Vivo is the final stages of development of its new X5Pro smartphone, as indicated by more and more specific details, that have surfaced online. After we showed you a glimpse of the handset's sleek 2.5D glass corners a few days ago, new info sheds light on some of the X5Pro's features.

For starters, the camera will come with phase detection autofocus, a feature so far limited to DSLR cameras and a select few smartphones in the high-end segment, namely the Apple iPhone 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S5. Vivo has been working on the tech for a while, apparently, and what was rumored to be intended for the Xshot sequel will make it's way to the X5Pro.

It's not all about imaging though, and one of the slogans in the X5Pro promo images translates into endless music. Together with the "Hi-Fi and smart" motto this leads us to believe the smartphone will feature some serious audio circuitry, targeting audiophiles on the go.

The smartphone will boot Android 5.0, hardly a surprise at this time anymore, even less for a premium offering. In typical Vivo fashion, the OS will be skinned with the company's proprietary Funtouch OS in its 2.1 iteration.

Camera features • Funtouch OS 2.1 for the Vivo X5Pro

So far, that's all that has been revealed on the Vivo X5Pro. The smartphone is to be expected sometime in May so we'll know the whole story sooner rather than later.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1bu3xRA
via IFTTT

Xiaomi's Mi Note phablet, which was released back in January this year, is headed to Malaysia, making it one of the first countries outside China to get the device.

As you can see in the image above, a couple of Xiaomi handsets have been approved by the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), the country's national standard development agency. According to a report from Oizoioi, the device carrying model number 2015011 is the Mi Note, while the other one is the Mi4 3G variant.

The certification comes just a few months after Xiaomi announced that the Mi Note will launch in Malaysia in Q2…

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

Huawei announced the P8 flagship last week and it packed innovative camera technology. Or did it – ZTE's Nubia division has filed a lawsuit against Huawei, alleging that the Huawei P8 and MediaPad X2 infringe on two patents owned by ZTE.

The first one is "Slow Shutter and Capture technology," which presumably relates to the light painting option in Huawei's camera. The second patent is more vague, "Imaging and Mobile terminal tech" (note that Google Translate often calls phones "terminals").

ZTE is asking Huawei to stop the manufacture on the infringing devices.

Some of the filed documents

The company announced the lawsuit on its official Weibo account, here's the statement (via Google Translate):

Nubian phone camera technology has been committed to research and development, and has started to obtain the relevant patents, we strive to promote the development of innovative technology to the mobile phone industry. Faced with a wide range of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. of plagiarism, we felt it was time to stand up and use the law to maintain order in the industry healthy competition.

Source (in Chinese) |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1G5SEwV
via IFTTT

Android Auto is perhaps one of the most interesting undertakings to bring the power of your smartphone straight to your car's dashboard. The technology goes far beyond a simple screen sharing app and offers a custom, tailor-made interface and functions, developed particularly for in-car use.

Eager early adopters of the new technology, however, have been reporting a lot of problems with compatibility. A lot of recent handsets, like the Galaxy S6, were struggling to connect with Android Auto, but luckily Google has wasted no time in addressing the issue.

The latest version of Google Play Services brings a fix for the connection problems. As far as we can tell from the release notes, the update should also cover devices such as the HTC One M8 and M9, Moto X, a lot of Nexus devices, as well as the already mentioned Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. But the list is probably longer and seeing how Android Auto is still very much in its infancy, other bugs are also expected.

So, if you are among the early adopters of the new tech and have already sprung for a compatible car stereo, be sure to check for the update and keep a close eye on Google Play Services, as more improvements and fixes are sure to come.

Also, be sure to report back with any additional info on Android Auto compatibility and problems, based on your experience.

Source |…

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

Motorola is now (finally) rolling out the Android 5.1 update to the first generation Moto X, which is still on KitKat. So far Brazil is the only country getting the update but it's likely that it will spread to other regions shortly.

The company has posted a changelog on the website in Portuguese, some of which are posted below.

Material Design
Improved lockscreen and homescreen notifications with support for priority notifications
New Overview mode for multitasking with card view
New Moto Assist features, including Moto smart screen, Moto Voice, and Moto Shares
Moto Screen feature that shows notifications on lockscreen without waking entire display and uses the low-power processor
Smart Lock (Trusted Devices) that keeps the phone unlocked when paired with a smartwatch or in a particular area.

There are more features, which you can check out in the link below.

Source (translated) •…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1DgyU8O
via IFTTT

LG took the wraps off the G Stylo mid-range smartphone in Korean. The newcomer features stylus pen just like last year’s LG G3 Stylus.

The specs of the LG G Stylo include a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 1.5 GB of RAM, and 8GB of expandable memory. The handset supports microSD cards up to an eye-popping 2TB in size.

A 5.7″ 720p IPS display, 8MP main camera, and 5MP front-facing snapper, and customized Android Lollipop are also part of the device’s specs. Full connectivity suite including LTE and Android 4.1 is also on board.

Physical measures of LG G Stylo are 154.3 x 79.2 x 9.6 mm, while its weight tips the scale at 163 grams. A 3,000 mAh battery powers the device.

LG G Stylo will hit the shelves in Korea first. Select global markets will get the device starting in May.

Source (in…

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

The alleged successors of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (D5800 series) and Xperia Z Ultra (C6800 series) were spotted in an Indonesian Telecom regulatory list. Based on the certification dates, the Xperia Z4 Compact and Xperia Z4 Ultra are expected to debut in the near future.

Sony E5803 model number corresponds with the successor of the Z3 Compact D5803 and will likely be dubbed Xperia Z4 Compact. Similarly, E6683 and E6883 model numbers could be the follow up to the Xperia Z Ultra C6683/C6803.

Two days ago, Sony quietly announced its flagship smartphone Xperia Z4 in Japan. We have a reason to believe that one more flagship smartphone might be released later this year.

Source |…

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

Chinese start-up OnePlus has announced that its One smartphone will now be available exclusively through Maxis in Malaysia, making it the first country in which the handset will be available in stores and without invites.

It's worth mentioning that this is the company's first carrier partnership. “As we grow, it is increasingly important to work with the right partners who will provide the best experience for our users," said Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus. "Going offline is a first for us and we’re very happy to have found a solid partner in Maxis with whom we can take our first steps.”

As for the price, the 64GB Sandstone Black model will be available with the MaxisONE Plan at RM859 ($237). It will also be available unlocked and off contract for RM1199 ($330). The news comes just a day after OnePlus announced that the One will now be available without invites in all supported…

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

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Google will introduce wireless service in the United States tomorrow. The service is said to be available only for users of Motorola Nexus 6 devices.

In line with past reports, Google’s wireless service will utilize the infrastructure of Sprint and T-Mobile in the United States like other mobile virtual network operators do. Users will switch between the two networks depending on the strength of the available signal.

In its debut as a wireless carrier, Google will reportedly allow users to pay only for the data they use. Wi-Fi calls are said to be supported, thus giving the potential of seriously low bills.

Source |…

from GSMArena.com – Latest articles http://ift.tt/1bhpq5V
via IFTTT

HTC One M9 for AT&T received an over-the-air update. The new firmware improves camera and thermal performance of the Taiwanese manufacturer’s flagship smartphone.

Sporting a version number 1.32.502.31, the new firmware arrives as promised by Jason Mackenzie, the president of HTC America. The device’s versions for T-Mobile and Sprint Wireless have already received the update.

HTC dropped its UltraPixel technology and utilized a new Toshiba-made 20MP BSI sensor in the One M9 flagship. However, it seems that the company will take a while to adjust with the tough competition on the mobile imaging front – early reviews of the One M9 did mention some issues with luminance and HDR.

The new firmware will arrive on the device over-the-air. Overly anxious users can download the update from the source link below and read instructions how to flash it.

Source | Via …

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