Smartphone

ZTE Blade A2 Plus hits India

This 5.5-inch handset will go on sale next week exclusively via Flipkart and comes with Android Marshmallow on board, but features a generous 5,000 mAh battery, 4 GB RAM, having a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor under the hood.

Codrut Nistor, 03 Feb 2017 23:10

The graph doesn't tell the whole story; Sony's smartphones are finally making the company money now. (Source: Xperia blog)

Sony revises forecasts downwards after Xperia sales disappoint

Sony's smartphone business has contracted sharply over the past two years as the company restructures to focus on profits. While the company might appear to be struggling, at least they are no longer bleeding cash.

Isaac Brown, 03 Feb 2017 18:34

Huawei Honor 8 Lite Android smartphone color options

Honor 8 Lite spotted in Finland

Although it still has to be officially unveiled, this 5.2-inch handset has been apparently listed as available for pre-order in Finland, being expected to begin shipping on February 17.

Codrut Nistor, 03 Feb 2017 12:50

It may have taken years, but the deal to cut down roaming costs is finally paying off. (Source: Pocket Now)

EU is on the verge of removing roaming charges for good

After June 15, travelers will be able to go anywhere within EU borders without having to pay any extra fees. Everyone will pay the same price, and there will be no exceptions to this rule. Everybody wins.

Isaac Brown, 03 Feb 2017 10:11

Nubia Z11 camera falls short of the latest iPhone and Nexus smartphones

The Sony Exmor RS IMX298 camera in the Z11 is slower with more image noise according to tests from DxOMark.

Allen Ngo, 02 Feb 2017 23:26

Firefox OS and the team behind it are officially gone. (Source: Mozilla)

Mozilla eliminates Firefox OS development team

After discontinuing Firefox OS in September, Mozilla has now disbanded the development team and will be laying off 50 employees.

Sam Medley, 02 Feb 2017 23:06

Huawei P10 Plus Android smartphone/phablet front render

Huawei P10 and P10 Plus renders show up online

This pair of handsets is powered by HiSilicon Kirin chipsets, also coming with Android Nougat on board. The high-end P10 Plus features up to 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage, as well as a dual-camera setup.

Codrut Nistor, 02 Feb 2017 13:55

Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 is already outselling its predecessor in South Korea

The Galaxy A5 is not coming to the U.S. and is only available for pre-order in parts of Europe, but it is already selling like hotcakes in its home region.

Allen Ngo, 02 Feb 2017 06:52

The OnePlus 3T has been found to have cheated on benchmarking tools like AnTuTu. (Source: Phone Arena)

OnePlus and Meizu caught cheating on benchmarks

Both companies' flagships were found to maintain high clock speeds instead of idling based on which app was currently opened. This happened with benchmarking apps like Geekbench and AnTuTu.

Sam Medley, 01 Feb 2017 20:45

Huawei Honor 8 Lite alleged image, launch rumored for March

Alleged Honor 8 Lite images leak online

The unannounced Huawei Honor 8 Lite is expected to show up at MWC, targeting the mid-range sector of the market. This handset would not feature a dual-camera setup or USB Type-C connectivity, claim the rumors.

Codrut Nistor, 01 Feb 2017 16:15

Apple iPhone 6S smartphone, Apple leading the global smartphone market

Apple dominates the smartphone market

Global smartphone shipments reached a record 1.49 billion units back in 2016, while Apple managed to beat Samsung and to grab the leading position in the fourth quarter, thanks to the Note 7 disaster.

Codrut Nistor, 01 Feb 2017 15:25

The source, whose identity remains unknown, managed to grab a few shots of what seems to be a LG prototype. (Android Authority)

LG G6 prototype images may have leaked online

These latest images may offer a glimpse at LG's upcoming flagship. Even though it's still encased in a development shell, the phone's screen size combined with the tiny bezel look very appealing.

Isaac Brown, 01 Feb 2017 05:27

Nintendo made a $569 million profit over the holidays. (Source: Nintendo)

Nintendo financial highlights: Pokemon pays big, hardware sales slow

Nintendo hit it big this holiday season with Pokemon Sun and Moon, while Wii U sales continued to falter. Smartphone app sales were mixed.

Sam Medley, 31 Jan 2017 23:17

Oppo Find 9 may launch in two variants with Snapdragon SoCs

Talk of Oppo's next flagship smartphone is suggesting very thin bezels and multiple SKUs with different Snapdragon SoCs for a starting price of about 550 Euros.

Allen Ngo, 31 Jan 2017 22:46

After February, Coin services will no longer be available. (Source: Coin)

Coin to shut down mobile payment services in February

While their wallet devices will still operate, all app and support services will shut down at the end of next month.

Sam Medley, 31 Jan 2017 22:35

Moto E3 Power Android smartphone will not get Nougat

Moto E3 Power will not get Android 7.0 anymore

Although this 5-inch Android handset has only been around since last September, it will not receive the Nougat update. While this MediaTek-powered smartphone remains stuck to Marshmallow, various older Motorola handsets will receive Android 7.0.

Codrut Nistor, 31 Jan 2017 22:34

Plex acquires news streaming service Watchup

The media streaming service Plex will bring reliable news streaming into the mix with the acquisition of Watchup.

Sam Medley, 31 Jan 2017 21:38

Oppo A57 Android smartphone with 16 MP front camera and Qualcomm Snapdragon 435

Oppo A57 coming to India

This selfie-centric Android handset launched in China back in December 2016 and is scheduled to hit India on February 3. Its specs include a generous 16 MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture.

Codrut Nistor, 31 Jan 2017 20:05

Google Nexus 9 Android tablet will not get 7.1.2 Nougat firmware

No more Nougat updates for Nexus 6 and Nexus 9

Although the Nexus 6 phone and Nexus 9 tablet will no longer get Android updates since Google has confirmed that Android 7.1.2 would not reach them, these devices will continue to get security patches.

Codrut Nistor, 31 Jan 2017 15:50

Nougat Launcher app hits Tizen smartphones

Nougat Launcher hits Tizen Store

The Nougat experience is now available to Tizen smartphones, although it comes from an independent app developer shaped as a basic app that simply launches other apps and then shuts down.

Codrut Nistor, 31 Jan 2017 13:15

Apple has been struggling to compete with the more aggressively-priced smartphones coming out of China. (Source: CNBC)

Oppo R9 replaces iPhone as top selling phone in China

After five years, a mighty titan has been dethroned. Apple's iPhone has finally been supplanted by a fast-growing mid-range smartphone maker Oppo Electronics. Apple will have to impress with the iPhone 7 in order to win Chinese consumers back.

Isaac Brown, 31 Jan 2017 03:12

The Nextbit Robin sought to give users nearly unlimited storage by removing unused local programs and data and uploading them to the cloud. (Source: Nextbit)

Nextbit Robin team acquired by Razer

The Nextbit team, developers of the Robin cloud-based smartphone project, have been acquired by Singaporean gaming hardware company Razer.

Douglas Black, 31 Jan 2017 01:11

The Blackphone 2 from Silent Circle is designed around security. (Source: Blackphone)

Silent killer: Update to Blackphone's Silent OS intentionally breaks unauthorized devices

The makers of the ultra-secure Blackphone have released an update to Silent OS that prevents the operating system from running on phones "identified as unlicensed."

Sam Medley, 30 Jan 2017 23:52

Starbucks' new virtual assistant takes coffee orders via voice

Starbucks has updated their app to include a virtual assistant. Users can now use the app to place orders using either voice commands or a chat interface. The app will also integrate with Alexa.

Sam Medley, 30 Jan 2017 21:51

Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo and J2 Prime get the January 2017 Android security patch

Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo and Galaxy J2 Prime get updated

The factory unlocked variants of these two entry-level Android handsets have just begun to receive the security patch that takes care of 67 common vulnerabilities and exposures.

Codrut Nistor, 30 Jan 2017 21:35

Oppo and Vivo are now the 4th and 5th largest smartphone manufacturers worldwide

Both Lenovo and LG are no longer two of the top five largest smartphone manufacturers while Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the market with over 38 percent of worldwide shipments.

Allen Ngo, 30 Jan 2017 08:06

Satechi USB-C Power Meter accessory for USB Type-C charging devices

Satechi releases a new USB-C Power Meter

This handy accessory allows its users to test the output parameters of their chargers and provides information about their safety, effectiveness, and USB Type-C compatibility.

Codrut Nistor, 29 Jan 2017 23:45

ZTE Hawkeye mid-range crowdsourced Android handset to get a new beginning

ZTE might reboot the Hawkeye project

Since ZTE already decided that the specs of the Hawkeye handset need a bump to draw enough attention on Kickstarter, it might not be a bad idea to change the specs and to start once again, pushing the device into the high-end market sector.

Codrut Nistor, 29 Jan 2017 15:50

Kyocera rafre KYV40 washable smartphone with Android Nougat

Kyocera announces Japan-exclusive washable smartphone

The rafre KYV40 smartphone will be available via KDDI Corporation and is the successor of the world's first "hand-soap-washable smartphone," namely DIGNO rafre. It comes with Nougat on board, as well as a hand gesture-operated cooking app.

Codrut Nistor, 28 Jan 2017 19:45

Lenovo lists Moto smartphones eligible for Android 7.0 OTA updates

The Moto G4, G4 Plus, X Force, and X Play will all begin receiving Android 7.0 upgrades later this February with the Moto X Style, G4 Play, and Z Play to follow shortly thereafter.

Allen Ngo, 28 Jan 2017 05:39

Leaked images of what may be Surface Phones. They have yet to be confirmed, however. (Source: 1redDrop)

Microsoft's Lumia smartphone sales numbers disappoint

Windows Phone may be on its last legs, but Microsoft isn't giving up on smartphones just yet. The upcoming Surface Phone represents all of the company's hopes and dreams when it comes to the mobile market.

Isaac Brown, 28 Jan 2017 03:50

Sony Xperia Z4 tablet with Android, Sony to debut five new devices soon

Sony could launch five devices next month

One of these five devices could be the Xperia XZ2, a top-of-the-line handset with a 5.5-inch 4K display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6 GB RAM, and the new Sony IMX400 sensor powering the main camera.

Codrut Nistor, 27 Jan 2017 23:55

The classic PC game Myst is now available on Android. (Source: Google Play Store - realMyst)

Classic adventure game Myst now available on Android

The venerable PC adventure game finally comes to Android devices for an immersive gaming experience on the go.

Sam Medley, 27 Jan 2017 23:14

Google Pixel XL Android smartphone to get a much cheaper sibling

Google might launch a cheaper Pixel handset

The cheaper Google phone is expected to launch later this year and is known as Pixel 2B for now. Sadly, the rumors do not say anything about its specs and features, so it might even hit the market as an Android One device.

Codrut Nistor, 27 Jan 2017 20:25

BLU Vivo XL2 Android smartphone with MediaTek MT6737T processor

BLU Vivo XL2 now available in the US

This affordable Android handset uses the MediaTek MT6737T processor, next to 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage, a 13 MP main camera, all driven by a 3,150 mAh battery. It runs Marshmallow and has a price tag of just $100 USD (special launch price, regular price being $150 USD).

Codrut Nistor, 27 Jan 2017 18:45

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to be completely redesigned. (Source: VentureBeat)

Samsung Galaxy S8 rumored to be announced on March 29th, will be redesigned

According to rumors, The Samsung Galaxy S8 will remove the physical home button and feature much larger displays. The phone is expected to be announced on March 29th.

Sam Medley, 27 Jan 2017 18:33

ZTE Axon 7 Android smartphone to get Nougat update by the end of Q1 2017

ZTE delays the Nougat update for Axon 7

The update was expected to arrive this month, but now ZTE pushes the launch date of Android 7.0 for the Axon 7 handsets to a later date. Although this date is not public yet, the company says the update should arrive by the end of March.

Codrut Nistor, 27 Jan 2017 16:30

LG Q4 2016 financial results show a weakening smartphone business

LG smartphone revenue increased by 15 percent QoQ due to strong sales of the V20, but YoY results have fallen dramatically. Sales of OLED and UHD TVs, however, have been keeping the company afloat.

Allen Ngo, 27 Jan 2017 05:51

Apple CEO Tim Cook previously met with Indian PM Narendra Modi in 2016 to discussion manufacturing. (Source: India Express)

Apple mulls expansion of manufacturing to India

Apple has been in talk with the Indian government regarding moving manufacturing to the populous South-Asian country. Apple is reported asking for a number of tax exceptions and concessions from the government to seal the deal, but it's not clear how far the government is willing to bend.

Douglas Black, 27 Jan 2017 04:33

Once one of China's high-flying startups, Xiaomi is now struggling in the face of stiff domestic competition. (Source: TechCrunch)

Xiaomi won't be at MWC this year

Not long after VP Hugo Barra jumped ship for Facebook, a Xiaomi spokesperson revealed that the Chinese company would not be attending the event. It seems that rumors that Xiaomi would launch the Mi 6 flagship smartphone at around this time were inaccurate.

Isaac Brown, 26 Jan 2017 17:30

Days after announcing his departure from Xiaomi, Barra announced his appointment as head of Facebook's Oculus team. (Source: Facebook)

Hugo Barra to join Facebook as head of Oculus team

Ex-Xiaomi exec Hugo Barra formally announced his departure from the Chinese company a few days ago, but he's already found a new position at Facebook as head of the Oculus team.

Douglas Black, 26 Jan 2017 12:54

Huawei P8 Lite (2017) Android smartphone now available in the UK

Huawei P8 Lite (2017) hits the UK

The successor of the first P8 Lite handset, simply known as P8 Lite (2017), is expected to debut in the UK next Wednesday. Priced at almost $235 USD without a contract, this smartphone will also be available with a contract.

Codrut Nistor, 26 Jan 2017 10:55

A purported leaked rendering of the S8's final design. (Source: Business Insider)

Samsung gets first dibs on Snapdragon 835 production, others wait until April

Industry sources that Samsung is hording the majority of the Snapdragon 835 SoCs to itself, causing other companies to have to use older, less desirable chipsets. The 835 is Qualcomm's design, but is being made using Samsung's 10nm manufacturing technology.

Douglas Black, 26 Jan 2017 01:17

LG G6 could be stuck with the Snapdragon 821 because of Samsung

Samsung may have struck a limited time exclusivity deal with Qualcomm to prevent smartphones other than the Galaxy series from utilizing the upcoming flagship Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Allen Ngo, 25 Jan 2017 20:31

Vertu Constellation luxury smartphone, 2017 edition, coming in February

Vertu unveils a new Constellation handset

This new high-performance, luxury handset promises to hit the stores in less than a month, offering dual-SIM with support for 34 international bands and protocols, a 5.5-inch WQHD AMOLED display with sixth generation sapphire crystal protection, and more.

Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 10:10

Unlike the pictured Galaxy S7, the S8 will have a fingerprint scanner on the rear instead. (Source: The Guardian)

Samsung Galaxy S8 may be available for purchase around April 21st

Say goodbye to your bezels. Users are finally getting a potential date on which they may purchase a Galaxy S8, which will have a number of interesting features including the curved “infinity” display from the S7 Edge, a new assistant, and USB Type-C port.

Isaac Brown, 25 Jan 2017 03:05

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge pink line display problem reported by more users

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge facing display problems

The problem that first appeared back in March 2016 seems to have surfaced again, but Samsung still does not recognize it as a widespread issue. Even worse, when taken for repair, handsets with such problems might not be covered by warranty.

Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 22:14

Samsung Pride with Tizen 3.0 in the works

The handset also known as SM-Z250F is expected to become the first smartphone to run Tizen 3.0 out of the box and is known internally as Pride. It is anticipated to launch in the same areas as the Samsung Z2.

Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 21:25

The Google Pixel was the first smartphone that featured Google's aptly-named personal assistant, Google Assistant. (Source: Bloomberg)

Smartphone vendors are focusing on artificial intelligence in 2017

Industry leaders across the board seem to be in agreement that the war for dominance of the smartphone market this year will be in large part decided by the smartphone with the best AI assistant. Who will win the clash between Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant and the upcoming Bixby?

Isaac Brown, 24 Jan 2017 21:15