The mobile world is unfolding very fast. 2017 was a very successful year with Apple capping it with the magnificent iPhone X and iPhone 8. Samsung also did very well with the Galaxy S8. Now, 2018 is promising to be an even more competitive with next-generation phones that promise to unseat Apple and Samsung from the top position. Here are the top four next-generation smartphones that will captivate 2018. Sony Xperia XZ Pro Sony has been looking at all avenues that can help it to catch up with the market leaders in the last couple of years. The company prefers progressive update to its products to enhance the user experience. However, one product in its line that has not been updated is the XZ Premium, one of the oldest in the company’s line-up. Reports of this update hit the news well before the MWC 2018 mobile launch fest. The phone is expected to have a replacement 4K display device. It is also expected to pick the latest Xperia’s design especially the one on the XZ2 that feature Ambient Flow model language. The phone is also expected to have 4K HDR video capture and dual camera system. Apple iPhone XI and iPhone X2 The most celebrated phone of 2017 was the iPhone X. It was designed as a landmark for the Apple’s ten years presence and commemoration of Steve Jobs work. While iPhone X opened a new chapter especially in artificial intelligence, Apple is now promising to take user experience to a whole new level with iPhone X1. Apple targets moving away from the stainless back to aluminium design in...
It is very rare to have any important news or launches in the smartphone world at the beginning of the year. For mobile phone operating systems, though, everything is fair game. Android has especially been active in 2018, with some particularly impressive introductions and improvements. Here is an assortment of Android powered device that are likely to take the market by storm in the next few months. Smart wear watches Android wear has not particularly been successful in the past, but this is not stopping companies from making android powered watches. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, two watches were particularly eye catching. The first was Kate Spade’s the Scallop, this year’s installment in the company’s long line of fashionable smart watches. It is a 1.2 inch device with a feminine touch and some impressive design features. It is, however, strangely light in terms of features; it does not have heart rate sensors or GPS, only featuring the 24hour battery life and the Google assistant. Skagen, the Danish watchmaker also announced a new model, also without features like the heart rate sensor, GPS or NFC, but with a simple aesthetic appeal. Android TVs This is another category of android devices that have not particularly performed well in the past, but that are, much like android watches, being embraced by some of the industry’s biggest companies. Several companies have already launched new Android TV screens this year, including Hisense, Nvidia, Haier, Phillips and Westinghouse. Nvidia’s offering is perhaps the most impressive, with a name most people have described as the coolest, BFGD. BFGD stands for Big Format gaming Displays. Another...
The first few years after the advent of the smartphone, evolution of mobile phones generally went in a straight line. Companies offered their customers bigger screens, more powerful processors, higher resolution cameras and faster data connection capabilities. In recent years, though, improvements have been less than obvious. The introduction of details like eye control and bendable screens signal a new era of mobile phone features. If this trend is to be believed, then 2018 will certainly be full of surprises in as far as mobile phone features are concerned. Here is a sample of futuristic features to expect as the year progresses. Sensors The development of Bluetooth 4.0 has resulted in the introduction of a large number of wearable sensors, especially those that can be able to transmit biomedical information like blood pressure, heart rate and so on. These sensors can also transmit information on the environment like humidity and temperature as well as exercise stats like steps walked and calories burned. All these are transmitted to a smartphone, but each of them requires a separate application. One of the trends that will likely dominate 2018 is the integration of all these capabilities into a single smartphone function. Already, companies like Samsung have started building sensors into their phones. While it might not necessarily materialize in its entirety, it is likely that in the next 5 years, wearable devices will be able to communicate directly with the smartphones through one point of communication or app. 32 core processors Although it is revolutionary, this is one innovation that has followed the straight line trend of giving the customer more than...
The iPhone has always been a beautiful phone, what with the company’s traditional focus on design. While the past few years and versions have seen the company improve its offerings in terms of battery life and performance speed, it still scores relatively low when it comes to everyday functionality. Those looking to use the iPhone on the go as a work phone have complained about such issues as the various steps the phone puts them through when having to switch between apps, the problems faced when sharing media and issues with the keyboard. While it is still one of the leading brands, its territory has been encroached on in the past few years by clever launches by companies like Google. The Pixel XL gets an honorable mention here. If you are looking to buy the Pixel XL, here are some benefits, big and small, that might be worth noting. Speed and reliability The iPhone is fast, no doubt about that, but there is always the feeling that things are not running as smoothly as one would expect. The Pixel, on the other hand, is fast and all without any lag whatsoever. For instance, the touch-to-wake fingerprint scanner on the Pixel not only switches the phone on but also unlocks it. Even though the iPhone 7, for instance, has this feature, most of the time the user will require more than one attempt, more when fingers are wet or cold. The rates of error for the Pixel are much lower. The scanner location is also ideal, since that is how most people typically hold their phones. Google Apps Most people...
When Apple released the much awaited iPhone X, one of the most remarkable things that caught users’ attention is the wireless charging system. A charging cable is no longer necessary. Now it is not just the iPhones that feature the wireless charging system; every other new model now has or targets using wireless charging system. What exactly is a wireless charging system and how does it operate? How does wireless charging system work? The key to wireless charging system is the electromagnetic fields that help to transfer energy from one point (a charging mat) to another point (your smartphone) via electromagnetic induction. For this system to work, there are two physical coils. One coin helps to convert power (from the wall socket) into an electromagnetic field capable of traveling wirelessly to the target. The second coin is a transformer in the smartphone that helps to convert traveling electromagnetic filed into power for the phone. While phones designed to use wireless charging system have the coins fitted inside during construction, do not get sad because even others can still use the technology. All you need is getting a wireless charging package that will work for the specific phone. However, ensure take note of the phone voltage limits when picking such wireless charging pads and kits. Standards used in wireless charging systems Note that while the wireless charging model might look new, it has been with us for years. In fact, the wireless charging system is also used in other gadgets that require charging. The wireless charging system for the phones is referred as Qi (pronounce it as chee). The charging...
When the deadly strain of ransomware was released in May of 2017, the attack shocked even big multinationals. A few months after a deadly strain of smartphone ransomware started targeting individual phone users threatening to encrypt their info and selling it on the black market. As mobile phones become part and parcel of daily work, the emerging threats could pose a huge threat at the enterprise level. Almost every employee remotely accesses company info from the mobile phone. This means that a lot of sensitive information can easily fall into the wrong hands through indirect attacks. Here are the top mobile security threats you need to know about and prevent at all cost. Data leakage Mobile data leakage is the most serious threats to your business. But what makes the issue worrying is that it is not reprehensible. Rather, it arises from the smartphone users making wrong decisions about the apps allowed to see the info. Whether it is the company management system or strategic planning secrets, your information is no doubt at great risk of leaking into the wrong hands. The challenge with this threat is how to apply an app vetting procedure without overwhelming the admin and frustrating the phone users. Consider using advanced solutions such as Zimperium’s zIPS Protection and Symantec’s Endpoint Protection Mobile that help to scan installed apps for leaky behaviour. You should also consider using Data Loss Prevention tools that help prevent accidental exposure of sensitive data accidentally. Social engineering It is estimated that over 90% of data breaches occur as a result of phishing (Data Breach Investigations Report). While some tactics applied...
When Google unveiled the Pixel line, they managed to wow the tech world with the Pixel phone’s superb features and capabilities. In fact, the phone was quickly ranked among the top phones in the market. Almost everybody wanted to get their hands on it especially due to its state of the art camera. However, the Pixel’s launch also left a myriad of potent questions unanswered like what happened to Nexus? This question wasn’t left unanswered for a long time though. No sooner had Google released the Pixel, than they said they had abandoned the Nexus line. The question then became why? Why did they ditch Nexus which targeted developers mainly for Pixel which is packaged for the premium market? Name The first reason was right under your nose and you didn’t even notice it. The name Nexus means the coming together of two things. In Google’s case it is teaming up with another electronic company to create a suave phone. Instances of this include when it collaborated with Samsung, LG, Moto and Huawei to create the Nexus One and Galaxy Nexus; Nexus 4, 5 and 5x; Nexus 6 and Nexus 6P respectively. These collaborations saw Google stick to the software aspect of the device while its partners to the hardware. However with the unveiling of Pixel, which was 100% developed by Google, ditching the name felt right. Artificial Intelligence As Google developed a stronger inclination towards AI, it sought a platform where it could explore its ideas unshielded. In a world which Google viewed as shifting from mobile first to AI first, they didn’t want to lag behind. This...
One of the most disturbing things in the world of smartphones today is the risk of attack by cybercriminals. Smartphones are advanced computing devices that are used to store and carry sensitive personal info such as business documents, bank passwords, and financial history. Unlike in the past when cybercriminals mainly targeted your desktops unworkable, it is different today. Cybercriminals want to lock your phone data or steal it to siphon credit cards balance. The most stressful cyber-attacks are perhaps from the latest strains of ransomware such as DataLust that targets stealing smartphone data and selling it on the black market if you fail to pay a ransom. Notably, the cybercriminals are advancing as fast as smartphone technologies. Is there a way you can keep yourself and the smartphone free from cyber attacks? Here are some 4 tips you should employ to remain secure all the time. Start by picking phones made by a company that works tirelessly to keep users safe The security of your smartphone and data stores in it starts with the type of phone you pick. Well, this is a battle that you cannot win alone. Top companies such as Apple take a lot of time vetting all associated apps during processing and deployment. In fact, before releasing any version of associated apps, the company tests it in multiple scenarios and even releases a Beta version to evaluate vulnerabilities. Therefore, associated phones such as iPhone 7 have been remarkably secure. Another company that stops at nothing in ensuring that all its phones and associated apps are extra secure is Google. Though it uses Android that has...
Many people who are out looking for new smartphones are faced with an uphill task of selecting between the latest releases by Samsung and Apple. In fact, Google has even added to the matrix with the latest pixel 2 XL. However, iPhone X remains the most preferred because of its unique features such as Sire, animoji, and wireless charging system. But the most remarkable is the facial ID. Unlike the previous iPhone models, iPhone 8 and X users will only need to look at their phones to unlock. This system is more secure, reliable, and indeed fun. Even with these advancements, some questions have started emerging about the Face ID. If you are planning to purchase iPhone 8 or X, here are some things to know about its facial ID. Does Apple collect user’s visual IDs? This is one concern that many people using different smartphone apps keep asking. Some have been arguing that with the new Face ID System, Apple gathers and stores the iPhone users’ ids in its database. Well, this is not true. Once you buy an iPhone x or iPhone 8, the Face ID System works just like the finger scanner. The facial info is scanned and stored in a mathematical representation on the Secure Enclave (a section of the processor). The facial details are also encrypted so that no third party can access them. When someone looks at the phone, the Face ID system scans the face and compares to what is stored in the Secure Enclave. Other apps you use on the phone cannot directly access the login info. The only time Apple...
It comes as no surprise that people were eagerly awaiting the iOS 11. There is so much to love in the new iOS 11. It is clear that all the hype surrounding it was justified as it is bound to blow everyone away. Its fresh new features and better design make it a definite must-have. Design Changes You can expect a few UI changes in the iOS 11. Nothing too drastic just some subtle changes but still enough to delight. The changes include bolder texts and icons without borders in some apps. This is a drastic shift away from the texts and icons that have graced the iOS since iOS 7. Control Centre The Control centre has been redefined to a single consolidated look with bubbly icons. Furthermore, it now occupies the entire screen unlike in the iOS 10 where it occupied only half of the screen. It has also been made more customizable, offering an array of icons that you can add to it. You are also now given a 3D touch option which gives you more control over an app. Lock Screen The lock screen has also been revamped and merged with the lock screen. Now when you swipe down for notifications, you will meet the lock screen. On it will be all your notifications, to get back to your home screen you will be mandated to swipe twice up the screen. However, there is no need to worry about your widgets contained in today. They are still available with a swipe to your right on either your home screen or lock screen. Siri Another feature...
