OnePlus Officially Confirms its Next Flagship as 'OnePlus 5' by Releasing a Teaser 'Hello 5'

 By Unknown on May 08, 2017       

There are various rumors across the internet about the Chinese firm OnePlus's next Flagship Killer smartphone. According to a recent report, the phone will be called as the OnePlus 5, and the release will happen this summer. 

And today, the company officially teased its upcoming smartphone as 'Hello 5,' which means that the device will be called as OnePlus 5 and we're nearing the launch as well. 

OnePlus recently explained that they are not releasing the device with moniker OnePlus 4 because it is touted as death in its home land China. Several other major smartphone brands have skipped their phones with '4' number, not Xiaomi. 

Going by the leaks, the OnePlus 5 will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6GB of RAM, Adreno 540 GPU, unknown dual camera setup at the back, and a larger 3600mAh battery. The release date is also known until now. 

This could be our first (blurry) look at the OnePlus 5

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 07, 2017       

The OnePlus 5 is one of the most anticipated devices of 2017 and is expected to fill the success of OnePlus 3 and 3T. OnePlus will be announcing the OnePlus 5 at some point in the summer, the phone will give a tough competition to Samsung Galaxy S8 series and Xiaomi Mi 6. 

We have already seen multiple concepts and rumors about the next OnePlus Smartphone, but this one is coming straightly from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei Instagram account. Thanks to Suhant Mehta‏ for capturing the screenshots of Carl Pei's Instagram Story, where he teased the OnePlus 5. 

As you can see in the below images, the device (possibly the OnePlus 5) is enclosed inside a heavy case. The dual camera and the LED flash are visible on the rear of the device. The below blurry image somewhat matches our concept render, You can check it out here (YouTube).

Going with the earlier rumors, OnePlus 5 is expected to a 5.5-inch display and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. It will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB/128 storage.

The OnePlus 5 will sport a dual camera at the back, and one sensor will capture monochrome shots, while the other one captures standard shots. The megapixel count is not unknown yet. 

The phone, as expected, will come laden by Android 7.0 Nougat based Oxygen OS. The phone will have a 3600mAh battery and Dash Charge 2.0 will charge the device faster than the OnePlus 3T. 

There might be a OnePlus 5T launched as well with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage and bigger battery, but these are just speculations, so take them with a grain of salt. 

Source: Suhant Mehta

Opera Max VPN Gets a Much Needed UI Overhaul and New Facebook Tools in the Latest Update

 By Unknown on May 06, 2017       

The famous of all VPN apps available in the market, Opera Max VPN has been updated to version 3.0, which has bought various new features. One of the significant one among the new ones is the refreshed user interface. The interface overhaul is a much-needed one, and it's a fancy one as well with all the features spread across the home screen. 

Another feature added in the update is 'smart assistant,' that shows your data usage and also provides tips to reduce data usage. All these tips will be shown in beautiful cards, which will be surely loved by everyone. 

Thirdly, the update added a new 'Savings for Facebook,' which will display the data saved in the Facebook app on your phone. Overall, the update is a much-awaited one for the Opera Max VPN users. 

The new update is slowly rolling out globally, but if you can't wait for the update to reach your phone, head over to apkmirror.com to manually update your phone. 

Google Wallpapers App Now Has Two New Art and Solid Colour Categories

 By Unknown on May 06, 2017       

The standalone Wallpapers app for Android recently picked up an update which bought it to version 1.1. While the application changelog states that only bugs has been fixed in this version, there are some noteworthy changes in the app itself. 

Right after opening up the application, you can immediately notice a new category called 'Arts,' which has all the artistic images. Scrolling further down, you can notice another category called as 'Solid Colors,' which has all the colors. 

The solid colors category will be helpful for users who want to keep their device minimalistic. Google may have made this changes on the server side silently. 

With the Wallpapers application, most of the Android users long search for a dedicated wallpaper service has ended and Google is regularly providing updates to the app. 

April 2017 Security Patch now available for the Moto Z Play in Canada and Brazil

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 06, 2017       

Motorola Moto Z Play is now getting a new software update with the April 1, 2017 Android Security patch, bug fixes, Stability improvement in Canada and Brazil.

The update is out for the Moto Z Play in Brazil with "retbr" Software channel and for Canadian carrier Koodo with Software channel "tkpca". This update comes with build no. NPNS25-137-24-1-9.

Motorola’s instructions explain that for a successful installation, the battery in your phone should be at least 50% charged and your device should be connected to a Wi-Fi network or LTE.

Motorola has already updated the Moto Z family along with the Moto Z Play to Android 7.0 Nougat. While this update would have been more exciting if it had brought Nougat 7.1.2, which is already available for Google's Pixel and Nexus devices. 

If you haven't got the notification of this new software update yet, Just go to Settings - About Phone - Software updates, and It will automatically start downloading the latest update. The update will take around 10-15 minutes to get Installed on your device.

Got the latest update? Let us know in comments!

Via: Reddit

Moto Z2 Play to Sport Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 SoC, 4GB of RAM, and 12MP Rear Camera: Report

 By Unknown on May 06, 2017       

Recently, there was a rendered image of the Motorola Moto Z2 Play, which showed us how the device looks. As per the image, the device will be thinner than the original Moto Z Play, which means that the battery size will also be crammed. 

That said, Venture Beat has leaked the complete specifications of the upcoming Moto Z2 Play. According to the leak, the Z2 Play will have a lot smaller battery of 3000mAh, which is a serious downgrade, because the Z Play was the best battery smartphone of 2016. 

Besides the battery size, the leak also has complete specs of the phone. It is said that the phone will have the 5.5-inch Full HD display. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 SoC, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The chipset upgrade might be a modest one, but the bump in RAM and internal storage is a much-needed one. 

The phone will run Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. The major upgrade in the Z2 Play would be its camera as it will have a 12MP sensor at the back with larger f/1.7 aperture. This setup might be the same one used on the Moto G5 Plus. The front-facing camera will be the same, but the image shows it will have dual LED flash this time. 

The Moto Z2 Play will also ship in Lunar Gray and Fine Gold color options. The device will be released alongside the Moto C series, Moto E4 series, and the Moto Z2 and Z2 Force next month. 

Why Xiaomi and Motorola Should Enter the Offline Market in India

 By Unknown on May 05, 2017       

It is already a known fact to everyone that the Indian smartphone market is completely dominated by Chinese smartphone vendors such as Xiaomi, Gionee, Coolpad, Lenovo, Vivo, and Oppo. While Samsung is still dominating the market, analysts claim that it will be dethroned by Xiaomi in the next few days. 

Samsung's success primarily comes from the offline market, but the South Korean giant also has a vast presence in the online market. That said, Xiaomi is slowly entering the offline market in recent times but has a long way to go. 

On the other hand, we have Lenovo-owned Motorola, who has been an online-only brand since its comeback in 2014. And there's no scope for it to enter the offline market as well. Because Lenovo is doing a decent in the offline market with its K series of devices. 

However, it's important for both and Xiaomi and Motorola to enter the offline market, barring the success of Vivo and Oppo. Vivo, who is significantly earning a name in the offline market has shipped close to three million units in Q1 2017, which is close to Xiaomi's number. 

Motorola's Moto G series of phones are the trademarks for the budget segment and imagine if the company sells them in the offline market as well? Then the sale figures will surely be doubled. 

Both Oppo and Vivo are looking to invest Rs. 2200 crore in the offline marketing, which tells the entire story of their success in the segment. 

Xiaomi will be entering the market slowly and is opening an exclusive Mi Home store in Bangalore on May 11. However, the company should keep the prices same as the online market. If they don't maintain the price similarly, then Xiaomi won't get enough success in the segment, and it will turn out to be a huge dent. 

OnePlus to unveil OnePlus 5 this summer

 By Unknown on May 05, 2017       

The OnePlus 5 is one of the most anticipated devices of 2017 and is expected to fill the success of OnePlus 3 and 3T. Expected to come with mouth watering specifications, the phone will give a tough competition to Samsung Galaxy S8 series and Xiaomi Mi 6. 

According to The Verge, OnePlus will be announcing its next phone at some point in the summer and the successor to the OnePlus 3 / 3T will not be called OnePlus 4 because that number is considered unlucky.

Going with the earlier rumors, OnePlus 5 is expected to a 5.5-inch display and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. It will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB/128 storage.

The OnePlus 5 will sport a dual camera at the back, and one sensor will capture monochrome shots, while the other one captures standard shots. The megapixel count is not unknown yet. 

The phone, as expected, will come laden by Android 7.0 Nougat based Oxygen OS. The phone will have a 3600mAh battery and Dash Charge 2.0 will charge the device faster than the OnePlus 3T. 

There might be a OnePlus 5T launched as well with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage and bigger battery, but these are just speculations, so take them with a grain of salt. 

Google to roll out Android O Beta program soon, Nougat Beta ends

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 05, 2017       

It's been two months since Google unveiled Android O Developer preview (alpha) for selected Nexus and Pixel devices. At the time of launch, Google made it clear that it was not the public beta and might not be suitable for daily use. 

Along with the April Android security patch, Google recently pushed Android 7.1.2 stable beta for those who were enrolled in the beta program. Following that, the Nougat public beta is now concluded and Google will soon start rolling out Android O Beta.

We have no idea when Google will start pushing the first Android O Beta firmware, However, According to the developer page, there is a planned release for the Android O second developer preview in the middle of May which is listed as a beta.

Google is also throwing the Google I/O this month on 17 May, where it is expected that more news on Android O will be on offer. 

Via: AndroidHeadlines

Motorola May Launch a 'Moto' Tablet That Will Have New Productivity Mode: Report

 By Unknown on May 05, 2017       

Motorola might enter the tablet space as well in the upcoming days according to a new report. Folks at Android Police managed to grab a screenshot of the so-called Moto tablet, which will be the company's first tablet after so many years. 

Well, for now, the details of this tablet are little known, and the rumor says that it may pack a 9-inch or 10-inch display and will boast of a premium body. There are no details about the processor used, the amount of RAM, camera, and battery of the tablet yet. The leak suggests that it might offer cellular connectivity option as well in some countries. 

If we set the hardware setup aside, aforesaid, the blog managed to grab a screen of the tablet, which shows a 'Productivity Mode.' That said, when you turn on this feature, you will be able to pin some applications to the navigation bar and can seamlessly navigate through them. That's lot quicker way to navigate between the apps. 

Also, there's a dedicated app drawer button kept in the navigation bar, which would be a lot more helpful at times. Having said that, there are no details on when the product will be officially launched. 

HMD Global to Announce Nokia's Plans for Indian Market on May 8

 By Unknown on May 04, 2017       

HMD Global, the parent company, is expected to unveil Nokia phones in the month of June. Ahead of the official unveiling of their phones, HMD has sent out media invites for explaining the roadmap of their product lineup in India. 

The press invite states "HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones invites you to a conversation with Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global." It's pretty much evident with the invite itself that the company is not gonna launch any phone, but instead, they will be discussing the plans for the Indian market. 

The journey won't be an easy one for HMD Global as there are way too many smartphone brands in India right now and especially the market is dominated by Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Coolpad, Lenovo, etc. 

It is rumored that HMDG Global will pull the wraps of its Nokia 3310 first by the end of May. Later on, other smartphones such as the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3 will be announced. There might be some details about the pricing as well on May 8. 

SOURCE

OnePlus One explodes while charging

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

After the Note 7 fiasco, Samsung took a huge step with its batteries that might prevent fires and explosions. It's time for all manufacturers to follow Samsung and implement battery protection to their upcoming Smartphones. 

Recently a OnePlus One user reported that his device exploded while charging, causing property damage and giving him a second degree burn on his left arm. It's good to see that a OnePlus representative immediately reached out to the original poster via the forum, and the OP replied that he has submitted a support ticket.

The user has uploaded several images and a video showing severe burn marks on his several body parts. You can check the Images and Video from the below forum (Source) link (CAUTION: Images might be disturbing).

Well, my OnePlus One exploded while charging this morning. Almost set my house on fire. The explosion set pillow and blanket on fire as well as carpet....... I got second degree burn on my left arm and lucky no injury on my face..... I'm still in shock... u see the news but it's a totally different experience in real life. Support ticket submitted. I was told by online CS that a specialist will contact me soon. What should I do? Does this happen before? - Says the OnePlus forum user "slr722gts" 

Source: OnePlus Forum (May 1, 2017)

OnePlus 5 Concept Render with FullVision Display and Dual Camera

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

OnePlus has started working on new OnePlus smartphone, Yes you heard it right. If leaked reports are to be believed then the new smartphone will be dubbed as OnePlus 5, not the OnePlus 4, because Chinese belief that the number 4 is bad luck.

Last month, we saw a photoshopped OnePlus 3, which a website claimed as the design of the OnePlus 5. But, today, we bring to you a concept render of the OnePlus 5 based on recent leaks and the information we got.


Latest rumors suggest that the OnePlus 5 will come with Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB of RAM, 128GB Internal Storage, 5.5-inch display with 1440 x 2560 resolution, 3000mAh battery and Dual rear camera setup.

Gif shows Lightsaber Moto Mod concept

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

If you are a Star Wars fan, you might already know what a Lightsaber is. Well, if you are not aware, the lightsaber also referred to as a laser sword is an elegant weapon of a more civilized age.

To celebrate the Star Wars Day (May 4), Motorola made a concept showing the Lightsaber Moto Mod for the Moto Z in action! Have a look: 

Via: Facebook

Oppo and Vivo Looking to Overtake Samsung in the Offline Market in India by Investing Rs. 2200 Crore for Marketing

 By Unknown on May 04, 2017       

It is already a known fact that Chinese smartphone brands are dominating Indian market in a big time. Vendors such as Xiaomi, Coolpad are dominating the online space, whereas others like Vivo, Oppo, and Gionee are looking to grab attention in the offline market. 

It's already a known fact that Vivo and Oppo are dominating the offline market with their aggressive marketing. Both the companies are now looking to invest Rs. 2200 only for marketing, which is easily more than what Samsung, Sony, and other local players are spending. 

In India, the price bracket between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 20,000 accounts for 78 percent of market share and both Vivo and Oppo are now looking to dominate that segment. That said, in this price segment, Samsung is the leading player currently. 

"Oppo-Vivo are focusing on volume sales, paying retailers upfront for prominent signages and branding for the next 1-2 years and even offering 5-10% more margin to retailers and shopfloor sales promoters," said a senior executive with a leading cellphone retail chain to Economic Times. 

The plus point with both Oppo and Vivo are they have the presence in the online market as well, which is also helping the vendors to maintain the sales. 

Rovio's Battle Bay Game Now Available for Download

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

Finnish giant Rovio (previously known as Relude and Rovio Mobile), popularly known for Angry Birds, Bad Piggies, Nibblers and other games has globally launched its next major mobile title, Battle Bay. 

Battle Bay is a real-time multiplayer battle arena game, You can choose different classes of ships with various weapons, armors, items, as well as abilities, slap some guns on your live opponents with your teammates.

Grab Rovio's Battle Bay: Play Link

What are the Pros and Cons of DIY App Development

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

In the past, only large corporations with vast resources could afford to create web and mobile apps. After all, app development was and still is an expensive affair. But despite this expense, small and medium-sized businesses are also investing in apps today and with good reason. According to Statista Inc, an online statistics company, more than two billion people around the world now own a smartphone.

By 2020, Statista expects this number to rise to 2.87 billion people. Clearly, web and mobile apps are an indispensable part of any successful business. Apps not only let you interact with customers in a deeper and more meaningful manner, but also allow your employees to communicate better and work more effectively.

Developing an App

But before developing an app, you must first decide whether to outsource its development to a specialist company or build it in-house using a tool such as iBuildApp Free Mobile App Maker. This article will focus on the pros and cons of each approach.

The DIY Approach

A DIY approach is only possible if you have in-house talent that is capable of meeting the challenges of app development head-on. This means having a development team with a background in coding, software customization and website building. In addition, each team member must also have an analytical mind, a capacity to think in the abstract, and most importantly, an interest in app development.

Furthermore, since app development takes considerable time and is full of problems, your staff must be tenacious. They must not lose their cool in the face of the many challenges that are sure to crop up during app development. And for the best results, you must give them plenty of support and the freedom to create the best product possible.

Pros of the DIY Approach

The first advantage of the DIY approach is its cost effectiveness. This is in contrast to outsourcing which is very expensive. Keep in mind that app development consultants charge you for a variety of things. One is their experience and expertise. The other is the fact that they allow you to hit the ground running. After you give them a briefing, they immediately get to work.

However, consultants charge you not only for app development, but also for maintaining the app once it is up and running. You have to pay them for upgrades, bug fixes, and security patches. That said, perhaps the most damaging costs you will have to incur when you outsource are as a result of what is known as "scope creep".

Scope creep is when a project changes in scope during development, which then causes the costs associated with the project to go over budget. This occurs when you do two things. One is when you fail to itemize all the features you want to see in the final product because you assume the consultant will include them. The other is by realizing that you need a feature after the project has begun. Unfortunately, adding new functionalities later into development causes delays, increases costs, and undermines the quality of your app. But, when you develop the app yourself, you avoid the problems associated with scope creep because your team understands the scope of the project.

The second advantage is that, unlike outsourcing which cuts you off from the development of your app, your team is always accessible to you when you follow the DIY route. Remember that although the development consultant company uses your brief to build the app, its staff is not answerable to you. Communicating your project objectives to your consultant's staff is, therefore, impossible.

This lack of direct involvement in the development process brings us to the third advantage of the DIY approach - visibility. Since your team is answerable and accountable to you, you are always in the loop on how your app is progressing. This visibility allows you to even change the direction of the development process when it fails to meet your objectives.

Direct involvement also has the benefit of increasing your company's institutional knowledge. When you use a consultant, they do not transfer their knowledge or expertise to your staff. Thus, you have to rely on them for future projects. In contrast, your team increases in skill and competence with each project they undertake. This prepares them for future projects.

This self-reliance is important because contractors come and go. The company that built your app yesterday could go out of business tomorrow. To improve on your app or build a new one, you will be forced to start from scratch with a new contractor, which costs time and money.

Cons of the DIY Approach

Despite its many advantages, the in-house approach has a few drawbacks. First, your staff must endure a steep learning curve before they can develop decent apps. Chances are that they will lack the experience and training needed for app development. So, before creating an app, you must first train, which will cost you in both time and money.

Second, when your team members eventually start developing the app, they will lack ready-to-use code. Remember that established teams rely on code from previous projects to speed up the development process. Without this code, your project will take longer to finish even though it is simple. This can result in delays, which is in sharp contrast to contractors who usually ship on time. And, delays cost money.

Third, by using an in-house team, your app is likely to be of a lesser quality and have many bugs upon completion. Your team can never compare to contractors when it comes to having an in-depth knowledge of security issues and best coding practices. And, the reason for this disparity in expertise is simple.

In the app development business, investing heavily in building your knowledge and coding base is how you keep clients coming back. So, when clients insist on quality, contractors ensure that they meet these quality requirements. In fact, most have a track record of doing just that. So, when compared to apps built by your team, those built by contractors will almost always come out on top.

Because of the large number of smartphones in use today, web apps have increased in importance. For this reason, most businesses are rushing to create one. If yours is one of them, and you intend to build the app yourself, first consider the pros and cons of such an approach before committing to app development.

Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 active are now getting Android 7.0 Nougat on AT&T

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 04, 2017       

Samsung and AT&T are now pushing latest Android 7.0 Nougat software to the Galaxy S6 (SM-G920A), S6 edge (SM-G925A) and the rugged S6 Active (SM-G890A).

The update comes with latest new UX,various performance modes, new notification panel and other interesting features along with Android Nougat goodies. The software update also removes existing AT&T bloatwares including Address Book and MobiTV apps.

The update weighs in at around 1.2GB for the Galaxy S6, 1.3GB for the S6 edge. The build number is NRD90M.GxxAUCU6EQCF for all the three devices. The update includes April 2017 Security patch.

Source: AT&T (S6), (S6 edge), (S6 active)

Qualcomm may announce Snapdragon 660 SoC on May 9th

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 03, 2017       

According to the latest reports out from China, Qualcomm could announce the rumored Snapdragon 660 SoC on May 9th. 

If the reports are believed to be true, the chip will power the upcoming Samsung Galaxy C Smartphone, Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2, Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Oppo R11, Vivo X9s Plus and the Nokia 7 and Nokia 8.

Going with earlier leaks, Qualcomm's mid-range chipset Snapdragon 660 is said to be come with similar specifications as the Snapdragon 820. The chipset appears to be built up on Samsung’s 14nm FinFet LPP manufacturing process, with four 2.2 GHz cores and four 1.9 GHz cores. The chip employs an Adreno 512 GPU, X10 baseband, and two channel LPDDR4X-1866 memory with UFS 2.1 flash memory. It also supports Quick Charge 4.0.

Source: Anzhuo via Playfuldroid

Google Wallpapers gets new update with lots of new wallpapers

 By Vaibhav Jain on May 03, 2017       

Google Wallpapers app recently got a new update which includes tons of high resolution wallpapers in several categories, few UI changes and bug fixes. 

For those who don't know, the Wallpapers app from Google comes with tons of beautiful Cityscapes, Life, Textures, Landscapes and Earth wallpapers. You also get an option to choose a favorite category, which automatically changes your wallpaper each day.
Grab the new Wallpapers update: Play Store