Meizu M5 Launched in China with 13 MP Camera, 5.2-Inch HD Display, Price and More Features

Meizu M5 Unveiled in China: With two variants, Meizu has finally released its latest smartphone Meizu M5 in the Chinese Market. After the company's previous launch of m3s, Meizu M5 is the latest release with an increase in the size of the display. The latest smartphone is now 5.2 inches big and covered with 2.5D beveled glass. Know all the detailed features, specifications, and price details for both the variants right here.

Meizu M5 Launched in China at a Price of 899 Yuan

Meizu M5 comes in two variants, as mentioned earlier. One with a 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to a certain level which is available at 699 Yuan (which equals to Rs 6,891 approximately) and the other variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage costs 899 Yuan which is approximately equal to Rs 8,863.

The handset Meizu M5 comes with a polycarbonate body and features a 5.2-inch HD (720 x 1270 pixels). Along with a Mali T860 GPU, the smartphone is equipped with an octa-core MediaTek MT6750 processor with a clock speed of 1.5GHz. As mTouch fingerprint scanner is embedded in its home button.

This mTech technology allows the user to unlock the device with the fingerprint in just 0.2 seconds. Apart from the internal storage available in both the variants, the storage capacity can be expanded up to 128 GB using a microSD card. Meizu M5 operates on Android 5.1.1 version of Operating Systems with YunOS on top of it.

The phone has been equipped with a 3070mAh battery that claims to be providing a maximum of 66 hours of continuous music playback. When it comes to the lens provided on both the sides, Meizu M5 is mounted with a 13 MP Rear camera with dual-color flash and aperture f/2.2. On its front is a 5 MP camera that supports selfies and video calling features.

Meizu M5 is said to be offering Hybrid dual-SIM with dual-standby. On the connectivity front, it provides 4G VoLTE, WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/GLONASS, and a microUSB port. With its measurements of 147.28×72.8×8.15 mm, the handset weighs 138 grams.

Source: Meizu M5 Launched in China with 13 MP Camera, 5.2-Inch HD Display, Price and More Features

Lenovo to Launch Moto M & Vibe P2 Smartphones on November 8th in China

From the last few months, there are many rumors about the launch of a new all-metal smartphone from Moto. The device is rumored to be called as Moto M and is even listed on TENAA with the model number XT1662. A couple of days back, we also reported about the listing of the device's screen protectors, where we also got much better view of the device. Today, the news from China suggests the Moto M along with Lenovo Vibe P2 will be made official on November 8th. Few rumors also suggest the Moto M to be exclusive to just Chinese customers. Both the devices will be sporting metal body with mid-end specifications.

Talking about the Vibe P2, in July this year, the company has showcased the device at a Chinese trade fair. At that time, we got the complete information about the device along with first looks. While on November 8th, we will be knowing the price of the device. The device will be the successor to the Vibe P1 and Vibe P1 Turbo that are also launched here in India. It features a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution. Under the hood is the Snapdragon 625  octa-core processor coupled with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage.

However, the USP of the device is its 5,000mAh battery that can easily give two days of moderate usage. In the camera department, there will be a 13MP rear camera with dual tone LED flash and a 5MP front camera. The Moto M also comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) display but with a non-AMOLED panel. As we said before, the device will be first Moto smartphone to feature a fingerprint sensor on the rear. On the Vibe P2, the fingerprint sensor will be embedded right into the physical home button on the front. There is also vertical camera strip holding the rear camera, LED flash, and laser autofocus.

Lenovo Vibe P2

Lenovo Moto M

It also has a slight curve on the back which offers a nice grip to the hold. The Moto M packs 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. There will be a 16MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and 3,000mAh battery. With the recent agreement between Lenovo and Microsoft, from now on, all the Lenovo smartphones will come pre-loaded with Microsoft apps like Office, Skype, and OneDrive. Interestingly, the list also includes Moto devices which are known to offer stock Android UI with zero bloatware apps. At least in China, the Moto devices will be launched with highly customized Vibe UI laid on top.

Both the Moto M and Vibe P2 will include MicroSD card slot for storage expansion. The device will support 4G LTE and offers other basic connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.  While both the Vibe P2 and Moto M will be running on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box, we can expect them to receive the Android 7.0 Nougat update very soon. The Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus smartphones in India are already receiving the Nougat update.As of now, there is no official information over this and we can only confirm all these specifications and other details on the launch day. Stay tuned!

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Source: Lenovo to Launch Moto M & Vibe P2 Smartphones on November 8th in China

Top 5 smartphone makers of Q3 2016 in China – Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, and others

Chinese smartphone market saw a huge surge in sales in the third quarter of 2016, selling a total of 123 million units, which is 15 percent growth over the corresponding period last year. As expected, major Chinese smartphone makers -- Oppo, Vivo, Huawei and Xiaomi -- dominate the local market with 59 percent market share.

IHS Research analyst Kevin Wang has shared top smartphone manufacturers in Chinese market in Q3 2016 via Weibo. According to the new list, Oppo has replaced Huawei, which topped the chart in Q1 and Q2 2016, to become the top selling company. It sold 22 million units amounting to 18 percent growth.

[READ: 5 companies that can overtake Samsung]

Vivo is in the second place with 19 million units sale figure and 16 percent growth, and Huawei has been pushed to the third position after registering 15 percent growth by selling 18 million units, down from the 32 million units sold in Q2. Xiaomi is in the fourth position with 10 percent growth and sales of 12 million units, down from 15.22 million units sold in Q2, and Apple Inc. stands fifth in the chart with 11 million units sales, which is nine percent growth.

The emergence of Chinese companies in the world's smartphone market is very much visible with many of them having a phenomenal growth in the last couple of year.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) findings, two major smartphone makers -- Apple and Samsung -- have witnessed a sharp fall in its sales, but some Chinese smartphone manufacturers has over 100 percent growth in Q3 2016.

Huawei has put up a 23 percent growth in Q3 2016 (year on year), while Oppo has made a whopping 121.6 percent growth and Vivo 102.5 percent, according to the IDC Q3 2016 finding.

Source: Top 5 smartphone makers of Q3 2016 in China – Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, and others

OPPO tops smartphone market in China, stands fourth globally: IDC

Home > News > OPPO tops smartphone market in China, stands fourth globally: IDC OPPO had shipped 25.3 million devices in Q3 2016, representing a year-on-year growth of 121.6 percent. OPPO already expects huge profit from its R9s smartphone in China which has gone on sale today.

Riding on the success of its latest R series smartphones in China, OPPO has for the first time taken the top spot for a full quarter in China's smartphone market, a report said on Friday. According to the market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), OPPO now holds fourth spot among smartphone-makers globally. Its F1 and F1 Plus smartphones are a big hit in India.

"We are delighted at OPPO's continued growth and at the enthusiasm we are receiving from consumers in China and in our markets around the world," said Sky Li, OPPO Global VP, MD of International Mobile Business and President of OPPO India, in a statement. The company shipped 25.3 million devices in the third quarter, representing a year-on-year growth of 121.6 percent, the highest among the global top-five smartphone brands.

Published: October 29, 2016 11:00 AM IST | Updated: October 29, 2016 11:00 AM IST
Source: OPPO tops smartphone market in China, stands fourth globally: IDC

Lenovo beats Micromax, reaches on number two position among top smartphone brands in India

The Chinese smartphone maker Lenovo, according to a new statistics has become the second largest smartphone manufacturer in India, beating the home-grown Micromax for the very first time.

A Singapore-based research firm Canalys has made a survey on the top smartphone brand in the Indian market and on its Wednesday-declared reports; it said Lenovo to be the No. 2 handset maker in the country, following the Korean Multinational Samsung. Thanks to the new offline sale strategy, Xiaomi, another smartphone multinational of China has also witnessed a significant hike from its previous position and now ranked at 3rd number of the list.

According to the Preliminary data collected from market research firm, Indian smartphone has experienced a notable growth with around 25% year-to-year margin and 21% hike in Quarter-to-Quarter. As mentioned in the reports, in the three months to September, the Indian market is recorded with 21% growth in sale margin, while Lenovo, with the remarkable climb, grabbed the second rank by replacing Micromax. An analyst from the firm confirmed the reports of Micromax losing its second position due to the sluggish sale rate in comparison to Lenovo.

As perthe analysts, "Lenovo's move to meet the demands of sale on offline channels and Xiaomi's plan to switch the company from online-only vendor to offline channels helped both a lot."

He further added that in India Chinese 4G handsets are gradually becoming the mainstream and the demands for the smartphone of Lenovo and Xiaomi are found to be mounting over the years. He also mentioned in the report that, the demand for handsets of the local players like Micromax, Intex, and Lava getting down year to year. As per the survey, the Indian market has crossed the milestone of 30 million unit sold in Quarter 3 of Fiscal Year 2016.

Among the individual sale growth, Samsung is placed at the number one rank on the list. However, the market shares of the Korean company glided from 26% margin of Q2 2016 to 21.6% in the third quarter, due to the rise of the Chinese players. Similarly, the Indian firms like Micromax, Lava, and Intex also underwent though the loss of around 6% market share successively. While the market share of Micromax slipped sharply from 14.1% last quarter to 9.8% in September, Intex also dropped down from 8.4% to 6.4%.

On the other hand, Chinese companies like Xiaomi, Lenovo, Oppo, and Vivo with their constant focus on mid-ranged smartphones topped the list. Against the market share of the last quarter, the Chinese brands collectively managed to put on 32% profit in this quarter.

Tags: indian smartphone market, lenovo, micromax, samsung, smartphone
Source: Lenovo beats Micromax, reaches on number two position among top smartphone brands in India

OPPO leapfrogs smartphone rivals with ad blitz and sales force

Reuters file photo

JAKARTA/HONG KONG — Chinese smart phone company OPPO doesn't believe in subtle marketing.

It has built a massive network of 320,000 retail outlets across China and other parts of Asia, its sales representatives earn commissions on every phone they sell, and it has filled the airwaves and covered thousands of billboards with advertising based on the endorsement of some of the hottest Asian pop stars.

The company also keeps total control of just about everything, from design to distribution, and making the phones itself rather than farming production out to contract manufacturers. OPPO also sells a lot of devices through its own stores, deals directly with any retail partners rather than through layers of middlemen, and provides them with sales reps and generous incentives.

The aggressive strategy has been working, allowing OPPO to leap ahead of some of its largest rivals who rely much more on online marketing and the network providers to flog their products.

From nowhere a few years ago, OPPO has jumped into fourth place in smart phone sales in the world. In the third quarter, it jumped into first place in China with 17 percent market share, according to research firm Counterpoint. It is No. 2 in Indonesia, and is rapidly growing in India.

In many ways OPPO's marketing success is a testament to how commoditized the smart phone market has become and how the big Asian markets have become increasingly important.

OPPO's phones aren't much different from the medium-priced range of products made by rivals, such as Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi [XTC.UL]. OPPO, though, has managed to generate a lot of buzz for its phones, such as the R9 "Selfie Expert" that targets Asia's mass of social media users with a relatively powerful camera, making it the best selling smart phone in China in the third quarter.

It has been helped by recent stumbles by Apple Inc, which posted its third successive quarter of declining iPhone sales on Tuesday, and Samsung, which halted production of its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 phones.

"No other brand could match OPPO's sales bombardment tactic," said a Shijiazhuang, Hebei-based executive with a mobile phone distributor that sells many rival brands.

The big question is whether the strategy is sustainable. OPPO's marketing cost base is higher than brands focused more on online selling, and increasing at a rapid clip. That is fine while it is expanding quickly but may not work if the growth rate slows either because it in any way lags rivals on product development or there is a wider economic dislocation, analysts say.

"I think the model is stable, but the growth going forward may be slow and require more investment," said CK Lu, an analyst at research firm Gartner.

Another issue is that in some markets where sales are dominated by the network operators the strategy doesn't work – one reason why it hasn't yet made a play for the United States market.

It failed in Mexico after selling through local carriers. Low brand awareness and pricing that was higher than rivals contributed to its problems there, said Strategy Analytics analyst Woody Oh.

Big commissions

The blitz marketing tactics were on full show at a shopping mall in Jakarta one recent morning. As well as boasting spacious and flashy stores, the company sent at least a dozen sales representatives – mostly young women – around the mall to ask shoppers if they want to try an OPPO phone.

The incentives help to create a driven workforce. One OPPO sales representative said in his best month he can earn commissions of $1,500 – six times the minimum wage in Jakarta.

Its big physical presence across a country such as Indonesia also works well in smaller cities and towns where online shopping is less developed and people are more likely to want to walk into a shop to buy a new phone, analysts say.

"We manufacture all our phones ourselves…We don't engage distributors, we want to make sure we have end-to-end control over the consumer experience," said Sean Deng, chief executive of OPPO Singapore, who also introduced OPPO to Indonesia.

OPPO's strategy can be traced back to BBK Electronics, a main street retail brand and manufacturer of phones, DVD players and other electronics goods, that has been a household name in China since the 1990s.

Set up to target the overseas market by BBK's founder Duan Yongping and his right-hand man Tony Chen, OPPO entered the mobile market in China in 2008 when smart phone sales started to soar following Apple's iPhone launch.

Altogether, the combined sales of the four phone brands that come under the BBK-Duan umbrella – OPPO, Vivo, OnePlus and imoo – put the group in the No. 2 sales position in the world behind Samsung, according to research firm IHS Markit. Vivo was No.2 in the China market, just behind OPPO, in the third quarter, according to Counterpoint.

U.S.-based Duan, nicknamed "Duanfett" in China because of both his own success and his admiration for American billionaire investor Warren Buffett, built his fortune from BBK and on successful investments in Chinese Internet technology company NetEase and U.S. online media company Yahoo in the early 2000s.

He has since shifted part of his focus to philanthropy, and he is no longer engaged in the day-to-day operation of the companies, according to people familiar with him.

OPPO's rapid ascent has caught its Chinese rivals who rely more on online marketing, such as Xiaomi and LeEco, flatfooted.

Xiaomi, once China's most valuable tech startup on the back of the online buzz surrounding its affordable products, has seen its fortunes steadily decline over the past three years, as its online-focused marketing failed to penetrate deep into rural areas, while its growth in big cities sharply slowed.

Source: OPPO leapfrogs smartphone rivals with ad blitz and sales force

Chinavasion Choice: Discover The UMi Diamond, Our Latest High-End Smartphone

For this week's Chinavasion Choice product we are happy to present to you the UMi Diamond smartphone. For those of you who are looking for a reliable high-end smartphone that comes with great specs and is available at an affordable price, the UMi Diamond is the answer. Not only do we currently have a pre-sale in this magnificent smartphone – you will also be able to win one yourself for free by participating in our Chinavasion giveaway!

With its beautiful design this Chinese smartphone features a sleek metallic body, making this Android phone a true eye catcher. Its 5 Inch HD display portraits media in vivid colors, delivering a stunning mobile entertainment experience. Running on an Android 6.0 Operating System this latest Android smartphone is guaranteed to deliver a smooth user experience that lets you enjoy the latest features the mobile industry has to offer without encountering any lag or interruptions.

Although the UMi Diamond holds a stunningly sleek design it does pack some serious hardware one would only expect to find in high-end smartphones. Equipped with an Octa-Core CPU, 3GB of RAM, and a Mali-T720 GPU this Chinese smartphone allows you to enjoy the latest and most demanding games, movies, and Apps without dropping a single frame. So head out to the Play Store and download the latest media – with this smartphone, hours of joy and mobile entertainment lay ahead. With 16GB of internal memory and up to 128GB available via an external TF card, the UMi Diamond holds enough memory for you to store all your files, music, saved games and more.

The phone's 4G connectivity lets you enjoy the fastest mobile data speeds out there, allowing you to download apps and stream online movies in the blink of an eye. Dual-SIM and IMEI numbers additionally allow you to be connected to two different network providers simultaneously. Not only does this mean that you are reachable on two different phone numbers at the same time while using just one device, it also means you can connect to two separate 4G networks simultaneously – significantly increasing your data range. With a 2650mAh battery the UMi Diamond provides you with up to 6 hours continuous usage time, enough to enjoy a day's worth of activities without having the fear of running out of juice.

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26.10.2016. | 13:25

Source: Chinavasion Choice: Discover The UMi Diamond, Our Latest High-End Smartphone

Chinese smartphones outpace the total of Apple and Samsung production in Q3

Global smartphone manufacturers produced a total of 350 million smartphones in the third quarter of 2016, 168 million of which were from Chinese brands, according to a report by market research firm TrendForce last Wednesday.

"The combined production volume from Chinese brands reached 168 million units in the third quarter, translating to a sequential quarterly increase of 18%," said TrendForce smartphone analyst Avril Wu in the report.

Samsung again topped the list of the top six smartphone makers in terms of smartphone production volume in Q3 2016. The company produced about 78 million smartphones in Q3, a 1.3% QoQ increase. The impact of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone will mainly be seen in Q4, according to the report.

Apple still followed Samsung in second place. Its iPhone production volume was 45 million in Q3 2016, a 5.3% QoQ decline. Wu predicted that the iPhone production will soar upwards by the end of 2016, as much of its iPhone 7 production will be in Q4.

China's leading smartphone maker Huawei saw a 10.3% QoQ increase, with 32 million smartphones produced in Q3. This increase occurred despite a weaker than expected performance of the P9 series, Huawei's flagship smartphones, most likely due to fierce competition from other Chinese brands. Huawei ranked third in the list.

The report did not give specific production numbers on China's upstart smartphone makers OPPO and vivo for the same time period, but it indicated that their quarterly production growth rates were 20.3% and 23% respectively, ranking fourth and sixth.

The 168 million combined smartphone production volume of Chinese brands was significantly higher than the 123 million for Apple and Samsung combined in Q3.

According to TrendForce's earlier report, Chinese brands shipped 125 million smartphones in Q1 2016, surpassing the 123 million from Apple and Samsung for the first time.

Will the rise of "Made by China" continue? We will wait and see.

(Top photo from Stock-vector.com)

Source: Chinese smartphones outpace the total of Apple and Samsung production in Q3

Huawei ranks third in global smartphone shipments

The P9 smartphone is displayed in the Huawei Technologies Co booth at the Cutting-Edge IT & Electronics Comprehensive Exhibition (CEATEC) at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, Oct 4, 2016.[Photo/VCG]

The global smartphone market has continued its second quarter pickup in the Q3, and Chinese brands in particular have maintained strong growth, according to global market research firm TrendForce.

The production volume of smartphones worldwide totaled around 350 million units during the third quarter of 2016, up 10.4 percent from the previous quarter, hitting a new high this year.

In the third quarter, Huawei's smartphone production volume rose 10.3 percent from last quarter to 32 million units, ranking third in the global smartphone market.

The sales of the double-camera flagship device P9 were below earlier expectations because of increasing competition from other Chinese smartphone brands. However, driven by the peak season demand, Huawei's overall production rose during the third quarter.

During the third quarter, the production volume from Chinese smartphone brands reached 168 million units, up 18 percent from the second quarter, and exceeded the combined production volume of Samsung and Apple.

"The role of Chinese brands as the main driving force of global smartphone shipments is therefore firmly established," said TrendForce's smartphone analyst Avril Wu.

Apple's production volume fell 5.3 percent to 45 million units during the third quarter. Because much of the iPhone7 production will take place in the fourth quarter, TrendForce predicted its production volume is expected to jump significantly towards the end of 2016.

Samsung's smartphone production volume increased 1.3 percent to 78 million units during the third quarter. Samsung could maintain a similarly high level growth as a year ago mainly due to the popularity of its Galaxy J (Junior) series. In addition, Samsung also posted strong sales of Galaxy S7/S7 Edge.

However, the halt of the newly launched Note 7 is likely to impact its performance in the fourth quarter. Though the recall has tarnished Samsung's reputation, how much effect it will have on the brand's shipments remains to be seen, TrendForce said.

Source: Huawei ranks third in global smartphone shipments

Chinese smartphone makers urged to ‘Make in India’

Home > News > Chinese smartphone makers urged to 'Make in India' By IANS | Updated: October 23, 2016 11:18 AM IST comments Tags: make in india News

At a time when India is poised to become a global manufacturing hub for mobile phones and components, Pankaj Mohindroo, National President, Indian Cellular Association (ICA), has asked Chinese companies to partner with Indian firms for setting up a manufacturing base in the country. "We are targeting 500 million mobile phones manufacturing by 2019, along with a robust component industry. Our Chinese partners will help us in achieving this," Mohindroo added.

Speaking at the second India-China Mobile Phones and Accessories Manufacturing Summit, organized under the first edition of the three-day mobile fair, India Mobile Diwali (IMD), Mohindroo said there is a huge emerging opportunity in component manufacturing in India now. The event, aimed at strengthening the Indian mobile phone and component manufacturing ecosystem in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' and 'Digital India' initiatives, is held at a time when Indians are strongly opposing the use of "Made in China" products.

Urging Chinese companies to take advantage of the new investment and manufacturing opportunities in India, policy initiatives and increased ease of business, Aruna Sundarajan, Secretary Ministry of Electronics, IT, Government of India, said Indian talent and Chinese innovation can be a very potent fusion. She also pointed out that Chinese companies need to look at India as a partner in 'Make in India' program and not only as a market destination for their products.

Lingyun Wu, Founder and CEO, Mobile World (Shoujibao), Shenzhen, said Chinese companies are excited to be part of the 'Make in India' campaign and establish mobile handset and component manufacturing facilities in India. "I'm sure that IMD will open ample opportunities to network and join hands and further strengthen investments in India," Lingyun added. ALSO READ: After Xiaomi, LeEco, Vivo, more Chinese phonemakers to explore 'Make in India' opportunities

The three-day fair, organized by Mobile World (Shoujibao), China's leading Mobile Industry service platform in association with the Indian Cellular Association, the apex body representing the mobile handset Industry in India, saw participation from industry bigwigs like Peter Lee, COO Huawei, Josh Foulger, MD Foxconn, Keshav Bansal, Director, Intex, S.N. Rai, Co-founder and Director, Lava, and over 300 investment delegations and mobile phone companies and component manufacturers from China and India.

A high-level Investment Delegation from China's mobile phone industry will be on a six-day India visit from October 21-26 to participate in India Mobile Diwali Expo.

Published: October 23, 2016 11:00 AM IST | Updated: October 23, 2016 11:18 AM IST

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Source: Chinese smartphone makers urged to 'Make in India'

Diwali 2016: Made-in-China items shine less

JAIPUR: The sale of Chinese goods has come down by at least 40% in Jaipur after a massive campaign by a group of activists to boycott items from that country.

Campaigns calling for boycott of Chinese products have impacted sales of those items by up to 40 per cent here with many people preferring to buy India-made products only during their festive shopping. In the wake of escalating tension between India and Pakistan after the Uri attack, activists have been running campaigns on roads and on social media platform to boycott products from `Pakistan's friend' China.

A trade body has ascertained that there has been a 30-40 per cent impact on goods like decorative lights which records huge sales during Diwali, whereas a slight impact has also been felt on China-made electronic goods."In an internal survey, we found that the sale of decorative Chinese lights and other similar products has declined by 30-40 per cent in recent days. Demand of electronic items like LCDs and others m ade in China has also declined by 10-15 per cent while this impact is 2 per cent on mobile phones," Suresh Agrawal, president of Federation of Rajasthan Trade and Industry (FORTI), said.

He said that FORTI has been conducting an internal survey for the past several days and members of the federation are giving their feedback on the demand and sale of Chinese products.

"Consumption of Chinese products has come down in recent days. Be it decorative items or any other product, people are preferring Indian products over Chinese goods.Looking at the trend, traders are also avoiding placing orders for Chinese goods," Ajay Vijayvargiya, secretary of Jaipur Vyapar Mahasangh, said. Shyam Meena, a decorative light trader lfrom the walled city area, also acknowledged the decline in sale.

"The sale is no doubt down this time. Most of the customers are demanding Indian lights. The impact of the call to boycott Chinese products is high. Last year, I ordered goods worth Rs 10 lakh approximately, but I have not ordered that much (this year)," he said. Large number of Chinese products ranging from idols, portraits of Hindu Gods and Goddesses to decorative lights which bear no indication of the product being manufactured in China are in the market at cheaper prices, yet people are showing awareness in purchasing the items, said Sandeep Gupta, an activist. Gupta, a chartered accountant by profession, takes out a few hours every day to go to the streets and markets to call for the boycott of Chinese products. "Shaheedon ko de do Shradhanjali, China ke Samano ko do Tilanjali (Pay homage to the martyrs, boycott products from China)" is the slogan written on a banner which he carries with him on a jeep. "Chinese products are sometimes very difficult to identify. The list of Chinese products is very long and people as well as traders will have to show awareness against them. The impact will be visible when the market of electronic goods will be affected," he said. Gupta added that the young generation is quite aware on this issue. "Why should we buy Chinese products, a friend of Pakistan? We will buy Desi things," an engineering student, Bhaskar Verma, said.
Source: Diwali 2016: Made-in-China items shine less

Two-wheel drive - China tech giants bet on 'Uber for bikes' in hunt for next unicorn

HONG KONG: China's tech industry giants are ploughing hundreds of millions of dollars into what they're betting will be the country's next big internet craze: 'Uber for bikes'.

A symbol of China's cities long before a boom in cars, snarling traffic and smog, the humble bicycle is making a comeback. Start-ups equipped with smartphone apps, GPS and scannable codes are selling cheap bike-sharing to city-dwellers as the way to beat jams on China's most clogged streets.

The rush to invest in car ride-hailing apps in China peaked with Didi Chuxing's acquisition of Uber's China arm in August, creating a US$35 billion giant. Now Shanghai's MoBike and Beijing-based ofo - both use customised Anglicised branding - have raised big money in the past month alone from bullish investors on the hunt for China's next tech 'unicorn'.

MoBike, backed by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings among others, closed a US$100 million funding round this month, two sources told Reuters. Ofo raised US$130 million this month from investors including Didi, smartphone maker Xiaomi and U.S. hedge fund Coatue, which has backed Facebook and Google.

"We did not expect there to be so many investors and we did not expect this field to get so hot," ofo co-founder Zhang Siding, 26, told Reuters in an interview. Zhang was one of five Beijing students who launched the firm in 2015, now charging 1 yuan (US$0.15) per hour to rent.

MoBike, also founded in 2015, and ofo say several hundred thousand residents of Chinese cities use the services every day, though tech sector watchers estimate neither yet makes a profit. Neither discloses earnings details.

Each claims to be the first of its kind in the world, raising the question for the firms and their investors of whether the model could be replicated in other countries.

In the meantime, the custom-made 'smart bikes' stand out in a country estimated to have close to 400 million bicycles: MoBikes have orange-red inner wheels with fewer spokes and airless tyres to reduce maintenance; ofo's yellow bikes have a lower-tech, retro look.

MOBIKE: BRINGING 'SEXY' BACK?

Riders use smartphone apps to unlock and pay the cost of hire, and they are free to leave the bikes wherever their journey ends, a feature ofo and MoBike say is a major plus over traditional rental services, which require bikes to be returned to a parking station. MoBike's app also allows users to see nearby vacant bikes using a GPS tracking system.

"I find it very convenient, because road traffic is so bad, especially during rush hour," said Yu Xiaoxia, 29, a teacher in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou who pays 1 yuan per half-hour to use MoBike.

The ride is worth it for Yu but isn't all smooth. "The bikes are heavy to pedal, and it is also harder to find a vacant bike now that it (MoBike) is gaining more users," she said.

The two firms are growing fast - as is their rivalry.

Ofo, which says it has more than 300 employees, claims some 85,000 of its bikes are providing 500,000 rides daily. At MoBike, which declined to disclose how many people it employs, Chief Executive Wang Xiaofeng said his firm has more than 100,000 daily active users.

"We want to make bicycles sexy again by making a fashionable, high-tech bike," Wang, 43, told Reuters in an interview. Wang is a MoBike co-founder who was previously the Shanghai head of Uber.

Zhang said if each of his firm's bikes were used four times a day, the company would recoup the bike's cost in two to three months.

CHALLENGES IN STORE

It remains to be seen whether the new bike-sharing businesses will follow the path of bruising competition, heavy investment and ultimate consolidation seen in the taxi-hailing sector. Didi now reigns supreme after absorbing a local rival before cutting a deal to take over Uber China.

In the meantime, the business model faces challenges, both operational and strategic.

Risks of theft, vandalism and irresponsible users who park bikes off-limits are the biggest everyday headaches for both firms. The services are also prone to the caprices of regulators, an issue that has dogged China's taxi-hailing market, where firms still face tight restrictions on drivers.

Another issue could be the very design of Chinese cities, adapted to meet booming private car ownership over the last two decades.

"Bike-sharing is a good direction from a planning point of view. But many Chinese cities have been built with scales prioritising vehicles," said Sylvia He, assistant professor at the Institute of Future Cities at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

"There are just not enough facilities for bikes," said He.

(Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Additional reporting by Julie Zhu; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Kenneth Maxwell)

Source: Two-wheel drive - China tech giants bet on 'Uber for bikes' in hunt for next unicorn

Xiaomi working on bendable smartphone: Report

Joining the race to build a bendable smartphone, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is reportedly working on its own version of such a device.

According to Inquirer, Xiaomi's device made its public debut over the internet through a 30-second video posted last week.

The video, courtesy of Gizmodo China, did not show the phone being bent but rather a bent screen that is very responsive to touch.

READ MORE: China's Xiaomi to open 1,000 retail stores by 2020

Flexible displays or foldable, bendable smartphones are the future and earlier this year, another Chinese major Lenovo became the first company to display two futuristic concepts: a foldable smartphone that can be turned into a wearable device and a bendable tablet that becomes a phablet.

Apart from Lenovo, Korean smartphone-maker Samsung has been working on foldable displays for years and is reported to be ready to launch its first foldable smartphone in 2017.

Apple has also gone for patents that suggest it is set to develop iPhones with curved screens.

Source: Xiaomi working on bendable smartphone: Report

Chinese And Pakistani Flags Recovered From Terror Hideout in J&K: 44 Arrested

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Chinese And Pakistani Flags Recovered From Terror Hideout in J&K: 44 Arrested

Possibly for the first time in Kashmir, security forces have recovered Chinese flags along with incriminating material during raids at suspected hideouts of militants in Baramulla and arrested 44 people for their alleged involvement in "terror-related activities".

"Over 700 houses were searched in a span of 12 hours on October 17 in an extensive search operation in old town in Baramulla, during which 44 people involved with terror related activities have been apprehended," an Army spokesman said here on Tuesday.

The security forces sanitised the area and a number of hideouts were busted during the operation, the spokesman said.

"A large quantity of incriminating material such as petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistani flags, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) letter head pads, unauthorized mobile phones and seditious anti-national publicity material were seized," he added.

He said the operation was jointly carried out by teams of Army, police, BSF and CRPF in 10 sensitive localities including Qazi Hamam, Ganai Hamam, Taweed Gunj, Jamia and other mohallas reportedly being used as "safe havens by the terrorists".

Meanwhile, police, in a major crackdown, has arrested 122 more people allegedly involved in disrupting the public order in the valley.

"Continuing its action against the persons involved in disrupting the public order in different parts of the valley, police arrested 122 such individuals during past 24 hours," a police spokesman said.

Kashmir valley had witnessed unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani+ in an encounter with security forces on July 8.

Source: Chinese And Pakistani Flags Recovered From Terror Hideout in J&K: 44 Arrested

Diwali sale: Gionee launches performance driven P7 Max smartphone at Rs 13,999

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee on Monday launched a new smartphone P7 Max at Rs 13,999 in India.

The 4G VoLTE-enabled smartphone comes with a 5.5-inches HD IPS display and is powered by MT6595 Octa core 2.2 GHz Processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 32 GB ROM along with expandable memory up to 128 GB.

The smartphone also sports 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera.

Gionee P7 Max Specifications

Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Amigo 3.2Display: 13.97cms (5.5-inch) HD IPS with NEG protection displayProcessor: 2.2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595RAM: 3GBInternal Storage: 32GB; expandable up to 128GB with microSD cardPrimary Camera: 13MP with LED flashRear Camera: 5MP with screen flashBattery: 3100mAhDimensions: 154 x 76.8 x 8.8mmWeight: 182 gms

"We are really excited to present the new P7 Max. At this price point, it will be a perfect buy for customers this festive season. This phone has specially been created with a vision to give you more in less as it delivers a flawless experience along with great design and amazing features.," said Arvind R. Vohra, Managing Director and Country CEO, Gionee India in a statement.

The smartphone is available in gold and grey-blue colour across retail stores.

Source: Diwali sale: Gionee launches performance driven P7 Max smartphone at Rs 13,999

iOS fell to 13.5% of China smartphone sales in August 2016

iOS declined in Urban China, falling to 13.5% of smartphone sales according to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. Android dropped 1.7 percentage points in the US.

iOS accounted for 13.5% of smartphone sales In Urban China in the three months ending August 2016, the lowest share for iOS since before the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in July 2014 according to Tamsin Timpson, Strategic Insight Director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Asia.

Android accounted for nearly nine out of every ten smartphones sold, with Huawei and Xiaomi remaining the top two brands in the region. Oppo, close on Apple's heels, accounted for 10.6% of sales, with the Oppo R9 becoming the second best-selling phone in the region at 4%, behind the iPhone 6s at 4.3%.

The top three smartphone brands in September 2016 are Huawei (22%), Vivo (15%), and Oppo (13%) according to Dixintong. Find out more here.

Also read: Top 10 mobile apps by MAUs in Sep 2016

Source: iOS fell to 13.5% of China smartphone sales in August 2016

Le Max 2 Review: Best LeEco smartphone till date, but is it a good enough rival?

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco's presence in India is getting stronger by the day and its smartphones are one of the best selling products. From Le 1s to Le Max 2, the Chinese smartphone maker has recorded a commendable growth in the competitive Indian market with its effective pricing and value-for-money features.

LeEco Le Max 2, the company's most recent flagship, is a lauded device in the Indian premium smartphone market. It was launched in India at Rs. 22,999, but the festive season discount brings this powerful device down to Rs. 17,999.

Based on this price, we reviewed the Le Max 2 to see how well it delivers in terms of daily use and its worth against its rivals such as Lenovo Z2 Plus, OnePlus 3, Oppo F1s, and Xiaomi Mi 5.

Read: OnePlus 3 Review I Lenovo Z2 Plus Review

Before we get started, below is the complete spec-sheet of the Le Max 2:

Display: 5.7-inch QHD displayProcessor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core CPURAM: 4GB DDR4Storage: 32GBMain Camera: 21MP Sony IMX230 camera with dual LED flash, PDAF, f/2.0 apertureSelfie Camera: 8MP f/2.2 camera with 76.5 degree wide-angle lensBattery: 3,100mAh with Quick Charge 3.0Add-ons: Fingerprint sensor, CDLA audio port, USB Type-C, Dual SIM, Dolby AtmosDimensions: 156.8 x 77.6 x 7.99mmWeight: 185 grams

Given this spec-sheet, Le Max 2 clearly has the best value for money. It has everything an average user seeks in a high-performing smartphone.

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

Le Max 2's design is refined with metal finish and the 5.7-inch display surprisingly fits in the hand comfortably. The 2K display ensures good viewing angles and ensures good readability even in bright sunlight. The rear panel has the camera module and a fingerprint scanner, which is powered by Qualcomm's Sense ID for accuracy and speed.

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

One of the biggest features we liked in the Le Max 2 is the CDLA loss-less audio, which is by far the best we've heard. But customers can experience this at a much lower cost with LeEco's budget offering, the Le 2. The CDLA headphones are sold separately at Rs. 1,990, but make sure you shop during the festival to get them for free. A worthy add-on you should not miss.

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

In terms of performance, we did not regret having the Le Max 2. Compared to the original Le Max, this device is a massive improvement. There was hardly any lags while using multiple apps or browsing for long hours. The Snapdragon 820 is to thank for in this regard. The elite performance of the Le Max 2 was also reflected in the benchmark tests we ran. Below are the results:

LeEco Le Max 2 review: Benchmark test resultsIBTimes India/Sami Khan

The battery optimisation is also better in the Le Max 2. The 3,100mAh battery charges quickly, which was a setback in the original Le Max. With calls, internet and browsing, the Le Max 2 lasted eight hours. But if you are an avid gamer, expect the battery bars to drop quickly.

Le Max 2 also has a good enough camera to keep your photography skills at best. It delivers good results even in low-light conditions, but we noticed lack of detail in macro-shots, something its rivals OnePlus 3 was really good at. If we are comparing Le Max 2's camera with OnePlus 3, there is a lot of room for improvement.

Below are some sample shots from Le Max 2 for your perusal: [SLIDESHOW]

1/8

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

LeEco Le Max 2 reviewIBTimes India/Sami Khan

Verdict

Le Max 2 has several strong points such as good design, display, fingerprint scanner, audio and performance. If we are not comparing the phone with its rivals in the Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000 price range, it is one of the top 3 smartphones worth buying at Rs. 17,999. The closest rival to the Le Max 2 is the Lenovo Z2 Plus, which also has several strong points, but both phones are entirely different in terms of design. For a much handy phone, the Z2 Plus can be a good choice, but for a big smartphone with high-end specs, the Le Max 2 is a wise choice.

Source: Le Max 2 Review: Best LeEco smartphone till date, but is it a good enough rival?

Complaints about iPhone 7 reception stir in China

Apple has unveiled its iPhone 7 handset. (Kyle Venktess, Fin24)

Beijing - Complaints about call connection problems with Apple's iPhone 7 models are spreading across social media in China just weeks after the devices were released.

READ: WATCH: iPhone 7 lands in SA, here's our rapping review

A chat group on the QQ instant messaging platform had grown to 1 600 people through Friday, just two weeks after it was set up, with critics saying the phones can't receive incoming calls from mobile networks in standby mode and slamming Apple's customer service.

Apple didn't respond to requests for comment after being informed of the social media reports.

Li Dengke, who set up the QQ group, began noticing the missed calls a week after buying a silver iPhone 7 through Apple's store on Alibaba's Tmall.com. After the device was tested at an authorised service center, he was given a replacement.

"I received the new one on October 5, a few hours later, it is 'out of service' again," Li said.

The term "out of service" has become a hot topic on microblogging site Weibo while users have said a way to fix the problem is to shut down its fourth-generation connectivity and rely on slower 3G networks instead.

Greater China is one of Apple's biggest markets and generates more than 20% of sales at the Cupertino, California-based company.

The region has driven Apple's spectacular growth for years, even as smartphone demand elsewhere faltered, and the company has dozens of retail outlets on the mainland.

Source: Complaints about iPhone 7 reception stir in China

Boycotting our goods will damage ties, China’s state media warns India

Protectionism against Chinese companies and boycotting goods from the East Asian country on the pretext of political issues will not help bridge the yawning Sino-India trade deficit, instead only damage bilateral ties, state media said on Friday.

Besides allowing free flow of Chinese goods into its huge market, India should focus on expanding and improving industrial infrastructure to address the issue of imbalance in trade, the nationalistic tabloid Global Times said in two separate write-ups on bilateral economic ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping cannot be expected to talk in detail about the trade deficit when they meet in Goa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit this weekend. But the issue is likely to be flagged — as it has been repeatedly done during past meetings — during the one-on-one meeting.

Quoting Chinese government figures, one GT article said: "Data from China's General Administration of Customs showed Thursday that India in September exported goods worth $922 million to China, while importing goods worth $5.4 billion from China."

It added: "The major imports from China include electronic components, telecom instruments, chemicals and pharmaceutical products, while India's major exports to China include ore, plastics and cotton."

According to mid-year statistics from India, bilateral trade was $70.73 billion in 2015-16, down from $72.34 billion in the previous fiscal.

Read | Gujarat trade body calls for boycott of Chinese goods

The deficit with China was around $52.68 billion in 2015-16, from $48.48 billion in the previous fiscal, figures quoted in Parliament showed.

China's investment in India — according to Chinese state media — soared to around $ 870 million in 2015, six times what it was in 2014. Clearly, it wasn't enough.

India's commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament in August: "Increasing trade deficit with China can be attributed to the relative demand for imports in India and China for each other's goods."

She added, according to a PTI report, that efforts were on to increase overall exports by diversifying the trade basket, with emphasis on manufactured goods, services, resolution of market access issues and other non-tariff barriers.

That diversification is precisely what is not happening on India's side, Chinese media said.

"Efforts such as encouraging Chinese smartphone makers to set up production lines in India may be the most effective way to reduce the trade deficit, which is partly the result of a price gap between India's imports of finished goods and its exports of raw materials," the newspaper said.

"Besides, India may need to roll out domestic reforms, such as further streamlining its tax system, to improve the country's economic ecology to attract more Chinese investment," it added.

Read | India need not be 'jealous' of close China-Bangladesh ties: Chinese media

But instead of attempting to attract Chinese investment, there's been a call to boycott Chinese goods from some quarters in India.

"The first happened in April. It was caused by dissatisfaction over China's stand on the issue of Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed active in Kashmir, who is accused of committing terrorist acts in India. The second was in July and because of China's lack of support for India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Now Chinese goods are on the stage again due to the Kashmir issue," wrote Zhen Bo from theInstitute of South Asian Studies in Sichuan University.

The newspaper said there had been 322 anti-dumping cases in India in March of which 177 cases involved Chinese products. "Besides, a social media campaign urging people to refrain from buying China-made products have recently been building in India. Such moves will not help contribute to reducing India's trade deficit, but could damage bilateral ties instead."

Read | Don't use terror issue for political gains: China after India's Jaish ban push

Source: Boycotting our goods will damage ties, China's state media warns India

Nomu S30 Smartphone with IP68 Certification and 5000mAh Battery Announced

#NomuS30 #Smartphone – Nomu S30 Smartphone with IP68 Certification and 5000mAh Battery Announced : Apple went to great lengths [removing 3.5mm jack] to add water resistance to its iPhone 7, 7Plus smartphones. Now, many smartphone manufacturers have followed the suite.

Multiple brands are coming up with water-resistant handsets. Recently, new Nomu S30 smartphone has been announced. The budget phone comes with IP68 certification. The new Nomu S30 can survive up to of 5 meters beneath the water for 2 hours.

The shock-proof handset can withstand dropping from the height of 1.2 meters. Additionally, it also comes with full dust protection. The new smartphone comes from Shenzhen Xin KingBrand Enterprises, a professional manufacturer of rugged mobile phones in China.

The Nomu is being made by this company to be the most professional rugged phone brand in China and all over the world. As far as specifications are concerned, the Nomu S30 features a 5.46′-inch IPS display with full HD (1080 x 1920 pixels) resolution.

It is powered by a 2.0GHz 64bit octa-core MTK6755 processor along with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB internal storage [expandable up to 32GB]. The handset runs Android 6.0 operating system.

The Nomu S30 sports a 13MP rear camera (Interpolation to 16MP) with auto-focus.AF and a 5MP fixed-focus front camera (Interpolation to 8.0MP). It measures 162 x 83 x 13.35mm. Connectivity options include 4G LTE support.

The NomuS30 is backed by a 5000mAh non-removable Polymer electric battery. It uses latest quick charge technology, PumpExpress 3.0 to offer 45 percent boost in charging speeds. Users will get 4 hours talk-time with just 5 mins of charge.

The Nomu S30 is aimed at the consumers needing the high level of protection. It is designed to survive in harsh environmental conditions. The combination of safety/protection features and high-end specs makes it a nice product on paper. There are still no details about the price and availability. Source: mobipicker

Source: Nomu S30 Smartphone with IP68 Certification and 5000mAh Battery Announced

Company changes tack over phones in China

Samsung is changing course to recall more than 190,000 Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in China.

The company has angered Chinese consumers after it excluded the country from the international recall, claiming models sold in China used batteries from a different supplier.

China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said yesterday there had been 20 incidents of overheating and combustion of Galaxy Note 7 units on China's mainland.

"The product being recalled has problems with abnormal heating and burning, which can have serious consequences including fire," it said on its website, adding that Samsung's Chinese unit had begun a recall of all 190,984 phones sold on the mainland.

Customers can get a full refund or exchange their device for a new Samsung model and a bonus payment of 300 yuan ($45), it said.

Samsung is advising customers with either an original Galaxy Note 7 or a replacement Galaxy Note 7 to power down and stop using the device.

Domestic online retailers including Tmall and JD.com have launched refund or exchange programs.

China Mobile said yesterday it had stopped sales of the Samsung model through its online and offline channels and was negotiating with Samsung regarding after-sale service issues.

　　

Source: Company changes tack over phones in China

Lenovo Z2 Plus review: Smartphone that packs quite a punch

Touted as one of its premium yet affordable flagship devices, the positioning of Chinese smartphone maker makes it lucrative for a simple reason: It packs so much that it will make some players run for cover.

Z2 Plus was launched in China earlier this year as ZUK Z2 but in India, the company is using its own name to target a huge customer base (the box, however, carries 'Powered by ZUK' branding).

The device, which represents Lenovo's ZUK family of smartphones, differs from the company's Vibe series as it does not carry Vibe UI and runs on ZUI on top of an Android Marshmallow operating system (OS).

The Lenovo Z2 Plus is priced at Rs. 19,999 for the 4GB/64GB and Rs. 17,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant.

Here's what works for the 4GB device that was tested.

Refreshing and compact

The Z2 Plus is built differently from other flagship smartphones we have seen so far. The device does not have a metal finish. Rather, it sports a fibre glass frame with a 2.5D curved glass that gives it a refreshing look. The frame also gives it a sturdy feel.

It is not as thin as most premium devices but uses a 5-inch display, making it the smallest handset among the flagship Android smartphones. The 1920x1080 resolution produced natural-looking colours on screen.

Being compact, the Z2 Plus can easily be used with one hand and people who want a small-sized powerful gadget will love this.

Fingerprint sensor

The physical home button also acts as fingerprint sensor that Lenovo calls "U-Touch" and enables users to programme seven different gestures and shortcuts into it.

Users can touch once to go back, press takes them to homescreen, a double press brings up the app history and swiping left or right allows for multi-tasking.

U-Touch also allows users to customise the home button. For example, users can long press or long touch to set it up for sleep, notification centre or to open an app (the customisations work only when the phone is unlocked).

The multi-functional fingerprint scanner has a learning curve to it and may take two-three days to adjust to.

Under the hood, Z2 Plus houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC (System on Chip) that powers some of the high-end flagships. So performance wise, there is hardly anything that the phone will not do.

U health app

The Z2 Plus also has a dedicated U health app that keeps track of your steps taken, distance covered and calories burnt.

We found the app to be accurate almost all the time. You do not need to invest in an additional smartband or another gadget to keep you updated on your fitness goals. The app consumed very little power, thus saves on battery too.

13MP rear camera

The camera app is slightly tweaked compared to what we have seen in other Android devices. Users are greeted with a circular layout which they can toggle both clockwise and anti-clockwise to select from HDR, Slo-mo, Time-lapse, Pano, Flash and Scale menu options or can select these by tapping directly.

The 13MP rear camera captured good, detailed pictures and so did the front 8MP snapper, be it in bright or low-light conditions.

The rear camera can also shoot 4K videos and front-facing camera can shoot full-HD videos. Slow-motion video can be shot at 120fps, 240fps and 960fps.

Long-lasting battery

The 3,500mAh battery easily ran for a full day over moderate to heavy usage while using a mix of apps including YouTube, social media and games, and can last a day-and-a-half with normal usage.

What does not work?

The glossy frame at the back that gives an illusion of glass attracts fingerprint smudges. Whether you buy a 32GB storage version or 64GB variant, the storage is not expandable.

Outside viewing is good but in some instances, we found that the adaptive brightness did not always work well and often needed to be set manually to 80 per cent for proper viewing.

Conclusion: With Z2 Plus, Lenovo has managed to give more at a lesser price and the device delivers all-round performance. If you want a device whose specs not only look good on paper but perform as well, Lenovo Z2 Plus under 20K offers the best value for money.

Source: Lenovo Z2 Plus review: Smartphone that packs quite a punch

Report: Samsung Temporarily Halts Production of Note 7 Smartphones

South Korean media say electronics conglomerate Samsung has suspended production of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, following reports of fires in replacement devices.

The South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an unnamed source at a Samsung supplier Monday as saying the work stoppage on the Note 7 was done in cooperation with consumer safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China.

"This measure includes a Samsung plant in Vietnam that is responsible for global shipments [of the Galaxy Note 7]," the source was quoted as saying.

Samsung did not immediately comment on the Yonhap report.

The Note 7 recall and Samsung's handling of incidents have left the company facing its biggest crisis in years. The South Korean tech giant has been dogged by problems with the Note 7 catching fire since its release in August. The electronics firm confirmed the battery cell in the model was faulty and recalled 2.5 million phones in September, but media reports said the replacements were also catching fire.

Multiple pictures of the charred phones have been posted on social media, with their owners claiming the devices had randomly caught fire.

Last week, a Southwest Airlines flight was evacuated when a replacement Note 7 began smoking.

Source: Report: Samsung Temporarily Halts Production of Note 7 Smartphones

China plans internet ban to combat gaming addiction among kids

Beijing:  Children in China could be banned from playing online games after midnight under a new rule designed to combat internet addiction amid rising concerns over mushrooming military style "boot camps" treatment centres.

The rules, released by the Cyberspace Administration of China last week, also call on schools to work with "institutions" to help rehabilitate young internet addicts, raising concerns about the risks to children at "boot camp" treatment centres.

If the regulations go into effect, web game developers would have to block minors from playing online games from midnight to 8 am, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported.

Anybody under the age of 18 would also have to register for the games with their identity cards and the information would be stored on the game operator's servers.

The games should be designed to deter young people from becoming addicted and software developed to detect under-age users.The draft rules are open to public feedback until the end of the month, the report said.

The regulations are the latest official effort to stop young people from spending too much time on online games.

Last month a 16-year-old girl from northern China killed her mother because she was angered by the harsh treatment she received when she was sent to an internet addiction treatment centre.

The girl said she had been beaten and ill-treated at the "boot camp" in Shandong province where she spent four months earlier this year.

According to the China Internet Network Information Centre, 23 per cent of China's internet users were aged below 19, as of June 2016, with the total number of internet users stated to be 750 million.

Military-style "boot camps" promoting themselves as treatment centres for internet addiction have flourished in China.

Some reportedly use extreme methods such as electric shocks and other physical punishment to wean clients off online games.

Lawyer Wang Qiushi said he feared the regulations would lead to more of the boot camps.

"This is a disaster for Chinese teenagers," Wang said.

"More such boot camps might emerge after the passage of this regulation. It will encourage more people to get into the 'business'," Yue Xiaodong, a City University of Hong Kong psychologist who has studied internet addiction in China, said the problem used to be a serious social issue but was waning.

Now the smartphone is replacing computers as the new cause of addiction.If the 'no gaming after midnight' rule comes into effect, it might affect the industry, Su Jun, a Shanghai-based senior web game developer, said the proposed regulations could make a slight dent in gaming companies' revenue.

Source: China plans internet ban to combat gaming addiction among kids

Xiaomi Storms India With a Million of Smartphones in 3 Days; China Company's $69 Apple TV Foe Arrives In US [VIDEO]

Will Xiaomi dominate smartphone industry? In a recent report, the China tech company's latest devices sales have increased, and up to now, it shows good performance.

In India, half million of Xiaomi smartphones were reported sold in the country. India-based Xiaomi company claimed that it has sold more than 500,000 smartphones in less than three days between October 1 and 3, Gadgets 360 reported.

Xiaomi and Redmi devices have been sold during the festive season sales on Amazon, Snapdeal, Flipkart, and Tata Cliq, according to the trusted source. Currently, Redmi 3s and Redmi 3S Prime are the top-selling devices on on Flipkart, when the e-commerce company held Big Billion Days Sale.

Meanwhile, during Amazon's Great India Festive sale, Redmi Note 3 was the best-selling smartphone. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3 (Gold), Redmi Note 3 (Grey), Mi Band 2, and 10000mAh Mi Power Bank were among the top six best-selling electronics on Amazon.

Xiaomi India Head, Manu Jain, said that they are very proud of the milestone they've achieved in this month. He also mentioned last year's milestone, where they were able to sold half a million phones in 30 days during the month of October also.

In the US, Mi Box, Xiaomi's first U.S. product arrived in the country on Monday, Oct. 3. Its device went on sale this week, which cost $69, which is a low price for a box that caters 4K video playback, support for HDR and voice-powered searches through its remote control, Tom's Guide reported.

Xiaomi's Mi Box is Apple's contender for Apple TV. Speaking of Apple TV, Apple discontinued third-generation Apple TV, and this device won't be available anymore in the market, according to 9to5Mac. This Apple TV model was introduced in 2012, and was updated internally in 2013. It was discounted to $69 in 2015.

Source: Xiaomi Storms India With a Million of Smartphones in 3 Days; China Company's $69 Apple TV Foe Arrives In US [VIDEO]

Gionee Big Magic Smartphone Launched With 5.3-inch Display, 13 MP Camera, 4000mAh Battery , In China

Gionee Big Magic Smartphone Launched With 5.3-inch Display, 13 MP Camera, 4000mAh Battery , In China and its is priced at 1499 Yuan (Approximately 15000 INR).

In terms of specifications, Gionee Big Magic runs on Amigo3.5 UI based Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Operating System with Dual SIM . It features a  5.3-inch HD Display with resolutions of 1280 x 720 pixels.

Coming to the camera department, Gionee Big Magic houses 13 MP Primary Camera with LED Flash while it has 5MP Secondary camera for selfies and video calling.

The Gionee Big Magic is powered by 1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750 Processor and the device offers 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and external storage expandable up to 128GB  through microSD card.

Connectivity features Gionee Big Magic includes, 4G VoLTE ,3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, USB OTG, and Bluetooth 4.0.

The Gionee Big Magic is backed Battery 4000mAh. It has the dimensions of 149.0×73.3×8.2 mm  and weight of 170 g.

Features And Specifications

Amigo3.5 UI based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow Operating System

5.3-inch HD Display

Displa resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels

13 MP Primary Camera with LED Flash

5MP Secondary camera

1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750 Processor

3GB RAM

32GB internal storage

Up to 128GB external storage expandable through MicroSD Card

4G VoLTE ,3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, USB OTG, Bluetooth 4.0

Battery 4000mAh

Dimensions: 149.0×73.3×8.2 mm ;  Weight: 170 g

Source: Gionee Big Magic Smartphone Launched With 5.3-inch Display, 13 MP Camera, 4000mAh Battery , In China

Nokia's return to smartphones: New handset emerges with specifications equivalent to that of flagships

Nokia's return to smartphones: New handset surfaces with specifications equivalent to that of flagshipsReuters

Nokia seems to be planning two smartphones for release in the near future. This information has surfaced in the wake of earlier reports that hinted at the existence of a Nokia D1C handset. Now, latest information revealed unofficially points at the existence of a Nokia P1 smartphone that is said to belong to the flagship devices category.

The assumptions about Nokia's plan to release two exclusively-branded smartphones make sense since new reports that point at the existence of Nokia P1 handset do not deny earlier rumours that indicated the possibility of the launch of a Nokia D1C.

Now, with respect to the Nokia P1, rumours from China hint that the smartphone would be made available in a mid-range as well as a high-end edition. Another notable aspect that has surfaced is the fact that the Nokia P1 would be driven by the Google Android 7.0 (Nougat) operating platform.

As far as the key technical specifications of the Nokia P1 are concerned, the details given below (having surfaced unofficially) may give something to Nokia loyalists to feel happy about:

5.2-inch and 5.5-inch AMOLED 2K display

Full metallic unibody on the outside (said to be applicable for both the handsets)

Primary cameras to offer enhanced low-light photography via Graphene camera sensors

Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC

4 GB RAM

At this point in time, the pricing aspects of the purported Nokia P1 are yet to emerge. But considering Nokia's track record of offering value-for-money devices, the P1 is likely to be a competitive offering at least for Nokia loyalists.

Source: Nokia's return to smartphones: New handset emerges with specifications equivalent to that of flagships

Xiaomi claims to have sold over 500000 smartphones in India 3 days

Xiaomi India has announced that it has sold more than 500,000 smartphones in less than three days between 1 and 3 October. The Chinese smartphone maker sold Xioami and Redmi smartphones in three days of festive season sales on Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart.

Redmi 3S (along with Redmi 3S Prime) was the top-selling product on Flipkart during its Big Billion Days Sale while Redmi Note 3 was the best-selling smartphone of Amazon's Great Indian Festival sale. Xiaomi said four of the top six selling products within the electronics category of Amazon were Xiaomi products such as Redmi Note 3 (Gold), Redmi Note 3 (Grey), Mi Band 2 and 10000mAh Mi Power Bank.

Manu Jain, India Head, Xiaomi said,

We are extremely proud to be sharing this milestone with our fans, partners and employees. More than six months of rigorous planning and hard work has helped us set a new benchmark in the industry. Last year we sold more than half a million phones in 30 days during the month of October, and this year we were able to achieve a similar number within three days. Based on what we know, no other brand has ever achieved this in India. We are extremely thankful to all our Mi Fans for their amazing support, and will continue to work hard to constantly outdo ourselves as we have done on many occasions this year. One thing I would like to share with our Mi Fans is that this is just the beginning of a beautiful Mi India journey and there will be many more reasons to celebrate.

During Flipkart's Big Billion Day Sale which began on 2 October, sold more than 800,000 smartphones in one day and Xiaomi claims to be the top smartphone brand. Smartphones available included Mi 4, Redmi Note 3, Mi 5, Mi Max, Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime. Xiaomi's Redmi and Mi phones were also on the lists of best-sellers at Snapdeal's Unbox Diwali Sale and Tata Cliq's Festober Sale.

Source: Xiaomi claims to have sold over 500000 smartphones in India 3 days

Huawei was supposed to build the Google Pixel phones, but...

Android Police says that Google already had Huawei in mind to manufacture the Google Pixel phones that are now being made by HTC. The smartphone blog says it had a conversation with "people familiar with Huawei's operations" which gave them, and now us, an inside look at what went down behind the scenes between Google and the Chinese smartphone maker, Huawei.

When Google brought Huawei onto the Nexus project to make the Nexus 6P, initially, Google told Huawei that the phone would be sold in all four major carriers. This immediately caught Huawei's attention, as the company had been looking for the best way to enter the US market. Now, while the Nexus 6P was compatible with all four major US carriers' networks, not one of them actually sold the Nexus 6P.

In addition to the promise of being sold in all four carrier stores across the country, Google also agreed to collaborate with Huawei and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to advertise the Nexus 6P. Google made the first promise with Huawei a bit too early, as its talks with the carriers didn't make it all the way through. Perhaps carriers didn't want to bother with another Nexus phone as the Motorola-made Nexus 6 (which did sell through all major US carriers) perhaps didn't meet carriers' sales expectations.

Shortly after the launch of the Nexus 5X and 6P, Huawei was approached again by Google about its plans for the year's portfolio. Google wanted Huawei to build the Pixel phones, but Google's condition was that the phones would be Google-branded. At this moment, Huawei was like: 'um, no' and immediately ended negotiations with Google. This is where HTC came in and won the bid instead.

Huawei still hasn't found that entry-point for the US market that it's looking for, the Honor 8 smartphone unfortunately didn't meet expectations and there are even reports of Huawei laying off most of the Huawei US team just a few weeks after the initial sales for the Honor 8. Ironically, the Pixel phones would have been a great entry-point for Huawei at this point in time. Although the Pixel phones would be Google-branded, it would have given Huawei a better chance of selling phones to US carriers in the near-future as the manufacturer of those smartphones.

The source reports that Huawei's relationship with Google "remains strong", with ongoing collaborations that include a previously rumored tablet to be manufactured by Huawei. There are also reports of Google soliciting companies (including Huawei) to build a mid-range device for mid-2017 sadly there's no other information about the latter.

Source | Via

Source: Huawei was supposed to build the Google Pixel phones, but...