Rumour suggests Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 is coming in 2016
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While some of the companies Google has worked with have been quite vocal about how good their working relationship is with Google (ahem, LG and ASUS), others we know practically nothing about. The relationship that Google has struck up with Huawei appears to be strictly business after producing the wonderful Nexus 6P smartphone this year, however if new rumours are to be believed, Google might be coming back to Huawei for another Nexus smartphone next year – specifically, a Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 processor.
The rumour originates from analyst Pan Jiutang, who was the first to suggest this year’s Huawei-manufactured Nexus 6P would have the Snapdragon 810 instead of the Snapdragon 820 – so we’re willing to at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Of course, it’s just a prediction at this point, but if it turns out to be true, it would really illustrate the power that Google has over Huawei – Huawei launched its own SoC this year, the Kirin 950, which has proven to be quite the powerhouse, so for Huawei to turn away from that would require some significant clout.
What do you think about a Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Rumour suggests Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 is coming in 2016 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Nexus 6P Special Gold Edition now on sale in Japan
The Japan-exclusive Gold Nexus 6P variant is now available.
After several months of waiting, the Gold colored “Nexus 6P Special Edition” is now available from the Google Store here in Japan, as well as SoftBank Mobile, the exclusive carrier of the Huawei handset. The phone was originally announced at the Nexus media event back in September, after having been rumored and leaked as a color option in the days and weeks prior to it.
Originally given a release date estimate of “late November”, the device has released 12 days after the start of December. It is unknown as to what caused the delay; it could have been a logistics issue, or it could have been quality control problems related to the limited production of a specific color variant.
Nexus 6P
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At the moment, it is unclear as to how long the Nexus 6P Special Edition will be produced. While all signs point to it being a standard model for the Japanese market – just with an alternative name to denote its exclusivity – there is the possibility that it will only be produced for a set period of time. Likewise, it is unknown as to if or when this color variant will be released in other countries; many have already expressed confusion as to why Japan is the sole recipient of the Gold shade, especially given the more significant appeal the color choice has outside of the country, in Asia.
The Nexus 6P Special Edition is available in a 64GB configuration only, and retails for the same 80,800 yen ($665) as the standard 64GB models. There is absolutely no difference whatsoever with respect to the device’s internals; the “special” element refers solely the color.
For those seeking to import
Given the nature of the global market, it is likely only a matter of days, if not hours, before sellers on channels such as eBay begin to offer the device. It would not be surprising to see individuals seeking to make a major mark-up, charging in excess of $1000, perhaps even $1500, or $2000 for the product.
For those who may seek to purchase it, please be aware that SoftBank Mobile does not unlock devices, and thus unless a special exception has been made for this product, a SoftBank Nexus 6P will only work with a SoftBank SIM card. It is therefore imperative that only Google Store variants be purchased. Unfortunately as the packaging for Nexus devices this year in Japan, be they carrier or direct sales, are indistinguishable, the burden of trust will thus be placed on the seller.
How to verify the IMEI status
SoftBank’s network verification status IMEI check.
There is one way to check however. Similar to the ESN system used in the United States, SoftBank (as well as other carriers) has a database that allows owners to check on the payment status of their phone. By entering the IMEI number here, one of four possible symbols will appear: a “CIRCLE” which indicates the device has been paid off, a “TRIANGLE” which indicates the device is under an installment plan and therefore not paid off, and an “X” which means the device has yet to be registered on the network. If a “MINUS” appears however, it means that the device is NOT listed in a Japanese carrier database.
Testing a Taiwanese HTC One A9 and a Google Store Japan LG Nexus 5 in the system yielded a (-) “MINUS” which makes sense as neither device is sold by a Japanese carrier. By this same account, a Google Store variant of the Nexus 6P should also turn up as a “MINUS” thus to those importing, it is recommended you request the device IMEI and enter it into the above link to verify the “MINUS” result.
Wrap Up
Is anyone interested in the Nexus 6P Special Edition? Are you angry that Google has ignored your country with such a smartphone? Surprised by the price tag? Leave us your comments below and let us know!
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Holiday Buying Guide 2015: The best Android phones
We live in a mobility-focused world, and manufacturers from all over the world have risen up to meet this demand. You have Samsung with its new line of premium Galaxy devices, Google revolutionizing the off-contract market with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Motorola’s own off-contract efforts, and even up and comers like Alcatel OneTouch. There are so many different smartphones out there, all for different types of people. With that in mind, it can be difficult to find the perfect handset, especially with how expensive many of these devices are.
Here at Talk Android, we’ve put together a detailed shopping guide on the best smartphones in the market for the holidays. There’s something for everybody on this list, whether it be powerful performance packages that Samsung offers, something more luxury in the Sony Xperia handsets, or even the media production capabilities in many of LG’s new devices.
We’ve taken the liberty of digging through the mire in order to bring you the best Android smartphones for this holiday shopping season. One thing we can guarantee: there’s something for you on this list.
Stocking Stuffers ($99 – $199)
Moto G (2015)
Motorola can make some impressive devices, even with decidedly mid-range specifications. The company created the Moto G with low price points and high performance in mind. It goes without saying, the Moto G delivers.
Motorola equipped the Moto G with a 5-inch 1280 x 720 display, a quad-core Snapdragon 410, 8GB ROM/1GB RAM or 16GB ROM/2GB RAM configurations, a 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 2470mAh battery. The smartphone comes with Android 5.1 straight out of the box with planned upgrades to Android 6.0 down the road.
The specifications may be low, but the off-contract handset is just as slick as many high-end devices. Not only that, but it’s guaranteed to save some money on those outrageous carrier bills by helping you ditch contracts. That’s the big benefit with the Moto G (2015): ditching carrier contracts while not breaking the bank on an off-contract smartphone. As mentioned earlier, even at its low price point, it has great mid-range specifications. In some cases, if you were to put the Moto G and a Galaxy Note 5 side-by-side and navigate the software, you wouldn’t notice much of a difference in speed or smoothness. It’s most definitely a win for the person that wants to get rid of contracts while still having a great smartphone.
The Moto G also has a lot of different accessories available for it, particularly an arsenal of back plates in different colors. Motorola also offers tons of different cases, shells, battery packs, microSD cards, and earphones for the Moto G. And if you’re still on the fence, be sure to check out review of the device. Starting at $179, a mid-range handset truly doesn’t get any better than this.
Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (4.7)
Alcatel OneTouch first launched the Idol 3, arguably one of the most impressive off-contract smartphones on the market. But with the demand for smaller devices, Alcatel OneTouch launched a smaller version of the handset, the Idol 3 4.7. It’s notably different in performance, but still delivers.
The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (4.7) features a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 display, a quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 8/16GB ROM configurations, a 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 2,000mAh battery. As far as software goes, it’s running Android 5.0. Alcatel OneTouch hasn’t made their plans known to upgrade the device to Android 6.0 yet, which may be something to consider when thinking over your purchase.
The highlight of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (4.7) certainly isn’t specifications, but providing a truly elegant device in a size that most people prefer. 5.5-inch or 6-inch devices are quickly becoming the norm, but aren’t for everyone. With that in mind, the Idol 3 with the 4.7-inch display is quite literally the perfect fit for those who want something smaller. On the downside, there aren’t a whole lot of accessories beyond your standard third-party cases for this device. However, much like the Moto G (2015) a great plus is that you get a formidable off-contract smartphone on the cheap.
Alcatel OneTouch did an impressive job with the Idol 3 4.7, bringing both performance and elegance in a relatively cheap package. For $179, this handset will break you free of carrier contracts while giving you something to impress your friends with.
[Alcatel OneTouch] [Amazon] [Newegg]
Under the Christmas Tree ($199 – $399)
ZTE Axon Pro
ZTE isn’t very well known in the United States, but the Chinese manufacturer is trying to change that by offering high-end devices at a competitive price point. That said, some might be surprised to see this device under the Christmas tree this year, but won’t live to regret it.
The ZTE Axon Pro (review here) sports a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display, an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB ROM configurations, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 3,000mAh battery, and it’s running Android 5.1 with ZTE’s own skin over top.
ZTE’s Axon Pro is an off-contract smartphone, which might be surprising from the specifications. High-end smartphones are far and few between as far as off-contract devices go. What’s even more surprising is that the Axon Pro is a high-end/flagship smartphone at a cheap price. The specifications are close to that of the Galaxy Note 5, but there’s still a good $400 – $600 difference in price. That makes the Axon Pro a hard one to pass up for the person looking for a flagship device, but still wanting to break free of those sometimes nasty contracts.
ZTE has undoubtedly become one of the leading manufacturers when it comes to producing off-contract and high-end smartphones at a low price points. Not only that, but the company offers an array of decent accessories for the device. Whether you need cases, shells, flip covers, clear cases, Bluetooth speakers or earphones, ZTE has it all available for the Axon Pro through its online store.
Still not sure about the Axon Pro? Check out our review for more details. Starting at $400, what you get from ZTE in the Axon Pro is pure, unadulterated quality.
Moto X Pure Edition
The Moto X Pure Edition is the best of Motorola all in one pretty package. Not only do you get relatively powerful specifications, but you also get to tailor this handset to your likes and dislikes inside the Moto Maker. That last feature is what truly makes the Moto X Pure Edition special–the Moto Maker. Just about anyone can make a great performing smartphone with high-end specifications, but not many give you the ability to customize the device in almost every way possible.
Whether you want a traditional plastic back plate, bamboo, wood, a textured back, the Moto Maker has it all. You can go crazy and make your Moto X Pure Edition pink, neon green or even settle for some more standard colors. Whatever you choose to do, the Moto X Pure Edition is truly tailored to your likes. The customization does have a small downside: the smartphones takes a little longer to get to you. But if you can wait an extra couple of days, the Moto X Pure Edition is well worth having.
Motorola’s Moto X Pure Edition sports a 5.2-inch 2560 x 1440 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 16/32/64GB internal storage configurations, 3GB of RAM, a 21-megapixel rear camera, and a 3,000mAh battery. It’s also running Android 5.1 with plans to upgrade to Android 6.0.
Just like with the Moto G (2015), Motorola offers tons of different accessories for the Moto X Pure Edition, whether it be cases, shells, earphones, and more. Motorola has everything you need available to you, and that kind of service truly makes the Moto X Pure Edition worth having.
For just $399, you not only get a great performance package and the ability to break away from carrier contracts, but you get a device tailored to you.
Nexus 5X
The Nexus 5X is not only the latest and greatest from Google, but also the successor of the famed Nexus 5. Like many devices on this list, the Nexus 5X will break you free from those nasty carrier contracts, and maybe even offer you something better with Project Fi, that is, if coverage is available in your area.
This handset features a 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 display, a Snapragon 808 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB ROM configurations, a 12.3-megapixel rear camera, a 2,700mAh battery, and it’s running Android 6.0, the latest version of the mobile operating system.
The Nexus 5X is a hard one to pass up for the tech enthusiast in your life. Being a Nexus device, it’s one of the first devices on the market to get the latest versions of Google’s mobile operating system, which is every tech-savvy individual’s dream. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t offer a lot of accessories for the device, but you do have the option of getting the Nexus 5X Folio from the Google Store as well as a handful of other cases for the handset.
At $299, between the performance and continued support, it’s a difficult device to pass up. But if you have more money to spend, it might be worth passing this one by and looking at the Nexus 6P, which we’ve detailed below.
[Google Store] [Amazon] [Best Buy] [B&H Photo]
For someone special ($399 – $899)
Galaxy Note 5
The Galaxy Note 5 is the latest and greatest from Samsung. It’s not a huge upgrade from last year’s Note 4, but the Galaxy Note 5 takes everything from its predecessor and makes things even better. It has a slightly larger display, more beautiful body, and all-around better improvements. Almost anyone would love to see this behemoth under the tree Christmas morning.
Samsung, being the smartphone giant that it is, has tons of accessories for this device as well, and I mean that in the literal sense. You can get almost anything you need for this device from Samsung, and even things you may not need. There’s S-View flip covers, protective covers, battery charging packs, wireless charging pads, wireless headphones, car accessories, and much, much more.
The handset has a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, an octa-core Exynos 7420 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB ROM configurations, a 16-megapixel rear camera, and a non-removable 3,000mAh battery. It also is running on Android 5.1 (planned upgrade for Android 6.0) with Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI atop.
There’s a couple aspects that make the Galaxy Note 5 the handset to buy this holiday season. Not only does it have high-end specs and a beautiful media package, but it also comes with some extra nifty features, thanks to the S-Pen. Using features like Air Command and Air View with the S-Pen makes this device that much easier to use. And with its massive 5.7-inch display, media doesn’t get any better on a smartphone. If you feel like splurging this holiday season, the Galaxy Note 5 is the device to do it with. Still not sure? Be sure to check out our detailed review–it’s truly the best of Samsung!
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 price varies from retailer to retailer, but you can generally get it for $699 outright, $199 on a new two-year contract, or as low as $20/mo on a device payment plan through a carrier.
[Samsung] [Amazon] [Verizon] [AT&T] [T-Mobile] [Sprint] [Newegg]
Galaxy S6 Edge+
With how much of a hit the Galaxy S6 Edge was, it only made sense for Samsung to introduce a successor: the Galaxy S6 Edge+, a cross between its predecessor and the Galaxy Note 4. It’s one of the most premium devices on the market, and is the perfect companion for those that aren’t sure about the S-Pen on the Galaxy Note 5. Not having the S-Pen, you don’t get any of the extra features that come with it, which is a huge benefit for those that don’t actively use styluses; it also frees up some storage space.
This is exactly the same device as the Galaxy Note 5, just without the S-Pen, although there is the inclusion of the “edge” display, which adds some additional functionality that can prove to be useful. Much like the Galaxy Note 5, there’re tons of accessories for this device, whether that be protective shells, S-View flip covers, wireless chargers, and so on. Specifically for the Galaxy S6 Edge+ is also the optional physical keyboard accessory. It makes typing easy and efficient, but the downside is that it takes up way too much screen real estate.
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ is sporting a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, an octa-core Exynos 7420 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 32/64GB ROM configurations, a 16-megapixel rear camera, and a non-removable 3,000mAh battery. Similar to the Note 5, it’s running Android 5.1 with a planned upgrade to Android 6.0. With the Galaxy S6 Edge+ (and Galaxy Note 5) Samsung also added a neat feature, allowing users to stream video directly to YouTube. With that in mind, the S6 Edge+ might just be the perfect choice for content creators as well.
The Galaxy S6 Edge+ sits around the same price as the Note 5 at $799 outright, $399 on a new two-year contract, or around $25/mo on a device payment plan. Not sure about making the leap for the device? Talk Android’s very own Justin Herrick put together an all-around solid review on the Galaxy S6 Edge+.
[Samsung] [Amazon] [Verizon] [AT&T] [T-Mobile] [Sprint] [Newegg]
Nexus 6P
Google partnered with up and coming Chinese manufacturer Huawei to make the Nexus 6P. Despite some wild controversy, the handset is one of the best Android experiences we’ve seen from the search giant yet. Not only will it save you a chunk of change by breaking you free of carrier contracts, but it’s also the perfect companion for consuming media, taking pictures, playing games, and even work.
The handset is equipped with a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 display, an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32/64/128GB ROM configurations, a 12.3-megapixel rear camera, and a non removable 3450mAh battery.
Much like the Nexus 5X, there aren’t many accessories for the Nexus 6P, but Google does have their own Folio cases and regular cases available for the device in the Google Store. Not only that, but Google is also advertising a handful of other third-party cases in the Google Store that work well with the handset.
The Nexus 6P is truly the best from Google, and it’ll be officially supported for quite some time. Google is promised monthly security updates for many of its Nexus devices in addition to providing all of the latest versions of Android in a timely manner. If you’re looking for a handset with a beautiful and large display, all while sticking with stock Android, the Nexus 6P might just be right up your alley.
Starting at $399, this is one of the most premium devices you’ll ever get from Google.
[Huawei] [Google Store] [Amazon]
If you’ve got any questions, concerns, have a suggestion for this Holiday Buyer’s Guide, or saw a deal on any of these awesome devices, be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Come comment on this article: Holiday Buying Guide 2015: The best Android phones
Results mixed for Android, iOS growth in October report
Kantar Worldpanel released their report on smartphone market share through the end of October 2015 showing the battle between iOS and Android is both stable and in flux at the same time. Android continued to maintain a lead position with Samsung showing signs of a comeback, although Apple showed strong growth in some unexpected areas.
In Europe, results were a mixed bag as Android surged in Italy, France and Spain. However, interest in Great Britain and Germany cooled off, leading to a gain of 1.6 percent for the top five European markets, the EU5. At the same time, iOS declined in the EU5 for the first time since the August 2014 period. Android also saw some surprising growth in the U.S. where it surged by 9.5 percent year over year to 62.8 percent of the market. Traditionally, the U.S. market has been a nice stronghold for Apple’s iOS.
One area where Apple is enjoying some significant success is in the Chinese market. Android still controls a whopping 74.2 percent of the market, but that is down around 8 percent compared to a year earlier.
For manufacturers, Samsung posted its first period of year-over-year growth in 2015 for sales of their smartphones. The U.S., U.K. and French markets were especially strong improvements for Samsung. LG and Huawei also continued to grow their shares. In Europe, Apple unexpectedly lost some ground in Britain and Germany. Kantar Worldpanel notes that in Britain, Apple’s losses were at the hands of LG and Samsung.
Analysts looking ahead to the results of the holiday shopping season will be keeping an eye on how many smartphone owners decide to replace their devices with newer ones and whether they stick with their current platforms and manufacturers.
source: Kantar Worldpanel
via: PocketNow
Come comment on this article: Results mixed for Android, iOS growth in October report
The 32GB Nexus 6P can be had for €499/£382 from Amazon France or £410 from an EE store
I think it’s safe to say that Huawei’s Nexus 6P has been warmly received by just about everyone, other than those odd videos showing it being bent. If you live in Europe and haven’t managed to get your hands on one yet, then this could be for you. While the 32GB Nexus 6P is £449 from the Google Store, you can save £40 by grabbing one for just £399 plus a £10 Top-up from a bricks and mortar EE store in the UK, unfortunately, the offer isn’t available online.
You can save a little more if you don’t mind waiting for the handset to be delivered. For today only, Amazon (France) is offering the 32GB Nexus 6P in Steel or Black for just €499 plus €5.76 shipping, or around £382 if purchasing from the UK. The currency conversion rate will depend on your specific bank. Some have reported that the final price has been as low as £363 but I have just gone with Amazon’s conversion for simplicity. That’s a saving of almost £70 over buying direct from the UK Google Store. Of course, if something goes wrong with the handset, you will have to send it back to Amazon France. If that’s a worry, there’s the option of buying one from the EE store instead, albeit for a little extra.
Is this the Christmas present you’ve promised yourself? Let us know if you are picking one up in the comments below.
Source: Amazon France
Come comment on this article: The 32GB Nexus 6P can be had for €499/£382 from Amazon France or £410 from an EE store
Huawei Mate 8 to go on sale this week
Last month, Huawei unveiled its new Mate 8 flagship smartphone and the handset will finally be going on sale this Wednesday, December 9th, at least in China. The announcement was made by Huawei’s head of smartphones, He Gang, and has been accompanied by the teaser above.
For a recap, the Huawei Mate 8 comes packing the company’s new Kirin 950 SoC, which is an octa-core big.LITTLE chip based on four Cortex-A72 and four A53 CPU cores, as well as a Mali-T880 MP4 GPU. There’s either 3GB or 4GB of RAM to choose from depending on the internal memory size, along with a 6-inch 1080p display, 16 megapixel rear and 8 megapixel front cameras, and a 4,000mAh battery.
See also: Huawei Mate 8 official: 6-inch Full HD, Kirin 950 with coprocessor, and Marshmallow
The Huawei Mate 8 will carry a variety of price tags for its different memory options. Here’s the breakdown:
- 3GB RAM, 32GB storage – CNY 2,999 ($470)
- 4GB RAM, 64GB storage – CNY 3,699 ($580)
- 4GB RAM, 128GB storage – CNY 4,399 ($690)
- Exclusive Champagne Edition – CNY 6,888 ($1075)
Huawei is expecting that its Mate 8 will outsell its predecessor, which managed 7 million sales within one year. A target of one million units per month is pretty bold, but the Mate 8 certainly has a plenty of hardware on offer at a competitive price point. International availability will be announced at CES 2016.
dbrand’s skins make my Nexus 5X look awesome and unique
I’m not one who normally uses cases or skins on my phones, but I recently came across MKBHD’s(Marques Brownlee) line of skins from dbrand on Twitter, and thought his stuff looked pretty sweet. It’s been awhile since I have even looked into skins for smartphones – if I was ever looking to cover my phone I would typically choose a case over a skin. I HATE putting on skins. But since dbrand’s skins looked so cool, I really had to try a set out for myself for my Nexus 5x.
Design
With dbrand’s custom ordering website, you can literally make hundreds of different combinations of custom skins for your devices. dbrand offers complete coverage by offering back, front, frame and camera skin coverage. At dbrand, they only use authentic 3M vinyl on LG Nexus 5X skins and will guarantee no adhesive residue will ever be left on your device if you ever decide to remove it.
“What does that mean for you? It means that whenever you decide to take off your Nexus 5X wrap, there won’t be any adhesive residue left on your device. Guaranteed. We’re committed to providing our customers with uncompromising quality. You can relax, we only use the highest grade materials on the planet.” – dbrand customer service.
I even saw a customer on reddit who had a rare experience with a skin pulling off some of the paint on his Nexus 5, but the user was beyond satisfied with dbrand’s best in class customer service. They sent him a new Nexus 5 cover in addition to 15 sets of skins of his choosing. That’s pretty awesome.
From carbon fiber, to leather, metal, colors and wood(our own Henry Wigyul love’s wood) dbrand has just about every person’s taste covered with their multitude of options.
Installation
This is one area I dread with skins. I used to try putting skins on my devices a couple of years ago, in addition to screen protectors, but I am really impatient with detailed work like this. It’s the main reason why I stopped looking into skins altogether. Skins and screen protectors usually end up as one massive fail.
Since dbrand sent me the latest skins, I figured it was worth a try since the new skins look really awesome.
I went to dbrand’s website and looked up how to install the skin and luckily they had the best instructional video you could ask for. It literally walks you through installation step-by-step, and within ten minutes you will have your entire skin installed. I’ve got the images to prove just how easy the dbrand skin was to apply to my Nexus 5X.
1. Wipe down the device with the included cloth
2. Align the flash, laser sensor and fingerprint reader.
3. Flip the device around and align the 3.5mm headphone jack. Remove the backing and use a hair dryer to heat the adhesive and make it stick to the device.
4. Remove each individual letter and use the backing to align each insert.
5. I found tweezers to be much easier.
6. Once everything is in place, I used a heat gun(I do not own a hair dryer) to warm the skin and smoothed it out.
Completed installation in less than ten minutes.
Summary
As you can see in the pictures, dbrand’s skins look awesome. The skins turned my drab Nexus 5X, in Frost White, into a slick carbon fiber device with a properly Google colored X in the center of the Nexus logo. I happened to put my own touch on the layout by using the silver S instead of the white one, to show you really can do whatever you want with customization.
dbrand did not provide me with the side skin pieces, nor the front skin. It doesn’t really matter as I think the back carbon fiber skin looks fantastic. The skin kit for the back, Nexus logo, limited edition colored X, and camera costs less than $15 which is an incredible value considering the kit dramatically improves the look of your device. I highly recommend dbrand’s skins as they offer complete customization, super easy installation, high-quality materials, and excellent durability. They’ll keep your phone protected against scratches while giving you a whole new look.
dbrand makes skins for a wide variety of devices. If you want to learn more head on over to their website by clicking here.
dbrand.com
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Sign up to beta test Marshmallow for the Honor 7 in the UK
If you are a Huawei Honor 7 owner and happen to live in the United Kingdom, you can currently sign up to beta test Huawei’s upcoming Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system for the handset.
Huawei’s custom Marshmallow OS for testing is called EMUI 4.2, which suggests that this is a slightly updated version to EMUI 4.0 that was announced at the same time as the new Huawei Mate 8. However, that phone hasn’t hit the shelves yet, so Honor 7 beta testers will be among the first to try out Huawei’s take on Android Marshmallow.
Like Marshmallow? Like BETA tests? Own an Honor 7? Fill this form in for a chance to test https://t.co/fETiZ8bNcM pic.twitter.com/razSUoche3
— Honor UK (@UKHonor) December 3, 2015
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As is usual with beta tests, users should expect some bugs and stability problems, and Huawei will probably be expecting some constructive feedback too. The company will also be collecting device information and statistics during its beta program, so make sure you know what you’re signing up for.
To register, simply fill out the form at this link and Huawei will be in touch.
Honor 7 owners in the UK can now sign up to beta test the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop is yesterday’s news since the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with many of us hoping our smart devices will receive an update to this latest and greatest version of Android sooner, rather than later. Or never, as the case may be for some. Selected owners of Huawei’s Honor 7 will be happy to find out that they can get an early taste of Marshmallow goodness on their device in the coming weeks by signing up for the Honor 7 Android 6 BETA test.
Signing up to the Marshmallow BETA test is pretty straightforward, all you need to enter is your name, email address, your handset’s IMEI number (dial *#06# to get your IMEI number), and the build number of the software your phone is currently running. If selected to take part in the BETA test, your Honor 7 will receive the Marshmallow update in the form of an OTA. Which makes it nice and simple, with no need to connect the handset to a computer to manually flash the firmware, which can be a nerve-wracking experience at times. You can sign up for the Honor & Marshmallow BETA test right here.
Besides being based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Beta firmware will also include EMUI 4.2. If selected, the OTA should reach your handset in the next couple of weeks. This sign-up is for UK Honor 7 owners only, the rest of Europe will follow later today with separate sign-up forms for each respective country. It should be noted that is a Beta test, and as such, there will be bugs, glitches, and maybe even some crashes. If selected to take part, it’s your job to give feedback to the manufacturer. Are you signing up for the beta test?
Source: Honor UK (Twitter)
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Could we see a Huawei Nexus 7 in 2016?
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It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a new Nexus 7 – and no, the Nexus 9 doesn’t count because it was a premium tablet. We’re talking about the cheap, yet noteworthy tablets that Asus manufactured in 2012 and 2013, and with Google‘s new take on having one cheap device (Nexus 5X) paired with a premium device (Nexus 6P), you could have been forgiven for expecting Google to launch a new Nexus 7 next year. If a report on Weibo is to be believed, that Nexus 7 might be already under development and at a manufacturer that Google has only recently gotten close to – Huawei. A Huawei Nexus 7 would be expected to be announced around October, when Nexus devices are now almost expected to launched.
Apart from a possible manufacturer and release date, there’s not a whole lot of detail to share – it’s still early days so it’s worth taking this news with a grain of salt, or two. Still, with the market for flagship and premium devices faltering, it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that a new Nexus 7 belongs somewhere in Google’s device portfolio – we hope.
What do you think about a Huawei Nexus 7? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Weibo via TalkAndroid
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