Moto G6 Play India launch set for May 21, will be Flipkart exclusive

Motorola is set to launch its Moto G6 series in India this month. The company officially confirmed the upcoming launch via Twitter early this week. The Lenovo-owned company is planning to launch the entry-level Moto G6 Play alongside the Moto G6 in India first.

Now, BGR India has learnt that the Moto G6 Play will be officially launched in India on May 21. According to people familiar with Motorola India’s plans, the smartphone will be available exclusively on Flipkart. This is in stark contrast to last year when Motorola launched its predecessor Moto G5S and G5S Plus on both Flipkart and Amazon India. It is also a win for the Indian e-commerce giant which now has the widest offering of smartphones in the budget and mid-range price segment. There is no clarity on whether Moto G6 will also be exclusive to the platform.

Motorola had launched the Moto G6 series, which includes the Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus in Brazil last month. The smartphones were launched nearly eight months after the launch of Moto G5S series in August last year. The smartphones not only bring modern design to Moto’s G series, but they also put an end to questions around the stability of the company after it decided to cut jobs at its Chicago office in March.Moto G6 Play Specifications and Price
Moto G6 Play, as the name implies, is the entry-level smartphone in the Moto G6 series. The smartphone also looks radically different from the Moto G5 series thanks to the 3D design borrowed from Moto X4. The G6 Play features a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. Motorola calls the display as Max Vision since it now supports the taller aspect ratio of 18:9.

Under the hood, there is octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chipset coupled with 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB storage. It also features a 13-megapixel main camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus and LED flash. There is an 8-megapixel selfie shooter at the front that supports 1080p video recording along with dedicated LED flash.One of the delightful additions this year to the Moto G6 series is the rear mounted fingerprint sensor, which is embedded within Moto dimple. If you have used any Moto G series smartphone in the past then you would have guessed that it is the ideal location where your finger rests when you hold the phone. The Moto G6 Play supports WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS but it is not clear whether NFC supported will be included in India.

The Moto G6 Play runs Android 8.0 Oreo with Moto Experiences where you can view notifications without unlocking the smartphone and turn on features with simple gestures. It also gets a larger 4,000mAh battery which should translate to longer standby time and at least two day long use. It is expected to be available in Indigo and Gold color.

Why AI defines this Android phone

Not long ago, specifications defined whether a phone would succeed or not. Then the focus shifted to software. Now, it is all about Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. The Honor 10 from Huawei, a more affordable reinterpretation of the flagship Huawei P20 Pro, uses AI extensively to ensure the camera is more effective. In other words, all the photographs are processed by AI-based algorithms.

The gorgeous Aurora Glass finish on the Phantom Blue colour variant reflects different shades when light falls on it at various angles. At the front is the fingerprint sensor, which sits below the display glass—something we haven’t seen in many phones. It works well.

The dual-camera set-up has a 16-megapixel main sensor and a 24-megapixel monochrome sensor working together (both lenses have an f/1.8 aperture). Every time you use the camera, AI works in real-time for object and scene detection. This worked well in the P20 Pro, and it is as effective in the Honor 10. The algorithms work well to identify the scene being framed to apply automatic image processing for better colours and richness. Portrait photographs are processed well. But in some low-light photographs, we did notice that the edges tend to be a bit softer than ideal.

As it turns out, the Honor 10 ticks most of the boxes on the specifications sheet too. Performance is fantastic, with the Kirin 970 processor paired with 6 GB RAM. There is 128 GB storage. The 3,400 mAh battery lasts a day and a half on a single charge. The 5.84-inch display (2,280×1,080 resolution) is bright and rich, though it does miss out on HDR capabilities.

The Honor 10 is by far the best Android phone at this price point. The fact that it is trying to replicate the performance and user experience of its more expensive siblings, holds it in good stead. The timing of launch is ideal with the OnePlus 6 arriving soon.

HTC U12+ official renders, full specifications leaked ahead of May 23 launch

HTC is gearing up to launch its next flagship, the U12+, on May 23. Ahead of the launch, we have come across leaked renders, live photos and rumors. Now, official renders of the smartphone have been leaked, giving a closer look at the design of the smartphone, both from the front and the back. Along with the renders, complete specifications of the HTC U12+ have also been leaked, leaving nothing to the imagination.

The leak comes from reliable leaker Evan Blass. As we can see in the photos, the front houses a full-screen display with 18:9 aspect ratio, and there are thick bezels along the top and bottom. At the back, you can see the dual cameras, a laser auto-focus module, an LED flash and a circular fingerprint sensor. On the left, you can also see the separate volume buttons and a power button.

Based on the renders, the back looks a bit different though. HTC seems to have ditched the signature “Liquid Metal” design, and also the glossy finish at the back seems to have gone. Yes, the glossy surface looks visually appealing, but the problem is that it becomes slippery, and HTC seem to have realized that after criticism from users.HTC U12+ specifications and features
According to the leak, the HTC U12+ will flaunt a 6-inch QHD+ Super LCD display (2880x1440pixels), and 18:9 aspect ratio. And no, thankfully, there is no display notch. At the heart of the U12+ will run a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB storage. A microSD card slot for further expansion will also be presentHTC was the first manufacturer to introduce dual cameras on a smartphone, but then it ditched the technology. In the meanwhile, all other manufacturers adopted dual cameras, and now HTC is back with the setup on the U12+. It will reportedly feature a 12-megapixel sensor with wide-angle lens, and a 16-megapixel secondary sensor with a telephoto lens for 2X zoom and bokeh mode. The leak also hints at AR stickers. Up front will be dual cameras of 8-megapixel resolution, and it will also support bokeh mode and AR stickers.

In the software department, the U12+ will run Android Oreo out-of-the-box. Other features like Edge Sense 2 with “new pressure-sensitive buttons and feedback experience” is expected. What’s more, the HTC smartphone will also include BoomSound speakers.

OnePlus 6 Price in India to Be Announced at India Launch Event Today: How to Watch Live Stream

The OnePlus 6 India launch event is being held in Mumbai
It will be live streamed on YouTube and is slated to start at 3:30pm
OnePlus 6 price in India reportedly starts at Rs. 36,999
The OnePlus 6 was unveiled globally at an event in London yesterday, giving to us all the specifications and features of the new flagship killer. The OnePlus 6 India launch event is scheduled for today in Mumbai, where we will see not just the new flagship but also the Marvel Avengers Limited Edition model. Of course, the highlight of the event will be the OnePlus 6 price in India, which will was not revealed yesterday. This will be the third launch event OnePlus is hosting for the smartphone, after the one in London and in China.

OnePlus 6 India launch live stream
The OnePlus 6 India launch live stream will be available on YouTube, so you don’t have to miss any of the details as the event continues. You can watch online the OnePlus 6 India launch live stream by hitting the play button in the video embedded below. For those unaware, the event starts at 3pm IST and is being held at the Dome at NSCI in Mumbai, Maharashtra.Fans can attend the event too – the tickets to the event were priced at Rs. 999, and went out of stock within a day. Those who bought the tickets will get OnePlus voucher worth Rs. 999, a cash cannon, and company-branded tote bag, cap, t-shirt, and notebook. As part of the programme, invited buyers will be able to use the OnePlus 6 before launch and be able to write detailed community reviews of the flagship.OnePlus 6 price in India, launch date, specifications
The big question on everyone’s mind is, of course, what the OnePlus 6 price in India will be. We only have a few hours before the event starts but there have been leaks claiming to reveal the price in the past. According to a report, the OnePlus 6 price in India will be Rs. 36,999 for the variant with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage, while the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is said to cost Rs. 39,999. There is no word yet on the India price of the top-end 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model.

The smartphone will go on sale in India on May 21 via Amazon, OnePlus pop-up stores and the OnePlus Experience Store in Bengaluru. The launch offers include a Rs. 2,000 discount on purchases made using SBI debit and credit cards in the first week. Further, customers will also be eligible to avail no cost EMI options for up to three months through all popular banks. There will also be cashback of Rs. 2,000, dedicated device insurance, and up to 370GB complimentary data from Idea as well.OnePlus is additionally giving all OnePlus 6 buyers complimentary 12-month accidental damage insurance by Servify, an Amazon Prime Video gift card worth Rs. 250, and discounts up to Rs. 500 for purchasing ebooks via Amazon Kindle. Besides, benefits up to Rs. 25,000 will be available on flight and hotel bookings from ClearTrip.

Apart from the launch offers, OnePlus is giving complimentary Amazon Pay cashback worth Rs. 1,000 to customers who pre-booked the OnePlus 6 between May 13 and May 16 in the Fast AF sale. Customers had to just buy an Amazon Gift Card of Rs. 1,000 to pre-order the new OnePlus smartphone. These buyers will also get extended warranty of 3 months over and above regular warranty.OnePlus 6 sports an all-glass design for the first time — the company’s handsets have previously used sandstone material, ceramic, and metal. Founder Carl Pei says the Mirror Black colour option’s glass back is “just as resilient as any of other our previous phones” thanks to the Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The Midnight Black version is made of glass but features a matte finish, while the Silk White colour option will be released “in a few weeks” as a limited edition handset.

The smartphone has a 6.28-inch full-HD+ display with an 19:9 aspect ratio, with a notch inspired by the iPhone X above the display. OnePlus 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 845 flagship SoC, and retains the 3.5mm audio jack. There’s a vertically-aligned dual rear camera setup, with a 20-megapixel primary sensor and a 16-megapixel secondary sensor. On the front, it is has a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The OnePlus 6 camera has received a few upgrades too, such as improved lowlight photography capabilities, better Portrait Mode effects (including on the front camera soon), slow-mo videos, and a video editor feature.Further, the OnePlus is backed by a 3300mAh Dash Charge-compatible battery, Face Unlock, and fingerprint sensor. Dimensions of the OnePlus 6 are rumoured at 155.7×75.4×7.8mm and it is said to weigh 177 grams. The Android 8.1 Oreo-based smartphone has the OxygenOS custom UI, and will get Android P Beta for users to sideload.

Nokia X6 With 19:9 Display, Dual Rear Cameras, and iPhone X-Like Notch Launched: Price, Specifications

Nokia X6 has been launched in China at an event in Beijing on Wednesday. The smartphone is the first from the Nokia brand to sport a display notch, and brand licensee HMD Global has also included a dual rear camera setup with AI and HDR features on the Nokia X6. Other highlights of the Nokia X6 include an 19:9 display, the modern octa-core Snapdragon 636 SoC, up to 6GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel front camera, Quick Charge 3.0, as well as the presence of Android 8.1 Oreo with Do Not Disturb mode for gaming.

Nokia X6 price
The Nokia X6 price starts at CNY 1,299 (roughly Rs. 13,800) for the 4GB RAM, 32GB storage variant, going up to CNY 1,499 (roughly Rs. 16,000) for the 4GB RAM, 64GB storage variant, while the 6GB RAM, 64GB storage variant is priced at CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs. 18,100). The smartphone will be available on JD.com, Suning.com, and Tmall.com, with reservations opening today. Exact availability is still not known.

Nokia X6 specifications
The dual-SIM (Nano) Nokia X6 runs Android 8.1 Oreo and sports a 5.8-inch full-HD+ (1080×2280 pixels) display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. It is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 636 SoC, coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

The Nokia X6 bears a dual rear camera setup with a primary 16-megapixel sensor and a secondary 5-megapixel monochrome sensor, sporting an f/2.0 aperture and 1-micron pixels. On the front, it offers a 16-megapixel camera with the same f/2.0 aperture and 1-micron pixel sensor. The company is touting the presence of AI features for improved photography (with features such as optimised colour contrast, depth of field and portrait lighting effects, as well face recognition), as well as HDR support. It also offers the Bothie feature, letting users utlise both front and rear cameras simultaneously. It also supports Face Unlock. It features 32GB of 64GB of inbuilt storage, expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB).

Connectivity options on the Nokia X6 include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port. Sensors on board include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, gyroscope, and proximity sensor. It bears a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel. It is powered by a 3060mAh battery that when coupled with an 18W charger can deliver up to 50 percent of charge in 30 minutes, thanks to Quick Charge 3.0. It measures 147.2×70.98×7.99mm (excluding the lens), going up to 8.59mm with the lens, and weighs 151 grams.

Vivo X21 UD with dual rear cameras, in-screen fingerprint scanner expected to launch on May 29 in India

Vivo will launch its one-of-its-kind X21 UD phone in India on May 29, sources have confirmed to India Today Tech. The Vivo X21 UD, although it comes with what you can mid-tier hardware, belongs to the first wave of smartphones to feature an in-screen fingerprint scanner. This means, there’s no dedicated physical home button with a fingerprint scanner up-top, on the X21 UD. Instead the whole of the screen — a dedicated part of it actually — will serve as a fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication.

Vivo has sent out an invite that shows a big X in the background hinting that an X series phone is coming to India. The release also has a message, ‘see you on May 29 2018’ which confirms that the phone will launched on May 29.

The X21 UD is notably Vivo’s second phone to feature an in-screen fingerprint scanner — not counting the concept Apex here — after the X20 UD. Vivo is not launching the regular X21 and there’s a slight possibility that it may sell the X21 UD in India as simply the X21. The phone is likely to be priced at around Rs 35,000 which means that it would compete directly with the likes of the OnePlus 6 as well as the Honor 10 which will be launching in India in the days to come as well.

The X21 UD, apart from its futuristic in-screen fingerprint scanner, comes with rather mid-tier specs. It comes with a 6.28-inch near bezel-less screen — with a notch — with a 19:9 aspect ratio albeit with a full-HD+ resolution. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage which is also expandable via a hybrid micro-SD card slot. The dual-SIM phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo-based Funtouch OS.

Interestingly, the Vivo X21 is one of the select few third-party devices to be eligible for Google’s Android P Beta program, along side the Pixel phones. This means you can download and install Android P Beta on the Vivo X21 the same day that it’s rolling out for the Google Pixel phones.

On the optics side, the X21 UD comes with a dual camera system on the rear consisting of one 12-megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture and another 5-megapixel camera for depth sensing. The dual camera system is assisted by PDAF and LED flash. On the front, the X21 UD comes with a 12-megapixel camera.

ALSO READ: Vivo X21 with 19:9 notch display launched, in-display fingerprint variant also offered

The X21 UD is backed by a 3,200mAh battery with support for fast charging although Vivo is using a standard micro-USB port here.