Airtel Partners Google For Low-Cost Smartphones Powered By Android Go

Telecom services provider Airtel has entered into a partnership with Google to bring low-cost smartphones powered by Android Oreo (Go edition) to the Indian market and enable more Indians to get online. With this, India will become one of the first countries to commercially roll-out smartphones running on Android Oreo (Goedition). Android Oreo (Go edition) is a configuration of the Android operating system specifically optimized for devices with 1GB of RAM or less.

Android Oreo (Go edition) comes with a new range of apps designed to run faster while using less data. Devices running Android Oreo (Go edition) will also come with twice as much storage out of the box. Lava and Micromax, two leading Indian smartphone manufacturers, will introduce the first set of 4G smartphones powered by Android Oreo (Go edition). These smartphones with basic specs will also come pre-loaded with compatible apps,including MyAirtel App, Airtel TV and Wynk Music, to ensure a seamless online/app experience for users.

Vani Venkatesh, Chief Marketing Officer – Bharti Airtel, said, “This partnership is a major milestone for the ‘Mera Pehla Smartphone’ initiative. Android Go will provide a massive boost to our efforts to bring affordable smartphone options to the market and potentially enable hundreds of millions of feature phone users and unconnected people to get online. We are excited to collaborate with Google and our device partners to work towards this shared vision of bringing smartphones within the reach of more people.”

“Android’s mission has always been to bring the power of computing to everyone. We’re excited to see Airtel take a leading role in that effort through introducing a range of devices powered by Android Oreo (Go edition),” said Jon Gold, Director of Android Partnerships. Click Here for more information and details.

Micromax Invests in ‘inOne’ To Give Its Consumers Access To Smarter Apps

Accelerating its journey towards creating a holistic service ecosystem, Micromax Informatics, world’s 10th largest handset maker today announced its investment in a consumer technology and AI based start-up ‘One Labs’ to bring users closer to smarter user experiences. The move further highlights Micromax’s focus towards providing best in class services to its consumers, by strategically collaborating with top partners to provide customized offerings to its users. In the past, Micromax has partnered with some of the leading technology start-ups like Ixigo, Healthifyme, IndusOS, Gaana.com and others, to develop strategically relevant deployments of software that leverage its consumer footprint.

The flagship product of One Labs, ‘inOne’ (www.inoneapp.in) is a platform to access apps across multiple genres from food, shopping, travel, deals, cabs, news, recharge, games and more from within a single app. In addition, One Labs has created an AI enabled voice/chatbot solution called One Assistant which packages services provided on ‘inOne’ in a virtual assistant format. The company has released a short comparison on how the One Assistant outperforms Siri and Google Assistant in a variety of use cases. ‘inOne’ will be pre-embedded in Micromax devices and will further augment the features available to users on its Around platform.

Vikas Jain, Co-Founder, Micromax Informatics said, “At Micromax our emphasis is to drive innovations through software and services that would add a layer to the device eco-system.” Visit at more information and details.

BlackBerry Ghost With Bezel-Less Display

In what appears to be a bid to gain a strong foothold in the Indian market, TCL-owned BlackBerry is reportedly working on a new smartphone codenamed ‘Ghost’ which is said to be launched in India soon.

 According to popular tipster Evan Blass, the purported smartphone is likely to come with a bezel-less display and will fall under the premium segment. The image shows a sleek handset with a metal frame and curved edges.

There is also a SIM card slot and antenna cutouts present on the side. The image also shows an earpiece and front-facing camera above the display. While not much is known about the BlackBerry Ghost, the smartphone, to be licensed by Optiemus, is likely to sport an aspect ratio rated at 18:9 and is expected to run Android 8.0 Oreo.

Furthermore, it could be an India exclusive and might not get launched in any other market.

Instagram May Soon Have Voice And Video Calling Features

Furthering its feature adding spree, popular photo-sharing app Instagram is now rumoured to become home to a new calling feature. 

According to a new report by TechCrunch, Instagram is likely to include voice and video calling features to its long dossier, asspotted in Instagram’s APK (Android Application Packages) files. The files suggest the presence of audio and video call icons, most likely in the Instagram Direct section. For those who don’t know, the facility of voice and video calling are already available on another photo-sharing app Snapchat.

While there is still no report when the new feature will make its entry on Instagram, the presence of hints on the APK files hints at the feature’s definite arrival soon. To recall, Instagram recently added the privacy settings for the Stories sent via Direct.

SC Extends March 31 Deadline of Aadhaar Linking Till It Gives Its Order

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended indefinitely the March 31 deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar + with bank accounts and mobile phones. The SC said that its interim order on not insisting Aadhaar, except for giving subsidy, will remain in force till the five-judge bench gives its judgment on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar.

“The government cannot insist for mandatory Aadhaar even for issuance of Tatkal passport,” the Supreme Court said. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had on March 7 said it may not be possible to decide by March 31 the batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act. The bench, which also comprised justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, had earlier said that since the matter would have implications on financial institutions like banks and stock exchange, it would create a huge problem of compliance if the deadline was extended at the last moment.

On December 15 last year, the apex court had extended the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phones to March 31. Former Karnataka high court judge Justice KS Puttaswamy had told the apex court on February 22 that several deaths had reportedly taken place due to starvation on account of glitches in the Aadhaar-based public distribution system and the court must consider granting them compensation.

The top court had observed that the Centre came out with the law in 2016 to negate the objection that it was collecting data since 2009 without any authorisation, but the issue which needed consideration was what would happen if the data collected earlier, had been compromised.

67% Indian Businesses Hit By Ransomware,38% Twice

According to a study by Sophos, a global leader in network and endpoint security, ransomware continues to be a major issue across the globe with 54 percent of organizations surveyed hit in the last year and a further 31 percent expecting to be victims of an attack in the future. On average, respondents impacted by ransomware were struck twice. The survey also concludes that despite the intensity and magnitude of attacks, Indian businesses are still not prepared to defend itself against determined attackers.

“Today’s persistent cybercriminals are deploying multiple attack methods to succeed, whether using a mix of ransomware in a single campaign, taking advantage of a remote access opportunity, infecting a server, or disabling security software. If IT managers are unable to thoroughly clean ransomware and other threats from their systems after attacks, they could be vulnerable to reinfection. No one can afford to be complacent,” points out Sunil Sharma, Managing Director Sales at Sophos India & SAARC.

According to those impacted by ransomware last year, the median total cost of a ransomware attack was $133,000. Indian organizations median total cost stood at $1.17mn, the highest, in rectifying the impacts of ransomware. This extends beyond any ransom demanded and includes downtime, manpower, device cost, network cost, and lost opportunities.

Although 94 percent of respondents admitted their endpoint defenses need to be stronger to block the attacks seen last year, only 34 percent have predictive threat technologies, leaving 66 percent vulnerable to repeated ransomware attacks, exploits, and evolving advanced threats. Sixty three percent plan to implement predictive threat technology within a year, yet confusion about it persists. Of those surveyed, 37 percent admitted that they do not have a full understanding of the differences between machine learning and deep learning.

Sunil Nayyar Becomes The First Indian Managing Director of Sony India

Sony India has appointed Sunil Nayyar as its new Managing Director with effect from April 1, 2018. The change of guard marks a historic milestone, with Mr Nayyar being the first Indian to be appointed as Managing Director for Sony India. In this new role, Mr Nayyar will be responsible for spearheading the overall growth and profitability of the company within the region, by driving an integrated business and marketing strategy and directing excellence in market performance across all categories.

Speaking on his appointment, Sunil Nayyar said, “Being one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand, it is an exciting time to lead the company’s direction in India. In this time of transition, I look forward for an insight from our stakeholders and help guide in further strengthening Sony’s presence in India. I am confident, that we will continue to harness our energies to expand our footprint and offer the best in class technology to our consumers.”

Sunil Nayyar held the position of Sales Head from April 2006 till April 2015 prior to moving to Sony North America as head of Retail Experience, the position which he held from May 2015 till March 2018. An accomplished industry professional, Nayyar started his stint at Sony in 1995, as part of Sony Gulf’s sales team in charge of North and East Africa, Russia, Lebanon, Syria and various other GCC Countries.

Kenichiro Hibi, Former Managing Director of Sony India, held the position for six years from 2012 till 2018, has now been appointed as President for Sony Brazil effective April 1, 2018.

MediaTek’s Helio P60 conferred Android Authority’s ‘Best of MWC’ Award

Top android news blog, Android Authority awarded MediaTek its ‘Best of MWC Award’ for the MediaTek Helio P60. Android Authority recognizes the best products and innovative tech solutions showcased during Mobile World Congress.

The Helio P60 is MediaTek’s first chipset featuring MediaTek’s NeuroPilot AI platform, delivers a 70 percent performance boost over the previous Helio P series and is built for energy efficiency.The new MediaTek Helio P60 seamlessly powers high-performance AI-accelerated experiences and, the latest camera and smart image processing features while extending the battery life.

In awarding the Helio P60, Android Authority called it “the most notable release in a long time. Bringing dedicated machine learninghardware to a more affordable price point and new markets is an important step in the push toward ubiquity.”

“Building on our legacy of innovative technology, the new MediaTek Helio P60 changes everything about what consumers can expect in affordably-priced martphones.MediaTek Helio P60 chipset brings consumer flagship features like AI enhanced face recognition, scene recognition and smart photos and videos, giving everyone access to incredible the features without the premium price tag,” said T L Lee, General Manager of MediaTek’s Wireless Communication business unit.

Android Authority is a reputable influencer in the tech industry. Having recognition of the Helio P60 as outstanding engineering that will bring new premium devices to market is gratifying, Lee added. Smartphones powered by the MediaTek Helio P60 chipset will be available globally during Q2 2018.

OPPO R15 With Notch and Dual Rear Snappers

After featuring in the rumour mill for a while, Chinese company Oppo has made the Oppo R15 smartphone official in its home country. Additionally, the company also unveiled the R15 Dream Mirror Edition alongside. 

Starting with the main highlight, the Oppo R15 and the R15 Dream Mirror Edition come with the arguably famous notch with a 6.28-inch Full HD+ OLED display which the company calls Super-V display. The display comes with an aspect ratio rated at 19:9.

Another attraction is the camera zone which houses dual rear cameras, rated at 16-megapixel and 5-megapixel with LED flash, Sony IMX519 sensor and EIS, while the frontfacing one stands at 20-megapixel. The smartphone comes with AI Intelligent Scene Recognition feature and AI portraits with built-in AI chip.

The Oppo R15 is powered by octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor with AR M Mali-G72 MP3 GPU, coupled with 6GB of RA M. The device comes equipped with 128GB of inbuilt storage, expandable up to 256GB via a memory card.

The smartphone is backed by a 3,450mAh battery with VOOC Flash Charging tech and runs Android 8.1 Oreo with ColorOS 3.2 on top. Additionally, the OPP O R15 is accompanied by a fingerprint scanner situated at the back.

Coming to the Oppo R15 Dream Mirror Edition, while the smartphone shares most of the specs with the Oppo R15, there are three differences: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 14nm processor, the rear camera configuration (16-megapixel and 20-megapixel with LED flash, Sony IMX519 sensor and EIS) and a smaller 3,400mAh battery.

In addition, a Ceramic Edition of the Oppo R15 has also been announced. The Oppo R15 Ceramic Edition is priced at CNY 3,499 (Rs 35,750).The Oppo R15 comes in Snow White, Hot Red and Star Purple colour options and is priced at CNY 2,999 (around Rs 30, 650). The Oppo R15 Dream Mirror Edition, on the other hand, comes with a price tag of CNY 3,299 (around Rs 33,700).

Honor 7C With Dual Rear Cameras and FullView Display

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor recently unveiled a new smartphone in the mid-segment, dubbed the Honor 7C in China. The USP of the smartphone is the FullView display rated at 5.99-inch with an aspect ratio rated at 18:9. The display is covered with a layer of 2.5D curved glass.

Another highlight is the dual cameras at the back, rated at 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel with LED flash. The one at the front stands at 8-megapixel, also with LED flash.

In terms of the other specs, the Honor 7C is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 mobile platform clocked at 1.8GHz, and comes in two RA M/ROM variants: 3GB RAM/32GB ROM and 4GB RAM/64GB ROM, both the options expandable up to 256GB with the help of a microSD card.

The device gets its power from a 3,000mAh battery and runs Android 8.0 Oreo with the company’s EMUI 8.0 on top. The Honor 7C houses dual SIM card slots and comes with various connectivity options such as 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, GLONASS, 3.5mm audio jack, and FM Radio.

In addition, the smartphone sports a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and comes in Black, Red, Gold and Blue colour variants. The Honor 7C is priced at CNY 899 (around Rs 9,240) for the 3GB RA M/32GB ROM variant, and CNY 1,299 (aroundRs 13,400) for the 4GB RAM/64GB ROM model.

LG Announces LG V30S ThinQ and V30S Plus ThinQ with AI Capabilities

Unveiled recently at MWC tradeshow in Barcelona, the LG V30S ThinQ and the V30S+ ThinQ smartphones with AI camera features have been announced in South Korea along with the prices.

The LG V30S ThinQ has its camera department as its highlight. It comes with a dual-camera module at the back, which includes a 16-megapixel camera senor with the f/1.6 aperture and another one rated at 13-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture, with a 5-megapixel front camera.

The smartphone comes with the new AI tech by LG which includes Vision AI and Voice AI . Vision AI (with camera featuressuch as AI CAM, QLens and Bright Mode) suggests users with the best shooting modes (portrait, food, pet, landscape, city, flower, sunrise, and sunset) on scanning a particular subject, and five shopping and apt setting suggestions.

Voice AI comes with improved features to perform various tasks using voice commands, with the help of Google Assistant.

The LG V30S ThinQ comes with a 6-inch QHD OLED FullVision display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, coupled with 6GB of RA M. It comes equipped with 128GB of onboard storage, expandable up to 2TB via a memory card. The device sources power from a 3,300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 tech and runs Android 8.0 Oreo.

Furthermore, the LG V30 comes with improved 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC audio by Bang & Olufsen, IP 68 certification for water and dust resistance, MIL-STD 810G certification, and UX 6.0+.

The LG V30S+ ThinQ shares the same specifications as the LG V30S ThinQ, except for an increased 256GB of inbuilt storage.The LG V30S ThinQ and the V30S+ ThinQ are priced at 1048,300 won (around Rs 63,800) and 1097,800 (around Rs 66,800), respectively.

Nubia N3 With 18:9 Aspect Ratio and Dual Rear Cameras

ZTE’s subsidiary brand Nubia recently unveiled a new smartphone in its N-series, dubbed the Nubia N3 in China. The main highlight of the smartphone is the 5.99-inch full screen display which is full HD+ in nature and comes with an aspect ratio rated at 18:9. The display comes with a pixel density rated at 403ppi.

Another highlight of the phone is the camera department which comprises dual cameras at the back, however, the dualcamera configuration still remains unknown.At the front, there is a 16-megapixel shooter with PDAF for selfies and video calling.

Speaking of the other specifications, the Nubia N3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, coupled with 4GB of RA M. The smartphone comes equipped with 64GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 128GB with the help of a memory card.

The device gets its fuel from a huge 5,000mAh battery with fast charging support and the company’s NeoPower 3.0 technology and runs Nubia UI based on Android 7.0 Nougat.

The Nubia N3 comes with connectivity options such as 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS/GLONASS, 3.5mm headphone jack. Notably, it is accompanied by a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.The smartphone comes in Obsidian Black, Space Gold, and Nebula Red colour options.

Huawei Mate SE With Dual Rear Cameras and FullView Display

Chinese company Huawei has launched a new smartphone in its Mate series, dubbed the Huawei Mate SE in the US.

The USP of the Huawei Mate SE is the camera department which comprises a dual camera setup at the back, rated at 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel with LED flash and PDAF, while the front-facing snapper stands at 8-megapixel for selfies and video calling. Additionally, the smartphone supports the Bokeh effect using the Portrait mode.

Another highlight of the device is the 5.93-inch full HD+ FullView display with an aspect ratio rated at 18:9, with minimal bezels. The smartphone is powered by the company’s octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor clocked at 2.36GHz, coupled with 4GB of RAM. The device comes equipped with 64GB of RAM which can be further expanded up to 256GB with the use of a memory card.

The Mate SE sources it power from a 3,340mAh battery with ultra power saving mode and runs Android 7.0 Nougat. The smartphone houses dual SIM card slots and comes with several connectivity options such as 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1 and GPS. In addition, the Mate SE is accompanied by a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Huawei Mate SE comes with a price tag of $229.99 (around Rs 14,950) and is available to buy via online portals such as Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H. The smartphone comes in Grey and Gold colour variants. There is no word on its availability in India. 

iVOOMi i1s Anniversary Edition With Facial Unlock Available At Price of Rs 5,499

On the completion of a year in India, Chinese company iVOOMi recently launched the Anniversary Edition of its i1s smartphone in India.

The smartphone, painted in Classic Black comes with facial recognition feature as its highlight. Additionally, the smartphone is compatible with the Reliance Jio Football Offer, a cashback of Rs 2,200, making it available at a price of Rs 5,499.

Another highlight of the smartphone is the Infinity Edge display with an aspect ratio rated at 18:9, is 5.45-inch which is based on HD display panel.Ashwin Bhandari, CEO, iVOOMi, India, said, “iVOOMi has had an enthralling journey in the Indian smartphone market, with unbeatable ‘Value for money’ products launched throughout the year. Now that we have discovered the product/market fit and gained traction, we are set out on a path of execution. The untapped demand in the lower-tier cities is one of the key areas that the company is now focusing on.” 

The camera department of the 4G VoLTE-enabled smartphone is another attraction which houses dual rear shooters, standing at 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel with LED flash and autofocus. The one at the front is rated at 8-megapixel for selfies and video calling.

In terms of the other specs, the iVOOMi i1s is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor and comes with 3GB of RA M and 32GB of ROM, which is expandable up to 128GB via a memory card.

It gets its fuel from a 3,000mAh battery and runs Android 7.0 Nougat with the company’s Smart ME 2,0 OS on top. Moreover, it is accompanied by a fingerprint scanner at the back. The Anniversary Edition i1s is available to buy exclusively via Flipkart.

Swipe Elite Dual with Dual Cameras Launched in India

Homebred Swipe Technologies has launched a new entrylevel smartphone, dubbed the Swipe Elite Dual in India. The main highlight of the Elite Dual is the inclusion of dual cameras at the back, rated at 8-megapixel and 2-megapixel with autofocus and LED flash. The front-facing snapper stands at 5-megapixel featuring LED flash.

Talking about the other specifications, the Elite Dual comes with a 5-inch display with a screen resolution rated at 854 x 480 pixels and is powered by a quad-core MediaTek processor ticking at 1.3GHz. The smartphone comes equipped with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage which can be further expanded up to 32GB with the help of a microSD card.

The smartphone sources its power from a 3,000mAh battery and runs Android 7.0 Nougat. The Elite Dual houses dual SIM card slots and comes with various connectivity options such as 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS, a 3.5mm audio jack, and FM Radio.

Furthermore, the Elite Dual is eligible for Reliance Jio’s Football Offer to provide users with a cashback of Rs 2,200. It comes with a price tag of Rs 3,999 and is available exclusively via ShopClues. The Swipe Elite Dual comes in Black, White and Gold colour variants.

Micromax Bharat 5 Pro With ‘Face Unlock’ Feature at Rs 7,999

Continuing the success of its Bharat range of smartphones, home-grown company Micromax Informatics recently introduced a new device, dubbed the Bharat 5 Pro, in the Indian market. The USP of the smartphone is its ultra-longlasting battery and superior features like auto face unlock.

The Micromax Bharat 5 Pro smartphone sports a 5.2-inch HD IPS display enabling one to get an immersive viewing experience. It comes with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with 3GB DDR3 RAM that ensures a smooth and powerful performance. The 32GB ROM offers you enough storage space for your photos, music, videos, and other files. The Android (Nougat) offers you a more exciting user experience and intelligent power saving feature.

Having the Face Unlock feature, the phone allows you to make your face a password to unlock the screen of your device. It comes packed with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP selfie camera with LED flash. With front LED flash, you can even capture selfies at night.

The Bharat 5 Pro comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that claims to run for more than two days and has a standby time of up to three weeks / 21 days. One can use it as a power bank too. On the connectivity front, the 4Genabled device supports wi-fi. The smartphone is competitively priced at Rs 7,999.

Lava Z50 with Android Oreo Go

Domestic handset brand Lava recently announced the launch of its new smartphone, Lava Z50, one of the first smartphones to run on Android Oreo (Go edition), designed to provide a great product experience, especially to the first time smartphone users.

The Lava Z50 features a 4.5 inch display with 2.5D Curved Corning Gorilla Glass, powered by MediaTek processor (MT6737m) with 1.1 GHz quad-core and comes with 1GB of RA M coupled with 8GB of internal space. It sports a 5MP rear and front camera with flash, Bokeh Mode in both the front and rear cameras.

Gaurav Nigam, Head – Product, Lava International, said, “With Lava Z50, powered by Android Oreo (Go edition), we are giving our first time smartphone users an impeccable software designed for faster processing, more memory at hand vs. non – Android Oreo (Go edition) phones, and the possibility to get entertainment through YouTube Go, to help users control their data. The camera has been enhanced to give Dual Bokeh experience and an LED flash for night time video calling. I must say it is a great opportunity for both – consumers and the brand”.

The smartphone supports 10 major Indian languages (including Hindi) and comes with free one-time screen replacement. In addition, the smartphone is bundled with a cashback offer of Rs 2,000 from Airtel.The device is up for grabs at retail stores in Black and Gold colour variants.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus Reach Indian Shores

After recently unveiling them at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung has finally come up with its much talked-about flagship devices, the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+, in India. Both the smartphones are available in two internal storage variants: 64GB and 256GB.

The Galaxy S9 comes with a 5.8-inch Infinity Quad HD+ Curved Super AMOLED display, while the elder sibling has an increased 6.2-inch one. Both the smartphones are powered by Exynos 9810 chipsets. The Galaxy S9 is equipped with 4GB of RA M, while the Galaxy S9+ has 6GB of RA M.Additionally, the Galaxy S9 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus are backed by 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries with fast charging, respectively.

The Galaxy S9 comes with a single 12-megapixel rear snapper with Super Speed Dual Pixel AF sensor, LED flash and OIS and an 8-megapixel front camera. Whereas,the Galaxy S9+ has dual rear cameras with dual OIS, Super Speed Dual Pixel AF sensor and LED flash, with the same 8-megapixel front shooter as the S9.

Both the devices come with improved camera capabilities such as Super Slow-mo with a frame rate rated at 960fps, improved low-light photography with the new Dual aperture feature (f/1.5 f/2.4) for changed aperture, and the new AR Emoji much like Apple’s Animoji, however, being more lifelike.

Moreover, the smartphones come with improved Bixby, IP 68 certification, fingerprint scanner, iris scanner, facial recognition, stereo speakers by AL G, and support for SmartThings app.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ come in Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple colour variants.However, the Midnight Black colour is only for the 256GB variant of the smartphones.

Both the smartphones are now up for grabs via Flipkart and the company’s online store. While the Galaxy S9 is priced at Rs 57,900 (64GB) and Rs 65,900 (256GB), the Galaxy S9+ comes with a price tag of Rs 64,900 (64GB) and Rs 72,900 (256GB). 

Xiaomi Redmi 5 with 18:9 Aspect Ratio

Following several teasers and speculations, Chinese handset maker Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 5 smartphone in India.The main highlight of the smartphone is the 5.7-inch HD display with an aspect ratio rated at 18:9 which ensures minimal bezels.

The metal body Redmi 5 is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor clocked at 1.8GHz with 14nm FinFET technology. The smartphone comes in three RA M/ROM variants:2GB RA M/16GB ROM, 3GB RA M/32GB ROM and 4GB RAM/64GB ROM, all the variants coming with an option to further expand via a memory card.

In terms of the optics, the slim smartphone (with reinforced corners to avoid screen shattering) comes with a 12-megapixel primary shooter with LED flash and PDAF, while the front-facing snapper is rated at 5-megapixel, also with LED flash.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 sources its power from a 3,300mAh battery which is claimed to come with a standby time of up to 17 days and runs the company’s MIUI 9.0 based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat.

In addition, the device is accompanied by a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and comes in Black, Gold, Lake Blue, and Rose Gold colours. The Redmi 5 comes with a price tag of Rs 7,999 (2GB RA M/16GB ROM), Rs 8,999 (3GB RA M/32GB ROM) and Rs 10,999 (4GB RA M/64GB ROM). The smartphone is up for grabs via Amazon India, Mi.com and offline stores across India.

What’s more, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 is compatible with the Reliance Jio Football Offer for a cashback of Rs 2,200, along with a 5 per cent discount on purchase using the SBI cards and 90 percent off on Amazon Kindle e-books.

Karbonn Titanium Jumbo 2 Review

Domestic company Karbonn Mobiles has unveiled a new budget smartphone in its Titanium series, dubbed the Titanium Jumbo 2 in India. It is available to buy via Amazon India.

The Titanium Jumbo 2 comes with a cashback offer by Airtel which will provide users with a cashback of Rs 2,000 on purchase of the smartphone. All the customers need to do is, make a down payment of Rs 5,999, make recharges worth Rs 3,500 for 18 months to get a cashback of Rs 500, followed by a cashback of Rs 1,500 on recharges of the same amount for another 18 months.

Talking about the technical specifications, the Karbonn Titanium Jumbo 2 comes with a 5.5-inch HD IPS display covered with a layer of 2.5D curved glass and is powered by a quad-core processor ticking at 1.3GHz. The smartphone comes equipped with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 64GB via a memory card.

In terms of the optics, the device features a 13-megapixel rear snapper with LED flash with an 8-megapixel front-facing snapper. The Titanium Jumbo 2 is backed by a huge 4,000mAh battery with a standby time of up to 400 hours and talk time of up to 16 hours, and runs Android 7.0 Nougat. Besides, it comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The dual-SIM Titanium Jumbo 2 comes in Black, Champagne and Coffee colour variants.

Motorola Moto Z2 Force with ShatterShield display in India

Extending its Z series of smartphones, Lenovoowned Motorola has brought the Moto Z2 Force to the Indian shores.The USP of the smartphone is the ShatterSheild display touted to be shatterproof, spanning 5.5-inch and is Quad HD poLED in nature. The display comes with a screen resolution rated at 2,560 x 1,440

pixels.

Another highlight is the accompaniment of Motorola’s Moto TurboPower Mod which when connected via the pogo pins to the smartphone, will provide an additional battery capacity of 3,500mAh.

On the camera front, the Moto Z2 Force houses a dual-camera setup at the back, rated at 12-megapixel each with Sony IMX386 sensor, PDAF, Laser Autofocus, and dual-LED flash. The front-facing snapper stands at 5-megapixel featuring 85-degree wide-angle lens and a flash module.

In terms of the other specifications, the Moto Z2 Force is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with Adreno 540 GPU, coupled with 6GB of RAM. It comes equipped with 64GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 2TB via a memory card. The smartphone is backed by a 2,730mAh battery with fast charging tech and runs Android 8.0 Oreo.

Moreover, the Moto Z2 Force comes with a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button and Moto Actions to perform tasks using various gestures.Priced at Rs 34,999, the Moto Z2 Force is up for grabs via Flipkart and Moto Hub stores. The Motorola Moto TurboPower Mod is priced at Rs 5,999.

Comio adds C2 Lite and S2 Lite in Budget Segment

Home-grown brand Comio has launched the lighter version of its two previously launched smartphones- S1 and C2, called the S1 Lite and C2 Lite budget smartphones for the Tier 2 and 3 cities.

The Comio S1 Lite sports a unibody design with curved edges and is available in three colour variants- Ocean Blue, Royal Black and Sunrise Gold. One the photography front, the S1 Lite comes with a 13MP auto focus with flash rear camera and 8MP selfie camera with flash.

The phone features a 5.0-inch HD IPS display. It runs on Comio UI based on Android 7.0 Nougat and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6737 SoC coupled with 2GB of RAM. The phone packs in 32GB internal storage that’s expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.The S1 Lite is powered by a 3,050mAh battery.

On the other hand, the Comio C2 Lite comes with 8MP auto-focus rear camera with flash, 5MP selfie-camera with flash, expandable 128GB memory and a 5-inch HD IPS display. The phone is available in three colours- Sunrise Gold, Royal Black and Metallic Grey.

It features Comio UI based on Stock Android 7.0 Nougat.The Comio C2 Lite packs a 3,900mAh battery that company claims can run the phone for up to 2 days with up to 27 hours talk time and a standby time of 270 hrs. While the Comio S1 Lite is priced at Rs 7,499, the C2 Lite costs Rs 5,999. They also have Jio cashback offer to go with them.

Celkon UniQ with 5-inch HD IPS Display and Fingerprint Sensor

Domestic handset manufacturer Celkon Mobiles has unveiled a new budget smartphone, known as the Celkon UniQ in India. The Celkon UniQ comes with a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button as its highlight.

Talking about the technical specs, the Celkon UniQ comes with a 5-inch HD IPS display with a layer of 2.5D curved glass. The metal-body smartphone is powered by a quadcore processor clocked at 1.3GHz, coupled with 3GB of RAM. It comes equipped with 32GB of onboard storage which can be further expanded up to 128GB with the help of a memory card.

In terms of the optics, the smartphone comprises a 16-megapixel rear shooter featuring LED flash, while the frontfacing snapper is rated at 8-megapixel with Moonlight flash. The Celkon UniQ gets its power from a 2,700mAh battery and runs Android 7.0 Nougat.

The device houses a dual-SIM card slot, and is topped with connectivity options such as 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, and Micro-USB port.The handset comes with a price tag of Rs 8,999.

Redmi Note 5 Pro vs. Redmi Note 5 Comparison

Xiaomi has started 2018 on a high note in India with the launch of two new smartphones; Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The Note 5 and Note 5 Pro bring full screen display innovations starting at Rs 9,999. These two new smartphones are said to exceed expectations in terms of design, camera and performance.

Redmi Note 5 Pro: This is the world’s first smartphone to feature the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636. As part of the Snapdragon 636 package, the Note 5 Pro features Qualcomm Kryo cores which are typically only seen on the flagship-grade Snapdragon 800-series of SoCs. With AnTuTu benchmark scores of well over 100K, the Note 5 Pro blows the competition out of the water with its eight Kryo 260 cores, Adreno 509 GPU, and up to 6GB of DDR4X RAM. The Redmi Note 5 Pro features a 20MP front camera with an LED Selfielight, which uses complex algorithms to deliver the perfect selfie—now also in portrait mode. On the rear, it consists of a 12MP + 5MP sensor and Beautify 4.0, featuring 18:9 fullHD+ display with rounded corners.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro is priced at Rs 13,999 for 4GB RAM, 64GB storage variant and Rs 16,999 for 6GB RAM, 64GB storage variant. 

Redmi Note 5: The new smartphone fills the shoes of its predecessor, the Redmi Note 4. Designed with the same 18:9 FHD+ display as Redmi Note 5 Pro, it features SoC with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, a 12MP rear camera, 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. It features an LED Selfie-light for the perfect selfie even in challenging lighting conditions.

The Redmi Note 5 is priced at Rs 9,999 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant and Rs 11,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. Available in Black, Gold, Rose Gold and Blue colour variants, the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro are available on Flipkart and Mi.com.

Motorola Announces 6GB Variant of Moto X4 with Android 8.0 Oreo

Lenovo-owned Motorola has announced a new variant of X4 with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage which offers a smarter Android 8.0 Oreo experience out of the box, giving you faster speeds, longer battery life, splitscreen capabilities, smart text selection, improved notifications, autofill framework for your trickiest of passwords, and the all new Google Play Protect, helping to ensure none of your apps become compromised.

Earlier, the Moto X4 was available in 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB variants with Android Nougat. It also comes with the special Moto key feature that allows you to access your favorite password-secured websites on your phone or laptop with a simple touch of your finger.

The new Moto X4 features 12MP+8MP wide angle dual rear camera. The primary 12MP camera comes with dual autofocus pixels to capture images and the secondary 8MP is a wide angle camera offering 120 degree field of view with depth capabilities. Its advanced camera software with features like ‘Selective Focus’ and ‘Spot Color’ add artistic touch to the pictures and offer a superior camera experience.

Additionally, the Moto X4 is equipped with 16MP front camera with flash that captures amazing selfies even in challenging light conditions and is packed with new age features like Face Filters, Panoramic selfies and Beauty mode.

Priced at Rs 24,999 in Super Black and Sterling Blue colours, the 6GB variant of Moto X4 is available exclusively on Flipkart and Moto Hubs across India.

Intex Aqua Lions T1 Lite with 4G VoLTE

Expanding its Aqua Lions series of smartphones, home-bred Intex Technologies has launched a new smartphone, dubbed the Aqua Lions T1 Lite in India.

In terms of the technical specifications, the Intex Aqua Lions T1 Lite comes with a 5-inch display covered with a layer of 2.5D curved glass. The smartphone is powered by a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek processor clocked at 1.3GHz. The device comes equipped with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable up to 64GB with the use of a microSD card.

In the camera department, the Aqua Lions T1 Lite houses a 5-megapixel rear shooter with LED flash while the front-facing shooter is rated at 2-megapixel. The smartphone comes with various camera features such as Beauty mode, Panorama, Burst mode, and Frame. The 4G-enabled smartphone is backed by a 2,200mAh battery which is expected to last up to six hours of talk time and up to 10 days of standby time, and runs Android 7.0 Nougat.

Furthermore, the Aqua Lions T1 Lite comes equipped various Value Added Services (VAS) such as LFTY– a one-stop platform for multiple content, DataBack app for data saving, and Prime Video for viewing and downloading of popular movies or TV shows.It also supports Matrabhasha service for communication in over 21 Indian languages.

Priced at Rs 3,899, the Intex Aqua Lions T1 Lite comes in Royal Black, Steel Grey, and Champagne colour variants.