MWC 2016: The most important products announced so far
We are just past the half way point at Mobile World Congress 2016, which has so far given us smartphones, tablets and Internet of Things solutions in abundance from some of the industries biggest players.
If you haven’t been paying attention for the last couple of days, here’s a quick round up of some of the big stories you might have missed.
OnePlus fans rejoice -- new flagship launches by June
There is no denying that flagships like Samsung's Galaxy S7, LG's G5 and Xiaomi's Mi 5 have just raised the bar for the high-end smartphone market. Rivals need to step things up a notch, as it is going to be extremely hard to compete against the latest-generation hardware and software, especially when it is offered at price points as low as $300.
For OnePlus and its current flagship, OnePlus 2, things are not looking good. Mi 5, which competes in the same price range, is a better device on paper and cheaper too. Other similar devices will soon follow, of course. What is OnePlus' answer? Well, it is OnePlus 3 and it is coming by June.
Xiaomi's new Mi 5 offers flagship hardware at an affordable price
Xiaomi is once again proving that you do not need to spend a lot of money to get your hands on a flagship smartphone. Its new Mi 5, which is the successor to the popular Mi 4, offers top of the line hardware for just over $300.
Mi 5 offers just about anything you could want in a flagship smartphone. It makes you wonder whether it is worth ponying up for a similar device from LG or Samsung, which costs at least twice as much.
Think your mobile device is faulty? You're probably not using it right
A new report shows that almost three-quarters of mobile devices returned with problems to mobile network operators and manufacturers in Europe and North America have 'No Trouble Found'.
The quarterly trend report from Blancco Technology Group also finds that in Europe device failures soared during the second half of 2015 -- rising from 14 percent during the third quarter to 29 percent during the fourth quarter.
Are you ready to cut the cash?
One of the big debates happening at the moment is when -- and indeed, whether -- we will see the emergence of a cashless society where digital payments rule the roost.
We are already seeing it happening. Last year, cashless payments overtook physical currency in the UK and the release of services such as Apple Pay has helped propel mobile payments into the mainstream.
Huawei MateBook is ready to take on Surface Book, Surface Pro 4 and iPad Pro
MWC 2016 may be barely under way, but the announcements are already pouring out thick and fast. As well as smartphones and smart car dongles, you can expect to see plenty of laptops and tablets, and one of the first to vie for your attention is the impressive-looking Huawei MateBook.
Clearly aimed as a rival to Microsoft's Surface Book and Surface Pro 4, the MateBook is a 12-inch hybrid tablet running Windows 10. Weighing in at just 640 grams, and measuring a mere 6.9mm thick, the tablet has an optional keyboard cover and stylus. Powered by an Intel Core M3, M5, or M7 processor Huawei claims 10 hours of battery life for the MateBook.
Canonical announces premium Linux-powered Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu Edition smartphone
While I love iOS when it comes to mobile devices, Linux is my true love on the desktop. Android used to be my choice for mobile, but I jumped ship due to scary exploits and untimely (or nonexistent) OS updates. Linux should be synonymous with security, but Google's mobile OS has tainted that, sending me into Apple's loving arms.
Luckily, Google is not the only Linux player with mobile -- Canonical is still moving ahead with Ubuntu. True, it is a long shot to ever meet or exceed iOS or Android in market share, but fans of Linux and other open source software should pay attention. Today, Canonical announces the Meizu PRO 5 Ubuntu Edition -- a premium and luxurious smartphone.
Google 'Monotune' is goddamn good metaphor marketing
Great advertising strikes a chord, in this instance quite literally, with consumers. The best compares the primary product to another, effectively evoking emotional connection. Apple's "1984" commercial and "Get a Mac" series are excellent examples. In the former, the IBM PC is portrayed as Big Brother, while in the latter actors represent Mac and PC—the benefits of one and detriments of the other. Both examples use metaphors to simplify complex comparisons and to make lasting impressions rather than to checklist features.
Google spot "Monotune" is a magnificent metaphor—piano of 88 different keys representing Android set against another, portraying iPhone, where all the notes are the same. Music is memorable, and the comparison striking as much for the under current. Apple's brand often is associated with music and also creative individuals.
Intel may soon launch 10TB SSDs
Intel’s SSDs may soon see a significant increase in their capacity and speed as a result of Micron’s latest chips, which could also be used to create competitive SSDs that are as small as flash drives.
Micron is responsible for producing the flash which is used in Intel’s SSDs and now it has begun manufacturing and distributing its 3D NAND flash in large quantities. The company’s 3D flash chips would allow tiny SSDs to reach a capacity of 3.5TB, and 2.5 inch SSDs could possibly hold even more than 10TB of storage.
Microsoft is slowly conquering Android
Microsoft may not have a strong presence in the smartphone market as a vendor, but the software giant is trying to make a splash in a different way, by partnering with other players to make its mobile apps available on as many devices as possible. And it stands a very good chance of making serious inroads.
Microsoft has so far teamed up with 74 companies, in 25 countries, to ship its apps on their Android smartphones and tablets. The latest major player to partner with Microsoft is Acer, which will preload some of the software giant's most-prominent Android apps.
Apple now sells virtual reality headset for iPhones
We are now in the early days of the consumer virtual reality market. Few companies have developed headsets so far, and even fewer actually have products that folks like you and I can go out and buy. However, what you can get today is typically meant for Android devices, with iPhones getting little to no attention.
Apple wants consumers to know that its iPhones are not being left out, as it is now selling a VR headset through its online store. The most-appealing thing about it is no doubt the price.
Google enables peer-to-peer support in Hangouts to improve call quality
Call quality and speed issues often make it difficult for users to fully embrace video and audio calling over the internet. To help solve this, Google has updated its video and audio communications service Hangouts by allowing peer to peer (P2P) connections for some users.
By incorporating this functionality into the back-end of its service the company expects call quality and the overall experience of its users to improve.
US finally gets Sony's Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact
As a household name in the smartphone industry, Sony has a modest presence in US. It sells a small number of handsets in the country, and only a couple of those through major wireless carriers. What's more, its latest flagships arrive late, months after hitting other major markets.
Things are no different with Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. The two flagships, which were announced at CES 2015 and released shortly after, are only now making their way to US shores. There is no word of the more upscale Xperia Z5 Premium, however.
LG will reveal G5 flagship on February 21
Samsung is not the only major Android vendor that will showcase a new flagship smartphone on February 21. Rival LG has just announced that it will take the wraps off the G4's successor on the same day.
Unlike Samsung, which has not officially said exactly what products it will unveil (although it is quite clear that Galaxy S7 is one of them), LG is taking a direct approach, flat out announcing that it will reveal G5.
Android adblocker apps blocked by Google
Well that was... brief. Just days after Samsung released an update that allowed for adblocking software to be installed on its handsets, Google has put its foot down. The company has already started to pull adblocking apps from Google Play.
Being so reliant on advertising revenue, it's understandable that Google might take a dim view of anything that stops the cash rolling in. Nonetheless, a move to block apps that have already proved incredibly popular has raised the ire of developers and users alike.
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