Sabtu, 30 Juni 2018

Smartphones in 2018: the half year report

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2018 already! So let's press 'pause' for a second and look back at the direction phone development took this year. We go to extraordinary lengths here at GSMArena to ensure that the data within our Phone Specifications pages are accurate and up-to-date. We've selected the most popular 140 phones to avoid outliers messing with the averages and trawled through this wealth of data we've accumulated to draw out stats and trends. Design & Build Size - In 2017, 'taller' displays with their aspect ratios of 18:9 and 19.5:9 resulted in the...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Smartphones in 2018: the half year report

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2018 already! So let's press 'pause' for a second and look back at the direction phone development took this year. We go to extraordinary lengths here at GSMArena to ensure that the data within our Phone Specifications pages are accurate and up-to-date. We've selected the most popular 140 phones to avoid outliers messing with the averages and trawled through this wealth of data we've accumulated to draw out stats and trends. Design & Build Size - In 2017, 'taller' displays with their aspect ratios of 18:9 and 19.5:9 resulted in the...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Smartphones in 2018: the half year report

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2018 already! So let's press 'pause' for a second and look back at the direction phone development took this year. We go to extraordinary lengths here at GSMArena to ensure that the data within our Phone Specifications pages are accurate and up-to-date. We've selected the most popular 140 phones to avoid outliers messing with the averages and trawled through this wealth of data we've accumulated to draw out stats and trends. Design & Build Size - In 2017, 'taller' displays with their aspect ratios of 18:9 and 19.5:9 resulted in the...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

A phone with Light's multi-lens camera tech is in the works

Remember Light's ludicrous L16 camera with 16 lenses on the back? Well, that tech is reportedly going to be used in a phone that will launch later this year. Thanks to Foxconn's big investment in the small firm, the tech is going in a smartphone with nine cameras. According to the Washington Post, the company already has a working prototype with anything between five and nine lenses that function together to deliver DSLR-like performance in low-light conditions and capturing whopping 64MP images. In addition, Light promises sophisticated depth effects and unmatched zoom capabilities,...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

A phone with Light's multi-lens camera tech is in the works

Remember Light's ludicrous L16 camera with 16 lenses on the back? Well, that tech is reportedly going to be used in a phone that will launch later this year. Thanks to Foxconn's big investment in the small firm, the tech is going in a smartphone with nine cameras. According to the Washington Post, the company already has a working prototype with anything between five and nine lenses that function together to deliver DSLR-like performance in low-light conditions and capturing whopping 64MP images. In addition, Light promises sophisticated depth effects and unmatched zoom capabilities,...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

A phone with Light's multi-lens camera tech is in the works

Remember Light's ludicrous L16 camera with 16 lenses on the back? Well, that tech is reportedly going to be used in a phone that will launch later this year. Thanks to Foxconn's big investment in the small firm, the tech is going in a smartphone with nine cameras. According to the Washington Post, the company already has a working prototype with anything between five and nine lenses that function together to deliver DSLR-like performance in low-light conditions and capturing whopping 64MP images. In addition, Light promises sophisticated depth effects and unmatched zoom capabilities,...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Sony Mobile is investigating its operations in Africa, Turkey and the Middle East

It's no secret that Sony's Mobile division has been going through a rough patch, for quite some time now. After the fairly recent internal CEO shuffle, it seems that active steps have finally been taken to evaluate the state of the mobile branch, in hopes of bringing it up to speed with the Japanese giant's successful imaging and gaming divisions. Word of an ongoing internal investigation into the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa markets first came about through veteran leakster Evan Blass a few days ago. Bad news for Sony Mobile fans in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa: I'm hearing...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Sony Mobile is investigating its operations in Africa, Turkey and the Middle East

It's no secret that Sony's Mobile division has been going through a rough patch, for quite some time now. After the fairly recent internal CEO shuffle, it seems that active steps have finally been taken to evaluate the state of the mobile branch, in hopes of bringing it up to speed with the Japanese giant's successful imaging and gaming divisions. Word of an ongoing internal investigation into the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa markets first came about through veteran leakster Evan Blass a few days ago. Bad news for Sony Mobile fans in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa: I'm hearing...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Sony Mobile is investigating its operations in Africa, Turkey and the Middle East

It's no secret that Sony's Mobile division has been going through a rough patch, for quite some time now. After the fairly recent internal CEO shuffle, it seems that active steps have finally been taken to evaluate the state of the mobile branch, in hopes of bringing it up to speed with the Japanese giant's successful imaging and gaming divisions. Word of an ongoing internal investigation into the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa markets first came about through veteran leakster Evan Blass a few days ago. Bad news for Sony Mobile fans in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa: I'm hearing...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Apple is re-building its Maps using data gathered from iPhone users

Apple is said to be working on a new version of its navigation app, Maps. The company has started from scratch and it uses not only the data gathered from its own fleet of cars, but also from iPhone users. But of course, Apple is doing so while respecting user privacy. The new Maps will first be introduced in San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next version of IOS 12 beta. It should cover Northern California towards the end of 2018. Since it now incorporates user travel data when they open the Maps app - just like Google Maps does - it should speed up the process quite a bit....

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Apple is re-building its Maps using data gathered from iPhone users

Apple is said to be working on a new version of its navigation app, Maps. The company has started from scratch and it uses not only the data gathered from its own fleet of cars, but also from iPhone users. But of course, Apple is doing so while respecting user privacy. The new Maps will first be introduced in San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next version of IOS 12 beta. It should cover Northern California towards the end of 2018. Since it now incorporates user travel data when they open the Maps app - just like Google Maps does - it should speed up the process quite a bit....

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Apple is re-building its Maps using data gathered from iPhone users

Apple is said to be working on a new version of its navigation app, Maps. The company has started from scratch and it uses not only the data gathered from its own fleet of cars, but also from iPhone users. But of course, Apple is doing so while respecting user privacy. The new Maps will first be introduced in San Francisco and the Bay Area with the next version of IOS 12 beta. It should cover Northern California towards the end of 2018. Since it now incorporates user travel data when they open the Maps app - just like Google Maps does - it should speed up the process quite a bit....

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Weekly poll: face scanning vs. fingerprint readers

Even old sleuths like Sherlock Holmes know that a fingerprint can identify a person. Today, fingerprints are read multiple times a day - it's routine - thanks to the readers on modern smartphones. But is that the best way for a device to know that it's being handled by its rightful owner? What about 3D face scanning? "Wanted" posters have been used for even longer than fingerprints and they work because your face is unique. Well, most of the time, unless you have a twin or a sibling or a kid that looks like you. Capacitive fingerprint readers are fairly simple devices, readily available...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Weekly poll: face scanning vs. fingerprint readers

Even old sleuths like Sherlock Holmes know that a fingerprint can identify a person. Today, fingerprints are read multiple times a day - it's routine - thanks to the readers on modern smartphones. But is that the best way for a device to know that it's being handled by its rightful owner? What about 3D face scanning? "Wanted" posters have been used for even longer than fingerprints and they work because your face is unique. Well, most of the time, unless you have a twin or a sibling or a kid that looks like you. Capacitive fingerprint readers are fairly simple devices, readily available...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Weekly poll: face scanning vs. fingerprint readers

Even old sleuths like Sherlock Holmes know that a fingerprint can identify a person. Today, fingerprints are read multiple times a day - it's routine - thanks to the readers on modern smartphones. But is that the best way for a device to know that it's being handled by its rightful owner? What about 3D face scanning? "Wanted" posters have been used for even longer than fingerprints and they work because your face is unique. Well, most of the time, unless you have a twin or a sibling or a kid that looks like you. Capacitive fingerprint readers are fairly simple devices, readily available...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

T-Mobile LG G6 starts getting Oreo update

T-Mobile has started pushing out a new update to LG G6 units on its network. Arriving as software version H87220a, the update brings along Android 8.0 Oreo. As per the official change-log, several other bug fixes and software improvements are also included. So with this, all Big Four carriers - including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon - have rolled out the update to LG G6 units. Given the T-Mobile update - which weighs in at around 1.7GB - has just started rolling out, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your screen, so be patient. Source 1 2

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

T-Mobile LG G6 starts getting Oreo update

T-Mobile has started pushing out a new update to LG G6 units on its network. Arriving as software version H87220a, the update brings along Android 8.0 Oreo. As per the official change-log, several other bug fixes and software improvements are also included. So with this, all Big Four carriers - including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon - have rolled out the update to LG G6 units. Given the T-Mobile update - which weighs in at around 1.7GB - has just started rolling out, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your screen, so be patient. Source 1 2

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

T-Mobile LG G6 starts getting Oreo update

T-Mobile has started pushing out a new update to LG G6 units on its network. Arriving as software version H87220a, the update brings along Android 8.0 Oreo. As per the official change-log, several other bug fixes and software improvements are also included. So with this, all Big Four carriers - including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon - have rolled out the update to LG G6 units. Given the T-Mobile update - which weighs in at around 1.7GB - has just started rolling out, it may take time for the update notification to pop up on your screen, so be patient. Source 1 2

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Smartphone World Cup: quarter finals

We've reached the quarter finals of our Smartphone World Cup after some high-profile departures in the round of 16. You have until Friday to support your favorites and you can vote once a day in each match. Nokia 7 plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+ These two come from different walks of life - the Galaxy S9+ is a flagship representing the best that Samsung has to offer. Its screen, camera and chipset are among the best and there's no shortage of perks - waterproofing, stereo speakers, HDR10 screen, fast wireless charging, you name it. Nokia 7 plus • Samsung Galaxy S9+ The Nokia 7...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Smartphone World Cup: quarter finals

We've reached the quarter finals of our Smartphone World Cup after some high-profile departures in the round of 16. You have until Friday to support your favorites and you can vote once a day in each match. Nokia 7 plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+ These two come from different walks of life - the Galaxy S9+ is a flagship representing the best that Samsung has to offer. Its screen, camera and chipset are among the best and there's no shortage of perks - waterproofing, stereo speakers, HDR10 screen, fast wireless charging, you name it. Nokia 7 plus • Samsung Galaxy S9+ The Nokia 7...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Smartphone World Cup: quarter finals

We've reached the quarter finals of our Smartphone World Cup after some high-profile departures in the round of 16. You have until Friday to support your favorites and you can vote once a day in each match. Nokia 7 plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+ These two come from different walks of life - the Galaxy S9+ is a flagship representing the best that Samsung has to offer. Its screen, camera and chipset are among the best and there's no shortage of perks - waterproofing, stereo speakers, HDR10 screen, fast wireless charging, you name it. Nokia 7 plus • Samsung Galaxy S9+ The Nokia 7...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Another mysterious glass-back Moto gets spotted in the wild

As we approach Motorola's August 2 Chicago event, device leaks have naturally been pouring in. As per the rumor mill, we have the proper Moto Z3 flagship to look forward to at the venue, as well as a new Motorola One family of handsets. Hot on the heels of a major render leak, for the Moto One and One Power, today brings a couple of new blurry photos of a mysterious new Moto smartphone. Leaked photos It clearly features a glass sandwich design, so our first guess would be it's either the Moto One or the One Power. However, there are a few problems with that theory. As per...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Another mysterious glass-back Moto gets spotted in the wild

As we approach Motorola's August 2 Chicago event, device leaks have naturally been pouring in. As per the rumor mill, we have the proper Moto Z3 flagship to look forward to at the venue, as well as a new Motorola One family of handsets. Hot on the heels of a major render leak, for the Moto One and One Power, today brings a couple of new blurry photos of a mysterious new Moto smartphone. Leaked photos It clearly features a glass sandwich design, so our first guess would be it's either the Moto One or the One Power. However, there are a few problems with that theory. As per...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Another mysterious glass-back Moto gets spotted in the wild

As we approach Motorola's August 2 Chicago event, device leaks have naturally been pouring in. As per the rumor mill, we have the proper Moto Z3 flagship to look forward to at the venue, as well as a new Motorola One family of handsets. Hot on the heels of a major render leak, for the Moto One and One Power, today brings a couple of new blurry photos of a mysterious new Moto smartphone. Leaked photos It clearly features a glass sandwich design, so our first guess would be it's either the Moto One or the One Power. However, there are a few problems with that theory. As per...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Microsoft working on a foldable Surface phone, LG to supply the displays

The so-called "Andromeda" project has been popping up in the news since last year but information is rather scarce. Now, a leaked email along with some new APIs found in Windows 10's latest preview gives us a bit more to speculate about. The Andromeda Surface Phone isn't going to be just a "phone." It's going to be a "pocketable device" following the steps of Microsoft's successful Surface line of laptops with flexible hinges. It aims to be in a class of its own due to its unique form factor and yes, we are talking about a foldable handset. The API allows applications to adjust...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Microsoft working on a foldable Surface phone, LG to supply the displays

The so-called "Andromeda" project has been popping up in the news since last year but information is rather scarce. Now, a leaked email along with some new APIs found in Windows 10's latest preview gives us a bit more to speculate about. The Andromeda Surface Phone isn't going to be just a "phone." It's going to be a "pocketable device" following the steps of Microsoft's successful Surface line of laptops with flexible hinges. It aims to be in a class of its own due to its unique form factor and yes, we are talking about a foldable handset. The API allows applications to adjust...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Microsoft working on a foldable Surface phone, LG to supply the displays

The so-called "Andromeda" project has been popping up in the news since last year but information is rather scarce. Now, a leaked email along with some new APIs found in Windows 10's latest preview gives us a bit more to speculate about. The Andromeda Surface Phone isn't going to be just a "phone." It's going to be a "pocketable device" following the steps of Microsoft's successful Surface line of laptops with flexible hinges. It aims to be in a class of its own due to its unique form factor and yes, we are talking about a foldable handset. The API allows applications to adjust...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Video lock screen from Samsung Galaxy S9 now available on Galaxy S8 and Note8

The latest update for Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note8 included a cool new feature that remain largely unnoticed. The functionality in question allows you to set a video as your lock screen wallpaper. Here's the feature in action on a Galaxy Note8: The functionality - which debuted on the Galaxy S9 series - arrived on the S8 series and Note8 with the update that also brought along the June security patch to these devices. To access video lock screen wallpapers, head to the Backgrounds tab of Samsung themes. In case you want to use one of your own videos as lock screen...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Video lock screen from Samsung Galaxy S9 now available on Galaxy S8 and Note8

The latest update for Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note8 included a cool new feature that remain largely unnoticed. The functionality in question allows you to set a video as your lock screen wallpaper. Here's the feature in action on a Galaxy Note8: The functionality - which debuted on the Galaxy S9 series - arrived on the S8 series and Note8 with the update that also brought along the June security patch to these devices. To access video lock screen wallpapers, head to the Backgrounds tab of Samsung themes. In case you want to use one of your own videos as lock screen...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

When Is Amazon Prime Day 2018? And 10 More Things to Know About It

amazon-prime-day-whatis

Amazon Prime Day 2018 is almost here. It feels like Christmas, doesn’t it? We just need Jeff Bezos to turn up in a red suit.

2017’s Prime Day saw sales in excess of $1 billion. This year’s event is expected to be even bigger as Amazon is primed to offer more discounts than ever before.

Keeping reading to learn about Amazon Prime Day 2018 and to discover how to get the best deals.

When Is Amazon Prime Day 2018?

Amazon Prime Day Banner

It’s not been officially confirmed, but it’s now widely expected that Amazon Prime Day 2018 will be on Monday, July 16.

The news leaked after TechRadar spotted an errant advertising banner on Amazon’s UK website which showed the date. The banner was quickly removed, and there has been no further word from Amazon itself.

In practice, Amazon Prime Day runs for more than 24 hours. Assuming the dates in Amazon’s banner were correct, it will begin at midday EST on July 16 and run until midnight PST on Tuesday the 17th, giving it a total duration of 39 hours.

We’ll update you as soon as we hear more. But until then, here are 10 more details that’ll help you get acquainted with and prepare for Amazon Prime Day.

1. What Is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day launched in 2015 as part of the company’s 20th birthday celebration. From a shopper’s standpoint, the first edition was beset with issues. Demand outstripped supply, the website slowed to a crawl, and the discounts were often on non-alluring items.

However, from a company standpoint, the 2015 Prime Day was a resounding success. It sold 398 products per second and saw the company make higher revenues than on Black Friday.

By last year’s 2017 event, Amazon has smoothed out the customer issues and the day went off without a hitch. The company saw a 60 percent rise in sales compared to 2016. Amazingly, revenues eclipsed its 2016 Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.

2. Who Can Take Advantage of Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Free Trial

Only Amazon Prime members can take advantage of the massive discounts.

However, if you’ve never been a Prime member before, you can cheat the system and sign up for a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial. Of course, you’d need to remember to cancel your trial before Amazon sends you a bill.

A new membership to Amazon Prime costs $12.99/mo or $119/year. In addition to Prime Day deals, you receive access to Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Music, free 2-day shipping, and many more Amazon Prime benefits.

3. What Deals Can You Expect on Amazon Prime Day?

In 2017, Amazon’s own products often enjoyed the most significant discounts. The Echo speaker dropped by 50 percent as Amazon let them go for $89.99, while the smaller Echo Dot was given a $15 discount to bring the price down to $34.99. As a result, the Dot became the most-bought item of the day.

You’ll also find considerable discounts on Amazon Fire sticks, Kindle ereaders, and items in the Amazon Basics range.

But it’s not just Amazon products that see bargain prices. In 2017, the TP-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug, the Sony PlayStation 4, the Nintendo Switch, and the OnePlus 5 phone were all big sellers.

Away from technology, estimates suggest Amazon sold 3.5 million toys, 200,000 dresses, 52,000 kitchen items, and 37,000 power tools.

4. Watch for Lightning Deals

Amazon Lightning Deals

Lightning Deals are a standard part of the Amazon shopping experience for Prime members. Every day, Amazon offers a limited number of products at a massive discount. The quantity of any item is limited, and deals are only available for a short amount of time.

On Amazon Prime Day, Lightning Deals are more common, with often hundreds of deals running at any moment. If you keep your eyes open, you might find a saving above and beyond standard Prime Day discount.

And if the Lightning Deal you want sells out before you get a chance to buy it, you can join a waiting list. If the people with the item in their cart fail to complete the purchase, it will automatically be offered to you.

5. Use Amazon Alexa for a Head Start on Deals

To beat the crowds to the best deals on Prime Day, you need to shop using your voice with Amazon Alexa.

In 2017, Amazon gave voice shoppers a two-hour head start on new deals. During the last Black Friday, that increased to seven hours.

We’d expect Amazon to offer the same benefits during this year’s Prime Day. You just need to say “Alexa, what are your deals?” to enjoy the advanced notice. If you hear something you want, say “Alexa, add [item] to my cart.”

6. Use Amazon Assistant for Deal Notifications

Unbeknown to many, Amazon offers a browser extension. It’s available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

The extension—called Amazon Assistant— offers lots of benefits, including order tracking, product comparisons, and access to your various lists. It’s an extension that every online shopper needs.

However, from an Amazon Prime Day perspective, its best feature is the watch lists. You can receive desktop notifications when any deals you’re watching go live, meaning you’ll never miss out on a purchase you want.

Download: Amazon Assistant (Free)

7. Check CamelCamelCamel for Price Histories

CamelCamelCamel Amazon

How do you know the price you see on Amazon represents a good deal? We all know high street shops artificially bump up prices ahead of a big sale, and some Amazon vendors are no different.

To make sure you’re not being conned, check the item’s price history on CamelCamelCamel. You can enter the Amazon item’s URL or search for keywords and see how the price has changed over time.

If you see a steady rise in the weeks building up to Prime Day, you should probably give it a wide berth.

8. Check Forums for Even More Prime Day Deals

Lastly, it’s worth hanging out in some dedicated Amazon Prime Day forums. The best subreddit will probably be /r/PrimeDay, but don’t expect to see much activity until the day itself. There’s also a dedicated Amazon subreddit which is worth keeping an eye on.

You should also check the threads on SlickDeals. It’s consistently one of the best sites for finding bargains on the web, and on Prime Day it goes into overdrive.

9. Singles’ Day Is Bigger Than Amazon Prime Day

Despite its impressive performances when compared to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Amazon Prime Day is not the web’s biggest day of online shopping.

That award goes to Alibaba’s Singles’ Day sales. In 2017, it saw sales of $17.8 billion. That’s more than 17 times the amount of money spent on Prime Day.

Alibaba is yet to become a giant in Europe and the United States. But if you’re looking for cheap, unbranded electronics, it might be better to wait until Singles’ Day 2018 on November 11th (and don’t worry, Alibaba is a perfectly safe place to do your shopping).

10. You Could Shop Elsewhere

Other stores have been looking enviously at Amazon piling up sales records. In response, an increasing number are running their own concurrent sales in an attempt to get involved in the buzz.

Last year, we saw Macy’s, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Nordstrom, and Dell provide discounts—many of which also offered free shipping.

On Amazon Prime Day 2018, you can expect to see Google, Newegg, Office Depot, and 1-800 Flowers join the list, along with several others.

So before committing to a purchase on Amazon, make sure you can’t find it cheaper on a competitor’s site.

Start Planning Your Amazon Prime Day Budget

Shopping responsibly is important. Events such as Prime Day are filled with temptation. Many people overspend and wake up with a head full of buyer’s remorse.

To make sure you don’t overindulge, you should make a budget before the big day arrives. There are lots of online tools that can help you budget or you could even use Microsoft Excel to create your own budget .

Read the full article: When Is Amazon Prime Day 2018? And 10 More Things to Know About It

Video lock screen from Samsung Galaxy S9 now available on Galaxy S8 and Note8

The latest update for Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note8 included a cool new feature that remain largely unnoticed. The functionality in question allows you to set a video as your lock screen wallpaper. Here's the feature in action on a Galaxy Note8: The functionality - which debuted on the Galaxy S9 series - arrived on the S8 series and Note8 with the update that also brought along the June security patch to these devices. To access video lock screen wallpapers, head to the Backgrounds tab of Samsung themes. In case you want to use one of your own videos as lock screen...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Verizon just released an eight-core Samsung Galaxy J3 V

Carrier-specific version of headsets are a pretty common occurrence these days. Besides a new confusing branding, these devices typically come with minor tweaks, compared to the generic model. The new Samsung Galaxy J3 V 3rd Gen - a new Verizon exclusive, however, offers quite a significant improvement over the regular Galaxy J3 (2018). The Exynos 7570 Quad, Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 chipset of the original, has been swapped for an octa-core Exynos 7884A. Frankly, this is the first time we are hearing of this particular silicon, but, with an eight core A73 (Dual/1.35GHz) + A53...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Verizon just released an eight-core Samsung Galaxy J3 V

Carrier-specific version of headsets are a pretty common occurrence these days. Besides a new confusing branding, these devices typically come with minor tweaks, compared to the generic model. The new Samsung Galaxy J3 V 3rd Gen - a new Verizon exclusive, however, offers quite a significant improvement over the regular Galaxy J3 (2018). The Exynos 7570 Quad, Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 chipset of the original, has been swapped for an octa-core Exynos 7884A. Frankly, this is the first time we are hearing of this particular silicon, but, with an eight core A73 (Dual/1.35GHz) + A53...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

YouTube’s Picture-in-Picture Mode Is Now Free on Android

YouTube has, suddenly, and with little fanfare, made its picture-in-picture mode available on Android for free. YouTube’s PiP mode was previously only available to YouTube Red subscribers, but with the switch to YouTube Premium times have changed.

Picture-in-picture allows you to view content in a small window while continuing to use the device in question. PiP has been common on TV sets and the like for years, and with the release of Android 8.0 (Oreo) it has been an option on your smartphone too.

How to Use YouTube’s PiP Mode

YouTube’s picture-in-picture mode has, until now, only been available for people willing to pay for the privilege of watching YouTube. However, YouTube has now removed that barrier, making its PiP mode available for free on Android. Sorry, iOS users.

Unfortunately, YouTube isn’t making its PiP mode available to everyone. You’ll need to be resident in the U.S., and using the YouTube app on an Android device running Android 8.0 (Oreo) or above. So international users or anyone with an older phone is out of luck.

Even if you do qualify to use picture-in-picture for free, not all videos are available to watch. Any videos that contain music content will not work with PiP, at least for free. Instead, you’ll need to subscribe to YouTube Premium or YouTube Music to unlock them.

As detailed on YouTube’s support pages, using PiP mode is simple. When you’re watching a video, tap the Home button on your device. Instead of closing YouTube, as it would have done previously, the video will continue playing in a small window.

PiP Is Perfect for the Under-30s

This is, admittedly, a small upgrade to the way YouTube operates. However, for those people (anyone under the age of 30) who have short attention spans, picture-in-picture lets you watch YouTube videos without actually watching YouTube videos.

Image Credit: Rego Korosi/Flickr

Read the full article: YouTube’s Picture-in-Picture Mode Is Now Free on Android

Verizon just released an eight-core Samsung Galaxy J3 V

Carrier-specific version of headsets are a pretty common occurrence these days. Besides a new confusing branding, these devices typically come with minor tweaks, compared to the generic model. The new Samsung Galaxy J3 V 3rd Gen - a new Verizon exclusive, however, offers quite a significant improvement over the regular Galaxy J3 (2018). The Exynos 7570 Quad, Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 chipset of the original, has been swapped for an octa-core Exynos 7884A. Frankly, this is the first time we are hearing of this particular silicon, but, with an eight core A73 (Dual/1.35GHz) + A53...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Android P rollout for Nokia phones may start in August

So far, HMD has confirmed multiple times that all its Nokia branded smartphones will get the Android P update. In fact, the company recently launched a Beta program in China for the owners of Nokia 6.1, Nokia 7, Nokia 7 plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco. However, there has been no information on the availability of the update. Well, that changes now, as users are being told the roll out will begin anytime after July. As you can see, the information comes courtesy of Nokia Mobile Care. In an email sent out to a user, the support staff gave August as the time frame when Android P will start...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Android P rollout for Nokia phones may start in August

So far, HMD has confirmed multiple times that all its Nokia branded smartphones will get the Android P update. In fact, the company recently launched a Beta program in China for the owners of Nokia 6.1, Nokia 7, Nokia 7 plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco. However, there has been no information on the availability of the update. Well, that changes now, as users are being told the roll out will begin anytime after July. As you can see, the information comes courtesy of Nokia Mobile Care. In an email sent out to a user, the support staff gave August as the time frame when Android P will start...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

Android P rollout for Nokia phones may start in August

So far, HMD has confirmed multiple times that all its Nokia branded smartphones will get the Android P update. In fact, the company recently launched a Beta program in China for the owners of Nokia 6.1, Nokia 7, Nokia 7 plus and Nokia 8 Sirocco. However, there has been no information on the availability of the update. Well, that changes now, as users are being told the roll out will begin anytime after July. As you can see, the information comes courtesy of Nokia Mobile Care. In an email sent out to a user, the support staff gave August as the time frame when Android P will start...

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New teaser suggests red OnePlus 6 is coming

Oneplus has released a new teaser video through its official Twitter handle. It's a small, 15 seconds video that doesn't directly reveal the product being teased. But it's easy to guess, given the extensive focus on red color in the video along with C61422 (which is hex color code for red) and the hashtag #Oneplus 6 in the tweet. Now initiating: C61422. Do you wish to continue? https://t.co/QTDxIcWP5N #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/mTyjqk5FZZ— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 29, 2018 So in all likelihood, a red OnePlus 6 is coming, and it's coming very soon - you'll see 'July 2' towards the...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

New teaser suggests red OnePlus 6 is coming

Oneplus has released a new teaser video through its official Twitter handle. It's a small, 15 seconds video that doesn't directly reveal the product being teased. But it's easy to guess, given the extensive focus on red color in the video along with C61422 (which is hex color code for red) and the hashtag #Oneplus 6 in the tweet. Now initiating: C61422. Do you wish to continue? https://t.co/QTDxIcWP5N #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/mTyjqk5FZZ— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 29, 2018 So in all likelihood, a red OnePlus 6 is coming, and it's coming very soon - you'll see 'July 2' towards the...

GSMArena.com - Latest articles

New teaser suggests red OnePlus 6 is coming

Oneplus has released a new teaser video through its official Twitter handle. It's a small, 15 seconds video that doesn't directly reveal the product being teased. But it's easy to guess, given the extensive focus on red color in the video along with C61422 (which is hex color code for red) and the hashtag #Oneplus 6 in the tweet. Now initiating: C61422. Do you wish to continue? https://t.co/QTDxIcWP5N #OnePlus6 pic.twitter.com/mTyjqk5FZZ— OnePlus (@oneplus) June 29, 2018 So in all likelihood, a red OnePlus 6 is coming, and it's coming very soon - you'll see 'July 2' towards the...

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Xiaomi Mi A1 gets Android 8.1, but you might want to hold off updating

Xiaomi's Android One smartphone - Mi A1 - is getting a new update. Weighing in at around 1.2GB, it's a major update that bumps the Android version of the device to 8.1 Oreo. Aside from what the 8.1 update brings (like Pixel 2 launcher look as well as dark and light themes), the update also includes Android security fixes for the month of June. The official change-log isn't yet available, but here's an unofficial one from someone who received the update. The roll out seems to be happening globally, as users from markets like India and the Philippines are reporting getting the OTA...

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BlackBerry Key2 goes up for pre-order in the US

The BlackBerry Key2 is the second member of a rather unique family of smartphones with actual physical keyboards - a rare sight in this day and age. The Key2 was announced at the beginning of this month in New York, and starting today you can pre-order one if you're in the US. Both Amazon and Best Buy have listed it, for the same price: $649.99 unlocked. You can pick between silver and black color versions. The handset will be released on July 13. If you're not sure whether you should pre-order one or not, take a look at our hands-on review of the BlackBerry Key2. The device comes with...

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LG V20 gets Oreo in August in North America

We already expected the LG V20 to at some point be graced with an update to Android 8.0 Oreo, because T-Mobile promised to bring this version of the OS to its version of the phone back in March. Up until now, however, we had no rough timeline to speak of for the new software's release. Over in Canada, though, Fido has updated its own official update schedule page to give us a better idea about when the V20 should taste Oreo in North America. According to that carrier, its V20 units will receive the update at some point in August. We're hoping that no delays will occur. Obviously...

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Google Maps now shows when there's road work on your way home

Google acquired Waze five years ago but the majority of features weren't implemented into Google Maps like interactions between drivers, incident reporting, traffic cams, speed cams, police patrols, etc. Today, however, Google Maps is introducing road status to a limited number of users. Screenshot from Google Maps For now, Google Maps reports only road work but incident reporting such as crashes are bound to be implemented shortly after. The app prompts a message asking the user if the road work is still in place with "Yes," "No," "Not sure". The new feature has been...

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vivo NEX S review

In our mind, the most impressive aspect of the NEX S is that it even exists in the first place. In one impressive swoop, vivo managed to take what was initially showcased as a tech concept and actually polish and push it to an end-user release. Frankly, a move that took most of the industry by surprise definitely raised the collective bar, in more ways than one. As such, the vivo NEX S is an important and monumental device. It will go down as a landmark in smartphone history. But, does that make it any good as an actual daily driver? One, usable and dependable enough to invest in and have by your side? Join us on the following pages as we try and look beyond the flashy exterior to find out.

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