Page 762 – GadgetByte Nepal

LG G7 to launch in the second quarter of 2018 with optional notch and Android P

Featured
LG

GadgetByte

-

March 16, 2018

LG G7 to launch in the second quarter of 2018 with optional notch and Android P

LG, the South Korean electronics giant, has created a name of its own on the global electronics market. Their products are used worldwide. They manufacture quite a variety of electronics one of which are smartphones.

A lot of rumors have been doing rounds from time to time about the new flagship from LG.

If rumors are to be believed, LG is all set to come up with a new smartphone to be released under its ‘G’ series.

The new phone will be a follow-up to the LG G6 which was launched last year. Despite the excellence in performance G6 was overshadowed because of the competition. So, LG is concerned on making it strategically good for the market this year around.

Supposedly, the device will have an OLED display which apparently is brighter than standard IPS LCD screens.

The display will be of 19.5:9 aspect ratio with the screen standing 6-inch tall. The length of the phone might not sound practical enough but the narrower width and minimal bezels will make holding the phone convenient.

A lot has been said as to what the outlook of the G7 will be like. It is said to sport an ‘optional’ notch display. Yes, an optional notch. This time it is the best of both worlds. The notch will be inculcated as its software feature. The user can keep it or just change the settings. That is what we call versatility.

The LG G7 will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, which seems to be a common feature in the smartphones of 2018. LG is said to be working with QUALCOMM for the chipset.

The latest version of Android, the Android P is expected in the handset. One of its features is that it allows moving the icons. This means more screen space as per the user’s convenience.

In the camera department, the LG G7 will have dual rear cameras 16-megapixels each. However, there are still no leaks regarding the front-facing camera of the G7.

We will be able to know how much of it is true only once the phone is out in the market. If the rumors are true, the phone seems pretty promising with the OLED display and the Snapdragon 845 SoC. Let’s wait and see if the LG G7 is what we are expecting it to be. The rumors already have our hopes high!

The smartphone might cost around $729 and above.

LG G7 Specifications (rumored):

Display: 6-inch OLED display, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Camera: Dual rear cameras (16 MP each), HDR10 imaging
Protection: IP68 protection (water, dust, and impact resistant)
Sound: Stereo speakers (boombox)
Charging: Wireless Charging Enabled ($129 approx).

Dell XPS 13 9365 2-in-1 Laptops Launched in Nepal

Yural Maskey

-

March 15, 2018

0

Dell XPS 13 9365 2-in-1 Laptops Launched in Nepal

Neoteric Nepal Pvt. Ltd., the authorized distributor of Dell laptops in Nepal, has officially launched the Dell XPS 13 9365 2-in-1 series in Nepal. It’s the company’s first 2-in-1 ultrabook in the XPS series. You can purchase the XPS 13 9365 in Nepal from Neoteric official retail outlets. And since they are the authorized distributor, the price is definitely higher as compared to the unauthorized grey seller.

Dell XPS 13 9365 Overview

The Dell XPS 13 is the company’s thin and light 13-inch ultrabook. It is one of the most premium Dell laptops you can buy in Nepal. Currently, there are two variants of the Dell XPS 13 9365 launched in Nepal. The cheaper variant costs Rs. 244,990 and features a 13.3-inch FHD touch display, a 7th gen Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe PCIe SSD. The expensive variant costs Rs. 290,900 and has a 13.3-inch Quad HD+ touch display, a 7th gen Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD.

Dell XPS 13 9635 Specifications:

Display: 13.3-inch Quad HD+ (3200×1800) or FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge touch
Display Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection
OS: Windows 10 Home
CPU: 7th Generation i7-7Y75 processor or i5-7Y54
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 615
RAM: 8GB LPDDR3 (Dual-Channel)
SSD: 256GB/512GB NVMe PCIe
Connectivity: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC, Bluetooth 4.2
Ports: Thunderbolt 3, USB-C 3.1, MicroSD Card Reader, Headset jack
Battery: 46WHr
Dell XPS 13 9635 Price in Nepal: Starts from Rs. 244,990

Variant	Price in Nepal	Availability
Dell XPS 13 9635 i5, FullHD touch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD	Rs. 244,990	Out of Stock at Neoteric (authorized distributor)
Dell XPS 13 9635 i7, QHD touch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD	Rs. 290,900	Out of Stock at Neoteric (authorized distributor)

Neoteric has priced these two new laptops exorbitantly compared to international pricing. It’s twice as expensive than the US pricing, and you will get a better offer from unauthorized resellers.

Also Read: Dell Laptops Price In Nepal

Deals: Grab Xiaomi Mi A1 (32GB) for Rs.3,000 Off

Deals
Xiaomi

Yural Maskey

-

March 14, 2018

0

Deals: Grab Xiaomi Mi A1 (32GB) for Rs.3,000 Off

With the launch of Xiaomi latest midrange Redmi Note 5 Pro imminent in Nepal, clearing the remaining stock of Mi A1 has been the topmost priority for Vatsal Impex who is the sole authorized distributor of Mi Products in Nepal. To do so, they have just slashed the price of Mi A1 (32GB) variant. The Mi A1 (32GB) is now available for just Rs. 23,999 (previously priced at Rs. 26,999).

Well, that’s a good news for someone looking for an excellent phone on a budget. The Mi A1 still is one of the best budget phones as it comes with all the latest hardware and is by no means an outdated phone. The Mi A1 being an Android One device gets the latest stock Oreo 8.0 OS out of the box and will also get the recently announced Android 9.0.

The Mi A1, however, has a 5.5-inch 16:9 FHD display, when the latest trend is a bigger display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Yes, that’s by no means a deal breaker, but even Xiaomi’s own Redmi 5 Plus has got one and costs Rs. 22,499.

In terms of performance, the Mi A1 excels the competition by a huge margin. The Snapdragon 625 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM and stock UI ensures smooth performance and edges midrangers like Oppo F5 Youth, J7 Max, and Huawei Nova 2i.

The camera performance is, however, a mixed bag. The dual 12MP rear camera takes excellent portraits and daylight images but fails to effectuate during low light conditions. The 5MP front camera is also subpar for the price.

The 3080mAh battery is good enough to provide you a backup for a day. Overall, with the recent price drop, the Mi A1 is a perfect deal if you are on a tight budget.

Xiaomi MI A1 key specs

5.5 inches FHD IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection @401 PPI
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset
Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
Adreno 506 GPU
Stock Android Nougat (v7.1.1); planned upgrade for Oreo (v8.0)
Dual-SIM
4 GB RAM
32 GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB (uses SIM 2 slot)
Rear camera: Dual-12MP (26mm, f/2.2 + 50mm, f/2.6), PDAF, 2x zoom, Dual-LED flash
Front camera: 5MP with f/2.0
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, A-GPS, USB OTG, IR Port
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity, gyroscope, compass
Non-removable 3080 battery
Price: ~~Rs. 26,999~~ Rs. 23,999

Facebook and Warner Music Group ink licensing deal

GadgetByte

-

March 13, 2018

0

Facebook and Warner Music Group ink licensing deal

Facebook and Warner Music Group have teamed up for what they call “add music to your moments and memories”. Facebook, on the 9th of March, announced a ‘holistic partnership with licensing agreement’ with WMG.

How does this partnership change the way we use Facebook?

Well, it is going to be a bit different than before but in a better way. Warner Music Group currently represents music stars like Madonna and Ed Sheeran and bands like Metallica and Linkin Park. Facebook is a guardian company to other social media apps like Instagram and Whatsapp and there is no doubt that the deal is something that will change our experiences.

Now that the agreement is made, users can use WMG’s music which includes audios from the artists and bands affiliated with the company. The videos that consist of Warner’s licensed music will not be taken down by Facebook.

The agreement not only includes Facebook but also Instagram and Oculus. We have heard well enough of Instagram but what’s Oculus?

Oculus is the Virtual Reality based sister company on Facebook. This means the virtual reality experience will also get some musical merit.

Social media has emerged out as the most prominent one among the forms of media. no other form of media is able to provide the exposure social media is able to provide. The number of daily users is also vast. There is also a chance for the new artists to shine and take one step forward to fame.

Ole Oberman, the chief digital manager for Warner’s said, “Our partnership with Facebook will help expand the universe of music streaming and create supplementary revenue for artists. Fan-created video is one of the most personal, social and often viral ways that music is enjoyed, but its commercial potential is largely untapped. This collaboration will lead to new possibilities for our artists while enhancing the user experience across Facebook, Instagram and Oculus, and enabling people to communicate and express themselves using the music they love.”

This agreement will pay royalties as per the popularity of the musician’s creations. Fair enough right? Facebook and the musicians both will be deriving profits from the agreement. Us users also benefit from the agreement, of course.

As per the information going around, Facebook is shifting its focus from news to entertainment in order to avoid controversies and to engage more users.

This is not the first time that Facebook has made such an agreement but this definitely seems like a win-win situation for all the parties involved.

OPPO F7 with 25MP selfie camera and near bezel-less display launching soon

GadgetByte

-

March 13, 2018

0

OPPO F7 with 25MP selfie camera and near bezel-less display launching soon

We will not be surprised if the tech community declares 2018 a ‘notch’ year. After all, it is what comes to our notice these days when a manufacturer releases a new smartphone. But, it seems like that’s all we will get this year, be it a flagship or a budget device.

Now, OPPO also looks geared up to join the ‘notch’ league and continues the legacy. First, it was the leak of the R15 and now the teaser for OPPO F7 selfie camera hints to it.

Oppo India confirmed the F7 by tweeting, “Make way for the all-new #OPPOF7 now with an awesome notch screen. Can you guess who the Indian cricketer is behind the phone?” The notch might have dragged a few people away, but it is here to stay.

Oppo India has also started sending media invites for the launch of Oppo F7 which is scheduled for March 26. The company has stated that the phone will offer the best selfie AI camera. The event will also be launched by 3 crickets rumored to be Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

The Oppo F7 is already being touted as a “selfie expert” with rumors stating it will house a whopping 25-megapixel selfie camera. For all the selfie lovers right there, this is definitely an exciting news. The enhanced beauty mode has always been an integral part of any OPPO smartphone, and the F7 will be no different. Likewise, real-time HDR and AR stickers are some other features the camera could be consisting of.

Also Read: OPPO Mobiles Price in Nepal

There is no concrete news regarding the rear camera setup of the device, but we can expect a dual rear camera and a fingerprint sensor right underneath as it is with most of the smartphones this year.

Other than that, we can also expect a 6.2-inch Full HD+ display and a 19:9 aspect ratio screen with a notch. If we are to go by R15 as a reference, the OPPO F7 will be powered by either Snapdragon 670 chipset or a MediaTek Helio P60.

Let us wait till OPPO teases us with some other information of the OPPO F7 ‘selfie-expert’. The 25 MP selfie camera does excite us but the notch? But OPPO is indeed stating it as an ‘awesome notch screen’.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus launched in Nepal

GadgetByte

-

March 12, 2018

0

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus launched in Nepal

After only a short time of its international launch at MWC 2018, Samsung has introduced the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ at an event here in Nepal. The introduction follows the devices’ India release, which happened only a few days ago.

[Samsung Galaxy S9+ Latest Price: Rs. 87,900 (64GB) | Rs. 92,900 (128GB)] [Last updated on July 24, 2019]

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are the flagship devices of the Korean giant for the first half of 2018. The smartphones share its similarities with their predecessors – the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus but differ in various departments.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Specifications

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are more smooth and sleek as ever with a glass back and a top-notch display sandwiching an aluminum frame. One of the main changes on the devices is the fingerprint scanner which is now placed right below the camera setup.

And the major change is the camera itself as the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has become the first member of the S-series to house dual cameras at the back. On top of that, one of the lenses has an adjustable aperture (f/1.5 or f/2.4), which is why Samsung is cashing so much on the cameras of the device.

While the Galaxy S8 and S8+ didn’t really have much of a difference, the S9 and S9+ differ in a couple of areas, one of them is the camera department and the other in terms of the battery as the S9 comes with a 3,000 mAh battery and the S9+ has a 3,500 mAh battery.

Likewise, there have also been a few changes in the display front as the bezels have shrunken, providing a much better “Infinity experience” to the users. The Galaxy S9 is 5.8-inch tall whereas the plus variant has a 6.2-inch display. Both the displays are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and have a Super AMOLED panel.

The new flagships from Samsung pack the company’s very own new-and-improved Exynos 9810 chipset which is supported by 4 GB of RAM in the normal variant and 6 GB of RAM in the plus variant.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ include the new Intelligent Scan feature which has combined the Iris Scanner and facial recognition to provide a better security option. There are also other features like AR Emoji – Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Animoji, Stereo Speakers that are tuned with AKG, and an improved Bixby Assistant 2.0.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Price in Nepal and Availability

[Samsung Galaxy S9+ Latest Price: Rs. 87,900 (64GB) | Rs. 92,900 (128GB)] [Last updated on July 24, 2019]

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are priced competitively compared to the international market. The MRP of the devices has been set at Rs. 92,900 and Rs. 104,900, respectively. However, Samsung Nepal is providing an instant cashback offer of Rs. 5,000 on both the devices, which simply means that the smartphones will be available for Rs. 87,900 and Rs. 99,900.

For pre-bookers, there is even a better deal. You get Rs. 5000 discount coupon (to be used on any Samsung devices or accessories purchase) or you can get a Wireless Charger for free.

On each purchase of the devices, buyers will also receive the following benefits:

Breakage insurance for a year from Sikhar Insurance.
12000 MB free data with 1000 MB data for 12 weeks of activating the Ncell SIM card available when buying the smartphone.

According to Samsung Nepal, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+are now available for pre-booking via s9prebooking.com and the smartphones can be bought from the offline channel starting March 23, 2018. One lucky winner among the pre-bookers will get a chance to win a free trip to a country of their choice as long as it is in Turkish Airlines’ domain. Two pre-bookers will win two nights free stay at either Himalayan Front Resort or Water Front Resort while two will receive the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro for free.

Also Read: Samsung Mobiles Price in Nepal

[socialpoll id=”2492023″]

Vivo V9 leaked in images: A familiar design language on the board

GadgetByte

-

March 11, 2018

0

Vivo V9 leaked in images: A familiar design language on the board

Vivo V9 is creating a buzz in the smartphone market these days. The Chinese smartphone brand had scheduled to launch its upcoming handset in India on 27^th March. However, ahead of the launch, the anticipated device leaked in images revealing the design language used and some of the features packed inside.

The upcoming Vivo V9 is the successor of the Vivo V7, which was launched last year. And as suggested by the leaked images, the newbie will be following the design of its predecessor. Looking at the images, it can be seen that the smartphone looks seamless with a near bezel-less display. Alike its predecessor, the Vivo V9 will get along with the 18:9 aspect ratio. However, one major change in the V9’s design would be the notch on the top. These days, smartphone makers seem to be quite obsessed with the notch on the top like the iPhone X. And Vivo V9 chose to follow the bandwagon.

Furthermore, the rear camera on the device gives the glimpse of the iPhone X. The vertically aligned dual cameras at the back have a close resemblance. But despite being so impressed with the iPhone X design, the handset has not quite obliterated the 3.5mm headphone jack. There is still a port for the 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom, which lies meticulously on the left of the Micro-USB charging port. For the audio output, the device has placed the mono speaker grill, which also lies on the bottom.

Another leaked image shows that the device has a slot for the two SIM cards. There is also an SDcard slot for the memory expansion but it takes the SIM2 slot. Talking about the OS, Vivo V9 will have Android Oreo on its system with an extra flavor from the company’s home-baked FunTouch OS on the top. And keeping the track of the rumors, there are speculations that the smartphone will come with the Snapdragon 660 chipset paired with 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

Vivo being the selfie-centric smartphone, it often comes with the catchy taglines like the Moonlight selfies, Clearer selfies, etc. This time too, with 24MP selfie camera, Vivo V9’s intentions can be predicted. If the rumors and leaked images come true, it might pose a threat to the other selfie-centric smartphones like the Oppo F5.

The use and the placement of the fingerprint sensor in the V9 had also excited its fan base. With the presentation of the Vivo X20 Plus UD with the in-display fingerprint sensor and the impressive Vivo Apex with pure bezel-less display and under display fingerprint in the CES 2018 and MWC 2018 respectively, most of the tech enthusiasts had a similar expectation. But contrary to that expectations, the smartphone maker placed the fingerprint sensor on the back.

Update: Vivo has listed the company’s upcoming smartphone on its Indian website which contradicts some of the rumors that were flying around on the internet.

According to the listing on Vivo’s website, the Vivo V9 will sport a 6.3-inch AMOLED display that might will have a 19:9 aspect ratio. This device will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 chipset, which is surprising, as most rumors had hinted towards Snapdragon 660 chipset. In terms of storage, the device will have 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory which can expand up to 256 GB via a dedicated microSD card slot.

The Vivo V9 will feature a vertical camera setup with dual camera lenses (16-megapixel and 5-megapixel). It will run on Android v8.1 Oreo out of the box which the listing confirms. This OS will be the basis for Vivo’s own Funtouch OS 4.0.

Vivo V9 Specifications

Near bezel-less display, 19:9 aspect ratio, notch on the top
Dual camera at the back
24MP selfie camera
16 MP + 5 MP dual rear cameras
Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 chipset
4GB of RAM
Fingerprint sensor on the back
Dual SIM cards; SD card uses SIM2 slot
Android Oreo with FunTouch OS on the top
5mm headphone jack and Micro USB 2.0 port on the bottom
Expected Price: $385 (Rs. 25,000 in India)
Launch date: 27^th March 2018 (In India)

Also Read: Vivo Mobiles Price in Nepal

Oppo and Vivo try to increase revenue by cutting off retail expansion

Pratima Adhikari

-

March 10, 2018

0

Oppo and Vivo try to increase revenue by cutting off retail expansion

On today’s date, the world market is flooded by Chinese smartphones. Countless brands like Huawei, Gionee, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, etc have established their presence around the globe. Among the others, India has been one of the latest evidence of the Chinese smartphone brand’s upsurge.

Chinese smartphone companies like Oppo and Vivo have strong offline strategies to market and sell their products in India. They aggressively spent marketing through offline channels, mainly retailers to reach and communicate their product offerings to people.

However, these companies have decided to adopt a different strategy from now on. Following what Xiaomi did, Oppo and Vivo have also decided to cut their offline marketing practices to a certain extent and move on to online selling. These companies are now trying to generate revenue rather than reaching more and more places within India.

Both companies are taking hard measures to increase their revenue and in doing so, they have cut margins for the retailers by around 40%, which has cost them a loss of 10,000 sales outlets each. According to reports, both companies had around 70,000 outlets throughout India and slashing the retailers’ margins have led to a steep fall in the number of stores selling their products.

The strategy, according to officials of both the companies is that they want to focus on selling their offerings through fewer effective outlets where they can enjoy good presence and visibility. At the same time, these companies are opting for online sales in Vivo launching its own online store in India, making a way for e-commerce for itself.

“Regarding Vivo’s trade channel strategy, we have redeployed our distribution strategy with a focus on providing varies choices and experience for customers,” said a spokesperson form Vivo regarding the matter.

This looks like a similar move inspired by Xiaomi that has managed to take over the raining Samsung market in India.

Hard actions as such have led Oppo to move out from the top 5 rankings. The market share of the company in India is 4% currently which one year ago was 9%. Similarly, the market share of Vivo has decreased to 7%.

Well, the move may be a hit or a fall for the companies. But if we take the reference of a similar strategy by Xiaomi, it went quite well. We will have to wait to see what happens next!

Oneplus 6: All the rumors in one place

GadgetByte

-

March 9, 2018

0

OnePlus has always been one of the smartphone manufacturers that comes up with a top-notch functioning smartphone. It is not the first time that a Chinese company has surprised us with their smartphones. Right from Oneplus one the company has kept the customers on the hook.

Its recent release OnePlus 5T, which was released at the end of November last year is still holding strong to the market. the OnePlus smartphones have always given us a reason to keep our hopes high on the smooth functioning of the phone. Near-stock Android has always been a magnetic force for the ones who desire smooth functioning.

As per the rumors, we are not very far from yet another release from OnePlus. The smartphone is codenamed ‘A6000’. The A6000 might be officially named OnePlus 6 looking at its trend of naming the smartphones.

This flagship from the Chinese manufacturer OnePlus is rumored to be priced around £500. As to how the new OnePlus 6 might look, we can take a hint from the Oppo R15 as it is the guardian company for OnePlus. The phone will be having a dual rear camera. Horizontal or vertical? Not yet decided as different rumors have it different.

Well, ready for some tragic nostalgia? The OnePlus 6 will probably sport a notch as the iPhone X and Essential PH-1 phone does. Hope, this rumor doesn’t turn into a reality. Apart from that, it is also said that the smartphone would possess near bezel-less display with 19:9 aspect ratio. That might make it one of the smartphones with the biggest screen for 2018.

The fingerprint sensor will be placed at the back as it has recently moved it from the front in its OnePlus 5T.

It is said to feature a Snapdragon 845 chipset. We can expect some fast functioning of the smartphone. Not just going by the version of the chipset but AnTuTu score of 276,510 speaks for itself.

On the screen part, it will probably shift from Full HD to a Quad-HD with its new release. At least that’s what we expect.

That’s all we have of the ‘OnePlus 6’ as of now. The smartphone will probably release in the second quarter of this year. Only then, we’ll be confirmed of the specs. Until then, rumors are the only source which, we know can’t be trusted as much. MOSTLY.

OnePlus 6 Specifications (rumored):

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Display: 5.7-6.0 inch Optic AMOLED panel with near bezel-less display and a notch on the top
Resolution: Quad-HD+ (3040 x 1440 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio
Camera: Vertical dual rear cameras at the back
RAM: 6/8GB
Internal storage: 64/128GB
Rear-mounted Fingerprint Sensor
Face Unlock feature
Glass back
Water resistant body
Wireless charging
Price: $600 (around)

Android P Developer Preview 1 is Out. Here’s what’s new!

GadgetByte

-

March 9, 2018

0

Android P Developer Preview 1 is Out. Here’s what’s new!

While we all have been waiting for the Android Oreo update on our smartphones, Google has released the first developer preview of Android P. We don’t know what P stands for but there’s plenty of time to dwell on that with the official launch scheduled on Q3 of 2018.

As this is the first Developer Preview, it is in Alpha stage and few more version updates will be published in the future.

Quick settings and Notification Bar

One of the big changes seen on Android P is the revamped quick settings menu. The icons are big and the blue colored indication of settings turned ON looks playful. The icons are clearly visible and better identifiable. Android seems to have done this to make the UI more user-friendly making it easier for the new users to cope up with Android. The quick setting tiles are now vertically scrollable instead of horizontal pagination. And applying dark wallpaper will convert the quick settings background to dark but it doesn’t affect the settings menu.

Also when you get a new text message, the notification bar will show the image of the sender. When pictures are sent in instant messaging, full picture preview is available on the notification bar if the app is optimized to do so. Not to forget smart replies are now built in. Every time you get a message notification, your notification bar will show options for pre-calculated replies. This feature was first featured in Google Allo messaging app.

Power Button

Long press on the power button will not only give power and restart options but there’s a new addition to the menu, the option for the screenshot. Along with the screenshot button, Android P has introduced the Markup editor which lets the user edit screenshots by letting them draw and add texts to it. If you want to try the new Markup Editor, here’s an apk you can install.

Download Android P Markup Editor

Volume Controls

android p volume control — Image: Droid Life

The big and most welcome change in the preview is the new volume controls. They are now on the right-hand side placed vertically so you can easily control it using a single hand. You can also choose between the volume of different media. There’s a separate icon below the volume control to put your phone to the ringer, vibrate or silent.

Notch Support

As we have seen in MWC 2018 a lot of Android smartphones have adopted the notch like the iPhone X. It’s not the kind of trend that we consumers want to see. But nonetheless, they have been hugely implemented and the new Android P build is ready for the awful notches. There are three options for coping the app with various cutouts namely:

Narrow Display Cutouts
Tall Display Cutout
Wide Display Cutout

Also, the quick settings color we mentioned earlier turns to green when the notch is activated. The clock now resides on the right-hand side because of the notch.

Settings Menu

The Setting Menu has got a facelift. Instead of the dull grey and white colors – now the settings menu is full of playful colors. It certainly provides more material design vibes to it. But once you go a step deeper into the menu the same black and white menu prevails.

Multi-Camera API

With the Multi-Camera API, third-party developers will be able to properly use the dual cameras that have been popularly popping up in Android devices. With this addition, apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and other messaging apps will be able to use the features like seamless zoom, bokeh, and stereo vision. Also, there are under the hood changes for optimization.

Better Neural Network Support

Neural Network API was introduced in Android 8.1 Oreo. With the increasing use of Machine Learning on apps and system itself, the new API will accelerate the Machine Learning and enhance Artificial Intelligence related tasks.

Power efficiency

Doze mode was first introduced with the launch of Marshmallow. It has helped greatly in improving the battery and with the new update has added more improvements on the doze mode. Android P has refined Doze mode, App standby, and background limits.

Indoor positioning with Wi-Fi RTT

Android P has added support for the IEEE 802.11mc WiFi protocol also known as WiFi Round-Trip-Time (RTT). With the new addition, it enables indoor navigation.

Google mentions: “With this accuracy, you can build new experiences like in-building navigation, fine-grained location-based services such as disambiguated voice control (for example, “Turn on this light”), and location-based information (such as “Are there special offers for this product?”).”

There are a lot more improvements under the hood than that meets the eyes. Mostly Developer Previews – as the name suggests- is targeted towards developers to ready their app for the next version of Android so there are no support issues with apps when the new version is launched.

Download Android P Launcher