROM (HERE) and Google Apps (HERE) in to your PC.

Step 2: Connect Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) to PC via USB cord.

[Note: Before plugging the phone to the computer, be sure that you have installed USB driver software, if not, click HERE to download the firmware]

Step 3: Then, place Resurrection Remix Android v5.1.1 Lollipop custom ROM zip file and Google Apps .zip file into the phone's SD card memory. [Note: Users are advised to paste the .zip file in SD card root, not in any other folder.]

[Note: Before users' begin installing the custom software, be sure that the device must have rooted and has installed ClockworkMod Recovery/TWRP tool.]

Step 4: Now, turn off the device and disconnect from the PC.

Step 5: Then perform the regular Recovery Mode sortie by press holding 'Volume (up)', 'Home' and 'Power' buttons.

Step 6: After entering the RECOVERY mode, clear the phone memory, by selecting 'wipe data/factory reset'.

[Note: use 'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options, while operating under Recovery Mode.]

Step 7: Now, clear the cache memory by choosing 'wipe cache partition'.

Step 8: Then to go back to ClockworkMod recovery, and select 'advanced' and tap 'wipe dalvik cache' [Note: This step is optional, but many recommend this procedure so that user will not face boot loops or any other errors in the middle of custom ROM installation].

Step 9: Again come back to main recovery screen and then tap 'install zip from SD card'.

Step 10: Then tap 'choose zip from sdcard' and go to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop ROM .zip file in SD card and enter the installation process. Repeat the same procedure for Google Apps installation [Note: use 'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options].

Step 11: Once done with the installation process, navigate to '+++++Go Back+++++' and re-start the device by opting 'reboot system now' seen in the recovery menu.

Now, your device (Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505) will take a few minutes to complete the booting process.

Users then head to Settings >> select About phone to confirm the installation of SlimLP Android 5.1.1 Lollipop custom ROM.

[Credits: Team Android]

Source: Install Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Custom ROM on Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE via SlimLP [How to Update]