Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus prices leaked ahead of launch; Wireless 'AirPods' Spotted

Apple's official announcement for the September 7 iPhone event hasn't stopped the rumours from flowing in. In fact they've picked up more speed, and today's set of leaks reveal the pricing details, reiterate the coming of the Space Black colour variant, and hint at the introduction of AirPods.

According to a report by Phoneradar, iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus are expected to come in three variants (based on storage) -- 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. While the iPhone 7 32GB is said to cost CNY 5288, the 128GB and 256GB variants are expected to costs CNY 6088 and CNY 7088 respectively. 

As for the larger and more powerful iPhone 7 Plus, the 32GB, 128GB and 256GB versions are supposed to come with a price tag of CNY 6088, CNY 6888 and CNY 7888 respectively.

Converting the prices to Indian currency, the 32GB, 128GB and 256GB of iPhone 7 would approximately cost Rs 53,000, Rs 61,200 and Rs 71,250 respectively. While 32GB, 128GB and 256GB versions of iPhone 7 Plus would roughly cost Rs 61,200, Rs 69,200 and Rs 79,300 respectively.

However, since the above is straight conversion of China prices, one could expect the smartphones to cost more in India as import duties and other factors too come into play.

A separate leak on Japanese site Macotakara shows the SIM trays of all the colour variants that are expected to arrive with the next iPhone. The Space Black colour variant is also seen amongst the other colour variants. This leak indicates that Apple isn't getting rid of the Space Grey colour variant, but is adding Space Black as another option. The photo also reveals that the Space Black colour variant won't sport the soft finish seen on the other iPhones, but will instead sport the glossy finish seen on the 2013 Mac Pro.

We have heard for a long time that Apple is doing away with the traditional 3.5mm audio jack and how audio will be routed using the Lightning connector port instead. The leaked document confirms the same as the iPhone 7 Plus box would have EarPods with Lightning connector instead of those with a 3.5mm pin. This is enough evidence to confirm that the new iPhones will come without the 3.5mm audio jack.

Lastly, mobiltelefon.ru has spotted the new 'AirPods' on a device registration site in Europe. While there is no clarity on what these AirPods actually are, the name suggests that these are the leaked wireless EarPods that have been rumoured off and on. 

As per some recent reports, the iPhone 7 will feature a 4.7-inch 3D touch display, while the iPhone 7 Plus is expected to feature a large 5.5-inch display. The company is also planning to increase the display resolution in the iPhone 7 to enable users to use the device for reading and app navigation.

The iPhone 7 is rumoured to be powered by Apple's A10 processor paired with 2GB RAM. The 'Plus' variant is said to feature the same processor with 4GB RAM.

As for the camera, the upcoming iPhone 7 is expected to bear a 12MP rear camera coupled with a 5MP front-facing snapper. As far as the iPhone 7 Plus is concerned, you can expect a 16MP rear camera. Both will be powered by the iOS 10 OS version.

AppleInsider also notes that the name AirPods was trademarked last year as a 'listening device'. Alongside, the AirPods, the listing also consists of other Apple devices that seem to hint at the arrival of the new Apple Watch 2.

Motorola Moto M and Moto M Plus with Android Nougat reportedly Certified in China

Lenovo had introduced several devices under the ‘Moto’ brand this year, ranging from the entry-level Moto E3, Moto G4 Play, and mid-range Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, all the way to the high-end Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones. 

Numerous leaks point towards a new lineup which will reportedly sit between the Moto X and Moto G, called the Moto M. And the first device in that lineup, the XT1662 has just shown up on the TENAA certification website.

These two handsets will look identical on the outside it seems, though their display size will be different, of course. The Moto M devices will be made out of metal, as you can see in the images down below. The ‘Moto’ branding is placed below the display of these two devices, while the phones will also ship with a fingerprint scanner on the back, along with the Motorola logo. 

Motorola Moto M and Moto M Plus Specifications and features 

The Moto M is said to sport a 4.6-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) display, along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The phone will be fueled by MediaTek’s MT6750 64-bit octa-core processor running at 1.9GHz, along with the Mali-T860 GPU for graphics. 

On a Photography department, the16-megapixel snapper will be available on the back of the Moto M, and an 8-megapixel shooter will be placed on the phone’s front side. 

According to gsmarena report Android 7.0 Nougat will come pre-installed on this smartphone, and on top of it, you’ll be able to find a couple of ‘Moto’ apps.

The Moto M Plus, on the other hand, will come with a 5.5-inch full HD display, and a 3,000mAh non-removable battery. Now, do keep in mind that these two devices were listed under the same model number, which is quite odd, so take this info with a grain of salt.

Reliance Communications introduces 4G app-to-app calling offer starts at Re 1 for 300 minutes of talktime

Reliance Communications, with an aim to curb the issue of call drops has introduced its 4G app-to-app calling offer called ‘Call Drops Se Chutkaara’ (freedom from call drops) for customers in Delhi NCR. The offer is available at an introductory price of Re one for 300 minutes of talk-time for 30 days. The offer will be valid for a trial month of September only. After the one-month trial period, customers will be able to buy a data pack for Rs 39 that will give 200MB of data which “will be sufficient to make 300 minutes of talking”.

“We want Delhi to speak on data. Delhi NCR will get an India-first offer of 300 minutes of app-to-app talking. This will be valid for 30 days at just Re one — 10 minutes a day for 30 days,” said Gurdeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Business, Reliance Communications. The new plan will enable Reliance 4G LTE customers to make calls worldwide through various popular data-based apps such as Whatsapp, FB Messenger, Skype, Google Hangouts, imo and Viber. Nine out of 10 smartphone users are on apps, said Gurdeep Singh. He also added that the company is evaluating its options regarding 700 MHz of the upcoming spectrum auction.

Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio services recently announced agreements for trading and sharing of scarce airwaves, or radio frequency spectrum, in the 800 MHz band, covering virtually the entire country. A roaming agreement is also on cards. The agreement for trading involves a change in spectrum allotment from the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio over nine circles and that for sharing between the two companies covers 17 circles, the two entities said.

Apple iPhone 7 release date set for September 7th: Here Everything you need to know

It’s that time again, and we’re just one week away from the launch of the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Apple has already sent out media invites for the event that is set to take place on September 7 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The invite is pretty simple with a caption that reads ‘See you on the 7th’ and multicolored dots that are out of focus, simulating ‘Bokeh’ effect. The main focus of the new iPhones is likely to be the improved camera performance and the much rumored dual camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus. We take a look at seven new features that the new iPhones are expected to bring.

Design: Over the years, Apple has been refreshing its iPhones in every two years — with a brand new design, new features, improved hardware and more. It’s been a tick-tock cycle and we have seen major design changes in iPhone 4, iPhone 5 and iPhone 6, whereas the iPhone 4s, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6s mostly bringing under the hood hardware improvements. While one would expect the iPhone to bring major changes, Apple is reportedly going with tick-tock-tock cycle — which means that the new iPhones may not look very different from the existing iPhone 6s-series, but will bring much-needed hardware changes to the tow.

However, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any changes at all. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are set to come with an improved design over their predecessors. Apple is likely to move the ugly antenna bands along the top and bottom, giving them a cleaner look. The company could also use new materials to make the new iPhones stronger and lighter at the same time.

New Touch ID Home button: The Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are likely to retain the physical home button with Touch ID fingerprint scanner, albeit the one drastically different from the existing one. Rumors and leaked renders point to a non-clickable but that will fit flush on the front panel. It is likely to be a capacitive touch button, and could boast Force Touch technology to offer haptic feedback, just like the trackpad on the new MacBooks.

Cameras: Apple has always focused on the camera aspect of its iPhones and from what is buzzing in the rumor mill, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could get major upgrades. The current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus feature a 12-megapixel rear camera of aperture f/2.2. While the resolution of the upcoming iPhones is unknown, Apple may opt for a slightly larger aperture to capture better low light photos.

Optical image stabilization has been exclusive to the ‘Plus’ model, but Apple could add the setup to this year’s iPhone 7 too. Coming to the iPhone 7 Plus, it is rumored to get a dual camera setup at the back. Apple may utilize technology from LinX, the Israel based camera company that it acquired last year. The setup would allow one camera to capture photos, whereas the other would capture depth information to add DSLR-like blur (Bokeh) effect to the photos.

Storage: With the iPhone 6, Apple removed the 32GB variant and doubled the top-end variant’s storage to 128GB. However, one of the biggest pet peeves of most iPhone users is getting a paltry 16GB storage on the base variant, which reduces even more considering the space the OS and pre-installed apps take. With no option to expand the storage, the base 16GB variant is a major compromise most users have to live with, especially considering the increasing app sizes and camera resolution that makes photos larger in size. Add to it space required for storing media from Apple Music and most users are forced to either go for the more expensive 64GB variant or to use online backup services to keep their data. That is likely to change with the iPhone 7.

Apple is expected to double the base variant to 32GB and the top-end variant to 256GB with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The 16GB base variant will be booted out, though it remains to be seen whether Apple retains the 64GB or the 128GB variant. If we go by precedence that was set with the iPhone 6, Apple would most likely remove the 64GB variant and launch the iPhone 7 in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models. 

Bigger batteries: The new iPhones are likely to come with the next-generation Apple A10 processor, and to be able to handle the required processing power, Apple may increase the battery capacity on the new iPhones. According to rumors, the iPhone 7 could ship with a 1,960mAh battery, compared to the 1,715mAh one on the iPhone 6s, marking a 14 percent bigger battery. The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, could come with a 2,910mAh battery, compared to 2,750mAh on the existing iPhone 6s Plus.

Lighting port for audio: It’s been long rumored that Apple may drop support for 3.5mm audio port and would use the Lighting port for charging as well as for routing audio. Some leaked photos have also surfaced showing off the new EarPods with a Lightning cable. Bluetooth will be the other solution to listen to audio on the new iPhones. Apple is also rumored to introduce truly wireless EarPods along with the new iPhones.

Improved water resistance: Apple has not officially mentioned anything about water resistant capabilities of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. However, adventurous YouTubers have put both smartphones through test, and they have survived the immersion in water.  Also, with competitor smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy Note 7 boasting water and dust resistance, Apple might as well include the feature in both the new iPhones.

Other rumors also point to the new iPhones getting the display resolution boost. The iPhone 7 may come with a 4.7-inch full HD (1080p) display and the iPhone 7 Plus may come with a QHD (1440x2560pixels) display. However, there have been conflicting reports and we wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhones don’t get the resolution boost. Apple might save it for next year when it is expected to switch from LCD display to OLED panels. The iPhone 7 Plus is also likely to come with 3GB of RAM, which could be needed for that extra processing.

Apple Watch 2: Continuing with our wishful thinking, we believe the blurred spheres might just hint at a new product as well. It’s been nearly two years since Apple took the wraps off its first-ever wearable, and we believe the company could be unveiling the Apple Watch 2 on September 7. The spheres in the invite do remind us of the Circle UI of the Apple Watch, where app icons are designed as different colored circles.

Google wants you to design the watch face for Android Wear, here’s how you can participate

In collaboration with Paper Magazine, Google has just launched a design contest to allow you to have your design as a watch face in company's Android Wear Collection for the fall. In order to remove all the obstacles and complications associated with designing on computers from the work of art, the company has said that it will accept photos, painted canvas, or even a sketch on a napkin as entries.

If you feel your artwork is worthy to be the face of the Android Wear, Google is ready to consider your entry. To send in your entry, all you need to do is post your artwork on Instagram before September 15 with the hashtags #AndroidWear and #WearWhatYouWant. In the article, Paper Magazine distinctly clarifies that accepting entries for the competition on Instagram no way hints at any affiliation or involvement of Instagram in the project.

“To celebrate the upcoming fashion weeks, PAPER and Android Wear are sponsoring a social media competition – launching a global search for unique watch face designs. Whether you’re a design student or just a fashion lover, this is your chance to free your inner designer. No need to be a computer whiz: snap a picture, sketch on a napkin, play with fabric, paint on canvas… If it inspires you, we want to see it!” wrote Paper Magazine in an article regarding its collaboration with Google for the competition.

The five winning designs of the contest, declares Paper Magazine, will be turned into fully functional Android Wear watch faces, and they will be made available for download for Android and iOS users.

The winner of this competition will get an Android Wear watch, a trip to Paris Fashion Week, and a mentorship with one of the aforementioned panellists.

The panelists include fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, industry maven Jenné Lombardo, Queen Bey’s stylist, Ty Hunter, Android Wear designer Morten Just, and PAPER‘s Editorial Director, Mickey Boardman.

We’re crowdsourcing our next #AndroidWear watchface collection with @papermagazine! ✍️🎨⌚ → https://t.co/KBzbgDROh3 pic.twitter.com/zEMzTG0Ukj

— Android Wear (@AndroidWear) August 26, 2016

Motorola Moto G4 Play launching in India on Sep 6, will be the most affordable Moto G phone

Motorola has announced that the Moto G4 Play, a more basic variant of the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus that were launched in India this May, will be going on sale as an Amazon exclusive starting September 6. No pricing details accompanied the announcement, which comes in the form of Motorola India's Twitter cover image.

To recall, the Moto G4 Play was unveiled just a day after its better-specced siblings were, and was listed in the US. Notably, the company still displays a 'coming soon' label on the US site. No pricing information has been provided, but a recent mention on import/export tracking website Zauba tipped an estimate of Rs. 8,999.

Moto G4 Play specifications and features:

The smartphone sports a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) display, and is powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM. It also comes with 16GB internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

On the photography front, the Moto G4 Play is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera, supplemented by a 5-megapixel selfie camera. It also features a 2,800mAh battery, and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, and A-GPS. Unlike the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, there’s no support for VoLTE. On the software front, it runs on Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 out-of-the-box.

Airtel cuts 4G price by up to 80% to check Reliance Jio effect

The country's biggest telecom Bharti Airtel, on Monday it has slashed the prices of data for 3G and 4G mobile Internet services, which it claims will result in up to 80 percent savings for customers.

Jio’s 4G wireless services have not yet been officially launched. For the last four months, Reliance has been offering free data and calls. Over the last week, it made its SIM cards available to a wider range of smartphones, driving people to que outside Reliance Digital and other retail stores.

Airtel customers will have to recharge with Rs 1,498 against which they will get 1GB of 4G or 3G mobile internet usage valid for 28 days, the company said in a statement.

Post exhaustion of 1GB data limit, the customers can get 1GB 4G or 3G recharges for just Rs 51 over a period of 12 months and there is no limit on the number of recharges during the period.

At present, Airtel offers 1GB of 3G or 4G mobile internet for Rs 259 valid for 28 days.

The company is also set to launch a similar scheme in lower denomination of Rs 748. Under this scheme, Airtel customers will get 1GB of 4G for Rs 99 over a period of six months.

"These prepaid packs are live in Delhi and will get launched across circles by August 31, 2016," the statement said.

"With these innovative packs, we are redefining the value proposition on our data packs and allowing our customers get a lot more within the same budget," Bharti Airtel Director - Operations (India & South Asia) , Ajai Puri said.

Airtel in July started offering up to 67 per cent more data in existing 4G and 3G schemes which was followed by Idea Cellular and Vodafone.

In August, Airtel made voice calling free even in roaming under a new plan for Rs 1,199 which also included 1GB of 3G or 4G data depending on availability of network.

Players like Airtel and Idea have upped the ante in mobile data pricing ahead of the upcoming commercial launch by Reliance Jio. The company had said it has over 2 million test users on its network.

ISRO Tests Scramjet Rocket Engine That Could Make Launches 10 Times Cheaper

The space agency of India today successfully tested its own scramjet or the air breathing engine with the launch of a big sounding rocket, said a senior official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). “The mission was successful. Two scramjet engines were tested during the flight. The finer details about the test will be known later,” the official not wanting to be quoted told IANS. He said that as scheduled the two stage/engine RH-560 sounding rocket took off from the rocket port located at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

He said the two air breathing engines were like hugging the rocket on its sides and normally when the rocket reaches a height of 11 km the scramjet engines would start breathing air. “The scramjet engines were ignited 55 seconds into the rocket’s flight. The engines were tested for six seconds,” he added. The scramjet engine, used only during the atmospheric phase of the rocket’s flight, will help in bringing down the launch cost by reducing the amount of oxidiser to be carried along with the fuel. Later, the ISRO in a statement said: “With this flight, critical technologies such as ignition of air breathing engines at supersonic speed, holding the flame at supersonic speed, air intake mechanism and fuel injection systems have been successfully demonstrated.”

The scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses hydrogen as fuel and the oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. The test flight was the maiden short duration experimental test of ISRO’s scramjet engine with a hypersonic flight at Mach 6. ISRO’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), which is an advanced sounding rocket, was the solid rocket booster used for testing the air breathing engine. The rocket weighed 3,277 kg during lift-off.

According to ISRO, some of the technological challenges handled by ISRO during the development of scramjet engine include the design and development of hypersonic engine air intake, the supersonic combustor, development of materials withstanding very high temperatures, computational tools to simulate hypersonic flow, ensuring performance and operability of the engine across a wide range of flight speeds, proper thermal management and ground testing of the engines.

“India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of scramjet engine. The successful technology demonstration of air-breathing scramjet engines in flight by ISRO is a modest yet important milestone in its endeavour to design and develop advanced air breathing engines including engines for ISRO’s future space transportation system,” the space agency added.

Motorola Moto E3 Power with 3,500mAh battery Could Launch in India Soon, Motorola Hints

Lenovo-owned Motorola's E3 Power smartphone is now available in Hong Kong via a third-party retail site. However, the company has not made any official launch announcement for the device. Motorola has started teasing launch of a new smartphone in India. 

On its Twitter handle, Motorola India has put up an image of a smartphone featuring a larger battery life. The caption of the tweeted image reads, “#FearOfMissingOut on power to last the day? Soon you’ll #NeverMissOut on all day battery. #ComingSoon.” The teaser clearly hints at a smartphone with a strong battery power and it could most likely be the Moto E3 Power, which is rumored to come with a 3,500mAh battery.

In Hong Kong, the Moto E3 Power is priced at HKD 1,098 (roughly Rs. 9,500). As for specifications, the Moto E3 Power features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display. The smartphone is powered by a 64-bit 1GHz MediaTek MT6735P quad-core SoC paired with 2GB of RAM. It offers 16GB of inbuilt storage with the option to expand further via microSD (up to 128GB).

Coming to photography, the Moto E3 Power sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and autofocus. There's also a5-megapixel selfie camera onboard. The smartphone runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and supports dual-SIM slots (Micro). On connectivity options like 4G LTE, GPS, Buetooth, and Wi-Fi.

WhatsApp will now share your information with Facebook, here’s how you can opt out

WhatsApp is to start handing over user information to parent company Facebook , in a huge reversal of its previous policies. In what could be described as its biggest privacy policy change, world's most popular instant messaging service, WhatsApp will now share user data including your contact list with its parent company, Facebook.

"By coordinating more with Facebook, we'll be able to do things like track basic metrics about how often people use our services and better fight spam on WhatsApp. And by connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them." WhatsApp said in a blog post.

The policy change is in sharp contrast with the earlier stands on privacy of user data, despite WhatsApp being an ad-free service.

Even while many have expressed concerns over the privacy of the user data, experts say the text and multimedia content sent through WhatsApp will still remain secure and Facebook won't be able to access them.

This is because of the end-to-end encryption used by WhatsApp which makes any data sent through it accessible only to the sender and receiver.

How to stop WhatsApp from sharing your information with Facebook

WhatsApp says that it has started gradually informing users of the updated privacy policies through its app. Existing users will receive a notification about the updated policies, but before clicking on the Agree button, tap on the ‘Read more…..’ button. This will open the entire contents of the policies, but at the bottom of the screen you will see a short message alongside a check mark. This message reads, “Share my WhatsApp account information with Facebook to improve my Facebook ads and product experiences. Your chats and phone number will not be shared onto Facebook regardless of the setting.” Uncheck the box, and hit then hit the Agree button.

In case you missed the message, and accidentally hit Agree without changing the setting, there is still an alternate way. On WhatsApp, head over to Settings -> Account -> Share my account info. Uncheck the box and you are done. Once you have agreed to WhatsApp’s updated privacy policies, a user will only have 30 days to change the setting if they wish to.

After Google, Facebook may offer Wi-Fi service at railway stations in India

Google last year tied up with RailTel to provide Wi-Fi services across the railway stations in India. The company aims to expand the service to 400 railway stations by 2017 and 100 by the end of this year. With Google’s Wi-Fi service gaining traction in India, RailTel is now looking for more partners to benefit users. 

After Google , it is social media giant Facebook, which is looking to hook up with Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi across railway stations. RK Bahuguna, chairman of Indian Railways' communications arm RailTel, said the company will start talks with Facebook for expanding its Wi-Fi coverage not only to railway stations but to villages in the vicinity as well.

“Through this (Facebook) initiative, we will be able to offer data services up to a 10-km radius from a connected rail stop, which however can further be increased by up to 25 km via additional access points,” Bahuguna told ET. “Facebook India has approached us for the Wi-Fi initiative.

Facebook recently concluded a pilot across 125 rural locations after purchasing bandwidth from state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL), and is currently in talks with various Internet service firms for Express Wi-Fi expansion in the country.

Under the Google-RailTel Internet programme, nearly 2 million people access free Wi-Fi every month across 21 railway stations.

RailTel is also an Internet service provider and holds a category-A licence for it. According to Bahuguna, providing Wi-Fi service is not viable for RailTel, but with support from the Universal Service Obligation (USO) fund, it can extend the programme to as many as 40,000 villages surrounding 4,000 Internet-ready railway stations across the country.

Apple iPhone 7 Might Actually Be the iPhone 6SE packaging leaked

By now, most of us are already aware that Apple will be unveiling its 2016 flagship smartphones – the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, sometime next month. Over the past few months, we have come across a lot of leaks hinting at the design, features and specifications of the new iPhones. But today’s leak raises more questions than clearing existing one. Accoding to 9to5mac a handful of sketchy photos have surfaced online showing off the product packing and pamphlets of an alleged iPhone 6 SE. Yes, you read it right, and if you’re confused too, here’s why the latest leak does not make any sense.
Apple launched the iPhone SE, which was the upgraded version of the iPhone 5s featuring a familiar compact design with 4-inch display, and the latest hardware from iPhone 6s. As the iPhone SE was launched just few months ago, we’re not expecting an upgrade soon. Also, the iPhone 6 already has its successor – the iPhone 6s.

Even if we were to consider earlier rumors that Apple won’t launch the iPhone 7 this year and instead call it the iPhone 6 SE, the packaging looks fake. First off, the lighting condition is pretty dull, which we can’t usually complaint about the leaks, but still it looks like, someone with good Photoshop skills has used the iPhone SE and iPhone 6 packaging to blend it together and make it look authentic. The ‘SE’ label extends higher than on the one seen on the iPhone SE box. Anyway, with Apple rumored to launch the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus onSeptember 7, everything would be clarified. 

From what we have already come across, even though the new iPhones won’t come with radical design changes, there’s still a lot to look forward to. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could feature a full HD and QHD display, respectively, compared to the existing HD and full HD displays. The ‘Plus’ variant being a premium smartphone, is likely to feature 3GB of RAM and dual camera setup at the back. The iPhone 7 camera could come with optical image stabilization, which was previously exclusive to the larger iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus.

Both smartphones are also expected to drop support for 3.5mm audio port, and come with improved water and dust resistance capabilities. The ugly antenna bands on the back are also expected to be moved along the top and bottom edges. Lastly, the home button on the front is expected to be capacitive touch one, with Force Touch feature. If all these changes are taken into account, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will still bring massive upgrades over the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. 

Samsung Z2 with S bike Mode, 4G launched in India at Rs 4,590: Specification and features

While Samsung is dominating the Android space, it is not the only operating system powering the company’s mobile devices. Samsung’s portfolio also includes smartwatches and smartphones that run on its own Tizen OS. So far, the company has launched two Tizen smartphones in India called, Z1 and Z3 and both are priced under Rs 6,000. Today, Samsung has launched the third smartphone in its Tizen lineup, called Z2. The Samsung Z2 is priced at Rs 4,590, and will be going on sale in India from August 29 via offline channels and online on Paytm exclusively.

The Tizen-based OS is not the only talking point of Samsung’s new smartphone. Samsung Z2 buyers will also be getting a free Reliance Jio SIM card with unlimited access to the preview offer. Jio’s preview offer gives users access to services like unlimited data, calls, text messages, and Jio’s own apps like My Jio, Jio on Demand that offers users access to movies, TV shows, and Jio Beats that gives users access to millions of HD songs in over 20 languages. “Samsung Z2 makes 4G accessible and relevant to the unique needs of feature phone users and first time smartphone buyers. It brings consumers a fast and affordable mobile internet experience that will democratize 4G usage in the country,” Manu Sharma, Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India Electronics, said.

Samsung Z2 specifications and features

The new Samsung Z2 sports a 4-inch WVGA (800×480 pixels) display, and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also on offer is 8GB internal storage, which can be expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

In the photography department, the smartphone is equipped with a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while up front is a VGA camera. The smartphone also features a 1,500mAh battery and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, 4G with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB OTG support.

The talking point of the smartphone is clearly the operating system. In addition to running on Tizen, Samsung has also preloaded a bunch of its own apps and services. These include, the Ultra Data Saving mode that Samsung says can save users up to 40 percent of data, and also the S Bike Mode, which is built with bikers in mind. Samsung has also introduced a new app called My Money Transfer. As the name suggests, this app lets users easily manage money transactions and generate mini bank statements as well. Samsung says the feature supports money transfer to and from all popular private and public banks.

Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge Price in India Slashed, ahead of Galaxy Note 7 sale

Last week, Samsung launched its flagship phablet Galaxy Note 7 in India. Priced at Rs 59,900, it is set to go on sale starting September 2. Now before the Galaxy Note 7 sale begins Samsung has slashed the prices of its flagship smartphones - Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, in India. Both the devices have recieved a reduction of Rs 5,000 each in their prices. The price drop has reflected on Flipkart and Amazon, though the price of the Galaxy S7 is still Rs 48,900 on Amazon at the time of filing this report. 

Samsung Galaxy S7, which was launched at a price of Rs 48,900, is now available at Rs 43,400. On the other hand, the Galaxy S7 Edge is now available at Rs 50,900, having been launched at Rs 56,900.

Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge specifications and features 

While both smartphones come equipped with same hardware on board, the only difference is in the screen size and battery capacity. The Galaxy S7 boasts a 5.1-inch QHD Super AMOLED display and 3,000mAh battery, whereas the Galaxy S7 edge boasts a slightly larger 5.5-inch dual-edge curved display and a 3,600mAh battery.

With Exynos 8890 octa-core chipset paired with 4GB of RAM, both smartphones feature 32GB onboard storage and a microSD card slot (hybrid SIM card slot – allowing you to use dual-SIM cards or a single SIM card with a microSD card). 

Both smartphones come equipped with a 12-megapixel rear camera of aperture f/1.7 with dual-pixel auto-focus, PDAF and optical image stabilization to offer better low light photography, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera of aperture f/1.7.

In terms of, you get dual-SIM 4G LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and GPS. Both smartphones run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with TouchWiz UI running atop. Samsung has also added additional features on the Galaxy S7 edge to take full advantage of curved Edge display.

Samsung has also included Vulkan API support which replaces the OpenGL ES gaming standard. The new API allows developers to create games for multiple platforms, with support for multi-threading. The API also allows games to run efficiently while consuming less resources. Samsung has also included a game launcher mode, which optimizes the gaming performance and also lets users capture screenshots or record the gaming sessions.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Batman Injustice Edition seen in leaked images

After launching the Batman-themed Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition, it looks like Samsung will bring out a limited edition variant of the Galaxy Note 7 with the same color scheme. According to Android Authority leaked images showcase a Note 7 with golden accents around the home button and the camera housing and a Batman logo at the back. The images also reveal a custom theme that's based on Injustice: Gods Among Us.

Samsung is rolling out a Galaxy Note 7 with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage for Chinese customers, and it is likely that the Batman-themed variant will offer increased memory and flash storage. There's no mention if the model will make its way Stateside, but the Galaxy S7 edge Injustice Edition never made its way to the country.

Either way, with the Note 7 launching in China later this week (August 26, if you're interested), we should have more details on pricing and availability of the Injustice edition shortly. If the S7 edge Injustice model is any indication, it won't be cheap.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 specifications and features

The Samsung Galaxy Note7 flaunts a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a QHD (2560×1440 pixels) resolution. One of the talking points though is the Galaxy S7 edge-like dual-edged curved display, but Samsung says that the curvature of the display on the phablet is a bit flatter, and the rear glass panel too is curved, which makes the whole device feel more symmetrical. The screen on the phablet is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which can save it from a drop of up to 1.6 meters.

On the photography front, the Galaxy Note7 is equipped with a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual pixels technology, f/1.7 aperture, PDAF, OIS and 4K video recording capabilities. Up front is a 5-megapixel selfie camera with f/1.7 aperture. As for connectivity options, the phablet is the first in Samsung’s lineup to boast a USB Type-C port.

Making sure everything ticks is a 3,500mAh battery that also supports Wireless Fast charging feature. On the software front, the Galaxy Note7 runs on Android  Marshmallow 6.0.1 wrapped under the latest TouchWiz UI.

With the specifications out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the Galaxy Note7′s unique features, starting with the iris scanner. While smartphone companies are increasingly opting for a fingerprint scanner as the primary medium of security, Samsung has taken things to the next level.

Samsung says that the iris scanner is more secure than the fingerprint scanner. The setup includes a specialized camera that will click a picture of the retina, and an infrared camera that light up the retina and works well in low-light conditions as well. What’s more important is that it works even when you’re wearing glasses. The iris scanner though can only be used to secure Samsung’s suite of apps, and Google’s services along with third party apps will continue to be protected by the fingerprint scanner.

Another talking point of the Galaxy Note7 is the improved S Pen stylus, which is now slimmer and the tweaked design ensures that you cannot slide it in backwards and cripple it, which was the case with the Galaxy Note5. As for functionality, the stylus now boasts a 0.7mm tip and supports up to 4,096 levels of pressure along with latency of less than 50 milliseconds. The Galaxy Note7 now supports new Air Command features like word translation, ability to create GIFs from videos, ‘always-on’ display with feature to jot down notes without unlocking the phablet and more.

Like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the Galaxy Note7 also comes with IP68 certification, which means you can submerge it under 1.5 meter water for up to 30 minutes. Interestingly, even the S Pen is waterproof, and it can also work underwater.

Yu Yureka S with 5.2-inch full HD display, 3GB of RAM listed for Rs 12,999

Micromax's Yu Televentures subsidiary seems to be gearing up to launch Yureka S. The new Yu smartphone is now listed on the company site with pricing details. We can expect the handsets to soon go on sale in India.

While the Yu Yureka S is priced at Rs. 12,999 and it will be available in black color. 

One of the key differences is in the size, and unlike the Yureka that came with a 5.5-inch display, the Yureka S is more compact with a 5.2-inch display. Since the launch of the Yureka in 2014, YU has launched the Yureka Note and Yureka Plus as well which too came with 5.5-inch displays. While the Yureka and Yureka S share a similar name, they are completely different on the design front. The new Yureka S looks more like a love child of the Yuphoria and the Yutopia.

YU Yureka S specifications and features

The Yureka S flaunts a 5.2-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) display with 423ppi and Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Under the hood is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core processor paired with Adreno 405 GPU and 3GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded using a microSD card. On the photography front, the Yureka S is equipped with a 13-megapixel snapper with OV13850 PureCel Camera Chip, f/2.2 aperture and support for HDR. Up front is a 5-megapixel selfie snapper with f/2.2 aperture and 84 degrees wide-angle lens.

The smartphone also features a 3,000mAh battery that YU claims is good enough to survive up to nine hours of talktime and up to 450 hours on standby mode. The battery also supports QuickCharge 1.0. The Yureka S also supports connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots (hybrid setup), 4G support, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android Lollipop 5.1.1 wrapped under the Around YU UI. The UI includes a platform that sources content from multiple apps and services and offers it to users at one place. For example, Around YU offers contextual information for categories like food, shopping and travel from Zomato, Scandid, and Ixigo respectively.

Microsoft wants to pay you for using its Edge browser

In an effort to make people switch to Microsoft Edge, the company will now pay you to use the browser, which the company claims can last longer than its Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera counterparts. Edge can deliver 36-53 per cent more battery life while doing daily tasks, including watching videos on YouTube, browsing internet or checking in with friends on social networks.

Microsoft Rewards, announced earlier this week, is a rebranding of Bing Rewards and so far only available in the US, offers points for using Edge and Bing, as well as shopping at the Microsoft store, CNET.com reported on Friday.

You have to make Bing, a web search engine owned and operated by Microsoft, as your default search engine to earn points in its revamped rewards programme. Points can be traded in for vouchers or credits to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Skype and the ad-free version of Outlook.com.

“Almost three-quarters of Windows 10 users are not using the Edge browser,” the report noted.

Microsoft once dominated the browser game with Internet Explorer, a predecessor to Edge.

Over the last decade, however, Internet Explorer has seen a significant decline in usage as alternatives such as Google’s Chrome and Mozilla’s Firefox have gained popularity and Microsoft’s browser failed to keep up.

In an effort to convince Windows 10 users to switch to Edge as their browser, Microsoft has resorted to efforts like comparing battery rundown test and proving how Edge lasts significantly longer than the competition. On the other hand, Google has also acknowledged the battery issues with Chrome and is planning to make consumption better with a new update soon.

Microsoft has recently started rolling out Windows 10 Anniversary updates for Windows 10 Mobile. It is a steady roll out, and not all smartphones will get the update on day one.

Earlier this month the Windows 10 Anniversary update was rolled out for PCs and was expected for smartphones as well but the delay went on to two weeks. The devices which run on Windows 10 Mobile will be receiving the updates first. Smartphone users can manually check for updates by following this process — Settings -> Update and security -> Phone update -> Check for updates.

Although the update has been released, Microsoft says the roll out is in phases. There are also several factors like manufacturer, region and network operator that will play a role in when your smartphone gets the Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary update. In other words, not all smartphones will receive the update from day one. The update being rolled out is recognized by the build number 10.0.14393.67.

Samsung India sends out invites for event on August 23, could launch the Tizen-based Z2

Samsung is all set to launch its new Tizen based smartphone in India called Samsung Z2. The Z2 phone could be launched in India on 23 August. It will come with 4G LTE connectivity.

The company has started sending out media invites for an launch event of new smartphone. As you can see in the invite above, the company doesn’t mention anything about Samsung Z2. 

According to reports, the Samsung Z2 could be priced around $70, which is approximately Rs 4,499. It is also set to be available in countries including India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Nepal and United Arab Emirates.

Samsung Z2 specifications and features

From what we know so far, the Samsung Z2 will feature a 3.97-inch (800×480 pixels) LCD display, and will be powered by a 1.5GHz processor paired with 1GB RAM. It is also likely to come with 8GB storage, 5-megapixel rear camera, VGA front camera, 1,500mAh battery and connectivity options like 4G with VoLTE support, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. On the software front, the smartphone will run on Tizen OS 3.0, and few reports also suggest that it will be equipped with S Bike Mode and My Money Transfer App.

Reliance Jio preview open for LG, Samsung all 4G phone users to get Voice and 4G data free for 90 days

Reliance has opened its Jio Preview Offer for all 4G customers of Samsung and LG smartphones. The move will make 4G-LTE a reality for millions of smartphone users. Under the offer, all customers of 4G smartphones of Samsung and LG will get an opportunity to test Jio services, thus bringing Jio closer to its dream of ushering in a digital revolution in the country, industry sources said here on Friday.
The offer can be availed at all Reliance Digital stores (including Digital Xpress and Digital Xpress Mini) and mobile retail chains across the country. The users will get unlimited HD Voice calls and Video calls, unlimited SMS, unlimited High-Speed Data and a host of Jio Premium apps. The offer is valid for a period of 90 days from the activation of the Jio SIM.

The service was also extended to iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge users.
Samsung recently launched its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone with free Jio 4G Preview offer in India. The Reliance Jio 4G Preview offer three months free access to 4G data and VoLTE calls and with flagships supporting the VoLTE feature, a networking supporting the same becomes a must.

While Reliance is extending its services to other OEM devices, the best way yet to experience its service is by getting own of company’s very own LYF branded handsets.

Samsung rumored to soon launch the Galaxy C9, successor to the Galaxy C7

Back in May 2016, Samsung launched two smartphones under its Galaxy C series - Galaxy C5 and the Galaxy C7. And now it seems that the South Korean tech giant is all set to add a third member to the line-up - the Galaxy C9.

As reported by SamMobile website, the handset in question will have the model number SM-C9000 and will be codenamed 'Amy'. It is also rumoured that the smartphone's design will be in line with the two Galaxy C devices launched previously. Although Samsung has not mentioned anything about the device, it is expected that the C9 will be a mid-range device. It's also expected to have a fingerprint sensor.

Based on the past models' display sizes, the Galaxy C9 might come with 6-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display like the Galaxy A9. For those unaware, the Galaxy C5 and the Galaxy C7 smartphones have 5.2-inch and 5.7-inch displays respectively.

That said, the Samsung Galaxy C smartphones, C5 in particular, look a lot like the Apple iPhone 6 and 6s. The Galaxy C5 have a very similar form factor with slim metal body, curved corners, and similar speakers, USB port and audio jack set up at the base.

Samsung Galaxy C5 and C7 specifications

The Samsung Galaxy C5 features a 5.2-inch full HD Super AMOLED display. It is runs a Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor running under its hood. It offers 4GB of RAM and comes in 32GB and 64GB built-in storage variants. It also supports expandable storage up to 128GB via a microSD card. The smartphone sports a 16-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. It is powered by a 2,600mAh battery with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 support. Its connectivity options include dual-SIM slots (hybrid setup), 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v 4.2, GPS and NFC. 

The Samsung Galaxy C7 features a 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display with a Snapdragon 625 octa-core 2.0GHz processor running under its hood. It is powered by a bigger 3,300mAh battery. The camera, storage and connectivity specifications remain the same as the C5.

Nokia Android Smartphones, Tablets to Launch in Q4 2016: Report

Nokia has seen its share of ups and downs. The company was once among the biggest brands on the planet. However, it could not keep up the pace with the changing face of the smartphone industry, and lost its position to the likes of Apple and Samsung. It even came to a point where the company had to sell its phone business to Microsoft in 2014. Now, the company has reportedly confirmed that it will be making a comeback by launching Android-powered smartphones and tablets in the fourth quarter of 2016.

While Nokia plans to unveil these devices sometime towards the end of this year, the actual launch will only happen in early 2017, Wang told Chinese publication The Paper. As has been reported before, Nokia is only lending its brand name, and won’t be designing or manufacturing these devices. That job will be handled by Finnish company HMD, which has been formed with a collaboration between former Nokia and Microsoft employees. Foxconn, on the other hand, is said to be tasked with manufacturing the upcoming devices.

Under the deal between Microsoft and Nokia, the latter was restricted from launching devices under its brand name till the last quarter of 2016. It seems as if Nokia is extremely keen to re-enter its lost territory.

Further ex-Nokia and Rovio employee Pekka Rantala joined HMD as a chief marketing officer recently, which might suggest that the company is showing seriousness towards the comeback.

It would be interesting to see how Nokia's brand name fares with collaboration with Android and whether the company, which was once considered the benchmark for hardware on cellphones, is able to recapture its lost charm.

Nokia has been quite hush about its plans for the upcoming devices, but we have already come across a couple of them on the rumor mills. A recent report claimed that Nokia will make a comeback with two new smartphones running Android Nougat 7.0 out-of-the-box with premium metal design and also IP68 certification making it water resistant. More rumors and leaks supports this statement as specifications and features of the Nokia smartphones are revealed.

The two smartphones are expected to feature 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch QHD display respectively and will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset. The 5.5-inch variant is expected to sport a 22.6-megapixel rear camera, and pricing for the smartphones are expected to start from around Rs 30,000.

But the rumors don’t stop there. There have been leaks of alleged smartphones dubbed as the Nokia C1 and the Nokia P1. Reports claim that the P1 is in fact a rebranded Sharp Aquos P1, which offers features like 5.3-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.