ZTE to pay $1.7 billion in fines to the US government, needs to replace its execs

According to inside sources, the Chinese tech giant, ZTE, may soon pay up to $1.7 billion penalty after its April 15 trade ban. The company is estimated to have lost around $3 billion as around 25 to 30% of the hardware it uses is supplied by US firms. However, this is definitely a scenario ZTE is hoping for because the initial 7-year ban would harm the company in more than one way. In addition to the proposed $1.7 billion fine, the US government wants ZTE to replace its board of directors, executive team and hire a compliance contractor to oversee the company's operations. After...

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vivo NEX will come in three variants after all

New alterations of the vivo NEX have been popping out left and right. Just the other day, a second vivo NEX S version appeared in a Geekbench score sheet with Snapdragon 710 and got certified a day later. But now, a Chinese 3C certification report lists one more model dubbed as NEX A. Unfortunately, the listing doesn't disclose anything overly specific about the three devices - only that they support fast 5V/2A, 9V/2A and 10V/2.25A charging over USB-C. We can assume that the NEX A variant will be a China-specific device while the NEX S and the full-fledged NEX version will go...

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6.5-inch iPhone shows up in detailed renders - almost identical to the iPhone X

OnLeaks released some crisp renders yesterday of what is supposed to be the budget iPhone with 6.1-inch IPS LCD display. Today, we have a fresh new batch of the 6.5-inch variant, which leaves only one more to go - the compact 5.8-inch model. 6.5-inch iPhone in black 6.5-inch iPhone in black Anyway, let's focus on what we've got for now. The 6.5-inch model is reportedly coming with an OLED panel and will start a new iPhone X Plus lineup of some sort. The notched design is here to stay along with the metal frame, nearly bezel-less display and the vertically-stacked dual...

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Report says smart speaker usage will surpass wearables in US this year

According to a recent report from market research firm eMarketer, this year, smart speakers will overtake wearables in US in terms of number of users. Here's what the report exactly says: We have raised our forecast significantly for US smart speaker users from 2017 through 2020, based on new data that shows stronger-than-expected adoption of the device. Uptake has been so strong that the number of adult smart speaker users will surpass that of wearable users for the first time this year. As for other interesting tidbids the report reveals, it says most smart speaker users are still...

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Samsung Galaxy A6 tipped to be available in US through AT&T

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A6 and A6+ early last month. At that time, the company revealed a list of countries where these devices will be made official. But sadly, the US was missing from the list. Those of you in the US who are waiting for these handsets, here's some good news: according to the usually reliable tipster Evan Blass (@evleaks), the Galaxy A6 is indeed coming to the US, and will be available through AT&T. Samsung Galaxy A6 is AT&T-bound (SM-A600A).— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 1, 2018 The tipster, however, didn't reveal exactly when the device will be launched...

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Google working on a Snapdragon 710-powered Pixel smartphone for early 2019

This just in - Google is apparently working on a mid-range Pixel device powered by the newly announced Snapdragon 710. Earlier reports have pointed out that the company is indeed developing such a device, but aimed at the Indian market only. Off to Taiwan for @computex_taipei today, but here's a tidbit for ya: Google is working on a "mobile" device based on the Snapdragon 710 currently scheduled for launch in the 1st half of 2019. Sounds like this might be the (or one of them) upcoming mid-range Pixel phone.— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) June 2, 2018 There is no detailed information...

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A2 Xl gets Bluetooth certified, likely the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2018)

A new Samsung device has received Bluetooth certification. It's listed as Galaxy Tab A2 Xl, and carries a model number of SM-T595. The tablet is likely the successor to the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2016), LTE model of which carried a model number of SM-T585. It's worth mentioning that the SM-T590 - which should be the WiFi variant of this upcoming device - was also spotted last month on Eurasian Economic Commission website. Sadly, nothing else is known about the device (which may launch as Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2018)). However, since the tablet has started gathering certifications, it's...

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New Essential Phone Camera app update brings 360 photos-related changes

The Essential Phone Camera up has been updated yet again by the company. This time, the update features UI improvements and some 360-degree photos related changes. Today we released an update to Essential Camera app that improves the UI and adds new functionality to help you edit and share 360-degree photos. Download it here: https://t.co/oACrr0Db24— Essential (@essential) May 31, 2018 According to the change-log, the update makes it easier to see, save, and share 360 photos or videos as a Snapshot, Pano, or Tiny Planet. "You can even turn your 360 photos into short Panoramic or...

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New report says Samsung Galaxy Note9 arriving August 9

Recently, there was a report that Samsung has decided to delay the Galaxy Note9 unveiling by two weeks - from mid July to August beginning. And now, a new report from Bloomberg says the device will be made official on August 9. The report further says the handset will carry the Note 9 moniker, and will feature an upgraded camera and processor. So nothing new there. Sales for the phone, report notes, will begin sometime towards the end of August. Via

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