Cheapest Smartphone With Dual 13 MP Camera & 720p Slo-Mo Recording! Check

The rear of the Coolpad 1 sports a dual rear-camera setup and the fingerprint scanner

Lets see complete Coolpad Cool 1 Review in detail. "Under the dual-brand strategy we aim to earn a spot within the top 5 smartphone manufacturers in China and in India", he said.

LeEco's CEO Jia Yueting took over as Coolpad's chairman in August after becoming the largest shareholder in the company and the Cool 1 Dual marks the first device under this new partnership.

Coolpad Cool 1 Dual's camera is the biggest differentiator from other LeEco smartphones. The other 3 GB variant will feature a 32GB onboard storage and will be available for purchase on offline stores.

To begin with, the Cool1 sports a shiny metallic unibody with chamfered edges and a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS panel up front with a sufficient 450 nits brightness. The screen also has an incredible 403 PPI pixel density.

Cool 1 is powered with 1.8 Ghz octa-core processor and Adrena 510 GPU and comes in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants.

The dualSIM phone runs Android Marshmallow-based EUI, which is custom skin built by LeEco. The smartphone comes with 32GB of onboard storage and does not have a microSD card for memory expansion. The phone is further backed by a 4,000mAh battery and supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 technology. The Quick Charge feature enables the smartphone to charge up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes as is claimed by the company. The major and important thing which is to be noted is its dual camera along with the battery life.

One of the main highlights of the Cool 1 is a dual-camera setup on the back that includes two 13-megapixel cameras featuring f/ 2.0 aperture, Phase-Detection Auto-focus (PDAF), 4K video recording, 720p slo-mo along with dual-tone LED flash.

One sensor catches the RGB hues while the other one is for catching monochrome pictures.

We will be sharing photo samples shot using Cool 1 Dual in our detailed review, but we can easily say that the camera is better than what we saw in the Le 2. The dual-camera setup on the Cool 1 Dual also allows one to capture images with DSLR-like bokeh effects. Additionally, there's a glass fingerprint scanner on the back, dual-SIM support, 4G LTE, VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth v4.1, and a USB Type-C port on the bottom. The sensor can also be used to click selfies. This phone is available now in one variant only - 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage priced at Rs. 13,999.

Source: Cheapest Smartphone With Dual 13 MP Camera & 720p Slo-Mo Recording! Check

China’s Huawei Vows to Shake Everything Up in a Tougher 2017

Huawei Technologies Co. pledged to overhaul its culture and rethink the way it conducts business, expecting global uncertainty to mount in 2017 after sales growth slowed.

China's largest telecommunications equipment maker expects a 32 percent rise in revenue to 520 billion yuan ($75 billion) in 2016, rotating Chief Executive Officer Eric Xu said. That's down from the 37 percent growth it posted in 2015. The company now needs to re-tool its management approach to zero in on customers' needs, while staunching costs and avoiding "blind optimism and rhetoric."

Huawei, which debuted its first Android device in 2009 and is now the largest smartphone maker after Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., has made significant inroads into markets from the U.S. to Europe. But Chinese rivals from Oppo to Vivo have taken the lead back home and its business of selling networking gear to wireless carriers is vulnerable to political swings. Huawei's consumer business, which includes mainly smartphones, probably grew sales 42 percent to 178 billion yuan in 2016, divisional CEO Richard Yu said in a separate memo.

"The year 2016 has seen a flock of black swans –- both political and economic –- sweep across the globe," Xu said in a memo to staff that was posted on the company website. "In 2017, we will face even greater global political and economic uncertainties."

Those include a rise in costs that outpaced revenue and gross margin growth in 2016. Xu outlined a laundry list of time- and money-wasting activities to root out, including "empty talks in offices that are far removed from actual business" and "fancy" internal promotional videos and slides. He wants more independent thinking and visits to key operations from base stations to stores.

More fundamentally, Xu -- one of several executives that rotate in and out of the top position -- urged a shift in attitude and mindset from merely responding to customers to actively evolving into a technology leader. He wants to build research and innovation centers around the world. And he warned of internal disruption as employees are trained and re-assigned to the field.

"Our human resource policy should help reduce entropy in our workforce," he said.

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You will now receive the Game Plan newsletter Founded in 1987 by former army engineer Ren Zhengfei, Huawei is one of several Chinese companies trying to compete in the global technology market. It remains a global leader in carrier equipment, and its latest smartphones -- the P9 and P9 Plus -- have proven popular in higher-end markets. It posted a 37 percent jump in overall 2015 revenue to 395 billion yuan, and shipped roughly 100 million smartphones globally.

Smartphone sales are expected to grow a single-digit percentage in 2016 for the first time, according to IT researcher Gartner. Huawei's consumer mobile division, riding the strong reception for its marquee phones, far outpaced that: it probably expanded shipments by 29 percent to 139 million units this year, Yu said.

The goal is to become one of two to three few surviving players after a global industry shake-out over the coming three to five years, the consumer division chief added. To get there, Huawei must continue to evolve into a true premium brand and adapt to a rapidly shifting market, rotating CEO Xu said.

"To cure an illness, you have to treat the root cause," Xu said. "Past success is not a reliable indicator of the future, and a long list of accomplishments might end up nothing more than an epitaph."

— With assistance by Yuan Gao

Source: China's Huawei Vows to Shake Everything Up in a Tougher 2017

Qualcomm to Gain Fees From China’s Meizu in Lawsuit Settlement

Qualcomm Inc. said China's Meizu Technology Co. has agreed to pay licensing fees to settle legal battles in China and three other countries, demonstrating the U.S. company can defend its intellectual property in the world's biggest smartphone market.

Meizu will pay Qualcomm patent fees similar to those accepted by other Chinese phone makers, the two companies said Friday in a statement. In a test of its ability to appeal to Chinese courts, Qualcomm sued Meizu in June in China and other countries where Meizu was attempting to do business. The deal also ends those patent conflicts in Germany, France and the U.S., the companies said.

The legal dispute, ended by Friday's agreement, was the first time that Qualcomm had asked Chinese authorities to enforce the terms of a settlement that resolved an antitrust investigation and let the San Diego-based company charge for its intellectual property. The U.S. company gets the majority of its profit from technology licensing.

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You will now receive the Game Plan newsletter In February 2015, Qualcomm announced it had paid $975 million to settle a case brought by China's National Development and Reform Commission accusing the company of abusing its dominant position in the chip market for mobile phones. The agreement also set the terms for licensing fees that many Chinese companies hadn't been paying at that time. The deal with the government let Qualcomm, after what it described often as "tough" negotiations, sign licensing agreements with most of China's major phone makers.

Continuing success in court and negotiations is essential if Qualcomm is to defend a business unique in the chip industry. While sales of semiconductors provide the bulk of the company's revenue, technology licensing generated 75 percent of its pretax profit in the 2016 fiscal year.

This week, South Korea's antitrust regulator slapped a record 1.03 trillion won ($853 million) fine on Qualcomm for violating antitrust laws. That decision, which Qualcomm is appealing, is part of a string of investigations the company is facing including in the U.S., Europe and Taiwan.

Source: Qualcomm to Gain Fees From China's Meizu in Lawsuit Settlement

Mobile payment market to reach US$780 bil. in 2017: firm

The China Post news staffDecember 29, 2016, 12:02 am TWN

The scale of the global mobile payment market is expected to reach US$780 billion by the end of 2017, amounting to an annual increase of 25.8 percent, a market research firm said on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

According to TrendForce, Mobile payment services have expanded significantly during 2016 as smartphone makers intensify their efforts to build their own payment ecosystems. At the same time, innovations and diversification in mobile payment methods have generated new demand and opportunities worldwide.

"Among the smartphone makers that are also developing their mobile payment businesses this year, Apple and Samsung are two brands that have an advantage over their competitors," said Kelly Hsieh, senior research manager of TrendForce. "Since Android has over 50 percent of the mobile OS market share worldwide, Google also has an opportunity to build up an extensive mobile payment ecosystem. Google has recently accelerated the international expansion of its digital wallet platform Android Pay and made a big step forward this December by announcing a partnership with major Japanese e-commerce and internet company Rakuten.

According to Hsieh, Japan's mobile payment has been dominated by domestic service providers and is somewhat closed off to foreign competition compared to the U.S. and China. Therefore, having Rakuten to support Android Pay's entry into the country is strategically important for Google. Users of Android Pay can now access Rakuten's e-money platform Edy, which is accepted in major restaurant and retail chains operating in Japan such as McDonald's, Family Mart, Lawson and Domino's Pizza.

Google is also working with Sony to incorporate FeliCa – an RFID smart payment solution developed by Sony – into an NFC-enabled IC card that works with smartphones. Next year, Google will further strengthen the ecosystem of Android Pay in Japan by linking it up with more payment services and financial institutions, including eMoney, Visa, MasterCard, and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Next year will also see significant progress being made on the development of security solutions for mobile payment. Hsieh noted that in addition to the ongoing integration of different hardware technologies in encrypted chip design, advances in encryption algorithms and multi-factor authentication methods will increase efficiency in user verification, payment confirmation and secure data transfer.

Also, NFC chips are becoming the mainstream solution in mobile payment. Chinese smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu have launched NFC-enabled smartphones this year, thus spurring wider adoption of the technology. TrendForce estimates that over 60 percent of smartphones shipped worldwide in 2017 will feature NFC. The security and convenience that this technology brings may radically change consumers' payment habits in the future.

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Source: Mobile payment market to reach US$780 bil. in 2017: firm

The luxury smartphone with a 7,000mAh battery

Chinese company Gionee has revealed its M2017 smartphone, a 5.7-inch device which features a 7,000mAh battery.

As reported by Engadget, the phone's makers said the M2017 can handle 32 hours of talk time or 26 hours of non-stop video.

Moderate use will see the device lasting several days.

It features a curved QHD display, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and two rear cameras – 12MP and 13 MP.

The M2017 is powered by a Snapdragon 653 processor, which the reported noted was decidedly mid-range.

Pricing for the device starts at ¥6,999 ($1,000) for the 128GB version and goes up to ¥16,999 ($2,440) for the 256GB model.

It is set to launch in China on 6 January.

Now read: Your smartphone won't fry your genitals
Source: The luxury smartphone with a 7,000mAh battery

In China, people are playing ‘Pokemon Go’ with money

It's a free game that gives you money for nothing – so it's little wonder that so many people in China are giving it a try this week on their phones.

The game looks a lot like Pokemon Go, with a cartoony map based on your actual location, nearby items you can grab, and an AR mode that turns your phone's camera into a viewfinder for the treasure you're hunting. The available cash is shown as red envelopes, called hongbao, the traditional way cash is gifted in China.

Photo credit: Tech in Asia.

This is all happening inside Alipay, China's most popular mobile payments app with around 450 million active users. It's a festive feature activated ahead of Chinese New Year, when red packets stuffed with cash are gifted to younger family members.

An Alipay representative tells Tech in Asia the game will be a permanent fixture in the app.

Treasure hunter

When I gave it a try over the weekend, I found hundreds of red envelopes up for grabs within a few blocks of me, offered by the app's users just for a bit of fun. Each cash grab is accompanied by a user name, a location, as well as a clue from that person about where exactly to find it. You have to be in precisely the right spot to pocket the money – you can't get away with swiping things as you walk by or ride the bus like you can in Pokemon Go.

Photo credit: Tech in Asia.

The red envelope nearest me with the easiest clue instructed me to go to the fourth floor of a department store, where an enterprising shop owner was luring people in using the game. The money I nabbed – using my iPhone to scan a special code on her phone – amounted to just a few cents, as is typical for people toying with this feature. The find was deposited into my Alipay account.

See: Chinese consumers lead the world in paying with their phones

China has seen mobile payments go mainstream faster than anywhere else, with people regularly using Alipay and arch-rival WeChat to settle the bill at restaurants, pay for shopping at the supermarket, pay utilities online, and transfer money to friends or family. Apple Pay is also available.

Alipay, a spin-off from online shopping titan Alibaba, last month hit a record one billion transactions in a single day.

Editing by Neha Margosa and Sumit Chakraberty

(And yes, we're serious about ethics and transparency. More information here.) About Steven

Steven's interested in ecommerce, mobile, smartphone adoption, gadgets, social media, transportation, and cars. If you have any tips or feedback, contact him on Twitter: @sirsteven

Source: In China, people are playing 'Pokemon Go' with money

KFC launches first artificial intelligence outlet in Beijing

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has launched its first artificial intelligence-enabled store in the Chinese capital city and plans to further expand its layout of smart restaurants, creating more innovative and interesting dining experiences for customers.

With the cooperation of Baidu Inc, China's largest search engine, KFC started its first smart restaurant in the Financial Street area in Beijing.

At the store, customers are able to take pictures with a machine, which will recognise the diner's face, sex, age, mood and other features, then help to recommend suitable food and set meals and complete the ordering process.

"If the consumer visits the store again and takes a picture with the machine, it will be able to recognise his or her face and show the previous purchase history, remember the customer's dining habits, and help to place an order faster," Wu Zhongqin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Deep Learning of Baidu Inc, which helped to develop the technology, said.

With another machine with an augmented reality, or AR function, customers are able to interact with the machine, change facial expressions by shaking their heads in front of the machine, take photos, and save them to their phones.

In April, KFC, an affiliate of Yum China Holdings Inc, started its first Chinese smart restaurant in Shanghai.

The outlet is equipped with intelligent robot ordering, debuting the use of artificial intelligence in chain restaurants, state-run China Daily reported.

Zhao Li, general manager of Beijing KFC, said smart restaurants are not only about the cool hardware, but more about providing convenience to consumers.

"Our innovations make use of the cutting-edge technologies and they will help to attract more young consumers who prefer fashionable new things. The digitalisation of the restaurant will also help to provide faster and easier services," she said.

"We believe that the restaurant dining experiences must continue to upgrade. With 5,000 stores in China, we plan to expand such services nationwide soon, to adapt to the digital age and enable more consumers to experience enjoyable ordering experiences."

Source: KFC launches first artificial intelligence outlet in Beijing

The tech-savvy Chinese grandmothers who love to video-chat

Early morning at a Tai Chi centre in the suburbs of Beijing.

In front of our camera, a group of around 20 ladies are limbering up.

"She's 71," one of the class proudly told us, pointing out a beaming lady in immaculate black and pink robes. 

Most of the ladies are grandmothers, but this was no sedate morning stretch.

Some of the group demonstrated headstands and splits, as the others clapped and cheered them on.

But the day's main challenge would require different skills.

In between rounds of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, the ladies had come to learn about smartphones, and mastering social media.

China has changed dramatically from the country these ladies grew up in - it is now the world's biggest smartphone market.  

More than half the population is online.

So they're taking part in a six-week community course to get up to speed.

The first task: joining the wifi.

The teacher held up her phone, in its bright yellow foam "minion" cover, and talked them through the process.

Two pink-suited assistants spread out, correcting passwords, and urging those who had already connected, not to disconnect.

The ladies are taught how to use WeChat, a popular Chinese social-messaging app, as well as how to order taxis and pay utility bills online.

Online shopping seemed to be very popular.  

One of the group showed us the brightly-coloured dance outfits she had ordered, and the fashion snaps she sends to her daughter.

But the real hit is video calls.

The class divided into smaller groups to practice: shouting and laughing into the mobile phone screen at their partners, in real life, sitting just metres away.

Wie Jingzhen, at 55 the youngest member of the group, talked us through the benefits.

"Say I want to get in touch with big sister over there," she explained, "to see whether she is going to Tai Chi, I just get out WeChat and make a video-call with her.

"I don't have to go round there in person so I save a lot of time."

She said it was much better than just talking on the phone.

"As soon as I see her, I feel really happy -  It feels like we're much closer together, as though we're in front of each other," she continued.

"This is like I'm seeing her for real."

Fu Yuanxiu, 63, showed us a video she had edited of her morning exercise routine, complete with music and animated birds.  

The only problem now - she is slightly addicted.

"As soon as I wake up, I look at my phone to see what is happening, what news there is, I can't ever be without my phone now," she said.

"If my phone ever runs out of battery that would make me really nervous now."

"Their emotional life can be empty after they retire", class organiser, Shi Yaru, explained, "so they can use the cellphone to find new activities for their lives, to bring many people together, so they do not feel lonely."

Lu Shulian, 71, said the class had helped them make new friends, both on and offline.

"We're coming out to exercise together, but we're also getting to socialise and arrange things.

"We go travelling together, we go dancing together, so all the good things in life we can share." 

After a break for some Tai Chi - to stretch out those shoulders, and shake off all that smartphone stress - two of the star pupils gave us a masterclass in the art of the video-call.

"Hi, how are you? I really miss you!" Ms Wie bellowed at the screen, holding up two fingers in the v-sign that is fashionable here. "Can you see me or not?"

"Yes, I can see you," Ms Fu yelled back, from two metres away. "You look really beautiful."

"Are you going to Tai Chi today? Have you been studying the new moves?"

"Yes, I'm going as well."

Business concluded, the ladies waved goodbye to each other, promising to chat again soon, before dissolving into fits of giggles, to a round of applause from the rest of the class.

Source: The tech-savvy Chinese grandmothers who love to video-chat

Why Chinese are Upset Over This Pricey Golden Smartphone

A limited edition smartphone has sparked criticism in China. The "Titanium Palace Edition" mobile phone, which is supposed to go on sale next month at a price tag of 19,999 yuan (Rs. 20 lakh approximately) is now a topic of criticism after people in China expressed their views on social media sites.

SEE ALSO: The Wackiest technology Products of 2016 That We Want to See in India

As per state-run Global Times newspaper reports, Chinese people took over to social media and called it "a stain on the sacredness of the Imperial City". Another Weibo user expressed his shock sarcastically by saying that, "I always picture the Ancient Emperor strolling through the Forbidden City holding a smartphone."

The gem-laden device comes in a limited run of 999 devices and was designed in partnership with the Palace Museum, inspired by the imperial collections it houses. While the smartphone contains no actual titanium, it comes with an 18-carat gold dragon decoration and a screen made from sapphire glass.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Mi S is a 4.6-inch Flagship Smartphone with Snapdragon 821 CPU

As per reports, the phone's gaudy looks and its connection to one of China's most revered locations have not gone down well with Chinese social media users. The people's reaction has somehow forced the museum to step back from giving the titanium Palace Edition it's full backing, releasing a terse statement via its own Weibo account saying "We don't sell mobile phones".

As noted, the Forbidden City was the imperial palace of China's rulers until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912 and is one of the most-visited museums in the world.

Click Here for New Smartphones Best Online Deals

Image Source: BBC.com, AncientOrigins.net

Source: Why Chinese are Upset Over This Pricey Golden Smartphone

In a world worn out on wearables, China still likes them

The hype around wearables has faded in the West, but in China, consumers are still excited about the prospect of purchasing a device and manufacturers continue to see a rise in sales.

In July 2016, a Deloitte survey on Chinese customers found 47 percent of respondents owned wearables. In the same survey, 54 percent said they would consider purchasing a wearable in the next 12 months, the second highest percentage after smartphones.

See also: Can the smartwatch market recover from big declines?

Part of the reason for the variant between Western and Chinese consumers is choice. In the U.S., a lot of the cheap wearables are marketed at fitness and health fanatics, while the more advanced smartwatches come at a premium rate for limited functionality.

In China, there are plenty of inexpensive wearable choices from Xiaomi, Alibaba, BBK, Mobvoi, ZTE and others, some aimed at a specific audience, others built for a specific function, like mobile payments. What would cost the equivalent of $300 in the U.S. can be found for less than $100 in China, from multiple suppliers.

Chinese companies are not following trends set by U.S. or European companies, as they seem to in the smartphone industry. Some of the ideas, marketing, and functionality is truly original and focused on Chinese culture and consumer habits.

That's also part of the reason it is hard, if not impossible, for wearable manufacturers to copy or replicate the success in China globally. China has a different cultural and commercial framework, and that does not tend to export well to Western audiences.

Source: In a world worn out on wearables, China still likes them

Hard Bargain: Should you buy a cheap smartphone from China?

Reach into your pocket right now and pull out your phone. What is it? We can almost guarantee it's an iPhone or Samsung.

No, we're not spying on you. It's actually a pretty safe guess when you know 70 per cent of Australians have an Apple or Samsung smartphone.

The OPPO R9: Should you buy one? Photo: Supplied

While you've probably never thought otherwise, could there be a cheaper yet more powerful option out there?

In our last episode of Hard Bargain for 2016, we're diving into the world of cheap alternatives such as OPPO, Huawei and Xiaomi – brands you've probably never heard of but that are making a serious splash in Asia.

​What do tech reviewers make of them? How do you get your hands on one? And is it true the Chinese government could use them to listen to your calls?

How to listen to us:

From a desktop or laptop, you can listen to us by hitting the big play button on the link above.

You can subscribe to the Hard Bargain series on iTunes by clicking on this link.

On your iPhone or iPad, open the pre-loaded Podcasts app and search for Hard Bargain. Click subscribe to have new episodes delivered to your phone each week.

If you like what your hear, please rate us on iTunes.

Please also get in touch with us via email or on Twitter.

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Source: Hard Bargain: Should you buy a cheap smartphone from China?

China Seen Readying for Trade War During Trump Presidency

BEIJING — 

The possibility of a trade war between the United States and China loomed large over the horizon after the U.S. electoral college confirmed Donald Trump's presidency on Monday. China is expected to take a series of defensive and retaliatory measures to counter any U.S. moves to restrict the role of Chinese goods and currency movements in the American economy, as Trump has promised to do.

"In the event of a trade war with the United States, China's response would go well beyond tariff increases," said Mark Williams, Chief Asia Economist for Capital Economics. "U.S. companies would find their products and operations in China subject to tighter regulation that hampered their capacity to do business there."

FILE - A staff member works at a service center for repairing Cadillac cars at its dealership in Beijing, China, March 14, 2016.

"U.S. exports of cars and aircraft would be in the firing line," he said. "China might also subject U.S. companies to tighter regulation that hampers their capacity to do business. Beijing may also encourage its exporters by offering tax rebates to overcome any reduction in export demand in the U.S." Williams said.

In informal discussions, Chinese officials say there is a lot of uncertainty about how the new U.S. president will handle relations with China, and preparations are being made to deal with varied scenarios.

WATCH: China Assesses Future Relations With US Under Trump

Mixing politics and economy

In the past, China has responded with trade restrictions on several countries for political reasons. For example, Norway for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a dissident writer or giving a visa to Tibet's Dalai Lama. Trump's recent tweet questioning the One-China policy concerning Taiwan has already caused a stir in the Chinese Communist Party.

Talking about investments by China's companies in the United States, Trump recently said, "They haven't played by the rules, and I know it is about time they are going to start". Some members of the U.S. Congress have also called for a review of the policies concerning Chinese investments.

FILE - People visit heavy machinerys of Sany at Bauma China 2016, The 8th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery in Shanghai, China, Nov. 22, 2016.

This elicited a strong response from Wang Jianlin, China's richest man, who acquired movie studios and other properties in the United States. He says restricting Chinese companies would hurt American jobs instead of helping the country. Wang said he has invested $10 billion and employs 20,000 people in the United States, who will have "nothing to eat" if restrictions are placed on Chinese businesses.

FILE - Wang Jianlin, chairman of Wanda Group, speaks during a signing ceremony for a strategic partnership between FIBA and Wanda Group in Beijing, June 16, 2016. Wanda Group has purchased Dick Clark Productions for $1 billion.

During the election campaign, Trump also promised to declare China a currency manipulator. The Chinese yuan has considerably devalued, owing to market pressure. Analysts are divided on whether he would still go ahead with his threat after the recent devaluation.

"I am sure that the U.S. under Trump will focus unrelentingly on the exchange rate," Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College, London. "It is a huge anomaly in the 21st century that the world's second biggest economy does not have a market set exchange rate ... In that sense, China is really a freeloader, in the eyes of its American opponents, and they will want to see a quick move to rebalance the Chinese currency, and do something about this anomaly".

US business concerns

More than 1,500 Chinese companies established operations employing 80,000 workers in the United States, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

U.S. businesses operating in China have their own fears of moves that cause instability to trade and investment relationships.

"Isolating or penalizing China will not serve America's interests, and only with engagement and commerce will the two largest economies of the world make progress to reach a consensus on contentious issues such as national and regional security, market access and industrial policies, internet censorship, cybersecurity, and terrorism," James Zimmerman, chairman of AmCham, China told VOA.

"We do indeed recognize that talking tough is a lot easier than thinking tough and making tough decisions, which is what presidents actually have to do," he said adding, "The chamber has long supported maintaining stability in the region, and we expect the new U.S. administration to respect the status quo".

Penalty corners

Who suffers most in the case of a trade war? China would be the first to be hit, and more severely because the United States is a major market for Chinese goods. America buys three times more than what it sells to China.

FILE - People walk past a boutique of the luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. in Beijing, China, Dec. 1, 2016.

But Beijing can take solace in the fact that Trump would end up hurting the American consumer if he imposed a 45 percent duty on Chinese goods, as he has promised to do.The most important items in the Chinese export basket are mobile phones, tablets/laptops and network equipment. A higher tax on these goods would ultimately be paid by U.S. consumers, Williams of Capital Economics said.

Williams does not see the incoming President slapping the 45 percent tax on Chinese goods as he had promised, but hostilities can break out anytime, he warns.

Source: China Seen Readying for Trade War During Trump Presidency

The Chinese tech giant whose smartphones flopped over and over just won’t stop trying

Qihoo CEO Zhou Hongyi at an event for his smartphone subsidiary Qiku.

It was Albert Einstein (supposedly) who said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.

By that definition, Qihoo 360 CEO Zhou Hongyi is insane.

Welcome to crazytown

You may not have heard of Qihoo 360, but it's actually one of China's largest internet companies, just a rung below Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent. It's primarily an antivirus and security company, but CEO and founder Zhou Hongyi has been trying to branch out for years. Qihoo has flirted with everything from social media to search engines, achieving some traction but little sustained success. It's clear, however, that Zhou's real Holy Grail is the smartphone.

Just last week, Qihoo revealed that it has acquired smartphone maker Blephone in the hopes that 2017 will finally be the year of the Qihoo smartphone. On its face, it seems like a dubious claim. For one thing, nobody has ever heard of Blephone, so it's hard to see how that company is going to turn Qihoo's smartphone fortune around. But it's also hard to ignore the reality: Qihoo has been trying to get a foothold in China's smartphone market for years, sometimes with help from much more respected partners, and it has failed every single time.

In 2012, probably inspired by the success of an ascendant Xiaomi, Qihoo began trying to get into the smartphone game by partnering with Chinese OEMs to make Qihoo-branded phones. That year, it released phones from Huawei and Haier, but ultimately neither of those caught on. By 2013, both partnerships had dried up.

Qihoo's "Battleship" smartphone, made with Haier.

In late 2014, Qihoo took another swing for the fences, investing big in a joint-venture with Chinese smartphone maker Coolpad. At the time, Zhou was convinced that it wasn't too late for Qihoo to enter the smartphone game, but the market had other ideas. Qihoo got into a spat with Coolpad over an outside investment from upstart phone-maker LeEco (then called Letv), and although the issue was eventually settled, the joint-venture's "Qiku" brand phones fell flat.

At around the same time, Qihoo also developed its own Android-based smartphone OS called 360OS. That's still around (it'll be used in the phones Qihoo releases with Blephone), but it has failed to grab up any significant market share. Neither have any of the self-made smartphones Qihoo has released in addition to the partner-made phones described above.

So, 2012 wasn't the year of the Qihoo smartphone. Neither was 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016. I don't have a crystal ball, but the outlook for Qihoo's smartphone plans in 2017 don't look good, especially considering that Blephone is a far less accomplished partner than Coolpad, Huawei, or Haier.

So wait, is Zhou Hongyi actually crazy, then?

He's certainly been called that. In fact, his own partner Coolpad accused him of acting like "an emperor who howls crazily" in an open letter sent to him during the dispute between the two companies.

But in fact, Zhou probably knows his company missed the boat. It's not clear why he refuses to let the idea go, but he knew it was already quite late to get into China's smartphone market back in 2015. Back then, he told Forbes China that Qihoo had already missed the best opportunity to get into the smartphone game, which was back in 2012. But, he said, Qihoo has to get into the smartphone game because:

Will something new disrupt the smartphone? If you're not making smartphones, you'll never know the answer to that question. You'll always be an outsider.

Two years later, Qihoo's still on the outside looking in. And despite a new plan to get into the smartphone game, it seems highly unlikely that this time, Qihoo will somehow fight its way to a serious share of the market.

Qihoo is doing the same thing it's been doing for the past five years, but expecting a different result. It won't get one.

This is an opinion piece.

Source: The Chinese tech giant whose smartphones flopped over and over just won't stop trying

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 rumored to launch in India in January 2017

Despite all being a great choice for future users to enjoy, the release of Samsung's Galaxy J7 Prime, Asus Zenfone 3 and Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3 caused a lot of debate between tech specialist on what phone is the best in terms of performance, design and features.

There are widespread rumors that Xiaomi will showcase few home products such as vacuum cleaner, Mi Air Purifier including Redmi Note 4.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is expected to come with a 6.4-inches 2K display with a 100% screen-to-body ratio.

In India, Xiaomi will launch the Snapdragon 625 SoC variant while in China the smartphone was launched with Helio X20 SoC. The base variant is priced at 899 Yuan, which is Rs 9,000 approximately while the 64GB variant is priced at 1,199 Yuan, which is Rs 12,000 approximately.

How to Unlock Super Mario Run's 5 Hidden CharactersYou can also get more Toad Rally Tickets by collecting all of the five Pink Coins in the World Tour levels of Super Mario Run. Let us know in the comments section and if our editor is really nice, maybe he'll let us add it to the article down the road.

To put the specification into perspective, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was launched in two variants earlier this year - 16GB variant with 2GB RAM for Rs 9,999 and a 32GB variant with 3GB RAM for Rs 11,999.

According to a report by maktech blog, Xiaomi will bring the Snapdragon 625 SoC variant in India, which will be launched in 2GB/3GB/4GB RAM options.

The handset will be launched in four colours with 2GB, 3GB and 4GB RAM options.

On the back, the Redmi Note 4 comes with a 13-megapixel camera with pdaf and dual-LED flash. It is powered by a 2GHz Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Processor with 2GB/3GB/4GB RAM. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and 85-degree wide-angle lens. It is fueled with a big 4,100 mAh battery. The smartphone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow (out-of-the-box). It has hybrid slot which can act as dual sim slot or expandable slot.

Source: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 rumored to launch in India in January 2017

Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro & C7 Pro Rumored to Launch on January 21st in China

Samsung is rumored to launch the Galaxy C5 Pro and Galaxy C7 Pro smartphones this month in China. However, the latest leaks hinted that the launch event is postponed to January 2017. Even though the CES 2017 will happen in January, we can't expect the company to launch these devices as they are exclusive to the Chinese market. Last month, the news from China mentioned both the C5 Pro and C7 Pro to feature Snapdragon 626 SoC and 4GB RAM. Now, the same source has suggested these devices to officially launch on January 21st in China. As of now, only the Galaxy C7 Pro with the model number SM-G7010 got certified by TENAA. From the image, we can see the new design that looks similar to the recently launched Galaxy C9 Pro.

Earlier: Nov 28, 2016 – In May this year, Samsung introduced the new Galaxy C series exclusively in China by launching the Galaxy C5 and Galaxy C7 smartphones. From the last few weeks, we have been seeing several rumors and leaks about their successors – Galaxy C5 Pro and Galaxy C7 Pro. While the benchmark listings mentioned the devices to come with Snapdragon 625 SoC, now the latest news from China suggests both the devices to feature Snapdragon 626 processor. This new processor offers 10% better performance than the Snapdragon 625 SoC. Just last month, Qualcomm has announced this new 64-bit octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz and coupled with Adreno 506 GPU. It supports both FDD and TD LTE and offers download speeds upto 300Mbps and upload speeds upto 150 Mbps.

As seen with their predecessors Galaxy C5 and C7; the new Galaxy C5 Pro and C7 Pro also comes with 4GB of RAM. The Galaxy C5 Pro and C7 Pro comes with the model numbers SM-C5010 and SM-C7010 respectively. While the company is working on Android 7.0 Nougat update for Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge smartphones, the Galaxy C5 Pro and C7 Pro will still run on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow based TouchWiz UI. The devices sport an all-metal unibody design and might look similar to their predecessors. The Galaxy C5 Pro is expected to feature 5.2-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED display whereas the Galaxy C7 Pro comes with a slightly bigger 5.7-inch display. The physical home button on the front will come equipped fingerprint sensor.

With the Snapdragon 626 processor, the devices also support Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology. Qualcomm introduced the Quick Charge 4.0 that will be available first with the Snapdragon 835 SoC powered smartphones. Since this new processor will be built on Samsung 10nm FinFET process, we also expect the Galaxy S8 and S8 Edge to be first devices to be launched with the new Snapdragon 835 SoC. The Galaxy C5 Pro and C7 Pro will also be NFC enabled making them eligible for Samsung Pay mobile payment technology. Recently, the company also launched the Galaxy C9 Pro smartphone exclusively in China. While the Galaxy Note 7 is rumored to feature  6GB RAM, Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy C9 Pro as their first 6GB RAM smartphone.

It is priced at 3199 Yuan (approx $460 / Rs. 32,000) and is already on sale in Gold and Rose Gold color options. Under the hood is the Snapdragon 653 octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There is also a MicroSD card slot for additional storage expansion upto 256GB. On the front is a huge 6-inch Full HD AMOLED display. The Galaxy C9 Pro comes with 16MP camera on front and back of the device. The rear camera comes assisted by a dual tone LED flash. The device is kept powered on by a 4,000mAh battery with fast charging support. Another 6-inch Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy A9 Pro which was also launched in India came with an even bigger 5,000mAh battery. Connectivity options include 4G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. It measures 162.9 x 80.7 x 6.9mm and weighs 185 grams.

(Note: The above featured image is of Samsung Galaxy C5)

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Source: Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro & C7 Pro Rumored to Launch on January 21st in China

Cool S1 with Snapdragon 821 SoC, 6GB RAM, 4070mAh battery launched in China

As expected, Coolpad and LeEco has launched their new Cool series smartphone Cool S1. This is the third Cool smartphone from the Cool series. The device comes with some exciting specs. Let's check out the quick specs sheet.

Cool S1 Specifications

5.5-inch Full HD Display

2.35GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 821 Processor

Adreno 530 GPU

4GB RAM/6GB RAM

64GB/128GB internal memory

Android 6.0.1 with EUI 5.8

16-megapixel rear camera with Dual Tone LED flash, Sony IMX298 sensor, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture

8-megapixel front facing camera

Fingerprint Scanner

4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz), GPS, USB Type-C, Harman Kardon earphones

4070mAh battery with  Qualcomm charge 3.0

Cool S1 comes with a Full HD Display with the resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The smartphone is powered by 2.35GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 821 Processor. In terms of RAM and internal storage the device comes in three variants; 4GB RAM+64GB ROM, 6GB RAM+64GB ROM, 6GB RAM+128GB ROM. Out of the box, the device comes with Android 6.0.1 with EUI 5.8 preloaded.

Also Read  Coolpad Note 3 Plus with 5.5-inch Full HD Display, 3GB RAM launches for Rs. 8999

Coming to the Camera specs, Cool S1 have a 16-megapixel rear camera with Dual Tone LED flash, Sony IMX298 sensor, PDAF and f/2.0 aperture. On the front, it has an 8-megapixel shooter to take care of your selfies.

The device has 4G VoLTE support and has a Fingerprint sensor on the back. Under the hood, the device has a 4070mAh battery with Qualcomm charge 3.0 support for fast charging. Inside the box, you can find Harman Kardon earphones.

Coming to the pricing, the 4GB RAM+64GB ROM variant is priced at ¥2499 (₹24,400 approx.), the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM variant is priced at ¥2699 (₹26,356 approx.), and for the 6GB RAM+128GB ROM is priced at ¥3199 (₹31,237 approx.). The device comes in Black and Gold color variants.

Source

Source: Cool S1 with Snapdragon 821 SoC, 6GB RAM, 4070mAh battery launched in China

An IPO in Hong Kong: China’s No. 1 selfie-editing app maker Meitu’s bitter and sweet moment

Selfie-editing app maker Meitu on Thursday had its initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong. The offering price was HKD 8.5 (USD 1.1); after an up and a down, it closed flat at HKD 8.5 on the first trading day, with support from underwriter Morgan Stanley, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The IPO brought Meitu a net profit of HKD 4.7 billion and pushed its valuation to nearly USD five billion. According to Chinese tech blog Ifanr, Meitu stated that 29% of the profit will be used for expanding Meitu's businesses in smartphones and other smart devices, 22.6% for investing and acquiring assets that will enhance Meitu's own strengths, and 19.7% for marketing.

Second only to Tencent, Meitu's listing is the largest IPO of an internet company at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), and the largest IPO of a tech company that HKEX has seen in 10 years.

Why Hong Kong?

HKEX was founded in 1891 and, with a valuation of USD 2.83 trillion, it ranks the sixth biggest globally, as of August 2016. However, HKEX does not strongly feature in the history of tech company IPOs. In fact, according to the WSJ, tech companies account for a mere 10% of Hong Kong's market capitalization.

Nevertheless, Hong Kong holds more chances for faster financing, and has relatively more consummate rules and regulations for the capital market, compared with mainland China. In addition, Meitu co-founder Cai Wensheng said at the IPO event, "We have millions of users in Hong Kong, and this adds to our courage."

What's special about Meitu

Among Meitu's major products are its flagship photo editing and sharing app Meitu Pic, Beauty Camera, and Meipai, an app that beautifies mobile videos, which can then be shared to friends. These major products have been installed on 1.1 billion devices, winning Meitu 430 million total overseas users, and 456 million monthly active users globally.

However, behind the sweetness is the lesser known bitterness: the large number of users have failed to bring in corresponding profitability. According to Ifanr, the total revenue of Meitu in 2013, 2014 and 2015 was RMB 85.88 million (USD 12.37 million), RMB 488 million and RMB 742 million respectively; in contrast, the total losses were RMB 25.81 million, RMB 1.77 billion and RMB 2.22 billion.

What's next after the IPO?

So what's after the IPO? How might Meitu's business model finally lead it to profits?

Venture investor Kai-Fu Lee, an early backer of Meitu, said that with Meitu having built up its brand, it can be expected to hold great potential.

Among the many pathways to profit, one of them is perhaps shifting focus towards making devices. Although Meitu may not be technically superior to other smartphone makers in many ways, the Meitu smartphone, targeted specifically at Meitu fans who love beautified photos and videos, could contribute to Meitu's success.

Meitu CFO Yan Jingliang said that the smartphone business already enjoys a gross margin of 18% to 20% of the revenue, although research and development costs, as well as overseas marketing, accounted for much of the loss.

Other than making devices, Meitu may also profit from online ads, added-value web services, as well as e-commerce.

（Top photo from Baidu Images)

Source: An IPO in Hong Kong: China's No. 1 selfie-editing app maker Meitu's bitter and sweet moment

Saina Nehwal criticised for posting picture of herself with Honor smartphone

New Delhi,Dec15: Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal has faced severe criticism for posting a picture of herself with her new smart phone. Saina posted the picture on Twitter with caption, "My new Honor 8 phone …… love the phone and the colour."

Some of her followers didn't take the post too well and started calling her an 'anti-national' for apparently promoting a Chinese phone brand.

"Saina please dnt use r promote bloody Chinese goods…. We have lo of respect for u. Please kickoff those bloody Chinese goods," commented someone on the post. "I am your fan, but if you say buy China product am not. I will say stop this nonsense," followed another one.

Seeing so many people lashing out at Saina for promoting the smart phone brand, many jumped to her defense. Here's what some of Saina's fans said:

"Saina u go with your mind and go ahead, congrats for ur new phone, some people are still poor by mind. And guys don't forget she make a India proud in Badminton….God bless u Saina," commented a fan.

"That's really sad that people are mocking her for this post. Guys, get a life. She's as much patriot as me and you. She's made India proud. These comments are disheartening," another fan wrote.

Earlier in March this year, Saina was announced as Huawei's sub-brand Honor's India brand ambassador which explains the primary reason behind her putting up such post.

Another point that should be noted is that the Chinese multinational has already announced its 'Make in India' vision, and will be setting up a manufacturing unit in Chennai in partnership with Flex.

Source: Saina Nehwal criticised for posting picture of herself with Honor smartphone

Microsoft to bring full Windows experience on mobile phones

First Posted: Dec 14, 2016 12:22 AM EST

Apps on the x86 architecture have mostly been limited to desktop processors - until now. At the 2016 WinHEC Conference in China, Microsoft announced that ARM processors will soon be able to run the full desktop experience of Windows.

During the Windows 8 time frame, as The Verge recounted, Microsoft implemented Windows on ARM under Windows RT, which proved to be unpopular since RT was only capable of running apps from the Windows store - that meant no x86 apps.

This has been rectified with the software giant's partnership with Qualcomm. Through emulation that is built into Windows 10, ARM processors will be able to run x86 win32 programs.

Executive Vice President Terry Myerson noted on Windows Blog: "For the first time ever, our customers will be able to experience the Windows they know with all the apps, peripherals, and enterprise capabilities they require, on a truly mobile, power efficient, always-connected cellular PC."

With a Snapdragon chipset, Microsoft demoed Windows 10 on ARM running the desktop Office suite, Adobe Photoshop, and Halo Spartan Assault. This showed how easily desktop apps might be handled on laptops and tablets by hardware partners, and even phones with Continuum, all the while taking advantage of the light footprint that mobile processors provide.

Lumia 950 XL release with Continuum, a feature of Windows 10 Mobile that let's phone act like computers when connected to a display. While Microsoft did not discuss Continuum in relation to this x86 emulation, this ARM implementation of Windows 10 could make Continuum that much more potent.

As it stands, Continuum for Windows 10 Mobile can only be taken advantage of using apps specifically design under the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) architecture, but Windows 10 on ARM can bring desktop apps to phones.

Windows 10's support for ARM processors is set to release next year. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

TagsMicrosoft, microsoft windows, Windows RT, Qualcomm, qualcomm snapdragon, windows 10, microsoft office, Adobe Photoshop, Halo: Spartan Assault, lumia 950 XL, Continuum

© 2015 Latin Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Microsoft to bring full Windows experience on mobile phones

360 F4S Smartphone with 5.5″ Full HD Display & 3GB RAM Launched in China

In March this year, Qihoo 360 rebranded its smartphone brand QiKU to 360. The 360 F4 is the first smartphone to be launched under the new brand name. Now, the company has launched the upgraded variant called as 360 F4s, this same device got the TENAA certification in the month of September. Earlier to this, the company also launched the 360 N4 and its upgraded variant 360 N4S in China. One major upgrade when compared to the 360 F4, is that the new F4S comes with an all metal body instead of polycarbonate hell. This year, we have seen most manufacturers are preferring Metal even for the entry-level devices.

Apart from the change in material, the design looks same as earlier with the curved edges. Talking about the specifications, the 360 F4S sports a larger 5.5-inch display with Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution, while the F4 is limited to just 5-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixels) display. Under the hood is the year's old MediaTek MT6753 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. It includes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. 360 F4S also offers MicroSD card slot for further expansion of storage upto 128GB. The device runs on the latest 360 OS 2.0 based Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

It sports a 13MP rear camera with PDAF and dual tone LED flash, and on the front is a 5MP selfie camera. The 360 F4S is backed by a larger 3,900mAh non-removable battery compared to the 2,500mAh battery on 360 F4. It supports dual SIM dual standby and compatible with both FDD and TD LTE bands. Connectivity options on the F4S include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and MicroUSB 2.0 port. Just below the rear camera is the circular fingerprint sensor which is said to unlock the device in 0.2 seconds. With the 360 2.0 OS, any particular app can be protected with the fingerprint sensor.

With the modest upgrades, the 3GB RAM variant of the 360 F4S is priced at 1199 Yuan while the 360 F4 with  2GB RAM is currently retailing at just 499 Yuan in China. While the QiKU phones are sold in few markets outside of China, after rebranding to 360, the company has made them exclusive to the Chinese market. A couple of months back, the company had officially launched the 360 N4S with the similar design as 360 N4. The device comes with the same 5.5-inch Full HD display as seen on the F4S. It is powered by Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor coupled with Adreno 505 GPU.

It packs 4GB of RAM and comes with 64GB of expandable storage. There is a 16MP rear camera with dual tone LED flash and an 8MP front camera. Both the cameras are assisted by LED flash. It is kept powered on by a 5,000mAh battery that can give a single day of heavy usage. The device comes with dual SIM support and offers all the basic connectivity features. Stay tuned on Phone Radar for more details!

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Source: 360 F4S Smartphone with 5.5″ Full HD Display & 3GB RAM Launched in China

Xiaomi Mi VR Play headset with zipper design launched in India, priced at Rs 999

Home > News > Xiaomi Mi VR Play headset with zipper design launched in India, priced at Rs 999 By Nandini Yadav | Updated: December 12, 2016 11:17 AM IST Email @NandiniYadav08 comments Tags: xiaomi News

At the Mi Pop event that took place on December 11, Xiaomi Vice President Hugo Barra, announced the launch and availability of the Mi VR Play headset in India. The headset has been priced in India at Rs 999, and will go on sale on mi.com from December 21 at 12:00PM. Additionally, along with the VR headset, Xiaomi also launched the Mi Live live-streaming app in India, which is now available on Google Play store for free.

Talking about the VR headset, the device was first launched back in August this year in China. The Mi VR Play is made using materials like Spandex and Lycra, and comes with a zipper design so that the smartphone doesn't fall off when in use. In fact, the zipper design has been one of the high points of the VR headset, which Xiaomi says lets a user insert smartphones of different sizes and form factors.

The headset has a dimension of 201x107x91mm, and can accommodate any smartphone that features a screen sized between 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch. Another interesting bit is the pair of cutouts at the front, which the company says helps dissipate the heat from a device. On the inside are two anti-glare lenses, and a button at the top for navigation. ALSO READ: New Xiaomi smartphone with LG G Flex-like concave design spotted online

Additionally, the Xiaomi VR Play headset is Google Cardboard compatible, and allows a user to view 360-degree on apps like YouTube and Mi Live VR livestreams. Also, talking about the live stream app , Xiaomi said, "Mi Live is our livestream app where you can share your daily thoughts, music talents, fitness tips, and more with the world. It has several built-in features like video chat and Beautify. In Mi Live, you can talk to the hosts, send comments, and they can respond to you in real time. It's very interactive."

Students should use free Wi-Fi service to download books, not… Cyware launches new service to educate people about cyber security… Published: December 12, 2016 11:16 AM IST | Updated: December 12, 2016 11:17 AM IST

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Source: Xiaomi Mi VR Play headset with zipper design launched in India, priced at Rs 999

IDC was so wrong about Windows Phone

I laughed so hard and so often at IDC's smartphone forecast, my response took nine days to write -- okay, to even start it. The future isn't my chuckable -- that data looks reasonably believable enough -- but the past. Because 2016 was supposed to be the year that Microsoft's mobile OS rose from the ashes of Symbian to surpass iOS and to challenge Android.

In 2011, IDC forecast that Windows Phone global smartphone OS market share would top 20 percent in 2015. The analyst firm reiterated the platform's No. 2 status for 2016 in 2012 as well. Not that I ever believed the ridiculous forecasts, writing: "If Windows Phone is No. 2 by 2015, I'll kiss Steve Ballmer's feet" and "If Windows Phone is No. 2 by 2016, I'll clean Steve Ballmer's toilet". The CEO's later retirement let me lose from those obligations had I been wrong. I was confident in my analysis being truer.

Windows Phone is dead -- far worse so than even my most dismal prognostications. IDC puts 2016 global share at 0.4 percent, down (cough, cough) 79.1 percent year over year. Can you say freefall? Android, by comparison, accounts for 85 percent of smartphone operating system share as measured  by shipments; iOS is 14.3 percent.

Looking to 2020, IDC predicts:

Android: 85.6 percent

iOS: 14.2 percent

Windows Phone 0.1 percent

I suppose Microsoft should take solace in being among the top three, except for tying -- if IDC actually forecasts accurately -- with category Others. Oh what a woeful place to be, eh?

The only folks laughing louder than me must be at Alphabet subsidiary Google. Android dominates the mobile market, with absolute certainty. I told you so in October 2009 analysis "Apple cannot win the smartphone wars". Ouch, did I get flamed for that one by the Apple Faithful. Big G's platform was a toddler of about one year and seemingly no match for the so-called Jesus Phone.

Again, assuming IDC gets 2020 right, Apple can expect share to stay flat, rather than decline -- and with the company's fierce push into cloud services, No. 2 and 14-plus percent is a good place to be. The platform wars are still underway, and on multiple fronts: automated assistants; cloud storage and sync; content services; operating systems; search; and social interaction, among others.

There, Apple has some success applying the pay-more principle, which makes up from revenue what's lost in volume. For example, I looked at some streaming subscription services last evening offered through both companies' app stores. Amazon has AcornTV for $4.99 a month with 7-day trial. Apple gives you 30-days to try but then charges two bucks more per month; right, $6.99.

Would you like to rent "Home Alone" for family viewing? Both companies charge $3.99, but Amazon does so for 48 hours versus 24 hours from Apple. Those are typical times across the streaming catalog.

But I digress. Back to smartphone OS share, IDC couldn't have been more wrong about 2016 four years ago. In September 2010, I asked: "Are Gartner and IDC mobile forecasts trustworthy?" My answer is the same six years later: No. While smartphone sales slow in the two largest markets, China and the United States, and across Europe, there remains plenty of headroom among emerging markets. India looms large among them.

Sales/shipment share for a category replacing or displacing something else (PCs and dumb phones) is volatile and rapidly changing. Other factors cannot be anticipated, like Samsung's brand-damaging and revenue-ruining Galaxy Note 7 recall. Or Apple's iPhone Upgrade program, which finances devices for manageable monthly fee and lets users trade-up when the next model ships. Android remains highly fragmented, while iOS is not. Chinese manufacturers adopting and adapting Android are expanding into new geographies, particularly emerging markets.

The point: The mobile device market, while maturing, is still fast-changing. Don't expect IDC to be any righter in 2020 than it was in 2016 -- just perhaps not as wrong.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Dmytro Zinkevych

Source: IDC was so wrong about Windows Phone

China’s Per-Capita GDP At $8,000, 70% Poverty Eradicated

BEIJING – China, the world's second biggest economy, has eradicated 70% of poverty and its per-capita GDP has grown to $8,000 thanks to the three decades of economic development, the government said today.

According to a white paper titled "The Right to Development: China's Philosophy, Practice and Contribution," the number of phone connections in China has climbed to 1.54 billion last year with 688 million internet users and over 700 million people were lifted out of poverty in the past three decades.

Among the 1.54 billion people with phone connections, about 1.3 billion people use mobile phones in China, it said.

The document, released by the Information Office of the central cabinet, said people's living standards had significantly improved in the country.

From 1978 to 2015, per capita GDP grew from over $200 to above $8,000, it said. In 1978, per capita disposable income of urban residents was only 343.4 yuan, and per capita net income of rural residents was only 133.6 yuan.

In 2015, per capita disposable income of all residents reached 21,966 yuan ($3,662) and the figures were 31,195 yuan for urban residents and 11,422 yuan for rural residents, state-run Xinhua quoted the white paper as saying.

Chinese residents made 127.86 million outbound trips in the same year, including 121.72 million private trips, it said, adding that China has lifted 700 million people out of poverty through more than 30 years of reform, accounting for more than 70% of the global reduction in poverty.

With the economic development, the average life expectancy in the nation has grown from 35 years in 1949 to 76.3 years in 2015, ranking high among the developing countries, it said.

The level of education has also soared. In 1949, more than 80% of the national population was illiterate, and the enrolment rate of school-age children was only 20%.

In 2015, net enrolment rate of school-age children at the primary school stage was 99.88% and that at the senior high school stage was 87%. —

Source: China's Per-Capita GDP At $8,000, 70% Poverty Eradicated

OneFive T2 & C3 Smartphones with 4G LTE & Yun OS Launched in China

OneFive, the China-based smartphone manufacturer, had launched its latest smartphones OneFive T2 & OneFive C3. The devices run on Alibaba's Yun OS instead of the Android. Though Yun OS is a forked version of Android, it has its own App store and also includes several features that are missing on Android OS. Even the AliPay mobile payment system is integrated into Yun OS for secure and easier payments. Both the OneFive T2 and C3 comes with basic specifications, but the pricing of the devices are still unknown. We expect them to cost less than $100 and will be sold internationally via Chinese e-commerce stores like AliExpress.

The OneFive T2 sports a metal frame along with a removable plastic back cover. It comes with a 5.5-inch display with HD (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution. Under the hood is a 64-bit quad-core processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. There is also a MicroSD card slot for further storage expansion. In the camera department, there is an 8MP rear camera with PDAF and LED flash. For selfies, there is also a 2MP sensor on the front. It is backed by a 4,000mAh battery that can give more than a day long battery life. It comes with dual SIM slots with dual standby support along with a separate slot for MicroSD card.

It comes with dual SIM slots with dual standby support along with a separate slot for MicroSD card. Connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and MicroUSB 2.0 port.  It has a textured finish on the back and features a loudspeaker placed on the bottom rear of the device. Talking about the OneFive C3, it comes with an all metal body and sports a 5-inch FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels) display. Even though it sports superior build quality, it comes with very basic specifications. It is also powered by a quad-core processor and comes with just 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

The OneFive C3 sports a 5MP rear camera with a LED flash and on the front is the same 2MP sensor as seen on the OneFive T2. While the T2 comes with a 4,000mAh battery, the C3 has only a 1,800mAh battery. It also supports dual SIM dual stand body and features the same connectivity options as on the OneFive T2. Stay tuned on PhoneRadar for more details!

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Source: OneFive T2 & C3 Smartphones with 4G LTE & Yun OS Launched in China

Latest Kantar Smartphone Market Share for the month of October 2016 is now available

October was the month which had seen the Arrival of iPhone 7/7 Plus around the world. Inspite of not having an Headphone Jack it has not decreased the sale of the Apple device. Below are the latest number of the last three months ending October 2016.

The latest smartphone OS sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows that iOS achieved year-on-year growth across most regions except Germany and Urban China. For the three months ending October 2016 Japan stands at the top in the list of regions where iOS holds the greatest share, with 51.7% of smartphone sales. This is followed by 44% in Great Britain and 40.5% in the US. Android market share saw similar growth across a number of regions, declining only in the US (by 5.6 percentage points), and in Japan by less than one percent.

In the US, iOS grew 7% points year-over-year, from 33.5% of smartphone sales to 40.5% in the three months ending October 2016. This represents the strongest rate of growth for the OS in more than two years, as well as the highest share seen since the three months ending January 2015 (42.8%). And while Android remains the dominant OS in the US, at 57.9% of smartphone sales, this latest data represents the 5th consecutive year-on-year period decline.

"The lack of the headphone jack has proved to be a non-issue for US iPhone consumers, as iPhone 7 was the top selling device in the three months ending October 2016, achieving 10.6% of smartphone sales, despite not being available for the full three month period. iPhone 7 Plus was the 4th best-selling device at 5.3%, behind the iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S7," said Lauren Guenveur, Consumer Insight Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. "Google achieved 0.5% of smartphone sales, a strong showing given that the Pixel was only widely available from October 20th. In that short time, Google has reached market parity with more established brands like Huawei and Microsoft, who are also at 0.5%."

"iPhone 7 was the second best selling phone in Urban China in the 3 months ending October 2016, capturing 3.8% of smartphone sales. iPhone 7 Plus also cracked the top 10 at 1.9%", reported Tamsin Timpson, Strategic Insight Director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Asia. "This brought iOS share up to 17.1% of smartphone sales in the latest period versus Android's 82.6%, and also brings Apple firmly ahead of Xiaomi at 15.9%. While it was a period-on-period increase for iOS, as we expected with the release of the latest iPhone models, they are still down versus a year ago at 22.5%. Oppo continues to gain footing in Urban China, achieving 11.8% of smartphone sales, with the R9 remaining the top selling device in the region."

During the three months ending October 2016, Android accounted for 75.2% of EU5 smartphone sales versus iOS at 21.2%. Europe's big five markets include Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

"iOS achieved year-on-year growth across most regions in EU5 except Germany, where it fell 2.7% points to 16.5% of smartphone sales. iPhone 7 cracked the top 10 smartphones sold in all regions but Spain, which remains dominated by the Android ecosystem at 91.7% of all sales," said Dominic Sunnebo, Business Unit Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe. "In Great Britain, as in the US, iPhone 7 was the top selling device, pushing the previous top device (iPhone SE) to third, while iPhone 6s remained the second best-selling device."

"Android remains the dominant ecosystem, topping 75% across much of the globe, the excepted regions being those with markets most focused on premium devices, chiefly the US, Great Britain and Japan. This is not a surprise, nor should it be, as Android's business model provides consumers with a variety of brands and pricepoints from which to choose," Guenveur adds. "It's unlikely that any other OS will ever reach this level of penetration. But the apparent lopsided market share figures are not a reason for doubting the strength or future of the position held by Apple's iOS. While Android dominates in terms of the raw number of devices it powers, Apple remains the most desirable smartphone brand in the world."

Source: Latest Kantar Smartphone Market Share for the month of October 2016 is now available

Apple Blames External Damage For Flaming China iPhones

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Apple has blamed "external physical damage" for causing a handful of iPhones to explode or catch fire in China and insisted that its handsets posed no safety problem. Fresh on the heels of Samsung's worldwide Galaxy Note 7 safety fiasco, a Shanghai consumer watchdog said last Friday it had received eight recent reports of iPhones that spontaneously combusted while being used or charged. In a statement to AFP late Tuesday, the US tech giant said it had retrieved units for analysis and conducted thorough tests on phones which had experienced "thermal events", but brushed off safety concerns. "The units we've analysed so far have clearly shown that external physical damage happened to them which led to the thermal event," the statement said. "We treat safety as a top priority and have found no cause for concern with these products." The company also denied being slow to respond, after the state-run Shanghai Consumer Council had urged it to address consumer complaints. The watchdog's rep ort quoted one woman as saying her iPhone 6s Plus exploded in August, shattering the screen and leaving the battery and back of the phone blackened. The council said it had received a six fold surge in total complaints against Apple in the past two months, including sudden shutdowns of the iPhone 6 and 6s even though batteries still had enough power. The council did not say where the complaining iPhone users were located. Apple last month offered to change iPhone 6s batteries for Chinese users who complained of the sudden shutdowns, but said the problem did not constitute a safety issue. Samsung suffered a severe blow over its Galaxy Note 7's woes, recalling some 2.5 million units after reports of the product catching fire.

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Source: Apple Blames External Damage For Flaming China iPhones

Upcoming GREE Smartphone Rumored to Feature Snapdragon 835 Processor

The Chinese smartphones aren't new to the world, either they come from a Chinese brand or at least manufactured in China. Four of the top six largest smartphone brands come from China. While early last year, LeEco (LeTV) entered the smartphone market in China and later expanded its operations in the U.S and India. Apart from LeEco, we also saw a new smartphone brand in China called GREE. It is one of the major home appliances companies in China but debuted the smartphone market in 2015. After two years after its first smartphone launch, now the company is rumored to launch smartphones in early 2017. While one variant will be sporting entry-level specification, another device will be powered by flagship specifications including the recently announced Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Earlier this year, while MediaTek for the first time launched the deca-core tri-cluster processor, Qualcomm went back to quad-core design by announcing Snapdragon 820 processor with custom Kryo cores. Now the Snapdragon 835 SoC is yet to be completely revealed, but the Qualcomm mentioned this new processor to be built on Samsung's 10nm FinFET process. Along with GREE smartphone, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6, Xiaomi Mi 6,  and OPPO Find 9 are expected to come with this new processor. The new processor also supports Quick Charge 4.o that comes with improved efficiency and is said to offer 20% faster charging than Quick Charge 3.0. With Quick Charge 4.0, the battery can be charged from 0% to 50%  in less than 15 minutes. Few leaks also suggest the Galaxy S8 that will be unveiled at MWC 2017 to be the first smartphone to feature Snapdragon 835 SoC.

In the first half of 2016, the company launched its latest flagship smartphone GREE 2 in China. The device sports an all  metal body with curved edges on the side. It came with a large 6-inch display with Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution and a 2.5D glass on top. Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor clocked at 2.15GHz and coupled with Adreno 530 GPU. There is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Just like many high-end smartphones, there is no MicroSD card slot for storage expansion. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with the customized UI laid on top. In the camera department, there is a 16MP rear camera with LED flash and an 8MP selfie camera on the front. The physical home button on the front also come integrated with a fingerprint sensor.

The device is kept powered on by a 4,000mAh battery that also supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology. While its first smartphone is launched at 1600 Yuan, the latest GREE 2 is currently retailing at 3599 Yuan which is more than double of what its predecessor is costing. Talking about the upcoming GREE smartphone which we can expect to be named as GREE 3 will be featuring the same metal body as on its predecessor. As seen with the recent launches, the company might bring in two variants where the high-end variant will be featuring 6GB of RAM. By the time of official launch, we also guess the device to run on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Stay tuned on Phone Radar for more details about the Snapdragon 835 powered smartphones.

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Source: Upcoming GREE Smartphone Rumored to Feature Snapdragon 835 Processor

iOS Battery Issues Random Switch Off, Drains Intentional? Here’s The Truth, But China Unhappy?

iOS battery issues continue to be encountered by iPhone users. However, Apple maintains that the problem is limited, and that iPhone is basically designed to shut down in some cases. iPhone users reportedly been complaining about an iOS battery bug, which causes their phones to randomly shut down when it reaches the 30 percent battery mark.

According to reports, the iOS battery indicator quickly jumps back to 30 percent when the iPhone is plugged in, beginning at zero to 30 in seconds. But Apple argues that only a small number of iPhone 6s handsets that are manufactured between September and October 2015 are affected by the iOS battery issue.

To address the iOS battery issue, Apple released an iPhone 6s battery replacement program two weeks ago. The company claims that it is not an iOS battery bug, but a battery defect. Meantime, a new tool was also launched by Apple to allow the iPhone users to check if their iPhone 6s is eligible for a free battery replacement.

However, frustrated consumer protection groups and iPhone users in China believe that Apple is not doing enough to resolve the iOS battery issue. After the increasing amount of criticisms, the company has given a new statement through its Chinese website.

The company's statement provided more information about the iOS battery issues, including its claim that the iOS battery issue is not due to a bug, but because of an intentional feature in the iPhone that is designed to automatically shutdown under certain situations like extreme temperatures, according to report.

Meanwhile, a Chinese government watchdog is reported to be unhappy with the response from Apple on the iOS battery issue, claiming that the problem is also affecting the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6. However, an Apple representative could not provide any clarification on the rumors, Business Insidepor reported. Watch How To: FIX Battery Draining in iOS 9. Source: gamenguide

Source: iOS Battery Issues Random Switch Off, Drains Intentional? Here's The Truth, But China Unhappy?