Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Value Edition gets Android 5.1.1

Samsung is rolling out an Android update for the Galaxy Grand Prime Value Edition that brings the OS version to 5.1.1. The smartphone, which in fact hasn't yet been announced officially, was last spotted in a benchmark running Android 5.0.

The update is so far available in Poland and Panama, with the firmware versions labeled G531FXXU1AOF7 and G531MUBU1AOFB respectively. The files weigh in at around 730MB and come with the usual set of security and stability improvements, but also bring changes to the interface in the lockscreen and notification area.

Owners of the original Galaxy Grand Prime were already displeased when word got out that Samsung is launching the new version straight to Lollipop, while their handsets were stuck on 4.4 Kitkat. With the latest update for the Value Edition, the company should expect to receive another blast of angry…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1GHqQio
via IFTTT

Sony considering manufacturing smartphones in India

Sony might soon start manufacturing smartphones in India. Sony India Managing Director Kenichiro Hibi said the company is "very seriously" considering starting a manufacturing facility in India.

The move comes to comply with India's recent 'Make in India' initiative, started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that encourages businesses to manufacture goods in India rather than importing them. Since then, several companies have shown interest in starting manufacturing facilities in India, including Foxconn. Samsung already manufactures the Tizen-based Z1 in India, and it seems Sony may be joining them soon.

According to Hibi, "Of course, thanks to Mr Modi's strong initiatives, some how we have to cope with country's direction and strategy. We are in talks as to how we can support country's direction. At this point of time, we do not have any specific comment. We are seriously studying as how can we reply to PM's requirements."

Hibi did not commit on a date and the amount of investment that would go into this, but said it would definitely happen within the next two…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1LDvJR4
via IFTTT

Samsung Z1 sales cross 1 million mark; gold variant coming soon

Samsung has sold over a million units of its Tizen-powered Z1 smartphone till now, a milestone that the company achieved in less than six months of the device's launch, which happened back in January this year.

"It has been better than expectations for us," said Asim Warsi, vice president for marketing, mobile and IT at Samsung India. "It stacks up equal and better with some of its neighbouring models in our portfolio."

The South Korean company is now planning to launch a gold colour variant of the sub-$100 device next month, as well as more affordable smartphones (in $125-$235 range) running its home-grown mobile operating system.

Warsi also revealed that the Tizen Store now has double the number of apps that were there in January, adding that more apps will be added after the Tizen Development Summit, which is scheduled for July 30-31 in India.

This comes over a couple of weeks after there were reports that Samsung has sold over 500,000 units of its Z1 smartphone in India since launch. For those who aren't aware, the device is also available for purchase in…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1Np7iov
via IFTTT

Windows 10 Mobile front camera to reportedly feature face-tracking

The latest version (5.38.2004) of Windows Camera on the Windows 10 Mobile comes with face-tracking technology, allowing it to recognize your face when using the front camera, according to a report published yesterday.

If you aren't in the know, face-tracking technology helps the camera to automatically adjust focus even if the photographer's hands are not steady, or he or she is moving around. It's worth mentioning that the feature is not present in Windows Phone 8.1

In addition, the latest build also features an updated app icon (see image above), a move that is apparently aimed at making the app more…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1GKoXlS
via IFTTT

Week 26 in review: Galaxy A8, Meizu MX5, OnePlus 2

Another week went by and it's time to take a quick look back at the most exciting news stories the mobile realm had to offer. The past few days lacked any major device announcements, but rumors and speculations about upcoming handsets filled the void nicely.

The alleged third installment of Motorola's popular affordable Moto G line made an appearance with a few live photos and even a video. The leak captivated mobile fans and was the most-popular scoop of the week. From what we have seen, the new Moto G (2015) shows great promise and could be even more-successful than its two predecessors, if the price remains right.

Among the rumors and speculation, three other devices seemed to stand out. The Galaxy A8 made the rounds at both TENAA and FCC and is getting pretty close to a release.

The Meizu MX5 has also been gathering a lot of attention ahead of its official announcement on June 30.

Then there's the OnePlus 2. The successor to last year's "flagship killer" has been a constant presence in the rumor mill for quite some time now and is certain to be unveiled on July 27. The event also comes with a twist as the OnePlus team has promised "the world's first product launch in VR".

If you think you might have missed something from the busy week, here is a list of what you, our readers, found most interesting in the tech world.

.news-item .n-left {
float: left;
width: 16%;
text-align: center;
margin-left: -13px;
}
.news-item .n-right {
float: left;
width: 84%;
}
.news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; }
.news-item .n-right h2,
.reviews-item .n-right h2 {
clear: both;
padding: 0 0 3px 0px;
font: 400 19px Oswald, Arial;
margin-top: -4px;
}
.n-right p {
line-height: 155%;
}
.news-item {
padding-top: 20px;
padding-bottom: 10px;
border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
}
.news-item p { margin-left: 0; }
.n-right h2 a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #000;
}

Alleged live photos of Moto G (2015) make the rounds online
Update: We have updated the post with video footage of the device, which made its way back to YouTube.

The next Galaxy Note might come without an edged sibling after all
New rumors hint that the Samsung won't continue the Galaxy Note Edge trend with the next Note device.

The first smartphone with deca-core CPU is coming in mid-October
Elephone P9000 will features a high-end MediaTek Helio X20 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM.

Lenovo A6000 Plus receives a price cut, now costs INR 6,999
The device is available for purchase on Flipkart without registration from June 22 to June 24.

Samsung Galaxy A8 now certified by the FCC
The US regulatory body's approval for the 5.7-inch phablet follows TENAA certification from a few days ago.

OnePlus 2 will have USB Type-C port, the company reveals
The teaser campaign for OnePlus' next flagship smartphone continues with this information.

Apple iPad mini 4 nearing, case leak reveals
Immediately after the original iPad mini was discontinued, images of a bumper case for the mini 4 surfaced.

BlackBerry CEO: Open to Android if we can make a secure phone
Earlier this month, there were reports that the company is planning to launch an Android smartphone.

Lenovo K3 Note launched in India with $157 price tag
The device will be a Flipkart exclusive, and will be available in white, black and yellow colour variants.

Zuk Z1 is a Lenovo-backed smartphone with Cyanogen OS
The ambitious Chinese startup will launch the high-end handset at some point in the second half of this year.

Windows 10 release candidates (phone and PC) in testing
Windows 10 may arrive sooner than expected as the current candidate builds "look promising."

Four new Sony smartphones imported in India for testing
The information was revealed by a listing on Indian site Zauba, which tracks the country's import and export.

Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Value Edition…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1NrGdjJ
via IFTTT

T-Mobile LG Leon LTE tipped to cost just $80 from June 28-30

Just over a month after it started selling the LG Leon LTE smartphone, T-Mobile has slashed the price of the handset, although for a limited period only. The device will be available for just $80 from June 28-30.

The information was revealed by a leaked internal document that was sent by the magenta carrier to its retail staff. It's worth mentioning that the device usually sells for $149 on T-Mobile.

For those who aren't aware, the smartphone was unveiled back in February this year, along with three other mid-rangers, including the Magna, Spirit, and Joy. Their global roll-out began in March-end.

Via 1 | Via…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1NrkmZV
via IFTTT

Xolo teases a new Black phone with twin-camera in a video

Xolo posted a new teaser video about an upcoming smartphone from its new sub-brand Black. The clip focuses on one particular feature of the device – being stain and smudge-free.

For a couple of seconds, the side and top-rear part of the Black is showcased, revealing a twin-camera setup with an LED flash in the center, a slim profile, and a glass panel on the back. This phone will support 4G LTE and run the new Hive 1.5 UI based on Android 5.1 Lollipop.

We reported earlier this month that Xolo is introducing Black as a sub-brand, with a new smartphone set to launch every quarter. The Black series phones will be sold on…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1FIJvcT
via IFTTT

Mysterious HTC smartphone with LTE support spotted at FCC

HTC is quietly working on yet another 4G LTE-enabled smartphone as it was tested at the FCC in the US. The listing reveals that the 4G LTE smartphone supports five-bands.

The HTC smartphone with FCC ID NM80PM9110 supports 700MHz, 850MHz, 1700Mhz, 1900Mhz, and 2600 MHz frequency bands for the FDD-LTE 4G network. Besides that it supports supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n standard and Bluetooth.

This mysterious HTC device has a code number 0PM9110 is rumored to be yet another Desire series mid-ranger, although that's far from certain at this point.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1TXBc7Q
via IFTTT