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HTC 10 evo (Bolt) might be coming towards the end of November

Alexandra Arici
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HTC has been rumored to be prepping a new version of the HTC 10 dubbed HTC Bolt or HTC 10 evo. The device was initially expected to make a debut in October, but obviously that didn’t happen. Now new info coming from Taiwanese site ePrice seems to indicate that the HTC evo is due to make it out in late November.

In a post, the online retailer announce the HTC 10 evo will become available for pre-order stating November 22 until November 30 in Taiwan.

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As for the international version, the handset will probably go on sale as the HTC Bolt in the US under Sprint’s wing. The handset has showed its face online before, leaking in a few press renders and live images.

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Now it appears the phone will not only became available in silver, but in black too. The device might make a debut into the wild with a bigger 5.5-inch display with either FHD or QHD resolution on board. Other expected features are 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (expandable via mircoSD card slot), an 18MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and 4K video recording, 8MP selfie snapper and a fingerprint scanner below the display.

If the HTC 10 evo is to be considered a successor for the HTC 10, then we could see it arrive wth a Snapdragon 821 onboard, instead of the 820.

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The upcoming phone will ditch the 3.5 headset jack, thus becoming the first HTC device to come without a standard audio port. The device should ship out from Sprint with Android 7.0 Nougat onboard and Sense 8.0 on top.

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In related news, it seems like another phone will be going on sale at the same time as the HTC 10 evo. We’re talking about a phone codenamed HTC Desire A17 (could be the Desire 10 Pro) which should make it out into the wild with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow on board and Sense 8 running on top.

Nokia’s upcoming Android Nougat smartphones leak in images

Alexandra Arici
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We all knew it was in the cards – but now it seems like Nokia’s plans of making a comeback in the smartphone market are finally taking psychical shape. Word on the street has it that the company is prepping two high-end smartphones with Android Nougat onboard and thanks to a new leak coming to us via Digi Worthy, we can already take a peek and see what they will look like.

According to previous leaks, it appears that the new Nokia phones will make a debut into the wild in Gold, Black and White colors. The current photos show the devices will be taking advantage of a premium metallic design with a visible Nokia logo plastered on their backs.

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If previous rumors are to be believed, Nokia will soon be unveiling a smartphone duo. Following today’s dual phone launch trend, the company is preparing to introduce a handset with a smaller 5.2-inch display and one with a more spacious 5.5-inch screen size.

Resolution information has not been confirmed, but we can expect that at least one of these phones (probably the larger one) will feature QHD resolution.

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In the chipset department, both devices will take advantage of a Snapdragon 820 processor. We’re still waiting for info regarding RAM, storage and camera options.

We can tell you that both new Nokia designs will ship out with an update version of Z Launcher plus a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button. The devices are also said to feature IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

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The new Android phones are expected to make it out into the wild sometime in early 2017. The last Android device released by Nokia after the Microsoft acquisition, was the N1 tablet.

The slate launched in 2015 and it was among the first devices to be launched with Android 5.0 out of the box. It had a 5.7-inch display with 1,546 x 2,048 resolution and an Intel Atom Z3580 processor under the hood in combination with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

Alongside the two handsets, the rumor mill expects Nokia to unveil tablet (or more) product, as well. Are you excited about Nokia making a comeback to the Android mobile ecosystem?

Terrapin Galaxy S7 edge cases are well-built and are all priced under $15 (review)

Derrick Miyao
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It should go without saying that owners of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge should protect their cell phones with a case. While the S7 edge is a beautifully designed and built phone, having curved Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back is an accident waiting to happen. I was one of the few who thought I could go case free, mainly because I didn’t want to cover up the awesome design on the S7 edge. The S7 edge has one of the highest costs associated with fixing broken glass at a price of over $250.

Beyond protection, cases can be functional. There are quite a wide variety of cases, like the Terrapin Leather Wallet case I have been using on my S7 edge which allows me to do away with my wallet. While many opt for functional cases, most just want protection. Terrapin also has cases like clear TPU Gel case that offers solid protection and also extra grip too.

It’s been half a year since the S7 edge was released. That means your case might need a refresh. Similar to helmets, cases only can withstand a limited number of drops. If you’re the type who is constantly dropping their phones in the case, now might be a good time to replace your protection.

Let’s check out a couple solid options to protect your Samsung Galaxy S7 edge from Terrapin.

Terrapin [Black] Premium PU Leather Wallet Case

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For those of you who like premium style wallet cases, this one from Terrapin is for made just for you. It’s one of the best made wallet cases I’ve used in a long time and it offers the perfect combination of looks, build-quality, protection while staying ultra-slim.

The outside is made of a premium material that looks and feels like leather. It has a brown interior which gives it a great contrast to the black exterior. The stitching form fits the hard interior shell which keeps the S7 edge safe from drops and falls.

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The phone folds open on the right side to expose three card slots for your ID or credit cards. If you still use cash there’s even a pocket for holding it under the cards. This wallet case doesn’t require much money to purchase at $10.95, and is a fantastic value if you want to minimize what you carry in your pockets.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Two Tone Wallet with Stand 

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Terrapin’s synthetic leather wallet case in genuinely one of my favorite cases when it comes to functionality. I’m not a huge fan of multiple credit cards, as I try to keep things simple with two credit cards, and one debit card. Of course I always carry my driver’s license and generally limit my cash to under $100. I’ve used a card sleeve style wallet for the past decade, but with this wallet case from Terrapin I no longer need to carry that extra item.

Terrapin’s synthetic leather looks like the real thing. I honestly didn’t know it was synthetic leather until I read the description and then did the smell test. It looks like genuine leather and has the deep stitching usually reserved for higher end cases.

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There’s also the right amount of card slots for holding my ID, credit cards and debit card, with a larger slot for cash.

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Without overstuffing the wallet, the case still manages to fold flat even though it offers quite a bit of protection at the same time. The front cover is held down on the case when not using the phone by a magnetic clip that is rather strong. Overall if you’re looking for a professional look, while minimizing items you carry, the Terrapin S7 edge two tone wallet case is a solid option. There are similar style wallet cases that cost four to five times as much but offer very little advantage over this one.

One last feature that is nice for people who consume a but of multimedia is the built-in kick stand.

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Terrapin TPU Gel with Polycarbonate Bumper Protective Case

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One of my favorite cases is Terrapin’s Gel TPU Polycarbonate bumper case. It’s not your typical hard plastic that simply offers protection. It has a real grippy texture to it that makes the S7 edge real easy to hold. It’s also clear which allows me to see the beautiful phone I paid for.

The edges line up perfectly with the volume rocker, power button, microUSB slot, and 3.5mm audio jack. This is a great case for just $10.95 and resists scratches and bumps with the best of them

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Terrapin Trifold Clutch Purse Wallet with Polka Dot Interior for Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

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Terrapin’s deep red leather wallet style case is admittedly not my type of case, but there are many women who would love a case like this. While many cases are rugged or technical looking, the Trifold Clutch Purse wallet case is refreshingly different. It’s got a beautiful colored exterior with a polka dotted interior and hard interior case.

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It has enough slots to hold your ID, three to four credit cards as well as a wad of cash. It also has a detachable wrist strap to ensure you don’t lose the phone while out on the night. The Trifold wallet has a magnet inside of the flip cover to keep it tightly closed when not in use.

Behind the leatherette exterior are hard shells to keep your S7 edge protected from just about anything you can throw at it.

It’s a stylish clutch styled case that is perfect for those who don’t want to carry a purse and don’t want to spend a ton of money.

Terrapin Samsung S7 Edge Case Wallet [Purple]

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Up last is Terrapin’s ultra-slim purple wallet case that might be the best of the bunch. The color is one that isn’t one I’d normally choose for myself, but is one that I can see many people choosing.

It’s another wallet style flip cover that is the slimmest of the bunch. There’s a hard interior case to protect and hold your S7 edge, with an outer flip cover two slots for credit cards. It’s one of the more functional cases since it also doubles as a flip stand so you can use watch videos on your phones hands free.

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It’s slimmer than the other wallet cases by a couple of millimeters making it very pocketable.

Priced at just $11.95, it’s a great value for the quality and protection it offers.

Terrapin makes fantastic cases

Terrapin has been making cases for a decade and offers some of the best value for your dollar. It’s not a brand you’ll see in big box stores, but is one you can trust. These five cases made for the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge are a great example of the quality of work it does and are worth your money.

Protect your Samsung Galaxy S7 edge today with Terrapin.

Sprint partners with Google to launch RCS messaging

Andrew Orr
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Sprint becomes the first carrier to launch RCS messaging on Android. RCS, or Rich Communications Services, is a new type of universal messaging designed to work similarly to Apple’s iMessage.

Google first entered this communications protocol when it bought Jibe Mobile last fall. Although RCS has been around since 2007, it has failed to attract support from any of the 50+ carriers around the world. But in February of this year, Google partnered with the GSM Association along with 15 carriers.

RCS brings advanced features to texting, like group chat, sharing hi-res photos, read receipts and more. Google will be powering this with the Jibe RCS cloud. Customers of Sprint will see the standard SMS feature replaced with RCS in the Messenger app in 2017. If you currently use certain LG and Nexus phones with Sprint, your messaging app will be automatically updated through the Play Store.

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In a world where Google has four messaging apps: Allo, Duo, Google Messenger and Hangouts, this move to RCS favors Messenger over the other apps. At least on Sprint phones, Messenger will be the default texting app starting next year.

AndroidPolice points out that T-Mobile and AT&T have actually released RCS messaging too. But those versions aren’t compatible with Google’s standard. Both carriers seem to be marketing RCS as a carrier feature, instead of the universal standard that Google wants it to be.

It’s also worthwhile to point out that RCS wouldn’t be a true universal protocol like SMS if Apple doesn’t get on board. But why would they? They already use their own proprietary iMessage system. So far in 2016 there are an estimated 90 million iPhone users. Hopefully the addition of RCS doesn’t fragment the global communication system. RCS, SMS and iMessage? Carrier-specific versions of RCS that aren’t compatible with each other? No thanks.

Verizon’s Black Friday ad leaks

Matt Adams
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If you’re one of the many people looking for a new smartphone this time of year for either you or a loved one, you may want to check out Verizon’s Black Friday deals. There are some really compelling deals in here. We recently brought you news of T-Mobile’s Black Friday ad, and while they are trying to lure people in with discounted lower-end phones and bill credits for switching to Big Magenta, Verizon is discounting some of the best phones and accessories on the market. Here’s a look at what Verizon is offering.

Phones

  • Samsung Galaxy S7: $10 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $672 retail price, you pay $240.
  • Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: $24.66 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $792 retail price, you pay $591.84. Read the AndroidGuys Galaxy S7 review here.
  • Pixel, Phone by Google: $10 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $649 retail price, you pay $240. Read the AndroidGuys first impressions here.
  • Moto Z Droid: $10 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $624 retail price, you pay $240.
  • Moto Z Force Droid: $21.66 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $720 retail price, you pay $519.84. Read the AndroidGuys Moto Z Force Droid review here.
  • LG V20: $19.66 per month for 24 months, 0% APR. $672 retail price, you pay $471.84

Tablets

  • Apple iPad mini 2: $99 with new 2-year activation
  • Apple iPad Pro 9.7″: $479.99 with new 2-year activation
  • Ellipsis 10: $50 with new 2-year activation
  • ASUS ZenPad Z10: $149.99 with new 2-year activation
  • ASUS ZenPad Z8: $99 with new 2-year activation

Wearables

  • Fitbit Charge 2: $129.99, normally $149.99. Save $20 and receive a $25 gift card on fitness purchases
  • Fitbit Alta: $99.99, normally $129.99. Save $30 and receive a $10 Visa gift card.
  • Gizmo Gadget: $149.99, receive a $50 gift card.
  • Gizmo Pal 2: $79.99, receive a $50 gift card.

Headphones and Speakers

  • urBeats Earphones: $49.99, normally $99.99. Save $50
  • Beats Solo3 On-Ear Wireless Headphones: $224.99, normally $299.99. Save $25
  • harman kardon Onyx Mini Portable Bluetooth Speaker: $99.99, normally $199.99. Save $100
  • JAM Double Down Wireless Speaker: $24.99, normally $49.99. Save $25
  • UE Boom 2: $99, normally $199. Save $100

Other Deals

  • Nest Security Cam: $149.99, normally $199.99. Save $50
  • Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition Snow: $169.99, normally 249.99. Save $80
  • Hum by Verizon: $29.99, receive a $25 AutoZone gift card.
  • Mophie Powerstation XL: $34.99, normally $69.99. Save $35. All Mophie products on sale for 25% off.
  • Buy two cases, get the third for free.

Keep your eyes on AndroidGuys.com for the run-up to Black Friday. We’ll be bringing you all of the deals you need to know about to get tech at the price you want.

Pegs ‘n Holes: Is this puzzle the perfect fit for you? (review)

AndroidGuys
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It’s amazing how a simple game can entertain us so easily. Let’s take Connect Four for example. The company I work for recently had a Connect Four tournament for all the employees. It was hilarious to see full-grown adults getting so hyped over watching two people try to line four circles in a row. I actually spent hours practicing with my roommate only to lose in the first round to my boss. If you’re reading this Beth, I’m taking you down next year.

Let me introduce you to Pegs ‘n Holes, another simple, yet addictive game that resembles a Connect Four board.

  • Developer: Jordan Naftolin
  • Price: Free (In-app purchases)
  • Download: iOS and Google Play

Overview

Pegs ‘n Holes is a logic-based puzzle game that involves matching the circles with the board’s holes in the correct sequence. Tapping the circle will slide it to the corresponding colored hole, eliminating it from the board. The goal is to match and eliminate all the holes in the board.

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Finding the correct sequence is harder than you think. The game will only let you tap the circles that give you a potential move. The tricky part is that there are multiple circles that can potentially go into the hole that you want to clear. The concept is similar to Sudoku,
where numbers can go into multiple boxes, but only one box will complete the puzzle. Prepare yourself for the frustration you will encounter when you only have two boxes remaining with the wrong colored circles.

There is an undo and restart button during gameplay. The undo button comes in handy when you realize you’ve moved the wrong peg. You can undo as many times as you want and you will not be penalized for using it. There is also a colorblind mode option that uses shapes instead.

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The game offers two modes: solo play and online competition. Solo play lets you choose different board sizes such as 4×4 up to 9×9. 4×4 will be for beginners, while 9×9 will be for those players with a lot of time to kill and need some mental stimulation.

The online competition mode features a 7×7 board, where your completed time will be ranked against other players. I have managed to get last place almost every time in this modes. Some of these times are obscenely fast. I average around 100 seconds for a 7×7 board. The top ranked players are finishing at around 16 seconds.

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There is only one in-app purchase which is to pay $0.99 to remove ads at the bottom of your screen.

Impressions

I really enjoy puzzles so it was no question that I had a great time playing Pegs ‘n Holes. The game is quite addicting and I found myself playing constantly. I really appreciated the simplicity of the game. You don’t have to invest much time to be entertained. The challenging levels were great exercise to keep my brain sharp.

The animations of the game were really smooth. Tapping the circle was quick and responsive. You can tap two circles at the same time to shave off key seconds. The only issue I had with the touch screen interface is that it became harder to tap the correct circles when the board grew bigger. I found myself tapping the wrong circle in the 9×9 mode frequently. This could be partly due to my fat fingers, but I can imagine users with smaller phones having an equally difficult time trying to tap those small pegs.

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One more minor thing that bugged me was the restart button. There were numerous instances where I accidentally grazed over the restart button and ended up restarting the game right before I was about to win. This could easily be fixed by adding an “Are you sure you want to restart the game” option when the restart button is pressed.

Conclusion

It’s amazing how a simple game can keep people entertained for hours. This is the main reason why puzzle games will always have a spot in your phone.

Pegs ‘n Holes is a logic-based puzzle game that uses pegs to eliminate all the holes in the board. The two game modes gives you the freedom to play casually or competitively. This game is perfect for anybody who has a couple minutes to kill and wants to challenge their brain. With all mindless games in the app store, it’s nice to have an option that actually requires some thinking.

YouTube gives creators more tools for moderation

Andrew Orr
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YouTube comment sections are a dark place that you should only visit when you’re inebriated – or maybe not at all. But now the YouTube creators have a bit more control over their comment sections – if they haven’t turned comments off altogether.

Pinning Comments

Creators can pin their favorite comments to the top of the feed. You can either highlight great fan comments or your own comment filled with important information.

Show The Love

You can also give a “heart” Twitter-style to your favorite comments as well. This is an easy and fun way to let your viewers know you’ve actually read through the comments.

Usernames

When you comment on your own channel, your username will have a colorful border around it. Viewers will be able to tell that your account is the legitimate one in case someone else has made a fake account in your name. Verified creators will also have the recognizable checkmark next to their names too.

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Moderators

As a creator of a YouTube channel you already have the ability to designate trusted people as moderators. This lets you focus more on content creation and less on the vitriol of negative commenters.

Blacklisting

The blacklisting feature could be thought of as a type of parental filtering. You’ll be able to block certain words and phrases from appearing in your comments. Add them to the box next to Blacklist and use a comma to separate words and phrases.

Comments that closely match these will be held for your approval, unless they were written by someone in your approved user list. You can even block certain links from appearing in comments as well. This should limit spammers.

These tools will be gradually rolling out over time, but if you want to submit your channel to try them out ahead of time, fill out this form.

Google gives developers tools for subscription promos

Andrew Orr
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Google is giving developers a bunch of new tools and programs in the Play Developer Console. These tools can help increase user engagement, and hopefully more revenue as well.

The new tools/programs include:

  • New subscription promos
  • Pre-registration
  • Early Access
  • Recognizing art and innovation from indie developers
  • Fair Play

Subscription Promos

In an age of app saturation, it’s becoming increasingly harder to extract more and more revenue from apps and games. Enter the subscription model. This is the fastest growing business model on Google Play and developers can now offer promotion subscribers.

Coming soon (no time range given) developers will be able to create an introductory price for new subscribers. This will last a certain period of time before the regular price sets in. For example, you could offer a promo of $0.99 for the first two months before the regular price – say $2.99/month takes over.

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Pre-registration

In early 2016 Google worked with certain developers to let their users pre-register for big upcoming titles on Android like Clash Royale and Candy Crush Jelly Saga. So far this has created a surge of 30 million people to download these games.

With a simple tap of a “pre-register” icon, users will be able to give developers a rough measure of how many people will be interested. Once a person pre-registers, it will automatically set an alert that will go off once the app or game is available.

Early Access

Early Access is an open beta program for Android users to test drive apps and games before the final release. The Early Access feature itself has been in a beta with a select number of developers. Over the past several months, more developers have been able to use this tool.

The feature doesn’t seem to be fully rolled out yet. You’ll have to fill out a form to “nominate” your app or game to be part of the Early Access program. You can find that form here.

Indie Innovation

Indie developers bring wonderful art and other innovations to their games, and Google wants to officially recognize their hard work. There are programs like Indie Corner to showcase indie games, and bigger events like the Google Play Indie Games Festival.

To nominate your indie app for inclusion in the Indie Corner, you can fill out this form here. Google will pick the best indie games that best showcase quality of the experience, as well as “exemplary” use of Google Play game services.

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Fair Play

A big part of being creating a game is managing the in-game economy. Game economies are becoming increasingly more complex. A part of this is players who try out the game and request a refund. So Google is releasing a new API – in beta for now – that helps developers see which players request refunds. This lets the devs manage their economies better, and hopefully create a better experience for everyone.

Developers interested in signing up for this new API can do so here.

Cricket & ESPN Bucket List unleashed: win a Galaxy S7 or the chance to attend a major sports event

Alexandra Arici
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Have you ever wanted to attend the NBA Finals or the World Series, but for one reason or another you never could? Well then you’ll be excited to hear that Cricket Wireless and ESPN are teaming up to make your dream come true.

All you need to do to be eligible to join the Bucket List promotion is visit the dedicated page and enter the required information. Users can also sign-up by heading out to a Cricket Wireless store and handing over their Scan Card along with a valid email address. Scan Cards will be distributed by sponsor street teams at events and at Cricket Wireless retail locations.

Now what does the grand prize actually include you might be asking? Here it comes:

  • Two tickets to a Bucket List sporting event hosted within continental US
  • Round-trip, economy class air transportation for winner + one guest
  • Round-trip transportation from the airport to hotel
  • Minimum of three days and two night housing at standard hotel accommodation
  • $500 spending money

If you don’t end up winning the grand prize, don’t be discouraged. Cricket and ESPN also offer a slew of first prizes and second prizes.

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First prize winners will be awarded:

  • One Samsung Galaxy S7
  • One year of Cricket Wireless on a $70/month samsung-galaxy-s7

Second prize winners will receive

  • One basketball with the autograph or Jalen Rose

Entries are accepted until November 30, so sports fan have plenty of time to decide which event they want to attend.

Huawei goals: dethrone Apple as the world’s second smartphone maker in 2 years

Alexandra Arici
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0

Not so long ago Huawei was an obscure smartphone manufacturer in China, but in recent years the company has truly blossomed. Last year, Huawei partnered up with Google for the Nexus 6P while in 2016 the device maker released impressive models like the P9 which quickly became quite popular with consumers. But Huawei wants more. According to a new report coming out Reuters, Huawei aims to become the world’s second smartphone vendor.

It’s not an impossible dream given that the company is currently the world’s third largest smartphone vendor, just behind titans like Apple and Samsung.

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Huawei recently hosted a media event in Munich, Germany where it announced two, new premium handsets, the Mate 9 and Mate 9 Porsche Design – a Limited Edition model. During the event the company’s Huawei CEO, Richard Yu expressed that he sees Huawei becoming the second largest smartphone producer in two years.

The device maker it’s gearing up to take down Apple and innovation is its biggest weapon. Chances are it will succeed. Customers might just forget about iPhones when they take a look at the two gorgeous, new Mate 7 phones. Both come with incredible sets of specs, but the prices are to match. However this shouldn’t be a problem for iPhone buyers, as Apple’s products are quite expensive themselves.

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The Huawei CEO claims the future will bring lots of opportunities to undermine Apple’s authority. Yu bets on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and the myriad of opportunities they open.

Speaking of which, the Mate 9 is said to be equipped with a novel type of AI system that can learn about a user’s habits and then display the most use apps within reach. The phablet is also compatible with the Daydream View VR headset, so Huawei and Google are still working closely together.

The Mate 9 made a debut into the wild with a 6.96-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and a new Kirin 960 processor with Mali G71 GPU. The phone features a “co-engineered” Leica dual-camera setup which employs a 12MP RBG sensor with 12MP monochrome sensor.

The phone also boasts 4GB or RAM, 64GB of internal storage, an 8MP selfie camera, 4,000 mAh battery and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box with EMUI user interface plastered on top.

With such a solid device out on the market, Huawei feels confident it can dethrone Apple in two years. Yu says Apple is struggling to come out with innovative, new designs while Samsung is busy killing off its flagship products. In the meantime, Huawei seems to be thriving.

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