TECH NEWS : ONEPLUS 5T, INFINIX LAUNCH AND MORE

Tech News

1.OnePlus 5T starts receiving stable Android Oreo update with OxygenOS 5.0.2

OnePlus 5T owners can now settle a bit as the Chinese handset maker has started rolling out Android Oreo update for the smartphone. While OnePlus 5 has already received the update after much delay, 'we are starting to push the incremental roll-out of OxygenOS 5.0.2, our first official Android Oreo OTA update for the OnePlus 5T,' the company has said.

'For those who were on previous versions for OnePlus 5T (review), we appreciate your active feedback and attempts to reach out to us. With your help, we have been able to better optimize and improve several key areas. Thank you for your patience and as always, we look forward to hearing your continued feedback,' OnePlus has stated in its forum post.

In any case, OnePlus 5T owners will now be able to experience Android Oreo and its features hands-on. As such, Oreo brings in features like picture-in-picture, Smart Text Selection, Notification Dots, Android Instant Apps, Google Play Protect improved booting time, extended battery life and a whole lot more.

Apart from Oreo, the update also brings improvements in the system which according to the changelog includes a new design for Quick Settings, general bug fixes and improvements, applied CPU security patch: CVE-2017-13218. The company has also mentioned that they have updated the smartphone applications as well. The update takes that Launcher version to v2.2, Gallery to v2.0, Weather to v1.9 and finally File Manager has got v1.7.6.

As always, this OTA will be incremental. The OTA will reach a small percentage of users today, and OnePlus will begin a broader rollout in a few days. Besides, OnePlus owners should receive a notification for the update. If users do not receive any notification then, they can always check for the update manually by going to the Setting page and then clicking on About phone tab. There they can check for updates. If the device has got the update it will show it.

Notably, this is basically a firmware update and the patch will be large. So users should have at least 50 percent battery or more n their device and they should carry out the installation process over a Wi-Fi network. Using mobile network may cost additional data charges. It is also advised to back up all the date before installing the new OS. Do remember these things during the time of installation of any major software update.

2.Infinix to launch 'India first' smartphone in India on February 6

Transsion Holdings backed Infinix brand is all set to launch a new smartphone in India on February 6. Dubbed as 'India First', it will be a selfie-centric smartphone. As per industry sources, the mid-priced segment device under the selfie-centric 'S series' will first launch in India, followed by a global release later. At this moment, we don't have much information on the phone's specs and features.

That said, it is believed that the Infinix 'India First' smartphone will be equipped with a dual-tone LED flash for taking excellent quality selfies even in low-light conditions.

The smartphone's cameras are also likely to come with the Bokeh Effect feature that will let users capture DSLR-like pictures with blurred background. It goes without saying, this upcoming smartphones will take on the likes of Oppo F5, Vivo V7/V7 , Honor 9 to name a few.

Last year in November, Infinix launched the Infinix Zero 5 in India. It comes in two variants; the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 17,999, whereas the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant retails at Rs. 19,999 in the country.

The main highlight of the Infinix Zero 5 is its dual camera setup at the back. There is a 12MP primary sensor and a 13MP secondary sensor for capturing depth of field information. Up front, there is a 16MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and LED flash.

Talking about other aspects, the smartphone features a 5.98-inch display that produces an FHD resolution of 1,920×1,080 pixels. The display is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for added protection. Under its hood, the Infinix Zero 5 is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P25 processor clocked at 2.6GHz. Both the variants of the smartphone support up to 256GB of expandable storage and there is a fingerprint sensor at the rear as well.

The Infinix Zero 5 runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and has standard connectivity features such as 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS. The smartphone is backed by a large 4,350mAh battery with quick charging support. The device also has a dedicated dual SIM card slot on board.

3.Google Assistant can understand Hindi; but for limited queries

Google Assistant is great for times when you are too lazy to type. All you have to do is say 'Ok Google', and ask it about the weather outside or the traffic conditions. Unfortunately though, not everyone in India can't understand or speak English. Their inability to speak English prevented them from using Google Assistant. Well, guess what, Google Assistant can now understand Hindi.

This is a great move from the company given the major part of the Indian population is comfortable in Hindi. However, there is a catch. As of now, you can ask Google Assistant now only a few questions in Hindi and get the response in the same language.

Also, it is only capable of delivering Hindi text results while its voice responses are in English.

'The Google Assistant on Android phones and iPhones is currently available in English in India, built for English input but supporting a few selected Hindi queries. While we've launched the Hindi Google Assistant on Allo, it's not available on phones yet. We are looking to bring the Assistant experience to more Indian languages over time,' said a Google spokesperson in a statement.

Anyway, if you want to test whether or Google Assistant can understand Hindi, you have to change the language setting on your phone to have English (India) as the default language. To change the language by going to Setting > Language & Input > Languages > Add a language > Choose English from the list > and then select the location as India.

As such, we asked Google Assistant some basic questions and the results were satisfactory. For example, if you ask 'Hey Google, UP ki rajdhani kunsi hai', you will be shown the right answer. You can also ask for some recipes.

There is no doubt that with this new feature Google Assistant will be more accessible to people in India, especially to those who are not fluent in English. The search engine giant has already added support for Indian languages across its product lineup.

Google recently added support for Assistant in smartphones that run older versions of Android. The roll out was targeted at emerging markets like India, where many people still use phones with older Android versions such as Lollipop and Marshmallow.

4.Samsung to focus more on foldable OLED panels this year

Samsung Electronics has just announced its fourth quarter and FY 2017 results in its home country. The company also revealed that it plans to focus on foldable OLED displays for smartphones, as a part of its 2018 roadmap. However, the South Korean manufacturer would still be focusing on its upcoming flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone, as well as on expanding 64-layer V-NAND technology and AI/ IoT capabilities.

As stated earlier, Samsung in its fourth quarter report notes, 'As for the Mobile business, Samsung will continue its efforts to differentiate its smartphones by adopting cutting-edge technologies, such as foldable OLED displays.' To make itself more clear, the company said in its earning call that the cutting edge differentiation of 'foldable OLED smartphones' would happen this year.

In addition to all these, Samsung plans to step into the world of automotive electronics with these foldable panels. Other than that, the company wants to expand its businesses that are associated with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and IoT (Internet of Things) with a core focus on two features; Bixby virtual assistant and 5G technology.

Also, the Consumer Electronics Division of the company is planning to push technologies like 8K and Micro LED in the TV market this year.

'Looking at the mid to long term, Samsung expects the components business to see demand expand from new applications. For the set business, the company expects to enjoy increased opportunities mainly related to software, connected devices, and services based on AI/IoT platforms.' stated Samsung in a press release.

Samsung will focus on the sales of the Galaxy S9 series which is slated for launch on February 25. The company expects that its upcoming flagship smartphone will help boost the overall sales.

Lastly, the company admits that its TV business will be seasonally affected. However, the company will deal with the situation by releasing newer models.