Qualcomm takes aim at Apple's flagship iPhone X, to seek partial ban in U. S.

Qualcomm has fired off another round of patent infringement claims against Apple – this time aiming to block U.S. imports of certain flagship iPhone 8 and iPhone X smartphones.

The San Diego company filed three additional patent infringement lawsuits in U.S. District Court in San Diego late Wednesday. It also plans to submit a new complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Thursday.

This latest barrage of legal actions comes amid an increasing nasty battle between Qualcomm and Apple over patents – a war that doesn't show any signs of ending soon.

The lawsuits allege Apple is infringing on 16 Qualcomm patents related to technologies that boost bandwidth in phones, save power and enhance photos from dual rear-facing cameras, among other things.

Some of the patents were issued between 2015 and 2017 – perhaps an attempt by Qualcomm to counter Apple's contention that Qualcomm's intellectual property is outdated and increasingly less important to what makes smartphones valuable.

The legal maneuvers come one day after Apple counter-sued Qualcomm, alleging it's infringing on eight Apple patents on power-management techniques in smartphones.

Qualcomm General Counsel Don Rosenberg said the timing of Qualcomm's lawsuits is coincidental to Apple's countersuit.

"You can't react that quickly to file lawsuits," said Rosenberg. "We were in the process of filing three new district court cases in San Diego today, and one new ITC case in Washington, D.C. Those involve a group of 16 patents that are additional to the ones we have already sued them on, and five of those 16 are ones we are suing them on in the ITC seeking an exclusion order."

In July, Qualcomm sued Apple for infringing on six patents – later dropping one – related mostly to technologies for saving power and extending battery life.

In addition, Qualcomm asked the ITC to ban the import of iPhone 7 models that infringed on its patents – but only those that used cellular chips from Intel and run on AT&T's and T-Mobile's networks.

The new ITC case will seek to block Apple's new iPhone 8s and iPhone X models that use Intel chips – again on AT&T and T-Mobile. Sales of these latest flagships began in September.

Qualcomm supplies Apple with cellular modems for iPhone 7s, iPhone 8s and iPhone Xs on Verizon and Sprint, as well as older iPhones on all U.S. networks.

Qualcomm is not seeking to stop imports of iPhones that use its own semiconductors, which are technically capable of powering cellular connections in smartphones on any network — including AT&T and T-Mobile.

The reason, according to the company, is a limited ban has a better chance of actually being implemented.

As an administrative agency, the International Trade Commission's sanctions can be vetoed by the president. In 2013, the Obama administration set aside an ITC ban on iPhones in Apple's long-running patent fight with Samsung. The rationale was that a sweeping ban would harm the U.S. economy and consumers.

The ITC typically takes 12 to 16 months to investigate patent infringement and make a decision on whether to ban imports. Patent lawsuits in federal court can drag on considerably longer.

In addition to its war with Apple, Qualcomm is battling a potentially hostile, $103 billion takeover bid from rival chip maker Broadcom.

Qualcomm's board rejected Broadcom's $70 per share offer earlier this month. Next week is the deadline for Broadcom to submit an alternative slate of directors with the aim of pushing the deal through.

Qualcomm's shares ended trading Thursday down 18 cents at $66.34 on the Nasdaq exchange.

mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com;

Twitter:@TechDiego

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Source: Qualcomm takes aim at Apple's flagship iPhone X, to seek partial ban in U. S.

Bigger is better: Phablets are poised to overtake regular-sized phones by 2019

When it comes to smartphone purchases, it seems like bigger is better. IDC has released its latest smartphone forecasts for the next few years, highlighting that it expects the "phablet" form factor to overtake so-called "regular-sized" phones by 2019.

The news makes sense. Ever since Apple started shipping a "Plus" version of its smartphones, and even before that, larger screens have beecome increasingly popular. Nowadays, every flagship phone is launched alongside a "Plus," "+," or "XL" version for those who want a bigger display and don't mind sacrificing a little more pocket space.

Of course, part of what makes phablets more usable these days is the rise of the edge-to-edge display. For example, while the iPhone X has a 5.8-inch display, which is bigger than the 5.5-inch display of the iPhone 8 Plus, it has a much smaller footprint thanks to the elimination of the bezels. Apple itself is selling more phablets — or large phones — than it traditionally has. Sales of the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X accounted for a hefty 41.2 percent of its shipments in 2017, according to IDC.

"In 2012, phablets were just 1 percent of smartphone shipment,s and now they are approaching 50 percent of the market just a few years later," said IDC's Ryan Reith in a blog post. "The rapid transition to bezel-less smartphones will help minimize the device footprint while growing the screen size from previous generations."

IDC also continues to forecast growth for the smartphone industry. That's also not very surprising — while some have theorized that products like the smartwatch and other wearable devices will one day overtake the smartphone, such a development is currently remote. In the meantime, smartphones are getting increasingly accessible, with people on lower incomes adopting the smartphone as phones with decent performance get less expensive.

Another change that came about in 2017 is the rise of the ultra-high-end phone — or phones that cost well beyond the $850 price tag and into the $1,000-plus range. Most obvious of those is the iPhone X, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also carries a hefty price.

Last but not least is the smartphone operating system market share. Android currently has 85.1 percent of the total market share — and IDC forecasts that will remain relatively stable over the next few years.

Source: Bigger is better: Phablets are poised to overtake regular-sized phones by 2019

Cyber Monday 2017: Here are five great smartphone deals you should check out

Black Friday might be the kickoff to this year's holiday shopping season, but we can understand if you chose to stay at home rather than push your way through lines to get that doorbuster deal. If you were one of those people, and you're still on the hunt for a new smartphone, then Cyber Monday was practically meant for you.

Before we get into it, we also have a much larger Cyber Monday roundup, where we hand-selected deals that include everything from televisions and smart speakers to laptops and tablets. Some of those deals will last all week, since more retailers have opted to turn Cyber Monday into "Cyber Week," while others will be available for today and today only.

With that being said, let's take a look at five great smartphone deals for Cyber Monday.

Essential Phone with 360 Camera – $400 ($100 off)

It's crazy how perception of a smartphone can change with a price drop, frequent updates, and bi-weekly AMAs on Reddit, but that's exactly what happened with the Essential Phone.

Formerly a phone we hesitated to recommend at its former $700 price tag, the Essential Phone became a significantly better buy at its new $500 price tag. Making things better, Andy Rubin's outfit has been great with updates, and its Reddit AMAs lends a sense of transparency to its efforts.

Put together, Essential did something I did not think was possible when it first launched the Essential Phone: restore a tremendous amount of good faith.

Looking at the Essential Phone itself, the striking bezel-less design makes it one of the best-looking smartphones available today, even with that small notch for the front-facing camera. The Essential Phone also implements a bare-bones version of Android, which may or may not irk you, but it should mean that Android updates will arrive faster than they will for contemporaries. Finally, the Essential Phone features pogo pins on the back that give the phone a bit of modularity, since you can attach accessories like the 360 Camera.

This brings us to the deal at hand, which nets you the Essential Phone and the aforementioned 360 Camera for $400 unlocked. Since the Essential Phone itself normally goes for $500, you're essentially (no pun intended) getting the 360 Camera for free and a discount on the phone. You have until 12am PST to decide whether the combo is for you, so don't take too long.

Samsung Galaxy S8 – $574 ($150.99 off)

It might not have been the first smartphone to adopt the bezelless design, but the Galaxy S8 sucked the air out of the room when it initially launched in April. That seems like eons ago in smartphone years, but the Galaxy S8 more than holds up well over half a year later.

Like many of its contemporaries, the Galaxy S8 features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, and a single 12 MP rear camera that takes great photos in various lighting conditions. You also get a Micro SD card slot, quick charging and wireless charging, and a headphone jack.

Where the phone differentiates itself, for better or worse, are with Samsung's software overlay and Bixby, Samsung's virtual assistant that can be summoned with your voice or the Bixby button. These two features may be polarizing among the Android faithful, but they have not stopped the Galaxy S8 from selling very well.

Thanks to its design and powerful internals, the Galaxy S8 continues to hold up well against flagships released in the later half of 2017, and with its $574 price tag through Amazon for Cyber Monday, the phone more than competes in the price arena as well.

 Google Pixel XL – $5/month ($624 off)

Let's get this out of the way: the Pixel XL is a year old. Now that its age is out in the open, we can move right along, since the Pixel XL still offers one of the best Android experiences you can get today.

Even with its age, the Pixel XL is still slated to get Android P and security updates through October 2019. Those guaranteed updates directly from Google are mostly why folks choose Pixel phones over everything else, but there is still plenty to like about the Pixel XL apart from updates.

For one, its rear 12 MP camera takes great pictures, particularly in low-light scenarios. Videos might look a bit dull by comparison, but their stabilization still leaves us wondering how other smartphone manufacturers have yet to pull off something similar. Also, the Snapdragon 821 may not be the newest kid on the block anymore, but you wouldn't notice based on how smooth Android Oreo runs on the Pixel XL.

As for the deal itself, the Pixel XL can be had for $5 a month for 24 months through Verizon. That translates to a savings of $624 over the two years, but keep in mind that you will need to get the phone on a device payment plan to see the $17.91-per-month bill credit. In other words, you are more than welcome to pay off the phone in full at any time, but if you do, those savings get tossed out the window.

Also, while the Verizon model plays nice with any other carrier, it comes with a locked bootloader. This means that you will not be able to flash any ROMs, kernels, or anything else along those lines.

If none of that bothers you, you can get the deal at the link below.

BlackBerry KEYone – $450 ($100 off)

This might be an odd pick, but the BlackBerry KEYone probably checks off many of the things you look for in a smartphone: long battery life, frequent updates, a good camera, and software that doesn't get in the way. The phone did these things so well that our own Joshua Vergara, who probably gets an avalanche of phones each year, chose the KEYone as his daily driver for a while.

You can't talk about the KEYone without talking about the keyboard, which you will either love or not care for. To BlackBerry's credit, the company did try to bring the keyboard into the 21st century by having it feature touch-sensitive frets that let you scroll through websites and documents, a fingerprint sensor under the space bar, and the ability to long-press any key to complete an action.

The keyboard does take away from the KEYone's ability to be a media consumption device, but you already know that if you pick up the KEYone. Thanks to Cyber Monday, you can do so and save $100 if you pick up the phone through either Amazon or Best Buy at the links below.

Moto G5S Plus – $230 – $275 ($50 – $75 off)

Not everyone needs a flagship smartphone — they just want something that works and works well. For them, the Moto G5S Plus fit the bill just fine.

Motorola's Moto G5S Plus offers a clean and snappy Android experience, a fingerprint sensor, and a big 1080p display. It also comes with more premium features like a dual rear camera, an all-aluminum build, as well as a slightly more recent version of Android.

The Moto G5S Plus is going for $230 for the 32 GB model or $275 for the 64 GB model.

Whether you are in the market for a powerful flagship like the Galaxy S8, an affordable option like the Moto G5S Plus, or even last year's Pixel XL, you will find great deals for this year's Cyber Monday. Let us know in the comments whether your heart is set on any of these phones, and don't forget to swing by our Cyber Monday roundup, which contains significantly more deals for your dollars.

Source: Cyber Monday 2017: Here are five great smartphone deals you should check out

Another report says Galaxy S9 will launch in January, and another flagship is coming early too

The iPhone X is already a monster hit for Apple. The phone has been sold out online since it went up for preorders on October 27th, and Apple is yet to meet demand. But you'll be able to buy one in time for Christmas, as production has been significantly improved, and wait times have been reduced accordingly. Not to mention that stores get more stock on a daily basis.

The iPhone X is a tremendous competitor for everything else out there, including the other flagships that were launched this fall like the Galaxy Note 8 and the Pixel 2 series, so it's not surprising to see reports saying that Apple's rivals are looking to launch some of next year's flagships as soon as January.

Citing last week's, Business Korea says the Galaxy S9 won't be the only new flagship handset to be launched at CES 2018. Apparently, LG's G7 will also be unveiled at the show, further highlighting the fierce competition in the top smartphone market.

LG's G6 was announced at MWC 2017, one of the first handsets of the year to sport a full-screen display. It preceded the Galaxy S8 by a month, although LG could not really take advantage of Samsung's delayed Galaxy S8 launch.

When the Galaxy S8 launched in late March, it was absolutely clear to everyone the LG G6 would not stand a chance. The Galaxy S8 had the better design, but also the better components, as Samsung enjoyed a limited Snapdragon 835 exclusivity. That's the Qualcomm chip that ultimately powered many of the top smartphones launched this year, including the Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, Pixel 2 series, OnePlus 5 and 5T, and many others.

Samsung and Qualcomm may have a similar deal in place for the Galaxy S9, some reports claimed earlier this year, But Business Korea, quoting Tech Advisor, says the G7 will also get the same Snapdragon 845, just like the Galaxy S9.

The LG G7 is also rumored to feature an OLED display, with the fingerprint sensor to be placed under the screen rather than the back. The Galaxy S9, meanwhile, will have a regular rear-facing fingerprint sensor but positioned in a better location.

Source: Another report says Galaxy S9 will launch in January, and another flagship is coming early too

Ultimate iPhone X Deals: The best Black Friday weekend bargains on Apple’s flagship

Carphone Warehouse subsidiary Mobiles.co.uk still has the best iPhone X deal we've seen this Black Friday

Apple's only just released its iPhone X and it's still virtually impossible to get hold of one from an Apple Store. But that doesn't seem to have stopped Carphone Warehouse from slashing some cash of one of the best phones of the year.

BUY NOW: iPhone X from mobiles.co.uk – £190 upfront and £47 a month

Our first iPhone X deal is from Mobiles.co.uk. It is offering the 64GB model of the phone on Vodafone for £190 upfront (if you use the code DEALENVY10), then £47 a month. Having a sub-£200 and sub-£50 a month deal sounds good to us – plus you get unlimited calls and texts and a whopping 32GB data.

BUY NOW: iPhone X – £149 upfront, £56 a month from Vodafone – saving £50

This deal is on a pay-monthly 24 month contract with Vodafone and it'll set you back £149.99 upfront with a £56 monthly payment. Taking this deal will save you £50, which is nothing to sniff at especially if you were initially turned off by the high cost of the iPhone X 64GB.

What makes this deal more appealing is the impressive 12GB data included, so you'll be able to put that 5.8-inch OLED Super Retina Display to proper use and stream some Dolby Vision HDR content from Netflix anywhere. You'll also get unlimited calls and unlimited texts.

Related: Black Black Friday Deals

The iPhone X is Apple's flagship device for 2017, pipping the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus to the crown. It's arguably the best iPhone ever, with its fast A11 Bionic CPU and almost bezel-less display. There's also Face ID; a new way to unlock your phone by simply gazing into the array of sensors housed above the display.

In our review we said: 'The iPhone X represents the change in direction the series has been due for some time now. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are great phones, but their ageing design and lack of real innovation holds them back. The iPhone X feels like a genuine step forward, especially in design.'

Alternatively, pay a little bit more upfront and enjoy lower monthly payments with this great Black Friday iPhone X deal. Just use the code DEALENVY10 at checkout to get your special discount as a Trusted Reviews reader.

Black Friday Deal: iPhone X – £250 upfront, £47 a month from Vodafone

Seen a Black Friday deal we've missed? Tweet us @TrustedReviews

Source: Ultimate iPhone X Deals: The best Black Friday weekend bargains on Apple's flagship

OnePlus 5T makes the best deal in smartphones even better

Three years and seven phones later, it's hard to argue with OnePlus's methods. That's not to say it hasn't made its share of missteps along the way (it definitely has), but the company has produced quality phones at affordable prices basically since day one.

OnePlus's whole "never settle" tagline is less about offering up handsets that live on the bleeding edge than it is giving smartphone buyers the bet bang for their buck. It's an increasingly important service as flagships start to push right up against the $1,000 mark.

User feedback has always been an important piece of OnePlus's business model. The company fostered initial interest through an activity message board and an invite-only system, and much of that connection appears to still be intact, seven phones in. The company didn't rush to include any features on the 5T — many like Portrait Mode and the 18:9 aspect ratio have already been a staple in flagship smartphones for six months or a year.

The company makes no bones about waiting to add features, nor does its rush to drop them for the sake of future-proofing. Case in point, the headphone jack. After a Twitter poll from co-founder Carl Pei found that fans overwhelmingly wanted the headphone jack to stick around, the company's phones have continued to support the port.

The result, in the case of the OnePlus 5T, is a phone that ticks just about all of the necessary boxes for most Android users. While it's true that the handset won't elicit the same sort of high-end phone envy as the latest handsets from companies like Samsung, the 5T is a utilitarian device in the best possible way. It doesn't push any limits or break any ground, but it offers premium or near-premium specs in a nice package for an accessible starting price of $499 — roughly half of what that shiny new iPhone will cost you.

Utilitarian unibody

It's clear at first sight that we're not dealing with anything too fancy here. There's none of the flash of Samsung Galaxy or iPhone X in the 5T's design. It's sturdy though, and still pretty fetching, with an aluminum unibody that still hasn't gone out of style, as much as bigger handset makers rush each year to one-up it.

The unit we got is "midnight black," a pretty apt name for a handset with no color accents to break up the darkness. Of course, OnePlus always offers up a zillion different cases to dress the thing up — and add a little protection. Though, keep in mind, unlike most other flagships, there's no waterproofing on-board — so the company remains a bit behind on that sensible trend.

And while the display has stretched out toward the sides and top, it's not quite the edge-to-edge offered on higher-end flagships. Though the company did use this generation to do away with the home button like much of the competition, moving the fingerprint reader to the back of the device, and introducing face unlock in the process. The company's managed to cram a six-inch screen into a moderately sized footprint.

And it's a lovely display at that. The company opted for a Samsung-designed OLED. It really pops, with bright colors and not any of the drab muddying you'll find on Google's somewhat ill-fated Pixel 2 screen. It's yet another element that belies the product's totally reasonable price tag.

Camera ready

Like much the rest of the phone, the camera system is less rethinking than refinement. The dual rear-facing cameras are intact — kind of, sort of. Which is to say, the main lens remains unchanged, but the second, optical zoom has been swapped out in favor of one that does better in low light. That means this is one spot where OnePlus will, in fact, make you settle. Getting in tighter on an image means using digital zoom, which, in turn, means a degraded image.

It's a bummer, but life, as they say is full of compromise. If you're really missing it this time out, consider buying an Olioclip or some other third-party exterior clip-on lens. Personally, I think the company made the right call here. The low-light performance has been noticeably improved, and I suspect that impacts more users on a day to day basis, cutting out a lot of the noise you get when not shooting a photo in perfect daylight conditions.

Also new is Portrait Mode — another one of those features you've been seeing on flagships for a while now. The OnePlus 5 had the feature earlier this year, but the results were pretty widely panned. The 5T's version is more subtle and, as a result, better. It's still not quite on par with the highest-end flagships, but does a solid job mimicking the bokeh effect and highlighting its subjects.

Interior design

The 5T's got a Snapdragon 835, just like its predecessor — a chipset that makes it competitive with other flagships. The handset handle tasks like a champ. The standard 6GB of RAM should be plenty for most users, but another $60 will bump that up to 8GB, and will double the 64GB of storage to 128GB. It's worth considering, as there's no expandable storage here, and because, hey, it's still a pretty good deal.

The battery's the same 3,300 mAh you'll find in its predecessor, coupled with the company's own super-quick Dash Charging tech. You should be able to get a day's worth of use easy on a single charge, and can go from zero to nothing in about an hour.

The best deal in smartphones

It's true that the 5T is mostly a refinement over its predecessor — but that's to be expected, given the fact that it's only been about six months since the OnePlus 5 hit the market. And besides, that was a great phone that's been made even better. Sure, the 5T isn't for those who need a phone to impress the neighbors, but you're certainly not going to find a better deal for the price.

And given all of the stumbles companies like Google and Samsung have had attempting to stay on the bleeding edge, there's also something to be said for not being too eager to be the first one to embrace a technology — or drop a headphone jack.

Source: OnePlus 5T makes the best deal in smartphones even better

Samsung's best phones of the year are on sale for Black Friday

Getty Images

DJ Koh, president of mobile communications business at Samsung, holds up the new Samsung Galaxy Note 8 smartphone during a launch event for the new product, August 23, 2017.

Samsung's best phones of the year, including the Galaxy Note 8, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+, are all on sale for Black Friday.

Amazon knocked $150 off of unlocked models of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, which are available for $575 and $675, respectively. Amazon is also selling Samsung's newest flagship device, the Galaxy Note 8, for $780. Best Buy also has similar discounts on all three models.

The unlocked versions of Samsung's smartphones allow customers to pay full price for the phone and then use it on the carrier of their choice without having to sign a contract. U.S. wireless carriers also sell the phones at a discount if users sign up for a cellular plan.

CNBC praised both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8 in our reviews of the phones earlier this year. The devices are relatively similar, though the Galaxy Note 8 has a larger display, more advanced cameras and an S Pen stylus.

For more on Black Friday discounts, check out CNBC's guide to getting the best deals on Apple and Microsoft products on Black Friday.

Source: Samsung's best phones of the year are on sale for Black Friday

Samsung's next flagship smartphone may make an early appearance in January

Samsung's DJ Koh at the Galaxy S8's launch event.Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Samsung's next high-end smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, may come earlier than usual.

They may make their first appearance as early as next January, at Las Vegas' Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

They will reportedly be "iterative" devices, but still pack some new stuff, with a focus on power and overall polish.

Samsung's new flagship smartphones for the first half of 2018 are already on their way, and may make a super-early appearance at next January's CES.

The original report, from VentureBeat, mentions that the tentatively named "Galaxy S9" and "Galaxy S9+" will only be "iterative" devices, largely building on the noteworthy, trend-launching, almost bezel-less designs of this year's S8 duo.

The S9 and S9+ are named "Star 1" and "Star 2" internally, and will reportedly feature the same 5.8- and 6.2-inch Quad HD, AMOLED displays of their respective predecessors.

Processors will apparently get a notable speed boost, however, moving the more energy-efficient 10-nanometer manufacturing process — strongly hinting at Qualcomm's forthcoming Snapdragon 845, likely in conjunction with a new, in-house made Exynos counterpart for non-US markets.

The added power will also reportedly be coupled with 6GB of RAM, like on the more recent Note 8, as opposed to the 4GB its predecessors had, to better compete with Apple's increasingly powerful A-line series and stay ahead of the competition in the Android space.

VentureBeat's sources also say that 64GB of onboard storage will come in the base model, and the microSD card slot will remain, alongside the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The camera will change, instead, moving to a dual lens, vertically aligned setup (like on the iPhone X) that moves the fingerprint reader closer to the middle of the device's back, in response to the numerous complaints Samsung received with the S8, S8+, and even the Note 8.

Last but not least is DeX, Samsung's system that allows the S8 to function as a desktop workstation by plugging it into a monitor and keyboard with the support of a custom accessory. The new docking station will keep the phone in a flat position, VentureBeat says, and "utilise the screen as either a touchpad or a virtual keyboard."

NOW WATCH: What happens when vegetarians eat meat for the first time
Source: Samsung's next flagship smartphone may make an early appearance in January

Flagship Xiaomi models up for grabs from Lightinthebox

Xiaomi phones are probably the most close to anything resembling the "safe choice" and especially their flagship models are just great in that regard. Always among the most affordable real flagship hardware models and today we have for you both the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and Mi 6 with some sweet prices slapped on them from the Lightinthebox e-shop.

There is no need to introduce the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, because the second generation of the phone that shaped the majority of the current mobil market can just speak for itself. Cutting edge specs with Snapdragon 835, 6 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM, 12MP Sony IMX386 camera with 4-axis OIS, 18:9 5.99-inch FHD+ display, 3400 mAh battery, ceramic body, Global LTE support or the real full screen design ? What else would you want from the phone, especially with price as low as $455.58/ €409.42.

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is yet another sure-fire choice for a flagship phone with uncompromising specs. Slightly smaller than the current average phones with only 5.15-inch display with more traditional 16:9 FHD screen it packs just the same punch with Snapdragon 835, 6 GB RAM, 64GB of internal storage, dual 12MP cameras with 4-axis OIS, 3350 mAh battery capacity, four-sided curved glass/ceramic body and more. Up for grabs for mere $341.97/ €307.05.

So which one would be your choice for the next flagship to get ?

Related

I'm an avid gamer and a bit of a Ninja when it comes to gadgets and technology. When I'm not busy with the latest Android and iOS games and I can be found writing at Gizchina.com.

Source: Flagship Xiaomi models up for grabs from Lightinthebox

OnePlus 5T is one tough smartphone, able to withstand scratches, bending, and burning

The OnePlus 5T is a pretty tough smartphone, able to withstand scratches from all but the sharpest edges and refuses to snap when bent.

Testing by serial flagship smartphone torturer YouTuber JerryRigEverything, the OnePlus 5T, the successor to the OnePlus 5, appears to be well made and more than tough enough to withstand the rigours of everyday life.

It took a good deal of effort to scratch the handset's Corning Gorilla Glass 5 equipped AMOLED display. The lack of a home button, due to the OnePlus 5T accommodating a larger screen than its predecessor, means there's less to be damaged at the front of handset, with the front-facing camera and earpiece standing up to solid probing with a Stanley knife like blade.

When exposed to a flame from a cigarette lighter, the OnePlus 5T's display can hold its own for 20 seconds before a white spot appears that cannot be removed.

The phone's rear is pretty tough as well thanks to its use of anodised aluminium with a coating of hard aluminium oxide that acts as an abrasive layer to objects that rub against it; the back panel is more likely to damage keys and similar metal objects than get scratched by them.

However, JerryRigEverything noted that the layer of oxide is quite thin, meaning it can be chipped off from drops or scraped off if you happen to take a razor blade to the phone; we don't suggest you try that.

The rear fingerprint scanner and camera modules are tough as well, withstanding scratching from a razor blade edge, meaning the most important parts of the phone's rear are tough enough to resist scratches and any detrimental damage.

When attempting to bend the handset, JerryRigEverything found that despite it having a little give, the phone didn't bend permanently or break.

There's no water resistance for the OnePlus 5T so that could be its weak spot when compared to other flagship phones. But the handset is significantly cheaper than the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Google's Pixel 2, so for the money it appears to be a well-made, durable Android phone.

Related: Best Black Friday deals

Does the lack of water resistance put you off the OnePlus 5T? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: OnePlus 5T is one tough smartphone, able to withstand scratches, bending, and burning

Honor V10 leaked specs hint at a last-minute 2017 flagship

With the launch of the OnePlus 5T, you might presume that all the 2017 racehorses have been accounted for. Prepare to make a recount, because the Honor V10 has yet to be announced next week. Although relatively less known than its parent company Huawei, the Honor V10 could make you think twice. Because, for all intents and purposes, the Honor V10 will rank together with the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, give or take some differences, like the price tag.

The lines dividing Huawei and its sub-brand are starting to blur. Once content with mostly mid-range and less expensive smartphone, Honor has recently put out models that can stand tall beside a Huawei flagship. The Honor V10 is perhaps the closest it has gotten so far.

According to leaked specs and firmware, the V10 will sport a 5.9-inch screen with a resolution of 2160×1080. That's the same 18:9 display on the Mate 10 Pro. In fact, the Honor smartphone will even run on that same Huawei Kirin 970, with the company's boasted Neural Processing Unit, paired with 6 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. It even has a 3.5 mm headphone jack that the Mate 10 Pro lacks.

Something's got give, right? Sort of. The bezel-less, all-metal unibody Honor V10, for example, doesn't have waterproofing and carries a smaller 3,750 battery. It's dual cameras, 16 and 20 megapixels, won't carry the Leica branding. There is still some confusion on whether the front camera will be 8 megapixel, which is what China's TENAA says, or 13 megapixels, according to some other leaks.

Given the similarity between the Huawei Mate 10 Pro and the Honor V10, it will all boil down to availability. Not all markets will have both smartphones available, and Huawei might have an upper hand in the US via AT&T. And in places where both are indeed available, it will be a matter of which one has the best bang for buck proposition. The Honor V10 is expected to be unveiled in China on November 28 before it debuts in London on December 5.

VIA: XDA

Source: Honor V10 leaked specs hint at a last-minute 2017 flagship

Poll results: The smartphone edges out the PC

The latest flagships from Samsung and Huawei both feature methods to connect them to PC peripherals and use them as a PC. We asked our readers if they felt comfortable ditching the desktop and using their smartphone for all their computing needs. 

Modern flagship phones are becoming more powerful with each successive generation, and are now more than capable of taking care of most people's daily computing needs such as web browsing, multimedia and word processing. Now that the best of them can also connect to your keyboard and desktop monitor, it seems like they are even closer to usurping the traditional home PC.

Samsung uses its DeX dock to connect the S8, S8+ or Note 8 to PC peripherals, and the Huawei Mate 10 Pro doesn't even need a dock to perform quite effectively as a desktop. We asked you whether you would use your smartphone as your main computer and the results surprised us.

A divisive topic. / © AndroidPIT

A narrow majority use their smartphone as their main computer, with people chiming in to confirm that they either very rarely or even never use a desktop PC. This phenomenon isn't just limited to users with the latest high-end phablets either, but some enthusiasts have barely touched a PC in years.

For the majority of users, a best-of-both-words situation may be approaching where phablets are powerful enough for all day to day tasks, and easy connection to desktop peripherals and smart home devices may render the classic old PC tower obsolete. Even laptops may find themselves in a disappearing niche as mobile powerhouses catch up to the mid-range notebooks in hardware.

Of course, many users that require powerful tech, such as hardcore gamers, video editors and so on, won't be able to fit all the hardware they need into their hand. At a near 50-50 split even among a community of mobile enthusiasts, it looks like the handset still remains more of a companion for the personal computer, but it is increasingly the main focus of the ordinary person's tech use. With devices like the Mate 10 Pro being easily able to connect to monitor, keyboard, and other peripherals, we could see the home PC sidelined even further.

What do you think? Are smartphones that can adapt to desktop use the future?

Source: Poll results: The smartphone edges out the PC

iPhone X ‘Hack’ Brings Windows 95 And SimCity 2000 To Apple’s 2017 Flagship [Video]

By Oliver Haslam | November 19th, 2017

Sometimes we see things that take our breath away, and sometimes we see things that make us scratch our heads. In rare cases we see things that make us do both of those things, and this is most definitely one of those cases, because what we have right here is an iPhone X, apparently running Windows 95.

That's not all, either, because as a result of running Windows 95 it also seems to be capable of launching Microsoft Word and, amazingly, SimCity.

The video, available on YouTube and with a surprisingly small number of views – 297 – at the time of writing this, is published by YouTuber "Hacking Jules." Through the course of almost five minutes it shows an iPhone X being used to start Windows 95, with touch gestures working as you might expect and an on-screen cursor interacted with by swiping around the desktop. Launching SimCity works as you might expect, and the use of Word even includes an on-screen keyboard and successful text input.

Jules says that this is all made possible thanks to PowerDOS emulation, and to be absolutely honest we now just want to see a video of the iPhone X running Doom or anything else from our childhood, although SimCity 2000 is still perhaps the best version of that game, period. Excellent choice there, Jules!

The idea of an iPhone or iPad running an ancient version of Windows is not new, but this is the first time we have seen an iPhone X used for such a feat. There is something beautiful about a 20-year-old version of Microsoft's operating system running on a 2017 flagship smartphone, though we suspect Steve Jobs would see things differently!

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Source: iPhone X 'Hack' Brings Windows 95 And SimCity 2000 To Apple's 2017 Flagship [Video]

Smartphone Shipments Up, Tablet Shipments Down in the Third Quarter

IDG's mobile device shipment estimates for last quarter are  stark reminder of consumers' priorities. The tea leaf readers revealed earlier this month that global smartphone shipments rose 2.7% in the third quarter, 373.1 million units, while at the same time tablet shipments fell 5.4%, to 40 million units.

As you can see in the following chart, four of the top tablet makers all gained market share last quarter. Samsung did not, but it still held on to second place.

"There's a penchant for low-cost slates and this holds true even for premium vendors like Apple," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. "However, many of these low-cost slates are simply long-awaited replacements for consumers as first-time buyers are becoming harder to find and the overall installed base for these devices declines further in the coming years."

In the smartphone market, all five of the major smartphone makers increased shipments while Samsung continued to take the top spot.

"As much of the focus has been on the wide range of high-profile flagship smartphones launched or announced in Q3, it is also important to look at what is happening with the rest of the industry," said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. "Collectively, the industry continues to grow, but at a much slower pace than past years. What is clear is that the 'Others' outside of the top 5 leading vendors continue to struggle and the industry leaders are quickly forming two camps. First, those able to drive significant volumes at the high end, which right now is basically Samsung, Apple, and Huawei, despite high-profile launches from Google, Essential, LG, and others. Second, a few other Chinese OEMs that are making tremendous headway outside of the China domestic market."

Check These Out!

Source: Smartphone Shipments Up, Tablet Shipments Down in the Third Quarter

Hands-on: The OnePlus 5T closes the flagship gap with tiny bezels and better photos

When the OnePlus 5 arrived earlier this year, it was the closest the company had ever come to its original 'flagship killer' mantra. But for many potential buyers, there was one thing holding it back in after a year full of excellent smartphones: Bezels.

Cue the OnePlus 5T.

After months of rumors and speculation, the OnePlus 5T is now official, and it's looking to close the gap with the likes of Samsung, Apple, and Google's flagships, but at a much lower price. It'll start at $499 when it goes on sale November 21.

I've had the chance to play with it for a few days as I work towards my full review. Unlike last year's 3T, the OnePlus 5T doesn't come with a more powerful processor, but it does introduce a couple of important tweaks. Here's the key spec bullet points:

6-inch 1080p, 18:9 AMOLED display (2160 x 1080)

Dual F1.7 rear cameras – now the same focal length

Snapdragon 835

6 GB/8GB of LPDDR4X RAM

64/128 GB Storage

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Bluetooth 5.0

3,300 mAh battery with Dash Charge

So about them bezels. They're small, and that's great; it helps the OnePlus 5T look much more like a proper 2017 flagship. As such, the fingerprint sensor returned to the back of the phone to make way for the display, but I prefer that location anyway. The phone itself feels very similar to the regular OnePlus 5, occupying the same overall footprint, just a little bit thinner and taller.

It's a pretty great panel too. Though the resolution is 'only' 1080p and is therefore a bit fuzzier than a QHD display, colors are vibrant with support for the DCI-P3 color gamuts. OnePlus default calibration is excellent, balancing saturated colors with accuracy, but you can tweak it towards something more to your liking in display settings. The company also says it's improved readability in sunlight by dynamically adjusting contrast – a useful feature that Samsung and other have been doing for a few years.

(Side-note: OnePlus continues to have by far the best default wallpapers on any phone.)

The camera is the other notable change, with OnePlus replacing the telephoto lens for another F1.7 lens with the same focal length as the primary shooter. OnePlus decided it was better to focus on low light photography, and it says the additional detail from the secondary camera (which is 20 MP, rather than 16MP), makes it about as sharp as the old telephoto lens. We'll have to see how these hold up with further scrutiny, but at first glance low light photography seems to be an improvement over the OnePlus 5.

Then there's the disappointing bit: The OnePlus 5T ships with Nougat. The Oreo beta shouldn't be too far off – it's already being tested on the 3 and 3T, but it's nevertheless a little unfortunate that OnePlus couldn't bring Oreo at launch.

Still, the company has made some tweaks to the software for the 5T. You can now unlock the phone with your face for instance. It works works impressively fast, but it's not meant for serious security and can't authenticate payments. There's also now a 'parallel apps' mode which lets you run two instances of an app – say, if you want to use different accounts.

Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as the OnePlus 5, which is a good thing. OxygenOS is still a tasteful take on stock-ish, Android, it's still blazing fast, and there's still the excellent alert slider. Assuming battery life and performance hold up to further scrutiny, OnePlus will likely be right up there with 2017's best bezel-less flagships – at nearly half the price.

Read next: Why brands are getting serious about targeted content

Source: Hands-on: The OnePlus 5T closes the flagship gap with tiny bezels and better photos

Leaked Windows on ARM benchmarks show it failing to match smartphone performance

Last December Microsoft announced that a partnership with Qualcomm would see the creation of Windows 10 laptops powered by the chip maker's flagship Snapdragon 835 processor. The devices are supposed to offer exceptional battery life without any significant performance downgrade. But while the former appears true, there are some question marks over the latter claim.

German site Winfuture.de discovered leaked benchmarks on Geekbench's website under the name Qualcomm CLS. There are numbers for 32-bit versions of both Windows 10 S and Windows 10 Pro, with some listings showing a device featuring 8GB of RAM and powered by an octa-core processor clocked between 1.9GHz and 2.2GHz. The highest score is 1202 for Geekbench's single-core benchmark, while the multi-core score is 4068.

As noted by MSPowerUser, those figures are way below what an i3-8100 CPU can achieve in the same benchmarks: 3692 single-core and 11860 multi-core. What's even more concerning is that they're also lagging behind Android devices powered by the same Snapdragon 835, which usually score over 2200 for single-core tests and have multi-core results over 7700.

To be fair to Microsoft, the numbers likely come from a pre-release machine that hasn't been fully optimized, so the final devices—set to launch in the next few weeks—will almost certainly be an improvement.

The fact Windows on ARM uses emulation technology means it's never going to match the performance of standard x86 processors, but the devices could still find a position in the market, especially if the price is right and claims of multi-day battery life turn out to be accurate.

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Source: Leaked Windows on ARM benchmarks show it failing to match smartphone performance

Here’s why I think Nokia 8 is the top choice for a mid-range flagship smartphone

When HMD Global announced its first lineup of Nokia smartphones at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, the budget devices – Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and Nokia 6 – were underwhelming. Some of them were fine devices, but they were only a timid representation of what the Nokia brand was.

And then came the Nokia 8, the company's flagship smartphone that we all deserved, and needed.

The Nokia 8 doesn't attempt to dazzle you with any design shenanigans. Instead, it goes for a safe, minimalist design – some may even call it boring. The design aesthetics of the Nokia 8 are divisive, but I'm in the camp that really likes the clean, refined look. It has a definite Scandinavian, or maybe that's just our Nokia hangover, feel to it.

Not every smartphone needs to break new ground in terms of design – Mi MIX 2 does that quite well, OnePlus 5 doesn't even bother – but an understated elegance with solid build quality and brilliant ergonomics can in no way not impress a lot of discerning users.

Carved out of a single block of series 6000 aluminum, the Nokia 8 offers a slim 7.9 mm chassis with rounded sides and curved edges which makes it a delight to hold. HMD Global seems to continue the legacy of solid construction of Nokia devices, and the Nokia 8 too gives you that assurance when you grip it.

While the world has moved on to bezel-less displays with 18:9 aspect ratio, Nokia 8 once again plays safe with a 5.3-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440) IPS LCD screen. While it doesn't aim to stand out from the crowd, it delivers one of the best displays out there, despite not being an AMOLED panel.

Once again, the display on the Nokia 8 is a testimonial of the fact that if basics are done right, sometimes the result is more impressive than what eclectic experiments yield. The display boasts of accurate color reproduction and is quite vivid. The text and images are sharp, and the viewing angles are on point with no color shift even at extreme angles. The brightness of the display is impressive, and at 700 nits, sunlight viewing is great. There's also Gorilla Glass 5 for scratch protection.

While the display is one of the highlights of the Nokia 8 and watching videos or gaming on it is a treat, the significant bezels on the left and right and above and below the screen make it look dated. It enables practical ergonomics, but form over function or vice versa is a subjective debate and a matter of individual preference.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor paired with 4 GB of RAM, Nokia 8 delivers snappy performance across the board. It also indicates how 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM is mostly an overkill if the hardware is optimized well to deliver fast and fluid Android experience.

Nokia 8 can easily take anything thrown at it with aplomb – be it everyday multitasking or hardcore graphic-intensive gaming sessions. Even after a month of extensive use, there has been no stuttering or lags while navigating through the UI.

One of the reasons behind that smooth performance is also that Nokia 8 runs on stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with no bloatware or unnecessary gimmicks. HMD Global has promised monthly security updates for its entire lineup of devices, as well as an upgrade to Android 8.0 Oreo by the end of the year.

The 3,090 mAh battery on the Nokia 8 is just good enough on the specifications sheet, but in real-world usage, it manages to squeeze in extra juice than what one would expect. Even on heavy usage, the phone consistently offers a full day of battery life, if not more. Then there's also support for Quick Charge 3.0 for fast charging.

The company claims that the Nokia 8 packs in an elaborate heat management solution with a copper pipe running from the upper right corner of the device to the lower left. It is filled with liquid that evaporates in the middle and condenses when it is carried to the edges, and this continuous cycle carries heat away from the main components. There's also a graphite layer that transfers the heat to the aluminum body uniformly, thereby getting a larger surface area to dissipate the heat.

There's no way to see how that works, except take the company's word and infer from the evidence that the Nokia 8 never gets warm even after long gaming sessions or extended use of Google Maps for navigation in a long commute.

Nokia's association with Carl ZEISS has given us some iconic smartphones that made the company an absolute leader in smartphone imaging. HMD Global wants to emulate that success and has again partnered with Carl ZEISS to power the optics on the Nokia 8 – both front and back.

Imaging is also the only department where the Nokia 8 keeps up with the latest trend – that of dual cameras. The rear camera setup includes a 13 MP RGB sensor with optical image stabilization and a 13 MP monochrome sensor, along with a dual-LED flash. The secondary sensor allows capturing images with depth of field effects and improves low light photography.

In good lighting conditions, Nokia 8 manages to capture sharp images with no noise. The colors are natural, contrast is on point, and there's good amount of details. In low light, some amount of noise creeps it although the details are still sufficient. It's no Pixel in low light, but a pretty good and reliable camera for the price. There are few issues like the shutter lag, but none that cannot be taken care of with a software update down the line.

On its own, the monochrome sensor can take some great black and white shots with striking contrast and details, especially in daylight.

The 13 MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture on the Nokia 8 is an unexpected highlight, and clearly best in class. You'd manage to click some great selfies with accurate color reproduction.

That brings us to the highlight of the Nokia 8 – Bothie. The bizarre naming aside, it's actually a nifty feature. Like many, I was quite dismissive of it initially – especially because of the awkward name but warmed up to it once I started using the Nokia 8.

Technically called Dual-Sight mode (a fine name, this), the feature allows you to use the front and rear camera at the same time in a split screen view. It's interesting to click photos of your pets or kids and capturing your reactions while doing so at the same time. You can also record and stream (on YouTube and Facebook) videos in similar scenarios or when you're recording yourself letting your hair down at a concert or doing an interview with someone across the table. As the marketing pitch correctly points out, sometimes it makes for a better capture than a selfie. Sometimes. Like selfies.

Nokia 8 allows you to record videos (up to 4K) with Nokia OZO spatial 360° audio technology that records surround sound via its three high dynamic range microphones. I'm not an audiophile to judge the specifics, but it does offer an excellent immersive audio experience.

While Nokia 8 claims to runs 'pure Android', it is near-stock because of the customizations of the Camera app to accommodate the dual camera setup. The app is set to capture photos in 'Twin' mode by default which you can change to 'Color' or 'Mono' if you so desire.

Overall, the Nokia 8 is a well-rounded package with top-notch performance, an understated elegance, and a darn good camera. All that at the price of a mid-range flagship where it competes with the likes of Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, OnePlus 5, and Honor 8 Pro – each one with more than one standout features. Yet, it is the only one in the segment that offers pure and up-to-date Android experience.

At ₹36,999 ($565) in India, Nokia is a reliable smartphone that you can't go wrong with. It doesn't dazzle you, and some would say that HMD Global has played too safe with no unique differentiation. Yet, with all those phones on my table, I picked the Nokia 8 to use as my primary device well beyond the review period. It's a balanced amalgamation of form and function.

Nokia 8 is a device that fans of the Finnish brand of the past had asked for. It is just the right device for a discerning professional who wants a solid smartphone that just works. Nokia 8 is not cutting-edge but does everything right.

Source: Here's why I think Nokia 8 is the top choice for a mid-range flagship smartphone

iPhone 8 vs iPhone X: Which of Apple's flagship phones should you buy?

The highly anticipated iPhone X has finally arrived, and many Apple fans have been holding off from upgrading until they can get their hands on the new device.

The iPhone X is Apple's new top-of-the-range handset, featuring an edge-to-edge OLED display and a new "TrueDepth" selfie camera which enables users to unlock their phone with just a look.

However, the company also recently released the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, both of which sport premium features such as a new glass and aluminium design, an A11 "Bionic" chip and wireless charging.

This is possibly Apple's most confusing iPhone line-up to date, so if you're wondering which handset to go for, check out our comparison of the key features below.

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Design From left to right: the iPhone 8, iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus (Image: iDrop news)

All of Apple's new iPhones are made from reinforced glass on both the front and back, with a metal band around the edge binding the two sides together.

In the case of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, this band is made from aluminium, whereas the iPhone X's band is made from a highly polished, surgical-grade stainless steel.

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are roughly the same size as the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus respectively. The iPhone 8 measures 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm, while the iPhone 8 Plus measures 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm.

Read More

Due to the glass back, both are slightly heavier than their predecessors, with the iPhone 8 weighing 148g (compared to 138g for the iPhone 7), and the iPhone 8 Plus weighing 202g (compared to 188g for the iPhone 7 Plus).

The iPhone X sits between the two, measuring 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm and weighing 174g.

iPhone X (Image: Getty Images North America)

While the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus retain the Home button and TouchID fingerprint reader at the bottom of the screen, Apple has removed this altogether on the iPhone X.

This means, if you opt for the iPhone X, you won't be able to use your fingerprint to verify your identity or carry out transactions using Apple Pay.

It's also worth noting that none of the new iPhone have a headphone jack, but all of them come with an adaptor in the box, allowing you to plug your wired headphones into the Lightning (charging) port.

All of the devices are dust proof and water resistant to a depth of one metre for up to 30 minutes.

Read More Display

Physically, the most noticeable difference between the iPhone 8/8 Plus and the iPhone X is the display.

iPhone 8

The displays on the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the same dimensions as the 7 and 7 Plus. The iPhone 8 has a 4.7-inch display with a 65.6% screen-to-body ratio, and the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5-inch display with a 67.7% screen-to-body ratio.

Despite being smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus, the iPhone X has a larger display - measuring 5.8 inches diagonally. That's because its screen-to-body ratio is 81.5%.

In other words, the display stretches almost to the edges of the phone, with virtually no bezels around the edge.

Read More

That means the iPhone X's display is more stretched than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, compared to the standard 16:9.

Apple hasn't quite managed to make the display cover the whole of the front of the iPhone X - there's a black "notch" at the top of the screen to disguise the speaker and selfie camera.

iPhone X has an edge-to-edge display

As a result, the usable area of the screen is about 18.5:9 in aspect ratio - the same as Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8.

Of course, most films and TV shows are still shot in a 16:9 aspect ratio, so you may find the screen area is cropped anyway when you watch a video.

The other important thing to note is that the iPhone X has an OLED display, while the 8 and 8 Plus both have LCD displays.

OLED displays generally considered to be superior because, rather than requiring a backlight, an OLED-based screen lights up individual pixels when necessary.

This translates to blacker blacks and brighter whites, lower power consumption and faster response times compared to LCD displays.

Read More Cameras iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 has a single 12MP rear camera, while both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X have 12MP dual-lens cameras on the back of the phone.

The dual cameras look slightly different - the two lenses are arranged horizontally on the iPhone 8 Plus and vertically on the iPhone X - but they are essentially the same, offering optical zoom, digital zoom up to 10x, "portrait mode" for creating a depth effect and "portrait lighting" for special lighting effects.

All of the rear cameras feature also autofocus, optical image stabilisation, exposure control, noise reduction 4K video recording, and Quad-LED True Tone flash.

iPhone X dual-lens camera

The real difference between the iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone X is in the forward-facing selfie cameras.

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus both have standard 7MP selfie cameras, while the iPhone X has what Apple describes as a "TrueDepth" camera system, combining a dot projector, infrared camera and flood illuminator.

These advanced depth-sensing technologies work together with the iPhone X's A11 chip to map and recognise the user's face, allowing them to securely unlock the iPhone, gain access to secure apps, and verify their identity for Apple Pay with just a look.

Read More

It's not yet clear how well this "FaceID" technology works - Apple's demo of the feature during its September launch event wasn't exactly seamless. But the idea is that FaceID will replace TouchID for iPhone X users.

The TrueDepth technology also enables users to create Animojis - 3D, live rendered emojis, which track your facial expressions and create animated characters to use in Messages.

Animojis on the iPhone X (Image: Daily Mirror) Power and battery life

All of Apple's new iPhones run on Apple's own six-core A11 "Bionic" chip, which the company claims is the most powerful ever in a smartphone.

The iPhone 8 has 2GB of RAM, and the iPhone 8 Plus and X both have 3GB of RAM. All three models are available with a choice of 64GB or 256GB of internal storage - with no option to expand that via a microSD card.

Read More

All of the phones have built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The iPhone 8 has a 1821 mAh battery, the iPhone 8 Plus has a 2691 mAh battery, and the iPhone X has a 2716 mAh battery.

While the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus last about the same amount of time as the 7 and 7 Plus respectively, the iPhone X lasts up to 2 hours longer than iPhone 7, according to Apple.

Thanks to the new glass designs, all of the new phone support wireless charging using the Qi standard. However, wireless chargers must be purchased separately.

The iPhone X supports wireless charging (Image: REX/Shutterstock) Software

All of the new iPhone run Apple's latest operating system, iOS 11 , featuring new interactive and multimedia experiences, like looping live videos and augmented reality apps.

iOS 11 also includes an overhauled version of its Siri voice assistant, with a more natural voice and a new visual interface that offers suggestions based on personal usage of apps such as Safari, News, Mail and Messages.

Read More

The App Store has also been completely overhauled to make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to discover new apps and games.

Of course, iOS 11 is already available for iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 2 and later and iPod touch 6th generation, so you can try it out on an old iPhone before buying.

iOS 11 Price

For many Apple fans, price will be the deciding factor when it comes to choosing between the new iPhone models.

Prices start at £699 for the 64GB iPhone 8, going up to £849 for the 256GB version.

The iPhone 8 Plus comes with a price tag of £799 for the 64GB version and £949 for 256GB.

Unsurprisingly, the iPhone X is significantly more expensive, starting at £999 for the 64GB version and going up to £1,149 for the 256GB model.

Read More Verdict iPhone X display (Image: Daily Mirror)

If you're the kind of person who has to have the most cutting-edge technology as soon as it's available, it's all about the iPhone X - the stunning edge-to-edge screen and innovative TrueDepth camera will give you plenty to show off about.

On the other hand, are these two features worth an extra £200 to you? Because they are the only advantages the iPhone X has over the iPhone 8 Plus.

If you're mainly interested in the brilliant dual-lens camera, you can get that with the iPhone 8 Plus for significantly less money. And if you just want a powerful iPhone is fast, powerful and fits in your pocket, then the iPhone 8 is more than adequate.

It's really a matter if personal taste, but if the rather muted response to the release of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus last month are anything to go by, lots of people are holding out for Apple's premium device.

Source: iPhone 8 vs iPhone X: Which of Apple's flagship phones should you buy?