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COMET: World's First Floating Smartphone. Now there's a trick!

2016-01-28T03:57:00.002-08:00

16MP Front & Rear Cam, Snapdragon 810, Voice Encryption Technology, Mood Recognizer & more only $249

Introducing Comet, the world’s first super smartphone that floats in water. Comet is an Android powered super smartphone with latest in technology, high speed processor and elegant design.

With Comet, you will never lose your smartphone or data stored in it simply because you dropped it in water. Live the moment, enjoy the beauty of water without the panic of losing your smartphone.

Pre-Order Unlocked Comet today!

82.5 million Smartphones have been damaged by water and more are lost in restrooms, pools, beaches and oceans. Comet is destined to end this problem for the water savvy lifestyles. Comet floats on water and is IPx7 water-resistant. It floats on water and will resist water like no other smartphone. In fact, you can take Comet with you while you swim, surf or just enjoy the beach.

Hardware-TEST Video!

Please be advised this is simply the prototype and a testing of the hardware. The Body design will be improved to look like the renders in the video and there will be many more applications in the phone once completed.

This video is simply to show we are a work in progress and thanks to all your support we will eventually be a finished product for you all to enjoy!

Comet supports a wide-band of LTE/GSM ranges, making it usable worldwide. Comet will work with most operators including but not limited to T-mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and more. Comet is an unlocked smartphone, so there is no contract, monthly fees or restrictions on your freedom to use it with any cell service provider.

Comet has been endorsed by many popular celebrities, experts and athletes. Comet solves a real life problem that most of us face day to day and has gained tons of attention by technology experts worldwide. See many of the endorsements below:

Daily Mail: " A number of waterproof handsets have been released to solve this problem, but Comet takes it to the next level."

INC 42: " This smartphone is seemingly the answer to 'What lies beyond water resistant smartphones?' ”

Reuters: "A phone that swims with you".

Apple iphone 5se Is the new 4 inch Iphone?

2016-01-28T03:54:00.001-08:00

Apple iPhone 5se is coming with a 4-inch screen. Despite being smaller than its current siblings, the iPhone 5se still looks awesome. Check out what it’s got on the inside…

Apple iPhone 5se – An excellent, friendly mini version for 2016

This is not the first time we’ve heard about the comeback of Apple’s 4-inch iPhone. However, now it may be official to be calledApple iPhone 5se. Well, honestly, the name does not seem very attractive, right?! However, it must have some meanings. According to many news sources, the iPhone 5se will be a new variant of Apple iPhone 5s, launched in September 2013, but of course equipped with more advanced features.

From what has been leaked about the iPhone 5se these days, Apple iPhone 5se specs will be likely to contain an A8 chipset paired with M8 motion co-processor, which is used for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, a combo of 8MP rear and 1.2MP front-facing camera, and Live Photos feature that can record a 1.5-second video before and after the shutter is snapped to create a GIF-like video. Isn’t it cool?

As we can see, iPhone 5se will borrow some amazing specifications of the iPhone 6 and 6s, but not including 3D Touch capability. So, at the moment, there is not much detailed information about the upcoming 4-inch iPhone, yet we bet it can become a great, friendly mini version to your hand and pocket.

Apple iPhone 5se price and availability

Apple is said to hold an event in March 2016 to unveil their iPhone 5se, but there has been no word made for the price yet. Though, if you ask, we predict that the handset can cost around $450 or vary depending on the ROM capacity. What do you think? Is it a good tag for iPhone 5se? Share with us by commenting in the following box!

2016-01-28T03:48:00.003-08:00

Asus, which is known for its affordable handsets, launched its most-expensive smartphone in India at its event in Agra on January 22. Called the ZenFone Zoom, the phone is priced in India at Rs 37,999. Also, the company announced a kit, which includes a ZenFone Zoom, ZenFlash, and a tripod at a price of Rs 39,999.

Before you start to assume it to be a high-end phone with top-notch specs, let us tell you that it’s one of the very few phones of its kind available in the market today. And what makes this phone stand out in the crowded market is the technology used in its rear camera. Unlike phones including the flagships of the competition that come with digital zoom, the Asus ZenFone Zoom’s camera features optical zoom abilities

Asus ZenFone Zoom Loaded with optical zoom and features as rich as a DSLR, the camera in the Asus ZenFone Zoom offers a plethora of customisation options.

#asus #asus zenfone zoom #camera phone #first impressions reviews

While Samsung has also introduced phones with optical zoom, but they appear to be more or less as cameras with smartphone functionalities. The Asus ZenFone Zoom, on the other hand, is plausibly the first phone with optical zoom that actually looks like a phone.

We are yet to conclusively figure out if the ZenFone Zoom has in it to to really make the best of the first-mover advantage or if it’s actually worth the price tag. This first impressions review, based on some time spent with it, gives an overview of the phone’s design, camera, and its potential.

The ZenFone Zoom looks like any other Asus phone from the front, but turn it around to see what’s new. The rear of the phone in itself is an indicator of its camera’s high-end abilities. The large camera module at the back houses a 13 megapixel sensor and a 3x optical zoom mechanism. While there is a slight hump at the back, but the phone has been designed smartly that that the bump goes unnoticed. It is obtrusive only when you remove the rear panel.

Unlike the 10x optical zoom-enabled Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and Galaxy K Zoom, wherein the zoom lens actually protrudes out from the back of the device, the ZenFone Zoom has all the zooming in and out happening internally, which leads the ZenFone Zoom to actually look like a phone and not an awkwardly designed hybrid. Also, the phone may not look extraordinarily slim, but given that the phone includes an optical zoom lens, it indeed has a slim profile and has a fairly light on weight.

Another interesting part about its design is that the company, to add to the phone’s DSLR-like capabilities, has provided physical buttons for camera controls including those for zoom and recording. To let users securely handle the phone, Asus has also bundled a strap with it.

Asus may have designed the phone cleverly, with elements neatly groomed, but it fails to woo on the look and feel front. While the metallic frame running along the phone gives it a premium touch, the leather panel at the rear looks quite average. Underneath the back panel are two slots - one for SIM and the other for a microSD card, which supports a card of up to 128 GB.

Talking about its 13 megapixel camera, the key highlight of the phone, the phone’s optical zoom capabilities left us impressed us in day-light environments. Taking the smartphone camera performance to a new level, the ZenFone Zoom captured detailed and bright photos in outdoor, while in soft-light and low-light conditions, the phone’s camera couldn’t generate results as good as we had expected - the results had details, but with quite a bit of noise. Also, the camera failed to capture true to life colours in areas other than bright environments. The 5 megapixel camera on the front is okay in areas properly lit up, but in low-light the results are a tad grainy.

Loaded with optical zoom and features as rich as a DSLR, the camera offers a plethora of options to customise settings. We are yet to test the full potential of its camera, something that we will talk about it in detail in our full review.

The ZenFone Zoom, which comes in only one variant, is a boon for storage hungry users. It offers a humongous 128 GB of internal storage with a slot that can support a microSD card of up to the same amount. I believe the company should have also introduced the phone in other variants like 32 GB and 64 GB.

Running Android 5.0 with ZenUI atop, the phone, like all other ZenFones, comes loaded with a good amount of bloatware. The speaker at the back produces loud results, but in terms of audio quality, it is not among the best. The 5.5-inch HD display on the phone with Corning Gorilla glass atop produces great colours and is good to a look at.

The ZenFone comes packed with a 3000 mAh non-removable lithium-polymer battery. According to Asus, its BoostMaster technology for turbo-speed charging can take the battery level in the ZenFone Zoom from 0 to 60 per cent in just 39 minutes. We are, however, yet to verify this claim. At its heart is a 64-bit Intel Z3590 quad-core processor paired with 4 GB of RAM.

The ZenFone Zoom comes in two colours - black and white, and is up for sale on Flipkart. It, however, will be available in Asus exclusive stores from February 2016.

The phone so far has turned out to be a mix of good and not-so-good, but we can conclude only after using the phone for an extended period.

Xiaomi Mi 5 and Mi 5 Plus: Here’s what we know so far

2016-01-20T23:15:00.002-08:00

XIAOMI

It's been long time coming but looks like Xiaomi is finally set to enthrall audiences across the globe with its next Mi flagship earlier this week. Lei Jun and Co. are holding out a major global event in their home surroundings, wherein two Mi devices; Mi 5 and Mi 5 Plus are to be unveiled, they say.

The device termed Libra has been making the rounds of media table over the past few weeks which is why the dated announcement of 16 July doesn't come across as an out of blue event. In all likelihood, Mi 5 and Mi 5 Plus are the devices lined up and here's what we know about the phones right now.

Both kind of Mi's
We saw the two-thronged strategy from Xiaomi earlier this year when Mi Note and Mi Note Pro editions were launched and this was start to something bigger, literally. Mi 5 will be nothing bigger than 5.2-inch which seems quite sensible on Xiaomi's part and the Plus variant should have a phablet-sized 6-inch form, if not slightly smaller. Both the flagship options will get industry-standard 2K (1440p) display resolution.

Which Snapdragon SoC then?
While it's obvious to get a Qualcomm chipset on high-end device (unless you're a HTC) but even then there's a big Snapdragon conundrum running these days. Will my device work fine with 810 or should I opt for safer 808? It's a bold move to opt for 810 with all the heating memoirs running aboard these days. OnePlus has already confirmed its priority by sticking with the 810 but Xiaomi's seems to be undecided about both the aforementioned variants, so we will have to wait for D-Day to see what the company opts for.

More camera power then please
If Xiaomi wants Mi 5 series to rival the likes of Samsung Galaxy S6 or LG G4 then we want more imaging brilliance laced onto the phones. We're talking about a 16MP rear camera with laser auto-focus if possible and an 8MP shooter on the front for those quality selfie clicks. Bring it on!

Keep the battery running
High-powered devices can only sustain for longer period if given the right back up solution. Big-size battery with quick charging technology feature is a flagship essential these days and Xiaomi has to stick to those for its sake.

Price it right with one eye on India
Yes, if Indian market is only second to China for Xiaomi then a quick global-to-India availability needs to happen. One thing is for certain, Xiaomi devices above 20K aren't going to find many takers in the country (Mi 4 proved it) which is either they lower down price of Mi 4 (or discontinue) to shelf the Mi 5 at similar range.

It's Xiaomi vs OnePlus this month and are eyes will be glued to what the Chinese brands have to offer with their latest flagship device have to offer and when their India debut happens, after all that's where the money is these days. Stay tuned.

Le Max and Le 1s Launched in India: Price, Specifications, and More

2016-01-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

Chinese Internet conglomerate Letv, which was recently re-branded to LeEco (short for Le Ecosystem), on Wednesday launched two smartphones in India - the Le Max and Le 1s. Both smartphones will be available exclusively via Flipkart, with the former going on sale on February 16, and the latter having its first flash sale on February 2. Registrations for the 12pm IST sale begin Wednesday at 6pm IST.

(Also see: Le Max - Full Specifications)

The Le Max has been launched in a 64GB storage model in Silver colour variant at Rs. 32,999. There is also a Gold variant with 128GB of inbuilt storage, priced at Rs. 36,999. A Pink sapphire-display variant with 128GB of inbuilt storage will also be made available in limited quantities of 1,000 units, priced at Rs. 69,999. The Le 1s on the other hand comes with 32GB storage and has been priced at Rs. 10,999.

(Also see: Le 1s - Full Specifications)

Founded in 2004, LeEco has become a major name in many technology-centric markets. LeEco offers live-streaming, e-commerce, cloud, smartphones, TV set-top boxes, and smart TVs among other products and services.

To recall, the Le Max smartphone was launched back in April last year in China. The Le 1s, on the other hand, was unveiled in October priced at CNY 1,099 (approximately Rs. 11,250) in China. The Indian market will be the first market outside China where the Le Max and Le 1s will be going on sale.

The company says an Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for the smartphones will likely be made available in March-April.

The Le Max phablet features a 6.33-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) resolution display with a pixel density of 464ppi and 0.8mm bezel. It is powered by a 64-bit 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC and 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM. The smartphone features a 21-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilisation, Sony IMX230 sensor, dual-LED flash, and an f/2.0 aperture lens, alongside a 4-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The One Max also sports a fingerprint sensor placed below the rear camera, besides Wi-Fi Display connectivity.

(Also see: Le Max vs. Alcatel OneTouch Hero 2+)

Other specifications include a 3400mAh battery; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with hotspot support, Bluetooth 4.1 with APT-X support, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and 4G LTE connectivity; infra-red remote control, electronic compass, hall sensors, gravity sensor, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, and a proximity sensor. It weighs in at 204 grams, and measures 167.1x83.5x8.95mm. It features a USB 2.0 Type-C port and MHL 2.0.

The Le 1s, much like the bigger Le Max, features a fingerprint scanner at the back, just below the primary camera. The handset is powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop based EUI 5.5 UI. Le supports a reversible USB Type-C with fast-charging SpeedVolt technology that can offer 3.5 hours of playback on a charge of just 5 minutes.

(Also see: Letv Le 1s vs. Xiaomi Mi 4i vs. Meizu metal vs. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2)

Other specifications of the Letv Le 1s include 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) ISP display; 3GB of RAM; 32GB of inbuilt storage, and supports dual-SIM (Micro + Nano-SIM). For camera, the handset sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and phase-detection autofocus (PDAF). There is a 5-megapixel front-facing camera as well on board. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, Micro-USB, 3G, and 4G LTE. The handset measures 151.1x74.2x7.5mm and weighs 169 grams. The Le 1s is backed by a 3000mAh battery. It packs accelerometer, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, and proximity sensors.

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Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) Spotted on Benchmark Site, Specifications Tipped

2016-01-20T23:07:00.003-08:00

Earlier this week, we saw the rumoured Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) appearing in GFXBench benchmark results, revealing some specifications. This time the unannounced Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) has purportedly emerged on the same benchmarking website, giving us a glimpse about the specifications.

A smartphone with model number SM-J710x is thought to be the Galaxy J7 (2016), and is listed to run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Other specifications mentioned include a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution display with at least 5-finger gesture support. Under-the-hood, the smartphone packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, clubbed with Android 405 GPU, and 3GB RAM.

The handset in question houses 16GB of inbuilt storage. It also features a 12-megapixel autofocus rear camera, with face detection, HDR, and touch focus features, along with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which can record full-HD resolution videos. Other features included are accelerometer, compass, light sensor, proximity sensor, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and Wi-Fi.

Besides the Galaxy J5 (2016) and the Galaxy J7 (2016), the company is reportedly also working on the Galaxy J1 (2016) smartphone. The handset was seen up for sale in Dubai for AED 499 (roughly Rs. 9,000) at a Jumbo Electronics showroom.

For reference, the original Samsung Galaxy J7 smartphone, which was launched in July last year, runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box. It was also the company's one of the first smartphones to feature a front-facing flash making it a selfie-focus smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 houses a 5.5-inch Super Amoled display with a HD screen resolution of 720x1280 pixels. It packs a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 SoC coupled with 1.5GB of RAM under-the-hood, 16GB of inbuilt storage, and a 3000mAh battery rated to deliver 354 hours of standby time. It sports a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with f/1.9 aperture and 5-megapixel front camera. Apart from 4G, the handset supports 3G, Bluetooth v4.1, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Glonass and Micro-USB.

Download the Gadgets 360 app for Android and iOS to stay up to date with the latest tech news, product reviews, and exclusive deals on the popular mobiles.

Moto X Force, Launch Shatterproof Phone

2016-01-20T23:06:00.001-08:00

Moto X Force 'Shatterproof' Phone's India Launch Set for February 1

Motorola India has sent invites for the launch event of the Moto X Force, scheduled to take place on February 1 in Gurgaon.

To recall, the Lenovo-owned company has been teasing the launch of the 'shatterproof' Moto X Force for the past few weeks in India, and had also confirmed upcoming availability in the country alongside the global launch of the smartphone.

The biggest highlight of the Moto X Force, which is an international variant of the Droid Turbo 2 for Verizon Wireless, is the 'ShatterShield' display. The company in October said that the display is made of an aluminium rigid core, flexible Amoled screen, and dual-layer touchscreen panels (redundancy in case one goes bad) - wouldn't break into pieces even when dropped on a slab of concrete. Additionally, the smartphone comes with water-repellent nano-coating.

For specifications, the Moto X Force features a 5.4-inch QHD (1440x2560) display; powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core SoC clocked at 2GHz; 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM; comes in 32GB and 64GB inbuilt storage options; supports expandable storage option via a microSD card slot (up to 2TB); 3760mAh battery with Quick Charging support; 21-megapixel rear-camera with an f/2.0 aperture and dual-LED flash and Phase Detect Autofocus, and a 5-megapixel front camera with flash and an f/2.0 aperture.

The Motorola smartphone runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and supports single-SIM with 4G LTE (Cat. 4), Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and other standard connectivity options. Motorola's Moto X Force was first available in the UK where it was priced at GBP 499 (roughly Rs. 49,900) for the 32GB variant, and a GBP 534 (roughly Rs. 53,400) for the 64GB variant.

Download the Gadgets 360 app for Android and iOS to stay up to date with the latest tech news, product reviews, and exclusive deals on the popular mobiles.

iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case review: Is this the battery case you’ve been looking for?

2015-12-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

Apple’s first official battery case nearly doubles the battery life of the iPhone 6s, but it’s ugly and overpriced

PRICE WHEN REVIEWED

Modern smartphones pack an increasing amount of technological wizardry into their slim, light frames, but one aspect that hasn’t improved is battery life. That’s why there’s such a thriving market in battery accessories and cases - and now Apple has stepped into the ring with the iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case.

The Smart Battery Case adds a secondary, 1,877mAh-capacity battery to the iPhone 6s’ own internal 1,715mAh battery, for a claimed total of 18 hours 4G web browsing. With the regular iPhone 6s battery claim of ten hours, that represents a boost of 80%.

Not bad, and in testing it appeared to do exactly that. I popped my test iPhone 6s into the case at 15:29 with 10% capacity remaining; an hour-and-a-half later, and with a video playing constantly from local storage in the interim, the battery had been topped up to 85%.

In the real world, with a little care and attention, I found the battery life of my iPhone 6s went from one day at most to nearly two days with the case attached.

This is lovely, but it isn’t rocket science. Strap a big secondary battery to the back of any phone and you’ll get results like this. The key question is, how does the Smart Battery Case compare with the competition?

iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case review: Features

There are three reasons you might use the Smart Battery case over and above a third-party case from Mophie or Anker. First, it comes with a Lightning port for charging, which means you can use the same cable you use for your phone. Most third-party cases employ a Micro USB input to charge the case.

Second, there’s proper iOS integration. Once you’ve popped your iPhone 6s into the Smart Battery Case, you can pull down the Notifications menu and see the remaining capacity of both batteries, side-by-side. Finally, the case is a one-piece design, which means there are no plastic clips to break or parts to lose. To slot your phone into the case, just bend back the top part, slide the phone in, then clip it home.

None of this, however, justifies the premium price. The official Apple battery case is £79 and gives you a 1,877mAh battery, but for less you can pick up a battery case with either the same or more capacity. The Mophie Juice Pack Reserve, for instance, with its 1,840mAh capacity is £55, while the Anker Ultra Slim Extended Battery Case for iPhone 6s is a mere £27, and adds a huge 2,850mAh battery.

And the official Apple Battery Case is hardly the most attractive thing. It’s made from the same nasty, grippy rubber material as the official Apple silicone cases, and it comes only in dull charcoal grey or boring white. It isn’t the finish or the colour that’s the biggest problem, though, it’s that lump on the back. Apple is famed for its design prowess, and rightly so, but this looks like it was designed by the work experience chap in his lunch hour.

I’m also none-too-keen on the headphone jack. If you use non-Apple headphones it’s likely your plug won’t fit the Smart Battery Case’s deep, narrow recess, so you may need to add the cost of an adapter to the Smart Case’s already high price if you want to listen to your favourite Sennheisers or Beats. It won’t surprise you to find out that Apple doesn’t include an adapter in the box.

Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6s review: Verdict

As I mentioned, there are some reasons you might consider buying the official Apple battery case for your iPhone 6s, but none of them are particularly compelling, beyond the native Lightning cable connection.

The Smart Battery Case does work – and it works well. It will extend the battery life of your iPhone 6s out to nigh on two days, and that’s indubitably a good thing. However, it’s ugly and far from the best value battery case you can buy.

Samsung Galaxy S7: what we want to see

2015-12-22T23:23:00.000-08:00

Samsung Galaxy S7: what we want to see

Did you know the S in Samsung's Galaxy S series stands for "Super Smart"? Pretty cheesy isn't it?

But Samsung really does believe the brand supplies the best of the best in its Galaxy S series.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge released at the start of 2015 proved to be two of

the most exciting handsets on the market right now and we gave them both near on perfect reviews

with only a few little problems on each letting them down.

Those problems need to be ironed out by the next time around and it's exciting to think what Samsung

will be able to pull off with its new found lease of design changes and true innovation.

So what will the Galaxy S7 bring to the table? The rumours are already coming in, so here's everything

in one easy place for you to see.

News and rumors

Samsung Galaxy S6

So what exactly do we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy S7? The real answer is not all that much,

it's only a few months since the Galaxy S6 hit the market so real, worthwhile details are a little hard to

come by.

One rumour does seem to have a little weight thrown behind it though as sources believe the Galaxy S7

and Galaxy Note 5 may be coming with curved screens.

According to supply chain sources both phones will be launching with flexible displays after Samsung put

in some big orders with Taiwanese manufacturers. It may end up being a separate version of the Galaxy

S7 much like with the Galaxy S6 Edge but it's interesting all the same.

What we want to see

Samsung Galaxy S6

1. Better battery life

Our biggest gripe with the Galaxy S6 was the battery - we found with moderate usage you could get

between 17 and 18 hours. That is the average day if you're on a normal sleep pattern but do you really

want to be walking that tight rope thinking if I watch a film my phone it's not going to last the whole day?

Samsung need to do better than this with the Galaxy S7; even sacrificing a little of its new found design

credentials to thicken up the handset and stick in a bigger cell would have been worth the extra life.

Next time let's hope it understands functionality takes precedence over design.

2. Bring us to the Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

We loved the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge - in fact we think everyone did - it just did something entirely

different to the rest of the competition.

We want the same again, but maybe something completely off the bat. If the rumours of the flexible

display handset turn out to be true we could end seeing something similar to the S6 Edge come Q1

2016.

3. Another step into VR

Galaxy S6

When Samsung revealed the Galaxy S6 it also announced there would be a new Gear VR headset

designed to go alongside the new phone.

Next time round we want Samsung to keep focusing on VR but up its game even further for the Galaxy

S7 - whether it be more sensors, more games or a new way of doing it all together we just want more of

a focus on VR.

Samsung is one of the few companies doing Virtual Reality right at the moment and there's no better

way to keep that going than innovating on an already good product.

4. A price drop

Samsung's devices aren't the cheapest on the market. One of our criticisms of the latest handset came

at the price tag attached to the phone and it'd be nice to see it drop down a little as soon as possible.

At the moment Samsung's devices are even in a similar price bracket to Apple.

It may mean we lose a couple of the superfluous features on the phone but taking it down a little would

be really nice. Come on Samsung, you can buck the trend and do it with the Galaxy S7.

5. Drop the fingerprint magnet

Samsung Galaxy S6

If you've got a white S6 you're laughing, but if you've got one of the darker options you're probably

finding yourself wiping it down with your t-shirt a lot down to all the fingerprints showing up on the rear.

The white option is the best for avoiding this but we shouldn't expect our phones to be covered in grubby

marks within a matter of minutes. Let's sort it out ready for the Samsung Galaxy S7.

6. Something brand new

The S6 Edge really showed us something different and we want to see that same inspiration again from

the South Korean company.

In the meantime we may not actually know what we want to see, but something to change up the phone

market a little and give it a little kick up the bum it needs.

7. More robust design

Galaxy S5

Almost everybody agrees Samsung nailed the design of the Galaxy S6, but one big feature was missing.

The Galaxy S5 had the addition of a water and dustproof design so when the Galaxy S6 was announced

it was quite a shock the feature had been taken out.

Fingers crossed Samsung will see fit to return it to the Galaxy S7, but this time in a much nicer design.

8. Even more power

Not that the Galaxy S6 wasn't powerful enough, but in a year we're going to have a bunch of new

processors doing the rounds and we want to see the biggest and best in the Samsung Galaxy S7.

Whether it be an in house created Exynos processor or a jump back to Qualcomm, we don't mind,

we just want the best the company can find. Is that too much to ask?

Microsoft Lumia 950, 950 XL: 8 new features

2015-12-01T03:57:00.001-08:00

Microsoft Lumia 950, 950 XL: 8 new features

Microsoft’s new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones are finally official, making the competition at the top-end of the segment more intense. Do the smartphones have enough distinguishing features to create a separate identity for themselves and lure buyers away from the new iPhones, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P and Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5? We take a look at the 8 new features of Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL...

Windows Hello

Microsoft wants to dump passwords with Windows 10, and its Windows Hello platform is a step towards that. The new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones can track your eye using the integrated iris scanner to identify the user and unlock the device. No need to place your thumb on the fingerprint sensor here.

Continuum

One of the key features of Windows 10 is Continuum, which allows the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL to act as a desktop. You just need to connect the smartphones to a monitor, keyboard and mouse using the official Microsoft Display Dock and all the Windows 10 universal apps will adjust the resolution to fit the external display.

Water-cooled processor

Microsoft has chosen the Snapdragon 810 processor for the Lumia 950 XL smartphone. However, the processor is known for its heating issues, which is why the company has used a water-cooling system to dissipate the heat. Microsoft has not revealed how this setup works in the smartphone, which is the first one in the world to feature this type of technology.

Lumia 950, which is powered by the Snapdragon 808 chipset, does not have water-cooling technology.

QHD display

For the first time, Microsoft has used a QHD display in its Lumia line of smartphones. Both Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL sports 1440x2560p resolution, which pack four times the pixels compared to a HD panel.

The highest display resolution for a Windows Phone handset till now has been Full HD (1080x1920p) only.

More RAM

With Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, Microsoft has used 3GB RAM in smartphones for the first time. This, coupled with the new processors, would mean that the two smartphones will beat last year’s model by a mile and compete easily with the Android phones and iPhones of 2015.

Better cameras

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL feature the same camera setup: 20MP PureView camera on the back and 5MP selfie in the front. The rear camera has Zeiss lens, records 4K videos, and features optical image stabilization. Additionally, the phones have triple-LED flash for better low-light photos; Microsoft says the three-LED flash setup will not wash out the colours in the photos.

Bigger batteries

Compared to last year’s models, Lumia 950 (3,000mAh) and Lumia 950 XL (3,340mAh) have much bigger batteries, thus the two will last longer on a single charge.

USB Type C

USB Type C is another new feature of Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, and will ensure fast data transfer and quick-charging. Microsoft claims that it will be able to provide 50% of battery with just 30 minutes of charge.

Obi Worldphone SF1 Review

2015-12-01T03:51:00.002-08:00

Obi Mobiles made its debut in India last year as a provider of low-cost Android smartphones. What made this company different from numerous others newcomers is that it had a strong backer; ex-Apple CEO John Sculley to be precise. However, Obi Mobiles seemed like every other company, picking an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) from China to design and manufacture phones to sell under its own name. The company's debut offering, the Obi Octopus S520 (Review | Pictures) only focused on specifications but failed to address other key areas like aesthetics and user experience.
Cut to 2015 and Obi Mobiles has reemerged as Obi Worldphone. The focus of the company continues to be budget smartphones for emerging markets, but it's now putting the user experience and aesthetics first. The phones and their UI are now designed by a Californian design studio called Ammunition, founded by Robert Brunner, who was the Director of Industrial Design at Apple in the past.

Today, we'll be reviewing the Obi Worldphone SF1, the company's new flagship offering. On paper, the phone looks like a promising candidate, and Obi has also taken certain aesthetic measures to ensure that it stands out from the horde of Android offerings in this price segment.
Look and feel
The SF1 has one of those 'love-it or hate-it' designs, which is sure to turn a few heads. The stylistic choices are definitely interesting. The phone comes packaged in a transparent acrylic box. At first glance, the smartphone looks like a fusion of an iPod Touch and a Microsoft Lumia device, which is a weird combination, but somehow works. The display is raised slightly from the rest of the body, which doesn't really offer any functional benefit but definitely stands out. This presents a possible issue with durability though, as the display's rim will have to absorb any impact if the phone ever falls down face-first. The display gets Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for protection to safeguard against this possibility.
The 5-inch full-HD IPS display is beautifully crisp; colours are punchy and sunlight legibility is fairly decent too. The screen also gets an oleophobic treatment so fingerprints aren't a nightmare. Above the screen, we have a 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera with an LED flash.
The rest of the body is made of plastic except for a strip of flat metal on the top, where we have the 3.5mm headset socket. The hybrid SIM slot is placed on the right, while the volume and power buttons are on the left. The buttons aren't the easiest to use since they sit flush with the body and don't have great tactile feedback.

The speaker grille and Micro-USB port are on the rounded bottom. The Lumia-style body features a matte finish, which helps with grip and is easy to keep clean. Around the back, we have a 13-megapixel camera and LED flash. The 3000mAh battery is sealed in.
The SF1 ships with just a charger and a USB cable. There isn't any headset in the box. Obi Worldphone has certainly upped its game when it comes to design and aesthetics as compared to its debut offerings a year ago. The SF1 is built well, has a striking design, and is comfortably sized. We could have used a notification LED in the front though, and perhaps softer action for the physical buttons.
Specifications and software
The SF1 ticks most of the right boxes when it comes to specifications. We have an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC with integrated Adreno 405 graphics. There's a choice between two variants: 3GB of RAM with 32GB of storage, and 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage. You can add up to 64GB using a microSD card, but only at the cost of the second SIM thanks to the shared hybrid card slot. There's also dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Dual-LTE, USB OTG, FM radio, and GPS. The phone supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 1.0 feature.

You get a slightly dated version of Android Lollipop (5.0.2) out-of-the-box, along with a custom skin called Obi Lifespeed. There isn't much difference between this skin and stock Android apart from a custom icon pack and redesigned settings app. Other changes (if any) are all under the hood. There's an option to switch to the stock Android launcher if needed. You can set long-press or double-press actions for the physical and home buttons, such as launching apps or commands. Obi has also added toggles for smart functions such as flip-to-mute and auto-answer calls when you lift the phone to your ear.
Apart from the usual suite of Google apps and some productivity apps, there's also Obi Care, which lists available service locations; Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint; SwiftKey keyboard; and Dolby Audio. Our review unit was a retail piece for Vietnam so the stock apps might be different in the Indian version.

We like the fact that the SF1 isn't burdened with unwanted bloatware, which leaves you with plenty of free RAM (1.8GB on our 3GB unit) for apps. Despite this, we noticed lags throughout the interface. Whether it is multitasking, opening an app or even the UI animations, there was very noticeable stuttering, which we simply couldn't fix. Switching to the stock launcher and disabling window and transition animations in the developer options helped a bit, but not much. We hope this is just some sort of software glitch which can be rectified soon with a software patch, or better still, an upgrade to Android Marshmallow.
Performance
Barring the annoying UI stutter, actual app performance is very good thanks to the capable hardware. Gaming performance is good, and demanding ones such as Dead Trigger 2 play without a hitch. The phone doesn't heat up much either apart from when it's charging or recording videos for long durations.
Speaking of charging, the supplied power adaptor can juice the phone up to 27 percent in 30 minutes, which can be helpful when you're squeezed for time. Call quality is satisfactory as well. The ambient light sensor can be a little slow to react at times as it doesn't always accurately adjust the brightness of the display.

In benchmarks, it's business as usual. We got 35,065 in AnTuTu and 5,542 in 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme while GFXBench retuned 15fps in the T-Rex benchmark. These are pretty decent numbers for a mid-range phone.
The SF1 does a good job with media playback. High definition files, including high-bitrate ones, play without any hiccups. The Dolby Audio enhancement does a good job of boosting the volume and audio quality of your music and videos through the speakers and headphones. There are a couple of presets to choose from, and you can create two custom presets. Tweaking the sound signature is super easy thanks to the intuitive graphic equaliser.

(Click to see full size)
The 13-meagpaixel camera manages very good macros in daylight. Since the focus reticule is a little large, it's tricky to get the app to lock focus on a small subjects, but once locked in, you get very good detail and depth of field. Landscapes are fairly detailed too given good lighting. Colours are neutral, and might seem muted and dull if you're used to oversaturated pictures. Images shot in low light aren't great, though, as there's a lot of noise and it's difficult to get a sharp image as the focusing speed dips quite a bit. Capture speed under good lighting is fairly quick.
The front-facing 5-megapixel camera captures passable shots. The camera interface is simple and straightforward. You can set the camera to 'Auto' or choose from list of modes. Obi has added some additional features in the IQ Camera sub-section. ReFocus lets you capture a scene and then manipulate the focus points later. This didn't seem to work too well, and we were unable to see any noticeable focus shift while trying to manipulate the image. Chroma Flash is supposed to create a single frame after combing two images with and without the flash, to help mitigate washouts. Once again, this doesn't seem too effective, since the single LED flash is quite weak to begin with. Finally, Opti Zoom up-samples images so you get less noise when you zoom in. It works to an extent provided you're shooting in daylight.

(Click to see full size)
You can tweak other settings such as HDR, contrast, sharpness, white balance, ISO, and burst mode. Panorama mode leaves a lot to be desired too as images aren't stitched very well and objects appear slightly warped. Video recording is maxes out at 1080p and the quality is quite good, even under artificial lighting. We would have liked more control over the focus here as there's no tap-to-focus or even any shooting modes. There isn't any form of video stabilisation either.
The 3000mAh battery delivered 9 hours and 53 minutes in our video loop test. With regular use, we found ourselves easily pushing past a day's worth of usage, which is good.

Verdict
The Obi Worldphone SF1 retails at Rs. 14,000 for the 32GB variant, which is pretty good considering the overall package. It's definitely a striking phone with good build quality, solid battery life, and very good audio. The camera is pretty good at macros and image quality is generally good in daylight. It's also nice to see lower-mid-range offerings support features such as fast charging. There are some areas in which the SF1 could use improvement, like the annoying intermittent stutter in the user interface and better low-light camera performance. We also hope Obi Worldphone pushes out an Android update quickly as the SF1 is missing out on all the improvements that Android 5.1 and later versions bring.

Nokia C1 Leaked Again With Specifications and Fresh Images

2015-12-01T03:48:00.000-08:00

Another Nokia C1 smartphone image has popped up on the Internet along with some rumoured specifications. The image and the specifications come from the same source that provided the last render indicating the handset will arrive in two variants - one running Windows 10 Mobile and the other Android.
The new image shows the rumoured Nokia C1 running its Z Launcher on the Android OS. The handset is seen in Grey, White, and Peach colour versions. The design goes in line with the previous leak as well. The source (via Nokia Power User) goes on to explain that the smartphone will arrive in two sizes both of which will also have a different camera setup.
As per the source, while one variant will house 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution display, the other will sport a larger 5.5-inch full-HD display. The smaller Nokia C1 version will bear 2GB RAM + 32GB inbuilt storage setup and along with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The larger variant will feature 3GB RAM + 64GB inbuilt storage setup along with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It is further said that the Nokia smartphone has been in-the-making for so long that the company scrapped the original hardware design of the C1 and replaced it with a better one in the interim.
Previous leaks and rumours for the Nokia C1 pointed out the handset to run Android with the company's Z Launcher and Windows 10 Mobile as well - tipping the handset could be offered in two variants for the two operating systems.
It needs to be pointed out that Nokia can't use its brand on smartphones until Q4 2016, because of the acquisition of its devices and services division by Microsoft. Earlier this year, Nokia announced that it intends to get back in the smartphone business by licensing designs to hardware manufacturers

LG Zero Smartphone With All-Metal Body, 4G LTE Support Launched

2015-12-01T03:47:00.002-08:00

LG back in September launched its new Class mid-range smartphone in Korea priced at SKW 399,300 (approximately Rs. 22,500). The smartphone was exclusive to Korean market.The company has now revealed LG Zero, the global variant of the Class, which will be available globally. LG has announced that the LG Zero smartphone will be available in Taiwan starting this week followed by other key markets in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. It will be available in Gold and Silver colours. The company adds that the smartphone will continue to be marketed as the LG Class in Germany, Korea, Russia, and Singapore. Unfortunately, LG has announced that it will announce pricing and availability of the Zero at the time of local launch.
One of the highlights of the LG Zero smartphone, similar to Class smartphone, is its metal body, and like other recent LG handsets, it features power and volume rocker buttons on the rear panel, just below the primary camera. The handset sports LG logo branding both on front and back panels. The Zero sports an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, which the company touts comes with the image sensor from the LG G4 flagship.
For specifications, the LG Zero smartphone featured identical specifications as the Class. It features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display. It offers a pixel density of 294ppi. The company notes that the Zero features an "Arc Glass" design at the edges giving it a slimmer profile.
It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. Considering that the Class was backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC, we can expect Zero smartphone to be powered by the same chipset. One of the biggest differences between the two handsets is in RAM - the Zero packs 1.5GB of RAM while Class came with 2GB of RAM. The handset packs 16GB of built-in storage while supporting expandable storage via microSD card (up to 2TB).
The company has confirmed that the LG Zero runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. There is a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash. The smartphone supports FM radio recording feature while also featuring a 1W speaker.
It measures 142x71.8x7.4mm and weighs 147 grams. For connectivity, the LG Zero supports 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, and Micro-USB. The smartphone packs a 2050mAh embedded battery.
Announcing the handset, Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company said, "At LG, we do not believe in limiting our best technology to just our flagship devices. The LG Zero exhibits innovation not only in its design but in its ability to offer premium features at a competitive price point."

Oppo A53 With 5.5-Inch Display, Snapdragon 616 SoC Launched

2015-12-01T03:45:00.002-08:00

Oppo has launched the Oppo A53 smartphone in China. However, pricing and availability details have not yet been revealed by the company.
The Oppo A53 is a dual-SIM supporting (Micro-SIM+Nano-SIM) smartphone running ColorOS 2.1 based on Android 5.1 out-of-the-box. It sports a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280pixels) resolution display with 2.5D curved glass and a pixel density of 267ppi. Under-the-hood, the handset packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, clubbed with 2GB RAM.
The handset houses a 13-megapixel rear camera with CMOS sensor and LED flash, while a 5-megapixel front-facing camera is also on board. The Oppo A53 sports 16GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded using microSD card (maximum capacity unspecified).
Under connectivity options, the Oppo A53 features 4G LTE (supports India-based networks), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, and USB 2.0. It measures 153.90x77x7.4mm, weighs 165 grams, and is backed by a 3075mAh battery.
The company last month unveiled the A33 smartphone in China priced at CNY 1,499 (roughly Rs. 15,500). The handset features a smaller 5-inch (540x960 pixels) TFT display with a pixel density of 220ppi. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC coupled with 2GB of RAM. The A33 features an 8-megapixel rear autofocus camera along with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It bears 16GB of built-in storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB). It is backed by a 2400mAh battery that is rated to deliver up to 250 hours of standby time and up to 8 hours of talk-time.

Micromax's Yu Yutopia High-End Flagship Set to Launch on Monday

2015-12-01T03:43:00.000-08:00

Micromax subsidiary Yu Televentures, after weeks of teasing its upcoming Yutopia smartphone, has finally confirmed that it will be launched at an event on Monday. The company has started sending media invites for the launch event.So far, the company has confirmed that the Yu Yutopia will include 32GB of inbuilt storage instead of 16GB, which is still the minimum inbuilt storage given by Apple in its iPhone models. The company had previously confirmed a Quad HD display on the Yu Yutopia smartphone. If true, this would be the company's first smartphone featuring a QHD display. The company also hinted that the Yutopia would sport a metal build which would be company's first smartphone made out of metal. The company in its teasers also took dig at the OnePlus 2 smartphone, which doesn't support the Qualcomm Quick Charge feature.
Yu last week targeted Apple again in its latest teaser, hinting at a large battery capacity for the Yutopia. The teaser showed that the Apple company logo with low battery indication and a caption stating, "Would you enjoy an apple that doesn't last long?" The teaser directly hinted at the size of the Yu Yutopia's battery to be greater than the latest iPhone models.
Ahead of the Yu Yunique launch in September, a high-end smartphone from Micromax's subsidiary dubbed Yu550 was spotted in Geekbench listings as well as at an Indian import/ export manifest site. The Yu550 may be the high-end smartphone the company has been teasing. To recall, the Yu550 smartphone spotted at Geekbench listing showed few specifications including a 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994) processor coupled with 4GB of RAM. The smartphone was said to feature a 5.2-inch full-HD display and run Android 5.1.1 Lollipop-based build of Cyanogen OS. The Yu5050 scored 1353 in single-core test and 4622 in the multi-core test

Xiaomi MI4 will get windows 10 Confirmed.

2015-12-01T03:41:00.000-08:00

Xiaomi on Monday announced that it will release Windows 10 Mobile software for flagship Mi 4 Android smartphone in China on December 3 . The announcement comes nine months after Microsoft partnered with the Chinese technology conglomerate to beta test Windows 10 for phones.
Lin Bin, Co-Founder and President of Xiaomi shared the news on Chinese social networking website Weibo. The image shared by Bin shows Windows 10 Mobile software running on an Mi 4. The announcement comes a week after a Microsoft Operating System Software Engineer who goes by the alias TheRenaissanceMan posted on Weibo that a public release of Windows 10 for Mi 4 is coming on Thanksgiving Day.
In March, on the sidelines of Windows 10's release date announcement, Microsoft also said that it had partnered with Xiaomi to test Windows 10 for phones. At the time, the company said that it would be testing Windows 10 with select Xiaomi Mi 4 power users in China.
"Through a new program with Xiaomi, one of the top smartphone distributors in the world, a select group of Xiaomi Mi 4 power users will be invited to help test Windows 10 and contribute to its future release later this year", the company had then noted in a blog post. "These power users will have the opportunity to download the Windows 10 Technical Preview - installing it and providing their feedback to Microsoft".
As Microsoft diminishes its mobile manufacturing efforts, the aforementioned partnership was speculated as a way for the company to get more people to try out its mobile operating system. Instead of releasing more Windows Phone (or Windows 10 Mobile) handsets, the company could release build (ROM) of its operating system that can be flashed onto an Android handset. At this point, we don't know how successful this program has been for the two companies. But a public release of Windows 10 Mobile for Mi 4 handsets does seem to paint a positive picture.
Gadgets 360 reached out to Microsoft last week for comments on the program, and the company requested more time. We've reached out to Xiaomi for more information as well, and will update this article when we get a response.

Android version 6.0 Marshmallow Changes and Worst

2015-11-04T23:34:00.000-08:00

The latest Android version 6.0 Marshmallow is finally here. The search engine giant, Google released the latest Android along with next-generation of Nexus smartphones: LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P.Well, many are wondered when there smartphone will get the latest Android update. Google has announced the roll out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to old Nexus device and users have already starting getting OTA update. Thankfully, Samsung, Sony, Motorola and HTC has already announced their list of device that will be getting the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow.SEE ALSO: Top 10 Android Smartphones With Bigger Battery Upto 5000mAh Under Rs 10,000As we all know Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with some advanced features like new interface, fingerprint scanner, app permission and more making the smartphone experience even better. This post will give you an insight about the best and the worst features of the latest operating system. Have a look at the slider below to know more

App Permission One of the biggest features in the Android 6.0 Marshmallow is the app permission. Google has increased user control of app permission with its latest Android operating system. This features let users to pick and choose which permission will an app have during installation. In addition to that, users can also manage all their app permission in settings.

Now on Tap Google announced a new feature called 'Now on Tap' for Google Now, which basically show contextual information by long pressing on the home button. This feature will offer contextual information based on what you are doing with just a click or by voice command

Doze Mode Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with Doze mode, which is believed to make Android device smart in managing power. The new feature will track via motion detection whether the device is left unattended for a while, than Doze will limit background activity of apps with are consuming battery power.

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RAM Manager The new RAM manager offers more detail about the memory usage of the device. The RAM manager shows how much memory your apps are consuming. The manager also rate the most used app so that users can recognize the most memory consuming app and can get rid of them. Show Thumbnail

Auto Backup and Restore Google also brings one of the most useful features for Android Marshmallow. The auto backup and restore for apps feature will get all apps backed up automatically to Google Drive. Google confirms that the automatic app backup will occur every 24 hours. This feature will allow users to signing into their Google account on new Android device or on a device after a factory reset to recover all their app and app settings. Show Thumbnail

Battery Life Battery life is the biggest concern in the Android smartphones, in the earlier version of Android 5.0 Lollipop, the battery life was the major issue. Google claims that the latest Marshmallow will come with intelligent Doze mode, which will manager the power. But, with the extensive use of smartphone with Marshmallow, the battery life is not user expectable. Show Thumbnail

Few Features Need New Hardware The Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with latest features like fingerprint scanner, support to USB Type-C and much more. If you want to uses these new features then you need to buy a new smartphone. Show Thumbnail

Auto-Handling Apps The Android uses a deep linking for apps without asking for user permission. For instance, in the older version of Android, if you have two different Twitter apps installed, and when you click a link to open twitter post on the Web or in any app, Android will ask which app to use. But in the Android Marshmallow, if the app is verified by Google as the Twitter app, then it will be used as default, regardless of you set preference and without your preference.

WORST

No Changes In UI Well, we expected that the new Android will come with latest UI changes, but there is absolutely no way that Lollipop and Marshmallow are apart, except a bunch of new wallpapers.

Apple Predicted to Launch A9-Based 4-Inch iPhone in Early 2016, iPhone 7 Plus to Carry 3 GB of RAM

2015-11-04T23:07:00.000-08:00

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report outlining his expectations for Apple's 2016 iPhone launches, including several interesting tidbits about the upcoming devices.

First, Kuo believes Apple still has a new 4-inch iPhone in the works that "resembles an upgraded iPhone 5s". The device is said to be targeted for launch in the first half of next year and will come equipped with an A9 processor.

As there is still demand for a 4-inch iPhone, we believe Apple will upgrade this product line. Because the iPhone 5s is more popular than the iPhone 5c, we think Apple is likely to launch an upgraded iPhone 5s. We predict Apple will mass-produce this new 4-inch iPhone in 1H16 with metal casings. In order to make the current iOS 9 or next-generation iOS 10 run smoothly, Apple may adopt an A9 chip for this new phone.

Kuo believes this new 4-inch iPhone will not include 3D Touch support as part of an effort to keep it differentiated from the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. He also projects Apple could ship 20-30 million units of this new iPhone through the end of 2016.

Looking ahead to the next full refresh with the iPhone 7, Kuo expects the usual third-quarter launch in 2016 with an unsurprising upgrade to a new A10 chip to offer increased performance. He does, however, believe Apple will opt to differentiate between the two sizes of the iPhone 7 when it comes to RAM, with the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 carrying the same 2 GB seen in current iPhones while the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus will include 3 GB of RAM for performance reasons.

Kuo believes major winners for the 2016 iPhone cycle include Foxconn, which he expects will be the exclusive supplier for the new 4-inch iPhone, and TSMC, which he expects will be the sole provider of the A9 chip used in that phone as well as the A10 chip used in the iPhone 7.

OnePlus X: When and how can you buy it?

2015-10-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

OnePlus X: When and how can you buy it?

OnePlus unveiled its third smartphone at a press event in London on 29 October. It's called the OnePlus X.

Sticking to its strategy of offering a flagship-like handset with premium materials and hardware at an affordable price, OnePlus has announced the OnePlus X will start at £199 in the UK. But it's not going to be easy to get your hands on the phone.

The Chinese mobile startup plans to initially sell the new phone through its infamous online invite system. In other words, you will need to sign up for and then recieve an invite from OnePlus in order to buy this beauty anytime soon. OnePlus relied on this very same method for selling its original OnePlus phone and the OnePlus 2, which released a few months ago.

The company insists that its frustrating invite system isn't about creating hype but rather managing its inventory, keeping risk low, and ensuring it doesn't make more smartphones than it can sell. Whatever the reason may be, the result is: you must pay close attention to OnePlus' every move over the coming months in order to be among the first to get the OnePlus X.

Confused? No worries. We've explained everything you need to know about the OnePlus X, including what it is, how much it costs, when it's launching, how to get an invite, etc. We even know workarounds that'll give you the opportunity to buy the OnePlus X without an invite.

OnePlus X: What is it?

As we said, the OnePlus X is OnePlus' latest - and third - smartphone.

It features a 5-inch Full HD display (1920x1080 resolution), 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, Qualcomm Adreno 330 graphics, 13-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front camera, 16GB of internal storage (no other option available, but you can expand up to 128GB via microSD), and support for Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, dual-SIM, and 4G LTE.

It also has a 2,525 mAh battery and comes running Android 5.1.1, with the OnePlus operating system, OxygenOS over the top. Beyond all that, the OnePlus X will be available in two different colors: Onyx Black and Ceramic. Check out Pocket-lint's hands on for more details:

Hands-on:OnePlus X: Quality craftsmanship now comes cheap

OnePlus X: How much does it cost?

OnePlux X Onyx: £199/€269/$249
OnePlux X Ceramic: €369 (US and UK pricing hasn't been confirmed yet)

OnePlus X: When will it be available?

The OnePlus X Onyx will first be available in Europe starting 5 November, followed by a US release on 19 November. The OnePlus X Ceramic is a limited-edition variant. Only 10,000 units will be avialable, starting from 24 November in Europe and India. There's no word yet on US availability.

OnePlux X: How does the invite system work?

Before you can buy the OnePlus X Onyx and OnePlus X Ceramic in Europe later this month, you need to recieve an invite.

Go to OnePlus website to enter your email and sign up for an invite. Throughout November, OnePlus said it will randomly roll out invites "on a regular basis". Ten thousand invites will be sent out today. These invites will become "more plentiful" as time goes by, and as OnePlus continues to ramp up production, though keep in mind all invites will be valid for only 24 hours.

Once you receive an invite from OnePlus and claim it, you will see how much time you have left to use it. You can also get an invite from friends who have purchased a OnePlus device already. So, when you finally buy the OnePlus X, you will also eventually recieve new invites over time via email, which you can give away to friends. The more invites you share, the more you get.

But you will only have a week to forward them to friends before they expire. To ensure you never miss an invite to either claim yourself or share with others, check your email regularly for messages from Oneplus.net. The invites could end up in your spam or hidden under Promotions.

You can read more about OnePlus' invite system here.

OnePlus X: Can you look at and buy it from a store?

The company plans to open pop-up stores across the world so people can go hands-on and hopefully by the OnePlus X.

You do not need an invite to buy a OnePlus X from a OnePlus pop-up store. The first pop-up will take place at the Colette store in Paris from 2 November until 4 November. There will be a limited number of phones to buy in-store however - so everything will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Similar pop-up stores will also come to Mumbai, London, and California.

Exact store locations haven't been announced yet, but keep checking OnePlus' Pop-up website for updates.

OnePlux X: Are there any other ways to get it?

Starting in December, OnePlus will kick off flash sales, in which you will have one hour each week to buy the OnePlus X.

OnePlus hasn't provided many details yet, but it suggested you sign up to its newsletter or follow its social media accounts for more information. It'll announce flash sales via those avenues. OnePlus said it also plans to dole out invites via social media promotions and competitions.

OnePlus Facebook
OnePlus Instagram
OnePlus Twitter
OnePlus Google+

'Microsoft Lumia 950' vs 'Nokia Lumia 1020' Review, Specs, Price, Features: 'Lumia 1020' With Best Camera Of 41 MP, 'Lumia 950' With Continuum And Fast Charging Technology

2015-10-24T00:43:00.000-07:00

more big

Microsoft Corporate Vice President Panos Panay introduces the Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL at a media event for new Microsoft products on October 6, 2015 in New York City. Microsoft also unveiled a virtual reality head set titled the HoloLens, a tablet titled the Surface Pro 4, a laptop titled the Surface Book and a biometrics wristband titled the Band 2. (Photo : Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

The very recently announced "Microsoft Lumia 950" has been a big news for Windows fans. The latest batch of Microsoft flagship is definitely an upgrade to its predecessors. But considering how the "Nokia Lumia 1020" has also been a fan favorite from its release 2 years ago up to now, it's interesting to know how it is similar or different from the "Lumia 950". As per most users comments, the "Nokia Lumia 1020" can be considered one of the most amazing smartphones there is.

But how does a 2013 release compare to a 2015 flagship? Let's take a look at the comparison between the "Microsoft Lumia 950" and the "Nokia Lumia 1020".
"Microsoft Lumia 950" vs "Nokia Lumia 1020" Features

Both phones are LTE capable but being two years newer, the "Microsoft Lumia 950" features some of the latest Microsoft technology that the "Lumia 1020" doesn't have such as the Microsoft Conitnuum, Wireless Charging and Fast Charging.
However, the "Nokia Lumia 1020" also has a WiFi hotspot capability and an FM radio like the "Microsoft Lumia 950".
The "Microsoft Lumia 950" comes in black or white colors while the "Nokia Lumia 1020" comes in yellow, white, black, or red.

"Microsoft Lumia 950" vs "Nokia Lumia 1020" Display and Size

"Microsoft Lumia 950" has a measurement of 5.71 x 2.88 x 0.32 in and a display specs of 5.2 inches AMOLED screen with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The "Nokia Lumia 1020" measures 5.13 x 2.81 x 0.41 in with display specs of 4.5 inches AMOLED screen with 768 x 1280 resolution under a Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

"Microsoft Lumia 950" vs "Nokia Lumia 1020" Platform, Memory

Both phones run Windows, but the "Nokia Lumia 1020" has not received the latest update yet. The 1020 runs the Windows 8 and may be upgraded to Win10 in the coming months. The "Microsoft Lumia 950" on the other hand runs the latest Windows 10. "Lumia 950" is powered by Snapdragon 808 while the "Lumia 1020" is powered by Snapdragon S4 Plus. "Lumia 950" uses a dual core 1.82 GHz cortex A57 and quad core 1.44 GHz cortex A53 CPU while the "Lumia 1020" uses a dual core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU.

The "Microsoft Lumia 950" has an internal memory of 32 GB with a RAM of 3 GB and a microSD slot for up to 200 GB. The older model on the other hand has an internal memory of 32 GB and a RAM of 2 GB with no expanded memory capacity.
"Microsoft Lumia 950" vs "Nokia Lumia 1020" Camera

There is no question about "Nokia Lumia 1020" when it comes to the primary camera as it has been undisputed with its 41 MP rear cam with Carl Zeiss optics, OIS, auto/manual focus, Xenon & LED flash. However, the front cam is only 1.2 MP, which is rather confusing, as to why couldn't they offer at least an average 5 MP front cam. But of course, if they aim to compensate through the 41 MP back cam with 4x lossless digital zoom, then who's to complain.
The "Microsoft Lumia 950" comes with a rear cam that is half as good as the "Nokia Lumia 1020". It is a 20 MP primary camera with OIS, Carl Zeiss optics, auto focus and triple LED RGB flash - not bad at all, just half as great as the older model, but at least, the company managed to sport the 950 with an average 5 MP front cam.
"Microsoft Lumia 950" vs "Nokia Lumia 1020" Battery, Price

To cut to the chase, it's 950's 3000 mAh battery with 67 hours music playing time versus 1020's 2000 mAh battery with 63 hours of music playing time. The "Microsoft Lumia 950" costs around 490 Euro while the "Nokia Lumia 1020" has been reduced to 300 Euro over time.
Conclusion
Now is probably the best time to get a "Nokia Lumia 1020" considering that the price for such a high end smartphone with the best camera has already been reduced. As per satisfied users, the 1020 has been smooth sailing despite long term use. The "Microsoft Lumia 950" on the other hand, is an equally great smartphone considering that it is an improved version of the 1020, with all its added new technology like the Continuum and fast charging capability.

Honor 7 Review: The Metallic Powerhouse

2015-10-24T00:40:00.000-07:00

Honor 7 Review: The Metallic Powerhouse

by Ali Pardiwala , 20 October 2015

Although Honor is a Huawei-owned brand, its devices usually lack any mention of this, instead pitching the smartphones independently. The Honor brand allows the company to compete in the crowded budget market, and offer high-quality, well-specified devices at affordable prices without affecting the 'premium' brand image that Huawei has built for itself in China and the world over.That is exactly what the new Honor 7 brings to the table. It's packed to the brim with features, and has top-spec hardware. With a specifications sheet that could put most flagship devices to shame, the Honor 7 hopes to win over a lot of high-value buyers with its Rs. 22,999 price tag. We go into the details in our review.
Look and feel
With a 5.2-inch full-HD IPS-LCD screen, the Honor 7 sits in the flagship smartphone sweet spot for displays. It's bright, detailed and suitably large, without breaching the 5.5-inch mark that is arguably considered to be the point where a phone becomes a phablet. The front is 72.4 percent screen, with on-screen soft keys, narrow borders and the front camera and flash on either side of the earpiece. The lack of branding makes the front stark and Spartan, a look we rather like.
The power and volume keys are on the right, while the USB port and speakers are at the bottom. The top of the Honor 7 has the 3.5mm socket and an IR blaster. The left of the device has the SIM and microSD tray, and the 'Smart' key. The version of the Honor 7 sold in India is a single-SIM device, however the tray is the same as the one used in the dual-SIM version which has a hybrid SIM slot. There are therefore markings and a distinct slot for a second SIM card, but be assured that a second SIM will not work, and only a correctly inserted microSD card will be recognised.
The Smart key is a rather unique addition to the device, and one that we hope more manufacturers start incorporating. This is a physical button that can be customised to trigger specific functions. The key can be set up to trigger up to three different functions with a single press, a double press, or a long press. There are four quick functions to choose from: ultra snapshot, voice recording, flashlight, or screenshot, or you can launch a specific app. It's an absolutely fantastic feature that makes the device much more intuitive and user-friendly.
The back of the Honor 7 is entirely metal and has a dull matte finish that looks great and is excellent for grip as well. Above the Honor logo at the top-centre are the primary camera, flash, and fingerprint sensor. The latter doesn't look like a sensor at all, with a metallic colour that blends in with the device. It's extremely effective at its job, and you can save up to five fingerprints which can be used to unlock the phone or access the file safe and app lock. It's also 360-degree capable, which means it will read a saved fingerprint no matter what angle your finger is placed on the sensor at.
The sensor can also be used for swipe functions, either pulling down the notification drawer/shortcut menu and clearing notifications, or bringing up the recent apps list. It can be used to unlock the device directly from sleep mode, without you having to first wake the device. It will take a little while to get used to its positioning at the back. The best way to go is to save prints of both of your index fingers, since these are the easiest to use the sensor with.
Specifications and software
Huawei is one of the few smartphone manufacturers that develops its own SoCs for its devices instead of using readymade ones from specialised developers such as Qualcomm or MediaTek. The octa-core Hisilicon Kirin 935 SoC finds its way into the Honor 7, with the primary four cores operating at 2.2GHz and the secondary four cores at 1.5GHz. The GPU is the ARM Mali-T624, which is admittedly an old unit and not one that we would normally see in a high-end device like this.
The rest of the specification list is comfortably flagship and high end, with 4G connectivity (Indian bands supported), 16GB of internal storage (expandable by up to 128GB with a microSD card), 3GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.1, and a 3100mAh battery. About 9GB of the internal storage is user accessible, so you will likely need to utilise the microSD slot.
The Honor 7 runs on Android 5.0.2 with Huawei's Emotion UI 3.1 on top. The UI is single-layered, much like Xiaomi's MIUI and Gionee's Amigo UI, and therefore lacks an app drawer. We've made no secret of our dislike for single-layered UIs, as this stacks all app icons in an untidy manner, clutters all the homescreens, and makes the use of widgets a tricky affair. Fortunately, this is the only real flaw to the interface.
The rest of the system is highly customisable, with options for practically every function including the navigation bar, smart key, motion control, and one-handed operation. It's also comfortably smooth and easy to use, thanks to the excellent hardware under the hood. There are a handful of pre-installed apps, but none are too bothersome, and the majority can be uninstalled. The software feels truly high-end and flagship, and goes with the rest of the Honor 7.
Camera
The Honor 7 has a 20-megapixel primary camera with dual-tone flash, and an 8-megapixel front camera with single-tone flash. Both cameras are capable of recording full-HD video, and the app has plenty of modes and filters that you can use.
The camera app is usually excellent, and has been designed to look good and be easy to use. The filter menu is quickly accessible, as are the mode selector and settings. There are plenty of software-based camera features to play with, giving the user a high amount of control over the kind of pictures taken. Apart from the typical panorama and HDR modes, there are also modes for slow-motion video, all-focus, audio note, time lapse, and best photo.
Within the settings you can trigger the timer, smile capture and object tracking, as well as adjust basic manual settings such as ISO and white balance. An ultra-snapshot mode allows you to quickly take shots even when the phone is locked by double-tapping the volume down key or assigning the function to the smart key, although this doesn't always work well. The only notable flaw is the inability to quickly record video. You first have to switch to video mode and then tap the record button to start, which makes a two-step process out of a function that many phones can pull off in a single step.
The camera itself is quite up to the mark, taking good shots in all conditions. The rear camera is capable of serious detail and good colour reproduction, be it with close-ups or more open pictures. The high resolution lets you zoom in deep without a loss of detail, and shots are vibrant and realistic. Close-up shots achieve a similar level of detail, as well as accurately replicating lighting conditions and shadows.
The front camera is absolutely brilliant for a smartphone, and thanks to the flash, is capable of taking some excellent selfies. The camera is in fact capable of taking better pictures and video than even the primary cameras of a lot of cheaper smartphones, and selfie lovers will have a lot to gain from the Honor 7. The software allows the front camera to also shoot in panorama, audio note and watermark modes, which might appeal to some people.
(Click to see full-size images)
Performance
The Honor 7 utilises the company's own Hisilicon Kirin 935 SoC, coupled with 3GB of RAM. Until the development of the Kirin 940 and 950 is completed, this is the company's flagship SoC, and is also utilised by the Huawei P8Max and Mate S, apart from the Honor 7. The SoC is a vast improvement over the previous Kirin 930, and ensures that the Honor 7 performs well in all functions.
The device performed admirably in all our benchmark tests, with scores of 50,207 in AnTuTu and a solid 7,380 in 3D Mark Ice Storm Extreme. It ran our test videos well too, showing no lag or stutter even with the heavily encoded and high-resolution files. All the apps and games we ran performed flawlessly as well.
The Honor 7's aluminium alloy cover and L-Type architecture were designed to improve heat dissipation and keep the device cool through intense tasks, and this works effectively. Angry Birds 2 and Dead Trigger 2, which are both known to generate serious heat with test devices, failed to significantly heat the Honor 7 up beyond just a slight bit of warmth on the back.
Finally, battery life was a little below par, but certainly acceptable enough and adequate for a day's use under moderate conditions. The Honor 7 ran for 8 hours, 44 minutes in our video loop test, which is relatively low for a device with a 3100mAh battery. However, this may be forgivable for some users, considering the performance and the price.
Verdict
Huawei has used its Honor range to successfully market quality products at competitive prices for a while now, and the online-exclusive strategy has resulted in some success. The Honor 7 is a beautiful device that embodies everything that a flagship smartphone should be. It has the right specifications, great features that will force you to question the value of competing devices, and a truly premium look and feel.
Furthermore, everything simply works well, whether it is the camera, fingerprint sensor, overall performance or the heat dissipating design. All of this is complemented by thoughtful touches such as the smart key, front flash, and heavy customisability in the settings menu. The Honor 7 is an excellent smartphone, and represents serious value at the price. We highly recommend this phone for anyone with a budget of up to Rs. 25,000.

Tesla just transformed the Model S into a nearly driverless car

2015-10-16T03:40:00.000-07:00

© Provided by Quartz tesla model s autopilot autosteer auto lane change auto park The most fun thing about driving a Tesla Model S might be not driving at all. The electric car company has unveiled a new software update that will allow its Model S cars to automatically steer, change lanes, and park on their own.
But don’t call the Model S an autonomous car—it’s not quite there yet, though Musk says his vision is to eventually produce fully driverless cars without steering wheels or pedals. Instead, Tesla is billing the new capabilities as “autopilot” features that will occasionally require hands on the steering wheel.

“We explicitly describe [this software update] as a beta,” Musk said at a press briefing today (Oct. 14) in California. “It’s just important to exercise great caution at this early stage. In the long term, people will not need hands on the wheel—and eventually there won’t be wheels and pedals.”

About 60,000 Model S vehicles will get these autopilot features over the coming week. The update will be downloaded and installed automatically in all Model S cars, but only those sold since September 2014 come standard with the necessary equipment for autopilot mode, including an ultrasonic sensor, front-facing camera, forward radar, and GPS navigation with high-precision digital maps.

In North America, Model S cars will receive the update as soon as tomorrow. Tesla is still awaiting regulatory approval in Europe and Asia, which Musk expects to come within a week.

Here are the new capabilities the Model S will soon have:

Autosteer

How it works: Designed to assist with highway driving, autosteer keeps the Model S in lane, even as the road curves. The driver can turn on the feature when the Model S is traveling at least 18 miles per hour. When autosteer is activated, traffic-aware cruise control will also turn on to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead.

© Provided by Quartz tesla model s autopilot autosteer auto lane change auto park Downsides: The feature doesn’t work when traveling at 90 miles per hour, so you have to choose between driving safe and hands-free, or fast and with steering effort. Every so often, autosteer will ping drivers to remind them to put their hands on the wheel. If the driver fails to do so, the car eventually will to a stop, at which point, the hazard lights will turn on. The company warns that autosteer does not work reliably on roads with sharp turns or faded, missing, or ambiguous lane markings (as is often the case when there’s road work). Performance also will vary in rainy, snowy, or foggy conditions. The dashboard, however, will alert the driver to take over when necessary.
Auto lane change

How it works: When this feature is turned on, the car will automatically begin changing lanes when the driver activates the turn signal.

Downside: This feature works only when autosteer is engaged and only for single lane changes, so drivers who want to quickly switch over several lanes will have to engage the feature for each lane change. You won’t change lanes if it detects a car in the next lane over, but the feature is not accident proof—it’s not able to account for cars behind that are speeding in the destination lane, and it will still require drivers to check their blind spots.

Autopark

How it works: Forget those anxieties over street-parking the Model S. With autopark turned on, the instrument panel will show a “P” when a driver pulls ahead of a parking spot. Once the driver shifts to reverse, the car will use its rear camera to monitor its surroundings and parallel park into the spot.

Downside: Autopark will only kick in if the car detects a curb, so it won’t work when parking on the side of the road (on hiking or camping trips, for example). The car doesn’t distinguish between different colored curbs, and it also won’t curb your wheels for you.

Vehicle hold

How it works: When vehicle hold is turned on, the Model S will continue to engage the brakes even after the driver removes his or her foot from the brake pedal. The feature—a refresh of a feature previously known as hill start assist—is most useful when driving on hills, but it will work on all grades, including flat roads.

Downside: Tesla warns that drivers should not rely on this as an alternative to putting the vehicle in park.

Side collision warning

How it works: Formerly known as blind spot warning, side collision warning has a larger sensing range to alert drivers to cars and other objects that are close to the side of the Model S. When there are obstacles to the side of the car, the steering wheel will increase resistance. If the Model S anticipates a high likelihood of collision, it will steer away from the objects while staying in the lane; this feature kicks in automatically, even if side collision warning is not activated.

Downside: It only works when traveling between 20 and 80 miles per hour

HTC One A9 completely revealed in amazing official picture, specifications and price leak

2015-10-16T03:35:00.000-07:00

This is the HTC One A9. Orange Mobile in France accidentally posted its own pages for the forthcoming "hero" phone from HTC, before taking them back down again.

day and age, that kind of slip does not go unnoticed and, of course, there were some online sources that grabbed as much as they could beforehand.

Of the assets, we now know what the HTC One A9 looks like in press image terns. Pictures of both the black and white versions were posted, which we also repost here.

In addition, Orange mistakenly revealed that the phone will indeed have the mid-range specifications leaked by others earlier. It confirms that the handset will come with a 5-inch 1080p display, a 13-megapixel camera on the rear and a 4-megapixel front-facing camera too.

Orange Mobile

We have seen pictures (albeit of the shonky "in-the-wild" variety) and those specific details before though. What we haven't heard in the past however is the price, which Orange Mobile displayed for a short period.

It listed the device at 599 euros, which is strangely expensive given the specifications. That could have just been a placer though, so it's not to be taken as red.

For now until the launch event on 20 October, at least you get to ogle some pretty good pictures and wonder if this will be your next Android phone of choice.

5G field test hits a blistering 3.6Gbps data transfer speed

2015-10-12T02:41:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in faster download speeds on your smartphone - and aren't we all? - then you'll want to know about the latest field tests of 5G technology being carried out in Japan.
The new trial carried out by Huawei and Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo is the first to use conditions that match the real world: in other words, a lot of users connecting at once on a spectrum compatible with today's handsets.
The good news is that the engineers managed a peak data transfer speed of 3.6Gbps - not too shabby when you think that 4G maxes out at about 20Mbps. Those kind of speeds could transform our smart cars, our smart cities and just about every other aspect of 21st century life.

Five years' time

"As the first in the world to succeed with such a large multi-user environment test, this is an important milestone," said NTT DoCoMo's Takehiro Nakamura. "This is very encouraging as the industry works to commercialize 5G by 2020... I look forward to even more impressive results when we move to the next phase of [the] field trial in Japan."
Further tests are expected to take place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, while the UK government has promised that Londoners are going to be enjoying 5G speeds within the next five years.
There's a lot of work still to do but the signs are promising. 5G has a theoretical top speed of 20Gbps, but away from laboratories and specialised equipment the actual speed you get on your 2020 flagship smartphone will be lower than that.

Here’s how much extra India has to pay for buying the Apple iPhone 6S

2015-10-12T02:40:00.000-07:00

Not that we needed any confirmation but numbers have made it evident that iPhone 6S in India is going to cost you a lot more money than other countries. Priced at Rs 62,500 for the iPhone 6S 16GB model, the new iPhone series will start selling later this week via the ongoing pre-order process.

The aforementioned price figuratively translates into $976 (approx) which is way above the $649 price tag of unlocked iPhone 6S 16GB variant in the US. Apple has never viewed India as a pivotal market for its future prospects but there's been a change of heart recently which reflected with the Apple Music and iCloud price revisions for the country.

This latest development takes us back to the theory that Apple is and always will cater itself to the upper echelons of our society who prefer experience over value. What's even more staggering about the pricing revelation is that Indian consumers will be seen paying for 16GB 6S, more than what their US counterparts will pay for the 128GB iPhone 6S Plus model ($949 approx).

The country has been proliferated with Make in India campaign which has induced brands like Samsung, Xiaomi and Lenovo among others to manufacture products in the country. While this may not affect their overall pricing structure but surely could help in delivering stocks faster.

This isn't the first time when the iPhone has been priced exorbitantly for India. Last year, the iPhone 6 started from Rs 56,000 and this year's 6,500 increase has been blamed on the overall currency situation but we're not falling prey to that again.

Nevertheless, the thing with Apple fanatics is that no matter what (prices) Apple throws at them, they seem to be prepared for it. We wait for October 16 to see if they've been mesmerized by Apple yet again or will they resort to buying from other market and use option. What would you do? Let us know in the comments below.