Platinum Gold Galaxy S6/S6 Edge arrives in Canada
Just over a week before the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge launched in Canada, Samsung had said that the Gold Platinum variant will be released in the country “in the coming weeks… through major carriers.” Looks like the wait is over.
The model is now available for purchase from Rogers, Fido, Telus, Videotron, and SaskTel. Everything else, including the specifications as well as the price, remains the same.
For those who aren't in the know, Samsung's latest flagship smartphones were only available in the Black Sapphire and White Pearl colour options at launch in Canada.
ViaAndroid 5.1.1 factory images arrive for Nexus 10 and 7 (2013)
Google has quietly posted the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop factory images for select Nexus 10 and Nexus 7 tablet variants. Since this is an incremental update, the new firmware mostly brings bunch of bug fixes and improvements.
Android 5.1.1 with build number LMY47V is now available for the Wi-Fi editions of the Nexus 7 (2013) as well as Nexus 7 (2012). Nexus 10 Wi-Fi model got firmware with the same build number as well.
Google has been actively working with smartphone and tablet markers for successful rollout of the Android Lollipop to existing devices. It is a thumb rule that the Nexus devices are the first to get any new updates.
The OTAs are usually meant for everyone. Factory images on the other hand, are targeted at Android developers and enthusiasts who want perform a clean install of the firmware.
Android Lollipop with Flyme OS 4.5.1 arrives on Meizu MX4 Pro
As expected, the high-end Meizu MX4 Pro began receiving Android Lollipop. Sized 650MB, the new firmware is seeding to the smartphone over-the-air.
After the update, the smartphone will boot to Android 5.0.1 with Flyme OS 4.5.1A. Meizu MX4 Pro launched with Android 4.4.4 with Flyme OS 4.0.
Reportedly, Meizu MX4 Pro has become significantly more responsive thanks to the new ART runtime in Android Lollipop. The update is also said to improve the accuracy of the device’s home button, as well as partially address its heating issues.
If you are a Meizu MX4 Pro owner, head over to the device’s settings to check if the new firmware is available.
Asus ZenFone 2 with 128GB storage quietly unveiled
A week ago, Asus introduced the ZenFone 2 smartphone with four different variants in India. While people are eagerly waiting to buy one, the official online partner Flipkart has listed a fifth ZenFone 2 model.
On Flipkart, a ZenFone 2 ZE551ML with 128GB internal storage and 4GB of RAM has been listed for INR 29,999 ($472). This model offers dual-SIM with LTE support and retains the same features as ZE551ML with 64GB storage.
It is kind of surprising for the Taiwanese company barely mentioned about introducing this model. Those who rely heavily on the storage will get to enjoy the 128GB internal storage and expandable up to 128GB storage via microSD card.
As of now, the availability of the 128GB ZenFone 2 is listed as coming soon. In the meantime, do check our ZenFone 2 ZE551ML review.
SourceAsus releases Lollipop update for ZenFone 5 (A500KL)
Asus has released the Android Lollipop update for its ZenFone 5 (A500KL) smartphone, which went on sale back in July last year.
After installing the update (click the Source 1 link below to download it), which is 819.44MB in size, you'll be on software version TW_V12.4.5.21. However, the Taiwanese company is advising users to upgrade their devices to software version V11.4.6.94 before installing the Lollipop update.
As for other ZenFones, here's is the Android Lollipop update plan:
ZTE Nubia Z9 spotted on TENAA with crazy specs
ZTE revealed two models under the Nubia brand a month ago, the Nubia Z9 Max and Z9 mini. Meanwhile the true flagship Nubia Z9 remains unannounced, and that is expected to change on May 6, when a launch event is scheduled.
The Nubia Z9 hasn't exactly been kept a secret though and showed up on a number of occasions sporting a near-bezelless design and a metal frame for enhanced durability. But while there was also some consensus on the specs, a new listing by Chinese regulator TENAA dropped the bomb claiming some unbelievable hardware.
The device, carrying a model number NX508J, is said to come with a CPU clocked at a whopping 3.5GHz. It doesn't stop there, and RAM is quoted to be the unheard of 8GB.
ZTE Nubia Z9
The Nubia Z9 was previously said to be equipped with the Snapdragon 810, which comes with Cortex-A57 cores, clocked at 2GHz, and Cortex-A53 cores, clocked at 1.5GHz, in an octa-core big.LITTLE configuration. Looking back to the Nubia Z9 Max, which was already confirmed to sport the S810 and is listed on TENAA with 3.5GHz CPU, you could conclude that the regulators have simply added up the clock speeds of both sets of cores.
Little explanation can be found in the amount of RAM though. In the datasheets, available online, it's not explicitly stated if Qualcomm's chip supports the 8GB, but we're also wondering if there's any actual practical sense in it at this point in time. What sounds most likely is that it's an error on the TENAA part.
A few other discrepancies with the specs established so far come in the camera department, where an 8MP/8MP duo is quoted in the listing. Both the Z9 Max and Z9 mini come with a 16MP main camera, and the Nubia Z9 is unlikely to be a step back. It's also not a dual rear camera arrangement as the accompanying images clearly show.
The microSD slot has also been dropped in favor of 32GB of internal storage, as opposed to the 16GB of the other two models. Another thing to point out is that display size is listed as 5.15 inches, which goes in line with the rumors of 5.2 inches, but resolution is quoted to be FullHD, and not QHD, as previously believed.
Obviously, a lot of questions remain unanswered, but with a launch date less than a week from now, the mysteries will soon be cleared.
HTC to release Limited Edition One M9 with INK engravings
HTC has launched a new campaign dubbed HTC INK to offer limited edition One M9 smartphones. By teaming up with the supermodel Jourdan Dunn, the Taiwanese company will offer custom-designed engravings inspired from tattoos.
Jourdan has collaborated with the Cally-Jo Apothecary, a celebrity tattoo artist, to come up with a new design. One of their first design has been shared already with a rather vague explanation.
The open hand and eye symbolize the need for protection and strength while still being open and approachable in personality and style. The natural leaf elements and patterns around the outside of each visual reflect the growth in creativity that Jourdan is feeling at this time, and the sun and moon together represent balance and harmony in her character.
HTC plans to offer limited edition HTC INK One M9 units with unique designs engraved by hind. HTC INK project is yet to specify if it is a one time, seasonal thing or will be an ongoing like Apple’s Project Red that aims to aid in fighting aids in Africa.
For those who plan to get a limited edition unit, do have a look at our HTC One M9 review for the technical aspects of the device.
SourceMicrosoft Lumia 430 launched in India for $83
While Android based smartphones are fighting for the entry-level smartphone position, Microsoft aims to get a spot too, at least in India. The software giant's Devices division has introduced the Lumia 430 Dual SIM model for INR5,299 ($83) with black and orange color options in India.
Sporting a 4-inch display (480x800), the Lumia 430 can hold two micro-SIM cards in dual standby mode. Powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snadpragon 200 SoC, the Lumia 430 has 1GB of RAM, 8GB expandable storage, and 1500 mAh battery.
At the rear it has a 2MP camera and in the front is a VGA camera. Measuring 10.6mm thick, the Lumia 430 Dual SIM also packs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS for connectivity.
Strategy Analytics: Apple could soon become No. 1 in China
Apple might have lost its world's top smartphone-maker crown to Samsung, but it looks like the Cupertino-based company could soon make it to the No. 1 spot in China, which is the world's largest smartphone market.
According to a report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple shipped 13.5 million iPhones in China during Q1 2015, up from 7.8 million it shipped in the year-ago quarter. With 12 percent market share in the quarter, the iPhone-maker held on to its No. 2 ranking in the Asian country.
On the other hand Xiaomi, which is the largest smartphone OEM in China, shipped a total of 14 million handsets in the quarter, claiming 12.8% market share.
According to Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, "Xiaomi has maintained the number one smartphone position in China for three quarters in a row, due to solid demand for its popular Redmi models. However, Xiaomi's rapid growth is now coming to an end, and it has delivered negative sequential growth in China for the past two quarters."
Meanwhile, Apple "has narrowed the marketshare gap with Xiaomi to less than one percent. Apple's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models are proving wildly popular with Chinese consumers and, if current trends continue, Apple could become China's largest smartphone vendor in the second half of this year," he said.
Another point worth noting here is that Samsung, which is now the world's leading smartphone vendor, did not even rank in the top three, something which has happened for the first time since Q4, 2011.
ViaXiaomi Mi 4i up for grabs in first flash sale today
The Xiaomi Mi 4i, which was announced by the company last week, will be available for purchase on Flipkart via flash sale today. The sale will commence at 2pm IST for registered users.
It isn't yet known how many units of the made for India smartphone will be up for grabs, although the company has confirmed that around 300,000 people have registered for the sale.
Although the handset is Flipkart exclusive at the moment, it will be available via the five-year-old startup's other online as well as offline partners in the future. It will also be available directly from the company's online store Mi.com.
ViaiOS 8 adoption continues to climb, now stands at 81%
Apple is reporting that 81% of all active iOS devices are now using iOS 8, the company's latest mobile operating system which was released back in September last year.
iOS 8 adoption has been somewhat slower than that of its predecessor iOS 7, which, for comparison, was powering around 90% of all active iOS devices the same time last year. However, it is gradually picking up - it stood at 75% last month and 79% a couple of weeks ago.
As for the remaining iOS devices, 17% are still using iOS 7, while 2% are stuck running even older versions.
Source | Via 1 | Via 2Android 5.1 for S6 and S6 Edge to reportedly bring Guest Mode
The Android 5.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will also bring along a new Guest Mode feature, according to a Sammobile report.
Guest Mode enables you to set up separate profiles for guests, allowing you to share your device without worrying about your personal stuff, including installed apps, being seen by others. The feature was first introduced for tablets with the Jelly Bean update but arrived on phones with Android Lollipop.
It isn't yet clear when the update will roll out to the devices. Meanwhile, a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge for T-Mobile has been caught getting Android 5.1.1.
ViaT-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S6 edge caught getting Android 5.1.1
It looks like Samsung Galaxy S6 edge for T-Mobile is getting an over-the-air update to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. An XDA Developers member posted a video of the smartphone running the latest Android version.
Samsung Mobile or T-Mobile have not announced the update’s rollout. So far, it doesn’t look that the new firmware is rolling out on a large scale to Big Magenta customers with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge devices.
According to the XDA user who uploaded the vide, the smartphone has become snappier after getting Android 5.1.1. Apparently, the new firmware also locks the bootloader of the device.
Huawei G Play Mini becomes official in Italy
Today Huawei has made a new smartphone official in Italy. It's called G Play Mini for whatever reason, and it's already available to purchase for €229 ($254) without a carrier contract.
The Huawei G Play Mini is rather intriguing, because it has the exact same specs as the Honor 4C which got official in China yesterday, but the design is slightly different. This is most obvious in the upper part of the front side of the two devices.
Why the company chose to pair the internals of the Honor 4C with another design and name instead of simply releasing that in Italy is still a mystery.
Anyway, if you're interested in the Huawei G Play Mini, know that it has a 5-inch 720p IPS touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie snapper, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable internal storage, and a 2,550 mAh battery.
It's powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 620 chipset, which sports a 1.2 GHz octa-core CPU, and it has dual-SIM support (though no 4G LTE).
The G Play Mini could be making it to other European countries soon, now that it's gone official in Italy, but there's no information about time frames yet.
Watch the Microsoft Build event live here
Microsoft's annual BUILD conference is just minutes away and we will be keeping a close eye on the announcements and especially the all-important keynote presentation. It is set to start at 3:30PM GMT and, naturally, Microsoft has promised a live stream, which we will provide as soon as possible, so you can tag along and listen in to the future on Windows.
The company's immensely popular OS is undoubtedly going to be the central topic at the conference. But, unlike previous years, when the discussion has been mostly centered around PC's and tablets, Windows 10 marks a major expansion in the company's strategy and thus promises to cover plans and projects spanning across a wide array of devices and tech branches.
That is the new Microsoft ideology - one Windows, a unified, as far as possible, OS that can provide a uniform experience across all of your devices. That is the ultimate goal of Windows 10 and we can expect a lot of talk about the new Universal Apps that will allow developers to use a unified coding standard and target a sea of Windows 10 devices, including PCs, mobile phones and even Xbox One.
We have already seen some demos of the new app ecosystem, but a lot is still unknown about how exactly apps will behave on various mobile devices running Windows 10, especially ones with a bigger screen. So, we are hoping to see a lot of new demonstrations during the presentation. Speaking of Apps and branching out, rumors hint that Microsoft may be planning to integrate its functionality and services across an array of third-party operating systems as well. There have been talks about Cortana on Android and even iOS devices, as well as new cloud-based services.
But Microsoft's cross-platform plans don't stop there. The company's aim is to aid developers in every way possible and make the new application ecosystem a breeze to migrate to. This is perhaps the most vital thing Microsoft has to achieve in order to stay relevant in the mobile world. Consequently, a lot of the new development tools that will come with Windows 10 might me created in such a way as to ensure easy migration of existing code from Android or iOS over to Windows 10. This, of course involves API compatibility and a lot of software tricks, but it could potentially give a major boost to the new OS. There have even been bold statements about native Android apps running on Windows 10, but we consider that highly unlikely.
And even though Microsoft's BUILD event are mostly geared towards software, we expect to hear quite a few things about hardware as well. Microsoft made it clear that new Lumia flagships will probably be held off until Windows 10 becomes official, but new details on future devices are not out of the question.
There are also other things to look forward to, like information on HoloLens, the Internet of things and many, many more, so be sure to tune in for the event.
LG announces a Q1 2015 operating profit of $277M
The accountants are in their quarterly spotlight, and LG's team has reported the company's results for Q1 2015. The numbers show a steady performance of the company as a whole, with the mobile division boasting its highest Q1 revenue since LG debuted on the Android market in 2010.
Smartphone sales reached $3.27B, a 5% YOY increase, brought about by a 26% increase in smartphone shipments to 15.4M. LG has a 66% YOY growth in North American sales to brag about, coupled with a 57% growth in its homeland over Q4 2014, largely fueled by the release of the G Flex2. Year-on-year however, the Korean sales are down 25%.
For the upcoming quarter LG is predicting continuous growth of the smartphone market, with a focus on LTE. LG plans to strengthen its positions in the premium segment with the G4, alongside new mass-market devices. The company does acknowledge the fierce competition it's about to face on said markets, though.
Meanwhile, LG Home Entertainment Company reports a $4.03B revenue, down 5% YОY and 18% QОQ, largely due to seasonality and currency rate movements in emerging markets. The Home Appliance and Air Solution subsidiary is 9% up in operating profit year-on-year, reaching $208M.
The newly opened in July 2013 LG Vehicle Components Company, which specializes in car infotainment and electric car engineering, has posted its first quarterly results. The division reports a modest $2.18M loss, but the company plans to persevere and expand its sales in the car infotainment and vehicle engineering segments in the long run.
T-Mobile USA launches an LTE-enabled Alcatel Pop Astro
Did you wake up this morning feeling like you want a Moto E (2015), but made by Alcatel? You're in luck! T-Mobile USA just revealed the Alcatel One Touch Pop Astro, which is available at $180 on pre-paid and at $150 ($6.24 a month really) on contract.
The phone is built around a 4.5" qHD screen and runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a quad-core 1.5HGz processor with 1GB of RAM (MediaTek MT6732 chipset). It has LTE connectivity with HD voice, Voice over LTE, plus Wi-Fi calling. Those are rare (though not unheard of) in this price range.
Alcatel One Touch Pop Astro
The Alcatel Pop Astro also comes with a 5MP camera, 0.3MP selfie snapper. You get only 4GB of storage out of the box, plus whatever you add in the microSD card slot (up to 32GB). The phone has a 2,000mAh battery that promises 11 hours of talk time.
HTC One M8 to receive 5.1 Lollipop with Sense 7 in August
HTC pressed the launch button on the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for the One (M8) at the end of January. The update to 5.1 Lollipop has been scheduled to August 2015.
@JKMcCloskey Hey James, the HTC One M8 will have a Software Update for Android Version 5.1 and Sense 7 in August 2015 :)
— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) April 29, 2015
According to HTC's UK Twitter account has revealed that the update will also bring the latest Sense UI. Sense v7 launched with the HTC One M9 and is a relatively minor step forward. One of the welcome improvements is that you can change the grip app switcher to stock Lollipop style. App reshuffling, some new widgets, BlinkFeed updates and other changes are also part of the update.
Other perks like themes were added to the M8 and M7 generation with an update to the BlinkFeed app.
Model numbers for "Noble" Note 5 and "Zen" Galaxy S6 uncovered
Two Samsung IMEI numbers have surfaced that point to two new Galaxy models. Their model numbers are SM-G928S and SM-N920F and the rumor mill has decoded them as the "Zen" Galaxy S6 Plus and "Noble" Galaxy Note 5 respectively.
The SM-G928 appears to be a variation on the Galaxy S6 (G920), but it's unclear what will change from the current model. The final letters reveal regional versions, F for Europe, A and V for AT&T and Verizon, S and K for SK Telecom and KT.
The SM-N920F we couldn’t find and its name does coincide with what the next Note should be – the Galaxy Note 4 is the N910. Unfortunately that doesn’t give us much, neither does the "Noble" codename.
The letters indicate a European version, plus one for each carrier except KT.
Samsung reports a $5.5B operating profit for Q1 2015
Samsung Electronics has released its financial results for Q1 2015 and they mark improved profits quarter-on-quarter despite a sales drop of 11% over Q4 2014. While the Device Solutions (DS) and IT and Mobile (IM) divisions show only marginal decrease in sales, Consumer Electronics (CE) is the black sheep with sales down 28%.
The explanation for the low figures in CE is the weak seasonality and the strong dollar which led to decreased demand in Europe and emerging markets. Little improvement is expected on that front in Q2 due to continued exchange rate impact.
IT and Mobile reports improved earnings, brought about by lower marketing expenses. Decreased shipments of tablets and feature phones have lead to a slight decline in revenue. Meanwhile, smartphone shipments have increased, fueled largely by mid-to-low-end products. The word "stagnate" is mentioned in the Q2 forecast for smartphone and tablet demand.
The semiconductor division is doing well, and is not influenced by seasonality. Increased sales of DRAM and SSD/UFS products are reported. The Q2 forecast is for even better figures, driven by the demand for the recently released Galaxy S6 flagship and SSD data centers.
Display Panel subsidiary reports increased shipments of premium OLED products and solid performance on the LCD front despite decreased shipments. The Q2 2015 outlook focuses on OLED shipment expansion and increased sales of LCD TV panels due to China labor day. The new production line however means increased costs figures.
Nokia N1 to finally escape China, Taiwan gets it first
The Nokia N1 tablet, which was launched back in January this year and was only available in China (where it has been selling like hotcakes), will finally be made available in other markets.
The Finnish company (the partthat wasn't sold off to Microsoft) introduced the Android tablet in Taiwan, where it will be available for purchase starting next month, and will set you back TWD 8,190 ($269).
The N1 is expected to be made available in other Asian countries, although it isn't yet known when. Also, it is least likely that the slate will be launched all over the world, especially in the US.
ViaLG G4 pre-orders open up in UK, start at £500
Yesterday the LG G4 finally became official. After a sea of rumors and speculation, the phone was finally announced and today the handset is already up for preorder in the UK. Offers are currently available from various sources, including unlocked-mobiles.com, Clove, Amazon and Expansys.
Currently, unlocked-mobiles.com lists 3 color options - two standard - Metallic Gray and Gold for £499.87 and a black leather option for £529.87. The markup for the signature genuine stitched leather back is a mere GBP £30, which definitely sounds like a good deal. We can only hope, that LG intends to mass-produce the leather variants, so they don't become scarce and hard-to-obtain.
Clove has also listed a quite reasonable price of £500 for the standard black and gold colors and an even smaller £25 markup for the leather option, so, we assume the prices will be in this range. As far as Amazon and Expansys go, both stores do have listings, but with a price tag of £599.99, which is definitely a stretch and hardly representative of the actual price upon launch.
And while we are on the topic of price, the G4 does seem to be cheaper than the current Galaxy S6, although, not by a lot and opting for the leather option evens out the difference. The G4 is, however, significantly cheaper than the S6 edge, which might just give it the necessary market chances. As far as availability goes, unlocked-mobiles.com says May 25, while Amazon and Clove say May 28.
If you are considering the LG G4 as your next smartphone, it does looks to be quite reasonably priced, but bear in mind that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset powering the handset doesn't seem to be doing all that well in benchmarks. But if you can live with the lowered performance, the device does look quite impressive. You can read our initial impressions from the G4 in our hands-on form the announcement event and stay tuned for a full-fledged review once the phone lands in our office.
T-Mobile launches G4 preview program
T-Mobile has announced a new LG G4 preview program for the US based users to try out the flagship smartphone and share their experiences. The purpose of this program is to let users have a hands-on experience with the G4 before it is available for purchase in the US.
Along with that, T-Mobile noted to bring the phablet LG G Stylo LTE and LG Leon LTE smartphones later this year. The LG G Stylo was previously rumored as a stylus-enabled G4 version but later introduced as a mid-range phablet with a stylus.
G Stylo features a 5.7” HD IPS display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB expandable storage, 13MP rear snapper with LED flash, 5MP front camera. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and has a 3,000 mAh battery along with 4G LTE support. Highlight of this phablet is the capacitive stylus that works in harmony with LG UX.
Meanwhile the LG Leon LTE offers 4.5” FWVGA display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB expandable, 5MP rear camera, VGA front camera, Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, and a 1,900 mAh battery.
Source | ViaLG targets 12 million sales for its G4 flagship
LG unveiled its highly anticipated next generation flagship smartphone the G4 with much fanfare in London and New York simultaneously. The new LG G4 promises significant improvement in three key areas - design, display, and camera.
The South Korean manufacturer is tight-lipped about the international price for now and has only confirmed that the smartphone will launch in its home market today. Amidst this excitement, LG shared its ambitious plan of selling about 12 million G4 units across the globe. For that LG will compete closely with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge along with Apple iPhone 6 as well as iPhone 6 Plus models.
Samsung has already announced to triple its output for the new Galaxy flagship devices.
The genuine leather back with vegetable tanning as well as the new 1/2.6" camera sensor and F/1.8 aperture might just give the G4 a chance to meet its goals.
While LG makes arrangements to release G4 in the rest of the world, do check our LG G4 hands-on to get a brief idea about our initial thoughts of this flagship phone.
Source | ViaCyanogen ends its ties with Chinese OEM OnePlus
Cyanogen and OnePlus, which have had a rough relationship with each other over the past few months, have finally decided to part ways.
According to Cyanogen’s chief technology officer Steve Kondik, both companies have different goals for software, and hence the breakup. “Two new companies are trying to do crazy stuff, a lot of people collide.” he said.
Commenting on the company's partnership with OnePlus, Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster said, “Without Cyanogen, OnePlus would have sold like one device in international markets. Essentially they built their brand on the back of Cyanogen.”
However, the US-based company, which offers an alternate version of Android free of many restrictions that Google has subtly incorporated, will continue supporting OnePlus phones that run its OS.
As for the future roadmap, Cyanogen is now looking to partner with those Chinese companies that have global ambitions. “It’s a great way for them to build some identity outside of China using a brand that’s already reasonably well known,” McMaster said.
ViaSamsung pips Apple to regain top smartphone-maker crown
While Apple became the world's top smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2014, looks like Samsung has recaptured the crown in Q1, 2015.
According to a report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung captured 24% market share in the first quarter of the year, overtaking Apple, which claimed nearly 18%. It's worth mentioning that Samsung had captured 31% market in the year-ago quarter.
In terms of shipment numbers, the South Korean company shipped 83.2 million smartphones worldwide, while the Cupertino-based company shipped 61.2 million units.
"Samsung continued to face challenges in Asia and elsewhere, but its global performance has stabilized sufficiently well this quarter to overtake Apple and recapture first position as the world's largest smartphone vendor by volume," said Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil Mawston.
ViaXiaomi tops Chinese market with 14% share
Xiaomi has maintained its top position in the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter. According to a tweet (which cites a report from research firm IHS Technology) sent out by the company's India head, the company sold 14.2 million of the 99 million devices sold in the country in Q1.
Xiaomi sold 14.2M smartphones out of 99M sold in Q1'15 in China, as per IHS. We are #1 :) @xiaomi @MiIndiaOfficial http://ift.tt/1QHBE8t
— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) April 28, 2015
This translates into 14% market share for the five year old company. Huawei and Apple followed with 11% share each, while Samsung and Vivo rounded up the top five with 10 and 9% market share, respectively.
In addition to China, Xiaomi is now heavily focusing on India, where it recently announced its first made for India smartphone, the Mi 4i.
ViaFuture ZenFones to use Snapdragon 615, says Asus CEO
Asus CEO Jerry Shen has said that the company will use Snapdragon 615 SoC in future ZenFones. He made the comment during an interview (see video below) with technology website Yugatech.
He also said that Asus' smartphones will follow a naming convention similar to that of Apple's, which means that the company's next flagship will be called ZenFone 3.
Finally, he also revealed that the company will release a flagship every year, with incremental upgrades in between.
ViaInitial Lenovo A6000 Plus batch sold out in 15 minutes
The first batch of the Lenovo A6000 Plus smartphone, which was launched in India a couple of weeks ago and went on sale on Flipkart yesterday, was depleted in just 15 minutes.
"Lenovo in association with Flipkart sold out 1 lakh [100,000] units of the recently launched A6000 Plus in 15 minutes", the Chinese company said in a statement.
For those who aren't in the know, the handset is essentially an improved version of the already existing A6000, and carries a price tag of INR 7,499 ($120).
ViaVerizon's Samsung Galaxy S4 getting Lollipop OTA update
Just a few weeks after AT&T started rolling out the Android Lollipop update for the Samsung Galaxy S4, Verizon has also announced the update for the device.
The Verizon Galaxy S4 update brings Android 5.0.1 with software version LRX22C.I545VRUGOC1. The update is gradually rolling out so it may take a few days before it reaches everyone. If you're feeling impatient, you can always manually check for it by heading to Settings -> About Device -> Software Update -> Check for Updates on your device.
Meanwhile, there have been reports that the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition (GPE) will get Android 5.1 in the near future.
Source | ViaMicrosoft Lumia 640 XL is now available to buy in the UK
The Microsoft Lumia 640 XL smartphone is now available for purchase in the UK, straight from the software giant's own online store. The phablet has been up for pre-order over there since mid-March, and now it's finally to be found in stock.
The price you need to pay for one is £219, VAT included - and this is without the need to sign a contract with an operator. For now, only the black and orange color variants are available, so if you want to get the Lumia 640 XL in white or cyan you need to wait some more unfortunately.
The Lumia 640 XL joins the smaller Lumia 640 in Microsoft's portfolio in the UK, which has been up for grabs for a few weeks now.
The phablet is rather affordable, even with its decidedly midrange specs. It comes with a 5.7-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie snapper, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a 3,000 mAh battery.
It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, boasting a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. It runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, and it will be updated to Windows 10 for phones once that comes out.
The official LG G4 camera samples are out
LG G4 went official today packing the latest developments the company has to offer - beautiful and unique design, Quantum LCD display of QHD resolution, Snapdragon 808 chip with a hexa-core CPU, and a brand new 16MP camera with a 1/2.6” sensor, which sits behind a bright f1.8 lens. This means an 11% increase in gathered light over the f1.9 lens in the Samsung Galaxy S6.
The LG G4 camera is enhanced with optical image stabilization over three-axis system, an improvement over the two-axis setup on the G3.
We already spent some quality time with the LG G4 and you can learn all about it right here. And while we already know the camera is meant for greatness, a few official camera samples wouldn't hurt.
Without further ado, here are the official camera samples taken with the LG G4.
LG G4 official camera samples
Check the LG G4 specs here and our hands-on right here.
LG G4 is official, strong on design and photography features
LG just unveiled its next generation flagship - the G4. The highly anticipated smartphone was announced at dedicated events, held simultaneously in London and New York.
LG focused on three main areas in its presentation – design, display and camera. The genuine leather back which was the headline feature in numerous leaks is indeed the key styling element. LG is proud to have employed vegetable tanning, which is typical of the luxury leather industry and only 10% of leather goods are processed this way.
Not all G4s will ship with a leather back though, and the removable plastic cover will come with a hammered pattern in either ceramic white or metallic gray. Each one will be curved though, albeit only slightly, with a 3000mm radius. The company claims that the gentle curve results in better handling and a 20% increase in rigidity.
The LG G4 packs a 5.5-inch display of QHD resolution. LG has opted for a Quantum LCD panel, which is said to deliver outstanding color accuracy. LG claims the new display boasts 20% wider color reproduction, 25% improvement in brightness and 50% higher contrast than the G3.
The new flagship is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, a notch below the 810 top dog. It’s a 64-bit chipset and packs a hexa-core processor in a dual-core Cortex-A57 and quad-core Cortex-A53 arrangement. LG claims that it has worked closely with Qualcomm in customizing the SoC and has achieved a level of performance higher than the Exynos 7420 in daily tasks. 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage are on board, and expansion via microSD is possible.
The smartphone boots Lollipop out of the box with the company’s latest UX 4.0 overlay. LG is keen to point out that UI has been stripped of bloatware and one such example is the use of Chrome as the sole browser in most markets.
The camera of the G4 took center stage in the announcement, and it has all the merits to deserve it. It utilizes a 16MP sensor with a 1/2.6” diagonal, which sits behind a bright f1.8 lens. This means an 11% increase in gathered light over the f1.9 lens in the Samsung Galaxy S6.
The G4 also comes with optical image stabilization which works over three axes, as opposed to the already capable two-axis system on the G3. Additionally, the OIS system is now able to compensate movements up to two degrees in range, compared to the predecessor's single degree.
The camera app offers a lot of advanced features including high ISO settings, live histogram and manual shutter speed, and is capable of recording RAW images. The G4 is able to shoot panoramas up to a whopping 104MP, compared to the Galaxy S6 which is capped at 60MP. The main camera is complemented by an 8MP front unit and both are capable of shooting 2160p video.
The LG G4 comes with support for wireless charging, but a dedicated back cover will need to be purchased to use it. Otherwise, the supplied 1.8A charger must be used to fill up the 3,000mAh cell. Power users will be happy to know that the battery is user-replaceable, too.
The G4 will be available on its home Korean market starting tomorrow, but the rest of the world will need to wait a bit more. Pricing is yet to be detailed too.
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