Reliance Jio has announced that its first 4G capable smartphone will be released under the 'LYF' brand. The telecommunications giant recently announced its intentions to release 4G capable handsets for under Rs 4,000 for the highly competitive Indian smartphone market, which means this could be the first of those devices.
4G handsets have already become commonplace in the Indian mobile industry, so the only way new players can establish a base is by rolling out budget friendly handsets for the masses.
"The brand built on the premise of unmatched user experience will offer high performance handsets that deliver a true 4G experience comparable to the best in the world. LYF range of smartphones with superior features like Voice over LTE (VoLTE), Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-FI), HD Voice and HD quality video calling will enable users to experience a new digital life," Reliance Jio said in a statement.
While the company has announced the new brand, we're yet to gather information on availability and pricing of this new handset. It will be interesting to see what the company comes up with and if the device will manage to compete with the current lot of sub-Rs 5,000 4G LTE handsets that are currently available in India.
Network feasibility will also be crucial for the LYF phones to succeed, especially if these devices are locked to work only with Reliance Jio's networks. We expect to hear more about the LYF smartphones over the coming days.
Following Airtel and Vodafone’s lead, Idea Cellular has now revised its Rs 348 plan to offer double the data (1GB) along with unlimited local and STD calling. This pack comes with a validity of 28 days, much like the other networks. This particular plan is eligible to work with 4G handsets, appealing to a vast number of customers.
This brings Idea on par with networks like Airtel and Vodafone, who have an eerily similar plan to offer, albeit for a marginally lesser price. Given the kind of competition that Jio is throwing at Indian carriers, it’s imperative that the networks do something to get themselves back on track.
BSNL, which is virtually non-existent in metro cities, also has its own set of data plans similar to these. For Rs 339 per month, the carrier offers 2GB of data per day and unlimited BSNL to BSNL calling. Vodafone’s plan costs Rs 342 per month and comes with 1GB of data per day. Airtel’s offering is priced at Rs 345 per month and will offer 1GB of data per day along with unlimited STD and local calls.
Although Jio enjoys a healthy user base as of now, there’s no denying that it still has a lot of catching up to do to reach the likes of Airtel, Vodafone, Idea etc. Not to mention the fact that Jio is yet to match these carriers in terms of network connectivity. But Jio makes up for this with its insanely low prices and attractive promo offers to lure new customers.
In the wake of rising competition in the mobile industry, Airtel has decided to up the ante somewhat with its postpaid Infinity plans. The pricing for these plans started from Rs 1,199 previously, but now start from Rs 549. This plan will give users unlimited local and STD calls with roaming, 100 local and STD text messages per day, 3GB of data for 4G customers and 1GB of data for 3G subscribers.
The second Infinity tier costs Rs 749 and the only difference here is the increase in usable data. The rest of the benefits remain the same. 4G handsets will get 5GB of data to use, while 3G customers will only get 3GB of data. Airtel has also updated the features of its older and more expensive Infinity plans priced at Rs 1,199, Rs 1,599, Rs 1,999 and Rs 2,999. These plans come with 10GB, 15GB, 20GB and 30GB of usable 4G data. Interestingly, Airtel only offers more data for 4G handsets, urging 3G customers to switch to faster networks.
The carrier used to offer the same amount of 3G and 4G data, but that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. These aforementioned plans also come with subscriptions to Wynk Music and Wynk Movies.
E-commerce retailers in India have been vying for the top spot for quite some time now. Since the emergence of Amazon India in the region, things have only gotten tougher for the other players in the industry. But we might get to see the real winners in the e-commerce space as early as next week, as all three major e-commerce players of the country - Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal - have announced their annual mega sales on almost the same days, taking each other head-on.
While Amazon will hold its "The Great Indian Festival" from the 1st of October to the 5th of October, Flipkart's "Big Billion Day 2016" and Snapdeal's "Unbox Diwali Sale" will be held from Oct 2 - Oct 6.
Amit Agarwal, the country head of Amazon India said "These marathon 120 hours of the event mark our continuing commitment to work closely with our partners and together bring the biggest sale yet for our customers, with the best ever shopping experience powered by Prime."
With Amazon offering a free Prime subscription for the first three months, faster delivery options will be a feature of these sales. While Flipkart also offers expedited shipping for its Flipkart First subscribers, it is still a paid affair. Perhaps Flipkart will start offering free subscriptions to its customers during the sale.
Snapdeal has recently launched Snapdeal Gold, which offers expedited shipping and delivery to the customers. This, in addition to discounts of up to 70%, could be a highlight of the retailer's five day sale period. The Unbox Diwali Sale might attract a different set of customers given the diversity of products on its platform.
Shopclues is also holding a sale during the same time, but it will last until the 10th of October. While Shopclues is not a big fish like the aforementioned e-commerce players, the fact that it has its sale for a longer period will ensure that it grabs a lot of eyeballs.
Now that you know the deals that the retailers are holding, here are a few things you need to keep in mind before you prepare for the raining discounts.
Make sure you're using the mobile app to avail maximum discounts on products. Also check for retailer subscriptions for expedited shipping and exclusive deals. Amazon is offering a 3-month trial of Amazon Prime, which can give you early access to some deals. The same can be said about Flipkart and Snapdeal offerings as well.
The Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro is priced at Rs 21,990 on Amazon. Given that there are multiple handsets in the same price range, does it really make sense to get this one? Well, we certainly think so. Here’s why.
Display
The mammoth 5.7-inch Full HD (1920x1080) Super AMOLED display is a treat for the eyes, and easily one of the best displays you can find in smartphones that are priced under Rs 25,000. Given that Samsung has specialized in the production of AMOLED panels, there really is no company that can rival these display panels.
Cameras
16MP rear cameras have become quite a common fixture on mobile devices. However, the Galaxy C7 Pro comes with a 16MP camera on the front as well, promising impressive selfies. Both the front and rear cameras are using f/1.9 sensors, so they’re pretty high-end.
The handset is packing the octa-core Snapdragon 626 processor with Cortex-A53 CPU cores at a clock speed of 2.2 GHz each. This makes the Galaxy C7 Pro a pretty strong device in terms of raw power. Samsung’s OS optimization should also help the CPU run at its best. The device uses the Adreno 506 GPU to handle the graphics on the device.
Battery
The Galaxy C7 Pro comes with a massive 3,300mAh battery under the hood, which gives it a distinct advantage over the competition. It might not be on par with some 5,000mAh monsters, but will still get the job done for most users. There’s fast charging on board as well, which has become a common feature on flagships but is seldom seen on mid-ranged offerings.
RAM/Storage
With 4GB of RAM by default and 64GB of internal storage, the Galaxy C7 Pro is pretty well equipped in this area. The device also comes with expandable storage on board, giving you the liberty to add more storage if you so desire.
Connectivity
The Galaxy C7 Pro uses the reversible USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The company has been mindful enough to offer a 3.5mm headphone jack as well so that the users can charge the phone using a conventional cable and still be able to listen to music.
Xiaomi announced that it wants to push 50% of its sales to offline channels i.e. brick and mortar stores or physical retail outlets. While this has been talked about for quite some time now, it seems like Xiaomi is finally set to take the big step in a few months. This is a big move by the company in a market where e-commerce sales are everything. Companies take the online route to save marketing costs and other charges that arise while displaying their products in a store.
But it seems like Xiaomi is well aware of the fact that online sales alone won’t cut it in a market like India. Several citizens are still not tech savvy and do not trust online retailers, and with good reason. So having a physical retail outlet for such users makes complete sense. While this might drive up the costs of marketing for Xiaomi, it could prove to be a clever move in a couple of years from now.
Change of fortunes for Xiaomi?
Given that Xiaomi is not having the best time in the market, a move like this could have been borne out of desperation. Regardless of its current status in the market, there is no doubt that Xiaomi’s devices will surely reach a lot more customers this way. Opening up retail presence in rural areas of the country will surely help with the outreach and exposure as well.
What about the rivals?
This could be a particularly tricky time for Xiaomi’s industry rivals like Huawei, Oppo, Gionee, Vivo and the rest. Not to mention the Indian OEMs like Micromax, Lava, Intex etc. However, most Indian manufacturers have some retail presence in the country, so it seems like Xiaomi is merely trying to get ahead of its Chinese contemporaries. Almost every Chinese OEM sells its products exclusively via e-commerce channels in the country, thus giving Xiaomi the advantage. However, it might not be too long before they catch up.
Naturally, Xiaomi’s timing here is going to be very crucial. So one can only hope that the company doesn’t take too much time in bringing this idea to fruition. The company doesn’t have a lot of products to showcase, but the few devices that it does sell are incredibly popular in the country.
Smartphones with big batteries are a big trend right now with the increasing demand of consumers who want a phone that lasts for more than a day. The charging standards have only improved with fast charging becoming a common norm for nearly all smartphone manufacturers.
Having said that, nothing beats a smartphone that can last through a hectic day at work. While phones with 4,000mAh battery have become common, there aren't many phones that go beyond the 5,000mAh mark. Here are some phones available in the market powered by massive batteries.
Samsung has more or less made itself relevant again in the highly competitive budget segment with the launch of the Galaxy M series earlier this year. The Galaxy M30s takes this forward with refreshed design and updated hardware.
The biggest takeaway from the Galaxy M30s is its massive 6,000mAh battery that should easily last you an entire day's worth of usage. For some users, it should be possible to extend the Galaxy M30s' battery life to two days of usage.
Coupled with the vibrant Super AMOLED display, ample storage and a triple camera setup on the back, Samsung might have another winner in the M30s.
Asus ROG Phone II is one of the best-specced phone for its asking price. One of the major highlight about this gaming phone is the monstrous 6,000mAh battery which can easily last for more than one day on a single charge.
Apart from that, it has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate Super AMOLED panel along with the latest specifications such as a Snapdragon 855+ and a minimum of 8GB of RAM.
The phone comes with a host of hardware additions as well, including additional shoulder buttons, vents for better air circulation and an expansion port to connect accessories such as a gamepad or an extra display.
Xiaomi has been delivering blockbusters upon blockbusters with its Redmi Note line up in India, and that seems to be true with the Redmi Note 8 Pro as well. After delivering massive improvements in terms of imaging with the Redmi Note 7 Pro earlier this year, Xiaomi has turned its focus to improving the gaming performance with the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
Powered by the MediaTek Helio G90T chipset, the Redmi Note 8 Pro lives up to the hype and offers fluid performance. The liquid cooling tech, a massive 4,500mAh battery, 18W fast charging and the 64MP quad cameras on the back seal the deal rather well.
Vivo has upped its game in the budget and mid-range segments over the last few months in India. While a few other smartphones are aimed specifically at a slightly younger audience, Vivo has tried to offer a slightly more rounded package with the Z1 Pro.
The Z1 Pro is also one of the few smartphones in this price range to sport a punch hole notch. If you are looking for a smartphone that offers really long battery life, the Z1 Pro won't let you down with its massive 5,000mAh battery. The display, camera and the glossy design round off the remaining important aspects.
Image credit: TechRadar
Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi 8A, the company's latest budget offering in India. Like most of its other devices, the Redmi 8A is also packed with a huge battery. It is an entry level device and as such, does not feature fancy hardware.
It is powered by a huge 5,000mAh battery and comes with 18W fast charging support, which is extremely rare for this budget. In addition to this, the device is equipped with a USB Type-C port.
The Xiaomi Redmi 8A is powered by a Snapdragon 439 chipset coupled with up to 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It is equipped with a single 12MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera.
The Xiaomi Redmi 8A is priced starting at Rs 6,499 in India and is available from Flipkart and Mi.com.
The Oppo A9 2020 is a refreshed version of the Oppo A9 launched earlier this year. It offers a tweaked design with updated specifications and imaging capabilities.
The primary highlight of the Oppo A9 2020 is its quad camera setup on the back. But beyond that, the A9 2020 also offers ample storage and a massive battery. If you are someone who is on the move constantly and do not want to stream a lot of content, the A9 2020 could be what you need. The ample storage allows you to save plenty of content for offline consumption, and the big 5,000mAh battery means it should last you long enough.
Samsung has been trying to reinvent itself in the budget segment for a while now, and the Galaxy M series is a good testament of the company's efforts. The Galaxy M20 offers a good balance between power, performance and battery life.
The Galaxy M20’s understated, minimalist design coupled with the waterdrop notch, a bright display and the massive battery help it get into this list. As far as budget smartphones with big batteries are concerned, the Galaxy M20 is right up there with the best ones.
Vivo is evolving. While it was known for its pricey smartphones that didn’t offer as much of a value for money as Xiaomi did, the company’s recent launches like the Z1 Pro and now the S1 mean that customers are in for a good time.
The Vivo S1 features a stunning gradient design on the back, giving it a rich, premium look. Aimed at the imaging enthusiasts, the Vivo S1 also includes an in-display fingerprint sensor that adds to its advantages. Topping it off is a massive battery that should last more than a day’s usage. This, coupled with fast charging should mean you can bid goodbye to battery life woes.
The Galaxy M10s is a noteworthy option in the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment, especially if you are looking at alternatives for Redmi smartphones. It offers a big display and an adequate battery to go with it, while still costing fairly low.
While the Galaxy M10s may not offer the premium design that some other smartphones offer, the One UI and other Samsung features make up for it to some extent. The 4,000mAh battery and 15W fast charging support also add substance to this option.
Realme has been gunning for the market share that Redmi smartphones currently enjoy. To this end, the company launched the Realme 5 Pro with the Snapdragon 712 chipset. The Realme 5 Pro is aimed at users who like gaming and want a good option in the budget segment.
In addition to the Snapdragon 712 chipset, the Realme 5 Pro brings an interesting quad-camera setup. The device, launched just few months after the Realme 3 Pro is a good option in the budget segment.
The processor is good for tasks such as gaming and the performance is very consistent too. The device, powered by a 4,035 mAh battery with fast charge support is a good option, however, ColorOS might be a issue for some.
Don't care about the battery or the camera? If you're looking for a holistic phone that covers all the bases and doesn't compromise on any part of the smartphone experience, then you should be looking at our list of the top 10 smartphones that we've tested.
There was a time when the availability of 4G support in a phone was worth mentioning, however, these days, almost every smartphone that is launched in the country comes with not only 4G support, but also 4G VoLTE, thanks to Reliance Jio.
While 4G support has become one of the basic features in a smartphone, you also need to look at other features while selecting a device for yourself. Today, we will list some of the best 4G phones available in the entry level.
If the budget of your budget doesn't matter, check out our list of the best smartphones of 2018.
Combing a minimalist design with the traditional high-quality build that is expected from Samsung smartphones, the Galaxy M10 is the most affordable Galaxy smartphone to be launched recently in India. The waterdrop notch on the front further accentuates the Galaxy M10’s design while allowing Samsung to squeeze in more screen real estate.
While the camera performance is average and the Galaxy M10 may not be the most powerful smartphone in this segment, it should attract users who want a decent smartphone from a reliable brand.
The Xiaomi Redmi 7A is among the best budget smartphone currently available in India. It comes with a 5.45-inch HD display and an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset. The phone was launched with Android 9.0 Pie out of the box with the company’s MIUI 9 skin on top.
As it features a huge 4,000mAh battery, it offers a one-day battery backup, allowing you to use your device throughout the day on 4G without having to worry about the battery. The only downside is limited storage, but a dedicated microSD card slot covers it up with support for up to 256GB.
The Xiaomi Redmi Go, the first Android Go device from the Chinese smartphone maker is worth considering if you are looking for an affordable 4G smartphone in India. The device launched in March this year runs on the toned-down version of Android that has been designed for low-end devices.
The Xiaomi Redmi Go features a 5-inch HD display, Snapdragon 425 chipset, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, an 8MP primary camera and a 5MP selfie camera. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition) and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery.
If you are looking for an affordable 4G smartphone, the Realme C2 is another good option in the budget segment. After its success with the Realme C1, the Chinese smartphone maker has introduced the Realme C2. It is a well-designed device that features a premium design.
The Realme C2 features a 6.1-inch HD+ display, a dual camera setup at the back and a 5MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 4,000mAh battery that is enough for a full day’s use on 4G.
If you are a first time Android user and want to experience stock Android device with a budget in mind, the Moto C Plus priced at Rs 7,000 is a good option for you. The device features a 5-inch HD display and is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 chipset.
In terms of memory, the Moto C Plus comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, with support for microSD cards up to 32GB. Imaging duties are handled by an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera.
While smartphone makers have been increasing the number of cameras, the trend of multiple cameras began with companies adopting the dual camera setup. Most smartphones these days are equipped with three or four cameras at the back, featuring different types of lenses.
Even budget smartphones now feature multiple cameras at the back, however more cameras may not always mean that you get better images with them. While a lot of people are looking for smartphones with more cameras, there are still some who prefer a dual camera setup.
So, what are some of the popular dual-camera phones that we can find in the Indian mobile market today? Let’s have a look.
The iPhone 11, which is the most affordable iPhone among the iPhone 11 series launched this year is also the only among the three to feature a dual camera setup at the back. It features a dual 12-megapixel camera setup at the back, with a secondary ultra-wide angle lens. Coming to selfies, it features a dual camera setup at the front as well, consisting a 12-megapixel primary camera and a secondary TOF 3D camera.
Other features of the iPhone 11 include a 6.1-inch display, Apple A13 Bionic chipset, 4GB RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage and a 3,110mAh battery.
Xiaomi has been dominating the budget and entry-level smartphone segments in India for a long time now. The launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro changed the market dynamics yet again. Offering a high-resolution, premium-grade 48MP camera at budget prices was the primary clincher for the Redmi Note 7 Pro.
As for selfies, the 20MP front camera grabs a decent amount of detail, and you can use the screen as a fill flash to brighten things up and even things out.
Samsung introduced a new affordable smartphone earlier this year with the launch of the Galaxy S10e. However, don't go by its affordable price tag - the Galaxy S10e still offers stellar camera performance thanks to the 12MP wide-angle lens and the 16MP ultrawide angle lens at the back. Samsung has optimised the two cameras enough to make the S10e a great performer even under challenging conditions.
Samsung has continued to use a variable aperture which changes as per the situation. Essentially, this means that the low-light performance improves as it lets more light to enter the camera.
If you're looking for an all-rounder with a well-above-average camera in its class, the OnePlus 7 might just the device you are looking for. The dual rear camera setup on the device features a wide-angle lens paired with a 48MP sensor, as well as a secondary 5MP depth sensor. The front camera is a 16MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture.
While OnePlus has been struggling with camera performance for a while now, the company has slowly but surely optimised the overall image quality. This reflects in the performance of the OnePlus 7, which manages to take great images in daylight conditions and decent performance in low-light.
Realme has essentially shown up out of nowhere to challenge established players like Xiaomi in the Indian smartphone market. The Realme X is one of those very well-balanced smartphones from the company that offer a lot of value for money.
The Realme X's dual camera setup with a 48MP primary snapper and a 5MP depth sensor works great in daylight conditions. It also captures portrait shots with decent level of expertise. The one area that it does struggle in, like many other smartphones, is low-light conditions. Nevertheless, considering the money that you're paying for it, the Realme X is a noteworthy option.
The Honor View 20 Pro has two rear cameras. But the second is a ToF (time of flight) 3D camera, rather than one that adds a zoomed or wide-angle view. Huawei has also improved the AI mode, offering a much more natural photo when compared to older phones. There’s a multi-exposure mode for night shooting too. It’s very similar to the super night mode introduced in the Huawei P20 Pro.
The Huawei View 20 is a very good option if you are focusing on the image quality. The fact that it uses Sony's hi-res sensors works in its favour, but it also benefits from much of the camera processing development work put into phones like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and P20 Pro.
As is the trend with many phones at this price point, Sony’s 48MP sensor is the Oppo Reno’s main camera. It has an f/1.7 aperture and in combination, the camera can take high quality photos. The second camera is a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture which is useful for portrait photos. It does particularly well with subject detection and the blurring stays realistic alongside maintaining natural skin tones.
As for the quality of selfies, the camera works best outdoors with plenty of light available. Its HDR is impressive, with portrait mode working well for edge detection too.
What particularly impressed us was that Oppo’s night mode does not necessarily require a tripod for the best results. Except for the absence of an ultra-wide lens and telephoto lens, this camera is stellar.
At first glance it appears that the iPhone XS and XS Max have the same camera as the iPhone X. The dual rear camera module has two 12MP sensors- one wide-angle and one telephoto- with the same f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures.
However, there are some key differences.
The iPhone XS Max and XS both feature Smart HDR, absent in the iPhone X, which ensures that all areas of the photo are well lit and detailed. You can also edit the level of background blur in portrait shots, something that iPhones have been lacking for a decade.
The 7MP camera has also been upgraded over its iPhone X counterpart. It also gets the new Smart HDR mode as well as portrait mode, and implements the bokeh effect digitally.
If you don't mind shelling out Rs 99,900 and above, then the iPhone XS and XS Max are two of the best camera phones in the market right now.
The Galaxy Note is is currently the best dual camera smartphone in India. The newly launched flagship bears the same camera setup as the Galaxy S9 Plus.
The dual 12MP rear camera uses variable-aperture technology to switch between an f/1.5 aperture for low-light photography and an f/2.4 aperture for normal lighting conditions.
The secondary lens enables 2x optical zoom, which helps to capture sharp telephoto snapshots for distant subject. It has a fixed f/2.4 fixed aperture, and it retains the optical image stabilization like the primary lens. It works well, and it's very useful for those with shaky hands. There was ample of noise in the night-time shots with the telephoto lens, everything else remains perfectly crisp.
Front camera does selfies at 8MP and has autofocus, which is a first for a Galaxy Note phone. The camera app is filled with tons of mode options like AR stickers, wide group selfies, HD Super Slow Motion at 960fps and more. The camera app is dense, but it's still very easy to use and fast.
On top of everything, users get to opt for multiple storage variants as huge as 512GB storage with microSD card support.
Comparing the iPhone XS and iPhone X with the same photo, it’s clear that the Smart HDR mode is the key difference here. While the overall quality of the snap is largely the same, the detail and brightness throughout is improved, which bodes well for when your photography skills are poorer but you still want to get a great picture.
Apple is talking up the improved portrait mode too, with both the ability to take better pictures of people (with smarter capabilities of working out where the edges of their head lie, so they stay sharp against a blurred background) and the capability of adjusting the level of blur behind them.
The LG G7 ThinQ is an impressive little phone from the brand (irritating name aside), bringing with it a strong package and a decent price in many regions. There's an attempt to right the wrongs of the LG G6 - and it's resulted in a good alternative to the traditional big hitters.
The smart camera here is great if you want to capture more of the picture, with a much wider field of view bringing in more information. The smart sensor tries to work out what's in front of you - with great results, but only when it gets things right. It's not the best camera out there, but you can take some stellar shots.
The OnePlus 6/6T doesn't feel out of the place alongside the likes of Samsung, Sony or LG. In fact, the company has made a better value for money device when compared to most flagship currently. While the OnePlus 6T is a complete powerhouse in the performance department, it's no less in the optics department too.
It has the same camera configuration on paper as its predecessor, but OnePlus has increased the size of the sensor on the main 16MP camera by 19%, and it now has a 1.22um pixel size (up from 1.12um), enabling it to pull in more light and thus perform better in low-light conditions. Which makes it one of the better phones for photography in its range.
The Honor 10's camera is actually the area where you can expect the it to perform better than its expensive alternatives. On the back of the Honor 10 sits a bug-eyed pair of camera lenses. One uses a 16MP colour sensor, the other a 20MP monochrome sensor.
Huawei and Honor have used a similar setup before, the higher-resolution 20MP camera being used to let you zoom at 2x and see more detail than you would from simply cropping into the standard 16MP image.
The camera performance is commendable and there's virtually zero shutter lag. Focusing is reasonably fast and you can use Auto mode and get the best possible shot in most cases.
The recently announced Mi A2 is the second generation of Xiaomi's Android One device. After the success of the Mi A1 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Xiaomi has announced the slightly costlier Mi A2.
Since its partnership with Xiaomi for the Mi A1, search giant Google has partnered with Nokia, Motorola and other OEMs for premium Android One devices. Now, the two companies have partnered once again for the Mi A2.
The Mi A2 offers several upgrades over its predecessor, including an all new 18:9 display, improved cameras and an upgraded SoC. While these upgrades are good, the company has also taken some steps back by slightly reducing the battery capacity instead of increasing it and removing the 3.5mm audio jack.
The Honor Play is one of the most powerful devices from the company in the country and has been priced very competitively. The main highlight of the device is the Kirin 970 SoC, which is the company's current flagship SoC.
The Honor Play is gaming centric device and has been equipped with the company's GPU Turbo, a software and hardware solution that is claimed to increase the device's performance by up to 60% while reducing the battery consumption by up to 30% while gaming.
Coming to the cameras, the device sports a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 16MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary depth sensor. The cameras come with features such as phase detection autofocus and EIS. Honor has said that it will push an OTA to enable AI stabilisation on the device in the coming days.
Similar to the MI A2, the Redmi Note 6 Pro also succeeds to an already great smartphone and brings enhanced cameras as the key update over its predecessor. It is also the first Xiaomi phone to have two cameras on the front for selfies, meaning it can click bokeh photos from both the sides.
The Redmi Note 6 Pro is capable of capturing impressive shots in both low and good light situations. Even in low light scenarios, the phone clicks clear pictures with a decent amount of details. Another thing that we specifically like about the Redmi Note 6 Pro camera is how well it captures colours even in low-light. Pictures clicked in low light with the Redmi Note 6 Pro doesn’t show heavy noise or grain, and that's something rare on smartphones of this range.
The only downside is the inconsistent edge detections in bokeh shots.
4G phones took quite some time to officially make their way to the Indian subcontinent. Although 4G smartphones were present, Indian telecom operators came around to adopting 4G much later. But today, 4G has spread all over India, including some remote corners of the country.
Keeping this in mind, we’re going to look at some of the cheapest 4G handsets available in India right now.
The LYF Flame 3 is one of the cheapest 4G handsets you can get in the country right now. It’s ideally suited for Reliance Jio’s networks in India and can be purchased from a number of retailers in the country, including LYF’s dedicated online store. Given the low price tag, the handset won’t perform on par with some of the more expensive handsets, but that’s a small sacrifice to make. You can get the Flame 3 for Rs 2,999.
Karbonn is one of the major players in the budget market segment. The manufacturer offers a wide range of choices as far as smartphones are concerned, and the Aura is just one of the many 4G phones it offers. Priced at Rs 3,449, the handset can be bought from a number of online retailers in the country.
Joining the long list of Swipe branded 4G phones is the Elite Star, which comes with a fairly decent hardware specs sheet under the hood, especially for its price tag of Rs 3,999. The fact that it has 16GB of storage by default (expandable) is a bonus here.
Yet another Karbonn offering on this list, the Quattro L45 has been around for quite some time now. The handset is slightly expensive compared to the other devices on this list. You can get it via online retailers for Rs 4,599.
This is one of the best 4G handsets available in the sub Rs 10,000 segment. The device will set you back by Rs 6,199, which is fairly justified given the kind of hardware it packs.
Swipe may not be well known over a specific price range but under a budget, it is one of the finest phone making brand. The Swipe Elite series is trusted and the second iteration of the phone comes at Rs 3,999 and has basic set of specs like 1.3GHz processor with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage with microSD card support and Android Nougat.
Next on the list comes the Karbonn Titanium 3D - PLEX. The handset comes with an upgraded version of the Android as compared to other Karbonn phones listed above. It can be easily bought through online retailers at a starting price of Rs. 2,999.
Launched almost a year ago, the LYF Flame 7s is a light-weighted 4G smartphone. It offers a variety of camera functions like face detection, slow motion videos etc. To serve your storage needs, the phone comes with an expandable memory of 32GB.
Priced at 4,794, the smartphone comes with a MediaTek MT6735P processor with a clock speed of 1GHz. An ARM Mali-T720 MP2 GPU handles the graphics of the phone. So, now you can enjoy gaming on big screen at a reasonable price.
While low-cost 4G smartphones are in huge demand, we have some of the best 4G tablets listed right here for you. The list comprises of the best tablets under 15,000 in India.
Given the dominance of Apple, Samsung, and a handful of Chinese mobile OEMs, LG has somewhat taken a backseat in our minds. Its flagship offering, the G6, has failed to impress the markets and the company is eager to make an impact in any way possible. Enter the LG Q6, which was launched in India yesterday as an Amazon exclusive. The phone will set you back by Rs 14,999, with Amazon offering an additional discount of Rs 3,000 with exchanges.
The timing was just about right for Amazon, as it kicked off the Great Indian Sale yesterday, which will be held until the 12th of August. As for the phone itself, the LG Q6 looks a lot like the LG G6 in terms of design, and that’s not a bad thing.
The handset comes with an exciting design, and a slightly different display aspect ratio, which is sure to make it stand out in the industry. The specs sheet doesn’t inspire much confidence, though. But LG can negate this aspect with the design and the display on board.
Big companies are still playing catch up with the smaller manufacturers when it comes to mid-ranged and budget ranged handsets. However, LG’s effort with the Q6 shows a renewed focus on the mid-ranged segment.
The LG Q6 features a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 (18:9), making it the only mid-ranged handset in the market to have the honor. The handset also comes with the octa-core Snapdragon 435 chipset, clocked at 1.4 GHz.
Rounding off the specs sheet is a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP wide angle front camera, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and a 3,000mAh battery. The phone is MIL-STD-810G compliant for durability, which is a bonus feature on a mid-ranger like this. The phone will be available in Astro Black, Ice Platinum, and Terra Gold variants.
Xiaomi is one of the most popular budget OEMs in the Indian smartphone segment. The company is now prepping the release of the Mi 5X in the country, at least according to Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi India’s VP. He posted a cryptic teaser on Twitter, which read - “Can't wait for you guys to check out Xiaomi's first dual-camera phone in India! Coming next month! Can you guess which one?”
The Mi 6 was the only dual-camera phone offered by Xiaomi. However, the company recently unveiled the Mi 5X, which could make its way to the Indian smartphone markets by September. The Mi 5X is a slightly upgraded version of the Mi 5, with dual rear cameras on board and some other key hardware changes.
Xiaomi has been in a denial mode for the the Mi 6 in India given that it was originally launched a few months ago. If launched, the flagship will compete against the OnePlus 5 which is already doing well in the market. Also, if we recap, Xiaomi may not want to play the Mi 5 gamble again. With the Mi 5X already available in China, it’s safe to assume that it will break cover in India as well.
The Mi 5X is packing a 5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display, 64GB of expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, along with the octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor. As for the cameras, the phone comes with dual 12MP rear cameras with an aperture size of f/2.2. The camera will also come with 2X optical zoom.
There’s going to be a solitary 5MP front facing camera for selfies and videos. The phone is also packing a USB C port, a rear mounted fingerprint scanner and Android 7.1.1 Nougat with MIUI 8. Powering the phone will be a 3,080mAh battery under the hood. Xiaomi will sell the handset in Black, Gold and Rose Gold color variants. We expect to hear more about the Indian launch of the Mi 5X as we inch closer towards September.
The Redmi Note 4 is one of the most popular Xiaomi smartphones in India. However, a customer in Bengaluru found the device catching fire while at an unauthorized service center. The issue was caught on the CCTV cameras at the service center, revealing how the entire episode transpired.
The phone was purchased on the 1st of June, 2017 from a retail chain called Poorvika in the city. He then took the phone to an unauthorized retail outlet to service the phone.
Shortly after the servicing was concluded, the employee at the store found that the phone was beginning to heat up while inserting the SIM card. Subsequently, the device was on fire. The phone is still fine for the most part, although the base and the top portion were completely burnt. The fire didn’t cause any injuries, although questions are being raised from all sides.
The user filed a police complaint with the Bellandur Police Station shortly after the incident. Xiaomi has issued a statement, however, claiming that the company is already in touch with the customer.
“At Xiaomi, customer safety is of utmost importance to us. We have reached out to the customer to investigate this matter, and are awaiting a response,” a company spokesperson said.
Since we don’t know the facts of the case, it’s hard to tell if the customers need to be worried. However, going by what we know, it’s completely possible that the customer is at fault for heading down to an unauthorized outlet to service the handset. We also have to remember that this is the only case that we can think of, so it’s very likely that even if the company is at fault, it’s an extremely isolated incident.
We recommend contacting Xiaomi to clarify if this is a persistent issue that has come to the surface, or an isolated incident mostly triggered by the consumer’s fault. As it stands, however, existing owners of the Redmi Note 4 have absolutely nothing to worry about.
A happy ending
The customer, Arjun, has been contacted by Xiaomi and has even received a replacement unit from the company. While it’s still not clear as to what caused the issue, the customer appears to be satisfied with the company’s resolution. We’re awaiting further word from Xiaomi on the matter.
Not just limited to Xiaomi
A woman from the Wisconsin area in the U.S. recently sued Apple for $75,000 after her iPhone 4S spontaneously burst into flames while being charged. The lawsuit mentioned that “remnants of internal shorting, indicating that an internal failure of the iPhone’s battery caused the fire.” Apple is yet to issue a proper statement regarding the lawsuit, although we hope to hear more about it in the days to come.
Google Ara was an exciting concept which introduced the idea of commercializing modular phones. Although the project never materialized, Facebook is breathing life into it as per a new patent application filed by the company. The patent is simply described as a “modular electromechanical device” which would come with a display, GPS, and a microphone module.
A large portion of the Google Ara team has seemingly joined Building 8, which is responsible for this new secretive Facebook project. The four members named on Facebook’s patent application were involved with Nascent Objects, which is a firm that the company acquired only last year. Nascent Objects specialized in producing modular hardware using 3D printing.
It’s anybody’s guess as to what the company will actually end up producing, but all hints point at a revival of the Project Ara concept under Facebook’s umbrella. Google shelved the Ara concept last year, owing to a variety of reasons, including the delay in its release. Google also had to get rid of some features that proved to be challenging, ultimately resulting in the project’s demise.
Building 8 is currently working on several interesting projects in its labs, including the ability to comprehend languages through human skin and being able to type using just your mind. Facebook has invested heavily in these futuristic projects. Machine learning is another area where Facebook is heavily focused on, which includes improving existing camera tech.
This new modular concept could extend beyond Google Ara’s initial approach, though. Facebook’s patent filing talks about how this could be used for modular speakers and other components. So it’s clear that the company isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket.
We hope to learn more about the new modular project from Facebook over the coming months. However, since it’s still only a patent listing, we might have to wait a while before the idea is publicly discussed by the company.
Xiaomi recently announced the Mi Max 2 in India with an exciting hardware specs sheet under the hood. The phone is available via the company’s official online store as part of its 3-year anniversary sale. The company has now struck a deal with Paytm to offer the handset via Paytm Mall starting July 27. It is being said that the phone will be offered with a snappy delivery service and easy EMI options.
In addition to Paytm Mall, the phone is also expected to be available on Amazon India, Flipkart, and Tata Cliq at 10 AM on the 27th of July. It seems like the online retailers will host flash sales, suggesting that the stocks will be limited. Brick-and-mortar stores like Vijay Sales, e-Zone, LOT, Poorvika, BigC, and Sangeetha will start stocking up the handset on July 27. The Mi Max 2 has already been available for purchase via Mi Home stores in Bengaluru since yesterday.
The phone will set you back by Rs 16,999, which is quite decent considering the kind of features it comes with. The Mi Max 2 is equipped with a 6.44-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display panel, accompanied by the octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor. The device comes with a 12MP Sony IMX386 rear camera sensor, with the 5MP front facing camera handling the selfies.
The phone also has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, a USB C port with Quick Charge 3.0 support, Bluetooth, and 4G LTE. The phone also packs Android 7.0 Nougat with the company’s custom MIUI 8 skin. The massive 5,300mAh battery can ensure that the phone stays running for long intervals and even comes with parallel charging on board.
