Analyst: Google’s hardware almost made $3 billion in profit for 2018

From Pixel phones to Home smart devices, the “Made by Google” program produced plenty of hardware over the last three years. It also produced approximately $3 billion in profit in 2018, according to estimates from RBC Capital Markets.

Out of the $2.98 billion in hardware profit that the bank estimated, $1.78 billion came from Pixel devices. Devices include the Pixel smartphones, Pixelbook, and Pixel Slate.

Editor’s Pick

More impressive is the growth that Google’s Home devices have reportedly had over the last three years. In 2016, Home devices reportedly brought in $49 million in profit. Fast forward to 2018, when profits reportedly jumped to $847 million.

That’s an increase of almost $800 million in just two years.

Lastly, Nest and Chromecast devices reportedly brought in $245 million and $110 million, respectively.

As good of a year as Google’s hardware division may have had, it’s poised to perform even better in 2019.

CNBC

RBC Capital Markets estimates that Google’s hardware will bring in $4.30 billion next year. Pixel devices are estimated to bring in $2.19 billion in profit, while Home devices might see a substantial jump to $1.64 billion in profit.

Growth is expected to slow down as we get to 2021, but the numbers still project some sort of growth over the next three years.

Revenues mostly tell a similar story. According to RBC Capital Markets, Pixel devices accounted for $3.42 billion in revenues for 2018. Home devices, meanwhile, accounted for $3.39 billion.

Starting next year, however, Home devices might overtake Pixel devices when it comes to revenues. That will remain the case through 2021, based on estimates.

Home devices have a lower barrier of entry relative to Pixel devices when it comes to pricing. That said, Pixel devices bring in more profit than Home devices because of those higher price tags.

Keep in mind that these are only unofficial estimates. That said, hardware is looking more and more like an important business arm for Google.

Source: Android Zone

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Some Chinese firms gifting Huawei phones to employees to show solidarity

Huawei logo MWC

  • Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has had a rough few months for various reasons.
  • To show solidarity, other Chinese companies are giving employees incentives for buying Huawei devices — or just giving them one.
  • Some companies are light-hearted with their attempts, while others are almost militant about it.

Today, via Nikkei Asian Review, we learned there are many Chinese companies giving employees incentives for buying Huawei products. Some companies are going as far as to simply give their employees Huawei smartphones.

The incentives are part of a broader initiative of showing support for Huawei, one of China’s biggest firms. Unfortunately, Huawei hasn’t had the best year, and these fellow Chinese companies — ranging from tech sector organizations to breweries — are unifying to show their support.

Most of the companies are simply encouraging their employees to buy Huawei stuff. For example, display equipment maker Shenzhen Yidaheng Technology will cover 18 percent of the price for Huawei products while communications service company Fuchun Technology is giving each of its 200 employees who buy a Huawei smartphone before the end of 2018 a cash bonus of between 100 and 500 yuan (~$14.50 to ~$72.50).

Editor’s Pick

On the most generous end of the spectrum, electronics maker Shanghai Youluoke Electronic and Technology is fully subsidizing up to two Huawei smartphones per employee, which essentially means free smartphones for everyone.

And, on the unconventional end of the spectrum, a brewery in Henan Province will offer both employees and customers who present their receipt for a Huawei device free alcohol worth 30 percent of that purchase. Not bad.

However, some companies are taking things a little too far. A machinery company in Shenzhen threatened to confiscate Apple devices from employees and fire those who did not comply. Shenzhen Yidaheng Technology said it would fine employees who bought iPhones the equivalent amount of that device.

Most companies are having fun with their support, but others are taking things a little too far.

Why these companies are specifically targeting Apple and not other Huawei competitors isn’t clear. However, it likely has to do with the fact that Apple is a company based out of the United States, whereas other major competitors — such as Samsung, LG, and Sony — are not.

Many of Huawei’s recent troubles stem from problems with the United States. The U.S. government has placed bans on Huawei products and is encouraging other countries to do the same. So far, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and France have all either banned or are rumored to eventually ban some or all Huawei products.

The antagonism towards Huawei is due to the perceived security concerns the company presents. It’s alleged that the company has deep ties to the Chinese government and possibly installs “backdoors” in its products which allegedly could allow Chinese officials to spy on other nations. Huawei denies the validity of these claims.

NEXT: Huawei poised to spend billions to fix its bad security reputation

Source: Android Zone

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The Mate 20 Pro underwater mode is a nice idea, but it definitely needs improving

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro underwater mode.

One of the lesser known Huawei Mate 20 Pro features is an underwater mode for the camera app, allowing you, in theory, to easily take snaps underwater (who would’ve guessed?!).

Does it actually work in practice though? Well, we took it to the beach to put it through the paces. And while it’s certainly a handy feature in the water, Huawei still has plenty of improvements to make.

What to know first?

Switch to the mode and the camera app will pop up with a warning, imploring you to use an official underwater case when going into water. There’s just one problem though: the official case isn’t widely available outside of China just yet. Never fear though, because I’ve got a generic waterproof smartphone pouch and the Mate 20 Pro fits fine (save for the navigation keys being cut off).

A warning in the Huawei camera app when activating underwater mode.

Once the mode is enabled, you’ll find that the volume-up button controls photos (tap for a photo, hold for a burst), while the volume-down button controls videos. Hit the volume-down button and you’ll start recording a video, but you can also press the volume-up button to pause the video (or hit volume-down again to end it completely).

To exit this mode, you need to press and hold a specific area below the viewfinder for roughly a second. It’s the area marked “hold to exit” in case you’re not sure.

A few improvements to make

I checked the phone after about 30 seconds of swimming, only to find that I was staring at the settings menu. Yes, the water interfered with the screen and caused it to exit underwater mode. Hisense’s rugged phones have an underwater mode too, and the firm’s approach to exiting the mode is to double-tap the power button. CAT’s phones also feature another way to disable underwater mode, requiring users to tap the screen and drag a padlock from one end to the other to deactivate the mode. Either route seems like better than the Mate 20 Pro’s solution.

A reliable way to stay in underwater mode isn’t the only area of improvement for Huawei. The company doesn’t allow you to use the telephoto or wide angle camera in this mode.

It’s unclear why the company decided against using other cameras in this mode. It could potentially be due to streamlining, as it would have to be another feature that gets mapped to a physical button. Another possibility is that Huawei simply felt the quality from these cameras wasn’t good enough when going underwater. Still, you can’t always see the viewfinder well enough when underwater, so switching to the wide angle camera would’ve made life easier.

 

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Another downside is that you can’t switch to the selfie camera in this mode, forcing you to blindly fit your head into the main camera if you’d like to take selfies. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if the wide-angle camera was available, but here we are…

Editor’s Pick

We would’ve also liked to see options for video recording quality too. The phone records in 1080p in this mode, but you can’t switch to 4K or even 1080p/60fps instead. It’s unclear if there’s any significant video stabilization taking place underwater either, so expect shaky footage if you’re recording in the ocean without specialized equipment.

Take the phone to the swimming pool, however, and things are a little better. The lack of waves and currents, combined with (hopefully) clear water means that you should be able to get relatively clear snaps and decent video footage. You don’t really need an underwater case either, owing to the lack of salt water and the phone’s IP68 rating. But, again, the inability to use the front-facing camera or the other cameras is still mighty annoying in this situation. It doesn’t mean you can’t get gorgeous selfies (or awkward selfies in my case).

A selfie taken with the Mate 20 Pro's underwater mode.

This mode isn’t going to be a phone seller as it is right now, especially when it only offers basic functionality and doesn’t let you use more than one camera. It doesn’t help that Huawei is dragging its feet in bringing the official underwater case to more markets. But with a few improvements and tweaks, it might be another neat trick in Huawei’s repertoire, joining features like light painting and that slick night mode. As it is now though, it’s a mildly useful feature in need of more attention in the future.

NEXT: Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 review — The rise of the mid-range

Source: Android Zone

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Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review: Pro ambitions, amateur mistakes

When Xiaomi launched in the U.K., it brought a brand new phone for the global market — the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro.

Essentially the Mi 8 Explorer Edition for buyers outside of China, the Mi 8 Pro tacks a few bells and whistles on to Xiaomi’s regular Mi 8 flagship, as well as a unique transparent look.

We already know the phone is built on a solid foundation. A lot of what makes the Mi 8 Pro tick is in its vanilla sibling, which we praised in our Mi 8 review earlier this year.

Does the Mi 8 Pro do enough to earn its slightly higher price tag? How does it stand up against the rest of 2018’s best affordable flagships? Find out in our Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review.

Buy Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro

About our Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review

I wrote this review after spending just under three weeks with a Mi 8 Pro review unit supplied by Xiaomi. The phone (model M1807E8A) ran MIUI 9 and Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, but was swiftly updated to MIUI 10 (Global version 10.0.1.0) with the October 2018 security patch. I used it mostly on my home Wi-Fi network, as well as O2’s 4G network in the U.K.

I encountered issues getting the always-on display to work at all, which is an issue I understand other Mi 8 Pro users have also encountered. We have contacted Xiaomi regarding this issue and will update this Mi 8 Pro review when the feature becomes available.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro rear

Design

We’ve opined that the regular Xiaomi Mi 8 bears a striking resemblance to the iPhone X and XS on multiple occasions. It shouldn’t be surprising that the Mi 8 Pro — which shares the same dimensions and overall design as the Mi 8 — also looks like it could’ve fallen off Apple’s assembly line.

Xiaomi is far from the only Chinese brand to lift design elements from the Cupertino giant, of course, but it’s by far the highest profile OEM to still rely so heavily on the “Android iPhone” look for its marquee series.

Read more: Best Xiaomi phones

The Mi 8 Pro does diverge a little further from its obvious influence than the Mi 8, however.

While blue and gold and pink colorways are available in China, the global Mi 8 Pro only comes in transparent titanium. This see-through glass style isn’t exactly new — the HTC U12 Plus opted for a similar look — but it’s eye catching without bordering on the ostentatious.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro side

The same can’t be said, however, of what lies beneath the rear glass. Unlike HTC’s as-you-see-it approach, the Mi 8 Pro’s carefully constructed visible components are just that — constructed.

What you’re seeing isn’t all fake, but most of it is. If you’ve ever taken a phone apart or watched an amateur fix video, you’ll know phone component boards don’t look this tidy.

One thing that is real (Xiaomi assures me) is the rectangular NFC chip. Emblazoned with the phrase “Innovation for Everyone,” it’s far from the only bit of bizarre branding.

Editor’s Pick

Scattered between the meticulously arranged faux-ponents are references to the onboard Samsung flash storage and the Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, as well as several Xiaomi in-jokes and inspirational slogans.

If you’re anything like me, your mileage with these hidden messages will vary. I can abide the subtly nerdy hexadecimal representation of the Mi 1 launch, but the sledgehammer-to-the-face cringe of the “be the coolest company in the hearts of our users” line plastered near the bottom is stomach-churning.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro slogans

The Mi 8 Pro also features subtle red accents around the camera lenses and inside the USB Type-C port, and it has a chrome red power button on the right side just above the black volume rocker. I’m a sucker for tech that contrasts red and black so I love these minor touches.

As for the glass itself, Xiaomi stuck Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back with a brushed, gently curved aluminium chassis separating the two. It’s far from the slipperiest phone I’ve used, but all that glass lead to some gasps as it slid off my sofa on a few occasions.

The rear glass also has a plastic feel in your palm and a number of hairline scratches have appeared on both sides from general use. In short, buy a case (or use the one provided in the box).

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro notch

I can’t talk design without mentioning that notch, which is shorter than the worst offenders (hello, Pixel 3 XL), but quite a bit wider than the average notch. There’s plenty of tech crammed in there, like a 20MP selfie shooter and an infrared camera, but it could still be a deal breaker for many, especially with the dawn of waterdrop notches and other alternatives on the horizon.

While the bottom bezel is a reasonable size, it’s disappointing to see such relatively thick bezels surrounding the display, particularly around the top where the screen’s forced bunny ears are squeezed in by the encroaching bezel void.

Considering the wider problems I had with notifications on the phone (more on that later), I have to wonder why the makers of the innovative Mi Mix 3 couldn’t juggle space more effectively to allow additional room in the left “ear” for more than just a tiny digital clock.

Otherwise this is Mi 8 business as usual. The bottom mounted speaker grill has a nasty habit of being exactly where you want to put your index finger, especially if you like playing mobile games. The only other major diversion from the Mi 8 series’ design is the missing fingerprint sensor, which is now under the display.

Editor’s Pick

Xiaomi’s decision to stick to the existing Mi 8 template so closely also extends to the lack of an IP rating for water and dust resistance. There’s also no headphone jack, and despite the glass build, the Mi 8 Pro does not support wireless charging.

All of the aesthetic changes don’t do enough to hide the iPhone similarities, but I’m not going to dwell on comparisons beyond this point. If you want an Android phone that at least looks like an iPhone, the Mi 8 series is arguably the best attempt so far. The Mi 8 Pro tweaks it just enough to deliver an additional wow factor, which could turn the heads of a few iOS users.

Just don’t let them read those nauseating perfume ad-like slogans.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro display

Display

The Mi 8 Pro sports a 6.21-inch, Samsung-made Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,248 (402ppi) and HDR support. Very few phones at the Mi 8 Pro’s price range stand out in the display stakes and Xiaomi’s phone is no different. That’s not to say it’s bad, it just meets the already high bar of quality established in 2018.

Brightness is rated up to 600 nits and viewing angles are great in general. As with any Xiaomi phone, the colors veer towards colder temperatures, which complements the muted hues of the MIUI launcher. There are plenty of options to alter the contrast if you prefer a punchier look, but don’t expect the deep blacks you’ll find on Samsung’s own top-tier phones.

Performance

As with the regular Mi 8, the Mi 8 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, only this time you get 8GB of RAM standard.

I had no complaints with the phone’s overall performance in the real world. It handled everything I threw at it with ease. Considering the phone costs half as much as some of the top flagships, Xiaomi clearly didn’t cut any corners tuning its core hardware.

Related: Best of Android 2018: best performing phones

In terms of benchmarks, the Mi 8 Pro performed marginally better on the whole than its non-Pro sibling. Here are the results:

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro geekbench
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro geekbench
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro geekbench

The Mi 8 Pro came out at 2,395 in the Geekbench 4 Single-Core test and 8,969 in the Multi-Core test. For comparison, the OnePlus 6T (6GB) scored 2,368 and 8.843, while Xiaomi’s Pocophone F1 scored 2,492 and 9,072, respectively.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro antutu
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro antutu

Antutu gave the Mi 8 Pro a score of 288,330, landing just below Xiaomi’s Black Shark gaming phone (291,099), the OnePlus 6, (293,745), and OnePlus 6T (295,181), but above the regular Mi 8 (287,142). Meanwhile, the Pocophone F1 scored 266,264.



3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme (OpenGL ES 3.1) test delivered an overall score of 4,612, which is an improvement over the Mi 8 (4,233) and Pocophone F1 (4,216), but below the OnePlus 6T (4,697).

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro USB-C port and speaker

Hardware

As well as the RAM bump over the Mi 8, the Mi 8 Pro also has twice the ROM, with 128GB non-expandable storage to play with.

The battery, however, drops from 3,400mAh to 3,000mAh. I imagine the culprit behind the size reduction is the additional space taken up by the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Editor’s Pick

The Mi 8’s battery performance was already underwhelming and unfortunately the Mi 8 Pro comes off even worse.

It’ll get you through a day of average use, but if you’re on a long commute and want to stream anything or play a few games you can expect to be rushing around for a charger when you arrive at your destination.

I averaged just under five hours screen-on time based on a number of samples and 15-17 hours between charges. It’s not the worst endurance I’ve seen from a phone, but it’s a weak spot Xiaomi could’ve easily avoided by adding a little more bulk to the Mi 8 Pro’s overall build to better fit the in-display sensor and a decent size cell.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro in-display fingerprint sensor

Let’s talk about the in-display fingerprint sensor.

I hate it.

The scanner is apparently built from the same Goodix tech found inside the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the OnePlus 6T. I’ve used both of those phones (albeit just for two weeks a piece) and neither had me swearing as my finger failed to register for the umpteenth time.

The Mi 8 Pro fingerprint sensor worked maybe 40 percent of the time, well below the hit rate I’d want for feature that gets so much use during any given day. I remapped it multiple times, altered my finger position, used different fingers, tried varying amounts of pressure, and the result was almost always me having to type in a PIN instead.

I actually quite like the sci-fi-esque halo effect around the fingerprint icon when you apply pressure on the sensor and when the thing actually works it does unlock the phone in seconds. Yet as you might expect, these minor consolations were not enough to stop me from turning it off and forgetting about it completely. That’s not a great situation for one of the phone’s headline features.

The Mi 8 Pro fingerprint sensor worked maybe 40 percent of the time.

Mercifully, the Mi 8 Pro’s implementation of face unlock — added in recently via an OTA update — is infinitely better.

The system relies on the myriad sensors in the phone’s elongated notch, including the infrared camera, which means you can rely on the biometrics even in dimly lit conditions. I tested this at night with all the lights off and it still unlocked the phone with ease.

It’s incredibly fast and very reliable, which means there’s no reason to even touch the wonky fingerprint sensor.

On the audio side, the Mi 8 Pro has two speaker grills on the bottom of the phone, but only one actually houses a speaker. It also lacks an earpiece speaker. While the clarity is generally acceptable, the loudspeaker volume is annoyingly quiet even at max. There’s also no 3.5mm jack, so users with a trusty old pair of wired headphones will also need to invest in a new set of cans or use the adapter included in the box.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro MIUI 10

Software

The Mi 8 Pro runs MIUI 9 out of the box, but it recently updated to MIUI 10. While the latest version of Xiaomi’s custom skin sure looks like it’s based on Android Pie, it’s actually still running 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi did a decent job replicating Pie’s UI changes, you really just miss out on the AI smarts Pie adds behind the scenes.

Before the update, this section would’ve gone very, very differently. MIUI 10 solves the most heinous issues of MIUI 9 — most notably the lack of threaded notifications, which was driving me up the wall.

Read more: Android 9 Pie update tracker: When will your phone get Pie?

MIUI is generally quite barebones, which at this point appears to be a conscious decision by Xiaomi. Visually It’s somewhere between LG’s UX and Huawei’s EMUI. The square-shaped default apps and muted color palette won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s at least functional and largely inoffensive.

While there’s some app redundancy — duplicate browsers and the like — Xiaomi’s stock tools apps are largely useful and they all feature the same simple font and soft color schemes to create a nice sense of consistency. As a Mi Band 3 wearer and Mi Fit app user, I felt quite at home.

I also quite like the Xiaomi Guide, which sits on the left home screen panel, where the Google Discover feed would be on a Pixel phone. It isn’t as cluttered as some other third-party feed-style alternatives on the market and it’s relatively customizable.

Other neat inclusions are Dual Apps, which duplicates supported apps so you can run two accounts while with separate app icons and data, and Second Space, which essentially lets you replicate your entire phone so you can store sensitive data in a password protected clone. MIUI 10 also adds full-screen gesture support, although certain unique gestures — accessing recent apps by swiping up and holding in particular — don’t feel all that natural.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Android

Unfortunately, actually finding all of MIUI 10’s better features is an absolute pain. The Settings app is a labyrinthine maze of arbitrary sub menus. If there wasn’t a search bar at the top, I’m not sure I would’ve ever worked out how to un-mirror the back and recent apps buttons.

This unnecessary complexity is directly at odds with the simplicity of the rest of the UI, which permanently removes a number of Android staples. The most notable casualty is the app drawer, which is odd considering the Xiaomi Pocophone F1’s Poco launcher at least gives lets you turn it back on.

Editor’s Pick

The most inexplicable decision is the lack of any notification icons on the left side of the notch. I’ve already mentioned how the thicker bezel and stretched cutout area leaves very little room, but there’s at least enough space for three icons at a time. Even the right side shows the battery, Wi-Fi, and mobile reception.

It leaves the user in the ridiculous situation where you’ll only see notifications on the lock screen or in the few seconds after they arrive. Otherwise, you could be giddily browsing your phone, completely unaware you have a dozen messages and emails waiting for a reply until you swipe the notification bar down or lock your phone and see the LED light pulsing (although many of Xiaomi’s own apps don’t trigger the light).

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro notifications

This was exacerbated by the phone’s always-on display, which refused to work throughout my entire time with it. I’m apparently not alone here, though so far Xiaomi hasn’t got back to me regarding the issue. However, even if it starts working, it won’t fix the lack of icons, which is frankly inexcusable when there’s already a solution baked into Android to ensure notification icons work in tandem with notches.

I should note that I haven’t seen any of the controversial ads Xiaomi has slipped into MIUI, Trojan Horse-style, but you might if you pick up the phone for yourself.

As my colleague David Imel noted in his review of the Mi 8, MIUI 10 feels like a solid base for Xiaomi to build on, and hopefully the feedback from its dedicated community will help with that.

Don’t be fooled, though. As much as this is called MIUI 10, it feels like 1.0.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro camera

Camera

In a running theme for the Mi 8 Pro, the dual-lens rear camera is identical to the module found on the standard Mi 8. You get a 12MP main lens with an f/1.8 aperture and a secondary 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture that enables 2x optical zoom.

Editor’s Pick

The camera app itself looks remarkably similar to the Google Pixel camera, with the same carousel layout and circular-style icons.

Aside from auto and manual modes, the Mi 8 Pro camera app also supports panorama and portrait shots, as well as slow motion and time lapse videos.

It also has an AI shooting mode, all but a given for Chinese smartphones in 2018. This option can be toggled on or off and Xiaomi says the phone will recognize scenes to take the best photo and automatically tweak bokeh for better portrait shots.

the Mi 8 Pro camera is capable of producing great shots in all but the worst light conditions.

I took a few duplicate photos to compare the results with the AI camera on and off and only saw minor color, sharpness, and contrast adjustments. It’s certainly far from the overtuned mess we’ve seen some AI camera modes produce, but it’s not on par with the NPU-powered results of Huawei’s flagships.

The Mi 8 Pro also lets you toggle HDR either on, off, or on auto. The latter produced impressive results during my photography sessions and the camera has a nice knack of knowing when to kick HDR into gear.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro photo sample

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro photo sample
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro photo sample
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro photo sample

In fact, the Mi 8 Pro camera in general is capable of producing great shots in all but the worst light conditions. Sharpness, color reproduction, dynamic range, and contrast are all solid and Xiaomi has included plenty of options to tinker with the image in the Gallery app if you’re not happy with the immediate results.

My only real complaint is the dual camera watermark, which is turned on by default. Just remember to turn it off before taking that first, perfect shot.

Below are a few compressed sample photos taken in a variety of different conditions. You can see the same samples in full resolution here.

I should also mention video recording (up to 4K at 30fps) produces equally reliable results thanks to the onboard 4-axis OIS. The 20MP selfie cam is far better than you’d expect for a phone at this price range — just don’t spend too long in the comprehensive beauty and remodeling suites or you might not recognize your own face by the time you’re done.

Specs

  Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
Display 6.21-inch AMOLED
2,248 x 1,080 resolution
18.7:9 screen ratio
SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Octa-core, up to 2.8Ghz
GPU Adreno 630
RAM 8GB
LPDDR4X
Storage 128GB
UFS
Cameras Rear cameras
Main: 12MP with 1.4 micron pixels, 4-axis OIS, f/1.8 aperture
Secondary: 12MP telephoto with 1.0 micron pixels, f/2.4 aperture
Video: 4K at 30fps, 1080p at 240/120/30fps, 720p at 240/30fps

Front camera: 20MP with 1.8 micron pixels, f/2.0 aperture

Audio Bottom-firing speaker
USB Type-C
No 3.5mm jack
Battery 3,000mAh
Non-removable
Quick Charge 4+
Facial recognition 3D facial recognition (via OTA)
Sensors Goodix In-display fingerprint sensor
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Proximity
Ambient Light
Electronic Compass
Barometer
Network GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8
CDMA: 1X/EVDO BC0
WCDMA: B1/B2/B4/B5/B8
TD-SCDMA: B34/B39
TD-LTE: B34/B38/B39/B40/B41 (120MHz)
FDD-LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B17/B20
LTE B41 4 antenna technology supporting 4×4 MIMO
Connectivity Wi-Fi: 2×2 MIMO, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G
Bluetooth 5.0
AptX/AptX-HD support
NFC
Dual frequency GPS (GPS L1+L5, Galileo E1+E5a, QZSS L1+L5, GLONASS L1, Beidu B1)
SIM Dual nano-SIM
Software Android 8.1 Oreo
MIUI 10
Dimensions and weight 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm
177g
Colors Transparent Titanium

Gallery

Pricing and availability

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is available in the U.K. priced at 499 pounds (~$634) and selected European countries where it retails for 599 euros.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review

Final thoughts and the competition

When looking at the Mi 8 Pro’s place in the wider market, the most obvious comparison is with the OnePlus 6T. The two “flagship killers” represent incredible value for money, both starting at just 499 pounds in the U.K.

If you’re already deep into Xiaomi’s Mi ecosystem of apps and services, which will only grow as the company expands further into the smart home market, the Mi 8 Pro is potentially the better bet. That’s also the case if you really need that additional 2GB of RAM (I’d argue you don’t) and can’t stomach spending anything over the base asking price.

For everyone else, however, the intuitive software, far better battery performance, and sleek hardware design of OnePlus’ latest is hard to deny.

However, the Mi 8 Pro’s real rival isn’t another Chinese brand. It’s Xiaomi itself.

The Pocophone F1 and Xiaomi Mi 8 are both enticing alternatives.

While it doesn’t look or feel anywhere near as premium, the Pocophone F1 is fundamentally the same device in many key areas. It has a headphone jack, a better native launcher, a much larger battery, and crucially costs 170 pounds (~$215) less.

You could also always consider the regular Mi 8 with its near identical build and feature list and enjoy (marginally) better battery life while also saving 40 pounds versus the Pro.

You’ll lose the transparent rear glass, the extra 2GB of RAM, and the atrociously bad in-display fingerprint sensor, but I’d argue that’s fair when you could save yourself a bit of cash and almost afford both a Mi Band 3 and some USB Type-C earphones (not included in the box) with the savings.

In the case of the Mi 8 Pro, I’d stick with an “amateur” alternative.

Buy Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro


What do you make of the Mi 8 series’ top dog? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Android Zone

The post Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review: Pro ambitions, amateur mistakes appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Galaxy Note 9 beta firmware suggests Verizon phone, Samsung 5G ‘Bolt’

Samsung Logo from CES FirstLook 2018-1

Over at XDA Developers, the team did a teardown of the latest One UI Android 9 Pie beta for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Within the firmware, they found something peculiar: a reference to an as-yet-unknown Samsung 5G smartphone.

The firmware refers to a smartphone with the codename “bolt5gvzw.” The “5G” aspect of the codename is relatively easy to figure out, as is the final three letters, “VZW,” which reference Verizon Wireless. The “Bolt,” however, is unknown at this point, but is very likely the name of a smartphone.

If so, the codename suggests there is a Samsung 5G smartphone on the way to Verizon which will either be codenamed Bolt or be called the Samsung Bolt.

Editor’s Pick

To be clear, this codename is different than the previously-rumored “ultimate” variant of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10. That device’s codename is “beyondx” with the vanilla Galaxy S10 codenamed “beyond1,” the Galaxy S10 Plus codenamed “beyond2,” and the Galaxy S10 Lite codenamed “beyond0.”

The Note 9 firmware references all of these devices as well, including the “beyondx.” As such, this “bolt5gvzw” is something else entirely.

A few weeks ago, we heard that a Samsung 5G phone would hit Verizon, followed quickly by news that it would hit AT&T and T-Mobile, too. It’s possible that this “Bolt” smartphone is that 5G device. Or, it could be that this is a Verizon exclusive.

Whatever the case, one thing is for certain: Samsung is clearly going to be pushing 5G devices hard in 2019.

NEXT: Samsung rumored to have Gear Sport smartwatch successor in the pipeline

Source: Android Zone

The post Galaxy Note 9 beta firmware suggests Verizon phone, Samsung 5G ‘Bolt’ appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Check out all the latest Made for Google cases and accessories for the Pixel 3

Nomad Pixel 3 case

It’s just about Christmas, and a lot of people are getting new devices to celebrate. Due to all the recent deals Google has been having recently, it’s very possible that this device is a Pixel 3, especially if you took advantage of the Google Fi deal that landed you a free travel gift card.

If you or someone you know is getting a new Pixel for the holiday season, Google recently introduced a ton of new accessories for its Made for Google program. This means the products are officially approved by Google to work well with Pixel devices, so you can have peace of mind that a case will fit well or headphones will work without issue.

Google has a lot of products in this lineup, so we’ve decided to round up some of the new additions.

Moment lens case

Moment makes incredible lens attachments for smartphones enabling a completely different field of view and level of sharpness that you could get on a regular phone. They have lenses from ultra-wide to telephoto and even anamorphic, giving your mobile photography a completely different feel than you could get previously. The cases look and feel great too, so you’re not sacrificing form for function.

Moment Pixel 3 case
Moment Pixel 3 case
Moment Pixel 3 case
Moment Pixel 3 case
Moment Pixel 3 case

Nomad leather case

Nomad has always made high quality accessories, so we’re glad to see them making this premium leather case for the Pixel 3. It comes in a light tan color which fades over time to give an old-school leather look, and we love it. We used it for about a week before taking this photo, so you can see what it looks like after a bit of wear.

Nomad Pixel 3 case
Nomad Pixel 3 case

Case-Mate Waterfall case

If you want a constant splash of color in your life, the Case-Mate Waterfall case will dance sparkles around every time you use it. This case is probably better suited for the white Pixel 3, but it looks pretty good on Just Black as well. The shell is extremely hard and rugged, so it’s great protection for someone who drops their phone a lot.

Case Mate Waterfall Pixel 3 case
Case Mate Waterfall Pixel 3 case
Case Mate Waterfall Pixel 3 case

Bellroy Pixel 3 folio case

Bellroy Pixel 3 folio case

The Bellroy Pixel 3 folio case protects your phone’s screen by wrapping around the front of it, and protects the sides of the device with a thick rubber shell. You can put a couple of credit cards inside the folio, so this is a great case if you want to leave your wallet at home for a night out. The color can be a little polarizing, but you’ll probably either love it or hate it. Regardless, it feels great in the hand and should protect your phone very well.

Bellroy Pixel 3 folio case
Belroy Pixel 3 folio case

Power Support air jacket

If you want a thin, clear, no frills case for the Pixel 3, this is a good pickup. It won’t provide quite as much support as a thicker case, but it’s also much more discreet. This case isn’t completely transparent, but you can see most of the color of the phone through the case.

Power Support air jacket pixel 3 case
Power Support air jacket pixel 3 case

Otterbox Symmetry clear case for Pixel 3

Otterbox Symmetry clear case

Otterbox makes some seriously rugged cases, and this one is no exception. The Otterbox Symmetry is an incredibly thick case from the company that could probably survive being dropped from an airplane. It’s a little hard to get on and off, but if you put this on you’re probably keeping it on for a while.

Otterbox Symmetry clear case for Pixel 3
Otterbox Symmetry case Pixel 3

Gamevice Pixel 3 gaming case

Gamevice Pixel 3 gaming grip

If you love playing mobile games, something like the Gamevice Pixel 3 gaming grip could be a great pickup. It adds joysticks, buttons and triggers to the Pixel 3, giving you an advantage in games like PUBG and Fortnite. It plugs in via the phone’s USB Type-C port, and adds an additional Type-C port as well as a headphone jack. Heck, you might just want to keep this on to get a headphone jack back on your phone.

AIAIAI Pipe 2.0 USB Type-C headphones

There still aren’t that many USB Type-C headphones available on the market, so it’s nice that Google has an officially supported pair. These headphones are sleek and small, and come with tons of different colored tips. You can mix and match them to fit your specific style. We’ll likely be having our colleagues at SoundGuys test these headphones in the near future, so stay tuned for that.

SkullCandy Riff Wireless bluetooth headphones

Skullcandy has been around for a long time, and it’s partnered with Google on these Bluetooth headphones. These are definitely for those looking for fashion-first cans, as they’re speckled with blue and coral accents. They charge via MicroUSB which is a bit dated, but they’re made to be budget cans and are probably made for kids.

Jaybird Tarah wireless sport headphones

Jaybird has always been known for making quality Bluetooth headphones, and the Tarah are no exception. They have a fairly short cable so they don’t get tangled when they’re hanging around your head, and they’re known for lasting a long time. They also have winged tips to stay in your ears and are sweat-proof, so they should be great for someone who exercises a lot.

There are many more accessories for the Pixel 3 that would make great gifts, but it does bring some peace of mind that Google has certified these to be used in its program.

What’s the best accessory for a Pixel user? Let us know!

Next: Best Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL cases

Source: Android Zone

The post Check out all the latest Made for Google cases and accessories for the Pixel 3 appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.