Newest HTC teaser: "Even more squeezed in"

HTC has been making the news more frequently now as its next launch event approaches. Earlier today, HTC tweeted a teaser with the launch event date, and the words "Even more squeezed in", making an indirectly direct reference to the rumored re-release of the HTC U11. One that would sport a taller, 6-inch, 18:9 display in a similar footprint, keeping all the other specs and features of the HTC U11. The "squeezed" part makes a reference the HTC's Edge Sense feature, which offers shortcuts to apps or actions. A new squeeze is coming. 11.02.2017 #BrilliantU http://pic.twitter.com/eOZom2RYM0— HTC...

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Microsoft Surface Pro with LTE Advanced launches in December starting at $1,149

After having leaked back in September, Microsoft's new Surface Pro with LTE Advanced (that's the actual product name) has now become official at the company's Future Decoded event in London, just as anticipated. The Surface Pro LTE features Qualcomm's X16 mobile data modem, with 20 bands built-in for seamless global connectivity. With its support for LTE Cat.9, the Surface Pro will be able to reach peak download speeds of up to 450Mbps, which Microsoft says makes it "the fastest LTE-enabled laptop in its class", since competitors top out at Cat.6 (300Mbps). The new computer will...

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Samsung Smart Switch app updated with Android Oreo support

Here’s another indication that the Android 8.0 Oreo beta program for the Galaxy S8 could start sometime this week: Samsung has updated its Smart Switch app for its phones and tablets with support for Oreo. You know, so anyone moving from an older device to the Galaxy S8 and getting the chance to take part in the beta can transfer their data using the company’s official tool instead of having to start over from scratch.

Smart Switch gets Android Oreo support

Smart Switch isn’t the first Samsung app to get support for Oreo. Samsung Pay had that honor, and it is only a matter of time before all of Samsung’s official apps get updated to work on the latest version of Android. Unfortunately, this still doesn’t tell us an exact date for when the beta test will start. Again, it’s possible it will kick off sometime this week, and we’re waiting with bated breath to be able to start testing it on our Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

For those unaware, the Oreo beta program will be offered in North America, South Korea and the United Kingdom at first, followed by China, Spain, Germany, Poland, France and India in the second phase. As for the newest version of Smart Switch, you can grab it from the Play Store or download the APK from our database.

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Google outs Hangouts Meet hardware for your conference room

Back in March Google pivoted Hangouts into a business-focused service. And today it's introducing the first Hangouts Meet hardware bundle to make video meetings easier to manage and of better quality. The Hangouts Meet hardware bundle consists of an Asus Chromebox, a 4K camera, a speaker-mic, and a touchscreen controller. The Chromebox runs Chrome OS, and can automatically push updates to the other components in the hardware kit. The 4K camera has a 120-degree field-of-view, thus easily capturing everyone at the table even in small spaces. It's built with machine learning and can...

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Best Buy stops selling full price iPhone X and iPhone 8 after pricing backlash

Last week Best Buy was caught overpricing the iPhone X and iPhone 8 units bought outright, without a carrier's monthly installment plan. If you wanted the handset and nothing more, you had to pay $100 extra compared to Apple's prices. That obviously resulted in online backlash against the company, because such a practice was deemed unfair. In response to that backlash, Best Buy has now decided to simply stop selling the newest iPhones outright. Yes, instead of lowering the prices to the Apple-recommended levels, the retailer is taking a stand and now only offers the iPhone X and iPhone 8...

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Huawei Mate 10 Pro to land in the UK on November 17 for £699

Huawei's Mate 10 lineup is rather confusing for more reasons than one. If you live in the UK, however, rest assured that you won't have to scratch your head trying to decide between the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. That's because only the latter model will be officially available in the UK. The Mate 10 Pro is now said to arrive on November 17 for a price of £699, in SIM-free and unlocked form. At the current exchange rates, that equates to exactly €799, which is its recommended retail price for the Eurozone, so the Chinese company isn't trying to play any games here at least. Three and...

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SamMobile Daily Recap: October 31, 2017 — Android 8.0 Oreo, Galaxy A5 (2018) and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what we published today.

Business

Samsung dividends will double next year to increase shareholder value

Samsung posts record profits in Q3 2017

Samsung shakes up its leadership with three new CEOs

Firmware News

Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta license indicates impending launch

Gear Sport firmware update improves sensor accuracy, adds new features

New Gear IconX (2018) update brings Bluetooth improvements

General

Bixby will now receive its weather data from The Weather Company

Phones

Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor gets Bluetooth 5.0 certification

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New Gear IconX (2018) update brings Bluetooth improvements

Samsung is rolling out a new firmware update for the Gear IconX (2018) today. It’s a minor update that brings Bluetooth improvements. The update is now available for download and Gear IconX (2018) owners can get it right away.

The Gear IconX (2018) activity tracking wireless earbuds were launched earlier this year. They’re quite similar to the original Gear IconX but with slight improvements that make the earbuds more ergonomic and lightweight.

Gear IconX (2018) Update

Measuring 18.9 x 21.8 x 22.8 mm, the new Gear IconX (2018) weighs just 8 grams per earbud. They feature 4GB of internal storage. The 82mAh battery promises music playback of up to 7 hours and a talk time of up to 4 hours. That’s a significant improvement over the original Gear IconX.

The new earbuds are also capable of launching Bixby when they’re paired with a supported device like the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8. They feature an accelerometer and a heart-rate monitor for activity tracking. The data is then synced with Samsung’s S Health platform.

Samsung is rolling out firmware version R140XXUAQJ2 for the Gear IconX (2018) today. The changelog mentions that this update has “improved stabilizing Bluetooth connection.”

Samsung has started selling the Gear IconX (2018) in a handful of markets. It’s available in black, gray and pink colors for 229.99 euro.

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Bixby will now receive its weather data from The Weather Company

The Weather Company has confirmed that it’s now providing weather data for Samsung’s digital personal assistant Bixby. One of the basic commands that you can give to Bixby is to have it pull up weather information. The Bixby weather experience is now going to be powered by The Weather Company.

This is an expansion of the existing global partnership that Samsung and The Weather Company announced earlier this year. That partnership made TWC the default weather data provider on select Samsung devices like the Galaxy S8. TWC provided weather data for Samsung’s weather widget as well.

Bixby Weather Data

Bixby will be able to pull up weather information from TWC that includes real-time current conditions, hourly forecasts for up to 36 hours and 10 day forecasts for 2.2 locations across the globe. Static maps to show satellite radar images are included as well.

Users who have a supported device will receive weather alerts and notifications that will help notify them of impending severe weather that could affect them.

A clickable icon presence has been launched in the Samsung Internet Browser which will enable users to get the latest weather information via the preloaded TWC icon. It will soon be available in all new and existing US devices running Samsung’s browser.

The enhanced integration of The Weather Channel with Bixby is now live in Bixby on Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the United States. The Weather Channel confirms that this integration will be rolled out globally soon.

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Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta license indicates impending launch

The Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ is in the pipeline. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta in the near future. The license agreement for the upcoming Galaxy Beta Program has now gone live which suggests that the launch isn’t that far off.

Samsung is yet to confirm when it’s going to launch the Galaxy S8 beta program, though. Previous reports have suggested that the beta might be launched in the United States on October 31.

Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo Beta

It was reported yesterday that the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta is going to be launched in North America, South Korea and the United Kingdom in the first phone. Samsung will later roll out the beta in China, Spain, Germany, Poland, France and India in the second phase.

Those who want to take part in the beta will have to sign up for it through the Samsung Members app. The beta registrations haven’t gone live as yet. However, links to the End User Licensing Agreement and the Galaxy Beta Program FAQ have now been spotted in the app.

The licensing agreement confirms that the upcoming Galaxy Beta Program is meant to distribute pre-release Android 8.0 Oreo firmware for “testing and evaluation purposes” only.

The FAQ reiterates a previous report that the beta will only be offered for T-Mobile, Sprint and unlocked variants of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in the United States.

Hit the source links below to read both the FAQ and the EULA. It’s likely that we’ll soon see an official announcement about the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta from Samsung.

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Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor gets Bluetooth 5.0 certification

Bluetooth 5.0 is coming to Samsung’s mid-range lineup. The Galaxy S8 was the first smartphone to feature Bluetooth 5.0 and Samsung is now expanding the new standard to its mid-range handsets. The Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018) processor has received Bluetooth 5.0 certification. This confirms that the premium mid-range handsets will have the new standard onboard when they arrive next year.

We’ve previously reported that the Samsung Exynos 7885 processor will be used for the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 (2018). It’s the 10nm version of the Exynos 7880 that’s found in the existing models.

Galaxy A5 And Galaxy A7 (2018) Processor

The Exynos 7885 is said to have two ARM Cortex-A73 CPU cores (clocked at 2.1GHz) and four ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores. It may also feature an integrated LTE radio and Mali-G71 GPU. No information about the number of GPU cores has been revealed as yet.

The certification confirms that the Exynos 7885 is going to have support for Bluetooth 5.0. The new standard provides improved range and faster data transfer. On devices like the Galaxy Note 8, it even lets users play Bluetooth audio on two different headphones.

Samsung is expected to release the new Galaxy A (2018) series early next year. Recent rumors suggest that the handsets will feature an Infinity Display and dual front-facing cameras.

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Gear Sport firmware update improves sensor accuracy, adds new features

Samsung today released a new firmware update for the Gear Sport smartwatch. The company’s new smartwatch was released recently. Samsung unveiled the Gear Sport at IFA 2017 in Berlin a couple of months back.

The Gear Sport combines minimalist design with military-grade durability. It features a 1.2-inch circular Super AMOLED display, a 1.0GHz dual-core processor with 4GB of storage and 768MB of RAM. The device’s biggest selling points include 5 ATM water resistance, so it’s great for swimmers, and MIL-STD-810G durability.

Gear Sport Firmware Update

Firmware version R600XXU1AQJ5 is now being rolled out for the Gear Sport. The Gear Sport firmware update that Samsung has released today weighs in at 28.70MB. The changelog reveals that it improves sensor accuracy. The accuracy of sensors that detect heart rate and pace during exercise has particularly been improved.

The new features that this update adds include Samsung Health Weight management, Fitness programs, Health Summary widget and more. Security improvements for the device are included as well. This Gear Sport firmware update brings the usual slew of device stability improvements and bug fixes as well.

The Gear Sport is now available for purchase in markets like South Korea and the United States. Samsung is offering it in Blue and Black colors with a wide variety of changeable 20mm straps.

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Samsung dividends will double next year to increase shareholder value

Samsung launched its Shareholder Value Enhancement Program back in 2015 to increase shareholder value. The program saw the company doling out billions in dividends. The company has also spent billions on buying back shares and canceling them. Samsung today outlined its Shareholder Return Program for 2018-2010.

Shareholders will be pleased to find out that Samsung dividends will double next year. The company is going to increase annual dividends by 20 percent in 2017. It promises a 100 percent rise in dividends for 2018. It will allocate 9.6 trillion won or $8.5 billion for this purpose in 2018. Samsung will then maintain that level for 2019 and 2020 dividends.

Samsung Dividends

This is going to translate into approximately 29 trillion won or $25.9 billion of total dividend returns in the 2018-2020 period. Samsung has also confirmed that it’s not going to fund future merger and acquisition investments from its free cash flow. This is going to increase the amount of capital available to return to shareholders.

The portion of free cash flow for shareholder returns will be set at minimum 50 percent over the 2018-2020 period. Once the dividends have been paid out, Samsung may use any remaining portion of the 50 percent free cash flow for additional cash dividends or share buybacks as deemed appropriate.

Samsung’s efforts to boost shareholder value have been well received. The company’s stock price has more than doubled since 2016 and it’s now committed to delivering sustainable shareholder value.

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Samsung shakes up its leadership with three new CEOs

Samsung Electronics CEO Kwon Oh-hyun recently announced that he was going to step down from his position. He said that amid the “unprecedented crisis” that the company faced, it was time for a new leadership to take the reins.

The company today announced his replacement. Samsung Electronics previously had three co-CEOs, the other two being Boon Boo-keun (BK Yoon) and Shin Jong-kyun (JK Shin). Both of them are resigning as well. Samsung Electronics now has three new co-CEOs. All new appointments are effective immediately.

Samsung’s New CEOs

Samsung confirmed today that it’s going to maintain the current co-CEO management structure. Samsung Electronics Presidents Kinam Kim, Hyunsuk (HS) Kim and Dongjin (DJ) Koh will succeed Kwon, Yoon and Shin as heads of the Device Solutions, Consumer Electronics and IT & Mobile Communications divisions respectively.

BK Yoon and JK Shin took a step back from direct control in 2015 and they’re now resigning altogether. This paves the way for an entirely new leadership to take control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the Samsung empire.

Kim Ki-nam has served as the CEO of Samsung Display. He has also ran the memory division and is already responsible for the semiconductor business. Kim Hyun-suk has been described by Samsung as an expert in display technology, leading the company’s efforts to dominate the global TV market. DJ Koh was the head of mobile R&D before he took over as the boss of the mobile division from JK Shin in 2015.

“The next generation of leaders are well suited to accelerate the pace of innovation and address the demands of the connected world. They have proven track records with extensive experience and outstanding expertise in their fields,” Kwon said.

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Samsung posts record profits in Q3 2017

Samsung recently released its earnings guidance for the third quarter of this year. The guidance predicted that the company was on track for another record quarter. Samsung today released its Q3 2017 earnings results and it has indeed posted its highest ever quarterly profits.

Samsung brought in revenues of 62 trillion won or $55 billion and posted an operating profit of 14.5 trillion won or $12.91 billion. This is the highest ever operating profit that Samsung has posted, overtaking last quarter’s 14 trillion won or $12.1 billion operating profit.

Samsung’s Record Profits

As previously reported, the semiconductor business was the biggest contributor of revenue for the company. Samsung saw strong demand for memory chipsets for mobile devices and servers. The semiconductor division accounted for two-thirds of the operating profit, it registered an increase of 146.7 percent year-over-year.

Samsung pointed out that its display panel business posted an earnings decline even though sales of flexible OLED panels for premium smartphones expanded.

The mobile division saw strong shipments bet earnings declined quarter-over-quarter due to higher sales of mass-market devices. Since there’s a lower profit margin on those devices, the earnings from the mobile division declined in the quarter ending September 2017.

Samsung expects tight supply and demand conditions to continue for the semiconductor business. It expects earnings to grow from this business. Samsung is now on track for a record full-year profit.

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"Unstoppable" BlackBerry Motion reaches Canada on November 10

The BlackBerry Motion was made official at the beginning of this month. The keyboard-less smartphone is now almost ready to launch in the company's home country of Canada. The Motion will in fact become available over there on November 10. You'll be able to purchase one from Bell, Telus, Koodo, and SaskTel. Its no-contract price will be CAD 599 at Bell and SaskTel, and CAD 605 at Telus and Koodo. On the other hand, you pick a two-year term from any of the carriers you're looking at a minimum of CAD 99 spent upfront. Looking forward to the release, BlackBerry Mobile has published a...

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Bluetooth Fast Pair for Android 6.0 and up seamlessly connects supported accessories

Undoubtedly inspired by the 'magic' Apple was able to accomplish with its W1 chip for Bluetooth accessories, today Google has officially announced Bluetooth Fast Pair for Android. This will work with any device running Android 6.0 and up which has Google Play Services 11.7 or later installed. As the name implies, Fast Pair will make the usually cumbersome pairing procedure for Bluetooth accessories seamless. When a supported device is near your phone, you'll get a notification like the one you see in the capture below (with the image of the product, no less). You simply tap that, and...

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Apple releases iOS 11.1, watchOS 4.1, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, and tvOS 11.1

After a few weeks of beta testing, Apple has finalized iOS 11.1 and made it available today for supported devices. This release doesn't bring huge new features compared to iOS 11, which debuted last month, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. Headlining iOS 11.1 are over 70 new emoji, including new food types, animals, mythical creatures, clothing options, more expressive smiley faces, and gender-neutral characters. As usual, there are many improvements and bug fixes in tow too. Support for accessing the app switcher by 3D Touch pressing the edge of the display is brought...

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Deal: Sony Xperia XZs gets discounted in the US

Earlier this year, Sony released the Xperia XZs, a colorful phone with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD, a Snapdragon 820 with 4GB of RAM, IP68 and Sony's Motion Eye 19MP camera. And while all of that sounds great the XZs was a bit too expensive at launch - something Sony is remedying now. In the US the Sony Xperia XZs has gotten a healthy discount across major retailers and is currently going for $499 at Amazon, B&H Photo Video and Focus. Even so, you might want to consider the Sony Xperia XZ1, which has been discounted from $699 down to $599 (Amazon / B&H) - for that price you'd be getting...

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Neffos with 18:9 screen and Snapdragon 835 leaks

TP-Link might be famous with their networking solutions, but the company also outs smartphones from time to time. You may remember the X1 and the X1 Max, but now a flagship is on its way. According to sources, it will have top notch specs like Snapdragon 835 and dual camera setup. The yet unnamed phone is coming with an 18:9 screen with curved edges on the front. This will means there is no room for a home button or a fingerprint scanner, so the latter moves to the back, right below the dual cameras. One of the sensors is 16 MP, while the other is 20 MP and is said to offer 2x...

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Next-year Samsung Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 to come with Bluetooth 5.0

The Exynos 7885 chipset that is expected to power the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2018) and the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) got certified by the Bluetooth SIG. The listing reveals that the new SoC will support Bluetooth 5.0, which brings better data transfer and ability to connect multiple devices to a smartphone. According to an earlier report, the Exynos 7885 will be a 14nm chip with two Cortex-A73 cores and six Cortex-A53 units. The clock speed should be 2.1 GHz and the GPU is supposed to be Mali-G71. The Galaxy A5 (2018) was also seen in a benchmark with Snapdragon 660, but this setup...

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Xiaomi ships 10 million phones in October

Xiaomi shipped 10 million phones in September and it has repeated this feat in October as well. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun posted the good news on his Weibo account while reminding people of the upcoming sale of the Mi 5X (known elsewhere as Mi A1) on November 1. Hey, you don't ship 10 million phones in a month without selling 24/7. Upcoming Xiaomi Mi 5X (Mi A1) sale Anyway, the company recently set an ambitious goal for itself - to ship 90 million phones this year. That would be a 50% increase over last year (58 million) and a big growth compared to 2015 (its strongest year for now with 70...

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Samsung posts record profits in Q3

After releasing its preliminary guidance two weeks ago, now Samsung has posted its official earnings for Q3 2017. The company registered KRW14.53 trillion in operating profit or $13 billion. This is a massive 179% growth year over year and a record, enabled by high demand for flagship mobile devices and memory chips for servers. The revenue reported by Samsung is KRW62.05 trillion ($55.48 billion) which is an increase from KRW47.82 trillion ($42.75 billion). The net profit also increased drastically - an 89% jump from KRW4.54 trillion ($4.05 billion) in June-September 2016 to KRW11.19...

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Razer Phone leak reveals 4,000mAh battery

So we already know Razer is entering the smartphone market, and its debut device is coming tomorrow. The device has already been spotted in a benchmark listing, and an alleged image of the phone also leaked a few weeks ago. Now, the handset has been listed on the website of a Three UK affiliate. The listing not only shows the front of the Razor Phone (in low-resolution though), but also reveals some of its key specs. As per the listing, the phone sports a 5.72-inch screen and comes with 8GB of RAM. It features a dual rear-camera setup (12MP+13MP), and packs in a large, 4,000mAh...

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T-Mobile leaks HTC U11 Life in detail

It seems that T-Mobile jumped the gun on HTC U11 Life unveiling and put up a page on its website - it was taken down, but not before screenshots recorded all the relevant info for posterity. Unfortunately, there was no confirmation or refutal of the €369 price. HTC U11 Life in Sapphire Blue Note that the operating system is specified as Android 7.1.1 Nougat with HTC Sense - not 8.0 Oreo as rumors suggested earlier. The U11 Life was supposed to be an Android One phone, but this doesn't seem to be the case. The Snapdragon 630 chipset is a lock, though. The spec sheet shows a...

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Apple plans to drop Qualcomm modems in 2018

We already reported Apple is developing an in-house GPU and has purchased CVD machines to build its own OLED panels. A new report says Cupertino is about to change its chipset provider too. According to sources, Qualcomm has stopped providing software for testing the iPhones and therefore Apple is thinking of other options. The change will affect the devices released in fall 2018, which is when the next-gen iPhones will be announced. Right now both companies are involved in a number of legal disputes, but Qualcomm last said it didn't expect that to affect the business...

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Camera app on Nokia phones to receive an update, bring Lumia Camera UI features

HMD has confirmed that the camera app on Nokia phones will receive an update. The confirmation came from the company's Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas. Yep!— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) October 30, 2017 Not only that, he also dropped hints that the update may also bring along some features from the Lumia Camera UI, which is considered as one of the best camera UIs by many. I agree with your assesment 😎— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) October 30, 2017 It's worth mentioning that the UI was originally developed by 'old' Nokia for Windows phones after Microsoft...

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Nokia 2 announced with 5-inch display, 4,100mAh battery

As expected, HMD has officially announced the entry-level Nokia 2 smartphone. The device comes with 5-inch HD display, and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 212 SoC. The handset features an 8MP main camera, and a 5MP front shooter. A large 4,100mAh battery is there to keep the lights on, which the company claims offers a 2-day life. The phone runs Android Nougat out of the box, with Oreo update confirmed to be coming. It comes in three color options: copper, black, and white. Nokia 2 features Google Assistant, which the company says makes the device first of its kind in the...

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Google confirms Android 8.1 beta installation issue has been fixed

The Android 8.1 beta update started rolling out late last week. Shortly after the roll out began, user reports started pouring in that the update is failing to install. Well, the good news is that the problem is now fixed. The confirmation came in the form of a forum post by a Google employee Orrin. To give you a quick recap of the issue, users said as they attempted to install the OTA update, the phone rebooted and got to the Google logo (this happened multiple times), following which it rebooted back to 8.0. The system then displayed a notification saying "Couldn't install system...

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HTC U11+ to come in a new translucent color

HTC is having a launch event on Nov 2 where it will launch the HTC U11+ and another rumored device called the HTC U11 life. We've already seen the latter leaked through benchmarks and photos. However, we still haven't heard much about the HTC U11+, the device rumored to be a refreshed version of the HTC U11 with a taller 18:9 display. Even though details about the device are scarce, we can pretty much imagine what it would look like. Thanks to @evleaks, we are also expecting a new rumored color. HTC U11+ colors: black, silver, translucent.— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 30,...

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Android 8.1 lets you restore data after initial phone setup

Android 8.1 is the first maintenance release after Android 8.0 Oreo. Currently, Pixel owners can download and install the Android 8.1 Beta now, before the update is publicly available. The new update brings a few notable changes like the possibility of Chrome and SMS integration and self-dimming navigation buttons to prevent burn-in. One other new feature that was spotted on Android 8.1 is the ability to restore data from a Google account after choosing to skip the option during the phone's initial setup. The change was discovered by Henry Roggy, who reported the change on his Google+...

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Sprint to call off merger with T-Mobile, clash over control of the combined carrier to blame

Rumors of newly rekindled talks about a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile started popping up in September. Then at the beginning of this month it was claimed that the two companies were actually in the final stages of negotiation, so at this point we were expecting an official announcement on the matter. That, however, isn't going to happen, a Nikkei exclusive report says. Sprint owner SoftBank has allegedly decided to call off the merger. It will approach T-Mobile owner Deutsche Telekom as soon as tomorrow to let it know. Telekom and SoftBank had apparently reached "a broad...

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Samsung Internet v6.2 brings beta features like Night Mode for everyone

Samsung released the Samsung Internet Beta v6 three months ago. The beta version of its web browser introduced several new features including the Night Mode. Samsung today announced that it’s rolling out Samsung Internet v6.2 to the public. The beta features that were launched three months ago are now available for everyone.

It was also confirmed a couple of months ago that Samsung Internet v6.2 beta had compatibility for non-Galaxy smartphones. Anyone with an Android device running version 5.0 and up could download the browser from the Google Play Store. The stable version is also compatible with all Android devices running version 5.0 and up.

Samsung Internet

The Night Mode feature is great for those who browse the web in bed at night. It reduces the amount of bright light from the phone which is good for when users want to wind down before sleeping.

There’s also a new High Contrast mode which makes reading the web more accessible and comfortable. It will show text in white on a dark background so that there’s less light in the user’s eyes with more easily readable text.

The Content Blockers section of the Settings menu makes it easy to download, install, and manage adblocking services. The new Tracking Blocker keeps users’ browsing habits and information secure, it’s enabled by default in Secret Mode.

Samsung Internet v6.2 is now available for download from Galaxy Apps and the Google Play Store.

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SamMobile Daily Recap: October 30, 2017 — Android 8.0 Oreo, Galaxy S8 and more!

We publish a lot of stories on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the majority of news breaks during our European hours of operation, which makes it difficult for our readers in the US (and other regions) to keep up. However, we think we’ve come up with a fantastic solution — a daily recap.

Here’s what we covered today.

Business

Samsung might announce reshuffle of top brass tomorrow

Firmware News

Firmware Update Magazine: October 30, 2017

Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program will go live in these countries

Laptops

Samsung Flow for Windows 10 now works without Trusted Platform Module

Phones

Galaxy S9 back will reportedly ‘change a lot’

Samsung still leads in India but it’s under immense pressure from Xiaomi

Watches

Samsung airs first Gear Sport TV ad in South Korea

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SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine: October 30, 2017

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Firmware Magazine. You can think of it as your go-to resource to find out which of your Samsung devices has received a new update or if it’s going to receive a new firmware update in the near future.

To keep things interesting, we present the Firmware Magazine in new designs every week. It will always include the important details about firmware updates such as the firmware versions, device model numbers, Android OS versions and the country where said update is out already.

SamMobile Firmware Update Magazine

Keep in mind, however, that these firmware details are based on the firmware that are available in our database, and in some cases, the latest updates might not show in the same week as the full firmware files take additional time to make it to our database.

The purpose of this magazine is to bring all of that important information about firmware updates to you, the reader, in a manner that’s easy to comprehend—so even if you’re new to the world of firmware, you’ll have no trouble making sense of it all.

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Samsung Flow for Windows 10 now works without Trusted Platform Module

Samsung Flow was launched three years ago to provide seamless content handoff between devices. It can be used to transfer content between devices like smartphones, smartwatches, TV, PCs and tablets. Samsung has gradually expanded it to more devices. Four months ago, Samsung made it compatible with all Windows 10 PCs.

Samsung Flow for Windows 10 enables users to accomplish a variety of tasks. For example, they can use their compatible Galaxy smartphone’s fingerprint sensor to unlock their PC. They can also sync texts, automatically connect the PC to the phone’s hotspot, transfer files and more.

Samsung Flow For Windows 10

Initially, the caveat was that Samsung Flow would only work with Windows 10 PCs that had a Trusted Platform Module or TPM.

A TPM is a secure crypto-processor that performs cryptographic operations on a PC. It has multiple physical security mechanisms that make it tamper resistant. Windows 10 PCs that didn’t have a TPM wouldn’t allow users to take advantage of Samsung Flow.

That’s no longer the case. An updated version of the Samsung Flow app is now available for download from the Microsoft Store. The changelog confirms that Samsung Flow can be used on PCs without TPM.

Those who want to use Samsung Flow must have their PC running Windows 10 version 15063.413 or later and Android 6.0.1 or higher on their device.

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Samsung airs first Gear Sport TV ad in South Korea

Samsung recently unveiled its new Gear Sport smartwatch and it’s now available for purchase in South Korea. The smartwatch was released in Samsung’s home country over the weekend. Now that it’s available for purchase, Samsung has got the hype machine up and running. It has aired its first TV ad for the Gear Sport in South Korea.

The Gear Sport offers military-grade durability and a host of new features. The list of features includes Spotify’s offline mode, swim tracking and real-time heart rate monitoring. The smartwatch has a 1.2-inch circular Super AMOLED display. The Gear Sport is powered by a 1.0GHz dual-core processor. It also features 4GB of internal storage and 768MB of RAM.

Gear Sport TV Ad

The first Gear Sport TV ad in South Korea highlights the smartwatch’s minimalistic design and its fitness-focused features.

Samsung already says that the Gear Sport is ideal for swimmers. The device is certified for 5 ATM water resistance so it can be submerged in up to 50 meters of water. The Speedo On training app is also going to appeal to swimmers.

Samsung is now selling the Gear Sport in Blue and Black colors with a variety of easily changeable 20mm straps. Customers in South Korea can purchase one for 299,200 won or $265.

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Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program will go live in these countries

Samsung started working on the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ last month. We reported recently that there’s a possibility that Samsung might launch the Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program soon. Another report claimed that the beta program will be launched in the United States on October 31.

A new report brings us the names of the countries where Samsung is going to launch the Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program. It doesn’t reveal precisely when the beta will go live there, only that those select countries will get it.

Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta Program

The report claims that Samsung is going to launch the Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program in the United Kingdom, North America and South Korea in the first phase. The second phase will see the beta being launched in China, Germany, Spain, France, Poland and India. It’s unclear how long the wait will be between the first and second phase.

Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 owners in these markets will be able to join the beta through the Samsung Members app. The app is available from Galaxy Apps and the Google Play Store. They have to register for the Galaxy Beta Program from the Samsung Members app.

Once they have completed the registration process, they can download the Galaxy S8 Oreo beta from the Software update menu in Settings.

Samsung is yet to confirm anything about the Galaxy S8 Oreo beta program. It hasn’t shared a roadmap for the update’s public release as well. According to recent reports, the Galaxy S8 Oreo update might be released early next year.

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Samsung still leads in India but it’s under immense pressure from Xiaomi

Samsung has long been the market leader in India but in recent years, the company has had to put up with intense competition from Chinese rivals. The latest data from Counterpoint Research shows that while Samsung maintained its lead in Q3 2017, Xiaomi came very close to topping Samsung’s smartphone market share in India.

Samsung and Xiaomi accounted for 45 percent of the Indian smartphone market in Q3 2017. This is the first time since 2012 that the top two brands have claimed almost half of the entire market.

Samsung In India

Counterpoint’s data shows that Samsung retained its 23 percent smartphone market share from Q3 2016 in Q3 2017 as well. The company continues to dominate as it still caters to Indian featurephone users. Samsung has pulled out of the featurephone segment in many other markets.

On the other hand, Xiaomi was one of the fastest growing smartphone brands in Q3 2017. The company made the mid-range segment the fastest growing smartphone segment in India as it contributed to almost half of the shipments.

Xiaomi accounted for 6 percent of the smartphone market share in the third quarter of last year. Its market share surged to 22 percent in Q3 2017, a mere one percent below Samsung’s.

That’s not all. Three of the top five best-selling smartphones in India were from Xiaomi. Samsung only managed to get one handset – the Galaxy J2 – on that list in the fourth position.

Samsung certainly needs to do more if it wants to hold on to its lead in India. If it doesn’t, Xiaomi certainly won’t need an invitation to overtake its South Korean rival.

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Samsung might announce reshuffle of top brass tomorrow

The latest reports out of South Korea suggest that Samsung could announce its reshuffle of the company’s top brass tomorrow. The company has recently been finalizing the replacement of Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun who announced that he was resigning from the job.

His decision to depart Samsung has people concerned about the leadership vacuum at the company. It doesn’t help that the conglomerate’s heir Lee Jae-yong is behind bars. If his appeal is denied, he won’t be out for several years.

Samsung Reshuffle

Kwon announced earlier this month that he was going to resign from the job. He said that amid the unprecedented crisis that Samsung faces, it’s time now for a fresh leadership to take the reins.

He has been the de facto leader at Samsung ever since Lee Jae-yong was imprisoned. Samsung also dismantled its Future Strategy Office which was a centralized control tower that managed various aspects of the conglomerate.

Samsung has reportedly been reviewing several internal options for Kwon’s replacement. Kim Ki-nam, president of the semiconductor business, is expected to have a good chance of getting the job as he’s credited with driving growth for the chip division.

Samsung is now expected to announce the delayed executive reshuffle tomorrow following a board meeting. The company normally announces the reshuffle in December every year but it didn’t do that last year due to various legal troubles.

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Galaxy S9 back will reportedly ‘change a lot’

Rumors and reports about the Galaxy S9 continue to filter is as anticipation for Samsung’s next flagship smartphone grows. The latest suggests that the Galaxy S9 back is going to “change a lot.” That means Samsung might make some design changes to the rear panel of the Galaxy S9.

Just what can the company change? Perhaps it might finally remove the pain point for a lot of customers by repositioning the fingerprint sensor. The handset is also expected to feature a dual camera system at the back.

Galaxy S9

A China-based source who has been right on several occasions in the past reports that the Galaxy S9 back is going to change a lot. No further details have been provided at this point in time.

The same source recently claimed that the much-rumored optical fingerprint recognition technology won’t be ready for the Galaxy S9. The new flagship won’t have a fingerprint sensor integrated into the display.

The changes that can reasonably be expected include a dual camera system at the back. Samsung might reposition the fingerprint sensor as well so that users don’t have to play finger olympics just to reach it.

Do keep in mind that nothing is set in stone as yet. We’re going to hear many conflicting reports about the Galaxy S9 before the handset is made official. Samsung will launch the Galaxy S9 early next year.

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YouTube TV finally gets apps for smart TVs, Android TV, Xbox, and Apple TV

YouTube TV is Google's live TV service, which launched earlier this year, and has been expanding its reach within the US ever since. While you have been able to view its programming on TVs by using a Chromecast (including with voice commands through Google Home), only now is the company finally announcing that it's developed a YouTube TV app for actual TVs and consoles connected to TVs. Better late than never, sure - but this has been quite an odd omission so far. Anyway, "in the next few days" a new YouTube TV app will be available for Android TV devices and the Xbox One family. Then "in...

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Google Pixel 2 XL review

Google has come a long way since the days of Nexus smartphones. This is only the second iteration of the Google Pixel and it shows how much Google's software and hardware have evolved in the past year. Both Pixel smartphones got a refined, yet simpler appearance. This review is specifically for the larger Pixel 2 XL. We'll be reviewing the smaller Pixel 2, separately.

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OnePlus 5T Portrait Mode teased through newly outed camera sample

Earlier today we showed you a leaked press render depicting the top half of the upcoming OnePlus 5T, and now the smartphone is back in the news again. This time, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei took to Twitter to tease us with a camera sample from the yet-unannounced device. While he doesn't outright say that the image was shot with the 5T, it's pretty obviously implied. The picture shows Portrait Mode at work in OnePlus' next handset, and of course it looks impressive - it is, after all, a teaser released by a company exec. It would be weird if it didn't look good. "What phone is he taking...

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New, redesigned Skype for Windows, Mac, and Linux is now available

Today Skype is introducing a new look across its desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This is in line with the latest redesign of the service's mobile apps. The new version of Skype for desktop has been in a preview state for a while, but it's now rolling out to every single user out there. It features customizable themes, and a chat list that can be organized by time, unread, or your contacts' status. Pinning people or groups means you always have them front and center. You can use a standard or compact view and collapse the chat list to focus more on the conversations. Skype...

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Essential Phone update brings October security fixes, improved touch scrolling

Despite its recent price drop clearly signifying that sales aren't going as well as anticipated, Essential is still pushing out software updates for its first smartphone, the PH-1. The latest such release is going out over-the-air today to all the units in the wild, as a 74MB download. It is Android 7.1.1 Nougat, build NMJ20D - so no Oreo here, not yet at least. This update is important, however, for other reasons. First off, it brings with it the October security fixes from Google. Second, it also patches the recently unveiled KRACK vulnerability in the WPA2 protocol that secures Wi-Fi...

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ZTE Axon M will be available to order from AT&T on November 1, in stores 16 days later

ZTE announced the foldable Axon M smartphone with two screens earlier this month. Back then we did find out that it would be exclusive to AT&T in the United States, as well as how much it would cost. The one piece of the puzzle that has been missing until today - when you'll be able to grab one. Thankfully, AT&T has decided to clear the air on that one. The carrier has revealed that it will start taking online orders for the ZTE Axon M on November 1, which is this Wednesday. The device will then become available in stores on November 17, "just in time for the holidays". The Axon M...

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Asus launches the Zenfone 4 Pro, Zenfone 4, and 5.2" Zenfone 4 Max in the US

Today Asus is significantly expanding the Zenfone 4 family of smartphones in the US. The Taiwanese company launched the 5.5" Zenfone 4 Max stateside last month, and now it's being joined by a bunch of its siblings. Zenfone 4 Pro Let's start with the top of the line offering, in effect Asus' flagship handset at the moment. This one features a 5.5" 1080p AMOLED touchscreen, 6GB of RAM, and the Snapdragon 835 chipset at the helm. It comes with 64GB of expandable storage and a 3,600 mAh battery. Its dual rear camera setup consists of a 12 MP main shooter with a 1/2.55" sensor, 1.4µm...

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Samsung Galaxy S8 Oreo beta test markets confirmed

Last week we heard a beta program for Android 8.0 on Samsung Galaxy S8 is about to start It should be available for starting tomorrow, and now we got intel on which countries will get early access to Oreo. The first wave includes South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom. There is also a second wave of markets which would get the to beta-test Android Oreo. The countries are Germany, Spain, France, Poland along with India and China. To test the beta version, you must be a member of the Galaxy Beta program, available through the Samsung Members app. The start and...

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Nintendo expects to move 14M Switch consoles

Nintendo expects to reach its highest earnings in seven years due to impressive Switch sales. The video games maker company doubled its full-year operating profit forecast on Monday after the console production and delivery issues were cleared out. According to Reuters, the Switch demand nearly doubled Nintendo's stock price to a nine-year high since the March launch of the console. Sales have exceeded the initial estimate and Switch is on track to surpass the Wii U lifetime sales. Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima said at an earnings briefing that the company had boosted Switch...

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Nokia 8 teardown shows repairs are tricky but doable

Nokia 8 already went through the grueling burn and bend tests of JerryRigEverything and lived, but what if it didn't? How hard would it be to repair a component that broke or failed? Well, nothing like a comprehensive teardown to answer that question. The phone is certainly well-built, but a novice will have a hell of a time trying to repair it. The first obstacle is the screen, which is glued down. Below that things are mostly held down with screws and plenty of them - 30 in total with different sizes and one standoff screw. The copper heat pipe is interesting. It's pretty big, but it...

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Apple gives early iPhone X access to some reviewers

Apple has given a few select reviewers an early look at the iPhone X, for hands-on purposes. The videos, from the likes of Boredatwork and others started to show up a few hours ago and more seem to be coming now. The videos give us an early look at the iPhone X but don't expect detailed reviews - these are first-look videos. Here are a few that you might want to check out.

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Oppo R11s and R11s Plus pass through TENAA

Oppo itself leaked the new R11s duo, but that page was a touch light on specifications. Good thing we have TENAA to fill us in on the details before the November 2 announcement. Oppo R11s Plus (photos by TENAA) The Oppo R11s and Oppo R11s Plus share the majority of their specs, the major difference being the screen diagonal - 6" and 6.43" respectively. Both are AMOLED panels with 1,080 x 2,160px resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. The duo will be powered by octa-core processors - Snapdragon 660 is the most likely chipset, so Kryo 260 cores. The R11s has 4GB of RAM, the Plus...

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Top half of OnePlus 5T pictured

We've had many chances to gaze at the upcoming OnePlus 5T, but the clarity of this new image is better than what came before. It shows only the top half, but the new design is so symmetrical that the bottom will look fairly similar. The side bezels look exceedingly thin, though we attribute this to the perspective and to general digital trickery. The top bezel of the 18:9 screen seems smaller than that of the current model, though perhaps not as slim as a Galaxy S8 or LG V30. The new screen will have 1,080 x 2,160px resolution (so still no QHD), the battery might bet a bump in capacity...

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Xiaomi Mi Max 2 gets MIUI 9 nightly, price cut in India

There are two interesting bits of news for existing and future owners of the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 in India. According to one user on MIUI forum, Xiaomi is now rolling out nightly build of MIUI 9 to Mi Max 2 devices in India. According to Xiaomi, this is a staged rollout to a small group of users for now, so not everyone will be getting it (our own device is still on 8.5.9.0). Still, with the launch of MIUI 9 just three days away, it won't be long before the stable release starts rolling out officially. For prospective Mi Max 2 buyers, the phone is now a bit more affordable. Xiaomi...

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HTC U11 Life to cost €369, launch on Oreo

Earlier this month we heard that the HTC U11 Life will cost around €400 and now a new rumor narrows down the price range and offers a few additional tidbits. A new image of the device shows off the "Brilliant Black" color option, which shows a bit of a greenish tint, similar to the bigger U11. The other two color choices are Sapphire Blue and Ice White. Now the price - €369 for the model with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. There will be a 4GB/64GB option available in some regions presumably at a premium. Does that feel like the right price for what the U11 Life has to offer? HTC...

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MIUI 9 Global ROM starts hitting Xiaomi Mi 6

MIUI was announced back in July, but Xiaomi needed more than three months to launch a stable global ROM. Days before the planned November 2 arrival, some Xiaomi Mi 6 units already started receiving the firmware. The MIUI V9.0.1.0.NCAMEI brings new system optimizations, new icons, and animations for launching and closing apps. The latest version brings split screen, search for apps in the Dual apps mode and better blocklist rules. Along with some new features, a lot of the existing ones got improved. Some of them include protection from unintentional tapping for Dial pad, the...

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Samsung Galaxy Note FE now hits the Philippines

The Samsung Galaxy Note FE has now arrived in the Philippines, making it the third Asian market after South Korea and Malaysia to get the phone. Retailer MemoXpress is offering the device in the country. As you can see in the image above, the phone is only available for a limited time. Officially, there's no information on pricing (the device isn't yet listed on the retailer's website), although reports says its PHP 32,990, which is around $640. Thanks for the tip, Kervin Stoney!!! Source

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Canalys: Huawei retains lead in China as Apple grows for the first time in 2 years

Analyst company Canalys published its report on the Chinese smartphone market in Q3. According to the data, Huawei, Oppo, and vivo are in the lead with 19%, 18% and 17% of all shipments, respectively. The overall shipments declined 5% to 119 million units. The big gainer is Apple, which saw its numbers grow 40%. This is the first growth for the company since the iPhone 6S, launched eight quarters ago. Back in June-September 2016, Apple shipped 8 million iPhones. 12 months later the company registered 11 million units. The response to the new iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus has been...

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Oreo-powered LG G6 spotted in Benchmarks

Oreo will soon be rolled out to the LG G6.The device has gone through Geekbench running Android 8.0. This indicates that the update is currently under testing. The phone was launched back in March this year, running Android 7.0 Nougat. No official timeframe was given for the Oreo update, but if testing goes smoothly its rollout can't be far away. Source | Via

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Essential Phone early adopters get $200 vouchers

Last week Essential dropped the price of its PH-1 smartphone by $200, bringing the tag down to $499. But if you paid full price for it you'll now be compensated. The company is giving a $200 Friends & Family code to use towards a new Essential Phone or Essential 360 Camera. So you can either hook up a family member or a friend to what is effectively a $299 Essential phone, or get a free camera. So there you go. While the initial $200 discount already made PH-1 an attractive proposition, those with a $200 Friends & Family code can get the phone for an absolute steal. Source

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Shipments for Apple iPhone X have begun

It was late last week when the Apple iPhone X went up for pre-order. And shortly after that, reports started pouring in that first orders for the device have already started shipping in the United States. Sprint became the first US carrier to start sending iPhone X shipment notifications to customers who placed pre-orders, with delivery date set for November 3, which is when the phone officially launches in the country. Although emails from Sprint contain tracking info, the UPS website doesn't give delivery date and current location. Those who ordered through Apple's own...

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