Apple Pay Now Available in Brazil

Apple Pay has officially launched in Brazil today through an exclusive partnership with Brazilian bank Itaú Unibanco.

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple Pay would be launching in Brazil during the company’s first quarter earnings call, and today the “coming soon” label was removed from Apple’s website. A number of Brazilian users have been able to set up Apple Pay as of this morning, according to social media posts.

Apple Pay can be set up in the Wallet app and is accepted at a wide range of locations in Brazil, including Bullguer, Starbucks, Taco Bell, The Fifties, and Track&Field. The service is currently limited to Visa and Mastercard credit cards from Itaú Unibanco, but it will likely expand to additional banks soon.

Apple Pay works with the iPhone 6 or later and any Apple Watch. Apple Pay in apps and on the web is also available on iPads with Touch ID, including the low-cost iPad, iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 4, and iPad Pro models.

Since 2014, Apple Pay has expanded to more than a dozen countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, France, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Related Roundup: Apple PayTag: Brazil
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Apple Planning iPhones With Touchless Gesture Controls and Curved Screens to Launch Within Three Years

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has a new report out this morning, claiming that Apple is working on future iPhone models that will incorporate “touchless gesture control” as well as curved screens. The company is said to be looking at how it can differentiate its flagship product in a smartphone market that’s becoming increasingly saturated with devices.

According to people with knowledge of Apple’s plans, the touchless control feature is described as a hover-like gesture system that would let future iPhone owners navigate iOS “by moving their finger close to the screen without actually tapping it.” This technology would be advanced enough to take into account the proximity of a finger to the screen and is predicted to still be around two years away, if Apple chooses to move forward with it.

Gurman also compared Apple’s gesture design to Samsung’s Air Gestures in Android smartphones and Google’s Project Soli. In comparison, Apple’s future iPhone “would require gestures to be closer to the screen than with Project Soli,” and be based on technology built in the display rather than some kind of motion sensor added to the iPhone’s bezel, as it is with Air Gestures.

Secondly, Apple is in the works on an iPhone display that curves inward “gradually from top to bottom,” unlike Samsung’s smartphones that curve down and away at the edges of the screen. Gurman’s sources said that this major iPhone upgrade is around two to three years away. The company has been connected to curved display rumors in the past, and in October 2017 was said to be working with LG Display on an iPhone with a foldable display.

The new report also quickly corroborates many of the current rumors for the 2018 iPhone lineup:

While the Apple projects aren’t imminent, the company has near-term plans to expand OLED technology to more devices, according to other people familiar with the matter. It will release a second iPhone with that type of screen later this year; a larger model with a 6.5-inch screen, up from the 5.8-inch size in the current iPhone X. The company is also working on an update to the iPhone X’s size and a new, lower-cost LCD model.

Earlier in February, another one of Gurman’s reports focused on the launch of iOS 12 later this year, which is believed to feature Animoji in FaceTime, deeper Siri integration, and an overall focus on quality rather than the introduction of many new features.

Tag: bloomberg.com
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Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, and Nokia 6 2018 launch in India: Everything you need to know

HMD Global brings its latest phones to the subcontinent.

HMD Global revived the Nokia brand last year, and the first wave of devices — the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6, and the Nokia 8 — featured classic designs from Nokia phones of yesteryear, but with Android under the hood.

HMD announced earlier this year that it was committing to the Android One platform for all of its phones going forward, and in doing so it should be able to roll out updates even faster. If there’s one thing that made Nokia devices stand out in 2017 and the first quarter of 2018, it’s how fast they’ve received updates.

HMD promised that it would deliver timely updates to all phones in its portfolio, including the entry-level Nokia 3, and the manufacturer kept up its word.

Coming back to HMD’s strategy, the manufacturer rolled out three phones back at MWC — Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, and the Nokia 6 2018 — and the devices are now making their way to the Indian subcontinent. HMD says that India is one of the top three markets worldwide, and the Nokia brand still has a loyal userbase in the country.

With that out of the way, it’s time to take a look at the devices on offer. Here’s what you need to know about the Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus, and the Nokia 6 2018.

Nokia 8 Sirocco

The Nokia 8 Sirocco is HMD’s flagship for the first half of 2018, and unlike a majority of devices in this category, it retains a 16:9 form factor. Under the hood, you’ll find a Snapdragon 835, along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The phone has dual 12MP cameras at the back, with the secondary telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom. There’s a 5MP camera up front, and like Nokias of previous years the Nokia 8 Sirocco features Carl Zeiss optics. Oh, and the primary lens offer OIS, and the front and back glass panels are layered with Gorilla Glass 5.

Other specs include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C Gen 3.1, IP68 dust and water resistance, and a 3260mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 and Qi wireless charging.

The Nokia 8 Sirocco has a lot going for it, and with the phone slated to debut at ₹49,999 in India, it will go up against the likes of the Honor View 10, the upcoming OnePlus 6, and the Mi Mix 2S.

Nokia 7 Plus

The Nokia 7 Plus sees HMD switching to the 18:9 form factor, with the phone featuring a 6.0-inch panel with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 (FHD+). The display is backed by a layer of Gorilla Glass 3, and under the hood there’s a Snapdragon 660 along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

The Nokia 7 Plus comes with the same dual 12MP camera setup as the Nokia 8 Sirocco, but it’s missing OIS on the primary camera. Up front, there’s a 16MP camera.

Rounding out the specs, you get Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi ac, USB-C Gen 2.0, and a 3800mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0. Like other HMD phones, the Nokia 7 Plus is machined out of series 6000 aluminum, and there’s a ceramic coating at the back.

The Nokia 7 Plus is available in black and white, and the phone retails for ₹25,999.

Nokia 6 2018

I liked the design of last year’s Nokia 6, but the one thing that let the device down was the underwhelming Snapdragon 430 chipset. HMD is being more sensible this time around, with the Nokia 6 2018 powered by the Snapdragon 630.

The phone has a 5.5-inch 16:9 Full HD panel, 3GB/4GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB of storage, a 16MP primary camera, 8MP back camera, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, and a 3000mAh battery with fast charging. HMD says you’ll be able to top up to 50% in just 30 minutes.

The Nokia 6 2018 is positioned in the budget segment — with the phone going on sale for ₹16,999 — and there’s no shortage of competition. The best option right now is Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 5 Pro, and with Motorola set to offer the Moto G6 series sometime this quarter, there are plenty of decent options if you’re in the market for a budget phone.

The one thing in the Nokia 6’s favor is its durability. Just like Nokia phones of old, the Nokia 6 continues that tradition. The phone is machined out of series 6000 aluminum, and the 2018 variant features a two-tone anodized finish.

Android One and new HMD features

Software has been a key focus for HMD last year, and in 2018 the manufacturer is building on that with new features. All three phones are running Android One, and they come with face unlock, an AI-assisted camera features and a pro mode.

HMD is continuing to deliver fast updates, and by collaborating with Google and Android One, the phones will be able to receive platform and security updates at the same time as Google’s devices.

Pricing and availability

Pricing is what ultimately decides how a phone does in India, and HMD is cognizant of the same. Here’s how much the latest Nokia phones cost in the subcontinent:

• Nokia 8 Sirocco: ₹49,999
• Nokia 7 Plus: ₹25,999
• Nokia 6 2018: ₹16,999
• Nokia 1 (Android Go): ₹5,499

The Nokia 6 2018 will be available starting April 6 for ₹16,999, and the Nokia 7 Plus will be up for pre-order starting April 20. Sales kick off from April 30, and the phone will be sold on Amazon India as well as elect retail outlets.

As for the Nokia 8 Sirocco, the flagship will also go on sale at the same time as the Nokia 7 Plus, but it will be sold on Flipkart.

With its latest devices, HMD Global is doubling down in India. Nokia phones are already available at over 100,000 retail stores across the country, and HMD is building on that this year. Essentially, you’ll be able to pick up a Nokia phone wherever you are in the country.

What do you think of Nokia’s latest phones? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Adobe’s AI will automatically color-match shots in Premiere

At NAB 2018, Adobe has announced that the Sensei AI used in Photoshop and Lightroom have come to its Premiere Pro CC editing app. The first tool, Color Match, takes a lot of tedium out an edit. Even when filmmakers are careful, hues and tones can vary from shot to shot, so editors usually have to do a laborious color correction. All you have to do is tweak one shot just the way you want it, and Color Match will apply them to your other shots as editable color adjustments. That way, if it’s still not quite perfect, you can do a final tweak to get it right.

The new Face Detection tool does roughly the same process, but looks at skin tones in the target images when it goes to match. To further help with color correction, Adobe is also bringing a split view so you can see color graded shots side-by-side or by using a wipe slider. Finally, there’s a new “Video Limiter” that will help editors confirm their shows conform to broadcast standards.

Adobe didn’t forget about audio, which is another major editing pain point. Premier Pro CC has a new feature called “Audio Ducking” that uses the Sensei AI to automatically lower music levels during dialogue and voiceovers. As with Color Match, all the adjustments are keyframed so you can fine tune them afterwards.

On top of the AI stuff, Adobe has made it easier for Creative Cloud users to grab Motion Graphics templates for creating fancy text treatments. There’s also a new version of the Adobe Immersive Environment that makes it easier to edit in VR. Finally, After Effects has an enhanced “Puppet Engine” to help VFX folks make more organic-looking effects, and Character Animator CC has improved particle physics to create things like snow or exploding walls. You should be able to download the new apps now, or soon and try out the new features tout de suite.

Source: Adobe

Canon’s sensor can shoot slow-mo footage in the dark

It might seem like Sony is the only company making sensors these days, but Canon is trying to keep up. On top of the crazy 120-megapixel video it flaunted last week, Canon showed footage captured by its 2.2-megapixel, 35MMFHDXS CMOS full-frame sensor. It can capture 100 fps video in extremely low-light conditions, producing some pretty stunning footage, as you can see below. Such a device could be pretty handy for capturing, say, wildlife or waterfalls at night, instead of using an infrared sensor that produces unrealistic images.

The sensor is available in monochrome or color for commercial customers that want to try it out. Canon said that it used very large “19µm x 19µm (square) with proprietary device design technologies,” adding that “the sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry employ new technologies that reduce noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases.”

The senor is designed for special use cases, like security or surveillance, but it could be a useful artistic tool, as well. Mainly, it’s a way for Canon to show that it does have engineering chops, and unlike other camera makers, won’t necessarily rely on Sony for its sensors.

Source: Canon (YouTube)

$20,000 mail drone takes flight — and hits a wall

Want to know why mail drones aren’t ready for prime time? Russia can tell you. The Siberian town of Ulan-Ude was expecting to beam with pride as organizer Rudron/Expeditor 3M tested a postal drone in the area for the first time, but they left red-faced after the inaugural flight went spectacularly wrong. The hexacopter courier went haywire moments after takeoff, smacking into the side of a building at high speed — as you can see in the video below, it went from technological triumph to an embarrassing pile of scrap metal in a matter of seconds.

It was a costly crash, too, as the drone reportedly cost about $20,000.

It’s not certain what went wrong, although regional leader Alexei Tsydenov speculated to Reuters that the 100-plus WiFi signals in the area might have played a part. Mind you, we’d take that theory with a grain of salt. Mail drones have flown in denser urban areas than this, so it’s not as if WiFi is guaranteed to cause havoc.

This isn’t the bitter end — Tsydenov has vowed to “keep trying.” It’s not exactly a shining moment for Russian Post, however. The state mail carrier has tried to disassociate itself from the crash, but it had clearly lent its approval with its logo slapped all over the package and the launch pad. And when Russia Post has been hoping to field delivery drones for years, this is a serious snag in its plans — something tells us it won’t rush to roll out more drones in the immediate future.

Russia’s first postal drone takes its maiden flight – and crashes straight into a wall. More from @ReutersTV: https://t.co/4WEQdacXFY pic.twitter.com/StcBC1DKJ1

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) April 3, 2018

Source: Reuters

How to Cancel App Store and Apple Music Subscriptions

Several TV and music services and other apps offer free trials through the App Store that automatically renew to become paid subscriptions after the trial period ends.

If you want to prevent an App Store subscription from running beyond the trial period or cancel a subscription you’re currently paying for, then read on. This article explains how to cancel any App Store subscription on iOS, Mac, and Apple TV.

How to Cancel App Store Subscriptions on iOS

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap iTunes & App Store.
Tap your Apple ID at the top, shown in blue.

Tap View Apple ID in the pop-up.
Sign into the iTunes Store using your login credentials or Touch ID/Face ID if requested.
Tap Subscriptions.

Tap on the subscription in the list that you wish to cancel.
Tap Cancel Subscription at the bottom.

How to Cancel App Store Subscriptions on Mac

Launch the iTunes application.
Select the Store section using the tabs along the top of the iTunes window.
Click on Account, located under the store Quick Links.

Enter your Apple ID login credentials if requested.

In the Settings section, click Manage next to Subscriptions.

In the Active Subscriptions section, click Edit next to the subscription that you want to cancel.

Click the Cancel Subscription button.

How to Cancel Subscriptions on Apple TV

Open Settings on your Apple TV.

Select Accounts.

Select Manage Subscriptions.
Choose the subscription that you want to end.
Select Cancel Subscription.
Confirm that you want to cancel.

How to Re-subscribe to a Service You Canceled

Apple keeps a record of your subscription history, which makes it easy to re-subscribe to a service you previously canceled. (Note that after re-subscribing to a service, your subscription will automatically renew until you cancel it again.) The following steps relate to iOS.
Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap iTunes & App Store.
Tap your Apple ID at the top, shown in blue.
Tap View Apple ID in the pop-up.
Sign into the iTunes Store using your login credentials or Touch ID/Face ID if requested.
Tap Subscriptions.

Under the Expired section, tap on the service that you wish to re-subscribe to.
Tap the payment option that you want to use to purchase the subscription.
Enter your Apple ID password, or use Touch ID/Face ID when prompted.

How to Re-subscribe to a Service on Mac

Launch the iTunes application.
Select the Store section using the tabs along the top of the iTunes window.
Click on Account, located under the store Quick Links.

Enter your Apple ID login credentials if requested.

In the Settings section, click Manage next to Subscriptions.
In the Expired Subscriptions section, click Edit next to the service that you want to re-subscribe to.
Select your desired subscription option.
Enter your Apple ID password and select the payment option that you want to use.
Click Done.

Related Roundups: iOS 11, macOS High SierraTag: iTunes
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Blea Shark e-surfboards let you surf on flat water at 30 miles per hour

Have you ever dreamed of getting into surfing, but wanted to flatten out the learning curve a little bit before you set foot in the ocean? If so, you may be interested in a new pair of electric surfboards which recently surfaced on Kickstarter. Called Blea Shark, the relatively low-priced e-surfboards promise you up to 70 minutes of surfing, a top speed of 20-30 miles per hour, and a learning time of only around five minutes, even for folks who have never tried surfing before.

“I was a surf coach and many of my students are from inland areas,” Singapore-based creator Ryan Chen told Digital Trends. “They need to travel hundreds of miles away to just get to the beach. I was inspired by electric scooters and thought, ‘Why not build a motor to push the surfboard so that they can surf in any water area near their hometown, like rivers, lakes, or ponds?’” Blea Shark was the result.

The campaign involves two different surfboards under the Blea Shark banner. The reinforced polymer Shark Performance weighs 66 lbs, including its swappable battery, and boasts a top speed of 20 miles per hour. The Shark Sport, meanwhile, is constructed out of carbon fiber, weighs a slightly lighter 60 lbs, and can travel at up to 30 miles per hour. Speed for both models is controlled using a handheld throttle, and both come with a kill switch to stop the board shooting off without you in the event that you take an unintended plunge.

If you are interested in getting your hands (and, well, feet) on the boards, you can currently pledge on the firm’s Kickstarter page. As always, we suggest that any would-be funders make themselves aware of the risks associated with crowdfunding first. If you do wish to proceed, however, the Performance and Sport boards start at $2,900 and $3,900, respectively — although those prices are only available to the earliest buyers.

Should all go according to plan, shipping for the two boards is set to take place in July. For those keeping track at home, that’s just in time to show off your fancy e-assisted moves at the beach this summer!

Towing 9,000 pounds, this trailer-moving robot is like a Roomba on steroids

Maneuvering a large trailer into a confined space like a garage isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially if you don’t have a second person present to help you guide it. That is where an impressive new robot aims to help. A bit like a Roomba robot vacuum cleaner packing some serious muscle, the new Trailer Valet RVR is a wireless miniature tracked tank that is capable of pulling remarkably heavy loads. How heavy? Try up to 9,000 pounds, from a unit that weighs only 77 pounds. Simply hitch the RVR to your RV or trailer and you can then remote control it from up to 40 feet away, with high levels of accuracy and an impressively full range of motion.

“The RVR is a highly advanced wireless remote-controlled trailer mover,” Jamie Buck, technical support and customer service representative for Trailer Valet, told Digital Trends. “Rechargeable with a lithium battery, the RVR can rotate 360 degrees with an easy-to-use remote control that comes pre-paired to each unit. Its caterpillar treads allow the RVR to operate on more types of terrain than previous models, including grass, dirt, gravel, and asphalt.”

The trailer-moving bot comes in three different sizes, each designed to accommodate a specific trailer. Each RVR has between two and four planetary motors, capable of moving both single and dual axle trailers, and a lightweight aluminum body for corrosion resistance. “With an RVR, everyone who owns a trailer can easily maneuver [it] wherever they need, with the luxury of standing back and controlling from any angle they wish,” Buck continued. “Most of our customers use their Trailer Valet when fishing, camping, traveling, or when moving trailers all day at work.”

The 3,500-pound capacity RVR3 model will set you back $2,100, while you will pay $3,400 for the 5,000-pound capacity RVR5 and $4,100 for the 9,000-pound capacity RVR9 unit. According to Buck, both the RVR5 and RVR 9 models are currently stocked in Trailer Valet’s warehouse in Southern California, while the RVR3 is available for pre-order with a two- to three-month wait.

Until self-driving trailers become an everyday thing, this is just about the best high-tech solution you could hope for.

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Iterated to perfection

The Mi Mix 2S and Galaxy S9+ are iterative updates, but they offer key upgrades in several areas.

The Galaxy S9+ shares the same fundamental design as its predecessor, with Samsung instead focusing on improving the camera. Xiaomi is undertaking a similar strategy with the Mi Mix 2S, which has the same design as last year’s Mi Mix 2 but with an upgraded chipset and a new dual camera setup at the back.

When I compared the Galaxy S8+ to the Mi Mix 2 last year, I found that the camera on the S8+ was vastly superior to what Xiaomi was offering on its flagship. The Chinese manufacturer has committed to improving the camera quality on its phones this year, and we saw the same in the budget segment with the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

With the Mi Mix 2S, Xiaomi is touting a new AI mode that automatically picks the best shooting mode based on the lighting conditions. Let’s find out if the improvements make the Mi Mix 2S hold its own against the Galaxy S9+.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S vs. Samsung Galaxy S9+: Specs

Where they’re both equal

Both the Mi Mix 2S and the Galaxy S9+ have a lot in common — they have minimal bezels up front and reflective backs, they feature the latest hardware available today, and both offer wireless charging. The Mi Mix 2S is compatible with the Qi wireless standard, whereas the Galaxy S9+ works with both Qi and PMA.

Both phones have top-notch performance as well: you’re not going to encounter any slowdowns or lags on either device. The Galaxy S9+ comes with 6GB of RAM as standard, as does the Mi Mix 2, and both phones can be configured with up to 256GB of internal storage. The 256GB option on the Mi Mix 2S comes with 8GB of RAM, as well as global LTE bands — the standard variant has LTE connectivity limited to Asian markets.

The similarities continue on the software side of things as well — both phones come with Oreo out of the box. The Mi Mix 2S features MIUI 9.5, and Xiaomi has significantly improved the stability and fixed numerous bugs. Samsung Experience 9.0, meanwhile, is nearly identical to what we saw on the S8+ last year. I’m giving MIUI the edge on this front just for the sheer improvement in performance from the previous iteration.

The camera on the Mi Mix 2S is incredible.

Over the last two years, the differentiator between a $500 phone and one costing over $800 was the camera. If you wanted a camera that consistently took great photos in any lighting scenario, you had to shell out the big bucks.

However, it looks like all that’s changing this year, at least if the camera on the Mi Mix 2S is any indication.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S on the left, Galaxy S9+ on the right.

Xiaomi’s new AI-assisted feature is in use here, and it makes the Mi Mix 2S stand out. The photo taken by the S9+ has a yellowish tint throughout, but that isn’t the case on the Mi Mix 2S. The colors are accurate as well, and overall the Mi Mix 2S wins this one.

The Mi Mix 2S also edges out the S9+ in this photo. The S9+ image is washed out, and you don’t necessarily get accurate colors.

This is where the S9+ starts to take the lead. It was able to focus faster, leading to a crisper image. The colors are much more vibrant as well, and there’s more detail.

Low-light photography has been the main drawback on Xiaomi phones in the past, but the Mi Mix 2S vastly improves on that front.

This is a particularly tricky photo as there’s little light, but the Mi Mix 2S does a great job of preserving detail. If anything, it does better than the S9+.

Overall, it’s safe to say that the Mi Mix 2S has the best camera of any Xiaomi phone by some distance. It may just be the camera to beat in the $500 space.

What the Mi Mix 2S does better

The Mi Mix 2S has a ceramic back while the Galaxy S9+ comes with a glass back reinforced by Gorilla Glass 5, and when it comes to durability, the former takes the lead. The ceramic back gives the Mi Mix 2S added resistance to tumbles, and it doesn’t scratch as easily — after a month of use, the back of my Galaxy S9+ is littered with scratches.

The Mi Mix 2S also feels better to hold thanks to the subtle curves at the back and the smaller 5.99-inch form factor. The 6.2-inch 18.5:9 panel on the S9+ is a tad too large, and the narrow chassis combined with the tall display makes the phone unwieldy. It’s also easier to reach the fingerprint sensor on the Mi Mix 2S — it is located where your finger usually rests at the back, so you don’t have to contort your hand to access it.

The Mi Mix 2S runs rings around the Galaxy S9+ when it comes to battery life.

Then there’s the battery: the Mi Mix 2S comes with a 3400mAh battery, slightly lower than the 3500mAh battery on the Galaxy S9+. However, the FHD+ panel and MIUI’s battery-saving optimizations make the phone last significantly longer than the S9+. The difference is particularly noticeable when using cellular data throughout the day — the Galaxy S9+ barely managed to last over 14 hours, whereas the Mi Mix 2S delivered over 20 hours of battery life.

The Mi Mix 2S also has the upper hand when it comes to charging. The phone comes with Quick Charge 3.0 — allowing the phone to fully charge up in just over an hour and a half — whereas the Galaxy S9+ is still limited to Samsung’s Adaptive Fast Charging.

What the Galaxy S9+ does better

The display on the Galaxy S9+ is in a league of its own. Samsung dominates the OLED segment with its AMOLED panels, and the screen on the S9+ is about as good as it gets on a phone today. The colors are vibrant and saturated, viewing angles are excellent, and the panel is certified for HDR10, making it a delight to view content from Netflix or Prime Video.

Both the Mi Mix 2S and Galaxy S9+ have stereo speakers, although the setup on the Galaxy S9+ is better — you get more detail, and the soundstage is wider. Audio on the Mi Mix 2S gets garbled at high volumes, but that isn’t an issue on the Galaxy S9+. The built-in loudspeaker on the S9+ is one of the best around today, and a significant improvement from last year.

The display on the Galaxy S9+ is in a league of its own.

The Galaxy S9+ also wins out as it has a 3.5mm jack, a sore omission on the Mi Mix 2S. The AKG earbuds bundled with the S9+ are pretty great too, and while Xiaomi makes a decent set of USB-C earbuds, they’re not bundled in the box. All you get is a dongle to hook up your wired audio gear to the USB-C port.

Then there’s water resistance — the Mi Mix 2S is rated for the occasional splash of water, but it won’t survive a dunk in the pool. The Galaxy S9+, meanwhile, is certified IP68, making it more immune to the elements. And while it’s hard to quantify a feature like Samsung Pay, it is one of the best mobile payments services around.

Which should you buy? Galaxy S9+ (for now)

The Mi Mix 2S is the most refined Xiaomi phone I’ve used thus far — and that’s saying something as I used every single phone the company has launched over the last three years. Xiaomi nailed the hardware part of the equation from the beginning, and that was a large reason for the brand’s success. And while MIUI had a lot going for it, recent iterations have felt bloated, with basic features like push notifications being broken in early builds.

Thankfully, Xiaomi fixed a lot of these issues in MIUI 9.5 — the ROM finally feels like a cohesive effort and not something that’s been tacked down with new features following every update.

Xiaomi is closing the gap to Samsung.

For most of you reading this, the default option would be the Galaxy S9+. The Mi Mix 2S is limited to China for the time being, and while the phone is set to make its way to India and other Asian countries in the coming months, it won’t be available in most Western markets. Xiaomi now has a presence in Europe, and it’s likely the Mi Mix 2S would make its debut in Spain, but aside from that, you’ll have to go the reseller route to get your hands on the phone.

For around the $550 mark, there’s plenty to like in the Mi Mix 2S. The hardware is evocative (as always), and Xiaomi finally fixed long-standing issues in MIUI. Then there’s the camera — which is a significant upgrade over previous Xiaomi flagships. The phone is a legitimate contender for the best device in this category, but if you’re looking for an all-around option, the Galaxy S9+ is the better choice, particularly if you’re in the U.S.

See at Best Buy

Things are slightly different in India, however. The Galaxy S9+ costs ₹64,900 ($1,000) in the country, and the Exynos 9810 version isn’t as good as the Snapdragon 845 variant when it comes to battery life.

In fact, the battery life has degraded from the Galaxy S8 series, and seeing as how the Galaxy S8+ is available for ₹53,900 ($830), a better option would be to pick up last year’s flagship. Sure, the camera on the Galaxy S9+ is better — and you get two of them — but it isn’t worth the extra ₹11,000 premium the S9+ commands right now.

As for the Mi Mix 2S, if the phone launches at anywhere around the ₹36,999 ($560) mark as its predecessor, it has the potential to become one of the best smartphones in the country. I’ll update the post once the Mi Mix 2S makes its way to the subcontinent; but for now, the S8+ is still a great option.

See at Samsung India