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Category: Electronics

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Electronics news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Motorola is taking pre-orders on the phone it says will last up to three days

    Motorola is taking pre-orders on the phone it says will last up to three days

    If a huge battery is the most important feature you want on a new smartphone, you are in luck. Motorola has started accepting pre-orders for the Moto G7 Power. The phone’s claim to fame is the 5000mAh battery that Motorola says will keep the phone running as long as three days on a single charge. Hence, the use of the word “Power” in the phone’s name. With Turbo Charge, you’ll get up to 9 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes. The device is priced at $249.99.

    The Moto G7 Power comes equipped with a 6.2-inch LCD panel carrying a resolution of 720 x 1570 (HD+) and an aspect ratio of 19.63:9. The Snapdragon 632 Mobile Platform is under the hood along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage. A 512GB capacity microSD slot is available for those seeking additional storage. A 12MP camera adorns the back of the device (f/2.0 aperture) and there is a front-facing 8MP selfie camera. The phone is protected from spills, light rain and sweat thanks to P2i’s nano coating process.

    The Moto G7 Power is available in Marine Blue, and is priced at $249.99. If you finance the purchase, you’ll make 24 monthly payments of less than $11 each. And if you live in the states, the handset is compatible with each of the four major U.S. carriers including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Pre-order the Moto G7 Power directly from Motorola, and you will get a $20 coupon to use on a future Motorola.com purchase.

    The Moto G7 Power is expected to be released on March 22nd.

  • Twitter confirms it is testing a new feature improving user experience

    Twitter confirms it is testing a new feature improving user experience

    A few days ago, Twitter pushed out an update allowing users to swipe to the left for access to the camera to take photos or stream live video. The update also adds a feature that results in hashtag recommendations based on the user’s current location. According to Twitter user Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane), who likes to dig through apps looking for future features, Twitter is testing a way for its members to follow a conversation on the app without having to like or respond to a tweet.

    Jane says that the feature is called “Subscribe to conversation,” and if a Twitter member signs up for it, he/she will receive a notification whenever there is a new reply to a particular conversation. After Jane disseminated her tweet stating that Twitter is testing “Subscribe to conversation,” the official Twitter Comms account tweeted back “This is part of our work to make Twitter more conversational.”

    It might be some time before this feature shows up on your Twitter app, but when it does, you won’t have to like tweets that you really don’t like, follow someone that you don’t want to follow, or post a response that you don’t want to post just to keep abreast of a particular conversation on Twitter.

  • Snapchat will integrate a cool new feature early next month

    Snapchat will integrate a cool new feature early next month

    As a result of Instagram’s dominance, Snapchat is no longer growing – the platform has actually started losing daily active users. Parent company Snap is aware of this and, in order to boost interest in the platform, will soon introduce a big new feature.

    According to a report by Cheddar, Snap will announce a new mobile gaming platform – codenamed “Project Cognac” – on April 4 at a Los Angeles summit for content and developer partners. The new platform will be integrated seamlessly into Snapchat and should feature a number of third-party games designed to work specifically within the app.

    In terms of what games can be expected, no titles have been confirmed yet. However, the company does appear to be developing some in-house offerings. Snap is said to be working with gaming giant Tencent on some exclusive titles and it also acquired gaming studio Prettygreat last year – an employee at this studio is behind both “Fruit Ninja” and “Jetpack Joyride.”

    The new games will provide an extra revenue stream for Snap, something that should please investors. At the moment, though, it’s unclear how the company will choose to monetize the games. Snap could either implement a variety of in-app purchases or rely solely on advertising. Alternatively, the social media giant could choose a combination of both.

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  • Amazon’s first-gen Echo well priced for Launch

    Amazon’s first-gen Echo well priced for Launch

    Smart speakers have become a global phenomenon less than five years after the limited release of Amazon’s original Echo, with an estimated installed base of 66 million units in the US alone as of December 2018, and around 100 million devices in use worldwide, according to a slightly older market report. Naturally, there are now more options than ever for smart speaker buyers, ranging from the ultra-affordable Echo Dot and Google Home Mini to premium Echo Show models with screens.

    But if you can find it, the first-generation Amazon Echo is still a pretty great choice, fetching a significantly lower price than back in the day. We’ve seen this tall and handsome cylinder cost as little as $30 in refurbished condition with a 90-day warranty included last month, and although the newest deal may not look quite as irresistible at first glance, it’s actually better in a way.

    That’s because AT&T appears to sell brand-new Echo units at $50 apiece right now, no doubt throwing in a standard one-year manufacturer warranty. That’s a whopping $129 off the smart speaker’s original list price, as well as $50 less than what the second-gen Echo usually fetches. It’s also pretty much on par with the typical price of a third-gen Echo Dot, which obviously packs significantly less power in a diminutive body.

    Despite its advanced age, the OG “regular” Amazon Echo is largely capable of the same things as all the new Alexa-controlled smart speakers, including hands-free music streaming, smart home management (with compatible accessories), setting alarms, timers, and reminders, reading the news, answering the most diverse and complex questions, and even making voice calls, as well as sending and receiving messages. There are also loads of new Alexa skills added every day, all of which are supported on the full range of Echo devices.

  • Samsung Galaxy flagship store to open in Tokyo

    Samsung Galaxy flagship store to open in Tokyo

    Smartphone brand Samsung has opened a new Galaxy flagship in Tokyo.

    The six-level location is the largest Galaxy showcase store worldwide, and features a front facade decorated with more than 1000 smartphones, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the product line.

    The store will offer a range of phones and wearable devices, as well as offer repair services.

    The opening coincides with Japan’s 500-day countdown to the 2020 Olympic Games. Samsung is an Olympic Partner in wireless communications equipment. The firm is seeking a stronger market share in anticipation of impending 5G network rollout across the country.

  • Apple’s AirPods 2 will help the ‘hearables’ segment to grow

    Apple’s AirPods 2 will help the ‘hearables’ segment to grow

    According to Counterpoint Research, wireless ‘hearables’ are the next big thing. The segment, which contains Apple’s AirPods and the Samsung Galaxy Buds, saw global sales of around 46 million units last year. But with the help of AirPods 2, this could catapult to 129 million units as early as next year.

    Samsung, Google, Bose, and LG are all expected to grow

    As noted by Research Director Pete Richardson, “2019 will be the year that hearables evolve into an important market.” For the most part, new releases from major brands will boost sales across the globe. However, the evolving digital habits of consumers are also expected to propel demand.

    The likes of Samsung, Bose, Huawei, and LG all hold relatively small market shares at the moment. But as interest in the segment picks up throughout this year and next, each one is set to experience relatively strong growth which should translate into larger market shares.

    New Google Pixel Buds and other releases from the likes of Amazon are expected to play an important role too. After all, these should integrate the likes of Google Assistant and Alexa, both of which are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.

    AirPods 2 will propel the ‘hearables’ segment to new levels

    As mentioned in the opening paragraph, for the foreseeable future Apple is expected to remain the biggest driving force of growth. Rumor has it that the brand is preparing a second-generation of its AirPods which should integrate a variety of new features and potentially some small design changes.

    From afar, AirPods 2 are expected to look identical to the originals. But upon closer inspection, a new frosted glass-like coating should be visible. This, according to rumors, will improve grip and reduce the slipperiness, which means the new AirPods shouldn’t fall out of your ears so easily.

    AirPods 2 should also introduce always-on Siri, which will allow users to activate the assistant with the words “Hey, Siri.” This feature was actually first teased way back in September by Apple but still hasn’t been confirmed officially.

    Joining the improved Siri will apparently be some kind of water resistance and potentially some health-related features. More specifically, an earlier report suggested Apple was researching the possibility of a built-in heart rate monitor. However, this extra is far from guaranteed. One feature that does seem extremely likely at this point is support for wireless charging through a new charging case. Allegedly, this feature, which will charge both the case and AirPods simultaneously, will take the battery level from 0% to 100% in just 15 minutes.

    Also expected from the new wireless accessory is Apple’s W2 Bluetooth connectivity chip. This can currently be found inside the Apple Watch Series 4 and halves the power consumption with respect to the W1 chip. As a result, battery life improvements are to be expected.

    Of course, Apple’s AirPods are primarily meant for music and Apple is set to bring some improvements to the overall sound quality.

    Most AirPods buyers aren’t bothered about sound quality

    Rather ironically, despite the fact AirPods are meant for music, consumers aren’t buying them because of their sound quality. Counterpoint Research recently conducted an online survey of over 200 people regarding their preferences. In the case of AirPods, 68% of correspondents cited “comfort & fit” as a key reason for buying them. This was followed by “ease of use” and “portability,” which were mentioned by 56% and 44% of people respectively.

    As it turns out, just 41% of the people surveyed cited “sound quality” as a reason for buying AirPods. For comparison, this factor was the key driver when it came to Bose products, with a whopping 72% listing it. “Noise cancellation” was also important with Bose headphones as it was cited by 68% of people.

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  • Apple’s manufacturers gearing up production of new iPad and AirPods hardware

    Apple’s manufacturers gearing up production of new iPad and AirPods hardware

    Apple’s March 25 event is around the corner and naturally, rumors about it are abundant. The event is expected to be focused on new services but its almost inevitable that there will be a hardware release or two, even if there won’t be any dedicated time for them during the presentations. The latest news coming from distant Taiwan seems to confirm that. Some of Apple’s part suppliers are preparing to ramp up production of components for new products.

    Flexium Interconnect and Zhen Ding Technology are manufacturers of flexible PCB (printed circuit boards) that are reportedly starting production of PCBs for a new iPad model. Rumors are that Apple is going to refresh its iPad Mini. The last model of the line came out in 2015, so it’s long overdue for an overhaul. The revamp is expected to be primarily internal, however, so expect a familiar looking iPad with a more powerful chip.

    Both part suppliers are also providing components for the current line of iPhones. The release of a new iPad comes as a blessing for them since both saw their orders reduced after demand for the iPhones was weaker than anticipated.

    At the same time, two other companies, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech PCB, are now working on rigid-flex boards for the yet unannounced AirPods, according to sources within the industry. Tech insiders are still divided whether Apple is going to introduce the AirPods 2, or a less meaningful refresh of its popular earbuds that may consist only of a new wireless-charging case.

    If Apple does indeed announce new hardware products on March 25, preorders will likely begin either on the same day or within a week. If you’ve been itching for a new Apple gadget for a while, the time has almost come!

  • Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Lite could launch soon

    Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Lite could launch soon

    The Pocophone F1 is one of the most competitively-priced smartphones out there. It offers Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage for just €329/$389. But not everyone can afford to spend that on a smartphone, and it now seems as though a solution might be on the way. From the look of two Geekbench listings, Xiaomi sub-brand Pocophone is developing a slightly less powerful device that will be offered to consumers at a much lower price. Rather than including the high-end Snapdragon 845, the device looks set to adopt Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 660.

    This chip has already been succeeded by the newer Snapdragon 670 and 675 but should still provide decent levels of performance. In fact, Xiaomi recently used it inside the Redmi Note 7 and the Android One-powered Xiaomi Mi A2.

    The smartphone, which is codenamed ‘Uranus,’ also includes a respectable 4GB of RAM and Android 9 Pie straight out of the box. As for external features, the notched display and 3.5mm headphone jack will probably both be retained. Xiaomi may also keep the second rear camera, although a downgrade to the sensor is likely.

    At the moment, it’s unclear when this smartphone will hit shelves across the globe. But pricing wise, Xiaomi could easily price this device below $200. After all, the Redmi Note 7 mentioned above costs just €179 ($202) in Asia.

  • iPhone 11 running iOS 13 with Dark Mode pictured

    iPhone 11 running iOS 13 with Dark Mode pictured

    After many years, the reign of LCD technology in the mobile world seems to be coming to an end. With the price of OLED displays steadily decreasing over the past couple of years, more and more companies are willing to implement the technology even in mid-range offerings. This hardware trend is also affecting the development of apps, games, and even the two major mobile operating systems. Thanks to the ability of OLED panels to completely turn off black pixels, more developers are realising the potential Dark Mode has when combined with the new technology. Not that there hasn’t been apps and themes in the past that have made everything on our smartphones darker, but now that OLED technology is becoming increasingly commonplace, companies are really getting into designing interfaces that are better suited for night-time use. Pretty much all major companies, including Google, Samsung, and Apple, are going to offer built-in Dark or Night modes on their devices starting this year.

    Android Pie and Samsung’s One UI have already flipped the switch, while Apple is widely rumored to be working on such a mode for iOS 13. With this in mind, and having seen the new Dark Modes on Android Pie and One UI, we thought we’d let the creative juices flow and imagine what it could look like in iOS 13, on the iPhone XI (or iPhone 11, because maybe Roman numerals were an anniversary-only thing for Apple).

    iOS 13 will have a dedicated Dark Mode

    We’ve subtly redesigned the iconography of iOS to fit in with Dark Mode. We’re sure we’ve broken some Apple design guidelines in the process.
    Looking at the standard iOS icon set, we felt like it wasn’t perfectly suited for Dark Mode. After all, it was tailored with iOS’s colorful aesthetic in mind. That’s why we decided to subtly redesign the icons to feature dark backgrounds while maintaining their color identity. For example, the Mail and Facetime icons, which otherwise feature white pictograms against a colorful background, have been imbued with color and placed against a dark background. This helps retain their color identity and makes them easier to find on the screen, all the while playing into the aesthetic of Dark Mode. Of course, we wouldn’t hold our breath for Apple to actually redesign the iconography of iOS in this way, but we think it looks good nonetheless.

    Given how often people reach for their phones before bed, right after waking up, and countless times in between, not getting your retinas obliterated by glaring white light at all times may be the way to go. Taking into account recent rumors that Apple may shift to OLED for all of its future iPhones, including “budget” offerings, building a night mode directly into iOS 13 makes a lot of sense. Users seem to agree with this sentiment, as one of our recent polls suggests. The vast majority of voters (over 91%) said that they were excited about Apple’s upcoming, system-wide Dark Mode in iOS 13, while only a tiny fraction said they didn’t care much about it.

    Apple last year introduced Dark Mode in macOS Mojave and is almost definitely going to mimic the idea in the next iteration of iOS. Speaking of that, iOS 13 is the next major update of Apple’s mobile operating system and it may debut alongside the iPhone XI in September, though there’s a chance that we may see it even earlier in beta form. The previous iteration, iOS 12, was released to the public on September 12 last year, though numerous beta versions were made available to developers and enthusiasts alike starting as early as June.
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  • Sony MDR-HW300K wireless headphones are 35% off

    Sony MDR-HW300K wireless headphones are 35% off

    Are you looking to buy a nice new pair of wireless headphones? If so, you might want to check out this deal. There’s a 35% discount for Sony’s MDR-HW300K Bluetooth headphones. This model typically retails for $100 at Amazon, but right now, you can grab a brand new pair for $65 at Woot.

    The MDR-HW300K has a driver size of 40mm. The system transmits an uncompressed 2.4 GHz signal to reduce unwanted interference while the real-time automatic channel tuning prevents signal degradation. These features allow the system to deliver high-quality sound without outside interference. Aside from sounding great, the set is also extremely comfortable and stylish thanks to the light-weight, adjustable padded headband and swivel style ear-cup design. The cans are advertised as lasting up to 10 hours between charges.

    If this deal interests you, feel free to follow the above link to Woot. Shipping is free, and a 1-year warranty is included.

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  • Google has yet to fix a serious issue with the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

    Google has yet to fix a serious issue with the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

    Back in December, we told you that several Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL users were having an issue getting the person on the other end of a phone call to hear them properly. The Pixel series has been notorious for having a number of problems out of the box that are fixed by a subsequent software update. You might recall that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL had so many issues out of the gate that a law firm was recruiting users of the 2017 models to join a class action suit against Google, LG and HTC.

    According to Android Authority, it appears that Google never got around to fixing the problem with phone call connectivity with the 20218 Pixels. On the Google Product Forums are the posts that we discussed in our original story. But newer comments have been posted as recently as last month. It seems that when a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL user is on a regular phone call, the person on the other end of the line is hearing an echo, choppy audio that cuts off words, silence, and more.

    Some troubleshooting tips (factory reset, going into safe mode, switching to 3G from 4G) failed to resolve the issue for everyone, which puts the ball back squarely in Google’s court. Hopefully there will soon be a software update disseminated that will allow those engaged in a phone call with an affected unit to hear the Pixel owner’s voice crystal clear.

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  • The Galaxy S10 series set new pre-order records

    The Galaxy S10 series set new pre-order records

    The Samsung Galaxy S10 series apparently experienced a pretty sluggish start in South Korea. Globally, though, demand for the devices has proven to be quite high. So high, in fact, that the Galaxy S10 series has set new pre-order records for the US and the UK.

    In both markets, the Galaxy S10+ proved to be the most popular model of all with a sales share of 57%. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e, on the other hand, accounted for the remaining 43%. However, it’s unclear which of these two proved to be the most popular.

    As for colors, UK consumers largely favored the new Prism Black option – it accounted for a whopping 47% of pre-orders. The color preference of US consumers wasn’t specified but lack of stock suggests that Prism White was the general favorite.

    Unfortunately, no specific pre-order numbers were provided. But the records do suggest the Galaxy S10 series could be just what Samsung needs to maintain its number one position throughout the rest of the year. The news also bodes well for the recently-revised shipment estimates by Ming-Chi Kuo. For those of you that may be unaware, the popular analyst recently increased his Galaxy S10 sales predictions to between 40 and 45 million units as a result of popular demand.

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  • The Motorola Moto G7 Power & G7 Play finally have release dates

    The Motorola Moto G7 Power & G7 Play finally have release dates

    The Motorola Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power will soon be available on US store shelves, the Chicago-based brand has announced. Once released, they will join the $299 Moto G7 which launched earlier this month.The Moto G7 Power, on the one hand, will be available to pre-order later this week on March 15. Shipments of the device will then kick off just seven days later on March 22. The Moto G7 Play, on the other hand, won’t be released until April 5. However, if you wish to get your hands on it that day, the budget offering will be available to pre-order one week earlier on March 29.

    As previously revealed, the Moto G7 power will cost just $249 when released later this month. At that price, consumers gain access to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 632, a large 6.2-inch display, and a huge 5,000mAh battery which produces the best battery life we’ve ever tested. If the Moto G7 Power is a bit too pricey for you, the Moto G7 Play will be available for just $199. This offering maintains the same processor but shrinks the display to 5.7-inches. The battery is also quite a bit smaller at 3,000mAh. The Moto G7 Power & Moto G7 Play will both be available to pre-order and purchase through Motorola.com and Amazon. Select US retailers including Best Buy and B&H Photo will also offer the devices once released. Both models should be compatible with all US carriers.

  • Huawei Mate 20 sales achievement proves the company doesn’t need the US

    Huawei Mate 20 sales achievement proves the company doesn’t need the US

    With a little over two weeks left until Huawei will finally take the wraps off the P30 flagship series, the company is mainly busy building hype around a quad camera setup that might take mobile zoom photography to a whole new level of excellence. But at the same time, the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor continues to boast impressive achievements on its way to the global market’s first place. Despite not being officially available in the US, which remains one of the world’s biggest and most profitable smartphone markets, the Huawei Mate 20 “Series” has managed to rack up a grand total of 10 million shipments in just four and a half months. That’s obviously not the first time one of the company’s flagship families has reached 10 million unit sales, but the P20 and Mate 10 got to that number pretty much simultaneously back in August 2018.

    While the P20/P20 Pro duo needed roughly five months on store shelves to cross the milestone, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro were nowhere near as popular, taking twice as long to score a combined 10 million shipments. And yes, we’re talking about the same Huawei Mate 10 Pro that you could buy unlocked from a number of authorized US retailers with a valid warranty included.<where more or less reliable vendors can hook you up with "international" stock at decent prices, but with no warranty. What this all suggests is that Huawei really doesn't need the US to succeed. The Chinese tech giant is huge in Asia, growing at a crazy pace in Europe, and even decently popular in Canada, where the Mate 20 Pro is sold through major carriers like Rogers, Bell, and Telus. If the company continues its progress in both the high-end and mid-range categories, there's definitely a good chance the smartphone market will have a new leader soon.

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  • Samsung patent reveals its next foldable smartphone

    Samsung patent reveals its next foldable smartphone

    Two major smartphone vendors, Samsung and Huawei, revealed their first foldable phones – Samsung Galaxy Foldand Huawei Mate X. Although both are based on the same foldable concept, they’re using different technology, which led to some rivalries between the companies and their fans, of course.

    Specs aside, the major difference between these two smartphones is the way their displays fold. First off, we have the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which features a big display that folds to the inside of the device. Secondly, there’s the Huawei Mate X which folds outward, with the part of the display that becomes the back side of the folded phone turning off.

    Many say that Huawei’s solution is much better in terms of design, even though the Chinese company’s foldable smartphone is prone to scratches due to the design. Samsung and Huawei have been arguing about who’s got the best overall foldable smartphone design, but that might not last too long.

    Samsung is reportedly readying two other foldable smartphones, one of which will feature the same foldable design as the Mate X. One of Samsung’s patents spotted by LetsGoDigital reveals what the upcoming Samsung foldable smartphone might look like.

    It’s definitely a step up from the current model, the Galaxy Fold since it comes with a flexible segment in the middle that makes it possible to close it seamlessly when completely unfolded. The images also reveal some sort of slide that works like a lock to make sure that the phone remains flat when opened.

    This removes the need of having to implement a more sturdy hinge to keep the phone completely flat when you open it. If Samsung does plan to launch such a device, it will be the company’s first foldable smartphone to feature an outward-facing display, in the same vein as Huawei’s Mate X.

    picture by: letsgodigital.org