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WhatsApp turned seven this past week and on its birthday the Facebook owned messaging service has decided to pull the plug from some OS. On its official blog WhatsApp says, “When we started WhatsApp in 2009, people's use of mobile devices looked very different from today. The Apple App Store was only a few months old. About 70 percent of smartphones sold at the time had operating systems offered by BlackBerry and Nokia. Mobile operating systems offered by Google, Apple and Microsoft – which account for 99.5 percent of sales today – were on less than 25 percent of mobile devices sold at the time. As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use. So, by the end of 2016, we will be ending support for WhatsApp Messenger on the following mobile platforms:  BlackBerry , including BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40, Nokia Symbian S60, Android 2.1 and Android 2.2 and  Windows Phone 7.1 .” The OSes that once domin

Apple would be naming its new 4-inch handset the Apple iPhone SE. If true, it would be the first iPhone not to have a number in its name since the very first Apple iPhone was launched in 2007. We've heard a lot about the 4-inch iPhone that might take a step backward in screen-size, but will be almost as powerful and full of features as the Apple iPhone 6s. Today, we get our first look at the front of the phone thanks to French website  NWE . The site says that the leaked photos of the phone come from a source that has proven to be reliable in the past. Comparing the square-cornered device to a similar shot of the Apple iPhone 6s confirms that 3D Touch will not be available on the new 4-inch model (note the lack of the protective metal plate on the iPhone SE). Despite the lack of 3D Touch, Apple is expected to equip the phone with the Live Photos feature that allows users to see a 3-second video clip of their latest photograph. Connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the i

Although Meizu constantly tries to compete with Xiaomi in terms of smartphone models, the company’s phone lineup is quite limited as compared to the latter. Last year, we saw a few handsets from the company like the M eizu M2 Note ,  Pro 5  and  the MX5  but as compared to other top Chinese companies, it was far less. This year too, we haven’t seen a new launch from this Chinese phone maker, with the only announcement at MWC being the Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition in partnership with Canonical. But there was a good reason for the company to not launch anything this early in the year. According to various leaks and information, Meizu was supposed to release its Helio X20 powered Pro 5 Mini handset sometime in the March – April period. However, due to the Taiwan earthquake that happened in early February and the supply chain loss incurred (particularly by the phone’s display manufacturer), Meizu officially announced that it had to drop plans for the release of the Pro 5 Mini. This meant tha

Xiaomi has announced that it is launching the Redmi Note 3 in India on March 3. The company will be holding the launch event in Delhi at the Talkatora Stadium, and those interested can register for the event via the Xiaomi forum. The phone comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD display and the company claims that it offers 178-degree wide viewing angles, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 hexa-core processor. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is available in two variants, one with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, and the other with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. At the back is a 16MP primary camera with phase detection autofocus and dual-LED flash, while at the front is a 5MP camera. It supports 4G LTE and runs MiUI 7 layered over Android Lollipop. The phone was already  launched in China last month , and was priced at CNY 999, which is about Rs. 10,500. 

It’s been two years in the making, but the Xiaomi Mi5 is finally among us. The phone follows the same design language as on the Xiaomi Mi Note last year. While it’s one thing to read the specifications of a device, what Mr. Barra talked about on stage was more than just specs. There were certain parts of Barra’s presentation, where he used words like UFS 2.0, 4-axis-OIS, Deep Trench Isolation and some more. But what exactly do these terms mean? Let us explain. UFS 2.0 The Universal Flash Storage was developed by Samsung in 2014, and it has long been touted as the future of flash storage, over eMMC (Embedded Multimedia Card). According to Samsung, the UFS 2.0 storage system can achieve read/write speeds that are almost as fast as full fledged Solid State Drives. If true, the impact of such a system, would be to make your phone feel exceptionally smooth and fast when you’re using it.  The storage type was first introduced in the  Samsung Galaxy S6  last year, and from wh

LG will launch its new flagship smartphone, the G5, in India in the second quarter of 2016. The G5 was launched at the Mobile World Congress and is the first mainstream smartphone to feature a modular design. The price of the device in India is not yet known. The G5 has a metal unibody design and can be fitted with a module that expands the capabilities of the device. The Cam Plus module adds manual camera controls along with a bigger battery, while the Hi-Fi B&O Play audio adapter enhances the audio qualities of the phone. The device also comes with a range of companion devices like the LG 360 VR, LG 360 CAM, LG Rolling Bot, and more. The  LG G5  comes with a 5.3-inch QHD display and is powered by a  Qualcomm Snapdragon 820  Processor with 4GB of RAM. The phone has a dual-camera setup at the back with a 16MP standard camera and a 8MP wide-angle camera, while at the front is an 8MP camera. It is equipped with a 2800mAh battery and has 32GB of onboard storage that can be expan

Huawei Honor Holly 2 Plus  that was  launched  in India last month, went on sale last week at Rs. 8,499 through  Flipkart  and  Amazon . Here we have its battery test results of the smartphone. The Holly 2 Plus packs a 4000mAh built-in battery, which is twice the 2000mAh battery on the first Holly  smartphone. It has a 5-inch HD display, is powered by a Quad-Core MediaTek MT6735 processor and runs on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with Emotion UI 3.1 Lite on top. Check out the test results below. Talk Time   It lasted for 20 hours and 2 minutes in the talk time test. 3G Browsing It lasted for 11 hours and 9 minutes and topped the 3G browsing test. WiFi Browsing It lasted for 12 hours and 32 minutes in our WiFi browsing test. Video Playback   Finally, in the Video Playback test, it lasted for 14 hours and 38 minutes.

Xiaomi on Wednesday unveiled its Mi 5 flagship smartphone at an event in China while also showcasing the smartphone at a limited media preview at MWC in Barcelona. With the global unveiling at its first showing at MWC, Xiaomi was expected to announce availability of its new flagship Mi 5 smartphone in western markets including Europe and US. It was not explicit about the launch markets however. The Chinese company however rubbished any such speculations and confirmed that the Mi 5 will be released in core markets, the markets where Xiaomi currently operates in. Barra during a video interview with the Verge added, "it's far too early to make any statements". Barra's confirmation appears to confirm the possible markets where the Xiaomi Mi 5 will be available soon, including Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines among others. He also hinted that the company is looking on ways to expand the availability but will focus on the current operating m

We might be months away from the release of Google's next Android OS version but a new screenshot may have offered the first look at the Marshmallow successor. Android's official Developer site now lists a screenshot for showing Day-Night theme in system setting. Notably, the page for turning-on/ off Bluetooth includes a hamburger setting on the top left which has been so far unavailable in any of Android OS versions - indicating that it may have offered the first look at the next version. The screenshot was first spotted by Android Police. The addition of hamburger button in Android N points to a side navigation drawer that is likely to have all Settings sections listed, making it easier to switch between them. Currently, users have to go back into main settings page before jumping to another Settings section. Google is likely to reveal its next mobile operating system, believed to be called as Android N initially, at the I/O conference. Google CEO Sundar Pichai had

OnePlus is still a young and small company, but it managed to make a name for itself by selling high-end smartphones (comparable to many flagships out there) at very accessible prices. As you may remember, the company released the OnePlus One (in 2014) andOnePlus 2 (in 2015) as "flagship killers". While these handsets didn't really kill any flagship, plenty of customers bought them, and many others would have done it, too, if it weren't for OnePlus' loathed invite system.  At the end of last year, OnePlus released a mid-range handset (OnePlus X), and it recently also got rid of its invite system. All in all, things seem to be going well for OnePlus, but what is the company preparing for this year? Well, a new flagship smartphone, of course.  According to CNet, OnePlus founder Carl Pei confirmed that the company's next flagship handset will be released at the end of the second quarter - thus in June. It looks like the device will be called OnePlus 3 (just a

A pair of schematic diagrams showing older and newer prototypes of the 4-inch Apple iPhone 5se, reveal that the device resembles the Apple iPhone 6. The diagrams were received by Steve Hemmerstoffer (better known as @OnLeaks), who was sent them by an anonymous source who claims to be involved in the iPhone's supply chain. The Apple iPhone 5se is expected to be unveiled March 15that an event that will supposedly include the Apple iPad Air 3, and a refresh version of the Apple Watch. The former seems to be designed for those who love the specs of the Apple iPad Pro, but don't need the large 12.9-inch screen, and the huge price. The iPad Air 3 is expected to be powered by the Apple A9X chipset, contain 4GB of RAM, carry quad-speakers, and work with the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. The Refresh version of Apple's smartwatch is rumored to include FaceTime capabilities. Three days after being unveiled, the iPhone 5se will launch, according to speculation, thus forgoin

Most of you might already be aware, but for those who don’t,  today is the LeEco Day . This is an open sale especially for the LeEco Le 1s and the LeEco  Le Max smartphones  on Flipkart . There is no registrations required and you should be able to buy one with ease. If you were planning to b uy the Le 1s  or the  Le Max  this is the best time. It is not just about being able to grab the handset with ease, without registration but getting lucky with the offers that are available. If you want to exchange your old smartphone you can get up to Rs6000 for your old handset, but usually the exchange offers are not that lucrative so ignore that. Now this is tempting – 2000 lucky winners who purchase a LeEco smartphone will get free Bluetooth Headsets. If that is not all you can get 10% discount (off) if you use Axis Bank Credit or Debit cards. And now for the jackpot prize – A Mahindra KUV100 for one lucky winner. Terms and Conditions apply, do read them and just in case if

With open-world stealth assassination game Hitman out in 16 days, developer Io Interactive has announced that PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to check out its beta for free next month. Earlier, Hitman fans had to pre-order the game to get access to its beta. "Starting on 4th March, we'll re-open the PS4 beta exclusively for all PlayStation Plus members. Mark your calendars as the beta will only be around for that weekend," a post from Io Interactive on the PlayStation Europe blog reads. It goes on to explain how PlayStation Plus users can make the most of it. "Keep your eyes on the 'Events' tab on your PS4 and sign up to watch our PlayStation Plus beta livestream, where we'll pick up our Dualshocks and take you on a developer-guided tour of the beta. You're sure to learn some secrets or stories from behind the scenes here at Io Interactive." In addition to this, the developer explained what online modes have been added to the g

Facebook users around the globe can now be more expressive. The social network rolled out "Reactions" - an extension of the "Like" button - worldwide on Wednesday, to allow users to express emotions such as sadness, anger and love. In a video accompanying a blog post, the five new buttons appear as animated emoticons that pop up when the "Like" button is held down on mobile devices. The buttons appear on desktops when users hover over the "Like" button. Facebook launched a pilot of "Reactions" - which allowed users to select from seven emotions including "Angry", "Sad", "Wow" and "Like" - in Ireland and Spain in October. The "Yay" emoticon, which was present in the pilot launch, was not seen in Wednesday's video. The company will also use "Reactions" to track user behavior and for ad delivery. "We will initially use any Reaction similar to a Like

Introduction After more than 18 months in development, the Xiaomi Mi 5 was finally introduced at MWC 2016 in Barcelona. The official successor to the very successful Xiaomi Mi 4 is, without question, the most powerful and design-conscious smartphone produced by the enterprising company. Produced in three versions – Standard, High, and Exclusive – the Mi 5 is seriously impressive from both design and hardware perspectives. After all, this is the first Snapdragon 820-powered device to ship, and it's not just Qualcomm's cutting-edge chipset and low price that makes the Mi 5 a very competent and competitive smartphone. Xiaomi took its time and produced a true hardware powerhouse. Let's dig a little deeper into what makes this fledging success tick! Design The Mi 5's ceramic cover has been baked in 1500 degrees celsius in order to attain twice the scratch resistance and toughness of sapphire. We don't usually cover design in our specs reviews, but the Xiaomi

Xiaomi at its Beijing event on Wednesday unveiled the much-anticipated Mi 5 smartphone, apart from revealing the Mi 4S. The Xiaomi Mi 5 will be available in three versions - standard edition featuring 3GB LPDD4 RAM and 32GB inbuilt storage priced at CNY 1,999 (approximately Rs. 21,000); high version featuring 3GB LPDD4 RAM and 64GB storage priced at CNY 2,299 (approximately Rs. 24,000), and exclusive edition featuring 4GB LPDD4 RAM and 128GB storage priced at CNY 2,999 (approximately Rs. 31,500). Same as the Xiaomi Mi 4S, the Mi 5 will also go on sale in China starting March 1. Unfortunately, the company has not detailed any availability details for markets outside China. It comes in Black, White, Gold and Rose colours. Xiaomi, as touted previously, is pushing its Mi 5 as the first phone featuring Snapdragon 820 processor hitting the market. The company at the launch compared its Mi 5 against the likes of iPhone 6s and claimed that the new flagship was 14 grams lighter than th

Xiaomi on Wednesday unveiled the new Mi 4S smartphone at an event in Beijing, China. The Xiaomi Mi 4S will go on sale in homeland China starting March 1 and has been priced at CNY 1699 (approximately Rs. 18,000). It will be available in Black, Gold, Purple, and White colours. The Xiaomi Mi 4S packs fingerprint scanner at the back panel and runs MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It features a 5-inch (1080x1920 pixels) full-HD IPS display and offers a pixel density of 441ppi. It is powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 paired with Adreno 418 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The handset packs 64GB inbuilt storage and supports dual-SIM. One of the biggest highlights of the smartphone is it supports microSD card expansion which gives it an advantage over Xiaomi Mi 4,Xiaomi Mi 4i, and Xiaomi Mi 4c. The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone LED flash and PDAF. There is a 5-megapixel front camera on board as well. The Xiaomi Mi 4S also packs infrared sensor. T

Our wait is almost over. Xiaomi will release the Mi 5 flagship today at its Spring Conference at 2PM Beijing time. However, yesterday, we reported that an analyst said the Mi 5 may not be the only product announced tomorrow. There will be “one more thing” at the event. While at that time, things were unclear, now, we might have a faint idea as to what to expect from the conference. According to a leaked poster from the retailer Suning, Xiaomi will most likely announce another handset at the event, namely the  Xiaomi Mi 4S . Like the name suggests, this could be a slightly upgraded version of the Mi 4 flagship, targeted at users who want a cheaper device. From the image, the phone doesn’t look like a premium handset. Instead, the company could be looking at the mid-range segment who like thin devices. The poster also reveals the specs of the Mi 4S. The phone will reportedly come with a 5-inch FHD 1920 x 1080p Sunlight display, with metal and glass body. Under the hood, ther

Xiaomi's much-anticipated Mi 5 flagship smartphone is set to launch on Wednesday at an event in China. The Chinese company has also confirmed that it would have a limited media preview at MWC 2016 in Barcelona the same day. Merely few hours ahead of the launch, the Xiaomi Mi 5 has been listed by a third-party online retailer named XiaomiDevice (via GSMArena) which has not only listed the Xiaomi Mi 5 but has also listed the Mi 5 Plus with pricing details. According to the third-party retailer, the Xiaomi Mi 5 will be priced at $499 (approximately Rs. 34,000) for the 16GB model while the 64GB model will cost $599 (approximately Rs. 41,000). The Mi 5 Plus is listed at $599. Of course since this is a third-party store, one cannot be certain if this will be the official launch price, whenever the Xiaomi Mi 5 smartphone is unveiled in India. As per the third-party retailer listing, the Mi 5 will feature a 5.2-inch QHD IPS display; Snapdragon 820 processor; 4GB of RAM; 16-megapix

We recently saw Samsung unveiling its not so best kept secrets - the  Galaxy S7  and the  Galaxy S7 Edge . The company listing of the smartphones even suggested the handset release date as March 11 along with its priced in the US, the UK, and Europe. However, a new report quotes a senior Samsung executive to say that the duo will be hitting the shelves in 60 countries in its first wave starting March 11. The countries have not been specified yet. "The Galaxy S7 is slated to go on sale in 60 countries on March 11. We expect its sales to surpass shipments of the previous model, the Galaxy S6,"  said  DJ Koh, head of Samsung Mobiles Communication, to Yonhap News. Koh reportedly also added that the Galaxy S7 would be priced higher than its predecessor - the Galaxy S6. The first month is said to be crucial for the company, explaining Samsung is giving a free Gear VR headset to those who have pre-ordered or bought the smartphones between February 23 and March 18. As p