Apple to setup iPhone Manufacturing Unit in Bengaluru

Apple plans to make iPhones for the Indian market in Bengaluru. Wistron, a Taiwanese OEM maker for Apple, is setting up a facility in Peenya, the city's industrial hub, to manufacture the iPhones. The facility will start production from next April.

Foxconn, Apple's largest Taiwan-based OEM, earlier committed to setting up a manufacturing plant in Maharashtra. The assumption was the plant would make only Apple products. But Foxconn has tied up with other players like Xiaomi and OnePlus for local manufacture and not necessarily to only make Apple products there.

This will be Apple's second big announcement for Bengaluru. In May, Apple announced a design and development accelerator in the city to grow the iOS developer community and also to guide Indian developers to leverage Apple's programming language Swift and build apps for Apple TV and Apple The facility will open early next year.

The Bengaluru manufacturing facility underscores India's importance for the Cupertino-based company.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's multi-city India tour earlier this year signaled the growing importance of India powered by the demand for Apple products by a burgeoning middle class.

Nubia Z11 and N1 Available on Amazon

Two new Smartphones from Chinese Smartphone maker Nubia will be available on Amazon. The devices are named Nubia Z11 and another device Nubia N1.

Available at a price of Rs 29,999, Nubia Z11 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 6GB of RAM, has 64GB of internal storage and sports 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with Sony IMX298 sensor.

The second device, Nubia N1, is priced at Rs 11,999 and is equipped with Nubia's NeoPower technology and a massive 5,000mAh battery.

The device sports a 5.5-inch full-HD screen, and features 13MP rear and front camera, runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based Nubia 4.0 UI and supports a hybrid dual-SIM slot.

Both the Smartphones will be available starting 12 noon on Amazon from December 26.

Airtel to Acquire Orascom's share in MENA

Bharti Airtel has declared that its subsidiary Network i2i has entered into a definitive agreement with Egyptian firm Orascom to acquire the latter's entire equity stake in Middle East North Africa Submarine Cable Systems for an undisclosed amount.

The agreement has been signed with Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding SAE.

Middle East North Africa Submarine Cable Systems (MENA-SCS) is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Orascom.

It is live and operational, connecting Mumbai - Oman - Saudi Arabia - Egypt and Italy. It further has the branching options to connect to other countries in Europe, Africa and Middle East via branching options to Cyprus, Greece, Djibouti, Yemen, Iran, Lebanon, Libya and Sudan.

MENA-SCS owns and operates a submarine cable network between India and Europe covering Middle East, with options to extend the network to Africa. It is a submarine optic network capable of carrying multi tera bits per second of data speeds.

The proposed acquisition of MENA-SCS is aimed at further strengthening Airtel's global network that currently runs across 225,000 route kilometers, covering 50 countries and 5 continents.

Asus Zenfone 3 Max5.5 ZC553KL goes on Sale

Zenfone 3 Max 5.5 ZC333KL, the big-battery Smartphone from Asus has gone on sale in India. The Smartphone is available at Rs 17,999. The device was launched last month. The Smartphone's 5.2 inch variant (ZC520TL), which too was launched last month along with Zenfone 3 Max 5.5, is already available at Rs 12,999.

Zenfone Max 3 offers massive 4,100mAh battery, which according to the company, offers 30 days of standby time and up to 20 hours of talk time on 3G. The Smartphone can also work as a power bank, and comes with a USB OTG cable to enable users to connect and charge other devices.

The handset boasts of metal uni body design with 'diamond cut' chamfered edges and a 2.5D contoured glass. The device features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display with an inbuilt Bluelight filter. It runs Zen UI 3.0 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

The handset has 3GB RAM and packs 32GB storage capacity, expandable up to 128GB with micro-SD card. The 4G LTE Smartphone comes with fingerprint sensor in the front and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with Adreno 505.

The battery-focused Smartphone includes a 16MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus), Laser autofocus and Electronic Image Stabilisation. On front, there is an 8MP camera for selfies and video chats. The camera includes a host of filters and modes to help users tweak images as required.

LG G6 To Be Waterproof

There are rumors about LG’s upcoming flagship Smartphone LG G6. The Smartphone will succeed the company's last year flagship Smartphone LG G5 and launch in February 2017 at the Mobile World Congress (Barcelona).

Latest rumors about the device suggest that it will be waterproof. The waterproofing material is also being said to be added to the USB connector, earphone terminal as well as camera cover glass.

Also unlike G5 Smartphone, LG G6 will not be a modular Smartphone. Many feel that it is not easy replacing so many modules. The modular structure is the key highlight of LG G5.
Earlier this week, LG launched its dual-screen Smartphone V20 in India. Priced at Rs 54,999, the Smartphone is available exclusively on Amazon's India website.

The LG V20 is the first non-Google Smartphone to come with Android Nougat 7.0 out-of-the-box. It's also the first handset to use Google's 'In Apps' feature that lets users find content from built-in apps including contacts, emails, text messages and photos and user-installed apps.

Like the V10, the LG V20 also comes with dual-screen feature. The Smartphone features a 5.7-inch Quad HD display of 1440x2560 pixel resolution and a 2.1-inch secondary display with 160x1040 pixel resolution. As per LG, the second screen offers enhanced visibility with double the brightness and a 50% larger font size as compared to V10. It shows notifications and other piece of information for increased productivity.

The LG V20 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable further up to 2TB via microSD cards.

Boasting of lightweight aluminum body, V20 sports a 16MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, 75-degree lens, f/1.8 aperture and OIS. It has a Hybrid Auto Focus (HAF) integrating three AF mechanisms -- Laser Detection AF, Phase Detection AF (PDAF) and Contrast AF for both videos and photos. 

The dual-camera setup at the back comprises an 8MP module for capturing wide-angle shots. In addition, a 5MP front-facing snapper is included for selfies.

Zen launches Cinemax Force Smartphone

Domestic Smartphone brand Zen has launched another budget Smartphone, Cinemax Force. Priced at Rs 4,390, Zen Cinemax Force features a 5.5-inch display with Dragontail glass. It is powered by 1.3GHz Quad Core processor and 1GB RAM.

Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system, the new Zen Smartphone packs 8GB of internal storage and 1GB RAM. The users can also install a microSD card of up to 32GB to expand the storage capacity.

The dual-SIM Smartphone sports a 5MP rear camera and houses a 2MP front camera for selfies. It is backed by a 2900 mAh battery that promises up to 30 hours of non-stop talk time and supports 4G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS on the connectivity front.

Zen Cinemax Force Smartphone comes pre-loaded with multimedia offerings like games, Saavn, Ultrazone, Cool Gallery and Xender. It also has some gesture controls, like users can make an 'o' to go to Phone Dialer, draw 'c' to open Camera or 'e' to open browser etc.

Xiaomi Launches Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus in China

Xiaomi has finally launched its Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus Smartphones in China. Both the handsets come in two variants based on RAM and inbuilt storage.

The Xiaomi Mi 5s's 3GB RAM + 64GB storage costs CNY 1,999, while the 4GB RAM + 128GB inbuilt storage option costs CNY 2,299. The Mi 5s Plus' 4GB RAM + 64GB inbuilt storage version is priced at CNY 2,299, while the 6GB RAM + 128GB inbuilt storage variant costs CNY 2,599. 

Both will be available in the country via Mi.com. They come in Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, and White color variants.

The Android-based Xiaomi Mi 5s sports a 5.15-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution display. It features 12MP rear camera based on Sony IMX 378 sensor and f/2.0 aperture. A 4MP front-facing camera is also included.

The Xiaomi Mi 5s runs on quad-core Snapdragon 821 SoC and has an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on the home button. As per the company, the sensor won't get damaged as it is placed under a glass and will still be accurate. The smartphone's connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth and GPS. 

The Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus has a larger 5.7-inch full-HD resolution display and has a dual rear camera as well. It has a dual 13MP camera sensor, of which one is to capture colours and other for Black and White elements. Rest of the features and the specifications remain the same. 

While the Xiaomi Mi Mi 5s measures 145.6x70.3x8.25mm and is backed by 3200mAh battery, the Mi 5s Plus measures 154.6x77.7x7.95mm and is powered by 3800mAh battery.

Micromax Launches Canvas 5 Lite Q462

Micropmax has expanded its Smartphone lineup with the launch of Canvas 5 Lite Q462. The Smartphone has 4G VoLTE support and is priced at Rs 6,499. With Slate Grey and Brown as colour options, the device is exclusively available on Snapdeal.

The Canvas 5 Lite Q462 has a 5-inch HD display with 720x1280 pixel resolution. It runs the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system and comes with dual-SIM functionality.

The device sports a 1GHz quad-core MediaTekMT6735 64-bit processor paired with a 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage expandable further using a microSD card. It also sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front snapper for selfies.

The device is backed by a 2,000 mAh battery and offers 4G, LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS as connectivity options.

Lava launches A56

Domestic Smartphone brand Lava has launched another entry-level Smartphone, A56. The company has priced the device at Rs 4,199 and it will be available with all big retailers across the country.

The dual-SIM Lava A56 runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system out-of-the-box. The Smartphone features a 5-inch FWVGA display with 480x854 pixel resolution. 

Powering the handset is a 1.3GHz dual-core processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. Lava A56 offers 4GB of internal storage and the users can expand it up to 32GB by installing a microSD card.

The new Lava Smartphone sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and VGA front-facing camera. The device packs 1,850 mAh battery and offers 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS for connectivity options.

Archos 55 Diamond Selfie Smartphone

Archos has unveiled another selfie-focused Smartphone, Archos 55 Diamond Selfie. The Smartphone launched on the sidelines of IFA 2016, being held in Berlin, sports an 8MP front camera with LED flash and 16MP rear camera.

The Smartphone comes in two variants - one with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage and the other with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal storage.

Archos 55 Diamond Selfie has a 5.5-inch Full HD display with 1080x1920 pixel resolution. It is powered by a 1.4 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system and sports a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel.

The handset is backed by a 3000mAh battery and supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge technology.

The connectivity options of the device include 4G, LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The Smartphone will go on sale from next month.

iBerry Auxus 4X Smartphone with 4GB RAM

iBerry has launched its latest smartphone - Auxus 4X, in India. Priced at Rs 15,990, the company claims that the device is 'India's first 4GB RAM unibody, premium Smartphone. The Auxus 4X comes in Black color option and is available exclusively on eBay.

iBerry Auxus 4X features a 5.5-inch Full HD display with 1080x1920 pixel resolution. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box and is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor. The smartphone has 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD cards of up to 128GB in size.

The Auxus 4X flaunts a 13MP rear camera with a dual-LED flash and a 5MP front-facing unit for selfies. It offers 4G, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth as major connectivity options.

Earlier this year, iBerry launched its first VR-capable smartphone - Auxus Stunner, in India. The phone carries a price tag of Rs 14,990.

The iBerry Auxus Stunner sports a 5-inch HD display and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. Powering the handset is a 64-bit octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. Its in-built storage accounts to 16GB and can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD cards.

Auxus Stunner flaunts an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front facing camera for clicking selfies. Connectivity options include 4G, LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, with a 3,000mAh battery rounding off the spec-sheet.

The smartphone comes bundled with a VR headset that supports all times of content, such as games and videos. The Virtual Reality experience gives users a 360-degree 3D view of the content.

Intex Launches Cloud Tread 3G Smartphone

Intex has launched another entry-level Smartphone, Cloud Tread. The device is priced at Rs 4,999 and will be exclusively available on Snapdeal starting August 30. The Smartphone comes in Grey and Champagne color options.

The Cloud Tread features a 5-inch HD display with 720x1280 pixel resolution. The scratch resistant display comes with a coating of Dragon Trail Glass protection. The handset is powered by a 1.5 GHz hexa-core MediaTek processor paired with 2GB RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded further up to 32GB by using a microSD card.

The Smartphone runs Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system and offers Dual-SIM functionality. It sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera. The handset is backed by a 2,200mAh battery and offers 3G, Wi-Fi Bluetooth and GPS as connectivity options.