Xiaomi bundles Microsoft Office and Skype with its devices
It’s no secret that Xiaomi plans to go global, and its execs are hoping that the company’s expanding partnership with Microsoft could help them reach that goal. The Chinese manufacturer has announced that starting in September, its Android devices will come pre-installed with Skype and Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook). Further, it has revealed that it agreed to purchase 1,500 patents from Microsoft, including ones on cloud computing and voice communication. Xiaomi Senior VP Wang Xiang told Reuters that acquiring those patents is “an important step forward to support [the company’s] expansion internationally.”
As The Wall Street Journal noted, the company is collecting intellectual property en masse to beef up its portfolio in an effort to enter new markets. Xiaomi joined forces with Microsoft last year to launch a Windows 10 version of the Mi Pad 2. Not to mention, Mi’s cloud service is powered by Microsoft Azure. The manufacturer says it will be pre-loading Microsoft’s apps on the Mi 5, Mi Max, Mi 4s, and even its more affordable phones, the Redmi Note 3 and Redmi 3, though the exact list of pre-installed software may vary by device and location.
Source: Microsoft, Reuters
Xiaomi’s Mi Drone is pretty affordable for what it does
We knew it was coming, so it’s not a total surprise. But, the very fact that Xiaomi — best known for its phones — is getting into the drone business is a bit of an eyebrow raiser. Today, the company revealed the Mi Drone, a 4K camera-wielding quadcopter that looks more than a little like DJI’s Phantom series. The two Chinese firms are now technically rivals, of course, as more and more companies decide they want a slice of the (apparently booming) quadcopter business. No one was expecting Xiaomi to reinvent the wheel, but there was a good chance it’d be competitive on price: 2,999 yuan (about $460), which is considerably cheaper than even DJI’s Phantom 3 4K. “We want everyone to be able to afford good products. That was why I set up Xiaomi in the first place,” CEO Lei Jun added.
The Mi Drone carries a ball-shaped 4K camera beneath it, that quadcopter-buffs might think looks similar to the built-in shooters found on Yuneec’s Typhoon series. To be specific, the camera uses a Sony 12.4-megapixel sensor that can capture video at up to 3,840 x 2,160 at 30 fps; and as you’d expect, it can take RAW photos. Its detachable gimbal does 3-axis stabilization which corrects itself 2,000 times per second, and this is assisted by an optical flow sensor positioned between the camera and the battery bay on the back. Indeed, the sample clip we saw during the livestream looked satisfactory (at one point, Lei said over 1.5 million viewers tuned in), so hopefully it’s just as good once the drone lands in consumers’ homes.
While the drone itself looks a bit too familiar, its controller comes with a cute appearance that somewhat assembles a bunny — the company’s mascot — from afar. Lei claims it’s nice to hold, and he also showed off the built-in smartphone clamp (it held his 6.44-inch Mi Max just fine), though using this will require flipping down the two antennas — these can keep the Mi Drone under control over a distance of 2km, while still maintaining a 720p video stream. The controller also has a dial on the left for tilting the camera, and there’s a shutter button on the other side. At the bottom side, there’s a flap that hides a micro-USB port for recharging the controller.
To make things easier for beginners, the controller has a dedicated button for take off and landing — just do a short press and then a long press to do either. There’s a switch for returning the drone home as well, though it’ll also automatically do so when its removable battery — which is good for up to 27 minutes — is running low or when it loses contact with the controller. Like many other modern drones, the Mi Drone is able to fly itself to a point of interest, follow a planned route, and circle around a point of interest while filming it. There was also a rumor that the Mi Drone might have a “follow me” feature that worked with the company’s super cheap Mi Band, but this turned out to be false.
All of this sounds pretty awesome for a $460 drone (propeller guards included, no less), but Xiaomi appears to be in no hurry, as its first-ever drone will only be entering an open beta towards the end of July. That said, there will also be a slightly cheaper 1080p 60 fps version that’s launching on Xiaomi’s very own crowdfunding platform tomorrow for 2,499 yuan (which is about $380), with another trade-off being its range is limited to just 1km, but that shouldn’t be a problem for casual users. Oh, and there’s going to be a 99 yuan (about $15) backpack designed to fit this drone, too. If the Mi Drone ever manages to leave China, we’ll let y’all know right away.
Additional reporting by James Trew.
Xiaomi will launch its first drone on May 25th
Chinese consumer electronics maker Xiaomi looks set to add a drone to its range of products next week. The company has already begun teasing a May 25th launch event on its official forum, posting what appears to be a first look its new quadcopter and asking users to guess what the product will be called. Given the forum post has the title “Mi Drone,” Xiaomi may have already given the game away.
Rumors of a Xiaomi drone have swirled for some time, with early reports suggesting that the UAV may use the company’s Mi Band as a beacon for a possible “follow me” feature. Xiaomi has confirmed “something wonderful and cool is flying to us very soon,” but is keeping quiet on any possible features before next week.
May marks a big month for Xiaomi. It’s already unveiled its huge 6.44-inch Mi Max smartphone and earlier this week announced the US release of its 4K-ready Mi Box streamer. The company also confirmed at Google I/O that it will work with search giant to build a VR phone that will support the new Android Daydream virtual reality technology.
If you’re interested to see what the Mi Drone will look like, Xiaomi will livestream its May 25th event at 7am ET/12pm BST on Mi.com.
Via: 9to5Google
Source: Mi Forums
Get ready for Android N, VR and more at Google I/O 2016
It’s that time of year again. Google’s about to give developers a serious show at I/O 2016, which this year is at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View (also known as Google’s backyard). We’ll be there throughout the week bringing you thoughtful, up-to-the-moment coverage of Google’s future looks like, but until then, here’s what we expect (and hope) to see starting tomorrow morning.
Android N
Let’s start with an easy one. Google usually reveals a developer preview of the newest version of Android at I/O, but that’s, uh, clearly not what happened this year. Our first taste of Android N — complete with a tighter design and split-screen multitasking — came months ago. Expect to see Google’s first set of N tweaks get the spotlight during the tomorrow’s keynote. Are we in for a smattering of stability changes meant to make the preview a better daily driver? Or are we getting new features that expand the scope of Android’s ambitions? We won’t have to wait much longer to find out. And if we’re really lucky, we’ll get a sense of what the next batch of Nexus phones will be like too.
The future of Chrome OS
A solid chunk of Google-related chatter last year centered on the idea that Android was set to become the operating system for just about all of the company’s devices. Part of that plan, prognosticators argued, involved folding Google’s existing Chrome OS into Android proper. The Wall Street Journal reported that the final shift would take place sometime in 2017, with early previews expected to surface this year. Hell, at least a few people can apparently access the Google Play Store from inside Chrome OS already. And really, what better place is there for Google to clarify its software plans than Google I/O? Don’t expect Chromebooks or Chrome OS to die out anytime soon, though — if reports hold true, Chrome OS will go open-source for continued use on third-party devices.
Android Wear
The first Android Wear watches made their debut at I/O two years ago but, despite regular updates, the platform is starting to feel a little stagnant. Hopefully that changes this year — there’s a session on the books called “What’s new in Android Wear,” which gives us hope that we’ll finally get our hands (or wrists) on Android Wear 2.0. Alas, we haven’t heard a thing about Wear since Google showed off its curious Mode wristbands, so you’ll have to stay tuned for the show.
Android VR
Make no mistake: Android VR is going to make headlines at the show. Now, if only we knew what it was. Or, at the very least, how ambitious Google’s plans are. Reports that Android would itself become a sort of VR platform have been making the rounds for about a year. Still others suggested Google is working on a new, Cardboard-style VR headset that relies on phone screens rather than bulky, built-in ones.
Android VR will definitely be announced next week, and from what I’ve heard will be less powerful than the Vive or Rift.
— Peter Rojas (@peterrojas) May 11, 2016
There’s no telling what we’ll actually see at the show (headsets from partners, or maybe some kind of Magic Leap tie-in), but the potential upside for VR adoption is huge. While Samsung, LG and even Alcatel have made headsets for their own phones, a VR-friendly version of Android paired with cheap, Google-approved headgear could be a potent introduction to the potential of virtual worlds.
Project Tango
Lenovo is probably going to unveil the first consumer Project Tango phone at its own event in June, but that doesn’t mean Google’s space-sensing plans won’t get any attention at I/O. With a hardware launch still set for the summer, this is going to be developers’ big chance to get a feel for how Tango devices will work. (And, more importantly, how to optimize their apps for it.) We took some of those demo apps for a spin back at Mobile World Congress, and after just a few moments, one takeaway was clear — once the novelty wears off, masterful software execution is what will make or break Project Tango. Good thing there are four Project Tango developer sessions on this week’s schedule.
Rise of the bots
Over the last two years, the idea of talking to chatbots to get things done instead of using a purpose-built app went from idiotic fantasy to honest-to-goodness reality. A Wall Street Journal report from the end of last year suggested Google is working on a messaging app that — in addition to letting you talk to people — puts you in touch with chatbots that can deliver certain services or perform actions. Nothing in Google’s schedule suggests this will get much spotlight, but considering recent news about Google Brain’s ability to recognize proper syntax and piece together weird poetry, we wouldn’t be shocked to get a quick earful about this.
Not-so-surprise hardware
Google’s latest stab at a consumer gadget could be an Amazon Echo-like device code-named “Chirp,” according to Recode. While the report goes on to say it isn’t expected to launch at I/O this year, there’s at least a thematic argument that Google could unveil its work. After all, Google took the opportunity to lay out its early plans for Project Brillo — a lightweight software platform for the Internet of Things — at I/O 2015. It’s not hard to see how Chirp could fit into Google’s vision of the Internet of Things, and it’s about time for an update on Brillo’s progress anyway.
Beyond thrilled to share that Xiaomi will be a part of Google I/O. A sneak peek of what you’ll see from Mi at #io16 pic.twitter.com/GP3HHE3F6c
— Hugo Barra (@hbarra) May 17, 2016
Meanwhile, Xiaomi VP of International (and former Googler) Hugo Barra tweeted a teaser about the Chinese company’s involvement with I/O. The image shows the letters “i” and “o” made out of what appear to be media controls — if we had to guess, we’d say it looks like Xiaomi is taking a stab at its own Android TV console. Since most of those Android TV boxes also double as gaming machines, yet another teaser from earlier today adds even more fuel to the fire. Whether anyone actually bites is another story, but if nothing else, it’s a clear example of the sort of big partnerships we’ll see this year.
Fitbit’s lead in the wearable world shrinks due to newcomers
Fitbit has ruled the wearable roost for a while, but it’s clear that the activity tracker maker can’t become complacent. IDC has released estimates which show that Fitbit lost a significant amount of market share in the first quarter. While its shipments were up 25.4 percent (to 4.8 million), its share plunged from 32.6 percent a year ago to 24.5 percent at the start of 2016. Simply put, the market is much more crowded than it was a year ago — it has to contend with the Apple Watch, China’s BBK and Lifesense, as well as a slew of smaller brands jumping into the field.
Not that some of the other incumbents can complain too loudly. Xiaomi and Garmin also lost share (they’re down to 22.8 percent and 5 percent respectively), but their shipments surged by more than a third.
As for smartwatches specifically? Apple was still out in front by a hefty margin, with 46 percent of the high-end wearable market. The next closest was Samsung, which fell to 20.9 percent. With 1.5 million shipments, though, Apple had less than a third of Fitbit’s clout — and that number was a sharp drop from the 3.9 million watches it shipped in the last quarter of 2015. Such a dip isn’t surprising (there was no holiday demand to boost sales), but it’s notable that Fitbit’s unit count didn’t fall. It’s clearly easier to justify a relatively inexpensive tracker like the Alta outside of gift-giving season than a smartwatch that costs more than twice as much. Apple’s price cuts weren’t in effect for much of the first quarter, mind you, so it’s too soon to say whether or not you’ll see a repeat performance this spring.
Source: IDC
Fitbit Continues to Outpace Apple Watch in Broader Wearables Market
The latest data from market research firm IDC reveals that the Apple Watch remained the most popular smartwatch in the first quarter, with an estimated 1.5 million sales and 46 percent market share through the first three months of 2016. Meanwhile, basic wearables unsurprisingly continue to outpace smartwatches.
Samsung was the closest threat to Apple Watch among smartwatches in the quarter, with an estimated 700,000 sales and 20.9 percent market share, followed by Motorola, Huawei, and Garmin with estimated 400,000, 200,000, and 100,000 shipments respectively for a combined 18.6 percent market share.
Apple finished third in the overall wearables market with 7.5 percent market share, behind lower-price fitness tracker vendors Fitbit and Xiaomi. Fitbit commanded a leading 24.5 percent market share off an estimated 4.8 million shipments, while Xiaomi had 3.7 million shipments for 19 percent market share.
Apple does not disclose Watch sales in its quarterly earning results, instead grouping the device under its Other Products category alongside iPods, Apple TVs, Beats Electronics, and accessories. IDC and Strategy Analytics estimates place total Apple Watch sales at nearly 16 million from April 2015 through March 2016.
Fitbit began 2016 the same way it finished 2015: as the undisputed leader in the wearables market. The launch of its new Alta and Blaze devices resulted in million unit shipment volumes for each, pointing to a new chapter of fashion-oriented fitness trackers. It also points to significant declines for its previously successful Surge, Charge, Charge HR, and Flex product lines. Still, with a well-segmented portfolio, pricing strategy, and a strong brand, Fitbit’s position is well-established.
IDC’s data supports the notion that Apple continues to cede market share to Android Wear smartwatches and other wearables as the market evolves. Strategy Analytics data from April, however, had a higher Apple Watch sales estimate of 2.2 million for 52.4 percent market share in the first quarter.
Many prospective buyers are now holding out for the Apple Watch 2, which is rumored to debut in the second half of 2016 and could feature a FaceTime camera, expanded Wi-Fi abilities, cellular connectivity, and thinner design. New bands, finishes, and models are always possibilities as well.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2
Tags: Samsung, IDC, Fitbit, Xiaomi
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Xiaomi’s Mi Max phone has a huge display and a big battery
Xiaomi’s next smartphone is a giant, dwarfing even its Mi Note and Mi Note Pro phablets in size. The new Mi Max comes with a 6.44-inch display and a beefy 4,850mAh battery — which is both welcome and necessary, given the number of pixels you’ll be pushing around every day. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 or 652 processor, as well as 4GB or 3GB of RAM, and 32GB or 128GB of internal storage. The two chipset choices are intriguing — most flagships, such as the Galaxy S7, are using the Snapdragon 820, leaving the 652 to mid-range devices like the LG G5 SE.
The design is eloquent, if a little by the numbers. It has a smooth, metal body with two faint antenna lines and the Mi logo etched on the back. It’ll be available in silver, gold or dark grey — the standard color set for a smartphone these days — when it goes on sale in China next week.
The new phone also coincides with the launch of MIUI 8, the latest version of Xiaomi’s custom Android skin. It’s a clean, colorful take with a few new software additions, such as a reworked gallery app and calculator. MIUI 8 also introduces the ability to “split” a phone into two separate accounts, with a different passcode lock, home screen and apps. You can also “clone” apps which don’t provide intuitive account switching. That means you can set up two versions of the same app, both with a separate login, and bounce between them using the home screen or Xiaomi’s app switcher.
Xiaomi’s Mi Max comes with a fingerprint sensor for security and convenient unlocking. On the back, you’ll find a 16-megapixel camera, while the front is equipped with a 5-megapixel selfie snapper, complete with a wide-angle lens. None of this sounds too extraordinary until you consider the starting price: 1,499 RMB ($230). That’ll net you the lower-specced option with the Snapdragon 650, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Spend 1,699 RMB ($261) instead and you’ll be upgraded to the Snapdragon 652 and 64GB of storage; the top option, which runs for 1,999 RMB ($307), ups the RAM to 4GB and the onboard storage to 128GB.
All three option are cheaper than what the Mi Note and Mi Note Pro sold for in 2015. Those devices are slightly smaller, however, with a 5.7-inch display and some specs that, even by today’s standards, are pretty competitive (they run on a Snapdragon 810, with the option of either 3GB or 4GB of RAM). The Mi Max, then, is likely to be a complimentary device, rather than a direct replacement. It will also sit alongside the Mi 5, Xiaomi’s new flagship announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Benchmark shows Xiaomi’s Mi 5 having a 5.7-inch display
Less than three weeks away from Xiaomi’s February 24 launch event for the Mi 5 and today we’re getting a better idea of what the handset will offer. On GFXBench, alleged specifications for the Mi 5 were revealed and perhaps most surprising the size of the display. The handset was originally believed to have a 5.2-inch display, but this benchmark shows its display being 5.7 inches. Xiaomi’s Mi Note series already features displays of that size, so it’d be a little confusing to see the Mi 5 have such a large display.
Hit the break and we’ll take a look at the alleged specifications.
The benchmark shows the display, measuring 5.7 inches, has Full HD (1920×1080) resolution. Even aside from the size being abnormally large for the series, it’s difficult to believe Xiaomi would pair Full HD resolution because quality (or pixel density, specifically) would suffer after being stretched. Having a 5.2-inch display would keep everything nice and tight for Full HD. If anything, Xiaomi would need to raise the resolution to Quad HD (2560×1440) to accommodate for 5.7 inches.
Xiaomi is also apparently going to be using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. Both rear and front cameras were not identifiable, and GFXBench tells Phone Arena it’s possible Xiaomi blocked them on purpose.
Also, Android 6.0 Marshmallow was found running at the core. But, undoubtedly, Xiaomi will use its MIUI over stock Android.
The Mi 5 won’t be available in the United States, but consumers in the country seeking to get a Xiaomi device can purchase one through US Mobile. The carrier announced on Monday that it is selling Xiaomi and Meizu devices in the U.S.; however, Xiaomi quickly disapproved of any transactions because authorization was never provided. US Mobile has since stripped its webshop and said its just operating in the same way Amazon does.
Source: GFXBench
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Benchmark shows Xiaomi’s Mi 5 having a 5.7-inch display
US Mobile strips webshop, justifies deal with third parties
US Mobile has posted an update to its official blog justifying its decision to partner with third party distributors to sell Chinese smartphones.
Earlier this week we reported on news that US Mobile had become the first carrier in the United States to offer up affordable contract smartphones from Chinese manufacturers. Originally, big names including Xiaomi and Meizu were said to be fully on board.
Despite the initial excitement, Xiaomi has claimed that US Mobile is unauthorized to sell Xiaomi smartphones. A spokesperson for the group caught up with IBT to discuss the news, even though a previous US Mobile post said consumers could buy Xiaomi devices on the network including the Redmi 2 and Mi 3.
Xiaomi said:
“Recent reports have indicated that Xiaomi products will be available in the US. Xiaomi only offers a small selection of accessories for sale in the US through Mi.com. There are no plans to sell smartphones through any authorised distributors in the US. US Mobile is not authorised to sell Xiaomi products in the US.”
US Mobile’s newly-launched webshop serves as a curated marketplace ‘to bring value to customers’, although some listings have now been pulled from the store. Speaking about the move, US Mobile has said:
“All of the phones sold on US Mobile are carrier and in most cases region agnostic. We don’t force our customers to buy US Mobile service plans with our phones, so customers can technically buy a phone from US Mobile and use it on any carrier they choose.”
US Mobile is first and foremost a wireless carrier and as such our enabling carriers can make the devices go through rigorous testing and certification if they wish to do so. If US Mobile were purely a contract free phone seller, the phones would still be in our catalog.”
US Mobile says that by teaming up with third party distributors, the group can offer customers warranty and support on the devices locally in the US. On top of that, users can call the company’s 24/7 Customer Support team with any queries. The company has said that product listings on the webshop specifically note that devices are “sold and fulfilled” by third party partners.
Looking to the future, US Mobile says that it will continue to work with enabling carriers to certify phones on its network. The blog post signs off:
“If we are successful, we promise to enable our distributors to offer these phones on our marketplace again.”
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story as it develops.
Come comment on this article: US Mobile strips webshop, justifies deal with third parties
Your fitness tracker probably has security issues
Ever wondered how secure you are with a fitness tracker on your wrist? The researchers at Open Effect have… and their answer is “not as much as you’d probably like.” In their analysis, several common trackers have flaws that theoretically let attackers follow you or intercept data. Seven out of eight used static hardware identifiers that could allow location tracking over Bluetooth, for a start. Also, the companion apps from Garmin, Jawbone, Withings and Xiaomi have holes that not only expose data, but let evildoers fake fitness info — a problem in lawsuits where that data could be crucial evidence.
Don’t be too quick to toss out that wearable, though. Open Effect notes that the Apple Watch is truly secure based on its testing methods, and devices like the Fitbit Charge HR and Mio Fuse are safer than most. Also, these brands aren’t necessarily turning a deaf ear. Fitbit, Intel (creator of the Basis Peak) and Mio have all talked to the researchers, and it won’t be surprising if the companies tighten up their security through updates and future products.
As it stands, it’s important to put these vulnerabilities in context. While there are real risks here, the likelihood of someone targeting your fitness tracker is fairly slim — a hacker is more likely to want your banking info or phone location than your step count or heart rate. Still, these findings could help if you’re concerned that any significant security flaw is one too many.
Source: Open Effect
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