This is the next version of its Android powered flip phone, which is expected to feature a pair of 4.2-inch AMOLED displays (one internal, and one external), a dual camera setup in back (one camera could sport a variable f/1.5-2.4 aperture, and the second might carry a telephoto lens with 2X zoom capabilities), and the Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform under the hood. Of course, there is no QWERTY keyboard as T9 is used instead, and a 3000mAh battery keeps the lights on.
When TENAA certified Sammy’s W2019, the agency’s website shared the usual four photos it takes of every phone that it gives a thumbs up to. Now, Slashleaks has posted a short video of the phone along with some still images of the device (some of which came from the video itself). You can check out the photos by clicking on the slideshow below. The video can be found at the top of this article.
The W2019 is expected to be released only in China. This series has always been rather expensive, and the W2019 is no exception. There is speculation that the phone will cost the equivalent of $2,500 when it is launched later this year.
Samsung has been pushing out a very expensive, high-end Android flip phone every year. Last year’s model, the W2018, was the first smartphone to feature a camera with an aperture as wide as f/1.5. The newest phone in this line, the W2019, has now been certified in China by regulatory agencies MIIT and TENAA. As much as you feel inside that you must own this phone, we do need to point out that this line has only been available in China. And those entering text will have to use the old T9 system to type.
The TENAA certification doesn’t mention any specs, but does show images of the phone from all angles. Considering that last year’s W2018 was powered by the Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform and carried 6GB of RAM, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect the Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform under the hood of the W2019, along with 8GB of RAM. Bluetooth 4.2 is said to be onboard the new model. The pictures from TENAA appear to show a dual-camera setup on back of the handset. The buzz around the water cooler suggests that Android 8.1 Oreo will be pre-installed.
The W2019, like its predecessors, will have both an internal and external screen. Last year’s model had a pair of 4.2-inch displays, each with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (FHD).
Razer has announced the Razer Phone 2, a follow up to the gaming device it launched last year. This new phone carries forward the same basic design, but upgrades the specs and performance. Starting with the display, Razer stuck with the 5.7-inch quad HD IGZO screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate, but improved brightness by 50%. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor at 2.8 GHz with 8 GB of RAM and what Razer calls “vapor cooling” to help control thermals. Keeping the heat down leads to improved performance. The phone adopts a pair of Sony IMX sensors for the camera. The main camera features a wide field of view with a 12-megapixel sensor at f/1.75 and OIS, while the secondary camera has a telephoto lens with a 12-megapixel sensor at f/2.6. The phone can capture full HD video and 120fps slow motion. The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor at f/2. Razer added an illuminated Chroma to the rear of the phone, allowing owners to take advantage of presets or adjust the light however they wish. The phone has a 4,000mAh battery that supports rapid charging and wireless charging. The chassis is rated IP67 for protection against water and dust, and a fingerprint reader is located on the right edge. The front-facing stereo speakers are powered by a 24-bit DAC and support Dolby Atmos. Razer nixed the headphone jack, but it included a DAC-assisted USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter in the box. The phone runs Android 8.1 and has its own launcher styled after Razer‘s design language. It includes the Cortex Mobile app where owners can find the latest games. The Razer Phone 2 comes in either black satin or black mirror. It supports most U.S. LTE bands and can run on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. The phone is available for preorder direct from Razer for $799.
Razer, the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Phone 2, the very definition of flagship performance and true mobile gaming.
After creating the category of gaming phones with the first Razer Phone in 2017, Razer further pushed the boundaries of mobile devices to power the world of mobile esports and entertainment.
“The first Razer Phone disrupted the smartphone industry and created a new category,” said Min-Liang Tan, co-founder and CEO of Razer Inc. “With the Razer Phone 2, we have pulled out the stops to define flagship and gaming on our terms.”
GAMING // PERFORMANCE
The Razer Phone 2 offers up to 30 percent more performance than its predecessor, thanks to the combination of the latest flagship components and thermal cooling solutions.
The Qualcomm 845 Snapdragon chipset and Qualcomm Adreno 630 graphics processing unit (GPU) will blitz through the most demanding apps, and their performance is further enhanced by the Razer vapor chamber cooling system that provides for industry-leading thermal cooling.
The vapor chamber provides more surface area for heat to dissipate, while sustaining high frame rates for an overall cooler and more powerful experience.
FLAGSHIP // CAMERA
The Razer Phone 2 improves on its imaging capabilities with a new rear dual-camera setup that offers a 12 MP wide-angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 12 MP telephoto lens with 2x zoom. Be it fast action or low-light scenes, the Sony IMX sensors are tuned to produce low-noise images with a wide gamut of colors.
On the front, the 8 MP camera supports video streaming at full HD resolution, a boon for all live-streaming professionals.
The Razer Phone 2 camera app comes with a new user interface that allows for easy one-handed operation for portraits and scenic panoramas. Razer is committed to constantly provide software updates to take advantage of the latest improvements in the imaging space.
FLAGSHIP // ESSENTIALS
The Razer Phone 2 is now powered by Razer Chroma, the world’s most popular RGB lighting system for gamers.
The rear of the phone features the Razer triple-headed snake logo that glows in 16.8 million colors to provide app notifications (such as Facebook comments or WhatsApp messages). Razer Chroma also allows you to customize lighting effects such as Static, Spectrum Cycling and Breathing.
Wireless charging is now enabled on the Razer Phone 2 with its new glass back. Razer has announced its new wireless charger with Chroma – the world’s largest RGB lighting ecosystem.
If you prefer plugging in a USB-C cable, Qualcomm QuickCharge 4+ allows users to charge the phone from a flat battery to 50 percent charge within just 30 minutes.
The Razer Phone 2 has also been tested for IP67 resistance to dust and water.
GAMING // TRUE 120 HZ DISPLAY
One year after Razer launched the world’s first true gaming phone, the Razer Phone 2 continues to take the lead with the only true 120 Hz display – now with even better performance for those who love for high framerates and silky-smooth action without any lag or stuttering.
Unlike other competing phones, the Razer Phone 2’s 5.7-inch UltraMotion™ IGZO display remains the only display in the industry that offers both 120 Hz screen refresh and 120 Hz touch sampling. What you see is what you touch.
The new display is now 50 percent brighter than the one in the first Razer Phone.
GAMING // DUAL FRONT-FACING SPEAKERS
The first Razer Phone made history by being able to churn out audio at record levels without distortion. The Razer Phone 2 is even louder and clearer than before, thanks to upgraded hardware and Dolby Atmos.
The dual front-spacing speakers take up home position on the top and bottom bezels, allowing for both incredible sound projection across any room, as well as an ergonomic form factor for long hours of handheld gaming.
GAMING // BATTERY LIFE
The Razer Phone 2 packs a 4,000 mAH capacity battery for all-day gaming and entertainment needs, and Razer continues to improve battery efficiency.
Where its predecessor was benchmarked for 10 hours of battery life at a screen refresh rate setting of 90 Hz, the Razer Phone 2 is optimized to also last 10 hours at a higher 120 Hz.
The Razer Phone works with LTE Gigabit networks with download speeds up to 1.2 Gbit/s, allowing for 20 percent faster downloads while on the go.
GAMING // OPTIMIZED
As the pioneer in PC esports, and now mobile esports, Razer continues to work with the largest number of game publishers in the industry to bring about the best gaming experiences.
The Razer Phone 2 has been optimized for today’s hottest mobile titles like “PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile),” “Rival Crimson x Chaos,” “Marvel Future Fight,” “Guns of Boom,” “RuneScape” and more.
Netflix
The Razer Phone 2 is the only phone officially certified by Netflix for HDR (high dynamic range) video content and Dolby Surround 5.1 audio content.
Razer Cortex
Razer introduces Razer Cortex, the app that was built for mobile gamers.
Razer Cortex will help users organize their games on their phone, as well as recommend the latest games optimized for 120 Hz gaming. It will also optimize the Razer Phone 2’s performance for different games, either with easy presets or manual settings.
Razer Cortex is now available on Google Play Store, and will work with a variety of phones.
Razer Theme Store
The Razer Theme Store on the Razer Phone 2 offers exclusive themes and wallpapers featuring today’s top gaming titles. Today gamers can already enjoy themes featuring “Vainglory,” “Arena of Valor,” “Tekken,” “Guns of Boom,” “Gear Club” and “Titan Assault,” and you can soon download “PUBG Mobile” themes.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Razer Phone 2 will be available starting at US$799 MSRP in Mirror Black and in a Satin Black variant (arriving in Q4), in USA, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Preorders start on Oct. 11, 2018 at 12.01 a.m. PT on Razer.com.
Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.
The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.
Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone.
Razer’s software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher).
In services, Razer zGold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers. Razer Pay is the e-wallet designed for youth and millennials, and Razer Game Store is the only games download store that offers rewards for gamers.
Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has 15 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).
Samsung has unveiled its new Galaxy A9 smartphone featuring the world’s first rear quad camera.
The Galaxy A9 is tailored for those who know what they want, and go after it. Whether it’s capturing a dare-devil selfie or that perfect panorama, the Galaxy A9 is the ultimate companion for capturing and sharing everyday adventures, no matter where life takes you.
“As a global leader in smartphone innovation, we understand the demand for meaningful innovation in a fast-paced world driven by visual communication,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “Building on our legacy in smartphone camera development we’re introducing next-generation technology across our entire Galaxy portfolio to give more consumers the opportunity to experience cutting-edge innovation. We’re excited to deliver on this promise and debut world leading smartphone camera technology with the Galaxy A9.”
Rear Quad Camera
The Galaxy A9‘s rear lenses include a main 24MP F1.7 lens, a telephoto 2X optical 10MP F2.4 lens, an ultra wide 120 degree 8MP F2.4 lens, and a 5MP F2.2 depth lens.
● Get close without compromise with 2x Optical Zoom for incredible and detailed close-up shots even from far away.
● Capture the world in its fullest and without limit, with the Ultra Wide Lens, and shoot like a pro with the Scene Optimizer. Thanks to AI Scene Recognition, your camera is now smarter, and able to identify the subject and adjust settings accordingly for the best photo, in an instant.
● Express your creativity with the Depth Lens, giving you the freedom to manually manage the photos’ depth of field and focus on the subject for stunning, professional looking images.
● Capture clear and bright images in both bright and low light conditions with Galaxy A9’s 24MP Main Lens, for gorgeous photos at any time of the day.
Features:
The Galaxy A9 features a 3,800mAh battery, 128GB of storage, and up to 512GB of expandable memory. It has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080×2220 and a Octa Core (2.2GHz Quad + 1.8GHz Quad) processor. You can purchase the device with 6GB or 8GB of RAM.
Availability:
The Galaxy A9 comes in three colors: Caviar Black, Lemonade Blue and Bubblegum Pink. It will be released in select markets from November.
The Galaxy A9 (2018) is the world’s first smartphone with a quad camera. Samsung is obviously going to tout this. It has become the only come to launch such a device. The new Galaxy A9 was unveiled at an event in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. With the launch out of the way, Samsung can now get down to the business of selling this device.
It has released the first Galaxy A9 TV commercial. As expected, the quad camera is the star of the show. The entire commercial is dedicated to the camera’s capabilities with no mention of any of the handset’s other abilities.
You’ll buy it for the camera after all
The device itself isn’t all that different from other mid-range Samsung handsets. It’s similar in more ways than one to the Galaxy A8 Star. The only thing that sets it apart is the quad camera system. The Galaxy A9 (2018) arrives not long after the new Galaxy A7, Samsung’s first smartphone with a triple camera.
The quad camera system is what this TV commercial focuses on. It starts off by highlighting the 8-megapixel Ultra-Wide lens that has a 120-degree FOV. The 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom gets its moment to shine as well. The 5-megapixel Depth lens allows for Live Focus photos, adding bokeh (blur) effect to images. The primary 24-megapixel lens is a solid shooter in its own right. Check out our samples from all four of the Galaxy A9’s cameras.
We mentioned in our Galaxy A9 hands-on that the quad camera system on this device works as advertised. There are some handy software features as well to enhance the imaging experience. Other than that, it’s a run of the mill mid-ranger from Samsung.
Samsung said yesterday that the Galaxy A9 will launch in mid-November. We have already told you how much the Galaxy A9 (2018) will cost.
Samsung‘s Galaxy A9 SM-A920F specifications and features: this is a 6.3″(167.64mm) device with a FHD + 108 x 2220 screen resolution. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 soc with a Quad-Core 2.2GHz & Quad-Core 1.8 GHz configuration. Memory is 6GB, with the device offering 128GB internal storage and up to 512GB of external memory. The Galaxy A9 features Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor and Hall Sensor. Notable features include Samsung Pay (NFC). The device measures 162.5 x 77 x 7.8mm and weighs 183g.
Google has officially introduced its new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL smartphones.
The Pixel 3 features a 5.5-inch OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 12.2MP dual-pixel camera. The larger Pixel 3 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display. Both devices have a notched at the top similar to the iPhone and a chin at the bottom.
Here’s a look at the some of the new features…
Camera
● Capture smiles, not blinks: A feature we call Top Shot uses AI to help you capture the perfect photo every time. When you take a motion photo, it captures alternate shots in HDR+, then recommends the best one—even if it’s not exactly when you hit the shutter—looking for those where everyone is smiling, with eyes open, and facing the camera.
● Get better zoom: When you zoom in on a phone camera, the image looks grainy. Super Res Zoom is a computational photography technique, traditionally used for astronomy and scientific imaging, that produces sharp details when you zoom.
● No light; no problem: Pixel 3 lets you take natural-looking photos in dark surroundings, all without a flash. With Night Sight, coming soon to Pixel 3, you can take bright, detailed, colorful shots around the campfire, in a moonlit forest, or after you close out the bar.
● No selfie stick required: Get everyone in the picture with Group Selfie, which gives you 184 percent more room in your photo for friends and scenery.
● Look … no hands! Photobooth mode uses AI to recognize that when you’re smiling or making a funny expression, you’re ready for a selfie. It snaps the photo on its own so you don’t need to reach for the shutter button—a good option for candids.
● Even more stunning portraits, front and back: When you take photos in Portrait Mode, you can change the blurriness of the background, or change the part of the picture in focus, after the fact. Google Photos can also make the subject of your photo pop by leaving them in color, while changing the background to black and white.
● Create and play: In Playground, you can make photos, selfies and videos come to life by adding your favorite superheroes, animated stickers and fun captions. In celebration of Marvel Studios’ 10 Year Anniversary, you’ll enjoy seeing the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (exclusively on Pixel) react to each other and to you. New packs for Weather, Pets, Sports and Signs let you have everyday fun, and coming later this year, you’ll be able to sharpen your dance skills with moves from Childish Gambino.
● Super smooth video: When you want to capture something that won’t stop moving—think an adorable toddler or your new puppy—Motion Auto Focus will make sure your Pixel 3 camera stays in sharp focus automatically, as you record. And if you happen to be taking a selfie video while walking or moving around, Pixel 3 brings you front-facing video stabilization.
● Unlimited storage for all of your photos and videos: With Pixel 3, you can save all your favorite moments with free, unlimited photo and video storage in original resolution. It’s hassle-free, you don’t have to think about back-ups. Come back to Google Photos later and search for the beach photos you took on your Pixel 3, and they’ll pop right up.
Artificial Intelligence
AI in Pixel 3 enables new features that make your day-to-day actions simpler and easier.
If you want to know more about something you’re looking at, use Google Lens, built right into the Pixel 3 camera. To scan and translate text, find similar styles of clothing, or identify popular plants and animals, you can now long press in the Pixel 3 camera to easily open Lens. When you point your camera at information you want to remember or don’t feel like typing in—like a URL or QR code on a flyer or an email address on a business card—Google Lens suggests what to do next, like creating a new contact.
You can count on even more help across other apps too, including Gmail’s Smart Compose, now available for mobile on Pixel 3. Smart Compose suggests phrases in your emails so that you can draft them faster, on the go. Gboard, the keyboard built into your Pixel 3, will recommend GIFs, stickers and more, to make your conversations fun and engaging. Both are available first in English.
The Google Assistant is also baked into Pixel 3 to help you find answers and control your phone and compatible smart home devices—all with a simple squeeze or by using your voice. This year we have two new Assistant features coming to Pixel.
First, starting out in English in the U.S., Pixel 3’s on-device AI helps you screen phone calls and avoid spam calls. Imagine you’re at dinner with family or in a meeting at work and a call from an unknown caller comes in. Just tap on “Screen call” to find out who’s calling and why, as well as other information (as prompted by you). You’ll immediately see a transcript of the caller’s responses so that you can then decide whether to pick up, respond by tapping a quick reply (e.g., “I’ll call you back later”), or mark the call as spam and dismiss. Processing the call details on-device means these experiences are fast, private to you, and use up less battery.
Second, Pixel users in the U.S. will be the first to get access to an experimental new Google Assistant feature, powered by Duplex technology, which helps you complete real-world tasks over the phone, like calling a restaurant to book a table. This feature will initially be available later this year in New York, Atlanta, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area to help people book restaurant reservations and will roll out to other U.S. cities in the future.
As we develop new calling technologies, we believe it’s critical that we help people understand the context of the conversation. We’ll disclose to businesses receiving the call that they’re speaking to an automated system, and we have developed controls to protect against spam and abuse, as well as the ability for a business to opt out of receiving calls. For Call Screen, we will also let the caller know that a screening service is being used.
Digital Wellbeing
Our phones, while probably the most important tech in our lives, shouldn’t control our lives. So Digital Wellbeing, a suite of tools to help you find your own balance with technology, is built into Pixel 3. It includes a dashboard to help you understand how you spend time on your phone, the ability to set time limits on specific apps, and a new Wind Down mode to help you get to sleep at night by gently transitioning your display to a grayscale screen. When you don’t want to be bothered by rings or notifications, just flip to Shhh—an easy gesture that turns on Do Not Disturb and minimizes distractions.
Fast and wireless charging
Pixel 3 comes with an 18 Watt fast charger in the box, which can give you seven hours of use in 15 minutes of charging. With our AI-powered Adaptive Battery technique, Pixel 3 prioritizes battery power for your most important apps to make your phone last all day.
Alongside Pixel 3, we’re also introducing Pixel Stand, our new, Qi compliant wireless charger (sold separately). While charging in the Pixel Stand, your phone turns into a smart visual and audio experience powered by the Google Assistant, similar to Google Home Hub. It answers your questions, plays music, helps you control smart home devices, transitions into a photo frame when idle, and much more. If you set an alarm, your screen will gently brighten over 15 minutes before your alarm goes off, mimicking the sunrise and helping you wake up naturally. Pixel 3 also comes with dual front-firing speakers tuned by a GRAMMY-winning music producer to turn your phone into a powerful speaker. Customers who activate a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL by December 31, 2018 can get six months of free YouTube Music Premium.
Pixel 3 is IP68 water- and dust-resistant and has a security chip custom-designed by Google called Titan M, making it the most secure phone we’ve built yet. Titan M enhances mobile security by protecting your unlock credentials, disk encryption, app data, and the integrity of the operating system code itself. Powered by Android 9 Pie, Pixel 3 comes with the latest Android operating system.
Pricing and Availability:
Pixel 3 is available for pre-order now from Verizon, Project Fi, and the Google Store unlocked. The 5.5-inch model starts at $799 and the 6.3-inch model starts at $899.
Nokia just announced the latest entry in its long-running series of Android One devices, the Nokia 7.1. This one is a slightly more decked-out mid-ranger than we are used to, boasting a set of hardware and software features that are not normally associated with devices in the same range.
One of these is definitely the HDR10-compliant 5.84-inch display, which is employing both Gorilla Glass 3 and, yes, a notch. While it’s certainly an LCD endeavor, Nokia says the display can potentially really bright and be perfectly legible even under the exceptional brightness of broad daylight. Additionally, the display of the Nokia 7.1 is said to be automatically calibrating its overall tone in compliance with the environmental lighting conditions. Finally, as a form of cherry on top of all things, the device offers real-time SDR to HDR conversion of all user content.
Design-wise, Nokia isn’t feeling very adventurous – the Nokia 7.1 relies on glass and metal in its build, with a rear-positioned fingerprint sensor. The device will be available in two colors: Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel.
Hardware-wise, a relatively energy-efficient Snapdragon 636 will be powering the phone, alongside 3 or 4GB of RAM, as well as 32 or 64GB of e-MMC 5.1 storage. MicroSD card support is also a go, and so is a nifty USB Type C port. There’s a 3.5mm audio jack and a 3060mAh battery on deck as well, and thankfully, Nokia has employed fast-charging that can juice in 50% battery in around 30 minutes or so. Oh, and did we mention you can have the device in either single- and dual-SIM variations.
At the rear, the Nokia 7.1 is equipped with two cameras, a main 12MP, f/1.8 one and another 5MP monochrome one that would be used for depth information. This allows for real-time “Live Bokeh” mode to be enjoyed by the user. At the front Nokia 7.1 features another couple of 8MP cameras that let you apply playful filters and masks to your face in real time. Bothies, Nokia‘s weirdly-named pictures combining data from both front and rear cameras, are also a go.
Software-wise, Nokia is once again relying on stock Android. This has been a running theme for multiple Nokia devices so far, meaning you shouldn’t experience any software bloat at all. More importantly, you will get an experience similar to Google’s own Pixels – guaranteed two years of software updates to newer Android versions and three years of security patches is what you’ll get with the Nokia 7.1.
In the United States, the Nokia 7.1 comes in Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel and will start at $349. It will be available for pre-sale online at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H starting October 5, 2018 and will begin shipping on October 28, 2018. In-store purchasing and demonstration displays will also be available in select Best Buy stores starting November 4, 2018.
LG V40 ThinQ press renders confirm triple rear and dual front cameras
Since LG has moved to release two flagship smartphones a year, a lot of people have begun to ignore the LG G series. The LG V series had originally used its secondary display as a way to differentiate itself from the G series (and the rest of the smartphone market). However, that ended with the LG V30, making a lot of people upset, but gave LG a chance to use the LG V series as a device optimized for taking photographs and recording videos. It’s hard to show more focus on the camera than by including 5 cameras, and the latest press render for the LG V40 ThinQ shows that’s the direction they’re going in.
To show that LG is committed to the video market, the company has partnered with actor and director Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the LG V10, LG V20, and the LG V30. It was the pre-launch of the LG V30 when the actor used the online collaborative production company he founded, HitRecord, to produce some promotional material for the smartphone. We’re not sure if this partnership will continue this year with the launch of the LG V40 ThinQ (LG may not be able to afford the partnership), but details of the phone show they are still focusing on photos and videos.
It was three months ago when we first heard that the LG V40 might be launching with as many as 5 cameras, a display notch, and a dedicated button for Google Assistant. When people first heard that, many assumed they would all be put on the back of the phone, but a leaked render showed it was going to be three on the back and two selfie sensors. That leaked render also confirmed the notch (though it was hidden by a black status bar).
It did back up the initial rumor about a fourth dedicated button that presumably would be used to launch Google Assistant. It only took a handful of days later before another leaked render was released that did show there would be a fourth dedicated hardware button, and this one again showed it was going to have a notch at the top of the display.
This latest render comes from a highly reliable source, many who know of him as evleaks. The render from Evan Blass shows there are 4 hardware buttons and a very well hidden notch. LG appears to be trying very hard to hide the notch, as this has been a common theme in previous leaks. As with all leaked information, nothing is official until we see what the company releases to the public. But as of right now, the LG V40 ThinQ looks to be coming with a dedicated hardware button (again, presumably for Google Assistant) and no notch at the top of the device.
October is going to be a very busy month for smartphone reviewers. We are getting many new devices launched this upcoming month, and we have started receiving many images of them. The last one to show more of its design in images is the LG V40 ThinQ, and man does it look nice.
New leaked renders of the LG V40 ThinQ have appeared thanks to Evan Blass. These images show us the triple camera on the back panel of the device along with the fingerprint sensor. We are also getting a new Google Assistant Button and a true effort to make bezels disappear. The chin of the device has gone slimmer, and the notch is present again, in a smaller version that can also be hidden with software.
Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+. These entry-level handsets have been leaked considerably over the past few weeks. There’s nothing in today’s announcement that’s going to surprise us. At least the official pricing and availability information about these devices is now public.
Samsung says that these new devices have been “created especially for young millennials.” It has focused on combining a modern design with new features. The Galaxy J series is one of the most popular smartphone series in India. It makes up almost a third of all smartphones sold in the country, according to Samsung.
Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+ official
The Galaxy J6+ and Galaxy J4+ both feature a glass finish, reflective back and 6-inch HD+ Infinity Design displays. Dolby Atmos is onboard as well. They’re relying on the same Snapdragon 425 chip, 3,300mAh battery and Android Oreo. The Galaxy J6+ will be available with 4G RAM/64GB storage and the Galaxy J4+ with 2GB RAM/32GB storage. The Galaxy J6+ also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. It’s actually the first Galaxy device with a fingerprint sensor on the side. The Galaxy J4+ does not have a fingerprint sensor.
The Galaxy J6+ has a 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel dual rear camera with features like Background Blur and Dolly Zoom. There’s an 8-megapixel front camera as well. The Galaxy J4+ gets a 13-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front camera. There’s a new Emotify feature on both devices. It will let users customize messages and use creative ways to express themselves. Emotify avatars will be available in 22 Indian languages which can be shared on social media and popular messaging apps. Other features include the ability to install apps to SD card.
The Galaxy J6+ will be available in red, black and blue colors for INR 15,990 (~$220). Samsung will sell the Galaxy J4+ in gold, black and blue for INR 10,990 (~$150). Both devices will be available from September 25 across Samsung’s countrywide retail network, Amazon, Flipkart and the Samsung Shop. Samsung will likely offer these handsets in other markets as well. The company’s regional divisions will confirm pricing and availability information for their respective markets.
GALAXY J4+ SM-J415F SPECIFICATIONS
Samsung‘s Galaxy J4+ SM-J415F specifications and features: this is a 6.0″ (152.4mm) device with a HD + 720×1480 screen resolution. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 soc with a 1.4GHz configuration. Memory is 2GB, 3GB, with the device offering 16GB, 32GB internal storage and of external memory. The Galaxy J4+ features Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor(NA), Gyro Sensor(NA), Geomagnetic Sensor(NA) and Hall Sensor(NA). The device measures 161.4 x 76.9 x 7.9mm and weighs 178g.
Samsung‘s Galaxy J6+ SM-J610F specifications and features: this is a 6.0″ (152.4mm) device with a HD + 720×1480 screen resolution. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Sanpdragon 425 soc with a 1.4GHz configuration. Memory is 3GB, 4GB, with the device offering 32GB, 64GB internal storage and of external memory. The Galaxy J6+ features Accelerometer, side Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor and Hall Sensor(NA). The device measures 161.4 x 76.9 x 7.9mm and weighs 178g.
Samsung Electronics today announced the Galaxy A7, the latest addition to the Galaxy A series family. With a powerful rear triple camera, sleek design and must have everyday features, the innovative Galaxy A7 is the ultimate device for wherever life leads you.
“Samsung is committed to delivering meaningful innovation to all consumers across the Galaxy family, no matter who they are or where they are in the world” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “That’s why we’re excited to introduce innovative new features to the A series with the Galaxy A7, a practical but powerful device that is built to help make your everyday both convenient and extraordinary.”
Snap and share experiences with the Galaxy A7’s powerful triple camera;
Never miss a moment with the Galaxy A7’s 8MP 120° Ultra Wide Lens. With the same viewing angle as the human eye, the Galaxy A7 captures the world exactly as you see it for unrestricted wide-angle photos.
With the 24MP Lens and Depth Lens, the Galaxy A7’s Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect to create stunning photos.
Get crisp clear photos in both bright and low light conditions. The Galaxy A7’s 24MP Lens automatically lets more light in by combining four pixels into one pixel in low light conditions.
The Galaxy A7 brings out the best in what it sees. Featuring Samsung’s intelligent Scene Optimizer, the Galaxy A7’s camera categorizes your subject and adjusts the color, contrast and brightness to instantly optimize image quality1.
Snap bright, clear selfies any time of day and never worry about searching for the ideal lighting again, with the Galaxy A7’s 24MP front camera and adjustable LED flash. Take bokeh effect selfies with Selfie Focus, and mimic professional studio lighting with Pro Lighting Mode. Add a personal touch and express yourself with AR emoji, and flattering filters.
Featuring a premium 6.0-inch Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy A7 lets you experience and share the world as you see it. Adding on, Samsung’s signature Infinity Display makes the most of uninterrupted, immersive viewing. The Galaxy A7 also supports Dolby Atmos®2 immersive sound technology, which brings entertainment to life through moving audio that flows all around you. When it comes to style, the Galaxy A7 does not compromise. Coming with a premium glass design, a side fingerprint sensor for greater convenience and smooth seamless curves, it’s both practical and comfortable in your hand. Available in four stylish colors to suit your personal style – blue, black, gold and pink3 – expressing yourself with the Galaxy A7 has never been easier.
Designed to make life more convenient, the Galaxy A7 comes with Bixby4, Samsung Pay5 and Samsung Health.
The Galaxy A7 will be available in select European and Asian markets from this fall and expand to additional markets in the near future.
On October 11, 2018, Samsung Electronics will welcome a new member to the Galaxy family. To celebrate the launch of the upcoming device, the company is hosting a Samsung A Galaxy Event on October 11, 2018 at 5:00pm (MYT).
Galaxy A7 Product Specifications:
Galaxy A7
Display
6.0” FHD+ (1080×2220) Super AMOLED
*Screen measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners
Camera
Rear: Triple camera
– 24MP AF (F1.7)
– Ultra Wide: 8MP (F2.4), 120°
– Depth: 5MP(F2.2)
Front: 24MP FF (F2.0)
Body
159.8 x 76.8 x 7.5 mm, 168g
AP
Octa Core 2.2GHz
*May differ by market and mobile operator
Memory
4GB RAM, 64 Internal Storage+MicroSD Slot(Up to 512GB)
4GB RAM, 128 Internal Storage
6GB RAM, 128 Internal Storage
*May differ by market and mobile operator
Battery
3,300mAh
OS
Android 8.0
Network
LTE Cat.6, 2CA
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80, Bluetooth® v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, USB Type-B, NFC(optional*), Location (GPS, Glonass, BeiDou**)
*May vary by country
**BeiDou coverage may be limited.
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max come packing a brand new A12 Bionic chip with greatly improved performance and sound, as well as Apple’s best displays and even better designs. They can also juggle two SIM cards simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the new iPhone XR delivers the flagship iPhone look and some of the best features from iPhone XS at a more-affordable price.
iPhone X marked “the future of the smartphone,” Apple told us last September. It sacrificed beloved features like Touch ID in favor of an all-new design with a stunning Super Retina display and Face ID. It was a gamble that paid off for Apple.
Despite its $1,000 price tag and controversial “notch,” iPhone X consistently outsold every other iPhone in Apple’s lineup since it went on sale last November. It also earned praise from fans and critics, and scored a 98 percent customer satisfaction rating last quarter.
One year on, it’s hard to imagine going back to big bezels and buttons.
It’s no surprise, then, that this year’s iPhones follow suit. The iPhone X has been retired. And in its place, Apple unveiled today the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. They all look like last year’s flagship at first glance, with edge-to-edge displays and smooth glass fronts and backs — but they’re bigger, better and more powerful in every way.
iPhone XS Max and iPhone XS.
Meet Apple’s new iPhone lineup
iPhone XS is “by far the most advanced iPhone we have ever created,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during today’s Gather Round keynote. It’s available in two sizes: A 5.8-inch model that replaces iPhone X, and a 6.5-inch model that shows Apple hasn’t forgotten about iPhone Plus lovers.
Both feature OLED screens with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10, with a 1-million-to-1 contrast ratio, 120Hz touch-sensing, True Tone and 3D Touch. They also offer a wider and richer stereo sound experience, Apple says.
They’re the first iPhones to offer dual-SIM functionality, allowing users to juggle two numbers simultaneously. That’s thanks to a traditional SIM card slot and a built-in eSIM that can be connected to a whole bunch of supported carriers.
In China, where the eSIM can’t be supported yet, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will ship with two SIM card slots.
A12 Bionic will blow you away
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are powered by an A12 Bionic chip — the industry’s first 7-nanometer processor. It’s packed with 6.9 billion transistors, with a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU that’s up to 50 percent faster.
Apple has also introduced a new 8-core Neural Engine that’s dedicated to machine learning. Last year’s A11 Bionic was capable of processing 600 billion operations per second, but the A12 can process a staggering 5 trillion in the same time.
This new Neural Engine allows for improved Portrait mode in the Camera app, even better Animoji, and more immersive augmented reality experiences. Face ID also works faster than ever before, thanks to faster algorithms and a snappier secure enclave.
Apple’s best cameras
The iPhone is the world’s most popular camera. Apple helped its handset secure this crown by delivering the best smartphone shooters every year. The cameras packed into iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are its best yet — and they deliver jaw-dropping results.
Apple’s new iPhone XS cameras.
There are two sensors on the back of each device: one 12-megapixel sensor with a wide-angle lens and an f/1.8 aperture, and one 12-megapixel sensor with a telephoto lens and an f/2.4 aperture. There’s also an improved True Tone flash, and twice as many Focus Pixels.
Thanks to an improved image signal processor, which works alongside the Neural Engine for the first time, the new iPhones can identify faces and bodies when you’re taking a photo and automatically apply adjustments like red-eye reduction.
By far the most impressive feature of Apple’s new cameras is called Smart HDR. It works by capturing numerous frames every time you take a photo to get the best white balance, highlights, shadows, different exposures, and more.
It then analyzes those images, picks out the best bits, and merges them to produce that “one perfect photo.” All of this happens at lightning speed, and it’s incredibly impressive.
Even better designs
Both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are protected by the most durable glass ever installed on a smartphone, and they have an improved IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance. They also last longer than their predecessors in between charges.
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be available in gold, silver and space gray with up to 512GB of storage. Prices start at $999 for the smaller model, and $1,099 for the larger model. You’ll be able to order them this Friday, and they’ll start shipping September 21.
iPhone XR brings the color
iPhone XR delivers the “iPhone X experience” at a more affordable price. It’s powered by the new A12 Bionic chip and sports a gorgeous edge-to-edge display just like its siblings, only this time, it’s an LCD screen.
iPhone XR is a beauty.
It’s the most advanced LCD ever packed into a smartphone, Apple says, and it’s called the Liquid Retina display. The screen measures 6.1 inches diagonally, making it bigger than an iPhone 8 Plus display, but the device itself is smaller.
iPhone XR has just one camera, but it’s the same 12-megapixel camera found in iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. That means you get the same great performance, optical image stabilization, and the improved True Tone flash.
Apple even managed to deliver Portrait mode for iPhone XR, despite just one sensor.
iPhone XR is made from 7000 Series aerospace-grade aluminum that’s finished in either white, black, blue, coral, red or yellow. It also boasts an IP67 rating for dust- and water-resistance.
Prices start at $749 with 64GB of storage, but 128GB and 256GB models will be available. You’ll be able to order iPhone XR next month, and it will start shipping October 26.
The Alcatel 7 offers MetroPCS customers a big screen, a big battery, and other modern features in a relatively slim piece of hardware. With dual cameras packing features such as portrait and slow-motion capture, and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, the Alcatel 7 seemingly has it all. Is anything holding this phone back? Phone Scoop reveals all in this in-depth report.
The Alcatel 7 is an inexpensive Android phone that packs a big screen, a big battery, dual cameras, and plenty of security options. If you need an affordable phone that doesn’t skimp on modern features, the Alcatel 7 could be the right choice.
Body
The Alcatel 7 is an obsidian slate, narrow and tall, as modern phones have become. It’s made from a mix of glass and plastic. A 2.5D piece of Dragontail glass on front is tucked into a matte plastic frame. The rear panel is deep black, glossy, and also made from plastic. Scattered chrome accents catch the light here and there.
The design doesn’t particularly stand out from other phones in this category, and yet it’s not unappealing.
It’s big. The Alcatel 7 is in the same neighborhood as the Google Pixel 2 XL as far as size is concerned. The length stretches to nearly 6.4 inches, though thankfully the width is under 3 inches. I found the weight to be reasonable. The smooth texture of the curved plastic makes the phone more comfortable to grasp. The phone is slim enough that it will slip into pockets, but the length might be cumbersome. The phone poked me a few times as I sat down in chairs, requiring that I adjust the position of the 7 in my pocket.
Alcatel did a fine job with the 7‘s manufacture. The 7 feels strong thanks to the polycarbonate frame and solid rear panel. There’s nothing loose or flexible about it. This is not a rugged phone, though it should survive drops far better than an all-glass device. It doesn’t offer protection from water.
The 2:1-shaped screen defines the face of the Alcatel 7. The side bezels are kept in check. A sizeable forehead and chin serve to exaggerate the elongated dimensions of the phone. The face is glass from top to bottom. A slit near the top for the earpiece is the only break in the otherwise smooth surface.
Button and port placement around the edges of the phone doesn’t break with convention. The screen lock key and volume toggle are both on the right edge. I like that the buttons have chrome accents so they stand out visually from the black frame. The screen lock key is ridged to help set it apart by feel. Travel and feedback is very good. The volume toggle is smooth and has similarly good action. The tray for SIM and memory cards is on the left edge. A tool is required to eject it.
Side Buttons
A standard headphone jack populates the top edge and a USB-C port is centered on the bottom. Some holes are drilled on either side of the USB port for the speakerphone.
The rear panel is piano black and reflective thanks to the high gloss finish. It attracts fingerprints and oily grime as flypaper does flies. Most of the panel is flat, but it curves nicely close to the edges to help reduce the footprint a bit. This also makes it easier to hold. The fingerprint reader and camera module are both framed in chrome. Alcatel put the fingerprint reader in just the right spot. It’s indented deeply, which helps your finger locate it by feel.
Looking Up
Alcatel designed and manufactured a respectable phone in the 7. It eschews high design in favor of practicality.
Screen
The Alcatel 7‘s LCD panel stretches 6 inches from corner to corner. It adopts the 2:1 aspect ratio with full HD+ resolution (2,160 x 1,080 pixels). The pixel density comes in at 402ppi. It’s a fine display for a phone at this price point.
The resolution is more than adequate. The screen puts out a fair amount of light, but I sometimes found it hard to see outdoors under the sun. Colors are accurate. Viewing angles are very good; it exhibits minimal brightness loss when tilted.
The phone does not offer advanced screen controls.
Display
Signal
MetroPCS, owned and operated by T-Mobile, sells the Alcatel 7. The phone supports all of the LTE bands for T-Mo, including 66 and 71, which are the newest. This helps the phone perform well.
I tested the Alcatel 7 over several days and found it met my expectations for a low-cost phone. I had no trouble connecting calls on the first dial each and every time. The 7 dropped one call on the highway in a known T-Mobile weak spot, meaning the device did about the same as others sold by T-Mobile/MetroPCS.
On the data front, the phone always showed an LTE 4G connection. It consistently had strong access to the data network. A good connection is one thing, but speeds are another. The phone supports only Cat 6 LTE, which doesn’t allow for the fastest speeds available. In the real world, that means browsing the web was generally quick, but media-laden social networks were sometimes a hair slow. You may see longer load times for YouTube videos or Spotify. The 7 certainly does well enough to make it usable on a day-to-day basis, as long as you don’t mind average-quality video/audio streams.
Sound
Quality of voice calls could be better. The biggest issue is the lack of volume. In a noisy coffee shop or moving car, it’s just not loud enough. The clarity of voices is acceptable, though prone to distortion and scratchiness from time to time.
Calls made via the speakerphone can only be heard in near-silent spaces. It’s simply not loud enough, not by far. Clarity is worse than the earpiece thanks to raspy distortion.
Calls and alerts are so-so with respect to volume. I definitely missed some incoming notifications because I didn’t hear them. Turning on the vibrate alert will help, as the vibration motor delivers a noticeable buzz.
Battery
Few flagship phones ship with a 4,000mAh battery and yet the low-cost Alcatel 7 manages to offer just such a power cell. With a full charge, the 7 easily cruises from dawn to dusk and beyond. The phone consistently pushed from breakfast to bedtime and never once ran out of juice before I was ready to call it a day. Most days I had a healthy cushion of 30% or more capacity leftover.
The phone includes the standard Android battery saver tool, which you can toggle on manually, or have switch on automatically at preset battery levels. I didn’t find that it helped all that much.
The 7 supports what Alcatel calls “Pump Express 2.0” rapid charging. It doesn’t take too, too long to charge. You can score approximately 30% in battery life if you leave it plugged in for about 30 minutes. That’s enough for hours of up time.
Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, WiFi
The Alcatel 7 includes a basic set of secondary radios and they all do a reasonably good job.
First up is Bluetooth 4.2, with myriad profiles for connecting to headphones, speakers, cars, PCs, and so on. I was able to pair the device with a range of accessories. Unfortunately, calls sent to my car’s hands-free system were miserable with respect to volume and clarity; bad enough that you shouldn’t even bother. Music, on the other hand, sounded quite good when streamed via headphones or speakers. I was able to share files with other devices seamlessly.
The GPS radio interacted with Google Maps as if they were born for one another. The Alcatel 7 pinpointed me on the map to within about 20 feet in just a few seconds. It kept pace with walking and mass-transit navigation no problem.
There’s no NFC radio aboard, but you will find an FM radio for tuning into your local favorites.
The WiFi radio was often a good bet for downloading apps, media, and such while at home.
Lock Screen
The 7‘s lock screen strays only a little bit from standard Android. It includes up to five app shortcuts at the bottom of the lock screen. You can fully customize which apps appear in this space, which is nice. Tap the shortcut you want to open, unlock, and the phone opens the app quickly.
There is no advanced active / ambient display on the Alcatel 7, which is a let down. You have to wake the screen to see notifications, which appear below the clock. You can dismiss notifications one at a time from the lock screen, or en masse if you unlock the phone. The clock is really big and easy to see.
The 7 offers an array of ways to unlock the phone. The fingerprint reader is consistently the fastest way to wake and unlock the phone. I had no issues training several prints.
Face Recognition
Alternately, you can take advantage of the face unlock tool. Alcatel warns that this is a simple camera-based tool that can be fooled by “a person or an object that resembles your face.” Moreover, your sunglasses, hat, or make-up may cause it to fail. Recording your face data into the phone is easy enough. You’ll need to set a backup security method, such as PIN, pattern, or password.
The face unlock tool works, but just barely. The phone took far longer than I wanted it to to recognize my face and errored out often. Given the fact that your fingerprint is faster and more secure, I suggest sticking with the finger.
Home Screens
The home screen experience is pretty straightforward. The phone runs Android 8.1 and has a very light skin from Alcatel. Essentially, Alcatel is using its own fonts, colors, and icons. The basic framework of Android is unchanged. You can adjust the home screens however you prefer.
I like that the Alcatel 7 includes a dedicated app drawer, which is easy to open via the dock at the bottom of the screen. You can opt to view your apps alphabetically, by download date, or by most-often used. There’s no hiding apps, and no folders, in the app drawer.
The settings menu offers no surprises. It’s a straight text list and is laid out in plain black text on a white background. A search bar makes it quicker to sort through the settings.
There are no special interface features, such as themes, easy mode, or the like.
Settings
A 2.5 GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P23 processor powers this baby. It has 2 GB of RAM to go with it. After testing the phone for several days I’ll say that I didn’t come across any deal-breakers as far as speed and performance are concerned. The phone ran smoothly the majority of the time I used it. Most apps opened quickly, screen transitions were smooth, and it felt like the phone had enough juice for most typical tasks.
Memory
Camera
The fastest way to open the camera is to double-press the screen lock button. The app opens quickly enough.
The viewfinder and controls are familiar. A strip of toggles (night mode, flash, HDR, timer, filters) lines the left edge.
The shooting modes include automatic, panorama, time-lapse, social, light-trace, portrait, and slow motion. That’s more than most phones in this class. One stand-out here is the social mode, which lets do you put together a four-image collage. You can capture each image manually, or set a timer so it does it in a quick series. It’s like a photo booth.
The portrait mode relies on the two rear cameras to create bokeh-style images with sharp subject and blurred background. I like that you can dial in the amount of background blur, and even adjust the effect after the fact. This mode is fairly slow to operate, however, particularly in low light.
You’ll find access to the settings menu from the shooting mode screen. You can only adjust the most basic settings, such as resolution, grid, and sounds.
Camera Settings
I was hoping for solid performance from the app, but the Alcatel 7 let me down. The processor and/or 2 GB of RAM isn’t enough to deliver smooth operation of this app. It’s slow to do everything, and even the viewfinder is slow. It takes two blinks to catch up to what your aiming at. Jumping through the settings and modes takes time. Worse, the phone just takes forever to focus before firing the shot.
Photos/Video
The results are mediocre at best. The Alcatel 7 suffers horribly in low light, creating grainy, underexposed messes that just don’t look good. No amount of flash use seems to help with anything that’s more than a couple of feet away. You’ll get better results in brighter environments.
The biggest problem is focus. Because the camera is so slow, it’s easy to think it has finished taking a picture when in fact it has not. I can’t tell you how many pictures I got of my feet because I thought the camera had done its job. Color and white balance are fine, but exposure and noise level are all over the place.
The 8-megapixel selfie camera is no better. The flash never seemed to fire no matter how dark the scene was, and the beauty tools offer no salvation from your freckles, lines, and other imperfections.
The phone captures video up to full HD and it doesn’t look very good. The results are, like the pictures, a noisy disaster filled with grain and aberrations. Colors come across as muted and all the video I shot is lacking in proper exposure.
The Alcatel 7‘s camera may function as a stop-gap, but I wouldn’t count on it for saving those important events.
Alcatel 7 Photo Samples
Closer TV
MetroPCS is pitching the Alcatel 7 as a media machine and it’s mostly due in part to the presence of the Closer TV app. This app is a combined remote control (there’s an infrared emitter on the top of the phone) and content discovery tool. You’ll need to spend some time pairing it with both your television and your cable box. Then you’ll be able to use Closer TV as a visual guide to what’s on.
CloserTV Setup
The app shows you what’s available in real time from your cable TV provider, as well as third-party services such as Hulu, YouTube, and Amazon Prime. It shows both free content, and a variety of paid types.
Closer TV is clunky. It never seemed to want to talk to my cable box no matter how many times I paired the two. I’d often find something I wanted to watch through the app, select it, and nothing would happen on my TV. Bottom line: you’re better off sticking with your existing remote / app setup, which is surely less frustrating.
CloserTV
Alcatel has an opportunity to fill a certain gap in the U.S. market right now. If it can churn out respectable, affordable phones, it could become a reliable go-to manufacturer for prepaid carriers such as MetroPCS and Cricket Wireless. The Alcatel 7 doesn’t quite go the distance.
I’m sold on the hardware design and promise. It’s not the most unique phone in the market, but the screen is fine, the chassis is strong, and the all-black design works. It’s great to see a fingerprint reader, USB-C, and a headphone jack.
The phone excels at battery life, outlasting many other devices in this market segment. At the same time, call quality is questionable and data speeds are average. The Android-based platform runs smoothly enough, but the camera simply isn’t up to snuff.
MetroPCS sells the Alcatel 7 for $180. If you port-in a number and subscribe to Metro’s top plan, you can snag the 7 for $30. At MetroPCS, the $50 Moto E5 or the $80 LG Stylo 4 are better options.