By using this service and related content, you agree to the use of cookies for analytics, personalised content and ads.
You are using an older browser version. Please use a supported version for the best MSN experience.UP NEXT
How This Design Firm Is Revolutionizing Experiences
This week Apple unveiled a facial recognition feature called Face ID to be included on its high-end iPhone X. The company explained that the device uses a combination of light projection and an infrared camera to create a 3-D map of a user's face.
Apple has used biometrics on its devices since 2013, when it announced the iPhone 5s would include a fingerprint scanner to support its then-new Touch ID security protocol.
But Apple is actually a bit late to the game with Face ID. Rival manufacturer Samsung's flagship Galaxy S8—which was released in the US in April—includes facial and iris recognition technology, along with a fingerprint scanner, something noticeably absent from the iPhone X.
The announcement sparked more than a few responses that raised some potential security pitfalls of Apple's facial recognition technology. Unfortunately for those wary of the supposed infallibility of biometrics, there's some bad news.
New research from Acuity Market Intelligence found that biometric technology will soon be ubiquitous on smartphones. The firm projects that nearly two-thirds of smartphones shipped worldwide this year will feature some sort of biometric capability. But it also estimates that by 2019, all smartphones worldwide will ship with biometric technology embedded in them.
Fingerprint scanners are now a commonplace feature on Android devices, where the technology has migrated downmarket from flagship devices to midtier offerings. In fact, Acuity Market Intelligence kept track of smartphone models that offered biometrics, but gave up on the practice in January 2017 after the number topped 500.
Wearables and tablets will be slower to adopt biometric technology, however. Acuity Market Intelligence estimates that just 41.2% of tablets will have biometric capabilities this year, while 54.5% of wearables will host the technology.
But the research firm expects biometric technology will become ubiquitous on those devices by 2020.
In many cases consumers leery of using biometrics to unlock their devices can opt out of the feature by relying on a pin code or some other security protocol. And there's some data to suggest that a sizable number of smartphone users might do just that.
A recent survey from online payments firm Paysafe found that 40% of respondents in the US, UK and Canada thought biometrics were too risky to be used to process payments. Another 24% were uncomfortable with biometrics, but expected some merchants would compel their use.
—Rahul Chadha
As we approach the end of 2017, we have witnessed some exciting smartphone launches in the past few months. While it was already speculated that this year was going to big year for the smartphone market, many companies have tried to strengthen their foothold with flagship models along with several other mid-range handsets.
However, the smartphone industry is constanly evolving with new innovations and smartphone manufacturers will continue to design and develop premium and highly capable smartphones. Moreover, the handset makers these days seem to be focused on making devices that are just going to be the best version of their own.
SEE ALSO: Smartphones expected to launch soon in India
The competition factor and the zeal to capture larger market share with enticing products will further push handset makers to come up with a lot of new products. And as these devices are launched they will create a great buzz in the technology world with their impressive features, awesome quality, and the uniqueness.
While the days ahead look to be exciting, we've rounded up the upcoming rumoured premium smartphones for 2018. The list contains smartphones from brands like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, HTC, Motorola and OnePlus. So you can read on below to find more about the smartphones.
Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!
Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!
Note: All smartphones names and specs are just imagined by writer.
Apple pushed wireless charging as a flagship feature in the reveal of its latest iPhone 8 and iPhone X phones at the event yesterday, but there are also battery improvements for customers who don't mind using a cable.
iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X support fast charging. You can go from 0 to 50% charge in 30 minutes … but you need an Apple USB-C charger and Lightning cable (sold separately).
On its tech specs page, Apple says both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus batteries can be topped up to half capacity in half an hour, if started with a fully drained battery.
iPhone 8 battery life is roughly equivalent to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. On a full charge, expect up to 12 hours of internet usage on iPhone 8 and iPhone X, with up to 13 hours on iPhone 8 Plus.
With a 50% quick charge in 30 minutes, you are effectively gaining hours of additional battery life during the day, even if you only plug in for a short period.
However, to take advantage of fast-charging, you cannot use the Lightning to USB-A cable that is bundled in the box. Fast charging requires a USB-C to Lightning cable and the USB-C wall charger.
More specifically, one of three USB-C wall chargers. Apple sells 29W, 61W and 87W variants of its USB-C power adapters. Prices range from $49 to $79.
Apple doesn't break out specific numbers on how each model affects charging times, it's not clear if the cheapest 29W model can achieve the advertised 50% recharge in 30 minutes.
As always, Apple warns actual recharge times vary on many conditions, so it might take slightly longer than 30 minutes in some cases. Regardless, it's nice to see Apple finally add fast charging features to the iPhone lineup even if the accessories don't come in the box.
Apple laid claim to the future of the smartphone Tuesday with a 10th anniversary iPhone X, featuring facial recognition unlocking and other refinements, touting the device as the next generation of mobile computing.
The iPhone X was one of three new iPhone models unveiled at the first event at Apple's new "spaceship" campus, as the California tech giant sought to spark fresh momentum in a global smartphone market seeing slowing growth and tougher competition.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook, speaking at the first event at the new campus theater named for late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, said the newest flagship handset is a milestone for the company a decade after the first iPhone release.
"Ten years later, it is only fitting that we are here in this place, on this day to reveal a product that will set the path for technology for the next decade," Cook said, calling the iPhone X "the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone."
The iPhone X has an edge-to-edge 5.8-inch (14.7-centimeter) "super retina" display that has improved resolution, and uses facial recognition to unlock the device.
The $1,000 iPhone
Apple upped the ante by boosting the starting price of the new handset to $999 for US customers. It will be available starting November 3 in more than 50 markets.
Apple also unveiled a new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which offer more modest improvements over their predecessors and will sell later this month at starting prices of $699 and $799, respectively.
All three new handsets will be capable of wireless charging and are adapted for augmented reality with more powerful processors and cameras.
Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple Philip Schiller speaks about the iPhone X during a media event at Apple's new headquarters in Cupertino, CaliforniaThe unveiling comes with Apple seeking to recapture the magic of the first iPhone release in 2007 as it struggles to maintain market share.
Analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategies called the new flagship iPhone X "an engineering marvel, especially when compared to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8."
Moorhead said the handset "is not just a late copy of the competition. Apple did it their way by perfecting the experience, and on their timeframe. "
Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research called the iPhone X "a far bigger upgrade" than previous devices, but questioned whether Apple was stretching its market too thin.
The new iPhone X—pronounced 10—"is going to be the object of desire for many users, and the challenge for Apple will be whether they've done enough to make the iPhone 8 range compelling," Dawson said in a blog post.
"What Apple doesn't want is for people to want the best but not be able to afford it and therefore hold onto their existing phones rather than buying what they consider second best."
For the 10th anniversary model, Apple developed what it called an A11 Bionic chip and uses its FaceID to unlock, authenticate and pay via the Apple Pay mobile payments system.
Improving the display
Apple is touting the edge-to-edge OLED display—the organic light-emitting diodes used in high-end televisions—as the key design feature to win over customers.
Apple claims its smartwatch is now the world's best selling watch, and on Tuesday unveiled an upgraded version with mobile connectivity"For more than a decade, our intention has been to create an iPhone that is all display," Apple chief designer Jony Ive said in a statement. "The iPhone X is the realization of that vision."
The iPhone 8 models use the same chip and are made with "aerospace-grade aluminum" and "with the most durable glass ever in a smartphone," according to Apple.
These will be upgrades of the iPhone 7 models released last year with screens of 4.7 and 5.5 inches.
Apple's success with the iPhone has transformed it into the world's most valuable company, but it is struggling to keep its share of an increasingly competitive smartphone market.
Chinese electronics colossus Huawei passed Apple in global smartphone sales for the first time in June and July, taking second place behind South Korean giant Samsung, according to market tracker Counterpoint Research.
Samsung last month unveiled a new model of its Galaxy Note as it seeks to move past the debacle over exploding batteries in the previous generation of the device, and mount a renewed challenge to Apple's flagship devices.
Other makers are also scrambling for market share, including Google, which is expected to soon unveil a second-generation of its flagship Pixel smartphone.
Apple unveiled an updated version of its smartwatch, as it claimed the device had become the top-selling watch in the world ahead of rivals such as Rolex and Fossil.
The Apple Watch Series 3 has its own mobile connectivity that allows users to remain connected without a smartphone for phone calls, music and other functions.
Explore further: Apple sets likely iPhone event for Sept. 12 (Update)
© 2017 AFP
Samsung is expected to begin Android 8.0 beta testing for its flagship handsets in the coming months. The final update might arrive sooner because of early adoption of the software.
Samsung has reportedly begun working on Android 8.0 Oreo update for its flagship Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones. According to Sammobile, the update will carry firmware versions G955FXXU1BQI1 and G950FXXU1BQI1 for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ respectively.
There is no clarity on the timeline around the release of Android 8.0 update for these devices but it is likely to arrive earlier than in the past. Samsung has struggled to push timely software updates for its flagship devices in the past. Samsung started Android 7.0 Nougat beta for its 2016 flagships Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in November last year and the final update was rolled out only in January.
Sammobile further notes that Samsung will soon begin beta testing of Oreo for early adopters and the final update could be rolled out worldwide sooner than later. Android 8.0 Oreo was officially introduced by search giant Google last month and it has made the firmware available to its OEM partners via Android Open Source Project (AOSP).
The latest version of Android brings new enhancements in terms of user experience and battery and improvements to system performance. The update brings faster boot time and new features like notification dots, support for autofill APIs, Picture in Picture (PiP) mode, Google Play Protect, adaptive icons and support for LDAC codec for high fidelity audio playback over Bluetooth. The update also brings improvements in battery life with new background app limitation and OS-level optimisation.
Samsung may offer its own customizations and adopt some of these features in the form of updated TouchWiz UI. Sony has already revealed its latest flagship smartphone with Android 8.0 and Google has confirmed that Andy Rubin's Essential, Nokia brand licensee HMD Global, Motorola and Huawei will be the first to roll out official update.
Other Popular DealsXolo ERA 1X -4G with VoLTE...
Swipe Elite 3- 4G with...
Lenovo Z2 Plus (Black, 32GB)
10 Reasons you should use the Microsoft Cloud Platform
How to prepare for your Windows 10 update
Windows 9: What we have seen so far
Saudi Gazette
DUBAI — Nokia is attempting to re-invent the way millennials take selfies by introducing front and rear-facing cameras to take both shots simultaneously in a split screen, calling it the "Bothie".
Innovating the way content creators use their smartphones will allow them to have a strong comeback in the market, according to Nokia officials.
"Nokia's goal is to become one of the top three smartphones in the world in the upcoming years," HMD Global's regional head of marketing Devasish Auddy told reporters during the Nokia 8 launch here.
The Nokia 8's retail price is cheaper that the world's competitive smartphones and is mainly targeting millennials and bloggers to make their experience in sharing and producing content more innovative.
Its features combine high performance and a boost in video and audio, such as its Dual-Sight video, OZO immersive audio technology, a high-resolution 5.3-inch screen and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 M obile Platform.
The company aims to focus on solving consumer's problems and deliver a high-quality experience for creative content, its product manager told Saudi Gazette.
The "bothie" is the latest flagship's signature feature, enabling users to shoot video and photos front and back for an optimum all-round experience. In addition, the OZO spatial 360° audio brings a fully immersive audio experience to 4K video.
Asked about why Nokia declined from the smartphone market in the past decade, Nokia doesn't want to repeat the same mistake again and one factor it is taking in consideration is Android, HMD Global officials said.
"One factor was not adopting Android in the past. Now, Nokia delivers the strongest and safest Android experience," said Per Ekman, vice president of HMD Middle East and North Africa. The device has monthly security updates and biometric fingerprint authentication.
"Its business model of partnerships is what promises t o deliver this goal," he added.
HMD Global aims to bring back Nokia as a leader in the smartphone market again. In the last 8 months, the company has launched 8 devices.
The Saudi market is extremely important for Nokia, executives said, but declined to comment on market share in Saudi Arabia.
"Visual-led social media platforms are growing rapidly in the region and it is no secret that many of these social media experiences are coming to life through mobile," said Ekman. "With the Nokia 8, we are delighted to introduce technologies that go hand in hand with the MENA consumer's insatiable appetite for content creation and sharing, to bring genuine value to this new digital era."
The Nokia 8 will be available in Saudi Arabia starting Sept. 24.
