Samsung has merely confirmed that it’s going to unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at the Mobile World Congress 2018 next month. It will confirm at the event when the handset is going to be released in key markets. The release timeframe for other markets will subsequently be confirmed by the company’s regional divisions.
It’s going to be a considerable wait for Samsung’s new flagship smartphones. That’s one of the reasons why clones of popular flagship smartphones tend to do well, the other being that they’re cheap and not everyone wants to spend $1000 on a smartphone. Samsung may not have released the Galaxy S9+ yet but very convincing clones are now surfacing in China.
Galaxy S9+ clones
It has only been a few weeks since we saw a video of a very convincing clone of the Galaxy S9+. The manufacturer has meticulously copied the key design elements right down to the dual camera at the back. This isn’t an anomaly. We saw this happen last year with the Galaxy S8 as well.
That’s what we see with this latest pair of Galaxy S9+ clones as well, demonstrated in this video in both Black and Gold or Champagne hues. Even the user interface has been copied to appear quite similar to the real thing.
There are some obvious giveaways. For starters, the device is much too thick and the display isn’t quite as bezel-less as it’s going to be on the real Galaxy S9+. The unusually chunky power button gives up the jig as well.
These Galaxy S9+ clones can be found for a fraction of the price in China. Rest assured, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be expensive like their predecessors. There’s a whole market that prefers clones and they’ll certainly be happy with the quality with which these Galaxy S9 clones have been made.
Nothing beats the real thing though, obviously.
It’s not uncommon for purported images and videos of an upcoming flagship handset to leak prior to the official launch. However, they’re not always accurate. While they do provide valuable hints about the upcoming device in some cases, some of them are just without any merit. That’s the case with this new Galaxy S9+ hands-on video which is circulating online today.
Fake Galaxy S9+ hands-on video
We’re all anxious to see the new flagship smartphone from Samsung. Countless renders have already leaked online but we have yet to see a proper hands-on video being leaked ahead of the official announcement.
The only that’s circulating today features a very convincing copy of the Galaxy S9+. It does appear to be the real deal at first glance as it imitates the Infinity Display and the design language very well. It even has a dual camera system at the back. However, you can spot subtle clues that give up the secret.
For example, the bottom bezel is clearly thicker than what you’d expect on the Galaxy S9+. Moreover, the power button is excessively chunky for no apparent reason.
Look closely when the app drawer is opened and you’ll see the FM radio app which you won’t find on the real deal. You can’t spot Galaxy Apps, S Planner and Samsung Health apps. Even the camera app that’s shown in this video is different.
There’s absolutely no doubt that this a fake albeit a very convincing one. It wouldn’t be surprising if this fake starts being sold in China weeks before the Galaxy S9’s official announcement that’s expected to take place at MWC 2018 in February.
We have all grown accustomed to the yearly refresh schedule at this point, whether or not we actually buy a phone every year or not.
But it looks like LG doesn’t want to keep up that schedule. In fact, it doesn’t sound like LG wants to see itself as launching phones because it has to, according to LG Electronics Vice Chairman Cho Sung-jin. According to the Chairman, LG doesn’t want to launch phones just because its rivals are launching devices, and it may mean that it doesn’t keep up a yearly refresh schedule. Interestingly enough, we may even see more variants of the G- and V-series handsets along the way, too:
“We will unveil new smartphones when it is needed. But we will not launch it jut because other rivals do. We plan to retain existing models longer by, for instance, unveiling more variant models of the G series or V series.”
That would be a big shift, to be sure. LG and Samsung have been going head-to-head in the early part of the year, for quite some time, with the former company launching the G-series handsets, and the latter launching its Galaxy S flagship brand. And then again, later in the year, Samsung has typically launched the Galaxy Note phablet, while LG has turned to the V-series device as its competing product.
It will be interesting to see what this turns into. The suggestion that we could see more models of both the G- and V-series handsets seems to suggest that while LG might not stick to the yearly refresh cycle, we could see just a bunch of different devices released throughout any given year with these brands.
LG Electronics CEO Cho Seong-jin says the company plans to unveil new smartphones “when it is needed,” rather than to maintain competition with rival devices.
LG wants to “retain existing models longer” with the release of additional variants, for example.
What this means for the hypothetical LG G7 and LG V40 remains to be seen.
LG is planning a rebrand its flagship G series this year (more on that below), but it looks like the company’s plans might stretch farther and wider than a reshaping of naming conventions. Its mobile division is coming off the back of 10 quarter-on-quarter losses, so now could be a good time for a change.
LG Electronics Vice Chairman and CEO Cho Seong-jin sat down at CES yesterday to discuss, among other things, LG’s future mobile strategy (via The KoreaHerald);specifically, when it would reveal its next flagship.
“We will unveil new smartphones when it is needed. But we will not launch it just because other rivals do,” said Cho.
“We plan to retain existing models longer by, for instance, unveiling more variant models of the G series or V series.”
LG has traditionally released devices around the same time as its South Korean rival Samsung, but after beating the Galaxy S8 to launch in 2017 with its LG G6, and still (by all accounts) getting trounced by it in sales, it’s little surprise that this strategy is being rethought. LG might not adhere to a strict yearly release cycle, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t see a new flagship the LG G7 or LG V40 released this year.
Additionally, though Cho referenced the G series in his comments, we can still assume this was for convenience’s sake — a rebrand would still be in line with the other changes in its mobile division strategy.
Cho focused on LG’s new approach as something the company could sustain. “We found it is important to retain a good platform for a long [time] and concerns rise over the supply of lithium materials,” he said.
Those may be viable reasons, but LG could just as likely be changing its strategy because its mobile business just isn’t profitable anymore. At the last count, LG’s mobile unit was still responsible for hundreds of millions of lost dollars, and it’s expected to see its 11th quarterly loss in a row in the Q4 2017 earnings announcement coming soon. Retaining a good platform is one thing, but making phones that will sell in astronomical quantities probably wouldn’t hurt either.
LG took to CES to change things up. While every major smartphone brand has historically launched a flagship per series every year (or twice a year if you’re OnePlus), LG will no longer be doing so.
LG hosted a press conference at CES 2018 where Vice Chairman Cho Sung-jin said that its models will stick around for longer then before, with more variants launching between new models.
“We will unveil new smartphones when it is needed. But we will not launch it just because other rivals do… We plan to retain existing models longer by, for instance, unveiling more variant models of the G series or V series.”
This move seems to be a way for LG to downsize its mobile business, which has been losing money for the last 10 quarters. Losses have been shrinking thanks to the budget segment, but the flagship models still haven’t been selling as well as its rivals.
Nonetheless, this move could ease people’s minds about buying an LG flagship for the long term. Hopefully the company also steps up its game with software support and security updates to keep those customers happy.
Sony is also present this week at the annual Consumer ElectronicsShow 2018, in Las Vegas, where it just announced the new Xperia XA2mid-range series smartphones along with a more affordable Xperia L2.
The brand new Xperia XA2 and Xperia XA2 Ultra replaces the XA1 phones from last year, however, if you were expecting phones with an Triluminos display with 18:9 aspect ratio, you wont find it in these ones. It appears that Sony hasnt understood much from the feedback it received from its customers, and will continue to struggle with its Mobile Division. Unless it will adapt and make some radical changes.
The Xperia XA2 feature 16:9 Full HD displays, are equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 CPU, run Android Oreo and pack 23MP main cameras at the back. These are the specs that XA2 and XA2 Ultra share along with a similar design.
Xperia XA2 comes in 3GB RAM + 32GB of internal storage variant, with a 3,300 mAh battery inside and an 8MP selfie snapper at the front, while the Ultra model has 4GB of RAM + 32/64 GB of built-in storage, packs a 3,580 mAh battery, and a dual front-facing camera with 16MP + 8 MP camera sensors for wide-angle selfies.
Xperia L2 is a low-end device equipped with an 5.5-inch HD display, a 3,300 mAh battery, 13MP main camera, 8MP front-facing camera, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of ROM, and it runs Android Nougat.
Sony Mobile hasnt revealed the price tag of these new Xperia phones, all we know so far is that they will become available in late January – early February 2018 in Black, Silver, Gold, Pink colours.
If you have ever wanted something like the Amazon Echo Show in your home but would rather have it powered by the Google Assistant, you won’t have to wait much longer! Introduced at CES 2018, here is a quick look at the Lenovo Smart Display.
The Lenovo Smart Display makes using technology at home more convenient, intuitive and, shared. The Smart Display can be controlled by your voice or touch, and brings all the convenience and utility of the Google Assistant to a device that isn’t tethered to your smartphone.
Its various capabilities will allow you to see directions on Google Maps, watch YouTube videos, make video calls using Google Duo, listen to music, control your connected smart home devices, look at recipes, and a whole lot more.
Two variants of the Smart Display will be available — one with a 10-inch Full HD display and another with an 8-inch 720p screen. But the differences between the two end there. Both units feature 10 W full range speakers with a dual passive radiator, and the 2 X 2 Dual Mic arrays on both ensure that the device will be able to hear your commands from across the room.
A physical button on the chassis allows you to mute the device when you aren’t planning to use it. There is also a 5 MP front-facing camera for video calls, along with a dedicated camera shutter button if you ever need to take a selfie. Unlike the Amazon Echo Show, the Lenovo Smart Display looks thin from the side, and the attractive white-and-bamboo finish allows it to fit in with most modern decor.
The Smart Display is certainly not a typical Lenovo product, especially when you consider that the company is mostly known for their laptops, tablets, and budget-friendly smartphones. However, while we didn’t know which company would be the first to release such a device, it certainly isn’t unexpected, given the slew of rumors surrounding the possibility of a Google Home device with a touch screen.
There you have it for this quick look at the Lenovo Smart Display! The Smart Display is quite similar to the Amazon Echo Show in terms of its capabilities, but with the presence of Google Assistant on-board to help push it further. Will it prove to be a worthy competitor? We will only know for sure when the device is officially released in July.
Stay tuned with Android Authority as we continue to bring you more great coverage from CES 2018!
The Galaxy Note 8 may have a safe battery that’s run through many tests to ensure that fire hazard isn’t an issue, but it looks like some Note 8 units are refusing to power on once they reach 0% battery charge. Quite a few Note 8 owners have taken to the Samsung community and forums on sites like Android Central to complain that their Note 8 stopped working after they let the battery drain completely. Samsung has been offering replacements, but like many other issues with its flagships, the company hasn’t officially confirmed or released a statement on why this might be happening.
To make things worse, Samsung seems to be replacing bricked units with refurbished devices, which seems a little strange considering every Note 8 would be covered by warranty just a couple of months after its release. Owners of the device from US carriers seem to be most affected, so it’s possible it’s only the Snapdragon variant of the phone that’s at risk. The problem doesn’t seem to be too widespread, but it’s still interesting to see that a phone can fail to boot just because its owner might have used it until the battery ran out.
It’s also unclear if this is a hardware or software issue. Some users report that their phone does show the charging circle when connected to a power source but refuses to actually charge, while others say the phone gets warm when connected but the screen remains blank. It’s a similar theme with wireless charging: the blue charging light on the charger comes up, but the phone remains unresponsive, suggesting the software might be to blame.
No known fix at this point
If the fault’s in the software, it’s possible it was introduced in a recent software update. There’s no way to tell and no known fix, and the only way to keep the phone in working condition right now is to ensure it’s plugged in before the battery charge reaches 0 percent. If your Note 8 does run out of juice and refuses to power up, be sure to contact Samsung to request a replacement. We’ll try looking into more such reports to see just how widespread the issue is; at this point, it’s looking like one of those problems that can affect any device, especially since there’s at least one Galaxy S8+ owner who seems to have encountered the same phone-bricking bug.
Some Galaxy Note 8 users reporting that their phones will not accept charge
Fault seems to occur after fully draining the battery
Samsung is aware of the issue and appears to be replacing affected devices on a case by case basis
Update, (12/27) 17:49: According to a number of our readers in the comments, as well as a friend of Android Authority’s, the Galaxy S8 Plus is experiencing similar battery issues. We’ll investigate this issue further.
It’s now just over a year since Samsung prematurely killed off the Galaxy Note 7 after a batch of defective batteries caused numerous devices to “explode” – in the process doing immeasurable damage to the Note brand and forcing the South Korean giant to overhaul its battery safety checks.
Since then, the Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and, most significantly, the reborn Note 8 have been praised by fans and reviewers alike, have sold by the bucketload, and have avoided any major battery problems on the scale of the Note 7 debacle.
While it doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as dangerous, Samsung may have another battery related headache on its hands, however, as some Galaxy Note 8 are reporting that their phones are refusing to accept any charge.
According to a number of users on Samsung’s Community Forums (via PiunikaWeb), the issue occurs after the phone falls to 0% battery and switches off. At this point, affected Note 8 devices apparently won’t accept charge and become completely unresponsive. This includes the LED charging light in most cases.
One user even recorded a video showing an attempt to revive a defective phone to no avail. Many of the impacted users have also tried several charging cables and attempted to reboot the dead phone in safe mode, but most have had no success.
Thankfully, Samsung is responding to those affected in most cases. In one thread, a moderator going by the handle ‘SamsungMel’ is advising customers to return their faulty phones for a warranty replacement, saying that “this particular problem with the Note 8 not turning on is definitely something that we want to get addressed immediately.”
As PiunikaWeb notes, it’s hard to tell how widespread the issue is at this stage, but Samsung will certainly want to pinpoint the source and resolve the fault quickly to alleviate any concerns that it has shipped another batch of faulty batteries.
The problem also appears to be affecting some phones sold via carriers, with Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile customers all posting similar concerns. If that’s the case with your Note 8 I’d suggest you go through your carrier’s RMA process as soon as you can.
The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) feature a Dual Front Camera, a large Infinity Display and stunning ergonomic design that draws on Samsung’s flagship design heritage and experience. With additional everyday features, the Galaxy A series is more stylish, practical and convenient than ever before.
“With the release of the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018), we’re bringing our customers’ favorite features from our flagship smartphones, such as the Infinity Display and our first Dual Front Camera with Live Focus, to our Galaxy A series, which is already known for its premium design,” said Junho Park, Vice President of Global Product Planning, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) exemplify our continued dedication to meeting the needs of our consumers by providing them with greater choice and convenience.”
Snap bright, clear selfies with the 16MP F1.7 rear camera and 16MP+8MP F1.9Dual Front Camera, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. The Dual Front Camera is made up of two separate cameras so you can switch between the two to take the type of selfie you want – from close-ups with the background to portrait shots with a clear and crisp background. And with the advanced Live Focus feature, you can easily adjust the bokeh effect before or after you take the picture to create high-quality images.
From day to night, the advanced camera makes sure you capture sharp images, even in low-light conditions. The new devices also allow you to customize your photos with fun options, from adding stickers to your selfie or highlighting a culinary extravaganza with Food Mode.
Shaky video footage will be a thing of the past with video digital image stabilisation (VDis) technology, and with an added hyperlapse feature, you can now create time-lapse videos that let you record, tell and share even longer stories.
When watching movies or playing games, the latest Galaxy A devices set a new standard for uninterrupted, immersive viewing experiences. The Infinity Display goes beyond the bezel with an immersive 18.5:9 display ratio1, so that you can view the whole scene across your screen for the ultimate cinematic experience. The large screen is supported with ergonomic curved glass on the back and front. Its sleek glass and metal frame, smooth curves and comfortable grip make it even easier to watch or interact with content on your phone. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) are available in four colors including black, orchid grey, gold and blue to suit your personal style2.
Both devices will continually keep you informed with the Always On Display, meaning you can get information at a glance without unlocking your phone. With Samsung Pay3, there’s no need to bring your wallet with you every time you go out. Supporting Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC), the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can be used virtually anywhere you can tap or swipe your card. Every transaction via Samsung Pay is secure, yet very simple. All it takes is one swipe and one fingerprint scan.
Offering IP68 water and dust resistance4, the Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) can withstand the elements, including sweat, rain, sand and dust, making it suitable for nearly any activity or situation. The Galaxy A8(2018) and A8+(2018) support microSD cards so you can expand your storage capacity by as much as 256GB, and are the first in the A series to support Samsung’s Gear VR.
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80, 256QAM, Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC, Location (GPS, Glonass, BeiDou*) * BeiDou coverage may be limited.
In November, OnePlus launched the OnePlus 5T—a mid-cycle refresh to the OnePlus 5. Unlike 2016’s OnePlus 3T, the OnePlus 5T doesn’t feature a bump in the specifications as it has the same system-on-chip, RAM, and storage configurations. Instead, the OnePlus 5T is a redesign of the OnePlus 5 with a bigger and more modern 6-inch 18:9 Full HD+ (2160×1080) AMOLED display. The new phone also features a different secondary rear camera, but keeps the rest of the specifications same. It has now gone on sale in supported markets, and has broken sales records. OnePlus is looking to continue this momentum by building on the hype of the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi movie. To that end, the company announced the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has already been released in Europe, and today is the official release date of the movie in India. OnePlus has tied the movie’s release with the release of the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition in India via Amazon and its own online store. Technically, the device is the same as the normal OnePlus 5T, with no changes in specifications. However, OnePlus has given it a brand new color: Sandstone White. It also ships with a new theme, and comes with 10 new Star Wars: The Last Jedi themed wallpapers to boot. So without any further delay, let’s take a closer look.
OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition: Hardware
The company has previously released limited edition devices in the form of the OnePlus 3T Colette Edition as well as the Midnight Black Limited Edition. OnePlus also made a Castelbajac Edition of the OnePlus 5 in extremely limited quantities. Now, OnePlus is back with another Limited Edition. This time, though, the scale of the limited edition is much bigger than limited edition devices released in the past. That’s because OnePlus has gone ahead and launched the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition in India as well as in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
The OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition comes in special packaging with a relatively huge box. The box is primarily colored black with red accents. Inside, OnePlus has included a Star Wars case with the device. The case is a decent quality TPU case with a design that will be welcomed by Star Warsfans. However, it does make the device fairly bulky, which doesn’t help its ergonomics.
Moving on to the device itself, the Star Wars Edition of the OnePlus 5T comes in a Sandstone White color. OnePlus originally used Sandstone in the OnePlus One, which featured a plastic construction and came in Black and White colors. The OnePlus 2 retained the Sandstone back even as it moved to an aluminum frame. However, with the OnePlus 3, the OEM completely retired the Sandstone finish in favor of smooth anodized aluminum.
With the OnePlus 3T, OnePlus started to experiment with more colors by releasing a darker Gunmetal color along with a Soft Gold color. Later, they released a limited edition Midnight Black color which was offered as a standard color with the OnePlus 5 and is now the default color with the OnePlus 5T. One thing that these colors have in common is that they all use the sand-blasted anodized aluminum finish which is smooth and slippery, resulting in less grip. Fans of the original Sandstone finish have had to do with official cases, skins, and the like, as OnePlus seemingly moved on from the iconic sandpaper-like finish.
This changes now as Sandstone makes a comeback with the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition. The white back of the device necessitates a coating to be applied on top of the aluminum, because it’s impossible to make white anodized aluminum. Therefore, the Star Wars Edition variant feels more similar to the OnePlus One instead of the standard OnePlus 5T. Although it’s still an aluminum unibody, the cold feel of metal is suppressed, and instead we get a surface which offers a surprisingly high amount of grip.
Although users may be disappointed to hear that the Star Wars Edition of the OnePlus 5T doesn’t feel like a metal device, the good thing is that the Sandstone finish is worth the trade-off in the sand-blasted aluminum feel. For users who had to use a case with previous OnePlus devices just to get a good amount of grip, the Sandstone finish negates the need for a case in that respect. It also completely hides the antenna bands, which is a plus.
For me, personally speaking, the sandstone finish doesn’t feel like a downgrade from the smooth metal finish of current OnePlus phones. This is because grip is important—and materials like aluminium and glass aren’t known for providing it. Plastic is still the best way to go if users need a high amount of grip, and the coating applied to the OnePlus 5T’s aluminum unibody is the best of both worlds as it gives both the structural rigidity of a metal unibody construction and the grip of a plastic-feeling device.
The buttons and ports are laid in the exact same layout as on the standard variant. The front of the device is dominated by the 6-inch display which has small bezels, whereas the back contains the red Star Wars logo at the bottom. On the left hand side, we have the alert slider, which is colored in red. The volume rocker sits below the alert slider, and is colored in black.
On the right hand side, we have the SIM tray, which interestingly has a black color. The power button is also colored the same, and sits below the SIM tray. The top side of the device is completely clean, whereas the bottom features the USB Type-C port, a single speaker, the microphone, and the 3.5mm headphone jack. OnePlus has previously explained their decision to keep the headphone jack, and on this topic, we can’t agree more. For a device targeted towards enthusiasts, the 3.5mm headphone jack should be a staple, and its presence here is welcome.
According to OnePlus, the design philosophy of the Star Wars Edition can be summed up in the color scheme, which is a mixture of black, white, and red colors, which matches several elements of the Star Wars franchise. The front of the device remains black while the sides and the back switch over to the Sandstone White color. The red alert slider completes the color scheme.
OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition: Software
The design is the star of the show as a differentiating factor for the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition. However, it’s not the only thing which is different. The underlying software is still the same as the standard Midnight Black variant—OxygenOS 4.7 on top of Android 7.1 Nougat, with the promise of an Android Oreo update in early 2018. By default, though, owners of the Star Wars Edition variant will get to experience the ‘Star Wars’ software theme, which is pretty similar to the Dark theme on existing OnePlus phones. The only difference is the red accent color which permeates the user interface. OnePlus has also included ten exclusive Star Wars-themed wallpapers.
OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition: Specifications
The specifications of the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition are exactly the same as the standard variant. That means it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip, which is still Qualcomm’s flagship SoC until the Snapdragon 845 starts shipping on devices next quarter. The Kryo 280 cores are paired with the Adreno 540 GPU.
The device has a 6-inch Full HD+ (2160×1080) 18:9 AMOLED display with 403 PPI. The display has a bigger screen area than its predecessor, and is a newer panel as well. It still features a PenTile matrix, so the effective color resolution is lower than Full HD, and the subpixel density will be lower than that of RGB matrix displays. However, display sharpness is still adequate due to subpixel anti-aliasing.
The display is equipped with sRGB, DCI-P3, and Adaptive screen color modes, as well as a color temperature slider. It also has Sunlight Display for better visibility in daylight conditions. In our opinion, the display is excellent even considering the fact that it doesn’t have WQHD+ (2880×1440) resolution. The brightness is marginally higher than the display of the OnePlus 3T. Since the AMOLED display is supplied by Samsung, color shift is minor and is visible only at extreme angles. Thanks to the presence of sRGB and DCI-P3 color modes, consumers who prefer color accurate displays won’t have any problem with the display of the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition.
Moving on to the camera system, the rear camera configuration is one of the areas where the OnePlus 5T differentiates itself from its predecessor. Although the primary camera is still the same, a 16MP Sony IMX398 sensor with 1.1 micron pixels and a f/1.7 aperture, the secondary telephoto lens of the OnePlus 5 has been swapped in favor of a 20MP IMX376K sensor dedicated to low-light, with 1.0 micron pixels, f/1.7 aperture and the same 27mm field-of-view as the primary camera. This means that the secondary camera can no longer do 2x optical zoom—although it’s worth noting that even the OnePlus 5 could only do 1.6x optical zoom with the remaining zoom being achieved by digital interpolation.
The purpose of the 20MP secondary camera is interesting. It uses Intelligent Pixel technology and will only take photos if light levels are below 10 lux. The term ‘Intelligent Pixel’ refers to pixel binning, which is something we’ve seen before. It combines 4 pixels into one to achieve a brighter photograph, but if light levels are above 10 lux, the primary 16MP camera will take over. The camera UI doesn’t tell the user which camera will be used to take a particular photo, so users have only one way to know information: by checking the EXIF details of a photo.
OnePlus 5T
Specifications
Dimensions
156.1mm x 75mm x 7.3mm
Weight
5.7 ounces (162g)
Software
OxygenOS 4.7 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat (Oreo Open Beta in December 2017, OTA in Early 2018)
The OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition is a OnePlus 5T with a new color and a new software theme. That, in itself, makes it a great device. Considering the Star Wars Edition solely on its own merits, it can be recommended to Star Wars fans as well as OnePlus fans. Even if many consumers aren’t fans of Star Wars, the device is still worth purchasing because the color scheme looks and feels great. Star Wars fans will love the Star Wars theme, wallpapers, and logo on the back, but even users who don’t will still get the benefits of a high amount of grip thanks to the Sandstone White finish.
As such, the device is a good proposition for users who simply want something different than a black slate device. The Star Wars Edition stands out with its different color scheme: white back and sides, Star Wars logo, and the prominent red alert slider. For many consumers, that’s exactly what they want.
We’ve already shown you the first things you should do with the LG V30. Now, we can dig deep into the features. LG traditionally packs a lot of stuff into their phones. The V30 is no different, but they’ve also scaled back in some areas. It’s a nice full list of features without burring the users in choices. We’ll help you get the most out of your V30 with this list.
How to take a screenshot on the LG V30
Taking a screenshot is a great tool for showing people what you’re looking at. It’s one of the most basic functions you can do with a phone. The V30 has a couple of different methods to perform this task.
Method 1:
Press and hold the power and volume down buttons simultaneously
Method 2:
Open the Floating Bar
Tap one of the Capture shortcuts
You can draw on the screen, record a long screen, crop, or create a GIF
Set up the fingerprint scanner
The fingerprint scanner on the back of the V30 can be used for a few things, such as Android Pay and Google Play Store purchases, but the most common use is unlocking the phone. The V30 has one of the fastest and most reliable sensors I’ve used. You definitely should give it a shot.
Go to Settings > Fingerprints & security
Tap on Fingerprints (confirm your password)
Select Add fingerprint
Scan your fingerprint
Unlock the phone with your face
Unlocking phones with your face is all the rage these days and the V30 can do it too. LG’s “Face Print” is one of the best face unlocking implementations I’ve used. It can work along with the fingerprint scanner (you don’t have to pick just one). You should check it out and give it a try.
Go to Settings > Lock screen
Select Face Recognition
Tap NEXT
Tap START and follow instructions
Tap OK when done
Skip the lock screen in safe places with Smart Lock
The V30 has many convenient unlock methods, but sometimes you shouldn’t need any of them. A feature called “Smart Lock” lets you tell your phone when it’s safe to disable lock screen security. This allows you to lock your phone when you need it, but it won’t be locked when you’re in trusted situations.
Go to Settings > Lock screen
Select Smart Lock
Choose one of the Smart Lock methods
Currently, there are 4 types of Smart Lock, and you can use more than one at a time. Each one will explain how it works when you select it. Trusted places is a good place to start.
Make sure you can find your lost or stolen phone
The worst thing that can happen to a new phone is for it to be lost or stolen. Thankfully, you have some options for retrieving the device. The V30 comes with something called “Android Device Manager” pre-installed. If your phone is lost or stolen you can simply go to this website, log in with your Google account, and locate your phone. You can also remotely ring, lock, and erase the device. The best thing about this is there’s no set-up required. It just works.
Set up the Floating Bar
LG replaced the Second Screen with a new feature called “Floating Bar.” It has essentially the same features of the Second Screen, but it’s a widget that floats on your screen. You can drag it around wherever you want, but it’s always just a tap away.
Go to Settings > Floating Bar
Toggle it on
Toggle on the items you want in the bar
Tap Shortcuts and Quick contacts to customize
Get quick info with the Always-On Display
The V30 has an Always-on display that allows you to see the time, date, and notifications while the display is turned off. This feature really shines with the OLED displays. It’s pretty handy to see the time or whether you need to read a notification.
Go to Settings > Display
Tap Always-on display
Toggle the switch to ON
Tap the settings gear icon to choose how it looks
Wake the phone with a double-tap
If you haven’t used an LG phone in a while, you’re about to discover something you won’t be able to live without. Since the power button is on the back, sometimes it’s hard to quickly wake up the phone. You can simply double-tap anywhere on the screen and the display will light up.
Putting the phone to sleep works the same way. If you’re using the stock LG launcher you can double-tap on any blank space, but if you’re using a 3rd-party launcher you have to double-tap the status bar. Give it a try.
Put the Settings in list mode
On most V30 models, the Settings is organized with a tabbed layout. We’ve found that the tabs usually make it more difficult to find what you’re looking for. To go back to the more traditional list view, simply tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the Settings and select List view. You can also slide out the list of settings from the side.
Delete unwanted apps
Some carrier models of the LG V30 will come with a lot of apps pre-installed. It’s very annoying to see apps you never intend to use. The good news is we can uninstall, or at least disable, most of the bloatware. There are two methods to remove apps.
Go to Settings > Apps
Locate the appropriate app
Note: For system apps, tap the Menu icon > Show system
Tap UNINSTALL
Tap OK to confirm
OR
Open the app drawer
Tap the Menu icon
Select Arrange apps
Tap the (X) icon on an app to remove
How to draw on the screen
You can draw on pretty much anything with a tap of a button on the LG V30. It’s a button that you can find in the Quick Settings or Floating Bar. When you tap the button, it takes a screenshot and lets you draw on it. Not only is it great for doodling, but it’s great for taking notes.
Expand the Floating Bar
Swipe to the screen capture shortcuts
Tap the pencil icon
Edit the image and tap the check mark to save it
Bring back the App Drawer
The default LG home screen does not include an app drawer. All of your apps will be on the home screen just like how it is on the iPhone. If you use a 3rd-party launcher, this isn’t a problem, but if you use the stock launcher you might want the app drawer. Thankfully, LG has a way to get the drawer back.
Go to Settings > Home screen
Tap Select Home
Choose Home & app drawer
Hide apps in the launcher
Now that we have the app drawer back, there may be some apps you don’t want to see in it. Sometimes these are apps you need to have installed, but you don’t want them cluttering up your app drawer. Thankfully, it’s easy to hide apps.
Open the app drawer
Tap the menu icon
Select Hide apps
Check the box for the apps you want to hide
Tap DONE
Change up the look with a Theme
By default, the V30 comes with a bright white theme. It’s not an ugly theme, but you may prefer something darker or just plain different. The good news is you can choose from a few pre-installed themes and even download themes directly from the Play Store. Here’s how to do it.
Go to Settings > Theme
Select one of the preloaded themes
Tap APPLY
Themes installed from the Play Store will show up in the same place. Here’s an example of a theme you can download from the Play Store.
Get a new keyboard
LG’s default keyboard isn’t terrible, but you probably already have a favorite keyboard. Changing the keyboard is an essential part of what makes Android unique. It’s easy to change on the V30.
Go to Settings >Language & keyboard
Select Current keyboard
Tap SELECT MORE
Toggle on your desired keyboard
Go back, select Current Keyboard again
Select your keyboard
To find Settings for your keyboard
Go to Settings >Language & keyboard
Tap the name of your keyboard
You’ll see all the settings
Turn off the “Rounded Square” icons
For everything that LG does well, software design is not on the list. One of the things you’ll notice right away is the “rounded square” icon shape on the default LG home screen. It’s kinda ugly, but the good news is you can turn it off and go back to the stock icons. Here’s how to do it:
Go to Settings > Home screen
Select Icon Shape
Choose Original
Tap OK
Adjust how apps scale to the 18:9 display
The V30’s display is taller than most phones. It has an 18:9 aspect ration, whereas most devices have 16:9 displays. All that means is you get some extra vertical space for apps. By default, most apps run completely fine on the tall display. Where you may run into some issues is with fullscreen apps, such as games. You can adjust the scale.
In a fullscreen app, swipe up from the bottom to reveal the nav buttons
Tap the App Scaling button
You’ll have three options:
Compatibility (16:9)
Standard (16.7:9) (default)
Fullscreen (18:9)
If the app is misbehaving, put it in compatibility mode.
You can also adjust App Scaling in the Settings.
Go to Settings > Display
Select App scaling
Tap the app you want to adjust
Choose one of the options
Change the display size
LG allows you to adjust the display size on the V30. Whether you have good eyes and want to take advantage of that extra screen real estate to show more of everything, or you want to further enlarge text, icons, everything, it’s all possible thanks to DPI scaling. Here’s where you’ll find it:
Go to Settings > Display
Scroll down and select Display size
Move the slider to the left or right to either shrink or blow up the entire UI
Change the wallpaper
Changing the wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to instantly personalize your phone. It’s super easy to do. Simply press and hold on any empty space on the home screen. Select the Wallpapers tab in the bottom right of the screen. You’ll be able to choose from installed apps and pre-loaded wallpapers. You can also change the lock screen wallpaper. Go to Settings > Lock screen > Wallpaper.
Add or reorder home screen pages
Adding extra home screens gives you more room for widgets and apps icons. LG doesn’t allow you to simply drag an app or widget to a blank screen to create a new home screen. You have to follow these steps.
Pinch to zoom out on the home screen
Tap the (+) on the blank home screen
Now you have a blank screen
Reorganize the Quick Toggles
There are a bunch of super handy Quick Settings toggles in the notification shade. Pull down once to see a few to toggles or pull down again to see a bunch more. You can customize the order of these toggles and add or remove certain ones from the list.
Swipe down to show the notification shade
Swipe down again to expand the Quick Settings
Tap the EDIT button (bottom right)
Drag and drop icons in the notification panel
Tap the menu icon to add/remove brightness, volume, etc.
Customize the Navigation Bar
The V30 has software nav button on the bottom of the screen. Unlike physical buttons, they can disappear to make room for fullscreen apps, or in this case, be customized to show more buttons. You can rearrange the existing buttons, change the color, and add up to two extra buttons.
Go to Settings > Display > Home touch buttons
Select Button combination
You can drag and drop the buttons in any order you like, but there can’t be more than 4 in the bar
Changes will show up in the navigation bar immediately
You can choose the color of the buttons on the previous page
Add shortcuts to the lock screen
By default, you’ll probably see shortcuts for phone and camera on the lock screen. While these are handy for most people, they might not be your first choices. LG allows you to add up to five shortcuts to the lock screen.
Go to Settings > Lock screen
Select Shortcuts
Simply tap on a shortcut and choose the desired app from the list
Tap SAVE when you’re done
Take advantage of ALL the megapixels
The V30 features a great camera. With a dual lens system, users can switch between the regular 16MP camera or a super wide angle camera on the fly. On some models, the camera doesn’t take full advantage of the all the megapixels by default. While it’s nice to see the viewfinder filling up the entire display, it’s basically chopping off the top and bottom. You should fix it.
Open the Camera app
Tap the Settings icon
Select Photo size
Choose 4:3 (16MP)
Flip to the front-facing camera
Go to Settings > Photo Size
This time select 4:3 (5.0MP)
Use the wide-angle camera to get everything in frame
One of the best things about LG phones is the wide-angle camera on the back. It allows you to get much more in the frame of a photo or video. You can switch between the cameras on the fly, even in the middle of a video.
Open the Camera
You’ll see two icons on the top or side of the app (depending on orientation)
The single tree icon is for the standard camera
The icon with three trees is for the wide-angle camera
Tap whichever one you’d like to use
Get Instagram pics with Snap Shot mode
LG has added a new “Snap Shot” mode to take advantage of the 18:9 display. Square mode uses the top half of the display, a 1:1 square, as the viewfinder. When you snap a pic it moves to the bottom half of the display for review. It stays there until you snap another pic. This mode is perfect for Instagram.
Open the Camera
Tap the MODE icon
Select Snap Shot
Switch to Manual mode for more control
LG has one of the best camera interfaces around. It can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like. Auto mode removes most of the buttons from the screen so you can just tap to focus and take a photo. Manual mode is only for advanced users. It has settings and sliders for things like focus, ISO, shutter speed, and more.
Open the Camera
Tap the MODE icon
Choose Auto (default) or Manual (there are options for manual video and photo)
Try all the unique camera shooting modes
The camera is also packed with several nifty “modes” that are fun to play around with. In the Auto interface, you’ll see an icon labeled “MODE”, tap it to see a list of different shooting modes. These modes will allow you to do some interesting things with your photos and videos.
Panorama: stitch together photos to create a panorama shot
360 Panorama: creates an immersive 360-degree panorama
Snap Shot: assemble short clips into a 60-second video
Pop-out: take a photo with both rear cameras to create a PIP effect
Time-lapse: record long videos that are sped up for a short video
Slow-mo: record a video in slow motion
Food: specifically for food shots. Adds white balance slider
Feel like a movie director with Cine Video
One of the big features that LG talked about with the V30 is a new camera mode called “Cine Video.” This feature allows you to add professionally created lighting effects and color grading to your videos. You can get some really cool looking videos with the Cine Video tools.
Open the Camera
Tap the MODE icon
Select Cine Video
Tap the Cine icon (looks like movie film, next to MODE icon)
Select one of the presets and adjust the sliders
Record the video like usual
Take selfies with a gesture
Another cool trick is called Gesture shot. You can take a selfie by holding your open hand up to the camera and then closing it into a fist. The feature actually works really well, and it can come in handy quite often. Gesture shot is enabled by default, so all you have to do is use it.
Hold up your open hand to the camera until brackets appear around it
Make a fist once to take one photo (a 3-second timer will count down to the shot)
Make two consecutive fists to take 4 burst shots
Use your voice to snap a photo
You can also use your voice to snap a selfie (or any photo). With “Cheese shutter” enabled you can say “cheese, smile, whiskey, kimchi, or LG” to snap a photo with your voice. It’s that easy.
Open the Camera
Tap the Settings icon
Switch the toggle on for Cheese shutter
Automate tasks with LG Smart Settings
LG phones come with a feature called Smart Settings. It allows your phone to automatically adjust settings based on your location or connected devices. For example, your favorite music app can open when your plug in headphones or WiFi can be disabled when you leave your house.
There are four different things that can trigger the Smart Settings: arriving at home, leaving home, plugging in earphones, and connecting a Bluetooth device. Each one has several options available.
Go to Settings > Smart Settings
(you may need to turn on My Place in Settings > Location first)
Select one of the Smart Settings
Toggle it on and adjust the settings
Get every last drop of battery life
The V30 has pretty good battery life, but you still might end the day with not much life left. There are built-in settings for getting every last drop of juice when your battery is low. Battery Saver can turn off background activities and limit resources. It works great and only requires a short set up.
Go to Settings > Battery & power saving
Tap on Battery saver
Select Extended or Maximum mode
Select Edit mode to customize
Show battery percentage in status bar
Want to keep a close eye on battery life? You can put the actual battery percentage in the status bar. You’ll see the number for battery percentage next to the battery icon.
Go to Settings > Battery & power saving
Toggle the switch for Battery percentage on status bar
Pin apps and safely hand off your phone
If you’re like most people, your phone is full of personal information and sensitive content. Handing off your phone to someone else can be a little nerve-racking. Screen pin is a feature that lets you lock your phone to one app. You can “pin” a specific app so the user can’t do anything else.
Go to Settings > Fingerprints & security > Screen pin
Toggle the switch on
Also, toggle Pin with screen lock on
To use Screen pin open the app you would like to pin, press the Recents button in the nav bar, scroll up and tap the thumbtack icon in the bottom right corner of the most recent app (not the pin in the title bar). To unpin an app simply long-press the back and Recents buttons simultaneously.
Take advantage of the SD card slot
While some phones these days don’t have microSD card slots, theLG V30 still has one. You can easily upgrade your storage capacity without buying any cloud storage subscriptions and relying on a data connection. Check out these great cards.
The volume buttons on the V30 are not only for adjusting the volume. You can also use the volume buttons to quickly launch the camera or take notes when the display is off. All you have to do is double-tap the volume up or down buttons.
Go to Settings > Shortcut keys
Switch the toggle to ON
Double tapping Volume Up will launch the Capture+ app for taking notes. Double tapping Volume Down will quickly launch the camera.
Silence your phone automatically with Do Not Disturb
Everyone has certain times of day when they don’t want to be bothered by notifications. Do Not Disturb allows you to choose those certain times and days for your phone to automatically go into silent mode. It can be incredibly useful, and you should definitely use it.
Go to Settings > Notifications > Do not disturb
Select Schedule > (+) button
Choose the days of the week you’d like it to be enabled
Choose the start and end time
Choose if you’d like Priority interruptions or total silence during this time
Crank up animations for faster performance
The V30 is a very fast phone, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be faster. To speed things up and make the UI feel more snappy, you can increase the speed of the animations. But you’ll first need to activate the hidden Developer Options by following these steps:
Go to Settings > About phone
Select Software info
Tap Build Number 7 times until you see “You are now a developer” message
Go back to the main settings and you’ll see Developer options
To speed up animations:
Go to Settings > Developer options
Scroll down select Window animation and choose .5x
Select Transition animation and choose .5x
Select Animator duration scale and choose .5x
How to factory reset the LG V30
If you ever want to start fresh or sell your phone, you need to do a factory reset. This will wipe the device clean, so make sure none of your personal information is left. It will be like you turned the phone on for the first time again.
Open the Settings app
Scroll down and select Backup & reset
Tap Factory data reset
Tap RESET PHONE (confirm password)
Find the best Android apps & games
An awesome phone is nothing without some equally awesome apps. We’ve compiled tons of helpful guides for finding the best apps and games in the Play Store. Before you dive in and rummage around, you’ll want to check out these lists first.
A top-of-the-line from last year or a mid-range from this year? Both are attractive options for the savvy shopper. With the Galaxy S7 Edgeand Moto Z2 Play in hand, I’ll break down the similarities and differences so you can make the right choice.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Design is important
The difference in design between these two models is night and day, but neither of them is ugly. The build of each model plays a big part because it will dictate which you like based on the design.
The Galaxy S7 Edge is beautiful, thin and elegant. It’s much better looking than its brother the standard Galaxy S7. It comes with that famous Edge display, with long curves down the sides that give it a smaller and slimmer feel. The backside is entirely made up of glass.
The borders aren’t just easy on the eyes either, they’re actually useful. They have exclusive apps and features that have direct access to notifications when the screen is off. The fingerprint sensor is on the front. Although it does have quite a bit of a bezel on the top and bottom, on the sides, it’s pretty much nonexistent. However, this does end up harming the ease of use since you can easily touch things without meaning to.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Size comparison
MODEL
DIMENSIONS
WEIGHT
MOTO Z2 PLAY
156.2 x 76.2 x 6 mm
145g
GALAXY S7 EDGE
150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm
157g
The Moto Z2 Play has a more practical, modern and stripped-down look. It feels solid in your hand, and even though there isn’t much difference in size compared to the S7 Edge, it just looks bigger. The fingerprint sensor is on the front as well, and on the back, the finish is metal with a camera that sticks out quite a lot.
That lump on the back is actually there for a reason. The Z2 Play supports Moto Mods, modular snap-on accessories that connect using magnets on the backside of the device. They can come with different features like a speaker, projector, gamepad, 360º camera, extra batteries and a lot more.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Super AMOLED is king
Once again, the design comes into play here, because although they both have 5.5-inch displays, the Moto Z2 Play seems bigger. Apart from that, as I said above, the screen on the S7 Edge is less user-friendly, but it is better looking, and it comes with more features.
They both have similar displays with Super AMOLED technology since that’s something that more advanced users are looking for. Comparatively, it’s worth it to mention that the colors on the Moto Z2 Play are more balanced, whereas the S7 Edge tends towards slightly bluer hues, but that can be tweaked in the settings menu.
The screen on the Moto Z2 Play seems to be slightly more intense, but if you’re not looking at it straight on, the colors are bit fuzzier than those on the S7 Edge, which maintains excellent definition in that aspect. Both are protected by Gorilla Glass, but the S7 Edge has version 4, where the Z2 Play comes with version 3.
Another difference between them is that the S7 Edge is Quad HD while the Z2 Play is Full HD. To the naked eye, this doesn’t really mean much, but it does make a difference when you look up how much area each one uses. In this, the S7 Edge comes out ahead.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Display comparison
MODEL
DISPLAY SIZE
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
MOTO Z2 PLAY
5.5 inches
Super AMOLED, Full HD (1.080 x 1.920 pixels), 16:9, 401 ppi, takes up 70.1% of the display
GALAXY S7 EDGE
5.5 inches
Super AMOLED, Quad HD (2.560 x 1440 pixels), 16:9, 534 ppi, takes up 76.1% of the display
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Similar hardware, different cameras
This is the exact reason that we’re comparing a top-of-the-line from 2016 with a mid-range model from 2017. From one year to another, components evolve, and mid-range devices can hold their own against the hardware of last year’s top models.
You can take a look at the specs below, but what we’ve got here is a battle between an Exynos 8890 against a Snapdragon 626. Both with 4GB of RAM which makes this a very even contest. Either device can handle practically anything you throw at it.
We already know that hardware on mid-range models is good enough to compete with high-end models in a lot of different categories, and this is even more evident when it’s compared to last year’s model. They may not be able to run the most demanding games out there, but they’ll do just fine with any other task you can think of.
The Moto Z2 Play is dual SIM, with slots for two chips, whereas the Galaxy S7 Edge is, unfortunately, just a single SIM.
The cameras are also quite a bit different. Although they both have 12MP cameras with f/1.7 aperture on the back, the S7 Edge has the advantage in quality as it has much better post-processing.
Not that the photos on the Z2 Play are bad, they’re actually quite good. But the S7 Edge takes excellent pictures, easily better than a lot of phones launched this year. They both have autofocus with face recognition, but the Z2 Play has dual flash, and the S7 Edge comes with optical stabilizers.
They both can take 4K or Full HD videos with up to 60fps, but the slow-motion camera on the S7 Edge can take up to 240fps whereas the Z2 Play can only take up to 120fps, both in HD. Both front cameras are 5 MP, but the S7 Edge has an aperture of f/1.7 against f/2.2 on the Z2 Play. So, as we can easily see, the camera on the S7 Edge once again, comes out on top.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play technical specifications
SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 EDGE
MOTO Z2 PLAY
DIMENSIONS:
150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm
156.2 x 76.2 x 5.99 mm
WEIGHT:
157 g
145 g
BATTERY SIZE:
3600 mAh
3000 mAh
SCREEN SIZE:
5.5 in
5.5 in
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY:
AMOLED
AMOLED
SCREEN:
2560 x 1440 pixels (534 ppi)
1920 x 1080 pixels (401 ppi)
FRONT CAMERA:
5 megapixels
5 megapixels
REAR CAMERA:
12 megapixels
12 megapixels
FLASHLIGHT:
LED
Dual-LED
ANDROID VERSION:
7.0 – Nougat
7.1.1 – Nougat
USER INTERFACE:
TouchWiz
Stock Android
RAM:
4 GB
4 GB
INTERNAL STORAGE:
32 GB
64 GB
64 GB
REMOVABLE STORAGE:
microSD
microSD
CHIPSET:
Samsung Exynos 8890
Qualcomm Snapdragon 626
NUMBER OF CORES:
8
8
MAX. CLOCK SPEED:
2.3 GHz
2.2 GHz
CONNECTIVITY:
HSPA, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2
HSPA, LTE, NFC, Dual-SIM , Bluetooth
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Battery for more than a day
This aspect, which is very important to all users, is well done on both devices. They aren’t incredible, but in the hands of less demanding users, they should last throughout the day or even more. The Moto Z2 Play was under scrutiny for having a smaller battery than its predecessor, Moto Z Play, which was a massive success in this category.
However, with 3000 mAh, it lasted up to 36 hours with normal use which included an hour of gameplay, two hours of WhatsApp, half an hour of video and an hour of Facebook, among a few other things.
With the same use, the S7 Edge and its 3600 mAh battery last about the same amount of time. It uses a bit more energy because of its more demanding and year-old processor, but it can easily handle a full workday.
The advantage on this one goes to the Moto Z2 Play since it comes with a Turbo charger and in just a few minutes you can have up to 3 more hours of battery life. Plus, it also has the Moto Mods battery option, which adds up to 2200 mAh to the total.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play Space: A pure system or not?
If space is something that’s important to you, you’ll have plenty of it with these models. The Moto Z2 Play has 64GB, and there are about 48.5GB for you to play with. It doesn’t have the hybrid slot like the Z, but you can have a dual chip and use a microSD card of up to 2TB.
The Galaxy S7 Edge has a microSD slot as well since it’s a single SIM device, and you can add up to 2TB of space as well. One significant advantage here is that there are currently 128GB versions of the S7 on the market, which is more than enough for almost any user.
The Z2 Play brings with it Motorola’s fame of putting the purest version of Android possible on their devices. And, although that is the case here, Motorola still adds some extras like the Moto App.
With that app, all you need to do is shake your device to activate the camera or flashlight. You can even see relevant info when you tap on the display or wave your hand over it, among other features. They’re really cool features, and the system is fluid and light, without being too flashy.
The S7 Edge has TouchWiz, which is Samsung’s modified version of Android. It’s already been heavily criticized, but it’s starting to become cleaner and lighter, as is the case on this device. It’s still full of features, and so it’s perfect for someone who likes to personalize as much as they can on their devices.
TouchWiz is heavier than the Moto App, and it demands a bit more from the processor, but since this device is top-of-the-line, that shouldn’t be a problem. The features on the S7 Edge are really nice and comprehensive, giving users the ability to tinker with a lot of different aspects.
No need to worry either, both will be updated to Android Oreo 8.0. However, they probably won’t go past it.
Galaxy S7 Edge vs. Moto Z2 Play: Which is a better choice for you?
After all that, we’re left with the question: which is a better choice for you? It’s going to depend on what you’re looking for. Let’s recap:
Design: the S7 Edge is better looking and with a glass finish. Plus it uses more of the display while being thinner and with curved edges. The Z2 Play has a better feel, with a metal back and it works with Moto Mods, which opens up a lot of extra possibilities
Display: they both come with solid displays that are practically identical.
Hardware: even though one is top-of-the-line, it’s from last year. Whereas the other is from this year, but it’s a mid-range model. This evens it all out, and the only difference here is if you’re looking for a dual SIM device, then Z2 Play is the one for you.
Camera: The S7 Edge takes this one. That doesn’t mean the Z2 Play is bad, it’s just that the Samsung device is a lot better and it will please anyone looking to take high-quality photos. Pictures on the Z2 Play won’t have any problems on social media, and they both come with manual controls.
Battery: Both can last for more than a day if users aren’t too demanding. With heavier use, you can get up to 18 hours out of them, which really is a decent number.
System: a purer and lighter Android with fewer features or a more modified version with more features and personalization? That’s something that only you can answer.
The OnePlus 5T is the ‘T’ successor to the excellent OnePlus 5 from earlier this year. While the handset sports largely the same specifications as the 5, OnePlus have made some key design improvements and added some noteworthy new features.
With the 5 no longer available, the 5T is the only choice for many consumers with a budget of $500. If you have already purchased the OnePlus 5T, you have surely made a wise decision. And if you are on the fence about the device, you should pull the trigger because you are not going to find a better device than it in this price range. And after you have purchased the device, make sure to go through our list of the best tips and tricks for the OnePlus 5T to make the most out of the handset.
#20 Lift up to View Notifications
With face unlock on the OnePlus 5T being so fast, it can be a bit difficult to view your unread notifications from the lock screen on the handset. To make things easier, OnePlus includes a handy Lift up Display option on the 5T. As the name suggests, as soon as you pick up your 5T, its display would wake up in a low-power monochrome mode and subtly display your unread notifications.
You can jump into the app showing an unread notification directly from this mode by double tapping on its notification.
#19 Customize the Notification LED
Despite minimal top and bottom bezels, OnePlus has still managed to include a notification LED on the 5T. If you are someone who is fond of the notification LED, you will be glad to know that you can further customize them from Settings -> LED notification settings. The customization options are pretty limited though and if you want even greater control, try using a third-party app like Light Flow.
#18 Tweak the Display
The 6-inch Full HD+ display on the OnePlus 5T might not be as densely packed with pixels as the Galaxy S8 but it is still a beautiful display nonetheless. To allow users to tweak the display to their liking, OnePlus also offers an option in OxygenOS on the 5T to change its color calibration to DCI-P3, sRGB, Adaptive mode and custom color.
You can tweak the color calibration on your OnePlus 5T from Settings -> Display -> Color calibration.
#17 Watch Videos in Full Screen
Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T comes with an 18:9 FHD+ 6-inch AMOLED display at the front. The new aspect ratio means that 16:9 content like videos will show up with black bars on the left and right edges. You can, however, zoom into videos to view them in full screen by double-tapping on it. In YouTube though, you will have to pinch-to-zoom to make sure the video occupies the full screen.
#16 Customise the Alert Slider
The Alert Slider on the OnePlus 5T and previous OnePlus phones remains one of my favorite features on OnePlus phones. The slider can be used to quickly toggle the phone to Do Not Disturb, Silent or Normal mode. However, if you want, you can customise the slider’s functionality according to your liking.
#15 Display More Content On-Screen
Another Nougat feature that is also present on the OnePlus 5T. You can take full advantage of the OnePlus 5T’s 18:9 aspect ratio display by displaying more content on it. This can be done by adjusting the display density. A lower screen density will lead to more content being displayed on the screen of your OnePlus 5 and vice versa. This is different from adjusting the font size on the handset since it also scales the UI elements appropriately.
You can tweak the display density on the OnePlus 5 by going to Settings -> Display -> Display Density and moving the slider around according to your preference.
#14 Reading Mode
Similar to the OnePlus 5, there is also a reading mode on the OnePlus 5T. Meant to be used when you are reading articles, the feature will turn the 5T’s display into grayscale, tweak the brightness and contrast levels and adjusts the color temperature to help reduce eyestrain — similar to what Amazon’s Kindle does.
By default, Reading Mode is automatically enabled for Amazon’s Kindle Android app. You can, however, add more apps to this list if you use your phone for reading a lot of articles or books. This can be done from Settings -> Display -> Reading Mode. From here, tap the Add apps for Reading Mode option and select the apps for which you’d like Reading Mode to be automatically enabled. If you want, you can also enable Reading Mode manually from here.
#13 USB OTG Support
Did you know that the OnePlus 5T supports USB OTG? This means that you can easily connect pen drives, external hard disks and other USB devices to it. Just make sure to enable the feature first from Settings -> Advanced -> OTG Storage.
#12 Switch Bluetooth Audio Codec
While the OnePlus 5T comes with a headphone jack, it also offers excellent Bluetooth streaming support with support for aptX HD and SBC. Depending on the codec supported by your Bluetooth headphones, you can select the appropriate streaming codec from Settings -> Advanced -> Bluetooth Audio Codec.
#11 Dark Theme and Accent Color
Want to further enjoy the 5.9-inch AMOLED display of the OnePlus 5T? Switch to the dark theme. That way, the OLED display of the 5T would be really able to show off its insane contrast ratio and vividness. Additionally, you can also change the system accent color according to your liking for that perfect combination. You can find the relevant theme related settings on your OnePlus 5T under Settings -> Display -> Theme or Accent color.
#10 Switch Between Open Apps
More of a Nougat tip than just the 5T but nonetheless still a handy one. You can quickly switch between the last two used apps by double tapping the Recent apps button. For example, if you are using Chrome and Twitter, you can jump between them by simply double pressing the Recent apps button.
#9 Parallel Apps
Want to run two instances of a messaging app like Messenger on your OnePlus 5T? Or two copies of WhatsApp for the two SIM cards that you are using with the phone? You can do that easily using the Parallel Apps feature on your OnePlus 5T. Simply head over to Settings -> Apps -> Parallel Apps where a list of apps compatible with the Parallel Apps functionality would be shown. Enable the toggle for the app for which you want two copies of after which a second icon of the same app would show up in the app drawer of your 5T.
#8 Quickly Take a Screenshot
Find it too tedious to take a screenshot on the OnePlus 5T by pressing the Volume down + Power button? There is a handy gesture included in the device that makes the process easier. Simply do a quick three-finger swipe down gesture on the screen to take a screenshot. The gesture is disabled by default so enable it by going to Settings -> Gesture and enabling the Three-finger screenshot option.
#7 Gestures!
Want to quickly mute an incoming call or an alarm on your OnePlus 5T? Flip the phone. You can also double tap the display to wake the device or draw an ‘O’ when the display is off to launch the camera. These gestures are customizable as well so you can set them to launch an app of your choice as well.
All gesture related options on the OnePlus 5T are located under Settings -> Gestures. You can also enable the gesture to expand the notifications shade by swiping down on the fingerprint scanner from here.
#6 OnePlus Slate Font
Apart from Roboto, the OnePlus 5T also comes with another system font called OnePlus Slate. Developed by OnePlus themselves, the font does seem to be slightly easier to read and it also helps in refreshing the UI. To change system fonts on your OnePlus 5T, head over to Settings -> Font.
#5 App Locker
The rear located fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus 5T can be used to unlock locked apps as well besides just unlocking the device. For this, OnePlus has built a native app locking functionality in OxygenOS on the 5T. Before you jump over to lock apps, make sure that you have the fingerprint scanner already set up on our 5T. Then head over to Settings -> Security & fingerprint -> App Locker. Enter the pattern/PIN for verification purposes and proceed to select the apps that you’d like to protect. Now, whenever you open any such selected app, you will first have to verify your identity using the fingerprint scanner.
#4 Pro Camera Mode
Want to get the most out of the primary 16MP f1/.7 shooter of the OnePlus 5T? Use the Pro mode in the camera app. This will allow you to tweak and play around with the various camera aspects like the ISO levels, shutter speed, white balance and more. To access the Pro mode on the Camera app of the OnePlus 5T, tap the 3-dot vertical button on the top-left corner of the display and select the Pro mode option.
However, if you are taking a picture of a poorly lit scene or in low-light, stick to Auto mode as the camera app would then make use of the secondary 20MP sensor and use Pixel binning to capture significantly better photos.
#3 Use the Dash Charger
Dash Charging is one of the key features of the OnePlus 5T. While plenty of Android devices come with fast charging, Dash Charging is in a league of its own. The technology does not suffer from any kind of cons of other fast charging techs out there like the device heating up or the charging speed is slowed down when the device is being used. Charging the OnePlus 5T using the supplied Dash Charger for only 30 minutes will provide the device with a 5o percent increase in battery capacity. If you use any other charger and USB cable apart from the one supplied by OnePlus, you will not be able to enjoy the benefits of Dash Charging.
Dash Charge is easily one of the most underrated features of the OnePlus 5T and once you get used to it, there’s no going back.
#2 Face Unlock
Apart from a fingerprint scanner, the OnePlus 5T also comes with face unlock which makes use of the 16MP selfie shooter at the front. Before you dismiss this feature as being useless, I will highly recommend you to give it a try. OnePlus’ implementation is blazing fast and once you start using Face Unlock on your 5T, there is no going back. You will end up completely forgetting that the handset even features a fingerprint scanner.
#1 Join the Beta Program
OnePlus is usually pretty quick to roll out updates to its devices for fixing major bugs and adding new features. However, if you want to live on the cutting edge, you can join the OxygenOS beta program from the company so that you receive upcoming beta releases of OxygenOS on your device. While the beta releases might contain a few bugs, they also usually contain plenty of new features which can take a few months to make their way to the stable build of the OS.