Here's When Apple's Big iPhone 8 Event Is Happening

It's finally happening: Apple has announced that it will hold its "first ever" event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino on September 12, where the iPhone and iPad maker is widely expected to unveil a so-called iPhone 8 premium 10th anniversary edition smartphone, among other products.

The confirmation of the event comes after the Wall Street Journal and others had reported Apple would hold its event on that date. In addition to a new and ostensibly reimagined flagship iPhone, Apple is expected to introduce updated versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (presumably called the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus) as well as an updated Apple TV set-top box, and a new version of its Apple Watch that may include built-in cellular support.

The new iPhone, expected to be called the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, will include numerous changes that set it apart from its predecessors: an overhauled design with a larger display that cover nearly all of the phone's face, cutting-edge OLED screen technology for a sharper and more vivid image, facial recognition and the ability to charge without being tethered by a power cable. The so-called iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are more likely to offer modest improvements without major design changes, such new processors, more memory and tweaks to other subsystems like the camera and wireless chip.

The new Apple Watch, meanwhile, could offer the ability to connect to cellular networks and better battery life, while the biggest improvement coming to the new Apple TV is expected to be support for 4K video playback.

Apple typically releases its new iPhones roughly a week or two after introducing them. Last year, for example, it debuted the iPhone 7 on September 7, and the gadgets hit stores on September 16. The year prior, it unveiled the iPhone 6s on September 9 and launched them in stores on September 25.

Source: Here's When Apple's Big iPhone 8 Event Is Happening

Nokia 6 Prime Edition review: An excellent budget friendly smartphone

It's been a long while since we've seen a phone with Nokia branding on it but that day is finally here. The Nokia 6 Prime Edition is certainly not a flagship effort but it is an excellent low-budget smartphone. If you couldn't tell by the name, the Nokia 6 Prime Edition is an Amazon Prime phone. This means Amazon will be using the lockscreen as their own personal billboard, serving ads to you. For some, this may not be an ideal choice, for others, saving $50USD may be well worth it. Read on for our full review of the Nokia 6 Prime Edition .

Specifications

The Nokia 6 Prime Edition has the following features and specifications:

Display: 5.5″ IPS LCD 1080×1920 HD with 403 ppi

OS: Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Memory: 32GB/64GB

RAM: 3GB/4GB

Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430

CPU: Octa-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53

GPU: Adreno 505

Front facing camera: 16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash, 1080p video 30fps

Rear facing camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, 1080p

Battery: 3,000 mAh battery

Sensors: Fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass/GPS

Amazon special offers on lockscreen

Dimensions: 154 x 75.8 x 7.9 mm (6.06 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)

What's In The Box

Nokia 6 Prime Edition

Wall wort

MicroUSB cable for charging

SIM removal tool

Instructions, Documentation, and Warranty info

Design

The first thing you notice when you unbox the Nokia 6 Prime Edition is its heft and solid feel in the hand. I am familiar with Nokia's legendary build quality but I wasn't expecting this level of quality on a budget phone. The entire body is constructed of metal and glass and it seriously feels solid, much like the Nexus 6P. The edges of the Nokia 6 are fairly sharp, not cut you sharp but they are not smooth rounded edges. Some may not like this but I like the feel in the hand, it gives you a bit of extra grip.

I will say that the metal back is a bit of a greasy fingerprint magnet. You never know just how dirty and greasy your hands get until you handle a phone like this. This isn't a deal breaker as many flagship phones also exhibit this same problem — iPhone 7 Plus anyone? The front glass is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 so it will offer up decent protection from minor scratches and falls. The iconic Nokia branding is on both front and back and it is subtle and not obtrusive, which is a nice touch.

Nice build quality!

Along the right edge of the Nokia 6 Prime Edition, you'll find the volume rocker and the power button. Both buttons are very tactile and offer up great feedback when operating them. I do wish the power button was textured so you could more easily differentiate the two. Along the left edge is the SIM card/SD card slot which can take up to a 256GB microSD card.

Along the bottom edge is the Micro-USB port for charging, the microphone, and the loudspeaker. Along the top edge of the Nokia 6 Prime Editon, you'll find the headphone jack. The front of the phone houses a slim fingerprint sensor on the bottom chin flanked by capacitive back and multitasking buttons. The top front of the phone houses the front facing camera and the ear piece.

Around the back of the phone, you'll find that 16MP camera along with the dual tone flash. Overall this design is really top notch and the build quality is just amazing. I didn't expect the phone to feel this nice for the $179USD price point. There's absolutely no flex in this phone, it's built like a tank.

Display

Nokia packed in a 1080p 5.5″ display on this phone and I've heard some reviewers complain it should have been better. Honestly though, for the price of this phone, a 1080p panel is just fine and it's actually really nice. Colors are more neutral and natural because this is an IPS display. If you're looking for the punchy colors of an AMOLED display you won't get them here. This display is more akin to what an iPhone display would look like.

Blacks are fairly deep and whites are pretty spot on but I did find that the screen didn't perform so well under bright sunlight. Honestly, even the iPhone screen has trouble in bright sunlight. The AMOLED screens on Samsung and other Android phones tend to fair better in bright sunlight.

So no, you're not getting a better than HD display here, but you are getting full 1080p which is still decent. There are phones out there in this price range that only offer 720p so I think this is a great screen for this phone. Overall you're going to get nice natural colors, good blacks, and whites and decent viewing angles here.

Software

The Nokia 6 Prime Edition ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat and it's basically pure Android. Since this is the Amazon Prime version of this phone you will get a bunch of Amazon software bundled in with the phone. I am an Amazon Prime member so most of the software included is relevant to my needs so I found it useful to have included. If you're simply buying this phone for the $50USD price break, you may not like having the extras included. There's not much more to say about Android 7.1.1 as Google has made great improvements over the years and it remains a top notch OS.

The one area of software I wanted to touch on was the lockscreen ads. This was something I wasn't sure was going to annoy me or not. I have to say that I'm not really bothered by the Amazon ads on this device at all. I don't look at my lockscreen all too often so I don't stare at the advertisements for that long. The same ads also appear in the notification shade but again, swipe them away or ignore them.

Amazon apps included.

The one thing that does get annoying is the inability to use the fingerprint scanner to wake up your phone. Since Amazon wants you to look at the ad on your lockscreen, when you scan your fingerprint, it opens the lockscreen and you then have to scan your finger again to actually unlock the phone. It is a bit annoying but it is the price you pay for getting the device $50USD cheaper than the unlocked version. Some people may not mind this at all, I got used to it quickly and didn't mind. Others may find this very annoying and opt to just pay the extra money for the unlocked version.

Overall, the software here is nearly pure Android and it is a good experience. Your mileage may vary when it comes to Amazon apps and lockscreen ads, that's all going to be personal preference and how tolerant you are of those ads.

Performance

Our review unit was packing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, 3GB of RAM and the Adreno 505 GPU. This combo is will give you acceptable performance considering the price point here. Again, I've seen some reviewers being pretty hard on the Nokia 6 but price point does matter. I felt that some of the reviewers expected too much from this phone simply because it carries the Nokia name.

I will agree with others that the Nokia 6 Prime Edition did exhibit some janky behavior from time to time. Scrolling wasn't always smooth and there are some dropped frames in more intensive games. There were also some apps that took a bit of time to open, relative to other smartphones. But this is all to be expected considering the phone's budget price. I actually don't think users of this tier phone will notice all that much as they tend to get similar performance from the phones they've been using. Users that have used higher end phones will most likely notice simply because they're used to higher end performance.

Gaming is doable on the Nokia 6 with only the most graphic intense games really dropping any frames or getting laggy. Overall I believe the Nokia 6 performance is acceptable for the price point and specs that it has. If you're upgrading from an older budget phone, you should experience better performance with the Nokia 6.

Headphone jack, should you care.

Speakers/Sound

The Nokia 6 speakers are actually pretty decent, better than average. Most smartphone speakers aren't all that great and budget phone speakers even less. The Nokia 6 Prime Edition has Dolby Atmos and the sound is really not all bad. You're likely going to want headphones if you want great audio performance but for YouTube, games, and casual media consumption these speakers will do you fine.

Camera

I know I keep reminding you of this but it must be a constant reminder, this is a budget phone. Yes, I know we want to harp on the Nokia name meaning something but a budget phone is a budget phone no matter what name is on it. That being said, the Nokia 6 camera performs better than average for the price point it sits in.

First off, launching the camera takes a little longer than normal which was a bit annoying. You can miss shots if you're waiting for it to open. There's not a lot of options to play with like you'd get with a Galaxy or LG phone, which may actually be a good thing for some. Swimming through options can be a pain and sometimes confusing for some users. If you're looking for robust controls then you're better off downloading another camera app.

As far as photos go, the photos coming out of this sensor are sharp, slightly oversaturated, and really awesome in good lighting. It's not all roses and love though. While the photos do look great in good lighting, they sometimes suffer from blown out backgrounds. Low light photos are acceptable for the price point this phone sits in. Those low light photos will be grainy though. While the photos will look somewhat decent at first glance, any sort of zooming in will reveal high levels of noise and grain. Really not at all unexpected though and will probably be acceptable to those looking to buy this phone.

I don't like to compare one phone to another in a review so I won't name any names. I am currently testing another budget phone out that costs a bit more than the Nokia 6 Prime Edition and its camera is not as good as this one. Hopefully, that says something about how good the camera is given the price of the phone. Overall this is a really decent camera but it does suffer from laggy shutter and slow to open.

Reception/Call Quality

Reception and call quality were both top notch on the Nokia 6 Prime Edition. I had zero problems with them, callers were clear to me and I was clear to them. I used the phone on T-Mobile's network.

Battery Life

The 3,000 mAh battery lasted me all day which is from 5 am to 9 pm and I generally had about 15% left in the tank. That's with brightness to the max, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS all turned on. Browsing, texting, social media, Apple Music, email, light gaming, and some multitasking are about my normal use case. If you plan on gaming very often, I'm sure the battery will drain faster, even high-end smartphones get their batteries crushed by gaming. Overall this is a good battery and should last you all day unless you're doing intensive things.

Price/Value

The Nokia 6 is priced at $229USD but since this is the Amazon Prime Edition, you're going to only be pay $179.99USD. For that price, this phone is a tremendous value and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a budget device.

Wrap Up

Top notch Nokia build quality and a decent performer all the way around for the $179.99USD price tag. Lockscreen ads may bother some users but I found them easy to tune out. These ads also appear in the notification shade as well but are easy to swipe away, just be aware that there is no way to get rid of them. I would recommend this to those looking to spend less than $200USD on a smartphone.

*We were sent a review unit of the Nokia 6 Prime Edition for the purposes of this review.

Nokia 6 Prime Edition $179.99USD

9

Reception/Call Quality 10/10

Nailed it

Build quality is excellent at this price point

Nice 1920x1080 display

Android Nougat is basically stock

Good battery life

Good price and value

Decent speakers

Needs work

Some laggy performance

Screen suffers in very bright conditions

Fingerprint sensor is sort of gimped with lock screen ads

Source: Nokia 6 Prime Edition review: An excellent budget friendly smartphone

Samsung, LG to release high-end smartphones on same day

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- The latest flagship smartphones by two South Korean tech giants -- the Galaxy Note 8 and the V30 -- are expected to officially kick off in the country on Sept. 21, industry sources said Wednesday, signaling a heightened competition in the high-end smartphone segment here.

Although consumers who preorder Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Note 8 can get their smartphones Sept. 15, it still marks the first time for the two giants to officially release a flagship model on the same day.

Preorders for Samsung's new phablet start Sept. 7.

Samsung showcased the 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 8 with a dual camera and improved stylus features last week.

LG Electronics plan to introduce its new flagship Thursday. The 6-inch LG V30 will come with a screen ratio of 18:9 with an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. It will become the first V smartphone to use an OLED display.

Industry watchers said LG's strategy to release the product along with the Galaxy Note 8 apparently reflects the company's confidence over the new product.

One of the two teaser clips released by LG earlier showed a page being torn apart from a blue-colored notebook with the phrase "There's a reason to break up with you." The other video showed a pen being broken into two pieces in the shape of a "V."

colin@yna.co.kr

(END)

Source: Samsung, LG to release high-end smartphones on same day

Xiaomi teases ‘flagship dual camera’ smartphone, global launch on 5th September

Xiaomi has been teasing the launch of a dual camera smartphone in India for the past one month. The company has now started sending out press invites and fan registration across the Indian media for a smartphone with flagship dual rear camera. If you are a Xiaomi fan, you must know that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has two dual camera smartphone presently for sale internationally — the mid-range Mi 5x and the flagship Mi 6.

The last time we talked about their leak related to this under-the-wraps dual camera smartphone, we assumed it to be the Mi 5x. That was because Xiaomi's mid-range smartphones find a lot of favour with the Indian smartphone seeker. The Mi 5x fits the requirements of Indians perfectly with a mid-range Snapdragon 625 chipset, 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage along with a dual camera setup from the flagship Mi 6. It is, in fact, a glorified Redmi Note 4 (read the review here).

However, the leak here also states about a 'flagship dual camera' smartphone, with this to be their global unveiling. The 'flagship' tag also hints at the Xiaomi Mi 6, which is supposed to be the successor to the old Mi 5 flagship from 2016. Will Xiaomi unveil the rumuored Mi 6 Plus in India? The standard Mi 6 with its Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB RAM, a premium glass-metal body and a dual camera setup is a solid smartphone and with the Mi 6 Plus, Xiaomi could finally have an answer to the this year's flagship killer witha  justified price — the OnePlus 5 (review). It would also make sense for Xiaomi to unveil the Mi 6 in India before the arrival of the festive season so as to get some respectable sales figures for this supposedly expensive Xiaomi smartphone.

As for now, nothing else has been revealed by Xiaomi. But one thing is known for sure — both the Mi 5x and the Mi 6 are good smartphones having gathered positive reviews across the globe.

Source: Xiaomi teases 'flagship dual camera' smartphone, global launch on 5th September

Expensive 'flagship' smartphones increasingly shunned as Dixons Carphone issues profits warning

A characteristically empty Carphone Warehouse store in Westfield Shopping Centre in London

Brits increasing resistance to paying premium prices for 'flagship' smartphones has been blamed for a profits warning from Dixons Carphone, the retailer formed from the merger of Currys and PC World owner Dixons Retail and Carphone Warehouse.

Furthermore, with the pace of change in the smartphone market slowing, people are holding on to their existing phones for longer instead of upgrading as regularly as they used to.

"Over the last few months we have seen a more challenging UK post-pay mobile phone market," group CEO Seb James claimed in the trading statement.

He continued: "Currency fluctuations have meant that handsets have become more expensive whilst technical innovation has been more incremental.

"As a consequence, we have seen an increased number of people hold on to their phones for longer and while it is too early to say whether important upcoming handset launches or the natural lifecycle of phones will reverse this trend, we now believe it is prudent to plan on the basis that the overall market demand will not correct itself this year."

In the longer term, he added, the market is expected to "return to normal", but it could also herald a market shift with consumers increasingly regarding smartphones as commodity items and expecting to pay a commodity, rather than premium, price.

The statement was made as Britain's biggest bricks-and-mortar electrical retailer warned of pre-tax profits down by about one-third to one-quarter on analysts' expectations, in a range of £360m-£440m compared to expectations of £508m.

Its Connected World mobile services business, meanwhile, has seen revenues crash by 25 per cent, although it represents a much smaller slice of the business. Founded only in 2013, it would already appear to be struggling.

Nevertheless, despite blaming the company's unexpected slow down on smartphones, the company remains hopeful that Apple's iPhone 8, coming next month, will help goose sales in the final quarter of the year.  

Further reading
Source: Expensive 'flagship' smartphones increasingly shunned as Dixons Carphone issues profits warning

Galaxy Note 8, iPhone 8, and the birth of the $1,000 smartphone

Once upon a time, there was a large group of Wall Street analysts who would pound the table on a regular basis. They insisted that if Apple didn't release an ultra low-cost iPhone to compete with the wave of dirt-cheap Android phones flooding the market, the company's iPhone business would be doomed. Less than two years later, Apple released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – its most expensive iPhones ever — and it shattered revenue and profit records repeatedly in the quarters that followed. Oops.

Fast-forward to this week, and the naysayers have reemerged, this time focusing on the iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8. The latter was unveiled earlier this week, and it carries a price tag of between $930 and $960 depending on where you buy it. The former, Apple's iPhone 8, is rumored to start at $999 for the entry-level model with 64GB of storage.

Are Apple and Samsung pricing their new flagship phones out of the market, or is this just another case of industry watchers cooking up a juicy narrative that will end up being a load of nonsense?

On Thursday we told you about yet another report claiming Apple's upcoming new iPhone 8 will cost $1,000 or more. The New York Times is the latest to throw fuel on the fire. One of the paper's reporters wrote that according to his sources, Apple's redesigned flagship iPhone will start at $999 when it's released next month. NYT joins a number of other well-sourced publications to report on the hefty new price tag, and my own sources have shared intel that mirrors these claims.

Of course, Apple won't be alone when it launches a $1,000 smartphone in September. Samsung's just-announced Galaxy Note 8 can't be had for less than $930. Add on sales tax and you're at just about $1,000 for a flagship phablet that ships with 64GB of built-in storage. Industry watchers have been less critical of Samsung's climb to the $1,000 price point, but Samsung is also far less scrutinized than Apple on Wall Street.

Pushing aside the chatter for a moment, the bottom line is this: $1,000 smartphones have arrived. True $1,000 smartphones. Apple has already flirted with the $1,000 price point, but only at the very high end of its lineup; the iPhone 7 Plus that launched in 2016 costs $969 with 256GB of storage. But in 2017, we're seeing base model flagship phones that cost around $1,000. In fact, the latest rumors suggest Apple's iPhone 8 will have three different storage tiers up to 512GB. If that's the case, the top-of-the-line iPhone 8 will likely cost $1,200.

That's a whole lot of money for a smartphone. Of course, not many people in the United States will ever pay it.

A funny thing happens over time: stuff gets more expensive. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise to, well, anyone. Food gets more expensive, clothing gets more expensive, cars get more expensive, houses get more expensive, and so on. This is not a novel concept. Life gets more expensive.

As children, we can all recall plenty of instances when our parents or grandparents regaled us with stories of how much less things used to cost when they were young. Now, as parents or grandparents, we tell our descendents the same stories. Things used to be less expensive, and now they're more expensive.

In many markets, systems are in place to make very expensive things attainable. Here's how it works: instead of requiring customers to pay for goods and services in their entirety up front, payments are spread out over time. Sometimes a third party fronts the money and charges the buyer a fee in the form of interest as that loan is repaid over a period of time.

If this were an economics class, it wouldn't even be 101. This is how life works. If you don't have $30,000 to pay for that Toyota Camry up front, you can finance it and pay $500 and change each month instead of coughing up all that cash at once. Such is the case with smartphones. Consumers in the US have the option to pay for their phones up front, or they can purchase them from carriers or other retailers using a 24-month installment plan. Most installment plans don't even include interest, since the sellers are making their money elsewhere.

So now, beginning next month, instead of paying $37 per month for a high-end iPhone, people will pay $45 per month if they want an iPhone 8. Is this pure madness that will inevitably lead to the collapse of Apple's iPhone business? Will current iPhone users throw up their arms and refuse en masse to upgrade to the iPhone 8, like this week's laughable Barclays survey suggests?

No. And no.

Inflation is a thing. It exists. Over time, stuff gets more expensive. People don't stop buying houses, or cars, or canned applesauce because they get more expensive. And they won't stop buying iPhones when they get more expensive.

—

Dollars and Sense is a recurring column by BGR Executive Editor Zach Epstein. It offers insights on subtle changes in and around consumer electronics with the potential to have a broad impact on companies that drive the industry. Contact the author at z@bgr.com.

Source: Galaxy Note 8, iPhone 8, and the birth of the $1,000 smartphone

Google’s Pixel 2 flagship phones might launch on October 5

© Provided by The Next Web Google is expected to unveil its Pixel 2 premium phones on October 5, according to tipster Evan Blass, who's usually on the ball about this sort of thing.

The device will improve on its predecessor from last October with a new Snapdragon 836 processor, which Android Central believes will be a tweaked version of the formidable 835 chip that we've seen in the OnePlus 5 and Xiaomi's Mi 6 this year.

Google's second-generation Pixel handsets, powered by Snapdragon 836 SoC's, will be unveiled on October 5th.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks)

As was the case with the first Pixel, there will be two devices of different sizes. HTC is believed to be building the smaller one, while LG will handle the larger phone.

We liked the original Pixel a lot, particularly because of its excellent camera, and hopefully Google will continue to push the envelope in the imaging department with the Pixel 2. It remains to be seen exactly what the phone looks like.

Renders that showed up in July (see image at the top of this post) depicted both Pixel 2 with slim bezels that make the front fascia particularly eye-catching, and the glass window borrowed from last year's model. However, a leak from earlier this month showed a rather plain-looking handset with large bezels (blame them on stereo speakers) that you might not recognize as a 2017 flagship from the house that built Android.

We'll know more at Google's hardware event this fall, where it's likely to show off a new Chromebook Pixel, as well as a pair of Assistant-powered smart headphones.

Source: Google's Pixel 2 flagship phones might launch on October 5

Samsung launches huge 6.3-inch Note 8 smartphone and hopes to price it under $1,000

Samsung has not yet disclosed the prices. Several media reports in the lead up to the event said the device could be priced in excess of $1,000. Koh said that he is still working out the exact pricing but hopes it won't exceed that figure.

"The basic price .... I do not want to see at $1000," Koh told CNBC.

The Samsung executive also said he's confident that the company would be able to meet demand for the product, saying that it was planning for around 10 million units to be made before year end.

Note devices have never been the biggest sellers, but rather are bought by a enthusiastic audience after a high-end device, with a larger screen and productivity features. The Note 5 for example, which was released in September 2015, has sold around 23 million units to date, according to Counterpoint Research. In comparison, the S7 series has sold nearly 70 million units, despite only being released last year. Counterpoint expects between 11 million and 12 million Note 8 devices to be sold this year.

Samsung has seen strong momentum in its smartphone business, which saw sales rise 11 percent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Source: Samsung launches huge 6.3-inch Note 8 smartphone and hopes to price it under $1,000

Honor 9 Smartphone Review

Yes, that's life with beautiful daughters: sometimes the mother can become jealous. At least, Huawei does not make it easy for its P10 flagship to stand up against the slightly slimmed down Honor 9. For over 100 Euros less (~$118, depending on the price of the day), you really get a lot for your money with the Honor 9. Even the OnePlus 5 has to watch out.

Compared to the Honor 8, the pretty case was improved again, the performance is at the same level as that of the Huawei P10, and the cameras also take pictures that are almost as good. Only in the fast storage, the battery life, and the multitude and speed of the LTE connections, the Honor 9 remains behind Huawei's flagship. In addition, Huawei offers a 36-month warranty for the P10.

Gorgeous case, good camera, decent battery life – we hardly find any reason for complaint with the Honor 9. If the SoC would not throttle under load, our recommendation would even become more clear, but even as it is, the Honor 9 offers a great price-performance ratio.

You could blame Huawei for not giving more attention to the call quality, since that is mediocre at most. The high case temperatures and the throttling SoC during longer loads are annoying. However, other than that, we have to pay tribute to the Honor 9. It is a great offering in the mid-range that those interested should not pass.

For those who want to save, the Honor 8, which basically offers the same camera modules and is not far behind in terms of performance, is a great bargain for again about 100 Euros (~$118) less.

Source: Honor 9 Smartphone Review

6 Tips to Improve Your Android Smartphone’s Display

Smartphone displays have never been in a better state. Regardless of the price segment, manufacturers' continuous push to outrun one another has led to a democratization of high-resolution panels, previously which were limited to the flagship market. However, there is still a slew of tips you can employ for improving the experience on Android. Hence, in this article, we discuss a bunch of them.

sRGB Mode

Most OEMs nowadays offer RGB-enabled screens out-of-the-box. RGB, for the uninitiated, essentially means all the colors which can be created using Red, Green, and Blue. However, Android isn't entirely calibrated to this setting and as a result, displays tend to be oversaturated and exhibit inaccurate colors.

Fortunately, many phones now come with an option for switching to sRGB which in layman's terms, basically is a subset of RGB and more importantly, well-suited to Android's native profile. It's also easier on the eyes as colors are relatively less sharp. The setting is, in most cases, available in the developer options under "Picture colour mode". But some Android skins also have a display calibration where you need to select the "standard" tuning.

Night Mode

Screens, in general, aren't particularly healthy for eyes if you're constantly glued to them, especially during the night. However, enabling the "night mode" on your phone can reduce the blue light impact. The option is usually available under the display settings. Although, if the OEM hasn't provided it, you can use apps such as Twilight. This might seem a tad uncomfortable at first glance but you will definitely get used to it in a couple of minutes.

Display Size

Want to see more or less content on your screen at once? Try changing the screen density. On a system level, it alters the size of your phone's various software elements. For instance, you can view a few more rows of WhatsApp chats by lowering the size and vice-versa. The tweak should be present under "display size" or "DPI".

Screen Dimmer

There's a limit to which you can dim the display's brightness. Fortunately, there's an app called "Screen Dimmer" that lets you go beyond that. It functions by adding an extra layer of filter over what you see normally. You can further modify the opacity, the shade colour. For a more natural experience, you should, of course, choose black. You'll have to opt it for the Pro version, though.

Rounded Corners

Most smartphones' chassis have rounded corners. However, screens still have a more rectangular shape fabricating a rather incoherent look. Samsung and LG, hence this year, put an end to that at least on their flagship lineups. Consequently, tons of apps popped up on the Play Store to bring rounded screen corners to any Android phone out there. To get started, download this app, grant the necessary permissions and you are good to go.

Pixoff

Lastly, a free app – Pixoff – that can save your phone's battery by disabling an array of pixels. Here's how it works – Pixoff, based on a defined pattern, shuts down a bunch of rows or columns of pixels. As a result, your screen consumes relatively less power. Don't worry, you'll be able to use your phone without any hassles but it won't be as sharp as it is normally. Pixoff is free and you can download it from this link.

That's it for this article, do let us know in the comments section if we missed a good one.

Source: 6 Tips to Improve Your Android Smartphone's Display

Flagship Smartphones That Will Launch in the Next 2 Months

The next two months will be crazy for the consumer technology beat. There are multiple flagship launches scheduled and it will be interesting to see which brand will be able to stand out. To help you guys navigate all the coming launches, here's a quick list of the upcoming devices (with the exception of the iPhone 8) that we should be excited for!

Huawei Mate 10: Edge to Edge with Leica Summilux Lenses

Among all the scheduled launches, we feel that the Huawei Mate 10 is one of the dark horses in the race. The leaked specifications combined with the rumored edge-to-edge display and of course the new Leica Summilux lenses make for a strong flagship contender. The Huawei Mate 10 is scheduled to launch on October 16.

Read: The Huawei Mate 10 – Everything We Know So Far

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2: Redefining Bezel-less

The phone that started the "bezel-less revolution" is back to redefine what "bezel-less" means. There is no official release or launch date yet (rumored for mid-September) but the Mi Mix 2 will have 95% screen-to-body ratio, making it the king of "bezel-less". FYI, the Mi Mix 2 is designed by world renowned designer Phillipe Starck.

Read Also: Everything We Know About the Mi Mix 2

Samsung Note 8: Return of the King

After an explosive failure with the Note 7, Samsung is back in full force with guns blazing for the launch of the Galaxy Note 8. We're just a few days away from this and we're covering this live in New York so stay tuned to this space for more news soon!

Read Also: How Samsung Will Tempt iPhone Fans with the Galaxy Note 8

LG V30: Another Dark Horse Render of the LG V30

LG is focusing heavily on the multi-media capabilities of the LG V30. The camera will have an aperture of f/1.6 which lets it capture 25% more light compared to other flagships. They also threw in a Glass Lens which is supposed to help take more faithful photos of subjects. The LG V30 is definitely a potential dark horse in this race as well and it launches at the end of this month.

Read Also: What Makes the LG v30 Special Compared to the iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8?

Google Pixel 2

Last but now the least, is the Google Pixel 2. The Pixel and Nexus series never really got a lot of love but we've been huge fans of them. We've owned all the previous Nexus devices and our current daily driver now is a Google Pixel XL.

Read Also: Google Pixel XL 2 Leaked Renders

Which one is your bet? Let us know in the comments section below!

Source: Flagship Smartphones That Will Launch in the Next 2 Months

iPhone 8 Release Date, Price, Specs: Apple reportedly sets launch date in the 2nd week of September

The iPhone 8 rumors and leaks are lighting up the worldwide web and the mobile industry as technology enthusiasts wait for the most hotly anticipated flagship smartphone. The Cupertino-headquartered company, Apple Inc., as always is going to keep us in eager suspense. For this year, however, things are quite going little bit different.

We have an extremely strong projection of the iPhone 8 release date, and the specs sheet and new features of the much-awaited handset have appeared in a countless leaks over the last few months. Here's a loop of what we know about the much-awaited gadget from the Cupertino tech giant, so you can make up your mind.The iPhone 8 release date can be expected to fall on the second week of September. This is a very strong indication because the world's most valuable company in terms of market capital has a comprehensible annual launch cycle and release pattern of its iPhone lineup. In 2061 the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus was unveiled to the general public on September 7. In 2017, iPhone 6S and the supersized model was launched for the first time on September 9.

In recent years, it's been Apple's tradition to set these launches on the second week of September, either Tuesday or Wednesday. This allows the Infinity Loop to stock brick-and-mortar stores in preparation for the beginning of sales ahead of the October. As for this year, the company really has only a couple of dates to choose from that meet those elements. Apple could either opt to set the iPhone 8, 7S and Plus models launch for September 9 or 10. Given the issues with the iPhone 8's high-tech specs this year, the later date is the better one.

Earlier this year, there was rumors that the iPhone 8 release date would be delayed and possibly set back to October or November and some claims that Apple will push it through 2018.

The industry analysts at Wall Street suggests an iPhone 8 release date in September. Given the Apple's product launch and release history, and assuming an announcement on September 12th, observers are expecting the actual iPhone 8 release date to fall around September 22nd.

The iPhone 8 drastically radical design seems to be ready to blow all other top-end smartphones in the market. There have been a slew of leaks about the smartphone's overhaul design, including some from the company itself. Those leaks have provided all sorts of talented artists to render images of what the iPhone will look like.

The iPhone 8 specs and features, on the other side of the rumors, revealed in a massive number of leaks. We're getting three color options: Black, White and Blush Gold.

Now the American fast food chain McDonald's apparently have to chill and patience waiting to use the upcoming iPhone 8 to market its own business.

Yes, an iPhone 8 mockup has emerged in the McDonald's promotional email to customers in Australia while the Cupertino must be preparing for its next-iteration flagship smartphone's unveiling sometime in September.

Source: iPhone 8 Release Date, Price, Specs: Apple reportedly sets launch date in the 2nd week of September

What to expect from upcoming Samsung and LG flagship smartphones

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the LG V30 are going to be unveiled soon and the smartphones have been subject to various leaks and rumours lately. Here, we sum up all the info out there about the two big flagships launching just a few days apart from each other.

Release the flagship! Is what comes to mind when we take a look at the line-up of devices being launched in the upcoming days. Some of the greatest phone makers are going to unveil their latest offerings which already have the smartphone market buzzing with excitement. While the Nokia 8 has kick-started the flagship launch spree, the Galaxy Note 8 phablet and the LG V30 will soon follow suit.

We show you what you can expect from them and what the phones have in store when they release. Here are all the rumours, leaks, speculation in one place.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8Samsung's upcoming flagship, the Galaxy Note 8 is scheduled to launch on August 23. Samsung has already confirmed an Infinity Display design via its launch invite.

The Note 8 phablet is tipped to sport a large 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a taller 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Rumours point to the use of Samsung's Exynos 8895 chipset, but the handset is expected to launch with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 platform in the US. The Galaxy Note 8 has been teased by Samsung in an official video and is expected to feature 6GB RAM and 128GB Internal memory. As per rumours, the handset will be the first Samsung device to feature a dual camera system, with dual 12MP sensors supporting 2x optical zoom, along with optical image stabilisation. The Note 8 is expected to be backed by a smaller 3,300mAh battery and support an improved S Pen with new features like translation. Samsung has also confirmed that the launch of the Galaxy Note 8 will be livestreamed on Samsung.com.

LG V30LG has confirmed August 31 as the launch date for its flagship V-series in Berlin. As was confirmed by Google, the LG V30 will be a Daydream compatible device and LG has also confirmed that the V30 will have a 6-inch OLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, as well as a f/1.6 glass camera lens.

LG V30 will most probably sport a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels at a pixel density of 482 pixels per inch. The screen is expected to be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The phone is tipped to be powered by a 2.45 GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and might come in two variants: 4GB and 6GB RAM options, along with 64GB and 128GB internal storage, which can be expanded to 256GB via a microSD card.

Further, the LG V30 could be powered by a 3,200 mAh battery and will run on Nougat 7.1. It is likely to be a dual SIM smartphone. As per rumors, the two primary cameras on the LG V30 will sport 16MP, 13MP lenses. The phone is also expected to have a front-facing camera capable of shooting 8MP selfies.

The LG V30 is looking to stand apart from the crowd with a new f/1.6 aperture lens which is a first for any smartphone. According to the company, the new lens will be 25 percent brighter than its predecessor as it allows the sensor to receive more light. The dual camera of the V30 will sport one f/1.6 lens and another wide angle lens. Pre-orders will be held for a period of one to two weeks for the V30 in Korea, and in terms of pricing, the device is expected to cost around $699 (Rs 45,064 approx).

While most of the flagships are being launched in August, the iPhone 8 might be a bit late to the party as it is expected to launch in September followed by the much anticipated Google Pixel 2 in October.

Digit NewsDesk  news@digit.in

The guy who answered the question 'What are you doing?' with 'Nothing'.

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Source: What to expect from upcoming Samsung and LG flagship smartphones

Asus Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Pro, and 4 other Zenfone smartphones launched: Price, specifications, features

Home > News > Asus Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Pro, and 4 other Zenfone smartphones launched: Price, specifications, features Asus Zenfone 4 Pro is the company's 2017-flagship device powered by Snapdragon 835 chipset.

Asus has today taken the wraps off its Zenfone 4-series of smartphones at a global launch event in Taiwan. The company has launched six different models under the new series – Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Pro, Zenfone 4 Max, Zenfone 4 Max Pro, Zenfone 4 Selfie, and Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro. However, the highlight of the event was the Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 4 Pro.

The Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 4 Pro are the flagship devices, followed by the Zenfone Selfie and Zenfone Selfie Pro, which are mid-rangers with a focus on the front camera. The Zenfone Max and Zenfone Max Pro too are mid-range smartphones with their focus on the battery performance.

Asus has currently revealed the price of only four models. The Zenfone 4 will start from $399 (Rs 25,500 approximately), while the Pro model will cost $599 (Rs 38,400 approximately). On the other hand, the Zenfone Selfie and Zenfone Selfie Pro will set you back by $279 and $379, which translates to roughly Rs 17,800 and Rs 24,300 respectively.

Asus Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Pro specifications, feature

In terms of design, both the smartphones look very similar with metal and glass design with a textured back. Up front, the there is a 2.5D glass that is blended with an aluminum frame, giving both the smartphones a premium look. There are the capacitive buttons along with fingerprint scanner embeded into the home button. The only difference that can be noted in both the smartphones is at the back. The Zenfone 4 Pro comes with a camera that is slightly more protruding as compared to Zenfone 4. The ZenFone 4 Pro also comes with a glossy finish to add to its metal body. ALSO READ: Lenovo K8 Note to Oppo F3: Smartphones with dual cameras under Rs 20,000

There is not much of a difference in Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 4 Pro smartphones. Both feature a 5.5-inch display. The Zenfone 4 Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. While the Zenfone 4 comes in two variants – one with Snapdragon 630 SoC, and one with Snapdragon 660 SoC. Both variants come with 6GB of RAM, and internal memory that can be expanded up to 64GB. Keeping the smartphones ticking are 3,300mAh and 3,6000mAh batteries respectively. On the camera front, the smartphones come with a 12-megapixel rear camera. The Zenfone 4 Pro model, however, comes with a sensor for 2X zoom, while the Zenfone 4 comes with a 120-degree wide-angle lens instead.

Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie, Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro specifications, feature

As the names suggest, the Zenfone 4 Selfie, Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro smartphones come with their focus on the selfie camera.  The Zenfone 4 Selfie comes with 20-megapixel front snapper, while the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro model comes with a 24-megapixel camera up front. However, only Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro smartphone users can take wide-angle selfies. Apart from this, the smartphones feature a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, with the Pro variant featuring a full HD display, and the standard variant featuring an HD display. In terms of processor, the Pro-model is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, whereas the Zenfone Selfie comes with Snapdragon 430 SoC. Both the smartphones come paired with 4GB of RAM  and a 3,000mAh battery. 

Asus Zenfone 4 Max, Zenfone 4 Max Pro specifications, features

 

Asus launched the Zenfone 4 Max smartphone last month in Russia. The USP on both devices is the massive 5,000mAh battery underneath. The Zenfone 4 Max Pro comes with just a few upgrades over the Max version. It features a 16-megapixel dual-rear camera as compared to 13-megapixel dual-rear cameras on the Zenfone 4 Max. ALSO READ: Asus Zenfone Zoom S with dual cameras launched, priced at Rs 26,999: Specifications, features

Both the smartphones feature a 5.5-inch display with 1080×1920 pixels resolution. It is available in two variants – one powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC, and other with Snapdragon 425 SoC. The smartphone further includes up to 4GB of RAM with 16GB/32GB/64GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. Asus did not reveal much about the Zenfone 4 Max Pro at the event.

Published: August 17, 2017 5:10 PM IST | Updated: August 17, 2017 5:42 PM IST
Source: Asus Zenfone 4, Zenfone 4 Pro, and 4 other Zenfone smartphones launched: Price, specifications, features

This is the Nokia 8 flagship phone you’ve been waiting for

At last, the time has come and we finally get a proper Nokia flagship smartphone that's running on Android. It's called the Nokia 8 and it's an important device because it will show the world whether HMD Global (the company that owns the right to Nokia's smartphones) has a grasp on how to make a compelling Android flagship — one that will capture the magic of the Nokias of old.

The result? Well, as it stands now, it looks like it's a little bit of yes and no.

Starting things off, Nokia's flagship smartphone features a lot of the specs you would have come to expect from a 2017 flagship smartphone. In front, the Nokia 8 has a 5.3-inch Quad HD IPS display, tucked under Gorilla Glass 5, pushing a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels with 554 pixels per inch. This display is also capable of pushing up to 700 nits of brightness.

Inside, you'll find an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor mated to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable (up to 256GB via microSD) storage. So, as far as internals go, Nokia seems to have hit the nail on the head. Well, except for the small 3,090 mAh battery.

Over in the camera department, the Nokia 8 also sports 2017s favourite flagship smartphone feature: Dual cameras. On the Nokia 8, these are 13-megapixel cameras where one shoots RGB while the other does Monochrome — much like the Huawei P10. However, while the P10 features Leica-certified lenses, the Nokia 8 will sport Zeiss optics with an aperture of f/2.0, PDAF, and an IR range finder.

What is special, though, is that you get the same 13-megapixel f/2.0 camera in front as well. Yep, that's a selfie camera with PDAF (still pretty rare) and 1.12-micron pixels.

But all of that is for a reason because Nokia seems to think that the Nokia 8's killer feature is something called a bothie (or Dual-Sight as the ad suggests). That's pronounced both-ie, as in like selfie but with the word "both" instead of "self". Yes, I agree, it's a super dumb name but what it does may be just as dumb.

What this bothie feature does is allow the phone to capture photos and videos with both the front and rear camera, splitting your image right down the middle. This feature also lets you stream your recorded content directly to social platforms like YouTube straight from the camera application.

I don't really know what to think of this feature but I do know it's not a feature I've been pining for….ever. Couple that with the Nokia 8's "safe" (I mean, boring) design that's straight out of 2016 and one starts to wonder if HMD isn't at least a little unsure of what makes a good Android flagship.

However, if you take a look at the near-stock Android and the promise of being one of the first phones in the world to get Android O and you're suddenly a little more willing to forgive them for trying something new. Then there's the fact that the Nokia 8 will feature Ozo Audio recording. Basically, this borrows from Nokia's sophisticated Ozo camera that is used to film virtual reality. With the audio portion ported to the Nokia 8, the smartphone is supposedly able to record binaural 3-D 360-degree audio which is interesting stuff.

The Nokia 8 will also feature an always on display (AOD) for the time and certain notifications (more coming soon), despite the fact that it uses an LCD display. According to The Verge, HMD built a proprietary solution with a low-power mode for a small section of the display to pull this AOD component off. It's also got a new antenna line design and a heat pipe that supposedly disperses heat evenly.

And that's about it. There's no water resistance (only splash, at IP54) no wireless charging, no 18.5:9 aspect ratio screen, no wide-angled camera, stereo speakers or a sophisticated bezel-less wrap-around display.

Sophisticated and futuristic, then are two words that don't describe the Nokia 8. Safe, on the other hand, is probably the perfect word to describe this new flagship and who can really blame HMD for playing it safe when their success in the market is anything but guaranteed.

The all-metal bodied Nokia 8 will come in four colours — matte blue, polished blue, polished silver and copper — and will be priced at EUR599 (around RM3,030) with global availability set for early September.

What do you guys think of the Nokia 8? Let me know in the comments below.

[SOURCE, 2]

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Source: This is the Nokia 8 flagship phone you've been waiting for

Don’t buy a new flagship smartphone right now – here’s why

The month of August has traditionally been one of the slowest of the year in terms of new smartphone releases (and, really, for tech news in general). Part of the reason is that many of us are trying to enjoy our nearly ending summers and get in some vacation time before the kids have to go back to school and/or college.

So with nothing new immediately coming out, you might be tempted to purchase a new flagship phone right about now. Here's some friendly advice: Don't do it.

Big price cuts are on their way

So far in 2017, we have seen a ton of impressive flagship phones hit the market, including the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the LG G6, the HTC U11, the Motorola Moto Z2 Force, the OnePlus 5 and many more — but the year isn't over.

As you might already know, IFA is almost here, and around this time we see plenty of new handsets  prepare to hit the scene. Okay, but what if you don't want one of those shiny new late-2017 flagships? You should still wait until they are announced (or, better yet, released).

While we have seen some temporary, and even permanent, price cuts on many of 2016 and 2017's flagships already, this trend will heat up even further as the new fall flagships arrive. That means if you are in love with a late-2016 or early-2017 model, waiting just a bit longer could allow you to pick it up at a significant discount. This includes used phones, which tend to see pretty big drops in pricing after the next generation of devices are announced.

So if you like a current flagship, do yourself a favor and wait just a few more months. Your wallet will appreciate it.

The new phones are on their way very soon, like tomorrow even

Another reason why you shouldn't buy a phone now is that more options are coming soon.  If you want to get your hands on the latest and greatest flagship phones, we would definitely advise you to wait. Over the next couple of months, we will see a ton of new phones launch from nearly every major phone maker, and even a couple of newcomers.

In fact, the announcements may start as early as this week. HMD Global is expected to hold a press event in London on August 16 where it will reportedly reveal its latest Nokia branded smartphone, the Nokia 8. Rumors and leaks about the Nokia 8 claim it will have specs like the current processor speed leader, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, inside, along with Zeiss-branded dual-camera on the back.

Next week, Samsung is expected to officially announce the Galaxy Note 8, its latest large screen phone, at a press event in New York City on August 23. It's expected to have an 6.4-inch Infinity Display and an embedded S Pen stylus, which has become the trademark of the Note series. The Note 8 is expected to go on sale sometime late in August or in September.

We may also get some details about the launch date of the new Essential Phone this week or next week. The nearly bezel-free phone comes from a new company, Essential, that was founded by Android co-creator Andy Rubin. While a number of the company's major executives have already departed before the phone's launch, the handset does seem to have some solid hardware specs. We will have to see if it will compete with the established flagships that are already on the market, or will be launched later.

At the end of August, our eyes will turn over to Berlin for the start of the 2017 IFA trade show. LG has already confirmed it will officially announced a new phone, the V30, at a press event on August 30. The V30 is rumored to share the same 18:9 aspect ratio for its display that was included in the current G6 phone, with a 6-inch main screen combined with a new software "floating bar" that will take the place of the V20's secondary display. The V30 is expected to go on sale in mid-to-late September.

Let's not forget Google in this mix. The company behind Android is planning to launch successors to its Pixel family of smartphones later this fall. Rumors claim that the smaller Pixel 2 will be made by HTC (who made both the first Pixel and Pixel XL phones in 2016) while LG will create the larger Pixel 2 XL.The two phones may likely be the first two to have Android 8.0, also known for now as Android O, out of the box. We can expect to see both phones go on sale sometime in October.

While they are not Android phones, we can't ignore the fact that Apple is almost certainly going to launch new models of its popular iPhone later this fall. In addition to iPhone 7s and iPhone 7S Plus, Apple is highly expected to launch the iPhone 8, which is rumored to have an all new nearly bezel-free display along with other high-end features.

Believe it or not, that's just a sample of the new flagship phones that might be on our way in the next couple of months. We could also see new high-end and mid-ranges phones coming from Motorola, Sony, Huawei, and others, and there may be one or two surprises that we don't know anything about yet.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this will help convince you that buying a new high-end phone right now is not the best idea. We will see a a ton of new devices coming on the market soon, and the current phones will see big price drops. Android Authority will be here to cover all of these new launches and provide you with the best information so you can pick the phone that's right for your needs, and your budget.

In the meantime, which upcoming smartphone are you most looking forward to checking out? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Source: Don't buy a new flagship smartphone right now – here's why

Five trends shaping next-gen flagship smartphones

Reuters

While nearly 1.5 billion smartphone units shipped globally last year, market leaders -- including Apple, Samsung and Huawei -- are set to expand their shipments this year by adding new innovations to their offerings. The major focus nowadays is not towards the entry-level or mid-range segments but on capturing the top-end market. This is the most competitive front as companies need to bring remarkable features to win the race. So what are all the trends that are shaping next-generation flagship smartphone options?

Full-screen display

Starting from Apple and Samsung to Huawei and Xiaomi, all key smartphone manufacturers are considering full-screen display panels for their next flagships. The term, "full-screen display", describes a panel that occupies the whole front area of a device to offer a wider viewing space. This is a step ahead of bezel-less (edge-to-edge) displays that were a part of 2015's Sharp Aquos Crystal, Oppo R7 and ZTE Nubia Z9. Samsung is using its 'Infinity Display' technology on top of the full-screen display of the Galaxy S8 to deliveran 18.5:9 aspect ratio. This would also be a part of the upcoming Galaxy Note 8. However, Apple is likely to distinguish its new iPhone models with an even tweaked display panel.

Dual-camera setup

In addition to the trend of deploying a full-screen display, it is a dual-camera setup that has been arriving on all premium flagships this year. Apple began its journey with the dual-camera system last year. It would be expanded with the launch of the anticipated iPhone 8 that will likely to feature two horizontally-placed camera sensors. Likewise, Samsung is planning to shift to a dual-camera setup by launching the latest innovation on the Galaxy Note 8. Huawei's Mate 10 is also expected to have two cameras to stand in the arena of upcoming flagship smartphones.

Wireless charging

Whether you are looking for a full-screen display or testing a dual-camera setup, one thing that matters you the most is the regular flow of power current. Wireless charging is a technology that helps you provide with the required charge instantly. Samsung has already been deploying it for a long time. And now, Apple is following the same footprints by enabling wireless charging support on its next iPhone models. Chinese competitors such as Huawei and Xiaomi are also likely to take a cue from the matured players in the coming future. Ultimately, all this would boost the sales of wireless charging cradles and accessories based on Qi standard in the near future.

Digital audio output

Apple stormed the tech world by discarding a 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 lineup last year. Though some critics had estimated that development as a loss for the Cupertino company, it brought an advanced experience for consumers that would be refined over time. The idea behind leaving conventional jack was to abandon analogue audio and switch to an all new digital technology. This also helped to give space for other components (such as a new Taptic engine and a stereo speaker assembly) on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. At the same time, the new adoption brought better compatibility with modern audio formats. Samsung and other leading competitors are expected to take the Apple way and opt for digital audio output on their upcoming flagships.

New architecture

The last big trend in the list, which is majorly shaping the next phase of flagship smartphones, is a new system architecture that is based on the 10-nanometre fabrication process. Samsung is the first player in the arena. It picked Qualcomm's 10nm Snapdragon 835 chipset for the US edition of the Galaxy S8 family. In the same sense, Apple would use a 10nm A11 chip in the next iPhone. This significant change will deliver not only a faster experience but a more battery life than the predecessors.

The above points are just the major trends that will be a part of your next pricey smartphone. Certainly, a massive number changes will accompany them to influence your buying decision.

Please comment below to let us know your thoughts about next-generation flagship smartphones.

Source: Five trends shaping next-gen flagship smartphones

Elephone P8 Review: Amazing and outstanding Flagship Phone

Elephone P8 Review | Product Introduction

Elephone P8 is a flagship smartphone, a part of the company new and latest P series.This phone comes in two variants (Editions). The Elephone P8 Mini which is considered to be a mid level device, based on MediaTek MT6750T octa-core processor equipped with eight Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.5GHz with 4GB of RAM and an ARM Mali-T860 GPU that normally provide above decent performance for a low budget phone.

Elephone P8 comes in red color, according to the manufacturer there should also be golden and a black version coming soon. The front of the smartphone is made entirely of glass and houses a glass home button with a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button. The headphone jack is located on the top. The volume controls are on the left equipped with a mute button on the left. on the right side above the power button is a slot for two SIM cards. Whether the Elephon P8 memory expansion by MicroSD TF card up to 128GB. The Elephone P8 is powered with MediaTek Helio P25 processor, featuring a 6GB RAM / 64GB storage memory combination. It has a 5.5-inch Full HD in a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels display with a pixel density of 428ppi, which ensures a crystal clear image without visible pixels. Elephone P8 comes with the JDI in-cell Display which is the same as the display of iPhone 7. The glass of the display is slightly rounded at the sides (2.5D glass) and a better, feel.

The Elephone P8 is equipped with the NXP intelligent sound amplifier to provide the most vivid and realistic sound. it has a 21MP rear camera and 16MP front camera, This time, Elephone P8 will deliver the best selfies photo shots experience. The front-facing camera of Elephone P8 using Samsung 16MP Image Sensor is teamed with the new optimized algorithm, the end result is the ever sharper and more vibrant selfies with natural-looking skin tones. The front-camera is excellent, but the rare camera is better, like always. On the back of Elephone P8, there is a 21MP camera.Elephone P8 is powered by a 3600mAh none removable battery running under Google's new Android 7 operating system that can last up to a whole day under heavy use. Elephone P8 also supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g /n, BT4.1, GPS, compass, P-Sensor, G-Sensor, and as mentioned previously has a Fingerprint ID scanner that can unlock the phone in 0.1s.

Buy The Elephone P8

Buy The Elephone P8 Mini

Elephone P8 Review | Black Edition ( Flagship )

 

Elephone P8 Mini 

Elephone P8 Review Focus:

Product introduction

Specs & Main Highlights

Package

Unboxing

Appearance & Design

Hardware Platform

Software, Display, Cameras, Sensors, Speaker, Microphone, Navigation, Battery

Pros & Cons

Final Verdict

Elephone P8 Review Rating

Elephone P8 Highlights

Color:  Black, Mocha Gold, Wine red 

Body: 9 mm Ultra-thin Stunning Full Metal Body

Display: 5.5″ FHD JDI in-cell Curved display, capacitive touch screen, 428 ppi

CPU: 64-Bit MTK Helio P25 Octa Core, GPU: ARM Mali-T880

System:  Android 7.0 OS

6GB RAM +64GB ROM, TF card can extend to 128GB (not included)

Cameras: front camera 16.0MP, Sony IMX230 back camera 21.0MP

Dual SIM card dual standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM / TF Card)

3600mAh built in battery with 5V2A fast charge support

Support 3G/4G/WIFI/Bluetooth 4.1/multi-language/Touch ID

Networking:

2G: GSMB2/B3/B5/B8

3G: WCDMA: B1/B2/B5/B8

4G: FDD-LTE:B1/B3/B7/B8/B20 TDD-LTE:B38/B40

Specifications:

Basic Information Model Elephone P8 Color Black, Red, Cofee+Golden(Optional) Material Plastic, Metal Earphone Port 3.5mm System OS Android 7.0 CPU MTK6757 Octa Core max2.5GHz GPU  ARM Mali-T880 ROM 64GB, Support micro TF card up to 128GB extended(The system will take up some ROM) RAM 6GB Screen Display Size 5.5″ Material 2.5D Arc in-cell Glass Resolution 1920 * 1080 Pixels, 428PPI Camera Front Camera Pixels 16MP Back Camera Pixels 21MP Auto Focus Support Video 1080p Network Type GSM / WCDMA / FDD-LTE Band GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8WCDMA:B1/B2/B5/B8FDD-LTE:B1/B3/B7/B8/B20TDD-LTE:B38/B40 SIM Card Quantity Dual SIM cards, Dual standby SIM Card Type 2 * Nano SIM cards WiFi Dual-frequency WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n 2.5G/5G Bluetooth Version 4.1 Battery Capacity 3600mAh(NON-Removeable battery)Talk Time and Standby time will depend on the actual using situation. General Multilanguage English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Cestina, Dansk, Deutsch, Espanol, Filipino, French, Hrvatski, Italiano, Latviesu, Lietuviu, Magyar, Nederlands, Norsk, Polish, Portuguese, Romana, Slovencina, Suomi, Svenska, Tieng Viet, Turkish, Greek, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Khmer, Korean, Simplified/Traditional Chinese GPS GPS, A-GPS, Glonass Sensor G-sensor, P-sensor, L-sensor, Hall, E-compass Image PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP Video 3GPP,MPEG-4,H.264.WMV9, VP9 Audio MIDI,MP3,AAC,AMR,AWB,WAV,FLAC Other Features Ebook, Radio Tuner, Messaging, Wallpapers, Calendar, Calculator, Clock, etc. Other Information Product Size Approx. 15.5 * 7.5 * 0.95cm / 6.0 * 2.9 * 0.37in Product Weight Approx. 186g / 6.51oz Package Size Approx. 17.2 * 10 * 5.2cm / 6.70 * 3.9 * 2.0in Package Weight Approx. 401g / 14.0oz

Note:Item color may show slight aberration due to different shooting light and monitor display.

Package list:1 * Cellphone1 * Power adapter1 * USB Cable1 * SIM Ejection Tool1 * User Manual

Note: This post will be updated with a full review once the samples arrive!

Source: Elephone P8 Review: Amazing and outstanding Flagship Phone