Xiaomi ‘BlackShark’ smartphone leaked, is it the Mi 7?

Within a week, the world will get to feast its eyes on some of the highly-anticipated flagship smartphones of this year. Samsung is set to announce the S9 series along with many other companies holding surprises for us. Xiaomi is also expected to unveil something at the MWC, although it hasn’t confirmed anything yet. However, it seems that Xiaomi may have something pretty exciting to showcase, either at the MWC or within the next month — thanks to AnTuTu.

China’s Weibo has thrown up an AnTuTu listing of a mysterious smartphone carrying the codename of ‘Blackshark’. The device is expected to be a Xiaomi product, considering Xiaomi also owns looks over a company by the name of Balck Shark that focuses only on mobile gaming. The device achieved an AnTuTu benchmark score of 2,70,680, which is currently the highest rating any smartphone has ever achieved. And why shouldn’t it? Because the listing reveals some of the best mobile silicon one can find in the market.

There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC accompanied by 8GB of RAM but an average 32GB of onboard storage. There’s an Adreno 630 GPU aiding the chipset. The device runs on Android 8.0 Oreo, which while not being the latest version of Android, is still pretty efficient in handling such potent hardware. There’s a 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution display that suggests an 18:9 aspect ratio layout.

If this leak has any chance of becoming a reality, then we could either be looking at a new gaming smartphone lineup from Xiaomi or their much-anticipated Mi 7 flagship. Comments on the Weibo post indicate that this could be Xiaomi’s answer to the Razer Phone, which hogged limelight last year for being one of the best performance-oriented smartphones one can lay hands on. The BlackShark could, however, adorn a modern design with an 18:9 display and undercut the Razer Phone with an affordable price tag.

The other possibility of this being the Mi 7 or Mi MIX 2S flagship also comes to the limelight, considering rumours about a new flagship Xiaomi are doing rounds of the Internet aggressively. As of now, nothing can be confirmed for sure. Stay tuned for all the news related to Xiaomi’s mysterious beastly smartphone.

MWC 2018 Set to Start: Samsung Galaxy S9, Moto G6, Nokia 9, and More Smartphones to Expect from MWC

Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018, the biggest telecom and mobile industry event in the world, is set for next week, from February 26 to March 1. However, a few major manufacturers including Samsung and HMD Global will hold keynotes on February 25, the day before the conference officially kicks off, while others like Sony and Asus will have product announcements after the show begins. All the brands want to grab eyeballs at MWC 2018, so there have been teasers and leaks all around. We can expect major smartphones such as Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, as well as big announcements from other brands at MWC 2018, including the likes of Moto G6 and Nokia 9. Here is a look at everything the rumour mill says about the MWC 2018 launches so far.

Samsung at MWC 2018

One of the biggest MWC 2018 launches will, undoubtedly, be the Samsung Galaxy S9 series. The South Korean manufacturer is set to announce its latest in the flagship smartphone segment at the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, for which media invites have already been sent out. Starting off with the Galaxy 9 and Galaxy S9+ design, it is expected the phones will look similar compared to the previous-gen Galaxy S8 range. Reports suggest the front bezels might be thinner, albeit just slightly. The Galaxy S9+’s rear camera will get a companion in the form of a dual camera setup, while a single rear camera module is expected on the Galaxy S9. Screen sizes will likely remains same – Galaxy S9 might get a 5.8-inch display, Galaxy S9+ might get a 6.2-inch display, both with 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

In terms of camera specifications, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are expected to get a major upgrade with features like variable f/1.5 aperture, Super Slow-Mo mode, better low light photography, and a 3D emoji feature. The front camera might be integrated with the iris scanner on the Galaxy S9.

Samsung MWC 2018 event to be held at 6pm CET (10.30pm IST) on February 25.

Nokia at MWC 2018

Nokia’s big comeback came at last year’s MWC, and Nokia licensee HMD Global has confirmed its presence for MWC 2018 as well. The Nokia 3310 (4G) is highly expected at the launch keynote on February 25. After making everyone nostalgic with the Nokia 3310 (2G) in Barcelona last year, the brand is looking to tap back at the smart feature phone market with a new 4G variant. The smartphone has already been announced in China, and is expected to go global at the mega expo. The Nokia 3310 4G model comes with access to high-speed Internet, and runs on Android-based YunOS. Other key upgrades over last year’s model include 256MB RAM, 512MB internal storage, up to 64GB microSD card support, and Wi-Fi support.

Apart from that, we can expect some new Android smartphones from Nokia at MWC 2018. Firstly, a new entry-level phone from Nokia – dubbed the Nokia 1 – is in the pipeline. Rumoured specifications include an HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS display, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard storage. Secondly, a mid-range Nokia 7 Plus is also rumoured for an MWC 2018 launch. Recent renders have suggested the phone will run on Android One, have a thin-bezel display, and sport a dual camera setup on the back. The Nokia 4 with Snapdragon 450 SoC is also rumoured for a MWC 2018 unveiling.

We can also expect the Nokia 9 flagship smartphone to make an appearance at the tech show later this month. The phone might get dual cameras on the front as well as the back of the phone. An alleged FCC listing reveals that the phone might have 128GB of inbuilt storage, a 5.5-inch OLED display, a 3250mAh battery with fast charging support, and run Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box.

Nokia 8 (2018) could also be unveiled at the year’s biggest technology expo, with the moniker Nokia 8 Pro. According to a FCC listing, the Nokia 8 (2018) or Nokia 8 Pro – which has been trademarked as the Nokia 8 Sirocco as well – will feature a 5.5-inch OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, dual camera setup with 12-megapixel and 13-megapixel sensors, and 3250mAh battery with fast charging support. However, there are some rumours that Nokia 9 and Nokia 8 (2018) are the same phone (going by the leaked codename), so we will have to wait till Sunday to find out which moniker HMD Global goes with.

Nokia MWC 2018 to be held at 4pm CET (8.30pm IST) on February 25.

Motorola at MWC 2018
Lenovo-owned Motorola does not have an event slated during MWC 2018; however, previous reports have claimed that the company is expected to unveil its latest Moto G6 lineup. The Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus are rumoured for launch at Mobile World Congress this year. Additionally, we might also see the Moto X5 and Moto Z3 series at Motorola’s booth.

It is said the Moto G6 Play will be the most affordable of the lot with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC and a 4000mAh battery. The Moto G6 is expected to bear a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC and 3000mAh. And, lastly, the Moto G6 Plus (listing number: LNV-G6P) is suggested to feature a 3250mAh battery, borrowed from the Nexus 6.

Sony at MWC 2018
The biggest highlight of the Sony keynote will be an expected successor to the flagship Sony Xperia XZ1. The purported Xperia XZ2 is rumoured to get an 18:9 aspect ratio display and a USB Type-C port; other specifications haven’t yet been outed. We might also see the successor to the Xperia XZ1 Compactgetting unveiled at the event. This smartphone might sport a near-5-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Additionally, there are also reports around the Sony Xperia XZ1 Premium, Xperia XZ1 Plus, and Xperia XZ1S arriving at MWC although we will get a clearer picture closer to launch.

Sony MWC 2018 event is scheduled for 8.30am (1pm IST) on February 26.

Asus at MWC 2018
Event to be held at 7.30pm CET on February 27 (12am on February 28).

At Taiwanese phone manufacturer Asus’ February 27 MWC event, we can almost certainly expect the next-gen flagship ZenFone 5 to be announced. In the invitations sent out last month, Asus hinted the ZenFone 5 series will be announced at the event. We can expect the flagship ZenFone 5 to come packed with a Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 32GB inbuilt storage, a 18:9 aspect ratio display, and other specifications on par with flagship offerings from other OEMs. The phone is suggested to run Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-box, with Asus’ custom ZenUI skin on top. A leaked render shows the smartphone will have a notch too, but don’t expect 3D facial recognition and other bells and whistles similar to Apple’s TrueDepth tucked away in the notch.

Additionally, we can expect another mid-range smartphone – dubbed ZenFone 5 Lite – to make an appearance at the tech show. This phone is rumoured to sport a total of four cameras, two on the front and two at the back. It is tipped to bear a full-HD+ (1080×2160 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio.

LG at MWC 2018
While there hasn’t been any official communication around a keynote by LG Electronics at MWC 2018, the company has hinted that the 2018 version of the LG V30 – dubbed LG V30s – will be launched at the Barcelona tech show. The phone will get improved smartphone AI capabilities for image processing and voice recognition. We can also expect it to be LG’s first phone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, coupled with 256GB of inbuilt storage.

Xiaomi
Chinese brand Xiaomi was earlier rumoured to launch the Mi MIX 2S at MWC 2018. With rumoured features like Snapdragon 845 SoC, 8GB RAM, 256GB inbuilt storage, and a 5.99-inch display, the Mi MIX 2S might be Xiaomi’s flagship for 2018. However, recent media reports claim the company will not announce any new smartphone at MWC 2018.

Others
HTC is expected to unveil the Desire 12 smartphone at MWC 2018, featuring a 5.5-inch HD+ (720×1440 pixels) display, quad-core MediaTek processor, 3GB RAM, microSD card support up to 2TB, 12-megapixel camera on the back, and 5-megapixel front camera. Other rumoured features of HTC Desire 12 include 2730mAh battery, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, 4G LTE, and Bluetooth.

Finnish company Jolla is also hosting an event at the first day of the MWC 2018 where it will announce Sailfish 3 as well as new Sailfish OS devices. You should expect a host of 5G-related announcements from the telecom side of things at the event, with Ericsson, Nokia Networks, Huawei, ZTE, and others making a big splash, like always, at the MWC.

Leaked: Check out the Samsung Galaxy S9 before the world sees it officially

Samsung is in full swing to show off its next flagsjhip Galaxy series, the S9. The smartphone is supposed to be showed off at an event in Spain during the MWC 2018. However, according to an online report, the entire specifications and press photos are already out in the open — thanks to a leak.

Come February 25 and the world will officially witness the Samsung Galaxy S9 in its full glory. However, a leak put forth by WinFuture shows that the S9 will be similar to the S8, albeit a slightly smaller unnoticeable bezel at the bottom.As for the leak, the Samsung Galaxy S9 will sport a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED Infinity QHD+ display with a Plus model looking at a 6.2-inch screen. Both the phones will feature a 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution on an 18:5:9 panel. Under the hood, a powerhouse processor from Samsung’s own kitchens, the Exynos 9810 clocked at 1.9GHz in normal and 2.9GHz in turbo modes will run the new flagship, along with 4GB of RAM and 6GB of RAM respectively. The two phones are also said to support 64GB of onboard storage with up to 400GB additionally via micro SD cards. The units will see a 3000mAh and 3500mAh battery with wireless charging and fast charging in additional. European and Asian models will witness the usual Exynos, while the Snapdragon processor will see the other markets; however, nothing mentioned as for the Snapdragon processor variant. However, the leak states a Snapdragon 845.As for the camera, the two will feature a dual-pixel camera with a 12MP sensor (dual 12MP+12MP sensors on the S9+ variant) and both could sport a variable aperture between f/1.5 and f/2.4. Laser focus and OIS are also said to be part of the optics. Front cameras on the two also boast of an 8MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture.

Lastly, the leak also confirms three colour variants — Midnight Black, Coral Blue, and Lilac Purple, and the phones will ship with Android Oreo out of the box.

The phones will support IP68 rated water and dust proof housings, Iris scanners and fingerprint sensors as usual. A stereo speaker is also said to be present.

While this leak can still be considered as a rumour as there is no official confirmation on the same. Hold on till Feb 25 and you shall witness the actual specs, which could confirm this leak’s status.

Check out the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ photos that were leaked by WinFuture.

LG Judy Smartphone Said to Succeed G6; Specifications, Launch Plans Leaked

LG recently said it was taking a break from its annual launch cycle, but that does not mean there are no flagship smartphones to show this year. The company, earlier, claimed that it would launch new smartphones as they were needed, including more variants of its popular G and V-Seies of handsets. To that end, the company earlier this week said it would launch a new variant of the V30 – thought to be called the V30s – at MWC 2018 that begins next week. Now however, rumours have started surfacing that LG is planning to unleash a new flagship phone, codenamed Judy.

The South Korean company was expected to launch its flagship smartphone LG G7 at MWC 2018. However, reports had suggested a potential delay in the arrival of the successor to LG G6 – now, it’s said to arrive in June, and not be called the G7. Similar to the G6, the new smartphone’s key attraction could be the display. As reported by VentureBeat, LG will pack a 6.1-inch, 18:9 aspect ratio screen in Judy. The MLCD+ technology (with white sub-pixels), used in the display provides a high 800-nit brightness and consumes 35 percent less power than a typical IPS LCD panel.

Apart from the display, the report claims that the new handset will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM. It is said feature a dual rear 16-megapixel camera setup, with f/1.6 lenses. It is also said to come with 64GB of internal storage, IP68 dust and waterproof rating, stereo speakers, HDR support, wireless charging, digital assistant and voice recognition. Additionally, the AI camera technology from the upcoming LG V30 smartphone may also be introduced in the handset.

LG Judy is expected to be the successor to the LG G6, but may not be named G7, as per the report. Also, its launch at the Mobile World Congress is ruled out, as LG is reportedly targetting a June release for Judy. Interestingly, last month LG had also confirmed that the G7 is on schedule and that it will Be announced ‘when the time is right.’ Earlier reports had claimed that LG plans to repackage its flagship G series of smartphones with a new naming scheme. Amidst all the confusion, it sounds like there is at least a four-month wait before we get to see a new flagship smartphone from LG.

Comparison: Moto Z2 Force vs OnePlus 5T

Lenovo finally launched the Moto Z2 Force in India. While the phone was considered expensive in the US, it offers much better value in India, at Rs. 34,999.

At this price point it competes with the likes of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, OnePlus 5T, Nokia 8 and Samsung Galaxy A8+. Of these, the OnePlus 5T is obviously the popular choice. But the Moto Z2 Force still holds its own in the market, meaning a comparison is in order. Pitting the two phones each other, our findings will hopefully help make your choice easier.

Design and build

Usually, there’s not a lot to say when it comes to design and build, but that’s not true here. Both phones carry distinct designs, are sleek and look premium. The Z2 Force has a flat back, thin form factor and a circular camera bump. On the other hand, the OnePlus 5T has that iPhon-esque design, adding a curved back that makes it easier to hold.

Both phones feel good in your hand, though the Z2 Force is considerably thinner (by 1.2mm) and lighter (by 19 grams) than the OnePlus 5T, which feels more comfortable. Also, the smaller 5.5-inch display on the Z2 Force makes it easy to reach every corner of the screen.

The major difference though is in the overall construction. The Moto Z2 Force sports 7000 series aluminium and a shatterproof display. And it’s practically impossible to break the display. For many, that’s a very important feature.

The OnePlus 5T definitely looks better from the front, but that may differ from person to person. But all said and done, it seems impossible to ignore the shatterproof display here, meaning the Moto Z2 Force is without a doubt the better built smartphone.

Performance and software

Both phones run on the Snapdragon 835 chipset with the Adreno 540 GPU and 6GB of RAM (we used the the sub 35K variant of the OnePlus 5T). There is zero to little difference in performance. Both phones can easily handle intensive tasks and its tough to discern any difference in their speeds.

However, the OnePlus 5T does feel smoother, thanks to a better tuned user interface. The fingerprint sensor on the device feels snappier as well.

The Moto Z2 Force, like all Moto phones, runs on a near stock Android 8.0 Oreo, and the OnePlus 5T runs company’s custom Oxygen OS based on the same version of Android. Unlike most other custom UIs, Oxygen OS is a nearly stock Android-like ROM. Both the phones have their own software additions, which do come in handy and don’t feel futile.

That said, we personally prefer Moto’s additions like twist to open camera, chop to turn on the flashlight, Moto display and Moto Voice over what OxygenOS has to offer. They are more useful and you end up depending on them once you get used to them. Face unlock and the alert slider are good too, but Motorola’s additions seem more thoughtful.

Display

While the OnePlus 5T has a 6.01-inch FHD AMOLED panel with 18:9 aspect ratio, the Z2 Force has a smaller 5.5-inch OLED display that is shatterproof.

It all boils down to a matter of preference. OnePlus offers a bigger and brighter display, whereas the Moto Z2 Force packs 50% more pixels at a higher density. Both sport OLED displays, which provide deeper blacks and well defined colours. However, Motorola’s five layer model does affect your multimedia experience.

Colours look better on the OnePlus 5T and Gorilla Glass feels more premium than Motorola’s lenses

Battery

The battery capacity on the Moto Z2 Force and the the OnePlus 5T is 2730mAh and 3300mAh, respectively. In PC Mark’s battery test, OnePlus scored 8 hours and 27 minutes, while the Moto Z2 Force scored 7 hours and 41 minutes. We experienced similar results results in day to day usage as well. In comparative terms, the OnePlus 5T has better battery life.

But..

Motorola bundles a Moto TurboPowerPack Mod though, which nearly doubles the battery life on the Moto Z2 Force. Taking that into account, the Moto Z2 Force does offer more dependable battery performance.

Camera

Both phones have dual cameras, with the OnePlus 5T sporting 20MP+16MP sensors and the Moto Z2 Force with its two 12MP cameras on the back.

The OnePlus 5T captures better details and colours and has better dynamic range in well-lit conditions. It also takes lesser time to process photos than the Moto Z2 Force.

In low-light, neither phones produce flagship class images, but the OnePlus 5T does a marginally better job at keeping pictures sharp and eliminating noise.

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Nokia 1: Android Go, dual-SIM support and everything we know so far about Nokia’s cheapest Android smartphone

HMD Global, the Finnish company behind Nokia’s comeback into the smartphone game, had a pretty successful 2017 with the likes of the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 7 and Nokia 8 – outselling formidable legacy brands such as LG, Sony, HTC and even Google.

To kick-start its second phase, the iconic brand is about to announce a ton of new phones at 2018’s Mobile World Congress such as the flagship Nokia 9, bezel-less Nokia 7 Plus, Android Go powered Nokia 1, an Asha branded feature phone as well as global variants of the Nokia 6(2018) and the 4G variant of the Nokia 3310 – both of which were recently launched in China.

After shedding a spotlight on the Nokia 7 Plus, it is now time to talk about what to expect from Nokia’s cheapest Android smartphone to date – the Nokia 1.

Go Go, Android Go

Under HMD Global’s stewardship, Nokia’s comeback has basically revolved around three key factors – a razor sharp focus on design and build quality, clean and bloat-free software and the promise of timely updates. All Nokia Android smartphones to date run on a nearly stock build of Android devoid of extraneous bloat.

With their cheapest smartphone to date, HMD Global is expected to shake things up a little bit. As the Nokia 1 is set to come with quite low-end specifications, the smartphone is expected to run on Android Oreo Go – a platform developed specifically by Google for budget smartphones.

What is Android Go?

In a nutshell, Android Go is a re-packaged version of Android One (running on devices like the Xiaomi Mi A1) with a stripped down set of apps and features for bare-bone budget devices. The platform was first announced at Google I/O 2017 for entry-level smartphones with less than 1GB of RAM (as low as 512MB).

Google claims that Android Go will not compromise much on functionality but will only scale down applications and features to fit the requirements of entry-level handsets. Google has re-worked almost all of its applications for the platform including Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Play, Gboard and Chrome.

Google claims that all Android Go devices will come pre-bundled with a Play Store that will contain both kinds of apps – those designed/optimised specifically for Android Go those that are not. The company has also promised that all Android Go devices will be upgradable to Android P as and when it is released.

Low-end specifications

The Nokia 2 – which comes with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and the low-end Snapdragon 212 processor – gives us quite a clear indication of the firepower (or the lack of it) that the Nokia 1 will have under its hood.

Rumours claim that the cheapest smartphone from Nokia’s stable will come with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage expandable via a microSD card. There is no information as of now regarding the processor, but we can expect either the Snapdragon 212 or an entry level MediaTek chipset running the show. On the connectivity front, the smartphone is expected to support dual SIMs, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

The fact that the Nokia 1 is expected to run on the Android Go platform will give it a leg up on the Nokia 2 in terms of performance. As Android Go is specifically designed for budget phones, we can expect the Nokia 1 to run quite a bit faster than the Nokia 2 which runs a full-fledged build of Android.

Metal and polycarbonate goodness, HD display

Images leaked by prolific tipster Evan Blass point towards a pebble-like design with curved edges, a small form factor and a single rear camera.The smartphone is expected to be made out a combination of metal and polycarbonate and if past Nokia Android smartphones are anything to go by, the build quality should be top-notch.

The Nokia 1 is expected to come with a 720p IPS LCD display. While there is no concrete information about the display size, we can expect it to be somewhere in the vicinity of 5 inches to 5.5 inches.