OnePlus 6 may be another iPhone X-like Android smartphone: Details here

Purported images of the OnePlus 6 reveal a major design overhaul, along with a new all-screen front with a notch that accommodates selfie camera, earphone and a couple of sensors.

Technology News : Based on a recent leak by an online technology portal Slashleaks, the purported images of OnePlus 6 reveal a major design overhaul, along with a new all-screen front with a notch accommodating the selfie camera, earphones and a couple of sensors – similar to the Asus Zenfone 5-series and the Apple iPhone X.

On the back, the smartphone shows an all-glass treatment – instead of an aluminium construction in the predecessors (OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T, OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T).

The dual-camera set-up, introduced in the OnePlus 5, is seen aligned vertically and placed at the centre.

In OnePlus 5T, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer had moved the fingerprint scanner at the back to accommodate the ultra-wide 18:9 aspect ratio screen on the front. In the OnePlus 6, the fingerprint scanner seems to stay at the back, but get a new design close to the one in the Samsung Galaxy S9-series.

The purported OnePlus 6 image also revealed that the phone would run on the Android Oreo v 8.1 covered under OxygenOS v 5.1. The OnePlus 5T features Oxygen OS 5.0.3, which hints that the upcoming smartphone might get an additional software optimisation to support all-screen mode.

Now, another leak by technology portal Android Central reveals the smartphone’s benchmark score. The OnePlus 6, according to the portal’s claims, scored 276510 in Antutu. With this score, the OnePlus’ upcoming flagship beats the overall benchmark score of Xiaomi’s upcoming Mi Mix 2S – which is set to launch on March 27 in China. Both the smartphones, however, are expected to run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 system-on-chip (SoC).

The successor of the OnePlus 5T, the OnePlus 6 would be announced sometime in June this year.

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Google Android P developer preview released: Here are top 5 new features

Search engine giant and software company Google has released a preview of its upcoming ‘Android P’ operating system for developers to access and test the features before a final rollout of the product.

Technology News : Search engine and software major Google has released a preview of its upcoming ‘Android P’ operating system for developers to access and test features before the product’s final rollout.

Here are the top five new features added to Android P:

Display ‘Notch’ support

• With the Android P operating system, Google brings a native operating system support for screens with a small cut-out area on top. In the preview version, the clock now shows on the left, along with app notification icon (max 4 apps). Connectivity icons such as WiFi, Bluetooth, etc, have been moved on to the right side. The notch area is blacked out to show the operating system’s readiness for notch-based screens.

Redesigned quick setting menu

• The quick setting menu has been redesigned with rounded icons which sit inside a grey circle that takes theme color accent once the setting is enabled. For example, the small WiFi icon inside the grey circle turns blue, orange or green once WiFi is enabled. The setting button, user information icon and network name is now moved at the bottom, instead of top in the current Android Oreo release.

Dock

• The dock has been redesigned with a new translucent background that shows favourite apps and search bar with microphone icon. There is no major change here, though, and the dock in the Android P preview works in a fashion similar to the Android Oreo built – a single swipe up opens the app drawer.

Relocated volume slider

• The volume slider has moved to the right side of the screen and is now vertically aligned, instead of the horizontal slider in the current Oreo release. There is a quick ringer profile button available below the volume slider. It allows an instant toggle between different sound profiles.

Screenshot button

• The screenshot button has been added in the power menu, along with power on/off and restart button. This is something that has already been seen in customised versions of Android Nougat and Oreo releases in smartphones, such as in the LG V30+.

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MWC 2018: Sony Xperia XZ2, XZ2 Compact with 4K HDR recording unveiled

The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact also get 960fps slow-mo video recording in full HD resolution, up from HD resolution in the predecessors.

Business Standard News : Sony Mobile on February 26 announced the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The next-generation Xperia-series is built around a new concept design with incremental updates overall to fit in the league of premium smartphone range of 2018.

The Xperia range has always been in focus for its multimedia and imaging capabilities, and the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact get major updates on this front. Both the smartphones get advanced camera, display and audio technology, along with a new design for modern outlook.

Sony Xperia XZ2Sony Xperia XZ2 The Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact are similar in most departments – features, imagining and multimedia capabilities, besides technical specifications. However, the screen and design language are areas where the two are different from each other.

The Xperia XZ2 Compact sports a 5-inch fullHD+ screen compared with the 5.7-inch fullHD+ one in the Xperia XZ2. However, both smartphones boast a modern 18:9 aspect ratio that reduces the bezels overall.

Apart from the new aspect ratio screen, the screen in next-generation flagship models also gets HDR support, coupled with Sony’s BRAVIA and X-reality technology.
Compact Audio

The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact sport front-mounted stereo speaker set-ups, powered by Sony’s S-Force Front Surround sound technology. The devices also incorporate a new haptic experience — Dynamic Vibration System — which analyses audio data to create haptic feedback for immersive experience.

Sony Xperia XZ2 CompactSony Xperia XZ2 Compact The phones use Hi-Resolution Audio together with DSEE HX technology for upscaling, along with enhanced Bluetooth technology LDAC for wireless High-Resolution Audio.

2018 will see largest iPhone ever and a more affordable version of iPhone X

With new lineup, Apple wants to appeal to the growing number of consumers who crave the multitasking attributes of phablets while also catering to those looking for an affordable version of iPhone X.

Business Standard News : Apple Inc. is preparing to release a trio of new smartphones later this year: the largest iPhone ever, an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the flagship phone’s key features.

With the new lineup, Apple wants to appeal to the growing number of consumers who crave the multitasking attributes of so-called phablets while also catering to those looking for a more affordable version of the iPhone X, according to people familiar with the products.

Apple, which is already running production tests with suppliers, is expected to announce the new phones this fall. The plans could still change, say the people, who requested anonymity to discuss internal planning.

Despite months of breathless hype, the iPhone X hasn’t sold as well as expected since its debut last year. Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2017, below analysts’ projections of 80.2 million units. Some consumers were turned off by the iPhone X’s $1,000 price despite liking the design even as they wanted something more cutting-edge than the cheaper iPhone 8. With its next lineup, Apple is seeking to rekindle sales by offering a model for everyone.

“This is a big deal,” says Gene Munster, a co-founder of Loup Ventures and a long-time Apple watcher. “When you have a measurable upgrade in screen size, people go to update their phone in droves. We saw that with the iPhone 6, and we think this is setting up to be a similar step up in growth.”

Munster predicts a supercycle which he defines as upgrades by 10 percent or more of Apple’s existing iPhone customers. “The market that will see the biggest jump in sales is likely Asia,” he says. “That market has many single-device consumers, and they love big phones.”

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. The shares gained 2.1 percent to $179.18 at 2:16 p.m. in New York.